video;

[virology]

[Have a Marta, everyone. She's sitting at a cafe console for the first time since her initial arrival last week. After the last few days of recovering from being on the run, exploring the city, and keeping an eye on Aaron's wounds, she's finally ready to see just who's around.

Hair pulled back in a ponytail, and with a cup of tea not far from her hand, she starts a video feed.]

Good morning, everyone. My name is June. [Look at that, she didn't stumble on the fake name or anything!] I've been looking around the city and--it's quite incredible isn't it?

The level of technology is a great deal less advanced than where I'm from, however. Has anyone seen anything remotely resembling a laboratory or a hospital here?

[She pauses briefly, a moment of awkwardness, then summons a half-smile.]

Thank you for your time.

Comments

action; clint

[virology]

[Post done, she leans back in her chair in the cafe and picks up her tea. She takes a sip and looks around while waiting for replies. Well, the truth is she's looking at the entrance of the cafe, waiting for Aaron to check in. She isn't entirely comfortable there alone among the kedan, not knowing them well enough to predict their behavior, but there seems less chance of her being in danger on Tu Vishan than back home, she supposes.

With a sigh, she grabs a spoon to give her tea another stir and takes a longer, slower sip as she watches the door.]

[arches]

<sub>( Clint has not yet gotten to the point of “relaxed.” In fact, even though he’s found Natasha and gotten his bearings a bit, he is still the opposite of “relaxed.” The fact that his bow is too conspicuous to carry and has to be left in his apartment really doesn’t help matters. He keeps his knife and gun tucked beneath the folds of his newly-acquired clothes, but it isn’t the same, and he is always on edge.

It also doesn’t help that this coffee tastes like crap. To be fair, it isn’t bad, exactly. But it’s off, and that does nothing put him at ease, not with his sense and attention to detail.

But basically the point of all that is that shortly after Marta makes her post, Clint walks in, orders a cup of coffee, and sits down at a table by a window. He stirs his drink idly as he watches the street. )</sub>

[virology]

[Marta doesn't try to predict what Aaron does half the time, as a lot of what happens seems to be easily summed up as "spy stuff" and its in her best interest to just go along with it.

When Clint walks in and doesn't look at her, wearing different clothes, she can't help but wonder if something has happened, especially when he doesn't look at her, doesn't sit with her, or anything. She hesitates a moment, wondering if she's supposed to stay away, pretend to not know him as in the airport, and looks over at him for a sign. A subtle shake of the head, anything.]

[arches]

_{( Eventually watching the world from the window gets boring, and Clint turns a bit to scan the café instead. His gaze is lazy, and slow, as he takes in all the details. It’s a habit—making sure he knows at least three ways out of any enclosed space, counting the number of heads in the room—but its soothing, in its own strange way. Eventually, his gaze will land on Marta—she’s by the consoles, so he takes her for a non-native and gives her a slight nod of acknowledgment. Not a greeting, exactly, but a show of solidarity. Or so he thinks. )}

[virology]

[Some of the tension leaves her shoulders, and she picks up her tea cup and takes it over to Clint's table. She doesn't ask if she can sit (why would she?) but simply does so.]

Is everything alright?

[arches]

_{( He's confused when she walks over--and why shouldn't he be? That wasn't an invitation. He gives her a flat look when she speaks. )}

Um. Yeah?

[virology]

[...odd. No smile. That expression? Something's wrong.]

You look tense. You didn't find any trouble out there did you?

[She gives his clothes a subtle look.]

[arches]

_{( Clint sets down his coffee and looks at her with something of an irritated look. )}

Was there something you wanted?

_{( Why have you approached me, strange lady. )}

[virology]

[...okay she knows she doesn't know Aaron very well but this isn't like him at all. She shifts back in her seat. Now it's her turn to look confused, and perhaps even a bit hurt.]

No, I suppose not. I had just finished that video post I told you I was going to make, saw you'd returned and thought I'd see if you had anything new to share.

[arches]

_{( So now he knows there's definitely something wrong, and since he just talked to his facetwin a little while ago, it's not hard to figure out what. )}

I don't think I am who you think I am.

[virology]

[Her brows knit together, and an instant later she looks very wary. Unfortunately, her thoughts drift back to previous discussions with Aaron of the shapeshifting kedan, not the possibility of facetwins.]

You're not?

[Maybe this is another spy thing. Another identity? Was the first compromised somehow?]

[arches]

_{( He shakes his head. )}

My name's Clint. That's not who you're looking for--right?

[virology]

[Sorry, she's staring at his face now because it's not like she made a mistake. He looks just like Aaron, sounds just like him, everything matches except for his behavior.]

You're one of the locals then? Why did you chance yourself to look like him?

[IT'S KINDA NOT COOL OKAY?]

[arches]

Wait, what?

You really think if I could impersonate people, I'd waste that messing with you?

[virology]

[It sounds ridiculous when he says it like that but Marta frowns.]

What conclusions would you draw if someone walking around looking like someone you know, in a city of shapeshifters, claimed to be someone else?

[If he were a kedan and just wanted to disguise himself she supposed they'd simply change themselves to look like a different kedan. So. Okay.]

[arches]

Honestly? It's not my problem what conclusions you draw. This is my face.

_{( And having others claim ownership of it is really weird. )}

fjdksjafasd poor Clint

[virology]

[She's staring again. The likeness is...uncanny.]

So this is your face. And your name is Clint. Not anything else.

[Stated with doubt. Maybe he's some weird parallel universe Aaron who's undercover.]

his life is hard u_u

[arches]

...mostly, anyway.

_{( That's said in an undertone. Introducing himself as "Hawkeye" is probably not going to win him any points, here. )}

[virology]

[. . .]

Have you ever heard of a company called SterisynMorlanta?

[arches]

Should I have?

[virology]

Perhaps not.

[His resemblance seems far too like Aaron's to be a coincidence, but she can't for the life of her come up with a reasonable explanation. What she wouldn't do for a proper lab to test their DNA right about now...]

[arches]

_{( He opens his mouth as though to speak again, then just shakes his head. )}

...look, I get that this is weird. But the whole staring thing isn't helping.

[virology]

[She starts a moment, then averts her eyes. Marta tries for a sheepish smile, however faint.]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.

[Marta takes another sip of tea, and, remembering her manners, looks up again.]

I'm June. June Monroe.

[arches]

_{( Clint continues to offer her the same huffy look. )}

Okay. June it is, then.

_{( He doesn't offer her his last name, just takes a sip of his coffee. )}

[virology]

[It takes her another minute to collect her thoughts and realize that she sat down at a stranger's table uninvited and then began interrogating him.]

...and if you're really not my friend then not only am I rude but I'm intruding too.

[She picks up her cup and moves to stand.]