Xaviers!

Natalie blinks as she realizes where she is. She'd ended up in the cafeteria by force of habit. She'd finished her eleven o'clock class, so now it was obviously lunch time. But she didn't need to eat. So that left her standing awkwardly for a bit until the person behind her tapped her on the shoulder and asked if she minded getting a move on. "Sorry, sorry, I'm really sorry," she stammers out and steps out of line, handing them the empty tray she'd had in her hands. The person shakes their head and takes the tray, heading on down the line. Natalie does some quick calculations. It'd take too long to walk out to the Point and actually get anything done before she'd have to walk back for her next class. She could go back to her room, but there wasn't much for her there at the moment. At a loss, she sits down at an empty table with no food and looks at her hands.

((Open))

Sam gets an odd look as she spots Natalie, making her way over.

"Are you... alright, Natalie?"

Natalie looks up, "Me? Oh... yeah... mostly. Just... adjusting to some things. You doing okay? I heard you were in the infirmary after the fight."

"It turns out being three people messes you up a bit. I'm okay now, though."

"No offense but you feel... just a bit weird, there."

"I do? Well, I suppose I might," she says. Now that Sam's looking closer, there's some very subtle things that aren't *quite* the same about Natalie's face. And she's definitely taller and somewhat thinner than she used to be. "I... had a bit of an accident after the simulation crashed. It's kind of hard to explain. I've already had a couple of people freak out about it... Shari included."

"...so this is more than just a new look." She says, taking in all the little details.

"Technically, only sorta my body," she says, "It's a *complicated* story. You know the rumors about the Headmistress? It's sort of tied into that."

"Rumors about... oh. Oh."

"So this is... one of hers."

"Yeah. I had to use some of it to get into the simulation, then woke up in it after everything was done. It's been cool... and really rough at the same time."

"No wonder Shari's worried about you."

"Worried enough to break up with me," Natalie says with a shrug. "Or maybe I broke up with her. I don't know. We had a fight in the infirmary."

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know."

Natalie tries to wave it away. "She was worried about me not being me or something like that. Or ceasing to be me? I had to go bail her and Will out of jail on drunk and disorderly and she decided she'd rather walk home than ride in the car with me, so I think it's well and truly done."

"...okay, Will didn't tell me about that bit."

"I mean, I guess it's none of my business, but..."

"Oh... no... I don't think they're a thing. She doesn't even like him, I don't think. They were both just super drunk. I didn't ask how they ended up that way. Alcohol I would assume, but beyond that..."

"No I mean... Will's kind of in a bad way. He's been avoiding me since the simulation."

"Oh... well..." She looks like she's pondering saying something, but Sam can't pick up on what it is. Finally, she says, "That's... none of my business."

"None of mine either apparently," she sighs. "He won't talk to me."

"He had lots of advice to offer me on the way back, but he was drunk and it really didn't feel like it applied. But I'm not sure why he wouldn't talk to you... considering..." Was that a mild trace of bitterness in Natalie's voice?

"About all I could get out of him is he feels like he... helped Conduit?"

"Which seems like nonsense."

"I can't say there's any evidence of that," Natalie says, "And I had access to the weird ass database she was using to track all of you."

"He just kind of clammed up after he went out drinking with Tereza. I think he's... embarrassed by what he said while he was drunk."

"A lot of people end up in that predicament. Can't say that it's been one I've ever experienced directly. Can't very well experience it now."

"Well I mean this... probably isn't permanent, aye?"

She shrugs, "Ashlie and I have something we can try, but it's going to take a lot of development and it's something that's never been done before that we're aware of, so it's uncharted territory. It may not work. But..." She pauses and considers, "I think I'd be okay if it doesn't."

"...the headmistress didn't load you down with lasers and rocket feet, did she?"

Natalie raises an eyebrow, "No. Why would she? Not that I wouldn't customize the body some if it is going to be permanent."

"I'm just wondering why else you'd be okay with being mechanical."

Natalie counts on her fingers. "I don't get tired. I always have access to my power. I won't get old. I can have perfect memory recall if I want it. There's a number of benefits to being like this."

"And you can't eat, can't sleep, and can't do... you know, other things."

"The no eating is kind of irritating. Sleeping is a waste of time. And the one person who was even remotely interested in doing... other things with me isn't interested anymore."

"Sleeping actually is important mentally. There's bad shite that happens if you don't achieve REM for a long time."

"I mean I guess you might work differently now, but I wouldn't want to find out the hard way."

"Besides... maybe Shari will sober up and calm down?"

"I have a down-cycle during the night to process things, so it's not like I'm not sort of sleeping," she says, "As much as I hate having the down-cycle. And Shari wasn't drunk when we broke up, so I doubt sobering up will change her mind. It's probably better for her in the long run if she moves on from me anyway."

"...why would you even say that?"

Natalie purses her lips. Then responds, "It's... just..." She seems to be contemplating whether or not to follow that statement up. When she finally does, her voice is quiet. "I'm not sure I was attracted to her... you know... in that way. It already caused some friction."

"Well that's... maybe something you should've talked about. I guess I could see why it'd be super-awkward."

"But... I guess I was worried you were putting yourself down there. That wouldn't have been fair to you or Shari."

Natalie shrugs, "She caught me by surprise when she told me she liked me. And I'd just been... well... let's just say I'd been turned down by someone else. So I wasn't in a good frame of mind. And I realize starting a relationship with her under those circumstances makes me a bad person. I'm not proud of it, but it proves she can do better than me."

"I'm not saying that at all."

"Natalie, you're a tremendous person."

"Even if you're not saying it, I am."

"You saved us all. We wouldn't have gotten out of that without you."