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

[shieldsup]

[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)

Comments

[shieldsup]

Asgardians too, if you want to count them. I tend not to, but I tend to subscribe to the theory that they are literally the Norse gods. I've seen Thor and the others pull off one too many feats to believe they're just aliens. There aren't very many of them, either.

[She finishes her drink and nods, though]

There are tons of other alien species out there though. I'm sure you'll run into them eventually. And they mostly aren't unfriendly. There may even be other species on Earth, hiding in out of the way places. Thats how it was for mine, anyway.

[alloys]

[Well, she'd know more about them than he would--not that he ups and admits that.]

Something to look forward to then, I suppose. SHIELD's pretty good at keeping secrets, even from people like me. So it's just a matter of playing the waiting game.

[handing]

They could be both. [Pepper interjects there, not so eager to believe in deities as portrayed in mythology. Aliens are easier, somehow. Funny how perception works.] There's been debate for years about ancient gods actually being aliens. People just didn't have to take it quite so seriously before.

[She's quiet again though, when Tony talks about SHIELD keeping secrets. Phase Two had been bad enough, from what Tony had told her, not to mention the nuclear missile. Given the story Sue shared, Pepper is pretty concerned about what they might come up with next.]

[shieldsup]

Well, you could say that, but there are too many coincidences. In my world, Thor and his people just faced Ragnarok a few years ago, and he's been missing ever since.

[She just throws that word out there like its nothing too. Ragnarok.]

It may be different for you, but shaking hands with Baldur and Heimdall is something entirely different from dealing with an alien.

Speaking of...has Hercules revealed himself in your world yet?

[alloys]

[At least the nuclear missile hadn't been Nick Fury's idea, and he'd come around on Phase Two. Not that it didn't mean trouble could still be ahead, but after Loki, Tony is a little more inclined to give Fury the benefit of the doubt.

He gives Sue a deadpan look.]

Hercules, too? And I thought Thor was bad enough. Let me guess--you're going to tell me Santa and the Tooth Fairy are real next.

[handing]

[Pepper isn't going to press the argument. Honestly, it falls squarely into the realm of things she doesn't want to consider, and getting into the details of aliens versus gods versus perception only leads further down that road.

Thankfully, Tony's himself, and takes everything in stride. She has to laugh at his quip, even though she's very aware that they might be in Sue's world.]

[shieldsup]

[Sue laughs openly and honestly. When she'd first met Hercules she felt the same thing. The Asgardians and the Olympians had, however, just become part of their lives. Yes, it wasn't anything like the world she'd grown up in anymore, but...]

I wouldn't know, I've never looked. Herc's a good guy though, and an Avenger. One of the bravest men I've ever met. Not counting you, of course.

[She grins at Tony. He really is a brave man, underneath the jokes]

[alloys]

Well--'brave' isn't typically the word ascribed. [He glances teasingly as Pepper--'reckless' was usually the adjective that came first.] But I'll take it.

[He leans back and takes a sip of his drink.] Remind me to make that my next order of business when I get home--find Hercules. And Santa and the Tooth Fairy.

[handing]

[She may have meant it as a joke, but Pepper has seen enough women flirting with Tony over the years to think that Sue's coming rather close to that line. And considering that many of those women have also been married, she doesn't assume that a ring will stop her.

Then Tony looks at her, and of course Pepper agrees. She might also say 'insane' on his worst days. She grins, more genuinely than a moment before.] I'll put it at the top of the list, Mr. Stark.

[shieldsup]

[That is ONE thing Pepper will never have to worry about from Susan, she'd never seriously look at anyone other than Reed. Find attractive? Maybe. Namor fits the bill. Joke around with? Of course. Actually let it progress past that? Never in a million years.]

Good. If you want a real treat, do a complete flyover of Antarctica, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised. Keep your eyes peeled for a jungle at the very center.

And...I'll be right back myself. Another drink feels appropriate.

[Sue stands and walks back down the bar, ordering a second]

[alloys]

[He glances down at his own glass, with disheartening mock.]

Wow, and here I thought no one would finish a glass before me. Well, there's a first time for everything, I suppose.

[He'll keep in mind the Antarctica thing. He's not a huge fan of ice, but that could be fun road trip.]

[handing]

[Pepper watches Sue go, then shrugs.] She was here before us--meaning she had a head start.

[A pause while Pepper sips at her drink, then she glances over at Tony.]

Are you really going to go searching for Santa Claus? [Along with anything or everything else Sue said.]

[shieldsup]

[Sue takes a moment to come up with a new drink order, letting the other two keep talking. She barely drinks, so its not like she has a usual order.]

[alloys]

Possibly. [A teasing smile. He really probably wouldn't, but hey. They've seen some pretty strange stuff lately. And if Thor is real...] He'd probably bribe us with great presents to keep quiet about finding him.

[handing]

Tony. [Yes, she knows he's joking. Still.] What could anyone honestly bribe you with that you don't already own or that you wouldn't rather build yourself?

[shieldsup]

[Sue returns in time to comment]

Well, he could always bribe you with an idea. That tends to be how I get Reed to do things around the house.

[Sue takes another sip, her face is slightly flushed. She...doesn't drink terribly often]

[alloys]

Depends on the idea. [He nods to Sue. Welcome back.] The chances of it being a good idea that I haven't thought of? Pretty significantly low. Let's be honest here.

[handing]

[And another nod from Pepper, before she turns back to Tony.]

Do you know how hard it is for me to not roll my eyes when you say things like that? [Though Pepper is grinning even as she makes the comment.] Because I have to say, I am seriously tempted right now.

[shieldsup]

[Sue sits back down wordlessly. Some things never changed. The banter between these two was one of them.]

You never known. Santa may just surprise you.

[alloys]

I'm always open to surprises. [Most...of the time. When they're the good kind, anyway.] You can roll your eyes all you want, but you have to admit,it's true.

[handing]

Just so long as Santa doesn't try to hand it to him. [Because that would go over so well.]

I don't have to admit anything, Tony. It's in my contract.

[shieldsup]

I think Santa's surprises usually show up under trees on the 25th of December. But that could just be me.

[alloys]

Well, whatever he works on the rest of those three hundred and sixty-four days must be worth seeing, in any case. Even if its not as remarkable as something I could come up with.

[He'll just go with that.]

[handing]

Not to mention that you don't do well with delayed gratification.

[But it's all part of a silly, impossible hypothetical anyway. So Pepper's good with going with that.]

[shieldsup]

You never know.

[Sue takes a sip in between statements]

Santa may yet have a few gifts even you can't come up with. He's not a saint for nothing you know.