12886/A Meeting at the Embassy

A Meeting at the Embassy
Date of Scene:	25 March 2021
Location:	Themysciran Embassy - Manhattan
Synopsis:	A discussion of recent happenings, of reasons and of helping friends.
Cast of Characters:	Phobos, Wonder Woman

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Phobos has posed:
    Most people when things are going their way have a rosy outlook then at life. They see the clouds as silver, the sky as bright, the world alive. It helps that it's Spring time, and that the world is returning to life with an abundance of flowers blooming and trees gaining the green of leaves. Combine that with a past few days of some prominence socially, professionally and most everything seems to be going well.
    And yet...
    Maybe it's the tragedian nature of his, expecting that now that the play seems to have reached its arc that it should all come crashing down. When one knows that Fate is for a fact three angry old biddies who hold a grudge, it's understandable for one's outlook to be so tinged with negativity.
    But it's a nice day. And things are going well. And Alexander is close to accepting it. Which might be why he feels it's safe to drop a line to Diana Prince, to ask to see her and to speak about what has passed since they last spoke. Which brought him here to the embassy. A place he hadn't visited before and only now...
    It leaves him in the foyer, wearing his usual fare of jeans and a large loose black t-shirt with a small emblem of a snake and a lightning bolt on the front of it. Add white sneakers to the mix and you have him entire as he looks at the curious murals depicting the mythology he knows passingly well.

Wonder Woman has posed:
After taking a few minutes to wipe off the surface of a shield, Diana idly tosses the cloth aside to the 'guest chair' in her office. Keeping the shield in hand, she steps across her office and then through the open door of it. There's a display on the wall, against the back wall, which appears to be missing a shield, and that's where Diana carries the one in her hand. She stops in front of the display before lifting the shield and hanging it in place, adjusting it minutely before a smile tugs at the corners of her lips.

When he called, he'd reach Diana's assistant, who would confirm that Diana is present and available for a meeting at any time of his choosing for the remainder of the afternoon. Even though she's not on the call herself, Diana can hear the conversation. There are benefits to having excellent hearing sometimes. A smile tugs a touch further at the corners of her lips and, once her assistant has finished on the phone with Alexander, Diana steps over to her assistant's desk to let her know that she'll meet Alexander herself.

There is, interestingly, an assorted group of workers present within the main room of the embassy. It would seem that they're doing some work on the walls. And the walls have various and assorted flurries of bullet holes in them. Diana wears a pair of charcoal grey slacks, black heels, and a dark purple blouse with long sleeves. She crosses the room, paying little mind or heed to the workers and the work they're doing, heading for where Alexander waits, stepping up next to him to admire the mural he's looking at. "Good afternoon, Alexander," she greets him, a warm note to her voice.

Phobos has posed:
    The youth rounds, turning on his foot. Tall as she remembers, and that handsome smile easily given. Still those pale eyes are the things that mark him as 'the other' for most of humanity though only noticeable if one gazes into them too long. At a glance here, in the foyer of the embassy with those workers near, it seems little more than a twenty-something visitor being greeted by the Princess.
    "Ms. Prince," He says, though she used his first name seeing her here in this setting, and with her people he chooses the term of respect. His smile is warm as he raises his eyebrows and glances to the marred holes in the wall that signals a curious firing pattern. Decent grouping too. Yet he doesn't ask of it. Not out here at least.
    "I believe I spoke to our mutual friend and matters have been resolved. I just wanted to touch base with you about it."
    A beat as he turns back to contemplation of the mural. "And perhaps to use that as a selfish excuse to see you again."

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a smile for him as he turns to face her, and she inclines her head towards him. She doesn't mind that paleness of his eyes, and she willingly meets his gaze just as she always has. She doesn't fear him or anything else, and as far as she's concerned, there's no reason not to make the eye contact.

There's a light laugh as he 'Ms. Prince's' her, and she quirks a bit of a grin. "Diana, please," she says. She's not going to stand on formality, it would seem, even here at her home away from home. Turning her head, she follows his glance towars the hall in the wall, and one of her eyebrows quirks up as she brings her attention back to him. "It has been... interesting," she says in a thoguhtful tone.

"I am glad to hear that the situation has been resolved. It is a thing that I have been giving significant hope towards the outcome of," she says, watching him. Then she gives a soft chuckle. "You are welcome to use any excuse you wish in order to see me again. Or simply just the excuse of wanting to see me. It is allowed," she says with a smile, amusement showing in her blue eyes. "Would you like to come to my office and perhaps have a cup of tea or coffee?" she offers.

Phobos has posed:
    "Diana," He echoes as he accepts that mild adjustment and then there's the offer of their retiring to the office which he answers as he smiles, "Please," He lifts a hand gently to uncurl it to the side, indicating that he will follow if she will lead.
    It's only once they're moving that he speaks again, his hands easing into the pockets of his jeans while he strolls. "She asked to see me again," The unnamed person of inquiry. "And I agreed, and we chatted some. After a little bit of time she confessed to going to you for advice." His lip twists up, a little wry as he walks and lets his gaze distance while they stroll.
    "But I think there is an element of detente now, and has even asked for my help with something she's dealing with. So all's well that ends well and all that."
    He glances to the side, "Also other things are going well. Life seems to be good. Naturally it makes me suspicious and I await the other shoe to drop."

Wonder Woman has posed:
A smile finds her features anew at his acceptance of her offer, and she inclines her head slightly towards him. "This way, then," Diana says softly. She lifts her right hand, to make a slight gesture in the direction that they'll be headed. And then she starts to walk in that direction, towards the corner office that still has an open door.

She doesn't seem hurried at all, walking at an easy pace, and she tilts her head slightly to one side as she looks to him, listening as he explains what had happened. "Perhaps she is attempting to come to her own conclusions about you," she says in a thoughtful tone. "There is no concrete answer that I could give her, when she came to me, so my hope is that she is willing to give you a chance. Willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. It is good, that she told you she had come to me. That she has asked for your help seems to bode quiet well," Diana says, a smile coming to her features.

She chuckles softly, and then gives a small nod. "It may be a week or a month or a year, but there will be another shoe. There is always another shoe, it seems," she comments, glancing briefly towards the nearest set of workers, and then her attention returns to him. "I am glad, that other things are good. You have been keeping from getting into other trouble?"

Phobos has posed:
    "Mmm," Is how he answers her at first, that question about trouble. She can likely read in his eyes as they drift thoughtful, see the hesitation or the consideration as to what has happened, what is worth telling, what his thoughts are about the things. He tilts his head to the side as they step past those workers, moving around them with a casual gait.
    "Work was a little stressful." His hands slip out of his pockets and hook behind his back. Then he shakes his head and murmurs, "You know I sort of realized when we chat I'm always so... self-centered."
    He turns his head to peer at her, "Give me a window into your life? If only so I can seem like I'm not so hugely egotistical for a few minutes."

Wonder Woman has posed:
The Amazonian princess tilts her head to one side as she studies him, noticing that thoughtful drift that passes through his eyes. One of her eyebrows quirks up slightly as she watches him, giving him the space to consider his answer before actually giving it. Much like him, she steps around the workers so as to not disturb them in the midst of their work. "You can tell me about anything that you wish, you know," Diana offers, a smile coming to her features.

"Oh...? What has happened with work to make it stressful?" Diana asks, curiosity coming to her voice. "I have not found you to be self-centred. I think it is more likely that you have more interesting things that happen, and you are younger than I am," she comments with a touch of amusement.

Once to her office, she lifts a hand to gesture for him to enter first. "On a quiet day, I wake up early and go for a run before coming here to meet with my sisters to train. Then I get cleaned up to serve my duties here, or at the museum. On a day that is not so quiet, well... I might travel to any number of places around town, depending on where my help is needed. Sometimes, the excitement finds me here. A couple of weeks ago, it found me at the coffee shop," she says, a thoughtful note to her voice.

Phobos has posed:
    Once she offers him the honor of preceding he does so, moving into the office and then to the side, once again ceding to her, allowing the needed gesture for her to lead them onward to whatever seating arrangement and guest rite that is needed. All with a certain air of formality that is needed when two such beings meet, yet given with an ease of familiarity.
    "Sounds as if you have a nice routine to follow." His surroundings aren't ignored, he'll consider the curiousities, the decor, what meorabilia might be on display. Then something she says draws his attention.
    "What happened at the coffee shop?" He'll inquire as he makes a way further inside. His eyes drift back in the direction of the workers, then back to her. "Related to what occured outside?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
As he steps into her office, Diana watches him, and there's a smile that tugs at the corners of her lips. Then she moves to follow him before closing the door to the room. She steps around behind the desk in order to settle in the seat there, smoothly crossing her legs at the knee. "Would you care for anything to drink?" she offers, seeing to the formality of hospitality.

"It is a good routine, and I enjoy it. Sometimes I will do training after work, but it depends on the day. And sometimes, it depends on my sisters," Diana comments with a bit of amusement. There are some things on the walls here -- a shield, a tapestry of Demeter, and a painting of Artemis.

"As for the coffee shop, a couple of gentlemen," Diana begins, the term used only for the purposes of denoting gender rather than their behaviour, "came in and decided that they would attempt to steal the day's profits. It was the day after I had returned from Themyscira, and I happened to be there. They earned nothing for their trouble except for being arrested. The police arrived and I left just before they went inside." It was troubling, since the coffee shop is near to the embassy and is a place that she frequents, but Diana has taken it to mean that she needs to be more present and visible. "There is a possibility that it may be related to what occurred here. I had not given that much thought, to be honest. Those who came here numbered twenty-eight. They had rifles and net guns, so their motive lacks clarity."

Phobos has posed:
    "No thank you," The offer recognized, but refused. He follows after and at the least his father raised him passingly well to recognize those rites. He moves to one of the seats that is aimed at her desk. A quirked eyebrow offers a silent question as to permission and unless he's urged to stop he takes a seat before her.
    His pale eyes flit from point to point to point, curiousity evident but unvoiced. He settles back in the chair, leg crossing over his knee as he rests his hands upon his shin. For a moment he seems to consier that shield then his gaze returns to her as she relates the tale of the coffee shop.
    Once she finished speaking he looked curious. "They attacked the embassy of Themyscira with nets?" Which has him blinking a little before he cants his head just so and to the side. "That does not seem a wise endeavour." His gaze unfocuses as he looks back in the direction of the repairs being done, then back to her.
    "A diversion from some aught else?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
With the offer refused, Diana inclines her head slightly towards him. Then she lifts her right hand to gesture towards the seats which sit opposite of her desk, an invitation for him to sit. An unnecessary one, but one given all the same. There is no effort or words offered to stop him from taking a seat there.

Her hands lightly settle upon her uppermost thigh, one hand atop of the other, and she tilts her head slightly to one side, watching him. The shield is a Themysciran shield, and one which Diana is familiar with -- and has, no doubt, wielded some number of times before.

"Rifles, mostly. The possibilities that have been considered are that they were here to potentially kidnap someone, to kill someone, or to clear a path to steal something. They attacked right before the combat demonstration was to begin, on a Sunday. They had sabotaged the generator for the building, and they cut the power. All of the barred gates within the building came down into place, trapping people where they were, which meant closing my sisters in the rooms they were preparing for the demonstration in. It may have been a diversion, a distraction, that is true. There has been naught found missing or taken, and all have been accounted for," Diana says softly.

Phobos has posed:
    "I am sure you have it in much better control and understanding than I could grasp in the brief moments of consideration I've given it." And yet, something about it seems to niggle at him. He sits up a little straighter then asks, "Did they have any particularly high tech equipment or..."
    But then he shakes his head, "Sorry, not my business." His lip twists a little. "Just at SHIELD we dealt with a vaguely similar situation. A training cadre that was aiming at running a prison snatch and grab. Superficially similar but... yeah."
    That said he again takes a glance at the repair crews, then back. "In any case, otherwise, things are going alright. Dad says hi." No he doesn't, he likely says all sorts of other rather not nice things, but best to keep peace in the family.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"I am not so sure about the better understanding part, though I try my best. There are questions without answers. None of the attackers were captured, though they could have been. They retreated, and I let them retreat," Diana says softly, her brow furrowing briefly before the expression clears. "They did not seem to have anything that was particularly high tech. Perhaps it was intended as a test of our defenses. That possibility is also on the table, as of yet," she adds, a thoughtful note to her voice.

One of her eyebrows quirks up as he mentions a similar situation, and she tilts her head to one side. "That seems... odd. For two similar situations to occur like that. From what I could tell, they were all men who attacked here. Wearing black, and in masks," she offers, sitting up a bit more and studying him a touch more closely. This is becoming a more curious thing.

She follows his gaze towards the repair crews, eyeing them for a moment and frowning slightly. Could the attack have been just a means of causing damage to get repair crews into the building? That, too, is now something to be considered. Her attention returns to him without mention of the notion, and she gives a nod to him. "I am glad that things are going alright for you. You can tell him that I say 'hi', as well," she offers with a smile. If he does, then that's up to him. She knows that his father likely doesn't have nice things to say about her, but she's not going to stir that pot.

Phobos has posed:
    A hand lifts to scritch at the back of his neck as he considers her, then nods as he accepts the charge to provide that message of 'hi' to his father. "I'll keep an eye open, see what can be seen from my angle. But yah I'm told at times there are no coincidences."
    That said he straightens up in his seat and then eyes the room afresh. "This is sort of strange to see you here." He cants his head the other way now, "I have this mental image of you and my first measure is like... this doesn't seem like you. More you should be out and about, an embassy..." His eyes wander, "Official meetings, protocol. It doesn't gibe well with the image I have of you in my head."
    Then his eyebrows lift, "Then again that mental image is years old and mostly crafted from that one memory and the most recent one where you hassled me.
    Indeed, total hasslement.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"I do not tend to like or believe in coincidences. Things generally seem to happen for reasons. We may not see the reasons from our perspective, but they are generally there," Diana says in a thoughtful tone. She's seen too many years to simply believe in coincidence. That, and there's those cruel mistresses named 'Fate' who rather like to dabble their hands and fingers into everyone's pies all willy-nilly!

One of her eyebrows quirks at his comment, and then she gives a light laugh before looking about her office, briefly. Her gaze returns to him, and she tilts her head a touch to one side. "It is so terrible of me, to shatter that image so soundly," Diana says, her tone light and warm. "There are days when I spend more time in the museum than here. This is too sedate, perhaps? I think the image that you have of me in your head is perhaps more of when I am going about the city as Wonder Woman," she comments, her blue eyes showing a sparkle of amusement to them. She quirks a grin then before giving another light laugh. "So our last visit was hassling, was it?" she asks, teasing in the words.

Phobos has posed:
    "Total hasslealation." He says as he looks to her, arms folding over his chest in that token gesture of closing off body language, but it's a facade dispelled by his half-smile. "I don't... think I've reconciled you as her either." Wonder Woman perhaps.
    "I know you're in the League and all, just..." His nose crinkles a little, "I have a hard time getting behind the vigilante thing. I've known too many people who use it to like..."
    Alexander looks to the side as he searches for the right words, then looks back. "To have an excuse to get out their anger or rage or grief. Or whatever. Not that I think you do that, just you sort of run with that crowd. Some people just want an excuse to beat other people up."
    The tone of his voice might hint at some personal experience in that regard, yet he doesn't elaborate. "Though I don't suppose you guys do a lot of that. Like the Avengers, dealing with large threats."

Wonder Woman has posed:
"In that case, I will have to see about causing further hassleation of you. I have a feeling that you did not mind it being done. And I know that I did not. And maybe next time, I can bring some Themysciran treats for you," Diana comments, her blue eyes showing a touch of amusement in them. "You will, in time. I have faith in that. Though there are those who do not see one for the other, sometimes," she muses, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Yes, I am in the League. It has been quiet, of late, which is good since I was away for a while," she says softly. She considers his words, then tilts her head slightly to one side before giving a small nod. "Some people use it as ultimate power, as a way of bleeding out their emotions. They take no responsibility for their actions. They simply act. I try not to get angry. No one is perfect, though. I know that when I fight, people do get hurt. I aim not to kill them. For the most part, they made bad choices, uninformed choices. There is good in people, and they can make better decisions. I have faith in that," she says softly, studying him.

"There are times when I stick my nose into things. Because I can, and because I want to help. It can be hard to ignore a voice that calls for help, even if it is across the city," she says, a touch wistfully. Her hearing is that good. "Generally, though... it is large threats that our attention is turned to. It does not mean that I will not nudge the smaller ones back into line, should they come to my attention," she adds, a smile tugging her lips.

Phobos has posed:
    The young Olympian listens to her and she can read in the subtle shifts of his expression as he follows along with her words. Faint raised eyebrows offering a hint of agreement, or a tilt of his head signaling a lack of conviction as to what is said. Yet he does take her at her word, accepting the point of view she presents.
    Until near the end he rolls a shoulder slowly through its range of motion, the joint making a faint cartilaginous crackle as he ponders then tells her in that quiet tone of his, "I at times do what I can. And sometimes I offer my help. There was a matter of late. An acquaintance of mine is suffering the predations of a revenant. I offered to aid them with that..."
    Alexander's brow furrows as he looks to the side, then back. "But not out of... altruism. Nor a wish to do the right thing. Often times that's hard for me to gauge. To understand. I have a hard time connecting with people because without fear I don't have..."
    His eyes drop to the side for an instant, then he looks back. "I don't fear loss, or absence, fear keys into many other emotions. So when I realized that this Revenant was preying upon this acquaintance, I wanted to help mainly because of the insult it gives but daring to... to try and affect that which I consider is mine? My friend, my comrade, my moments of amusement and whatever. It's not out of morality."
    He makes a face and looks to the side, "So I do try to do the right thing, but I intellectually realize I am not always doing it for the right reasons? Does that make me a..." He seems about to say something and instead says, "A bad individual?"

Wonder Woman has posed:
The Amazonian princess has had decades of practice at reading people and their emotions through their body language. It's just a thing that she does. Her blue gaze steadfastly lingers on him, taking in what details are available to be seen. One of her eyebrows quirks up at his mention of the revenant, and there's a flicker of surprise to show in her blue eyes. "A revenant? I have not heard of or seen the like of such in some considerable while. It is kind of you to offer your help to that acquiantance, and I hope that all will turn out well. Perhaps it can be convinced to leave be," Diana muses, her tone thoughtful. If she's had direct dealings with such, she doesn't say or offer, but her words are sincere.

"Emotions are complicated. That you offered to help is important. At least, I think it is," Diana says, a smile finding the corners of her lips. "You are protective of this acquiantance, and that is not a bad reason for offering to help. Your friend, your comrade, the moments of amusement that you have with this friend. I would say that it is the right reason. There are many different right reasons for doing things, Alexander," she says softly, her smile easily returning.

Then she gives a soft shake of her head, shifting her weight to lean forward and towards him a bit. "No. It does not make you a bad person, a bad individual. Having no fear does not mean that you do things for the wrong reasons. We all find our own right reasons to do things."

Phobos has posed:
    With the subtle contortions of features that ease over his face, it's clear Alexander isn't entirely coming along with her on that trip of reason. But at the least he doesn't disagree abruptly nor rudely. There's likely something more to be said but he doesn't say it. Not for now at the least.
    "Mmm, I was rambling perhaps, let my thoughts wander." That said he looks to the side and lifts his chin, "Come, let me impose and ask for a tour before I run off back home?"
    And as he says that he half-smiles and pushes himself to his feet, rising should she seem like she's in agreement.