5357/The Kat and the Bat

The Kat and the Bat
Date of Scene:	12 September 2018
Location:	Gotham City
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Ekaterina Vespucci, Batman

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Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
It is getting close to midnight in Gotham and the Contessa Ekaterina Vespucci is going over some plans in the university coffee shop. She seems to fit right in appearing to be around freshman age late teens to early twenties with bright large cornflower blue eyes and an angelic little youthful expressive face. She is even dressed as a lot of the students. She's in baggy winter gear in which it is hard to get a bead on her figure outside of being slender and short. One might wonder how long the slender part might last with her large long black and three huge donuts in front of her. Kat ate terribly but never seemed to put on weight. She is seated at a table near the counter and looking at the documents in front of her when three youths come into the shop.

They are of mixed ethnic background and have picked this place as a soft target. They are incredibly nervous and this might be a first offence. Kat does not see them come in as she is too involved in her work thinking of ideas for her gallery. "Hands up!" bellows the largest youth and he points his gun at the clerk. Very little cash is being carried tonight and this aggravates the leader. Another youth has eyes for Kat who is now looking up startled with a smaller amount of fear than one would expect. She is dragged away from her table possibly as a hostage but maybe even as 'entertainment' for later. Kat is beside herself with rage, "Not again!" she shouts and the youth lets her go hurriedly. "This is the third damn time! Once already here and once in Metropolis. One of you bastardos even pulled my hair in Metropolis! Oh god it hurt!" She goes full Italian. Kat was almost always sweet and retiring but this was getting ridiculous she repeatedly castigates the young men who back into a corner where they expect a side exit to flee from the angry 5"2 woman who weighed a meagre 50kg. They instead wind up corralled there as Kat continues to yell at them apparently undeterred by the two guns she has pointed at her.

Batman has posed:
    In truth, this isn't a neighbourhood the Bat usually patrols. It is relatively upscale, and while it is surveilled as heavily as everywhere else he rarely has cause to pass through. But tonight was different. The Batmobile is parked several blocks away, and the Dark Knight is currently leaning over a desk in the back room of a printing shop across the street. Several files, mostly related to false accounts that hint at the store's role as a front for the burgeoning Gotham branch of the Maggia, are arrayed before him as he meticulously photographs and catalogues them with his cowl cam. Outside, one of dozens of black, non-descript drones whirs past the coffee shop to record the goings on within.
    His attention immediately drawn to the crime in progress, he sets the files aside. He'll return to them shortly, he's sure. The would-be thieves are just unlucky. Extremely unlucky. Some criminals go most of their career without ever encountering the Bat. He's already moving through the darkness, exiting the print shop by the rear door and moving down the dark alley towards the street. From the shadows he watches what's happening. He waits for the ideal moment to strike.

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
Kat continues her verbal tirade. The luck of the criminals being bad is not only a function of them being about to run into the Bat they have a pissed off Italian Contessa yelling at them. She stops for a second considering that the youngest and shortest has started to cry. Tears always brought out Kat's softer side even in the young criminals who might have planned to force themselves on her a few seconds ago. "Just get out of here!!" She yells. The thieves run in single file out of the establishment with a small amount of cash. An applause follows Kat as she leaves the store and continues to hector the retreating criminals as they run away. She bows to the crowd applauding her face red and eyes large. One of her rare displays of courage. And then she realises this little action might land her in a local paper - not ideal. She would rather her gallery have publicity and not herself. The criminals continue running away.

Batman has posed:
    Interesting development. The Bat watches as the criminals make a run for it, having already changed their mind about the whole robbery caper. Nevertheless, a crime has been committed and the Bat doesn't trust the Contessa to chase them all the way to the nearest GCPD precinct. As they flee, the dark shadow that is Batman looms ahead of them - emerging from dark like some terrifying demon. When he strikes, he deliberately pulls his punches. There is no intention of causing pain or injury, he simply moves to disable and disarm. The call to the police has already gone in.
    His movements are almost unnaturally graceful. He dodges any wayward blow directed at him, effortlessly turning aside attacks and plucking firearms from hands to field strip them with a single, fluid motion of his hands. He keeps Kat in his peripheral vision the entire time, just in case she should become a hostage again.

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
The criminals are no match for the Bat they are disarmed in double time. The only real danger is that one of the firearms might go off in a panic but no effective resistence is put up. Soon they are just lying and standing around stunned looking at the figure in front of them. A myth made flesh.

Kat simply looks at the scene hands on hips mouthing a few expletives in various languages. Astounded once more at having run into yet another Super celebrity in two weeks. Who would think it? She might raise the point with Batman - in fact she does. Walking up, "So first I meet Frank Castle, then Wonderwoman err Diana she was nice, then Red Robin, then Superman, then Catwoman and then finally Batman. Am I being gang stalked by you guys? Oh thanks by the way..." Kat doesn't hate to add the last effusive remark.

Batman has posed:
    "Non ti preoccupare, signora," says Batman to Kat in flawless Italian even as he binds the criminals about the wrists and ankles to ensure they aren't going anywhere. He does it with the practiced motions of a man who has done this countless times, and he is done in short order. As Kat speaks however, he pauses and looks down at her. It's a standard bat-glower. He looks for a moment as though he won't answer at all, standing there in silence as he regards the woman who did most of the hard work for him. Finally, he simply says:
    "You're welcome."

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
"And some of you are more chatty than others Superman, Diana and Red Robin certainly are. You're another strong silent type I take it?" She curtseys in an archaic fashion made awkward by the fact that the gesture requires a skirt and she has only jeans. "Sono la contessa Ekaterina Vespucci," she says. "But everyone even my lowliest employee has taken to calling me Kat - so call me that if you call me anything. I don't mind to be frank. Titles are an anachronism." Students are gathering around taking photos with their phones of Batman mostly but also the criminals and to her chargrin Kat.

Batman has posed:
    Batman glances sidelong for a moment at the gathered students and their phones. He lifts a hand to his gauntlet, ostensibly fastening it but instead tapping a hidden button. A localized pulse switches the phones off, enough to avoid any further photography. He may not be much of an urban legend in Gotham anymore, but he doens't do photo opportunities. As for being a strong silent type, he seems not at all interested in arguing that point.
    "You're safe now," he says flatly, stepping over one of the bound thugs at his feet. He's moving away now, heading to the nearby dark alley he emerged from.

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
Ekaterina can't stand on not having at least the semblence of an uper hand here. She sees the alleyway Batman is heading towards - has a rough idea that he must have some sort of vehicle. Likely not the same as her rubbishy hatchback. She's close to being a billionaire but hovers under the magic number strategically to avoid attention. Batman's little pulse (and she hopes the students phones are okay) has afforded her an opportunity. In front of only a handful of students who are not slapping their phones Kat simply disappears. She's ahead of Batman in the alley - then she is on a rooftop. Then another. She circles until she finds the Batmobile and then takes up an out of visual arc position hoping to spook the Darkknight on hisd way back to the vehicle. He might also have turned to figure out what all the "Woahs!" were about on Kat's disappearance. Bats has left her with only unreliable eyewitness accounts of her display of power.

Batman has posed:
    "Metahumans don't typically operate in Gotham," Batman answers as he arrives at the Batmobile, a veritable master of keeping his eyes open and noticing a tail even if it is a rather unconventional one. He speaks plainly, not looking up towards the rooftop but keeping his voice at a level that it is audible. He pauses for a moment, the grim line of his mouth a bit more of a frown than usual: "Do you want something?"

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
Kat sinks as she is found in her hide and seek game, "I expected you'd have heat and night vision wasn't aware of how good you were at using it. Not a metahuman a mutant. I've been around a while. I'm an External - sort of Apocalypses bratty little immortal sister. I wanted to extend an olive branch as such - an offer to cooperate if you need me for anything. I'm opening a gallery in one of Gotham's neglected areas - my own little attempt at gentrification. I just wanted to give you my card. And call me Kat," she ends with. Apparently those large cornflower blue eyes had a use beyond merely looking alluring. Especially if she beat Bats here. "I did spill alot more information than I intended to to Red Robin. I'd be interested on what dirt the world's greatest detective dug up on me if ever we cross paths again," Kat says with a degree of mischeviousness.

Batman has posed:
    Batman observes the woman impassively for what feels like hours after she is done speaking. It seems almost as though he didn't hear anything, maybe distracted by something going on in the earpieces or heads-up display of his cowl. However, after that eternity passes, he finally speaks: "Give me your card, then." A fairly magnanimous gesture from the Dark Knight, he holds out a gloved hand with his palm up.

Ekaterina Vespucci has posed:
"Low five!" Kat exclaims placing her card in her hand then slapping it down on Bats hand in an almost comedic gesture. But Kat is horribly weak despite being utterly immortal and her small soft hand would pick up some bruising irrespective of Batman's hand being gloved or armor gloved. She dances away holding her bruised hand, "Okay that was a little impulsive," she observes sagely. Kat unfortunately has a terrible sensativity to pain that goes along with her nigh unkillable nature. Oh how she wishes she could trade that away. She would be so much more bad-ass.

Batman has posed:
    "Dovresti essere piu attento."
    Batman takes the card and tucks it away somewhere within the encompassing shadows that seem to cling to him at all times, giving Kat a careful look. The card itself is carefully tucked away, just in case there is any sort of surprise - pleasant or otherwise - attached to it. A cursory glance suggests no, but one can never be too careful.
    The Batmobile's cockpit opens and he moves towards it, giving the Contessa one last look. He looks like he may say something. Some further question or warning. But in the end he simply climbs into the Car, the door closing behind him with a hiss.