10661/Kats and Marvels

Kats and Marvels
Date of Scene:	07 January 2020
Location:	Club Nemo
Synopsis:	Mary and Katsumi go to a karaoke club. Music and mayhem.
Cast of Characters:	Bakeneko, Mary Marvel

---

Bakeneko has posed:
Night has fallen over New York City. It's been a couple days since Mary Marvel encountered Katsumi Oshiro. An email address was given, but it hadn't been used. Suddenly, that changes. There's a new message from Katsumi. It's not particularly long, nor is it very detailed. It simply reads:

    Hey, I'm free tonight and want to do something. I have an idea. No I'm not telling you. ^__^ I don't know if superheroes have normal clothes but it doesn't matter. 21:00 tonight I will be getting a cab. Tell me where to pick you up.

    Do superheroes carry ID? Whatever fam you'll figure it out. Bring whoever you want! As long as they're a girl. No dudes. Girls night out.

And that was it!

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary is a little puzzled. She always just...flies around. But Katsumi was dealing with some serious stuff, and she felt that she ought to play along.

So, she leaves an address about a mile away from her home in Brooklyn. Right outside the White Castle.
Mary writes a note to her folks, then runs out the door and into the alley behind the house.

"SHAZAM."

One lightning bolt and thunderclap later, Mary Marvel is soaring towards the White Castle, arriving a minute after the address is sent.

Bakeneko has posed:
It doesn't take Katsumi long to arrive, actually. Her hotel is in Brooklyn! The cab pulls alongside the White Castle, and the backseat window rolls down. In short order, Katsumi's upper-half pops out of the window with a wide, impish smile. "'Sup, b******ch!," she calls out to her, arms waving energetically. Certainly dressed different from before, a scarlet dress hugs her figure with thin straps over the shoulders. Though impossible to see from this angle, the skirt rides higher on the right hip in a slit, and dips towards her knee on the left, with a pair of heeled black calf-high boots. What is visible, however, is her ever-present black choker centered with gold coin, and the pair of gold bracelets hanging from her left wrist.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Well, Katsumi certainly didn't hold back, did she? Well, she didn't mean it in a mean way, but Mary's face tightens a bit at the profanity. She doesn't mention it, though.

"Hello again, Katsumi," she says, walking over to the taxi, belted tunic fluttering like the white hooded cape behind her. "It's so good to see you."

Bakeneko has posed:
Buckle up. It only gets worse from here.

"Yeah! Y'know, I realized something! I've been in America /this god**** long/ and I haven't done like my favorite thing! Every time I visit America, I always do this. It's like tradition. And you're coming! Because doing it alone is lame as s***!"

Katsumi is immediately scooching to the far side of the taxi, giving Mary easy room to get in. The taxi driver, meanwhile, is staring wide-eyed. What the heck has he gotten himself into?

"So no normal clothes for you, huh? You know everyone's gonna be hounding you for autographs or whatever, right? Unless you suck."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary smiles. She has dealt with the likes of Mindy and Marcy, she can handle this. She just had to keep her head about her.
She chuckles as Katsumi mentions autographs. She had looked herself up, and apart from a few memorable appearances on YouTube, she wasn't very well known. Which was okay. "I think you're more famous than I am, Katsumi," Mary says as she settles in next to the woman. "So...where to?"

Bakeneko has posed:
It was a question the taxi driver was right about to ask, so he just stays quiet.

"54 East 13th St, Manhattan!," chirps the Japanese girl.

Fortunately the cabby seems to know this location and starts rolling.

Katsumi puts her focus on Mary. "So, what do I call you tonight? I remember your, uh, hero name isn't normal for an alias. Might even be your real name. Is it?"

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary beams. "Just call me Mary." There have to be thousands of Marys in New York, and it's not like she could be confused for her 8-years-younger (almost-seven-younger) alter ego. "I think I'll be okay. Besides, so what if people recognize me? I've got nothing to hide." She sits back in her seat, then looks around and says politely to the cabdriver, "You have a very clean vehicle, sir."
That causes her to realize something. "Katsumi, I don't have any money on me. Is that going to be a problem?"

Bakeneko has posed:
The compliment gets an odd stare from the rearview mirror. Cabbies are not used to such comments from alleged superheroines. This is a straight up weird night. But then, welcome to New York.

At Mary's admission, Katsumi's enthusiasm takes a subtle dip. But she maintains a smile. "I've got it," she says. "Besides, where would you keep a wallet or purse, anyway? Look at ya. You look like you escaped a Renaissance Fair or something." She gasps as a thought occurs to her. "You're wearing underwear under that, right?," she asks, suddenly staring at Mary's bare legs.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary blinks, then giggles. "Of course. After all, I wear something like a skirt...and I *fly.* I'm not going to give some crook on the ground a free show." She smiles wryly to Katsumi, then says, "I'll pay you back, of course." Maybe she can fudge a trip to the bathroom and zip on home to get her purse if the cost isn't too expensive. Maybe she should get the cab number so she can tip him later.

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro lifts that bright, inhumanly magenta gaze back to Mary with a satisfied nod. "Good. We're gonna be dealing with enough pervs there. Most of the eyes'll be on me, but you don't wanna win their attention /that/ way," she giggles.

The cab makes his way into Manhattan. They still have a little bit, thanks to the traffic.

"Okay, so what exactly is it that you do? You fly around and you're strong. That it?"

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary gazes at the lights of the city until Katsumi speaks to her. She turns and smiles to her. "Ah, not really. I can also go very fast. Flying, and running. I once tried running to Florida, but by the time one song ended, I was in Georgia. I did the math. I can go as fast as....Mach 10, actually. But I try to fly really high when I go that fast. I'm also very tough. Someone shot a RPG-7 at me and it didn't even hurt the cloth of my costume. I can also do stuff like speak other languages. I can speak about...300 Earth languages."

Bakeneko has posed:
<"Are you an alien?,"> asks Katsumi, suddenly speaking Japanese. It's a lowball form of testing her polylingual claim. <"And isn't it kind of boring to be /that/ indestructible? If nothing threatens you, how do you get your adrenaline?">

It's late in the evening, but that's really when the New York scene comes alive. The sidewalks are crowded, the lights are bright, and Katsumi couldn't be happier to be surrounded by neon. They have to be getting close.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary chuckles, and then replies in flawless Japanese, <I don't get bored. I get to help people. It's simply amazing to help people. I don't need excitement like some people who climb mountains do. But if someone goes home to their family because I did something, then I sleep very well, indeed.> She leans closer to Katsumi, then continues in a softer voice, <When it happens for you...you'll know what I mean.>

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro's exotic gaze lids to half-mast, looking less than thrilled. "Boooring," she bemoans in English again. "A hero without a villain to fight is like... like a firefighter. But even they get excitement from dealing with an inferno. Like your life is on the line, or /something/ is at stake. Knowing you could lose, or that there's some risk, that's a special push to make you do more than you thought you could!"

The foreigner sinks back into the chair.

"Ya made it sound like the first time ya have sex. But without the sex." Arms fold over her bust in a huff.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary blinked. Wow. She went there.
"Well, Katsumi, I'll have you know I have a FEW villains I deal with. I just haven't been doing this for very long. I'm sure that the more I do it, that's when the bad guys come out of the woodwork. Like Sharkey. His name is Tombstone, but I call him Sharkey because he's pale and has sharp teeth. Anyway, I don't think he likes me. Maybe because he broke his hand on my jaw, or that I ruined a big drug deal for him." She shrugs.
"But I believe that I will be challenged, and quite often. It'll happen eventually."

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro has little to no filter, and unfortunately, even less self-awareness. But at least she isn't moping?

"Does he have long hair and wear a lot of black? That's such a goth name. 'Tombstone'. Like he's trying to be the Undertake. But on drugs, or whatever." She snickers and shakes her head. "Whatever! If an RPG - that's like a grenade launcher, right? - if an RPG doesn't even ruffle your petticoats, I dunno what the Hell could give you a problem."

Suddenly, the cab is pulling over. Katsumi's eyes widen excitedly, and she quickly filches some money from her smart little black purse. The bills are thrown at the front of the cab and she scrambles out. "We're here~!," she declares in cheerful trill, arms thrown highIt doesn't look like much on the outside. A simple doorway surrounded in neon lights. Pop music can be heard coming from the interior, but something seems off about it somehow. A sign rests nearby at ground level with a very simple message:

NE
MO.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary steps out after Katsumi, saying, "He's actually an African-American albino. It's kinda..."
She stops, looking at the entrance. Nemo. Didn't that mean "Nobody?"
"...rare. Katsumi, not every challenge is physical. Some of it is psychological, or mental. Doing the smart thing and out-thinking your opponent. That's something you have to do sometimes, too, right?"

Bakeneko has posed:
"Yeah, but it just comes natural," offhandedly brags Katsumi.

She flounces around the taxi to join at Mary's side and eagerly attempts to take Mary by the wrist to tug her inside the potentially foreboding establishment. "C'mon!"

Speaking of psychological...

The interior is rather populated, one wall dominated by by a long bar counter, with numerous tables set up around the floor. It's dark, but cozy and a little crazy. But most importantly, it has someone standing atop a short stage with a microphone attempting to hit the high notes of Journey. He's kind'a close. He's getting there. But the patrons are into it, anyway.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary does not fight or resist Katsumi's pull. This is what Katsumi wants to do, and she did agree to it. She has to learn new things, have new experiences after all.
There is a bar here, though, and she wondered if they had a good virgin strawberry daquiri.
She smiles as she sees the stage. "Ooooh! They have karaoke here?"

Bakeneko has posed:
"Looks like I'm not the only smart one," chimes Katsumi. She comes to a stop just inside the main floor and whirls around on Mary. "/This/ is why we're here! For karaoke! Usually there's more people than just two, and that makes it kind'a weird, but whatever! Find us a table!"

And without missing a beat, she looks aside to the bar counter. "Hey! You! Two sake bombs! Wherever she's going!," she shouts, bobbing an index finger down towards Mary's scalp indicatively.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary raises a hand. "And I'll have a virgin strawberry daquiri!"
She doesn't know if alcohol affects her as Mary Marvel, but she was taking no chances. Besides, just because she can't say she's underage doesn't mean she isn't underage. The place could get shut down if it was discovered in some way. She didn't have ID as Mary Marvel, either, anyway.
She walks over to a clean-looking table for two, not too far from the stage, and settles in almost primly. She gazes around the place, taking it all in.

Bakeneko has posed:
The performer on stage is really doing his best! If nothing else, he's super into it. The crowd is supportive, enjoying the show and enthusiasm. But thanks to Mary's outfit, she's doing a bit of showstealing! It's difficult to be subtle when wearing a tunic emblazoned with a glittery gold lightning bolt! Not to mention the cape! Eyes are being drawn over in her direction, more than a few lingering glances beyond what could be considered platonic.

Katsumi lingered for a moment at the bar, but she's now sashaying to the table with three drinks. Two of them might look a little complicated to the uninitiated, but the other is clearly a non-alcoholic daquiri. Katsumi sets that in front of Mary, along with one of the complicated drinks. Really, it looks like a drink with a shotglass balanced over it on chopsticks. The second of those is set in front of Katsumi as she settles in across from her.

"After the kid drink, you're trying that," Katsumi instructs with a fingerbob towards the sake bomb.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary hmms at the "sake bomb." She was leery about drinks with alcohol, but anything marketing with an explosive was definitely not going to happen.
"We'll see," she says pleasantly. "This is my favorite drink," she says, holding up the non-alcohol drink.
She spots someone looking at her, and gives them a warm smile and a pleasant wave before looking back to Katsumi. "So, how are things going with you?"

Bakeneko has posed:
That individual gives Mary a definite once-over before grinning with an upnod.

Katsumi follows Mary's smile and gaze over to the man, then quickly looks back to her. "Oh sh**! Want me to be your wing-girl? I can get his number for ya. He might smell a little like booze, but it's like charity or whatever, right hero?" She shoots Mary a playfully teasing grin.

She has pointedly avoided answering the question Mary presented her, instead opting to focus on the less serious topic of bar dudes sizing up her unbeknownst underaged friend.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Whoops...okay. This could be a problem. Think.
"...Probably not. I don't...really want to get in a relationship with a guy."
There. That should solve everything.
"What's your favorite song? I know you want to get up there." She'll broach the subject about Katsumi's welfare in a little bit, if Katsumi doesn't blurt it out, herself.

Bakeneko has posed:
"Oh. Should we be checking out giiirrls, then~?," Katsumi teases with the perk of a single jet-black eyebrow.

The topic of music is a great distraction, as it happens! "I don't know! Ahh!" She pulls a quarter turn to the side, as if searching the room. "I don't really have a read on this audience tonight! And there's like a million songs that're good. I don't think I have a favorite! I-" She seems to cut off with a blink, as if her mind suddenly changed tracks. "I need a drink."

Turning sharply forward again, she deftly removes the chopsticks from beneath the shotglass, letting it drop into the larger drink below and thus mixing. It's nothing short of unnecessarily theatric. But Katsumi attacks the drink with a certain eagerness that may seem more desperate than natural.

After she's taken a hearty swig, she sets the glass back down and exhales an almost pained, "Haahhh~," in recoil at the alcohol. A savvy person might be able to tell she is not a habitual drinker.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary looks at Katsumi with a certain degree of amazement. She is, in spite of herself, impressed.
And maybe it will detract from her realization she may have made an error in judgment.
And she sip s her own carefully before saying, "I was thinking of something by Adele. There's this song I really like by her." She pauses, then adds, "What's been going on?"

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro is still panting when Mary asks her point blank question, earning a deer-in-headlights look. She quickly shakes her head, scattering her feathery-light bangs. "Nothing! I just- I thought maybe getting a drink and doing this would be good! You know? Keep tradition! Whatever!" Obviously not the truth. Katsumi is even fairly certain it's transparently false. But she's not volunteering anything further just yet.

The question has, however, inspired her to take another swig of the drink. This time, it hits her with a tight-jawed cringe, eyes watering a little. Sake and beer is just a weird combination.

"Adele, huh? What's the song?," she counters. "I'm thinking you should be up first! It's only right for you to be the, the ambassador of America or whatever. The hostess. Shut up, you know what I mean!"

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary chuckles. "Well...I supposes I should make it..."
Then the guy who was slaying his song finishes, and the emcee asks for the next one. Mary smiles and stands up, walking to the stage. The emcee is a little surprised as she takes the microphone and whispers in the man's ear. He nods after a moment, going to the Karaoke machine.
Mary smiles to Katsumi, straightening her back, waiting for the TV to come up and the song to begin...

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro gives a downright radiant, sparkling smile when Mary seems to accept the challenge. She even gives a little, "Eee," and excitedly clasps her hands together beneath her chin. It's be adorable, if one were less familiar with her typical acidity.

And ascerbic as Katsumi can be with casual belittling, insults, and arrogance, she is also perhaps surprisingly supportive. When Mary takes the stage, and without even needing the song to start, she issues a shrill and enthusiastic whistle. "GET'EM, MARY!," she yells from her table.

And then she's taking another swig of her alcoholic pint.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary waits until the music starts, a repetitive keystroke at the piano, and Mary takes a deep breath. Her voice is crystal, even if slightly subdued.

"This is the end...hold your breath and count...to ten...feel the earth move and then...hear my heart burst again..."
She takes one step forward, her eyes shining as her voice gains strength.
"For this is the end...I've drowned and dreamt this mooooooo-mennnnt...so overdue, I owe...them...swept away, I'm stoooooo-lennnnnn..."
Her chin raises as the music swells, her voice swelling with it.

"Let the SKY FALL...when it crumbles...we will STAND TALL and face it all together at SKYFALL..."

Bakeneko has posed:
The odds are, in no uncertain terms, stacked in Mary's favor. She's either a superhero girl doing karaoke, or a superhero fangirl doing karaoke. Her voice is good, she has nice control, and she seems to be pretty into it. A few cellphones are out to record her, even!

Katsumi, meanwhile, looks quite pleased with this. And not in a taunting, going-to-make-fun-of-you-later sort of way. This level of carefree relaxation and being able to bounce it off of someone else was badly needed. It's not taking her mind off things. But that's what the alcohol is for. She quickly takes another swig of the sake bomb and turns her head to cough sharply. It's starting to sting a bit.

Nevermind that.

Whirling back in her chair, Katsumi gives an enthusiastic, "WOOOO~!," as the music swells.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary continues singing. She wishes she was this good all the time, There is a certain sadness to her voice, and that is because Mary Marvel is her ideal self...but only sometimes.

The tones of the James Bond theme are an undernote that seems to punctuate the next stanza.

"Skyfall is where we start...a thousand miles and poles apart...where worlds collide and days are dark, you may have my number, you can take my name...but you'll never have my hearrrrrt..."

Adele stands alone, but Mary is giving her a run for her money. She walks along the edge of the stage as she sings, looking to everyone, but turning to Katsumi as she sings the refrain, her eyes meeting Katsumi's as she repeats, "...when it crumbles...we will stand tall, face it all together..."

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro is looking back at Mary. And she blinks. And then grins. And then there's a giggle. Did she get it? Is she already tipsy? It might be a little difficult to tell. But at least she's smiling, and clearly into her sort-of-friend's performance.

Patrons continue to hoot their support, and Katsumi takes a final, lengthy draw from the contents of her pint. But when it's set back on the table, she's spun back around to the stage and Mary, eyes glued.

Mary Marvel has posed:
She doesn't even have to look at the words. She knows them by heart. Daniel Craig is the best James Bond, before or since.

"Where you go, I go...what you see I see...I know I'd never be me without the security...of your loving arms Keeping me from harm, put your hand in my hand and we'll staaaaand..."

Purely innocent, of course. Mary thinks she's sending the right message, of course.

She goes into the final stanza, moving to the center of the stage, her eyes moving from face to face, settling on Katsumi as she finishes, "...let the sky fall...we will stand tall...at Skyfalllllll..."

The song ends with the final chord, which was also drawn from the James Bond theme.

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro has, by this point, snuck Mary's sake bomb over to her side of the table and deposited the shotglass into the beer. She's sipping on the purloined drink when those lines come out, and the chokes on it. Alcohol, up the nose. It's a horrific, burning feeling. "Guaahh," as she paws for a napkin to rub at her nose, cheeks emblazoned red and eyes watery. It takes a few sharp sniffs to wrap things up, but finally, she returns her attention to Mary as she finishes up.

Mary likely looks confident and happy. Katsumi looks embarrassed, but supportive. "W-woo!," she manages to get out before coughing softly again.

Mary gets a rousing applause from the patrons, cheers, all energetic and positive vibes. Katsumi is joined, as much as she can with her throat still raw from the drinking mishap!

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary smiles and hands the microphone to the emcee, who has the unenviable task of seeing who wants to follow Mary Marvel's performance. She walks back to the table, sitting down in front of Katsumi. "That was fun!" she says warmly. "I really like that song, can't you tell?"

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro nods quickly, her eyes a little glassy. She dabs at her nose a little more. "Stole your drink," she reports, nudging the pint with an index finger. "Want it back? And hey, do you got like a thing for me?"

Wisdom of Solomon check! Can Mary tell Kat's started to get tipsy? Her cheeks are flushed, her eyes glass as aforementioned, and the brashness of the question is delivered with a that unusual, airy mix of curiosity and indifference. And despite offering the pint back, Katsumi takes the opportunity to take another quick draw from its contents.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary smiles gently. "No, that's okay...keep it. I still have my drink." She lifts the daquiri, then sips it. Still tastes the same.

She looks at Katsumi, and smiles gently. "I want to think that we are good friends, even though we haven't known each other very long. We come from different places, but we share a few things, I think." She takes another sip. "I like being with you, even though we go to some unusual places. And I want to be there for you, especially now. How are things going with you?"

Bakeneko has posed:
"Unusual places? You mean the docks? We /met/ on the docks, you.. ya goofball," Katsumi chides, clearly not counting NEMO as unusual. The pint is raised to take another sip, after which she clears her throat. "But okay, 'cuz it kind'a sounded like you were giving me that- you know, that /look/. That one." She inclines her head towards Mary and pops an eyebrow at her a couple times. It's utterly cheesy. "See?" She points at the eyebrow. Pop-pop. "That one." Obviously Mary was not doing that exact thing. But it's put a smile back on Katsumi's face, this careless sort of play.

It also seems the gravity of Mary's words haven't really sunk in for her; or she simply doesn't believe it.

There's a chime!

Katsumi blinks and plucks out her cellphone - a slim, pink smartphone be-decked with Hello Kitty stickers. She is utterly unapologetic about that. Her thumbs whisk about the screen briefly, then her eyes sharpen to read something on screen. Her smile fades rapidly. The eyes unfocus, but she doesn't move for a short, but pronounced number of seconds. The phone is set back down. "Hey!," she says, suddenly with a broad smile. "We need more drinks! This one's all diluted or whatever!" She nudges the pint towards Mary before quickly getting to her feet. "Three shots! Vodka!," she shouts across to the bartender. "Hey! Heeey!"

And without a moment's hesitation, she makes her way to the bar counter, presumably to ensure she'd been heard.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary looks at her as she steps away from the table, then spots the phone. Katsumi was clearly distressed about something and was medicating with alcohol.

She picks up the phone. If it's locked, she'll put it back down. If not...well, she can't help it. She's curious.

Bakeneko has posed:
It isn't locked! The screen displays an email app, and it's written in Japanese. Fortunately, Mary shouldn't have a hard time reading it, and it's thankfully brief:

To: Oshiro Katsumi
From: NLW Administration
Subj: Status

Due to repeated unprofessional conduct, suspicion of drugs, disregard for safety, and severe insubordination, your contract has been terminated. Had you boarded the flight as scheduled, we would have discussed this in person. But as you have chosen to disregard the itinerary again, it is in the NLW's best interests to inform you here and now that our association with you has come to an end.

You are not welcome on the premesis.

Meanwhile, Katsumi is getting the shots she'd ordered and marching them back to the table.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Oh...oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear...Oh CRUD she's coming back!

She presses the button to darken the screen and flips it over so she is looking at the back of it, admiring the Hello Kitty symbology as Katsumi returns. She looks up, then puts the phone down. "Sorry...just admiring your phone."

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro freezes not far from the table, eyes wide and staring at Mary. "Were you, uh... did you look at what I had on there?," she asks directly. She continues forward to set the shots down. One shot in front of her chair. One shot in front of Mary. One shot in the middle of the table. "Yeah, Hello Kitty's the bomb-dot-com, but were you spying on my stuff?"

Mary Marvel has posed:
Lie. Lie like a rug. Lie like a politician who says he wants you to trust him.

Instead, Mary nibbles her lower lip, then sighs and slumps. "...I thought you got something that suddenly made you want to get...well, very drunk. Very fast. I didn't know what it was, but it looked bad by the way you reacted." She looks down. "...I'm sorry."

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro looks crestfallen, but only for all of two seconds. She gives her head a shake, as if momentarily resigned, then puts on another smile - a little more wicked this time. "B****, please. If I didn't want ya looking at it, I would've locked the screen, right?" She moves to sit at the table again. "You're not wrong, though! This, um, I knew it was coming. He gave me the whole 'talk about your future' thing when I came back to the hotel bloody." There's a beat before she quickly adds, "Don't ask. Anyway, I didn't wanna go back to Japan where I'd be alone right away, /and/ losing my career. So I thought I'd catch a flight in a day or two. And now I just... I-.."

The smile struggles.

"I don't know what else to do, y'know?"

It's a tense couple seconds before she quickly snatches up the shot before her and downs it.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary looks at her, then sips her drink because she doesn't know what else to do right now. She puts the glass down, then thinks of something. She has to know, anyway.

"...Do you have a place to stay tonight?"

Bakeneko has posed:
The shot hits her hard. Katsumi is leaning back in the chair, throat burning, eyes watering, and head turned to cough. She is /not/ a social drinker. A couple more coughs follow before she's capable of answering, "No," a little raggedly. "I'll just use some of my savings to get a room or something. It's fine. Not worried about that."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary's face firms. "I know a place. It's in Brooklyn. It's a group foster home. I know they have one bed open. It's a couple and about four teenagers who live there. It may not have room service...but it's a good place if you don't want to be alone. Warm bed, decent food. I can always ask."

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro's eyes widen, looking instantly mortified. "No! No way! I'm not gonna do that! Come on, I'm not- I'm not a homeless chick, pushing a buggy around lookin' all sad with my bags! I can stay at a hotel. I made good money wrestling! I was f***ing women's champ three times, y'know!"

She blinks.

"I mean I was the women's champion, not that I was... okay, swearing in English is like my /favorite/ thing about English, but keeping up with the double words is hard sometimes." She raises an index finger. "Don't you judge me!," she insists, adopting a more playful tone.

The hand lowers, staring at the female across from her. "..I'll be okay to find a hotel. Honest."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary nods. "Okay. But I'm not leaving you alone tonight. And not because I think you might...well, hurt yourself or something. But because...well, it's no good being alone. I know what that's like, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone." She smiles wryly. 'I don't snore, and I don't raid the minibar."

Bakeneko has posed:
"..Really?," asks Katsumi, looking a little conflicted. "No s***? Why? I- like, okay, you're a superhero, I get that, but I don't want you to look at me like I'm a charity case. I'm not. I'm a fighter. Always have been!" She seems to realize she was getting onto a tangent and pauses, brow furrowing. "Someone's gonna hurt you, being like this." She hopes it isn't her. "Unless you're just doing it 'cuz ya can't get enough'a me."

Beneath the table, Katsumi bumps the toe of her boot at Mary's shin. Were Mary a regular human, it might've hurt. Katsumi hasn't gotten a handle on her nighttime strength.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary smiles knowingly. "I don't mind getting hurt. I've been hurt before...often. People get hurt all the time. It's sad, but it's true. It's how we react that makes us who we are." She chuckles softly. "You're not a charity case. You're my *friend.* And friends help each other. Even if I get hurt. ESPECIALLY if I get hurt. Because then I can understand and relate to other people who have been hurt. It makes me a better heroine."

She looks around. "What say we go to that hotel now? After we check in...I can show you a secret. It's a very special secret."

Bakeneko has posed:
There are a couple things there that Katsumi seems to react to, starting to jump at to interject. But she pauses each time. However, the invitation doesn't get that delay. Katsumi's eyebrows raise as she suddenly stares at the female across from her with open scrutiny. And then a couple telltale, suspect downwards glances.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary looks around. "Shall we go, Katsumi? It's getting late." She stands up slowly. "If you have a hotel in mind, I can get you there. And i don't think we'll need to bother the taxi drivers any more tonight."

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro is increasingly concerned that she didn't clarify! But this may be one for the recordbooks: Mary has discovered the limit in what Katsumi is willing to vocalize. At least in a crowded setting. And perhaps tipsy.

"No way!," she protests. "I ordered three shots! There's still two more! They're expensive! We can't just waste'em! And I've not even sang!"

She scooches to the edge of her seat before lifting to stand. "You've gotta have that shot," she says, pointing to the glass that had been placed in front of her. "It's vodka. Russian water. Just," she pantomimes downing it, "like that. Real quick. And I'm gonna give these people something to think about later."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary looks at the drink, then at Katsumi. She sighs, then shakes her head. "No, Katsumi. I'm going to drink my drink. And I think you should rein it in a little. Keep in mind the sun is down..."

Bakeneko has posed:
"That's good! My alcohol tolerance should be higher, right?," asks Katsumi. "And what do you mean 'rein it in'? I think I've been pretty chill tonight. You sure you can handle me?"

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary sighs. "I think I can, actually. But I would much rather that neither of us has to find out for sure. Drink your drink, and then we can go."

She might be pushing it, but when you see someone tapdancing on train tracks, you get them off before the train eventually comes along.

Bakeneko has posed:
"But I've not even sang...," Katsumi protests, her voice shrinking a little with a note of sadness. She looks back at the stage, then down at herself. The classy dress with punky boots. Was she just kidding herself? Her expression dims to a somber little mellow, narrow shoulders sagging. "..okay. Let's just go," she resigns. "Guess I'm not in the mood for it anyway."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary smiles gently. "Next time, Katsumi. Promise." She reaches out to take Katsumi's hand. She wasn't a hundred precent sure about cutting this night early, but now doesn't seem like a good time for temporary solutions.

Bakeneko has posed:
"Whatever," mutters an embittered Katsumi. She does not yield her hand to Mary, but she does start to walk. She halts abruptly and snatches the shot on the center of the table, quickly downing it. It burns heavily, her eyes squeezing shut for a moment before she sets the glass down. There's a heavy exhale, as if clearing the strain in her throat from the alcohol, but she's moving again towards the exit.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Yeah, this isn't going like she hoped it would. Supergirl would have handled it better. But Katsumi is moving, and Mary walks with her to the exit, opening the door for her.

Once outside, she looks around at the gawkers, then says, "Hang on."

In the next moment, Katsumi is lifted in Mary's arms, and then they are going up, up, and...can't say that. How about "up some more?" Yeah, that works.

They are a hundred feet in the air before Mary pauses. "Uhm...which hotel were you thinking of going to?"

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro is not having the fun distracting night she was hoping for. She wanted to get drunk, do music, and forget life for a night. And now she's being ushered around by someone nannying her. That's the opposite of fun! Once she gets outside, her eyes glue to her boots. Does she even want this other person around tonight if they're going to be such a killjoy? She has so little joy left to kill!

Wait, hang on? Katsumi opens her mouth to ask about that. The only thing that comes out is a shrill, panicked scream.

The screaming doesn't stop.

"PUT ME DOWN WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU DOING LAND ME RIGHT NOW!," panics Katsumi, caught between wanting to hit her captor and wanting to not splatter on the earth a hundred feet below. This is /terrifying/.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary looked at her strangely, then sighs and lands on the roof of a nearby building.

Great. All she wanted to do was help and she was messing this up completely.

She set Katsumi down, then said quickly, "I'm sorry! I thought you could handle it. I would never drop you or anything, I swear. It's perfectly safe!"

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro all but rolls out of her arms once there's something to land on, between her struggles and Mary meaning to set her down like a normal person. Hopefully the home is unoccupied. Otherwise, they're going to hear a little thump on the rooftop.

Katsumi remains on hands and knees, trembling, staring bewildered at the rooftop beneath her. There are a few shaky breaths as she attempts to calm her nerves. Then she's suddenly pointing to the side at Mary, a glower following. "I am /not/ like you!," she shouts. "I'm not some superhero! I don't fly! I don't risk my life every night for strangers! I don't give up everything and just /hope/ it'll be better! I- I gave up everything already to have the only thing I ever cared about! And now I've lost that, too! I just wanted a god**** night to forget about this s***! Couldn't you hang up the cape for one f***ing night and let me /try/ to be happy!?"

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary looks at her for a few moments. "All right. I'll hang up the cape. SHAZAM."

A thin bolt of lightning spears down out of a cloudless sky and strikes Mary Marvel. The flash of light is blinding, but momentary.

And when it fades, Mary Marvel is gone. In her place is a perfectly ordinary brown-haired brown-eyed high school girl in ratty jeans, a t-shirt with a stylized spider on the front, and tennis shoes.

She smiles uncertainly. "...hi, Katsumi. My name is Mary Batson."

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro is lashing out. She's mad at Mary for ruining her night out, but that's fleeting at worst. She's more angry at herself - for things she has zero control over. For sticking her neck out for someone and making things all the worse. She's mad at herself for what appears to be her life's ruin. But Mary was a convenient target. She could unload on her, to at least expel some of the negativity. It's nothing but toxic, but it's the only coping mechanism she has.

And then things take a startling turn.

A lightning bolt hits Mary Marvel, and when the blindness fades, there's a kid in front of her; one of the 'protected class' to her. Perhaps the only force on this earth strong enough at present to modify her behavior. Young people are special. They don't deserve her vitriol. And the girl she just unleashed on is a kid.

What a kick to the gut.

Katsumi stares, dumbfounded, jaw slack and unable to find words. Her knees fold under herself, causing her to slouch against the short wall at the edge of the building, knees together and turned aside. "Y-you're.. a kid..?," she asks, voice small.

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary looks a little nettled at that. "Hey, I'll have you know I'm going to be *17* in...okay, five months but STILL...I'm not a little kid. I'm in high school. I have...well, KINDA friends."

She takes a step forward. "I'm a teenager in the foster care system. My parents died in a car accident. But I had someone decide to take care of me, to look after me. And I thought...maybe if I could help you..." She looks down. "But I don't know if I can. And somehow, lifting an aircraft carrier doesn't help at all for stuff like this. Flying to the moon doesn't help me help you at all. So this is me, helpless to do anything."

Bakeneko has posed:
Feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt on top of it all, Katsumi bundles herself up as much as she can against the wall. Her arms fold against her bust, her head ducks, and her eyes look anywhere /but/ at Mary. "No. Mary, no. You don't need to help me," she says quietly. "You've done enough, okay? You have school'n stuff. You have normal teen things to do when you can. You don't need to worry about me. And you /really/ don't need me being a jerk to you."

Her chin untucks and her head turns towards Mary, but she still doesn't look up at her. "I'm sorry I said all that. This isn't on you. It's my deal. But- yeah, I'm sorry."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary sighed and sat down next to Katsumi. "It's okay. I *had* normal teen things until about a month ago. When someone told me I had capital-P Power, that I could summon it to help people." She looks to Katsumi. "You have no idea what it's like to be...well, someone like *me*...and then being told...and KNOWING...I could be someone like Mary Marvel. I thought Mary Marvel could do ANYTHING." She looks down. "But she can't. And now I've ruined everything."

Bakeneko has posed:
"Someone like you?," asks Katsumi, finally turning her head and lifting her gaze to look at Mary. "The heck does /that/ mean? What's so bad about you?"

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary looks at Katsumi. "I'm a DOPE, Katsumi. My parents died because my father was *drunk* and behind the wheel. The people I thought were my friends at school have my contact name as 'Pushover.' I'm not strong or tough or skilled like you...unless finding the best place to sleep outdoors in winter can be considered a necessary skill. And you...you're drunk, barely able to stand, and you feel bad because you are so bad off you have to find a HOTEL. If I didn't have my foster family, I wouldn't be sleeping in a hotel. I'd be sleeping in some ALLEY or one of those FEAST places, if I was LUCKY." She wipes at her face.

Bakeneko has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro frowns immediately when she calls herself a dope. She doesn't interrupt her though. She just scoots against the wall, letting her finish.

"I was an orphan," she replies quietly. "Never knew who my parents were. Just figured I was something they didn't want, so they dropped me off. I wasn't adopted until I was like... fifteen? The only way I was getting by was proving how bad an idea it was to mess with me. I didn't know martial arts or anything, I was just some skinny kid who thought it was better to fight people off than get bullied."

"I mean, what," she asks, moving a foot to bump at Mary's, "you think I was born awesome? I had to choose to fight. That's why I loved wrestling so much, even when I was younger than that. People fighting for themselves, proving themselves, and audiences loving'em for it. No one messed with them. And if they did, they settled it in the ring, in front of everyone."

She shakes her head.

"Anyway, the people who adopted me had like buyer's remorse or whatever. I loved music and they pushed me at it hardcore. I'm awesome with music. You could'a heard that." She shoots her a side-eye before continuing. "But I am who I am. They wanted me to be something else. I couldn't. I tried. But I couldn't. So every day, I'd get to see two rich people who wanted a kid, and got stuck with me instead. But I went to college when I was eighteen, right? They were /thrilled/ with that. Because I was studying music. But it wasn't what I really wanted. And when the opportunity came up that year to take my shot, girl, I /took/ it. So this? This is from me starting actual training at eighteen. You're not even that old yet. Chill."

Her shoulders hunch forward. "When I told my parents that I became a wrestler, they disowned me. Won't acknowledge I exist. Won't talk to me. Won't take my calls, and they even hate I'm still calling myself Oshiro."

She falls silent a moment, staring hard at her boots.

"Being a wrestler, being this thing that let me look for a hotel, cost me everything I had. Everything. No safety net. I don't even /have/ friends. I- I piss everyone off without even meaning to, my own parents don't even like me. And now I don't even have that career. You're better off than you think, Mary."

Mary Marvel has posed:
Mary gets up. "You know what? I'm a killjoy. Always have been. So I'm going home. You can use the fire escape to get back down, go back to Club Nobody, and find someone old enough to join you in your temporary solution. You can get a taxi to drive you to whatever place you want to go and POUR you into a hotel room. But I'm walking, because heroes aren't supposed to wallow in self-pity or stand by and watch their friends pickle their brains. You can text me when you wake up in the morning and maybe you can tell me how getting blackout drunk actually HELPED your current situation in any way, as opposed to just delaying the inevitable." She walks over to the ladder leading to the fire escape. "Because I'm still your friend, and I just saw you drink at least four noxious drinks, and I'd rather think of you like I met you. instead of now, when I can smell them on your breath. From over here."

And with that, Mary Not-A-Marvel-In-the-Least goes over the side and down the fire escape. Because she did something horrible, and she can't blot it out with alcohol.