Something's ... Not Right (Open)

[true_noir]

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.)

Comments

[true_noir]

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.

[notyourutopian]

...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.

[true_noir]

[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?

[notyourutopian]

...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.]

[true_noir]

[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.

[notyourutopian]

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?

[true_noir]

It would have been hilarious. [She smirked over at her and seemed to play along pretty well with the humor of the moment.] We could have used a good laugh, though this was still nice.

And yes. I feel... how do I put this? I don't feel stiff. I feel that, with a stretch, my body will move in any way that I want it to. There's no slowness or weakness to it, and my heart barely seems to pick up, compared to when I would be jogging. I have to really put in an effort to get my heart rate to go up. It's... strange to feel this way.

Have you ever felt like you could do almost anything, even if you knew there were still limits?

[notyourutopian]

That sounds like something star atheletes say.

[From what little she knew of Chloe's memories, maybe that was right? Or...something like that.]

Not really? [Eleanor smiled weakly.] I mean, I get what you're saying I'm just probably the wrong person to ask.

[Self-esteem issues go!]

[true_noir]

I wouldn't go that far... but I guess I've heard them talk that way on television, yes. [She tried to laugh at that. It certainly had sounded a little on the arrogant side, hadn't it?]

Oh, don't give me that, miss I just moved something with your mind. Do you want to go work out sometime?

[notyourutopian]

Some of the kids on the football team at school talk like that, too.

[Well that was a sudden change.]

Uhm. Sure? I mostly just go running.

[true_noir]

You know, I never really spent much time with them so I wouldn't know all that well. But, if you want, I could introduce you to free running. [She winked at her when she said it. She wasn't actually serious, even if she might have taken that up recently a little bit.]

Or perhaps just a jog through the city parks.

[notyourutopian]

I think I'm far better off with my feet firmly on the ground, Chloe.

[She could see the appeal, except she hadn't just discovered magical acrobatics.]

But yeah, that sounds cool. I usually go on Saturdays. Sometimes Wednesdays.

[true_noir]

[She managed a little chuckle and nodded.] I might make it a regular habit, you know. Regular jogging buddies. It would help the two of us make sure we stay in touch, even when I do something foolish like turning off my phone.

[notyourutopian]

I get why you did it but it was still stupid.

[Eleanor was never going to be a fan of being disconnected. She was too much of a millenial. Absently she looked around, then reached out adn scooped up another can with her powers, floating it over to her. Practice, right?]

I don't mind the company. Would probably get me to remember to do it more.

[true_noir]

Thinking back? Yeah, not the best choice. We learned a little, but we could almost have guessed what we learned. [She sighed and reached up to rub her forehead while watching the can float with a curious eye.]

More exercise isn't a bad thing, though, is it? And... well, we've already proven that not having company is a bad thing right now too.

[notyourutopian]

Yeah, I figured it would end up like that. Whatever is going on we're not going to sort it out any...I hesitate to say normal...

[Eleanor shrugged, her attention half on the floating can. She couldn't really keep it in one place though, it shifted and bobbed around and eventually dropped into her hand as she let out a little huff of breath.]

No, it's good. I just get busy. Or distracted. Or lazy. [Eleanor smiled ruefully.] Sometimes it's nice to listen to my podcasts in bed, instead of while running.

[true_noir]

Oh, if we are going to be making sure that I do not disappear from the network, then I am definitely not allowing you to disappear into your room to watch these podcasts. [She batted at the floating cast, missing barely, curious whether or not she could break Eleanor's concentration. She winked at her.]

You and I, we both... have a tendency to make it occasionally difficult to find ourselves, don't we?

[notyourutopian]

[The can floated back up again after Chloe batted at it, and the teens eyes narrowed.]

Try that again.

[Maybe she could move it out of the way fast enough.]

Yeah, I do. I know it. But it keeps me busy.

[true_noir]

With Pleasure.

[She grinned as the girl said it and nodded. Yes, this was a fun little option, wasn't it? One of them played telekinetic while the other tried to gymnastically kick the thing out of the air. She went with a quick snap kick.

... of course, no matter how well she kept her balance, she wasn't that great at aiming these things right now.]

Busy is good at times, so long as you do not lose yourself in the process. But that is what we have each other for, yes?

[notyourutopian]

[Eleanor flicks her finger, and the can darts up, just above Chloe's leg as it passes by, then drops back down to her palm.]

...Not a bad way to practice, I guess.

[She shrugs.]

I don't know how to not be busy, Chloe.

[true_noir]

I am a little the same way, though you are more than me. I suppose it just means that I will have to learn to make sure that we are busy together, to help keep up.

[notyourutopian]

[Eleanor floated the can up for her to try again.]

I guess I can't argue with it, anyway.

[true_noir]

[This was becoming something of a target practice session, Chloe aiming to kick the can around. Kind of a novel approach to a child's game, really.]

Mmm, you could try, but I'm a stubborn soul, you should know. I have never been good at taking no for an answer.

[notyourutopian]

Somehow that doesn't surprise me.

[And dodge. And weave. The can would float around for Chloe to try and kick over and over as much practicing was had.]

[true_noir]

Mmm, so you've caught on that I'm a tenacious soul at times, have you? What other of my little secrets have you managed to glean already, I wonder?