5147/Brain Burrowing

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Brain Burrowing
Date of Scene: 10 August 2018
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Tony checks in with Jessica about her telepathy problem. Sort of.
Cast of Characters: Iron Man, Spider-Woman (Drew)




Iron Man has posed:
    Tony Stark has been entirely missing since the big battle in Mexico. Some have speculated he's been vacationing quietly. That, of course, is absolute nonsense: Tony doesn't 'vacation' quietly. He could have been injured: but that's also a no, because he's never injured quietly either. Being out of communication means he was buried in some project, most likely in Stark Tower. So him surfacing randomly in a hallway of the Avenger's mansion suggests he's fully back from whatever fancy took him for over a week.

    Dressed casually - jeans, electric orange custom athletic shoes, short sleeved navy shirt with orange striped detailing - Tony's relaxed on this Friday afternoon, standing in the upper residence hallway. He has a crowd of little cleaning robots around him near his legs, and is scanning each one into a hand-held device. And, of course, talking to them.

    "You're saying that's a hammer dent? What were you doing in the way of his hammer?" Tony chides the one he's attending to with a crushed side.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Jessica, too, had been missing since the battle in Mexico. For some days, no one knew where she was, until Kal found her in the Dominican Republic. And for the next handful of days, only a select few knew of her return.

Her first day returning to the mansion, however, would prove to be anything but low-key. Running into Tony was like running into your boss when you're trying to slip in an hour late for work.

Or a week.

"Oh...Hiya Boss," Jessica offers in a chipper and friendly manner. "How's it ah--uh, goin'?"

Iron Man has posed:
Having access to all security records SHOULD make Tony one of those people that's aware. And maybe he is. But if she expected to be called out on it, it isn't happening. "Still 'Tony'," Tony corrects in amusement without looking up. "I'm great, no hammer blows to my head," he answers her question smoothly. The robot he's looking at, with the hammer blows, makes a sad noise. Tony smirks, keying something into his datapad and then waving off four of the little robots. They trundle off down the hallways dutifully with their new software. He finishes quickly with the others.

Tony actually then looks up and over to her now, taking her in with a sweep of his intelligent, sharp gaze. He then turns that look to his watch (or the technological thing that counts as a watch). "Hey, did you eat? Late lunch, my treat," Tony invites in his offhand manner that assumes agreement.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"Not yet, n--Okay," Jessica agrees dutifully. Get to work after a week off, immediately take a lunch break. This, she can handle.

"Actually, I'm starving, now that I think about it. Is reminding people to eat part of your job description, now?" She laughs, pulling at her pale yellow shrug jacket self-consciously. Even dressed casually, Tony outclasses her best black tanktop and yoga pants ensemble. Yellow shrug notwithstanding.

Iron Man has posed:
"I think being the boss means I have the luxury to decide my job description on the fly," Tony replies, with a slight yawn and sweeping geture of hand. "But no, this one was my assistant reminding me to eat," Tony says, flipping the device around to show her. There is, indeed, at text at the top of the screen with a helpful 'Don't forget lunch!' on it. "So it's usually part of /hers/." A grin is flashed. The dented robot near his leg beeps a little, and Tony addresses it: "Go get that upper dome and set of thrusters replaced. And your audio sensor; I've said this three times." He winks at Jessica, starting towards the elevator. "So hard to make good help these days, when everyone's bashing them apart. That /does/ include me, I admit." Tony looks at her. "Greek?"

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"Sure! A gyro sounds DIVINE right now. I've been craving one for days, I dunno why..." She slips off her little yellow jacket, and stuffs it into her workout backpack, instead pulling out a sheer floral wrap that somewhat disguises her workout attire as yoga-chic. "So even supergeniuses have their flaws. They must be reminded to eat. Wonders never cease..."

Iron Man has posed:
"Divine, huh. I do know a place that fits that description, fortunately," Tony says, slowing just a little to take in her fiddling and self-consciousness with her attire. "...You look fine, it's not black tie," Tony says, in an observant but unconcerned manner. "You believed I had no flaws? ...Huh." The amused smile lingers. "That was even without me /trying/ to be amazing."

The elevator opens immediately for Tony, as he steps in and does a few quick motions on the surface of the tablet. A sharp eye will notice he's called his car to be out front, and is also doing some diagnostics on something entirely unrelated to lunch. Multitasking.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"Oh GOOD. I was pretty stressed that I left my black tie at home," Jessica chides playfully. She watches Tony as he tinker with his tablet and multitasks all the way down. "Your mind never stops, does it? It's like...not /what/ you're doing, but what /else/ you're doing." She laughs, shaking her head. "I think my brain moving that fast would wear me out in no time."

She steps off the elevator, watching to make sure he is at least quasi-finished with his task at hand before continuing.

"Do those little cleaning guys have AI coded into them to the point of emotion? Or is it just feigned for dramatic effect?" It's a question she's always had in the back of her mond, but never considered actually asking until now.

Iron Man has posed:
"Never stress about /that/. We have some incredible loaners around here just in case," Tony replies with a smile at his tablet that curves the side of his goatee roguishly. "If you're suggesting I work all the time ... you're right. I do." He feigns innocence (poorly), and uses a hand to hold the door of the elevator as she steps out.

"You're asking if the cleaning robots have extensive AI? Some of them do. Most of them were for other projects and were repurposed as different models were needed," Tony says, shrugging, and rubbing an itch along his cheek with a finger. He's stopped staring at the tablet at least, though he's accosted by several assistants on their way through the main floor towards the front. He's as mercurial as always with the answers while maintaining his conversation with Jessica. "I don't like shelving them," Tony says, with a brief little smile that is a window to something beyond just being flash and show. "So they stick around."

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
A bright smile slowly spreads across Jessica's face, with a dawning of recognition. "You're attached to them. They're sort of like pets for you, aren't they?" She shakes her head slightly. "Well I guess I can't blame you. I'm guessing you designed each one from the ground up. They're your creations."

There is a brief and subconscious glance at his chest, remembering the glow beneath his shirt, and the day that Josh Foley tried to heal Tony, only to find more than he bargained for. It has deeper implications. Much deeper. But those are things best left for another time. If ever.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony snorts, with a wrinkle of his nose at her assessment about him being attached to them. "Well, why do the work over again when you can repurpose parts?" Yeah, sure, Tony. "But yes, they're things I've made. I still have my first robots, my first suits, at the Tower," Tony chuckles. "Good idea to remember where you've been, before you look where you're going."

    He watches her from the side of his eye as she looks at his chest, and like many things, doesn't dodge it, but moves a hand up to rap three fingers against the strange plate under his shirt. It makes a hard plastic sound. "Some things remind us more often than others," Tony chuckles ruefully. "Things we go through, and are better for it." He doesn't stare or watch her, but does clear his throat, looking around the lobby. Leadership stuff, but 'feels' are always hard for him. "How're you holding up, from Mexico? For real." Serious tone, if a bit awkward.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"Oh, I'm fine," Jess responds quickly. As much so as his knee-jerk responses to similar questions in the past. "Business as usual, y'know? Had a little run-in with some of the cyborgs that have been running rampant of late. Coney Island, of all places. But I suspect it was a targeted attack, rather than a chance brush with them." Her brow is a little furrowed at the thought, as though perhaps something more unsettling may have just come to light. She pulls out her phone and rapid fires off a single text before slipping it again into an outside pocket on her workout bag.

"How have things been here?" It's a telling question, in light of the fact that she also doesn't know that Tony himself has been MIA since the battle.

Iron Man has posed:
A shrug follows from Tony, as he walks outside and raises a hand towards one of the security men at the front. The security officer wings the keys to Tony, who snares them out of the air and approaches the sleek black Lambo they're going to be using for the little food trip. "Quiet, far as I know. I've been working at my Tower." In those terms, he means Stark Tower, not Avengers Tower, even if both are technically his. "New suit," Tony says, with a self-satisfied little quirk of brows, and a bright quality that can enter his eyes when he's talking about his own new tech.

"You're fine then? Good to hear. I know you had some weirdo burrowing into your mind; we have resources for it. Just say the word. Avenger perks," Tony says as the doors slide up on the sports car.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Jessica slides into the passenger seat of the car, looking around at the machine in wonder. "I didn't know these things actually existed outside of the HotWheels size," she muses, taking in the wonders of what money can buy. But as Tony takes his seat, her tack changes a bit. "What kind of resources could there /possibly/ be, for someone burrowing into your brain?"

Iron Man has posed:
"Allies that know /far/ more about it than I do," Tony replies. "And also just people to talk to. If that's useful to you and you don't like the whole telepath thing. I don't care for them much overall, but there's an expert or two I can source. They are pretty private about it." But Tony knows everybody. The car pulls out under Tony's light direction, suggestive of various alterations probably made to the car by the inventor.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"No, I certainly have no love for telepaths...no matter what their supposed intentions," Jessica states flatly. "I really think I'm all right. I took a little time, and mended. But if I see I need it, you'll be the first to know. I don't need something like that lingering and causing errors in judgment when I least expect it. Or need it."

Iron Man has posed:
"Good, then. I like being first. Gives all those.... what do ordinary people call them? ... warm fuzzies?" Tony teases, though since there's a stoplight, he appraises her. It doesn't last, he gives her a quick nod, accepting that the case is closed and he did good. But it isn't like Tony doubts himself: it isn't like leading the Avengers is all that difficult for /him/. "Helps with the whole 'knowing everything' thing." The stoplight changes, and the car forges forward. He's not a wildly dangerous driver, but lends aggressive and fast. They make great time to the restaurant.