taxonomites | [Location: Everywhere.]

The credits roll on Candy Taxon... the theme music winds down... and everything fades to black.

Morning comes. Taxon's back to normal. Every trace of sugar is gone; the Extras are no longer licorice or marzipan or sugar-cookie. The buildings are no longer edible.

Everything's fine.

Everything is super-normal.

The last thing you remember is the surreality of being candy, and now you're safe in your bed again. Back to being yourself.

The weird images you half-remember, when you close your eyes, of being laid flat on a table, of machinery poking at your skin and needles and a vague background vibrational hum-- the images of behind behind smooth glass, of your lungs being compressed for you, in-and-out-- the images of something other leaning over you while you laid motionless, unable to twitch-- why, all of these images are merely the remnants of some weird dream.

Maybe it was something you ate. (Especially if you were one of the Taxonians who nibbled on yourself.)

It's time to get up, Taxon.

And if your tablet calendar shows that a month has passed that you have no memory of, it's probably nothing to worry about.

And if your body aches like you ran a marathon of which you have no recollection, it's also probably nothing to worry about.

And if the lights seem too bright, and if you find yourself looking into a reflection that isn't quite right in the mirror, and if your dominant hand is now the opposite as you brush your teeth-- really. Nothing to worry about.

Good morning, Taxon. As always: welcome to the first day of the rest of your lives.

[OOC: Alright, kids, let's get back into ye olde saddles! You are back in your bodies... or are you? As described in the big plot post of doom, many characters in Taxon have undergone subtle biological changes as the aliens cram them into truly biological bodies for the first time. This is not a traditional 'plot', per se, but it is background weirdness that you are welcome to have your characters notice, theorize about, and be bothered by. Or to ignore. The 'side effects' can be different for every character: anything from a changed eye color to loss of muscle-memory. Have fun!]

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October? Sure, it feels to Emma like she's been asleep that long. She has no idea what she's missed and frankly she doesn't want to know, she's just glad she doesn't have any new memories.

Or...there's something, little flashes as she showers (it seems to take a lot of effort) and dresses (likewise), and she finds herself doubled over on the edge of her bed after she's pulled her boots on, a hand pressed to her sternum as she concentrates on breathing. It's like those seconds when Cora's fingers had gripped her heart only it's not stopping, there's a constriction deep in her chest like every anxiety she's ever felt is pressing in.

"God, okay," she says, straightens, and takes a steadying breath. She'll go out to try and take her mind off it - it's all in her head, has to be, another game - and buy a new scarf. She'll see if anything goofy's going on with other people, maybe make a few house calls.

And if it looks like she's pausing anywhere too long, if the vapor puffs her breath makes in the cool air seem too frequent, well, that's her business. Wanna try and make it yours?

ooc: Emma's going to be having atrial fibrillation for a couple days, so that'll be increased and irregular heartbeatand shortness of breath. this'll make her a little cranky. feel free to bug this tag but I'll be hitting up folks who tag with top comments. THE BIT, I AM CHOMPING ON IT.

Selina has also decided that she needs a scarf. It got cold out there and, well, she's always been fashionable. Certain scarves can totally be fashionable. She feels a bit off and she hasn't figured out why, exactly, just yet. The world feels as though it is just a little bit different and her clothes fit just a little differently as well.

She's holding up a brown patterned scarf thoughtfully in the store.

Emma's going for something darker, a deep purple with streaks of charcoal, it'll go with the fuzzy...socks that she...

For a second her vision fuzzes out and she wobbles before grabbing the edge of the display table to steady herself. She feels her heart racing and her lungs struggling to keep up, but she's not sure which is causing the other.

"...did...what, did they turn down the oxygen or what?"

"Woah, woah. Are you okay?"

Selina didn't quite run over there but she does approach the other woman quickly with a somewhat startled look on her face.

"No, I...I don't know. I think I just need to--"

There's a convenient bench and Emma nods towards it, making her way over with deliberate steps before easing herself down to sit. "I haven't felt right all day, my heart's going a mile a minute. I thought taking my mind off it would help but...no dice."

Someday, someday the whole "don't go it alone" thing will sink in and she'll follow proper protocol. Today is not that day.

"Having trouble breathing or just your heart?"

Selina isn't a medic in any sense of the word but there are a few things she knows to ask. Admittedly, she's not at all sure what to /do/ about the answers to those questions. "Do you need some water, maybe?"

"Little of both, it's all sorta connected in there I think." Like she remembers much from high school bio. Emma puts her hand to her chest again and tries to force herself to calm down, work on slow and even breaths.

She closes her eyes and in place of Cora there's something else, cold metal and some muffled hissing noise. None of it is making any sense.

"Water would probably be good, yeah. Are they just picking on me here?"

"I don't know. I've been off all day. My reflexes aren't what they'd normally. My clothes don't fit right. It sort of feels like I grew an inch and added pounds while I was sleeping...." Selina sounds a little concerned by it but not in a way that would cause her to panic too much. She makes her way to the sales counter and takes a closed bottle of water from the clerk there and comes back with it, handing it to Emma.

No, she doesn't care that the sales clerk seems upset by this nor by the fact that she just stole a bottle of water.

"Weird," Emma manages and passively observes the exchange (or lack thereof) with the clerk. She waves at the Extra, trying to indicate something along the lines of customer-in-distress and hopes that appeases them. If not, she'll pay later.

God, her thieving instincts are rusty. She nods and accepts the bottle, her fingers slipping a couple times before she manages to open the cap.

"Yeah, my coordination's leaving a little something t'be desired too." She looks Selina over and offers a half smile. "Well, if it helps you don't look any chunkier. Maybe they shrunk your clothes?"

"My perspective is all wrong. It feels sort of like I'm wearing taller heels than normal and everything is thrown off because of it," Selina says with a small frown. If she starts thinking about it too much it my well begin to bother her.

"Thanks, though."

"...that's gotta suck." Which is an understatement since Selina's whole stock-in-trade is agility and stealth. It means something, it has to, but Emma's not up to the task of figuring it all out. She makes a mental note to bring it up with the folks who do...stuff. With information like that.

She can't focus, so she takes another sip of her water.

"Okay, let's...I'm gonna buy my scarf, pay for this, and then head home." Probably the safest course of action all things considered, but to make it safer she looks up at Selina with a sheepish smile. "Would you mind walking me? I think this might be a buddy system situation."

"So far it hasn't been too bad but if I were at home, I'd be in trouble," she says downplaying her troubles. Obviously, Emma's situation is a bit more dire - or so it seems at least.

"Not at all. You seem to need ... someone to watch over you. At least for the moment." It is hard to need others, at least for Selina, so she can accept the request without too much trouble. More walking seems like a good idea. Maybe she'll get used to the new perspective faster if she's moving.

Help from others. Yep, this is slinking towards Bizarro World (not the real one) territory for Emma but she knows her limitations. She also knows she wants someone with her in case the sidewalks start melting or gravity decides to take a vacation again.

"Thanks," she replies with a nod, then after giving herself a silent little pep talk gets back to her feet and walks to the cashier. Once she's settled she turns to the door resolutely.

"Okay, it's like...four blocks, we can do this."

[Location: Everywhere.]

[location: places! around! including a store selling scarves!]

[A store selling scarves!]

[A store selling scarves!]

[A store selling scarves!]

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