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(She stares into the device to make sure it's recording. Her expression turns from something kind of serious and deep in thought to one of relief. "Oh good. Not much different than that other place..." Marie then tries to smile, of course she looks a bit more concerned than anything else.)

Uh, uh...hi. I'm Marie. Um...let's see here... I think I'm good with what's going on. I mean, I get it. At least, I have a map...and I've been without a lot less before... it's a long story...

(Marie finds herself beginning to ramble - to the outsider it sounded like some "adventure" or a not very thought out plan she had when shew was younger, but she quickly stops herself. It's definitely better to not get so personal, not yet anyway. She glances down for a moment.)

Ah, uh..right. I'll just shut up now about that. It's not very interesting.

(Then she pauses.)

Um, by the way...has anyone seen....

(She lets her thought trail off and she debates in the middle of her question about asking if someone else might be wandering around. Only slightly taller than her (and she's a tall girl herself), square headed, overly serious looking... potentially over his head in trouble within moments of setting foot in a place?)

She woke up alone now that she gives everything some more thought and then she glances at the ring on her hand. )

Um, well, uh...it's not that important. So, um, I'll be here for a little while....

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[Tony's going to ask the name of the person Marie's looking for, but then her expression changes to recognition, and she greets him by name.]

Oh. Um, yeah. Tony Stark. I... don't think I know you, though. [Apologetic smile.] You probably know another version of me. I hear there's a lot of me running around the multiverse.

[His smile turns wry and he rubs his face.] Again with the beard, huh?

[Sheesh. It had vanished as suddenly as it had appeared when the wacky age-changing magic had subsided, but he's considering growing it back for real just so people will stop commenting on it.]

(Wait, what? WHAT.)

Wait, so you're not the same person?

(Now she looks more lost. Sure, even she's aware of the term "multiverse", but this is her first time coming across a person that she knows but doesn't know?

Also, she knows she never really got to know Tony well enough when she was in New Dodge, she definitely wishes she had, but...

They were still friends in her book.

Well, now that's two people she isn't entirely sure about - she knows that it's not Tony's fault if he's not the exact person, that there were apparently others and he sounded sure about that possibility, but that was... a little disappointing.)

Uh, hmmm, well... I guess there would be more than one of us out there if that's true. And I guess it is true. Sorry, I didn't mean to...I just got excited for a moment.

Again? (She looks a bit apologetic and still confused, though she looks more lonely than anything else now. She realizes her question then shakes her head and raises her hands slightly.) Never mind...

Edited 2016-08-26 00:48 (UTC)

Probably not. Unless you know a future version of me and I just haven't met you yet. Time gets kind of weird in the multiverse. Maybe that's why most versions of me are older and everyone always has to ask me about the beard. [Don't worry, Marie, he's just teasing.]

Where do you know me from? Are we friends in your universe?

Maybe.

(That's just as likely as anything else that's ever happened to her. If she really thought about it - that would actually be a sort of pleasant happening unlike most of those other events. Well, maybe not sort of pleasant, but well, it would be something that wasn't terrible or violent or violent and terrible. Or just confusing.

That would at least be kind of funny. Maybe even a bit cool.)

I'm going to have to think that's maaaaaybe what it is. I don't know. I'm not sure we would be able to tell, but you probably would have realized who I was and mentioned meeting me, maybe. There are rules for that sort of thing, right? Maybe... or maybe you forget things when you leave some of these places? I don't know...

(Too late to not tell her to worry or enter a worried state that included rambling. However? To answer Tony's question, however, she nods.)

Well, it isn't from my universe exactly...but there was a place like this were people just tend to end up. A town. It was...a weird town like if you cross one of those cheesy western movies with a cheesy science fiction movie.

We met there and became friends... I was also friends with Gene too there. Is he here too?

Yeah, we... we're supposed to forget Keeliai when we leave. We've been trying to find a way to fix that, but...

[His expression is intense and complicated. There's surprise in there, and trepidation, and something like hope.] Gene's here. We've both been here a couple years. So we were both in this other place, too? What... [He's not sure how to ask the question, and he's not sure he wants the answer.]

What were we like? Did we, you know... get along? [Or were they engaged in a seething cold war of passionate enmity? Having a mutual friend would suggest that they at least tolerated each other - then again, Pepper could maybe still have counted as a mutual friend after Gene's betrayal back home, so who knows.]

You forget? (She looks a bit sad to hear that, she never liked the idea of forgetting things - especially things as big as world hopping tended to be.)

(She wasn't expecting that question.)

What you were both like? Hm, let me think and believe me...I don't have one bad thing to say about either of you. So, don't look so worried, okay?

(Marie tries give him a reassuring smile.)

You both were together and from what I could tell..you were both extremely close. I think something had happened before I showed up into that town, but somehow and I want to think that Gene gives you the credit there...you both had gotten past it, at least he told me you were the one to take him back after it.

...You weren't anywhere even close to fighting or disliking each other. You both seemed to care deeply.

[The answer hits him like a ton of bricks (though he guesses there's no answer to that question that wouldn't). He's too overwhelmed to speak for a second.

He pulls himself together, and with a shaky smile, says,] Thanks. Really. We've been here a long time, and so much has happened... And then we're supposed to go home and just forget it all. It makes it feel like none of it matters, sometimes.

But if there's at least two universes where we can get along, maybe... even if we don't have our memories, maybe we can fix things back home.

Thanks? Why are you thanking me? I didn't do anything.

(Marie can't help but freeze when she sees his expression.)

Well, I think...no, I believe you'll both be fine in the end, if you don't mind a stranger giving her opinion based on one slightly older version of you that the multiverse has running around.

I really do believe that, you know. (She sighs.) Even if you don't remember once you leave. But, I know what I saw and heard. If that wasn't two people who didn't make it after something bad happened...well, I would be doomed myself.

(She might be running off of pure faith when she speaks, but she knows what she saw and heard in New Dodge. There is no way that they wouldn't be able to fix the damage once they managed to get back. Marie isn't quite sure how the multiverse works and doesn't work, but she still really without a single doubt believes what she's about to say anyway.)

Yeah, exactly. If there's two where things worked out alright - then there's bound to be more of them and that means you both can.It might take a while, but the right time will come and you'll both figure it out. It has to.

[Oh no, he's getting misty-eyed. If you keep this up, Marie, you're actually going to make him cry. He quietly switches the feed to private, just so everybody doesn't see him Emotioning all over the network.]

It sounds like those other versions of us didn't tell you much about our history. It's a long story, but... it means a lot to hear that there's somewhere else where it works out. It was a lot to work through, and, well - back home there's not going to be a lot of people on our side.

[There will be no one on their side. No one on the planet hates Gene more than Tony's father, and Gene is a fugitive from SHIELD and basically everyone else for almost causing the extinction of the human species. So, yeah. That makes things a little complicated.]

(Marie is about to try to apologize or even just reassuring him that everything is okay...she isn't quite so sure how to react to his getting misty-eyed at first, but then he speaks.)

Just a little bit, yeah. I don't know nearly close to everything, but enough to know it was hard.

(She pauses and then allows a little soft smile to show through. It definitely (at least Marie believes as much) sounds like Tony gets it. The German woman is happy she doesn't have to try to sit someone down and explain it. He's already done the job better than she could ever hope and dream of doing.)

Well, speaking from experience, it's ever exactly easy but it's still worth it in the end. But, you have to try.

(Marie can't help but chuckle a little bit and softly at the comment about not a lot of people being on their side. That one hit home a bit.

The whole world disliked her and Jason.)

Who cares about other people? (She grins now.) If they really mean anything and they really understand how you feel then they'll just learn to leave it alone or accept it. If they don't? That just means that when you can work through everything and not just - whatever it is you have is just going to be stronger, I think. It's a good test in working together.

[Well, when "people" includes the military and the government and SHIELD...

But Tony smiles. He appreciates the sentiment anyway.] You know, I think you're right. We're stronger together, because of what we've been through. [Not in spite of it.]

You should come meet Gene. He'll definitely want to hear... everything you just told me. [Even the sappy parts. Maybe especially those.]

Do you have a place to stay yet?

(Oh, she would understand that much. Though it was the CIA and probably everyone else who would ever have to answer to them for any reason ever.

Marie can't help but let herself smile - and she manages a huge smile - at that.)

Sometimes I have my moments, but it's...well, you can tell I've had to learn that lesson right? I guess learning is not the best word in my case...well, no wait, I guess it would work just fine. But, we had to learn how to work together in a sense...

But still, you're both stronger together than apart and because of everything. YES. Yes, you got it.

(She stops when Tony suggests that idea.) Are you sure about that? I, mean, you believe what I'm saying, but he might not if he doesn't exactly know who I am here. (It's not as if she wouldn't tell him all of that, especially the sappy parts. She would anyway.)

(The woman shakes her head at his other question.)

No, someone told me about the hotel. I was probably going to try there...

[Tony laughs, and his smile is wider and more relaxed now.]

Yeah, I'm sure. He needs to hear it even more than I do. [Tony at least has something to go back to, if they return and lose their memories. He has Pepper, and a family who loves him, and a future. Gene...

Gene will have nothing. Nothing but that sliver of hope that Marie carries with her from another universe.]

Besides, if you were friends with us in that other universe, we'll probably be friends in this one, too, right?

The Hotel's in pretty rough shape, but we've got a house in the Sky Sector, if you wanted to stay with us for a while. I'll have to check with Pepper, but I'm sure she won't mind.

You think so?

(She frowns giving it some thought. It's funny how things like that tend to work. Not really funny but she always runs into people who need all the reminders in the world of things. Good things.

Marie nods. If it would be something to keep him going when he goes back, if he does, then she knows that she has to make sure Gene has that shred of hope.

He was one of her closest friends in one universe and even if they haven't met in this one, he still is one of her closest friends in her mind.

But without knowing exactly what's happened in this place? She can't be sure he would be so trusting of her words.)

I mean, I can and I want to, but what makes you think he'll believe me? He might not, at least not right away.

(A pause.)

And we were all friends in that place, yes, so maybe...maybe it'll be the same here. I'd like if it was...

I, mean, I'm not afraid of staying in a place that's seen better days, but you should probably talk to her and anyone else you live with first...

(She doesn't want to be that person - the one who just goes and invites herself into someone's home. Well, she had a history of doing just that without any real shame, but she's grown up some from those days.

Marie had to grow up. in order to survive this long.

The woman shakes her head.)

I, mean, that really would be nice, but I really couldn't do that unless everyone there agrees to it. I've stayed...in some questionable places before, I'll be alright.

Why wouldn't he believe you? Seems like a weird thing to lie about.

[Look, Tony, someone wrote 'gullible' on the ceiling! In all seriousness, though, he can't see any reason not to believe her. She'd known about Gene. All she'd gain from lying would be a place to stay, maybe, when there's already plenty of housing available to any Foreigner. What's the point?]

It's just me and Pepper and Gene right now. I'll ask them. You don't have to live in the Hotel or settle for some dump - even if you don't want to move in with us, the whole Sky Sector is full of places that are reserved for Foreigners.

Well, yeah, you're entirely right. (She has to admit that she sees his logic. For such a wary little soul, she is awfully gullible when it comes to certain matters.) It would be a weird thing to lie about. But, come on, most people wouldn't be so accepting of what I have to say. Especially if it's something that might be very personal.

Uh, sure... (Marie isn't quite so sure. She, however, is used to staying and settling for dumps. But she also knows that she only has the little bit of money that was given to her. She wasn't sure that settling for anything that wasn't a dump or the hotel was wise until she got a job or something to help with expenses.

She almost goes pale at realizing how much she had to change since she was really in this kind of spot.)

But, only until I can get a job or something. (And be able to keep it, Marie wasn't so good at that unless it was her own business or something where she could change the rules on a whim.)

[Tony snorts, and his smile turns wry.] When you've been here as long as I have, you'll be pretty accepting of weird stuff too. And that's definitely not the most personal thing someone from another universe has known about me. [Being multiverse famous gets pretty uncomfortable sometimes, honestly.

But on to more practical matters.] You don't need a job right away. There's no rent, we all just chip in for household expenses. But it's not too hard to get work, especially at a Foreigner-run place. What kind of job are you thinking about?

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