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This is Queen Elsa of Arendelle.

[ She appears on the network calm and composed, no smile or anything, but she hesitates after speaking. She feels a bit awkward about addressing everyone on the ship so soon after her arrival, but it's important. It's an important step in her plan to keep herself at a distance from others, to keep them all safe from her. So here she is, likely to sound like a horribly rude person, but it needs to be done. ]

...I suppose titles have no meaning here anymore. No matter. This is Elsa, and I would simply like to request that those of you on the same deck as me avoid my room. Consider it off limits. I-- I have a certain need for privacy and don't like to be disturbed.

That said, now for those that I work with: please keep your distance from me while we work together. I...wouldn't want anything to happen. By that, I mean I... I have an aversion to touch. It makes me uncomfortable and I wouldn't want to make anyone else uncomfortable, either.

I realize these may seem like odd requests, but they are what I require. Thank you for taking them into consideration and thank you for your time.

[ There's a curt nod, and the video feed cuts off. ]

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I certainly hope to learn. I'm plenty willing to give it a try.

[ She says it with a half-smile, but there's a nervousness to it, increased only by his question. What's something from her world most similar to what they have here? Honestly, nothing comes to mind. Everything here is so...different from home, she can't come up with any similarities. ]

I'm afraid my world doesn't have anything quite like this place. It feels almost primitive in comparison, which is why I don't understand why the captains have assigned me to this post...

Good. That's half the battle.

[ It really isn't, but he's trying to keep things on a happy note for her sake. He knows how difficult it is to end up in this place as it is, it has to be even worse still for one not even remotely familiar with the technology here. ]

Some job assignments make sense. Most, even. But it's not the first time that it doesn't match up all that well. [ And sometimes it's not even about abilities. His original assignment at least was fitting, considering his skills, but it definitely wasn't something Bruce was comfortable doing. ] If you don't end up fitting in, you can always change jobs later on.

Well, so long as it's not the first time, that in itself makes me feel a bit better. Being able to change jobs does, as well. Though I'm honestly not certain where I'd be useful at all.

[ There's a soft, sad little smile, and her gaze drops off the screen of her MID for a few moments. When it comes back up, her expression is hesitant, but determined in a way. ]

I apologize in advance if this is too personal a question, and please feel free not to answer if it is. I'm merely curious after I was told that you and I may share some commonalities. ...Why is it that you prefer to avoid touch?

We all have our own skills, things we're better at. I'm sure it's the same with you. If not, you can just take your time figuring out what that might be. You'll find people willing to help.

[ Like him, for instance. Some maybe even more so. They all know how difficult it is getting brought here, and thankfully plenty around are more helpful and friendly than anything else. And the ones who aren't can easily be avoided. ]

Ah. No, that's... it's alright. [ Most people aboard the ship know already, anyway, and he's not too surprised to hear that someone told her about it. So, if he didn't tell her, someone else likely would eventually. ] I have this condition, it's-- complicated to explain, but when I get into a particularly intense emotional state, I transform into this... well, a kind of monster. Nowadays I can control myself well enough that I can trigger those transformations and subsequently control him.

[ Some times he turns involuntarily, but those are rare, and he doesn't want to scare her here. The people on board are safe from the Hulk now, and he has the cage in cargo hold to make sure of just that. ]

Touch doesn't make me transform or anything like it, but... I grew used to being by myself. I kept away from people because that was the best way to keep them safe, and being around others made me feel nervous. It didn't do wonders for my stress levels. It took me a while to realize that it wasn't about avoiding stress, but I still like keeping to myself, and I don't appreciate strangers touching me for no reason.

[ There's a load of other issues that contribute to him not liking to be touched, but those he definitely doesn't want to bring up. They're not relevant here anyway. ]

Can I ask why you avoid touch?

[ His answer is far from anything Elsa might have been expecting. To hear that he turns into a monster when in an intense emotional state... It's startling, and yes, perhaps a bit frightening at first, but the more he talks? The more she can relate. It actually pains her how much she relates to his story--the whole thing. Their abilities might be different, but their stories? They seem to be incredibly similar.

By the time he's finished, she's not afraid. If anything, she's incredibly understanding, nodding along as he explains his aversion to touch. And of course, after asking him his reasoning, she's expecting him to ask for hers in return. Since he was kind enough to tell her, and tell her so much, she's not particularly afraid to share her reasons--in fact, she thinks it might be nice to have someone to commiserate with. ]

Of course, it's only fair after you shared your story with me. I-- I actually believe our reasons are quite similar in ways.

I was born with powers. Power over ice and snow, and I can do all kinds of things with it, but I... I can't control it when I'm emotional. I once accidentally hurt my sister when we were younger, and since then I've lived a very secluded life. I was taught to hide my magic instead of learning to control it, and as it only got stronger as I grew older...

[ She trails off there for a few moments, glancing down, away from the screen and to her free hand. She clenches it into a weak fist, then looks back to the camera. ]

I hid away and avoided people so I wouldn't hurt them. I don't want anyone to touch me in case I hurt them, just as I don't wish to touch them for fear of the same thing. All I want is to keep from harming others.

[ To be fair, no one really ever expects it. At least it's easier and far less terrifying that she finds out this way, because the alternative - seeing it actually happen in front of her - isn't a nice experience at all. Even when he's in control, it's still a sight to scare a lot of people, and he wouldn't have wanted that.

She didn't have to share her story, though, and he wouldn't have wanted her to think that she owed him that or something, but before he gets to say that, she's already getting into the details of her situation. And honestly, Bruce is pretty curious about it, so he falls silent, listening to the whole thing before he even thinks of anything to say. ]

Basic mistake. Thinking you'd be better off avoiding people, instead of knowing how to control your ability.

[ He's tried it too himself, believed that to be the solution for a good while. In the end, it was only through learning how to handle what he had inside of him that he could make sure he wouldn't hurt anyone. Well... not most times, at least. ]

Look, I... I really don't know how much I can help, but if you want to, I can try to teach you how to control it. I'm not exactly an expert on your particular power but I do have a lot of experience when it comes to keeping yourself under control. There are things you can do, exercises, ways to focus and channel your energy. It's just a matter of applying it to your particular case.

[ Easier said than done, he knows. But it would be a better alternative than seeing her lock herself away and avoid everyone for as long as she ends up being on board. ]

Edited 2016-01-12 21:44 (UTC)

Yes, it's... It's certainly only ended in disaster for me. But when you don't know what else to do and no one else does either... It seems like the only option.

[ It had been her father's idea to begin with, and she'd always thought he'd been right in it, because she was a danger to everyone... But concealing it instead of using it and learning from experience how to control it was not the right way to go, she sees that now.

At his offer, Elsa sits up a little straighter, eyes widening slightly. Would he-- ...Would he really do something like that for her? It's such a kind offer, she's not even sure how to respond at first. However, she's willing to try just about anything to learn some control, so she nods slowly. ]

If you're really willing... That's something I can't turn down. I'd appreciate any help you can offer me, even if it's nothing specific to my powers. I think just learning some control over my emotions and ways to focus would be a big help on their own. --But that's only if you'd really like to. I don't want to inconvenience you at all.

[ A small smile, a nervous one crosses her face. She's fully prepared for him to change his mind, but if he doesn't... She's not sure how she'll ever thank him, even if his exercises prove to not help in the slightest. Though she's betting he can teach her a thing or two that will be useful. ]

Believe me, I know that all too well.

[ Bruce had been alone in making his decision, though. If it had been up to Betty, she would have left with him, and he knows those weren't just words; she really would have gone through with it. And if it had been for General Ross, Betty's father, then he would have been locked up and used as a weapon, dropped down on war zones and get triggered into a transformation as the army saw fit.

So all in all, he still thinks his choice, at the time, was the best. It just didn't work out as well as he wanted it to, in the end. ]

I am. Actually that would be pretty nice. I still like to do some exercises to help with my focus, I can't say I'd mind the company at least. Besides, we're all stuck in this place, and if you really want to be sure you won't hurt anyone accidentally, then you need to try to learn how to control your power. You won't be able to isolate yourself, not here.

[ She can try, but eventually it will become pretty obvious to her that it just can't be done. Large as the ship might be, it's not large enough for that. ]

[ When he says he really is willing to help her, teach her these exercises, Elsa can't help the small smile from crossing her lips. The people here really are so kind, she's glad that he's offering to help. It was already getting hard to want to isolate herself from them all simply because all the people she's met thus far have been so nice, so if this works out... Maybe she won't have to hide away. ]

In that case, I must thank you. I'm incredibly grateful for the offer and would very much like to take part in learning these exercises. Anything that has a chance to help, I can't turn down. [ Because she really doesn't want to hurt anyone. ] Especially if you're right and it's impossible to isolate oneself here.

[ The people on the ship only really have each other to rely on here, even if only minimally in some cases. As far as Bruce's concerned, the captains can't and shouldn't be trusted, but he too is glad that most of the other people are friendly and genuinely helpful. It's difficult enough as it is being stuck on this ship for who knows how long. ]

Great. I'll make sure to send over dates and times, and you can pick one that works for you. [ He's been pondering something since she's mentioned her abilities, though, and now he brings that up with a curious smile. ] You know, I wonder if your power is the reason why they put you working with the cryostasis units.

Thank you so much. I'll watch out for them.

[ What he says next though has her confused. She's incredibly unfamiliar with the technology and thus with the irony of her being placed in the job that she has been. Giving a curious tilt of her head her brow furrows just ever so slightly. ]

Why is that?

Ah-- right.

[ He kind of assumed someone had at least explained to her what cryogenics was, but still, he's all too prompt to explain. Just the basics of it for now, there are more details to it that she can learn with time. ]

Well, cryogenics has to do with studying how materials work and behave in very low temperatures. In this particular case, cryostasis is a method through which you preserve living tissue through cryopreservation, aiming it to be a reversible process. In simpler terms, you... freeze living biological objects, and you can unfreeze them later on without killing them. Like people. That's what the cryostasis pods are for.

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