*wiggles* 

Even aside concerns about loyalty, the effect is pretty much the same just from the implicit-guarentee-of-usability from the perk itself. I can see about mitigating those concerns, if you'd like. 

The number of embodiments depends somewhat on what you have in mind? One should be doable with minimal compromises, and two is possible, but the option is designed to provide one companion as it is now, so they'd likely have to be the same kind of creature at minimum. 

Fair enough. I'll poll the peanut gallery.

<Well, loves,> she asks in mindspace with a grin, <which up-to-two of you most want to be embodied as a magical creature to improve our capabilities and get a non-human headstart on embodiment, and what would you like?>

<I'm up for taking my Gardevoir form from that Pokéfic outline,> Maya replies.

Neo conjures a mental image of a cheshire cat with the ability to create illusions, but shrugs disinterestedly.

<Maya has transport and flight and telepathy covered, it sounds like,> Hailey adds. <I could go for some flight of my own, though, and maybe some elemental abilities. What about some kind of thunder phoenix, but in my color scheme?>

<Do you mean a thunderbird?>, Ruby asks.

<Nah, those take up the whole sky, dork,> Hailey replies with a snicker and a kiss to Ruby's temple.

Ruby blushes and snuggles in. <I don't think I want to be a magical creature. The only thing that comes to mind is some kind of cute puppy, and I can't think of any that have powers I'd want. So I'll pass.>

<Well,> Sable replies with an affectionate grin, <it sounds like we've got our answer. Also, I love y'all.>

How does this sound? Maya takes her Gardevoir form from that one pokémon fic we outlined, the one where she can shapeshift into other forms like Latias, and Hailey takes the form of a phoenix, but aligned to thunder and lightning instead of fire, and with a black/green/silver color scheme instead of reds and oranges and golds? And then Maya uses her telepathy to maintain a strong mental link between us all even though two of us are in separate bodies?

The handwriting switches to Hailey's then, and another question is written on the next line.

Oh, I can't remember if phoenixes can usually attack with their elements, but I'd really like to do that too. Can I, please?

📜👀📜

Without paying more, you can get Maya's full gardevoir / latias form. She'll even be able to mega-evolve for both forms without a stone or key through synchronization, too! Hailey's form would be... at least three points? More like six, if you want as much power as Maya would get. 

The ability to attack with their elements is totally customary for pheonixes!

Sable grins, and checks off Best Friend and Bestest Friend.

That works perfectly. Can you mark off those extra six points then, please?

And then she flips to the drawbacks page and checks off They'll Know.

Given that I'm not buying any of the Not Mind Control™ powers, the most trouble this will cause me is having to explain that I have a power that inexplicably alters me to have useful and aesthetic heritages, or that a weird fate-warping effect is helping me get better at fights.

She doodles another grinning foxgirl next to this note.

Sure! That's a reasonable, if sometimes risky approach! 

The foxgirl sprouts a mickey-mouse style patting hand atop its head. 

(76/78)

Did you just draw me a headpat? I love that.

I'm glad ^^

Any suggestions for what to do with the last two points? We're running short of ideas.

There's a lot of Power of friendship perks you haven't taken! You could leave your points alone - sometimes that can result in sudden manifestation of powers at just the right time! - or think about what custom powers you might want to have? 

The remaining Power of Friendship perks are all things I'd rather win through my own skills and charms. Saving the points could be a very good idea. Custom powers are an interesting possibility, though. Hmm. I do have a bit of a personal aesthetic thing about ink...

Could I get precise ink control? Or an ink transformation? Alternatively, at the risk of being even more chuuni than I already have been, what about some kind of shadow magic affinity?

The spirit doesn't usually offer that kind of object level power? Usually the best way to get that kind of power is just to go to a world with such a thing and specialize! I think I should be able to get some sort of multiplier of your abilities when you can arrange yourself to be dramatically cloaked in shadow? Something to do with ink might be possible, but feels further out of reach...

Probably just stockpile them, in that case. Never know when two points might turn into something completely unexpected that saves the day.

I think we're going to pause the build here and review it carefully for a while before making a final decision.

Okay!

They go through the motions of the rest of their day: play a few games on the computer, chat with some casual acquaintances online, eat leftover stew for dinner, read a story, and go to bed.

When they wake up, Sable reports in sick for work to get the day off for final decisions.

And then she's sitting back down in front of the notebook, and writes out a question.

After thinking it back over, I find myself wondering two things:

1. Does Incomplete only affect powers that "affect other people's minds" (whether or not they're considered "mind control")? In other words, are ones that just give me information or tweak physics/time/logistics immune?
2. Are the various Friends In X Places powers purely internal-to-me mental powers, or do they have external effects on other people?

If I understand what you're trying to say...

1) It doesn't affect your own abilities and skills, just the broader influence under those perks' remit!

2) The powers are largely about skill and enhanced intuition. Cutting out the broader metanarrative impact is a change well within normal variation, as well ^^!

Okay, good. But does Incomplete affect perks like Time Enough For Love or The Princess And The Dragon or True Love's Kiss?

Effectively not! You're already taking They'll know, which already gets rid of the implicit normalizing effect of those perks. It also largely won't impact your abilty to heal with true love's kiss too! It won't nesscarily be feature complete on certain extremely well-integrated curses, or every mental illness you'd otherwise be able to address, but it should work just fine for what you sound like you're planning on using it on! 

<I'll just have to make sure y'all, nor any of our inevitable local polycule, get really thoroughly cursed.>

She checks off Incomplete and all three Friends perks.

Can you help me uncheck Disney Princess please?

Of course ^^

(78/78)

She looks over her build one last time (after making sure she marked Isekai Roulette as her destination), then nods firmly to herself.

<Last call for objections or edits, loves.>

There's a moment of silence, before Hailey replies, <Let's do this.>

Sable smiles softly, and writes to the notebook.

We're satisfied with this build. Last question before we push the metaphorical button, then: what happens to you after, and would you like to come with us?

'After' doesn't really apply! From an outside perspective, this avatar would just disappear. And I'd be delighted to come, if you'd have me ^^

Gladly! Onward to adventure, friend!

Getting isekaied is a ride, and one the five girls experience individually.

The first thing that Hailey notices is the space. The space in her mind, to unwind and unfurl and think her thoughts a little more cleanly, continuously, linearly, her mindscape opening up into its own skyscape, a faint emerald barrier just at the horizon that keeps everything so clear and free. The space around them - the wind beneath her wings, almost whistling, the roiling winds, crackling thunder that pulses through the air like her blood through her veins, and the endless expanse of blue sky above her as she hurtles down towards something odder - so many little lights and pulses and hums gently buzzing in synchronicity, only notable against the sheer volume of the storm around her by the constance. 

The emerald glow of her eyes and crackling down reflect and refract endlessly into a halo of heavenly jade as she descends upon her new home. 

The first thing that Maya notices is the order. Ordered minds budding off from her source, shining beside her, and the bustle of connected communicating minds miles and miles below, ordered light against her skin ready to shift at her command, ordered energy in the clouds that she could call upon, and the settled firmness in her soul of separation from the bustle and brightness of Sable’s excitement. By a reflex she’s never honed, she reaches out, and feels her and hers oh so close once more. 

The things she can tap into feel countless, and her body sings as she soars through the air, ready to take her rider, her captain, her love wherever she wishes to fly. 

The first thing that Sable notices is the brightness. The sharp flashing gold of the crackling lightning in the clouds below, the sun above that perfectly frames her cheeks, and the thoroughly glorious glow through her body as everything fits exactly right for once, clothes clinging calmingly, breasts firm and full on her chest, lips soft and sweet on her face, her hair lustrous and long against her back.  

The rain drops glisten the color of the fresh leaves of spring and mingle with her tears of joy as she plummets down towards her next adventure. 

The first thing that Neo notices is the colors. Everything lights up with just a little more color, feels a little more substantial, and there are so many glowing gleaming big red buttons to press, to make her hair flare and billow or to change her build or to queue new little transitional changes to every cute outfit she’d ever imagined. She could even do signs! 

With a lightness in her step and a grin on her silent lips, she watches her loves fall. 

The first thing that Ruby notices is the energy. So much weight is gone from her shoulders that it feels a bit like gaining her aura again, being unleashed and unshackled into herself all over again. There’s more, too. Little dapples of arcane power and sparks dancing along her form like her petals. 

With a focus like few times before, and a bashful smile on her face, she feels her team fall and fly. 

Holy shit. Holy shit. She wasn't sure before today that she liked skydiving, but yep, apparently she loves it. She spreads her arms just a bit and tries to feel out how to direct her fall.