[log] Did the devil say to you, you can make it through [closed]

[spoileralert]

Characters: Stephanie Brown, Zach Spencer, Alphonse Elric, Gabriel Grey, Greg House, Tony Stark, Stephen Strange
Location: The Hospital, 4th floor
Date: Night 199, Morning 200
Summary: A meeting about drugs
Warnings: Drugs

The hospital is eerie in its silence, and snow presses in against many of the windows, keeping much of it in sterile darkness. It still smells like a hospital; the antiseptic is fresh, and there isn't much dust. Someone must be cleaning it, and yet it's clear no one is here. The hospitalsital is four stories high with one basement, all connected via the elevator lobby and staircase. Unfortunately, the wall of the elevator lobby has been torn open all the way down, exposing it to the bitter air outside.

Floors four and three are identical, large waiting areas lined with rooms. There are seven four-bed rooms, ten two-bed rooms, eight split rooms, and two VIP rooms. Each room is in pristine condition, although not decorated, but all of the rooms have been obviously gutted of their electronic components with surgical precision. As it is, it seems more like a very peculiar hotel without all of the standard equipment you would find in a hospital. The nurse's base on each floor is essentially identical in design, although there are a few different things scattered on each that seem to vary day by day.

Comments

[spoileralert]

Could be. Either one would speak to the state of the system. It must be pretty screwed up if it isn't accessing old standards.

[definingfuture]

The whole place is pretty screwed up. But I wonder if there's a reason for it.

[He looks over the doll again.]

Technically, this is old. For me, at least. I wonder if it's really meant to be me. The model is similar, but I'm in one piece.

[spoileralert]

Who else would it be?

[definingfuture]

Another Iron Man. [It's as easy as that, apparently.]

[spoileralert]

Are there other Iron Mans? Iron... Men?

[definingfuture]

Probably. We're all from different worlds, right?

[spoileralert]

So your explanation is that it's someone totally unrelated yet multiversally linked to someone who just coincidentally happens to be in Norfinbury.

[definingfuture]

I think it's possible that they're just drawing their data from a general pool. We don't know that the source has to be people in Norfinbury right now.

[spoileralert]

That's too many coincidences to discount the original hypothesis.

[definingfuture]

I don't have a hole in my chest. [Because that's his defense.]

[spoileralert]

Did you used to have a hole in your chest?

Are you metaphorically heartless and hollow inside?

[ Cruel, maybe. But she has two dolls that are definitely for sure Kesara and Zach. ]

[definingfuture]

[Tony looks up to meet Steph's eyes with his own.]

Am I?

[spoileralert]

[ She gives him a supremely flat look. ]

You realize if you have to ask the answer is probably "yes".

[definingfuture]

Well, then. If that's your interpretation, I guess it must be true.

[He puts the figure in his pack. Even though he says that, it doesn't sound like he's buying that the doll must be him.]

[spoileralert]

What, that's it?

[definingfuture]

What did you want me to say? I wish I had a heart?

[spoileralert]

Or, "on second thought I don't have to ask, I know I have a heart, because I am a human person with feelings about things."

[definingfuture]

[Tony shrugs.] I wish I had a heart.

[spoileralert]

[ She sighs. ]

Alright, Mr. Tin Man. We're on the yellow brick road already, we'll see if the wizard can't get you a heart before he sends us home.

[definingfuture]

Mm. That was one of my nicknames. [His answer is soft and a little bit fond.]

[spoileralert]

I'm shocked. A guy called Iron Man, being also called Tin Man. Honestly, I'm reeling.

[ And grinning. This, at least, is more gentle teasing. ]

[definingfuture]

It made more sense when it was still gray.

[spoileralert]

And it's red now? Do they call you Copper Man?

[definingfuture]

Red and gold. It just happened over time. I guess I could branch out more often.

[spoileralert]

Add some pink and we can call you the Candy Man, tropical Starbursts style.