032 // [VIDEO] // Blue Butterfly Inc.: Now recruiting!

[echo_of_utopia]

[ All viewers who are taking a very close look at Dr Lamb's left hand today may spot the edge of the dressing on her arm. This is merely the measure taken against a minor burn injury and definitely not the beginning of a number of unpleasant long-term effects from something very stupid she did about three months ago

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[40410]

[ Alex doesn't doubt that she's talking about Markus' little stabbing spree. His mouth is narrowed as he wills himself not to look freaked out.

But what's this? A chance to help Sofia out and feel like he has something to offer the world? ]

I can help. ...I'm not exactly busy.

[ Make the most of your reply, because you've got about one tag left before he spots the dressing. ]

[40410]

[ He honestly didn't expect that to work with her, so he's struck by relief - mostly internalised, some of it flickering in his eyes - when Sofia shows mercy and changes the subject. ]

That sounds good, yeah, thanks.

[ The sheet won't stop Mirror Lamb being able to hear, he thinks. At best it'll muffle their words. Abruptly, for a moment, he gets the urge to stand up and yell through the communicator at her to go away and leave him the hell alone. ]

[echo_of_utopia]

[ She nods. ]

I will get back to you as soon as I can.

[ And then the feed turns off. ]

[40410]

[ When the transmission is over, he shrinks a little again, then scowls at himself and kicks the kettle under the desk to start it heating up. Yeah, he's back on the coffee habit. As trauma-related boycotts go, he's had less tenuous ones.

Then he waits, and fiddles restlessly with the camera wasp beside him, checking the battery and the amount of remaining space, then adjusting and readjusting it on the desk.

Hang on, he needs to feed Mosa. He's glad that he does: it's a distraction, it's a simple responsibility that has nothing to do with horror and death. So when Sofia calls back, she'll spot him next to his bed (it's opposite the communicator; the terrarium is on a board across it), dropping pieces of chicken down towards the excitable baby crocodile. ]

[echo_of_utopia]

[ The scenery on Lamb's end has changed as well. She is calling from her inviting and (virtually) mirror-free office next door.

The image she sees subtly reminds her of something she's been meaning to casually talk about for a while now.

And distraction is still the theme of this party, right? ]

...I see you kept your pet after all. How are you handling it?

[40410]

[ His glance darts up and around towards the communicator; then he realises it's Sofia. ]

Oh...

[ Yeah, he never quite mentioned the continuing presence of the crocodile, did he? ]

He's okay to look after, when he's small. I just keep him in the tank.

[ He drops another little blob of raw chicken in, and Mosa snaps it up, jerking his head to shunt the meat down his throat. If he's in the water at feeding time, he'll go through the whole song and dance of a predator, doing barrel rolls in the water until the dead meat is as dead as it'll get. But on land he's more sedate, or maybe just more lazy.

Alex wonders uneasily what Sof'll have to say about this development, since the last time they discussed the crocodile he's pretty sure he was a lot less enthusiastic. He can't really explain his unease. It's just something he hopes she's cool with. ]

[echo_of_utopia]

You are no longer opposed to having him stay with you?

[40410]

I guess... while he's small.

He was having trouble hatching.

[ Which she already knows, but it's toned as if it's a sort of explanation. ]

[echo_of_utopia]

So you mentioned.

I'm glad he is no longer a problem.

[ ~SMILE~

...What? Pets are supposedly quite beneficial to one's mental health. Lamb would personally opt for other methods, certainly for other pets, but Wonderland requires a change of tune every now and then.

She certainly has no intention of bringing up any concerns about the animal at this point. ]

...I take it he has a name?

[40410]

Yeah, I called him Mosa. After Mosasaurs.

[ Mosa chirrups, hoping for more, but the delicious chicken meal is done and Alex is sliding shut the lid on the terrarrium. ]

Sorry, I should wash my hands.

[ And then there is a brief interlude in the bathroom, where absolutely nothing has been written on the mirror, to everyone's relief.

Mosa keeps on chirping until he comes back. ]

[echo_of_utopia]

[ She nods and waits until Alex returns. Then it's time for a new opening line. ]

I'm glad to say that I received a number of calls from volunteers and I believe I found a partner for you.

[40410]

[ He'd actually been going to ask about that, since she said she'd call back when she got results. So he looks at the screen with interest while he dries his hands on his shirt. ]

Cool, who?

[echo_of_utopia]

His name is Mark Meltzer. I made an acquaintance with him here and he offered his assistance.

[40410]

Mark?

[ He wasn't expecting a name he knew so well. This is as close as his face gets to a smile. ]

Oh right, he said he knew you.

[ And then Alex gave Lamb a heart attack. ]

[echo_of_utopia]

[ ... ]

Did he?

[ ~SMILE ~ ]

I was not aware the two of you were acquainted.

[40410]

Yeah, we've known each other for a bit now.

[ Since... as he gives the timespan a moment of ponderance, he reaches for the mug of coffee steaming on the board beside the terrarium. Since some time around that whole dream event.

Considering the things that have happened since then, he's not surprised that Mark has volunteered to help. It's lucky that they happened to be paired.

...brief side-eye at the screen.

Yeah, it... probably was just happenstance. He can see Sofia engineering the pair-up but he can't see her lying about not knowing they were friends. ]