i've been bitten by the bug ...

[headandhand]

WHO: Open to all residents
WHAT: Inoculation Season, plus your regular monthly NAPs session
WHERE: Throughout the city, with NAPs held at The Ax Hole.
WHEN: Sept. 10-30 for plague shots and associated side effects; Sept. 10-14 for NAPs
WARNINGS: Please use if applicable!

So tell me, what do you prescribe for these symptoms?

Remember that awful plague that wiped out the city's entire original population? You know, the entire reason you've been brought here? Well, the medical science community of Dualis has been hard at work concocting a cure for as long as anyone can remember, with minimal results. But during the morning of the 10th, news of a breakthrough is announced is a special city-wide bulletin. All media channels are overtaken with this message, and alerts hit every citizen's phone. The best part? Science needs your help!

There's no formal approval process for new vaccines and medications, just a series of volunteer trials before it's determined whether what's being tested is effective. All residents are invited to participate in these trials, with a bonus of 200 extra duos as compensation for their time and possible suffering. Simply head down to your nearest MedDualis clinic and inform the MedDroids supervising that you're reporting for your civic duty. Participants will be given a quick, easy, and practically painless inoculation shot in the arm, and will walk out the door 200 duos richer. Neat, huh?

Participants will be warned that like all experimental drugs, there may be side effects. A non-comprehensive list of those possible side effects includes: minor appearance changes (hair/skin/eye color), enhancing or reducing senses (smell, taste, hearing, sight, etc.), sudden mild development of extranormal abilities (telepathy, super strength, super speed, etc.), the ability to share dreams (if you're not tired of that sorta thing after last month), and/or loss of control over abilities you already possess, or those abilities misfiring. Hey, at least death isn't included on this list!

Any intrepid Dualizen who comes down with a case of weirdness as a result of doing their civic duty will find that weirdness will wear off by the end of the month. The Head thanks you for your sacrifice!

Don't you feel the fever like I do?

Look at all of these bright, shining new faces! There’s even a few less bright, less shining faces - maybe even a few folks without faces - but hey, this city welcomes all types. Chances are, if you’ve just arrived, you're seeing some pretty crazy things, unless you're used to an eye-blinding amount of neon, robots, weird-ass technology, magic, and an omnipresent police force...and hey, if you are, congrats, you're gonna settle in juuuuust fine. But for the rest of you, the Head knows this has gotta be pretty overwhelming, right?

Well, since your quaint individual processing units are probably having a hard time, why not link up with another one? By which the Head means...

Hello, new citizens of Dualis,
and welcome to your monthly Network Adjacency Protocol~!

NAPs are a monthly community networking event similar to the Earth concept of speed dating! Two citizens (new arrivals and old hands alike) are placed at a table together with a handy cue card of queries to help break the proverbial ice. Ask queries and receive results, or ignore the card and yeet yourself straight into a brand new friendship! But don't be too shy, you've only got ten minutes together, and if you just sit in silence for the whole ten, the Network Admins are likely to come supervise and try to repair the uplink through a mild shock to the ol' central nervous system. You might find yourself saying all sorts of unintended facts about yourself if that happens...probably better to just make friends, right? Who doesn’t like friends?!

This month’s event is held at an exciting new establishment called The Ax Hole! The 'Hole is an indoor ax-throwing range plus bar plus mid-price grill-type restaurant, the first of its kind to find a home here in Dualis. You must be at least 18 to drink and/or throw axes, and if you are throwing axes, there is a limit of one drink per hour. The bartenders are very strict about enforcing this rule, and employees are available to give safety instructions on proper ax-throwing technique and supervise activities.

This is a family-friendly establishment, so anyone under 18 is welcome in the restaurant section and the viewing room between the restaurant and range to watch the ax-throwing action, but they are absolutely not allowed inside the range, even just to watch. In fact, anyone who wishes admittance to the range must sign a waiver stating that they understand the risks of participating and agree to hold the Ax Hole free of liability in the event of any accidents that cause injury or death.

If that hasn't scared you off yet, come on down and meet your new neighbors! Oh, and do try to exit with at least as many fingers and limbs as when you entered, OK?

Comments

[skyward_eyes]

Oh. He's heard that name before! Nida nods, that makes sense. Fern had talked a lot about her that one time.

"He liked her. Smiled as he called her smart and stuff. And maybe he came from a different time than you?"

[punchpunchkisskiss]

"I guess that could be it... He always was pretty volatile." The answer doesn't satisfy, though. And what answer would, anyway? He hates to think of Fern being so upset that he tries to kill Finn.

"Me and PB, though? I wouldn't... It's not like I'm trying to keep them apart. I don't think they've even actually met. The only reason he knows her at all is because he used to be me..."

He does, in a shocking display of intelligence, actually hear himself talk. He jerks his head up at Nida again, wide-eyed.

"Oh shmow-zow, do you think that could be what he meant?"

[skyward_eyes]

Volatile? Nida thought the guy was appropriately ready for the danger of all of this place. Still, he stays silent as Finn comes to his conclusion. Of course, he doesn't know what that conclusion is. He doesn't really follow.

"What do you mean, what he meant? And how did he used to be you?"

[punchpunchkisskiss]

"Well, he used to be my sword. Two of my swords, actually. But one of them was my Finn Sword, from when me and Jake brought Prismo back, and I had to go back and stop myself from waking Jake up, and other-me turned into a totally rad sword. But then it merged or whatever with the Grass Sword, and it turned into Fern."

He thinks that covers everything. The butterflies have calmed a little, one settling on Nida's shoulder. What was the original question again?

"So, maybe he's upset that he's not me? Could that be why he thinks I stole his life?"

[skyward_eyes]

Well... that's definitely a weird origin story, and Nida isn't sure he even follows it, but he's intrigued. Maybe... can he maybe be friends with this not-Fern then?

Still, he might have a bit of insight, just by looking at Squall and Seifer.

"Or maybe it's that you have all the things he wants. The friendships. The recognition. If his origin comes from you, then he wants the same things you do. But you're the one that actually lived it. People will accept you, and not him."

Hyne, he misses Fern so bad now.

[punchpunchkisskiss]

"But, he lived it too..." It's a discouraging thought. It isn't Finn's fault that he's the one who stayed in human shape, and there's nothing he can do to give that existence back to Fern.

"Fern is Fern now. And I think that's great! It's like we're really brothers. I'm sure everyone else would like him too if he gave them a chance..." And now Finn is stuck here, and Fern is back in Ooo upset about something they can't change and Finn can't go back and help make it better. Maybe he's even made it worse before without realizing. The butterflies all start to land, covering his hat and shoulders. He ignores them.

[skyward_eyes]

Did he live it, though? But the question is whether they would give Fern a chance. Or if they would see him as nothing more than part of Finn.

"When you go home, treat him like a brother. I think he's lonely."

[punchpunchkisskiss]

Finn thinks the world of his friends, and naturally assumes that they would all take Fern as he is. But even if they don't, now that he knows there's bad blood there he can do something about it. He'll show them how awesome Fern can be, and he'll show Fern too.

"I will," he agrees with steadfast determination. The butterflies return, though slowly at first, to their initial flight pattern.

"And I'll make sure Jake does, too. And we'll go see Jermaine, and we'll all hang out best bros style."

[skyward_eyes]

Well, Nida doesn't know who those other people are, but it's definitely a start. And he's not going to be a downer that points out Finn might not remember. He's tired of being a downer.

"Good. Now... what's with the butterflies?"

[punchpunchkisskiss]

"What, these guys?" He points at one of the butterflies fluttering around his head, and it lands on his finger.

"I dunno. I think they might be my astral beast, but they haven't been doing what I tell them most of the time."

[skyward_eyes]

"Astral what now?"

Astral forms aren't really something that Nida's aware of. What does it even mean? And why would astral beasts be bugs? And why would bugs obey what he wanted them to do?

"I might need a bit more words there."

[punchpunchkisskiss]

"Uhh..." How can he explain this?

"They're like my spirit bros, from a past life." There. Those were some words.

[skyward_eyes]

Spirit, that Nida gets. And even ones that from outside of your own life makes sense. And the question is...

"Why would butterflies be from your past life?"

[punchpunchkisskiss]

That's a fair question, probably.

"'Cause I was a butterfly in a past life."

[skyward_eyes]

Okay, brain broken. Still David stares at him, because what?

"You were a butterfly. Previously. IN a life before this one? How... do you remember?"

[punchpunchkisskiss]

Finn shrugs. It doesn't seem like it should be that big a deal.

"Jake made me open up my mental vault a while ago and I just sort of remembered."

[skyward_eyes]

That... none of those words make anything resembling sense.

"And this Jake is, what, magic?"

Please help, Nida is flailing here. Mentally. Visibly he just looks confused.

[punchpunchkisskiss]

"Yeah, he is!" How did Nida know? "But mostly he's my brother."

[skyward_eyes]

He was making a joke. Oh dear he's got a headache coming on.

"Your brother is magic?"

Now his chest hurts. Because he misses his own pair of sometimes moronic guy and his magic brother. But he has to push past that.

"Well, uh, I'm sorry he isn't here?"

[punchpunchkisskiss]

"Yup. Just Jake, though. Jermaine is a normal dog. He's my other brother." Really, this is all just basic stuff. He doesn't see why Nida looks like his head is about to explode.

"It's okay. I'm sure he's looking for me back in Ooo."

[skyward_eyes]

Dog. That's just something the kid said.

"Your brother. Is a dog. On Ooo."

Yeah, no, this is definitely bad. Because he's moved into actual headache.

"Fuck, I need coffee right now."

[punchpunchkisskiss]

Well, he's adopted, so there's that. He really doesn't understand this reaction, though. Nida's probably got some weird biz in his family too, right?

"Why coffee?"

[skyward_eyes]

Listen, Nida doesn't know many orphans who were adopted. And his family is sorta, well, gone.

"Because I want vodka. And I'm not allowed to. So, you know, coffee. I could get you a cocoa or something too."

[punchpunchkisskiss]

"Oh, I get it." He doesn't get it. What's vodka?

"Yeah, I like cocoa!"

this could be a good wrap

[skyward_eyes]

"Come on then, let's go do that," Nida says. He's got a lot of questions for Finn. In part because he wants to know more about Fern. He misses the guy a lot more than he realized.