Video;

[subject223]

[ The video turns on to a view of a man’s face, and those observant enough to notice nitpicky details might realize that this is a man who’s familiar with and comfortable using strange bits of technology. There’s no fear in his eyes, no outward confusion or panic. He looks calm and in control, and when he speaks, he sounds like it, too. ]

Hello. My name’s Steve Rogers and I just recently arrived from a city called New York. I was debriefed about the situation and I wanted to offer my help to anyone who needs it.

[ He pauses for a moment as he collects his thoughts. These days, it’s not often that he goes somewhere that people aren’t at least slightly familiar with who he is. Providing a brief resume is a somewhat novel experience. ]

I’ve been a soldier for a long time, but I’m also good with my hands. Construction, farming, hunting, good old-fashioned heavy lifting, I can help with that. I can speak a number of languages, too, if anyone needs translations done. I know I’m new, but I want to pull my weight. So if you know anyone who might need a hand with something, let me know.

[ Offering a faint smile, he gives the camera a short nod. ]

Thanks for your time.

Comments

video; anon location

[beganwithamask]

[He freezes immediately when he sees this in the day's list of posts, and he's incredibly glad he's already at a console cafe between deliveries. It's Steve. It's definitely Steve but is it-... Oh god, if it isn't his Steve, he's going to scream.]

Steve. How old were we when we met? [A security question first, just to make sure.]

[subject223]

[ Steve blinks, somewhat taken aback by the face looking back at him. Bucky?

Despite his surprise, the question makes the corner of his lips quirk up in a tiny smile. He recognizes a security question when he hears one. ]

Sixteen and twenty-one.

video;

[jirk]

Rogers. Captain Jim Kirk, Starfleet.

[A bit of a nod. Jim's got devil-may-care written in lazy lines all over his posture but that bit's serious enough at least.]

Mind if I ask which branch?

[subject223]

United States Army.

[ He's never heard of Starfleet, but he knows a military man when he sees one. Steve can't quite manage that level of ease, though he doesn't have trouble giving him a tiny, albeit warm, smile. ]

Pleasure to meet you, Captain.

video;

[donttouch]

I'm beginning to think every universe's version of you is nicer than the one mine's got.

not here;

[doesthemath]

[She's not the only one thinking that.]

video;

[definingfuture]

[Well... okay.]

Steve Rogers.

[That's it. If something's going down, he won't need to say any more than that.]

[subject223]

Tony Stark.

[ He's only being formal about it because Tony is, and as he continues, he drops the formality. ]

What's our status? How long have you been here?

video;

[doesthemath]

[By now, Wanda's well acquainted with the fact that not everyone here is from the same timeline, or even the same reality. So, while it's encouraging to see another Steve Rogers on the timeline, she's only half-hopeful that it's the one from her world.

Wanda starts a video feed, dressed in her Ultimates uniform and seemingly at ease in the tight black and red leather. Steve might notice that she looks very much like the Wanda of his world, with some slight differences in her hair style, and the fact that she's at least ten or more years younger than the woman he knows. There's a polite but distant smile on her face, because in truth she's already bracing herself for disappointment that he's not from the same team, or worse, doesn't even know her at all.]

Welcome to Keeliai, Captain.

[subject223]

[ He doesn't recognize the uniform, but he does recognize the woman. She's a little different. Her hair isn't the same. Her face looks subtly younger. But after all these years, he could never mistake the Scarlet Witch.

The smile he gives her is the warm smile of an old friend. There may have been a few bumps in the road over the years, but as far as he's concerned, those days of distrust after M Day are over. ]

Wanda. Sorry I'm late. Think you can forgive me?

[video]

[flamingshortshorts]

[Staring. Yep, just staring. Because what else can you do when the last time you saw someone was really the last time? He may have seen that other Steve, but really there is no mistaking his Cap. Their Cap. Oh God, how is Bucky going to react?

Toro's brain finally catches up with him and the first thing out of his mouth is]

Cap, you are one of the nicest looking dead fellas I have ever seen.

[subject223]

Toro?

[ How long has it been since he's seen him? It may as well be forever. And it lends credence to this between life and death idea that's entirely too bittersweet for Steve to dwell on right now. ]

You're a sight for sore eyes yourself.

video;

[zerotoawesome]

All right! Cap is finally here. Pack it up people, let's all go home now.

[subject223]

I'm working on it, Rockslide. Trust me. We'll get there.

video.

[hugmagnet]

[Oh my god, Steve!]

Please tell me you actually know who I am. [Because if you're not her Steve she might actually scream]

[subject223]

[ Like he would ever forget Carol. ]

I really strike you as the kind of guy who forgets my teammates, Carol?

[video]

[littlecousin]

[Nita is getting really, really sick of people not knowing her who should. Everyone else gets their friends and family, it seems like. She knows she shouldn't wish exile on people she cares about, but it's been almost a year now.

...Or, worse, what if this is actually the right Cap and he's mad at her about Stamford?

But she wouldn't be Nita if she didn't keep trying.]

...Cap?

[So very tentative.]

[subject223]

[ Steve's not mad about Stamford. Thinking about it makes him sad for all the lives that were lost both there and in the aftermath of the civil war. But mad? Oh no. He can't possibly be mad to see her alive again. ]

Namorita?

[ His voice is as warm as the smile on his face. ]

Is that really you?

video;

[cynisme]

[ well, if no one else is going to say it... ]

There's another man with your name and build somewhere on this turtle. I don't suppose any of the people who seem to know you felt it worth saying, but what would I know?

[subject223]

[ No one's mentioned that little tidbit, no. Steve blinks. ]

Another Steve Rogers is here?

video forever

[angermanaging]

[Bruce doesn't know his Steve that well. He just has a general impression of him as too much a good guy to actually be real, and this post is cementing that. This one is much more sedately in command than the one he's on a team with, however, so he's a little off balance. Adding to the awkward is how conscientious he is of the fact that this is Captain America, the product of a program that had effectively ended Bruce's life.

With all of these subtly nuanced, uncertain thoughts about him, it's not surprising that Bruce ends up, as he always does, awkward.] ... Hi, Captain. I don't know if you'll recognize me.

But if you want to help, we're doing a lot of rebuilding from a recent, uh, problem. I'm sure they'd take you. [Some of that was Hulk damage. And Bruce's own apartment. Yeah.]

[subject223]

[ The man's face isn't one that he immediately recognizes as he would those of his teammates, but it's clear to him that he knows Steve. Knowing that, knowing that there are other universes, other versions of those he's come to call teammate and friend, Steve looks a little closer. Takes in the man's face and the sound of his voice. But mostly, he looks at his eyes.

And they tell him all he needs to know.

He smiles, one of recognition and friendship. Just because he's fought the Hulk more than once doesn't mean he'd ever turn him away or reject him. ]

I like to think I don't forget a face, Doctor Banner. Even one I don't get to see too often.

Point me in the direction of the rebuilding effort and I'll help you guys sort it out.

[Video]

[alpha_squad_leader]

[Victor stares a moment.]

No offense to the other Cap that was here, but I really hope you're the one from the same universe I'm from.

There's a lot heavy lifting work to do still, I think . Cleaning up after falling space junk.

[subject223]

Good thing I'm still in shape, huh?

[ He doesn't know about the other Cap, but he recognizes Victor. ]

I've been meaning to spend more time with the X-Men, Anole. Think you can spare a couple hours to keep an old soldier company once in a while?

[video]

[wallcrawler]

You've got some luck, Mr. Rogers. Two weeks ago and you'd have picked a really bad time to get kidnapped by a giant turtle.

[Does this kid look familiar? He might, depends on how great Steve is with faces. And imagining what they might've looked like when they were younger. Either way, there's a few small differences between this Peter Parker and the one Steve's probably used to seeing. Height being one of them, hah]

There's probably still some clean-up and rebuilding going on, if you wanted to help with that. The locals might not appreciate it, but the rest of us definitely would.

[subject223]

Call me Steve, son. Mister Rogers was my old man.

[ Strip away the years, and who is this he sees before him? He lets his mind wander back through his memories, taking note what starts to surface. Registration. A news broadcast. One of Manhattan's finest heroes unmasking for the first time.

Is it Peter Parker? Steve decides to trust his instincts. They've served him well so far. ]

And you bet I want to help. Count me in. When's my first shift?

[video]

[withoutaworld]

[ Oh god. Oh god oh god oh god. It's Steve, it's really him - not as young as the one here, looking and sounding just like her Steve, and she suddenly can't breathe. What if he doesn't know her? What if he doesn't want to?

She's still wide-eyed and disbelieving when she turns on the video feed, and her voice is a little soft, almost hesitant, when she clears her throat and speaks up. ]

Steve? Do-

Do you recognize me?

[subject223]

[ Of course he recognizes her. A teammate. A friend. Someone he'd failed to protect. Who'd been too soon stolen from the world.

He doesn't try to suppress his smile at seeing her alive again. ]

Of course I do, Rikki. I'd never forget you.

video; i'm so sorry Steve.

[animalhats]

[ This particular (possibly familiar) 12-year-old is somewhere between REALLY STRESSED and REALLY IRRITATED, and just feels the need to say something in response to Captain America's appearance ]

AAAAAAUGH, it was bad enough when there was only one of you, and now there's two and Rikki's gonna probably have you over for dinner and just GO AWAY you're a buttface!!

[ and then she disconnects. ...we're so sorry. ]

[subject223]

[ Taken aback, he can only blink at the blank screen after she disconnects.

Was that... Molly Hayes?

He makes a mental note to seek her out later and make sure she's okay. She mentioned Rikki. If they're friends, he'll find out where she is from her and hopefully, with any luck, apologize for whatever he's done to warrant being called a buttface. ]

[video | 100% Avengers encryption]

[tendnottoweep]

I'm beginning to wonder if I should worry my team's being replaced. [ She doesn't sound especially worried, though. A little wary, but not much more than that. ]

[subject223]

Natasha.

[ Except she mentioned her team, which means she's from another world. ]

No one can replace any of the Avengers. No matter who's on the team or which one it is.

video; anonymous location

[andaway]

['Steve Rogers'. Kal had known there had been duplicates before (Bruce, Dick...) but there's been a couple of them lately. He wonders what it means, if anything.]

Pleasure, Captain. I'm Superman- but you may call me Kal-El. You've probably been filled in already and I see you've got a couple of people that recognize you in this place but if there's any questions I can answer...?

[subject223]

And you can call me Steve.

[ He's spent enough time around superhumans and mutants to recognize a codename when he hears it. Neither Superman nor Kal-El is a name he's familiar with, which points to either another Earth or another world entirely. Unless he's a new superhuman that Steve's just unaware of. It's impolite to ask, though, so he refrains from indulging his curiosity. ]

If you can recommend any areas that were particularly hard hit by the disasters — [ He's still a little vague on the details there. ] — I'll make them my primary objective during the reconstruction effort.

[Video]

[fuzzyelf]

[There's a name he knows. Kurt's new as well and hearing and seeing so many familiar people is a rush. It's scary, but it's a relief, and the fact that Captain America is here, well it's a little comforting.]

Tony Stark and Captain America, have to admit, it's not what you expect when you wake up on a turtle like this. Though it's better than a lot of people I can think of.

[subject223]

[ Another face Steve thought he'd never see again. Not that he'd been very close with the X-Men, but he'd made it a point to be familiar with them enough to recognize them if he met them. And he's close enough to Wolverine to know who his friends are. ]

Can't say I expected to see the X-Men either, but I'm glad I have. It's good to see you, Kurt.

[spiderkid]

Mr. President! You're here too?

[Wait a second...] You look different somehow.

[subject223]

Heard I'm a little nicer, too.

[ He smiles. ]

Call me Steve.

audio; anonymous location

[trainwrecked]

I think it's good that you're here. People've been missing you, and they accept no substitutes.

[subject223]

I didn't know so many people were waiting for me here, but I'm glad I came.

[ And he is. The sincerity's evident in his voice. And as for the voice on the other end of the transmission, it sounds awfully familiar. ]

How about you? You missing anyone that might need to be found?

I hope you don't mind I just want these two to be the nicest friends.

[afirewithfashion]

It's good of you to offer. You're inheriting quite a mess.

[Cinna sounds more amused, then anything, but not in a mean way. More like he's laughing at himself.

Really, what have any of them done to deserve this?]

oh no, I don't mind at all! I love Cinna!

[subject223]

That's all right. I'm pretty good at cleaning up messes, no matter how big they are.

[ It doesn't matter how long it takes, Steve will be out there with the rest of the residents of the city, working until everything's the way it's supposed to be. ]

Is there anything you need a hand with?

audio;

[usavatar]

[A second Tony Stark was strange enough - a second Bucky, for all that the kid hasn't wanted anything to do with him, has been more than strange enough.

This, though. He's not even sure how to process seeing a face that much older than his, the difference in breadth of experience. It's like looking into a cracked mirror.

He has to take a few seconds to steady himself before he answers, but it's still quiet.]

Welcome aboard, sir. [A LONG PAUSE, while he picks out the differences in their tone and inflection.] If you've been debriefed, then you know how much help we need.

[subject223]

[ The voice on the other end of the transmission sounds familiar, but Steve can't place it. He hasn't listened to recordings of himself speak often enough to draw the immediate comparison.

What he does know is that it's a younger man. And if this is someone from his world, or another world's counterpart of someone he knows, it's someone with whom he must have a bit of friction. His voice is too quiet and the pause too long for it to be someone excited to see him. ]

You can call me Steve, son. There's no reason to stand on formality here. We're all in this together. Any help you need, I'll be more than happy to provide.

audio; WOW LATE

[shootingshields]

[So it's not like the whole alternate universe thing is strange by this point in concept, close as she's gotten to Rikki and their weird not-quite-familial connection. But it is strange to see another Steve Rogers.]

[Like, really strange.]

There's been substantial damage to the city in light of recent events, if construction efforts are fair game.

[Yeah let's start with information.]

[subject223]

This is would be the equipment falling from the sky, correct? A satellite or some kind of mechanical construct?

[ Yet another familiar voice. Not quite familiar enough for him to put a name to it, but enough that he knows it's one he's heard before. Or at least it's a variation of it. ]

How have construction efforts progressed thus far?

[ And because she's talking business, so will he. ]