System stalemate! (taking over the front forcefully)

[Ranger]

The only time we had an experience like this was when I was pissed with Cat and I wanted to switch in so I could be angry without having to think about Cat. Cat, not very surprisingly, held her ground. I only got the body because Cat and I angrily negotiated over it and Cat eventually agreed as long as I followed her instructions if I were to get really crazy stressed.

 

Otherwise, I tried Ember.Vesper's method of forcing Cat out of the way, and it was as effective as Cat meditating (only when Cat meditated, I didn't feel like taking a nap afterwards and I wasn't crazy worn out). I don't like the symbolism of violently slamming Cat out of the body, and I didn't realize this until after doing it.

 

If Cat really wanted control of the body, chances are good she'll get it. I haven't played around with switching for long enough for Cat to feel like she needed to possess me for something or anything like that.

[Tewi]

If someone won't get out of the front here, no one else is getting in. Switching has to be mutual. A few years back I switched with Lumi relatively instantly foregoing our normal symbolism because I wasn't used to spending time with our family yet and our mom randomly turned some like booster shots doctor visit into a family breakfast, but that was still mutual. Wasn't forceful, but shows we could at least switch at a moment's notice if need be.

 

... I get along just fine with our family now.

[Ember.Vesper]

That's good feedback, Ranger. We're not sure how to make that specific technique effective without sufficient shock and/or forcefulness. The slower and gentler you coming in, the harder it is for the to generate the necessary certainty that you have. If the outgoing partner isn't convinced that they've been ejected, the result is more likely to be merger or possession.

 

(We tend to do additional tests after reading things like this. I think we can now confirm that Miss "Who am I?" is a merger, since, as we wanted her to if she ever showed up again, she stuck around long enough to actually try to contact each us. No response, even from Iris. She also tried to summon a form around the body and couldn't commit to one.)

 

It didn't even cross my mind that partners would mind the violence of the technique. Maybe it's my experience in the BDSM community, where consent allows so much.

 

We do consider it a "training wheels" technique, though, a good way of generating certainty when you lack experience. We only ever do it anymore for experimental purposes, as switching in through the throat and voice muscles is so much quicker, easier, gentler, and more reliable.

 

Vesper always hurries out if someone who knows me and not her shows up, whatever she may be in the middle of. I'm also frequently reminded that my mom is not her mum. (Less often that my wife is not her wife; I guess that's more obvious.)

 

-Ember

[aubreyshield]

I just want to quickly add that if two people tried fighting for control over the body, it could be similar to a real fight. It could end up with you crawling on the ground, flat on the floor, or you could just be left standing or walking awkwardly until it ends. It depends on the fight, really. If one is willing to 'throw the body under' just to get into the front, so to say, that can happen.

 

With regards to us, we don't ever fight. Even if we both wanted to front badly, one of us would eventually just give up. I'd say Aubrey, heh.

We should probably also note that we don't need consent to switch in forcefully. But we still prefer to think 'Right, do you want to front?' and pass over control because that seems civil.

So long as we assert ourselves in the front, it would be hard for one of us to take that from the other. Otherwise, it isn't hard to steal the front, we just never do it.