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[ 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.

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[It's not the question she expects from him, and it's not one she's entirely prepared for. Oh, there are a few things that leap to mind of course. The cruelties of humans against mutantkind, the disasters that the Ultimates have faced, and even a few choice things about Captain America himself, but she's not so bitter as to bring up only the worst off the bat. Instead it seems better to hedge, to get a better sense of what it is he wants to know more about.]

Is there anything specific you'd like to know more about? There would be a great deal to cover, otherwise.

[ She's right. It's too broad a question. The problem is, Steve has a lot of questions and doesn't really know where to start. ]

The Avengers. What the situation's like in America. How the mutants are faring. There was a lot of unrest in my world for a while.

[ It doesn't hurt to tell her the truth. ]

I guess I just want to know if it's better out there for someone else.

[ Although, if the people nominated him to be president and he accepted, that might be answer enough. ]

[Wanda looks briefly uncomfortable at the end of his statement. She can't imagine their world being better than anyone else's, not with everything they've dealt with. Taking a breath and making sure this feed is encrypted, she decides to start with the easiest subjects.]

In my world we are called Ultimates, rather than Avengers. Our team was put together originally by S.H.I.E.L.D., though recent events have prompted us to part ways.

[Politics, among other things.]

When last I was home, the situation in America was...well, I'm not sure what I can say in comparison. Mutants live in fear still, of course. They are still the victims of hate crimes. There are some who ally with the Brotherhood of Mutants. Others with Xavier's X-Men.

But there are still mutants. Thousands of them.

[The look she gives the screen is...intent. Yes, she's heard about what the other Wanda did. Not entirely how or why, but the important parts.]

[ So she knows what her counterpart has done. That makes things easier. Steve hadn’t been looking forward to breaking that news, though perhaps now he can tell her something better. ]

There are mutants in my world again. I don’t know the numbers, but I think it’s close to what it was before most of them disappeared.

[ Even though she isn’t the Wanda he knows, he wants to be tactful. What his Wanda did is done; he won’t hold another accountable for her actions. ]

The Wanda I’ve worked with for so many years brought them back. Her and a girl named Hope. The country isn’t completely accepting, but tragedies like Genosha don’t happen anymore. And I’m trying to reach out to the mutant community, cultivate better relations between everyone. It’s slow going, but we’ll get there. I know we will.

[It's a considerable amount of information to cope with all at once, not simply because of the points he touches upon, but how closely tied they are to her emotionally.

It has been terrible to think of herself as capable, infamous for wiping out the mutant race in such a way. To hear it is restored by her counterpart's efforts, and that humans are making efforts toward a better relationship with the community is strange and incredible. Something too good to be true.

The surprise and glimmer of hope she feels cause her expression to slip enough for him to see, along with her doubt about all of it.]

But how did it happen to begin with? How can you all be sure she won't simply...simply do it all over again? I've been told she's mentally unstable. What is preventing her from doing it all once more?

It isn't as simple as instability. Wanda...

[ This is kind of difficult for Steve, considering what all of this meant for himself and Wanda and the almost-relationship they'd shared. ]

An unknown aspect of her powers surfaced. She couldn't control it initially and it was a great mental burden on her. Things happened because of it that further destabilized the situation, people were hurt and killed. Strange got involved. Xavier too. They put her in a coma-like state to try to heal her, but Xavier felt that they couldn't do it and he wanted to kill her. Quicksilver found out. And it just... Everything just got out of control.

[ It may have started with Wanda, but she isn't the only one to blame for M Day. In a way, all of them are. ]

She may have caused it, but we failed her too. All of us. The burden of M Day isn't hers alone. But bringing the mutants back? The credit for that one she only needs to share with Hope.

[Hearing this from Steve is reassuring in a way. When he says that the burden wasn't the other Wanda's alone, she believes him. And to hear that she and another were capable of putting everything to rights once more helps.

It's the fact that it's an unknown aspect of her powers surfacing that alarms her. That people were killed and even Xavier couldn't help her...she can't help but think that Santo might be right for being worried about her. She is worried about herself now. Her powers have always been predictable when she's emotionally stable, but there have been instances... What if something were to happen while she's in this city?

Expression serious, though perhaps not as intense as before, she takes a deep breath.]

Do you know more about this part of her powers that surfaced? Or someone who does?

I don’t know as many details as some do. Wanda and I were…

[ How does he put this delicately? ]

We were close, but I don’t use magic. I can’t understand it the way some can. It gave her the ability to alter reality. At the time, she thought it was some kind of Chaos Magic, until she realized that it was just her.

Doctor Strange understood it better. Is he here? He would probably be the best to speak with about it.

No, there's no one by that name here.

[Quiet, she considers what he's said of the other Wanda's magic, the possible differences in kinds she could have been dealing with, but he's right. He's not the best one to speak to about magic.

Something he says does stick in her mind, however, and her head cants slightly to the side. Curiosity gets the better of you.]

May I ask how close were you and the Wander of your world?

[ Of course she can ask, and he's not really surprised that she does. That doesn't mean it's something he necessarily wants to talk about, but more for the sake of preventing awkwardness between them now than for any concern for himself. ]

There was a time when I thought that we might be more than strictly teammates. But that was some time ago. We're friends now. Teammates and friends and nothing else.

[It's hard to imagine herself with Steve Rogers. Any Steve Rogers. She and the Captain back home would clash too much, over a multitude of issues, and while this one seems nicer, more noble like a Captain America perhaps ought to be, she can't picture him in that light. Quietly considering that, Wanda eventually leans back and nods.]

The Steve Rogers of my world and I have only ever been teammates.

[This isn't anything Wanda seems to object to or regret, especially since she's not sure she could even go so far as to consider them friends outside of the Ultimates.]

Of course. Thank you for letting me know.

[ He accepts that with good grace. Only teammates. Likely that means that she wants to maintain that status here, if she wants anything to do with him at all, and if that's the case, Steve will respect it. ]

Just remember that if you need anything, you can always come to me and I'll do my best to help.

[She can't say that she has a stellar opinion of her counterpart, but Steve has done somewhat to improve it. Not only her opinion of the other Wanda, even, but himself as well. That he isn't pushing, that a version of her liked him well enough to nearly be something more...well, she can take that into account.]

It's kind of you to offer, Captain, and that goes both ways, of course. We may be from different realities but...one could say we are still teammates.

[And well, if there is to be friendship, it will happen.]

Yeah.

[ He smiles a little at that. A small, muted smile that's no less genuine for the fact that it's so small. ]

We'll always be teammates. No matter what happens and regardless of what world we come from.

[It's strange to see that sort of expression on Steve's face. It seems to lack the edge that the other Steve has. The oddness isn't unwelcome, however.]

You sound quite sentimental, Captain.

Sometimes, maybe.

[ But not all the time. Not when there's work to be done.Then he doesn't have the luxury for it.

He gives her nod and another small smile. ]

Take care of yourself. If I find anything out about any of this, I'll let everyone know.

As will I.

[Another nod, and she reaches forward to her console controls, and disconnects.]

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