Make a Name for Yourself (1x1 closed rp)

[Owl_Empress]

This is a one x one rp between Lucy S Diamonds and Valhalla Bruttenholm. Do not post or steal.

[Lucy S Diamonds]

TonyStark

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Another day was being wasted in one of the many laboratories of the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters. Tony Stark found himself, once again, trying to sketch out a design for a new helicarrier. He had a decent schematic laid out so far, but it lacked... Something. He couldn't quite decide what it needed, or if the whole thing was just unusable. Hell, it seemed that he couldn't figure out anything in the past week. It couldn't have been his own fault (because nothing was) and so he blamed his mind-block on his monotonous surroundings. The floors were gray. The ceiling was gray. The only redeeming aspect was that two walls were glass, but even those led to a gray hallway. He supposed the technology would be interesting, if he weren't already so accustomed to them. It felt as if he had been working in the same room for eons, though it had only been a few hours that day and about three weeks before that. It wasn't that he was a stranger to hard work and frustration, but still he required his "leisure" time. Ever since he had been requested to work inside the base, it was rare that Tony was able to go to some party or even get a decent drink. And to think, such activities were commonplace before he associated himself with this whole Avengers thing! Those times were just memories now, ones that plagued him while he sat fuming in the lab. The atmosphere of the place was just so draining that even when he had the time to go out, he was often too tired to do anything else but to collapse on his bed. Or the couch. Or the floor. At times like these, Tony cursed Nick Fury and all of S.H.I.E.L.D; whether he did so aloud or internally was the only difference in each occurrence. Hadn't he earned the right to go out clubbing, or cruise around in one of his exceptional cars? But, so was the life of a genius, he supposed; pulling his hair out over a simple design that he couldn't figure out.

Being a hero just made work like this seem tedious and annoying. Fighting, flying, and just being an all around badass was enough to make Tony want to put the Iron Man suit on and find something, anything, to defend the world from. But who could blame him? Seeing how the rest of world reveres you as some sort of god is an incredible feeling, even if he had enjoyed this sensation to a lesser extent prior to donning the suit. He enjoyed crafting new machinery, he truly did, but when it was a forced labor it lost all of its allure. Even trying to map out a new Iron Man suit seemed like a task, which even he was surprised at. Still, it did not compare to how boring designing helicarriers was, so it was a tempting to discard the work he was doing now and start sketching out a new suit. It was then his mind began to wander more. Should he add some more weapons to his arsenal, or more powerful rockets. Tony slouched forward on the chair he was working in and propped his elbows up on the table, unconsciously skewing the helicarrier sketches from view. He even considered changing the paint-job of his iconic suit. Perhaps green, or orange, or with flames on the side. Maybe something that sparkled in the sunlight and shot out fireworks at night! As his mind slipped deeper into absurdities, he began to chew on the end of his pencil that he had clung to so fiercely in the previous hours.

Upon realizing what he was doing, Tony took the pencil from his mouth. He hoped no one had noticed, or the slack-jawed expression he probably had worn while doing it. But, even if they had, he was Tony Stark! In other words, one slip up couldn't account for every other extraordinary thing he had done. He looked back down at his work, then the ceiling, then back at his work. Damn, what time was it? He looked to the pricey watch on his wrist, though it offered him little help. His eyes were so strained from working for so long that he couldn't differentiate the numbers on the face of the watch. Tony experienced a brief moment of panicking about getting old, but soon decided that such an idea was ridiculous. Getting old? Please, he was at his prime! One look in the mirror would have told him that. He rubbed his eyes and groaned, then allowed his head to only be held up by his hand. With his eyes still closed, he brought his arm down, then his head, and effectively ignored his work for the time being. He deserved a break! Besides, it was boring.

((First post! Kind of short, hope that's cool. ))

[Lucy S Diamonds]

SteveRogers

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Wandering the halls, clipboard in hand, was none other than Steve Rogers. With each step his tightly laced military boots clicked against the cool linoleum, echoing down the empty halls. Even his meandering seemed to have purpose, perhaps because of his straight posture, or how closely he examined the clipboard in his hand. Whatever it was, it was a mystery to others, for if they attempted the same they would be penalized for idleness. Of course, Steve was never truly idle, he wouldn't allow himself too. If the man had free time, which occurred from time to time, he felt guilty for being "lazy" and would find something he could occupy himself with. His constant need to do good and be just could be seen as annoying by those less driven, and he understood this most of the time. Though being an adult boyscout did earn him some ridicule from certain Avengers, he still went on with what he felt was best with his chin held high. There was no reason to feel ashamed for being a good samaritan, he would tell himself. How could there be shame in that? There must have been something lost in translation between the norms of his day to those of the modern age, because he could not comprehend the outward laziness and apathy he sometimes witnessed. Regardless, he found a way to respect everyone, because everyone has done some good in their life, and that deserves recognition. At least, that's how he justified it.

His ethics weren't the only thing still enriched with the past. Though he wasn't wearing his Captain America garb, he was still easily recognizable as the time-locked Avenger. His khakis were finely pressed and pleated, cinched in with a brown leather belt, and his blue, plaid dress shirt was neatly tucked in. Only his heavy military boots set the outfit apart from being completely dated. His hair was also neatly brushed and parted to the side, as any young man from the forties would. If he happened to pass someone in the halls, the contrast between himself and the other person was almost laughable. Most agents in the S.H.I.E.L.D headquarters were dressed in sleek black uniforms or stylish suits, and Steve, of course, was not. Not that he noticed, because he was usually so engrossed in whatever he was doing that he couldn't hear the snickers of pairs or the lingering stare of some. Despite what some may say about his wardrobe, Steve was still a highly regarded man in the S.H.I.E.L.D building and beyond. He had saved the world, millions of lives, and was a living legend that defied even the cold grasp of nature. Aside from having a golden attitude, his accomplishments alone were enough to earn him respect. Anyone who heard of his story, from scrawny New York boy to American hero was automatically impressed. Or, they were skeptical of such a feat and wrote him off as an exaggerator. The latter was rare these days, however.

Eying his clipboard again, Steve begun to murmur the text aloud. "Eric, Sarah, Jason..." His voice was low as he went through the list of the new agents he would have to train. There was a small picture of each person next to their name and he was attempting to memorize names. If he could get their names down now, the lessons would be simpler to instruct. It didn't seem too difficult a task, considering that the group was small. The groups never were very large, and didn't seem to exceed ten people. S.H.I.E.L.D had to remain exclusive, after all. Steve did wonder sometimes if they recruited too many people but in the end he accepted that Nick Fury knew what he was doing. Or, whoever was in charge of recruitments. New people were never a hindrance in the past, in fact he welcomed them with open arms. His warm personality may have been why he was assigned to train the newbies, or maybe it was his past in the military. Or, maybe it was even his understanding of human progress and his patience for it. Whatever it was, it was one of the better jobs he felt he had.

Steve's other main obligation was trying to keep the other Avengers in line. It was a harder job than it seemed, because each Avenger was more stubborn than the last. They hardly ever wanted to take direction, or listen to advice, and even a conversation could be a battle. The only Avenger that didn't seem to want to drive Steve mad was Bruce, who was always very cordial, but distant. One person didn't necessarily make up for the rest, though. Calling a meeting was always a challenge. The meeting itself was a calmer chaos but was hardly ever productive. In fact, most of them didn't even pay attention. Yes, it was certainly more frustrating than dealing with the new recruits.

[Lucy S Diamonds]

MariePendleton

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Marie looked to be diligently at work as she carefully dissected a small alien species. It was something that was long preserved by the S.H.I.E.L.D scientists that they now decided to take an interest in. Honestly, she wasn't even sure if this was a legitimate experiment. Why would they wait until now to take an interest in this thing? Surely they had scientists in the past that had just as much, if not more, credentials than her to do this. She wasn't even truly sure of what she was doing, considering she only just began reading the information on this species. The most she could do was to compare the functions and biology of this specimen to others she was acquainted with, then report on it. So far it seemed pretty similar to an alien race she had observed yesterday, which wasn't as exciting as it sounded. Not even the new discoveries she found with this species were thrilling, because in some way, everything related to one another. The only true differences in most could only be seen beneath a microscope, or the way the organs performed. It was interesting to convert the specimen to an infant stage, then to an elderly state, then back again because of how diverse the results could be, but she had already performed such a practice on this one. Being able to change the physical age of the cadavers she received was unique to her as a scientist because of her powers and offered decent information, so naturally this made her feel useful. There was a pad of paper and a pencil beside her for recording notes for discoveries like these, but she couldn't very well write with her gloved, alien-intestine-handling hands. Normally she reserved notes for after the dissection when her hands were clean and she could assure that conditions were sanitary. It wasn't ideal to work like this, for a scientist should record findings as soon as they are found. She felt that an assistant would be marvelous for this, so she could say something and they would have to record it. But Marie was not high enough on the totem pole for such luxuries, or to request them. Someday she would have it all; her own lab, assistants, information... Well, she told herself that, anyway. There was no guarantee that they would keep her, or if something would happen to her, or anything. S.H.I.E.L.D was an unpredictable environment, to say the least.

Her thoughts returned to her work as she carefully undid some sort of major artery that was woven around the specimen's internal body. Marie had to be sure that her hands were steady and unwavering, for a single slip could compromise the integrity of the specimen.The creature itself was soft and formless, almost gelatinous, which made the task all the more difficult. Dissecting aliens could be dull, but it was never easy. There were always so many things to give attention to, it was foolish to slack off in most cases. Her experience as a zoologist did give her an edge on being able to adapt to different types of lifeforms, but certain ones (such as the one she was dealing with now) were impossible to master. With every alien she dissected, however, one thought always crossed her mind; was this moral? This alien could have led a life very similar to an Earthlings life, or not, who knows? And to add on, weren't some members of S.H.I.E.L.D aliens? How did they feel bout all of this? Apparently, they didn't feel strongly enough if she continued doing the practice. She figured it was all in the name of science anyway, and that these aliens were already dead and not killed, and that humans did the same with their own kind. It was almost like being in college again for zoology, and having to come to terms with dissecting animals. And, like then, she didn't completely believe her own justifications.

((Gahh this one is really short, but I'm really tired, so I'm gonna go with it. I'll be better tomorrow, I promise!))

[Owl_Empress]

Autumn Wayne

It had been two months since S.H.I.E.L.D. had once again started badgering Autumn and she was ready to give them a piece of her mind. Not only were they e-mailing and calling her on a constant basis, but they had started sending plain clothes representatives to her home several times a day who snuck around the grounds with shifty eyes, trying to catch a a conversation with her. Typically Autumn wasn't a high strung woman, but she valued her privacy and the constant onslaught of 'join us, join us' was bringing her to the edge.

Autumn tiptoed quietly through her home now, notes clutched to her chest like some precious treasure, and hardly ever ventured outside. Even before the media had regarded Autumn as an extremely private and almost reclusive person, but now she had practically fallen off of the map because of this S.H.I.E.L.D. business. "Why can't they just leave me alone?!" Autumn shouted this angrily as she threw her cell phone halfway across the room, number blocked displayed on her screen. She was frustrated and tired and bored. "One more knock, one more call, one more anything and I'll lose it." She sighed tiredly and rubbed her eyes, dark circles from hard work and a lack of sleep darkening them.

She had told them 'no' so many numerous times that Autumn had lost count. But, for whatever reason Director Fury had decided that they needed her. Not as Batwoman (a secret only between Fury and Autumn herself), but as an engineer that was just as bright as famed Tony Stark. They wanted her to generate weapons using her technology, and Autumn had refused. "The Waynes are protectors, defenders, and providers-- not killers." Autumn had stated firmly the first time. "I'm not a killer. I won't make weapons." And with that began Fury and Autumn's disagreement. Autumn shook these thoughts from her mind, thankful her security system managed to keep the nosier of the representatives and agents out, and began working on her project. Within the hour she was finally asleep, a peaceful expression on her face.

The next day Fury decided it was time to reevaulate the situation and called an agent in. "Explain."


"Ms. Wayne is known for keeping to herself, and the home's security system is state of the art. We haven't been able to get in. Yesterday, she set the system to a more... offensive state."

"You're sure about this?" Fury asked.

"Yes, sir. We've had numerous agents sent back with injuries-- none fatal. But enough to frighten them. And there were some rather angry notes left with them as well. We can't reach her. She won't answer e-mails, phone calls, or normal calls to the house. Sir, with all due respect I don't think we're going to convince her. Ms. Wayne is not interested in weapons making, she said that herself quite plainly."

"I know. That's why, although it isn't ideal for me, I'm going to give her what she wanst. Energy sources and defense. I'll stick her with Stark-- he's needed some sort of partner after Banner left. Maybe this will help."

After a personal visit from Fury, a stand off, and a long conversation that included quite a bit of shouting and Autumn uncharacteristically losing her temper, Autumn had given in to Fury's request. The deal was there would be no weapons on her part. If Stark was working on something that Autumn refused to work on, she had that right. But, she was his partner and she was expected to cooperate in the large scheme of things. She was also assigned to the 'energy department', a division of S.H.I.E.L.D. that specialized in creating, discovering, and improving cleaner and more efficient forms of energy.

Autumn had just arrived at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters been given a brief (and what she considered lazy) tour of the place before being encouraged to go and meet Tony Stark. When she finally found him, Autumn knocked audibly on the door before entering, a curiosity taking hold of her. She had heard of this man's brilliance and hoped it wasn't all some crazy illusion. Used being the pretty face that no one took seriously, Autumn craved the company of someone who could listen to her ideas and talk with her, and actually understand what she was talking about. Not just stare at her chest and nod politely while they weren't interested, or just simply believing that she lied about her credentials.

"Mr. Stark? Autumn Wayne, it's a pleasure to meet you." Autumn held out a slender hand in a polite offering of a handshake. "Fury's informed me that we're to be partners."

[Lucy S Diamonds]

TonyStark

------------------

The sound of a feminine voice rang through Tony's ears, and though he acknowledged it, he was slow to react. It seemed like whenever he took a break, there was something to interject it. Maybe he would try hiding in a storage closet next time he wanted to rest his eyes. He inhaled deeply as if to clear his head and sat up slowly. His eyes narrowed as they adjusted to the light and he tried to discern the hazy figure in front of him. Soon enough his vision was restored and he beheld the woman who had addressed him. She was willowy with long ebony hair, a fine sight indeed. So fine, in fact, he questioned how exactly she became a scientist at S.H.I.E.L.D. He considered that she was involved with Nick Fury in some way, but Fury was resistant to such things. At least, he thought so. People led secret lives all of the time, and it was always possible that Nick Fury may have had a tender spot for pretty women. It seemed unlikely, however. His list of influential men who she could have slept with would have continued, but then he realized her last name. Wayne? As in, Bruce Wayne? It was a stretch, but if this were the case then he had to watch his back. The Wayne family was notorious for their intellect and business success, both of which he respected. But, respect came with a price. Tony was often weary of Wayne Enterprises, considering they were a potential threat. He had no doubts in the abilities of himself and his own company, but only a fool would stop trying after they reached the top. No, being on the pedastal of success was only the beginning, the real challenge was staying there. Her father may have sent her here, disguised as a scientist, to discover the secrets of his company. Company leaders always had some kind of trick up their sleeves to get a leg up on the competition, Tony included. And, as most of the schemes went, this one involved an attractive woman. Or maybe she was just a scientist recruited by S.H.E.I.L.D for legitimate reasons, whichever. Attractive people could be smart too, he was the prime example of that! Tony would accept her now, see what her real intentions and credentials were, and react accordingly.

"So, you're my new partner..." He said while rising to his feet. Tony took her hand and shook it firmly, then smirked. "It must be exciting to know you'll be working with such a celebrity, huh?" Hopefully Autumn would pick up on his sense of humor quickly, or his arrogance, whichever this situation applied to. If she didn't, their time together would be laden with awkward tension that Tony would exploit anyway for amusement. But, he supposed that he had that sort of relationship with Bruce. For all of the times Tony picked on Bruce, he still missed having him around. He was one of the few people he could actually hold an intelligent conversation with in S.H.I.E.L.D and he helped the day go by quicker. Their conversations were similar to that of a ping-pong match, though with theories and suggestions going back and forth rather than a little plastic ball. It was exceedingly rare, but when the two weren't harassing each other, they would mess with other people, or simply mock them behind their backs. Whichever they were motivated enough to do. It went without saying that Bruce was also an exceptional lab partner and had the work ethic of a bee, which Tony did lack at times. He helped Tony during his slumps, like the one he was in now. Bruce was gone though, off to who knows where. Apparently, it was becoming increasingly difficult for him to keep the Hulk restrained, so he took a leave of absence to work out new anger management techniques. It was for the best, because having the Hulk rampaging again without control was the last thing anyone wanted. The work environment was getting to everyone, it seemed.

The point was that Bruce was going to be a tough act to follow. Tony had been informed earlier that he was going to be receiving a new partner and he couldn't help but to feel a little resentful. Bruce was his friend. Still, Tony understood why it had to be done and he would try not to hold any of this against Autumn. It wasn't her fault that Bruce was on the brink of a meltdown. He had to remind himself of the positives of getting a new partner. For example, it would be nice to have someone around again. If she was Bruce Wayne's kid, then maybe he could hold a conversation with her, which could be enlightening. At the very least, it had to be better than what he was dealing with now. On top of that, he would have someone to share the workload with. Hopefully she could help with this whole helicarrier design and he wouldn't have to keep losing his hair by the handfuls. Maybe he could even return to revising his Iron Man suit, and she could contribute. (These contributions would most likely be rejected, not because of any inferiority on her end, but because he was very protective of his suit.) Unless, of course, Fury gave them even more work. It wouldn't be out of character for Fury to assign more work, he always did enjoy knocking Tony down a few pegs. Try to, anyway. Even if she didn't help out, or couldn't effectively speak with him, Tony did find some reprieve in that there was another human in the lab again. Though he would never admit it, Tony enjoyed having someone around and hated being alone for long lengths of time. But who didn't?

Placing his hands in his pockets, Tony looked to Autumn. "Your last name is Wayne, right?" He asked, finally addressing his curiosity vocally. "Is daddy going to be upset when he learns you're working with me?" It was no secret that there was tension between the two companies, let alone the family names. If she was the heiress to Bruce Wayne, this job would became far more interesting. Whether that term "interesting" would be positive or not was the only mystery that would be left. Either way, it was better than nothing.

[Owl_Empress]

Autumn Wayne

"I'm afraid the novelty has worn off years ago, Mr. Stark." Autumn smiled and laughed lightly, politely teasing the billionaire. "But, the excitement is there since I'll working with brilliant mind." The expression that crossed Autumn's face was one of happy relief. It may have not been obvious to Tony, but for years Autumn had been stuck with those who intellectually could not match her, or those who gave her menial, non-challenging tasks and bored her half to death. "I look forward to working with you."

She paused for a moment, listening to Tony's other question and let out another small and polite laugh. "Oh, don't even get me started on this job." Autumn sighed heavily and almost rolled her eyes. "My father's too busy with his own things, and Fury just couldn't leave me alone. After a final agreement I decided to come along. After all, I had to give up my job at Stark Industries in order to come here. But, at least they'll still allow me to live at Heirloom. But, enough about that," the slender woman added abruptly, changing the subject, "what have you been working on? Fury says you've been working on some sort of transportation device? What does it do? And, I've been working on a sort of suit that I'd like to tell you about later. "

((Sorry it's short!))

[Lucy S Diamonds]

TonyStark

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Tony was surprised to hear she had worked for Stark Industries. Why hadn't he been notified of this? Surely he should have been informed that Bruce Wayne's daughter had been working for him; it would have been one hell of an ego boost. Then again, he wasn't exactly notified of anyone that was hired into Stark Industries, unless they were executives. If she was a part of his own company, then she must have been bright (but being recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D could have told him that too). Background checks and security were also top-notch at his company, so if she were a threat or was looking to use him for information, he would have known about it already. She could have changed her alliances within the time she left Stark Industries and joined S.H.I.E.L.D, but he was sure that they checked that she was clean too. It would be just like Nick Fury to recruit one of his employees, though. He wouldn't have minded if Autumn had been recruited and kept her job at the company (it would be difficult for her to balance it all though), but the outright stealing of one of his scientists was irritating to hear about. Tony did understand that S.H.I.E.L.D was a slightly more important establishment, and that his company was associated with S.H.I.E.L.D, but he didn't like it when anyone nabbed one of his people. Anyone. Stark Industries wouldn't exactly collapse because of the loss of one scientist, but it was another ego thing. In all honesty, Tony wasn't truly angry, but he was agitated. He wasn't that petty, despite what tabloids said. In fact, it was almost funny. Well played, Fury, well played.
"Well, we at Stark Industries are certainly sad to see you go. And with that being said, welcome to S.H.I.E.L.D." Tony spoke with his usual hint of sarcasm and turned back to the table he had been working at before. Wait, what was that other thing she said? She had ideas for a new suit? He arched an eyebrow out of intrigue. Her ideas may be influenced by the inventions at Wayne Enterprises, which was enough to get him interested. He may have previously mentally condemned Autumn for being a possible spy for Wayne Enterprises, but it was all a part of the cooperate world. With this in mind, he also felt a bit offended out of protection of his current Iron Man suit. As far as the public was concerned, he believed his suit was perfect. The only reason he wanted modifications was because of his constant need to improve and progress. It would have taken a sharp mind (or a fool) to find flaws with the design, so this piqued his interest.

Tony would have asked more about the idea, but she indicated that this discussion would be for later, and that she was more focused on the assignment Nick Fury had given. Oh yeah, he had almost forgotten about that. He searched the table for the buried helicarrier schematics that he had been toying with earlier. Somehow it had gotten buried under a mess of other papers. It was only natural that when he was looking for the damn thing that it was gone. Upon finding them he glanced them over. It was disappointing to him, after all it was a decent design, but it was just too ordinary. It was just like the helicarrier they had now! He offered the papers to Autumn.

"Yeah, the big guy wanted me to come up with a new helicarrier for S.H.I.E.L.D." Tony sighed and scratched the side of his head. Maybe showing one of his less successful ideas to her wasn't the best of first impressions. He would have been more concerned if it weren't for all of his other accomplishments, his status, and the fact that he was her boss at one point. So, he shrugged off any insecurities on the design and moved forward. "I've been having some issue with beefing this thing up, y'know? It needs something, like a more streamlined design or a more efficient fuel system. A behemoth like that uses a hell of a lot of fuel, so it'd be nice to figure that out." He paused for a moment, thinking this idea over in his head. Actually, that wasn't a bad idea. All he needed now was a means of reaching this efficiency. Just as soon as it left him, his inspiration seemed to be coming back. Awesome.

Tony crossed his arms and leaned back on the table. "But uh, don't feel pressured to come up with anything. I know what I'm doing."

((It's okay, you don't have to write novels for me, I'm cool with anything. 8D ))

[Owl_Empress]

Autumn Wayne

Autumn nodded in thanks, not too sure what would be a perfectly appropriate reply to his statement. She leaned over the table to look at the notes and plans Tony had worked on and nodded in appreciation. Looking at it, Autumn definitely gave the impression that she understood it as she grabbed a blank notepad and pen, and began to take notes.

Looking up after awhile, Autumn spoke. "Well, I suppose it depends on what course we'd like to take first. I agree with you on a more efficient fuel system. It could dramatically increase the distance the helicarrier can travel if we do it right. But, depending if we use a single or multiple source fuel source will also effect how large the fuel system will be, and in the end also effect the design of the helicarrier." She paused, staring back down at the blueprints. "Flex-fuel would be interesting, but potentially costly... bi-fuel would be inefficient. Of course we don't even have to go with a fuel source. The helicarrier is so large, it would be justifiable to create a personalized reactor of some sort for it."

Autumn looked up to see what Tony's opinion was. She was cool and collected, but on the inside she was overjoyed to actually be talking intelligently with someone. After weeks stuck at home doing nothing but work on Batclan related projects, Autumn's mind had begun to crave stimulation and variance.

((Thanks! Btw, sorry if I was unclear-- when Autumn mentioned the 'suit' she meant more of a different specialized suit for the SHIELD members, nothing Iron Man at all. XD Sorry for the lack of clarity, but it's fine that Tony thinks that.))

[Lucy S Diamonds]

TonyStark

------------------

Tony listened to what Autumn had to say, nodding every now and then to show he was paying attention. If it weren't for those little nods of his head it could easily be taken that he wasn't attentive in the least. His eyes were staring at his feet, his expression lax, his arms were crossed, his weight was mostly supported by the table he leaned on... He resembled a child that was waiting for a lecture to end. This wasn't the case, it was just the manner in which he held himself. In reality he was considering her ideas and was discussing them in his head. Bi-fuel seemed to be out of the question if they were aiming for an efficient model. Besides, he was sure that the current helicarrier was already running on bi-fuel, and he didn't want to have that repeated. Based on her suggestions that left only flex-fuel or a reactor. The flex-fuel would be simpler to create a structure around and in the the construction would be less expensive for S.H.I.E.L.D. On the other hand, to have its own reactor would be less costly in the long run, though it would be more costly upfront. Plus, the reactor would require an incredible amount of labor and planning and all of it would have to be done with extreme caution. He figured that an arc reactor would be the best choice for this sort of operation, but at the same time travel with such a reactor would have to be guaranteed safe and without the threat of a crash, for it would be disastrous. If it was done correctly, it would show the true advancements of S.H.I.E.L.D and would may even become a norm for travel, and the idea of that was exciting in itself. Not to mention, it would reflect beautifully on himself (and Autumn, of course).

While he still debated both options in his head, he couldn't help but to appreciate the ideas Autumn offered. The way she was able to scan over a diagram and automatically rattle off three options was impressive. Most scientists would still be trying to make out the hieroglyphic-esque diagram that Tony had created. She must have specialized in energy conservation, or she had just gotten lucky. If the latter was true, then he would have to take her to the nearest casino. Assuming this wasn't the case, he was glad to have another capable mind in the lab again. Now there was hope again for innovation and for insightful conversation, though Tony would claim that he could achieve either of these things on his own. Always the skeptic, he still had to retain his doubts about this girl until a longer time had past. She had only been in the lab for what, five minutes? He wouldn't allow for that to be an accurate assessment of her. It would probably take another month for Tony to begin to acknowledge this girl as his equal. But he had to admit, she was off to a pretty good start.

"A flex-fuel would probably be the safest, easiest way to go." Tony crossed the room to the computer interface system, activating it with a wave of his hand. It was such an advanced piece of technology that it was hardly recognizable as a computer, the way it projected holograms that were so easily manipulated. Perhaps Autumn had seen the 3-D computer interface, considering who her father was, but to most it was a surprise to see it at work. He spent little more than a minute opening, sliding, and closing different files before seeming to find the one he was looking for. "But, I never got anywhere taking the safe and easy way." Having said that, Tony expanded the file to show the image and layout of a previously made arc reactor. It seemed to be the larger one he was designing to power the Stark Tower, which so far was working wondrously. He moved slightly to the side so Autumn could view the file with more ease.

"An arc reactor would provide the most energy, and it has been done before." Tony pointed to the arc reactor in his own chest to emphasize his point (the glow of it was visible through his shirt). "It does work on a large scale, as I've applied it to my own Stark Tower. It's worked like a dream for the few months it's been operational." He considered that perhaps it wasn't wise to reveal the layout of one of his prized possessions to the new girl, but again he remembered the exclusiveness of S.H.I.E.L.D and all of that. He wasn't thinking very clearly these days, it seemed. Oh, but if he saw anything resembling this in any Wayne technologies, he would flip. He shook his head free of these worries and continued on. "I've been slow to introduce it into S.H.I.E.L.D products because I've never combined the idea of a large scale reactor that is capable of flight and combat. The larger the reactor's are made the more unstable they are, so to put one on a helicarrier could be dangerous."

((OH! Oh well, we'll just go with that Tony is self-centered that way lol.))

[Owl_Empress]

Autumn Wayne

Autumn watched in silence, her slender arms crossed, and a deeply concentrated look on her face. She nodded in acknowledgement when Tony finished. "I'll leave it up to you, whether we do the flex fuel or the arc. But, although an arc reactor would be more efficient in the long run, I personally don't want to put so many people's lives at risk. It's a good idea, genius in fact." She smiled and uncrossed her arms, offering her hand in a farewell handshake. "Unfortunately I have some other business to attend to today. I look forward to working with you, and forgive me or my short stay today. I plan to return for quite awhile in a few days. It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Stark." Autumn headed for the door, but paused for a moment, turning around. "And thank you for listening to my ideas. No one ever does." With that, Autumn smiled warmly and excused herself.

((No worries! emotion_yatta It was my fault for not making it clear.
Sorry for the short post for Autumn. Also, what should our main conflict/plot be?
And I'm working on a post for Cosette. emotion_bigheart ))

[Lucy S Diamonds]

TonyStark

------------------

Tony grunted. Keeping people safe was important, sure, but where was the adventure? He wouldn't say it out loud (in fear of sounding like too much of an a**) but he really just wanted to test the limits of the arc reactor. Wouldn't it be a thrill to see it power a whole helicarrier? Well, it would only be a thrill for him, probably. In the end, he supposed it was in the customer's best interest to keep them safe, so he couldn't go using experimental designs on them. He would have to apply this idea to his own private creation. If it was effective, the possibilities were endless.

Exiting his thoughts, he looked up to see that Autumn was beginning to leave. That was awfully quick. He wondered if he had offended her somehow (even though he was rather cordial) but then heard she had other obligations. It was only natural, he thought, considering she had just joined S.H.I.E.L.D. She probably had to undergo some kind of new recruits meeting telling them the basic rules, or something. Whatever. Tony shook her hand once again.

"Alright. See ya." As he watched her leave the lab, he ran through his initial impression of her in his head. She seemed pretty smart and was able to adapt to his ideas rather well. Granted, the science discussion had been short, but he assumed she would be this way in future assignments as well. Even if this failed, she was nice to look at, which was a plus. Still, he looked for more than a lab decoration in a coworker. Hopefully time would further show that she was a worthy science partner. But so far he approved.

(( Hm... I was considering the Infinity Gauntlet series, but I think now it would be too difficult to pull off. Maybe Bruce could lose control and go Hulk and start smashing everything, and our guys would have to fight him/find some way to revert him? Idk, just a quick suggestion. xP ))

[Owl_Empress]

Cosette LeBeau

Cosette was utterly exhausted when she had fallen asleep on the hallway's hard, metal chairs a few hours ago, a small French novel clutched in her hands. After two years of running and losing hope, S.H.I.E.L.D. had proven to be a safe place to stay with steady meals and constant security that had been more than welcomed. Fury had arranged a small personal for Cosette and had contacted those that had an honest need to know where she was and whether she was safe. But there was nothing warm or inviting about it.

Now, Cosette was a translator (and occasional rare book finder) for S.H.I.E.L.D. and was mostly expected to keep to herself. Fury wasn't personally the biggest fan of Cosette's mutant identity, but he did favor her as a person and made it a priority to keep her safe.

With not much to do in the past few months, Cosette had been incredibly bored and restless. One could hone their mutant abilities for so long, read so many novels, and research so many foreign and alien literary sources. Additionally, being in her own 'department' kept Cosette isolated from anyone else- a true shame really.

And that was why poor Cosette was alone and sleeping, her blond hair covering most of her delicate face.""

((This is Cosette's official picture. She's a light blond, however, with spring green eyes.

[Lucy S Diamonds]

SteveRogers

------------------

Steve seemed completely under the spell of his clipboard. Though he was no longer uttering the names aloud, he was still allowing them to repeat in his head. The only reason his eyes would break from the list of names was to scan the picture beside it. Nathan had larger ears than the others, Jacklyn was the one with curly hair. He did this sort of routine with each agent on the list repeatedly, as if it were a part of his religion. The dedication of a proper soldier never seemed to leave him, even during his supposed breaks. Some would have considered this a burden, but Steve never did notice. After all, this sort of drive was a central part of his personality before the experiment. In a way, he had never truly known what it was like to be, well, lazy.

This sort of work ethic was prone to occasional failure, however. Such as being so bewitched by his assignments that he didn't take notice to the chairs that lined the the halls. As his walking drifted to the side, his foot suddenly caught on the leg of one of the empty chairs and he stumbled. He stayed upright with ease, though felt rather flustered to be drawn out of his trance so abruptly. Steve stood there for a short while and checked the surrounding area in hopes that nobody saw him. The last thing he would want was to be caught carelessly tripping over inanimate objects. Even in those few seconds he could imagine the teases he would receive from fellow Avengers, namely Tony. His face flushed red with embarrassment, but he looked to be in luck. No one was in sight! He smiled slightly to himself and sighed in relief, but he stopped himself short. Just a few chairs down he finally noticed the female sitting there. What were the chances? Women were more apt to forgiving such blunders, but no man wanted to look like a fool in front of a lady. He was so close to being in the clear, but not today apparently. He couldn't very well ignore what just happened; he had to confront the girl. Steve took a sharp inhale and tucked his clipboard beneath his arm and made his way over to her.

Steve wasn't exactly sure what he would say. Maybe just an apology for his clumsiness, or an explanation. As he approached her though, he found that perhaps nothing had to be said at all. The girl was asleep! It was rather fortunate for his ego. He may have walked away again at this point, seeing that he was "safe" now. But, it wasn't in Steve's nature to leave a lonely lady sleep in a chair. It didn't seem very fitting for her, or if he was feeling judgmental he may have assumed that she was escaping work. Either reason was enough for Steve to stick around.

"Excuse me, miss." Steve spoke relatively softly and knelt down to her height. He would have used the woman's name if he could identify who it was, but her long blond hair was obscuring her face. The clipboard was becoming awkward under his arm, so he placed it on the chair beside her. He shook her shoulder gently to help further his efforts in waking her. Though she probably couldn't see yet, he gave a warm smile. "Are you alright? Can't be all that comfortable to be sleeping in a chair."

((Alrighty, she's very pretty! (: ))

[Owl_Empress]

Cosette LeBeau

Cosette had not stirred when Steve had collided with the chair, apparently being a heavy sleeper. She awoke, however, when the kind man shook her shoulder. She mumbled something incoherently and sat up, brushing her long hair out of her face and behind one ear. "Oh, désolé. It must be strange seeing me sleeping here like this." Her voice was soft and gentle, and tinted with a French accent. She looked up at Steve and an awestruck look appeared to cross her face. He was handsome (breathtakingly so), and it took Cosette a moment to collect herself. After all, it wasn't everyday that you were woken up by a handsome man, let alone Steve Rogers. "I, eh, I was just studying and then I must have dosed off." They young woman stood, novel still clutched in her hands, and nodded in apologies. "Please, don't let me get in your way."