1644/A Doomnstration for Richards

A Doomnstration for Richards
Date of Scene:	12 May 2020
Location:	Saint Patrick's Cathedral
Synopsis:	Doom meets Richards and delivers a warning. Clea delivers a greeting!
Cast of Characters:	Reed Richards, Victor Von Doom, Clea

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Reed Richards has posed:
Teusday Afternoon and Reed Richards is in church. He has taken the afternoon to drop off some chartiable donations, and is currently sitting quietly and alone in one of the front pews contemplating things for a moment.

Victor Von Doom has posed:
While Victor has not been known to taking tours of New York, however he hasn't been escorting a Queen of the Dark Dimension around that much either. But things change, as always.

Of course, being Doom, he can't just wander around in full regalia, as that would attract for too much attention. Instead, he uses an image inducer, cloaking his mask and armor in... well, his actual visage. Or rather, the visage he had back at the university, before everything changed.

Which is definitely a sight that one person would recognize here, at least... not that Victor would expect anyone to actually place him, of course.

Clea has posed:
Sacredness defines a location not by presence of holy symbols or clergy, but by light and profound spaces. So say certain philosophers, though their viewpoints remain very much in dispute by conservative minds. Still, St. Patrick's boasts something of the divine where shafts of sunshine burst through the great stained glass windows and paint the floor in liquid gemstone brightness. Clea halts in her progress to stare upward at the rose window. Shadows flee from her, leaving the passages of dotted colour shattered into elongated rainbow shards sing to the newcomer. The cathedral wraps around her with particolored woad-blue and violet hair, her face slashed golden, her flowing skirts a cacophony of aquamarine and emerald imposed by sanctified martyrs and blessed saints from on high.

Held breathless, rapt, she turns her face into the sublime brilliance. Doom is a tall man, but she is equal his height and, on tiptoe as though stretching herself to meet the sun like a flower, that might teeny more. "Oh, it's sublime. The shades are mesmerizing." Her arm winds around Victor's, tethering her into place. "A gift to the craftsmanship is alien to me, the way they paint motion and feeling into something still. Thank you -- this is a gift." Words bestowed softly, but clearly. It might be that she hasn't identified Reed yet; he is a parishioner washed over by those intent violet eyes turned the most curious heterochromatic shades in the David Bowie-esque 'paint' on her face slashed by the stained glass. She turns her head and the hues alter.

Reed Richards has posed:
Reed Richards rises, preapring to depart, he is in normal civilian clothes, not his trademark blue jump suit, but the famous profile and greying hair is still present, though he may be aging at least his particular abilities mean the one thing he does not have to worry about is wrinkles. He pauses as he approaches the tour group to nod slowly at the gentleman escorting Miss Clea. "Good afternoon Victor, you know its cheating to use the holographic technology just to make yourself look 40 years younger."

Victor Von Doom has posed:
Victor hmphs a bit, "I'll have you know, Reed, that science is not the answer to everything. Nor is this a counterfeit appearance, as my lovely companion can attest." He smiles, a bit too graciously, a bit too politely, as he gestures to the woman next to him, "Clea, my dear, this is Reed Richards."

A pause, as he looks cautiously at Reed, "A bit... unusual for you to be visiting the trappings of religion. I had not thought you would be prone to such things in the pursuit of science above all else." One eyebrow arches, just a bit, as he regards Reed. "In any event, Reed, this is Clea, Queen of the Dark Dimension." He doesn't exactly say who she is in relation to him, but then, with their proximity... he probably doesn't need to.

Clea has posed:
Cheating might be one way to put the prospect of aging. Clea's flesh wouldn't know what a wrinkle was without forcing it through an expression. But this only becomes apparent with the grace of a smile haunting her lips, the force of a bonfire held in check. Her hand rises, fingers curling among the motes of dust suspended in that broad sunbeam piercing the wheel of saints and baroque flowers. Starry motes dance off her fingertips, caught up in that delicate play. She shifts her gaze to Reed. The vibrance in her smile gently ratchets up. "Delighted," she replies. Hers is an accent absolutely strange to the ear, the lyrics of a difficult song to grasp. Something of the Orient, a large chunk of British English, and the underlying musicality that doesn't belong to either. "I have heard a great deal of your accomplishments. How would you prefer I address you?"

Whatever she claims sovereignty over is, apparently, one of those places that unwisely bestows power on rather young people. Not teenagers, but young. "It is hard enough to keep up with the fashions and not be accused of pilfering someone's touchstones or claiming affiliations. Quite an art in and of itself," she replies to Victor, tilting her head his way and giving a little shake. "Still, please, just call me Clea if you would. The rest is unnecessary unless we are sitting at a rather long dinner with questionable companions at our sides." That's absolutely a joke, mirthful and soft as the dawn.

Reed Richards has posed:
Reed Richards bows toward Victor's companion, "I am pleased to meet you Your Majesty, " He looks up at the other man before answering, "Dr. Richards is how most choose to address me." He takes a long sigh before speaking again, "Science can explain everything, yes, but that does not mean that places such as these serve no purpose, they provide some solace to people, and do good works in feeding the hungry and clothing the needy. I would hardly seek to abolish them just because they do not fit my definition of rationality." He grins a little, "I even enjoy supporting thier good works, when I can."

Victor Von Doom has posed:
Victor nods slightly, "Indeed. But science does not explain //everything//." He chuckles faintly, "Though you are correct, of course, that there are those that do need assistance, and it is always the proper action to aid them as best as one can, when possible." A rather altruistic line, but perhaps not too surprising considering his recent actions regarding Genosha.

"Though, I must admit some surprise that you were not in attendance at the recent re-opening of the Latverian Embassy. Valeria and Susan were both there, of course. And Valeria even brought her..." His face makes a bit of a wrinkle, then, as he sounds more than a touch disdainful, "Boyfriend, there." A quiet sigh escapes the monarch then, as he looks about ready to monologue but refrains only due to the beauty standing at his side. "I feel that she could do far better than /that/."

Clea has posed:
"Sanctuary for thought and ideas, too." The appellation of the title earns the slightest narrowing of her eyes, a defensive flinch that ends up broken in twain by conscious thought catching up with subtle reflex. Clea's smile never falters, though she leans slightly in Victor's direction. "Institutions can provide a great many values to the community. Doctor Richards, you are quite correct in that fact. An elaborate web binds us as members in that society, and those ties are strengthened when we contribute our abilities to shore up the fraying strands. Witnessing so many efforts to improve the lot of the destitute or subjects of war and natural disasters is heartening."

Moving out of the jeweled sunbeams reveals her fairness in all its advantages. Her smile doesn't falter on the topic of Valeria or Sue; mention of the boyfriend causes it to fade a little. "I've heard such to provoke concern, to be sure."

Reed Richards has posed:
Reed Richards raises an eyebrow, "I might have some concerns on his age, he is old enough to be your grandfather after all Victor, And he is a bit ...unique in his history but so many people are, is there something in /particular/ that you object to, knowing the great strength of your own moral character I will take your opinions with all due consideration." He nods slowly. He then looks at the younger woman "And you your, " He pauses and nods, "Mistress Clea you also have had dealings with this man?"

Victor Von Doom has posed:
Victor arches a brow, but looks at Reed with a stern expression, "I am aware of quite a bit about him. And while I do trust my god-daughter's judgment, there is something that I find... uneasy about her relationship with this man."

"I would think you know, of all people Reed, that I take my responsibilities //very// seriously. Including that as a guardian of Valeria. If anything should happen to her involving him..." He trails off, but then again, does he really need to say the exact level of destruction that should ensue if anything should ever happen to Valeria?

Probably not. But it's pretty plain to see.

Clea has posed:
Clea shakes her head slightly so the pale stirring of that platinum-white hair brushes across her shoulders in undulating waves slightly out of sync with expected behaviour. It's a bit like she moves underwater. Only a fraction, but someone might notice. "I thought it meet to maintain a distance for a principled opinion, less impacted by a father's love for his child and concern for her independence. Hearsay may be hard to credit alone, but the chorus murmurs about a single line, I pay it some heed. Your differences may leave Victor's motives in question. Still, I can attest to hiá¹£ concern with the moral grounding of my station. He would burn if he lied. I have observed the care and concern he has for Miss Richards. He would not raise them to you without justified concern for her wellbeing. Her happiness."

A slight shake of her head pushes her hair away. Light clings to her in subtle ways, folded around her like a very indistinct halo of those gold-rimmed saints of yore. "These aren't idle speculations, Doctor Richards. Age is no bar for a successful relationship when partners show warmth, care, and respect. Ask if the gentleman holds the respect of his peers or treats them with the same consideration, seek their insights. How he conducts himself in front of his paramour's father is a great deal different than anyone else. Doubly so, given who you are."

Reed Richards has posed:
Reed Richards nods slowly, "Despite your indignation, Victor, you still have no expressed /what/ you feel is wrong with him." He frowns a little at Clea's words, "Your saying he is less then honest with me? I am more then willing to be skeptical then and look into his other interactions"

Victor Von Doom has posed:
Victor looks coldly at Reed then, "I am saying that he's far less than honest with you, and most likely with Valeria as well. At least, I doubt she would be inclined to tolerate certain... aspects, of his behavior." He nods slightly towards Clea, and... well, he //is// trying.

Of course, Ben and Johnny would likely say he's //very// trying, but the point remains, he's trying to reign in that aspect of himself. At least for now, as he continues, "If I had proof, I would not bother talking to you about this, but... well, suffice to say that the man's character is questionable, at best, and I do know that despite her genius, my goddaughter is still a teenage girl, with all that implies."

Clea has posed:
Doom is trying in the attempting way, as opposed to trying on one's opinions, at least in a certain light. Clea gently leans into Victor, though such might be outside notice. Only the toes of her smart leather boots touch the ground. "Doctor Richards, your reputation precedes you in the scientific community. Anyone in an adjacent field would be loathe to do other than earn your respect. Double that, for dating your younger child. I would leaven the impression he seeks to make on you with the input of others around him, for they can give you a better sense of his character. I know we are barely introduced, and laying down credentials in front of you would be a meaningless exercise." She demurs away from the obvious and that soft tone, her spreading hands, reckon on a fact that hopefully reads as genuine. No false pride there, for she lays bare the truth of it. "Between old rivals and associates, you have cause for suspicion. To wonder what motivations surely apply, and I wish that I could establish better evidence for you that gave you certainty in one direction or the other."

Clea has posed:
Clea adds, very softly, "He reminds me a little too much of Umar." An addition, but an unhappy one.

Reed Richards has posed:
Reed Richards nods slowly, "Well then I will endeavor to look into this a little deeper, speak with a few associates, and find out what I can, and see where that leaves us." He sighs, "Far be it from me to jump to any conclusions, either way, without extensive scientific observation and testing after all"

Victor Von Doom has posed:
Victor nods, "Very well, that is all that I..." He coughs a bit, "All that I ask you to do, Reed. But, for now, we should take our leave, as even the sovereign ruler of Latveria was barely able to secure tickets for Hamilton."

Wait, was that a joke?

Wait, is he... on a DATE?

Victor smiles slightly at Reed, "Do give my best too Valeria and Susan, of course. I bid you... farewell, Reed." With that, he nods towards Clea, motioning towards the exit of the church.