13703/Debts acknowledged

Debts acknowledged
Date of Scene:	31 December 2022
Location:	Jonah's Place (Bar and Grill)
Synopsis:	Vintridr and Lara have a chat, and a debt is acknowledged.
Cast of Characters:	Lara Croft, Vintridr

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Lara Croft has posed:
It's a quiet evening in Jonah's Place, the dinner crowds haven't arrived quite yet.

Lara is at a table by herself, with three books opened in front of her. She's got her phone in her hand, and a steamy drink cup beside her. There are a few people at the bar over her shoulders, but her focus is solely upon that of whatever is occupying her mind with those books, and her device. Dressed in a dark blue sweater, her hair tied back behind her shoulders, and a jacket draped over the back of her chair, she looks to be a casual state overall.

A exhale escapes her lips, her hand goes down to a pen resting upon one of the open books. She starts to write something down within one of the pages there-in.. her eyes bouncing from the phone in her hand to the paper that she's scribbling some notes down upon....

Vintridr has posed:
    Someone as tall as Vin really should stand out more than she generally does. It's a trick, of course -- a bit of stance, a bit of body language, and long experience at moving through the spaces that are seen but not noticed. Some habits are hard to shake.

    It helps, of course, that she genuinely does not bear ill will toward her current target, and that lack of intent helps quiet instincts that kept the young archaeologist alive through some of the worst the world had to offer.

    "Good evening, Lady Croft. Might we speak?" she asks as she steps into Lara's field of view.

    The younger woman might not recognize her immediately -- the last time they saw one another, Vin had been dressed like a low budget urban ninja, her features concealed behind a hoodie and a shawl; quite a contrast to the slightly ornate sleeveless vest that shows off her shoulders, with her hair cascading loosely down her back and fashionable side-tied leather pants.

Lara Croft has posed:
With Vin's announced arrival, Lara's eyes come up from her work, and she lowers her phone down to the table. She stares up at the tall woman for just a few moments before she summons a light smile across her pink hued lips. "Well, hello there. It has been awhile. How have you been?" Lara asks in her London-standard accented English, a voice that is calmly presented and could be considered quite soothing to most ears.

A quick glance is given around the mostly quiet restaurant and bar, before Lara returns her gaze. "A meeting of happenstance, or am I about to be sequestered for a sojourn of great importance?" She asks, with a twinge of 'good humor' touching the tone of her words.

Vintridr has posed:
    That garners a smile from the Asgardian. "No sojourns, no quests or trials," she promises, spreading her hands to show them empty. "Merely a debt incurred. Might I sit?" she asks, indicating one of the other seats at Lara's table.

Lara Croft has posed:
It is then that Lara relaxes and leans back in her own chair. She motions to the one across from her as she starts to close up the books in front of her, dropping the pen in the journal that she'd been writing in. "Of course, please do."

A second later and one of the servers here at the restaurant comes to the side of the table to ask Vintrider what they would like to have, and to ask Lara if she'd like a refill on her tea.

"Yes, please." Lara indicates, and after Vin gives her answer the server is off again back toward the bar area and the kitchen beyond that...

Vintridr has posed:
    Vintridr seats herself with the easy grace of someone who's had a long time to learn to restrain her strength and offers Jonah a pleasant smile as she orders a tea for herself, her eyes following him as he makes his way into the kitchen.

    "A good and true friend," she murmurs as she looks back to Lara. "Men like him are rare in this modern world. You are fortunate, indeed..."

    She trails off, then shakes her head briefly as if to clear it. "But that isn't what I came here to discuss with you."

    She looks Lara straight in the eyes, trying to convey the gravity with her expression as well as her words. "I've done you harm when you meant me none in return. Regardless of the circumstances, that creates a debt as Asgard reckons it, and as I acted of my own accord, that debt is mine to owe."

Lara Croft has posed:
There is a small smile upon Lara's lips at the mention of Jonah. The large Hawaiian man getting their drinks ready from behind the bar now. "He's the best, it's true..." Lara says with no small amount of wramth and affection clear on her face and in her voice.

When Vin moves on though to the heavier topic at hand, Lara falls silent. She does sit forward a little though, and rests her fingertips on the edge of the table in front of her, her thumbs together just under the table's edge.

She locks her eyes on Vin's and tilts her head to the right just a little. "I wouldn't say that. Our experiences in the past were valuable to me, learning more about your people. In fact... I've been working directly with the Asgardian embassy over the past few months, through autumn, and have gotten to know quite a few of Thor's closest allies. It's all been a series of experiences that I'll treasure for as long as I live." She shows a twitching grin then. "Call it a childhood dream come true, in fact..."

Vintridr has posed:
    Vin smiles again, but shakes her head gently. "I am pleased that the Odinson has done well by you and counts you as an ally, that does not lessen my debt -- to the contrary, were he to learn that I did one of Asgard's honored guests an injury and neglected to make proper restitution he would be most displeased. It is a matter of honor and custom, after all..."

    She leans forward slightly as her fingers wrap around the tea mug Jonah put in front of her. "There is a saying in Midgard, 'Forgive and forget'. It is, when well intentioned, a kind sentiment -- but it is not Asgard's way. Debts incurred must be repaid before forgiveness can be considered. Always. If one cannot or will not square one's accounts, how can their word be trusted?"

Lara Croft has posed:
After Jonah brought their drinks, Lara had quietly thanked him with a smile before he bounded off again to the bar to tend to those seated there. This leaves the two to their discussion, and Lara raises her new cup of tea up to her lips for a sip from it, having to gently blow upon it first though, of course.

After Vin speaks, the cup is lowered once more down to the table, and Lara just affords the other woman a soft smile. "I can understand that sentiment. Honor is everything amongst your people, I wish that it were amongst my own... But.." She draws in a breath and lets it out softly there-after. "I wouldn't press you for anything specific. I would, however, be happy to help you with any further projects you need done here on Midgard, my experiences have grown quite a bit, with trips to other realms now, thusly meaning I think I might be more helpful than even when we spoke last." She says, sharing a warm smile.

Vintridr has posed:
    Vin nods and sips her tea, taking a moment to savour it before responding. "Fortunately, the rules that apply are quite a bit more flexible about both the nature and the timing of the repayment -- appropriate both to the offense in question and the person injured, and to be repaid at the receiver's convenience," she replies.

    "A simple acknowledgement of the debt and an earnest declaration of intent to repay it is sufficient to satisfy requirements until such time as you see fit to call it in, or a situation arises where it can be repaid. There is quite some leeway."

    A grin flashes across her lips. "You lead an interesting life; I'm sure an opportunity will come up sooner rather than later. Something to look forward to..."

Lara Croft has posed:
"Well you are certainly not wrong about that." Lara says in response to her life being summed up there. She shows a slight grin at the comment to before her thoughts roam for a moment. Another sip of her drink is had before Lara lowers the cup once more. "A favor then, to call in when a need arises. That works, quite well in fact. There may be some expeditions coming up in the new year that I might need such help with. You're capable, to say the least, and I always could use more in the way of capable hands with me. Even..." She shakes her head side to side. "As a member of SHIELD, I run in to situations that are rife with danger, and I certainly need more backup on those occasions."

Lara sets the cup aside then, reaches to slide that pen out from under the cover of her journal, and she offers it with a napkin to Vin. "If you have a bit of contact information you could share, it'd help me call in that favor, should the time arise?" She asks then.

Vintridr has posed:
    Vin smiles as she picks up the pen and scribbles a cellphone number onto the napkin... And then picks up the slightly more solid cardboard felt Jonah had put down underneath her teacup to keep the table moisture free and carefully begins to draw a series of runes along the rim -- and Lara has had more than enough recent experience to tell the subtle differences between the Norse futhark and true Asgardian script.

    A certain sense of quiet pervades the atmosphere, as if reality itself is holding its breath while Vintridr scribbles on a bit of cardboard with the kind of meticulous precision Han Dynasty calligraphers would have sold their souls to achieve just once in their lifetimes.

    Finally she reaches the starting point, and a barely noticeable shiver runs through the air as she lifts the pen away. She hands over the napkin first. "Call this number if you wish to speak, or to call on me when the need is not yet urgent," she comments, then slides the cardboard over as well. "... But if it is, and lives hang in the balance and seconds count, invoke this and I will come."

Lara Croft has posed:
Naturally Lara is watching those pen strokes with great interest, though she's obviously too removed from her vantage point to see them until they're finished, and handed over. When they are, she just cracks a slight grin and accepts them. "You've been busy." She comments, in a friendly sort of way.

The napkin with the number is slipped in to the journal's cover with a quiet sound of pages closing over it, and the coaster is viewed, and done the same with moments later.

"I wish I could offer something equally impressive, but... I'll have to settle with sending your number a text so that you know what crazy person is reaching out to you when it comes." She adds with another growing grin.

Lara then just nods her head a single time. "I really have enjoyed my work with the Asgardians of late. The trips to Alfheim in particular are experiences I could never have dreamt possible, so I do look forward to what may come next."

Vintridr has posed:
    Vin chuckles at that. "I've had a great deal of spare time in the past," she replies as she rises. "Your employers might know a thing or two about that." She declines to explain further as she turns to leave. "Until next time, Lady Croft. May you always have cause greet the future with that optimism." With that, she walks away. Shortly after she crosses the treshold of the cafe proper, some passers-by briefly obscure her from view -- and by the time they part, she's nowhere to be seen.

Old habits die hard, apparently.