[video]

[rockstark]

[the video feed blips to life on a new face - slightly scruffy, but pretty handsome all the same, if he does say so himself. or, at least, he would if he knew he were being watched. but since he doesn’t, he’s just yawning obnoxiously. he’s also shirtless. in the background there’s the calm drone of a British accent:]

Good morning, sir. Temperature is currently sixty-five degrees, with a projected high of seventy-one.

Yeah-huh, thanks, Jarvis. [Tony scrapes a hand over his face and actually … pokes at the screen for a moment] You havin’ trouble with the feeds this morning? I’m not seeing the morning news ticker.

Everything appears to be in working order.

Great. I’m awake now. Cancel the coffee. … [he sighs, then reaches off-screen and grabs a bathrobe, shrugging it on before raising his voice] HEY, PEPPER. [and he’ll just … poke at the screen a little more, putting a hand to one corner and swiping it away]

Yes, Tony? [A voice calls from somewhere off camera. It’s only a moment before a redhead in a silk bathrobe strolls into the room, looking curiously at him] Did you need something?

[the look that flits across his face says pretty clearly that for a moment, his answer was entirely different than what comes out of his mouth. but he clears his throat and nods toward the screen] Uh, yeah. Did you, uh. Did you download any new apps onto the mainframe or something, while you were -- um. You know, boss. Because I’ve got this thing showing up and I didn’t put it there. Unless I put it there during the birthday party. But I totally would’ve seen it before now if I had, right? I’m pretty sure...

[She shakes her head and gives him an amused look before crossing to look over his shoulder at the screen.] No, I didn’t add anything. At least, nothing like this. I don’t even know what this is supposed to be.

Looks like some kind of … [he squints] Oh good god. It’s cross-form social media. I think. … Jarvis, confirm?

Indeed, sir. … And it would appear my video feed has been involuntarily activated.

Video feed?! [Her eyes get wide and she clutches the robe closer and tries to move out of frame. DO NOT WANT] Wait. What... what is this? How is this possible? Tony, that shouldn’t be possible, should it? I mean, no one could just, like, hack into our system and take over the video feed whenever they want... [She gasps as she realizes what this could mean] Oh god, could they? Could someone really do that?

No. Come on, Pep, have a little faith, think about whose system this is we’re talking about here. Nobody changes Jarvis but me, and even then we’ve got failsafes. When did you make me put those in, again? … It was the time he spoke Spanish for all of two days, right? Come on, that wasn’t even that bad. Was it, Jarvis?!

No, senor.

See?! We’re fine. … Besides. Don’t you wanna smile for the camera? [he gives Pepper an encouraging smile. come on, Potts. help him figure out who’s responsible for this by playing nice, and then you can go do your sexy legal shark thing. right?]

[She gives him an unimpressed look. Smiling for the cameras is for when she’s showered... and dressed... and had her coffee. GDI TONY! She sighs softly and plasters her sweetest press smile on her face before stepping back into view] You only say it wasn’t too bad because you thought it was a perfect excuse to not get any work done since you couldn’t read your email. [She looks up at the screen] Now, if no one’s hacked in... what’s going on, then?

Comments

permavid

[starblaze]

['sup, have a pale girl with weird blue eyes.]

You're not being hacked... technically.

[rockstark]

Like there's any way to get hacked other than technically. ... Jarvis, my color balance is off. Saturation, too, I think. Get on that.

[video]

[6collegecredits]

[Yep, recognizing Tony from the news and whatnot.]

Hm. Better than TMZ.

/to end!

[rockstark]

And you're certainly not Perez Hilton, either. [she'll get one of his most charming smiles. more flies with honey, after all]

[Video]

[twotailmechanic]

You're not being hacked, the community itself tends to do that, and no I don't mean a computer virus either. It'll leave you along once you've talked around a bit.

[Video forever]

[ms_potts]

[Pepper just... stares... did that fox thing just talk? What is this even... It takes her a moment to find her voice]

A community itself did this. But how... how does something like that happen?

[video]

[scanningutterly]

[There appears to be a teenager hanging out in a wood-paneled room- though all of it looks curiously flat and the movement lags (you might think it's really good v.r. and you'd be right.).]

It's not really "someone." More like "something."

[rockstark]

[being of that kind of mind, Tony does, in fact, think it's really good VR. he tilts his head]

You gonna gimme a little more to build on than that?

[text]

[thatsmyyogurt]

Good question.

[ms_potts]

Thank you, but that doesn't really answer said question.

[mightletyouknowme]

It's really cross media but it's not a hack.

[rockstark]

... So I was half right. Okay. Maybe you're a hundred percent right, but if that's the case, then how did something I didn't authorize get on my very very very private home computer system? Humor me, here.

[makewayforroze]

Welcome to the community.

[ms_potts]

The community? What do you mean by community?

[voice]

[likethetragedy]

It's a long story that makes everyone who tries to tell it sound crazy. The short version of it is that no one really knows what's going on here. Just get used to talking to people here and random invasions of privacy until it goes away.

[video til end]

[ms_potts]

[She shoots a glance at Tony]

Sounds like one of your press conferences.

( permavid. )

[jailbirds]

[ the innocent-looking and cute, petite girl is smiling with the force of a thousand adorable suns and also she's wearing what is pretty obviously a grey prison uniform. ]

Welcome to the community, fuckers! I like to call it the Assholes and Dipshits Brigade, but the name never really caught on and you're still stuck here either way. It sure sucks balls to be either of you two, huh?

[rockstark]

[whoa, language. Tony scowls a little. he's fine with it, but really, it's just rude. especially in front of Potts]

I dunno, I've got a pretty good hand from where I'm sitting at the table. I mean - I've got the Ace of Manners here, where you're kind of out the entire suit.

[yumadbro]

It's the community.

[ms_potts]

The community? [She smiles, sweetly] I'm sorry, but that doesn't really narrow it down very much.

[ video ]

[wormhole]

Oh wow. I was not expecting Tony Stark this morning.

[rockstark]

I'm like the Spanish Inquisition. Only more effective, and better-looking.

How's it going?

[Video]

[notmyfirstrodeo]

In a way I think this might've been inevitable.

It's not strictly a hack, but that's a good way to start describing it.

[He's amused. More than he should be. Also curious. More people from his own little sliver of reality. Huh. Popular universe they have.]

Mr. Stark. Ms. Potts. It's nice to see the both of you.

[Video forever]

[ms_potts]

[Okay this is just getting all kinds of weird.]

Agent Coulson?! What's going on? What is this?

video

[pikapikapikarin]

Looks like the community connected to your place. I guess um, hi, nice to meet you two?

[ms_potts]

[She shoots the girl a winning smile]

It's nice to meet you, too. Though I'm afraid we're still a little lost on the whole "community" concept.

[ video ]

[doyoufondue]

It's a magic ...thing.

[rockstark]

Nice try, Somehow Vaguely Familiar Guy, but magic doesn't exist. S'only science.

[ video ]

[second_star]

Oh no. You caught me. I hacked your whatshamawhoozits.

[rockstark]

Well, congratulations, now all your b-tard friends will love you. Funny, though, how you're missing the suit and the whole faceless mask schtick.

(voice.)

[godofabs]

I am sure if you had been hacked, you would not be in one piece.

[rockstark]

Not quite the kind of hacking I meant, Captain Literal. But thanks for playing.

[ video ]

[soulfist]

Mmm~ You two look like very lovely people.

[rockstark]

And your two look like very lovely -- [OH WAIT, NEW GIRLFRIEND IS RIGHT THERE NEXT TO HIM. AHEMMMM.]

Thank you. [tight, quick smile]

[voice]

[trickstering]

I assume by now it's been explained to you.

[ms_potts]

Somewhat, yes. Though it's all still very confusing, I must admit.

[Video]

[darklycharming]

Have you all settled in yet?

[Video forever]

[ms_potts]

It's... a work in progress. Things have been explained well enough but it's still unsettling to have been so abruptly thrown into all of this.

[notjustathief]

You're not being hacked. It's actually a lot more invasive than that.

[rockstark]

Well, now, that's comforting.

[video]

[sexbastian]

[Have some golf clap you two.] Quite the introduction.

[rockstark]

Thanks. ... Unless you mean your own, in which case, I've gotten better applause.

[video]

[howbadcanibe]

[Have a young man sitting in the middle of a strange forest, a guitar on his lap. no, you two aren't tripping, the truffula valley is this fabulous colorful.]


That's a very bad timing.

[video forever]

[ms_potts]

[Pepper's just going to, uh, stare for a moment. What the hell is that? No really. What is that?]

Uh. Yeah, that's what we thought as well...

video; super latest hush

[tenminutes]

[ We'll just say Yuri's late too because busy. Or something. ]

Were you talking to your computer before the community started talking back?

[rockstark]

Yeah, 'course. Say hi, Jarvis.

[the AI somehow has the resigned tone of someone who thinks this is totally unnecessary] Hello, miss.