[video / action]

[actlikealady]

[the communicator flickers onto Sif's face, which settles into satisfied lines. she figured it out, this enchanted metal device, so now she can go back to what she was doing -- which is wrapping her free arm around a tree and casually hauling it out of the ground]

If we are to follow the whims of our captors -- which I'm of two minds on, myself -- we should at least begin by figuring out who is best-suited for what. [briskly]

So go on. [she drops the tree, also casually, and then goes to tear out another. she's not sure how much wood they'll need] I require knowledge of how many are here, and what skills you possess. We will want someone with knowledge of plants to forage, and someone with skill at fishing. We will need a source of fresh water, and likely vessels fashioned to carry and hold our supplies in. Those with strength or skill at construction who can put together the shelters, and those who might construct defenses around the constructs.

And those of you who are more accustomed to living in human cities, well... [a beat. trying to think of something charitable] We will probably need someone to -- gather sticks, and the like.

Comments

1/2

[cleanedslate]

Pepper.

[ those are definitely all things he's been worried about ]

I can do this. I could do this -- blindfolded, tied to a chair. And I'm not either of those things.

Bruce is going to help. We're going to get this done.

[actlikealady]

--Fortunately, I have just heard from one who claims to know where the water is. [smiling] So for now, you should feel free to use your strength to take part in the construction with the rest of us.

[actlikealady]

Then it is well that I am not making any decisions, and rather leaving it to someone who can make her own, perfectly informed.

[actlikealady]

Good. Keep me informed if you find anything, but it sounds that you have things under control, Banner.

[sublimating]

[...heh] Yeah. I'll -- do that.

2/3

[cleanedslate]

We just need -- time. Slightly more than twenty-four hours.

[ please. ]

[cleanedslate]

And it would help if you could maybe refrain from any superhero shenanigans in the meantime.

[ almost back to lighthearted. almost. ]

[cleanedslate]

[ his teeth are set briefly on edge ]

Some decisions, you don't actually get to make all by yourself.

[cleanedslate]

Yeah. If we can. Might be safer and more efficient than a wall, in the long run. Building anything right on the beach is tricky, but if we start as far back as we can...

And if we can get the right kind of materials. Maybe an outer layer, a few pillars and support beams across the middle, then lay the floor boards down on top of that. The rest of it doesn't have to be anything fancy. Thatched roofs. Maybe more than one structure with simple bridges between them, your standard rope ladders to get up and down...

[ rattling off ideas. yeah, he has a construction kind of mind. ]

[actlikealady]

Some decisions can only be made by oneself. And no one else has the right to make them for you.

[actlikealady]

That's an interesting idea. [to get completely destroyed if a flying flaming rock comes its way during the eruption]

But it seems perhaps like more work to begin with -- it would take longer before we had a roof over our heads. Perhaps simpler shelters at first, and then working on an elevated structure.

[cleanedslate]

[ hey it's not like ground-level huts would fare better!! they just would've been less work to put together :|a ]

Sure. Priority one, get the sun off us so we don't all get heatstroke. Heatstroked? Whatever.

[ adding, more thoughtfully ] How "long-term" is "long-term", do you think? Are we actually staying here?

This is the problem with communicating by text message. No tone, no context. [ gesturing ] People get confused.

[actlikealady]

[if a rock puts a hole in the sand, every structure on the sand doesn't collapse]

I wondered the same thing. If we are to remain here, with new tasks facing us where we must rely upon our previous fortification, then we will want to make sure the structure is enduring.

But it's possible... that when the timer is up, we will find ourselves still elsewhere.

[cleanedslate]

And then we'll have wasted all that time and energy.

[ beat ] Not gonna lie, there's a big part of me that wants to see what happens if we just let the deadline expire.

[actlikealady]

I would like that, as well. But at least for now, their request goes in line with our needs. Going nearly seven days without reliable food, water, or shelter is a lot to ask, especially when it seems many of these people have scarcely fended for themselves.

[cleanedslate]

[ he just-- her tone is so deadly serious, he can't tell if it's that she doesn't understand or if she thinks she understands and still feels this way.

but he can't. ]

I don't have the right? The right to... what, exactly? Stop the woman I love from killing herself to help you play woodcutter when you just said you had more than enough people doing that already?

[cleanedslate]

Yeah? I didn't think that would really faze you. [ the being without food or water, he means. but he agrees comfortably ] Society does that to you, though. You get all spoiled by things like... running water, and air conditioning, and wifi.

[antiapocalypse]

Pointy rock, sharpen, tie to stick. Got it.

Sharpening things into pointy shapes is actually something I've got loads of experience with.

[slim]

[he's quick to reply. being useful is totally a thing he wants to be. he knows his powers aren't really... all that helpful.]

I can do that! [a bit more sheepishly] The plants, I mean. And I can fish.

[criminalmastermind]

[There's a bit of faint swearing in Mandarin as the communicator clicks on. The images on this thing all seem impossible.]

I'm a surgeon. [Which may not even be helpful right now. But Simon has little doubt it will be sooner or later. He could be grudging about offering help, but these people seem to be fellow kidnapping victims, not the culprits. And Sif's strength is implausibly impressive. (Give him a second, this is all still very new to him.)] I'm used to operating with a little bit more equipment than what we have here, but not always by much.

If no one needs medical attention right now, well... [That's most of what he's got, to be honest.] I can cook. Probably. Or at least lend an extra set of hands.

[onehotpepper]

[Bruce is right: it's not easy staying calm, especially not with whatever is going on, and with this sudden urge she has to just run. she sees your good intentions, Tony, she just-- hates this feeling that she's a time bomb, something dangerous that has to be watched constantly]

Then make decisions like that with me, not for me. Okay?

[onehotpepper]

[nodding, a little distracted as something comes to her]

Maybe I could look for coconuts. I know what those look like [a bit wry, that, because she figures most people do] and I hear the water is really good for you.

[cleanedslate]

[ he -- breathes out, slow. eyes move over her face on the view screen.

he's scaring her, and it takes what feels like forever for him to really process that. so much longer than it would take to process and break down even the bitchiest equations.

he's scaring her.

another breath, and then he puts a hand to his own forehead. ]

With you. Got it.

[ one more breath, then ] So, how much irony do you think the human body can even stand? Me, telling you to be careful.

[ he trusts you. he does. with everything. this shouldn't be different. ]

[sublimating]

...That was really smooth, by the way.

[he stops paying attention for five minutes, Tony]

[actlikealady]

[as much as she wants to punch Tony in the mouth on Pepper's behalf] [delicately, because humans are delicate] Banner seemed to think he would know what kind of plants might be edible. I'm sure he could use more hands if you would prefer that.