Network - 03

[graveyounglady]

Who: Mercy Graves
Username: mercyme
Warnings: Discussion of the wax tablet on the TDM.

To the Gentlefolk of Other Worlds,

This is Sister Mercy Graves. Do you believe in fate? That your truth may be written and set before it has happened? I have come across a most peculiar and troubling object at the museum that has recently opened its doors.

May the spring bring life to you and yours,
Mercy Graves

Comments

[fightinginfinity]

[ Yeah that is kinda odd; Tony was expecting some sort of Ye Olde English type deal, judging by the words she'd used. But hey, people talking one way via text and another in real life is nothing unheard of, so he's pretty quick to dismiss it. ]

'Freezing', until we get inside.

[ Once they do Tony lets out a grateful sigh, shaking off the chill. Yeah, note to self, bring a coat next time. Idiot. Oh right, she'd asked a question... ]

Okay, less freezing now. I'm Tony. No 'sir' necessary. Nice to meet you in the fleshy world. [ He glances around the space, taking in the sights. ] Huh. Spooky. Definitely someplace you'd expect to find a creepy magic fortune-telling tablet, if ever there was one.

[graveyounglady]

Hmm...

[She unwinds a scarf from around her neck and offers it to Tony.]

Here. Your hands look fit for cooling drinks on a warm day. Tablet's over there, but why'd you go walking without putting on anything decent?

[fightinginfinity]

[ Tony doesn't realize he's still shivering until Mercy pointedly hands him the scarf, and he accepts it with an air of sheepishness that not many can say they've witnessed. He can hear Pepper's voice in his head scolding him now, the sound sneaking up on him, but he just as quickly muffles it before it can travel to his heart and rip it to shreds more surely than any piece of shrapnel could. ]

Uh, negligence, actually. [ He says this in the same startlingly frank way he'd threatened a demigod once. ] I'm used to traveling in a...more temperature-efficient way. Time-efficient too. Everything-efficient, actually.

[ Translation: He'd tried revving up his suit again, failed again, realized he was late, then took off without grabbing a coat. Ahem. Tony winds the scarf around his neck and also kinda buries his hands in it like it's a muff. He must look ridiculous. ]

Not to mention that I'm usually, uh...working with more insulation than I've got currently. [ Translation: He skinny. And look, he's never been a big guy by any means, but he had muscles damn it! Muscles he had worked hard on! Sure he isn't quite as deathly thin right now as he'd been when he first arrived, but this getting-his-health-back shit is taking way too long. ] You wouldn't happen to know if there's a gym around here, would you?

[ Tony starts meandering in the direction of the tablet as he speaks, still warming himself up. ]

[graveyounglady]

[Mercy follows along, her concern for the man only growing. Why are there so many malnourished people here? It makes her think too much of Mr. Thomas, or little Crystal when she'd first been brought to the Abbey.]

Aye, they got one at headquarters. I been down there to practice fighting. You been eating enough at the canteen? I can see about writing you a note from Medical if they're being stingy about extra helpings. Especially this time of year, you need more for the cold.

[fightinginfinity]

[ Tony can’t help but wince at her words, even though he’s fairly certain they’re coming from a genuine place. He’s been rapidly finding himself growing more and more tired of people’s insistent commentary on his health situation, possibly even more than the situation itself. He considers telling her that Medical has him on a specific diet and that’s why he hasn’t been scarfing burgers to his heart’s content like he usually would, but that would just prolong a conversation that he’d really rather be over with quickly. So he just gives her a strained sort of smile and a bony shrug instead. ]

Buying me lunch after we’re done here is a far easier and more practical solution. See? Engineering 101. [ Time to change the subject. ] So what’s the deal with this tablet thing, wanna show me the ropes?

[graveyounglady]

[She radiates concern, but has sense enough not to press a conversation he clearly wants done. She'll buy him food later. And then maybe try to track him down at ADI to make sure he's eating properly.]

It's over here. [Mercy takes the lead, showing him over to a fancy wax tablet placed behind a very imposing velvet rope. There's a sign that indicates no touching.] When you look at it, it just- Oh! Look! There it goes.

[Mercy stares at her next prediction:]

'You will fail to notice that someone loves you.'

[That gets a pause and a few blinks.]

Well, that's... huh.

[fightinginfinity]

[ Tony noticeably relaxes when Mercy abandons the subject of his well-being for the moment, finally tugging his hands free of the scarf and removing his glasses so he can get a better look at the object. He stands a little farther away from it than she does, perhaps betraying his skepticism toward the thing, though he shows no other sign of changing his stance where its mystical powers are concerned. ]

Well that's typical, isn't it? Unrequited love is all too common. I used to get all kinds of love letters from hopeful guys and gals, emails, unsolicited gifts ranging from cute to potentially dangerous... Comes with the territory for attractive brunettes like us.

[ He gives her a nudge, aiming to cheer her up, but the comparison doesn't really hold up; Mercy doesn't seem like she was the celebrity type back where she came from, whereas he was a household name. But what the hell does he know? ]

[graveyounglady]

[Mercy tilts her head slightly, then quirks a smile as she picks up that he's joking. He's clever and quick with his words like Ms. Tawnie always is. It's a little harder to keep up with this man, though, when he uses strange words that hang her up. Emails. Right. Those are- Yes. Right.]

Don't reckon there's much sense getting someone you fancy something dangerous, 'less you're planning to save them from it? [She huffs quietly.] I'll have to have a think on that. I'm the one usually pining after boys as ain't looking at me the same way.

Here. You see anything for yourself?

[She tries to motion him closer to get a look at his own potential future.]

[fightinginfinity]

Oh bless your heart. Look, the key here is that they don't think it's dangerous. But there's really only one way to shake it when some lady sends you her unmentionables and you know damn well they ain't new.

[ And that's about as far as he's willing to go with her on that. As for that other thing... As soon as Mercy motions for him to step forward, Tony takes one tiny step back instead. It's instinctual. ]

Uh, no thanks. I mean, not that I believe it works or anything, I just. I'd rather see what else it comes up with for you, yeah? [ God, it sounds lame even to his ears. And he used to fancy himself quite the gifted bullshitter too. Embarrassing. ]

[graveyounglady]

[It takes Mercy a long moment to parse that 'unmentionables' are something risque, then that they're clothes, then that they're undergarments, which is why there's a much-delayed raising of her brows and blush. But it's there. Give her a few extra seconds to catch up on all this modern vernacular people use, please. Luckily, she doesn't have to really comment on that, as there's something else to focus on.]

You don't gotta be scared, sir. I'll protect you walking home. Don't you worry. Think they got a gift shop here, too, one with soft and warm clothes. We'll buy you something from there before leaving, yes? Quality ain't great, but better than freezing yourself down to the bone again.