06 § video (backdated to Feb 10)

[definingfuture]

Well someone here has completely dropped the ball. I know there are at least a few people around who are rich and Earth-savvy enough to get everyone presents for the month. Maybe celebrate the break from so much cold or the coming of good fortune or something like that. We could use a celebration right about now.

At the very least, I'll try to do my part. [Tony gives the network a winning smile and holds up a small, strange-looking flower playfully. It almost makes the next part sound more like a joke than any real offer.] I've got a few too many of these, so if anyone would like to take them off my hands, I'll be happy to give you a discount.

And if you're available, Miss Frost, I'd love to spend some quality time with you. If your schedule will allow it, of course.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm personally missing my chocolate.

[He even winks at the feed before disconnecting.]


[Private messages to Arthur Curry, Shockwave, and Kyle Rayner]

[...Or just to switch directions.]

Afternoon. I've got a proposal for you. Give me five minutes when you've got them.

[End Messages]

[Private message to Annabeth]

So. I've been saving up my pennies--so to speak. I wonder if I could buy some of your thoughts?

[End Message]

[Private message to Bucky Barnes (616)]

I. [Cap. Forgive him.] I need you to do me a favor.

[end transmission]

Comments

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

Hey, you'll earn points with a lot of spirits that way. You could cash in a lot of favours.

[definingfuture]

You think that the spirits around would do favors? Because if that's true I've got about a decade's worth of backlog to claim. At least that long.

[wintershepherd]

Is that right? Me being the only spirit here, I suppose I'm in charge of managing that debt. What'd you have in mind?

[definingfuture]

I don't know if you can keep up with me. I've been around and I've been collecting credit.

But if you're offering, maybe... [He actually looks thoughtful. Maybe slightly more serious, although not so far that he seems stern.]

I could use some magic insight. You think you can help me with that?

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack blinked a little at the request, before his grin turned genuine. Being asked for help, him being asked for help instead of being a convenient person nearby, would always get the best reception from the spirit. ]

Sure, Tony. Here, or...?

[definingfuture]

[Tony smiles at the response. As if Jack's simple enough answer was exactly what he needed. And it is. He's relieved that he has someone to talk to. As many magic people as Keeliai has, it's hard to find someone he can really get answers from.]

Mm. Maybe not here. It's not that I don't trust these things, but... [He doesn't trust them. Seeing as Malicant pops in easily enough, he doesn't think it's much of a surprise that he doesn't trust the consoles.]

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack nods, unconcerned as to what reasons Tony has for preferring in person contact. ]

I can meet you somewhere?

[definingfuture]

Sure. How does the Metal Sector sound? That's not too warm for you?

--> action?

[wintershepherd]

Pfft, I'm fine, I'm fine. Too warm in February, sheesh.

action;

[definingfuture]

Hey, I'm just trying to help.

[And that is the first thing he says when he meets up with Jack. The spirit might be fine with the weather, but Tony is looking forward to more warmth.]

Anyway, thanks for dropping by. I wasn't sure who else to ask.

Re: action;

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack tries very hard not to begrudge anyone a desire for warmth, but he definitely isn't looking forward to another summer. ]

Yeah, no problem. Don't get too many people asking for this sort of help so... it's kind of nice, actually.

What'd you need to know?

[definingfuture]

[Tony does know that Jack doesn't like the heat, but on some level he just assumes it's a general dislike. still, he's not completely insensitive most of the time.]

Well, I've been thinking. We've got a few magic-inclined people here and I can't believe that you don't have some kind of system set up for countering negative influences. Do you know any magic spells or tricks that might work against evil energy?

In general. [Good energy, bad energy. It's a weird concept for him, but maybe just "polar opposites" would be a better way to put it.]

What do you do when magic goes the wrong way?

[wintershepherd]

Well...

[ Jack taps the staff in his hands thoughtfully as he ponders his response. ]

Spirit magic is a little different than the kinds here but most of us have an opposite already? I mean, the Seasonals are probably the easiest example, we're all about the same strength. And even when you go up the food chain, Mother Nature and Father Time are supposed to be opposites.

[definingfuture]

So you basically take care of all of the nature details. That makes sense. But when something goes wrong, you must have a way to deal with it. You know, what happens when evil wizards or monsters attack? Don't you have spirits of disaster or something?

[Tony doesn't really have a great understanding of how this whole magic thing works, and a lot of it is pure speculation. But he figures everyone has their problems, and spirits likely have their own way of dealing with attacks.]

[wintershepherd]

Pitch was the biggest shake up the world's had since I've been around, that's where the Guardians came in because they'd fought him before. But I guess the failsafe, if you want to call it that, is the Man in the Moon.

[definingfuture]

The Man in the Moon? [For real?] So you have spirits who specifically fight off threats, too? How does the Man in the Moon help?

[To Tony this sounds wild, but he's not Dr. Strange with the expertise in mysticism. He's willing to learn.]

[wintershepherd]

[ So very real. ]

He and Pitch, and Sandy for that matter, all came from the same place. North said it was called the Golden Age and it was...

[ a sort of vague wave ]

Out in space somewhere, a long time ago. Sorry, I didn't get the full history lesson before getting yanked here.

[ He feels like he isn't being very helpful though, wondering if he's just wasting Tony's time. ]

He made me a spirit. Presumably... well, he could unmake them, I guess?

[definingfuture]

[Magic always sounds strange to Tony. He understands in a vague sense that it has rules and can be manipulated and countered like any other weapon, but those rules tend to be harder for him to get than technology.

But he's listening to what Jack says, taking it in and digesting it as he would any new piece of information--with a little more dry humor.]

So spirits are actually from space? That kind of figures. But you don't know how they make the magic work? What's it feel like?

[wintershepherd]

No, not all of them. Just a few, actually.

[ His face shows confusion at Tony's question of how it felt. ]

How does what feel? Doing magic?

[definingfuture]

Okay, so there are space spirits and regular spirits.

[That's making things confusing, but he rolls with it. The answer could be a lot weirder. And part of him thinks that this is fun.]

Yeah. How does it work? Just concentrate and things happen, or is it more like flexing a muscle?

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack perked up, because this was something he'd actually spent some time thinking about. ]

A lot of mine is instinctive as far as getting it started. Like when I make frost, I don't think about freezing individual water particles, I just do it... sometimes without even thinking about it. But other things need more practice, like when I learned from Baby Tooth how to pass through things. That part is more like developing a skill. I had to start with just my hand and work up from that and she seemed to think that was normal.

[definingfuture]

Can you fight other magic? [What Jack said was helpful. It may have seemed like innocuous enough questions, but that was the point. Tony was gathering more information in an area he had very little to work with.]

So if our evil spirit works in a similar way, for example, could you use your power to stop his? Just a thought, but we could try.

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack hesitated only for a moment, then gave a serious nod. ]

Yeah. I think so.

[definingfuture]

What if we tried it out? Have you ever gotten close to his handiwork?

If we can test it on something he's touched, maybe we'll make some progress.

[wintershepherd]

Not that I know of. I... went into one of the arches, though. One that led into the Death realm.

[ Despite himself, Jack shivers a little in a way that has nothing to do with cold. ]