in the aching night under satellites i was not received

[shrinkage]

Who: Ray Palmer and friends (that means you, sorry!)
Where: Anywhere you'd like!
When: 1-Aug
Rating: PG-13
Summary: After returning from home, Ray re-adjusts to Wonderland from a "normal" perspective.
The Story:

OPEN

[ ray misjudges everything, now. descending the stairs tends to send him flying in a tumble a few floors past where he'd wanted to stop off. he keeps forgetting that he definitely can drink an entire latte. there's this ongoing issue he has with the height of doors that requires quick resolution lest his forehead bear a permanent bruise for the rest of his days…

so when he bumps into you, it may seem like it's with malicious intent or the result of willful oblivion but immediately, he jumps to apologize: ]

Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! [ did he just say gosh? who is this guy, jimmy fallon? ] Are you OK?

Comments

[circlejerked]

_{[Does he mean himself for being tiny enough to step on, or Anders for knowing actual dwarves? Well, either way, both are true.]}

You've left, too? Why am I the only one who hasn't left yet?

_{[Is there something you want to tell him, Wonderland?]}

But look at you, all normal-sized. _{[A sweeping hand gesture encompasses Ray from head to toe.]} I like the look. Did your time away sort you out?

[shrinkage]

I think so, yeah! I haven't given it much thought because I'm still trying to adjust to everything being of a relatively normal size.

[ he does offer anders a normal sized hand in conjunction with a normal sized smile. ]

It's nice to officially meet you, uhh-- you know, I don't remember if I got your name?

[circlejerked]

Not needing to undertake a ten hour hike to climb the stairs must be a silver lining for you.

<sub>[He'd missed Ray's adventures as a giant while he'd been nose-deep in a magic text, so it's a little strange to see him now and think back to Ray's tiny features set in the body of someone the size of a stickman.

Strange, but a good strange.]</sub>

It's Anders. _{[He moves to accept the handshake. Congrats on your normal-sized hands, Ray, they're a very respectable size.]} I'm glad to see you worked it out and didn't meet a tragic end at the hands of a fly swatter.

[shrinkage]

[ he doesn't bother correcting anders' idea that being tiny made ray immobile, because he's too caught up in being ashamed for having forgotten his name. the further he gets from life as ray palmer, ceo, the more his habits and priorities shift. maybe it's actually a good sign. ]

Anders. Right, sorry! Yeah, I'm officially no longer a cat toy. [ woo hoo! ] And apparently I was only gone a week here-- it was a lot longer back home.

[circlejerked]

_{[Anders shrugs and smiles jokingly.]}

Considering we're in a realm that regularly mucks around with our memories, I'll let it slide. I almost didn't recognize you.

_{[So they're even. Anders would've walked on past without ever being the wiser--so much for that Grey Warden vigilance they're supposed to pride themselves on.]}

You don't say? The time distortion must be a head-spinner for you. _{[That's one joy Anders hasn't experienced himself yet.]} But you don't have grey in your hair, so I'm guessing you didn't jump forward a decade or some ridiculous amount like that.

[shrinkage]

Well-- not technically, no. And I was thinking it's more the sudden and forceful acquisition of memories I made here. I still feel a little woozy, honestly.

[ wonderland you are not cute. ray is gonna break up with you!!! ]

[circlejerked]

_{[Well, when he puts it that way, brainwashing and memory wiping don't sound very fun at all, do they? Anders lets the mirth go and lifts an eyebrow.]}

On a scale of one to ten, how woozy is "woozy," exactly? One being "scratching my head" and ten being "cross-eyed on the verge of passing out"? It hasn't happened to me before, but I understand Wonderland doesn't have the gentlest touch.

_{[He really doesn't envy Ray the feeling of having two worlds collide in the confines of his head.]}

[shrinkage]

Feeling OK currently. I'd say a 4 at the moment?

[ does he pass? ]

Hopefully enough that I can take a stroll outside, get some fresh air. Feel like a walk?

[circlejerked]

_{[We're within acceptable woozy limits for now. The treatment plan is a stiff drink, bed rest, and something chocolatey and heavy in calories for breakfast in the morning.]}

I won't worry about getting out the smelling salts until at least a six. I'd say "welcome back," but I suppose a triumphant return isn't much to celebrate.

_{[After barely a moment's consideration, Anders smiles and nods at the suggestion. Join Ray as he gets his sea legs back? Why not, it's not like he's doing anything else important right now and admittedly he'd feel a bit remiss just up and leaving the guy in his state.]}

Sure, if you're up for the company.

[shrinkage]

I don't make offers I'm not willing to fulfill.

[ c'mon anders let's go frolick in the fields. ]

I'm actually trying to see if there are any remnants of my suit from when I grew fourteen sizes too big. How are your eyes?

[circlejerked]

_{[Anders hasn't had cause to see Ray in action, but he sounds utterly businesslike in that moment, earning a slight smile. That's good he's still walking, talking, and relatively mentally sound. Anders is glad when he sees people able to rebound after Wonderland throws them a curveball; he knows from experience it's hell having thin skin.]}

In that case, consider it an offer I can't pass up. Lucky timing when you bumped into me.

<sub>[Let the frolicking commence! The birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, and it's a beautiful day to--

... Wait, wait. Back up.]</sub>

You grew too big? No way, and I missed it? _{[Anders' eyes are, for the record, wide and the look in them is a tad disappointed.]} You might very well be Alice's successor when all of this is said and done. What happened, your shape-shifting suit broke apart again?

[shrinkage]

Hmm, you think?

[ what? ray is not imagining himself as a blonde what do you mean ]

But yeah-- I was trying to fix it and I broke it worse. But I blame Wonderland. I checked and rechecked my data, and it was solid. ...Mostly.

[circlejerked]

I bet you could pull off the pinafore look.

_{[Ray, you missed your calling. Those hips were clearly made for pinafore dresses, not futuristic robot suits.]}

Ah, that "mostly" will get you every time. Wonderland magic and science don't seem to mix well. So you outgrew your suit? Literally? That's the worst case of growing pains I've heard of.

_{[Searching for metallic needles in a haystack? Sure, why not, he's in.]}

I guess we'd better start looking.

[shrinkage]

The suit grew with me. We're looking for a teeny tiny itsy bitsy yellow quantum manifold.

[ ray winces-- he didn't really think through to the end and the fact that there was really no rhyme to be had here. ]

Anyway, it's a long shot, and really just a matter of pride. Especially if the grounds clean themselves the way the mansion does? But I just need to get them if they're here.

[ and down ray goes, on all fours, running his hands through the grass. ]

[circlejerked]

You don't seem to have much luck holding onto that thing.

<sub>[This quantum manifold is like the opposite of a bad penny, never where Ray wants it. If Anders is skeptical of their odds at finding his shrunken manifold, he doesn't show it.

He has to feel for the guy. If he'd left something personal behind in Wonderland, he'd want to find it, too.]</sub>

What's it made out of? Could be magnetized, hypothetically? I could try a spell to draw it this way.

[shrinkage]

[ blink. ]

You could try a-- oh my god, yes please. There's a lot of metal in it but mostly I would really love to see you do a spell.

[ was that too forward? sorry! ray is a fast date, anders... ]

[circlejerked]

_{[He laughs--an actual honest, unexpected laugh--which settles into a mirthful smile.]}

Excited by a little spellwork? That's a pleasant change. I wish my world had more people like you in it. _{[Enthusiasm is much preferred over... throwing rocks and screaming about demons and dangerous apostates and all that fun stuff.]} Well, it would be my pleasure to work some magic for you. If I create an electric field, it might be enough to magnetize anything metallic in the area. Hypothetically.

_{[He rubs his hands together as he looks out at the grass, going over the threads of the spell he'll have to weave together. He doesn't know a single thing about electrons or electromagnets, but he does know how to harness lightning and the energy therein.]}

All right, let's see what we can do!

<sub>[Hand out, Anders spreads his fingers, a summoning gesture. He doesn't use an incantation--he's practiced enough with storm magic not to need it--but a tingle like static electricity starts to noticeably build in the air once he starts letting loose a trickle of mana. He skips over himself and Ray--no point in magnetizing anything on their bodies. That's not what they're looking for.

The unseen ripple extends outward past them, into the field beyond. There. A little gentle tugging and anything small, light, and metallic in range should start to gather at their feet. Eat your heart out, Magneto.]</sub>

[shrinkage]

〈 the hair on ray's arms reacts to the static and he shivers with the sudden and unnatural presence of ozone-- but it's a rush that brings a wide and manic grin to his face. this is the actual coolest. for all the magic of wonderland, he's still never seen it in quite this manner. he's rapt; and not paying attention to all the tiny pieces of his own invention hopping along to the rhythm of the laws of nature. which anders is commanding. 〉

This is amazing. How-- what-- wow...

[circlejerked]

<sub>[Anders' attention is on the carefully balanced electrical field he's trying to maintain without letting it crumble under too much power or too little, but he can hear the surprise in Ray's voice. It's charming that a little finesse work can earn such an awestruck reaction.

You science guys are adorable.]</sub>

It's all in the wrists, really. Lightning isn't that... hard to channel... _{[Gently, gently... It'd be super lame if he slipped up now.]} There! I think that's everything. close by.

_{[When the last of the debris settles on the ground, Anders eases off the spell, letting the magnetic effect fade.]}

The range isn't that great, though. We'd have a better shot if we could narrow down the location.

[shrinkage]

[ adorable? well gosh. but seriously!!! from the perspective of a physicist who has traveled through time and thought maybe nothing would surprise him ever again, ray retains a childlike glee and curiosity for things of the new. ]

Well-- maybe we could amplify it. Can you adjust for a specific frequency? Or is that more in the elbows?

[ raymond pls don't tease the dude that is helping you!!! ]

[circlejerked]

You mean feel my way around like a bat? Become one with the metal? The secret is it's all in the hips.

<sub>[#themoreyouknow

But back to theorizing, those things could be possible, though the difference in their backgrounds is showing through with their different terminology.]</sub>

Working in tandem with another mage could do the trick to reach a wider area... _{[Thoughtfully, Anders steps up to the small pile of metallic goodies, curious to see what the magnetic tooth fairy has brought them. He picks up a piece of bent metal about the size of a sovereign. It looks like something that fell off a piece of IKEA furniture.]} I hope this wasn't part of your suit. It'd be in rough shape if this is all that's left.

[shrinkage]

No, actually the suit grew with me-- that is a uhh, grounding plate?

[ considering their verbiage differences, ray lilts upward in hopes that his common is on point. he chuckles, reaching to point at the darkened edges. ]

Yeah, see it's singed around the edges. Definitely didn't do its job!

[circlejerked]

So does that mean this manifold thing is in a few big pieces or a lot of tiny ones?

_{[Anders gives the hunk of broken metal between his thumb and forefinger a curious look. It just looks like broken metal to him.]}

Is any of this still... usable?

[shrinkage]

[ his shrug is the most exaggerated of shrugs, and then ray holds his hand out, palm up. ]

Hmm. I'll have to get it back to my room and shrink down to examine it all. It might just be better to dispose of it. [ hang on. ray's eyes pop wide. ] Wait where does all the garbage go? Nevermind, it's-- I just wouldn't feel comfortable leaving it all out here like this.

[circlejerked]

_{[Anders sets the bit of debris back down on the pile and sighs.]}

That's too bad if your quantum manifold super suit-y thing is beyond salvaging, but... you know, maybe you ought to avoid any more spontaneous shrinking or growing.

_{[Or the next thing Anders might be combing through blades of grass for is a tiny Ray all over again.]}

I always assumed the trash disappears to wherever our dignity and personal freedom went. On the bright side, picking up litter probably counts as community service? Saving the environment and all. Karmic brownie points right there.