riverview | video (un: s.rogers)

[it's steve's first time on the network, though anyone who's met the other steve might need a second glance. he's sitting on his bed, a box of cookies on one side, and a familiar shield propped up against his knee.]

So I guess I'm not one of the new kids anymore. [there's new names, new faces - some familiar ones too.] For anyone who just got here, it's okay if you feel a little bit overwhelmed. I woke up once before and the world had changed, so I guess I might've been a little more prepared for it than most. My advice is to keep busy if you can - they say action is the antidote to despair. Find your friends too, or make new ones. There's no shortage of good people here.

[that's not his cue, but might as well make his introduction here.]

My name's Steve Rogers - the other one. If I can lend a hand with something, if you need an escort beyond the fences, just say the word. [steve glances down, gripping the edge of his shield for a moment.] Someone must've gone through some trouble to get this back to me. I figure I owe it to them to put it to good use.

Now, if it's the cookies you're asking about... [steve sighs, like that requires a little more consideration.] They're really good, but my ma did teach me to share. I bet I could get some more, maybe even some homemade ones.

[that little smirk has 'right, sam?' written all over it.]

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[[Daryl pulled back from the phone in visible surprise before quickly covering it up and trying to appear less stupid looking.]]

Oh. Didn't see that.

It's okay. You're not the first and you won't be the last. It took me a while too.

[steve gives him what he hopes is a reassuring smile.]

What's your name?

Daryl.

[After a second he added his last name like he was just remembering that might be relevant. And it kind of was. He'd been the only Daryl anyone knew in the communities they'd been a part of for the last two years or so. Giving his last name didn't happen much. Not that it seemed to have done anything to help Steve there, considering he'd had to clarify he was 'the other one'. Only thing Daryl had going for him was Daryl plus Dixon wasn't that popular. Unlike Steve plus Rogers apparently.]

Dixon.

From Georgia. In the states. If you've heard of it.

[Considering how many worlds people were from it wouldn't be surprising if he hadn't.]

I've heard of it.

[it's a relief, because of all those other worlds.]

I'm from New York, originally. It's good to meet you, Daryl.

[Daryl jerked his chin upward but didn't return the sentiment. Generally speaking, meeting people was a crapshoot so if it was good, he didn't know it yet.]

Ain't never been there. Probably never gonna be there. But seen a lot of movies about it. If you mean the city.

That's the one. I haven't actually been to Georgia either. What's it like? I hear the food's great.

Depends on where you eat, same as anywhere. Hunting was pretty good for the most part. Didn't get out to the cities much. Stuck around the towns in the north til a couple years ago. Used to be real pretty country.

[Added on as a quiet afterthought that probably wasn't supposed to be heard:]

Sure some parts of it still is.

Used to be?

[steve's senses are sharper than most people's, but he really wouldn't need them for that afterthought. all a person really needs is to pay attention to the person they're talking to.]

What happened to it?

[The thing was, the countryside was still real pretty. Never lost that. Just got tainted and torn up in his eyes because of how many people he cared about got lost down in it in the last two years. Was hard to love it anymore. Couldn't much say that, though.

So he shrugged.]

Nothin'. Just lost it's appeal is all. Grass is always greener and all that shit.

[steve watches him for a few moments longer, but there's no reason not to take him at his word.]

I guess that sort of thing happens to us all, one way or another.

Yeah. Sure.

[He wouldn't bet on it. Not here. In his world, sure. But here... plenty of people from places that didn't get shit on.]

Said you're from New York. What's it like.

It used to be nice. [logically, steve knows that it probably wasn't as nice as it is in his memories, sepia-toned images of kids playing stickball in the street, saturday matinees, and an old radio on a windowsill.] These days it's a little crowded, loud. Everyone seems to be a big hurry, you know?

Think I got an idea.

[That described the dead well enough. Except for the 'big hurry' part. Though one they got wind of possible food, they sure did move.]

Woulda been nice to see it the way it was in the movies. All lit up.

[Filled with living people.]

If there really is a way to go back, maybe you'll still get your chance.

Nah. Nothing left up there worth seeing at this point. And even if there was... what the trip would take out of us wouldn't be worth the effort.

Nothing left? Are you saying New York is gone?

Might as well be. Anything that made it worth seeing is gone by now. Don't know if it was one of the cities they bombed along with Atlanta, but I wouldn't be surprised. Lots of people means lots of dead.

Who did the bombing?

The military. Was one of the quarantine cities. But was too many bodies in too tight a space and once a few of 'em died, they all started dying and it just went from there. Heard they hit it with napalm or something. Didn't take out most of the buildings or nothing, just the people.

Course that did nothing to help the problem, but it sure did fuck everyone else still living over real good.

Why?

[it's as much to himself as to daryl. steve looks angry, confused, so many emotions playing across his face. this isn't the first time that steve's been disappointed by something that he once believed in. he doesn't even have to think too hard about the justifications..."the greater good". just excuses that lead to the deaths of more innocents. even in a different universe or a different timeline, some things are just wrong.]

I'm sorry.

What kind of sickness is it?

[It was hard to describe it as a 'sickness' when it only got active after you died. It wasn't the living that acted out, after all, it was the dead.

He leaned back and took a deep breath, but let his head drop so he was talking more into his chest and hands than the screen.]

Kind where everyone's infected and the only way to keep it from doin' what it does is to destroy the brain when someone dies. People who die without that, they get back up. Two minutes, half hour, eight hours later... they'll start movin' again. Brain firing, just not on all cylinders. Nothin' left of who they was. All they wanna do it eat.

[Daryl lifted his eyes and looked at the screen.]

Guess who's on the menu then.

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