5725/Just a bit of advice...

Just a bit of advice...
Date of Scene:	25 March 2021
Location:	Empire Diner
Synopsis:	Hank gives advice, steak, and fries to Mike, Irie, and Saeko
Cast of Characters:	Hank Pym, Michael Hannigan, Irie West, Saeko

---

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym sits at the table in the diner and says to himself, "Advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise and all courses may run ill. Horse shit. Stand by what you say." He starts on a shell steak and baked potato. As usual he is unsure how late in the day it is and he skipped enough meals that he isn't really upset by breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast. Beside the plate is a small paper bag folded to stay closed.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
As Hank eats, a glass door opens, allowing for Mike to gain entrance in to the brightly lit eating establishment. Glancing around, the ponytailed musician's eyes set upon the scientist. He lifts up the scarred arm in a wave before heading over. "Hey, sorry I'm late." He apologizes, "Meeting ran over."

While it is not completely dark out, it is much further along in the day than normal for these types of get togethers. But being that Hank is getting his new lab in order AND starting up a teaching position elsewhere, the adjustment is probably to be expected. No matter what anyone may say, traffic is a pain in New York.

Seeing a server, approaching, he smiles over to the questioning face. "A coffee please."

Server U-turning away, Mike looks back to the table, hand resting upon the back of the opposing chair to pull it out. "How're things?"

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym indicates the very plentiful food and thumbs up. Then swallows. "Place does a decent steak." This being high praose for Pym.

"Michael, I would like to give you a little advice. I see you're using your... laptop a lot more online and you really need a good anti-virus program." The server comes over and gives Mike his coffee with a smile.

"Anyway I see you using your phantom traits more and more (whatever the hell they are) and helping people in public. I think you are having a long term origin as we in the business call it and this item in the bag will be a big help to you. So please take it with my blessing and use it in good health." He pushes the bag over to Mike. Then he steeples his fingers to watch.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike sits down, glancing over towards the kitchen as Pym makes reference to the quality of the steak. At the mention of the laptop, he looks back to Hank. Brow lifting. "Hank. I don't own a laptop. I just us-"

He pauses as the coffee is set down before him. Turning his head, he gives the server another smile and a gentle note of thanks to her. Eyes follow the server as she leaves, moving back to Hank once he starts back up again.

Phantom traits?

"Long term origin?"

He glances down to the bag being slid over. Head tilting, he reaches to the bag and opens it, pulling out a neutral grey gaiter. The bag lowers it as Mike looks to it. "A headband?"

...

It is at this point Mike reviews the overall elements of what Hank was saying earlier. The laptop being an odd element to the conversation.

"This has nothing to do with a laptop, does it?"

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym facepalms.

"No. No Michael. I was just being careful... which I was not the other day with Kid Flash. It's a tubular neckband which can be worn many different ways including as a mask, should you need one. See if a cop goes through your pockets and finds a domino mask say, you're going to have many uncomfortable questions to answer. But anyone can wear a gaiter. Hank indicates a gaiter around his neck and pulls it up to his nose. "Voila, secret identity."

Irie West has posed:
"The giant ants will always give you away," Irie tells Hank with a giggle, suddenly appearing behind him. She had gotten hungry *again* and decided to visit the diner, where she noticed Hank and Mike hanging out. "Can I join you?"

Without waiting for an answer, she sits down next to Mike and tell him, "Thanks for rescuing me the other day. I knew I shouldn't have been out so far in the ocean without knowing how to swim."

Saeko has posed:
"One can't always simply change thei-" a voice begins, only to blink and trail off. Saeko was there, or at least her usual human guise. But this time, despite her seemingly appearing from nowhere, the raven haired woman with her unnatural beauty looked...a little perturbed. Eyes fixed on Iris, she blinked again. Someone had -totally- stolen her little trick, and she hadn't even spotted how they did that. To say the kitsune found that unnerving was an understatement, but Saeko clears her throat lightly.

"Forgive me if I am interupting, I was passing by."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Ok so the laptop was a red herring in the conversation after all. He nods, looking to his own. Feeling the fabric in his hand. It's much thinner... Could be good for Summer use. He rolls it over in his hand, bringing the other to rub the orange price tag off.

The familiar voice from yesterday draws his attention back up, looking over towards Irie. "Sure." He waves a hand over to one of the empty seats at their table, "And... don't mention it." Really. Don't.

He gives a wave of greeting over to Saeko before glancing over to Hank. "...I know I should have been more careful." He pauses. OH that's why. "...The laptop's browser does come with an incognito mode. Probably should have taken the time to open a ses-" He frowns. Wait. No. That's an even WORSE topic than the one they're actually talking about. "Ok that is a TERRIBLE analogy. Let's not use laptops in the discussion."

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym gives a silent yike! as Irie blazes in. He gets up to give Saeko a hug. It's been a while. He gestures head to toe and says, "All better now, see. When I last saw Sako I was suffering from shortness of breadth, and height. How are you? The job keeps you hopping. Well you know Mike, this is one of my students Irie West. She attends school where I am teaching now. She's going to take a swimming class too. This is my friend Saeko." He smiles at her and then pushes his plate where she can get at it with a wink.

Irie West has posed:
Irie waves a hand jauntily at Saeko. "Hiiii!" She nods in agreement with Hank, "Yeah. I probably should. I mean I can run on water just fine but if I ever stop..." She makes little splashing motions with her hands, "Bloop!"

Her eyes light up when the plate is pushed her way. "Ooh! Food!" Always a welcome sight.

Saeko has posed:
Another blink, Saeko actually laughs at Irie's decent on the food that was being pushed over towards her, a little clearing of her throat offered before she shrugs and takes a seat herself. "Don't fret, I might order myself something. Perhaps a coffee, even I enjoy a little caffine now and then." A beat, she offers a little lazy wave of her fingers. "Besides, it seems Irie has worked up quite a hunger."

There's a light tilt of her head, a shift and a look towards Hank and Mike. Open hero talk in front of the student?

That was curious. But then Saeko wasn't exactly a mystic metahuman detector.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike looks over towards Saeko as she gives a questioning look. He tilts his head to Irie as she talks about running on water in explanation. "Coffee's good here. Rarely gets the 'too long on the burner' taste."

He turns his head to look to Irie, "Swim lessons might be a good idea then as we've found out you do make stops."

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym makes a noncommittal sort of 'no worries' shake of his head to Saeko. "I missed you! It was nice of you to bring me lunch and stay with me till I felt bigger. I believe they do have Krispy Kreme donuts to go with your coffee." He signals for the server who seems a little surprised by the new arrivals. Hank orders another steak. This time with french fries.

Irie West has posed:
Irie, oblivious to her faux pas, stuffs her face full of food. "I'm always hungry," she tells Saeko. "I have the metabolism of a hummingbird." She blinks and looks between the other assembled people. "Not literally. Well. Kind of. It's really a lot though. I burn a lot of calories when I run."

When the server comes by, Irie orders a double cheeseburger with fries, a side of chili and a strawberry milkshake.

She nods at Mike. "Do they teach those at school, or do I have to get private lessons?"

Saeko has posed:
Fries were fair game. Truely, Saeko was going to almost certaily steal one from the plate. After all, just because she hadn't ordered something quite so large didn't mean she wasn't hungry...she'd simply thought their lunch had already came and went. Lounging back in her chair, Hank's thanks is met with a smile and nod, the words 'any time' mouthed lightly even as she regards the gathering. Truely, the Tenko was often guilty of a little people watching!

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"I don't work at your school so I can't answer for them." Mike admits, "But I do know you can get lessons at any of the Ys that have a pool on property. It might cost more if you're not a member but non members can still get them."

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym smiles and says, "I am pretty sure there are swimming classes given on campus too. Also CPR, which more people should learn. I'm the guy most likely to have a heart attack. And I'm the only one who knows CPR! I mean... old guy. By comparison." He waits for a snerk from Saeko.

Irie West has posed:
"Oh! Right!" Irie says, blushing a little from her mistake. "It's just that you hang around with Morrigan and Hank all the time I just kinda forget." She watches as Saeko steals a fry or two, and scootches the plate a bit closer to the Tenko. After all, she's getting more food here shortly.

She looks thoughtful at the mention of CPR. "Yeah. I guess that'd be a good idea, too."

Saeko has posed:
A little snerk indeed, but Saeko shrugs her shoulders. "I admit, I have never practiced 'CPR'," she muses, not letting the comment on her age really ruffle her. She wasn't exactly human after all! Tilting her head to the other side she glances back towards Mike. "Some people find it natural no? Swimming? But most require lessons." All those centuries and she never really pondered how that works. Divine knowledge apparently didn't cover how humans swim!

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike listens to Hank's push for learning CPR. "That is a useful skill." He admits. "Hmm. I wonder if Wade would be interested in getting a workshop set up at the studio if there's enough interest. Be nice to have more people know about that in case someone starts messing with the electronics impoperly.

Because. Musicians.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym chin nods. "I learned it. I didn't get an instructor's license, darn it. I can scuba, but no license. You can get the bends shrinking the wrong way or too fast. It hurts. And yeah you better not let anyone mess with your sound board, I found it in deplorable repair and badly designed. But I fixed it. What are you looking at me like that for? I had to wait for you to finish a meeting. I got bored." Hank shrugs. He reaches over and boops Saeko on her nose when he sees her going in for another french fry. Force of habit.

Irie West has posed:
Awww, nose boops! How adorable! Irie grins a knowing grin, but doesn't say anything as she finishes everything on the plate. Except for the fries. Gotta have something to steal from after all.

She shrugs at Saeko. "I guess so. My dad never really got the time to go swimming with us when we were..." she pauses to word this delicately, "younger."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike glances down to the gaiter, turns it inside out, and sets it on his lap. Reaching back, he undoes the hairband, causing for his hair to fall loose. He sets the hairband on his wrist before sliding the gaiter over his head, pulling it over his head.

Mike blinks over at Hank as he mentions fixing a sound board, brow raising. "...You repaired the soundboard in session room 5?"

The upper half of the gaiter is twisted the middle several times before he pulls that half over, making it into a cap. His hands work to band, twist, and tuck the remaining hair away. Yay. Lightweight cap.

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym gestures grandly. "I repaired nothing. I upgraded it. I improved it. I pym-proved it. I had twenty minutes. Now it translates what you're saying to German, Russian and Japanese. I'm kidding. But I improved some functions. Well all of them."

Saeko has posed:
Booped or not, Saeko doesn't seem thwarted. Instead there's a little grin and a wink as she quite proudly places her pilfered prize into her mouth and shrugs. She wasn't going to be so easily stopped. Even so, her beverage arrives, a momentary pausing in her theft as she inhales the scent. Fancier coffee, certainly something different to what she'd grown accustomed too last time she'd stayed on Earth. Truely the march of time could be wonderful!

Irie West has posed:
Shortly thereafter, the server comes by with Irie's mountain of food. The burger is much larger than what she was imagining but somehow she'll power through it. But first she's going to start on her fries, dipping them in the chili like it was a kind of dip.

"Maybe if I lock Hank in my room with my laptop he'll get bored enough to upgrade it," she muses. "It runs really slow, but I guess it's pretty normal for this point in time."

Hank Pym has posed:
Hank Pym gets a suddenly vibrating phone out. "Sorry this is from the plant. Hrm. Asking me to move some of my stuff. I better go look in on those lunkheads before they break something or we have another thirty foot Tardigrade. Your laptop will have to wait. And remember we're Drs Pym and MacIntyre on campus. Saeko, please come by more if you can. Always a pleasure." He looks at the half eaten steak ruefully. Second one got away from him tonight. Then he slides his chair out and shrinks, flitting away.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike moves his hands from the now capped hair. "Room 5 is our dregs room. It's usually used when someone wants to film a music studio scene for some film project. It's... amazing how many requests we get for that, actually." He pauses, "On behalf of Wade, Thanks. He's going to want to know how much you want for do-." He nods. Chuckling. "Later Hank."

Saeko has posed:
Left behind with the pair, Saeko nods her head to Hank's farewell and lazily slides the leftover plate in front of herself. Did it count as an offering? Probably not, but she -could- simply eat to eat.

"So," she asks lazily of Iris. "You are a student of these two?"

Irie West has posed:
"Well, /him/," Irie says pointing to where Hank departed. "He works as a teacher at my school. /He/" she says pointing to Mike, "is just a hot guy who Dr. Pym hangs around with. Thankfully he was at the beach the other day when the tidal wave hit. I was caught by surprise and nearly drowned." Which explains the conversation about swimming and CPR.

"How 'bout you?" she asks, taking a couple of fries together and making a kind of scoop for the chili withi them. "How do you know them?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike shakes his head as Saeko asks Iris if he's one of her teachers. As Irie fields the question he reaches over to pick up his coffee. The cup making it halfway up before part of Irie's response causes for the coffee to return to the station. Eyes look over to Irie again.

Well then.

He gives a slight smile, turning his attention back to the coffee. "Good to know I still have a few more years of marketability in my chosen career." He finally acknowledges the comment, lifting up his mug, "I'm a performer, not a teacher, Saeko."

He glances back to Irie, "And definitely get swimming lessons. It was dumb luck that I even saw you out there."

Saeko has posed:
There's a decidedly amused laugh from Saeko, a nod of her head and a shrug of her shoulders at the question returned before Mike's comment earns a little smirk. "I'm sure you'll do fine for yourself."

How did she know them? The disguised Kitsune ponders her answer a moment before downing another fry. "I was called upon to assist with a few things and we crossed paths."

Irie West has posed:
Irie blinks innocently at Mike. "What?" she asks around a mouthful of fries and chili. "You wouldn't be a rock star if you weren't hot." Naturally. She bobs her head at Saeko's answer. "That's..." incredibly vague. But she manages to keep that to herself, after all, she has to be incredibly vague for various reasons, too, so she gets it. "Cool."

Now it's time for the main course! She picks up the gigantic burger in her hands and turns it around a couple of times to find the correct angle of attack. She pauses in consideration of how she's going to be able to fit this in her mouth, but decides the best way to do it is to just not think about it and go in willy nilly. She opens her mouth as wide as she can and bites down on the burger, getting various juices and condiments dripping out of it and running down the corners of her mouth. "Mmf."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Surprise not coming this time, Mike is able to sip his coffee without choking on it. It also allows time to prepare his responses.

Thoughts to how he got pulled into the industry with virtually no experience quell any need to argue against Irie's response. The cup lowers. "Touché."

As the server sets the remaining checks at the table, Mike reaches over to grab the both of them. Glancing down to them, he nods before fishing out a few bills.