9273/Going Medieval

Going Medieval
Date of Scene:	25 December 2021
Location:	Cloisters - Metropolitan Museum of Art
Synopsis:	Karla Sofen and Exodus meet and Exodus brings the past to a simmer.
Cast of Characters:	Karla Sofen, Paris Bennet

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Karla Sofen has posed:
Oh, how she loved these exhibitions. Medieval torture equipment. Not realistic, but always something that had her approval during the holidays. Karla Sofen was just walking through some of the exhibitions in the hours before the museum closed, glancing at the equipment. Iron Maiden, the Rack, stocks, the guillotine.. All those things out of movies. That were probably not remotely used that way hsitorically, but it made for excellent television.
    Life was all about optics, after all

Paris Bennet has posed:
Just out front, there is a bit of drama visible through the windows.

Roughly a dozen feet up over the steps there is a sudden lightshow in the middle of the air. A display of white electricity like violent static erupts, then a bluish white brilliance suddenly expands to coalesce in the shape of a man. This is precisely what appears there in its midst, and the clever may hear in their heads the opening theme of Terminator.

But this is not time travel, merely teleportation. The man in purple and black with a white cloak over all descends gracefully to light upon the steps. A sword dangles in its sheath at his hip, and he stares at the doorman when he eyes that weapon, and offers in a thick french accent,"Fear not the blade, mon ami. I am here to witness the spectacles herein, nothing more."

The doorman stutters a reply,"Erm..I...of c-c-course! E-e-enjoy, s-sir...That'll b-be..."

The tall man with salt and pepper hair stares him down, gold within gold eyes shimmer as he cuts him off mid sentence,"No charge."

The man affirms promptly,"No charge."

He hrmphs and strolls in at that, breezing by to the clicks of cellphone cameras behind him. Not every day someone appears in such a manner to peruse a museum. Usually they wait until after hours and sneak in clad in leather. Ahem.

Karla Sofen has posed:
Oooh, what do we have here? Karla Sofen would just smile, eyeing the man up and down. Within her the Moonstones would glow as she would approach him, getting a charge in her system just in case. Licking her lips. "Why hello there sailor. You look like you've just come out of a costume shop." Karla radiating a sort of casual aggression if one would happen to get a vibe off her mind.
    Her own mind -strange- and twisted, if only due to the alien influence upon it that had long since altered it.
    "And are you here for the show or here to make your own show? I do happen to think that all these things on display need a personal touch and maybe some demonstrations. So tell me who might you be." Very casual, almost arrogant, and no fear whatsoever.

Paris Bennet has posed:
Karla might see a spark in him that's somehow similar, and yet so very different. Would it be possible for one soul touched by alien influence to recognize another? If so, this is a situation for it.

Paris glows with an inner light of his own, one that genuinely shines forth but only softly at the moment, and only from his exposed skin, but it is noticeable. There is nothing passive about his demeanor, though there is restraint. He radiates authority and dignity in a manner that is more than mere physical presence and bearing, but one trained in psychology such as she would realize this. His weight isn't merely gravitas.

Exodus replies calmly,"I was informed that there is an exhibit here from the epoch you call the Crusades. I have come to witness this spectacle with mine own eyes for appraisal and proper judgment."

Karla Sofen has posed:
There's a glimmer of appreciation in Karla's eyes, "Well, which one of them? The Crusades lasted for a few hundred years. So you looking for anything in particular, big boy? I'm sure that you can get your own tour guide." A glaring look is sent from her over at any of said actual 'tour guides' that might be able to realistically answer said questions.

"It's your lucky day, I'm quite familiar with these sorts of things.."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Exodus knits his well groomed brow as he thinks. There's something other than mere thinking happening though, as the tour guide Karla glanced at develops a nosebleed and has to run to get napkins. A moment later, Bennet replies,"I wish to see your exhibits concerning Richard ze Lionheart and Philip ze Fair, mademoiselle."

He starts at a very casual gait in the direction of the exhibits as if he had an idea of where they are, but with a deliberate slowness suggesting he anticipates Karla. He adds then,"I am...intimately familiar with that time as well."

Karla Sofen has posed:
That takes Karla back a ways, "And not Sir Robin of Locksley? That seems to be all the rage. Well.. Sir Richard, known for horrible luck. Goes to the Crusades, is captured, ransomed.. On his way back to the lands he ruled captured again and ransomed.. Dies almost immediately after to be left a figure of legacy but of little actual impact."

Her recalling things from high school English history. An arm going to casually go over to tug on the arm of Paris to lead him along in another way, "That's just arms and heraldry from a couple centuries after."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Paris smirks wolfishly as he allows himself to be led by the woman more intimately aware of this place. He quips offhandedly,"Sir Eobar wouldst weep. Good King Philip was rightfully smug in his dealings, it does my heart glad to hear he got the last laugh."

He spoke as if he knew the king personally as he matched her pace, following her easily as they went. He adds offhandedly,"Arms and heraldry are interesting, mademoiselle, but yes. I am quite keen to see these specific exhibits."

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would smile, "Of course. In that case.." She would gesture over past a suit of armor that had a small hole in the chest, "Purportedly of Sir Sagramor, a rather unlucky one at that." As if that particular historical factoid would be of any meaning.

"But sure, right this way.." Her going deeper into the museum.

Paris Bennet has posed:
Exodus follows Karla along, a brow arching as he gives the armor an appraising look, replying casually,"Arbalest, most likely. Devilish weapon, when mounted high. No armor could withstand them, so shields wouldst be propped up before awaiting soldiers. Oft by crossbowmen that returned fire. The cover was more appropriate for such than the longbows so adored by our more westerly cousins."

The big man regards a tapestroy of a battlescene as they breeze by it on their way, a wistful expression crossing his waxen features.

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would walk along, still having one arm over on the side of Paris, "Probably. Or even a pistol. Could have been owned by a merchant or an assassin." She would sway her hips along, glancing over at it while going about. "And the longbow.. The death of the cavalry charge on the battlefield."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Bennet completely misses the joke. Well after his time, but he does arch a brow at the woman. He wouldn't have thought mere stick bows would be such terrors against bold knights in stout raiment. He wouldn't have thought a great many things had come to pass however...yet here he is by the will of a false god.

Eventually they do come to the exhibit in question. The waxen featured man stands there in the exhibit of his native time, pulling his arm free to fold his arms and regard the times pensively. It's not a pleasant feeling to be in the presence of your native people's enumerated follies. Especially when they are centuries past, as is his case. To outlive so casually all of your contemporaries is no easy thing to be repeatedly thrust up against.

Karla Sofen has posed:
And even without being able to read minds, Karla could read body language well enough. The sudden shift to quietness and the looking over at them, she would mm, "Lost to history and but to memory. Their lives summarized down to a few notes on a display in a museum. Something in a dusty history book. However many hundred years later. Going back then, do you think if they could see themselves now they would say it was worth it?"

Paris Bennet has posed:
The man known as Exodus squints ever so slightly at the question, features growing more starn. The implication of it all is apparent, even to him. There is no getting around it however, and Bennet is not given to subtlety. Therefore, he replies,"Of course. How could it not have been, to a man so great as my own King Philip? They called him fair, but would have been just as right to name him Bold. If you think your cause is right, then you are a coward not to pursue to whatever end."

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would shrug, "Perhaps. But one might also call them mad. Charismatic.. Depraved.. For good or for ill. The Crusades were in the end just as much about taking what someone else had that they wanted. But that's in the past. So were you to say.. See King Phillip the Fair and tell him all the way now in this world, what people say and think of him.. What he's remembered as.."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Exodus grows sullen as he considers that. His gold within gold eyes narrow with the crumpling of his brow, and he shakes his head. He replies thusly,"King Philip would scoff. Then likely hire assassins and arsonists. Tis not my place to speculate further than that. As you said..."

Bennet then almost spits caustically,"Tis in the past."

Karla Sofen has posed:
There's a low smile from Karla. Now this is interesting. "So what do you think of the past? Looking back on it now? Why do you feel that King.. Phillip is so important, if I may be so bold? That makes you come here so intent on seeing things from his faintly remembered time?"

Paris Bennet has posed:
The woman is interested, and the man is no liar. He is as blunt as a ball bat as he replies,"I was the king's man in the desert. His sworn champion and envoy to Byzantium, attached to the crusading army. Later, I was the companion of Sir Eobar, the Black Knight, who as it happens was King Richard's man in much similar capacity."

Karla Sofen has posed:
Well, the man's exhibiting no signs of immediate psychosis (beyond the glowing body and questionable fashion sense). Karla would 'ah'. "So do you feel that those things are left better in hte past?" Not bothering to ask whether the man was making that up or not. This was too fun.

Paris Bennet has posed:
Bennet shrugs at this, feeling that this line of questioning is quite...questionable. Those eyes remain narrowed, and he replies,"And why are you suddenly so curious? You've made your point about such matters, yet you excavate heedlessly."

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would shrug, "You seem like an interesting man with a great many answers. Life in getting the answers is what drives me. Tall, broody and mysterious. Girls like projects."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Bennet's nostrils flare as he snorts at that. He then turns to the exhibit, disdain now dancing over his features as he declares,"The great sages Plato and Aristotle, of whom I have recently become acquainted, were in stark disagreement on many issues. They did find common ground on a few however..."

Exodus rises into the air a few feet, a hand extending towards the exhibit as he declares,"Among them being the importance of preserving appearances and shunning the unseemly!"

He would then make to torch the exhibit with a shower of psionic radiance!

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen has spent a great deal of time working with Baron Zemo. This level of hamminess barely registers. "Do you think that several hundred year old armors grow on trees? Where do you think they're going to get more outfits of those?"

Karla radiating calm while inwardly finding herself greatly amused at the display. Silly male, going into this assertion of dominance.

Paris Bennet has posed:
The exhibit is reduced to ash as he turns and lowers anew, jaw squared and back slightly more straight as he responds with a certainty,"Better to be forgotten than remembered as a fop and a cad. Tis not my problem, though I am increasingly aware that this is an age of hollow trinkets and debased imagery. Perhaps thine sponsor might amuse you with a cheap replica."

With that, he makes his way to the exit, well and truly with blood pumping at the latest and perhaps last necessary confrontation with his past...

Karla Sofen has posed:
Well this is amusing and makes for quite the night. Karla Sofen has had a great time and would flash one final, completely insincere grin, "Then Happy Holidays and Good Yule." She would give a wave, then start to trot off in the opposite direction before the staff came to their senses.