tushanshu | 004 ♒ Audio & Text [Atlantean], Encrypted

[Encrypted Audio to anyone who might have known Mera or anyone on fairly good terms with Arthur, 60%]
[Arthur just sounds... tired. Resigned. He doesn't mince words trying to break the news gently, because he's the one who cares the most anyway.] Mera, my wife, has disappeared from Keeliai.

[Encrypted Audio to Kal-El/Superman, 80%]
I need to talk to you.

[Encrypted Text to Kaldur'ahm, Written Atlantean, Hackable]
[Feel free to have your character hack his text, but if they do, all they'll come up with is a bunch of odd symbols and glyphs arranged into what are possibly words. Atlantean is a fairly difficult language to parse through.]

Mera is... gone. There was no trace of her this morning, and I can't find her mental signature. Please come by when you get a chance, Kaldur, we need to talk about something important.

[ooc: He's being an antisocial douchebag, but anybody who knows him is absolutely welcome to just come by his place in the Water Sector. The first audio post I'm leaving pretty open-ended on purpose, feel free to just assume your character was included if they know him or Mera, or know OF them. Also feel free to hack it, it's all good.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's a good skill, knowing when to step back and be humble about your own abilities and limitations. It's something Arthur had to learn himself, when he was younger. And it's what he's doing now, admitting that he doesn't know, that he can't be sure. They're on the same page of not-knowing, and he's grateful for that, at least. It's not like he expects anyone to have the answers.]

It is. And I remember when my life was so great I didn't think anything could ever go wrong. [He breathes out quietly.] I will be careful, I know what could go wrong... I just don't think I can lose another child.

[Tony isn't the most adept person for dealing with personal situations. He knows that, and while he generally tries to help anyway, he isn't going to claim to be anyone's first choice for confiding feelings. What Arthur says catches him off guard, and he can't help but look genuinely surprised and dismayed by that admission. Maybe other heroes with more training would take that better, but for him, it's a grave statement.]

No one wants this to be a trick. [He feels like he has to assure him of that.] I can't promise you there won't be losses, but the entire city is making sure that the eggs aren't part of them. We'll be careful. That's why we have each other's backs.

[He offers Arthur a faint smile.] Whatever happens, we'll figure it out, okay?

[Arthur has a hard time connecting to people who aren't his family, but Tony makes it... not easy, but easier. The lack of judgement, the relative lack of ego, that's what does it.] I know. Thank you, for the help. For the second opinion. I want to trust it, I know that much about myself, so an unbiased look at things is... helpful.

[Tony's ego is always there. It's a steady part of his being, and he's never really going to be rid of it. It's part of his nature, part of being a genius who has always been at the top of life.

But he's aware of it. And he tries, as much as he can, to keep it in check. It doesn't define who he is. He wants more than anything to make sure other things, people, come before that.]

You don't have to thank me. I'm not sure I really did anything helpful.

[He shrugs with an unassuming smile. Despite himself, he's pleased at getting the compliment of sorts from Arthur.]

I'll be here if you need anything from me. That's what I'm good at.

[Tony's ego is a lot easier to deal with than some of the other League members'. That alone makes him appreciative, because the whole alpha male thing can be exhausting.]

You did, though. A second opinion helps. [He smiles slightly.] The offer extends the other way, too. If you ever need anything from me, just ask.

Well, thank you. If I ever need your help, I'll be sure to ask. I trust you.

[Tony isn't as fond of the alpha male competitions as he is of playing the business game. It's easier for him to get cooperation by negotiating than fighting. He's a businessman at heart.]

Likewise. [There's a mutual respect here that he appreciates, and he does trust Tony, at least as much as he trusts anyone that isn't his family. Tony is a businessman and Arthur is a diplomat, and really, somehow that works.]

[Tony smiles and lays his hand on the edge of the egg's shell. He's barely touching it--making sure that he doesn't influence anything too much here, just in case--but his curiosity is pretty undeniable.]

If anything ever comes up, I'll be sure to let you know personally.

[The egg doesn't really react to him the way it does to Arthur; it warms and glows a little when he touches it, but there's still a sort of thrum of life beneath the shell.]

And likewise again. I'll keep you in the loop.

[Tony figures that whatever is going on--whatever connection Arthur has to the egg--he just isn't tuned in to it. The signal is lost on him. But the warmth is nice. It reminds him of a feeling he used to have, one that feels more like a memory now.]

Thanks, Arthur. And... thank you for trusting me with this.

I have a feeling I was right to trust you. [Sometimes trust just takes a leap of faith from one person, and he and Tony have already inched their way there through Dreaming.]

You were. I won't let you be wrong. [He smiles gently. Whatever happens, he's going to at least keep up on his end. If trust takes compromise, Tony can at least meet Arthur halfway on his end.]

004 ♒ Audio & Text [Atlantean], Encrypted

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