“Empaths,” Steve said thoughtfully, looking directly at Sakichi. “In the sci-fi magazines, that was people who could feel emotions, and sometimes project them. That’s what some of our briefing said you could do?”
Sakichi clutched Chisuru as if he was torn between bolting with her and fainting in sheer relief. “You know? Someone knows what’s happened to us?”
What’s happened to us, Bruce noted. Not, what we are. Sakichi might be speaking English as a second language, but Bruce doubted he’d messed up his choice of phrase that badly. SHIELD says they were latent empaths. But they didn’t know that.
“Sakichi wouldn’t hurt you,” Chisuru said firmly. “If he were going to try, he’d hit you over the head with his bokken. He’s really good with it! But he’s not, because you came to help, and you don’t want to hurt us. So we’re all going to be grownups and behave.” Her smile was hopeful. “And maybe we can even be friends? Sekirei can be scary too, and – it hurts when people are afraid of us.”
Bruce felt his jaw drop. It wasn’t possible. They’d be screaming and running. Only Tony didn’t run, and the rest of the Avengers hadn’t, and these people might be at least as crazy. “…You know who I am.”
Bright-eyed, Chisuru nodded.
“Sometimes our adjusters spoke to us of other metahumans, during sessions.” Kaho was studying him with great interest. “We had no manga about you, as we did of Captain America – those were great help learning English! – but what I saw seemed like someone who didn’t hit unless someone hit him first.” She stepped closer to Orihiko, looking shyly down. “When everyone’s feeling better, do you think we could-”
“No sparring with strangers!” Orihiko said hastily, putting himself between them. “Not unless they ask for it!” Please, don’t ask! that alarmed gaze said.
Kaho looked like someone had denied her a puppy. “Aww.”
Crossover Queen's Creative Chaos 
Bruce better get used to that reaction from Sekirei. Because Kaho isn’t the only one who is going to looked like someone had denied her a puppy. “Aww.”
It’s just as weird as people not putting as much distance between him and them once they know who he is.
But they didn’t know that.
Of course, MBI hasn’t explain anything that they didn’t absolutely have to.
The Sekirei themselves also probably got mixed information about Ashikabi (see Tsukiumi).
Probably doesn’t help that most of the Sekirei’s interactions with humans prior to being released to be winged was with MBI scientists, etc.
LikeLiked by 1 person
>and these people might be at least as crazy. >
More like they’re a lot crazier on average.
I think Bruce’s brain is going to be at least slightly broken by the end of this.
LikeLiked by 2 people
But in a good way!
LikeLiked by 2 people
*G*
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s almost too bad all the Sekirei have been winged at this point. I could see being empathically linked to a girl like Musubi (bright, bubbly, radiates LOVE like a fountain, thinks the Big Guy is a perfect sparring partner and Great Big Teddy Bear) could be *really good* for Bruce’s mental health.
…once he gets over the initial “how did my life get EVEN WEIRDER?!?” phase, anyway…. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Remember Bruce and Natasha in “Age of Ultron”? And how the Red Room might have been using bargain basement Sekirei tech? 😉
LikeLiked by 3 people
I thought the reasoning went that the Red Room was aiming for the same end point using a different method entirely.
Kind of like trying to shoot a target… only the Red Room was using bows while blindfolded and having been spun around a couple times, but MBI – though still wearing blindfolds and not getting spun about – had rifles with basic targeting sensors giving them a tone when the gun was pointing at the target.
Neither is an any shape way or form guaranteed a bull’s-eye, but MBI has the advantage of at least being reasonably sure they’re going to hit something, and far more effectively too.
Though given that the Red Room evidently did manage some successes (almost certainly in spite of their efforts, was the impression I had from the part of the story) Nat having some empathic abilities is most definitely possible and does nicely dovetail with what she was doing in AoU, true.
LikeLiked by 2 people
“Hello, Professor Xavier? Can we borrow your Danger Room?”
“Um… several super-strong bricks and the Hulk?”
“I take it that that’s a no? Is that a firm no, or can we do something to change your mind?”
“That’s a hell no. Well, darn it, but I understand completely. I guess we’ll have to go with Plan B, where we fly everybody out to the desert and warn Air Traffic Control to route planes away.”
“You think that’s a good idea, and you’re sending Colossus over?”
“No, I do not think it’s appropriate to call this a playdate….”
“Stop snickering, please.”
LikeLiked by 3 people
*G*
LikeLiked by 1 person