004 :: Text

[hulkbusted]

Crowdsourcing this one since I haven't found the answer myself.

My mother was a tree and a needle, as well as being who she was. My father was lightning and a thread. Who am I?

[ooc: Someone might be a tad retributive, in a very low-key way, about someone else's intrusive interest in his lack of a sex life. ]

Comments

Action

[infernoandhearth]

It generally is. It's not in my nature to seem old.

Action

[hulkbusted]

Your nature seems too tricky... [a beat] ...for that.

Action

[infernoandhearth]

[Luke gives Bruce an interested look. Is he working it out?]

And you're too clever by half. Which is the best way to be, of course.

[With another fiery transformation, Luke is back to how she was when she walked in the room.]

Action

[hulkbusted]

[He needs to learn to think with parallel universes a little more first, but he's on the right track. He's thinking non-Norse tricksters at the moment.]

I've been too smart for my own good more times than I can count.

I think I liked you better the way I first met you.

Action

[infernoandhearth]

Me too. [She hops back onto the counter.] I'm not just female for you today, you know. I felt like being a woman anyway.

[But then because she has a bit of an addiction to changing her form to suit other people, she changes back to her usual, early twenties male form.]

Action

[hulkbusted]

What else do you feel like being sometimes?

[He's going to be running back over the recordings of all of this over and over, fast-forwarding through the awkward 9 or 10 second kiss. For now he goes back to the pebble-that-was-a-sensor.]

How about spiders or rabbits or foxes?

Action

[infernoandhearth]

You're missing coyotes.

Action

[hulkbusted]

[That turns him around.]

I'm on the right track, aren't I?

Action

[infernoandhearth]

[As if it could be that easy.]

I'm not clueless, you know. I do follow mythology.

Action

[hulkbusted]

And if I'm on the right track, you definitely wouldn't tell me.

Action

[infernoandhearth]

I wouldn't tell you either way.

Action

[hulkbusted]

[Hmpf. Back to the pebble analysis.]

I'm not going to be very interesting the rest of the day.

Action

[infernoandhearth]

I still have these sensors to plant anyway. [He walks over and picks up the box, tucking it under his arm. After which he goes solemn, suddenly.]

I'm a puzzle to you. Will you still bother with talking to me once you've solved me?

Action

[hulkbusted]

[That gives Bruce pause, because as annoyed with Luke as he is, he's also interesting. He turns off the display he's been using like a shield and turns around to give Luke his full attention.]

When is a person ever actually solved?

Action

[infernoandhearth]

[Luke mulls this over a moment and then decides to take it as comforting.]

A very good question. I'll have to see if you think I have been when you work out what I am.

Action

[hulkbusted]

Are you planning to use me to hurt people? [He holds up a hand to stave off any response.] You're going to say no either way, but I want you to keep it in your head - that's where I draw the line. I can take being poked and prodded because I'm a curiosity, but I won't be used to hurt people.

So, if you aren't thinking stupid thoughts about how my brain or the Other Guy's brawn can be weaponized, we'll probably be okay. And if you are. [A shrug] I don't see that going so well.

Action

[infernoandhearth]

Someone's tried to before. [Not a question. He understands the implication.]

I don't repeat what other people have already done. That wouldn't be very interesting, would it? [Oddly, this is his attempt to reassure Bruce.]

I'm not fond of plans that involve death, either.

Action

[hulkbusted]

Funny how that works. [No it isn't.]

Then we'll see how things go. I can take a lot, but the Other Guy holds grudges.

Action

[infernoandhearth]

Grudges on your behalf as well, or only his own?

Action

[hulkbusted]

He holds all the grudges, even the ones I pretend I don't have.

Action

[infernoandhearth]

It must get tiring for him, being so angry all the time.

Action

[hulkbusted]

For him? No, it's energizing for him.

Action

[infernoandhearth]

Is it? That's interesting. I remember sulking. [Hulk-Him wanted his fire to work.]

Action

[hulkbusted]

[He gives a surprised laugh]

I rarely remember much, but a surprise transformation doesn't result in sulking.

Action

[infernoandhearth]

Oh, not initially. You saw what happened when I first transformed. But after that, there was definitely a prolonged period of sulking.