This is going to take some getting used to...[For Verity, open to Ixis]

[smartass_captain]

There's an awful lot of commotion going on in the tower. Sounds like Ixis has his tail in a knot over something or another. It almost sounds like he's arguing with someone. Guess he's going to head up to his quarters and sulk for a good while.

Typical, right?

Except 'Ixis' isn't upstairs at all. He's looking around the entryway on the ground floor, scowling at everything he sees with equal contempt.

"Well, this is just great." Honestly? Jim doesn't know what to do. He's got his phone in one of the magi's pockets. He supposes the first thing he should do is text Verity and see where she's at. Being all but herded to the ground floor before Ixis went storming upstairs hasn't left him with any more answers than when this whole fiasco started.

Wow, trying to grab his phone with his claw hand isn't going very well. He's just standing there like a doof.

Comments

[smartass_captain]

"What? Oh. OH!" Jim actually laughs and puts his arms down. He's such an idiot. "Ver, It's me. It's Jim. Ixis is upstairs having a hissy fit and....hopefully not hurting me too much."

Jim's really not comfortable with the idea of Naugus alone with his body. But this is better than the alternative of being left out in the Nexus alone.

"Like I said, I don't know how this happened. Some kind of magic, apparently. Here. Just let me..." He's digging around in that cloak again. Looking mighty concentrated. He'll pull out his slim black phone/PINpoint a moment later. "See?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"Oh." She relaxes as soon as he says that, since... "Human lie detector, remember? I don't need to see proof."

She takes a half-step back to look him over before she gives a little shrug. "Samus mentioned this kind of thing happens sometimes. You feeling okay?"

[smartass_captain]

"I do, you just looked..well. Really worrisome for a moment there." Jim sighs heavily and muffles a swear when his phone slips through his claw again and clatters to the floor. Damn it all. At least it doesn't have nearly as far to fall.

"Not really. Everything's a mess, Ixis has locked himself away with my body and I'm 'forbidden form going anywhere'while he's doing whatever." Jim you can't pretend to be someone else if you're already using their voice. You sound ridiculous. The air quotes and eye rolls certainly aren't helping.

[brave_heart_verity]

Ver crouches down to pick up his phone and set it in his hand. Not the claw. If it survives this experience, she'll have to get him one of those super-durable cases. "I live in a magic tower full of dangerous magic things. I get a little defensive when strange people come in wearing the wrong face."

He's allowed to be a little ridiculous right now. It's a ridiculous situation. "It's probably for the best you don't go wandering around like that. Come in, sit down. You want a drink?"

[smartass_captain]

"Thanks." Jim sighs and lets his shoulders slump somewhat. "I feel like I should be freaking out more about this? I dunno. His body isn't as jittery as mine is." Sucks to be Ixis right now, is what Jim is really saying.

"Maybe I've just hit my limit and I need some normalcy." The back of the claw gets rubbed against his face. He's still stressed, but he's used to pacing and other things when he feels like this.

"Yeah. That'd be...that'd be great, actually. Thanks."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Maybe it's because he doesn't drink coffee?" Not that she knows, anyway. "Come on." An arm around his shoulders may feel a little odd with the new height difference, but she hopes it's reassuring anyway. "I'm not sure we can do 'normal'. You're extraordinary, and I'm weird. But we can do whisky, and that's almost the same thing after a while," she teases.

She wonders if she should feed him all the strawberries while he can enjoy them, or if that would be too cruel when he can't anymore.

[smartass_captain]

"This whole thing is fucked." Jim feels like all he can do is sigh and scowl. That won't do. He doesn't shrug Verity off, even if he feels small and weird in this body. His ass is dragging on the groun--no. Tail. You have a tail now Jim.

"He can drink booze?" Jim snorts and shakes his head. "First bit of good news I've heard all day."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Yeah, he's rather fond of champagne. But let's go easy, I don't know what his limits are. And, well, magic." She'll steer him toward the living room and that great stone throne that he knows belongs to Naugus. "You need some help with the tail?" Don't think she hasn't noticed how it's dragging.

[smartass_captain]

"He says he can move his ears too. I can't figure any of this out." Jim swivels around and glares down at his tail. Traitor. "And he can do like, magic too right? I just feel like the ugliest kid ever in a weird Halloween costume mashup."

Trying to figure this all out is giving him one mother of a headache.

"You'd think this would be easier." Jim pauses when he sees the throne. "How does he even sit with this thing?!"

[brave_heart_verity]

"Don't try too hard. Instinct will take over. You're fine. That's the important thing. Your mind is intact, and so is your body. We'll figure out a way to reunite them. If Naugus can't, we'll call Schon. And Felix if we have to. You have a lot of people willing to help with this, sweetie."

As for the chair... she gives a little shrug. "The tail gets kinda... draped over the arm I think. Comfortably? I have no idea. Is bed is stone too. But maybe that's why he's the one with the abs."

[smartass_captain]

"Felix can't see me like this. No way. And Schon isn't going to help us if I'm in Naugus' body." Jim scowls but he hops up on the throne all the same. It's cold, but it doesn't seem all that bothersome in this body. He shifts a bit before turning in his seat to grab his tail and drape it over the arm of the chair.

"....He seriously has a throne. I feel ridiculous right now." But not at all uncomfortable in the stiff seat. "He's in for one hell of a shock and a sore night if he tries that in my body."

[brave_heart_verity]

She sighs, but she won't fight. It's up to him if he wants to call in reinforcements magical or emotional. Watching him squirm around in the chair is distractingly amusing. "Yeah, I hope you've got a chiropractor on your crew because I have a feeling you're going to need it."

When he seems mostly settled she'll get a bottle of whisky and a couple of glasses. "Now, can you tell me what happened in a way that makes sense?"

[smartass_captain]

In time he might change his mind. Or you know, as soon as he gets bored enough he's so going right back to the forum to ask around and try to get information about all of this. Jim never was very good at sitting still for too long. Jim doesn't listen to anyone, even himself.

She's very kind not to laugh at him. When he's not trying to figure it out, she can see his ears droop, belying his unease at the situation.

"Not really. I don't know what happened." He's nearly broken enough things--including his own face--with that claw already, so Jim sets his phone on the table and makes a point of only using his proper hand once Verity pours the drinks. "This creepy guy was in the forum asking questions and Ixis shows up and starts giving me shit. You know how he is."

Like you're any better, Jim.

"So we start arguing and all of a sudden everything just..." Jim struggles for a word, gesturing vaguely with the claw. "It slipped. Not me. Like. Reality. Everything just slipped. I felt like I was gonna be sick. I fell down and blacked out for a second. Next thing I know..." Shrug. "I was like this."

[brave_heart_verity]

Truth be told, she doesn't ever really expect him to listen, so it's always a nice surprise for her when he does.

"Creepy guy?" That doesn't narrow it down so much. But here, have a drink, that'll definitely improve his storytelling skills. "Well, worst comes to worst, you can probably just wait it out."

[smartass_captain]

"I don't know his name. Sweater vest, unnerving smile, and I'm pretty sure he can read minds." Jim looks at the shot of whiskey before he downs the shot. Ixis' body better be able to handle a few of these because damn it all, Jim has more than earned them today.

"I just..." Wow he looks almost dejected now. Concerned. "What if something happens and I can't go home to help? They'd stun my ass before I could even begin to explain and I wouldn't be able to blame them."

[brave_heart_verity]

No names needed, she knows who that is and the thought makes her shudder. "Yeah, I know him. He's a creep. But last time, whatever he did to Samus wore off, so that's good at least?"

She won't be letting him drink too fast. He has to take good care of the loaner body. "I'll go and explain. Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock know me, they'll at least listen before they try to shoot me. We'll figure something out. We'll make it work somehow."

[smartass_captain]

Jim's not looking to get sick in his loaner body either so this won't be hard for Verity to do. His mannerisms are all the same, from the way he stares into his shotglass while thinking to licking at his bottom lip when he's nervous. It's Jim Kirk, alright. Jim's having a harder time accepting this than Verity will though.

"I keep hoping this is just some stupid nightmare." Her suggestion makes him perk up though. "Yeah..Spock and Bones...they like you. They'd hear you out. Hopefully they won't need me though." Verity's got a point. He needs to stop thinking about what ifs, and focus on what he can do, with this body.

"I think I'll let Ixis calm down a while, then head up and see what there is to be done about this. There's gotta be something I can do to help out.In the meantime..." Jim shrugs. "Whiskey and lunch, maybe?"

[brave_heart_verity]

Verity's accepted this already. One of the perks of the curse: she knows the truth for certain, so she can slip the 'maybe's and the 'what if's and head straight to acceptance and dealing with reality.

"And we have ways for you to communicate with them from here," she points out. "So between us all, we'll manage something." She once helped with a prison break-in in Asgard via cell phone and Skype. There's no doubt she can rig up something for him to keep in contact with the ship.

"Lunch sounds like a good idea," she agrees. "As does giving everyone some time to calm down. Any requests, or shall I work my usual magic?"

[smartass_captain]

"I asked Ixis what he ate, and he seems to live entirely off of fruit." Jim pulls a face. He likes fruit but seriously. "So, I mean, I'm all for it if that's all he can eat. But whatever you guys normally eat together is fine."

"Anything I can help with or...?" He gestures vaguely to the whiskey and his glass. "Should I get responsibly acquainted with my new glass friend, here?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"We don't eat together. He's not that social." Which... has become a disappointment for her. She'd like to actually share these meals she works so hard on with him.

"You can come keep me company if you want, or I can get a fire started and you can relax. Either way is fine." Yes, they have a fireplace; yes, there's two chairs at the hearth; yes, he's in one of them. It's like she arranged the furniture specifically for the people who live there or something. Crazy!

"He doesn't only eat fruit, by the way."

Kitchen magic time! Has Jim ever watched her cook? He might learn something--like to respect her mad skills, because she's super efficient and organized.

Aww wtf my comment didn't go. :(

[smartass_captain]

Jim hasn't seen anyone cook, really. He and Clint did some stuff when Jim was crashing with him way back when, but that was pretty much eggs and reheating takeout. Otherwise, replicator.

"Grab my glass for me please?" Jim points to the shotglass. The whiskey he has in his hand as he hops back down to follow Verity into the kitchen area. "That's good to know. Though how rough would it really be if I survived on apples for a day or two?" Snrk.

He can keep her company while she works, or even hold something maybe! Otherwise he's content to sit somewhere and just watch.

Aww, hate when that happens!

[brave_heart_verity]

Yeah, Mama Kirk doesn't come across as the nurturing type.

She'll grab their glasses, setting his down on the breakfast bar. Naugus usually prefers to sit there when he makes an appearance for food; probably again due to the tail making stools easier than chairs. "An apple a day doesn't seem to keep your friend away. Maybe you're not throwing it hard enough."

And then the magic starts. Good thing she's got apples. (Mental note: get more apples.) (Also, make sure Naugus knows he can't have any strawberries.) Apples, pork chops, sweet potatoes, fennel. That's a good start. Apple cider and mustard for the sauce... and he can help. There's things to stir! That's a one hand, one claw kind of job. He may claim he knows where food comes from, but this will be a thorough education on what it takes to get food from the field to the table.

Ver's not a show-off while she's working, but she can keep up a conversation or a running commentary on what she's doing.

[smartass_captain]

You have to be around for that.

What an odd sight the kitchen in Verity's tower makes. Naugus, lord of the crystal domain, sitting on a stool cracking jokes while he stirs a something or other for Verity.

"This is done." Jim unclaws the bowl and gently pushes it back toward Verity's side of the counter before pouring himself his second shot of whiskey. He's taking it slow. "I don't know what I was expecting out of this? Suddenly gaining the ability to magic myself a beef cooler or what. Really I just feel awkward and useless. It's kind of a letdown."

[brave_heart_verity]

There have been weirder scenes. Everyone's wearing their shirts, for one.

"Thank you." She takes the sauce and pours some over the vegetables before giving them a quick toss. "You're not useless. Not suddenly having magic powers doesn't make you less valuable than you were yesterday," she points out. Her almost ceaseless activity slows now so she can give him the bulk of her attention. "You are James Kirk, captain of the Enterprise. You've stopped wars and saved worlds. This is a minor inconvenience. Everything important is intact. Everything else will be dealt with."

He knows how he gets when he gets down on himself like that. He should have been expecting this.

[smartass_captain]

For now, Verity. For now.

"I'm sure I'll get the hang of it." Being the old gargoyle can't be that difficult. "I did think it'd be kinda cool to know how to do magic though." Sip.

He shakes his head at the pep talk.

"I'm not depressed as much as I am annoyed about this Ver. As long as the crew is fine, I'll figure this out. Plus I got you, so that's a plus. I just don't like the idea of someone else being in my body. It's...weird. Invasive."