⛌ bluff ⛌

[SHIVERS]

Mikki is probably your best source of info right now.

You want to head over ASAP.





First, though...

Considering how you felt after being up and about for so long,
and that your tail plugged itself into the wall overnight,
that's probably how you 'eat' now.

You need to charge yourself regularly, or likely at least when you start feeling drained like before.



You try to figure out a way to show a battery indicator or similar function to yourself,
but nothing you Think or 'Speak' seems to have any effect.

Maybe someone around knows computers well.







You

find yourself thinking about that.

REALLY thinking about it.




You're a computer.
You Are just a machine now.




You know you need to change back,
but

you try to parse if there's anything you like about this body.

Better to try and think positively for now, right?






















No.
No. Nope.
You are not going to think about that.

You aren't.

You need to change back.
This body is temporary and inconvenient,
and the fact that the facial expressions of your REAL body are all screwed up
when people can't see This body is-

You can't stand that.



You've put a lot of time and effort into doing your best to Not Stand Out,
and now, whether people see this body or your old one,
you stick out like a sore thumb.





You hate it.




You're getting rid of this.
You know How.
And then it'll be over.

Back to normal.


















Realizing that you really are not feeling well -
not that you ever Could, stuck like this -
you think about calling your therapist.




You think that through a little more.

You'd have to go to the bar or the front desk,
and stand there having a very personal conversation where anyone could hear you.
That's if your therapist Could even hear you.

The bartender could, but Mikki can't.
They have to look at your screen.
It'd be a gamble, and if you get it wrong all you'd do is worry your therapist.

Either way, it'd be a spectacle.
If anything would be a surefire way to Actually make you fall apart,
it'd be That.

You aren't going to do that.

Not right now.






You should at least grab your phone, though.

You quickly locate it in your cabin;
somehow it ended up under one of the pillows on your bed.

You pull it out and press the button to turn the screen on.



It's nearly dead, with 3% battery life.

Annoying, but it's-





You can't unlock it.





You swipe
and swipe
and swipe

nothing happens.




You remember the same happening when you wore gloves.

The touch sensors likely don't work with your hard plastic claws.





You'd need someone else's help to even unlock your phone to find Any of your contacts' info.

And with it nearly dead-




You plug it into its charger and leave it at that for now.



After a quick change of clothes,
you don your jacket, pocket the various coupons,
and head out the door.


























 

▶ Observe
Pasocom Music Club

It's a bright, beautiful day outside,
and you

are a standing, walking computer

person

thing.




This is already weird.
















At least it's nice out here.











You wish you could think about that
more than all the worries sifting around in your head.





Is there even anything IN your head, anymore?
That's the monitor.
No data's stored in those, it's probably elsewhere.




Your head is Literally empty.














You pass by cabins 7 and 8, thankful that nobody's sitting around the unlit campfire as you walk by it.

You do see that the pool is a bit lively today, spotting a few people walking in.
Good thing you aren't headed that way.

Mostly, you're just glad nobody's out and about by the cabins at the moment.

You hurry your way over to cabin 11 just in case.














When you reach it, you find it to be quite a lot smaller than your own.
You knock a few times.




You hear a muffled groan from inside.
"...just leave th' coupons in the mailbox."

With no real way to audibly speak,
you knock again. Gently.
Tapping out a small rhythm, hoping it would signal that this is more casual.




You hear nothing.







Someone exits their cabin relatively nearby.
You don't dare to look.


ARC:\TR_TH *COME ON MIKKI*
ARC:\TR_TH *PLEASEPLEASE ANSWER*





You knock a little faster.

"...god in-
Ugh."





You hear rummaging noises through the door as your foot taps nervously,
only for it to finally open.

A bleary-eyed bug answers the door,
leaning on the doorframe.


ARC:\SPEECH "HELP."

It's all you can think to say.





They sigh.





"Well.
Fuck."
The corvice massages their temple.
"Look.
When I said we could talk, I figured, y'know, I'd get to sleep.
Slept like shit on your floor and woke up with a hangover,
which I was tryin' to sleep off.
So we'll talk some later, alright?"

ARC:\SPEECH "BUT- OH. SORRY."
ARC:\SPEECH "I CAN- I'LL-"

You feel anxiety grasping at your circuits.





Mikki is reading your screen.

Including what had popped up before the door opened.



ARC:\SPEECH "OH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT. SORRY"
ARC:\SPEECH "I CAN'T HELP IT. IT JUST POPS UP."




Their head tilts skyward, a long sigh rolling out of them.



"Alright.
Here's the deal:

We can talk Now
if you come with me to the corner store across the street.
I need more smokes and somethin' to kill this hangover.

If you don't wanna do that, I get back in bed."


ARC:\SPEECH "THERE-"
ARC:\SPEECH "THERE MIGHT BE PEOPLE THERE, THOUGH."

They shrug. "So?
There's gonna be people around sometimes.
Who cares?
It'll probably just look like a weird costume if they can even see it."

ARC:\SPEECH "I DON'T WANT TO LOOK WEIRD!"

Not sure how your text will read,
you force yourself to speak more calmly.

ARC:\SPEECH "I MEAN I'D. REALLY, REALLY RATHER NOT-"




"Then we talk later after I sleep.
Those're your options."



















Options.


Go with Mikki to the mini mart,
or be alone for longer-








ARC:\SPEECH "OKAY. YES. LET'S GO. SORRY."

"You're good, chill."



You watch the bug slip on some shoes, feeling profoundly stupid.
They step out the door with you,
not bothering to lock it.













They walk fast; you pick up the pace to keep up.

"Alright, we're walking,
go ahead."




ARC:\SPEECH "I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S... HOW THIS..."


Mikki hears you buzzing.
They stop just beyond the cabins, by the road.


"...right. Hell."
The corvice turns back to you.
"Alright.
You ask or say everything you're wantin' to say to me, right now.
I'll answer on the walk over.
Sound good?

Okay

Go."






Mikki watches your screen, looking antsy.

ARC:\SPEECH "UM..."