2013.07.13 - Thursday in the Garden with Thor

After Sue and Reed arrived, Thor warmly saw them to guest rooms, and ordered the attendants bring them whatever they need to feel welcomed and comfortable. And then Thor went right back into meetings. Meetings and more meetings. The Thunderer spent his days near the training fields studying the troops, then his evenings with Tyr, the general, and Sif, his wife, looking over maps of the Realms. As the afternoon warms beautifully, Thor decided that until more information came to him, that tending to the garden he was given as part of his section of Valaskjir would be a good idea. Planting Sif's favorites here would make it pleasant for her as her pregnancy continues. 
As so it is that the King of Asgard can be found, on his hands and knees in the dirt, using his fingers to shift dirt and plants about. Mjolnir rests near by; Thor's cape tucked around it.
Richards Journal Entry: Day 6 or 7 since arrival. Its been, well it's felt like a week, since Sue and I arrived in the realm of Asgard. For Susan it has been a much needed escape from the the craziness of their world. She's seemed to have assimilated well into the population of the Asgard. I have never seen her more at ease in the last few days. Even now we are tending to the garden with the realms temporary ruler Thor Odinson. As for my mind I have been... dealing.
Ever since the fourth day after their arrival, Reed has been a bit on the 'twitchy' side. Mind you it's not something new. But for Reed it's something else. Sitting quietly at a large table, Reed has created something. Having acquired a sack of potatoes from the palace kitchens, a few metal scraps he got from a local blacksmith that he's turned into wires. Yeah he's dealing.
Sue Storm is sitting at the table next to Reed, not commenting on his attempts to make a potato battery. She can tell he's been getting more and more antsy, but every time she's mentioned asking to return to Earth he's been so adamant that they stay 'a little while longer'. This, though, with the potatoes, that's the last straw. Not to mention she really wanted to help Thor with the gardening over there and was told ever so politely but very definitively that she shouldn't be dirtying her hands as a guest. In her mind, at least, if a guest wants to dig in the dirt, or make batteries out of potatoes, or climb the palace and sit on the very highest rooftop to watch the stars, they should be allowed to do so. Also, this whole elegant gown and elaborate hairstyle thing they've been insisting she wear... it was nice for the first day or two, but she's starting to feel like a barbie doll or something. So, she finally speaks up. 
"Thor?"
The Thunderer looks up brightly at the sound of his name. He stands, brushes his hands once upon his knees, and walks over, leaving the relic on the ground near where he was.
"Yes, Susan?" he replies, moving close enough for casual conversation, even he he could hear and be heard from over there. The potato is peered at... oddly.
Reed counts and recounts the potatoes as well as constantly checking the wires. Have to make sure the connections are firm. No I'm not losing it. I must stay focus. "This isn't going to work. I need another source to tap from. Maybe add steam power if viable." he mutters to himself. It's been a day since he put his scanners to sleep to preserve power and the information he recorded the first few days.
Sue Storm glances at Reed concernedly when the scientist actually begins muttering loudly enough to be understood, then stands as Thor steps over from his gardening. "Is there a way for us to return home? I think we're both ready to see Midgard again." She offers the king a smile, hoping he doesn't misunderstand her and think they are unhappy with the company and how they've been treated as guests since arriving.
Thor glances at Reed. If Sue is concerned, Thor's completely confused by what he's doing. Indeed, the mortal seems mad to the King. His blue-grey eyes hold his worry. Perhaps he is not the sort that can handle being too long parted from his realm.
"Yes, certainly, Susan. I can send for Sif or we can travel to the Bifrost," Thor offers, the worry apparent in his tone.
Reed looks around. His brown eyes looking for something. He than returns to muttering. "Teapot, a fan and and and..." putting his hand to his head he taps on his temple, as if trying to compute and put together what ever it is in his head. "Yes.. fire. A metal rod and more wire. I'm going to need more wire." With that said he grabs a piece of charcoal and starts to draw out a very rudimentary steam engine. 
"And why am I being sent for, my love?" It's almost as if the Goddess has appeared out of nowhere. Quite likely for Sif actually.
She makes her way over to Thor, her hair pinned up in curls and a dress of ruby red adorning her body. The bust is armored and the rest flows from, hinting at the baby bump that's starting to become quite obvious now.
She bows her head to Reed and Sue. "Greetings. Enjoying thy visit thus far, my friends?"
Sue Storm puts a hand on Reed's shoulder to hopefully keep him from wandering off in search of parts to make whatever it is that's rattling around in his skull. She smiles at Sif as she seemingly appears at the mention of her name. "Oh, yes, thank you. But... well, I'm starting to worry about Reed. He's not used to..." She pauses for a moment. "His mind is accustomed to solving multiple problems simultaneously. I think the lack of activity is starting to affect him."
"To help see thy friends back to Midgard, perhaps? Though, if thou art too fatigued, I can escort them to the Bifrost," replies Thor smoothly, smiling and clasping his dirty hands behind his back... Trolldung! His cape is over -there- on the ground outside, by Mjolnir. Hoping to keep Sif from suspecting anything amiss in the once mostly neglected training yard he was in, Thor smiles just as sweetly and innocently as he can and ignores the fact that there is good rich earth on his knees. He glances at Reed, letting the worry for the mortal's mental well-being surface more fully. Maybe that will hide the halo born of mischief.... err.. good intentions? With the Odinson brothers, those things tend to intermingle.
A Lot.
Knowing the touch, Reed reaches up to put his hand on hers. "Susan. I need a teapot, preferably one that is short and stout. With a solid handle and a wide spout. It has to sit stable, so when it starts to whistle it won't tip over and pour out." Hearing his words he stops. Too many thoughts are bouncing around. His father taught him a trick for situations such as this. It's one of the many ways Reed knows how to settle the storm in his head. Closing his eyes the man takes a deep breath and releases. Upon opening his eyes he looks to Thor, Sif and then to Sue. Yup two steps and Reed may as well have been pals with Deadpool. 
Sif blinks at Sue and turns her attention to Reed for a moment. Her brows knit before one arches upwards. "I see..."
The behavior from Thor grabs her attention, however, and that look that says 'I know you're up to something...' is given to him. "Beloved..." For a moment, it seems as if she might call him out on it. "I am just fine. If I tire, I will rest. I'm not so fragile just yet though." His smile is given to him before she humors the God and allows herself to become distracted.
She blinks over at Reed and can't help but giggle a little. She had heard the rhyme while on Midgard. "I can open the portal as soon as I retrieve my sword if thou wish to return now. Or perhaps we can find other ways to occupy his mind... The choice is thine own, of course."
"Well," Sue considers. "I know that he's currently trying to figure out a way to replenish the power in his scanning devices..." she indicates the potatoes with metal stabbed into them. When Reed takes a deep breath she turns to look at him. "Reed? Do you want to go home, or stay here a little longer?"
On the verge of being 'caught out', Thor rocks to his toes a bit, then back to his heel when Sif plays along and gets distracted. He too returns his gaze to Reed again, head tilting at the rhyme. And then Sue clarifies what Reed was trying to do with the root vegetables and Thor seems to suddenly 'get it'. He oh's softly, eyeing the odd thing with renewed interest... that lasts a full ten seconds. Yup. It still makes no sense to Thor. this is one of those times when Thor wishes Loki were about. Surely, Loki would know or at least have a hint at what Reed was trying to do. And then something occurs to Thor.
"Power... like thy mocha machine? Did we find the way to make that item work here, Wife?" Thor asks, unwittingly letting his hands fall from behind his back.
As Reed looks the blond woman he offers her a smile. "I stayed in hopes that it will help you with your melancholy, Susan. I was observing your personality shift, before we cam here and noticed the Aquaman incident had shaken you. But upon arriving here you've seemed to have regained that..." Reed pauses as he looks for the word. "...sparkle." There it is Reed stayed to help her get better at the cost of his own sanity. "However I can't stay any longer." he adds as he looks back to Thor. "I want to apologize." he says softly almost sounding like himself. "Your hospitality has been more than wondrous and I thank you for the opportunity to reside amongst your people. However I'm not used to, pardon my phrasing: Spartan living conditions. And I need to return to my home dimension so I can recover my mental bearings." Yes big words. He's back for now. 
Sif gives a nod of her head. "Then I shall retrieve my sword and send thee on thy way," she replies softly, sounding slightly amused.
A look is given to Thor and she grins. "Nay, Husband. We did not." She leans in to kiss his lips lightly. "You smell of fresh soil." She smirks and arches a brow. "I shall not pry... With your leave, my love, I will retrieve my blade to send our friends on their way."
For being a moderately intelligent woman, Sue can sometimes be REALLY dense. When Reed admits that he stayed here on HER behalf, she looks completely taken aback. "Wha... Reed? You didn't have to do that, really. I would have been okay, once I heard whether or not Superman's friend was okay." That's probably what was upsetting her the most, that she didn't get to find out if Orin was coping with the loss of his hand or what. She looks up at Thor and Sif again, now very much resolved. "I really do appreciate your hospitality, but I do think it's time for us to return home." Past time, really.
Thor watches Reed smiling at Sue, listening to the reasons he gives. It makes the Thunderer smile and his stormy eyes cut over toward Sif. He completely understands Reed's motivations. If only he had had the time to learn what had been ailing Reed, and the freedom to over diversions, he would have done it days ago. Oh, well. Hindsight is twenty-twenty, even for the son of Jord. 
"It has been my pleasure to host thee," Thor says, smiling at the mortal scientist. And then Sif busts him. Thor smiles and looks at Sif.
"Go, recover thy sword, Beloved," is all he says. Because he's SO not going to spill the beans on what he's doing. But, since most of the jig is up for now, Thor reaches out his right hand... and in the garden, Mjolnir seems to leap from the ground toward the Thunderer.
Reed says nothing more, even though there is much to say. But right now he just wants to get home to the Baxter. And while it will be nice to be in his lab and see the HERBIEs. He'll be at ease to know he succeeded in what he started out to do. 
Sue Storm is just ready to go home as well, but she tries to stay polite. "Should I go see if we left anything in our rooms, Reed?" She knows at the very least that her blue and black '4' outfit is still there. Doesn't exactly work under these dresses that the ladies 'assigned' to her insisted on having her wear.
.....
It takes a few hours, but eventually Reed and Sue are ready to return home. It's just a jump to the left...
And a step to the right, as two of the Four are set back in their home dimension. Reed looks around. Everything seems to be in place. The HERBIEs are doing their jobs perfectly. Than Reed's eyes turn to Sue. "Welcome home." 
Sue takes a deep breath the moment they're through and all trace of Asgard is behind them... other than the clothing and hairdo. She immediately reaches up and starts pulling at the braids, more than ready for her hair to just be. "I am SO glad to be home, Reed, I can't even begin to say."
"You don't have to tell me." Reed feels it too. But he does feel 'off' now. He knows there are things to be done but he doesn't know where to start. "I.. I didn't mean to make you worry Sue. I just.. well you know." 
Sue Storm stops pulling at her hair and turns to look at Reed. "I know. But really, I was as ready to come home as you were, I think. I was getting sick of being treated like a Barbie doll. I'll be right back, okay? Maybe you should ask the HERBIEs what's happened while we were gone." Unless Reed speaks up, she leaves the room to go change out of this ... dress. It's pretty enough, and she'll likely keep it to wear to some special occasion later, but right now she would punch someone if they got between her and her pajamas.
Reed want's to say something, but he doesn't. Watching Sue leave the lab. Come on Richards, you could at least have said she was pretty. With a sigh Reed sits back down at his holo CAD and looks at the ship he seems to be designing. "I'm such an idiot." 
Sue Storm returns just a few minutes later, dressed in pajama pants and a loose t-shirt, with a hair brush in hand and still struggling with the braids in her hair. "Reed, can we get a pizza? I never thought I'd actually crave the stuff, but after all that roast... pig and stuff. You know?"
Looking to the chronometer on the wall Reed nods to himself. As he sets all the scanners on their docks he heads towards Sue. "That sounds like good idea. I think Luigi's is still open. Get what ever you want." As he appears from the lab he's already has his lab coat on, but still in his uniform. 
Sue Storm nods, turning to go place the order, but then stops and hisses in annoyance at a particularly stubborn bit of braid. "GOD. I swear. Never again."
Reaching over Reed flattens his finger and slips it into her hair. Wrapping around the tangle he gently releases the braid. "How's that?" 
Sue Storm stops and blinks at Reed, then smiles and blushes. "That's better. Thank you. I... should go order that pizza."
As he sees her blush Reed smiles. "Sounds good Sue." 
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