entrancelogs | [Semi-Closed] Event Aftermaths

Entry tags:

[Semi-Closed] Event Aftermaths

Who: Natasha Romanoff and various friends/teammates
Where: Around the Manor
When: The days following the Mirror Event and Hunt for the Sword
Rating: PG-13ish?
Summary: Catch-all post for Natasha touching base with the newly-returned people who got sucked to the Other Side
The Story:

With the sword handed over to the Queen of Hearts and the Mirrors now returning to their own side, Natasha's both a little relieved and more than a little worried about what this will mean for the returningReals who were trapped over there. The fact that she's one of the only few on her team that didn't end up transitioning over at some point is not lost on her, has her wondering why and for what purpose, but she suspect she knows all the same. Which is why she spends the immediate first few days once more combing the Manor, this time searching out her teammates and friends she knows were drawn to the Other Side and making sure they'd returned mostly unharmed.

And if she had to start composing apologies for what her Mirror might have done over there. At the very least, she wanted to know more, if they were willing to tell her.

[[OOC: This is a Semi-Closed log for some pre-arranged threads to deal with the fallout of encounters with her Mirror Side, or the visit to the Mirror Side in general. Interested in threading out something with her, feel free to ping me!]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

As much as Steve's curious to learn more about his Mirror, he's relieved that most of his friends didn't have to deal with him. It's better that way, because no doubt any opposite of him could do a serious amount of damage if he felt so inclined.

"They probably wanted to split their efforts between attacking and defending," Steve suggests with a shrug. "That's what I'd do." It's disturbing to realize that his thoughts could in any way match with his Mirror's, but it's also not surprising. There have to be some similarities.

"Bucky's Mirror crossed over toward the end -- maybe because they hadn't gotten any results." As it turns out, the entire thing had been a bust, and maybe they should have expected that.

"Did you hear anything about my Mirror? I'd like to know what to expect." Natasha may not have interacted with him directly, but she has a way of gathering information despite that.

"Yes, I'm aware. We... spoke," she answers cautiously, sinking back in her chair and stretching her legs out in front of her, purposefully projecting a relaxed air because that is the last thing she's feeling right now.

"I heard some," she answers instead, happily diverting the conversation in that direction. "He seemed more than capable at strategy and tactics and from what I gathered, he may be in charge of the team over there. I know Darcy's Mirror was sufficiently cowed whenever he was mentioned - he was using her in a resource and research capacity over here. Pepper seemed to be following his orders in her own search and I think Bucky may have been as well. Bruce... didn't seem keen on being much of a team player."

So Natasha had run into Bucky's Mirror. Steve frowns at that, because she'd still asked him for his opinion on it, but maybe she'd been more interested to learn about her Mirror. And who wouldn't be? He feels the same way.

It seems like his Mirror has retained all of his traits as a leader with none of the morals, which makes him extremely dangerous. To the point that some of his own kind are scared of him, whereas the others follow loyally. Or as loyally as a Mirror can.

Save for Bruce. Even among their actual team, he'd been the one most reluctant to join. "What was he keen on?" Steve asks after a pause. "We didn't hear too much about him when we were over there."

Natasha gives a short huffed breath of laughter and pushes her hair back off her face.

"Let's just say he has considerably less interest in restraint than our Bruce," she answers dryly, giving him a knowing look. She knew Steve would catch onto the meaning there quick. And potentially the games of cat-and-mouse she ended up playing in order to keep the Other Other Guy away from everyone else.

Steve catches on without even missing a beat. He's seen Bruce lose control, and he's also seen him exert it, and there's a marked difference in how the Hulk behaves.

It's a shock that the mansion's even in one piece of his Mirror had been tearing through it, but Wonderland has a way of repairing itself.

At least Natasha has experience with outrunning the giant rage monster, but it really isn't fair that she had to go through something like that again. "Great," he says with a weary sigh. "I'm sorry you were stuck dealing with it pretty much on your own." Bucky may have been on this side for most of the time, but Steve, Bruce, and Clint had all been dragged over, taking most of the team away.

"I made do," she answers, flashing him a wry smile when he apologizes for something he had no control over. "Besides, from what I've picked up on, you all had your hands full over there anyway. We all got through it, for the most part. That's something. Now we just have to come up with what we learned and see if any of the pieces fit together to give us a better idea of what we're dealing with. We should probably call a meeting soon, once people are feeling up to it. I saw Bruce, briefly. I think he's going to need a day or two of rest before he's anything resembling coherent."

They got through it, but not completely unscathed. Steve and Natasha have been through worse together, so it's not her that he's worried about. It's Darcy, it's Pepper, it's those people who they are responsible for who got pulled into a completely unpredictable situation. One of them died, and maybe it could have been worse, but this hardly feels like a victory.

Some battles are lost, but the war's still going. Steve just has to remind himself of that.

When Natasha mentions Bruce, Steve glances up from where he'd been staring at his hands wrung together and then nods. "Yeah, I think everyone's going to need a few days to catch their breath." Maybe more than that, for some people. "Bruce was a huge help on the other side, though. We owe him a lot."

He can at least call the Avengers in to talk everything over and then disseminate information from there. That seems to be the best way to handle things with such a large group.

She doesn't bring up the details of some of what she encountered, but some things are better left buried, unexplained and forgotten, as long as she could keep them that way. And as for Loki... well, she didn't quite have an explanation for that yet anyway.

So she just nods in agreement to his statement. "Yeah I feel like I could sleep for a week at the moment. Suddenly the harmless little events where we have puppies everywhere and go to high school seem like a walk in the park."

The mention of Bruce has her lips curving faintly. "You should tell him that, when you get the chance. I think it would mean a lot to him."

Steve's shoulders shudder with a laugh that doesn't quite might it out, and then he nods. "I would even take singing at this point." He doesn't really mean that.

But they're all here and alive, if only because Wonderland doesn't let anyone stay dead. Steve can't help but be glad for that in this moment, although the real solution would be to not let this place turn into some kind of death trap.

When Natasha suggests he tell that directly to Bruce, Steve nods. He realizes that Bruce doesn't often get the chance to be the hero, and he should be acknowledged for it. "I will," he promises.

"No," she states succinctly and gives him a scowling look, although it's still mostly in play. Probably. "No, the singing is still infinitely worse."

His agreement about Bruce has her expression softening a hint and she nods in approval. "Good. That would be good. Is there anything else I should know?"

Steve barks out a laugh and shakes his head at her. "You don't have much reason to complain. You keep wriggling your way out of it." Or if Natasha has done any singing, Steve hasn't been allowed to see it. He's a little hurt -- aren't they friends?

There's something else Steve could tell her about Bucky's Mirror, but if she's allowed to have secrets, then so is he. It's not that important anyway.

"I think Darcy and Pepper were hit the hardest by all this. If you check in on anyone, it should be them." Natasha may not consider herself the touchy-feely type, but she's actually pretty good at reassurances. Steve knows that from experience. She's helped him through some rough spots.

Yes they are. Which is why that statement will continue to be true. She's out the moment someone starts belting out showtunes or disco.

"I can still find a myriad of reasons to complain, don't underestimate me," she teases back, looking amused now.

She nods at his suggestions, agreeing with them fully. "I'll keep an eye on them." A pause as she gives him an intent look. "Are you going to be alright?

Leave it to Natasha to somehow cheer him up even when things are at their worst. Granted, this really isn't as bad as it's gotten for them.

When she asks after him, Steve's quick to wave her off. Some things never change.

"You know me. I'm always all right." Both of them are. They've endured a lot, not just as a team but in their past, and if they were able to survive the mess they went through before Wonderland snatched them, then they can survive anything.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Semi-Closed] Event Aftermaths

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject