6180/So... Here's the Thing

From Heroes Assemble MUSH
Jump to navigation Jump to search
So... Here's the Thing
Date of Scene: 11 May 2021
Location: Asgardian Embassy
Synopsis: Ben Grimm introduces Sif to pastrami. Sif introduces Ben Grimm to arrogant display.
Cast of Characters: Sif, Ben Grimm




Sif has posed:
There were several problems to solve.

1. Persuade Thor that she was, in fact, sent to spy on Loki by the castellan. Check that item off on the list. He's pretty easy to convince.

2. Persuade Thor that actually living in Loki's home was necessary for her to accomplish said spying. Check that one off the list. Ish. The expected tantrum occurred, but there was likely to be more fall-out over that. The words "I forbid this" had been bandied about and circumvented with difficulty.

3. Get her office in the embassy proper sorted out. This can be checked off the list now. The crafters had only just been taken back to Asgard by her brother. The rainbow of light, indeed, had only barely faded when Sif looked over her office's space, nodding her approval. This would do well. The right amount of gravitas without being overbearing like so many of the insecure courtiers and courtesans did in Asgard.

So, now was time to do some intensive practice and then, perhaps a night out on the town, exploring what it had to offer for entertainments.

Thus it was that Lady Sif of Asgard, a.k.a. Sif the All-Seeing, a.k.a. Thor's Betrothed, a.k.a. The Goddess of War found herself descending the grand staircase of the embassy lobby, looking for Thor's work-out room. Kitted out for war in blood red, silver, and white and positively festooned with armour and weapons, she ignored the mortals' reactions as she pretended she knew where she was going, heading straight for a door that looked like it could be the right place.

"Uh ... ma'am?" one of the attendants asks with as much courtesy as he can muster. "Do you need the key for that closet?"

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm comes walking into the main doors. He has a large carboard box under one arm, with bags sticking out of it, the logo for Kat's deli easily seen. The big man looks around and walks up to who ever looks like the receptionist, and says "Pardon me, I know might seem a bit forward, but I was wondering if Thor might be in and have a moment, I aint got an appointment, but I sorta doubt he is good with the whole keeping appointments and such. We work together and am sorta a friend, so was hoping to see him.

Sif has posed:
Well, isn't that just awkward. She was about to walk into a closet and now one of the mortals was about to find that ou...

...No wait! A perfect opportunity has just arrived! "I had intended to test it for security," she says to the attendant breezily, "but it seems something more important has come up. You test it for me."

And with that she's off, heels digging hard into the marble flooring, feet echoing through the hall as she walks up.

"Excuse me," she says, imperiously, before ...

... There is a long pause as she takes in Ben. ...

"Yes," she quickly covers up her little surprise with. "You certainly do look like one of sorts of friends the Prince keeps here on Midgard. I'm terribly sorry to inform you that the Prince is not with us at the moment."

He's off on a bender with Stark last she'd heard from the rumour mill. People keep forgetting just how superior her hearing is even by Asgardian standards. Perhaps they never knew.

"I am the Lady Sif of Asgard, newly assigned to Midgard. May I be of service to you?"

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm will offer her a smile setting the box down on a table, and offers her his hand "Hey, I'm Ben Grimm, better known to most around New York as the Thing. It was more a social visit, to see what he had planned for a weekend later in the month. I was hoping to invite him over to an" .... He thinks for a moment on his next word...."A gathering I planned on having, and was hoping to invite him. " He hmms, and says "Actually is another thing might could help with, is there someone I could talk to about exporting goods from Asgard on occasion?"

Sif has posed:
"I am of the Court of Asgard, so I'm as good as any for discussing exporting. Though I must say that with the restrictions the Allfather places upon us I'm not certain that we could satisfy if it is anything of more than ... decorative ... utility. I can represent your requests to the Allfather's castellan, however, and possibly even to the Allfather himself if I time things right."

A brief smile lights her face like a million point score on a pinball table. Then vanishes.

"I'm somewhat favoured in his eye, you understand. I am the Prince's promised, after all."

Her eyes fall on the box. She does a bit of math.

"What sort of gathering were you planning on inviting the Prince to?" she asks. "Don't let my manners fool you. I'm not at all averse to barracks room badinage." Her eyes bore into Ben's. "Were you planning on perhaps gambling?... I do quite enjoy the occasional game of chance myself. And if that food..." She gestures to the box and the bags sticking out from it. "...tastes as good as its aroma, I would quite enjoy the opportunity to taste it."

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm looks to her and smiles "Well, I brought the food, so Thor and I could have a bit to eat, while we talked, if he is out but you could talk about a few things, if we can find a place, I am willing to have lunch with you while we talk. Yea, it is a card game, I try to have going ever few weeks, and main export, I was thinking about some Ale, for Thor, Hercules, Wonderman, myself. Folks who have a bit higher constitution than normal.

Sif has posed:
"Splendid! I shall have the embassy supply some ale, then," Sif says with a polite smile, inviting herself all of a sudden. "Is this garb suitable or would it be better if I tried to blend in with the people of Midgard?"

Like she could ever blend in. No matter what you dress a heroic statue in, after all, it remains a heroic statue.

"As for exporting ale, it would have to be with ... restrictions on consumption. Asgardian ale has deliterious effects on mortals and would lead to chaos were it to fall into the wrong hands. I'm open to hearing your appeal, however. If I can be convinced, I'm sure we can make arrangements for limited export to those we know capable of handling it."

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm nods, and says "I was just thinking about enough for say five or six folks with enhanced constitution a night of drinking once or twice a month. If you want to come your welcome to, we get an occasionally lady player, so not like you would be the first. No dress code, just a long as your ok with being around booze, greasy food, and cigar smoke, should not be a problem. "He looks about and says "Got a cafeteria around here, will introduce you to the best pastrami in the city."

Sif has posed:
Sif looks around and seems about to point in one direction when one of the sharper attendants steps in and bows to her, gesturing in another. "I think Ladyship would prefer the ambassadorial dining hall?" he suggests obsequiously, straightening up and winking at Ben once out of Sif's line of sight.

Apparently there is only the one and he just saved her from embarrassment.

"Yes, that one will do just fine. I wasn't sure if protocol allowed..."

Making excuses.

"Please let us repair at once to the ambassadorial dining hall." The attendant leads on, in that fawning way you do when someone who could snap your neck without thinking, and with a proven temper, is the one being led.

From a distance.

"And he..."

"And here we are," Sif says, smoothly taking over as the attendant opens the door. "Make yourself at home."

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm smiles and nods his head a bit to this and carries the box over to one of the table, and starts unboxing a large selection of food. He looks over to the attendant "Any chance we could get some water or something to drink, I didn't bring any soda or anything, as was worried they could spill on the trip over." He smiles a bit, and will actually hold out a chair for Sif.

Sif has posed:
"Mead," Sif says to the attendant. "From my private reserve." At the man's confusion she amplifies, "In my office. The war chest. There is a small keg. Bring it."

The man scurries off as Sif look back at Ben, graciously taking the seat he offers, after removing her sword.

And her mace.

And the dagger in the small of her back under the cloak.

The weapons, politely placed on the table out of her immediate reach, she takes the seat and waits for Ben to seat himself.

"So tell me, Sir Ben, how does the Prince know you? And, if it is not terribly rude of me to ask, in which case I beg forgiveness, what manner of creature are you? You have resemblance to the rock trolls of the lower reaches of Trollheim, but you have the manners of a very courteous Midgard gentleman. I find myself intrigued."

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm will look to her, and says "I'm human, or at least used to be." He tells her, a sadness passes in his eyes but he keeps it from showing on his face at least. "My friends and I formed a group called the Fantastic Four after exposure to some cosmic radiation changed our lives. You can call me Ben no need for the sir. I have worked with the Avengers and other hero groups as well. " He sets out the food more, and seems he got a nice selection from the deli, "The food is pretty good, not quite the same it used to but the new owners are ok." He offers She may notice there are some differences with their food, as his follows most of the Kosher rules at least. "Thor, The Avengers, My friends, and me, as well as some others have worked together when the earth was in danger."

Sif has posed:
"I understand." And, here's the thing, she seems to.

"Foul magicks ensorceled you and your friends, but you rose above the curse to turn it into a blessing, joining with other mighty peoples of Midgard to protect it from harm. This is most noble of you and makes you worthy of mention in the songs of the skalds. I will commission a work from the Court's skalds that includes your story with your time with the Prince."

She pauses.

"Ben, it is, though I will, from your nobility, persist in thinking of you as Sir Ben."

The mead arrives, causing further awkwardness to be put off as she tears off one end of the keg and pours it into two massive tankards.

"To the souls of champions," she toasts.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm lifts his drink and says "To those who protect those who can not protect themselves." He takes a sip of his own drink and says "So, you said your engaged to Thor? How did you two meet? You two get to choose it, or does Asgard do the whole arranged marriages?"

Sif has posed:
"Oh, I am not yet engaged to the Prince," Sif chuckles, leaning back in her seat and putting both her legs up on the table in a relaxed state as she enjoys her drink and food. "I am promised to him. The Allfather himself said that we are to be wed, so that will happen someday when the Prince has settled down. We are otherwise merely comrades at arms and childhood friends."

She shrugs.

"He has a fascination with mortals here in Midgard. It is part of why I am here, to discover why. But we are fated by decree to be wed and I am fated by the same decree to be the next Queen of Asgard." She stares moodily into her tankard. "Someday."

Shaking her head she forces away poor spirits.

"In the mean time I have forged a name for myself independent of him. I am the very personification of war, in the skald's stories. I eschewed the dainty courtly life because it just seemed..." She shudders as daintily as the courtly life she spurns. "...so vapid."

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm chuckles a bit and says "I have met a few ladies who you would probably get a long well with. Thundra, or She-hulk, and you would probably get along. Thundra is more the type to find out looking for a fight, where Jen is more the dealing with a fight when needed." He offers of the other lady warriors he knows. So, since you have come to earth and seen a bit of it, what do you think?"

Sif has posed:
Words that do not escape Sif's lips include 'what a dump'. No, she has more than enough courtly skills to keep that opinion to herself.

"I find the changes in Midgard since my last time here astonishing," she says instead.

Then anything further is cut off by another bite of her sandwich, washed down with more mead. "Pastrami you called this?" she asks, holding up the sandwich. "This is an odd name, but it is quite delicious. I think I should stop going to places that pretend to make food from my people and start trying foods from others."

That's how a diplomat does.

Ben Grimm has posed:
Ben Grimm smiles and says "Well, when it comes to New York, there are all kinds of good places, some are really good, some not so much." He admits. I've been going to Kats for over forty years, and while not as good as they were still pretty good." He offers and says "You should see about hiring some interns who want to learn about your culture to help expose you to some of earths as well. Trust me, just the stuff Ah have seen change in my time have been amazing, I can hardly imagine the change in your time.

Sif has posed:
"Oh, I have been cultivating exactly this sort of assistance already, S... Ben." Sif hastily catches her misnaming. "But alas I did not think my friends would be interested in today's task which consisted primarily of supervising craftsmen in the outfitting of my office at the embassy."

Finishing her food and her drink, she adds, "It was a pleasure meeting you ... Ben. I will inform the Prince next I see him of your arrival and I do look forward to trying games of chance with you. I will bring up the prospect of limited exporting of our ale with the Court when next I go to my estates."