The Transformist (IC)

[Windyuki]

A boy with a purple mohawk and far too many tattoos sits in the the stairs leading up out of the subway station. He idly glares at the female cop as she passes, then does a brief double take as she starts giggling uncontrollably while she exits the stairway. "Freaking weirdos, all of 'em." Tim shakes his head angrily and takes a long drag.

Then he notices at a pair of passing children, perhaps middle-school students who are staring at his rather strange hair. "What the hell do you want you freaking brats? Go cry to mommy." Tim gives the kids the finger and idly curses them out some more under his breath.

[muffinstud]

Carter looks over the woman's shoulder and blinks at the otherwise eagle-eyed coworker. "Wait, so only I can see you? How's that work?" While looking around the site, trying to see if anyone else notices the fancy dress on the shapely woman, his hand automatically reaches out and takes whatever is offered. "Lady, you really should leave. Most of these guys aren't the gentle type."

[Whatevr89532]

Karen's phone has one new message; it's from her father, asking how work is going and expressing a little bit of concern, but mostly confidence. The dispatcher on the radio mentions someone calling in a panic about something bizarre happening near the subway station; they were apparently too panicked to make out much more than the location, so someone is being sent to investigate, just in case.

The woman chuckles at Carter's questions. "Not exactly. It's more that they can't quite pay attention to me right now. Not unless they really tried. Even if someone does notice me...well, let's say I'm quite good at self-defense. Anyway, be sure to hang on to that ribbon. It has special powers." She turns and starts to leave, but slowly, as if expecting an interruption from him.

[Harri-chan]

Karen chewed her bottom lip as she read the message on her phone, but it was the one that came over her police radio that made her panic. She had no idea what had just happened, but she was pretty sure she didn't want one of her co-workers coming along and finding her like this. Reaching for the mic, her thumb hovered above the button as she paused for a moment. "Uh... come in HQ... ", she tried to say, but blushed at her higher sounding voice. Clearing her throat, she tried to make it sound deeper... but she was pretty sure that didn't come across as very convincing. Her heart was starting to race now as she knew someone was on there way, and she was afraid to risk calling them off incase those on the other end of the radio noticed something was up. Reaching down between her legs, she tugged the lever and dragged the seat itself closer to the wheel. Drawing several deep breaths, she pushed the keys into the ignition and twisted them to start the engine before grasping the wheel with both hands, and checked her mirrors...

[Zilla]

The clock ticked by slowly in Jason's economics class. The rest of the students were taking a quiz that he'd finished and turned in a few minutes ago, and he sat, staring at the glowing digital readout on the clock. He idly scanned the room one more time, noting all the other students seemed to have their heads hunched over their papers. Grant was scratching his head in frustration now and then. It's probably number 5, Jason thought. That one about price ceilings in a monopolistic market.

Jason thought he caught a glimpse of someone else looking about the room from the corner of his eye. He idly turned toward where he thought he saw a face, but only saw the mess of black hair that belonged to Courtney. He was about to turn back to the clock when he caught the slightest movement from her, a furtive glance in his direction. Is she looking at me? Jason thought.

Some completely irrational part of his mind thought, just maybe, she knew. Maybe those little glances were her, stealing a glimpse into Jamie's soul. Maybe she knew, all along, that Jason was just a shell, a male vessel for a female spirit. What is she thinking, if that's the case? Is she going to tell me? Does she want to know what I think? Is she going to try to help me?

"Time's up, pencils down," Mr. Johnson called, in his idiosyncratic way. "Once all the papers are up here, you're free to go," he added. A flurry of students breezed up to the desk and dumped their quizzes on the teacher's desk. Courtney still sat at her desk, gathering her supplies.

Since he had already packed up, Jason stood and left the classroom.

[muffinstud]

"Ribbon?" Carter looks down at his hand and notices the ribbon. "Oh...kay." He pockets it and scratches his head. "So I've got your ribbon. Does it have your number on it? Or do I have to ask you for coffee myself?" He gets an awkward but hopeful smirk, interpreting the woman's actions as flirting.

[Whatevr89532]

The woman chuckles again at Carter's comment, but puts a finger to her chin. "Coffee, hm..?" she muses, as if it had not even come close to crossing her mind before. "Tell you what..show up at The Magic Brew around 5 and I'll be sure to meet up with you. You might not recognize me, but..do trust that I will recognize you. Happy flying..." With that cryptic comment and another chuckle, she walks into the crowd and seems to outright disappear.
Half the ribbon that Carter had stuffed in his pocket was now hanging out of the side of it, as if it had moved...but somehow, the half hanging out is just as long as the ribbon was when he first got it. How peculiar.

The mirrors are at terrible angles for Karen's new size, but they do have remote adjustment buttons next to the driver's seat. With the seat pulled up, Karen's legs are just barely long enough to reach the accelerator and brakes. The hardest thing about driving in this state will almost certainly be seeing through the windshield; the dash seems so tall from up close like this. Meanwhile, the radio crackles for a moment, and then the woman on the other end responds: "Eclair, is that you? Are you still at [street corner the subway is on]?" Fortunately, the radio has enough distortion that the responder only thinks there's something a little off, given her tone of voice. Over a cell phone or in person nobody would buy Karen's attempt at sounding like an adult...

((Hm..we have a slight time issue going on. It's Carter's lunchtime, so around 12 would probably be when the transformist's train arrived....well, perhaps Jason doesn't have full periods and leaves early?))

[Windyuki]

Having chastised the little snots suitably, Tim rises to his feet, stretching for a moment and begins walking out of the subway.

"Might as well scrounge some grub." he mutters as he walks, keeping an eye on the street around him, and a steady glare primed for anyone who crosses his path.

[muffinstud]

[Well, Carter could have been taking a late lunch too. I just assumed it was some time during the workday, and Carter would only take a break to eat.]

"All right, see you then!" Carter tries to follow the woman as she goes off, but loses her as she vanishes. He shakes his head and sits back down to finish his sandwich. "Weird lady. But, she seems interesting. And hot." He smiles to himself and takes a bite as he tries to stuff the ribbon back into his pocket, thinking the obvious thought that it was falling out.

[Zilla]

The halls were at a low murmur when Jason left Economics. He lucked out on this semester's schedule and had a long break after econ, a combination of his lunch followed by a free period. Unfortunately, none of his close friends shared his lunch period, and he only barely knew some of the people who shared his free period. Jason navigated the increasingly crowded hallways, almost dancing between the clustered students as he nimbly swept toward his locker.

Jason twisted the lock back and forth until his locker popped open. There were certain things hidden in his locker that he was careful not to let anyone see. Wrapped inside a dusty, pale blue folder, marked "Math," was a much brighter Lisa Frank folder full of neon rainbows and cute ponies. Nestled in here were his doodles, which he liked to work on during his free period. They were very private doodles, even though most people wouldn't connect the subject matter with Jason. They were drawings of Jamie.

Jason slipped his Econ textbook and folder into the locker and slipped the inconspicuous blue folder out, stashing it in his little black backpack. He pulled it on quickly, mounting it over one shoulder, as he flipped the locker shut and clicked the lock into place. He patted his pocket, feeling the keys to his little red Pontiac.

The halls were less crowded already, with only two minutes until the next period started. As he walked, Jason's thoughts were already drifting through his folder... He felt that familiar longing building. If only he could be as pretty as the girl he drew. If only he wasn't... himself.

He stepped out into the bright midday sun, squinting at the high school parking lot. He nearly ran to his car, eager to drive off somewhere where he could be alone, away from anyone who could catch him even thinking anything like what he was already thinking of. The keys slid into the door, and just as quickly into the ignition. The old car tripped into gear and shambled out of the lot.

Jamie slowly let the facade fall, alone in her car. Finally, she could be herself. She let out a sigh, letting her shoulders slip off an invisible burden. The radio was off, and she had a quiet moment to herself, gazing out at the world, letting her mind empty of all her concerns.

Jamie loved driving alone. She loved the solitude of her car, like a tiny, mobile fortress that kept the world out, where she was safe from other people's stares, their judgments, their words. All the mirrors were pointed away from herself, and she could just flow into the traffic, losing herself in the thrum of the city.

She passed the subway, slowing her speed as she spotted a cop car on the side of the road. She peered through the window at the child in the car and looked away instinctively, not wanting to stare at a cop. She jerked her head back, just barely tapping the brakes in surprise when it finally registered that a little girl was sitting in the driver's seat of the police car! It was even running! Jamie didn't know what to do about it, so she carefully kept her eye on the kid as she rolled past.

[Harri-chan]

Karen started to press her foot down on the accelerator, when the crackling voice came through the radio. Drawing a deep breath, she leaned over and pushed the button. "Uh... yeah, it's me. I'm still here, so call back whoever you sent. It's just a misunderstanding, I got it all under control... ", she said, blushing brightly as she pictured the adult female cop on the other end, and imagined what she'd say if she saw Karen like this. "Have a nice day!", she added, and took her finger off the button.

[Whatevr89532]

Before too long someone starts tugging gently on one of Tim's pant legs. Looking down, he would see a little girl in a simple child-sized dress, loosely holding a piece of hard candy with a dark purple wrapper in her other hand.

The ribbon isn't too hard to push back into his pocket, but when Carter does so it slips a bit, almost as if it had been moving, and went completely limp when he touched it. Other than that, he might notice it seems to be taking up a bit more space than before. The real kicker, though, is that once he takes his hand out of the pocket it actually feels like something is moving in there.

There is an awkward pause, and then someone else's voice cuts in on the conversation: "No worries, I'm nearly there." It's Officer McNeil, a fairly new addition to the force whose favorite pastime (when off duty, of course) is disproving various urban legends. He's a fairly young guy, and can be quite amicable when he isn't putting on the 'police face'. The day's been fairly quiet so far, so it makes sense he would want to relieve the boredom with investigating something supposedly bizarre going on.

[Windyuki]

Before too long someone starts tugging gently on one of Tim's pant legs. Looking down, he would see a little girl in a simple child-sized dress, loosely holding a piece of hard candy with a dark purple wrapper in her other hand.

"Shove it." Tim kicks his leg, trying to dislodge the kid. "Or I'll freaking kill you. Damn brat. Now get the hell off me." Tim kicks his leg again, not particularly caring if he hits the girl.

[muffinstud]

"Hmm?" Mouth full of sammich, Carter gives his pocket a puzzled look. He reaches down and pulls the ribbon out to see if it really is squirming like it seems to be.

[Harri-chan]

"Oh crap... ", muttered Karen to herself as she heard Officer McNeil was on his was, and would be here any minute. Part of her told her to stay and explain, but a stronger part of her mind told her to avoid being seen like this. Stuffing her badge and radio into the pockets of her bright red jacket, she makes sure the safety on her gun is switched on, and tucked it into the waist of her skirt, along with her cuffs, before tugging the t-shirt down to cover them up. Pulling the keys from the ignition, she leapt out of the car, locking the door behind her, and tossed the keys into another pocket.

Stepping back from the car, she moved to sit on the wall that lined the sidewalk. Perhaps she could get Officer McNeil to help her figure this out, without him finding out who she really was. Her heart raced inside her chest as she waited, one hand tugging on the short skirt, not realising that Jamie had been watching her for the last few minutes.