2019-11-12 - Incie Wincie Spider

Summary:

Keiko and Koa meet with Pepper to test out one of the containers. It …. doesn't go as planned.

Log Info:

Storyteller: None
Date: Tue Nov 12 04:08:23 2019
Location: Stark Industries

Related Logs

None

Theme Song

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keikopepper-pottskoa-turner

"Miss Potts, Agents Turner and Kurita are here." JARVIS' announcement should not be a surprise. Koa and Keiko after all had made an appointment to see her. It's all very simple. They're going to inspect, test and take delivery of the special containers that WAND had ordered. The fabrication hadn't been simple, but it had been well within Stark Industries' purview.

Koa and Keiko themselves are just getting out of the elevator and headed toward Pepper's office. They will be at her doorstep in just a minute or so.


"Thank you, JARVIS."

Of course Pepper is ready for their arrival, they made an appointment after all. She has tea ready as per usual, and one of the containers set on the end of her desk for testing and approval. She'd seen the specification drawings, yes, and seen the lists of materials needed, but seeing the final product in person… well. It's honestly rather gorgeous. She can see replicating the visual effect (but not the functional aspect) for other applications.

Locking her computer and standing, she smooths out her skirt then steps over to open her office door so the arriving agents can come straight on in.


Agent Kurita. Keiko isn't sure she'll ever get used to that title but it definitely is hers. She's worked hard to get through the program so far and she's still alive, after all.

"Hello Miss Potts." Says the rather serious peruvian. There's no smile but there is warmth in the greeting. "We're here to see the containers." No please, no thank you. It's just Keiko's way.


"Hello Miss Potts." Koa steps in holding a small wooden dowel in his hands. Okay it's probably a rod or a wand but it looks like a dowel albeit one inscribed with bronze runes. "Wow. That turned out well didn't it."

Koa takes a moment to inspect the exterior of the vessel before nodding, and looking satisfied.

"Yes everything seems to be in order. Could you step on over Keiko? I trust, Miss Potts, that there weren't any unusual problems in the manufacturing process?"

It was so… esoteric.


"Hello, Agent Kurita. Agent Turner." Yes, Pepper hears the difference from a few months back, but attention is immediately on the container, which has her smiling and nodding and stepping aside to let the pair study the finished item.

"It really did turn out nice. I hope it functions as you need it to." But, if it doesn't, well, maybe they'll make extremely expensive but very pretty holiday gift tins for the executives. "No, no unusual problems in the fabrication." But then, she trusted only JARVIS with said fabrication, considering they weren't exactly needing to churn these out by the thousands.


"It looks good." Keiko answers, stepping closer and removing her WAND jacket. Beneath she's in a sleeveless top that displays all her tattooes. This might be the first time that Pepper has seen them close up.

"We wish to test the container, Miss Potts. I take it here won't be a problem?" The small peruvian murmurs as she takes up position between Koa. "You have the instructions, don't you Agent Turner?"


"We're going to find out. This might be a little unusual but it shouldn't be too disturbing." Koa says.

"Yes I've got it. Now just…" Koa points the rod at Keiko, specifically at the part of her arm that spider tattoo is on. There's a sense of pulling as he lifts it free and it goes from flat artwork to fully three dimensional if somewhat ghostly spirit.

"Right. That seems to be going well…" Koa shifts the thing over toward the jar and.. "Alright. Put the lid on."

There. See? Simple.

Right?


Pepper watches from a safe distance away, and yes, that did seem simple enough. She remembers Arananet from the last time the agents visited, and hopes that the spider … effigy? spirit? enchanted tattoo? will be okay in that container until Keiko is able to reclaim it safely.

She's never thought of tattoos for herself, but she won't deny that they often look quite good on other people.


"There was enough work done to make this go well." Keiko mutters, slitted eyes watching as the tattoo dissolves from her wrist. For just a moment, the other spirits seem to writhe on her arms in protest but settle down.

The peruvian actually closes her eyes and swallows.

"She … is gone." It's almost mournful, the way she says it, moving to place the lid on the jar.

She doesn't quite get it on there though, when the spirits writhe again and she stumbles…


Koa moves to catch Keiko when she stumbles. "What's wrong?" A bad reaction here had been one of his concerns. Unfortunately because his attention is diverted he doesn't see the front two legs of the spider come up, push the lid aside and Araranet skitters out of the jar and with alarming speed onto Pepper's desk and then right toward Pepper.

That thing is FAST and it's not likely that poor Pepper will have any chance to avoid it climbing up her and either onto her arm or worse… down her back.


Pepper startles when Keiko stumbles and steps up closer to her desk — it's between her and the agents so she can't get any closer than that. "Wha—"

She doesn't have time to truly react before the spider is up and out of the container, dashing right up and onto her arm. "OH!" She's not scared of the arachnid, but her sudden presence is definitely unexpected. Her eyes flick from Arananet to the container and back, wondering if she can get the spider back in there before something unfortunate happens.


"Nngggh." It's one of the rare times that Koa has heard Keiko verbalise like that. "They aren't happy that Arananet was removed …" Her attention is on controlling the misbehaving spirits and for a moment, she doesn't see the spider spirit scurry across the desk.

When she does, her slitted eyes widen. "Arananet…. "

As Peppers eyes flick to the spirit, she'll see the lines of the tattoo appear on her arm. Faintly at first, but growing more solid. The tattoo that had, minutes before, been on Keiko's wrist.

It is in exactly the same the place that had been on the Peruvian.

The spider however is still out.


Koa grabs the rod back with his free hand. "Hang on Miss Potts. Let me just…" As he aims it at the spider it seems to react in alarm, wrapping all eight legs around Pepper's arm and dissipating into smoke that sinks under her jacket and blouse. Koa's eyes widen.

"Ooooooh that's not good. Pepper. Your arm…"


Pepper's eyes widen when the spider dissipates and sinks into her sleeve. "Did she just…?" She pushes up the sleeve of her blouse and, sure enough, there's Arananet. "Oh. That… is going to take some explaining." She sinks into her chair, still looking at the extremely realistic spider legs peeking out past the edge of her jacket's sleeve.

"At least I don't have to deal with the usual tattoo aftercare?"


"Arananet …" Keiko shrugs off Koa's hand and stares at Peppers arm. "Miss Potts…." The peruvian generally doesn't have much to say and now she has even less.

"I … Koa, can you get her off?" Pepper will feel the spirit of spider, trying to exert itself against her. Every so often a leg will rise out of the tattoo and the whole thing will ripple.


Koa focuses the rod and begins to try to pull off the spirit. But… no. It doesn't move. Well it does a little but Koa gets the rather distinct impression that Araranet isn't going anywhere willingly right now and trying to yank her will tear up Pepper's arm up something fierce.

"Sorry Pepper. Uh no. I cannot get her off." The good news is that the jars probably work IF the lid is properly secured.

If.


Pepper winces when Koa tries to pull Arananet off of her wrist, feeling the pulling sensation a little, but the spider's resistance more. "Uh…well, I know this isn't what you had planned, but clearly the spider doesn't want to be put in the container. Will she be safe with me until you're ready to take her back, Keiko?"

She takes a moment to remove her jacket — thankfully her office isn't chilly — revealing the sleeveless silk blouse and the spider now set into her wrist. "I am going to have to conceal her at times, though. What do you recommend I avoid wearing?" She's thinking iron is probably a no go.


Pepper is going to have to struggle with controlling the spirit. She'll make her appearance when she feels like it. It's going to be an interesting time for the redhead.

"I … " Keiko can't say it. She doesn't know. "… she will have to be."

If Koa can't get her off now, though. How will Keiko ever get her back? Will she be with Pepper forever?

"Avoid wearing? I wear just about anything and it doesn't affect her."


"It should be fine with anything you wear. It is just ink when it's on your arm. I mean the ink is alive but it is just ink…" Koa sighs. Well that wasn't at all planned.

"I'm less worried, really, about the spider being safe from you than the others being safe from the spider. Keiko had to struggle to learn how to control the thing. With a - forgive me - inexperienced wearer, it might well manifest on its own and if it does I am not at all sure what it is going to do."


"Oh," Pepper breathes faintly. That IS more of a concern. She runs one finger along the spider on her wrist as if petting the arachnid. "You'll be well behaved, won't you? I can't have you causing trouble in the middle of a board meeting or international conference call."

She looks up at Koa and Keiko again. "What do I need to learn?" Yes, she's taking this seriously, just as she would if she'd been asked to care for a delicate exotic pet. This one simply requires less feeding and more mental effort.
Of course, what's going to happen when she's asleep?


The sensation of Peppers finger against the tattoo is strange. It's not something she just feels on her skin but deep within her. The spider seems to ripple in answer but settles - at the least for the moment.

"I … When I was taught, I was taught to dominate them but I don't think that's the only way it could be done. Just … be good to her. When she exerts herself, you'll know it and you'll have to work out how to control her."

Keiko fully expects that Arananet will be a handful for Pepper.

"If she is hurt badly enough, she will dissipate and return to you. But her wounds will transfer to you when she does. Best not to let her get hurt."


"So yeah. Don't let her wander around and get stepped on? I mean people are more likely to run away from her. She's huge. But she IS just a spider." A very strong spider but a spider all the same.

Koa rubs his temples. "Well. If it had to be something at least it was the spider and not the dragon." He mutters. If Pepper had the dragon that would be a problem indeed.

"You're not arachnophobic right? And… Tony isn't?"


Pepper tries to offer the pair a reassuring smile. "I will do my best to keep her safe, I promise." She blinks at Keiko, her eyes seeking out and finding the dragon, and… yeah. She's glad the spider is the one that latched onto her.

"Hm? Oh, no, not at all. I think spiders are gorgeous." But then she hesitates. "But I have no idea about Tony. I'll find out, and I'll be extra careful until I'm sure." She pulls her jacket back on, mostly concealing the spider under her sleeve — two little fuzzy feet peek out past the cuff.


"Can we go, Koa?" Keiko asks quietly. No please but it's clear that the peruvian is worried.

"Keep her safe, Miss Potts. We will work out … how to retrieve her. When we're done with the case we're working on." Who knows? Pepper might have a permanent visitor if Keiko doesn't make it back.

"Shall we take this container with us?"


"Well… alright. We needed to rehome the spider anyway." Koa is mostly talking out loud to himself. Keiko is used to it and Pepper should be used to it with her boss. "We'll come back for it, Pepper, when we have things on the other end resolved."

To answer Keiko's question he takes the jar off the desk. "We will take the jars as well. We'll need them and they seem to work." He takes a deep breath and lets it out, rubbing his temple slightly. It'll be okay. Everything will be fine.

"Yeah, we can go Keiko. We need to get the rest of your spirits rehomed and/or in these jars."

And if they keep doing it in Pepper's office she might wind up with more Tattoos.


When the pair are clearly preparing to leave, Pepper stands and follows them to the door. "I'll have the other jars delivered to your office," she offers, perhaps a bit lamely.

She watches them depart, then returns to her desk. "I think you and I need to come to an agreement, Charlotte."


There's still no apology or please or thank you from Keiko. With a nod to Koa and Pepper, the peruvian takes up her jacket and slips it on as she heads out the door.

"Her name is Arananet." Pepper hears as she returns to her desk.


"Arananet," Pepper repeats, even getting the proper Spanish inflection. "Thank you, Agent Kurita."


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