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76 is not exactly thrilled with this turn of events, if these events are even real. He’s not convinced this isn’t some kind of simulation meant to ply him for intelligence—he wouldn’t put it past some of his enemies, but he has to admit this is extremely elaborate.

He doesn’t take the oath. Says that he needs time to consider, but that’s sort of a lie because he doesn’t intend to concede unless they can come up with an extremely good reason for him to do so. This isn’t his fight. The Legion, as it’s been described, reminds him all too much of Overwatch, and he’s not sure he’s ready to walk that road again, not after how that went down. Saving the world (universe? multiverse?) is all well and good, of course, but 76 has learned the hard way what an impossible task it really is. He’s not keen on doing it again—doesn’t trust that they’re not making the same mistakes he did.

It wouldn’t frustrate him so much if he hadn’t been right in the middle of progress back home. He’d found Ana. Felt for the first time in a very long time that he was on his way to answers, and now this. Is it any wonder he doesn’t want to sign himself over to this?

The observation deck is almost laughably appropriate for this kind of introspection. 76 could have gone to space (or at least into orbit) whenever he wanted, but he’d never exactly found time, like he never found time for an innumerable list of things. Now, he spends his first few hours out of the medbay staring down at the Earth, wondering what he could have done differently, or if this was inevitable all along.

This huge dude in full tactical gear and deep contemplation is definitely someone you want to talk to, right? Right.

2 - Sim Room/Training Gym

But he’s not about to let himself be idle. Hallucination or simulation or not, it pays to keep sharp, so when he’s not trying to learn every inch of this new place, he’s running himself through almost everything he can get his hands on in the training facilities. Since he can't do anything to solve his current problem (one which is still a little baffling to him), he figures now is as good a time as any to go blow off some steam by shooting things.

76 isn’t especially creative when it comes to this sort of thing, so he programs up a relatively simple target range, which he guesses is a nice thing to be able to do. Being kidnapped to space and/or being stuck in a space hallucination is no excuse to let himself slip.

You might not want to interrupt him while he’s shooting (his very big gun), but maybe, possibly, he will not react badly to being approached. We can hope, anyway.

3 - Wildcard

((I can roll with whatever you want to throw at me. I can write you your own starter. I will do anything and everything. Hit me up on plurk at whitticus!))

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Behind the rather annoyed Ana, a pair of large and heavy footsteps could be heard. Footsteps belonging to a certain German veteran, who could be seen walking in a few seconds after Ana had made her presence known. Really, whenever Reinhardt was walking anywhere, his footsteps were always the first thing that could be heard. But while his footsteps were usually a huge warning when it came to the battlefield... things were a little different during his down time.

Which was probably why he was hunched over, hands on his knees, taking a few deep breaths, and moving to hold one finger up as a sign to wait for him.

"I am... not as young as I used to be..." He panted out, before attempting to straighten up and placing one hand against the wall. "Please, just... a moment to catch my breath, please..."

To say that 76 physically recoiled at the sound of a name he would rather keep buried was something of an understatement. It took him a moment to register just what was marching angrily toward him, and the sight left him in disbelief.

From where he stood, of course, he'd only just reunited with her before being kidnapped (because that's what this was, kidnapping) onto the space station. It was clear from the way his eyebrows pinched together right at the top of his visor that he was maybe having a little bit of difficulty processing this.

"Ana?"

And Reinhardt, apparently. So much for being dead.

This was unexpected, and 76 instantly looked about half a second from bolting. He had half a mind to--Ana's presence being the only thing that kept him from doing it. He'd worked so hard to track her to Giza that even if this wasn't real, he didn't think he could bring himself to pass this up.

He probably should have bolted, because as soon as she gets within distance Ana grabs him by the collar and gives him the most pissed-off look she's probably ever given anybody.

"How much longer do you intend on pretending to be some kind of brooding anti-hero?" she snapped. "This isn't just a street gang in mexico or an organization like TALON. You can't just go it alone this time. This is bigger than everything back home."

It was a bit of an understatement to say she was seething. She had been willing to put up with the whole Soldier 76 bit back home because, much as it pained her to admit it, the threats there were the kind independent operatives could probably tackle better than a large, organized strike force like Overwatch.

But this was different. Everything was at stake here, and letting 76 run around on his own would probably end up with him getting himself killed this time.

She failed her family once, but she wasn't going to allow it to happen again.

"Slow down."

It came out little more than a growl, and 76 was quick to grab her wrists in an attempt to pull her off his collar. He still had one eye on Reinhardt, expecting some kind of chastisement to come from him, too--though he couldn't say it was undeserved. At least Ana knew he was alive.

Even with the mask on, however, his confusion was more than evident.

"I've been here less than a day. We just left Giza."

The implication, of course, being that he thought they were on the same page. 76 supposed he could get angry for her sudden flip-flopping when she'd been behind him (or so he'd thought), but he wasn't stupid. Something about this was off.

"Time is strange here, my friend."

Reinhardt spoke up from the other side of the room, still leaning against the wall. Picking up on the unspoken question easily enough, even if it wasn't directed at him. He wasn't exactly sure how it all worked, given he wasn't a scientist or anything like that. But he'd gotten enough information to figure out one basic truth:

"People get taken from different points in time when they arrive here." Reinhardt began to move closer, looking considerable less exhausted than before. "I arrived here some time after I received the recall from Winston."

76 has vaguely entertained thoughts of how other members of Overwatch might react to finding out he was alive. He guesses Ana must have let Reinhardt know, because this isn't exactly what he expected. Cornered, he reaches up to his visor and unfastens his mask, looking at them both with his face exposed, supposing he owes Reinhardt that much, at least.

He picks up what's being put down, at any rate. Timeline shenanigans are hard to wrap his mind around, but he's had some experience with Lena, so he can understand this situation well enough.

"How long have you been with these people?"

These people, like he's not entirely convinced of the Legion's motives.

Ana had no qualms with outing 76 to Reinhardt. After all, she realized playing dead was stupid when she did it, and for 76 it was extra stupid.

"I've been here for a couple weeks, but Reinhardt's been here a while longer."

It's not like 76's wording escaped Ana's notice. She frowned at the way he said it, yet another reason to be annoyed with her former commander.

"But that's not the point. I know R.J. Brand spoke to you, but you didn't join the Legion. Asking around medbay and checking the Legion roster told me as much. I can't entirely blame you for that, given that the situation here is extremely weird, but I'm not stupid, either. I know you're not going to take this seriously unless we convince you, one way or another."

She pulled out a small datapad and handed it to him.

"Mission debriefings, staff testimonials, scan data from the area where 'Chronoblivion' is anchored to this reality, and a lot more. I snooped around for my own peace of mind, but everything seems to check out. It's hard to believe, but from everything I've seen, it's real."

Even before Ana told him about Soldier 76's identity, Reinhardt already had his suspicions. It wasn't founded in anything he could consider fact, but all the same, it was a nagging gut feeling he could never quite will away. Watching Soldier 76 in the news, it was hard to not compare the tactics being employed to a certain Jack Morrison, even if they were a bit more aggressive...

But it would've never occurred to him that Soldier 76 actually was Jack Morrison. Not after how long Reinhardt had had to accept the fact that one of his closest friends was dead.

Seeing the man's face though, there wasn't a single doubt left in Reinhardt's mind. And it wasn't until that very moment, that the reality of what was happening truly hit him. Soldier 76 was Jack, alive this entire time. Something that should've made him ecstatic, that should've made him reach other and hug the angst out of him...

... if Reinhardt could think of anything other than why he never knew.

"I have been here for a few months now, and I can tell you that the Legion means well." Reinhardt stepped closer then, crossing his arms as he stood beside both Ana and Jack. "The battlefield may be different than what we're used to, but the goals are the same, and I will not abandon allies of justice during their darkest time." Finally, Reinhardt placed a hand on Jack's shoulder, offering the man a large smirk. "We shouldn't need to convince you too hard, right? After all, the Jack I know would not pass up the chance to make a difference."

"I can think of a few other people who meant well," he snapped back, almost without thinking. Overwatch had done nothing but mean well, and look where they ended up. 76 permitted the hand on his shoulder, but not without an initial flinch. He took the data pad from Ana in an effort to disguise it, and spent the next few long moments listening to his friends as he scrolled through the evidence. It was just like Ana to anticipate his skepticism and put together a dossier for him--they could anticipate his thoughts and movements almost better than he could, at times.

But the implication that he was still the Jack they knew burns fresh anger in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't be sure if they just didn't get it, or were being hopeful--willfully obtuse--but saying things like that was pointless, because he fully considered the Jack they knew to be buried in Arlington. They didn't understand that, it seemed.

At the same time, he knew Reinhardt well enough to recognize the brave face masking hurt. He hadn't forgotten what he did to them. Addressing it, however, was another story.

"I'm not the Jack you knew." That seemed to be his final verdict as he finished a cursory skim of the evidence, returning the tablet to Ana. "This ain't my fight."

Meaning well wasn't good enough. Jack learned that firsthand, and it cost him his life.

You might not realize this, Jack, but this is probably the furthest Ana's ever rolled her eyes at anything anyone's ever said.

"Of course you're not," she snapped. "The Jack we knew chose to make a difference. The Jack we knew wouldn't let a bunch of kids go out and die fighting without so much as trying to help. The Jack we knew wasn't such a goddamned idiot."

After letting all that out, she sighed heavily, and folded her arms. For a moment, it seemed like she might concede the point, but...

"Reinhardt, dear, if you would be so kind? It seems our former commander needs some convincing."

She'd make you see reason somehow, Jack, even if it meant playing dirty.

"I think twice about signing myself over to a suspect intergalactic task force, and I'm the idiot?"

The disbelief was more than evident in his voice, and he made no attempt to hide the fact that this was making him angry. All this seemed like common sense to him, and he was almost insulted that Ana, at least, didn't know him better--or at least, his current thought process.

But then she turned to Reinhardt, and Jack immediately stepped back from in between them. He knew where this was going, apparently.

"No. Don't you dare."

For a moment, Reinhardt recoiled as Jack snapped at him. The older man taken by complete surprise, to the point where he couldn't even hide it. It wasn't even so much what Jack said that surprised him, as it was the amount of anger and resentment behind it. And for a moment, it truly made him wonder if this really was the same man he knew all those years ago...

But those doubts left as quickly as they came. Especially as Ana made her opinions known, and... well, pretty much voiced what Reinhardt was thinking, even if he would've found a way to be nicer about it. Even if he had changed, this was still the Jack they knew, without a doubt.

He just needed a reminder.

"Ah, but don't you see, Ana? This is not our former commander!" Reinhardt said with a glance at Ana, offering her a large grin... before he bent forward, grabbed Jack's legs with both arms, and scooped the man up over his shoulder. "This is a civilian! And he clearly needs an escort!"

"Thinking twice is one thing," she retorted, "but 'this ain't my fight' implies you're not thinking at all."

She grins widely as Reinhardt scooped Jack up.

"How silly of me, Reinhardt, you are certainly right. We should get him to his property destination as quickly as possible."

76 was preparing for Reinhardt to go for his upper body--maybe pin his arms, or tackle him, or something, so when Reinhardt went for his legs instead, he was left completely unprepared.

Squaring off with Reinhardt, he usually had the upper hand simply based on his augmentations, but that was sort of contingent on whether or not he could get out of the way in time. Usually he could. This time he was not so lucky.

Instead of WORDS about how INCREDIBLY UNFAIR this was, he outright snarled as his legs were pulled out from under him and he was thrown unceremoniously over Reinhardt's shoulder. His first instinct was to fight back, and his arms were free, at least, but his thrashing and struggling does little.

Really, if they hadn't taken him by surprise, Reinhardt was sure that Jack would've been able to evade them. The older man may have been a gigantic wall of muscle, but Jack was a well-trained soldier, and held the advantage if Reinhardt wasn't within grabbing range. With long-range, Reinhardt's only strategy was usually to just provide a defense point, and let his teammates provide the covering fire.

But at close range, well... let's just say it took a lot of muscle to wield his hammer.

"Do not worry, my friend!" Reinhardt belted out with a laugh, casually making his way out of the observatory. A part of him mildly amused by Jack's struggling, if only because the whole ordeal reminded him of simple times. "I shall see the payload safely to its destination!"

The entire way to the elevators, Ana recorded Jack kicking and struggling on her omnicom, totally not to use later as blackmail in the event of him being a further idiot, no siree.

She certainly wasn't also holding back giggles the entire time.

"Brand's office should be on this floor," she said, pushing a button as they entered the elevator, which was thankfully large enough that there wasn't anything in arm's reach for Jack to grab on to in order to break free.

There wasn't anything he could do, really, but 76 was nothing if not stubborn. If that meant he was going to hiss and spit the whole way to Brand's office, then that was exactly what he was going to do.

The trip was long enough, however, that he eventually ran out of steam--though that didn't mean he wasn't going to complain about it, finally slumping over Reinhardt's shoulder as he presumably accepted his fate.

"You're really invested in me takin' this oath."

"Because I want you to remember the man you used to be."

It slipped from Reinhardt's mouth faster than he could catch it. Now that it was out there though, the older man couldn't help but sigh as he continued to carry Jack. He was trying to do his best to be a supportive friend, to not pry into either Jack's or Ana's business until they were ready to tell him...

But Reinhardt wasn't a naive fool either.

"I am deeply and sincerely sorry for the way Overwatch ended," He started, his general demeanor changing as his smile faded. "I may not know what has happened to you since then... but it does not take a genius to understand that have not been the same man since. And I understand that, truly I do..."

Memories of Eichenwald floated through his mind. The lifeless corpse of Balderich and the rest of the Crusaders suddenly becoming very vivid. It was one of the worst moments of his life, and for a moment, it made him wonder what was even the point of continuing that life...

"... But you cannot let failure stop you from fighting the good fight. You must rise above it, and keep fighting." Finally, a small smile returned to his face. "Even if you have to ask your friends for help."

"He's dead. Put me down."

With that growled out, 76 knew he just invited a gigantic headache of an argument by saying as much--even more of a headache than this already was, but it was becoming more and more clear to him that there was a fundamental disconnect at play here. If only things were as simple as Reinhardt wanted them to be.

He continued whether he was set down or not, newly incensed by the implication that all this was understood, truly--

"You've got no idea what really happened, do you?"

Reinhardt's predictability would have been comforting in a familiar sort of way if it wasn't so frustrating. It was so easy, wasn't it, to talk about fighting the good fight when he clearly didn't comprehend how deep Overwatch's fall really went. What it did to him.

"I know enough to understand why you're acting this way."

Ana, who had been smiling broadly not a minute ago, was now stoically staring out the elevator's window as more and more floors sped past.

"I may not have gone as deep down the rabbit hole as you have, but I did look into things too. I know it wasn't as simple as the papers said. I know that someone did this to Overwatch."

She turned, and looked Jack dead in the eye.

"But you can't carry this all on your own, Jack. You weren't the only one hurt by this. Lena, Winston, Angela, and all the others..." Her eyes momentarily darted towards Reinhardt, and then back down, almost as if in shame. "...They all lost their home, their family that day."

She knew she wasn't much one to talk. But someone had to say something to Jack, in the way she had wished someone had told her this a long time ago.

"A little over seven years ago, after that hostage rescue mission where I was...presumed dead." More shame. But she pressed on. "I woke up in some god forsaken hospital in the middle of nowhere. Every day, I watched the news on an old t.v. in the corner of my room as Overwatch fell apart. Every day I thought about contacting you all. But every day, the shame, the pain, it made me crumble. My family was being torn apart and I didn't know what I could do to stop it."

She hesitated, gripping the rail along the elevator wall, tight enough that her hands would have been raw if she hadn't been wearing gloves.

"And then H.Q. was destroyed, you and Gabriel presumed dead...I just gave up. I didn't have any strength left in me. Our family was broken, and half the world was happy for it. So if the world wanted Overwatch dead, then I would stay dead. And you know what?"

Once again, she looked Jack straight in the eyes.

"It was stupid. Unhealthy. I was wallowing in my own misery for seven whole years. I didn't even tell Fareeha, for God's sake! My own daughter!"

She wasn't even sure what she was feeling right now. Anger at herself? At Jack? At whoever had done this to them? In the end, even she hadn't fully gotten over what had happened to her.

"But then, with the recent crises happening all over the globe, I saw everyone fighting...not as Overwatch, but as heroes. They weren't ordered to...hell, they were explicitly told not to. But they fought anyway, because they couldn't turn a blind eye. Because it's the right thing to do. And I knew I had to do the same."

"That's why we want you to join the Legion, Jack," she said quietly. "Not because we expect things to be like the good old days, or that everything will be alright if we pretend like nothing ever happened, but because it's the right thing to do."

"The Jack we know might be dead, but I'm asking you to see if a small part of him lives on in 'Soldier 76'."

76 wanted to argue that all of this was incredibly unfair, of course. Here he was, slung over Reinhardt, a literal captive audience with no real chance to retaliate as Ana more-or-less talked at him. Like he didn't understand what the fall of Overwatch meant. Like he didn't know, intimately, what it did to all of them.

What he'd never been able to properly tell Ana was that he took full blame for the botched mission that lost her. He'd been the commanding officer, so it was on his shoulders, and he'd never forgotten that. Hell, Jack never even managed to find out whether they'd lost communications because she shut her reciever off, or if she was taken out.

"If you wanted to tell me you were alive, you would have."

The implication being you let me think I got you killed. His voice was cold, words deliberate, implying that some part of her didn't want him to know, even after all they'd been through. Ana could say that she didn't know what she could have done to stop the fall of Overwatch, but Jack will always pinpoint the day he lost her as the point of no return. It was the final nail in the coffin for him and Gabriel. He couldn't hold it together without her, and he suddenly realized that now, knowing she'd been alive, he might have some pent-up resentment on the matter.

Especially in his current position, slung over Reinhardt's shoulder, listening to what he could only interpret as a lecture.

The world was more complicated than all of this. There was no point in trying to save something that didn't want to be saved.

"You think the recall is going to do any better than we did? They don't even know what happened in the first place."

76 said 'the recall', but he meant the Legion, too. He knew intimately where good intentions lead, and he wasn't ready to trust something like this again. "Say what you want." Make him take the oath; sign himself over to Overwatch on an even broader scale. It wouldn't change his mind. "This is a mistake."

Edited 2016-09-27 03:37 (UTC)

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