CUCKOO'S NEST [Steven Moore has been committed to the Baton Rouge Mental Health Facility, then spontaneously turned into his dead step-sister, Stephy! Now a mysterious group is trying to kidnap and/or kill him/her, while Jacqueline Carlysle and her teenage sidekick 'SFX' rush to the rescue....] ======================================================= =========== As Jacqueline comes running up the corridor, past cell doors with little windows through which she can see padded walls, three people exit a cell halfway down the corridor. Jacqueline sees a slender blonde woman wearing an ill-fitting doctor's overcoat, an expression of irritation on her face. Behind her is a tall, handsome man with his own blond hair cut short in a military buzz. He's wearing an orderly's smock that's pulled too tightly against his muscular physique. And looking confused, frightened and angry all at the same time is a young woman whom he is half carrying, half dragging under one arm. She's also blonde, and gorgeous, and has an incredibly voluptuous figure which is half falling out of her patient's robe. The woman whom the three strangers confront is a tall lanky....redhead? Bright, cherry red, except it's obviously a wig because it's slipping off her head. It looks almost as gaudy as the flourescent orange matching lipstick and nail polish she's wearing. To complete this glamorous picture, her jeans seem to have split along the sideseams, so her pants legs are flapping as she runs. <><><><><> Stephy: "Wha...?" Stephy almost squeals awhen Dom grabs her. His grip almost makes her knees turn to jelly. She _wanted_ him to grab her, but not like this! *Oh my Gawd! They _are_ after Steven! But, where is he? And why do I remember everything that happened to him as if I was there? A what and a what? And what's an 'Uber?'?* "An illusion! Does this feel like an illusion!?" She hits him on the chest with her first, but he only laughs. He's dragging her towards the room's door; she's getting seriously panicked. *Nothing I do... omph,* she kicks him without effect, "LET ME GO!", *He's too strong!* "Don't you _like_ girls?! How can you listen to that b****! Please. Let me go. If you do, we can still..." The bribe has as little effect as the struggle. "Jezuz! He _is_ a fag, I'll bet. Great Stephy! Might as well have tried to vamp a call girl.* >//So DO something about it you brain-dead bimbo!//< *WHAT?! He's too strong. If they'd both been girls maybe I could have... But, _he's_ TOO. DAMN. STRONG!* Stephy kicks and pounds on 'Dom' again. Again, he merely laughs it off. *Or if I _was_ an illusionist or even a shapechanger! However the hell I'd be that! Gawd!, I wish I could 'shapechange' _his_ fag a**, and his b****'s too!* Then, Stephy sees the tall lanky....redhead? *Gag! Oh, a wig... Still, yuck! Not even punk! Love the gloss and polish though... and rad jeans! But, who the hell is she? What do you care, Stephy. She ain't with fag-boy and his b****! Where they _shooting_ at HER?* Stephy starts kicking and punching for everything she's worth, which isn't much. She screams, "LET ME GO!!!" *And where's Steven? And why do I remember what happened to him? And why can't I remember why _I'm_ here?!* "LET ME GO, YOU FAG-A**** C***!" Inwardly she thinks, *Alright 'voice', if your SO SMART and you've got an idea, TELL ME HOW TO DO IT!* <><><><><> Jacqueline: *Sigh* Chuck the wig, I mean c'mon Jackie it is a loony bin. What is this a Shriner's convention?! "Um, Hi. Any of you with the gunhappy ***holes out there? I hope not, I'm gettin' sick of stompin' an runnin' around. Make it quick there' be cops here any sec and I ain't alone. I also got a plan outta here, capeesh?" <><><><><> Stephy: "HI?" Stephy screams at the 'redheaded' lady between obsenities directed at the Dom and the 'doc' and while squirming and kick desperately at Dom. "I ain't with ANYBODY! I'm being KIDNAPPED!" <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie looks over the bimbo (first impression ) and winces. "Look, that don't make any sense. I'm lookin for some whacko names Steven Chase Moore, you don't look like him honey." Jackie points her finger, like a gun at the trio, "ok don't make me have to use this, I don't like what it does to people." She'll wave her finger manacingly around, while doing so she'll weave a snake over to the big guy and loops it around his legs to immobilize him a bit. <><><><><> Stephy: Not really thinking about it, Stephy screams, "God d*** it! I'm Steven's sister!" Then in quiet voice to herself, "I think..." <><><><><> [GM] The big man with the gorgeous blonde under his arm spins her to the side with a casual gesture, slamming her back up against the wall. His hand shifts to her shoulder, where it maintains a grip like iron. "You are becoming considerably less charming by the second, girl!" he snaps. "Now quit whining and fussing or I'll do something you'll regret." He seems to be keeping half an eye on the newcomer. Simultaneously, the "doctor" turns into a cloud of smoke. Just like that. As Stephy and Jacqueline stare, the slim woman who was standing there a moment ago goes "poof!", and as her clothes slump to the ground in a heap, a cloud of greenish-white smoke boils down the corridor towards Jacqueline, with less than a second before it reaches her... <><><><><> Stephy: >Jackie points her finger, like a gun at the trio, "ok don't make me have to use this, I don't like what it does to people." She'll wave< Stephy almost laughs, then realizes that if the 'doctor' can turn into smoke there's no reason finger can't go bang. Still struggling with Dom and concentrating on what she is rapidly begining to suspect is a pipedream, she yells, "USE IT! SHOOT THEM!" Stephy lets out a loud "OOmph!" when Dom throughs her against the wall. At that and the threat, her eyes go _real_ large as she realizes these people could easily hurt her as well as Steven. Then the 'doctor' turns to green smoke. Stephy looks aroundly wildly for something, anything, to help her. She sees the name written on the chart by the door: Steven Chase Moore. In the space of time it takes the woman move to almost within reach of Jackie, Stephy thinks faster than she ever has before: *Oh my gawd! They must be those, what you call it? super people! And, this _is_ Steven's room. How come I was...? THINK, GIRL! Don't even remember _coming_ here. But, _do_ remember Steven being put in there. Then where was _I_?! All the things they told Steven... attacking people, injuring cops../ How can I be here, in Steven's? room? but no Steven? What did she say? 'he could be a shapechanger or illusionist'? I'm no illusion, and I _know_ I'm not Steven... But then... oh, god! Did he... Did I... Was I? Steven, you _didn't_... did you? But, he couldn't... unless... S***! That voice... What is it?!... it said he had power and the doctor begging ... And he was so freaked, he wanted me back... and here I am... OH MY GOD! Its not poss... It damn well better be! Or I'm dog meat! THINK, Stephy. I'm me. I want to stay me. But, I gotta be bigger, stronger, stronger than this candy-a** fag! Come on girl! Voice! Power! Whatever!* The smoke is almost on top of Jackie. *If I'm gonna do something, I better do it*..., then aloud, a scream, raw and with every ounce of Stephy's being "NOW!", while she concentrated on making her self stronger, changing herself, changing Dom, changing the smoke... changing _anything_! <><><><><> Jacqueline: *Uh oh spaghetti-O!* call all the metals around me into a full bodysuit, make the head like a conehead and try to trap some air to breathe, close off any holes for eyes or mouth. *Yikes!* <><><><><> [GM] Metal comes flowing off the two doors nearest the orange and red garnished woman, rolling across the floor in a liquid wave and rolling up her legs, but the cloud of gas is already engulfing her. Jacqueline coughs, feels her throat tingling and her eyes seem to contract in their sockets, air seems to be seeping out of her lungs.... Then the blonde "bimbo" screams, and all around her, the air seems to ripple, as does the floor, the ceiling, the walls, the big man grabbing her....as if reality itself was a pool of water and she just splashed it, sending waves rolling out away from her. The "ripples" wash across her abductor and he yelps in surprise as his head wavers, then his shoulders, his arms, and suddenly he disappears even as he seems to be shimmering back and forth like the "materializing" effect in a bad scifi TV show like "Dr. Who". Stephy feels the wall behind her, it's spongy and smells like nuclear powered cherry cough drops and the air feels pink and the floor sounds like flourescent orange lipstick. A worse trip than anything she could inflict on herself with LSD almost drags her mind down into madness as toasters flap past on leathery bat wings, chased by fanged pop tarts, but somehow she feels she's the ONLY objectively real thing in the middle of reality turned subjective and licorice-flavored and insane pass the salt E=MC don't ever, ever split an infinitive There's a crackle and a hiss overhead and suddenly white goo is raining down on Jacqueline, like the froth at the top of a beer mug but more solid, the cloud of smoke congeals and condenses and glops all over her in an inert puddle, soaking her clothes for an instant, before the moisture instantly evaporates, leaving a sticky, two-inch thick layer of....*stuff*, coating the floor of the corridor. Metal is still wrapping around her, though the metal has somehow turn bright cherry pink, and the shuddering blonde is huddled against the wall ten feet away, looking around with eyes as big as saucers...and she's no longer wearing a hospital gown, she's garlanded in silver Christmas tree tinsel, twined amongst her hair and wrapped around her arms and legs and draped over her shoulders and hips, covering her but revealing plenty of bare skin every time she moves, or breathes. There's a red and white striped barber-shop pole imbedded in the floor in the middle of the corridor, sticking out from the cement at a 75 degree angle. "Holy Quantum Cats, Batman!" somebody exclaims, before things become deathly silent. <><><><><> Stephy: Stephy sees the metal begin flowing towards , the gas engulfing her... And the world goes crazy. Ripples start around and over her, flowing over all the world she can see. Dom begins 'phazing', then *poof*, he's gone. The wall behind Stephy gives as she falls back against it, spongy with an over-powering cheery smell, the air pinks, the floor rings out with flourescent orange chimes. *Ohmygodohmygodohmyggodwhat'shappeningDidIdothis?Isthiswhathap penedatthe party?Areweallgoingtobrunnow?Didhestickmewiththatneedle?Isthiswhat aflash back'slike?No,I'vedoneacid,it'sWOWWOWWOWS***S***S***WHAT'SH APPENING!?* Then a crackling, and things start settling down again. The goo falls, Ms. Smoke turns into scum looking like what's left when the Brillo pad gives out, there's a barber pole of all things sitting at a crazy angle in the floor. Stephy's eyes are h. u. g. e. as she looks around at the chaos. >"Holy Quantum Cats, Batman!" somebody exclaims, before things become deathly silent.< "Huh? Wha..? Did I do..." She giggles, with an hysterical undertone to it. Then, with awe in her voice, she whispers loudlyly, "I think I over did it." *Note to myself, do NOT try to change everything at once.* She giggles quietly at this incongruous reaction, then louder and louder yet, sliding up towards hysterics. She then notices her new outfit, her eyes taking in the silver tinsel garment, her hands tenatively touching it to make sure it is real, then touching the tinsel in her hair, then touching and quickly looking over her body, making sure its still the same. *I'm still me. Whatever it is, it doesn't affect me, I guess. Unless..* She looks at Jackie, her lips quivering in shock and says, "Tell me you saw that. Tell you you see this," she waves at the crazy stuff, "Tell me I'm still me. Tell me I'm not crazy. ... Please?" It is obvious she is not very far from a full blow attack of hysterics. <><><><><> Jacqueline: *Whoa! And I thought I was slipped some acid at first...this is the ultimate trip. wasn't this whacko I'm after crazy and able to distort thing s? Cool pop tarts, Check do not call this chick a bimbo to her face* "Um, yeah, I did see this and it is happenin'. Too bad the nice lady got slimed," Jackie laughs evilly. Moving the bimbo along, try to get her out of here quick. "Stick with me kid, we'll make a great team," Jackie marvels at the strange hues her metal bodysuit have taken and is happily impressed. <><><><><> Stephy: Stephy moves to and feels the barber pool, *My god! It is!* >"Um, yeah, I did see this and it is happenin'. Too bad the nice lady got slimed," Jackie laughs evilly.< "It _is_. Too weird! Slimed?" Stephy looks at the Brillo goo, and giggles. "Oh. Yeah." She shakes her head, blond locks flying. "I'll think about this later. Do you know what a 'Quantum Cat' is by any chance?" {...} Stephy thinks, *She... the Smoke... said they were after Steven. The room says its Steven's. Only I was in there. But I don't remember... And I seem to remember... Why do I remember that I _died_ a couple years ago.* >Moving the bimbo along, try to get her out of here quick.< Stephy starts at the metal-bound lady's touch. "Wha...? Wait. Not yet." She starts towards, then runs to the nurse's station, starts look for the patient roster. "I got find my brother. I'm not going to leave him here." >"Stick with me kid, we'll make a great team,"< "Huh? Well... could you grab that chart," pointing towards the one by the door of Steven's room. "Oh, and those clothes too, I guess", pointing at Ms. Smokes fallen uniform. "Who are you anyway?" Finding the patient register, she quickly leafs through it, then slams it down. "He's here. Steven's here. But it says he was in there," pointing back at the room. "And I'm not... I'm. Not. Listed!" Stephy takes the former Ms. Smoke's coat and shrugs it on, not even noticing how ugly it is. She is thinking: *Steven said I was dead. Whatever he was, he wasn't a liar. He was scared. He thought he was crazy. He thought he'd ruined eveything. That he'd killed somebody. That he was responsible for my death. He wanted me back. He musta had this... power too. Only he didn't know it. And he wanted me back. And I'm here. And he's not. So what does that mean? And where _is_ he?* If she can find Steven's full patient chart, she takes it. Stephy says to Jackie, "O.k. He's not here. Not now. I don't know where he is. I don't even know if he's alive. But... Yeah, I'm with you. Let's get the HELL out of here." If she can, she will read the chart on Steven while leaving, leting Jackie more or less guide her. [If there was an info on Richard, Stephy will take that too.] [Killjoy- A description of Stephy: age 17, ht 5'4", wt 108, eyes bright green, hair golden blond, caucasian, 36D-22-35, basically looks like a drop-dead gorgeous 'California' girl] <><><><><> [GM] You can't find your patient chart, and don't have time to stop for the log. On the way out, you do see a pair of guards at the entrance to the cell block who are struggling against a spaghetti-tangle of metal bars that reached out from the gate and wrapped around them. Their heads are covered with metal hoods as well, though there are some air holes. It adds to the surreal nature of this whole experience. Out in the front lobby, a skinny, pleasantly-average looking black kid wearing a red jacket and jeans and hightop sneakers comes skidding to a halt in front of you- soundlessly. He seems to be about your (Stephy's) age or maybe a year or two younger. There's an uncanny impression of *quiet* around him, which suddenly disappears, the way you can cup a hand over your ear, then suddenly release it and hear noise "roar" back into being. His words come out in a rush; "Jackie, whatthef***? I heard shooting, and didju know that half the guards and staff in this place are lying around unconscious?" (Suddenly it does seem odd to Jacqueline, how few people she encountered on her way in.) Then the kid freezes, staring at Stephy. "Whoa!" he exclaims. "Girl, I got two more questions, where the hell is the dude we came for an' can we take her too?" Frowning, "What's with the tinsel, don't tell me the guards hired a stripper to entertain the inmates?" <><><><><> Stephy: no time to look for a log. No, of course not, that would be too d*** easy.* [] On the way out, Stephy protests that she has to find her brother, but Jackie's sense of urgency and Stephy's somewhat dazed reactions and very weird feelings about all this convince her to go along. "But, you have to promise to help me find Steven! Please! I can't just abandon him. Even if he is a dweb, he' still my brother." When she sees the guards she thinks, *Whoa!*, then asks Jackie, "Did you do that too?" Seeing the black kid silently arrive and then the sound rush back in, Stephy asks Jackie, "Did you do that to? Or..." The sense of quiet around the kid makes her think it wasn't Jackie's. >where the hell is the dude we came for an' can we take her too?" Frowning, "What's with the tinsel, don't tell me the guards hired a stripper to entertain the inmates?"< Stephy smiles at the kid, giggles and says, "You're cute. Do I really look like a stripper? Think I'm pretty enough to be one?" She shakes her shoulders and gives the kid a thrill. Then, her humor drains away, and she stops teasing him. "Uh, can I borrow your jacket or something?" "I'm Stephy. Stephy Moore. The 'dude' I think you mean's my brother Steven." [Assuming the hustle her away, she continues- if/when she can...] "This is like totally bogus. I don't even remember coming there. I _do_ remember Steven waking up there though. He had a really bad trip or something. They put him in that room where I woke up. Only he wasn't there when I woke up. And then that woman and that hunk came in- too bad about him he was dreamy, even if he turned out to be a creep. The lady said something about Steven maybe being a shapeshifter or an illusionist, and that _I_ could be Steven- Isn't that the grossest thing you ever heard!- so they grabbed me. Then Jackie showed up and the lady turned into this grody looking smoke, and I... I was hearing these voices, you know, inside my head, and one said I had power and could do something... And, I just _had_ to do _something_. So, I tried and, well... I guess I did ... Boy, did I!" After relating the events inside, she continues, "It was the weirdest thing. It was like, well, suddenly, everything wasn't... well _real_, except me, and then snap! everything was back only changed. Sorry about you're, uh, suit?" She says to Jackie, "Really rad color though." Then back to both, "Then there was, or I heard this voice say, um, 'Holy Quantum Cats'? Yeah, 'Holy Quantum Cats, Batman'. Kinda cute actually, in a _totally_ weird way. Uh, you wouldn't happen to know what that means would you? I think, I've got a feeling its important, that it has something to do with what happened, with my... I guess I got those, like you got, what do call them, super powers?" "I think Steven had them too. And I think somehow he used thek to bring me here. Though where he went... Look, you gotta promise me, you gotta promise to help me find Steven... and Richard, his roomate from college. Maybe the police would know. The doctor said something about police reports. Maybe we can talk to the fuzz and they'll show them too us?" "And, uh, can I get some _clothes_?" <><><><><> Jacqueline: "Quantum Cats? Is that some kind of cartoon? Look let's get THE hell out of here and then we'll play patty cake. I don' have time for intros, call me, um...Iron Maiden and the kid SFX." Jackie will leave the metal on her and will drag the bimbo through the hospital/ward to the entrance. On the way out grab the wallets of the bozos who were playing Rambo earlier, try to find out somethin and maybe grab a few bucks. *SFX was right, this is like the A-team, how corny. My life as a sitcom star* jackie looks at the bim...ah young girl with a stern look then back at the Kid, she moves her head to the side a bit, "Kid get her in the car and keep things quiet, no smart with the sass. Just do it." "Girl, you are in a heap of trouble along with the two of us, calm down a bit. You'll have plenty of clothes, a meal and a safe place, just do what the Kid tells you to, I'll be seeing you in a few hours." Jackie makes sure the girl is in the car and SFX drives away, she'll follow within a few minutes. 'real cool kid, just yell my name out loud. For someone who has control of sound, you have trouble keepin hush." Jackie shakes her head at the Kid, "Yeah, we are takin' her, no guy I guess. Bring her into the car and head out, I'll cover you on the bike. I can do more damage than you can to cars with less effort," an evil grin spreads out from her mouth. "let's go Mr. T!" <><><><><> Stephy: >>Iron Madien< As they're going outside, Stephy asks Jackie, "Oh, wow! Iron Madien! Are you a rock star?" [Ok, so she is a little bit of a bimbo ] <><><><><> [GM] The kid takes Stephy's hand. "OK, don't freak out babe, I'm gonna turn the sound off, so don't bother talking 'till we get to the RV." With that, all sound in the world disappears, as he begins pulling the blonde towards the front gate. You can't hear your footsteps, or even your own breathing or heartbeat. It's eerie. As he mentioned, there are no guards out front, something that struck Jackie as just a stroke of luck when she came in. Jackie is about twenty paces behind the two teenagers, half-running to catch up and shuffling through the items she pulled from the guards' pockets (some change, a billfold, keys, a pack of cigarettes and a lighter...but NO ID of any kind) when the big blonde orderly appears out of thin air, directly in front of her. He looks seriously ticked off. <><><><><> Stephy: When the sound goes off, Stephy opens her mouth, tries to talk, shakes her head, rubs an ear, tried to talk again. *Wow! Cool. Woulda been great when Steven caught me with Tom. He never woulda know to look if my bed hadn't been so loud.* She lefts SFX lead her towards the RV. <><><><><> Jacqueline: *Ah ain't got time for this!* Shuffling the items into...ok, no pockets. Extend bright cherry metal into THE Whip around jocko's legs and pump the odd colored metal along the wire from my bodysuit. Do the old hog tie daddy used to be so proud of. <><><><><> [GM] The whip wraps around the man's legs. He looks down, kicks his legs apart, snapping the metal. You try to pump some more metal out to form another, thicker whip- and he lashes out with one hand, chopping down on the side of your neck. The metal "shell" buckles under his blow, and you feel everything getting very light and hazy and you drop to your knees. <><><><><> Jacqueline: Pain swirls around and spots, Oh man why do I always get in a tangle with people who fight better and stronger than me? With the cast off metal jet a slithering snake to SFX's leg and tug a bit, while trying to roll away from another chop. <><><><><> [GM] Jacqueline's power animates a broken strand of metal, which had become stiff and immobile after separating from the "whip". It begins twitching and skittering across the floor towards the retreating kids. The big man in the orderly clothes glances behind at the noise, sees the metal "snake" sliding over the floor, then suddenly become silent as it approaches the young man and woman who are going out the door. He frowns, turns back and kicks Jacqueline in the stomach. The metal-clad woman goes tumbling across the room with a large dent in the shell around her torso, and hits the wall unconscious. The metal immediately loses its flexibility, becoming a stiff shell holding the woman inside in a contorted pose that looks something like rigor mortis. As Stephy goes out the door, urged ahead by SFX, he pauses and looks down at his foot, where some kind of metal bracelet seems to be wrapped around his heel. He looks back, and his eyes pop open. His mouth silently forms words of exclamation, and he turns and says something to Stephy, pointing at her. His timing's a little off; the silence field disappears an instant AFTER he says whatever it was. Then he begins running back into the lobby. Stephy sees Dom suddenly blink out of thin air, directly behind the running kid. <><><><><> Stephy: Stephy turns at SFX's gesture, confused at his attempts at talking. When the feild finally goes down, she has time only for a confused "Wha...?" before SFX starts running. Her brow wrinkling prettily, she turns and follows him with her eyes... only to see Dom suddenly appear behind SFX's running figure. *Huh? I thought I got rid of him." She yells, "Behind you, SFX." *How'd he do... Its like Star Trek.* She yells at Dom: "Hey, fag-a**! Can't you take a hint?" Then she sees Jackie, who doesn't look very good at all. *Oh my god, he's gonna kill them! Oh, no he's not...* She concentrates _hard_ on doing something absolutely awful to Dom: *Cancel his transporter-whatsis, don't let him get away again! Only affect him. He likes beating up on kids and girls? Well, if it works, maybe I can redefine his reality a little. Alright fag-a**, how 'bout you be a 10 year old girl, a weak, helpless little thing. See how you like being on the receiving end!* <><><><><> Jacqueline: <><><><><> [GM] Dom reaches out and grabs SFX by the back of his jacket, lifting him effortlessly into the air with one hand. Stephy concentrates, and the air shimmers and twists around the tall blond man. A shower of cotton balls rains down on him. He pauses, about to crack SFX across the back of the head, looking around. And Stephy's knees suddenly buckle as a wave of dizziness washes over her. She notices that the floor in a perfect five foot circle around Dom has turned into some kind of brown sludge. //Boy that worked real well! Why don't you disappear and let me take over? Maybe I could do something besides summon flying toasters and give cheap thrills to adolescents, bimbo!// As Stephy tries to identify the nasty voice in her head, SFX says "Leggoame you A**HOLE I SAID L EEEE TTTTT L E T GGGGGGGGGG OOOOOOOOOOO !! L EEEE T GGGGGGGGGG OOOOOOOOOOO !! L E T GG GG OO OO !! LLLL EEEE T GG OO OO !! GG OO OO !! GG GGGGGG OO OO !! GG GG OO OO !! GG GG OO OO !! GG GG OO OO GGGGGGGGGG OOOOOOOOOOO !! GGGGGGGGGG OOOOOOOOOOO !!" SFX's voice roars like the voice of God, a supersonic boom that shakes the building and blows the windows outwards. The doors to the lobby shatter and Stephy is send tumbling amid a spray of broken glass, her ears throbbing and totally deafened. Dom yells (not that Stephy can hear it) and disappears, reappears ten feet away, blinks again, reappears closer to the door, with his hands over his ears. SFX spreads his hand and a shriek so high-pitched it even penetrates Stephy's deafness (painfully!) shatters what fragments were left in the door frame. The floor at Dom's feet blows up, and he screams and disappears again. He doesn't reappear. SFX says something Stephy can't hear, as he picks himself up off the floor, looking at his brown-mucked jacket in disgust. He sniffs at it, and his disgust changes to puzzlement. He runs to where Jackie/"Iron Maiden" is lying next to the wall, encased in her metal bodyshell. <><><><><> Stephy: Stephy watches expectantly as the air begins to shimmer and twist around Dom and then... *Cotton balls? Cotton balls?! Where the hell... Uhg! Oooohhhhh* Stephy's knees buckle and a wave of dizziness washes over her... and the floor under under turns into a pool of brown sludge. >//Boy that worked real well! Why don't you disappear and let me take over? Maybe I could do something besides summon flying toasters and give cheap thrills to adolescents, bimbo!//< *Wha...? Who...? I am _not_ a bimbo! I just have to figure this out. I mean, the only thing less harmful I could think of was a Barbie doll. Besides, a _real_ man never woulda turned me down over that blonde 'doctor'. And... Wait a minute, what am I talking to mys..." And SFX let's loose. After she comes to a rolling stop, Stephy begins to pick herself up and shouts, completely unheard by her except for bone conduction, "Holy S***! What was THAT! Oh god! I can't hear! I'm deaf! I'm..." She barely notices Dom disappearance-reappearance act, when... She gets PAINFUL evidnec ethat she _can_ still hear. "AAAARRRRGGGG!!!! S***! HURTS! IIIEEEE!!! HURTS!!* She doesn't really notice that Dom seems to have left. "THAT HURT!" But, sees SFX taste the sludge, an odd expression on his face and then go to check Jackie out. "GOD DAMNIT IT THAT HURT!!!" All in eerie, silence as her ears begin to ring. Having gotten to her feet, she chekcs her self out for cuts and such from the glass or any effects of that wave of dizziness, and then begin to make her way towards where Jackie and SFX are. <><><><><> [GM] [SFX just sniffed the goo, he didn't taste it!] SFX says something to Stephy; she hears a distant mumble. He seems to be trying to get her to help carry the statue-fied Jackie. As she approaches him, she smells the distinct odor of melted chocolate. " !" SFX says, looking down the hall, where a number of armed prison guards are appearing. He points, and Stephy hears a distant whine. The guards clutch the sides of their heads and stagger. " !" he says to Stephy, looking urgent. <><><><><> Stephy: *Thank god!*, Stephy thinks as her hearing seems tpo begin to come back. Passing the puddle, she smells chocolate [which I suspected it was ] and thinks, *Chocolate?! I try to turn his powers off and zap him helpless and I get chocolate?* She moves to help SFX with Jackie. When SFX points at the guards and talks, Stephy shakes her head. She hears the whine and see them clutch there ears, and thinks *Duh! What a ditz!* When Sfx points again at the guards, she nods her head, and concentrates, *Concentrate, girl, concentrate _hard_. On what? God... its the only thing I can think of right now. Why didn't it work before? O.k. Barbies and Kens, really people, _little_ people, just like Barbie and Ken!" [If that doesn't work...] *S*** Then _where_ did _I_ come from? Ok. Plan B. Cover them with sleepy gas!* <><><><><> [GM] SFX looks puzzled when Stephy concentrates, staring at the guards (who are already retreating.) " ?" he asks. He also looks annoyed that she paused while they try to carry Jackie out. The air down the hall starts sparkling and flashing. SFX doesn't wait to see the results....he urges Stephy to keep moving. Several more guards, as well as some orderlies, appear as the kids head for the parking lot, but each time, a blast of sound from SFX sends them scurrying in retreat. In a shadowed corner of the lot is a really hot- looking sports car, into which SFX dumps Jackie's unconscious body. " ?" he looks frustrated. Clearly, carting her around, encased in metal, in the back seat, was not part of their plan. <><><><><> Stephy: SFX's annoyed look produces a chagrined expression from Stephy. She struggles to help him carry Jackie out, but shoots occassional glances down the hall to see if she can appraise the effects of her effort. *At least I kniow I can 'throw' it.* SFX dumps Jackie into the sports car. His frustrated look mirrors Stephy's feelings. *Girl rescues me and I can't even help her. She could be dead in there for all we know. We've got to get her out of that. Oh damn. What if the chocolate wasn't a fluke? What if I can control this thing? But, I gotta try..." She concentrates hard on not affecting anything except the metal shell around Jackie and on turning that shell into air or some other harmless gas. <><><><><> [GM] The metal shell around Jackie suddenly disappears in a smoky cloud of gas. Stephy and SFX choke as the overpowering odor of cheap perfume mixed with sour milk clogs their noses. Gasping, SFX looks at Stephy with a startled expression for a moment, then waves the fumes away from his face and gets in the driver's seat, grabbing Stephy by the arm and half-pushing her into the passenger's side. The car starts with a rumble that Stephy can feel, but not hear, and SFX throws it into reverse, shoots backwards, screeches to a halt, and accelerates forward, out of the parking lot and onto the road with nerve- wracking speed. Stephy suspects he's having entirely too much fun with this Jaguar. For that matter, you've always wanted to drive a Jag yourself. Slamming on the gas, you hurtle down the highway, leaving behind a sign that says "Baton Rouge Mental Health Facility, Next Right". SFX says something to Stephy, which produces only a quizzacal expression from the girl. He looks frustrated, then looks at her. As his lips move, his words seem to actually vibrate in her skull- not quite painfully, but it certainly isn't comfortable. "S.e.e. i.f. y.o.u. c.a.n. w.a.k.e. h.e.r. u.p. k.a.y.?" <><><><><> Stephy: Stephy waves away the cloud *Perfume's cool but sour milk? Gawd, girl, you gotta work on this!* She replies to SFX's startled expression with a shrug and a smile. He grabs her *Whoa, tiger! Oh...* and she gets in the front passenger seat. *A Jag! Cool!* She gestures, trying to show her enthusiasm for the car. *Maybe he'll let me drive it sometime?* [If its a convertible, she'll let the wind whip thru her hair, giggling for a minute.] She blows a kiss at the roadsign, *Bye, bye loony bin! It was fun. NOT!* *Wha...?*, she cups an ear and shakes her head. Then, *Ouh! Shake my fillings, guy! Wait. Wha... Oh! Oh yeah.* She squirms around in the seat, settling on leaning through the space between the backs of the bucket seats, and first shakes Jackie, then lightly slaps her hand and face. [If that doesn't work, she slaps her harder.] "Come on JAckie girl! Wake up. We need you." *Christ, I hope he didn't hurt my hearing permanently.* <><><><><> [GM] [Yes, it's a convertible. ] Jackie is slowly becoming aware that someone is slapping her. //Let ME do it!// Stephy hears someone chuckle, darkly. \\Why don't you shut up?\\ That voice sounded more like Steven. <><><><><> Stephy: Stephy gives her a few more, softer slaps until she makes sure Jackie's really coming around, >//Let ME do it!// Stephy hears someone chuckle, darkly.< "Wha...? Jeez, you sick f..." She looks at SFX, then remembers the deafness. "Wait a..." >\\Why don't you shut up?\\ That voice sounded more like Steven.< *Steven? Is that....? Wait a sec... I gotta think about this.* She does, while she starts rubbing Jackie's arms *They always do this on TV, though I'm not sure what its supposed to do. Ok. I can't hear. So where did the voices come from? Where else but... inside ? me? Bogus! * Once certain Jackie really is coming around, Stephy points to her ears and shakes her head until she thinks she gets the idea she can't hear across. Then she turns and sits back in her seat, puts one arm on the window sill of the Jag and rests her chin on that arm, letting the wind whip her long hair around and scrub pleasantly at her face. *Ok. Its bogus, but I don't have a better idea. So, start there. Steven's voice is inside of me... Oh wow! _I_ was inside Steven! He kept hearing me! But, he said I was dead.* She shivers at the thought, then sighs. *You never lied to me Steven. So, ok, I guess I... and then someone I ended up inside of him. Ms. Smoke said he could be a shapechanger. And I sure as hell changed somethings.* Looking down at her tinsel clothes. *Hum... So then what... Steven comes for a party... someone slips him some LSD the doc said... They put him in that room where he falls asleep... only _I_ wake up there and no Steven. Ok. I couldn't change fag-a**, but maybe that had something to do with him having powers. I certainly changed a lot of other stuff... So, somehow, did _I_ change Steven _into_ me?* She giggles. *Cool! I guess I should be sorry if I did, and I'll bet Steven's shocked if... Hey, Stevie! You in here with me?...* <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie slowly starts to come to, but realizes several things aren't good. For one a pain spreads across her chest and shoulders, how bad did you messed up this time girl? Gotten the hell beaten out of me twice in less than two weeks, not good. The second is powerful cheap perfume that makes her gag, like somethin little girls wear when they play dress up. And worst of all tumbling down the highway at lightspeed! waves of nausea blow through, but power it down, just a little pain and adrenaline girl! Look around for the cellular phone rolling around on the floor. Weakly, "Kid...slow...down. We don't want to get grabbed for speedin.. any problems...I'll take care of..." Jackie fights the woozy feeling and slaps herself to stay conscious. <><><><><> [GM] SFX looks at Stephy again when she starts to respond to the voices in her head. Jackie (and fortunately, not Stephy ) hears him say "Great, you really are a nutcase. Or else I rattled your brains as well as your eardrums." //How do I know who's 'inside' and who's 'outside'?// Stephy hears Steven say. //I don't think any of this is real. This kid is right, I *am* crazy!// "Yo, Jackie!" SFX calls from the driver's seat. "Welcome back to he land of the living! Hey, no plan survives contact with the enemy, right? So what we do now? Hadda ditch the bike. You don't need a doctor, do you? That big Aryan-lookin' dude was kickin' the snot outta you, but me and blondie here seem to've gotten rid of him, 'less he blinks into the car. Guy's a teleporter, I guess." <><><><><> Stephy: "Steven! Ohmygawd! You are... Unless I am crazy. No! I'm _not_ any crazier than I am a bimbo. [] I'm me, Stephy Moore. And what do you mean 'the kid is right'..." She stops suddenly realizing she's talking outloud. *Oh s***, now they'll really think I was crazy. But, I don't _feel_ crazy. Jackie saw those things too, SFX smelled the chocolate. They were real. Unless, I _am_ crazy and this is just some big delusion...* "Ooohh, damn, its so complex. Ok, if I'm crazy then or not, it certainly _seems_ to be happening." Realizing again she is speaking outloud, she gives SFX and Jackie and half-hearted smile and a shrug. *Jezz... I wonder if I can fix my hearing. Let's see, gotta be _very_ careful. Ok, keep calm, relax, just fix my ears, no other changes.* Repeating that she concentrates on doing that and only that. [if it works, she'll play deaf for right now, just listening to them with half an ear, while thinking this out a little further...] *Ok. Stephy. What do they always say in modeling class. Oh yeah, 'take stock'. Ok. I can change things. Steven went to sleep, I woke up. S***, girl, I guess you _did_ change him into you! Cool! Anyway, it'll do till something better comes along.* She pulls the visor down and checks herself out in the vanity mirror. *Looking _good_ girl! Steven never did know how to have fun. Well, Steven, you just sit back and let Stephy do the driving. You're right its all a big dream. Just sit back and enjoy, step-brother. Besides, makes a damn good disguise, if they're looking for Steven.* *Now, only one fly in this soup girl. Nasty boy. How does he fit into this?* [If fixing the ears worked...] Still checking herself out in the mirror, she grimaces when she notices the lab coat and tinsel outfit. *Gag me with a spoon! Girl, these clothes are major grody! Gotta do something about that... Ok, concentrate on changing only the clothes and tinsel, nothing else, visualize it becoming, yeah, just the coat and tinsel becoming a white lace camisole, black, tight, micro mini-skirt, black leather biker- jacket with lots of zippers and straps and stuff, black fish-net stockings and spiked heigh-heels, all of which ift me perfectly.* She does, crossing her fingers. [] <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie does not feel all that well, clsoe to throwing up, "Kid, let me breathe. Are you sayin' that nut who drop kicked my butt into the wall can teleport? What's that? Is that some superhero comicbook/Aces thing? We did get her out whoever SHE is, but it makes out that she can do the stuff you read her bro can. This is too much!" Jackie's face flushes red and her temper comes up, "That does it, no more nice nicey nice guy. They want to kill, I can do that. They tried to KILL me, that's not good. They made my list." Picking up the cellular phone, she pushes one button, "George? Meet us at one of those Hojo's or somethin', we'll be by in a hour or so." "Kid we gotta ditch this Jag...don't worry I'll steal you another one," seeing the look of pure enjoyment on SFX's face, "and you didn't like me stealin', Hmph." Leeching a bit of metal off the seatbelts try to restud my jacket and pants. Since I'm not coughing up blood, how bad was I knocked around did the suit help? <><><><><> [GM] Stephy's attempt to fix her hearing doesn't seem to work, though it does produce a momentary wave of dizziness and nausea, as if something seriously shook up her inner ear. Then she glows bright purple, her clothes begin changing, and she's suddenly wearing a killer nightclub outfit, perfect in all the details she specified except....the leather jacket, skirt and high heels are all radiant, hot pink! Also, the front of the car is now filled with ice cubes. "F***** A!" SFX exclaims, hitting the brakes and almost sending the car into a tailspin. He pulls out of the slide and steadies the course again, while opening his door briefly so much of the ice spills out on the freeway behind the car. He slams it shut and starts scooping ice cubes out of his lap and throwing them out on the road with one hand, while holding onto the steering wheel with the other. "'jyou do that, girl?" he asks, looking at Stephy. She can't hear him, but sees his eyes go wide as he takes in her new ensemble. "Holy S***!" His lips aren't hard to read. Jackie feels battered and bruised, but the metal shell must have prevented any major injuries. As she fixes her pants with metal from the seatbelts, SFX says "Teleportin', you know, blinking from one place to another? Like in Star Trek 'cept he doesn't need no transporter. An' he does it a lot faster. So what the hell happened in there anyways, 'fore I came an' saved your butt?" "OK, I guess we criminals now anyways. But let's at least steal the next car from a dealer, so it ain't like we takin' someone's personal property. What're we gonna do with blondie here? I think she's half deaf from the boom I made to take out that big guy, hopefully she'll get better. An' she keeps talkin' to herself and then turnin' things crazy. Hey, wonder if we could grab a junked up old piece a' s*** from a salvage yard an' have her turn it into a Lamborghini!" SFX laughs at that. <><><><><> Stephy: [is there _any_ improvement in her ears at all- either before or after the repair attempt?] Stephy realizes the attempt to fix her ears apparently didn't work. The clothing change, however, did- well almost. She is now wearing a white lace camisole, black fish-net stockings and neon-pink micro mini-skirt, leather biker-jacket and spiked high-heels. The fit perfectly, which in this case means they almost look like they're a second skin. "Outa sight!" she says aloud. Then she is seriously cooled by the ice-cube plague. "Oh... crap!" When SFX slows the car, Stephy also opens the door and scoops out cubes, continuing after she closes the car door and the resume speed. SFX's words are unheard, but thier meaning is clear. Stephy smiles hugely at him, striking a pose to show off her new outfit, then breaks into giggles at his expression, and says carefully, "Like. It.?" *This is rad! But, something seems seriously bogus about these powers. Almost like there's a joker in the deck. Chocolate and ice cubes! Shees. Ok. Didn't affect Dom or my ears.* Her eyebrows scrunch up prettily. *But, does that mean it doesn't work on people in general or just peole with these 'powers'. I wish SFX had let me see what happened to those guards. Ok, Stephy hold that thought until we get somewhere with regular people, then maybe we'll see. And, then when it does work, it doesn't always work exactly right. Hot pinks cool, but not exactly what I had in mind. Damn, I wish I knew what 'Quantum Cat's' meant.* She sighs. *Well, one thing girl, you gotta see someone about your ears.* She gets SFX's attention, then making exaggerated gestures to her ears says, "Can't. Hear. Not. Getting. Better. Can't. Fix. Need. Doctor. Yes?" {...} *Totally bogus. I can't hear and I can't fix it. Hey! If I got powers maybe I can do other things. Let's see what's some other stuff they do on Star Trek? Jeez, this is like a comic book. I shoulda have read some of Steven's collection, I guess. Wait a minute! Comics... cartoons. Yeah. Cartoons. Like on Saturday mornings. What was that one Steven liked? X-rats? Y-people? Oh well, name's not important. What did they do. Hum... fly? That'd be cool. Claws outa your hands. Gag! Shot stuff outa their hands. Nah... I can better than that! Read minds? Hey that'd be rad! Why not?" Tenatively, she rummages around in her mind for something that might give her a clue to whether she has any other powers. Careful not to activate her changing powers, she also tries to read SFX's or Jackie mind, though having no idea how to go about doing that she doesn't expect anything. <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie burns at SFX with a smoldering white hot glare, "Before you saved my butt?! Nothin' just some hicks unloading submachineguns at me and some bi*** with gas tried to kill me. Then the bimbo changed the whole plac into Santa's workshop; barber pole, tinsel and the gas lady into marshmellow slop. It was like the first day I found I had these powers, like trippin on acid. How bad was it after I dropped out? They make us? Star TreK, I can dig that, transporter, yeah." Jackie looks around at the Jag, "Kid, they don't have money to pamper themselves, they shouldn't be buyin cars like this. Insurance will take care of it, besides I seen enough of these yuppies look at me like I was trash, they can afford to lose a day's ride to the countryclub. If we work it right, we won't need many cars, we got the RV." Looking around for cigars, Jackie remembers that they are all packed away in the RV. *Great two kids, real super thief you are. Two kids in tow, one a smart a** and one a bimbo. The only consolation is they can take care of themselves. Aunt Jackie and the Partridge Family bus cruisin' America looking for a buck and more super whackos* Jackie breaks out into soft laughter. <><><><><> [GM] "Well, I DID save your butt!" SFX says defensively. He looks a little nervous when Jacqueline starts laughing. "Hey, s'bad enough we got one nutcase on this trip, you ain't crackin' up on me too, are you?" Stephy's efforts to fix her hearing seemed to have the effect of temporarily upsetting her equilibrium, but didn't do anything for her hearing. To her requests for medical attention, SFX mouths in exaggerated fashion, and adds the "bone conduction voice" for good measure; "W.a.i.t. a.n. s.e.e. i.f. i.t. c.o.m.e.s. b.a.ck. i.n. a. c.o.u.p.l.a. h.o.u.r.s. k.a.y.?" Her attempts to read minds don't produce any results. SFX continues driving up the road, eventually reaching a Hojo's where a big RV is parked in the lot. <><><><><> Stephy: "Hours!" Stephy whines a little. She gives SFX a warning look, then pouts, her arms crossed under her bosom, staring out the side of car, letting the wind whip her hair. After about five minutes, she finally shrugs, and getting SFX's attention _mouths_ (without sound) "o. k." then giggles. >Her attempts to read minds don't produce any results.< [Can't blame a girl for trying.] Stephy looks back at Jackie, points to her ear, shakes her head and smiling extends her hand to shake Jackie's. She says "Thank you for helping me." She then makes gestures like she is writing, then after their blank looks, digs around in the glove, etc., looking for a pad and writting implement. If she finds them, she writes, "How U feeling? I thought he would kill U!" and shows it to Jackie. After any response, she writes: "Where R we going?" and shows it to Jackie. After any response, she writes "U know what 'Quantum' or Quantum Cats' R?" and shows it to SFX when it won't be too distracting to his driving. Meanwhile, she continues to think about herself and her powers. *Ok. So it had some kind of effect. I got dizzy and my ears tickled for second. Real big deal, girl. Still, I guess that means maybe I _can_ affect others? Hum... I wonder if I can improve Jackie's looks? Give her a better bod? Maybe I'll ask her if I get my hearing back. Though I better learn more about this power before I try. Chocolates, ice cubes and hot pink! Shees.* Seeing the RV, Stephy points a quizical expression on her face. Then she points to the Hojo's and makes eating gestures, then rubbing her belly and looks pleadingly at Jackie and SFX. [ Oh, these girls are going to get along fine!] <><><><><> Jacqueline: Jackie points to the Hojos and shakes her head "NO". She makes everyone get out of the Jaguar and looks at the car with a strange look on her face. Some metal starts to wend it's Jackout of the Jag and stretches herself out, no doubt to get the kinks out after being thrown around like a rag doll. Looking at SFX after his defensive remark, her vison narrows, "Kid, thanks, but I am getting tired of keepin score like some arcade game. Yeah, you did drag my hash out of the fire, that was the plan Kid, you are my main backup man. We are in this no matter what, so try to be a little constructive. I could be livin the high life and you could be lyin in a pool of blood next to your folks, so what?" Sihing, Jackie looks around for any onlookers, if there aren't any, she'll look at SFX, "Give me a lil sound cover kid." Clenching her fist, she will crunch up the car, gnashing everything within to junk. Then she'll drag out the stronger metals into a cube at her feet. After that put on the full hose and hose the metals down left in the Jag. Saring at the cube, form it into a miniature pit bull and have it caper into the RV. o kid, I'm not crackin up. Just still in shock over all this weird. Next time, wear gloves and I won't have to destroy such a nice car." jackie laughs. o Stephy's gyrations and gestures, she shakes her head at her, both for eating at Hojos and Quantum Cats. She points to the RV in reference to food. Leadie two into the spacious back compartment, she heads for the fridge and removes an imported can of beer, pulls the tab and guzzles half of it. Unopened boxes are stacked on the beds, in the shower and kitchenette. All sorts of computer equipment, food, electronic gear, a shotgun and another strange cube of steel with no openings. "Kid, get here somethin to eat and wear," Jackie goes up front and rides shotgun. The driver is a seedy looking man with a wild nervous look on his face. A map sails from her hand and lands near Stephy. The map plots a route from here to Las Vegas.