1257/I'm Kind of Busy Here

I'm Kind of Busy Here
Date of Scene:	02 July 2017
Location:	Gotham City
Synopsis:	An encounter between Batman and Catwoman leads to various warnings, teasing, and a potential alliance of some kind.
Cast of Characters:	Catwoman, Batman

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Catwoman has posed:
Late night in Gotham City, close to 3 AM, what some like to call the witching hour. Parts of it are dangerous no matter the time of day, light out or dark, but certain sections are akin to taking one's life into one's hands when dusk gives way to the blackest night.

Catwoman is familiar with those places, but she is not among them at the moment.

Instead, the skilled thief in the catsuit is in one of the richer, more affluent neighborhoods of Gotham, looking down on a lavishly appointed mansion from a building a few blocks away, higher by about ten stories. After flicking the night vision in her goggles on, she pulls out a pair of binoculars from a plain black shoulder bag. The goggles are pushed up just enough so she can use the binoculars, muttering to herself, "Gotta remember to see if I can get a zoom function built into the goggles. That'll save a step." Just what is she up to this time?

Batman has posed:
It was late, but still a bit early in his patrol's as Batman swung around the lavish mansion area of Gotham. For some reason theifs thought this was an easy mark so he had to add it to his patrol route constantly. Unfortunetly in his cowl he did have the zoom feature, as well as a sight for heat saw the figure on the rooftop a ways up, and sighs. He knew perfectly well who that was, and changed his direction as simply as pushing the button on his device, and holding on as it recalled the line with him on it.

Landing behind her in his batsuit he bearly made a noise, standing in the shadows he watched her quietly. While he could sneak up on her, it might be better to wait, and let her incriminate her self a little bit. Like a moving shadow, with his cloak wrapped around him he steps forward without a noise, he gets close enough to drop a single listening device into her shoulder bag, then backs up again into the darkness. He then waits to see if she has noticed him, or if she continued on her plan.

Catwoman has posed:
Remaining still for a good long while, Catwoman uses the binoculars to pick out any details she can spot as far as the property goes. "Tall fence, probably electric in some places. Guard dogs. Security. Armed?" She's speaking quietly to herself, then she nods once. "Yeah, armed. At least he's not going cheap on the protection. I know better than to fall for that trick." Growing quiet again, the crouched woman might pass for one of the stone gargoyles found atop many of Gotham's buildings, as she studies the routes and times the security takes, looking for any gaps to exploit.

It's during this time that Batman becomes aware of her presence. Still using the binoculars, she finally lowers them and places the goggles back in position mere moments before he touches down nearby. He's able to get close enough to drop the gadget in, but before he's more than about fifteen feet away she speaks.

"Of all the rooftops in Gotham City, you pick mine. Go get your own. I'm kind of busy here." She doesn't turn toward him, only opening the bag to glance at it before depositing the binoculars within. "What do you want this time, Batman?"

Batman has posed:
Batman is quiet watching her for a long moment he peers at her calmly with that serious look Batman always has. "There has been some League activity around Gotham. Tell me what you know." it isn't a question, more then a statement. They ran in the same areas as far as crime, sure she was a thief and they were assassins, but accidents happen people break into the wrong places. He steps back a little from her, and continues to watch her a bit coldly.. It seems he was here on buisness and you prob know how much Batman likes killing in his town.

He frowns, and looks the 'general' direction she was though he might not of heard her plan he did know her, it wasn't hard to add up a general idea. He didn't say anything of it yet, but he gave her that disapointed look like one might someone really stubbern, or just about to do something they knew was wrong. That is what he does then, stand there brooding half in the shadows now it might be hard to see his outline, but still visable.

Catwoman has posed:
He'd be clear to see with the night vision still activated, and Catwoman hasn't seen a reason to shut it off now that he's here. Rising slowly, she makes him wait before finally facing him, letting him know that she's doing it on her time, not his. "Aww, no 'How are you doing, Catwoman? So nice to see you again?'" she asks, putting on a smile for him that's barely too forced to be sincere. She intentionally emphasizes the sway of her hips as she approaches, though she stops after only a few feet so as to keep a reasonable gap between them.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. It's not illegal to be up on a rooftop, you know. If it was, I could have you taken in as a citizen's arrest," she teases before growing marginally more serious. "You want to know what the League of Assassins are up to? Fine. Here's everything I know." A second goes by, then two, three, four...finally five. "There. All caught up." Empty palms turn up to help the shrug she gives him. "I don't run with them. You know that."

Batman has posed:
Batman looks at her quietly as she speaks, he knows she is trying to charm him though she knows he is way too serious to let her in, but the game continues. He watches he claws as well she has attacked him with those before, and while he has faced worse she shouldn't be able to from their levels of skill. He would not underestimate her again. Though he does listen she doesn't give him much information. He had hoped, but it seems they were just a bit too different. "With the riches between the League, and the Hand I am surprised you have not made time for them." is all he says this time not falling to the bait of her words. He peers at her, "Beware the leader, she is better then you in all but thievery, if you find them you should tell me."

Of course how to do that he doesn't say, he knew Catwoman can use her head so left that part up to her, he seems to take another step back. "If you will not steal from those people I will tell you something that will save you from jail before I leave here." he does not say what not, but he is already starting to disapear into the shadows. His eyes still look at her though a lot of him is covered in shadows now.

Catwoman has posed:
Catwoman crosses her arms in front of her, the shoulder bag left along one side, opposite the handle of the whip that's wound about her hips. This is definitely a game to her. It almost always has been on some level, in some way. The claws are kept to herself this time, at least for now, perhaps for the duration depending on how she reacts to what he has to say. "I do my own thing. Rolling solo means nobody to split anything with," she tells him with that same lingering grin. "That is, if I were to do anything bad. And you really know how to make a woman feel special, comparing her to another only to say the other one is superior in just about every way. Who would this leader be, just so we're clear?"

Those fingers do flex a few times as she strides back and forth, moving much like a cat that knows she's the center of attention and enjoying all eyes on her, whether a dozen pairs or just one. "I have reasons for everything I do, but..go ahead." She bids him continue with a hand gesture, feigning boredom.

Batman has posed:
Batman stops and looks at her with a head tilt. "Not talking about working with them.. They are moving people, fighting a war hiring mercenary. That takes money, and they don't use banks.." he leaves that hanging. Sure it was more dangerous, but if she stole from the Bad guys.. well she wasn't hurting the citizens of Gotham. "If you were that type, and you don't want to be arrested every hiest." he states flatly, as he knew if she kept stealing sooner or later he would arrest her. He wouldn't like it, but he would.

He sighs again when he has to talk about the other lady, "Talia al' ghul... That is her name, though I will warn you stick to your solo act so she does not drag you down with her."

To her last statement she would just get silence. He wouldn't add anything else as to do so would just be falling deeper into her trap. He knew her too well to believe all that she said, but knew that not all of it was a lie either. He frowned again, he held a hand out. "Don't steal from them.. Or I will catch you, but I will hold up to my end of the deal.. There is a listening device in your handbag."

Catwoman has posed:
"If that's what they're up to, that's beyond what I do," Catwoman answers simply. It's true. She avoids those sorts of matters, choosing to stick to a very specialized type of 'work' instead. "But let me see if I have this right. Is Batman himself encouraging Catwoman to steal from someone specific, just to harm them? Should I have these ears of mine checked?" She taps one of the shaped cat ears atop the hood she wears, even if it's obviously no more than part of the costume. "Talia al Ghul..Talia al Ghul. Why does that name sound familiar?" Might she /have/ actually heard it somewhere before? She shakes her head then, as if unsure. The warning is taken for what it is, however.

Now Catwoman closes the gap further, about half of the way to him than she'd been before. "Yes, yes, I know. The bat has a soft spot for the cat and wants to steer her toward the straight and narrow. If you got to know me better, you'd know there's a lot more to me than just this." The same hand from before gestures to herself, running down the front of the catsuit without actually touching any part of it. "But we are who we are. Something made you that, and something made me this."

Not forgetting about the mention of the device, she holds up her other hand, the one that had been closest to the shoulder bag when she crossed them earlier. In it, a small bat-shaped thing. "Oh, this? I already saw it when I was tucking my binoculars away. It's not that I don't like surprise gifts, but it might not have stood out so much if it was shaped like a cat instead. But, here." She lobs it toward him. "You can keep it. I don't need it."

Batman has posed:
Batman is calm, he doesn't get more angry as she suggests that he is telling her to rob people. He watches her carefully mearly staing.. "I protect the people of Gotham.. even at your worse you are not as bad as some of the ones that want to go after them." he peers again.. "Without money they can not continue their fight, without influence those people who would come to hurt them in my city would have no reason, and maybe I could put off a crime on the innocent people while you are distraced. I should not have to tell you this," he ends with a small chide, he expected her to put it together herself, but was not against explaining it this time for reasons that would become appearent.

He actually glares at her before he continues. "If you continue this you will be cought, as I said I will turn you in and these nights.. will end." he just continues looking at her letting that sink in. "You are not as bad, but that is the best outcome.." After a nod to her he continues, a hand comes out of the darkness to snatch up the device he points down. "Right foot.. I didn't throw just one." and falls to silence waiting for her to remove that one too.

Catwoman has posed:
Catwoman has a way of cutting to the chase and going about identifying things the way she sees them, but she remarks, "I don't go after the innocent, and believe it or not, I watch out for the poor. If you knew where I came from..." She's not telling him that, though. Not now, certainly not any time soon. "But if you happen to come across something you can't be seen doing, and you need my particular..talents..in place of yours, /you/ should tell /me/ and if I think I can do it, I might just." Besides, she might be able to skim a bit of it for herself. Nothing wrong with that when it's coming from people Batman himself is out to stop, is it?

"Oh, Batman. I don't need your..threats every time we have a little date like this. I know it's only by your grace and yours alone that I'm not hidden away in some cell deep in Arkham's bowels." Sarcasm. It's there. It's definitely there, even if there's an element of truth to the words. "But secretly, I think you'd miss these nights. Wouldn't you?" She never comes so close that she might touch him. Not this time. With the whip she could, but it remains where it's been the whole time.

In the end she glances down at said foot, indeed spotting the second one. With perfect balance, she bends forward to pluck it off the boot she wears, turning the device between thumb and forefinger before pinching it if it isn't too strong to break that easily. "I knew that," she says dryly. This time, it's a blatant lie. It shows in the neutral expression, what of it can be seen.

Batman has posed:
Batman nods, "We have a different idea what innocent means, though whatever happened I can't let you continue stealing, and you know it." he shakes is head at her, "And I have given you a chance to do that already, you just haven't realized it yet. Though I have no want or need for money." He stands on the ledge looking at her, "Time runs out for everyone eventually.. Try not to have your time run out in Gotham. With that a sound comes from his hand and she would know that noise well as the wire shoots out.

"Watch yourself... I am not the only you need to worry about anymore." then with that he gets pulled to the side quickly disapearing into the night as he usually does. He will return to this area and watch it, because he knows she had some kind of plan, and he would be there waiting.. Watching for her to make a move.

Catwoman has posed:
"Crooks can be more than just people who steal openly from others, you know," Catwoman reminds. "Sometimes the worst ones are the ones who do it legally behind everybody's backs, not caring who it affects, not giving a damn because they think everyone else is so far beneath them that it doesn't matter whether they live or not, and you can't do a thing about it because technically they're not breaking any laws. Think about that." She has her own way of justifying what she does along with comparing it to what she thinks about other specific situations.

Just before he makes his exit the way he so often does, she tells him, "I'm serious, though. Maybe a little mutual exchange of information wouldn't hurt. You scratch my back, I scratch yours, and I don't even break the skin this time. Play it right, Gotham wins, yes?" Whether he replies to it or not, she's made sure he leaves with it also on his mind along with a wave. "See you next time, this rooftop or another. Toodles!" Then it's right back to casing the mansion with the binoculars again, if only for a few minutes, just in case he's still watching. Always have to leave a man wondering. Then, she moves on.