Naviadna Mingle

[thespaceopera]

Who: Everyone
Broadcast: If you want!
Action: Anywhere on the fleet or in the system
When: The month of June



Welcome to Naviadna! Enjoy the beautiful sights, amazing technology, and all the other wonderful things this system has to offer! Where will you go? What sort of shenanigans will you get up to? How are you dealing with the planet's insistent singing at you?

Have fun!

(( System Info here ))

Comments

[outstandingbalance]

[Mistake. Natasha sees it almost immediately. Not soon enough tamp down on the impulse. Not soon enough that there's not a half a moment where she stands still and shaken, before she realizes that Wanda doesn't know.

Natasha shouldn't have dragged her into this.

She gives a quick head shake then.]

New memories. Sorry—still getting my footing back.

[seeingscarlet]

[Natasha doesn't need her protection, but she would have had it if there was a real threat. But this...this isn't something she can help fix. Wanda winces sympathetically and lets her go.]

No, it sounds like it would be hard. [She tilts her head.] How long?

[outstandingbalance]

Years. [That's the easiest answer to give, one she doesn't have to consider too deeply or censor. It's been years. And it is a lot to process.

Natasha would rather be honest with Wanda, if she can. But there's only so much she'll saddle the girl with.]

I'll get caught up with things. Just... need a minute.

[seeingscarlet]

[Wanda has a vague understanding that something bad happens in the future from Calibrations, but she doesn't quite remember what and has never asked anyone about it. Whatever it is...it's left her with a lingering sense of dread and there's no reason to prod at it if no one else brings it up. What can she do about it here?

Still, the urge to find out what has Natasha so upset is strong. But Wanda keeps her mind to herself.]

Do you want to sit down? We could find a cafe...or something stronger.

[outstandingbalance]

A cafe sounds good. I could use something—tea. Not coffee.

[She's not ready for alcohol yet. She needs to sit down though and take a moment to gather her thoughts.

She doesn't want to get swept up in any kind of emotional reaction, not when it's premature.]

I wouldn't mind something to eat either.

[seeingscarlet]

[Well, that settles it. The rest of her shopping can wait.]

I saw a place a few blocks away. It looked cute.

[There's some sort of fluffy animal as a mascot - it looks a little like the adorable Flouds from Lyndia.]

Do you want to talk about it, or do you want me to distract you?

[outstandingbalance]

Tell me about something else. Anything else.

[Natasha isn't picky. She needs to gather her thoughts, and the only way she's going to do that is with time.]

Were you shopping for something in particular?

[She might not listen too closely to the answer, but hearing Wanda talk is comforting.]

[seeingscarlet]

[...that bad, huh? Wanda can't fully hide the worry that creases her brow, but...she can ramble about nothing important, if it just helps to hear someone talk. She knows all too well what that feels like.]

I just like to look at clothes and things for our room and the ship. I don't know what's going to happen next but...it is still nice to look. And I like this planet.

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha considers and discards a handful of responses before she settles on what to say—tamping down on the impulse to say they should look while they can. No knowing when they'll have the chance again.]

I like to do some window shopping while we're around too. Never know what you'll find.

Or who you'll run into.

[seeingscarlet]

Were you looking for someone?

[Wanda tries to keep her tone casual. She's never seen Natasha give anyone a look like that. Maybe she's just feeling out of sorts - it's never happened to her, but Vision had been several kinds of out of it when he'd woken from his long winter nap.

Or maybe whatever happened was just that bad. Or both.]

[outstandingbalance]

No one in particular. Just... seeing if anyone else remembers more.

[Even Wanda. She has to hold onto the hope that if Wanda's memories start flooding in, there's some potential for a new life in them. It's part of what Natasha sacrificed herself for.

There were billions of people to bring back, but billions is too big a number for human minds. At that point, it's just math.

But the faces she can put to it, Wanda, Sam, Bucky... those weigh more heavily than all of those zeroes.]

No one so far.

[seeingscarlet]

[Sadly, it seems that the only way Wanda's going to find out about the future is if someone decides to tell her or she accidentally catches a stray thought. She certainly wouldn't be casually browsing the markets by herself if she did.]

I'm sorry. It's hard to carry that by yourself.

[Whatever it is, it must be bad, and she knows all too well what it's like to keep a secret like that from the people you love most. Fortunately, they've reached the little cafe.

It's designed for maximum cuteness: the entire place is decorated in pastels and has cute little animal and fruit mascots on the walls and menu. It's not Natasha's aesthetic. But as far as distractions go, they could do a lot worse.]

I haven't been here yet, but maybe they have something fun.

[outstandingbalance]

When you said it was cute, I didn't realize you meant so literally.

[But it is cute, and Natasha doesn't mind it. The incongruity between the precious decor and Natasha's memories is almost calming. How can everything she's remembered coexist in the same place that has adorable peaches and foxes on the walls?]

It's good. We can try it. See, I'm already starting to calm down.

[seeingscarlet]

I didn't expect the inside to be...this.

[But it is cute, and it's hard to have dark thoughts or stay upset in a place like this. Look at that cute little white deer with twisty antlers posted next to the menu! It's blepping!

It's a far cry from Vormir, at least.]

Maybe the tea will help even more. And...what is that? [She points to something adorable in the cold case, laughing. Oh no.] I think it might be too cute to eat.

[outstandingbalance]

[It is hard to have dark thoughts. It's... strange. There's a disconnect between Natasha's memories and this mundanely adorable reality confronting her.]

I'll eat one of those if you do. [Her smile is small, forced, but she tries.] But tea would be nice. Maybe they have the type with the tapioca pearls.

[seeingscarlet]

Then I think I know what I am getting. [She grins. Oh no, she might just have to eat an entire parfait. Whatever will she do?]

I wish I had my lavender chamomile tea for you. But maybe they have something floral that would help?

[Places like this soothe her anxious heart. The Interceptors' plan has created a rather large ticking time bomb, but how can she think about future heartbreak here?]

[outstandingbalance]

Chamomile would be nice, but I'm sure they have something. I used to like rose tea, when I could get it.

[Something about the perfume fragrance comforts her.]

Not that they're any more likely to have that.

[seeingscarlet]

They must have other floral teas. You might find something you like better.

[Great, now she wants rose tea too. Thanks, Natasha.]

Or if you are very lucky maybe you'll get a sponsor drop and have more than you could ever drink.

[outstandingbalance]

Too much of a good thing. That sounds on brand, yeah.

[She offers a thin smile, strained. Natasha is normally a better liar.]

I think I'll risk it though. Haven't attracted too many of the sponsor drops so far. Hopefully my luck holds.

[seeingscarlet]

[Wanda notices and her smile slips. If she doesn't need her powers to notice the strain Natasha's under, it's really, really bad. Is this helping or making it worse?

Her frown is familiar - it's the expression Wanda usually gets when she's hesitating.]

If this isn't helping...I can show you anything, if it would make you feel better, [she says quietly.] If you think it would help more than this.

[outstandingbalance]

No. [She's not too fast with her answer, but firm.] This is better. It helps, honestly.

[And she resists the idea of letting Wanda see inside her head. It's not her fault, but she doesn't want to risk what Wanda might see if she did look.

If she might see something accidentally.]

Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind.