Helicarrier bunk-room:
Fury had returned her to the Helicarrier after their brief meeting with Steve Rogers, Captain America. She had asked, once, to be able to return to the apartment Stark had set her up in, but the gruff director vehemently denied her that. The woman didn't think her request was all that big, but the way Fury reacted, it was like she asked for a bomb; so she was back on 'house-arrest'.
Sitting on the same small bunk she had woken up in this morning wasn't something she would have expected. But here she was, occupying the space on the crappy blue-colored S.H.I.E.L.D.-issued sheets, staring at the room-computer's thin panel of screen showing her the visuals of the people she would be working with while Fury had her in the 'Avengers Initiative'. Director Nick Fury had shoved all the information in attempts to education her of the individuals S.H.I.E.L.D. had deemed apropos to be in the Avengers. She had a certain level of clearance to be even watching the vids and viewing the personal info. The two profiles Jiru were currently viewing: Clint Barton and Natasha Romanov.
Staring at the short, thirty-something second video of the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents back-to-back, in what looked like a third-class country temple; she watched as the fiery-red-headed – gorgeous – woman fired away professionally with two deadly hand pistols. Her facial profile left little to the imagination, she was that flawless. Her short-cut red hair flounced sharply in her razor bright eyes as she shot at whatever off-screen aggressors were pestering her and Barton.
Clint Barton, right there next to the red-headed 'Black-Widow', looked just as deadly and focused as his partner; using the black bow with furious accuracy. Matching Black Widow move per shot, Barton worked seamlessly with the woman. Jiru figured that his arrows were just as fatal as her bullets. Thinking how true that was only hurt her deeper than any bullet – or arrow – could reach. The two agents were so in tune to each other that it looked – to her – like nothing in the world could tear them apart.
Jiru had yet to meet Agent Romanov, but held no doubt that the woman had claimed Barton for her own; and the dimensional walker could only feel like a third, awkward stranger, trying to forge any relationship with Barton. How could she even feel like she had a chance, when a deadly beautiful woman like Natasha already had sway over Barton. Jiru obviously jumped to that self-defeating conclusion just by reading between the lines in that video of Black Widow and Hawkeye. She now felt so stupid in her previous attempts at Barton.
Next, there was the synopsis of the infamous physicist, Doctor Bruce Banner. Jiru knew from back in her native dimension that Bruce Banner was the Hulk, a fictional character; but on this planet it was shockingly startling to see the real deal. The video that S.H.I.E.L.D. had designated as the main clip showed the green-skinned giant battling the cliché army tanks and throwing the heavy treaded tires like pebbles. The location was some green-grassed college university in some unnamed city and the dimensional walker could see hapless people in the back ground, far away from the clash, but still there to show that the place had by-standers.
Bruce Banner's other, more normal profile described to her a man whose fear and uncertainties were worn on his face. Jiru found her curiosity piqued as she found Banner's profile rather charming and handsome; with his sturdy forehead and curly brown hair. His brown eyes held so much pain and frustration that Jiru could almost sympathize with him. In the here and now, Stark's dimensional walker was possibly going to meet the awesome Hulk for the very first time. It made her go cross-mind when the woman thought of all avenues of possibilities of what would-could-should happen if she came face to face with Bruce Banner. A few of those thoughts leaned towards having a crush on the eerily familiar profile that reminded her two people in one face.
Next, there was Iron Man's file. It was enlightening to see more aspects of Tony Stark of which she had never seen; things that happened to the billionaire in the past, like his shrapnel wound and the night-fight with that metal behemoth of Stane's creation. Then Stark's second encounter with Whiplash and S.H.I.E.L.D.'s intervention with saving Stark's life by giving him a nudge with a new element. It was astounding to actually read the details of how close Stark was to dying. Jiru breathed a prayer of thanks to that set of luck. If Stark HAD died, then who would have rescued her from her freezing death in the Arctic? The dimensional walker now felt she knew more about Tony Stark than she ever would gleam from the public media.
Flipping to the next data package, the now-brown-haired woman smiled gently to herself as Steve Roger aka Captain America came onscreen. Having finally met the man himself, she felt rather perplexed at how lost and vulnerable Steve looked. Thoughts flitted through her mind about Steve and his unique situation. The files said he had been cryogenized for seventy years, and how S.H.I.E.L.D. found and de-thawed him, making a lousy attempt to ease the poor man into the 21st century world. Of course, a person with the Super Serum coursing through his veins wasn't one much to take the trickery, and found himself engulfed in such an alien world from what he once knew. No wonder Steve came across as angry back in the old sports building.
The next profile S.H.I.E.L.D. had given her was Thor, the Asgardian God of Thunder. The knowledge pertaining to Thor wasn't all that interesting, given how one of the images given was him kissing a woman. Even though hammer-welding blonde god was absolutely an eye full, Jiru knew when a man was off limits. Whatever she knew of Thor was going to come from what she already knew from legends on her dimension. Norse God of Thunder; boring, simple and moving on. Jiru didn't care to linger on something that would make her think of…Loki.
The last file…REALLY caught her interest: hers.
"What the crap?"
Leaning forward to view closely the video that S.H.I.E.L.D. had under her file, Jiru blanched. It was from back in the sixties, and grainy to boot. It showed her in a small, white-walled room, being interrogated like some war spy. Several armed men were in the room, flanking the only entrance/exit, their 60's-style guns all pointed at her by those trained men. Shivering as the grainy video brought back those horrid memories, Jiru skipped watching the rest. Nobody like her should have ever gone through such nerve-grating treatment. Of course, being thrown around the dimensions like a wind-blown paper, she should be used to distrust among the native population. Jiru was glad that it wasn't Nick Fury who was in charge of S.H.I.E.L.D. – and her treatment – back then; it would have made her return rather awkward.
The hate between her and Fury would have been very difficult to manage. Rather, she was relieved that the man who WAS in charge back then was nowhere to be found. Like Phil Coulson said, her treatment from S.H.I.E.L.D. in the 60's was horrendous and wasn't the best way to forge a mutual partnership with a person who held the power of the stars.
"Miss Jiru?" There was a knock at the door, and she turned towards it. Phil Coulson stood there, watching her carefully.
"Oh, hi." Finding herself yawning thrice in a row, she leaned back from the screen – and her thoughts.
"Hello." Coulson smiled professional at her, glancing at the computer screen. "Reading up on the Avengers?"
"Yes, I am."
"I just got back from Stark Tower." The agent sat comfortably next to her. "Stark says hi."
"Is that all he said?" Jiru smirked as her thoughts about Tony Stark jumped around in her head. The man was such a turn on for her and it was difficult to NOT think of doing… – sleeping with him.
"No."
"How was he?" She pressed further.
"Good, good. He misses you."
"Oh, really?" The woman turned away, feeling embarrassed. Tony totally was into her like a shiny new toy, and it was kind of flattering.
"He really finds you fascinating Miss Jiru. Many of us do." Coulson nodded seriously. "I like your hair by the way. When did you get it colored?"
Of course a sharp individual like Phil would notice something like her now dark-brown hair. Anybody with two eyes would.
"Oh, Director Fury made me do it. Something about witness protection and stuff." Jiru answered honestly. "He made me change the color of my hair."
"I see."
A comfortable pause lingered between them, then…
"Why am I still here?" Jiru asked.
"Did you meet Steve Rogers?" Coulson asked.
They both spoke simultaneously and they both smiled at the humor. Jiru brought a hand up to cover her smile as Phil looked at her. Of course Coulson would be interested in her meeting with Captain America. The agent was obsessed with the man.
"You first, Miss Jiru." Coulson waved a hand indicating the conversation was hers.
"I was wondering why I'm still involved in all this. I really thought I would be back working at Stark Tower. I mean, from reading the files, I feel so…small fry. Fury's got a god, two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents – Hawkeye and Black Widow – then he's got thee Captain America – which by the way, is really clean-cut and polite – and Iron Man and finally…the Hulk. They all look like powerhouses to me; and Fury still has my powers on probation. And furthermore, I just learned my last name is Star. I'm feeling rather confused here and I don't know what to think about what Fury is planning to do with me."
"Oh." Coulson listened intently and smiled at her. "Please don't feel like you're worthless Miss Jiru. You aren't. Not to me."
"I don't feel worthless, I just feel like I'm being moved around like an ignoramus. I get the feeling Fury is mad at me for something."
She and Fury had a previous evening's discussion about what happened at the base in New Mexico, and questions had been asked about the aggressor, Loki. Jiru had explained that she didn't know who he was, but found it disturbing that the Tesseract thief was interested in her.
"Miss Jiru, if I may offer my thoughts." Coulson looked at her thoughtfully and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We know you had nothing to do with what Loki did, but not everything is black and white. Please don't feel like you're responsible for what that madman did. I know you've helped S.H.I.E.L.D. out in a big way during the Tesseract crisis in New Mexico; Director Fury is completely convinced you are some sort of goddess."
"Say what!?" Jiru reeled back, surprised. "I'm not a goddess!"
"Some agents would think otherwise." Coulson input. "You rebuilt the whole P.E.G.A.S.U.S. Base after it collapsed. No one around can do that. S.H.I.E.L.D. intelligence is still trying to figure out just how you did that." Jiru had seen the night-dark surveillance from that night, and she, among others, found it most odd that any glass that had been broken was not fixed. Whole buildings were recovered, the sinkhole from the Tesseract energies unmade and everything was back – basically – to how it was before the portal opened. The only evidence left from the fiasco was broken glass. Somehow or rather, Jiru's Re-struction power had not affected the glass; and was the only part to remain broken.
"But I thought you said this planet had super heroes."
"It does, but nothing of your caliber." Coulson responded.
"That's it, I give up. It's late and I'm tired." Her hands came up to rub her face tiredly. "I'm sorry to be so random. I'm just super worried about Bir-Agent Barton."
"We all are, Miss Jiru." Coulson patted her hand. "You needn't worry about that. We have agents working on finding him."
"Good."
"But for now, since enemy forces are interested in you, Director Fury has opted to keep you safe and close."
"I've noticed."
"Please have patience with us, Miss Jiru. I understand you want to explore and go looking for Agent Barton." Phil looked her in the eye. "But Fury has a war on his hands and you're a possible ace in the hole. He is trying to figure out the extent of your powers and the best way to use them in this situation. He understands you aren't a soldier."
"What does Fury plan to do with me? He's been on edge since Loki stole the blue cube. Is he mad at me for something?" She and Coulson stared at each other, and her lagoon eyes turned away first, blinking with exhaustion. "I'm sorry, I know S.H.I.E.L.D. is at war and stuff, but I don't know what Fury wants me to do."
"Miss Jiru, you are perfectly safe here, and don't have to do anything you don't want to do. However, Fury would…S.H.I.E.L.D. would appreciate it if you continue to help us out."
Before she could respond, Coulson stood up from the bed and gave her his kind, friendly smile.
"But don't worry about it now, Miss Jiru. It's late and you should get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be rather busy and I would like your help."
"Oh, ok." Jiru canted her head sideways and smiled back. "You're such a busy body, P.C., so professional and focused."
"Why thank you, Miss Jiru." Coulson nodded at the complement. "You are a sharp-minded person yourself, never doubt that. Now get to sleep and expect a busy day tomorrow."
"Ok…P.C. I'll do that." The young woman smirked to herself and reached over to turn the compu-server off. "Good night…boss."
"Good night, Miss Jiru."
