[Disclaimer: I do not own the PPC, which is the property of Jay and Acacia. Thanks to Bronwyn, JulyFlame, Mister Shoebox, Data, and VixenMage! Apologies if I forgot anybody.]
“You don’t talk much, do you?”
“Hm?”
“Talking. You don’t do it much.”
“Look, I don’t even know who you are. You showed up five minutes ago, and have done nothing but raid the fridge since!”
“I’m Agent Heather Warner. I’m assuming that you’d be Agent Ted Williams?”
“Yes.” Ted blinked. “So, why exactly are you here? You still haven’t mentioned that.”
Heather beamed. “I’m to be your new partner!”
Ted blinked again. “Ah. I see.”
“So, seeing as this is our RC, mind if I look around a bit?”
Ted shrugged.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Heather busied herself with exploring the fairly large room. “Oh my. That is a lot of weapons.”
“Please don’t touch those.” Ted looked up from the partially disassembled laptop on his desk.
“Why?”
He shrugged again. “My old partner requested that nobody touch those, so I’m going to leave them the way they are.”
Heather cocked an eyebrow. “He ever say why you’re not to move them?”
“Something about his former partner.”
“Who waaas…?” Heather grinned.
“No idea.”
Heather gasped. “Your former partner asked you not to touch this incredibly shiny weapon rack, and you never asked who it originally belonged to?”
Ted shrugged. “No. I figured it was none of my business.”
“Shame on you, not taking an interest in your partner’s life! Shaaaaame!”
“But-“
“Nope! No talking! You are being shamed!”
“But-“
“Shaaaaa-“
Ted grimaced. “Seriously, stop that.”
“Well, you’re no fun!”
“Perhaps. You, on the other hand, are irritating me.”
Heather stopped. “That… that wasn’t very nice.
Ted spun half-heartedly in his chair. “No. It wasn’t. I’m sorry.”
Heather crossed her arms. “I hope you are.” She looked around. “So, which desk is mine?”
“The one I’m not sitting at?”
“Ted, that one has a jar of eyes on it.”
“Mine has three.”
Heather blinked. “I...”
“Look, just don’t ask.”
“Wasn’t going to.” Heather sat down at her desk. “What I was going to ask was... well... what’s your story?”
“Hm?” Ted had gone back to fiddling with the laptop, but didn’t seem to be making much progress.
“What continuum are you from? How old are you? Other such stuff?”
“Preacher, twenty-three, you’re going to need to be a bit more specific than that.”
“What’s your deal?”
“I wasn’t aware that I had one?”
Heather got back up and wandered over to Ted’s desk. “You’re very short.”
Ted looked at Heather. “I’m a good half foot taller than you are.”
“That’s not quite what I meant.” She looked over the disemboweled laptop. “Are you putting this back together, or what?”
“Yeah.”
“Here, let me have a go at it.”
Five minutes later, she had put the computer back together.
“Thank you.”
“No problem! You still haven’t answered the question, though!”
Ted cocked an eyebrow. “The question of what?”
“Of why you’re so quiet, of course!”
“Ah. That.” He nodded. “It’s, well, I... hm.”
“You hm?”
Ted fiddled with his sleeves. “I don’t like the sound of my voice.”
Heather’s eyes widened. “That... that is adorable.” She giggled. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Eh. I know it’s stupid. Doesn’t make it any better.” He shrugged. “Anyways, where are you from?”
“Oh, I’m from an obscure little ‘verse. You’ve probably never heard of it.”
Then the console went off.
