3531/Foreign Snacks, Foreign Facts

Foreign Snacks, Foreign Facts
Date of Scene:	23 September 2020
Location:	Wanda's Room - Avengers Mansion
Synopsis:	Wanda and T'Challa enjoy a rare flavor of Wakandan ice cream and talk talk talk.
Cast of Characters:	T'Challa, Wanda Maximoff

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T'Challa has posed:
T'Challa retrieves two point containers from the freezer in his suite, and grabs two spoons before heading out into the hallway. He's wearing dark pants and a black long-sleeve shirt with a V-neck that reveals the necklace he's wearing from which is Black Panther habit seems to rapidly emerge when needed.

He walks down the hallway, passing doors of teammates, likely hearing those who are home at present and doing anything that makes much noise. Though it is to the door of Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch, that T'Challa goes to.

He softly raps upon the door to announce his presence which was otherwise unannounced and unexpected. He waits patiently, knowing JARVIS can inform her who is at the door if she wishes to check before opening it.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
While JARVIS might be able to inform her of who's at the door, it ruins the surprise of an unexpected visit. There's a moment before the sound of Wanda inside is heard closer to the door, but she's opening the door quickly enough. Dressed in a dusty pink colored t-shirt dress and grey leggings, the woman seems comfortable and at ease for the moment, though there's a smile at the sight of her visitor.

"T'Challa," she says, her voice warm. "It is good to see you. I take it that you are well?" The tone implies she's checking up on him from the other day when they had retrieved Hyperion. She steps out of the way of the door, gesturing for him to come inside.

T'Challa has posed:
The Wakandan man inclines his head towards Wanda and gives her a smile as she greets him. "I am well, thank you," he says in that soft, deep raspy voice of his. "I hope I am not disturbing you. Coming by unannounced," he tells her. T'Challa motions with his hands to draw attention to the two small pint containers and spoons that he's holding.

"I received a treat from home," he tells her. "A berry that grows only in the river lands of Wakanda. Only a small amount of them are produced each year. So things made with them are viewed as a real treat. They make a tremendous ice cream," he says, motioning again with the pint containers. "Something between a raspberry and a black berry in flavor. I wondered if you would care to share them with me?" he asks as he holds out one pint and spoon in offer to Wanda.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"You aren't disturbing me," Wanda replies in a reassuring tone. "The company is welcomed. Sometimes it is better not to be left alone in one's thoughts for too long." Her gaze follows the motion and the presence of the ice cream gets a broad smile. "I do not think I could possibly be disturbed by anyone bearing ice cream, in any case, much less rare ice cream. I would love to share."

She moves towards the chairs near the fireplace, sweeping an open book up and off of it, setting it on the table nearby, a likely indicator of what she was doing before his arrival. She settles onto the chair, inclining her head in his direction. "Are you merely here to share the wealth of your country, or perhaps there is also something on your mind?"

T'Challa has posed:
The hallway is abandoned for the warmer decor of Wanda's rooms. "I love how open it is," he comments to the woman as he follows her over to the seats set near to the fireplace. "It's going to be time to start using this before long," he says with a glance at the large fireplace. "Though you are probably more used to the cold than I? For someone from Africa? It gets quite frigid here," he says with a warm, lopsided smile.

He takes a seat and passes a spoon and a pint over to Wanda before opening his own. "Merely for the companionship," he tells her. "There are always Avengers matters too, I suppose. Supergirl paid a visit. Would like to speak to the man we returned with. From Three Mile Island. I told her I would arrange it," he says, a small shrug at the end suggesting that's about all of the matter likely worth going into.

"And how are you?" he asks as he slides the spoon across the top of the ice cream, gathering up enough for a taste. He gives a happy sigh at the taste. "No preservatives or chemicals. Just normal ingredients," he says happily. "I can taste such things. While it does not ruin food for me? All natural is so much more delicious."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda nods at the mention of the open floor plan. "Inviting without feeling too boxed in. A sense of freedom." That's how she views the decor. "You are right about the cold, I imagine. I don't expect you have experienced much snow. I prefer the weather a little cold. A fire and a warm blanket with a book is a very pleasant way to spend an evening." She takes the pint of ice cream from him, opening it before she looks in his direction again.

"He seems nice. I spoke with him a little, he seemed concenred that his friends and teammates would not know his fate. I am not certain what can be done, but I tried to give him hope that he would at least be able to let them know he was okay someday. I hope it was not a false hope, at least. Maybe we will." She takes a spoonful of the ice cream. "You are right about this. I can imagine why it is considered a rare treat."

He's offered a smile. "As for me, I think I am well. Balanced. There always seems to be trouble somewhere nearby, but for now things seem stable."

T'Challa has posed:
Indeed, the ice cream has a delicious, unique flavor, and it hits just the right level of sweetness to be pleasing but not overpower. T'Challa slowly nods his head, getting little tastes of the ice cream while he listens thoughtfully. "It must be difficult. Separated from all you knew. All you cared about," he says with a small shake of his head as if imagining it happening to himself.

He lets out a sigh. "I am glad that he seems friendly. I feared what would happen if he were not. But the risk to the surrounding populace? It was a chance we had to take."

T'Challa gets another small bite of the ice cream. "Yes, that is how I prefer to spend a New York winter," he says in his gentle African accent. "Fire and a blanket. I spent my first semester at Oxford in a dorm room. I've never frozen so much in my life," he says with a soft laugh. "Yes, the only place to find truly cold weather in Wakanda is up in the mountains." He doesn't mention he would rarely go there, given the reclusiveness of the tribe that lives therein. "Are you attending the charity event tomorrow? Will Pietro be escorting you?" he asks.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"It is hard to be uprooted from a life you were used to," Wanda agrees. It's something she can at least relate to. "I hope it does not weigh on him too heavily, it is a hard feeling to shake." She takes a bite of ice cream, laughing at the thought of T'Challa freezing in a dorm room. "Dorm rooms are certainly a rite of passage and a test of will," she grins. "If you can survive that, I am sure you can survive anything life hits you with."

There's a small nod at the mention of the charity event. "I'll be attending, though those sort of functions are not always Pietro's favorite. He has kept himself busy as of late, so I will likely be escorting myself."

T'Challa has posed:
There's a wry grin given by T'Challa. "I wanted to just blend in with the rest of the students," he tells Wanda. "But yes, after that first winter? I was alright with elevating the surroundings again," he says, laughing at himself gently. "How was your experience at Columbia?" he asks of Wanda, apparently knowing her well enough to know about her pursuit of her history degree there. Even if she is a master of probability to the point they probably should have given her a Ph.D in it before she left.

The mention of Pietro and the charity gala gets a small chuckle from T'Challa. "Yes. They seem like the kind of thing he would..." T'Challa says and then makes a hand motion of something moving quickly, pausing, and moving again. "Zip through. Make appearances and dart back out whether anyone was looking, or not," he says with another chuckle. "I am going to be accompanied by an archeologist, one who is affiliated with SHIELD. Lara Croft? Are you familiar with her? If not you may wish to meet. I imagine the two of you could discuss history for hours together."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
The fact that he's aware of her college experience at all gets a smile from Wanda. "Columbia was lovely. The dorms, perhaps not so much, but the experience was something I treasure. I think there is something to be said about always having something to learn, and surrounding yourself by people you can learn from academically as well as on a personal level is an invigorating experience."

There's a small chuckle. "Pietro isn't one to sit still for long." It's half a joke and half an honest view of her brother's attitude for events like a charity ball. "Lara Croft?" She observes T'Challa for a moment, looking interested. "I have not had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Croft, but I have certainly heard of her. You should not have told me she was coming, I may very well steal your date."

T'Challa has posed:
Another bite of the ice cream is taken, T'Challa quietly savoring it, though his expression tells the tale of how much he's enjoying it. "It was in some ways my first time away. From formal education where I didn't feel I was being watched. Evaluated continually. It was good for me to have the drive to learn. On my own. Not because it was... expected of me," T'Challa says slowly as he casts his mind back to his college days.

"So little free time compared to those days," he says with a sigh, if not exactly regretful. He takes another bite of ice cream. "You will enjoy her, I think. A remarkable young woman. I knew her father briefly. When I was at school, he lectured once or twice. And I attended social events hosted at their home once or twice. He was the Duke of Surrey before his passing," T'Challa explains. "So the invitations to a visiting prince. Though I always felt he took a liking to me. I wish I had gotten to know him better. But his daughter has followed in his footsteps. And gone beyond. She does recovery work for SHIELD now. Artifacts with potential dangers to them."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"I have rarely found that doing what was expected of me is the best course of action. I think it is wiser to do what you expect of yourself. At least, that is how I try to do things." Wanda scoops up another spoonful of ice cream. "Perhaps much less in the way of free time, but it allows me to very intentional in what I do with my free time. I respect the time I do have."

Recalling what she knows of Lara and her family, Wanda nods. "I cannot imagine how it must have been to grow up with a such a source of experience and knowledge so readily available. Pietro is not exactly a fountain of historical knowledge." There's a wry smile. "While I have not met her, her accomplishments speak for her character. She sounds to be a very driven individual. And the fact that you speak highly of her also says a lot to the testament of her character."

T'Challa has posed:
T'Challa takes another small bite of the ice cream. It can only be made at one point in the year, and he comments, "We have resisted the urge to try to make these berries into anything but a natural crop," he tells her. "That they grow in harmony with the land as they always has is one of the things that gives it an appeal beyond the flavor," he comments.

T'Challa glances around the room and says, "You have a very comfortable space, Wanda. It reflects you in that way, I think. There is always a..." he says, pausing to try to find the right word. "A thoughtfulness? Or, a calmness," T'Challa says as if seeking another word. "At least when other events do not warrant otherwise," he adds with a soft laugh, lest Wanda think he is underestimating her abilities and her drive when events require it.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"Some things should be appreciated as they are," Wanda agrees. "As delightful as this ice cream might be, it would take some of the joy out of it were it not to be allowed to grow as it would." She follows his gaze around the room, as if to take it in in the light he paints it. "I think, perhaps, it helps me feel grounded to be in a place like this. Everyone needs a sanctuary to retreat to, especially when things are rocky."

She nods towards him. "Life is often rocky, but that is why we surround ourselves with with the people and the places that make us feel calm and like ourselves. I try to find things that make me feel calm and balanced in the midst of a storm. I am glad to see that I'm not the only one who sees this space as such."

T'Challa has posed:
The expression on T'Challa's face is enough to tell he feels the same. He glances around again, though this time he is thinking about the Avenger's Mansion as a whole, perhaps as he is not focusing on the room's contents directly. "My country is such a special to place to me," T'Challa says in that voice that manages to be smooth and slightly rough at all the same time. "Nowhere else will ever compared. And yet? The mansion is it's own special place to me," he says. "One of the only places I can get away and not feel others looking to me for so many of the answers."

T'Challa gives a quiet laugh. "Tony would probably be offended if people did," he says with a little wink towards Wanda, his tone of one of jest. "As much as Wakanda will always be my love and my home? I treasure my time here as well," he tells Wanda. "And I am glad, if my presence can help bring you any calm. Or balance," he says. Another bite is taken. "Or just ice cream," he adds with a small lopsided smile.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"I like this place, it is certainly a location I enjoy, but the people are what make it feel more like a home. Not to sound like a greeting card," Wanda laughs a bit. "I think what I enjoy is that we are all equals here. We can look to each other for answers, but seek them together."

The ice cream is observed as she takes another bite before she looks over to T'Challa. "I always appreciate the company of a friend. Especially one with ice cream."

T'Challa has posed:
T'Challa gives a little salute with his pint before getting another spoonful. "I am glad that you were here," he says. "I will have to be heading back to Wakanda soon. After the charity event. For a few days. And I didn't want to let it sit for too long in the freezer. With my luck? Shuri would have come over. Found it and I would be waiting a whole another year for it," the African man says with a soft chuckle.

He gives a contented sigh after another small bite. "I should probably check on Hyperion soon as well. Do I understand correctly you sent him to Jennifer's wrestling event?" he asks her. "I suppose that would be quite a way to get used to a new... a new universe?" He raises his voice to ask, "JARVIS, has Jennifer's event begun?"

JARVIS replies, "It has, Your Majesty. It is available on a pay per view channel if you are interested in seeing it."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"Then I am pleased that your sister did not get to it before you did," Wanda says with a laugh, taking another bite of the ice cream. "Ah, yes, I though it might be a good distraction for a while for him as well as for him to get out. It is certainly something unique... so I figured that perhaps he might enjoy seeing it. He did remark how there weren't very many people with powers where he was from. I suppose this is a bit of a crash course."

She nods towards the TV. "Perhaps we should see how it is."

T'Challa has posed:
"Fewer people with abilities. I do not think that would be a bad thing," the Wakandan monarch says. A fair amount of his time is spent at least worrying about the impact on the world of such beings. "Though, perhaps we would have failed to turn back the invasions we did without them. Though some think, they are the cause. It would be interesting to see if they faced the same explosion we did," T'Challa says, speaking of the device set off in the first invasion that may have led to so many mutants and enhanced.

JARVIS responds to Wanda, saying, "I will turn it on for you, Wanda." And just like that the TV comes on, showing Madison Square Garden, with a specially constructed ring to not be destroyed as She-Hulk and the Thing are wrestling. As the camera follows them about, Carol Danvers and Hank Pym are visible in the audience. As well as Hyperion. "Well, looks like he made it alright," T'Challa says.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"Perhaps, but it is a lonely road. We are lucky in that we have others who can relate to our experiences. Even with being as public as we are, we are still symbols to people. You know that better than most, I would say." Wanda seems thoughtful as she glances over at him. "Imagine a world where there is only a handful of people who could relate to our experiences. It is very distancing, I would imagine. To feel so /other/. More than we get now, of course."

She glances to the TV. "Thank you, JARVIS." She takes another bite of her ice cream as she watches. "It is good that they're all getting a peaceful evening out." There's a hint of amusement at the choice of words. Peaceful for a wrestling match.

T'Challa has posed:
T'Challa seems to give Wanda's words a lot of thought. "That is a way of looking at it," he says slowly. His thoughts start to go towards how many people with mutations there are, but as he realizes sharing those thoughts would lead to thinking of Genosha, he instead looks to Wanda and just says, "It is indeed good to have others who understand."

In the ring on TV, She-Hulk and Ben Grimm are exchanging punches, then Grim body slams her and goes for a pin. "Come on Jennifer," T'Challa says softly. She manages to kick out, drawing a smile from T'Challa.

He gets more of the ice cream, reaching near to the bottom of the pint despite eating it slowly. "I think this probably is peaceful for the two of them," he agrees with a soft chuckle. "I don't know about you. But I had a few bruised ribs from those blasts. The ones from the two robots," he says. "I think I'll stick to a game of chess over this."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda offers him a smile in reply before she looks back to the TV. "Tame, perhaps, in comparison to their daily lives." It's also the fact they can fight each other, not worrying about having to fight a mutual enemy. She does glance in his direction at the mention of bruises. "I was a little scuffed, but I think it was you that took a brunt of that. I was a little concerned about us all not fairing so well with that explosion of power, though."

She seems to be recalling it a bit. "It was much stronger than I would have expected. Hyperion," she pauses, correcting herself a bit, "Mark. He is certainly strong and I am grateful that we weren't actually fighting him down there. It may have been more than a few bruised ribs, I'm afraid."