...very unseasonable rains can be seen in the distance from the shores of Acapulco.
The Brockton Bay Protectorate starts organizing volunteers to be transported or teletransported in batches to it. Heroes, rogues, villains, anyone's assistance is appreciated. A rendez-vous point is set for non-Protectorate capes wishing to volunteer, and Protectorate capes are informed of the situation via communication devices.
"I can't tell if they actually are until you get them to land. Maybe it's just how they're holding their feet."
and touch the tips of their own fingers. They open their eyes in surprise. There are two very surprised Glams looking at each other. "Wicked," they say simultaneously, and giggle.
Both of them turn to look at her and say, "Yes, you are." Then they look at each other appraisingly—
"This is weird," they say at the same time. "And my mind is going very strange and fascinating places."
"Wouldn't ask you," the original one says.
"It'd be kinda weird," the other one continues.
"And we know how you feel about weird," the first one finishes.
"We're not even sure it'll work."
"It might count as sufficiently hard squinting."
"Oh good, you aren't stuck talking in sync. Can you do one girl one boy at the same time, that being one of the main objects of the exercise?"
"Awesome! Any preference on which gender is Glam and which one is Somebody New Who Does Something Else?"
"I am not an expert in wrangling that kind of concession from Yates et al, sorry. You could come up with two new names if that helps. Glam it up again once you're out if you get out."
Pause-
"I don't feel much like anything, really," the copy says. "Still a bit engaged in Glam mode."
"But I feel particularly not-a-girl."
"My name's Sadde, by the way. Not that it matters much."
"Weird, I know."
"Could even be a cape name, if it weren't so easy to track it down."
"Pretty sure I'm the only person on Earth with that name."
"Yeah, bot isn't finding anything. Well. Hi, Sadde. ...If you have moods like that you're going to need to cozy up to Dauntless so you can go out as whichever persona is less uncomfortable. That's mostly his prerogative."
"...not the right word."
"But I guess it's as good as any."
They look at each other, shrug, then look at Lorica, and only the original one speaks: "Dauntless is nice, anyway. Bet I can. Still gonna try to see if I can convince Yates, though."
"Nope! Still just saying things you expect me to say and sorta behaving like you expect me to behave."
"Okay, good. That is good."
"I mean, maybe if you were expecting me to be sapient I would be, but for now I'm just another mouth for you."
"...why are you explaining me things."
"Probably for her sake."
"Okay, that's fair."
"He means I don't want him to be sapient."
"Yes, that."
"Like, he dies half an hour after I stop paying attention to him, and sleeping doesn't count as paying attention."