wasn't it going to be fun and wasn't it going to be new?

[constructionzone]

WHO: James Rhodes
WHERE: Fountain & Wandering Aimlessly in the Village
WHEN: Late November
OPEN TO: OTA
WARNINGS: N/A, but will update as needed.

---

The Fountain

They were all still in Wakanda.

It was frankly damned amazing that the Wakandan royal family hadn't immediately evicted them, but Rhodey thought that they were all too shell-shocked to object, and he and what was left of the rest sure as hell were too shell-shocked to go anywhere. They'd won, you see, they'd won the damn battle against a battalion of vicious aliens, and then it didn't matter at all. Thanos arrived, he'd killed the Vision (and Rhodey's immediate, immediate thought was he didn't know how he was going to tell Tony that, because of course they were going to find Tony, Tony definitely had not finally gotten his dumb ass killed) and then...

Well, Rhodey had been hoping he'd never have to explain the next part, because he was pretty sure it wouldn't make a lick of sense.

So, they were all still in Wakanda. He remembers getting up - it was early, before dawn - and he remembers going for a walk, and none of that computes with the here and now, which is being submerged in water when he definitely was nowhere near the river. But his lungs are burning, so now is maybe not the time to have deep thoughts about how he got here. Rhodey kicks instead, kicking hard until he drags himself to the surface.

He looks around, and he's definitely not in Kansas anymore. He doesn't even have a little dog named Toto to make that reference complete. More pertinently, Rhodey thinks as he swipes his hand over his head and pulls himself out of the fountain entirely, there's no way in hell this is Wakanda.

"If this is some hoodoo to pick a new Mr. Wakanda, I conscientiously object," he mutters.

Village Walkabout

A bit later, people might see a man in hunter green scrubs with a slight but distinct limp walking around the village. He might have a look about him like he's casing the joint; in reality, Rhodey's definitely looking for food, but also he's looking...he's looking to see if there's anyone he knows, or at least anyone who can explain to him what the hell ass is going on, and also, where's the exit.

On the latter points, he's almost definitely doomed to be disappointed.

Less so on the former points, but he's going to be super disappointed that there's no diner in sight, anywhere to be found. Doesn't every small village need one? Don't they all have his daily required black coffee and way more bacon than a man who has to pass military physicals should be eating?

You only wish, Rhodey.

Comments

Fountain

[nonstopnarcissist]

He's still not quite up for forgework but- the barrel's empty (roving crockdogs have been helping themselves apparently) and as long as he does one bucket at a time? It's not too rough on his recovering body. Tony makes the hike out, humming AC/DC under his breath as he slings the empty bucket into the water, calling off to one side "Hey Honeybadger."

Because Rhodey was there and greeting him is as reflexive and automatic as breathing. Bucket filled, lifted, set aside and-






Wait.



Wait.


"Rhodey?!" His head snaps around, eyes narrowing on- one James Rhodes hauling himself out of the fountain.

BRO!!

[constructionzone]

Well, one thing he can pretty much cross off the list of possibilities, Rhodey thinks: he's definitely not in the running for Mr. Wakanda. It is entirely possible that he's accidentally gotten high on something weird.

Tony was...somewhere, somewhere he couldn't get back from or he would have been with the rest of them, even with the Steve Problem.

"Tones?" He says. His hands slip on the edge of the fountain and he tightens his fingers, pushing himself up and out. He sits on the edge then. "Tony?"

He's got questions. But he's still getting his breath. Let's pretend to believe that.

BROOOO

[nonstopnarcissist]

Yep, that's Rhodey just come up out of the fountain. Freshly arrived, still in the water, just woke up and hasn't even gotten to the rest of the village brand fucking new-

But alive. Not dust, not ash slipping through his fingers. He drops the bucket , spilling water all over his feet in the process as he scrambles his way over, hand fisted in Rhodey's scrubs to haul him in. "When are you from?"

Details, clearly, but right now the only relevant details are that he's here, he's solid, and he's soaked.

[constructionzone]

Sure, they can pretend they're reasonable adults getting the facts out of the way before they fall on each other with the manliest of man hugs. The problem is, Rhodey doesn't totally understand the question. When is he from? What kind of ridiculous thing is that?

Honestly, the sort of question that isn't totally out of left field when gods exist and also appear on battlefields in a rainbow beam and scientists turn into giant green personifications of the Id. Rhodey still has to take a second to figure out how to answer it.

"Thanos," he says, and his lips thin. "I watched half of us turn to ash, man. In Wakanda."

Village Walkabout

[imareporter]

It's not that bad and you're not going to get fat Eddie.

"...You need to put that in writing." Eddie Brock has his daily lunch - well. Two lunches, "I want it on a wall after you do your thing tonight."

...We promise. Pussy.

"Bitch." The word is mumbled as he rounds the corner before stopping short. There's a guy close (did he hear them please god he did not hear him.) while carrying his two plates.

"...Hi."

Pause.

"...Are you lost?"

[constructionzone]

Oh, he heard you, Eddie. Today is not your lucky day. It's why he's standing there asking himself why he decided to get some fresh air (yes that went so well last time) instead of hanging out by Tony's forge getting warmer from his unwanted swim.

If he could turn back time.

If he could find a way, Eddie.

Enough of the immortal Cher, though: "Yep." Look at that dry, calm tone. "You?"

[imareporter]

"No. Just heading out for some place with a spot to eat." He holds up his handful of food, "Want some?"

No! We're not sharing! No! eddie no!

Don't whine.

"INN's got good food man."

[constructionzone]

There's just something going on here, Rhodey thinks, but he can't quite put his finger on it. Garden variety nuts is a possibility, he supposes, but doesn't seem to quite fit.

"Sure," he says, taking the food. It's not bad. It's not the comfort bacon of his current fantasies, but it's pretty good. "I feel like I haven't eaten in a week," he says after he politely chews and swallows. He tilts his head. Tony had given him details, in a Tony sort of way. It's enough for him to be able to ask a question.

"Been in this weirdo place long?"

Village

[tothefly]

She really shouldn't be surprised to see any more familiar faces around town. After all, Sam wasn't wrong; the Observers (who, what, wherever they were) did seem to have a particular fondness for folks from their particular world. And yet, here she is, on her way from the inn with what passes for breakfast these days, and there's the back of a head she'd know anywhere, and her heart is, surprisingly perhaps, lighter for it. Like there's something a little more balanced about things, despite the clear imbalance towards their particular corner of the multiverse.

Which is why she can stroll up like it's nothing, silent footsteps coming up beside him, settling in like it hasn't been two months and then another month on top of that, like the last time they'd spoke wasn't actually just her leaving him a brief note while he went through eight hours of surgery.

"There's a face I didn't expect to see. What happened, the old folks' home give you a day pass?"

[constructionzone]

He knows Tash is around, it's one of the first things Tony told him. And it does seem like this place has maybe developed the same Gotta Catch 'Em All mentality with the Avengers that his cousin's kid has when it comes to Pokemon at home. So he doesn't really start when he hears her voice. Instead, his shoulders relax slightly. He half turns.

"You'd gone blonde the last time I saw you," he says. His brows are pretty much stuck in the raised position today. She's used to it anyway. And he hasn't answered her question, either. "A little bird told me you were rusticating and I just couldn't believe it."

[tothefly]

"After my time," is her answer, perfectly casual, like talking about temporal displacement and being kidnapped to another dimension is basically just a Tuesday. Which, let's be real, for them it pretty much is. "Thankfully. Now I've got a chance to stop Future Natasha from making such a terrible mistake." Most people might not catch the smile that's there and gone in a heartbeat, but Rhodey's not most people.

"You know what they say about those Facebook games being addictive; I played a little too much Farmville and I just couldn't resist seeing if churning butter and picking turnips was just as much fun as it looked."

[constructionzone]

"It wasn't a bad shade." He's dated at least one brave, stunning blonde, and feels contractually obliged to say that, but he still smirks down at Tash. "Red's a better look, though. It's just not Natasha Romanoff with pale gold hair." It's too expected. It made her blend easily, but Tash has never had to resort to that before.

He laughs as he and offers an arm. "Oh yeah? How's that working out for you? Do you have some goats named Antonina and Dr. Zhivago?" He can't picture it. He just can't.

Village Walkabout

[can_fight_ugly]

Anne's taking a little walkabout herself after finishing her dinner at the Inn when she sees a new face. She's wearing her black scrub top tucked into the overalls with the thermal set underneath it all - not exactly the most flattering for greeting new residents, but she at least had the good fortune of knowing this was currently the style.

"Hello, I don't think I've seen you around before?" The face tingles her brain as vaguely familiar, but it takes a moment for the penny to drop; she's read articles, seen the newscasts, had been closely following the law proceedings because it had been unprecedented territory. The name wasn't coming to mind but she'd definitely seen him in the news coverage. "I have seen you, though ..." She offers her hand in introduction. "Anne Weying."

[constructionzone]

Rhodey is a man who has spent entire months of his off duty time wearing a collection of dad jeans and polo shirts, and the suits and leather that he'd been seen in outside the, ah, proceedings had been entirely on friends who just could not anymore with the Dad Stopping At Home Depot Before the BBQ look.

In retrospect, who can blame them? But either way, Rhodey's not the one to notice style or lack thereof. He notices other things instead. The sleek hair of someone who definitely had a more corporate sort of job than him, the look of someone trying to place him. "Ms. Weying," he says as he takes her hand with a crooked, charming sort of smile. "Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes. I think you may have seen me on tv being interrogated by posturing politicians."

Or fighting a murderbot army, there's also that.

[can_fight_ugly]

Anne winces. "Ah, yes, that's where. Tell me, were they as slimy in person as they appeared on television?"

She does realize that might sound a little hypocritical, coming from a corporate lawyer, but she swears she's like like that. Not anymore. Turning over a new leave and all that. "I'm sorry they put you through that."

Standing back, she glances at the village around them. "But you're here now, have you received a tour?"

[constructionzone]

"It's honestly a shame we can't recycle the slime for a better purpose." He's had his own issues with corporate lawyers, but in the end their motives tend to be a little less labyrinthian than the average Washington politician. He shrugs a little, though. "It's not the worst thing I've gone through in my life." The fact that it had been friend against friend, the way Tony had returned from a mad dash to help Steve Rogers with a wound he hadn't wanted to explain to a man still dealing with his own physical mess.

And a flat refusal to talk about Steve at all.

"A tour? Not really. Got a verbal rundown, at high speed. In my friend's defense, I think I scared him coming out of the fountain like that."

feel free to have rhodey recognize him now/eventually/never whatever makes sense for him

[oorah]

Frank spots the new arrival clear across the road, he's had a lot of practice seeing people come and go. More greens, like Kamala, like Bruce and Alec. Yet again, he's left wondering what it means, slow on the approach though his friends are a bit more eager to get to Rhodey. There's a creature, only the size of a chihuahua, that breaks out of Frank's arms and starts speeding towards the man, as well as a chunky gray pitbull who seems to have gotten over his initial qualms about new people already. The bloodhound sticks close by Frank, obviously bonded to him as she brays loudly to let him know there's someone she's never seen before, never smelled before. He pats her head to acknowledge the effort and follows the other two dogs to get his greeting done with. He's sporting a long beard and hairstyle that puts him out of joint with the news coverage of him, but there's that same cold determination in his eyes, a perfectly straight posture that would give him away as military no matter how he looks now. He's wearing a nondescript outfit, a worn heavy hoodie and light-wash jeans, but the shoes are weird: bright teal Jordans. Not exactly something that jives with the man's image nor this old-timey place. Frank motions back towards the fountain vaguely and lifts his eyebrows as if to ask if that's where Rhodey had come from. He could've been here for days for all he knows, he doesn't pay as close attention as he should anymore. "'Welcome' isn't really the right word, but..." Despite his protests, Frank would never turn down someone in need so here he is, trying to discern if this man falls into that category. Otherwise, he'll likely fuck right back off again. "I'm sure you've already gotten the speech." And that's already way more words than he usually prefers stringing together at once.

[constructionzone]

It's the....well, it's sure not his Grandma Rhodes' toy poodle, that's for sure, though Rhodey has distinct memories of being bum-rushed in a similar way when he was about eight. Anyway, it's the creature that gets Rhodey's attention at first, and he braces himself for possible ankle-biting, only to be relieved when it just wags it's stubby little tail.

That's when he looks of and sees Frank, and there's a flash of recognition. It's mostly part and parcel of being the pro-government side of the Avengers split; it was part of the job to keep on top of masked vigilantes, even if half the time he was asking himself why they were all in damned New York. And even if he didn't always remember to give Ross the dossiers he liked so much.

Of course, Frank's trial had eliminated the need for one for the most part.

"In triple time," he says out loud. His lips twitch. "I'll forget half of it by the end of the day. Tony forgets that my processing speed isn't up to par with one of the supercomputers back home." He can tell that Castle is the sort to back off if Rhodey asserts his independence, so he inclines his head. "I've still gotten lost twice already. You'd think I'd failed navigation or something."

[oorah]

That gets a snort and it's then that he places where he might have seen the man before, in passing. Tony Stark's friend, the Colonel. His back goes even straighter if that were possible, even as he rushes to nod. He's never turned down a request to help a fellow vet yet and he's not about to start here. Even if usually back in New York that help would be staying far, far away from them. "I talk much slower," he confirms, an open invite to ask him any burning questions about this place. Lord knows he'd become something of an unwitting expert. He can't help the snort at Rhodey's commentary as he gestures for them all to get back on the road as a unit. The moment his feet touch the gravel all the dogs are falling in step behind him, the croc-dog leaping back into his arms to be carried. "Can walk slow, too. Where do you wanna go?"

Village

[notsoangry]

Bruce is on his way to the schoolhouse with a stack of books that he finished. They're all how-tos and he's ready the carpentry one about three times. All he needs to do is make a chicken coop. He has 7 PhDs, surely he can make a chicken coop. He lost weight during the illness and his hair is finally starting to grow a little into his comfort zone, but he still has the distinct glances and hair cut that he had after coming back to Earth. He sees Rhodey walking in the other direction and widens his eyes.

"Rhodey! Hey!" One book falls off the stack and he does not manage to catch it, so wobbling he just sets them all down on the ground. It's fine. He'll clean them off later. This absolutely is more important than that. His smile is sincere and slightly wider than on average. He catches up to the man and dark eyes are warm. "Did you just get here? Hunter green scrubs, I guess welcome to the club." He's not wearing any green himself, but the watch is very distinctly green.

[constructionzone]

Later, Rhodey is definitely asking Bruce for his secret to getting something not in the same shade. Not that he minds green - and he's seen a few flashes of magenta that he was extremely overjoyed to be spared - but he's gotten used to being able to spend a considerable amount of time out of a uniform. He's even upgraded his off-duty wardrobe from Dad Polo and Dad Jeans.

This is obviously the most bullshit part of a bullshit situation. It's still nice to see Bruce, aka his other new roommate.

"Yeah, I guess," he says. "Whatever here is, at least. It's been a couple hours since I gave Tones a heart attack by emerging from the fountain over there like fucking Aphrodite." You did not look anything like Aphrodite, Rhodey, but you go on with your delusions there.

[notsoangry]

When Bruce got there, he was deeply suspicious that the color choice was personal, but after seeing enough people show up the same way, he relaxed. He still avoids the color outside of the fact his wrist device is permanently green. Oh well. It should be enough that the Big Guy doesn't exist here, at least. Bruce is relieved when Rhodey mentions already having seen Tony, that's great, and it also means some things were already explained to him.

"Oh, so you waited until after you got out of the fountain to put on the scrubs?" Bruce's humor is usually so dry that many people miss it entirely, but he knows Rhodey won't. If he wants to be Aphrodite, sure, but that comes with some other details. He is very glad to see Rhodey. It's practically beaming out of him, although it's subdued in the way most emotions are for him. "Uhh, so I have to ask, what's the last thing you remember?"

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

Thor's made minimal progress in his unofficial exploration of this place. It seems to be a tiny village full of a wide variety of inhabitants. Some appear human, others are ... not. He's not yet met anyone hostile or angry, and he's discovered there's food at the large building at the center of town (something called an "inn," he's learned), but even with all of these relatively positive discoveries, he still wants to go home. If not for wanting to escape the feeling of being trapped, then to follow through on the plan that he, Bruce, Loki, and the Valkyrie had committed to together - saving Asgard.

The thought of home can send him into a pity spiral; he can only assume it's been destroyed at Hela's hand by now. Who knows if he would've even made it in time in the first place? At least he could've done something if he'd made it there. Tried to salvage whatever was left, rescue survivors. But now, here, there's hardly anything he can do. He can't channel Heimdall, he can't access the Bifrost, he doesn't have his powers.

Thor and the terrible, no good, very bad day, indeed.

It's as he's moping about like Charlie Brown that he catches sight of a face he recognizes. Not incredibly well, but he knows he's seen him before. It takes a moment with his stupidly slow mortal brain to put together that Thor had met the man at one of Stark's parties in New York.

As he nears, he shouts:

"Boom, are you looking for this?" It's the one thing he can remember about the man; his name has, unfortunately, been forgotten.

[constructionzone]

A lifetime in the military is a lifetime of collecting ridiculous nicknames; Rhodey has still never told Tony the callsign he had as a fighter pilot, and as far as he's concerned that one can remain in the Air Force's archives. All of this is just to say that he's got a lot of nicknames, but BOOM is a new one. It takes him a second to realize Thor is, actually, talking to him.

Well, two can play.

"Hey, hey, Spark Plug." Now you're stuck with that one, Thor. Rhodey's brow arches. "Your brother's not here, is he?"

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

Thor lets out a hearty laugh of appreciation at the nickname, even if the meaning and reason behind the term "spark plug" is completely lost on him. He's grateful that he's recognized, and that it's by a friendly person. For most others, he'd be considered an acquaintance, but for Thor, he is a friend.

As he nears, he reaches out and places a hand on the man's shoulder in greeting, still beaming with a warm, inviting grin. Another laugh at the mention of his brother. He suddenly leans in, lowering his voice conspiratorially.

"I've not yet had success in drawing him out if he is here. I have accosted and interrogated every animal I could find, but he's yet to show himself."