Who is that girl I see staring straight back at me?

[umbrastaff]

who: Lup, the IPRE gang + friends
what: Finally stepping into vat and getting a hot new bod.
when: Backdated to the end of February
where: Casa del Taako
warnings: Weird necromantic shit, very quick nudity.

For Taako

Alright, alright. I'm.... I'm doing it. Just.... give me a sec?

[Lup's voice is a little harsher than she meant it to be, and a quick look back at her brother makes her feel bad. It's not his fault that she's being so nervous about this whole deal. It was her own worries that kept her stalling for longer than needed.]

Sorry. It's fucking weird, that's all.

[Hovering in front of the tank in the spare room in their house, the skeletal form of Lup's lich self was reflected in the strange membrane and murky water. Her body was in there, a living, breathing one with a heart that actually beat and everything. Loki's vessel was amazing, but she never got tired, never even got a bruise and it always required a bit of awareness to keep on, like when you walked in very high heels.

With time, her tactile senses has also grown more and more dull, a disconnect between herself and the Lup -shaped sock she had inhabited for more than 120 days.

It was long past the waiting time now, but here she was. Still hesitating.

Barry had done this several times, she reminds herself. He was still his nerdy, sweet self. Nothing had cocked up when he had done it, so she shouldn't be afraid - and while Taako was no necromancy specialist, he was the (second) best wizard in several multiverses, and she trusted that he had pulled this off right.

Everything in there was fully Lup... but was she still fully Lup? (A decade in an umbrella.)

She couldn't stall forever.]

Do you have that towel, Koko?

[Her voice isn't the steadiest, but she's floating even closer now, bony hands reaching into the tank.]

For IPRE and friends

HEY BITCHES, I'M BACK!

[The door is thrown open, and while her hair is still wet, Lup is dressed and very lively. Her heart is beating so loud that its making her head hurt a bit and she's intimately aware of all the motions and happenings a real body has, and it's exhilarating and tiring at all once.

She was gonna take a nap for a DAY after this.]

Gonna take up the title of hottest twin again~!

[It had just been a quick text to people that she was gonna go corporeal, and then... well, it might have taken a little longer than she intended, so she had to make it up to everyone.

Hugs were in order.]

Comments

[scholiast]

(Talking was just magic... that all makes sense as Lup explains, and Lucretia can't imagine why she'd never noticed that before; perhaps because when Lup had gone lich for the first time she hadn't wanted it to change anything. Easier to pretend everything was normal than think about it too seriously.)

Huh, (she says, stupidly.) Well, I'm glad too, Lup. Will there be a glorious feast to celebrate your being corporeal again?

[umbrastaff]

[ Pretending everything was normal so you wouldn't have to think about it too seriously is a tried and true Twin coping mechanism, okay? Not only used by certain brothers.

Lup smiles at Lucretia, feeling so damn good that she wanted to do cartwheels - but then her best friend says the magic words and Lup's eyes widen in joy. ]

Holy shit. I'm gonna make the best fucking food, Luce. Got my tongue undulled, gotta make damn good use of it! Totally making fettuchini, maybe with some feta-cheese-filled meatballs...

[ Plans! ]

[scholiast]

(Sounds about right.

Aw, watching Lup get all happy about food is so nice. Lucretia can't help smiling too.)

You want a cooking buddy? I promise to supervise only and not touch anything.

[umbrastaff]

Hell yeah I do!

[She takes Lucretia's hand and pulls her along to the kitchen.]

You can hand me stuff, yeah?

[That's a compromise between too many cooks and just watching.]

[scholiast]

Yes. I'm very proficient in handing people stuff.

(She has a +2 bonus and everything!)

Everybody else appropriately excited about your new body?

[umbrastaff]

That's my girl.

[Lup starts getting things out from the fridge and the pantries, stopping now and then to just remind herself of what things feel like. The weight of the package of meat, the smell of the cheese.]

They've all been so excited, Luce. Taako is super relieved, too.

[scholiast]

(Lucretia steps in automatically to help, but upon seeing how Lup is enjoying touching everything in the pantry, steps back to let her take the reins. It's very endearing to watch her weigh everything in her palms.)

Yeah, I bet.

(There's a tiny, guilty part of her that wonders if he might ease up a little now that this latest stress has been assuaged. Maybe.) You'd better swear to him you won't break this one for a good while.

[umbrastaff]

[She gathers all the ingredients and slowly starts cooking. It's weird, how it makes her feel powerful, to be able to do this in a real body. No matter how much she had cooked, baked and mixed drinks in the vessel, this still felt different.]

I did promise I wouldn't break it for another cycle, at least.

[...and since they're out of the cycles, that really didn't mean much.]

[scholiast]

(She passes ingredients dutifully, even helps out with measuring out amounts, getting everything lined up in the order they're supposed to be added.)

Hmm, maybe make it two? It's been a bit of a rough go, Lup.

[umbrastaff]

[With Lucretia being all productive with the ingredients, it is pretty easy and quick to start up the cooking. Pasta goes into the water, meat is prepared and Lup is loving it.]

I will do my best, Luce. Still, if shit goes down I'm gonna be in there without hesitation. You know how it is.

[scholiast]

(Lucretia is too, it smells sooooo good.)

I do, unfortunately. Just make sure I'm there too so I can at least cast stone-skin on you or something.

[umbrastaff]

Alright, alright. I can make sure to get some sick abjuration armor on before I go bananas.

[She mashes the feta cheese and adds it with the meat, being generous with the spices (but not making it hot for Lucretia's sake). A mage hand its cast to keep the water from boiling over, and Lup forms little meat patties from her mix.]

Maybe I'll save a fourth level slot and have you teach it to me.

[scholiast]

Thank you.

(It's probably the best she's going to get from Lup so she'll take it. She watches Lup cook methodically with interest.)

That's not a terrible idea. Wouldn't go amiss to make sure you have at least one buff in your wheelhouse.

[umbrastaff]

Buffs are boring, but for you? Anything.

[Now the meat patties go in a pan, and she focuses on heating up the pasta a little more with a lazy Continual Flame.]

[scholiast]

Aw, shucks.

(She knows Lup's just entertaining her, but she still smiles.)

Is this a pointed invitation to lunch, by the way? (hungery)

[umbrastaff]

[ Taking the pasta off the stove and straining it with mage hand, Lup turns to look at Lucretia with a grin. ]

What, does it look good or something~?

[scholiast]

Yes, (she says, innocently enough considering how closely she is watching Lup strain that.)

It's a lot of food; I'm simply offering to help you finish it all.

[umbrastaff]

Hmm, I guess I could be a good host and let you have a taste.

[She says as she flips the meat.]

I'm sure you remember where the plates are!

[scholiast]

(yay she wins)

Oh thank you, Lup.

(But she won't stick around to play out the mock overly grateful card, she's gonna go set the table.)

[umbrastaff]

[ Like she would ever make food without sharing!

...either way, Lup finishes her cooking and grabs a few napkins with her as she serves the pasta and meat with a bit of sliced tomatoes as garnish. ]

Dig in! You want wine?

[scholiast]

For breakfast?

Absolutely I do. (Wow, she should come over more often. Lucretia takes a bite of pasta and sighs happily, sinking into her chair.

With her mouth full:) ten out of ten.

[umbrastaff]

I just hatched from the goop jar, time of day has no meaning.

[She goes to get some wine and two glasses. Setting them down and serving the wine, Lup grins at the honest score from her friend.]

That's my Luce, knowing just how to get leftovers home with her.

[scholiast]

Does this mean today is your new birthday?

(Leftovers was actually the end game plan! She plucks her wine glass from the table and has a sip. It's perfectly matched to the food, and she is so so so so happy right now.)

Lup, I love this.

[umbrastaff]

Shit, does it? That would be weird, Luce.

[She can't imagine it being different from Taako's, no matter how they split up their birthday week normally.

Lup also digs into the food, and after the first taste the elf has tears in her eyes.}

Holy shit.

[scholiast]

Probably. (She gestures at Lup with her fork,) how about your second birthday then? You can have two.

(This suggestion goes mostly unnoticed because Lup is tasting actual food again for the first time in months. Lucretia grins, and gets up to get her a napkin.)

Told you it was good.