sixthiterationlogs | [ MINGLE ] FORGE AFTER HOURS

WHO: Tony Stark
WHERE: South Village Forge
WHEN: January 8th
OPEN TO: Smitherns (Thor, Brigitte, Annie Cresta, Siefer), Plus Ones, Passers by, and Friends! Anyone, really, come on down.
WARNINGS: Language, discussion of canon typical violence probably, drinking?

THE HEARTH

With the bulk of the work and chores done for the day, the heart's banked down to a tolerable level rather than steel meltingly hot, positively cozy. Tables are cleared of metal filings and shavings, the floor is swept, extra chairs and seating or overturned crates serve as places to kick back and enjoy the warmth. A large kettle of tea is kept brewing all night, another of coffee, and a jug of cool water for those thirsty with no real requirement RE flavor. There's a rack for coats and scarves when people don't need to be quite so bundled up, and space cleared enough for milling about, tossing ideas back and forth, or simply relaxing. Arguments happen at The Debate Wall, not by the fire.

THE FOOD

It's an eclectic spread- a pot of stew, some crusty bread, frittatas, a few large, simple cheese pizzas, bottles of wine, and whatever other food the Smitherns or their Plus Ones chose to bring. It's a bit of a potluck, food spread out on one table for perusal, plates waiting and a bin for dirty dishes. Tony will scrub up at the end of the night. By the fire there's a waffle iron and as many toppings as they could find for waffles- jams, zalpaca butter, dried fruit, preserved peaches. Serve yourself or sit and sample!

THE CHILL OUT CORNER

For the more introspective or anyone taking a break from The Debate Wall, there's a comfortable chair tucked in the far corner where the light isn't as bright, the sound not quite so loud- and in this chair sits a young Peacat, a smaller pot for tea, and a few books. Elton's a friendly sort and will chirrup to lean for pets or simply sit on a lap and purr, offering calming, quiet company.

THE DEBATE WALL

Scrubbed clean for the night, the wall opposite Tony's Scrawled projects, equations, rules and definitions- currently marked only with a few notes RE proper charcoal use 'It's for the wall, not your hands, not anyone's clothes', the large space cleared for marking out or drawing out- well. Games, hangman, tic-tac-toe, sketches, or debate points. The only other rule listed is 'If you're going to pick a hill to die on, cite your references'.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"No one here knows how to bake? There's cookbooks in the schoolhouse right?" This is almost a challenge he's willing to take on. Not make it full time, mind you, but if he could figure out how to manage a donut you bet he damn well will.

"You know I'm just gonna keep askin' what you're talkin' about so I'm going to take your word for it," He nods to himself as if he's made a decision. Then... ventures anyway because he's insanely curious. "How many countries does your world have?" And another, this one with a quirked eyebrow and a slight smirk. "Y'know the more you defend yourself here the more guilty you sound." He's so going to ask Rhodey about this now.

"I'm sure some people know how, but we don't have a dedicated baker. There is a bakery that is unfilled at the moment." Which- wouldn't be terrible to get on, honestly. Not him but someone that had a mind for it. Fresh bread is kind of an important dietary thing? Or. Whatever. Good for morale. He's sure there's someone that'll step up to the plate eventually. "You know you're allowed to ask for clarification, right? As long as we don't end up in the toddler 'but why' 'because' loop. I hate that loop. It's recursive and aggravating- but as long as we don't end up there? Ask away."

In the Forge and maybe ONLY in the forge? He'll be forthright. Especially with his Smithterns. "Look. He knows that tequila does to me and he brought three bottles. I cannot be held responsible."

He nods. It's something he might look at playing with as a part time thing if he starts running low on forge work to keep him busy. If it's empty there surely no one would mind if he played. Everyone would get bread, and potentially pastries out of it. It's a thought he'll file at the back of his mind anyway. With Tony reassuring him he can keep asking for clarification he looks at him like he's not entirely sure if this is a trap.

Sounds fake. You trying to get him in trouble Tony? Wait, with who? Military thing, he understands. Grunts aren't supposed to ask questions just follow orders. He's never been very good at mindlessly following orders. "I just dunno what most of the words you're using mean," He ventures cautiously, like he's testing the water. It likely would only devolve into 'but why' as a joke. Mostly he's just infinitely curious and it gets him into trouble. Especially under his last rule. But he's not going to go into Her.

The insistence that the fault lies with the one who brought three bottles of tequila does get a snorted laugh out of him, a faint relaxing of his shoulders. It's obvious he'd tensed up in anticipation of a reprimand or something he'd have to shut his trap and take. But if it's not coming... "Alright, so what's the U S like, I get that it's a country, but that's gotta be an abbreviation," It was pronounced awkwardly slow. He only needs a rough description he'll be happy with that, just wants context to understand what Tony's saying. "...And tequila for that matter." Probably alcohol? Not one he's familiar with.

"Well, that makes sense. Different worlds and all that. You don't have the background for my bs details anymore than I do for your Gardens and Guardian Forces." Expecting differently would be kind of a dick move- and generally? Tony attempts to avoid those. Sometimes. When it suits him.

If he likes the person he's talking to.

Lucky Seifer.

"The US stands for United States, it's a group of fifty sort of self governing states under a single banner managed by an overarching federal government. It's big and complicated and messy. Tequila's booze, well known for being kind of an upper where most get you depressed? Either way. Tequila makes weird shit happen around me." Again, he shrugs, patting Seifer's shoulder. "Anything else sound off?"

"True. Don't mind answerin' when you're curious by the way," So long as the questions weren't too personal? He didn't mind talking about his world. Though he got the distinct impression that it was Tony who was more distressed by it than he was. The place was just what it was, he grew up there, didn't know anything different.

Seifer doesn't know how lucky he is.

"United States. Name makes sense when you describe it like that." He hums thoughtfully, then raises an eyebrow. "Wait... how big's this place? How do they pull off self-governing without like, constantly tryin' to go to war?" He comes from a very violent world. Then again he nods. "Alright, yeah, that's kinda weird. I do know about alcohol bein' a downer." They had general education covering most standard elementary through high school necessities for the most part. Intermingled with the monster fighting. "Nah, I think that clears it up."

He's so going to ask Rhodey for this story though.

"Well. Technically we did. With the natives, with other foreign countries trying to make a claim, it's- a pretty bloody and awful history now that I think of it. But we're all in agreement for the most part that we don't want that to happen again. Mostly. There are some dubmass pockets that pipe up now and then." But you ignore them. Mostly.

It's easiest to keep tabs on the sly and not let them get any traction, but that's a thing.

"Natives? Oh, you mean they took over. The original people were still there?" That's right, Tony's planet didn't have monsters or Lunar Cries to nearly, or sometimes fully, wipe people out. He gestures dismissively. "There's always someone like that."

The politics of his world aren't that much different in that regard, humans are human no matter what planet. They're just also occupied with Sorceresses and monsters.

"Took over, wiped out, tomato-potato." He wiggles a hand back and forth. "it's- messy, the history. Most places have messy history. Progress doesn't come without conflict most of the time, even if we rather it didn't."

Tony certainly hopes for a time when it doesn't take something violent or drastic to prompt creation.

"It happens," He dismisses. Maybe he doesn't like it, necessarily, then again he has no strong feelings one way or another. After all, when everyone else thinks they're right on their side Seifer's trained to be the one called in for whoever can foot the bill. He holds no real allegiances, or at least that's what he's trained to do. Actually doing it is much harder. When you don't have a Sorceress in your brain anyway. "Most places do," He agrees. His world's is as well.

"So, did your world have anything like Garden? A full-scale mercenary military?"

"Private Military Groups- usually they didn't do the academy slash orphanage approach. More often than not they were from other militias or militaries and retired or hopped over because the pay is better on account of charging out the nose for shady work." He scrubs a hand along his jaw, lips pressed thin. "I never sold them anything but boy did they love to ask."

Stark Tech remains the best possible option outside of Wakanda, so it's not all that surprising.

He nods, Garden itself is a morally questionable model what with the orphans turned war machine. "Don't know the details but I'm pretty sure Garden charged out the nose too, well B. Garden, the one Nida and I are from, did anyway. That one had the specialists. G. Garden was more standard military." Didn't use Guardian Force, thus also no excessive paramagic. "That's right! Bruce was tellin' me about your suits." He brightens up, remembering that excitement. "You'll have to tell me about 'em sometime, they sound awesome."

Even if he weren't military he'd find the idea of a super suit incredible. Who wouldn't. Wakanda was kind of his world's Esthar. Crazy advanced and everyone thought it didn't exist anymore. "Ain't surprised they'd hit you up. Everyone wants a leg up in warfare."

[ MINGLE ] FORGE AFTER HOURS

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