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( A blonde haired woman appears and fiddles with the settings for a moment when she deems things to be "good enough" - mumbled in rapid German, of course - then she flashes a smile, though it looks almost sheepish, apologetic.)

Uh, let's see where to start, where to start...

(A few moments of silence pass before she just sighs and she looks down slightly. If anyone is looking closely enough she might be a very slight shade of pink. She finds herself tucking a strand of long curly blonde hair behind her ear and she glances back up.)

Well, I guess now's the time where I'm supposed to say something like "It's been a while" or " Hey! It's me, Marie" but neither of them seem to feel all that right to use right now. (Marie pauses again.) Oh, right. So, I guess it's easy to tell that I've been here before. It wasn't for very long, but....

(She frowns and looks downward.)

I have to say this, OK? But, I don't think I did a good job at trying to get along when I was here last.

(She gives no reasons as for "why", she appears to be trying to think about it but either turns up nothing in particular to mention or nothing that she feels won't bore anyone listening into a stupor, so instead she settles to shrug and try to chuckle, though it comes out a bit nervously.)

So, um, I guess what I'm trying to say is "Sorry" ... I'll try to do better this time around.

(She cautiously switches over to "private, text" to her old housemates and sends,) So, is there still room for one more?

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[Gene's gobsmacked, is what he is. But in a good way.]

...Marie?

Yeah, it's me. I guess whatever thing brings people here decided to put me here again...

Hahaha.

(She might be trying too hard to not let her awkward show. Of course it shows. It's blatantly obvious she's pushing herself.)

I think we talked when you were here before. Not for very long, of course.

Ah, yeah. I think we did once or twice. No, it wasn't ever for very long.

Then it's good to know I remembered that right! I've met a lot of people here.

I'm actually kind of happy that you remembered. (And her tone doesn't betray her. That actually did help her feel more at ease.) I have to admit that I kept to myself when I was here last...

(Yep, she's definitely trying to push herself.)

I'm a detective. It's important for a detective to be able to remember everyone one meets.

You're a detective?

(It's not his age or really anything personal when it comes to him, promise. It's some personal things from her own world.)

Well, anyway, I'm sure it helps a lot to be good at that.

I have to admit that I'm pretty good at remembering who I've spoken to, but sometimes I'll get names confused if it's someone that was mentioned to me in passing.

Edited 2016-12-21 03:51 (UTC)

Mmm, an elementary school detective. [By which Conan meant that he was a detective that was still in Elementary School. ]

You know, things like that are good practice for some memory tricks.

An elementary school detective? I have to say I've never heard of something like that before.

Memory tricks? What would those be?

I'm not surprised. I don't think there are very many detectives at my age, though we have a club for it at school. [Granted, he was the only actual detective in the club. The kids were enthusiastic enough, but lost pets and small schoolyard mysteries were about at their level. ]

There are a lot of different ones. The way to improve your memory is to practice, you know? And there are certain methods you can use to help. For example, if there are a large number of things you want to remember, it can help to use a mnemonic device or to link the items you want to remember to numbers or colors.

Edited 2016-12-23 02:06 (UTC)

A club? Wow, your school must be more fun than mine was. I only remember music groups like choir or sports teams.

(Lost pets and small schoolyard mysteries still count, though. They do need to be at least looked at.)

Practice? Hm, that might be good for small things. Maybe songs or colors might work best.

Oh, we have those too. We play a lot of soccer and there is music class at school. [He grimaces a little at that reminder. The music teacher at school was not very fond of him.]

But the detective boys is more of an independent club. Not school sponsored. A couple of kids just decided that having a detectives club would be fun.

Marie, glad you're back! That was fast. [It's quite a surprise to see someone who's vanished return so soon - a nice surprise. Tony feels like he'd hardly gotten the chance to get to know her.]

And, you know, you didn't beat anyone up the first time around, so you did better than me. [Tony Stark: winning friends and influencing people!] Are you coming back to the house?

Edited 2016-12-23 03:37 (UTC)

(The woman looks a bit stunned at his reaction and she tries to laugh and smile like she isn't feeling incredibly embarrassed or much like an awkward duck.)

Uh, yeah, it's me... was it really that fast?

I didn't beat anyone up? (She is just going to raise an eyebrow at this because she is so confused and wondering if this is a story she needs to hear or not.) I mean, of course, I didn't do anything like that... (Because why would she? No one did anything to deserve that. Also, it's not as if that's her go-to response to any issue.)

Uh...

(Then she is quiet when it actually and fully hits her that he had done that.)

Wait, don't tell me that you did that?

(Then his question about coming back hits her. She wanted to, of course, but then she remembers that she had tried really hard to not interfere with their dynamic.

But, it was nice and she wanted to.

She frowns and has a thought of "Oh" because that question makes her feel even more awkward and she glances down for a very brief moment before looking back up like nothing had happened.)

Am I? I mean I wanted to, but if you guys don't have room then that's fine... I can find somewhere else.

I... kinda did, yeah. It was Gene. We weren't on what you'd call the best terms when we got here. [Sheepish grin.]

But yeah, your room's still open. You're always welcome back. And I've gotten better at not burning the scrambled eggs.

Ah, I should have guessed that was what happened.

They weren't that bad to begin with. (She frowns.) So, you're sure it's alright? I mean, I wasn't exactly trying to be member of the house or anything...

[Yeah, Tony had figured he wouldn't have to explain. Marine knew older versions of them. She's probably already gotten a run-down of their... tumultuous past.

Of the eggs, he says,] You weren't around for the Egg-o-Matic 9000. [Unnecessarily ominous: his breakfast bot had actually made pretty good food. But Gene had still been offended by its existence, and every time anyone criticizes his amateur attempts at cooking he threatens to rebuild it.]

The room's yours if you want it. You're a way better roommate than I am. If there wasn't space, Gene would probably trade us out.

Edited 2016-12-29 20:20 (UTC)

(She did. Maybe not all of the details but enough to get a picture, but at how that story she just heard was worded...)

The what? Egg-o-Matic... 9000? What's that? Also is that meant to be "bad" that I wasn't around or good because you're making it sound like it went psycho and eggs ended up all over the kitchen.

I don't really have anywhere else to go for one thing. (She then lets a very small grin show.) Besides, I actually kind of like you guys as roommates. It's noisy and that kind of makes me comfortable. (Rather the ruckus makes things seem normal, like a few of the groups of people she lived with while passing through different countries when she first left home.

It's hard to miss until you live with someone who rarely speaks.

Then she pauses.)

Gene wouldn't trade you out, you know.

An automatic breakfast maker I made on a dare. It was awesome. [When he finally got it to work. The testing phase, however, was a long serious of hilariously messy disasters.] But it, uh, took a while to work all the kinks out.

And Gene wasn't a fan. He would definitely kick me out if I tried to rebuild it.

[And make him sleep outside. In the yard. With the Egg-O-Matic. On a pile of all the dirty socks Tony keeps forgetting to put in the laundry.

(Not really, but he'd certainly threaten it.)]

How do you know you were here before?

Huh?

That's...a question...

How? It's kind of hard to forget being dropped in a weird place and having to say in the matter, isn't it?

Yeah, that's..

[Costigan trails off. He'd have thought so too, but people are asking him if he's been here before with no memory of the place other than some deja vu. It's very upsetting.]

You're right. Thanks.

Huh? What? Well, you would think, right? But, I don't know. I can remember anyway...

I don't think it's a matter of being right...

(Marie sighs. If she could be seen, she would probably have an eyebrow raised as high as it could possibly go.)

Um, this is definitely not my place, but...uh, well, is something wrong?

[Costigan almost laughs, because what isn't wrong right now. He clicks over to video, running a hand through his hair and then readjusting his cap on his head. A cafe is in the background.]

Yeah, I guess. Yeah.

(Marie switches over to video herself and gives a slightly worried look.)

Want to talk about it? (The keyword here is want and she is more than willing to let it drop if that's what he wants instead.) I, mean, if you don't want to...I'm not going to force you either.

[Content with the video that she is indeed human, Costigan gives a small nod.]

I don't, uh- I don't like talking on these things any more than I have to. You want a cup of coffee?

(She nods. She had been expecting to be told something like that. Besides, she was used to that kind of reaction.) Yeah, I get it. It's fine.

(Then another nod.) Yeah, I think I could use one right now.

Edited 2017-01-02 21:51 (UTC)

Hold on.

[Costigan gets up and disappears from view for a moment. He then returns and sits again.]

Cafe Nest or Coffee Nest. They said that's the name. You know where this is? Something about being in wood. I'll be here for awhile, if that works for you.

Yeah I should...well, more like I think so anyway. It sounds familiar, at least, even if I haven't been there before.

(She nods.)

Yeah, that should. (A slight smile and she just lightly says.) I don't really have anything else to do today.

I'll be there soon. (Then she disconnects the video.

After a short while she manages to find her way to the cafe and peers around.)

[Costigan's sitting with his back to the wall at a random table in the mostly empty cafe. He has a cup of coffee in front of him already, barely touched and only warm now, and only looks up at the sound of the door to see the woman from the video. He doesn't bother to stand or wave. It's pretty obvious which one he is by how much he stands out. Boston and Kedan don't really blend.]

Hey. You want a coffee? [He greets her, gesturing up to the counter as an offer to get something for her if she wants.]

(It only takes Marie at second and she beelines over to the table after giving a slight wave.)

Uh, hey. (She eventually nods.) Yes, please. I'll pay you back once I can get a job or something together.

Don't worry about it.

[Costigan nods, gesturing for her to sit as he slides out of his chair to stand. He walks over to the counter, making the order and waiting the minute for the drink, before returning with her coffee. There's the equivalent of roughly one sugar and one cream, because that's the default where he's from.

He sets it in front of her as he sits again, glancing at her, the table, and back to her, dropping his hands on the arms of the chair for the moment and trying to look more at ease than he feels. He usually succeeds. Though, in this case, he doesn't know what to say and so waits for her to speak up.]

...You sure?

(Marie gets her answer and takes a seat at the table and waits. Of course, she probably looks like she's trying to keep cool and collected and not holding up nearly as well as she hoped. She almost doesn't realize that Costigan back at the table until he sat down.)

Thanks. (She takes a sip of coffee, but then realizes that she will probably have to say something, anything to keep the table from being so quiet. The woman figured she could probably start with a simple topic.) So, um, I guess this is supposed to be the part where we introduce ourselves.

So, um, I'm Marie. You?

Billy Costigan.

[It feels almost foreign to meet someone new and be introducing himself like this again. It's been a long time since someone didn't know him, even if Sullivan pretended for a time. He can't help but think of Madolyn, seeing Marie across the table from him now, though he pushes the thought quickly from his mind.]

You, uh- you just came back, is that right?

Nice to meet you, Billy.

(Of course she might be smiling.)

Uh, yeah. That's right. I just ended up back here again.

(She feels slightly more at ease when it comes to meeting new people - it comes with the territory of being a worldly, okay, a world traveler. You got good and used to meeting new people and she would be lying if she said she hated doing that.

But, she does have a little more of an urge to be wary and also slightly overwhelmed. That also comes with the territory of both being chased around the world (even if she wasn't quite so sure at times that it really was anything to be worried about) and being bounced around to not only this place, but one other before it.)

What's it like? Living in this place.

[Because it sure as hell isn't like home. Costigan's never been outside of Boston in his life, unless you count Southie being a world of its own, and he doesn't like new things. He also hates the bullshit about aliens and turtles and magic and all of it. Even as he can see it with his own eyes, it feels like a trick being played on him. Somehow, he knows it's not a bad dream though, that this is real life. And even as he hates it, a part of him is telling him it's all true and to accept it.]

Huh? What it's like?

(She frowns and seems to need a moment to give the question some thought, before sighing some.) I'm not sure I'm the best person to answer that for you, but alright. Let me try.

Honestly? It's different, but it's not that bad. But, I also got pulled into another place before here, so...maybe it was a little easier to get used to, you know? I wasn't here for very long either. From what I figured out? The people are alright, give or take a few. My housemates took me in pretty quickly, were happy when I showed up here again. I wasn't in the best of states when I showed up. Kind of kept to myself.

But this place? It's not the safest place, but I'm used to things like that too. You get hassled sometimes in the markets, I've almost lost some of my things more than once. You can get some things that are sort of like things you are used to, but not quite.

(A slight smile as she jokes.) The worst part that they don't have real chocolate.

I'm used to not safe. [He replies with a light chuckle. It's a gross understatement really. At least Boston in general sounds roughly similar to her description.] That's too bad about the chocolate. How's the rest of the food?

[Because really, he's less worried about the crime and a lot more worried about adapting to the environment. And that pesky problem with aliens and magic and spirits and a ton of other bullshit he doesn't want to begin to think about.]

How are the, uh- what is it, the kedani?

It's not always safe, but I never felt like it was really bad. I wouldn't worry about it so much. Just be smart, I suppose.

The rest? It's good. Sometimes you have to substitute things, but it works out more or less, just different, but enough things that seem to be close enough. A few things I would consider avoiding, you'll know them when you see them.

The kedani? They're fine, I suppose. I can't say I know any of them personally or anything. I don't have any issues with them. Sometimes they seem a little uneasy with us, so I keep my distance when I think someone might be annoyed.

(No help. She knows she is no help at all.)

'Be smart.' [He echoes with a chuckle. The Staties said he was too smart to be a cop, but apparently he was so dumb he chose to become one.] Sure. Good advice.

[To the rest, he gives a courtesy nod as he listens. It's not really the information he's looking for or needs, but it's not like he approached a verified expert. The woman was nice enough to meet him when he was stressed and to be here distracting him now. That's worth something.]

What's your favorite thing to do in this place? [A beat.] They have cigarettes here? Tobacco?

It's also vague and my idea of what's smart always backfires, so maybe you shouldn't listen to me to after all...

My favorite thing? (Oh god, she never once thought of what she liked to do here, but she did tend to gravitate to wandering through the shops an stalls. So, here is a sheepish smile.) I don't know, haven't thought about it much, I suppose I like going through the markets and shops and places like that. The gardens are calming too.

But, to answer that second set of questions, I don't smoke (well anymore, her tone suggests.) so it didn't cross my mind to look into that. I'm sure there's at least something like that around here.

Some people don't know how to apply it. It's never bad advice though. [He shrugs, amused.]

Gardens? [Wandering and shopping aren't exactly his usual pastime, but the gardens could be nice. The most places he can go that might be familiar to home, the better. Which is also where the tobacco comes in.]

You one of those health freaks? [He teases.]

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