Noel hadn’t been denied phone privileges, but knowing that SUPER was likely interested in what she had to say, she’d kept her communications with Michael brief. He knew she was okay. She knew he was okay. They bths till had jobs, somehow. He also knew she’d be back today. It was only a 3 hour flight spent white knuckled through polar vortex turbulence until her Texas “vacation” was officially over.

It’d been just about a month since she’d last been in New York. A month and ten years, from her recollection, since she’d walked freely through the streets.

Now she just had to pick up the threads of a life she didn’t quite remember. Her notes indicated that there was a wedding upcoming, otherwise she might have stayed in Dallas longer. Michael had mentioned that he’d recovered their animals and had mostly moved them both from their Haven residences into a temporary apartment over BlacTac. An apartment together.

She was supposed to double check the apartments for any last few things and get ready. The timing was tight after flight delays. She would have to leave her stuff at security and then meet Micahel at the wedding itself… apparently he was in it.

The Noel of the future seemed a bit more comfortable with herself, or maybe she’d had more experiences with dresses than the Noel of now. Her memories had enough to help her know what went where. Thank goodness. If the collective memory of some 20-odd women wasn't enough to help her shimmy into the various undergarments, holster straps, shapewear, shoes, and dress itself, she would have been in trouble. And make up. Make up was a requirement for looking spiffy, right?

The security guy whistled when she left a box and her duffel with him. Her cabby asked for her number. By the time she arrived at the church, Noel was flustered from the attention and more than ready to see Michael already.

Her dress was a brick red with a downright modest teeshirt style neckline and cap sleeves. It was tight enough up top that it had taken more than one undergarment to make everything all smooth. The back was buttoned which had been absolute torture to manage alone, a task made even more confusing when thre was a large section of her back left purposefully exposed. The skirt was of a length that made it feel a bit more formal, but then slit high enough that should she need to run (in those heels? hah), she’d be able to.

”You made it.” An usher offered his arm to her before she’d even finished signing the guest book. His eyes did a full sweep and he managed a gallic shrug without retracting the offer of his arm. ”You’re on the groom’s side unless you know Winnie.”

”I haadly know why aym hea, onnestly.”

Where the guy had taken near everything in stride before, when Noel opened her mouth and a hard Boston accent came out, he tripped over himself to get her moving toward the doors and into the church proper. He was suddenly and obviously delighted.

”Oh this is gonna be good.”

What a difference ten years could make. Everything in Ranger’s life seemed to be different. The small company Ranger had started had grown. Ranger had found himself working for a secretive government agency, SUPER. He had hired a noncom to do busywork and now the kid was all but running the entire business in Ranger’s absence. The business having grown proved to be invaluable to Ranger. And there was a pair of little bears. Each of them looked bigger than Jude who had been taking care of them for Ranger and Noel for the past month.

Ranger had been able to call BlacTac from the SUPER location in Austin and make arrangements for himself and Noel. Their time hiding inside of Haven was coming to an end. Ranger spoke to Jude, who sounded really young to be running BlacTac in Ranger’s absence, and worked out a plan.

The apartment space in BlacTac that was normally used for short term housing of personnel was to be refit. Out with the bunk beds and everything that made it feel like a barracks. In with king size beds and everything that would make it feel like home. Much of the decorating and furniture to fill the space could come from Ranger and Noel’s apartments at Haven.

Ranger’s cover story was that he and Noel had used Haven as a home of convenience. Ranger had lived there to be closest to the biggest client during the transition. Noel because of a legal incident. Now they were in a place where leaving Haven was okay.

No sense in burning the bridge to Haven. It was still BlacTac’s largest consistent contact and it meant if needed, SUPER could have Ranger or Noel continue looking into Haven.

There had been several chances for Ranger to touch base with Noel. He was able to let her know about the change in living arrangements. All communication with Noel was brief. A good plan when using alphabet soup and related phones. The first time Ranger had spoken to Noel after they were seperated was the day Ranger was being shipped back to New York. He had spoken to Noel a few times after that over the next couple days. The last couple before the wedding, Ranger had not heard from Noel. A call to the Dallas office had let him know that Noel was on a flight to New York.

The plan was that she would stop by Haven. Give them a last once over and get ready for the wedding. Unless there were extreme delays, Noel should be able to make it.

Ranger had already moved the suit he was supposed to wear as an ushern at the wedding to BlacTac. It just needed one stop on the way for some alterations. Ranger wondered how big he had gotten in the missing ten years. It was like he didn’t care about metabolic conditioning and just piled on muscle. Could ten years from now him do the ruck marches he’d had to do in selection? Maybe the him in the future trusted in his power to keep him going.

It was clear that the suit was chosen by someone from BlacTac. While it was a sharp three-piece, it had all the hidden compartments. Ranger had his usual SiG P226 riding shotgun to his junk, but he could hide smaller sidearms, knives, and magazines all around the suit. And it accomplished it without any outward indication.

It was of no surprise that the groomsmen for Sideshow’s wedding were mostly men from BlacTac. What was interesting was that his Best Man was not. Amos King, a former operator like the rest of Alpha Team, had elected to live a more relaxed life after he left the military. He had gone to school and was now a database engineer. The man had a sense of humor like SIdeshow, likely why the two had become an insufferable pair in Delta.

Ranger had just shown someone to their seat when he saw Noel being shown to a seat by Jude. He seemed overly gleeful as he walked Noel. Noel, who looked magnificent. There was no almost tripping over someone as he walked toward Noel and Jude. None at all. And it certainly wasn’t caused by Ranger not taking his eyes off Noel.

All stumbling behind him, Ranger met up with Jude and Noel, ”I can take her from here, Jude.” He then held out his arm to Noel and said, ”Howdy,” through a grin. It had been a week since he had seen her last. His face betrayed him and showing his excitement to see her again... And his excitement to see her dressed as she was.

As someone recently refreshed on how to notice who was packing heat, Noel fast became more and more alarmed the further they got down the aisle. The wedding was lovely with flowers and whatnot, but the two sides of the room could not have been more different. One side was full of jokers. Lots of men. Correction, lots of dangerous men. The other side of the aisle was far more traditional with tea length dresses and clutched pearls. They looked as actively worried as Noel was. Except that none of them had a Ranger scooting through the aisle to get to them.

Noel’s usher bailed and she was happy to take Michael’s arm instead. He howdy’d her into a smile and they grinned at eachother like dopes the rest of the way to her seat. Funny how knowing at least one person changed everything.

”Hey.” It wasn’t that long an aisle. He still had things to do. ”Ah’ll just wait hea then.” On a near empty pew, next to a kildly looking old couple and just behind a few burly, fully armed men. No big deal… until they started turning around to talk to her.

”I’m glad you sent him back first. That was real stupid to think of getting into politics.”

”You look radiant. When are you due?”

Noel was too stunned to compute, even when the old nan next to her gathered up her hand and the old guy bopped one of those that’d turned around to encourage him to face back toward the front instead of grinning like fools.

”Oh hush, Demore.”
”You know it was that Corona virus. So glad the tests came back negative in time for you attend, dear.”

”Wait- ah.”
”It’s okay, hun. You just ignore those silly rumors and they’ll die off eventually.”

Noel turned in her seat to see where Michael had gone. Every single one of those crazy people thought they were telling the truth. Was it… rude to tell people she didn’t remember them at all?

Noel smiled at Ranger, Ranger only grinned broader. While he had been less than graceful on his approach to Noel, Ranger was able to walk her down the aisle with her to her seat without a single misstep. And hardly without taking his eyes off her on the way.

It was a wonderful moment. Only soured by what came out of Noel’s mouth. The words themselves were fine. The way Noel said them was the accent equivalent of taking a drink and expecting sweet tea but instead you find it full of 100 Low Lead.

Ranger stared at Noel for a moment. Stunned and with one eye twitching at the abrasiveness of the accent. It had to be a bad joke. ”...Yeah. I’ll be back once I’m done ushin’.” When Ranger had slid out of the row, he looked back at Noel before heading back up the aisle. Had she picked up an accent in her SUPER reorientation? Why would anyone want anyone to pick up that horrendous accent. Why not make sure she sounded like a normal person like him. Most New Yorkers, who sound like they’re speaking through rocks half the time, at least sound better than… Boston? Had to be Boston. No place had a worse accent.

The crowd was slowly thinning out. Ranger alternated with Jude and the other ushers to show the guests to their seats. One of the last women that Ranger showed to her seat was a young blonde girl in a green dress who clearly hit the gym hard. She was a relative of Winny. Ranger showed her to her row.

No one was left milling about when the music changed. Gone were the upbeat songs that felt inviting, orchestral music filled the church indicating the beginning of the processional. Ranger took his place in line to escort Sideshow’s only living grandmother.

After Mama Renfield had found her seat, Ranger made his way to Noel. Something in her eyes told him something weird had been going on. Which was par for the course with whom all she was seated with. Alpha Team had been playing some game with Ranger since he got back. It was as if they were trying to one up each other on making up excuses for why he had been gone so long. At first Ranger was confused, but after a day of it he just decided to play along. Whatever they said he one upped it.

”How is the campaign going?”

”I had t’ scuttle it. Someone had a bigger hat than me. Biggest hat gets the most votes. Just how it works.”

---

”Hey, Hunter. How’s Noel? I heard y’all are having a kid?”

”Sonogram showed triplets.”

The other ushers continued walking other grandparents and Sideshow’s parents to their seats as Ranger sat down. ”Y’ look amazin’ in that dress.” He leaned in close to Noel so he could speak a little softer. No sense making a scene over telling a woman she looked nice at a wedding. ”I’m glad y’ were cut loose an’ could make it here.”

Oh? She looked amazing?

”Yeah. Me an’ awl fifteen of my fetuses apparently.” Snickers from the row ahead made Noel bop one of them right on the balding spot. This was like going to church and babysitting the kids who couldn’t seem to stop being trouble. She wasn’t entirely sure why she was in this, but it became rather clear in the short time that Michael had been gone that Noel was one cheek of the butt of a few jokes. Michael was, of course, the other.

He scooted closer and Noel realized that may have been a bit loud for the beginning of a wedding where all the important people were being given their importance. She breathed in and out in the long way of meditation or yoga, rather than spitting fire like she wanted to. She also moved to snake her arm underneath his jacket, only her hand boinked against something solid. A magazine or a… knife?

”Whoy is everyone ahmed to the teeth heah? Includin’ me?” Noel moved her leg on top of the Ranger’s so that the slit of her skirt exposed knee, thigh, and just the barest peek of kydex.

It had been set out along with her clothes, so she put it on. Noel certainly hadn’t expected everyone to be wearing one. Or more than one, as she felt in the Ranger’s jacket.

The grating accent continued, but Ranger snorted at the comment anyay. So what had been going on while Ranger was away was the game Alpha Team had been playing with him. ”Fifteen? Where’re y’ hiding all them in that dress? I only said three when they played that joke on me.” Ranger admitted to playing into the jokes that had been running around BlacTac.

As Ranger sat closer, Noel worked her arm around under his jacket. Bumping into his concealed arsenal as she went. While the clothes concealed everything from sight they did not defend you from someone feeling around inside the jacket.

This prompted Noel to speak again with her accent that was the verbal equivalent of licking a cactus. The sheer terribleness of the accent caused Ranger to almost miss what she had asked. He was able to track with what she asked after she let her slit expose just far enough up her thigh to let her kydex holster play peekaboo. It just added to the sexiness of the whole outfit.

”Oh.. Uh. It’s just… What we do… Security company an’ most of us ‘re... former military on this side of the aisle... “ Ranger said. His speech broken up as he contemplated addressing the assault on the ears of everyone present.

Ranger wasn’t sure where in the procession the wedding was. The music hadn’t changed to what they would play when the bride entered. He looked Noel dead in the eyes as he put an arm around her and said, ”I have t’ fix this… Think of grade school. Formative years. English class.” Then he leaned his head in to kiss with no plan to come up for air until Noel could speak like a sensible person like him. What he didn’t notice was as his lips made contact the music changed and the bride started down the aisle. 

"!!"

Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have minded. And it actually helped that she'd been handed a plan to deal with the kiss, but at the moment, the day belonged to the bride. And the bride was walking down the aisle just as Michael came after her lips full force enough to have them tumbling back against the pew, one leg flying up in vain attempt to steady them.

From the outside, it had to look like two teens who just couldn't help themselves. Romance was in the air, and while Noel's mind was otherwise engaged, her body happily reciprocated.

In Michael's memory, Noel realized it for what it was right away, but didn't pull back. A classroom. The teacher talked in a little drawl and he'd been staring out a window. She could see his little kid awkward phase reflected back against the backdrop of a rolling field of green grass scorched brown from the heat. Michael had to have his reasons. Was he afraid that she'd been conditioned incorrectly at SUPER's behest?

Grade school. Formative years. English class.

She fast forwarded, gobbling up only exactly his elementary English lessons and hoping it wasn't taking away from whatever important things SUPER had given her. She’d hate to have to go back so soon.

As soon as she was sure she might have it all, and without really taking the time to process, she pulled back from the memories and into her own body and awareness.

Winny was her cousin and the reason Rhia was going to NYU. Winny had moved to New York City years ago. Had she not been in NYC, Rhia would not have even applied to NYU. They weren’t the closest of cousins, but Rhia was close enough to Winny to not duck the wedding.

She wore a nice open back tea length green dress that showed off her arms. She put her hair up and all around made herself up real nice. Weddings were often great places to meet people and show off.

When she arrived at the wedding she could tell that it was a meeting of two worlds. The groom’s world of large boisterous men and their women. The bride’s world of civilized people. Groom’s side looked like it might be a little more fun if it wasn’t for the feeling that most of them were running in a state of hyperawareness like the priest might turn into a giant squid man and attack everyone.

An usher approached her and in a shockingly thick accent that made her feel back at home, asked if she was there for the bride or the groom.

”Bride’s family.” she said and the man nodded and led her to her row. ”Thank you.” she said before she slid down the pew to take her seat. Other than the parents of the bride she was the only member of the bride’s family in attendance. Texas was just far enough away that much of the family couldn’t make the trip.

Rhia heard they tried to make up for it with more wedding gifts.

She did not have a date with her so while waiting for the wedding to start, Rhia texted and looked at memes. When the processional music started she quickly stowed her phone away in her purse. She watched the first usher, the man who had walked her to her row, take the first of the grandparents to their seat before sitting next to a brunette in a brick red dress. The procession continued.

Rhia could excuse a little chatter. Maybe the lovers hadn’t had much of a chance to talk since they got to the wedding. One of them was an usher after all. But she could have sworn she heard the word ‘fetuses’ and it set the row ahead of her to giggles. She glanced over to them and it seemed that might have been the end of it. The volume went down. The procession continued.

And then the music changed and the bride started down the aisle. Winny looked magnificent in her wedding dress. She promised herself she wouldn’t cry…

Keeping that promise to herself looked like it would be easier than she thought, and not for a good reason. There was a quiet murmur in the crowd as the bride walked down the aisle. A few people had turned to look… at the usher and his woman in red. They were going to town like high schoolers in the back seat on prom night!

Rhia’s jaw dropped when she saw the display. They were at a wedding… and the freaking bride was walking down the aisle! Rhia seethed for a moment before she decided that if no one was going to say anything to stop them - it looked more like there was juvenile cheering of it on the groom side - she would do something about it. If they were so into each other, maybe they would like to spend a weekend as each other.

She had to move in front of a couple people to get to the end of the pew but she didn’t care. SHe was a woman on a mission. A mission to teach the children who couldn’t keep it in their pants long enough for her cousin to get married a lesson. They were just barely in range of her power, she had to lean into the aisle a little for her power to find purchase in them. With a small effort she swapped them. While they were making out with each other.

While it might be another disturbance to the wedding, it sure would be fun to watch the moment they realize it happened.  "Have fun, kids." Rhia said quietly to herself as she grinned evilly.

For a moment, she forgot everything else. Not a real forgetting, just a lack of aplomb in the face of lips and tongue and teeth. She already knew he was trouble, but the Ranger was going to have to account for his… soft hair and skin?

Michael’s body sat up rather abruptly, leaving Noel to look down at herself. It was an embarassing face, an indecorous moment to see, let alone one where she wanted to be caught out-of-body. Because surely, exactly that’s what had happened.

His cheeks flushed as Noel realized that the wedding had been rather interrupted. The bride had even paused before making it to the altar, and it seemed an apology was in order so that they could all move past their moment of indelicacy. Noel would rather pull her gun and shoot her way out, even knowing the quantity and quality of what was around them. But the Ranger… he wasn’t nearly so shy.

She cleared his throat. ”Don’ stop on accoun’ a us. This looks important.” Gone was the Bwoston accent. She honestly couldn't tell the difference since the way she was talking had been based on what her memories were used to. Noel just hoped she did a proper enough Ranger impression to move the focus off of them and back where it belonged.

The piano music had never stopped, so the bride, despite turning a few colors, continued. Noel wouldn’t be content until the woman made it all the way to the priest, but in the meantime, he rolled his lips in on themselves— a decidedly Noel gesture— while helping her body sit up. If she was in here… then…

”Michael?” She mouthed the question to her own body rather than straight out asking it. They were in enough trouble as it was…

The woman stopped at the altar, handed off her bouquet, and slapped the groom hard on the arm before taking his hands, an air of ‘This is your fault and if you mess this up again, so help me God, I will end you’ grim determination on her face.

“Dearly beloved…”

In his desire to end his auditory suffering Ranger may have too zealously pounced on Noel. After their time in the cabin and then the week apart, Ranger let loose some pent up desire in the moment. And Noel reciprocated. He heard the murmuring from the crowd after a while and realized that he had taken Noel down to the pew.

The looky loos could just deal with it. Ranger was saving everyone from the pain of a Boston accent at the reception. He would suffer a few daggers from the eyes of the bride and her family for it. Hell, the bride might use a real dagger on him through the transitive property that was Sideshow. Worth it. Besides, it was just the processional…

There was an odd moment. It felt like time was stretching out as he felt weightless and ethereal. He had his eyes closed going into the moment and when he came out of it. He didn’t let the oddness phase him. He kept on with the kiss, he didn’t know how long Noel would need to fix her speech impediment.

Except suddenly everything felt... off. He felt the pew behind him...Was it touching his skin directly?.. But that wasn’t the weirdest thing. He felt a constriction around his body. It was like something was around him trying to help hold a shape. And colder. Like his arms and legs were no longer dressed. And a feeling he remembered distinctly. He was wearing a bra.

Ranger opened his eyes in time to see himself sit bolt upright and look down at him. Ranger’s eyes wide as he stared at his own body towering above him. Ranger brought her hands in front of her face. They were certainly not his own hands. Ranger then felt at her head and ran fingers through shoulder length hair.

’No, no, no. No-no-no-no-no. Not again.’

Suddenly aware of the fact that piano piece that was supposed to be played as the bride walked down the aisle was playing and people were turned to look at the pair of them, Ranger resisted the urge to do anything else to confirm that he was, in fact, now Noel.

Ranger’s body blushed, clearly also aware of the situation. And then Ranger watched and heard himself speak. It sounded much like himself… Or at least the voice did, maybe subtly different in accent. The words however, were like someone playing at being Ranger.

From there his body turned to help Ranger up, a very Noel look on its face. Ranger accepted the help and rose to sit up properly in the pew. Properly for a man. His body mouthed his name and she nodded in reply before mouthing in return, “Noel?”

Ranger looked down at herself. Red dress, boobs, heels... Oops! Close the legs. She then looked up at the altar in time to see Sideshow get a slap on the arm. The wedding was progressing. Another disturbance and Winny would likely march herself to BlacTac, tear down the door to the armory and find something to murder Ranger with… Or well Noel… Well, maybe both of them.

The priest began the ceremony. Ranger looked around, everyone seemed focused on the actual event now, not the spectacle in the seats. Ranger would have to just sit there and wait out the ceremony. She took a deep breath to try and settle herself down. Adrenaline had been pumping and that plus figuratively sitting on your hands was not a good combination. As she breathed, the sensation of pressure on her ribs increased. This only served to remind Ranger of the situation that was causing the adrenaline in the first place.

”Did y' eat any muffins?” Ranger quietly asked out of the corner of her mouth, remembering the cause of his two weeks as Lori.

Yeah. It was her. As a him. She nodded back, feeling embarrassed all over again. She went to cross her legs and a sharp shock of sensation taught her quickly not to do that.

"You can sit on 'em?" He squeaked the barest of protests so they wouldn't get shushed or draw attention... not that they weren't getting snickers and giggles from the peanut gallery already.

Michael asked in her voice if she'd had muffins, but no matter how she puzzled, she couldn't quite figure out how that applied. He shrugged. No muffins in memory anyway, the airport had only supplied a tiny pack of peanuts and a snack from the Haven apartment. Poor Michael might be getting a teeny bit hungry in her body.

"I came straight from th' airport and dinnit have any trouble 'til now." He leaned back square chested and put one arm around the shoulder that was usually hers, currently on loan to Michael. Totally natural. She was nailing this being a man thing just fine. She pointed her eyes at the altar and let her mind wander while the priest talked.

Was this a new power of Michael's? His abilities seemed reactive or protective... trying to protect his mind somehow? There were probably better people to puzzle this out than Noel because as soon as she realized that his powers all seemed quite temporary, she stopped worrying.

Noel glanced over at her body and gave herself a little smile. As nice as it was to be back, this was an unexpected complication. At this point, it'd probably be unusual if something went normal. He rolled his lips together to keep from chuckling at the absurdity of it all.

It was Noel in his body. That was the only positive thing about the situation. Him being Noel and someone else being him was a far worse prospect. Knowing it was Noel in his body was good enough news to help Ranger reign in his emotions. Noel pinching his family jewels helped too. Comedy was always helpful in stressful and weird situations.

"Not... normally." hearing Noel's voice when she spoke was weird. "Y’ just can’t do...that.” Ranger spoke quietly, casting a few furtive glances around. No one was overtly watching them. From what Ranger could hear, some were though.

Noel shrugged to Ranger’s question. No muffins. It was a long shot. Especially since he had not had a muffin while he was still a he. Noel went on to say she had come straight from the airport. No trouble yet. ”The ‘muffin man’ caused my last swap… The one y’ saw…. But I havn’t had any muffins either…” Ranger whispered back as Noel put his arm around Ranger. ” I haven’t had any trouble ‘til now either.”

It felt kind of nice. In it’s own weird way. It was weird having the roles reversed, but it was still nice to be there with Noel.

There were no leads. Ranger didn’t have high hopes that there would be from a hushed conversation a few moments after. Ranger looked toward the altar. Nothing to do but get through the wedding… And then the reception. Ranger suddenly realized that unless they miraculously swapped back there was a reception after the wedding. Sideshow had been talking up how great it was going to be. Ranger and Noel bailing would not go over well. Ranger sighed. It was time to embrace the suck.

Had the swap not happened, Ranger might have been paying attention to the wedding. As it was she had missed virtually the entire thing so far. Noel brought her out of her thoughts when he turned and gave a smile. Ranger smiled back. It was weird smiling at himself. And then Noel was holding in a laugh.

”Oh, y’ find this funny?” Ranger asked as she ribbed Noel lightly. She had come down from the adrenaline rush she had been on following the swap. ”It does almost feel par f’r the course f’r us.” Ranger had read their files. It seemed that their lives since meeting had been quite the adventure. Swapping bodies with someone was not an adventure he had wanted to go on again though. If he had to, Noel would be who he would choose.

Yes. (S)He absolutely found this funny. (s)he nodded to that effect, a face of pure innocence that was suddenly free from care and bras. And getting ribbed through something flat and metal in his coat. And seeing her own face be annoyed about muffins. And hearing her own voice piqued about her amusement. It was all cumulatively more funny than any one thing.

He had to cover his mouth or else her man chuckles threatened to become full on guffaws. Weddings were sober events, at least at this point. (S)He was not going to be the reason this one got called off.

And then, an idea dawned across Michael Hunter's face. A terrible, wonderful idea. Noel was starting to realize why he was carefree and reckless.

He leaned down to whisper, but didn't dare lean in too close. He had to see how a real good lie landed.

"I love-” She choked, weirdly unable to come up with anything that would immediately satisfy. Noel so rarely lied, it wasn’t like she had a few in her back pocket waiting for the chance to whip them out. "I love golf. Golly, Nashville music sounds like- like angels? Man, this is harder than I thought.”

He puffed his cheeks out in a bit of a pout, keeping an eye toward the front just in case when something else graced her brain in realization.

"Oh! Duh! The weapons are in case of ninja.”

Yes. Noel found it funny. He nodded with a face that Ranger could only imagine was one often sported when it was her own face. Like there wasn’t a care in the world. Noel even covered his mouth. Was Noel trying not to laugh?

The ribbing had failed. Ranger only managed to work her elbow against something she had stashed in the suit jacket. She would smack Noel, save for two reasons. First, the wedding was going on. Second, Ranger didn’t want to strike her own body. Instead she scrunched her face up in a glare.

While Ranger refrained from fighting with herself. Noel seemed to have an idea. Ranger dropped the glare. Maybe Noel had thought of something that could help.

Nope.

Noel leaned in… and lied.

Ranger’s eyes went wide as a taste reminding her of boiled steak landed on her tongue. Her hand went up to cover her mouth as if it could prevent more of the taste from invading her mouth while she let out a short squeal of surprise. There were a few shushes and a glare from Norma. Ranger’s face twisted into a grimace. After a moment she moved the hand to her chin and whispered, ”I… Have y’r power.” She moved her tongue around in her mouth as if trying to rub the taste off it. ”I need a drink…” Ranger resisted the urge to dead leg Noel. No sense hurting oneself. Even if they started it. She did make a fist and wave it toward his leg while she considered it.

Alcohol wasn’t the most advisable thing given the recent swap, but Ranger was expecting a reception full of lying. Sure, alcohol didn’t make the taste any better… It might make her care less about it though. Trying to beat up her original body wouldn’t help either. Either it would be hardly noteworthy to Noel or it would trigger his mutation and not matter anyway… Maybe a dead leg would work. Ranger had not experienced a nerve hit since finding her power different.

An evil look crossed Ranger’s face. Now was as good a time as any to find out. After the ceremony, that was.

Ranger returned her hands to her lap and returned her attention to the ceremony. She had missed a lot of it. They were getting toward the vows. Ranger could at least stay engaged for that…

Ranger turned to look at Noel stifling a laugh. She had just realized that the weapons were in case of ninja. Ranger had her lips rolled in and was pinching them closed with her teeth. She nodded. The comment was so left field it hit Ranger right in her giggle dick. After she was sure she could speak without laughing she whispered, ”Yes. So… be ready. Y’ can handle them this time.”

Another bad taste! Ranger slapped a hand to her mouth. She couldn’t even lie!

Ranger slumped in the seat. ”Not ninja specifically. We’ve all got enemies an’ if they show up t’ our weddin’s we keep the peace through superior firepower.”

His face making her face make that face was also hilarious. Noel as the Ranger was having a difficult time focusing on the vows. She was sure they were individual and special. She also didn't have to taste how heartfelt or valid they were. Poor Michael got the raw end of this trade, she was sure. Her power was a different kind of dangerous than he was used to. At least Noel had some physical training. For Michael, psychic powers were new territory.

”Y’ll need more than a drink if this goes on long ‘nough to go through t’ the reception.” Not that people were always lying, but with so many people in such close quarters, the subconscious weight of so many minds would be a bit much. She smiled a sort-of apology. Maybe she’d razz him later so he’d know just how bad it could get, but now wasn’t the time for it.

And now, of one thing she was now weirdly sure. It seemed like the spark of their chemistry was there. She still felt connected, and not in a whoah hey that’s weird psychic body swapping kind of way. It was enough that when she turned to him, his automatic response was to answer with a smile.

Noel forced his eyes back to the front of the room. The rings were coming out now. So far, smooth sailing. For the first time ever, she started to imagine what a wedding might look like with her at the altar.

”Y’ ever think he’d be up there?” Noel didn’t know the man, really she was fishing for Michael’s opinion on weddings in general. If he’d ever considered such a thing. Seemed thematically appropriate.

Her wondering pivoted to puzzling out how long this might last— the swap, not the wedding. Now that rings were exchanged it looked like there’d be a candle or some sand or something and then they’d all get out of here. If it was her power, sleep always seemed to settle things. If it was the Ranger’s, it’d be much quicker.

Of course, if it’d been one of them… then wouldn’t this happen every time they kissed? From now on?

Another glance over at herself, this time slightly worried. What if it hadn’t been one of them? It wasn’t a muffin, but that didn’t exclude the chance of outside interference. She tried to scan the crowd, watching for anyone who seemed more interested than usual. They’d been a spectacle not that long ago, but the focus was wholly back on the altar now… or at least it should be.