shieldsup | First Shield: A lack of unstable molecules...[Action/Voice]

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First Shield: A lack of unstable molecules...[Action/Voice]

[Action]

[Early in the evening of July 9th, Susan Richards wakes up in a very, very strange place, an unfamiliar couch. In YOUR living room. She blinks and looks around, extremely confused. When this strange, blond woman sees you...her eyes go wide she disappears, clothes and all. Astute listeners may hear the sounds of her feet as she gets up and moves away from you and the couch.]

Wha! What on Earth?! WHO are you and WHERE am I?

[Susan's voice is pretty demanding for an invisible person who just woke up in your house, and it seems to be coming from all around you, her powers distorting it.

Maybe you could help talk some sense into her? Explain the situation? Perhaps you're feeling pretty mad? Break time, go nuts! This isn't locked to anyone!]

Voice

[Much, much later, Susan's voice will appear over the journal after she's collected herself and gotten out of whoever's house she wound up in]

Hello everyone. This is Susan Richards of the Fantastic Four. If there are any members of the Fantastic Four, the Avengers, the X-Men, or even anyone that just recognizes my name I would appreciate it if you would get in touch with me. Hell, even if you are just feeling helpful and are willing to share information, I'd really appreciate it. I've just arrived and I need help getting my bearings. I don't want to impose, but I really need some answers.

Also, if anyone comes across a blue jumpsuit with a 4 on it, I'd ask that they not touch it, its made of highly unstable molecules that can react oddly to anyone that isn't me.

[Her voice isn't terribly upset, more confused. Its not like she's never woken up in strange places or been in rough situations alone before. Thats...sort of what the Fantastic Four do!]

(OOC: Feel free to break time with the action portion of the post! I've got nobody in particular who needs to find her so she can wake up in anyone's living room that wants an Invisible Woman)

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...Wow, I didn't even think of that.

[SHE'S SO LUCKY, THAT'S REALLY COOL. 8|]

And yeah, you can't get rid of the wings. They keep us alive here somehow.

[Susan looks down at the table for a long moment and sighs]

This may take a while. I hope you had nothing planned for a while.

[When the drinks arrive, Sue gratefully accepts]

I mentioned the SRA, right? The Registration Act. Its something that the US Government and SHIELD came up with. The first thing to keep in mind is that Maria Hill is the current director, Nick Fury retired after a good sixty-plus years of service.

A group of rather irresponsible young people with powers caused an accident that destroyed a large part of a town, killed a lot of children. It was a tragedy. So the government proposed this bill in response. It seemed reasonable, at first, until it became what it is. Basically, the bill forces powered individuals to register with the government, whereupon they are deputized as Agents of SHIELD and are mandated to take orders from the government.

You following me so far?

Peter, its alright. We can meet and talk in person if you want. I've managed to find my suit, and I'm sitting around the fountain.

[Her voice, its pretty kind. She knows about this secret identity nonsense you keep up. Its cool]

Let me guess--you didn't exactly part on good terms with the Avengers.

[That seems to be a constant theme, at least.]

Actually, we did. Reed and I are very good friends of...well...our Tony. Steve, Bruce, Thor and Wanda as well. But there just got to be too many Avengers when Carol and the others rejoined the team. The only one who ever gave either of us much trouble was Hank.

Yes! [Too eager.] I mean, yeah! We can sort out this whole misunderstanding.

[He will find you, filters. And when he does, you will regret ever evading Peter Parker.]

I'll be right there, I know exactly where that is. [Since he had to get lost just to find it when looking for Billy. He's got the path there engraved into his memory. And he's on his way.]

Strange, but, alright.

[She nods]

And about the barrier?

Nothing that can't wait. Luceti seems to move at a slow pace.

[Certainly slow compared to the fast pace of Pepper's life back home.

She leans forward, listening while Susan talks. The first part is simple enough; just a changing of the guard.

What comes next is harder to take. News of tragedies is never well received, and Pepper grips her coffee cup a little tighter. The government response isn't surprising in that light, considering how many bills have similar history. And the hidden motive involving SHIELD--well. Pepper's heard tales of that in her own world too.]

So far so good. [Pepper takes a sip of her coffee, then nods so Susan will continue.]

Then I'll wait here for you.

[And wait she does!]

Edited 2012-07-11 05:55 (UTC)

[Give him about ten minutes, and Peter is coming into view from the fountain and approaching. And boy does he look pretty awkward about it. That looks like someone with a jumpsuit.]

Hey! Susan, right?

Good.

This...act, it divided the superhuman community. Mutants, like the X-Men, were exempt because a Mutant Registration Act was ruled unconstitutional. However, for people like my family, or the Avengers, it was put very, very simply: Register with the government or be arrested as a criminal. It also meant going public with hidden identities, a prospect that would endanger many families of superhumans.

[Now comes the hard part. She'll leave out her side just yet]

Two camps formed within the community. The Anti-Registration movement was lead by Steve Rogers, Captain America. He and a lot of others disliked the idea of heroes being used as a means to fight wars. They also disagreed that identities need be public knowledge, to protect families.

The Pro-Registration movement was...well...it was headed by Director Hill and Tony Stark. Iron Man. And my husband, Reed Richards. They want to preserve law and order, and protect the innocent from accidents like in Stamford.

[Sue swallows]

The Pro-Registration movement started locking people in a special prison designed to hold superhumans. There have been battles fought, my own brother is in a coma, and people have died. There are rumors that Tony and Hill have started using mind control drugs and nanites on former villains to force them to help fight this...Civil War.

[Sue turns and nods]

Call me Sue, Peter. In my world you're practically family. I'm sorry if I startled you earlier.

Tougher than I thought it would be. I tried everything I could to break it or get past it, but I couldn't do it.

And, forgive me Billy for drawing a blank, but...you're a sorceror right? Like Stephen Strange?

[She knows OF you, but not much about you]

Okay... Sue. [This is definitely going to be awkward, considering Peter doesn't really know her at all.] You know about the...?

[He makes a biting motion with his hands.]

Yes. The...arachnid. You came out to my family about it a long, long time ago. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.

[Sue offers a hand]

And its nice to meet you. Officially. Again. Reality jumping is confusing.

Thanks, it really means a lot. [He takes the hand a little hesitantly, but he understands that she's honest and genuine about all this. That marks the second person in the village who knows about his secret identity.]

Nice to meet you too. I'm guessing... "reality jumping" is a common thing for you?

Something like that. My husband Doctor Reed Richards, is a theoretical physicist, and so that means the Fantastic Four gets to deal with the nonsense that happens in the wake of his experiments. Sometimes this includes other realities.

[... Suddenly, Luceti doesn't seem nearly as bad. In fact, this sounds like for the period of time that he might be stuck here, he can learn a lot.]

Really? Do you know much about the stuff your husband does? I'd love to learn some of it.

Me? Haha! No, not really. Its WAY over my head. I had trouble with high school math, so I avoided science while I was in college. I leave the thinking to Reed, and take care of the common sense things. Like reminding him to eat, and calling him on his nonsense.

[Peter chuckles a bit, his hesitance replaced with genuine friendliness.]

You sound a lot like someone else I know. [Without the whole being a scientist part. But Dr. Conners' wife seems to do the same thing for him.] It does sound like some pretty complicated stuff, if it leads to other realities.

[Then they came to the heart of the matter: what Susan wanted Pepper to know about Tony. None of it is exactly easy to hear; Pepper's well aware that her life doesn't qualify as ordinary, didn't even before Tony announced to the public at large that he was Iron Man. Even with those circumstances, however, Pepper's experienced more than her share of worry when Tony goes off on a mission. So she can sympathize with other people connected to superheroes.

It's harder to take, when Susan talks about Steve and Tony being on opposing sides. She likes both men--more than likes, in Tony's case. More than that, she knows just how important being an Avenger is to Tony. That sort of division would hit him hard.

But all of that doesn't compare to what Susan talks about next. An actual war, with prisoners, and brainwashing done by Tony? That makes Pepper's eyes go wide, and she shakes her head, horrified by what she's been told.]

My God. [She needs a moment to process it, and Pepper uses the excuse of taking another drink to give herself that time. She slowly puts her cup down after, folds her hands in her lap, and looks back to Susan.]

I'm very sorry you're going through all that. It sounds terrible. [And she means it, honestly. But her eyes are calm, because as horrible as it all must be, there's also one vital truth involved, and for the first time Pepper wholly embraces the theory of alternate worlds.]

But while I understand your concerns, Mrs. Richards, I'll ask you to keep something in mind: that's the Tony Stark of your universe, or however you want to put it. The Tony Stark here is from mine, and he hasn't done anything like that--and he never would.

[Susan's eyes never leave the table. She KNOWS how it might sound. And she completely understands Pepper's thoughts here. However, she never ever thought that Tony would be capable of such things even in HER world.

She resists the urge to comment, she knows its not welcome, and she doesn't KNOW this Tony. Its not outside the realm of possibility.]

Ms. Potts. Pepper. That isn't my intent at all. I'm telling you this so that you can understand my...well...my surprise at learning Tony is here. The Pepper Potts I know would never let some strange woman doubt Tony Stark without a reason, so I'm offering you the same courtesy I'd offer her.

If you are curious and in the interest of full disclosure, I sided with Steve against my husband and Tony. I have my suspicions that the Tony working with Director Hill may well be an android, a Skrull, or under the effects of brainwashing. That man is not the Tony Stark I knew. Something is not right with the situation at home.

Also, believe me when I say this: This is not the first time I've met people I know from home that are from different realities. I have been to worlds where my own brother was a mass-murdering dictator, and I've seen worlds where my family's nemesis was the world's greatest hero. When I learned you and Tony weren't from my world, my thoughts immediately went from 'Oh God Tony! to 'This is good. A familiar face.' Anthony Howard Stark is one of the faces I am never unhappy to see. He's saved my family's life more times than I care to count, and I've returned the favor. In more than one reality.

If he's anything like the man I called friend, then I'll be more than happy to become reacquainted with him. And you as well, Pepper.

[Sue takes a sip of coffee before continuing.]

Theoretical physics? Yes, it is. Reed's one of the few scientists working in the field, and he's very, very gifted. But sometimes his research gets us into trouble.

[She smiles]

So, have you guessed what my powers are yet?

Edited 2012-07-11 07:18 (UTC)

[PFFFFFFFFT]

Oh god, I wish I was like Dr. Strange.

[Okay, yeah, that was probably a little too fanboyish.]

...Uh, but yeah. I do magic.

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