16651/At The Dog-Run...

At The Dog-Run...
Date of Scene:	20 December 2024
Location:	Central Park, Manhattan
Synopsis:	Blu and Kit meet and talk, but neither quite hears the other.
Cast of Characters:	Kit Killovarras, Blueblood

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Kit Killovarras has posed:
It's hard not to notice a six-foot-six hyena, but less so when it's in central park after a fair bit of snowfall, especially in broad daylight! A few people steer clear of the large creature, though for the most part it seems like the people here don't seem to mind his presence.

Kit stands there leaning against a lamp-post, dressed rather light for the season in only a simple pair of loose-fit jeans and an over-sized hoodie, a cellphone in one paw and a cup of coffee from a small shop down the road in the other. Occasionally he'll glance up from his swiping to look around, observing his surroundings and studying the occasional passerby with those mismatched eyes of his. He's not hiding what he is, even if his size and form seem to intimidate some of the locals, but at least it's not like he's barking at people who walk by.

Blueblood has posed:
Blueblood, too, makes his presence unmistakable with adaptations to move through the snow: extra bones provide traction for his legs, fat ridges of duplicated ribbing making him 'non-slip.' His costume is cut to allow more improvisation than civilian clothes would allow, so he defaults to it. No hard-hat and goggles today, though, just a Slav tradesman sullenly hotboxing a cigarette. He raises a hand in greeting to Kit, like a secret society's salute. Weirdos. "Mornin'."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"Morning." Kit says with a glance to Blueblood, a faint smile playing across his muzzle, though he's noticeably careful not to let his teeth show too much. It's almost like he's actively trying to look aggressive. There's a slight pause as he takes a sip of his coffee, then a tilt of his head as he asks, "Any chance you could spare one of those?" as he motions to the mans cigarette.

Blueblood has posed:
Blueblood nods, offers one over and readies the lighter. "Is bad habit, you should stop. But next time we meet, you buy *two* coffees." He watches the dogs play for a minute or two to give Kit some time to smoke in peace, rather than peppered with questions or expectations.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The cigarette is accepted, though not the lighter. Instead, he slips his phone into the pouch-pocket of his hoodie and brings the same paw up to the cigarette, a disc of crackling violet energy forming in his palm that he uses to light the cancer-stick before simply waving it away and taking a drag. "So they tell me." he says with a subtle chuckle, the smoke rolling from his muzzle with each word. "Though when you're staring down the barrel of a few centuries worth of life, bad habits don't seem as problematic."

A drag or two later though, he'll give blueblood an almost playful smile, "Didn't know if you'd like the stuff, some don't. How do you usually take yours?" He's not a blunt individual by nature, especially when he's been contacted by someone he's never met.

Blueblood has posed:
Blueblood shrugs, nods assent. "Is fair. In the East it only seems to come one way, whether from grandma's teakettle or the shops? Strong enough to put hair on your chest. Sweet enough to make the assault on your senses bearable." He *thumps* his own chest. "We are heroes-- caffeine is caffeine. But yeah, I carry black tea in my wallet now. Coffee is 'acceptable,' but American drip is-- your 'Mister Coffee' is a coward and a liar." He winks.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
The comment about 'Mr. Coffee' being a liar gets a bit of a laugh and a nod. "I'll agree to that. American coffee is a little thin if I'm being honest." There's an unmistakable sound to his voice, he's Egyptian. "Though the shop I usually buy from is... Different."

Then he gives a subtle gesture with a paw and somewhere, something has begun to take shape. Out of sight for now, but it doesn't take too long for another version of himself to walk up with a coffee in paw, offering it to the man with a smile. "Ever had Turkish?" The mirror image of the hyena is almost perfect, save for a slight shimmering after-image in it's movements an the fact that the cup in his paw seems to float, rather than being held..

The coffee itself is simple, a somewhat thick Turkish brew with raw sugar and a hint of honey to sweeten it. Nothing grand, but it's a far cry better than what you'd find from one of the carts or food trucks nearby.

"By the way, name's Kit." he says after a moment, taking another drag before asking, "And you?"

Blueblood has posed:
Blueblood *relaxes,* although thankfully not into mush. "Ah, perfection!" He nods. "I was 'Blueblood,' but if I cape these days it's usually some variation of 'Eek! What in the name of a loving god?!' (He does the hand-gestures too.) "Ladi. Name's Ladi." He extends a hand.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
A paw is extended and a hand is shaken, though for his size and build, the hyena is remarkably gentle. "Well met," he says with a smile, though there's a bit of a pause as he repeats, "Blueblood.." more as a spoken thought. Then he gives a little chuckle and asks, "The tabloids did you dirty a while back, didn't they?" perhaps he's recognized the name. Regardless though, when the coffee is taken the after-image would fade away and whether it's noticed or not, Kit's body would visibly relax a little.

Blueblood has posed:
Blueblood nods. "Maybe that is the Professor's secret power: 'PR, damage-control and public relations.' I had bad luck going it alone, is all."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There's a little nod and Kit muses, "Same.." as he takes his phone back out and a few taps later? There's a tabloid piece from a few years back on it and the device is offered to Ladi with a headline reading:
"Manhattan Monster nearly Murders Mutant Student"

"Media are a bunch of pricks and morons just looking for a quick buck." he says with a shrug. "Part of why I typically operate at night now-days."

Blueblood has posed:
Blueblood shakes his head. "Paparazzi." He snorts. "How _that_ is a legal job and bank-robber isn't, I sometimes just don't know."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"It's because the number of people hurt by the action." Kit says with a little shrug. "Rob a bank and you're affecting everyone who uses that branch and company. Smear someone in the media? It's just one person." Then he gives another glance about, almost as if he's keeping an eye on the people around them before he adds, "Realistically though, we all get flak for what we do. Apparently even Superman's had a hate-rag or two written about him."

Blueblood has posed:
Blueblood nods? "I suppose you pay some people enough they'll write anything. 'Why I hate kittens, puppies, flowers and sunshine.'"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Another drag or two is taken from the cigarette before it's snuffed out and Kit just gives a little shrug and muses, "I've had people scream that I was a monster even as I was saving peoples lives. Humans hate what they don't understand, simple as that." Then he gives Ladi another glance and an almost warm smile as he adds, "Still worth it though, at least in my opinion."

Blueblood has posed:
Blueblood mms, noncommital. "Some days I can convince myself. Some days it's just-- too lonely. Like we're only heroes inside our own heads."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
There's a subtle nod and a glance given to Ladi before Kit explains, "It's lonely and it's a thankless job, but it's not one most people do for recognition." pausing for a moment to give their surroundings another glance as he continues. "Couple years ago there were these things.. Some kind of alien transforming machines and one of them touched down in a town near where I was living at the time. I'd never seen so much blood or so many mangled bodies before and the only thing I could think was, 'how many of these people will die without my help?'"

There's a pause as the hyena sips his coffee, his eyes going a little distant for a moment before he continues. "I tended to the ones who were still breathing. I ignored what my own powers were doing to me and because of that? Most of the people in that town are alive today.. Not a single one of them knows my name or who I am as a person, but they're alive today because of what I did." Then he gives Ladi another glance, that smile never leaving his muzzle as he ends the story with, "In my eyes? That's enough of a reason to keep doing what we do."

Blueblood has posed:
Blueblood sighs. "Good, bad? We're freaks either way. It's... complicated. You're young. Haven't had to sit with it for long enough."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit shakes his head and gives a little sigh. "I didn't change when I hit a certain age like most of us, at my core I'm not human.. My species normally isn't affected by the X-Gene, but for some reason? I was. I was born with this mutation. My family faced persecution at the hands of humans because of me. I'm well aware that we're freaks and I have more reasons than most to detest humanity." There's a little pause, almost like he's taking a moment to think before he adds, "But I can't bring myself to hate them."

Blueblood has posed:
Blueblood nods. "I suppose since we know Heaven and Hell are real a lot of things become relatively pedestrian. Maybe I should check in with the Devil, just to see if I can help bad people get sorted to where they properly belong? I would hate for that mechanism to... you know, 'break.'" He sets the pack of cigarettes on the rail separating Central Park from the dog-run, and turns to go. "Remember, two sugars no cream?"

Kit Killovarras has posed:
"There are worse things out there than the Devil." Kit says with a little chuckle. "Maybe that's why I think the way I do." He wont stop Ladi from leaving, though he will give a little bow of his head in parting as he turns to leave and a playful, "Give Lucifer my regards when you see him. Dude throws a hell of a party." before he goes back to observing passerby's, adding, "And no worries. I'll have yours ready for you when next we meet."