17110/Pizza Thing

Pizza Thing
Date of Scene:	06 February 2024
Location:	Paulie's Pizza Joint
Synopsis:	Rogue and Ben Grimm have a bite of pizza, and talk about Flat Earth theory.
Cast of Characters:	Rogue, Ben Grimm

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Rogue has posed:
Rogue's 69 Dodge Charger is parked outside of the Pizza Joint in Salem Center. She'd wanted a meal outside of Xaviers School tonight, but didn't feel like going some place overly expensive. Since she's out on her own, she planned on picking a few things up after grabbing some food here, but in the now, she's standing in line at the counter, a few people waiting for their order ahead of her.

Dressed in a brown leather trench coat, that looks custom fit to her form, the Southern Belle's white and brown hair is brushed smooth down, the white bangs framing her face as she scrolls through her phone with one hand, the other in her coat pocket. Beneath the coat she's wearing a form fitting green sweater, and a pair of blue jeans, with shin-high boots on of a suede material.

Ultra casual mode, offering smiles to others when she catches their glances her way, which is something she's fairly used to for a variety of reasons.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm has been doing this a long time, the super hero gig. And the Yancy kids have him in a tizzy. The extra money on the foundation that they have locked up is making a few turn to serious crime, and he needs to figure out what to do about it. If he goes out into the wilderness, some goon or monster will find him, always does. He needs somewhere different, so he goes somewhere that villains avoid or if looking for trouble they are looking for someone else. He spots a pizza place he likes and walks in, signing a few autographs and opens the door to look at the menu.

Rogue has posed:
The jingling door opening is noted, but it doesn't get the Belle to raise her eyes from her phone. It is the sound of someone asking someone for an autograph, however, that does manager to get through to her mind and make her wonder...

With her green eyes up now, cast back over her right shoulder, she sees someone that even she knows by just looking at. It makes her eyes widen for a moment. She takes in the sight of him signing that autograph, which makes her smile softly. She's got some public super hero cred herself, as 'Mighty Woman' but no where near the level of one of the famous Fantastic Four!

The man at the counter clears his throat, and Rogue steps forward toward him. "Sorry about that, celebrity sightin'." The Belle says in her smokey voice, accented with that Mississippi honey.

She proceds to explain she ordered online and was ready to pick up her food. The young man thusly disappears back to get it ready for her.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm looks at the white lock and wonders...is she the one who zapped Marvel? She's all better now and reformed so the word goes, but ...he know the X-men are around here, thats WHY he choose the place, no problems with random fights and he hopes she isnt looking for one either. Some of them can pack a punch but this isnt a bar so its likely better. He smiles charmingly, enjoying the honey if nothign else. "Its literally everywhere on Earth...and not Earth a lot too, so you get used to it and it makes people happy" he smiles. Dont think I caught your name? Call me Ben.

He most definitely did not order online and looks at the Menu, "You got any recommedations?" He gestures with his brickish head.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue looks back in the direction of the gruff voice when he speaks up behind and beside her. She shows him a warm smile on her smokey painted lips. "Nice to meet ya." She says quietly before offering him a gloved hand, a dark green glove covering her fingers and palm. "Anna-Marie." She fires back with her own name. "What brings ya out this way? Hope there's not somethin' bad brewin' out there. We sure get enough'a that around here..."

The employee appears again with a personal sized pizza for Rogue, and slides it toward her. She smiles and thanks him before collecting it up, and glancing between Gen and the menu board. "I figure you'd be down for the Meat Lovers, if I were a guessin' woman." She tells him with a little grin.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm says, "Exact opposite. I needed a quiet place to think and since trouble finds me, a place outside new york that only major idiots mess with seemed just like the thing...plus I do admit I like Upper State New York, despite the jokes. Meat Lovers," he licks his lips and smiles, "Good guess." He winks and says to the employee after Rogue gets her pizza, "I'll take six. Not a meal, just something to eat while I think." He nods, "Thanks for the suggestion. Nice to meet you Anne-Marie...though I imagine you get tired of people using one or the other....given what those kids do with Ben....so many childish possibilities to tease," he chuckles and shakes his head."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue holds her personal pizza box up against her stomach with one hand hooked under it so it lays on her forearm. She stands off to the side to let him make his order, slowly tilting her head when he orders six pizzas? But, hey, look at him, it adds up.

The Belle lets out a light chuckle at what he says, shaking her head side to side. "Anna-Marie and childish teasin'? Can't say I've had anyone tease me for that, sure plenty'a other things, but never my borin' name. Well... I mean, I had someone ask me if I was a sleeper agent assassin, three names afterall. People tease ya for the name Ben? Hell, it makes me think of ice cream." She states with a little laugh chasing her words as she steps off toward a table to the side where she sets down her box and picks out a cup at the drink station to fill up a bit of tea within it.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm says, "Well my dear, consider yourself lucky in that department at least. They literally looked up everything that Rhymes with Ben," he chuckles, "really improved my vocabulary though and hey, it did edjumacate em a bit more..." he blinks, "A sleeper agent asssassin? I mean, its always the ones you least suspect but you dont really seem the ninja type...tough I bet, but assasin? I dont buy it. And the teasers in this case enjoy calling me out more than most...young rapscalions" he chuckles, "And you know, I've never had anyone associate me with those two but that's the best use of Ben I've heard yet." He smiles warmly."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue gets her cup filled up with tea and ice, then turns around to face him again, as she raises the drink up to sip through the straw she had just stuffed through the lid. She lowers it a moment later, and shoots him another smile. "Oh, I'm lucky, for a whole lotta reasons..." She says back with a grin touching her visage once more.

She sweeps herself around her chair at the table, and slips down on to it, adjusting her jacket to let it drape back over the chair's back behind her, then fussing with her hair a bit before she starts pulling off her gloves.

"Well, you picked a good night ta get away from the city, Mistah. Seems like we might have a nice peaceful evenin' around here. I'll always take'em when I can get'em too." She sardonically comments. "You're welcome ta sit with me if you're not in a rush." She offers the big super hero.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm is used to offers to sit down but not so often from young women, much less with a sultry voice. He almost looks at the Camera, but hes heard about Deadpool and doesnt want to end up nuts. He smiles, "I'd be delighted." He takes his pizza and picks up a paper cup VERY carefully so as to not crush it and has to move the the lever to get a root beer and then sips it, drinks the thing a bit and fills it again and sits down with the pizzas. He is in no hurry and nods as he takes two chairs to avoid doing damage as he sits on it. He could stand indefinitely but it stresses people out and he likes going through the motions of normality.

"I'll take quiet or, failing that, quiet noisy and letting someone else dela with it...." he winks and smiles, having half a slice of pizza in a bite.

Rogue has posed:
While Ben was getting his drink, Rogue was opening her pizza box up, and gathering up a small pile of napkins to set aside it. She was sipping fro the starw of her tea again when he joined her at the table on those two chairs. this draws a smirk on the young woman's face, as she reaches for a napkin and a slice of the Hawaiian-style pizza she'd ordered. "How does a big fella like you drive around? You got some kinda Semi-truck parked outside, or some such?" She asks, as she raises the little slice of pie up for a testing bite.

When she lowers it again, another sip of tea is had before she shakes her head gently. "I just mean, two chairs, six pizzas, it's gotta be hard livin' in a world made for us tiny people."

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm says, "Its a problem 364 days a year, no doubt about it. It helps to either be irch enough to afford a custom vehicle, cram into it and damage the seat beyond measure, or know a really smart scientist who can create flying bathtubs and stuff like that....I mean, I learned the Hulk leap thing from the green guy and can do that in a punch but if you land somewhere bad its say good bye to the swimming pool...I only do that in an emergency," he chuckles. He eats the other half of the pizza, He takes a few moments and says, "Reed offered to cure me once.....but I saw people around me getting hurt and made a choice. I think I'm supposed to do good ...but yeah, its got a price. Most things worth it do." He looks at the gloves...and wonders but doesnt say anythin."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue enjoys a few more little bites of her own small pizza, not able to scarf it down quite like the rock man across from her is able to. She slowly nods her head a pair of times to what he says. "That's right. Reed is the smart one, right? By which, I mean the tech guy. I know a few'a them myself... they've offered me similar stuff, but I am who I am, and I enjoy it." She casually tells him as another sip of her tea is taken before it is set aside once more.

"And yeah, it's probably not great to come landing like a bomb in people's yards unless ya got no damn choice." She has to laugh lightly again before shaking her head side to side. Her gloves are rolled up by her right hand as she holds the half a piece of pizza in the napkin with her left. "So is it trippy bein' a major super hero in the world? I mean ya'll have been at it for ages, haven't ya? I remember seein' stories about you when I was knee high to a rabbit in my parent's backyard..." She says with a southern charm edging her words.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm says, "Reed is intelligent and he is learning to be smart over time. Becoming a father shaved some of the rough edges off, but he's lucky he has Sue. She's the smart one to me...He'd be going full Howard Hughes without her, but I respect the talent....that's for damn sure. And yeah, I've seen some of the toys in action, impressive stuff; you guys slouch to no one and that's a fact." So the things he'd heard about her condition were real. "Well, who knew we had somethin in common" he chuckles, "you should let them turn it off once a year like Reed and the syrum, keeps me human and gives me somethin to look forward to."

He raises his soda glass, "To sacrificing for the greater good and all that stuff. And trippy?" He considers that phrase, "I mean, it's been the longest strangest trip I can imagine, so yeah...trippy is definitely the right word I guess. Wish I'd named the book that now...maybe I'll write a swquel" his eyes twinkle."

Rogue has posed:
The Belle enjoys a bit of the pizza crust as she listens to him, dabbing at her lips with the napkin between bites, showing off her etiquette experience. She leans back on her chair, crossing her legs at the knees, as she taps a finger against the side of her tea cup. Another lithe smile is shot over the table at him, along with a light nod. "You're a writer too, huh? God, I'm the worst... Cause now I'm picturin' you have a custom keyboard with a lotta giant keys." She teases him, having to lightly laugh once more.

"But yeah, I get a repreive from my mutation with a few side effects, when I need to. But ... honestly, I've come to rely on the ... various effects of my personality with it, and what has come along with it. I'm in a weird place the few times I've been fully back to base Human levels. It feels awkward, at this point." A smirk is shown then before she shakes her head lightly.

"Either way,k I thank ya for bein' a big family of good people, keeping the world safer for all this time, and inspirin' the rest of us newbies t'do better."

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm says, "Most of it was ghost written...." he lowers his voice and looks around, "I can write a little but I aint no Hemmingway. But with an editor and a ghost writer, you can really spice it up." HE shrugs and sips his soda, looking at the conspumtion of the soda with....interest? Admiration? Hard to guess since he does have a literal poker face sometimes. Then he smiles and eats a slice of pizza. "Voice everything. Stretch made a voice activated thing before they were popular, pioneered some of the programming for the ones folks use in their phones. But yeah, custom keyboards a renice, titanium last longer...looks kinna romper room" he chuckles.

Now he cocks his head and thinks about the nature of his power. Wow. Not just the powers. that would....suck....but it does make sense about the reform. A lot of sense, "Wow. Yeah. I can imagine that might...be a factor. I admire your self discipline." He is quite genuine in his reply. "And to be honest, its what you were born as...its who you are....so your choice all the way." Thing is entirely Mutant Rights, no questiona bout THAT at all.

"It's the least we could do given all the luck and prosperity we've had, and thank you guys for showing the better way in an insanely compicated situation.""

Rogue has posed:
It is unusual for Rogue to be ID'd as a member of the X-Men. Sure, it's not like she hides her face on missions, and her two-toned hair is certainly a give away. But still, most folks don't ever see the X-Men, especially if their stock of telepaths find a suitable reason to fuzz-memories to avoid the team from being spotted. Ben was a member of the Fantastic Four though, so him being able to ID her by looks alone, was only fitting. It means he keeps a good mental record of others in this line of work.

Rogue smiles faintly at him. "We certainly try our best... But it is a complicated world, with all manner'a wild things bein' thrown at us at any given minute." She says, her husky voice a bit low as she says those words, since there are regular folks in the restaurant too, even if they're seated on the other side of it right now.

"I'm a poetry teacher, myself, so I dabble in a bit'a writing myself. I wouldn't say I'm all that great at it either, but I do enjoy readin' the works'a those who are. Been havin' a lotta fun sharin' that with the students I've had in the past year an' a half."

She raises her tea cup up for another sip from the straw as she reaches for a second little slice from her personal sized pizza with the opposite hand.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm looks GENUNIELY impressed, "I love poetry. Tried to get into this whole samurai mindset once, and failed miserably but I undertand why they had a tradition for it. It calms and disciplines the mind. You ever need a testimonial for class, you hit me up. Where do you te-" he drops off. Well that's a dumb question. "Oh. Well, glad you do something besides punch stuff. I am the same way. And its important to express yourself, especially when people try to define what you are or set their expectations. Fame is the best kind of prison for that but for people that cant handle it, its still a prison." He noms another slice and then thinks, "You know, while a bunch of freakazoids should burn it, you guys should consider a poetry book...seriously. Show the human side of things. Well...." he shrugs and looks at his soda, "Not that I'm a publist or anything mind

Rogue has posed:
The cut-off question as to where she teaches gets another little smile from the Southern Belle who knows he realized the answer to that question before finishing it. "I haven't dabbled much in Asian poetry, yet. Though I really should, as I am sure there is a lot of great stuff there... If you got any recommendations, feel free to write'em down, or shoot'em over to the school any time." She tells him as she glances over to see that small family that had been ahead of her when she picked up her order getting up to leave, just as a couple of young people are arriving through the front door.

Her green eyes go back to him then, and she smiles lightly again. "Have ya'll been avoidin' big fights lately? I ran across some crazy stuff in the city a couple weeks ago. But that seems more'n more common every damn time I go down to Manhattan..."

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm says, "Sure!" He takes out a card, "Email me and I'll send you my short list. I researched quite a bit on the subject and took it pretty seriously. And I dont avoid em usually...can't. Worlds always fallin' apart in some way or another but I got some kids who I mentor into some dangerous stuff...trying to consider what to do. I have some cop friends that would have a strong opinion but these kids are practically family..." he sighs and shrugs and has another piece of pizza, "And New York is a place where fights happen a lot thats for sure" he gets a chance to change the subject from the Yancy Street Gang and also gets the impression she might need to vent, looking into those green eyee, "Tell me about it." He pauses a moment, "The fight I mean.""

Rogue has posed:
The Belle leans forward and reaches out to accept the card with her right hand. She leans back against her chair then as she turns it over to eye it while he speaks, and enjoys a bit of his own food. When he questions her about the fight, she raises her eyes up to him again, and lets out a huff of a laugh a second later. the card is set down beside her phone and gloves, while she reaches for her cup again. Her head shakes side to side and the white bangs framing her face wave gently beside her cheeks.

"Some nutcase built a big wheel shaped vehicle, with like... spikes as the tread, and a cabin in the center of the giant wheel. He was rollin' down the street, just crashin' and smashin' cars left'n right. Me an' a few others had t'step in and stop him, one'a the Spider-fellas, and some others I didn't recognize."

She gently shakes her head, exhaling a bit from it. "I mean, I won't lie, sometimes it feels good to really just start unleashin' with punches an' stuff, but I hate seeing innocent folks get caught up in ridiculous junk like that..." The last few words said in a bit of a lower tone as she dabbles in another bite of her second slice of Hawaiian pizza.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm is trying to listen seriously and learns back and laughs out loud at that wiping a tear from his eye, "Oh man. Thats like Stilt Man or that condomint guy in Gotham. This life is so ungainly weird...its...." he shakes his head and smiles, leaning forward himself, the living organic rock rippling as he has learned unnatural grace to not crush the table, the chairs or the floor, but the underlying massive strength is visible more as he relaxes more, jist a little but the unnaturla nature of his form is hard to keep under wraps ALL the time.

Spider people are pretty good most of em....terrible luck..."

He takes a deep breath himself subconciously sympathetically, "Yeah you an me both. thats the best part of the job....especially the true jerks.

Rogue has posed:
Anna-Marie continues to sip from her cup while she listens to him, her eyes watching him as he shifts around, almost like she is expecting to see him bust the table, or at least topple it over. But he doesn't, he shows control over his bulk, and likely his strength that probably rivals her own, if not exceeding it, she really isn't sure. But at his words, her green eyes pop back up to his and she smiles at him softly. "There's a lotta freaks in this world. I can't understand bein' that good of an engineer, and yet... choosin' t'do something like that with all that the good Lord has gifted you. It just doesn't add up in my head, Mistah Grimm." She says in that way of hers, flirty yet friendly.

"I dunno..." She says wistfully, "Feels like the world is just gearin' up for somethin' worse than the last thing, which inevitably means it's only gonna get harder'n harder to stop these kinda fools."

She sets her drink down and takes the last bite of her second slice's crust, chewing on it with her lips closed as she dabs at the corners of her mouth with her napkin. When she clears her palette she smirks again. "Maybe I'm bein' melodramatic though..."

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm shakes his head, "You keep uppin the ante enough and it becomes impossible to have true peace without a lotta effort. Once or twince a year I REALLY get away, like another planet stretch found in a solar system so far from other worlds you could spend your life in hyper space and not find it with no sapient life...just alone in my thoughts. And even then, I look at the stars and know people from this planet have thought things that could make the stars in the sky burn out....you're not wrong, but the key to survin and stayin sane is enjoying the litlte things..." he smiles and points down, "Like Pizza. People need us, and if you snap what good do you do?"

"But the Poetry is a good idea. Rounding yourself is always a good idea."

Rogue has posed:
While he speaks, Rogue just sips her tea, using one hand to adjust the straw between sips. At his deep introspective thoughts on the stars above, the Belle has a warm expression touch her youthful facial features. "You're makin' space sound peaceful, and nice. An' here I've been trash talkin' it for years now... Been havin' to deal with space related situations, all while tryin' to explain to the members'a my team that I utterly despise goin' up there..." She says in good humor, and a kind tone, amused even. She shakes her head once side to side, causing those white bangs to wave again. "Now you're gonna make me rethink everythin... even if I'll likely still end up back where I started. Space is freaky, an' I want no part'a it."

She smirks at him as she uncrosses her legs, and sits up straight again, her drink cup set aside as she closes the lid on her pizza box. "I pushed for a Flat Earth class leadin' up to my first year'a teachin' at the school. The Headmistress wouldn't even entertain the suggestion though..." She says, showing a little grin over toward the large rock man across from her.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm says, "Make no mistake...its cold and even we gotta breathe....so its peaceful in a deadly kinna way....but looking at the stars from a nice warm safe ground planet aint nothin to sneeze at. I enjoy flying, but your sentiment aint that wrong....that, and its ok to give your team members grief and secretly enjoy it. After all, Johnny is a good guy but you aint never gonna hear me tell him that if we aint about to die or somethin. And Flat Earth....google that sometime....scienitsts thought they were funny and made the problem worse" he chuckls and he eats another slice of pizza."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue just grins at his reaction to the Flat Earth suggestion. Whether she believes it is a real thing, or did believe it, is anyone's guess. She just cleans up her napkins, and puts her phone, and his card in to her coat. "Well, Mistah Grimm. I better be on my way, gotta get some groceries back to the school, before a buncha fat kids wonder where their snack food is." She jests, a smirk sent his way as she stands up to slip her long coat on over her shoulders. "Was nice gettin' to know you a bit. Happy t'see ya around these parts again, would be keen on sharin' some pizza with ya again some time too." She states, picking up her box and drink cup. She smiles softly again before offering her words of departure.