[Semiopen] Somebody turn on the light

[espigeonage]

Who: Blaine and Julien, Ravi, Isabela, Fil, others maybe? By invitation.
Where: Past the boundary, and then inside it again.
When: 3/10-3/14 or so
What: Escaping the game is more complicated than it seemed.



[Cut purely as an excuse to use a couple more lines from Brave Little Toaster. This is a central post for a few threads with the aforementioned characters. Basically Julien's too recognizable to be out unnoticed, and so he and his cousin end up turning back. Which means getting some help.]

Comments

3/10

[espigeonage]

Opening his eyes, Julien saw an unfamiliar, badly plastered ceiling above, and was aware suddenly of the cheap, starched bedding he was in. It took a moment to remember - the Penbrook motel. He'd chosen it because it was outside of Locke's boundary, it took reservations by phone at short notice, and the staff didn't ask questions. Even last night, when he'd staggered in barefoot with his sleeves in tatters, they'd handed over a key with barely a word.

...why could he remember that it was outside of the boundary? Pushing the bedding aside Julien saw that the hair on his arms was longer, denser, and finer than before. Some of it was dyed blue. The rest was white. He'd felt weird last night. Apparently it hadn't gone away with a restless night's sleep.

"That can't be good," he said softly, and sat upright.

3/12

[espigeonage]

Julien dropped on to the bus stop bench and dug at his new sneakers.

They fit terribly. It was to be expected, they were cheaper by far than any Julien might normally wear. His feet were several sizes too big to fit his shoes, so he'd had to settle. It was weird, though. Assuming he'd really had bird legs, would the unusual aspects of his feet fade back as he got farther away? Would the memory?

His eyes were almost normal now, so he couldn't watch something closely unless he was looking right at it. Whenever he looked up he saw quick movements as people turned their heads. He'd gotten a few odd looks before, since leaving Locke. Something was different about this though.

Turning towards Blaine, he murmured, "Are people staring at us?"

[siesinddasessen]

She still needs to look significantly down at him. Way further than she should, though she's back in a range that a stretch of imagination could ascribe to a human - one of multiple reasons why she's resolved to dress as a male again. She doesn't even have to wear anything special for it, since she's still flatter than normal, though at least her internals are back to normal and she can bleed again.

But still, even sitting, her height is obvious. And then Julien still looking weird, and there being less of them than the ones that stare... But they are curnered in the bus cabin. She'd say 'Let's walk away and take the next bus', but that won't be possible... "I can deal with it." She'd just rather not have to.

[espigeonage]

Julien's sleeves concealed the fuzz on his arms. After accidentally scratching himself one too many times he'd cut the points off his nails. Now he stuck his hands in his pockets to hide their redness.

He still had some kind of defensive instinct to close inner eyelids, but the anatomy had largely disappeared. A think pinkish half-lid emerged slowly from the inner corner of each eye. It made him look ill. "Does... anyone have a gun?"

[siesinddasessen]

"Beats me." And if they do - she's skilled enough to get those things out of people's hands and then use them herself to not worry much about it.

But she still hopes that the bus will come in time. "How fast can you run?"

[espigeonage]

This wasn't Arizona, Julien reminded himself, where public buildings needed signs telling people not to bring guns inside. But it had been a very stressful few days for everyone, and people might carry weapons they usually left at home.

"Fast enough. I don't think I'll trip on my feet now." He'd gotten in much better shape since April and stayed that way here. That pulse had just been the desire to exercise more. -still, his running had been to build endurance more than speed. "I can leave my bag. Not that much in it."

He'd been clumsier here, not sure if his legs worked like a human's or like that hazy memory. A couple of days' practice had helped.

[siesinddasessen]

She nods silently and observes everything from the corner of her eyes - and then they get lucky, and the bus comes early. She quickly grabs Julien's bag and nudges him, or rather, grabs his arm to pull him up and to the bus.

"Our bus." It's a bit louder than necessary, to announce that the people that block their way should better move, and in a continuation of their luck they really do.

She won't breathe easily before they are on the bus and have sat down in the empty back of it, but then she'll relax some. Good.

3/14

[espigeonage]

A step forwards, and he was that stupidly leggy bird thing. A step back and he was human again. Having found the very edge of the boundary, Julien shivered in the March chill. The downy blue and white hairs - or were they feathers? - all over his arms were standing out from his skin, trying vainly to keep him warm. His sleeves had given out and gone to ruins from crossing the boundary. Likewise his shoes had basically split.

He felt very cold. Julien knew he'd be warmer if he was all scaled and feathery. Or if he ducked into that diner he'd seen back there. But what if he was recognized again?

Adjusting his bag, Julien got out another sweater and pulled it over his head. Ravi had better come soon.

[healspec]

Ravi and Julien weren't particularly close, but Julien was somebody who cared enough about Ravi to treat him well, and that was enough for Ravi to feel possessive over what little closeness they did have. So, when Julien had said he was coming back and needed Ravi to pick him up, Ravi had felt selfishly relieved and immediately agreed to come for him.

He didn't know exactly where the boundary was, but he recognized Julien and he could tell when he crossed the border to pull up beside him. This time wasn't like the last time he'd left. He could still remember the weirdness going on in the city, and the warmth behind his heart, though significantly smaller, was still there. The specifics fell into a blur, but he retained the general idea of what he was a part of.

While it worked in his favour right now, it was a little worrisome in its implications. Running away wasn't an option anymore, it seemed. Was that why Julien had chosen to come back?

For the moment, he tried not to think about it. He unlocked the doors for Julien and motioned for him to climb into the car.

[espigeonage]

"Hey." Subdued, Julien smiled without his usual joy. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or not to see Ravi again. Climbing into a cage...

His first instinct was to get the passenger seat. But that would be hard once he wasn't human anymore, wouldn't it? He remembered having a lot more limb to fold up, and that tail. Did he have to lie down or could he manage awkwardly sitting sideways?

Sliding into the backseat, Julien pulled the door closed and maneuvered around, trying to picture the tail. He couldn't remember its dimensions, quite, or how big the fleshy part was. Maybe he didn't have to lie flat. This would be uncomfortable either way. He arranged himself so that his knees were inches from one of the doors and his ass pointed at the other door, and found that the idea of debating seatbelts seemed tiring right now.

"I'll be pretty big," he said softly. "Watch out for that. ...and, thanks, again. I know I'm putting you to trouble."

[healspec]

Choosing the back seat over the front certainly struck Ravindra as odd, and he turned in his seat to watch Julien with a puzzled expression. The explanation, though meagre, was enough to make him not ask. He'd understand soon enough, he figured.

"Don't worry about it." His way of saying 'you're welcome.'

Unfortunately for Julien, though, Ravi was safety conscious enough that he was going to have that debate. "Seat belt?" he prompted.

[espigeonage]

Surely this would be enough space. How big could a feathery tail be? - he was tempting fate thinking that, he knew he was, but really now.

"I know, I know. It's just I'm not sure how that'll work with the wings." His hands didn't quite look right. The nails were a little narrower than they should have been, and his skin was reddened. He clasped one with the other, aware that he was about to lose the use of them, to some degree. "I'd like to be able to unbuckle myself."

[healspec]

'With the wings.' Riiiight... He was definitely not going to ask.

"Alright," he answered, a bit skeptical but willing to let it slide.

He locked the doors, put the car in gear, and got back onto the road. Seconds later, they were back inside the Echo border, and he remembered with greater clarity that Julien was supposedly turning into a bird or something like that and that would be the reason why his wings might get in the way.

It was also lucky that Julien was in the back seat, because that meant Ravi wouldn't see the transformed version right away.

[espigeonage]

Wow. That had gone so much worse than he'd imagined. Julien's heart was still pounding.

Who could he call now? Was it even worth it? Stop that, he told himself, don't get into it now. He needed a place to stay for a few days. He needed someone with their own place. Considering about half a dozen people, he realized he didn't know if they'd agree, if he asked. Or if they'd change their minds when they saw him. He couldn't stand that. Not now.

Isabela? She'd offered. She didn't know what he looked like now - he had to do something or he'd just be paralyzed all night. He scratched her number on a wall with a clawed thumb and sent a message. In video, which he almost never used.

He was out more than an hour's drive from the city center. This was too much to ask.

[video]

[mistakesmakeuswhoweare]

[To her credit, she recognizes him quickly enough that she's able to keep her face at least mostly straight. She seems more surprised by the sudden contact than anything else.]

Hey, Blue. Did you get settled in where you were going?

[Video]

[espigeonage]

[He looks red eyed, as if he's wept, and frazzled. Julien holds his wings folded, closed, his arms in them bent as if playing raptor. It's almost like he has on some sort of cape.]

-no. No, I didn't get the chance. I got recognized. They got me on the news, on phones and stuff- I had to come back.

[He licks his lips and tries to smile, tries to make a joke out of it. He can't ask. Can he?]

This is the problem with blue hair, if you don't cover it. Serves me right, huh? Trying to look different.

[Video]

[mistakesmakeuswhoweare]

[She notes he looks like hell, but she doesn't want to call attention to it. If he wants to talk about it, that's up to him.]

It does make you stand out.

So, if you didn't make it, where are you staying these days?

[espigeonage]

Plan B didn't work out. I... guess he didn't know I look like this, now.

[He casts his gaze down, away, to the side. Just not at her. Julien can still see her, his peripheral vision is inhuman, but the gesture still conveys the meaning.]

...so. I hate to ask. It's an imposition. I know your place is small, too.

[mistakesmakeuswhoweare]

Need a crash pad for a little while? And, hey, it could be worse. At least I have a house, not an apartment or something.

As long as you think you can put up with me for a while. I do usually work from home.

3/21

[espigeonage]

[After this]

Isabela's house is not huge, but she's got a very comfortable amount of money. Julien's fear of someone seeing him is probably unfounded. Visible only as something large and white and not entirely solid, he moves away from the window when Fil approaches the door.

There are still some boxes around visible in the entry, and... Julien, standing off to the side with his wings awkwardly folded to his chest. Aside from everything else there are bruises on his forehead and he seems dull-eyed, unhappy.

...he's also surprised by how small Fil seems, though he knows he should've expected it. "Uh..."

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Julien had warned him about his new experience. Even so, Fili froze as he caught sight of Julien's new appearance. Verbal warnings however, were nothing compared to reality, especially as Julien towered over him completely.

"Um...hi? Wow...you're...big..." Not very eloquent, but Fili's fighting his instinct to back the hell up from Julien.

[espigeonage]

Julien winces and holds his wings in closer to his body, and narrowing his tail, an unthinking effort to make himself smaller. He still takes up a lot of space, and his damp, unkempt feathers are so white that they make the room seem brighter.

"I know. It's... it surprised me, too." He takes a step back. "Sorry."

[moreweaponsthanyou]

"No, no, no, no, no...it's okay. Completely okay. You warned me ahead of time that you changed and I promised I'm not going to freak. So I'm not. This is just..different then what I was expecting." Fil was aware he was blabbering, just a little, completely unlike his usual south.

"Actually...I'm not sure what I was expecting." He hands flapped useless in front of him. "Is there...anything I could do for you? I got some athelas for you, like I said I would."

[espigeonage]

There's nothing quite so... what is this feeling, as sharp as a blow, this almost physical weight in his gut and sinuses, like his heart's detached and is settling to his toes. Humiliation? Being crushed?

Whatever it is, he's become familiar with it going on in the background, but there's nothing more it than having one of his friends see him and be frightened. He really is awful like this. Stricken, Julien swallows hard and turns his face away.

"This was a mistake," he whispers, and then tries again, his voice a little louder. "I shouldn't have asked. I'm sorry to bother you. You can just go - it's okay."

[moreweaponsthanyou]

"NO!" Oops, that came out a bit stronger than Fil intended. He took a deep breath to calm himself down and to give himself a chance to think and stop his mouth from running away from him.

"No. I'm staying. Yes, this was a shock, and I admit to being a bit freaked out but I WILL get used to this. So give me a chance?"