2012-11-03 Famous Last Words

Metropolis' Little Bohemia neighborhood is a far cry from Westchester County. Of course, it's ever /further/ from the Congo. Still. That was precisely why Emma Frost had chosen it, and that is where Shan is, waiting for an old friend with a pair of hard hats in hand.
The future site of the Academy of Tomorrow is a large, fenced off lot on a busy corner, currently in the midst of a flurry of construction. Thanks to the contractors hired by Tony Stark, the work will almost certainly be completed in record time. Already, the skeleton of an elegant seven story building is being filled in, though much of the lot is obscured to the street.
Beast has been the easiest person to get ahold of for a while. While his so-called 'Devolution' isn't common knowledge, those with ties to the school knows that sometime is up. Talk of 'Change', and not the political talking point variety was regularly mentioned. So it's certainly led to a lot of wild speculation about what's really going on. Though eventually Karma did recieve a response from Hank, asking her where she wanted to meet.
Dr. McCoy is punctual as always... though at first unless Karma's got her psychic feelers out it might looked like a cloaked hobo approaching the property for a hand out. Either that or there's a Jedi Knight or Master convention in town. Though observant folks will note that the blue-furred feet with claws are unlikely to be some strange fuzzy slippers. Same with the hand that slips from the one sleeve to flip back the hood. "Greetings...Ms. Manh." The voice is certainly familiar, even if the face isn't one that's memorable. Except for maybe the eyes.
Shan /swears/ she can feel Hank nearby, but it isn't until she hears his voice coming from inside that cloak that she even thinks to check there for him. She blinks in surprise. "Henry?" she asks curiously, clearly confused as she looks him over. Well. What little of him she can see, anyway. "Is that you in there?"
"You know very well that I prefer Hank." Beast offers with a light warm smile, his preference for the more casual nom de guerre confirming his identity. "You're welcome to card me, but I'm afraid it's not a very good picture." His time in the Congo at least has given him something of a fresh and healthier perspective on things. Even if a lot of his pain is protected with layers of humor.
"I think we can skip the carding," Shan replies with a laugh. Hank may look /vastly/ different, and he may be all but engulfed in that cloak, but she offers him a hug all the same. "I'm not even going to ask. It's good to see you, Hank. Thanks for coming all the way out here."
Beast accepts the hug with a soft rumble, returning it in kind. "But it's such a fascinating story. But you can probably just read 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' and get the gist. Hubris and all that." Hank looks over the current state of the grounds, before refocusing on Karma. "It's good to see you as well. And it was no bother, I've found that one doesn't deny someone of your abilities a requested visit. Or you wind up waking up doing the naked Macarana in a biker bar."
Snickering, Shan steps back and passes one of the hardhats to Hank, if 'lightly whumping him in the chest with it' counts as a pass. It's affectionate. "I like you far too much to ever do that to you. Besides, the reprisal would be nightmarish. Not even worth it." With an impish smile, she pulls her own hardhat on and gestures into the site. "It isn't much yet, but you want to have a look at what's in the works and pick my brain about the whole mess..."
"Oof!" Hank offers, rather exaggerated to the hardhat to the chest. "And of course, you're going to make me mess up my hairdo. Next I'll be breaking a nail." Hank hold out a hand infront of him after donning his hardhat, like a woman in a horrible movie checking their nails. Which in his case of course, are now large claws. "I don't know... depends on the bar. I could end up with a lovely date for the evening." Hnak jokes, as he follows Karma onto the site. "Hmmmm...." Hank rumbles as he looks around. "Will there be.... 'Underground Facilities'.?" Wink wink, nudge nudge... know what I mean. After all, he's assuming there's more than meets the eye to this building project.
That's one of the perks to largely growing up at Xavier's. The claws do surprise Shan, but it's mostly because it's /Hank/, and she's used to him being... well. Less fuzzy. She's taking it all remarkably in stride.
"Not quite like we're used to," Shan replies with a grin, leading the way inside. For the moment, she skirts /around/ the building itself to head around back, to where the quad is being laid down. Lots of grass, lots of trees, winding walking paths, and another building on the far side. "Tony Stark is helping build the place, so I'm sure he'll be putting /something/ in here. I know we have designs on workspaces for any mechanically-inclined students, so maybe some garages or something... but not like home, I don't think."
"Stark..." Henry echos Shan, a slightly guilty look and likely feel crosses Hank's features and mind. "I guess if he's going to be involved in this little project I may have to come clean about my little secret. That's really not so secret anymore." Once on the grounds, Hank does ditch the cloak... tossing it over one arm. Which gives Shan a better look at Hank and his attire. "And what of this.... Emma Frost?" Clearly at least Hank did some nosing around in regard to the location and it's owner before arriving. "What's her angle in all this? Any ulterior motives?"
"None that I've been able to suss out, or I wouldn't be here. I think she's just tired of all... this," Shan replies, gesturing between herself and Hank with a helpless expression. She is doing a good job of not staring, at least. He /has/ changed. "The need for secrecy. People treating who they are like a horrible, taboo thing, whether they're mutants or metahumans or too damned smart for their own good, or... just different. To be honest, I'm kind of tired of it all, too."
Beast offers a few soft thoughful rumbles as he inspects the grounds. "Maybe I should consider enrolling as a student. I'm not exactly passing with flying grades in the a lot of those areas." In fact, Karma may well remember it was rare to ever see Hank's feet... even when he was amongst friends. He's certainly still carrying a lot of heavy weight about accepting who he was and now is. Though his outlook is certainly much cheerier. "In other words, if I didn't know better... you sound like you're talking about me."
"I think this place could be good for the both of us. We could stand to think a bit more highly of ourselves," Shan admits, reaching back to give Hank's shoulder a warm pat. "I don't want to take you from Xavier's if you're happy there. I just know from talking to Sam that things out there have been a bit... heavy, lately." Yes. Heavy. Thank you, Marty McFly.
"Is there something wrong with Gravity at Xavier's?" Beast querstions, offering Shan a wink to suggest that great minds do indeed think alike. "Well, that's certainly something of a rub." Hank rubs the back of his head, as he ponders. "I admit finding myself was also about finding my place in this world. I think there I would fall into bad habits. Either due to being surrounded by memories of what and who I used to be, or due to some percieved guilt or blame others might feel for not stopping me from making my own mistakes. I admit... there's also the truth my new form brings. I can't hide what I am with a pair of oversized shoes. I need a place I can not be tempted to lurk in the lower levels like some Phantom."
"And you should not be offering singing lessons to anybody," Shan teases, smiling mischeviously at Hank. Her expression does soften a bit when she continues. "That's why I haven't gone back. It's... when I was there, I was a kid. And I'm not anymore. But going back there, I'd never really be able to feel like I was a grown-up, even if everyone treated me like one. Does that make sense?"
Beast puts a large furry hand on Shan's shoulder, nodding softly to her words. "I understand how you feel. It's the perceptions of who we used to be. I'm the hypocrite who battled for mutant rights and acceptance, and then hid what he was from everyone. Even tried to change what he was, because he didn't want to feel like a freak. I have a lot to learn and a lot of work ahead of me." Hank laughs, catching his reflection for a moment which gives him pause. "I got what I deserved. I suppose karma really is a bitch." Hank ducks away from Shan with a wide fanged and playful grin.
The quip just earns him a barked laugh and a sympathetic smile. "She certainly can be," Shan agrees, reaching up to pat his hand. "I've had my own dose recently. It isn't fun, is it?" To put it mildly. She has to, or she'll start thinking about it too much, and down that road lies madness. Or at least bad moods. "At least blue suits you?" she offers lamely, spreading her hands.
"I rather doubt that yours was deserved. But no, I'll agree with you it's anything but fun." Hank gives Karma's shoulder another loving squeeze, as he continues to look around the grounds. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Ms. Shan. But I agree... it's rather fetching. Though I will admit that wearing clothes drives me mad now. I don't think my solution in the congo will really work in New York." Hank notes, rubbing his chin lightly as he thinks. "Anyway, I'm sure you don't need that mental image rolling around in your head."
"Luckily, I have very good control over my imagination," Shan muses. "I'll have to get you and Emma introduced. I think you'll get along famously, and between the two of you, I'm sure you can figure out a way to help that electrokinetic girl I mentioned in my email. Emma's gotten her a safe place to stay until this place is ready for her, at least."
"Thanks Shan." Hank rubs his furry chin, as he considers meeting the mysterious Emma Frost. "You may want to warn her in advance as to my appearance. I know it can be somewhat shocking for some people. Try waking up in the morning to it." Hank waggles his fuzzy brows just a little bit. "Ahhh yes, the electrokinetic. I've been doing some ponderings along those lines. I'm sure that we can help her. And speaking of a safe place to stay... I don't suppose you've made accomidations for me anywhere? I'm not sure I want to stay at Xavier's tonight. And well, most hotels don't tend to accept pets." Hank flashes Shan a wide fang-filled grin.
"You can come crash at my apartment, if you don't mind a pullout couch and seeing the twins," Shan offers, smiling broadly. If she knows her siblings -- and she does -- their response to Hank's new look will be nothing short of /resoundingly positive/. "I'll warn her. If nothing else, it should be a good chance for both of us to see if she can back up the talk, right?" She has a lot of faith in Emma, but so far, the people they've been dealing with can all more or less pass for human.
"I don't want to put you out." Hank quickly replies, though is well aware it's no trouble. It's just the polite thing to say. "And please... when have I ever minded seeing the twins? How old are they now anyway... I swear time flies." Hank laughs happily, he's always loved kids. They're just so accepting of the strange. Plus there's no secret that Hank's secretly a big kid at heart. Not having what many would consider a normal childhood due to his intellect. "Plus I insist on buying dinner tonight. As long as it's incredibly american and unhealthy for you."
"Does chinese takeout count as incredibly american and unhealthy?" Shan asks, and it is an honest question. What passes for chinese food in the states is definitely /not/ what they eat in China. "Because if so, you are on." With a cheerful smile, she turns back towards the street and offers the much larger, much more male mutant her arm. "They're fourteen now. It's a little insane. I try not to think about it too much."
"I was thinking Pizza... but Chinese takeout has been so bastardized to cater to american palettes, that it's pretty much American anyway." Again, great minds think alike. "As long as we're okay with Orange Chicken, Mongolian beef, and Crab Cheese fof starters... I'm golden." Hank puts his cloak back on and then takes Shan's arm. "Awww, fourteen. Well... I guess that spares me the usual Tea Parties and bows in my fur." At least for the time being.
"Nga's learning how to braid, so you won't be escaping unscathed," Shan assures Hank, still smiling as she starts walking arm-in-arm with him back towards the street. "It'll be fun. I promise."
"Well, I already have a couple of those in my hair." Hank notes with a warm grin, as he strolls with Shan. And he just can't help but whistle a little riff of 'The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz' as they do. "Heh. Isn't that what we call... 'Famous Last Words'?"
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