3249/Gifts lost and given

Gifts lost and given
Date of Scene:	21 October 2015
Location:	New York-199999
Synopsis:	Talk of possessions, giving and receiving gifts, as well as talk of Halloween costumes.
Cast of Characters:	20, 301

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Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    It's not unusual for Toph to head out on various trips around the multiverse looking for new rocks, gems and metal to add to her ever growing collection. Most of the walls in the earthbender's room is by now covered by shelves, and there are many different earthen materials set there on display. All of them are slightly different too, or so Toph claims. At times when she's in her room she often spends time bending the rocks too, sometimes when she's working on her homework from Jarvis, when she's writing up reports or just listening to music.

    It's seldom she returns from these trips looking like she does, however.

    Partially covered in dust is one thing. But Toph is quiet when she wipes her feet on the matt by the front door, and she doesn't even seem to register Jarvis' welcome. Her expression is blank, and she seems to lack her usual energy and bravado as she heads for the kitchen, almost as if she's walking in a daze.

Tony Stark (301) has posed:
"Sir, Miss Beifong appears to be in some manner of distress."

"Huh -- what?" Tony pops his head up from the middle of some engine or another, his expression deepening swiftly into something resembling panic before Jarvis clarifies--

"Not in danger, sir. She seems very preoccupied however. And sad."

"Sad," Tony repeats, his moouth twisting from alarm to wry bemusement. "Okay." He tosses down the oil rag that had been draped over his shoulder and stands up, stretching out his spine with a series of audible pops. "Welp, time to go be Dad, then," he decides. Hey, he's been looking for a good opportunity to surprise her with the souvenirs he brought back from off-world. Maybe he can cheer her up.

"...Whassup, kiddo?" he asks from the kitchen doorway a minute later, hopefully before Toph in her distraction has put a still-wrapped poptart into the toaster.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    No, Toph is clearly not in danger, nor is she injured. But indeed, she does seem upset judging by the expression on her face, not to mention her being distracted.

    When Tony's voice can be heard it seems to snap Toph out of whatever thoughts she's having, and she turns her head slightly as she fumbles with the wrapped pop tart. At first it looks like she's slightly tense, though after a second she relaxes. "Oh... hi." She doesn't turn fully away from him at least, though she doesn't seem too eager to talk either. Something that Tony should be well aware of by now that the earthbender prefers to fix things herself, that she is an independent person. After a few seconds however she swallows, and as she puts the pop tart into the toaster she crumbles up the wrapping in her fists. "... I lost against a Confederate. I found a corrupted gem in the Great Forest, and I was going to take it to the Crystal Gems. But..."

    Toph's voice carries an undertone of frustration. "She took my satchel, which included the samples I found today, and... my reading glove." No, Toph does /not/ look happy about it. For most people it would only be useful as bragging rights considering it's Stark tech, for some it would be valuable to sell on eBay, but for Toph it's worth far more.

Tony Stark (301) has posed:
Oh, so she lost to a Confederate. Ok, sucks, but it happens. At least she's all right. Tony is about to tell her something along the lines of how you can't win them all (which is something he doesn't /really/ believe himself, but is the Responsible Adult thing to say), when she continues into the description of the theft. He's silent for a moment.

It's not that he can't make another glove. Or even that someone might steal the technology; he got a patent on it months ago. But he also knows what it means to Toph. He made it FOR her, after all, regardless that it's going to rake in billions for the company; his main pleasure is in seeing her voraciously reading when she finds a book she likes.

"Do you... need help getting your stuff back?" he ventures cautiously.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Toph takes a deep breath before she tosses the wrapping paper into the garbage. "Pearl said she might have an idea of where Peridot took my satchel. And since it's about the corrupted gem too, the Crystal Gems will most likely go with me. I will let you know if we need more help," she says a bit softly. At least she doesn't seem so upset that she will break stuff. Not even if somebody took one of her most prized possessions. Sure, she's not a big fan of reading. But sometimes she does find a book that she does enjoy reading. But the glove also allows her to be more independent and less reliant on others when out and about. Signs, menus... before she couldn't understand those. And while she might need the occasional help with text that her glove can't read, it's happening less.

    "... I'm so punching her in the face when I meet her next... stupid Peridot." There aren't many Confederates Toph voices an outright distaste for, but it seems like this Peridot is one of them.

    She does reach out to punch Tony in the arm. An apology for losing the stuff he made for her. "... you want a pop tart too?"

Tony Stark (301) has posed:
"No thanks, I'm trying the not-rotting-my-teeth-out diet," Tony quips, his tone purposefully light so she won't feel any worse than she already does. He can tell she's upset, and that she wants to fix things herself, but just in case, "Well, if you do decide you want me along I'd be happy to help you kick her ass." Maybe he'll also just not mention it to Pepper, in case the matter clears itself up.

In lieu of a pop tart, he snags an apple from a bowl on the counter and shines it against the dubiously clean fabric of his shirt. "But hey," crunch, "I brought you some stuff from that business trip I had to make to Nar Shaddaa. you wanna see it? Well, I mean, I know you can't SEE it," he teases before she can get her own snark in, "but you know, do you want to see-with-your-feet it?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    It's easier when Tony isn't upset about it. "Your diet is boring," Toph counters while attempting a slight smile. "And I will..." At least her dad is willing to help, which helps on its own, really. Even if she's perfectly capable of kicking ass by herself.

    When Tony changes the subject to something else though, her interest is piqued. Near Shaddaa is one of those planets from Juno's world, isn't it? He brought something for her? And drats, he beat her to the pun too! He knows her too well. "Of course I want to 'see' it," she mock huffs. "Though I think I'll use my hands instead, they are cleaner for now."

    The toaster pings, and Toph grabs a napkin that she picks up her delicious pop tart with. "What was Nar Shaddaa like?"

Tony Stark (301) has posed:
"Crowded and noisy," Tony summarizes. "And pretty seedy. The restaurant I had to meet that guy in was one of the nicer ones on the strip but man I kept feeling like the Godfather wanted to put a hit on me." He shivers for effect. "Oh and also I guess the other day that Fed guy, Lezard summoned up a bunch of undead and went on a rampage. You know, real classy place."

"I did have a chance to check out the market afterward though," he continues, as he steps toward the other room to retrieve a couple of packages. "And I'm glad I had Jarvis walking Mark 42 around with me too, because it was like, pickpocket heaven," he voice floats back. When he returns, he has two boxes, one longish and flat, the other small and compact.

"Fortunately, I did run into someone who pointed out the more honest traders to me. She might actually be joining the Union."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Sounds like real fun," Toph snorts as Tony relates the tale of the spare port. For now she follows Tony out of the kitchen as she munches carefully on her still hot pop tart. "Like the kind of place where you have underground fighting rings, black markets and all the crime crammed together." Though she does stop and waits in the living room once he dives into another room. Upon hearing that Jarvis acted like a bodyguard she can't help but grin. "And here I thought he only did that for me," she jokes.

    Just what did Tony find at the market? The girl does look curious where she stands, sensing that he is carrying two packages. But she's also sensing whether there's any earth or metal in one of them. Why, she even stuffs part of the pop tart in her mouth just to finish it off sooner.

    So forgive her for talking with food in her mouth. "Huh, sho wuh gehttin' a shalespeshon in tha Union?" she mumbles. Okay, what did you get her?

Tony Stark (301) has posed:
"Yeah, basically," Tony confirms the idea of black markets and criming rings. Yes, criming rings. "And I think you'll like her, if she does join up. She doesn't have eyes, so she 'sees' kind of the same way you do."

The small box definitely has some kind of (not particularly pure or interesting) metal in it. It's the flat box he hands over first though. "This is from her, actually. When I mentioned I had a kid back home she insisted." Inside the box is a cute sundress, loose-fitting and made from an incredibly light cotton-like substance. "She said she appreciates clothes she can move in, too, and thought you might like it," Tony explains, hoping Toph won't be too disappointed that one of her presents is clothes.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Now /that/ really grabs Toph's attention, and she blinks before smiling. "Really? Another person who sees without their eyes?" That's... actually really cool! Most blind people are unable to get around easily, but to hear there are people without eyes in the multiverse? Oh yeah. At least there's some good news to lighten up her day after what happened earlier.

    Naturally her attention is on the small box, so she's a bit surprised when he hands her the other box first, though she does take it, making sure to finish up the rest of her pop tart first, chewing intently. Opening it up isn't hard, and she only seems slightly surprised at first when her hands feel what's inside. It's really soft... she doesn't say anything at first, her fingers inspecting it. And then she realizes what it is, her expression turning deadpan. "You got me a /dress/." No, it isn't disappointment. It's more like an accusatory tease thrown in Tony's direction. Perhaps she would have reacted worse if it didn't actually feel comfortable. It's certainly different than the clothes her birth parents got her, which she can remember being uncomfortable, scratchy and itchy all over. For a blind person it's far more important with comfort when it comes to the quality of the clothes. But she does pull it up, just to get a sense of it. It's really light too, and it doesn't seem tight either. "This.. actually seems pretty damn comfy." Heck, Toph even sounds surprised.

Tony Stark (301) has posed:
"You'll want to try it on at some point, see if it needs to be adjusted to fit you. I'm gonna be meeting my tailor soon so I can bring it with." That would involve the gift he bought for Pepper, which entailed some $2100 worth of space spider silk that's going to be a dress too.

"The name she gave me was 'Flowers' though I'm sure that's not her actual name." He lowers his voice, not because he actually thinks he could be spied on here in his own home, but to emphasize the importance of secrecy. "She's a Jedi. And in her timeline they're being hunted down as outlaws. So I suggested she might want to join us for some backup." Honestly he was pretty relieved that she agreed to come back to Njorun with him.

"Anyway!" he continues brightly, offering the smaller box, "here's what /I/ picked out for you."

The metal object inside consists of a framework of welded-together bits of scrap piping, from which hang multiple thin chains. At the end of the chains, a metal marionette dangles in pieces that can be manipulated by wiggling the pipes. Truthfully it's a rather crude bit of artwork, but the cleverness is in the fact that it's all made from what look like old spaceship parts, gears and bolts welded in the approximate shape of a large, elephant-like animal. Only instead of a trunk it has a pair of big curling horns made from twisted washers.

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Toph nods, putting the dress back down in the box. "I'll try it on later," she promises. Heck, it might be one of the comfier dresses she's found. And maybe she can wear it for the holidays or something if it's something Pepper deems appropriate. It's not the worst gift, and at least Tony got her something that doesn't itch.

    Flowers? That's a rather inconspicuous name if she ever heard one. But yes, Toph has heard of Jedi. And the fact that Tony lowers his voice isn't lost on her. After SHIELD managed to convince Toph to register in the Index they don't have any reason to spy on them anymore, right? Juno has told her all about how the Empire works, and how they dislike Jedi. So that kind of makes sense, right? She nods her head slightly. "Which means we should help her out if she needs it," she concludes.

    But then there's the other present. Something that Tony picked out himself! Which means it ought to be good. And it /is/ made of metal from what she can sense! At first she can't tell exactly what it is when she opens the box and picks the thing up, though she remains attentive as her fingers make out the shape of the item a bit better, and... she grins. "Is this a marionette or something?" Seems like an animal. Bolts, gears and various stuff... somebody reused materials to make this thing? And just to test it out, Toph lets go of it, though she does move her fingers, focusing on the pipes. They move in the air, and as a result the metal bantha reacts as well, moving as bidden. And Toph seems intent as she tries to learn how to bend the pipes in order to make the marionette move accordingly.

    Yup, nothing better to grab Toph's attention than something that she can use her bending on.

Tony Stark (301) has posed:
Tony grins as he watches the creature stomp its feet and move its head in accordance with Toph's twiddling. "The vendor said it was a bantha. I guess it's a common beast of burden in that universe. Like an ox only bigger and a lot smellier. I just liked the reclaimed parts idea. Reminded me of your Halloween costume last year."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "A bantha? Never heard of it, though it kinda reminds me of a hairy beetle ox," the earthbender muses, making the bantha rear up on its hind legs before it crashes down on the floor. "There are always big animals like this around, huh?" The reclaimed parts idea /is/ really good, Toph notes. And in some places it might be all they have in order to make toys for kids with. Heck, this might be some fun practice on her metalbending. Pepper might like this too. Then Tony brings up another topic.

    Even as she continues making the marionette move, the blind girl's expression turns serious. "And that reminds me about how we need to make even better costumes this year." It's expected of them! Still, how do you top herself dressed as Iron Man and Iron Man himself wearing a dress and high heels?

Tony Stark (301) has posed:
"We do," Tony agrees, recalling his apple and taking another bite of it while Toph plays with the new toy. "Although I'm not sure you can out-awesome Iron Man as a costume. I mean.... it's Iron Man." He smirks, and then his expression turns playful. "I was actually thinking we might do a Disney themed thing this year. Since you like the movies so much. Pick a character and a sidekick?"

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    Trust Tony to have an ego, and Toph can't help but grin at his comment. He had seemed pleased that she wanted to make an Iron Man costume last year, huh? But it would be totally uncreative to wear the same costume the next year as well! For now it can stand on display in her room.

    When he offers his suggestion though she can't help but be pleasantly surprised. "That would be a good idea..." she muses. Most people know Disney movies, and that means they can probably get Pepper in on it as well, right? Just... who to pick?

    Toph lowers her hands and lets the bantha toy rest a bit as she reaches a hand up to rub idly at her chin, and she even closes her eyes as she thinks.

    "Jafar and Iago."

    Her eyes open again, and she nods. "Dibs on going as Jafar!"

Tony Stark (301) has posed:
Tony chews and eyeballs Toph silently for some moments. Honestly he had expected to get stuck with some sort of animal role when he thought up the idea. This is for /Toph/ after all, and silly can be fun. "...Okay," he agrees finally, "but if I have to wear feathers then you'd better talk Pepper into going as Jasmine."

He takes the last bite of apple and tosses the core neatly into the waste bin. "I wonder if I could make a parrot suit that actually flies..."

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    The blind girl can't help but grin widely when Tony agrees to her idea. After all, being silly is part of the fun stuff they're doing, right? And she's the one who has to wear a beard for this, so they're gonna be even! Probably. And she doesn't seem to mind his compromise either. "Leave it to me!" she assures him. "At least it should be easy to make the costumes, right? I could bend his snake staff from metal, and well... I'm not that good at sewing, but maybe Tomoyo or Rarity could help us with that..."

    Heck, even the thought of Tony making a flying Halloween costume seems fun! "If I said you couldn't I would be lying," she shrugs. Nopes, not going to argue about that with him as he can make practically anything as long as he has the equipment and materials he needs. "Maybe we could give Buster a mini tiger costume. Unless he wriggles out of it or something..."

Tony Stark (301) has posed:
Tony laughs, glancing around for the cat though he's currently nowhere in sight. "I don't really want to get ripped to shreds, thanks. But maybe we could get him to wear a tiger-striped bow." He wears a collar after all, so that wouldn't be too different for him.

"--Or I could have Jarvis call up the San Diego Chicken for advice," he muses, on the subject of his own costume. Hmm, to go high tech Iron Parrot, or silly cartoony with feathers everywhere? Possible to do both? The mental drawing board behind his eyes fills up rapidly with ideas.

"And maybe I should go back to Flowers for some sheer blue fabric for that Jasmine dress," he murmurs, more to himself than Toph though the blatant smirk on his face denotes that he's being at least partially tongue-in-cheek there. Mmm, Pepper in harem silks...

Toph Beifong (20) has posed:
    "Yeah, that works," Toph says. There's no sense in bothering Buster after all. "Maybe we could even dress up Nugget as a camel or something..." Just to make it all in theme. Though she looks confused. "What's the San Diego Chicken?" she asks, canting her head a bit.

    Though her expression turns more deadpan when Tony begins daydreaming about oogie things. Even if he is joking, she can't help but respond. "It might just be me, but I think we'll have an easier job convincing her to dress up if she can have /some/ dignity left." They can save the sheer fabric for their honeymoon or something.