Tony Stark (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
in_extremis) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
revivalproject2022-07-02 10:21 pm
in_extremis) wrote in revivalproject2022-07-02 10:21 pm
Mesh
WHO: You, your favourite person, your least favourite person, and someone you've never met. Open!
WHERE: The library garden, Temba
WHAT: Putting the plants in order, for fun and...fun. Tony's been building a hedge maze.
WHEN: A lovely summer evening.
WARNINGS: Mark it if you get nasty. This is an open invitation function, and the sheriff can't stop all of you at once.
NETWORK // un: ironman // TEXT
Come to the library. Try to find your way out.
It's better with a hand to hold.
What was supposed to be a much more gradual project had rapidly become unmanageable. After being released back into the sunlight, Tony was sure he was going to return to a yard that was parched and languishing without care. He had never been much of a botanist, if he could help it. What he found instead was a snarl of plants that were threatening to take over any progress he had made on this project, while he transformed the room in the library basement into his workshop and repurposed the gutted parts, and beating the stems and petals back was only getting him so far. The ring he had been carrying around, telling himself he needed just the right place to reveal it, might have still been missing, but this garden was not going to tolerate being tamed for long.
Even on the terrace wrapping the back of the library, the greenery broke through the flagstones in wild tufts of grass and thorny weeds that had to be hacked back. Much of it now was burning sweetly in the firepit, ringed by the last of the intact stone benches that were found here. Maybe sitting under them was more comfortable, though, like the few, cuddling mothcats that could be found there, because the benches were clearly Agrii design. The yard back here was braced in by a few tall trees along the edges of the property, obscuring most of the road beyond and sending fluttering seedpods skipping across the stones with every summer breeze.
Dominating the space now was a maze. It was imposing, particularly in low light, after the sun had set and Tony had sent his cryptic message. Not much could be seen peering into the structure from the entrance; the depths darkened rapidly, and the first path to choose came quickly. Flanking the entrance were torches, though, and with them baskets of lumpy, oily candles that could be lit on the flickering braziers to carry into the dark, and become floating points of light that whispered past each other in the soft grass and between the fragrant, lusciously flowering walls of the maze. Even now, the branches and vines that determined the structure seemed to be stretching voraciously, leaving beds of petals where they had crashed into each other, and sneaking across the paths to catch uncritical toes. Even experienced maze-solvers might find some challenges within, with some tricks of the eye and secret doors to discover, but they might also find there was no rush to the exit; the myriad blind alleys and cul-de-sacs weren't simply dead ends. In one, a set of swings, flat wooden boards hung close to each other and maybe tall enough to peek over the maze wall with an enthusiastic enough push. In another, a shallow pond, thick with small flowers that swam over the surface of the water that glowed eerily. A particularly lucky and industrious explorer might find a puzzle box, waiting patiently in a nest of purple sand, that rattled when shook. There was definitely something in there. What else might be hidden in the dark?* Around only a few corners, the whole experience might be over, breaking back into the open garden of the library from a surprising nook just a few steps away from the inviting entrance to the maze. It would probably be better not to get too impatient.
*Feel free to make up some fun, weird stuff, I'm sure we can all be cool. If you're really not sure and need me to say yes, you can dm here or @ me on discord.
WHERE: The library garden, Temba
WHAT: Putting the plants in order, for fun and...fun. Tony's been building a hedge maze.
WHEN: A lovely summer evening.
WARNINGS: Mark it if you get nasty. This is an open invitation function, and the sheriff can't stop all of you at once.
NETWORK // un: ironman // TEXT
Come to the library. Try to find your way out.
It's better with a hand to hold.
What was supposed to be a much more gradual project had rapidly become unmanageable. After being released back into the sunlight, Tony was sure he was going to return to a yard that was parched and languishing without care. He had never been much of a botanist, if he could help it. What he found instead was a snarl of plants that were threatening to take over any progress he had made on this project, while he transformed the room in the library basement into his workshop and repurposed the gutted parts, and beating the stems and petals back was only getting him so far. The ring he had been carrying around, telling himself he needed just the right place to reveal it, might have still been missing, but this garden was not going to tolerate being tamed for long.
Even on the terrace wrapping the back of the library, the greenery broke through the flagstones in wild tufts of grass and thorny weeds that had to be hacked back. Much of it now was burning sweetly in the firepit, ringed by the last of the intact stone benches that were found here. Maybe sitting under them was more comfortable, though, like the few, cuddling mothcats that could be found there, because the benches were clearly Agrii design. The yard back here was braced in by a few tall trees along the edges of the property, obscuring most of the road beyond and sending fluttering seedpods skipping across the stones with every summer breeze.
Dominating the space now was a maze. It was imposing, particularly in low light, after the sun had set and Tony had sent his cryptic message. Not much could be seen peering into the structure from the entrance; the depths darkened rapidly, and the first path to choose came quickly. Flanking the entrance were torches, though, and with them baskets of lumpy, oily candles that could be lit on the flickering braziers to carry into the dark, and become floating points of light that whispered past each other in the soft grass and between the fragrant, lusciously flowering walls of the maze. Even now, the branches and vines that determined the structure seemed to be stretching voraciously, leaving beds of petals where they had crashed into each other, and sneaking across the paths to catch uncritical toes. Even experienced maze-solvers might find some challenges within, with some tricks of the eye and secret doors to discover, but they might also find there was no rush to the exit; the myriad blind alleys and cul-de-sacs weren't simply dead ends. In one, a set of swings, flat wooden boards hung close to each other and maybe tall enough to peek over the maze wall with an enthusiastic enough push. In another, a shallow pond, thick with small flowers that swam over the surface of the water that glowed eerily. A particularly lucky and industrious explorer might find a puzzle box, waiting patiently in a nest of purple sand, that rattled when shook. There was definitely something in there. What else might be hidden in the dark?* Around only a few corners, the whole experience might be over, breaking back into the open garden of the library from a surprising nook just a few steps away from the inviting entrance to the maze. It would probably be better not to get too impatient.
*Feel free to make up some fun, weird stuff, I'm sure we can all be cool. If you're really not sure and need me to say yes, you can dm here or @ me on discord.
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"But you! You get to live with the real heroes! It must be exciting!" A pause. "And a little frightening, what with the supervillains and alien invaders. If I ever wound up there, I'd be staring them down... " The words 'collateral damage' are suddenly brought back to mind. "... if they ever threaten the harbor!"
A smile again, "But yeah, we're 'heroes' now, aren't we? Or you are, I'm kinda hero! C'mon, let's see if we can bust out of here and find the jewels!"
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"Exciting, rewarding, challenging, invigorating..." he agreed as she continued, gaze wandering then as he wondered at the hollowness of an Earth without the heroes and advances they had made. Something else was in their place, though, he'd just have to warm up to the idea. "I believe we're all expected to be heroes here," he assured her. "You've been given a promotion. Shame about the benefits package. What were you sidekicking if it wasn't supervillains?"
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Oh no. She made him sad. Violet eyes start to glisten at that and jazz hands engage once more. "I am like you! Kinda!" Talk about promotions and sidekicking and, there's a rather hesitant glance aside. Maybe she shouldn't be beating about the bush. Another thought, her eyes lighting up and she turns to face him with lips drawn.
"So, you know how Tony Stark created JARVIS and Ultron and Vision? In my world, brilliant inventors figured out how to take an alien energy source and use it to create a different form of life as well. Just, not robots. Kansen have human bodies but we're also warships from a long ago conflict. Like, for example, say an Atlanta-class cruiser. Oakland subclass. Hull number CL-96."
And a deep breath. "USS Reno."
Secret origin unlocked. There's another pause, however. "I'd show you my real superpowers but they're even bigger than these," once again swiping at her chest then gesturing at the rather close quarters they're in. Also her eyes are wide and completely expectant. Please don't be sad!
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"What?" was as far as he got before being further unbalanced by the revelation that he wasn't just being a weird pervert, and didn't even know if that was reassuring as she tried to direct his attention again, making him physically step back to get some perspective on the wild misread he had done on 'class'. It didn't help much.
Gaze still on the stars like they would help him plot the course, he admitted, "You've kind of got me at a disadvantage here, sweetheart, I don't think we've got the cartoons and movies about...warship...people, I'm--uh..." He twirled a finger at his temple, processing and also maybe going crazy, before trying, "Run that by me again?"
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Reno could go with the full explanation of 'kansen' but even the abbreviated explanation still had her new friend stunned. "I know, I'm one of a kind here," offered sheepishly as she bundled herself up behind her arms. Her gaze trails off to the sides of the maze, "Maybe its easier if I just said I'm a superhero too, just one who's superpowers involve being able to skate on water while firing a lot of anti-aircraft cannons."
Remembering Tony's disappointment, she does step forward and offer a hand. "But other than that, I'm just a girl who likes sports, and superhero shows, and building toys like repuslor gloves." With her smile, "So I can pretend I'm Iron Man, or Kamen Rider, or even Black Cat. Everything else," given with a glance behind her, "I can explain it later."
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He breathed a tense laugh at her gracious reintroduction, feeling suddenly like he very much was the one making this weird, and gladly took her hand to accept this more immediate and grounded part of her. "Tony," he finally offered in return, and the flash of his smile suggested he knew exactly what conclusion she'd finally be allowed to come to, but it was brief before he was pressing a courtly kiss to his knuckles.
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"To-"
That's all that escaped her lips before all five-foot-something of teenage shipgirl abruptly froze into a solid chunk of utter fangirl shock. Eyes exploding, her jaw nearly hitting her chest, her hand remaining in mid-air long after the kiss, there may have even been uncontrolled fireworks if she still had those on her.
It couldn't be. It couldn't be. He couldn't have. But he is, and he did. Even if he didn't look quite like RDJ.
The mini-Renos in her head frantically flipped breakers in a desperate attempt to bring her back online. "-ny," finally finished with a gasp. This was really happening. Wait, no, she disappointed him. Quick, do something that'll make him not sad! "Uh. Gosh," said as she caressed said hand, "Even more of a gentleman in person!" That'll work, right?
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"Handsome," he corrected, though there was a please glint in his eye. "That's what I said before, wasn't it? Don't let it get out of here that I'm a gentleman, I've got a reputation to uphold." His hands didn't stay trapped for long, one up to spin in the air to get them moving through the maze again and leading them along at an easy stride to set a predictable pace, so maybe they could stop shocking each other.
"Why did you say you were a sidekick?" he had to press, now that he had more context.
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"Handsome!" It easily escaped Reno's lips at that, and there's a faint blush at realizing just how easily it did. "Yes, handsome, it'll be our secret." That's not helping her attempt to hide her feelings any, either. Fortunately it is just the two of them, and she easily follows his lead through the maze despite the fact that her entire face is just positively sparkling at the moment.
At least until Tony starts asking questions again. Well, of course he would. "I tried to train as a hero, but." Another thought. "You know all the training, say, Captain America goes through? I was training like that, really hard! But these," another gesture again at her chest, "Kept getting in the way. Hard to do push-ups and pull-ups and jogging..."
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With a slight wince, and his typically animated hand slightly stiff and close to his chest as he talked, Tony said, "But you make stuff, don't you? Can't you--I mean, there's plenty of ways to make life easier. I've known blind heroes and heroes that can't go out in the sunlight. Quicksilver's clothes would fall off every time he hit speed unless they were custom made."
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"I guess I could? Unless..." Her gaze falls across him again, its not like he was as super built as Steve or some of the battleships. And he was one of the greatest of them all, at least in this girl's eyes. "Maybe I really don't need all that training to be a superhero?"
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"Oh, uh--" Tony started, without an answer prepared, and feeling a bit like he should probably not encourage her to avoid the gym as much as he did. He could practically feel Cap's disappointment. "Listen, it's not a bad idea to be prepared. You can't always rely on your powers to get you through a situation. For most of the costume crowd, that means keeping in shape, making sure you can outrun a problem if you have to. Some of us...are more creative."
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"Now that you mention it, if I had to fight here..." A side glance as the admission comes hard to Reno, "I'm not sure I would be really prepared for it. I'm ready for anything, but all I've ever fought on was on oceans and with all my powers. Here, I'm a fish out of water. Kinda literally. I'm going to need training regardless."
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"If it's training you're really hurting for, you've got options," he provided, turning to walk backwards and try to calibrate which direction their zagging path through the maze had turned them to indicate back over the hedge. "Lauri-Ell's set up a whole gym over there," he said. "That's the big blue gal, can't miss her, forearm's as big as you. And if you go further out that way," another vague indication, as though it was at all obvious what he meant through the foliage, "leaving downtown, there's a watchtower where Echo lives, he'd love to make sure your weapon handling is up to code or whatever. You keep hanging around here, all you're going to get is a very surly lecture about proper precautions. The librarian's a bit of a stickler. If you do decide you need some equipment, though, I might know a guy."
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Or more than one. "Lauri? We've met, she was the one who pointed me to the security datapoint!" A mental note is visibly made about Echo, and then about the librarian here. No pew pew in the library seems to be a universal rule. "You've created stuff here, of course! What've you been able to build? I'm starting to salvage some stuff of my own to see if I can be of help there too. Just not sure what, right now."
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"Power tools aren't a typical part of the Avengers training regimen," he noted, raising an eyebrow at Reno. What exactly her craft was, was getting a little clearer, and sounded like it wasn't just cosplay.
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"No, but if you want to make replica shields, hammers, and these," said while wriggling her fingers, "They sometimes come in handy! I'd think here I'd have to start thinking bigger too, right?" If they were stuck on Gilligan's Island, someone had to play the Professor. Or the Professor's assistant, in this case. "I'd like to find ways to help other than shooting stuff."
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"Most people are pretty bad about asking for help," he added, smile dimming more contemplatively. "Keep an eye out, try to spot the pressure points before they break. If you can do that much, identify the problem, we'll be half way to solving it." He caught the next branch before she ran into it, pushing it up to invite her by and into the pool of moonlight where the walls were not so close, and the path spread around the bracket of swings.
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