4/23/2011.
The little numbers sat smugly in the corner of the computer screen, almost taunting me with their presence.
I'd woken up somewhat early this morning, before dawn had even broken. Yet another brain alteration that was proving its worth, one that meant I only needed about six hours of sleep to feel rested, and allowed me to go longer without needing that sleep. Of course, six hours was an eternity compared to what I remembered of Defiant, who could function on, what was it, six minutes of sleep a day? No, no, I shouldn't compare myself to him, thence lay the temptation to muck around with my brains again. Anyway, boy, did feeling rested feel weird. I hadn't even had to deal with a gradual awakening like I normally did; instead of laying around slowly worming my way out of Morpheus' talons for an hour or two, both of my bodies had surged to full wakefulness in a matter of seconds.
I'd had Tabitha get up, dress herself, and head to Paz's leisure computer, which was in a different room from her work computer. She'd logged into the guest account Paz had shown me yesterday. Acacia, I let laze in bed a little longer.
In any case, that was when I saw the date. A significant one, to be sure. On some level, I'd known, from the events that Jacob had told me about, that it was some time in April, in contrast to back home, which had been in the early days of January. Not to mention, twenty-nineteen versus twenty-eleven.
Still, that didn't prepare me for the fact that today was my birthday.
Tabitha sat back in the chair and stared off into nothing. Acacia rolled onto her back and did the same, hugging Tabitha's pillow to her chest. Was it really my birthday? I mean, it had been January back home, after all, so I was technically a few months shy, but maybe if I calculated it all out, I could…
You know what? Fuck it. I'm not going to bother entertaining that notion. April twenty-third was not something I'd give up so easily, even if it had played a part in the choosing of my deadname. It was my birthday, and it being today meant I was twenty seven now. Might as well give myself the gift of not freaking out about it or falling into philosophical melancholy again.
Tabitha shook her head as I worked to remember how I'd been shown how to open the browser on this operating system. It was rather jarring, how different it was from what I'd used back home, and somehow the little bits that were similar didn't really help. But in any case, I intended to have Tabitha look up potential cape names for my bodies, since the ones that sprung to mind, Knabbern and Knirschen, were, well, ruined by the fact that the E88 existed. Fucking Neo-Nazis, ruining perfectly good names…
In any case, while Tabitha was busy with that, Acacia finally got up and got dressed, before heading down to exit through the back door. Once there and digging through the grass with her feet to touch dirt, I reached straight down with my outer power's field until I felt stone. Basalt, it seemed, which… wait, I was right about that in my first Wormfic? Huh. As I marveled over that little tidbit, I brought a chunk of the stone to the surface. I had a couple days before my appointment with the Protectorate, but that didn't mean I had to put off working on costume ideas.
.o.o.o.
Naturally, once my hosts had awakened and we were all having breakfast, I ended up accidentally letting slip what today was. Because of course. Paz enthusiastically took it upon herself to take both of me clothes shopping "as a birthday present". Tabitha and Acacia protested as much as my pride demanded, but she insisted, and eventually I gave in. I really did need the clothes, after all.
I couldn't find it in myself to protest the nice chocolate cake at the end of the day, of course.
The day after, Sunday, was spent with Acacia and Tabitha alternating between looking stuff up on Paz's computer and helping out with chores. Some of the computer time was spent looking up random stuff (including making accounts on PHO), mostly to get a feel for the bits of Earth Bet's America that hadn't come through with its unreliable narrator, but a decent chunk was spent on exhaustive research into bus schedules in the city to minimize my chances of mistakes that might lead to lateness. Some things just don't change, I guess.
Naturally, when the subject was raised at dinner that day, Jacob mentioned that he was perfectly willing to take me in his car, thus rendering all that effort moot. Ah, well. Guess I can't really complain, though.
And so it was that my bodies were staring up at the glass edifice that was the Brockton Bay Parahuman Response Team Headquarters at ten-past-ten the following day. It was… honestly a little disappointing to look at. The only thing that made it stand out even a little from the other buildings in the area was the shield logo above the entrance that bore the organization's initials. I couldn't quite remember what the in-story description for the place had been, but surely it wasn't this, well, bland?
Acacia shook her head. It didn't matter, in the end. What did, was the help I could get within.
My bodies were wearing clothing that Paz had bought for us, and I quite liked the outfits. Tabitha was wearing a nice, long-sleeved, green blouse and a dark gray, pleated skirt that went spinny in a very satisfying manner when I tried it. It also, miracle of miracles, had actual, functional pockets! Hopefully I wouldn't get detained for possessing unlicensed tinkertech. Some nice thigh high socks in a shade of green similar to the blouse and some sensible shoes completed the outfit, and she bore a smaller-than-average, very dark gray briefcase in front of her in both hands.
Acacia, on the other hand, had a very different outfit. She wore a flannel shirt that had, for some reason, caught and held Paz's attention after Acacia had picked it out to try on, worn unbuttoned over a plain blue t-shirt. Instead of a skirt, she had a pair of rather snug skinny jeans. I'd never thought much of skinny jeans before, since they seemed like they'd take too much effort to get on to be worth it, but shapeshifting had solved that issue quite handily. And when I'd finally seen how they looked on her, I felt such a burst of gender euphoria that I'd absolutely had to get them. Not to mention, they made Acacia's legs look great. The black boots I'd made in the forest completed the ensemble, and she carried a blue cloth bag that made me feel nostalgic for some reason.
Tabitha glanced at Acacia, who met her eyes. With a nod from each to the other, they strode through the doors.
.o.o.o.
There was less of a line than I'd been expecting, all told, but it was just long enough for the two of me to take in the view of the lobby.
There were guards, of course, because villains, being a subset of humans, weren't always smart. Four of them, armored in kevlar and chain mesh, with helmets that concealed their faces and not a scrap of skin showing. Each had a pistol and what looked like a submachine gun, and while two had grenade launchers hanging across their fronts, the other two wielded what could only be the famous containment foam launchers. They were more… compact than I'd always pictured, and instead of the business end resting under the arm like a leaf blower, they were much thinner tubes, with two hand grips. I've got no idea why my mind had always pictured them the way it had, but whatever.
Aside from the guards, there was a wide desk with a pair of receptionists, and people in suits with papers in their hands hurrying here and there. There was also a gift shop, though at this hour it was, for the most part, empty. I didn't pay it much attention, since I didn't exactly have any money.
"Next, please."
My bodies' heads snapped up to focus on the receptionist who had spoken, and she blinked in surprise. With an internal grimace I had my bodies approach her, taking care to make sure they weren't acting in synch. "Hello," Tabitha said softly. "We're here for a ten-thirty appointment."
"Alright." She clacked away at her keyboard for a moment or two. "Is there a name that this appointment might be listed under?"
"Um, it might be under Blair?"
Some more typing. "Yes, there it is." She gave Tabitha a well-practiced smile. "Mr. Ruoho will be with you shortly. You may have a seat over there while you wait." She gestured to a set of chairs along one wall.
Tabitha and Acacia smiled back at her. "Thank you." They walked over and sat down, with Acacia holding her bag in her lap while Tabitha set her case down gently on the floor with a small thunk. Then they leaned back and settled in to wait.
