13050/Who doesn't like October

Who doesn't like October
Date of Scene:	12 October 2022
Location:	Stark Tower: Penthouse
Synopsis:	Amanda checks in with Pepper and they catch-up, making plans for their immediate future.
Cast of Characters:	Pepper Potts, Amanda Sefton

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Pepper Potts has posed:
The sun is shining and gleaming through the floor to ceiling windows that make up the entirety of the long wall overlooking the Stark Tower's balcony. It's warm, soothing, and bright, and given the rainy days of the past week, it's more than welcome.

The Penthouse is decorated now; pumpkins dot the Penthouse, stalks of crafting cornstalks are tied to the posts of the random staircases dotted around. Little ghosts and ghouls and skeletons also adorn the walls, hang off the mantle of the fireplace, which currently does hold a cheery fire.

Pepper is seated in one of the couches, heels off and feet pulled up and underneath her as she cradles a stemmed glass of white wine. Set on the coffee table, now adorned with pumpkin arrangements and, of course, candles, is her tablet and laptop. Work isn't being attended to, instead her attention is on her best friend, now returned from..

"I should have expected you'd come back around this time," Pepper quips, her tones amused and fond. "I just hope you're alright." The obvious amusement seeps out, leaving behind that definite affection for her friend. The one person who probably knows her the best. "Tell me you're not braving things alone."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"I wasn't alone," Amanda chuckles. She sits on the end of sofa, facing her friend, her legs curled up beneath her. All things considered, she looks well -- perhaps a little tired, but not unduly so. "I had a Valkyrie with me. And dragons" A beat. "Dead ones, so, you know..." Her hand rolls in a gesture that is at once soothing and maybe a little more dismissive than it needs to be. "That was a whole thing. But it's fine, now."

Because, *of course* it is.

Indeed, Amanda has spent a lot of time wandering the Winding Ways lately. Her business has suffered somewhat from it, she knows, but she did put provisions in place to accommodate her absence. Finding new business, though, needs to be her current priority, she knows.

"And Patrick has kept the apartment safe. He's quite pleased, really. Though, I'm begining to think his sentience has progressed beyond his original design." That is certainly not a surprise to anyone, including her. She seems rather amused by it, really. He is, after all, effectively a familiar homunculus, now.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper's expression when Amanda's co-conspirators(?) are generalized is one of //of course// as she presses her lips together in a smile and those green eyes turn briefly heavenward. "Dead ones, yes," she repeats, her brows rising briefly. "'It's fine.' I've heard those words spoken altogether too many times." And when she has heard them, the situation was rarely 'fine'.

The news of Patrick does have Pepper smiling, her expression one of relief before taking a sip from her stemware. "He's come a long way. Perhaps I should have Tony come around and check on him? It doesn't surprise me that he's progressing." After all, just look at JARVIS. "I'd say, see where his weaknesses lie, and he might get an upgrade, or rather, a new module?" Pepper leans over to set her glass on the table before leaning back against the back of the couch, her arm resting atop. "I know he really, really wants to fly." Every time the drones came in, Patrick was always eying them... enviously? If such a thing could be attributed to the little robot.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"Oh, he does," Amanda laughs again. "He keeps going out to the flyers out behind the Library. I think, if they weren't so skitish around him, he'd probably try to use them as mounts." Yeah, that's also a thing. Amanda's interdimensional sanctum has expanded considerably in recent months. Perhaps she'll give Pepper a tour, one of these days. "I can bring him in. Or maybe the two of you can stop by from dinner. Tony can look at him at home, and decide if he needs to come in or not." She's sure the man will want to tinker.

And if it means flight, Patrick will be all over it, like grease on axels.

"What have you been doing -- besides work?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Awww," Pepper puts her hand to her heart, "The poor thing." Who else would talk about robots as if they were animate? She treats the robots at home pretty much the same way, including Tony's own suit drones. After all, DUM-E is like a member of the family too. She laughs soon after, "If he could figure out a way? I'm sure he would ride." Which might be an option to consider?

Pepper looks away briefly, and exhales in a slow breath, laughing a little self-consciously as she does. "Work. More work. There was something that happened to another company, I don't know if you heard. Their board of trustees died within a span of two days." Here, the humor departs, and her voice drops. It wouldn't matter anyway; she's got JARVIS working on it as well. "The business community is a little spooked, and I've had to reassure our own board that it's nothing that will harm us." Though, there is that question that lingers. Can it?

"I've been looking into it and haven't been able to find anything. Not yet, anyway."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda is fairly convinced that, in his own way, Patrick is a living thing. But, as a Sorceress, her definition of life is perhaps a little broader than most people's. Still, Patrick evinces enough independent thought and free will that she believes he fits the bill.

She arches a brow at Pepper's revalation, however. "Died how?" She's a healer. Of *course*, she's going to ask. "I'm guessing not natural causes. What's happening with that company, now? Someone obvious move in on it?" That is the logical assumption: Someone wanted control of the company and decided on an unusually hostile takeover.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"That's just it. There's been no movement for a hostile takeover. It's been doing fine in its field, pretty much flying under the radar. No patents pending that anyone would want possession of, and no breakthroughs that JARVIS has been able to find." Pepper sounds confused and considering at the same time even as she voices her thoughts. "No news now. They're trying a restructure, but it's not going well. And, of course, other companies are spooked, so even if they had been considering a merger, they're not now."

Pepper exhales in a chuffed sigh and shakes her head. "I don't know. The coroner reports are inconclusive." That's a word. Inconclusive. They don't know.

But! "But about Patrick?" It's a shift that might be a touch difficult, but it's a happier topic, "Bring him over one night, or Tony and I will drop by. It may do him good to get out. I'm sure Patrick would appreciate a new paintjob."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
'Inconclusive' suggests to Amanda that a) it's not natural causes and b) it's not *known* unnatural causes. Which, to her, means magic or mutant powers. Or something frighteningly new in biotech. She grimaces at the thought. "If you want help figuring it out, let me know. I may have resources you don't for sussing it out." Like scrying magic and other such supernatural cheats.

Still, she chuckles as they return to thoughts of Patrick. "Oh, yes. He'll love a new paint job, but he'll also want to show off his newest tricks, too, I'm sure. Have you seen his transformer act, yet?" The bot has been able to transform into a little humanoid form for ages now, but it's the whole sword, shield, and full-on knight regalia he's most enamoured with. Sir Patrick Snakeslayer.

"How does Friday sound?" she suggests. "I'll order in a decent spread and Patrick can preen." It doesn't take long to settle those details. Before long, the two leave talk of the craziness of their lives behind in favour of lighter topics. It's good to just be home for a change.