7616/While Strange Is Away...

While Strange Is Away...
Date of Scene:	25 May 2019
Location:	Sanctum Santorum
Synopsis:	Lara stops by the Sanctum Santorum to talk about spheres, and finds Kitty Pryde and Black Alice.
Cast of Characters:	Black Alice, Lara Croft, Shadowcat

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Black Alice has posed:
Friday Night in New York City and Black Alice is hanging out alone in the Sanctum of the Sorcerer Supreme.

Honestly not as wild a place as it sounds. Especially since she has a room here.

I mean sure her mentor and teacher isn't home right now so it is sort a cat away and mice at play situation.

To be specific Alice is taking things out of the display cases on the second floor and examining them carefully. Which has to be breaking at least one or two rules.

Right now she has the Wand of Watoomb out and is turning it over in her hands slowly, eyeing it critically.

The ever present, but only visible to the mystically enclined, judgy sphinx cat is nearby watching and judging.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara Croft had gotten word from SHIELD that the last of the four Seaonal Spheres was found, by the Avengers no less and that it was currently being held at their home on the upper east side of Manhattan. They'd called SHIELD for it, thusly... WAND was involved now... thusly, Lara Croft was involved.

Her black jeep pulls up outside of the Sanctum and after a moment the woman in her mid twenties steps out, wearing a green denim jacket, a black tank top some light gray jeans and a pair of black leather boots, Lara starts to move toward the mysterious house of mysteries.

Her eyes glance left and right at the sidestreet traffic on a friday night, and then she proceeds up to the front doors to ring their callbox.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde has spent the better part of the evening since work arranging tomes and scanning a few pieces that were in bad condition so records of them would be retained should anything happen to them whenever they are to be copied onto physical media again. She'd fallen behind a little bit in the task that amounts to her rent. Not enough to be worthy of complaint, but then she spent tonight catching up to keep that from being the case.

Kitty walks out of a room that holds the dusty tomes, yawning and stretching. She's wearing a pair of pajama bottoms with slippers, and a faded t-shirt with Bears quarterback Jim McMahon's face from when he did the Super Bowl Shuffle. God bless the '85 Bears.

Kitty walks to the kitchen, getting a slice of leftover pepperoni pizza from the fridge, then making her way downstairs. "Hey Black Al-" is all she gets out before the ringing comes from the door. "I got it," she says with a sigh, taking a bite of the pizza then making her way down to the door. Kitty swings it up and sees who is outside. Her head turns a bit and then tilts in a curious look. "Well. Hello," she says to the familiar looking woman. "This is a surprise."

Black Alice has posed:
"Are you asking if I want food!" is yelled after Kitty. "Because I did not order food if that is a delivery guy that got lost and found the Sanctum!"

"Though I am handling dangerous magical artifacts unsupervised and I am hungry so I may have just willed a delivery driver into being... if so tip extra it might be a demon!" and yeah honestly Lara probably hears at least some of that.

Lori will meander down the stairs holding an ancient looking wand with two demon heads on it to see if it is in fact a delivery person.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara was a product of the modern day, when she was in the city she was often glued to her cell phone due to messages and contact information almost constantly streaming in to her device, not to mention prospects of future tasks, missions, quests! you name it...

But its when the door opens up that Lara looks away from her phone and puts it away into her jacket, she's assuming Wong is going to meet her, but its-- "Miss Pink?" Lara says then to Kitty... which is a fascinating name for Kitty should anyone who isn't aware of it hear a random stranger refer to her as.

But its a moment there after that Lara just looks entirely crestfallen, her shoulders even slump. "I should have guessed..." She sighs heavily and tries to look past Kitty's shoulder. "Is the Doctor in?" The British woman asks next.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde looks up and over her shoulder towards Black Alice as she comes down the stairs. "No... I'm afraid if there are any recent demons, it wouldn't be you that was responsible for them," Kitty says as she looks back to Lara. Her expression doesn't suggest fault for demons would be Lara's either. Or, maybe it does include Lara, though the degree of self-recrimination from Kitty makes it clear the brunette keeps the lion's share of guilt on herself.

"I don't believe he is, though it's always hard to tell," Kitty says, as she glances over her shoulder to see if Doctor Strange is going to show up. When he doesn't, she shrugs to Lara. "Fortuitous at least. We needed to talk anyway," Kitty says, motioning for Lara to come in as she steps aside.

And Kitty looks back over her shoulder at Black Alice. "And please put the demony wand of demony magic back in the protective case?"

Black Alice has posed:
"I am pretty sure if he was here he would be raising his voice and sounding like he is getting an ulcer right now." she fingerwaves with her nonwand holding hand at Lara "Hello nice British lady. Just because Strange is out doesn't mean Pink here and I can't help you. Names Black Alice."

Then to Kitty "And it is just the Wicked wand of Watoomb, it drains and amplifies magic.. basically you can use it like a wand of magic missiles and other things. Pretty slick."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara softly 'Thanks.' Kitty as she offers her space to enter the house of mystery and when she does so she glances back to the younger woman. "We need to talk?" She asks then before her brown hued eyes look then to the approaching Alice. "Black." She says, pointing to Alice, then to Kitty. "Pink." She points as well. A moment later and Lara's hand drops to her side. "This Doctor is an odd, odd, man."

With a light sigh, a look is given to what Alice holds before her stare returns then to Kitty. "What do we need to talk about?" She asks, knowing full well it'll be in relation to what happened when they'd last met. "Have you had any further involvement... in all of that?" Lara then inquires.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde gives a little wince at the description of the wand. "And given what this building is, and what is in here, that being in here is kind of a terrifying thought," she says to Black Alice. "And I say that, with probably knowing a tiny fraction of what you do about..." Kitty says, waving a hand towards the Sanctum.

She looks back to Lara, closing the door as she has come in. "Well, that's just a coincidence really, the color thing," she says, shaking her head to Lara. "Kitty," she says, offering her hand as if meeting Lara for the first time. "We've nearly crossed paths a few times. After we actually did, I figured a more normal meeting might be called for. Ah, but yes, I've had a little. Trying to figure out just how much harm might or might not have been done. With any luck he'll return to his home planet. I'm still attempting to make contact with him again," she says.

Black Alice has posed:
"Fiiine." and Lori walks further up the steps and there is there is a sound of hinges opening and closing before she stomps back down the steps into view once more.

"Who and what home planet?" she sits on the step looking down at you both. "Does this involve magic, because Kitty isn't wrong.. I do know more about magic than she does. Also you don't seem to have a Sphinx so I may know the most in the house right now.. which is frightening as a thought for many I assume." yeah Lori just seems amused right now.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara softly nods her head to Kitty once she gets the young woman's 'real name'. "Its a pleasure to finally meet the real you, Kitty." The Briton responds before she listens to the rest of what Kitty says and then looks over to Black Alice on the steps. Lara then goes on to take a few steps that takes her in a half circle motion within the main foyer's center. "I've met a few people I wish would return to their home planets as well." She idly comments before she looks back to Black Alice. "I'm here about a magical item, a single one in a union of four. Three of which we've already recovered, the fourth is now... with the Avengers, who don't know what to do with it. I've come to talk to Stephen about it, we've... clashed on what to do with the prevous three, to say the least."

Its then that Lara's brown eyed gaze goes back to Kitty. "Thank you for your help with everything back there... that ability you have, to move through things? Its remarkable, truly. Yet another person who possesses a power far beyond my sense of comprehension." A little grin is shown, for just a seocnd or so before its gone from Lara's lips.

"So that thing... that, came to life? Its, going to leave?" She asks, just for confirmation. "And, not devour all of us?" Its possible she's getting jaded by the super heroes of this world and all they face. Just a little...

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde gives Black Alice a grateful look when then the Wand of Kitty Scaring is placed back in the protective case. She thinks to herself, one would think there would be more protection for such things than just a glass door without a lock. Note to self: Suggest them to Wong.

Kitty looks back to Lara, considering something for a moment. "Thank you," she says of the compliment about her ability. "As it turns out, you made a certain offer of some property in the UK to me and mine, as I understand it," Kitty says. "An offer which I imagine you'll be hearing more back from us about." It's an easy enough way to suggest her affiliations to Lara. And also to make sure she knows that offer has not been turned down.

"I'm not sure that he's going to leave or not," Kitty says. She looks over to Alice and says, "I've not heard of it before. Cybertron, it's called." She looks back to Lara. "I hope it will leave. It said it wanted to help against the Sentinels. But that may have just been a ploy. I was able to get some information from the one who worked with it. For a very long time as it turns out."

Black Alice has posed:
Well I mean technically there are wards and the Sanctum is nigh impossible to break into. Locks are kind of cute to the mystically inclined. Still it will be a fun conversation for Wong's anxiety.

"Sentinels I've heard of, from the news mostly, honestly it seems a bit obnoxious to make robots to oppress people who are just slightly different.. wait no.. not obnoxious.. fascists."

Lori keeps sitting on the step. "If you need some of them portalled to hell let me know." helpfully.

"As for your four part magical item problem. Who is the we who have the three. Is it the Doc or are you some other we?" her head tilts as she studies Lara. "Also I don't have any problems heading up to Avengers manor and confiscating something that should be upstairs."

Lara Croft has posed:
As the two young women speak, Lara looks between them both and then she steps over to the grand staircase and she places one hand on the bannister's end. She exhales softly and shakes her head for some reason or another.

"Oh, wait." Lara then says, regarding Kitty once more. "You're with Xavier's?" She then connects the dots. "Yes, I offered to let them use my family's manor in London as a potential new site... for a school there, such as the one in Westchester here. Of course... preparations would need to be made if they were to take me up on this offer. There's quite a lot of things in that old musty home that shouldn't be around children." She says that and then instantly remembers that she herself grew up there, around all of those arguably un-child-safe things. Still though, its a different world today.

"Its a bit of a forgotten museum." Lara adds before she shows the hints of a positive personality with a little smile that comes and goes like a breeze. "I'd be very happy to make such a thing... happen. I'm quite a fan of Xavier's work."

She then looks to Black Alice on the steps again. "SHIELD has two of the Spheres, I believe Strange has one... up in his office last I saw it. Though it could be anywhere now... Knowing him.."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde remembers a number of scratches, and then there was the dried blood, that has her doubting just how secure the place is. At least against certain types of people. And beings. Though she doesn't voice those concerns.

"Yes, that about sums them up," Kitty agrees as Black Alice goes to the fascist word to the describe them. "There might come a time for that. But I hope we can prevent it reaching that point," Kitty says to the other woman.

Kitty looks back to Lara "Yes, I attended school there," Kitty says. She turns a bit to where Black Alice won't be able to see the cautious expression that Kitty gives Lara after mention of the school. She casually turns back though after glancing to the side, covering for the careful look she gave. "I'll be sure to make sure there's more discussion on it. You can imagine everything that has to go into a decision like that. Funding and... well, it's a lot," she says. "But, thank you for the offer," she says.

Black Alice has posed:
"Okay" that is directed at Kitty "Just know if you want their factory or Trask's headquarters sent to hell you have associates that can do that." how can she be so chipper about it.

Either Lori is oblivious to Kitty's school talk and secret squirrel antics, or she honestly just doesn't care very much about it.

The not caring seems highly probable.

"Do we need to go take it off the Avengers hands?" pause "Which one of them has it on their nightstand?"

Lara Croft has posed:
A light nod is offered to Kitty, understanding entirely what she means. "Of course." She adds. "I'm more than willing to financially assist with it all as well, but I'll probably have to relay that to the Professor himself... How... is he doing, by the way?" Lara then asks. "I heard that he was, shot." She exhales then again. "How someone could shoot a man like that is beyond me, he's the epitome of what we should all strive to be more like." Clearly she holds Charles in high regard!

After a quick shake of her head, Lara looks back to Black Alice. "I'm going to assume that they're holding it in proper care... otherwise." She glances toward the front doors. "The weather in this entire city would likely be in a much seasonally different tone right now."

Since this young woman appears to be an apprentice of Strange's, Lara yields a litlte more info. "Its four spheres, orbs... one for each possible season on the planet as a whole. They must be kept in an environment that is the opposite of their own controlled seasonal state. Winter must be kept in Summer, Spring in Fall, etcetera and so on. If not... then, well, they'll wreak havoc upon the natural balance of--" Lara pauses there and shows a faint smirk. "So there's little time to dally, but we must find Stephen..."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty crosses her arms almost as if considering Black Alice's offer. "There's always people that can be hurt though. Janitors and those who work in the cafeteria that don't really have anything to do with the vision behind those monstrosities," she says. And displaying a bit of the Professor's take on things, perhaps.

"He's recovering. Yes, it's horrible that anyone would do that. I'm afraid that's how people are though. There will always be a subset... a scarily large subset, who focus hatred on others rather than worry about improving their own lives."

Kitty listens closely to the talk of the spheres. "Afraid I can't help you there. I'm actually just a roommate here, not one Stephen's folk," she tells Lara.

Black Alice has posed:
"Those sound absolutely fascinating.. and a good way to muck up the world right quick." she considers the implications of what Lara Croft has explained with the spheres.

"We should definitely let the Doc know about the one the Avengers have. Frankly I am pretty surprised he is fine with SHIELD having two of them in some vault somewhere, it really isn't a SHIELD problem you know." and yes Alice knows absolutely nothing about WAND.

"How about we don't send it to hell but rather to Faerie or something. Give the Janitors a vacation?"

Lara Croft has posed:
"I'm glad." Lara tells Kitty about the Professor being okay. "Please, send him my best... I look forward to getting to see him again." She says further as she steps away from the bannister and seems to be moving toward the front doors at a slow and languid pace.

Back to Alice, Lara looks as she steps softly. "Yes, well, SHIELD has a great many things in its possession that are meant to be a place to keep it out of the hands of those who would do harm with it. This includes magical items of this nature as well... you see, HYDRA has a vested interest in them, as I hear the Avengers have discovered now. Someone needs to collect these things, after all, to keep them from being found by the wrong people."

And there-in lies their debate, Lara and Strange. Who are the 'wrong' people. Today and in the future to come.

Lara's hand reaches out for the door's handle and she looks from one of them to the other. "Please, tell Stephen to contact me. Otherwise, I'm headed to the Avengers place without him..."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde looks very thoughtful. "You are an intriguing woman, Miss Croft," Kitty says. "I have a feeling a few hours sitting in a pub with you listening to stories would be well worthwhile. You can reach me here if you'd be interesting in talking some time. I'm here several evenings each week as I work in the City," she offers.

Kitty realizes she's been standing here with a piece of pizza missing two bites the entire time. She finally takes another bite, her stomach prompting her that it really was needing some food. "I'm glad we ran into each other," she offers. Kitty glances back to Black Alice. "And... yay on not destroying the Time-Space Continuum for another week," she teases in a warm tone. She seems rather accepting of Black Alice, in general.

Black Alice has posed:
"Sure thing, though before you go to Avengers Mansion without Stephen ... do consider bringing me. I want to sass Thor and see if Captain America's ass is worth saluting or not."

Lori says all that but does seem pretty serious in tone and expression about going to the Avengers Mansion to get the orb. She may on her own at this rate.

The comment from Kitty gets an eyeroll from the goth teenager. "I haven't damaged the time space continuum in at least six months." she notes very seriously.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara opens the door and pauses just before it, hearing the sounds of the city night in an early summer just beyond. She looks back to Kitty and offers the young woman a soft smile and a little nod before she looks then to Alice again.

"We shall see." She replies about taking her with her to the Avengers place. "And yes, his ass is that good." She says with a light and little grin before she moves to leave the home, offering the two a little wave of her hand before she goes.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde looks back to Black Alice and nods vociferously. What an ass.