5075/Another You: Long Live The Queen

Another You: Long Live The Queen
Date of Scene:	08 February 2021
Location:	Pym Residence, Cresskill, NJ
Synopsis:	Hank's first wife shows up during date night and stately Pym Manor winds up in a very different state.
Cast of Characters:	Hank Pym, Saeko, Nadia Pym-van Dyne

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Hank Pym has posed:
Rattle.

Rattlerattlerattle.

The lock cylinder finally turns and Dr. Pym's front door opens. He sticks his head in and listens. Then calls, "Nadia! Dad brought a friend home, and donuts!"

Silence. Hank can perhaps be excused for a sigh of relief. After all introducing your daughter to an ordinary woman your were seeing would be awkward enough. He had enough awkward lately! The call to donuts went unanswered though. Unless she came in after crashing from lab work and was dead asleep, they were alone. He enters and opens the door wider for Saeko to enter. He saw what she did to Mole Man for his poor manners. "Come on in, take off your shoes if you want. Make yourself comfy... let your tails out." He gestures vaguely with a box of Krispy Kremes and pockets his keys.

Saeko has posed:
Seemed all was quiet, Saeko stepped through the threshold with a bod of thanks.

A swirl of those lights and sure enough her tails and ears were revealed, the markings of her non-human nature revealed as Saeko stepped out of her shoes with a little laugh.

"My thanks," she offers, stepping into the space. Certainly it was different from the S.H.I.E.L.D. labratory she'd visited previously.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
The calls go unanswered, Nadia is nowhere to be found it would seem. This is hardly unusual, particularly lately with the Titans keeping her busy locating and capturing superpowered Dopplegangers from a dark parallel Earth.

It would seem they are well and truly alone in the house.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym sets the donuts down and pats the kitsune's very human shoulder. He lets out a sigh. "I'm so sorry that our drinks were spoiled by Mole Man. I'm glad we're still carrying on with the evening. It's still early anyway. So would you like coffee, tea, water? Anything?" He hovers near the door to the kitchen.

Saeko has posed:
"It was an entertaining distraction," Saeko shrugs her shoulders, moving to find herself a seat and nodding. "Tea would be fine," she answers, pondering the benefits of stealing a donut for herself versus the merits of waiting a little longer. Really, it was all still a strange experience visiting a home and being invited in through the front door rather than being summoned and mystically appearing. Novel, to say the least. "One might almost feel sorry for him, if he hadn't threatened to murder a crowd of people."

"And spat on me," she adds in irritated afterthought.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
*Ding Dong* The doorbell rings, that's odd, the Pym Residence doesn't get many unexpected visitors. Only the bravest of them are not scared off by the giants ants that often wander the yard. But it would seem one of those brave souls is at the door.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym wonders if Bo learned to use the doorbell? He interrupts his kitchen entry to walk over to the front door. Wonders if the ants were getting into trouble again, stacking cars or something. Also annoying! He was having fun with Saeko like few other dates. So he opens the door a little impatiently, keeping one eye on the blonde fox on the couch eying the donuts.

"Listen... Whatever the ants did I will sort it outand pay damages tomorrow, like always! Now is not..."

Saeko has posed:
The outburst call from Hank had Saeko blinking, a smirk of amusement on her lips as she did indeed reach to open the box and pilfer a donut for herself. Why not? One of the best things about the human world was the food after all, and there was very much an appeal in sugary confection and pastry for the Tenko as she sits herself back down. "Does that happen often?" she questions as Hank walks by, but she lapses to silence to let the man deal with his visitor.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
"Hi, Dad!" Standing in the doorway is Nadia, dressed in a suit of her favorite black and red colors minus the helmet. "I missed you Dad, so I decided to come and say hello! Also there's something I need to get while I'm here." She moves to give Hank a big hug.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym response is a big smile, arms thrown wide followed by and attemot to get a choke hold on the young girl before him. "Scarf! SCARF! Saeko, it's an attack! Look out!" he calls to the kitsune. And if it is Nadia... well, he'll be on the floor in a moment. No problem. and she will honk his nose and say, 'Hope.' This girl can't be as capable as his daughter, right?

Saeko has posed:
An attack? Saeko actually hesitates in her bite of the donut and a sudden shift as the air around her rippled...right before Nadia called out and it was clear there was an absolute lack of danger. Exhaling a breath, the Kitsune hesitates, pondering if she should hide her tails and ears once more...and then deciding against it. They should be used to weird things."

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
'Nadia' seems to literally vanish out of Hank's grasp only to reappear in front of her. Hank of course has seen the speed actual Nadia can use Pym Particles before and this doesn't seem much different. "That wasn't very nice Dad! I just wanted a hug." She makes a face like she isn't terribly used to being denied what she wants.

"Mom! You were right." She calls over her shoulder, "He's here! And there's some woman with him, I think he's cheating on you!"

There is a loud buzzing sound as a winged woman lands behind 'Nadia'. She's beautiful, her skin seems to almost catch the light, and she looks exactly like Hank's deceased first wife, Maria Trovaya. "Very good Hope. Now run along and find what you need, while I deal with your father." Her eyes fall on Hank and then Saeko, "Well Hank, are you going to introduce me to your new friend?" 'Maria' asks with a large slightly wicked smile.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym wonders just how badly Saeko wants that donut before he does his growth fu move, throwing a punch at the Queen and growing simultaneously. "Saeko, look out!"

"I heard of you two and boy did you pick the wrong night to mess with me!

// Bo! Foss! Cozette! Attack the intruders! This is not Nadia, Attack!//

Saeko has posed:
Saeko had not met Nadia, she'd certainly not met Maria either. Both were names she'd heard and perhaps one was a photo here and there.

Confusing statements about cheating were one thing, Hank's reaction was about as much warning as the sudden surge of her 'divine' senses screaming danger. They were always slower when it wasn't directly focused upon her!

The donut falls to the floor, its drop outpaced by the surge of blue flames that dance across Saeko's form, erasing her blonde locks and modern clothing on favor of that raven black and her more 'normal' short yukata while her tails fanned out around her. The Tenko in all her glory, clearly ready for a fight.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
"But Mom, I want to play with them, too!" Hope complains, like a spoiled brat used to getting exactly what she wants.

Maria let's out a sigh, "Hope, you want to play with your other friends right? Now run along." She tells her daughter, before turning to glare at Hank.

"Domestic abuse is unbecoming of a scientist of your stature Hank." She tells him as she holds up a hand stopping the fist. The Queen is immensely strong somehow, like the effect of Pym Particles at very small size condensing the distance between atoms, but somehow at a regular human size. The fist is held and then shoved back.

Perhaps more startling for Hank, the ants do not attack her, in fact they seem to be cowering in fear of her presence.

Her gaze then turns to Saeko, "Saeko is it? This is a domestic matter between Hank and I. He has some things that I require. If you could see yourself out that would be lovely." Her smile is positively wicked, particularly with that odd sheen and smoothness to her skin, almost like chitin.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym thinks furiously. They're better at this than I am. Figures. If their Hank is alive what could the two accomplish?The Queen is jamming my insect com. She has a variation on Pym particles giving her increased strength, some sort of body armor. Genetic upgrade? What can I do about this? The thoughts flash through his mind in an instant as he is flung back and laid on the floor. He sends another electronic signal out as he's getting to his feet.

The Queen and the rest hear a crash of wood splintering from the garage and a roar of thrusters.

Saeko has posed:
Thankfully, Saeko wasn't really unaware of the whole 'evil doppleganger' thing. She'd encountered Giganta own double fought those horrors, instead the Tenko lifts her hands and draws back before a glowing surge of bright burning light thrusts forwards. She wasn't stepping back, instead intending to blast the 'Queen' off her feet while she was distracted by Hank's punch.

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Hope seems to vanish again just like she did when she evaded Hank's grasp but this time she just seems to be gone, that is until footsteps can be heard upstairs in the vicinity of Nadia's room.

The Queen narrows her eyes when Saeko answers her with a magical laser rather than words. Tapping a button on one of the gauntlets of her armor the laser refracts and is dispersed across what appears to be an energy field. "Really now dear, there is rude and then there is rude." She tells the other woman, taking a menacing step forward.

At the sound of the crash and jet thrusters though, her eyes narrow at Hank again. "You always were a resourceful one Henry." Both of her hands begin to crackle with energy that seems akin to the Wasp's Sting bioelectricity but building up to something more on the level of lightning plasma.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym lunges for Saeko and grabs her around the waist. "Get us out of here, now!"

"Two things you may have forgotten about me, Maria. I don't fight unprepared and I am a really poor sport!" Outside the craft designated Rover 2.0 has blown through the garage roof, shooting straight up. It doesn't go far as it enlarges the fuel it carries until its tanks are bursting and the little jet's engines ignite it in a blaze around it.

On the verge of exploding, Rover aims for the exact center of the Pym residence. Below in the basement the three giant ants are digging away like mad.

"Saeko... please!"

Saeko has posed:
Saeko's own 'fire' crackles and surges, the Tenko apparently intending to match the intensity of Maria's sciene-fueled plasma with mystic means when she's suddenly grasped, her eyes looking up wide in shock.

She certainly hadn't expected Hank to blow up his own house.

There were rules to her magic, to transporting another. Without an offering she could only move herself, Hank would be left behind to face the firey wrath...

But Hank had offered her a donut when they'd entered, and now? A stop for a treat and a little hospitality may have just saved the Avenger's life.

That Kitsune-bi flared again, light and magic enveloping the pair as the Tenko bestowed the exact blessing requested: Getting them the hell out of there!

Nadia Pym-van Dyne has posed:
Maria is left looking annoyed as she watches Hank vanish into thin air with the Fox lady even as a the fiery vehicle careens towards the house. The imposing Hungarian woman turns and releases the plasma burst towards the vehicle but it is too late the halt the approach, Pym Manor and The Queen are both consumed in a massive fireball explosion.

Flaming beams and superstructure begin to collapse inward in the wake of the explosion as the remains of the mansion crumble into the now exposed basement levels. It would seem to be the end, an over the top sacrifice play to take out a horrifying doppleganger from Hank's past.

That is of course until Maria 'The Queen' Trovaya punches her way out of the flaming wreckage looking singed and rather irate. "Well played Henry. You always did like the chase, but don't worry. I will find you. Perhaps your company has what I need." She sys to the dark night, silhouetted against the flames of the still burning Pym Manor. And then she flies off into the night.

Saeko has posed:
It was probably disorientating, tumbling through light and space for a few moments in ways most humans didn't travel. Fortunately it didn't last too long, unfortunately that didn't mean it wasn't going to be any less dizzying as the pair reappear in a flash of light and reappear in the lounge space of Saeko's hotel suite, about the one place she could be sure she wouldn't be appearing in front of others without checking.

Untangling herself, the kitsune pauses to brush the dust and rubble off her clothing, tails shaking the same off their fluffy form.

"I am not a fan of your visitors."

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym doesn't know where they wound up. Doesn't care. He slowly lets go of the Kitsune and drops heavily on his butt and drops his head into his hands.

He only hopes he denied those two monsters what they wanted. He is frankly stunned. The exploding mini-jet conjuring up memories of a restaurant exploding in his face and taking the only pure happiness he had ever known from him.

What did they want? Something in Nadia's room. How did they possess such power... such knowledge?

That was the house where he went to live with Janet and got divorced. It was really just a house... then Nadia came and it was a home. Fuck!

He thought at a time like this he'd need hope. But he really doesn't.

He needs to avenge his loss.

Then he starts chuckling. "I'm sorry and I will make good on them but I just noticed... you lost your shoes."