2013.08.30 - A Walk In The Park

Central Park is one of those places with a kind of bad reputation, and part of it's deserved, part of it is a remnant from wilder times; even though decades may have passed and things may have changed, things seem to slide back into the same ways that they once were. It's only human nature.
What is also human nature is certainly the tendency towards certain things that may be considered criminal. While Paco Ramone is no stranger to bending or even breaking the law, that's not what he's after lately: so the plucky and kind of short -- but extremely fit -- aspiring hero bounds along the footpath and then off it, into the underbrush, in pursuit of a couple of toughs. They're probably from a gang. But they're not even as high-ranking in their own gang as he was in his. And anyway, he's from Detroit! So the plucky Puerto Rican does a handvault and leaps into the sky, unleashing a barrage of vibrational chaos onto them. They're not expecting it, and they crumple like tissue paper.
As Paco lands, he dusts his hands off as if he'd dirtied them and simply leans down to pick up the purse, kicking some dust at the faces of the men who experienced the very earth shaking for them, then starting to walk back towards the footpath and the woman who had lost her entire world, encapsulated in a bag that held everything.
Tony isn't far from the Tower, so he's a regular at the park. Taking one of his lingerling afternoon walks, where he thinks of the next project - or current project - or whatever business affairs have his attention (the answer? Not many, there are more models and starlets on his mind than business.). The dust up with the gang members happens not too far from him and is taken care of before he can act. Surveying the job done, Tony raises his eyebrows in judgement. Before the kid can head off with the purse, he makes a point to call out "Hey - Nice piece of work."
He's really been trying, Paco has, these past few weeks since coming to the Big Apple. There's been a little buzz -- not much, but you take what you can get -- and it doesn't hurt that he clearly knows how to move that body of his. "Hey, thanks man!" A big cheerful wave, a big cheerful smile that would probably be reflected in his eyes...if anyone could see them behind the shades he wears. He makes a sort of vague gesture and scampers off.
Less than five minutes later, he's running back, towards Tony. "Ey ese -- thanks for the encouragement! Chu know anybody else in trouble? Vibe's doin' his best here. Like, 'specially if there's a bounty, chu know what I mean mang?"
Tony Stark chuckles a little, "I do. I don't know what's going on at a local level - I'm more of a global threat specialist." he thinks for a minute, "You could go talk to the gang at the JLA, they do neighborhood thugs all the time." he says, looking around a bit and slipping a hand into his pocket.
Cable enters from: Upper Metropolis.
Cable goes to: Upper Metropolis.
"I can do global threat," Paco answers without missing a beat. His expression is full of eagerness, and if there's not genuine experience to the task, there's certainly enthusiasm that accounts for it. But the way he carries himself seems to indicate that at least some modicum of experience is under his belt. Which he pulls slightly at to tug at the buckle, reaching behind it and pulling out a card which he presents to Tony. On it are printed his name -- VIBE -- and a telephone number, as well as an email address. "Chu need anything ese, call me right up, day or night!"
Tony Stark takes the card, and nods. "You do, huh?" he says in response to the eagerness of the young man to take on a global threat. He must be new or he wouldn't be so anxious to take one on. He gives the card a serious look over and looks back up, "Vibe's the name? Has a nice ring to it. I may be in touch. We'll see what happens." he says, slipping the card into his jacket. He hates being handed things, but Pepper is back at the Tower slaving over a hot merger. What are you gonna do?
Vibe winks at Tony, clicking his tongue. "Vibe. Paco Ramone! Ain't a dude in tights got the kinda moves I do." He does move himself around like a dancer, or something with a lot of grace. Even the stunts he did to take down the muggers seemed right off the floor of a discotheque, minus of course the superhuman abilities. "I do whatever needs done, ese. What they call chu? Lookin' all fly, ese." He gives a little nudge with his elbow.
Tony Stark shrugs, "I have a lot of names. The Dancing Destroyer, the Count of Monte Fisto, but Pepper probably just calls me a Royal Pain In The Ass. You can call me Tony." he rubs his chin, "Paco Ramone, aka Vibe. Nice to see someone else who's not afraid to let the world know who they are no matter the outfit."
There's a moment's pause as Paco digests all of this. It takes him a moment, the gears are turning. His eyes can be glimpsed behind those dark glasses widening just a bit. "Oh. OH! Chu a porn star? That's pretty wild, mang! Chu done any movies I might know?" Maybe Paco has the wrong idea. Very probably he has the wrong idea.
Tony Stark ponders this a moment, "Porn Star? No." he pauses, "Though I /have/ been accused of that in the past. You have one tape pop up on the internet, and all of a sudden you become the next Peter North.." he shakes his head, "No, I haven't been in any movies. But you probably /have/ heard of some of the stuff I've done."
"Oh. Sorry man." Paco looks a bit embarrassed. But not too much. With a name like "The Count of Monte Fisto", it was pretty understandable that's where his mind would go. "Whatchu done? Sounds like chu made good for chuself. I'm tryin' to do that too -- good to see a nice guy that made it!"
Tony Stark shrugs humbly, "Thanks man. Let's see..I've done the Jericho missile, but that was a while back. Lately I'm known better for the HulkBox, the StarkPhone, the Avengers, and Iron Man..."
Paco slowly nods his head, clearly not placing much of that until the last part. "Oh, right! That CHU? Man, chu got all kindsa brains! Iron Man, huh?" He reaches over and claps Tony's shoulder as if they'd known each other for ages. "Pretty great to meet a guy who don't have to run around in a limo all the time. Chu all right by me, Tony."
Tony Stark hehs, "Thanks. I have a driver, but I usually don't use limos." he thinks, "Or the driver. I usually wind up racing him. Or sparring with him." he looks back over, "What's your story, what got you into the super racket anyway? Guy with moves like yours, figured you for one of Dazzler's backup dancers."
"Oh man! Dazzler's totally fresh!" There's a moment of enchantment in the young man's face that shows that, after all, he really is human. "But uh, nah, just a homeboy from Detroit like, Cameron Street Lobos! Not a lotta places to go from there. Once chu the head of a gang, that's about all there is to do in the D. Gotta find a bigger pond. So...here I am. I got a website and everything!" He speaks of it as if it is some mythical treasure that grants him even greater legitimacy, even though it wasn't him that actually crafted it. "Armando says maybe I should teach classes on breakin' or learn about massage or somethin'."
Tony Stark nods, "Well it IS nice to have some kind of sidework to fall back on. I did that part before I went all hero on everyone." he looks the young man over, "You know, I got an in with Dazzler..I could recommend you if you wanted, I mean, if you got the moves and all. It's not much, but it'd get you something." he hmms, "Head of a Gang..well, that's management experience..hmmm.."
The conversation makes Paco look...young. He looks so young. No less experienced, but the quality of the experience it clearly cast in terms of baptisms of fire and knife scars. "I, uh...chu for real? I mean...like, I ain't a gigolo, tu sabes ese? I got a lotta that when I first come here, but...I dunno, looks to me like you're really for real, like." It's kind of weird, at least in some ways, that Paco never really takes his sunglasses off. Maybe in a way, they're his method of hiding ever so slightly from other people. Might have its use, especially in such a densely-populated city.
Tony Stark laughs and rolls his eyes a little, "No, man, I'm not talking gigolo I mean as a backup dancer, or even security. Take it from a guy who's taken her out on a couple of dates, she'll listen to me, especially if I vouch for someone." he pauses, "Look, I'm a pretty good judge of character. I can tell when someone's shining me and who's the real deal. You look like you need a bit of a boost, I can help with that."
Paco grins, leaning a little closer. "No mang, I know, just like...sometimes people ask for...THINGS," his expression makes it very clear what exactly the things are they request, "in return for FAVORS." The way he moves his hands isn't really any more than vague, but certain motions with his fingers make it clear exactly what things and favors he has in mind. "This ain't a city where people give chu a free lunch, right? So what chu want from Paco, man? Hard to believe there's a chico who don't want nothin'."
Tony Stark blinks, "Paco, I got it all. If I want to ask for things, If I want to ask for favors?" he hehs softly, and pulls out his phone, "I got more 10s in this phone than a math class. Money? I got a few bucks. I'm good. I'm not giving you a free lunch. I'm giving you a hook up. The rest you gotta earn. I don't give out lunches, I give out just enough rope that you can either hang yourself, or climb out. Your choice."
"Come on, man." Paco holds his arms out. "Maybe I take you to that Chinese place I just find yesterday. Chu like that? Vibe treat." He winks -- not that it's easy to see, and even does something approaching fingerguns, but not quite fingerguns. "Cuz I like chu, Tony. Chu ain't full of mierda like the rest of the tools I meet here."
Tony Stark ponders that, and replies mildly with "We'll talk." and then looks around, "Yeah it's New York City..it's a regular toolshed." and at that his phone goes off. He looks at it, "Well, looks like I ran out of parole. Pepper's calling which means I need to head back to the tower. You keep doing what you're doing. I'll be in touch." a pause, "Well, Pepper probably."
Paco just smirks, rolling his shoulders in a shrug. "Please chuself, jefe." It's gone from 'ese' to 'jefe', so if Tony's aware of the distinction, at least it's something complimentary. "I'll keep doin' my thing, chu keep doin' chu thing, I'll look out for chu. Ey." His expression, then, shifts from the usual light and almost jocular to a more serious, very nearly grave. The next thing he says could be the most important, the most serious, he's ever said. "I owe chu a Chinese lunch, man. Hit me up, don't leave me hangin'."
Tony Stark shakes his head, "Paco, m'man. I wouldn't even think of it." he sighs at the still ringing phone, "I gotta take this. I'll talk to you soon." he takes a couple steps back and puts the phone to his ear, and before anything can even be said he speaks "No, I wasn't doing anything wrong with anyone in public. I'm at the park I'll be there in five." he sighs after a minute, "Okay, tell them I'll buy in at two fifty a share, but not a penny lower."
Paco smiles a little bit again, shaking his head and walking off through the park. Once he hits the street, he finds his little motor scooter -- with the custom paint job -- and gets on it, then putters away, down the street. He's had a good morning. Hopes it'll be a good afternoon, and maybe even a good night.
Category:Log