In the conference room, Assistant Lucy Berendt sat silently on a high stool, her long legs elegantly crossed. Stark entered, glancing at his watch before smirking, "Mr. Ronin, you're three minutes late."
Ronin shrugged with a slight smile, "And what, Mr. Stark? Are you going to blow up my office?"
Stark chuckled and stepped forward, extending his hand. "Of course not. But this is your company now. Countless people wait for a chance to meet me, and I've been waiting for you in this dull room."
Ronin extended his hand with a half-smile. "Now that you're here, you have ten minutes. I hope our conversation will be worth it."
"Ten minutes?" Stark raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. No one had dared to limit his time before. He found Ronin unexpectedly refreshing.
Lucy watched the exchange, quietly amused. She wasn't sure what would happen when two such strong-willed individuals clashed, but it was bound to be interesting.
"Alright," Stark said with a smirk, "ten minutes it is. I'm here for a simple reason." He gestured toward the wallpaper behind him, pointing at an image of Soldier: 76, a character from Overwatch.
"Let me guess," Ronin interjected, "you're here to negotiate some rights to produce a Soldier: 76 costume for yourself? If that's all, we could have done this over the phone."
Stark smiled, shaking his head. "No, that's not it. I want you to write a script for me. About Iron Man."
"Soldier: 76 was a phenomenal movie," Stark continued. "You're the best screenwriter in America, Ronin. If there's anyone who could make an Iron Man story just as memorable, it's you. Think of it as creating the next Soldier: 76."
Ronin's expression softened for a moment before he quipped, in an unexpectedly philosophical tone, "You ever feel like standing still, and it just hurts?"
Lucy and Stark both paused, visibly confused. Ronin seemed taken aback by his own words, as if they had sprung from somewhere deep within.
"What?" Stark blinked, trying to grasp what Ronin was saying.
Ronin shrugged. "I've just been really into Chinese philosophy lately. It means... I don't know, something like 'cool'?"
Stark's curiosity piqued. "The only Chinese thing I know is 'kung fu.' So, what exactly does that phrase mean?"
Ronin chuckled, offering, "It's basically like saying, 'I'm so free it hurts.'"
"Ah," Stark grinned, attempting to mimic the phrase, albeit awkwardly. "I feel so free my balls hurt."
Ronin nearly choked, barely holding back laughter. Stark seemed unfazed, continuing, "I want you to create something meaningful. I'd even say something legendary."
Ronin raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Look, Overwatch Pictures is exclusively focused on making Overwatch films. Iron Man has nothing to do with our universe."
Stark leaned forward, undeterred. "I'm offering you a billion dollars, Ronin. I'm confident you could make an Iron Man movie that's as brilliant as Soldier: 76. You just need the right inspiration."
Ronin resisted the urge to laugh again, then spoke firmly, "Overwatch Pictures doesn't need the money, Mr. Stark. Our brand is already strong. We only produce films related to Overwatch characters."
Stark sighed, visibly frustrated but not defeated. "I'm serious, Ronin. You can call me 'Overwatch Iron Man' if that's what it takes."
Lucy stifled a laugh, shocked by Stark's willingness to adapt. If Stark was serious, Overwatch Pictures would essentially gain rights to Iron Man, which would be huge.
Ronin didn't expect Stark's persistence. "You're effectively giving us control over Iron Man," Ronin said, clearly bewildered. "With that freedom, we could do just about anything, and you might not have any say in it."
Stark's gaze held steady. "Do you really think I make decisions lightly? As long as you don't use my likeness for anything illegal, I'm willing to give you creative freedom. And if you ever need my help, I'd be there, as long as you honor our deal."
Ronin took a deep breath, finally conceding, "Alright. After we wrap up the release of 'Winston,' I'll draft an outline for an Iron Man film. Just don't expect anything on the level of Soldier: 76 right away. That took months of immersion to capture the desperation and resilience in Soldier: 76's story."
Stark grinned, pulling out a notepad and handing it to Ronin. The scribbled notes were barely legible, describing a hero fighting monsters to save the world.
"This looks like a storyboard for Peppa Pig," Ronin muttered to himself, suppressing a grin. The concept was so rudimentary, it would take a miracle to transform it into something epic.
"Just turn it into a masterpiece, Ronin," Stark said, oblivious to Ronin's skepticism. "Once you've got a draft, we'll start production."
Ronin's expression softened as he realized the challenge before him. Stark was asking him to build a palace out of two bricks. Impossible? Maybe. But intriguing.
Stark concluded, "Oh, and make sure to invite me to the premiere of 'Winston.' I'd love to watch it with you."
"Deal," Ronin said, standing to signal the end of their meeting.
Stark shot a playful glance at Lucy on his way out, teasing, "Thank you for your hospitality, Ms. Berendt. Let's meet again soon."
Blushing, Lucy simply smiled and nodded as Stark departed, Ronin trailing behind him. They barely made it to the exit before a crowd of journalists surrounded them.
"I'm Tony Stark," Stark announced boldly. "You might also know me as Iron Man. I've got thrilling news: Iron Man is officially joining Overwatch. We're launching the Iron Man movie this year, and it's going to be a masterpiece!"
With that, Stark waved and climbed into his car, leaving the reporters stunned. Ronin chuckled at Stark's theatrics, wondering how he could be so confident and casual at the same time.
As he watched Stark's car disappear, Ronin shook his head, grumbling internally, "The man never stops being high-profile."
The reporters, still reeling, immediately bombarded Ronin with questions. He finally raised his hands to calm them. "Since Mr. Stark has already broken the news, I might as well confirm. Overwatch Pictures is indeed releasing 'Winston,' our next big film, at the end of the month. This film follows Winston, an intelligent yet primal gorilla with a strong sense of justice."
The crowd erupted, quickly realizing the significance of Ronin's statement. Winston, a beloved Overwatch character, was finally coming to the big screen, and fans couldn't be more excited.
Phones whipped out, reporters, fans, and onlookers alike scrambled to share the announcement, spreading the word to their friends and followers.
Overwatch fans had been eagerly awaiting this sequel. After six months of anticipation, they were about to be rewarded with another Overwatch story.