[Once again the feed cuts in on Fury sitting and staring at the camera. He looks decidedly UN. A. MUSED.

The black storm cloud over his head might have something to do with that. Maybe. Sort of. It's a possibility.

It's not raining but there's a constant rumble of thunder and the occasional lightning bolt flashing within. Every so often wind kicks up not that he has any hair for it to mess up and flips his collar up against the back of his neck.

He glowers at the community for a good minute before speaking]

This is just getting ridiculous.

((OOC: That's right. Fury's moodiness is finally coming back to bite him in the ass thanks to the Empathetic Environment Virus. /sigh.))

[ BAM! Two geared up agents are thrown out of a wall of what looks like a little staged set. The next person climbing out of that wall is a very-much-alive-and-awake Steve, who is a complete mode of panic. He hesitates only a second before forcing the nearest doors open running out of there. Something is very wrong and he knows it. ]

-all agents, code 13!

[ Out of that room everyone else immediately tries to go after him and grab him. He's just shoving anyone and everyone over to get out of there-- and then he's outside in modern New York, which would be familiar and normal to someone that's not him. He runs until he gets to Times Square where he stops, overwhelmed. And that's where the black cars catch up to him, bearing the SHIELD logo. ]

[Armed soldiers and black suited men pour out of the cars, forming a perimeter around Steve and keeping the growing crowd of onlookers at bay. Nick Fury steps out and slowly walks towards Steve, an almost inperceptible smile on his face.]

At ease, Captain. I have to say, it's nice to finally be able to speak to you in person. [He pauses, gesturing behind him] Look, I'm sorry about that little show back there, but we thought it best to break it to you slowly.

[ Steve stops looking around to focus on him, relaxing just a tiny bit at the sight of him ] ...break what?

You've been asleep, Cap. ...For almost seventy years.

[ Steve's shoulders slump and he looks around, the implications of that statement sinking in on him. Mind racing. ]

You going to be okay?

Y-yeah... I just... I had a date.

[The feed turns on in an office. It's very sparse, almost clinical looking, with silver walls and dark monitors everywhere. There's a giant SHIELD emblem on the wall directly behind the chair... the chair currently occupied by a rather disgruntled looking Nick Fury. He's leaning back in said chair with his feet on the desk and his fingers laced together in front of his chest.]

Now I've heard about some of these viruses. I find it difficult to believe that a virus can change a person's mental state beyond driving them completely insane. However, I find myself in a position where I have no choice but to acknowledge the existence of such things and now must ask - how long do the effects generally last? Bec-

[There's a knocking on his office door. He rolls his eye and barks in that direction]

What part of 'leave me the hell alone' is so difficult to understand?

[He slams his hand down on the desk and the feed cuts. Excuse him, folks, he's got some bitching out to do. He'll return in a moment.]

[the feed clicks on to show Tony, surrounded by holographic screens, sitting at a table. he looks as though he's waiting for someone, and reaches for a manila folder on the table in front of him. before he can open it, though, another man walks into view and puts a hand down on it.]

I don't think I want you looking at that. I'm not sure it pertains to you anymore. Now, this, on the other hand, is Agent Romanoff's assessment of you. Read it.

[raising his eyebrows, Tony picks up the offered folder and flips it open, scanning the contents] Uhhh, personality overview, Mr. Stark displays compulsive behavior. In my own defense, that WAS last week. ... Prone to self-destructive tendencies - I was dying. I mean, please. And. Aren't we all? ... Textbook ... narcissism?! ... Agreed. Okay, here it is. Uhhhh... Recruitment assessment for Avenger Initiative! Iron Man, yes. [he sets the folder down, not skipping a beat, or taking a breath, for that matter] I gotta think about it.

Read on.

Tony Stark not ... not? Recommended? That doesn't make any sense. How can you ... approve ... me, but not approve me? I got a new ticker, I'm tryin' to do right, uh, by --

[the other man sighs and gets up out of his chair, clearly exasperated by Tony's usual ... Tony-ness]

-- by uh, Pepper? I'm in a, uh, stable-ish? Relationship ...

Which leads us to believe that at this juncture, we'd only like to use you as a consultant.

[Tony frowns, and glances to the side, over the other man's shoulder - directly at the feed - before getting to his feet and offering him a firm, tacit handshake.] You can't afford me. [he starts to leave, then stops, thinking better of it, and turns around again.] Then again, I will waive my customary retainer in exchange for ... a small favor. Rhodey and I are being honored in Washington, and we'll need a presenter.

I'll see what I can do.

[the ghost of a smirk creeps across Tony's face] Oh, and uh, by the way? ... Just a hunch, but your life's about to get real interesting. [he glances over the other man's shoulder at the feed again and flashes a peace sign. SUP, COMMUNITY]

[The man turns, a confused look in his eye. What the fuck is he.... oh HELL no. His eye widens and there’s carefully contained anger in his voice as he addresses the feed]

I don’t know who you are or what you think you’re doing but you had better have a damn good explanation for this otherwise I will track you down and get a better one from you, myself. But that would be a waste of time I do not have at the moment and trust me when I say that neither of us want that.

((ooc: Red is Tony, obvs :D))