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[Wanda learned years ago how to hide her true feelings behind a calm, almost bored expression. She knew how to control her body language to seem relaxed when she wasn't, and how to rely on subtle nuances of tone to get her point across. So it's not difficult to hide the anxiousness and tension she feels in her Water sector suite. She's separated from her brother, really separated, for the first time in her life, and also from the team she's come to trust and rely on. In some ways, she even considered them her friends.

Lips pursed, she flips on the console in her suite and leans back in her chair, by all appearances entirely unruffled by her current circumstances. Dressed in her Ultimates uniform, she crosses one leg over the other and periodically takes sips from the glass of water in her hand.

Those familiar with her alternate universe counterpart might notice a striking resemblance to the Scarlet Witch they know. Though she's at least ten years younger, her hair darker and straighter, and her uniform entirely different, her face and bearing are remarkably similar.]

As it seems highly unlikely that our hosts have provided full and completely honest details about our situation here, I'd appreciate any insight you all may have, or information they may have neglected to to give me during their orientation.

[After a brief pause she continues, though the words are completely foreign to Wanda.]

It also appears to be required that I find work as well. Unless anyone's spoken to a man by the name of Fury recently, recommendations as to where I might begin looking would also be welcome.

[She ends the transmission without offering her name or listing any of her affiliations save that of Nick Fury. Those who know her will contact her, she's certain, and perhaps those familiar with Fury will as well. Anyone else she has no intention of enlightening any more than is absolutely necessary. Not until she gets a better impression of the climate of the city and the other foreigners living in it.]

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[Wow, he's getting a first name? She really must know him. Everyone else has just peripherally recognized him, not known him, and that takes him aback for a second.]

It's nice to meet you, [he offers up after a moment, floundering and defaulting on politeness.] Do I want to know how we're different? And, does that make you an Avenger?

[He's pretty visibly uncomfortable even saying the word, because, really, him as an Avenger is still ridiculous to him.]

[His mannerisms are different. Wanda can see that a bit as he responds. Her eyes flick over his face, whatever is visible but curiously.]

An Ultimate, though it may simply be a different name between our worlds. We share some of the same members...

[And oh, does he want to know how he and her Bruce are different? Wanda wrinkles her nose a bit.]

It's too soon to say for certain how different you are from the Bruce I know. From appearances at least you seem...[less of a wreck? less stomach-turning? less like a creeper?] cleaner.

Are you SHIELD's pet enforcement team, too? [Yeah he's not bitter about that at all. Actually, he sounds convincingly mild, but there's a detectable trace of the bitterness in there. Bruce doesn't have to have experienced it himself to dislike the entire concept of him working for an organization like that.]

--Cleaner? Well, I. Did spend a lot of time wandering through the wilderness before I got here, but somehow I don't think that's what you're saying.

[He's also much more awkward.]

[Her lip turns up at the mention of a "pet enforcement, just a barely concealed sneer. It's not even that they're not associated with S.H.I.E.L.D. anymore, but that she is no one's pet anything.]

Perhaps it's too soon to say, having only just met.

[Better to get to know him first.]

But to answer your question, no. We were at first, but have since broken away. We're now financially supported by Tony.

[Bruce feels pretty much the same about being anyone's pet anything, hence his note of bitterness in that comment. Imagining himself working for anything government controlled rankles him entirely the wrong way.]

Right. Just morbid curiosity, anyway.

[Now that gets some mild surprise for a second, and then a look that seems to say, of course.] Looks like some things stay the same. That's what I'm... what he's doing here. I work at Stark Industries. He keeps me in lab equipment and I keep him in results.

[Wanda can't say she's surprised to hear this. In fact she looks vaguely pleased by the arrangement.]

Convenient. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that even coming here without funds, he's managed to acquire wealth enough to support the work of others. What exactly are you working on now, if I may ask?

[Please don't be trying to duplicate the super soldier serum anymore, Bruce. No good comes of that.]

[Oh no. He's learned his lesson without even really deciding he wanted to learn it.]

Yeah, not that surprising, [he says with a hint of a smile.] I'm working on, on a whole list of things. I just set up a hydroponic garden to deal with the foot shortage. That's getting on its feet.

I was looking into the turtle's illness... and the salvaged satellite tech that we found. A couple other things. [He lists them off like he's trying to think of what else he has going. Bruce has so many projects he has to decide how to spend his time. Though he carefully doesn't mention the cloning, which he's also looking into.]

[It's becoming clearer and clearer that the differences between the Bruce she knows and the one in front of her is everything in their personalities. This one seems, well, perhaps happier and sweeter are not the correct words, but there's more of an innate goodness that seems to come forth when he speaks of his work.

It could be the difference in the kinds of projects he's dealing with her, something that seems for the greater common good than for a government funded militarized group, but Wanda can't be entirely sure. She does however find herself smiling just a little, hearing him list and explain some of the goals he's been working toward.]

It seems quite unlike most of the problems we find ourselves tackling back home. If you think you could have use of my abilities, please let me know.

[Though, she says this forgetting that of course, he's not familiar with her particular skill set.]

[This Bruce is honestly just a nice guy whose penchant for altruism gets him in trouble more than once. He can't resist wanting to help people, and it frequently comes back to bite him in the situations it gets him in. Yet he's never been able to convince himself to let go of that, to become so withdrawn as to deny all connection; as much as it makes the most practical sense for his situation, there's still a line, he thinks, that he can't cross. He's struggling so hard to stay human. He can't deny humanity and say that he's succeeded in that in the same breath.

He's totally unknowing of her scrutiny on this topic, however. He's as well-meaning, reserved, and slightly awkward about it as he ever is, his normal default state.

Her first statement gets a nod.] Tell me about it. It's, uh, things are different here, that's for sure.

I don't actually know what your abilities are. [He's so habitually careful not to press people on what are red button topics for him that he doesn't even phrase it like a question. Though the higher note at the end does indicate that he's leaving it open for an answer.]

Edited (typo) 2013-06-11 23:31 (UTC)

[She might hedge around things normally, as getting into the full extent of her powers to strangers isn't something she's usually comfortable with. Discussing things like this with Bruce back home would have never occurred to her, considering his state and...well, his everything.

But the cat is so entirely out of the bag there's no reason to hide it from him. She does, however, encrypt their feed because there's no reason for her to discuss her abilities where the whole world can see, or hear in this case.]

I'm a mutant. Since I was young I've had the ability to channel equations of probability into hexes that can change reality. It's a very versatile gift, one that I've learned to use in a variety of situations.

[She holds up her hand and in a moment a small, pink light begins to glow over her palm. It grows steadily, brighter and larger, but still enough for him to observe.]

And magic of course. They call me the Scarlet Witch.

[He unfortunately can sympathize very well with wanting to hide your powers and then having the decision taken out of your hands. He's still not adjusted to how public he is, how someone can go an entire conversation with him before he finds out that they know the Hulk and are just completely blasé about it. It's hard for Bruce to be blasé about much of anything these days, so it sets him aback.

He can appreciate her desire to be better safe than sorry and ups the encryption to 60% if it isn't past that already.]

Equations of probability? [He's slightly surprised. And also reluctantly wondering if he's finally found someone that could try to explain magic to him in a way that isn't a total cop out.]

So your abilities have, have consistent rules. [A wry smile.] Must be nice.

But it sounds pretty open-ended. [And therefore immeasurably powerful, limited only by the cleverness in its application. He isn't enough of a hypocrite to judge based on having power, however; it's simply something he makes note of.]

[The encryption being bumped up is appreciated, though she doesn't comment on it. Technology isn't her forte and she's not one to poke at new technology just not. Not after having just arrived.]

Exactly that, on all points. While the mechanics involved are bound within the mathematical equations, there's a great deal of flexibility when it comes to what ends my abilities can be used toward.

Though the magic I have from my mother is not so consistent as my ability to affect probabilities is.

[Which isn't so nice, really. It's unpredictable when her emotions are high, when she can't think as clearly, and that makes it far more dangerous.]

Wow, well, it all sounds pretty interesting to me. [He shakes his head slightly, self-effacing.] I haven't had a chance to really... get magic explained to me. I think I'm too scientific. [A wisp of a smile.]

But I'd love to see how the equations work. If you don't mind sharing. I won't take offense if you don't. [He means that sincerely, which isn't difficult to see as he looks into the camera with quiet eyes. There's an idea sparking in him, just the beginnings of one, but he doesn't want to get his hopes up yet until he knows more.]

[Wanda can see his interest is genuine, perhaps the scientist in him is what lights the fire in him, however Wanda cannot ignore what she knows of the Bruce of her world. Would she trust him with such things?

Then again, she is not the other Wanda. He may not be the other Bruce. Nothing in the way he acts or speaks seems similar.]

I can explain some of what I can, and the equations are not likely to be any different than anything in your world. I doubt our math is not the same. But I would prefer to speak in person, if at all.

[Trade secrets do not get explained over an unsecure network :T]

Honestly, it's the fact that they'll probably be the same that makes me interested, [he says wryly.] I have a chance of understanding it.

In person is better. Where do you want to meet? [Maybe he should get out of the lab.]

Wherever you like. I'm located here.

[She pings her suite casually.]

Anywhere near there would be ideal, considering I don't know the layout of the city well yet.

I live pretty close to there. I can meet you.

[suggested location nearby here?]

And... thanks. I know this is weird.

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encrypted 60%

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Re: encrypted 60%

encrypted 60%

encrypted 60%

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encrypted 60% -- are we handwaving this? :|a