MITCHELL & TYLER: MEETING IN NEW YORK CITY [After fighting a mysterious woman with superhuman strength, who apparently was trying to take over his mind and/or body, Mitchell Langstrom was told- telepathically!- to go to the Kennedy Airport to meet “some chick with dark hair”, coming from Cheyenne. <><><><><> [GM to Tyler] As you emerge from the terminal, heading towards the gates and New York City beyond, a teenage boy approaches you. Great, you think, not here ten minutes and already I'm being approached by some hustler. This kid is REALLY good looking, though. Long blonde hair, stylish clothes...well, what passes for stylish with big city kids. Nice features...actually, he's gorgeous. Probably a scout for a chickenhawk, or something else nasty. <><><><><> Mitchell: Once he spots the nervous looking girl, he walks over casually. "Hi, uh," he thinks a moment, wondering what to say, "I received a kind of odd message to meet someone here. Someone just in from Cheyenne. I don't really know what is going on; but the past twenty four hours have been jam-packed with _really_ unusual surprises for me." He looks for her reaction, hopefully. <><><><><> Tyler: "No s***," Tyler said, with heartfelt sincerity. "Ah don't even know what the hell ah'm doin' here. But...ah'magine it could be worse..." She grinned sardonically, then lit herself a cigarette and offered the boy the pack. "Tyler Sterritt, kid. Most recently, from Cheyenne an' points north. Don't rightly know if ah'm the one y'all are s'posed to meet, but there can't be *too* many Wyoming folks wanderin' loose in this town. How y'all doin'." She stuck out one slim hand; her grip was surprisingly firm, her palm and fingers oddly calloused. <><><><><> [GM to Mitchell] At closer quarters, you see that she actually has brown hair. Odd that that your "friend" got that part wrong, (and you did too, at first) yet you still found the right person....maybe. She has a fair complexion and sea green eyes, and appears to be in her early to mid-twenties. Nice looking too...not a knockout, like Julie (remembering her sends a twinge through your conscience- you still need to find her!), but certainly attractive. <><><><><> Mitchell: "I was kind of anonymously told to meet you here," he says, shrugging, shaking her hand. "I have a car, if you need a lift. Maybe we can figure out what is going on." <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler looked at the young man a little dubiously. He was *fine* looking, that was damn sure. But was this the smart thing to do? And what difference did that make, anyway? "Hell," she said. "I'll take a chance. Ah don't see how y'all could make up a line like this, anyhow." She stubbed out the half-begun cigarette, ran her fingers through her thick mass of hair, and showed him a forced smile full of even, white teeth. "Lead on, amigo. Say, y'all better tell me what to call you, 'less y'all want to be called kid forever." S***, he weasn't *that* much younger than she was. She just looked hard. <><><><><> Mitchell: "Mitchell Langstrom. I'm native to New York, so I know my way around pretty well. I'm just glad to know I'm not alone in having a very odd day or two. Though, it seems like there are some pretty hostile types running amok also. Lets get going." He leads the way out to his car. Once in the car, "I'm at a loss to explain it. The telepathy, other odd happenings...it's like I stepped into the X-Men series or something." He sighs, grinning. "Where is Xavier when you need him?" <><><><><> Mitchell: "Any idea where we need to go? I'm searching for a girl I met when the strange things first started happening. I think she might be in a bit of trouble...nothing I did on purpose, but she may be disturbed by something she saw. I suppose I could check the hospitals and police stations for word of anyone coming in, in a panicked state." <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell's eye catches the newspaper headlines, and he purchases a paper on the way out of the airport, opening it as he walks for his car. *It's like everyone's deciding to be superheroes and supervillains,* he thinks, paging through it. *Maybe I should do it too. The heroic types are getting a lot of good publicity, and with people like that shrapnel guy running amok, it might be necessary for everyone who has power to help out.* A slow grin comes over his face as he remembers splintering through wood easily. *Looks like I mimic abilities too.* He stops in his tracks, eyes widening a bit as a thought comes to him. *Like a cross between Morph and Rogue. Like a...Doppleganger." He continues to the car. *First things first. I've got to find Julie.* "I have a few errands to run; you can come along if you like," he says to Tyler, "or I could drop you off somewhere...a hotel, or something. We should keep in contact. There are some real weirdos wandering around New York." He grins, realizing they were probably in the top ten of the weirdness department. Once in the car, he drives and finds a pay phone with directory, and calls a few police stations, asking if anyone matching either his description or Julies was brought in in the past 24 hours, and the circumstances if so <><><><><> Tyler: "Hell..." Tyler dropped her smoke, stubbed it out with one boot toe, "...I ain't got nothin' better to do. You really got a car in New York?" *That* sounded about as weird as anything she'd heard. But here she was going off with a total stranger in a strange city. Didn't people get mugged or murdered like that? Not for the last time did she regret not being in Texas. She'd have stuffed her pistol in her purse then. Not suitable for airline travel, but she'd feel better, anyway. "You ain't plannin' nothin' funny, are you? No offense intended." <><><><><> . Mitchell: Mitchell grins. "I really have a car. No, I'm not planning anything funny, hostile, or otherwise inconveniencing. I'm just glad to find someone who has experienced odd things in the past day or so, who is not trying to kill me." He leads the way to the car. <><><><><> [GM] Unfortunately, police will generally not give information on arrests to anyone calling to ask. You are able to determine that no one by your name was arrested last night. Likewise, you didn't check into any hospitals. Since you don't even know Julie's last name, you can't pretend to be a family member and ask about her. <><><><><> Mitchell: Deciding the club will likely be out of order for a few days, Mitchell drives past Andrew's house in hopes of spotting some clue as to where Julie went. <><><><><> [GM] No sign. Andrew's family is still on vacation, and the house looks still. <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell sighs, looking over to Tyler, as he parks somewhere safe. "We may as well exchange stories. My full name is Mitchell Langstrom, and I'm a native to New York. I grew up here, and still live with my folks. I have a small rock band, that I'm trying to make bigger...but anyway, last night I met a girl named Julie. I never got her last name...kind of foolish, I guess...but we went to a friend's house and were becoming intimate, when suddenly...I don't know how or why, but she wound up with a body exactly like mine, and I had a body just like hers. I panicked and ran, then slept at a motel for the night before going home and telling mom and dad what happened...anyway, to make a long, very shocking story short, I found out I've got some kind of biological transformation power. I can change myself or others, though I haven't mastered it yet. I can mimic someone exactly by touching them...I guess because I copy their genetic code or something, like Terminator 2." "I somehow changed back during sleep, and when I checked the friend's house, which is the one we just passed, she was gone and so was her clothing, so I'm hoping I changed her back too, while sleeping, somehow. But I've got to find her, as quickly as possible. Any ideas?" "I know that might be kind of hard to believe," he adds on second thought, considering. "I'm not dangerous or anything...I'm human, just kind of superpowered, like those superheroes running around these days. Watch this." He concentrates, and tries to make his hair shoulder length and ash blond, like a rock star. <><><><><> [GM] As you watch, Mitchell's hair suddenly grows to shoulder length and turns ash-blond, making him look like one of those glamor-boy rock stars. Unnervingly, you are also finding yourself VERY attracted to this kid. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler's jaw dropped and she backed up a step, despite her best intentions. She managed to restore an expression of normalcy with an effort. "Y'all are s***ting me, right? Some sort of magic trick?" Mitchell's expression made it clear that he wasn't. "Damn... "Damn, I bet that was one weird...say," Tyler's mouth twisted in a crooked grin. Irrelevantly, she realized he looked *damn* fine. She made an effort to suppress the rush that suffused her breasts and groin. "What'd it feel like, to be a woman instead of a man? Had to be...damn." She was rendered speechless. After a moment, she realized her cigarette was burning down. She dropped it absently, crushing it out. "Well. Well, I guess you want to be sure about this Julie, right? Okay, start with the friend who let you use his house. Maybe he knows her, or knows somebody who will." She straightened her Serenghetis, flicked her fingers through her thick mass of hair. "How old are you, anyway, Mitchell?" She grinned wolfishly. "Got anything against older women?" <><><><><> Mitchell: > "Damn, I bet that was one weird...say," Tyler's mouth twists in a > crooked grin. "What'd it feel like, to be a woman instead of a man? > Had to be...damn." She is rendered speechless. Mitchell grins. "It was fun, looking back on it, though I was scared out of my wits, then. I always have been a science fiction fan, so it's neat to be able to shapeshift...be anyone from a body builder to a fashion model, just by concentrating. Though, I've got to practice a lot before I'm that good without touching someone to mimic them. This morning it happened again, when I was at the night club I met Julie at; some Grace Jones wanna-be attacked me, and tried to do something to me...absorb me or something. I changed into a twin to her, and fought her, apparently using her own strength or power or whatever against her. Like Rogue in the X-Men series. Wild, huh? Rogue and Morph combined. I even think I can fly, because I felt a pulse or something when I tried it, but I haven't been able to yet. Maybe I'm not doing something right. Oh well." > Okay, start with the friend who let you use his house. Maybe he > knows her, or knows somebody who will. "He's out of town and didn't know; I just have a key to his house, since I'm looking after it while he's away. Water the fish, feed the plants, that kind of thing." > She straightens her Serenghetis, flicks her fingers through her > thick mass of hair. "How old are you, anyway, Mitchell?" She grins > wolfishly. "Got anything against older women?" "How old do you want me to be?" he asks, returning the wolfish grin and wink. "I was sixteen, but I think that doesn't mean a lot now. My genetic code has gone out the window several times today." He laughs quietly, "No, I don't have anything against older women. Got anything against shapeshifters?" He shifts his hair back to normal, then steps out of the car again, and goes back to the phone, "Just a second...two more calls, then we're out of here. You're probably hungry, and I know I am." He calls the police again and checks to see if there have been any missing persons reports for girls, then checks the television stations for the same information, hoping the girl's family called in. No luck with either. Afterward, he will get back in the car and drive for a Wendy's hamburger place. <><><><><> [GM] In New York City, there are always missing person reports, but they don't seem to be looking for anyone matching Julie's description. Likewise, nothing on the TV. <><><><><> Tyler: >>>"No, I don't have anything against older women. Got anything against shapeshifters?" Tyler laughed as well. "Can't say, amigo; never met one, 'til now. But ah pride myself on bein' openminded, you know?" She fished out another Winston and lit up. "You smoke? Did ah already ask that? Y'all are gon' have to go slow with poor ol' me, Mitchell. I'm just a ordin'ry country girl, an' all this Star Wars s*** is prett' new. Somethin' for the movies an' comics, which I never read much 'cept my little brother's occasional Sergeant Rock." She paused to enjoy her smoke for a moment, then flicked ashes aside in a sparkfilled arc. "Well, I guess there ain' no reason to hide stuff. I had me a bad-a** nightmare with some pretty strange trimmin's. Some weird ol' late-night TV monster, and I hack it up with a knife I don' even own...only when I wake up, the knife's still there, shiny as a new penny. Plus..." she lowered her voice slightly, apparently in embarrassment, "...I been hearin' things. Voices. The're sayin' as how I'm some kind of special...hell, I don' know. Only special about me is a bum leg and a bad case of burnout." <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell grins, nodding. "It being real is new to me. I always hoped...you know, that someday I might be abducted, or see a real UFO, or something like that. This is a lot more than I hoped for. But it's come at the price of being attacked once already." "No, I don't smoke, but considering that in the fight today my arm was broken, and I just concentrated and it healed, I'd say I'm not going to be keeling over from secondhand smoke." He shakes his head. "I may start smoking, if things keep going this way." Mitchell frowns. "Let me get this straight...you had a nightmare, were attacked by a monster, attack the monster with a knife, and when you wake up you have the knife in your hand? Whoa." He thinks quietly for long moments, a memory tugging at the back of his mind. "You know, I read a novel once...might have been The Lathe of God or something like that. Had this guy in it, that whatever he dreamed, actually happened. But it wasn't just that he was seeing the future...he was actually making it. His dreams changed reality." He starts the car, but leaves it on idle, still lost in thought. "And there was another story, where some kid could imagine something, or look at something on television, and make the object become real. Pulled a phaser out of a television show, jokingly aimed it at his cat, pressed the button, and >zap<, the cat flashed out of existence. Kind of scary story, but...have you, like, tried something like that? I mean, these voices we're hearing are telepathy. I've got powers... maybe you do too. Maybe in your dream you needed a knife, so it materialized, like Q on Star Trek can do...just able to make anything appear." His eyes widen at the possibility. "Geez, what a talent that would be... try it. Go on, hold out a hand, and envision something...not a phaser, though. Make it something safe, like a tiny, living horse standing on your palm. Try it. I know it sounds silly, but just try it...visualize it very clearly, then strain and will it to exist. If that doesn't work, try a gold brick." <><><><><> Tyler: "That's some kind of bulls*** story y'all got there, Mitch." Tyler looked at one hand, held out palm upward, just for a second. "Ah don't think that's such a hot thing. S'pose I told y'all to go to hell. S***, the way I lose my temper, I'd be out of all but mah extremely well-done friends in a few days." She smoked quietly for a minute, then abruptly shrugged. "Hell, now y'all got *me* curious. Okay, here we go." She held out her hand. "Somethin' small first, right?" She hesitated, then imagined the PRCA Barrel Racing Champ Buckle. All-Around Cowgirl. The size of frisbee...and solid gold. The one she should have won, if she hadn't been busted up by her pony at Calgary. <><><><><> [GM] There is a flickering in the air above her palm. A shimmering disk opens up, like a portal to nowhere. And suddenly she's holding a large gold belt buckle, the size of a frisbee. * * * * * * * * * * You sense some part of your mind casting out, as if to retrieve a fish, or some other prize, from depths you can't imagine. The air above your palm shimmers, then splits open, as you see a glowing disk manifest, and what's on the other side...you glimpse it, but your mind refuses to process the images that your eyes perceive. Something heavy falls into your hand. The PRCA Barrel Racing Champ Buckle. All-Around Cowgirl. The size of a frisbee...and solid gold. The one you should have won, if you hadn't been busted up by your pony at Calgary. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler squeaked like a gigged frog, jumping back and dropping the heavy buckle. "JE-sus f***in' Kerist, what the hell is *that*..." She hesitated, then bent over to pick up the big buckle, handling it like a rattlesnake of uncertain intent. She turned it over. And paled. She looked up at Mitchell, her eyes wide, her mouth half-open in disbelief. "Did you see that? I'm not crazy, am I? AM I? Did you see...oh my God..." <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell grins widely. "Damn, I'm good," he comments, grinning wider, staring at the gigantic gold belt buckle. "I *knew* Dad was wrong about reading science fiction being a waste of time." He shakes his head slowly. "That's one useful talent, there. I knew it had to be something like that. You can probably bring anything you want into existence. Though, you need to work on scale a bit, maybe." He turns more serious. "What's going on? Did everybody just get voted into the Q Continuum or something? Me changing my body and genes, and doing who- knows-what else, you pulling solid gold belt buckles out of the air..." Pulling out of the parking, he continues to drive toward a Wendy's, and when there, pulls through the drive-in lane and orders a burger, french fries, and frozen chocolate shake, then takes Tyler's order and relays it. Once the orders are done and gotten, he pays and drives to some fairly out of the way parking lot or somewhere, so that they can eat and talk in relative quiet. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler had some of Wendy's dreadful fries, iced tea and a smoke; she didn't have much of an appetite after the little trick, and the fries went pretty much uneaten. With the drink she choken down an odd-looking red tablet, making a face as she did so. "You know, ah guess I need to sort of...*test* this s*** out. See exactly how big a thing I can manage. See if I can do somethin' alive. See how long it lasts." She glanced again at the buckle, as if she expected it to go up in smoke any second. <><><><><> Mitchell: "If you still have the knife, then the things you make are probably permanent," Mitchell advises. "I need to practice too. A lot. We need some place to experiment, where we won't be gawked at, and can't hurt anyone while experimenting. Blast, I wish I could find Julie." He sighs, gazing about. "Maybe if I get a better grip on the talent, some way to find her will turn up...holy...I just thought of how to find out her last name. She must be in high school, probably near there. If I get some clothes together, assume her form, and wander about school, someone is bound to recognize her image, and I can find out her name." He grins. "It's crazy enough it just might work." He sobers. "First I have to get better at it, though. Real quick." He slowly finishes his lunch and sits back for several moments, lost in thought. "Where could we go to be out of sight, and experiment?" he wonders aloud. "Could use a Wyoming ranch just about now..." "Shall we go just out of town, find a quiet place, and start trying to get a handle on these talents, where we can't turn anybody into a toad or wreck New York by summoning up Cthulhu?" <><><><><> [GM] The thought of finding a quiet out-of-the-way place to spend time with this kid is very appealing....you don't know why you're so attracted to him (well, he IS really cute), but you're having trouble keeping your hormones in check! <><><><><> Tyler: "Just how far out of town did you want to go?" Tyler crunched some ice from her Coke, studying the young man carefully. "I got a horse ranch near Celina...hell, y'all don't know where that is. North of Dallas. Texas, you know? Ain't nobody there but the Romero family. They live in a mobile home I got set up there, take care of the stock and the mowin' and stuff in exchange for rent. It ain't much...just a l'il ol' three bedroom frame, ain't even got a paved driveway, but it's definitely isolated. Least, I reckon it's still there. I paid the 'lectric and propane bills las' month, Western Union. *Somebody's* cookin' and watchin' TV." <><><><><> Mitchell: "I had in mind just far enough out to find a clearing in the woods or a park or something, within driving distance. I still need to find Julie, and there's also the voice that called you here to New York, and called me to come pick you up. I'd like to stick around and maybe meet whoever that is." "Plus, if I'm right, that Grace Jones wannabe that came after me is part of some kind of underground of people with powers like ours...but one that's up to no good." "Lets do some basic experimenting today, and keep the long range travel for after we find out more of why you were brought here." "But it's good to know that you've got a place we might go, if we needed to. Shall we try for a park or forest nearby?" <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler grinned crookedly. "Well, I guess y'all are pretty much on your own, bud, least as far as knowin' someplace to go. 'Bout all ah know 'bout New York is 'don't walk through the parks by yourself', 'hold on to your money', and 'see the Statue of Liberty'. Ah guess ah could dream up a machine gun in the park, though, so 'least we'll be armed as good as the locals." <><><><><> Mitchell: If Tyler agrees, Mitchell will find a phone, call and tell his parents he may be late in the evening (without giving details, or knowledge of Tyler) then will drive out of town and seek out a quiet forest or field, or some place where they can park the car and walk out of sight, such as a lakeside. Not so far that it will take them more than an hour to get there, however. Mitchell parks the car and gets out, opening Tyler's door with a chivelrous flourish, grinning all the while. "We probably ought to stand a moderate distance apart, but in sight of one another, in case one or the other gets into trouble," he suggests, going to a clear spot, and relaxing a few moments. He gazes upward at the sky wistfully. *I know I can fly. I just know it. Something I've always wanted to do. If that blond superman can do it, so can I.* Calming his mind, he calls to mind the feeling of flying in dreams, and the dramatic essence of superheroes taking to flight. *I can do it. The sky will accept me.* Breathing evenly, relaxing, he takes a short run, building belief, building urgency, anticipating the exhiliration, and leaps, extending an arm upward as he does so, very strongly imagining himself sailing onward and upward, putting a great deal of will behind it. <><><><><> [GM] --> to Mitchell You drive with Tyler outside New York City, and it's nice to be reminded once in a while that New York DOES have trees and blue skies and no traffic in some places. You find a state park, and go hiking with her a short distance into the woods. Tyler, you notice, is in good shape, although she walks with a bit of a limp. In a clearing, where you're fairly sure no one is around, you stand and concentrate. Close your eyes and think about flying, lifting off into the air. You feel that power surge in you again, the power you felt before, after the fight with the mysterious black superwoman. But this time it's much stronger. "Mitchell!" Tyler yells. You open your eyes and look down....at Tyler, twenty feet below you. * * * * * * * * * * --> to Tyler Mitchell drives with you to a state park, about an hour outside New York City. It's nice to see that New York does have green and open spaces, once you escape the city. The two of you hike into the woods a ways. You follow along behind him, eying his movements. He is exceptionally graceful, and has a cute backside as well as a cute frontside. You find a suitable clearing, and Mitchell says he'll go first. He closes his eyes and seems to be concentrating intensely. Suddenly he levitates into the air, and ascends rapidly to a height of about twenty feet, with his eyes still closed. <><><><><> Tyler: "Ummm...it's...ah, *working..." Tyler's voice had an edge of disbelief to it, but there he was, sure as shootin'. "I mean, if y'all are tryin' to do a Mighty Mouse impression..." <><><><><> Mitchell: "Yes!" Mitchell exclaims, extending an arm and experimenting with flying about the clearing at moderate altitude in traditional superheroic position, grinning widely. "I knew it. I felt the pulse a couple of times before, and knew it had to work sometime." For several minutes he experiments with various aerial manueuvers, slowly at first, trying to get the hang of it, then faster, but not fast enough to run into trees or anything, staying low enough and in the clearing, to keep from being spotted. "Flying! Yes!" Exhilirated, after a few minutes he will settle close to the ground, turning upright so that his feet are only a half foot above the dirt, and will experiment on a hunch; he will try to shift a hand to a younger state. <><><><><> [GM] You notice that you wobble occasionally while flying, whether because you need practice, or your power is waxing and waning, you don't know. You can't seem to make just your hand turn young...when you try, you feel your entire body tingling. And you immediately drop to the ground. <><><><><> Mitchell: Reverting to normal, he nods thoughtfully, walking over to Tyler, and grins. "That was a success. I'm a little wobbly while in flight, but that should disappear with practice. It's great, though. Looks like the reason I couldn't do it earlier, was being shapeshifted. You know what? I wager it's because when I'm not myself, I'm not as well tuned into whatever force allows the powers." "Your turn. Try something larger...like an old fashioned, full length mirror, of large size. You know, the kind with its own wooden stand. That would test moderate range size, and also be handy for my shapeshifting practice." <><><><><> Tyler: "Well, I was thinkin' about somethin' 'live," Tyler said, "but maybe you're right. One big mirror, comin' up. I hope." She concentrated. Tyler wasn't exactly sure how much it helped, but extended her arms and wiggled her fingers. "Body language," she muttered. "Or somethin'..." <><><><><> [GM] You send your mind out, to that same place you did before. And once again, something opens. A shimmering grey portal appears in the air in front of you. It rotates a few degrees and disappears, revealing a full length mirror standing in the grass. The frame is made of dark wood, and is carved with intricate figures entwined around each other all along the edges of the silvered glass. On closer inspection, the figures all seem to be nude, and engaging in some activities that would raise eyebrows in Celina, Texas. <><><><><> Tyler: "Well!" Tyler licked one fingertip and touched her hip, making a hissing sound. "Am ah hot, or what?" She grinned despite herself, at least until she caught a hint of the carvings. "Holy s***," she muttered, then added a disclaimer. "Don't look at me, *I* didn't do *that*." She peeked again. "Jesus. Where'd *those* come from..." She tilted her head at a ninety degree angle, trying to make out just exactly what one more athletically inclined couple was attempting. "Ah couldn't do that," she muttered. "Ah don't *think* ah could do that, leastways..." <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell examines the carvings, then grins at Tyler. "Either you have one very active imagination, or you're tapping into an X-Rated universe for some of these items," he comments with a wink. "Good one, though. Very detailed." "Now I can work on shapeshifting practice while you try living creatures and exploring what other abilities you might have. If I can fly, maybe you can do other things too. Worth a shot." "Listen, to practice this shapeshifting, I'm going to have to forego modesty...but by the looks of these carvings, unless I make some major errors, there won't be anything you're unfamiliar with," he says, grinning. "But I can't afford to just learn how to make a decent illusion of normalcy with clothes on. Might run into someone with x-ray vision or something." "For some reason, I'm not exactly spooked by the idea of being unclothed now, in any case. I guess I'm starting to look at my entire body as clothing, now that I can change it. I'll stay on one side of the mirror though, if you feel uncomfortable." Mitchell steps in front of the mirror, gazing at his reflection, and disrobes, then begins a series of experiments as follows, judging success and areas that need work, from the results: First, he tries to become ten years old; himself as a ten year old. Next he tries to become a 25 year old version of himself. Then he returns to normal, and remembering the earlier difficulty in trying to become Julie, tries a different approach, of becoming a female version of himself; not concentrating on visualized specifics, just letting instinct take over, and willing the gender reversal to be based on his own genetic code, with the Y chromosome becoming a second X chromosome, hoping that since he will be using his own genetics, with one chromosome duplicated and one eliminated, it will be easier. If that works better, he then uses that for a base to modify into a better Julie form, and experiments extensively, trying to gain practice and instinct in it, as well as walking around in each of the forms, getting the feel for them. After a while of practice, he will rest, contemplating the next experiment. Once rested enough, he will assume the Mitchell-as- female form, feeling even less modest in a form not his original, and will walk a distance away from the mirror, and concentrate on shrinking to the smallest possible size, then after a few moments of seeing what that is like, will concentrate on becoming the largest possible size, and will rest again, while reflecting on the results thus far. <><><><><> [GM] "Aging" or "de-aging" yourself proves to be a snap. Except your ten year-old incarnation is a lot better looking than you remember. And the 25 year-old version really seems to light up Tyler's eyes... Your female transformation works better than last time; you're pretty sure there's nothing on the surface to give you away. However, the curves and mass distribution still aren't quite the way you visualized them. You concentrate and "fix" what you can, but it seems you'll need a little more practice with female body types to satisfy the perfectionist in you. Another thing you need practice with is walking as a female; they really do have quite a different center of balance. Trying to imitate Julie, you again get a body that closely resembles her, more closely than last time. But it still wouldn't fool her best friend. You try to fix it, and get it closer and closer to the appearance you remember....but you're still operating off memory, and when you're done, you can still spot a few discrepancies, and someone who knew her very well would probably spot more. In your "female Mitchell" form, you try shrinking, and get down to about three feet tall, looking like a perfectly-formed midget. Then you grow up to what you'd guess is a little over seven feet tall. Would certainly give that Amazon a run for her money! You can't seem to achieve really inhuman increases or reductions in size, though. <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell returns to normal form and size, rests a few minutes, then walks to the opposite end of the clearing from Tyler and begins a series of auxilary ability tests, going through every one he can think of from television and comic books, since the powers seem to be following along similar lines. He first finds a twig or pine cone, sets it out, and concentrates intently on levitating it, visualizing it rising into the air. Second test, turning toward Tyler and thinking to her, *This is a test of the telepathic broadcasting system. This is only a test. If this had been an actual telepathic broadcast, you would've looked around in surprise.* Third test, he picks up a small twig, tosses it into the air, and concentrates on forming a deflector shield around himself to keep from being hit as it falls, willing himself to be impossible to hit. Fourth test, he aims a hand at a pine cone and concentrates intense anger and destructiveness at it, intending to blast it. Fifth test, he extends a hand toward a tree, trying to pass through it instead of touching it. Once he runs these general experiments a time or two, making note of any successes or feelings of potential success, he will go back to the mirror, assume the 'female Mitchell' form, drastically enlarge then refine the bust and hips to get used to the different weight distributions, then work on different voice qualities, experimenting with that aspect. "You know, if you didn't think up these carvings, then either your subconscious did it, and takes care of details like that, or some external source of knowledge and, ah, creativity, is adding the details. You might be able to make not just living things, but machinery and electronics, from computers to Star Trek shuttlecraft." "It's no coincidence that these powers are showing up in humans all of a sudden. Something is behind it. I'm not complaining, by any means. My life was doomed to a dead end band and lots of dreaming without this. My dad was right about that much. I'm just glad whatever happened, did. It would be kind of handy to know what caused it, though." <><><><><> [GM to Mitchell] Your first test brings another success! The pine cone you selected rises into the air, albeit unsteadily. You move it back and forth, exhulting, while Tyler stares. You don't have much problem deflecting it when you let it fall on you. Thinking at Tyler doesn't seem to do anything. And no energy blasts, or anything else, materialize when you try focusing your anger in a hostile manner. The tree feels pretty solid when you try to push your hand through it. * * * * * [GM to Tyler] Mitchell steps in front of the mirror, gazing at his reflection, and disrobes, then begins a series of experiments as follows, judging success and areas that need work, from the results: Although you're a bit abashed about watching this, it doesn't seem to bother *him*...and the prospect isn't unappealing...except it kind of gives you the willies, watching his flesh meld and transform. First, he becomes about ten years old Next he becomes a 25 year old version of himself. (That body looks *really* good!) Then he returns to normal, then concentrates, and suddenly grows breasts, his body reshapes itself, and he suddenly looks like a female version of himself. With a typical adolescent male's imagination....you suspect he'd be a little less fond of that bosom after walking around in a bra all day.... Then he turns into a different-looking woman. A dark skinned girl with straight brown hair and a comely figure (a little more realistically proportioned than his last one.) He /she keeps frowning at the mirror and making small adjustments. You guess he's trying to prefect details, which suggests this might be the "Julie" he's talking about. He walks around in each new body, and you have to suppress laughter. Wearing a female body, he kind of reminds you of your best friend at age ten, the first time she tried to wear high-heel shoes. He's obviously not used to the wider hips and lower center of gravity. Or having things bounce. Then again, you wonder how quickly you'd adjust to moving in a man's body. After a while of practice, he rests, back in his normal form. You try to take your eyes off him, and can't. He is one FINE construction, especially in his natural form. You're starting to feel awfully hot and sweaty in your own clothes. Eventually, he stands and resumes the form that looks like a female version of himself, and walks a distance away from the mirror. Concentrating, he begins shrinking, until he's about three feet tall. Then he grows, to a height of over seven feet, looking like a tall, brunette Amazon. Apparently a bit tired by all this sudden shapeshifting, he goes back to normal and lies down to rest again. Leaving you to contemplate his naked form again. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler's mouth hung open for a good thirty seconds after Mitchell settled down to rest. She shook herself like a dog coming out of water, then closed her mouth with an effort. "Ummm...listen, Mitchell. Y'all mind if ah be blunt? Ah mean, this is a lot to absorb in a short time." She didn't wait for an answer, but approached, albeit a little hesitantly, and folded down to a seating position with only a faint grimace of pain. "First off, y'all are gonna have to realize that y'all are havin' a major lust-inducin' effect on me." She shook her head. " 'Specially that slightly older version. Though for a fact..." she grinned, and reddened slightly, "...this version ain't 'zack'ly no cold shower. Y'all sittin' around naked with your...ummm, scuse me, with *ever'thing* hangin' out...ain' exactly makin' this any easier." She stretched long denim-clad legs out in front of her, trying to get comfortable. The left one apparently bothered her. "Okay. The brunette you tryin' to dupe up mus' be Julie, am ah right? You seem to be gettin' the physical appearance part right, but trust me, you ain't movin' like no girl. So...tell me. If we were doin' the nasty, would ah end up lookin' like you, and vice versa? The thought don't hold much appeal to me, you don' mind me sayin'. Ummm...the bodyswitchin' part, ah mean." She reddened again. "See, playin' 'round with a guy is fine, but goin' home with his dick *on*? Well...ah think that might be too much." She stood up with minimal effort, brushed off her jeans. "Listen, y'all think about that, while ah try somethin' livin' this time," she said. "Best thing ah know." She concentrated on her barrel racer. Sleek, equine lines...size, the shape of the head, powerful muscles... <><><><><> [GM] You concentrate on your barrel racer. As before, the shimmering grey portal opens, larger than before, and something surges through. Stumbles through, more like. A fine, sleek muscular horse. It almost falls over, then regains its balance, spins around, and rears up, neighing in terror. It looks a lot like what you visualized, your old barrel racer. In fact, it looks identical to your old barrel racer.... ...right down to the small scar on its left forelock, and the tuft of white hair midway down its mane. <><><><><> Tyler: "Jesus," Tyler breathed. "Cookie...?" She held out her hand tentatively, then adjusted her voice to a peremptory one, used to command. "Cookie! BE-have!" She slid closer, expertly avoiding flailing hooves and the possibility of being shouldered onto her butt by the horse's greater mass. "Easy, baby," Tyler soothed. " 'Member me? Hmmm?" She patted the mare's shoulder, stroked her flank. She held her nose down with one hand, stroked her forehead. "'Member, baby...?" <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell watches as the horse comes into existence. "Good one! That pretty much settles it; you must be tapping into some kind of universal consciousness or other dimension, to fill in all the details. You know, it almost looked like it stumbled as it came through. Maybe it was running already, in whatever dimension it came from." Mitchell spends another moment in front of the mirror, exaggerating the bust and hips further to the point of discomfort, refines the curves, then dresses as best possible, and stays in the form to begin getting the feel for extremes of weight distribution, and the effect they have on movement. "You're right about the walking and moving. I need a lot more practice at that, and probably in some more muscular male forms also." "I don't know what would happen if we became intimate. Maybe what happened with Julie was a fluke, one-time accident. Maybe any time I make love, it will happen. I'm attracted to you too," Mitchell admits. "I do know that if we get intimate, we'd better use plenty of protection. or one or both of us might get pregnant," Mitchell laughs, though nervously, the strange thought occurring for the first time. "If we do become, you know, intimate, then we'll photograph you, and if anything goes wrong I can change you back or give you a body of your choice. First though, I'm going to try tomorrow to go to Julie's school in her form and hope to be recognized. That way I can at least get her name, and maybe find her at home or something. In changing her back, I'll get some needed practice in transforming others, making...relations...safer." Looking at the horse, Mitchell thinks aloud, "Looks like we're going to need a horse trailer. I wonder if there is a stable around here somewhere." "I wonder if you're limited in some way, or if you can summon up things like the star-car in that movie The Last Starfighter. You know, Centauri's car. Or a Star Trek runabout craft. I mean, obviously you can do computers, since a horse's brain is a more advanced computer than any supercomputer in the world. And the powers themselves show that a lot more is scientifically possible than what our physics texts describe." <><><><><> [GM to Tyler] The way the horse moves, and responds to you....she remembers. This is YOUR horse, Cookie. Not very happy about suddenly being pulled here, it seems. But she allows you to calm her, gradually. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler laughed at Mitchell's ingenuousness. "Ah don' know about y'all, but ah'm not about to get naked and then count on some dim-bulb polaroid to get me back to bein' *me*. That may sound like the cat's ass to you, but me? No, thanks. Y'all can call me when you got this down to where you know you ain't transformin' your partner into anything more than hot. And ah'm safe right now, amigo, 'less you carryin' around somethin' like the Haitian sweet-thang disease." She spent a little more time fussing and petting Cookie, making sure she was calmed. She was genuinely thrilled, because Cookie had been put down after the accident, and it literally broke her heart just as badly as the injuries had broken up her body when she found out. "Ah don't know *nothin' about that Star Trek stuff, but ah know what *ah* used, and it'll get us around. Look here..." She flexed her fingers, stopped to crack her knuckles, then concentrated. Maroon 1993 Ford F-350 four-wheel drive extended cab pickup, with the 460 V- 8, huge cannon-like dual exhausts, a gooseneck trailer hitch, drop-step tailgate, very wide all-terrain BFG tires on Cragar mags, a deep window tint, and enough chrome to blind Elvis. It looked like it could shrug aside a forest without breathing hard. The twin- axle horse trailer was a matching maroon, with a tack room and double sleeper at the front, matching mags, electric brakes, and a two thousand dollar custom paint job that said 'Sterritt Quarter Horses, Celina Texas' in a florid mirrored script, with a PRCA seal and "Cookie" in smaller white letters at the front. <><><><><> [GM] The gate opens.....it seems more of a strain this time, though. You feel a twinge, throughout your body, that you can't describe, but it's not pleasant. Your monster car comes through, followed by the trailer. Everything just as you remember it. Except for a few small details: The car has a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on the hood. The florid script along the side of your trailer says "Sterritt Quarter Horses, Celina, Republic of Texas". The sleeper trailer is thick and blocky, with small slits for windows, almost like it was *armored*. And there is a gun turret on top of it, equipped with a twin-barrel machine gun, and what looks like a small howitzer.... You feel extremely tired. <><><><><> Mitchell: "Good point," Mitchell agrees, then laughs at the comment. "I've got to practice these forms, so you'll be pretty safe from rampaging lust the rest of the day and all of tomorrow, true." A mischievous wink. Mitchell stares as the huge portal opens and the monstrous truck rolls through. "Holy...Big Road Warrior fan, are you?" Mitchell asks, grinning, and surveying the truck. "Yes, I'd say that will definitely do. Just about anything, by the looks of it." A moment's pause. "Better dream up a magnetically attaching metal cover for the machine gun turrets and rocket launcher, though. Maybe that's a new fad down in Texas, probably even necessary in Los Angeles, but I think the New York Police might get just a tad bit queasy if they saw it. Though in some neighborhoods, it probably wouldn't be noticed." <><><><><> Tyler: "Ho-ly s***," Tyler breathed. Then she sat down, hard. "Well, either big stuff or mechanical stuff tuckers me out pretty quick," she said. "And ah didn't order any guns. 'Scuse me, while ah rest a minute. I'll try those covers y'all wanted in a minute." <><><><><> [GM] After resting a bit, you try to conjure some metal covers like Mitchell suggested. Four chunks of metal fall from your gate. They look like they belong on a tank. They're hatches of some kind.....but they don't look like they'll help much with covering the weapons on your car & trailer. And you still feel fatigued. <><><><><> Tyler: "Jesus, ah don't know where those came from. Not much help, eh? It's like someone out there is interpreting what ah 'ask' for in his own inimitable fashion, you know?" Tyler rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Maybe we can bag some z's in the sleeper, there, you reckon? Put Cookie up, try again after I've had a little rest. I guess I need to try making the stuff go away, too, sometime..." <><><><><> Mitchell: "Most likely big objects tire you out quickly. The size of the portal required to bring them into existence." Mitchell walks along the edge of the clearing slowly. "Go on and get some sleep. I'll stand guard for a few hours then join you -- as a girl of course." Mitchell adds, winking. Mitchell remains in the heavily exaggerated bust/hips form, practicing walking, standing, and sitting, resting when necessary, removing the clothing once Tyler is in the sleeper, and stretching, going through a wide range of body movements repeatedly, until either completely exhausted or around midnight, then goes to bed. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler looked a little shocked at Mitchell's last remark, then shrugged. "Wha'ever. I'm gonna get some rest. But first..." She hit the gear locker on the trailer; sure enough, rope. She cobbled together a hobble and a snaffle, and left Cookie out so that she could graze without wandering off. "She's a pretty good watchdog, too," Tyler pointed out. "I mean, if you want to get some sleep yourself later." She crawled into the sleeper, a doublewide almost as large as most tractor-trailer sleepers, pulled off her boots and jeans, and collapsed. Nice legs, Mitchell noted. Lean. Nice muscles, although not too much of a tan. But there was that nasty-looking scar on her left one... <><><><><> [GM] It's still before noon, so you probably aren't going to sleep until midnight. You do feel pretty fatigued after all your experimentation, so you take a nap next to Tyler, but wake up before she does. It's about 3 PM. <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell dresses for when Tyler awakens, but stays in form and keeps walking, stretching, and going through balance and movement exercises, practicing while keeping guard. <><><><><> [GM] Tyler wakes up in the early afternoon, and finds Mitchell pacing the area around the truck and trailer, in his "female" form, with exaggeratedly large breasts and hips. Trying to practice moving as a woman, apparently. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler yawned, stretched, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes while she silently watched Mitchell's prancing until she couldn't stand it any more. "Jesus, Mitchell, what *is* your fascination with moon titties and a big ass?" Her mouth curled in a sardonic smile. "If ah was the insecure type, ah'd be insulted. As it is, ah'm just embarrassed. Y'all insist on wantin' to walk like a girl, start out with somethin' a little more balanced, for Christ' sakes." She looked around for her smokes and didn't find them immediately, so she licked her lips and pressed on. "Who y'all tryin' to fool with this, anyway? You got some evil plan of gettin' one of your old school buddies to come on to you, so's y'all can change back and enjoy watchin' him barf?" She barefooted over to Cookie and checked on the animal. She had a nice ass to go with the nice legs, even if she was just slightly bowlegged. Small and firm, in marked contrast to Mitchell's overblown fantasy. <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell looks at Tyler, sighing in exasperation. "I've got all of an afternoon and a night to get used to differing weight distribution, and let it teach me a more acceptable walk. I don't have childhood through teens. Before I do much of anything else, I've got to find Julie, and get her back to normal if she isn't. The severe imbalance is the entire point." "Ever noticed that if you carry around an overloaded suitcase all day, then pick up a briefcase, it feels like lifting air? Your muscles get attuned to the greater weight, so don't complain anywhere near as loudly when you try the lesser weight. The nerves and mind adjusts to expect the heavier load, and so the lighter one becomes an actual relief." "A girl's walk, just like a guy's is part attitude and a good dose of physiology. The bust and hips force a certain posture, which in turn affects the basic walking and movements. You lean over differently, sit down differently, walk differently, even have to cross arms in a different way." "The old poise-teaching trick with a stack of books balanced on the head looks downright silly too, but works quickly for the same reason. Gets the nerves programmed. The principle is the same." Mitchell grins. "So I spend the day looking like a 'toon." "I can accept the wisecracks." <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler grinned crookedly. "It's real good that y'all can accept wisecracks. Ah tend to dole 'em out in industrial strength amounts. Still...ah guess ah'm dense, but I don't understand why y'all need to learn this girl-walk all of a sudden. Y'all think y'got to *walk* like Julie before you can return her to her normal state, even if she ain't already back to normal?" After she finished checking on Cookie, she went back to the trailer, fished around, and finally found her cigarettes. "Listen," she went on, around a cloud of fragrant smoke, "What you're sayin' might sound good on the surface, but think about it. Y'all don't practice basketball with a *medicine ball* and expect to get the stroke down. You don't do ballet with ankle weights on. Conditioning and coordination are two different animals, and it seems to me that all this big tittie s*** is doin,' is work on your brute conditioning...which, if you don't mind me sayin', y'all ain't got to worry about. Do you? Can't you be as *strong* as you want?" She eyed him critically. "Seems like *balance* would be the issue. Call me crazy, ah guess..." she shrugged. "Listen, don't mind me. Ah don't get out much, so ah got to practice on bein' bitchy. Ah s'pose ah ought to be tryin' to come up with somethin' else for a gun cover, or maybe...maybe ah should try to make all that firepower go *back* where it came from. If I can. Yeah. that's what ah'll do. " She wandered over to the front of the truck, stubbed out her smoke, then concentrated on the machine gun. Fingers waggled expectantly. **Go back where you came from,** she willed it. **Just the gun. Vanish. Amscray. Adios...** "You know," she mentioned, breaking her concentration for a moment, "Ah *did* remember one comic of my brother's besides Sergeant Rock. It was...Metal Man? No, *Iron Man.* Fancy gold armor, jet power...mighty trick, all in all. Y'all reckon ah could whip up trick suits like that for us?" She turned her concentration to making the gun vanish again. <><><><><> [GM] The air ripples and distorts around the guns. You feel that gateway opening again....but nothing happens. The guns stay firmly fixed to the hood. <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell nods. "I've got to pass myself off as Julie at school tomorrow, try to find out her last name. So in that way, I do have to learn it to get her back to normal. Besides, I've got a feeling we need to both work until fully comfortable with our powers. For me, that means some brute conditioning, some style, and a lot of practice." A grin. "I like your wisecracks. And advice. I'm glad to know you." "I think I can be strong. Though maybe only when I mimic someone strong; I need to try that extreme, too." When the guns fail to disappear, Mitchell considers. "Super-suits, huh? Maybe so. Obviously a lot of high-tech equipment is possible, since what we are doing is. One machine should be pretty much like another, as far as materialization is concerned. Heck, since it's coming up with things you didn't even think of or ask for, you probably don't even have to know what you're calling up. Just the name and function, maybe." "It's worth a try. Worst that can happen is you get a pair of really super tuxedos or something." "Time for the strength extreme test," Mitchell says, and concentrates. * * * * * Mitchell concentrates on assuming a male, 25 year old, extremely muscular and specifically strong form, blond hair, blue eyes, tan skin; going to the farthest possible extreme in muscles strength and bulk. Then will test, by lifting the mistakenly summoned tank turret covers, and trying to bend them. <><><><><> [GM] Mitchell's body warps and shifts again, and goes from looking like a live-action Playboy cartoon to Mr. Universe. Tall and blond, blue-eyed and square-jawed, muscles rippling with every movement under gloriously tanned skin. He looks like he could arm-wrestle Paladin into the ground, and replace Fabio on the cover of any romance novel. He goes to pick up one of the metal hatches Tyler summoned earlier. With a grunt of effort he lifts it. His arm and chest muscles bulge, and seem to literally grow, as he flexes and tries to bend the heavy chunks of metal. In a moment, he's starting to look rather cartoonish again, with arms twice too big for his body. But it doesn't work; the metal hatches refuse to bend, and Mitchell finally has to drop them, panting and sweating with effort. His arms shrink to "normal" dimensions, like deflated balloons. <><><><><> Tyler: "Man, Mitchell; ah got to admit ah haven't 'zackly overwhelmed anyone with my commitment to chastity over the years, but at least ah knew their *names*. First *and* last," she grinned crookedly, then plopped on the edge of the step up into the sleeper, long bare legs splayed out before her. She played with the grass between her bare toes, enjoying the sensation. "Jus' think; if y'all had jus' said, 'pardon me, ma'am, but was that Julie *Smith*?' right before y'all started porkin' her, all this could have been avoided." Her eyes twinkled with sly humor. "Chauvinism would have been it's own reward, you reckon? No more tittie practice. Say...what're you gonna do if you get your period while you're...never mind. I *don't* want to know. So remind me...what-all did that Iron Man feller have in that suit? Ah remember some sort of jets in the shoes, and some sort of laser or blaster or somethin' in those big-ass gloves, and him bein' strong as an ox. Outside of that, ah'm stumped." <><><><><> Mitchell: "Well, you know, it was one of those things that seemed a good idea at the time," Mitchell says, grinning. "As to what if...I guess I could just shift a couple of weeks older or younger or something. Shouldn't be too much of a problem to get around. I may be just a teenage mutant shapeshifter, but I get some good ideas." A mischievous grin. Mitchell sighs, shaking his head. "That's definitely not the ticket. I think the super-strength came from draining the one who attacked me. A sort of temporary powers transfer. I guess I'm like a doppleganger; can drain an opponent's power and use it against them. At least for strength, anyway. It was after I mimicked her, then was trying to do anything possible to keep her from crushing my skull in." "Iron Man...lets see...I never kept up with that one. Maybe if you just specified 'fully operational, safe, super-suit from the Iron Man comic books it would work." <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler looked thoughtful. "Listen, ah just had an idea. Why don't y'all do your version of Julie, then wrap your ankle in an Ace bandage or somethin'? Tell 'em y'all just sprained your ankle, and y'can't walk jus' right. Save all this practice." <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell considers. "That would work. Thanks," he says, reverting from supermuscled version to normal 16 year old Mitchell form. "I've got all the basics down now anyway, I think. Still need to work on flying and telekinesis more, but it can wait. Meanwhile, maybe just a toolkit to remove the guns would work. They could be stashed in the back, in case you ever actually needed them. Which considering the things going on these days, is a distinct possibility." <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler studied the gun mounts until she'd determined what sort of wrenches, vise grips, sockets and other assorted tools would be needed in order to dismount the guns. Then, she shrugged. "Okay," she said. "Here goes. One set of Sears Craftsman tools...spacial delivery." She concentrated. <><><><><> [GM] A bag full of jangling pieces of metal and several hard boxes falls out of the air, almost onto your head. It's built like an Army dufflebag, made of heavy canvas, and has a padlock over the clip that opens it up. "Tyler Sterrit" is printed in block letters on the side of the bag. The letters look rather faded. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler shook her head, not a little disturbed. "Ah don't think ah'm gettin' the big picture here. Where did this stuff ah ain't seen before come from, *with my name on it*?" She carefully opened and examined the collection of alleged tools. "Y'all think that this is one of those 'possible future' things, like ah see in the B- movies all the time? Where ah'm suckin' stuff out of other...other...damn! Ah can't think...other timelines or somethin'? Like, somewhere ah was a mechanic, and somewhere ah live in a world where you need machineguns on your tow truck...y'all see what ah'm sayin'? It's why the stuff don't always match what ah think ah'm askin' for. Whatever ah do, ah get the closest thing to what ah want, considerin' the selection, if y'all know what ah mean..." <><><><><> Mitchell: "Yeah, I know," Mitchell says, looking at the locked tools. "Lets see... if we go by the theory that you're pulling stuff out of alternate universes, then maybe Manifesting is a good word for it. I guess this explains what happens when things disappear, like socks, car keys, cars...maybe someone, somewhere is snatching them like this." <><><><><> [GM] You can’t open it; it’s padlocked, and you don’t have the key. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler kicked the bag in a mild fit of pique. Damn it to hell. Somebody on th'other side has a sick sense of humor, Mitchell. Well, I can try for a key, or I can get that big ol' knife I...ummm...say, what exactly do ah *call* what ah do? Summon? Create? Evoke? Borrow? Damn' if ah know. Anyway...how tough can a key be? Lemme try it first." She studied the lock for a moment, then held out her hand and concentrated on the *specific* key for that *specific* lock. <><><><><> [GM] What materializes/conjures/evokes/summons is a key-ring, with about a dozen keys on it, and the Rodeo Association seal on one side and a monogrammed "TS" on the other. <><><><><> Tyler: "About time," Tyler grumbled. She glanced through the ring quickly to see if there was a Ford truck key on it, and then started testing the keys on the tool bag lock. <><><><><> [GM] There is a Ford truck key. One of the keys opens the lock on the bag. Inside the bag, you find the following; *Two boxes of assorted tools, including power tools. You think you have enough stuff here to remove the weapons from the truck, eventually. It will take a while; they're pretty big. *Various extra horse supplies; bridle bits, stirrups, a couple of worn out horseshoes. *A very complete first aid kit, including your prescription pain-killers, with your name on them. One you don't recognize; the name of the drug is Rysonal. *A stash of twenty and fifty dollar bills....issued by the Republic of Texas. *A flashlight *Batteries (Eveready) *Military dry rations *An uzi and two automatic pistols *Several ammo clips and two boxes of ammo for the above *Four hand grenades; three fragmentation, one incendiary <><><><><> Tyler: "Damn," Tyler breathed. "Wherever this comes from, things are pretty colorful, ah bet." She took one of the pistols, checked the clip to make certain it was loaded, then put that in the Ford's console along with the flashlight, spare batteries and clips, and the First Aid kit. The rest she relocked in the tool bag, which she relegated to the storage bin in the trailer. "Ah think ah'm suckin' this stuff out of...whattayacallit? Alternate realities. Maybe like one where Texas remained independent? Ah mean, that money sure ain't from around here. Now let's see if it all works." She climbed into the cab of the big truck, inserted the ignition key, and fired it up, cautiously examining the entire bank of controls for familiarity. Wouldn't do to traverse the machine gun and shoot up poor ol' Mitchell by accident... <><><><><> [GM] Most of the controls are familiar. Those controlling the weapons are not, though you think you could figure them out with a little experimentation. There is a small pistol grip on the dashboard, to the right of the steering wheel. It can move, within a 360-degree ball socket, and has a trigger; the function relating to the machine gun seems obvious. You note that the gun will not move until the ignition is turned on; you decide not to test whether it can be fired without power. There is also an "ammo" indicator, beneath the pistol grip, also dim until you turn the ignition, whereupon it indicates, if you read it right, that your gun is about 3/4 "full". There are some more controls on the roof over your head. A couple of "0/-" switches, and some unmarked indicator lights. And a knob next to your emergency break which can be pulled; it has a little icon showing a trailer hitch being separated. Finally, along the bottom of the dashboard, you find a little box with a dark red button. There is a plastic plate beneath it, with the word "disarmed" illuminated by a small light underneath. <><><><><> Tyler: "Well, that's either the alarm or the self-destruct," Tyler decided, pointing out the under-dash box. "Ah don't think I want to set it and find out ah was wrong. Ah think ah got the machine gun down, but what about these...?" She indicated the overhead switches. "Lights? I don't know...hey, ah got an idea." She pulled the glove box open and rifled through its contents, looking for the owner's manual. <><><><><> [GM] You find a Ford-Mitsubishi truck manual, and also a manual titled "Care and Maintenance of the M60-R4 Vehicular-Mounted Machine Gun". And several speeding tickets, and one for "Expired Artillery Gunner's License". The truck manual, while it contains a section on "Weapons and other special options", only describes those types of armaments that your truck can sustain. (You learn that it is inadvisable to mount non-self- propelled artillery weapons of greater than 33 mm bore, and nothing heavier than .50 caliber machine guns should be side-mounted, particularly if they are to be used while the vehicle is moving....but good news! A hardpoint for a turret can be retro-installed at any Ford-Mitsubishi authorized service station!) Nothing, unfortunately, explains any of your buttons and switches. <><><><><> Tyler: "Well, hell," Tyler groused. "That ain't no help. What now, Mitchell? Ah can't leave Cookie, so ah guess we got to dismount the hardware. Less y'all want to try some of these switches, see what happens. That don't sound too safe to me." <><><><><> Mitchell: "Well," Mitchell says, snapping out of a thoughtful quiet moment. "Probably best to try removing it. I'm not all that mechanically inclined, but will do whatever I can." He smiles. "Though, I suppose I could always just go try to find some metal and superglue to make temporary casing for the guns, and some solvent in case we need to release them for use. You never know. Maybe the truck's from a few years from now." He grins darkly. "The world could sure go downhill fast, considering some of the supervillains out there." <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, we could put a tarp over it with bungee cords, and tell everybody it's a movie prop. Ah'm not so sure they'd buy it, especially with all the ammo. First time we got stopped, we'd be in deep kimshe. And in *this* town, the locals sure ain't gonna stand around and gawk if we park and leave it somewhere. They'd strip this baby faster than Carl Lewis at the Olympics. "Let's dismount the machine gun, then find us a stable somewhere where's ah can board Cookie. Then we can decide whether we want to drop the trailer, and then go about y'alls business with this female impersonation thing." <><><><><> [GM] It takes a couple hours to remove the weapons. You pack them in the trailer, hoping you don't get searched for some reason. This hardware could generate some serious felony charges. While driving back towards the city, you listen to the radio, and hear an announcement that "Crystal", one of the superhumans involved in last night's altercation at a celebrity party in New York City, is giving a press conference this evening, at another hotel. She was apparently attacked by a second, hostile superhuman, which was the cause of a terrible battle in which three people were killed and seven others were injured. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler steered the huge truck-trailer tandem expertly, the powerful big-block V-8 burbling along without strain. Occasionally they were treated to the impatient clump as Cookie shifted position slightly. She was looking for a horse-boarding facility, but those weren't *all* that common, especially in New York; she'd settle for someplace with Yellow Pages they could research. "You know, ah kinda wonder how these super- people got their... whattayacallit... abilities. Like us, you 'magine? Just fall into 'em? How do they find out all they can do? Do they practice? It ain't exactly common, ah don't think. Ah'll be honest; I still feel like ah'm half-blind, wandering around in some bad dream. Like ah'll wake up, and y'all all be gone." She slowed for a corner. "There's more. Like, there's some sort of... what's the word ah want... some sort of *imperative*? Is that a good word? Somethin' *pushin'* on me. Like there's somethin' ah'm supposed to do, only ah hadn't figured it out yet." <><><><><> Mitchell: "Yeah, I know what you mean. We're sure no Paladin in the power department, though I guess he can't summon trucks and trailers and horses, and can't shapeshift. They would have to practice. I mean, look at us; we _are_ still stumbling around in the dark. I've been thinking maybe after I find out what happened to Julie, I should go into the superhero business. You know, maybe we should try to meet this Crystal. She was attacked just like I was, possibly by the same group for all I know. Whoever this Legion is." "After we get Cookie safety tucked away, I guess I'll do a high altitude flight back to get my car. Should be fun anyway." <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler seemed a bit doubtful about the entire superhero idea, but she had to admit, at least to herself, that she wasn't exactly knocking normalcy on its ear right about now. Maybe this Crystal, whoevertor wh tever she was, had some ideas they hadn't considered...like how to lose this entire effect. Or where it all came from. O what to do next. On the other hand...she heard Cookie snort, and it reminded her that some things lost weren't for the good. "All right, Flyboy. Y'all go on and get your car, and meet me up the road apiece. Ah'll follow you, seein' as how this ain't my neck of the woods. Remember; we need top find a stable, first and foremost, unless you want to lug Cookie and a lot of horse chow around everywhere we go." <><><><><> [GM] Mitchell rises into the air, already becoming more comfortable with this mode of travel. It's exhilerating, accelerating through space with just the power of your mind. Tyler follows, until Mitchell descends upon his own car, then she drives after him while the two of you head for someplace north of the city where you might find stables. It's hard to just drop in and put a horse up without notice, and costs Tyler quite a sum. Cookie snorts and investigates her new temporary home, and seems satisfied, albeit reluctantly. <><><><><> Tyler: Tyler realized that they had forgotten to check the license plates and safety inspection on the truck; she called Mitchell over as they examined them. She'd struck a deal to leave the horse trailer all locked up, and they'd transferred the worst of their arsenal to it, stuffing a few things under seats and in consoles of the Ford. If it was *too* alien, they were gonna have to leave the truck, as well. More money. "Jesus," she complained. "This mind over matter superheroine s*** is costin' me a pretty penny." <><><><><> [GM] The license plate and inspection sticker don't look *too* "alien", though under close inspection, they might raise questions. "Texas" is prominently displayed on each; in smaller lettering above, one can make out the words "Republic of". Of course, there's also the small matter of the "Licensed Artillery Gunner" sticker. And the armaments inspection sticker, which says "This vehicle licensed to be equipped with Class IV armaments." Also with a Republic of Texas seal on them. <><><><><> Tyler: "Hell, that's no problem. Anybody seein' that stuff'll think it's a joke," Tyler decided. "Ah can tell 'em they're custom plates, too, and just not get any tickets or do any speedin'. Remind me not to drive like back home. Or wherever this thing came from, considerin' that batch of citations in the glove box. Right?" She elbowed Mitchell companionably. "Y'all want to take one vehicle, or what? Leave yours somewhere, or mine, or take 'em both...?" <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell laughs quietly. "There are certainly enough people in Texas that think of it as a republic, true. It practically is, from what I hear." He grins. "We'd better take both vehicles in case we have to run two errands at once. Lets do go try to meet this Crystal person. We can't stay isolated from the other superhumans forever. But we'll try to be discrete about it, to keep from getting mobbed by the media." "Either way, I don't have anything better to do tonight. Tomorrow is the earliest I can hope to track down Julie and close that chaotic little chapter of my life." He grins sheepishly. Mitchell shifts to a handsome 25 year old version of himself, smiling. "I need a date for tonight's outing; any volunteers?" he asks. "Supper, meeting another superhuman, and possibly being attacked by rampaging evildoers, is probably on the ticket for the event." <><><><><> Tyler: "Honey, ah'm all yours," Tyler announced, lacing her arm through his. "Leastways, so long as *y'all* are buyin' dinner. If there's anything ah hate, it's rasslin' with rampaging evildoers on an empty stomach." She patted his arm affectionately. "Ah want to commend y'all on your choice of appearance, by the way. This one's the one ah think ah like best. Say...y'all think this fellow super-person gon' have any ideas about what the hell is happenin' to me? How it all works, ah mean?" <><><><><> Mitchell: Mitchell grins. "It's on me. I have plastic. Pretty ironic considering I'm fairly plastic these days myself." "Yeah, she might know more, especially if she's been around other superpeople long enough. It's worth a try, and with any luck she's friendlier than the barbarian who tried to assimilate me first into herself, then tried to blend me into the concerete, in a manner of speaking." "I think it's pretty obvious we're doing this stuff by mind power, psionics, since you concentrate to open the gates, and I can fly and use telekinesis. So the question is why are people developing these abilities all of a sudden? Why the particular powers we have?" <><><><><> [GM to Mitchell] You go to dinner at a nice restaurant, and talk to Tyler a little more about what's been happening with you since your powers manifested. Tyler is definitely an attractive gal. Not a bombshell like Julie, but despite her sloppy grammar and thick Texas drawl, she definitely seems to have more upstairs. After dinner, in the city, you head for the hotel where the press conference will be held, according to the news. [GM to Tyler] Mitchell leads you back into the city, and finds a very nice restaurant outside of downtown, where you can actually find a parking place. Frugal he's not; it's the best meal you've had in a long time. And damned if you don't still get a hormonal rush every time you look at him! Gorgeous as he is, your reaction is even stronger than his looks would warrant, not that they're not sufficient by themselves. You have *never* been so attracted to any man before. You have to put such thoughts aside for the moment, though. You and Mitchell head for another uptown locale, a glitzy hotel where the news said "Crystal" is holding her press conference. You find there is a press of reporters and other spectators there, but you and Mitchell squeeze in to a place where you can see.