The moon hung high in the sky, the stars faint in its glow. Neon lights lit up the street in dazzling colors, like a galaxy scattered across the ground.
At the hotel entrance, Susan gently withdrew her arm from Fenris's and tucked her golden hair behind her ear, smiling brightly. "I had a really great time today. I'm glad I met you."
"Me too."
Fenris smiled and nodded. "Should I invite you up for a cup of coffee?"
Susan gave a playful smile and shook her head. "Too soon. But I'd consider accepting your second date invitation."
Ah, the three-date rule.
The first date is all about figuring out the chemistry. If it goes well, a second date might follow. If not, both parties walk away and don't look back.
The second date is for getting to know each other better, reaffirming the feelings from the first, and weighing whether it's worth moving forward. If things progress well, a little hand-holding or even a goodbye kiss might happen.
The third date is the real deal. The moment of truth. Whether a couple becomes official or takes things further usually hinges on what happens then.
Of course, the "three dates" aren't strictly about the number. It's more about the stages of emotional development. Unproductive outings where no progress is made don't count.
And naturally, dates with other intentions don't fall under this rule.
Looks like Susan's the serious type.
Fenris smiled and nodded. "I'll look forward to it."
"Then I'll head back to my dorm. Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Susan waved and turned to leave. Fenris watched her until she disappeared from view, then turned back toward the hotel with a soft smile.
Love?
Two strangers can end up kissing over a drinking game. Some relationships are so cheap they're disgusting.
Some people spend hundreds of thousands to marry the love of their life. Others spend a few bucks on drinks, or just have a silver tongue, and experience someone else's lifelong dream.
So tell me. What is love?
Falling in love at first sight is easy. Staying committed through thick and thin is hard.
Fenris believed more in emotional connection than in romance.
To be honest, Susan leaving didn't disappoint him. In fact, he was a little glad. It showed she was taking it seriously.
Unlike him, he was just drawn to her beauty.
But back to the point.
Fenris's real reason for coming here was to find Reed and get him to repair the time controller. With Reed's brilliance, that shouldn't be a problem. The real concern is what happens after the repair.
Most of the time, people judge power based on combat ability or strength.
Tech-based characters rarely get recognized as "powerful" in the traditional sense. They're just seen as troublemakers.
Take Kang the Conqueror's variant, "He Who Remains."
Anyone who saw him get stabbed by Sylvie would think he's weak. But is he really?
He ended the multiversal war, ruled over all timelines, created the Time Variance Authority, and controlled the free will of all living beings across infinite universes. Does that sound weak to you?
He might have been a powerless human, a so-called pushover who died from a single stab. But, he accomplished things no "powerful" being ever could.
Reed Richards, Mr. Fantastic, is cut from the same cloth.
His superpower is the ability to stretch his body like rubber. Not exactly intimidating on paper.
But he's smart.
In the comics, Reed, like He Who Remains, forms a Council of Reeds, a multiversal group of himself from countless realities.
Their mission? To eliminate all threats.
They even went as far as imprisoning many versions of Doctor Doom from across the multiverse.
Some Reeds collected legendary artifacts from their own universes. A few even acquired Infinity Gauntlets.
When one version of Galactus attempted to invade Earth, the Council sent seven Reeds, each armed with a Ultimate Nullifier, to stop him.
Right now, Reed may not have powers or the title of Mr. Fantastic. But he's already brilliant enough.
Once he repairs the time controller, there's a good chance he'll replicate it. And once he does, he'll probably start poking around the multiverse.
That doesn't sit well with Fenris.
It conflicts with his own plans.
Plus, Maria Hill is still waiting for him. She's counting on Reed to fix more than just one time controller. She needs him to rework entire systems and gear.
So Fenris needs a way to keep Reed in check. A way to make him a reliable tool.
In other words, he needs psychic powers.
When it comes to psychic abilities, the first name that comes to mind is Professor X: Charles Francis Xavier.
Before handing the time controller to Reed, Fenris plans to visit the world of the X-Men and acquire Professor X's ability.
With any luck, it won't take much time to make the trip there and back.