Conversation Space: The Ultimate

[powersthatbe]

You feel as if you've stepped through a door.

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Comments

[meanballerina]

Natasha whirls around in surprise before she can stop herself, but quickly schools her features and posture into something a little more nonchalant, crossing her arms with a defiant jut of her chin. Though she can't quite mask the slight tension in her shoulders.

"Then?"

[powersthatare]

NOW WE MOVE ON TO... INTERROGATION.

[meanballerina]

Interrogation. Natasha knows all the things that that not-so-innocuous word can mean. The Red Room trains its students well. Even so, she can't hide her eye-rolling at the dramatic delivery.

"Using 'interrogation' and an ominous pause? Really?"

[powersthatare]

YOU WERE BROUGHT HERE TO ASK ME QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU ENTER PLAY.

[meanballerina]

"Are you going to actually answer whatever questions I ask?"

[powersthatare]

IF THERE IS SOMETHING IN IT FOR ME. YES.

[meanballerina]

Natasha considers this piece of information. "Enter play" suggests a game. She is guessing that whoever this person is, they want to win. Which means they're likeliest to answer questions that will further that end.

"What am I going to be 'entering play' for?"

[powersthatare]

TO BREAK WORLDS TO OUR WILL.

[meanballerina]

"No thanks. I'm not really the 'world-breaking' type."

[powersthatare]

YOU WERE NOT OFFERED A CHOICE.

[meanballerina]

Words that make willful teenage super-spies disinclined to obedience: those ones.

"Oh, really."

[powersthatare]

YOU ARE MORE SUITED TO SERVE ME THAN THE OTHERS. GRATITUDE AND DEFIANCE ARE BOTH ACCEPTABLE RESPONSES.

[meanballerina]

"How does deliberately picking people who'd rather work against you help you?"

She's genuinely curious. It's the sort of thing Nick Fury would do. She'll take any insight she can get into how his mind works.

[powersthatare]

REBELLION FEEDS ME. OBEDIENCE SERVES ME. IT IS YOUR CHOICE WHETHER TO BE MY AGENT OR MY MEAT.

[meanballerina]

Natasha tosses her hair and glares back at the Devil. No guesses which option she's picking.

"Careful not to choke."

[powersthatare]

The figure chuckles, a disturbing sound, like bubbles moving through swamp water in a corroded pipe.

Then Natasha will find herself in Liminal Space.