[ Opening Mingle ]

[randomly_modding]

[Everyone will wake up suddenly, as if having drifted off -- while sitting upright in an uncomfortable office chair. In one hand they're holding the communicator, and in their lap is propped a clipboard with a job application (standard, looking something like this; it requests up to ten years of job history, ) and a pen. The waiting room is also fairly standard, except for being empty.]

[The communicator's lock screen reads, Complete the job application. Time limit, twenty-four hours.]

[There are magazines, fake plants, and computers. There's a staff lounge with food -- tupperware that might have belonged to some of these nonexistent workers, popcorn and cocoa packets, vending machines -- and restrooms. There are exits, but characters will be unable to use them... or make their own, or escape in any way.]

[So the characters are stuck here, until tomorrow morning. Set up a comment telling everyone what your character is doing, and thinking, whether they're obeying the task or not, at any time during the day. Then tag other people! Be sure to check back later in the week, when people are encouraged make threads for the evening as well as the day! Characters that have been claimed are also welcome at this point to join the community, and will be able to make their own posts, which can be tagged by anyone taking part in the event.]

Comments

[everwalking]

[Allen knows when he's being trolled] Wonderful. Do they do anything, or do they just pointlessly consume electric power? Because I can't imagine how you plan to make money off that.

[cleanedslate]

I could check with the kitchen. [ comfortable in the face of your irritation! ] But no, really, you've got... pretty much that whole thing backwards. Which is cool, totally fine. Low expectations, and it's not like I'm making things easier.

Say, you didn't happen to crash in a plane flying over the arctic and then wake up with a team of doctors who seemed shocked by every other word out of your mouth, did you? Just checking.

[everwalking]

[now what is that supposed to mean] [you know what, never mind. you don't get to know that he doesn't know what a plane is! he will put on his sweetest face for you] Are you on another topic already? I'm so sorry, I must seem frightfully slow to you, but that lightning bolt of knowledge that you're waiting for to enlighten me doesn't seem to have struck yet.

What... did you say your company's machines do?

[cleanedslate]

[ his nose wrinkles with involuntary amusement ]

I didn't, really. We do just about everything.

Except weapons development. We used to, but then the Whos started singing and my heart grew three sizes. It was a whole thing.

[everwalking]

[...] I feel like I only understand about fifty percent of any given thing you say. I was with you until "Hoos" started singing?

[weapons manufacturing. guns and the like. that's wonderful, he understands that. not his favorite industry in the world though]

[cleanedslate]

They live down in Whoville. Big fans of Christmas. [ yeah, he's just not helpful ] My point was really more about the Grinch, anyway.

[everwalking]

Are you just making up words? Grinches and Whos and nuclears... This is the worst job offer I've ever gotten, and I spent years as a professional blame-taker.

[cleanedslate]

Hey, don't look at me. Blame Dr. Seuss. And Einstein, depending on which words we're talking about.

But I could use a few blame-takers. We usually call them the PR department, for... PR reasons. Plus, they don't just take blame. How are you at deflecting it?

[ he actually likes you, Allen! just a little. ]

[everwalking]

[he doesn't dislike you, as annoying as you obviously are being. and you know you could use a professional blame-taker] That depends on your definition of "deflect". [ha-ha! he deflected your question about his ability to deflect]

[cleanedslate]

[ lips turn up a little more ] Ideally onto our enemies. [ mwahahaha ] But most of them don't actually need the help. [ seriously Hammer Industries pretty much just sets itself on fire if you ignore it for like two minutes ]

[everwalking]

Oh, that's good news. Incompetent enemies are my favorite kind.

[cleanedslate]

Sometimes I catch myself thinking, I could use more of a challenge in life.

But then the universe tends to drop aliens and gods and a whole lot of other impossible nonsense on your head. So I'm gonna try to avoid that, in the future. [ smirk ]

[everwalking]

[promptly] You've identified your own problem. Never challenge the universe.

[cleanedslate]

Yeeeeeah, not my brightest move. But hey, I lived to regret it. Not everybody's that lucky. [ sly ]

So, when can you start? [ that's a vaguely job-interview-conclude-y question, right? probably should also get your name at some point. ]

[everwalking]

Well, my schedule is free at the moment, so I can start as early as tomorrow, unless something comes up. [like we all get the hell out of here]

[cleanedslate]

Great. That's what we like to hear, probably.

Unfortunately, the actual salary part is gonna be an issue unless we can get to a bank. [ and Pepper's here to tell him what his account numbers are. and how much he should pay you. little details like that ]

[everwalking]

[hmmmm] [eyes him a little bit. but he doesn't dislike Tony. and for some reason] ...I suppose I can accept back pay.

[cleanedslate]

We'll comp you. Time and a half or something. For the inconvenience. [ gesture ]

[everwalking]

Done. [he smiles sunnily and flips his pen up in the air again]

...Did I get your name?

sdfjsk that face

[cleanedslate]

[ it's going to sound like so much more money than it is, Allen. wait until you figure out modern inflation. ]

I don't think it's come up. Tony Stark. [ he slides his hands into his pockets comfortably. he's never known someone not to recognize his name, but... yeah. ] What about you? What should we put on that job application when we get back to the real world?

[everwalking]

It's Allen Walker. [pointing the pen at him now] Although I still think you won't exist when I get back there.

[cleanedslate]

Me? No. I'm still going to exist. [ he points his pen at Allen ] You're definitely in danger of evaporating.

But as long as you're still corporeal, [ and in the right universe, ] you'll get your money.