[ 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

[onehotpepper]

[As far as tasks go, this one was pretty much created for Pepper. Ten years work experience? The past few years alone have felt like an entire lifetime, but she figures it's probably not a good idea to list nearly immortal due to Extremis virus (recently stabilized) under 'Skills'.

The whole thing takes about an hour to fill out, after which time Pepper finally looks up at the other people in the room, who had as yet been unable to distract her. Now that she thinks on it, it's a bit weird for a CEO to be filling out an application for a job that she doesn't know a thing about. Judging from this pool of people it's attracted, though, it's liable to be anything.

Good thing working for Tony all these years has prepared her for that.

Frowning at the clipboard, she sighs. Stranger things have happened, after all.]

I'm out but I needed to phone tag

[sublimating]

[Bruce spent a while sprawled in the kitchen, tinkering with the communicator that he woke up with while propped up on the couch. he's still at peace, comfortable with this, holding on to the expectation that when the time limit ran out, they would have some additional evidence of who did this. calm. but he can't help pausing when he sees her there. he's out of touch, but not so out of touch that he doesn't recognize the current CEO of Stark -- not after the fuss that was made about her surprise promotion]

[he hasn't met her yet. he was about an hour short of meeting her. but he still feels a little awkward approaching her]

Ah, Miss... Potts?

:3

[onehotpepper]

[Pepper recognizes his voice at once, familiar with it since -- in her timeline -- Bruce started doing R&D with Tony in the wake of the New York incident. He's a good guy, a much less energetic presence than Tony. Ironic, perhaps, all things considered, but that's life, isn't it? She can breathe fire now, for goodness' sake. It happens to the oddest selection of people.

[In any case, this place feels less outrageously random with him around. she smiles fondly] How nice to see you here, Dr. Banner. [we'll play the formal game, sure]

[sublimating]

[he offers her a crooked smile] Then you -- recognize me? That's good. That's great. It saves some explanation. Though I have been looking forward to meeting you, so it's a little disappointing to learn that I missed it.

[and, because he's not Tony, he'll go ahead and explain that] It... seems like for some reason I don't remember anything after the invasion of New York.

[onehotpepper]

[Her smile melts into a frown.] Oh, that's terrible. [It had been a nice first meeting, too.]

I know that this probably won't be worth much, but I don't know where this is or why we were asked to fill out this paperwork. [She taps the clipboard] I don't suppose you do?

[sublimating]

[chuckling] I'm afraid I don't have much help to offer there. Apparently, everyone here just -- woke up, without warning, in what appears to be a shabby real estate office.

I'm hoping that if we do what they want, we'll get to see who's behind it.

[onehotpepper]

[there isn't much else they can do-- well, that's not true, but she gets the feeling that using any abilities to try and destroy things will count against them.

Unless--] I don't think it'll be that simple. I'm starting to wonder if this isn't some sort of trap.

[sublimating]

A trap? [folding his arms, nodding at her. go on]

[onehotpepper]

Bringing in a bunch of people from who knows where, including a handful of geniuses and superheroes, and throwing them together in one place with a timer and an assignment -- I don't know, it just seems-- [she shrugs. it's obviously strange. that doesn't need restating.] How long will it take for a fight to break out? Who knows what some of these people are capable of?

[sublimating]

That's a good question. [he had extremely similar doubts about the Avengers Initiative, after all] But as long as we can remind people that we all have a common enemy, we might be able to turn that expectation against them. [a small smile for her]

[onehotpepper]

That assumes we're all on the same side. [it still pisses her off that she trusted Maya. Pepper's become more suspicious now, because that last time had ended pretty badly. all okay in the end, but still.

[breathing deep, shrugging it off, she smiles at him] Anyway. How have you been, besides just...waking up here like the rest of us?

[is it weird to ask someone who's forgotten a chunk of their life if they want to be told what's happened since? she thinks so. better to focus on the small things, like the past few hours.]

[sublimating]

I don't know. Calm, I guess. Zen. [he quirks a smile at her] Considering the last thing I remember was standing in Central Park while Midtown was in shambles... I might just be beyond surprise.

[onehotpepper]

[wincing slightly] It's all fixed up now. Better than before.

[lots of things are better than before. some are worse, but not for long. well, except for whatever is going on right now, but what can you do? maybe at the end of the twenty-four hours, they'll get some answers.]

Want to get something to eat? [a distraction, a way to pass the time. she could go for a cup of tea.]

[cleanedslate]

What, are you looking for a new job already?

I'm hurt, Pepper. Deeply.

[ also happy to see you ] [ even though seeing you means you have to be here ]

[ because if you weren't here, you might be somewhere else. without him. in need of his help. ]

[onehotpepper]

Have to keep busy somehow. [She shrugs, very nonchalant, but it's a better day now that she knows he's here. He can think up a way out, and she can kick down any doors. No sweat.

[God, she hopes it's that simple.]

So. Update me. [otherwise, she'll start to overthink, and she does not want to lose control over a job application. no matter how mysterious.]

dw rp is the best. editable comments, icon keyword renaming... sjfldksj

[cleanedslate]

[ tiny smile. he takes a single breath through his nose, and then he's off! ]

About two hours ago, I woke up here. So far there's no way out. Windows don't open, or break, or even really react to physical force. Doors don't go anywhere except into more office building.

[ brighter ] But there's plenty of food, and the time limit suggests we're being watched. As do these. [ he pulls out his communicator, and shows it to her ]

[ she looks good. calm. comfortable. good. all good. they've got time. no equipment, but he can fix that, eventually. and he's even got help working the formula. it'll be okay. ]

agreeeeed

[onehotpepper]

[being watched isn't good. Being watched suggests experiments, needles, serums that change your very genes--]

Food? How can you think about food?

[that means the situation isn't quite so dire, though. He's in good spirits, so maybe he's figuring it out. Maybe he already has and is just not telling her because he thinks it's funny. As annoying as that can be, it helps her relax a bit.

[looking at her communicator] Well, we've got most of the day to go. Did you fill out your paperwork, or were you waiting for me to hold your hand through it?

<3

[cleanedslate]

[ just what he hoped the comment would do. he smiles at her a little more, his version of reassuring. ]

I think the last time I filled out a job application was when I was fourteen. [ once. as part of an experiment.

so yeah, he could use your help. ]

[onehotpepper]

[Figures. She's still convinced he couldn't tie his shoes without her.

But he has saved her life a time or two, so it balances out, she supposes. Debits and credits, right? Accounting 101. She'd let him know otherwise.

Rolling her eyes, she holds out her hand for his clipboard.]

[cleanedslate]

[ because he probably couldn't ]

[ but clearly all that helplessness is completely worthwhile, because now she's going to do his job application for him! awesome. be warned, his half-assed attempts to fill it out have left some of the job history with answers like "being me" and "saving the world on an hourly basis" ]

I knew I could count on you.

[onehotpepper]

[Yeah, yeah, Tony. Old habits die hard.

[Including, clearly, his particular brand of humor.]

Really? [putting pen to paper, shaking her head] You forgot "saving the President on Christmas."

[small smile, very sincere, has I got you written all over it]

[cleanedslate]

It was my gift to America. [ perfectly straight-faced.

but maybe watching you a little closely. he doesn't want to ask. she's probably very tired of him asking. but he likes looking at her and not seeing the glow. it's... reassuring. ]

[onehotpepper]

Always thinking of the children, aren't you. Maybe we can put that down as volunteering experience. [honestly, the woman kept his life together for years. she could fill this thing out in her sleep.]

[he's quiet for a little too long, so she looks up. does not look away. does not let that slight intensity to his gaze freak her out. there's no immediate danger, so she can stay calm. and so can he.]

[that's why she smiles. it's a bit wobbly around the edges, because really, what else has to happen to them before things settle down? jesus. but hey, he pretty much came back from the dead once. and so did she.]

[cleanedslate]

[ yours was more dramatic ]

I -- try. [ actually feels like he's been unusually good with kids lately. what's up with that. ] Do I get a tax write-off for that?

[ it'll be fine. ]

[onehotpepper]

[we don't like to remember it. falling was scary. missing your hand was scary. coming back to life amid fire and twisted metal--]

This is a job application, Tony, not a tax return. Think PR.