Summary:More testing in the firing range is interrupted by the appearance of a dragon. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
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It's been a few days since Steve received his … guest. It's an interesting guest to be sure. Every now and then, the super soldier skin ripples and itches - sometimes a spectral claw, a wing or even a snout pushes its way out of his skin.
That doesn't even begin to explain the battle of wills he engages in.
This afternoon, Jemma Simmons is in the firing range - testing out a new batch of Reverbium. Reverbium she's been brewing herself.
Boom
The target out on the range is knocked over as the biochem watches. "Well, that seems to be more stable, Jeriah. What do you think?"
"Why is that 'more stable'? The stuff is about as stable as nitro. Who exactly did you work on this with anyway? I'm amazed that the stuff in me hasn't done the same watching it blow up this morning."
Jeriah's arms are folded as he watches from behind a sheet of blastproof lexan.
"Do you have another batch of hooch to burn?"
It's a hell of a noise, every time one of those doses of ammunition goes off, and Steve's super-soldier ears can pick it up even despite the proofing of the firing range room itself. Granted, he's curious as to what the hell sounds like miniature explosions, so the broad-shouldered blond shows up at the door.
Peering in, he waits until it's apparent Jemma is between clips and then steps in. In a simple blue-plaid button-down overtop a white t-shirt and jeans, the Captain's combat boots mark a measured pace over to where Jeriah stands behind his blastpoof sheet.
"'nd I thought filling a tennis ball with gunpowder 'nd setting it off was a good time," he quips in a friendly manner, glancing from Jeriah and to Jemma. He lifts a hand in greeting to the latter. "Reverbium?" he asks to the pair as a whole. A roll of his shoulders and slow sigh is him taking a moment to soothe the tattoo still scrolling his body in scales and nosy curiosity.
Jemma nudges Jeriah with her shoulder and huffs a little at his answer. "It doesn't go off now until gets to the target. It's better than it was. And … a certain Wakandan dropped by to help me." Steve might know who she's referring to.
"And I'm more worried about what be introduced into your system after we saw what happened to the other … more than I am about it exploding because of this."
"Hello Steve, you're looking better than the last time I saw you. Not having to shave three times a day, I take it?" Jemma nods in answer though "Reverbium, yes. I've been working the formula, I *almost* have it stable. And yes, Jeriah, here's another batch - what do you want to do this time?"
"Cap." Jeriah nods. "Jemma and some other specs cooked up some home brew reverbium. She thinks they're making progress toward stabilizing it. I'm waiting for them to give up and start marketing reverbium fireworks." Imagine. Fireworks you can detonate by playing music AT them. Wait. On second thought that's a terrible idea.
"Why don't we actually have someone shoot at it this time. See if the shock of impact detonates it." Because if it is to be used as armor that would be a good thing for it to NOT do.
"What brings you down, Cap?"
This particular Wakandan is definitely a known to Steve. He smiles to himself over it, allowing most of his amusement to twinkle in his eyes. The darker circles long-haunting him for weeks seem to have lessened dramatically — nothing like sleeping through the night without waking from the sudden urge to go howl on the rooftop!
However, his babysitting task is sparing him fewer hours of rest, so those circles are still grey. It hasn't dented his positivity, at least.
"Thrilled to be shaving far less than before," he concurs to Jemma, his smile lingering. "That, and not craving bacon. Thought I'd be off of it after all that business, but I tried some again yesterday morning 'nd it sat fine."
He then glances over at Jeriah. "Sounds brought me down. Reverbium's still got a kick to it. You need somebody to take a shot at it? 'm between paperwork, admittedly wandering with not much to do in my name."
"You're always so negative…" Jemma complains to Jeriah. "You, of all people, should know this takes time." beat "Would you, Steve?" the biochem gestures to Jeriah to set up the next test. She's going to get this, if it's the last thing she does. Of course, Jeriah is getting those thoughts very clearly.
The dragon writhes a little as someone down the range lets off some shots. Steve can feel the thing lifting from him. See the glowing spectral head as starts to manifest. Feel it's will as it decides to to deal with the 'threat'.
"Go for it. I'm just going to…" Jeriah puts a little safe next to the target unaware of what Steve is dealing with. "There we go. That'll give some visual feedback if you hit. Just, you know, don't lose what's in there. They're Krugerands."
Gold coins. Rather nice, relatively common gold coins. Don't ask how Jeriah got them, sometimes mercenaries aren't paid by direct deposit.
"Okay." He gets back behind the blast glass. "I'm not negative Jemma, I'm realistic. Go for it, Cap."
"Nnnnngh."
Very quietly, the sound of frustration leaves the Captain as he feels the tattoo begin to peel up from his skin. It's not entirely possible to shove the translucent form back against his skin, but he seems to turn and reach for the skull lifting into view. "Get back…right now!" His hissing sounds like something one might say to a recalcitrant puppy hidden away out of sight of Mom.
The dragon does simmer down for the moment. It allows the man to turn and reach for protective glasses off to one side. "Sure, Jeriah, won't think to damage the coins." Another ripple of interest from the dragon has a gleam flickering through his eyes like candlelight before the Captain clears his throat. Focus.
Taking up one of the weapons loaded, he endeavors a balanced stance and lifts it. BLAM — shot fired.
The dragon tattoo JUMPS again and he hisses loudly, half in reaction to the sudden lift overtop his chest and back around his spine, and half in psychologically-paired action to the dragon.
BLAM
Jemma isn't watching Steve at that exact moment, her focus is on her precious experiment. It's becoming a little bit of a obsession to her.
BANG
The safe explodes. Not a lot, but enough given it's not supposed to … Krugerands spin and tinkle on the ground.
"I'm not doing anything… What the hell is that?" In Jemma's British tone, that likely sounds almost adorable.
The Dragon rears and starts to seperate from Steve - manifesting in the air above him. Which is interesting - that's a BIG dragon and little space.
Jeriah wasn't concerned about the coins getting damaged, he was concerned about them getting kept. "Well that's impressive. I've always wanted to see that happen." He's murmured. He folds his arms and watches. "Well that was quite impressive, Cap. Still not very stable though, Jemma. I'm not…"
He peers. "Steve? What IS that… um… coming out of you?"
"I'd — HEY — say it was nothing, but — STOP THAT, GET — it's not nothing — GET BACK RIGHT NOW!"
Even as Steve turns about and makes to grab at the dragon now nearly fully manifested, he's trying not to be distracted by the glimmering scattering of coins.
"I'm babysitting it!"
Sure, Steve.
He slides between the creature and the Krugerands with arms outstretched wide. "Hey, I'm talkin' to YOU!" The Gaelic accent is strong now. "You get right back where yer supposed to be! I'll take one o' the coins, yes, don't — I know, just — they're shiny, I get it — "
The dragon's got a pretty mean glare just like its minder when it comes down to it. Smoke curls from its nostrils as it squints, as if asking Steve what is REALLY stopping it from bulling him over.
Steves will. That's what. If a tiny little thing like the peruvian can control it, surely Captain America can.
"You're babysitting a … dragon?" Jemma asks, backing up right next to Jeriah. Showing some sense for once. "Uh, Jeriah, I think we should … " she jerks her head to the exit "Give Steve and his dragon some privacy …"
The gold certainly seems to have drawn Glydril's attention and the urge that Steve felt just now to 'protect' and 'attack' is easing.
"Is it … talking …. to you?" Jemma is fascinated. Really she is.
Then the Dragons tail whips round, trying knock Jeriah back into the corner. No - they aren't going anywhere.
"Do you want to be alone with Steve and his dragon?" Jeriah says, quirking a brow. He has to duck and isn't entirely successful, taking a hit on the shoulder and making him stumble back. He decides to retreat back behind the blast barrier again. Safer there, he thinks.
"You're babysitting a dragon and it wants some bling?" Those are, if he didn't mention, his krugerands. He peers to see if Steve really does take one. Or more. They do glitter so nicely.
"Yes, I'm talking to it, 'nd yes, it wants a coin. Agent London, I'll need to owe you a Krugerand," the Captain continues, glancing over his shoulder and giving Jeriah a half-smile full of apology. "I'll pay you back," he promises very sincerely.
Turning back to Glydril, he points a finger and says, in his sternest voice, "You get back to your place right now. You want me to go find Barnes?"
At this, the dragon blinks and slides its regard to one side.
Oh dear, not a Barnes lecture.
"Look, 'm gonna get you a coin, promise," Steve assures the creature, even as he pats at his chest, as if to invite a friendly jump into his arms. "Back to your spot."
Glydril snorts another whuft of smoke and stalls if only to return the Captain's reproving look. Then, with a swirl into translucency, it rapidly diminishes to vanish onto Steve's skin again. He stumbles back a few steps, arms still wide, and lets out a wheezing cough.
"Yep…gonna have to pay you back, Jeriah, 'pologies," says the blond man as he goes out to scrounge up a single coin. As he returns, he can heard to mutter, "Hey, I got you a coin as promised, settle." The coin goes into the pocket of his button-down shirt.
"It … wants a coin." Jemma is knocked as Jeriah stumbles. No, they really aren't going anywhere. "Are you sure you should have that given … everything, Steve?" The biochem lets out a breath as the dragon subsides.
Steve can feel the battle of wills easing as well. Though Glydril will make her annoyance known - Steve is *not* home and she wants to be home.
"I don't know Jeriah, I think it was a worth a Krugerand just to see this …"
The biochem looks forlornly at the results of the test. "I'll have to adjust the formula a little more. It's more stable but still … not enough."
Wandering back over to the biochemist and his fellow agent, Steve assays a small smile far more apologetic this time.
"Sorry about that. She's not normally this…antsy. Think I'll take her for a walk or something when I get home tonight. Good job on the Reverbium, however, Jemma, that was impressive." Despite being slightly shaken by the dragon's appearance, the Captain tries for positivity. "One coin'll do for now though, no worries. Barnes's worth a hundred times more'n gold anyways."
The Captain blinks, caught off-guard by the slip of his mouth, and pinks at his ears. Nomrally the possessiveness is not displayed.
"'m gonna go finish up paperwork now. Let me know if you need any further assistance." And the super-soldier then departs from the firing range still blushing.