Summary:Miles gets the nerve up to visit Mari and is pleasantly surprised. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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The last time they had met, Mari had told the Black Spider to come by sometime to see about an upgrade to his SHIELD duds. And honestly, Miles had considered it. But assumed that Mari was being nice. That was until the latest cold snap. Having just finished breaking up a robbery at the Compleat Strategist, there was some thinking to be done. But not too long. Because it's bitterly cold outside. With New York's winter finally in full swing, some things just weren't cutting it.
That's why just before closing time of the storefront, there's a rattle of the door as it opens and closes, and a figure comes in with his hood pulled up. Though honestly, on camera, it looks like someone that just may be casing the business. Not that he's given much thought on /what/ it looks like. Because besides the hoodie, he has on a heavy coat, socks and tennis shoes over the leggings, and probably thermals beneath. It's just that cold!
Miles is met at the door by the woman who runs the showroom, Brianna. A tall statesque woman who is extremely well dressed with an attitude that would easily put the upper class at ease. Not so much someone like Miles though. "May I help you?"
Mari is standing across the showroom, looking at an outfit on a mannequin. It's her costume and beside her is a tall, dark skinned, man. "Well, what do you think?" She's saying. Miles won't know it, but this is an upgrade - fresh from the Production line this morning.
As the door opens and Brianna greets the youth, Mari glances and frowns. "Black …. Spider …" she says, more to herself, but loud enough for all to hear. Because T'Challa doesn't know who this is. "You decided to drop by, did you? I've got this, Bri, thanks."
"Who is it Mari?" That voice has an odd, foreign, lilt to it. An accent definitely of the vaguely african kind. Behind Mari, by some distance, is a well dressed, well groomed man with impeccable posture. He smiles seeing Miles.
"Welcome welcome. Do you know this fine young man, Mari?"
Or is he a customer? He could very well be, this is his business.
There's a moment of confusion as Miles pulls back his hood. He has a beanie hat on top of his mask, with a little yarn ball on top. It's just that cold. He really does look like a hood rat, as Helena called him. "It was an enticing offer. Just you know.." Empty pockets. Then his lenses rise to the gentleman with Mari, and they widen slightly. "I didn't know you had company…" he starts to say, and then there's a dryness in his voice.
"…uh. I can come back another time?" he asks lamely. "I didn't mean to interupt!" It's managed with a squeak in his voice. "If clothes make the man, I'm totally the Goodwill Kid."
A pom-pom. The yarn ball is called a pom-pom. At least in some parts of the world. "I know him as the Black Spider." Mari says T'Challa, touching his arm. "Remember I told about the young man that helped your friend and I the other day?" beat "This is him. Given where we are with our design process, I told him to drop by and I'd see if I could help him."
"Don't do that … come in. This is my friend, Prince T'Challa of Wakanda. T'Challa, this young is the Black Spider. If he has any other name, he didn't give it to me…" The smile Mari gives is cheeky and teasing as she beckons the Goodwill Kid closer. "I was thinking, T'Challa, with your agreement, that maybe we might do something to help some of the upcoming heroes be better protected."
Lord knows Mari could have used it when she started.
"Clothes may make the man in some eyes but I think you'll find here that the man makes the clothes. Not everything is suited to every one after all. Body types and such." The dark skinned man sticks his hand out. "Pleased to meet you, by the way."
Yes. Mari said it, but THAT T'Challa. It's a name that is known after all. He was a king. He isn't at the moment - well he sort of is but in a very unusual fashion. At any rate, people who pay passing attention to the news might have seen him before. Kings, after all, aren't all that common.
"Ah. Is this young one a hero? Of course. I am quite happy to help there. Shall we come in back then where the real magic is done?"
Oh great. He's in front of royalty. In a New York Giants beanie. That little blue and red pom-pom on top of the hat bounces around, and the young man beneath sounds utterly confused. "Am I supposed to bow? This is where I bow, right?" At least that's what he's thinking when T'Challa sticks his hand out. Oh man, his dad is gonna be so jealous. Not that he can ever tell his dad! Accepting the hand, he gives it a quick shake. "P-pleased to meet you, sir!"
Oh yes. Awkward. And then Mari's admitting to the other thing. Identity. And he's looking around. "Are there cameras? I mean. If I take off the mask, will it be like.. all over the news? I mean, you're really popular and stuff, and I'm just…"
He's him. "It was a good idea. I just wanted to be able to find a way to afford it. Or to help. Or whatever. You were in the Disaster Zone and that place could use a few extra hands!"
"Come through the back and then you can off the mask. Discretion is sort of my catch phrase." Mari chuckles. Not everyone wants to be identified by the media. "Should he bow, T'Challa?" She tosses over her shoulder as she opens the door to lead them through.
Out the back, is a work area with a design table. A holographic design table that currently has an evening gown swirling slowly. "If you'd do the honours, T'Challa? I'll get us some hot chocolate. I think we could all do with some warming up, don't you?"
"What do you think, Black Spider, about how you might be able to reimburse us - given you've bought the subject up. I don't know anything about you, so it's hard to tell how that might be achieved." Of course, T'Challa might need some help as well. Mari isn't sure.
"No. Well. If you wish to be extra specially polite but it is really not necessary." T'Challa laughs, motioning to the young man to follow.
"So. You are a hero then? It makes sense that you know Mari. How did you meet?" The man in reality knows but he hasn't told Mari yet and 'T'Challa' wouldn't know anything about this 'Black Spider.'
"What are your powers? It's definitely easier to design for you if we know what things we need to account for." He'll let Mari handle things like… colors.
Following Mari and the Prince, Miles makes his way to the back. And once there, and one more glance around, he removes the coat and is wearing a hoodie beneath it. Then he reaches up and with a sigh, pulls off the mask. "Only one other person know.." and with that, the mocha-skinned teen pulls off the mask. Is it any wonder he came to them? "You can call me Miles." Not that it's much better than Black Spider.
"As for paying back? Well. if you ever need any help. I mean, not that you may need much help!" Chuckling nervously, he sticks his hands in his pockets. "I have a little bit of cash. And I'm currently working with someone to make a little extra money. But he's clearly not flush with cash.
Then he's asked about his powers. "Well. I think I'm like.. a spider?" It's offered lamely. "Jumping, lifting, lots of stamina. And well.. I can generate a little electricity and go invisible?" Okay, he doesn't know any spider that can go any invisible. "Bad analogy."
T'Challa's response to Miles earns a warm smile from Mari as she goes to heat milk on a small induction cookplate in the corner. It's cosy out here, with some personal touches. One might get the feeling that this is Mari's domain.
One that she's very comfortable welcoming T'Challa to work in.
"How durable are you, Miles…" the ex-model puts a little emphasis on the name, to let the young man know that he was heard and seen as more than a 'hero'. "Invisible. What happens with your close when that happens?"
"Also, what are you skills, Miles? Are you in school or something else?" He's not very old. "Yes, T'Challa, he's a hero." Not a fledgling hero or a new hero, but a hero.
There's a look when invisibility is raised. Is that something they could even cater for?
"Invisibility. Mmmm. That one will be a bit tricky. Bending light isn't easy. And really I think we'd need access to things we don't have. But I might be able to think of something. In the mean time. Electricity. Make it conductive. And possibly some armor."
T'Challa pulls things up on a holo-table and starts designing. "Have you ever had a… how to put this? Are you used to running with your own gear or have you not yet had an opportunity to get more… specialized equipment?"
It's much nicer than asking if Miles can't AFFORD more specialized equipment. Because that looks possibly like that might be the case.
"The clothes disappear with me." Miles considers for a moment. "I'm still working on the whole.. /how/ to do it." Hero? Maybe. But he's got a lot of work to do before he's actually any good at the whole heroing thing. To Mari, there's a blink, and he reaches up to rub at the back of his head. "Durable? I tend to try to keep from getting hit. You know. Better for my health. Because I'm not exactly knife or bulletproof." There's a wry smirk at that.
Then to T'Challa, Miles turns his attention and looks thoughtful. "I haven't tried vanishing while.. wait. I tried once with someone once. And she didn't exactly disappear with me? But I wasn't holding her when I disappeared. So…"
"I don't know?"
"I don't know is an answer." Mari offers, spooning hot chocolate powder into mugs as she stirs the milk as starts to boil. When it's heated sufficiently, the ex-model pours the milk into the mugs and reaches for marshmallows to put on little plates that are slightly larger saucers. "I didn't ask, but I hope you like hot chocolate." She says, handing a mug to the youth and placing one next to T'Challa.
For herself, she stirs the marshmallows into her drink.
"Maybe we don't need to worry about the invisibility again but it's something that we should consider for later, T'Challa." That gets Mari thinking about the power of a chameleon. Not now … later. She'll come back to that.
Letting the men talk, Mari watches the youth considering how they could structure a deal that would benefit them all. Working for them is definitely on the books, but how? Knowing his skills and interests would help her work that out.
"Later, perhaps." T'Challa nods. He continues to work. Putting in things that do not look like clothes to the interface and then 'passing' the sub systems over to Mari so that she can integrate them into the costume.
"So. How did you get into heroing, if you don't mind my asking?" Some people DO mind the asking. Because sometimes the answer is kind of tragic.
"I go to ESU.. art scholarship." Miles explains, and then chuckles a little. "Though it's more urban art than what…" he glances to T'Challa. "..contemporaries would want?" he should have brought his phone with him, but he didn't exactly think of that. It was also why he was in the Disaster Zone in the first place. He can tag there to his heart's content and noone will say a word.
He watches the work on the table, squinting slightly and trying to understand what the pair of them are doing. "Long story short? I went on a field trip, go sick, suddenly woke up with powers, and you know.. the whole - if you don't use something for good, or don't use it at all, it's a waste? At least that's what my dad tells me. Not that he knows this whole thing is what I was talking about." There's a sheepish look at that.
"Totally don't tell my parents if you ever meet them."
"What colours?" The model asks as she takes the interface, glancing at Miles and considering. "Not blue and red, that's been done … " she smirks a little and colours the design all black. "That's a start, to go with your name. Now … some accents I think."
A stylised spider motif added to the chest in a deep ruby red. The eyelets of the hood are outlined in the same colour.
"I'm not sure… " She ponders, letting T'Challa and Miles talk some more. "Ah…" A red webbing design is added to the hood, that extends over the torso. "Not quite …"
T'Challa has seen this - the way Mari works. It's not quick but the results rarely disappoint.
"You're an artist? Interesting. Urban art…." that has her thinking. "You know we're about to release that line of wearable tech, T'Challa. A range that appealed to the younger set would be good. I'm sure Emma could find a market for it."
"What do you think so far, Miles? A bit bland …. "
"There is a lot of recognition and money in urban art. Murals. Street art. Some of it gets quite complex. And rather well done. Of course some of it is just avant garde…" And T'Challa does not say that like it is a good thing.
"In any case. Yes. And I have incorporated some of that technology in the suit there. The communicator functions at any rate. And tablet functions. In case you ever need to google the way to beat a villain."
Is that a thing? T'Challa chuckles, so it's probably not a thing.
"It is important to use the gifts you have. Just do not let anyone define how you SHOULD use them just because they think they know how you should."
"Oooh. Maybe a little.. darker blue? Or some silver?" Miles is trying to help here. "I don't want to be a complete nightcrawler, you know?" he offers to the pair as he chuckles. "Most of my early stuff was more avant guarded. Or just straight up vandalism." so he was just a little more reckless than thought as he looks between the two with just a hint of worry.
"Do you know how easy it would be if I could just, 'Hey Siri, how do I beat Pyro' and it told me?" Chuckling, the young man gives a shake of his head. "For now, I'm trying to figure it out for myself. On the job training, or something like that. Though I do practice with some of the SHIELD folks from time to time. Because well. It helps to have someone to show you things."
"Not blue. The black is good." Mari is adamant that blue is not the answer. "But how about this." Red webbing motifs are added to the wrists and forearms, with just a touch of silver to accent things.
"It is indeed, very helpful." the dark skinned woman comments with a wink to T'Challa. "Also to tell your date that you're going to be late."
Not that she's had to do that. Yet.
"If you're interested, Miles, I would like to see your art work and speak to you about some designs for a line. We'll work out an agreement that covers the cost of the suit but ensures your interests are looked after, so you get recognition for what you're bringing to the table. Do you think that's fair, T'Challa?"
Mari hands the interface back for the Prince to add any final modifications to it.
"I am told you beat the pyro by playing the sniper." T'Challa takes the interfce and makes a couple of small changes.
"I think that should work. And for what it is worth Mari's offer probably has some value. She can help support you and make sure you do not get too far in without having someone to help. I understand things in the Disaster Zone are very, very dangerous right now."
There's Klaue for one thing. And every time he turns around things seem to get worse.
"Right. Well. That shouldn't take too long to fabricate, Black Spider. A day or three, yes Mari?"