I think it would be fun/kinda fucked up if, after escaping the phone, Tenna had to basically learn to do everything all over again.
Like, in a way, the phone taking over his body lessened some of the downsides, since (I'm assuming that since Spamton can gain or lose weight that general physiology applies to everyone in one way or another) the alternative would mean significant muscle atrophy, unhealthy weight loss, tissue death + pulmonary issues if not turned, ... Going back to that body would've been HELL. But since someone else was controlling it, even if they were not taking care of it properly despite Spamton's best efforts, alot of purely physiological issues were alleviated.
STILL, if we assume that soul-switching and their consequences would work similarly to certain neurological issues -> on a rough interpretation, probably on the medulla, brainstem and/or cerebellum if we assume (again, on very rough terms) that the brain itself is what constitutes as a 'consciouness' for a soul.
Okay, I think the body horror is clearer if I give examples:
1) Respiratory irregularity: the brainstem controls alot of our automatic functions, including breathing. Tenna would probably have to make a conscious effort to breathe for a while, or at least lose that automatic capability at random times/have it weakened. When he's awake that could be uncomfortable and cause an oscillation between shallow/deep breathing, but I think the most horrifying part would come when he sleeps. His body might basically just forget to breathe. That could wake Tenna up from the discomfort, yeah,but when he sleeps it could manifest as Central Sleep Apnea! Basically, a form of sleep apnea that has nothing to do woth obstruction/issues on the respiratory system itself, but solely on issues on the medulla oblongata. The body just forgets to breathe! It's completely and utterly silent and if the person doesn't wake up by themselves from the discomfort (which would basically be them sitting up and gasping, very scary) OR aren't woken up by someone else, they just flat-out die. Just like that.
Like, imagine you're Spamton, yeah? That whole mess is finally over. The phone is no longer controlling your partner. You have your reunion, Tenna is obviously exhausted and with tremors, bad coordination, probably unable to walk purely due to balance, but everyone is exhausted. It's chalked up to a mix of exhaustion and him getting his bearings back, especially since he's acting mostly like himself. You two finally go to bed, to finally have a good night's sleep after so long and either Tenna falls asleep first or Spamton wakes up very early into the night from noticing something was off.
And the guy beside you is not breathing.
He's alive. His heart is beating. You were lucky enough to have caught it in a minute or less, but he's not BREATHING. You shake him awake and he gasps, just as freaked out as you are.
Okay, I went off on a tangent on this one bc it's the most horrifying to me, but other examples
2) Cardiovascular Instability: The brainstem regulates heart rate and blood pressure too. Early stages would show orthostatic hypotension (basically: dizziness upon standing due to a drop in blood pressure), an inability to increase heart rate corretly during exertion (causing easy fatigue), and even dangerous arrhythmias in a few constexts.
3) Ataxia: This would be the most obvious one. Tenna would be staggering and have wide-based walking for a while. He'd need support in order to walk until that fades.
4) Tremors: Intention tremors would be really common—a tremor that worsens when Tenna tries to reach for an object. The cerebellum controls fine-tune movements so....
5) Dysdiadochokinesia: An inability to perform rapid, alternating movements, like quickly rotating the hands. Classic one for cerebellum injury. Could be really irritating for Tenna since he was a show-man for a while.
6) Motor/coordination learning is compromised: This one is basically the same as ataxia (ataxia IS a consequence of this), but alot of learnt motor skills would have to be rebuilt.
7) Proprioceptive Loss: The sense of where one's body parts are in space without looking would be gone or wildly inaccurate. Tenna would need to visually monitor his limbs to know his position. If he's not careful, there's a high risk of tripping, bumping into walls, or dropping objects.
8) Impaired Sensory Interpretation: Touch, temperature, and pain might be perceived, but their location, intensity, and meaning would be confusing. A pinprick on the finger might be felt as a vague "something wrong" in the general arm area. Considering the trauma of being trapped in the phone and general anxieties relating to it, this could be especially cruel
9) Vertigo and Nausea: The vestibular system in the inner ear, which controls balance, sends signals to the brainstem and cerebellum. A mismatch between what the eyes see, what the body feels, and what the brain expects would make him REALLY dizzy and nauseous.
And many, many more, depending on how severe you'd wanna make it. Recovery (especially since it's deltarune and not a REAL medical scenario) is very possible, but oh boy would it be difficult.
Anyway, imagine the GUILT that would cause Spamton. The guy you love is finally 'saved' and yet THIS is still going on. Considering that he tried to take care of Tenna's body to the best of his ability, that would definitely make him feel like he failed, like he missed something. Until someone more experienced with this sort of thing (maybe Seam) explains that no, unfortunately that is just part of the process with individuals whose souls/bodies were separated for long periods of time. The body itself is fine. The problem is the connection between them.
h-holy shit
That's. A lot to think about. With knowledge like that, I'm convinced you're a medical student or professional!
I like a lot of these as ideas to explore for Tenna in that au (which I think I'll call Telemarketed!) Especially 2, 4, 6, and 8. I can see him trying to drink his first cup of coffee back and accidentally spill it from trembling, but not notice the heat as he remembers it should be. It'd likely cause a huge panic attack out of frustration and fear, and lead him to seeing Seam (who is actually a part of this AU anyway, as the one who helped bring Tenna back to his body!)
