Enkindle

[in_extremis]

WHO: Tony and you, dear knight
WHERE: The Temba Rain Fare!
WHAT: Just Tony enjoying the festival a very normal amount. He's definitely a romantic. In the Arthurian sense.
WHEN: Throughout the event
WARNINGS: Nothing.........so far.


a. Crafting [OTA! Let Tony help you with the forge, help him with the costumes]
This kind of felt like a Billy thing. Enough so that Tony almost had a text composed as he approached the sudden fairground suspiciously, ready to ask if the kid was going through some new thing and stop this from getting out of hand. It was a bird darting through one of the weirdly still figures, making it flicker and distort, that gave Tony pause. A projection? More confidently then, faced with at least a little science and less magic, he made his way closer, circling around to try to search for the source of this pantomime and coming upon not any kind of projector, but the telltale Agrii writing. He had to raise his hand, then reluctantly slap it down onto the side of one of the tents to confirm that this part was, indeed, solid. The food did smell very real, enough to make his stomach grumble with longing, but after following his nose he stopped short of a booth with invitingly sizzling meat on display, rubbing anxiously at his chest then glancing around for any indication that eating this random, alluring food wasn't a terrible idea. Either this was some kind of trap, or what was on offer was a threat to his sobriety if this was anything like the Agrii's other parties, and lingering here any longer was just punishing himself.

Nothing else that Tony found in his slinking around the fairground seemed quite as much like some kind of trickery. It looked like games, and maybe some engineering he didn't exactly trust, but not because he expected it to be an intentional deception. In fact, the more he investigated, the more he felt at ease, even casually twirling a sword that he risked picking up and carrying away from its display by the time he came to consider what was undoubtedly a rustic forge. He probably still wasn't going to risk eating anything, but someone had to find out what all of these materials were, and he was willing to make that sacrifice. After all, maybe the best way to get the Agrii's attention and succeed at this game they were playing, was to sometimes, maybe, play along. Be a little enthusiastic. Making sure everyone was properly outfitted to play at knights and princesses was entirely a tactical move.

b. Courting [for Rufus and Reeve]
Handling other people's emotions was much more uncomfortable than handling a live wire. Tony knew what he would get if he fumbled one of those, and knew that he would survive it. What he was very good at, and what he would insist was a perfectly valid way of ignoring having emotions at all, was a distraction.

And a distraction was its most effective when you were least prepared for it.

It was Rufus Shinra that received a text, definitely from the username 'Reeve Tuesti'. There couldn't have been any reason to question that, and his friend was clearly in need of help because it simply read, Come over.

After a moment, Reeve seemed to remember how polite he was supposed to be and added, Please.

Immediately.

c. Composing [also OTA, but less productive]
One always had to dress the part, whether it was a suit of armor or a tailored tuxedo. Once Tony had his bearings, he had a vision, and it didn't take him long to realize it; a loose, wide-sleeved shirt, indecently open at the collar; a cape, to keep warm, of course, rich red and draping generously from a pair of spaulders that did look suspiciously like the golden shoulder plating of the Iron Man; and a pair of boldly tight pants to fit into the much more recognizable red and gold boots, clearly altered for the touch of chivalrous romance to crest almost up to his hips. What he needed was a respectable hat--or a crown, that would probably suit him. Or a reliable steed, naturally, a necessary partner for any proper knight. The kind that couldn't fly, anyway.

He probably wasn't going to find any of those things at the stage, where he leaned up against the platform on his toes to investigate where the music might be coming from, and what instruments he might recognize that seemed to be laying around. Worse than a knight with no horse, a proper band of merrymakers couldn't just be one guy with a lute, so he spun around to find the nearest warm body and said, "Hey. Can you keep time?" A proper, romantic evening didn't pass quietly, but with a raucous party, and this jangling music wasn't going to be getting anybody dancing or embarrassing themselves before the court. They'd hardly have anything to gossip about in the morrow without some encouragement.

Comments

A - Forge Boy Make A Thing

[ziedrich_bearer]

He's heard that there's a person that makes shit, and honestly, Gladio wasn't sure what he was expecting when he heard this. Maybe someone like the old man, because Cid sure as fuck was good with weapons but the old man was more about vehicles than weapons but he was talented. Had basically been the core of all weapons work during the Long Night. So he'd expected something like hte old man, not...

Well, not this dude that was standing in the forge now, looking at stuff.

"That sword you've got with you? All wrong for your body type, but go for it if you're really into it."

If there's one thing Gladio knew, it was martial weapons like these. And reading what weapons would suit what people was a talent of his. No, this guy needed something a smidge heavier. Though it's not like it mattered in the moment he supposed.

"You the smith?"

hey. forge man.

[in_extremis]

These carefully stacked bars and coins weren't any alloy that Tony could confidently put his finger, or tongue on. Considering one in his hand and watching its strange glimmer glint in the light of the fire only had him tapping the end of the sword into the dirt restlessly, and he was about to stick his whole hand into the oven to find out how it reacted when he was interrupted with the opportunity to retort, "I find I can get my body into plenty of things, if you want to give it a try."

It was out before he took the time to actually think about what he was being told, and before he glanced up to acknowledge who was doing the telling. This much was obvious because when he did look up, his jaw clicked shut, eyebrows raised and faintly regretting how Big Leather Shoulders might react to that. He really did want to find out what this metal was before he got into a fight.

"What? No. Well." He had to reset, waving the shimmering bar he held at the fire to explain, "I don't know whose Easy-Bake Oven this is, but I do know how to use it."

nah you ain't look old enough to be a forge man

[ziedrich_bearer]

Oh that's a great retort, and it's got Gladio grinning at the statement. He's going to like this dude, he can tell.

"Contortionist are we? Just ranks you higher on the list of interesting people I've met here. Still below Muscles of course."

So yeah, Big Leather Shoulders was quite happy with the line. He gets an additional snicker for 'Easy-Bake Oven' though.

"I heard someone here made stuff. Was trying to figure out who because these fuckers that took us, seems like they sorta stripped away some things I need."

Like the intelligence to wear his shirt closed in this sort of weather. Nope, just open. He's more than able to handle the chill air, especially so close to a forge.

....h-hey.....

[in_extremis]

There wasn't an obvious standout for Tony to guess who 'Muscles' might be, but for a second it did make him pout because one person it clearly wasn't was him, and he briefly wondered if he should risk eating that meat anyway because he could use the protein. This was only a brief, self-conscious anxiety, quickly replaced by a smirk now that he wasn't worried about retaliation and encouraged instead by the guy's grin.

"You've struck gold, sweetheart. I am a man of many talents, and it would be my pleasure to give you what you...need," he welcomed with a coquettish flutter of his lashes. "And strip you, too, if you find you're overburdened." It was likely that what this guy wanted was going to tell Tony plenty about who he was, so Tony lured him instead of pushing, with a quick, restless juggle of the dense ingot, "Name it and I can make it. If it doesn't exist, not a problem."

Not his fault you're almost of an age with each other AND you age gracefully

[ziedrich_bearer]

Sorry Tony, but you're never going to compare to Bull. The man is a slab of muscle. A big slab of it. Which wasn't here or there. Here was a Ren Faire, there was some place called the Qun, and ultimately Gladio wasn't interested in those things so much as bursting out with a serious laugh over getting called sweetheart.

"Man you've got less shame than I do. That's fucking refreshing. And I didn't say I needed stripped or that I'm overburdened. I'm under burdened."

He doesn't really look at the flashing of the ingot. If nothing else, he was trained to not get distracted by those flashy things. He'd be a bad bodyguard if he was.

"A shield. I can make some specs for it."

A - Clothing Of Course

[stitch_witch]

"I don't understand."

Lark had been moving through the supplies given to making costumes. Honestly, she soft of fit in with the robes of her order, a woman not entirely out of time in the moment. But she saw Tony there, looking through pieces, and felt she had to comment.

"Most of you here seem to be very attached to all of these 'computer' things we have, the network, the ships, and here we are, with a celebration of things far closer to what I would consider a festival. I think I am very confused."

[in_extremis]

Of course Lark would find the textiles and notions, just as easily as Tony found the forge, so he wasn't startled to hear her voice and only tipped his head thoughtfully as he fingered a bolt of golden fabric. This wasn't really something he had thought of as a dichotomy before. "We do still have the network and the ships," he pointed out. It wasn't like this festival was a protest of those things--like Lark said, it was a celebration. As he rounded on her, slinking around a bouquet of fabric rolls with his hands very innocently tucked behind his back and a much less innocent smile, he continued, "But we also get to play up some things that we had to give up to have them." He drew up close and held out one hand for her to take and let him press a courtly kiss to her knuckles. "Chivalry and a romantic adventure couldn't really survive how easy the smart phone makes life."

[stitch_witch]

Tony, she can see those bolts you're hiding. They're not small. Still, she accepted the little kiss and raised an eyebrow at it. Seemed over the top.

"Chivalry, even in my world, is dead, Tony. It is silly to play at it. Most people are after their own interests. And romantic adventures are created by the heart, not by missives sent by bird or communicator."

[in_extremis]

"Romantic adventures are created by beautiful creatures emerging from lakes and giants with challenging riddles," Tony corrected, "and neither is as enchanting if you can Google it." He made a quick motion to stop her from asking what googling was, that wasn't the point, and continued, "If your world is just as self-centred, then you should get a kick out of pretending otherwise for a day, too. Fine, it's silly, as silly as eating cakes and playing music. You gonna tell me you're not going to do either of those? Come on. Lady Lark of the Circle court, first of her name and legend of the mystical arts, you are due for a taste of romance, by decree of the King. I'm sure he'll agree when we find him."

B

[plate_builder]

Speaking of gentlemen who were clueless as to what was going on here, here was one Reeve Tuesti, busy taking a much needed nap. Enough people had basically impressed upon him that he needed to get his rest and take care of himself. So he had been.

The man had no clue about the chaos that might soon be descending upon him. He was too busy sleeping in.

[in_extremis]

Reeve wasn't going to get the chance to stop Tony at the door, not when he had already put too much work into this to have it warded off by Reeve's frown. Tony let himself in, slinking carefully around the scattered tools and pages of Reeve's compulsive work, and listening intently, sure that Reeve's friend would have answered his message. Reeve was clearly in need of support, and they had that from-the-same-place bond that could really take a guy by surprise in this place. Maybe he did answer, and they had already gone out for some fresh air. Maybe he did answer, and they were...in the bedroom?

"God, this is depressing." A rebound affair would have been a lot more fun than finding Reeve asleep in the middle of the day. Without any further discussion, Tony demanded, "Come on, get your pants off," swanning into the room and dropping a rattling box on the end of the bed. He was already dressed, after all, in all of his knight's regalia, and didn't have the patience for Reeve to sort out what was going on.

[plate_builder]

The moment the door to the bedroom was opened Mini was bounding up from the foot of the bed to glare at Tony. His tail was lashing, his little paws miming for quiet and... And this instead. He wanted to hit Tony so bad.

"Tony?" Reeve groaned from the bed, opening an eye groggily to look at Tony. How dare he?

"I don't feel like being eaten by your boyfriend, thank you very much. If I wanted sexual comfort for losing Poe, I'd seduce Bull again."

[in_extremis]

"First of all, ouch, I better at least be on the list. I used to be the premiere Bad Decision. Bull might have a bigger dick, but I can make you feel regret on levels you've never experienced before," Tony was talking as he glared and mimed back at Mini, clearly threatening to pick him up if he didn't let Tony work. Mini'd had days to work through his methods, now it was time to try Tony's. And Tony's method was to reach up the bed and give Reeve's pants a rough yank from his ankles, not about to take any refusal. "Second of all, try not to get too excited, keep it under control. We're already wasting daylight, fantasize about me when we're done."

a

[tyrants_son]

The changes, or rather the new additions, still gave him cause to be wary- not that he usually wasn't enough. The warnings had been of storms, but the things that have happened since he'd ever come had gone from a deceptive quiet to something completely unexplainable. It was only natural that the warlord would be on edge over anything that just happened to come from nowhere, and unfortunate that that was how the Agrii often worked.

Felspring was with him, of course, verifying that much of the structures were indeed real, even if most of the people were not. It was like the place was populated by ghosts of a different sort. "But why..?" Felwinter asked, not really expecting that anyone had an answer, the two wandering along the road flanked by huts and tents that had seemed to have sprouted in the empty space. A sound punctuated an offbeat rhythm independent of the strains of music that otherwise filled the area. It drew the two towards the forge and the by now very familiar figure who happened to be at work there.

[in_extremis]

The intention had just been to figure out what this metal was, and what it could do, so, naturally, Tony had no idea how long he had been there and had long ago stripped his sweater off and left it hanging at the front of the hut, along with an array of bracelets, nails, plates and stiff mesh, like it was less of a forge than a thrift store. He was bent over the newest venture when Felwinter's shadow fell across his work, making him squint stubbornly as he finished flattening this edge before he dropped the whole thing carelessly to be quenched and finally looked up. The heat of the fire and the effort suddenly couldn't quite keep the chill out. "Icicle," Tony greeted. "What is it this time, business or pleasure?"

[tyrants_son]

"Curiosity," Felwinter replied as he inspected the work area. It wasn't difficult to see the differences between this forge and the one that Stark had claimed. He picked up one of the strange ingots while Felspring studied the small but growing pile of the man's earlier exploits.

"I would ask how difficult it is to form but it seems like it looks like it doesn't take too much time to work," the warlord noted, nodding towards said pile. How long had Stark even been here?

[in_extremis]

"Pleasure then," Tony amended for him, nodding with sage understanding even as he brushed by to crouch at the door and stick his hands into the accumulating pile of snow that the wind pushed up against the side of the hut. Or maybe it had been pushed aside, to make room for the structure. They came out redder than they had gone in, and Tony had to flex his fingers to work the feeling back into them. "Yeah--hey, can you figure out what it is?" he directed at Felspring. Sundance at least seemed to be able to assess these things. "It's very forgiving, holds its shape, hasn't gone brittle on me yet."

C Make him have fun <3

[thestaremaster]

Bucky had only meant to cut through the space, walking at a quick pace, he avoided making eye contact until he came across Tony in his get up. He gave him a very pointed stare that said there was no way he was going to be roped into this, the sort he'd given to Steve and Howard and Sam many times before being roped into exactly that thing.

"No," he answered plainly, quickly trying to extract himself, but he couldn't help asking- "What the hell are you wearing?"

[in_extremis]

That particular stare had very little effect on Tony anyway; enough experience from many sources had built a quick immunity. He loped back away from the stage to give himself enough room to look down, plucking up the edge of his cape, like he was just as baffled by the outfit as Bucky, or at least what part of it deserved questioning. "My royal vestments," he replied. Obviously. "There's more, if you want some," he advised, and did not wait for Bucky to tell him exactly how much he wanted to be dressed like Tony, deciding that he was thrilled for him and waving for him to follow as Tony sauntered with purpose back through the cluster of tents. "Can't put on a show if you don't look the part."

[thestaremaster]

"Obviously," he muttered with a dramatic roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, no. Not going to happen," Bucky argued, planting his feet and standing firm for a long moment before the awkwardness of the scene had him swearing under his breath and moving after Tony.

"Where did you even get these?"

[in_extremis]

Getting what he wanted wasn't going to help Tony respect the stare any time soon. The moment he heard Bucky following him, he had to try to suppress a self-satisfied smirk, before Bucky took that as a sign to dig his heels in.

"Made them," he reported happily. "Lark did most of the work, she's an actual magician with this stuff. Like, literally. You should thank her, when you get the chance." Largely, no one else seemed to be as enthusiastic about the whole concept as Tony was, so when they found their way into the tent draped with fabrics and spilling buttons across the floor, there was still plenty to choose from. "What's your look?" he invited then, actually open this time to Bucky's input as long as he was going along with it, eyebrows raised and plucking a circlet from where it was hanging over a bolt of fabric. "Made plenty of these, too, we've got options."

Crafting- sorry <3

[itsamysterio]

Beck shouldn't have been surprised to find Tony at the forge. Of course that was where Stark would be.

He offered a teasing head tilt.

"I should have known you'd have this one claimed too," he noted.

[in_extremis]

The metal that kept appearing was still a mystery to Tony, but that didn't stop him from trying to figure it out, and had plenty to show for it by then. Some ingots were piled already in a cart outside the door, and a lot more had been transformed and were stacked as jewellery, dishware, armor pieces, or nails and fasteners throughout the small forge. Tony, meanwhile, did look like he had been there for some time, sweating through his undershirt and streaked with soot, and potentially manic as he glanced up from the fire at the voice and appeared to have to process that other people here were not just holograms.

"Do you know what this is?" wasn't exactly an answer.

[itsamysterio]

"...The forge?" Beck offered with a confused expression, not sure what exactly Stark was asking, though he'd seen that manic look before. This Tony didn't wear it quite the same as his, but it struck a sensory memory Quentin wasn't quite prepared for, swallowing thickly.

[in_extremis]

Focused enough that he wasn't even compelled to ridicule Beck, Tony flapped his free hand dismissively then drew out the ingot he was holding to the flames, brandishing the bright metal between them to explain, "No, this, this metal. I've never seen it before, every time I think I have it pinned down it does something...else."