5592/Astral Flux: Party with Strange

Astral Flux: Party with Strange
Date of Scene:	18 October 2018
Location:	Avengers Mansion, New York City
Synopsis:	Plans are made to go clean up the missing mansion of monsters and explosions.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Hulk, Scarlet Witch, Hawkeye (Barton)
Tinyplot:	Astral Flux

---

Iron Man has posed:
    A small group was invited to the site of the Avengers Mansion, to review and potentially open a way to draw the lost mansion back to where it was before. Tony is present on the site: he's been there about an hour, and has a crew of robots with him, and a small tower of mobile devices he's working with. A crowd is gathered by the fence, mostly because there's an Iron Man armor present, standing to one side beyond Tony's equipment tower. Just in case.

    Because there might be something happening today. Some of it depends on the extensive readouts Tony's now dealing with, poking across a portable holographic screen terminal, pushing his sunglasses up his nose slowly and eating some French fries out of a container held by a robot to his left.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    "Tony, now is not the time to be playing Jenga with cell phones." The Sorcerer Supreme says jokingly as he walks up behind the genius roboticist and programmer. The wizard is wearing his cloak and monk gi as he approaches across the cleaned up disaster area, "What is it you messaged me about? I didn't read the full email because I'm a very busy man mister Stark."

Hulk has posed:
    Bruce has been mostly out of sight for a while now. Except for consulting with Tony on handling the mansion incident, he's been out of the public eye. Today though, he's back in full lab coat, white shirt and jeans, and his glasses are on as he types into a laptop on a fold-out table near the rest of the technology. The cabling running from the laptop suggests he's busy with something there.

When Doctor Strange walks into sight though, Bruce gives a look in the wizards direction, "it isn't obvious? We're trying to get the mansion back without tearing a hole in reality." Bruce states... as if it's the most casual thing in the world.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda, for her part, is pondering the hole left behind by the mansion. Whatever it is that Tony is doing doesnt really interest or concern her other than it has to do with the missing mansion, and something something technology? It's not really her bag.

"It is a very big hole," she observes to no one in particular. "You would never think a house would leave such a hole behind. They always look so very big when you see them, but only on top. I never did think about the hole."

Of course the mansion had your better than average basement going on for it.

The arrival of Strange is noted on in that Wanda presumes that the gang is all here and business is about to happen. "Wait, there was an email?"

Iron Man has posed:
    "Didn't expect you to visit, but welcome," Tony comments. "I wasn't prepared to be a good host. Missing the mansion and all. And the employees to do it for me. French fry?" he offers openly, gesturing to the robot. The robot cheerfully approaches Dr. Strange and extends the French fries on a robotic arm hopefully. "Breeeep?" The robot asks.

    "That email was just was letting you know I'm - I mean, we're-- opening up a little test gate here to start collecting a bit more data on where the house is, if it's covered in nightmares: after all, all this can be running, automated, while we're saving the world elsewhere," Tony comments, his attention almost completely in what he's doing.

    "Wanda, don't worry, I have experience in filling holes of various sizes. It'll be fine," Tony assures her, smirking, and flicks a smile aside to Bruce. "I mean, the mansion wasn't still exploding. Was it?" Tony asks, as if that were a minor thing.

Doctor Strange has posed:
Doctor Strange says, "Maybe I only got one because I'm not an avenger." Stephen responds with a working theory that he doesn't seem too concerned about. The wizard walks over towards Bruce and gives him a polite nod and then takes a step back to allow the scientists to work on their thing. "You do know that's exactly what you're going to have to do, the trouble will be keeping it localized--" Stephen stops and lowers his chin and eyebrows as he thinks this over.

    With a lift of his index finger, all the while while Stark speak and Strange finds his worries solved, "Oh. Okay. I was starting to worry to the high hosts of Horrothgar that you weren't actually bringing the mansion back at this very moment." The wizard says with a sigh of relief. Stephen says ignoring the wild innuendo Stark layed out there.
"

Hulk has posed:
    "There as a vaguely exploding looking thing stuck in time in my hideout in the basement during my time there. We're hoping to contain it with the time stasis inherent to the continuum of that aspect of reality until we can get it into a blast chamber. From there, we can assess damage." Bruce continues to talk as he types, before he reaches up with his right hand to adjust his glasses, and looks to Doctor Strange, "We'll get to it." Then, Wanda gets his attention, "Do you ever read your emails?"

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda's eyes widen incrementally, "Tony!" she scolds gently, a faint flush of pink smattering her cheekbones. "That was very rude. Very rude." It would seem she might come across as all the naive and innocent at times, but Wanda isn't always what she seems.

To Stephen, she notes, "I do not know if that is it. I am an Avenger" - at least she was the last time she checked - "I did not get an email." That she knows of. Wanda might have a cellphone somewhere? Maybe? If she thinks about it. Generally she worries about technology if she's forced to at the mansion. Which is missing.

Bruce gets a shrug. "I didn't know there was an email to read? I just showed up." Because that's kind of what she does.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint Barton had been scarce lately, SHIELD stuff, all very classfied, I'd tell you but then I'd have to shoot you stuff, or well, so he said, but here he is at the mansion, in his costume waving to the people at the gate as he makes his way over to the hole.

"What's that about an email?" he asks the group as he peers down into the hole. "And filling holes?"

The archer looks tired even with the mask on the accumulated blonde stubble on his cheeks adding to the whole, sleep? what's that? look he's got going on.

Iron Man has posed:
    "Yes. I am very rude. There's no Steve here to tell me off, either. Glad you're filling in, though," Tony teases Wanda back, shameless as always. "I also had another idea. If we sent, say, Wanda there, and she looked at it really severely, and made it NOT explode," Tony says, cheekily. "I mean. Let's not solve a simple puzzle in an overcomplicated way just because we CAN." He glances to Banner next to him. "I mean. Unless you're having a good time. I sort of am."

    Tony's robot, ignored by Dr. Strange, moves around to see if Clint wants any French fries, nudging at his side. "Breep?" It offers no help to the archer's questions. Just fries.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Of course Strange ignores the robot. They were taking jobs away from his former associates. Dang Robo-surgeons! But he is simply to busy looking at the situation of the mansion and Tony and Bruce showing off their prowess for construction and science. All we need here is Lex and Reed and the block would be covered in gadgets and nonsense. "I was guessing that- It doesn't matter." Strange says with a wave of his hand.

    Turning back to Wanda, "Glad to see you up and around." The wizard then looks over to Clint and smirks, "I got an email to come work for Stark. Or something like that. But I'm not sure what I need to be doing here." The wizard says with a sidelong glance towards Tony as he finishes his words to Clint.

Hulk has posed:
"I was looking for a way to deal with the explosion that didn't involve Scarlet Witch being in the middle of having it go off... but if you're willing...?" Bruce looks to Wanda in an aside, as if looking for confirmation. He stops typing meanwhile.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
The look Tony is treated to grows a little more severe in execution. "If you are going to be the mean, then I will just go away. I did think you wanted help, not to make the funnies. And I would not stare at it!" Then she smirks some. "I might make it explode."

She holds a thumb and index finger apart about an inch.

"Only a little wee explosion, though. I would not want to leave a hole you could not fill behind."

Her green eyes twinkle with mirth.

Strange, she nods to. "It is good you are here as well."

Then Bruce. "Someone needs to make certain Tony does not be all the misbehaving."

When her eyes light on Clint, though, she frowns. "You are looking like the shit. What is wrong?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Hey Strange," Clint says to the doctor before he waves 'round to the others. "And if I was going to guess, doc, I'd say you're here to wizard things, that's a verb right?"

Clint smiles.

Wanda's question, causes the smile to falter, "Long story, I may pull a few coats about it, but it sounds like there's some big mansion doings going on, best to stay on target."

He does shoot Wanda a grateful look though.

Iron Man has posed:
    "See, the thing is, I don't crash parties, even in other dimensions. I get invited," Tony points out, before passing one of the tech pads full of data to Banner for him to give his opinion on. Tony doesn't ask: it's a silent request between the scientists. "And if the mansion's covered in ultra-dimensional crap, well, asking your advice about it, Strange, or if there was anything we should know before we send an 'away team' made logical sense. And maybe Wanda here will understand the mystic side of it. Get my magicians in the same room - or back yard - together. Compare your notes. Or scrolls. Whatever you have."
    Tony pauses, winks at Wanda, "I would never put you in danger like that without good reason. I WOULD promote you to leading the mission on getting a few people together to go make the Mansion Safe Again, though, once this gate's up and running." Tony attempts to walk over to Wanda, and tap her on the shoulder as if in official promotion. "Congratulations."

Doctor Strange has posed:
    "She could go in with a team of you, she should be able to open a path back out once in the timeless dimension." Stephen says towards the team his words ending on Wanda, almost asking if she could cast a simple transportation spell. The wizard looks over at Clint and his question with his black eyebrow lifting up on his forehead as if that was enough of a response to the silly Avenger. And he leaves it at that, moving over to Bruce and Tony, "The sooner the better, I have a couple of leads- I don't have scrolls or -Okay, it's a void like dimension where there is no concept of time, time simply does not exist, but there are denizens that are rather hostile. They are not disimilar to giant mantii. And the mansion is in great disrepair not to mention the frozen explosion in the basement." Stephen explains.

Hulk has posed:
    "Most of the disrepair is from The Other Guy going on tantrums over not being able to break out of the bubble." Bruce points out as he takes the pad, and looks it over, "I'm pretty sure we can open the portal, going from this... but the problem with be dealing with the lack of a timeline. A localized field should be enough for us to clear out the space, as long as we avoid bringing the frozen explosion into it."

He taps a few keys, "the real problem will be teleportation. That will likely need your assistance so we aren't forced to install a zetaport station there." Bruce nods in the direction of Strange.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda gives Clint a concerned look, but she nods. He's right. They have a task. And she can badger him about the other later. "We will have words," she informs the archer.

Tony, Wanda does not flinch away from, though she does blink. "Me? You are all the kidding, right?" Though she knows as much about ultra and extra dimensional spaces as Strange. And it is the Avenger's mansion. At least one Avenger should be on hand to make sure no squatters ran off with bits and pieces of the place. "Fine. I will gather people who can do this thing. But it would help to know what we may be facing so that we can prepare."

And she knows if this is a hard hitting magic team, or it they're bringing tanks.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Clint snorts at the eyebrow raised in his direction and gives Wanda a nod, "Sure thing, Wanda, come find me after."

This mission though? A doozy. "So the mansion is in a dimension without time, covered in mantis men? Oh and there's an explosion in the basement that's not exploding yet? That about sum it up?" he asks.

In better circumstances he'd have grinned. "Wow, good to see things haven't changed much while I was gone."

Iron Man has posed:
    "This is a /side mission/, Clint," Tony says towards Clint, after giving Wanda a few of the trusty finger-guns. Yeah, she's handling it. Great. Tony's a great leader; delegation complete.

    "In other news, someone called a Shadow King, who possesses people, is controlling people and may have his mitts on an extremely powerful wizard jewel that has unlimited..." Tony looks over to Strange to confirm the 'unlimited' qualifier, "Unlimited power over the mind. We're also on that."

Hulk has posed:
    "And it's been wrecked by The Other Guy pretty good in the upstairs levels." Bruce adds on for Clint. Then, he's done typing, and places the pad on the table behind himself. His hands go into his coat pockets as he turns to the others, "I can go with you. I setup quite a few traps out of view to deal with the prowlers, and I wouldn't want anyone hurt."

Scarlet Witch has posed:
"I do not like creepy crawly things," Wanda says quietly. However, they won't, and shouldn't be, impossible to deal with.

"Ah," she nods to Tony. "Yes. I do know of that thing. We are helping. Me and.. I guess Stephen there, and Billy, and John, and Blood." For various portions of helping, that is. She at least knows the deal that is going down there.

"It is okay if I find others outside the Avengers who may be better suited to fighting with magics, should we need it?" Because ultimately, the Avenger mansion wasn't really topped up with magic using sorts. Heavy hitters galore. Magic? Not so much.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen gives Tony a short nod, he's on the correct path. Thank goodness Stephen didn't tell him about the other stones. That was the right call. Stephen steps up to the hole and takes a deep breath his finger itching at his side. The Shadow King is what's on his mind, nothing else matters but saving this reality.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"The Shadow King?" Clint says, skeptical. "Why isn't the world ever threatened by someone named Dave?" he gives his head a shake and pieces click together.

"Actually, I may have met one of the people this Shadow King guy was controlling, nice kid, good taste in pizza, seemed terrified of the Shadow King," he says. "And how do we get the wizard jewel, away from the Shadow King? And why does saying that make me think it's going to require a bag of dice and a two litre of Mountain Dew."

"Regardless," he says getting back on point. "It sounds serious, so, if I can help, I will."

Iron Man has posed:
    "Some new magic-flinging recruits? Sure, have at it," Tony answers Wanda. "There IS some proprietary tech in the mansion, though. Make sure none of your recruits walk off with any, is all I ask there. Although at this point it's probably covered in dimensional-bug-feces and we may not want it back... still. I don't need some of those things in there wandering around and being made into weapons, making me activate the trackers on them. I'm not doing that weapon generating anymore." Tony's casual over the whole thing, but the mansion does contain some objects that shouldn't go missing.

    "Hmmm. Bruce, you got this gate? I'm getting some attacks on my drones out in Mexico I should deal with, rather be at the tower for it. Might escalate. Everyone good? Got stuff to do?" Tony asks, tapping the side of his glasses, information panning over the left lens. Tony looks around, with a cursory splay of hand to gesture to each person one at a time: though it doesn't actually seem like he'd stop even if somebody said they weren't good.

    Tony ignores the robot that attempts to offer him fries again, meeting his Iron-Man suit part-way. There's a giant show of it unfolding, rotating pieces collapsing and then flowing in waterfall patterns, and refolding around the Avenger. In front of everyone. Of course.

Doctor Strange has posed:
    Stephen looks over his shoulder at the folks gathered and slams his fist into his open palm before pushing them out before him and a green hole forms, revealing a rather dusty sanding looking climate and without a word, the sorcerer steps into his own portal to get to work. As soon as he's on the other side, the opening in reality closes behind him.

Scarlet Witch has posed:
Wanda nods to herself, looking distracted. "I will gather those I can trust," she murmurs. Notably, she didn't say who were trustworthy. It's a fine line of distinction, but Wanda has her ways with some who might be less inclined to behave themselves for others.

Another nod, and her attention turns back to Clint, seeing as the gathering is dispersing to attend to tasks.

"You and I. We talk now. Come."