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"Hold it," the jumper says, "exactly what do you mean 'not in your power or authority to do so'?"

"I believe the statement I made was perfectly clear, but I will rephrase it for you: I am unable to do so."

"WHAT?!"

Mr. Corkle furrows his brow, raises his hand to his forehead and begins speaking to himself. "Have I somehow lost the ability to communicate with others? Why does it seem that no one understands what I am saying to them today?"

"Alright so if you don't who does?" The jumper begins. "Who do I have to see abou"

Mr. Corkle raises a hand to silence his companion as he reaches up with the other tapping next to his ear as if he were wearing a headset, only he isn't.

When the jumper looks again, he sees that there is indeed something there but it's not remotely like any headset he's ever seen. A small translucent blue object about two inches long and shaped somewhat like a corkscrew, is now hovering just next to Mr. Corkle's right ear, shimmering and slowly rotating as he speaks. The jumper watches it transfixed, until he hears what Mr. Corkle is saying:

"Yes, sir, Well, yes, I am trying to be patient, sir. I believe that it's just his nature to be irate."

"WHAT? How are you saying it's my nature to be irate? Somebody hijacked my body and you're telling me you can't get it back. Who wouldn't be irate?"

Mr. Corkle raises a hand and rolls his eyes:

"Would you please try and control your outbursts for just a moment? We are attempting to work out what can be done."

"Yes, I apologize sir, as I said IRATE," Mr. Corkle looks coolly over at his companion.

"Yes, yes sir, I'm sorry sir, please continue..."

The would-be jumper continues to glare at Mr. Corkle who has turned away from him slightly so as not to be distracted from his call.

"Fine, if the suit won't get my body back, I will."

He looks down and watches himself speaking very intently to the young woman from the car who has come over to sit with him. He watches as he reaches over and takes her hand, holding it tightly.

"What the hell! What is this, date night for body snatchers? She's not even pretty and she's definitely not my type. If he's gonna be using MY body he should at least be going after something worthwhile. Probably some perverted 98 year old coot that would go after any thing on two legs in a skirt. Sorry gramps, not today and not with my body." 

And as instantaneously as his intention is fully formed, he finds himself on the ground standing next to – himself.

"Woah, so that's what instant transmission's like..."

The physical version on the ground looks up directly into the eyes of the ethereal version of itself. The girl takes no notice of his arrival; she's starting every few minutes as she tries, unsuccessfully, to stay awake.

"She can't see me?" He asks.

"No, or hear you."  The man on the ground replies in a low voice.

"Good, GET OUT OF MY BODY!"

"No."

"What?"

"No."

"What do you mean 'no'? It's my body."

"It was your body. You were going to leave it anyway."

"I had changed my mind."

"I haven't, I'm not leaving her. So just back OFF."

"Look gramps, I get that you're not ready to just drift off quietly into the sunset. You wanna hang around score a few more chicks or whatever the lingo was back in your day. But you know what? Your day's done so just pop right back out of my skin, zip up there to the suit and continue on your way. And I'll continue on mine."

"Good God, I must have wound up in the body of an idiot!  What on earth are you talking about? It can't be the result of a head injury from the impact;  I  was already in here when the body hit the car." He shakes his head as he looks up at the spectral version next to him.  "Look, in the first place you're acting like I stole your body, which I did not – it fell on me. In the second place, it's given me the opportunity to stay with Rika, so I'm going to take it. I needed to stay with her and now I can.  Sorry if that puts you out."

"Sorry if it puts me out?! Damn straight it puts me out. What the hell am I supposed to do while you're off romping around in my body chasing skirts?"

"Well, what would you have done if you had jumped? You wouldn't be in your body then either?"

"But I didn't jump so I should still be in it."

"But you're not."

"Yeah, because you are."

"Uh-huh."  The body on the ground closes his eyes dismissively and turns his head back toward Rika. The vaporous version standing next to him remains staring, mouth open, failing to find an adequate response.

*** 

"Yes sir, absolutely sir, right away, sir." Mr. Corkle finishes his phone call, taps next to his ear again and the blue corkscrew vanishes. Turning back toward his companion, he extends his left hand and a sheet of what appears to be skillfully hand-made rice paper materializes above it. He then glides his right hand downward just over the page and its luminous surface is suddenly covered with something that resembles a cross between computer code and Chinese calligraphy. He begins reading without noticing that his companion is no longer next to him.

"So, it would appear that you are one Mr. Jin Yoshikawa, age..." He glances over to where his companion had been, stopping mid sentence as he finally notices his absence.  The device above his hand disappears.

"Oh no. No, no, no no no!" He shakes his head. "This simply will not do - the soul lost the body and now I've lost the soul. I do not want to have to report this to Mr. Penumbra!  Of course, they probably already know... I suppose I can expect him to be ringing me back any second now. Something like this will look very bad on my record. Very bad indeed..." He takes a deep breath, shaking his head one final time before folding his arms across his chest and gazing thoughtfully skyward.

"Perhaps I should have consulted my horoscope this morning...  It most likely would have said something to the effect of," he begins speaking in a clipped accent, "'Maximillion, you are hereby strongly advised to return to your slumbers. There will be no fortune smiling upon you today. Should you wish to continue in disregard of this warning, please be advised that you day will indeed be filled misfortune, misadventures and in general things that will try you patience. GO BACK TO BED!' Yes, something like that exactly." He nods knowingly, then suddenly stiffens.

"Oh no,  he's found out already..." Closing his eyes he takes a slow, steadying breath before  raising his right hand to his ear and tapping.  The spinning corkscrew appears next to it again.

"Yes sir, I was just about to contact you sir. Yes, It would seem that I have misplaced Mr. Yoshikawa. Looking down? Well, yes sir, I certainly wouldn't say things were looking up at the moment, but I assure you, I have every confidence that... What? Look down? I beg your pardon sir, I'm afraid I don't understand..."

His voice trails off as he tilts his head downward, looking below him to see that there are now two Jins on the ground, the injured physical form laying underneath a blanket, holding the hand of the young woman seated next to him  and the ethereal version standing next to him glowering.

"Oh! You meant for me to look down! Oh yes sir! Thank you sir! I was just about to do that exactly. Yes sir, I have every confidence that I shall have this matter squared away presently, sir. Thank you sir!"