Remember, Lara is young but she's been doing this superhero thing for almost a decade. If there's one thing she learned it's how to be professional about it.





That would also be counter to what Lara is trying to do. She wants VV to feel comfortable around her. And yes, she's aware that it's a tall order, since VV likely hasn't trusted anyone since she can remember, and/or was stabbed in the back for it previously.





One of Lara's best friends back home is a former gangster - one who was never caught or arrested. Part of why she has an affinity for the Psychic Samurai. This friend was the first person to teach her to fight without her powers. It was the friendship with Lara that made that friend leave behind her old dangerous life - but without Lara ever asking her to.

So Lara is no stranger to befriending people on the "other side". She doesn't have that inherent fear most people do toward them.





And she might find it *really* distasteful if she finally has someone to talk to who doesn't judge her, and someone asks her to kill that friend.

That makes it sound a bit like Lara is trying to befriend VV to save herself, but ironically, that wasn't part of the plan at all. She genuinely feels like VV is alone in the world and unhappy, and that everyone deserves a friend.





She might use some of Chiaki's wisdom to answer that one; You can't truly reform anyone, they have to choose it for themselves to fully embrace it.





Of course he would, he has that same gentle approach from what I've seen.





I didn't say there was zero chance; Lara is taking *some* risk. But she's betting that she's right, that VV can use someone to talk to more than she can use yet another dead or captured hero in her wake.

She's also aware that there are others who might not want Lara anywhere near VV, and might try to harm her for it. It's a delicate balance.





Now that might cause some friction; because Lara believes it's worth the risk. Some others in the LL might not believe the same thing.

Yuki would be cautious, but she would still approve Lara's approach. If Lara can make friends with VV, it holds the potential of keeping the entire Lair Legion safer. If she fails, it's just another fight in the history of the LL.





It's all about weighing the risks. Yuki sees a much bigger payoff if this works out. She's had one foot in the criminal underworld long enough to know that most of them are treated like garbage, and are never really all that civil to each other. Maybe VV is at a stage where she wants an introduction. Maybe she wants to be at the next Lair Legion barbecue.

And as I mentioned, she'd believe the risk is minimal, because if it all goes wrong or Lara is falling into a trap...it's would be the first time. If it goes right though, *that* is a big first.





Lara doesn't quite trust Cathode yet, because she sees Cath as being too eager to please her boss. She can spot someone who will bow and break under pressure. Part of why she's reaching out to VV is she sees that VV is someone fiercely independent that doesn't really need the people who hire her.

But, if Cath reaches out to her as a mentor, she's not one to turn her down.





It would indeed be really difficult for Lara to convince VV that it's safe.





Eventually Yuki would stumble upon them...or hear them from several floors away...and tell them both to shut up.





They should, because the entire story they interpret as being kicked out of paradise is actually about humankind leaving ignorance behind and growing into something better. It's a simple and profound lesson.





That would only prompt her to say, "Yep. Definitely compensating." She likes to irritate him, it's funny.