Act 3: The Ball - Crisis

10:03 AM, 10th of April 422
The Rubrum Holoserica, Luxus

The adventurers wake up in their rooms, feeling well rested. The sun is shining through the windows and the sky is blue again, with not a single cloud in sight. It looks like it's going to be a nice day.

Then they notice something is off.
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Steve

"Hello," Fluffle says. "Is that you, Steve?"

The black mage opens his eyes and sees the small fairy hovering next to him, a worried expression on his face. May isn't awake at the moment, of that, he's certain. His connection to the ambient magic is different however. As if it had expanded to his whole body; his muscles, bones, and guts.
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Konrad

The red mage wakes up feeling fine and goes to wash up in the bathroom while he plans the rest of his morning. Only to realize he's not thinking in Wytrwaly anymore, but in Imperial.
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Mihai

"Morning, sunshine."

Konrad stares into the mirror. Is this better, or worse? he thinks, and starts a talking exercise to exorcize the alien invading his mind with its Imperial mother tongue.

First in Imperial: "The quick fox jumps over the lazy dog."

Then, in Wytyrwaly: "Szybki... lis... przeskakuje nad... leniwym... psem."

Again: "Szybki lis przeskakuje nad leniwym psem."

Then he mixes it up: "Szybka wróżka przelatuje nad leniwym karbunkuł."

Steve blinks a couple of times in surprise, holding up his hand in wonder at the strange feeling of having his entire body connected to the magic. He'd almost say it's tingling but that's not quite right. "Fascinating."

Mihai

The Aspect of Darkness is standing right next to his bed, a huge grin on his face. "I thought I was gonna have to kiss you there, Sleeping Beauty. Now giddy-up! I can hear your stomach growling, and it's hurting my nonexistent ears."
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Konrad

Konrad finds out he can switch between the two with some effort, although it feels very weird. When he reviews his other languages, he also finds out that he can understand Stoikotita.
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Steve

"What is?" Fluffle asks, reassured now that he's recognized his friend's mannerisms.

"I'm usually connected to the ambient magic at all times, but I seem to be...more so right now. Every part of me is sensitive to it, like I'm constantly on the cusp of forming a spell but instead of executing it, I'm just extending that feeling constantly and without end. It never occurred to me that a monk might feel this all the time. I've never heard them mention it. But then again I never thought to ask." At this point he remembers that he is still laying down and decides to sit up so he can talk to Fluffle.

Konrad just switches back to Wytyrwaly, and STICKS with it. His thoughts need only one language, thank you very much. But... what is this? He goes through every language he knows, using the stock exercise phrase for each one, and discovers Stoic.

"Η γρήγορη αλεπού πηδά πάνω από τον τεμπέληκο σκύλο. Amazing!"

He gets ready for the day, singing to himself and translating lyrics into Stoic, to test the language and get used to it. Nothing rhymes and the structure is butchered as a result, but it's very...pretty, and petite, and Sam's mastery of it is pretty close to her Imperial. If he had learned this 10 years ago, the ladies would have loved him, for sure.

"ω καλά - ίσως βρω μια χρήση για αυτό. Thank you, Sam."

Mihai

"Your thoughts are not nearly perverted enough for you to be Nick," the Aspect retorts as he palms his ears, utterly fascinated by their existence. "Mine feel like they've been blended into a paste, though. I blame this century for it."
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Steve

"Wait, so you feel like May right now? Is she listening to us?"

The black mage now realizes that his body also feels heavier than it should be, and that his whole anatomy is wrong. Especially around the crotch area, the hips, and the chest.
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Konrad

The red mage goes on with his day, feeling the same dissonance that Steve is experiencing with his body, but quickly shakes it off. It's not the first time it's happened to him after all.

No, that is not the way I grab things. That is not the way I walk. No, I don't need to brush my hair aside. Konrad takes a minute to reassert his own identity, but continues to talk to himself in Stoikotita. He can't get enough of it. A shame he had laughed it off all these years, for being the language of the Stoics. He heads down to the lobby to grab a late continental breakfast, and heads back up to Steve's room.

Stoikotita:
"Steve will be over the moon when he hears me talking like this!"

No matter how hard he examines him however, Smirk's aura feels identical to what he remembers.

"I don't think so. I just think we're a little blended right now on some levels." He glances down at his male anatomy in discomfort, "It's strange to say the least."

Steve

Fluffle wrinkles his brow in worry and asks, "What do you want me to do?"

Steve

The black mage thinks for a moment and then says, "Well, I'm gonna try standing up and walking around a little bit. Maybe be ready to keep my head from knocking into anything if I stumble or fall."

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Konrad

As soon as he hears Konrad's door opening up, Théo springs up from the chair he moved out into the hall and moves to intercept whoever is coming out of the room. His hopes aren't terribly high when he hears Konrad muttering to himself in a language that isn't Imperial or Wytrwaly, causing him to use his bulk to block the doorway. "Good morning."

The fairy nods and prepares to follow him. "I'll do my best."

Still enjoying himself, Konrad looks over and smiles at Theo, and switches to Imperial. "Good morning! I'm on my way to breakfast. Shall I bring you something?"

Steve

Steve nods and moves into position to stand up. His body feels so heavy and wrong that it takes an effort of will to mentally prepare himself for the effort. When he's ready he says, "Here goes nothing."

He slides forward off the bed, his feet taking his weight and his legs working to lift him into a standing position. The motion feels slow and clunky, and it takes a moment for him to balance himself.

It's worse than he thought it would be. Two competing expectations battle it out for how his body should feel, where his balance should be. Even his height feels off, like he's standing on a foot stool looking around the room.

Well, this wouldn't do.

He closes his eyes and focuses on his breathing while he focuses inward. He spends the time sorting through the feelings, attempting to assert his will and therefore his point of view over May's. He's not even sure it will work but he carries on, breathing in and out. Until finally, a step. And then another.

"How are we doing, Fluffle?" he asks, desiring to hear his friend's voice while he works.

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Konrad

Théo's eyebrow raises at Konrad's good cheer, and he pointedly doesn't move out of the doorway. "That depends on who I'm talking to."

"You haven't stumbled yet, so I think you're doing great. Be mindful of the table a few steps ahead of you though."

The black mage maintains his concentration and finds out that he's having a easier time controlling his balance now. It shouldn't take too long before he can walk normally again.

Now Konrad realizes that he's being kept from breakfast, and the reason why, and he comes down from his discovery. "Well, I've woken up in a good mood. I doubt Sam would be in a good mood, considering our circumstances. You're Théo Dufort. And I am Konrad. Cross my heart."

As he does, Konrad reads the ambient magic around Theo to sense whether he is connected to an Aspect, or if there is something different about him.

Konrad gapes at Mihai's new Aspect.

Konrad, Mihai, and Smirk

Théo's "What the fuck did I sign up for?" expression says it all. He points to Steve's room and says, "Okay, that's it. Everyone into Steve's room while I get Amber and we sort out who is who. Go on, git. Shoo."

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Steve

Steve is about to answer Fluffle when he hears a commotion from outside. "Uh, what's going on out there?"

Fluffle lands on Steve's shoulder and grabs his ear, curious to find out.