24 Working hard or hardly working

(A/N: Continuing on from the end of the last chapter's dialogue.)

"So, you decided to follow through with my idea Mr. Stark, I'm honoured."

"Your idea had a lot more merit to it that you may realise kid, and the Pros far outweighed the Cons. The only thing I'm not sure about is my hero name."

Dan smiled at Tony's response. "I wouldn't worry too much about that, the media is usually pretty good at coming up with hero names."

Tony frowned after hearing that, but then he nodded. "You're right, they are pretty good at coming up with a good alias."

(A/N: I've realised the I got Luke Cage's alias wrong, Powerhouse being Franklin Richard's alias. I will be referring to Luke Cage by his correct alias, "Power Man," from now on.)

"That they are, well, that's enough chit-chat for now Mr. Stark, it's time to start the interview, all interviews are recorded for training purposes, but you've probably heard that spiel 100 times by now."

With that, Dan turned his camera, and pressed the record button.

(A/N: This next section was written with purpose of looking like an interview. The "Interviewer" is of course Dan in this instance.)

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Interviewer: Mr. Stark, thank you for taking the time to join us today. It's an honour to have you with us.

Tony Stark: The pleasure is mine, I'm always up for a good chat. Let's make this interview as intriguing as my next invention.

Interviewer: Speaking of inventions, there's been quite a buzz about your latest project. Can you give us a glimpse into what you've been working on?

Tony Stark: Ah, you've done your homework. Well, let's just say I've been dabbling in some cutting-edge tech that might just revolutionise the industry. But shh, mum's the word for now.

Interviewer: Mysterious as always, Mr. Stark. There have been whispers of a new hero on the rise in the city. Any thoughts on this masked figure capturing the public's imagination?

Tony Stark: Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, don't they? As for this mysterious vigilante, well, let's just say I'm keeping an eye on the situation. Who knows, they might just inspire a certain billionaire to don a cape himself one day.

Interviewer: Fascinating! Are you hinting at a heroic alter ego in the making, Mr. Stark?

Tony Stark: (smirks) Now, now, let's not jump to conclusions. Tony Stark is a man of many talents, but heroism? That's a whole new ball game. But hey, never say never, right?

Interviewer: Your enigmatic responses are keeping us on the edge of our seats, Mr. Stark. What can we expect from you in the near future?

Tony Stark: Expect the unexpected, my friend. The world is full of surprises, and Tony Stark is no exception. Let's just say I have a few tricks up my sleeve that might just leave you speechless.

Interviewer: Exciting times ahead, indeed. And how do you plan to balance your philanthropic endeavours, business empire, and potentially heroic escapades?

Tony Stark: Ah, the age-old question. Let's just say I thrive on challenges. Juggling multiple responsibilities? Piece of cake. Besides, what's life without a little thrill, right?

Interviewer: Thank you, Mr. Stark, for your insights and tantalising hints about what's to come. We can't wait to see where this journey takes you.

Tony Stark: The pleasure was all mine. Remember, folks, Tony Stark is a man of surprises. Keep your eyes peeled, you never know what's around the corner.

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Dan breathed a sigh of relief after hitting the Stop Recording button. "Well, that was definitely interesting Mr. Stark, I'm guessing that the whole 'cape' thing was just a figure of speech. Something tells me that a cape just isn't your style."

"Your assumption is correct, my hero costume will probably be more technology-based, I'm already done with my blueprint for Mark-I, now I just have to make the damn thing. I must admit, I never thought that I'd have fun doing something like this. This is the most fun I've had with any of my projects."

Dan could relate to that feeling himself. "It's not too surprising honestly, a lot us dreamed of having a cool robot that does whatever you want it to do, or better yet, wearing a suit that let's you fly around and shoot laser beams from its hands. Have you considered integrating some of that AI you've been working on into the suit. Maybe something along the lines of flight correction, autopilot, voice commands. You know the rest."

Tony pondered all of this for a moment before answering. "To be perfectly honest, I was already working on voice commands, but flight correction and autopilot would be the icing on the cake. You've given me so many more ideas now! I'll be sure to keep you updated. On another note, do you know if your cute mentor is single? I'm just curious."

Dan gave Tony a reproachful look. "To the best of my knowledge, she is currently single, but I wouldn't try too hard with her, she might punch you into the next world if you're not careful."

Tony winced, it was clear that he visualised that result happening when Dan brought it up. "Good point kid, maybe it's best that I don't try my luck with super-strong women like her."

"Maybe it's best if you don't try your luck at all, it can all seem fine and dandy one moment, but the next you might find yourself drugged and tied up, or worse..."

Tony shuffled around on the spot for a bit before taking a few deep breaths. "Ok, fine, that's also true, you really do know how to make someone paranoid don't you."

Dan chuckled at Tony's antics before standing up. "I have been told that. Anyways, I would hate to take up any more of your valuable time, I look forward to hearing more about your new suit. I'm sure I'll be seeing you again relatively soon."

The two of them exited the sound-insulated room, and they said their goodbyes, Tony quickly donned his latex mask again, and walked briskly out of the office. Dan took a seat, but he quickly became aware of everyone else in the room staring at him, and he quickly looked up. Angela was the first to speak up, "So? How did it go Dan?"

"It went well, let's just say that Tony has some interesting ideas, nothing is set in stone just yet."

Everyone else started grumbling at Dan's vague response, before getting on with their day once more. Dan chuckled once more before plugging in his headphones and listening to the interview he'd just given, after all, he still had to write an article based on Tony's new venture.