413/Trouble Kat

Trouble Kat
Date of Scene:	14 May 2017
Location:	unknown
Synopsis:	Rules for the proper keeping of Thunderkittens: 1)No Bright Lights. 2)Don't feed them after midnight. 3)Never, ever let them go out by themselves. If you violate any of these rules, prepare for trouble.
Cast of Characters:	283, 87

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WilyKat (283) has posed:
Coney Island, home of fun. That may or may not be the place's slogan, but it might as well be for all Wilykat knows. After going through that strange rabbit hole thing, he found himself clear on the other side of the country - not that he has any scope of the distance that covers yet - in Vorpal's apartment. The cat is already bringing other cats home.

Not for very long, though. Unable to sleep well for a variety of reasons, the Thundercat snuck out of the apartment at one point and went exploring. Soon lost, definitely stared at by some, he began to wonder if he made a mistake. That was the prevailing wisdom until he saw and heard such a commotion. It was like a big kind of party...place, with bright lights and moving things and yummy food smells along with a wide variety of people hanging around. Prime real estate for a little pick-pocketing? No, no. He's not supposed to be doing that any more. But, his stomach /was/ rumbling and...

Well, all else might be understandably forgotten by the time he's about halfway toward climbing up to the top of The Wonder Wheel. It's one of the tallest things there, after all.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal is panicking.

He's lost the alien.

He had to go to the store to get food, just in case he had to keep his guest for a few more nights. He didn't mind sleeping on the couch while the kat kept the bed, and he didn't mind sharing his food. He did mind, though, the notion that he might get yelled out for letting the cat out of the ba-apartment.

He has been searching for a while now. He's jumped rooftop to rooftop, he's tried everything he could think of.

"Oh god. Where could he be? If something's happened to him..." he sits on a rooftop, sighing and trying to focus. He scans the area, he's come back to the starting point to try and think of something. But it's futile. The sun is shining brightly, and he can see the outline of everything- buildings, anteanna, the Wonder Wheel, th-

Wait.

He reaches for his binoculars, which he took out to conduct the search. He squints and aims and...

A second later, the binoculars are dropped as the cheshire cat runs like hell. "What the hell is he thinking???"

Poof. Poof. Poof. He starts jumping through concatenated Rabbit Holes, trying to get there ASAP...

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Wilykat is a cat. What else could he be thinking upon seeing such a way-up-there point? This ignores the fact there are perfectly good rooftops to perch on top of like Vorpal's doing, but this? This thing is /interesting/ and that's all that matters for the moment.

By now, on-lookers have begun to point and shout, as much due to Wilykat's appearance as the fact he's /climbing up the side of the ferris wheel/, and the ride has stopped as a safety precaution. He pays those below no mind; his goal is the very top.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
The Cheshire Cat finally Rabbit Holes into the area. "Sorry! Sorry!" he says, pushing his way here and there past the onlookers. "Teen Titans business. Sorry about that... I'll take care of this, there's nothing to see here!"

Right. Like that is going to do anything. The cat weighs his options and quickly begins to climb the wheel with surprising speed and agility. He may be aided by sheer panic and adrenaline. The important thing, though.... is not to startle the kat.

"WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?" he shouts as he gets closer.

Oops.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Wilykat has yet to notice Vorpal's arrival, but he's now a little beyond halfway to the peak of the ride. It's a little difficult to hear him down there, especially as noisy as Coney Island can be. However, as /another/ cat-like person begins to scale the ride, more eyes set upon them.

It's not long before Wilykat finally spots Vorpal, for he's suddenly only ten or twenty feet below him. "Oh, hi!" he exclaims, holding on with one hand while waving with the other. At the shout, he flinches somewhat but gets that playful look back. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm /climbing!/" he points out as if it's the most obvious thing that can be. "And are you trying to race me? I'm not letting you beat me to the top!" The pace is picked up.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Oh.
my
God.

Vorpall tries to keep up, clawing as fast as he can, "No, wait, I- No, you don't u-"

It's hard to keep up a conversation while trying to outpace another cat. For a moment, he considers using the rabbit hole, but he feels confident he can catch up.

Sort of.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Fortunately Wilykat remembered the translator. Otherwise, this would be especially difficult to work through. "Less talk. More--whoa!"

In his haste to be the top cat, he misjudges a grab for a bar above, missing it and lurching forward. Fortunately that tail lashes out and helps him at least recover enough of his balance that he pushes off and ends up swinging around to the other side of the wheel to continue going from there. "That was a close one!" he acknowledges, but right now he's under the impression Vorpal also wants to be up there. He can't be first. He won't be first!

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Lion-O is going to kill me." So far they had managed to keep their arrival hidden. And, sure, he could explain Wilykat as another mutant, or whatever. But... BUT.

The cat takes a deep breath and trusts his peak athrletic form to get to the Thundercat as fast as he can. He flips to the other side of the wheel, exhibiting a level of agility and balance that was clearly not normal, but enhanced in some way. He was going to get this cat down, if it was the last thing he did...

WilyKat (283) has posed:
It could be the last thing /either/ of them do, if the whole 'nine lives' thing is just a myth. "Come on..why do you have to try to beat me? I was fine doing it by myself!" he says, a small amount of pouting showing up. He may look more like an adult now, or at least a young adult, but some things seem to have matured less rapidly than others.

"And Lion-O's not gonna kill you. Why would he do that?" While Vorpal presumably works up an answer to that, he leaps up a few feet, bypassing one of the closer bars connected to the rest.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Because... because..." Vorpal pants. He's trying to climb, but it's hard to speak while trying to concentrate on not falling down. Then he realizes... "Oh, the hell with it."

He lets go... and starts falling into the void.

A Rabbit Hole opens under him, and then there's a *thud* from above as he lands at the top, in a crouch.

"Get your ass up here now!" he says, sounding displeased.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
"Hey! No fair! That's cheating!" Wilykat accuses, looking very much dejected from his spot about fifteen feet below the top, where there just happens to be an empty seat, swinging slowly to and fro. Displeased Vorpal? Is that bad?

Whether it is or not, the Thundercat finishes the rest of the climb, but he doesn't even hold on to any kind of triumphant mood or anything like that. "What's wrong?" he asks, as if he doesn't know.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
The cat reaches over to grab Kat by the shoulders and points down with his other hand, "You are disrupting a major entertainment structure. The whole ride has been shut down. People are paying attention. They're probably even recording you right now, and this is going to be all over the news!" the Cheshire cat says, exasperated. "Aren't you supposed to be... you know. Hiding?"

His tail lashes behind him.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
"Oof..! Hey, watch it! You don't have to be so rough!" Wilykat protests, whether Vorpal really is being that way or not. It's the accusation that counts. Regardless, the space cat ends up next to him in the car, and he looks down from there. "Whoa, really? That's coooool." Yes, everybody stopped just for him.

Then he asks, "The news? What's that?" He does spot a few people with their cameraphones out, so he waves to them from his perch and cups both hands to his mouth. "All of you down there! I'm hungry! Bring me yummy things to eat!" Hiding? How is he supposed to be thinking about hiding when he's the center of attention right now? Or, one of them. His tail also moves, but more in excitement, anticipation.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
So this is how you develop an ulcer.

The Cheshire cat growls and grabs Wilykat by putting both arms around his waist. The seat drops below them and suddenly they are falling into the void.

Or, rather, they are falling towards the ground. The rabbit hole opened above the city, some five miles above ground, which makes for a rather spectacular view of the city.

Vorpal hasn't let go of Wilykat's waist, but he isn't saying anything... I mean. How can you? The wind rushing past them is bound to make any speaking useless.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Just like that, Wilykat's demeanor has shifted from mischievously playful to nearly petrified. Oh, sure, the view is one many would die for, but, well, he might be the one doing the dying! His mouth moves in order for him to say something, but the words are lost to the wind.

What he does do is cling so tightly to Vorpal that it might as well be a death grip, his tail suddenly all puffed up as he shuts his eyes and grimaces, bracing himself for the inevitable. To think he trusted this cat! Lion-O's going to kill him for sure now, if the fall doesn't do it first!

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal wraps his arms around Wilykat to keep a very tight grip on him, securing him. And then, they're no longer falling down as they pass through another Rabbit hole. They're falling UP, as the Rabbit Hole they exited is facing up towards the sky. The gravity turnaround might feel similar to a rollercoaster, dialed up.

Because of how these things go, their ascent becomes slower and slower until they're almost gliding upwards.

"...It's okay..." he says in Wilykat's ear, sounding suddenly remorseful, "You're safe. I've got you..."

Suddenly, there is solid ground beneath their feet, as a Rabbit Hole opens up under them just as they reach the point where they're hanging in the air, no longer going up and gravity ready to kick in to pull them down again. They land on a rooftop, far away from Coney Island.

"I'm sorry. I was angry..." he says, clearly ashamed. In a fit of impulsive anger, he tried to scare the cat straight. He forgets that people don't know what it's like to go through the Rabbit Hole.

He reaches up and tries to run his hands through Wilykat's hair in what he hopes is a soothing matter.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Having no understanding whatsoever when it comes to these rabbit holes, Wilykat just feels his momentum shifting as they come out of the next one the other way around, until they hit that moment where they're neither going up nor down. In that second or two, all is quiet again and it's just enough for Vorpal to hear his teeth chattering.

He's considerably too big to do it, but he tries to burrow into Vorpal's side before they've got something firm beneath them again. So much for the clinging, for he immediately dislodges himself from the other cat, turning a full circle in place as the apology is conveyed, his tail still as puffed up as it can be. "I..we were..you.." He points up, then down, then who knows where, looking a cross between confused and, well, certainly scared straight for the time being. That, at least, worked. Then, the sensation of hands through the hair atop his head leads to a curious squinting, a round of blinking, and a few fingers flexing by his side.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"It's called a Rabbit Hole," the cheshire cat says quietly. "I can make holes in reality and move through them. Are you going to be okay?" He keeps Wilykyt in the hug. He feels like a total heel- the kid was trying to have fun. Yes, it was stupid and reckless, but this guy also had lost his home, his family, his planet. He was probably in shock and hadn't quite even assimilated everything.

"You can't put yourself out like that, Wily. Not until you guys figure out what you're going to do and how. You're in a new world, you can't just venture into it without someone to teach you. To protect you. This isn't your homeworld. There are things here that are dangerous. You have -no- idea."

WilyKat (283) has posed:
"But you're not a rabbit. It should be called a Cat Hole," Wilykat insists, hinting that yes, he'll probably get through this in one piece, though he's starting to squirm just so. Sure, he was reckless, irresponsible, impulsive, and all that, but in his place, is it any real surprise that he wanted to go see what was to be seen?

He then insists, voice still on the quieter side, "I've been in danger before and got through it. I was bored, and I wanted to do something, and..yeah." He gestures with a hand, like he's trying to add to the words that way, but it may be tough to read with the holding thing still going on.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
The cat steps back, giving the other one final stroke across the hair before saying, "Here we have men who can lift buildings, masters of magic, women who can punch through volcanoes. I'm not saying you haven't been in danger before. But you don't know the signs. You need to learn."

He holds out a hand. "If you want to see things, I can take you. But we do this together, you don't go off on your own. You're under my protection, Wilykat, you're a stranger in this world and you're my responsibility, at least for the time being. Can you trust me enough?"

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Wilykat still looks more on the dubious side than not, though the ruffling through his hair is pleasant enough. He might be too big for that now, but there's still a definite 'kitten' mentality the stasis pod didn't cause him to grow out of quite yet. "You'd be surprised at some of the things that could happen on /my/ world," he insists, but as he crosses his arms in front of him he does finally nod slowly once, then twice.

The hand is given careful consideration, then it's sniffed at a couple times. "I can take care of myself," he begins to say before perhaps reconsidering enough to add, "But..I need to find the others, my sister the most. I'm worried about her. We're never apart for long."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Until we find her pod, you're going to have to make do for a little while." Vorpal says, and doesn't voice the unthinkable: What if she didn't make it? "You're going to be lonely. You've got me, and soon you'll have the others who are here, as soon as I get the clear."

The cat sighs, and looks up, "I'm sorry, let me make this up to you. Why don't we go back to my home and I'll give you something to eat?"

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Wilykat chews at his bottom lip. No doubt he's thinking along the same lines as Vorpal. "She's going to be okay. I'd know if she wasn't." It might be a twin bond, or he could just believe so strongly in it that this is how it's going to be. "What do you mean as soon as you get the clear? Where are they?"

He's getting some of that bubbly excitement coming back already, especially when the apology is given and the offer is made. "Some food? You bet!" The prospect of food he doesn't have to hunt or do anything special for is not one he's going to pass on. "I was definitely going to be the first one to the top, though," he murmurs more to himself.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"They're in a forest, but I didn't get the fix when I transported Lion-O. But rest assured, I'll get you together." He waves a hand, and a Rabbit Hole appears, leading to the living room. "Ever had pudding?" he smirks and passes through the hole. "You can munch on some of it if you can't wait until I'm done cooking. The menu today is... Penne All'Arrabiata."

WilyKat (283) has posed:
"Like the one I was in? Maybe we should go back there and look around just in case," Wilykat suggests with a hopeful look etched across his lightly furred face. And then they're back in the apartment, that jaunt outside ultimatley getting him right back there with the side effect of others having seen and recorded him. "Uhhhh..pudding? What's that?" After the meal is mentioned he laughs, out of the blue. "Haha! Those aren't even real words! You can't fool me!"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"They are! They're from a country called 'Italy', where the dish comes from. It basically means ... well." He takes the pasta box from the kitchen counter and points to it. "These are 'penne'. That's the name of the shape of these noodles, because they're shaped like feathers. Sort of. 'Penne' means feathers in Italian. All'arrabiata basically means 'angry' or 'raging', because it's a rather spicy dish with a lot of flavor. And molten cheese. Here."

He reaches into the fridge and takes pudding pop, peeling back the lid and handing it to Wilykat with a spoon. "Have a taste. The style of this food is called pudding, and the taste is 'chocolate'."

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Trying to teach Wilykat words in English while using words or names from a completely different language? He just looks generally confused, like Vorpal lost him very early in the explanation, his brows scrunching together. "If you say so," he offers before an amused expression takes shape. "They call it angry feathers? Those..Italy people are silly!"

The chocolatey treat winds up in his hands and he considers the spoon before simply darting his tongue out at the pudding to have himself a taste. At that, his eyes widen and a more energetic way about him begins to settle in, a huge grin forming. "I might have to try a little of everything you have here!"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Okay, new strategy, "How about I teach you how to make this dish?" Vorpal asks, gesturing him over. "And you can help me with the ingredients. I can start teaching you about things with a hands-on approach. For the time being, let's not eat the stuff in the refrigerator that isn't... you know, cooked?" He gives him a huge grin as he reaches for the pan.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Wilykat's too busy cleaning out the cup of pudding to pay close attention to the idea. Lick, lick, lick. "It's not candy fruit but it's close!" he beams, tail taking to lashing back and forth a few times as energy appears to be building up. "Why does it have to be cooked?" he wonders, figuring out the refrigerator door after having seen it opened before. Now he's stuck his face inside, sniffing around.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Alright. Enegy needed to be expended. "Clothes! Yes! Let's get you some clothes so you look like you're a mutant who fits here instead of a cat going to a Renaissance sci-fi fair!" He sets the pan down and grabs Wilykat's tail and gently tugs at it as he starts heading towards the door, "C'mon, let's get you something that fits, and you'll get to see some of the outside-"

WilyKat (283) has posed:
"Huh?" is Wilykat's (once again) confused reaction. "Clothes? What? And what's a Ren-a-sonce sci-fi thing? I thought we were making fancy-sounding food?" Then his tail's being claimed and Vorpal gets the visual of him grabbing at things in the fridge only to come up empty-handed as he's sort of dragged away from it. "And I thought it wasn't safe to go outside? You're hard to figure out, you know that?"

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"It isn't safe to go outside.. //alone//. Now stand still."

Vorpal reaches over and puts his hands on both sides of Wilykat's face, as if he is measuring. "This has to be very accurate."

After that, he starts to walk around Wilykat, taking a close look at his body, his height, his dimensions. "Alright... like... so."

He grabs Wilykat gently by the shoulders and turns him around so he can face the mirror by the door.

And that isn't Wilykat looking back. It's a human version of Wilykat. And he's being held by a red-headed young human with freckles. "My powers of illusion will keep us from drawing too much attention. Once we get you some earth clothes, I can take it off and then we'll just be two mutants out on the town."

WilyKat (283) has posed:
'Stand still' might be the most difficult thing for Wilykat to do right now, all things considered. He's fidgety, he's on a minor sugar rush just from the pudding cup alone, and there's the whole 'stranger in a strange land' thing to cope with. But, he squints at Vorpal as he holds his face. "Whaf arr you do-ink?" he asks, the words coming out somewhat muffled before he's being circled, sure to keep his eyes on the other cat most of the way.

Then, the mirror. Peering /hard/ at what he sees, he asks pointedly, while gesturing at their reflection, "Who are..ohhh." Illusions are something he apparently understands, for he moves up close to the mirror and stares at the version of himself that, while foreign to him, ought to be safer outside. Still, he reaches up to feel where his normal hair ought to be, and that still seems real enough even if it looks different. "So many tricks."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Call me Tommy when I look like this, by the way. That's my secret identity." He grins and puts an arm around Wilykat's shoulder. "I'll call you Wily. It sounds close enough to an earth name. And this isn't even half of the tricks I can do." His grin, while human looking, still has a lot of the stunning quality of the cheshire about him.

"There's a mall not too far from here. We'll walk so you can take in some of the sights..." and then he realizes that Wilykat, such as he is, is likely to wander off. So perhaps the best way to keep him in line is to threaten to embarrass him. "Stick with me. If I see you wandering off, I'll hold your hand for the rest of the outing." Like a kitten. "Alright?"

WilyKat (283) has posed:
This idea really does have the potential to run off the rails. Wilykat and Vorpal, a mall, lots of people around, many things to see and check out. It has disaster written all over it. "Tommy?" 'Wily' repeats, getting a feel for the name, the way it's said.

He peers back at the teasing of being capable of more tricks, then they're about to go when talk of holding hands is brought up. The human looking version of him still has a fairly wild head of hair, but its more one solid color: a bright reddish-orange. "Holding hands? Ugh. I'm not a kitten any more! Don't be gross!" he insists.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"If you wander off, you'll get the hand-holding. Do it again, and you get the leash. Them's the rules, and I'm the top cat 'round here!" Tommy smirks and opens the door. "After you!"

WilyKat (283) has posed:
"...what's a leash?" Wilykat asks, eyeing Vorpal/Tommy warily. It might be a question he shouldn't be asking, but he keeps his hands quite close to himself lest Vorpal go grabbing at either of them. They're still claw-tipped, even if the illusion might mask that as well. So, it looks a little silly as he all but prances out of the apartment with his hands still so close by.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"A piece of leather that attaches to a collar, used to keep unruly children in check."

And Tommy's expression is one of pure mischief "-and dogs."

"So you'll be a good Thundercat. Right?"

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Wilykat squints at Tommy, then the hands leave his sides in order for him to /shove/ the other one. Not hard, but hard enough. "You wouldn't dare," he challenges.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
The redhead gives Wilykat a fixed look and says, "I wouldn't?"

He says it in a tone of voice that implies that, after dropping both of them into a plunging free-fall from miles above the earth, a strip of leather was small potatoes.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
"What if I told Lion-O when we find him?" Wilykat offers, wearing a look on his human face that must mean he thinks he's got one up on the trickster cat. That's it, invoke the name of the one Vorpal probably ought to fear!

Vorpal (87) has posed:
The redhead leans forward, an inch away from Wily. "Soooo... how long has Lion-O known you for, Wily?" he asks in a very, very quiet voice, his nose an inch away from Wily's, green eyes clearly doing an 'I won't blink until you do' contest.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
Wilykat would lean right back, but that would mean they'd be touching noses or something like that. "Longer than he's known /you/ for, /Tommy,/" he retorts, surely tempting the fates by this point. No, his eyes, still amber if not slitted given the illusion, not blinking yet.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"Then I already think he knows what a brat you can be... Wily." Tommy says "And he might have probably used a leash, if they had them on Thundera.", and leans forward still until both noses touch. Boop.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
At this, Wilykat's eyes go slightly wider, and he's caught a little off-guard at the answer. For once he has no comeback, but he's also working to process what he makes of the noses touching. It does give him reason to sniff a couple times.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Tommy blinks a couple of seconds, catching himself inching forward still before stopping himself.

Okay. He's standing outside his apartment with a guy his age, and he's an inch away from...

He slowly starts leaning back. Much slower than when he leaned forward. "... be good."

He's not quite sure if he's telling Wily, or if he's telling himself.

WilyKat (283) has posed:
For his part, Wilykat's not yet figured out what to make of all this. He does run a hand through his hair a couple times, on down to the back of his neck, biting lightly at his bottom lip again. "Earth people are strange," he tells himself quietly, but it's hard to miss that there's a lingering sense of wonder about him, curiosity remaining strong. He's already been left to think about a variety of things he's unfamiliar with, and it's..interesting. "/You/ be good," he finally says in return.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
The red-headed teen bites his lip, and then he leans forward and places a peck on Wily's cheek. "Right."

He turns around and starts heading for the stairs instead of the elevator. "Being good. Now c'mon."