VIDEO;

[inshiningarmor]

Greetings, my fellow foreigners. I trust thou art all well, even as the tender leaf hath turned and frost doth begin to touch this fair isle. I come to thee once more with a query, and I hope that there is even one among thee who might be able to provide me with an answer.

[ aaand he lifts what is definitely Captain America's shield, holding it up for the network to see. ]

On my final embarkment to the mainland, I came across this lying on the ground. I know that myself and others have been so fortunate as to find possessions from our own worlds scattered mysteriously across the wasteland, and verily, I found this shield to be at great odds with its surroundings. Might it belong to some resident of the city? It is a fine shield indeed, and its owner must be loathe to be missing it.

Comments

[video]

[littlecousin]

Ohmigosh! That's Captain America's shield!

[YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT.

She seems shocked rather than upset, though.]

[inshiningarmor]

Captain America? I'm afraid the name is unfamiliar to me. I trust he is among the foreigners here?

[littlecousin]

Yes. He's one of the great heroes from my world.

[Nita grew up on stories of Cap and Co.'s exploits in World War II, and she's pretty sure he's invincible.]

[inshiningarmor]

[ DID SOMEBODY SAY HEROES

Mandorallen's eyes go slightly wide in response, and he smiles, a bit eagerly. ]

Dost thou speak truly? What sort of hero is this Captain, if thou wouldst tell?

[littlecousin]

[LET HER TELL YOU ABOUT CAP.]

About 20 years before I was born, there was a huge war that spread over the entire world. It was between one empire that wanted to take over and was killing people, including kids, just for the parents they were born to, and the countries that were fighting back.

[Complex sociopolitical topics according to Nita.]

Cap volunteered for a special treatment that might have killed him, but instead turned him into a great soldier, and he led a team into German--those were the bad guys--into German-occupied territory, and won some of the greatest victories for the Allies--those were the good guys. My cousin was on that team, and Steven Rogers--Captain America--and his other teammates are still the only surface-dwellers he respects completely.

[Mandorallen might be getting the impression Nita grew up on stories of Cap et al.'s WWII exploits. It would be an accurate impression.]

Cap is--okay, that shield you've got? Not just anybody's worthy of carrying it. You have to be someone who can face of great evil and not give up, who'd stand and fight despite certain death because it was the right thing to do. Some weapons are only weapons, but that shield *means* something about the best people can be.

[If Cap ever sees this, he's going to be *so* embarrassed.]

[inshiningarmor]

[ Wow yes that's a bit of awe on Mandorallen's face, which is also lit up with a sort of familiar delight at the tale of heroism and glory. He's an Arend, okay. They love war stories. ]

He is a true hero of your age, then, to have triumphed over such evil. And this is not merely his shield, but his symbol.

[littlecousin]

Exactly.

[omg a surface dweller who gets it]

[Video]

[alpha_squad_leader]

Whoa! That's Captain America's shield. I'm definitely sure he'll be wanting it back.

[inshiningarmor]

[ He gives a brisk nod. ]

Now that I have discerned the identity of its owner, I shall endeavor to return it to him at once. He must be missing such a fine piece.

[alpha_squad_leader]

I'm pretty surprised you actually found it. I've never seen the guy without his shield. Not that I've seen him that much but...[He shrugs.] If I see him before you find him, I'll point him your way.

Oh, my name's Victor.

[inshiningarmor]

I'm certain he would not have parted with it by choice, then. Victor, thou sayest? It is good to meet thee, young lad. I am called Mandorallen, Baron of Vo Mandor.

[ Victor seems like a nice kid, but he's still...green, so if Mandorallen is staring curiously...well, he's never really met any mutants before. ]

[alpha_squad_leader]

It's good to meet you too.

[Vic's used to the curious stares so he's not bothered.]

Is something wrong?

[inshiningarmor]

No, it's just...

[ He is obviously trying to be polite, and he looks more curious than bothered. ]

Forgive my asking, but -- art thou human, or something else entirely?

[alpha_squad_leader]

[Victor just smiles a little.]

I'm a mutant, which is a different kind of human.

[inshiningarmor]

[ Mandorallen's never heard of mutants but Steph told him to keep an open mind HE IS TRYING ]

Thou art changed by some circumstance, then? Thou art certainly human in general shape, but -- hast thou been changed by some sorcery?

[alpha_squad_leader]

No, I was born this way. [He rubs the back of his neck.] Mutants are just humans with special powers, not changed by magic.

[inshiningarmor]

I see.

[ Except it's clear from his face that he doesn't get it at all. He's trying, okay. ]

My apologies if I have caused some discomfort. I was merely curious. We have no such -- mutants, in my world.

[alpha_squad_leader]

It's alright. I'm used to the question by now.

[inshiningarmor]

Are they not commonplace in thy realm?

[alpha_squad_leader]

Questions about why I'm green? Sort of. I mean there aren't a lot of green people around so I used to get questions all the time from people I first met.

[inshiningarmor]

No, I meant -- mutants. Others like thyself. But I suppose that doth answer my question.

[alpha_squad_leader]

Oh, well there are other mutants. Not nearly as many as there used to be but there are others. Even among mutants, green people aren't common though.

[inshiningarmor]

[ oh no he's growing even more confused ]

So...other mutants, they look markedly different, then?

[alpha_squad_leader]

Most mutants look like any other person you'd see.

[inshiningarmor]

[ WHAT ]

Then how is it that they are mutants?

[alpha_squad_leader]

They have special powers. Like super speed or using sound waves to create light.

[inshiningarmor]

[ oh no wait HE GETS IT NOW ]

Ah! So they are sorcerers, then. Of course!

[ ...no. ]

[alpha_squad_leader]

[He shakes his head.]

No, there's no magic involved.

[inshiningarmor]

...Then I am afraid I do not understand. It is strange, how vastly different our worlds can be.

[alpha_squad_leader]

Yeah, things are pretty strange. Strange is kind of normal for me and people from my world.

[usavatar]

It's - [He can't believe it dropped onto the mainland, and really can't believe someone found it. RELIEF? HAPPINESS? YES. Steve can fight without it, but that doesn't mean he hasn't missed it.]

That's. It's mine. Captain Steve Rogers, sir. [A small nod.] Captain America.

Where was it? Just laying there?

[inshiningarmor]

[ Mandorallen gives him a nod and a slight smile. ]

I am pleased to make thy acquaintance, sir Captain. It was indeed merely lying on the ground, in such an innocuous way as though it might pretend to belong, but it stood out quite distinctly against its environment. I know not by what mysterious force such things from our own worlds have chanced to appear on the mainland, but it seems we have been blessed by fortune nonetheless. If thou wouldst like to arrange a meeting, I would gladly return thy shield to thee.

[usavatar]

You can call me Steve. [Sir Captain is a bit much.

He shakes his head, thoughts knotted up into a half-dozen hypotheses relating to the shield's appearance on the mainland, and feelings he's not quite coherent enough to analyze.] I would. Like to arrange a meeting, I mean, I would. Thank you. Thank you. Um - where do you live? Or, we could meet somewhere else, it's your - it's up to you.

[inshiningarmor]

[ He's never heard a supposedly great hero speak with such...hesitance, but then again, he knows that Garion isn't quite sure of himself. Of course, Garion's only sixteen.

Still, he smiles at Steve, nodding. ]

Sir Steve, then. It seems thy peers hold thee in great esteem. If thou art content with such an arrangement, I can provide thee with the location of the building in which I live.

[usavatar]

[Steve draws himself up a little at the mention of his peers.

He nods once, itching to get his hands on the shield again.] Of course. I'll come immediately, if that's all right with you.

[inshiningarmor]

Thou art free to do so. I am sure thou art keen to have thy shield back in thy possession.

[ He's got a bit of a wry smile on his face, because he totally understands. If he were without his sword and armor, he'd feel awfully naked. ]

video; 30% encrypted

[trainwrecked]

[Steve's already claimed it, so that's good. Bucky just. Adds, later, quietly.]

Thanks. For getting it back to him.

[inshiningarmor]

Thou hast no need to thank me, my friend. No warrior should be without his tools.

[trainwrecked]

So? Does the fact that something ought to be done mean it should be left unappreciated?

[inshiningarmor]

[ He cracks a little smile. ]

No, I suppose not.

[trainwrecked]

Exactly.

Anyway. You doing all right in this place?

[inshiningarmor]

I am faring well, for my part. My heart doth ache for the sweet scent of the trees of Arendia, but I have no troubles in the physical realm.

[trainwrecked]

Wh--

Oh. Yeah, nostalgia is never fun.