Poem: "Shifting Sands"
Sep. 12th, 2022 08:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem is spillover from the September 6, 2022 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired and sponsored by fuzzyred. It also fills the "Shifting Sands" square in my 9-1-22 card for the Land of Oz Bingo fest. This poem belongs to the Shiv thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes an emergency call after a cape fight, temporarily mysterious details, angst, reference to recent canon-typical violence, a trashed patch room, several injured gangsters, Popgun being an idiot, rude language, minor corporal punishment, consequences of hostile (but ego-systonic) transformation, impaired but semi-functional communication, nonverbal response to stress and hostile transformation, Shiv is "fine," overwhelming instincts, sudden reversion to natural form with minor injuries due to confined space, stress-based defensive hostility, relationship issues, messy medical details, insecurity, reference to recent tail abuse, sensory distortions, boundary issues, and other mayhem. Please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"Shifting Sands"
[Wednesday, March 25, 2015]
Dr. G was catching up on
reading psychiatry articles
when the phone rang.
"Soup to Nuts, Dr. G
speaking," he answered.
"How can I help you?"
"This is Boss White.
Come to Blues Moon,"
he replied. "There was
a fight and Shiv needs you."
Dr. G bounded out of
his chair. "What size
first aid kit do I need?"
"Don't worry about that,
he ain't the one who got
sliced six ways from Sunday,"
said Boss White. "Besides,
we got a whole patch room
in case we missed anything."
"Okay, then what seems
to be the problem?" said Dr. G.
"You'll see when you get here,"
said Boss White. "I don't mean
to leave you in the dark, but I would
rather not say it over the phone, and
it's easier shown than told anyhow."
That was mystifying, and more than
a little alarming, but Dr. G couldn't really
blame him for it. Sometimes superpowers
could do strange and disturbing things,
and the fewer who knew, the better.
"I can catch an emergency teleport
and be there in under five minutes,"
said Dr. G. "Where do we land?"
"Downstairs, in the waiting area
just outside the patch room,"
Boss White invited him.
"I'll be there as soon as
I can," Dr. G. promised.
He hung up, then called
for an emergency teleport.
He hardly noticed the ride,
landing with familiar skill
in the corner beyond
the reception desk.
The teleporter flitted off,
leaving Dr. G where
Boss White waited.
The floor around
the patch room door
was littered with scraps
of paper and plastic, and
a streamer of something
spilled from under the door.
"What in the world happened
here?" Dr. G said, eyebrows rising.
"We unboxed Shiv in the patch room,"
Boss White explained. "It's, well ..."
He waved a hand at the debris.
"A bit of a mess in there?"
Dr. G guessed. "I'll send
Molly over to inventory it."
There was, in fact, a line
of several gangsters waiting
for their turn in the patch room.
Popgun clutched what looked like
a dishrag over his right forearm.
The white cloth was liberally
spotted with red. Dr. G could
see long, deep scratches and
several punctures on the hand,
at least one through the thumbnail.
What had he gotten into fight with,
a blackberry bush? A buzz saw?
"You might want to take that to
an actual clinic," Dr. G said.
"Those injuries look nasty."
"Fuck off," Popgun snapped.
"Nobody asked you to butt in."
Lieutenant Brown smacked him
over the head. "Don't sass the doc."
"I can take no for an answer,"
Dr. G said mildly. "It's his arm.
If Popgun wants to risk losing it
to infection, that is his choice."
"That's so," Boss White allowed.
"Come on back to the guest room."
Dr. G followed him, leaving behind
the stubborn row of gangsters.
They went down the hallway
and rounded the corner of
the little lunch room, then
came to the guest room door.
Dr. G could hear faint sounds
through the solid door, but
at their approach, silence fell.
"When I open this door, you get
in there quick, so's I can shut it
behind us," said Boss White.
"I'll do my best," said Dr. G.
"What are you worried about?"
"Everything," Boss White muttered.
Then he raised his voice. "Shiv, it's
Boss White and Dr. G. We're comin'
in now, so don't be in front of the door."
They hurried inside, and Boss White
closed the door as quickly as he could.
Dr. G looked around the room. It
seemed to be empty, or at least,
he couldn't spot Shiv anywhere.
"Shiv?" Dr. G called out, and
then more tentatively, "Hugo?"
"Owowaaauu," something wailed
from underneath the large bed.
Heedless of his knees, Dr. G
promptly got down on the carpet
so he could lift the bed skirt.
A half-grown white cat
huddled under the bed,
its huge eyes flashing
silver with reflected light.
"Hugo?" Dr. G asked again.
"Can you understand me?"
"Mow," the cat said forlornly.
It might have also nodded, but that
was hard to see in the shadows.
"Are you injured?" Dr. G said.
"I would like to help if I can."
"Niaow," said the cat,
but Shiv would say he
was fine even if he was
pouring blood on the floor.
Dr. G couldn't see anything
wrong, though, so he hauled
himself up as best he could.
"We'll figure this out together,"
Dr. G said. Then he turned to
Boss White. "Now that I've seen
for myself, what can you tell me
about how this happened?"
"There was a cape fight with
some girl nobody knew, who
used knives that Shiv could
control and balls of light that
he couldn't," said Boss White.
"Oh, that doesn't sound good,"
Dr. G said, shaking his head.
"Shiv pushed Brown out of
the way," Boss White went on,
"and the next thing that anyone
knew, Shiv had turned into a cat."
Suddenly the bloody slashes along
Popgun's arm made a lot more sense.
Dr. G wondered what he'd done to Shiv.
"And the marks on Popgun?" he asked.
"Well, they couldn't just leave Shiv there,
not as a cat, so they had to collect him --
and he did not care to be collected,"
said Boss White. "Once they chased
that fool girl out of the area, they tried
to catch Shiv, but didn't have much luck
until Faster Blaster got him in a box."
A long hissing, spitting complaint
sounded from under the bed.
"He sure can swear as well
in Cat as he can in English,"
Boss White said with a chuckle.
"Can you understand him?"
Dr. G said. "That would help."
"Yes and no," said Boss White.
"It's hard to explain. I know he's
in there, I know it's him, and I can
get some sense from him. But it's
like ... he's not thinking in words,
even less than he usually does."
Dr. G nodded. "That's common
in animal soups, primal soups, and
even humans under extreme stress."
"Yeah, I seen that before, too,"
Boss White said. "I figure that's
why he flipped his shit when
folks tried to bring him home."
Dr. G sighed. "I suggest again
that anyone with bad cat scratches
should visit a clinic for medical attention,"
he said. "Infection is a real concern."
"I'll pass it along," Boss White said.
"Don't reckon they'll listen, though."
"At least we tried," Dr. G said.
"That will have to do for now."
"So what do we do next?"
Boss White said. "I was
hoping you'd have ideas."
"A few," said Dr. G. "We
should sit and wait here."
He dragged a bench over
to the bed and sat down.
Boss White took the chair.
"Any idea how long?"
"Almost all known cases
of involuntary transformation
have reverted naturally after
a short time," Dr. G. replied.
"Do you know how much time
has passed since the change?"
Boss White checked his watch.
"Less than half an hour," he said.
"That's good," said Dr. G. He
leaned back down. "Hugo, you
will probably be yourself again,
either in a few minutes, or up
to about half an hour. It's rare
for such things to last longer."
The cat grumbled and growled
from underneath the bed.
Dr. G reached a hand
down, but didn't try
to put it underneath.
"Would you like to come
say hello?" he asked Shiv.
"Find out if I smell friendly?"
He waited. Faint sounds
whispered along the floor.
Whiskers tickled his hand.
A damp nose touched him.
Then the cat scrabbled away,
making unhappy noises again.
"I bet you're feeling unsettled
right now," said Dr. G. "I sure
would be, if I changed shape!
Maybe you're dealing with
some instincts that you're
not used to, or familiar ones
that are suddenly stronger."
"Mow," the cat murmured.
"Everyone has instincts, but
some people feel them more
than others," said Dr. G. "You
can try to think your way past
them, or if that's too hard, then
concentrate on feeling your body."
"Waow?" the cat said, his tone
rising in something like a question.
"Cats have a wonderful way of
calming themselves by purring,"
said Dr. G. "You might see if
you can get your motor started."
There ensued a horrible grating,
gurgling noise that was nothing like
a purr. It dribbled away to silence.
"Well ... there are other options,"
said Dr. G. "Some cats enjoy
being petted or brushed."
"Niaow." That was crystal.
"Okay, that's a no," said Dr. G.
"I'm glad you're finding ways
to communicate with me.
Have you tried grooming?"
The cat made some loud
hacking, spitting sounds.
"Tried it, didn't like it?"
Dr. G interpreted.
"I imagine the dirt
didn't taste good,"
Boss White said.
"Street fights tend
to get pretty grubby."
"And a bath is right out,"
Dr. G said hastily before
Boss White could suggest it.
Shiv didn't need more trauma.
"I don't fancy havin' my arm
tore off," Boss White said dryly.
"Niaow," the cat replied, though
it was unclear whether he was
declining a bath or declaring that
he wouldn't claw Boss White.
Nobody was inclined to test it.
"Let's see, what else makes
cats feel happy?" Dr. G. mused.
"Curling up in a ball. Stretching.
Sharpening their claws on a post ..."
A surprisingly happy chirrup came
from under the bed, followed by
a long feline yawn and then
the unmistakable tac-tac-tac
of a cat clawing carpet.
Boss White made go-on
motions with his hands.
"You sound a bit better now,"
Dr. G said. "Go ahead with
that, if it's working for you."
Shiv did like sharp things.
More raking, ripping sounds
came from underneath the bed.
That was certainly better
than clawing people.
Suddenly they heard
a whump and a whack!
as the bed heaved up
then dropped back down.
"Ow, fuck, ow!" Shiv said.
"Son of a bitch, shit."
Dr. G dove to the floor --
he'd be paying for that later --
so he could see under the bed.
He saw Shiv and heaved a sigh
of relief. "How are you now?"
"I'm fucking fine, the fuck does
it sound like?" Shiv snapped.
"Get the hell outta my way."
"I'm moving away from the bed,"
Dr. G assured him, crawling back
so he could use the bench to haul
himself awkwardly to his feet.
Shiv scrambled out from under
the bed. It was a tight fit; he was
small but it was low to the floor.
His clothes wrinkled as he moved,
and he yanked them angrily back
into place. "Well, that sucked."
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Dr. G.
"I'm very glad to see that you're
back to yourself now, though."
"Yeah," Shiv said, standing up.
He wobbled a bit, then stabilized.
"Shiv?" Boss White said as he
held out a hand. "Let me check?"
"Yeah, yeah, do it." Shiv grabbed
the hand like a lifeline, plastering
himself against Boss White's front.
"There now, settle," said Boss White,
ruffling Shiv's hair with his free hand.
"You're all tangled up inside. Just take
a few minutes to sort yourself out."
Shiv gave a gusty sigh. "Thanks,
boss," he said. "That helps."
Dr. G waited for Shiv to step
away from Boss White, then said,
"Do you mind if I take a turn next?"
Shiv narrowed his eyes, wary and
still catlike. "What the hell for?"
he growled. "I said I'm fine."
"You're spotting blood on
your shirt," said Dr. G.
"What -- where -- how --"
Shiv spun in circles, trying
and failing to see his own back.
"Mostly along your spine, I think,
and some to the sides," Dr. G said.
"It's hard to tell through the fabric.
Did you hit your back on the bed?"
"Yeah, I must have," Shiv said.
"Stings like a bitch -- almost like
a scraped knee from hitting sidewalk."
"Abrasions tend to feel very similar,
regardless of the source," Dr. G said.
"Will you let me take care of that for you?"
Shiv shuffled from one foot to the other.
"I don't want to," he said miserably.
Dr. G felt things tilting, slipping,
everything unstable as if the ground
threatened to give way under him.
He felt his way carefully through
shifting sands of a relationship
that was not really strong enough
to bear this much tension yet,
praying not to fall through.
"Well, the scrapes may not
be deep, but then again they
might," Dr. G said. "I can't tell
even that much without looking."
Shiv shrugged, looking away.
Dr. G tried a different approach.
"I did see the marks on Popgun,
and suggested he go to a clinic.
He wasn't interested either. You're
generally smarter than him, though."
"Fucker picked me up by my tail,"
Shiv said in a tone of utter outrage.
"He what?" Boss White barked.
"I'll have him clean the johns
for a whole damn month!"
"Not until those wounds heal,"
Dr. G said. "It's really not safe.
Hugo, I'm worried about you.
Pulling a cat's tail can injure it.
How does your tailbone feel?"
"Okay, I guess?" Shiv said.
"I don't think about it much."
"Well, injuries to a shift-form
sometimes carry over and
other times don't," said Dr. G.
"If you had torn muscles, though,
then you would definitely know it."
"I don't think so," Shiv said. "I just
feel scraped and bruised. I think."
"Okay, that's not hard to treat,"
said Dr. G. "You could do that
yourself ... where you can reach."
Shiv heaved a sigh. "Yeah, no,
I can't reach my back." Then he
grimaced. "I really don't want
to take my clothes off right now."
"That's fine," said Dr. G. "You
don't need to take them off, if
you don't feel any major injuries.
Just shift them a bit so I can see
what's going on with your back.
I won't touch without permission."
"That's ... I don't know," Shiv said
as he shuffled in place again.
"What would help you feel
safer?" Dr. G asked him.
Shiv looked at Boss White.
"Could you, I don't know ...
help? Like you did last time?"
"Of course," Boss White said.
"All you ever have to do is ask."
"I'll need a first aid kit," said Dr. G.
"Hopefully nothing too complicated."
"Start with this." Boss White pulled
a tacklebox from under an end table.
"Doc, where do you want us?"
"Wherever Shiv feels safe, as
long as I can reach his back
that way," Dr. G replied.
"Not flat on the bed and
not up against a wall either,"
Shiv said. "Bad memories."
"Okay, not like that," Dr. G said.
"Maybe you could sit on the bed."
"Yeah, maybe," Shiv said. He
perched gingerly on the edge,
as if poised to bolt away.
Boss White sat beside him.
"Here, lean against me."
Shiv obeyed, stiff at first,
then gradually molding
his body against his boss.
"Hugo, could you lift up
your shirt for me?" said Dr. G.
Awkwardly Shiv reached back
and hitched up the shirt, revealing
wide bloody scrapes as well as
some longer, deeper gouges.
"Well, that's going to take
a bit to clean up," Dr. G said.
"Hugo, may I touch now?"
"Ffffffine," Shiv grumbled.
"Okay, do you want numbing
or not-numbing antiseptic?"
Dr. G asked. "Your choice."
"Numbing," said Shiv. "I can't
stand the stuff normally, but now
everything feels ... bigger, louder.
If you pour alcohol on that, it'd
send me right through the roof."
"I've got Jackson & Jason's
Ouchless Wound Rinse,"
said Dr. G. "I will start with
that and see what's going on."
He used that and the gauze
to clean what he could see,
which was only the lower third
of Shiv's back below the shirt.
The shallower scrapes were
already clotting up, although
the worse ones still oozed.
The gouges looked more like
cuts and were bleeding freely.
Dr. G wondered if Shiv had
bumped into nail points.
"Did you feel anything
sharp under the bed?"
Dr. G asked Shiv. "You
don't usually let anything
cut you, but some of
these look pretty deep."
"I dunno," Shiv said.
"I just couldn't think."
"What about now?"
said Dr. G. "Can you
use your superpower yet?"
Shiv wormed a hand
into his pocket and then
pulled out his play-putty.
It twisted, flattened, and
wobbled in his hand, far
from its usual grace.
"Okay, so it's working
but it's unsettled just like
the rest of you," said Dr. G.
"That's probably why you
didn't notice how much
damage you were doing
to yourself, crawling out."
"Yeah," Shiv said glumly,
putting his metal away.
"You've got some options,"
said Dr. G. "I don't think you
need stitches, but some of these
do need either butterflies or else
some skin glue to close them.
You'll need to move carefully for
a day or two until they scab well."
"He's off duty until you clear him,"
Boss White said firmly. "A fight
like that messes with your head."
"I'm fine --" Shiv protested.
"Now what've I told you about
lying to me?" said Boss White.
"Not to do it," Shiv sighed. "Sorry.
I just don't want to sit around with
nothing else to do but think about
the shit that happened to me."
"I can help you find safer things
later on," said Dr. G. "For now, do
you want butterflies or skin glue?"
"Which is better?" Shiv said.
"Dr. Bloch used this, um,
spray-skin stuff, but it had
to be redone over and over."
"That was on your face,"
Dr. G said. "The skin on
your back isn't that delicate.
The scrapes should heal fine
with one coat. The gouges may
benefit from more care, but I'm
happy to come back for that."
"Use the glue, then," said Shiv. "I
think it holds better than butterflies."
"Usually so," said Dr. G. "Boss White,
do you have skin glue in the patch room?"
"Well, there was," said Boss White. "I'll
go see if I can find some of that now."
Shiv winced. "How bad did I trash
the place?" he said. "I didn't mean to,
but I was really freaking out. I don't
remember what happened clearly."
"You were a whirling buzz saw
of doom," said Boss White. "I stood
out of reach and talked to you until
you stopped bouncing off the walls,
then I suggested the guest room.
You tore off down the hall, I let you in,
and you have been here since then."
He pushed himself to his feet. "I'll
get that skin glue now," he finished.
"Thank you," said Dr. G. "Look
for the medium-strength glue
that comes in the blue box."
He didn't try to touch Shiv
without Boss White there, but
the boy fussed with his shirt.
"Should I just ... take this off?"
he said, scrunching his face.
"It won't go up much higher.
It's not knit, it won't stretch,
and pulling on it really hurts."
"Hmmm," said Dr. G. "Try
undoing some of the buttons
and see if that gives you room
to move more. Keep your back
to me so I don't see anything
that you're not showing me."
Shiv fidgeted with the buttons,
and eventually he managed
to bare all the injured areas.
He tensed, like a watch spring
wound too tight, ready to break.
"Relax," said Dr. G. "We're going
to wait for Boss White to get back."
Shiv loosened up a little. "Sorry I'm
such a basket case," he muttered.
"I don't think you are," said Dr. G.
"You survived a great challenge;
anyone would be upset by that.
Setting some healthy boundaries
will help you get back in your skin."
"Really?" Shiv whispered. "Cause
I feel so fuckin' lost right now."
"Boundaries help us define
who we are and what is right
or wrong for us," said Dr. G.
"What that girl did to you was
wrong. I hope you can be okay
with accepting a helping hand now."
"Well ... I'm trying," Shiv said. "You're
right that I can't reach my own back."
"That's what I'm here for," said Dr. G.
"I'm happy to help however I can."
Boss White came back with
not only the skin glue but also
a bigger can of InstaSkin.
"Here you go," he said,
handing them over. Then
he settled back onto the bed
and let Shiv lean against him.
"Thank you," said Dr. G. "Hugo,
try to hold still for me, and think
of something nice as a distraction."
"I can help with that," said Boss White.
Whatever he did, Shiv went boneless
and slumped against him with a sigh.
Dr. G cleaned up the rest of Shiv's back,
treated the scrapes, then looked at
the longer, deeper lines of the gouges.
"I could use an extra pair of hands
to hold the edges together," he said.
Boss White shifted a little so he
could reach around and help.
It took a while to get everything
patched back together, but it
should hold well enough to heal,
as long as Shiv didn't stress it.
"All done," Dr. G said, patting
Shiv on the shoulder. "Remember
to take it easy for a few days."
"Mmmkay," Shiv murmured.
"Why'm I so tired all'v a sudden?"
"You got in a fight, changed forms,
scrapped with your gangmates,
changed back, scuffed your back,
and generally wore out your feelings,"
said Dr. G. "Of course you're tired."
"Lie down and take a nap now,"
Boss White said, lowering Shiv
onto the bed. "Leave your shirt
loose, nobody will come in here."
"I'll let you sleep," Dr. G said.
"Then I'll check back later."
"Mmmhmm," Shiv said into
the pillow. "Thanks, doc."
"You're welcome," Dr. G said
as he brushed a hand over
Shiv's fingers. "Sleep well."
Boss White helped him
pack up the first aid kit.
Dr. G moved stiffly as
they left the guest room,
his body already objecting
to him getting on the floor.
The shifting sands of
his relationship with Hugo
felt more secure, though.
It was totally worth the pain.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its notes appear elsewhere.
fuzzyred. It also fills the "Shifting Sands" square in my 9-1-22 card for the Land of Oz Bingo fest. This poem belongs to the Shiv thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes an emergency call after a cape fight, temporarily mysterious details, angst, reference to recent canon-typical violence, a trashed patch room, several injured gangsters, Popgun being an idiot, rude language, minor corporal punishment, consequences of hostile (but ego-systonic) transformation, impaired but semi-functional communication, nonverbal response to stress and hostile transformation, Shiv is "fine," overwhelming instincts, sudden reversion to natural form with minor injuries due to confined space, stress-based defensive hostility, relationship issues, messy medical details, insecurity, reference to recent tail abuse, sensory distortions, boundary issues, and other mayhem. Please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"Shifting Sands"
[Wednesday, March 25, 2015]
Dr. G was catching up on
reading psychiatry articles
when the phone rang.
"Soup to Nuts, Dr. G
speaking," he answered.
"How can I help you?"
"This is Boss White.
Come to Blues Moon,"
he replied. "There was
a fight and Shiv needs you."
Dr. G bounded out of
his chair. "What size
first aid kit do I need?"
"Don't worry about that,
he ain't the one who got
sliced six ways from Sunday,"
said Boss White. "Besides,
we got a whole patch room
in case we missed anything."
"Okay, then what seems
to be the problem?" said Dr. G.
"You'll see when you get here,"
said Boss White. "I don't mean
to leave you in the dark, but I would
rather not say it over the phone, and
it's easier shown than told anyhow."
That was mystifying, and more than
a little alarming, but Dr. G couldn't really
blame him for it. Sometimes superpowers
could do strange and disturbing things,
and the fewer who knew, the better.
"I can catch an emergency teleport
and be there in under five minutes,"
said Dr. G. "Where do we land?"
"Downstairs, in the waiting area
just outside the patch room,"
Boss White invited him.
"I'll be there as soon as
I can," Dr. G. promised.
He hung up, then called
for an emergency teleport.
He hardly noticed the ride,
landing with familiar skill
in the corner beyond
the reception desk.
The teleporter flitted off,
leaving Dr. G where
Boss White waited.
The floor around
the patch room door
was littered with scraps
of paper and plastic, and
a streamer of something
spilled from under the door.
"What in the world happened
here?" Dr. G said, eyebrows rising.
"We unboxed Shiv in the patch room,"
Boss White explained. "It's, well ..."
He waved a hand at the debris.
"A bit of a mess in there?"
Dr. G guessed. "I'll send
Molly over to inventory it."
There was, in fact, a line
of several gangsters waiting
for their turn in the patch room.
Popgun clutched what looked like
a dishrag over his right forearm.
The white cloth was liberally
spotted with red. Dr. G could
see long, deep scratches and
several punctures on the hand,
at least one through the thumbnail.
What had he gotten into fight with,
a blackberry bush? A buzz saw?
"You might want to take that to
an actual clinic," Dr. G said.
"Those injuries look nasty."
"Fuck off," Popgun snapped.
"Nobody asked you to butt in."
Lieutenant Brown smacked him
over the head. "Don't sass the doc."
"I can take no for an answer,"
Dr. G said mildly. "It's his arm.
If Popgun wants to risk losing it
to infection, that is his choice."
"That's so," Boss White allowed.
"Come on back to the guest room."
Dr. G followed him, leaving behind
the stubborn row of gangsters.
They went down the hallway
and rounded the corner of
the little lunch room, then
came to the guest room door.
Dr. G could hear faint sounds
through the solid door, but
at their approach, silence fell.
"When I open this door, you get
in there quick, so's I can shut it
behind us," said Boss White.
"I'll do my best," said Dr. G.
"What are you worried about?"
"Everything," Boss White muttered.
Then he raised his voice. "Shiv, it's
Boss White and Dr. G. We're comin'
in now, so don't be in front of the door."
They hurried inside, and Boss White
closed the door as quickly as he could.
Dr. G looked around the room. It
seemed to be empty, or at least,
he couldn't spot Shiv anywhere.
"Shiv?" Dr. G called out, and
then more tentatively, "Hugo?"
"Owowaaauu," something wailed
from underneath the large bed.
Heedless of his knees, Dr. G
promptly got down on the carpet
so he could lift the bed skirt.
A half-grown white cat
huddled under the bed,
its huge eyes flashing
silver with reflected light.
"Hugo?" Dr. G asked again.
"Can you understand me?"
"Mow," the cat said forlornly.
It might have also nodded, but that
was hard to see in the shadows.
"Are you injured?" Dr. G said.
"I would like to help if I can."
"Niaow," said the cat,
but Shiv would say he
was fine even if he was
pouring blood on the floor.
Dr. G couldn't see anything
wrong, though, so he hauled
himself up as best he could.
"We'll figure this out together,"
Dr. G said. Then he turned to
Boss White. "Now that I've seen
for myself, what can you tell me
about how this happened?"
"There was a cape fight with
some girl nobody knew, who
used knives that Shiv could
control and balls of light that
he couldn't," said Boss White.
"Oh, that doesn't sound good,"
Dr. G said, shaking his head.
"Shiv pushed Brown out of
the way," Boss White went on,
"and the next thing that anyone
knew, Shiv had turned into a cat."
Suddenly the bloody slashes along
Popgun's arm made a lot more sense.
Dr. G wondered what he'd done to Shiv.
"And the marks on Popgun?" he asked.
"Well, they couldn't just leave Shiv there,
not as a cat, so they had to collect him --
and he did not care to be collected,"
said Boss White. "Once they chased
that fool girl out of the area, they tried
to catch Shiv, but didn't have much luck
until Faster Blaster got him in a box."
A long hissing, spitting complaint
sounded from under the bed.
"He sure can swear as well
in Cat as he can in English,"
Boss White said with a chuckle.
"Can you understand him?"
Dr. G said. "That would help."
"Yes and no," said Boss White.
"It's hard to explain. I know he's
in there, I know it's him, and I can
get some sense from him. But it's
like ... he's not thinking in words,
even less than he usually does."
Dr. G nodded. "That's common
in animal soups, primal soups, and
even humans under extreme stress."
"Yeah, I seen that before, too,"
Boss White said. "I figure that's
why he flipped his shit when
folks tried to bring him home."
Dr. G sighed. "I suggest again
that anyone with bad cat scratches
should visit a clinic for medical attention,"
he said. "Infection is a real concern."
"I'll pass it along," Boss White said.
"Don't reckon they'll listen, though."
"At least we tried," Dr. G said.
"That will have to do for now."
"So what do we do next?"
Boss White said. "I was
hoping you'd have ideas."
"A few," said Dr. G. "We
should sit and wait here."
He dragged a bench over
to the bed and sat down.
Boss White took the chair.
"Any idea how long?"
"Almost all known cases
of involuntary transformation
have reverted naturally after
a short time," Dr. G. replied.
"Do you know how much time
has passed since the change?"
Boss White checked his watch.
"Less than half an hour," he said.
"That's good," said Dr. G. He
leaned back down. "Hugo, you
will probably be yourself again,
either in a few minutes, or up
to about half an hour. It's rare
for such things to last longer."
The cat grumbled and growled
from underneath the bed.
Dr. G reached a hand
down, but didn't try
to put it underneath.
"Would you like to come
say hello?" he asked Shiv.
"Find out if I smell friendly?"
He waited. Faint sounds
whispered along the floor.
Whiskers tickled his hand.
A damp nose touched him.
Then the cat scrabbled away,
making unhappy noises again.
"I bet you're feeling unsettled
right now," said Dr. G. "I sure
would be, if I changed shape!
Maybe you're dealing with
some instincts that you're
not used to, or familiar ones
that are suddenly stronger."
"Mow," the cat murmured.
"Everyone has instincts, but
some people feel them more
than others," said Dr. G. "You
can try to think your way past
them, or if that's too hard, then
concentrate on feeling your body."
"Waow?" the cat said, his tone
rising in something like a question.
"Cats have a wonderful way of
calming themselves by purring,"
said Dr. G. "You might see if
you can get your motor started."
There ensued a horrible grating,
gurgling noise that was nothing like
a purr. It dribbled away to silence.
"Well ... there are other options,"
said Dr. G. "Some cats enjoy
being petted or brushed."
"Niaow." That was crystal.
"Okay, that's a no," said Dr. G.
"I'm glad you're finding ways
to communicate with me.
Have you tried grooming?"
The cat made some loud
hacking, spitting sounds.
"Tried it, didn't like it?"
Dr. G interpreted.
"I imagine the dirt
didn't taste good,"
Boss White said.
"Street fights tend
to get pretty grubby."
"And a bath is right out,"
Dr. G said hastily before
Boss White could suggest it.
Shiv didn't need more trauma.
"I don't fancy havin' my arm
tore off," Boss White said dryly.
"Niaow," the cat replied, though
it was unclear whether he was
declining a bath or declaring that
he wouldn't claw Boss White.
Nobody was inclined to test it.
"Let's see, what else makes
cats feel happy?" Dr. G. mused.
"Curling up in a ball. Stretching.
Sharpening their claws on a post ..."
A surprisingly happy chirrup came
from under the bed, followed by
a long feline yawn and then
the unmistakable tac-tac-tac
of a cat clawing carpet.
Boss White made go-on
motions with his hands.
"You sound a bit better now,"
Dr. G said. "Go ahead with
that, if it's working for you."
Shiv did like sharp things.
More raking, ripping sounds
came from underneath the bed.
That was certainly better
than clawing people.
Suddenly they heard
a whump and a whack!
as the bed heaved up
then dropped back down.
"Ow, fuck, ow!" Shiv said.
"Son of a bitch, shit."
Dr. G dove to the floor --
he'd be paying for that later --
so he could see under the bed.
He saw Shiv and heaved a sigh
of relief. "How are you now?"
"I'm fucking fine, the fuck does
it sound like?" Shiv snapped.
"Get the hell outta my way."
"I'm moving away from the bed,"
Dr. G assured him, crawling back
so he could use the bench to haul
himself awkwardly to his feet.
Shiv scrambled out from under
the bed. It was a tight fit; he was
small but it was low to the floor.
His clothes wrinkled as he moved,
and he yanked them angrily back
into place. "Well, that sucked."
"I'm sorry to hear that," said Dr. G.
"I'm very glad to see that you're
back to yourself now, though."
"Yeah," Shiv said, standing up.
He wobbled a bit, then stabilized.
"Shiv?" Boss White said as he
held out a hand. "Let me check?"
"Yeah, yeah, do it." Shiv grabbed
the hand like a lifeline, plastering
himself against Boss White's front.
"There now, settle," said Boss White,
ruffling Shiv's hair with his free hand.
"You're all tangled up inside. Just take
a few minutes to sort yourself out."
Shiv gave a gusty sigh. "Thanks,
boss," he said. "That helps."
Dr. G waited for Shiv to step
away from Boss White, then said,
"Do you mind if I take a turn next?"
Shiv narrowed his eyes, wary and
still catlike. "What the hell for?"
he growled. "I said I'm fine."
"You're spotting blood on
your shirt," said Dr. G.
"What -- where -- how --"
Shiv spun in circles, trying
and failing to see his own back.
"Mostly along your spine, I think,
and some to the sides," Dr. G said.
"It's hard to tell through the fabric.
Did you hit your back on the bed?"
"Yeah, I must have," Shiv said.
"Stings like a bitch -- almost like
a scraped knee from hitting sidewalk."
"Abrasions tend to feel very similar,
regardless of the source," Dr. G said.
"Will you let me take care of that for you?"
Shiv shuffled from one foot to the other.
"I don't want to," he said miserably.
Dr. G felt things tilting, slipping,
everything unstable as if the ground
threatened to give way under him.
He felt his way carefully through
shifting sands of a relationship
that was not really strong enough
to bear this much tension yet,
praying not to fall through.
"Well, the scrapes may not
be deep, but then again they
might," Dr. G said. "I can't tell
even that much without looking."
Shiv shrugged, looking away.
Dr. G tried a different approach.
"I did see the marks on Popgun,
and suggested he go to a clinic.
He wasn't interested either. You're
generally smarter than him, though."
"Fucker picked me up by my tail,"
Shiv said in a tone of utter outrage.
"He what?" Boss White barked.
"I'll have him clean the johns
for a whole damn month!"
"Not until those wounds heal,"
Dr. G said. "It's really not safe.
Hugo, I'm worried about you.
Pulling a cat's tail can injure it.
How does your tailbone feel?"
"Okay, I guess?" Shiv said.
"I don't think about it much."
"Well, injuries to a shift-form
sometimes carry over and
other times don't," said Dr. G.
"If you had torn muscles, though,
then you would definitely know it."
"I don't think so," Shiv said. "I just
feel scraped and bruised. I think."
"Okay, that's not hard to treat,"
said Dr. G. "You could do that
yourself ... where you can reach."
Shiv heaved a sigh. "Yeah, no,
I can't reach my back." Then he
grimaced. "I really don't want
to take my clothes off right now."
"That's fine," said Dr. G. "You
don't need to take them off, if
you don't feel any major injuries.
Just shift them a bit so I can see
what's going on with your back.
I won't touch without permission."
"That's ... I don't know," Shiv said
as he shuffled in place again.
"What would help you feel
safer?" Dr. G asked him.
Shiv looked at Boss White.
"Could you, I don't know ...
help? Like you did last time?"
"Of course," Boss White said.
"All you ever have to do is ask."
"I'll need a first aid kit," said Dr. G.
"Hopefully nothing too complicated."
"Start with this." Boss White pulled
a tacklebox from under an end table.
"Doc, where do you want us?"
"Wherever Shiv feels safe, as
long as I can reach his back
that way," Dr. G replied.
"Not flat on the bed and
not up against a wall either,"
Shiv said. "Bad memories."
"Okay, not like that," Dr. G said.
"Maybe you could sit on the bed."
"Yeah, maybe," Shiv said. He
perched gingerly on the edge,
as if poised to bolt away.
Boss White sat beside him.
"Here, lean against me."
Shiv obeyed, stiff at first,
then gradually molding
his body against his boss.
"Hugo, could you lift up
your shirt for me?" said Dr. G.
Awkwardly Shiv reached back
and hitched up the shirt, revealing
wide bloody scrapes as well as
some longer, deeper gouges.
"Well, that's going to take
a bit to clean up," Dr. G said.
"Hugo, may I touch now?"
"Ffffffine," Shiv grumbled.
"Okay, do you want numbing
or not-numbing antiseptic?"
Dr. G asked. "Your choice."
"Numbing," said Shiv. "I can't
stand the stuff normally, but now
everything feels ... bigger, louder.
If you pour alcohol on that, it'd
send me right through the roof."
"I've got Jackson & Jason's
Ouchless Wound Rinse,"
said Dr. G. "I will start with
that and see what's going on."
He used that and the gauze
to clean what he could see,
which was only the lower third
of Shiv's back below the shirt.
The shallower scrapes were
already clotting up, although
the worse ones still oozed.
The gouges looked more like
cuts and were bleeding freely.
Dr. G wondered if Shiv had
bumped into nail points.
"Did you feel anything
sharp under the bed?"
Dr. G asked Shiv. "You
don't usually let anything
cut you, but some of
these look pretty deep."
"I dunno," Shiv said.
"I just couldn't think."
"What about now?"
said Dr. G. "Can you
use your superpower yet?"
Shiv wormed a hand
into his pocket and then
pulled out his play-putty.
It twisted, flattened, and
wobbled in his hand, far
from its usual grace.
"Okay, so it's working
but it's unsettled just like
the rest of you," said Dr. G.
"That's probably why you
didn't notice how much
damage you were doing
to yourself, crawling out."
"Yeah," Shiv said glumly,
putting his metal away.
"You've got some options,"
said Dr. G. "I don't think you
need stitches, but some of these
do need either butterflies or else
some skin glue to close them.
You'll need to move carefully for
a day or two until they scab well."
"He's off duty until you clear him,"
Boss White said firmly. "A fight
like that messes with your head."
"I'm fine --" Shiv protested.
"Now what've I told you about
lying to me?" said Boss White.
"Not to do it," Shiv sighed. "Sorry.
I just don't want to sit around with
nothing else to do but think about
the shit that happened to me."
"I can help you find safer things
later on," said Dr. G. "For now, do
you want butterflies or skin glue?"
"Which is better?" Shiv said.
"Dr. Bloch used this, um,
spray-skin stuff, but it had
to be redone over and over."
"That was on your face,"
Dr. G said. "The skin on
your back isn't that delicate.
The scrapes should heal fine
with one coat. The gouges may
benefit from more care, but I'm
happy to come back for that."
"Use the glue, then," said Shiv. "I
think it holds better than butterflies."
"Usually so," said Dr. G. "Boss White,
do you have skin glue in the patch room?"
"Well, there was," said Boss White. "I'll
go see if I can find some of that now."
Shiv winced. "How bad did I trash
the place?" he said. "I didn't mean to,
but I was really freaking out. I don't
remember what happened clearly."
"You were a whirling buzz saw
of doom," said Boss White. "I stood
out of reach and talked to you until
you stopped bouncing off the walls,
then I suggested the guest room.
You tore off down the hall, I let you in,
and you have been here since then."
He pushed himself to his feet. "I'll
get that skin glue now," he finished.
"Thank you," said Dr. G. "Look
for the medium-strength glue
that comes in the blue box."
He didn't try to touch Shiv
without Boss White there, but
the boy fussed with his shirt.
"Should I just ... take this off?"
he said, scrunching his face.
"It won't go up much higher.
It's not knit, it won't stretch,
and pulling on it really hurts."
"Hmmm," said Dr. G. "Try
undoing some of the buttons
and see if that gives you room
to move more. Keep your back
to me so I don't see anything
that you're not showing me."
Shiv fidgeted with the buttons,
and eventually he managed
to bare all the injured areas.
He tensed, like a watch spring
wound too tight, ready to break.
"Relax," said Dr. G. "We're going
to wait for Boss White to get back."
Shiv loosened up a little. "Sorry I'm
such a basket case," he muttered.
"I don't think you are," said Dr. G.
"You survived a great challenge;
anyone would be upset by that.
Setting some healthy boundaries
will help you get back in your skin."
"Really?" Shiv whispered. "Cause
I feel so fuckin' lost right now."
"Boundaries help us define
who we are and what is right
or wrong for us," said Dr. G.
"What that girl did to you was
wrong. I hope you can be okay
with accepting a helping hand now."
"Well ... I'm trying," Shiv said. "You're
right that I can't reach my own back."
"That's what I'm here for," said Dr. G.
"I'm happy to help however I can."
Boss White came back with
not only the skin glue but also
a bigger can of InstaSkin.
"Here you go," he said,
handing them over. Then
he settled back onto the bed
and let Shiv lean against him.
"Thank you," said Dr. G. "Hugo,
try to hold still for me, and think
of something nice as a distraction."
"I can help with that," said Boss White.
Whatever he did, Shiv went boneless
and slumped against him with a sigh.
Dr. G cleaned up the rest of Shiv's back,
treated the scrapes, then looked at
the longer, deeper lines of the gouges.
"I could use an extra pair of hands
to hold the edges together," he said.
Boss White shifted a little so he
could reach around and help.
It took a while to get everything
patched back together, but it
should hold well enough to heal,
as long as Shiv didn't stress it.
"All done," Dr. G said, patting
Shiv on the shoulder. "Remember
to take it easy for a few days."
"Mmmkay," Shiv murmured.
"Why'm I so tired all'v a sudden?"
"You got in a fight, changed forms,
scrapped with your gangmates,
changed back, scuffed your back,
and generally wore out your feelings,"
said Dr. G. "Of course you're tired."
"Lie down and take a nap now,"
Boss White said, lowering Shiv
onto the bed. "Leave your shirt
loose, nobody will come in here."
"I'll let you sleep," Dr. G said.
"Then I'll check back later."
"Mmmhmm," Shiv said into
the pillow. "Thanks, doc."
"You're welcome," Dr. G said
as he brushed a hand over
Shiv's fingers. "Sleep well."
Boss White helped him
pack up the first aid kit.
Dr. G moved stiffly as
they left the guest room,
his body already objecting
to him getting on the floor.
The shifting sands of
his relationship with Hugo
felt more secure, though.
It was totally worth the pain.
* * *
Notes:
This poem is long, so its notes appear elsewhere.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-09-13 04:16 am (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2022-09-13 06:08 am (UTC)I'm happy to hear that.
>> It's wonderful to see Shiv and Dr. G's relationship evolving, and seeing Shiv start to lean on him a little more.<<
They're working hard on it, and that shows in the progress. In some ways, this is a reprise of when Shiv joined the Ebonies & Ivories. He's more able to ask for help from Boss White because they've known each other longer, but still, Shiv asking when he's this rattled is a big step.
>> Filling in some of the timeline gaps is always fun and enlightening. :)
Yeah, I've had this one in my head for years. I'm thrilled to have it written out now. \o/
(no subject)
Date: 2022-09-13 05:02 am (UTC)Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-13 06:22 am (UTC)Yyyyyeah. By all means, feel free to ask for that in any relevant prompt call.
>> for the unwelcome force-transformation. <<
Technically it's considered a non-violent combat method, contrasted against things like Ricasso's Cutting power. Not everyone agrees with this classification. Some medics have had very strong words on the topic of what is harmful or not, and why. SPOON is fairly flexible about things that don't leave physical injuries and don't involve violating someone's mind, while the police are just happy if a cape fight doesn't involve zap guns or people punching holes in the walls.
>> And I'd like to smack Popgun and soundly for picking any being up by the shelling tail. :( :( :(
Popgun has self-selected natural consequences for his choices. In his defense, though, he may not have meant it cruelly; he was just trying to grab the cat before it ran off or into traffic. But I doubt he knows enough about cats to understand how to catch one safely. Faster Blaster had the right idea with that box.
>> Boss White has the right of it; once his arm is healed up, make that jackass clean all the toilets.<<
Yep. Popgun has that coming. But he's going to be really fucking miserable tomorrow, and Lieutenant Brown won't let him have more than half-and-halfs for it.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-13 10:40 am (UTC)Before punishment, I'd wonder why she was scrapping with the gang in the first place, and what the intent was.
Trying to distract a pursuer when you feel threatened has a different level of acceptble force than, say, distracting folks from a heist.
And (though likely not the case here, we know Shiv is nice to cats) if someone wishes to transform a bigot or predator to match their preferred victim type, well... I'll be elsewhere.
Possibly laughing hysterically at the karma! (Yeah, someone needs to clean up the fallout eventually. Doesn't mean I have to do it immediately. )
>>In his defense, though, he may not have meant it cruelly; he was just trying to grab the cat before it ran off or into traffic.<<
He, like many people, probably watches far too many cartoons, which wouldn't accurately demonstrate how dangerous half the scuffles are.
And far too many people don't know enough about tails, or I wouldn't keep seeing warnings about not carrying mice, rats, etc by theirs.
And any of the safe 'grab areas' on a cat likely wouldn't work really well - Shiv would hate being grabbed, and I suspect he still had his "don't frikkin' touch me!" human body on top of the shapeshifting freakout. So grabbing him was never really safe and a speedster with a box was likely the best option. (For a real cat, one can also try towels, but that might not have worked in this specific case either.)
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-14 07:38 am (UTC)I'm not sure. However, I'm inclined to be suspicious, because Boss White runs a good town. That means people tangling with him are either white hats (which she almost certainly isn't) or people looking to make more trouble than is welcome.
>> Trying to distract a pursuer when you feel threatened has a different level of acceptble force than, say, distracting folks from a heist.<<
Agreed.
>> And (though likely not the case here, we know Shiv is nice to cats) if someone wishes to transform a bigot or predator to match their preferred victim type, well... I'll be elsewhere. <<
I don't think so, because it happened in a street fight, not an individual ambush. And without a whole bunch of people including a speedster, nobody would've caught that cat.
>> Possibly laughing hysterically at the karma! (Yeah, someone needs to clean up the fallout eventually. Doesn't mean I have to do it immediately. )
True.
>> He, like many people, probably watches far too many cartoons, which wouldn't accurately demonstrate how dangerous half the scuffles are.<<
Point. T-America is more accurate than here, but lots of shows still use cartoon physics.
>> And far too many people don't know enough about tails, or I wouldn't keep seeing warnings about not carrying mice, rats, etc by theirs.<<
The only time it is safe to carry anything by its tail is if the critter has a prehensile tail and wraps it around you. Even then you have to be careful that they don't suddenly let go and drop themselves.
The problem is that humans have a monkey-reflex for grabbing things, and a tail is often the thing in range. But evolution accounts for predation, so a lot of creatures have detachable tails; and even if not, tails tend to be fragile except for the few really muscular ones (e.g. beavers).
>> And any of the safe 'grab areas' on a cat likely wouldn't work really well <<
If someone could have caught his scruff just right, that might have worked.
>> Shiv would hate being grabbed, and I suspect he still had his "don't frikkin' touch me!" human body on top of the shapeshifting freakout.<<
Yep. Which is why Popgun has deep claw marks on his arm, several bites, and a damaged thumbnail. Imagine the amount of pain that dumbass will be in tomorrow. Before Shiv punches him in the face or knees him in the crotch as revenge for the tail-pulling.
>> So grabbing him was never really safe and a speedster with a box was likely the best option. <<
True.
>> (For a real cat, one can also try towels, but that might not have worked in this specific case either.) <<
Towels are too small, but a blanket sometimes works, if it's thick enough that claws or teeth can't get through it.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-17 01:17 am (UTC)Or as a third possibility, maybe she drifted in from elsewhere, and didn't know the local dynamics, either as a geography thing or a class thing.
>>I don't think so, because it happened in a street fight, not an individual ambush. And without a whole bunch of people including a speedster, nobody would've caught that cat.<<
And we know Shiv is a) nice to cats, b) generally has a big personal space bubble, which makes it fairly unlikely (to me) that he accidentally hit a Trauma Button.
>>Point. T-America is more accurate than here, but lots of shows still use cartoon physics.<<
And averting Toon Physics and Television is Trying to Kill Us opens up all sorts of novel storylines.
>>If someone could have caught his scruff just right, that might have worked.<<
But holding-and-picking-up an adult cat by the scruff can cause problems. Sure, hold 'em there to give them Cooldown Hug hormones, but don't carry them like that!
And some people would likely be very upset about being involuntarily drugged, even with natural endorphins or hormones.
>>Towels are too small, but a blanket sometimes works, if it's thick enough that claws or teeth can't get through it.<<
I've caught irritable cats with bath towels, but admittedly they were annoyed housecats, not panicking ferals. (Also, if you have time to prepare a specific towel, there are some calming sprays that can get a nervous or grumpy cat all chilled out.)
(no subject)
Date: 2022-09-13 01:57 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2022-09-14 07:24 am (UTC)Yay!
>> Glad shiv changed back and let himself get care.<<
Yeah, it's been a rough ride, but he's doing better now.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-09-14 12:20 am (UTC)Poor Shiv, though - he's naturally easily frightened, and whatever happened to him obviously terrified him back to the behavior of a panic-stricken small mammal. Boss White is the only person (well, except maybe for Lucy) who can get away with hugging and comforting Shiv. He's going to need large amounts of food in a little while - somebody see if Cook has something light like plain cooked chicken available, with the spices and condiments Shiv likes best. Or maybe Shiv just needs cinnamon toast?
Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-14 12:47 am (UTC)Well, it's two things: 1) the dimensional subtype of shapeshifting, and 2) the ability to throw it onto another person. The former is midrange in terms of frequency, but the ability to shapeshift someone else is very rare. I've only seen one or two other cases. It can be achieved by various means from reality-shifting (which was a previous example) or dimensional manipulation or sorcery. It is different from the more physical version of shapeshifting, which might be bestowed in rare cases but cannot simply be thrown. The fact that her attack manifests as visible balls makes it more likely to come from sorcery, or at least a superpower closer to that cluster.
>> But people in Terramagne and people here keep calling Shiv an "alley cat" (I call him that), so maybe she just changes their form to match their personality? <<
In fact, it is an ego-systonic shift in this case. I think she can also do ego-dystonic ones. They have different pros and cons. Ego-systonic tends to last longer, and have a slightly higher risk of sticking, because it is compatible with personality. Ego-dystonic is more upsetting because it doesn't match, but it wears off faster and has almost no chance of sticking, since the soul fights it harder.
>> Poor Shiv, though - he's naturally easily frightened, and whatever happened to him obviously terrified him back to the behavior of a panic-stricken small mammal. <<
Yyyyyeah. By the next day, he'll be sad and angry that yet again someone ruined what should've been a wonderful first time for him. If he'd gotten turned into a cat under nicer circumstances, he probably would've loved it. This would be an interesting scene to write out with Dr. G the next day.
>> Boss White is the only person (well, except maybe for Lucy) who can get away with hugging and comforting Shiv. <<
Prevailingly true, especially at this point in time. Shiv will strop himself against people he likes, such as Dr. G, but he doesn't like wrapping his arms around them nor having that done to him. He will flop on the couch and cuddle with people, though. By this point that includes Luci and Gray, Tolli and Simon ... I think the others are all later. Shiv's contact-comfort instincts are just plain not human. He started out with mostly feline stropping preferences, picked up the over-the-shoulder chin hug from horses, and absolutely adores mental snuggling with telepaths.
>> He's going to need large amounts of food in a little while - somebody see if Cook has something light like plain cooked chicken available, with the spices and condiments Shiv likes best. Or maybe Shiv just needs cinnamon toast?<<
Tuna. So much tuna. One of his favorite comfort foods is tuna salad sandwiches.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-14 02:41 am (UTC)Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-14 07:23 am (UTC)He wants to taste the tuna here, but with layers sandwiches, he probably is going for the strange strong flavors.
>> And the sandwich ought to be on whole-grain bread, because he needs the nutrients. (Even the cinnamon toast, classic childhood comfort food, ought to be whole grain bread.)
Whole-grain is more nutritious, but not always available. Shiv will eat whatever he can get. Though his chosen diet encourages whole grains, so he's probably reaching for those first when he sees them.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-14 10:30 pm (UTC)Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-14 10:31 pm (UTC)Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-14 10:47 pm (UTC)Ego-dystonic mode would've turned him into a dog. Now that would have been an unmitigated disaster.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-15 04:10 am (UTC)Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-17 01:20 am (UTC)Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-17 01:27 am (UTC)I think a horse would have gravitated to an open space like a park or empty lot. In T-America, people have probably got enough sense to hang back and not crowd something that big. The result would likely have been one or more gang members waiting until Shiv turned back.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-17 01:52 am (UTC)I mean, a horse transformation wouldn't be risk-free, but the risks would be the same for human/horse/cat in a panic. Cat form add several additional risks, as any staff of an adventurous house kitty can tell you.
In Terramagne, "My friend turned into a horse and bolted" would likely get sensible help. ("Turned into a cat" would still get help, just...less effectively.)
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-17 02:13 am (UTC)True. The smaller the body, the easier it is to injure, usually.
>> In Terramagne, "My friend turned into a horse and bolted" would likely get sensible help. ("Turned into a cat" would still get help, just...less effectively.) <<
"We have mounties at both of the closest parks. I'll notify them to keep watch, so they know we're not dealing with a domestic animal."
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-17 03:52 am (UTC)Well, it does depend on a few other factors - squirrels and cats can survive falls that would kill a human (don't test that at home!) in part due to the square-cube law. Conversely, tarantulas can be fatally injured by a fall from waist-height onto a hard surface - because a broken 'bone' in an exoskeletal creature is more likely to be fatal than a non-compound fracture in an endoskeletal species.
In this specific case, risks include:
- harder to see, from a car or even just a regular person (as anyone who has ever stepped on or tripped over a cat can attest)
- getting stuck in small spaces, which by itself is usually safe. Except cat's are prone to getting stuck (in a ceiling, duct, machine, wall) or ending up in a dangerous place (car engine, shipping crate), and in those cases, you need to find and extract them before they get sick/injured. Superpowers just add the complication of getting smushed when reverting to human shape.
- getting stuck in inconvenient places, like on a roof or up a tree. Superpowers add the complication of losing grip on the roof/tree when involuntarily 'demorphing,' and the risk of falling off or through one's perch, if the perch is unable to support the 10x greater than cat-weight of a human.
- Other animals: Dogs, snakes, coyotes can be dangerous. Other cats may be territorial. And a transformed human may not know how to identify those dangers, nevermind dealing with them.
- Unless the transformation includes information about how to use the new body safely, it is entirely possible that the person will hurt themself trying to move, groom, etc. I knew a natural cat that managed to accidentally claw his own eye because it was itchy - imagine the difficulty someone used to flat human nails would have with feline meathooks. Ditto for accidentally biting one's tongue, or, heck, being able to during with a lapping-tongue instead of human-style lips-and-suction.
(That would make an interesting Terramagne court case - charge the person who did the transformation with negligence for failing to make sure their victim knew how to eat/drink in their new shape.)
>>"We have mounties at both of the closest parks. I'll notify them to keep watch, so they know we're not dealing with a domestic animal."<<
Well, even asking "How can I help?" and following through would do better than some places around here.
:/
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-17 01:27 am (UTC)Between this discussion and a scene in a TV show I was watching earlier today, we really need more media that centers 'stop and make sure they feel safe' as the default mode for someone saying no in the middle of something, both sexual and nonsexual.
There are far too many instances of 'keep going because I insist,' and that is not good. :/
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-17 02:11 am (UTC)That would be nice. By all means ask for it in any relevant prompt call.
>>There are far too many instances of 'keep going because I insist,' and that is not good. :/ <<
That's because local-America doesn't believe in consent, only in power. This is especially a problem in health care.
It's much less common in T-America, but it still happens. And that's how you get supervillains. Seriously, happy healthy people don't tend to take the black. Almost all of my supervillains have a crappy background and this was how they decided to protect themselves and others. Shiv figured out biting when he was five. The superpowers are an afterthought, but one colored by his lived experience.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2022-09-17 04:33 am (UTC):)
>>It's much less common in T-America, but it still happens. And that's how you get supervillains. Seriously, happy healthy people don't tend to take the black. Almost all of my supervillains have a crappy background and this was how they decided to protect themselves and others. Shiv figured out biting when he was five. The superpowers are an afterthought, but one colored by his lived experience.<<
Well, it happens here too.
The Mafia got started as a, hmm enforcement organization for what we would call labor rights, a lot of gangs started out as prosocial proto-police forces in areas where the cops couldn't or couldn't be bothered to go. Pirates were racially integrated, had democratic constitutions, and were basically the 1700's version of employee-owned b-corporations against the 'megacorporation' military and merchant ships of the day.
People are people, I guess.
(no subject)
Date: 2022-09-14 05:07 am (UTC)Yay!
Date: 2022-09-14 05:55 am (UTC)Alley Cat
Date: 2022-09-14 07:32 am (UTC)Re: Alley Cat
Date: 2022-09-14 08:13 pm (UTC)Yeah, this was hostile transformation in ego-systonic mode, meaning the form matches the personality.
>> What happens if/when his mind/power decides he likes it? <<
First, it doesn't wear off as fast. The soul will fight violently against something that doesn't fit, but less so against an unexpected but compatible shape.
Second, it has a slightly higher chance of sticking, for the same reason. Most forced transformations don't last very long, because they rely on outside power, and fighting drains that faster. With an ego-systonic shape, the drain is a little slower.
In this case, Shiv freaked out not because the shape didn't fit, but because it happened in the middle of a cape fight so the world was suddenly huge and overwhelming. Long about the next day, he's going to realize that under better circumstances, he'd probably enjoy being a cat. So here's another case where someone ruined what should've been a wonderful experience. >_< Making that connection will upset him all over again.
However, this will likely strengthen his interest and understanding of cats. At least he has a lot better idea of what can spook them.
>> Or what if he gets zapped by some gizmotronic thing, and he gets a permanent transformation ability? Cats come with built in sharp and pointys... <<
Indeed, an ego-systonic transformation has a tendency to "set" that form. Most shapeshifters only have one extra form; multiple is rare and freeform rarer still. So any future transformation would almost certainly be cat again. This would almost certainly require an assist from another soup and/or super-gizmology. Making a permanent ability of it would be harder, but the chance does go up slightly with repetition. Everything is energy at the core of it -- even matter is just little whizzing bits of energy holding hands and pretending really hard to be solid -- and energy is inherently malleable.
However, Shiv has an interesting little ball of superpowers, and now has the sense-memory of transformation. That makes a non-zero chance it could happen spontaneously under extreme circumstances, like any other traumatic manifestation.
By all means, ask for more of this in any relevant prompt call. People seem to be intrigued by cat!Shiv.
Re: Alley Cat
Date: 2022-09-17 01:24 am (UTC)Also cats have:
a) very different senses compared to humans, and
b) a baseline that would be considered hypersensitivity in a human.
Unexpectedly getting whammied with that would overwhelm most people, and that effect would be much worse in someone who'd been gaslit about their senses or nonconsensualy drugged. (I know Shiv's had the former, but not sure about the latter.)
(no subject)
Date: 2022-09-16 03:35 am (UTC)https://youtu.be/IMqTuWl3xAA
Hmm...
Date: 2022-09-18 12:25 am (UTC)It is such a shame that Shiv's first experience as a cat was so bad, it would be such a good shape for him.
It is probably a good thing that she didn't turn him into a dog. I cannot see any sort of good outcome for that.
I love love love Graham's response to Boss White's phone call. I love how solid he is.
I know Hammerspace has the clue-by-four, but is there a soup with a common sense beam? Because Popgun needs a couple of doses of it. Does he at least learn not to make the same mistake twice?
I very much enjoyed this poem, thank you for sharing it. 😊
(no subject)
Date: 2022-10-12 07:01 am (UTC)Yes ...
Date: 2022-10-12 08:05 am (UTC)