April 19, 2018:
Owen summons Danny to Stark towers to try out the new suit. Danny doesn't make it past the lobby before Tony picks him up and tags along.
Stark Towers
Characters
![class="image1"](http://cmbeta.wdfiles.com/local--resized-images//class="image1"/medium.jpg)
NPCs: Sirin, Buzz
Mentions: Jane Foster, Emery Papsworth, Danielle Moonstar, Amanda Waller
Plot:
Mood Music: [*\# None.]
Fade In…
Keeping his hands busy has been Owen's number one priority for the last week. If his hands are busy and he can keep his mind on whatever it is he's working on then it helps pass the time. And now that he's officially trying to kick his heroin habit passing the time has become a full time job. Thankfully Danny dropped a project in his lap, or rather Owen volunteered himself for one, either way he's been mostly holed up in a lab at Stark tower with random deliveries arriving each day.
Currently dressed in a pair of ripped jeans, a rather grubby plain black tee shirt and a welding mask Owen has something that looks like body armor cobbled together on a mannequin. Pointed at Reginald, the helpless and much abused Danny stand-in are a series of flamethrowers. The music in the lab drowns out Owen's first attempt at vocally triggering the flames.
"Sarah!" Owen flaps his hands trying to get the gesture to turn down the music while mis-calling for the AI, who knowing exactly whom he means but refusing to be called so plebian a name doesn't respond.
"Siri!" Owen tries again, more frustrated, but at least more audible as the music level finally responds and decreases.
"Really? Are you already too drunk to remember my name? I thought you saved that trick for your more amorous connections."
Growling at the disenbodied voice Owen calls, "Whatever Sushi. Can you just turn on the flamethrowers, sixty percent capacity, sixty second burst?" Grabbing a pack of cigarettes, Owen makes his way over to light one and take a close, probably too close look at how the armor performs under heat.
*
Nothing in Danny Rand's life happens the easy way. Or the normal way. A man with his resources could have surely gotten a suit made by someone NOT currently trying to kick a heroin habit, but what fun is that? Strangely, Danny has to be more careful going to Stark Tower than some random apartment in Hell's Kitchen. People around this part of the city tend to recognize CEOs and a Rand at Stark Tower could easily spark rumours in the business world.
That's why Danny doesn't pull up in a black sedan. Instead, he takes the subway, dressed in nondescript jeans, t-shirt and a military style jacket with a gray hoodie underneath. He looks about as reputible as the first time he set foot inside Rand Headquarters as an adult.
He's not sure it's a good idea to check in with reception, so instead he texts Owen, « In the lobby. Where should I go? »
*
This is when Danny Rand. Ninja. CEO. Laberdoodle. Will find a man peering over his shoulder. He's not dressed like a CEO. Jeans. T-shirt. Sunglasses. The beard is cut /just/ right though. As it always is. And the grin on his face is sharp and amused enough to cut steel.
He's also unabashedly looking at Danny's screen.
"Huh." Says the man. "So /you're/ the one that Owen is making a suit for that he doesn't think I know about." He adds with a flash of a grin as he looks up towards Danny.
"He's on the fourteenth floor. Setting things on fire I think. Come on. I'll take you on up."
…this is how Tony Stark. Billionaire, Genius, Playboy, Philanthropist…introduces himself. "Because you looking like that in my lobby is making security nervous. Come on." The man himself says as he just starts strolling towards the elevators.
*
Lighting a cigarette by leaning into a flamethrower is normally fine. Unless you just mouthed off to a sassy AI with more of a mean wit than most would expect. The flame flares up and nearly takes his eyebrows or beard stubble. He backs away and glares at the walls as if they are to fault for his nearly singed face.
"Funny, funny." He would continue grumbling but he's interrupted by his phone buzzing. "Shit. Sirin, can you unlock the back elevator for Danny Rand. And keep his visit to just like Tony and Pepper levels…" there is no response. Owen sighs. "Please?"
"Don't worry, it looks like he's getting a personal escort upstairs…"
Of course this does make Owen worry but he just grouses and goes about reading measurements and readouts from the sensors on Reggie. His smoking in the lab has just become somewhat accepted though there is a bot hovering about him sucking in he smoke to filter the air. Writing down notes in an honest to goodness paper notebook, despite the millions of dollars of technology that surround him that are perfectly capable of recording everything in a wide variety of ways.
*
Given Danny's admittedly sharp ninja reflexes, Tony's lucky he doesn't get a broken nose for his trouble. Having fast reflexes also means stopping said impulses from kicking in. Instead, he just sort of tenses and looks at Tony with wide eyes. It takes a second for things to go click-click-click. "Uh. Hi. What? Oh. I, um." He turns a little bit pink. "….okay."
R And like a good labradoodle, he follows Tony towards the elevator.
*
"Hi back!" Comes Stark's chipper reply as he ushers Danny into the glass and steel of the elevator. "Imagine my suprise when I found out that Danny Rand, CEO of one of my biggest rivals, just strolled into my building." He drawls out for a second. "Eh not really rivals, I mean you don't do the supertech I do. But still. Most other owners would have you thrown out or something. Me…I'm just curious…"
The grin continues. "Then I remember that Owen is making a suit, and it all starts coming together." Stark fills the air with his voice. Its really what he does.
When the elevator opens onto the 14th floor Stark strolls out into the lab. "Hey Owen! Your guest is here!" He calls out almost imeadeatly. Warning Owen that the jig is indeed up, but that the mercurial head of the Stark name…really doesn't seem to care.
He let Jane build Daredevil's suit here after all.
The little drone around Owen's head buzzes round furiously though trying to soak up all the ciggerate fumes. The little guy seems to care more about the fire safety protocol than basically any of the other people here.
*
And for the second time in his brief tenure here Owen is caught in Stark's lab by Tony himself. How does that seem to keep happening? Well. It's really more surprising that Owen gets away with it for more than thirty minutes, but still. Owen of course doesn't show any surprise on his face, and he offers a cheery smile.
"Oh good! You've met. I figure there's some secret billionaires club yer both a part of that involves like bathing in champagne with super hot french models, so you probably know each other well."
He glances back at the suit and for a brief moment considers trying to play it off as being for him, but nah. "Not quite there yet. But close. Sirin, sweetheart? Can you drop the glass and pop a couple caps in Reggie here?" Taking off his welding helmet, which was not doing much good on top of his head anyway.
*
Danny seems content to let Tony fill the air with the sound of his voice. He'll use that time to go over the reprecussions of Tony Stark knowing that he needs a super suit. His inner Joy (not to be confused with his inner joy) is very loudly freaking out right now. "No, we do pharmecuticals, mostly," says the other billionaire - as if he didn't already know that. Rand does more than drugs, but that is the backbone of the business.
He enters the lab, looking quizzical, curious and cautious. "Uh, hi Owen. I tried to be inconspicuous because there's some people who'd freak out if they knew I was here." And some stocks, too.
*
"Well there is, but I'm not supposed to talk about it. I think Danny here was lost on a desert island somewhere when his initiation time came round." A pause. "Or was that Oliver Queen?" A pause. A shrug. "Eh whichever, Danny do you want to meet some hot french models that like to bathe in champagne? Cause I can arrange that." He tosses over his shoulder to the blonde that came with him on the elevator as he strolls on into the lab.
He doesn't seem all that bothered by the fact that Owen is here making some kind of super suit for someone that should /technicly/ have no business owning a super suit.
"I always think its adoreable when people think they can build stuff for people here without me finding out about it. Jane did it when she build Daredevil's." He says with a flash of a grin towards the pair of them. "But please, don't let me intrupt. Have fun."
At which point Sirin pipes up. "Of course Mister Owen!" At his request as the glass suddenly drops and a pair of automatic submachine guns pop out of the wall. "Where do ya want em, punk?"
Then a pause as Stark realises something. "You named the suit Reggie?"
*
Offended Owen looks at Stark askance. "What? No! I didn't name the suit Reggie! That's the dummy. Reginald. He's a former frat boy lacrosse player who enjoys shotgunning beers and wearing pastel shorts with no socks." Why does the mannequin have a backstory? Owen has been sober, well off heroin, so that's kind of a catchall explanation for a lot of things right now.
"Danny! Sorry. I probably shouldn't have had you come here but, well I figured Stark would find out anyway." He just shrugs at Tony like 'eh I tried, kind of'. "But I think Emery will like the suit." As an aside to Tony, "Emery is Danny's combat butler. Same guy who now has my flaming sword from earlier."
*
"Mr. Stark, you knew my parents. That's kind of weird." From someone else, that might come out as a quip. Danny looks actually a bit weirded out at being offered ladies and champagne from the guy he first met when he attended his first fundraiser as a preteen.
He's just kind of shell-shocked in general. "Yeah, um…" he looks between them both. "I just…" Damnit. He can't think up a good lie. How does Matt do it? How do all those superheroes with secret identities do it? So instead of dealing with that, he clamps onto, "Flaming sword? Is it mystical?"
*
Stark tilts his head to one side slightly. "Pastel shorts with no socks? This guy is just asking to get shot isn't he?" The inventor replies with a smirk as he shakes his head slightly. A smirk on his face as he waves Danny into the lab, though the man himself stays on the edge of things. He's perfectly happy just to observe for this one.
"Yeah well, welcome to the business, kid. Kinda weird describes just about everything that happens around here." The man has no shame in the least, so that look from Danny hardly fases him. Instead he fight flashes him a grin.
"Secret Identities are a bitch. Thats why I just did away with mine. That and I love being center stage, if anyone couldn't figure that one out already. As for Emery? Oh yeah. I'm gonna guess mystical. I mean he punched a demon. Not with the sword, just with him." A flash of a wicked grin. "He also gets really torqued off if you go into the kitchen while he's making breakfast."
A blink though.
"Wait? He's your butler too? Man that guy gets around. And no he's not mine, but he does do work for a friend of mine."
Meanwhile Sirin rolls out the guns, and they open fire on the poor dummy. Nine mil rounds flying at speed downrange to see what kind of damage they can do.
*
Speaking of secret identities, Owen just shrugs and exhales a plume of smoke before saying, "I had no shot. Too many arrests." He grumbles almost inaudibly, "Stupid Flash." But then perks up when the gunfire starts. He eagerly leans in to watch his creation.
And the suit holds up! .. mostly. There are a few weaker points and when a bullet tears into Reggie's arm Owen winces. He frowns and glances down at this own right arm, a bandage visible peaking out under the sleeve of his tee shirt. Boy that seems familiar.
"Right.. so need better protection in the underweave." The plate portions of the helmet and chest and forearms are all doing just fine. The underweave appears to not be consistent though, as some of it fairs well but obviously others don't. Idly Owen says, "Hmm.. maybe I should ask Jane what she uses…" And then dismissively "Naah."
"Wait? Mystical. Awww haaaail naw. I built that shit. Just good ol' Boomerang brand napalm with aerosol delivery mechanism and.." He realizes that he's starting to babble. Not that either of the two men present aren't prone to similar tendencies. "I don't touch that magic shit. Big ol' NOOOOPE."
*
In the corner of the lab is a large carboard box actually marked 'Magic Shit'
*
"Yeah, uh, I'm not sure how Emery finds time in the day." Part of it is, Danny knows, that he doesn't need to sleep. But he's smart enough (believe it or not) to not blab about that in mixed company.
He stays well back as the guns fire at the suit, wincing a little as the bullets bite in. "Please…maybe ask…whoever…Jane is?" He manages to sound both pleading and a little afraid. He touches his arm where that bullet would bite through if that had been him instead of a dummy named after a bro.
"So, um. You're not going to like..use this to hurt Rand stock or something, right?" he says to Tony. He's still learning the business world, but what he has learned for sure is that it seems that stock prices drop if hes' so much as seen sneezing in public. Rand probably couldn't bounce back like Stark Industries did after its CEO was revealed to be a superhero.
*
"Maybe he doesn't sleep," Does Tony know? Nope. But its the kind of thing he would say. Just to blow his own ignorance of the matter off in a way that says 'thats cool and all but I don't really care'.
To the suit, he does wince along with the other two as it gets ventilation holes that it totally should not have. However he lets Owen figure this one out on his own. Half to see if he can, half because he's pretty sure he would mostly ignore advice anyway.
"Yeah. Its dangerous, that magic. I mean the last time I messed with it I only punched a /tiny/ hole in the fabric of reality. I'm sure its fine." He drawls out for a moment before smirking towards Danny.
"Come on, kid. I don't care about the money. You keep your stocks and whatever." A pause. "If you want to do something for me to say thank you? Get Rand to start putting pressure on Roxxon and Trask. Just a little bit of a lean. Might slow the two of them down enough so I can figure out a way around their slave collar problem."
*
Owen almost corrects Tony that Emery does sleep, just in tiny bits and with lots of screaming. But .. well, not important and not really something to chat about.
"OH!" Owen's face lights up and he pulls out of his back pocket a flask. "Speakin of. I brought this for Jane and her ill advised magic poking experiments." Just because Owen thinks it's a terrible idea doesn't mean he's not going to help out with it. He opens the flask and sniffs it and then frowns. That smells a lot like whiskey. His eyes look to the side.. and then he reaches down and pulls a second flask from around his ankle. Setting the first aside, he opens and smells this one. "Thaaat's the one. But no drinking it… kind of summons some rape god." And then as if seeing the 'box of magic shit' for the first time Owen closes the flask and tosses it in there. Totally safe to leave that lying about in a flask. Great idea.
"Oh fuck me Trask." Owen grumbles and says, "Last thing I need is someone else turning off my powers. I mean.. not sure if they'd work on me, but not keen on finding out. Buncha dicks."
*
"The collars. Yeah. We've been having conversations about that. Some on the board want to come out with a strong statement against them and registration, but there's some who don't want us to say anything at all." Because in the world of business, there's some value to staying netural. Sometimes. Stay neutral on the wrong issue, and history doesn't remember you fondly. Danny sighs and steps in closer to the suit now that nothing's firing, to see if he can actually tell what the thing looks like.
"I think any step down that road is dangerous. Even if some people feel like it can be justified in the short term."
He eyes the box of magic miscellany, then looks down at his own clenched fist that is currently not glowing.
*
"They are working on full spectrum collars," Stark replies with a shake of his head. "Nuhuman, Inhuman, Mutant, if you give them enough time the'll figure anti-magic ones too. So don't wait too long." The inventor smiles wickedly just for a moment.
"Besides, you don't have to make a statement. All you have to do is buy some of their contracts out. I mean as long as its profitable, its just business right?"
His own comany is doing the same. Its something, something nice and quiet at least.
There is a pause though about the mention of a 'rape god summoning potion'. "…yeah I'll tell Jane, but she might have sworn off magic after the whole demon thing. Kinda puts a damper on all that sort of thing for most people. I'm sure Dani will want to know about it anyway." A pause. "…should I even ask where you got it?"
The inventor replies with a flash of a grin.
"Don't have to answer that."
*
"Well shit" Owen replies to the mention of the multiple types of collars. His weird pseudo-future memories from a different world (yeah) are of little help in telling how this thing shakes out. There are too many variables with timey-wimey crap. But at least he does understand a bit more about some of the current day tech thanks to alternate him not being a complete and utter fuck-nugget. "Dammit. If you've figured out some of this speed force crap, chances are they can too."
Tony starts talking buying out contracts. Owen's mind goes to more direct sabotage. Why isn't Waller interested? Shit. She's probably just a customer. Why sabotage and steal what she can just buy. Dammit. Owen's face darkens and stubs out his cigarette.
Where did he get it? Owen shrugs and says "Found it laying around. I drink in some fucked up places." This is all kind of true, technically he was drinking in the midst of a weird blood murder orgy when he found that.
"Like a recent demon thing? Cause last I saw she and Dani were all " and here Owen does a scary accurate Danielle Moonstar impression, suddenly straightening and getting a very serious and calm look on his face, "Perhaps we should throw magical shit together and see what quantum energies explode in our faces and drag New York to hell." Or something like that anyway.
*
Danny nods slowly. He really has been trying hard to figure out the company he's supposed to be running. He's been so deep in it, in fact, that he hasn't had many good dust-ups as of late. It's also given him renewed appreciation for the value of anonymity. "I'll look into it and see what we could buy out without raising too many eyebrows."
He side-eyes the box of unmentionables and unnamables and looks vaguely uncomfortable, like the whole thing is just sort of…radiating some bad chi. Which, if it has a terrible monster in a flask? It probably literally is. He stares at it for a moment, then blinks back at Owen. "So. Um. What did you want to show me? Does it need to be fitted?"
*
"That sounds just like her," Stark replies with a smirk towards Owen as he shakes his head. "Huh, well. I can't argue with you and fucked up places Owen."
Stark shakes his head then as he starts to turn. "Well I won't intrupt your fitting session. Just make sure you two don't blow up the floor. I'm almost three months without a floor blowing up and I want to make it to six."
He adds with a grin as he starts to stroll off. "Buzz!" The drone above Owen's head turns towards him. "Make sure they don't blow anything up."
Buzz looks extremely cross at this. HE IS TRYING TO PREVENT FIRES MAN!
…Tony doesn't seem to be bothered.
*
"Oh right! You're here. For a reason." Owen got distracted. Which is good, that's the whole point of this, or at least one of the points of this. He pulls out a second copy of the outfit that Reggie is currently modeling, it's all black for now, nothing painted up or finished.
"So. There's anti-facial recognition in the mask, it does well against heat, cold, electric and some small arms fire… though there's some work to be done there." He holds it up as if looking to see that it will fit Danny before laying it down on the table. "And the chest plate has some monitoring built in that transmits back to a base. I've been fiddling with making an app on unternet…" Hmm. Owen realizes now that he's been accidentally building a villain suit. Shit. Do heroes have a secure internet for sending information? "Which I'll have to switch. But for emergency beacon shit or just making sure you're not dead."
"But yea toss it on, run through some kata or forms or whatever. I want to make sure it moves well for you. I gave it a go but… well, I don't move like you." That's an understatement, even from the little that Owen has seen of Danny fighting.
When Tony mentions how spot on Owen's impression of Dani is, Owen gives a tight little smile. Yea. He has a lot of practice oddly. "I would just like to point out. I have not blown up a single floor here." One lab, a few drones and more than one very expensive pieces of equipment fine, but not whole floors.