Possibly headed for a new game. Pup has...reservations.

[scarlet_discord]

[Wanda has her hands knotted together in front of her, like she always does when she's trying to hide her nervousness. The dog with her, who is bearlike in his enormousness and covered in black fuzz, can tell, and he's whining and leaning against her, occasionally swiping a donut-sized paw against her leg.]

Look...we've done okay together for a year and a half now, but now you're pushing it. I am willing to abandon my homeworld altogether to avoid any more family drama. That should make my feelings pretty damn clear. The idea of having to have the Big Giant Talk with my brother is not real comfortable, okay? And what if some version of him shows up? Again? I'm getting sick of trying to be civil with people who practically give me flashbacks every time I lay eyes on them. Especially when they turn out to be jerks.

....what do you mean, wussing out? I'm not wussing out. I'm tough enough. But I'm sick of this crap. It's like I can never escape it.

[She scowls and folds her arms, looking away.] It's not wussy to want a fresh start somewhere where I can start to...feel better.

Comments

[cantcatchme]

Believe me, the feeling's mutual. You think I want to deal with family drama on top of all the plague and dinosaurs and those dome bastards trying to kill us? Please. I just got out of having to deal with some young version of our father trying to convince himself he's a good parent, if you can believe that.

[Pietro snorts.]

But face it, the universe - multiverse, whatever - isn't ever going to give you a break any more that it's given me one.

[scarlet_discord]

[She just Looks at him. There are so many things wrong with his trying to compare their lot that for a few moments there the old temptation to knock him on his ass comes back. But instead she reaches over and starts earscritching the dog.]

Yeah Pietro, you've had it so very hard.

[A derisive snort.] Lehnsherr is not my father. And I had to deal with another version of him too. They're all about the same from what I've seen.

Anyway, at least I won't run around acting like a giant bully or anything.

[Fozzie urfs and fans his tail, then paws at her again.]

Yeah, all right, doofus. [More scritchies.]

[cantcatchme]

[Whoops. He knows that look well enough to take a step back and look a little nervous, even if he's still being an ass]

Oh, yeah, just because you had it worse must mean my life is all unicorns and giggles, huh? Like I had it so easy, back home or in this messed-up alien planet place. Wanda, they don't have showers!

[Pietro, whining? Naaaah. He seems to finally notice Fozzie.]

He, uh, he's not gonna eat me or anything, right?

[scarlet_discord]

[Her face softens after a few moments, and she sighs.]

No, you've had a shit time in your own way, no doubt. I'm sorry. [She knows he's probably being dramatic, but she also knows he has a point. And she's no longer quite the ball of misdirected rage she used to be.]

No running watter? What sorta tech level are you dealing with there?

[Fozzie snuffles at the air and then lolls his tongue.]

Oh hell no, Fozzie Bear wants to be buds with anyone who isn't hurting me.

[cantcatchme]

[Wait, what? Wanda apologizing? Saying he's right? That... that's just freaky. Pietro's staring now.]

Uh... yeah! That's right! And don't you forget it!

Well, I'm pretty sure they had running water, but the city's pretty much in ruins. More, now that it's been set on fire. The assholes in that dome are hogging all the resources and I don't think they'll share if we ask pretty please.

Not that they'd be fast enough to stop me, if I can find a way in there.

[He doesn't look quite convinced about Fozzie, and sits tight, crossing his arms with a very clear I'm-staying-put-thanks attitude. Nope, not a dog person.]

[scarlet_discord]

[Yep. She might be angry, but her give-a-damn is big enough to balance it now.]

[She sporfles.] Pietro. You haven't changed. [And then a curious tilt of her head.] How long has it been since you last saw me?

[Wanda scowls...but then her expression lightens.] Bet you could use someone who can reshape and repair things. [It's what she's focused on in her practice for over a year, to try and balance her destructive nature.]

[But she's worried about him speeding off against these guys half-cocked.] Hey, now, dammit, that's dangerous. I'll tie you to a chair before I let you do that without a plan, a contingency plan and backup.

[Fozzie tilts his head, then whines and flops down, head on paws. His eyebrows do the soulful-wiggle thing.]

Oh don't be a drama queen, Fozz, not everybody likes dogs.

*OoooOOooooorrrr!*

Yes, I know. [She pets his ears.]

[cantcatchme]

[Wanda giving a damn about him at all is still pretty freaky. Especially since she isn't acting like the happy-childhood hypnotized Wanda he last knew.]

You say that like I'm supposed to have changed.

Been ten weeks since I woke up in that place. But it looks like you've been away from "home" longer.

[Yeah, he's an ass, but at least he's an observant ass?]

And I can handle myself. Their hovercrafts can't even hit me. [He's tried.]

That's not a dog. It's a bear.

[thefuzzyguy]

So, uh, I don't want to get into a "who has the craziest superpowered terrorist parent" contest...

[For many, many reasons.]

But my point is, well, verdammt, we do all have our issues. Und I hate having feelings too, ja? This stuff bites. But if you let that dictate what you do and where you go you won't get a lot done, und if you don't deal with it... Well, look at my sister.

[He's trying to be helpful. Really, he is.]

[scarlet_discord]

[She rubs her face.]

Not saying you don't have a point. But I've gotta be careful. Bad things happen when I get too upset. I don't want to lose it again and hurt someone who doesn't deserve it.

[Fozzie is thomping his tail against the ground hard cause New Person. But he behaves for now.]

[thefuzzyguy]

[Kurt is a fan of dogs (and, indeed, of all fuzzy things, for some odd reason) and the feeling is usually mutual, but he keeps his attention on the human he's trying to encourage.]

I'm not gonna pretend I can help with that. You know me. Glass jaw. Easy to throw out windows. A really angry Nightcrawler usually means avoidance und stress eating unless someone's actually trying to punch me...

[Huh, it's like this things humans know as helping, only Kurt style, so it's six cents short of a nickel.]

The chill philosophy of the fuzzy dude.

[scarlet_discord]

[Fozzie is currently beating on Wanda's leg with his tail. He makes a little "orr" noise and doggiegrins.]

Don't sweat it. This kinda stuff, it takes time mostly, and work on my part. I don't expect anybody to be able to help much on it anymore. Except maybe by being good company.

[She smiles a little in spite of herself.]

This pile of fur here is my antidepressant.

[thefuzzyguy]

Fur is really good at that! It's very hard to be upset when you have someone fluffy around. It's why everyone I hang out with is so mentally healthy...

[Oh, hmm.]

...That might be a bad example. But dogs work better anyway.

[scarlet_discord]

Eh, I bet a lot of their baggage was right there with them before they even met you. Mine sure was. But yeah, fuzziness--and stand-up guys--are good for my mood.

[She covers her mouth with her hand briefly.] Heh.

*whiiiiiine--ROOF!* [Fozzie dances in place eagerly.]

[She looks down at him and flashes another brief smile.] Yeah, you've been good. Go say hi.

[And Fozz scrambles over and play-bows. Hi dude!]

[catchingflies]

[Somebody is a bit less encouraging than the other two Evo buddies here-- if only because he only knows her by reputation, at his canon point.]

... so you're the chick I'm supposed to have this huge crush on, huh?

[scarlet_discord]

[...wut.]

The hell has Pietro been telling you?

[All the internal flailing.]

We barely know each other!

[Really. Really truly.]

[Hugedog gets up and ambles up to Toad, fanning his tail. Of course he wants to be buddies. Wanda presses her lips together and looks away. Dammit...]

[catchingflies]

[He holds up his hands in mock-surrender with a slightly nervous sort of grin.]

That's what I said! I, uh, actually don't know you. Like, at all.

[HugeDog is a nice (sort of) distraction from Wanda's annoyed confusion, and Todd winds up kind of scrambling up onto something-- the back of a chair, a counter, a wall, whatever-- and eying him warily.]

Whadda you want?

[scarlet_discord]

[She softens slightly.] Yeah. You never came off as a bad guy or anything, just...oh yeah. This is awkward.

[Fozzie play-bows and wuffs cheerfully.]

It's OK, man, Fozzie Bear won't hurt you. He's just curious.

[catchingflies]

[Todd looks from dog to girl and back again. Then he smirks. How can you be afraid of something names Fozzie bear?]

Fozzie. Uh-huh. Cute.

[He eases off the counter he'd been perched on the edge of to offer the dog his hand to sniff.]

So how was it? Since, ya know, I totally don't remember any of it yet.

[scarlet_discord]

[She gives him about a ten-percent-strength Wandaglare tempered by a slight smile.] Don't even tease, Kermit. Muppet Show's a classic.

[She thinks about it. She has the opportunity to make a fresh start with the guy, and he did rescue her once with Kurt's help. He's not a bad guy when he keeps the creepy at bay.]

We coulda been buds, you know? But I was bitchy awkward and you were awkward-awkward. [And pervy. And he still needs a damn bath. But she can address that later.] Anyway, you, right here right now, have never done anything to piss me off, so I can't bitch at you about a past you technically weren't part of.

[Fozzie snuffles at his hand and chuffs slightly, then sits and raises a paw. Howyadoin'?]

[force_ful]

I don't actually know what "wussy" means, but... just because you can take something doesn't mean you have to want to.

[scarlet_discord]

[Luke gets a smile, cause Luke.] I'll do it if I have to. I'm not the sort to back down. But really I'd rather go hang out in Narnia for a couple of decades.

[force_ful]

I know the feeling. Assuming Narnia is some kind of... completely unrelated place, anyway. And now my mundane wants to advertise through me. Would you rather we hold off?

[and looking at Huge Dog.]

Who's this?

[scarlet_discord]

Are you kidding? I love hearing about new places.

[She ruffles the dog and pats his butt.] Go say hi, Fozzie. Luke, this is Fozzie Bear, one of the kinds of dogs on my world.

[Fozzie urfs and wanders over. Hey dude.]

[force_ful]

Right, well... There's another universe or dimension. A version of Earth, people say, and it opens windows to other worlds that people can come through. A great thing about it is that no one is trapped there. Or... very few. Your window can get lost.

I go there to get a breather from what else is going on, sometimes. The really striking thing about it though is that just going there... well, the way they put it is that your soul becomes an animal and exists outside of your body. They call those daemons.

[He shows a smile.] It takes some adjusting to.

...ah, hello. [He offers his hand, and yes Luke will smoothly deflect any inroads at crotch or butt. :|] I've met fenwolves about this size. Some people ride them.

[scarlet_discord]

...wow. That's trippy. I did meet one guy with a daemon once, but I've never been to a world where everyone got one. I don't even know what mine would be.

I really do like meeting people from different worlds. Where is it?

These guys were bred to guard sheep herds from large predators. They're from a cold climate, so they're all fuzzy.

[Fozzie is actually well trained enough to mind his manners, but he does lick Luke's hand after a quick snuffle. His tongue is very wide.]

He's given kids rides before. I'm probably too heavy for him.