video | un: iron.man

[buildsomething]

[The video opens on a very nice view of a warehouse ceiling, at least until there's a muffled curse offscreen and it tilts to reveal one Tony Stark. He's practically vibrating with the kind of manic energy that means he's been working for possibly too long, all hair standing on end and a few dark smudges on his face, but he looks pleased at least. Just behind him is a glowing blue hologram picking out the lines of something circular, spinning lazily like it was hurriedly abandoned.]

So hey, you all know those power plants out there in yonder abandoned wasteland? Sure you do. I know there's one working, but I've got some ideas for how to give the other ones a good kick. Thing is, I could use an extra hand.

[The metal arm that's been slowly rolling along behind him suddenly straightens and twists in Tony's direction, claw at the front contracting. Without looking back, Tony just snorts.] Not you. [The arm droops, somehow giving the impression of looking disappointed, but continues his trek to wherever he thinks he's going.]

Anyway, yes. Manpower needed. Preferably the kind that knows it's way around a welding iron, but I'll take what I can get. Oh, and a metric shitload of palladium. So if anybody's got a spare catalytic converter or twenty, let me know.

[He reaches for the phone, then pauses, something slightly sardonic flicking across his mouth.]

Or if one of you magic types wants to straw-into-gold me up some, I'll take that too.

Thanks in advance.

[Looking much more satisfied, he reaches the rest of the way to cut the feed.]

Comments

@ciscodelamancha | video

[franciscoramon]

[ Cisco responds quickly, the video showing him in his own workshop, safety goggles pushed up onto his head. He is craning his neck, looking at something off-screen, and it's an awkward moment or two before he speaks. ]

I've got uhhhhh... three catalytic converters on hand, but one of 'em is pretty busted. I can keep an eye out for 'em next time I go scavenging, though. There's loads of old cars out in the abandoned city. And, um, I've actually got a stock of palladium, but I should probably hold onto that unless it's, like, an absolute emergency.

[ It had taken a great deal of time and effort, to collect as much of it as he has, and it's an important component in a lot of the things he designs and builds for work. He's generous and wants to help, but he's not crazy. ]

And obvs, you know, my manpower is your manpower. Just lemme know what you need and I'm there.

[buildsomething]

Doesn't matter if they work, so long as the palladium is viable. Probably not a life or death thing so hold on to your stash, but good to know.

[He lifts his fingers to his forehead in an amused kind a salute.]

Come on over some time and I'll show you the blueprints, you can see what you think.

[franciscoramon]

It should be viable. I'll bring 'em when I come to see the blueprints. I've got another scavenging trip planned with Rey for the weekend, think you can wait for some more until then? We can probably get at least 7 or 8, depending on the weather and how lucky we get.

[ He can get more of the actual details in person, but that doesn't stop Cisco from being curious enough that he wants to ask a few questions right now. ]

Were you planning on restarting the other plants all at once, or one by one?

[ Starting all of them at the same time is absurdly ambitious... unless there's a particular reason Tony wants to do it that way. ]

[buildsomething]

Yeah, I'm in no real rush. I mean, other than being in the zone, but you know how that is.

[Cisco more than almost anyone else, really.]

One at a time. Need to make sure this is even gonna work and not, like, implode the entire moon or anything.

[He's probably exaggerating.]

[franciscoramon]

What? Are you in the zone right now? Totes couldn't tell.

[ There's a touch of humor in the way Cisco says it, but the kind of humor that comes from understanding, from personal experience. Cisco does indeed know how that is, and he's sure that when he is consumed with a particular new idea, he appears every bit as intense as Tony does right now. ]

Okay, whew, good, one at a time is so way better but I didn't wanna say that until I was sure you weren't planning some kind of crazy dangerous chain-reaction gambit.

[ A moment more of consideration and Cisco says: ]

How 'bout I come by in half and hour and you can tell me the plan?

[ And if he just happens to bring Tony some food at the same time along with those converters, it will just be out of convenience. After all, how many times has Eddie had to do that for him? Swung by his workshop and deposited a salad directly in Cisco's face so he doesn't live off Red Vines, coffee, and adrenaline for three days straight. ]

[buildsomething]

I do occasionally enjoy the crazy-dangerous, but no. Not when I'm playing with things that could conceivably put a hole in the moon if I do it wrong.

[He might be overstating things, but not by much.]

How about tomorrow? I think Sam's coming over to force me to eat something. It's like he thinks I won't feed myself.

[What's up with that, right?]

[franciscoramon]

Probably a good call. Gotta have limits. And if you ask me, no need to go making crazy-dangerous situations, since a lot of the time the crazy-dangerous comes and finds you all on it's own.

[ Even in this place, away from villains like the Reverse Flash and Zoom, things manage to get interesting in a life-threatening way more often than Cisco would like, thanks. He's glad that, despite his obvious zeal for this idea, Tony is taking safety into consideration.

He also smiles when he realizes that Sam had literally the exact same idea that he had. It's good, knowing Tony has people looking out for him, that it's not Cisco or nothing. Cheerfully he replies: ]

Tomorrow's perfect, see you then.