1336/Finding a Friendly Feline

Finding a Friendly Feline
Date of Scene:	07 July 2017
Location:	New York City
Synopsis:	Tigra is sunning herself in Central Park, where she encounters Scandal Savage and Elliot.
Cast of Characters:	1017, Tigra, Little Blackhawk

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Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
It's a pleasant Summer morning, a couple of hours before the real heat of the day settles in. The masses of concrete and glass surrounding Central Park always keep it warmer than a truly wild place would be, but the sun has not been up long enough for Manhattan's most famous patch of green to truly begin baking.

Doing her best to avoid the thickest portions of dawdling tourists, a young woman is zig-zagging on and off the paths as she wends her way on a rather random route through the Park. Clad in sensible training shoes, a supportive cropped top, and hip-to-ankle leggings, she looks rather like a fitness model as she bounces nimbly up and over some rocks... and abruptly finds herself entering a feline sunning area.

Tigra has posed:
Not just any feline sunning area, a Tigra sunning area. She'd been on her way to another place, but when she spotted that rock - well, it's more like a small boulder shaped just right - with the sun hitting it, laziness replaced interest in being anywhere else, and she simply draped herself across it.

First, on her back, stretched out. That was good for a little while, but now the tigress is mostly face down, the side of her head against a bicep, that arm extended partially off the side of the rock, fingers flexing every so often as the tip of her tail sways in back. Someone looks very, very comfortable. Warm, too.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
In a similar fashion to the auburn haired young woman who stumbled upon the Tigra Sunning Zone Elliot is picking her way through the park with nimble steps. She started by watching as the other woman navigated hte park. It's the little things. The way one hops from rock to rock or darts along the edge of a bench.

Elliot is dressed similarly to the woman who has garnered her interest. She is wearing a t-shirt rather than a crop top, pink with white lettering that reads,

I see you've read my t-shirt.
That's enough socializing for today.

The girl's pants are black leggings similar to Scandal's own and someone obviously spent good money getting her those shoes of hers together. They're the sort you'd use for serious freerunning. Even if the girl might not be. She practices hopping from rock to rock a couple times but ultimatey buries her hands into her pockets, taking a deep breath as she too wanders into Tigra Territory.

One hopes Tigra is not overly interested in catnip given that Elliot is carrying some in her messenger bag for some undisclosed purpose.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal slows to a halt, eyeing the feline warily... before relaxing a *little* as she thinks she figures out which one it might be. Not safe, exactly, but not one she's aware of having any reason to hold a grudge against her. Breathing heavily but quite steadily, she glances around for any company the sun-baked feline might have - and catches sight of her fellow cross-country runner. She offers a warily formal nod, then quirks a wry smile, gesturing mutely to the rock-decorating catwoman.

Tigra has posed:
Tigra remains as she is for the time being, though soon it's onto her back again. It could be seen as a provacative pose, and certainly a couple others begin to stop, point, and stare, but the feline appears to be comfortable enough with herself, not to worry or even pay too close attention to anyone else just yet.

A certain someone may need to get closer for a particular scent to be more prominent, but so far neither of them have done much to draw her focus. It could give Elliot and Scandal the opportunity to speak, though who knows if that would get Tigra's eyes to finally open up. She /might/ be focused on them, but then again it's hard to know with a cat.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
Elliot nods back, mimicking some of th formality without too much of the wariness. She has naturally deliberate and laconic body language, as if she is very aware of what she might say without exactually speaking at all. Elliot's blue eyes follow Scandal's gesture and she gives a faint shrug of her shoulders as if to simply say, 'I don't know what to say to that'. Afterward she takes a deep breath and ends upo taking a couple slow steps closer. Elliot flashes Scandal a slightly more intense smile then and then she shrugs and starts toward the sunning felien with the most of graceful of steps. Which si to say she slips on a rock. Somehow. To her credit, Elliot catches herself easily, stumbling forward at ocne a good half dozen more steps than she might have intended. The girl reaches out toward nothing and then stabilizes herself by leaning backward. Her armst ense but she fights the arm to windmill them or flail wildly. The catnip comes later.

"Ah... Hello." Elliot even waves at Tigra, not that she'd be seen. She blinks.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal lets slip an indelicate snort of amusement... before darting forward to take Elliot's elbow, not wanting some random ditzy blonde to cannonball onto a renowned methuman's tummy and find out how much control over her instincts Tigra *really* has. "Perhaps we should try not to fall on anyone," she suggests quietly, voice quivering with restrained laughter - but no evident mockery.

Tigra has posed:
Soon, Tigra's eyes do crack open just a bit, the woman yawning in the process before she squints and begins to stare, propping herself up more on her side with an elbow, the other arm left to dangle as her tail sways. "Oh, am I getting an audience again? A cat can't sun herself in public without onlookers, can she?" This is asked with a hint of amusement as she casually sniffs in both of their directions, then a brow goes up toward Elliot, who Scandal has likely kept from taking a tumble.

"Catnip? Really? I can smell it, you know. Gonna take more than that to get me to act silly," she mock-chides.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"Oh, it wasn't for you originally," Elliot responds blandly to the mention of the catnip. She blinsk a few times, those blue eyes widening slgihtly. She doesp lay the ditzy blonde well, with that youthful face and those baby blue eyes complementing a figure that is pronounced and a manner of dress that doesn't do anything to flatter and manages to somehow anyway. "But you can have it if you, um, like that sort of thing anyway." Scandal get a glance then and a slow nod. "WOuldn't actually fall on her. Probably." She frowns faintly at this and then shrugs slowly. "Need more practice..."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"It sounds as if it *could* be for you now, however," the other woman observes as she relinquishes her grip on Elliot's elbow. Her accent is polished but non-descript - the sort of careful accuracy that might be the result of education rather than native fluency. "And I apologise for disturbing you. I didn't realise that anyone was up here: I just thought that it looked like an interesting route. I can leave you alone to bake, if you prefer."

Tigra has posed:
Tigra offers up another yawn, this one wider than before. "I'm neither going to confirm nor deny any interest in catnip," she replies, coming off as disintersted in it as can be. An act, or the real deal? "And contrary to what I hear some people like to do with the stuff, I don't 'bake' with it either." Surely she knows what Scandal was really talking about.

The striped woman observes both of them with a generally content curiosity, then she shakes her head. "It's a public place. I don't usually drape myself over the warmest rock I see, but..okay, you know what? That sounds like it'll always be a good idea. So, I'm Tigra. Nice to meet you and all that."

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"Bake...?" Elliot has a blatantly blank expression on her features for a moment and she looks between Scandal and Tigra a couple times, tiltign her head slightly to the left as she does. The girl mouths the words now and reaches up to somewhat absentmindly tatp the drum of her left ear with her fingertips.

FInally Elliot just shakes her head andreaches into the little messenger bag to come up with a little bag. It contains a package of rolled "catnip blunts" labeled Meowijuana and a small green catnip ball. She tilts her head and then steps forward once more to offer it to Tigra. "Um. My name's Elliot. Sorry I almost fell on you- and thank you for catching me." That last garners Scandal at least a nod.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"I think that I've heard of you," Scandal informs Tigra - again sounding amused rather than boastful or worshipful. "It's nice to meet you for real, however. I'm Scandal. Yes, really." Both her companions receive a wry smile.

Tigra has posed:
"It's when you..on second thought, nevermind." Perhaps Elliot doesn't know about /that/ sort of thing, and why should Tigra be the one to sully someone's innocence? That idea is soon dashed when the baggie is brought out, with the minty stuff actually fashioned the way it is. Now Tigra's sitting upright, swinging her legs around so her feet - bare and clawed - touch the grass around the rock. "Ohhh no you don't, Missy. Don't you push your drugs on me!" Is that the start of a reaction due to proximity? Hopefully...not.

To Scandal, she adds, "I've been around a little, and I don't know about that as a name, but I've heard odder ones than that. It's memorable and unique, right?" It seems she's sizing the woman up, perhaps trying to determine whether she should know of her or not.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"Drugs?" Elliot blinks and then glances down at the bg in her hands. She starts to flush a faint red but then she nods slowl yand starts tot uck the items away into her bag once again, squirming. "...Sorry." She shifts her weight back form Tigra and then takes a deep breath, looking over at Scandal and nodding her head once. There's a glimmer of recognition for the name in the little blonde's eyes but if she's going to share that she's noticed anything right ast this moment of being chastised is not the time. So instead she is putting her bag away. Slowly.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal blinks, thinks, then chuckles and shakes her head. "I apologise. I meant that you were baking in the sun. Heat, not... narcotics. I occasionally lose track of contemporary American slang, I am afraid. I did not mean to cause awkwardness. And yes, I believe that it is at least close to unique - I have not met another Scandal."

Tigra has posed:
Tigra is grinning. It's not quite on the level of the Cheshire Cat, but somewhere close to it. "I know. I was trying to make a joke. Not every one is a winner." But, she may just not be in the mood for catnip or the effects of it, so there's a momentary look of relief when Elliot is putting the bag away. "Thanks. I don't need to end up on one of those sites acting all crazy because of that stuff." She gestures toward it with a finger.

"Oh, I've seen a few scandals in my life, some worse than others," she informs the other woman, that grin now a little wider. "Sorry. Couldn't help myself." She hops away from the rock and begins to pace, but not before allowing herself a good stretch. Talk about scandalous, depending on how prudish someone is relative to what she looks like.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
Elliot nods at that statement and then settles back into shifting her weight from left tooright. "I miss all the jokes like that," she offers helpfully then, in a soft voice that is more quietly matter-of-fact than anything else in particular. She rocks back briefly on to the eels of her feet and shoulders her bag more carefully. Elliot glances around again before letting eher eyes settle onto the two women once more. "Name carries a lot of, um, expectation, I guess. Scandal." She shrugs slowly. "I like it at least."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal laughs softly. "I hear jokes along those lines quite often," she informs Tigra - though neither her expression nor tone of voice suggest that she is offended. Perhaps she's merely distracted by the display, of course. Still, she manages to tear her gaze away to offer Elliot a quick, surprised grin. "Thank you. People frequently refuse to believe me, or offer sympathies and ask why I haven't changed it."

Tigra has posed:
"Laughter is a good way to defuse a potentially dangerous situation, or just to enjoy things a little more," Tigra tells Elliot, offering her perspective on the matter of jokes. That, and she already said she likes a bad pun, more or less. "I have a friend who laughs at so many jokes, she should just go sit in crowds at an open mic night to make everyone feel better about themselves."

Scandal is still receiving more of her attention than Elliot is, so she's likely determined some reason to keep that woman more on her radar. Definitely some interest from her. Maybe there's something there, beneath the surface, that stands out to the cat-woman. Maybe she just used a particularly nice brand of shampoo. Or, she might just dislike cats, so it's Tigra's way of reacting to that. "Well, it's a name that causes people to wonder, I'm sure." The tail flicks a few more times.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"You're welcome," Elliot responds to Scandal with a shrug of her shoulders, twisting herself slightly from left to right. She takes a deep breath and then returns Scandal's grin with a bright smile of her own. "I mean, people've made fun fo my name my entire life. I didn't pick it. You didn't pick yours. WHy should you have to chabnge something you grew up with because everyone else decides to be a dick?"

This said Elliot shifts her weight from left to right and then hops up onto one of the nearby rocks that she had earlier slipped off of. Despite the previous display she seems to easily be able to balance just on the pad of her left foot when she is so inclined.

"ANd I like jokes fine I just don't get most of them," Elliot relates to Tigra, offering her a smile and a shrug as well. "At least. Not the wordplay ones." She's back to fidgeting with her ear now. Tap tap tap.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal shoots Elliot a look of surprise and some sympathy... to be followed by curiosity as she fiddles with her ear. Then she looks back to Tigra, and finds herself distracted by that twitching tail-tip. After a couple of moments, she manages to refocus upon the catwoman's face. "My father has a rather unique take on the world," she says dryly. "But my name is one of his choices I've become accustomed to."

Tigra has posed:
Tigra has a sympathetic look for Elliot. "Ahh. Some get them. Some don't. That's just the way it is sometimes," she points out, as if to say there isn't much one can do about it.

However, anything else she seemed about to say is left unmentioned for something's caused her to tense up all of a sudden. She's looking at Scandal. Is it her? Hard to say, but her expression turns much more serious as her head tilts, like she's trying to hear something. "Maybe you can tell me more next time. Have to run." Literally, as with no more than what might possibly be the briefest wave in the history of wavekind, she's off at a breakneck speed down one of the paths. Whatever it is, whether it's getting away from here or getting to another place, something made her bolt. How...odd.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
Tigra is off and Elliot is watching as the woman streaks away, nodding slowly. She takes a deep breath and then favours Scandal with another of her smiles. This one is a little brighter, more relaxed, and the girl adjusts her bag as she turns to more fully face the Brazilian woman position beside her. Blue eyes watch intently for a few seconds and then she gives a slow nod. "Honestly, I like my name. You probably had a lot more rouble with yours anyway. Your dad sounds like he's probably cause a lot of trouble for you?" She asks, thoughtfully. "My mom was just watching this show called Scrubs when I was born. I guess she wanted me to be a doctor."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Managing to drag her gaze away from the departing feline, Scandal looks back to Elliot. She blinks, then chuckles and nods. "It's safe to say that my father has done quite a lot to make my life 'interesting', yes. But what did you choose as your own life's path, if you are not a doctor? Or did you follow your mother's wishes for you?"

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"I dropped out of school and became a mercenary fighter pilot commando and now I fly around the world fighting militant terrorists and doing dorky things in turboprops on my spare time," Elliot responds in her best deadpan tone without missing a beat. "You'd think it would pay better." A beat before Elliot adds in a more serious voice, "I left school and completely scandalized mom anyway. You? I am going to hazard a guess and say you didn't do whatever it was your dad wanted."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"Oh, quite often I have done, if only because he has given me no choice," Scandal says dryly... eyeing Elliot with open curiosity. "Are you saying that you're a Blackhawk? I could just about imagine you being chosen for one of those pin-up girl uniforms, though I'd imagine that they aren't generally worn on-duty..."

Little Blackhawk has posed:
Elliot blinks. Twice. "Most people laugh," she observes before giving a nod. "And the rest of them can't guess the outfit." She seems to be studying Scandal more itnensely now, briefly worrying her bottom lip wiut her teeth. "Guilty as charged. And no, those are dress uniforms," Elliot assures. "Wear it to a meeting sometimes. You know, because some people are idiots and will trip over themselves to impress a girl who shows a little leg." she s hrugs, but that grin is returning. For all her rather mellow manner of speech Elliot is actually a fairly enthusiastic person. Just... Not in her tone of voice. "Anyway. Yes. Elliot Reed, Blackhawk #2. And you're... Um. Kind of famous."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"From what I remember of those outfits, they show a *lot* more than a 'little' leg," Scandal observes, before flashing a wry smile... then lifting a brow at Elliot. "Oh dear. You know of me? Well, things usually go downhill from here."

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"Well. A little leg gets small results. More leg... Anyway. I mean. There's a longer skirt and a trouser option," Elliot observes, returning the smile. "The micro is actually a cheat. Skort." She just laughs softly at this and then takes a deep breath. "Okay. Things usually go downhill. But wouldn't that have already happened? I think we missed the window for me to freak out at you," she points out in her most reasonable tone.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"A 'skort'? That, I refuse to belive. It would ruin generations of fantasies around the world," Scandal protests, venturing another smile. "And... well. Some people like to wait for obvious metahumans to depart, before they kick up a fuss." She nods in the direction Tigra took.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"I mean... I guess." Elliot squints, looking of in the directi on of Tigra before giving a slow shrug. "And fine, you're right. It's a micro skirt. We have to keep Zinda from dancing on the tables at the bar because of it," Elliot responds, laughing softly. "Anyway, I don't think we have a problem. I mean... You seem nice enough. I'm kind of a mercenary. I don't really have the, um, moral high ground anymore anyway."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal snorts indelicately. "There are many different grades and kinds of mercenary. I and mine are often denounced as terrible, given the people we work for - but we often seem to wind up 'doing good', one way or another. Still, those who are aware of me tend to assume that I'm scum - albeit scum with a legal clean slate. I'm actually signed up as a student, currently, to fit in a bit of research while things are quiet."

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"Yeah, well. Everyone we shoot still bleeds red. I mean. Almost everyone." Elliot shakes her head at this in a flurry of blonde tresses. "What are you studying right now?" Seh asks then, canting her head slightly to the left as she does. "I couldn't do school. Lectures... Just not for me." She shakes her head slowly.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"International relations. Specifically, analyses of how conflict arises, spreads, and can be resolved. I'm not a beliver in the notion that everything boils down to who has the biggest guns - or the flashiest superpowers." Scandal shrugs gently. "And not simply because doing so would mean that I would never be able to work again. I *never* have the biggest guns or the largest army. And as for flashy superpowers...."

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"I've done a lot of reading about that too," Elliot responds, ndoding as she does. "And I know what you mean. I'm never the biggest or the strongest either," she notes, laughing softly as she does. "I just don't like to lose." That smile brightens just a bit more as she announces this point. "I get what you mean with the work thing. Kind of getting used to being outnumbered... like, everybody to one. We're a small outfit still. Zinda's trying to rebuild, there's just... A lot to do."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"Perhaps you should rethink your plans, and encourage her to dance atop tables in that skirt," Scandal risks teasing, her expression briefly mischievous. "Though I admit that I find it hard to think of the Blackhawks as weak, I can't claim to know quite what your current strength or resources might be."

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"Not weak. Specialized. Commando team, not private army." Elliot shrugs at that. "Still need more bodies. We haven't really been recruiting for very long," she finishes simply. "And I'd get her dance on tables more but we spend more on booze than she'd make," Elliot replies, rolling her eyes. There's a mischievious smile to match Scandal's, however.

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"I know a couple of women who could perhaps help her with her dancing, if you wanted," Scandal notes, amiably playful. "But the Blackhawks are having a hard time recruiting? Or just looking to expand? Either way, I'd imagine you would have a lot of interest. There surely aren't many military outfits with a reputation or image *remotely* like yours."

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"The outfit was dead for sixty years. You might be surprised, Ig uess." Elliot states this rather earnestly, glancing down for a second now. SHe tkaes a deep breath. "But no, it's more- finding people who fit. Zinda and I haven't been at this long and when we started things back up- that was it. Just us." She shrugs slowly. "So it's just a matter of finding the right people to fly our birds. The ones we want, I mean. Not jsut the ones who can fly or fight."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
"Just the two of you? Hah. I fear I'm showing my, ahh, unusual education, then." Scandal looks a little sheepish. "How long have the Blackbirds been back in operation, then, and how many of you are there?"

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"The official roster only has three of us. We have other people who sub in on missions to fill out the squad but don't want to commit the whole way or have other things to get up to," ELliot respond with a shrug. "I guess six of us on a mission when you count everyone? I don't know how many contractors we have on tap... We've only been flying sorties agian for a few months, actually."

Scandal Savage (1017) has posed:
Scandal briefly has the kind of expression one might expect from a retiree discovering that a casually-made reference was a couple of generations out of date... before she finds another smile. "Six, all piloting separate craft?", she manages to ask.