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Shimmer, Glimmer, & Gleam - A Quest of Loss & Gain

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You still probably need to try things out to be sure, but you're interested in...
[x] Yes(tm)

I don't think Orchid entirely has developed a concept of gender or presentation that would result in a particular preference, though it has definitely shown a greater amount of recent interest in Jill and Sasha than anyone else shown on-screen. That said, Orchid hasn't displayed any hesitation or discomfort with anyone displaying other genders, and I think it will find the idea that there are only two options baffling.

For that matter, have you decided to try out a gender?
[x] Not ever; it/its is working out great for you, other people need to deal with it.

Orchid has displayed, frequently and fervently, discomfort with the idea that it should be gendered in the ways that other people it encounters assume. It very much seems to have concluded that it does not identify meaningfully with any of the options it has been offered, but does seem comfortable with a not gender. Choosing any of the genders offered by the people it has encountered would go against the few things Orchid actually does understand about itself.

Pick 1
[x] Speak up now

Nattie is in clear and present danger. Any hope that may exist of coming to aid for the voice in the phone diminishes with any hesitation.
 
Let's see what we're working with. The Butcher's Bill will need updating. Probably tomorrow.
Scheduled vote count started by Morrowlark on Dec 17, 2024 at 2:50 PM, finished with 10 posts and 9 votes.
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Waking Nightmares 3: Familiar Strangers New
  • Threadmarks
    • Y'all out here warming my dead, bi heart. I hope you like the opener to this post because it's all downhill from there.

    The Recent Past (The Incident)

    You consider Charles's question, and then shrug. "I dunno, naked ones?" You sorta gesture at the scrolling end credits of the salacious and shockingly intricate and character-driven porn movie that just about every living adult not on sentry duty watched with you. "I like it when they're makin' those pleased noises."

    "Jossil preserve us all," Sasha whispers in mock horror. "It's a top."

    You blink. "What's a top?"

    Jill elbows Sasha right in the ribs. "One thing at a time, flower. One thing at a time. Nothin' specific has your attention?"

    You think about this. You contemplate it. You ruminate on it. There is a faint leaning-in of every face in the room as Juicy Information is detected as being in the offing, and this makes you think harder. You check your notes, underline a few passages, tap your chin with a pencil.

    "I mean," you begin slowly. "I think you and Sasha are real interesting -" Sasha, having made the key mistake of starting to sip some soda, spits it out all over the person sitting in front of her, "- Andrea maybe...is it bad that Chef Nettleson knowing how to cook is kinda interesting on that level?"

    For some unknown reason, Charles high-fives Chef Nettleson, who is chuckling companionably. Jill, on the other hand, looks like she's about to have a nuclear fission event in her face. She clears her throat, opens her mouth, and shuts it again.

    "You did ask, young lady," Andrea notes.

    "HOW DID I GET CAUGHT IN THIS FUCKING BACKSWING?" Sasha demands.

    "We're gonna walk past it being into GILFs?" Charles returns, raising his eyebrows.

    "I'm certainly not going to," Andrea replies serenely. "If you'll all excuse me, I do believe I'm going to claim a share of the perfumes."

    * * * *

    The Present

    Where's the button on this UI that lets you talk...

    A new voice, more like Karl's or Jack's: "If we double back now I can make it there in four days, Nattie. Can you hold?"

    "Negative," Nattie manages, tightly. "Not without fatalities, let alone...we're looking at potential total project loss here. Which is secondary to the loss of near two hundred innocent fucking people and also a fraternity."

    There it is. You mash your finger onto the screen, knowing without knowing why that you need to hold it down, and clear your throat. "This is Orchid, with a group of survivors. We've got spare guns and some bodies, what's your location?"

    Silence. Absolute silence.

    Oh right the fucking button -

    You lift your finger and there's a couple seconds of silence before the voice identified as Nattie cuts in: "How did you get access to this communication? Who are you?"

    Uhhh. You put your finger on the button and repeat yourself: "Orchid, with a group of survivors. And it was on a phone I found." This time you lift your finger, and wait.

    The voice that is yours cuts in next, and it sounds exhausted. "It's got my phone," the voice says. "Everyone, meet the skank that ripped my arm and eye out. Skank, this is everyone. How many guns?"

    The voice identified as Karl cuts in: "Excuse me, are we gonna walk past the arm and eye bit? Can we trust this manifestation?"

    The voice that is yours again: "What's it gonna do, kill Nattie even more? Give me your dick so I can make you suck it, Karl. How many guns, mirror bitch?"

    Oh you do not like the voice that is yours at all, but you reluctantly put your finger on the button while you run some numbers in your head. "I can lead about a dozen armed people on foot. We've got doctors and access to tractors if a path has to be cleared to evacuate once you've been relieved. So far we've taken out two nodes of the Corporate hive-mind." Well, you did. You and Jill. But they don't need to know that. Finger off the button.

    Silence again. You can almost hear them thinking.

    No...no, you can hear them thinking...

    Familiar Strangers is evolving, whether you want it to or not. Pick 1 voice to hone in on.
    [ ] The voice that is yours
    [ ] Nattie
    [ ] Karl
    [ ] The new voice
     
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    • I do not like this chooser of the living at all. Not one bit.

    [X] The voice that is yours

    Ughhhhh this feels bad but it's probably worth it.
     
    It is a truth universally acknowledged that a clone protagonist will have to grapple with the fact that they're incredibly different from the person they're cloned from. Because being a clone protagonist practically hands themes of Identity and Nature Vs. Nurture into the writer's lap.
     
    Also, it looks like our Chooser got at least some of the losses that we didn't take. Lost arm, lost eye… because of Orchid? Hell's up with that?
     
    Or there is potentially a 2nd Dopple, perhaps sitting in mirrors somewhere, who has all the remaining bits. Also, a Grandma is now planning to try and jump Orchid's bones XD

    [x] Nattie

    Know who were helping to know how to help better! That and its probably not a good idea to go peaking into the Evil Dopple's head.
     
    Fair warning, this will be a shorter vote. This is entirely because I'm feeling impatient.

    Two hours.
     
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    [x] Nattie

    Presently, the other people are less of a concern. If they turn out to be closer, Orchid can explore that further, but there is useful information to be gleaned from Nattie that could help with planning what needs to be done to help there, and Orchid has a capacity to understand the value of focus in an emergency, while noting all the interesting things it doesn't have time for right now.
     
    [X] Nattie

    So far, the Doppelganger hasn't shown signs of being evil yet. And we're just two different parts of what was once the same being, now two original manifestations.
     
    I'm mostly joking on the evil thing as they appear to be a loud and brash asshole Fixer kind of person, while Orchid is an adorkable confused bean full of potential violence
     
    Just the barest of swing votes. Nattie, here we go.
     
    [x] Yes(tm)
    [x] Not ever; it/its is working out great for you, other people need to deal with it.
    [x] Speak up now

    Ah missed the vote end
     
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