entranceway | ( video )

[ he turns around. that’s all it takes. he turns around and the world as he knows it has vanished along with the little girl that’s supposed to be in his arms. he shouts her name ( and the names of the rest of his family ) until his throat burns raw and it hurts to keep yelling but he can’t stop. he doesn’t know if any of them answer him because his ears are still ringing; he can’t hear anything. the explosions rocked the field he stood in and part of him is still waiting for another bomb to drop and to engulf him in flames or another trap of the Espheni’s design.

simply one of the many reasons that drives him to do something he wouldn’t normally be proud of. normal left the building years ago when the aliens invaded his planet. if holding a young woman at knife point is the way he has to get their attention, then so be it. she’s the one he encountered first. it has to be for a reason. he hopes the fact that he found this device planted in his pocket means that it's still functioning. ]

If you can see this, then I want you to listen very carefully. [ his words are exceptionally measured and articulate. he knows what he wants to say and how to say it from years of playing the messenger. being practiced never makes delivering bad news any easier. the discomfort is obvious for those wise enough to spot it, but his duty to his family comes before everything else, even his morals. ]

This isn't what you... [ the girl currently at knifepoint tugs a bit at his arm. clearly (or clearly enough for anyone who knows her) not trying her hardest to escape. she doesn't seem to notice the fact this is being recorded, or just doesn't seem to care, her attention more on her captor than anything. ] -think it is. If you'll just listen-

I’m through listening. [ he tightens his grip around her, struggling slightly to keep her under his control. is she stupid? does she want to die? it only proves his point that maybe she isn’t real. if she keeps this up, he’s only going to press the knife harder against her throat. ] Here’s what’s going to happen: You’re going to return my sister to me and tell me where the rest of my family is, or [ and he sighs, forcibly pushes the last part of his sentence out. ] people are going to start dying. Starting with her.

[ her eyes widen, then, like it suddenly sinks in that this guy is serious. it's the death threat that does it, something shifting in the lines of her face. she moves - subtly enough, as far as the camera is concerned. a sliding of her feet for balance, her hands moving for a better hold on his arm, and then she drops low in her stance. the exact moment she does that, she tugs, hard, pulling him over her shoulder and the camera goes with him.

sorry, ben. you don't really want to put a knife to the throat of a girl who's been training with black widow.

the feed is upside, tilted, thrown off somewhere a little ways away where it only catches a canted view of her legs as she walks over to where he'd fallen - not much more than a black mass against the grass. ]

Okay, now you're going to hear me out.

[ movement, and then the feed cuts. ]

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[ Well, if he wanted someone's attention, he's got it.

Natasha's expression is carefully blank because she's still deciding whether to be irritated or amused at how well Allison handled herself and her would-be captor. She'll wait to hear from Allison before deciding. ]

Somehow I don't think that's going to be what's happening at all, but I trust Allison will be able to enlighten you on where you are and how the rest of us here are not responsible for it. Threats like this aren't usually very successful around here when the culprits responsible rarely show up for them.

Allison, are you alright?

[ excellent. now return his sister ( the most defenseless and youngest person in his family ) and they can part ways. ]

You'll have to forgive me if my first instinct isn't to eat up an explanation with more flaws than answers. [ a beat. ] People don't vanish into thin air.

If you're looking for answers without flaws I'm afraid you're out of luck since the default in this place is handwavey vagueness that equates to somewhere between 'it's magic' and a bunch of scientific wormhole babble that only loosely resembles English.

Also usually, no. They don't. But this place loves pulling the impossible out of nowhere just to give everyone here something new to complain about. I don't know if your family is here, but if they are it's likely they'll see this. If they're not, maybe they're lucky, or you are. Either way, threatening someone who's also been 'vanished' here from her home isn't going to win you many brownie points. If you want answers, then ask. Most people here are willing to explain as much as they've learned to anyone who needs to know.

Magic. [ he repeats, kind of like a person might say three-headed dragon. he's not saying she's crazy, but. . . ] I'd prefer to hear more about wormholes. That one's easier to swallow. Not to mention real.

[ after Skitters stole children and harnessed them to do their bidding ( that turned out to be the Espheni's ) and later revealed they themselves had been a species also harnessed as children, he wonders how he can still be surprised by anything. if he gave his mind time to break down back home, he would have been dead already. ]

I'm sorry. [ he looks down because he's embarrassed not because he lacks the capacity for regret. ] I've already apologized to Allison. I'm not proud of what I did. [ he only did it because he thought he had to, to survive. he's nothing if not a kid that pulls through. he doesn't expect her or anyone else to understand. he chooses to own it, rather than excuse it. there's no point in cowering because of his actions. they would have bought him more time in the middle of a war. ] I want confirmation on our location.

Are we in Wonderland?

I can direct you to some of the scientists here, they can probably give you their theories. Jane Foster and Bruce Banner are the ones that first come to mind, but I know they're working with others as well.

And if you're thinking magic's not real, you're in for a very enlightening stay here.

[ She studies him intently when he apologizes, which seems to be genuine enough and she relents with a slight tilt of her head. ] It's Allison's forgiveness you need, not mine. Although fair warning, some of us tend to be overprotective of our friends and allies here. Which is also a benefit, when you need someone watching your back. Most of us also understand how disorienting arriving here is and can give you the benefit of the doubt. Or some pointers in what was wrong with your stance that let her land you on your ass as nicely as she did.

And for the record, yes. You're in Wonderland. Or the equivalent pocket dimension posing as it. That's also still in debate, but they seem to have done a damned impressive job duplicating it if it isn't.

Jane Foster and Bruce Banner. [ he taps his head with two fingers, indicating he has their names memorized. he doesn't sleep. he's going to have plenty of time to try and do his own research. nothing as extensive as scientists but logic wouldn't be bad here when rational has abandoned him. the last time gives him pause like a distant memory - something foggy - pulls at him, as if he should remember it from somewhere. something he read. but whatever it is gets lost on him initially. ] Thank you. I'll ask for a moment of their time after I've had some of my own to pull myself together.

[ he's in no state to get chatty. ]

I think if magic was real, the world would be a lot better off. [ but they all think this is Wonderland, so of course there's magic. caterpillars and talking cards, evil red queens, cats with riddles. ] I've only ever read about it in stories.

[ there's the faintest hint of a smile. pulled down by his fears and doubts, but he tries because she's trying. pushing forward. paving the way for a conversation when it's obvious she knows the girl he had threatened, cares about her even probably. ] I wouldn't expect anything less. If the situation was reversed and I was watching one of my friends held at knife point, there's no telling how I would have reacted. Every action has a consequence. [ he knows that all too well. ] I'm prepared to accept mine.

[ a beat. his clarification isn't defensive in the slightest. ]

I underestimated her. [ he's young, but he can handle himself. everything he's learned, he's learned in war. his stance might need some work, but it's always carried him through. maybe he has the alien dna humming in his veins to thank for that. ] Luckily, for the both of us, she wasn't the enemy I imagined she was.

[ he tries to work through the rest of it. pocket dimension or otherwise, it's an impossible development. confirmation's all he wanted, even if he has nothing else to contribute to that. ]

[ Natasha's lips quirk faintly at that, a hint of pleased pride in how the girl handled herself and her unexpected attacker. ]

She's been training very hard to learn how to do just that, so the fact that you did will probably please her when she's done being pissed off at you.

Also I wouldn't underestimate magic either. It sounds like it would make life easier until you come face to face with it and realize you'd give anything to have your old 'complicated' and mundane life back.

[ well this isn't embarrassing or anything!!!!! ]

I'm fine. [ she looks a little tired, but that's to be expected after their tense discussion that hasn't really cleared up anything. but at least he's not threatening to kill everyone anymore? ]

Just caught me off-guard at first. It's handled.

Edited (ICONS WHAT) 2014-10-16 17:02 (UTC)

[ You did good, Allison, gold star. ]

Yes, I see that. Nice work.

[ Because she has nothing to be embarrassed about in Natasha's opinion and her smile says she's rather proud of the girl. ]

[ thanks mom! ]

Really? [ do you see those sparkles? ] I guess you're to thank for that. The practice came in handy.

[ She may have noticed the sparkles, yes. ]

You're the one that pulled it off. I only showed you how. But I'm glad to see the practice is paying off.

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