instar: (Default)
Author: instar
Renée is gone in the morning, a pot of maple oatmeal for the girls and Trouble cooling on the stove and a note on the fridge, she's going to be gone all day on a day trip to Tucson with her friends.

Andi wakes up first. Bella's not far behind.
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble is in the kitchen, eating oatmeal, when they come down.
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"Morning," says Bella, helping herself to oatmeal.
aeskhyne: (④ without any plans)
Author: aeskhyne
"Good morning," he chirps. "You guys sleep okay?"
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Yeah, fine. You?"
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
"Peachy."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Would you rather have our talk without Andi around?" asks Bella neutrally.
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"Yeah."
pandion: (Default)
Author: pandion
"'Kay," shrugs Andi, and she takes her bowl of oatmeal upstairs.
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
"So... I don't think I can just figure out what I need, and tell you," he says. "I don't think I can guess that well what you might do that I should warn you off of."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"I don't know either. But if I run headlong into something that turns out to be a huge problem for you, I cannot safely replace you, and that's if your reaction is 'flee to Australia' and not 'sell us to the invading force'. Anybody could be piloted by a Yeerk, to say nothing of your particular talents as bear bait and so on."
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"I'm not gonna sell you to the invading force," says Trouble. "There is nothing that could get me to do that on purpose. Not really keen on fleeing to Australia, either." He sighs. "What I mean is... fucking things up with me is pretty easy, some ways, there's stuff I'm touchy about. But fucking things up with me forever is really hard. For you, anyway."
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"Temporary screwups could jeopardize delicate things, too."
aeskhyne: (⑦ i'll make you see)
Author: aeskhyne
"Sure," he says. "But, like, I know that. If you manage to piss me off in the middle of kidnapping your dad, I'm not gonna bail on you out of spite."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Okay. That's good, then."
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"For that matter, if he manages to piss me off, I still won't bail on you. But I might wanna stay out of his way as much as possible."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"I don't anticipate needing you to spend much time in close quarters with Charlie."
aeskhyne: (⑤ okay boys)
Author: aeskhyne
"Okay, good."
instar: (spider)
Author: instar
"It would still be good if I could avoid pissing you off."
aeskhyne: (⑩ i'll just play along)
Author: aeskhyne
He shrugs. "Yeah. But - I don't know, I didn't know you were going to say the thing that set me off this time until you said it, I don't know how to guess what the next thing might be. Do you?"
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
She shrugs. "Do you have a reasonable model of me being desperate, paranoid, overclocked, and some amount of traumatized? Because that's how I'm going to be for the foreseeable future."
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"Nnnot really," says Trouble.
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Then that makes it harder to guess. And I can guess what I'll do but not which of those things will upset you."
aeskhyne: (⑩ i'll just play along)
Author: aeskhyne
"...I could try to tell you what about that thing just now got to me," he offers, "if that'd help."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Potentially very much."
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
"It's something like... it seemed like you didn't know that I'd think about what it might do to you before running off and planting explosives somewhere," he says. "Like you figured that was a pretty obvious thing for me to do and you had to warn me off it because I wasn't gonna get there myself unless you gave me a shove. And there's something about the way you said it, too, but that's harder to nail down - I could just say I don't like it when somebody tells me what not to do, but that doesn't get all of it."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"You don't work the way I work. I don't know you the way I know my twin. I can model you, but sometimes I think my model of you is pretty terrible. I don't like to trust it if there's a way I don't have to. If you ran off and planted explosives somewhere thoughtlessly, it would - I wouldn't assume that it would happen if I forgot to mention that it shouldn't, but it would fail to stun me the way it would stun me if Andi did it."
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"Okay," says Trouble. "So... maybe say that? I mean, if something like that comes up again? There's a big difference between 'I don't really think you're gonna do this, but it's important enough to check' and 'I totally think you're gonna do this, so don't'. First one I can handle. What you said came off more like the second one."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
Bella writes this down.
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
"Think we can dig up any more land mines this way?" he says wryly.
instar: (doe)
Author: instar
"Maybe. I don't know. Can you tell me what else sets you off?"
aeskhyne: (⑦ i'll make you see)
Author: aeskhyne
"...Well, there's the thing about being told what not to do," he says. "Rules. Threats. But not just threatening threats. Like - you remember when I made my first pie for you guys, I wouldn't eat any vegetables? It was 'cause someone was telling me I had to if I wanted any pie. Not much of a threat, but it counts. And on the flip side, not every time somebody tells me to do something is a show-stopper - I was all right with Elfangor telling me to run and hide."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"What makes the difference?"
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
He shrugs. "I'm not exactly sure. Something about - context, maybe. What it meant."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Renée wanting you to eat your vegetables meant that she was trying to play the role of the responsible adult who cares about your vitamin intake. Does that fit into some category that might generalize better? I mean, is it - per-case or is there a pattern I could learn?"
aeskhyne: (⑨ nobody grows up)
Author: aeskhyne
"The thing that mattered about what your mom did is that she did it that way," says Trouble. "She wanted something from me, and even though she wanted it for my own good, she tried to get it by taking something away from me and holding it hostage. That's just never a good idea. Telling me I can only have this nice thing if I do this, or you'll do something nasty to me if I do that."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"...How far does that go? Like, I don't have a specific real example in mind, but there are fairly natural consequences for all kinds of things that could look like a threat in that way - there are friendship-ending offenses, the end of a friendship means the end of all associated perks, how does that fail to fall into this category?"
aeskhyne: (⑩ i'll just play along)
Author: aeskhyne
"...That's more like - telling me you can't open the peanut butter jar so if I want any I'd better do it myself. You're not really holding something over me, it's just that the way things fall out, you can't make it so I can have the one thing without doing the other."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar


"This sounds like it's going to interact badly with how I work."
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"...What do you mean?"
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"What if I can make it that way, what if I can write my own mental programs in my little notebook and install them any which way I want, what if the only thing between me and being able to let you have the one thing without doing the other - or whatever - is an hour and a pencil and finding it necessary?"
aeskhyne: (⑦ i'll make you see)
Author: aeskhyne
"—If we're talking about friendship, it matters what you want, too," he says. "Like - back to the pie. The pie was a lever. Your mom didn't, like, have a superstiton or something that it's bad luck to have pie if somebody hasn't eaten their vegetables, the pie wasn't her pie that she was trading to us for vegetable-eating, the point of not giving people pie until they eat their vegetables is that they want the pie and they'll put up with the vegetables if that's the only way they can get it. That's different from, like... if you don't wanna be friends with somebody who's nasty to you, and they have to not be nasty to keep being your friend. Even if you could make yourself put up with it. You could probably get the lid off the peanut butter jar, too, with a big enough wrench. Doesn't mean you have to go to the hardware store and buy one just 'cause I want some peanut butter."
instar: (spider)
Author: instar
"Friendship was just an example that came to mind. I do have to go buy the wrench if you going without peanut butter means some significant increase in the chance that brain-infesting alien slugs take over the Earth and you don't feel like getting off the couch to open the jar. I will buy the outcome of brain-infesting alien slugs not taking over the Earth with any currency I can get my hands on, whether the transaction is fair or not, whether I like it or have to make myself like it or have to live with not liking it, none of that remotely approaches the magnitude of importance of brain-infesting alien slugs not taking over the Earth."
aeskhyne: (⑩ i'll just play along)
Author: aeskhyne
"I... also don't want brain-infesting alien slugs taking over the Earth," Trouble points out. "And when I said 'doesn't mean you have to', I meant it in context. The point of the peanut butter jar isn't that God himself decreed there's no way you can open the jar so I can't blame you for making me choose. It's that you're not trying to make me choose, you're just pointing out that there is a choice. That's not a threat, that's information. If you, I dunno, designed the jar specifically so that only I can open it because you have some kind of weird fascination with watching me open jars, and then you vaporized all the other peanut butter in Arizona, that would be the kind of thing I'm talking about when I say 'threat'. It's the difference between something that's already there and just happens to be the way it is, and something that somebody's setting up specifically to get something out of me. If, I dunno, you could open the jar and you just don't want to because you don't want any peanut butter, 'open it yourself if you want some' is still fine. Get me?"
instar: (snake)
Author: instar
"I understand that you also don't want the Yeerks to take over the Earth. Whenever I say something that makes you feel compelled to remind me you can skip it. I was explaining the level of need-to-get-results I am working with inside my own head, not trying to contrast your preferences with mine in terms of their contents." She shakes her head. "Anyway. My knowledge of human resource management is seriously limited, but if both carrots and sticks make you explode I don't know what else to do - make a plan for if you feel like joining us on a particular Tuesday and another plan for if you don't and consult you to see if the stars are right?"
aeskhyne: (⑨ nobody grows up)
Author: aeskhyne
"Are carrots and sticks just the literal only ways you can think of to convince anybody to do or not do anything? How about, since I don't want the Yeerks to win, I am probably gonna want to stop them, and if you want me to do something to help with that you could start by saying so and then explain why you think it's a good idea if I don't buy it from the start?"
instar: (spider)
Author: instar
"I am aware of the fact that I can sometimes convince you to do things. I'm trying to deal with the fact that I might need you to do things and cannot arrange that you will do things. I think I'm good at coming up with things. I am worse at explaining myself to other people - we have had miscommunications before - I'm worse at working with free variables than with fixed ones, especially if I have to think many steps ahead."
aeskhyne: (⑩ i'll just play along)
Author: aeskhyne
"Well, I sure as hell can't open that jar," shrugs Trouble. "Wouldn't if I could. I'm not arrangeable. If you need me to do something, you can ask. And if you need me to, and I can, I probably will. But 'just shut up and do what I tell you until either we win or the slugs kill us all' is definitely a can't."
instar: (owl)
Author: instar


Bella writes.



And says, "Does this continue to apply if I extract verbal agreement about something - do I also need to account for midstream changes of mind?"
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
"...If I tell you I'm gonna do something, and I know it's important, I'm not gonna go do something else unless it's more important that I do that," he says. "And if it's really important to you that I be consistent on something, it'll have to be something really important that gets me to not. I don't think that's something really special about me, I just think I notice it more. Most people will break a promise if something comes up that's worth breaking that promise to them."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Right."

Write write write.
aeskhyne: (⑦ i'll make you see)
Author: aeskhyne
"And if something does come up, I'll try to tell you about it," he adds. "Soon as I can."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Thank you."
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
He smiles.
instar: (doe)
Author: instar
"Have we missed anything?"
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
"Damned if I know."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Right. Well. If you think of anything. As long as Andi's upstairs - can we tell the others your stepdad is in the Sharing? No other details, necessarily, just that he's someone we can follow if we need to find Yeerk hangouts."
aeskhyne: (⑩ i'll just play along)
Author: aeskhyne
He thinks about this.

Then: "Yeah. Okay."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
Bella writes.

Bella sighs.
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"I feel like I want to help you with something, but I don't even know where to start."
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"Well, I'm going to spend the rest of this bowl of oatmeal thinking of relatively low-risk experiments to do with morphing, then I'm going to call Robin and ask her to find and photocopy a detailed street map of Phoenix while she's at the library today, then I'm going to catch a butterfly."
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
"I could help you catch butterflies," he laughs. "Or think of morphing experiments. I lost some scars on my way to Elfangor and back last night. Nothing anybody but me will miss. Maybe I should get a human morph so I can go back and forth without taking my clothes off - I bet Robin'd let me - and see what else it fixes. You'd probably want to take notes on that, right? When's good?"
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"I'd like to get as many experiments as possible handled before going to Forks, and today there's no school and Renée is out all day. I would appreciate help catching butterflies, since I'm certain to be dismal at it. I would like to take notes on any experiments like that."
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
"Then I'll help you catch butterflies," he says. "And find Robin long enough to acquire her, and then drag Ethan back here so he can torture me in your basement."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Grand."

Bella writes with one hand and spoons oatmeal with the other. Then she puts her bowl in the sink, and says, "Since you're going to meet up with Robin anyway, you could also ask her about the map. We should expect to be doing some traveling as the crow-or-pigeon flies, and it will be more efficient to plot our own routes rather than rely on bus-oriented knowledge of the layout."
aeskhyne: (⑤ okay boys)
Author: aeskhyne
"Got it," says Trouble. "Can I hear your list of bright ideas?"
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Check speeds, check healing tolerances, check if we can control the order of operations at all, figure out just how tiring it is and how many times in a row we can pull it off, you already checked if we come with knowledge of how to move around in morphed bodies but I'll double-check with the butterfly, same with thoughtspeaking, it made some noise so I'll want to see if we can cut down on that for stealth. That's what I've got so far."
aeskhyne: (⑩ i'll just play along)
Author: aeskhyne
"Yeah," says Trouble. "And I can't thoughtspeak when I'm human - I tried. Forgot to say."
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"Good to know. Pity, that would have been tactically precious."
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
He shrugs. "Yeah. Oh well, I guess."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Yes. Let's go catch me a butterfly, and I can go practice with Andi supervising while you find Robin?"
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
"Sure."
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"There should be some in the garden. Little drab ones."
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
"Okay."

Out into the garden, then.
instar: (human)
Author: instar
There are some little drab ones.

Bella is terrible at catching them; she comes closest to succeeding when she finds one on a plant and tries to coax it into her hand, but never quite manages.
aeskhyne: (④ without any plans)
Author: aeskhyne
Within five minutes, Trouble has a little white butterfly caged in his hands. He brings it to Bella.
instar: (butterfly)
Author: instar
She accepts it, acquires it to keep it from escaping, and carries it in in case Andi wants it too.
pandion: (lock)
Author: pandion
Andi does want it too!
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
"You guys are gonna be a cute butterfly," says Trouble, admiring the original.
pandion: (Default)
Author: pandion
"Yep!"
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"So I guess we'll see you later, Trouble?"
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
"Yep. Hug?"
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Sure."

Hug.
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
Very hug.

"See you," he says, and he's off.
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
The twins play with the butterfly until he comes back.
aeskhyne: (⑦ i'll make you see)
Author: aeskhyne
He returns about an hour later, accompanied by Ethan and a map. A really good map.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Hi, guys. It turns out Andi is some kind of morphing prodigy. She can include clothes, and control order of operations, and she's six times faster than me at the butterfly. She also figured out how to stop in the middle, but I can do that too, now."
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"How about clothes, can you do those?"
instar: (human)
Author: instar
"Working on it."
pandion: (Default)
Author: pandion
"I can't do just any clothes, they have to be pretty snug," says Andi, who is in fact wearing a tube top and leggings. "But they just sort of come along, if I want them to - not when I'm turning into Bella, though, then I want them to stay where they are."
palmofyourhand: (⑥ could be anything)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Fascinating," says Ethan. "Could you attach one outfit to each shape, I wonder?"
pandion: (still)
Author: pandion
"We were about to try that when you showed up, actually."
palmofyourhand: (③ my love flowed for you)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Well, don't let me stop you," he laughs.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"She's not going to do it in front of you. Andi, you think you can take notes by yourself while I watch these guys?"
pandion: (checking)
Author: pandion
"Yeah, no problem."
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
"I do love an audience," says Ethan.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"I'm sure."

She heads for the basement, while her sister goes up the stairs.
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
Basement!

"So," says Ethan, "are we going to stick to some kind of experimental structure or should I just keep breaking things until something sticks?"
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble bounces gleefully.
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"No fatal wounds, nothing we cannot possibly explain as 'Trouble fell off the roof' or something if he winds up unable to morph like Elfangor - you're morphing Robin, Trouble, not one of the Andalites?"
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"Yeah," he says, "otherwise I'd bust my clothes - I guess if I figure out Andi's trick that won't be as big of a problem, but one thing at a time, and this thing's more fun."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Because one of the questions I have is whether anything peculiar happens if you lose a part you don't normally have."
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
"...Ooh," says Trouble. "Yeah, I'm game for that. Should I go hide behind a box?"
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Does this not actually matter to you? I can be, you know, experimentally detached if you don't care and neither of you are going to be juvenile about it."
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"I'm perpetually juvenile," says Trouble. "And I'm gonna be perpetually something else if Ethan's gonna be mauling me for hours. It doesn't bother me, but it'd bother me to bother you, you know?"
palmofyourhand: (① ever seen your eyes)
Author: palmofyourhand
"I don't give a damn at all," Ethan contributes.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"I'd rather skip the juvenile part, so until we're checking something less objective, I guess you go behind a box, and I suppose at some point when you are sufficiently 'something else' I leave you two alone and hope you have the presence of mind to write anything down."
aeskhyne: (⑦ i'll make you see)
Author: aeskhyne
"Okay."

Trouble goes behind a box.
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan follows him.

One or both of them proceeds to take Trouble's pants off.
aeskhyne: (⑤ okay boys)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble morphs. It takes a few minutes.
palmofyourhand: (⑬ and let me see)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Which part, I wonder..." murmurs Ethan.

If Trouble makes a suggestion, Ethan is the only one who hears it. He laughs. A few moments later, he comes back around the boxes, holding a knife and a severed stalk eye, both objects dripping blue-black fluid.

"What are we going to do with this, do you suppose?"
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"If it doesn't disappear when he demorphs? We have a little campfire and when Renée gets home 'we decided to roast marshmallows'."
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Tasty," snorts Ethan. "Well, he's demorphing, and it doesn't seem inclined to disappear."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"It does not." Bella gets a box, lines the bottom with bubble wrap to contain the spread of ichor, and offers it.
palmofyourhand: (⑧ keeps the human soul)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan puts the severed eye into the box.

"Should've brought a towel," he remarks, looking at his blood-smeared hands. "Several towels."
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"I'll get you a roll of paper ones."

Bella goes up, and comes down with a roll of paper towels.
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan wipes his hands and the knife. Then he makes the knife disappear.
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
"I'm all demorphed," says Trouble, from behind his box. "No missing pieces. Should I try morphing back to see what happens?"
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Yes, please." (Write, write.)
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
Quiet morphing noises ensue.
palmofyourhand: (Default)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Recording the results?" inquires Ethan.
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"What else?"
palmofyourhand: (⑩ even deserts burn)
Author: palmofyourhand
He shrugs. "Further insights, unrelated thoughts, your favourite apple pie recipe? It's not as though I can read it."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"I am taking notes on the experiment and what it might mean about future experiments and the uses of non-experimental type morphing in extremis."
palmofyourhand: (⑥ could be anything)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Aha."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"The fact that the stalk eye is persisting, in particular, is interesting - that and the fact that Visser Three was able to eat Elfangor and then turn into a creature the same size as Elfangor without apparent discomfort suggests that it's possible to cheat at food, basically. Morph fleas or something, bite each other, persist indefinitely. I'd rather never have to, but it's good to know."
aeskhyne: (⑩ i'll just play along)
Author: aeskhyne
<Got my eye back,> says Trouble, poking his indeed pristine Elfangor-shaped head up over the boxes. <Should we cut something else off before I turn back? Maybe better not, the fewer Andalite parts we have to dispose of the better, right?>
instar: (doe)
Author: instar
"Yeah, I don't even know how well it'll burn. And we're going to have to get all the blood off the floor, too, but -" She dabs a paper towel on the end of the eye. "It should come up okay."
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
<There's not that much blood,> Trouble says cheerfully. <But yeah, you're right. Okay, back to human me.>

He slumps back out of sight and emits some more unattractive sounds.
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"Still better to have relatively less, so if you have methods of injury available other than the knife, probably best for further tests. You holding up okay back there?"
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
No answer.
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
Bella waits for the morphing noises to stop, then repeats the question.
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"Kinda tired," he admits. "I could maybe use a break and something to drink."
instar: (doe)
Author: instar
"We have water. Or iced tea, or milk. Morphing is kind of tiring."
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
"Ooh, iced tea," says Trouble, appearing from behind the boxes. "I would love an iced tea."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"I'll go get you one, then. Ethan, anything for you?"
palmofyourhand: (① ever seen your eyes)
Author: palmofyourhand
"No thanks," he chirps.
instar: (butterfly)
Author: instar
"Okay."

Bella climbs the stairs.

She comes down a minute later, glass of iced tea in hand.
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
At which time, Ethan and Trouble are kissing.
aeskhyne: (⑦ i'll make you see)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble detaches.

"Thanks, Bella," he says, reaching for the glass.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"You're welcome. Should I leave you be?"
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
He shrugs. "Nah, if you do we'll probably just start making out again; stick around while I finish this and then we can do some more science."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Okay. One thing I was trying to figure out is how morphing interacts with breathing. Me and Andi noted that we continue breathing while morphing, occasionally with a moment of changeover between systems - we didn't have enough trials to see if we can reliably demorph with our lungs full of air, which would be really handy if we could do it every time, for underwater if we ever need to do things underwater. If you could keep an eye on that that would be useful, although it's the kind of observation you can make any time you morph so it's not worth dividing your attention if the experiments you're actually here to do are distracting."
aeskhyne: (⑩ i'll just play along)
Author: aeskhyne
"Ooh," says Trouble. "Yeah. I'll try it some other time."
instar: (human)
Author: instar
Bella nods, and sits down, and goes and annotates her notes so far.
aeskhyne: (⑤ okay boys)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble drinks his iced tea.
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan eyes him speculatively.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Penny for your thoughts."
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Who, me? Just wondering what to break first."
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"It's really very convenient that we have someone willing to perform the experiment."
palmofyourhand: (⑥ could be anything)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Isn't it?" he agrees.
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble beams.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Have you decided," Bella inquires delicately, "what to break first?"
palmofyourhand: (⑦ the future never waits)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Mm, not quite."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Okay. Can you break things with your bare hands or should I go scrounging for instruments of blunt trauma?"
palmofyourhand: (③ my love flowed for you)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan giggles. "Oh, scrounge for instruments, by all means, I can't imagine that making it any less fun."
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble laughs and keeps drinking his iced tea, slowly.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"I think we have a hammer."
aeskhyne: (④ without any plans)
Author: aeskhyne
"Ooh," says Trouble. "Yeah, bring the hammer."
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
Bella goes looking for the hammer. It takes her three minutes to find; the garage is kind of a mess.
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
When she comes back, Trouble has finished his iced tea and is kissing Ethan again.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
Bella coughs politely.
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
He disengages. "Hi, Bella!"
palmofyourhand: (③ my love flowed for you)
Author: palmofyourhand
"I'll take that, thanks," says Ethan, reaching for the hammer.
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
She hands it over, and sits down, and flips her notebook open again.
palmofyourhand: (⑧ keeps the human soul)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan eyes Trouble some more.
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble grins back at him.
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan runs a hand thoughtfully down Trouble's left arm, most recently broken of his limbs.

Then, smirking, he takes the hammer to it.
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble is exquisitely cooperative.
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
It makes some lovely sounds. Well, lovely to Ethan.

He glances at Bella and asks, "How much damage should I do before he morphs again?"
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"Morphing's tiring and we don't want him stuck - see if this makes it any harder, I think, then work up from there?"
aeskhyne: (⑦ i'll make you see)
Author: aeskhyne
"It's sure as hell distracting," says Trouble, beginning to morph. "Not that much harder, though..."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
Bella watches his arm as he changes. "Note when during the morph it stops hurting, and if there are intermediate stages."
aeskhyne: (⑤ okay boys)
Author: aeskhyne
"Still hurts," he observes, although in fact the morph has yet to touch his damaged arm; it's going for the hair first, and Robin's brilliant green eyes. Then he shrinks, all of the barely-an-inch height difference, and his face begins to shift...
hold_infinity: (⑥ wanna be my string)
Author: hold_infinity
...and paleness spreads patchily over his skin, and the broken arm fixes itself all at once— "Stopped hurting now," he reports wryly— and his chest grows and his waist shrinks and certain other details rearrange themselves.

Trouble - to all appearances Robin - shrugs.
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
Bella writes this down, checks her timer, writes that down. "Takes longer than me morphing Andi. Seems relatively proportional to how big the changes you're making are."
hold_infinity: (① has the dawn)
Author: hold_infinity
<And I can thought-speak now,> he (or she) says cheerfully.
instar: (human)
Author: instar
"...Ooh. Me and Andi did not come across that particular feature morphing each other, although we can do it when we're butterflies - how do you do it?"
hold_infinity: (⑦ take a look around)
Author: hold_infinity
"I - just do?" he says, in Trouble's accent from Robin's mouth. "It's not any different than doing it as an Andalite."
instar: (butterfly)
Author: instar
"Huh." Bella turns into Andi -
pandion: (Default)
Author: pandion
"Tes"<ting?>
hold_infinity: (② you were meant to be here)
Author: hold_infinity
<You got it!>
pandion: (brow)
Author: pandion
<Wow, we might have to spend a lot of time morphed as each other just to get this advantage.>
instar: (human)
Author: instar
She morphs back. She writes.
hold_infinity: (③ took a storm before)
Author: hold_infinity
Trouble-Robin giggles.

"Hey," she says to Ethan, "wanna break me some more before I turn back?"
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Mm, pass," he says.
hold_infinity: (⑤ see all the profit)
Author: hold_infinity
Shrug. "Suit yourself, buddy."

He demorphs noticeably faster than he morphed.
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
And shows no sign of injury to that arm. He checks.
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"It could be different, injuries to morphs versus injuries to baseline shapes," Bella says, "is there some reason we can't do that experiment?"
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
"We can if you wanna hold the hammer," says Trouble. "Ethan doesn't feel like fucking up his best friend even when she's actually me."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"I'll think about it. You were faster demoprhing than morphing, any idea why?"
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
"'Cause I wasn't trying to figure out when the pain stopped, I think."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Okay, can we repeat that or something effectively similar without the confounding factor in case the injury all by itself is affecting your speed?"
aeskhyne: (④ without any plans)
Author: aeskhyne
"Sure," he says, holding his other arm out to Ethan.
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
Who cheerfully breaks it.
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
This time the morph is much faster. A little slower than coming back from Robin the first time, maybe, but not as obviously so.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
Bella times it and writes down the times.
aeskhyne: (④ without any plans)
Author: aeskhyne
And then Trouble is Trouble again.

"So, now is it time to get nasty?"
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Incrementally nastier. Don't overdo it, and I don't think we should experiment with anything that could cause brain damage."
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
He shrugs. "All right, so don't hit me in the head."
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan playfully taps the handle of the hammer against Trouble's forehead.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
He laughs.

And smashes the hammer into Trouble's ribs.
aeskhyne: (④ without any plans)
Author: aeskhyne
"C'mon, that barely hurt," he giggles.
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
So Ethan does it again. Several more times.
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
At the point where giggling becomes markedly difficult, Trouble shoves the hammer away and starts to morph.

Definitely a little slow.
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
Bella times him. When he's done, she says, "Distracted or actually slowed down by being hurt?"
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
"Distracted," he says. "That's how it slows me down - it's hard to concentrate through it, you know?"
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Do you think practice would affect it?"
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
"Maybe. Probably. Let's see."
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
This round, Ethan puts the hammer down and breaks all of Trouble's fingers. And then picks it up again to finish the job, prodding carefully to verify that no bone in hand or wrist remains intact.
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
By the time Ethan desists, Trouble is teary-eyed and grinning broadly.

His morph to Robin is noticeably slow; his morph back is about like average.
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
Bella takes notes.

(Occasionally she flips forward a few pages and writes indecipherable things there, not with the rest of her timing chart and its annotations.)
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Are we inspiring you?"
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Inspiring me? I don't think I'd describe it like that, what do you mean? Trouble, do of course say so if you need another break."
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Inspiring you to unscientific observations."
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
"I am fiiiiiiiiine," says Trouble. "If I take a break it'll be to drag Ethan behind some boxes and fuck him."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Well, say so if you need to do that, so I can leave."
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
"Trust me," he laughs, "it's not gonna sneak up on you."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Right then. Carry on."
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
"'Kay."
palmofyourhand: (③ my love flowed for you)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan puts a steadying hand on Trouble's shoulder and punches him in the stomach.

Then he starts breaking bones again.

He goes on for a while; eventually he has to lay Trouble out on the floor to keep working on him. Hands, arms, collarbones, ribs, hips, kneecaps.
aeskhyne: (⑮ every scream)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble spends most of this time whimpering ecstatically.
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
Bella scribbles. Her expression is very, very neutral.
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan pauses to inquire, "Are we making you uncomfortable?"
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"I'm fine."
palmofyourhand: (① ever seen your eyes)
Author: palmofyourhand
"All right."

He goes back to turning Trouble into Trouble-shaped mush.
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
Very happy mush.
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand




"All right," he says eventually, "go on, try morphing from here."
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
He manages a dazed nod, and concentrates.

Morphing from this condition is... slow.
hold_infinity: (③ took a storm before)
Author: hold_infinity
And when he's finished, his breath still not quite caught, he says in half a gasp: "Get lost, Bella, we're taking that break now."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
Bella writes down the time. And she goes up the stairs, and closes the door.
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
They are not especially quiet down there.
instar: (ermine)
Author: instar
Bella and Andi will be up in their room on the top floor working on the clothes thing. Also they will - probably not coincidentally - have on loud music to see how this interacts with understanding thoughtspeech.
palmofyourhand: (① ever seen your eyes)
Author: palmofyourhand
When next they venture downstairs, Ethan will be sitting on the couch drinking tea.
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
And Trouble will be curled up with his head in Ethan's lap, sleeping peacefully.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
Bella comes down the stairs, with her hands behind her back. "Despite her protests, Andi has been practicing morphing-in-order and has learned an adorable trick. Does Trouble want to wake up and see, do you suppose?"
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Oh, probably," says Ethan.
pandion: (laughter)
Author: pandion
<Trouble! Wake up and see what I can do!>
aeskhyne: (④ without any plans)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble wakes up. Not very quickly.

"Mmmmf?"
instar: (butterfly)
Author: instar
Bella brings her hands around in front of her.
pandion: (laughter)
Author: pandion
Standing on her hand, clinging to her thumb for balance, is a tiny Andi with butterfly wings, in some sort of improvised garment out of a fabric scrap and hairtie.

<I'm a fairy!>
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
"Holy shit," says Trouble, "that's so adorable, I want to hug you but I'm afraid you'd squish. Can I hug you when you demorph?"
palmofyourhand: (① ever seen your eyes)
Author: palmofyourhand
Even Ethan grins.
pandion: (laughter)
Author: pandion
<Sure!> says Andi. <I'm not a perfect fairy. I can't fly like this and I'm pretty sure about half of me has an exoskeleton I couldn't postpone till after the wings and I can only do it one try in three. But I'm so cute!>
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
"You are unbelievably cute. I don't believe how cute you are."
pandion: (pearls)
Author: pandion
<Bella says photographic evidence of the cute is too dangerous. It's sad.>
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
"That is sad," says Trouble. "I'm sad about it."

He snuggles closer to Ethan.
palmofyourhand: (⑥ could be anything)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan rather absently pets him.
pandion: (lens)
Author: pandion
<I wanna demorph now. And call it a day, I'm tired.>
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"Sure."

Bella carries her fairy sister upstairs.

Soon they come back down, both shaped normally.
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble is asleep again.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
Bella sits at the kitchen table and writes inscrutably.
pandion: (Default)
Author: pandion
Andi unearths popsicles from under frozen pesto cubes and broccoli, and takes a blue one and gives Bella a red one and waves an orange one questioningly in Ethan's direction.
palmofyourhand: (③ my love flowed for you)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Ooh. Yes, please and thank you."
pandion: (thought)
Author: pandion
He gets an orange popscicle. Andi flops into an armchair with her blue. "I'm tiiiired."
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"So is Trouble," says Ethan, gesturing down at his lapful of same.
pandion: (pearls)
Author: pandion
"Yeah. I'm not sleepy, though, I don't think I could just take a nap right now. I feel like I ran a marathon though."
palmofyourhand: (⑥ could be anything)
Author: palmofyourhand
"I suppose that makes sense. The energy has to come from somewhere."
pandion: (brow)
Author: pandion
"Yeah, I guess. Bella's pretending she's not tired even though she morphed almost as many times as I did."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Only almost, and more of mine were just to you and back," Bella says.
palmofyourhand: (⑦ the future never waits)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Yes, morphing another member of the same species does seem to be less taxing," says Ethan, petting the sleeping Trouble.
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Yep. I wonder when Robin will be here, do you know?"
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Not a clue. She was reportedly already buried in books when Trouble found her."
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"Sounds productive."
palmofyourhand: (Default)
Author: palmofyourhand
"It will be."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Good."

Bella is back to writing things.

She has to go get a fresh notebook, after a while.
palmofyourhand: (⑩ even deserts burn)
Author: palmofyourhand
"...What are you doing?"
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Thinking. At the moment, about easily-obtained substances, especially anything likely to be effective in dense and solid form, that could be slipped into Yeerk pools we might find and disagree with the inhabitants. Might have to send Robin on a run for chemistry research after she's back with the verdict on birds."
palmofyourhand: (① ever seen your eyes)
Author: palmofyourhand
"I like the sound of that," says Ethan.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"I thought you might."
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Robin won't, she'll get squeamish. I should go with her to keep her on track."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"I didn't know she was the type to be squeamish about killing invading slug parasites."
palmofyourhand: (⑦ the future never waits)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Well, not if you handed her one to step on." He considers. "Maybe if you handed her one to step on. Chemical weapons, though, that's a different beast entirely in her eyes."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Why?"
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Harder to be sure of your aim. Probably less pleasant for the Yeerks. Definitely less pleasant for Robin to think about."
instar: (doe)
Author: instar
"Efficient. Infrastructure damage. No hosts in the way."
palmofyourhand: (⑥ could be anything)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Unless someone falls in, or an insufficiently poisoned Yeerk causes brain damage later. The possibility of baby Yeerks. They have to come from somewhere, and presumably they have to eat while they're at it."
instar: (snake)
Author: instar
"Well, fewer hosts in the way, at any rate. Higher Yeerk-to-host ratio. I don't think I can afford to worry about baby Yeerks. Not with five morphers and one box and no other tech, we don't have the leeway."
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
He shrugs. "I'm not bothered."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Just thinking aloud."

She goes back to thinking on paper.
palmofyourhand: (⑨ it just don't mean a thing)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Marathons," he murmurs thoughtfully.
instar: (doe)
Author: instar
"Hmm?"
palmofyourhand: (⑧ keeps the human soul)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Quote, 'I feel like I ran a marathon', end quote. I'm just wondering if we morphers would benefit from endurance training," he explains.
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Not a bad idea, are you volunteering to test a regimen to see if it's worth it for the rest of us?"
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Why not," he says. "I'll drag Robin into it too."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Don't pull her away from research for it, but otherwise yeah, can't hurt to have two case studies."
palmofyourhand: (⑦ the future never waits)
Author: palmofyourhand
"I'll drag Robin into it because otherwise I won't do it," he explains.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Ah. By all means, then."
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"I thought so."
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"Mm-hm."

Write, write.
hold_infinity: (⑦ take a look around)
Author: hold_infinity
The doorbell rings.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
Bella gets up to answer it.
hold_infinity: (① has the dawn)
Author: hold_infinity
"Hi!" says Robin. "I know everything there is to know about pigeons."
instar: (butterfly)
Author: instar
"Awesome! Good news?"
hold_infinity: (③ took a storm before)
Author: hold_infinity
"Yeah, lemme in, optionally feed me, I'll tell you everything."
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
Bella lets her in. "Popsicles have been going around."
pandion: (checking)
Author: pandion
Andi hauls herself up to fetch a green popsicle for Robin.
hold_infinity: (④ the greatest show)
Author: hold_infinity
"Mm. Thanks."

She drops her bag on the floor at Ethan's feet, hugs him, and then sits on said floor.

"Right," she says, gesturing with the popsicle, "gather round, ladies."
pandion: (do tell)
Author: pandion
Andi flops again.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
Bella relocates from kitchen table to living room.
hold_infinity: (⑤ see all the profit)
Author: hold_infinity
"The homing pigeon," she says, "has an average flight speed of fifty or sixty miles per hour over distances where fifty miles is a short leg of the trip. Crows go about thirty. Also, I found a pigeon loft in Phoenix run by the most incredibly sweet little old lady who let me come in, talk to her about the history of pigeon racing for an hour, and feed and pet all the little beauties. I'm sure she'd be thrilled if I came back with friends."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Your friends," says Bella, "are fascinated by the history of pigeon racing."
hold_infinity: (② you were meant to be here)
Author: hold_infinity
"Thought so."

She sucks on her popsicle.

"I gathered all kinds of other fascinating information, too. Want to see my notes?"
instar: (butterfly)
Author: instar
"Yes, I do."
hold_infinity: (⑥ wanna be my string)
Author: hold_infinity
Robin produces her notes.

They are exquisitely detailed, colour-coded, organized, indexed, and written with exacting neatness.
instar: (mockingbird)
Author: instar
"I would say you were my new favorite person, but Andi would throw something at me."
pandion: (do tell)
Author: pandion
"Too right I would."
hold_infinity: (② you were meant to be here)
Author: hold_infinity
"I'll take second," Robin says cheerfully.
pandion: (brow)
Author: pandion
"Excellent, don't have to sling any projectiles."
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"Seriously, beautiful notes. Ethan thinks you might not like my next proposed research project, though."
hold_infinity: (⑩ we never learn)
Author: hold_infinity
She grimaces in advance.
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"Should I trust his assessment and just do the research myself?"
hold_infinity: (⑥ wanna be my string)
Author: hold_infinity
"He said I wouldn't like it; did he say I wouldn't do it?"
palmofyourhand: (⑥ could be anything)
Author: palmofyourhand
"No."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"I don't want to use up your goodwill on day one when I could do it myself, though."
hold_infinity: (⑧ here and there)
Author: hold_infinity
"Why don't you tell me what it is first," Robin suggests.
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"When we find Yeerk pools, I want to know what's obtainable, relatively compact, and likely to disagree with the inhabitants. I don't know if the right answer looks more like 'elemental sodium' or more like 'bleach' or what."
hold_infinity: (⑬ the battlefield)
Author: hold_infinity




"You're right," she says after a pause, "I don't like it. But if I don't help you're just going to do it anyway, aren't you?"
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
Bella shrugs. "They might turn out to be too heavily protected. For all I know there are force fields around the damn things. But from the sound of it there's two ways to find Yeerks. Lots of them, vulnerably swimming around in pools. Or one at a time. Hiding behind their hosts."
hold_infinity: (⑮ had just arrived)
Author: hold_infinity
"I don't like that any better," sighs Robin. "I don't like any of this."
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"It's lousy," Bella agrees.
hold_infinity: (⑧ here and there)
Author: hold_infinity
"Lousy isn't the half of it."

She sighs and leans her head on Ethan's knee.
palmofyourhand: (⑦ the future never waits)
Author: palmofyourhand
He pets her hair.
instar: (spider)
Author: instar
"If I ever think of something better to do with Yeerks than kill them, I will be all over it," Bella promises.
hold_infinity: (⑧ here and there)
Author: hold_infinity
Robin sighs again. "Great. ...No, I mean that, that is good, it's just..." She shrugs helplessly.
instar: (snake)
Author: instar
Bella spreads her hands. "I don't have a way to put them on a comfy space prison colony. If I were handed a lot of Yeerks in slug form who wanted to be Yeerk Switzerland and sit out the conflict, I could sit them on the blue box and then give them all pigeons and supervise them for two hours to make sure they could wreak only limited havoc if they changed their minds, but I have no way to be sure we can trust any given Yeerk with even the powers of flight and thoughtspeech, given what they as a group or a political unit or whatever are doing with the powers they currently have. I don't have a way to render them magically incapable of infesting people. I might be able to kill them, and as long as that's all I have, this planet needs to be as uninhabitable-to-Yeerks as I can make it until the Andalites come along to save the day, if ever they do."
hold_infinity: (⑪ a new cloud coming)
Author: hold_infinity
"And where are the rest of us, in all this?"
instar: (doe)
Author: instar
"That's up to you. I could really use help. I'll do without it, if I have to."
hold_infinity: (⑦ take a look around)
Author: hold_infinity
She glances up at Ethan.

"Look," she says, turning back to Bella, "I don't want to think of this as your project that I'm just helping out on. We were all there too. If there's responsibility to go around, I have as much of it as you do. Even if I didn't stay for the show."
instar: (doe)
Author: instar


"Sorry."
hold_infinity: (⑧ here and there)
Author: hold_infinity
"I mean, I sort of get it. If I didn't think I could get any help, I'd be thinking like that too. But we are all in this together, all right? Even Ethan, God help us." She pats him fondly on the knee.
pandion: (lock)
Author: pandion
"Bella's all introverted and doesn't understand how group projects work," Andi says, "also generally despairs of other people being useful at important things."
instar: (ermine)
Author: instar
"That's an exaggeration."
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
"From what I've seen, not much of one."
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"Despair is too strong a word," insists Bella.
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Is it?"
instar: (human)
Author: instar
"Yes, for it to have been despair I'd have to currently be experiencing revelatory astonishment, not pleasant surprise." She shrugs. "The fact remains that I am a very self-centered person, and I expect things of myself that I wouldn't dream of demanding from anyone else, so I hope you'll all forgive the occasional slip of phrasing when I start talking about plans."
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Sure," says Ethan. "What matters to me isn't the language, it's the facts. I want to start hearing more about all these no doubt fascinating plans and ideas you keep scribbling down."
hold_infinity: (⑥ wanna be my string)
Author: hold_infinity
"That too," says Robin.
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"A lot of what I'm writing isn't even plans. There are plans in there, but I'm doing a lot of - psychological groundwork. I'm going to have to be on, I can't live with myself if I slack off more than I have to for long-term maintenance purposes. Not with these stakes and these tools. I'm trying to figure out how not to burn out."
hold_infinity: (⑪ a new cloud coming)
Author: hold_infinity
"...Good question," says Robin.
palmofyourhand: (⑧ keeps the human soul)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan just shrugs.
instar: (doe)
Author: instar
"I don't think I can apply anything I'm coming up with to other people," Bella says apologetically.
hold_infinity: (⑤ see all the profit)
Author: hold_infinity
"Oh well. I'll manage."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"If you need help then of course you should ask."
hold_infinity: (⑦ take a look around)
Author: hold_infinity
She looks up at Ethan again. "Oh, I will."
pandion: (pearls)
Author: pandion
"You're gonna try not to burn me out, too, right, Bella?"
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"Yes. And I know I need a wider margin of safety on you than I do on me."
hold_infinity: (⑥ wanna be my string)
Author: hold_infinity
"Let's try not to burn anyone out," says Robin.
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"I'm not sure burning out Trouble is even possible," muses Ethan, "but I'm also sure I don't want to find out at close range."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Agreed on both counts."
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
He pets the still-apparently-sleeping Trouble.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Is he still asleep? Do I even want to know what you did to him after I left?"
palmofyourhand: (① ever seen your eyes)
Author: palmofyourhand
"He looks it, doesn't he? And you're welcome to ask."
instar: (ermine)
Author: instar
"I think I will refrain."
palmofyourhand: (③ my love flowed for you)
Author: palmofyourhand
He laughs.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Robin, how far away are the fascinating pigeons?"
hold_infinity: (③ took a storm before)
Author: hold_infinity
"Close enough," she says. "We could nip over there and say hello right now, if you wanted."
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"Let's go as soon as Trouble wakes up."
hold_infinity: (⑤ see all the profit)
Author: hold_infinity
"All right," says Robin.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
Bella heads back to the kitchen table to spread Robin's notes out and skim them. She translates bits and pieces into her notebook.
pandion: (lock)
Author: pandion
Andi is a flopped heap of inertia.
hold_infinity: (④ the greatest show)
Author: hold_infinity
Robin leans on Ethan and finishes her popsicle.
aeskhyne: (⑤ okay boys)
Author: aeskhyne
About ten minutes later, Trouble wakes up.

"Mmm, snuggly," he sighs. "Is Robin here?"
hold_infinity: (① has the dawn)
Author: hold_infinity
"Yep!"

She pops up and hugs him.
pandion: (Default)
Author: pandion
"We're supposed to go a place and pet birds," says Andi vaguely.
hold_infinity: (Default)
Author: hold_infinity
"Pigeons," contributes Robin.
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
"Great," laughs Trouble. "Are we waiting on me?"
pandion: (lens)
Author: pandion
"Yeah. You ready to go?"
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
He yawns. "Sure."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Are we walking or busing?" Bella asks Robin.
hold_infinity: (③ took a storm before)
Author: hold_infinity
"Busing."
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"Okay then." Bella puts her current notebook in her backpack, and out they go to the bus stop.
hold_infinity: (⑦ take a look around)
Author: hold_infinity
Robin leads them to the promised pigeon loft, and introduces them to the promised sweet little old lady, who offers everyone oatmeal cookies and insists that they call her Babs. She is fascinating, if you like pigeons.
instar: (human)
Author: instar
Bella partakes of cookies and is, in fact, fond of pigeons right at this moment.

She would like to pet some pigeons.
hold_infinity: (④ the greatest show)
Author: hold_infinity
Babs graciously allows the assembled teenagers to pet the pigeons, if they promise to be quiet and gentle and not disturb the birds excessively. Robin shows everyone her favourite, a little darling who looks just like any old pigeon you could find on the street, except - in Robin's opinion - infinitely prettier.
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble agrees that that is a magnificently pretty pigeon. He pets her for a little while, which she endures very calmly.
palmofyourhand: (⑦ the future never waits)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan does the same.
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
Bella awwws at the pigeon, and pets her, and passes her to Andi.
pandion: (still)
Author: pandion
Andi thinks she's the loveliest pigeon ever. Pet pet pet.
hold_infinity: (③ took a storm before)
Author: hold_infinity
Babs is charmed. So is the pigeon.

Robin sneaks one last cuddle with her before Babs returns her to her pigeony home.
pandion: (do tell)
Author: pandion
It wouldn't do to flee instantly after having gotten to touch the pigeon. Andi asks more Pigeon Questions.
hold_infinity: (⑥ wanna be my string)
Author: hold_infinity
Babs answers them, with occasional informed interjections by Robin. Together they represent a veritable fountain of pigeon knowledge.
pandion: (brow)
Author: pandion
Andi learns so many things about pigeons! She didn't know that there were this many things to know about pigeons.
instar: (human)
Author: instar
Bella writes down some pigeon information.
palmofyourhand: (③ my love flowed for you)
Author: palmofyourhand
Babs offers them all some more cookies. And tea.

Ethan engages her in conversation about the tea.
instar: (butterfly)
Author: instar
And eventually:

"These cookies are great, but I think I need something more substantial - like lunch. Who else wants lunch?"
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
"Sounds good to me," says Trouble. "I know this great place, I bet we can get there from here."
palmofyourhand: (② from the beginning)
Author: palmofyourhand
"You are a neverending fountain of restaurant recommendations," says Ethan. "All right, I'm for it."
hold_infinity: (④ the greatest show)
Author: hold_infinity
"Thanks for everything, Babs!"

Robin gives the old lady a hug, which she returns.
instar: (human)
Author: instar
Aww.

"So where's lunch?"
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
"Lunch," says Trouble, "is this way."

He leads them to a tiny decrepit-looking place that serves absolutely delicious food.
instar: (mockingbird)
Author: instar
"How do you find these places?" Bella asks, after inhaling the first half of her sandwich.
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
"I just kind of wander around looking for them," he laughs. "There's not much to it. You just have to be willing to give 'em a chance."
instar: (butterfly)
Author: instar
"I approve the results of your search algorithm."

Om nom nom.
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Me too," says Ethan.
hold_infinity: (④ the greatest show)
Author: hold_infinity
"Me three," says Robin.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
Lunch, being so delicious, goes pretty quick. And then home.

Bella locks the door, makes sure all the curtains are still in place over all the windows, and says, "All right, who wants to practice being pigeons?"
pandion: (pearls)
Author: pandion
"Can't I do it tomorrow?"
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Too tired to see if you can manage 'angel' the same way you can manage 'fairy'?"
pandion: (smooth)
Author: pandion
"I morphed the butterfly so many times. I guess I can do the pigeon once but I don't want to work on anything fancy, okay?"
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Yeah. That can be it for today."
hold_infinity: (① has the dawn)
Author: hold_infinity
"I want to practice being a pigeon!" says Robin cheerfully.
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
"Count me in," Trouble agrees.
palmofyourhand: (⑥ could be anything)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Why not," says Ethan.
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
Bella and Andi are already in snug clothes and have learned to morph them. The others are not. "Do you three want some amount of privacy? We can include clothes but it takes a little practice."
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Privacy would be appreciated. By me, if not by these two."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Hmm -" Bella peers down the stairwell into the basement. "I think there's enough room for pigeon wingspan, if you want to go down here - or we could just have Andi go first and then demorph and open and close doors for us as necessary."
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Basement is fine," says Ethan. Down he goes, trailed by Trouble and Robin.
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
The twins turn into pigeons.

<I'm home! Yay, I'm home,> Andi-the-pigeon says merrily to the others. <I like being home.>

<...Did you get high on something when I wasn't looking, Andi?> inquires Bella-the-pigeon.
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble flutters up out of the basement. <Pigeons really like being home, turns out! This is fun, I love it.>
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<I'm home, Bella! And you're home too!>

<What is wrong with you?> asks Bella.

<Everything's great! We're home!>
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
<...Are you not getting any of this, Bella? I mean, I am really glad to be home right now. Not so glad I can't talk about anything else, but pretty fucking glad.>
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<I am aware that my pigeon has this set to "home" and I could find it again, but I'm more curious about whether that's because we morphed here or because this is, in fact, home ->

<Home!>

<- or for some other reason than I am glad about it. This didn't happen with the butterfly.>

<Butterflies don't have homes. Silly butterflies, homes are great. We're in ours!>
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
<I have it set to 'home' too, and I definitely don't live here,> says Trouble. <Ethan? Robin?>
palmofyourhand: (Default)
Author: palmofyourhand
<Yes,> says Ethan from the basement, <we're home too.>
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<Well, good for you all, I guess. Are you guys going to have this problem with any animal more complicated than a butterfly and less mindful than a human or an Andalite, I wonder.>
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
<What problem?> says Trouble. <Andi's the only one who's high on it. >
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<Even you make it sound like it's having mood-altering effects.>

<That's 'cause being home is great!> enthuses Andi.
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
<Well, yeah,> says Trouble, <but it's not a problem, it's fun.>
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<What if we have to make a morph do something it isn't inclined to like?> Bella asks. <Sure, being a pigeon at home sounds like a generally pleasant experience, but we might have to be pigeons not at home, among other possibilities.>
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble wanders idly back and forth across the living room floor, then flaps up onto a couch cushion and settles there.

<I dunno, I'm just not seeing a big disaster here. Not for me, anyway. I don't know about anybody else.>
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<Andi? How would you feel if we had to leave home for a while?>

<Oh, that's okay, as long as we get to come back,> replies Andi blithely.

<...Okay, the pigeons are probably handleable, then, but I'm worried about things like - small prey animals, anything particularly nasty especially if it fights with others of itself, that kind of thing.>
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
<...You know what I wanna do,> says Trouble, <I wanna fly all around the city as a pigeon. Really get to know it, you know? I think I'm gonna do that.>
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<If any of us is going to leave the house as a pigeon I want to do it by opening the garage door slightly and having you walk out under it, so it looks like a pigeon wandered in and then out again. How are you planning to keep time while out flying?>
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
<Didn't say I was gonna do it right now. I dunno, good question, how should I?>
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<If you didn't want to range as far as it sounds like you do I'd say come back to a central location with someone keeping time for you every few minutes. Since you do - you could set out an hour and fifteen minutes before sunset and head back "home" when the sun starts to go down to allow time.>
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
<Mmm, good plan,> he says. <I'll go with that.>
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<Okay. I'm gonna demorph in a bit. What can you tell me about the pigeon mind besides it really liking to be home, guys?>
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
<It's got some of that same alertness I got from the Andalites, but a little different,> says Trouble. <I'm not that worried right now, but I get the sense I could be if, say, there were any hawks nearby. Not too bothered by loud noises or people walking by, but when there's real danger, haul ass! That's what I'm getting. And food, pigeons are really into food.>
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<Oh, no, hawks,> says Andi. <Hawks are bad. Is there any food? I could eat.>
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
Bella demorphs. It takes a while and it's not very pretty and she loses the beak last.

"Yeah, sure," she says, when she's done. "I'll get you some bread."

She gets some bread. She tears it into crumbs for her enthusiastic sister.
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble goes for the bread, too.

<This is awesome,> he says.
instar: (butterfly)
Author: instar
"I'm sure. Robin? Ethan? Bread?"
palmofyourhand: (Default)
Author: palmofyourhand
Ethan and Robin come barreling up out of the basement and dive on the breadcrumbs.
instar: (mockingbird)
Author: instar
Bella snickers, dispenses two slices of bread, and then takes pigeon notes.
hold_infinity: (④ the greatest show)
Author: hold_infinity
When the bread is all gone, Robin and Ethan nestle down next to each other on the floor and coo.
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble joins them. Pigeonpile!
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
Coo, coo!
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
"You guys are adorable."

Write write write. Occasional glances at the clock and neutral mentions of how long it's been.
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble is the first one to say, <C'mon guys, we can snuggle some more when we're human again.> He flutters back down to the basement. Robin and Ethan follow.
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
Andi follows them. She is home! Those are her friends! They are all pigeons! They should be close together.
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
<...Andi, do you want to be here while we all demorph? I wouldn't figure you would. Because of, you know, the clothes thing.>
morphbox: (pigeon)
Author: morphbox
<Huh? Oh. I guess.> She walks a few steps, bobbing her head as pigeons do, then manages to fly away from them upstairs.
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
They all demorph.
hold_infinity: (⑥ wanna be my string)
Author: hold_infinity
"Morphing is gross," declares Robin. "But being morphed isn't so bad."
palmofyourhand: (④ in heaven hell or earth)
Author: palmofyourhand
"It was certainly a change," says Ethan. "Shall we get dressed and go back upstairs?"
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
They do that. Trouble flops onto the couch, and the other two flop next to him.
pandion: (thought)
Author: pandion
Upstairs, Andi has demoprhed already, and is sprawled in an armchair.
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
Bella is still writing.
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble snuggles up to Robin and emits a credible coo.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Does the pigeon brain have lingering effects or are you just being a goofball?"
aeskhyne: (③ smile on my face)
Author: aeskhyne
"Goofball," he says, laughing.
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
Write, write.
hold_infinity: (② you were meant to be here)
Author: hold_infinity
Robin coos back, then giggles.
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
"...Well, maybe it depends what you mean by lingering effects," says Trouble.
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Hmm?"
aeskhyne: (⑩ i'll just play along)
Author: aeskhyne
"You said, was it lingering effects or was I being a goofball," says Trouble. "I think it's more like: I was being a goofball by acting like a pigeon, but since I just was one, I'm a little better at it than most people who aren't pigeons."
hold_infinity: (⑧ here and there)
Author: hold_infinity
"Not much of that here," says Robin. "I can't even coo right."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"I'm not sure I understand the distinction you're drawing."
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"How about this: The lingering effect of the pigeon brain is that now I remember what it's like to be a pigeon and I can act like one if I feel like it."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"Interesting. Robin, Ethan, anything like that at all?"
hold_infinity: (⑥ wanna be my string)
Author: hold_infinity
"Like I said, no," says Robin.
palmofyourhand: (⑥ could be anything)
Author: palmofyourhand
"I don't know," says Ethan, "I don't have any particular interest in pretending to be a pigeon to find out."
instar: (shark)
Author: instar


Write, write.
palmofyourhand: (⑤ from our victory)
Author: palmofyourhand
"Discovering anything interesting? Like why you don't get high on pigeon?"
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"I have speculations about that, nothing concrete. It's possible I can just automatically recognize pigeony thoughts as not-mine and reject them when they aren't immediately useful to whatever I'm trying to do, since I'm so familiar with my own mind."
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
"That sounds weird and boring," says Trouble. "I'm glad I don't do that."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"I'm just as glad I don't start twittering about how nice it is to be home upon turning into a bird. To each their own."
pandion: (pearls)
Author: pandion
"It was nice, though," sighs Andi.
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
"It was awesome," says Trouble. He coos at Robin again.
pandion: (frown)
Author: pandion
"I wonder if it's nice to be everything, though, I think Bella's right to worry about what if we have to be something that isn't happy."
aeskhyne: (① loves to light the fuse)
Author: aeskhyne
Trouble just laughs.
hold_infinity: (④ the greatest show)
Author: hold_infinity
Robin snorts and hugs him.
pandion: (checking)
Author: pandion
"How is that funny?"
aeskhyne: (② all night cannonball)
Author: aeskhyne
"I'm not worried," says Trouble. "You guys can be."
pandion: (pearls)
Author: pandion
"Why aren't you worried?"
aeskhyne: (⑧ nightly in the attic)
Author: aeskhyne
He shrugs. "'Cause I like being new things."
pandion: (skepticism)
Author: pandion
"That's not, like. An answer."
aeskhyne: (⑥ don't know what I want)
Author: aeskhyne
"Okay," he says agreeably. "Guess I don't have one, then."
pandion: (thought)
Author: pandion
Andi adjusts her sprawl and yawns.
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
Bella writes. Andi rests, and when prompted gives vague instructions on how to morph clothes and supplies Robin with permission to raid her half of the closet. (Bella doesn't usually go in for anything so form-fitting.)

Bella warms up frozen chicken soup for everybody for dinner. She sets up a little campfire in the backyard to burn the stalk eye, and supplies marshmallows and long skewers to justify it. She notes to Trouble when it's about an hour before sunset, and opens the garage door just enough to let a pigeon duck out.
aeskhyne: (Default)
Author: aeskhyne
A pigeon ducks out of it.
instar: (dolphin)
Author: instar
Bella comes up with a few other things she'd like Robin to research - in particular, she thinks it might be a good idea for them to know things about the zoo layout and schedule and security precautions, especially if there are cameras aimed at the bears.
hold_infinity: (⑦ take a look around)
Author: hold_infinity
Robin concludes her experiments with morphing clothes and takes a look at the list.
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"The last thing we want," Bella says, handing over the plaintext-translated version, "is security footage of the five of us petting the bears."
hold_infinity: (⑤ see all the profit)
Author: hold_infinity
"Right," says Robin. "So, espionage. I'll get Ethan to help; he seems like the espionage type."
instar: (human)
Author: instar
"Agreed."

The rest of the list is finding out what else is at the zoo and whether it's likely to be useful; looking into similar parameters at an aquarium, which promises to be much harder to break into and pet the animals at; and also apparently Bella wants to know the legalities of homeschooling people their age.
hold_infinity: (⑥ wanna be my string)
Author: hold_infinity
Robin glances over it.

"Looking to drop out?"
instar: (owl)
Author: instar
"Barring the event that we repel the Yeerk invasion over this coming summer, yeah."
hold_infinity: (③ took a storm before)
Author: hold_infinity
"Makes sense," she says. "I'll look it up."
instar: (human)
Author: instar
"Thanks. I think Renée would be pretty relaxed about homeschooling us. We'd just have to read books every so often."
hold_infinity: (④ the greatest show)
Author: hold_infinity
"Sounds like fun. Count me out, though, I can't imagine Mother being keen on the idea."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"I don't expect anyone else to follow suit."
hold_infinity: (⑪ a new cloud coming)
Author: hold_infinity
"I might just drop out," she snorts. "No, I'm kidding. Mostly kidding. Sixty percent kidding."
instar: (Default)
Author: instar
"Would your mother be keener on that?"
hold_infinity: (② you were meant to be here)
Author: hold_infinity
"At that point I'd hardly be her problem anymore."
instar: (rabbit)
Author: instar
"...What, at all? Would you not still live at home?"
hold_infinity: (⑬ the battlefield)
Author: hold_infinity
"After dropping out of school? I'd better not!"
instar: (shark)
Author: instar
"Where would you go?"