Prologue
They were just being nice, they were all just being nice...
Joni's fingers hesitated over the charm. Probably "charm" wasn't the right term, just "sufficiently advanced technology." But either way, it would contact the Menders.
Alex had been truthful on one count: she was stubborn. If she felt obligated to stand by Joni, like a good Samaritan discovering too late that the ambushee would need care for life, it might take her years to give up. Joni appreciated that Alex could be so loyal, but it would be far less painful to end it now. And if Alex didn't even remember Joni as a result, so much the better. It meant no guilt for abandoning her. It also meant Joni wouldn't hurt Alex either; she would never realize Joni had never been fooled by her (well-meant) dishonesty.
"Until God doesn't let me be your friend anymore"? But God had never meant them to meet in the first place! Alex Dutchman was supposed to be living a normal, un-powered life in Seattle, no tweaked genes, no history that didn't match the memories, no unexpected side-effects!
And Alex was too stubborn to fix it either, even though the solution was so obvious. Joni had first heard rumors of the Menders months ago -- how they fixed problems created by other time travelers, set things back where they belonged. But when she first brought up the idea to Alex, the response had been a forced smile and a declaration that sacrificing their friendship wasn't worth it. A bald-faced lie; a mere week before Alex had been sulking over her situation.
She'd spoken to one of the students who had aged three years in two weeks. That got her enough information to track down some other clues, and she'd finally worked her way to this charm. It had taken a while, but Joni could be stubborn too.
She rehearsed what she planned to tell the Menders one more time. Sir, there's been a major alteration made in the past of Alex Dutchman, which only she remembers...
Time for Joni to stop being a burden. Time to let Alex live the correct life again. Time to stop letting Alex fill her head with promises that would only be broken. She clenched the charm. Time.
Minor Revision
Moderator: Student Council
Minor Revision
"When you can hear 'em talk, cling to them with all force, because those are the ones with staying power." - Ursula Vernon
-
Switched Alex
Re: Minor Revision
Chapter 1
I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was.
Bottom, Act IV, Scene I - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Alex woke up and stretched. It had been a long, peaceful nap.
"Today is going to be a good day," she thought.
Except something about her room was odd. She couldn't place it. The fog of sleep had not yet receded, but something felt off.
She walked over to her closet and was dismayed. None of her clothes were where she remembered them. Did her roommate pull a joke on her and replace her wardrobe in the middle of the night?
"Nine pairs of pants?" she thought. "I only own two pairs."
She looked through the clothing some more.
"Where are my capris?"
On to the shoe space.
"And did she take my heels too?"
She didn't have to search long. All she found were a pair of boots, sneakers, a pair of blue pumps, and some dark green, heeled sandals.
Alex sighed and picked the sandals up.
"These have to go with something." She pushed the pants to one side of the closet and saw the one dress hanging on the back wall that was close to what she liked to wear. It was a short dress with a sheer top that would show off her back and her awesome midriff.
She smiled a little. It revealed a little more than she would normally, but at least she'd look hot in it.
She took the dress and headed back to her bed to put it on. The fog of just waking had faded enough that she noticed that the posters on walls were not hers either. Art with hands drawing each other and and a picture of Puget Sound from space was not her style. She hoped her Jonas Brothers poster wasn't bent when it got taken down.
"Geeze, Kierin. You went through way too much effort for this," she said aloud to the empty room. "April Fools was last week."
She took off what she had worn to bed and stepped into the dress, pulling it up to her shoulders. She looked at a mirror that the Kelly girl had left behind and made sure that the dress covered what it should. Her hair was a mess from her nap so she brushed out the tangles. The dress looked fantastic but she never been happy with how her shoulders looked.
She looked back to the closet again. A small white jacket was hanging on the end of the row. The pants had hidden it until Alex had pushed them over moments ago.
Alex smiled. It was just perfect for this outfit!
She slipped the jacket on and then sat on the bed to slip the strappy heels over each foot.
"Nice try, Kierin," Alex thought as she walked toward her dorm's door, "but tonight is going to be a fun night despite your little prank."
With a smile of satisfaction on her face, Alex locked the door after she exited. A boy visiting the girl's hall for some reason saw her and whistled. Alex gave him a wink back and left the dorm for Jules's restaurant.
I have had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was.
Bottom, Act IV, Scene I - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Alex woke up and stretched. It had been a long, peaceful nap.
"Today is going to be a good day," she thought.
Except something about her room was odd. She couldn't place it. The fog of sleep had not yet receded, but something felt off.
She walked over to her closet and was dismayed. None of her clothes were where she remembered them. Did her roommate pull a joke on her and replace her wardrobe in the middle of the night?
"Nine pairs of pants?" she thought. "I only own two pairs."
She looked through the clothing some more.
"Where are my capris?"
On to the shoe space.
"And did she take my heels too?"
She didn't have to search long. All she found were a pair of boots, sneakers, a pair of blue pumps, and some dark green, heeled sandals.
Alex sighed and picked the sandals up.
"These have to go with something." She pushed the pants to one side of the closet and saw the one dress hanging on the back wall that was close to what she liked to wear. It was a short dress with a sheer top that would show off her back and her awesome midriff.
She smiled a little. It revealed a little more than she would normally, but at least she'd look hot in it.
She took the dress and headed back to her bed to put it on. The fog of just waking had faded enough that she noticed that the posters on walls were not hers either. Art with hands drawing each other and and a picture of Puget Sound from space was not her style. She hoped her Jonas Brothers poster wasn't bent when it got taken down.
"Geeze, Kierin. You went through way too much effort for this," she said aloud to the empty room. "April Fools was last week."
She took off what she had worn to bed and stepped into the dress, pulling it up to her shoulders. She looked at a mirror that the Kelly girl had left behind and made sure that the dress covered what it should. Her hair was a mess from her nap so she brushed out the tangles. The dress looked fantastic but she never been happy with how her shoulders looked.
She looked back to the closet again. A small white jacket was hanging on the end of the row. The pants had hidden it until Alex had pushed them over moments ago.
Alex smiled. It was just perfect for this outfit!
She slipped the jacket on and then sat on the bed to slip the strappy heels over each foot.
"Nice try, Kierin," Alex thought as she walked toward her dorm's door, "but tonight is going to be a fun night despite your little prank."
With a smile of satisfaction on her face, Alex locked the door after she exited. A boy visiting the girl's hall for some reason saw her and whistled. Alex gave him a wink back and left the dorm for Jules's restaurant.
-
Switched Alex
Re: Minor Revision
Chapter 2
How little do we know that which we are! How less what we may be!
-Lord Byron, Don Juan
Valerie Atwood did not look her normal, well-kept self. Her hair was not done up like it was normally, her clothes seemed as if she had selected them in a hurry, and her face did not have a speck of make-up on it. All and all, it looked as if she had been in bed just a half hour ago.
Well, 37 minutes ago in reality, but given that Ms. Atwood had been awakened by a flying nun tapping on the glass of her twelfth story apartment window and that was at 1:34 A.M., she felt she could be excused of the normal standards. Her being called into work this late--no it was early--was odd in the extreme.
She hurried down the darkened halls from her office. She had stopped there to grab the relevant files and a drawing pad, but it was odd that she was about to do a session of any kind outside of it. She did her best to push the thoughts away as she entered the school's infirmary.
Before her sat a tired, stressed girl, dressed in a forest green party dress that showed too much skin.
"Alex? Is that you? Why are you wearing that?"
"Ms. Atwood? They called you?"
The counselor nodded. "Better go with 'Valerie' for now, Alex. A lot of people are worried about you and we want to make sure that you are all right."
"But it's really late," Alex yawned. "Can I just go to bed?"
Valerie laughed. "I wish we both could, but I am worried about you too. Let's talk a little bit and see if we both can get some sleep soon, okay?"
"I guess."
Ms. Atwood turned to a fresh page in her tablet and got her pencil ready to do its artist duties.
"So why did you choose to wear that dress tonight?"
"It was the only thing left in my closet that didn't make me look like a boy or a nun."
"And why was that important to you? It never seemed to rate very highly before."
"Because I want boys to look at me and like me."
Valerie's pencil stopped mid-stroke.
"Alex... Are you sure you're alright?"
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"The Alex I know has no interest in boys or dating."
"Valerie... Don't you act weird on me too..."
Ms. Atwood looked at the drawing she was working on and set it down.
"Alex, I will return in just a moment. I have to talk with the doctor."
"Okay," replied the exhausted teenager with a defeated look.
***
"Okay, Alex." Ms. Atwood said with a heavy sigh. "I think I'm on the road to understanding what happened."
The young girl stirred from where she been laying on the exam bed and sat up.
"You were gone a long time, Valerie."
"I know, but things like this take a while."
Valerie returned to her chair and took up her drawing pad and pencil again.
"Alex, why do you think Joni is dead?"
Alex rolled her eyes. "Because there was a big assembly to talk to us about it after she jumped off that overpass."
A mixture of shock and dismay crept onto Ms. Atwood face.
"I guess you think she is alive too..." Alex sighed. "Not like I was close to her or anything. People just think I'm suddenly Alice in f***ing Wonderland or something."
"Alex, I think this might be more an issue of time than books. You probably believe I asked this question when we first met, but how did you get your powers and why are you here?"
Alex's face betrayed her sudden puzzlement. "I was born with them, Valerie," she said with frustration in her voice. "You know that! Mom and Daddy said I could make bubbles the day after I was born but I was normal enough to keep at home. I just didn't use them much around kids I didn't know.
"They only sent me here because I 'started acting up' at school and being too flirty, and mostly 'cause I used my powers so much they started growing too fast for me to deal with. Grandpa thought it'd be a good idea if I went to a new school, and Mom and Dad agreed after Grandpa gave them a flier thing from St. Joes!"
"Alex, I think you and I are going to need to have a long talk before either of us gets any sleep. Time travel seems to have played with you again."
"'Again'?" Alex replied, face full of confusion.
"Yes." Valerie paused to speculate. "I think the person I, and the rest of the school, know as Alex has been replaced by you. Due to a decision on your parents' parts to alter your past, the other Alex was suddenly dropped into your life, your timeline, replacing you, ten months ago. And now I suspect she left just as quickly on your return, however it was caused. I know this is hard to hear and makes little sense, especially since I still understand very little of it myself, but Joni is not dead. In fact, much of what you think happened in the last 10 months, in the period since you started attending Saint Joseph's, likely has not."
A look of vague comprehension slowly came to the young girl's face. "Kinda explains why Kierin isn't wearing black I guess," she finally muttered, "and maybe why people were surprised I like boys."
Ms. Atwood nodded.
Alex sighed.
"This sucks."
How little do we know that which we are! How less what we may be!
-Lord Byron, Don Juan
Valerie Atwood did not look her normal, well-kept self. Her hair was not done up like it was normally, her clothes seemed as if she had selected them in a hurry, and her face did not have a speck of make-up on it. All and all, it looked as if she had been in bed just a half hour ago.
Well, 37 minutes ago in reality, but given that Ms. Atwood had been awakened by a flying nun tapping on the glass of her twelfth story apartment window and that was at 1:34 A.M., she felt she could be excused of the normal standards. Her being called into work this late--no it was early--was odd in the extreme.
She hurried down the darkened halls from her office. She had stopped there to grab the relevant files and a drawing pad, but it was odd that she was about to do a session of any kind outside of it. She did her best to push the thoughts away as she entered the school's infirmary.
Before her sat a tired, stressed girl, dressed in a forest green party dress that showed too much skin.
"Alex? Is that you? Why are you wearing that?"
"Ms. Atwood? They called you?"
The counselor nodded. "Better go with 'Valerie' for now, Alex. A lot of people are worried about you and we want to make sure that you are all right."
"But it's really late," Alex yawned. "Can I just go to bed?"
Valerie laughed. "I wish we both could, but I am worried about you too. Let's talk a little bit and see if we both can get some sleep soon, okay?"
"I guess."
Ms. Atwood turned to a fresh page in her tablet and got her pencil ready to do its artist duties.
"So why did you choose to wear that dress tonight?"
"It was the only thing left in my closet that didn't make me look like a boy or a nun."
"And why was that important to you? It never seemed to rate very highly before."
"Because I want boys to look at me and like me."
Valerie's pencil stopped mid-stroke.
"Alex... Are you sure you're alright?"
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"The Alex I know has no interest in boys or dating."
"Valerie... Don't you act weird on me too..."
Ms. Atwood looked at the drawing she was working on and set it down.
"Alex, I will return in just a moment. I have to talk with the doctor."
"Okay," replied the exhausted teenager with a defeated look.
***
"Okay, Alex." Ms. Atwood said with a heavy sigh. "I think I'm on the road to understanding what happened."
The young girl stirred from where she been laying on the exam bed and sat up.
"You were gone a long time, Valerie."
"I know, but things like this take a while."
Valerie returned to her chair and took up her drawing pad and pencil again.
"Alex, why do you think Joni is dead?"
Alex rolled her eyes. "Because there was a big assembly to talk to us about it after she jumped off that overpass."
A mixture of shock and dismay crept onto Ms. Atwood face.
"I guess you think she is alive too..." Alex sighed. "Not like I was close to her or anything. People just think I'm suddenly Alice in f***ing Wonderland or something."
"Alex, I think this might be more an issue of time than books. You probably believe I asked this question when we first met, but how did you get your powers and why are you here?"
Alex's face betrayed her sudden puzzlement. "I was born with them, Valerie," she said with frustration in her voice. "You know that! Mom and Daddy said I could make bubbles the day after I was born but I was normal enough to keep at home. I just didn't use them much around kids I didn't know.
"They only sent me here because I 'started acting up' at school and being too flirty, and mostly 'cause I used my powers so much they started growing too fast for me to deal with. Grandpa thought it'd be a good idea if I went to a new school, and Mom and Dad agreed after Grandpa gave them a flier thing from St. Joes!"
"Alex, I think you and I are going to need to have a long talk before either of us gets any sleep. Time travel seems to have played with you again."
"'Again'?" Alex replied, face full of confusion.
"Yes." Valerie paused to speculate. "I think the person I, and the rest of the school, know as Alex has been replaced by you. Due to a decision on your parents' parts to alter your past, the other Alex was suddenly dropped into your life, your timeline, replacing you, ten months ago. And now I suspect she left just as quickly on your return, however it was caused. I know this is hard to hear and makes little sense, especially since I still understand very little of it myself, but Joni is not dead. In fact, much of what you think happened in the last 10 months, in the period since you started attending Saint Joseph's, likely has not."
A look of vague comprehension slowly came to the young girl's face. "Kinda explains why Kierin isn't wearing black I guess," she finally muttered, "and maybe why people were surprised I like boys."
Ms. Atwood nodded.
Alex sighed.
"This sucks."
-
Switched Alex
Re: Minor Revision
Chapter 3
Curiouser and curiouser!
Alice - The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
"And you don't remember Joni either?" Spark Princess asked as she took aim at one of the former residents of Croatoa.
"You..." the sprite moaned, "will be the first... to die!"
Electricity flew from the pink-clad girl's wrists to the lost soul. After a second volley, the spirited disappeared.
Spark Princess didn't need any help mopping up the deserted streets of Salamanca. It was pretty easy and helped burn up her service hours for the week. It was also boring. So having company, even a girl who had just freaked out a couple nights ago, was still a decent trade.
"That's just insane if you forgot her."
"I thought she was dead until I saw her," Alex retorted.
The Spark Princess's jaw dropped. " ...dead?"
"Yeah."
"...F***."
"F***?" Alex parroted back.
"Why do you think she's dead?"
"I remember a whole assembly about it. It was also on the news."
An annoyed fir bolg cast his attention on the pair. "This is serious business!" he growled.
"You would keep us from our task?" The thunder maven next to him (her? it?) seemed just as surprised at the interruption.
Three white figures appeared from the ether. The male figure seemed to rip up part of the sidewalk and hurled it at the witch, while the two female figures threw out charges of blue energy. The witch screamed and fell. Alex let the three illusions melt away, and the sidewalk was as it always was.
The Princess had finished with her fir bolg already. No longer distracted, she was looking at Alex thoughtfully. "Maybe you're in some crazy denial state."
Alex rolled her eyes. "I wish."
"No, really. You couldn't accept who you were, so you blanked out all the evidence of it. New clothes, new attitude, and of course Joni would have to go."
"What are you talking about?" Alex asked confusedly.
"Alex? Er... how to put this..." Spark paused to arrange her words. "You and Joni..."
Alex cut her off. "Thought that already. Her close friends say she wasn't....Isn't....whatever."
"Well, she'll take whoever, she's so insecure. But you... uh, before this, whatever it was, anyway... you were definitely the biggest dyke outside of Holland to put it bluntly."
"Oh f*** no!" Alex blurted out with a look of shock on her face.
"...and you didn't say 'f***' either. Look, you tried to hide it, but you had no interest in guys and plenty of interest in Joni." The magical girl scrunched her forehead in thought. "And you never wore skirts if you could help it," she added as an afterthought.
"And you know Joni better than her friends how?"
Spark Princess rolled her eyes. "Oh for... maybe she didn't return the favor, maybe she just kept it inside, maybe she's bi, whatever. You spoken to her yet?"
"No. Kinda hard to when we are both the same person."
"Joni. Have you spoken to Joni?"
"Barely."
"How'd she take the new you?"
"Not well, I guess." Alex shrugged.
Spark smiled knowingly. "Mm-hm."
"Sounds like you were real close to the old me," Alex retorted, dripping in sarcasm.
"Enough to know you were a closeted God-girl, and Joni was about all you could talk about."
"A what?" Alex looked at the Princess in shock, from the first statement more than the second.
"That changed too?"
"What changed?"
"You don't remember going to church like a good girl every week?"
"I what?" Alex was still in disbelief.
"That's a no then. You wouldn't even let me say 'Christ' in front of you."
"Oh." Alex sighed. "Okay, this life of hers is weird."
"She was at that. I'd almost say it's for the best, if you just work on your fashion sense."
***
The ghosts were falling faster as Alex helped the Spark Princess burn community service hours. Spirits were finding peace through the pair's violence at a fantastic rate.
"Is this outfit really that bad to you?"
Spark Princess looked over Alex's snug pastel croptop, matching short skirt, and false fairy wings. "The wings just look ridiculous. The rest isn't bad if you don't care where the boys are staring."
Alex shrugged.
Pink, puffed sleeves shrugged back at her. "Your call on that one."
"Not like any of it is real anyways," Alex said with a little laugh. "Do you mind when boys look at you?"
"So long as they're not snickering when they do."
"Why would they snicker? You look good in pink."
"It's all frilly," Spark Princess stated as it was obvious. "And they do. I hear them." She turned to check for more ghosts in the distance.
Alex looked at her clothes. Suddenly, her costume melted to become her school uniform.
Spark Princess refocused her attention on Alex. "Hey. When'd you find time to change?"
"I didn't. It was just an illusion," Alex replied, "and I've seen worse. My mom made her wear them when I was little."
Spark looked Alex's Saint Joseph uniform over -- Alex had hiked up her skirt, but that was pretty common. "See, the uniform's not that bad, actually," she mused. "The skirt shows off some leg, but they're still able to look you in the face after."
Alex smiled. "So do you have to wear pink because of the wings?" she wondered out loud. "I think you could put on another color and it would look okay."
The Spark Princess made a sour face at Alex. "With this thing, they're staring at the wings, the frills, the stupid hairdo..."
"So you didn't pick any of that?"
The magical girl shook her head irritably. "No! It pops up when I start zapping!"
"Oh." Alex thought a moment. "So, what would you wear?"
"I don't know, something else. Red's more my color."
Alex smirked.
***
It was getting late. The girls had been fighting the evil of Croatoa for hours and time passed faster than Alex thought it was. The Spark Princess landed on a roof top of a four story building just as the moon broke through the fog.
Alex teleported next to the princess and sat down. "Wow. Nice view."
Spark smirked. "I do get good ones, when I'm not getting shot..." She stretched out her sore body, wings in tandem with it, then muttered, "Conceal until needed. PLEASE."
Alex looked over to see what the phrase was about. A shocked expression sprung to her face. "Wait?!? Elly?"
Elly, now in her leather jacket and jeans, blinked. "Aw, son of a..." She shook her head resignedly. "...hell, you would have remembered anyway, eventually. Just gotten too used to who knows and who doesn't... and most everyone knows by now anyway."
Alex recovered from her partner's identity fairly quickly; she'd had plenty of other surprises that week already. "Then why not just tell everyone and get it over with?"
"Still don't like people thinking of me like that pink... thing. I'm not some silly frilly princess. I'm Elly."
"Well, that's kinda easy to see after talking to you for five minutes."
The school comm channel suddenly came to life, interrupting the conversation.
"I am gonna go to bed," Nova's voice came over their headsets in a teasing tone. "Don't do anything I won't do, Alex!"
Alex gave Elly a confused look. "Okay....."
Elly just smirked and opened the outgoing channel. "That doesn't narrow it down much, but night, Shirtless."
"Well at least try to wear a shirt!" Nova snickered. "Night, you two!"
Alex giggled as she finally got the idea and keyed on her comm. "He wishes!"
Elly smiled, turning off her mike. "You know, ditch the fairy wings and I think I do prefer you this way. The other Alex always had a stick up her ass. And she was always trying to make everyone else better, like it was her job."
Alex shrugged. "I don't so much, but what's wrong with that?"
"She was meddling. Some people didn't want improving. I get enough of that from MAGI myself."
"So I take it there wasn't much you liked about old me."
"Eh, you could be tolerable enough... you were at least a good listener."
That surprised Alex. "You talked with me?"
"You kind of butted into my life," Elly griped as she yawned. "So yeah."
Alex yawned back. "If you want to stay un-pinked, I think the teleporter my dad gave me can get us back to campus fast."
"Really? That'd be nice..."
"Yeah," Alex nodded. She looked over Elly's open leather jacket and the red fabric underneath running across Elly's breasts. "Speaking of fashion, cute top."
"Thanks."
Alex yawned again.
"Contagious," Elly declared as she followed suit.
"Let's at least get back on campus."
"You still know which room is yours, right?"
"Yeah. I share it with Kierin. Her not being in black is taking a lot of getting used to."
"She was in black?" Elly questioned.
"Yeah. Black coat with a lot of holes in it."
"She ditched that ages ago."
"So she tells me. She said Old Me was the reason she doesn't wear it anymore. I forced her to go to Valerie or something."
"Yeah, that sounds like the other you."
Switched sighed frustrated. "I don't even know if I'm going to be here tomorrow," she grumbled as she stomped her foot.
"Well, here's hoping. No idea what happened?"
Alex shook her head. "I just woke up, saw all my things were gone, found that dress, and went to Jules."
"Biz-arre."
"Yeah."
"And you remember behaving like you do now for your entire life?"
"Mostly. I got really bad for a while and got sent here."
Elly stared at Alex a second. "Meaning?"
"Um, attention whore?" That got Elly laughing; Alex blushed. "I kinda got boobs over the summer and wanted to show them off. It got out of hand."
"So they sent you to the Catholics?" Elly shuddered. "Harsh."
"Grandpa suggested it and my parents didn't know what to do with me."
"Well, here's hoping you stick around."
"I get the feeling other people would like old me back, but we'll see."
"F*** them," Elly declared flatly.
Alex smirked. "Horny one aren't you?"
"Not that way!" Elly blurted back in shock before returning her new friend's smirk.
Curiouser and curiouser!
Alice - The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
"And you don't remember Joni either?" Spark Princess asked as she took aim at one of the former residents of Croatoa.
"You..." the sprite moaned, "will be the first... to die!"
Electricity flew from the pink-clad girl's wrists to the lost soul. After a second volley, the spirited disappeared.
Spark Princess didn't need any help mopping up the deserted streets of Salamanca. It was pretty easy and helped burn up her service hours for the week. It was also boring. So having company, even a girl who had just freaked out a couple nights ago, was still a decent trade.
"That's just insane if you forgot her."
"I thought she was dead until I saw her," Alex retorted.
The Spark Princess's jaw dropped. " ...dead?"
"Yeah."
"...F***."
"F***?" Alex parroted back.
"Why do you think she's dead?"
"I remember a whole assembly about it. It was also on the news."
An annoyed fir bolg cast his attention on the pair. "This is serious business!" he growled.
"You would keep us from our task?" The thunder maven next to him (her? it?) seemed just as surprised at the interruption.
Three white figures appeared from the ether. The male figure seemed to rip up part of the sidewalk and hurled it at the witch, while the two female figures threw out charges of blue energy. The witch screamed and fell. Alex let the three illusions melt away, and the sidewalk was as it always was.
The Princess had finished with her fir bolg already. No longer distracted, she was looking at Alex thoughtfully. "Maybe you're in some crazy denial state."
Alex rolled her eyes. "I wish."
"No, really. You couldn't accept who you were, so you blanked out all the evidence of it. New clothes, new attitude, and of course Joni would have to go."
"What are you talking about?" Alex asked confusedly.
"Alex? Er... how to put this..." Spark paused to arrange her words. "You and Joni..."
Alex cut her off. "Thought that already. Her close friends say she wasn't....Isn't....whatever."
"Well, she'll take whoever, she's so insecure. But you... uh, before this, whatever it was, anyway... you were definitely the biggest dyke outside of Holland to put it bluntly."
"Oh f*** no!" Alex blurted out with a look of shock on her face.
"...and you didn't say 'f***' either. Look, you tried to hide it, but you had no interest in guys and plenty of interest in Joni." The magical girl scrunched her forehead in thought. "And you never wore skirts if you could help it," she added as an afterthought.
"And you know Joni better than her friends how?"
Spark Princess rolled her eyes. "Oh for... maybe she didn't return the favor, maybe she just kept it inside, maybe she's bi, whatever. You spoken to her yet?"
"No. Kinda hard to when we are both the same person."
"Joni. Have you spoken to Joni?"
"Barely."
"How'd she take the new you?"
"Not well, I guess." Alex shrugged.
Spark smiled knowingly. "Mm-hm."
"Sounds like you were real close to the old me," Alex retorted, dripping in sarcasm.
"Enough to know you were a closeted God-girl, and Joni was about all you could talk about."
"A what?" Alex looked at the Princess in shock, from the first statement more than the second.
"That changed too?"
"What changed?"
"You don't remember going to church like a good girl every week?"
"I what?" Alex was still in disbelief.
"That's a no then. You wouldn't even let me say 'Christ' in front of you."
"Oh." Alex sighed. "Okay, this life of hers is weird."
"She was at that. I'd almost say it's for the best, if you just work on your fashion sense."
***
The ghosts were falling faster as Alex helped the Spark Princess burn community service hours. Spirits were finding peace through the pair's violence at a fantastic rate.
"Is this outfit really that bad to you?"
Spark Princess looked over Alex's snug pastel croptop, matching short skirt, and false fairy wings. "The wings just look ridiculous. The rest isn't bad if you don't care where the boys are staring."
Alex shrugged.
Pink, puffed sleeves shrugged back at her. "Your call on that one."
"Not like any of it is real anyways," Alex said with a little laugh. "Do you mind when boys look at you?"
"So long as they're not snickering when they do."
"Why would they snicker? You look good in pink."
"It's all frilly," Spark Princess stated as it was obvious. "And they do. I hear them." She turned to check for more ghosts in the distance.
Alex looked at her clothes. Suddenly, her costume melted to become her school uniform.
Spark Princess refocused her attention on Alex. "Hey. When'd you find time to change?"
"I didn't. It was just an illusion," Alex replied, "and I've seen worse. My mom made her wear them when I was little."
Spark looked Alex's Saint Joseph uniform over -- Alex had hiked up her skirt, but that was pretty common. "See, the uniform's not that bad, actually," she mused. "The skirt shows off some leg, but they're still able to look you in the face after."
Alex smiled. "So do you have to wear pink because of the wings?" she wondered out loud. "I think you could put on another color and it would look okay."
The Spark Princess made a sour face at Alex. "With this thing, they're staring at the wings, the frills, the stupid hairdo..."
"So you didn't pick any of that?"
The magical girl shook her head irritably. "No! It pops up when I start zapping!"
"Oh." Alex thought a moment. "So, what would you wear?"
"I don't know, something else. Red's more my color."
Alex smirked.
***
It was getting late. The girls had been fighting the evil of Croatoa for hours and time passed faster than Alex thought it was. The Spark Princess landed on a roof top of a four story building just as the moon broke through the fog.
Alex teleported next to the princess and sat down. "Wow. Nice view."
Spark smirked. "I do get good ones, when I'm not getting shot..." She stretched out her sore body, wings in tandem with it, then muttered, "Conceal until needed. PLEASE."
Alex looked over to see what the phrase was about. A shocked expression sprung to her face. "Wait?!? Elly?"
Elly, now in her leather jacket and jeans, blinked. "Aw, son of a..." She shook her head resignedly. "...hell, you would have remembered anyway, eventually. Just gotten too used to who knows and who doesn't... and most everyone knows by now anyway."
Alex recovered from her partner's identity fairly quickly; she'd had plenty of other surprises that week already. "Then why not just tell everyone and get it over with?"
"Still don't like people thinking of me like that pink... thing. I'm not some silly frilly princess. I'm Elly."
"Well, that's kinda easy to see after talking to you for five minutes."
The school comm channel suddenly came to life, interrupting the conversation.
"I am gonna go to bed," Nova's voice came over their headsets in a teasing tone. "Don't do anything I won't do, Alex!"
Alex gave Elly a confused look. "Okay....."
Elly just smirked and opened the outgoing channel. "That doesn't narrow it down much, but night, Shirtless."
"Well at least try to wear a shirt!" Nova snickered. "Night, you two!"
Alex giggled as she finally got the idea and keyed on her comm. "He wishes!"
Elly smiled, turning off her mike. "You know, ditch the fairy wings and I think I do prefer you this way. The other Alex always had a stick up her ass. And she was always trying to make everyone else better, like it was her job."
Alex shrugged. "I don't so much, but what's wrong with that?"
"She was meddling. Some people didn't want improving. I get enough of that from MAGI myself."
"So I take it there wasn't much you liked about old me."
"Eh, you could be tolerable enough... you were at least a good listener."
That surprised Alex. "You talked with me?"
"You kind of butted into my life," Elly griped as she yawned. "So yeah."
Alex yawned back. "If you want to stay un-pinked, I think the teleporter my dad gave me can get us back to campus fast."
"Really? That'd be nice..."
"Yeah," Alex nodded. She looked over Elly's open leather jacket and the red fabric underneath running across Elly's breasts. "Speaking of fashion, cute top."
"Thanks."
Alex yawned again.
"Contagious," Elly declared as she followed suit.
"Let's at least get back on campus."
"You still know which room is yours, right?"
"Yeah. I share it with Kierin. Her not being in black is taking a lot of getting used to."
"She was in black?" Elly questioned.
"Yeah. Black coat with a lot of holes in it."
"She ditched that ages ago."
"So she tells me. She said Old Me was the reason she doesn't wear it anymore. I forced her to go to Valerie or something."
"Yeah, that sounds like the other you."
Switched sighed frustrated. "I don't even know if I'm going to be here tomorrow," she grumbled as she stomped her foot.
"Well, here's hoping. No idea what happened?"
Alex shook her head. "I just woke up, saw all my things were gone, found that dress, and went to Jules."
"Biz-arre."
"Yeah."
"And you remember behaving like you do now for your entire life?"
"Mostly. I got really bad for a while and got sent here."
Elly stared at Alex a second. "Meaning?"
"Um, attention whore?" That got Elly laughing; Alex blushed. "I kinda got boobs over the summer and wanted to show them off. It got out of hand."
"So they sent you to the Catholics?" Elly shuddered. "Harsh."
"Grandpa suggested it and my parents didn't know what to do with me."
"Well, here's hoping you stick around."
"I get the feeling other people would like old me back, but we'll see."
"F*** them," Elly declared flatly.
Alex smirked. "Horny one aren't you?"
"Not that way!" Elly blurted back in shock before returning her new friend's smirk.
-
Switched Alex
Re: Minor Revision
Chapter 4
Our clothes are too much a part of us for most of us ever to be entirely indifferent to their condition: it is as though the fabric were indeed a natural extension of the body, or even of the soul.
-Quentin Bell
Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.
-Ambrose Bierce
Alex smirked as Kierin walked into the Icon dressing room. She knew that Kierin wasn't going to like her choice but she also knew her roommate would look awesome. It was worth hearing Keebee complain if it just planted the idea that she might look hot in a dress, and besides, she had said Alex could make any suggestion and she'd wear it.
Kierin exited the dressing room with her cheeks in a slight blush. Alex had put her roommate into a snug dress that looked like a tee shirt and a mini-skirt melded together.
"Looks good on you!" Alex exclaimed.
Kierin irritably tugged the hemline down. "This is... less than I've ever worn that's not a swimsuit."
"It's no worse than shorts, Keebee." Alex smiled. "I even made sure you had something to put under it."
"Uh-huh... still." Kierin shrugged a little. "And it feels weird wearing the sneakers with the skirt... Not sure why...."
"You're used to un-comfy shoes when you have to wear dresses, probably."
"I guess."
Alex had put on her beach... thing. "Think you could get used to it?" she asked hopefully.
"It's not my thing. I feel too fragile."
Alex arched an eyebrow. "Why?
Kierin grabbed her left shoulder with her right hand and laid her arm protectively across her chest. "I think I'm too accustomed to wearing more clothing. This just feels less solid."
Alex frowned. "Even if you don't want boys to notice you, extra clothes suck in summer."
"Not when you have a permanent chilly wind at your disposal," Kierin replied with a smirk.
"Kee-bee!" Alex yelled back at her friend.
Kierin was all smiles now. "Yes?"
"Be a girl for once. It's fun once you get used to it!"
Kierin's smile evaporated. "I am a girl, that's just a fact... clothes don't change that."
"Sorry...."
Kierin's face softened. "And I'm playing the girl game with you anyway."
"Not like anyone else is going to see," Alex pouted.
"That's the point," replied Kierin matter-of-factly.
"At least wear a swimsuit to Tony's birthday party?" Alex begged.
"I guess." Kierin's look was unsure. "Is everyone else coming?"
"Lots! Elly, Yuki , Kat and I think Mieri might come too."
"Ok."
"You don't even have to go for 'hot.' A one piece works."
"I had one." Kierin thought a moment. "I think it's still buried in the closet somewhere."
Curiosity finally got the better of Alex. Keebee had to at least sorta like the dress. As far as Alex was concerned, the outfit Kierin tried on was the the perfect compromise. It didn't show too much skin but at least her roommate looked feminine.
"Did you at least look at the dress in a mirror?"
"Yeah," Kierin sighed, obviously not happy, "my legs look a lot longer."
"That's a good thing. It makes you look a little taller." Alex mentally smirked as she added in her head, "....and guys like girls with long legs. " It wouldn't be hard for Keebee to get a guy if she tried even a little.
Kierin's laughter brought back Alex out of her own little world.
"I'm taller than most of the girls around here anyway," Kierin smirked.
Alex frowned slightly. "I'm not that much shorter than you..."
"No, not much. But a little. That's usually the case."
"Well it does help if you ever date tall guys."
Kierin's face twitched into a frown for a split second "That's not something to worry about."
"You'll find someone." Alex gave a small encouraging smile.
Kierin just shook her head in reply.
Alex smirked, "Wear that and you can sooner!"
"I'm not dating."
Kierin manage to keep her face frozen in a neutral expression that made Alex want to lighten the mood. But what could?
"You're just mad I put you in a dress." She smirked.
Kierin face shifted to a look of confusion. "...that doesn't have anything to do with this..." After a second, she got it. "But I can't say I'm happy about this thing."
"Said the girl smiling in a dress!" Alex stuck out her tongue at Kierin then smirked yet again.
"Hey, I expected you'd pull something like this, I can manage to laugh at it for a few minutes..."
Alex's smirk graduated to a smile. "I told you I was going to. Not like I tried getting you into what I am wearing." She paused dramatically. "...Yet."
Kierin looked at Alex's outfit. It wasn't something Alex's old self wouldn't have worn at all. She was in a pair of short-shorts and what could be described a four inch wide ribbon of swimsuit spandex across her chest.
"One more and then swim stuff?"
Kierin gave a nod. "Sure."
"Girly or something I think you might wear out the door?" Alex giggled.
"Let's see what your idea of something I'd wear is."
***
The girl who came out of the girl room this time was smiling. "Better!"
Alex was pleased. It wasn't the dress, but at least Keebee was wearing brighter colors. It was just a white with blue baseball shirt and some blue jeans, but it was more cheery than anything that Kierin had back in her closet
"Will it make it out the door?" asked Alex asked with a faint hope.
"Hm..." Kierin narrowed her eyes at Alex and then shook her head with resignation. "Sure."
Alex grinned back. "Now swim stuff, Keebee," she said with a look that showed pure teasing. "You really need a skimpy bikini!"
Kierin just rolled her eyes.
Our clothes are too much a part of us for most of us ever to be entirely indifferent to their condition: it is as though the fabric were indeed a natural extension of the body, or even of the soul.
-Quentin Bell
Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.
-Ambrose Bierce
Alex smirked as Kierin walked into the Icon dressing room. She knew that Kierin wasn't going to like her choice but she also knew her roommate would look awesome. It was worth hearing Keebee complain if it just planted the idea that she might look hot in a dress, and besides, she had said Alex could make any suggestion and she'd wear it.
Kierin exited the dressing room with her cheeks in a slight blush. Alex had put her roommate into a snug dress that looked like a tee shirt and a mini-skirt melded together.
"Looks good on you!" Alex exclaimed.
Kierin irritably tugged the hemline down. "This is... less than I've ever worn that's not a swimsuit."
"It's no worse than shorts, Keebee." Alex smiled. "I even made sure you had something to put under it."
"Uh-huh... still." Kierin shrugged a little. "And it feels weird wearing the sneakers with the skirt... Not sure why...."
"You're used to un-comfy shoes when you have to wear dresses, probably."
"I guess."
Alex had put on her beach... thing. "Think you could get used to it?" she asked hopefully.
"It's not my thing. I feel too fragile."
Alex arched an eyebrow. "Why?
Kierin grabbed her left shoulder with her right hand and laid her arm protectively across her chest. "I think I'm too accustomed to wearing more clothing. This just feels less solid."
Alex frowned. "Even if you don't want boys to notice you, extra clothes suck in summer."
"Not when you have a permanent chilly wind at your disposal," Kierin replied with a smirk.
"Kee-bee!" Alex yelled back at her friend.
Kierin was all smiles now. "Yes?"
"Be a girl for once. It's fun once you get used to it!"
Kierin's smile evaporated. "I am a girl, that's just a fact... clothes don't change that."
"Sorry...."
Kierin's face softened. "And I'm playing the girl game with you anyway."
"Not like anyone else is going to see," Alex pouted.
"That's the point," replied Kierin matter-of-factly.
"At least wear a swimsuit to Tony's birthday party?" Alex begged.
"I guess." Kierin's look was unsure. "Is everyone else coming?"
"Lots! Elly, Yuki , Kat and I think Mieri might come too."
"Ok."
"You don't even have to go for 'hot.' A one piece works."
"I had one." Kierin thought a moment. "I think it's still buried in the closet somewhere."
Curiosity finally got the better of Alex. Keebee had to at least sorta like the dress. As far as Alex was concerned, the outfit Kierin tried on was the the perfect compromise. It didn't show too much skin but at least her roommate looked feminine.
"Did you at least look at the dress in a mirror?"
"Yeah," Kierin sighed, obviously not happy, "my legs look a lot longer."
"That's a good thing. It makes you look a little taller." Alex mentally smirked as she added in her head, "....and guys like girls with long legs. " It wouldn't be hard for Keebee to get a guy if she tried even a little.
Kierin's laughter brought back Alex out of her own little world.
"I'm taller than most of the girls around here anyway," Kierin smirked.
Alex frowned slightly. "I'm not that much shorter than you..."
"No, not much. But a little. That's usually the case."
"Well it does help if you ever date tall guys."
Kierin's face twitched into a frown for a split second "That's not something to worry about."
"You'll find someone." Alex gave a small encouraging smile.
Kierin just shook her head in reply.
Alex smirked, "Wear that and you can sooner!"
"I'm not dating."
Kierin manage to keep her face frozen in a neutral expression that made Alex want to lighten the mood. But what could?
"You're just mad I put you in a dress." She smirked.
Kierin face shifted to a look of confusion. "...that doesn't have anything to do with this..." After a second, she got it. "But I can't say I'm happy about this thing."
"Said the girl smiling in a dress!" Alex stuck out her tongue at Kierin then smirked yet again.
"Hey, I expected you'd pull something like this, I can manage to laugh at it for a few minutes..."
Alex's smirk graduated to a smile. "I told you I was going to. Not like I tried getting you into what I am wearing." She paused dramatically. "...Yet."
Kierin looked at Alex's outfit. It wasn't something Alex's old self wouldn't have worn at all. She was in a pair of short-shorts and what could be described a four inch wide ribbon of swimsuit spandex across her chest.
"One more and then swim stuff?"
Kierin gave a nod. "Sure."
"Girly or something I think you might wear out the door?" Alex giggled.
"Let's see what your idea of something I'd wear is."
***
The girl who came out of the girl room this time was smiling. "Better!"
Alex was pleased. It wasn't the dress, but at least Keebee was wearing brighter colors. It was just a white with blue baseball shirt and some blue jeans, but it was more cheery than anything that Kierin had back in her closet
"Will it make it out the door?" asked Alex asked with a faint hope.
"Hm..." Kierin narrowed her eyes at Alex and then shook her head with resignation. "Sure."
Alex grinned back. "Now swim stuff, Keebee," she said with a look that showed pure teasing. "You really need a skimpy bikini!"
Kierin just rolled her eyes.
Re: Minor Revision
Interim
Unless told, anyone looking at Martin and Joni Jacobs would think the shared last name was mere coincidence. Even putting aside the melanin count difference, already enough to throw anyone off, the father didn't resemble the daughter in the slightest. All of Joni's features came from her mother.
Martin Jacobs was a huge fellow, a linebacker (well, second string) in college. Over several years of teaching instead of tackling, his muscles had decayed into something else, but his 6'7" frame still dwarfed the 5'3" Joni even when she wasn't trying to make herself smaller. Additionally, his grammar was perfect even when distressed, and his voice was deep and without a trace of any accent.
He also had a broad smile, but here in Ms. Sinclair's office it wasn't making an appearance.
"But what does any of this have to do with Alexandra? She's about all Joni can talk about when she writes or calls home. Even her boyfriend barely gets a mention next to Alex."
Valerie Atwood decided now wasn't the time to update Joni's father on her dating life. "Mr. Jacobs, about a week ago Alex Dutchman went through what I could best describe as a drastic personality shift. We're still not completely sure what caused it."
"I don't understand. Are you saying she has multiple personalities?"
"That's not quite accurate, but I'm afraid I can't explain further without breaking confidentiality. What matters is that we're not sure when or if the Alex that Joni knew will return. Joni realizes this and she's treating it as if her best friend died. And she blames herself."
"What? Why?"
"I'm not sure of that either, but you're probably well aware your daughter suffers from a serious guilt complex. If something bad happens around her, she'll instinctively apologize even if she had nothing to do with it." Jacobs nodded in sad agreement, so Atwood continued. "I, well, I'm hopeful that's all this is, but in such traumatic circumstances, even that's been enough to warrant taking measures."
"By 'measures,' I assume you mean calling me to come to Rhode Island."
"Also, for now, we're restricting her to campus," Janine Sinclair added from her desk.
"Now that seems unnecessary!"
"Mr. Jacobs, do you know what 'artistic clairvoyance' is?"
"No."
"It's a talent of Miss Atwood's. She has the ability, while speaking to others, to draw images that are important to them and their life, even if neither she nor the speaker are conscious of these things. Valerie, would you please show Mr. Jacobs the results of his daughter's last session?"
Atwood opened her file folder and handed the sketch inside to Jacobs. He looked it over in alarm.
"The girl in glasses... is that Alexandra?" He looked back at the drawing after Atwood nodded. The point of view stared up at an overpass from below, and plummeting straight at the observer was a terrified Alex. Above, from the apparent place where Alex began her fall, Joni was in the middle of tumbling over the rail after her with a disturbingly-resigned expression. The sketch didn't make it clear why Alex had fallen, but Joni was obviously being pushed.
By another Joni.
"The Skyway district," Atwood responded to Jacobs' shocked expression, "has several overpasses just like that one. Joni skipped three days of class to stare over the edge of one. For your daughter's own safety we assumed the worst and most likely conclusion."
The shock turned to anger, or perhaps anguish. "My Joni is not suicidal. She is strong, stronger than me. She has been through things you could never understand--"
"With all respect, Mr. Jacobs," Sinclair interrupted, "They're things you can never understand."
"Are you going to tell me she's 'special'? I know that. I've known that even when it seemed everyone else was trying to discard her. She's my daughter."
"We respect that. That's why we called you first thing, that's why we offered to cover your travel expenses, and that's why it's completely your decision what happens next."
This seemed to appease Jacobs. He sat back in his chair, daring to look over the sketch again. Something caught his eye. "...Why's Michelle in this? Why's she yelling at Joni? She isn't in Paragon, is she?"
Atwood sighed. "No, she's not. But in Joni's mind, for two years her mother has never stopped yelling at her. Under other circumstances, I'd consider it a positive sign that she wasn't taking up a third of a page."
"Yeah." Jacobs put the sketch back down. "I can imagine."
***
The dove-colored girl looked tinier than ever. Mr. Jacobs sat down next to her, his voice gentle. "Hey Joni. It's Daddy."
The girl flicked her eyes toward him. He tried to put an arm around her, but she flinched and scooted away.
He pulled back in surprise, then grew apologetic. "Joni, I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. You must have felt so alone." Her only response was silence. "But I've been thinking about that, and I live too far from you anyway. I could move to Rhode Island and find work here, possibly even in Paragon. Would you like that?" Silence. "Or... if you want... you could leave the school and come back to Savannah. Ms. Sinclair has even offered to let you take your heater bed with you." Silence. "You can also take your belt--"
At the doorway, Miss Atwood cringed a split second before Joni started wailing.
Mr. Jacobs embraced her, let her cry. Somehow, she only sobbed all the louder for it.
Unless told, anyone looking at Martin and Joni Jacobs would think the shared last name was mere coincidence. Even putting aside the melanin count difference, already enough to throw anyone off, the father didn't resemble the daughter in the slightest. All of Joni's features came from her mother.
Martin Jacobs was a huge fellow, a linebacker (well, second string) in college. Over several years of teaching instead of tackling, his muscles had decayed into something else, but his 6'7" frame still dwarfed the 5'3" Joni even when she wasn't trying to make herself smaller. Additionally, his grammar was perfect even when distressed, and his voice was deep and without a trace of any accent.
He also had a broad smile, but here in Ms. Sinclair's office it wasn't making an appearance.
"But what does any of this have to do with Alexandra? She's about all Joni can talk about when she writes or calls home. Even her boyfriend barely gets a mention next to Alex."
Valerie Atwood decided now wasn't the time to update Joni's father on her dating life. "Mr. Jacobs, about a week ago Alex Dutchman went through what I could best describe as a drastic personality shift. We're still not completely sure what caused it."
"I don't understand. Are you saying she has multiple personalities?"
"That's not quite accurate, but I'm afraid I can't explain further without breaking confidentiality. What matters is that we're not sure when or if the Alex that Joni knew will return. Joni realizes this and she's treating it as if her best friend died. And she blames herself."
"What? Why?"
"I'm not sure of that either, but you're probably well aware your daughter suffers from a serious guilt complex. If something bad happens around her, she'll instinctively apologize even if she had nothing to do with it." Jacobs nodded in sad agreement, so Atwood continued. "I, well, I'm hopeful that's all this is, but in such traumatic circumstances, even that's been enough to warrant taking measures."
"By 'measures,' I assume you mean calling me to come to Rhode Island."
"Also, for now, we're restricting her to campus," Janine Sinclair added from her desk.
"Now that seems unnecessary!"
"Mr. Jacobs, do you know what 'artistic clairvoyance' is?"
"No."
"It's a talent of Miss Atwood's. She has the ability, while speaking to others, to draw images that are important to them and their life, even if neither she nor the speaker are conscious of these things. Valerie, would you please show Mr. Jacobs the results of his daughter's last session?"
Atwood opened her file folder and handed the sketch inside to Jacobs. He looked it over in alarm.
"The girl in glasses... is that Alexandra?" He looked back at the drawing after Atwood nodded. The point of view stared up at an overpass from below, and plummeting straight at the observer was a terrified Alex. Above, from the apparent place where Alex began her fall, Joni was in the middle of tumbling over the rail after her with a disturbingly-resigned expression. The sketch didn't make it clear why Alex had fallen, but Joni was obviously being pushed.
By another Joni.
"The Skyway district," Atwood responded to Jacobs' shocked expression, "has several overpasses just like that one. Joni skipped three days of class to stare over the edge of one. For your daughter's own safety we assumed the worst and most likely conclusion."
The shock turned to anger, or perhaps anguish. "My Joni is not suicidal. She is strong, stronger than me. She has been through things you could never understand--"
"With all respect, Mr. Jacobs," Sinclair interrupted, "They're things you can never understand."
"Are you going to tell me she's 'special'? I know that. I've known that even when it seemed everyone else was trying to discard her. She's my daughter."
"We respect that. That's why we called you first thing, that's why we offered to cover your travel expenses, and that's why it's completely your decision what happens next."
This seemed to appease Jacobs. He sat back in his chair, daring to look over the sketch again. Something caught his eye. "...Why's Michelle in this? Why's she yelling at Joni? She isn't in Paragon, is she?"
Atwood sighed. "No, she's not. But in Joni's mind, for two years her mother has never stopped yelling at her. Under other circumstances, I'd consider it a positive sign that she wasn't taking up a third of a page."
"Yeah." Jacobs put the sketch back down. "I can imagine."
***
The dove-colored girl looked tinier than ever. Mr. Jacobs sat down next to her, his voice gentle. "Hey Joni. It's Daddy."
The girl flicked her eyes toward him. He tried to put an arm around her, but she flinched and scooted away.
He pulled back in surprise, then grew apologetic. "Joni, I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner. You must have felt so alone." Her only response was silence. "But I've been thinking about that, and I live too far from you anyway. I could move to Rhode Island and find work here, possibly even in Paragon. Would you like that?" Silence. "Or... if you want... you could leave the school and come back to Savannah. Ms. Sinclair has even offered to let you take your heater bed with you." Silence. "You can also take your belt--"
At the doorway, Miss Atwood cringed a split second before Joni started wailing.
Mr. Jacobs embraced her, let her cry. Somehow, she only sobbed all the louder for it.
"When you can hear 'em talk, cling to them with all force, because those are the ones with staying power." - Ursula Vernon
-
Switched Alex
Re: Minor Revision
Chapter 5
All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.
-Winston Churchill
The sweat poured off of Doctor Herbert Dutchman's brow. He worked feverishly looking over plans and computer files in a room that could be best described as a machine shop and electronic store gone wrong. In front of his desk, parts of old projects, circuit boards, bits of a Nemesis Warhulk, and other parts used in robotics were neatly organized in shelves. On the opposite wall, temporal analysis equipment mingled freely with drill presses, a slag pot, and arc welders.
He smiled slightly as he recalled the times Alex had called it his "lair."
The memory reminded him why he was here, and his mood soured again. Frustrated, he grasped his stubble-filled chin as he pushed himself back into deep thought. For at least four weeks, the man had hardly slept, eaten, or done much of anything besides pore over data, looking for the key that would bring his Alex back to him.
He remembered the call from Rhode Island with frightening clarity.
"Hello, Doctor Herbert Dutchman? I am Councilor Valerie Atwood at Saint Joseph School. I am afraid I have bad news."
Herbert shuddered the thoughts away. He had no wish to relive that part of his personal hell yet again today.
"Bert, you need to rest," a voice called from the top of the stairs.
Herbert looked up at his wife. "I can't, Meredith. Alex needs me. This is my fault."
"I share just as much blame as you, dear. I was the one who created the virus that gave Alex powers. Your time machine just allowed us to convince the world our child just had a genetic mutation."
"I know, Meredith, but temporal theory is my field. I am our best chance of ever having our Alex returned to us and not that... that mockery!"
Herbert's head collapsed into his arms. Meredith quickly walked down the stairs and put her arms around him.
"She is still Alex, Bert. Just with a different past."
"I know, I know... Just, she shouldn't exist."
Meredith rested her head on her husband's shoulder.
"But she does. We may have to live with our mistake this time."
"No! We can't!"
"Bert. We can't time travel anymore. Your research is gone. You had no reason to make it in this timeline after we fixed our mistakes. You have your real arm and I have no use for wigs."
Herbert moved his eyes at his wife's red, curly shoulder-length hair and smiled slightly at her.
"Before this, it was almost worth it."
She nodded and kissed his cheek. "Almost."
"If only... Meridith, do you recall where I left that list of possible time travel mechanisms? I don't think we have time to reinvent the wheel like we normally do."
Meridith paused in shock.
"In my lab. Near the praying mantis-rose hybrid seeds."
All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.
-Winston Churchill
The sweat poured off of Doctor Herbert Dutchman's brow. He worked feverishly looking over plans and computer files in a room that could be best described as a machine shop and electronic store gone wrong. In front of his desk, parts of old projects, circuit boards, bits of a Nemesis Warhulk, and other parts used in robotics were neatly organized in shelves. On the opposite wall, temporal analysis equipment mingled freely with drill presses, a slag pot, and arc welders.
He smiled slightly as he recalled the times Alex had called it his "lair."
The memory reminded him why he was here, and his mood soured again. Frustrated, he grasped his stubble-filled chin as he pushed himself back into deep thought. For at least four weeks, the man had hardly slept, eaten, or done much of anything besides pore over data, looking for the key that would bring his Alex back to him.
He remembered the call from Rhode Island with frightening clarity.
"Hello, Doctor Herbert Dutchman? I am Councilor Valerie Atwood at Saint Joseph School. I am afraid I have bad news."
Herbert shuddered the thoughts away. He had no wish to relive that part of his personal hell yet again today.
"Bert, you need to rest," a voice called from the top of the stairs.
Herbert looked up at his wife. "I can't, Meredith. Alex needs me. This is my fault."
"I share just as much blame as you, dear. I was the one who created the virus that gave Alex powers. Your time machine just allowed us to convince the world our child just had a genetic mutation."
"I know, Meredith, but temporal theory is my field. I am our best chance of ever having our Alex returned to us and not that... that mockery!"
Herbert's head collapsed into his arms. Meredith quickly walked down the stairs and put her arms around him.
"She is still Alex, Bert. Just with a different past."
"I know, I know... Just, she shouldn't exist."
Meredith rested her head on her husband's shoulder.
"But she does. We may have to live with our mistake this time."
"No! We can't!"
"Bert. We can't time travel anymore. Your research is gone. You had no reason to make it in this timeline after we fixed our mistakes. You have your real arm and I have no use for wigs."
Herbert moved his eyes at his wife's red, curly shoulder-length hair and smiled slightly at her.
"Before this, it was almost worth it."
She nodded and kissed his cheek. "Almost."
"If only... Meridith, do you recall where I left that list of possible time travel mechanisms? I don't think we have time to reinvent the wheel like we normally do."
Meridith paused in shock.
"In my lab. Near the praying mantis-rose hybrid seeds."