maskormenace | video.

[There's been a lot building up to this, and she hasn't even been here long enough to claim that. But two plus solid weeks tells her everything she needs to know about Heropa, about this registration, and about what came before. Kate's granted herself the opportunity to hear from every side, and given her past history with this, she knows it's almost her place to say something.

Of course, as much as she's willing to step up, she'd prefer that she didn't have to. But here she is.

When the video switches on, she's in uniform, complete with a pair of dark purple shades and the appearance of her quiver disappearing behind her.][There's a pause, and she draws off her sunglasses and sets them down, relaxing.]

I thought it might be an okay idea to drop the dramatics a little. Sunglasses are dramatic, aren't they? [She smiles easily.] Here we go.

The other day, a man named Nelson suggested that we stand together no matter what. And I've got to say—I agree with the sentiment. I wouldn't put it the same way as him. I doubt most of us would. But you've got to give him points for trying, and again, the sentiment wasn't a bad one. It got me thinking about what happened back home for me ... and for my friends.

I've mentioned this here and there. Hints and ideas and everything. All those little points of foreshadowing for this intentional reveal. [It's a bad joke, but she smiles briefly at the idea that she set up some narrative. Kate isn't that into big dramatics; that's more other people's thing to do. But hell, she can't help but think Loki would approve of it.

Actually, that's not a good thing. But she doesn't focus on the thought, she's here for a reason.] This is in my file. But it's just a brief note. I fought against a registration like this before. I was on the losing side, until it turned out that it was more complicated than that ... [She waves her hand in the air. Talking about the skrull invasion isn't her idea of "things people need to hear right this second."] But I've been arrested for it before. I saw the people desperate to keep this going do some terrible things. It started a series of events. One thing after another. I even had to fight on the opposite side of my best friend. Heroes hiding in private. Heroes couldn't be heroes because someone would swoop in and arrest them.

What I'm trying to say is ... it'd be good to avoid that. But they've already got a leg up on us. These tattoos don't go away. We come in prepped and ready to register. To get on with our lives. We're called outsiders, so we've got to fall into line. And anyone who goes against it might just be tainting things. [Okay, so that's a subtle snipe at Tony Stark. Less subtle for him, she imagines.] And someone might argue that I feel like I'm entitled to freedom, but I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. What is this government's trump card? [Their cyborg Thor. Their band of "former" supervillains. After all, Norman Osborn has just as much of a right to register, doesn't he?]

I know it wasn't easy for some of you guys before. The world you came from wasn't great. I've seen suspicions. I've seen what happens when the public reacts badly to people in costumes, but that doesn't mean the opposite is better.

The big thing I'm asking for after telling you is this: let's not fight. We can do better than that. And I think it'd be better if we were in a situation where we don't have to register our right to help people. I'm willing to fight for that. I don't want to take it to arms right away, so I've been asking around. I think none of us want Civil War here, so I'm getting ahead of myself to ensure that doesn't happen.

I do think those of us who don't like this could take a stand, but I—well, I understand if you don't want to take that risk. I can't say I blame you. We've got ... there are wifi transmitters in our arms. But I'd still like to talk to anyone about this.

Okay. [She grabs her sunglasses.] Hawkeye out.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

What's right. What I believe is right is very different from what you believe is right.

[There's a moment of hesitation.]

Or what they believe is right.

[ He raises a dubious eyebrow. ]

Uh-- well, yes, but there is an actual right that can't be lost sight of. Someone also has to be wrong.

[Kate studies him carefully for a long moment. Yes, she just stares at him through the video.]

I thought my world was black and white.

[ So judgmental, Kate. ]

How can you be a hero if you don't believe in a clear difference between right and wrong?

I believe in one. But I know there are gray areas. Ones I don't necessarily employ.

[She is Kate, after all.]

But I know they exist.

Uh-- well, caped vigilantism is already its own gray area. And even gray areas need ways of being defined. That's just it, it's extremely easy that someone might go too far, but there are still those who do right without crossing any lines.

I have an idea of what not to do. I don't kill. But there are people out there who debate whether not killing someone when they can get up walking again is the right idea.

I don't disagree, but it's a part of the job. I don't cross any lines.

But before killing, there's still a lot of wiggle room. Where right crosses in there ...

I don't kill either. I wouldn't unless there was no other choice. Oftentimes there is, though. Few people are beyond hope entirely.

[ But then, he was a Marine. ]

It isn't terribly complicated -- you do just as much as is necessary to handle the problem, when it's people you're dealing with. Otherwise you go with what's most logical.

[That works for her. Kate doesn't look smug, but she does look at ease. He does seem to be a good person at heart, even if he's a little too patriotic in some ways.

But she can't blame him. Some people have their things, right?]

What I'm doing right now is what's the most logical. I'll know when it's wrong and I'll be the first to admit it, but it's still where I stand on it.

[ He raises his eyebrow at her. It's not a bad answer, exactly, but it's one that makes him feel concerned. It reminds him of-- who is it? Sally's daughter, Laurie.

Not that he knew Laurie especially well, but she was someone he thought could have great potential if directed probably. For a teenager, that was. ]

Is it? The most logical? [ That was so inadvertently paternal even he feels embarrassed. ] I think we both know what it is is dangerous.

[Nelson, even her father fails to father her that hard. The paternal nature of it makes her eyes roll ... and it only feeds into her defiance.

She can't help it.]

Sometimes dangerous is logical, what can I say?

[ His nose wrinkles, brow furrowing. ]

Be that as it may, not when it's also reckless. We all want to be heroes in our own ways, but-- it is possible to do that and be safer.

[Reckless. It's reckless, but she has thought it through. She's just showing her entire hand, and she thought that might be obvious.

Still, there is something to be said here.]

Sometimes reckless is logical. You're gonna keep running into that logical conundrum, Nelson.

[ She does have a point, but it's not a point he can appreciate. He admits: ]

Sometimes it is. This isn't one of those times, not when there's no benefit to the alternative. You can be "Hawkeye" without giving everything else up at the same time. At least you could allow yourself a foundation.

My foundation is at home. I've been to other worlds before, and the number one lesson I learned was that those places weren't home. I'm not looking for a foundation, I'm looking to do what I feel is right.

Which brings us right back to that.

[ He pinches the bridge of his nose. ]

We're not at home but that doesn't mean we can't still benefit from foundations. What's the sense in not trying to anchor yourself down first before going off on your own? [ He pauses. ] But you're right in that I don't think we may ever agree.

Not having a home is the very reason why I have to stick to what I do have. Which is myself. And I'm not going to let any of this make me into a different Kate Bishop.

[A Kate Bishop with compromised morals.

A Kate Bishop with a sacrificed sense of self.

A Kate Bishop who becomes someone else entirely.

A Kate Bishop from a world with negative possibilities; she doesn't want to become one of them. She refuses.]

Now you're just being extreme -- I didn't say anything about that.

[ Or it's so entirely foreign to his way of thinking he can only barely see it from her perspective. ]

They aren't asking us to give up anything.

Trust me, this isn't something that we'll see eye to eye on.

[It's not condescending, but she doesn't want to share the experiences that led to that specific thinking.]

[ He exhales with frustration. ]

No, apparently not. Well-- [ A pause. He knows when he's been defeated. ] Then I guess there isn't anything more for me to say. Good day, then.

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