as curses go, could be worse

[abnormalizes]

WHO: Evangeline, Korone, and you!
WHAT: Evangeline and Korone swap bodies. Fun times for all!
WHEN: Oct 12-13
WHERE: Birdtile house and elsewhere - see Evangeline and Korone's toplevels
WARNINGS: uhhh mistaken identity smooches might happen idk

[Part of Evangeline's job at the research center is to investigate cursed objects that get brought in! She did such a good job with the jar after all, it makes sense for that to be part of her usual work now. So on Friday, she's given a cursed mirror to investigate.

It's definitely cursed, but Evangeline isn't quite able to figure out what it does, and she goes home thinking she'll come back at it on Monday with a refreshed mind and take another look at it.

On Saturday morning, she wakes up as a pigeon.]

Comments

[abnormalizes]

[A: Korone's room - closed to birdtile house residents]

[Evangeline immediately is on high alert when she opens her eyes and doesn't see her own bedroom. The presence of something on her back and butt is less concerning - she could have shapeshifted in her sleep, it's happened one or twice - but there's no good explanation for being somewhere she shouldn't be.

The presence of a mirror does settle both of those questions at once. And at least she is confident that no one in birdtile house would kidnap her, so this is probably a curse thing. It happens. Could be worse! No big deal!

...This line of reassurance works until Evangeline remembers that 1. she will have to change clothes at some point and 2. she considers Choco Korone to be wildly attractive. At which point she promptly picks up a pillow and muffles a scream into it.]

[B: Evangeline's house - closed to Korone and Julie-Su]

[At some point, Evangeline realizes abruptly that she really needs to warn Choco about some things in specific. She bolts downstairs in the hoodie and loose pants that Choco sleeps in, pauses momentarily to put on shoes at the door, starts putting on the wrong shoes, realizes that, puts on the correct shoes - and then goes racing off towards Amberfall.

Once she gets to her own house, she rings the doorbell and calls out.]

Choco! -Please tell me it's Choco and this is a swap and not a shuffle-

[C: various parks and gardens - open]

[Eventually Evangeline gets permission to dress herself, thankfully, so when others see her out and about she is wearing regular clothes - although her tail is out, when Choco doesn't usually have it showing.

She has also basically stuck her face into a bunch of flowers, sitting on the ground to do so. She's almost distracted enough by Choco's incredible sense of smell that she almost misses people looking her way. Almost.]

-I can explain!

[D: out and about - open]

[Evangeline's doing her best to go about her life as usual! And that includes spending time outside instead of holing up in the Birdtile residence.

Whether you're a friend or merely a passing stranger, she tries to greet you - but what comes out of her mouth is a high-pitched chirp rather than words.

...She tries again. Chirp chirp chirp. She holds up her hand in the universal signal for 'give me a second'.]

[E: wildcard]
[idk have fun]

D, I'm sorry

[roundandaround]

Oh, Korone-chan --

[Rinku stops. Blinks. Tilts her head.

Chirp? Trill, chirp!

This is fine! Rinku doesn't speak bird, but she knows Korone's learning monkey. Surely if something happened they can communicate this way, right?]

[abnormalizes]

-Rinku, you speak pigeon?

[Evangeline apparently can't tell the difference between pigeon and monkey.]

[roundandaround]

Eh? No, I thought you told me your dad was teaching you monkey...

[Wait. Something is off... but off enough to prompt an excited hug instead of suspicion.]

You didn't call me Rinku-san!

[abnormalizes]

[Evangeline hugs back, but...]

-Don't get too excited. It's Evangeline, me and Choco swapped bodies.

[Unfortunately, Rinku has not had an honorific promotion today.]

[roundandaround]

Aww. ...Eh?

[Rinku blinks as the implications finally hit her.]

You mean like that prank we were gonna do? But it's not even April Fool's yet, Neechan!

[abnormalizes]

It wasn't on purpose. I was investigating a cursed mirror for work.

D

[houndofmanchester]

You... seem to be having a bit of trouble.

[Wait, on her hand, are those...]

Hold on...

{Does this work for now, Master?}

[Master-Servant telepathy for the win!]

[abnormalizes]

(Barghest, thank fuck, I don't know how I'd explain-)

[Oh. Wait, hang on.]

(You didn't threaten Choco in my body or anything, right? She's a really good friend of mine and this isn't her fault.)

[houndofmanchester]

{I didn't, don't worry. I had a feeling this was more of an accident than a malicious takeover. I've seen similar effects from a certain Fae Domain back in Faerie Britain.}

[abnormalizes]

(Thank goodness.)

[Evangeline clears her throat, and this time is actually able to make human words come.]

Yesterday I was investigating a cursed mirror for work. I guess its effect was just delayed?

[houndofmanchester]

Yes, that would do it. Cursed mirrors are notoriously mischievous, and some do have enough patience to wait to trigger their effect. Tristain ran afoul of one once. All it did was make her an inch bigger, but that was still enough that none of her shoes fit anymore. She was furious.

[abnormalizes]

My coworkers are looking at it, so they should be able to fix things within a couple of days or so. So, um.... I guess, sorry for the confusion?

C

[dereban]

. . . I was just passing by, you don't need to explain anything--

[ Inaba sighs, her shoulders sagging ever so slightly. She had gone out to get some fresh air herself and find new locations for her work. ]

Well. Unless you want to, I suppose. A face full of flowers isn't exactly what I'd describe as "a normal occurrence from a day ending in y".

[abnormalizes]

I don't want you to think Choco is a super weirdo though-

Oh. Right. It's Evangeline, hi. Awkward running into you like this.

[dereban]

... this shit again?

[ She finds herself heaving the heaviest sigh, her shoulders sagging as her voice leaks out exhausted annoyance. ]

I really, really should be counting my blessings.

[abnormalizes]

Part of my job at the Research Center involves checking out cursed objects that get turned in, so... yeah. But at least it's better than the last time I got cursed?

[No one wants LobCorp Simulator Part 2.]

[dereban]

Maybe, but it's more... the whole 'body swap' thing happened once here before, so I'm getting a bit of deja vu.

[abnormalizes]

Oh, really? -Do you have any advice? Flowers aside, this is kind of stressful.

B

[bluediligence]

[ after a couple of seconds delay … Eva's bedroom window slides open, and out pops a familiar head. The rest of her is swathed, positively bundled, in familiar blankets. ]

- hi, Evangeline-chan!

Re: B

[abnormalizes]

Hi! Please tell me you're not wearing my EGO suit under there, it has side effects that I don't want you to have to deal with!

[She could not care less if you're wearing her lingerie.]

Re: B

[bluediligence]

Nope! I'm wearing what I woke up in.

[ So, like. NOT ... MUCH ... ]

The only things I've touched since I woke up here are blankets. ... And the floor and window if we're being technical about it — anyway, do you mind if I borrow some of your clothes? Then I'll come let you in! [ A beat, and she adds, ] Might take me a few minutes to get down the stairs, though; I really don't wanna leave you with bruises.

Re: B

[abnormalizes]

Oh - that's fine. Anything that's not a suit should be supernatural-effect-free.

[Of course Choco can wear her other clothes, why wouldn't she be allowed to?]

Take your time.

Re: B

[bluediligence]

Love a lack supernatural effects! Thank you!

[ It's time! To raid this wardrobe! Respectfully! … Nine minutes, several muffled thumps and curses, and a whole lot of DON'T THINK ABOUT IT DON'T THINK ABOUT IT DON'T THINK ABOUT IT think about stairs think about stairs oh god do not fall down them later — ]

[ The front door opens, revealing one (1) Choco-in-Eva, wearing the most concealing outfit she could possibly pull together and a smile that somehow manages to be simultaneously sheepish and deadpan. ]

Sooooo. Cursed mirror?

Re: B

[abnormalizes]

[Evangeline spends the whole time she's waiting fidgeting, flapping her wings. Fidget fidget fidget.]

Yeah. I was trying to figure one out yesterday at work, didn't crack it, and figured I'd come back to it after taking the weekend off. Sorry.