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

Voice;

[shieldsup]

You even sound like him. But, do yourself a favor, and don't overdo it with the scotch, ok? That's something my Tony's struggled with for a long, long time.

[A soft smile]

Speaking of, is there any place in town I could get something a bit stiffer than coffee? I don't, normally, but this is...pretty weird. Even for me.

Voice;

[alloys]

[Oh, he won't overdo it. He'll just very closely toe the line of overdoing it.]

Good Spirits. Good drinks and good company. Look for the blond bartender when you go for the best mixing.

[But, he's probably biased. Personal friend, and all.]

Voice;

[shieldsup]

I'll keep that in mind. Thank you Tony. I think I'll head over that way now.

[She laughs. Definitely sounds like the old Tony she knew]

Don't be a stranger, alright? I know I'm from a different reality, but I've always enjoyed your company. A familiar face in a place like this is worth a million new ones.

Voice;

[alloys]

Might see you down there. Shockingly, I'm one of the regulars.

[Although less so since Pepper showed up. It's nice when there's actually company to keep in his own house.]

Besides, I'd like to hear more about you and your special suit. Kind of an interest of mine, you know.

Voice; (We can wrap up or keep going, your call =))

[shieldsup]

Well, if you'd like to join me, I'm wearing it right now.

[She laughs.]

If you're there, I'll see you.

voice-->action; aaand Pepper is gonna jump in next!

[alloys]

That might be worth the trip. See you in a half-hour.

[Which is basically Tony Speak for an hour. Usually. But he may more or less be on time thanks to Pepper, who will be accompanying Tony as he enters the familiar atmosphere--pay no mind to the crutches and leg cast. Not like he got mangled on the moon or somethin'.]

[handing]

[Closer to on time. Pepper is a bit wary of Tony meeting Sue in person, considering her own encounter of the woman earlier and the conversation between her and Tony that Pepper had seen. But Sue had given her word, so hopefully his interest really was in what Sue was wearing. Either way, Pepper invokes her SO privileges and comes along.

So yes, Pepper's back to opening doors for Mr. Mangled-on-the-Moon. They'll make their way over, and Pepper will smile to the woman.]

Hello again. I guess you changed your mind about having a stronger drink.

Seems good!

[shieldsup]

[Sue doesn't bat an eyelash, and smiles back pleasantly at Pepper. After her conversation with Billy and with Steve, she was feeling pretty much like a drink would've been in order.

She's not going back on her word, in fact she's already spoken to Billy.]

Hello again Pepper. Yes, I did, after my conversation with Billy. Our worlds timelines match up within a few months, so we had a long talk about the state of things. It'll help me sleep, honestly. Exciting day.

[alloys]

Mrs. Richards. [Look, he'll even start off by invoking a bit of formality. Don't get used to it.]

Enjoying our little village so far? You have to admit--between the wars and monthly experiments, it has its charms. [Cheekily.]

[handing]

[Pepper is so proud of that formality. Even if she knows it won't last.]

I can't say I blame you. There's a lot to take in the first day. [Pepper's first day had ended in the same bar, in fact. And Pepper doesn't miss that Sue talked to Billy, but she doesn't press. Especially not with Tony right there.

And speaking of, Pepper will wait until Tony gets settled to get his crutches out of the way, propped safely against a wall.]

I'll be back in a minute. [Pepper smiles to Tony, then heads off to the bar to order one scotch and one vodka martini.

And yes, there will be olives.]

[shieldsup]

[Sue, for her part, has been there for a short while and has been gently nursing a whiskey-sour. She hadn't drank much since the kids were born but tonight it just felt right]

So far, its been nothing but accommodating. It's got a nice atmosphere though, like Reed's cousin's place in Scotland. And please, call me Sue.

[She raises her glass and nods at Pepper, leaning casually against the bar and giving Tony an appraising look. A broken leg? Well, she hasn't seen that in a long time...]

What happened to you, Tony? One of those experiments?

[alloys]

I'm thinking Susie. [Formality gone. Here comes the nicknames.

He hauls himself into an adjacent seat before ditches the crutches against the counter top, watching Pepper go before answering the question.]

Got into a little scrap on the moon with a spartan with giant wings. [That's not even half the story, but it's all he's going to tell.]

[handing]

[And she's back it's MAGIC with said drinks. Tony gets the scotch, and Pepper settles neatly into the chair next to him.]

Thankfully he's getting the cast off soon. [Very thankfully. The restriction on recreational activities is less amusing the longer it goes on, even if Pepper is determined to stick to it.]

[shieldsup]

[She shrugs. Thats...exactly what her Tony Stark used to call her before all that mess. Besides, its what Ben calls her...and provided he doesn't add a Q its no big]

Well thats good to know. And...did you say spartan on the moon? One of the battles you mention then?

[Consider her nonplussed. No real thrill, the moon.]

Welcome back, Pepper.

[alloys]

[He sips the scotch before answering--and yes, thankfully the cast is coming off soon indeed. He would have thought twice about getting busted up in space had he known the consequences would be so severe.]

A draft. The Spartan-like ones are our assigned enemies--the Third Party.

[Assigned because, well, they don't exactly choose to fight them.]

I wouldn't be surprised if we're off the hook for awhile, though. Drafts don't come around often.

[handing]

Thanks.

[All eyes are on Tony then, and Pepper takes the opportunity to eat one of her olives. It's not a story she likes to hear, even if Tony is thankfully not giving details.

At least this one ends well. Hopefully.]

If you didn't just jinx it.

[shieldsup]

Lovely. Why are we fighting them again? The guidebook was pretty slim on the information there.

[She takes another sip and waits for Tony]

[alloys]

Claims differ. The Malnosso want us to believe that they--The Spartans, the Third Party--oppose their experimentation and and trying to stop them--then again, the Malnosso also claim they're trying to get us home by said experimentation, but--you know, I'm not too inclined to believe them.

[But he's been on three drafts now. It's enough to convince him of one thing.]

One thing is for certain--the Third Party is not our friend. They want us dead.

[handing]

[The enemy of my enemy. Pepper's had this conversation before, except from Sue's perspective, so can understand why she asked.]

And fighting is definitely better than being killed. [Pepper doesn't want to think about Tony being worse off than just limping around with a broken leg, thank you very much.]

[shieldsup]

Well, if they want us dead just as much as the Malnosso want us here, then its pointless to even consider them any different than an enemy.

[She doesn't really want to be caught up in fighting, but if its fight or die then she knows where she stands. And where the others here would too.]

And I don't buy that nonsense about them wanting to send us home. If they did, they wouldn't lock us up like prisoners.

[alloys]

[He can agree with that. Even if dying here isn't permanent, it's still not a record he'd like to break. He's pretty good at cheating death, after all.

He won't mention what a close call it was on the moon. Not just against the Dream Shifter, but the General as well.]

Take everything you hear with a grain of salt, but some people think they're just as trapped here as we are. That this isn't their own world at all. [He shrugs.] It's anyone's guess, really.

[handing]

[All good decisions, on Tony's part.]

Either way. When it comes down to it, we're probably our own best bet for getting home.

[Because the one time the Malnosso tried--well. Pepper's heard that story. Rogue's a sweet girl, but Pepper isn't keen on the idea of anyone's memories being manipulated, especially not to that degree.]

[shieldsup]

I don't think it matters much if the Malnosso are trapped here or not, they're still our captors. Pepper's right, we shouldn't be counting on them to do anything for us.

[This was complicated. Dammit, why didn't they have the luck for Reed to show up too. Or even Victor. That'd be better than nothing]

Basically all we know for sure is that we're stuck here, and its not our reality, then?

[alloys]

You're telling that to the guy who's been stuck here a year.

[He knows it's in their hands. He's known that since day one--and it's only been clearer since he came back. He doesn't count on favors from just about anyone--least of all secret-keeping organizations that force children on battlefields and play with their minds every month.

But he doesn't want to spoil the conversation that badly. He isn't in the mood.]

Depends on your definition of reality. It's real--it exists. We exist. But the popular theory seems to be, yes--we're in another dimension.

[handing]

[Pepper gives Tony a look of sympathy, moving a hand under the table to touch his knee. She knows it's nothing he needs to hear, that he's felt the weight of that responsibility for the entire time he's been in Luceti. And she also knows there's a lot he doesn't say then, some things that she's been told and others that she hasn't. But Tony's silence is revealing enough.]

From what you were telling me earlier, Sue, you've got a fair bit of experience with that. [And anything she can offer that Tony might find helpful is worth hearing. Considering the man made an arc reactor in a cave, and an element in his basement, Pepper doesn't underestimate what Tony can accomplish, even with very little.]