nextgenerationmarvel | Meeting the New Beau

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Meeting the New Beau

Alisa sat at another restaurant. It had been a bit since she saw her father, and already he claimed to have met a charming young man that was perfect for her. Enough that he struck a deal with him for her hand in marriage. The rumor amongst the Guilds was that her dowry had been some incredibly rare, and valuable, Captain America cards from 1944. In mint condition, and misprinted.

Alisa swore that if anyone found out, she;d be the laughing stock of New York City, and New Orleans. This man was a member of Law Enforcement, not a member of one of the Guilds of New Orleans. That was a tiny blessing. But it also meant that it would prevent her form going back to her activities as an Enforcer, and keep her on a very tight leash. Jean Luc was not kidding when he said he wanted her out of trouble.

"Though I am REALLY scared as to how he managed to find someone in Law Enforcement! But then again, he DID have a connection to SHIELD during World War 2. The old man really does have connections everywhere, doesn't he?" Alisa thought to herself, as she began to re-apply her make-up. "Maybe he will have an "accident" on the way to the alter. Or maybe he'll chicken out! God... I hope he chickens out!"

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The gift that on Mister LeBeau gave Steve as "dowry" was indeed a damn good and valuable find. Surely the elder man was serious about his daughters interest, at least the way he made it sound to Steve. He sincerely doubted it was an actual dowry, though. Those days were dead and gone. There is no way Jean Luc was serious? He was old fashioned, but he seriously couldn't be that old fashioned.

Right?

Still, he went to the restaurant. He had sent the cards to be evaluated. With Mr LeBeaus...connections, there were all kinds of issues. A large number of legal problems could have come about because of accepting such a gift and it would be a damn good idea to make sure everything was on the up and up. But there was Steve, wearing a suit that was nice but a bit out of fashion, looking rather unsure of himself.

Edited 2014-10-25 20:14 (UTC)

Oh GOD, THAT was him. Alisa felt like she went fifty shades of pale at the sight of Steve Coulson.

"Well, at least he has hair and is around my age." She thought to herself as she stood up, waving over to him.

"Mr. Coulson, I presume?" She asked, standing with her arms folded over her chest. "I am Alisa LeBeau. Please, have a seat and let us talk."

She came off as very cold and business like.

"Welp, this is already off to a great start," Steve thought at the address. Cold and to the point, one thing he liked and another that he didn't. And when these are combined, usually things didn't go well for him.

"Yes, that's me. You can call me Steve, Ms LeBeau," Steve replied as he sat down, doing his best to mirror the sentiment with his several years worth of SHIELD training.

"Alright, Steve." Alisa took her seat once more, waving the waiter over to take his order, as well as her own. Once he left, she sat with her hands resting under her chin, looking at him with some curiosity. "So... you are to be my new husband. Wonderful. Please, tell me about yourself, and I will do the same in return."

...

...

...

"Bullshit."

"You DID accept the cards." Alisa pointed out. "Let me guess, you found some old man, appearing frail. You, the good agent, help him out. You both talk, and you come off as a decent, hard working person. He tells you about his card collection, and that you can have it in exchange for my hand. Is that how it went?"

She sat back in her chair, pinching the bridge of her nose. Jean Luc was a clever old fox.

"I am thankful you are close to my age, have hair, are gainfully employed... but you DO know he is a member of the Thieves Guild. Not just a member, but it's leader. Accepting these cards mean you cannot get out of this arrangement so easily. We might as well learn to get along and about each other..."

"No, he found me. And upon learning his identity I made sure to double and triple check that. I knew he was someone high up in the Guilds roster, and that he's dirty as hell. The cards he gave me were proof enough of that. Something *that* valuable just just get given to someone because."

Steve's now seething inside. He knew of the mans ties, and he accepted thinking this may be a way in. But it hadn't been sanctioned. He was always told to be more ambitious, and now Steve is in this mess. Damn it to hell.

"But marriage? A dowry? That is what I call bullshit on. This is our first meeting. This isn't some tenth century duchy. I'm not obligated to doa thing on this, and neither are you."

Edited 2014-10-26 19:23 (UTC)

"Huh. I thought he would have used a more cunning ruse to speak with you, than that. Look, my father means well." Alisa never thought she would be defending Jean Luc LeBeau. But she was. "I have lived a dangerous life since I was a child. He believes if I settle down with a good man, I will lead a more happier, fulfilling life."

Alisa shook her head, before taking a sip of water from her glass.

"I've lost most of my leg, and have neurological implants that allow me to maintain my intelligence and speaking abilities. They also monitor my power levels and warn me if I am going to "overload"." Alisa waved her hand about as she explained this. "After I was hacked into and forced to run Murderworld, my Father dissuaded me from coming back into the Guild. He convinced me that getting married and settling down would be in my best interest, and that he had some suitors in mind. Never told me that he knew a suitor in SHIELD. The ones he named were all Guild members, and about ten or so years my senior."

"Because I'm not a suitor. I am a person a crazy old man thought would court his daughter in some ridiculously old fashioned manner," Steve said, but even then his mind was working, and it was coming up with a dozen ways to confirm what she was saying. he preyed on his sympathies, just not in the way one would expect. Especially in ways Steve wouldn't expect.

Damn it to hell.

He winces at the mention of the legs and the implants, but now his curiosity is piqued.

"Monitor your power levels?" There's a quick eye-dart around, before he leans in a bit. "As in your physical talents or a more...advanced form of powers?"

"I am a mutant, Steve." Alisa's lips curled into a little smile. "I absorb people's anger, rage, and hate... and convert it to physical powers for myself. It makes me stronger, faster, and invulnerable at times. If I absorb too much, it can effect my mental state or make me go into a blind rage, like the Hulk."

Their appetizer arrived. Some steamed clams. Alisa took a dainty little fork to remove the clam meat from one and eat it. She then held up the shell for Steve to see. She covered it with her hands with a small plate under her. A loud crack and crunch could be heard, and then she began to rub her hands together... showing she had broken the shell, and had turned it into dust.

With a pile of dust on that small plate, Alisa took a cloth napkin and began to clean her hands a bit.

"Please excuse me, I think I need to use the ladies room. That clam was a bit messy." She again smiled and excused herself. After a short trip to the ladies room to wash her hands, she returned to her seat, wondering what Steve was going to say.

Steves face, not exactly shocked, is not exactly shocked or surprised when this news is shared. But to know that she had a power akin to the Hulk, where it is an emotion and not, say, just a certain inborn ability to something like fly or teleport, well that irks him slightly.

Not because she's a mutant. It's just...he's always seemed to have gotten some weird luck when it comes to meeting people. And now he's effectively engaged to someone who gets power from rage.

Great.

"Well, I don't really know what to say to that. You're a mutant, that's fine. No problem from me. What's the problem is I'm effectively engaged to a woman who I don't know who can crush clams with her hands."

"Well, we have options." Alisa pointed out, eating another clam. They were good, expensive, and she was damned if they went to waste. "We can try and get to know one and other. Like a courtship. If it does not work out, I can say something to my Father, and MAYBE he will listen and call the whole thing off. Though... those cards ARE worth a few million. I'd either have to pay for them or you. And well, I doubt SHIELD pays you that well."

She looked a bit hopeful.

"Honestly, I was a bit worried you'd be another old man wanting my hand and produce a few children for him. Instead, you want out of this mess, and I like that."

"I might get paid that much in a single lifetime at SHIELD," Steve muttered under his breath. "I doubt he'll just take the cards back?"

Steve thought for a moment, trying to really parse that.

"So...you're the daughter of the head of the Thieves Guild, you're a mutant, one who basically has the same abilities as one of the strongest beings on Earth, and you're effectively being used as breeding stock?"

"My father is old fashion. He thinks a woman will be happy living a quiet life with children." She took another sip of water. "Women in the Thieves and Enforcers Guild are rare. Only female Thief I knew was my Tante Mercy. I was only one of three in the Enforcers branch. All the others were married off as soon as they could be. Sometimes love was involved, sometimes a dowry, sometimes it was a power move for a family. The Guild is still in... archaic times."

Alisa continued to give Steve a bit of a smile as she spoke.

"My Brother was actually made to marry his best friend, to prevent a Guild war from breaking out. They were just kids. Eight-teen years old. After he was exiled, I was to take his place and one day marry an Assassin to maintain some fragile peace. Thankfully, he returned, stopped the war, brought peace between the two guild, united them, and I was no longer needed. I joined the Enforcers branch, became a thug for hire for the elite of society. It paid for me to go to College, live lavishly, but it was a lonely life."

"There's a difference between archaic and ancient. And sexist to boot," Steve said, his voice betraying a sense of annoyance at what he heard.

"Look, i should let you know that I've pretty much been career SHIELD my whole life. I get the idea of being a legacy in a larger organization, but if SHIELD pulled half the shit your dad did, my sister alone would lead the riots."

"Believe me, I fought hard for my position in the Guild and what power I had, Steve. Unfortunately it lead to two assassination attempts on me. One was almost successful." She tapped her head, where she had been shot. "We come from two different worlds, my friend. Two VERY different worlds."

Their dinner order finally showed up. Alisa had ordered herself some raw oysters, with a lobster tail and some broccoli on the side. She took out a bottle of hot sauce from her purse, and began to put it on one of the oysters, before eating it.

"Oh wow, these ARE good... I should order them more often. Would you like one, Steve?"

"I'm not big on seafood. More of a meat and potatoes kind of guy, although I don't mind a few types of fish every once in a while," Steve said, reminding himself to look at the menu so that he could put something up and think without being watched over.

His first thought is internal panic. He's definitely not happy with this situation, but with him accepting the gift (no matter how much he would want to simply return the cards) he had placed himself in a rather uncomfortable position. But...there are opportunities there. He knows paperwork, things like finances and shipping costs and the like. He didn't know how he would get them, but there would be a hell of a coup to get those details to SHIELD...

Could this work?

"Is there anything here you'd recommend? Besides the oysters, I mean," He said from behind the menu.

"This is a strictly seafood restaurant. Thus the name "The Oyster Bar"." She felt bad, hearing he preferred a good steak over seafood. Not because of his preference, but because the menu here did not have anything for him to eat. Alisa thought for a moment, before a big smile came across her face. She waved one of the waiters over to them.

"I'd like the check please." She then turned to Steve. "I know a wonderful steak place that is a few blocks from here. Why don't we head over, my treat."

...well, this was a ~~pleasant~~ surprise.

"I wouldn't mind that at all," Steve said, a little dumbfounded with the offer. Good steak wasn't cheap, let alone good steak in New York City.

Alisa managed to get the two a private room in one of the more exclusive Steak houses in the city. It was quite nice and cozy. Her eyes would glace over then menu, then back over to Steve every so often. He appeared to be silent. Either this was steak heaven for him, or he was worried about something.

"Are you alright? Is the menu too much?"

"A bit much, but not so bad as to set off my cheapskate senses," Steve said, his mouth full of steak while he ate. If he had to pay for this himself, Steve would have been fighting through gritted teeth to hint at being cheap. But...well, the Thieves Guild was not lacking in funds.

"I do appreciate the change in venue, but that doesn't change our...erm...situation. I take it Jean Luc won't simply accept the cards back?"

"At this point? No." Alisa began cutting into her steak. Just as she liked it... rare. She took a small bite before speaking once more. After-all, she was taught to never speak with her mouth full. "Like I said, why don't we actually give this a shot? You know, actually get to know one and other."

She smiled, cutting another bit of steak, then dipping it in mushroom sauce before eating it.

"Well, I'm not gonna give engagement to someone I don't know a try, but...you and I? Sure, why not? Let's start that," Steve says, giving her a small smile. Internally, Steve is doing as much as he can to calculate just how much paperwork he would have to do to make this a proper op. If this works, he could possibly get access to all the paperwork, or at least know where to snoop. He's still a SHIELD agent, and this is too damn good an opportunity to pass up.

"Alright. I was born in Baton Rouge. I'm twenty six years old... as far as we know." Alisa shrugged her shoulders. She was never sure of her age, as she was adopted, and no one told her anything about it. "I work as an art restorer and authenticator for the MET and for hire. My IQ is in the 138 range, but I admit... I act like an idiot so no one knows. My bank account is in seven digits and not nine like I told SOME people."

She laughed nervously at that last bit.

"I am fully trained in hand to hand combat, as well as various weapons. I prefer stun batons, despite having an impressive armory."

"I was born right here in New York. I've been a SHIELD brat all my life, along with my twin sister. I'm the quieter of the two, preferring desk work to field work, but as an agent I have full weapons, combat, and investigations training. Never had my IQ tested. And...my bank account is measily at best, buoyed up by some decent investments and me taking liberal use of materials SHIELD offers its agents for free."

"Impressive." She gave a nod of the head, before relaxing a little more in her seat. Alisa waited for the waiter to come back with her glass of brandy before taking a sip and talking with Steve some more. He really was an interesting guy.

"I've only had two romantic partners my entire life. Both were... special to me. But one was a sociopath incapable of experiencing emotions, and the other... I was too clingy and sabotaged the relationship. I was scared, and felt I did not deserve someone was kind and nice." She let off a sigh, taking another sip of brandy.

"I am hoping I learned enough from having my heart broken to be a better person, you know?"

"Impressive? Some would see my skills as a lack of ambition," Steve said a bit bitterly.

"You've had double my number then. She was...well, in retrospect, she was vain and self-absorbed, but at the time I found her charming and interesting. We started dating at the beginning of college. The relationship ended when I was accepted into SHIELD. She demanded I choose between SHIELD and her."

There's a piece of steak that is popped into Steves mouth.

"You can guess which one won," Steve continued after he finished chewing.

"I am sorry to hear that." Alisa asked, cutting another piece of steak and the eating it. "I do not think I could make anyone choose between me and a dream. It is why I never tried to get my ex-boyfriend back. I tried to remain friends, you know. But... it felt one sided. I would call to ask to hang out, never the other way around."

She dabbed her mouth her her napkin, having finished her meal. She placed the cloth napkin neatly in her plate and arranged her fork and knife in a way for the waiter to know that she was indeed finished, and to pick up the plate.

"I am still trying to discover what I truly want in my life. I am constantly told I do not belong in high society, but I am also told I do not belong in the Guild, with the poor, anywhere, really. I feel like I'm forging my own path with a spoon. I can dig a few feet, but risk it all caving in on me."

"Sounds like they were just giving you excuses to keep you in a place they could control you. Not that I would recommend high society. I've seen what those kinds of assholes are up to. I'd rather not deal with them," Steve says, nodding sagely at his own words.

"I suppose so." Her foot gently moved up and down his shin for a moment. A sly smile was upon her face as she drank a little more from her brandy glass. "I can be quite wild, so I suppose control is needed in some instances."

Alisa then placed her brandy glass down on the table.

"Would you like to see my current apartment? I am in the process of trying to buy myself a brownstone in Manhattan. Somewhere to just be comfortable and close to work."

Yeah, that drink that Steve was taking at that moment? That was almost forced down into his lungs with the foot going where it did. He does his best to hide his sputtering, but wow did that have an effect on him.

"Well now, that's just unfair," Steve said, looking the teensiest bit wounded. "Buying a brownstone is a pipe dream of mine, one that's nowhere near close to happening at the moment."

"Well, I can make it a reality." She smiled sweetly. "How about you help me pick one out? I need one that is closet to the MET, or at least a subway that heads there. It could be a nice, cozy little love nest."

Her foot continued to move along his leg. It was subtle, not drawing anyone's attention when they walked into the room to pick up their now empty plates and leave them with a desert menu.

"So? What do you say, Agent Coulson? Would you like to come to my place for a bit?"

Now that he's aware of the foot, he can react appropriately, but he's now very aware of it.

"I'm not one for architecture, but I wouldn't mind helping out as much as I can. And as for that other request..."

Steve finishes his last bite of steak and puts his own fork down.

"I would not mind you showing me your apartment. I've always been interested in how those with wealth live."

"Wonderful." Alisa summoned the waiter, asking for their check and once again paying for it. She left a reasonable tip, and walked out of the Steakhouse with Steve Coulson. She smiled, hailing a cab for the two as they headed for her current apartment, at the Waldorf Astoria.

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