tushanshu | [video]

[A dark-haired kid who seems to be in his late teens appears on screen. He smiles, but it looks a bit forced.]

Hey. Tony Stark. [He gives a small wave.] I just... got here, I guess, and got the rundown on the whole scary death chaos monster situation. And all the giant magic turtle stuff. Sounds like a good time. [He laughs awkwardly, and rubs the back of his neck.] Better than centipede monster void dimensions, at least, [he mutters. This is not the first time he’s been suddenly yanked into a different dimension, evidently.]

Anyway, uh, if anyone needs some tech stuff or heavy lifting done, hit me up. I haven’t had a chance to take a close look at the tech here yet, but I’m sure I’ll figure it out. [He seems to brighten a little at the prospect of new alien technology to play with.

He looks like he’s about to cut the feed, but then he hesitates. There’s a couple seconds of anxious silence, and he fidgets, his cheerful demeanor faltering even more.] And, um, just out of curiosity... When they send us back home, there’s... There is something to go back to, isn’t there? [He laughs, but it’s nervous, like he’s not sure he wants to know the answer.] Nobody would really give me a straight answer, but... They’re not going to send us back if we’re just about to... Well, you know, get blown up or something. Right? I mean, that would be pretty messed up.

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Look, let me start over, okay?

Hi Tony, it's nice to meet you. My name's Jack Frost.

[Tony chuckles.] Jack Frost? Oh man, your parents must have had it out for you. I bet you got a lot of flak for that growing up.

[Haha, because Jack Frost, like the folklore spirit of winter, right? That's like naming your kid Ronald McDonald.

~~Tony's foot, meet Tony's mouth.~~]

Yeah, not so much. You tend to avoid a lot of the remarks when you're actually that person.

Actually what person?

[Tony's a little confused; he's not sure what Jack is trying to say. Maybe it was just an oddly phrased sentence and Tony missed the meaning.]

Actually that Jack Frost.

[Tony keeps looking at Jack, wearing an expression of polite, expectant puzzlement. He's still not getting it.

(Sorry Jack, you're gonna have to spell it out for him even more explicitly than that. His worldview has expanded to encompass aliens, other dimensions, and alternate timelines -- it hasn't quite expanded enough yet to include real live mythological figures.)]

[ Welp this version of Tony Stark is actually kind of adorkable. Go figure. Best to just go right for the visuals then-- the spirit cups his hands together and blows an icy breath into them, forming one of his favourites: a sparrow-like bird formed completely of ice. Even if Tony can't see him directly, this should still be visible on screen. ]

Whoah! [Seemingly out of thin air, a delicate little ice sculpture of a bird appears.] That is so cool! How did you do that?

[Ohhhh, now Tony gets it! ~~He does not get it.~~ This guy calls himself Jack Frost 'cause he's a mutant or something with ice powers. Jack Frost is like, his ice-themed moniker. That makes sense. The only mutant he's met was a telepath, but he thinks he's heard of people having thermodynamic powers.

Doesn't explain the invisibility, but Tony's sure there's a logical explanation for that as well.]

[ Jack chuckles a bit at the choice of wording. "Cool" indeed. The ice bird looks around alertly, flapping its wings. ]

Seasonal spirits control things related to their season. Makes sense, right?

[OMG IT MOVES. Oooooooh, shiny.

What's this about spirits and seasons, though? That sounds like more folklore stuff. Is this a metaphor or something? English class was not his best subject.]

Yeah, makes sense. [Not really, but he's sure it'll clear up once he gets to know Jack better. He probably just has to learn more about whatever dimension Jack comes from.]

[ He gets the shiny reaction a lot; there's a reason this is one of his favourite introduction tricks. ]

So... have people given you the how-to's?

Sort of? [Tony runs a hand through his hair, looking a little uncertain.]

I think I've hit all the major points, there's just... a lot to cover. Suddenly being stuck in a new dimension isn't an easy adjustment.

[ While he can't be seen, Jack's tone is sympathetic. ]

I hear you on that one. Who have they got you roomed with, did they tell you?

Um... [He shuffles through his small pile of maps and hastily scribbled notes.] Annabeth Chase and... Frank Zhang. [No relation to the Zhang in Tony's universe, presumably. God, he hopes no relation.]

I haven't actually... checked to see if they're in. [After his arrival and orientation, he'd sort of run out of juice for interacting with people in person. The console messages have been a little easier for him to handle. He can always shut off the console if he gets overwhelmed.]

[ Jack brightened; again, unseen. ]

Oh, Annabeth's been here a really long time, longer than I have. She'll be able to answer any questions, I think. And Frank's pretty awesome, they're actually from the same world. You're gonna be just fine, Tony.

[Despite the jarring circumstances of Tony's arrival, Jack's optimism is contagious. And it's comforting that his roommates are Jack-approved. Tony smiles.]

That's great. I'll go introduce myself. And I'll see you around soon-- or, you know, not see you. Is the invisibility just for monitors, or is it the full-package deal? How, uh... how do people know when you're there?

Full time, but some people can see me. Usually when they stop wondering where I've hidden the holograms or something.

[ A tease? A tease. ]

[Tony squints.] ...You know, I get the feeling that if you try to explain that to me right now it's going to make my head hurt, so I think I'll take a rain check until my brain has stopped doing barrel rolls.

[He's a genius, but hey: even a genius needs some time to completely overhaul his understanding of how the universe works.]

[He can hear the friendly ribbing in Jack's voice, so he smiles and tosses back,] In the meantime, maybe you could wear a non-invisible funny hat.

Hey, I'm cool with that. At least you're willing to give it a shot, that means a lot to me.

[ Especially since some of the previous Tony's (and Jack knows not to compare, he does, but it's still a valid point) have taken a while to be able to perceive Jack. ]

What, like a top hat?

[Tony chuckles and grins.] Exactly. And I'll just keep my eye out for the floating top hat.

[ Jack will always like you Tony, no matter what form and age you show up in. ]

Zatanna usually teases me for being too old-fashioned at this point.

I'm pretty sure "old-fashioned" isn't applicable in a dimension full of people from a bunch of different universes and different times, so I think you're good.

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