Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2016/11/02(Wed)01:39 No. 756621 ID: a606da
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“Not an emergency, exactly.” I shake my head. “It’s about Leris. If you’d allow me in, I think I know who’s in his body, and I can probably calm them down.”

“Leris has been replaced, too?!”

“We’re not completely sure, but it seems likely. Is it alright if I check?”

Mivette slowly nods.

“Can you guide us to him? I don’t know this place at all.”

“Yes. Follow me.” Mivette turns and walks down the hallway, looking back at us every so often.

We come to a stop at a closed, unmarked door. Mivette opens it in a practiced way, making very little noise.

The room appears to be very simple. There’s a comfortable-looking bed, a painting hanging on the wall, a wardrobe, and a strange half-orb of goop built into the ceiling. The goop seems to be the light source for the room.

I step inside. I look around, but I can’t see anyone. “Are you sure he’s here?”

“Yes.” Mivette points. In the far corner, I notice the top of a head sticking out, its owner hidden behind the bed.

“Hello?” I call out to them.

“Please… I told you to go away.” I can barely make out the words of a small voice, spoken through sniffles. “Don’t you get it? I’m not - not right. None of this is.”

“Hey!” Ikram quickly follows me into the room. “Is that you in there, Orchid?”

“What?” The head raises, and scared eyes peer out at us. “W-was that real, or just another…? Are you here? I mean, did you actually say that?”

>>756621
Oh, jeez. Yeah, tell her she unfortunately wound up in the body of someone who suffers from hallucinations. Um, ask her if there's any way you can prove you're real. Do her hallucinations seem to work off her memory, or are they just kindof random?

Okay that's it you have GOT to closely examine that black thing on the ceiling.

Sympathize at Orchid about the gender dysphoria issue. As an aid in distinguishing hallucinations from reality, take turns describing visible features of the environment in detail, calling attention to any discrepancies.

Good news about the low population is, while there's going to be a lot of dreadfully serious technological inertia, on account of the lack of redundancy in critical systems, there shouldn't be nearly as much cultural inertia. Blasphemy, heresy, and sedition weren't on that list of capital offenses, now, were they? It would be plausible to have one-on-one meetings with everyone in the local hab, explaining this whole 'alien mind swap' thing to each of them as individuals, in a manageably short period of time. Then, once everyone in town agrees on the issue, putting out a shoot-on-sight order for that Silvio asshole is probably just an alarmingly simple matter of filing the proper paperwork. Even if the rest is bullshit, he's got impaired vision. It's genetic. Case closed.

>They could be anyone in the world.
Or anyone in any world. It's a courtesy Silvio didn't slip you up more than he did.

>Is there anything I can do to help?
Exchanging more information will probably help later, but for now, we'd ask you to please be discrete with this. We're concerned with the possible consequences if someone hears of this and doesn't believe us, and decides we're defects.

>W-was that real, or just another…? Are you here? I mean, did you actually say that?
We're real, Orchid, I promise. We got shunted into another universe.

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2016/11/04(Fri)14:46 No. 756951 ID: a606da
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“We’re real, Orchid, I promise.” I slowly walk over to the bed. On the other side of it, maybe-Orchid cringes at my approach. I stop.

“You’re real? But…” Maybe-Orchid trembles. “But this is just a nightmare, isn’t it?”

“No, Orchid.” Ikram sits down at the end of the bed. “You’re awake. Sorry.”

“We got shunted into another universe.” I sigh.

“I don’t believe you!”

“How can we prove to you that this is real?”

“I don’t want this to be real!” Orchid wails. “I want to wake up!”

“Come on, Orc.” Ikram reaches out to pat Orchid on the shoulder. Orchid flinches. Ikram quickly pulls his hand away. “We’re here, too. It’s better than being alone, isn’t it?”

“Stop acting like you know me; I’ve never even met you before!”

“Huh? But I’m… Oh. Right.” Ikram hesitates. “Listen, Orchid: In a second, I’m going to tell you who I am. You can laugh if you want, okay? I don’t mind.”

“What? Why would I laugh?”

“Because… because I’m Ikram.” Like before, Ikram tenses as he says it. “It looks like we both drew the short stick.”

Orchid is speechless. She stares at him for a while. The next sound she makes is a small chuckle.

“See? There you go!” Ikram beams. “You’re feeling better already, right?”

“Is that really you, Ikram?” Orchid looks him up and down. “But you’re a…”

“I know.” Ikram groans. “All the way through, too. Even downstairs!”

“That’s fucked up.”

“Right?!” Ikram gazes forlornly at Orchid’s body. “I wonder if we can trade, somehow.”

“Wait.” Orchid looks down at herself with a growing horror in her eyes. “If this isn’t a nightmare, then… Oh, shit! Fuck!” For no reason that I can comprehend, Orchid quickly starts scratching at the wall. “But that isn’t… is it? I’m confused.”

“Orchid?” Ikram keeps his voice soft and friendly. “What are you doing?”

“I…” Orchid blinks. “I’m not sure. It doesn’t feel right.”

Ikram gives me a worried look.

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2016/11/04(Fri)14:51 No. 756954 ID: a606da
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“That…” Mivette stands frozen in the doorway, their eyes fixated on Orchid. “That’s not Leris, is it?”

“I’m sorry.” I shake my head. “I know this is a bad time, but would you mind being discrete with all this? Exchanging more information will probably help later, but we’re concerned with the possible consequences if someone doesn’t believe us.”

“Are you asking me to lie?”

“I, uh… maybe? Look, considering how open you and Kipelle have been, we might just tell everyone at some point. If people accept us, it’ll make things a lot easier. If they don’t, though, they might think we’re defects.”

“I understand.” Mivette nods. “I’ll do what I can.”

>Okay that's it you have GOT to closely examine that black thing on the ceiling.

It seems to be more of a dark-pinkish color, now that I look at it. Its insides pulse and churn in an unsettling way.

Mivette seems entirely baffled by my examination of the ceiling’s goop installation.

“It’s not like I - I sort of… I mean, I feel like I’m starting to, you know? But it doesn’t seem real.” Orchid speaks loudly, her words slightly slurred. “Will someone please tell me what this is?”

“You ended up in the body of someone who suffers from hallucinations.” I explain.

“I’m crazy?!” Orchid yelps. “Fuck that! I don’t want to be crazy! How do I get back to normal?”

>>756954
Well, the only way I can think of would be to find Silvio and force him to set things right. That rather assumes he's here, though. I wonder, can we check the hospitals? He was horribly injured before... oh, maybe that's why he swapped everyone here. He wanted to be here, because medical technology here is very advanced, and he couldn't focus very well so he wound up swapping everyone nearby as well.

So I think our next step is to go check the nearest hospital. Tell Mivette that finding the guy responsible for the swap will get you out of her hair.

Also ask what the blob is.

>>756957
>nearest hospital
No, that risks tipping him off. Let's get a description to law enforcement and have them go through every hospital on the planet at once. Dude can't be too hard to find, since he's literally got no nose, and hiding that is a capital offense in itself 'round these parts. He also knowingly (or at least recklessly) sabotaged a class on Logistical Eugenics by forcibly removing the teacher from the classroom, which is another very serious charge.

>“I’m crazy?!” Orchid yelps. “Fuck that! I don’t want to be crazy!
You're not crazy, okay? You're just... looking at the world through crazy colored glasses. For now.

>How do I get back to normal?
We... switch back. I don't know how yet, but there has to be a way. I'll get you back to normal, Orcid, I promise. I'm sorry, I should have never got you guys caught up in this. I should have gone by myself.

>what do
Maybe ask Mivette to describe Leris' condition? Maybe Orcid will be able to cope with it better if she knows what to expect, or how it works.

>>756958
>description to law enforcement
How will we get them to actually do anything? Will they take such drastic action on baseless accusation? Keep in mind we can't prove anything.

>>756962
All we really want them to do is detain a guy who's already seriously injured, and keep him sedated thoroughly enough that he doesn't regain consciousness. "Every hospital in the world" is still going to be a pretty short list when the total human population is under twenty thousand. We can't prove the entire story, but August at least can build another hologram recorder/projector, and there's probably other information we could share that makes our story seem more plausible than a folie a deux.

>>756965
Assuming we can find August. Heck, assuming August even came with us. Which, if my suspicion that Silvio didn't do this is correct, is actually fairly unlikely.

But, I suppose, it's safer to act as though Silvio is here, so...

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2016/11/25(Fri)08:50 No. 761314 ID: a606da
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“You're not crazy, okay? You're just… looking at the world through crazy colored glasses. For now.” I sigh. “We need to switch back, if we plan on getting back to normal. The only way I can think of doing that would be to find Silvio and force him to set things right.”

“Wait wait wait. Who are you?” Orchid sniffles. “Do I even know you?”

“Oh, right. I’m Wisteria.” I wave. “Hi.”

“Wisteria?!” Orchid slowly pulls herself to her feet, glaring at me. “This is all your fault! None of this would have happened if you hadn’t come along!”

“I’ll get you back to normal, Orchid, I promise.” I look away. “I’m sorry. I should never have got you guys caught up in all this. I should have gone by myself.”

“This goes way beyond ‘I’m sorry’, you shitbag! Was it not enough to steal my brother’s body? Did you have to take mine, too?!” Orchid walks forward and shoves me, hard. “You body-snatching, suicidal, selfish bitch! I hate you!”

“Whoa, whoa, watch where you’re hitting!” Ikram jumps in front of Orchid, doing his best to push her away. “Her body is pregnant, Orc! Trust me, Wisteria’s just as unhappy with this as we are.”

“Pregnant?” Orchid recoils, stricken. “No! I didn’t know, I swear! If I’d known, I wouldn’t have… Oh, shit, are you okay?!”

“I… I’m fine.” I cough, standing up again. “You aimed a little high, luckily.”

“Oh my god.” Orchid falls into a sitting position on the bed. She shivers, looking like she might be sick. “I almost just… I almost…”

“There, there.” Mivette sits next to her, patting her on the back comfortingly. “It’s okay. Nothing serious happened.”

“Is that… Raven?” Startled, Orchid scoots away from Mivette. “Who…?”

“Her name is Mivette.” Ikram explains. “She’s your body’s, um…”

“Your lover.” Mivette interrupts. “I’m your lover, your companion, and your caretaker.”

“O-oh.” Orchid blushes. “Look, you’re, uh… you’re very cute, honestly, but…”

“Mivette, could you describe Leris’s condition to Orchid? It might help her adapt to being in that body.”

“‘Her’?” Mivette stares at Orchid for a moment. “Oh, dear. Well, if it helps, I’ll tell you all that I can…”

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2016/11/25(Fri)08:55 No. 761318 ID: a606da
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“Hold on, I have just a few quick questions, first.” I cut her off. “First, what is that blob on the ceiling?”

“You mean the utility culture?” Mivette seems confused. “What about it?”

“What’s a utility culture?” Ikram asks, curious. “Is it like a yogurt culture?”

“It’s a utility culture.” Mivette states that as though it were obvious. “It makes the air clean, produces light, keeps the room free from contaminants… I don’t know, it does a lot of things. Why do you ask?”

“We don’t have them in our world.”

“Really? But how can you breathe, then?”

“We just do.” I shrug. “As long as we’re outside and above water, it’s not much of an issue.”

“You can go outside?!” Mivette gasps. “Goodness, I wish I lived in your world!”

“Well, um, so do we.” I bite my lip. “Do you know where the nearest hospital is? We might find the person who’s responsible for putting us into these bodies.”

“Hospital? If you mean a medical station, then there’s one just a few doors down the hall. There are a lot of those, though.”

“Damn.” I pace around the room, feeling more and more worried about the future. “Okay… Okay, what about - ?”

I’m suddenly interrupted by a loud voice that reverberates through my skull. “Is this thing working? Ah, seems like it. Hello, everyone. I’m searching for a man named Silvio - a man with black eyes and no nose. If you have seen him, or if you know where he is, then please meet me in the broadcasting center. Repeat: If you know anything about Silvio, meet me in the broadcasting center. Until then, this message will repeat every half hour.”

“W-what?” My head is still throbbing. “Did anyone else hear - ?”

“Yeah.” Ikram nods, rubbing his forehead. “What was that?”

“Th-the utility culture can transmit public announcements.” Mivette stutters, her voice pained. “The usually keep it much more quiet, though. Ow.”

“That voice had to belong to somebody else who got switched, right?” Ikram turns to me. “Should we go find them?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for - Orchid? - for Orchid to wander.” Mivette hugs Orchid protectively. “Leris doesn’t do well with open spaces.”

“Wait, what?!” Orchid yelps. “I don’t want to stay here alone!”

“You won’t be alone.” Mivette smiles. “I’ll stay with you.”

“I don’t know you!” Orchid jumps to her feet, yanking herself out of Mivette’s arms. “Look, you two, I’m fine. Let me come with you.”

“Uh… sorry, Orchid, but I’m not sure if we should.” Ikram looks at me. “Wisteria, what do you think?”

Sure, why not?

>>761318
I don't think it's wise to bring Orchid along. She's hallucinating and also hates you.

We should probably find out why Leris "doesn't do well" before deciding. I mean, if it's just agoraphobia, it probably wouldn't carry over. But if it exacerbates his hallucinations or something...

Anyway, the person in the broadcasting center is probably August. (Or Silvio, but that's maybe a bit paranoid.) I doubt any of the rest of you'ns would make their first concern Silvio rather than each other.

Orchid knows about Silvio. Failure to comply with priority instructions is probably some sort of heinous crime. Thus, Orchid should come along to the broadcasting center.

Maybe grab some antianxiety meds, or sedatives or something, at a medical station on the way there, just in case?

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2016/11/26(Sat)03:10 No. 761575 ID: a606da
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“Why doesn’t Leris do well with open spaces?” I ask Mivette. “Does he have agoraphobia? Does it make his hallucinations worse?”

“Not directly, no.” Mivette scratches her neck. (Wait, ‘her’? Huh. I wonder how long I’ve been thinking of Mivette as female?) “He has a tendency to get confused and wander off. Since it’s difficult for him to communicate with people, he can end up panicking, scared, and alone. When he’s in that sort of emotional state, his symptoms often get worse. He was lost for a whole day, once.”

“But I’m not alone, so I’ll be fine, right?” Orchid points out. “I mean, will I be okay as long as someone’s watching after me?”

“Well, yes.” Mivette admits. “But it’s more difficult than you might think.”

“Don’t worry.” Orchid smiles. “I’ll stick to Ikram and her like glue. You guys will keep an eye on me, right?”

“Sure, why not?” I sigh. “Mivette, should Orchid take any medication before we go?”

“I already gave Leris his dose for this morning.” Mivette shakes her head. “He’ll be fine until tonight.”

“Great. One more thing, if you don’t mind: Do you know where the broadcasting center is?”

“I think so, yes. It’s a fair distance from here, but there are maps in the halls if you need help finding your way around.”

“Could you give us directions?”

“If Leri- I mean, if Orchid is going with you, then I would prefer to guide you myself.”

“That would be great.” Ikram nods. “Thank you!”

Mivette nods, uncertain. After an awkward pause, she goes to the door. “Follow me.”

The three of us obediently walk in a loose formation. Orchid stays as far away from me as possible. She won’t even look at me.

The journey is slow and quiet. As we take another turn down the latest of many hallways, we enter a slightly more open room. Mivette ushers us over to the entrance of yet another hallway, but I come to a stop when I notice that Ikram isn’t following us.

“Hey.” I walk back over to him. He’s staring at a couple of college-age girls who are talking and laughing together on the far side of the room. “What’s up?”

Ikram is silent. It’s like he’s frozen.

“You okay?” I shake him by the shoulder.

“…Wister?” He mumbles.

“You stopped walking. What’s going on?”

“Earlier, we - we sort of agreed to that recognition experiment, right? That we should keep an eye out for people we know?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Do you recognize either of those girls?” He jerks his head, indicating the ladies on the other side of the room.

“Not really.” I look again. “Wait… The black-haired one looks kind of familiar, but I’m not sure where I’ve seen her before.”

“I showed you pictures.” He mutters. “This one has longer hair. Different clothes. But she has the same face, the same movements. She still has those highlights in her bangs, too; they’re even the same shade of red.”

“Who is…?” As I look at the familiar woman, I realize where I remember her from, and my mouth hangs open. I remember a quiet afternoon, years ago, when Ikram first showed me pictures of his sister Ayame. Pictures from before she died. “…Oh.”

“What do I do now, Wister?” Ikram’s voice cracks. Trembling, he turns to look at me. “What the hell am I supposed to do?”

>>761575
Uh... relations seem to carry over. Orchid's always been your sister... or brother. So if that's really Ayame, then Ikram's probably her sister right now.

So maybe Ikram should walk on the other side of you. Getting spotted by a non-swapped relative could be a big problem.

>>761575
Um. If emotional states make Leris worse, Orcid is a real risk right now. She has several reasons to be overly emotional right now. Gender swapping, being ejected to another universe, PTSD from the Silvio beat down they just had, and all of that on top of the anger and resentment she's holding for Wisteria.

>instigating the message node
There are only three people who could have sent that signal: one of your friends, August again, or Silvio, doing it to fuck with you.

A partial concern is that this could be a trap. Whoever is using that equipment, and incorrectly / irresponsibly, possibly in a way that puts other people at risk, is in danger of being labelled a defect or bringing the authorities down on them. By running to answer their call, and associating ourselves with them, we're taking that risk too.

>what else
...did anyone leave a note for Kipelle so they won't panic when they get home and find the place empty?

>“What do I do now, Wister?” Ikram’s voice cracks. Trembling, he turns to look at me. “What the hell am I supposed to do?”
...I don't know. If she's still your sister here, she doesn't know you. She knows the girl you're wearing. And we don't know how different that girl is from you. The professor and her brother are a lot different from Orcid and me. I don't know if she'd even know you.

Silvio did say this was supposed to be a kind of hell he was sending us to. Maybe this is one of the ways.

Wisteria, you need to take better care of Orchid, try to bond with her while she's frightened and stressed. Worst case scenario? Her Wister is swapped into the mind of the current dictator. He could easily convert her to his side, use her against you, then toss her away.

Ikram, she is not YOUR Ayame. She has gone through a different life, may have a wildly different personality, and given the current fascist state, has likely been trained to respond to a long-dead brother coming back to life in a girl's body with a cease-desist-and-execute order.

Ask for Ayame's address from Mivette (there's only like 16,000 people on this planet, small communities probably have complete address books), then keep moving.

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2017/01/02(Mon)20:54 No. 770064 ID: a606da
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>did anyone leave a note for Kipelle so they won't panic when they get home and find the place empty?

…Oops.

>Wisteria, you need to take better care of Orchid, try to bond with her while she's frightened and stressed.

Sure thing. How?

“I don’t know.” I pull him aside, standing between him and the girl that looks like Ayame. “Try not to let her see you, okay?”

“Huh?” He leans to one side, peeking around me. “Why not?”

“Quit it.” I start walking, gently leading him away. “If that’s really Ayame, then you’re probably her sister right now. Getting spotted could be a big problem.”

“I’m somebody’s sister? Weird.” Ikram pauses. “Wait, if she knows me, isn’t that better? I could walk right up to her in this skin, and it’d be fine, if a little creepy.”

“Ikram, she’s not your Ayame. She’s gone through a different life. If she is still your sister here, she doesn’t know you. She knows the girl you’re wearing, and we don’t know how different that girl is from you.”

“So… it would be stupid for me to try talking to her, right?”

“Right.”

“Right.” Immediately, Ikram spins around, dodges past me, and rushes off to do something stupid.

I try to catch him, but it’s too late. I can only watch from a distance as he approaches the person who looks like his sister.

“A - Aya?” Ikram comes to a stop in front of her. “Is it - I mean, are you really…?”

“Huh?” She briefly turns away from her conversation. “Oh, hey, Izdi.” She gives him a polite nod, then returns to talking with the girl she’s with.

Ikram reaches out and pokes Ayame’s shoulder, as if to confirm that she’s real. Apparently still unconvinced, he goes on to poke her several more times.

“Uh, can you not?” Ayame slaps Ikram’s hand away. She smiles to her friend, forcing a small laugh. “Sorry, my sister’s being a little twit. Go on ahead, I’ll catch up in a bit.” She waves them away, then rounds on Ikram, looking annoyed. “So, do you actually need something, or are you just acting like a weirdo for no reason?”

“Ah!” Ikram jumps, surprised. “Sorry, I… I just wanted to see you.”

“Well, congratulations, then! You’ve done it. Gaze upon me and feel fulfilled.” She poses dramatically. “Seriously, though, what’s up? Aren’t you supposed to be in class?”

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2017/01/02(Mon)20:56 No. 770065 ID: a606da
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“Well, I… I…” Ikram suddenly leans forward and throws his arms around Ayame, hugging her tightly. “I love you, Ayame!”

“Yeah, yeah. Love you too.” Ayame coughs. “Can you dial it down a little? It’s hard to breathe.”

“Sorry.” Ikram relaxes slightly, but he doesn’t break the embrace. “Could you do something for me?”

“Maybe. What is it? Do you need more help with your homework? If you’re here to copy my comp-bio notes again, you can just jog on, missy.”

“Promise that you’ll stay safe.” Ikram’s voice cracks. I can’t see his face, but I think he’s crying. “That’s all.”

“What?” Ayame blinks, taken aback.

“Please, Aya. Just promise.”

“I promise I’ll stay safe.” Ayame dutifully swears, now staring at Ikram with clear anxiety. “Are you alright? Did something happen?”

“No.” Ikram finally pulls away from her, wiping his tears on his sleeve. “Nothing happened.”

“Sure it didn’t.” Ayame’s disbelief is obvious. “You can talk to me about anything, you know.”

“Honestly, I just wanted to make sure that you would be okay.” He smiles sadly while slowly backing away. “I hope you live a long and happy life. Goodbye, Ayame! I miss you.”

“Hey!” Ayame grabs him by the arm. “You can’t just say shit like that and then leave, you little twit! What, are you dying or something?”

Ikram freezes, then bursts out laughing, then sobs, then laughs and sobs at the same time. It all ends up sounding fairly unhinged. He yanks his arm out of Ayame’s grip, then quickly breaks into a run, rocketing past me.

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2017/01/02(Mon)20:58 No. 770066 ID: a606da
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Following his lead, I start to run, too, and the two of us wildly flee without much sense of where we’re going. We finally come to a stop in a convenient stairwell, panting with exhaustion. I covertly stick my head out and peer down the hallway we came through. Seeing no sign of Ayame, I close the door behind us.

Ikram collapses onto the lowest stair, crying. “It’s not fair.”

I silently sit down beside him. I’m not sure what to say.

“It’s her, Wister. It’s really her.” He hangs his head. “She’s alive.”

“I already told you, Ikram: She isn’t the same person.”

“Shut up!” He snaps. “If you’re Wister, then she’s Ayame. That was my sister back there!”

“Ikram, I…” I hesitate, not entirely sure how to respond to that one. “Look, I thought we agreed that this was a bad idea.”

“I know, I know! It was stupid, and I’m stupid for doing it.” Ikram sniffles. “But I had to, Wister! I’ll probably never see her again. That might’ve been my last chance.”

“Last chance to do what?”

“To… to say goodbye.” His voice practically crumbles. “I slept in, the day she… I mean, I can’t even remember the last thing I said to her. I woke up, and she was just - just gone.”

I hold his hand. Through it, I can feel him shaking. We sit quietly for a little while, huddled close to each other.

“Hey, Wister.” He takes a deep breath. “Do you think…? I mean, do I have to go home?”

“Ikram.” I shake my head. “Don’t.”

“It wouldn’t be so bad.” He mutters. “I - I can get used to this body.”

“Trust me, it’s not that easy.” I click my tongue. “Even if you could settle in, what about Izdihar?”

“What about her?!” He snarls. “Why does she get to have Ayame, but I don’t? We’re the same fucking person! If I’d been born a girl, would my sister still be alive? I didn’t get to choose that! It’s not fair!”

“You’re being ridiculous, Ikram. You can’t take someone else’s life just because you want what they have.”

“Why not?” He glares at me. “You did.”

“That’s not…” I trail off.

“Well? Go on, I’m listening.” He grimaces. “What’s the difference?”

>“Well? Go on, I’m listening.” He grimaces. “What’s the difference?”
The difference is that somewhere, the Wister you used to know, the one I swapped places with, who just wanted a male body woke up with one, finally got what he wanted, and a life that has otherwise barely changed. And he didn't have to deal with any evil goddamn genies, the massive fuckups, the guilt, and accidentally ruining the lives of people who just tried to help me the way I did.

The girl you're switching places with? You'd be condemning her to being transgender against her will, trapped in an alien world she doesn't understand, where her sister is dead.

I'm the fuckup who should have jumped when she had the chance, but you're my friend, and you're better than me! Don't you dare go trying to ruin for yourself the one thing I didn't.

>>770066
The difference is the other Wister got what he wanted. He's about as happy as you are-- your body is finally the one you want, but the people you know aren't quite the same anymore. It was an equal trade.

I... suppose Izdihar gets something out of the swap, though. She gets to live outside of... whatever this place is. She gets to see the sky.

"The difference is that I didn't know how huge a mistake I was making."

>>770066
>“It wouldn’t be so bad.” He mutters. “I - I can get used to this body.”
>“Trust me, it’s not that easy.” I click my tongue. “Even if you could settle in, what about Izdihar?”

Gender identity can be a matter of degree, just like sexual preference. Maybe Ikram and Izdihar are happy with the bodies they were born in, but not as strongly committed, so dysphoria really would be just a chronic inconvenience for them instead of a total deal-breaker.

Regardless, it's a moot point unless you find yourselves in the position of being able to extort favors from Silvio, or otherwise move between worlds at your own discretion. In such a case, the ethical thing would be for Ikram to swap with some alt-Ikram who would actually prefer to be permanently separated from the corresponding alt-Ayame, for whatever reason.

"Oh right, sorry. But that's not the problem. The problem is the price.

If you obsess over this to the point that you willingly toss away your free will just to ensure you'll have her forever, you're dancing to Silvio's tune. He wanted me to murder my family, one person a week.

You're better than me. And I refused. We need Silvio dead before we try to force ourselves into other peoples' lives or he'll just take them from us like a supernatural taxman."

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2017/02/10(Fri)00:33 No. 778460 ID: a606da
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>Gender identity can be a matter of degree, just like sexual preference. Maybe Ikram and Izdihar are happy with the bodies they were born in, but not as strongly committed, so dysphoria really would be just a chronic inconvenience for them instead of a total deal-breaker.

Maybe, but I don’t think that’s the real issue here. Stealing someone else’s body is immoral, but in this case it’s also impractical. This isn’t our world. We can get by because we have people here who know what we are, but that’s only for the short-term. Besides being an alternate version of her, Ikram knows next to nothing about Izdihar, so there’s no way he’d be able to live out her life without running into some serious problems.

“The difference is the other Wister got what he wanted, and a life that has otherwise barely changed. The girl you're switching places with? You'd be condemning her to being transgender against her will, trapped in an alien world she doesn't understand, where her sister is dead.” I stare at the ground. “I... suppose Izdihar gets something out of the swap, though. She gets to live outside of... whatever this place is. She gets to see the sky. But it’s not enough.”

“If it means getting my sister back, I don’t think I care about the implications.”

“I know you, Ikram. I have to believe that you’re...” I trail off, my throat tensing slightly.

“That I’m what?” He sits up straighter, an angry look flickering across his face. “Say what you were going to say, Wister.”

“...You’re better than me.” I look away. “Listen, when I did what I did, I didn't know how huge a mistake I was making. Look at where we are. My actions hurt all of us. I was just… I mean, if I could go back, I’d... “

“Excuse me?” Ikram’s bitterness lessens, and his tone gets more concerned. “If you’re anything like the Wister I know, then you’d give up anything to have the body you want, and you did give up everything. You did what you had to do to get what you needed.”

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2017/02/10(Fri)00:35 No. 778461 ID: a606da
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“No. I’m just a fuck-up who should have jumped when she had the chance.” I very slowly shake my head. “It would have been better if I had done it. No one else would have gotten hurt. You’d all be happier without me around. I wish that I had done it. I wish I was -”

“Shut the fuck up!” He shrieks angrily, grabbing me by my scarves. He stands, harshly pulling me to my feet. “You think it would be painless for me?! I’m near willing to trade my manhood to get my sister back, and I’d give up a lot more if it meant keeping you alive! I don’t have anyone else, Wister. I need you! So how dare you think about killing yourself and then start acting like it’s for my sake?!”

“Ah!.” I gasp, shocked at his intensity. “I - Ikram, I’m sorr-”

“There are infinite worlds, right? Which means that, out there, there’s a world where you did jump. A world where Orchid and your dad had to identify your lifeless face in a morgue. A world where I sat at your funeral and wondered what I did wrong. A world that is forever worse because you aren’t in it anymore!” Ikram pulls me closer, and I can see my vague reflection in his crying eyes. His voice breaks as he pushes his words out through clenched teeth. “Do you really believe that world is ‘better’? Look, I don’t know what death is like in your old universe, but where I come from, it’s the most terrible thing there is. It doesn’t help anyone; It breaks people! Because of it, my house is filled with nothing but screaming and arguments, my parents hate each other, we had to move away from the city I grew up in, and my sister is dead!”

“Yeah.” I nod. “She is.”

“And… and she’s alive now, you know?” He sobs. “But if I go back, and she’s gone, it’s like… it’s like I’m killing her.”

“You can’t kill the dead, Ikram.” I try to keep myself calm. Right now, Ikram needs me a lot more than I need him. “Ayame has been gone for a long time. Even if there’s someone a lot like her, here, it doesn’t mean your sister has come back to life.”

“I know.” Ikram whimpers. “I know, but…”

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2017/02/10(Fri)00:37 No. 778462 ID: a606da
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He doesn’t say anything else. He just cries. Struck by an impulse, I hug him tightly. “I can’t know what you’re feeling, but I’m here for you. Always, and for as long as I can be. I promise.”

“…Thanks, Wister.” After a long while, Ikram slowly pulls away from the hug. He wipes his eyes on his sleeve, smiling weakly. “I’m really being stupid, huh?”

“You’re being human. This situation is rough on all of us. It’s okay to be emotional sometimes.”

“I wouldn’t really do it. Become a bodysnatcher, that is.” Surprisingly, he giggles. “I mean, even if I tried, I’d probably do a one-eighty on it as soon as I hit my first period, right? When it comes to seeing things in perspective, there’s nothing quite like the threat of having bloody viscera regularly pour out of my crotch.”

“Lovely image.” I feign retching. “Nice giggle, by the way.”

“I giggled?” He blinks. “Wait, like a proper dainty girly-giggle?”

“Yup.”

“Oh, god, I didn’t even notice!” He puts a hand over his face in embarrassment, but he’s grinning underneath. “Well, shit, so much for my machismo. We need to get out of these bodies, man! My testosterone is fading fast.”

“Technically, it’s right where you left it.” I go to the door. “Speaking of getting out, we should meet back up with Orchid and Mivette.”

“I don’t have any idea how to get back to where we were. Sorry about getting sidetracked.” Ikram’s voice is a little muted, with a guilty tone. “It’d probably be best to head to the broadcasting place and wait for them, yeah? Mivette said there were lots of maps around.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I open the door, and we walk out. True to Mivette’s word, there’s a map on the wall not far away. We get directions from it, and then off we go.

As we walk, the decor of the hallway changes from steel and white to steel, white, and blue. Hurrah for variety, I guess.

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2017/02/10(Fri)00:42 No. 778464 ID: a606da
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Not too much time has passed, however, before we hear footsteps coming from around the corner behind us. I can see the shock in Ikram’s face as he turns to look. “Is it her? I mean, did she - do you think she chased after us?”

“I don’t know.” I hold his hand. “If it is Ayame, we’ll just have to stop and talk to her, okay? We can’t keep running and hiding forever.”

We stand there tensely as the footsteps get rapidly closer. Ikram’s grip on my hand tightens, his anxiety evident.

Moments later, a little girl who couldn’t be more than nine years old sprints around the corner, crashing into Ikram’s leg. She falls back onto the ground, hard. In near-unison, Ikram and I lean down to help her. Ikram smiles warmly, probably out of both politeness and relief. “I’m sorry, you surprised me! Are you okay?”

“Fine! I’m f-fine!” The little girl scrambles nervously to her feet. She winces as she puts weight on her left leg, and she collapses, clutching her ankle while crying out.

“Whoa, take it easy.” I hold out an arm. “Here, lean on me. Are your parents around here?”

“No!” She shakes her head, still trying and failing to stand up. She completely ignores my outstretched forearm. “I’m alright. Honest.”

“You sure? From here, it looks like you sprained your ankle. You’re just going to hurt more if you force it. ” Ikram gently holds the girl still. “What’s the rush?”

Before she can answer, a man’s voice calls out from around the corner. “Arna? Sweetie, where are you? Daddy’s getting a little scared, so please come back now, okay? Arna!”

The little girl - Arna, I suppose - panics at the sound of the approaching voice. She grabs my sleeve and starts tugging on it desperately, looking up at me with terror in her eyes. “Please don’t let him find me!”

help kid hide from father until it's safe, don't trust this scenario one bit

>>778464
return child to parents, let them know child is begging not to be returned. if you have video of the incident, provide it to the parents as well.

>>778465
Yeah, terror seems a bit much.

Yell "Hey you! Go long!" and launch child in direction of voice.

Invite Arna to climb on your back and ride along to help catch an interdimensional terrorist.

>>778464
Hide with the child somewhere and ask why she's so scared. It's possible her father is Silvio or something.

I'm guessing her fascist society demands she answer for her negligible crimes or has a dinner date with an insufferable / violent VIP.

Keep her hidden, at least until her parents calm the @#$% down.

>“Please don’t let him find me!”
Why?

It's possible this is one of your friends swapped and panicking about being trapped as a little kid.

It's possible this is none of our business and helping a child run away (probably be functionally kidnapping at that point) would just land our already sketchy butts in serious trouble with the authorities in this world.

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2017/03/26(Sun)19:53 No. 790727 ID: a606da
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“What’s wrong?” I pat her shoulder. “Why are you so scared?”

“I - I can’t tell you.” She stutters, shaking her head. “Not enough time. Please, I need to hide!”

“I’m not sure…” I pause, wondering if we should add ‘accidental kidnapping’ to our list of problems. “Can’t you at least give us a hint about what’s going on?

“Look at her. She’s terrified.” Ikram interjects, frowning at me. “If she’s this scared of being found, I say we help her out.”

“Please hide me.” She whispers, looking like she might cry. “Please.”

“...Fine.” I sigh, brushing aside my concerns. “But don’t walk on that ankle. Get on my shoulders, and I’ll carry you.”

“Nuh-uh-uh.” Ikram shakes his head, lightly pushing me aside. “You’re already carrying a person, sort of. I’ve got this one.” He turns around and kneels, pointing at his shoulders. “Up we get, little lady!”

The little girl stares at his back for a moment, a nervous expression forming on her face. After a moment, though, the hesitation vanishes, and she clambers up onto Ikram’s back. “Th - thank you.” She mumbles.

As the footsteps around the corner grow ever closer, we search frantically for a hiding space. Most of the doors in the hall are locked, but, at the last second, I find a small maintenance closet thing that isn’t.

We barely manage to squeeze inside amidst many boxes and strange tools, but we somehow manage it. I close the door behind us, craning my neck to fit inside the tiny closet. We listen intently as the footsteps outside get closer and closer, then breathe a shared (if muted) sigh of relief after the footsteps pass us by. By the time a few minutes have passed, I can't hear anything outside anymore.

“Looks like we’re in the clear.” Ikram smiles, patting the girl on the arm. “You okay?”

“I guess so?” She blinks, gazing down at Ikram’s shoulders with an odd look. “I’ve never had a piggyback ride before. I didn’t think I ever would.”

“What, really? Whoa!” Ikram gasps in exaggerated surprise. He's having fun with this, I think. He's always been good with kids. “How is it, then? Is it all you ever dreamed it would be?”

“Feels funny.” She murmurs, with a peculiar hint of embarrassment. “Like a lot of stuff today.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, uh… nothing.” She coughs. “It’s a weird day, is all.”

>It's possible this is one of your friends swapped and panicking about being trapped as a little kid.

...Maybe? She does have surprisingly good grammar for a preteen.

I'm open to the possibility, but I’m not sure how to phrase the question without seeming crazy. What should I ask her?

>>790727
What's her name? Who'd we just hide from?

>>790727
Ask her to define the phrase "utility culture." You're supposed to be a teacher, and that's supposed to be common knowledge, so a genuine local would immediately, reflexively, give some reasonably correct reply. Hesitation, confusion, or deflection would be extremely suspicious.

If you want to put extra pressure on, give a little disappointed sigh (regardless of the specific answer) and ask some vaguely leading question about sociology and/or the philosophy of utilitarianism. If doing so prompts slick backpedaling onto a completely different answer, rather than confusion and dismay at the paradox of a trusted authority figure implying things which are obviously false, it's time to fact-check everything the "kid" has ever said.

Wisteria!5tTWT1eydY 2017/04/21(Fri)06:27 No. 797250 ID: a606da
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As we relax a little, the little girl slides off of Ikram’s shoulders and lands on a few boxes next to him. She sits there, legs still dangling a moderate distance above the floor, and she nervously gazes up at us.

“What’s your name?” I ask, awkwardly repositioning my head to look at her. “Who’d we just hide from?”

“My name’s, um… Arna?” She pauses, hesitant. “And that person was, well… he said he was my dad, but he wasn’t. I swear, he wasn’t!”

“Hm. Hey, Arna, what’s a utility culture?” I ask, closely watching her face. “Can you please define the term for me?”

“I, uh…” She turns away from me with a worried expression, mumbling her answer. “It’s… it’s a thing. A utility thing.”

Something so ingrained into local culture might be hard to put into words. For most people it simply... is.
Anyway, it's totally a shoggoth. We Lovecraft now.

>>797250
Anna, huh? Looks more like an August to me. Let's confirm. Ask her what her name would be if she was in a forest fighting a demon from another world.

Okay, obviously, either one of your friends swapped into a little kid and is now panicking or one of your friends swapped into the kid's dad and managed to freak her out by being the wrong person.

Simplest way to check without freaking her out further is to make it a sort of innocuous question.

"...does the name Wisteria mean anything to you?"

If she knows you, there will be recognition (and there's no way they'll have the control to sufficiently hide the reaction in an unfamiliar child's body). If she doesn't, there will just be more confusion.

Look ahead a couple of steps beyond just determining this person's real identity through shibbolths. If this person is a friend, they will want to remain near you. That's a big problem in itself, since kidnapping is pretty much always a major crime, no matter the culture.