MISSION: GRAB THE EYEBALLTAUR

[initiates]

Date & Time: March 7th, 1994
Location: The MICA campus: Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Characters: Everyone
Summary: All transports are shipped back to 1994 to steal art from art students. Also, some of them arrive bodyswapped.

The Initiative has timed the incoming waves of Transports to the MICA campus for Freshmen Orientation, but even so, the flood of newcomers gets a few surprised glances. Looks like MICA's up for a major boom in attendance next year, wow. But do some of those freshman look a little old to you? …And do some of them seem to be freaking out a lot more than usual about being in Baltimore?

The cloaking devices, with holograms visible only to the natives, will be blending everyone in with the native 90s fashion senses, and all non-humans will find themselves getting much more tame curious glances than they might back on Exsilium, as they project a human appearance to natives around them. So at least there's that. Just try not to get arrested, hit by cars, or challenged to any break dance competitions as you grab and run off with bizarre works of art, alright? The weirder it looks, the more likely it probably is to be the power source the Initiative needs for the Transporter.

Oh, yeah, and sorry about the body-swap-around. Just deal with that as best you can, because the mission really must go on. Any harried and worried Initiative employee along on the mission that you might be able to find will just sputter a hasty not-really-explanative explanation and hurry away, trading frantic messages with the headquarters in Exsilium. They'll get this all sorted out by the time you get back, don't worry.

Comments

[implying]

[ Oh yeah, he knows the sight of that fussing. It's terribly familiar. But it gets no comment, and he only starts forward once her arm is in his. ]

Never you fear, I spent some time in the Fall in New York City, once! Spiced pumpkin latte sounds distinctly familiar.

[controlledvariable]

You got to go to New York? [If she sounds jealous and a little wistful, it's only because, well, New York is a stone's throw from Gotham, even if most worlds don't actually have a Gotham City.

Less seriously:] Maybe one of the coffee shops will have some leftover flavour syrup from Christmas, that'd be a much better thing to steal.

[Steph you just can't rob a Starbucks because you have sugar problems.]

[implying]

I did! With two beautiful people, who could tragically not be coerced into a threesome.

[ He sighs wistfully, and leans to push and hold open the door for her. ]

Really, New York was a bit of a disappointment in that regard.

[controlledvariable]

You should probably try 'convinced' rather than 'coerced'. [Said lightly, but the look she gives him is a bit of a warning, because she doesn't approve of words like coerced being thrown around when it comes to sex.]

But really, I don't think it's fair to blame New York for the fact you didn't get a threesome. I'd have to hold a grudge against every city except for my home town, if that were the case.

[She might be joking, she might not be. Who knows.]

[implying]

[ Yeah, yeah, he can admit (and the look helps) that it was poor phrasing, but he's too busy enjoying the memories to pay much mind to it. That had been a good trip. ]

My dear! [ He sounds scandalized. ] Only your hometown? Really, you'd best get to work on that embarrassing record.

[controlledvariable]

I never travelled much! [The defensive tone is mostly feigned, she doesn't care that much.] And I don't really... [a vague handwave meant to communicate "have sex"] Do that sorta thing much these days.

[He already knew that, but now he knows why.]

[implying]

Why, I can't imagine why not!

[ No, he can, but this makes a better argument. ]

Not only are you a perfectly lovely, beautiful young woman, but you know me. [ He grins. ] You might think of me as a real estate agent of a good time. [ A beat, and he adds: ] Sans the literal selling, I suppose.

[controlledvariable]

A real estate agent? [Her tone could not be more dry.] That's terrible, Vanadi.

[By which she means "really lame"]

[implying]

[ No, it totally was, which is mostly what makes him chuckle. ]

I can't speak for you, but I've met my fair share of very alluring and sexy real estate agents!

[controlledvariable]

[Wait she actually has to think about that.]

I don't know if I've met many real estate agents. I mean, I probably have, but I don't ask people what their jobs are.

[Also she doesn't get out into the real world much.]

[implying]

Well, then either you really must begin meeting more people, or you really ought to be more curious about the ones you do meet! [ He offers a shrug. ] Or both, perhaps?

[controlledvariable]

I could probably stand to meet a few more people. [She admits that a little sheepishly, since she has been more than a little withdrawn the last couple of months.]

[implying]

Why, then you're talking to the right man, my dear. I'd be more than pleased to offer up a few of my friends, I've quite a good collection!

[controlledvariable]

You make it sound like collecting friends is a hobby or something.

[No, Steph, it's just called being sociable and not horribly suspicious of everyone.]