4105/Trolling for Sympathy

Trolling for Sympathy
Date of Scene:	12 November 2020
Location:	The Raft: containment facility for supervillains and a single troll.
Synopsis:	No description
Cast of Characters:	Gunna Sijurvald, Hank Pym

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Gunna Sijurvald has posed:
The Raft is the ultimate containment facility for all your super-powered needs, the best in all of Humanity. Or at least that's what the flyers say, though it has a lot of tech to back up those grandiose claims. The top level is for staff, but as you go deeper you go higher-security until the bottom level, reserved for those who can turn to lava, lift a bus, or kill with a thought.

And apparently for children, as Dr Pym has been informed in the message before his arrival. We request assistance in determining the hazard level of a legally compromised individual whose ability to understand law is considered to be low. Please attend at your convenience; protective fields will be provided for the assessment.

Thus the guards meet Dr Pym at his conveyance of choice, saluting as he disembarks. "It's an honor to have you here, Doctor," the guard captain says. "I am Henry Ross, but I assume that I shouldn't go by my first name given the similarities. Welcome."

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym has been through some drama of late. While it would make most people somewhat bitter and reserved he seems to be trying to take the high road as much as possible. this leads many to wonder what the Hell is going on? the truth is, a kid can save you. Even if the little minx isn't home a lot. In truth Hank Pym came to realize very soon he has an affinity for children and young adults, his reputation as a miserable bastard now in tatters.

He smiles at the guard and says, "Since you're going to have my back, I will call you Henry, and you may call me Hank -on a provisional basis." He shakes the guard's hand and peers through the wavy energy field at the subject. "You know what, Henry, kill the field and let me in. I can be very hard to hurt for a PhD. It's all right, I'm an Avenger... and thank you for the kind words."

When Hank is mentioned with the Avengers it is often along the lines of, Is Hank Pym still an Avenger? Why is Hank Pym an Avenger? Hank is the black sheep. The broken Avenger, the ED Avenger. Well screw them that say that and let's prove them wrong, if only to yourself. Hank proceeds through several energy barriers forming a sort of air lock and steps into the room, a shoulder bag at his side. He waits, hands in front of him. Neutral expression. Ordinary teen girls are scary enough.

Gunna Sijurvald has posed:
It's a lovely cell, one in a line of cells. The young lady inside has managed to get one on the end, which is nice in that it only has one neighbour; the other side is concrete and rebar. Inside is a bit stark, which is to be expected. A fair sized cell, it's meant to hold people for long periods of time. One wall can be turned into a television screen; it has not been made to do so.

The lady inside was napping until she heard someone entering. She has on a standard prisoner's uniform, apparently owns nothing, and has nothing. She has pale skin, five feet of height, and has tied her plumbing in a knot with her bare hands.

But not right now. Right now she's just sitting up on her bed. She scuttles back from Hank as he enters, as if she's uncertain how to react. Henry, from outside, says, "She doesn't react to English very.." and is cut off.

"TROLL NOT AFRAID!" the girl says, clearly afraid. She has narrowed eyes and empty hands, but ...Troll?

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym holds up a hand in greeting. With the other he reaches in the bag, past the Mutant detector, Framulator and Meta Compiler and pulls out... a grilled cheese sandwich, not an ordinary sandwich but one with bacon and tomato. He slowly brings it over to Troll's bed and asks calmly. "Is Troll hungry? I brought food. My name is Hank. I have a little girl of my own. Her name is Nadia." He keeps his voice low and calm. then he leaves the sandwich and steps back.

Gunna Sijurvald has posed:
The reaction is very telling. She gives him room to get back from the sandwich, but only just barely. She moves forward, nabbing it, and then stuffs the sammich into her mouth whole. She chews, swallows, and glares at Hank with a powerful glare that suggests a challenge. She's claimed it as hers and the very speed that she ate it says that she's had to eat fast or lose her meals, likely her whole life.

The odd thing is that she didn't back away as she ate. She didn't grab and run, she grabbed and stood her ground. She's proud, she's strong. She's wary. "Troll is Troll," she says. It's possible that she doesn't know all the words that Hank just used. Or most of them. The frown that hits her face isn't as scared, she lifts her chin and stands tall. But balanced and ready to move, in case this is a trap.

Linguistically she fits a trend. Most people are taught language horribly, by pointing to things and naming them as their first introduction to 'language'. Which leads them to only know nouns, and is an incredibly poor way to structure a sentence. This fits that pattern. She's likely not an idiot, which is nice.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym fixes those intense blue eyes on her. When he speaks again his voice is still calm and reasonable, however, he is all dad.

"When someone does something nice for you, you should say, 'thank you.' Hank clasps his hands behind his back and stands immobile. No he does not threaten but he does not show fear. People called him a lot of things. 'Coward' was never one of them.

"You want another sandwich? I want to hear 'thank you.' Can we reach an agreement?"

Gunna Sijurvald has posed:
The reaction is not one of a child. Short she may be, this is someone who has stood up to danger in her life, and who knows the realities. She simply tilts her head, comprehension not springing into her eyes. She licks her lips slightly, though whether it is a reaction to the offer of -more- food or of what she's just eaten is uncertain.

However. There is one thing that a feral reacts to well, and that is tone of voice, and rank. She knows deep in her bones that he stands like a One of his tribe, and that requires respect. What she does not know is if his tribe is hostile, or superior to her own, and how that relationship stands. So she makes a choice, and it may be the wrong one. She decides to assume that her Trolls are top dog, and does not back down yet.

Instead she walks right up to him. It takes a certain kind of pride to be able to look UP at someone and stare down at them. She does not say thank you.

Though to be fair, she has no freaking clue what that is. A thank you, can you eat it?

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym stands his ground as well. He says, "You don't understand what I am asking for. All right manners will have to wait. Basics here..." How does Thor or even Herc do it again? I mean gods and trolls go together right? He takes a deep breath and says loudly, "Hail and well met. I come in peace. I offer you friendship!" and sticks his and out to her.

"And stop breathing on my shirt!"

Gunna Sijurvald has posed:
She looks at him as he uses that unfamiliar language again, not sure what to react to or how. That is, until he says a certain phrase. Hail and well met, for some reason when he says that she freaks the hell out.

Backing up like lightning, the girl drops to all fours and growls, her face going nasty. "Asgard!" she snarls, her face and body language both coming together. "Asgard is no!" she says, close to violence. She's not breathing on his shirt now. She's getting ready to tear his arms off.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym frowns. "All right. No Asgard. NO ASARD!" He taps his chin and after a moment produces another sandwich. He holds it near his face to keep her attention on him.

"Hank sorry. Hank and Troll be friends. Nobody will hurt Troll. Troll don't hurt people here. Hank help."

Mother flower... I got a Phd and she has me talking like the flipping Hulk. Hmmm maybe Jennifer would do better here. Strong female and such.

"Troll be friend?" He dangles the sandwich out.

Gunna Sijurvald has posed:
And again, she nopes out of a normal reaction. Because why not. No Asgard is apparently the right thing to say though, as she lowers the aggression level almost as fast as she raised it. She sniffs the air from her position, then nods her head and gets up to her feet.

She looks at the sandwich, then reaches out. And doesn't take it, she instead pushes it toward Hank. Toward his face, actually. She's looking him in the eyes, this having some kind of meaning. In a wolf it would be, perhaps, sharing food with the pack? She can't have accepted him that fast can she?

Well, she is wierd. Though she says, "Troll strong," as if that has meaning in this context. Oh. Right. She's saying she can get her own food, if she wants to. It's simple really. But it's also a step up from open hostility. "Asgard no," she seems to agree, though she sniffs him again warily.

Then without warning turns her back and sits back on her bed, apparently unworried about being attacked from behind. She's decided, and makes it abundantly clear, that he's not a threat.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym startss eating the sandwich, setting one half aside in case she changes her mind. He skipped lunch to run over. She seems to respond well to very simple phrasing and vocabulary. He's had to do that too, Hulk, to Hercules or Thor on science matters, sometimes to Janet before her coffee.

He walks a little away and pulls the most innocuous sensor , a small box out of his bag and starts scanning for exotic DNA. He also decides the Axe body wash is not offensive to this troll at least and makes a note of it for the guards. He finishes the sandwich and says, "Mmmm," patting his stomach.

"Hey Henry, any chance of a cup of tea?"

Gunna Sijurvald has posed:
Henry, staying at a safe (ish) distance, is still ready to drop the fields if it becomes necessary. Anyone who's seen an inmate bend a steel pipe into a pretzel while boredly twiddling takes such things seriously. "Could be arranged. Got anything yet, Doc?" he asks, though he doesn't rush off for tea. Job comes first.

In the cell, Troll or whatever her actual name is sits quietly, ignoring the open door, and waits. She watches Hank in the doorway, scanning. Her DNA, if it could be called that, is not Asgardian. It's not anything else that really fits a standard pattern either though. Definitely not human. It might take some study, though her reaction to Asgardians might be a clue.

Or you could ask the guards. "She was found with a bunch of Asgardian trolls," Henry says, which is factually inaccurate as no such thing exists. But Asgardians do have trollish enemies. "I'm guessing she's one of their lost kids or something."

Which just goes to show that you can have all the facts wrong and still come to the right answer..

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym loops an arm around Henry's shoulders and says quickly, "Don't say the A-word. I said it once but I think I got away with it. And for futz sake, do NOT mention my fellow Avenger... T-Dog. There are whole Trollish boneyards dedicated to his work. As for what I have... not much. She is very bright. The door is open but she hasn't made a break yet because she doesn't like her chances right now. She hasn't attacked me and she's calmed down considerably. This may make a few sessions."

Gunna Sijurvald has posed:
Henry, glancing past Hank, nods. "Well, it's a good start," he says, then motions to his fellow guard to reinstate the force fields that hold the inmates in their cells. "She apparently ate some US citizens, but we're not actually certain if she knows that what she did is illegal. And given her apparent age, it's all on shaky grounds legally. What you tell us will help to clarify things for the judge."

He carefully does not mention Thor, and will of course not ever call him by the pet name Hank's just used. In the cell though, Troll slowly bares her teeth when she's spoken about. As if to say, yes. It's all true. And I would do it again.

She may not understand, or she might. But one thing is certain, she is not a tame civilized person. And that is an issue.