[IC] Pre-intro

[stupidcupid]

[ you're being watched ]

Comments

[trickor]

--Oh.

The little hawk, is it? Hello, Agent Barton.

[ragescience]

[cleaning up his unlicensed clinic/house for the evening]

[threateningflour]

[That... is a familiar sensation actually]

[stupidcupid]

[ the bowstring is being pulled tightly and he doesn't reply back . . . yet ]

[stupidcupid]

Banner, right?

[stupidcupid]

[ sharp intake of breath ]

[threateningflour]

Barton.

[stupidcupid]

[ okay dropping down ]

Coulson. But... But how?

[trickor]

[very light, from behind:]

I do not recommend letting go.

[though the Loki you're aiming at is still there...]

[ragescience]

[looking up, kind of fidgety and faintly surprised]

... Clint, you made it. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

[stupidcupid]

Whatever you say, boss.

[ and he whaps with the bow from behind before jumping off and landing neatly on his feet ]

[stupidcupid]

And I thought I was the spy. What's going on? I thought we were "supposed" to be on "holiday".

[trickor]

[the illusion fades in a flicker of green-gold]

Did you just arrive, Agent Barton? I had been informed you were...otherwise occupied.

[threateningflour]

Death doesn't matter in this place. Good job in New York.

[stupidcupid]

Okay, the only place where death doesn't matter is Las Vegas and we are not in Vegas.

[stupidcupid]

I'm fashionably late. In reality. You know what reality is, right?

[ragescience]

... Well, yes, but ... Agent Romanoff and I got intel through SHIELD that specifically detailed this uh, summer camp.

[pause]

... You weren't briefed before you got here, were you?

[trickor]

So far as mortals understand it? That plane of existence controlled by rules you follow because you know not better.

[stupidcupid]

Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. I'll check with Nat.

[stupidcupid]

Actually, I was talking about the delusional space inside your head, but carry on.

[ragescience]

[looking somewhat amused]

I'm sure she'll, uh ... find you.

[stupidcupid]

What have you two being doing while I was out, bonding?

[ragescience]

You're not assuming there was time for that here, were you? It's been ... interesting. I don't have another word for it.

[stupidcupid]

I'll take it.

Seriously, though. What the hell is going on?

[ragescience]

It's, ah ...

[waves his hand]

Some kind of inter-dimensional summer camp that's imposed its own will upon the occupants here, us included. In a way, it sort of has its own personality. I've heard a lot of theories about where and how, but nothing that I've been able to find for myself through any kind of tangible experimentation.