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[runs_on_batteries]

Who: Tony and varies
Where: Varies
When: Apple Day 20-23; plus 25
What: My log got too big?
Warnings: Language and I'll warn if there's EG spoilers

Apple 20
Tony and Sarai sitting in a tree.. oh wait no, they're just talking.

Tony and Peter after the bomb's dropped

Tony and Dread: And they thought he couldn't be taught


Apple 21

Tony and Buttercup confrontation, super early

[ooc- Tony's beat up again on this day. So feel free to come bug him.]

Apple 25

Tony, Manabu, and Peter: Post Train Event

Comments

[thebiggestguy]

Just the opposite; Fists of Earth was a purely defensive stance, reducing any harm to the monk instead of increasing harm to his foe. Indeed, Dread seemed inclined to let Tony make the first move; in any sort of real fight, he'd have flown into action long before now.

"He's young to deal with death."

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony had no idea what Dread's powers were or how they worked. It looked impressive and he would be asking a lot of questions if he weren't so focused on the anger and hurt within him.

"Yeah," he agreed and then decided to just throw a fist and get this started. "He's lost his parents, then his uncle, and now he knows he's going to lose me." And why? Why would Buttercup do something like that to hurt Peter? Why was she so mad at Tony to begin with?

"I know she did it just to spite me! I just don't know why."

[thebiggestguy]

"And if she did?" Dread ducked behind one arm, letting his forearm take the punishment. Then he returned fire with a light shot towards Tony's stomach that was, despite anything one would expect from a guy his size, lightning-quick. "People die. It sucks. But we all could die tomorrow. We all will die eventually. All this did was say when, not make it happen when it wouldn't have."

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony tries to dodge the shot to his stomach, but the 'oof' sound he makes proves he didn't in time. This would be easier if they had something to use for fighting like staves or swords or something. However, he wasn't too concerned about any of his punches actually hurting the large man.

"And if she did.. I don't know. I need clear head before even approaching that. I still don't know what I did to make her upset in the first place- or why she won't forgive me for it." Didn't they know already that just about every relationship he's had has been ruined sooner or later? He tried his best, but it wasn't enough in most cases. As he sent a few more punches toward the large man, he thought about how many times he'd tried to be nice to that girl and for her to do this back.. it was immensely frustrating.

[thebiggestguy]

"She's a kid," Dread said, gritting his teeth as he absorbed the force of Tony's punches on his obliques. His return shot is simply leaning in, using his shoulder to plow into Tony. "They think different!"

[runs_on_batteries]

"Yes, I know she's a kid. They're idiots just like the rest of us. I- ah- I only barely understand my daughter, let alone Buttercup." It was frustrating having something so fundamental like social interactions with children being so difficult for him to understand. He was used to being a pro at anything knowledge based, but this.. this area seemed to be in hieroglyphics for how much it made sense to him. "They're very different. And, I get it. She's from a whole other world than me. I'm trying, Dread. I'm trying to be her friend and someone she can count on. It's just.. it's not working."

[thebiggestguy]

"Sometimes being someone she can count on means not being her friend." That was a peril of adulthood. As much as you wanted a kid to like you, responsibility often meant doing things that kid wouldn't like at all. "It's okay to be frustrated. The only thing not okay is giving up."

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony pauses in his attacks and looks at Dread carefully. He mulls that advice over a moment. Crossing his arms, he sighs. "I'm not giving up, Dread. I don't- I won't do that to her. She deserves to know there are good people in this world and they can be strong."

He had no experience here. He was raised by a nanny and then boarding schools. What did he know about being a good parent? He wasn't all that sure he was doing everything he should for Morgan. He was just doing what he thought was right and giving it his all. That, unfortunately, blew up in his face a lot though.

[thebiggestguy]

Dread shook his head.

"Of course you're going to keep trying. That's not the point. The point is that you know you're going to keep trying. You'll fail, you'll try again, you'll succeed. Over and over again. That's life. Your problem is that you can't accept failure. That's what you need to get over."

[runs_on_batteries]

Well that overly insightful analysis deserved a punch or two before Tony could think of a good answer. Finally, he just went with honesty- or at least what honesty was according to his perspective.

"I have good reason to be wary of my failures. They've cost a lot of people their lives when I've made mistakes in the past. I'm not talking a few people either, but hundreds. Practically a whole country was destroyed because of one of my failures. My whole family was one big failure until I changed the focus of our business from weapons to technology."

[thebiggestguy]

Again, Dread fought cautiously, letting the blows land on his arms and sides where he could more readily absorb them. He'd have some bruises later if he weren't, well, him. Blessing and all.

Boy, did he understand how Tony felt. The lives lost on his quest...

"If you have huge failures, you can have huge successes. No one can doom thousands without the power to save thousands. If you didn't have a business that did bad things, you couldn't have changed that business to do good things. That's the price and the gift of power."

[runs_on_batteries]

It was a horrible feeling. The guilt was a huge burden on his shoulders and one he knew he'd never put down completely. He'd tried learning each one of their names and stories till Pepper made him stop for his own sanity and for hers. He'd been trying to do something good, something to protect the world. Who could've imagined that would turn so ugly and destructive?

"There's a saying in my world, 'the road to Hell is paved with good intentions'. Hell is theoretically a land of punishment for people who do wicked things go when they die as opposed to Heaven for those who were good. I don't literally believe in either place, but I can't help but think that idea is sound. Do the good we do actually make up for the wrong? And can we count what we were trying to do even if it didn't work?"

[thebiggestguy]

The answer to that question came as easily as the swift punch he threw. "What would have happened if you DIDN'T try?"

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony lifted his arms and let the bone take the punch. The slight sting there was barely felt as Tony was taken back by the question. What if Stark Industries had continued to supply weapons instead of technology? What if Tony had continued to act like some spoiled playboy without any regard for others? What if the Avengers hadn't been there?

"A sobering thought," he finally admits. Then he smirks, casting a playfully ornery look back at Dread. "You know, for someone who looks like he should be dumb as nails, you're quite insightful."

[thebiggestguy]

Dread straightened out of his stance slightly, lifting his shoulders in a shrug with a smirk.

"Imagine how I felt when I figured that out. Changed my life."

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony laughs, which didn't help him at all when it came to fighting well. He finally stops trying and shakes his head. "You know.. I had a good friend who you remind me of. He had a.. rare condition so to speak that would turn him into this giant, green beast who could just destroy everything. Most people only knew him for that too. But, Bruce, he was a good guy. He was a brilliant scientist and he could be witty when he didn't try to be." When he did try, it was terrible but usually Tony laughed with him anyway.

"He was one in a million. Guess I'm not going to see him again either." It was hard to think that all of his friends and family were now things of the past. Although now that he'd gotten to know this train full of interesting people he was finding it wasn't all terrible. He could make other friends and adopt other family. It made it hurt a little less, but not completely gone.

"He was one of the Avengers, like I was."

[thebiggestguy]

Oh good. He really didn't have to bring in any techniques to this spar. Dread had been more than a little worried that Tony would start getting a bit fierce.

"I'm not much of a scientist, but I try to be smarter than I look." These days, anyway! Dread knew perfectly well what impression he gave off. "Still, I'm glad I had a chance to meet you. All circumstances aside."

[runs_on_batteries]

This might not have been the most aggresive fight, but it had helped greatly. He'd been able to channel his frustration somewhere that wouldn't damage anyone and get some valuable insight from someone who was quickly becoming one of his greatest allies here.

"As am I. You and Sarai both are people I'm glad to have met. Sure beats the alternative I was expecting." He holds out his hand in thanks. "I appreciate the workout. I need to go figure out what to say to Buttercup."

[thebiggestguy]

Please, handshakes or something? Dread just slapped his hand in a five that only wasn't high because it was in the middle. "Any time. Sometime you should wear that armor so I can actually let loose a little."

[runs_on_batteries]

Tony's eyebrows rise, humored at Dread's reaction. With a huff of a laugh, he nods. "It's a date."

He heads back towards the luggage car ready to do.. something, he's still not sure what.