First Entrance

[captained]

The door opens, admitting a tall guy in a red, white and blue costume that may or may not look like he was mugged by an American flag. The shield he's carrying on his left arm, decorated in the same motif, doesn't help either. He stops, confusions flickering across the part of his face not obscured by a hooded mask, which mainly consists of his jaw

Comments

[remindmeof_me]

Halloween, thank the good Lord above, is over. Shephard got up this morning and came downstairs in his much-repaired urban camo fatigues, and he's still in his fatigues. After what Bar's been making him wear the past few days, it's nearly enough to make a man cry with gratitude. He gets to wear his own clothes. He gets to swear. This is fucking fantaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-

He's just seen who walked in.

"Great googly moogly."

[captained]

He heard that, Adrian, and it's close enough to his own inward reaction to pause on his stalk to the bar and glance over in the guy's direction - taking in the military outfit, even if he doesn't recognize the cut or the insignia patch. Could be Steve straightens up even further.

"Couldn't have said it better."

[remindmeof_me]

Thank God this didn't happen yesterday. He would never, never, ever in a million years be able to explain. Whether this is the guy who winds up becoming the General Rogers that Shephard met, or some other version of him, he'd still never be able to explain. In the meantime, though-

"Lemme guess, sir; this is the first you've been here, and you ain't clear on where you are just at the moment?"

It would be cruel to make the man flail around. Even if he is Army. He can't help not being one of God's Chosen Sons.

[captained]

Yes, it would be very cruel, especially since Steve has to go out and perform his routine once he figures out where he is, what happened, and how to fix it. And while saluting the other soldier is very tempting, he's not sure how well it'd be received.

"That about sums it up."

[remindmeof_me]

It'd be a little weird for Shep anyway. Marines don't salute if they're not wearing headgear- it's a procedural rule the Army doesn't share... anyway. *ahem*

"I dunno how to explain it exactly, but- this here's a place called Milliways, and it ain't wherever it was you were when you stepped through that door. More like somethin' you'd see in a comic book or a half price Saturday matinee movie." And because it's only fair to give his name when he already knows who he's talking to, he indicates the nametape stitched to his shirt. "Sergeant-Major Adrian Shephard, USMC. Hazardous Environment Combat Unit."

(He's twenty-two. Twenty-three at the most. For a rank like that at his age, he's got to have been field promoted clear to hell and back.)

[captained]

Adrian will have to forgive Steve for the skeptical expression on his face. Despite being chosen for a secret project, and succeeding at it, this is all a bit too -- Jules Verne or the World's Fair of the Future for him, and it probably shows in the tightening of his mouth. Despite that, though, he's doing his best to listen and pay attention to everything Adrian is telling him. Because he will remember all of it.

"Milliways. Strange name for a pub." Steve's never heard of the HECU, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist. "Captain Steven Rogers, United States Army." Even if the rank is mostly for show, he's still an army captain.

[remindmeof_me]

Captain. Okay. Even if this is the man he met way back when, it's not that man yet. There'll be time.

"It's an honor to meet you, Captain," he says, and he means it. "I dunno who named the place, tell you the truth. Back where I come from, the bars git names like the Extra Point. All's I know is, that's what the regulars call it, 'n that's what it says on the napkins'n matchbooks."

[captained]

That just confuses Steve even further. Adrian is obviously a battle-hardened soldier, and participating in USO events shouldn't garner that sort of respect in a person over ten's voice.

He thinks.

"Bit different from a regular New York bar. Does it appear like this often?" He's just checking, you know, for when he gets back home and in case it happens again.

[remindmeof_me]

"It ain't really anywhere's regular bar," Shephard says. "But, yeah, it does. You might want to sit down for the next part. Only gets weirder from here on out."

One thing at a time. Shephard had already been through more weirdness than any man had a right to survive by the time he found Milliways, so the place wasn't all that problematic for him. This guy? Another story altogether.

[captained]

Only gets weirder, huh. Well, Steve's been through a little bit of weirdness, mostly having to do with being small one minute and tall a few few minutes later. To date, though, it hasn't gotten too much worse.

If you don't mention the tights.

"Could use some coffee then." The good, twenty-cent stuff.

[remindmeof_me]

Shephard nods, and turns to the bar. "Bar," he says, very clear and deliberate, "get the captain a coffee, wouldja? I could use one myself, long as you're at it."

And would you look at that. There they are, two cups' worth, just like that.

"You want sugar or milk or somethin' for yours?"

[captained]

"I-- no, I drink mine straight." For the most part.

Adrian will have to excuse Steve briefly while he leans over and looks behind Bar, in case there is a very small, very fast person behind it.

"-- how?"

[remindmeof_me]

"Hell if I know," admits Shephard. "Some folks here call it magic. The eggheads I know talk about teleportation 'n nanotechnology." Which is really not fair of him to say, because 'nanotechnology' as a word isn't going to exist until the 1950s at the earliest. "All's I know is, if there ain't someone behind the Bar, you speak your order out loud'n bam. There it is. And your tab goes up, only yours won't, because I'm payin'."

[captained]

Steve opens his mouth to say something, realizes just in time that'd he'd only parrot what the Sergeant said, and feel foolish while doing so. Not to say he won't ask some questions soon, but right now it seems more logical to keep his ears open instead.

"Appreciated, sir, but I can pay for my own drinks." Steady(ish) paycheck and everything.

[remindmeof_me]

"Not the first round. Local tradition is, first time here, someone else gits you your first drink," Shephard says. "Makes it easier on the new arrivals. You want to take over after that, be my guest."

He smiles a little and adds, "First time I found this place I was in a pretty bad way after one hell of a long day in the field, 'n someone else picked up my first drink. Reckon I'm just payin' that forward."

[captained]

Steve mulls that first part over for a minute, touched despite himself that a strange bar in god knows where would take the time to make sure new patrons had a good, stiff drink before things...

.. happen. Because he's found they always do.

"Pretty neighborly of them. This place. I think I approve."