OOM: The Roof

[evil_koala_626]

The sun breaks over a calm autumn scene. Mist rolls from the gently lapping lake, shrouding the forest and outbuildings in an opaque blanket. It's early, Too early for the dawn chorus of birdsong, too early for nearly anything to be stirring much at all. The silence is punctuated by a familiar sound.

Snufflesnufflesnufflesnufflesnuffle.

There is a new quary today. Someone who has apparently taken no pains to conceal his presence at all. Jack Sparrow's pungent footfalls practically scream their location from the dewy grass. This is too easy.

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[evil_koala_626]

Stitch pulls a skeptical face behind Indy's back. He's been up there before and hasn't had any trouble with traps. Whatever. With a mental Shrug, Stitch shimmies up the side of the buildin ignoring the ladder completely. He ppers over the roofs edge and grins down at Indy. Ladders. HA!

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

Indy may not be a ninja, or an alien, but he has plenty of rope-ladder climbing experience. Even at this hour, he makes short work of the ascent, and it's not long before he hauls himself over the edge to join Stitch.

"Okay. Careful now," he warns. "Which direction does the trail go?"

Everything is much as he remembers it up here: it's a maze of exhaust vents and chimneys, all billowing steam or delicious-smelling smoke. The only difference is the abundance of tattered red envelopes that are littered around. Those that aren't trodden flat sporadically skitter across the tar-paper like tumbleweeds.

[evil_koala_626]

An intense look of concentration crosses the experiments face. Two fingers are raised (to check the wind? For silence? Who knows?) There is a careful sniff a nod to himself and Stitch motions forward between the chimneys before setting his nose to the ground and resuming the hunt. The envelopes are completely ignored.

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

"Wait—"

When Indy sees that the route conforms to the safe one Mike had shown him, he relaxes.

"Oh nevermind..."

He takes a big gulp from his travel mug, then starts after, fairly certain where the trail is going to end up now.

[evil_koala_626]

A rounded shape slowly rises into view amid the rooftop clutter. It's large, it's a faded yellow. And unless his senses have gone completely haywire that's the steady sound of somebody snoring inside. Stitch smirks in triumph. Gotcha.

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

Indy's eyes narrow as they near the tent.

"Sounds like someone's home," he points out unnecessarily.

Give him a break—it's early.

"The sides and back are all rigged with slow-motion traps," he adds. "Or, used to be. Front door should be clear though."

[evil_koala_626]

That's all the permission Stitch needs.

"Grrrrrrrr" He rushes around the side of the tent. He has her! He finally has her! Stupid Bar! The tent flap is thrown dramatically open.

"HAH!" A clawed finger is thrust at the tent's occupant.

....

"GAAAAAAAAAAH!"

[mnt_mike]

Mike was sleeping soundly.
He was snug like a bug on a sleeping bag tossed on to the floor of a tent that used to dream of being a studio apartment.

A bug sans pants.

That was until the screaming started.
The narrative world works much the same way as the natural one does. Like begets like.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

Or in this case, screaming begets screaming.

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

Indy isn't so impetuous with his entry into the tent. The chorus of screaming starts as he pushes through the flaps. He grimaces instinctively and tenses himself for something horrible.

Fortunately, Mike's tushie is not a uncommon sight for him, so he doesn't add anything to the vocal hysteria. He just squints at Mike's body, and prepares his whip in case Bar tries to escape.

[evil_koala_626]

Stitch has been rehearsing how this moment would go down ever since it became apparent that Bar was dileberately messing with him. None of his envisioned senarios could have prepared him for this. Stitch has no problems fighting dirty but you do not beat the living tar out of someone when they're naked from the waste down. It's just not done.

Squinting his eyes painfully closes, Stitch pinches the bridge of his snout. Whatever, they've got her.

"Bar? Pants. NOW!" The last word is delivered in a full blown snarl.

[mnt_mike]

Mike just keeps screaming.
He has no idea where he is, he has no idea who's yelling at him, and he has no idea what he is.

SO really screaming is the only logical action he can take.

It's a very girl scream.

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

It's eerie how Bar sounds just like Mike. But Indy figures that's just a product of the biology she's using.

"Easy, girl," Indy says, a lot more kindly. "We're not gonna hurt you."

He glances at the unfurled bullwhip in his hand and sheepishly hides it behind his back.

[evil_koala_626]

What?!

"Ih-takabah!" After weeks and weeks of being given the runaround? YES THEY ARE!

Stitch growls furiously at poor Mike's prone form.

[mnt_mike]

His eyes are unfocused and bleary, a sad by product of the body swap. Of course, the fact that he was startled out of a perfectly good sleep isn't helping either.

But that voice....it sounds just like...

"i...indy?"

His voice is scratchy from the mad jump from lack-of-use to screaming.

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

"That's right, hun. One of your favorite 'tenders."

He moves level with Stitch, and prepares to collar him if he gets any angrier.

"It's been a while now, and I reckon you've had enough corporeal fun. This hasn't been a walk in the park for Mike. So... if you'll just come quietly, we can get you both switched around again somehow, and assume business as usual."

[evil_koala_626]

Is she actuall ignoring the fact that he's here?!

"Aaaaaaaaaah!" Charge!

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

Fortunately for Mike, Indy is ready. He reacts in the nick of time, grabbing Stitch by the scruff of his neck and halting the attack. The move may be a bit foolhardy, but he's prudent enough to keep the little alien at arm's length, since there's a good chance that those teeth aren't just for show.

"Jeez, Stitch. What's your problem!?"

"Calm down. Give the girl a break. She just woke up. I'm sure she's not gonna give us any trouble."

He says the last pointedly, in Mike's direction.

[mnt_mike]

Wow, his head must be fuzzier than it feels. It almost sounds as if Indy's calling him a she.

....

Oh no.

What if.
What if something's happened.

He won't panic. He won't panic.
hewon'tpanic.

He closes his eyes, swallows hard, and looks down.

"ohthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou."

Nothing to see here.
Just a man very excited to see that all the bits of him, particularly the dangly ones, are all present and accounted for.
Move along.

[evil_koala_626]

It's fortunate that Indy decided to scruff him rather than say attempt a half nelson. There is an angry, snarling, cursing ball of extraterrestrial fury swinging from the man's hand. And then the world goes really weird. Weird enough for Stitch to momentarily forget he's cheesed off and to stare with googley eyes at the naked Bar's actions.

O_o

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

Indy keeps an eye on the suddenly docile creature, in case it's trying to lull him into a false sense of security. But he spares Mike a glance.

"Oh come on, doll," he says, a bit confusedly. "You've had rod and tackle for a few weeks now. They can't still be a novelty."

[mnt_mike]

a few weeks?
A few weeks?!
A FEW WEEKS?!?

Someone has taken a bucket of confusion and thrown it over him like red paint at a fur show.

"did i go back in time?"

[evil_koala_626]

They can't seriously be having this conversation. Stitch facepalms.

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

Indy eyes Mike's body, wondering if the current owner is suffering from some form of short term memory loss.

"Uh. No," he says, scratching his head with his free hand. "You've been in Mike's body that long. Ever since you switched yourself in."

By now, Indy is getting fairly perplexed as well. If Stitch wanted to get loose, he would have no problem.

"Everyone would kinda appreciate it if you undid that switch."

[mnt_mike]

Mike has never been that great at math, but he knows damn well that he's had his body for far longer than a few weeks.

"Now you just wait a minute there!"

He says stumbling to his feet.

"You know damn well I didn't have any control over the switch."

[evil_koala_626]

Bull! Mike had said that she knew full well what was going to happ- Wait a second...

The fingers covering Stitch's face are removed. He stares intensly at Mike's face.

"Who's in there?"