Chapter 7: CAST Off Your Outer Shell

[nanocerancowboy]

[This week has not been ideal for Falk Gatt.]

[Normally, as a CAST, the current hardship Mayfield is forcing upon its "citizens" would not have been a big problem. However, like many others of Mayfield, Gat's been stripped of his CASThood. ... Repeatedly. The RAcast has been finding himself flipping back and forth between the human body Mayfield

Comments

C

[infinitemars]

[Heavily bundled, Kira's out to also check the stores for anything the family might need but not have. The boys tend to do so as well, but since they're often in school, she does it too. When Gat ends up dropping some of his groceries, however, she moves over to help him pick them up.]

Let me help!

[nanocerancowboy]

[While Kira's on her way over to help Gat, he's grumbling to himself, kneeling and trying to pick up some of the goods that fell out of the bag. Though, he glances up at hearing Kira's voice.]

Oh-much obliged, ma'am.

[Gat repositions the grocery bag in his arm so Kira can place the items she's picking up into it.]

[infinitemars]

[She smiles and shakes her head, grabbing up anything that rolled away from him]

It's no problem. Especially since it seems you have your hands full.

[nanocerancowboy]

Usually it ain't this big of a deal, but with th' way th' town's been toyin' with what it's given us back ...

[Glancing down, he notices a can of soup at his feet and kneels to pick it up.]

I've been havin' a hard time adjustin'.

[And he's currently wearing clothes that don't look suited to this type of weather at all-although he seems more annoyed at the situation rather than miserable.]

Action: D

[hardhat_truckie]

(Engie's down at the tree too. There's a frown on his face as he stares up at it. He's a bit engrossed in his own world again, and as such he doesn't notice human!Gatt until he backs up and bumps into him.)

Whoops. Sorry stranger, didn't mean ta do that.

Long time no see!

[nanocerancowboy]

[Gat takes a step back after being bumped into to regain his footing.]

Ain't no thing-

[A beat passes as Gat realizes he's met this guy before!]

-well, now. I ain't seen you around town in a while!

[Recognize that voice, Engie?]

[hardhat_truckie]

...

Gatt? That you?

What in Sam Hill happened to you!?

[nanocerancowboy]

[Yeah, Gat doesn't look much happier when attention is called to his currently fleshy state. He rubs the back of his neck with a bit of a humorless grin on his face.]

Mayfield's been messin' with th' things it's given folks back ever since that news broadcast. My real body's been comin' an' goin' at random.

It ain't a pleasant feelin', constantly switchin' back an' forth.

Action D - Also, Indecisive Bicentennial Man is the best tag ever

[duck_duck_laser]

[Dakki is hating the cold more and more and more with each passing moment. And she can only imagine the kind of hardship poor Gat's been going through, with his body switching back and forth at random. She had decided that she had to do something. It took until now to be able to do it, but...]

Gat! Gat, there you are!

[He said he was going to go look at the tree, and that's where she came and found him. She was carrying a very large and very bulgy shopping bag.]

...is it... is it actually warmer here?

[And now she's kind of unhappy looking, too.]

Bwaha. :D

[nanocerancowboy]

[Gat looks up from where he's been standing around, currently in human form, and holds up a hand in greeting. He looks a surprised to see such a huge shopping bag stuffed to the gunnels, actually, given how sparse the town's made foodstuffs and supplies.]

Howdy, Dakki.

[And at Dakki's other question, Gat's expression sours as he glances up at the tree.]

Seems like th' tree's decorations are puttin' out a lotta heat to go with that there light. I'd wonder how much power this here tree's pullin'.

[Should switch to using photon reactors, Mayfield. NO WAIT THAT'S A BAD IDEA]

[duck_duck_laser]

[NEXT EVENT: SEED INVASION Dakki stares up at the tree, frowning.]

Way too much. Much too much, if it's enough to make things warm, here. Maybe they have heaters set up...

They're doing it for her, aren't they? [She snorts, looks down... and oh yes, she has something for him. That overstuffed shopping bag is shoved into his hands.]

Here! This is for you! I traded Thor some sweaters and a large tuna casserole for it!

[It is a very large, very thick, very brown, very ugly coat. One that would, with a little effort, fit over Gat in his CAST form.]

[nanocerancowboy]

[Oh, Gat is definitely putting that coat on. He might be trying to act like the cold is not a big deal, but enduring the cold every time Mayfield turns him back into a human has been pretty hard.]

Much obliged, Dakki.

[After putting the coat on, he tugs at it a bit, as if confirming that it won't shred to bits the next time Gat re-regains his CAST body.]

By her, you mean that lil' girl folks say runs th' town?

[His face sours a bit.]

Prolly so. I think I heard her on th' phones after what they did to us last month.

A

[answerer_sword]

[OOC: Let's say that this is the 15th]

You're going to freeze to death like that.

[Even if, being larger in size than most of the people in Mayfield, he is better insulated against the cold than others.]

Gotcha!

[nanocerancowboy]

[Gat looks up at Bazett after shoveling another load of snow off of the sidewalk.]

Oh, howdy.

[Judging from his facial expression, he does look a bit disgruntled to be out here in the cold. He shovels off another load of snow as he continues responding.]

I never did bother with buyin' winter clothes-figured I wasn't gonna need 'em after havin' my normal body for all these months.

Re: Gotcha!

[answerer_sword]

Why did you not buy them yesterday? Your body was already shifting into a human one, was it not? And what about other supplies like food? Even if you theoretically will eat less than others, seeing how you will spend part of your time as a mechanical being, you would still need it for your human body.

[nanocerancowboy]

[She brings up a good point about the clothes. Gat looks a little embarrassed for not thinking that through.]

You're right, I shoulda thought about it. I've been helpin' with other housework.

[After shoveling another load of snow, he looks back up to Bazett, tilting his head in the direction of the house.]

I ain't th' only undroned person in th' house, mind you. I've been doin' my fair share of grocery runs.