This time we're gonna get funky

[lasergrenades]

Characters: Pepper Potts and OPEN
Date: November 12
Location: Jade Dojo
Situation: Pepper turns 18 today! Party time, y'all
Warnings/Rating: None yet

It's the 12th of November, which means that Pepper is becoming a Legal Adult, according to the laws of her home. Maybe those kinds of things don't apply as much here (she has no idea what the age is to become an adult in Keeliai), and even if she wasn't turning eighteen, it's still her birthday. Which, of course, means there has to be a party.

And not just any party. Unlike Tony and Gene, she wants a real bash. Not a rowdy one, of course, but one that is totally fun and super awesome. Bakura was kind enough to let her use the dojo, so once the sun goes down and the students have left, she sets everything up. There's a table against one wall with snacks, drinks and the obligatory cake with eighteen candles; it's obviously not as lavish as the masquerade refreshments, but it looks good. The left over streamers and paper lanterns from Tony's party in July have made a reappearance, carefully placed around the room so as not to get in the way nor cause any damage to the dojo walls when they're removed.

The armor is set up in a far corner, so anyone who hasn't seen it yet will get the chance. She might even take people for rides if they want - although let's be honest, she's the one that wants to go flying again like she did with Raine. For the moment though, it's acting as the music player and disco ball machine. Not what Tony had intended when he built it, but she thinks this only makes it that much more awesome. Pepper can go from apocalypse-preventing mode to party mode in the space of seconds.

There are also a few board games and several decks of cards on one of the benches, in case anyone feels like playing games.

Although she did send out specific invitations, she's perfectly happy if anyone brings a guest she doesn't know, or if someone amiable decides to drop by, attracted by the sounds of the party. The more the merrier, right?

(OOC Note: Let me know if you want a specific starter, and feel free to put up your own! It's a party, have fun!)

Comments

[lasergrenades]

"Well, you're one of the first people I met here, and you're awesome," Pepper explains. "Of course I would invite you."

She considers Aya a friend, and both Gene and Tony get along well with her, too, which just makes it better. Some of Pepper's friends either Tony or Gene (or both) were somewhat leery about, which made having the party out of the house an even better idea.

"How are things going at Stark Industries? You're working on something for the turtle move right?"

[looksfine]

"You are correct. I have been compiling a list of local star charts observed over the last several month's time to create an accurate navigational system."

In her universe of origin, Aya had already downloaded the entirety of the known Guardian Univer's stars' relative locations, speeds, and directions traveled, along with the gravitational fields of any celestial bodies that might otherwise affect her data. The calculations for a single warp drive burst spanned hours' worth of mathematical equations by most organic beings (thought mere seconds for her).

This was far more challenging than that.

[lasergrenades]

"Neat! It'll be super helpful to figure out where we are, and where we can anchor ourselves," Pepper replies.

It sounds like a complicated task, but one that Aya is well suited to.

"I bet it'll be helpful for other things, too. We've basically just been drifting with currents, right? Maybe your work can help in the future, like with new Foreigners who need information about a landfall or something."

[looksfine]

She'd had some help, as it was. Coincidentally, by none other than--

"Gene has been of great assistance as well." A kind offer she'd made in the shadows of recent separations, fueled by the recommendation of Tony Stark, had proven surprisingly fruitful. Together, they managed to nearly half the amount of work remaining. "And yes, that is my ultimate goal. Maximum understanding of the world around us should allow for better advantages, should we experience future attacks or difficulties along our journey."

[lasergrenades]

"Gene? I would have thought that'd be more of Tony's area, honestly," Pepper says, a sort of intrigued amusement on her face. "But Gene is really smart, too." And he's got some fancy techno-jewelry up his sleeves.

She wonders vaguely how much he might have used the Makluan rings on such a project, and resolves to ask him rather than assume, well, anything really.

"Hopefully there won't be any more attacks to deal with," Pepper adds, although she doubts that will be the case. "But it's always nice to know where you are in the world. Literally, this time. What I'd give for some GPS satellites and a cell phone tower or two."

[looksfine]

"He was in need of a...distraction." After the recent disappearance of someone close to him. "I had it on reliable authority that he was capable in a scientific laboratory setting and offered to allow him to assist me as a means of diverting his attention to more useful matters."

It had worked, too. They mutually benefited from the arrangement.

"True peace is never a certainty. Though I agree that it would be better if there were no more battles at all, experience has taught me not to allow my guard to lower based on unsubstantiated wishes."

[lasergrenades]

"Right. Bianca," she says, nodding somberly. "Well, thanks for giving him a good distraction."

Gene didn't exactly have a good history of handling the loss of people he cared about; his behavior now is just one more very positive example of how much he's changed.

"No kidding." Back home they were on guard practically 24/7, although Tony's tech covered most of that. "But the rules here are a little different. Maybe if we wish hard enough, it'll make a dent in the Dreaming or something." Pepper shrugs. "The only fighting we're having tonight is board games. And maybe karaoke."

[looksfine]

Speaking of distractions...

The rules are no so different as you may think, she had been prepared to argue. Based both on experience from home as well as the significant amount of time she had spent in this world.

Then Pepper uttered a word that...well...she did not recognize: "Karaoke?"

[lasergrenades]

Don't go stomping on her optimism Aya. it's her birthday.

"Yeah! You play a song without the vocals, and the lyrics are displayed somewhere and you do the singing," Pepper explains. "It's a lot of fun, even if people can't sing super well. I doubt anyone would know the songs I have though," she considers, deflating slightly.

[looksfine]

Hey at least you have a birthday

"...how could an activity be considered enjoyable specifically if one is not skilled in it?"

[lasergrenades]

ouch

"Probably because most people aren't all that skilled in it," Pepper reasons. "It's a chance to just go nuts, you know? Not care what people think and just be silly about it. And if you are good then it's just super cool for everyone to hear someone do something unexpected. Can you sing?"

She's guessing that Aya can do just about anything, technically speaking, if she wants to.

[looksfine]

"I...do not know. I have never tried before."

As strange as that sounds. Really, where and when would she have had the opportunity? Certainly not on Oa. Certainly not on the spaceship. Definitely not out in the Forbidden Zone.

[lasergrenades]

"Oh." Singing probably wasn't the favorite pastime on a spaceship like the one Aya had described. "Well, you can try tonight, if you want. Or later, if you don't want to be around people. I can send you some of my music," Pepper offers.

[looksfine]

Not particularly, no. Aya's "favorite" pasttimes on the Interceptor usually involved either conversing with Razer, listening to one of Hal Jordan's countless stories, Kilowog's routine procedure meetings, or performing her usual maintenance during the hours in which her crew members were engaging in semi-regular sleep cycles.

"It might prove interesting. If you have the necessary data required for me to learn this...music of yours, I can study it until then."

[lasergrenades]

"Sure! The armor's computer might have some stuff on music theory. Or at the very least sonic theory," Pepper amends. They had encountered the use of sound as a weapon, after all. "No jabs about my music choices, though," she teases.

[looksfine]

Aya's face twisted into an expression of confusion...and a little concern.

"Why would you believe I'd become violent over your musical selection?"

[lasergrenades]

Pepper laughs; not at Aya, of course. At least not really. Her way of taking things literally could be amusing at times.

"Metaphorical jabs," she clarifies. "Like teasing."

[looksfine]

Just when Aya was beginning to suspect she had mastered all the expected colloquialisms and play on words in the language of her fellow Foreigners...nope, there was yet another to store for future reference.

"Why would I do that, either?"

[lasergrenades]

"Because... well, some teasing is okay, if it's not, like, meant to be mean," Pepper tries to explain. She hasn't really thought through this before. "It's something friends do," she adds. "You can joke about it with them."

Reminder to self: Aya does not do teasing.

[looksfine]

Oh, Aya did teasing. Just not over something so trivial as music tastes.

More like...if somebody said something that was so blatantly wrong, or asked the most obvious of questions. Like not believing her when she claimed there was an incoming attack, and then having the audacity to act surprised when the ship was hit. Really, why would she ever make up something like that?

"I am fully aware of what it is. I only asked why you believed I would initiate at this time?"

[lasergrenades]

"Oh. I don't know. It was just a joke," Pepper replies, laughing a little. "We do that a lot back home, I guess. Like if someone listens to Barbie Girl - which is an awful song, by the way - on repeat or something then all bets are off in being teased. It's a habit."

A lot of the things high schoolers tease each other about would probably be considered trivial, it's true.

[looksfine]

"I...see."

(No, she didn't. Not really. Also, what exactly was a Barbie Girl and why was it such an awful song.)

"I suppose I will have to be on alert should anyone attempt to listen to that particular song so that I may engage in socially appropriate teasing."

...she said it with such a straight face, it was impossible to tell whether or not she was also joking. (Spoilers: she was)

[lasergrenades]

(Don't ask about Barbie Girl too much, you really probably do not want to know.)

Joking or not, Pepper is able to maintain her composure for only a few seconds before collapsing into giggles.

"Oh, man. Oh, man," she manages once she's recovered. "What I wouldn't give to see that. Seriously, that would totally be worth listening to that song for, if anyone actually has it here."

[looksfine]

Pepper, there are some things about you Aya is now convinced she would never fully comprehend.

"You would...be willing to listen to a song you severely dislike...to hear me tease someone?"

[lasergrenades]

"Oh, yeah. I'd even be willing to listen to it and have you tease me. I haven't seen you tease someone, like, ever, and I think 'socially appropriate teasing' would be pretty fun. Plus, a great story for later," Pepper points out. "I mean, most people who've heard the song know the words and so we can all be embarrassed together. It can be a bonding experience, or something."

That or an excellent way of getting unwelcome ears off the network, or a thirty-yard radius of wherever the song was playing. Tactics!