Day 8 - Introduction [Open Log]

[like_a_gerbil]

Characters: Steve Rogers
Open? Open
Where: A road that Steve hopes will lead to civilization
When: Morning on Day 8
What: Steve tries to find out where exactly he woke up this time.
Warnings: None that I can think of



Steve was beginning to wonder if waking up in strange places was becoming a habit for him. Though not as disorientating as waking up to find out that almost seventy years had passed since he was last conscious, finding himself in a meadow instead of his Brooklyn apartment with no memory of how he’d gotten there had still been unnerving.

As soon as he’d accepted that initial shock, he’d started searching for some sign of civilization, eventually finding his way to a dirt road and picking a direction at random that he hoped would lead to somewhere where he could find out what was going.

Maybe he should have taken a less conspicuous route, but if his kidnappers wanted to hurt him, they would have done so already. They wouldn’t have given him a battered set of ragtag armor or the white horse that calmly followed behind him. And they wouldn’t have let him keep his shield.

So he kept to the dusty track, wondering what he’d woke up to this time.

Comments

[legacyofiron]

He'd spent most of the morning putting on the armor if only because he figured it was better to be safe than sorry. The horse that he'd found at his disposal was deep red with a white blaze and socks. Tony still frowned at the feeling of riding the majestic animal if only because he'd not really liked all those riding lessons.

But it got him by. The horse was moving at an easy canter when he came upon the sight of a man and horse walking down a dirt road that crossed his path. Angling to follow after him, he nudged his horse to a gallop and pulled him to a halt they approached. "Excuse me..." Tony really didn't want to have it out all Arthurian Legend style when he didn't even have a sword or shield. But maybe they were nice? Maybe.

[like_a_gerbil]

He'd wanted to find some sign of civilization and it looked like he'd found it. Though, he'd hoped that the armor and horse were a fluke. Maybe this was part of some strange practical joke that he'd never understand, but the newcomer was dressed like something out of a storybook, shining red armor that was decorated in gold. That had never been in any of the books that he'd read when he was a kid.

Instinctively, he shifted so that his shield was between himself and the rider, but the action was accompanied by an uncertain smile. And it seemed that the - knight? - might be just as lost as Steve was. "Can I help you?"

[legacyofiron]

"It would actually be rather awesome, if you could just tell me where here is." Tony rubbed at his forehead before something clicked. Dark eyes fell on the shield set between them and his mind started to do a tally. For a few seconds he stared then he looked about him for the songbirds that had woken him up just in case before looking back at the blonde.

"You look... uncannily familiar." He'd left his helmet off for comfort's sake. It got too hot so he tethered it to the saddle. Slowly slipping off the horse, he drew the reins into his hands. "But I'd swear you were a face I'd definitely..." The words died off as the shield caught his eyes. Perfect circle shield... blonde hair... blue eyes... "Great. Now I'm hallucinating because you can't be alive... I'm talking to a hallucination. Wonderful... My armor was turned into scrap metal, I have pet songbirds and a magical orb.... and now I've met my childhood hero. Either I'm dead or I am digging really deep for those fantasies."

[like_a_gerbil]

Everything after the request to tell him where they were was mostly lost to Steve. The armor made sense. So did the reference to him being a childhood hero, or Steve being a hallucination of a childhood hero. But the songbirds and the orb? That didn't make sense even considering the strange place he'd found himself in.

"Not sure who you think I am, but I am alive.” But Steve wasn't the only one that looked familiar. There was something about the knight...

The context was slightly off. Or maybe it was right. He’d said his armor had been changed to scrap metal. Red and gold armor. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Features he thought he'd memorized along with the files Fury had given him. But it couldn't be, right? "You look familiar too."

[legacyofiron]

Oh, he felt slightly ridiculous. But he couldn't really say that Captain Steve Rogers wouldn't know him by some features. After all, his dad did know that guy and some said they looked a like. Much to his chagrin. "Well then.. since this is my delusion and I don't know if I need to drink more or less... Are you Captain Steve Rogers?"

But hey, if the guy thought knew him... but he refused to... "If you call me Howard I will ride right past you." His delusion, his choice to control how the only highlight of his childhood referred to him.

Clutching the reins in his hands, he felt the horse nose his shoulder lightly. At least his horse liked him. Or appeared to.

[like_a_gerbil]

When Tony asked him if he was Steve Rogers instead of Captain America, he gave Tony a brilliant grin. For months, almost everyone he'd met had asked him if he was Cap, until he wondered if anyone remembered that he'd actually had a name before he'd worn that uniform. "Yeah, that's me."

The comment about Howard had him looking more closely at Tony, trying to understand why he was supposed to confuse them. There were similarities, but not enough to cause him to make that mistake. "Um - wasn't planning on calling you Howard. Was I supposed to?"

[legacyofiron]

Tony could stare with the best of people, but rarely if ever was he completely caught off guard. But that grin? It completely knocked him off balance. For a moment, he fidgeted with the reins in his hand only to jump a little when his horse head butted him softly. "Really? I mean... I thought so... but..."

Luckily he was given something else for his mind to wrap around. The good Captain Rogers wasn't going to mistake him for Howard. A grin pulled at his lips and for a moment he forgot that his armor was a pile of scrap or that a magic book was declaring a search for heroes and simply walked closer extending a hand. "Tony..." Then he stopped when he got close enough to see the shield and his mind whirred in his head.

"That..." That was the shield. The shield. Vibranium. God... he should not be such a dewy eyed fan girl.

[like_a_gerbil]

"Yeah. Really." He chuckled softly, ducking his head slightly when Tony said that he'd recognized him. His reaction was better than most, not making him feel uncomfortable, just shy.

"Steve." He reached out to shake Tony's hand, then noticed how his gaze focused on the shield. "Yeah. It's..."

The grin returned and, after a few seconds' consideration and a look around to check that they were relatively safe, he slid the shield from his arm. There were only three people he'd ever given it to, but even if Steve only knew Tony's files, he wanted him to see his father's work. And, it seemed like Tony knew how rare the shield really was. "Here. You can look at it if you want."

[legacyofiron]

He still believed in the slight chance that this might be real... and if nothing else, Steve made for the nicest delusion he ever came up with. Returning the light smile, he managed to finally take Steve's hand in a brief firm shake of greeting. Yes.... that definitely felt real.

Then his attention returned to that shield and he felt his fingers twitch with the desire to just touch it. But he couldn't possibly be so forward as to...

Then Steve Rogers was offering the shield to Tony. His eyes went a little wide at first as he tried to decide. From his memories as a child he could recall it always with Steve in every picture and newsreel he'd ever managed to find. It felt... wrong to take it from him. But that didn't mean he wouldn't touch it.

Running the expert fingers of a craftsman and engineer over the smooth metal from the center to the edges, he let his eyes close. As his fingers ran along the edge he heard that soft almost hum and the smile broadened on his face. This was real Real... oh shit.

Pulling back fast, he looked for a brief moment, apologetic which he covered with a cough. "Sorry... just.. vibranium... and.... Can we just pretend the whole first part of this conversation never happened when I accused you of being a figment of my imagination?"

[brosif]

When Sif was unnerved, she took it to the training field, having long since discovered that most unpleasant emotions seemed less immediate when all of one's attentions were focused on not being sat on by Volstagg.

This place had an army, and so it had training grounds. But Sif was unfamiliar with the land, and had thus been walking around aimlessly -- very large sword in hand -- for just under an hour. She's frightened a few small house pets.

She looked relieved, then, when she crossed the knight's path. Granted, she had no guarantee that's what he was. But the sword, armor, and overall hygiene were a good indication. And honestly -- after a thousand years of war, you knew a knight when you saw one.

"Good morning, sir! Is there any chance you make your way to the training area?"

[like_a_gerbil]

Steve had noticed the figure walking toward him, not quite sure what to make of the...knight? That still seemed odd, even if he was dressed in armor and was carrying a sword to go with his shield.

He smiled at the lady while keeping an eye on the weapon in her hand, not drawing the sword he'd found in the meadow, but keeping his shield ready, just in case. He didn't know enough about where he was or why to be able to not be cautious.

"Good morning. No, I'm not headed for the training area." He stumbled over the words, unsure of what she meant. Had he been brought here for some kind of training exercise? "I'm trying to find out what's going on."

[brosif]

Sif noticed the hesitancy in the knight’s motions. It was interesting: on Asgard, when one was unsure, the hand reached first for the sword. He reached for his shield. A fact, to be filed away for later.

And, ah. A good enough reason to be hesitant.

“I’m afraid that your theories are as adequate as mine. Did you just arrive?”

[like_a_gerbil]

He wasn't sure what to make of the woman and the sword in her hand. It wasn't that he wasn't used to women being armed, but if she needed to carry a sword unsheathed either there was some kind of danger nearby or she was the danger.

His hand loosened on the reins in case he needed to move quickly without worrying about the mare.

"Yeah. I woke up in a meadow this morning. Dressed in armor and with a horse waiting for me." He shrugged slightly. "Last thing I remember was reading an old book."

[brosif]

"Ah. Waking up in a strange meadow, dressed in armor with a horse waiting for you. Those are always interesting mornings."

She approached the man and his mare, weapon lowered -- more for the horse's sake than the knight's.

"I myself woke up in throne room, cursing the written word."

[like_a_gerbil]

"'M getting used to waking up in strange places, but the horse is new." He was still discreetly eying the sword, unwilling to relax until he knew more about what was going on and who the stranger was.

"You woke up in a throne room? You're not from here?"

[brosif]

Sif notices how his eyes go towards her sword, still, and not being a particularly subtle creature:

"I'm not going to stab you, if you are worried about that."

She says it with a friendly smile. In her opinion, it's a friendly enough statement. "I am not from here. I am from a place called Asgard. But until this kingdom is aided, it would seem that I cannot return home."

[like_a_gerbil]

"Where I'm from, you don't carry a weapon like that unsheathed unless there's something dangerous nearby or the person carrying it is a danger."

He knew that basically he was doing the same thing with his shield, but this was unfamiliar territory. Until he knew what was going on, he was keeping it close. And unless someone recognized him, which this knight hadn't seemed to, his shield wasn't usually seen as a weapon.

He considered her words for a moment, still not quite understanding the context. "So...we're stuck here until we help this kingdom?"

[tatra]

Tatra was out for a walk, attempting once more to become comfortable with the atmosphere of this place. Of course, heavier clothes weren't an option. The belly-dancing style outfit she wore was similar to those she'd worn every day of her life since childhood. Heavier clothes felt too restrictive and made her sweat despite the chill.

Steve was easy to identify as a stranger, not only because Tatra had become familiar with most of the people around Schwanheim, but also because of his attitude. He was very intense in a way that nobody else here was. So when she passed him, she smiled, waved, and said a smiple,

"Hello there!"

[like_a_gerbil]

If he hadn't had time become accustomed to 'modern' fashions, he would have blushed at Tatra's clothes. Still, he fidgeted slightly, making sure to keep his eyes focused on her face instead of anywhere lower.

His horse seemed to notice his nervousness, bumping her nose against shoulder, causing his gaze to drift lower. A faint flush started to creep across his cheeks as he quickly looked up again. "Um - hi. Uh - Could you tell me where we are?"

Mentally, he facepalmed over his stuttering as he gave her an uncertain smile. At least he wasn't as nervous as he'd been during his USO days.

[tatra]

Tatra just smiled, ever so sweetly. If she noticed his discomfort she sought only to alleviate it.

"Of course! You're on the outskirts of Schwanheim, home of his majesty King Erasmus and his court. Are you lost?" An obvious question, given his own, but easy questions were really best when it came to newcomers. Let them come to terms with things in their own time.

[like_a_gerbil]

"Um, Yeah - I - " He managed to get the blush and the stuttering under control, his smile becoming slightly more confident, even if her words confused him. His grasp of geography had always been strong, but he didn't recognize any of the names she mentioned. "I've never heard of any of those places."

Glancing at the landscape around them, he tried to find something that looked familiar. "And I've never been here before."

[tatra]

She nodded her understanding before smiling once again.

"If you'd like, you can follow me to the castle. I was just about to have a nice cup of tea." Of course, Tatra was always just about to have a nice cup of tea, but it was traditional and proper to invite strangers into one's home and offer them tea. Especially lost strangers, who could no doubt use the hospitality as well as the herbal benefits of the tea.

"You're welcome to join me," she added, to be certain that her invitation was not missed. It would be impolite to imply anything less.

[like_a_gerbil]

"Castle? Tea?" He repeated the words, knowing that he sounded dim, but he hadn't been this confused since he'd woken up in that fake hospital room that SHIELD had thought would reassure him. At least she was friendlier than the 'nurse' had been when he asked questions about where he was.

Then his manners kicked in and he smiled. "I'd like that, ma'am. Thank you."

[tatra]

Tatra clapped and giggled in her excitement before curtseying.

"Follow me then, if you would!" New guests for tea were always a good thing, and she was already contemplating just what brew would be best for the stranger.

"I am Tatra, by the way," she supplied, realizing that she had yet to introduce herself. "From the country of Chizeta."

[like_a_gerbil]

The giggle got an answering grin from Steve as he bowed to Tatra. "It's a pleasure to meet you, miss. I'm Steve, from America."

He considered the names she had told him, trying to find some kind of context to the places he knew and the country she had named as her homeland. "Are we in Chizeta or were you brought here too?"