4454/A change of Scenery

A change of Scenery
Date of Scene:	21 December 2020
Location:	Empire Diner
Synopsis:	Hank and Mike meet for Lunch. Hank discusses the future.
Cast of Characters:	Hank Pym, Michael Hannigan

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Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym has arrived at the Empire Diner before Mike Hannigan. Pity the poor staff. After saying simply, "Stay!" to the young waitress the man peruses the menu quickly. Of course he speed reads. He raises an eyebrow and says, "One may assume your french fries are deep fried in well aged oil. I further surmise your burgers are fried in their own grease and slathered with half cooked non-pedigreed onions, cheese and condiments... that sounds great. Double cheeseburger please -Medium- charred on the outside pink in the middle... oh and a lime rickey, please. Thank you!" He hands the menu back intending to misbehave. The waitress flees.

Left alone, Hank draws his phone and takes a quick look at... something. He places it screen down on the table.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
As the wait staff in the diner sneaks off to figure out what a lime rickey is. The door to the diner opens up to allow for the musician to enter in. Dressed down like Mike typically does off the clock, the rocker's hair is tucked into a knit cap and he pretty much looks like he raided a Goodwill.

Stepping aside to not block the doorway but being mindful not to shove his ass into the face of any patrons seated near said location, he glances around looking for the Hank amongst the sea of patrons. He need not look hard based from the staff making a wide orbit around a certain table. He cracks a slight smile and walks over to take the seat across from the scientist.

"Bad day?"

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym looks up from the phone and smiles. Really smiles. "Not at all. I feel great. My wit and wisdom is clearly wasted. Sorry, I ordered already, I'm starving... and concerned these people do not know the workings of a lime rickey. Why... would you think I'm having a bad day? I'm smiling. The sun is breaking and I'm with a good friend. No things are pretty good." Hank hmphs a little.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike glances over to the server that's looking over to the table. He gives a reassuring smile, head tilting in inquiry, "Soup and sandwich?" Getting a distant nod from the server the smile strengthens as he turns back towards Hank. "My mistake. I think you got one of the new servers. Extra jumpy."

The musician leans forward, resting his arms on his side of the table. "So how was your time at Baskin Robbins?"

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym steeples his fingers and says, "Lang is a dead man."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"I'm not sure what was going on but when Wade showed me a few clips I couldn't help but to smile." Mike admits, "I'm betting you guys made a few people smile with that."

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym taps the table top to punctuate his response, "My dancing was unfairly characterized. Anyway the boob wasn't suppose to say I was there. It was his day. I tried to make him look good. Even I can only bend the laws of nature so much. He... taught the ants to play instruments. And he forgot this and was just signing autographs. The days of people lining up for Ant-Man's autograph are over. He was sitting there all depressed and his daughter was wondering when daddy would shine and be wonderful. I helped out with the ants /he/ trained. He was supposed to keep me out of it. My reputation as an utter jerk is ruined."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Fingers drum across the table in thought. Averting his eyes from Hank's a few moments in consideration. "If that is how you feel, it probably didn't help that Wade gave props to you for your contribution to the toy drive in the comments then." Mike allows. He tilts his head, brow raising, "Is it really that bad to show your kind side once in awhile? Are your powers tied to hiding the fact you're actually a good guy? "

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym rubs his eyes. "Tell Wade he's very welcome. I kind of enlarged my offering. I... I just wanted to do something without accolades or anyone's knowledge. I wanted that boob to succeed on his own and give him a boost. Not have people pointing to me. I would have shown up in Rover and had the ants bail out and parachute down if I wanted to steal the show. I did not. As for whether I'm a good guy... I'm trying. I don't feel I'm there yet. In any case, I wanted to talk to you... I had a dream last night... I think. I mean what do you call it when you see something that is real but it seems unreal? I think I did magic."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
It's at this point one would probably expect for some exchange like 'being a good guy is less about the destination and more about the journey.' or 'That you're trying is the point.' But the chance to go into that territory is cut off as Hank takes the steering wheel of the conversation and tugs the wheel suddenly to the left, swinging the passenger side Mike sidelong into the uncoming truck of a topic.

Mike is quiet for a moment. "Magic, how?"

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym folds his hands and looks sheepish. That is not at all a normal look for him. the waitress brings him his burger and a drink in a dark glass. He takes a bite and folds his hands and says in a voice rife with self reproach, "Fuck... I don't know, Mike. It's like if you did something and wound up thirty feet tall. I was meditating and reading about the steps and I got to prayer. Well I am not the prayerful type. That got me thinking about hope and I tried to formulate a theory for the dissemination of hope. I wrote an equation that just about proved hope was not subject to normal diffusion but spread by cognitive agents." He picks up his phone and shows Mike the equation.

"I wrote this out and Saeko appeared. Neither of us understood how... the mansion is supposed to have wards, Mike. I think I'm in big trouble! This... kit-soon-ee showed up. Here's a picture from my camera feed." Hank swipes to the next picture, "And we talked over tea."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike's lips purse in thought as he listens to Hank's description of what happened carefully. At the end of the description he glances down to the table quietly. Oh gosh. HOW much does he have to mull this over? It must be a se-

Thunk. Thunk. A burger is set before Hank with a bowl of steaming hot tomato soup and halves of a grilled cheese sandwich set to either side "Here you go!" The waitress smiles, seemingly having taken a moment to pep herself up for the task. "Is there anything else I can get you?"

Mike skims over the table before looking to her with a warm smile, "Looks like, his drink, some extra napkins, and.... just a water for me. Please."

He holds his position still, watching as the waitress heads off before he looks back to Hank. "Kitsune...Might have skimmed over that section when I was researching something else. I want to say, Japanese?"

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym shrugs again. Then he says, "You just like hearing me say I don't know. I googled her description and I got kit-soo-nee. That's Japanese right? I thought she was cat like when I first saw her. She said she was a messenger from Inari? More to the point she knew of my struggles... she reassured me. She said I was making progress and would continue to make progress. I felt my soul healing as she spoke, at her touch. I thought it was a dream... then I checked the cameras and the equation was still on my board. I photographed it without looking. I didn't want to summon her accidentally... did I mess up the wards? Did I give her the keys to the kingdom? Should I be worried... I'm not worried; she is benign! She's wonderful... I'll summon her now, if you want to meet her."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
At the offer to summon the Kitsune, Mike shakes his head "No, no that's alright." He glances to the bowl, "...Some magic have- costs tied to them and until you know what they might be, probably best to be selective on what you do with what you got."

He pauses as the server sets their drinks down. Giving another smile and a nod before turning back to Hank. "Mind you, I'm no expert, but based from your description, the backing of emotion, a form of faith... the formula as a focusing point- I can believe that it was magic. But, I don't know much about wards. Except what I make by accident."

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym frowns as he thinks. "She didn't make any mention of a price for what she did. She said kind words, like you, but somehow she showed up when I really needed it and she put it differently than I heard it. She hit the sweet spot. She said she usually had offerings from people seeking fortune or inspiration, but apparently 'hope' was free with my invocation." He rubs his cheek gently remembering a touch perhaps. Hank also pauses to thank the server.

"Anyway, I came to realize, I need time away to work on myself. Doing so here is... like working on a car with it running at full speed."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike gives a nod. "So she's a guide of some type." He pauses, giving a slight smile to the thought. "Time off could be good." He agrees, "Even if it's just a day or a week. Take a quiet vacation somewhere. Maybe a beach town? Not devoid of people but not crowded like crazy?"

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym takes another bite of his burger and a few fries. "Left to myself I work. I'm hitting the Microverse. There is a planet there that stabilizes my condition. I'm dropping a prefab house there, a couple candles, singing bowl and chanting ohm for a few weeks. Time dilation means I'll be gone here one week or two at most. I'm leaving word where to reach me with Nadia, after I leave. Well after. I'd like a week alone for starters. I prescheduled email to handle that. What you'll find when I return will be a new Hank... I've been working since I was 12. I then became a crimefighter, of course, then an Avenger, etc etc etc... I'm going to figure out who the hell I am. I'm going to figure out how to be Hank. Maybe make more friends and let you off the hook."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike smiles, picking up his spoon to slowly stir his soup, letting out a blast of steam trapped by the still surface. "Well then." He glances down to the soup and then back up to Hank. "I wish you happy travels and may you find what you're looking for."

Setting the spoon down, he picks up his sandwich and dips the bread into the soup. He glances over to the burger and the drink. "Your food is getting cold and your drink is getting warm."