Simon Williams/Wonder Man (wonder_wall) wrote in marvel_legends,
@ 2011-04-24 22:11:00

Entry tags:

I feel like I can't miss...(Open)
"So, let me get this straight...the WWE Universe wants me to come and guest-host one of their shows? " he asks into his cellphone, as he sits at an outdoor San Francisco cafe, waiting for an old friend.

"Yes, Simon. They've even got theme music picked out for you. You'd be meeting up with your buddy, Dwayne Johnson. I hear he's back in the swing of things over there." his agent, Stu, says.

"Stu, you gotta give me some time to think this over. Not sure how I feel about this one." Simon says.

"Hey, Simon...let me ask you: Are you goin' back into the hero business? Lots of people are askin' these days, now that all that mess is cleaned up and everything is kinda-sorta back to normal. The pictures of you and Miss Marvel havin' dinner are out there. What do I tell the reporters when they ask?" Stu queries.

"No comment. Later, Stu." Simon says, a bit annoyed now.

He sat and drank his mocha, the mocha that he didn't really need to drink, and watched the people pass-by.

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starsandgarters
2011-04-27 12:31 am UTC (link)

It had been, in Hank's opinion, entirely too long since he had seen Simon. All the various X-crises, not to mention the months he'd spent working practically around the clock to try and jumpstart the mutant gene, had taken its toll on his relationships. So when he'd heard Simon was in town, he'd jumped at the chance.

He walked up to the cafe and broke into a fuzzy grin. "'cuse me, Mister Williams? Can I have your autograph? Not for me, I mean, it's for my sister, she's your biggest fan..."

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wonder_wall
2011-04-27 12:38 am UTC (link)

Simon, at the moment, does not give a damn who sees him stand up and hug the big blue mutant in front of him. He hadn't seen Hank in ages; he knew his friend was in the middle of a crisis of epic proportions, with everything that had been happening to mutants.

All because of Wanda...

Simon didn't like thinking about that.

He lets Hank go and smiles at him, his shades still firmly in place. He knew the red eye thing didn't bother Hank (apparently he had another buddy with a similar affliction), but others got a little weird about it and Simon didn't need the drama.

"You have a sister and I didn't meet her, Hank? I'm hurt. Really, really hurt." Simon grins.

"How have you been? How are things going out at Utopia?" he asks.

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starsandgarters
2011-04-27 01:12 am UTC (link)

Hank happily returns the hug, letting his thought, just for a moment, drift back to his time with the Avengers. They had been happier times, in some ways. No overwhelming mutant crisis, a reasonably adoring public, and no question that they were doing the right thing. Simon, Wanda and Vizh, Carol, Steve...

"I'm still here, Simon," he said. "We're making it. Getting most of our supplies sorted out again after the fiasco with Bastion..."

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wonder_wall
2011-04-27 01:35 am UTC (link)

"Yeah, I heard about that crap. I can't believe the government let that psycho /do/ that." Simon says with disgust.

"I've seen Utopia from the shore, but I wasn't sure what the policy on non-mutants visiting there. Hey, I donate to companies that airlift food and medical supplies to other countries. I might be able to talk some of them into helping you out, if you want." he suggests.

"Can I get you anything? You look like you could use some coffee." he says.

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	starsandgarters 2011-04-27 09:01 pm UTC (link)
	"We're being... rather cautious at the moment, I confess," Hank replied, "but you'd be more than welcome, Simon. As would any aid that can be rendered. Scott and Emma are working on their own sources, of course, but I am uncertain of their progress." He nods. "A latte would be delightful. I'm afraid I haven't been sleeping much." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wonder_wall 2011-04-28 01:49 pm UTC (link)
	Simon flags down a barista and orders Hank's favorite latte. One gets to know these things after bring friends with a man so long. "Look, I'm not trying to pry, Hank, but...it sounds like you're saying less than you want to. I've never known you to /not/ speak your mind. If you need to talk, I've got an ear. Two, even." he grins. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

starsandgarters
2011-04-28 10:02 pm UTC (link)

Hank almost smiles for a moment, then took a breath, shaking his head.

"It's... not been a good time, Simon," he says at last. "Ever since M-Day... I feel like my life, like everything I know, has been sliding out of control. The mutant population is dying...

And I'm not even sure if I know some of my best friends anymore. Jean's gone, Scott and Warren have been keeping secrets and engaging in all kinds of ghastly things...

We've sealed ourselves away on an island, becoming a nation separate and unto ourselves. Absolutely contrary to our mission and dream.

And now, we've invited Magneto and Exodus to live among us."

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wonder_wall
2011-04-28 11:43 pm UTC (link)

Simon listens, saying nothing until Hank is finished. The bomb about Magneto is /huge/ and Simon is currently glad that he's not a member of the Avengers right now, because he /might/ be obligated to divulge this information to Steve.

But he knows pretty well what it's like to not know who your friends are anymore.

"Some days, I wonder if the old days really happened, you know? Or did I make them up in my head. A lot of things are screwed up in the world, Hank, and as much as I /want/ to say we kept them from getting worse...when I look at what's happened to mutants and the whole Civil War bit, I don't know if I can say how much of a difference we made to anyone." Simon tells him.

"Of course, I made the mistake of saying this on national TV. Clint Barton apparently hates my guts out loud." Simon says.

"You know what your problem has always been, Hank? It's the same problem I see guys like Tony, Hank Pym and Reed Richards suffer from. The same problem that every one who can do something better than most people suffers from: A problem comes up and you /have/ to be the one to solve it. You use any number of reasons to justify why it has to be /you/ to do it and then you slowly but sure cut your life apart until it becomes the /only/ think you can think of.

And when you /can't/ fix it, for any number reasons, all of which are completely valid...you start doubting yourself and all the other good you've ever done. Suddenly, curing a virus that nearly wiped out your people doesn't even track compared to figuring how to restore the powers of the entire mutant population. Every life you've saved, every thing you've learned loses meaning against whatever you've decided you have to fix /today/.

And it bugs me, because all of you tend to do it /alone/, no matter how much anyone offers to help you." Simon says, taking a sip of his drink.

"I swear to god, you tell /anyone/ that Simon Williams just got deep and I'll have you dyed pink." he grins.

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starsandgarters
2011-04-29 12:29 am UTC (link)

Hank simply stared at Simon for a moment, then made a great show of taking off his glasses and cleaning them. He eventually replaces them on his nose.

"If it wasn't for the fact that I am reasonably certain there are no more Skrulls on the planet, I would be calling into question your identity," he began, before beginning to grin, "because the Simon Williams I remember certainly did not make that much sense."

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	wonder_wall 2011-04-29 12:41 am UTC (link)
	"Even a stopped watch is right twice a day, right?" Simon asks with a lopsided grin. "Really, though, Hank...you can't shoulder this whole thing yourself. I know you want to help mutants. No one's ever gonna call that into question...but if you kill yourself doing it, it doesn't balance out." he tells him. "Have you even asked for help regarding this?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

starsandgarters
2011-04-29 01:27 am UTC (link)

"I've consulted with some truly fantastic minds," Hank said. "Though after the Civil War... I had difficulty with the idea of approaching Henry Pym or Reed. Beyond that, we've our own scientists working on the problem...

But to no avail."

He didn't mention that he'd very nearly dealt with the devil several times over, including his own dark duplicate. How much the hypocrite was he?

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	wonder_wall 2011-04-29 02:24 am UTC (link)
	"If anyone is going to crack this, Hank, it's going to be you. You never give up, even when it's probably a good idea." Simon laughs. "Well, I'm not super-genius, but I'll help however I'm able." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	starsandgarters 2011-04-30 01:51 am UTC (link)
	"I have been known to have my stubborn side, every now and then," Hank agrees. "Thank-you, Simon. I truly appreciate that." He grins. "And what of you of late, beyond embarrassing yourself on national television? I seem to remember hearing rumors of you and Carol...?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wonder_wall 2011-04-30 02:39 am UTC (link)
	"Carol and I had dinner recently. As friends. I'm pretty sure that ship sailed a long time ago, Hank. She's never been a big fan of the spotlight and she's an Avenger. I've sworn off heroics, so that makes us incompatible." he says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	starsandgarters 2011-04-30 03:33 am UTC (link)
	"More's the pity," Hank replied. "You two would have made a most spectacular couple." He nods. "And what do you intend to do with yourself, now that you're no longer saving the world?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wonder_wall 2011-04-30 04:26 am UTC (link)
	"Well, I'm trying to have a /real/ life and career. The WWE wants me to guest host one of their shows. I've got a couple of movies coming out soon and I'm in talks to appear on Secret Hospital for a few weeks as a recurring bad guy." Simon says. "All in all, I'm just trying to Simon Williams, rather than Wonder Man." he says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	starsandgarters 2011-04-30 09:11 pm UTC (link)
	Hank's face split into an amused grin. "Secret Hospital? Cecelia simply loves that show. Or rather, she loves to watch and complain about all the things that they're doing wrong. She usually starts swearing in Spanish." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wonder_wall 2011-05-01 12:48 am UTC (link)
	"You and Cecelia are still doing okay? I remember you mentioning her when you two first started out, but...I'm really happy for you, Hank." Simon says with a smile. "So, you two in for the long-haul about now? When do I get my wedding invitation?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	starsandgarters 2011-05-01 06:24 pm UTC (link)
	"Sadly no," Hank said. "Not long after she left the X-Men, Cecelia all but disappeared. We never were able to find out what happened to her. And she refuses to discuss it." "We remain good friends, of course, though I am uncertain whether the spark is still there. My relationship with Abigail fared little better." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wonder_wall 2011-05-02 12:34 am UTC (link)
	"I'm sorry, Hank. Looks like we're both having issues in that department. I guess it comes with being to two high-flying hero types. Or former hero types, in my case." Simon says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	starsandgarters 2011-05-02 11:04 pm UTC (link)
	Hank managed a smallish smile. "Heroic, yes, for certain. Hero, I don't know. I can't remember the last time I dealt with an honest-to-goodness super-villain. They seem in far too short a supply these days." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

wonder_wall
2011-05-03 03:42 am UTC (link)

"Hank, you want /more/ super-villains? We got in the business to put those guys out of business, man! Hell, we just had one practically running the country!" Simon exclaims.

"Then again, I have to say, I'd rather fight Paste Pot Pete or Stilt-Man than some of the new breed of baddies out there. Did you know there's some joker out there that calls himself the Taskmaster? On purpose?" Simon asks.

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	starsandgarters 2011-05-03 10:02 pm UTC (link)
	"I've heard of him, though I've never had the displeasure of having to face him," Hank replies. He sighs. "I suppose I am simply thinking of simpler times. It was so much easier to know who was right when the villains said things like "This time, I will destroy you, X-Men! Ha ha ha!'" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wonder_wall 2011-05-04 12:50 am UTC (link)
	"Wow. You actually fought people that said stuff like that? Lucky dog." Simon says. He pauses. "I heard what you said about Magneto earlier. I'm not going to say anything, since I don't legally /have/ to...but you realize what that's going to stir up, don't you, Hank?" he asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	starsandgarters 2011-05-04 09:56 pm UTC (link)
	"I appreciate your discretion, Simon, thank-you," Hank replies. "And I do. Something I tried to point out to Scott. But he would prefer to deal with that situation when it arises." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wonder_wall 2011-05-04 11:47 pm UTC (link)
	"Can't say I'd play it that way, but everyone does it differently." Simon says. "What does everyone else out there think of it? Surely he's got to be listening to /someone/ out there." he says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

starsandgarters
2011-05-05 12:16 am UTC (link)

"It varies. Logan, certainly, trusts them no further than he can throw them. Rogue appears to be cautious... though she is not without her own issues, where Magneto is concerned. And Emma appears to be trusting Scott's judgment in this."

He frowns. "Make no mistake. I would lay down my life for Scott, gladly, no matter what choices he has made. But he carries tremendous weight upon his shoulders these days, far more than ever before. He holds the fate of our race practically in his hands. Scott has never been good about sharing his burdens. Not even when we were teenagers."

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	wonder_wall 2011-05-05 12:27 am UTC (link)
	"Hmm...not good about sharing burdens...who does /that/ sound like?" Simon asks with a wry grin, but sobers a bit immediately. "Seriously, though, that's a big weight to carry. A lot people buckle under that kind of strain if you don't watch them." he says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	starsandgarters 2011-05-05 05:52 pm UTC (link)
	"I'm well aware," Hank said. "And I'm afraid I've not always handled his choice of methods particularly well. We've had words more than once of late." He sighed. "But he is my friend. And what are friends for, if not to catch you when you fall?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

wonder_wall
2011-05-07 03:09 am UTC (link)

"Um, to pay the tab when you forget your wallet?" Simon asks jokingly.

"Really though, Hank...the world has changed, as much as we don't want to believe it. We used to always know who the bad guys were and who our friends were.

After this whole Civil War and watching people we thought we knew do things we thought they'd never do...we're all back to figuring things out. A lot of trusts are never going to heal and a lot of things we swore we'd never do have become acceptable ways of doing business.

I guess it comes down to how much you're willing to make waves at the end of the day." Simon says, speaking from experience.

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	starsandgarters 2011-05-08 10:32 pm UTC (link)
	Hank nodded thoughtfully. "As much as necessary, I suppose. I don't wish to be the voice that says, "I told you so," but nor do I wish to remain silent. So it seems, I watch and wait and find my limits." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	wonder_wall 2011-05-15 12:15 am UTC (link)
	"That's really all any of us can do, old buddy. I hope that things work out for you guys out there. I'll do what I can to help out, too. You sure you'll be okay?" Simon asks. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	starsandgarters 2011-05-16 12:46 am UTC (link)
	Hank nods. "I believe I shall be, Simon," he says, after a moment. "But it is nice to know I still have friends upon whom I may depend." (Reply to this)(Parent)

	wonder_wall 2011-05-29 01:59 pm UTC (link)
	-(END)- (Reply to this)

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