1322/Make An Avenger Out Of You

Make An Avenger Out Of You
Date of Scene:	06 July 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	The 411 on the Young Avengers project, including a potential 10-20, and advice on how to beat the odds so you end up even. Note: Tony also knows how to give you an anxiety attack at the drop of a helmet.
Cast of Characters:	87, Iron Man

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Vorpal (87) has posed:
"... and so your contact basically told us it would be a privately-funded initiative, nothing involving SHIELD or anything like that. I'm not trying to cast shade on any of your associates, but you know... shapeshifters, illusionists, that sort of thing being a *thing* in today's world... I hope I don't offend by asking to hear it from the horse's mouth midstream, if you know what I mean?"

The Cheshire cat is sitting comfortably on the chair, albeit his posture makes him look just a little more lackadaisical than he'd want to come across- mostly because he still hasn't quite mastered the art of sitting down with a tail correctly, and he leaves a little space for it behind him. Thus, he ends up sittin closer to the edge, but leaning back. It works for him, though, but it probably would look better if he had sunglasses on an were strumming a guitar.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony is reclining in his own leatherbound chair, sneakered feet upon a desk that costs more than the average New Yorker's salary for the year. He isn't wearing his sunglasses at least, and dark eyes are watching the cat intently, though a hint of a smile plays upon his face here and there. "Right," he begins, "Now.. who gives you a compass? Private funding and all..." Brows rise and he gestures to the side with a hand, "Like, how intent are you to keep your financier happy. Strings are a difficult business. Private strings, even more."

Feet are pulled from the desk and they land on the floor in order to have Tony rise from his spot and take the short distance towards the bar. "Drink?" is offered quickly before he gets back to business. "At least with a government agency, you can reasonably predict which way they'd jump. Granted, I've gotten them a little mad at me every once in a while, but it's calculated. Risk and reward." He reaches for the scotch on the shelf and unstoppers the crystal with a soft *pop* and pours three fingers worth into a small tumbler. "How willing are you to be unpopular?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"I'm not old enough, water will do." Truth be told, even if he were old enough, it's probably not a wise idea to give alcohol to the Cheshire Cat. Tommy knows this, it's why he resists the temptation. "Thanks!"

He reaches for his glass and his ears perk. "Unpopular? By what measure of unpopular? I mean, I don't mind making tough choices people aren't happy because it's the right thing to do. But I'm not into being an ass for being an ass' sake."

He takes a drink and pauses. "Okay. MOST of the time. We all have our bad days, right?"

Iron Man has posed:
Tony nods, and uses the sprayer nozzle in the bar to fill a glass with some carbonated water, adding a couple of ice cubes to it for good measure. Once filled, he wanders back over towards the desk and hands off the newly filled glass and keeps his as he perches on the edge of the desk. "Unpopular. As in, 'your financeer wants you to do one thing, and whatever 'right' you feel wants you to do another. Which, by the way, begs the question, whose 'right' are you working with? General mankind? Mutant-kind? Are you willing to make the hard decisions and potentially work against the US? Against Russia? Because you're going to catch hell for it no matter what you do. Which is why, by the way, it's not a bad run of PR to bill yourselves under us." Avengers, that is.

Tony grins at that last and 'salutes' with his glass. "Here's to being an ass just because you can." Which then begs the next question, "So, who have you got on your lineup?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Weeeell," Vorpal toys with his gass, causing the ice to clink around, "In my short life I've come to the theory that if something that is 'right' for you entails screwing someone else, it isn't really 'right', it's just 'convenient.' I'm for the right that involves screwing over people who are screwing people over while they call it the 'right' thing to do. Is that good enough?" He grins and salutes with his glass.

"Rory Sakura and I are in for sures. I've got two candidates I know might be interested- Beast Boy, and there's Starfire. I have met her briefly before, and I think she'd be quite a fearless addition. I have also heard about a certain winged alien that was spotted a week or so ago. I'm planning on investigating that and see if I can entice them to join this merry band. We are, largely, mostly very very very unusual. I hope that's not an image problem."

Iron Man has posed:
"See, problem is, it's never that clear cut, and if you think it is? You're not seeing the whole picture. But, at the end of it all, you have to go in and make your call and hope like hell it's the right one." Tony empties his glass and slides it a couple of inches away from him as an underscore. "You just better have someone around who can spin a good story."

Tony leans back a little now, still perched, and crosses his arms before him, listening to the count now. "Okay," and he lets his voice trail off. "Unusual isn't always bad, but it's going to start you off with a liability; getting people to trust you easily. Even the Avengers have regular joes."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"I'm afraid I don't easily attract regular joes." Vorpal gestures to himself, "I think it' the freak factor. We freaks tend to gather together. I mean, I guess I could put up an advert, but asking for someone who doesn't have odd pigmentation, extra appendage or those things might come across as... the total opposite of what we want to come across as!"

He sits up, resting his forearms on the desk. "If you've got any candidates in mind, I'm listening. We also need to talk about how leadership works around here... do we need a leader? Or we just report directly to you? Are we staying in one of the penthouses or are we eventually moving to our own place? Mostly finer stuff, but that sort of stuff helps when potentials ask for details."

Iron Man has posed:
"I don't have any candidates in mind," is given with a shake to his head. Tony gains his feet and looks consideringly at the younger man as he takes the couple of steps towards the plate glass that shows the city in remarkable view. "If you don't, though, you're going to find it really hard to shrug off the 'freak' knee-jerk unless you do a whole lot of cat saving and baby kissing. Seriously. Yeah, I know that Avengers aren't really a bunch of time-clock punching regular joes, but we do have our front-liners." Like him. "You need to get a face.

"And as far as leadership?" Shoulders lift in a shrug. "I'll be happy to feed you work, and I can give you a floor in the Tower, but that doesn't give you use of my Penthouse. We'll get you a place built; give you something like the Avengers Mansion." So, eventually moving into their own place. "For the time being, though, if you're using the Avenger name, there's going to be some accountability. It's all on whether or not you want to annoy SHIELD. If you do, I'm all for being where the buck stops, but don't screw me. If you want to play nice, you can talk to Cap and he can keep you all reined in and playing nice with freedom and democracy."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Right, then. On the agenda: Find a 'face'" the cat says, a hint of annoyance iin his voice, "Though I happen to think our faces are perfectly fine as they are. I guess it's too much to expect that the whole 'fighting for a better tomorrow' thing be accomplished while looking like some of the people who need that better world," he says with a slight smirk, "Baby steps, I guess. I'll try to find some gee-golly-willikers kid who looks like he came out of a Norman Rockwell painting and give him a shield to swing, that'll make people happy." Of course, he's teasing.

He's an illusionist, he could totally look like that, though.

"Don't think we're going to be the reckless cannons just because we're young. We don't plan on doing anything terribly irresponsible. Cap would be a good cornerstone to touch to keep all of our heads cool."

He thinks for a moment, and then adds "I'm okay with a house. Just... not a Young Avengers Frathouse." Because they are all college-age or getting that way. He's heard things about Tony's sense of humor, and he's trying to anticipate. Just in case.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony puts a hand up to forestall any real argument, adding, "That's just for PR. You want people to be able to trust you, and you don't want to have to start behind an 8-ball on the get-go." Another shrug brings his shoulders up, and he chuckles, "Why do you think we used Cap as a front man ourselves? How could anyone think we had anything other than everyone's best interests in mind. Captain freaking America is there. America's sweetheart. With him, you better believe it was a whole lot easier to sneak Black Widow under the radar. No one gives her a second glance." He offers a smile and takes the step back to his desk to retrieve his glass before heading back to the bar.

"You seriously don't want a Young Avengers Frathouse? Really? All the girls will be flocking to the place; pretty little coeds.. if that's your style. If not, I'm sure there's plenty of others more than happy to make their mark." Tony pulls the stopper from his crystal decanter and pours more scotch, stoppering it again with a *clink*. "I'm not going to give you a curfew, and if you're all in and asleep by midnight, I'm going to be very disappointed."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"You're sneaky. I like that," Tommy drains the last of his water, "Remind me to never let you talk to my parents. Incidentally, they have NO idea, and I intend to keep it that way for a bit until I've got some cred. It'll be easier that way. I mean, it can't possibly worse than when I came out of the closet to them."

"And speaking about that, some of the others might be into that, but frat boys just aren't my thing. I like a guy who can bench press me -and- know his way around a book. I'm not sure that a major in making bad decisions is what I'm looking for in a boyfriend."

He stands up and smirks, "Don't sweat it, I usually don't get back until three a.m. Anything else I need to know before I go and find us our poster boy slash poster girl?"

Iron Man has posed:
"I'm not sneaky. I'm smart. I know what the public needs before they know it, and what they want long before they know it. That includes government." Tony steps around the bar to lean there, his glass held easily. "And, you may not want to hear it, but some parents actually think it's better to be some sort of vigilante hero than gay. Or.. something other than what they think you should be. At least you're doing something they approve of. Big difference between 'being' and 'doing'."

Tony takes a swallow of the scotch, and it's half gone in the first go. "Okay, 3 am? You're in charge, then. You have to be able to have fun or you'll never finish out a month." He shakes his head, and the last bit is finished off. "Find a good face; think Cap. And I'll be sure to change the passcodes. You all will be on Floor 75. No higher. You won't have access. When you start moving in, I'll have Jarvis show you around. You'll have a gym, a cafeteria, and I'll make sure you've got some sort of landing pad. That'll take a couple of weeks."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
There's a lot of Tony talking abot gyms, cafeterias, having fun, but Vorpal only half hears of it. He hasn't heard anything fully after 'You're in charge.' He does the handshake with Tony, he walks out of the office, forgettinng immediately anything that may have been pointed to him right after that. Down the elevator, out the lobby, out through the streets, he doesn't really notice the looks of curiosity people give him until he's out on the sidewalk.

Then he reacts, turns around to face the tower, and says in a high, rather tight voice "Wait! What! No!- dear god, what have I done?"