[for Tony and Pepper] Red Riding Prologue
Sep. 1st, 2011 07:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
The date hasn't escaped my notice. Even if I wasn't a New Yorker, born and raised, even if I hadn't picked my way through the rubble of the World Trade Center, today would have some meaning for me, though it's hardly comparable. Nearly getting killed by a friend on a bender isn't exactly on the same scale as flying airplanes into buildings, after all, and just putting them in the same sentence feels cheap. They share an anniversary; that's more or less where the similarities end.
Consequently, what also shares an anniversary, give or take a couple of days, is Tony's sobriety. In AA, they give out these medallions for certain milestones; they're about the size of a poker chip, nothing too conspicuous. I've made one for the occasion from a piece of scrap metal that I shaped, engraved, and painted -- red and blue, with gold detailing -- over a few weeks between working on other projects. It's on the table in front of me, in plain view so I don't forget it whenever Tony decides to grace me with his presence.
It's rare that I actually ask him for help with something, preferring to keep most of my private stuff, well, private, but one of those other projects I've been working on needs a second pair of hands.
See, I've been working on this one thing, on and off, for the better part of a year: a spider-sense that's technologically based, allowing me a facsimile of the power I relied on more than I would've ever realized if I'd never lost it to start.
It's been little more than a series of glorified motion sensors until recently, each one carefully threaded throughout the material of the quote-unquote 'Vespa' suit that I designed with supplies given to me by whatever forces are in charge of the mysterious presents passed out every January. A part of me thinks it's a bribe to keep us all appeased just a little bit longer, but I've long since passed the point where I'm appeased by much of anything this place has to offer. This is a petri dish of a prison -- an experiment. And even if I don't spend my every waking moment clawing at a way out of here, trying to find a way home, I never forget that one single fact. Not since MJ disappeared.
But still, bribe or not -- experiment or not -- the raw materials I received have proven useful. Sure, things would've gone a heck of a lot faster if I'd had better facilities to work with, or had been less distracted with my mess of a personal life, or had listened to my own speech about impossible problems needing time to solve, but as it stands, I've finally got something workable on my hands. Something a bit better than a bunch of glorified heat and motion sensors.
In an effort at recreating the sensation of my old ability, the current network relies on localized pulses that increase in strength depending on the threat -- basically, the bigger the pulse, the more whatever's about to run into me is gonna hurt if I don't get out of the way, fast. To make the whole process a little less subjective, though -- and to make swinging through the trees a heckuva lot easier -- I've got it connected to a HUD in the left eye piece that analyzes the surrounding environment, increasing my spatial awareness up to 100 feet in all directions so that I don't run into anything. I've even managed to repurpose most of my old spider-tracers to work on the new frequency, and though I doubt I'll have much need to track people on an island this size, you never know when technological breadcrumbs'll come in handy.
Provided it all actually works, I'd say I'm kind of a genius. I mean, it's impressive, really, even if it's not perfect. Eventually, I'd like to upgrade the HUD to something more sophisticated, something with more processing ability to analyze a greater variety of threats -- ones that don't just involve what's out there to hit me -- but I'm working with scraps salvaged from a homicidal space station and a limited power source, here, and arc reactors don't grow on trees. Still, it's functioning enough to warrant further testing, which is why I'm in the workshop decked out in full gear, sweating like a pig and waiting for Tony to show up.
Or, well, a boar, I guess. We don't have pigs here, and I like to keep my references apt. It's a thing.
Anyway, sweating like a boar and growing impatient, I've long since pulled off my mask, and am about to ask Jarvis if Tony's even in the mansion, when the guy finally strolls in.
"There you are," I say on a sigh. "I was about to send out a search party."
Consequently, what also shares an anniversary, give or take a couple of days, is Tony's sobriety. In AA, they give out these medallions for certain milestones; they're about the size of a poker chip, nothing too conspicuous. I've made one for the occasion from a piece of scrap metal that I shaped, engraved, and painted -- red and blue, with gold detailing -- over a few weeks between working on other projects. It's on the table in front of me, in plain view so I don't forget it whenever Tony decides to grace me with his presence.
It's rare that I actually ask him for help with something, preferring to keep most of my private stuff, well, private, but one of those other projects I've been working on needs a second pair of hands.
See, I've been working on this one thing, on and off, for the better part of a year: a spider-sense that's technologically based, allowing me a facsimile of the power I relied on more than I would've ever realized if I'd never lost it to start.
It's been little more than a series of glorified motion sensors until recently, each one carefully threaded throughout the material of the quote-unquote 'Vespa' suit that I designed with supplies given to me by whatever forces are in charge of the mysterious presents passed out every January. A part of me thinks it's a bribe to keep us all appeased just a little bit longer, but I've long since passed the point where I'm appeased by much of anything this place has to offer. This is a petri dish of a prison -- an experiment. And even if I don't spend my every waking moment clawing at a way out of here, trying to find a way home, I never forget that one single fact. Not since MJ disappeared.
But still, bribe or not -- experiment or not -- the raw materials I received have proven useful. Sure, things would've gone a heck of a lot faster if I'd had better facilities to work with, or had been less distracted with my mess of a personal life, or had listened to my own speech about impossible problems needing time to solve, but as it stands, I've finally got something workable on my hands. Something a bit better than a bunch of glorified heat and motion sensors.
In an effort at recreating the sensation of my old ability, the current network relies on localized pulses that increase in strength depending on the threat -- basically, the bigger the pulse, the more whatever's about to run into me is gonna hurt if I don't get out of the way, fast. To make the whole process a little less subjective, though -- and to make swinging through the trees a heckuva lot easier -- I've got it connected to a HUD in the left eye piece that analyzes the surrounding environment, increasing my spatial awareness up to 100 feet in all directions so that I don't run into anything. I've even managed to repurpose most of my old spider-tracers to work on the new frequency, and though I doubt I'll have much need to track people on an island this size, you never know when technological breadcrumbs'll come in handy.
Provided it all actually works, I'd say I'm kind of a genius. I mean, it's impressive, really, even if it's not perfect. Eventually, I'd like to upgrade the HUD to something more sophisticated, something with more processing ability to analyze a greater variety of threats -- ones that don't just involve what's out there to hit me -- but I'm working with scraps salvaged from a homicidal space station and a limited power source, here, and arc reactors don't grow on trees. Still, it's functioning enough to warrant further testing, which is why I'm in the workshop decked out in full gear, sweating like a pig and waiting for Tony to show up.
Or, well, a boar, I guess. We don't have pigs here, and I like to keep my references apt. It's a thing.
Anyway, sweating like a boar and growing impatient, I've long since pulled off my mask, and am about to ask Jarvis if Tony's even in the mansion, when the guy finally strolls in.
"There you are," I say on a sigh. "I was about to send out a search party."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-04 05:31 am (UTC)So. Things were better than, say, last year.
He hopped over the last few steps to the workshop and settled into a stroll, blinking at Peter, who was... geared up.
"If you're having private time in the get-up, I could come back..." he said, indicating the stairs.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-04 06:23 am (UTC)"C'mere. And grab that frying pan over there while you're at it, wouldja? We're gonna need it in a sec."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-04 06:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-04 07:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-04 07:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-04 09:47 am (UTC)There's a depressing thought for ya.
"I haven't offered myself up for a public lynching in a while. I'm probably due."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 12:48 am (UTC)He was kidding. It'd been fun, and he probably had more experience at that whole bit than Peter. At least, at doing it without a mask on.
"Anyway, it's politics. People have short memories."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 01:37 am (UTC)Admittedly, that still holds true for a lot of them. Maybe science works differently where they're from. I mean, math is the universal language in my world, but who knows what it is elsewhere. Maybe it's the language of giving up instead.
"That they do," I concede, and it's funny that he should mention people having short memories, because it's only in looking back down to finish what I'm doing that I remember I haven't given Tony his gift, so to speak. I'm about to pick it and hand it over when again, I think better of it, and instead nod at the medallion on the table while I prepare to tug my mask on.
"Happy anniversary, by the way."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 03:04 am (UTC)"You shouldn't have," he said, "probably. This is sweet, it's a nice... piece of... metal? It's awkward, I didn't get you any scrap."
Mostly because he was trying to cast his mind back and figure out what the hell was going on. Anniversary of what? Also, anniversary? Well, clearly Pete was kidding a little, as he did.
There was that date, but Peter wouldn't be making a joke about that.
Pretty sure he wouldn't be celebrating the other thing, actually, either. Was that a year past?
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 03:59 am (UTC)There's a danger, too, of course, because there's always a danger. Closing yourself off to the world so much that you stop caring, for example. That's the kind of thing that breeds supervillains, and I should know; I've met plenty of 'em. By design, I've been distant lately, but I'm still careful to avoid crossing that line, even if, at this point, it'd be a hell of a lot easier to just not care.
"Don't worry about it," I say, expression sobering a little. Apt turn of phrase, all things considered. "You gave me something better, anyway. Read the engraving."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 04:16 am (UTC)Then again, it had only been... a year. And while he knew they gave out tokens for that, he'd never been much for sentimentality along those lines. So he claimed, anyway. He'd never seek it out, say that much. But here it was, formalized. One year, not one drop, Tony Stark could function day by day without drink in him.
The thought kind of made him want to have a drink. The chip reminded him to get annoyed at having the thought.
"Hunh," he said, rubbing his thumb over. "A year? That long? I'm -- frankly, let's face it, we all are -- kind of amazed."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 05:22 am (UTC)"Glad, obviously, but..."
I shrug, eyebrows lifting.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 05:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 06:10 am (UTC)"But, uh, fair warning: it might be a coconut."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 07:02 am (UTC)He hefted it.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 07:19 am (UTC)"Or, well, try to hit me. I'm running a test. I figured a human would be a better opponent. More unpredictable."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 07:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 08:07 am (UTC)"You want me to call Pepper instead?" I ask, not missing a beat. I don't specify if I mean to swing the pan or wear the suit; the suggestion's so ludicrous it doesn't need a heckuva lot of explanation, is my thinking.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 08:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 09:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-05 09:20 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-06 01:56 am (UTC)Thing is, I want to run a blind test to make sure that machine's going to work if the man's otherwise distracted. My reflexes don't hold a candle to what I'm used to, but even so, I don't want them interfering with the results. I'm faster than Tony; if I see where he's going to hit, I'm going to react, plain and simple. Hence the length of cloth to tie over my eyes; once I shut off the infrared that kicks in with a muttered vocal command, I'm left in the dark.
"Don't suppose Jarvis has any mood music?"
no subject
Date: 2011-09-06 04:54 am (UTC)"So, you just want me to go ahead and lay you out?"
no subject
Date: 2011-09-06 05:18 am (UTC)If this works like I want it to -- and it should, 'cause I've been tinkering with this for months, now, and I never have that kind of lead-up time for anything -- I could be giving myself back an edge that's always proved invaluable.
"You're missing a key word," I say over the dulcet tones of Freddie Mercury, dropping into a casually defensive posture. "I want you to try."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-06 05:23 am (UTC)He swung the frying pan at Peter's head, bottom side first.
"-ready."
The swing wasn't hard and abrupt; he wasn't about to damage the guy, it was a frying pan. So a long, rapid arc across distance, to get some speed; it was a reflex and reaction test, after all.
So maybe a little hard, if it did connect. But the tech was probably sound, he figured.
(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From:(no subject)
From: