[center][h3] Overlook, Tiger Lily, and Tulpa - Hallway[/h3]
A colab about a week and a half after the interrogation[/center]
[hr]
Ruben was sitting in a meeting room for the Wards, simply ticking away on his laptop. He was working on a small job he had been hired by a local hero to do, with the job regarding a small bit of recon. He had to get out of the room for it though, as he wanted to show his german shepard pupster, Clancy, a bit of the building.

Lillian looked around, abundantly curious. It'd been about three days since she'd been officially put onto the Wards team, and she was having difficulty adjusting. Everything was too cold for her liking, but her teammates seemed alright at the very least.

At the moment she was walking the halls, hoping to clear her head out of one of her moods she'd been prone to falling into. Idly her fingers traced the flower in her hair as she wished she had thought to bring her teddy with her. Why did everything have to smell so clean? It stung her nose a little, and she just couldn't seem to get warm. Didn't these people know what indoor heating was?

Maybe that was why she liked Messiah so much. The girl was a heat source. And kinda cute. Not that Lillian truly noticed that, not really.

She tilted her head a little, sniffing. Was that a dog she smelled? It was hard to tell over the smell of disinfectant all over the building. But...Dogs were nice. And warm....

Ruben finished the job he was hired on for doing, sending a simple message to his employer for what they required and he left the presence. He set the Eye on autopilot mode as it whirred back to the PRT building.

As Ruben closed his laptop, he saw the shadowy figure of Evelyn rear around the corner and into the room, standing next to him quizically. Well, it was going to happen, so he didn't care a ton about what happened when she came in... unless it involved her harming him.

Wiping beads of sweat from her face with a cloth she'd brought with her to the gym where she'd been sparring with her projection. It was good to be able to sync up with it, control it and her body at once. It was hard, mentally and physically, but totally worth it she thought. Stretching a bit to cool down, she knew she totally needed to get in the shower, maybe change out of her purple yoga pants and tanktop and into something more appropriate.

Finishing her stretches, feeling good--if a bit tired--she made her way out of the gym and into the halls of PRT headquarters. Everything was pretty plain really, white walls, white floors, the occasional door or window.

Huh, windows, was that the meeting room. Was that Overlook?

Ruben traced the shadow's path backwards as he saw Evelyn standing outside of the window. The thinker sent a slight wave her direction as he picked up his laptop, placing it in his bag, and putting his bag on his back. After doing that, he picked up Clancy, who had been laying down on the ground taking a nap before, and he gently carried him in his arms as he left the meeting room.

Lillian followed her nose, trying to distinguish where exactly the dog smell was coming from. Further up the hallway? It was getting stronger, easier to tell apart from the rest of the smells assaulting her nose, but she didn't think she was exactly close just yet.

[I]A puppy would be nice...[/I] she thought to herself, a slight skip to her step as she walked a little bit faster. [I]But who has a dog in a place like this?[/I]

Waving back, Evelyn made a snap decision, deciding she could get a little sidetracked before she went to shower. She opened the door for Ruben, [color=#3068FF][b]"What were you up to?"[/b][/color] she asked, raising an eyebrow even as she reached out to pet the dog a little, should he allow it.

[color=8882be]"A bit of work, not PRT related."[/color] Ruben wasn't going to tell her what that entailed, but he would at least give her that knowledge. He'd be happy to work with the PRT when he was needed, but until then, offering his work was a good way to pass the time. [color=8882be]"Why do you ask?"[/color]

Clancy allowed for the petting, and he had a dumb little smile wash over his face as Evelyn petted the small doggo.

A small smile touched the corners of her lips and eyes as she gave the dog scritches behind his ears and along his neck, she glanced back up at Ruben, still smiling a bit, though it wasn't directed at him, [color=#3068FF][b]"Oh, I was just curious,"[/b][/color] she said casually, [color=#3068FF][b]"...where you off to now?"[/b][/color] She asked, figuring she didn't have much to do after she took a shower, it might be nice to have some company.

[color=8882be]"Probably my room. I think I'll do some stuff to my Eye once it returns from its quest,"[/color] Ruben explained. [color=8882be]"Also, you'll be meeting some applesauce in the future."[/color]

She nodded, then raised an eyebrow at the mention of applesauce. She felt her stomach shift a bit, she was hungry, [color=#3068FF][b]"Come again?"[/b][/color]

[color=8882be]"You'll be meeting applesauce in the future. Not with your face, mind."[/color]

[color=#3068FF][b]"Um, but...what do you mean exactly?"[/b][/color] She seemed a bit more confused now, rather than bemused.

[color=8882be]"You'll see in about 11 seconds. Maybe less, I'm still trying to figure it out."[/color]

An idea popped into her head through the confusion, as she recalled a bit more about Ruben, [color=#3068FF][b]"Oh...you're a thinker aren't you. Um, do you know where the applesauce will be?"[/b][/color] She started counting in her head.

[color=8882be]"It's on the way to your room. I can't tell you exactly where."[/color] The two were both in line-of-sight of a pile of applesauce, resting on the ground. [color=8882be]"Also, t-rex."[/color]

Lillian could hear voices now, and she recognized one of her teammate's smells with the stronger smell of a dog. She rounded a corner, coming up behind two people and a young puppy. "[Color=pink] PUPPY[/color]!" she yelled, running forward to pet it. "[Color=pink]Oh, who's a good boy? You are! Oooh, I love you Mr. Puppy. So soft and warm and adorable[/color]."

She looked up at the others. "[Color=pink]Oh, hello[/color]."

[color=8882be]"... seems like I was slightly wrong about the t-rex,"[/color] Ruben muttered as Lillian petted Clancy, the small dog turning his head towards Lillian and giving her a lick directly on her forehead. [color=8882be]"His name is Clancy."[/color]

"[Color=pink]Well, hello there Clancy. You're a friendly one, aren't you?[/color]" Lillian crooned. "[Color=pink]You didn't tell me we had a puppy around, Evelyn[/color]."

She looked at the owner. "[Color=pink]Oh. Why were you talking about me?[/color]"

[color=8882be]"I saw a t-rex. My power is weird."[/color]

"I wonder what applesauce is code for with your power," she muttered a bit, her attention pulled to Lillian. She smiled and chuckled a little as she watched Lillian absolutely freak out over Clancy. [color=#3068FF][b]"Sorry Lillian, I'll make sure to inform you in the future,"[/b][/color] she said with a light laugh. [color=#3068FF][b]"Alright you two, well if you're not busy maybe we can hang out a bit? I need to shower first though, so get back to me."[/b][/color]

That said, Evelyn ran a hand over the dog once and then waved as she walked away, her mind already turning to other things, like what she'd wear when she didn't feel all sticky and gross after her shower. However, her preoccupied mind led to disaster, for not 11 seconds later, her foot slid on something on the floor and she fell, though her training did kick in resulting in her falling butt first in something sticky...with clumps in it. [color=#3068FF][b]"Ah!"[/b][/color] she exclaimed, then [color=#3068FF][b]"Dammit,"[/b][/color] as she felt the gross sensation.

Ruben chuckled as he heard Evelyn land in the pile of applesauce. He didn't even know why it was there, but it was kind of funny to see someone not take his word and walk directly into that applesauce pile. [color=8882be]"I told you."[/color]

Lillian looked up at the noise. "[Color=pink] If you told her, why didn't you just point out where it was?[/color]" She asked curious. "[Color=pink] I mean, that seems mean not to. And that's not nice.[/color]" She scrunched up her nose a little.

"[color=8882be]Clancy takes both of my arms to hold, and I thought she could see it. Guess not, though.[/color]" Ruben felt a little guilty in not telling Evelyn where it was, but at the same time, she tried figuring out if applesauce was code when it literally meant applesauce.

Lillian pursed her lips. "[Color=pink]Mhmm.[/color]" She returned her attention to Clancy, effectively ignoring the other two temporarily.

Grumbling a bit as she tried to get up, she put her hand down...right in the puddle of applesauce, resulting in her recoiling and twitching a bit. [color=#3068FF][b]"No one help me or anything,"[/b][/color] she muttered, kind of annoyed before she finally managed to rise to her feet, covered in applesauce below the waist, not to mention what was on her right hand and forearm.

She'd been in such a good mood too. She looked over at Ruben, unamused, [color=#3068FF][b]"A predictive ability that doesn't tell you where things will happen is pretty shit."[/b][/color] She said bluntly before turning to walk away, heading for her room to wash off.

[color=8882be]"Why don't'cha come over here and tell me that? I was born this way. You got lucky."[/color] Ruben lowered Clancy down for Lillian to hold him as he raised his voice towards Evelyn.

"[Color=pink]Hey, no yelling[/color]," Lillian muttered distractedly.

She didn't even bother turning around, clenching her jaw instead, Her voice came out sounding tense, restrained, [color=#3068FF][b]"Not worth the effort, plus I need to wash off all this fucking [i]applesauce[/i]."[/b][/color] She kept walking, now paying attention to the ground to make sure she didn't slip on anything else.

[color=8882be]"Hold Clancy for a minute."[/color] Overlook said as he walked towards Evelyn. [color=8882be]"So [i]now[/i] you pay attention to the ground."[/color]

[color=#3068FF][b]"I got distracted okay, and your warning wasn't super helpful,"[/b][/color] this time she [i]had[/i] stopped, turning around, her clean hand finding itself resting on her hip. She did not appear amused.

[color=8882be]"I told you there was applesauce and you'd slip in it."[/color] Ruben told the truth, even if it was vague. He was also speaking with no inflections in his voice, making it sound slightly mocking if anything.

"[Color=pink]Oh, Clancy, you're so adorable. So soft. So warm[/color]," Lillian muttered, barely paying attention to the argument.

Evelyn's eyebrow twitched slightly, she took a deep breath, painfully aware of the presence of her projection as she did, before responding. [color=#3068FF][b]"Actually, you said I would [i]'meet'[/i] applesauce in the near future, and to be fair your power thought Lillian was a T-Rex, sooo."[/b][/color]

[color=8882be]"[i]To be fair[/i], I told you that your face wouldn't meet it, so what else but your foot. Guess you aren't as smart as this guy who lived his entire life in a bunker."[/color] Ruben's leg collapsed as he fell. The magnetic leg had failed him. [color=8882be]"AH FUCK!"[/color]

Lillian looked up sharply. "[Color=pink]I said no yelling,[/color]" she said darkly. "[Color=pink]And I am a T-Rex. I go RAWRRRR.[/color]" Her attention was solely on the others now, irritated.

Clancy tried to escape from the arms of the teen, but he failed. Her grip on his warm little body was too great.

Evelyn opened her mouth to warn Ruben, and then he fell, swearing loudly and her anger almost immediately melted away. Even partially covered in applesauce she felt inclined to help. She approached Ruben, but rather than offering him a hand or to help him up she realized that getting him dirty as well--while a nice piece of revenge--was just...not necessary.

Ruben saw Evelyn's feet out of the corner of his eye, and as he fixed his leg back to it's magnetic spot, he had to say something to Evelyn. [color=8882be]"... are you coming onto me?"[/color] He remembered reading something about 'playing hard to get' somewhere before, and she seemed like someone who would do that. [color=8882be]"If you are, that's kinda gross, man."[/color]

She had just been about to use her projection to help him up, when he decided to hit her with something right from out of left field. It was like he'd smacked her in the face. She took a step back, kind of stunned for a moment, but it didn't last for long. She took another two steps back, feeling the roar of emotion start in her chest and move up through her body. She gritted her teeth and swallowed hard, closing her eyes a moment before looking down at him, her eyes narrowed.

[color=#3068FF][b]"First of all, no. Second of all why in the hell would you think that?"[/b][/color] There was a dangerous look in her eyes and her tone conveyed just how thin the ice Ruben was standing on really was.

[color=8882be]"I've lived in a bunker my whole life, man. Hardly any actual conversations were had,"[/color] Ruben explained as he stood up. [color=8882be]"Sorry if I offended you."[/color]

Her stomach dropped and her features relaxed ever so slightly, but the anger wouldn't just go away, it never did. She almost opened her mouth, but instead decided to bite her lip to shut herself up. [color=#3068FF][b]"Yeah..."[/b][/color] she begun, and then turned around and walked away, [color=#3068FF][b]"...we can talk later. Maybe,"[/b][/color] and then she disappeared around the corner.

[color=8882be]""APPLESAUCE!"[/color]

She dodged it, swearing rather loudly from around the corner before calling back, [color=#3068FF][b]"SHUT UP!"[/b][/color]

[color=8882be]"YOU'RE WELCOME!"[/color]

"[Color=pink]QUIT FUCKING YELLING[/color]!" Lillian yelled herself, huffing. "[Color=pink]At least the puppy was here. This wasn't any fun.[/color]"

[color=8882be]"Sorry Lillian... want my hoodie...? You seem cold."[/color] Ruben could see she was visibly shaking as he went back to go and retrieve Clancy. He planned on sending the Eye into doing some of his own recon later.

Lillian shook her head, cuddling Clancy. Inadvertently her mind brought up the image of Messiah. "[Color=pink]I'll be alright,[/color]" she murmured. "[Color=pink]I suppose I have to let you take the puppy now,[/color]" she pouted.

[color=8882be]"Are you absolutely sure you do not want my hoodie?"[/color] Ruben asked again.

Lillian considered, deciding against the idea with a shake of her head. "[Color=pink] I'll be fine.[/color]"

[color=8882be]"... I mean okay."[/color] Ruben calmly scooped Clancy out of Lillian's arms. As he picked his little buddy up, Clancy licked Lillian once again on her forehead before Ruben left the hallway, walking back to his room.

[color=8882be]"If you ever wanna see Clancy, he'll be in my room with me."[/color]

Lillian beamed. "[Color=pink] You can count on that one...uhhhh. I don't actually know you.[/color]"

[color=8882be]"Overlook, or Ruben if you'd prefer my first name. I live here now... so..."[/color]

She nodded. "[Color=pink]Tiger Lily, or Lillian. I'mma dinosaur.[/color]"

[color=8882be]"That's dope."[/color]

Lillian giggled, waving as she followed Evelyn in direction. What else could she get into before bed time?