hydrogen ☢ video.

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce greets the network with a bland smile, brief, shoulders hunched just so, tension lingering in the muscles there. The stance seems almost second nature to him, though, as if that's just the way he usually carries himself. ]

So, this all looks like fun. Too bad I didn't have time to pack. [ His words are as dry as the desert, and his attempt at easing into the video function is stale at best. He presses on anyway; he started it, so he may as well finish. ]

My name's Bruce Banner. I'm still a little green around these parts, [ ha ha ] and I figured this was the best way to get in touch with most of you. The other ImPorts, that is.

Out of mere curiosity: how many of you are familiar with powers or abilities, back in your world? What about heroes, or anything at all even remotely like the system in place here? Did you have any powers at all before coming here?

As for the registration process: I understand there are a lot of perks for those who choose to register. My question is, how difficult is it really to find a job or a place to live while unsettled? If you have the skills, would you say the hiring process is the same as in your world, or more complicated? Financial aid isn't important to me, and I don't mind if I don't get paid a lot or don't have money for any place too fancy. I'll make do.

[ Questions, always so many questions. He smiles somewhat apologetically at the camera. ] Sorry. Inquiring minds, all that.

[ Clearing his throat, ] If the acronym SHIELD or the word Avengers mean anything to you, let me know. I'm— [ He pauses, almost says something else, then just shakes his head dismissively. ] ... done, I think. That's it. Thanks.

Comments

[eastdetective]

It's okay. [He carefully shifts his expression into a childish sulk. ] The school they make me go to is really boring, but at least it's better than the Russian propaganda. And I don't mind the job I got assigned, even if its strange that they would ask a kid to do it.

[hyperkinesia]

You have school and a job? [ Something's wrong with this picture. ] What job were you assigned to?

[eastdetective]

I was assigned to work as a detective at the 3.14 agency. But they don't let me work on anything interesting.

[hyperkinesia]

Right. [ There's a trace of disbelief there, a strange kind of amusement at the sheer ridiculousness of it. This. Everything so far. Jesus. ]

Your schedule must be insane. [ Because that's the thing to take from this. ] What do you even— what sort of work do they let you do there, then?

[eastdetective]

Mostly stuff to keep me busy. Filing and making the coffee. Things like that. I think they think I'm some kind of mascot.

[It was incredibly frustrating being a kid with the mind of a great detective. He knew that his deductive skills were miles ahead of anyone else in the agency, but he had to practically trick the adults into thinking his theories and observations were their own ideas. He didn't have a reputation with the police here like he did at home. No one was willing to listen to a kid's deductions.

He hadn't had to hijack any investigations with his sedative darts and voice changer yet, but there had been a few close calls.]

Sometimes Heiji-niichan lets me help on his cases. He's a police officer now.

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce smiles a little, sympathetic. ] I'm sorry about that.

[ On the other hand, he kind of gets where they're coming from. To them, much like to Bruce right now, Conan's just a kid, and you don't get a kid involved in an investigation in any way. Not just because a kid wouldn't have the kind of mental development to do the needed rationalization and contribute to criminal cases, but also because some of the themes in those investigations are likely a little heavier, and possibly traumatizing to a child.

Which makes this being his job assignment even more ridiculous, in Bruce's eyes. Of course, the real truth of it is the government knows a lot more about Conan than anyone else here does.

Despite knowing a number of languages, Bruce isn't exactly knowledgeable about Japanese, but that single suffix is simple enough and easily recognizable. Still, he asks with some doubt, leaving the option open that he might be understanding it wrong. ] Your brother's here too?

[eastdetective]

He's not my brother, but we knew each other at home.

[hyperkinesia]

[ Bruce nods. ] At least you have someone here with you. [ That's a good thing, even if it means another person stuck here. ] So he's much older than you are, I take it?

[eastdetective]

Mmm, he graduated last year.

[A fact which Conan was still incredibly jealous over. If things hadn't gone so wrong in his own life, he would be graduated now as well. Instead he was facing the choice of finding a cure or ten more years of school. And even if he found a cure right now, he would probably have to repeat his last year of high school. ]

[hyperkinesia]

It's nice that he lets you help out. I imagine work must be a little boring for you otherwise.

[ But then Bruce thinks he's looking at just a kid here, even if an unusually bright one. He certainly wouldn't imagine a child this young not being bored out of their minds at a place like a police station, no matter how many cases his friend might let him take a peek into. ]

[eastdetective]

Its only boring because they won't let me look at the interesting files at the office.

[He looked at them anyway. ]

[hyperkinesia]

They probably just think it might be too much for a kid.

[ Or that he might mess up or lose things. Not saying he would, but it's likely one of the things they worry about. ]

[eastdetective]

That's stupid. It isn't like they're solving murder cases there.