Attune your ears to the grinding gears

[highprofilerichkid]

Characters: Tony Stark and Vincent Moose Moore
Date: July 20
Location: The Sky Sector
Situation: Vincent mistakes Iron Man for a sentient robot. Lulz Violence ensues.
Warnings/Rating: Dumb men being confused and trying to assert their dominance. Maybe some violence: possibly Vincent shooting at the armor, possibly Tony having to restrain him.



Even though the Sky Sector is mostly completed, Tony can still occasionally be found in the armor doing maintenance or lending a hand with renovation or construction. He isn't paid for it, but he feels some obligation to keep everything running smoothly, since Gene had been the de facto head of the Sky Sector project.

Today, he's kneeling over an underground electrical box, inspecting the exposed wiring. While the work doesn't technically require the armor, he finds it more convenient. He doesn't have to worry about getting electrocuted, and the armor's sensors make it easier to pinpoint problems. He's not paying much attention to his surroundings: he's working alone, and he doesn't expect anyone to be interrupting him.

Comments

[highprofilerichkid]

"It's designed for a lot of things," Tony says, less crossly than he might under different circumstances. It seems like this guy must've had bad experiences with military robots or something - and Tony can sympathize with that.

"It's not a weapon." Suuuuuure it isn't, Tony. "At home I use it to catch criminals - superpowered ones that the police can't handle on their own - so it has some offensive capabilities, but that's not all it does. I didn't even build it for that. That just kind of... happened." It's a long story.

"Here I mostly use it to get around. And for stuff like this." Tony shrugs. "It's easier than carrying around a toolbox?"

[sadisticmoose]

"Developing an armour that can brush off a surface-to-air missile and, obviously, is armed to the bloody hilt doesn't just 'happen', kid."

Yeah, he doesn't believe that for a second.

"And, frankly, I'd rather not use a weapon to fix electrical circuits." A pause. "Also, I'd rather not deck myself in bloody metal before sorting something with a live current."

[highprofilerichkid]

Well, when you say it like that it sounds weird.

"...I just wanted to make something cool to show to my dad." Literally, that's what happened. God's honest truth, he made the armor for shits and giggles. Overachiever, much? "I didn't start using it to catch criminals until... a bunch of other stuff happened."

(Long story short: he was orphaned, tried to take ill-advised revenge on his father's former business partner, and ran afoul of every costumed crazy in the tri-state area along the way.)

"And like I said, it's a nanocrystalline polyresin alloy. It has different conductive properties from just 'metal.' Also, the current is off. I'm not an idiot." He's been electrocuted before. That is not an experience he's looking to repeat.

he is an idiot, though

[sadisticmoose]

"Right." Hear his resounding faith in your intelligence, Tony? "Whatever. I'll leave you to..." He motions vaguely. "Whatever batshit insane stuff you're doing."

Because he can't take this right now. He's just barely come to terms with magic existing, never mind nanocrystalline polyresin alloys making futuristic war armour BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS. So, he's just going to turn to head back to the hotel.

[highprofilerichkid]

SHUT UP VINCENT NO IT'S NOT except yes it totally is

Minor electrical work doesn't really count as 'batshit insane' in Tony's book, but whatever.

Meanwhile, Vincent hasn't totally convinced Tony that he doesn't fall into that category. So when he turns and starts walking away, Tony tenses again.

"Hey! I'm sorry for freaking you out - but I mean it about the gun. This place might not have a legal system like you're used to, but you're still going to get in a lot of trouble if you shoot someone." And get the rest of the foreigners in trouble, too. When one foreigner misbehaves, the kedan tend to take it out on all of them. "I'd better not hear about you pulling your gun on anyone else. Got it?"

The not-very-sub-subtext there is: he can suit up and confiscate that pea-shooter any time he likes, Vincent, so you'd better play nice.

[sadisticmoose]

And Vincent stops. And laughs at that, turning to face Tony again.

"Listen, mate." He growls, expression draining. "I don't shoot anyone who doesn't deserve it, alright?" And he raises a finger to point at the backpack. "And if you think I'm scared of ya little billy jumpsuit? You better think again."

He lowers his hand. "Threaten all you want, cobber. You're just some snot-nosed brat who thinks he's invincible because he's got a flash new toy. And I don't take too kindly to folks threatening me for something I'm not gonna do."

[highprofilerichkid]

"Okay, one: I don't know what, like, half of those words mean." He doesn't speak Australian, Vincent. Vegemite barbie kangaroo?

"Two: I don't care how good your reasons are, if you lose your shit and threaten to shoot total strangers, people are going to get on your case. And dialing up the macho man act? Really isn't helping."

Tony's starting to look annoyed again. "You're the one who pulled out the gun and started making threats. It's not my fault if you can't take what you dish out."

[sadisticmoose]

"Sounds like you need to take a class in listening, mate. I wasn't threatening; I was warning, because I was being approached by something that looks like it can snap me in two." And you haven't seen "macho man" yet, Tony. "I've almost been through that. It's not fucking fun."

He shakes his head. "If you can't tell the difference between a threat and someone scared outta their wits, I wonder about your capacity to fight crime. Give a bloke a fair go before accusing them of stuff."

[highprofilerichkid]

"I'm okay on listening, but I might have missed the class on how to tell the difference between someone threatening to shoot you and someone warning that they're going to shoot you. My bad. I was homeschooled."

Tony heaves an irritated sigh. Being sarcastic probably isn't helping. Even if the guy deserves it.

"We both lost our cool, okay? I'm sorry. All I'm saying is, there's a lot of freaky stuff around here, but if the first thing you do when something weird pops up is go for your gun, you're probably just going to make things worse. And it'll make trouble for everyone else, too. We're trying to stay on good terms with the kedan, and they're not going to like it if there's a foreigner running around who pulls out his gun every time he gets surprised. So... don't do that. Please."

Look, Vincent, he's asking nicely!

[sadisticmoose]

Vincent doesn't care. He could get on one knee and offer his query on gilded parchment and Vincent wouldn't care. He just grunts in response.

"Unless all the surprises are robots, or guys in freaky future-armour, I've done well with surprises up until now."

[highprofilerichkid]

Um. About that.

"...Well, there is a robot, but she's really nice. And there's another guy with power armor. It looks really creepy - it's all black and pointy and kind of evil-looking - but he won't hurt you. ...And a girl with bright purple power armor who will probably try to arrest you if you point a gun at her. If they surprise you, don't shoot them either."

[sadisticmoose]

Well, now he knows what to expect.

"Fine." He shrugs. "Thanks for letting me know."

[highprofilerichkid]

"No problem," Tony says dryly. "Can I put my armor back on now? I'd like to finish up this electrical work. I have a lunch date."