2012-07-01 Stark Expo - Lift This

The second morning of the Stark Expo is as busy as the first. Dr. Jean Grey has attended both days with great interest. The technologies the convention has on display are astounding and could mean many things for the X-Men and the students at Xavier's. Also, she's here to support Hank McCoy who works for Stark Industries and is a long time friend. Jean is dressed casually, in jeans, a blouse, and flats, as she pokes around at a booth with holographic projection technology. There are so many of her students who could benefit from inexpensive means of disguising their outward mutant appearances.
Dressed as casually as humanly possible given his six and a half foot tall built like an NFL line backer frame, Thor's attempt to 'blend' in is shattered completely by the very real battle hammer clipped to the thick leather belt on his right hip. Roaming about the expo grounds, hands swinging by his side, the tall blond, whose long hair is tied back in a loose pony tail at the nap of his neck, steps up behind Jean to peer over her head at the holographic projector technology.
The red-furred somewhat demonic looking teenage previously known to some as 'Baby Wildebeest' has only been back in New York for a couple of hours. He's fresh from living a few years in Russia, and hasn't even really made plans for what he's going to do yet. First of all, he'd have to find some of the people he knew when he was a little kid. Of course, the bright lights, sounds, and smells of Stark Expo has attrached the curious teen... even if the technology doesn't mean much to him. Of course, his appearance is likely attracting some attention from. Not just for the whole red-furred demonic thing, but also for the somewhat childish attire. It's not often you see a teenager in cartoon print T-shirts and light blue overalls with threadbare knees. At the moment he's not really watching where he's going as he nears the booth of holographic tech, just stuffing his muzzle with large fistfulls of popcorn. Delicious.
Jean's mental shields are raised high to keep from being overwhelmed by the sheer number of minds in her range, but the tickle of the odd Asgardian presence leaks through a little. She slowly turns then looks up, up, up at the tall, broad man. Her eyes flit to the hammer for a moment, but she writes that off as someone having bought a costume prop at the Expo. Surely there has to be some hero somewhere who uses a hammer. Is Nathan Fillion a guest here? "Hello," she greets. "Amazing, isn't it? Stark is brilliant."
The furry teen gets a closer look, at first considered someone in costume as well. But Jean smiles at Wildebeest just in case he's a mutant. What better place to roam without concerns about how you look than at a convention full of costumes. "Hi."
Peering down at Jean as she looks up to him, Thor appears faintly confused, then surprised by her comment. The prince, however, does not neglect his manners, and so he gives a half step back. Some distance placed between then, Thor brings his right hand to his chest, ove rhis heart, and bows at the waist to the red head.
"Good morn, m'lady," greets the Thunder God before he straightens. His gray-blue eyes shfit then to the technology. "All of this was made by one man," he asks, a faint sense of pridefilled wonder crossing his mind and showing on his face. It doesn't fade, even when Jean turns to greet another.
Thor turns to follow Jean's gaze, peering down at Wildebeest curiosly. "You, odd creature. What art thou," he asks, voice a bit booming. The slightly demonic nature of the boy has Thor slightly on edge, bit at least he seems to have been picking up on some form of human restraint. He's asking questions first.
Someone in costume? That's not a surprise... given his creatrors. Though closer inspection makes it clear that it's not a suit. Wilde's ears flick just a little bit as Jean says hello, offering her a warm smile back. "Hi." Wilde wipes the buttery grease from his furry fingers on the hip of his overalls and offers his hand to Jean. "Hello, Ma'am." Of course, then Thor's strange greeting draws his focus away... though the Thunder God is met with a confused brow wrinkle. A soft chuff of annoyance is directed at Thor. "Hello to you too." Wilde mutters. "Odd creature?" Wilde snorts, and if he had visable pupils one might be able to tell he's rolling his eyes.
"Well, not just one man. Stark has a huge company full of scientists and engineers, but he comes up with a lot of the concepts himself from what I understand," Jean explains. One brow shifts upwards at the odd, archaic speech. "You're a little underdressed for a cosplayer," she notes with a faint smile. She takes Wilde's hand and shakes it, curiously. "That's not a costume," she notes, rhetorically. "Wait, aren't you...?" She trails off, because Baby Wildebeest was a lot younger wasn't he?
Thor turns his head back to Jean as she explains. He seems nonpulsed until she makes that cosplayer remark. He's heard it a few times already, and seems to get less odd looks when in his armor. The decision is made to just always wear his armor... It's just more comfortable.
"Nay, I said that it is not," Thor says of Jean's comment of the costume, and he turns his stormy eyed gaze to Wildebeest. "Art thou a child of Hrodvitnir Fenrir, creature? For to mine eyes does thou appear as a vanagandr pup." The light frown of not understanding the word cosplay graces the Asgardian's countence as he speaks to Wildebeest with the weight of complete belief in his own words, and is merely trying to ensure he has correctly placed the being before him into something that makes sense to him.
Well, Jean's not losing her mind. At least not yet. There does appear to be a resemblance between this red-furred teenaged creature and one 'Baby Wildebeest'. But that couldn't be possible, could it? "No Ma'am." Of course, if like Thor he felt comfortable always wearing his full armor rather than just the trunks portion under normal clothes Jean would know right away who it was. Of course, then Thor's offering up more confusion by tossing around the Asgardian. "Fenrirr Who? Vanaga What?" Wilde glances back to Jean with almost a pitiful confused look as if expecting her to translate that gobblygook. "Is he alright?"
Hooboy. Crazy person ahoy. That's Jean's primary thought as she takes a subtle step or two back from the Asgardian. "I think I understood about one word in four there, Mister...?" she notes, letting her words trail off as an invitation to introduce himself. She exchanges a look with Wilde that seems to say, we're not the crazy ones here, right?
OH! Introductions! At Jean's incomplete sentence that prompts for his name, Thor once more places his right hand over his heart and bows. The bow is more formal, and seeks to include both Jean and Wildebeest.
"I am Thor, the Odinson, Prince of Asgard, Child of Jord, Son of Frigga. Known as Donar the Mighty, the Lord of Storms, God of Thunder, Bringer of Lightning and Rain, Wielder of Mjolnir, and Protector of all Midgard, which thou mortals doth name Earth." His litany is said with practiced grace and utter honesty, as if to say that this is exacctly who I am, and nothing more.
Straightening from his bow, Thor dips his chin slightly to Jean and Wildebeest, a contrite sort of grin dancing to his ruggish face. "My apologies, fair maiden, furred-one. Hrodvitnir... a fame-wolf... Vanagandr.. monster of the river Van," he says as if to explain, no judgement in his tones whatsoever, for the word monster carries no disguist or fear for him.
As Jean Grey steps backs from Thor, Wildebeest steps infront of her. Yeah, he's getting defensive of her... especially when this apperant crazyman with the hammer is speaking strangely. "One in four, you're doing better than me." Wilde notes to Jean, curling his lip just a little bit at Thor. Though the Odinson introducing himself does a lot to calm the situation and Wilde's natural protective nature. He does blink at Thor's full introduction though. "Wow... I'd hate to see the label your mom put in your underpants." It's not even really offered as a joke, just a natural statement. "Wildebeest." He chimes in when Thor calls him 'furred-one. "Just... Wildebeest."
Well, Thor makes sense in a mythological sort of way. Jean folds her arms over her chest and looks him up and down. It's a subtle physical gesture as she opens her mind just a fraction to poke into the Asgardians to see if he is just joking with them. "Are you an actor or something? In character for a play about Norse mythology?" Wilde's introduction makes her grin. "Jean Grey, nice to meet you both."
Thor's mind is an honest and open book for Jean to read, for all that the power of Earth and Storm lay in wait just beneath the surface. Thor carries that burden of godly power as easily as one might wear a favored jacket. There is no attempt to mislead, misdirect, or lie in Thor's mind; Loki is the trickster, not Thor. Which presents two options to explain just how firmly he believes himself to be The Thunder God of myth and legend. When Jean asks about being in a play, Thor seems mildly annoyed but getting more used to it as he encounters more and more humans that no longer believe that he is real.
"Nay, fair Jean Gray. I am no actor, whose countance doth change with my surroundings. That is my brother's ilk, not mine. I have come to understand that the peoples of Midgard have grown beyond Us, and that to many we are merely stories," Thor says after Jean gives her name. His tone and the feel of his mind are both sad. The sorrow of a diety returned to the children and people whom he loves, only to find himself obsolete.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Grey." Wildebeest offers, returning much of his attention to munching on his bag of popcorn. After all, Thor's honestly just confusing him... especially with his long speeches that make little sense. He does offer a light nod to Thor when he finishes speaking, his ears flicking just a little bit. "And you... can I just call you Thor?" After all, there's no way he can remember the whole long speech of his name.
Jean looks skeptical, but it's a tempered sort of skepticism. Not long ago many people would never have believed she could read their minds or throw them across the room with a thought. This man firmly believes he is a Norse god. She glances at the hammer. "If you're really Thor, then I shouldn't be able to lift that, right?" she asks.
Thor grins gently to Wildebeest, nodding. "Aye, fenrir-child. That is acceptible and pleasing to me," he rumbles before his attention once more returns to Jean. When she asks of his hammer, Thor glances down to the weapon at his hip. He nods and unclips the hammer and hefts it up to peer at the graceful runes etched into the striking surface. One might expect a crack of thunder, a bolt of ligthning, a sudden gust of a rain filled wind... but nothing happens. "Aye, Jean Gray. Thou art correct, though if a pure heart you have, mine Mjolnir may accept you and allow the feat," he says, shifting his gaze from the weapon to Jean. He chuckles, having heard this before, from the lips of a viking king. The scenario did not end well. "Thou wishes to make the attempt," he asks with a faint bit of humor in his voice, mind, and face.
Wildebeest scoffs a little bit at Jean Grey... "You're not that weak looking, Ms. Grey. It's just a hammer." Of course, his knowledge of the whole Asgardian thing is limited. So he has no clue of any reason why someone wouldn't be able to lift a simple hammer. Wilde wipes the butter off on his overalls again and reaches out for it... even wrappng his fingers around the hilt. "If she won't try, I know I can do it." Wilde proudly brags.
"Well, it would tell me if you're crazy or not," Jean admits, nodding. She is a good person, but she is not pure of heart totally, or completely selfless. Alfred the butler could probably lift it. Jean? No way. She smiles at Wilde then. "Legend has it that only someone pure of heart, or Thor himself, can lift Mjolnir."
Wildebeest's reach and proud bragging tells Thor all he needs to know. With a soft shake of his head and an indulgent smile, Thor very obviously and very gently bends forward to set the hammer down at Wildebeest's feet, not bothering to force the youth to remove his hand from the weapon. In fact, the hammer feels, while solid and formitable, rather light-weight and unassuming while Thor is holding it. Surely, Wildebeest's assessment can't be far off. After all, Thor's arms clearly do not strain at hefting it about.
Hammer set down, Thor straightens and steps a half step closer to Jean, arms folded over his chest. He quirks a brow as he regards her out of the corners of his eyes. "Crazy, mortal? Hmm... I shall be forced to over look the insult inherant in the word choice of old. Perhaps it doth not carry the same weight as it once did. I am finding such to be the case quite often as of late," he comments. A long winded way of saying: Don't insult me. But when she comments about the properties of his weapon, Thor nods, smiles, and looks back at Wildebeest. "Aye, m'lady. Thou speakest truthfully, for such truth is not merely legend."
While Wildebeest might be pretty pure of heart and says his prayers by night.... wait, that's something else. But yes, while the red-furred teen is pretty pure of heart, it would be a stretch to really consider him "Worthy" of such power. So when Wilde attempts to lift the hammer where it's sitting, he doesn't even get a budge. So Wilde tries again, a soft grunt of frustration following. "What the...." Wilde growls a little under his breath as Wilde shoves the bag of popcorn in Jean's hands and wraps both hands around the hilt of the hammer. Putting every ounce of his strength into lifting the hammer, and only managing to dig his hoove-like toes into the pavement, small hairline cracks spreading around his feet. Clearly he's stronger than he looks, but can't even manage to move the hammer from it's resting spot.
When Wilde fails to budge the hammer, that's proof enough for Jean. Her eyes get a little bit wide and she takes in a steadying breath. "Well then, very pleased to meet you, God of Thunder, after whom the fifth day of the week was named." She blinks a few times. "I guess that just begs the question, what are you doing on Earth, much less at Stark Expo?"
Thor watches Wildebeest attempt to lift Mjolnir, attempt to move it, attempt even to get it to fall over own its side, with the humorfilled and patient expression of a parent watching a child trying to lift something far too heavy while knowing it is harmless for the child to do so. As such, he turns his gaze to Jean, smile warming at her sudden belief.
"An honor, Fair Jean Gray," he replies, pleased to see that he is remembered, only for her addition that one of the days has been named for him to widen his eyes and broaden his smile. "Truly," he seems to peep gently.
"I was summoned," replies the Storm Lord of Jean's question. "Midgard cried for me as She had not cried in many millenia.. I have replied."
Of course, the frustration of not being able to get the hammmer to budge earns a bit of an animalistic growl from Wildebeest. And instead of just giving up, the red-furred teenager channels that frustration into starting to shift forms. Wilde's not at all used to something percieved as an 'Unmovible Object', so clearly the solution is more force. The red-furred teens muscles start to bulge and his clothes start to rip... as before Jean and Thor's eyes he shifts from a just over 5' tall teenager to a 12' monster. Which of course, has the entire expo grinding to a halt to watch... some people falling over themselves to retreat from the scene. As the last of Wilde's shredded clothes land on the ground, he wraps both hands more firmly around the hilt of his hammer. And puts every ounce of his strength into trying to lift the hammer with a beastial growl.
"Thursday is the modern name for Thors Day," Jean explains to the Asgardian. The reply about why he is here makes her brow furrow. "That doesn't sound like it's good for Mid-er Earth." Wilde's transformation has Jean launching into crowd control mode. She covers the transformed teen from the view of everyone but herself and Thor with a telepathic illusion. With this many people, it's a bit of a strain as she adds in a "Nothing to see here" mental command.
Thor smiles at the information, nodding with slightly pursed lips. A day of the week... That's nice, his little head bobs seem to say. Stormy blue-gray eyes turn to Wildebeest as he shifts, but Thor remains calm and undisturbed by the sight. In fact, the prince seems faintly amused. "Continue to try, Fenrirson. Mjolnir hath made her choice. You are not yet worthy of her gifts," he informed the boy turned beast, chuckling softly.
Once it's clear that the hammer will not budge no matter what he tries, Wilde grunts and releases it. "Stupid hammer..." He growls a little under his breath. Taking a couple steps back, the 12' monster shifts back to his teenaged form. Thankfully his golden metallic trunks seem to shift with him, unlike his clothes. Thankfully he's got some spare clothes that he brought with him from Russia to change back to. "S'okay. I don't need any old hammer anyway." He grumps, taking his popcorn back from Jean and focusing on eating that instead.
Jean's cell phone goes off with a text. She glances down at it and sighs. "I need to go meet someone elsewhere at the Expo. It was nice meeting you both. Wildebeest, I'd recommend a downshift before I leave. People are going to stare at you." With that cryptic message floating on the air, Marvel Girl slips through the crowds, holding onto the telepathic illusion long enough to give the boy a chance to change back.
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