[Scene opens on a view of a skyscraper in the middle of a city, the camera pans up to show a large dragon curled around the building. There's a typical city ambiance with people chatting calmly and cars moving in the background. A voice overlays the footage]
Y’know, where I come from, shapeshifting isn't that big of a deal. Sometimes I still get caught up in how different everything is here.
[The scene changes, a man with short brown hair and a yellow shirt jumps from one building to the next. He makes a few more jumps towards the camera, grinning the whole time. The camera moves to show the height that the man and cameraman are at, the ground is far below them]
I guess that’s why I like being a merc? I’m used to the danger, it’s normal for me. Roof hopping, parkour.. Hell, my hands definitely weren’t clean before coming here. It’s a world without laws, as peaceful as it seems sometimes it’s always gonna be dangerous.
[The scene changes again, now to the Scout who makes the same gestures he did in his own video as he speaks]
“If you were from where I was from? You’d be dead”
[The Scout grabs at air, and a mask appears in his hand. He puts it on, revealing it to be the Shapeshifter’s mask, and the “Scout” shifts into a different form. This person is covered head to toe, the patch on their red sweater features a similar mask to the one they’re wearing]
That’s what he said in his own interview, yeah? Same applies to me, you’ve gotta know how to adapt on the fly to live there. So working as someone that is supposed to be able to fill any empty spot on the field? Well, I’d say I was made for the job.
[There are several shots of the Shapeshifter reading various books, some about the different languages the team speaks, others documenting medical research, as well as the occasional book about engineering or even rarer, something unrelated to the team]
I take my job seriously, if everyone out on the field believes I wasn’t even there? I did my job like I’m supposed to. Of course, that means a lot of research to do and a lot of languages to learn, but in my opinion it’s worth it.
[There are several shots of the other mercs, some during a battle while others are outside of battle. After a few seconds of each merc it’s revealed to be the Shapeshifter]
Sure, I’ve got favorites to cover for. I get the same limits as they do when I shift into them, I can move as fast as Scout, be as strong as Heavy, but all that comes with it’s drawbacks too. Like, as Demo I can only see from one eye for example. I can’t take as many hits as Scout as I could as Heavy, but I’m not as fast as Heavy as I am as Scout.. You get the idea.
[The scene returns to Shapeshifter, who is tilting their head]
I think that covers everything? Oh, wait!
[Something in their posture changes slightly, making them seem more mischievous]
Pronouns: Any/All (Often uses the same pronouns as the person they shift into)
Height: 5'7" in "base form"
Place of Origin: Hurricane, Utah. The Hub (Home world).
Team: RED
Physical Appearance: While in base form, the Shapeshifter is completely covered by their uniform. They wear a red hoodie with the hood up at all times, black gloves, pants, and sneakers, as well as a red mask similar to the one shown in their class patch. Their class patch can be seen on the upper arm of their hoodie, near the shoulder.
Other notes:
The Shapeshifter shows signs of extreme anxiety over their actual appearance being seen, as well as other signs of both general and social anxiety.
The Shapeshifter has a raven companion that they refer to as "South". There's an odd feeling that seems to surround this raven
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
[Mimic wasn't the best known for being in the right place at the right time.]
[They weren't fresh to their team nor were they there from the beginning. They were just an addition that caught the attention of some eyes when they'd gotten too clumsy in their killing spree. They weren't close to anyone, they kept as far as they could. After all, this was just work, who would get close to their coworkers?]
[It was common for them to drift off, to wander around and get themselves in trouble because it was all they knew. Aside from a boiling anger that had finally settled into a soft simmer after so many years of its roar.]
[For once Mimic could say they could think straight, something they hadn't felt they could say in so many countless years.]
[They come to their senses when the wind gently brushes their coat, jostling it as they lift their head from the floor they stared at. They blinked their eyes, adjusting to their surroundings as they stood still. Their boots rocked awkwardly on the floor as they clasped their hands in front of them in form of entertainment.]
[Clap!]
[They flinch at the very sound of their hands, too used to the quiet atmosphere of their mind. It snapped them to their senses, coming to the sense that they weren't alone.]
[There was a tree and among it a person. Person? Yes. Or maybe not. Was that a mask? Mimic squints their eyes, not gaining much from it considering they were blind in one and their hair covered too much. They slowly unclasp their hands, lifting one to their face to push away a tuft of hair. A green eye peered from between the tufts, squinted as if it would help.]
[They aren't sure they should announce their presence, not sure who it was that stood in front of them.]
Fortunately, there was no need to announce their presence. The clap caught their attention just fine.
They definitely didn't fall out of the tree in their surprise. It was a calculated drop, if you had to know.
"By those-" They started, lifting themselves up and fixing their mask, which had gone askew in their descent. They paused at the unfamiliar face before getting up and brushing themselves off. "Guess that's what I get for not paying attention." They joke weakly.
"Uh- I don't think we've met before?" They mentally kicked themselves, it sounded more like a question than a statement. Introductions always felt so awkward. They pushed on regardless, giving their hood a tug to make sure it was covering them properly. "I'm the Shapeshifter, but that can be a mouthful, so just Shapes or Shifty works fine."
[They were startled, dropping their hand as the person fell.] "Oh!" [Was all they could pathetically muster in a moment of alarm. Ah, that was a rough tumble!]
[They stared at the unfamiliar mask, unsure they'd met the other person. They could only wonder if it was a merc, there seemed to be so many of them, and many they had yet to meet. The weak attempt at a joke has an awkward smile climbing up their lips.]
"I don't think we have." [They reply, feeling a chuckle follow light on their tongue. It wasn't a mocking laugh, it felt as if they did it to alleviate any awkward tension in the air.] "It's a pleasure to meet you Shapeshifter," [They pause for a second in thought.] "Shifty." [They bite at the nickname, giving it a taste before deciding it wasn't something they could roll with. Nicknames have never been their thing.]
[With a bad taste of the nickname on their tongue they quickly correct themselves.] "Shapeshifter."
[They looked down at the other, clasping their hands in front of them once again but this time gently. Skin pressing against skin but no sound, gentle and thought out. They press their weight into the heels of their boots, thoughtfully humming.] "I'm the Mimic, Mimic or Mi is just fine." [The nickname tumbles awkwardly from their mouth, it was clear nobody called them that. It was a clumsy attempt at mimicking the context of Shapeshifter's sentence.]
[They feel obligated to ask if the other was okay, they were after all the cause of Shapeshifter's fall and to say they didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about it would be a mouthful of lies.] "Are you alright? You took quite a fall."
They make the decision to pointedly ignore their tumble, a quiet laugh escapes them at their correction, finding some humor in the clear decision that was made in just repeating their name. They nod as Mimic introduced themselves, taking note of how they stumble over the short nickname. "Mimic, got it."
They then scratched the back of their neck. Gloves against hood, fabric against fabric. Not an inch of exposed skin. " 'nd yeah, I'm fine. That was far from the worst fall I've taken. Might end up with a bruise or two at worst." They shrug, quickly attempting to dodge any concern. The last thing they wanted was to have to visit Medic. Especially for something so minor.
"Oh! Uh- pronouns? I'm fine with anything, myself, but get they/them most often." They didn't interact with enough of the others to know if they actually remembered to ask about their pronouns when first introducing themselves, but they'd like to think they did.
They could swear they used to be better at this kind of thing, but they could be wrong.
[They seemed to move past their little tumble of nicknames in favor of nodding their head at the mention of their name, swinging on the balls of their feet as they inhaled softly. They swing their clasped hands in front of them quietly, seeming similar to a child waiting for a treat. Swinging their feet and arms in childlike manners.]
[Not overly exaggerated but it seemed like a motion they did to relieve stress. Their shoulders were slightly tensed and they had just a slight awkward swing. Their pose made it difficult to swing on their boots but they seemed to manage in favor of not standing still like a tree.]
"I can only assume you've gotten worse." [They made a general motion towards the mask that obscured their vision of Shapeshifter's face. They had a general assumption that the other was a merc just like them, if not then what sane man would wear a mask? They're polite enough not to bring it up.] "This line of work will have you sore by merely getting out of bed."
[They wave a hand lazily as they speak, they are somewhat expressive considering their eyes give no portal to their emotions.]
[Their voice could be described as blunt, there wasn't any real hint of emotion behind it. There was an accent to it however, some words were slurred, and 'r's seemed to pop just slightly. The roll of their tongue with every word that leaves their mouth.]
"I'm glad you're alright." [They seemed to realize that it was only polite to say that otherwise they wouldn't have said it and went along with just talking.] "Oh! Pro…nouns?" [The word slips out in a slurred confusion. Out of all the things they've been asked they can't say they've heard that before and despite not having their eyes visible the crinkles on their face showed that their brows had furrowed.]
"Ah!" [They seemed to brighten as the other brought up their pronouns.]
"Well then, I am a man and many refer to me as such." [They start with a tilt of their head, moving their hands to their chest.] "But I do use they/them as well!" [That seemed to be the first genuine spike in their tone. It sounded like they were happy and with a smile on their face perhaps that was it.]
They, on the other hand, stood mostly still outside of occasional exaggerated movements likely to make up for the lack of visible facial expressions. Waving a hand here or there, slumping their shoulders, anything that helped convey their emotions was on the table.
It looked like despite being completely covered from head to toe, they actually wanted to be understood. How odd.
"The mask's a part of my uniform, which is a little funny since you never see it when I'm actually on the field." They muse. "If I'm out there, it's never as myself."
Their hands slip into the pockets of their hoodie and their shoulders seem to relax a bit, a little more comfortable now. "So he/him and they/them? Noted." They nod.
They pause, considering and weighing their options for a moment. "So, mind if I ask what brings you out here?"
[Their hands swung to the side as they brought up their pronouns, seeming delighted that someone else had the decency to know to ask. It wasn't very common that people did, it wasn't brought up from what they noticed. They tipped their weight forward, standing on the toes of their boots before swinging back slowly.]
[Shapeshifter was a nice change of pace from their previous interactions. One not being so pleasant and the other being simply... Strange. Although strange seemed to be a part of this job.]
[They quite like this person, from what they were experiencing now. Of course that could be bound for change.]
[They can't say they were blind to Shapeshifter's attempts at being understood. For a person who was covered from head to toe, you would expect them to be well... Mysterious. And yes, Shapeshifter was mysterious in some way but it didn't appear as if that was their goal. Mimic picked up on this, being surrounded by men who were both open and closed about themselves they tended to know the difference.]
[They were curious but they didn't pry. Unlike some members of their team, they were rather respectful, polite, and formal. At least in the presence of a stranger.]
"Shapeshifter" [They mimic at their sentence 'never as myself'.] "That makes sense." [They vocalize before moving past that issue in favor of other conversation topics. Work clearly wasn't their best conversation subject.]
[While speaking they must have stopped swinging, the action was gradual and barely noticeable until they had stopped completely. They nodded their head politely at the confirmation of their pronouns as they looked around.] "I can't say I know where here is."
[They spin in a circle, inspecting their surroundings before deciding that yes, they had no clue where this was.] "I was in my garden a couple of minutes ago, I must have spaced out when I went to get tea."
[A wanderer was what they were. An unwilling one at that.]
"Couldn't tell you exactly where we are, either, but I can say that I know how to get back." They note lightly, not seeming even the slightest bit put off by the other's unwilling wandering and instead assuring them that they could both get back fine.
They pause for a second. "Garden, huh?" There's a second where it seems like they might continue, but for one reason or another, their voice dies in their throat and they twist their fingers in the opposite arm's sleeve in annoyance.
Why did talking to people have to be hard? Knowing that they hadn't always been like this only made the situation more annoying for them.
"I would appreciate being able to get back." [They hummed thoughtfully at the sentence. They were grateful that Shapeshifter wasn't one of those people to ask what they meant by 'spaced out'. It could get annoying repeating the same thing over and over again.]
[Actually, they memorized it from how many times they had to say it.]
['I never really know where I'm going but my legs do. Sometimes it feels like my body and mind are different, like they split apart and my body is seeking my mind out. Only when I come to my senses has my body found my mind.' Normally they told that to whoever would listen, it was both an explanation and also long enough that nobody would willingly bother them again with stupid questions.]
[They might hate questions, now that they think about it.]
"Yes, a garden." [Mimic moved on from that awkward pause where it felt as if Shapeshifter would continue. They weren't alone, talking to people was indeed hard! Mimic was lucky that they knew how to keep a conversation going, however, they never knew how to start one.]
[That was where their conversational skills fell.]
"I can show you to it if you'd like, I have a tree there and I can assure you that you will not fall again. If you'd prefer to continue whatever you were doing before I came along." [They speak lightly, rather fondly. The tension they displayed at first meeting wasn't as present, although it was certainly still there.] "Well... Once you get us out of here?"
[They meant for it to come out as a statement yet their voice squeaked as it came out in a question. Even through their hair, their brows could be described as raised, their mouth pulled into a thin line that creased upwards at the edges just slightly. It was barely visible through their stubble.]
[They were trying to make themselves... Friendly. Sure, in this line of work, they didn't have a reason to make friends or be friendly but it was like an instinct driven into their skin].
"I think I'd like to see it, assuming I'm not intruding on anything." They note. They doubted Mimic would offer if that were the case, but it felt like the right thing to say. Blame it on the inherent strangeness that nature had where they came from.
When there were forests out there that could stretch on forever and constantly misdirect you, you learned to err on the side of caution. Even when you befriend one such forest.
"Right." They clap, the sound muted by their gloves. "Now, I'm probably gonna look crazy here." Their voice carries some humor, clearly aware of how strange what they're about to do will look.
They turn their head. "South, we're going!"
Nothing happens for a moment, but they don't seem swayed. After a few more seconds of silence, some leaves rustle and something squawks, then a raven flies down and promptly lands on their head.
"Mimic, meet South. Resident mischief maker." They turn back to Mimic. "Also the one that will yell at me if I take a wrong turn."
"It's peaceful. Much like this place although..." [They think for a second, trying to find the right word. What was the English word again? It was on the tip of their tongue.] "Pequeño, pequeño... pequeñito..." [They murmur the word in a foreign language as if it would remind them of the English word.]
[There were no connections between the English and Spanish versions of it so they opted to make a shrinking motion with their hand.] "Very cramp?" [The sentence comes out in a question once more. Despite so many years surrounded by English-speaking men, they seemed to forget those small details. Small words that weren't in their day-to-day talks. Such as the actual word for 'small'.]
[They drop their hands sheepishly to their sides, deciding that even if their little motion didn't work they were fine with Shapeshifter not knowing. They could figure it out once the two were out of the forest.]
[Mimic only managed to catch onto Shapeshifter's 'South, we're going!' and turned their head to stare at the other. They were thinking about the word small, it was right there and they couldn't figure it out! At first, they assumed they meant they were heading south with Shapeshifter's comment but when Shapeshifter didn't move Mimic just stood there awkwardly. Their brows furrowed because Shapeshifter's body language showed anticipation. Waiting for something. Now the question had to be either, is it a creature or is Shapeshifter insane?]
[Or both?]
[They tensed at the rustle of leaves, realizing they had focused longer on Shapeshifter's sanity rather than paying attention to what they were waiting for. They blinked their eyes as a means to ground themselves, tilting their head to get a look at the raven. So it was an animal!]
[Although a blurry one at that. Mimic lifts a tuft of hair covering their right eye. Squinting slightly to get a good look at the feathery creature.] "Ah! Then we have someone who knows the way!" [They humorously chirp as they drop their hand. With hair constantly obscuring their good eye they didn't have the best vision, hence the action of lifting their hair and squinting when they really wanted to get a look at something.]
They had a few guesses about what the word Mimic was missing was, but by the time they thought to speak up, it felt a bit too late.
South cocked his head to the side, similarly, getting a good look at Mimic. When spoken about, the raven shakes himself and fluffs up with what sounds like a pleased honk.
They tap at the raven's feet. "Let's get moving before your ego gets any bigger." They tease, earning a quick peck from the bird before he takes off again.
They wait a moment, watching where South is before nodding and speaking up again. "This way." They wait until they're sure Mimic knows which way they're going before actually starting to walk.
[They catch onto the noise of the creature and guess by the tone it was rather pleased. Out of all the animals they've seen as pets they can't say this... crow...? Was a part of it.]
[Crow or a raven? Both were strangely similar and Mimic only had one eye to see through. Did Shapeshifter mention the species? They don't recall them doing so or perhaps they blanked out on it? It wouldn't be the first time.]
[They furrowed their brows slightly, deep in thought that they barely caught onto what Shapeshifter had to say.]
[Shapeshifter talks to the animal the way anyone would with a normal pet. Mimic does the same with Lunita and in some way, there is a familiarity in seeing the two interact. It was making the merc miss their rabbit who quite frankly probably wasn't far. They didn't stray that far, did they?]
[Either way, they can trust the other to get them back, hopefully. If not the pistol hidden by their coat was also effective.]
[Their good eye watches the blurry bird dart away, vanishing into the vegetation around them. Assuming that was their chance to catch up with the other they drop their gaze to the Shapeshifter and track up to be a step or three behind them. This would ensure they were close but not too close for discomfort.]
[It was to keep track of the other, they'd rather not get lost or perhaps even deeper into the forest than they already were.]
As they walk, they make occasional sounds of affirmation to noises that must've come from South informing them which way to go. There were a few times they considered bringing up some tips about telling the difference between a crow and a raven since they knew it was a common issue, but each time they decided against it.
Eventually, they made it out of the forest and South swooped down and landed on their head again before climbing down to their shoulder to mess with the string to their hoodie for the rest of the short trip.
[The man follows close behind, not uncomfortably close but enough that they could see the other without loosing them. After all, the other... Merc and the bird was their only way out of here. There was an occasional glance behind them out of pure instinct, always expecting something behind them. Years of fighting Spy does that for you.]
[Mimic startled a little at the sight of the bird again just as they made a break through the forest. Right back to familiar land. Actually, if Mimic focused enough he could see their garden just at a hills point to the right.]
"Thank you," [They don't need to clarify, they're fairly certain the point is there but they still do just in case.] "For getting me out of the forest! Wouldn't have been a pleasant travel on my own." [Although they didn't doubt they'd find their way out, they simply wouldn't while mentally there.]
[A hot second of silence as they think. Does the Shapeshifter still want to visit their garden? Should he ask again? Wow, alright, he really doesn't know what to do. Alright! Just suck it up! Worst they can say is no! They motioned towards the right, where he was fairly certain his garden was without having to focus.] "My garden is this way, if you still wish to join me?" [They asked politely, mindful to not force.]
Their hood tightened around their head from South pulling on the string, but they don't seem to make any move to stop the bird. Probably all too used to this kind of behavior. "No problem."
They turn their head to glance in the direction, mostly out of habit before coming to realize that they actually could somewhat see the garden in question. They were still a bit too used to the mesh of their old masks making everything harder to see.
The tradeoff being that now doing anything in the dark was an ordeal.
"If you'll have me, I'd like that." They decide with a small nod.
[The other seemed content in the presence of the bird, a pet that not many liked. What was that saying? A crow symbolized death most of the time but ravens symbolized transformation- smart. A shapeshifter and a raven, a raven made more sense and there was something ironic about that. Joyous.]
[Their steps were slow, calm, and gentle on the surface floor. His hand is up and pointing in a way to lead. A soft 'follow me' sort of thing.] "I would love your presence there, as would my bunny." [They comment gently, and smoothly to keep their anxiety at bay.]
[It wasn't every day they invited people to their garden. Let alone a stranger whom he had only just met. Perhaps he was putting too much trust because the other was a merc. Something a little silly for someone who was constantly jumping from color to color simply because copies were impossible for them. But to each, their own, within black and white was a complexity of grays.]
"I hope your friend doesn't mind mine, yes? She is rather... Excitable with new people." [They settle on the words a little cautiously, as if not knowing the meaning of them. Which didn't seem surprising, with his thick accent it was clear that no matter what there would always be some form of stutter in their speech.]
As they walked the way that was pointed they shoved aside the small part of them that was nagging them to take notes of how Mimic moved and behaved. What were the chances that they'd need to cover for him? It hadn't been brought up to them at all, so they elected to believe that it wasn't something they'd routinely have to do.
"Ah, yeah, South'll be fine." They assure, a small smile in their tone as they pull on the opposite string to the one the bird was messing with to briefly fix the lengths.
It wouldn't last long.
"Honestly, he'll probably like to visit an animal that isn't me." They add jokingly.
Briefly, they considered asking about Mimic's first language in order to learn it. It wasn't like adding another language to the learning pile would hurt anyone. But ultimately decided against it out of fear of coming off rude.
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
*Tracker was finally back. In the flesh and blood. God, it was good to be back. And not covered in rust anymore, too. Still, he wasn't exactly the most calm right now. So, he decided to take a walk. Best way to clear the mind, right? Or, that's what he thought before he heard the ever familiar sound of a tree's leaves rustling. Who made the sound? Were they about to attack? Immidently, his mind went into overdrive, his head whipping to where the sound came from, to see... someone who looked semi-familiar. He slowly approached to get a better look. After seeing the way the figure was covering their face, he already had a guess. Sure enough, that mask he knew all too well was being held up by a single hand. Yep, this was Shify, alright. It had been so long, too. He should probably catch up. Though, seeing the predicament they were in right now, he just watched for a bit. He didn't want to startle them and make them fall. That would be very rude. Who was he? Jeremy? Please. Eventually, though, he did have to make his presence know somehow. So, he takes a look around and steps on a nearby twig, forcing a sharp crack out of the small piece of wood.*
The sound jolts them out of their thoughts, but hey, they don't fall out of the tree or anything! They swing their body to face the sound, pleasantly surprised to see the familiar face.
"Tryin' to give me a heart attack or something?" They teased quickly, maneuvering themselves to get out of the tree. If they remembered correctly, the last time they had gotten a chance to talk with Tracker was Halloween. "How have you been? It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Missed being made of flesh? Should I be concerned?" Their tone is light, being far too used to strange sentences and weird circumstances.
"And no, I climbed it as myself. Trying to clear my head, usually I'd climb a particularly tall building, but that wasn't an option. Someone I know will hang upside down, so I figured I'd give it a shot." They shake their head. "I'm not sure how she does it."
"Oh. Right. You've been gone for so long that I forgot you haven't had a chance to catch up on things. So, you know the Grays? The ones with sunglasses? Yeah, one of the bastards turned me into a robot. Granted, I was literally asking for it, but still."
*Tracker combs down his messy head of hair. He doesn't know why he's so self-conscious about his appearance when around Shify, but that was a conversation for another time.*
"Hanging upside down, huh? Yeah, that can't be good for your health. Try going to the opposite extreme, then. If you can't go high, find the deepest cave you can, and go there. See if that helps any."
It took them a moment to piece together what Tracker meant by 'the Grays', but they got there eventually. They didn't get bothered by those guys often. In fact, they were pretty sure they'd only been approached by one or two in the past.
"If I had a nickel for every time someone I knew was turned into a robot..." They let the sentence drift off. They'd have three nickels. Or two if they were only counting people changed into robots by the Grays. "At least you got turned back." They decide.
If they noticed that he was self-conscious, they didn't bring any attention to it.
"Maybe I'll try that." They laugh. "Shapeshifting does take away a large part of the danger of cave diving."
They make an unsure noise. "Depends on what you mean by 'productive', I guess. I flew all the way over to my hometown.." Felt horribly misplaced. ".. And grabbed some things for myself. My room's a little less bare now." They chuckled, trying to cover up any signs that the trip had impacted them negatively by joking.
"It was a fairly long journey, if I'm honest." They note. "I don't know why I wasn't expecting that."
*Tracker bites the inside of his cheek while nodding. That didn't go by his usual definition of productive, but visits home did have a cathartic effect... Or so he was told. If he noticed Shifty's attempted defection, he didn't show it, instead opting to ponder his last trip home. He shakes the thought out of his mind before replying.*
"Well, you don't seem all that drained by it, so that's good. If I'm being honest, I can't stand long trips."
"...Wait, 'flew?' Last I checked, Mann Co didn't have an airport."
"Well, let's be honest, they might." They note, but shake their head. "But I didn't hop on a plane. I'm the Shapeshifter, and my abilities aren't limited to people."
Truthfully, before becoming a merc, they rarely used their shapeshifting to turn into other people. At most, they'd do it for a joke or a prank. They used to shift into different animals for more variety in their movement and to be able to get places they ordinarily couldn't. It had been nice to go back to that.
"So, yeah. I shifted into a bird, flew from the base all the way to Hurricane, Utah and back."
They give a thoughtful hum at the question. "It's hard to explain, it can depend on what I'm shifting into. I'm pretty sure most people expect me to say that it's painful, but honestly? Shifting into other people doesn't feel like much of anything, there's just a lot of reminding myself of what has changed, and shifting into animals kinda feels like getting to stretch muscles that you don't get to often."
So, basically, it seemed to depend on how much was changing.
*It was clear by the way he absent-mindedly stared at Shifty while they spoke that he had NO idea what any of that meant. Maybe he'd have some time to ask Ludwig later. Either way, he decided to change the subject.*
"Okay, I know I'm getting heavy on the interrogation, but I swear this is the last one. Why Mann Co? Why not... I dunno, the CIA?"
"It's.. A complicated story." They decide. Working for any sort of government when you legally didn't exist was difficult, to say the least. And getting the papers to change that was incredibly hard when you came from a literal other world.
And that wasn't even including their own (reasonable) worries.
"But Mann Co seems to like taking in the oddballs like me, I prefer it over working with a bunch of normal people." They shrug.
"Yeah, that makes sense. I dont think I could work a day outside Mann Co after... all this."
*Tracker went over the "oddballs" they had at Mann Co. Excluding the original nine mercs, there was him, Shifty, Mechie, that one with the purple hair who name he couldn't remember the name of right now... crap, who else? Eh. There's probably a ton more he hasn't met yet.*
"Still, it's just so... cool. Shapeshifting, I mean. It just feels like a waste. Fighting a war that doesn't matter... Against people who come back from the dead... all for a plot of gravel."
They tilt their head side to side, considering the thought, before shrugging. "I don't really think about it like that, why bother focusing on the futility of it all? I feel like there's enough weighing me down without thinking like that, y'know?"
Maybe that was Spring rubbing off on them, but it wouldn't be the worst thing they picked up after her.
"If you get to do something you like, is it really a waste?"
That was definitely something they picked up from Spring.
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
*Tracker was finally back. In the flesh and blood. God, it was good to be back. And not covered in rust anymore, too. Still, he wasn't exactly the most calm right now. So, he decided to take a walk. Best way to clear the mind, right? Or, that's what he thought before he heard the ever familiar sound of a tree's leaves rustling. Who made the sound? Were they about to attack? Immidently, his mind went into overdrive, his head whipping to where the sound came from, to see... someone who looked semi-familiar. He slowly approached to get a better look. After seeing the way the figure was covering their face, he already had a guess. Sure enough, that mask he knew all too well was being held up by a single hand. Yep, this was Shify, alright. It had been so long, too. He should probably catch up. Though, seeing the predicament they were in right now, he just watched for a bit. He didn't want to startle them and make them fall. That would be very rude. Who was he? Jeremy? Please. Eventually, though, he did have to make his presence know somehow. So, he takes a look around and steps on a nearby twig, forcing a sharp crack out of the small piece of wood.*
The sound jolts them out of their thoughts, but hey, they don't fall out of the tree or anything! They swing their body to face the sound, pleasantly surprised to see the familiar face.
"Tryin' to give me a heart attack or something?" They teased quickly, maneuvering themselves to get out of the tree. If they remembered correctly, the last time they had gotten a chance to talk with Tracker was Halloween. "How have you been? It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Missed being made of flesh? Should I be concerned?" Their tone is light, being far too used to strange sentences and weird circumstances.
"And no, I climbed it as myself. Trying to clear my head, usually I'd climb a particularly tall building, but that wasn't an option. Someone I know will hang upside down, so I figured I'd give it a shot." They shake their head. "I'm not sure how she does it."
"Oh. Right. You've been gone for so long that I forgot you haven't had a chance to catch up on things. So, you know the Grays? The ones with sunglasses? Yeah, one of the bastards turned me into a robot. Granted, I was literally asking for it, but still."
*Tracker combs down his messy head of hair. He doesn't know why he's so self-conscious about his appearance when around Shify, but that was a conversation for another time.*
"Hanging upside down, huh? Yeah, that can't be good for your health. Try going to the opposite extreme, then. If you can't go high, find the deepest cave you can, and go there. See if that helps any."
It took them a moment to piece together what Tracker meant by 'the Grays', but they got there eventually. They didn't get bothered by those guys often. In fact, they were pretty sure they'd only been approached by one or two in the past.
"If I had a nickel for every time someone I knew was turned into a robot..." They let the sentence drift off. They'd have three nickels. Or two if they were only counting people changed into robots by the Grays. "At least you got turned back." They decide.
If they noticed that he was self-conscious, they didn't bring any attention to it.
"Maybe I'll try that." They laugh. "Shapeshifting does take away a large part of the danger of cave diving."
They make an unsure noise. "Depends on what you mean by 'productive', I guess. I flew all the way over to my hometown.." Felt horribly misplaced. ".. And grabbed some things for myself. My room's a little less bare now." They chuckled, trying to cover up any signs that the trip had impacted them negatively by joking.
"It was a fairly long journey, if I'm honest." They note. "I don't know why I wasn't expecting that."
*Tracker bites the inside of his cheek while nodding. That didn't go by his usual definition of productive, but visits home did have a cathartic effect... Or so he was told. If he noticed Shifty's attempted defection, he didn't show it, instead opting to ponder his last trip home. He shakes the thought out of his mind before replying.*
"Well, you don't seem all that drained by it, so that's good. If I'm being honest, I can't stand long trips."
"...Wait, 'flew?' Last I checked, Mann Co didn't have an airport."
"Well, let's be honest, they might." They note, but shake their head. "But I didn't hop on a plane. I'm the Shapeshifter, and my abilities aren't limited to people."
Truthfully, before becoming a merc, they rarely used their shapeshifting to turn into other people. At most, they'd do it for a joke or a prank. They used to shift into different animals for more variety in their movement and to be able to get places they ordinarily couldn't. It had been nice to go back to that.
"So, yeah. I shifted into a bird, flew from the base all the way to Hurricane, Utah and back."
They give a thoughtful hum at the question. "It's hard to explain, it can depend on what I'm shifting into. I'm pretty sure most people expect me to say that it's painful, but honestly? Shifting into other people doesn't feel like much of anything, there's just a lot of reminding myself of what has changed, and shifting into animals kinda feels like getting to stretch muscles that you don't get to often."
So, basically, it seemed to depend on how much was changing.
*It was clear by the way he absent-mindedly stared at Shifty while they spoke that he had NO idea what any of that meant. Maybe he'd have some time to ask Ludwig later. Either way, he decided to change the subject.*
"Okay, I know I'm getting heavy on the interrogation, but I swear this is the last one. Why Mann Co? Why not... I dunno, the CIA?"
"It's.. A complicated story." They decide. Working for any sort of government when you legally didn't exist was difficult, to say the least. And getting the papers to change that was incredibly hard when you came from a literal other world.
And that wasn't even including their own (reasonable) worries.
"But Mann Co seems to like taking in the oddballs like me, I prefer it over working with a bunch of normal people." They shrug.
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
[Mimic wasn't the best known for being in the right place at the right time.]
[They weren't fresh to their team nor were they there from the beginning. They were just an addition that caught the attention of some eyes when they'd gotten too clumsy in their killing spree. They weren't close to anyone, they kept as far as they could. After all, this was just work, who would get close to their coworkers?]
[It was common for them to drift off, to wander around and get themselves in trouble because it was all they knew. Aside from a boiling anger that had finally settled into a soft simmer after so many years of its roar.]
[For once Mimic could say they could think straight, something they hadn't felt they could say in so many countless years.]
[They come to their senses when the wind gently brushes their coat, jostling it as they lift their head from the floor they stared at. They blinked their eyes, adjusting to their surroundings as they stood still. Their boots rocked awkwardly on the floor as they clasped their hands in front of them in form of entertainment.]
[Clap!]
[They flinch at the very sound of their hands, too used to the quiet atmosphere of their mind. It snapped them to their senses, coming to the sense that they weren't alone.]
[There was a tree and among it a person. Person? Yes. Or maybe not. Was that a mask? Mimic squints their eyes, not gaining much from it considering they were blind in one and their hair covered too much. They slowly unclasp their hands, lifting one to their face to push away a tuft of hair. A green eye peered from between the tufts, squinted as if it would help.]
[They aren't sure they should announce their presence, not sure who it was that stood in front of them.]
Fortunately, there was no need to announce their presence. The clap caught their attention just fine.
They definitely didn't fall out of the tree in their surprise. It was a calculated drop, if you had to know.
"By those-" They started, lifting themselves up and fixing their mask, which had gone askew in their descent. They paused at the unfamiliar face before getting up and brushing themselves off. "Guess that's what I get for not paying attention." They joke weakly.
"Uh- I don't think we've met before?" They mentally kicked themselves, it sounded more like a question than a statement. Introductions always felt so awkward. They pushed on regardless, giving their hood a tug to make sure it was covering them properly. "I'm the Shapeshifter, but that can be a mouthful, so just Shapes or Shifty works fine."
[They were startled, dropping their hand as the person fell.] "Oh!" [Was all they could pathetically muster in a moment of alarm. Ah, that was a rough tumble!]
[They stared at the unfamiliar mask, unsure they'd met the other person. They could only wonder if it was a merc, there seemed to be so many of them, and many they had yet to meet. The weak attempt at a joke has an awkward smile climbing up their lips.]
"I don't think we have." [They reply, feeling a chuckle follow light on their tongue. It wasn't a mocking laugh, it felt as if they did it to alleviate any awkward tension in the air.] "It's a pleasure to meet you Shapeshifter," [They pause for a second in thought.] "Shifty." [They bite at the nickname, giving it a taste before deciding it wasn't something they could roll with. Nicknames have never been their thing.]
[With a bad taste of the nickname on their tongue they quickly correct themselves.] "Shapeshifter."
[They looked down at the other, clasping their hands in front of them once again but this time gently. Skin pressing against skin but no sound, gentle and thought out. They press their weight into the heels of their boots, thoughtfully humming.] "I'm the Mimic, Mimic or Mi is just fine." [The nickname tumbles awkwardly from their mouth, it was clear nobody called them that. It was a clumsy attempt at mimicking the context of Shapeshifter's sentence.]
[They feel obligated to ask if the other was okay, they were after all the cause of Shapeshifter's fall and to say they didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about it would be a mouthful of lies.] "Are you alright? You took quite a fall."
They make the decision to pointedly ignore their tumble, a quiet laugh escapes them at their correction, finding some humor in the clear decision that was made in just repeating their name. They nod as Mimic introduced themselves, taking note of how they stumble over the short nickname. "Mimic, got it."
They then scratched the back of their neck. Gloves against hood, fabric against fabric. Not an inch of exposed skin. " 'nd yeah, I'm fine. That was far from the worst fall I've taken. Might end up with a bruise or two at worst." They shrug, quickly attempting to dodge any concern. The last thing they wanted was to have to visit Medic. Especially for something so minor.
"Oh! Uh- pronouns? I'm fine with anything, myself, but get they/them most often." They didn't interact with enough of the others to know if they actually remembered to ask about their pronouns when first introducing themselves, but they'd like to think they did.
They could swear they used to be better at this kind of thing, but they could be wrong.
[They seemed to move past their little tumble of nicknames in favor of nodding their head at the mention of their name, swinging on the balls of their feet as they inhaled softly. They swing their clasped hands in front of them quietly, seeming similar to a child waiting for a treat. Swinging their feet and arms in childlike manners.]
[Not overly exaggerated but it seemed like a motion they did to relieve stress. Their shoulders were slightly tensed and they had just a slight awkward swing. Their pose made it difficult to swing on their boots but they seemed to manage in favor of not standing still like a tree.]
"I can only assume you've gotten worse." [They made a general motion towards the mask that obscured their vision of Shapeshifter's face. They had a general assumption that the other was a merc just like them, if not then what sane man would wear a mask? They're polite enough not to bring it up.] "This line of work will have you sore by merely getting out of bed."
[They wave a hand lazily as they speak, they are somewhat expressive considering their eyes give no portal to their emotions.]
[Their voice could be described as blunt, there wasn't any real hint of emotion behind it. There was an accent to it however, some words were slurred, and 'r's seemed to pop just slightly. The roll of their tongue with every word that leaves their mouth.]
"I'm glad you're alright." [They seemed to realize that it was only polite to say that otherwise they wouldn't have said it and went along with just talking.] "Oh! Pro…nouns?" [The word slips out in a slurred confusion. Out of all the things they've been asked they can't say they've heard that before and despite not having their eyes visible the crinkles on their face showed that their brows had furrowed.]
"Ah!" [They seemed to brighten as the other brought up their pronouns.]
"Well then, I am a man and many refer to me as such." [They start with a tilt of their head, moving their hands to their chest.] "But I do use they/them as well!" [That seemed to be the first genuine spike in their tone. It sounded like they were happy and with a smile on their face perhaps that was it.]
They, on the other hand, stood mostly still outside of occasional exaggerated movements likely to make up for the lack of visible facial expressions. Waving a hand here or there, slumping their shoulders, anything that helped convey their emotions was on the table.
It looked like despite being completely covered from head to toe, they actually wanted to be understood. How odd.
"The mask's a part of my uniform, which is a little funny since you never see it when I'm actually on the field." They muse. "If I'm out there, it's never as myself."
Their hands slip into the pockets of their hoodie and their shoulders seem to relax a bit, a little more comfortable now. "So he/him and they/them? Noted." They nod.
They pause, considering and weighing their options for a moment. "So, mind if I ask what brings you out here?"
[Their hands swung to the side as they brought up their pronouns, seeming delighted that someone else had the decency to know to ask. It wasn't very common that people did, it wasn't brought up from what they noticed. They tipped their weight forward, standing on the toes of their boots before swinging back slowly.]
[Shapeshifter was a nice change of pace from their previous interactions. One not being so pleasant and the other being simply... Strange. Although strange seemed to be a part of this job.]
[They quite like this person, from what they were experiencing now. Of course that could be bound for change.]
[They can't say they were blind to Shapeshifter's attempts at being understood. For a person who was covered from head to toe, you would expect them to be well... Mysterious. And yes, Shapeshifter was mysterious in some way but it didn't appear as if that was their goal. Mimic picked up on this, being surrounded by men who were both open and closed about themselves they tended to know the difference.]
[They were curious but they didn't pry. Unlike some members of their team, they were rather respectful, polite, and formal. At least in the presence of a stranger.]
"Shapeshifter" [They mimic at their sentence 'never as myself'.] "That makes sense." [They vocalize before moving past that issue in favor of other conversation topics. Work clearly wasn't their best conversation subject.]
[While speaking they must have stopped swinging, the action was gradual and barely noticeable until they had stopped completely. They nodded their head politely at the confirmation of their pronouns as they looked around.] "I can't say I know where here is."
[They spin in a circle, inspecting their surroundings before deciding that yes, they had no clue where this was.] "I was in my garden a couple of minutes ago, I must have spaced out when I went to get tea."
[A wanderer was what they were. An unwilling one at that.]
"Couldn't tell you exactly where we are, either, but I can say that I know how to get back." They note lightly, not seeming even the slightest bit put off by the other's unwilling wandering and instead assuring them that they could both get back fine.
They pause for a second. "Garden, huh?" There's a second where it seems like they might continue, but for one reason or another, their voice dies in their throat and they twist their fingers in the opposite arm's sleeve in annoyance.
Why did talking to people have to be hard? Knowing that they hadn't always been like this only made the situation more annoying for them.
"I would appreciate being able to get back." [They hummed thoughtfully at the sentence. They were grateful that Shapeshifter wasn't one of those people to ask what they meant by 'spaced out'. It could get annoying repeating the same thing over and over again.]
[Actually, they memorized it from how many times they had to say it.]
['I never really know where I'm going but my legs do. Sometimes it feels like my body and mind are different, like they split apart and my body is seeking my mind out. Only when I come to my senses has my body found my mind.' Normally they told that to whoever would listen, it was both an explanation and also long enough that nobody would willingly bother them again with stupid questions.]
[They might hate questions, now that they think about it.]
"Yes, a garden." [Mimic moved on from that awkward pause where it felt as if Shapeshifter would continue. They weren't alone, talking to people was indeed hard! Mimic was lucky that they knew how to keep a conversation going, however, they never knew how to start one.]
[That was where their conversational skills fell.]
"I can show you to it if you'd like, I have a tree there and I can assure you that you will not fall again. If you'd prefer to continue whatever you were doing before I came along." [They speak lightly, rather fondly. The tension they displayed at first meeting wasn't as present, although it was certainly still there.] "Well... Once you get us out of here?"
[They meant for it to come out as a statement yet their voice squeaked as it came out in a question. Even through their hair, their brows could be described as raised, their mouth pulled into a thin line that creased upwards at the edges just slightly. It was barely visible through their stubble.]
[They were trying to make themselves... Friendly. Sure, in this line of work, they didn't have a reason to make friends or be friendly but it was like an instinct driven into their skin].
"I think I'd like to see it, assuming I'm not intruding on anything." They note. They doubted Mimic would offer if that were the case, but it felt like the right thing to say. Blame it on the inherent strangeness that nature had where they came from.
When there were forests out there that could stretch on forever and constantly misdirect you, you learned to err on the side of caution. Even when you befriend one such forest.
"Right." They clap, the sound muted by their gloves. "Now, I'm probably gonna look crazy here." Their voice carries some humor, clearly aware of how strange what they're about to do will look.
They turn their head. "South, we're going!"
Nothing happens for a moment, but they don't seem swayed. After a few more seconds of silence, some leaves rustle and something squawks, then a raven flies down and promptly lands on their head.
"Mimic, meet South. Resident mischief maker." They turn back to Mimic. "Also the one that will yell at me if I take a wrong turn."
"It's peaceful. Much like this place although..." [They think for a second, trying to find the right word. What was the English word again? It was on the tip of their tongue.] "Pequeño, pequeño... pequeñito..." [They murmur the word in a foreign language as if it would remind them of the English word.]
[There were no connections between the English and Spanish versions of it so they opted to make a shrinking motion with their hand.] "Very cramp?" [The sentence comes out in a question once more. Despite so many years surrounded by English-speaking men, they seemed to forget those small details. Small words that weren't in their day-to-day talks. Such as the actual word for 'small'.]
[They drop their hands sheepishly to their sides, deciding that even if their little motion didn't work they were fine with Shapeshifter not knowing. They could figure it out once the two were out of the forest.]
[Mimic only managed to catch onto Shapeshifter's 'South, we're going!' and turned their head to stare at the other. They were thinking about the word small, it was right there and they couldn't figure it out! At first, they assumed they meant they were heading south with Shapeshifter's comment but when Shapeshifter didn't move Mimic just stood there awkwardly. Their brows furrowed because Shapeshifter's body language showed anticipation. Waiting for something. Now the question had to be either, is it a creature or is Shapeshifter insane?]
[Or both?]
[They tensed at the rustle of leaves, realizing they had focused longer on Shapeshifter's sanity rather than paying attention to what they were waiting for. They blinked their eyes as a means to ground themselves, tilting their head to get a look at the raven. So it was an animal!]
[Although a blurry one at that. Mimic lifts a tuft of hair covering their right eye. Squinting slightly to get a good look at the feathery creature.] "Ah! Then we have someone who knows the way!" [They humorously chirp as they drop their hand. With hair constantly obscuring their good eye they didn't have the best vision, hence the action of lifting their hair and squinting when they really wanted to get a look at something.]
They had a few guesses about what the word Mimic was missing was, but by the time they thought to speak up, it felt a bit too late.
South cocked his head to the side, similarly, getting a good look at Mimic. When spoken about, the raven shakes himself and fluffs up with what sounds like a pleased honk.
They tap at the raven's feet. "Let's get moving before your ego gets any bigger." They tease, earning a quick peck from the bird before he takes off again.
They wait a moment, watching where South is before nodding and speaking up again. "This way." They wait until they're sure Mimic knows which way they're going before actually starting to walk.
[They catch onto the noise of the creature and guess by the tone it was rather pleased. Out of all the animals they've seen as pets they can't say this... crow...? Was a part of it.]
[Crow or a raven? Both were strangely similar and Mimic only had one eye to see through. Did Shapeshifter mention the species? They don't recall them doing so or perhaps they blanked out on it? It wouldn't be the first time.]
[They furrowed their brows slightly, deep in thought that they barely caught onto what Shapeshifter had to say.]
[Shapeshifter talks to the animal the way anyone would with a normal pet. Mimic does the same with Lunita and in some way, there is a familiarity in seeing the two interact. It was making the merc miss their rabbit who quite frankly probably wasn't far. They didn't stray that far, did they?]
[Either way, they can trust the other to get them back, hopefully. If not the pistol hidden by their coat was also effective.]
[Their good eye watches the blurry bird dart away, vanishing into the vegetation around them. Assuming that was their chance to catch up with the other they drop their gaze to the Shapeshifter and track up to be a step or three behind them. This would ensure they were close but not too close for discomfort.]
[It was to keep track of the other, they'd rather not get lost or perhaps even deeper into the forest than they already were.]
As they walk, they make occasional sounds of affirmation to noises that must've come from South informing them which way to go. There were a few times they considered bringing up some tips about telling the difference between a crow and a raven since they knew it was a common issue, but each time they decided against it.
Eventually, they made it out of the forest and South swooped down and landed on their head again before climbing down to their shoulder to mess with the string to their hoodie for the rest of the short trip.
[The man follows close behind, not uncomfortably close but enough that they could see the other without loosing them. After all, the other... Merc and the bird was their only way out of here. There was an occasional glance behind them out of pure instinct, always expecting something behind them. Years of fighting Spy does that for you.]
[Mimic startled a little at the sight of the bird again just as they made a break through the forest. Right back to familiar land. Actually, if Mimic focused enough he could see their garden just at a hills point to the right.]
"Thank you," [They don't need to clarify, they're fairly certain the point is there but they still do just in case.] "For getting me out of the forest! Wouldn't have been a pleasant travel on my own." [Although they didn't doubt they'd find their way out, they simply wouldn't while mentally there.]
[A hot second of silence as they think. Does the Shapeshifter still want to visit their garden? Should he ask again? Wow, alright, he really doesn't know what to do. Alright! Just suck it up! Worst they can say is no! They motioned towards the right, where he was fairly certain his garden was without having to focus.] "My garden is this way, if you still wish to join me?" [They asked politely, mindful to not force.]
Their hood tightened around their head from South pulling on the string, but they don't seem to make any move to stop the bird. Probably all too used to this kind of behavior. "No problem."
They turn their head to glance in the direction, mostly out of habit before coming to realize that they actually could somewhat see the garden in question. They were still a bit too used to the mesh of their old masks making everything harder to see.
The tradeoff being that now doing anything in the dark was an ordeal.
"If you'll have me, I'd like that." They decide with a small nod.
ooc: I try my best to avoid making ooc posts and talking about my personal life on here, but I wanted to just bring up that things have been... Chaotic on my side, and I apologize to anyone that gets a late response because of that!
On top of that, I have a two week long trip coming up on the week after next (May 12th/13th) and I won't be able to respond to anyone's rps during that time!
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
*Tracker was finally back. In the flesh and blood. God, it was good to be back. And not covered in rust anymore, too. Still, he wasn't exactly the most calm right now. So, he decided to take a walk. Best way to clear the mind, right? Or, that's what he thought before he heard the ever familiar sound of a tree's leaves rustling. Who made the sound? Were they about to attack? Immidently, his mind went into overdrive, his head whipping to where the sound came from, to see... someone who looked semi-familiar. He slowly approached to get a better look. After seeing the way the figure was covering their face, he already had a guess. Sure enough, that mask he knew all too well was being held up by a single hand. Yep, this was Shify, alright. It had been so long, too. He should probably catch up. Though, seeing the predicament they were in right now, he just watched for a bit. He didn't want to startle them and make them fall. That would be very rude. Who was he? Jeremy? Please. Eventually, though, he did have to make his presence know somehow. So, he takes a look around and steps on a nearby twig, forcing a sharp crack out of the small piece of wood.*
The sound jolts them out of their thoughts, but hey, they don't fall out of the tree or anything! They swing their body to face the sound, pleasantly surprised to see the familiar face.
"Tryin' to give me a heart attack or something?" They teased quickly, maneuvering themselves to get out of the tree. If they remembered correctly, the last time they had gotten a chance to talk with Tracker was Halloween. "How have you been? It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Missed being made of flesh? Should I be concerned?" Their tone is light, being far too used to strange sentences and weird circumstances.
"And no, I climbed it as myself. Trying to clear my head, usually I'd climb a particularly tall building, but that wasn't an option. Someone I know will hang upside down, so I figured I'd give it a shot." They shake their head. "I'm not sure how she does it."
"Oh. Right. You've been gone for so long that I forgot you haven't had a chance to catch up on things. So, you know the Grays? The ones with sunglasses? Yeah, one of the bastards turned me into a robot. Granted, I was literally asking for it, but still."
*Tracker combs down his messy head of hair. He doesn't know why he's so self-conscious about his appearance when around Shify, but that was a conversation for another time.*
"Hanging upside down, huh? Yeah, that can't be good for your health. Try going to the opposite extreme, then. If you can't go high, find the deepest cave you can, and go there. See if that helps any."
It took them a moment to piece together what Tracker meant by 'the Grays', but they got there eventually. They didn't get bothered by those guys often. In fact, they were pretty sure they'd only been approached by one or two in the past.
"If I had a nickel for every time someone I knew was turned into a robot..." They let the sentence drift off. They'd have three nickels. Or two if they were only counting people changed into robots by the Grays. "At least you got turned back." They decide.
If they noticed that he was self-conscious, they didn't bring any attention to it.
"Maybe I'll try that." They laugh. "Shapeshifting does take away a large part of the danger of cave diving."
They make an unsure noise. "Depends on what you mean by 'productive', I guess. I flew all the way over to my hometown.." Felt horribly misplaced. ".. And grabbed some things for myself. My room's a little less bare now." They chuckled, trying to cover up any signs that the trip had impacted them negatively by joking.
"It was a fairly long journey, if I'm honest." They note. "I don't know why I wasn't expecting that."
*Tracker bites the inside of his cheek while nodding. That didn't go by his usual definition of productive, but visits home did have a cathartic effect... Or so he was told. If he noticed Shifty's attempted defection, he didn't show it, instead opting to ponder his last trip home. He shakes the thought out of his mind before replying.*
"Well, you don't seem all that drained by it, so that's good. If I'm being honest, I can't stand long trips."
"...Wait, 'flew?' Last I checked, Mann Co didn't have an airport."
"Well, let's be honest, they might." They note, but shake their head. "But I didn't hop on a plane. I'm the Shapeshifter, and my abilities aren't limited to people."
Truthfully, before becoming a merc, they rarely used their shapeshifting to turn into other people. At most, they'd do it for a joke or a prank. They used to shift into different animals for more variety in their movement and to be able to get places they ordinarily couldn't. It had been nice to go back to that.
"So, yeah. I shifted into a bird, flew from the base all the way to Hurricane, Utah and back."
They give a thoughtful hum at the question. "It's hard to explain, it can depend on what I'm shifting into. I'm pretty sure most people expect me to say that it's painful, but honestly? Shifting into other people doesn't feel like much of anything, there's just a lot of reminding myself of what has changed, and shifting into animals kinda feels like getting to stretch muscles that you don't get to often."
So, basically, it seemed to depend on how much was changing.
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
[Mimic wasn't the best known for being in the right place at the right time.]
[They weren't fresh to their team nor were they there from the beginning. They were just an addition that caught the attention of some eyes when they'd gotten too clumsy in their killing spree. They weren't close to anyone, they kept as far as they could. After all, this was just work, who would get close to their coworkers?]
[It was common for them to drift off, to wander around and get themselves in trouble because it was all they knew. Aside from a boiling anger that had finally settled into a soft simmer after so many years of its roar.]
[For once Mimic could say they could think straight, something they hadn't felt they could say in so many countless years.]
[They come to their senses when the wind gently brushes their coat, jostling it as they lift their head from the floor they stared at. They blinked their eyes, adjusting to their surroundings as they stood still. Their boots rocked awkwardly on the floor as they clasped their hands in front of them in form of entertainment.]
[Clap!]
[They flinch at the very sound of their hands, too used to the quiet atmosphere of their mind. It snapped them to their senses, coming to the sense that they weren't alone.]
[There was a tree and among it a person. Person? Yes. Or maybe not. Was that a mask? Mimic squints their eyes, not gaining much from it considering they were blind in one and their hair covered too much. They slowly unclasp their hands, lifting one to their face to push away a tuft of hair. A green eye peered from between the tufts, squinted as if it would help.]
[They aren't sure they should announce their presence, not sure who it was that stood in front of them.]
Fortunately, there was no need to announce their presence. The clap caught their attention just fine.
They definitely didn't fall out of the tree in their surprise. It was a calculated drop, if you had to know.
"By those-" They started, lifting themselves up and fixing their mask, which had gone askew in their descent. They paused at the unfamiliar face before getting up and brushing themselves off. "Guess that's what I get for not paying attention." They joke weakly.
"Uh- I don't think we've met before?" They mentally kicked themselves, it sounded more like a question than a statement. Introductions always felt so awkward. They pushed on regardless, giving their hood a tug to make sure it was covering them properly. "I'm the Shapeshifter, but that can be a mouthful, so just Shapes or Shifty works fine."
[They were startled, dropping their hand as the person fell.] "Oh!" [Was all they could pathetically muster in a moment of alarm. Ah, that was a rough tumble!]
[They stared at the unfamiliar mask, unsure they'd met the other person. They could only wonder if it was a merc, there seemed to be so many of them, and many they had yet to meet. The weak attempt at a joke has an awkward smile climbing up their lips.]
"I don't think we have." [They reply, feeling a chuckle follow light on their tongue. It wasn't a mocking laugh, it felt as if they did it to alleviate any awkward tension in the air.] "It's a pleasure to meet you Shapeshifter," [They pause for a second in thought.] "Shifty." [They bite at the nickname, giving it a taste before deciding it wasn't something they could roll with. Nicknames have never been their thing.]
[With a bad taste of the nickname on their tongue they quickly correct themselves.] "Shapeshifter."
[They looked down at the other, clasping their hands in front of them once again but this time gently. Skin pressing against skin but no sound, gentle and thought out. They press their weight into the heels of their boots, thoughtfully humming.] "I'm the Mimic, Mimic or Mi is just fine." [The nickname tumbles awkwardly from their mouth, it was clear nobody called them that. It was a clumsy attempt at mimicking the context of Shapeshifter's sentence.]
[They feel obligated to ask if the other was okay, they were after all the cause of Shapeshifter's fall and to say they didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about it would be a mouthful of lies.] "Are you alright? You took quite a fall."
They make the decision to pointedly ignore their tumble, a quiet laugh escapes them at their correction, finding some humor in the clear decision that was made in just repeating their name. They nod as Mimic introduced themselves, taking note of how they stumble over the short nickname. "Mimic, got it."
They then scratched the back of their neck. Gloves against hood, fabric against fabric. Not an inch of exposed skin. " 'nd yeah, I'm fine. That was far from the worst fall I've taken. Might end up with a bruise or two at worst." They shrug, quickly attempting to dodge any concern. The last thing they wanted was to have to visit Medic. Especially for something so minor.
"Oh! Uh- pronouns? I'm fine with anything, myself, but get they/them most often." They didn't interact with enough of the others to know if they actually remembered to ask about their pronouns when first introducing themselves, but they'd like to think they did.
They could swear they used to be better at this kind of thing, but they could be wrong.
[They seemed to move past their little tumble of nicknames in favor of nodding their head at the mention of their name, swinging on the balls of their feet as they inhaled softly. They swing their clasped hands in front of them quietly, seeming similar to a child waiting for a treat. Swinging their feet and arms in childlike manners.]
[Not overly exaggerated but it seemed like a motion they did to relieve stress. Their shoulders were slightly tensed and they had just a slight awkward swing. Their pose made it difficult to swing on their boots but they seemed to manage in favor of not standing still like a tree.]
"I can only assume you've gotten worse." [They made a general motion towards the mask that obscured their vision of Shapeshifter's face. They had a general assumption that the other was a merc just like them, if not then what sane man would wear a mask? They're polite enough not to bring it up.] "This line of work will have you sore by merely getting out of bed."
[They wave a hand lazily as they speak, they are somewhat expressive considering their eyes give no portal to their emotions.]
[Their voice could be described as blunt, there wasn't any real hint of emotion behind it. There was an accent to it however, some words were slurred, and 'r's seemed to pop just slightly. The roll of their tongue with every word that leaves their mouth.]
"I'm glad you're alright." [They seemed to realize that it was only polite to say that otherwise they wouldn't have said it and went along with just talking.] "Oh! Pro…nouns?" [The word slips out in a slurred confusion. Out of all the things they've been asked they can't say they've heard that before and despite not having their eyes visible the crinkles on their face showed that their brows had furrowed.]
"Ah!" [They seemed to brighten as the other brought up their pronouns.]
"Well then, I am a man and many refer to me as such." [They start with a tilt of their head, moving their hands to their chest.] "But I do use they/them as well!" [That seemed to be the first genuine spike in their tone. It sounded like they were happy and with a smile on their face perhaps that was it.]
They, on the other hand, stood mostly still outside of occasional exaggerated movements likely to make up for the lack of visible facial expressions. Waving a hand here or there, slumping their shoulders, anything that helped convey their emotions was on the table.
It looked like despite being completely covered from head to toe, they actually wanted to be understood. How odd.
"The mask's a part of my uniform, which is a little funny since you never see it when I'm actually on the field." They muse. "If I'm out there, it's never as myself."
Their hands slip into the pockets of their hoodie and their shoulders seem to relax a bit, a little more comfortable now. "So he/him and they/them? Noted." They nod.
They pause, considering and weighing their options for a moment. "So, mind if I ask what brings you out here?"
[Their hands swung to the side as they brought up their pronouns, seeming delighted that someone else had the decency to know to ask. It wasn't very common that people did, it wasn't brought up from what they noticed. They tipped their weight forward, standing on the toes of their boots before swinging back slowly.]
[Shapeshifter was a nice change of pace from their previous interactions. One not being so pleasant and the other being simply... Strange. Although strange seemed to be a part of this job.]
[They quite like this person, from what they were experiencing now. Of course that could be bound for change.]
[They can't say they were blind to Shapeshifter's attempts at being understood. For a person who was covered from head to toe, you would expect them to be well... Mysterious. And yes, Shapeshifter was mysterious in some way but it didn't appear as if that was their goal. Mimic picked up on this, being surrounded by men who were both open and closed about themselves they tended to know the difference.]
[They were curious but they didn't pry. Unlike some members of their team, they were rather respectful, polite, and formal. At least in the presence of a stranger.]
"Shapeshifter" [They mimic at their sentence 'never as myself'.] "That makes sense." [They vocalize before moving past that issue in favor of other conversation topics. Work clearly wasn't their best conversation subject.]
[While speaking they must have stopped swinging, the action was gradual and barely noticeable until they had stopped completely. They nodded their head politely at the confirmation of their pronouns as they looked around.] "I can't say I know where here is."
[They spin in a circle, inspecting their surroundings before deciding that yes, they had no clue where this was.] "I was in my garden a couple of minutes ago, I must have spaced out when I went to get tea."
[A wanderer was what they were. An unwilling one at that.]
"Couldn't tell you exactly where we are, either, but I can say that I know how to get back." They note lightly, not seeming even the slightest bit put off by the other's unwilling wandering and instead assuring them that they could both get back fine.
They pause for a second. "Garden, huh?" There's a second where it seems like they might continue, but for one reason or another, their voice dies in their throat and they twist their fingers in the opposite arm's sleeve in annoyance.
Why did talking to people have to be hard? Knowing that they hadn't always been like this only made the situation more annoying for them.
"I would appreciate being able to get back." [They hummed thoughtfully at the sentence. They were grateful that Shapeshifter wasn't one of those people to ask what they meant by 'spaced out'. It could get annoying repeating the same thing over and over again.]
[Actually, they memorized it from how many times they had to say it.]
['I never really know where I'm going but my legs do. Sometimes it feels like my body and mind are different, like they split apart and my body is seeking my mind out. Only when I come to my senses has my body found my mind.' Normally they told that to whoever would listen, it was both an explanation and also long enough that nobody would willingly bother them again with stupid questions.]
[They might hate questions, now that they think about it.]
"Yes, a garden." [Mimic moved on from that awkward pause where it felt as if Shapeshifter would continue. They weren't alone, talking to people was indeed hard! Mimic was lucky that they knew how to keep a conversation going, however, they never knew how to start one.]
[That was where their conversational skills fell.]
"I can show you to it if you'd like, I have a tree there and I can assure you that you will not fall again. If you'd prefer to continue whatever you were doing before I came along." [They speak lightly, rather fondly. The tension they displayed at first meeting wasn't as present, although it was certainly still there.] "Well... Once you get us out of here?"
[They meant for it to come out as a statement yet their voice squeaked as it came out in a question. Even through their hair, their brows could be described as raised, their mouth pulled into a thin line that creased upwards at the edges just slightly. It was barely visible through their stubble.]
[They were trying to make themselves... Friendly. Sure, in this line of work, they didn't have a reason to make friends or be friendly but it was like an instinct driven into their skin].
"I think I'd like to see it, assuming I'm not intruding on anything." They note. They doubted Mimic would offer if that were the case, but it felt like the right thing to say. Blame it on the inherent strangeness that nature had where they came from.
When there were forests out there that could stretch on forever and constantly misdirect you, you learned to err on the side of caution. Even when you befriend one such forest.
"Right." They clap, the sound muted by their gloves. "Now, I'm probably gonna look crazy here." Their voice carries some humor, clearly aware of how strange what they're about to do will look.
They turn their head. "South, we're going!"
Nothing happens for a moment, but they don't seem swayed. After a few more seconds of silence, some leaves rustle and something squawks, then a raven flies down and promptly lands on their head.
"Mimic, meet South. Resident mischief maker." They turn back to Mimic. "Also the one that will yell at me if I take a wrong turn."
"It's peaceful. Much like this place although..." [They think for a second, trying to find the right word. What was the English word again? It was on the tip of their tongue.] "Pequeño, pequeño... pequeñito..." [They murmur the word in a foreign language as if it would remind them of the English word.]
[There were no connections between the English and Spanish versions of it so they opted to make a shrinking motion with their hand.] "Very cramp?" [The sentence comes out in a question once more. Despite so many years surrounded by English-speaking men, they seemed to forget those small details. Small words that weren't in their day-to-day talks. Such as the actual word for 'small'.]
[They drop their hands sheepishly to their sides, deciding that even if their little motion didn't work they were fine with Shapeshifter not knowing. They could figure it out once the two were out of the forest.]
[Mimic only managed to catch onto Shapeshifter's 'South, we're going!' and turned their head to stare at the other. They were thinking about the word small, it was right there and they couldn't figure it out! At first, they assumed they meant they were heading south with Shapeshifter's comment but when Shapeshifter didn't move Mimic just stood there awkwardly. Their brows furrowed because Shapeshifter's body language showed anticipation. Waiting for something. Now the question had to be either, is it a creature or is Shapeshifter insane?]
[Or both?]
[They tensed at the rustle of leaves, realizing they had focused longer on Shapeshifter's sanity rather than paying attention to what they were waiting for. They blinked their eyes as a means to ground themselves, tilting their head to get a look at the raven. So it was an animal!]
[Although a blurry one at that. Mimic lifts a tuft of hair covering their right eye. Squinting slightly to get a good look at the feathery creature.] "Ah! Then we have someone who knows the way!" [They humorously chirp as they drop their hand. With hair constantly obscuring their good eye they didn't have the best vision, hence the action of lifting their hair and squinting when they really wanted to get a look at something.]
They had a few guesses about what the word Mimic was missing was, but by the time they thought to speak up, it felt a bit too late.
South cocked his head to the side, similarly, getting a good look at Mimic. When spoken about, the raven shakes himself and fluffs up with what sounds like a pleased honk.
They tap at the raven's feet. "Let's get moving before your ego gets any bigger." They tease, earning a quick peck from the bird before he takes off again.
They wait a moment, watching where South is before nodding and speaking up again. "This way." They wait until they're sure Mimic knows which way they're going before actually starting to walk.
[They catch onto the noise of the creature and guess by the tone it was rather pleased. Out of all the animals they've seen as pets they can't say this... crow...? Was a part of it.]
[Crow or a raven? Both were strangely similar and Mimic only had one eye to see through. Did Shapeshifter mention the species? They don't recall them doing so or perhaps they blanked out on it? It wouldn't be the first time.]
[They furrowed their brows slightly, deep in thought that they barely caught onto what Shapeshifter had to say.]
[Shapeshifter talks to the animal the way anyone would with a normal pet. Mimic does the same with Lunita and in some way, there is a familiarity in seeing the two interact. It was making the merc miss their rabbit who quite frankly probably wasn't far. They didn't stray that far, did they?]
[Either way, they can trust the other to get them back, hopefully. If not the pistol hidden by their coat was also effective.]
[Their good eye watches the blurry bird dart away, vanishing into the vegetation around them. Assuming that was their chance to catch up with the other they drop their gaze to the Shapeshifter and track up to be a step or three behind them. This would ensure they were close but not too close for discomfort.]
[It was to keep track of the other, they'd rather not get lost or perhaps even deeper into the forest than they already were.]
As they walk, they make occasional sounds of affirmation to noises that must've come from South informing them which way to go. There were a few times they considered bringing up some tips about telling the difference between a crow and a raven since they knew it was a common issue, but each time they decided against it.
Eventually, they made it out of the forest and South swooped down and landed on their head again before climbing down to their shoulder to mess with the string to their hoodie for the rest of the short trip.
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
*Tracker was finally back. In the flesh and blood. God, it was good to be back. And not covered in rust anymore, too. Still, he wasn't exactly the most calm right now. So, he decided to take a walk. Best way to clear the mind, right? Or, that's what he thought before he heard the ever familiar sound of a tree's leaves rustling. Who made the sound? Were they about to attack? Immidently, his mind went into overdrive, his head whipping to where the sound came from, to see... someone who looked semi-familiar. He slowly approached to get a better look. After seeing the way the figure was covering their face, he already had a guess. Sure enough, that mask he knew all too well was being held up by a single hand. Yep, this was Shify, alright. It had been so long, too. He should probably catch up. Though, seeing the predicament they were in right now, he just watched for a bit. He didn't want to startle them and make them fall. That would be very rude. Who was he? Jeremy? Please. Eventually, though, he did have to make his presence know somehow. So, he takes a look around and steps on a nearby twig, forcing a sharp crack out of the small piece of wood.*
The sound jolts them out of their thoughts, but hey, they don't fall out of the tree or anything! They swing their body to face the sound, pleasantly surprised to see the familiar face.
"Tryin' to give me a heart attack or something?" They teased quickly, maneuvering themselves to get out of the tree. If they remembered correctly, the last time they had gotten a chance to talk with Tracker was Halloween. "How have you been? It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Missed being made of flesh? Should I be concerned?" Their tone is light, being far too used to strange sentences and weird circumstances.
"And no, I climbed it as myself. Trying to clear my head, usually I'd climb a particularly tall building, but that wasn't an option. Someone I know will hang upside down, so I figured I'd give it a shot." They shake their head. "I'm not sure how she does it."
"Oh. Right. You've been gone for so long that I forgot you haven't had a chance to catch up on things. So, you know the Grays? The ones with sunglasses? Yeah, one of the bastards turned me into a robot. Granted, I was literally asking for it, but still."
*Tracker combs down his messy head of hair. He doesn't know why he's so self-conscious about his appearance when around Shify, but that was a conversation for another time.*
"Hanging upside down, huh? Yeah, that can't be good for your health. Try going to the opposite extreme, then. If you can't go high, find the deepest cave you can, and go there. See if that helps any."
It took them a moment to piece together what Tracker meant by 'the Grays', but they got there eventually. They didn't get bothered by those guys often. In fact, they were pretty sure they'd only been approached by one or two in the past.
"If I had a nickel for every time someone I knew was turned into a robot..." They let the sentence drift off. They'd have three nickels. Or two if they were only counting people changed into robots by the Grays. "At least you got turned back." They decide.
If they noticed that he was self-conscious, they didn't bring any attention to it.
"Maybe I'll try that." They laugh. "Shapeshifting does take away a large part of the danger of cave diving."
They make an unsure noise. "Depends on what you mean by 'productive', I guess. I flew all the way over to my hometown.." Felt horribly misplaced. ".. And grabbed some things for myself. My room's a little less bare now." They chuckled, trying to cover up any signs that the trip had impacted them negatively by joking.
"It was a fairly long journey, if I'm honest." They note. "I don't know why I wasn't expecting that."
*Tracker bites the inside of his cheek while nodding. That didn't go by his usual definition of productive, but visits home did have a cathartic effect... Or so he was told. If he noticed Shifty's attempted defection, he didn't show it, instead opting to ponder his last trip home. He shakes the thought out of his mind before replying.*
"Well, you don't seem all that drained by it, so that's good. If I'm being honest, I can't stand long trips."
"...Wait, 'flew?' Last I checked, Mann Co didn't have an airport."
"Well, let's be honest, they might." They note, but shake their head. "But I didn't hop on a plane. I'm the Shapeshifter, and my abilities aren't limited to people."
Truthfully, before becoming a merc, they rarely used their shapeshifting to turn into other people. At most, they'd do it for a joke or a prank. They used to shift into different animals for more variety in their movement and to be able to get places they ordinarily couldn't. It had been nice to go back to that.
"So, yeah. I shifted into a bird, flew from the base all the way to Hurricane, Utah and back."
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
*Tracker was finally back. In the flesh and blood. God, it was good to be back. And not covered in rust anymore, too. Still, he wasn't exactly the most calm right now. So, he decided to take a walk. Best way to clear the mind, right? Or, that's what he thought before he heard the ever familiar sound of a tree's leaves rustling. Who made the sound? Were they about to attack? Immidently, his mind went into overdrive, his head whipping to where the sound came from, to see... someone who looked semi-familiar. He slowly approached to get a better look. After seeing the way the figure was covering their face, he already had a guess. Sure enough, that mask he knew all too well was being held up by a single hand. Yep, this was Shify, alright. It had been so long, too. He should probably catch up. Though, seeing the predicament they were in right now, he just watched for a bit. He didn't want to startle them and make them fall. That would be very rude. Who was he? Jeremy? Please. Eventually, though, he did have to make his presence know somehow. So, he takes a look around and steps on a nearby twig, forcing a sharp crack out of the small piece of wood.*
The sound jolts them out of their thoughts, but hey, they don't fall out of the tree or anything! They swing their body to face the sound, pleasantly surprised to see the familiar face.
"Tryin' to give me a heart attack or something?" They teased quickly, maneuvering themselves to get out of the tree. If they remembered correctly, the last time they had gotten a chance to talk with Tracker was Halloween. "How have you been? It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Missed being made of flesh? Should I be concerned?" Their tone is light, being far too used to strange sentences and weird circumstances.
"And no, I climbed it as myself. Trying to clear my head, usually I'd climb a particularly tall building, but that wasn't an option. Someone I know will hang upside down, so I figured I'd give it a shot." They shake their head. "I'm not sure how she does it."
"Oh. Right. You've been gone for so long that I forgot you haven't had a chance to catch up on things. So, you know the Grays? The ones with sunglasses? Yeah, one of the bastards turned me into a robot. Granted, I was literally asking for it, but still."
*Tracker combs down his messy head of hair. He doesn't know why he's so self-conscious about his appearance when around Shify, but that was a conversation for another time.*
"Hanging upside down, huh? Yeah, that can't be good for your health. Try going to the opposite extreme, then. If you can't go high, find the deepest cave you can, and go there. See if that helps any."
It took them a moment to piece together what Tracker meant by 'the Grays', but they got there eventually. They didn't get bothered by those guys often. In fact, they were pretty sure they'd only been approached by one or two in the past.
"If I had a nickel for every time someone I knew was turned into a robot..." They let the sentence drift off. They'd have three nickels. Or two if they were only counting people changed into robots by the Grays. "At least you got turned back." They decide.
If they noticed that he was self-conscious, they didn't bring any attention to it.
"Maybe I'll try that." They laugh. "Shapeshifting does take away a large part of the danger of cave diving."
They make an unsure noise. "Depends on what you mean by 'productive', I guess. I flew all the way over to my hometown.." Felt horribly misplaced. ".. And grabbed some things for myself. My room's a little less bare now." They chuckled, trying to cover up any signs that the trip had impacted them negatively by joking.
"It was a fairly long journey, if I'm honest." They note. "I don't know why I wasn't expecting that."
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
[Mimic wasn't the best known for being in the right place at the right time.]
[They weren't fresh to their team nor were they there from the beginning. They were just an addition that caught the attention of some eyes when they'd gotten too clumsy in their killing spree. They weren't close to anyone, they kept as far as they could. After all, this was just work, who would get close to their coworkers?]
[It was common for them to drift off, to wander around and get themselves in trouble because it was all they knew. Aside from a boiling anger that had finally settled into a soft simmer after so many years of its roar.]
[For once Mimic could say they could think straight, something they hadn't felt they could say in so many countless years.]
[They come to their senses when the wind gently brushes their coat, jostling it as they lift their head from the floor they stared at. They blinked their eyes, adjusting to their surroundings as they stood still. Their boots rocked awkwardly on the floor as they clasped their hands in front of them in form of entertainment.]
[Clap!]
[They flinch at the very sound of their hands, too used to the quiet atmosphere of their mind. It snapped them to their senses, coming to the sense that they weren't alone.]
[There was a tree and among it a person. Person? Yes. Or maybe not. Was that a mask? Mimic squints their eyes, not gaining much from it considering they were blind in one and their hair covered too much. They slowly unclasp their hands, lifting one to their face to push away a tuft of hair. A green eye peered from between the tufts, squinted as if it would help.]
[They aren't sure they should announce their presence, not sure who it was that stood in front of them.]
Fortunately, there was no need to announce their presence. The clap caught their attention just fine.
They definitely didn't fall out of the tree in their surprise. It was a calculated drop, if you had to know.
"By those-" They started, lifting themselves up and fixing their mask, which had gone askew in their descent. They paused at the unfamiliar face before getting up and brushing themselves off. "Guess that's what I get for not paying attention." They joke weakly.
"Uh- I don't think we've met before?" They mentally kicked themselves, it sounded more like a question than a statement. Introductions always felt so awkward. They pushed on regardless, giving their hood a tug to make sure it was covering them properly. "I'm the Shapeshifter, but that can be a mouthful, so just Shapes or Shifty works fine."
[They were startled, dropping their hand as the person fell.] "Oh!" [Was all they could pathetically muster in a moment of alarm. Ah, that was a rough tumble!]
[They stared at the unfamiliar mask, unsure they'd met the other person. They could only wonder if it was a merc, there seemed to be so many of them, and many they had yet to meet. The weak attempt at a joke has an awkward smile climbing up their lips.]
"I don't think we have." [They reply, feeling a chuckle follow light on their tongue. It wasn't a mocking laugh, it felt as if they did it to alleviate any awkward tension in the air.] "It's a pleasure to meet you Shapeshifter," [They pause for a second in thought.] "Shifty." [They bite at the nickname, giving it a taste before deciding it wasn't something they could roll with. Nicknames have never been their thing.]
[With a bad taste of the nickname on their tongue they quickly correct themselves.] "Shapeshifter."
[They looked down at the other, clasping their hands in front of them once again but this time gently. Skin pressing against skin but no sound, gentle and thought out. They press their weight into the heels of their boots, thoughtfully humming.] "I'm the Mimic, Mimic or Mi is just fine." [The nickname tumbles awkwardly from their mouth, it was clear nobody called them that. It was a clumsy attempt at mimicking the context of Shapeshifter's sentence.]
[They feel obligated to ask if the other was okay, they were after all the cause of Shapeshifter's fall and to say they didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about it would be a mouthful of lies.] "Are you alright? You took quite a fall."
They make the decision to pointedly ignore their tumble, a quiet laugh escapes them at their correction, finding some humor in the clear decision that was made in just repeating their name. They nod as Mimic introduced themselves, taking note of how they stumble over the short nickname. "Mimic, got it."
They then scratched the back of their neck. Gloves against hood, fabric against fabric. Not an inch of exposed skin. " 'nd yeah, I'm fine. That was far from the worst fall I've taken. Might end up with a bruise or two at worst." They shrug, quickly attempting to dodge any concern. The last thing they wanted was to have to visit Medic. Especially for something so minor.
"Oh! Uh- pronouns? I'm fine with anything, myself, but get they/them most often." They didn't interact with enough of the others to know if they actually remembered to ask about their pronouns when first introducing themselves, but they'd like to think they did.
They could swear they used to be better at this kind of thing, but they could be wrong.
[They seemed to move past their little tumble of nicknames in favor of nodding their head at the mention of their name, swinging on the balls of their feet as they inhaled softly. They swing their clasped hands in front of them quietly, seeming similar to a child waiting for a treat. Swinging their feet and arms in childlike manners.]
[Not overly exaggerated but it seemed like a motion they did to relieve stress. Their shoulders were slightly tensed and they had just a slight awkward swing. Their pose made it difficult to swing on their boots but they seemed to manage in favor of not standing still like a tree.]
"I can only assume you've gotten worse." [They made a general motion towards the mask that obscured their vision of Shapeshifter's face. They had a general assumption that the other was a merc just like them, if not then what sane man would wear a mask? They're polite enough not to bring it up.] "This line of work will have you sore by merely getting out of bed."
[They wave a hand lazily as they speak, they are somewhat expressive considering their eyes give no portal to their emotions.]
[Their voice could be described as blunt, there wasn't any real hint of emotion behind it. There was an accent to it however, some words were slurred, and 'r's seemed to pop just slightly. The roll of their tongue with every word that leaves their mouth.]
"I'm glad you're alright." [They seemed to realize that it was only polite to say that otherwise they wouldn't have said it and went along with just talking.] "Oh! Pro…nouns?" [The word slips out in a slurred confusion. Out of all the things they've been asked they can't say they've heard that before and despite not having their eyes visible the crinkles on their face showed that their brows had furrowed.]
"Ah!" [They seemed to brighten as the other brought up their pronouns.]
"Well then, I am a man and many refer to me as such." [They start with a tilt of their head, moving their hands to their chest.] "But I do use they/them as well!" [That seemed to be the first genuine spike in their tone. It sounded like they were happy and with a smile on their face perhaps that was it.]
They, on the other hand, stood mostly still outside of occasional exaggerated movements likely to make up for the lack of visible facial expressions. Waving a hand here or there, slumping their shoulders, anything that helped convey their emotions was on the table.
It looked like despite being completely covered from head to toe, they actually wanted to be understood. How odd.
"The mask's a part of my uniform, which is a little funny since you never see it when I'm actually on the field." They muse. "If I'm out there, it's never as myself."
Their hands slip into the pockets of their hoodie and their shoulders seem to relax a bit, a little more comfortable now. "So he/him and they/them? Noted." They nod.
They pause, considering and weighing their options for a moment. "So, mind if I ask what brings you out here?"
[Their hands swung to the side as they brought up their pronouns, seeming delighted that someone else had the decency to know to ask. It wasn't very common that people did, it wasn't brought up from what they noticed. They tipped their weight forward, standing on the toes of their boots before swinging back slowly.]
[Shapeshifter was a nice change of pace from their previous interactions. One not being so pleasant and the other being simply... Strange. Although strange seemed to be a part of this job.]
[They quite like this person, from what they were experiencing now. Of course that could be bound for change.]
[They can't say they were blind to Shapeshifter's attempts at being understood. For a person who was covered from head to toe, you would expect them to be well... Mysterious. And yes, Shapeshifter was mysterious in some way but it didn't appear as if that was their goal. Mimic picked up on this, being surrounded by men who were both open and closed about themselves they tended to know the difference.]
[They were curious but they didn't pry. Unlike some members of their team, they were rather respectful, polite, and formal. At least in the presence of a stranger.]
"Shapeshifter" [They mimic at their sentence 'never as myself'.] "That makes sense." [They vocalize before moving past that issue in favor of other conversation topics. Work clearly wasn't their best conversation subject.]
[While speaking they must have stopped swinging, the action was gradual and barely noticeable until they had stopped completely. They nodded their head politely at the confirmation of their pronouns as they looked around.] "I can't say I know where here is."
[They spin in a circle, inspecting their surroundings before deciding that yes, they had no clue where this was.] "I was in my garden a couple of minutes ago, I must have spaced out when I went to get tea."
[A wanderer was what they were. An unwilling one at that.]
"Couldn't tell you exactly where we are, either, but I can say that I know how to get back." They note lightly, not seeming even the slightest bit put off by the other's unwilling wandering and instead assuring them that they could both get back fine.
They pause for a second. "Garden, huh?" There's a second where it seems like they might continue, but for one reason or another, their voice dies in their throat and they twist their fingers in the opposite arm's sleeve in annoyance.
Why did talking to people have to be hard? Knowing that they hadn't always been like this only made the situation more annoying for them.
"I would appreciate being able to get back." [They hummed thoughtfully at the sentence. They were grateful that Shapeshifter wasn't one of those people to ask what they meant by 'spaced out'. It could get annoying repeating the same thing over and over again.]
[Actually, they memorized it from how many times they had to say it.]
['I never really know where I'm going but my legs do. Sometimes it feels like my body and mind are different, like they split apart and my body is seeking my mind out. Only when I come to my senses has my body found my mind.' Normally they told that to whoever would listen, it was both an explanation and also long enough that nobody would willingly bother them again with stupid questions.]
[They might hate questions, now that they think about it.]
"Yes, a garden." [Mimic moved on from that awkward pause where it felt as if Shapeshifter would continue. They weren't alone, talking to people was indeed hard! Mimic was lucky that they knew how to keep a conversation going, however, they never knew how to start one.]
[That was where their conversational skills fell.]
"I can show you to it if you'd like, I have a tree there and I can assure you that you will not fall again. If you'd prefer to continue whatever you were doing before I came along." [They speak lightly, rather fondly. The tension they displayed at first meeting wasn't as present, although it was certainly still there.] "Well... Once you get us out of here?"
[They meant for it to come out as a statement yet their voice squeaked as it came out in a question. Even through their hair, their brows could be described as raised, their mouth pulled into a thin line that creased upwards at the edges just slightly. It was barely visible through their stubble.]
[They were trying to make themselves... Friendly. Sure, in this line of work, they didn't have a reason to make friends or be friendly but it was like an instinct driven into their skin].
"I think I'd like to see it, assuming I'm not intruding on anything." They note. They doubted Mimic would offer if that were the case, but it felt like the right thing to say. Blame it on the inherent strangeness that nature had where they came from.
When there were forests out there that could stretch on forever and constantly misdirect you, you learned to err on the side of caution. Even when you befriend one such forest.
"Right." They clap, the sound muted by their gloves. "Now, I'm probably gonna look crazy here." Their voice carries some humor, clearly aware of how strange what they're about to do will look.
They turn their head. "South, we're going!"
Nothing happens for a moment, but they don't seem swayed. After a few more seconds of silence, some leaves rustle and something squawks, then a raven flies down and promptly lands on their head.
"Mimic, meet South. Resident mischief maker." They turn back to Mimic. "Also the one that will yell at me if I take a wrong turn."
"It's peaceful. Much like this place although..." [They think for a second, trying to find the right word. What was the English word again? It was on the tip of their tongue.] "Pequeño, pequeño... pequeñito..." [They murmur the word in a foreign language as if it would remind them of the English word.]
[There were no connections between the English and Spanish versions of it so they opted to make a shrinking motion with their hand.] "Very cramp?" [The sentence comes out in a question once more. Despite so many years surrounded by English-speaking men, they seemed to forget those small details. Small words that weren't in their day-to-day talks. Such as the actual word for 'small'.]
[They drop their hands sheepishly to their sides, deciding that even if their little motion didn't work they were fine with Shapeshifter not knowing. They could figure it out once the two were out of the forest.]
[Mimic only managed to catch onto Shapeshifter's 'South, we're going!' and turned their head to stare at the other. They were thinking about the word small, it was right there and they couldn't figure it out! At first, they assumed they meant they were heading south with Shapeshifter's comment but when Shapeshifter didn't move Mimic just stood there awkwardly. Their brows furrowed because Shapeshifter's body language showed anticipation. Waiting for something. Now the question had to be either, is it a creature or is Shapeshifter insane?]
[Or both?]
[They tensed at the rustle of leaves, realizing they had focused longer on Shapeshifter's sanity rather than paying attention to what they were waiting for. They blinked their eyes as a means to ground themselves, tilting their head to get a look at the raven. So it was an animal!]
[Although a blurry one at that. Mimic lifts a tuft of hair covering their right eye. Squinting slightly to get a good look at the feathery creature.] "Ah! Then we have someone who knows the way!" [They humorously chirp as they drop their hand. With hair constantly obscuring their good eye they didn't have the best vision, hence the action of lifting their hair and squinting when they really wanted to get a look at something.]
They had a few guesses about what the word Mimic was missing was, but by the time they thought to speak up, it felt a bit too late.
South cocked his head to the side, similarly, getting a good look at Mimic. When spoken about, the raven shakes himself and fluffs up with what sounds like a pleased honk.
They tap at the raven's feet. "Let's get moving before your ego gets any bigger." They tease, earning a quick peck from the bird before he takes off again.
They wait a moment, watching where South is before nodding and speaking up again. "This way." They wait until they're sure Mimic knows which way they're going before actually starting to walk.
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
[Mimic wasn't the best known for being in the right place at the right time.]
[They weren't fresh to their team nor were they there from the beginning. They were just an addition that caught the attention of some eyes when they'd gotten too clumsy in their killing spree. They weren't close to anyone, they kept as far as they could. After all, this was just work, who would get close to their coworkers?]
[It was common for them to drift off, to wander around and get themselves in trouble because it was all they knew. Aside from a boiling anger that had finally settled into a soft simmer after so many years of its roar.]
[For once Mimic could say they could think straight, something they hadn't felt they could say in so many countless years.]
[They come to their senses when the wind gently brushes their coat, jostling it as they lift their head from the floor they stared at. They blinked their eyes, adjusting to their surroundings as they stood still. Their boots rocked awkwardly on the floor as they clasped their hands in front of them in form of entertainment.]
[Clap!]
[They flinch at the very sound of their hands, too used to the quiet atmosphere of their mind. It snapped them to their senses, coming to the sense that they weren't alone.]
[There was a tree and among it a person. Person? Yes. Or maybe not. Was that a mask? Mimic squints their eyes, not gaining much from it considering they were blind in one and their hair covered too much. They slowly unclasp their hands, lifting one to their face to push away a tuft of hair. A green eye peered from between the tufts, squinted as if it would help.]
[They aren't sure they should announce their presence, not sure who it was that stood in front of them.]
Fortunately, there was no need to announce their presence. The clap caught their attention just fine.
They definitely didn't fall out of the tree in their surprise. It was a calculated drop, if you had to know.
"By those-" They started, lifting themselves up and fixing their mask, which had gone askew in their descent. They paused at the unfamiliar face before getting up and brushing themselves off. "Guess that's what I get for not paying attention." They joke weakly.
"Uh- I don't think we've met before?" They mentally kicked themselves, it sounded more like a question than a statement. Introductions always felt so awkward. They pushed on regardless, giving their hood a tug to make sure it was covering them properly. "I'm the Shapeshifter, but that can be a mouthful, so just Shapes or Shifty works fine."
[They were startled, dropping their hand as the person fell.] "Oh!" [Was all they could pathetically muster in a moment of alarm. Ah, that was a rough tumble!]
[They stared at the unfamiliar mask, unsure they'd met the other person. They could only wonder if it was a merc, there seemed to be so many of them, and many they had yet to meet. The weak attempt at a joke has an awkward smile climbing up their lips.]
"I don't think we have." [They reply, feeling a chuckle follow light on their tongue. It wasn't a mocking laugh, it felt as if they did it to alleviate any awkward tension in the air.] "It's a pleasure to meet you Shapeshifter," [They pause for a second in thought.] "Shifty." [They bite at the nickname, giving it a taste before deciding it wasn't something they could roll with. Nicknames have never been their thing.]
[With a bad taste of the nickname on their tongue they quickly correct themselves.] "Shapeshifter."
[They looked down at the other, clasping their hands in front of them once again but this time gently. Skin pressing against skin but no sound, gentle and thought out. They press their weight into the heels of their boots, thoughtfully humming.] "I'm the Mimic, Mimic or Mi is just fine." [The nickname tumbles awkwardly from their mouth, it was clear nobody called them that. It was a clumsy attempt at mimicking the context of Shapeshifter's sentence.]
[They feel obligated to ask if the other was okay, they were after all the cause of Shapeshifter's fall and to say they didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about it would be a mouthful of lies.] "Are you alright? You took quite a fall."
They make the decision to pointedly ignore their tumble, a quiet laugh escapes them at their correction, finding some humor in the clear decision that was made in just repeating their name. They nod as Mimic introduced themselves, taking note of how they stumble over the short nickname. "Mimic, got it."
They then scratched the back of their neck. Gloves against hood, fabric against fabric. Not an inch of exposed skin. " 'nd yeah, I'm fine. That was far from the worst fall I've taken. Might end up with a bruise or two at worst." They shrug, quickly attempting to dodge any concern. The last thing they wanted was to have to visit Medic. Especially for something so minor.
"Oh! Uh- pronouns? I'm fine with anything, myself, but get they/them most often." They didn't interact with enough of the others to know if they actually remembered to ask about their pronouns when first introducing themselves, but they'd like to think they did.
They could swear they used to be better at this kind of thing, but they could be wrong.
[They seemed to move past their little tumble of nicknames in favor of nodding their head at the mention of their name, swinging on the balls of their feet as they inhaled softly. They swing their clasped hands in front of them quietly, seeming similar to a child waiting for a treat. Swinging their feet and arms in childlike manners.]
[Not overly exaggerated but it seemed like a motion they did to relieve stress. Their shoulders were slightly tensed and they had just a slight awkward swing. Their pose made it difficult to swing on their boots but they seemed to manage in favor of not standing still like a tree.]
"I can only assume you've gotten worse." [They made a general motion towards the mask that obscured their vision of Shapeshifter's face. They had a general assumption that the other was a merc just like them, if not then what sane man would wear a mask? They're polite enough not to bring it up.] "This line of work will have you sore by merely getting out of bed."
[They wave a hand lazily as they speak, they are somewhat expressive considering their eyes give no portal to their emotions.]
[Their voice could be described as blunt, there wasn't any real hint of emotion behind it. There was an accent to it however, some words were slurred, and 'r's seemed to pop just slightly. The roll of their tongue with every word that leaves their mouth.]
"I'm glad you're alright." [They seemed to realize that it was only polite to say that otherwise they wouldn't have said it and went along with just talking.] "Oh! Pro…nouns?" [The word slips out in a slurred confusion. Out of all the things they've been asked they can't say they've heard that before and despite not having their eyes visible the crinkles on their face showed that their brows had furrowed.]
"Ah!" [They seemed to brighten as the other brought up their pronouns.]
"Well then, I am a man and many refer to me as such." [They start with a tilt of their head, moving their hands to their chest.] "But I do use they/them as well!" [That seemed to be the first genuine spike in their tone. It sounded like they were happy and with a smile on their face perhaps that was it.]
They, on the other hand, stood mostly still outside of occasional exaggerated movements likely to make up for the lack of visible facial expressions. Waving a hand here or there, slumping their shoulders, anything that helped convey their emotions was on the table.
It looked like despite being completely covered from head to toe, they actually wanted to be understood. How odd.
"The mask's a part of my uniform, which is a little funny since you never see it when I'm actually on the field." They muse. "If I'm out there, it's never as myself."
Their hands slip into the pockets of their hoodie and their shoulders seem to relax a bit, a little more comfortable now. "So he/him and they/them? Noted." They nod.
They pause, considering and weighing their options for a moment. "So, mind if I ask what brings you out here?"
[Their hands swung to the side as they brought up their pronouns, seeming delighted that someone else had the decency to know to ask. It wasn't very common that people did, it wasn't brought up from what they noticed. They tipped their weight forward, standing on the toes of their boots before swinging back slowly.]
[Shapeshifter was a nice change of pace from their previous interactions. One not being so pleasant and the other being simply... Strange. Although strange seemed to be a part of this job.]
[They quite like this person, from what they were experiencing now. Of course that could be bound for change.]
[They can't say they were blind to Shapeshifter's attempts at being understood. For a person who was covered from head to toe, you would expect them to be well... Mysterious. And yes, Shapeshifter was mysterious in some way but it didn't appear as if that was their goal. Mimic picked up on this, being surrounded by men who were both open and closed about themselves they tended to know the difference.]
[They were curious but they didn't pry. Unlike some members of their team, they were rather respectful, polite, and formal. At least in the presence of a stranger.]
"Shapeshifter" [They mimic at their sentence 'never as myself'.] "That makes sense." [They vocalize before moving past that issue in favor of other conversation topics. Work clearly wasn't their best conversation subject.]
[While speaking they must have stopped swinging, the action was gradual and barely noticeable until they had stopped completely. They nodded their head politely at the confirmation of their pronouns as they looked around.] "I can't say I know where here is."
[They spin in a circle, inspecting their surroundings before deciding that yes, they had no clue where this was.] "I was in my garden a couple of minutes ago, I must have spaced out when I went to get tea."
[A wanderer was what they were. An unwilling one at that.]
"Couldn't tell you exactly where we are, either, but I can say that I know how to get back." They note lightly, not seeming even the slightest bit put off by the other's unwilling wandering and instead assuring them that they could both get back fine.
They pause for a second. "Garden, huh?" There's a second where it seems like they might continue, but for one reason or another, their voice dies in their throat and they twist their fingers in the opposite arm's sleeve in annoyance.
Why did talking to people have to be hard? Knowing that they hadn't always been like this only made the situation more annoying for them.
"I would appreciate being able to get back." [They hummed thoughtfully at the sentence. They were grateful that Shapeshifter wasn't one of those people to ask what they meant by 'spaced out'. It could get annoying repeating the same thing over and over again.]
[Actually, they memorized it from how many times they had to say it.]
['I never really know where I'm going but my legs do. Sometimes it feels like my body and mind are different, like they split apart and my body is seeking my mind out. Only when I come to my senses has my body found my mind.' Normally they told that to whoever would listen, it was both an explanation and also long enough that nobody would willingly bother them again with stupid questions.]
[They might hate questions, now that they think about it.]
"Yes, a garden." [Mimic moved on from that awkward pause where it felt as if Shapeshifter would continue. They weren't alone, talking to people was indeed hard! Mimic was lucky that they knew how to keep a conversation going, however, they never knew how to start one.]
[That was where their conversational skills fell.]
"I can show you to it if you'd like, I have a tree there and I can assure you that you will not fall again. If you'd prefer to continue whatever you were doing before I came along." [They speak lightly, rather fondly. The tension they displayed at first meeting wasn't as present, although it was certainly still there.] "Well... Once you get us out of here?"
[They meant for it to come out as a statement yet their voice squeaked as it came out in a question. Even through their hair, their brows could be described as raised, their mouth pulled into a thin line that creased upwards at the edges just slightly. It was barely visible through their stubble.]
[They were trying to make themselves... Friendly. Sure, in this line of work, they didn't have a reason to make friends or be friendly but it was like an instinct driven into their skin].
"I think I'd like to see it, assuming I'm not intruding on anything." They note. They doubted Mimic would offer if that were the case, but it felt like the right thing to say. Blame it on the inherent strangeness that nature had where they came from.
When there were forests out there that could stretch on forever and constantly misdirect you, you learned to err on the side of caution. Even when you befriend one such forest.
"Right." They clap, the sound muted by their gloves. "Now, I'm probably gonna look crazy here." Their voice carries some humor, clearly aware of how strange what they're about to do will look.
They turn their head. "South, we're going!"
Nothing happens for a moment, but they don't seem swayed. After a few more seconds of silence, some leaves rustle and something squawks, then a raven flies down and promptly lands on their head.
"Mimic, meet South. Resident mischief maker." They turn back to Mimic. "Also the one that will yell at me if I take a wrong turn."
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
*Tracker was finally back. In the flesh and blood. God, it was good to be back. And not covered in rust anymore, too. Still, he wasn't exactly the most calm right now. So, he decided to take a walk. Best way to clear the mind, right? Or, that's what he thought before he heard the ever familiar sound of a tree's leaves rustling. Who made the sound? Were they about to attack? Immidently, his mind went into overdrive, his head whipping to where the sound came from, to see... someone who looked semi-familiar. He slowly approached to get a better look. After seeing the way the figure was covering their face, he already had a guess. Sure enough, that mask he knew all too well was being held up by a single hand. Yep, this was Shify, alright. It had been so long, too. He should probably catch up. Though, seeing the predicament they were in right now, he just watched for a bit. He didn't want to startle them and make them fall. That would be very rude. Who was he? Jeremy? Please. Eventually, though, he did have to make his presence know somehow. So, he takes a look around and steps on a nearby twig, forcing a sharp crack out of the small piece of wood.*
The sound jolts them out of their thoughts, but hey, they don't fall out of the tree or anything! They swing their body to face the sound, pleasantly surprised to see the familiar face.
"Tryin' to give me a heart attack or something?" They teased quickly, maneuvering themselves to get out of the tree. If they remembered correctly, the last time they had gotten a chance to talk with Tracker was Halloween. "How have you been? It's been a while, hasn't it?"
"Missed being made of flesh? Should I be concerned?" Their tone is light, being far too used to strange sentences and weird circumstances.
"And no, I climbed it as myself. Trying to clear my head, usually I'd climb a particularly tall building, but that wasn't an option. Someone I know will hang upside down, so I figured I'd give it a shot." They shake their head. "I'm not sure how she does it."
"Oh. Right. You've been gone for so long that I forgot you haven't had a chance to catch up on things. So, you know the Grays? The ones with sunglasses? Yeah, one of the bastards turned me into a robot. Granted, I was literally asking for it, but still."
*Tracker combs down his messy head of hair. He doesn't know why he's so self-conscious about his appearance when around Shify, but that was a conversation for another time.*
"Hanging upside down, huh? Yeah, that can't be good for your health. Try going to the opposite extreme, then. If you can't go high, find the deepest cave you can, and go there. See if that helps any."
It took them a moment to piece together what Tracker meant by 'the Grays', but they got there eventually. They didn't get bothered by those guys often. In fact, they were pretty sure they'd only been approached by one or two in the past.
"If I had a nickel for every time someone I knew was turned into a robot..." They let the sentence drift off. They'd have three nickels. Or two if they were only counting people changed into robots by the Grays. "At least you got turned back." They decide.
If they noticed that he was self-conscious, they didn't bring any attention to it.
"Maybe I'll try that." They laugh. "Shapeshifting does take away a large part of the danger of cave diving."
They were hanging upside down from a tree, something that was made harder thanks to their mask. Their blood ran to their head and they held their mask in place, unwilling to risk letting it fall when someone could stumble across them but also not wanting to admit defeat to gravity.
They were trying to sort through their thoughts, usually they'd climb a tall building or something to clear their mind, but that wasn't an option right now, so they took one out of Spring's book and did this instead.
Of course, Spring didn't have to worry about the blood rushing to her head like they did, so it was arguable if they were actually getting anywhere.
It was strange. Everything felt lively, yet quiet. Things were definitely happening, but never where they were, and if anything big was happening, clearly no one felt the need to include them or ask for their help.
And that was fine.
That was what they told themselves, anyway. They had always intended to leave distance between them and the rest of the team. It was better that way, no one really needed to know them. Sure, V had accepted them, but there was no saying if anyone else would.
That logic didn't hold up as well as it used to. Not after everything that had happened, from the bots showing up to everything that was Halloween and so on.
They swung slightly back and forth, deep in thought. Honestly, they were distracted by their own thoughts and probably a bit too easy to sneak up on.
[Mimic wasn't the best known for being in the right place at the right time.]
[They weren't fresh to their team nor were they there from the beginning. They were just an addition that caught the attention of some eyes when they'd gotten too clumsy in their killing spree. They weren't close to anyone, they kept as far as they could. After all, this was just work, who would get close to their coworkers?]
[It was common for them to drift off, to wander around and get themselves in trouble because it was all they knew. Aside from a boiling anger that had finally settled into a soft simmer after so many years of its roar.]
[For once Mimic could say they could think straight, something they hadn't felt they could say in so many countless years.]
[They come to their senses when the wind gently brushes their coat, jostling it as they lift their head from the floor they stared at. They blinked their eyes, adjusting to their surroundings as they stood still. Their boots rocked awkwardly on the floor as they clasped their hands in front of them in form of entertainment.]
[Clap!]
[They flinch at the very sound of their hands, too used to the quiet atmosphere of their mind. It snapped them to their senses, coming to the sense that they weren't alone.]
[There was a tree and among it a person. Person? Yes. Or maybe not. Was that a mask? Mimic squints their eyes, not gaining much from it considering they were blind in one and their hair covered too much. They slowly unclasp their hands, lifting one to their face to push away a tuft of hair. A green eye peered from between the tufts, squinted as if it would help.]
[They aren't sure they should announce their presence, not sure who it was that stood in front of them.]
Fortunately, there was no need to announce their presence. The clap caught their attention just fine.
They definitely didn't fall out of the tree in their surprise. It was a calculated drop, if you had to know.
"By those-" They started, lifting themselves up and fixing their mask, which had gone askew in their descent. They paused at the unfamiliar face before getting up and brushing themselves off. "Guess that's what I get for not paying attention." They joke weakly.
"Uh- I don't think we've met before?" They mentally kicked themselves, it sounded more like a question than a statement. Introductions always felt so awkward. They pushed on regardless, giving their hood a tug to make sure it was covering them properly. "I'm the Shapeshifter, but that can be a mouthful, so just Shapes or Shifty works fine."
[They were startled, dropping their hand as the person fell.] "Oh!" [Was all they could pathetically muster in a moment of alarm. Ah, that was a rough tumble!]
[They stared at the unfamiliar mask, unsure they'd met the other person. They could only wonder if it was a merc, there seemed to be so many of them, and many they had yet to meet. The weak attempt at a joke has an awkward smile climbing up their lips.]
"I don't think we have." [They reply, feeling a chuckle follow light on their tongue. It wasn't a mocking laugh, it felt as if they did it to alleviate any awkward tension in the air.] "It's a pleasure to meet you Shapeshifter," [They pause for a second in thought.] "Shifty." [They bite at the nickname, giving it a taste before deciding it wasn't something they could roll with. Nicknames have never been their thing.]
[With a bad taste of the nickname on their tongue they quickly correct themselves.] "Shapeshifter."
[They looked down at the other, clasping their hands in front of them once again but this time gently. Skin pressing against skin but no sound, gentle and thought out. They press their weight into the heels of their boots, thoughtfully humming.] "I'm the Mimic, Mimic or Mi is just fine." [The nickname tumbles awkwardly from their mouth, it was clear nobody called them that. It was a clumsy attempt at mimicking the context of Shapeshifter's sentence.]
[They feel obligated to ask if the other was okay, they were after all the cause of Shapeshifter's fall and to say they didn't feel the slightest bit guilty about it would be a mouthful of lies.] "Are you alright? You took quite a fall."
They make the decision to pointedly ignore their tumble, a quiet laugh escapes them at their correction, finding some humor in the clear decision that was made in just repeating their name. They nod as Mimic introduced themselves, taking note of how they stumble over the short nickname. "Mimic, got it."
They then scratched the back of their neck. Gloves against hood, fabric against fabric. Not an inch of exposed skin. " 'nd yeah, I'm fine. That was far from the worst fall I've taken. Might end up with a bruise or two at worst." They shrug, quickly attempting to dodge any concern. The last thing they wanted was to have to visit Medic. Especially for something so minor.
"Oh! Uh- pronouns? I'm fine with anything, myself, but get they/them most often." They didn't interact with enough of the others to know if they actually remembered to ask about their pronouns when first introducing themselves, but they'd like to think they did.
They could swear they used to be better at this kind of thing, but they could be wrong.
[They seemed to move past their little tumble of nicknames in favor of nodding their head at the mention of their name, swinging on the balls of their feet as they inhaled softly. They swing their clasped hands in front of them quietly, seeming similar to a child waiting for a treat. Swinging their feet and arms in childlike manners.]
[Not overly exaggerated but it seemed like a motion they did to relieve stress. Their shoulders were slightly tensed and they had just a slight awkward swing. Their pose made it difficult to swing on their boots but they seemed to manage in favor of not standing still like a tree.]
"I can only assume you've gotten worse." [They made a general motion towards the mask that obscured their vision of Shapeshifter's face. They had a general assumption that the other was a merc just like them, if not then what sane man would wear a mask? They're polite enough not to bring it up.] "This line of work will have you sore by merely getting out of bed."
[They wave a hand lazily as they speak, they are somewhat expressive considering their eyes give no portal to their emotions.]
[Their voice could be described as blunt, there wasn't any real hint of emotion behind it. There was an accent to it however, some words were slurred, and 'r's seemed to pop just slightly. The roll of their tongue with every word that leaves their mouth.]
"I'm glad you're alright." [They seemed to realize that it was only polite to say that otherwise they wouldn't have said it and went along with just talking.] "Oh! Pro…nouns?" [The word slips out in a slurred confusion. Out of all the things they've been asked they can't say they've heard that before and despite not having their eyes visible the crinkles on their face showed that their brows had furrowed.]
"Ah!" [They seemed to brighten as the other brought up their pronouns.]
"Well then, I am a man and many refer to me as such." [They start with a tilt of their head, moving their hands to their chest.] "But I do use they/them as well!" [That seemed to be the first genuine spike in their tone. It sounded like they were happy and with a smile on their face perhaps that was it.]
They, on the other hand, stood mostly still outside of occasional exaggerated movements likely to make up for the lack of visible facial expressions. Waving a hand here or there, slumping their shoulders, anything that helped convey their emotions was on the table.
It looked like despite being completely covered from head to toe, they actually wanted to be understood. How odd.
"The mask's a part of my uniform, which is a little funny since you never see it when I'm actually on the field." They muse. "If I'm out there, it's never as myself."
Their hands slip into the pockets of their hoodie and their shoulders seem to relax a bit, a little more comfortable now. "So he/him and they/them? Noted." They nod.
They pause, considering and weighing their options for a moment. "So, mind if I ask what brings you out here?"
[Their hands swung to the side as they brought up their pronouns, seeming delighted that someone else had the decency to know to ask. It wasn't very common that people did, it wasn't brought up from what they noticed. They tipped their weight forward, standing on the toes of their boots before swinging back slowly.]
[Shapeshifter was a nice change of pace from their previous interactions. One not being so pleasant and the other being simply... Strange. Although strange seemed to be a part of this job.]
[They quite like this person, from what they were experiencing now. Of course that could be bound for change.]
[They can't say they were blind to Shapeshifter's attempts at being understood. For a person who was covered from head to toe, you would expect them to be well... Mysterious. And yes, Shapeshifter was mysterious in some way but it didn't appear as if that was their goal. Mimic picked up on this, being surrounded by men who were both open and closed about themselves they tended to know the difference.]
[They were curious but they didn't pry. Unlike some members of their team, they were rather respectful, polite, and formal. At least in the presence of a stranger.]
"Shapeshifter" [They mimic at their sentence 'never as myself'.] "That makes sense." [They vocalize before moving past that issue in favor of other conversation topics. Work clearly wasn't their best conversation subject.]
[While speaking they must have stopped swinging, the action was gradual and barely noticeable until they had stopped completely. They nodded their head politely at the confirmation of their pronouns as they looked around.] "I can't say I know where here is."
[They spin in a circle, inspecting their surroundings before deciding that yes, they had no clue where this was.] "I was in my garden a couple of minutes ago, I must have spaced out when I went to get tea."
[A wanderer was what they were. An unwilling one at that.]
"Couldn't tell you exactly where we are, either, but I can say that I know how to get back." They note lightly, not seeming even the slightest bit put off by the other's unwilling wandering and instead assuring them that they could both get back fine.
They pause for a second. "Garden, huh?" There's a second where it seems like they might continue, but for one reason or another, their voice dies in their throat and they twist their fingers in the opposite arm's sleeve in annoyance.
Why did talking to people have to be hard? Knowing that they hadn't always been like this only made the situation more annoying for them.
