Karin and Leena’s World Travels Stop #1 – The Chicago Institute of Conjoined Studies (Patreon)

Story by: Leena

Ali, Lee & Layla created by  namesthegoblin

Leena: Hey everybody. My and Karin’s trip is well underway. Our first stop is in the United States, here at the Chicago Institute of Conjoined Studies.

Karin: Of all the places to pick, you choose the windy city in the middle of winter.

Leena: Er, the Chicago Institute of Conjoined Studies is one of the foremost mutant research labs dealing with conjoinments and fusions. They specialize in examining how mutants biological systems merge together after a fusion, with a special focus on the neurological system.

Karin: I hear there are indoor pools and spas we can go to. Or maybe we can get a heated cabin by the lake.

Leena: Here we have Ali, Lee, and Layla, junior researchers at this facility. They’ve been nice enough to show us around.

Ali: Hi there!

Lee: Thank you for visiting

Layla: It’s a pleasure to have staff from Access Labs come check us out.

Leena: Why don’t you tell us a bit about your studies here?

Lee: Well, I’m helping out Dr. Bekham study how competing neurological pathways get intertwined after fusion. We are sorry she couldn’t be here to take you on the tour.

Leena: That’s OK. Honestly, it’s always nice to meet young minds in mutant science.

Karin: Besides, I’m sure you guys are more fun than a stuffy old doctor anyway.

Ali: We were one of her first subjects. Me and Layla have little control over our body, even though in X-Rays you can see full nervous systems attached to our heads.

Layla: After our first few studies, we volunteered to be a lab assistant. It turns out three heads are better than one.

Leena: That’s fascinating. Can you show us around some of your facilities?

Karin: And afterward maybe we can go to the Sears tower?

Lee: Certainly. You’d probably be surprised to see that we don’t have many chemical or biological science facilities here. We do however have state of the art medical imaging technology. That’s where most of our budget goes. Everything else goes to our housing and therapy budgets.

Karin: Therapy? That’s a little weird for a science lab.

Ali: Not necessarily for conjoined mutants. It’s quite an experience to share a body with someone and most mutants just aren’t ready for it when they fuse.

Layla: We find that most conjoined mutants need a good home to stay in while they adjust to their new identities. It’s really hard to get used to your new body while also trying to sort through your jobs, and relationships, and all the paperwork that is involved. We handle daily chores and responsibilities until they feel comfortable living on their own. In return, they report for weekly screenings and we take notes on how their biological systems work.

Karin: That sounds like heaven. I’d love for someone to pay my bills and rent and feed me and…

Leena: So are there any experiments you can show us?

Lee: Not actively. Our “experiments” are all people going through tough times so the most we can do is introduce them to you.

Ali: But we did hear that Karin has a unique body that makes her receptive to other mutant DNA? If it’s safe we can use some of our catalogued fusion DNA to allow you and Karin to experience life conjoined for a bit.

Leena (blushing and panicking): That’s fine!

Karin (also blushing and panicking): I’ll pass!

Leena: You see we…

Karin: We already know…

Leena: Christmas was wild…

Karin: It’s not like it was bad…

Leena: Let’s just stick to the science…

Karin: Can we get a deep dish pizza?

Ali: Uhhh OK?

Layla (whispering to Lee): Are all members of Access Labs this weird?

Lee (whispering back): I think so. I hear their director is some sort of sentient walking hairy tumbleweed.