Mark I - ||video||

[the_mechanic]

[There's a close-up view of a well-manicured goatee, though there's a bit of blood around the lips, and as he adjusts the camera, it's plain to see that the clearly-attractive man has definitely been in a fight recently. Put mildly. And also that he's wearing some kind of metal armor suit thing, with the face-mask open.

He opens his mouth to speak, then closes it again. Twice. This is not a man accustomed to being at a loss for words.]

Please tell me there's someone in this sparkly-rainbow-nightmare than can get a full sentence out, with minimal KUPO, that can tell me what the hell is going on?

...please?

[The camera pans out just enough to show the komory bat perched on the top of the man's head, chittering away happily. Tony swipes at him half-heartedly, as if they've been through this a few times already, and the bat makes no motion to vacate his vantage point.

Tony looks pleadingly into the camera, and with a deep sigh, cuts the feed.]

Comments

[yabigfurball]

[Ammy cocks her head in curiosity at Tony. She'd never seen armor like that before. Although more importantly, he doesn't look to be in good shape. Is he all right?]

[hiptobe_eraqus]

[Eraqus looks pretty concerned. He showed up here from being dead, and yet he still didn't look as bad as Tony looks now.]

Yes, but perhaps the more pressing matter is if you need assistance?

[lessabrasive]

They can and will surprise you. But from what I've seen, they tend to be very loyal, though some are brighter than others.

[ Said, as she ignores something bright purple and rather spikey looking bouncing behind her, attempting to see Tony. Can he see? Please? Pleasepleaseplease? ...She's rather good at ignore it, apparently.

Ah. Non-bender. And not the first to make armor to compensate for the fact. ]

Given the state of you, I doubt that. [ooo blunt.] I'm not too far from the Square if you need that help.

[colorbymemory]

[Oh, another new arrival, and he looks fairly badly off, too.]

No, it's not just the Moogles here. Did they not give you a potion?

[fearmylaserface]

[Here, have a guy in armor like a few others that replied, only his is blue.] Dude, you seriously look like shit. What the hell happened to you?

I'm assuming you've heard the standard details. You're dreaming, which is still kind of bullshit seeing as I'm an AI. You can't choose to go home, though from personal experience... It can happen. I went home, and not by choice. Came back from a later point in time.

And if you have my luck, someone from home tries to murder you when you return. May want to be careful of the guy in blue and yellow armor like mine. He's an asshole. [Epsilon, holding a grudge? You better believe it. And there's a grumbling pricklemane in the background.]

[allfunandgamesuntil]

That's different. You don't have that armor now.

[unrecovered]

That didn't stop you from calling dibs on it while I was - am - still alive.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

If you escape the people that came to help you, the hotel's in the second district and you can crash there for a while. Get some sleep and wake up. No, sleeping in a dream doesn't make sense, but there you go.

[allfunandgamesuntil]

I'm just saying, it's not an issue now.

[unrecovered]

It's the principle of the thing.

[the_mechanic]

[If it's any consolation, he eventually drinks the damn thing and admits he's an imbecile... after Rarity just about shoves it down his throat...

He's just about to be offended on behalf of his own dingbat, (Dingbat. Yeah. It'll probably stick...), when he sees Lin's dream eater. Ah-hah.

He shrugs.]

I've lived through worse.

Actually, there seems to be an over-abundance of guests at my surprise welcoming party, as is, so it's up to you. [Read: ponies.]

[God knows he can at least tell she's not a woman he should ever try to tell what to do.]

[the_mechanic]

[Tony just blinks at the screen. It's a wolf. Ooookay.

Hey, at least it's not talking.]

Uh. Hi there.

[the_mechanic]

[Ouch. Well. Tony just has one of those faces.

Also, seriously, so many people offering to help, he's tempted to just be an ass for the sake of normalcy. He's going to keep biting back the urge, though. He knows he needs allies.]

Okay, be honest with me. Does my face really look that bad?

[the_mechanic]

[GAH. POTION.]

I'm beginning to realize.

Yes. There's a potion. No. I don't want to drink it, it kind of freaks me out.

[Reaching the end of the sanity rope, sorry kid.]

[the_mechanic]

Survived my house getting blown into the ocean via some heavy artillery. Nothing major.

[Said deadpan. God, he's tired. And this is more social activity than he's had in weeks.]

Well that's an ugly detail no one else mentioned. Even if I get out, I can be dragged right back. Awesome.

[Tony lips quirk up at the last bit.]

Someone's always trying to kill me. [He shrugs, but it's weary.]

Thanks for the heads up. [Pretty good idea who he means.]

[fearmylaserface]

... Sucks to be you, man.

[Epsilon wishes he didn't have to break it to the guy.] Pretty much. This place is fucking bullshit.

The others with the armor aren't nearly as bad. Their AIs are my brothers. Wash is just an asshole.

[the_mechanic]

[He chuckles, but it's mirthless. It's obvious he's dead tired, but resisting.]

Nothing about this makes sense. And yeah, sleep and I aren't exactly copacetic, lately. But I'll take a look.

[He'd probably feel more at home in a garage than a bed, truth be told.]

[unrecovered]

[Oh my fucking God are you serious. Why can you not just leave him out of things?]

Remind me, Epsilon - how many times did I have to warn you to back off and leave me alone? And how many times did you ignore me?

[He knows exactly how many times - he's just making a point.]

[lessabrasive]

[ The pricklemane is super affectionate, super loyal, and definitely not the brightest crayon in the box. It /tries/ though.

An eyebrow arches slightly. You're certainly popular for a new arrival. Then, lips purse slightly. ]

Is the pink one still there?

[the_mechanic]

[Tony chuckles. It can definitely suck to be him, but the rest of the perks generally make up for it. He just shrugs, smiling just enough to show he's pretty much used to it, and alright with it. He lived. Pepper lived. And if he ever gets out of this nightmare, the guy who attacked him will not live.

Also, Tony is sensing kindred spirits, here. Assholes not-so Anonymous.]

Yeah, those guys seemed alright.

So, question, and if I'm prying, just tell me to fuck off, but when you say "brothers," what exactly do you mean by that?

[These AIs are starting to sound way beyond his own, and his are the peak of AI technology at home. He's definitely curious, put mildly.]

[fearmylaserface]

Fuck off. You are not my boss, Wash.

[fearmylaserface]

We came from the same source. I'm just in a robot instead of with a person, which I'm happier with.

The human I was assigned is an asshole. [Yes, he knows everyone sees this, Wash.]

[the_mechanic]

[The pain in Tony's eyes is probably more than enough confirmation.

What can he say, he's got a magnetic personality.]

Yep.

[Tony's used to working with dumb, affectionate side-kicks. Then there's his bots.]

[lessabrasive]

[ She doesn't bother disguising the sympathy that flickers in her eyes. You poor bastard. ]

I'll pass.

No doubt we'll see each other at the hotel. A good number of arrivals stay there at present, though it is possible to get housing in different Traverse Town districts. I cannot say for certain about Twilight Town, however.

[the_mechanic]

[Aaaaaand all the dots connect.]

Gotcha. Nifty. [Filing all that away to play with later.]

Yeah, we humans seem to have that tendency.

[Tony is definitely not exempt from asshole status. And okay, aside from calling dibs on his shit when he's not even CLOSE to dead, C'MON, Wash seemed alright. But. This guy seems alright, too, so he's not going to stir that pot.

Yet.]