[Social] Green and Tan

[Will Stanton]

About a week after the en-mirroring, a Will finally poked it's head out of the mirror on it's own -- not prompted by a visitor or a request, not initiated by someone reaching in, just...out and about.

Leaving a single tally mark on a whiteboard pinned to the back of the mirror, Will left the new room in search of...well, it was hard to put a finger on, exactly. In search of searching. Walking about slowly, as if they were experiencing the world for the first time.

If they were attempting to not draw attention, they were failing, miserably. It wasn't the most common sight in England to see someone in a batik sarong, the colorful patterns of the fabric contrasting with the tight white tank top, emerald hair cascading in a long ponytail down the back. Will's bare feet trod through the plush carpet of the hallway, across the tiled floor of the grand entrance hall, and into the grass of the quad outside.

They paused, looked up at the sky, and took in a large breath, feeling the summer wind blowing across the grounds of campus.

((open))

[Wanda Johansson]

The breeze shifts direction abruptly as a tall figure settles to the ground nearby. "Trying out a new style, Will?" Wanda asks, her own bare feet walking through the grass in their direction as the breeze returns to its previous direction.

[Will Stanton]

"This old thing? Nah, this isn't anything new; just haven't had much call to get gussied up 'round here," Will replied, with a wave.

[Wanda Johansson]

"Well, it looks nice and I've never seen you in it before. What's the occasion?"

[Will Stanton]

"I guess I was just gettin' tired of bein' cooped up all the time; decided to let my flag hang free, y'know? Feel the sun on my skin and the grass on my soles."

[Wanda Johansson]

"I can definitely get behind that activity," Wanda says, glancing at her own summer tan. "How has your summer been?"

[Will Stanton]

"...Different, I think would be the word to use. And y'all know I've experienced more than my fair share of summers."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Quite a few, yes. Though, is it ever really summer in Antarctica?"

[Will Stanton]

"Oh, youbetcha -- half the time, in fact. You miss out on spring and autumn, but you get six months of sunny skies and moderate temperatures.

I think it hit 50 degrees, once. So, maybe not quite like here, but you look for the little things, don't'cha?"

[Wanda Johansson]

"Sometimes you do," she nods, "So this was a '50 degrees in Antarctica' different kind of summer?"

[Will Stanton]

"Oh, no no no no no. Those were much more simple.

This was more of a 'finding yourself' sort of summer. A walkabout, only stationary."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Did that myself after I finished at the Institute, though more mobile than stationary. Did a bit of it this summer as well. Sometimes its necessary."

[Will Stanton]

"You've had more than your fair share of life changes since you've arrived, haven't you? Similar boats, similar floats and all that."

[Wanda Johansson]

"A few," she nods, "everything to vampires to ex-girlfriends to a new relationship."

[Will Stanton]

"And I'm glad that the destination, at least was a happy one," Will smiled, nodding. "That's where I hope I'm heading, too, but the river of life sometimes flows where we least expect it."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Ending up in a new relationship or just a happy destination?"

[Will Stanton]

"Oh, the latter, most definitely. I don't think anyone out there can keep up with the twists and turns I take for a new relationship," Will smiled back.

[Wanda Johansson]

"Fair enough. Good to know you've got a good destination in sight. Sometimes there's a lot of fog around those things."

[Will Stanton]

"Oh, there's definitely fog still around me. There's no way of knowing where this boat is going.

But every now and again, you get a break in the fog, and you have to take a moment and enjoy the sunshine."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Well, here's to more days of sunshine then," Wanda says with a nod.

[Will Stanton]

"In England, that is tempting fate," Will giggled. "But the forecast looks clearer than it has for a while."

[Wanda Johansson]

"Well, if we're talking actual weather, then you can trust me," Wanda says with a chuckle of her own. "Mundane matters my advice might be a bit more suspect these days."

[Will Stanton]

"Oh, why would you say that? Mundanity not agreeing with you?" Will asked, tilting their head to one side.

[Wanda Johansson]

"Been spending a bit more time in the esoteric this summer. But trying to make sense of magic requires one to be somewhat impractical."

[Will Stanton]

"Oooh, Magic? Not the rabbits-out-of-hats sort, I'd imagine?" Will asked, interested. "Do tell."

[Wanda Johansson]

She pushes up the right sleeve of her jacket, revealing thick black lines that twist around each other. "Long story, but this has been one of my projects this summer. Had a spark of inspiration for the design, but only got it done a bit at a time."

[Will Stanton]

"Huh," Will said, looking closely at the lines. "Do they symbolize something, or just look really cool?"

[Wanda Johansson]

"A connection and interconnectedness. And now that it's done, it does look cool." She shrugs her right arm of the jacket, showing that the tattoo goes all the way from wrist to shoulder. "I used something similar to stabilize... something last Spring. It was just marker then."

[Will Stanton]

"Is is stabilizing something for you now?" Will asked, tilting their head to the other side.

[Wanda Johansson]

"I think it's more a tool for me. I wasn't stabilizing something for myself then, I was attempting to stabilize something for someone else. I haven't heard them having any more issues lately, but then again, they don't really talk to me usually."

[Will Stanton]

"That's....good? I think?

Sorry, it's all very vague and mysterious, but I am happy that things are working out for you!" Will decided, after a moment.

[Wanda Johansson]

"Sorry, being mysterious is a hazard of the practice. And I wouldn't want to out this person's issue without their permission."

[Will Stanton]

"No, of course; that makes a lot of sense," Will nodded.