CHARACTER SWAP

Mr.Face:

"I am going to apologise preemptively for any further decrease in temperature that you experience as a result of prolonged contact with me...I tend to run very cold. " I informed her as I wrapped a hand around her upper arm.

She then started talking about law. "What do you mean murder is illegal? That is a stupid rule. How do they keep people in line?" I asked through my clicking.

Bells

Choosing my words carefully, I started walking as I spoke.

"Well, we have jails. The people who break the laws go there if its a big enough law. Otherwise. They might only be fined.
"The amount of time they spend in jail reflects what law they broke. The more serious the law the longer the time, and the worse the prison in some cases. If the crime is bad enough then you could get the death sentance."

Peter

That really sucks, though, I thought. At least with Winter's brother, as you know, they tell him when he's being obnoxious. I paused for a moment. ...Your brother wouldn't get away with any of this at Winter's house. He'd be shut down in an instant.

I didn't question the plaster arm thing or the gore bits; I already knew that Visi did a lot of stage stuff like that. But even if I hadn't known that...I probably still wouldn't have questioned it. This was Invisimort, after all.


Winter

"Welcome to an average middle class American home," I said with a shrug. Then I caught his look at the TV on my bureau. "That's called a television, or TV, if you're wondering. It's like...like a shrinebox with no shrine. And the only thing you can access on it is Youtube." I figured that that was the simplest way to explain it.

Mr.Face:

"That seems inefficient. Why not just kill them all?" I asked, she had started walking...and... with a tight grip on her arm, I went with her. It was massively frustrating... I could hear the floor... and I could hear her... but, Everything else was... frustratingly inaudible. assuming that there was anything else. "I mean, if the government finds their actions displeasing, why bother keeping them at all?"

Invisimort:

If I could hold a successful coup against the parental units none of this would fly in my house either... but, alas. Leading a military coup in this kind of situation is inadvisable at the very least. I stated. And I would happily take Winter's sibling. If I slept more often, I may have even planned an excursion up to Boston to pursue a one time gig as a kidnapper.

"So, Peter... I was wondering exactly what you like to eat, because... I asked Visi earlier and she just said 'food'... I don't want to find out a week from now that you can't digest lactose or something like that and you never told me." My mother said. She had a bit of a fixation on food.

"You think I would lie to you about the eating habits of someone?" I asked, with some sort of joking incredulosity.

"Yes." My sibling imput before my mother could answer. This finally warranted a response from the parental units.

"Joe... unnecessary." My mother said, somewhat close to snapping at him. She looked back at Peter. "Seriously though. I'm going to the store tomorrow, and if you can't eat something... or... eat something weird...like, I don't know crocodile livers or something, I could go get it." Seriously with the food obsession. Gah.

Though, I couldn't contain a snort at the mention of crocodile livers... I had no idea where that came from.

T.Mor:

A...shrinebox with no shrine? ...How did that... "er...What do you do with...with... all that empty space in...inside it then?" I went over to look at it closer. There was like... no way to get inside it...at all... So confusing...

And... she...she said 'middle class'... This was no middle class... this was...like... I dunno... Dallas or something...

Bells

"Well," I began, trying to figure out how to explain it as I stepped down into the parking lot and started towards the road. "They don't.. find killing the people right. The death penalty itself has been outlawed in some states I believe. But.. in those places I think the prisoners just end up dying in prison or something.."

Oh, so I'm not the best explain-er. I blame it on the fact I'm not good with government things.. I got points for trying though right?

"But..um. They like.. if you're punishing someone for killing someone its a little hypocritical to kill the person your punishing.. or.. something like that."

Mr.Face:

There was a step down. It was only a little unanticipated, I could hear it, which helped, but it was still a bit of a shock for some reason.

"Then why don't they just eradicate the double standard and allow murder? Makes everything so much more efficient. And really, Wouldn't it technically be poetic for someone to make up for their crimes against the government in the same way that they betrayed the government?" I asked. "And again. Why waste the space on people who will die anyway? Why not just economize land and kill them all? Storing people for that long... must be a costly expenditure." And irritating. If I had to keep people alive in a prison for years, I don't know what I would do with myself. It would be awful.

I clicked some more, still vastly discontent with the lack of ceiling.

Bells

"Um..it is kinda expensive I guess." I muttered, glancing down the road a bit, glad that there didn't seem to be any cars in sight.

This part of town was pretty empty most of the time. People normally only come out here if they're visiting a friend or just live here. So its not like I really needed to worry that someone might see Mr. Face's er..face.

"But.. um.. people just tend.. to dislike murder around here.. unless they're the ones doing the murdering.."

Mr.Face:

"That is why they are called 'victims', Bells, dear." I muttered through my clicking. "If they liked what you were doing, you would not be doing it right." I informed her.

It really was quite cold out here. I hadn't realised. "How much longer until we are finished with the outside?" I asked uncertainly.

Bells

"Probably only about five more minutes." I muttered, spotting my house around the corner of a big group of trees.

It was a bit worn down, the window frames need replaced seeing as how they're falling off, and the blue and white paint is chipping away. Otherwise though its an okay house. In all its two stories, but not as high as you might think since half of the basement is underground. Our yard is pretty decent sized, the grass still a bit green from the last bits of the fall rain.

"Grandma is probably done cooking dinner by now, I think she was making chili." I paused, a thought occurring to me. " Um.. have you ever..I mean.. had chili before?"

Mr.Face:

Five minutes. That... That was tolerable.

I started hearing...things. Taller things. Taller... clusters of cylindrical...things... that seemed to adhere to some kind of fractal pattern. "No. I have never had whatever 'Chili' is." I informed her, before asking another question."What are those tall cylindrical things with fractal branches?"

Peter

"I'll eat pretty much anything," I said with a shrug. "I'm not picky, and I don't have any food allergies."

When you sometimes had to gather or hunt for your own food, you really couldn't be picky. Or if you were, you had to learn to get over it really quickly.

For the record, I thought to Visi, Winter wouldn't let you do it.


Winter

"There's no empty space inside it," I told T.Mor. "All you do is watch stuff. Didn't you learn this sort of thing at Visi's house?"

I hit the power button on the TV just to show him; it lit up, displaying some random channel. I waited for a few seconds before turning it off again.

Bells

"Oh, those are trees." I told him, studying the little area between us and the house.

Figuring it wasn't a good idea to take a blind guy through a ditch, I went ahead and walked further up the road and turned into our driveway instead of cuttingn across the yard as I might have done.

"Chili is a pot of tomatoes, beef, beans and some seasonings like chili powder." I informed him, figuring that he may have heard of all those things.

Invisimort:

Yeah...I figured... And... honestly... commuting up there...It would just be easier to sell my sibling on the black market and live as a single child. I replied, nomming casually on more lasagna.

"...Oh. Well...Alright then." My mother said, seeming a bit... unsure of what to make of that.

I stood up, having emptied my plate of foodening supplies. "Right. So... I'mma go get that plaster...So It doesn't get dark before I get done with it." I was forced to do most of my plaster work outside because of the Dust and the smell and the... idea of plaster on my carpet was apparently scary or something. "Come on Peter...Unless you want to stay and listen to someone tell you about a duck and a lemonade stand..."

"Visi... You can't just DEMAND that someone be done eating to go build dismembered limbs with you... He could still be eating. And I don't understand what the rush is with the limbs... You have time..." My mother reprimanded me. Like I really wanted to spend more time at a dinner table when I wasn't going to eat anymore. If Peter wanted to stay and continue foodening... That was fine... but I was going to go productive.

"...Ok then... Peter, If you would like to continue foodening that is fine... but I'mma go productive. Like...right now. As soon as I get the plaster off the floor from upstairs." And without another word to anyone, I went upstairs and got my plaster.

As I went upstairs, I could hear my sibling, stating the usual crap about my evacuation of the table. "I don't know why she always wants to leave us. I mean, she never wants to do family time. She always hides in her room." Part of me wanted to run back down and yell at him about chemistry. And part of me wanted to run back down and yell at him about how much of an aggravation he caused which perpetuated my dislike of being around for too long. And part of me was like 'sucks for you, learn to behave and maybe I'll learn to not disappear to productive.' I went with option three.

T.Mor:

"Not...really...er... we play videogames...on her...er... computer...and...she just never really...uhm..." I'd never been that close to Visi's shrin--TV... She always had it on...but... we never really... looked at it...if that made sense..."I...never...noticed...how...weird...it was..."

Winter turned it on...and then back off...It was kind of like the shrinebox...like... sometimes the shrinebox played youtube videos for no reason...and just...random...stuff...but...still. No handle. ...Weird...

Mr.Face:

Trees. Hm. "And...what are trees?" I asked.

Tomatoes...I'd read about. Beef... I'd also read about. Beans... We had plenty of beans in Auda. Chili powder... No idea. "I see." I muttered, to indicate that I had heard that she had explained chili.

We turned, and I heard a building finally... walls... Ceilings... I loved ceilings. If I could ceiling all of Auda... If that were feasible... I would.

Peter

I shrugged at Joe's comment.

"Hardly any teenagers eat with their families. We like being alone. And hey...at Winter's house, they practically never eat together at all. So...I dunno, be happy that you're at least eating with your mom and dad."

More than I could say for myself.

"Um, I'm just going to go with Visi," I said to Visi's parents, trying to keep out the awkward. "I was done eating anyway." I never ate much. "Thank you. ...Er, should I take my plate to the sink, or...?"


Winter

"Dude, this isn't weird," I said, indicating the TV. "Shrineboxes are the weird ones. These existed looooong before shrineboxes, you know. Heck, televisions existed long before us."

So...what to do now... As simply riveting as it was to stand around talking about shrineboxes and televisions, I wanted something more entertaining.

Invisimort('s Parental units from...first person Omniscient...or something...):

"...Well. ...I guess." Joe replied. There seemed to be some other statement that was going to happen...and he totally looked like he was going to say something else... but nothing actually came of it, and he just kind of...sat there, looking like he was going to say something.

"You don't have to do that... You're our guest." My mother informed Peter.
They were big on the whole 'don't do any work while being a guest thing'. "Just... leave it, and I'll take care of it. And...before you go... there's a bag full of recycling...if you could grab some newspapers and remind Visi that the table should not look like someone died on it at the end...That would be great."

"I hate it when she gets gore all over that porch table and doesn't clean it up. Seriously... The girl doesn't know how to clean up..." My dad was... over exaggerating about some spatter...and latex in the sink...

T.Mor:

"...Really? ...er...ok..." I really didn't know...I mean... according to...history... Shrineboxes have been around for... time. I think...Maybe. I never really got any history class anyway.

I didn't really know what to do now...so...I kind of...just...er...stood there...looking at everything...like... It was still so... amazing...

Peter

"Oh, sure," I told Visi's mom. Least I could do.

I found the bag of recycling easily enough, took some newspapers, and went to find Visi.

"Your mom says, quote, that the table should not look like someone died on it at the end. Unquote."

I would also appreciate if it didn't look like a murder scene. I'd witnessed and been a part of enough of those already.


Winter

"So...whaddaya wanna do now?" I asked. "We could go on the computer. Or play videogames. We don't actually have an incredibly vast or diverse selection, but you might find something you like." I was fairly certain that he wouldn't go for the first-person shooters. Just a guess.

Invisimort:

I ran into Peter just outside my room- I had gotten the plaster off my floor, and half of the arm that was already prebuilt off my vertical storage unit thing, and was on my way out, and he was...well, coming to find me apparently. He informed me that I was not to make the table on the porch look like gore. And had newspapers with which to prevent that with.

" Meh. I'm not even planning on working with blood yet... gotta build it before you can cover it in gore..." My mother was never totally certain on the process for these kinds of things... but...whatever. She wanted me to lay down newspaper before I did anything... ok. "Though...this stuff only takes like...fifteen minutes to set...so...hm." Perhaps I could cover it in gore tonight...Depended entirely on the sunset I guessed.

T.Mor:

She said the word videogames. I love videogames. "..I... like videogames..." I told Winter. "What...what games do you have?" I asked.

Bells

"Well.. um... trees are tall plants. They are what wood is made out of, like.. you cut them down and you have wood. The tops of them separate into branches and have lots of leaves on them." I explained, hoping that my attempt wasn't a total failure.

We reached the front door just as I finished speaking. Gripping the handle I pulled the door open and held it out for him as I blocked the dogs from running out.

"Don't mind them, they're sweet things despite the constant barking."

We had two dogs in all. The first was a red, miniature Pomeranian named Tootise. Her fur had finally grown back out from a hair cut she'd gotten during the summer and with it she was maybe a foot tall.

The other was a really muscular Chiwawa named Mini. She was a light brown, almost tan color and about the same size as Tootsie except she is a bit fatter.

Mr.Face:

"Ah. I am familiar with wood. We normally get that from the Internet." I told her.

And then a door opened, and I heard things that sounded like animals, and there was a ceiling... Admittedly I had to duck to clear the door, but... at this particular moment, the joy of having something above my head that I could hear and that was concrete was bigger than my annoyance at low ceilings.

"I like animals. Do not worry." I informed her. The animals sounded relatively small. Despite actually liking animals, I had little opportunity to actually interact with them, as Auda is notoriously void of life, humans being the exception. I didn't know if one foot was standard height for animals, or what. I didn't suppouse it mattered at the moment.

Bells

"In that case, I should tell you that if when we get upstairs you sit down then they'll probably jump up on your lap to be petted."

As I spoke I turned to shut the door, pushing back the dogs who changes their mind about the door and instead proceeded to bark at Mr.Face for his tallness and the not being familiar thing.

"Sh..," I muttered, grabbing the railing and starting up the stairs while watching Mr.Face out of the corner of my eye. "Grandma! I'm back...and I have the person. Other me. "

"Does he have a name?" She yelled from what I guessed would be the kitchen.

"Um..yeah..Mr.Face."

".....A first name? " Her voice was slightly irritated, the Snell of the chili drifting down the short stairs.

"Um..." I glanced back at Mr.Face..heh...probably not the best idea to tell her that..seeing as he didn't like it...heh

Mr.Face:

I looked forward to having small animals sit on me... Didn't happen nearly enough.

I heard an older woman yelling about my name. No way that she was going to be receiving a first name. No way at all. "My first name is irrelevant." I replied.

I realised a moment later that my sentence structure could be misconstrued in such a way that I could have accidentally indicated that my name was actually 'Irrelevant'. Which... on someone else would be amusing, as they blundered through life being irrelevant...but, I would not find such a circumstance amusing on myself.

"I mean to say, that it is irrelevant for you to receive my first name, as I do not use it in any capacity and would find it highly insulting if you used it for any reason." I extrapolated.

Bells

"Oh, in that case," Grandma replied, stepping out of the kitchen doorway that stood directly across from the stairs, and studying Mr. Face for a moment. "Nice to..meet you."

She was obviously making an effort not to ask about his face..which I was extremely grateful for. No matter how short a time that may last.

At the top of the stairs I reached the living room, which sits right next to the dinning room with nothing really seperating the two. Then there is a doorway, with out a door, into the kitchen from both the livingroom and the dinningroom.

Mr.Face:

"The pleasure is all mine, I am sure." I replied, smiling in the direction of the woman. Not one of my frightening smiles, At least, from how I interpreted facial expressions.

Bells continued up a set of stairs, and we were in a room with furniture in it, which had an archway leading into a room with a table. I am fairly certain.

"Is there a place where I could deposit my suitcase prior to consuming whatever 'chili' is? Because I feel that it would be wildly inappropriate to just bring it to the table with me." I asked, my Zero Halliburton still in my right hand.

Bells

Grandma glared at him and I sighed, grateful for the fact she didn't usually chew me out in front of people.

"I apologize for the fact she didn't take it before. You have two choices, you can stay in Bells room, or in the family room on an air mattress. Whichever you choose Bells will take you suitcase there." Her voice was irritated again, obviously disliking the fact I hadn't already taken care of this.

Mr.Face:

"I suppouse I will stay in the family room... I wouldn't want to displace anyone." Which was, of course, the truth. I knew that if I were displaced from my typical sleeping environs because someone else was going to be lodging there, I would be quite irritated.

I also didn't typically do a lot of sleeping, as my dreams and my reality didn't tend to blend well.