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[outstandingbalance]

[The woman who appears on the feed might be familiar to a few people. She's sitting at a table or a desk and facing the camera, composed, but a little worse for wear. She looks tired.]

You sure know how to make a girl feel at home. [Not that she's faced frost giants or dark elves before, but dropped into the middle of a fight she wasn't expecting and wasn't prepared for? One that probably should be left to gods and super soldiers? That is familiar. The last two days haven't been boring] Is that normal?

[Natasha taps the table in front of her twice, drawing a slow breath as she considers how she's going to play this. If putting her face on the network is a mistake, then she's already made it.]

I think I'm ready for the welcoming committee now.

Comments

[outstandingbalance]

Maybe not where I'm from, but you could call i a professional hazard.

[She does smile as she says that, so maybe not entirely terrible.]

I guess that's one thing I won't have to get used to? Just the kind of chaos that keeps us on our toes.

[shrinkage]

There's a tentative schedule, actually. On Tuesdays we do crafts, then opposite Fridays we fight for our lives and minds.

[ more teasing-- though if pressed he'll have to admit he does hold welding wednesdays... ]

[outstandingbalance]

You know, the worst part of that joke is I'm not sure if you aren't serious about the second part.

[Her expression lightens a little, but only a little.]

[shrinkage]

[ that's nearly a compliment, and he's shameless enough to take it at face value. ]

So I'll pencil you in for crafts? I heard this week is macaroni art.

[outstandingbalance]

Do I look like the macaroni type to you? [Almost daring him to to say she is.]

[shrinkage]

[ it's not that he's dumb (that's a lie he totally is) so much as unobservant. and presumptive as all get out. and deserving of lots of punches in the face... ]

Oh, it's OK, I'm gluten-free too! You won't be judged.

[outstandingbalance]

[This is the look of a person who is quickly running out of energy for this joke. Maybe another time... but honestly, hard to say for sure.]

So how many of these arts and crafts meet ups have you made it to?

[shrinkage]

[ no one will blame her for hitting that block button! but at least it seems maybe he's catching on a little. ]

I have perfect attendance. Then again, I'm the only one who shows...

[outstandingbalance]

No offense, but I think it's going to stay that way. At least if you can't do better than gluten free macaroni.

[shrinkage]

None taken! It tastes terrible and doesn't glue.

[ shrug. whatcha gonna do? ]

So, I have a confession to make.

[outstandingbalance]

Seems a little early in our relationship to start baring all.

[But she's not telling him not to make it.]

[shrinkage]

Maybe for you.

[ raymond palmer that is not how you tell someone you met another them. ]

...That came out wrong.

[outstandingbalance]

It may have. [It definitely is. But Natasha's been clued in, if only in the most general way. She can put two and two together.]

You knew me before.

[shrinkage]

[ he nods, nose crinkling with maybe a little embarrassment at how poorly he's handled this already. ]

Sorry. We weren't close or anything! Just ... a couple of run ins last year, usually during events.

[ he thinks they were friends, but-- gosh it's hard to tell. ray considers the dormouse his friend. he could hold a conversation with a paper bag. ]

I'm Ray.

[outstandingbalance]

Ray. [Natasha echoes him.] Nice to meet you, Ray. Anything else I should know?

[shrinkage]

[ he thinks for a moment, for something that her world's retinue might not offer up. ]

You can bribe Dormouse with treacle. But he eats it too fast, so be careful.

[outstandingbalance]

[He succeeded as far as that goes, at least. That's not what Natasha expected to hear at all.

But it raises another question.]

Bribe it to do what?

[shrinkage]

Not fall asleep, mostly. But he's friendly aside from being a tiny harbinger.

[outstandingbalance]

I'll have to remember that. I can't think of why I'd ever have to keep a dormouse awake, but considering that you're mentioning it, I have to assume it's come up before.

[shrinkage]

He's one of the beings that tells us when an event is coming. Most of them aren't all that forthcoming, but he was pretty chatty once I promised to bring him dessert.

[outstandingbalance]

Did he let you know about the giants? Or some other impending calamity?

[shrinkage]

He told us about the kindergarten, actually. This alien sort of world where creatures known as Gems were grown.

[ it wasn't too terrible, save for the time he blinded a girl while she was fighting one of the corrupt ones and nearly killed her... ]

[outstandingbalance]

[That gets a raised eyebrow and a skeptical look.]

I know what all of those words mean individually, but when you put them in that order they don't make any sense.

[shrinkage]

Oh, there are aliens in Wonderland! They're pretty cool.

[ literally and behaviorally. then again treating ray coolly is just smart ok. ]

[outstandingbalance]

I put together that much. [Natasha's not sure it would make a difference. He seems immune to at least gentle sarcasm.]

So he told you about an event that was relevant to those aliens. Am I parsing that right?

[Is everything here so much of a headache?]