14326/A Hulking Tea Party

A Hulking Tea Party
Date of Scene:	05 March 2023
Location:	Candle, Booke and Belle
Synopsis:	When THE HULK comes to the Candle, Booke and Belle, Nettie has to serve tea in a proper container. Mike-in-Hulk has a conversation, and once brought down to size the two discuss the perils of magical pants. Nettie does *not* want control of the whole Justice League, and Mike and Nettie toast to friendship
Cast of Characters:	Nettie Crowe, Michael Hannigan

---

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Sundays are meant for casual. The comings and goings of League Dark members of the Front Door of the Candle is always amusing to the old Crowe as she sits on her 'throne', which consists of a stool with a back on it as she watches her shop early in the morning, half a Cranberry Orange scone in front of her with a cup of violet-colored tea in a mug that says #1 BOSS on it instead of a regular teacup She's wearing black jeans with tears in the knees, a T-shirt announcing that it was Magical Person parking, all others would be Toad, and a gray sweater over the ensemble to pull it together. Her silver hair was tied back, recently cut short, and the ancient record player in the corner was cheerily playing some peppy swing music. A nice, easy Sunday morning.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Sunday mornings tend to be slow in a lot of places. And perhaps this is a contributing factor to the large sight that comes into view at the doorway. There is a notable thump as the large green figure decked in similarly sized attire stops. There is a pause and then the figure of the hulk ducking and essentially crab walking into the shop can be seen. Draped over a shoulder, loosened to the largest gap the shoulder strap could afford is a backpack of normal size.

Waddle waddle.

Once clear of the door, the dark haired monster turns his head, glancing around the empty shop before settling on the white haired shop keeper. "...Morning Nettie."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie hears the thump. Her eyes narrow behind her glasses, and she turns towards the door, feeling a weird rattle along the wards as she takes a deep breath, and reaches beneath the counter for her wand, drawing her gaze to the round window of her door when -- BUMP -- the door is opened, and a large, green figure siddles into her shop.

    She drops her arm a moment, looking a lot confused. Her crystal blue eyes blink.

    "Good morning Mister... Hulk?" she strains a moment, and then itches the back of her scalp with the point of her wand.

    "I suppose there's a good explaination for this."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The gargantuan man glances around, looking to the smaller seats and turns. As he bumps into a rack causing for it to wobble, he reaches over quickly to try and right it. "Ee-"

Inching away, he finds an area of floor that is not crowded and simply...sits. Crossing his legs, and quite possibly bringing his head level a little closer to Nettie's. "Sorry, I've been having a bad couple of weeks and could just do with some really good tea and a friendly face right about now."

The large digits lift up, rubbing at his forehead, "But uh, quick explanation... Someone was screwing around in the wrong dream, fucked up, and now we got several people body swapped. Myself included."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "... oh good lord, *Michael Hannigan* is that *YOU*?" Nettie asks, absolutely aghast, and she looks around, and then ducks below the bar.

    When she straightens, she's got a bucket. Don't worry, it's clean. She sets about pulling items from drawers as she works, the poor Hulk sitting on the floor as she makes a disturbed face.

    "So in the dreaming, everyone's conciousness ended up going to the wrong bodies? Heavens, what in the world could have made that happen?" she wonders out loud, putting a kettle-sized teaball in the bucket with a BANG before she pours boiling water over it.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The hulk tilts his head as Nettie's able to name him without him having to do that? "...Yes it's me but I wasn't the one screwing around in the wrong dream." It seems quite important to Mike to make that clarification. Like there's some type of higher being that's going to be pissed off at him or something.

"Uh, If we REALLY want to get technical, not all dreams occur in the dreaming, but that's another discussion and I'm very certain that I don't have all the knowledge to have that discussion either. But for this time around, I was having my own dream when Hulk came ripping through the barrier chasing after Clea. And well, as they were smashing through barriers while running we kind of got pulled along in the wake of the force. We're still trying to figure out who got affected so people can be put back into their proper place." Mike pauses, curiousity getting the better of him, "What tipped you off it was me?"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "You're about the only person who works in dreams that would casually walk in here, in another body and just first greet me with 'hi Nettie' and about the only one mature enough to settle the rack before sitting down." Nettie points out, and then she looks back over her shoulder.

    "Anyone else might have freaked out and tried to resolve things by getting angry. Which, in such a state, would be highly dangerous." she points out, and she brings the bucket O' Tea over,, wrapping a couple tea towels around the bucket to prevent anyone's hands from being burned, and offers bucket, tea, and towels to the person before her.

    "Not sure if you've noticed, but most mages are a little bit touchy."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
As Nettie lists the behavioral cues that led her to the conclusions. He gives a slight smirk. "Noted. Maybe I should have come in here blaring 'RAWR, HULK WANT TEA. HULK WANT TALK.' or something of that nature."

The hulk reaches over to take the offered bucket, cupping his hands around the towels that line the outside of it. "Thank you."

He takes a sip, smiling a bit before lowering it. "Yes, seems like a prerequisite. I'm a bit of a moody sort too." He admits, "Probably why I woke up like this today. I'm kind of in a pissy mood. I hate being like this and I want to go home but there's no way a loft bed is going to support this weight and not cause neighbors panic attacks."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "... I can relate to wanting to go home and not being able to. 'S a tough feeling. You don't precisely 'fit' in a place anymore. Not that many of us 'fit really anywhere." Nettie gives a little bit of a smile, baring some teeth as she takes a breath, "Aye, you're an artsy type, 'f course you're moody. Just don't go *broody* or you end up in Gotham on a gargoyle an' then Batman comes pissin' in here complainin' about having to set up a schedule, yeah?" she gives a small snort.

    She'll make friends with Batman yet!

    "Where have you been stayin' since you can't be home?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike in Hulk chuckles as she makes reference to Batman's broody sorts, "You know the best years of my childhood were spent in Gotham, right? And I make no guarantees to avoiding perching on statues when I'm in bird form."

He takes another sip from the bucket. Eyes closing as he focuses on the sip for a moment. The drink is lowered. "Where I woke up. Hulk's room at the Avengers mansion. The furniture there is built to last."

Hulk's eyes focus upon Nettie, "Do you know if any others from our group popped up with issues like this?"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "No, alas, mages are also friggin' secretive sorts. Unless you get close in a mentorship--" Nettie pulls one of the easy chairs over -- with a little difficulty -- and then she plops down in it to lean forward, her fingers knitting between her knees as she regards poor Mike.

T"An' the Avengers? Among them were there others who were involved in this mess?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The green head bobs in confirmation. "Apparently the Hulk persona's missing, so that's going to be a fun complication. But the doctor on the other half of this persona is now driving around my body. There's at least two more Avengers affected. One of the Fantastic Four...Someone who looks a lot like Powergirl, At least one regular member Titan and..." He pauses. "I think there are others but I'm not sure who. Someone else is compiling the list."

Mike in Hulk looks back to the bucket, "...I guess it's a good thing I drew this straw. Years of therapy already under the belt and stuff." He pauses, "Also good that it appears the actual hulk persona is a personality trait and not fully merged with the power."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie gives a soft 'hum'.

    "Well, I'm sure should they need the help of the League Dark for anything, and me in particular, they'll have it since it's affecting at least one of our own, everything within my power is theirs to use." she wrinkles her nose.

    "Though I feel bad for anything wandering the astral these days. Bit dinged up after all that business last year, isn't it?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike gives a bit of a shrug, "It kind of depends where you're going, really. The Dreaming was fine last time I looked around. The short lived pocket dream worlds usually mend or reset themselves with each night. So, the non-dreaming shared dream worlds are more of the ones that actually seem to have issues. Wonderland's kind of dealing with a change in management. And anything beyond dream based stuff-"

The Hulk sighs. "I can't do anything about any of that right now. Not while I'm like this. So, there's no point in me worrying about it right now. Just, need to make sure I don't make things worse with what I do have control over."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Heh, I suppose it depends on who you're traveling with, too. I tend to attract some of the... not so wholesome types whenever I've had to go." Nettie gives a slight smile, and then she rolls her hand in the air a moment.

    "I don't deal much with dreams in any case. I don't dream anymore."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The figure frowns, "One of the nice thing about my regular ability is it did help with the nightmares. So long as I didn't use my energy to excess, nightmares were kind of suppressed and the dreams were peaceful. Maybe a little stagnant but peaceful."

The bucket is lifted up again, "...probably why I wake up in the morning feeling a little green."

Mike-Hulk tilts his head back, downing the remainder of the tea. Gently, he sets the bucket down before closing his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I'm tired of having to hide in that room waiting it out. I'm tired of the looks. So you know what? Today I went 'Fuck it. I'm getting tea.'"

He takes another breath.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I don't nightmare either. Only when I'm awake. For me? It's just... darkness, until Corvax pokes his head in and asks what I want for breakfast. Which means he's hungry and wants me to make breakfast on account of his lack of hands." she gives a small smile, and she leans back.

    "I'm glad you decided to say 'fuck it, I'm getting tea'. I do try my best to not mother hen, you know, but I do worry about all my duckies."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
With the tea finished and the hulking figure sitting there, cross legged and a tiny Nettie sitting on a nearby chair looking to him. It is an odd scene. "I appreciate you not going over the top with the response." Mike responds, eyes still closed. "...I'm not sure if people realize that sometimes you just need to have someone to talk to. Not tiptoeing on eggshells or screaming 'are you okay' every five seconds. Or the other extremity of threatening to throw you into space as the very first greeting."

As the hulking form speaks, Nettie ends up watching the odd sight of the form before her shifting. Perhaps not odd considering Mike's capabilities before the madness, but from the vantage point of one not accustomed to such things. A large figure starting to shift, becoming smaller and more flesh-toned. The outfit he wears, is not as accommodating, becoming much looser. The backpack on his shoulder with the extremely loosened strap touches the floor.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Hardly the oddest thing I've seen this week. I do wish perhaps you had come earlier, or dispatched a text, I could have tried for a room here where you would have some peace and quiet if they keep asking you if you're all right in short bursts." she murmurs gently, and she raises her eyebrows as the Hulk begins to shrink. She watches as the clothes get looser, the backpack touching the floor, and the figure of Bruce Banner sitting on her floor in front of her, ext to the bucket of tea.

    Never let it be said that the most mundane things can't be magical.

    "Feeling better, button?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike in Bruce's eyes open, looking back over to the Nettie who now looms over him. "Much Better. Thank you." Bruce's head tilts down, observing the amount of chest exposed by the drooping XXXXXL shirt. "...Is there someplace private I could change clothes in?"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie jerks her head towards a corner, where there's a 'changing booth' with a cloth curtain for people to try on the clothes she sometimes stocks.

    "Unless you want to try the stairs for the rooms upstairs or the spiral staircase to my apartment." she states with a slight smile, and she removes her flsk form her pocket and takes a sip.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike in Bruce turns his head in the indicated direction. "...I think I'll take the option that doesn't require me to attempt stairs while wearing this."

Pushing himself up, the pants start to fall down before a pair of hands reach down to quickly catch the waistband. There's a bit of a dance to try and gather up the excess fabric, exposing the bare feet. Well, at least there's no clown shoe effect going on. "How in the hell has he managed this all these years?" Mike in Bruce mutters.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I dunno, he's a genius scientist, I'm sure he figured /something/ out." Nettie replies cheerily, hopping off the chair as Mike in Bruce's Body goes to change into smaller clothes.

    "Maybe he's got a friend who can make magic pants?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Well, that something didn't apply to these clothes apparently." Mike comments as he parachute pants his way over to the dressing room.

Please Mikey don't hurt 'em.

There's a clatter of the rings as the fabric is tugged shut, granting the musician scientist enough privacy to drop the pants. The bookbag is taken off and a smaller set of clothes are pulled out.

"Although I guess there wouldn't be reason for him to have the foresight to label which outfits in his possession are magic and which ones are tear away."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "No one ever asks about magic pants these days. In my day there were clothes that with an uttered word in Old Frankish they'd be clean and white as seafoam, but no, it's a lost practice now. No one even speaks Old Frankish--" the old lady mutters, moving the easy chair back to its companion and dusting off her hands as she puts things back in place.

    "Probably nonna-pants. Nano-pants? Nini-pants? Nani-pantsu?" she pauses, and gives a very childish giggle at the last one.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"I call them 'don't fit now pants'." Mike in Bruce comments, stepping into the smaller pair of pants first. "Maybe I'm looking in the wrong drawer. If he does have pants like that, they can't be cheap. Maybe I just came across the 'Laundry Day' outfits."

There's an audible zip, announcing the important aspect of the outfit being secured. A head tilts towards the closed curtain, "Do you even know people who make magic clothes now?"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Of COURSE I know people who make magic clothes now. /I/ can do it with the right materials, time, and a blood spot or two." Nettie grumps from the other side of the curtain -- it sounds like she's moved off to the other side of the room. There's a rustling of papers. "There's a dress-maker in London who enchants her dresses to dazzle just-so. But she's nearing retirement age -- her vision's going, you see. She would hand-stitch the clothing in a certain way with certain threads. There's a few in China who are... probably still around." she murmurs, and then adds softly "Li-Li would be in her eighties now I wager."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike considers the information as he pulls on a T-shirt that most definitely does not belong in the Banner Wardrobe and is likely a fashion suggestion on Mike's part. "That's got to be an expensive thing though. Otherwise everyone would be wanting something like that. Outfits that just adjust to your size regardless to how big you are so you don't have to go buy a new wardrobe every few months or years."

The bodyswapped one crouches down, pulling out socks and a pair of shoes. "Just out of curiousity. How much would a single outfit of that ability probably run for these days?"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Soul, first born child, a 1969 Dodge charger possessed by demons, Elvis's Cadillac, Babe Ruth's bat that created The Curse of the Bambino -- different people will charge different items or amounts depending on value, button." the witch replies, "Also depends if you want to go commando or not."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"How about a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich from the mountain of them that Elvis has been hiding behind for the past few decades?" Mike asks, crouching down to put on the socks. "I know where one of those is."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I don't deal in foods, Mr. Hannigan. Well. Foods that have been in the unknown for unknown decades. As the kids say these days -- that's sus." Nettie replies with a grin in her voice.

    "Also depends on how complex the clothing is, materials, the like. A pair of jeans is more complex than a pair of flannel pajama pants. A wool suit more complex than a linen sundress."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
A chuckle emits in Bruce's voice from behind the curtain. "Was worth a shot." Mike in Bruce comments, stepping into the shoes now. "I'm not exactly a dealer in the weird. The most I ever did was a song writing request for Lydia when we had the issue with the angels."

No Mike. That IS weird.

After some laces are tied, Mike in Bruce stands up and tugs the curtain open. There's no need for privacy as he works on trying to stuff those Hulk sized clothes into the bookbag.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "No, Mr. Hannigan, composing a song for a mutant vampire witch for the Head Archangel during the end of the world is definitely very strange." Nettie gives a small smile from back behind the counter of the teabar, pouring a normal sized cup of tea. The bucket is behind her with HULK TEA CUP scrawled on it in sharpie now.

    "So, what would you want to change sizes with you?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Nettie calling him out on the weirdness level of the spell-songwriting gets another laugh. "Ok. Guilty as charged. That is strange."

Bruce in Mike glances down to his current outfit. While the pants seem very sensible and could easily be paired with a dress shirt if need be, the shirt is much more relaxed. Something one might wear when just going on a night out and doesn't want to give off the 'too old to be here' vibe everywhere they go.

"Well, as tempting as it might be to have all future Hulk sightings to involve a concert tee turned billboard-"

Let's be honest. Despite the situation, it is still free advertising.

"I noticed Bruce doesn't really have decent non-work casual clothes. Might be good for him to have one outfit like that that won't shred and doesn't involve him having to do what I just did. Of course, it would mean after the switch he keeps the outfit."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "A genuinely thoughtful gift, in fact, even if it is a billboard." Nettie considers, her lips pursed, "though you would have to have Dr. Banner come in and say he wants such. It'd be bound to him through blood, and that's not something I do by expy." she states sternly, looking over to Mike.

    "Too many casualities."

    She gives a small hum. "I could work something up that will last through the week I suppose, though it might be a bit tight on you -- him -- this particular body."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike in Bruce nods, "Ah no, if it's just for me I can just wait it out. I was more factoring in that when this current issue is over, he has this for the long term. So, assuming the cost turns out to be a reasonable one, I could check to see if Bruce would be interested in this. If so, we set aside a few possible outfits that would both work for what you can do and would be something that makes him look good. Let him pick."

Just not purple.

Bruce has WAY too much purple as is.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Well then, you'll have to give the good doctor my card." the old witch gives a smile.

    "There's still a great amount of magic in the world, Button, but some of the sciency-types, they don't believe in it. They require the cold, hard facts. The science. And as I explained once to an associate -- there is a difference between learning how to drive a car, and being able to break down the multichamber combustion engine with all of the computerized stuff attached to it now. It's always been easier to learn the craft than explain how the Hell any of it even works." she gives a toothy grin.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike in Bruce nods as he stuffs the Hulk pants into the bookbag. "You have a point, he might not go for it. But being he's kind of taking a turn in my shoes, maybe he'll get just enough exposure to be open to the idea."

He grabs a pant leg to guide it into the opening, "Hank was kind of like that. But, when he realized what Deprive was, he started viewing as just unexplained science. And, he accepted it to a point."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Heh." Nettie gives a small smile, and she rocks a moment in her stool, before she pours another cup of tea for Mike in Bruce's body.

    "Magic is full of mysteries. Atrocities. Joys. But mostly misery, after long enough involved with it. THankfully a great many mages don't get to that point." she states quietly, and refills her own mug.

    This tea that she's pouring now is the same violet stuff she's typically drinking. It smells cloyingly sweet, and heavy, and floral.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Well, you don't need to be involved with magic to come across misery." Mike in Bruce points out, "Take the doctor here for instance. His came from science. Mine came from shitty people." ^

Once the shirt is stuffed into the bag and the bag is closed, Mike in Bruce takes the offered teacup and sips. The cup levels and a deep breath is taken, savoring the scent. "All the things you listed could just as easily be attributed to Life in general."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I'm well aware that Misery pervades the world, Mike. I got to watch Hiroshima and Nagasaki burn. Nursed the dying. It doesn't take magic to create war, to hurt a child, to rend a person to weep. But to say that magic never brings misery to its user would also be a horrible misstep. But perhaps it's just me. Misery and Death are generally my companions in this long life." she gives a small smile. "Life is joy and sorrow and creation and consumption."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Don't get me wrong. I don't deny there's bad that comes with magic. And I'm not looking forward to some of the implications of my abilities either. But-" He sips his tea, "Things tend to balance out. The bad- It's going to come either way..."

He takes another sip of his tea, "Why do I get the feeling in about fifty years we're going to be having the same conversation?"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "... I'd ask God to make sure that I'm not in charge of the Justice League Dark in fifty years, but the arse has a bit of a sense of humour, don't he?" she makes a face.

    "I'd end up in charge of the whole bleeding thing instead of paperwork custodian and landlady to just the magic, assassin, dark parts of it." she gives a snort of amusement.

    "And I should hope, Mike, in fifty years, we do have such conversations. It's good to have a friend like you."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The Mike in Bruce nods, "Well then. It is a good thing that along with longevity, Phantasms like to just chat." The teacup lifts in a bit of a toasting manner. "And I hope the same. To repeating conversation topics through the years."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Cheers, my friend." Nettie gives a smile, and very gently clinks her cup with Mike-in-Bruce.