Doom stared irritably at the child. For one thing, there was a tone–expected, yes, given all he would someday inherit, but better used on his inferiors than his betters. And for another… Disney World? Really?

       The king clicked his tongue and huffed, eyes rolling; behaving hardly less like a child than his own ward, really. 

       “I have no time for such trivialities,” a clanking hand waved vaguely; dismissively. “One of the guards could accompany you.” That determined look though, he knew from experience, would not accept this easy answer. 

       Disney World, of all things. Truly? 

Kristoff won’t be swayed. He plants his feet just a bit firmer and tries to look more intimidating.

“Father if I wanted one of the guards I would have already ordered them to accompany me, I want you to take me.”

Kristoff has his hands on hips as he looks up at Victor, a determined expression on the young seven year olds face.

“Not exactly.” Casey was aware how suspicious it sounded… Her being in Castle Doom, managing to make it past security. It wasn’t easy by any means, but neither was it hardest thing she had been through lately. An apologetic smile touched her lips. “I’m sorry, I know I’m intruding. It’s just- it’s a really long story.” There was a tiredness in her eyes as she spoke.

“A locating spell, a powerful one.” Her eyes had fallen away from Kristoff for a moment. “I heard a rumor Victor Von Doom had an extensive library, and that I might find the spell I’m looking for there.” Placing a hand on the back of her neck, she brought her eyes back up to meet his. The prince seemed on edge, not that she could blame him. “Like I said, I don’t want any trouble. I can be out of your hair in no time… and that spell could save my life.” 

Save her life? What did she think this place was? Some sanctuary for every wayward hack who tried to claim they were a sorceress? He tries to listen for the ticks he knew doombots had, sometimes they hesitated a moment too long so they could process their thoughts before choosing a course of action. She seemed to be on a mission, one that must be very important if it risked her coming here. He thinks a moment.

“Very well then.” He says in an airy tone that seems like he is perfectly fine with helping her. He wasn't. Kristoff didn’t trust her and he decided that pretending to see what it was exactly that she needed was better than trying to guess. He would lead her to the library, and see what book could have possibly been so important to bring her here.

“If you say this will save your life then how can I refuse to help?” He bows, in the manner his father taught him, inclining his head slightly but his cool brown eyes never leaving her face.

“This way, careful to stay close, the Doom Dogs like to roam about.”

     “I’m more of the third option. I need help and I’m hoping that I might be able to find what I need here in Latveria.” There was old magic, she could practically feel it radiating through the city. “I’m Casey Kinmont. I’m not here to cause any trouble. In fact, I’d prefer to avoid it.”

Kristoff raises a brow, he pushes himself off the wall and takes his time to arrange his outfit, dusting off not there dust motes and fixing his cloak. She was pretty, but pretty faces often hide ugly things.

“So you managed to, what? Walk up to the door and knock? It would mean you somehow evaded the guards... unless you teleported in. Which is impossible, my father’s magic is strong and we have measure in place to stop unwanted guests.”

He finishes and eyes the girl, she might be near about his age but he wasn’t sure, she might even be a doom-bot for all he knew. Sometimes his father... would create things that shouldn’t be made. He hoped she wasn’t another female doom-bot here to ask him on a date. He had put his foot down the last time he found out about that. He needed to check the security measures, that was his main job when his father was away.

“What magic are you looking for Miss Kinmont?”

“Father, I just saw you naked, all over the internet. I need therapy now.”

          It should have troubled him that his first response was pride; he knew that. Distantly. But he felt it all the same. Pride, and affection, and a pang of guilt–but he would not think of that just now. He would favor his son with a smile, instead. 

       “AIM again? One would think they’d have learned something from their last attempt.” Definitely not a real threat, at least. Definitely also an odd reason to interrupt his tinkering… but Victor had never really understood how Kristoff’s mind worked. Maybe he just wanted the company?

       Shrugging, he picked up his mask and slipped it back into place, bracing himself for the weird, disembodied sound of his own voice through the metal grille. Familiar and strange at the same time.

       “…Of course. It always amuses me to watch them try to work out which robot is the ‘real Doom.’” A pause. “…Please tell me the entire point of this wasn’t to just… lure me out of the lab and convince me to eat something, Kristoff.”

Kristoff can’t help the small upturning of his lips as he continues to walk, his father was behind him and he couldn’t see the smile but he made sure that Victor wouldn’t hear it in his voice.

“The company is not unwelcome Father, it is rather dull around here now that things back to business as usual.” 

He reaches the top of the staircase, glancing back slightly he sees Victor has once more donned the mask and he can’t help the small shiver that runs through his brain, he knew what it was like to look out of that mask, he shoves it down, shoves it back as he smoothly turns down a corner and steps over the splayed dead body of one of the AIM Agents who had guessed wrong about a Doom-Bot. 

Continuing his walk Kristoff tries to sort out his thoughts. He needs to know how Victor is doing, his recent... indiscretion by becoming Ironman was not spoken of in this house. He walks past newly restored paintings and doom-bots who had not been activated yet. The sound of fighting and screaming echoes down the hall from other places in the castle, by now Victor has caught up and they enter the dining room together.

          Victor barely looked up from his work. A quick glance to verify that the person entering the lab’s sealed, well-guarded space had clearance to do so, then back to the gears and circuits laid out under his hands. He already knew who it was from the sound of those careful steps, checking was partially a matter of habit and partially… concern.

       Kristoff rarely ventured down here. There had to be a reason.

       “We could discuss it now,” he suggested. “Since the issue is pressing enough that you would interrupt my work…” Standing slowly, setting his tools aside, Victor cleaned his hands on a nearby cloth and studied the boy (to him, still always a boy), mask off and eyes sunken with fatigue. It did his face no favors, between the stress lines, the hints of greying stubble, and the riot of scar tissue that from one cheek to the other. 

       His tone was too sharp and he knew it; frowned and waited for the response, knowing that wasn’t how he’d meant the words to sound, but incapable of making them come out any other way. 

Kristoff glances behind Victor to take in the various tools and parts that covered his work table. He tries to piece together what he was working on now, but it was too early to predict the end product. He crosses his arms and raises his brow at his Father’s tone. 

He huffs, and says in a bored tone, “We are being attacked again. I thought you should know they have breached our outer walls and are currently in the castle.”

Kristoff turns and begins to march back upstairs, “I’m going to enjoy my dinner and watch as the Doom-Bots secure one of the AIM Agents for interrogation. Care to join me?”