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001 ☆ video

[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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[Well, some of those potential rooms sound like they would be enjoyable to someone as sentimental as Steve Rogers, but let's just hope he never stumbles upon the forest of dicks. A national hero such as himself just doesn't need to see that.

No offense, Alfred, but Steve prefers the Avengers as a team name. Not that he says anything about that. He's a little bit curious about what these Regulators do, but he decides he's probably better off not knowing.

Steve makes a mental note to track down the Doctor for any questions he might have about space (and he has a few), relieved that this conversation has earned him some useful information in the end.

Alfred really isn't letting this "I am a country" thing go, though. Steve searches for any kind of polite response that he could give. In the end, he relies on his curiosity to get him through it.]

If that's the case, I wouldn't mind seeing a demonstration sometime.

[ What if they're American dicks does that make it better or worse...

There is no reprieve in sight for poor Steve. America will continue to refer to himself as a country, often in tandem with elaborate metaphors, and everyone is just going to have to go with it. He's lucky that Wonderland is already the perfect storm of what the fuck; it numbs the rationality of most people and grinds it down to the point where they're willing to accept personified countries with little question. Steve has so far resisted these changes but America has faith that he'll start to see the light after an event or three.

Stars dance in his eyes (not literally, or maybe literally, depends how bizarrely anime you want to get) when Steve all but suggests he would love a demonstration of America's strength. Okay, he didn't use the word 'love,' but America mentally inserted it in the request so all is well. ]

Sometime? How about now! I don't got a whale on hand, but I got the next best thing! Hang tight!

[ He shakily props his iPad up to give a larger view of his room: a slice of Americana full of antiqued furniture, some lavishly decorated and others hurriedly cluttered with anachronistic crap like he was trying to fill the void where Victorian crap is supposed to go, and what appears to be a really weird shrine dedicated to whales. Whale plushies, whale pillows, a whale lamp, it's like a virus made of whales that threatens to overtake the entire room.

Oh, and then there's the dinosaurs. He excitedly scoops up Ruth, who only gives only the slightest annoyed grunt of having her feather-preening be interrupted, like she weighed no more than a fluffy cat.

And this is still a step up from his offers to prove himself in Wonderland when he arrived the first time, offers which usually coincided with a dark joke suggesting that they shoot him in the head. In hindsight it wasn't a very good joke because of the grain of sincerity embedded in it. ]

[It all depends on what the next three events turn out to be, really. Steve's learned to accept all kinds of strange things, but the country he's fought for being a living, breathing person? Somehow, that's just asking too much.

Still, there may be hope. You can wear him down, America.

For now he's focused on Alfred's supposed strength, though he also takes a moment to raise an eyebrow at the kid's room. He's definitely got an obsession with the USA, that's for certain. But having a shrine doesn't somehow make any of his claims true.

Mainly, Steve's just relieved that there isn't a ton of Captain America memorabilia scattered around.

And then, well, then Alfred picks up his dinosaur friend(?) like it's nothing. (Steve also notes that hey, they are feathered after all.) It's impressive, possibly beyond Steve's level of strength even.]

Wow. You weren't kidding. [This guy is like Thor, even though he's not nearly as impressive physically speaking. Which only makes it stranger.] How did you get that kind of power?

[ He beams at what he perceives as a compliment shrouded in confirmation (and his brain somehow fine-tunes the phrase "You weren't kidding" so that America hears "You're amazing! Just like you said you were!"). With a grunt he repositions the raptor cradled in his arms, lifting her until each massive foot is perched on his bare shoulders like she's a massive parrot sitting on his head. The massive sickle-like talons twitch as she steadies her balance, like they might dig into his shoulder if she starts to slip. America doesn't seem to pay any attention or care about the possibility. ]

I've always had it! Must be my abundance of land and resources, and now I've got steel in my bones and oil in my veins to really push myself! ...Not literally, of course.

[ He wobbles his head slightly like he would shrug if he didn't have a dinosaur perched on him. ]

Makes me special. I dunno any other countries that can do this, not even my brothers. Not even Prussia! And you would think someone nicknamed The Iron Kingdom would be, y'know, sturdy as iron. Sure as hell makes up for it in his personality.

[Steve continues to stare in something like awe as the dinosaur is precariously balanced on Alfred's shoulders. As if he does this kind of thing all the time, and maybe he does. He considers telling him to be careful, especially with those talons, but it looks like the guy has things well under control.

The answer he's given isn't particularly surprising. Alfred's really pushing this whole I-am-a-country thing to the limit.

Granted, there's no denying that Alfred has impressive amounts of strength and that kind of thing doesn't just pop up from nowhere. On the other hand, the other supposed countries not having the same kind of power only lends credence to the idea that this is all just made up, some kind of fantasy pushed too far. Steve's just going to have to keep an eye on the guy and see how it all plays out.]

Pretty sure you'd give me a run for my money, that's for sure. Thanks for showing me. Is there... anything more about this place I should know?

[ An embarrassing high-pitched noise escapes America when Steve puts their strength on par with each other. Of course America has always known he's strong, it's rarely something he even thinks about as being extraordinary, but it's a whole different thing to be praised by a national hero. He looks positively elated that Steve is impressed with his strength. ]

Know that I am always here for you I live on the first floor room seven if you ever want to visit just make sure you knock.

[ It all whooshes out in one dreamy breath. The intense staring doesn't stop, not for the few seconds of weighty silence, not even when he regains enough presence of mind to actually answer the question. ]

Yeah! I can tell ya just about anything! I've been here... well, I was here for several months the first time, and then I guess I was tossed back in my own world and twenty seven years later I'm back here! Except only a week has passed in Wonderland? Time don't match up. Point is I'm experienced! Tell me what ya know and I'll fill in all the gaps I can for ya!

[Well then. Steve hadn't really needed to know where Alfred's room is, but he'll file away the information just in case. If nothing else, he might be a good sparring partner, but that's an idea he'll have to chew over for a little longer.

Either way, he would most definitely knock. For so many reasons.

That casually offered tidbit of information catches Steve's attention right away.]

Wait, you left here and then came back again? That's a thing that happens? And you remembered it all?

[How could it have been twenty-seven years? Only if Alfred's right about the whole country thing and he doesn't age like a human. But Steve's just going to leave that alone and focus on the rest of the information, as it's more relevant anyway.]

Not often, but it happens sometimes. Usually people go away and forget, but I... didn't.

[ He shrugs slightly, jostling the dino on his shoulders. Her claws scrape along his shoulder, leaving shallow trails of bright blood, but America again doesn't seem to care. ]

At least not the important stuff. I'm usually pretty good with memories, but thinkin' of Wonderland felt more like recalling a really vivid dream. Some of the little stuff--what I'd do for dinners, daily conversations, names of acquaintances--those got lost. Managed to keep some of it alive with this little chest-- ah, but that's gettin' weirdly metaphysical. Anyway! You probably won't have to worry 'bout none of that.

[ Because humans tend to forget pretty easily. Not just in Wonderland, but anywhere. America can't fault them for it; they have to fit so much living into such a short time, they have to remember the important things. Usually he's not in that category.

And Wonderland might not be in that category for a lot of people here. He can't imagine why Steve, super powered bad ass with a team and a whole new future ahead of him, would need to remember this place. ]

[As it turns out, a near perfect memory is part of Steve's enhancements. Remember how he was able to recall the location of all those HYDRA bases after only getting a quick glance? Some of it is just attributed to Steve's basic smarts, but the serum helped a little.

What he takes from all this is that some people go and come back, remembering everything when they return, and some don't.

Steve might have had more to say about that if wasn't distracted by the ribbons of blood cut open on Alfred's shoulders. Even stranger is that the guy doesn't react.]

Umm, you're... looks like you're bleeding there.

[Steve gets the need to be sacrificial as much as the next guy, but getting cut up because you're hoisting up a dinosaur? That just seems wasteful.] Might want to put down your friend.

[ Only when Steve points it out does America glance down. ]

Ah hell. Good thing I wasn't wearing a shirt though, otherwise it'd be ruined!

[ Priorities. But he does take Steve's advice, basically tossing his raptor off his body like she's a cat. Like a cat, she also lands on her feet and immediately curls up in a sunny spot to resume grooming. ]

That one's Ruth! Real mellow, fast as a horse and eats just as much as one. [ He explains as the camera jerks around. America isn't taking any immediate care of his "scratches"; instead he angles his tablet to look under his bed where another, smaller, horrible little beast has wedged himself. Ever see that video of the barn owls hissing and swaying their heads around? That's what's happening now, but with a dinosaur. ]

And that's Jackson! He's got some issues, especially now 'cause Clarisse punched his tooth out.

[ What a catastrophe they are. No one should allow America and Clarisse to interact and yet. ]

You'll meet 'em eventually, they're always out and about with me. Where ya stayin', by the way?

[ He will find Steve even if he doesn't tell him. ]

[It's not as if Steve asked to be introduced to Alfred's dinosaurs, but that's apparently exactly what's going to happen.

Part of him is curious, of course, since they're supposed to be extinct and he's got no clue where they came from, except for maybe the closets. The smaller one seems pretty mean, though, and Steve makes a note of that in the event that he does end up running into either one of them.

He doesn't know who Clarisse is, but he's reached a point where he knows better than to ask too many questions.]

I'm... up on the seventh floor.

[No room number, Alfred, sorry. Steve's got to try and maintain some level of privacy if at all possible, especially since it turns out he's got a few fans here.]

You should really wrap up those gashes. [It seems like along with strength, Alfred may also have resilience and a high pain tolerance.]

[ Room numbers are important when hallways are endless and any room could be blank or it could be one someone has already messed around with, but does that deter America? Hell no. He will rise to the challenge of successfully finding his beloved Captain so that he can pester him endlessly and relentlessly when he's not bothering Daryl Dixon or any of the other poor souls he's globbed onto.

His eyes have already glazed over with visions of finding Steve. He snaps back to attention as soon as the Avenger speaks again, at which point he shoots a glance to his gashes. ]

Oh, yeah, no big deal, they ain't deep! I'll shower or something. Unless you're offering to wrap 'em for me.

[ Somehow his expression gets stuck in a weird place between playfully flirty and desperate. Is it creepy to want to know what your idol's hair smells like maybe but America envisions the dewy scent of rain on the open prairie and he needs confirmation on this. ]

[Feel free to try and track him down, America. Steve is surrounded by other Avengers and their friends and/or sidekicks, so it shouldn't be too hard to find him.

And his friends are jerks, so they probably wouldn't even try to save him from America's intense fannishness.

Alfred's words leave him at something of a loss. Does Steve really want to wrap up this guy's wounds? Not exactly, since he is definitely on the crazy side of things and just a tad obsessed, but he isn't going to let him bleed out either.]

You sure it's no big deal? Does super healing come along with the super strength?

[ He wobbles his head as a vague answer. ]

Kinda. Don't heal up immediately but usually faster than a regular human. And--well, Wonderland can find some ways around it, but events aside I don't really die. Not like humans do. Countries die differently. Compared to when I was here last...

[ Trailing off, he lets his thoughts hang in the air before shaking them off. His hero doesn't need to hear about the state he was in during his first stay in Wonderland. ]

So yeah! No big deal!

[ If Steve won't come to him, America decides, he'll just subtly wander into Steve's room and smell his pillow when he isn't around. ]

[It sounds similar enough to what Steve's healing is like, which puts him at ease. The difference being that he can actually die, though he's more resilient than most. He probably should have died upon arriving here, for instance.

He's already been warned about how events can take away powers and that could mean he'd be reverted back to how he was before the serum. Suffice to say he's dreading that ever happening.]

All right, good to hear. Thanks for answering all of my questions, Alfred.

[But this conversation has gone on a while already and it's been strange enough that he doesn't mind letting it peter out here.]

Anytime, Captain! You know where to find me.

[ And soon he'll know where to find you...................... ]

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