4032/The Future Becomes The Present, The Present Becomes Me

The Future Becomes The Present, The Present Becomes Me
Date of Scene:	05 November 2020
Location:	American Museum of Natural History
Synopsis:	Edward admires a puzzle artifact in a museum, that just so happens to have been discovered by Lara Croft. They have a bit of a friendly chat!
Cast of Characters:	Edward Nygma, Lara Croft

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Edward Nygma has posed:
It's no secret that Edward Nygma is a fan of, well, most anything that could be considered even remotely intellectually challenging or interesting. And that includes history.

For obvious reasons, he isn't wearing his usual Riddler outfit to a museum, it tends to make people nervous, despite no longer being a //wanted// criminal.

He does, however, still wear a suit, a green suit with a warm brown trenchcoat, because it's pretty cold outside, and a plain green derby hat without his iconic question mark.

Okay it's still pretty Riddler.

Today there are a variety of exhibits full of British artifacts on tour, plenty found by Lara Croft herself. Right now Edward is staring at an old silver puzzle box behind glass, with a description that reads:

'The Puzzle of Duke Lewis IV. Found buried next to a ruined castle during a routine archeology dig, the puzzle has yet to be solved due to the complex nature of not only the puzzle itself, a more complex version of a Rubix Cube-like puzzle, but also because how to actually move the pieces is still unknown without more research.

"This isn't even fair." Edward says as he just kind of longingly stares at it. "I have six sides but you can only see five." he says out of pure habit.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara had been in London over the Halloween weekend, she'd been setting up the deal to get these items finalized and brought here.

Now they're here, now they're on display. She's happy to have gotten the exhibit to make a ocean-spanning trip to NYC, where more eyes can fall on them and experience them. It wasn't, in her words, the most exciting thing she's ever done, but it was a nice step in solidifying the foundation of her young career as a growing name in the Archaeology community.

Here and now?

Lara is wearing a slim-fit black sweater with a half-turtle neck, with her dark hair loose around her shoulders. A pair of dark grey slacks are on her lower half, with a pair of heeled shoes, making her look very business casual, but still quite nice. She's been speaking with a group of colleagues, but is now not far from where Nygma is eying the display, her eyes glance at him.

She has no idea who 'The Riddler' is as the affairs of Gotham-- and its notorious denizens --has never really been a topic she's focused on in her life.

"Enjoying the display?" Lara asks the man when they're separated by the distancce of one or two people.

Edward Nygma has posed:
"I'm always positive and never indifferent, in a binary world you could say I'm number one." Edward pauses, and quickly looks over at her and says, "Yes." That's how a sane person would answer. "I want to solve this puzzle so bad. I already have so many ideas. It's so beautiful, if I was Bruce Wayne I'd just buy the museum so I could have it."

He looks over at her again, then his eyes widen. "Oh! I looked up the archeologists before I came. You're... Lara Croft, right?" He stands up straight and walks over, offering his hand. "Edward Nygma."

Lara Croft has posed:
If New York City has shown Lara anything, since she claimed a residence within it earlier in this year, its that there is a seemingly endless amount of eccentric characters that one can meet within its city limits.

This one, Edward, is shaping up to be one of the noteworthy ones so far already, and its been like 10 whole seconds.

A reserved smile is shown to the man, before he offers his hand to her and greets her with knowledge already of her. "Hello there, Mister Nygma." She's already picked up on his name. E. Nygma, but she doesn't comment on it. She's also already wondering if he's a television personality, or a stage magician of some kind, but not quite ready to ask such questions.

"I'm really glad you like exhibit." She settles on for now, her hand shake is firm, but not powerfully-so, her hand soft but not overly-so, which hints at how she gets down in to the dirt when she needs to.

A glance is given back to the puzzle box. She smile sat it, then back to him. "I toyed with it some, but its quite complex. I know of where you can purchase a replica online, if you're interested in having one of your own?" Her voice is soft, calming, laced with that London-standard flavor to it.

Edward Nygma has posed:
"I'll buy it immediately. Challenging puzzles are quite rare, at least for me." Edward stares down at her hand, not immediately letting go, and then when he does he nods. "You're a very hard working archeologist. You don't simply have people doing all the digging while you manage things. I've met some who do."

"Sorry, I was taking note of your hand." He walks back over to the puzzle, staring down at it. "The puzzle, from looking at it, the trick is that it goes through phases. You press it and it turns to a new phase, in the next phase you'd twist it, then you'd pull it. From the construction, that's how I'd imagine it works."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara draws her hand back and laces her fingers together between either of her hands as she watches him move toward the glass with having shown him a soft smile. "I'm still young, so I've still a drive for getting my hands dirty, so to speak. I'm sure in twenty or so years, I'll much prefer to stay in an office and tell other, younger, people where to go and what to do in my stead." She says with a soft grin, even if she doesn't really believe that to be true, but its a fun thing to tell others.

She steps toward the display as well as he talks about his thoughts on the box. "You're right." She says, having known how to solve the box, just not having actually tried to do it herself at this stage. "You have a nack for these types of things then, Mister Nygma?" She asks him. "Was it the reason you came to the exhibit? Or just a happentsance on seeing it here tonight?"

Edward Nygma has posed:
"I came for the puzzle, I needed to see it in person, from different angles. It's why I read about you, I wanted to know if this was your specialty, or if you found more puzzles. Archeology is a field of patience, I'm not sure if I could do it myself." Edward stares at her, an ever-curious look in his eyes. "Do you enjoy puzzles? Archeology is a bit like solving a puzzle in of itself. I wonder what draws you to it."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara holds her hands in front of her lap with her fingers laced between one another. She nods once to his words, and question. "I've enjoyed puzzles my entire life, actually. My father used to encourage that side of me, he felt it would help me in my future work, and he couldn't have been more right." Her eyes glance to the exhibit, the box inside of it, befor eshe looks back to Edward.

"What is that you do for a living, Mister Nygma?" She asks then of him. "If you like puzzles, I'd assume your patience would be quite high."

Edward Nygma has posed:
"I have the patience for a challenge, not so much to carefully brush away at dirt for many, //many// hours." Edward corrects, eyeing the puzzle again.

For a woman like Lara Croft, the distinct way that he looks at the puzzle almost significantly more than he looks at her might be a bit of a change of pace, given the not-so-savory people in the world. "I'm a private investigator, among other things. Believe it or not, I'm something of a reformed celebrity criminal. I don't have much shame about it, people either love me or hate me. I have a villain name and everything."

He turns to her, holding up a single finger. "I have many angles, but I'm always obtuse. Who am I?"

Lara Croft has posed:
His addmitting that he's a reformed criminal has Lara raising her eyebrows up, she hadn't considered that option, but adding on that he's a detective makes her think the reformation must be going quite well. His following riddle just makes her smile for a moment as she glances away, before looking back at him.

"A New Yorker." Is Lara's answer for that particular riddle, and she doesn't mean it as anything more than a fun play on his words, and a pick at New Yorkers in-general. She's British, after all!

"I'm guessing that your infamous title was 'The Riddle'?" She asks then, answering (or very nearly) a much more random question almost perfectly.

"I've heard you say three of them outloud so far." Is her reasoning for the guess.

Edward Nygma has posed:
"The Riddler, but I'll accept that answer as equally true. I still enjoy my moniker. Being as reformed as I am, it's not as if I wouldn't love to know Batman's secret identity. I just don't particularly want to return to Arkham. And being a private investigator pays a lot when you're good at it." Edward starts to walk, looking at other exhibits, though doesn't move faster than Lara is willing to follow.

"You know what else got old?" he asks, considering. There's a pause where one can almost see him being compelled to answer in the form of a riddle, but he manages... "Being beaten senseless by Batman."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara senses a small change in Edwear's demeanor once the moniker he used to go by comes out between the two of them. Not a /big/ change yet, just a noticeable alteration in his general posture. "Well it seems a fitting name, for someone who likes puzzles as much as you seem to." She plays it casual with the man, just smiling for him and to him.

The bit about Batman makes her smirk, she doesn't think about that corner of the nearby world a lot. She knows of Batman, of course, but... they're in different worlds, or so it seems. Maybe a little less so tonight, consider her current company though.
5rLara takes a moment to wave goodbye to a couple of elderly exhibit attendees who seem to be on a friendly basis with her, then she looks back on to Edward to watch and listens to his last words there.

"You were... beaten by him?" She asks. "I'm sorry to hear that." She says in a soft, sincere sounding tone.

Edward Nygma has posed:
"Well, in his defense, it was usually my fault. But a man needs intellectual challenges, both I and likely Batman himself. I bet if he wasn't putting on his bat-demeanor, he'd admit that he enjoyed all the riddles and mysteries I gave him." Edward stares at an elaborate suit of armor, raising his hand out as if he wants to touch it, though of course stops short. He's a man who understands quality.

"My crimes had substance. It wasn't just wanton chaos and violence like the Joker. I stole a thing, maybe planned to steal a thing, left a nice series of puzzles so he could have a chance to find and arrest me. They were good times. Again, other than the beatings." He may or may not leave a few details out, and looks over at her to ask, "Do archeologists typically have a nemesis?"

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara is there to walk with him as he explains some about himself, her interest in watching him now having peaked quite a lot since he admitted being a villain, of /Batman's./

But she just keeps herself calm and cool, not particularly worried about this man, as he shows no outward signs of being anything other than a curious museum go-er, but still... there's a lot of very valuable items aruond here!

At his question, a smile spreads over Lara's lips. "Tomb raiders." She replies, ironically, considering she's been labeled that a number of times in the media since the events that occured on Yamatai Island last October, in the seas of Japan...

"They're not interested in bettering mankind with the recovery of ancient items, or rediscovery of lost locations. They're just there for personal profit, personal gain, and often leave things in far worse shapes than when they found them." Lara's brown eyes glance at the armor as well, but look back to Edward. "I'm glad you've found a path toward redemption, Mister Nygma. You seem like you're quite smart, and could offer the world a lot of positive change through that."

Edward Nygma has posed:
"Redemption is a strong word." Edward casually says while observing the armor, rubbing his chin and taking in the fine details. "I see my current position as something like... I've evolved to a more sustainable state of existence, rather than something like regret or the desire to be a hero. Do you know how difficult it is to sustain a crime spree when you have a psychological compulsion to leave clues to every crime? And even if I could, then I'd just be bored."

"Tomb raiders... I already hate them." He walks over to another exhibit, this time it's some old British document, which he immediately starts reading. It's just an old letter that some lord sent to another lord, but he's obviously very intensely analyzing it. "Tomb raiders sound like the worst kind of criminal. Stealing for personal gain is one thing, a long time ago I'd have definitely stolen that puzzle. But destroying history, destroying the knowledge of the past, showing no respect for the things around us... Quite frankly I'd shoot them."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara is quiet while the man speaks and she walks with him, more acting as though she's just here for answering questions if he has any, like an employee of the Museum, which she... sort've is, from a certain point of view.

When he reaches the document, she watches him again and listens to his rundown of his own personal plight before commenting on what she'd said. She shows the hint of a smile but it comes and goes like a thief in the night.

"Thankfully, the average archaeologist never has to witness a situation where they need to use a gun to stop such a person." But she's not the average archaeologist, herself. She's addicted to adrenaline and life threatening situations (Or so her Therapist had told her.)

"You should find ways to use that compulsion for clues to benefit your existence. If you want my advice, of course." She says with a following smirk. "Such as... maybe setting up 'hunts' for people to go on. You could offer it as a service for people to sign up for, maybe turn it into a real business. People like scavenger hunts, after all."
rSee? She's helping! Or just making sure he doesn't STEAL STUFF!

Edward Nygma has posed:
"It's certainly an idea, though I'm almost certain that Batman will think I'm committing a super crime. And I won't lie sometimes the line isn't very clear." Edward pulls a tiny magnifying glass from his coat that extends like something to check gem imperfections, and stares at the document even closer.

"I wake you up and knock you down, you love me most when in the ground." He looks over at her from the document, pointing out, "There's the smallest hint of what I believe is a coffee stain. I wonder if it's already been spotted and used to research the kind of coffee they drank during this period."

His voice goes lower, like one who knows how to speak in conspiracy. "Have you ever committed a crime, Lara Croft?"

Lara Croft has posed:
His initial words get a few small nods from Lara as she hears his rundown on the coffee stain which makes her walk toward him to stand beside him. She looks down at the same stain to investigate a bit herself. After a few seconds she straightens again and looks over at him just on her right. "I think its a tea stain." She says back to him before looking away and take a step around the display on her left side, walking around a glass case filled with a collection of armor helmets all in different levels of condition from okay, to bent and totally ruined.

"I've killed people, Mister Nygma. Though I was defending myself, and I've been cleared of any charges, there are still people out there who ... believe I am a criminal already. So, sometimes, it seems its just a point of view deciding if you are... or are not, such a thing."

Edward Nygma has posed:
"You're not like any archeologist that I've seen." Edward admits, following her to those helmets as he seems to take a genuine interest in looking at the differences in each of them. "You seem a step removed from being in the Gotham Rogue's Gallery, as they like to call it. The Joker, Catwoman, The Penguin, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, The Riddler... I like to count Harley Quinn, she deserves it, Joker's an asshole. Ozzie, the Penguin, he's a cool guy. I could take you to the Iceberg Lounge some time."

He can never quite help holding his hand above the glass occasionally, his curiosity strong, but his willpower winning over. "I always kill the cat, but only if she lets me." A pause, holding up a hand. "That was a riddle, not a reference to Catwoman."

"So, let me guess..." He turns to her, looking her over as he makes various deductions. "Young British archeologist, leading a far more dangerous archeologist life than average, collecting plenty of rare artifacts. I'm guessing taking artifacts from where you found them is where the criminal part comes in."

But, he shrugs. "If you haave a license to commit crime, why not."

Lara Croft has posed:
"That certainly is a colorful cast of names." Lara comments about the Gotham Rogues. She's heard of some of them, but not all of them. "Iceburg Lounge?" She then asks. "I'm guessing that's not a club dedicated to the sad fate of the RMS Titanic." She states in a bit of morbid dry humor, how British.

At his riddle, Lara just smiles sweetly. "I've always been more of a dog person. So I'll answer that one with a simple Dog." She's just going with her first thought on his riddles, it has been a long day for her after all!

At his last bit she just sweeps her hands around to put them behind her then. "Well, to be honest, I am employed by SHIELD. Items like these." She looks around at the exhibit. "Belong in a museum, but what SHIELD has me pursue... they belong in much more secure locations. I'm preserving these things though, or trying to. Where others are looking to, as we said, profit. If I commit a crime, well... lets hope I have a good reason."

Edward Nygma has posed:
"It's Ozzie's club. The Penguin." Edward clarifies, having some fondness in his tone for the man. "It's a classy affair, the perfect place for an Englishwoman. I'll pay, of course."

"Pets are a lot of work, but I might choose a cat, because you never quite know what they're thinking." That seems like an obvious answer for him. "Dangerous artifacts, now those sound like puzzles I'd really like to get my hands on."

He turns around from the helmets, at the mention of dangerous puzzles. "Speaking of dangerous puzzles, until the other day, I had an inoperable brain tumor. I feel pretty good about my lease on life now."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara shows another light smile at his words about the Lounge. "Possibly." She says. "I'm not much of a socialite though, admittedly. What social events I attend publicly, other than ones like this, are usually related to my responsibilities with my title back home." Her Nobility, and all that. "I'm... what you might call, a workaholic." She's not lying either, she's obsessed with her work, and rarely does anything not related to it."
"Cats certainly do have that appeal. I admire their grace, myself. But i've very little experience with them, maybe I find them intimidating." She states with a sly grin.

At his tumor comment, she tilts her head and arches an eyebrow. "I'm guessing that's another riddle?" She asks.

Edward Nygma has posed:
"Oh, no, it was very real. Getting rid of it took every ounce of deductive power I had." Edward laughs, though, at the responsibilities and title, then holds his hand out to her. "Well, you know what that means. It's time to skip out on work and do something fun. What are they going to do, fire their star archeologist?"

"Let's have a hotdog." he suggests, then, taking note of her, well, propriety, he adds a bit of spice to the suggestion, "A hotdog stand hotdog."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara laughs lightly at this and dips her head in a soft nod. "The hotdog vendors are some of the best American food I've had." She jokes with amusement evident on her face. "And... I'm glad you got rid of the tumor. That would be... a terrifying ordeal to have to go through. You seem to have gotten away from it with a lot left to hold on to though." Lara says back to him.

"Here, come with me, I'll show you where the replica of those puzzle boxes are." She states, offering to lead him through the Museum. "And I promise, this is not something I get a sales commission on." She jeseets with a light humored tone to her voice and expression.

Edward Nygma has posed:
"Sometimes you have to walk up to the universe and say 'I want to speak to your manager'." Edward jokes, but then his eyes widen, and he immediately starts walking after her. "You're a woman after my own heart. I'll have to get you a dinosaur bone some time."