Excerpt 011: Recalibration | OTA

[rekindledtitan]

TYPE: Personal log

LOCATION: The Nexus

PARTIES: Unconfirmed total [??]. Multiple [-] Ghost-type, multiple [-] Guardian-type, designate Blaze-37, Class Titan [[personal profile] rekindledtitan], additional [REDACTED]

ASSOCIATIONS: Multiversal Nexus; Nike; Rogers, Steve; Blaze-37; Coyote;



The havoc wrought by Coyote’s ‘gifts’ may not have been undone, and the trickster may be roaming at large still. But with an end to the rampage of the Big Bad Wolf, the Nexus streets are… somewhat safer, again. Night brings a chance for people to lick their wounds, or plot revenge… or just try to adjust to their circumstances.

Most of the bars and taverns close to the Plaza are exceptionally quiet tonight, but one of the pubs is playing host to an unusual gathering. The currently human-form Ghost is seated at one of the bigger tables, and before him is spread an array of bowls and small plates. Each bears a different sample of human-edible cuisine, most of them so far untouched. Around the rest of the table hovers a ring of… well, other Ghosts, these ones in their normal shapes. Their shells are angled or patterned or painted in different colors, but their blue optics glow bright in the low lighting of the bar. One of them - Penny, distinguished by her metallic green shell - dips to examine one of the many menus scattered around the table’s edge.

“Goat’s cheese!” she announces, and one of the others nudges a plate in front of Blaze’s Ghost. He eyes it a bit uncertainly, and Penny eggs him on. “Eat!”

“Eat! Eat! Eat! Eat!” The other Ghosts take up the chant with her, bobbing in the shadows, until Ghost manages to spear the lump of cheese on a fork. The others huddle in a bit closer to watch as he nibbles on it.

Over by the bar, one of the Guardians leaning on the counter observes, “You know, that’s kinda… creepy.”

“Yyup.” Blaze drops her attention back to pulling out the contact pins on the battery pack in her hand. “’Least they’re having fun.”

And worried as the Exo is about all this, at least she knows he’ll get enough to eat. Blaze? She just needs a drink. Or several.


[ Open post for encounters/CR after the first Coyote event post, particularly characters Blaze and Ghost know (and, of course, those with Ghosts of their own who might be joining in the vicarious taste-test.). ]

Comments

[shieldborne]

Steve was mercifully oblivious to the disaster as it first unfolded. Part of him is upset about it; he still wants to be on the front lines, so to speak. To help, to contribute. But even at his serum-dosed peak, there wasn't a lot he could do against magic. It's probably all for the best that he missed it.

At this point, he's only heard the most basic details, and at least half of his motivation for socializing in a pub is the hope of picking up more gossip. He's got his sketchbook and watercolors, regardless. Worst comes to worst, he'll have something to eat and some time to practice his craft.

He wasn't expecting the scene he's walked in on, and it doesn't make a lot of sense to him. A lot of little Ghosts encouraging some poor guy to eat, like it's some kind of fraternity ritual? Weird. Kind of funny, but weird.

He's just going to...quietly find himself a seat, while pretending he's not watching this. He's not that subtle.

[rekindledtitan]

Every new item of food has to be followed by a discussion as the man at the center of the noisy gathering explains what the taste and texture are like. Ghost looks a little embarrassed to be the focus of all this attention, but he's obediently munching on a piece of breaded shrimp as Steve finds himself a vantage point.

...At least, until Ghost catches sight of him peeking from the other table. It's like glimpsing an old memory wandering by; he's not prepared for the way his human lungs try to snatch a breath right when he's trying to swallow. He chokes, splutters, pushing away from the table as he tries to cough out the food. The other Ghosts are in a tizzy, calling advice or dipping in to see if they can help. Blaze is on her feet in a heartbeat, but she's got to cross most of the room to reach him.

[shieldborne]

Okay, so it's not a frat ritual, it's more like a symposium on What Food is Like for the gathered Ghosts. That's no less weird, really, but it's kind of cute. At least, it's cute until the guy doing taste tests catches sight of him and chokes. Steve isn't sure if it was looking his way that made that happen--and he's going to feel bad about it later, if it is--but the why matters far less than the coughing fit he's going into.

He's on his feet without a second thought, and hastens over, ducking under one of the hovering Ghosts to thump the man on the back. "Easy, pal--can you breathe?"

He's had first aid classes. If it looks like it's needed, he's not above performing the heimlich maneuver, but it's a risky thing if the airway isn't actually cut off. Also, he's been terrified, in the past, to try it on anything human, because serum-strength could've meant a shattered rib cage if he did it wrong.

But that definitely won't be an issue any more!

[rekindledtitan]

He's doubled over, wheezing in a very undignified fashion. On top of everything else- Ghost has felt panic, but he's never experienced anything like a biological body realizing it can't breathe. His heart's pounding, his lungs working overtime as the pounding on his back helps clear his airway. After a moment or two (that feels entirely too long) he's able to nod, his breaths slowing as he catches himself.

"Y-yes, sorry-" He can't cringe yet, at what he just did. He's not thinking of it, but at least he has a good excuse for why his face is so red. "Not... not sure what I did."

One of the others runs a scan over him, confirming he's not about to expire. Someone else calls, "I got water!" and transmats a plastic cup onto the table in front of him. Ghost looks up, and catches Blaze's eye.

The Exo's frozen a few feet away, her gaze shifting from Ghost (he's okay, he's recovering, they're helping him) to the man who's rushed to his assistance. A face they both know- one they haven't seen in years, and Ghost knows all the fears crowding his partner's head in this moment. He gives her a deliberate nod - a slow bob of his head, reassuring. He's real.

"It's all right," he says to her. Braces himself and looks back at Steve. "I'm all right- thank you."

[shieldborne]

"Ehh, sometimes shrimp try to get you before you can get them," he says, which is entirely a joke, so hopefully the other Ghosts won't take it as gospel. He gives him a lighter pat on the shoulder and moves back a little to let him recover. Only then does he notice Blaze approaching. Well, with all the Ghosts around, he should have expected that...

The look they exchange makes something click. He doesn't recognize Ghost by a long shot, but the mutual glances tell him Blaze and this stranger do recognize him. That's...probably why the poor guy choked, huh? He must have known the Guardian Steve, before he died at least, possibly even before Project Rebirth.

He gives a quiet sigh and shoves his hands in his pockets, self-conscious and inexplicably a little sad now. "Do I need to start wearing a warning label?"

[rekindledtitan]

Ghost coughs a little bit of a laugh at the joke, even if he's a bit lost for words to return it. Not that it's really the time, considering the awkward moment that hangs between them as all three reach their own conclusions. Fortunately, Blaze has neither breath to catch nor any hesitation in speaking up.

"Hey, ignore me. I just- uh-" A sideways glance, this time, at all the gossipy Ghosts milling about, urging hers to drink the water or actively watching the conversation. "Needed a second. Wanted to make sure Ghost's okay. Thanks for stepping in, there." Blaze is... not quite on the same page as the other two, in this moment, trying to backtrack and shake the moment of fear that her mind was playing a very vivid trick on her.

By this point Ghost is staring at Steve, a little bit- he doesn't mean to, but when you're a palm-sized eyebot you get used to watching people with impunity. And he can't quite put words to the feeling in his stomach he gets, the man's expression and the resignation in his voice. "I- sorry, really, it's- it's nice to see you. Again? I think we might have met already."

[shieldborne]

There's something ironic in the fact that they're both causing people to have these moments, these responses varying from startled to haunted. Steve expected to get a lot of questions and probably some unwanted pity. He didn't expect to give people near-flashbacks. But if the other guy has to put up with it--and a lot more of it, he's guessing--it's only fair he take it like a man, too.

"It's all good," he tells Blaze, calm and earnest now. He has no idea what her response means, but he remembers the confusion when he first appeared in the Nexus. "Par for the course in this place, right?"

Wanted to make sure Ghost's okay... He looks back at the guy he just helped, and listens to what he says--and the voice, which is sort of familiar--and then takes a breath, comprehension dawning on his face. "I didn't recognize you, uh...for obvious reasons. You got caught up in shenanigans, huh?"

Well, that all makes sense, now. At least, it makes as much sense as the Nexus ever makes.

[rekindledtitan]

It doesn't help that Blaze is already mildly buzzed, on top of her own Issues. She's more than willing to nod emphatically, rubbing awkwardly at one antenna. "Right. Too damned typical."

"Unfortunately, yes," Ghost confirms. He looks down - seeing himself like that is just bizarre, still. "Hopefully not for long, but- well, I've been trying to learn my way around... all of this. Not that I have to tell you what it's like, I guess."

He's getting good enough he can sort of wave at the table beside him. "Um, would you- are you hungry? They keep talking about more food and I don't want it all to be wasted..."

"Look, we may have a very limited window for data collection, here," Penny points out from across the table. She's just sent two of the other Ghosts transmatting off with fresh orders. "We can't afford to waste any time."

[shieldborne]

"Nice to see you, Blaze," he says, then adds wryly, "And sorry if I'm a...surprise. Some things happened back home."

He smiles at Ghost, and it's small and uncertain, but the hand of friendship being extended is much appreciated. Especially considering it comes from someone who isn't used to having hands. "Yeah, I do kind of get the disorientation of a sudden change in body type."

"I mean, I was thinking about dinner anyway. Not sure I should take your food, but I'd be happy to sit and join you for a while." Why the hell not? Even now that he knows what's going on, and feels a little bad for Ghost, this is pretty entertaining.

"Just don't make him sick," he tells Penny with mild amusement. "Human stomachs only have a limited capacity."

[rekindledtitan]

"Well, you kinda caught me off-guard, but Siri warned us you were around," Blaze admits. "I should've realized. Changes or not." 'Some things happened' is such an obvious understatement she could almost chuckle, if it wasn't a version of Steve Rogers saying it. Last time 'things happened' in one of those universes, well... it wasn't at all funny. So she shakes herself and just adds, honestly, "It's good to see you still on your feet."

Steve's smile coaxes an equally tentative one from Ghost. Being front and center in social situations is almost as hard as the biological functions (and the not tripping over his own feet). "Well, grab a seat. I am trying not to eat too much of anything. Although I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to tell, yet."

"Don't worry," Penny says confidently, studying her long, long list of food items. "If you evacuate your stomach contents, I calculate you'll free up a substantial percentage of volume for further testing." The little machine glances sideways at that, as if she's waiting for the Look that Ghost manages to give her. And as a bonus, she gets one from Blaze, snapping the Exo out of her awkward hovering.

"Penny, you make my Ghost sick, you're going to clean it up," Blaze warns. She eyes the little bot for a minute before she sighs, looks back at the two humans. "I'm gonna get another drink. You want anything, Steve?"

[shieldborne]

He should've figured that. That Siri would give them a heads-up. It's still probably more visceral seeing someone than hearing that they exist. He gives a shrug, and smiles at her. "They have yet to find something to make me stay down, apparently."

That's true of more than one universe, no less. "Shoulder's a little messed up, still, but I'm fine."

Sitting next to Ghost, he rests his hands on the table and has to bite his lip to keep from laughing at Penny's suggestion. "Definitely don't recommend that M.O.," he tells them.

"If you're tasting liquids, you can do it like a wine tasting, though," he suggests. "Put a little in your mouth and swish it around and spit it back out." Obviously he'd need a spare glass for that.

Glancing back at Blaze, he hesitates for a second, reluctant to ask her to get him anything, but after a moment he relents. "I could go for apple juice," he says. "Lots of ice. I don't really do alcohol right now."

[rekindledtitan]

"People do that?" Ghost asks, surprise breaking the obvious worried look he's giving Steve. "It sounds... messy." Don't humans have all kinds of microbes in their- Oh, Light. Does he have microbes? Humans need those, don't they? Siri would have said, if he didn't.

"I've seen it done," he's assured by a Ghost with a larger, bronze-colored shell. Penny is making an audible note about liquids being more efficient as they confer.

Blaze, meanwhile, gives Steve a thumbs-up. "Heh, that makes three of us. Be right back."

"Ooh, wait! Ice! Get ice!" one of the more excitable Ghosts calls after her. The consensus is that dips are next on the list, and they are busily arranging a small array of little bowls as well as a basket of 'potato sticks' in front of the two humans.

[juststeverogers]

Steve might catch a glimpse of a familiar shell on one of the Ghosts hovering around their humanoid brethren while he watches from his table. Siri's been keeping a close eye on their afflicted fireteam member as best she can while all the proceedings have gone on. He'll have time to himself to eat and poke in at his sketchbooks.

Eventually there's a shimmer and a soft hiss of transmat at the side of his table. It's a carefully unfolded napkin with a small drawing on it in pen. A little cartoon Titan in gear with a simplified approximation of Siri's shell both waving to a slim man sitting at a table earnestly but a bit awkwardly with a little tiny 'hi' speech bubble over the large figure.

At the far side of the pub, sitting at the corner of the bar, a dressed down titan lifts one hand slowly if his gaze is met before giving a little half wave. Siri, meanwhile, hovers a bit above Steve's little table.

"He's been waffling for about ten minutes if he should come talk to you so I took this over."

[shieldborne]

He's not as used to transmats as his counterpart, and the shimmer and hiss makes him pause and blink, bemused. As soon as he sees what it is, though, he breaks into a grin. God, it's just like passing notes in class.

He waves back, and glances up at Siri. "Yeah? I mean, I think he'd better. Sketching is easier from closer up. Hold on a sec."

He has a charcoal pencil, which would only tear up the napkin, so he flips to a page in the back of the book, where a messy row of watercolor swatches indicates he'd been testing colors. A few quick lines later and he tears out the sheet, holding it up for Siri. It's not as tidy as the pen drawing--different medium--but the gesture sketch shows the smaller man with a fishing rod, with which he appears to have hooked the Titan. Siri hovers nearby; he wasn't sure how to make her look longsuffering and resigned, aside from a little cloud beside her as if to indicate a sigh.

'Just get over here' says the text bubble.

"I'm so sorry you have to deal with two of us," he tells her.

[juststeverogers]

Siri had dipped down to watch the second that sketchbook flips open and Steve will hear her little 'oh!' before she has to stifle a noise that definitely was amusement lest it get out that she's anything other than fed up with these two. Whether this one is just humoring her titan or genuinely Understands this awkward form of exchange is impossible to say for sure but she knows her ward will get a laugh out of this.

"That's alright," she replies fondly as the paper seems to tingle in Steve's hand before it vanishes into thin air after a quick scan of the Ghost's optic. "I shouldn't leave Ghost alone for long anyway." She turns when a startled laugh picks up before twirling slowly once around the smaller man with a smug little drift. Job well done.

Steve ducks his head with a little nod his alternate's way as he drags the chair across out to settle into. The sketchbook page is held carefully in one hand.

"Still a bit weird." He admits as he's scooting his chair in. "But I was happy to see a familiar face." Above their table, Siri makes a sound not unlike a snort. Steve shoots a sharp look her way before shaking his head a little. "You know what I mean."

[shieldborne]

Siri is a little more transparent than she thinks she is. Steve smiles at the noise of her stifling a laugh, but he kind of gets it. It's the same kind of thing his ma used to do when he and Bucky got up to shenanigans.

"Yeah, he seems a little outnumbered," he says of Ghost, glancing over to the collection of robots circulating around the newly-transformed human. "Definitely needs backup. I thought it was some kind of hazing ritual when I walked in."

It's clearly all in good fun, though.

When his counterpart comes over, he gives him a welcoming nod and moves a couple things aside to make space on the tabletop. "It was weird before, too. You learn to sort of Alice-in-Wonderland it, after a while in the Nexus, and just let the madness float by without questioning too much."

"Here," he opens the sketchbook to a blank page and turns it toward the other Steve. "You wanna try my watercolor set? The pigments are really strong; I was impressed."

It's a small, portable set of twelve little half-pans, and he's been using his water glass to clean the brushes. Someone in the kitchen might not be thrilled about that when the go to wash the dishes, but oh well.

[juststeverogers]

"A campfire story? Or a book?" He's not quite sure what Alice in Wonderland is, but the context of it seems apt enough. He glances up when Siri flits over his head back toward the table where Ghost is at.

"You two have fun. I'll be back later." Better go make sure her (hopefully) temporarily organic comrade has some of that stomach medicine nearby after this long playing guinea pig for all the other Ghosts' curiosity.

Steve almost turns to watch her go but when his alternate slides over the sketchbook Steve's curiosity wins out almsot immediately. A notebook Made for art is a rather new idea to him, as are watercolors in general. He glances up at his alternate after gently brushing the tips of his fingers over the paper to feel how different its texture is to the kinds of loose scrap or notepads he's sketched in up till now.

"I've...never painted before." He warns. Steve's a little worried he'll disappoint his alternate where talent's concerned. but his gaze is hungry as it takes in Steve's setup here. He thinks of the simple drawings they've done so far and then smiles to himself.

"I should go get my pen...make a sketch first." Something he can color in with the paint set once he's got an idea down to paper.