002 ♟ action/audio | titled: "Three Signs of the Wonderland Apocalypse"

[halfwinchester]

_{(OOC: Until the gender swap wears off mid-event, replies will come from halfsister, his gender swap equivalent! Open sections are for the early days of the event, approximately glossing over the 20th-22nd. :D Audio portion is posted a tad early for convenience's sake.)}



| Chapter One: "Sex organs you never wanted"

<sub>[Having your nose broken and the side of your face turned into a swollen mess by someone you don't even know puts a cramp on a person's social life. After Clarisse, Adam sticks close to home for the most part, subsisting on painkillers and brief stints in the clinic where Martha makes sure his face is growing back straight.

Healing up after a shake down is slow and boring, and in retrospect Adam is sure that has something to do with why the talking lizard's changes are interesting enough to warrant his attention.

On Wednesday, the gazebo had seemed safe enough to check out. On Thursday, he's proven wrong. So wrong.

He's been mauled, he's been burnt up in Hell, he's been turned into a friggin' suit of armor, but being a flesh-and-blood girl... The adjustment period is an arduous one, to say the least, and involves a lot of time not knowing what to do with himself in his room. After the tenth time checking out old scars and birth marks, it's official, someone gave him a free sex change.

And it's the little things that get him the most.

Bathroom breaks are hard. Lying down with sandbags on his chest is hard. Clothes are disturbingly hard when bras need to go on and not off. (Sports bras count, don't they?) He takes a shower the next morning because the lack of one pushes him past his fear of naked cleavage, and it's not even deciding to wearing a bathing suit inside the shower that bothers him, it's the tangle of hair he's left with afterward. Suddenly there's so much hair! He actually needs a hair brush to untangle himself after months of not bothering, and he fantasizes about taking scissors and lopping everything. Bye bye, girly locks.

Except he doesn't, because he needs to leave his room eventually and figure this shit out, and probably should look halfway normal to do it.

At least not looking like Adam means no one will look at him and see Adam and ask about his face.

... And he'll leave once he figures out how to make the closet give him shoes that aren't two sizes too big.]</sub>





| Chapter Two: "Miniature angels and demi-gods rain from the sky" | action

<sub>[No one even look at the slouched girl outside. Don't even look.

She looks vaguely uncomfortable, wearing jeans that are slightly too big for her and burrowed in an over-sized hoodie, hands pushed deep into the pockets. Maybe it has something to do with the fact a good deal of her face is a paint-by-number color pallet of reds, blacks, and purples at the worst spots and autumn colors at the healing sights. A small white nasal splint sits across the bridge of her nose.

Or maybe it's the fact that this is Adam, and the unhappy twist to his mouth belongs to him.

The painkillers he'd loaded up on to come out here make everything warm and sloppy at the edges, and one of the few things keeping him tranquilized, preventing him from doing something he might regret like... get on the network and shout at someone like a girl having the worst menstrual period of her life.

He lurks around the gazebo for a while, hoping that's the cause, hoping it'll go back, even whining "come on, come on!" under his breath at one point in a voice that is far too high-pitched for his liking.

Nothing happens. He wanders around outside for a while and pops another ibuprofen. Still nothing happens.

He still has breasts. It's a weird day, but hey, drugs give his smaller frame an extra pow now and that makes things a little better.]</sub>



| Chapter Three: "You can't get the beer even if you want the beer" | audio

<sub>[On day two, Adam's ready to get off this ride. Sitting down to pee all the time is too much. Not being able to twist bottle caps off without waging all out war on them with the side of a table or a bottle opener isn't just a waste of time, it's annoying.

If there's a quick fix out there, he'd like to know.

Hence, Adam comes out of self-imposed isolation to speak to the network as a whole, though there's a bright side to having a girl's voice and that's that no one can guess who it belongs to straight away. In an attempt to protect his anonymity further, he's stepped out of his room to use one of the wall units he's seen around and not his actual phone. Better safe than sorry.]</sub>

This Freaky Friday body switch stuff is great, but has anyone figured out how to switch back? Someone should let the talking lizard know this isn't fixing shit.

_{[One might be inclined to believe this bluntness is hiding a calmness of some kind. Almost.]}

Look-- _{[When he goes to speak again, something clatters to the ground. There's a grunt of irritation. He's made the mistake of trying to grab two of his travelling companions--his personal device and a bottle of water--with one hand, the same hand that has a noticeably smaller hand span now, too small to hold both.]} Damn it. For f--

_{[No, he's not dealing with this calmly. He'd enjoy going back to normal, okay, please and thank you.]}

Are we doing something about this or are we just sitting on our hands, 'cause I'd really like to know.

Comments

[halfsister]

<sub>[Apparently if Cora had her way, he isn't good at doing much of anything aside from being monster bait and letting people take free shots at his face. Whatever, whatever...

He looks her over but does his best not to let his skepticism show and give her more reason to get upset over a crack at their situation. He hadn't thought it'd been any worse than the ribbing she's given him on a personal level more than once, but what does he know? He's just a guy. Understanding the mind of one Cora Hale is outside of his pay grade.]</sub>

Sorry, if I'd known you weren't into bar humor I wouldn't have said anything.

_{[There, does that count as an apology? She's not going to tell him to burn in Hell now? (Haha.) He'll try to remember this the next time a magical land in the middle of nowhere swaps their bodies and Cora wants to talk about his bra.]}

I didn't mean anything by it.

[resign]

[ she hopes his bra chokes him. ]

[ now he's getting all schmoopy on her, and it's all her fault for reacting with words rather than simply hitting him. while in south america, she hadn't wanted to make too many connections, if any, in case, one day, she woke up and those people had turned to ash. after losing both boyd and erica, after months of being locked in the vault, cora hasn't exactly been exposed to adam's brand of humour. she hasn't been exposed to much humour, apart from stiles', which usually has her laughing at him for stumbling into a wall or tripping over himself. it's endearing sort of humour. ]

I don't see the humour in bars, sorry. [ he's made an effort, so she's going to make an effort. her tone is still clipped, as it always is, but she's no longer psycho boy cora. hales don't do well when apologies are directed their way (nor do they do well with directing apologies in anyone's way). ] You should stick with the Freaky Friday ones. At least they're not prone to having creepy men hit on naive girls.

[ if that is his idea of spending time in a bar, then cora's kind of concerned for adam. ]

[halfsister]

Yeah, well... anyway.

<sub>[Unless something has seriously changed in the human race in the years he's been dead, Cora's just described every mixed bar that has ever existed in the history of the establishment, but... He shakes his head in defeat. If it's not her, he's the one accidentally saying something charged that people jump on like Cora. He has a feeling the problem is a mix of everyone else being on edge, and himself being locked up for so long that he's forgotten how people do the finer aspects of keeping company.

This is not the day for this. He should just take another pill and go have a nap before he ends up making smalltalk about zombie survival with Michael.]</sub>

Just kidding. Look... I'm fine. It's not like I've never seen one before.

_{[It's too weird to answer "yes, I'm wearing something that I think you guys wear," but if he's reading her crabby reaction right, she'd been serious about asking if he's wearing a bra, even if he hadn't been, even if he hadn't been all that serious about bringing any of this up.]}

[resign]

[ now things are a little awkward. cora knows she's overstepped, adam's probably thinking she has had some traumatic experience with a guy in a bar, and they're both just in a place of discomfort. ]

[ but it's good to know he's seen one before … at least he's not all hopeless. but cora looks amused, no longer the crabby werewolf that she is twenty-four hours a day. it's kind of cute that he thinks he knows something about bras when he probably doesn't know a damn thing. ]

Seeing one and wearing one are two different things. [ and she imagines taking it off of someone is another different thing, too. but she doesn't want to think about it. ]

[ she doesn't particularly want to go back down the path of trying to help again. god, this is so awkward. she wishes laura was here to take over — talking about bras to a guy who is a confusing whirlwind of sarcasm and monster hating is giving cora a headache. but cora's a hale, and when they start something, they usually finish it. ] I was going to say that if you wanted help, I'm a girl. [ she raises her eyebrows. one plus one equals i know about this shit. believe it or not, adam. ]

[ she doesn't understand why she is developing some sort of hero complex around this guy. ]

[halfsister]

Was that what you were going to say?

<sub>[Adam parrots this back to her with a look equal parts questioning on one end, and knowing on the other. Cora's saved his ass before, but to his ears it'd sounded a lot like she'd been having a good time amusing herself at his expense, just as he'd done with her. She'd have to work harder to hurt his feelings--it hadn't been like she'd said anything that he couldn't recover from--but it should come as no surprise to the both of them that Cora's not the nicest nice girl.

A smart-alecky, put upon, eye-rolling nice girl with better things to do, maybe.

He shifts, not trying to hide his chest but recognizing that the thought's still there. If he's this weirded out by the body he has to live in, he can't see how Cora's crazy about hopping into the saddle with him.]</sub>

I don't think you want to start talking about my new parts with me. _[Really.] It's weird to talk about yourself with another girl who's actually a guy, isn't it?

[resign]

[ cora is never going to forget about the doorknob. ]

[ but this? this she'd like to forget. all of it. from seeing herself in the mirror to her trying to figure out how to be comfortable while standing to picking out the best pants and shirt that will somehow not make her look like a mess to adam finding her out. she'd like for someone to simply come by and knock her out so hard that she forgets the last few hours. ]

[ but haven't they already begun talking about all their new parts? cora hadn't thought that along her way to the gazebo she'd find herself airing all her complaints about her new body to someone who can't quite understand, for he has an opinion that will always counteract hers when it comes to it, but to someone who would sort of listen. ]

Just like it's weird talking about yourself with a guy who's actually a girl. Same could be said for talking about yourself with a girl who is a girl. [ cora shrugs. there's no point in backing out now. ] I don't really, but if it'll make you stop moaning about how hard womanhood is, then I think I'll take one for the team.

[ cora really has nothing better to do, even though going to the gazebo and sniffing out what turned her inside out is on the top of her priority list, she has a feeling she'll be stuck this way for a little while longer. ]

[halfsister]

_{[Talking and even sarcastically complaining about the changes to his body in an attempt to help keep himself together is different than actually embarrassing himself in front of someone and putting his awkwardness on display.]}

I thought girl talk was a thing.

<sub>[Top notch deflection!

... Except Adam is Adam, and maybe he's not a Hale who's ready to take on the world, but he'd taught himself a long time ago not to turn a blind eye to an issue just because it's there and uncomfortable for him. If anything, though, Cora offering to make herself uncomfortable for him reminds him of who that old Adam had been, why he should keep on continuing to take care of himself for the same reason he hadn't told the truth about his injuries at first.]</sub>

It's fine, don't worry about it. I'll survive until Wonderland decides to turn us back.

_{[And though he might be weirded out by his own body, he's far less bothered by the thought of Cora's struggles with hers. He doesn't miss a beat in wondering if Cora has a guy question she wouldn't want to ask of a brother or a friend. She'd offered, so offering back makes them even.]}

But same goes here. I know you're not really a guy--if you have something you need a guy to chime in on, it doesn't bother me.

_{[Actually, it bothers him the least out of everything so far.]}

[resign]

[ but it bothers cora. so, this must be what it's like, to be offered advice on something so personal, even though it should really only be personal for him if she's asking things about guys. this entire thing is too confusing. cora simply looks at adam, brows furrowed, as though he's grown a second head and it's not one that looks anything like his male counterpart. ]

And you'll answer? No ribbing, no joking, no being a jerk?

[ she can't help the upward curl to her mouth when she says it. at first glance, she had thought him to be hopeless, always walking into danger just because he wanted to somehow punish himself for things he soon opened up to her about. now, she's not quite sure what to make of him. but she's starting to learn that he likes to be humorous in the most serious of situations. ]

[ mostly: she doesn't want him to bring it up against her if she asks about shaving or hair or anything else. cora may be made of stone, but sometimes stone blushes. ]

[halfsister]

<sub>[It hadn't been that long ago that Adam had had to relearn how to live in a body again. Eating, going to the bathroom... he'd needed help with everything when he'd first come to Wonderland, and as a result had gone through every disgusting and humiliating part about being in a flesh and blood form. He's thankful he can only remember so much of what Team Winchester had undoubtedly had to do for him; his stubbornness in getting back on his feet and becoming self-sufficient enough to live alone has a lot to do with keeping those incidents from ever happening again.

Everyday guy stuff that doesn't involve needing someone to help carry you to the john? Yeah, he can handle that. The fact that Cora seems to think he's going to get his jerk on over two-bit crap like that makes him question her with a look right back.]</sub>

When do you remember me ever getting on your ass about something?

<sub>[He hasn't, unlike Cora. She has a funny way of classifying jerks--bit of a pot calling the kettle black.

His retort stands as a "no" across the board, but since Cora seems to need some extra assurance, he adds:]</sub>

Really not a big deal. Your call.

[resign]

[ she lets an awkward silence sit between them. it'd be a lie to say she's not quite used to people being nice to her — even after she had so much as insulted stiles, scott, and lydia, stiles had offered to drive her home in case her head injury was worse then they all thought. and most likely because she'd have to walk. while she's sure this is adam's display of being nice, since she very much thinks he's very rough around the edges, she has to take it for what it is — and feel as uncomfortable about it as she did with stiles not taking no for an answer for giving her a lift home. ]

Thanks.

[ best to ask a stranger she may never see again than one of the guys in the pack who will rib her about it until she's blue in the face. even though her logic is backwards and she should trust scott or isaac or derek or stiles with her questions, cora doesn't particularly want to appear weak in front of them. ]

I'm still going back to the gazebo. It might reverse this. [ you can come if you want is left unsaid. she doubts he will, but since they're no longer complaining or snarking or her misinterpreting him and him being him, she figures she'd be nice and simply not turn her back and walk away. ]

[halfsister]

<sub>[This is awkward.

He wishes she'd say something, even if just to give him something to go on, to let him know if this strange up and down conversation they're having is over, or if he should pop another ibuprofen and get his teaching hat ready.

In response to her thanks, he shrugs and nods. If she doesn't have anything on her mind right now, guess that's that. At the end of the day, he's in Wonderland to get by, not turn over a new leaf and make friends. Creeping through each day the way he has been--praying that today won't be the day he blacks out in the shower or on the stairs and kills himself--doesn't mean he can't try to help if he can, though.

Adam very rarely can, so the opportunity is just as unusual for him.]</sub>

Okay.

_{[He's already lingered around the gazebo plenty today, already had a whole boatload of nothing happen, but he keeps those thoughts to himself. Maybe Cora will get lucky.]}

If you figure out what the "right" thing is, let the rest of the class in on it.

[resign]

[ fortunately, adam won't be popping any ibuprofen any time soon in cora's presence. she doesn't particularly want to endure the awkwardness of asking him questions, and she doesn't particularly want to get into another kerfuffle because both of them are pretty stupid. she figures she'll spare them both the headache and get back to doing what she does best — acting, rather than sitting on her ass waiting for this curse to wear off. ]

[ she smiles. ] You'll be the first to know. [ and whether or not she means it, well, she doesn't even know herself. ]