Settling In [OTA Catch-all]

[worthallthis]

Who: Bucky Barnes AKA Soldat, and OPEN
Where: Each prompt will have a car listed
When: Jelly 2 - 5
What: Getting settled in, working out chores, discovering movies
Warnings: Amiable disassociation, possible discussion of trauma, probably swearing :P


I. Sleep Schedules - Sleeper car, specifically 4:A

Generally, to foil nightmare-laden nights and to split up their day, Soldat used to sleep twice a day: once right after lunch, and once after midnight. They don't know if that will work here, but they're definitely going to try it.

Walk into the cabin to clean it or to get to your things, and you might find a supersoldier bolting awake, with a metal arm held up between you and them, or a supersoldier sitting curled on one of the bottom bunks with a notebook on their knees, hastily writing something down and looking hunted.


II. Hi, Red Team - Kitchen car

So Soldat has swapped their cleaning chores for Otoha's cooking chores, and here they are, showing up bright and early on their second day to the kitchen car, looking uncertain of their welcome but absolutely ready to work. "I did a lot of the cooking," they say earnestly, "back at my last place. Traded with one of your guys."

And they'll dive in with all apparent happiness when given ingredients, a new recipe (they've never worked with avocados before), and tools. Might even kind of quietly hum to themselves now and then, when they forget they're not surrounded by strangers.


III. Sadly, No Muppets - Cinema car

The first thing Soldat looked up when creeping into the cinema car to investigate was a movie, or show, or set of movies, or something that Misty had told them about. They look vaguely confused when they find something... similar... but with a slightly off name. The Moppet Show? The remaining inbox conversations on their tablet says "Muppet" but... maybe it's a different universe thing?

Either way, find them taking up some time here and there when the cinema car is otherwise unoccupied, watching wacky puppet shenanigans and being at turns delighted, annoyed, and confused. "I'm not sure if that is supposed to be funny or not," they muse aloud, frowning at a puppet rabbit flailing over a puppet wolf's joke act going badly, while a pair of puppet old ladies in a balcony heckle them both. (Seems like it's supposed to be, but I don't get it. Yes. Was that agreement with us or with the show? No.)


IV. Common Train Passtime - Gym car

A lot of people on this train seem to like spending time in the gym car. Well, Soldat isn't necessarily one of them, but they also can't lose their edge, either, not if there are missions where people need help. So they stop by once a day, looking kind of shy and keeping out of the way until there's room, then settling into a routine of hitting dummies and dancing around against invisible opponents.

It's clear from their motions that they're used to having a knife, or multiple knives. (They miss their knives so bad.)

Anyone wanting to spar, or wanting to critique, or wanting help themselves-- Soldat's there. They try to keep to themselves unless asked, though, knowing that their role as a teacher in Beacon was familiar and accepted, but it probably isn't here.


V. Wildcard

Soldat can be found poking around pretty much anywhere but the medical cars. Feel free to run into them wherever, I can work with it!

Comments

Cinema Car

[nutkrusher]

Cassie is finding herself with a rare moment of downtime where she's already worked out, has finished taking inventory, and isn't spending that time with Trunks (who is currently occupied in the kitchen).

She takes a seat within reasonable distance, but not too close. She's seen them around, but she doesn't really know them yet, after all.

Doesn't stop her from making a comment, though. "Y'know, a female version of those two hadn't crossed my mind. On the plus side, now I know what I want to be when I'm an old grandma."

V cw: blood

[bakegarasu]

It’s not surprising that Otoha is in the Training Gym when there’s no one else around - before Soldat opens the door. What’s probably a bit more surprising is that he’s sitting to the side with his jacket and shirt off, a strip of bandages in his hand as it’s half-wrapped around his non-scarred shoulder.

There’s some other wounds visible - a lot of faded gunshot wound scars among others, a few fresher wounds that have smaller bandages on them, but the one in question is very fresh.

He looks up in sudden alarm and relaxes a fraction when he sees who it is. He nods to the other and keeps working on the bandage.

[worthallthis]

"Is there supposed to be a male version?" Soldat asks, looking over their shoulder in Cassie's general direction. They've seen her in the gym, and in the dining car, but not actually approached her yet. "I've never seen this before. Just heard a couple of songs from it."

None of which are in this show so far, sadly. (They will find a version of Mana Mana eventually, but they're not there yet.)

[nutkrusher]

"They're dudes in the version I've seen," Cassie says. "To be honest I don't think I've ever sat down and watched an episode. A couple of the movies on video when I was a kid, but that's it."

c-cooking?

[runsfast_rollsfar]

Honestly? Meal preparation was Prisoner's least favorite job. It was the thing he was the worst at and it was the thing that he wasn't sure how to do better at. He couldn't taste things to check on it and he really didn't quite understand it - on the island the limits of his involvement were literally to be the fire source one may use for cooking. Occasionally Prisoner could be found helping with prepping such as chopping vegetables and whatnot, but for the most part when it came to meal prep he barely helped.

Prisoner did not have a face with which he could gawk, but Soldat may find Prisoner seeming to intently watch what he's doing. He may be attempting to learn, but not necessarily attempting to mimic. The staring is rather unabashed, with Prisoner not looking away even if Soldat catches the gaze.

f-fighting?

[runsfast_rollsfar]

Prisoner was someone who probably spent too much time in the gym and a little too much time on the dummies and a little too much time sparring. He'd noticed his new friend acquaintance dancing around invisible enemies, sparring with something not real.

As Soldat is going through these exercises one day, Prisoner slides right in and mimics being said invisible enemy, hoping that they would catch on and get that Prisoner was willing to spar with them, if they wanted to. Prisoner sure knew he got super bored hitting fake dummies and dodging invisible things, so maybe he could help spice things up if they felt the same way. There's an excitement to the way Prisoner movement, like this is his version of play.

[worthallthis]

"So there is another version." It must definitely be a different-universe thing. "A friend in the last place told me about the Muppets but this is the only thing the train has. Is it at least close?" She hasn't seen the show, but that there are movies does sound right, maybe they're kind of similar.

[worthallthis]

They pause at the alarmed expression, then come in more hesitantly, approaching to investigate. "Playing a little too hard?" they guess. He's in the gym, so it's probably "playing" that caused whatever this injury is.

[bakegarasu]

"I found a sparring partner. We both don't hold back all that much. Have to set a timer for our fights." They'd agreed no killing, but no real other rules other than that. "His weapon's got a longer reach than mine."

'Longer reach' is saying something, considering it's sword versus spear. "Doesn't bother me that much. It's nice to have a challenge." He tugs the bandage a bit harder, trying to keep it from pulling free.

[worthallthis]

Being stared at by a fiery crystal on top of a humanish body is actually pretty novel, and somehow isn't as nerve-wracking as being stared at by actual eyes in an actual face. Soldat puts up with it for a while, focusing on getting the dough for this muffin mix just right. Cooking is something they're highly familiar with, baking is something they're still learning, and it's a nice challenge.

But once the tray of avocado muffins are in the oven, they turn to actually face him, pulling the (not latex or rubber, but thin cloth) glove off the metal hand. "Everything okay?"

[worthallthis]

That's pretty easy to catch on to, Prisoner, especially since Soldat has been keeping an eye on you, too, and your style. It's half curiosity and half threat assessment-- not that they expect Prisoner to actually come hurt them, but threat assessment is a part of their brain they just can't turn off.

So it's not... actually a huge surprise when Prisoner's watching turns into joining in. So long as Prisoner doesn't have a particularly dangerous-looking weapon in hand, Soldat just naturally blocks, turns, and swings, half-expecting him to dodge back to avoid but not using their full strength just in case he doesn't.

Not aiming for the fiery crystal will be an interesting challenge. They've got no idea what that'll do to skin, or mechanical arms for that matter.

[nutkrusher]

"A little too much, to be honest," Cassie says. "As if the train knew what we were asking for and is deliberately fucking with us."

She turns her head to direct her attention toward him.

"My name's Cassie Cage, by the way. I've seen you around the gym."

Cinema Car

[firewalled]

Rich pokes his head in when he hears the sounds of cartoonish voices, foolishly hopeful for a moment before he sees the screen.

"Aw, this is a rip off," he mutters as he moves into the room, only to spot someone else frowning over the scene. He offers a wave. "I mean, the old ladies are close enough, but where's Kermit?

II - Kitchen Car, day 4 or 5 maybe?

[subcircuits]

Looks like Soldat isn't the only one pitching in on train chores today! When Devero enters at the far end of the kitchen car, it's with a caddy full of cleaning supplies in hand. Given that he's heading from the rest of the train and towards Stores, he must have just finished a spate of cleaning.

He slows down as he passes the station Soldat's working at, sniffing the air audibly. He can't help but crane over, trying to catch a peek. "Soldat, hey. Whatever you're working on, it smells great."

[worthallthis]

"Soldat." She gets a small smile. "I still have a few songs from the original on my tablet. But we didn't have films at all, in Beacon, so my friend couldn't show me those."

Another act on the show starts up, this time with a purple monster puppet with big crooked ears, getting ready to get shot out of a canon. Soldat prepares to brace for any explosion sounds, though it's really more of a pop when it comes. "You think the train does this on purpose? Makes up whole different versions of things?"

[worthallthis]

"Maybe you should hold back a little," Soldat suggests, crouching in front of him to inspect the wound. "You won't be able to help much on the mission if you're injured." They hold out the metal hand, not to touch, but in a "hold on" gesture. "Let me? Your angle is wrong."

Touching is not a thing they do lightly, but for first aid, it's not as hard.

[worthallthis]

"The rabbit's name is Calvin," Soldat offers. "Maybe he's supposed to be like Kermit." They're not sure who Kermit is supposed to be in the show, but it's the only similar-ish in the show so far. "Which one is Kermit in the. Real show?"

[nutkrusher]

"I don't know," Cassie says. "I can't think they're afraid of the MPAA in here, but creating off-brand versions of recognizable properties...it almost feels like they're trying to dodge copyrihgt."

A long pause. There's no easy way to breach this subject. So might as well rip this band-aid off.

"Would you mind if I asked you what your outfit is?"

[worthallthis]

"It's just lasagna," Soldat says with an air of slightly embarrassed satisfaction. It's one of the recipes they know well from Beacon, that can feed a lot of people, as long as you get a pan big enough. "I couldn't find a way to get avocado in it, though. So it's just normal lasagna." Really, they figure they're probably lucky the train had proper lasagna noodles. Everything else was easy.

[subcircuits]

"Hey, I can't make lasagna with or without avocados," he says, "so there's no just about it to me. I mostly just chopped things when my team was in here last month and let the people who actually know how to cook have at it."

[bakegarasu]

He hesitates and then nods, handing the roll of bandages over to Soldat. “I mean, we avoid vitals. Pretty sure he also can’t feel pain so we avoid vitals.” Look, it’s fun to go hard. He needs some kind of fun in this place.

I, maybe II later

[controlsthedie]

Thanatos is used to someone sleeping at odd hours of the day. His brother is Sleep Incarnate, after all. But, when he enters 4:A, he feels bad about waking up Soldat from his sleep. Especially when he startles that much.

He waits at the door until Soldat can regain his bearings. It's the least threatening he thinks he can present himself. "Pardon the interruption. I'll only be a moment."

[worthallthis]

Given Soldat feels pain almost all the time (thanks, heavy metal arm with intensive surgical scaffolding!), the idea of not feeling it is kind of nice. They set about straightening the bandage, and getting some properly wadded up against the wound underneath the wrapping as well. "Still not going to help you to be all torn up on the mission. Unless you sit it out. Or heal very quickly. It affects function."

[worthallthis]

"I mean. Technically this isn't my team," Soldat says sheepishly, probably sanding out in their very not-Red clothing. Technically Devero is their team. "I swapped with somebody. Because I enjoy cooking." And, frankly, given the number of people they've seen in here completely unable to cook, having someone with even a little skill seems smart.

[worthallthis]

They stare at about the level of Thanatos's chest, arm still upraised and gears buzzing inside it and a bone knife clutched in its fist, before they remember where they are and recognize who that is. They slump back, dropping the arm, and bump their head against the wall. "Sorry. That. Sorry."