and though the truth may vary

[motherofnemesis]

Who: Regular Max & tiny Tony.
What: Quite unexpected
When: Tonight.
Where: Tony's workshop.
Warnings: None that I can think of yet.

[ She hasn't actually checked the network since she got back, aimlessly walking around as she tries to figure out what to do next. Back here is more familiar than the old West, at least, but it's not too great, and she does miss the sun. She's restless, and irritated, and wandering around in the cold damp grey really isn't helping. It's always better for her to have something to do with her mind and hands.

She finds herself outside the workshop almost by accident. It's really just about the last place she'd meant to go, given the slip she'd made in front of Tony with her empathy, but she's here and it's not like she can't lie. She's good at lying. (She just doesn't want to have to, to someone she considers worth getting along with.)

Regardless, she had a project underway before they were called away, and she should check on it. Should, or wants to, or wants the excuse. Which one's the real reason is something she's not looking into too closely. She slips in through the side door she generally uses, whistles as she strolls into the main area in a casual warning of her approach. If he starts asking too many questions, she can duck out again, or lie, or whatever. Finishing work will be calming, and she could use calming. ]

Comments

[nanite]

What? Right now or when I'm older?

[motherofnemesis]

Right now. What do you want to do right now?

[nanite]

[ Blink. ] What do you want to do?

[motherofnemesis]

[ That's a question she neither has an answer for or would say out loud if she did have an answer. ] I've got no plans.

[nanite]

Is there anything cool to see here?

[motherofnemesis]

If you like old ruined buildings and a really weird population, sure. But overall it's rainy, it's gray, and there's not a lot to do.

[nanite]

Yeah, no, and no. That doesn't sound like fun at all. Why are we still here?

[motherofnemesis]

Because there's nowhere else to go that isn't about as unpleasant in opposite directions. Seriously, this is the best place there is in this future.

[nanite]

[ Wow, would you look at that, he makes the exact same unimpressed face as a child that he does as an adult. ] This is an island right? Why isn't everyone just taking their chances with the swimming.

[motherofnemesis]

[ That's kind of hilarious, really. ] Because it's polluted, and the United Earth government sucks.

[nanite]

This whole place sucks. How do you know the other place sucks more?

[motherofnemesis]

We know there's brainwashing. That's enough for me.

[nanite]

[ Right, that part. ] Yeah, okay, that's pretty bad. Although don't you just need. Willpower or something?

[motherofnemesis]

No. [ Very sure of herself. ] No, willpower hasn't got anything to do with it. Not after a while.

[nanite]

What does?

[motherofnemesis]

If they know their business and have enough time? Nothing does.

[nanite]

[ He frowns a little bit. Howard's not really all that forthcoming, but some of Tony's bedtime stories are war stories, passed over and down. ] Really? That's not... [ mumbling. ] fair.

[motherofnemesis]

It's war. [ wait six year old. ] There's a lot of things that aren't fair, but that's what the whole fighting thing is for. To make them fair.

[nanite]

People brainwash people to fight to make brainwashing look fair? That's retarded.

[motherofnemesis]

[ amused. ] No, our side just kidnaps people to fight their wars so that we can stop people getting brainwashed.

[nanite]

This sounds like a great world.

[motherofnemesis]

[ A mock toasting gesture with her water. ]

Only the best.

[nanite]

[ That is almost an actual glower there, because okay. Sure. ]

So all we do here is fight for these people who kidnapped us against people who are brainwashed to fight from their side?

[motherofnemesis]

[ She's just a little bit bitter sometimes. ]

Got it in one. That's a pretty accurate assessment.

[nanite]

[ it's nice to know they mostly just glare at each other no matter how old either one of them happens to be ]

Why don't you just take the machine that brings you here?