2625/Social Drinking

Social Drinking
Date of Scene:	28 September 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Feral, Breath

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Feral has posed:
As one of the most popular bars in "Mutant Town", Luke's establishment holds a rare distinction: shirt and shoes are what you'd call guidelines more than actual rules. With the occasional stone-skinned or gas-bodied patron mixed among the otherwise human-looking crowd, the rules of decency are a little more relaxed than elsewhere in New York.

It's still early in the evening, before the dining and drinking crowds have gotten thick and heavy, but one woman is already taking full advantage of both Luke's policies and hospitality. Stretched out lazily at the bar with one elbow on the counter and both feet propped up on the stool beside her, a blue-skinned were-shark of a woman is idly working through what looks like her fourth pint of beer and picking at the remains of a tray of french fries. Striped with darker blue markings along her sides and possessing a distinctly predatory taper and curve to both her thick physique and the long tail behind her, Vanya apparently considers herself covered enough by nature and has left it at that.

Standing too close, a strong smell of sea water wafts off her easily and beside the stool she's using for a footrest, an unsettling number of empty vodka bottles suggests that the metahuman is either very thirsty or she brought a drinking buddy.

Breath has posed:
Breath slips in and glances around with some wariness. Because having somebody with an odd number of eyes, none of them centered, calling one 'a freak' isn't exactly good for the self-confidence. And it's not like she can hide behind the other boys in the wrestling team anymore. Also, this is the *one* part of the city where the fact that she is wearing a skintight uniform and a domino mask is likely to impress nobody at all. So all those confidence issues come racing back. Ugh, girl, what the heck? You can literally spit at stormtroopers, but walking into a bar to get some soda as yourself gets you nervous? Pathetic.

She tries to hush her confidence issues and just walk to find a place to sit like ordinary people so she can get her soda and soothe her vocal cords. Where to sit, where to sit, where to sit. Uhm...

Feral has posed:
It might be the saltwater smell, or the tail that bumps against the seat behind her, but the long bar has space on both sides of the wereshark. Glancing over to the door as she sets down her beer, the beast-woman's greyish blue eyes land on the teenager with a focus that might be more animal than human. She raises a brow - then turns back to her fries. The shark doesn't look too hungry for a second course at least.

Breath has posed:
Breath looks around. Occupied table, occupied table, another occupied table, big long table with someone at it, hogging it all.. empty seats at the bar. Okay. She can work with this. Mental note, go find somebody to whine at tonight, since this seems to be an off day now. She takes in a deep breath, sighs it out quietly, and trudges to take a seat at the bar, glancing at those nearby to see if they are going to pile any more nasty or just plain badly timed comments on her. She ventures a placatingly friendly smile and half-wave, then looks around for a menu or something.

Feral has posed:
It might be the late afternoon crowd, or that it's Mutant Town, but most of the patrons are more content to mind their own affairs than comment on the white and blue heroine as she passes them by - though Breath is in a rare group in having worn a costume in.

"That can't be comfortable," the shark chuckles as the young woman takes a seat.

Breath has posed:
Breath uhms.. "What, the costume? It's.. It's not too bad. I don't feel like I would fit in if I wasn't in it. It's been a... DAY." She heaves a big sigh, then rubs her throat a bit, absently. "And I just want to not be too, too out of place for a bit." Another sigh. "I'm going to need some soda for my throat. Ginger ale or something."

Breath has posed:
Breath does take the backpack off and put it by her feet, putting one leg through the strap, though, just in case.

Feral has posed:
The wereshark turns around enough to smirk a set of triangular teeth as she lifts her mug. "Whiskey, lemon juice, and sugar," she instructs sagely. Judging by her voice and at least mostly-human face, the beast-woman might have ten or more years on the teenager. Far from the dawn of womanhood she's somewhere in the full, sturdy middle - and the mild stretch and clip to her speech also suggests Russian.

"And that monkey suit looks tight all over the place. What's wrong with a loose t-shirt?"

Breath has posed:
Breath blinks. "Baggy shirts make me look like a BOY. Seriously, I wear one to my shitty job. As soon as I clock out, oh hell no. Thing makes me want to cry. Anyways, I can't do the whiskey, so I was just going with ginger ale." She hmms a bit, "So what about you?"

Feral has posed:
"What about me?" Vanya asks easily as she takes her feet from the stool and spins around to face Breath. Her tail swings in a wide arc until it clangs solidly against the stool she was just using. "Loose clothes are easier to move in. Or if you don't have too many mammal features showing you can walk around like this," she offers, spreading an arm wide to fully show her less-than-dressed self. "Much more comfortable; fashion is overrated."

The shark sniffs audibly as her grey eyes take an appraising detour down and up the heroine's outfit. Yes, she's being scrutinized now.

Breath has posed:
Breath takes note of being checked out, and doesn't seem to react to it any particular way. Well, maybe a little bit uncertainly. "Well... Yeah I guess, but it's, you know. Almost October. Besides, some of my features, I don't want showing. Uhm..." She hmms, "That and loose clothes get blown around more, and I do stuff with air. So.. There's kind of that." She glances at the stool a moment and scratches the back of her neck uncertainly.

Feral has posed:
Vanya chuckles again at the teen's display and looks eye-to-eye after completing her short wandering. There's another toothy smirk as she lifts her beer before taking a gulp. "Your skirt must blow around," she notes. "So what do you do - fly?"

Breath has posed:
Breath ahs, "I try not to blow on birthday cakes." She shrugs a bit and smiles. "I huff and I puff and I blow trailer parks down, mostly. And cars.. and trees.. and stuff like that. Sometimes I fly around, but the wind pulls everything down then. I go by the Breath." She manages to acquire some ginger ale at about this time, smiles sweetly at the server, and takes a nice sip of it, acting a bit relieved.

Feral has posed:
Despite the teeth, Vanya manages a whistle at the young woman's explanation and gives her an appreciative smirk. "Nice. You must have quite a set of lungs in there," she adds, reaching out to thump her hand against the white-dressed teen's side. "So what, you're one of these new-age mutants who just woke up one morning like a little tornado?"

Breath has posed:
Breath nods, and blinks at the touch in slight surprise, but she's just not totally used to the crowd here yet, either. "I guess. I don't know how long it was like that, I just never really noticed until I tried getting into swimming... I can hold my breath a really, really... really long time. Especially if I try taking a deep breath first. But I look pretty much, um..." She looks a bit awkward for a second, "Wait, what's the term for 'Looks like most people'...?" and gestures a bit uncertainly at the awkward question.

Feral has posed:
"'Normal'?" Vanya guesses. "'Human'?" she adds with another shark smirk. "If you're that good at it maybe we can go swimming some time."

"I'm Vanya by the way. Priyatno poznakomitsya."

Breath has posed:
Breath bleahs and sticks her tongue out. "We don't let cis people call themselves 'normal'. I mean, I think I'm kind of normal. I figure there's got to be something you call people that are.. you know.." She uncomfortably gestures at herself, "..Average-looking. I mean, unless there's a whole *thing* that I don't really get."

Feral has posed:
"You're talking to a tiger shark, devochka," Vanya reminds crassly. "You look human with some muscle on you - congratulations. I say take up some fighting and put them to use."

"And what's a 'cis person'? Is that some new word for 'no special powers'?"

Breath has posed:
Breath uhhs, suddenly a bit confused.. "Like.. If somebody is something odd? There's a word for 'not that thing that's odd' instead of just using 'normal'. Because, you know. I don't really like being called weird all the time, and I really don't want to have my friends having to imply I'm weird just because we had to mention somebody that's, uhm.. typical." She fishes for ideas what to say, confusedly.

Feral has posed:
"'Human' and 'better than human'," Vanya offers dismissively before returning to her beer and draining her latest mug, drinking through any polite chance to expound upon the short reply.

Breath has posed:
Breath ohs quietly and nods. "Even if it's just, like.. somebody with blue skin and fluorescent eyes and nothing else?" She tilts her head, trying to figure this out. "You know, just really.. distinctive, but otherwise the same as everyone..?"

Feral has posed:
Vanya sighs deeply as she clanks her mug against the counter and wipes a little beer from off on the back of her arm. "Well then you're just a colorful human," she replies, looking back over and raising a waiting palm to the heroine as her gamely smirk returns. "Would those nice arms of yours know how to throw a proper punch?"

Breath has posed:
Breath nods, "Yeah, I know my way around a fight. Had people trying to jump me from when I was little. Sometimes groups of them. So.. yeah, I got kind of good at it. I actually haven't been in that many *lately*, but I keep the practice up, you know? I mean, I still get a bunch of garbage from randos when I'm in civvies."

Feral has posed:
Vanya's smirk gets a bit wider as she keeps her hand open towards Breath, comfortably within arm's reach. "I'm sure being able to blow people away helps. Go on, show me. I'm tougher than you," the shark assures.

Breath has posed:
Breath blinks, "What, that I can throw a punch? Or to blow at you? I don't want to break any windows or anything, that kind of makes a big mess. Like, a really big mess." She takes a big sip of her soda and tilts her head a bit, since this is all tilting inexorably into the realm of the bizarre to her. And she's a little bit at a loss on how to react to some of it. Still, she awkwardly gets off the stool and lightly tosses the backpack over her arms, since she doesn't want it wandering off.

Feral has posed:
Vanya's smirk grows into a full smile as she eases herself back off the stool, resting one hand on it for support as she sweeps Breath in towards her with the other, then turns it back outwards to catch the teen's punch. "Yeah, right here. Or just start swinging at me if you want to have more fun; I'll buy your next drink if you get in a good one."

Breath has posed:
Breath nods. "Right. Okay." She hmms, rolling her shoulders a bit to relax them, then tosses a quick jab-jab-uppercut combo at her hand, simultaneously stepping in a bit to hinge her other hand in an open slap aimed lightly at your belly. Basic boxing, a bit crouched more, great form, defended, that last snarky slap is more of a dirty fighting trick that seems like it's practically part of the combo. More useful against guys, and aimed a bit lower, mind, but that's probably intented that way.

Feral has posed:
Vanya's hand offers a firm and satisfying resistance as it yields but also pushes back against the teen's sharp punches, while the shark's stomach produces a resounding *smack!* that cuts through the bar room air. Just before contact, a small exhale of breath precedes Vanya tensing herself into a surface about as giving as a tree.

All in all, it makes the werewoman smile very widely. Showing off her full rows of triangular teeth, the grey-eyed beast raises her hand high overhead and slams it with authority down onto Breath's shoulder while laughing cheerfully. The fact that the entire bar is now staring passes the Russian completely by. "That is not bad, devoschka! I might have to see what you can do after I've had more beers."

Breath has posed:
Breath grins and blushes some. "Thanks.. Uh. So yeah!" She scratches the back of her neck a bit, again, since this is just a really unusual interaction for her. "Anyhow, I, you know.. try to keep in practice and all. Uhhhm." She makes some vague gestures, not quite sure what to say now. "Um.. You are, uh? Russian, or somewhere close to it?"

Feral has posed:
"Da, ya russkiy more than any of what they call vodka here," Vanya answers, proudly lifting her chin. The young woman's awkwardness just seems to encourage the shark more and she gives the same shoulder a shake, as if to knock Breath's discomfort right off of her.

"Have you ever thought of fighting for fun or money? You can get some nice rewards with that these days - at least if you don't mind getting hit back," she adds with a chuckle.

Breath has posed:
Breath uhs.. "Not really? I used to be on the wrestling team, but that was still sort of awkward sometimes.. These days, everything is just a little odd, and I just don't really want to.. you know... deal with it yet." That last is a bit more meek than the first part, lots of unspoken emotion there. Totally lost on probably everybody in the room.

Feral has posed:
Vanya cocks her head, the nuances of Breath's concerns indeed beyond her. "Well heck if you wrestle like you punch we can find some nice soft woods later and play for a while," Keeping her hold on the teen's shoulder, she turns her back towards the bar while returning to her own seat.

"Pfft! You all waste yourselves thinking too much. Like this one," she adds, thumbing to the empty stool beside her with its collection of vodka bottles. "She's got strength that would scare the breath out of you, but she wants some great cause to fight for instead of just letting it out and having fun."

Breath has posed:
Breath uhs.... She sits down again to finish her drink, now that it's actually gone up to 'awkward' to figure out how to mention that she's not actually allo without saying anything offensive. Especially after 'cis' went flying by without comprehension. How do people manage this, anyways? Pretend to be straight? Ugh.. She grins as appropriate though, and slowly sips some more of her soda.

Feral has posed:
It might be distraction or willful ignorance but Breath is given a few seconds to collect herself as Vanya's attention turns back to her piece of bar and she lifts her tray of leftover french fries, then literally pours them into her waiting mouth. The shark chews through a somewhat longer pause and only then gets around to looking back over.

Breath has posed:
Breath ums, and murmurs a quiet "uhm.. by the way, i'm not actually attracted to girls, just so you know..." under her breath, then sips some more soda quietly.

Feral has posed:
Vanya leans in to hear more easily while her jaw keeps working on potatoes, and cocks her head again at Breath's statement. The werewoman snorts and covers her mouth as she swallows her food. "Congratulations? I couldn't care less if you've got a dick under that skirt or not, kid. I'm bored and don't get enough things to play with - even if I could take you with one hand."

Breath has posed:
Breath ...uhs.... Awkward meter to nine. "...Right. I'm just gonna.. It was nice meeting you?" She smiles softly and gets up. "I have some stuff to take care of..."

Feral has posed:
"Tsh!" Vanya scoffs derisively as the teen begins to excuse herself. "Fine, head off then, you coward. I thought you had more spine than that. It's not like I promised to eat you."

Breath has posed:
Breath just looks mystified by that. "...Right. I'm not quite sure what you mean there. I'll.. I'll talk to you later." She waves and backs away, giving a meek wave and giving the room a quick once over, to see if anybody else is going to step up to make things more complicated.