driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Natasha Romanoff + Anyone
Broadcast: NA
Action: Vanquish, Iskaulit & Planetside
When: 8/15-8/22

Window Shopping

[They won't be hanging around here much longer. Natasha's been here over a year now, she knows the rhythm of these things. Before long, they'll be dragged off to drift for a while before they end up who knows where next time.

Seems like a good time to take advantage of what they have, while they have it.

That means shopping—at least seeing if there's anything she wants before they leave. Bookstores get special attention, and boutiques, but that doesn't mean Natasha won't slip into any number of stores looking at everything from snacks to weapons. If she spots someone she knows while she's out, she's not above dragging them along for opinions. She'll pick up a pair of shoes or a novel or a knife flashing it for inspection.]

What do you think? Worth it?

[She probably won't actually buy it, but it'd be a waste not to at least consider.]

Beach Trip

[Natasha does, in fact, wear a bikini. She just wears strategic cover ups to disguise the major scars on her hip and shoulder. Works well enough, as long as she doesn't get in the water.

It's busy, but she does a pretty good job of not paying attention to the ads. She divides most of her time between a book and watching other people enjoying the sun and surf.

Toward the end of the day, she'll decide it's time for some company.]

I'm pretty sure there's a bar up the beach a little? Looks tacky, and I bet the drinks are watered down.

[She stands, brushing the sand from her wrap.] Coming?

Vanquish

[After weeks of laying low and spending most of her time off ship, Natasha seems to have finally decided to stick around. At least, more than she has been. This morning, she can be found in the kitchen, sitting on the counter and sipping coffee. There's more for anyone who wants it; she made plenty.

She doesn't seem inclined to start a conversation herself, but there's a sense of her paying more attention than she has in a while, quietly marking the coming and going of the crew, maybe doing some kind of mental calculus or maybe just people watching.

It's hard to say with her.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Enid nods, but she isn't wanting to over share here either so she takes a couple more bites from her plate, too.

In actuality, she's still learning to appreciate the small things all over again.]

No. I didn't buy much for myself, unless you count clothes or food.

Depends on the food and the clothes. It counts if it wasn't useful or necessary. Something just for fun.

[Natasha knows very well how hard it can be to come the appreciate things that are frivolous. But it's part of why she knows it's important, to feel normal.]

Chocolate bar? Nice clothes?

[Uhm...]

Depends. I bought clothes that would last, but ones I like. A small trinket for a necklace I'll make.

[So, not thinking it's really a competition, she's doing better than Carl? Only guessing here.]

All right. I suppose that counts.

[Though that kind of trinket might be meaningful enough to qualify as more than frivolous.]

What kind of a trinket?

An fire truck charm.

[Which may have just a little meaning to it. She once picked up a fire truck toy for no other reason than that she could.]

[That doesn't seem like the kind of thing you pick up for no reason at all. Thouh who knows?]

Cute. I'd say you win this round.

[~~It was a TV call back to something that happened before she was around.~~]

Heh. I wouldn't say it's a win, but if you say so.

The thing about wins is, when you get one, you take it.

[Said like someone who knows, but isn't all that good at taking her own advice.]

Edited 2017-08-26 00:40 (UTC)

Okay.

But you have to tell me something about you if you want me to take it. [She decides.]

If those are the terms...

[The corner of Natasha's mouth twitches, not exactly a smile but maybe a little amused.]

What do you want to know?

Sure. [It is only if she wants them to be, since her curiosity in asking worked.]

You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but how...or where did you learn to fight?

[That part isn't a secret, at least. Though at her age and with her background, the honest answer might be obfuscating in its own way.]

I was recruited and trained by the KGB. A lot time ago.

KGB? [She repeats the letters almost like she is tracing them, thinking back to things she's learned in school.] Is that- What does that stand for?

Komitet gosudarstvennoy bezopasnosti. [In Russian. It's a mouthful. She doesn't leave the answer at that, though.] The Committee for State Security. It was the Soviet intelligence agency.

[More than a mouthful. The words to her American ear seem too complicated to repeat.]

Soviet Union as in Russia. I learned about that country but I don't remember a whole lot. I never would have guessed you were trained like that. [But she seems relieved to know. She won't picture Natasha as someone that learned how to fight in dire circumstances like an apocalypse now, which brings out the worst she can imagine in people. Yes, the KGB things worries her less than anyone who doesn't have some law and order to follow.]

[She might be less relieved if she knew the details of Natasha's training, but even so the logic is sound.]

As in Russia, yeah. Not surprised you wouldn't have heard much about it lately though.

No. Not a lot about Russia came up in history class. Carl tell you anything about our world?

A little. And I saw a little in his head, back on the Marsiva.

[Her lips momentarily tug down at the corners for the reminder of seeing Carl's memories herself. Even if she was from the same place, she never seen anything as horrifying as what Negan did. She pushes down the thought of it with all her might.]

Then you may know things about where we're from. Nothing exists the way it used to anymore. But it's not all bad.

I got the gist of it. Maybe not all of the details, but enough to know that.

Though most of what I saw wasn't great either.

Mm. It's not always good either.

Sounds like most places that way, really.