snowblindrpg | [network] @IAmLegend; video; Day 182 [open]

In case anyone hasn't spoken to a friend for obvious reasons, we seem to have all cooled off. I know now might not seem like the best time, but after what happened it's more important to keep in contact with each other and stay with people.

[Tony really wishes Steve were here. It should be him making this kind of announcement.]

What happened the day before wasn't an accident. It was something, the town maybe, trying to reach out and assert its influence over all of us. And if we react by dropping the work everyone has done so far? It wins. It gets exactly what it wants, because all of us break apart, making us easier to pick off. Or we give up. What we should be doing is pushing back and finding out who the prophet really is. We need to try to figure out what they intend to do for our own safety.

If there's anything I can do to help the rest of you, I still intend to do that. I'm not going to stop. I want everyone to be safe. And the best way to help each other is communication. Like the man said yesterday, don't shut down. He's a good guy.

So, on that note, my name is Tony Stark. I'm considered a superhero on the Earth I come from. We handle organizations that want to endanger the world, the occasional intergalactic threat, and... Things like this when they happen. Some of you might consider that a police force, but we're more of a general emergency response solution. I just want to give you a fair idea of who I am.

[He's holding the tablet up so he can address them properly, and raises his off-hand to gesture.]

Also, I have questions. First, how are your eyes? If you are still showing signs of change, I'd like to know. Do you feel different? Secondly, if you are alone right now and weren't with someone when this started, please check in. Let us know everyone is still here and no one is stranded without help. And if you have questions, today I'm going to be completely open.

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I know. I'm not saying it's a great plan, but if it means preventing my friends from doing something I know they don't want to do... I'm willing to protect them.

[Even if they hate him at the time. Or maybe a little after that, because it's taking a liberty he knows they don't agree with. Making choices for others is a problem that keeps coming up with him. He can't seem to escape it.]

You understand. No one needs the extra guilt hanging over them.

No one needs that extra guilt, no. But...

[ He bites his lip as he looks down, even as he lets his hand drop. ]

It's.. like Kuns said. Their free will's already taken enough as is from this place. Wouldn't we be no different if we chose things for them like that?

[ Which means he'd honestly need to talk to them about this. Something still on the table at least. An idea. But... No, he can't decide things for them anymore. ]

I think the difference is one moment to stall versus constant control to kill. No, you're right.

[He sighs, finding himself again having the same talk, the same doubts he keeps coming back to. It's like a whirlpool.]

It's not... a great solution. It's not good. I don't want to force people to do anything, but I believe that in the face of one force hijacking us to hurt other people, sometimes you have to do things you hate because you have the choice. And maybe it's better to choose and regret than to let others just regret.

Yeah... Yeah, no, I've definitely been there before. It's... not easy. But the thing is most of the time, I was making choices for myself or making them because the others couldn't make the call. Here, I've been working with the same group for a while and well... Well, we're a team.

[ And that sometimes makes things complicated. Sometimes too complicated when it comes to things like this. He wishes things could be easier. Shaking his head, he mirrors that sigh. And when he glances back up, there's more of a certainty in his eyes. An understanding. ]

I'm not a First here. They aren't my subordinates. They're my friends- hell, my...

I know.

[It doesn't get any easier. He thought it might over time. He was sure that, like everything, this would get easier to do. But the longer he does it, the more Tony is convinced that walking the gray line is never going to get easier. And he looks away, down below the tablet, trying to avoid the conversation.]

I know that it's not ideal. I don't expect anyone to agree with me. But if it's between taking advantage of my friends to keep them safe, betraying their trust to protect them, or doing nothing and letting them suffer because I don't want to be the bad guy, then I'd rather-

I will do whatever it takes. Because they are what's important to me.

...I get that. [ He breathes it out. Slowly. But surely. He's always walking circles with this, even when he wants to respect them. Even when he wants to get better at trusting them. He can't deny he gets the feeling. That will and wish to do everything in his power.

Shaking his head, even as Tony looks away, he keeps his eyes on the tablet, himself. ]

I get that at least. 'cause I know if it was between them and me... in that immediate moment, if it was life and death? If it was their life or mine, they'd hate me for it, but- I know what I'd do and it wouldn't be them. No matter how I try to talk myself into wanting to respect them, there's always gonna be that. They got a life after this, after all.

[ He glances up at the ceiling then, closing his eyes. ]

I guess I'm just a fool hoping it won't have to come down to that.

[Tony looks up sharply at the word respect, like he's ready to fight, but he changes his mind and shifts his gaze to something less confrontational. It's not Zack's fault he's pricking an old wound.]

I respect them. I respect them, but I can't let that happen to them. Not if I know how to prevent it. I know that they'd suffer, because they're good people. Better than a lot of people I've known.

[He grows quiet after saying that, because what Zack said somehow seems...]

Don't you have a life after this too?

[ He doesn't miss that look. Doesn't miss it. But doesn't say anything about it either. Of course, it's hard to focus on the rest of the conversation at hand when he hears that question straight up front and center and Zack freezes up before he can stop himself.

But then he's never had much of a poker face to begin with. He's not about to get that lucky now. He doesn't say anything at first as he looks away. Then, he just kinda weakly shrugs, voice quiet. ]

Well, I guess that cat's out of the bag.

[ He glances back, biting his lip briefly before releasing it. ]

But no. I don't think I do. So, if there's anyone that's gonna have to bite the bullet, I'd want it to be me. I want them to have a future beyond here that I might not ever be able to have.

[Tony doesn't respond right away. He stays quiet, with a pained, serious expression as he adjusts to what Zack is telling him. That he doesn't have a future like his friends do.]

No.

[It's soft, but determined.] No, you are not going to have to do that. The future isn't decided for us. It's living, changing with us. We don't know who will or won't have a future when all of this ends. We're changing the course of events right now.

No... The future isn't decided for us. But I did decide my future back there. So, I don't know if my ticket still applies after this or what.

[ Sure, one can hope what this all means. Maybe there's something beyond this for him. Maybe these resurrections break cardinal rules across all these worlds. Maybe he'll have a chance.

Or maybe he won't.

Zack still can't deny the tinge of something in him as he watches Tony's face. He nods faintly to himself. Once, twice before he steps off and now he's pacing with his tablet in hand, belatedly going over to the far door and closing it. Leaning into it before pushing off. ]

Listen, you may be right. This may very well be changing everything and maybe I'll be that lucky. Believe me. I'd rather be. I've got people who wouldn't be happy to hear me talk like this. [ He's pretty sure Al would be running in here and socking him in the face right about now otherwise. ]

So, don't take it like I've given up. I haven't. I'm just... not taking it off the the table either just yet. You get me?

[Tony can't deny what Zack says is sound. They might be able to escape and they might even be able to change things back in their own worlds when all of this is over, but there is no guarantee that they can. And whatever has happened before they came probably still applies. If Zack lost a fight or was stuck with some unfortunately turn of luck before he got picked up in Norfinbury, then returning him home would return him right back to the conditions he left.]

Yeah. I... I understand. We can do everything in our power in the meantime, though, right? We can help people here.

[network] @IAmLegend; video; Day 182 [open]

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