[Open] The journey thus far...

[aboveangrybees]

Who| Steve and Anyone!
What| This feels too much like sitting around and waiting to die. Or a catchall for before and during the first Hell-rena.
Where| Everywhere.
When| Weeks 1 & 2 (or the week before and week of the first Hell-rena)
Warnings/Notes| Mild language and violence, update as needed.

Watching videos of past arenas can only make someone so prepared for the real thing, but actually being here is far more chaotic and unpredictable than the videos ever depicted. This place is a veritable wonderland of possibilities. Steve really has no idea what to expect.

But still, he didn't expect it to be this, well, calm. Sure, he got attacked on the first day and he's had to fight off some nasty creatures here and there during the days after, even ran had a few peaceful encounters with people, but the fog acts as a blanket over a birdcage, making everything quiet. Too quiet maybe.

He just didn't know exactly what too quiet would lead to, but he was smart enough to know it would be no good.

When the sirens first blare, Steve immediately goes to find his allies, so he can get them somewhere safe; the noise is an all too familiar sound from his days in the war. But then the fog clears and temperature rises with unnatural speed, the walls dissolving instead of the telling sounds of planes and bombs, well, wasn't hard to catch on.


[ooc: I'm going to comment some prompts below, feel free to use them or, if you rather, you can leave me a prompt! I'm open to anything, including some scuffles. Just make sure to specify when it's for so I know where it fits in. You can use the prompts as an idea for what's going on during those times.

Also, prose or bracket RP is fine by me, I don't have a preference, so do which ever you prefer.]

Comments

[helpmeguideit]

Sometimes, Charles doesn't necessarily realize that telepathy and mutants like himself aren't a normal part of every other world. It's understandable that Steve has no idea what he's talking about. Of course, he hadn't thought about these things when he sent the message to him first.

When he saw him approaching, he stepped forward, tapping two fingers to his temple. I'm up here, Charles said. Don't worry, I'm just talking to you.

[aboveangrybees]

Steve's thoughts race across crystal clear information about everything he's read and learned concerning communications of this nature. Telepathy pops up a couple times before he latches on to it as some kind of possible explanation. This all happens with such speed and efficiency that Steve only hesitates for a short period before reaching the conclusion.

His eyebrows hike up in amazement. This is only something he's read about in fantasy books or seen in science fiction movies, it's almost hard to believe, but it's sort of happening right now, so how could he not.

At first, he opens his mouth like he's about to say something, but instead furrows his brow as he tries talking in his mind, much like he would when he has conversations with himself silently. Can you hear me too?

[helpmeguideit]

I can, Steve, he answered. He stood up tall, and then started towards Steve. His pace was slow, and quiet. It was far more careful than it had been the previous time they had met. There was much more danger now in the arena, and he wasn't about to get Steve or himself killed as a result of carelessness. he had seen this place disintegrate before his eyes.

I'm a telepath. A mutant, actually. His eyes drift, and he feels something close. Someone? He isn't sure here. This way. We can talk and move. It didn't take much effort to think, after all. And the recordings had no way of capturing the thoughts, so the Capitol wouldn't really need to know what was being discussed.

He wasn't sure what they knew about him, though, since they had removed his skill when he got there originally.

[aboveangrybees]

A stray thought surfaces, a memory of what someone told him about Charles (...telepath. Probably the most powerful mind on the planet...) but he doesn't latch on to it, brushing it aside. He didn't need Murdock's advice to like the man in front of him.

Mutant huh? As in you were born with this talent? Besides the Asgardians, he doesn't know anyone else who's been born with abilities. All of them were received later in life (it brings thoughts of pain from needles, being inclosed, the first time breathing without struggle, color, being taller).

He noticed the caution in the man's movements, then then way his eyes drift. It sets Steve on a higher alert than he already was.

Something wrong? He thinks it as he falls into step by Charles, following the man's lead of where to go as he strains his enhanced hearing for signs of people or creatures nearby. His grip tightens on his shield, ready.

[helpmeguideit]

I was born with this, Charles answered. Steve's thought, though, felt unpleasant. Focus, Charles, focus. He moves his feet, walking. He keeps his pace fast, though. He doesn't want to get caught by anyone. Not now. He was slowly figuring out how horrible this place was, and he was not about to leave himself or a friend out in the open for anyone else.

Steve's question takes no time to answer. I can feel when there are people nearby. Another part of my gift.

[aboveangrybees]

That's quite the impressive ability you got. Steve is honestly impressed with it. Though, a part of him is glad it's someone he's keen on trusting that has it, he wouldn't want a stranger or someone with an agenda in his head. Who knows what level this skill can be taken to - after all, Charles did say he was just talking to him.

And even if he now knows the man is aware of people nearby, Steve keeps ready for anything, his awareness on their surroundings while he keeps up with Charles effortlessly.

See you found a new use for the jacket, he's amused.

[helpmeguideit]

Yes, I did. It got warm, but who knows what tomorrow will hold. I appreciate it still, Steve. He walked with the man. Although he appeared more relaxed, he still wasn't, and he was listening and being careful to listen and feel for any people that may appear. He didn't want Steve to be forced to fight, so by taking the incentive to be careful, he was preventing a fight.

It's something you're always learning and developing. There's others like me, or with different skills, back home. He wasn't about to disrespect the privacy of anyone who had placed their trust in him, though.

[aboveangrybees]

It's yours to do as you want, it's still a touch amused. He gave it to Charles, he doesn't care if the man rips it up for toilet paper or gives it to someone else at this point.

When Charles doesn't expand on the different skills, Steve doesn't ask. Though the fact it's a skill more than a talent sets in his mind, like most people have the capability to speak, it's just if they want to learn and hone the ability.

Back where I'm from, if you have any kind of-- well, super human ability, you're either an not from earth or it was- Steve's thoughts race over a multitude of words, trying to find the right ones, but eventually he settles, -done scientifically.

The words still don't sit right, askew from the rest of the sentence, like a strong breeze will knock them away, but it's not a lie. Experiment feels too harsh. Though accurate.

[helpmeguideit]

Charles had a hard time imagining it being done scientifically. He couldn't see it being anything short of torture which lead to it. How his powers were - were so genetically ingrained - you'd have to alter someone's structure. He considered how it would be possible. He didn't find it okay, though.

Your world is much different from mine. We wouldn't...couldn't... turn other people into mutants. And he pitied whoever would have it done to them.

I'm sorry to whomever experienced a thing like that. To alter someone so dramatically... he, of course, hadn't pried enough to know that it was Steve.

[aboveangrybees]

Steve isn't sure how to take the sympathy in a way, he knows there's so much controversy over what happened, but without it, without Steve giving himself and his life over like he had... How many more would have died before the war was won?

But it doesn't feel like the sympathy was directed at him, so maybe Charles doesn't know, hasn't looked. It could be he doesn't know Steve is talking less mutant abilities and more 'human improvement' as some would mistakenly call it.

Not mutants really, more eugenics. Super Soldiers and the like, nothing like your ability. No the most supernatural thing to come out of those experiences was probably the Hulk.

It was a popular area science back in the day. With the Axis and the Allies, both to better and worsen areas of society. Steve's life was lived in fear of it and then altered for the better by it - funny how that works.

[helpmeguideit]

I know. He thought of Erik and Shaw, and those memories that he swept through on their first meeting. The field of study was certainly very popular (although he could argue the ethics of it all day). He had never heard of anyone being actually improved by them. Just the torture and pain that he had seen. That was all that he knew of it.

I am from back in the day. Charles shook his head. It would have been a difficult venture convincing Charles that it wasn't simply torture. It isn't a very popular area of study since the war, though.

[aboveangrybees]

It's more people don't use that word anymore. He's seen it, he knows it's still around, even in more minor forms.

He doesn't agree with eugenics, sure it helped him and his country, but it's done more damage than good. That kind of science isn't worth it, not when he's seen all the, pain, failure, and horrible accidents that's happened in it's wake.

A part of Steve was ready to tell Charles, let him know he's talking - uh, telepathing? - with one of the people altered, but the segue away from it was easy enough to take.

Did you fight in the war?

[helpmeguideit]

It's because of...well, all the negative connotation. The studies now are more of a literal approach to improvement, rather than what it became. Charles thought of the Nazis use of that word in the things that they did. His study in genetics was not without touching on what Eugenics was and what it has become. Of course, he was always more interested in Mutants, a natural evolution, rat her than the forced one that Eugenics implied.

I was born in '32. I was a little young for the war, Charles smiled a little. Did you? he asked. Sure, he could find out, if he had wanted, he was sure. He remembered how mad it made Erik when he dove into the memories like that.

[aboveangrybees]

Perhaps in Charles world eugenics has really changed and mellowed out, but in Steve's, well, there's Bruce after all.

Good words get tainted by bad history, Steve has seen it enough times. Words changed and altered into awful meanings, especially over the years he was frozen.

That was a bit young for the draft, he returns the smile. Yeah, I served during the war, was ripe for the picking when the it rolled around. Sure, ripe but not worth picking, instead left to rot on the vine.

[helpmeguideit]

Steve actually opened up a can of worms with Charles. Humans naturally evolve for the better of a race. Qualities deemed 'negative' by another human is senseless. Nature takes care of itself.

He stopped himself there, not wanting to start in on this. It wasn't really the place. Myself, my friend, my sister, and students all exist like this because of natural evolution.

He sighed. Hopefully there will be no need for it in the future.

[aboveangrybees]

Steve feels so conflicted about this subject when it comes to himself, but he does mostly agree with Charles on it. It's done far too much harm for him to ever agree with the science, but he'd be dead without it, but he could have been dead because of it too. Then would he have really been needed in the war if eugenics hadn't made Schmidt in the first place?

He can't stop the sigh he gives.

Because he knows he should drop it, but he has to ask it.

And what if nature running it's course is condemning a good man to death?

[helpmeguideit]

Then it is a shame, Charles thought. Sure, favorable genetics were preferred in nature, but sometimes all the world needed was a really good person. The unfortunate part of nature is that it is nature. An individual, Steve, is not the species. An individual changing is not the same as what Darwin theorized.

He had to make sure he understood what he was speaking of. Steve's questions were getting more and more specific and regarding individuals, rather than of the species as a whole.

[aboveangrybees]

Probably getting specific because he was thinking more of eugenics than evolution, but Charles makes it clear now. No reason to keep pushing the subject. It's not worth pursuing and possibly outing himself to someone who might just turn around and pity him. He likes Charles, so, better to just avoid that.

You're right, and he leaves it at that. It must be pretty magnificent, seeing the ways people have evolved in your world, Steve won't pry, but he would love to hear about the many different abilities that Charles hinted at.

[helpmeguideit]

Charles tone in his mind was amusement. All sorts of ways. The people like myself I've met at home, they're important. Like family to me, really. As if he needed a reason to be passionate about it to begin with, considering he's a mutant himself.

I hope every day they won't be here. Not having our abilities most of the time is like blinding any other person. It was nothing short of torture for a mutant to be stripped of it.