ways_infirmary | (no subject)

Danny carefully lays Bob on the nearest bed and collapses into the nearest chair.

Bob doesn't move. It may be a long time before he wakes up.

Eventually, someone- probably Danny- brings Ray in. He's not really sure what to look for, but they said Bob was in that one... bed... near...

Hoooooboy.

It's still recognizeably Bob. He has the same face, the same hairstyle, the same body type, the same scars (and they're more obviously scars, now--little superficial burn scars dotted across his body). It's just that those features are rendered in flesh and blood rather than ones and zeroes.

Other than the subtle rise and fall of his chest as he breathes, he's perfectly still.

Ray winces, and as is his wont, sits down and pulls out the PKE meter. This is going to be interesting.

At least he didn't get turned into a mermaid.

Don't ask.

There's not much to read from the meter. Just the standard baseline readings one would get from any mundane human being, plus a bit of residual energy from Svava's healing spell.

While he's looking at the meter, Ray may or may not notice Bob's eyes snap open.

We'll go with 'not'. Ray's not as observant as he ought to be. It takes him a minute or two to look up from the disappointing numbers. "Oh, hey, you're awake. Hi, Bob."

He doesn't answer. He just states at the ceiling in wide-eyed horror.

All programs know their own format and primary function. It's built into their code on a primal level. Sprites take it for granted that this code will tell them what they are, why they are, and how to serve the purpose for which they were created.

Bob just woke up to find that code gone. Not altered, not damaged, but gone.

"What am I?"

"I could be wrong," Ray says, "but from the look of things, and from what the people who brought you in here said, I think you're probably human at the moment."

"I'm..."

He lifts a hand up to his face. It's the wrong color, and the skin texture is different, and there's folds and wrinkes that weren't there before.

He feels his face. The shape is familiar, but the texture's wrong again, and there's heat coming off of it. His breathing gets faster and his movements increasingly frantic as he gropes along his neck, his arms, his chest...

Everything feels wrong.

"This isn't happening. This can't be happening--"

"Around here it happens more often than you'd think," says Ray. "You should probably be glad you're at least the same body plan. A friend of mine got turned into a partly humanoid form despite being born a walking rock. Um, you probably don't want to panic, Bob, you might fall off the bed and hurt yourself-" He thinks for a moment. "Unless you still have any of your powers, of course."

Bob shakes his head violently. "I can't-- I can't--" He doesn't know how to finish the thought. There aren't words to describe the sudden absence, because it isn't supposed to happen.

He curls up on the bed, trembling. He feels like he's on the verge of screaming or crying or--something else that he can't identify.

He can't identify anything right now.

Okay, this is not good. Um. Um.

Yeah, this isn't working so well for Ray either.

Maybe he can put a hand on Bob's shoulder without messing him up further? That usually seems to be at least a little bit reassuring.

At the touch, Bob's head jerks up and he looks at Ray as if he just now noticed that he wasn't alone in the room.

"Ray?" There's disbelief in his voice, like he's not sure who or what he's looking at.

"Yeah," says Ray. "This is me without the scan data. Hi."

Bob sits up a little more, still staring at Ray. 'Scrutinizing' might be a better word.

"So... this is how Users see things."

"Pretty much, yup," says Ray. "Five senses and that's it, unless you're Suzi Darley or a psychic."

He's starting to calm down a little. "How--" he swallows hard. "How did this happen?"

"Probably some kind of magic going wrong," says Ray. "With Naraht, it was a healing spell to counteract a disease. Raven turned him into a mermaid. You've got a little pararnormal energy left over around you, so someone probably used a spell on you."

"I don't remember," Bob murmurs. "I was going to help Danny hack a radio station, and then..." he shakes his head. "I don't remember anything after that."

"How were you going to do it? Did he have a computer to get you out there with?"

"I didn't think I needed to. He said he could go in and out of computers in his world, so I figured I could just, y'know, walk through the door."

He lets out a sigh. "I guess I was wrong."

"Maybe the computers are just that different from world to world," Ray says. "I don't know. We'll have to see about finding someone who can change you back, of course."

"Yeah."

Bob starts to pull the blanket aside, then stops.

"Uh... why am I naked?"

"Are you?" says Ray. "I didn't check. Want me to go get you some clothing from the Bar?"

"That... would probably be a good idea, yeah."

Ray nods. "I'll be right back," he says.

Silver clothing is a no-go. Armor's one thing. This just looks quasi-futuristic. A long-sleeved blue shirt with grey stripes and a pair of indigo jeans should work out better.

When Ray returns, Bob is still on the bed, staring at the floor. He looks up a second too late--he's clearly preoccupied.

"Oh, you're back. Thanks."

"Not a problem," Ray says, handing the clothing over. "Are you gonna need some more time alone or something? I mean,a side from changing into the clothes, obviously."

He nods. "Yeah."

Ray nods. "I kind of figured," he says sympathetically. "I'm just going to wait on the other side of the door, okay? Just holler when you need me."

Bob nods again, not looking up this time.

He'll get dressed and come outside eventually.