Log: A (dusty) new arrival

[punched_hitler]

Who: Steve Rogers and OTA (including roomies in apartment B4)
When: March 14th-ish, upon arrival
Where: ADI and ADI housing
Summary: Steve arrives at ADI, bangs around in an air duct and collects lots of dust, then gets briefed and takes a look around, ultimately making it to his new living quarters
Warnings: None yet, will update/warn in threads if needed.


Arrival via air duct
Steve Rogers is not a complete stranger to suddenly finding himself in places he hadn't expected to be.

But it's always unsettling, and this time maybe even more so than any others. He'd been in Asgard one minute, and the next — Well. It's a good thing he doesn't have asthma anymore. Because wherever he is, it's dark, cramped, and full of dust.

He also feels… kind of like shit. Weak. Disoriented. Actually, a lot like the old asthma attacks, just with (fortunately) less gasping and choking. Okay, some minor gasping and choking. It's really dusty in here.

Where he'd normally just consider breaking through the damn side of the duct — because yeah, okay, this is an air duct, he's pretty sure — he both feels unsteady enough not to try and unsure enough of where he is that he… probably shouldn't? Not until he knows more. Which has him crawling forward, Mjolnir's strap looped around one wrist, until he spots a vent up ahead. Plan A, then: Kick it in and get the hell out of here. And hope for the best.

(Hope he fits through the vent, in the first place.)




Looking around, settling in
Steve Rogers is also not unaccustomed to the idea of preventing the apocalypse. What he is unaccustomed to is the idea that using any of the abilities the serum grants him requires terrorizing and murdering people. That's just —

Well. He's lived more of his life without superhuman abilities than not. He'll just… not use them, for now.

It is frustrating. He was in the middle of mission. It was, you know, kind of important. But he's still got the soul stone tucked safely away, even if his quantum suit seems to have disappeared (collapsed into the watch, he has to assume, but he can't reactivate it), and if he's needed here, then he supposes he can afford the pit stop. Technically, he's got all the time in the world. Right?

So, he decides to take a look around ADI, still in his dusty Captain America uniform as he walks the halls and pokes his head into offices, the gym, the canteen, and the library. He maybe pokes around for something to eat in the canteen (he's... very hungry) and then stops to study the local maps and directories in the library, committing them to memory.

He finally makes it to the apartments. By the time he shows up at the right door — B4 — he's at least wearing jeans and a hoodie, although his hair is a still bit dusty and there's still that hefty warhammer in one hand. He figures he might as well knock instead of just walking in. It might be his place, now, but it seems like a little politeness is the safer option when meeting potentially apocalypse-averting teammates.

Comments

[punched_hitler]

Huh, really? [Interesting. Steve had maybe just kind of assumed it was.

But a year - that is a long time. Definitely long enough to get settled in.] I think that's the longest of anyone I've met so far - at least, that didn't start out here. And you... trust ADI?

[It's implied, maybe in the fact that he's living here, but still worth asking. Even if it's not typical "getting to know you" small talk.]

[the_archivist]

Not by ADI at least. Can't speak for any horrific fear entities existing outside reality.

[Well, he can't speak for them any more at least.]

I- no? I don't trust them. Too many people, not enough information about founders and funding sources.

[He can't exactly go and ask 'so are any of you really several hundred year old occultists who've been stealing bodies?']

But it's the best option to keep getting information.

[punched_hitler]

They do seem to have a distinct interest in things around here. [Given what he's learned, recently. Mostly that there are horrific fear entities around here - and they seem to want to strike up relationships. He'll just stay normal human-levels of strong, thanks.

(He'll try.)

What he is pleased about, though, is Jon's candor. In fact, he seems more relaxed - almost relieved.] That - is probably true, [he concedes, because it sure is one way to get information.] I have to admit, I've been fooled by sales pitches before. Sometimes those pitches were even earnest... and they still ended up being problematic. Not that I'm against averting apocalypses. I just want to make sure I'm averting the right ones.

[the_archivist]

I mean, I'm fairly sure they have a distinct interest in the whole world, but I will confess there does seem to be a nexus of events which occur here.

[In the same way the Institute had been, he supposes. Maybe the entities just really don't like ADI. Which would imply that at least one power has sway here.]

I mean, I'm fairly sure apocalypses in general are a bad thing. Especially a fear apocalypse. I'm not objecting to their desire to want the world to not end.

[punched_hitler]

I guess it makes sense. Things... find places to concentrate. [Whether it's a natural occurrence or because something like ADI has set up shop here.

He does laugh softly, though, because,] I guess that was a poor way of putting it. It just seems to me that any time anyone or anything wants to wipe out someone else, they find ways to justify it to themselves. I don't want to buy the sales pitch without doing a little... independent research, is all.

[Schmidt had felt justified. Thanos had felt justified.]

[the_archivist]

I'm fairly sure that the entities main interest is just... hunger. I mean, from what I've read of them. Unfortunately that means making everyone scared all the time.

[It was a bit more complicated than that but not by much. The Eye wanted to know secrets, the Desolation wants to cause destruction, but in the end, it all came back to causing fear.]

Their various followers... probably the usual. Power. Devotion.

Fear.

[punched_hitler]

[Steve nods.] That's what I was told. To feed them, you have to frighten people.

He looks unhappy. Unimpressed. It's definitely not his style.

Not that he's any more impressed with someone willing to follow something like that for power. But he's not unfamiliar with those kinds of people, either. They're always there.]

Just another day at the office.

[Although, speaking of,] What's it like, working with the group here? ADI?

[the_archivist]

Essentially, yes.

[Frightening people makes it sound so childish though, like you're jumping out from behind a door to make someone jump, rather than causing intense long-term trauma.]

It's... fine? I mainly work in research so there's a lot of paperwork. But it's also not safe. Things keep happening.

[punched_hitler]

I heard about the snow you had, recently, [Steve says with a nod, but that's the only specific example he's gotten so far.] I do know that if there's one way to keep people distracted from getting too close to a solution, it's - well. To make sure things keep happening.

[the_archivist]

Assuming there is a solution.

[Which there isn't. Not a permanent one, not really. Even if no-one actually figures out how to create a ritual that works, people still get hurt.]

[punched_hitler]

[That makes Steve smile ruefully.] There's always a solution.

Sometimes you just have to get a little creative.

[And not give up halfway through. He... still wishes they had been able to do something sooner, back home. But there's no changing that part of things, at least.]

I just don't know enough about the situation yet. But that can change.

[the_archivist]

[He wants to laugh at that. He'd thought rescuing Martin from the Lonely and running to Scotland was a solution and look what had happened! Or trying to stop the Entities by starving them, or sending them away... well, that had worked and look what had happened.]

Well, if you have any ideas of how to permanently stop entities that exist outside reality, I'd be thrilled to hear it.

[punched_hitler]

I'll let you know what I come up with, [Steve promises, and he's actually not being facetious. He needs a little more time, a little more information - a little more experience. But he genuinely does plan to evaluate the situation as best he can, and try to come up with some options.]

In the meantime, any house rules you'd like me to know about? Other than Be a decent roommate.

[the_archivist]

[He wishes he could be optimistic. But optimism had never actually helped him. And he just knows too much.]

I can't think of anything. If you find any tape recorders let me know. And if things start getting covered with cobwebs or you see spiders... also let me know.

[punched_hitler]

[That gets a slow nod.] Noted.

Are we talking... just regular spiders?

[Somehow, it feels like that is a relevant question to ask.]

[the_archivist]

Any spiders. Bad experiences. And I don't trust them.

[Since joining the Institute, maybe even before, cobwebs and spiders have never been innocent, never been coincidental.]

[punched_hitler]

Got it. I'll keep an eye out.

And keep the place clean. Never hurts.

I guess all that's left now is to find a department at ADI that'll take me, and keep my ear to the ground.

[the_archivist]

ADI has been very accomodating in terms of letting people choose where they want to work. It really depends on where your skills lie.

I work in research.

[punched_hitler]

[Steve nods.

There's a pause, but then he decides to add:] My skills are normally physical. [Which, yeah, okay, he still looks like a guy whose skills are physical. But,] I'm enhanced. Normally. I'm told I won't... "have access" to anything above human baseline without feeding an entity.

[His voice is calm, but he doesn't necessarily sound happy. He's not. He's curious what someone in research has to say about something like that, though.]

[the_archivist]

Ah yes, that seems to be the case for any abilities that go beyond the purely human. The entities rather seem to have a monopoly on that. It's a risky thing anyway. Seems as though you're as likely to be consumed as you are to find favour.

[punched_hitler]

Seems like the best bet for everyone is to just... not play along.

[He frowns, but,] You don't need powers to make a difference.

[Says the guy who sort of did, but - well. Jon doesn't need to know that. Steve can grapple with how that makes him feel on his own time. On his own.]

[the_archivist]

If it was that easy, I doubt it would be as much of a problem. Some people want power, some people are just... scared, and searching for something that can protect them.

[He remembers Mike Crew, what he'd said about being chased by the Spiral... and he'd had to turn to the Vast to escape.]

[punched_hitler]

No, I get that. It's not easy.

But I definitely don't want to add to the problem. I'm just not sure how to make sure I don't.

[the_archivist]

I don't know if there's a way to guarantee it, unfortunately. But it's a choice I think. Even if you don't realise it's one.

Sorry. I don't have much useful concrete information. They don't really work that way.

[punched_hitler]

No, it's all right. Life never has guarantees.

Guess I'll just have to be careful.

And squash any spiders I see.