Participants:
| Scene Title | The New, Improved Redhead |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Sal gives Isis a body change. Brian plays a key role and makes a friend of the distant woman. |
| Date | August 20, 2009 |
Hotel Room
The hotel is stale with the scents of cleaners quickly splashed over the room, the bed sheets crisp but for where they are wrinkled under Isis's slight weight where she sits perched at the foot of the mattress. "I really appreciate you helping me out with this," she mumbles, pushing to her feet. She glances expectantly towards the door only to move over to the computer chair. She gives the lever a quick tug and pushing on the back to make sure it reclines properly before wiggling her shoulders to ease her tensions as much as she is able.
"Yeah. Thank you.." Name goes here. He won't say Sal, the risk of being wrong is too great. Though his hunch hunkered down and attatched and won't go away easily. Brian's arms are folded as he leans against the wall, sunglasses low on the bridge of his nose. He's wearing a snazzy suit, as usual. A sleek gray suit with a baby blue shirt underneath. The top few buttons undone. Of course.
Taking a step forward he sighs at Isis. "Now remember, my power isn't easy to control. You're going to have a lot of thoughts in your head. And I'll still be me around the city. But I'll try to shut you off from the connection so you don't get overloaded and pass out." Comforting? "So just try and sit still and not do too much." A little reassuring smile. "It'll be fine." He walks towards her, his glasses coming off, eyes softening. "I promise."
The man who does the face changes says his name is 'Reg.' It's clearly an alias, and he makes no attempt to hide that fact. It's been a long time since Sonny wore this particular face. It used to be his regular mask when he was strictly a Ferrymen operator. It's sort of full-circle, because that's what he is again now.
He takes a cab, so he has no trouble getting to the hotel, then he has the front desk call up to the room registered under the name that Brian gave.
The little redhead grows still at Brian's words, looking up with an enigmatic expression. "Thank you," she offers most sincerely, though it takes a noticeable effort for her to accept and appreciate the words of comfort.
The phone breaks her concentration. She flashes Brian an equally supportive smile and slips away, exchange a few words with the concierge, who in turn directs Reg to the appropriate room. She then turns back to Brian. "Ready?"
"Are you ready?" Brian asks, tilting his head at her. Taking a final step forward he places his hand on her shoulder, making sure there is clothing in between their skin contact. "You're welcome. Just remember. I'm going to have boobs for you, and I still don't know how I feel about that." The shoulder is given a squeeze. As Brian goes to the door and allows 'Reg' in.
"Right over here." He gestures.
'Doc Cooper' has got a backpack slung over his shoulder and a coffee in his hand. He nods to Brian, looks past him towards Isis. "I have to say, I've been coerced, threatened, to do this kind of thing, performed procedures it in tiny back rooms and operating theatres. And this has got to be the strangest set of circumstances I've ever dealt with." He flickers a small smile that's meant to reassure.
Isis grins. "No fondling while you're in my body. Got it?"
Warm-hued, brown eyes turn towards the newly arrived figure in the door. "Is that supposed to make me feel more comfortable?" she inquires, though her tone is hesitant and teasing.
Rubbing his eyes a little, Brian walks over to the bed. "Might as well get this part done with." And with that, his connections all over the city, all his duplicates start shutting him off from the link. Feeling terribly lonely all of the sudden, Brian closes his eyes tightly. "Same goes for you." He murmurs, before reaching down to take Isis' hand.
'Reg' stands back by the door and clicks the locks closed. He stays back and waits for what he presumes will be the necessary bodyswap. He does't envy Brian any, and the fact that he's doing this for her - well, it increases his opinion of the man. He shrugs the backpack off and sets it on a chair by the door and waits for an OK to approach.
Isis's little fingers grip as the instinct to control her body swapping sets the psyches unwavering for but a moment. That moment is a suspended, blissful reprieve from the jaded, uncertain swap that the little-practiced Evo aims to ease. Each consciousness slips rigidly into the opposite body, but enough of the ability is controlled to exclude most of the usual pain and disorientation that would apply.
Isis looks up through Brian's eyes, blinking uncertainly and looking to where the two forms meet in their clasped hands. She clears his throat with a gravely sound and slips his fingers away, folding them into his lap before turning to offer 'Reg' a simple nod.
Looking bewildered as he—she should. Brian goes to lay Isis' body back in the bed. An uncertain nod is given to Reg before she looks up to her original body. Brian's body. A slightly alarmed look is given, he's seen himself through other eyes before. Plenty of times. But never from such a tiny body.
"So" The voice is cut off, as Isis body is obviously a tad alarmed at the sound of her own voice. Calming down she looks up to Reg. "So we going for Heidi Klum?"
Sal isn't sure if what needs to happen has taken place until Brian-in-Isis goes towards the bed. He gives both an uncertain look and withdraws a bottle of water from his backpack. Then he walks towards the computer chair. "I don't know. What's the order?" He asks this of Isis' body instinctively, then shoots a look to Brian's. So confusing. Even for a shapeshifter who can change other people. "A change of hair and eye colour and some basic facial features can go a long way. But if you're really trying to hide, it might be smart to change a little bit about body type as well."
It was a strange thing - to be able to look upon one's own body and know it is about to change, know that the next time it is seen in the mirror it'll look quite different.
"Heidi Klum?" One of Brian's brows loft curiously. "I'm so bad with actresses names," Isis admits over Brian's deeper tones. A sigh, and then Brian's body is pupetteered a bit nearer. "I… I want to look more mature." Isis-in-Brian begins to shake his head… but pauses at the prospect of changing just more than her countenance. "Alright. In that case…" The body laying over the mattress is taken in once more. "More mature. Long hair, again. Change the eyes if you'd like. A smidge taller. And…" A little cough and Brian's gaze refocuses on Reg. "Bigger… tah-tahs." Brian's large palms make a motion towards his own chest before his cheeks glow with a slight blush.
He turns away then, stealing a seat off in the corner to try and make sure all matter of the ability within are collected - or, in this case, cut off.
Isis gives a little laugh in response to the tah-tah comment. Bringing up her hand she places it to her face for a moment, rubbing her eyes a bit. "Alright. Still going to be a red head?" Brian in Isis asks of his own body before looking at Reg. "What do I need to do, just lay still?" Without even waiting for the answer, Isis relaxes completely on the bed.
"Technically would that mean they're fake?"
To Reg's credit, he remains fairly serious despite the…weird circumstances. He loses track of who is speaking for whom. The request is only met with a slight brow-raise and no judgment. Hell, he's a plastic surgeon. Bigger boobs aren't exactly an unusual request. "I can do that."
He looks down at Brian-in-Isis and slides the pillow onto his knees. He adjusts the chair a little so that it's fairly level. "Yeah, just stay still, take deep, even breaths. This is going to feel very strange, but I need you to not panic. I've done this plenty of times. You're not in any danger as long as you try not to move." The doc sets a hand on either side of the redhead's skull and guides it into position on the pillow. It's like being at the dentist…except it's scarless and surgery-less cosmetic surgery. But before he begins, he waits on the question of the hair. "I can make it any colour you like."
"No," Brian's tone is almost childishly defensive as the little, female mind within hurriedly addresses the question of boobage authenticity. "All mine. Just… enhanced." From the corner Brian's body gives a simple nod. "Yes, please, please keep the red." A lighter smile and the larger, masculine form falls silent once more.
"Okay. If you mess it up, that charming and strapping young man over there will beat the shit out of you." Isis says with a little smile as she lets her shoulders slump against the bed. Don't move. "Alright. Fine." She answers quickly to Brian's comment about boobs. "Whatever makes you feel better." And with that she falls silent. She's not overly concerned, in reality it's not her body being worked on. Technically.
"Okay, for future reference? Threatening me is not the way to make me not turn your face into a puddle of goo. I'm here as a favour. And I'm here to help." Reg lets a hint of annoyance slide into his voice, but he constrains it. He inhales deeply. "You're going to feel a tingling, then you'll lose control of your facial muscles. Reworking the bone will feel especially strange. But this shouldn't take too long. What will take longer is reworking the vocal chords and adding height." His voice has slid back into a warm, confident, bedside manner type of tone.
And then the process begins. It looks very strange from Isis' perspective, not just because it's her body, but because it's not a sliding morph like something out of a science fiction movie. There are a few moments where the redhead's face looks completely warped and strange, with slack facial muscles and sagging skin. But when he finishes his work, there is a different woman with her head on the pillow.
Without pausing, Reg moves his hands down and sets them on the woman's shoulders. "You're going to hear a cracking sound. Don't be alarmed." A tingle slides all over her body, down to her toes. And there is indeed a cracking and popping sound, like someone snapping knuckles, but from various places at once. At first, the body is disproportionate, but he corrects that easily enough. Then, he works on her curves, making them proportionate and aesthetic, and more pronounced than they were before.
Last, he slides a hand up around Isis' throat, cups gently and Brian will feel a scratchy sensation, like a sore throat. "Resist the urge to clear it. Or tell me if you need to." And for a long time, nothing visually happens. Changing voice is tricky. But eventually, he removes his hand and exhales. "There. I had to make your voice deeper."
Sitting up somewhat to examine herself, Isis gives a satisfied and somewhat impressed nod. "Wow." Comes out the new voice, Isis looking a little alarmed once again when having three different voices within the span of an hour. Taking the moment to check herself out without feeling guilty, she sits up some. Urge to grope herself fought off, Isis simply looks back at Brian. "Happy?"
Sal looks a bit worn out after all is said and done. He rolls the computer chair back and drops the pillow on the bed after Brian-in-NewIsis sits up. He reaches for the bottle of water and promptly drains half of it. "If you ever want back to your original self, I can reverse it."
"Happy? Are you kidding? I'm ecstatic." Brian's form unfolds to his feet, hands out stretching, making groping motions to the new body. "Give it back now," Brian comments with a gruff chuckle. He turns to Reg, then, taking a moment to bow his head. "I appreciate the offer. Though, I doubt it'll be necessary considering -" A gesture is made to the masterpiece of molded flesh and curves. "Thank you for everything."
Standing up, Isis gives a more manly nod to Reg. As manly as her body can allow, that is. Taking a single step over to her own body, her hands come up to rest on Brian's shoulders. Then she pulls him in for a tight hug, one hand coming up to touch his neck with her hand for the skin to skin contact. She buries her head, in her own bodies shoulder as if to hide from the disorienting feeling that is about to come up on her slash him.
Reg suddenly feels like he's intruding on some private moment, even though it's a bodyswapping hug. He chugs down the rest of his bottle of water, then reaches to tug his backpack up onto his shoulder. There are dark circles under his eyes that weren't there before. "Well then. Good luck. And I hope you manage to stay out of trouble." A beat, and a small smile. "I don't think anyone should get locked up because their power got out of control." He doesn't know about the holding a body hostage part. Not that it would really stop him from helping, necessarily.
The swapping sensation is even more jarring than the last with Isis impatience to be back within the new gift of her rightful, molded body. There is some effort, at least, to smooth through the process and relieve the usual pains, if not the disorientation.
Isis blinks from within the feminine frame, her lashes tickling across the side of Brian's neck. She does not break the contact as quickly as she might usually - she was grateful, and for that she could indulges Brian's hug. Beside, to hug a man and not feel so short and tiny was a marvel all its own. She wrinkles her nose though and finally tips her head back, a nudge of her chin banishing a few soft curls from her new, elegantly angled features. "My shirt feels too tight," she comments with a straight face, before the expression breaks into a grin.
She relinquishes Brian, her fingers sliding smoothly over the crest of his shoulder before falling to her sides. Another turn of her new, steely grey-blue gaze to Reg and she bows her head. "I'll do my best. Take care."
"It is." Brian notes flatly, allowing his eyes to inspect the subject of interest from behind his aviators. He is momentarily distracted by Reg going back. "Thanks again Reg, I'll send a payment through the Club." The Ferrymen. A hand comes up in a half wave before his attention wander back to Isis. A grin is given to her, before he turns and gives her a half hug with one arm.
"We can go shopping for some new clothes if you want. I realize that I am kind of responsible for any lack of funds you may be having. As I did whisk you away from your job." Not that she could stay employed there anyway. He pauses, looking at her before giving a small little familial smile. "Want to?"
"If you want to pay, donate it to the Ferrymen. I don't take payment for this sort of thing," says Reg. Then he looks to Isis, "If it was because you just didn't like your nose, that's one thing. But when it's a necessity, well, that's part of what the Ferry does." He walks past the pair and heads to the door, pausing to say to the redhead, "Brian knows how to contact me if anything doesn't feel right. Okay?" And then he's out the door. He needs a nap.
Isis leans back slowly, testing her balance within the new frame Lucky for her she was accustomed to acclimating to different body sorts. A loft brow of curiosity gives into a bright grin. "Oh, what the hell - Why not? I'm kind of getting used to having you around," she teases. Perhaps it was the prospect of a new beginning, the new body being an open door to new places, that elated her mood. Or, perhaps she truly was becoming comfortable with the man that had both saved her from, and thrown her into, great dangers. She smiles and slips out from under his arm, only to hook her elbow into his.
Her free hand wanders to her hair as she makes for the door with her friend. Wow, he'd made it to the highly selective Friend List. "Think we can find a fake ID and name, too? I'd like to be able to get my job back, believe it or not." She smiles and nudges open the door with a boot, that by now is fitting a bit too tight for comfort.
Tilting his head, a grin slides on his lips as she hooks her elbow around his. Despite his intention on saving her was to use her, with a bit of hero added in, he was starting to like having her around as well. A 'friend' pure and simple is something Agent Winters truly has never experienced. Veronica was his lover, Gillian his sister, Joe his ward, all the people close to him had some special stipulation or an obligation. But a friend.. That's foreign. "Yeah, we can get you an I.D. I can write you up a whole fuckin' back story and everything. I'm a 'homesec' agent remember?" The night he saved her, flashing around Veronica's homesec badge. Leading her towards the door, he goes to open it for her.
"Hopefully no one sees us together though. I'd rather not have my girl find out I was hanging around with some woman who's chest was spilling out into the world. Let's get a new shirt. First." Brian gives a little smile before flipping the DO NOT DISTURB sign over and hanging it on the doorknob. With that, they step out into the hall…
