Want to go over a few things with me?

[beyondthenorms]

Let's talk about recent events, starting with being with the Sam I know most, after some weeks. It's great he's going to be staying around at the carnival. [She's smiling.] I'll be sure to have Elsa and Blake meet him. Still have yet to introduce the both of them to each other.

I know Blake's had it really bad long ago, and I know Elsa's shy with people... Huh? Oh. You haven't heard from Blake's mun in a while? Why's that? Give the person a poke with PM sometime. I'd like to talk with him again, sometime soon.

[Mari then frowns a bit, perplexed while in thought.] Next, I wonder what Nathan meant by what he said about like it was meant to be for the two of us to meet? I'm sure I'll find out about that soon.

Yeah. [Mari glowers to Mun a little, as she's feeling flustered.] I do get what you're implying at but I have Genesis! You know that! I believe Nathan knows that too. I love Gen, and I can't imagine being with anyone else... I hope it won't be too much longer until I can be with him. Does Nexus even know how much I miss him? I pray for him every night. I've done that ever since Nexus booted me to Nathan's and Peter's world.

...I'm not inspiring you with ideas. I've got enough stress to deal with, and enough problems. I don't really want more.

I mean no offense at all, by the way. Nathan's a great guy, but he's only my good friend, just as his brother is. [Oh god if Nathan overhears this... Augh, no, not gonna think any further than that!]

Comments

[guardian_doctor]

I hope this Nathan does indeed understand you're unavailable. The few times it's come up, I've found it very hard to remain friendly with those who latched onto the notion that I needed seducing.

And should it come up: "my job comes first" is, apparently, a terrible discouragement. It seems to make them think you also need to be "saved" from your "terrible job". [Slightly aggravated sigh.]

[beyondthenorms]

[Mari’s looking a bit relieved as she responds to this guy.] I was right; I wasn’t getting an “I’m attracted to you” vibe from him. My mun’s head was clearly in the wrong place. [She looks annoyed for a moment, thinking of how nuts Mun would be to believe that a “love triangle” would be additional interesting drama.]

Just heard Nathan reply to me. I think he’s on about this destiny thing I’m supposed to be a part of. I’m not really sure, but I know he’s not flirting... To summarize it the best way for you to understand, I’m somehow in Nathan’s and Peter’s world to help save my friends back home. We’re still kind of figuring that out...

[She offers a sympathetic smile. In using her people reading skills, she gets that he’s in the middle of that sort of unwanted drama.] Are women in your workplace pursuing you?

[guardian_doctor]

Ah. While the explanation remains somewhat cryptic to me, I'm glad you won't be having that sort of trouble.

And not currently. I had to let go an otherwise excellent secretary in the past, however. [He frowns a bit at the memory, but on the whole is simply relieved it's not a current issue.] My current sec--ahem, clerk [why being a "secretary" bothered Finch he wasn't sure, but it was an acceptable eccentricity] is fortunately far more professional on that front.

[beyondthenorms]

I'm glad too. And yeah, not the best summary. It's long and complicated, and it would take a while to break anything down and explain it that way... [Mari runs a hand through her long red hair and sighs.]

[As she listens to him, she simply asks;] What do you do for work?

[guardian_doctor]

Many things are complicated, some things aren't explainable at all. [He shrugs lightly.]

I'm a doctor. A "small town doctor", if that makes a difference. It does to some people. And yourself?

[beyondthenorms]

There's definitely some things in my life I can't explain...

As long as you're helping people, that's what really counts.

Currently I'm living and working within a carnival. Nathan is the co-owner of it. It's just something I'm doing until I can go home. Whenever that is.

[guardian_doctor]

[Nods slightly.] Helping was the point of medical school--and why I bother staying certified...

[He perks up a little in curiosity.] Carnival? I haven't seen many, I must admit--they tend not to come out to Zion and I have little reason to go where they do show up... What's being part of one like?

[beyondthenorms]

[Blink.] Zion? ...I'm not sure if you're much of a movie person or anything, but that name sounds so familiar to me. Maybe it's just a coincidence.

[The entire Matrix trilogy, and the Animatrix--even though it's been a few years since she last saw them--are unforgettable movies, in her opinion.]

Well, I'm not part of a performance act, but it's just as cool being friends with people who are. I help keep everything clean, or help run the game stations.

[guardian_doctor]

I'm not much for recreational films, no, but I wouldn't be surprised if the name featured in more than a handful. It's a biblical name, rather symbolic. The Promised Land, Jerusalem, the new Jerusalem, heaven: Zion. It sums up so many things my town was meant to be that it's never been. [He chuckles a little, not without humor--but not with a great deal of it either.]

Cleaning's fairly important. [He nods again, thoughtfully.] What sort of performance acts?

[beyondthenorms]

[There's a small smile of understanding she shows.] Sorry to hear your hometown's not very peaceful. The one I've lived in for years hasn't been exactly a paradise but close enough.

[The suburbia she lived in long before she ended up making a new life in the Nexus world was much more peaceful, almost perfect. However, thinking about that or talking about her parents and friends she hasn't seen a lot of the time makes her sad. There's both good memories and bad from eight years back, yet focusing on any of her once normal life causes her feel sad nonetheless...]

Yep. A clean environment is more appealing to the public than a dirty one.

A few of my neighbors who are in the circus show do acrobatics. This one lady I know is a contortionist, and there's another guy who's a trainer for a group of five small and adorable dogs. [Mari smiles big as she gladly speaks of them.] There's also a really amazing juggler, and two unique and funny people who are the clowns... It's actually not the usual travelling carnival, for a lot of the people around here, even though they're not in the main show, have really extraordinary talents.