4845/Traf-fickle

Traf-fickle
Date of Scene:	21 January 2021
Location:	Midtown
Synopsis:	Scott hates New York traffic, teaches Mike Hannigan the joys of marionettes.
Cast of Characters:	Scott Lang, Michael Hannigan

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Scott Lang has posed:
The Sun was going down and so was Scott's patience. Rush hour in the middle of New York City's Midtown had more in common with parking lots than roads, particularly with all the construction going on of late. Giant monster attacks were up of late and with them came road repairs. So he sits there slumped forward in his driver's seat, arms folded across the steering wheel as he memorizes the license plate of the card ahead of him.

"Screw this," he suddenly growls out, his car seemingly vanishing from the roadway. The car behind him doesn't even question it, moving up 12 feet or so and setting off a volley of horns. While on the sidewalk a tiny blue toy-like car flits through pedestrian traffic and down between two buildings. Some odd sounds come out of the alley and next thing Scott is walking back out same as ever, his teeny Honda resting in his pocket. It was faster walking anyway right now.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Also on eight feet, two figures are making use of their legs as they walk to midtown. With one of the travelers being one of Pym's pet ants, Baudelaire, traveling in an enclosed environment such as the subway seemed like a bad idea. At least on foot, if encountered people could give wide berth, which is what they did.

They've kept to the alleyways mostly but sometimes a crossing is needed. Across the street, Mike glances out of one to check for any nearby traffic before finding enough room for discretion for the quick scurry across the street to the one across from it. Mike glances down, avoiding glances as the knitcap does its work hiding his hair. One hand resting in his jacket pocket while the one closest to the ant remains out, holding a bag. He gives a glimpse to the ant but unlike others, does not appear to move away from it. Nor does the ant leave his side.

Scott Lang has posed:
With literally hundreds of millions of ants at the disposal of Pym Labs it didn't seem feasible someone should be able to idenity one from another. All the same there's an inquisitive, "Bo?" followed by a more exclamatory, "Hey buddy!" as Scott rushes up to Michael, a look of confusion and concern etched on his face.

"What the heck are you doing with...no one teach you anything? Can't just take him out in public like this! Hold on Bo," Scott assures as he hooks an arm through Michael's own and half drags him into an alley. Before the young man knows what is happening he finds himself holding a couple of flat pieces of wood in his hand, bits of string leading from them down to the ant where they're loosely tied off. The ant chitters in confusion as Scott adds the coup de grace, a little pink bow between its antenna. "Cassie wanted him to have that. There we go perfect!" Scott looking pleased with his mugging of a makeover as he steps back. To look at Michael and the ant now the impression being the ant is actually some sort of fanciful marionette thanks to the sticks and strings.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Hearing the calling of the ant's name coming from a voice he's not familiar with, Mike turns his head to look. Seeing a man rush up towards him, pale eyes widen from unbder the positioning of the knit cap while the free hand pulls out of his pocket in an attempt to ward off the- Is he lecturing him?

Mike steps back the alley confused as Scott turns his attention, upset with something about the manner in which the ant is traveling. "Who -" He pauses. Wait Who else could it be? "...Lang?"

Right. The video outside Baskin Robbins.

Scott Lang has posed:
"Stranger? I'd ask what you're doing with Hank's prize ant but I have his half stuff at my house so who am I to judge. But yeah Scott Lang at your service my newly inducted puppeteer. Make sure you wiggle your fingers once in a while. You get real good at it and carry a cup you can make a few bucks I found," Scott advises as he reaches down and affectionately rubs the top of Bo's mostly chitinous but somewhat hairy head.

The noises the ant makes in return might be a sign of returned affection. Or just weird burbles because ants don't communicate with sound typically, it's hard to say. Turning his attentoin back to Mike though Scott asks, "So what are you? One more youngster in training with him? The man is starting a collection by now I think."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike looks to the sticks in hand and then over to Baudelaire. "...huh. That's an interesting disguise. Never would have thought of that." He looks over to Bo, "Do you like that?" "..." Yeah Mike has no clue what Bo is saying if anything.

Shaking his head, he looks over to Scott. "No. Just a friend of his." He offers a hand over to Scott. "Mike Hannigan."

Scott Lang has posed:
"Scott Lang, Ant-Man. Annoyer of Hank," Scott declares solemnly as he clasps hands briefly and then peeks out onto the sidewalk again from between the buildings. In just the space of a couple minutes it's already gotten significantly darker, the setting Sun going down fast and a chill rising with it. "I don't think you're gonna make much cash off it at this hour honestly. C'mon, I'm just trying to get to some spot where traffic isn't stuck in a timewarp. Swear I went backwards for a bit. Looks like we were headed same way," he encourages as he moves back onto the sidewalk, checking the zipper on his coat before swiftly jamming hands in his pockets to keep warm. The car did have SOME advantages. "So how long you known the fuddy duddy anyhow?" he questions.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"It's alright. I wasn't planning to use Bo like that." Mike assures, looking to the sticks and mimicking a puppeteer like hand gesture, string bouncing slightly upon the ant. "Well, if this won't bother him... Yeah, we can walk together for a bit. I'm not far from home. Still trying to figure out what to tell my roommate about the new guest."

As they start to make their way in the general direction of where City Spire is, Mike considers in thought. "Uh, well, if you mean when we first talked, it was last July. We knew of each other before that."

He glances to the street. "I generally avoid driving if I can help it. Traffic isn't worth it if its within walking distance."

Scott Lang has posed:
"You should, it's a good act. If you know what you're doing and he's in the mood he can do drums too. Made 60 bucks an hour doing that till Hank found out," Lang shares sounding not the least bit shamed of using the super scientist's lab creations for street busking. His hands come back out only so he can cup them and breathe some warm breath into them, rubbing them together fiercely before back in the pockets they go. They swerve still around pedestrians but less seem to be shying away from the ant now, with a few even smiling at what they now mostly figure is a show or someone practicing one at least. Bo even seems to naturally play along, picking his legs up a bit higher giving a faux walking appearance. One gets the feeling Scott has done this to him more than once alright.

"Been what, just over a year myself since I fell in with him? Well, stole his suit. Good guy when he's relax...HEY I'M WALKIN HEAH!" Scott showing off his own pinnacle of relaxation as the two cross a street and a car gets a bit too anxious to make a right on red, even slapping his hand on the hood. Scott Lang was a fun-loving guy, but he was also still a New Yorker.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike looks to Bo as the ant plays along. "Well, it looks like he's enjoing it..." He admits. "But, I think I'll keep to my regular gigs once things get resolved."

As the car gets too close, he turns his head sharply, giving a sharp, challenging glare as he continues to cross, not breaking eye contact until they were past that vehicle. "...Like he never drove here before." He mutters, shaking his head as they reach the other side of the street. "So, you take his stuff and he's still talking to you?" Mike asks, "...What gave you the idea to steal the suit to begin with?"

Scott Lang has posed:
There was a bit of a pause in answering though Scott's expression doesn't really change. Though with the deepening shadows between city lights that could be hard to tell at times. "My daughter was in a lot of trouble, medical condition, and there was only one doctor who could help her. And he happened to have been kidnapped by some psycho who wanted treatment of his own. No way I could get in there as Scott Lang and save him so, Ant-Man was reborn. Hank was impressed enough we've been working together since," another pause as he shrugs, trying to lighten the mood back again though as he grins and adds, "So remember, two wrongs do make a right and crime always pays. I'm the best role model the Avengers have now."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike stops walking, slowly turning his head to look over to Scott at the explanation. It's odd enough. "...Alright. Good reason." He starts back walking but upon Scott's moral of the story, he had to supress a snerk. He turns his head, clearing his throat so as not to cough towards his now ant guiding prop hand. "...Ah yes. A classic lesson indeed. Although I think 'Better to seek forgiveness than permission.' covers it too."

Scott Lang has posed:
"I tried that argument in court, they did not care for it believe me. Suppose they wouldn't have liked the other ones either though...uh, different tale. Don't worry about it," Scott quickly adds which of course only usually makes people want to ask MORE questions. By now they're getting ready to pass one of New York's many construction zones, traffic looking if not lighter at least swifter moving on the other side. "So what did he give you the ant for anyway? Your apartment not cover them as pets or something and only option you had?" he asks, figuring it better to divert attention away from his own screwed up life.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"Were the other morals as entertaining?" Mike asks, giving a slight smile to Scott. He glances down again, fiddling with the handle again for the heck of it. Motions a bit smoother and matching up to the movements Bo is making.

"...Uh, I ran into an old friend. Well, more the other way around.""

Scott Lang has posed:
Scott makes a sort of lip-smacking sound and sigh that might just indicate annoyance. "You know you're not much of a story-teller right? I mean if you don't want to say more you could at least lie about it. He forgot your birthday and Bo was a last second gift, you were blinded by a flashbang and couldn't get a seeing eye dog quickly, something man," Scott scolds, teaching yet another moral lesson. Lie. Even if not well. Shaking his head at the 'youth' of today though they hardly looked more than 10 years apart if that, Scott lets out another sigh.

"Well if I see you over Pym-Tech sometime we'll work on it. Show you how to steal all the really cool stuff," Scott offers as he pulls a tiny blue car back out of his pocket and sets it on the sidewalk. He steps back and waits till nobody is standing TOO close before he hits a button in his pocket and the car expands back to normal scale drawing a few gasps around. Subtle he was not. "Alright time to see if can't get home without running into a damn ninja or space alien today. Nice to meetcha Mikey!" Scott not asking at all if it was OK to call him that as he starts climbing in his car.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike looks over to Scott. "Sorry. I'm still getting my head around it myself. Talked with the friend, there MIGHT be a threat and Hank is being cautious by telling Bo to follow me around. So. Follow me around he does."

He holds up the little handles, fiddling with them as he steps back, watching the car pop back up. "...Man, imagine the number of cars you could park in one space." He comments. Smile fading as he's called Mikey instead of Mike. It does not appear that he likes that one. "Alright Scotty." He replies back, managing to put in a bit of accent to the name. "Good luck with traffic."

Scott Lang has posed:
Scott climbs in his car and as it starts up with its little 4 cylinder motor the window rolls down. Scott has ZERO problem being called Scotty as he smiles. Odds are Hank calls him far worse when he has pissed him off. "You'll be fine! Give the girl a few days, buy her some flowers, she'll calm right down!" he assures, totally misreading the situation. A hand lifted in a sort of half-hearted wave, "Anyway be seeing you! Don't worry I got this, just gotta handle it like a hero. MOVE IT PEOPLE!" that New Yorker coming back in, horns blaring as he forces the tiny car into the flow of traffic with a few squeals of brakes to go with and zips on down the road, here and there vanishing as he shrinks and enlarges to get around traffic. A great use of Pym particles to be sure.