tushanshu | [Console] (Video) ❅ The First

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[Console] (Video) ❅ The First

(She waits until she is sitting primly in a chair, her back straight and her hair braided neatly over one shoulder. Appearance is everything - or so she has learned time and time again. No matter how uneasy she feels, she cannot show it. Alayne Stone won't break.)

I am new to the kingdom of Keeliai, but I have been well-informed. (A small smile - one which doesn't reach her eyes - follows before she continues:) My name is Alayne Stone and I am from a world called Westeros. Should my world sound familiar to anyone, I am eager to speak with you.

(Though perhaps not meet. The fact that is standing on her own hasn't escaped her. She no longer has Littlefinger's protection.

The next part is strange to word, so she decides to just say it.)

Is it true that we are on the back of a giant turtle? I find that hard to believe. Even the largest of turtles are not spacious enough to hold a world, surely?

(What happens when the turtle turns the wrong way?)

Are there other creatures of such a considerable size? I should like to avoid the predators.

(The turtle should avoid them too.)

There are items which I will eventually need. Where might I procure them? Is there a market and some sort of currency?

(Yes, she knows she needs to focus on the things she can control. Otherwise... Otherwise...

She will lose the hope she has been able to retain.)

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I didn't expect a response at all - much less one that was so friendly. I have a job, a place to stay, money and lessons in self-defense.

(Her voice trails off on that last bit. It's Arya's territory - or one of her brothers' territory. But she can see the good sense in learning how to wield a sword in a new world.)

I'm not sure anyone needs lessons on courtly etiquette. (She has to laugh a little at that.) Unless it somehow endears us to the Kedans.

[He chuckles ruefully] I think there are a few people who could use some etiquette lessons, actually. [Not anyone he knows, of course. Certainly no one named Tony Stark. Definitely not.]

Self-defense, huh? It never hurts to be able to kick some ass. Who's teaching you?

Edited 2015-01-07 01:01 (UTC)

Yourself included? (It's meant as a tease. No, she can't read his mind, though she has gotten good at picking up on cues.) Mister Shudder. He said he would hold lessons daily to strengthen my stamina.

I shouldn't tattle on anyone, [Tony replies loftily.] It would be bad etiquette.

Anton, really? Huh. I don't know how he finds the time for everything. [Maybe he knows time magic. Tony wouldn't even really be surprised.] What kind of self-defense is it? Martial arts, or some sort of magic...?

(Her head dips forward and she smiles, amused.)

Yes, it would.

(If she could use magic... Oh she wishes she could.)

He says he will teach me how to wield a sword. I suppose daggers could do me good too.

Swords. Is there anything that guy can't do? [He knows swordsmanship and sigil magic and possibly a couple other types of powerful magic that Tony hasn't quite twigged to yet; he can shoot; he cooks, mends, and repairs everything in the hotel... hell, he probably dances and plays the violin and recites Shakespeare, too.

Tony shakes his head.] Anton is a seriously impressive dude. And that's coming from the second smartest person on the turtle. Anyway— here's the seamstress.

[They've arrived at a little shop tucked away in an alley whose small dispaly window is overflowing with vibrant fabrics and garments.] The shop owner here makes nice stuff, and she treats the foreigners pretty decently. [He walks up to the door and holds it open for Alayne, making a small bell on the lintel jingle.]

I wouldn't know. (Since she just met him, but he does seem very capable - and kind. In his own way.) Do you truly believe you are the second smartest person?

(Far be it for her to argue with him. She will let her smirk speak for her.)

I haven't seen... (Her eyes widen and she reaches out to touch the different fabrics, her mind already creating.) Where does she acquire such weaves?

I'm a scientist, I never exaggerate, [Tony cheerfully exaggerates.

At the sound of voices, the shop keeper pokes her head out of a the back room. When she sees the two foreigners, she gives a small "hmph," and nods a perfunctory greeting at them before returning to her work. Alayne may notice that she has subtly shifted her seat so that she has a line of sight to her two customers. "Treats decently" apparently means "treats with suspicion rather than outright hostility."

Once he's given the seamstress a smile and a polite wave - which go unacknowledged - Tony continues in a less joking tone.] I am, actually. Aya beats me out. She's... an artificially created being. Her brain is many times faster, more efficient, and more complex than an organic brain could ever be. And me, I'm already a genius [- he flashes a grin, because it's true and he's not above bragging about it -] but I've also had my brain technologically enhanced. I function at a higher level than is possible for any unaugmented human. [He shrugs, like this is totally no big deal, and laughs.] Mostly means I can do math problems really fast.

[He eyes the fabrics Alayne is running her fingers over.] Being a supergenius doesn't make me a textile expert, though. You'll have to ask her all the fabric stuff. [He tilts his head at the seamstress.]

As I don't know what a scientist is, I will have to take your word on it. (She gives the seamstress a warm smile, unbothered by her cool response to them. In Westeros, merchants and shopkeepers are rarely friendly - and if they are, they are trying to sell you something. Alayne has a quick eye for quality and she makes a note to return to this shop once she has finalized some of her plans.)

Being a genius doesn't preclude you from learning from your experiences, surely? Life would be awfully boring. (It surprises her how easy it is to talk to him. He almost reminds her of one of her brothers, bragging about their accomplishments.) I will when I have a better idea of weather patterns.

(Which he can tell her about?)

[Tony's a little disappointed. People are usually a lot more impressed by his science talk and superbrain. Oh well. ~~Don't worry, he has plenty of ego to spare.~~]

Definitely not. I'm very adaptable. I've even been picking up a little magic - I never thought I'd be saying that! [He chuckles again.

Then he changes subjects to suggest:] I'd go with layers if I were you. Tu Vishan used to migrate on a regular schedule so we got mostly normal seasons, but now that we're drifting... We could run into just about anything. You'll want a flexible wardrobe.

(Maybe he should start by defining those things. The closest thing to scientists in Westeros are Maesters.)

What sort of magic? (She quirks a brow and gives him closer look.) You remind of the Maesters, though you wear no chain.

(Nodding faintly, she moves to the seamstress and politely asks the layout of her shop. Where are the lighter and/or heavier fabrics etc..)

[Tony meanders through the shop more or less behind Alayne, occasionally reaching out to touch an interesting-looking fabric.]

Anton's teaching me sigils. A lot of the magic here people use is just, you know, say the magic word and wave your hands and snap your fingers and poof, magic happens. [He mimes some pseudo-magical gestures in a sarcastically dramatic fashion, obviously not having a very high regard for that sort of nonsensical sorcery.]

Sigils are much closer to what I'm used to. There's plenty I still don't understand about how they work, but they're basically magical equations. Not that different from physics or chemistry. [He raises an eyebrow.] What's a Maester?

I wouldn't understand that sort of magic. (The sigils are more comforting - as far as magic goes - because it's something she can see.) Are you showing care with your curiosities? I would hate for some disaster to befall you.

(She kneels and spreads out a dark purple fabric in her lap.)

Maesters are trained at the Citadel in Oldtown. Most of them become scholars or healers after graduating and they wear a chain composed of metal links. Each link symbolizes a field of their expertise. For example, silver means medicine and healing.

I don't get the hand-wavey kind either. If I had more data to work with... [He shrugs and dismissively waves his hand at all that hand waving. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Then he laughs.] Don't worry about me. I'm pretty good at dealing with disaster. [It's sort of his job. His job that he doesn't get paid for. Does superheroing count as a job? Maybe he can write his armor expenses off on his taxes...]

Uh, I don't really know anything about medicine and I haven't gone to college yet, but I guess a scientist is a sort of scholar? I'm more the hands-on kind of scientist than the paper-writing kind of scientist, though. I invent stuff, and then I build it.

[While Alayne is looking at dark fabrics, the more brightly-colored ones have caught Tony's interest. He critically eyes a vibrant crimson blouse-ish shirt thing. That's totally his color. It even has gold trim. He wonders if he could get away with that kind of Renaissance Faire getup, or if Gene would just laugh at him.]

The possibilities seem endless. I pray you encounter someone who can give you the information you seek.

(She gives him a wry smile, pulling out a dark blue fabric and holding it against the purple.)

Do not regret your words. (How many times has she been forced to eat her words, after all? And each time hurt.) What have you invented aside from your armor?

(No, she has no idea how complex his armor happens to be. She is imagining knightly armor.

His attention catches her notice and she rises, expression thoughtful.)

If those colors please you, I could stitch you a shirt. I need only your measurements.

[Tony spends a couple seconds trying to figure out how to concisely describe any of his inventions to someone from Ye Olden Times, and comes up empty-handed.] ...There probably won't be anything you're familiar with, if your world is pre-industrial. But I'll take you by Stark Industries sometime [when they let him back in] and show you the kind of stuff I've worked on here.

[At Alayne's offer to sew him a shirt, Tony looks down, and plucks at the ratty red t-shirt he's wearing. After several months of nearly constant wear, it is looking pretty threadbare.] Yeah, sure. That'd be great. [He hadn't really been in the market for new clothes, with money as tight as it is, but he can spare a couple juulan to help Alayne get her sewing business started.]

(There's his name again. She quickly looks away at the mention of "Stark Industries", her mind screaming at her to tell him the truth.

I am Sansa Stark; not Alayne Stone. Why am I still lying when he isn't around?

But she knows the reason. Petyr - Father - could arrive at any moment. As could those who mean her nothing but harm. Thus the farce continues.)

I would like that very much. (She gives him a smile, polite and warm.) Consider it a gift for being so helpful. I only need enough Juulan for fabric and thread.

[Tony smiles back.] Great! I'll let you know when... some stuff gets worked out. [His expression gets gloomy for a second, but then he pins the smile back in place, trying not to let himself brood about SI in front of Alayne.]

And it's okay, I'll pay for the shirt. I'll feel like a total jerk ripping you off when you just got here. [He laughs.] Don't worry about it - I'm not that broke. [He is, actually, but he'd never admit it. He's temporarily poor, but he's not Poor, ya know? He's Tony Stark.]

Edited 2015-01-11 16:48 (UTC)

Is all well? (She moves to face him, expression concerned.) I do not think you are a...jerk.

(Her polite rhetoric has a hard time acquiring words like "jerk".)

I wasn't offering because I thought you were broke. I offered because you have been kind to me.

I... don't own Stark Industries. Or work there. Anymore. It's complicated. [Even that much comes out reluctantly. Tony obviously doesn't want to talk about it.]

Anyway, you don't have to give me free stuff just because I'm nice to you. [He smiles again.] If you're going to be starting a sewing business or service or whatever, you should charge what your time and skills are worth. [His good humor seems to have returned, and he adds cheekily,] Friends don't let friends undervalue their labor.

[That's like, the number one rule of capitalism. Trust him. He's the best at capitalism.]

Then it should be given a different name. (She'll leave it at that.) You sound like a skilled merchant. Should I expect the same treatment from you should I require any of your services?

(She knows this game all too well.)

[Yeah, it would have taken a little bit of the sting out of it if the kedan had at least changed the name. The gall of taking his company and his lab and all his equipment, and refusing to hire him back, and still calling it Stark Industries...!

But Tony just shrugs and grunts noncommittally, hoping to drop the subject of SI for now. It's still a sore point, and bitching about it has only brought him merciless excoriation from every corner, so these days he mostly tries to suffer in silence.

Her next question throws him off. Again. She seems really good at that. It's getting a little uncanny.]

Uh... [Dangit, Alayne, he was trying to be all chivalrous and stuff! Is there any way to respond to that doesn't sound either greedy or like he's trying to give her pity charity?] How about a trade? If you need anything from me, you can pay me back by helping me smarten up my wardrobe. Then maybe Gene won't sigh and roll his eyes every time I get dressed.

(That's the sort of thing she knows all too well. He has her support and sympathy if he ever chooses to divulge the truth of the matter to her.)

Fair. (She decrees, giving him a curious smile at the mention of Gene.) Are you and Gene close? It is truly none of my business, but if he should ever need something stitched or sewn, I wouldn't mind doing it.

(She knows she needs to keep her hands busy or else her mind will wander.)

I would rather keep busy than sit idle. (Boredom used to be the reason why she sought activities, but now it's because of the nightmares that seem to haunt her every step.)

Sure, I'll let him know. And yeah, we've got a hotel room together. We're... dating, I guess.

[Wow, that feels weird to say. One, because it feels inadequate for describing whatever the hell they have with each other, and all the associated baggage. Two, because he's half-convinced that saying it out loud will instantly summon an apoplectic Howard from across the multiverse.]

I get what you mean about sitting around, though. Sometimes I feel like I'm going crazy being boxed up in the hotel all day. [He's been applying himself to sigil studies and the occasional appliance repair with almost ferocious dedication, since it's literally all he has to do a lot of the time.]

Dating...? (It's not a term she is familiar with, though she finds the answer for herself.) Do you mean you are courting...each other?

(A man would generally court a lady and she doesn't want to assume either of them are taking on a feminine role. Society didn't prepare her for this.)

I used to feel that way in...the Eyrie...when the snow was so thick we couldn't go outside.

(Not Winterfell. I wasn't there.)

Edited 2015-01-20 10:43 (UTC)

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highprofilerichkid - 2015-01-20 17:27 (UTC) - Expand

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