The Iron Man

Repairs complete.

Status: weapons, fully functional; power, 100%; sensors, online. Seems perfect.

...wonder how long that'll last...

[Screened to friends, allies (including Alliance members), and pretty much anyone who isn't Harth, Atlas, Tomo, the Joker, any recently stolen PDAs or anyone else associated in any way with them | Unhackable]

Christmas--all these gifts--everyone who has shown they appreciate me, despite what might have happened in the somewhat recent past--as cliched as it sounds, it's opened my eyes. I can't--Iron Man--can't afford to act like this anymore. I'm not a petulant teenager anymore. So I'll try to think on the good side. The best Christmas gifts I could have ever received would be having Pepper and Rhodey sent back home. So that's what I'm going to pretend happened, whether I know it for truth or not. I miss them--but that's better than watching them die.

Therefore I'd like to say, simply, that I'm sorry. For--what I did before. I'll try to behave from now on. I completely refuse to make that a promise. I am, after all, Tony fucking Stark. Get over it. [scratch-out is only viewable to really close friends who would get he's making a tiny joke (like Urd, Mel, Leon, Rory, etc.)]

[/Screened]

Merry Christmas everyone.

( [Gift List] )

NO!!! PEPPER!

[he sounds very serious and meaningful--anyone who knows him will recognize that the tone is utterly genuine and that it is very unlike him--this is obviously not a joke barely two sentences in]

A lot of people around here have been complaining about the current American holiday that takes place right now. I would like to rectify the mistake you are making in completely ignoring its purpose and going so far as to downplay its meaning to those that would like to celebrate it. Not only is it disrespectful, but obviously you do not understand it's true meaning.

I agree that in modern times the holiday has lost its true meaning--and for some it has taken on a new, less glorious purpose within the family traditions and general pettiness of the times. But that doesn't mean everyone should just forget it, or ignore it, or make fun of it. If you share that opinion: Keep. It. To. Yourself.

Now, as for it's true purpose--the day of Thanksgiving was originally more down to earth and meaningful for those that decided to share in it. The times were harsh--as bad or worse than they are now--for most of the people back then. They were dying by the hundreds. Not fake deaths, mind you, but real, horrible deaths that had that final, ultimate meaning. Famine, disease. We don't worry about those things too much today, but back then they truly did.

Then, seemingly, a miracle happened. The people found a way to survive. They had food because they learned how to get the crops to grow right. With famine a lesser issue so too did disease seem smaller--healthy people tend to get sick less as you might well understand. We won't go into the details too much because that involves a lot of controversy. And I've got enough of that on my hands back home.

In the end what mattered is they made these "miracles" happen themselves. They got things done, and they persevered through hell and back. And so they gave thanks that at least for that year they were still alive, healthy, and maybe next year would see the same. Maybe it wouldn't--but they were glad to just survive one day at a time generally speaking. And if everything wasn't grand--they still gave thanks for the things that were. Because you never know how or when things are going to get worse. And they always can. If you let them.

So if you want to damn this holiday for its "pointlessness" or "wastefulness"... --Then I say damn you. Instead, you should be thankful. Find something. Because even though we're here, in this hellhole, there are plenty of things that could be worse. And it's not the point of the day to have a grand feast just to be happy or have fun--that wasn't really the point. It's to make do with what you have, to move on, and get things done. Today should be a grand day. Today should be when we realize that we have survived, and that tomorrow might be the end-all but we did are best anyway. Today should be a day when would-be regrets are taken care of so that there will be none on that final day. Today should be a day for contemplation. Both of the past and for the future. Today should be a day of planning. Of finding ways to survive another full year.

But most of all today should just be a day to simply give thanks for all the things that could be worse--but somehow aren't.

[The PDA turns off with a puff of static--someone blowing straight into the microphone?--and then there is a moment of silence. Some rummaging sounds, mostly metal chinking on metal, and then a guitar and set of drums start playing a familiar tune. Then the lyrics start, softly at first and then gradually getting louder until it's a good jamming intensity.]

Back in black
I hit the sack
Gone so long I'm glad to be back
Yes, I'm gettin' loose
From the noose
You gotta catch me if you want me to hang
I've been looking at the sky
'Cause it's gettin' me high
Forget the hearse 'cause I never die
I got nine lives
Cat size
Usin' every one of them and I'm runnin' wild

[After the first chorus the music settles down a bit lower but continues in the background. Sounds of the PDA's user working on--something--come through every now and then. When the song ends there is a moment of silence just long enough for the recording to time out.]

Yinsen...

So. Who's next.

Pepper! Pepper! Virginia Potts! Where are you, woman! Please? I swear I've looked all over this dang compound...

Crap!

Persephone. Hey, with everything going on lately and my mind wandering over this latest little, uh, thing... I almost completely forgot about your request! But, um, give me about thirty minutes to finish up and I should have what you want. I did work on it. ...Just got distracted. Heheh.

So, see ya in a bit.


[forty minutes later, added:]


Persephone? Hey. Perseph!

...

...She's always around...

...

Does anyone know what's up with Persephone?

Pepper. Let's talk.

Just... Talk.

Meet me at the park, opposite side of the lake.

...Picnic?