From our window we could see

[velveteened]

Date & Time: June 24, 8 pm
Location: Unit 403
Characters: Kate Kane, Gilbert Nightray, and Oz Vessalius
Summary: Gilbert offers to make Kate dinner. Oz wants to meet his mysterious lady friend.
Warnings: SHENANIGANS

( he'd been curious.

gil had been acting really strangely, oddly surprised at oz coming to the apartment at this time. oz had only wanted to ask about something trivial and not so important it needed to really be dealt with now; but the fact that gilbert had asked just that -

if it really can't wait, if oz can't make do for a bit, he can't go anywhere right now but later...!

- had made oz decide to change his plans.

so gilbert is now off to search nearby shops and stalls for a local specialty, because rhubarb berries are totally real and being sold nearby but if he doesn't hurry he'll miss out for the whole rest of the summer!!!! - and oz waits to investigate just what it is gil had been expecting. )

Comments

[retraced]

That much earlier?

[He sounds a little surprised, even though two of the people here are from 100 years in the past for him. Sort of. Timelines...]

[gevurah]

Or he's from a different universe. It's hard to know for sure. [ Never forgetting redhead Robin. ]

[retraced]

Wait - how can he be from a different universe if you know him?

[Timelines he can do. But different universes, that he doesn't have a whole lot of experience with just yet.]

[gevurah]

[ Kate looks up, genuinely surprised by his reaction. ]

We're from different universes, Gil.

[ Didn't it occur to him? Or not... ]

It seems some universes have... alternate versions of themselves. I'm not exactly sure how else to put it. There's some similarities and differences.

Like one kid I met here said the Kanes didn't exist where she was from, despite it being Gotham.

[retraced]

[Different universes made sense for people that he didn't recognize, but no one has claimed to be from a world where Reveil and Sablier were real but he wasn't. Though he wonders now if he just hasn't met enough people yet.]

Alternate versions-?

[He repeats as he attempts to picture an alternate version of himself. It's a little terrifying.]

How is that possible?!

[gevurah]

There's probably someone here who can explain it, but it's above my pay grade. [ Kate you don't have a pay grade you're a billionaire vigilante. ]

[retraced]

[What if there had been a universe where he and Oz had never met? What if Oz left and another took his place, one that didn't recognize him, or despised the person that he'd become somewhere else? What if he'd grown up at Jack's side and never met Oz at all? The idea of it makes him sick to his stomach, and he puts his spoon down as his face twitches in pain. Damned headaches, why now.]

I think I understand it, but it's still...

[gevurah]

[ Her own spoon hovers in midair as she surveys Gil. ]

Gil?

[retraced]

--Huh?

[He turns to look up at her, and though he still looks slightly pained, his expression turns more concerned.]

S-sorry, did you need something else?

[gevurah]

No.

[ She tilts her head, squinting at him. ]

You got quiet.

[retraced]

Oh. Ah...

[He tilts his chin down, staring into his half-finished meal.]

I was just thinking...how upsetting it would be to be told you weren't remembered by someone, or learn that somewhere, you're not the person you thought you were. It would be upsetting to anyone, right?

[gevurah]

Yeah. [ She thinks about her family and Renee and her heart sinks at the idea. ] It would be, I guess.

[retraced]

Sorry.

[He replies, his voice a little stronger now.]

This is terrible dinner conversation, huh.

[gevurah]

I can think of worse ones. [ That involved grisly murders. ]

[retraced]

I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing...

[But at least the ache in his head is better enough now that he'll continue on with his meal.]

[gevurah]

[ She takes another spoonful of the stew. ]

Comes with the job, that's all.

[retraced]

[Right. He's been wanting to ask about the whole mask thing, but he's afraid to get hit again.

But since she's sort of brought it up.]

What is it that you do, exactly...?

[gevurah]

[ Of course he wouldn't know what her tattoo represented. Special Forces have only been active since 1952 in her world. ]

I'm a soldier.

[retraced]

[He knows better than to question that title vs. the fact that she's a woman, even though it's the first thing that pops into his head.]

Fighting against what?

[gevurah]

[ She looks at Gil, surprised by the question. ]

Your country doesn't have its own military?

[retraced]

[He hesitates a moment. Everyone had their own terms for military, police forces, but 'soldier' sounds more like an agent of Pandora than a random member of the standard military. Nobility problems.]

Oh - ah. I guess they do.

[itscomplicated.png]

[gevurah]

[ ITP: Nita and Sarah throw their hands up in the air over world building in PH. ]

Where I'm from most countries have their own armed forces to defend them. [ There's a lot more to that, but she'll keep it as simple as possible. ] I'm an army brat; I grew up on bases for a while. My father's a Green Beret and my mom was in the Air Force.

[retraced]

[A sad hard life all around.]

Green Beret? Sorry, I've never heard of either of those.

[But the title of Air Force has his imagination going a little wild.]

[gevurah]

[ And she hasn't even gotten to the Navy yet.

She puts down her spoon a moment and wipes the corner of her lips with a handkerchief (or tissue paper -- which is provided) and then points to the tattoo on her arm. ]

It's exactly what it sounds like: their berets are green. [ It's distinctive. ] Their primary tasks are unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action... and a few other things.

[retraced]

[The words all make sense for the most part, but putting them in context of an organization that watches over the entire world...well, it's a bit much to take in. Pandora only had influence over a small part of one country, which (probably) is part of a much larger world. He looks at her tattoo warily, as though he himself can feel the weight of the responsibility of such a position on him.]

How many others are part of this group?