recolle | Something's ... Not Right (Open)

Something's ... Not Right (Open)

WHO: Chloe and You!
WHERE: In and around Recolle
WHEN: 4/6-4/12
WHAT: Awkwardness as Chloe notices some things are not right with her body
WARNINGS: Nup

Option 1) It was a Thursday, like any other Thursday since she'd gotten this silly app on her phone. She was trying to keep her life normal and together, and doing a good job of it. In fact, following through with Yu and Naoto's request had helped a little, taking some of the worry away from her life. Having just finished her shift, she was walking back towards the bus station to get a ride home when it happened. There at the cross-walk, maybe she was a bit tired, but she started to cross before it was her light. There was a honk of distress from a car and Chloe acted.

Really, she wasn't in any danger. The driver was over-reacting and swerving successfully to miss her. But, the honk caused an immediate reaction. Her body launched back without her thinking, leaping up and into the air, sommersaulting back and landing lightly on her feet. The motion was far too limber for what she should have been able to do. It wasn't like she was in poor shape, but leaping like that in the air felt beyond her. As she landed, her eyes widened and she took two or three shaky steps back before falling unceremoniously on her butt.

"What... just happened?" she said, looking around in shock.

Option 2) When she wasn't helping out with the play, Chloe had a couple of days off on the weekend. She tried to visit the local gym to get a bit of the stress out. There was a horse set up there for those who wished to practice gymnastics, and she found herself staring at it with a nervous look in her eyes. Biting her lips, she walked over and patted it, reaching up to scratch at the back of her head.

"Should I?" she asked, wondering for a moment before going to put chalk on her hands. There was only one way to find out if the strange itching sensation in her arms and legs was real. She was feeling restless, restless like her body wasn't moving the way that it should, that it needed to move.

Option 3) There was bad news on Friday, news she did not want to hear. It had her in Starbucks, fumbling for a drink of mint tea. She wanted to calm her jangled nerves. There had to be a logical explanation for any of this. She was tempted to ask on the network, but at this point she wasn't even carrying her phone with her. She'd warned her boss that if he needed her to call the land-line, that she was trying to test out what happened if she didn't use the network. She wasn't going to break that promise.

She had to know if this was affected by the app, or if it was simply happening. But, as it stood, she was getting nervous and worried... and the tea was only helping a little.

Wildcard (Anything that you want can be managed. Chloe is off network for this week, helping out at the play and frequenting work. She has just experienced the return of her natural athleticism and agility, along with the realization that her hair color actually changed last month and wasn't dyed while drunk like she thought. It's causing her to start to freak out again. Either way, if your character wants to meet up with her, we can handwave that they left a message on her answering machine at home.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Eleanor didn't pull away when Chloe took her hand, which was probably a sign she really was flustered.]

Who turns off their phone?

[I mean, really. It's the future, Chloe.]

Right. Anyway. Whatever. Do you have a minute? Can we talk?

Oh, it is an experiment, to test this network we are forced to ... [A shake of the head. no, that wasn't important right now, was it? she looked over at the clock and held a finger up.]

If you give me just a moment, I will clock out. We can speak freely then. I'll be right back, ok? [She made her way to the desk, checking back to make sure if Eleanor was ok with it. As long as she was willing, she'd be gone only a moment before returning and motioning for the two to go outside and walk. This... any time someone she knew on the app looked like that, she didn't think it was a talk for the public eye.

It rarely was.]

Oh, right, that...the thing with Naoto and...

[Eleanor just shook her head. She had thought it was a neat idea but hadn't expected anyone to do it.]

Yeah. Uhm. Take your time. I'll be here.

[She turned away as Chloe moved into the store, looking over some of the flowers, arms crossed, eyes narrowed. Clearly not really seeing what she was looking at.]

[When Chloe returned, she just offered her a thing smile and followed her.]

Yes, that... [When the two were reunited, she led her out of the shop, heading out and into the streets. As soon as they were a little away, she turned towards Eleanor while the two continued to walk, heading in the direction of one of the local coffee shops.

Somewhere to relax.]

What's wrong, Eleanor? You seem out of sorts...

That's one way to put it. [Eleanor let out a huffy breath, adjusting her purse on her shoulder as they walked, then adjusting it again, then making a frustrated noise and forcing her hands into the pockets of her jacket.]

It's just...okay. Something happened. A couple days ago.

[She glanced around as they walked, voice dropping.]

You know how I said you won the contest for strangest thing when you got a fork in the mail?

[She frowned.]

Well I've got you beat now.

You've beaten the fork? I would love to say that is unlikely, but I know of someone who found themselves in a stewpot for alligators, so... [She shook her head incredulously.] I know that isn't true. But you saying this, it does worry me.

What did they send you, or do to you?

[They were both, it seemed, getting things from Retrospec lately. Her own agility had been improving drastically lately, to an extent that was almost alarming in how good it felt, but the look she was getting and how nervous Eleanor seemed... it made whatever she'd experienced so far pale in comparison. Her own experiences could wait.]

[Eleanor pursed her lips, looking ahead at the people on the street, on where they were going.]

It's uh...here, turn here.

[She suddenly ushered Chloe onto a side street, urging her down into a less populated area.]

It's hard to explain...

[Chloe followed Eleanor without question into the side street. Once they were out of sight of others, she paused and turned to face her friend, looking her straight in the eye and folding her arms in front of her. The worry was now etching her face as she nodded.]

Alright, we are alone. I can tell you do not wish to speak about it around everyone. I can... understand. What is wrong, Eleanor? You can trust me.

[Eleanor waited until she was sure no one else was around before she said anything, glancing around twice before adjusting her purse again and finally looking at Chloe.]

So I woke up, couple days ago, and my room was a wreck. I thought my sister was just messing with me, but...I don't know. Wasn't really her style. But then I-

[She trailed off, frowned, and her attention shifted away again, looking around at the sidewalk nearby.]

See that can over there?

[She pointed suddenly to a empty soda can about ten feet away.]

[Chloe attempted to follow what was being said, but Eleanor was understandably a little confused and frazzled by the look of it. So, she was about to say something when finally her friend pointed to the can. Ok, hopefully this would serve as the answer to the bevy of questions she already had in the increasingly alarming situation.]

Yes, I see Eleanor, but I do not understand. What...?

[Eleanor didn't say anything else, just just narrowed her eyes, focusing on the can, and then raised her hand. After a few seconds, the little metal container shivered, shuddered, then lurched into the air, and darted across the space between them to settle into the palm of her hand.]

[And then she just held it up for Chloe to look at.]

[And Chloe's eyes widened with obvious shock. She watched the can move, saw it float over towards the two of them and land in her friend's hand. She gasped and her eyes locked onto the other woman.]

wait, you have acquired powers as well?

[It was certainly the only explanation that she could think of. First Ryoga, then May and Dave, now her, and maybe Jade as well. With Eleanor gaining them, it was almost becoming something of an epidemic among those that she knew.]

A... are you alright? It has not caused more trouble for you than the room cleaning, yes?

Apparently. I...No, it's fine, mostly. I mean, I guess the sleeping thing will keep being an issue but when I'm awake I have to actually think about it.

[She tosses the can from hand to hand, her eyes narrowed.]

What do you mean, 'as well.'

Perhaps something spartan could be arranged, or your possessions put in a trunk. We wouldn't want things damaged, after all. But... I am sure you can learn control.

[She cocked her head and then shook it.] I thought you were aware. There are at least two with unnatural strength, one with speed and ... well, I seem to have become much more agile lately. Eerily so.

There seem to be a few who have been given strange powers lately.

Oh great, another weird thing I have to explain to my parents without actually explaining anything to my parents. [Eleanor groaned, half-turning away to glare down the street. Emptying her room did not sound fun.] Maybe it'll stop happening as I get better at it, I-

[SHe cut off, and her gaze flicked back to Chloe.]

'A few?' I've only heard of one.

I know of several, five at least at this point. Dave is faster than any have a right to be. There is you, and then both May and Ryoga were incredibly strong. I seem to have acquired some unnatural amount of grace and agility... and I frankly suspect that there are more running around I do not know about yet.

[In truth, she'd seen Arlene, but she hadn't figured out that was a power yet instead of a random act of static discharge. She frowned and shrugged before piping up again.]

And you are right. It will probably get better, but I have a thought. When you go to college, if you are attending RU, perhaps you should seek a roommate who also has the app... so that there is a safe place without troubling family?

[Eleanor's eyes narrowed at that. Five people. And Chloe too? She found herself examining the other girl, looking for some kind of evidence of her change, but she looked just the same as ever. The same way Eleanor had when she'd stared at herself in the mirror after she'd woken up with her own powers.]

I see.

[Was her response, to buy herself a bit of time to process what Chloe had said. Okay. People were getting powers. She had powers. When had the world gone completely mad? And...what?]

What? A roommate? [That was enough of a conversation shift that it yanked Eleanor out of her worry.] I hadn't even thought about anything like that yet.

I am just thinking of ... well, I know how uncomfortable it probably was when you woke up with everything all over your room. If you ever worry about being in your home, or don't want to trouble them, the option might be wise to consider.

[She reached up and rubbed her temples, fingers pressing into her forehead and a sigh escaping her lips.] Honestly, it's something I only thought of because of all this. I'm sorry, I'm not being very helpful, am I?

...I hadn't even thought of that. [Eleanor groaned again, her shoulders slumping.] One thing at a time Chloe.

[She frowned when Chloe said that, though.]

It's fine. Don't worry about it, okay? I just. [She sucked in a breath Right. Okay..] So. Acrobatics, huh?

I think I understand. There's a lot for us to take in, clearly. It isn't that what you can do is terrifying on its own... but feeling these new powers. I'm here for you either way.

[She sighed, raking her fingers through her hair and nodded.] Acrobatics, yes. I cam demonstrate, if we find something like a monkey bar, should you wish to see.

...Sure. [It wasn't something to focus on. And honestly, she was curious. It was hard to imagine acrobat Chloe. Better than worrying about everything anyway.]

I mean, if you don't mind. There's a park a couple blocks from here.

[She shook her head.] here is better than the park. I would feel self-conscious out there, and here... well, I see something that should suffice well.

[As she said it, she took off at a running start. She hadn't done this often, so she wasn't entirely sure about it, but the jump shouldn't be too hard. Hefting up, she tapped her foot off of the wall of the building next to them and vaulted higher, landing on the top of the trash bin on the other side before crouching and leaping straight into the air, body twisting while she caught hold of the fire escape above, yanking herself unsteadily, then swinging first forward and then back twice before she whipped backwards and ended up landing onto the actual escape platform. Rising, she turned and looked down at her friend.]

Acrobatics, yes?

...Huh.

[Eleanor had not been expecting that, frankly. Her eyes were a bit wide as Chloe walked back over, and she mentally retraced what the older girl had done several times before finally looking at her.]

It's certainly more impressive than picking up a soda can, at least.

[She said with a small grin. Good lord.]

[She laughed.] I cannot move an object with my mind, Eleanor. Even if I am a little more visually impressive, I think psychic powers are something to behold. But, I suppose that we're probably going to argue which of us we think has the more impressive 'present' from this whole situation.

[Ahem] And I'm a little lucky. I've missed the jump a few times in practicing. It's taking getting used to, so I've been trying on a horse at the gym.

Impressive might not be the word I'd use... [Impossible sprung to mind, but then hey, that didn't really mean anything anymore.]

Well, I'm glad you didn't miss it this time, that would've been an awful way to show off. [Her voice turned a tad teasing, latching onto something that wasn't worrying about everything.]

Does it feel different? Or...I guess do you feel different?

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