Successes have many fathers, failures have none.

[exceedmyself]

WHO: Baron Zemo (exceedmyself) and OPEN
WHERE: East River Park Amphitheatre
WHEN: 6PM-onwards, of the 15th of Oct.
WARNINGS: Nothing awful :3
SUMMARY: Zemo is antsy without a team to lead in the City, and what better place to recruit than a place full of superpowered imports?
FORMAT: Para to begin, whatever people are comfy with after. Mingle and threadjack

Comments

[drmoonstone]

There was definitely something to be said about this new city and the circumstances around her arrival in it. She couldn't have asked for a better time to get pulled out of her world, away from the Raft, from Luke Cage and Songbird's precious little attempt to control a new set of Thunderbolts. She was completely free now, free from the Raft, free from Norman Osborn, and free from her own past. This was a fresh start, and even if she still couldn't escape the Thunderbolts, she could at least enjoy herself.

It had been pure coincidence that she had flown over the amphitheater and had seen a familiar face sock, but once she'd noticed there was no way that she was going to just ignore it. She landed out among the seats, sitting in the first row, looking far too amused for anybody's good.

"Any of who?" As if she really had to ask, but if Zemo was going to talk to himself, he could at least talk to her instead.

"I'd heard that you had shown up here."

[exceedmyself]

"Karla." Zemo sounded - albeit guarded - genuinely surprised to see her, "Keeping as informed as ever, I see... that Porter has a sense of humor, I'm sure. Are you in good health?"

He knew better than to try evasion of the question, answering smoothly, "This City's brimming with heroes. Lost, confused, in need of guidance. My favorite kind."

[drmoonstone]

"It's not very difficult with everyone sharing the same public network." She maintained her cool, pleasant tone that gave away nothing, though she was smart enough to know that she shouldn't be too careless with someone like Zemo, who was already on his guard.

"I'm better than ever, but I'm sure that you expected nothing less, and you seem to be the same old Zemo." She wasn't surprised that he was going to put together a new team, and honestly, she was more interested in his potential than the Osborn-influenced kill squad that the Thunderbolts she'd be leading in the field were. If only she wasn't a publicly known war criminal and Zemo didn't know her as well as he did.

"You're just the man to lead them on the good, moral path, right?"

[exceedmyself]

"No, I suppose not," Zemo murmured idly, hopping down from the stage and padding lightly over to her, "I have a great deal of faith in your ability to flourish even in the face of terrible adversity."

The contours of the fabric suggested a smile, "I can't think of anyone more qualified than me. Is anyone else from the original team here? Abner, perhaps..? Erik?" He kept his voice carefully neutral, though Karla's presence gave him hope. It was a big City, surely. "Or are you alone?"

[drmoonstone]

Oh, if only Zemo knew just how she was doing in this place. Karla was in prime position to take over the Bolts, ruin Osborn, and basically make things work this time. Hell, if Zemo wasn't careful, he could be in the line of fire too, but of all the people here right now, Zemo was probably the one that she could trust the most.

"We're the only two original Thunderbolts here, but there are a few other Thunderbolts. Ghost is here, as well as every other man to run the team besides yourself."

[exceedmyself]

"Then the Porter has a predisposition for leadership." And the fact that Moonstone could, and would, happily steal all the power out from under him was not lost on Zemo. He'd always walked a thin line with her, but some part of him enjoyed the challenge--enjoyed her--enough to keep doing it even when he didn't have to.

"Regardless. ..Of anyone that could be here, Karla, I'm glad it was you." He paused, proceeded carefully, "I'd like to extend an invitation to join the Redeemers. In the past you've been invaluable to me."

[drmoonstone]

The offer from Zemo to join his team was, well, she couldn't say that it was unexpected. Really, for the most part, they had a good relationship still, and working for him was far more enjoyable than working under her more recent leaders, if they could even be called that.

"As tempting as the offer is," And really, it was something right up her alley. "I'm going to have to decline. As much as I would love to, it wouldn't help your image to have a known war criminal on the team, and there are people here for whom that knowledge is still fresh in their minds"

She stands up, stepping closer to him, still looking like a woman with a plan. "I'm sure that you need someone to back you up though, support you from the shadows?"

[exceedmyself]

"No--" The rejection surprised him, initially, he had been so sure she wouldn't turn him down, but he took a second to step back out of his own ego and examined it - perhaps she had other obligations here, time sensitive projects... perhaps there were more supercriminals than he'd observed on the Network. Keeping her busy.

"--that is your decision, naturally. I'm grateful, of course, for any help you'd feel like offering." He hesitated. "What is happening at home?"

[drmoonstone]

It's not that she wanted to turn him down, since his idea for a team was much more appealing than being on the Thunderbolts... Again, especially with their current way of doing things. "You know that I've never been one for avoiding the cameras and the, ah, benefits that come with being on one of your teams, but you might want to start with more low profile names to start."

She shrugged in response to his questions, her tone dismissive. "Oh, you know, the same old same old. I became an Avenger, helped destroy Asgard, became a war criminal, and, before coming here, I was a Thunderbolt under an incompetent man. What about you?"