XUB 1: Oh God what have I done. (I6DT)

[Simon Kipling]

Simon was rubbing his forehead as he sat at a table with a pinecone mug of lager in front of him, trying to figure a way out of a potentially volatile scenario. He had, inadvertently, put the idea of moving in together in Chloe's head and was trying to figure a way out of this that didn't result in tears.

[Brandy North]

It was a day in. Brandy had no desire to go out, so she found herself down in the XUB, nicely dressed as always as she sat at the bar with her legs crossed, showing off a bit more thigh than most would as she sipped her drink happily.

[Simon Kipling]

Simon did a little bit of a double-take. He was human after all. Well, depending on whose definition one was using. But he soon went back to staring into his beer, thinking it best to avoid any possible further complications.

[Lucy Grant]

"Simon!" Lucy squealed, before he was caught around the neck by an over-enthusiastic flying hug. "I heard the great news!"

[Simon Kipling]

Simon let out a yelp before laughing softly, his tail snaking around Lucy's waist and giving her a squeeze, his hands keeping his beer from falling over. "Damn girl, not so loud!" He begged her.

[Veronica Freud]

Ronnie's rather large form thudded softly with every footstep, sitting down on a barstool next to Brandy.

"Heya roomie, you're lookin' sharp. What's the special occasion?"

[Daniel Uriel]

"Occasion? I always look like this," Brandy giggled. "How're you doing, Roomie?" she asked.

[Veronica Freud]

"Oh, you know, the usual." Ronnie said, her second-hand store fat-person shirt strained in places it normally wouldn't be. "Still large and a barge." She sighed before placing her order. Something strong, cheap, and lots of it.

[Brandy North]

"I'm sorry, babe," she said sympathetically. "Have the docs said anything about how long it'll be yet?"

[Lucy Grant]

"But it's so exciting! I've been helping look for places that are open to rent! I have the list! Hang on, it's here somewhere," she said, reaching into midair and rummaging around. "There it is!" she said, pulling out a rather thick stapled packet of apartment and flat listings.

[Veronica Freud]

Ronnie took a large swing of something in a mug, wincing softly before answering Brandy.

"Well, the doctors say my heart is a lot better now but to be honest, I have no idea what to do." She admitted. "I've never shifted this way before. And since I was kind of out of it when it happened I can't even trace my footsteps back, you know?"

[Simon Kipling]

"Oh God." Simon sighed, his face falling into both hands. "What have I done?"

[Brandy North]

Brandy considered things for a moment, coming to a difficult decision. "All right," she said, "Come here. Closer. Need to talk quietly."

[Veronica Freud]

Ronnie's eyebrow perked, having to finish another swig before she leaned in closer, the barstool squeaking under her buns of titanium.

"What is it?" She whispered softly. "Are we bein' sneaky?"

[Brandy North]

"Little bit. Just something I don't talk about much."

"All right... so your heart's better, but you've got 'can't shift back' problems, right? So you just need someone to help you get back. And I know someone who can."

[Veronica Freud]

Ronnie's eyes went wide, having a difficult time keeping quiet.

"You do? Do ya think they'd help me out? Brandy I'd owe you big time. Like, super big time."

[Brandy North]

Brandy nodded. "Think you can help her, Taylor?"

From the other side of Ronnie, the seat that had, until a split second before, been empty, there came an answer from a girl that almost looked exactly like Brandy. "Oh, probably. You help one hopeless shifter get things under control, you can help all of them."

[Chloe Grant]

"Hello!" Chloe said as she walked into the bar "How are you, love?" she said, giving Simon a quick peck on the cheek.

[Lucy Grant]

"Chloe! I was just showing Simon the places I found! And I think he did something, but I don't know what!"

[Veronica Freud]

Ronnie let out a girlish eep, much girlier than one would expect from someone her size and mass.

"W-who's that?" She asked, looking between Taylor and Brandy repeatedly. "Where'd she come from?"

[Simon Kipling]

"Chloe! Hi." Simon smiled, if a little weakly. He gave Lucy a little glare at the last thing she mentioned.

[Brandy North]

"Inside my head," she said. "Meet my sister Taylor."

"I don't have a body anymore."

"So she's been living inside my head for the past few years."

"Gets a bit dull in there. She needs to redecorate."

"And have I mentioned she's a bit of a bitch?"

Taylor looked at Ronnie and smiled long-sufferingly. "And she's a bit touchy. Did you notice that yet? Anyway... I'm not really sitting here. But I'm a telepath. So I can make you think I am. Makes talking easier."

[Veronica Freud]

"Oh, I... wow." Ronnie said softly, trying to take it all in.

"So, do I just think, and you both hear me?" She whispered. "Because I don't wanna look like I'm crazy."

"Wait... why doesn't she, er." Ronnie looked at Taylor. "It's nice to meetcha. Um, what happened to you that you gotta live in Brandy's head?"

[Brandy North]

"Just talk. It's fine, people will think you're just talking to me. Trust me. It's okay," Brandy said, smiling.

"Car crash," Taylor added, by way of an answer to the last question.

[Veronica Freud]

"Oh God, I'm sorry." Ronnie said softly, covering her mouth with her hand.

[Brandy North]

"Could be worse," Taylor said. "At the very least, I get to harass her instead of, you know, being dead."

"Taylor was behind probably about half the shapeshifting mishaps I had," Brandy said.

"And half the breakthroughs," Taylor added.

"Yes, that too. Which is why we're talking now."

[Chloe Grant]

"Excellent." Chloe said to Lucy "I found a bunch too." she reached into the pocket and pulled out a large binder, with information from several apartments.

[Veronica Freud]

"You're not gonna give me extra boobs are you?" Ronnie asked softly.

[Lucy Grant]

"Yay! Let's see let's see! This is so exciting!"

[Brandy North]

"Somehow, i don't think your power works like that," Taylor said, smiling. "Why, do you want me to try?"

[Chloe Grant]

"I think Simon should see first." Chloe said, handing Simon the binder.

[Lucy Grant]

"Ooooh, good point!" Lucy said, opening her packet and setting it on the table in front of Simon.

[Simon Kipling]

Simon still had his face in his hands, his tail completely limp and tucked under the chair.

"Chloe." He said, his voice muffled. "There's been a mistake. But if I tell you, you will get mad or cry. Or both."

[Veronica Freud]

"No thank you." Ronnie said, a slight redness to her cheeks.

"Do you really think you can help Taylor?"

[Lucy Grant]

"Did you forget your flat picks?" Lucy asked sympathetically. "It's okay. We have enough."

[Brandy North]

"Well, it can't hurt," Taylor said. "It makes it easier to find your little shifting hangups when you have someone hanging out in your head unhanging them."

[Veronica Freud]

"I guess that makes sense." Ronnie said quietly. "Um, should we go someplace more... private, just in case?"

[Brandy North]

"We can. Or you two can finish drinking. It'll take me a little bit to get all my things moved into your head for the stay."

[Veronica Freud]

"For the stay?" Ronnie asked, confused. "You mean, you're leaving Brandy completely?"

[Brandy North]

"Just for a little while. I need to help you, right? And you can't stick within ten feet of Brandy for the whole time until it's taken care of"