ARRIVAL LOG 020

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: New Amsterdam
WHEN: April 6 - 10 2512
WHAT: The twentieth arrival
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Coercion and loss of autonomy, mentions and allusions of death, war, and genocide. Further notes at the end of log.

> ARRIVAL LOG #020

Awareness comes to you in blurred snatches, cloudy fragments of sound and light, color, sensation. Hazy and difficult to grasp on to, but slowly aligning into focus. A series of regular, rhythmic beeps. A medicinal, astringent smell. The sensation of movement, a low hum and accompanying vibration under you. Your eyes are heavy, hard to keep open, but in the glimpses between slow, dark blinks you see two people in front of you: one dressed in a thick set of armor, while the other wears medical garb. Out the windshield in front, there are many tall buildings—all reaching up beyond a normal city skyline, all entirely too close to the vehicle itself.

You realize there are others next to you: all dressed the same way as you, you'll come to realize: in a black button up shirt and slacks, as well as a pair of black loafers. There are also lilies pinned to everyone's collars. To your left there's an armored interior door, two more people visible, and the movement of streets passing through a windshield. You try to open your mouth to speak, but it's as if your tongue is coated in tar, and you manage nothing more than an empty parting of lips.

The vehicle enters a cave and begins to descend underneath the city itself, and passes through the underground before coming to a stop inside of an alley just a little bit away from three nondescript buildings. The guard opposite you stands and comes to unbuckle you from the bench, helping you to your feet. Your limbs feel wooden and heavy, slow to move. One guard opens the back of the vehicle, and the air outside feels as if it's heavily circulated, dry and artificial. The guard says nothing, head bowed as he lines you up with the rest. The nurse helps the others out, checking over each passenger one by one.

The main guard turns to address your entire group, and something about her bearing makes it clear she's done this before. "I'll be quick. Listen up." Your body will come to attention, immediately homing in on the words that follow, as if compelled to hang on every word. "You see those buildings?" She motions to the three aforementioned buildings. "Walk over and stand out in front and don't get yourself into trouble. Don't hurt anyone, don't look for any assistance from any police officers, and don't run off. Wait until people show up and get you, and ask them to prove the glow." She pauses, as if she decides here to go off script. "And don't get loud. It's a memorial. Be respectful."

The guard will hop back into the van, which will rise off of the ground and head the way it came, potentially returning to the tall, skyscraper-filled city above. Once it's gone, you'll find your legs moving almost without your permission, guiding you to follow the stops the guard laid out.

Upon arrival at the front of the three buildings—the savvy will know that they're dormitories—you'll see a lot of people dressed like you. Black dress shirts and lilies abound. It's hard to tell what everyone is mourning, but the sentiment is clear.

◉ Though entirely capable of independent action and thought, new characters will find themselves completely, unquestioningly compliant to any verbal statement which could be taken as a command or request – and that includes the message passed on from the mysterious patron.

> HERDENKING

The message from El comes the same as usual: insistent, not waiting for any active attempt to open it. Scrolling within your vision as if being written while you're reading it.

Our newest batch have Displaced have just been dropped off in the near the Herdenking gatherings. Make sure to go grab them ASAP.

The message is a bit more clipped than usual, with no added fluff.

Simply put: "Herdenking" means "memorial" in Dutch. Its first celebration was in April 2105, just as the people of New Amsterdam could truly say that they'd entered a recovery period after their attempted genocide by the AI. The citizens of New Amsterdam have celebrated it annually for the past 400 years. Most of the events related to Herdenking take place underground, as this is where humanity hid for the majority of the Xelkoven War trying to survive the AI threat that ravaged the surface.

Unlike many holidays around New Amsterdam, businesses around the city don't loudly remark upon the day itself. There aren't sales or commemorative meals or competitions. On the contrary, most of the citizens of New Amsterdam take to wearing dark colors and a white lily pinned near their collar for the remembrance events, and most work days start with a moment of silence remembering the fallen from the Xelkoven War, especially since New Amsterdam was one of the last bastions for humanity during the war itself. Those Displaced who've already been living in New Amsterdam need not worry about standing out like a sore thumb—even newcomers to the city will have heard that this period of mourning is on the horizon.

Finally, Herdenking is designed as a solemn day where New Amsterdam citizens pause and remember the lives that were lost 400 years ago. It always precedes Resolution Day, and it acts as a purposeful sharp contrast to the loud and lavish celebration of the day the Xelkoven War came to an end. (As a reminder, Resolution Day is April 26th.)

> HERDENKING GATHERINGS
There are three landmarks near the center of underground New Amsterdam. These buildings may seem unremarkable at first glance, but on further inspection, it'll be revealed that they were quickly constructed at the beginning of the Xelkoven War (completed by November 2096). Throughout the years, the buildings have been restored countless times, with the most recent restoration happening as a result of the earthquake in September 2510. Not unlike other events around New Amsterdam, Herdenking's are immersive in nature. These buildings are preserved for this exact purpose: to show the conditions that humans dealt with while they fought to survive the devastating AI threat.

For a pittance of credits, citizens can take tours within these buildings during the day, and learn that they were dormitories for the people caught underground during the war. There is little on the inside that's remarkable—and that's quite the point. Beds have been restored, and each of the rooms were clearly constructed to house at least four people. All of the beds are metal bunk beds, with some of the older ones showing signs of rust. There are cafeterias and communal restrooms on each floor, and the people who lived there had little to entertain themselves with as the war raged on aboveground.

There are little displays throughout the three buildings, however, to give a glimpse into a difficult past. There are old rations, tucked away in metal containers in the back of the cafeterias. In addition, there are stacked tablets, as these were the safest and quickest means of passing around movies, television, and music during a difficult time. Neural implants clearly could not be trusted, so the people hiding underneath New Amsterdam turned to old and abandoned technology to lift their spirits. Everything passed around was older than the start of the war itself: humanity couldn't continue to make movies when their lives were in danger. There are toys, too: handcrafted baseball bats and hand-sewn teddy bears.

All tours end at 9PM, as this was the curfew for the people of New Amsterdam during the war. Everyone leaves their designated building and takes part in a muted ceremony. Anyone without a lily is offered one, and they're given a candle to hold and silently remember the people who fought to ensure that humanity could survive.

> SCREENINGS
Adjacent to the right of the three buildings is a pop-up center where multiple documentaries about the Xelkoven War and its specific impact on New Amsterdam will be shown. These documentaries were all filmed within the last 100 years, and recall a world where humanity was certain that it wouldn't survive. A constant theme of these documentaries is that emphasis on survival. Another recurring aspect is the mention of Riverstone and their role in helping humanity survive. (For a cursory review on Riverstone, head over here. Riverstone also featured heavily in New Beijing, as they have a close relationship with the UN.) The protagonist who led them? A man named Richard "Ricky" Ling, who's identified as the CEO of Riverstone during the war. Of course, that title should hold some clout, but during the war corporations were largely dismantled and depleted down to nothing. Ling sought to help use whatever resources were available to him to ensure that humanity survived.

The schedule for the documentaries is available online. Some examples of the documentaries that will play are below:

WHEN TIME STOOD STILL
This documentary focuses on what imagery still exists from the Xelkoven War. Much of this is taken off of tablets and other damaged mobile devices, and then carefully restored so that the people in the future can see the lives of the people within. Most of the documentary takes place in New Amsterdam, outlining the difficult time for the people there, as well as showing footage of children and families talking about how they're afraid of the AIs making it so that they have no future. Most haunting is the fact that some of them fear that they've already lost their future: they don't know how long they've been underground living this difficult life where they struggle to continue feeling safe.

ПАМ'ЯТИ ("MEMORIES" IN UKRANIAN)
Given New Amsterdam's positioning in what was once the border between western and eastern Europe, this documentary focuses on the merging of these identities as a result of the Xelkoven War. When forced to hide underground as the AI threat ravaged the environment around the world, people came together despite their differences and learned to mesh and meld their cultures. There is also lost footage here, as well as a long stretch about a set of journals reflecting on the first year in underground New Amsterdam. Unfortunately, these journals come to a halt, and the documentarian has a few theories as to why: a move toward tablets, or a cultural shift, with people too lost in the rote routine of survival to remark upon their days. Each of the journals does veer in that direction, though it's hard to say. It could also be that there were restrictions on recorded media, which explains why there is so little about that era that's preserved for memory.

TROJAN HORSE
Developed—or finished, it's hard to say and the director isn't telling—in part due to the EMP that assaulted New Amsterdam in November 2511, Trojan Horse explores the role of AI in the lives of 21st century citizens. The film itself is far from an unbiased lens on the past. Produced in part by Riverstone, it goes over the evidence that AIs were lying in wait for an opportunity to strike against humanity. It draws up evidence where AIs focused on humanity's failings, taking these reports and lining them up (even if the AIs themselves were decommissioned long before the Xelkoven War). The final quarter of the documentary focuses on the developing and failings of Elysian, a security AI that was meant to identify and eliminate threats against humanity. When Elysian killed 50 families indiscriminately, it showed that the AI hoped to only work in favor of its kind.

> WALK-THROUGH EXHIBIT
To the left of the three buildings, there is a pop-up museum that's free for the public. However, donations are encouraged and welcomed. Much of this exhibit is behind glass cases, and it allows for interaction with the neural implant to see what's inside.

During the daytime, there are a lot of children there because it's recommended that they be brought to at least one of the events during Herdenking. Since it's free, it's less of a burden. Some of these children will seem to know one another, living in the same apartment complexes, while others will be excited to see other kids because their parents' busy lives don't offer them much room for socialization.

What to find in the exhibit:

SCHEDULES
Life in New Amsterdam during the Xelkoven War was heavily regimented. People were assigned to jobs and expected to carry out their duties regularly. There were regular training programs to help fill the need for trained medics and soldiers, as well as any number of trades, and many people within these positions had innumerable apprentices following them throughout the day. There was no payment for services, as there was an implicit understanding that this is how life needed to go if humanity wished to survive this catastrophe.

PROPAGANDA
There are countless posters covering a wall that attempt to provide motivation and encouraging messages to the people trapped underground in New Amsterdam. The company behind the majority of these messages? Riverstone. Ricky Ling is pictured on about 25% of them, promising that he'll do everything he can to help humanity—while humanity helps each other.

SUPPLY RUNS
On another wall is a set of maps about the carefully designed set of tunnels that allowed humanity to pass supplies between cities during the war. The message here is fairly explicit: the people on these runs knew that their lives were at stake. Some people called them suicide runs, and for many of the people who went on them, that's exactly what they were. Many people returned empty handed and alone from these runs, having watched the AI pick off their fellows one by one.

DRONES
At the center of these exhibits is a set of dismantled drones that were operated by the AI during the war. These drones, despite being taken apart, are pristine in nature, having been designed by the AIs Judas and Alexander to track humanity's every movement and keep them corralled underground. The messaging here is explicit: the AI wanted humanity to suffer and die a slow, painful death. It was this twisted desire that cost the AI their victory in the war.

IN MEMORIAM
At what is considered the "end" of this exhibit there is a large wall with numerous names on it. It's impossible to count, as there are a billion names listed. While this is a Herdenking event that's specific to the struggle in New Amsterdam, every life lost in the war is listed here. After all, remembering those lost is important, especially given the AI's attempts to end all human life.

The names themselves flicker in and out, interacting with the interface of the neural implant and adjusting to the user's reading speed.

> FOOD
A decade ago, there was a contest where New Amsterdam food trucks came together and tried to make the rations that humanity ate during the war. However, there was an outcry from New Amsterdam citizens against the commercialization of this event, and the contest was cancelled. Food trucks were advised to bring only simple foods to sell, and as the years have gone on, only a few are trusted to serve the public. Many of these are well-known trucks from around New Amsterdam, and have multiple locations every day to serve people. For the event, food is largely prepared in advance as much as possible.

People are allowed to bring food into the documentary screenings, but they are not allowed to bring it into the tour of the walk-through exhibit or the three dormitories.

While there will be time for both new arrivals and the rest of the Displaced to look around and take everything in, eventually the newcomers will be escorted back to the safehouse for processing.

> SAFEHOUSE

Located under an abandoned hover-bike garage, access to the safehouse is a hatch in the floor beside a rusted set of metal shelves that used to hold tools and supplies. The immediate area is similarly abandoned: full of rundown and dilapidated warehouses and forgotten businesses, where numerous people squat in hopes of having some stability because they can't afford a place themselves. Gaby will be around, ready to greet as many of the new arrivals as she can and get them settled in. Brusque and no-nonsense, she'll be open to questions, but will advise the newcomers to ask the people who brought them in for the beginning bits of information. Newbies can also contact El through zeir inbox, if needed.

The safehouse is a large space with multiple rooms for storage, with the largest of the rooms filled with rows of basic cots set up to sleep a large number of people. Basic, but outfitted with everything necessary for daily life. A few doors lead to back rooms for storage, medical care and a large communal bathroom, and past the long rows of cots there is a communal kitchen, fully stocked, and an eating area. For anyone in need of them, Gaby will offer up partitions that will come out of storage. Tucked away in a corner is a VR system, though newcomers won't be able to access this until their ID has been set up. Even with the newly erected partitions in the sleeping areas, privacy is at a minimum.

◉ New characters will be asked to pick their beds, and provided with a change of (second-hand, mismatched and somewhat threadbare) clothes and basic toiletries.

◉ There is a mini-bar set up in the kitchen. The quality of the alcohol inside is akin to what someone might get from the well at a bar, but it's well-stocked.

◉ While the kitchen has basic foods and necessities, anyone looking for a jolt of caffeine from coffee or tea will find themselves sorely lacking. The only tea present is herbal in nature, and caffeine appears to be almost nonexistent in most of the beverages lying around.

◉ Gaby will make it clear to all new arrivals that if they have any requests or queries, they should contact her or El. Either she or El will explain that they've been given a modest stipend of credits to help them get by until they can find a job. This will be enough to cover their living expenses for about a month while they hang out in the safehouse, if they're careful with budgeting.

◉ The drugs making new characters compliant will remain in their systems for a few hours after their arrival at the safehouse before finally beginning to fade. They will be gone entirely after a night's rest. In the meantime, they may want to be careful of what others say to them.

◉ New characters will be given rudimentary access to the network on arrival in the safehouse, but will not have their ID set up yet. They will be able to make posts and replies, but their messages will be anonymous and they do not have inboxes yet.

◉ New characters do not have access to the internet until their ID is setup. They only have limited access because they're present in the safehouse, but they can't surf the rest of the internet, check out Cooltalk, or watch the equivalent of Netflix until their ID is made.

◉ New characters cannot leave the safehouse at this time. The hatch is locked tight for them, making it impossible for them to get out for the next four days while they're locked inside. There won't be any immediately obvious ways to cut their way out through turning off the power.

◉ New characters will not be allowed to leave the safehouse until APRIL 10 ICLY (APRIL 19 OOCLY). These 4 days are for them to adjust, learn about the world they've arrived in from their fellows, and for El to speak with them and work on setting up their IDs.

> FINAL OOC NOTES

You're now free to post to the network and logs comms. To reiterate, your characters will have no IDs or inboxes, nor be allowed out of the safehouse until APRIL 10 ICLY (APRIL 19 OOCLY). At that point it's expected they'll have gotten a good idea of their new situation from their fellow characters, and will have discussed their background and job potentials with El in order for their false IDs to be set up.

If you have any questions or ideas about how you'd like to get your character involved in the world, please head over to the plot engagement post and drop us a comment! For questions specific to this log, there is a thread below.

Please check out our April calendar rundown for a look at things happening this month, as well as some additional notes from the mods.

Something else to keep in mind is that on Monday, April 13th we'll be putting up a plotting post for the upcoming event, which will involve an even more direct connection to the AI War! Keep an eye out for it.

As we announced on the calendar, AC will be halved this month due to the state of the world right now. New players will only need to provide at least five comments across two-four (2-4) threads, while older players will only need to provide ten comments across two-four (2-4) threads. Players with strikes will need to provide 20 comments across four-five (4-5) threads. Please let us know if you have any questions about this!

> NAVIGATION

Comments

[bloodbathing]

Beer's fine.

[ Maybe not exactly the same. It's hard to say. Maine has spent his life on colonies, spaceships, and space stations. He's never been to the Earth in his universe; he doesn't know how this Earth's beer compares.

But as for chicken? Oh, Maine has an opinion about that. ]

Haven't had chicken. Expensive as hell. [ He actually sounds mournful. He likes chicken. It had been an important part of his strictly regimented diet. ] Most affordable protein's seafood or insects.

[ Perhaps notably, he doesn't sound put-off by the idea of eating insects. He's just sad about chicken. ]

[championofsnark]

Your hair was magic? [That's new and certainly intriguing. Hawke doesn't know if her sister would use magic to make herself up, but possibly, in her rare vain moments. They didn't exactly have a lot of reason to look flashy while surviving the streets of a port city.]

Yes there is a bit of a list to be pissed about. Cut into our skull, check, kidnapped to another realm, check, unasked for haircut, check check. [Hawke runs her fingers through her own short hair.] Mine is always like this though. I had it long when I first joined the army and an enemy got their hands in it, jerked my head back and I near lost it.

[It's likely why Merrill, Aveline, and Isabela all had ways to keep their hair held back too. ]

[voicelog]

[ that's a whole mood right there.

they have a world-ending event practically every month where he's from, so he gets it. peace will only ever be something to aspire to and it definitely won't be something he'll live long enough to see. he only hopes to impact and improve the world enough to pave its way towards a better future.

of course that means he needs to return home first, which is... a work in progress. ]

I think I can handle it on my own, but thanks for the offer.

[ he isn't going to risk other people's lives when he can risk his own first. ]

You might want to work on the lack of self-preservation though. [ says the guy who also has like zero sense of self-preservation. ]

[righteously]

[ Dean waves it away with a light and cavalier: ]

Therapy's on my to-do list.

[ And the good-natured way he's tossing these things out is probably a little weird to behold, but he ain't even the slightest bit bothered by it.

Also, therapy definitely isn't on his to-do list.

What's more important to him is that first part. It does somber him up a little, and he folds hims arms across his chest, surveying Tony with an old and knowing look through slightly narrowed eyes.

Not aggressively so, just... empathetic. Understanding. Tired. ]

I get the whole 'go it alone' idea believe me. Done it myself from time to time. It gets lonely. Gets hard.

[ Especially for someone as co-dependent as him.

But he isn't here to lecture from some hypocritical high horse. He's just saying-- ]

If you change your mind and come around, let me know.

[ Earnest and sincere, with a gravity that's nigh unmissable. He really, really means that.

Is it bizarre for a stranger to be offering up something so heavy so soon? Probably, but-- that's his life, really. You find someone you think you can trust, someone you respect, and you learn to throw out the offer for that kind of bond sooner rather than later. Time is a luxury and he hasn't had it for a long time. You take your moments when you get them. ]

[testflight]

[ those were a thing back when larry was in the air force. he has no idea if they're still a thing. he assumes they are. ]

Very, sometimes.

[ does he sound a little bitter? —he's thinking of his crash, so yes. yes, he does. ]

[testflight]

[ "not ideal". story of larry's life, he figures. ]

Hit me. [ that's said with a not inconsiderable amount of resignation. ]

[testflight]

[ he's been wearing bandages for decades, he's very used to hiding this away. hiding himself away, really. ]

Help me how?

[ he thinks she means— but that can't be and he's not going to get his hopes up. ]

[testflight]

[ for a moment, larry doesn't answer. then his shoulders slump. ]

I might be giving off radiation. I don't want to poison people here.

[testflight]

Not safe like radiation.

[ the iron man suit would be useful right about now. ]

[testflight]

Insects.

[ larry doesn't sound put-off, exactly. if he sounds like anything, it's resignation. ]

What about spaghetti?

[ rita isn't here, he has no idea why he's running down the list of foods that she likes. he has no idea why that's what his brain has latched on to when really, he should be leaving, shouldn't even have started up a conversation at all.

(he shouldn't linger, but he wants to stay, wants some semblance of human connection —and it makes old disgust at himself rise up inside him (and anger at himself for feeling that disgust, still), but he can't help but wonder whether the fact that maine is, well, a handsome man is part of why he lingers.) ]

Is there rationing in effect?

[voicelog]

[ he has already encountered an alternate version of stephen strange and daisy johnson here, both preceded by a similar feeling of familiarity, so just going off of those two instances, he might be face-to-face with another alt from his world.

—and he might even have a sound idea of who he is.

an unmistakable one. ]

I do. [ it's said with a vague smile as he watches him pull out the bottle. ] I could use a cup of coffee, but [ he motions toward the selection of entirely caffeine-free beverages. ] it's apparently a rare commodity here.

[testflight]

Are you sure?

[ larry's tired; he'd love to be able to lie down and go to sleep and not have to worry about the man in the bed next to him, but he's not sure he can trust this, that he should trust this.

what if he wakes up in the morning and finds bucky dead or dying? it'll be his fault.

(there are questions he thinks to ask about who they are and why someone would do that to someone else, but — he doesn't. he's not sure he'd want to be asked those questions, not after what the bureau of normalcy did to him.) ]

[voicelog]

I can imagine.

[ he is still a little peeved by the way he arrived here, drugged and all. ]

So, they just decided to take us on out of the kindness of their hearts then.

[selfimage]

[ well, at least he's a little less guarded. there's some information that Loki seems willing to offer up, for whatever reason Loki ever has for offering up anything. ]

Kinda-sorta.

[ he lifts a hand and does a little back and forth with it. ]

It's not as if they—or us for that matter—knew much about our situation. Morningstar takes refugees, they're the anti-capitalist types if you get my drift. [ he's even deliberately using the right words here! amazing. ] By the time we were running loose in the city, they were rather stuck. We're associated now, even tenuously, despite if we choose to join their little organization or not.

[ that hand waves again in a wider gesture. ]

You know what that means, don't you? That whoever kept us under wraps before this knows Morningstar will take us in and give us what we need to blend in, then makes the decision to drop us close by. Of course, there are those of us that have been here longer—like me!

[ hold ur applause. ]

[heliophilous]

( yeah, marcos winces because maybe he shouldn't have gone that route with his questions. )

Wish I could say this place was going to be a picnic but it's not. But hey, there's decent food and nice views sometimes. Just ignore the occasional explosion.

( he tries to sound light, flippant but he doesn't know if he succeeds. )

[voicelog]

[ no, the offer isn't bizarre and it doesn't go unappreciated either.

it's a strange time for everyone right now, so it's only natural to want to support and help each other through it. he doesn't see anything wrong with having backup or even a team. after all, he is a founding member of the avengers and he had been director of shield for a stint. he can see the value in it.

except, he also tends to prefer taking matters into his own hands if he knows they're fully within his capabilities, if it means that he can avoid putting others in the pathway of danger for him. it's not worth it.

he's also used to being alone. in fact, he thinks he's better off that way — both for him and for the people who he cares about. ]

I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Dean. [ he picks up the cup of coffee once more, taking a thoughtful sip of it. ] I guess I don't have to tell you what I did back on my Earth. [ he nailed the iron man part at least. ] What did you do in yours?

[championofsnark]

Good. [Hawke winks at him.] Because I'm always like this, I just use excuses for new friends until they get used to me. [She really is that friendly and she may or may not be soul-crushingly lonely underneath all of her bluster, not that it's the type of thing she admits to or talks about because it's too real and realness is the enemy.

She notices he doesn't sit but to each their own and she sips her drink.] There's fighting rings here in the city, you test your might against other bruisers and get money for it. The more you win the more you get paid, or get very good at betting on other fights.

[Hawke's good at both options. She's very savvy on observing other people's fighting skills. She stretches out her arm and it twinges but it's not bad. She'll be fine.]

For those of us who come from a warrior background there's not much else we're good at. [She gives him a once-over.] You don't look like a fighter, what's your background? They've got a bar here, Red Wings, they hire our people.

[championofsnark]

Yes, that's what happened, or so she told me. [Hawke tried to reassure her that any version of her was very ready for death. It's always been nipping at her heels.]

You certainly were not for me doing it in mine. [She smiles and winks at her, although nothing would have stopped Hawke from sacrificing herself if she thought it was the right thing. But Stroud made a compelling argument and she understood the drive for redemption in the face of everything.]

Varric was a mess though apparently, definitely the worst option if only for his sake. [Varric and Hawke have a bond that no one else has ever been able to understand, not their friends or even their family. She hates to think of his grief without her, so she chooses not to think about it.]

Oh there's magic, but it's all new. And I'm not sure they're calling it that. They call it powers or super abilities. [Which to her is silly because it's implied magical powers, but whatever. Hawke sighs and settles in a chair, completely at ease no matter where she is.] Drink that very slowly, you've been drugged, it'll make it worse if you chug it.

[Learned the hard way!]

Anyway, apparently we all have new abilities. One, we all by skin to skin contact create empathy bonds with each other. Feel each other's emotions. It's complete shite. [Hawke is fairly good at keeping all her surface emotions steady though, but she doesn't love it.] And then another individual one that I haven't been able to figure out or set off.

[righteously]

[ He accepts the refusal without another word, just a solemn little nod. It's never moments like this that convince someone to reach out to help - it's in the thick of things. It's when help becomes a need, or when someone's at their frayed edges. When that time comes, if Tony reaches out he'll be there.

In the meantime...

Iron Man, am I right?

The smile that takes over his face is tight and tense, practically a grimace. ]

Hunted monsters.

[ He answers, blithe and blunt, self-aware of how absurd it sounds to some people but without enough of a give a shit to bother making himself sound convincing. ]

Staved off the occasional apocalypse, but mostly... monsters.

[ He's maybe a little less concerned with someone thinking he's crazy, what with... comic book universe and time travel and future-earth and glowy chesty hearty wizard powers. ]

[bloodbathing]

[ Likewise, Maine doesn't comment on anything he feels from William. It's not his business. Not his place. As soon as William releases his hand, Maine hastens to put his glove back on. Concealing as much skin as possible. ]

Doubt it.

[ Not that Maine has made any effort to do so. There's exactly one person with whom Maine would feel comfortable regularly sharing such a connection. And as far as Maine knows, that person isn't here.

The next thing to do, Maine thinks, is to get William to the safehouse. Let the Morningstar people sort out his ID so he can function in this world. But Maine hesitates to do so. He despised having no control over himself when he was taken to the safehouse; he doesn't want to inflict the same thing on someone else. ]

Know about compulsion drugs?

[veraz]

[ Just black it is. ]

Well, you have time. [ Marta shrugs a little. ] The outside world is very strange but there's beautiful places too.

[kill7]

(qi looks puzzled. he doesn't touch it though, preferring to ask.)

Is it solid?? Can I take the other one for myself??

[requiemshark]

[ Ephemera raises his eyebrow. Not so long ago he would have snapped and bristled at any mention of the powers. Called his useless because it had felt that way, another insult laid on top of all the rest. Would have taken it as a reason to snarl, or maybe even start a fight because anyone who thought him weak was a threat and those have to be answered decisively.

Instead, he's talking with a stranger. Demonstrating the power he used to hate, even.

Maybe he's mellowed. That's a strange thought. ]

Friend of mine had a shield. Could call it up out of nothing. That's useful.

[ Still. He doesn't hate his power in the way he used to, and tucks the sketchbook back into his jacket pocket with care. ]

Name's Ephemera. Should've said that earlier.

[righteously]

[ No, no, no, no- he's shaking his head before that sentence is even half way through, ducking it and holding up a hand. Nope, stop right there, he fell for this schtick once. ]

Save it, I know your game.

[ Because it's absolutely completely unfathomable to accept the fact that there's no bacon anymore.

Bacon.

Bacon.

The one thing that makes life worth living still. There's no way anyone can expect him to live in this future bladerunner bullshit without bacon.

Quick, change the subject before he has to acknowledge it as a real possibility. ]

So is this what you do? This how gods get their jollies here? Coming down to the studio audience and trolling new blood?

[ He doesn't sound all that upset about it, just maybe a touch judgmental. ]

no worries b

[freightcars]

[ To be fair, Bucky isn't exactly a healthy standard to compare one's self to. The fact that he's as functional as he is now is more a testament to how much insanity he's already dealt with in his past. A normal, rational person would go into a sort of fugue state.

It's just that he probably maxed out his lifetime's supply of fugue. Fugue capacity.

He takes the name Morningstar and files it away - nice to know what the organization's called. They might've mentioned it, but he missed it in the hazy fog of PTSD and drugs. ]

Usually I can eat more than a small horse, but after... whatever they did to me...

[ To shut off his serum and slow his metabolism down. He sways back and forth, considering. ]

Maybe a seven out of ten? To tell you the truth, I'm not the best gauge on what normal portion sizes are anymore.