They're the Faces of a Stranger

Up until recently maintained as a museum, the childhood home of the Braddock family has been pressed into service as classroom space for the University. Additionally, the increased demands have led to the main ballroom being converted into a cafeteria for University students on a meal plan. The old library has been bolstered with college textbooks.

They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Fri Mar 23, 2018 4:22 pm

Shari almost immediately regrets not getting into the car, but she's much too proud to indicate as much. Instead she grows a thick white coat of fur and wanders through the streets, glaring at everyone who looks at her funny. She'd had the right idea before, even when she didn't remember everything. She's the only she can really rely on. The school has given her a warped perspective of things, a place isolated from the rest of the world in a sense. And now that refuge got spoiled and she's left with nothing but disdain. These people aren't interested in learning from each other, exchanging ideas. Sure, a handful of them might be trying but generally? They were no different than what she knows. She turns her head to one of the people staring at her and grows bright neon-green eyes with a weirdly segmented iris, making the man recoil from her and stumble a couple steps away. Narrow-minded apes.

She's still stewing when she gets to the gates of the school, stopping to look over at the roof of the mansion rising above the wall. What is she even doing here? What's the point? They helped her, she helped them. She'd told them everything she knew about her people, what else was there for her to do now? She takes on an unassuming shape and heads through the gates and for the dorms. It doesn't take long to grab what little stuff she has, her old coat, backpack. Picking up the collection of music she got from Will makes her hesitate for a moment. Her lips pressed into a thin line she rolls them up in the covers from her bed and stuff the whole thing into her backpack as well. Then she slips out and heads for the dining hall. It's still early, but people are in the kitchen to prepare food. She slips inside looking like Emilie and starts grabbing food when people aren't paying too much attention, focusing on packaged stuff that'll last for a bit she stuffs it into her bag until it can't hold anything else as she hums a vaguely melancholic melody that she seems unable to get out of her head...
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sat Mar 24, 2018 1:38 am

There was a reason no one thought it was weird that Emilie was rummaging through the cupboards at that particular time. It's because all of her coworkers knew Emilie was on shift and had better things to do than grill the pretender with her face about why she was doing something Emilie might have been instructed to do.

It was working so well, until Emilie appeared with a restock box of HobNobs.

"Dafuckizdis?" She asked as a single word, sounding more irritated than frightened.
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 1:28 am

Shari's head swivels around and looks at Emilie with an expression of surprise and a hint of guilt, like she was just caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Oops. Gotta go." she reponds with Emilie's voice, or at least a reasonable approximation.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 1:43 am

"-ON MY BREAK." Emilie adds with her own voice rather forcibly. She didn't know if anyone was paying attention, but it sounding like she was having a conversation with herself would only serve to get Shari more attention she obviously wasn't wanting.

"I will be back boss!" She stated out loud, then caught Shari by the sleeve and motioned towards a door around the corner from the cabinet Shari had been routing through that lead out into the back as opposed to out the front where someone might notice her and question why there was two of them.
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:04 am

Shari's about to bolt, but then Emilie pulls her out of the room anyway, leaving her to stumble after her in confusion.

"Hey, let go of me!" she finally finds her footing again once they're outside and she shakes her arm to try and dislodge Emilie's grip on her sleeve.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:17 am

Emilie did let go rather quickly now that Shari was out of the danger of getting caught, and folded her arms over her chest.

"You don't have to sneak snacks you know. We'll just give them to you if you can't afford them."
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:34 am

"Great. Can I have two more cases of energy bars then?"
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 2:36 am

"Maybe. If you tell me what you need all this shit for and why you think it's worth pinning the blame on me."
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 3:56 am

"To eat them. And I was just trying to blend in." she says defiantly.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:00 am

"I believe that you just chose me because I could get into the kitchen without being noticed as out of the ordinary, and I believe you weren't thinking about the consequences for me when you did it.

But considering there are giant mutated sharks eating multiple trays of food in the cafeteria and they aren't denied their fill, I do not believe that you are taking them just because you didn't get enough to eat.

So if you want 'em, yer gonna hafta come up with a better story than that. Preferably a true one."
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:05 am

"Are you going to try and stop me if I tell you?"
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:09 am

"Well that depends I guess on whether what you wanna do is actively damaging to others or not. You gonna poison somebody with shitty would be granola?"
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:23 am

"I'm leaving." she simply says.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:24 am

"Okay." Emilie replied. Not like she ain't done it before herself.

"Can I ask why?"
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:44 am

"Cause I don't really belong anywhere."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:47 am

"So yer just gonna go be nowhere instead?"
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:53 am

"It's what I know. I'm just too different and I suck at fitting in."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:54 am

"I think that's most of us, if we're being truthful with each other." Emilie meant people, not mutants, buuut she wasn't exactly clear on that.
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:58 am

"That's pretty sad." she says as she finally gives up on holding Emilie's shape and let's her body turn back into her 'normal' reptilian self for the first time since the simulation got busted.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:04 am

Emilie didn't really know the Skrull kid personally, but when she let her guard down, it made more sense to Emilie why she felt out of place here. She wasn't one of them, and even if she wasn't reminded of it actively, Em could see how it would become a 'thing' that made her feel different.

"Yea it is... But ya know what?"
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:05 am

Shari looks confused. "No, I don't."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:09 am

Emilie held in a laugh at the obvious confusion in language so she didn't make Shari feel worse.

"I been lots of places that ain't here and I always end up at places like this, because even though all the people here ain't my people, they're still people in the same boat as I am. And sometimes that's the best you can ask for.

Weirdos like us gotta stick together, even if we don't always get along. "
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:16 am

"They're not though. That's what I thought too and everyone's nice and all, but even the shapeshifters don't get me. I try to help and I just make things worse, I try to explain or to show and I get yelled at. I try to do what people do when you do the breaking up and I get thrown in jail. It's easier when I just don't have to worry about any of that."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:21 am

Emilie smiled warmly, deciding to focus on the most general of all the things the Skrull said.

"My dude, you are not the first person to get yelled at or to get thrown in jail over a break up and you definitely not gonna be the last either. That's actually kind of normal...

And if you want my personal opinion, I don't think the shapeshifters get anyone. As a whole, they kinda come with a lot of identity crisis baggage.

Don't let other peoples hang ups make you put yourself in a bad way."
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:26 am

"But then what's the point? I don't get my people, I don't get you people. I feel like I was happier when I was living on the street. Or maybe just less sad."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:28 am

Emilie shrugged. "I don't want to tell you living without other people isn't an option. It is.

But I've never enjoyed the streets enough to want to go back to it. Not once.

Nearly every time I ended up back there I ended up regretting it."
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:57 am

"How old are you?" Shari asks, squinting at Emilie. Unlike other people might she doesn't go straight to being doubtful of a life-experience that seems to defy her age. She seems to just assume that she's older than she looks.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:59 am

"Pretty goddamn old." She answers in truth with a bit of a smirk.
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 6:09 am

"And you just... work in the kitchen here?"
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 6:13 am

"Yup, pretty much."
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 6:30 am

"I... that seems..." she fumbles for words and then just kinda gives up.

"I just don't know what to do. Running away's the only thing I'm good at."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 4:18 pm

"Mmmmwell, I can understand why you'd go with whatcha know, but you can't get good at other things without practice."
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 25, 2018 8:38 pm

"I thought it'd be easier..."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Sun Mar 25, 2018 9:43 pm

"Nothing good comes easy." How many platitudes were in her?
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Mon Mar 26, 2018 2:24 am

"Is that one of those thing that people say that isn't actually true? Like not being able to purchase peace of mind with currency?"
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Mon Mar 26, 2018 2:27 am

"Yes and no.

Some things that some people would qualify as good come easy, but those things usually aren't good for you and come at a very hefty price. Financially or otherwise."
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Mon Mar 26, 2018 4:19 pm

"Doesn't mean something's worth it just because it's hard."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:46 pm

"Nope, you're right. But the idiom doesn't say *everything* hard is worth having, just that the best shit takes work."
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Emilie
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Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Shari » Mon Mar 26, 2018 6:02 pm

"Well I tried and I failed and now it's ruined, so I can't have it anyway."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: They're the Faces of a Stranger

Postby Emilie » Mon Mar 26, 2018 8:23 pm

"Listen kid, I'm not gonna try to convince you to try again, nor am I gonna stop ya. I'm just trying to convince you that running back to the streets is a super shit idea.

The streets sucks."
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Emilie
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