nextgenerationmarvel | Retirement Just Isn't For Everyone

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Retirement Just Isn't For Everyone

Vincent was restless. School was now a part-time affair, and he was working from home for his obligations to Stark most of the time. There had been no crime-fighting to speak of, and only some token magical research to keep his skills sharp. He hadn't started a pet project in ages.

...so maybe he could start one.

He let his mind wander back to the rescue he'd made of that armored girl, Mira, in the river. There had been serial numbers on a couple of the components of her equipment. Serial numbers mean registration, and contact information. It doesn't take him more than a couple minutes to have a cell number.

"Hello, Mira?"

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Traffic had her a little late, five minutes, but when she walked in a few of the staff smiled congratulating her for the open mic night the other day. She thanked them as she searched for Vincent, seeing him she raised her hand in greeting before walking over, carefully removing her guitar case.

"Sorry I'm late, I keep forgetting how the traffic is in the city." She slid the case into the booth next to her.

"That's exactly why I teleport whenever possible." Vincent replies wryly, before ordering himself a soda and looking over the menu. "Not that I'm ungrateful, but you really didn't have to treat. Saving you was just the right thing to do."

"Oh just rub it in I'm a normal human why don't you." She was smiling as she said it though, after she ordered a cherry coke.

"I know, but sounded like you could use something to kill some time, why else ask if I was up to anything?" She grinned a little. "Besides, this place is public and quiet at the same time, figured it works great for meeting with people."

He grins back at her. "We all have our handicaps to overcome."

He darkens a bit as she points out the obvious. "I just.. need something extra to work on right now. You seem like you're reasonably competent with bio-enhancement technologies, if you maintain that armor yourself."

"True." She chuckled a little.

"It's cool I'm not complaining about it." She bit her lip a little. "And... it helps me, tells me how to do the repairs. I'm still learning about it really." She did blush a little. "I've just always been good with machines. a well built one sings, ill repair, well you can hear it try." she realized that probably sounded weird. "And I sound like a nut case now don't I?"

"It tells you? Did you design the suit yourself, or was it given to you?" Vincent leans forward, gears in his head turning as he analyzes what he remembers of the suit.

"I can definitely help you improve its buoyancy, for starters.

And you'll need to try much harder to impress upon me any notions of insanity. I come from... complicated folk."

"You wouldn't buy it if I said that was classified would you?" She toys with the band on her wrist a little.

"Yeah, wouldn't hurt, though I think only place I'd be able to test it is in a pool. I... Don't do deep bodies of water well." She didn't have a problem admitting it. "Pools are okay, but lakes and the ocean or deep rivers... yeah not a strong suit."

"I might believe you, but I wouldn't care." He shrugs. "I've never been much for rules and regulations."

Vincent cocks his head to one side. "Anything you want to talk about?"

She chuckled a little as the waitress brought their drinks. She took their orders and Mira thought a bit as if trying to decide how much to tell him. She knew he wasn't on the goon squad that was trying to get the armor back at least...

"It's alien, and I'm talking off world." She'd leave out the program. "And my fear of water... I'm good, mostly. Just well grew up in the desert so never got used to it." Okay flat out lie, but she really doesn't want to go into her nightmares about huge jelly fish and killer sharks the size of a tanker boat thanks.

"Ah, that sort of thing." Vincent is actually less impressed by extraterrestrial technological incursions than government-backed projects. The latter have a greater propensity to backfire in spectacular fashion.

"I see. Well, for being on an island, you should be able to stay away from the river and harbor fairly easily."

"I'm just keeping it out of the wrong hands. So far it's working." She took a sip of her drink. "And as long as I stay in mostly public places people who want it back stay back. It's the contractors they higher I have to be careful of."

"Should be. Just have to remember stay on the big guy's good side. Would hate to be thrown into the harbor instead." She smirked. "What about you? Any other tricks up your sleeves other than what I saw?"

"I've got skills you can't even imagine, besides being a supergenius." Vincent says, shamelessly puffing up his chest as he sits back in his seat.

"With the ego to boot too it seems." There's a small laugh as she watches him.

"It's cool I was the smartest one in town back home. Sucked, but hey they let me play with their cars so I didn't complain much."

"It's only being egotistical if you can't prove it." He says, with a minor edge.

"Small town girl?" He raises an eyebrow curiously.

"Well I wouldn't mind seeing you prove it," She grinned, trying to keep it light, though really it was easy to talk to him. Would be fun working with him. Nothing work related yet though, doubt the others would like that. Hell she hadn't really said she was leaving.

"More like 'ghost town' girl. There were about twenty of us livin' in town, two hundred in the surrounding area. The res had more people, but my aunt had the best garage in the area." She blushed a little ducking her head.

He smiles and gives a seemingly innocent shrug, looking over the menu again. "Did you live on the reservation, or just adjacent to it?" He doesn't want to be so crass as saying she doesn't look like a first nations citizen.

"An hour away by bike. Went to school two counties over though spent a lot of time there. One of the elders kind of adopted me into his family because of my love of music." She grinned. "He taught me how to play the blues. Not something I play often though."

"Really? I'd love to hear it some time. My father had me learn how to play the violin as a manner of connecting with our Zafiro heritage. I'm ready to order when you are."

And there would be another blush, so far only one who's heard her play was Jay. "Sure after lunch if you want."

She raised her hand to get their waitress's attention. "But only if you play violin for me it's been a while since I've heard someone play it."

"My sister has a lesson and I don't want to disturb her. Could we go to your place, or are you okay setting down in the park or somewhere like that?"

He pauses, then lets out a grunt. "I'd need a violin first... I haven't had one since I left home."

"I'm not sure the boss or the others would like me bringing people in yet. Though the park sounds good. It's a nice enough day." She nodded.

"Then I'll patiently wait." She tapped out the tempo of the song being played on the piano lightly on the table, not even realizing it. "The piano's off key again." She muttered softly, it wasn't badly off key, but she could tell.

"You kids ready to order?"

Mira ordered her usual, a Tuscan chicken salad and side of mozzies share.

"You should offer to fix it then."

Vincent gets himself a chicken parm, sauce on the side. He rarely trusts kitchen staff to determine what he considers an appropriate amount of sauce.

"Not mid-song, it's rude to the performer." She grinned. "That is if Dave doesn't get there first." She nodded to the bartender across the room who looked like he was waiting for something. "He doesn't like it when I tinker with it. Been coming here about a month, and he wants me to quit what ever job I have to come play at the club." She turned back to Vincent. "I'd be tempted if I didn't like being able to have time to tinker."

He smiles, just looking at her for a minute. "You seem like you've got a regular home away from home here."

He used to feel that way about the Mansion, before... the complications.

"Getting there." And if she knew he left right before she arrived she'd think she was his replacement and probably complain about it a little. "Never thought I'd handle the city though ya know. It's just... so much different from what I grew up with. Still not sure if I'm that comfortable, but well beats being on the road all the time. That takes a lot out of you after a while."

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