Fourth Thesis | [Action] | Backdated June 9

[intangible_girl]

[It came. It finally came.

Ingrid's intangibility device has finally come, and finally been sanitized, and her journal name finally makes sense.

So Ingrid is out on the town.

She's in every shop, around every house, staring at everything in wonder because she can finally see it up close and in person. And the people! People she can go up to and talk

Comments

[Action]

[ufo_fanboy]

[Mulder had come down with something not long after returning from the draft, but today he's finally up to stepping outside of his building to get a little fresh air...]

[Fresh air and a girl in a very unusual apparatus. He looks fascinated at once, and the theories are spinning through his head.]

...ok, you've got me. Is it an incompatibility with the atmosphere that's got you in there?

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[It's understandable that Mulder was distracted from the familiar scientist by the woman in the extremely interesting contact point suit. After all, Robert himself marvelled at it when he first saw it.

But he pipes up after a moment, albeit a bit shyly.]

Ah... actually, it is a device that keeps her from being exposed to pathogens. Ingrid would be more qualified to speak on it than I, though.

... Hello, Mr. Mulder.

[Action]

[ufo_fanboy]

[Mulder looks a bit sheepish on having been so distracted by the weird device, and looks toward Robert, giving him a wave. He's really glad to see him, actually, since they hadn't had a good chance to speak yet since the draft.]

[The purpose of Ingrid's device also catches his interest and leads to more questions... but one thing at a time, if he can manage that.]

I'd be curious to know more about it.

...and how are you doing, Robert?

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert is glad to see Mulder again, as well. It's good to know that all his friends (with the exception of Helios, of course...) are alright.]

I know something about it now, so I can explain it if you wish, but it was Ingrid's father who created the device and its components.

...

A-And I am alright, I suppose... [This has less conviction than before, and after a moment, Robert admits:] ... well, if one d-does not count the fact that I am... s-still coming to terms with Helios' death.

... [Robert exhales a little. Even after knowing about it for a few days, it's still hard.]

... I kn-know he will return. And I do not want to make today an unpleasant one for Ingrid.

[Action]

[intangible_girl]

[Ingrid (who has been totally ignoring you Mulder, in favor of studying some rose bushes) finally snaps out of it and realizes people are talking to and about her. She turns, speaking before she quite gets a look at who she's addressing.]

Oh, hello... [She finishes turning. Oh, it's you!] Mulder, how are you doing?

[Action]

[ufo_fanboy]

A few more days, and he'll be back. [Mulder gives Robert a reassuring look, he knows it was hard on him just knowing they were going to the draft, and then with what had happened...]

[He then returns attention to Ingrid, interested in finding out more about her.]

I'm doing... better than I was. Running through the wilds of the jungle can really wear a guy down. How about you, Ingrid? ...I hope you don't mind me being curious about that device you're wearing.

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert tries to smile a bit as well, both in greeting and in trying to seem less horribly depressed. Neither really works too well.]

... Ah, well, one could h-hardly blame you about being curious. It is a most remarkable device... would you wish to speak on it, Ingrid, or shall I provide some information?

[Action]

[intangible_girl]

[Ingrid tugs on her ponytail nervously, a little embarrassed by the attention to her device.]

It's natural to be curious... [But she deflects the conversation anyway.] How was the jungle? I see you didn't lose any limbs. [Gallows humor. Ingrid has it.]

[Action]

[ufo_fanboy]

Don't worry, I don't mean to be intrusive about it... It's actually pretty cool looking.

[And his "this is something weird and supernatural!" sense is definitely tingling. He has a knack for noticing these things after these years.]

[Mulder then laughs a little.]

I also managed to keep my head in its place too which I thought was a big accomplishment. [This here is the king of dark humor, in his line of work it eases the tension.] The whole thing could have gone much, much worse. We were lucky we were pulled out when we were, with that ambush on the last day...

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[That's because it is definitely weird and supernatural. And Robert can't tell that Ingrid is embarrassed.]

It is utterly fascinating m-magitechnology. I only wish I could study it, but I lack the proper tools, unfortunately. It would be far better if I could obtain them for the purposes of investigation...

[The rest of the topic makes him cringe a little. After all, he doesn't quite get humour, so all he has is the very uncomfortable mental image of Mulder losing his head.]

... There was a... m-monsoon, correct? It must have been terrifying...

[Action]

[intangible_girl]

There was a monsoon? Oh my gosh.

[Ignoring the comment about studying the device.]

[Action]

[ufo_fanboy]

[Mulder doesn't mind the diversion, after all they can get back to the topic later. For now he nods, recalling the events of that last day. It was intense, even for a guy who's used to going up against crazy things.]

Yeah. Conditions deteriorated rapidly when the monsoon kicked into high gear. The rain was so thick you couldn't see. Add to that enemies converging in a concentrated attack, with traps going off everywhere, and things exploding...

I guess we were pretty fortunate we didn't all lose our heads.

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

Th-that sounds absolutely horrifying... [It had been one thing to read about it, but it's quite another to hear it from a friend.

He shudders bodily at the thought.]

... B-But... but you... you were r-relatively unscathed...?

[Action]

[intangible_girl]

I'm glad you're alright. You didn't catch anything all that rain, did you? Jungles are nasty places for disease and the like. [She knows because Aella told her all about it.]

[Action]

[ufo_fanboy]

[Mulder nods to both the questions.]

No major injuries to speak of. [Oh thank god for all the past experience with running really fast from and shooting at monsters.] Though hanging out in the damp and rain that last day didn't do me any favors. I've felt like hell since I've gotten back, but I think the worst of it is over now.

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[If Robert was the huggy type he'd hug Mulder at this. As it is, he just smiles uncomfortably but genuinely, and fidgets around a little.] I d-do hope that you w-will recover entirely in short order...

... I-if, if there is anything I might do for you, Mr. Mulder, I w-would be... most obliged.