maskormenace | audio. (backdated to 8th)

Hello.

[The voice that comes over the feed is distinctly English, and despite her mood, Peggy is polite. She wasn't going to reveal her status as an agent or indeed the SSR because Peggy didn't know who was listening.]

My name is Margaret Carter and like some of you, I am a recent arrival. It hasn't been easy, trying to adjust to my new circumstances and- [there's a pause.] - abilities. After reading the file I was given and speaking to others, I'm no closer to getting to the truth of this place and whom or what is behind it; if anyone has any more information or even a theory, please share. The more I know the better prepared I am for what's to come.

[Bringing people from different universes, both good and bad, and bestowing incredible powers upon them is a recipe for disaster in her mind. Already, Peggy has heard worrying details about the Swear in ceremonies.]

But I do know one thing for certain. I have no desire to stay here and I am determined to try to get everyone who wants to go home back to where they belong.

[There's a fire in her tone, like something has awoken inside of her and came rushing to the surface.]

You have my word.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ His stomach bottoms out the moment he hears her voice.

He wouldn't believe it if he hadn't already had to adjust to a Bucky he didn't really know, and many other people who sort of but didn't really know him. Multiverses were something he had to accept from the get-go, so a Peggy Carter that isn't in her nineties, isn't bed-ridden and isn't crippled by dementia isn't even a real stretch. So, no matter how strange it may be, he knows this is some version of the woman he'd fallen in love with -- but if she knows him, or is anything like the person from his universe, is anyone's guess.

God, this place just can't stop yanking his chain, can it?

After taking a moment to collect himself, Steve tries to think of what to say -- and comes up blank. What does he say? He rubs his hand against the lower half of his face in frustration before giving up. There's no easy way to go about this, but nothing's going to happen if he doesn't say something. Finally he turns the camera on, looking down into the screen with eyes that are too much a jumble of mixed feelings to make proper sense of. ]

Hi, Peggy.

[ One step at a time, Rogers. That's the best you can do. ]

[ Peggy doesn't answer straight away for two reasons. One being the fact that she was still trying to use the unusual communicator and two - probably the most important reason- is that she was looking at Steve Rogers. A very much alive Steve Rogers who looked a little older somehow, more harder around the edges. Those were things Peggy would question later after she got an explanation as to how in the hell Steve was even here and breathing.

There's another possibility that Peggy doesn't wish to admit to. This could be some form of trick - an illusion brought upon by the government here or even someone from home who was capable of such a thing. She can't accept that he was real and speaking to her, when their last conversation was cut short when the plane crashed into the ocean and he was never heard from again. Even after an extensive search conducted by Stark and his team. ]

Steve.

[ Her expression is as neutral as Peggy can make it, hiding any confused emotions beneath that veneer of calm. She let him go. Began the process of healing so she could move on. And yet here he was. ]

Hi.

[ Nope. She's got nothing at the moment. Give it time. ]

[ Relief washes over him for a moment: she knows who he is, and isn't immediately exclaiming on how different he looks. She, in turn, looks just like the gal he remembers. It's pretty likely she's the same Peggy, then, isn't it? From his world? God, this is all such a mess, this place. A faltering smile creeps its way onto his face before he can stop it. ]

Hi.

[ Repeating himself, yes, all right -- but it's been a long, long time. After giving himself a second to just breathe, he continues a bit more seriously: ]

This is all really... really crazy, I know. Believe me, when I got here I met about a half-dozen people that knew me that I'd never met before in my life, and I wasn't even technically the guy they knew.

[ Yeah, that didn't sound any clearer, did it? He waves a hand vaguely. ]

It's... complicated, and I only get some of it. If a gal named Kate Bishop looks you up, and she probably will, she can sum it up a heck of a lot better than I ever could.

[ And now, they should probably address the elephant in the room -- but that's probably better done in person. ]

I'm bettin' this might wash down easier if we did it face to face, so you know this isn't some sort of trick. Then we can talk about... what happened.

Crazy seems to be an understatement. I've had no shortage of people giving me things to consider and being quite understanding as well.

[No one has been rude or dismissive or tried to tear her down. That was a plus in Peggy's book.]

Kate already has. [She's quick to supply that information.] I'd like to meet her, if possible. Whenever she is free. [To assure Kate that she wasn't angry at her for not knowing all of the information before telling Peggy that Steve was here. Kate was only trying to help.] She seems like a good person.

[Is she stalling? Peggy feels like she is putting off the inevitable discussion, but she wants to see it through. They needed to talk and clear the air.]

It would be easier, yes. I-where should we meet? I'm afraid I don't know the area very well and as brilliant as my reconnaissance skills are, even I can get lost.

[There's a flash of a smile and a familiar warmth in her voice that seemed to be reserved for him. God damn her emotions.]

Please tell me I can get a decent cuppa.

She is. Good to her people, too. I'll let her know you'd like to meet up sometime.

[ He, in fact, has no idea of Kate's little faux pas -- but he won't hold it against her. The situation here is... complicated, and God knows he's not willing to offer details to anyone when it comes to his own personal heartbreak. He's a man that prefers his private business remain so.

Her smile catches him off guard, and it shows by the way his expression falters. It's not that he'd forgotten what it looks like, it's just... Memories, they get so fuzzy over time, don't they? You still see the general outline fine, but all those careful little details start to blur.

With the good memories, at least. All the bad ones seem to keep sharply in focus. ]

There's a cafe where we can meet at, in Heropa. They make a fine cup of joe, and can actually handle their tea to boot. I'll send you the address and directions; we can meet there in an hour, if you're okay with that? It'll give us both a little time to... get our heads on straight.

[ Because there's no reason to pretend that either of them isn't having their world turned upside-down right now. ]

Thank you.

[ She notices that little change in Steve's expression and as much as Peggy would love to know why it shifted, she won't question him; best to leave everything for a face to face conversation. Apart from that, Peggy would rather they speak in person as everything they exchange over the network could be seen by others. Something that neither of them want. ]

I am okay with that, yes. An hour is fine.

[ Lord knows she needs some extra time to process this and reply to other people whom had gotten into touch with her. She did appreciate the wealth of information she was receiving from people, but the issue was the sheer volume. Peggy needed to read through the guide carefully when she had some quiet time to think. ]

In that time, I'll think of questions to ask. Information that wasn't covered in the FAQ I was very kindly given.

[ Keeping it neutral. She will ask about him more than anything whenever they do meet. The story behind him being alive. ]

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