Moonstone

Confidently, one of the few women among the crowd of villains stepped forward. Her form-fitting costume was of gold and white, her blonde hair hung down to mid-back, but it was the alien energies that permeated her nervous system which caught Doctor Doom's attention. Automatically, his armor cross-referenced the energy signatures with various Kree technologies, and more obscure, arcane connections...but for all that she was a being of power to rival Ms. Marvel, Doom knew that Karla Sofen, known as Moonstone, was not primarily a threat because of her superhuman strength or ability to fly.

No, the reason he had invited her was because of her training as a psychiatrist, and her personal history of hypnotizing and psychologically manipulating her clients, even before she gained superpowers. Doom's impassive mask eyed her warily as she stepped forward to present her plan...and he was not disappointed.

"The more complex the plan, the more there is to go wrong," Moonstone said. "The Invisible Woman is regularly under tremendous levels of stress; her adventures as part of the Fantastic Four involve her participation in traumatic events...such as the loss of her second child...and her marriage with her husband has regularly been strained. It should be simple for a trusted physician to recommend her to go to therapy to help deal with some of her pent-up baggage. I'll be there, in disguise, to help her through her issues...and slowly, I'll manipulate her into doing things she would never have done before."

Moonstone crossed her arms in front of her chest, a smug smile on her lips. Utterly confident in her own abilities. Doom considered her words. In truth, he suspected that Moonstone was unaware of her own true capabilities. The Kree artifact manipulated gravitic forces, something Sofen managed on a largely subconscious level to manipulate the minds of those she interacted with. Doom's own armor was shielded against such manipulations of his person...but the Invisible Woman had no such protections.

He touched the metal tips of his gloves together and considered Moonstone.

"Tell me, Doctor Sofen," he said. "How will you manipulate her? How will you prevent yourself from being the first suspect, once Susan begins to act out of character? If your manipulations are detected..."

Moonstone's smile broadened. "By the time anyone realizes the Invisible Woman is different, it will be too late. The trick is to play upon the emotions and feelings she already has. The desires and fears she has long repressed. She'll be embarrassed—and hide her feelings from her own friends and family. Once I prod her into action, she'll have even more reason to keep things secret, until it's too late and she's accepted the changes."

The villainous psychiatrist spread her hands, and energy arced between her fists.

"All I need is one hypnosis session to get the ball rolling. Once I get her into a susceptible state, it's just a matter of time and she'll be clay to be molded however I desire."

Doom's eyes narrowed. He could see the outline of Moonstone's own ambitions clearly in her plan. She was inspired by more than simply the opportunity to manipulate so powerful and perfect a woman as Susan Storm. Still...with his own resources, he might be able to enhance her ability to manipulate Susan, while still concealing his own hand in this affair.

"Very well. Let us...discuss these matters further," he said.

The psychiatrist's office looked out over Central Park. As her general practitioner had promised, the practice was very discreet, but there were plenty of signs of wealth. A real Persian carpet on the floor, antique furniture, and the view itself had to cost a few million. Then there was the security tech around the door, the StarkTech insignia etched into the metal, that would ensure their privacy.

Doctor Stone did not have a desk, or a couch. She wore very bold keyhole blouse that showed an excess of cleavage, but the rest of her suit was all business, dark grey pinstriped with pink. With her two-inch heels, she stood slightly taller than her new client. The blonde psychiatrist greeted Susan Storm at the door and guided her toward one of the chairs by the window. In a small glass pot, amber-colored tea bubbled away.

The Invisible Woman had opted for a different kind of invisibility for her first appointment. Exercise pants, running shoes, and a hoodie effectively concealed her Fantastic Four costume, a large pair of sunglasses and a ballcap hid her hair and face effectively. She had an image inducer in her fanny pack just in case she needed it, but sometimes holograms drew more attention than they were worth.

"I'm not sure I need a psychiatrist," Susan admitted. "But Doctor Patel said you were very good. Very discreet. A lot of celebrity clients?"

"Of a sort," Moonstone said. "I specialize in the superhuman community. A number of your...associates...don't want it to get out that they've talked to a psychiatrist. There's still quite the stigma against seeing mental health professionals. Yet your avocation leads to many traumatic experiences. Sometimes, I can help them confront those painful memories. Process their traumas. Move on with their lives."

Sue gave a tight-lipped smile. Moonstone could almost hear the blonde's thoughts as she thought back to her own traumatic past. In her head, the devices Doom had implanted to augment and direct her powers had improved her ability to read and manipulate others to a degree that Karla knew she would never have obtained on her own. "Doctor Stone" gave a warm smile in response, and felt Sue relax slightly. All the opening that Karla needed for the next step in her plan.

"Since this is our first session," the doctor said. "I thought we might start with a guided meditation session. What do you say?"

The Invisible Woman blinked.

"You want to hypnotize me?"

Moonstone gave a soft laugh. "In a manner of speaking. It's not a deep trance experience, we're not digging up repressed memories or anything. You'll just close your eyes and listen to my voice, and I'll guide you through a set of images designed to help you relax and feel more comfortable. You can stop at any time."

"Well..." Sue said, and chewed the thought over.