mark i

[rockstark]

[there's music drifting over the network this morning. loud, upbeat hip hop, to be precise. it's almost drowning out the sound of power tools. after a few minutes of this, a hand reaches into the view of the video feed and grabs a water bottle. Tony dictates idly from somewhere offscreen]

So, I think I'm getting my bearings. Thanks to those of you on the volunteer can opener brigade, that is. I gotta hand it to this place, it's like Mardi Gras with better beads. I flash my shoulder at the natives and they give me free power tools. So, uh, things are coming along. I might almost be able to make a decent pad for myself at this rate, lack of answers aside.

[what he neglects to say is that as soon as he IS settled, he'll he looking for said answers.]

One question, though. What's this I keep hearing about kids?

Comments

video;

[parasolspinning]

It seems to be quite the epidemic. I wonder if they're planning to take over the bubble? It would be an invasion of adorable!

[rockstark]

I can see it now: widespread shortages of chicken fingers, mac and cheese, and PB&Js.

[Video]

[makainoou]

[Laharl looks like he'd fit right in during this curse, but--]

Some curse made everyone into worse brats than they already were. Better to stick with your awful music, these people are annoying enough fully grown.

[rockstark]

Not a fan of Nicki, huh? Yeah, she's not for everyone. I'll throw some AC/DC on if I can get my hands on it later.

[aim_exorable]

Are you just making a hive then? Or are you going to make a robot or something?

[Huh, that long black hair and arrow-shaped horns sure do seem familiar! Missing his glasses, however. His ears are twitching in interest.]

I'm good at making things like that. I could help.

[rockstark]

Oh, hey, Darkleer. Uhhhh.... Kind of making a little of everything. First on the list is something that'll help me with that uh, issue you helped me out of. [he's being vague since he doesn't know who might be listening. keeping the suit safe is one of his high priorities]

But you can come on by, sure.

[Video]

[hecklinghare]

Uh yeah, looks like ya got ya bearing during a curse. Everyone's gettin' younger.

Or well almost everyone.

[Head tilt, because yes Bugs is older which means....]

Ya know, you look awful familiar, Mac. Just can't wrap my ears around it.

oh hell yes, remind me to do his permissions post

[rockstark]

A curse, right.... Did the gypsies of the magic coral get ticked off, or what?

[ugly_soldier_dude]

What about kids, huh?

[Have one particular cute kid looking at you curiously, Tony.]

[rockstark]

Oh, just askin'. What's up?

[ms_potts]

[Pepper walks up with a cup of coffee and a smirk]

Just so long as a shoulder is all you're flashing.

[rockstark]

Only for them. Why, is that a request? [he grins]

[replicatedcourage]

[Wow that music is certainly... new. And dissonant at points. He's not sure he likes it, but to each their own.]

Most of the children aren't actually children. Curses are one of the strange things about this place and this week a lot of people have been aged down, I guess you'd call it. A few are older though, like I am.

[He smiles a bit wistfully at that, knowing he'll go back to an adolescent level of maturity at the end of the week.]

My name is Sola, by the way.

[rockstark]

Curses. That sounds pretty superstitious for a place that has so much complex science involved in sustaining the habitat.

Nice t' meet you, Sola. I'm Tony.

[Video]

[closedcircuit]

[Have a twelve-year-old, looking very serious.]

How would having a pad help? What is it?

[rockstark]

[so amused] Pad? It's slang. You know, for a house.

video;

[6collegecredits]

[Well, since she can't see him just yet, Darcy can't quite put the puzzle pieces together...She's curious though.]

What are you making?

Re: video;

[rockstark]

Right now? [there's a grunt as he pulls something apart, and tosses half of it on the floor. CLANG]

A royal mess.

[and then he leans into view] But pretty soon it's gonna be a landing pad and an integrated assembly mechanism.

[video]

[jerkass_genius]

[Have Frederick giving the eye. Just this. Slight twitch. No really, that music is shit, turn it off or he's blasting Queen in retaliation.]

Ease of equipment gathering aside, we're still stuck in a goddamned bubble.

Pretty sure half the kids are someone's pet science project, though.

[You mean the whole bubble is, Freddie, and you don't know it.]

[rockstark]

[hey, Queen is cool, he could totally respect that]

Question is, whose science project? Not sure I like the idea of people being someone's pets.

[applepies]

[Ah, another new face ! And quite an handsome one.]

Kids... It's only the Curse of the Week.

[rockstark]

... Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh huh. And is this something I can get on the opt-out list for?

[detectiveprincess]

[Making sure to speak in her male voice.]

Ah, you're experiencing the monthly curse that happens. It will be over by Sunday.

As far as the free items, everything here is free. There is one store that requires some sort of payment, but that is because it is getting items from back in your world.

All residencies are decent. Where you reside is completely up to you.

If you require assistance or information, do feel free to ask. There is also the brochure you were looking at when you first arrived.

[rockstark]

Stuff from home ... is that that Nostalgia Nook I've heard a couple people mention? Sounds like that could be really useful, but ... "some sort of payment" is pretty vague and ominous, if you ask me.

[Video]

[crabbygenius]

It's always fun to volunteer for interesting projects.

[It's about this time that Washu flips on her video feed. Remember the twelve-year-old red head genius? She's not so little anymore and very, very much an adult.]

We're in the middle of a curse. It seems this one has either aged people up or down for some unknown reason. I just hope this one doesn't last longer then the usual week.

[rockstark]

[BLINKBLINK, yep, she sure is looking different. AHEM]

No prizes for guessing how it hit you, then. ... How come they call them curses? It's obviously got some sort of physical effect, which means that there's a cause that should be able to be traced. What are the radiation levels like in this place?

[he's heard things about scientists having issues with gamma radiation, after all... never mind that one of them is HERE and they just haven't spoken yet]

video; (sorry for late tagging. is it still ok to hop in?)

[notmyfirstrodeo]

It's actually reassuring to see you're settling in.

[Do the natives know who they're giving free power tools for? Coulson is just saying. The last people who held Stark captive and gave him shit to build with, well, it did not end well for them.

Of course, he's all for this. Totally on team Jacob Tony.]

Apparently this place comes complete with curses out of a bad scifi novel. Like a second childhood. Good to see we've both escaped so far.

(always always okay also your tag made me b'aww)

[rockstark]

"Actually" reassuring? You say that like you're surprised. ... And also as though you actually know what a childhood is.

[he hasn't been told of the fanboying, after all]

voice; i'm totally on time what

[trickstering]

What is that noise you're listening to?

you most certainly are!

[rockstark]

[pleasantly] It's called music, I don't know if they have it in whatever strange and foreign land you're from.