℗ oo2. a headache the size of stark towers

[quits]

[Needless to say, Pepper did not have a very good first day in Paradisa. She spent most of her day in the elevator convinced she'd wake up at some point, then found out her friend was killed, and then spent the rest of the night drinking. Once again proving to herself that she cannot keep up with Tony Stark when it comes to alcohol.

Now she is miserable.]

So -- this much is clear. I'm not dreaming. I'm from before the time that Tony's here from and a bunch of stuff happened. [Her fingers press to her temple... ow.]

Wishes, the journal, the castle -- all magic, which is real. There are places that you end up sometimes, because the castle brings everyone there. People die, but then come back because the castle... fixes it. I've lost something and it's not just the memory of being here before -- which is also the same case for Tony, even though neither of us remember.

[She has a glass of ice water, which you can hear clink when she raises it to press to her temple.]

Is there anything else I should know? [Other than the whole Loki thing, which she is not even going to say his name, because she wants him to hurt for what he did.]

Oh, and for those I didn't weird out the other day in the elevator while I was still thinking this is all a dream - I'm Pepper Potts.

I also could really use some aspirin. [But she can handle that one.]

Comments

[quits]

[Look, she appreciated the nice guy move. A lot. She'll bring it up in a second here.]

I don't -- [And her arms move just fine.]

Maybe my body went into shock from you doing something nice? [COY GRIN]

[builds]

...All right, so you couldn't take it when I was actually handing it to you, but now you're perfectly fine.


Maybe it was shock.

[quits]

[She shrugs and oh... that is going to stain. She'll put the food down and get up... not that she even knows where to go.]

Maybe it was just a muscle cramp. Where... where am I even going? [She needs a sink, Tony. Tony, where is a sink. Read her mind.]

[builds]

I don't know. How am I supposed to know? Last I checked, my list of superpowers did not include "mind reading." Just "being irresistible" and "being a super genius."

[quits]

[She'll turn around to glance at him.]

Sink. So that this doesn't set. [And back to wandering around this giant room. Why is it bigger on the inside? She'd ask where her stuff is supposed to go but she's not even asking about a drawer today.]

Did they tell you that we've been here before? [She's just going to make idle conversation, totally ignoring that weird non-working arms thing.]

[builds]

Right. Of course. Bathroom's right over there. [ He gestures towards a door. ]

Castle? Towel. [ One appears in his hand, and then he motions to hand it to her. ] You might need this, too.

[quits]

[So thoughtful. Though she turns to take it from him and once again... not happening.]

This is weird. I can't... move my arms. Again.

[builds]

Right. Hold still, then. [ Tony sets the towel down. Over Pepper's shoulder. ] There we go.

[quits]

[and the moment Tony's left it on her shoulder, she can move her arms again and she takes it into her hands.]

It's weird, right?

[builds]

Right....

[ He idly walks over to a toolbox sitting open, pulls out a screwdriver, and then hands it over to Pepper. ]

Hey, can you hold this for a second?

[quits]

[She glances to the screwdriver and for a second she almost refuses on her own choice, but she's curious and she can't help herself so she tries to take it from him, but... can't.]

I can't.

[builds]

Well, congratulations. Looks like we've found what the castle took from you. [ He's going to set the screwdriver down now. ]

[quits]

What?

[blank stare.]

You can't give me things? Tony, you never give me things. [She goes out and buys them for herself.]

[builds]

I- What? Sure, I give you plenty of things. [ He.. just can't think of any examples off the top of his head. ]

[quits]

[God, now she forgot about her shirt! Hold that thought, she's walking toward the bathroom again. Shirt is coming off, not that it's anything new. She's going to get cold water and run that stain under it.]

How can it just stop me from doing that?