O' Say Can You See...
The year is 1943, and there is a war raging in Europe. The US of A has just entered on the side of the Allies in the Second World War, and you are just a guy trying to join the army.
...
And what a fat lot of good that's doing you.
A fist smashes against your face and the force of the blow sends you sprawling across the floor. Jeering laughter stabs into your ringing ears while you struggle to rise and taunts wash over you as you concentrate on getting up again. A kick sends you rolling and your body aches. Your arms feel like lead and your chest vaguely burns when you breathe. Huh, your asthma must be kicking in.
Police sirens sound and you watch the bullies run off, tails tucked between their legs.
You sigh. Everything aches, but without anyone around to distract you, you concentrate on getting up…
Only to collapse from the dizziness of a concussion. Dangit. Looks like you won't be getting up anytime soon then.
So for now you groan and turn over, only to see:
[] glittering stars against the dark sky. Huh, and that's strange. Shouldn't the stars over Brooklyn be invisible due to light pollution? Was there a blackout? Mass Effect-verse
[X] Bucky's stony face. Your best friend spares you a sympathetic look before he stares off at the directions the bullies ran. You slur "I'ad 'em Bucky... Wha'd youdo dafer?..." Continue character creation
[] a strange bobble head doll. It's blue jumpsuit and blonde hair contrast against the dirty pavement below you, and you reach out to grab it. Fallout-verse
[] strange lights flashing across the sky. Weird. You can't hear any planes flying by. Maybe the lights around the street are blurring into each other from your concussion. XCom-verse
[] a sprinking of a blue dust like substance settles on the ground in front of your face... It's so cold and it's definitely not snow. What is it? RWBY-verse
[] white sparks against the pavement, as if a live electric cable were running across metal. As quickly as you saw it, it was gone. Huh. Are you seeing things? Shadowrun-verse
[] a metal dog tag. Someone must have dropped it. You reach out to grab it and see that it is shoddily made and only has the numbers 117 on it. A fake then. Halo-verse
[] Write-in?
Your vision starts to go black at the edges, and someone starts hauling you up. You struggle to stay cognizant, but the concussion and the pain is making it really hard to focus…
"Iha'em…"
"I know buddy. I know."
NOTE: I reserve the right to deny any write-ins of settings/franchises that I am not familiar with.
~~~
"Welcome! To the modern marvels pavilion, and the world of tomorrow! A greater world! A better world!"
There are people everywhere, and you can't help but to compare this to the World's Fair from just a few years ago. But this is dedicated to the works of Howard Stark, "inventor extraordinaire."
… though you will give credit where credit is due; the man is brilliant, and it's not as if he's not sharing the stage with all of his competitors.
"Hey… What was your name again?"
Huh? Oh, right. Bucky's friend.
"I'm ___, what was your name again? I forgot too."
[] Steve Rodgers
[] Write-in?
-[x] Steve Rogers
A chuckle is all the response you get. You huff.
Then, whispers of Stark start floating around, and you can practically feel the air get charged. You practically have to run to catch up with Bucky and co, but once you do you see the stage looming before you.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Howard Stark!"
~~~
Your mirrored reflection looks back at you, far too low for where the face should be. You look on for a second and a tightness forms in your chest...
You breathe in sharply as someone claps on your shoulder.
You turn, ready to-
Bucky.
"Come on, you're missing the point of a double date. We're taking them dancing."
"You go ahead. I'll catch up with you."
Something must have shown on your face because Bucky just gives you a look. He sighs and gives you his best disapproving voice.
"You really going to do this again?"
"Well it's a fair, I'm gonna try my luck."
"What, and pretend to be from Ohio this time? Cause they'll catch you, or worse, they'll take you."
The tightness in your chest comes back and you struggle not to show it. You just keep breathing easy.
"Look, I know you don't think I can do this, but-"
"This isn't a back alley, you know? It's a war-"
"Wh-why are you so keen to fight? There are so many important jobs-"
"What am I going to do? Collect scrap metal in my little red wagon-"
"Yes! Why not?"
"I'm not going to sit in a factory-"
"I don't-"
"Bucky- Bucky! Come on, there are men laying down their lives. I got no right to do any less than them. That's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."
His disbelieving look is all the answer you need.
"Right. Cause you got nothin' to prove."
You don't. Or at least that's what you keep telling yourself. The tightness comes back as Bucky looks you dead in the eyes, as if he could make you change your mind through sheer willpower-
"Hey Sarge! We going dancing?"
And just like that, it's over. Your best friend turns and puts on his best game face, puts his arms wide like a total ponce.
"Yes we are!"
And then he turns back to you before you can turn to leave. He looks at you, but your face is set. He gives you the barest of nodes before slowly walking backwards.
"Don't do anything stupid before I get back."
His voice is laced with worry, and you can't help but to forgive him. Or maybe you're reassuring him? You're not sure right now, so you call out before he gets too far away, "How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." You smile at him, just to let him know that everything is still okay between you.
He comes stalking back, an insult on the tip of his tongue, "You're a punk."
He hugs you and you hug back and reply with your customary retort, "Jerk."
As you part, you become serious again.
"Be careful. Don't win the war till I get there."
Bucky turns and salutes you before running off.
You turn around to walk back into the recruitment center, and you pause.
Right there, you swore to yourself that no matter what, regardless of if you get into the army or not:
[] you would try your best to keep others safe. So long as you breathe, the innocent need not fear those that would do them harm. [Trait Gained: Shield Bearer]
[] you devote your life to service so that the next generation will live better than yours. Maybe you can... [Trait Gained: We The People]
[] you will help in the war effort in any way you can. If you can't fight, then you'll think. Maybe become an army engineer or something? ...Crud, you'd have to start studying, and fast. [Trait Gained: Free Thinker]
[x] you will help in the war effort in any way you can. If you can't fight, then maybe you can help organize people? You can lead good men and women in an effort to support the troops abroad. Maybe even become an officer... [Trait Gained: Leader of Man]
Hello SV! Welcome to the newest torrmercury quest.
Many thanks to
@Icipall @Shark8 and
@ACTHEAC for being wonderful idea bouncers/betas.