Owner Pose
Kate Cha Coffee.

Nectar of the gods. Ambrosia. The stuff that made life worth living. At least life in the early morning for many a university student who stayed up too late the previous night.

There was a food truck that always came up to Empire State in the mornings, making a fortune on coffee alone. They also had pretty good pastries. The zombie-like students waited in the short line to get their goodies then clambered back to their respective hiding places or headed off to face the world.

Kate had opted to sit on a bench in the quad. Her giant coffee was set next to her on the seat. A large cheese danish was in her hand and she took a big bite of the gooey goodness as she reviewed something on the screen of her laptop. A last proofread of a paper that was due.

Because Kate didn't take off summers.
Alexander Aaron     It was close to the end of the year, most of the finals were done though a handful were still in the offing, particularly the ones that had labs connected. But the place had quieted down, much less foot traffic, much less activity. And far fewer food trucks now that the demand was less. But some still made the trip since there was still /some/ demand. Just not quite the variety available when the year is in full swing.
    But one of those unfortunately afflicted young people was none other than Alexander Aaron, whose remaining course did have a demand for a final on Friday. Though he didn't seem too worried about it as his voice gave little away when he walked on up behind the sometime vigilante, Kate Cha.
    "Do you split all the calories with the others, or does that get jooojed up too as you eat it?" Because the details of her powers are important to know! Even as he speaks so openly about it. And yet not so openly about it.
    And then there he was fwumpfing down onto her bench with his backpack thumping to the ground as he leans over and /steals/ a piece of the danish. "I'll be the control group." As he tries to take a bite.
Kate Cha Sometimes vigilante Kate was not always on her highest alert so she jumped about three feet. Or so it felt to her. It was really just a momentary startle. The question had her looking around quickly but there was no one in earshot and she relaxed again, frowning over as he asked that question then made himself at home. And took a piece off her danish!

"Food truck is right over there," she pointed out helpfully. "Not exactly. The dupes are just that. Duplicates. They are copies of the original. As such, each of us can eat independantly. But when the dupes are cancelled, the food they ate isn't added to the original's caloric intake."
Alexander Aaron     "Oh is that the food truck? I hadn't noticed." And likely he won't go buy his own, since free is much better.
    "Hnh," Alexander says as he noms on the piece of the danish and slouches as is proper in the bench seat. His eyes sliding sideways to her, "That's interesting, it's really hard for me to wrap my head around how the world is for you."
    But he doesn't press on that, since to be fair they're out there in the open. "So what are your plans for the Summer when classes are over. Or are you picking up a few credits then as well?" He leans over with a slight rustle coming from his overshirt then he's unzipping his backpack to dig into it, grabbing his own folded laptop and sliding it free, apparently getting set to stay for a bit at the least.
Kate Cha "For me it's just the opposite. I'm...aware of my duplicates though I'm not controlling what they are doing. We are all Kate and we are all seeking to finish Kate's goals. For me, I don't know if I could deal with never being able to have more than one of me. It seems strange to be solitary. I guess cause I've been this way my whole life."

Kate shrugged and took another bite of her danish, washing it down with a sip of coffee before continuing to speak. "I'll be staying over the summer. Figure the sooner the better for graduation. Not having family really means no reason to rush home like other people. You going home?"
Alexander Aaron     "Is there like a Kate Prime?" Alexander asks, but then he shakes his head and holds up a hand, "No wait, don't answer that." For he realizes perhaps some ramifications of that as he sets his laptop down on his lap, for once using the device for its purported intended purpose. He does manage to cross one leg over his knee as he looks at her.
    "My dad works in New York, lives across the river." So he crinkles his nose a little, "For a time I'd go home every other week until I realized that wasn't really experiencing the whole grown up thing really."
    For an instant his eyes distance and then he smiles, "I mainly missed his cooking on the grill, that was always good."
Kate Cha At the question, Kate opens her mouth to answer then his hand comes up. She closes her mouth with an audible click of teeth and gives a shrug. Since he had discovered her little secret, she wasn't really worried if he knew more details about her powers. "Suit yourself."

Mention of the grilling had her giggling slightly though. "I can see that. I can cook. Doesn't mean I like to. So I tend to avoid it at the sorority house. And at my house. I should own stock in Uber Eats."
Alexander Aaron     "Uber Eats pumps up the price of everything by two dollars. Like every single thing. Bastards." Thus sayeth the God of Fear. But then Alexander starts the machine booting as he grimaces at it for a moment then sets it to the side on the end of the bench before he draws a sneaker up to rest it on the seat edge, his knee coming up to his chest as he looks across the quad.
    "You umm, given some thought to the whole..." He lifts a hand to give himself a somewhat hint of a mask to his features then raises his eyebrow to ask the question silently.
    "I still think you're risking yourself a bit when you run around out there, you know. Without it." There's a tilt of his head as he considers her, then chews on his lower lip thoughtfully. "Like a million ways it can go wrong."
Reed Richards Old Man Richards is walking the campus pf his old Alma Mater, you can tell by The Richards Physics Library and Planetarium as well as the tribute in the lobby of the Science and Engineering center, statuary and all. He always seems abit embarassed by it unconsciously altering his features ever so slightly as he walks past. The brave young genius pictured looking out into the future, with that doomed ship in the background. Today he stops and looks up at himself perhaps feeling a bit more morose than usual. He sips coffee, and nods in thought. Letting the young people mill around him, very fee if any taking note of the 'celebrity' in their midst for the record.
Kate Cha "Thus why I should have stock. I spend so much there, I deserve to get something back from all the other idiots who use it too," Kate comments as she finishes off her danish. She wipes her fingers off on a napkin then crumbles it up and sets it on the seat next to her to-go coffee cup.

She glances around again to make sure no one is in earshot before she answers his other oh so subtle probably really good at charades question. "I'm thinking about it. Just haven't gotten around to going and buying one yet. Or trying to make it. I see you have valid points even if I just figure most people will never remember me."

And as she is glancing around, she spots that figure near the statue of Reed Richards. Her brow furrows a bit and she tilts her head. "Is that... nah, couldn't be. Why would he be standing around here?" she mutters. Then she nods in the direction of the figure for Alexander to take a look. "I mean he just kinda sorta looks a little like him, right?"
Alexander Aaron     "Mmm?" Alexander says as Kate's attention is elsewhere and he seems about to try and steal another piece of the danish... only for her to eat the last bit. Which causes him to crinkle his nose a little as his own attention is drawn that way. Eyebrows rising he hrms, "I..."
    A tilt of his head, "I don't know. Could be. Could throw something and see if it bounces?" Which would be horribly rude, but somewhat Alexanderish in suggestion. Though he does fold his laptop up with a click and scoops up his backpack all in one motion.
    Then he's on his feet and moving as he slings the pack over one shoulder, the laptop tucked under his arm. Once within reasonable distance he lifts his voice.
    "Excuse me, Professor Richards?" A beat before he adds, "You are Professor Richards, aren't you?" He gestures behind him a little, "My friend is a big fan, but she's too shy to talk to you but I think she would love a word."
Reed Richards Old Man Richards blinks and looks about, almost as if trying to deflect the question but it seems to be squarely aimed at himself. He sighs and nods, giving a small smile, "Yes, I am he. I should be grateful you asked. The last time I was found out on campus some frat bro just threw something at me and fled when it bounced." He chuckles, "I understand I am not much for the lime light myself," He gives a slight grimace as he looks at the statue, "Present company excluded, they didn't even have my pose, had it sculpted based on photos from my time at the school so it looked more... relatable." Reed gives a shrug, "Yes, I am Reed Richards, nice to meet you and your friend." He offers a hand courteously.
Kate Cha He did not just run over there and bother the man!

As soon as Alexander was rising to his feet, Kate's stomach sank. "Don't you dare," she hissed. Yet it fell on deaf ears as he ignored her utterly. Leading to Kate scrambling to close her laptop, shove it in her own backpack, grab the bag to sling over her shoulder and get her coffee to carry with her in the opposite hand.

By the time she wandered up next to Alexander, he'd already accosted the Professor. Who was being very understanding despite Alexander!

"I'm so sorry he bothered you, sir." Because it was automatic for her to fall into those phrases as a respect thing. She did take the hand and, for a moment, just stared at him with wide eyes. Then realized she was being a fangirl despite the fact she was positive she was not one of those. She quickly released his hand and did her best to not stare. "It is an honor to meet you. I'm Kate Cha."
Alexander Aaron     If there was a soul who portrayed that whole 'no fear' aspect of youth, it was Alexander. For he was just smiling bright as you could be to see that the man was indeed Reed Richards. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."
    Though he lets Kate take the lead on the interaction and only after she's introduced herself and given a good handshake does he as well. "I'm Alexander Aaron. If we're interrupting or you have other business please forgive us for interfering." He says that so easily, and including poor Kate in the murmured mollifying words as if she were just as guilty as him.
    "Miss Cha is one of the best students here currently. Her class load puts most everyone else to shame."
    As he says that he steps back and to the side slightly giving Kate and Reed a direct path for interaction.
Reed Richards Old Man Richards chuckles and shakes his head, "If I hand wanted not to be bothered standing in front of a statue of myself was the worst way to accomplish this, especailly when I have a whole building in midtown I can meander about at my leisure." He shrugs and considers, "Kate Cha, I have heard that name. You're in Dr. Eckelsohns nano materials class, right? She raves about you." Reed takes in Kate but gives a nod to Alexander picking up on the subtlety of the introduction. "So, Ms. Cha have you applied for the Stark internship? I hear it has social media buzzing."
Kate Cha Was her hand shaking? Why yes, it was shaking. She could feel the coffee sloshing. Quickly she tossed the entire container in the nearby trash can so that it wouldn't be obvious to everyone else.

And if Reed wanted to make her faint, he had found just the way to do so. Her professor talked about her? To Reed Richards?! She seemed a little unsteady on her feet for a moment.

"I...she did? Internship? No, I..." She had apparently forgotten the ability to speak in English. She looked at Alexander, as if doing so might help her remember. Or he might be merciful and just kill her on the spot so she stopped embarassing herself.
Alexander Aaron     Alexander, who had stepped back and created that straight line between Kate and Professor Richards was half-grinning the whole time, hands in his pockes as his backpack swings a bit from one shoulder. But it's when Kate looks over at him for suppor that he strikes and tells her pointedly...
    "I am /super/ nice." As if settling an argument between them that had raged for aeons. Which isn't entirely true.
    But then he turns back to smile toward Reed and give him a nod. "I'm just a classical era buff, sir. But Miss Cha is a true renaissance woman. She pushes herself too hard but..." Which might be a thing Reed heard in his own time in school even as Alex shakes his head at her, falling into that support role easily enough.
Reed Richards Old Man Richards smiles, "Yes, that's excellent, Stark is a wonderful opportunity. However, FantastiCorp is also looking into some new ventures and we have a summer program as well. You should give my office a call." He offers you both a card, it is the expected blue with a four cut out in the shape of the logo. It has Reed's name and a phone number. Reed smiles to Alex and slips into ancient Greek with ease, "One must study the past to ensure our understanding of the future." He slips back into english, "I am a bit of a classics buff myself, you never can tell when it will be useful. Truly? You are quite the hype man Alexander, and that also has its uses." He nods, "So, take a breath, nice deep one." Reed leads the way in this, but he manages to look a bit like a puffer fish as he does so. He smiles, "You must have questions?"
Kate Cha Why didn't she get a bag when she got her danish? She could at least breath into it to try to get herself calmed down! As Alexander fell into that role of support, despite having to make his /point/ first, she took the moment to try to still her breathing. Because she felt like she was about to pop. And for her, that could be quite literally if she duplicated right here. Deep breaths, closing her eyes. Pretending she was not blushing at yet another compliment from Alexander.

She opened her eyes when Reed mentioned calling his office. Kate's eyes went to the card being offered and she took it in a slightly trembling hand. Deep breaths. Slow release. You've got this, Kate!

The puffer fish moment actually helped. She was trying not to be amused yet at the same time suspected he did that on purpose to help set her at ease. "So sorry. I'm usually much more eloquent." And she gave Alexander a brief look as though him countering that statement would lead to him being in the friendship doghouse.

"I have about a million questions. I read one of your recent papers on Multiverse Theory. I was curious. Do you think it is possible for a person to be a conduit for the Multiverse? In that they might be able to tap into alterates of their own selves that are closest to them in nature and bring them into the universe we exist in currently?"
Alexander Aaron     "Oh I'm more the type of fellow who spends his time looking at the shadows on the wall of the cave, Kate's more of one to look for where the light's coming from." Alexander offers back to Reed in answer to the Greek given, though his smile is warm and he seems pleased at that small connection.
    Though he follows along soon after taking the deep breath as needed, but shifting back a step so Kate has more point of prominence, which likely helps since she is so much shorter.
    Though when asked about questions he says, "Nothing worth your time, sir." For all that springs to mind are curiousities, insights into the days when the Fantastic Four first came to prominence. Nothing like the questions that Kate has at her command.
Reed Richards Old Man Richards smiles, and nods, considering. "That's an interesting question... " Reed, runs his hand through his hair as he considers, and pulls out a small interface, which causes a holo display to leap into existence scaling itself to the space between the three but garnering more attention for the group, "I mean it is theorically, possible, the math checks out." Reed scribble down equations and the program rumbles through the calculation though Reed's pronouncement presages the computers response by a few seconds. "It seems very specific, is there any particular person or group you have in mind? I do enjoy working with young heroes to help them reach their potential. I mean a few spring to mind, you're concentration is on the X-Y-Z axis, which is logical but you might also consider the temporal possibilities, pulling future iterations of them self into the present." Reed laughs heartily, "You would be surprised what is worth my time, I once entertained an entire elementary school for over an hour pontificating on does the Thing poop." Pause, "Ben did not appreciate that."
Kate Cha The admission about the poop conversation had Kate relaxing a little bit more. Which again was likely on purpose on his part. But to answer his question, she had to nod. "I actually have a couple of specific people in mind. But it would be a conversation for a more private setting." Instead of here in the middle of the quad. Since other people might start noticing the trio with the holo display and everything happening.

"I suppose it could be temporal but again, it would need to be very close in time since the age of the duplicates wouldn't be different from the original. Or at least not as perceived by the naked eye." She ponders a moment. "Unless it is like each second in the future. Or past, for that matter. Because with a potential limit of 100, that isn't that much of a time frame. Thank you for the possible additional theory to consider."
Alexander Aaron     Alexander settles in with a wry smile on his lips as he stuffs his hands deep in his pockets and rocks back on his heels a little. He looks in between Kate and Reed, following along with the conversation and listening with a tinge of curiousity to his hazel eyes.
    As he talks about the different options for someone to draw on alternate universes for manifestations he peers on with eyebrows rising as if he had no idea why this would be a path of inquiry Kate would take.
    However.
    It is the last few bits that catches his attention as Alexander clears his throat a little, coughing into his hand and then asks. "Well. I mean. Does he?"
Reed Richards Old Man Richards raises an eyebrow and nods, "Yes, when you consider time as a linear construct but take a moment to see where the theories intersect. In the potentiality presented by the choices we make in each moment. I mean the simple act of ordering a danish produces at least a dozen possible alternates, and then there are more complex actions... " Reed hrrms, "I should have seen that coming." He smiles, and launches into an extended exposition about the nature of the Fantastic Four's Transfomations, their power and that the nature of their humanity remains constant albeit vastly changed. He explains highly advanced concepts in biology, alrenate evolution, silicon lifeforms, the basic biochemistry underpinning all life as we know. He touches on the difficulties that he and Sue have had with children, that being Fantastic is not always what it is cracked up to be, finally wrapping around to Ben Grimm's digestion and the fact that while yes he does poop, score one for Taro Gomi, the nature of his digestion has been fundamentally altered to make his feces and thereby his defecation vastly different than the normal human experience. In fact the same can be said for the other boys as well.
Kate Cha As the conversation turned to the poop situation, Kate gave Alexander a look which said he would pay for this later. Yet, despite that, she found herself being drawn into the information. A nod here or there to acknowledge she was listening. Though she did wonder at what point he might have lost the elementary school kids in all this.

When he finished, she started to speak then shut her mouth again because really, she wasn't sure she wanted to hear any answers to potential follow-up questions after that one.
Alexander Aaron     Those Fifth Graders have nothing on Alexander.
    For he is rapt. Attentive. Focused fully on Reed as the man elaborates on the realities of what life is for the people of the Fantastic Four. Information that is not easily gathered but insight. True insight. As well as perhaps the most important part... that being the anecdote that Reed has gifted him with these details and this information.
    It is all too much.
    But he follows along and does at points furrow his brow, sympathy seen in his eyes and a recognition of the difficulties that must have weighed on each of them. He does say at one point quietly under his breath, 'Poor Mr. Grimm.' but nods along
    Until finally he looks down at the card in his hand and actually seems to give it some though as Reed likely... has created two converts here today. "Thank you for taking the time, Professor Richards. It was a kindness. I'm sure Kate will be in touch."
    As he says that he starts to step back and away with Kate, lifting a hand to wave before he heads off with Miss Cha at his side.