New Years Conundrums

[red_room]

Nat's in a more prominent spot in the Nexus today, with what looks to be a whiteboard stand set up next to her chair in the Forum. She's idly tossing dry erase markers while she observes the people coming and going.

"They say the new year is a time for change, and yet every year people aim so pitifully low. If you could change one thing next year....any one thing, what would it be?"

Inquiring minds want to know! Or, you know, one bored red head with too much time on her hands.

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[rogueinladysclothing]

"Just one thing?"

The question comes from a rogue dressed very much to the nines for her profession - all of her weapons hang from her belt today, under her cloak but over her armor. She carries herself confidently, and she's not bothering to hide the curiosity, or the cautious anticipation to the answer.

"Most people have a fair number more than just one thing they'd change if they could."

[red_room]

"Not just most. Everyone." The redhead eyes the rogue carefully, memorizing every dagger and likely place for a hidden pouch. Her smile is friendly, but there's something calculating in her eyes.

Like a predator hunting prey.

"That's the point of the question. What's most important to change? Nothing bars you. Not cost, not time, nothing. But in exchange for that freedom, you only get to change one thing at will. What is it?"

[rogueinladysclothing]

The calculating look doesn't bother Amelia. She's done it to others so many times that it doesn't feel odd to be on the receiving end of it. In fact, she doesn't look bothered at all by the woman's rather cold look. Staring down dangerous things has never scared her before.

The question itself gets a little more thought. There's a lot Amelia would change if she could, starting with being back home. But when it comes down to it, the only thing she would truly change is the one that wouldn't have been understood if she'd done it when she had the chance.

"I let someone go, once. Foolishly, I let him go alone on a quest for vengeance. If I could change any one thing, I would go back to that moment I let him go and choose to go with him. He can likely take care of himself, but no one should ever take on something like that alone." Of course there's the implication of there being more to it than just that, but Amelia's not going to bring that part up.

"And what about you? What would you change?" Curiosity demands she at least try to get an answer from the red-haired woman.

[red_room]

A brother? A lover, more likely. By the way she talks. She would overturn regret. It's a fair change to make.

Natasha catches the dry erase marker and pulls off the cap with a distinct pop before getting up from her seat and writing

change a past regret on the board. It's the first thing written there, and Natasha takes her seat once more and begins tossing the marker again.

"What's the cliche answer? I want a pony?" She smirks slightly, giving a tiny, noncommittal shrug of her shoulders.

[rogueinladysclothing]

If he had ever been her lover, she wouldn't be in the Nexus. She would never have been in the alley that lead her to the Nexus that night, because he wouldn't have let her be there.

"No one like you or me wants something like that," she points out with a raised eyebrow. "That is, unless we're trying to hide something." If the redhead is going to start this conversational game, Amelia's happy to play along.

[red_room]

"It's true. They're mean, for one. And cleaning up horse crap? Not gonna happen with my job." Natasha's laugh comes easily.

"...Hide something? Maybe. Or maybe I'm more interested in listening than I am talking. I did pose the question, after all."

[rogueinladysclothing]

Oh. So that's how this is going. Okay then.

Amelia smiles lightly, but it doesn't reach her eyes. She settles into a more comfortable stance and carefully crosses her arms in front of her chest.

"Listening is always easier, isn't it? Admitting the truth - that's the hard part. Perhaps that's why we ask questions more than answer them?"

[aw_hawkguy]

"Any one thing?" Clint flashes Nat a smile. "That's easy. End disease. Gone, no more anybody gettin' sick. Done. You?"

[red_room]

Nat tosses the dry erase marker into the air as she gets to her feet, then passes it off to Clint with a flick of her wrist and lets it go tumbling end over end through the air.

"Add it to the list." She knows he'll catch it. Nat nods over to the list, rather short so far. His seems rather noble, but of course his would. Natasha waits for Clint to scrawl it under the other choice, arms folded easily.

"Guess I better end world hunger, since there's going to be a whole lot of people starving with disease gone. Why must I always clean up after you?" She says that, but she sounds genuinely happy with Clint's choice. "Actually, I'm not sure I could be that noble with my one change."

[aw_hawkguy]

Of course he catches it. Squeeka, squeeka, writing on a whiteboard is noisy. "Oh, like I never clean up after you." That's mostly bluster. One way or another, the Nat he knows rarely leaves much of anything to clean up.

"Eh, I figure, stuff in my life, I can handle it myself. Fixin' it's on me. Disease, though? I got nothin'. Not even a penicillin arrow. So as long as we're wishing, might as well wish big and do the little stuff myself."

[red_room]

"If you do, I must be losing my touch." She goes along with the joke, but her smile is easier. More sincere. Lasts a lot longer, too. "It's a good wish."

He certainly hasn't disappointed.

"Go big or go home has always been your style though. I'll stick with ending world hunger. It's up there one the list of 'things not even the Avengers can do for the long term', no matter how much Tony donates to charity." Changing things they can't otherwise change seems safe.

And picking a noble change means keeping her more personal wishes to herself. Seems like a safe bet.

[aw_hawkguy]

"World hunger it is," he agrees, writing "world hunger" and drawing a big, fletched arrow sticking through them.

"I'm pretty fond of go big and go home. After you win. Fall asleep watching Dog Cops, good times."

[red_room]

"Is..is that a real thing?" Natasha actually looks confused for a moment there. Someone doesn't watch a whole lot of television unrelated to her work. "Go big and go home is the goal. Wouldn't be much good at our jobs if we didn't come back."

Yeah, brushing right over the memories that brings to mind. She's glad they made it back from the Ultron incident, even if they were prepared not to. Most of them...anyway.

"Has Tony enforced mandatory Schwarma post-victory wind downs over there too? We made a tradition of it, for a while."

[workthroughit]

A man steps out from behind the whiteboard, curious as to what could be written or drawn so far. A cup of tea on a saucer is in one hand, the other hand casually stirring the contents with a small spoon.

"Do you intend to document peoples' answers and resolutions?"

[red_room]

It's a rather short list so far. Correcting past regret, and ending disease. But there, plain as day, are the answers she's been given.

"I'm not taking a formal census--there are no names listed. Just what they would change. Figured it might help those who can't see big pictures easily. Also, I was curious."

[workthroughit]

He regards Natasha as she explains, then looks back to what's written so far. The one about regrets gets him to smile, tapping it with a finger as he looks back to the redhead.

"Does this one count as falling short to you? It strikes me as ambitious. Maybe impossible."

[red_room]

"It's one of the most difficult to change." Natasha agrees. She'd know from her own experience. "Plus, even choosing which regret to change..." That alone would take an awful lot of focus.

"Nothing's a perfect choice. No matter what there's consequences whenever you change anything. Or if you choose not to."

[workthroughit]

His smile widens. "Indeed. The Butterfly Effect, as it were." He seems pleased that this woman is familiar with the notion! "Although how does one go about correcting regrets? The past is the past; you cannot change it. Choices only dictate the future."

[red_room]

"We're in a hub that connects what? All worlds, all times? I'd imagine it wouldn't be easy, but going to another version of your world's past and fixing said regret would certainly be viable. Of course, it wouldn't really be your world then. But the satisfaction may be the same."

Nat shrugs idly.

"I left that loophole open. I said any one thing could be changed. That by definition includes the past."

[hellburger]

Kaz wanders up, looking like he managed to get himself a shower and a shave somehow. He crosses his arms and scans the current list.

"Hey! Nat, was it?" He's actually good at remembering women's names, fancy that. "Are we talking world peace magnitudes of change? Or just on a personal level?"

[red_room]

Nat's sitting comfortably next to the white board, tossing the dry erase marker idly as she watches Kaz's approach. He gets a nod in way of greeting before she jerks her head over to the whiteboard.

Correcting past regret, no disease, and end world hunger are what's on the list so far.

"Anything. Any one thing."

[hellburger]

"Some lofty goals there already. Well ..." He steeples his index fingers and taps his lips in thought. "On a global level, alter the concept of the military as we know it? How's that for aiming high?"

He grimaces. "... And on a personal level? stop sleeping around so much, I guess. Not really my preference, but the Boss says it's not very professional."

[red_room]

"Alter the concept of a military to what, exactly?" She's seen it altered before. She isn't a fan of HYDRA. Or Ultron, come to think of it.

The personal change makes her snort.

"So you'd change yourself before deciding to change your Boss's mind about what you enjoy doing?"

[hellburger]

"The thought is to disentangle the military from the whims and corruption of nations, and instead have standalone, specialized forces who fight for causes at their own discretion. There's more to it, but that's basically the elevator pitch...

"The other thing is kinda complicated." He runs a hand through his hair and scratches the back of his head. "Part of the issue is, uh, fraternizing with subordinates. Not great when you're an XO."

[red_room]

"Sounds familiar. It's more work than it seems." Considering what happened to SHIELD, anyway.

"So why do it?" Natasha quirks an eyebrow. "Surely a couple of consenting adults can spend an evening alone? Or are you forcing yourself on your subordinates?"