Overclocked

Built with a generous grant from one of the University's benefactors, this clinic serves as a small teaching hospital as well. More severe injuries are stabilized, then transported to Muir Island. It also houses the University's research laboratories.

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:39 pm

"Could you put me down...?" Shari asks, still hanging from Natalie's robot-fist holding her by the collar of her shirt. She's tugging at it a little, but the fingers don't budge. Without her arm getting tired it's easy for Natalie to forget she's still holding Shari.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:59 pm

Then Tosh noticed the notification notifying him that he had a multitude of missed calls and texts.

"Shiiit. Looks like I've got a fire to put out. So I'd better go."
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Toshiro Narumi
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High Concept: Nascent Cardinal Guardian
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Aspect: Hero In The Blood
Aspect: Crowded Brain
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Aspect: Guilty Conscience

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Fri Mar 02, 2018 10:59 pm

Natalie sets Shari gently down on the bed, eyes still on Tosh. "Sure thing. We'll get it all sorted."
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Toshiro Narumi » Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:03 am

"You know how to reach me if you need anything," he said before turning to leave. "And thanks for the sword. It helped."
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Toshiro Narumi
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High Concept: Nascent Cardinal Guardian
Aspect: Adorkable Tech Genius
Aspect: Hero In The Blood
Aspect: Crowded Brain
Aspect: Werewolf Lover
Aspect: Guilty Conscience

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Sat Mar 03, 2018 2:13 am

"Happy to help," she says, smiling and giving him a small wave as he left. Her attention drifts back to Shari, "Now... Um..." She sticks her hands in her pockets, not sure what to say.
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Sat Mar 03, 2018 3:39 am

"You know, it's kinda funny watching the headmistress act like you." Shari chuckles, trying to lighten the mood a little, determined to not let this get too awkward.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Sat Mar 03, 2018 3:56 am

Natalie smiles a little, "I don't think she finds it quite as amusing. It's a strange feeling, not seeing *my* reflection."
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Sat Mar 03, 2018 4:11 am

"Well that I can help with. Maybe. It'd help if I had the right stuff for the rites, but then I dunno if any of that would even work on a robot. Probably not. But I can still try to show you some of the meditation stuff. Learning how to deal with looking like somebody else is kind of a big thing for our people."
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High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Sat Mar 03, 2018 4:33 am

"I wouldn't mind learning more about you and your people, even if this isn't permanent."
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Sat Mar 03, 2018 5:11 am

"I dunno how well any of it works when you can't actively shift, but I'll try. We can try here if you want. Having your squishy body around might help."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Sat Mar 03, 2018 5:14 am

"Worth a try. What do I need to do?"
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 04, 2018 12:08 am

"Wait here, I'm gonna check if I can find some stuff." she says and slips out of the room. Everyone in the infirmary is pretty busy, so a sneaky little goblin girl manages to move pretty unnoticed and snag a couple things. Couple extra sheets and blankets,a gas burner from some emergency supplies (along with a couple of ration bars, one of which she immediately shoves in her mouth and chews as she moves around). The next part is trickier, both because she's not entirely sure what will work and because the room with all the medicine is usually locked. She patiently waits for one of the nurses to be distracted, then reaches out with an arm stretching out into a tentacle to hold the door open ever so slightly and slip in when the coast is clear.

She hops up on the counter and starts rifling through things, mostly looking for labels that list what something is used for, because she doesn't know what to make of most names anyway. She ends up with mostly some mild painkillers, a bunch of cough syrup, some rubbing alcohol, a bag of powdered grape flavoring in a bright purple color and one of those metal kidney-bowl things to carry things in. She checks one final cabinet and quizzically lifts a cellophane-wrapped brick out. She tears off one corner with her teeth and takes a sniff of the dried plant-matter inside before nodding to herself.

She returns to the room with her haul and dumps them on the floor, beginning to spread out some of the blankets on the ground to sit on.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Sun Mar 04, 2018 12:31 am

Natalie watches her work, standing next to the bed in a stiff posture that doesn't quite match her interest. "What exactly is this supposed to do?"
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:11 am

"You'll see. Hopefully. Not all of it is gonna work on a robot and I had to improvise, but maybe it still kinda works." she says as she starts putting the rest of the blankets and sheet up to cover the windows more and cast the room in dim light. The final sheet she rolls up and puts in front of the door and then fires up the gas burner in a small, putting the kidney bowl on top and sprinkling a bunch of of the medical marijuana into it before drizzling some of the painkillers on top. The mixture slowly starts heating up from the metal bowl and smoking ever so slightly as Shari very carefully lifts Natalie's unresponsive body from the bed.

"Help me sit her up on the blanket. I think it'll help if you can look at 'yourself'."
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High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:21 am

Natalie moves to help. “I’m not sure sitting up is something my body’s going to do,” she says dubiously.
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Sun Mar 04, 2018 5:22 am

"Hmm, okay, we'll just put you up against the wall then." she says, positioning Natalie's body against the wall to prop her up and then dragging the blankets and burner with improvised incense over.

"Okay. Just sit down across from her for now. I'd tell you to chug the cough syrup, but that probably won't do anything, so..." she says, opening the bottle and taking a couple generous gulps herself.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Sun Mar 04, 2018 1:38 pm

It takes Natalie a bit to sit down on the floor, that being significantly different than sitting in a chair or on a stool. She manages though, tilting her head as she regards her body. "This... feels a little weird."
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Mon Mar 05, 2018 5:02 pm

"Good, that helps." Shari says, sitting down next to Natalie's comatose body and looking at her robot body with an almost scrutinizing intensity. The improvised mixture of drugs starts smoking more and Shari take a deep breath, her features shifting and readjusting, taking on more angular, vaguely Asian features, her hair losing it's color, starting at the roots and spreading down. Limbs stretch out, her whole body growing and soon she looks like a passable double of Ashlie. She focuses her eyes on Natashlie again and her features adjust ever so slightly here and there. Even her posture changes as she works on perfecting the mimicry, shoulders straighten, sitting up more stiffly.

"Okay..." she says with her own voice, then stops. "Hang on..." the words wobble a little as she adjusts her throat, tuning her voice. "There. Alright. If you were organic the smoke would help you get in the right state of mind, so you'll just have to try without. Close your eyes or... shut them off? And just focus on my voice. Picture yourself, the first thing that comes to mind and hold that image in your head. Focus on yourself, your hands, your face, not what you'd see in the mirror, not what you remember seeing in the mirror. None of those things are true anyway. Only hold on to what comes to mind first when you think of your face. Your body..."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Mon Mar 05, 2018 5:11 pm

Natalie shuts her eyes after a moment. She's not sure how this is supposed to help, but she wants to make Shari feel at least a bit better. She does her best to visualize the things Shari's talking about. She breathes in and out, letting the cooling system do its job.
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Mon Mar 05, 2018 5:19 pm

"Describe yourself. How you see yourself."

It's weird hearing her own voice telling her what to do, but on a purely intellectual level. If the drugs would work it'd probably be disorienting and confusing. But she has more control over her current body than normal. She can narrow down where data is flowing and it's all very clearly labelled in it's encoding. It's hard to mistake external dialogue for internal one, but it'd be trivial to turn that distinction off for a time.
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High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:13 pm

She can visualize herself in crystal clear clarity. "I'm... not sure what you're asking for."
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Mon Mar 05, 2018 7:23 pm

"You gotta have a mental image of yourself. Of who you are. How you see yourself..."
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High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Mon Mar 05, 2018 8:45 pm

"I..." This wasn't the sort of introspection she usually engaged in or even really wanted to do at this point, but she needed to help Shari. "I'm kind of lame. Tech-obsessed. That sort of thing?"
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:44 pm

"Sure. Anything to comes to mind when you picture yourself in your head. But also things about your body. Birthmarks, stuff you like, stuff that bothers you, stuff that's just there. Anything you consider to be 'you'. Or... prior to all this stuff anyway. Doesn't have to be accurate or stuff other people agree with, just has to be stuff that makes you think 'Yup, this is me'."
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High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Mon Mar 05, 2018 9:58 pm

This was starting to get uncomfortable and her robot body shifted a little in consternation. "I... I'm confused," she finally says and it's clear she's not talking about the ritual.
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:18 pm

"If you're having trouble remembering or focusing you can open your eyes. Your body's right there, remind yourself of what you used to look like."

If Natalie does open her eyes, she'd find two of her slumped against the wall, not moving, eyes closed, blurred a little bit by the smoke.
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High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:24 pm

She does open her eyes, "No, that's not... Shari? Are you okay?"
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:30 pm

"I'm fine, don't worry about me." her voice comes from... somewhere. Neither of the two Natalie's move their mouths. "Focus on that first thought. What popped into your head?"
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High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
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Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:35 pm

Natalie frowns, but closes her eyes again. "I'm... confused. The things I want to be, no one else seems to want me to be. And the things people want me to be, I'm not sure I want to be."
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:47 pm

"You're... more constrained in that, so I don't know how much of this applies, but... Who you could be might not be who you should and who you're expected to be might not be who you need to be. But none of those things are who you are. It... rhymes better in Skrull. The point is, in order to change you need to know where you stand or you'll get lost along the way. And you'll change all the time, become different versions of yourself, but if you don't take the time to make sure you're on solid ground you'll tumble and fall and lose yourself in a chaotic mess. Well... that last part's mostly for shapeshifting."
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High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
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Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:02 pm

"I..." Her frown deepens. "Is this process this frustrating for your people?"
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:16 pm

"Yeah. The drugs help... make you feel less entrenched? And you're not getting any of that. What... gets really hammered in is something else. Conquering your form, taking control, adding to the arsenal, being what you need to be. It's... wrong. The old texts talk about how this was supposed to be and I'm... trying to piece that together. Finding a harmony of letting your shape help you understand and being yourself no matter. I could tell you how to best deal with being in this body and how to make the most of it, but when you put that kind of utilitarian thing above all else you turn into what my people have become. You are what you are and when you see what you are as a tool then you will start to think like that. A tool, a weapon."
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High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:21 pm

"Well, I'm me. Maybe I need to start acting like it," she says, moving to try to figure out which of the bodies is actually hers and which is Shari's.
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:36 pm

It's not too hard, seeing how one of them briefly twitches into a frown. It's a movement that could have gone unnoticed very easily, but the robotic eyes and visual processing take note right away and highlight it.

"I mean, I guess, but... I feel like you're just leaning into this without getting your footing..."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:43 pm

"And I feel like you don't trust me to be able to take care of myself on this," Natalie says, gently lifting her body and returning it to the bed. "I appreciate what you're trying to do, but I'm not a shapeshifter. Tell me something, would you be worried if I had ended up in a robot body that looked like this body instead of one that looked like Ashlie?"
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:56 pm

"Yes. It's not about what you look like." she sighs. This clearly didn't go like she'd hoped it would. "You're the one who said it feels weird and who couldn't really pull together a good idea of yourself in your head. You're already getting lost in this. What does acting like yourself even mean? Ignore any problems and sit in the workshop all day cause now you finally don't even have to sleep anymore?"
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Tue Mar 06, 2018 6:35 pm

Natalie's hand freezes where she was adjusting the covers back into place over her body. In the back of her head, a counter runs to 10... then to 100... then to 1000... I count too damn fast. She finishes the frozen motion and turns to Shari. "You once said that the great thing about my power was that it fixed things or made things better. But now, apparently, using it to do that is somehow a bad thing." Her tone is carefully controlled, but her body can't help but show some of the signs of how angry she is because she hasn't schooled that bit of programming too much yet. "Without this body and my power, I might be dead now or effectively so." That part was just spitballing, but was probably true she reasoned. "But you really want to know one of the things that confuses me? It's you. You confuse me."
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Natalie Denisov
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High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Tue Mar 06, 2018 6:37 pm

Shari almost seems to snap back into her diminutive goblin shape at Natalie's outburst, measured as her voice might be.

"I don't understand..."
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

Re: Overclocked

Postby Natalie Denisov » Tue Mar 06, 2018 6:52 pm

"You... us... I've never understood what you see in me. I'm not even sure I'm attracted to women, but I had faith in you that you could see something I didn't."
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Natalie Denisov
Student
 
High Concept: Ghost In The Machine
Aspect: More Comfortable With Things
Aspect: Quad-Core Mind
Aspect: Lighthouse Keeper
Aspect: Sufficiently Advanced Technology

Re: Overclocked

Postby Shari » Tue Mar 06, 2018 7:05 pm

On a better day Shari might have caught on to what's going on, but she's hurt. The drugs have gotten to her a little and are crystallizing everything into sharper edges. She tried to help best as she could and it just didn't want to work. No matter how she contorted herself it just didn't seem to click. It doesn't help that she never really got human hang-ups over gender and how it plays into relationships. She doesn't understand why it's so important, why the physical is so scary to Natalie or why she can't grasp somebody liking her. Except for one thing...

"It's not my fault if you don't want to look for it! You're fine with this cause you don't really like yourself, but guess what, it doesn't matter what body you're in, you're always gonna be stuck with yourself!" she sniffs, wiping her nose with her sleeve as she makes a break for the door.
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Shari
 
High Concept: Shapeshifting Stranger
Aspect: Shaping Yourself
Aspect: Philosophy of Form

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