ROAD TRIP- TEXAS [Jacqueline, SFX and Stephanie have rid themselves of Jason, the poor schmuck turned into Stephanie's love-slave by her quantum powers. Now they hit the road once again, and Stephanie sets her sights on SFX.] Chaos: "Cold?" Stephenie giggles, "wasn't it _just_?! Well, you said you wanted to get rid of him, didn't you? And after he changed back..." she shruggs. "It wasn't like he deserved me anymore. Though its a real shame he'll never know just what he missed." She gives SFX a wink, then sighed deeply 'inadvertently' enphasizing her bosom. "I do feel a little sorry for him though. He deserved a little reward for helping me at least. But, it just would have ruined him for any other woman anyway." **And now that he's gone...**, she thought, "guess who just elected for a little slice of heaven? Sorry, Stephy, but I like to get what I want. Besides, like I said, it should get him over this silly problem he has with us.** "Thanks for the help Jackie. You know... I _almost_ decided to try to keep him? But..., well just consider it another sign of my good faith. Right... partner? And, you really should consider using one of the bedrooms for yourself. You probably didn't get nearly enough sleep. And that chair could not have been very comfortable." On the way back to the RV, she asks SFX, "Did you happen to turn up anything on Richard? Steven's roommate? And I was thinking... you said something about the FBI. Do you think your friends could hack into their computers. Maybe they'd have more information?" <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie smiles to SFX, "Cold? Yeah, well that's what superbi*** does best right?" Jackie frowns. "Stephenie, we need someone else. If he decides to go to the cops, it isn't goin to be hard to find us. Two guys and two chicks? We need another guy, we can always say we dropped the girl he was talkin about off at a gas station or somethin. Make him look like a real loser, back our story up as to how screwed up he is, we'll even have another witness, someone you can whip up. We've been havin enough trouble, this trip should be nice and easy. Much as you think I'm tryin to get rid of you, it'll also be a good test of your abilities. How easy is it for all of you to call back established...I don't know personalities? I'm askin, not tellin girl. It will help all of us get a handle on thin's better. Maybe we can make a deal with the others? Maybe if all of you practiced a bit more, you three could share different parts of the day in eight hour shifts or somethin. Do that instead of tryin to hold on as long as you can, makin it easier for worse stuff to happen. Just a thought, in either case we need a disguise, look different then we did." Jackie crosses to the RV and starts pulling things out, she posts the "Quantum Cats" on the side of the RV and starts cleaning up assorted trash. "George, put on a suit and let's get ready to roll," she says as she looks over some conservative clothes of her own. "Kid, you need some rest, we both been goin non stop for almost two days, I caught two naps, so I'll be ok. Take a shower and some sleep, we need you on your toes. How about it? I ain't your Ma, but you could use a snooze." <><><><><> Chaos: Stephenie stopped and looked slowly at Jackie. "Jackie. Do you have any idea what you are asking? If I change, then pfft! I'm gone. I think. And, Jackie, I told you I have no intention of going away if I can help it. I meant that. Too much like dying. Don't ask again." "However, if you _really_ want a disguise _and_ you think 2 guys and 2 girls are a problem... Well," she giggles, "I could always turn George into a girl. Really fabuluous looking." She smiles at Jackie to take the edge off it. "Won't affect his mind at all, I don't think. Not SFX though." She said, giving him a 'woman to man' smile. "Unless of course you asked, SFX. I suspect if you asked right, I'd be tempted to do almost anything for you. Except disappear." As Jackie starts redecorating the RV, Stephenie says offhand, "You know Jackie, I could always try to change the color... of the RV's paint, I mean." [IF SFX goes into the RV while Jackie is doing this Stephenie will follow, trying- without using chaos power- to see if she can affect him again as she did last time, only more so. She also uses normal feminine whiles but _subtly_- once 'accidently' rubbing her breasts against him, etc.- all inside the RV while Jackie is outside.] <><><><><> Jacqueline: "Don't ever say anythin like that again. George is part of this family, he's hands off too. I catch you toying with either of them...I already told you what would happen. My suggestion still stands, you don't know if any of you can come back, because you haven't tried. So did you stop to try out your powers? I must have missed it if you did." Jackie winces at the suggestion to change the paint color, "No, no way. I'm done with this sign anyways, the good thin about my power is puttin in screws take like no time." Walking back into the RV, Jackie cleans up the floor and garbage left over. Turning to Stephenie, "Ummm, could you turn the table back at least? If we get stopped, I don't want to have funny looks." <><><><><> [GM] //You're gonna lose it sooner or later, honey// says Mr. Nasty. //Try all you want, you can't hold onto OUR body forever!// George turns pale when Stephanie threatens to change him. SFX shakes his head. "She ain't gonna do nothin' to you, George, or to me." The kid glares at the tall, voluptuous woman. "I mean it, lady, don't even think of messin' with me, what I told you back in Dallas still goes." He seems to be making a deliberate effort to avoid being in close proximity with Stephanie; her seductive voice and the way she keeps brushing up against him is clearly getting him worked up, but he steadfastly tries to keep his distance, and is very careful (and very obvious) in locking the door to the RV's bedroom before he starts the shower. **Bet you could turn the lock into dust real easy** giggles Stephy, who apparently is willing to settle for a second-hand experience. \\Bet he could turn US into dust real easy\\ comes Steven's nervous voice, sounding considerably less enthusiastic about either prospect. <><><><><> Chaos: To Mr. Nasty: **Shut up, you. I can hold on as long as I can. But one thing I guarantee you. If you every get out... and do have the things you've hinted at, I don't think any of us will let you stay long.** [Before SFX goes into the bedroom...] "SFX!!," she cries- apparently very wounded, "Jackie! George!," genuinely hurt. "I was _kidding_! Lighten up. Though not about maybe doing whatever you asked, SFX, if you asked right." "And, just think a minute. You freaked _and_he_still_be_ George_. Well, not physically, temporarily. But, mentally he still would be. Yet, here you were suggesting that _I_ change both, with no idea if or when I can come back. And, _you_ weren't kidding." "I promised, Steven promised, and for the I-don't-know-how-many-time I'll keep that promise. Though, if any of you _wanted_ it... Well, who am I or any of the rest of us to tell them what they can want or do?" "Jackie, I did try my power. Which is why I won't try the tabletop today. The first time I tried to change those ridiculous wooden shoes into pumps. they burst into flame. And, oh yeah, I think it turned my fingernais on this hand into metal." She double checks them. "The second, I tried to fix my outfit so it fit," she runs her hands down her very snug dress, "just right. It work. Then I tried creating some shoes again, and it kind of worked." She shows off her metal spiked heel. "Actually, I like them. Then I tried the tennie's and got tribble-dolls and electric goo. Finally, I tried to make some tanning creme out of some dirt and got green goo. That's when SFX convinced me to wait till tomorrow." "You know Jackie, you realy should listen to SFX more. He's really is very smart. And quite mature. He said pretty much what I was thinking. First, I was probably getting tired and had too much champagne. Second, my power seems to respond to my subconscious sometimes, hence the metal shoes, and maybe even other peoples. You're the one who was thinking crystal back in the RV after all." "So, I think I'll wait until tomorrow to try the tabletop again. After all, Jason never saw inside the RV, did he? But, it does make picking up some tanning creme for me pretty important. If Jason does blab- and I kind of doubt he will after the implied rape threats- but if he does, well as exotic as it is, it's probably a good idea to get some creme immediately." And tommorrow... maybe I'll try redhair or something else. But, as long as I can, it'll still be me." **I bet I could too Stephy. And, I want to... but Stephen's right. Unless there's something else not quite so obvious still hidden in us that'll get him over this block of his, I'm afraid its going to be Marth and her friends tonight. But, Stephy... girl to girl, you got any ideas, let me hear them. But, make sure it takes care of his sonic stuff too. I wonder if metal grounds sound...?** "Now, Jackie, did you happen to pick up any of those books you were talking about?" **Stephy,** she asks silently, **If I tried to make myself look like you, after a little rest so it didn't go haywire, would you promise not to try to take over and help keep the rest from trying? I think it might make SFX more receptive. Tell the truth now, hon. I might have to return the favor sometime.** <><><><><> [GM] SFX looks hard at Stephanie (and for a moment his eyes flicker down to the cleavage she keeps flaunting), then snorts quietly. "All right, fine. I just don't like the idea of nobody havin' their body messed with against their will, an' *especially* their head. Look, like I told Jackie, I ain't no Dudley Do-right, but I also seen enough punks who thought a gun made 'em some kinda superman, and gave 'em the right to do whatever the hell they wanted, that I don't like the idea of superpowers doin' the same thing. I love havin' this power, no lie, but I don't wanna turn into some kinda bully who goes around terrorizing normals just because I can, and I don't think I'd like seein' anyone else do that either." He gives Stephanie another hard look, though edged with a hint of lust, to Stephanie's great delight, before going to the bedroom and locking the door behind him. Stephy replies **Look, the truth is I'm not sure HOW to 'take over' even if I wanted to, but if you wind up as me, what makes you think I like being stuck here like a passenger in your head? I want to enjoy life just as much as you do. You're acting like you're totally gonna try to keep us all shut away as long as you can!** Mr. Nasty, in his occasionally more reasonable tone, chimes in: //Don't you think it's about time to discuss some kind of arrangement, then? I think Jackie might have had the right idea. No matter what you think, baby-cakes, I seriously doubt you can hold on forever. Just like you're not going to keep me from manifesting indefinitely. If we're all constantly fighting each other to take control and keep the others suppressed, it will be counter-productive to all of us. No telling how many of us there are in here, I mean, we've heard voices besides me that haven't even come out yet. But 'Chaos' is about all we're going to be if we can't work out something with this body that we all seem to be timesharing.// \\MY body!\\ moans Steven. \\I really am crazy, and now I'm just along for the ride...\\ <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie looks at the interplay between Stephenie and SFX and gives an amused smile, "Look, a compromise here. I consider the Kid my partner, I ain't sayin go jump him or nothin, but it's up to him. Now, none of this is here nor there. When he's done showerin he's goin to sleep, I don't want you botherin him. He hasn't had any rest for almost two days...he's young so he'll be ok. Us girls will be drivin the bus, you ridin shotgun, George needs his rest too, he's been drivin for hours without much of a break. George? Pull over and grab a shower an somethin to eat, then get some shut eye, I'll take over for a while." Jackie goes for some bags and finds some from music stores and book stores. She pulls a few out with titles like _Multiple Personalities: crossroads of reality_, Zen Buddhism, Karma and Western Thought, a bunch of books by Existential authors (Ionesco and Sarte), some books about metal and metallurgy and some animal books. A large amount of various CDs roll out, mostly Jazz anthologies, Best of the 90's and New Age artists (Tangerine Dream and Phillip Glass). Jackie frowns, "I thought there was more stuff, sorry." Looking thoughtful for a moment, "You know, the alcohol did have an effect on us, I found my powers weren't as fine tuned. I wonder if stuff like speed and Ludes do anythin? Maybe there's a drug out there that makes the powers stronger, not that I want that monkey on my back, nut it's a thought. You said Stevey wigged out on LSD right? Maybe he did some real crazy stuff. With that unconscious stuff, maybe we should all think of an effect next time, might help you. If your image helps direct our first thought or impression it would be to your advantage to dress more a certain way for effects. I don't know, maybe if you dressed like a biker chick..." Jackie laughs. "a biker chick and you said let's go for a ride, maybe their inner thoughts would help you form what was needed, like a motorcycle. Maybe your power is like some sort of tabula rasa, is that it? A blank page where veryone writes on it. Maybe you should think like that. It would help explain Jason, if you were dressed like you are now and he wanted you, it made it easier for you to turn him into someone that loved you and deserved you, with the muscle thin'." Jackie laughs, "Don't mind me, just my pop theories running amok. What do I know?" Shrugging, jackie grabs a dollop of metal from the solid steel cube on the floor of the RV and sits down at the table with it. While SFX is in the shower, reach out and grab the small bottom drain in the shower. Have it crawl and get his attention, then spell out "Gotta talk. Knock on door when done. let me in bedroom." After she's sure he's understood and answers somehow, spend time with the dollop of metal creating a set of lockpicks, the best possible out of the steel. *No sense on relyin on this power, makes you lazy* Practice rolling the plastic and metal shotgun sheels within the pitbull's body, as well as making a hole from the throat to the mouth for better fire. *Not bad to have a suprise in case of emergency. Need more metal definitely.* If I get a shot to talk to George, tell him we're going to take a detour to Colorado. <><><><><> Chaos: To Stephy: **But, Stephy... your still here. The others... I can here them... But, I don't here Paddington... You didn't want to die again. But, your still here... Will I even exist anymore if I don't hang on...?** She'd never admit it, but she is frightened by this prospect. To Nasty: **Maybe... but, if you do any of the things you've said, you'll not only turn SFX completely off, you'll probably get us killed. They weren't kidding. As much as I might agree with some of your... ideas, suitably modified of course, I have no desire to see if SFX or Jackie can kill us.** She suspect, however, that Nasty had a point... if they kept expending energy fighting each other... "Alright, Jackie. I'll let him get some rest..." **A little anyway.** When Stephenie see the title of the first book, she immediately grabs and opens it and scans the contents page. She glances at the CD's, sees the jazz ones, fishes out a Miles Davies. Smiling at Jackie, she says, "I don't know about that New Age stuff, but hon, you got taste.", and loads and cues up 'SchoolDaze". A the rich, open form music fills the RV, she moves back to the table and sits down. "Jackie... you're no slouch in the brains department yourself." Her tone indicates that this is not mere flattery. [And its not... completely. ] "You might have something there. Something to try tomorrow, maybe. And, I keep saying I want to buy some clothes. I can't just keep whipping them up and hoping I get it right. But, pul-ease, no 'biker chicks'", she laughs with Jackie, "that's simply _too_ de-classie! She does _not_ correct her about Jason. After all, its not _that_ far off the mark. She then settles in and begins reading a few of the more pertinent chapters of the book. <><><><><> [GM] Stephanie reads her book, staying quiet and thoughtful for the first time since this particular body/personality has manifested. The voices in her head are likewise unusually quiet; she has the eerie sensation of feeling a crowd of people reading "over her shoulder". Jackie at the wheel, the Quantum Cats roll down the road, passing through Fort Worth, then taking Highway 287 northwest towards Wichita Falls, Amarillo, and points beyond. [to Jacqueline] SFX doesn't respond at first, and you're having trouble visualizing the metal well enough to spell anything, so you can't be sure you're succeeding. After a while, the shower stops, and then you suddenly hear his voice in your left ear, seemingly coming from outside the driver's-side window. "Thanks for nearly scarin' the s*** outta me in the shower, girl! OK, I'm leanin' my head out the bedroom window so I can project my voice to you, I gotta have a line of sight, just for future reference. If you subvocalize, I can hear you, if you got the music playin', Miss Sex Maniac won't hear you. I assume havin' the drain try to bite me was your way of tellin' me you wanna have a private chat?" <><><><><> Chaos: Stephenie reads- as do the rest. So much begins to make sense. She doesn't _want_ to believe it. she'd rather just believe she was herself and leave it at that. But, there was no way to deny Stephy, Steven or Paddington, or the voices. Finally, she decided correct or not, it was the only thing she had right now. She leaned back in the chair and turned her attention inward. **Did you see that Steven? Stephy? The rest of you. We are... all of us... no matter how it feels otherwise... the same person? Different parts... of the same person? Which means... each of us... is really... Steven? Mind-blowing. It doesn't _feel_ like it. I feel like... I'm _me_. Not... Though... if its true. Then, do you see what it means? Steven... do you see? Your not just a passenger in your own head. Your _me_. And I'm _you. And that means... Part of you _wants_ to be _me_. Wants to be... And got lucky, finally. And why not...?** She casually runs a hand over her body. **And why not? If you can be a woman... Just relax Steven. Don't fight it. Don't fight me. This can be very nice. Why don't you relax and let me show you how nice? Do you feel that? And that? So soft... so sensative... so nice. Stephy knows. Admit it to yourself. Part of you knew... knows.** **And, Mr. Nasty... do _you_ understand what this means? For all your huffing and puffing... your just little tiny part of... maybe the part that fears living too much? That part that doesn't trust even itself? Or _like_ itself? You think you're so mean and nasty. Even had me thinking that. But, you're really nothing more than a firghtened little boy. Well, hon, you relax too. Let mama Stephenie show you how to live. It'll be lot more fun than you constantly sniping at everybody because you can't have the toys.** **And maybe this means... I... won't just disappear? Though, I'm not in a hurry to find out.** **Look... folks... If this is correct, and I don't have a better idea ... Then, we need to decide on some things. First, we're all in this together. Whatever it is that brings us... out... Sooner or later, we'll all get out chance. We have to agree not to do anything to ruin it for all of us. Which means we work with Jackie and SFX. Maybe we can do this without them... maybe not. But, look at some of these examples in this book... Sooner or later we may end up with someone almost helpless in... charge.** **Yeah... that's a way to look at it... Each of us may be here all the time, but someone has to be in charge. And whoever's in charge has too look out for everyone else. Which means... Stephy, I _will_ take a shot at SFX. Because you like him. And... it'll be tricky, but we'll have to take our time. Give him a chance to get use to this... to forget what we we're and just concentrate on the fact that we're a woman. Stephy... that means we'll have to work together, to stay female for a while... at least. You remember how he reacted when Steven played show and tell? Stephy... sister...** She chuckled silently. **We really _are_ sister's I guess... In a sense. You help me... I'll help you. And if you agree... maybe... oh god, I can't believe I'm thinking of doing this... but if you agree, to help me too... maybe... he likes you better... maybe we can kind of share? Our body... your... looks... cause he likes them better... I guess... And as much as I hate to admit it... you do have a better figure... Maybe both of us can be... at the same time... let me read some more... think about it... What do you say sis?** {...} "And Steven... I know it makes you freak. But, it doesn't mean you're queer. It means you have a chance that maybe no one else has ever had. You want to find love, settle down... I don't know about settling down anymore. But, think... if we find a girl you like... Stephy and I could tell help you win her... no more bumbling around... And if you watch and learn, you'll know exactly what she's feeling, how to please her... You'll be best lover in the world. And... you never need get bored or tired of each other. Hell... if SFX would just loosen up... I'd bet he'd make an adorable girl. I bet even you could want him then. Or maybe not... maybe there's someone else... maybe even someone like us... out there.** **We'd never have to be lonely, or bored, or afraid, or anything but what we wanted. But, it means we shouldn't fight each other. I'm in charge now... and except for Stephy, I think we should agree to leave me in charge for a while. No telling what Jackie and SFX might do if we keep bounching around. Besides, I done a pretty good job, if I do say so myself. Even Jason taguht us some valuable things about our power.** **Well folks? What do say?** <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie catches Stephenie running her hands over her body and a strange look passes over her. She seems happy to see Stephenie quiet for once, with a book in hand and some Jazz softly shuffling out, the RV heads for NW Texas. Just getting a time frame>> *Subvocalize? That like whisperin?* Whisper to the Kid, "So I know you haven't had much of a chance to check the stuff I asked you about, but I think the next logical step is to get the Wizard. I'm headin for the big dusty state of Colorado. We need someone like him, save us a lot of trouble and if he's still alive he needs out. I know what it's like to be prisoner and the first order of biz is to get people like him. We could use some help. Any word from the Aces you were in touch with on the BBS? We could use the help. I bet they have families too, but we could swing some plane tickets and 10k each if that would help convince them. Like I said to Stephenie, I won't be a pain, you are my partner so I'll start tryin to treat you a bit more like an adult. I would stay away from this one though, she's poison. Stephy was a sweet messed up kid, but this one is too cold and calculatin. Watch yourself. Maybe this one gets wild when she starts gettin worked up and can't control herself to 'improve' her lovers. You won't get any cold stares from me, but make sure it's what you want to do and not what your hormones want. Is it in your best interests or the group's? Well enough with the old lady routine, we have plenty of cash left, around 70-80k. We could start the business end soon, gettin a business license and lawyer maybe. Well get some rest Kid, you earned it days ago and....thanks, don't know where I'd be right now without you." <><><><><> [GM] [to Stephanie] //One problem with this theory// says Mr. Nasty, sounding like he's actually discussing it, rather than just trying to poke holes in it- though probably he'd be only too happy to poke holes. //What part of our subconscience wants to be a talking teddy bear, a horror-movie monster, or a tree? Or a puddle of goo, for that matter?// [to Jacqueline] SFX laughs quietly...at least, it's quiet in your ear. "Girl, that Queen Bitch has a bod, no kiddin', but I ain't THAT desperate a horny teenager. I just don't trust her, no way. 'Specially since I know she could do better'n me, makes me wonder why suddenly she's so hot for a skinny black kid. Maybe 'cause I look better'n George- no offense- but yeah, I thought of just what you said, maybe if I start doin' the Nasty with her, suddenly I find myself turned into whatever her idea of a perfect man is. Y'know, I wouldn't mind so much havin' a body like Arnie...but not with a shrunk head like that other poor fool, and 'sides, she seems to mess with the mind as well as the body. No thanks. I *might* think about it with that other girl, poor bimbo Stephy....but I'll keep my hormones in check long as this chick is the one behind the wheel." <><><><><> Chaos: **Which theory, hon?** Stephenie replies to Mr. Nasty, her tone conversational as well, but also a bit maternal. **Assuming you mean where _we're_ coming from... Well, there does seem to be an element of unpredictability to this power. I mean tribble-dolls? Green goo? You get the idea. Why should its effects on us be different? Though, Steven was aware of the alien and tree- he was still him not them mentally, if you see what I mean. Ms. June too.** **As for Paddington... I think you're to blame for that. You scared her so bad, she was trying to prevent you from hurting her friends, so he popped up because a part of her remembered he'd never hurt anyone. Though where Steven got that from I'm not sure. Unless somehow...** **Ok. The book says a better way to think of this is 'fragmented' rather than 'multiple' personalities. If that's true, then each us would be a part of the whole. Like focusing on different parts of a picture. Some parts are emphasized, but the rest is still there in the background. Which would mean that each of us is actually Steven but with a different focus... As impossible as that sounds. I mean, _I_ don't feel like him... ** **But, the book says different sex personalities are common. 'Cause everyone is both inside, in thier head, to an extent. Guilt also. Which might help explain Stephy. And you'd be kind of the cave man in him, I guess. But... then where did the cajun come from?** **Ok... So from another angle. We've been assuming the power has something to do with probabilities and quantum stuff. I don't really understand that, I'm not sure any of us do. But, let's assume its correct. Working hypthesis-- when we change ourselves we don't just alter our body and another part of us takes charge. Maybe we actually change things so that we really are... Is it possible that we...** **Steven, feel free to chime up if I remember this wrong, but you had some physics. According to one corolary to the uncertainty principle, nothing is absolutely certain. There's always a probability that X is really Y. So maybe, that means that there was a probability that Steven would really have been Stephy or me- born and raised that way- and when we change... Say X is 75% certain, Y 20% and C 10%. Steven was Steven when that was the highest probability. But, when he changed to Stephy, then _that_ was the highest probability. And so on. Would that mean that things would kind of 'fill in' behind us, so to speak. Not the whole world. One, because it hasn't, and two, because the power seems to have a limited area it can affect. But, as far as we're concerned...?** **Steven you read all those comic-books. Anything in there sound familar?** **The only other thing I can think of is somekind of 'collective subconscious'. But that doesn't explain how we're able to be talking about this among ourselves, so to speak.** **Besides, I kind of like the idea that we're really all the same person, however its explained. It means that what I do, or Stephy or the rest of us, is what all of us want to do, in a sense. Which means all of you should enjoy being me. Using this body for what it was made for. Yeah that's right... I just remembered exactly what Steven was thinking when the mob-guys were chasing him. Remember, he tried to change those others into the girl of his dreams. He was so panicked he just grabbed whatever came. If I've got this right, then _I'm_ the girl of Steven's dreams... and I like that. And Steven and the rest of you... or us... or whatever, should like it too. It's not often you get to actually live a dream.** **By the way, Stephy... you've been pretty quiet.** <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie chuckles to SFX, "Get some rest, we'll talk more later bud. Sweet dreams!" <><><><><> [GM to Stephanie] Steven sighs, resigned to discussing philosophically what he regards to be utter madness. //Comic-book physics and quantum physics are two different things// he says. //In comic books, whatever's good for the plot is how reality works.// \\And in OUR real world, whatever's good for US is how reality works!\\ chortles Mr. Nasty. //Maybe// Steven says, //Though given how much my life has been f***ed up so far, I kind of doubt it. Look, uh, Stephanie, I don't know about this probability stuff, and how it would apply to us, except in the theories you suggested. Maybe you're onto something, maybe not. Hadn't we better worry more about how to control it, than how it actually works? I mean, knowing how it works may help us control it, but it seems to me that Jackie has learned a lot about how to use her powers just by practicing, and visualizing in a manner that makes sense to her, rather than by speculating on how she messes with the valences between atoms and what she's doing to the molecular structure of metal. She's reading stuff about metallurgy now, to get a better handle on it, but it doesn't seem like she needed to know much about metallurgy to get started.// //SFX seems like the most knowledgeable person here about superpowers. Probably you should ask him how he practiced. He already gave you- us- some good advice, right? But, uh, I don't know if trying to seduce him is such a good idea. He doesn't seem to like you much.// Beneath that, Stephanie can tell Steven really just isn't eager to see his body having sex with a man. **Besides** Stephy sulks, **he should have been mine! You don't really like him, you just wanna control him!** \\Some more problems with your theories, daaaahling\\ says Mr. Nasty, running roughshod over Stephy. \\I don't think anywhere in that book were examples of multiple personalities that were fully cognizant of each other, and capable of communicating amongst themselves at will. Whatever we are, quantum physics and Multiple Personality Disorder may be PART of the solution, but I think there's much more to us...to our power. And trying to buttonhole our abilities may prove limiting, leading us down the wrong path and preventing us from reaching our full potential...\\ You sense Mr. Nasty's delight in the potential you may have, and the thought is appealing to you too...the power to alter reality itself; where might it end? But you've been up all day, it's been a pretty hectic day at that, you've been using your powers a lot, and had a bit to drink....you're starting to get very tired. <><><><><> Chaos: **You're both probably right about our powers,** she replies to Steven and Nasty. **Good old trial and error and devil take the hindmost! And, Nasty- do you have a name by the way, hon?- you may be right abut the rest.** The prospect of that excites her. **But, then one book does not Sigmund Frued make, eh?** "Jackie," she says as she streches in the chair. "I'm going to get some shut-eye. Wake me if anything really interesting happens." She stands and walks back to the table and couch. **And, Steven don't be so damn provencial. If you were born this way ... and who's to say we weren't? Maybe we've had this power all along and used it as a kid and just forgot about it somehow? Maybe, your parents just wanted a boy so much you gave them what they wanted? If you had been a girl- and you are now- then that'd be the most natural thing in the world. In any event, what difference does it make? If we can be male or female at will, why limit ourselves? Unless you want to be a lesbian as well as a woman? But, I don't know if Jackie swings that way.** She looks at the coach and sighs. **The beds are for SFX and George indeed! We'll have to deal with that tommorrow. Two nights on the coach are enough, thank you.** She sits on the coach, kicks her heels off and massages her feet and legs. Getting up for a moment, she grabs the blanket she brought out for Jackie. **And who's to say there isn't some kind of destiny at work? Some kind of karma? [] Maybe the perfect person for you is out there and just happens to be a guy? Would you pass up the chance to be happy just because society says so? Whatever this power means, it should certainly mean that we make our own rules about _that_. About a lot of things.** She slips out of the dress, draping it over a chair back, then lies down in underthings and places the blanket over herself. **Stephy...,** thinks as she closes her eyes, **mine _is_ yours. And, control smrol. Right now,** she clasps her hands between her legs, **I'd just settle for a good, hard f***.** ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ....... <><><><><> [GM] Jackie keeps driving through the night, becoming more and more tired until finally she decides it's time to pull over. Especially since she's been drinking heavily; fortunately this is Texas, where it's almost legal. Even so, the prospect of being pulled over by a bored Texas state trooper, or worse, driving the RV into a ditch, convinces her to stop, in a little town called Jolly, TX, just short of Wichita Falls. The Quantum Cats menagerie sleeps quietly until long past dawn. Jackie is the first to wake up, cursing because her normal sleep schedule is so screwed up; if she can, she'd prefer to sleep through the day and have George and/or Stephanie (oh, right) do the driving. She has a mild hangover, and still feels tired. The first thing she notices is that Steven is lying on the couch, where Stephanie went to sleep. <><><><><> Jacqueline: *Chalk one up for the lady! I knew that little psycho would drift away, let's hope Stevey is as normal as he was makin out to be* Make way for the first aid kit for some aspirin and dry swallow about four. Slipping on the trusty Gargoyle's help filter the sun out from the sour brain. Set the coffee maker on to brew a pot and wake up the Kid and then George. Give 'Spike' a ripple of movement to make sure the power is still there. Give George some time to grab a shower and change of clothes first, while making breakfast. The usual high cholesterol kind; omelettes, toast with lots of jam and butter, bacon and sausage, OJ and milk. Have SFX quiet things down while all this is going on to give a little time to get going. After George is all set and gets the RV back on the road, ask the Kid if he was able to get any of the stuff I asked for, or if he spent his time gettin everythin to work right. If not, ask him to start. Grab a shower and change of clothes. <><><><><> [GM] SFX shakes his head. "Spent all my time undoin' what Captain Trips here did. My friends shoulda had time to do some modem surfin' though; I'll log onto the boards right away and see." While Jackie is showering, SFX starts up his equipment. Despite the silence aura around Steven, he can still feel the vibrations of people moving around, sense the air disturbances, and smell the coffee and omelettes. All the commotion in the RV finally permeates his senses, and he wakes up. Stretching to yawn, he is immediately struck by how silent the world is this morning. <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie comes out of the bathroom wearing clothes similiar to her previous outfit, probably habit picked up from prison. Her jet black hair comes to below her ears in a Euro-trash style or something from the 1930's. A dark khaki T-top and black drawstring muscle pants are pretty much it in way of dress, charcoal grey Velcro sneakers hug her feet. Several silver and gold bracelets and gew-gaws encircle her arms and fingers, all a perfect fit, most likely to keep jingling to a minimum. Her skin is a shade or two darker than a normal flesh tone, but not quite tan, natural skin color? A sparse spray of freckles sprinkles her nose (which seems to be a bit crooked) and face. Several old scars are evident, but the most prominent is one an inch long that intersects her left eyebrow to the end. The usual glare from her icy green eyes is hidden this morning by wraparound black Gargoyle sunglasses. Picking up a forgotten mug of coffee, Jackie looks over at the waking form of Steven and smiles, "Glad to have you back with us." The AC is blowing hard and the shortwave is tuned to public radio news. Jackie grabs a mug and fills it, then brings it to Steven," Grab a shower, some clothes and breakfast. We'll have a talk when you are all set." She hands a bag filled with various sweatshirts, T-shirts and lightweight jogging pants. <><><><><> Chaos: The first thing Steven notices- vaguely- is that he is _Steven_. **Thank god.** The second is the blanket wrapped around him. The third is the lingerie he is wearing. **Jeezuz Key-rist!** Keeping the blanket up around his shoulders, blazing red in embarrassment, he squirms around until her gets the bra off. "---", he tries to say. **Oh right, SFX making with the silence. I hope that's all it is.** He wraps the blanket around his waist to hide the remaining linergie, the bra in the extra fabric of the blanket he gets up, and holds that portion of the blanket with one hand. He pads to SFX, waving in front of him to get his attention rather than touching him. [Assuming SFX drops the silence, if not immediately then Steven points to his ears. Once the silence is off...] "S***, SFX. I seem to keep doing this, but... I keep having to apologise to you for what my... the others do." Seeing Jackie, he says to her, "You to, Jackie. Apologise. I mean I need to keep apologis...," he trails off, thinking how stupid he must sound. "Glad to be back...", he replies, "damn glad. God, this is weird." He takes the coffee with a look of profound gratitude, and takes a huge gulp, then gasps as the heat burns. When Jackie hands him the bag, he almost reaches for it with the hand holding the blanket, etc., up then stops... grins in embarassment. "Uh, I... mind holding that up a little higher?" When she does, he grabs it with his teet and, bag in mouth, coffee cup in one hand, other holding the blanket, etc., he stumbles towards the bathroom. Pushing the door open, he retreats rapidly into the bathroom, puts the cup down on the sink and the bag on the floor. Then he closes the door. Then, he slowly unwraps the blanket and stares at Stephenie's lingerie. "Jeezuz f***** Krist!" He rapidly but carefully removes the lingerie, then throws it into the bag. He then takes a shower and dresses in jogging pants and t-shirt. During the shower, he thinks, **How come I keep turning into women for God's sake. First Stephy. Then that... And I keep waking up in thier damn clothes. Some of it did feel kinds... nice, though... Yeech! What the hell am I thinking! No way I could... That book had to be wrong, right? Right? Sure would help with the women's vote though... Jeezuz, what am I thinking?!** After relieving himself and dressing, he walks out with the bag in one hand and the coffee in the other. He refreshes his coffee and sits down at the table, without saying a word. Then he puts a pair of socks on then the tennies. Finally, drinking his coffee, he turns to Jackie and says, "Ok. I may be crazy, but I'm all ears." <><><><><> [GM] SFX drops the silence field, looking at Steven suspiciously. He shrugs off the older man's apology. "Yeah, fine. Just try an' keep your mind an' body the way it is for a while, 'steada turnin' into some new fruitloop we have to deal with." He turns back to his computer screen. Inwardly, Stephy sighs. //He's *really* upset at us, isn't he?// <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie looks at Steven as he finishes up with breakfast, "Ok, you heard what I said to Stephenie about our plans. Got any thoughts? Are you goin to help us or are you on your own? Spill it." <><><><><> Chaos: "Help...? After that... you still want me? Even though I'm crazy... Even though I turn into..., looking at SFX, "and they keep... And I can't seem to stop it from... You really still want me...?" He looks back at Jackie with- Stephenie was right- respect. <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie sighs with a smile, "Yeah, why the hell not? I mean who else is goin to understand you or even try to help you? The government? Some crackpot shrinks who probably don't have the faintest clue how to handle us? Nah. You got a lot of potential and we could use the help." "Besides," jackie mumbles "it's teachin me somethin about control myself." Her voice gets a touch louder, "But don't expect me to play the sickeningly sweet mommy type all the time, you have no idea how hard that was for me to do with the last...um, one. Took me a lot to keep from throwin up." Jackie winks. "So, how about an opinion? I could use another point of view, or perspective. A good burglar knows the value of that." <><><><><> Chaos: Steven chuckles at the 'mommy/throw-up' remarks, "Yeah, I know just what you mean. Imagine having to _be_ her or inside of her... er, well, you know what I mean." "SFX? What about you? I... can't guarantee who or what might pop up next. Or what they might... try to do. Maybe I can somehow get Stehy back when it happens next time. Or not, if you don't... But, you know, I _like_ her. I always did. And even if its really not her, or its me, or a part of me, or whatever the hell it is... I like having her back, even if only for a while. I think maybe you were right about that Jackie. Maybe it is a karma thing." "And you know, SFX, when I was reading about... well, what that book said may be going on in my head... I just don't think that's all of it. If I remember quantum psychics right, and I'm not really sure I do, but if so, then its not just, uh... like me in a different skin. I'm still there but like a rider inside a car. I think the car really changes. That, well, maybe one way to look at it is, right now Stephy's riding inside my car, later I'm riding inside hers. But, it just like if you trade in a caddy for a Ford. Its a totally different car, even if you buy them from the same dealer." He shrugged at a loss to explain it any further. **Stephy? You hear me? I guess I better learn to live with being a girl sometimes... krist... But, if I do, I'd rather it be you, sis.** [If SFX doesn't complete blow up over this...] After SFX's reaction, Stven said to both. "Ok. If you want me, you got me," he grined a little, "and everyone else." "I like your idea Jackie. And kind of 'Super-Trouble Shooters for hire.' Even Stephenie liked it, though she thought it wasn't... grand I guess would be the word, enough. I don't know... she may have had something there, in the long run. I mean, in the comics they were always doing 'Justice Leagues' and fighting for mon and applepie. But, life isn't a comicbook. Though, you know, there's one comic I think I could get into... and you could even keep your, er, skills up. And after ... dealing with Stephenie..." He smiled and concluded, "Robin Hood." <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie shrugs, "Well this ain't for mom and apple pie, I mean let's not be stupid. We're riskin our necks, we got to get some compensation." She gives an evil grin, "But, if we can get rich helpin the world an all in a legal and businesslike fashion, hey no prob. We have to get our momentum up, get some heavy hitters workin for us. We can only have so many partners you know," Jackie winks at Steven. "The Kid told me some guy with super mental powers is stuck in some base in Colorado, that's where we are headin. You can be in or out if you like, we definitely could use your help. He's also tryin to get in touch with a few Aces he knew through the computer I guess. I've offered to pay a plane ticket and 10k each for the help. I don't know if we can get them or if they are available. The mental guy's name is Wizard and maybe he can even help your situation. One thin' that scares the hell out of me is people like us who can do thin's to the mind. I mean what if there's someone out there who can wipe out your memory makin you a veg, or make you fall in love with them or some Sh** like that. The Kid an I are dead meat I reckon. But you might be able to get away from that kind of problem, as a crazy schizo with more than one personality to deal with. You know you remind me of the Bible and some cat named Legion. Sure fits the bill, but there's some nutcase already named that. Kinda makes you wonder what he or she can do huh? Well he ain't met Aunt Jackie and the Quantum Cats has he?" <><><><><> Chaos: "Jackie, SFX, if you say ok, then... hell, I'd like to be in. I like you... both. Jeeze, I woulda dumped me a long time ago." *** "Mental powers? What do you know about him? Besides that. If he can help me... control or if not... then I guess accept what's happening to me before I go completely... uh," he grinned again, "crazy... But, jeezuz, what if he decides he wants someone like Stephenie all the time? What makes you think you can trust him?" "Legion? Nah... I'm not sure what this other guy is or does, but Stephy was right about that. I'm not a bunch of people, so much as I'm... well, chaos is about as good a word for it as I can think of too." "Oh... and SFX, did you ever find out anything more about what happened at Mardi Gras? To me... and to Richard?" <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie looks over at the Kid sure he can hear every word, but decides to speak giving his mind over to the streams of data completely, "Well Wizard is a good guy, I guess. He was a buddy of the Kid (?) and his computer buddies, I guess. He joined some military operation that was recruitin the weirdos like us, for who knows what. The Kid says he told them in their mind that some cat named Legion was comin and to watch out. We really could use someone like him to help as a first line of defense, readin minds an all. I mean what if we got him out of his loony bin? All he's gotta do is read our minds an he'll know what's what, then he can decide for himself right? The plan of the Cats is to take in any who'll join us for protection, mutual benefit and i guess to help the world at large," jackie winces at the last part, but smiles a weak smile almost believing it herself. "As for whether he likes Stephenie better or not, tough nachos. I think we should come up with some little plan that you are the only one to stick around as long as you want. Sooner or later everyone will have to come out. even Mr. Nasty. No, I'm not crazy. Your 'selves' will have to cooperate with the goals that you have or they will have a tough time when they do come out. I will not let one of your avatars run rampant, that's a promise. You hear that Nasty? When we need you...when Steven needs you you're there for us or you'll be out so fast you won't know what hit you. Got it? All of you get that?" Jackie lights up a thin Cuban cigar and slowly puffs on it, " Any thoughts on the road to these goals? I pretty much have the bases covered; money, wealth, fame, protectin our as**s, the usual. I figure we get a license for a business, a few more Aces and some media coverage. Hell, we could start fakin some Aces ourselves whenever you change to another form. Whip up some same effect like rain or somethin and interview you send it in as an exclusive. hire a lawyer and an agent wouldn't hurt. I got around 100k burnin a hole in my safe so let's drop the nest egg and get some jobs and stuff. What do you think Steve?" Jackie blows smoke rings one after another. She shakes her head "on the mundane side, I figure we'll be in for a bit of downtime. I could use a round of pool and a good meal at a sit down restaurant and all. If anyone wants anymore showers we'll also have to fill the water tank and..." Jackie laughs and rolls her eyes at all the simple things that have now become a chore when you deal with the maintenance of three high powered Aces (and George!). <><><><><> Chaos: "This Wizard's in the loony bin too?" {...} *** Steven grins at Jackie's remarks to Nasty. "Yeah, Stephenie told them or us, the same thing. I'll say one thng for her, she wasn't dumb. 'Course if SFX and you could, I don't know, knock me out instead of kill me, if they do try something,... well, *I'd* feel a whole lot better about it anyway." "Thoughts on the road...? Jeez... Well, I've done a little work in local politics... It's not much, but at least I got to see how the media works. And I'm not sure why we'd need a license. But, I guess a lawyer'd know about that. Couple of things though... One, I need a disguise. The cops are still looking for me. Some maybe we better stop somewhere first, somewhere out of the way... Only the last time I tried it... But, maybe if I stick with something simple? Different hair color, facial features... Jeez, I don't know. And, I'd like to call my mom. In California. Let her know I'm still alive at least." Then he does a double take. "Wait a... did you say 100,000 *dollars*? Holy..." <><><><><> Jacqueline: "No, I meant that the Wizard is in his own version of the Loony bin waitin for the cavalry to get him out. I figured we'd get a lawyer and it'd protect us from dealin with people we might not want to. That ethical confidentiality and all,"Jackie grins, you figure she knows a lot about that. "We have to start up the program, yeah it might draw a few people we might not want to us, government types and all. The chances of them catchin up are slim, especially if we have someone like the Wiz with us. As for a disguise, give a simple one a try, you have to have a bit more confidence from here on out. Maybe that helps control it too, if you aren't sure it could affect the power just like fatigue or alcohol. It's all mental right, well if you don't have confidence you help defeat yourself." Jackie looks Steven over, "How about we go for one of those Mormon Salt Lake city FBI types. Moderately fit, clipped Blonde hair, blue eyes, perfect teeth? Hey Kid, think about that while your tappin away, let's see if we can help Steve here. Give it a go. Changin yoursel seems to be much easier than workin effects, so try, think hard like Stephenie did, I mean you can do better than her can't you?" "As for Mom, the cellualr is right over there, call anytime, you too Kid, see how Mom and Pop are doin." <><><><><> Chaos: "Jeez..." He was thinking of everything taht could go wrong. "Ok... I'll call them after... And, I better not try this by the computer equipment. Jackie... don't takew this wrong. I apreciate the hell out what you're trying to do, but... I'm not going to crack up. It just... weird. Takes some getting used to. But... Jackie, Stephenie wasn't lying, you know. I don't know if I would have told you if she hadn't already... but, I... think you're a hell of lady." "And, yeah... You all concentrate on what you want. I don't know if it'll help, but it couldn't hurt." He got up walked to the hallway by the bathroom, looked at himself in the mirror from there and then concetrated very hard on not changing anything about his mind, controlling the splash effect, and altering himself _only_ as follows: hair to short blond, different but attractive facial features, blue eyes, and maybe just a _little_ bit better body. <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie looks a bit uncomfortable at the compliment and after a bit of thought tries to ignore it. She thinks of what she said, a FBI type, clean cut, conservative. Blonde short hair, blue eyes and a moderate build. <><><><><> [GM] //Little boy// Stephanie snaps. (Great, now she's joined the chorus...) //Don't presume to judge me. I did more to teach us all how our powers work than all the rest of you put together thus far! And I have no intention of staying here forever!// \\Oooh, tough chick\\ says Mr. Nasty, but more to Jackie than to Stephanie. \\Don't worry Stevie, teamwork and cooperation is all fine. But say, since you admire her so much, wouldn't it be cool to see if you could just make her return the sentiment, just a little? Oh no, you'd never do that. 'Course, all it took was just a *little* boosting of the old male ego, in the incarnation just before the S&M Queen, to make you willing to do that to two innocent bystanders. Just because you tried to alter your appearance a liiiittle bit, like you're doing right now....\\ **Like, why don't you at least try to encourage him a little 'stead of trying to scare him, you creep!** Stephy says to Mr. Nasty. Sarcastic laughter is his only reply. Steven's hair shortens and turns pale blond, and his features shift a little bit, becoming noticeably different, but still normal. So far, so good. Then his body grows, until he's standing about 6'6" tall, with a massively muscular build. Steve now looks like he could arm-wrestle Schwarzennager with one hand and Hulk Hogan with the other. His eyes have turned bright, bright blue. He looks handsome, all right, if you go for the steroid-enhanced, spend-eight-hours-a- day-in-the-weight-room look. Veins stand out in his enormous forearms and thick neck, and his shirt is stretched almost to the tearing point across his massive chest. **Well, it's a start** giggles Stephy. **Maybe a little bit of overkill, though!** //I don't know, I kind of like it// drawls Stephanie. <><><><><> Chaos: **Jeez, everybody's a critic! Stephenie... cool it a little ok? At least you know you're still here. Nasty, you'll never learn will you? How long do you think it'll take them to notice something like that? Even if I wanted to do it, which I don't. I'll _earn_ respect, thank you. Or are you afraid of a little work? God knows you don't seem to mind taking the risk SFX can blast us dead or Jackie throw metal around like bullets.** **Stephy... Thanks sis. I don't... I ... Oh, hell, Steph, if I gotta be a girl sometimes, I'd rather it be you. I'm glad I brought you back, or whatever I did. I just I hadn't screwed up the first time.** *** Steven surveys his Hulkian physique- "Holy s***!" **Uh, Stephy... I hate to... especially for her... but, I kinda like it too.** He flexes his enormous bicep- bursting the sleeve in the process. "In-f******- credible!" He walks back to Jackie and SFX, "Well... I hope this is enough of a disguise, cause I think I'm keeping it," he says with a grin. He paws through the bag looking for a bigger- or at least more strechable shirt. "What do you think? Am I buff or what?" {...} Taking the cellular, he asks "How long can I stay on before they can trace it?" {...} After the answer, he dials his family in California, keeping an eye on the clock. <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie's eyes go wide with the new change, "Umm, is it still YOU Steven? Great disguise by the way, a little gross for my taste." She hands the cellular to Steven, "Hmm, I doubt it takes long to get a trace, probably a minute if they have the phone tapped. Why would they, I mean all you were was an escaped mental patient. A bit too much trouble for that. Hey what do I know." "Oh and yeah, I meant we'd try not to hurt you if we had to drop you somehow, if one of your pals gets out of hand. Go call mom." <><><><><> Chaos: "Yeah, Jackie," he chuckles, flexing a forearm in amazement, "it's still me up here," pointing to his head. "Its bigger than what I was trying for too, a lot bigger." "Oh.... I guess you were asleep when SFX found out the APB on me was spread to Texas and probably beyond. My guess is I did something really weird when I was tripping- you find anything on Richard yet by the way SFX?- and somebody is freaking." He laughed as her flexed his new muscles, "But, who's gonna believe Steven Moore's hiding in here?" "I better keep it to a minute or less just in case. And, after this call, would you two mind telling me what you were thinking of, when I changed. Help test the theory, you know." <><><><><> Jacqueline: "Yeah, I guess it'll be ok to hide in there, but goin' from experience, it'll last a day at most. An I was thinkin exactly what I said I was, no point in anythin but." <><><><><> Chaos: "Yeah, I do seem to change back during sleep. Thank god. Kind of a safety value, I guess. Though I guess it means I get to play body- roulette every morning." "Ok. SFX? Where you thinking of Mr. Steroids?" <><><><><> [GM] "I wasn't thinkin' of you at all, ego-boy," SFX mumbles. "I was tryin' to do somethin' useful." Streams of text are now flowing across the computer screen. "Nothin' on your friend yet...I don't suppose you can give me his phone number, phone number of his parents or girlfriend or somethin' useful? How about his soc'?" <><><><><> Chaos: Apparently getting no answer at home, Steven just leaves a quick message on the answering machine telling them he is alright, please don't worry and he'll try to call again soon. [Is that ok, David?] After hanging up, he turns to SFX. "'Ego-boy?' SFX how many times do I have to say I'm sorry? I mean, what do you want from me? I didn't ask fro this s***, or the personalities or whatever they are. But, whether I like it or not, I got them. You want me to leave? Ok, I'll leave. You want something else... hell, just tell me." *** [David, you want I should be creative on Richard? Or did you have something planned? If you want something from me...] "Ok. Richard Lark. From Houston, Texas. Don't know his address. But his dad's name the same. Social security number? Beats me. But, let's see, try 817-454-7278. I think that's his phone number. He was a business major. Yeah, I know... but a pretty cool guy nonetheless." <><><><><> [GM] SFX frowns at you. "OK, you're startin' to deal with this stuff more rationally. So far, just about all your incarnations, including YOU, have been whiny or neurotic or psycho or otherwise f***ed in the head. If you can keep acting relatively sane, maybe I'll stop treating you like a dangerous nutcase who's liable to turn me into gumbo the next time you lose it." //Hmph!// says Stephy. //Like, I totally hope he wasn't including ME in that!// \\Oh, can't imagine why he'd think YOU'RE neurotic, Miss "F***-me-so-the- voices-will-go-away"\\ \\Yeah, and like you're a total model of stability, Mister Nasty or whatever the hell your name is!\\ <><><><><> Chaos: "Enough", he said outloud. "Oh, I'm sorry SFX, I didn't mean you. Its just they're all inside me. And they keep kibitzing." He smiled at SFX, "I guess I am f***ed in the head. At least a little. But, jeezuz, its only been two days. And most of that time, I was... someone else. For a while there... Gawd, I thought I was totally nuts and this was all... Well, you were there, so I won't repeat it. Now though... the more it goes on, the longer it lasts. Well, I'm either so completely looped I might as well treat it as real or it _is_ real. Either way... I have to start dealing with it before it deals with _me_." He chuckled. "I don't blame you for being... cautious. In the last two days I've been... Well, you know." He chuckled again, "A freaking teddy bear! And Stephenie joking about making you a... Pretty sorry joke. I guess I'm gonna have to get used to the idea of me being... sometimes. I'm not sure what that makes me. But, I'll have to deal with it." "I don't blame _you_ for being offended. So far though, none of the changes to people have been permanent. Maybe they can't be? If we knew what happened to Richard and the rest..." "But, SFX, you don't have to worry about me doing anything to you. _I_ won't. I'm as disgusted by what Stephenie did to Jason... Thank god it wasn't permanent. But, I think I'm getting control of. I pulled it back once. I'm pretty sure I can do it again. And... SFX... I don't know if I should..." He took a deep breath. "Nah, you all deserve to know. Stephy's still in here," tapping his head. "She wouldn't let... well between her and me, we won't let the others do anything to you. And if they start anyway, well, just make with the noise and lay me out. Neither of us will have any hard feelings." "Damn, I'm talking a lot." "So now what do we do? I guess you pretty much know everything about me," indicating the computer. "What about yourself. Jackie said something about your folks. But, if you don't want to talk about it, that's ok too." <><><><><> [GM] "Yeah, you do talk too much." The teenager then sighs, and shakes his head. "Ok, sorry man, I'm bein' a little rough on you. I hope it don't come to havin' to use my powers against you. I was kind of bluffing with your 'Dominatrix Queen' incarnation-" //AHA!// exults Stephanie, //I knew he was bluffing!// "I *can* kill people, least I'm pretty sure I can, since concentrated sound that'll shatter steel will probably do a lot worse to flesh. But I can use a lower power, one that'll knock people out without killin' em. I kind of, uh, practiced on animals an' stuff. Took me a while, I was killin' birds and squirrels right an' left at first." \\Eeeuuuuuwwwww!!\\ Stephy whines. "Anyway, least the Leather Goddess of Phobos-" //Where DOES he get these names?// Stephanie snaps. "-could be reasoned with. I hate to think what worse sides of your personality, or alter egos or whatever, might be kickin' around in your brain. So yeah, I ain't ready to just start trustin' you yet 'till it looks like maybe you have some kinda control over your powers and your personalities." "My parents?" He shrugs. "Me and Jackie made an arrangement for them to 'win a sweepstakes'. They're enjoying a second honeymoon in the Bahamas." He grins. "I'll call 'em in a little bit, tell 'em I'm enjoyin' my summer vacation, and thanks to a little sonic wizardry-" his voice suddenly becomes that of a middle- aged black woman, "Mah 'Auntie Lisbeth'll tell'm how ah'm keepin' thet youngun' ferm gettin' hisself into trouble, donchu worry none, girl!" <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie chuckles at SFX's mimicry, "Gee and I thought I'd have to come up with some cover story for you. Just full of suprises." Walking over to the computer terminal and peering over his shoulder, "Any luck? Want us to shut up? Anythin on Colorado and that base?" She smiles and puts her hands up, "ok, I'll leave you alone." "hey Steve, can you whip up some fake ID's? Might come in handy, least get the Kid into some bars." <><><><><> Chaos: Steven chuckled at the imitation. "Hey, that's good. Can you do anybody? Depending how close you can get, you could pull a Dana Carvey, like in Opportunity Knocks?" He launches into a bad Bush imitation, "Wouldn't. be. pru...dent," shrugging. "You get the idea." "I played Leather Goddesses of Phobos too...," he said smiling, "Don't see any helpful aliens around though. But, I'm glad to hear you can stop folks without killing... I hate to think what else is up here," tapping his head, "too. Though some of them are... nice, no? Well, at least one anyway. And, its nice to maybe have a second chance with her. Sure is a weird way to do it though... " "I'll do my best to control them. Maybe the other book'll help. Maybe this 'Wizard'. Maybe, you'll download a hypnosis program or something that'll help?" "Must be pretty hard on you though, being away from your family an all. Nice to give them a second honeymoon, though." "Fake IDs? How bout it SFX? Want to be 21 the old fashioned way?" Steen gets up and digs something appropriate out the trash. "Let me try this in the back. I don't if the subconscience stuff helped, but give it a go again, alright Jackie? You need another by the way? And any ideas on names? Got a piture or something of a Colorado ID?" <><><><><> Jacqueline: "Hey, don't get too fancy, let's try just for a change in the picture or maybe the name on an existin' license. Do you know what a Colorado license looks like? I sure don't. Maybe you should give some other stuff a try, like makin' money or credit cards and stuff, could come in handy in a tough spot. We should probably test your limits, see if your control is any different than your 'pals'." <><><><><> Chaos: "Hmmm... Well, I don't have one, so I'm going to have to try it anyway. How about I try to make a copy of my old one, then alter it. New picture, new name." He grinned. "How bout Steven Cosmo? I feel pretty cosmic, right now. And, SFX, don't these things need a number too? Probably not a good idea to use my old one. Can your computer fix that?" "Then, if that works... do you have another fake one for you and SFX. I'd hate to ruin your real one." "Let me try that and we'll see about the other stuff later." [Depending on whether J and SFx have the other fake IDs or not...] Steven retreats to the back of the RV and concentrates on not changing anything about himself, controlling the splash, and changing some garbage into a copy of his old driver's license and then- looking in the mirror- changing the picture to fit his present appearance, then the last name, and then a random number (for now). <><><><><> Jacqueline: "I'm set, I got two. One fake and one real. Don't worry none about me. Just wonderin if you can do real detailed work with your powers, so far you haven't really checked it. Maybe you can change thin's to energy too, make someone's shirt into nepalm or lightnin' or somethin'. Come in handy to know your limits on stuff. So far I ain't got no suprises with mine, but that's all yours is, suprise and pot luck." <><><><><> Chaos: "Surprise and potluck seems right.," he said as he started for the back of the RV. "Energy? Jeez, I'm not sure I should try that. What if I get an A-bomb or something?" He then went back and tried the ID stuff. <><><><><> [GM] The wadded up paper you pulled from the trash can ripples and melds in your hand, and becomes a flat, plastic card. You're actually rather impressed at how well you managed to turn it into a vague facsimile of a driver's licence. It's the right color for a Texas driver's license, and there is a photograph somehow imbedded in the plastic (?), with an image that looks like you, kind of. And the words "State of Texas Driver's License" are clearly printed across the bottom of the card. However, it will pass for a real driver's license about as readily as Monopoly money will pass for legal tender. <><><><><> Chaos: Steven looks at the bogus license, examining the plastic (?), as he returned to the lounge and Jackie and SFX. "Well, I'm got kind of close," he says, giving the 'license' to Jackie. "Actually, I'm surpised it went that well. But, at least I didn't get tribbles or glop. I think you and SFX are right, maybe with enough practice I might get it right. Sure not gonna fool anyone with that though." After thinking a moment, "I culd try to modify it, see if I could get closer on a second pass. But, I think I only get to do this so many times before I start getting tired, and then my control really goes to pot." "How long before we get to this Wizard?" "Oh, and SFX, I hate to keep bothering you about this, reallu I do, its the last time I'll ask... today anyway. Anything on Richard?" <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie laughs, "Not bad, but that wouldn't fool a three year old. Good job though, better luck next time. At least we know you can handle stuff that's a bit complex lookin'" Looking over a road map, "I'm not too sure where in Colorado this base is, the Kid knows more about that. We still have a day, maybe two to get ready. If we luck out the Kid might be able to wrangle us a Ace card or two among the people he knows. Say, you think you can whip me up some really funky lookin metal at a truck stop later? Some green colored or titanium steel? Could use the edge. Steve, maybe if you practice doin' certain thin's with each avatar you might get a bit better. It seems this stuff is all mental in the head, maybe if you try tricks, like you might use to memorize or somethin' you could draw from each one as an expert in their field. Like paintin' or somethin', Stephy's say green, whwnver you need green you pull on her, a little red you call on Stephenie. Make any sense? Do you think it might work like that? <><><><><> Chaos: "Actually, its even better than that. Yesterday, I doubt I would have gotten this close. So, ok, we've got a day or two, right? At least a day, anyway. So, today I think I should push it, see how far it'll go, how much I can do before I get tired. 'Course, that may mean running a risk of letting someone else out... maybe even Nasty or one of the others who haven't shown up yet. So, I won't do it if you don't agree." "But, I think... I think I get a little better everytime I do it. And I'm going to have to deal with the fact that I don't know who or what I may be... later." He sighed. "Damn, this sounds like whining... But, I just don't know if I'm ready for some of the things Stephy or Stephenie or Nasty or God only knows who else want to do." "I keep telling myself, I'm a philosophy student, be philosophical about it... Only its hard to be philosophical about... about...," he blushed, then straightened, "f*** it, gotta face it. About being a ... and making love.. as a wo..., well you know. Sooner or later something's going to happen. Half the time, I almost feel like I should just push it and get it over with. It can't be as bad as brooding about it..." "Anyway," changing the subject, "I think I can try metal for you. Not sure exactly what we'll get. Hell, the... chaos may even work to our benefit, maybe I'll get some really weird alloy or something." "As for, well, I guess you'd call it specializing... I don't really think I should. According to that book- and although I don't think its the whole story, its all I've got right now- this... these people are like splinters of me, or maybe different aspects of the whole. I don't know. But, I feel... alienated enough not to be trying to... I think its best if all of me, or all the me's, at least had the same skills? talents? whatever with this power. I don't want to... fragment myself any further." Brightening a bit, "Besides, could you see what Stephenie would specialize in? Whips and chains anybody?", grinning. "What I think I should do now is try to modify this," waving the 'license', "some more and- wait a minute, can I borrow your fake one? Not to change but to use as a model, something to look at and check against? It might help, and I think I can keep it out of the splash area." <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie shrugs, "Steven, calm down a bit. You're tryin' to take too much on your head. You got it calm an easy now and you're with people who trust you, or today's version. Do what you feel comfortable with, but look at it like this...when's the next time an opportunity like this opens itself to you? We are lookin at stretches of nothin out here, nobody to hurt or anythin to really wreck. Leave the metal thin for later when we got some material to work with, I don' want to lose my toaster or somethin." She grins as she pulls out her real license from her fanny pack, "The fake is harder to get, besides all my travellers checks are in the fake name. You screw up my real license, I can get one back easy." Jackie looks around for the weird bottle that Stephenie made, to see if it is still around after such a long time. <><><><><> Chaos: "Yeah, you're right... Only half the time, don't even know _what_ am any more... I'm not stressing out though... Well," he grins, "not much. It's just, so damn weird. Somethings it just helps to say it... Then I know its real." Then smiling, "Like now. I said it. No one freaked out. Thanks, Jackie, that helps." "Well... what are we waiting for then? How bout having George pull this crate over and let's see what I can do? Got any suggestions by the way?" <><><><><> Jacqueline: "Yeah, drivin around without a real place to go is kind of useless. The Kid is still workin out his thin', so yeah George, pull the bus over for a while. I could use some practice myself, on you Stevey. We can test your panic ratio." Unfortunately Jackie smiles with a serious look on her face. No doubt a solid metal pit bull casts a pall on the "practice" <><><><><> Chaos: "Practice on... _me_? Uh..., oh, yeah, right. It's a joke... right?" But he is not convinced. He waited for George to stop the RV. [Experiements- concentrating on no changes in him and controlling the splash, and a 'safe' distance away from Jackie, etc... try to 1) change some dirt into a 1- size-fits-most stretchy bodysuit, and 2) create a gun out of some garbage.] <><><><><> [GM] Stephanie's bottle is still there. SFX glares at Steven and says "Hey man, you just asked me f***in' five minutes ago! I got SONIC powers, I ain't the Flash!" [I know it's been several days real-time, but remember it's only been a few minutes for you guys. Give the poor kid a chance! ] George stops the RV, looking very nervous (bad things seem to happen when he stops the RV. At a suitably deserted stretch of road where the RV can go off-road some distance without damaging the suspension, Steven gets out, marveling at the feel of his new, muscular body (doesn't seem as flexible, though; he suddenly realizes his muscles don't seem very efficient when it comes to flexing, reaching behind his back, etc. He's lost quite a bit of mobility.) Steven's first experiment, trying to turn dirt into a bodysuit, causes the dirt to rise up in a column, spurting about ten feet into the air. Dozens of long, thin threads of gauzy material come drifting down. The dirt (what wasn't turned into this strange fiber) settles back to the ground with a series of staccato "pop!"s. Stephen notices his shoes have turned into bunny slippers. The garbage that he tries to turn into a gun *screams*. Jackie and Steven both jump as a bloodcurdling howl of pain comes from the wadded up paper, plastic wrapping and beer cans. A moment later, his hand is encased in a ball of black metal. Almost like a cannonball, but it seems to have been form-fitted around his fist. Steven's considerable muscles are able to hold up the weight, but his fingers are completely immobilized in the solid black mass. <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie looks over the mass of metal over his hand to see what metal it is, or if it has a more complex form. If not, have it leak off his hand and settle on the ground. "Hmm, that was odd. How about turnin this sand and scrub to some metal for me to play with? Take a breather, we got time to kill while the Kid works. Hey George stay in the Rv and grab a beer ok?" Jackie <><><><><> Chaos: Steven sighs at SFX's snap, "Yeah, I know man. I'm just worried about him. I won't ask again... today anyway." [I knew about the time, that's why Steven apologised last time for asking again. But, he _is_ worried...] **Bunny slippers? Spiked metal heels and now bunny slippers? Shees.** Steven jumps a couple feet into the air when the garbage screams. Noting results of his first experiments, Steven replies to Jackie, "Ok, but let me try something with this", indicating the ball on his hand, "first. I heard it, uh, scream... so its just possible..." "I think I know why the first one failed. I think it was maybe because I didn't visiualize it well enough. Or it could be it was just too different... dirt into whatever this," picking up and tucking into his pocket some of the gossamer material, "is. Let me try something, then I'll try your metal and then I want to try the bodysuit again. After all, if I can get it right it'll be a lot better than waking up in the wrong clothes all the time." Steven then begins gently and reassuringly patting and carressing the ball on his hand, a 'I know I'm probably being incredibly foolish', look on his face. "Uh,... ball? gun?, er, how bout 'Blackie'? Anybody home?" he says to the ball on his hand. **The only other thing I can think of is that maybe whatever gave me this power somehow decreed I'm not supposed to use it for violence. Which would actually be a relief given Nasty... but I doubt if things work that way.** [If he gets no response from the ball on his hand...] Steven blushes furiously, then says to Jackie, "Uh... you, your power has something to do with metal right? Can you tell what this is made of and if its just solid or should I keep trying to think of someway to 'shoot' it?" [If it is solid and just metal...] "Ok. I guess I needed to have had some real familarity with guns before I tried it. Or maybe it just takes a cuple tries to begin getting it right? Jackie? Can you, like, take it off my hand?" [If she gets it off his hand...] "Yeah, I think I'll rest for a bit. Unless you want me to try and make some metal for you now?" He awaited her reply. <><><><><> [GM] The metal ball doesn't respond to Steven's petting, and Jackie senses nothing but solid iron. It flows off his hand easily at her command. <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie grins at Steven's lapse into talking to inanimate objects, but seems much more relaxed about it. You get the feeling of being gently nudged by her grin, much like a kid brother. "Um, yeah. How about we move on and you make some metal for me to play with. Nothin' fancy though..." <><><><><> Chaos: Steven can't keep from returning Jackie's grin, adding a 'well, what the hey?' shrug. He's never had an older sibling, but he likes this wild woman's confidence, and suspects- underneath the 'barbs and scales' act- is probably a pretty nice person. "Oh... ok," he replies, thinking **I don't know if this is fancy, but... how bout a whole mess of steel.** Standing away from her and the RV, Stven concentrates hard on 1) not changing anything about himself, 2) controlling the splash, and 3) turning as much dirt as possible- really pushing the limits- into strong, tough steel. <><><><><> [GM] Steven feels the air shimmer around him, and the ground begins rippling at his feet. Unfortunately, he's rippling as well. He feels reality bending around him as the dirt begins flickering, sparking, and then turning into metal. But his control over the process- dimly sensed now- slips. It doesn't feel like the total chaos that erupted when Stephanie first manifested her power, but things are definitely getting out of hand, and Steven can't stop it. The metallic ground bubbles and little metallic "soap bubbles" begin rising into the air, tinkling against each other and breaking into metal shards which rain back down on the ground. Something twists and convulses in midair, there's a brief glimpse of something pink and fleshy and rather nauseating, though indistinct...then the image fades. But Steven doubles over, gagging, as the overpowering scent of ammonia washes over him. Jackie also staggers back, sniffing the horrible fumes that suddenly blossomed from Steven's conjurations. Thankfully, this little demonstration of quantum effects out of control doesn't last long. When the sensation of reality taking a holiday finally dies down, Jackie and Steven see that in the end, his intended effect was achieved; he's standing on a metallic "puddle", ten feet across, where the earth has been turned into high- grade steel. Jackie senses that the depth of this layer of metal is uneven, but averages about a foot. Unfortunately, Steven's attempt to avoid changes to himself was less successful; he's now covered with hair. *Really* covered with hair. Great, shaggy tufts of hair sprout from every square inch of skin. Including his eyelids. He even tastes hair in his mouth. Hair is growing out from under his fingernails. He looks like a werewolf, about two years overdue for a haircut, stuffed into slacks and a T-shirt. <><><><><> Chaos: "Smifth," he says. "Am mehnth thamth!" Steven moves away from the steel pool, **Yeah, that was hairy alright. Damn, this stuff itches!**, motioning for Jackie to stay away, until he's about 30 or more feet away from the pool with it between Jackie and him. Then sighing, he concentrates on 1) not changing anything about himself mentally, 2) removing all the hair except that normal for a human or at least substantially reducing it (but not the natural cilla inside the ear, brochials, etc.), 3) no other physical changes in himself, and 4) if he got anything left, controlling the splash. <><><><><> Jacqueline: "Oh boy! Ok Steven take it easy, don't panic! Be calm and snap back." *Great, really pushed this kid now* <><><><><> [GM] Steven's hair turns bright green. Now he looks like a *green* werewolf who's two years overdue for a grooming. <><><><><> Chaos: **Oh great,** he thinks as he looks at his body, **a sickenly hairy situation. I pushed it and I get a punk werewolf. Or a green Cousin It. Damn this itches!** Scratching himself, he sits in the dirt and sulks. **Maybe if i just rest for a while and try it again later...? And maybe if I rub some of this dirt in it won't itch as much.** He starts picking up handfuls of dirt and doing so. **Ok, I pushed it to the max and it bit me. Lesson in limits. Now... If I had to guess, I'd say it was a problem of multiple variables and going apes***. The more I try to control, the more spread out the effort, the more that can go wrong. Maybe even the greater chance it does. Or I can just go apes***, concentrate on changing so hard... that I play body roulette and God only knows who I end up as.** Heavy sigh. **Hell of a choice, punk werewolf or spend the rest of _another_ day as someone else...** [David-Up to you how long he lasts without the itching driving him to trying again. If/when it finally does, if it does, I guess he'll concentrate _very_ hard on 1) no mental changes, 2) change body to as close to normal human hairiness as possible, and take his rsks with the splash, etc.] <><><><><> [GM] //This is ridiculous, dude!// says your egotistical self, the one who got you in the trouble that brought out Stephanie. //Just keep trying to make the hair disappear until it works, sheesh!// Stephanie makes a disparaging hissing noise, then says **Despite his being simplistic in the extreme, I think he's right, Steven-** //'Course I am!// **- we're going to have to learn to undo 'misfires', now is as good a time as any.** With such heartening encouragement, Steven sighs and tries to make the fur disappear again. His fur shrinks- dramatically, but remains covering his entire skin in a fine layer of green fuzz. Meanwhile, his fingernails have lengthened into four-inch talons, and he can feel huge, enlarged teeth lining his mouth. //Great, you really got this 'werewolf' thing imbedded in your head, don't you?// comments "Ego-Steve". A second attempt feels more difficult than the first....Steven feels palpable resistance, not extreme, but the definite sense that something is building up to block further changes. Nonetheless, it isn't that strong, and Steven is suddenly rendered normal again, in length and color and surface area of hair. <><><><><> Chaos: Steven looks himself over. [just hair changes?] **That was _not_ fatigue. That was resistance, of some kind. Damn. Now, on top of everything else, I got to worry about this kinda nonsense?** He walks over to Jackie and explains what just happened. [See mine and Amadan's posts, Killer] He continued, "I see one of three possible explanations and wondered what you thought? First, yours- the subconscious thing- from other folks maybe. Second, one of my, well, one of me's playing games. Maybe Nasty, maybe someone else, I don't know. In which guys," he said to himself, "it isn't funny. All its doing is screwing up all of our efforts to figure out just what the is. Or, third... maybe I'm just turning into, well, whatever I think too much about. I got hairy, so I thought of werewolf's, so I got more werewolf like. Only in that case what was the resistance from? Or, I could be barking," he grinned trying to let her know he was ok, "up the wrong tree completely and its something else entirely." He sighed. "I can't think of a way to really test number two. It all depends on if they want to fess up or not. I have a way to test the third, but I think I'll hold off for a while. I also think I have away to test your idea. If I am picking up things from other people or, hell, maybe animals, I don't know, then I must be sensing them, right? Like this Wizard does with telepathy. So I think I just sit here and relax and, well, listen, I guess. Concentrate on trying to hear, not sound, but other stuff. Heck, I don't know how to describe it. But, if I am being influenced by something outside myself, then sooner or later I ought to be able to sense it, right?" [He listens and thinks about Jackie's response, but does not say anything in response, except...] "Well... at least I got you a lot of metal, steel I think. So you can do whatever you were going to do with it while I, uh, listen." He then proceeded to try and relax and do so. [Does he sense anything?] <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie listens carefully, "Steven, it sounds like a logical step an all, but I don't know what to tell you. I been gettin all my science stuff from Star Trek. Well, that and some junk I read while I been in prison. What you got is beyond me. I mean the Kid and me got powers, yeah, but they do what we want them to. We can sense them and use them. Maybe we got other powers floatin around, but they ain't come out yet... We can try for explanations all day, but never REALLY know. Maybe your brain is connected with dreams or even the subconscious of that Richard guy. Maybe your tuned into another world or somethin. The Kid an I can come up with stuff, maybe help, but you're the only one who can really feel what's goin on." The puddle of metal ripples and the genral form of a rhinoceros comes out, it looks rather crude...like a rhinoceros, but formed by someone who has never really seen one. It's also very small, about the size of a dog. <><><><><> Chaos: Steven sighed. "Well, I took some physics in college, not a whole lot and not the math to understand it, but a little 'cause its interesting stuff. And it dove-tailed with the philosophy which was my 'guilty' pleasure minor. I've always been fascinated with 'big questions'. You know, what's the meaning of life, how do the universe really work. But not in a really practical way. Not so's I can really understand what all this is, anyway. Truth be told," he grinned, "I've been borrowing a little from Trek too... and comicbooks. Well, let me just try this first idea out and see what I get?" "Hey, that's neat," indicating the rhino. Then he went back to listening, trying to empty his mind and relax and see what iuf anything he noticed. <><><><><> [GM] The only voices Steven hears are his own...of course, for him, they're a little more vivid than for most people. //No, I am NOT trying to obstruct your experimentation, and I don't think anyone else in here is either// says Mr. Nasty. A chorus of agreement comes from Stephy, Stephanie, egotistical-Steven, and...a couple of other voices. Stephanie clears her throat and says \\I don't know any more about science than you do, Steven...maybe less.\\ She seems to begrudge admitting that. \\But....from what I...we, remember of quantum physics, it's about probabilities, correct? So you're trying to create a formula that will allow you to plug in variables and get the desired result, as if conceiving of the right formula will give you a handle on our powers. Has it occurred to you that there is no formula, that all we can do is rely on certain *probabilities*? If our power really is a quantum effect, all we can do is increase the probability of getting the desired result, but we'll never be able to master it to the point that we can be totally sure of what will happen, even if we THINK we've maximized every possible factor in our favor.\\ Then, as if embarrassed to be immersing herself in such an abstract, analytical discussion, she suddenly becomes quiet. Mr. Nasty fills in the gap. //Our nymphomaniac alter-ego...ah, that is, one of them-// (Mr. Nasty's snide comment results in Steven having to wait a few moments, and finally plead with Stephy and Stephanie to calm down and let him get to the point) // -sounds like she may actually know what she's talking about for once.// (Another racuous delay. Jackie watches the strange spectacle of a man having a silent argument with himself...) Finally, Mr. Nasty continues. //Additionally, with regards to the 'resistance' we just sensed. Is it possible that there's a limit to how much alteration our body will tolerate? Maybe the more we try to change it back and forth, the more difficult it becomes?// **Maybe it's, like, psychological?** Stephy suggests, surprising everyone. **I mean, changing around is really wierding you out, right bro? 'Specially since it's giving you problems adjusting to the idea of being a girl.** She giggles mischievously. **Maybe you should be blaming YOURSELF instead of us, Stevie. Maybe it's your own, umm, subconscious, resisting...gee, if we ARE aspects of your brain...which *I* don't believe!- then maybe we are the ones to blame. Oh man, this is just too weird, I sure can't figure it out!** <><><><><> Chaos: Steven began laughing outloud, but quickly indicated to Jackie that everything was ok. **You and me both, Stephy. God, I love you, sis. Loved... no, love. I guess I better learn to love the rest of you too, since your all me. Even you, Nasty. Not healthy to hate myself... even a part of myself. Even such a part...** He sighed, shoving aside the implications of that for now. **Stephanie, you've got nothing to be embarrassed about. Nasty's right. What you said makes sense as far as the question of control goes. But, maybe we can learn to limit the... choas a little more?** **Which brings us to what just happened. Nasty might be right. Oh, hell... Nasty? You can't like me calling you that all the time. Got a name? Or a preference?** {...} **Anyway, when I changed from Paddington, I got a bunch of stuff and then I got real tired. And same thing when Stephanie tried to change all those things. Like a rubber band. You can only stretch it so far. But is the limit a day? Or an hour? Can I speed my 'recovery time'? ** **But, Stephy... I really hate to say this... but I got a feeling you hit the nail on the head, or pretty close anyway. Ok, let's use some of those bucks we spent on philosophy classes. Approach it as an ontological question. Who or what exactly am I? Specifically, what the hell does it mean to me as a person to have this power. Specifically, the power to change myself. Ok. Probabilities. I have no idea if this is right, but... half of all people are male and half's female, roughly. So does that mean there's a 50/50 chance I could be one or the other, or rather could _have_been_? I mean I've definitely got two women inside...** **F***. Help me out here, folks. If the resistance is something I did, does that mean I keep running the risk of getting stuck as some kind of beast- is that the opposite?- as long as... I... keep freaking out over... Damn, wish I'd taken more psych. Wish I knew what happened at Mardi Gras. But, if wishes were fishes..., you know.** **Ok. Stop beating round the bush... so to speak. If that's really what's going on... then there's only one solution. I've got to confront it head on... no matter how much it makes my skin crawl. I have to... change into a... girl... not Stephy, not Stephenie. _Me_. Steven with tits an' all. S***. And then I've... gotta do... it. As a girl. Me. Right there. Fully aware of what... all's going on.** **F***! ** "Uh... Jackie,", he finally spoke up. "Can I talk to you about something. Just you and me. I'm not trying to hide anything from the others, but... Well, I think you'll see. SFX's already weirded out by it. God only knows what he'd do if he heard this." "I have no idea if this is right. And I'm really not in a hurry to find out... but... I suspect the odds are I won't have a choice sooner or later anyway." He quickly filled her in Stephanie's and Stephy's insights. "So... someday soon... Man, this sucks. But, I gotta face it or... sooner or later... I'm gonna have to _do_ it. Not with SFX or Goerge, not even where they'll find out about it. Some male hooker? Do they even have male hookers? What am saying, of course they do." "Jackie, what I'm trying to say.. and doing a really lousy job of it... I mean... God this is embarrassing. What I've known you 2, 3 days? And here I am about to ask what probably would embarras s*** out of your younger sister to do, if you have one... F***. What do I have to..., uh, expect?" <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie's reverie is shattered and her rhino stops scampering playfully upon the rock and sand. "Boy, what THE hell are you stutterin about? What? What does sex feel like? What, are you a virgin? I don't rightly know if I want to hear any more. I mean, sure I get used to you talkin to yourself, fine. I can handle that. One thin', the Kid controls sound...he's probably laughin his a** off right now. Even though we trust you pretty good now, who knows what you'll drag out of thin air, he's keepin an ear out. You're right about George, that boy is plum skittish." Jackie lights up a cigar, in readiness for a possible 'facts of life discussion'. *S***. He's probably goin to suggest I be turned into a guy and do him right here. Not a good idea Steve* <><><><><> Chaos: "Of course I'm not a god damn virgin. You think I like this s*** any better than you?!" He stood up and began walking away into the desert, kicking at the dirt, his face and the top of his ears red with anger and embarassment. "Just forget about it." <><><><><> [GM] Mr. Nasty laughs malevolently. //A name for me? Oh....how about Sid?// He chuckles at some private joke. //It seems as good a name as any.// As Steven stammers his way through his embarrassing explanation to Jackie, Stephanie becomes the one to laugh. \\My dear boy\\ she purrs, \\I'd be the last to discourage you from trying new things, and I think this is a positively *wonderful* idea, you really do need to expand your horizons....but I don't quite understand why you think having sex as a woman is going to increase your control over our powers.\\ //I guess you and Stephy are more alike than you thought, eh Sexpot?// \\Shut up Sid!\\ **Shut up Sid!** Then Stephy adds **Jeez Stevie, you don't want to let ME or Stephanie get any, but now you're all eager to do it yourself as a woman! Why not let one of US do it first and show you how it's done?** \\Indeed\\ agrees Stephanie \\It seems silly to ask this rage-filled woman who probably has never enjoyed sex anyways about sexuality from a female perspective, when you have your own resident experts...\\ //Unless of course we ARE all just fragments of Steven's personality// inserts Sid. //In which case, neither of you really know any more than Steven does, whatever you might think!// Needless to say, another mental flamewar ensues. <><><><><> Chaos: Still walking away from Jackie, occassionally kicking the dirt, Steven listens stoically to the internal bickering. finally he tells them to **All of you just be quiet, damn it! Stephenie. Stephy. No offense, but I need an outside perspective or I just can't be sure its real. But, as for Jackie... don't sell she short, but we can obviously forget about it.** **Stephy... I _don't_ want to do... it. And I'm not going to... for as long as can I put it off. The idea makes me want to barf. I don't know if it will have anything to do with control. But just thinking about it makes me want to run away... Only I can't run away. Not from myself. Not from you. Not from this power.** **And not from the fact that sooner or later one of you's gonna do it anyway. _That's_ last is making me jump out of my skin. Stephy said it. Changing my body, least as long as I'm still me, is strange, sure ... but I can live with it. I guess. It's the thought of what one of you two might do that I'm freaking out over. But, since I guess I'm stuck with you... then I thought if I did it might, like, exorcise that at least.** **Oh... forget it. It's a stupid idea anyway.** He took the stretchy material out of his pocket and examined it, pulling it, holding it to the sun, etc., trying to get a feel for it. <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie puffs on her cigar, chewing Steven's response to her harshness over, she sighs. Walking over to Steven, she puts her arm on his shoulder, "Sh** kid, you just threw me there a sec. I don't talk about that stuff with anyone...it's not somethin' I WANT to talk about. Not your fault, just too much, hell...I just can't talk about it. Trust me." Her voice lowers a bit, and the remainder of the puddle pulses with rippling spikes of metal, "I've put a lot past me, but this is somethin I can't get over. Just leave it at that ok?" <><><><><> Chaos: Steven doesn't shrugg off Jackie's arm but he doesn't do much of anything else either, just stands there with his back to her. "Don't worry, Jackie. It was a stupid idea, anyway." After a few moments, he said quietly, "I'm sorry... for whatever happened to you ... before. Life can really suck sometimes. I won't mention it again." <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie removes her hand from Steven's shoulder, "Yeah, it can be pretty god awful, I'm tryin not to add more on you, it's bad enough for all of us without gettin into more of our Kodak pissy moments." She sighs. "Well let's get on the road again, if your done....oh and thanks for the metal, I hope it lasts a while." The metal puddle shifts and a child figure rises from the metal and walks to the RV and freezes just outside with another one after it, until the puddle is bereft of all metal. <><><><><> Chaos: After she begins palying with the steel again, Steven sighs and says, "Jackie. I haven't said it much, but I _do_ appreciate everything you and SFX have done for me. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be in the bin or worse. I know its not easy. I freak out and then you all have to deal with the consequences of my craziness. I'm trying. but, if you and SFX ever decide its too much... just tell me, I'll take a hike." "Let me try one more thing before we leave." He moves off again and then tries to turn a 6 inch cubed amount of dirt in pure platinum which will not fade away or change back- controlling for the splash and concentrating on not changing anything about himself as well. [If it succeeds...] He takes it and gives it Jackie (or points it out to Jackie if he can't take it), saying, "It probably doesn't mean much since I seem to be able to create this sutff pretty much to order and it may not last. But at least I can start trying to pay my way. If it lasts we can sell it. And if we do, you can keep it all except say a couple thou. I still have Jason's wallet. I'd like to put the money in it and send it back with apologises for Stephenie. It won't make up for what she did, but its a start." <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie shrugs, "I told you before, you don't have to keep bringin all that up...about us gettin you out. We did it for our own reasons, and we'll keep doin it for the same ones. You want in, we'll try to put up with you and your craziness as long as your in. We're over the hump now and mostly off each others nerves. We'll do the best we can from here on out. If we're goin to be a team and business partners, we can't have none of this 'take a hike' stuff. We'll all try to do what we can and go from there, we're only human right?" Jackie gives Steven a wink and goes back to moving the metal kids to the RV. "You think you could come up with a heavy duty scale, maybe we can test how much metal I'm movin and how strong you are. Just a thought." Jackie goes back to her manipulations, unaware of Steven's. <><><><><> [GM] Steven concentrates on the metal mass, trying to focus on a small piece of it.... A ball of light manifests where he was concentrating, but after a sudden crackling discharge of electricity, followed by a burst of shiny new pennies exploding from the focal point and raining down on Jackie and Steven, the light expands and covers the entire mass of metal. The metal shudders, ripples, and Jackie senses the *oddest* "signature" from it, as it goes through various atomic structural changes, before becoming inert to her senses. The reason being that it's no longer metal; the "child statues" are now misshapen lumps of bright green, glowing.....cheese? <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie's features go from suprise to slight anger as all the metal becomes useless to her. *Might as well try somethin else then* 'Spike' the metallic pit bull ambles out of the RV taking up a position between the cheese children and the RV, making sure there is no one that is in the line of fire. The metallic pit bull's mouth opens a bit in line with the cheese. Jackie tries to mentally picture the shotgun shells rolling in line and a spike of metal striking the back, setting off the shell. Jackie reaches out to any stray metal, leeching a little from the safe if necessary and create a serpentine whip, practicing accuracy with spikes and body strikes. <><><><><> Chaos: Steven tries to cover himself from the rain of pennies. After the effects end, he stares at the result and says, "Oh f***. That's not the effect or the target I was trying for. I meant to see if I could change some _other_ dirt into just a little platium, so I could start maybe paying my way..." [If Jackie pulls off the shotgun trick...] He jumps at the report. "Jezzuz! Warn me next time!" "Do you think I should try to change them back to metal? Maybe once having been, it'll be easier?" <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie looks over at Steven with a look of slight disbelief, mostly that he'll keep on going despite all that's happened in the short time he's been playing around. "I dunno if it's a good idea, there's plenty of pennies for me to try out on, besides, can you handle more? You've been pushin yourself a bit today...a few body changes and stuff. We don't want some other person out of your head just yet, especially when we're tryin to get used to the 'real' you. Give it a rest for a while." The pennies drift together like beads of mercury until they form a small ball, that is except for one, which she picks up and studies. <><><><><> Chaos: "Ok." he said, pretty relieved as he'd had the same fear. "but, after resting a while, maybe this evening, I probably ought to try something to see if its any better." Seeing Jackie examine the penny, he asks, "So are they any more real than the license?" "Oh, another thing I was wondering... Why use the shells? Maybe you can just, I don't know what'd you call it, but 'hurl' pieces of metal around? Let me see, physics says you need energy, so how about you hold the mass in place and excite the molecules- like heating them in a microwave- get them really buzzing, then try to convert that energy into acceleration of the mass?" [He'll get back in the RV when Jackie does.] <><><><><> [GM] There is a that echoes from inside the metal dog, followed an instant later by a fiery flash at the dog's mouth and the roar of an exploding shotgun shell. Jackie feels metal turn to dust against her skin, while Steven feels a sudden burning sensation in his cheek, and several stinging impacts against his face, neck, and shoulder. He looks down to see a number of rubber bands bouncing off him, but at least one piece of shot wasn't transformed, and grazed his cheek, leaving a long, shallow, bloody groove. He also notices that he seems to have grown very minute scales, covering his skin. The pit bull looks somewhat like the T-1000 after Arnie pumped a few shotgun rounds through THAT animated metal construct's head....the canine head is blasted open, and smoke curls from inside the hollow chest cavity. SFX is running out of the RV towards the pair, and skids to a halt, looking at the effects of Jackie's experiment. "Oh, I get it," he says. "Fire a round from inside the dog, use your powers to simulate the hammer mechanism, right? Not bad, looks like you need some more practice, though." Looking at Steven, he adds "maybe from behind a metal shield or somethin'." "And NO," he says to Steven, "I ain't got anything on your friend yet." <><><><><> Chaos: "S***fire!" Steven notes the rubberbands and scales, but primarily touches his face where he was nicked, pulling his hand away and sees the blood. He is sweating, turns a little green and gags a bit. "What...? Oh, yeah. Uh," he says a little distracted, looking with distaste at the blood on his hand, "thanks anyway." Then sighing, he says to Jackie and SFX both, "Uh, excuse me for a minute." He looks like he is fighting a touch of nausea. He walks away- far away - from Jackie, SFX, the RV and the cheese, touching his face, looking at the blood, touching, looking-- getting a little greener. When a 'safe' distance away, he concentrates very hard on 1) no mental or body changes in himself, 2) except healing the gash and getting rid of the scales, and 3) controlling the splash. <><><><><> [GM] Steven's wound disappears instantly. The scales covering him, rather than simply disappearing, fall off. Leaving him with lots of itchy little scales in his clothes. <><><><><> Jacqueline: "Hey Steven! Sorry, I thought I had it under control...I didn't mean to hurt you." Jackie's face bleeds color a touch, afraid she may have really hurt him. When he again faces her and she sees everything looks ok, except for the blood on his face and clothes, she gives a slight grimace, 'Ok, we at least learned a few thin's the hard way. You can heal yourself, maybe even other people and your power protects you...mostly from direct damage." The pit bull's head reforms itself and it spits out a spent shell. "I was aimin for the cheese, sorry. I should do my little experiments a bit farther away from now on. Nope, that idea you had about jimmying the molecules or whatever. I tried to heat some metal up by doin just that, but I just disintegrated it instead. I can only move metal along surfaces or extensions of some of my puppets. Like the whip here and Spike." Jackie looks thoughtful, "A little gas in Spike and we got ourselves some heavy explosive doggie." She laughs. <><><><><> Chaos: Steven sighs with relief as he sees/feels the wound is healed and his managed to lose the scale- !scratch, scratch!- without any chaotic misfires. He hopes. "'S ok.," he replies to Jackie while he scratches and looks around for a bush or something to hide behind a little, "s*** happens. Just _warn_ me next time, ok? Uh, excuse me a sec..." [If he sees one, he goes behind it. If not, he turns his back on her...] Avoiding looking at the blood on his clothes, he takes his shirt off, shakes it out. Puts it back on. Then the same with his pants and underwear. He checks to make sure he got no non-obvious chaos surprises. Then turning back to face Jackie and sitting down, he takes the socks and shoes off, shakes the scales out of them and puts them back on. [Assuming no other effects, or at least none revealed sans clothes...] They can see that his color is returning to normal. "Ya, healing cool as long as I don't turn them or me into something else doing it. But it sure beats living with a sucking chest wound. And its nice to know that I might only get maimed instead of killed if someone starts shooting at me." His mood is improved, but he's still a little pissed. "What about running some metal along the ground to build up speed and then slinging it up at something? You tried that?" <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie herself is a bit P'Oed with the stunt of hers, "Um, not really. I tried snakes and stuff. So far I think if I make somethin that can get some momentum goin, like Spike, it'll slam pretty good...and tear...and rend. I've worked on a trick with my whip, watch this." She moves out many yards away and whips the metallic whip with her hand and mind, snapping it back and over. Something lets loose from the end and gets tossed into the dirt a good distance away. Dust kicks up. "That's my spike throw, I'd hate to see what it does to a person..." Sighing heavily, she looks at the cheese kids and shakes her head. She looks around and the 'rhino' ambles up to her. "At least you gave me somethin to work with. I've been practicin with the whip, some metal frisbees and stuff, but the distance isn't too good. The animals work better, they don't depend on my aim...which isn't very good." She frowns. "Maybe we should get goin now..." She looks apprehensive, maybe because she's sorry and doesn't know how to apologize or maybe she thinks you'll wig out and do somethin you don't mean. <><><><><> Chaos: Finished retying his shoes, Steven returns to SFX and Jackie. He watches the whip trick, and whistles. "Remind me not to piss you off again." He sees her apprehensive look, and says, "Jackie, I said its ok. I mean, you all have forgiven me a lot weirder stuff, right? Sure, we can get going again now. Though its kind of funny, I don't tried or anything. Why don't we think about stopping again after a while and see what happens after I get a little rest?" [If they get back on the road, Steven starts reading the book on meditation.] <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie looks at Steven and smiles, "Ok, sounds good. A few hours or so and we'll stop again." The rhino splits in two and the vague shapes of two spider monkeys form, one at a time. One climbs into the RV and shortly after the other follows. The copper/nickel ball from the pennies in her hand changes into a scorpion which she sets on the table once she climbs aboard. Grabbing herslef a Coke from the fridge, she lets go of the whip and it snakes back to the 'safe' and joins it seamlessly. She looks over SFX's shoulder at the computer, but says nothing. Taking another pull of the Coke she sits in one of the chairs and starts leafing through an animal book. <><><><><> Chaos: Steven smiles back at Jackie and shakes his head at the metal monkey's, "I still say that's neat. Can you do people? I sculpt a little as a hobby... but to actually get them to move..." He whistles. When she fashions the scorpion, however, he shudders and says quietly, "Uh, could you...", pointing at the scorpion, "something else. I got this thing about spiders." <><><><><> Jacqueline: "My limit seems to be about child size with solid metal, I haven't had a chance to test out hollow, or even if it'll work. That's the reason I stick with animal shapes, more menacin then a hunk of metal jumpin about." Jackie laughs at Steven's fear of spiders, especially since he made the Kid's shirt turn into them. It changes shape to a small songbird, to keep him off edge. "Too bad I can't get this little bugger to fly...don't know too much about why. I tried a few days ago, but couldn't get it to work for me." <><><><><> Chaos: Steven reddens in embarrasment at Jackie's laugh and says, :"Yeah, I know its silly. Grown many jumping at the site of a little spider. What can I say. I'm that way about blood, too, you probably noticed. And don't even begin about the heights again, ok?" After a few moments: "A mass limit? On your power, I mean. That doesn't seem to make sense, at least not that small. It's what... the power of the mind? Something your body generates? Black 'Lectroids from the 8th Dimension? I won't believe in magic. I mean, look at what _I_ can do for god's sake. Maybe you just need more practice... Hey, maybe you just some sculpting lessons?" He is obviously happy to have a possibly non-chaotic way to return Jackie's help. "We could get some clay in the next won and work on it. That might even answer the flying stuff. I mean, there's lots of possible reasons. But, I figure you probably tried hollow, right? And wing surface sufficient to create enough lift to overcome mass and drag? Do you just have them flapping wings or put a propellor on them, or what? Course, it could also be a quesiton of the mass limit. Maybe you need to make them real small, like bess and stuff? Or maybe you should use like a transparent top and air bubbles, heat them up with the sun, to provide extra lift? Maybe I could whip up some Star Trek 'transparent alluminum'?" The ideas tumble out one after another. 'Course, with my luck, I'd probably turn into Scotty...." <><><><><> [GM] In the RV, SFX listens to the conversation, rolling his eyes a little as Steven lists his phobias. "The bird can't fly 'cause it ain't aerodynamic," SFX says to Jackie. "You can make the metal move, but since you can't levitate it into the air, you can't make it airborne 'less you make it somethin' that could fly on its own. Maybe Steven's idea about propellors ain't bad, 'cept you'd need to power them somehow." "Why don't you think she'd have a limit to how much mass she can affect?" SFX demands. "We all have to have limits on our powers. Yours seem kinda unpredictable, but let's say you try to turn the whole planet into something else. I kinda doubt you could do it, even if you did have total mastery of your powers. Maybe we should find one of those big-ass rocks lying around in Colorado, somethin' the size of a house, and see if you can transform it." <><><><><> Chaos: As SFX rolls his eyes, Steven snaps, "Hey, so I'm no superman, or Paladin, or whatever. I never claimed to be. 'Sides, you seemed to jump pretty quick at the spiders yourself." **An you definitely got the same problem I have with me being a girl. Bet, Jackie thinks that's pretty dumb.** he added to himself. He nods at SFX's comments about flying. "Maybe some kind of solar cell?" he muses. "Hmmm..." at SFX comment about the rock. "That's a good idea. 'Course, if I really push it- like I tried with the steel- I've got even less control over the, uh, side-effects." "But, yeah I did kinda overstate it. I _hope_ I couldn't affect a whole planet. Not directly anyway. God only knows what could happen otherwise... Though we really don't know how this stuff works, do we? So who knows? But, my point was, I don't understand why she should be limited to, what, half your mass? Maybe it is, maybe it is... and maybe its like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger you get? Have you tried really pushing it since a couple days ago, Jackie?" He continues flipping through the meditation book, during the conversation. [You want to tell me what, if anything, he gets or leave it up to me?] <><><><><> Jacqueline: With most of Steven's ideas about flying metal creatures, lift, what have you, Jackie looks a little blank, "Even if I pretended to know just what the hell you are talkin about, I tried. Maybe with a long time alone and some practice I could play around, but we don't have that. The metal moves fluid with my mind pushin it. I tried a big Arnold metal guy, but I couldn't move it I lost control real fast. Mine doesn't work like yours, I can't really push it. I can only really move one thing with dead on control, more than that and I can't keep track very well. Last time I used it was trashin that car, only could do parts at a time. I even tried to move parts of stuff, like the Arnold robot, make the torso solid and just move the arms and legs, didn't work to well. I can disintegrate metal too, but it's got all the finesse of a fire hose. I really don't know really if blowin a Godzilla sized metal creature down New York streets is how I'd use it anyway. I ain't like that, I dunno, maybe it's all based on my personality and some mental blocks. I'm pretty happy with what I can do. Too bad I'm not out stealin stuff, I'd be a multi- millionaire by now, instead of livin in a trailer home. If I didn't meet you Kid, that's were I'd be knocking down the Mob." Jackie laughs. She finishes off her Coke, "'Sides, who wants to play with little solar crap engines and gadgets. Too much trouble. Metal is everywhere, I can hose down vehicles, electronics, all kinds of stuff. Hell, the Kid has his limits, I mean he can't shut down a city's traffic noise." <><><><><> Chaos: A (dim) light bulb went off in Steven's mind. He suddenly thought he understood something about Jackie. Behind all that bluster, she didn't think very well of herself. That plus her reaction outside... Whatever had happened to her back then hurt her so bad, she still carried her own own voices. Not like his- now. But, like the one he used to hear in the night when he thought about Stephy's death... "Jackie...," he said softly and put his hand on the table just short of, but not touching, hers. "I'm sorry. I keep opening my mouth and putting my foot in it. I thought I might have an idea that helped... It's probably just something that needs practice. And, hell, could be worse...," he tried a grin, "you could have to worry about turning into a living teddy bear everytime you used it... partner." <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie breaks into a genuine smile, not the usual guarded mirth she's let go before. "Oh hell, I guess your right about that! I wish we all could spend some time on this powers stuff. Too bad we don't work for the government, probably get a condo and plenty of time to screw around with practice. I've usually just stuck to the 'if it ain't broke don't fix it school', never had much use for school once my daddy died. The streets and the life has always been the closest I've gotten. One good thin for prison, I got a chance to calm down and earn a few thin's. Just wait til we get to Vegas! You'll subtle use of power then. Ha!" <><><><><> Chaos: Steven grinned, chuckled and said, "Yeah, I bet you'd be hell on the slots and the rolutte wheel, at the least." He didn't point out how odd that was given she could probably just collect all the gold and stuff she wanted straight out of the earth- she'd hinted at it herself. It wasn't the money, he didn't think. For Jackie, he was beginning to think, it was just the winning, a way to tell herself she was a success. Shame really. She couldn't see that she'd already hit the jackpot with these powers. "Jackie, school isn't all its cracked up to be. Did me a lot a good, didn't it? I know you don't like to talk about yourself... so I'm not asking. But, Jackie, I think you've got a lot more on the ball than a lot of book-nerds I know. And, if you ever want to talk about it... just tell me. I'll make time." <><><><><> [GM] The Quantum Cats vehicle continues on, approaching Amarillo. //Are you planning to look like the Hulk forever?// Sid asks. //Considering we're more or less fugitives, someone who stands out in a crowd like you do is probably not the best asset for this team.// **I think we threw stealth out the window when Jackie painted "Quantum Cats" on the side of our RV** Stephanie notes dryly. **Besides, why shouldn't we attract attention?** SFX, while playing with his modem, comments on the quest to find 'Wizard'. "I think you maybe have the wrong impression," he tells Jackie. "I ain't totally sure that Wizard is still IN Colorado. He went to some top secret government facility, but somethin' happened there. Since then, like I said, he mentally contacts us sometimes, warnin' about this dude 'Legion', but I dunno if he's still where he was when whatever crap it was happened. Still, I guess findin' where he WAS is the place to start." "Well, well," the teenager says, at long last. "A present fer you, Fruit-loops. Courtesy of some of my pals." "As of nine days ago, Richard Lark was officially listed as a Missing Person." He turns to look at Steven quizzically.