℗ oo2. a headache the size of stark towers

[quits]

[Needless to say, Pepper did not have a very good first day in Paradisa. She spent most of her day in the elevator convinced she'd wake up at some point, then found out her friend was killed, and then spent the rest of the night drinking. Once again proving to herself that she cannot keep up with Tony Stark when it comes to alcohol.

Now she is miserable.]

So -- this much is clear. I'm not dreaming. I'm from before the time that Tony's here from and a bunch of stuff happened. [Her fingers press to her temple... ow.]

Wishes, the journal, the castle -- all magic, which is real. There are places that you end up sometimes, because the castle brings everyone there. People die, but then come back because the castle... fixes it. I've lost something and it's not just the memory of being here before -- which is also the same case for Tony, even though neither of us remember.

[She has a glass of ice water, which you can hear clink when she raises it to press to her temple.]

Is there anything else I should know? [Other than the whole Loki thing, which she is not even going to say his name, because she wants him to hurt for what he did.]

Oh, and for those I didn't weird out the other day in the elevator while I was still thinking this is all a dream - I'm Pepper Potts.

I also could really use some aspirin. [But she can handle that one.]

Comments

[molotov]

Just one.

[quits]

That's a lot of bears for one rug.

[molotov]

I just wished for "bears". I wasn't sure what kind of bear I wanted.

[quits]

[She's not sure she wants to know if she actually got her rug or not... bears;;]

I take it being specific is a good thing to remember when making these wishes.

[molotov]

It can be.

[quits]

I'll be sure to keep that in mind.

[molotov]

Da. Have you figured out your loss yet? Always better to find it sooner rather than later.

[quits]

No, not yet.

[molotov]

I would probably work on that. And hope it is something that you can live your life around.

[quits]

How often are they ones that aren't manageable?

[molotov]

I suppose that would depend on your definition of manageable. They can range from simply losing an item to losing an ability. There have been many strange ones -- a girl with absurdly long hair became incapable of brushing it, if I remember. I have a friend who lost the ability to get drunk, which he greatly resents. I know there is someone in the castle who can only leave it if the right people accompany him.

Usually the items are the easiest ones to deal with.

[quits]

Someone here is not only kidnapped, but trapped on top of that? [WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PLACE?]

I don't think I'm missing anything. I mean, nothing important. [She wasn't wearing any jewelry, it's not like there was anything vital she needed to live...]

[molotov]

Ah, then either a memory or the ability to do something.

[quits]

I guess there's no way to just figure it out without it happening, then.

[molotov]

Basically. You can test your theories -- it is always something important to you -- but mostly you just have to wait for it to crop up.

[quits]

I'd say it's trial and error, but I'm not sure I can actually... test this out.

I'll be on the look-out, I guess.

[molotov]

Maybe you will get lucky and it will just be a memory.

[quits]

I'm not sure if that was meant to be comforting or not. Having someone mess around with my memories, seems pretty invasive.

[molotov]

I think I would rather forget something than lose an important ability, honestly. Remember, even if it is like we were never here, once we get sent back, we still have to live here in the meantime. Losing some kind of skill is far more difficult on an everyday basis than everything else is.

[quits]

That's true... it's still not very comforting to think something here can just remove memories. [She actually wonders what the total ramifications of that could be. Would it be just those memories that are gone or would it be the way those events shaped you...]

[molotov]

It can also implant false ones. Those are almost always temporary, though.

[quits]

That's not anymore comforting.

[molotov]

There is not really that much comforting about living here. That is why we can have anything material that we want. Because everything else is so terrible.

[quits]

[it makes sense... sort of.]

I'll keep that in mind.

Thank you, for the information -- [a beat] I don't think you told me your name.

[molotov]

Molotov Cocktease. Samson.

[She pauses -- she still hasn't figured this out.]

Cocktease-Samson.