[ When Pepper awakes, she has a headache unproportionate to the amount of red wine she’d had the night previous watching cheesy movies at her apartment with Charlie. ]

Ugh, that’s unpleasant. What-- [ She stops suddenly, recognizing the telltale sign of a curse as her voice comes out sounding not like her own, but instead like that of her friend ] Charlie?

[Charlie’s curled up on the couch, eyes closed tightly. She’s not willing to face the day, just yet, even though she had to. She had a business to run, people to train. Her eyes opened at the sound of...her voice. What?]

Huh? [Oh, that’s not her. That’s not her at all. She sits up, pushing hair entirely the wrong color out of her face and examines hands not her own.] Pepper, the City’s screwing with us again.

Yes, Charlie, I can see that. [ And oh, is it strange to see herself speak. She’s seen herself on TV before in press conferences, but she’s never seen herself like this, freshly woken up and just the slightest bit crumpled. She gets up from her own spot curled on the carpet and heads for the nearest mirror, poking at prodding at the face she now wears. ] So we’re switched bodies. Okay... I can handle that, I think.

You’ll be fine. [Meanwhile Charlie, who’d followed Pepper to the mirror and was looking herself over, sounded anxious.] I feel cold. Apparently my ability didn’t go with so do what you can to stay calm today, alright? All day. Just keep calm.

[It would probably sound better if Charlie didn’t sound as upset. She’s only been without her ability once and she didn’t like it much then.]

[ Pepper notes the anxiety in Charlie’s voice and turns to look up at her. ] You mean I could... [ She trails off, instead pantomiming a mini explosion, complete with sound effects. ]

[Charlie just nods, scrubbing hands over her face for a moment and taking a couple calming breaths. It helps a bit and she finally looks at Pepper.] You can. You’ll be fine, though. It’ll be over at midnight, right? All will be normal then.

[God, she hoped.]

Okay. Midnight. No problem. I’ll just stay in. Get some paperwork done. Although, on the other hand, maybe not.

Take a mini vacation? [Charlie offered this with a small shrug before her eyes widened again.] Oh, crap.

[And her eyes closed tightly.] I have people to train at the Dragon. Like...really have to. We reopen on Monday. I can’t not do this.

[Her device is out a moment later and a message typed:]

[Filtered to Jasmine Dragon Employees.]

It’s one of those weekends, apparently. I’m body-swapped with someone but training is still on. I’ll see you all later today.

[end filter.]

[And then another thought occurs to her.]

[Filtered to Merlin]

If you see me today, it’s not me. Pepper and I swapped bodies. I’ll be home when I’m me again.

[end filter.]

Yay, adult responsibilities.

 

[ OOC: If you see Charlie this weekend, it's Pepper, and if you see Pepper, it's Charlie. ]

[ It's an elementary rule of tradecraft. Simple cost-benefit analysis. Obscurity versus visibility. When curses hit, he can retreat Underground to avoid them. But at the cost of missing work or appearing 'normal.' A sufferer like everyone else. Or he can stay topside and allow a curse to strike him. But possibly jeopardize his real identity. In the end, it's 20/20. The City isn't a stable place. Anything can happen: Topside or Underground. Here -- or at home -- there's no such thing as a perfectly controlled environment. ]

[ Better to take the risk and let 'Li' take charge. ]

[ At the expense of Hei's dignity. ]

The City's sense of humor is tacky and immature as always.

Come within a foot of me and I will kill you.

[ Too late. Li is already wearing a beatific smile. ]

To all the Citizens: You are what you eat, and tonight I want to be you! [ fgdsfhjkl! He breaks off, stammering and wide-eyed. ] That -- that wasn't what I meant to say. [ A blush creeps from his face to his neck. ] Um -- we're serving a new selection of desserts at Cafe Satine. Feel free to drop by and try them out. Or to order from Salon Lustre or Passione while you're there. Roses are red, mosquitoes are sour, open your legs and give me an hour.[ FLAIL FLAIL. He nearly drops his device. ] Wh-Why is this happening?

[ He winces, rubbing his neck. ]

Just -- letting everyone know ...I'll, um, be in the kitchen.

[ End feed. Before he utters anything more horrifying. ]

[OOC: Cursed with Did It Hurt When You Fell From Heaven? Enjoy a bombardment of terrible, terrible pickup lines, and much babbling and blushing. ]

[ The patio at Phantomhive has a circular pool set into it. The water, lit from within, throws dappled reflections on a pale body. Karl's. He sits, insouciant and exposed, at the edge of a diving board. Hair and skin wet--dripping. The shimmery light makes his bare shoulders into two pearly points. No scars anywhere, despite how often he's been sliced up. Chevaliers don't carry marks. ]

...I'm told nudity is a form of dress. Of course, the voices of decency and dignity would rush to disagree. [ Snort. ] Are the Deities trying to instill shame among the shameless? Or is the true purpose of this curse to afflict me with sunburn?

[ He yawns. Switches seamlessly to female form. Languidly, girl!Karl drops back onto her elbows, so her breasts stand up between her impudent face and the Network device's view. ]

If so, I reserve the right to laugh. My sunblock is waterproof. [ And his shame is ... shame-proof? ] Next time, dear Deities, let's pretend you have a speck of originality and use it. Lest the poor City should gouge its blushing eyes out.

[ In a blink, he reverts to his real form. Dives with a near-soundless plop into the pool. Feel free to look away or stare at your leisure. He's fairly easy on the eyes, if not woefully underfed. ]

[ Private to Solomon ]

If you don't come out of your room, I'm taking all your clothes and blankets away. And turning the air-conditioning to freezing.

[ Or just setting his hair on fire? ]

[ Private to Nathan ]

Do I even need to ask?

...Settling in fine?

[OOC: Cursed with Black Bars. Cover your eyes pls ;; ]

[There is a white bed in a white room covered in white sheets and a white blanket. It's very stark and probably decorated by someone whose present day happens to be sometime in the 90s. There are lumps under the uninterrupted white and some of the lumps start to stir.

First one arm stretches out in the start of a morning (afternoon) stretch that is so luxuriant it could hit at least two of the seven deadly sins without effort, but then another arm stretches out from under the blankets and everything freezes.

There's a handcuff on that arm.

The arm shakes experimentally - the only movement on the screen - and another arm is revealed on the other side of the handcuff. It shakes along with the experimental shake.

Then Crowley is throwing off his sheets and sitting up to stare with wide yellow eyes at the angel in his bed.]

Dulcie? What the Hell? I wasn't that drunk last night!

There are cat hairs all over these bowlers. What sort of establishment do you run here? It's shoddy workmanship, that's what it is, you should be ashamed and -

Have you even listened to a word I've said?

[ The camera shakes slightly because the Doctor's currently trying to balance on the very end of a step ladder with one foot. He's holding the device up the wrong way above him so the only image is of him and the shop. The woman's voice from before isn't recognisable, but the shrill way she sounds makes him wince. ]

Not really, no. I'm trying to hang up this mobile and your prattling is rather easy to tune out. [ He wobbles a bit more as he's moving, over arm extended over himself to hook something into the ceiling. ] All you've done since entering the shop is snipe and criticize. Quite frankly, I wouldn't want you buying a hat either way. Especially not with that enormous head.

[ Then he seemingly finishes his task. The camera spins, catches the image of a woman (with a rather large head, to be honest) storming out of the hat shop before it settles on the Doctor's creation. It's a model of the solar system. It also looks like it belongs above a child's cot but he doesn't care. Just below the Earth, a little paper maché TARDIS spins. ]

It's okay Wanda, you can come out from under the sun hats now. The mean old lady's gone. I was a bit rude though, wasn't I?

[ The cat simply meows in response and settles against a rather high stack of knitted hats. ] Ah well, can't be helped. Her noggin was rather huge.

(( ooc: Eleven's been cursed with I Cannot Tell A Lie. He just doesn't know it yet. Red is an NPC. ))

[The video feed starts. Upside down and half obscured by a pillow. There's a mess of tangled blonde hair in the way, too, the faintest streaks of purple throughout. It's quite clearly Mindy Macready's blankets and pillows. Who else would have that much 'Hello, Kitty' in one place?

The hair shifts, the owner quite clearly stirring and waking and the blankets move to reveal...

a Mindy that is clearly older. Her eyes open, one hand rubbing at them for a moment before she looks around. She's baffled for about two seconds, sitting up with a huff. Fingers run through her hair and she sighs.]

Fuck you, City. I don't want to be here again. [Yes, she thinks she's been rekidnapped. For the third time. She spots the device is on and because she is a girl of manners, she shoves it off her bed. It's still for a moment, now recording the ceiling and then Mindy is out of bed, too. She grabs the device and looks into it.]

At least the City was nice enough to dump me in my old bedroom. Now, who is here that I could possibly still know? Just for a time reference.

[And she sits on the floor, back against her bed and one knee brought up for an armrest.]

'Tis a strange place, this city.

[ Anyone who knows Ariadne should recognize her voice, even if the video is just that of the City itself -- from her perch up on top of a roof. ]

I have not been to many, of course, but none had magic devices such as these, nor wagons without horses. It's quite exciting, really, though I do miss the woods. Perhaps once I'm done exploring here, I shall look to the woods. It would be far more comfortable to me than the room I woke up in, though it was certainly nice. Just far too enclosed.

[ The camera finally moves away, catching bare feet, a brown skirt, and a closed vest before settling on her face. ]

You may call me Fox, if you would like. Bear, I shall be exploring. Stay out of trouble, if you please.

[ And then the feed clicks out. ]

((ooc: Ariadne is cursed with a Genre Switch into fantasy! She believes she's a forest-dwelling mage orphan, oops, while "Bear" is Eames. Feel free to reply with video or run into her exploring!))

( [Wedding Invitation || Send to Friends and Acquaintances] )

[Filtered from Known DELILAH Members & Setsuna Mundou || Unhackable]
I suppose it isn't so uncommon to be nervous on one's wedding day. I just didn't think it would be so bad as this.

I think this must be my third cup of tea and none of them have done anything to soothe my nerves.

And I'm not even certain what it is I'm so nervous about.

It isn't as though a wedding is such a strange thing--I've certainly attended enough of them in my life. And I know any number of married couples and they all seem calm enough.

I'm not even concerned about my father. And I know it's well within his inclinations to ruin celebrations like this. He was not invited nor will he be invited and, if he should still insist on showing his face this evening, he will not be allowed into the church. I'm glad for more than one reason that He-Who-Kills will be my witness today. If anyone can keep my father at bay, it will be him. No, I'm not even concerned that my father might try to ruin everything. I think, after all we've endured with him, we would press on with the ceremony even if the walls of the church were falling down around our ears. And to hell with him. He's of no concern to me.

Perhaps the only explanation is because it's my own wedding. And I never quite thought I should live to see such a day.

It is a bit strange, though, to have a wedding in the evening like this. Where I come from--and I told Setsuna as much when we were planning all of this--weddings are usually morning affairs, perhaps as much so that the couple can set off on their honeymoon that very day.

But there is something appealing about an evening wedding. Certainly, I think our guests will be much more inclined to celebrate of an evening than of a morning.

Unfortunately, it means I've very little to do between now and then but to wait and drink more tea than I ought to.

Well, that and coming back into my room to look at my clothes all laid out for me--and the ring over on the dresser. I could go without my suit so long as I still have that ring. Still, I sincerely hope that I shall be able to tie my own necktie. But if my hands keep shaking, it may be something of a trial.

He'll look fantastic, I know. I can already imagine it, but I know the truth will be a hundred times better.

I suspect everything is ready (and I shall thank Rosella for that), save for the two of us.

I shouldn't be nervous. I'm glad for today. I'm glad to marry Setsuna. We've known each other long enough and been engaged for long enough, it's high time we married. And I'm glad that he would marry me, despite all the hideous things my father might say or do or threaten. Nothing my father might do could undo us. I'm glad to marry him. And I love him. I love him immensely. And I'm not afraid to say that.

Half-past five isn't so far off now. But it still feels like it's ages away.

~C.
[//end filter]

( [Private || Unhackable] )

[Private to Setsuna || Hand-Delivered Letter]

Setsuna--

It's only been a matter of hours, not days, since we last saw one another. I know: I counted it out. So why does it feel like absolute ages since yesterday afternoon? I know absence makes the heart grow fonder, but this really is ridiculous.

We really ought to do something about this if we can. Time ought to slow down after this evening, not before. It's being quite inconsiderate, really.

I can't wait to see you. I can hardly bear it. I'm counting out the hours again. Soon enough I'll count out the minutes. I can already imagine how it will be to see you, I can already see how the sunlight will fall and how the candles will shine and even how the flowers will glow with the light and how I know you'll smile until your eyes shine.

I can't wait to see that. I can't wait to see you.

With all my love always,
~C.

[---]

[ooc: Awwww schmoopy cursed!engaged!Cain~ All hung up on the Family Day curse~ If you're acquainted with Cain and/or Setsuna, please know that you would have received the above invitation (engraved, of course, and in the requisite two envelopes) for this evening's wedding ♥ Also, that note to Setsuna has been delivered with a flower or two by a friendly acquaintance, I'm sure. So no hacking~! Anyone got a sixpence handy? Maybe one of them will just tuck and Orange or a Red in his shoe♥]

( Cut for an image! )

[ He's excited. Maybe that's why the beginning of the feed starts off with jerky camera angles complete with the glimpse of the trees surrounding him. ] Whoops. Too Blair Witch.

[ Calming down a little as Stiles takes a few steps backwards, angling his device so he can show off the entire scene. The baby blue jeep sitting in the woods might not look like much, but Stiles' voice is all full of pride. ] There she is, the woman in my life.

[ Twisting the screen so he can move forward and run a hand along the bonnet. ] She missed me, I can tell.

(( ooc: so Stiles might have made a trade for the Jeep to come back into his possession. He's also been hit with the hot or not curse, but he hasn't quite figured that out. ))

H...hello? [The face that peers into the camera is that of a small boy, one who looks very confused and at least a little frightened.] Papa Suchong? Mama Tenenbaum?

[He looks around, as if watching for someone to come by, but he's alone. And then he looks even more frightened.]

I don't know where I am but I'm not supposed to be here and if I don't get back to where I am supposed to be then Mr. Fontaine is gonna be real mad. [It all comes out in one breath, and he stops to look around again before he continues.] And I don't know why it's so bright outside the window or why I can't see the ocean anywhere but it's scary and I shouldn't be here and — and... [By now, he looks totally distressed.] Can someone come get me? Please? I don't wanna get in trouble with Papa Suchong or Mr. Fontaine.

 [Any one who is walking by the fountain will notice Hatter sitting there seemingly spouting off random numbers as people pass by.

After awhile of this, ne picks up nir device and turns it on.]

In the end, the numbers really don't matter all that much. 

[Wink.]






(ooc: Hit with Hot or Not, and as ne said...the numbers don't matter at all, if you want to play ne has no problem.)

Hey, what about this one? Try it on! [-- comes a female's voice. Whose? Well, as the video feed opens like the human eye, the answer is found to be a blue haired youth holding up a cute dress: Gazelle. And with her is a younger girl with pink hair: Amu.]

[Amu just stares at the dress that Gazelle is holding up for her only to just make a face at it and wave her hands in front of her in objection.] Seriously? N-no way. It doesn't suit me at all!

Heh. Just try it on and see. I bet it'll look pretty on you. [Gazelle's smile grows bigger as she waves the dress right back.] Come on~

[Amu just shakes her head.] Can't I just pick something else out?

Nope! Not until you try it on... Okay? [To emphasize her point, Gazelle pushes out the dress even closer to Amu.]

Oh come on, sis! That's so not fair, I should at least get a say in this too! [Amu just lets out a sigh of frustration, not looking happy about this at all.]

[From Gazelle there's a little giggle at her sister's expression, followed by a playful pout.] Awww, don't be that way~ You got a say in everything else thus far.


(OOC: FAMILY DAY CURSE! So these two now believe they're sisters. Come and voice your opinions on the dress or whatever?)

I'm not sure what kind of curse this is supposed to be if it's even a curse.

I don't usually wake up on strangers' couches with no memory of how I got there. [Particularly if there's no nearby Hulk damage.]

Could someone please explain to me what's going on? I checked the network and it seems that people are experiencing a variety of effects instead of city-wide single effects I'd been led to expect.

[Barely heard off-microphone...] I feel very strange.


[ooc: Bruce has swapped bodies with Luke infernoandhearth but is unaware of the swap because Luke is a shapeshifter and his body semi-automatically shifted to match Bruce's expectations. He'll be walking back to City Solutions tower and can be encountered on the street, which I especially encourage if your character has some kind of fire-related abilities. :D ]

[At first he thought it'd been some sort of karmic payback for the curse that drove him to throw down every small item he could find. Carla had walked in while he is was in the middle of one of his rants, and frowned at the items Lewis scattered all over the apartment. There was a mild amount of embarrassment and exasperation when it wore off and Lou came to his senses, but at least any indignation he expressed on that day was borderline comical.

What she is currently doing to her own apartment is very, very far from that.]

Whoever knows Carla, you need to fucking talk to her.

[Her voice is audible in the background, but she's not saying anything. She's still throwing things around in another room.]

I don't know what to do. Is this a curse? [There's an exhale, both alarmed and frustrated.] Christ!

[ ooc: Lou is a winner, Part III. This would be Carla's post! ]

[Oh look, it's Older!Loki. Worry not, he is chaotic neutral. Ish. Okay, maybe worry just a little bit.]

According to the video missives on this- my- Starkphone, yesterday I was young and there is an influx of odd activity in the City. I will hazard a guess that my current age is a curse and will pass in the following day or so.

Not troublesome at all, and lending to my want in deciphering the scepter.

[Pauses with a devious smile.] Though for now, here, Leah- [Whistles] Leah want a cracker?

[There's a shot of an empty room, and then... just like that, Marty appears on screen (wearing a shabby rented tux), looking positively giddy. Teleportation is awesome.]

Hey, City. It's Marty. Marty Williams. Magician.

[He pulls flowers from his sleeve-- yawn, typical magic trick. But wait! Right before your eyes, the flowers-- generic carnations-- turn into roses. Then lilies. WHAT IS THIS SORCERY? Suddenly, the flowers catch on fire, and then it disappears in a flash of glitter. Some of it gets in his gravity-defying hair, and so he brushes it away.]

I just wanted you to know that you-- yes, you! [He points to the camera.] --can have your very own magic show! I do small venues and large ones.

[He pulls a tophat from seemingly out of nowhere and places it on his head. When he removes it, his hair is ~le gasp~ red.]

Personal parties, private shows... [Wink.] For a reasonable fee.

[He brushes his hand through his hair, making the color go black.]

Oh, and I'm always looking for assistants. [Aheheh. Yeah.]

So contact me today!

[Because he really needs money. He snaps his fingers and disappears from the screen. THE WORST MAGICIAN IS NOW THE BEST MAGICIAN!]

[OOC: Marty and Howl have been hit with the POWER SWAP curse. That's right, given the abilities of an amazingly powerful wizard, Marty chooses to waste it all on honing his terrible magician act. He really is that much of a loser.

I'm so sorry your powers have been reduced to this, Howl.]

[ The device is shoved up against something-- something blond, something that keeps wiggling and thrashing about until finally, it stills. Vanitas raises up the device then, holding it up at an angle so it’s obvious enough-- he’s sitting on top of Ventus’ back, boots shoved to his shoulders to keep him still and one hand awkwardly pressed to the floor next to one of Ventus’ own. The one that he’s, unfortunately, cuffed to. ]

Get -- [ Ventus snarls as he moves again, desperately trying to get the other off of him. ] -- off!! [ He quiets, though his free hand clings to one of the boots as he makes like a wild horse in a cowboy rodeo and tries to buck Vanitas off - which, obviously doesn’t work because Ventus is not a horse, but it’s strong enough to at least catch Vanitas off balance for half a second, which just causes him to shove his heels harder into Ventus’ shoulders to keep him down. ]

I don’t suppose anyone has a key for this?

How the heck should I know?! [ he hisses, ] I wouldn’t be stuck here with you if I did-- [ and pauses when something dawns on him. ]

Are you - recording this?! You -- Vanitas!! [ His vigor renews as he attempts to roll, now, perhaps hoping that Vanitas will magically fling himself off of him if he does, and awkwardly bends his free arm to grope for the device and swat it out of Vanitas’s hand. It flies far enough, and lands on it’s side a few feet away from them both. Vanitas reaches for it, bending over Ventus while shoving down hard against the top of the other’s head, pushing him into the floor. ]

Idiot-- stop getting in my way.

_{( ooc; Vanitas and Ventus have been hit with Handcuff Day. Ventus is green, Vanitas is black. Replies will be coming from both of them! )}

[Setsuna holds his cuffed hand to the screen - close to it is a pale hand in the other cuff.]

Please tell me I didn't do anything too kinky last night after the wedding? Getting married was one thing, but I'm not used to waking up in these situations.

[A pause as he looks off screen.] Is that my husband?

[Video is then terminated because, no, City, you don't need to see him in bed with a cat, and handcuffed to Karl.]

[the video feed starts up and adjusts to show Akira in a tuxedo, grinning from ear to ear. behind him? Akito, sitting on a bed in an extravagant wedding dress. and just in case there was any doubt as to what had been thrown at them today, Akira brings up his left hand to lazily prop his head against it, showing off the band around his ring finger before he speaks.]

Just out of curiosity, what are some of everyone's favorite places to go to here in the City? Favorite restaurant, best place to have fun, maybe even a specific rooftop that offers a particularly great view of the sea?

Any type of suggestion would be appreciated, as I'm not really sure what all you're supposed to do on a honeymoon.

 Look fuck you Derek, you're an ass hole.  I don't care how funny everyone else in this stupid city thought it would be, messing with me because I'm new or whatever but you are an ass hole to just ditch me like this.  Ass. Hole.  

[Isaac looks much like he did when he arrived, hovering somewhere between annoyance and panic, except it's pretty clear he's been freaking out about this for a while before he made the post.  He's sitting on a bench on a very very empty street in town trying very very hard to hide the fact that he's completely miserable.]

I mean you all just took off.  I can't even tra- find anyone, not even the people I'm used to being around.  This is just really really immature okay?  Dr Banner, if you make them cut it out I'll tell you how quickly my device came back after I buried it.    

Just stop it.  Stop it... please.  I can't do it, if this was some kind of test I fail.  I can't find anyone....

(((This is Isaac's first curse so he's not really sure what's going on but he's been hit by lost not found)))