Log:The Old Switcheroo, Scene 3

The Old Switcheroo 2006/12/04 	 Allure Amber and Azure 3

Setting
Private conversation between Gemini (Jennifer) and Allure, after the warehouse incident. Location is the twin's room in Steel's Gym.

The room the twins sleep in is more like a barracks than a bedroom. The only decorations are a couple of illustations from weapon technical manuals. The beds are army style cots with a footlocker by each.

Dialogue
Allure looks around a lot with both heads as she enters. Not least because she's still finding that rather confusing.

Allure says, "You sure we won't be overheard here?"

Jennifer heads over and sits on a bed. "Yes. This is my room. Nobody will disturb us in here."

Allure nods and closes the door. "I don't know how you handle all these limbs. Let alone sensations...."

Jennifer shudders, "Please, don't remind me. I feel... crippled. How do you manage with just two hands. It's horrid."

Allure says, "I drop things a lot, I guess. But yeah - I'm sorry. I can see it must be for you."

Jennifer groans, "This is dreadful. I'm lucky I guess. I don't have anyone who's expecting me back home tonight. Oh, what are we going to do?"

Allure sits down seriously facing Jennifer. While the other her paces. "I don't know, but that's what I need to talk to you about. I'm not so lucky."

Jennifer nods. "I can't be you, Allure. I just can't!"

Allure looks worrried. Very worried. "But - you've got to. Until Rebound works out how to undo this...."

Jennifer shakes her head, "I can't." She looks close to tears.

Allure hugs Jennifer (carefully), if she permits it.

Jennifer is shivering as you hug her, breath coming in fast gasps.

Allure says, "What's wrong? Is it because I'm so weak, or....."

You say, "I... I can't handle social situations. I never could. I'm.. I mean I used to be.. tough enough not to have to bother. If someone didn't agree with me I could ignore them or hit them. I've seen you, Stephie, seen how you can talk others into doing what you want them to. But I can't do that. I wouldn't know how to even start."

Allure suddenly laughs. Both of her. Not in an unkindly way, but like something is genuinely funny.

Jennifer looks up, startled by the laughter.

Allure says, "Sorry - it's just - you should have seen me before I got my powers. I'm usless too! Or I was...."

Allure frowns. "In fact, I'm not sure I'm not useless again."

Jennifer says, "Huh? You should have my strength and speed. Under your skin is dermal weave that will stop light caliber pistol bullets. Maybe you don't have my training but you've got everything else."

Allure says, "I meant socially - but right. Except the the training. Great, I've got the body, bodies, of a great fighter, but I can't fight. Very useful."

Jennifer nods, "We're got to get this put right. Until it is I'm not leaving this room." She huddles on the edge of the bed drawing her knees up to her chin and wrapping her arms around her legs in a gesture of rejection to the rest of the world.

Allure tries to hug Jennifer again, while other-her paces more agitatedly.

Jennifer whimpers quietly, rocking on the bed.

Allure-pacing stops in her tracks. "I can't ask you. Damn it. I shouldn't have even thought of it."

Allure continues to hold Jennifer, and begins crying herself.

Jennifer looks up at you slowly while the whimpering trails off. She offers a shy smile after a moment. "I'm sorry. Oh, Stephie, everyone thinks I'm this brave fighter type. They don't realise I'm not brave at all. I'm one of the best combat specialists in the world. I don't need to be brave. Not like Matt or you... I'm actually a bit of a wimp."

Allure says, "That's the silliest thing I've ever heard." She tries to force a smile, but is still crying.

Jennifer reaches under a pillow and pulls out a army gray issue hanky that she silently offers to Allure.

Allure-1 accepts the hanky, and makes use of it. "I don't care how good you are, you're easily twice as brave as I am. And a lot less useless."

Allure-2 suddenly bursts out with, "Oh god, what am I going to do?!"

Jennifer asks plaintively, "What are we going to do?" She coincides with Allure-2's outburst, and after a moment's silence she laughs, even if with a slightly hysterical tinge.

Allure joins in with a broken laugh, though it only lasts a brief time.

Allure says, "Dad's going to kill me. Or maybe you, if we're not sorted out by then...."

Jennifer gets another hanky from under the pillow on the other bed and wipes her tears up. "Stephie, I.. I mean you.. have a class to teach this evening in the Gym. That can be postponed. But you're due back home aren't you? Does... does your father know about you and Allure. I mean does he know you are Allure?"

Allure shakes her head. "No. He knows - well, he knows I have powers in some sense, because my appearence changed to quickly but he doesn't know - oh god, it's worse than that...."

Jennifer listens

Allure hangs her head. "I'm not brave at all. I couldn't even tell you... I've got to tell you now, because I think you need to know....."

Allure doesn't even look up (with either head) as she breathes, "I'm not just Allure. I'm Lorelei."

Jennifer manages a faint grin, "Is that all? I thought it was something serious, like you have been going out with Matt behind my backs. Not that I have any exclusive rights or anything, but I would have slapped you silly when we got back to normal."

Allure manages a brief laugh. "You're not angry with me?"

Jennifer asks "Angry for what?" in a puzzled tone.

Allure says, "Keeping it secret! Not telling you. Holding back in fights...." She bows her head again, especially ashamed of the last. "And you know why I ended up with two secret identities?"

Allure says, "Because Lorelei is 22, and I'm 17. Lorelei was invented so I could sneak into a club. How's that for brave?"

Jennifer shakes her head, "It's your secret to keep or share as you see fit, Stephie. We all have secrets." Then she grins, "If I told some of mine I'd end up in a military prison for life. Anyways, that's smarter than the way I would have tried. Beating up the bouncers get you talked about."

Allure says, "I'm sure I got talked about to, but that's another matter..."

Allure says, "Jennifer - Jessica - I, uh - I can't keep my secrets without your help. I'm sorry, and I shouldn't be asking, and I understand why you want to hide here and I do too. But at the least, Dad will find out...."

Jennifer nods, "So what are we going to do? I don't have anyone close to me who won't understand when it's explained. Comes of growing up in a military style institution. But you're a normal person. I mean you have a normal social life don't you? And I'm not a good enough actor by a long way to pretend to be you. I'll try if you like but I'll fall flat on my face."

Allure says, "Well, I can coach you... and I think you'll find you can pull it off a lot better than you think, now. I mean, I don't understand it, but I was a lousy actor until I got my powers - i don't know. And I'm not sure my social life is exactly normal! But - I think best bet is you *do* pretend you're sick. Get some days of school. Then there's only dad to fool. Which will be hard, but he's very busy and not about so much, and he should put any strange behaviour down to illness I hope. But that leaves - no. Never mind."

Allure frowns. "No, that doesn't work - they'll start a manhunt if I don't turn up to that, unless I can come up with a killer excuse...."

Allure looks at her feet. "You'll hate this. I mean, really hate this."

You say, "You mean even more than I already hate what's happened...?"

Allure frowns. "Well, it's sort of... cumulative...."

You say, "If you're trying to scare me, stop. You've succeeded already."

Allure says, "Ok - it's just, uh - you know how I - um, as Lorelei, was saying I had something big coming up this week?"

Jennifer nods, listening for the sound of a sandbag approaching her skull.

Allure says, "Well, um, the whole ad campaigns about to strike all at once - the a whole line of 'Lorelei' cosmetics and shampoo and perfume and god knows what. I can't even remember it all now. Well, um... I'm, well, I'm supposed to be at the official launch."

Jennifer has the general look of someone who has just realized the light at the end of the tunnel -is- a train coming the other way. "You want me... oh, Stephie, I can't pull that off. I don't know who or..." There's a moment of silence, "There's only one possible way that might let it work. You'll have to hire a couple of new bodyguards to help Cliff out. We can use the team communicators for you to tell me what I have to do and the names of everyone I have to talk to."

Allure looks stunned. "That's... brilliant! That could really work!"

Jennifer stands and dances around jerkily, "Puppet on a string time. It's the only chance to pull it off we have, for you to be holding the strings." She grins, "Hey, it's just a tactical situation. No different from planning a military strike except the mission objectives are a bit different."

Allure laughs. "I think that's what they call 'transferrable skills'."

Jennifer laughs with Sephie.