entranceway | 001 ☆ video

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[When the video feed starts up, it shows a man seated at a desk in a rather nondescript room. Not much can be seen behind him beyond a bed and closet. Much more noteworthy is his face, which has a few bruises and a line of stitches extending outward from the corner of his mouth.

Despite that, he has a bright, open look on his face, though the fact that he's sitting up straight and looking head-on at his phone's camera makes it clear that he means business.]

So... had a few days to take everything in, read what information I could find. It's been helpful, it really has. [A lot of the work and investigation had already been done for him, though that hasn't prevented Steve from doing his own exploration.]

Just a few questions, if anyone can help. [And so far, most everyone has been helpful.] I can only assume there's some escape effort that's been put together here. A group of like-minded people, working together to get everyone home. I'd like to be a part of that. [It might seem overly transparent to ask about something like that over a network like this, but Steve has no interest in secrecy, especially not after everything that he's been through.]

Secondly, I've heard a lot about people being from different worlds. I'm trying to get an idea of how many we're dealing with. [He knows about Asgard and has heard vaguely of the Nine Realms, but beyond that he's clueless. He needs to determine the scope of this operation.]

Oh, and the name's Steve Rogers. I'll do whatever I can to get us all out of here. [It's meant mainly as a test to see if anyone here is going to recognize him, or if he actually has some manner of anonymity in this place.

With that said, he offers a small smile and then ends the feed.]

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[When the girl tries to apologize, Steve is quick to shake his head. He'd mainly been asking for the sake of curiosity and so he'd know how to navigate this place and the people who are trapped here alongside him. He's already learned a lot about what to expect, which essentially amounts to "everything."

Her comment about healing does seem like she's trying to goad something out of him. Steve's abilities are hardly secret back home, but in a way it's nice that not everyone here knows every last detail about him, down to his height and weight.

So, while he'll probably end up telling her what she wants to know, he decides to hold off on it for a little bit.]

What do you mean by remarkable people? They're the ones who told you about these other universes, I'm guessing?

[Steve knows firsthand that it's not abilities that make someone remarkable. Erskine had realized that, and most people seem to think he made the right call with him. So he's got a soft spot for underdogs.]

[ This a familiar song and dance. Young blond guys holding in all their secrets while she spills hers. At least she could trust Gyro and Johnny to an extent.

She visibly balks at the question. In the few seconds of her pause, a few thoughts flit through her head: "What if he thinks I'm crazy?" is immediately discarded because she stopped caring long ago about people judging her and her life; "What if he's working for the President?" is considered, but doesn't seem likely; "What if he finds out about the corpse parts?" is the only one she actually considers to be a real threat, and since Stands users and the corpse seem to go hand-in-hand, she'll have to be careful.

The most important question is "Why me? Why is this my life?" and there is no answer. ]

Yes. Back in-- back in my universe, they were called Stand users. People with abilities that surpassed that of normal humans. One man, a friend of mine, he could slide parts of his body along a rope a little bit at a time. [ Her heart aches thinking of him. ] Another could freeze rain in mid-air so that it cut like glass and he could walk along it.

[ She avoids mentioning Hot Pants and her spray in case, somehow, the stranger catches on to the extent HP and Lucy teamed up, and that could open so many dangerous doors. Also she hopes that she's conveying Stands as a male trait. ]

As for me, I'm just... ordinary.

[ NOT EXACTLY A LIE ]

Only other users can see Stands, so my perception of them is very incomplete.

[Abilities that surpass normal humans. Well, that's hardly out of the norm for Steve, although the things this girl is describing are not quite like what he's used to. A body sectioning itself apart? The Avengers are a strange group, but the most bizarre thing is one of them being able to turn into a huge, green rage monster.

Then there's Thor, who's something like and god and has control over thunder and lighting.

All right, maybe it is pretty bizarre.

Steve smiles at her when she mentions herself.] I doubt you're really that ordinary. [She's selling herself short, he's sure of that.]

There's something similar where I come from. Not quite the same, but... extraordinary people, they exist. Everyone can see them, though, and sometimes that's the problem. [He runs a hand through his hair, almost sheepishly. Yeah, the broadcast footage of what happened in New York had gone on for weeks after the fact.]

[ To her credit, she manages to keep her expression completely blank even though her heart pounds so hard it threatens to break out of her ribcage. Getting defensive over his (compliment? observation? joke?) statement would only be suspicious, so she puts a small smile in place and tries to look flattered. ]

You're right! I can do this. [ She sticks her tongue out and does a cloverleaf fold. ] Not too ordinary!

[ Her airy laugh is only a little genuine, but hopefully it does the trick to cast off any doubts, at least enough that he won't be inclined to investigate further.

Forcing herself to relax (or at least look it), she tucks a knee to her chest and rests her chin on it. ]

It's hard to know what's better: being able to see every aspect of the world or being in the dark. I do know that the worst is being stuck in between. Stands are tricky like that; non-users can see the tools and effects--steel balls, spray cans, people disappearing in thin air, objects moving seemingly on their own--but not the Stands themselves. I guess I'm just fortunate to know what's even going on and not thinking it's... I don't know, ghosts or something!

[While Steve can tell that the girl is a little unsettled, he chalks that up to her being overwhelmed by the situation and the fact that she isn't necessarily equipped for the dangers that Wonderland might throw at them.

Steve will keep an eye out for her. No one so young should be caught alone in a situation like this, with no one to help them.

The question she poses is one that Steve feels strongly about.] It's better to know. To have things out in the open. [He is so done with secrets. He is 1000% done with them.]

That does sound pretty eerie, though. I'm glad you know what's going on, too. [He's not sure what his reaction to seeing something like that would be, even.] How'd you get caught up in something like that, though?

[ Yes Steve that's... totally it... nothing suspicious totally unprepared yep...

Her smile drops quickly, but that's only because she's not a very smiley person, especially nowadays. She gives a serious nod at his response; Lucy can't say she's any happier now that she knows about Stands and the massive government conspiracy, but she definitely understands why someone would want things out in the open. Secrets only make things harder when you're trying to combat them. Maybe if she was still living a relatively normal life she'd be okay being left in the dark.

If she's honest with herself, Lucy wishes she still had that luxury.

His obvious preference to have everything out in the open almost makes her feel guilty that she's going to keep her secrets and probably lie to him in the process. But no, she can't even pretend she's sorry, doesn't try to justify it with something dumb like "he's better off not knowing." He isn't. No one is. It's just the only way she figures she can keep herself safe and the corpse parts hidden. ]

It's a long story. My husband, Stephen Steel, he organized the Steel Ball Run horse race across America. A lot of Stand users became contestants.

[ Which isn't a lie, it just conveniently leaves out the part where the whole thing is a plot rigged by the President of the United States. ]

And what about you, Steve Rogers, and your world's extraordinary people?

[For those with normal lives, the idea of ignorance being bliss might make sense. Steve still doesn't like the idea of it, but he can understand the desire to have things remain simple and routine. But his life hasn't been normal for over seventy years, so with that in mind, he'd rather be clued in on everything than working with people who all have their own agendas.

Looks like he's solved that problem, at least for now.

At the mention of a husband, Steve tilts his head and opens his mouth for a moment before closing it again. She looks far too young to be married, but she comes from a different world where the customs may be completely opposed to what he knows.] Guess that would put things out in the open then, yeah.

[At the question, he can't quite hold back a smile.] There are a few of us. [There, he admits it.] Some are just normal humans with extensive training. Some have the brains and the resources to make themselves extraordinary. And then there's those of us where science got involved. We're a mixed bunch, but we've managed to learn how to work as a team.

[At least, they pulled it off once. They haven't all gotten together since then. He and Natasha have certainly gotten the hang of working together, at least. And Steve's optimistic about what the future might bring.]

[ Steve Rogers has joined a list of exactly four people (Johnny, Gyro, Stephen Steel, Lucy's father) who realize Lucy is actually really fucking young. You have joined the elite today Captain. All SBR fans are proud of you.

She catches the look but doesn't respond. Her marriage is shrouded in gossip, she stopped caring about the rumors and snide comments a long time ago. Right now she's focused on a single word: us. Suspicions confirmed. It doesn't give her a much clearer idea of what exactly he is or what his world is about (maybe they're Stand users by a different name?) but at least she has a starting point to understanding.

From the way he talks and how he's behaved so far, she would guess that he's some time of odd-person police force. He certainly carries himself like a cop, or maybe a soldier. None of her guesswork really calms her nerves, but his honesty puts him low on her "potential terrorist" list. ]

Sounds a little like my world then. Abilities that are a result of everything from generations of training to accidental acquisition.

And I don't think I've given you my name yet. It's Lucy.

[ Offer her name without being asked is the closest she comes to sincere thanks for honesty. ]

Guess our worlds have at least a few things in common, then.

[The types of abilities aren't exactly the same, and Steve is still a little baffled by the fact that those with powers are not visible to others in her world. That would make things even more confusing, despite the fact that he wishes for anonymity from time to time.

It's nice to have a name, though, and Steve smiles as a result.] Nice to meet you, Lucy. I still can't believe how many other worlds are out there. It's interesting to find out how different they all are, though.

[This is a guy who thrives on expanding his mind and learning new things.] So, you may not have powers, but do you have a way to protect yourself?

[As has already been noted, Lucy is young, and Steve is a worrier.]

[ Anonymity is only something afforded for the bad guys in Lucy's experience. They're the ones who keep their powers hidden, sticking to the shadows until the good guys are left wondering why all the townspeople are turning into dinosaurs, why creatures inscribed with the word "cut" are chasing you to cut your legs off, and how the President of the United States disappeared under a chair after you stabbed him in the neck. And Lucy can only see the men, not the words on the creatures or the humaniod spirits hovering around Stand users.

She can also see the dinosaurs everyone can see the fucking dinosaurs goddamn it Diego.

The rules of Stands are strange and incomprehensible so she just nods, thinking how much simpler it would be if there were no embodiments of powers invisible to normal people. Oh how much simpler it would be if everyone turned into giant green rage monsters. ]

So far everything I've heard is... you're the only other one I've met who's familiar with Sta-- er, special powers. People who look normal until they start detaching their arms or things hover around them, and whatnot. It's a little bit of a relief in a weird way? It seems the only people I talk to nowadays are Stand users, I'm not really sure what to do with other "normal" people anymore. [ And she uses airquotes because she's never been normal her life's never been normal. ]

[ She shrugs just slightly at his question, fingers tracing the barrel of her new gun just out of sight of the camera. ]

I found a gun-- well, no, from what I've gathered, I was given a gun by this universe. In a closet.

[ Not that a gun or even killing someone actually protected her. And it wasn't the Stands that were the key factor, it was political power. Having ships and guards and respect at your disposal, she's found, is just as valuable as superhuman abilities. But she bites her lip instead of saying it, glancing away awkwardly. ]

I've um, I've shot before. So I'm... okay.

[It's true, that the bad guys are usually the ones that are hidden, waiting for their moment to strike. Or doing everything behind the scenes while no one manages to notice. Or brainwashing good people into doing their dirty work.

Steve's still really upset about HYDRA, he just does a great job of not showing it.

He can kind of understand what Lucy means about not being used to normal people. It seems like most of the people Steve interacts with are extraordinary in some way, whether it's being a super spy or knowing how to operate a winged jetpack or the whole green rage monster thing.

He has to admit, "normal" people are kind of a breath of fresh air to him these days.] There are others here with powers, too. You'd have to ask around, but there are definitely a few.

[Even if Lucy's able to shoot a gun, that doesn't necessarily make this better. Because someone her age shouldn't have any idea of how to do that. Steve certainly didn't at that age. He'd been getting the tar beaten out of him in alleys, sure, but he'd never gotten anywhere near a gun.]

Hopefully you don't have to use it.

[ If Lucy ever learns about HYDRA she won't even be more paranoid than she is right now that's how deep in government in conspiracy she is. At least, at the very fucking least, Valentine's basic drive is patriotism. HYDRA is just straight-up bullshit.

It's not surprising to learn that Steve isn't the only one with powers around here; really, the only thing that's caught her off-guard is that the abilities people possess here might not be Stands at all. She's not sure if she's ready to face a new slew of powerful beings. But then again, she never was ready in the first place, so she'll just have to suck it up and try not to get anyone killed.

Or kill anyone, as the case may be. Frowning, Lucy's eyes downcast to the revolver in her lap. ]

Hopefully.

[ There is absolutely no conviction in her voice, but no dread either. She doesn't want to think about it so she immediately changes the subject. ]

Steve... is that short for Stephen? It's such a common name but it still feels weird for me to say. Unless you prefer Mr. Rogers. If I may, what's your St-- um, your powers. If you don't mind me asking.

[A neutrality toward the idea of firing a gun is at least better than any sort of determination. Steve realizes that it's impossible for him to keep an eye on everyone here, there are too many of them. But he can still make a mental note to watch out for Lucy in particular.

It's odd for her to get so stuck on his name. Lucy's fairly common too, after all.] Steven, yeah. But no one calls me that. [Except maybe his mother when she was really upset at him about something, but that memory is far away and painful and he's not going to dwell on it for too long.] Steve is fine by me.

[At this point, he's so used to Captain Rogers that Mr. Rogers is a little strange to the ear. Who ever thought he'd see the day?]

Most people refer to me as a super soldier. I have enhanced strength, speed, agility... think of someone who's been pushed past their physical peak.

[He makes a small, unassuming shrug.] It, uhh, took some getting used to.

[ Considering there are Italian nuns named Hot Pants running around in her world and no one bats and eye, "Steven" may as well be something unique and exotic. His powers as he describes them are almost underwhelming, but in a good way; it means no bizarre body horror that she might get roped into.

Stephen was a soldier too, she thinks. Doesn't say out loud because 1) thinking about him beyond the usual prayers that he's safe only make her heart hurt and yearn for the blessed days between her life in poverty and the Steel Ball Run conspiracy, and 2) comparing Steve to her husband any further is going to be creepy for everyone. She shoves her thoughts aside and focuses on the present. ]

I can only imagine. Discovering things about yourself is hard enough when it's the normal stuff. [ Lucy doesn't quite smile, but she gets as close to the genuine thing as she can. She ends up looking like a sweaty Mona Lisa.

The way he says it--"getting used to"--it sounds like he discovered his abilities like Johnny, like a sudden realization, rather than trained like Gyro. Not that she knows much about the powers of either; for someone whose lives are so heavily entrusted to her and vice-versa, she knows surprisingly little about them. ]

At least your powers sound... human, for lack of a better word. Some people you almost have to wonder how they even realized their abilities, let alone mastered them.

[ Metal balloon dog Stand how do you even figure that shit out it is so baffling. ]

[The jury is out on whether or not Steve counts as older than Stephen or not, given that he'd slept for so long. He jokes about being ninety-five, and sometimes being so behind on everything even makes him feel that way, but the fact still remains that physically he's a sight to behold.

Either way, Lucy's way too young for him, so: moving on!]

You're right about that. [The comment makes Steve wonder what Lucy's discovered about herself. There's got to be something, though she strikes him as surprisingly mature for her age. That probably has a lot to do with the fact that she's been through so much back home. He smiles back at her, though.]

Yeah, compared to some of that other stuff you described, my situation is pretty straight-forward. Still, my whole body changed around on me. It was like I had to relearn everything. [Sometimes he still encounters problems where he thinks he's small enough to fit through a space, even though he isn't. Where he expects to only be able to reach so high, and overshoots. But he gets more comfortable with his body with every month that goes by, and the extensive physical training definitely helps.]

I think whatever it is, though, it takes a lot of practice and hard work.

[ Lucy nods at his explanation of finding himself in, from what she can gather, a virtually new body. It's hard to fathom the full scope of what Steve must face; despite her stint as the First Lady, new face and all (courtesy of HP's Stand), Lucy always knew it was temporary. Even then her body never changed, something that blew her cover in the end. To change entirely, suddenly and permanently...

Suddenly she remembers how the corpse inside her started to overtake her body right before she came to Wonderland. Skin breaking off like glass, pain like she was going into labor, breathing constricted as her body solidified into something like diamond or steel until she lost consciousness. And it could happen again any day now. ]

Did it hurt?

[ It comes out as a pained whisper. ]

[With the way that Lucy asks that question, Steve almost wants to lie and say that it didn't, because it seems like the truth will only upset her.

But he's never wanted people to lie to him as a kindness, so he won't do that to her. Steve closes his eyes and nods slowly.]

Yeah, it did. But I survived it.

[Even before the serum, Steve had been good at taking punishment. Being willing to endure that pain had been the key in the experiment's success.]

[ She appreciates the honesty, she really does. It's not exactly a comfort to know that Steve suffered, but if he'd answered with something like "NAW IT WAS THE GREATEST!" she wouldn't know how to react. Probably feel awkward and weirdly alone.

Since she cries just about as much as she sweats, she can't stop her eyes from getting a little misty. The best she can manage is to swallow any wavering in her voice and hold it steady and warm. ]

That's what's important. And you've come out stronger because of it.

[ By the ways she tilts her head with the barest smile, it's clear she means more ways than one. ]

[Steve can see some of the glassiness in Lucy's eyes, and he really isn't that prepared for it. Girls crying is not something he's all that experienced in dealing with, and he has to fight not to panic.

Maybe it would be better not to draw any attention to it, so that he doesn't end up embarrassing her.]

Yeah, I guess I have. [That's what Erskine had told him, that it would take all of his traits and amplify them.]

You seem strong too, Lucy. Whatever you're dealing with back home, I think you'll make it through. [Not that Steve has any of the details, but it does sound like Lucy's world has been turned upside-down, and she probably needs the reassurance.]

[ Luckily for both of them, she blinks back her tears before they can spill over and possibly solidify into blades and wouldn't that be awkward after her desperate attempts to convince Steve that she's normal?

She's tempted to shake her head. If she were strong, she wouldn't have been caught by the President so many times. If she were strong, she wouldn't have to rely on Johnny and Gyro and Hot Pants to save her and Stephen; she would have gotten the corpse parts and gotten out and away. No matter how much she stiffens her resolve and throws herself into the line of fire and murders high ranking government officials, she's not as strong as any of them.

But that sounds self-deprecating and hey, maybe he's right about one thing. Maybe she will make it through, and she can't afford to be so pessimistic as to believe otherwise.

So she just shrugs noncommittally. ]

Hopefully.

[ Which may not sound all that positive, but she thinks that if Steven knew the full scope of fuckery he'd understand. A full scope that she doesn't really want to explain right now. Instead she tries to divert the conversation to something a little lighter than their respective pain. ]

If there's anything I can do to help your efforts to go home, please let me know. I'm not sure exactly what I could do, but if there's the possibility...

[It isn't a very confident answer that Lucy gives him, but instead of completely opposing his words, there is a shred of hope in what she says. Someone so young who's been through so much isn't likely to have a lot of self-esteem.

And if she's willing to offer help, that must mean that she has some faith in herself, or at least the potential to find it.

Steve smiles and nods.] I'll keep that in mind. I still have to get an idea of what's already at work here, but I'll keep in touch.

[In reality, Steve doesn't like the idea of dragging a teenager into anything, but Lucy is already here, a prisoner like the rest of them. If she needs someone to give her purpose, maybe he can help with that.]

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