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JANUARY TEST DRIVE MEME
You awaken to godawful static overlaying a female voice that's too monotone to be anything but a recording. The static makes it difficult to understand the warning, but it's clearly a warning if your surroundings tell you anything...
You're buckled into a sturdy seat bolted to the wall behind you. Around you, there are dozens of others like you, some awake and others still unconscious, but it seems most of the seats lining the walls are occupied. The lights are dim, likely auxiliary lighting, leaving you mostly in the dark. You smell smoke and hear the sizzling crackle of electrical systems popping and shorting out. Some of the seats were jarred off the wall, leaving the occupants either wounded or dead. Count yourself lucky all you have is a headache and various aches accounted to whiplash.
You appear to be in a drop ship or an escape vessel of some form but the pilot is dead and the hull bears a massive gash where it buckled under the impact and sheered off. Through the door-sized opening, you can see vegetation. The air that wafts in is heavy with a humid heat, but it's obviously breathable.
Once you make your way outside, you'll see greenery: Trees, grass, and shrubs tangled with vines that grow wildly and suffocate the trees they climb. In the distance, behind the ship, you can make out a sandy desert that seems to stretch on endlessly. Forward through the trees, however, you may see a crumbling wall, but more importantly, you'll see signs of civilisation. Buildings and other structures seem contained within those decrepit walls. Maybe the natives can fill you in on what's going on, because the last thing you remember isn't being in an escape shuttle. As a matter of fact, you don't remember much about your arrival or where you are. But it's going to be a bit of a hike, better get moving. Though you might want to grab the backpack of supplies under your seat before you go.
With that, the power dies, leaving the drop ship in the dark, crackling and groaning as the hull cools from its catastrophic re-entry.
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As soon as Steve was away from the group, a tight hand against the back of his neck would shove him against the nearest tree trunk. He pressed the cold, hard 'barrel of a gun' against the back of Steve's head. Said barrel was actually just a metal finger, but given 'context clues', it would be pretty hard to discern with just the pressure against Steve's skull. He leans in close, but still out of sight, even if Steve tried to turn his head.]
Sloppy, Steve. How do you know these people aren't convicts? Any one of them could kill you from behind.
[He lowers his 'gun' and ruffles Steve's hair with the hand that had been at the back of his neck before stepping back. His own hair was a mess of tangles, he wore a red, long-sleeved shirt, and was in desperate need of a shave.]
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He takes him in, he clothes, the hair, the look in his eyes. It's not vacant and it's not struggling to remember. He knows Steve.] Bucky?
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Yeah.
[He pulled away, a small smile on his lips. He'd been avoiding Steve for some time, trying to piece himself together, but now it was almost impossible to avoid him.]
The ship isn't SHIELD or HYDRA. I don't remember boarding or being caught. I don't have any of my weapons, and I don't think they planned for us to crash. Pilot's dead. Makes it a little difficult to get answers. The ship's leaking fuel and the city looks like it's been through hell and back from here.
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I've been looking for you, Jerk.
[As soon as Bucky released him he focused back on the problem they now faced. He nodded as he listened to Bucky's assessment.] I don't have my shield which I did have last I remember, and I don't remember how I got on that ship either. [Which was a problem to add to the list of problems they now faced.]
If we're leaking fuel we need to move these people out of range, I don't want this thing going up while we all mill about. The city might have some shelter but I would worry about the inhabitants.
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[Buck could understand his own memory lapse. He was surprised he had any kind of memory left at all after all the tampering HYDRA did, but Steve? Something else was going on here, then.]
Agreed. We can cross that bridge when we come to it. First and foremost, moving the survivors away from the potential explosion. We should organise the wounded to set the pace. Able bodies should carry supplies and aid those who can't walk on their own.
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[Steve was and wasn't surprise how easy it was to fall back into old habits, both of them making tactical plans and having each other's backs. When he found Bucky he thought he would have to convince him of who he was, this was better- easier.]
Let's see if we can round up some more people to help lead. See if anyone is good at scouting up ahead and reporting back. See if anyone from my team made it here too. [He could really use Natasha and Clint right now. Even Tony, Tony could have probably rigged something up from the broken down transport, maybe gotten into the computer and figured out what the hell was going on.]
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Did I ever thank you for that? [His smile falls slightly.] You don't remember finding me, do you? Maybe I dreamt it...
Yeah. I met a guy when I woke up. Southern. He's a trapper. I think he'd be a good candidate. And... maybe it's a good idea if I steer clear of your team. For now.
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Finding you? Recently? No, Sam's been looking. I was a little preoccupied with trying not to let a self aware AI robot destroy the humanity. [Really, no big deal] My team kind of...well we had a few rough hits after taking down SHIELD. Where have you been?
[He nods at Bucky's assessment of the other man, he trusts him, even after everything that's happened. But the rest of his words make Steve pause.] my team? Why? Who did you run into?
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[At that he stays quiet. He really did dream it, then. He could swear this 'Sam' and Steve found him just before he woke up in the ship.] Doesn't matter. I needed time. [He needed a lot more than time, but that was in the past.]
Who said I ran into anyone? [Oh so warily. Oh so cautious.]
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[Sorry Buck, he's not up to that yet.] Did you have enough time or are you going to disappear on me again? [ He would never begrudge Bucky time to sort his head out, Steve hadn't had the luxury of time when he was dropped into the 21st century and he can't imagine what suddenly getting your memories back would do. That didn't mean he wasn't worried or that he wanted Bucky to go disappearing on him again
He's not buying it Buck. He knows you.] Then why say you need to stay away from them?
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[Buck takes Steve by the shoulders and levels his gaze with Steve's.] Hey, I don't think I'm going anywhere anytime soon. You're stuck with me, alright?
[He pulls away reflexively to avoid the question.] The Archer. He's jumpy around me and I don't blame him. They all will be. Everything I've done for HYDRA...
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[He might be trying to pull away but Steve isn't letting him. He meets Bucky's gaze- which is clear and pierces through him like the Bucky he remembers and he's pulling him forward into another hug. The guilt and the grief he'd been feeling since 1943 finally start to lessen because Bucky is here, standing in front of him and he knows him and he's not going anywhere. It's too much, and Steve doesn't say anything- can't say anything just holds him tighter.
Finally he pulls back, listening to what Bucky says about Clint.]
He'll get over it once he realizes you aren't HYDRA anymore. They all will. What HYDRA made you do- that wasn't you Buck.
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Even if it wasn't, it's still me that haunts people. They see HYDRA's pet assassin, they don't see Sergeant Barnes. You see me because you know me. You know what isn't me. As far as they're all concerned, I'm a cold-blooded killer. [And that sort of terrifies him because when that distinction can't be made, who's left beneath it? He could see it in the way the Archer itched for a weapon upon recognition of the Winter Soldier.]
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And eventually they will see you too, and not the Winter Soldier. Just give it some time. [Ever the stubborn optimist.]
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Give it time... We're liable to have plenty of that if we don't find out where we are and how to get back.