8717/And Along Came a .. Puppy

And Along Came a .. Puppy
Date of Scene:	10 August 2019
Location:	Warehouse in Brooklyn
Synopsis:	Pippi crashes band practice aftermath and Gwen ends up coming out to MJ
Cast of Characters:	Ghost Spider, Mary Jane Watson, Pippi

---

Ghost Spider has posed:
Relatively late Friday evening in Brooklyn.

Most people would either be finishing up dinner in their homes or out doing something interesting like clubbing at this point at the official start of weekend-a-pa-lozza.

Not the Mary Janes.

They Actually got an honest to god gig booked and coming up relatively soon. Sure it is just a bar gig but oh god the pressure. Which is why they spent the evening practicing in their pretty much abandoned (and cheap to rent for some evenings) warehouse in Brooklyn. So much practice even Gwen is feeling a bit tired despite her secret and unusual constitution.

Betty Brant and Glory Grant the bands guitarist and keyboardist respectively have already left with their gear. Leaving just MJ and Gwen behind with a pizza from Angelo's and some sodas.

Gwen still sitting by her drumset. "So I tried to call around some lawyers to see if anyone was willing to give advice about setting up complicated merchandizing businesses ... and I realized I do not know any lawyers and calling the ones who put ads up on Google is a sure way to have them ask if you have any worker's comp claims to make or were ever exposed to pesticides and want to sue..." mm pizza, nom.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"They fumigated my building last month," says Mary Jane, lifting a piece of pizza from the box and wiggling it around a little to break a particularly tenacious strand of cheese, "Does that count?"

She takes a mouthful of pizza and munches it thoughtfully, looking around the warehouse as though the idea she wants is going to spring out of it.

"Something tells me we're probably going to need money to actually do anything. Lucky we've got this high paying gig lined up, huh?"

Maybe she's being a little sarcastic, but she nevertheless beams wide at Gwen. For all the struggling artists stuff, she clearly enjoys the band.

Pippi has posed:
    Mm pizza.

    Not an unusual smell in Pippi's life, as she passes by outside the warehouse, on her way from a sewer grate to a handy fire escape The smells of the city were usual. Pizza. Cheap Chinese take-out. Garbage. Ghost-Spider.

    .... Ghost-Spider?

    A nose beneath a hood gives a wiggle, and the ninja-in-training shifts her route, hopping up a roof access ladder in order to poke her nose through one of those big industrial windows, cracked open for ventilation.

    That was most certainly pizza.

    ... and the heroine. Along with someone else. Suspicious!

Ghost Spider has posed:
The blond (with pink dip dye) heroine in question is wearing her favorite green hooded jacket, a plain white t-shirt that is a bit sweaty, a purple skirt, and black leggings. Her drumsticks are on her drum and her hands are full of pizza.

"Pretty sure that doesn't count." the part about MJ's place being fumigated.

"I am pretty sure our gig is for exposure last I heard.. well exposure and like a hundred bucks to split four ways... thank goodness we all have day jobs which pay decently." a laugh "But really.. that probably won't be enough to get seed money to setup this business idea without an actual client base to leverage first.. chicken and the egg... super heros and all..." yeah lots of irony here.

Then her Gwen Tingle tingles.. and she pauses and sets down her pizza carefully looking around. "MJ." okay how do you handle this. "I think .. there is danger. Did you uh..bring that can of mace you always seem to carry?" she doesn't know the actual danger is Pippi and MJ meeting and worlds collide.

It sounds ominous though, maybe Gwen needs help.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"You think there is danger?" MJ repeats, her brow furrowing with an incredulous look at Gwen, "We're in New York at night time. Of course there's danger."

But when she sees the look on Gwen's face, her own expression darkens and the notion of joking it off seems less promising. She takes a quick glance around the warehouse, spotting nothing, before she obediently moves over to her bag and begins to rummage through it. A moment later the small, black cylinder with the neon orange cap is in her hand and being nursed against her stomach carefully.

"Should I call the police or what?" she whispers.

Pippi has posed:
    Ears prick up at the mention of danger. Giving a glance around, the red-and-white mutant purses her lips, nose twitching. If there was danger, she'd have to -stealthily- lend a hand. Otherwise? She might never hear the end of it!

    The mutant eases her way into the warehouse, drawing herself down to the ground, and she begins to slink behind objects in the place. The window above gives a squeak of a swing, adding to distraction as the mutant canine gets closer.

    Nevermind that she's tip-toeing, with the occasional tap of a dull claw against the floor, eyes watching the girls from behind boxes and storage lockers.

Ghost Spider has posed:
Oh god, whatever is the danger to Gwen's still largely untrained in the Spider Senses Department has suddenly just got much much worse. "Uh. No. I don't think so." about the police. Her eyes flick around the warehouse now as she tenses up getting to her feet. A hand sliding into her pocket of her jacket, feeling the webslinger flip itself around and attach.

Okay it seems to be over there behind those boxes whatever it is. Gwen takes a deep breath. "I think I heard something over there!" pointing the opposite direction from the box for MJ, waiting until her friend turns, then stepping and kicking the box Pippi is behind to the side with enough force to slide it out of the way and pulling her hand out of her pocket but keeping her body between her webslinger and MJ. God knows she will blame a passing spiderman if she has to.

Of course the dangersense gets worse when she does this.

Wait. Is that a snoot in the hooded figures hood. Squint.

Ruhroh.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"I didn't - ?"

Mary Jane rises to her feet, taking a few steps in the direction Gwen pointed and squinting her eyes through the darkness. She holds the can of mace up before her, muttering quietly to herself: "Please don't let me spray a homeless guy in the eyes with mace. Please don't let me spray a homeless guy in the eyes with mace. Please don't - "

The sound of the box being kicked prompts her to spin suddenly, although she's half-obstructed behind a small pile of crates and doesn't quite see what's going on. So she calls out, her tone wary.

"Gwen?"

Pippi has posed:
    Over there?! Pippi didn't hear anything except her own claw scrape against the floor!

    It's at that point that Pippi realizes she shouldn't be getting into shenanigans without a supervisor present. Alopex was going to have her hide.
    Pippi's muzzle might be seen in profile by Gwen as she turns to flee. Unfortunately the box that Gwen had hit gets in the way, and the not-quite-graceful canine trips.

    There's a soft 'owowow!' sound as she hops to one foot, then knocks against the wall, rebounding, over-correcting, and hitting the pile of boxes with a shoulder as a bark of surprise escape her smaller form, and the figure of a five-foot-nothing in a thin hoodie gets buried beneath a pile of boxes!

    "ACK I'M SORRY!" comes the muffled, teen-girl voice from under the boxes.

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen just stands there completely unsure what to do as her Spider-Sense blares about this threat that is and isn't a threat. Since when are existential theoritical threats threats you dumb tingles. It throws her off enough that a "Pippi!?" pops out of her mouth without even meaning to say that.

Which royally borks any run MJ.. Run... plans of getting MJ out of the building. Also the Ack I'm sorry teen girl probably doesn't help either.

Crap. Think Gwen Think.

Damnit the smoke bomb Donnie gave her is at the lab.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Unfortunately, no boxes fall and no other distractions eventuate to draw Mary Jane's attention away. A moment later she emerges from behind those boxes, brow furrowed as she approaches Gwen with the mace can still raised. The 'Ack' and Gwen's cry of recognition prompts her to drop it, though, and she takes a few more steps to pause at Gwen's side.

"So you're not sensing danger anymore?" MJ asks, looking from Gwen to strange thing on her wrist and then the hooded figure in the pile of boxes. Her caregiver side gets the better of her, though, and she hurries over to try and help Pippi out from underneath them.

"I hope you're not going to try and murder us. It'd make me regret ... helping ... you ... "

As she starts to move boxes away, she gets a good enough look at her and her sentence slowly trails off. She isn't exactly screaming in terror - New York has Mutant Town, after all - but this isn't exactly what she had expected.

Pippi has posed:
    She's buried under boxes. She scrapes a moment looking for a drain pipe big enough to crawl into, or even just get in one of those boxes and hide -- but Gwen says her name. And the new girl is digging her out.

    And what MJ would find is a very canine face peering up back at her, amber eyes wide with mixed fear and apprehension, fur-covered backs-of-hands with fingers ending in dull claws, and one ear sticking out of a disheveled hood pinning back in fear.

    Pippi glances over to Gwen, then back to Mary Jane, and then gives an apprehensive:

    "Ah.... woof?" and grimmaces.

    Oh yeah. Goose? Cooked.

Ghost Spider has posed:
The non webspinnered hand facepalms across Gwen's face.

The other hand disappears into her coat pocket after she determines there are simply too many lights up on the ceiling to web shot them all out without MJ looking and seeing what she is doing.

Well. On the bright side the danger is passed and her Gwen Tingles are over.

Crud.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Hi," MJ says down to Pippi, watching her in stunned silence for a moment before offering a hand to help her to her feet, "You're not, uh, dangerous are you?"

She slowly turns her head back to look at Gwen, taking in the unusual nature of the whole situation. The wheels turn in her head, her mouth slightly open and her eyes narrowed curiously. She seems to try to say several things, but each abortive attempt just comes out like a 'huh' before she finally forms the words.

"Gwen ... what's going on?"

Pippi has posed:
    "Prrrooobably." Pippi admits her ears drawing back again before she reaches up and pulls her hood back over, skittering backwards, pedalling iwth her feet and then drawing to a crouch, rolling herself up slightly to look as small and unintimidating as possible. Good dog. Don't make the human types scream.

    Although if they did it would make escape easier. THe redhead screams, runs, and Pippi makes her escape, would have been a good plan. Except the redhead turns to Ghost Spider, and Pippi makes a pained expression as her shoulders rise up, unsure what explaination to give.

Ghost Spider has posed:
That is a very good question.

Gwen just peers at MJ for a very long moment through her own fingers and then gestures at Pippi. "This is my mutant friend Pippi." pause "Pippi this is my best friend and band leader Mary Jane, though we call her MJ."

No she is steadfastly not explaining the device she hid in her pocket or anything more yet.

New York has lots of mutants right. "We hang out around here sometimes she must have ... uh heard us." or smelled us, how good is Pippi's nose anyhow.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Oh, well ... cool!"

Mary Jane has seen mutants before. Some people are terrified of them, but that's not really the redhead's thing. They're just people, after all. She holds out a hand to Pippi with a smile, whatever apprehension she might have had washing away entirely. If she even registered the web-slinging device, she doesn't mention it.

"Nice to meet you, Pippi. Want some pizza?"

Pippi has posed:
    PIppi doesn't shake hands. She wasn't sure about a lot of things, but Gwen tells the truth. She is a Mutant, she is a friend, and she sort of shyly gives a wave to MJ as she's introduced.

    "Hello!" she states, her ears drawing forward in a friendly fashion. "Nice to meet you, MJ. Any friend of G's is a friend of mine." she states. Her voice is a bit rough, ight have been from the bark.

    "What kinda pizza? It doesn't have chocolate sprinkles on it, does it?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
There is a relief as tension fades more from Gwen when Pippi goes with G instead of Ghost Spider.

"Who on earth would ever put chocolate sprinkles on Pizza Pippi?" boggled for a moment and then stepping back to the box they setup the post practice feast on. "Peperoni?" she asks looking back to Pippi questioningly now.

Okay this seems to be going okay.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane makes a face at the idea of chocolate sprinkle pizza, turning to go back to where their things have been stashed and retrieving the pizza box. She sets herself down, putting it in her lap and opening it up to reveal the pizza within.

She's smiling, things seem to indeed be going okay. But she glances sidelong at Gwen for a moment, eyes darting down to the wrist that wore the device a moment ago and then raising her eyebrows expectantly.

Crap.

She noticed.

Pippi has posed:
    "You never know! People eat weird things, like buffalo wings!" Pippi protests gently as she sees stress leave Ghost Spider, and she gives a shrug, rubbing the back of her head as she hops up, then joins the group at the pizza. She sits comfortably on the floor, her legs splut-ting out to form a W shape.

    "Then again, I like buffalo wings, and pierogies, but not chocolate. 'S bad for my stomach." Pippi explains as she accepts -- very carefully! -- a piece of pizza. In better light now, Gwen would notice there's a scar accross Pippi's muzzle. It's recent.

    Pippi's nose wiggles, her ears flicking this way and that as she picks up other noises around the warehouse, and she begins cheerily chatting away:

    "Mind you I think it's the same reason grape jelly makes my stomach all gross but I'm still learning what I can and can't eat because it used to just be what I was given or what I could scrounge but because of all the changes I mean things are getting weirder all the time and you just wouldn't beleive the things going on if you didn't see it for your own eyes, like just last week I accidentallied my way to Bludhaven I think and it was kinda weird trying to find a ride home when you don't even own a wallet let alone anything to put in it and it's like 'oh no Pippi you can't take that train that one goes to Gotham' and then you're trying for another but it's a *bullet train to Chicago* and that just won't do--"

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen leans and grabs the sodas and sets them down on the floor, a six pack of cokes, and then fetches her open one and her drum chair to settle on while Pippi just rambles along.

"I am pretty sure we need to get you a list of all the foods that are bad for dogs.. I think grapes are actually on that list... and a metro card .. or maybe cash for your wallet.. also a wallet Pippi."

When she notices Gwen looking at her wrist and hand and raising eyebrows she coughs and notes "Experimental personal protection weapon for the labs at work?" maybe that will work. "NY is dangerous?"

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Right," MJ says to Gwen, eyebrows still raised before she turns her attention back to Pippi.

"You don't even have a wallet? Yeah, Gwen is right. Mutants - is it okay to say mutant? Anyway, mutants get carded enough as it is. You don't want some gung ho anti-mutant nutcase cop attacking you because you didn't have identification."

She frowns. It's a sad state the city is in lately, and it's as though she's only just now realising this.

Pippi has posed:
    "I don't need a wallet. That's hummmmingly a bad idea." Pippi states, her ears flicking back in embarrassment. "'Sides. What do I need cash for? People throw away all sorts of good stuff, like this hoodie, and half a burrito earlier today!" Pippi states, and she realizes her slip a moment, and rubs the back of her head.

    "I don't know why it'd be bad. I mean, I'm a mutant. That's what I am. I was made this way." She states vaguely, and then she blinks at the idea of a cop attacking her, and she rubs the back of her head.

    "I'm not supposed to be out without one of my friends with me, I think, for that reason. I... could get away. If I had to. As long as it wasn't some mutant ninja cop that shoots tracking lasers from his eyes!" she exclaims, "... but a gun would probably work as good. But!" she holds a hand up, giving a nom on the pizza.

    "I have identification."

Ghost Spider has posed:
Now is when Gwen feels like a horrible best friend who supposedly doesn't keep secrets from her BFF.

Christ being a hero is hard work.

She looks up and around and then slinks her hand into her coat pocket and feels the slinger attach itself again. Fishing her hand out she turns and shows it to MJ. "I am pretty sure there is no such thing as a mutant ninja cop who shoots tracking lasers out of his eyes Pippi..." her tone is amused though. "Also you should probably have some money just in case, you can take it from muggers."

She flicks her wrist and there is a THWIP noise and a webshot fires out and blows a box away that was sitting on another box. She did have it cranked for small and thuddy instead of giant web or line.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Gwen's right," MJ says to Pippi with a nod, "I don't think there are any mutant laser-eye ninja cops. But then ... "

She looks down at the web-slinger on Gwen's wrist, reaching up a hand to touch it lightly and watch it curiously. Experimental weapon? Certainly looks experimental. Like nothing she's ever seen before and - *THWIP*

She startles a bit as the web is shot, leaning back and away from the device and turning her attention fully to Gwen with a slowly dawning look of realisation on her face:

" ... no way!"

Pippi has posed:
    Pippi pauses, and looks back and forth between MJ and Gwen as she noms her pizza. She leans back as the weapon fires off its thuddy webshot (and is thankful she isn't in its way), and she looks at MJ, and then at Gwen, and wisely continues to eat another slice. Omnomnom. Nothing unusal here.

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen tucks her hand into her pocket and it comes out without the slinger. "What. It is an experimental personal protection weapon I made in the lab at work?" she sips her coke trying to play this very cool now. She isn't quite sure what MJ is thinking or which way she went with the psuedo-confession there.

It isn't like this hasn't been eating at Gwen for Months and Months. I mean she is always standing MJ up, being late for practice, getting hurt by Stiltman and then lying about running into a street light pole while not paying attention. It has been a steady drumbeat of exhaustion and lousy excuses for months since the Spider bite.

Be cool Gwen.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
To her credit, MJ isn't really sure how exactly Pippi and Gwen know each other. She doesn't want to give the game away if they just hang out around here, after all. But the pieces all begin to fall in place, and it's evident on Mary Jane's face that she knows something even if she's not just going to go ahead and say what it is.

"I'll bet," she say, teeth sinking into her bottom lip for a moment in a mischievous grin, "Bet that's the reason you're always so late ... building new and experimental weapons."

She takes a piece of pizza and munches on it, eyebrows raised at Gwen and a mysterious little smile on her face.

Pippi has posed:
    "Yep. She's a nerd." Pippi pipes up, as if that is precisely what Gwen does. She says it as nonchalantly as she can, her ears pricking forward.

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen grimaces a bit there at being called a nerd and sighs picking up a piece of pizza. "It sounds like you have the gist of it MJ, always late due to projects at work. I mean between work.. modeling.. band.... and special projects it probably explains why I am so tired all the time." she gives MJ a sheepish look.

Honestly she is mostly not just saying she is Ghost Spider right away because well Pippi hasn't admitted she is a superhero either right.

"So Pippi.. how you been?" she looks over again "Is your snoot okay?" the scar there really.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
The look on Mary Jane's face screams 'okay then, keep your secrets' as she turns her attention fully on Pippi, her features carefully drawn and her expression thoughtful.

"Oh, yeah, that's a nasty scar. Hope you gave as good as you got."

A pause, and then she leans forward slightly to Pippi, "How'd you and Gwen meet?"

Pippi has posed:
    "Oh, it'll be okay. I got into a fight. The one on my side's worse, it required stitches." Pippi states as nonchalantly as you please, like it was a regular occurance as she crunches a crust, leaning back a moment as she thinks about MJ's question.

    "Gwen wandered down an alleyway where I was living under a van in the Bronx, before I moved in with some friends. She's a good friend! You're lucky." the mutant dog replies, and her tail gives a little bit of a wag, no longer hidden by the sweatshirt. "How about you? Do you go to school together?" she gasps a moment. "Do you have the same /teacher/?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen mouthed >later< at MJ as she gave her that look. Then thankfully focused on Pippi.

"Urgn..." yeah okay Gwen has a good idea where Pippi got clawed up, she is going to throw that Lion into the Hudson at this rate. "I am glad you are okay and all stitched up Pipster. "

then the questions. "Uh.. we did go to school together.. high school and college and we've been friends for years..." so adorbs. She can't resist, maybe it is the stress, but she reaches and tries to ruffle Pippi's ears from the vantage of height! .. of course if she succeeds or fails she is going to look really sheepish and apologize "Sorry.. consent should have asked" ack.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
As Gwen ruffles Pippi's ears, MJ grins and reaches up to ruffle Gwen's hair at the top of her head. It's a momentary compulsion, but one that was too difficult to just resist, apparently. She laughs, settling back on one of the crates and finishing her slice of pizza.

"Yeah, we've known each other for a good, long time. She's the smart one, though. I don't think they're going to give me an internship at a lab unless they need it cleaned out."

Pippi has posed:
    "It's okay! Things are worked out! Besides, it makes me look heroic!" Pippi states of the scar, but she self-conciously reaches a hand up to cover it. "We all made it out, and that's the important part." she adds on quietly, her ears drawing back. The longer 'hair' atop her head, a whole inch thick now has a wiry sort of look to it, poofy, like a poodle. Her amber eyes go between Gwen and MJ, and then she's caught entirely off-guard by Gwen's fingers reaching to ruffle! The ears draw up in surprise, and Pippi just gets the oddest look on her face.

    And MJ answers more about their relationship, and the ruffle at Gwen's hair comes with a laugh -- and Pippi gets a sort of sheepish look to her.

    "I dunno why everyone wants to ruffle my head!" she complains playfully, then leans back.

    "It's OK, Em-Jay. I don't like labs. The sciency labs, I mean."

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen gets ruffled, blond and pink hair becoming disheveled and she blushes. "Sorry Pippi.. I should have asked first.. though you are nice to ruffle and I think it is the oxitocin produced when people look into Dog's eyes... and dogs are adorable and all people are genetically wired to want to pet them... also produces oxytocin... except bad people..."

To MJ "You are plenty smart, you are a successful model and I don't know anyone as determined as you are when you set your mind to something MJ"

Then back to Pippi "I am glad you made it out and yeah you do look heroic.".. which well Gwen didn't out Pippi's heroic antics so that is fair game now.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"That's called stubborn, not smart," MJ says with a laugh, lightly smacking Gwen's shoulder with an outstretched arm, "Stubborn and very well-defined cheek bones."

She leans back, nodding her head to Pippi: "I haven't been in many, but I can imagine they're not a whole lot of fun unless you know what you're doing."

The redhead lapses into silence for a moment, looking down at the stylised Spider-Man mask screen printed on the front of her own t-shirt.

Pippi has posed:
    "They're... not a lot of fun. They're scary." Pippi states as she draws up one leg. She reflects a moment "I think sometimes it's hard to remember that we all feel fights differently, and it might be because I'm still just kinda starting out. It's easy to laugh in the middle of it 'cause your mind is trying to spit out what kinda forms or actions you need to make and your arms and legs are tryin' to keep up. But... I'm still learning." she explains, without wanting to expound on to whom she apprenticed.

    Her tail gives a wag slightly. "But if I make other people happy with the ox-e--toes-son, then it's worth it, right?" Her tail gives a wag, and she forces a segue.

    "... you two seem normal size though. How can you be a model?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
"You're right Pipster everyone reacts differently to a rush and dump of adrenaline. I think that is why some heroes seem to have so much witty banter and quipping going on." guilty as charged. "I also think most of the heroes do it because they want to help people and make the world better instead of squandering their gifts."

The question about models gets a laugh and almost a snort of coke out her nose. She gestures to MJ to take that one.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Anyone can be a model."

Mary Jane stands by that, and she nods her head firmly as though to punctuate the idea, "You don't have to look like anything particular. You just have to have ... I don't know, something people want to look at?"

She shrugs her shoulders, the thought tapering out before she can really nail it down and elaborate upon it, "I guess the 'how' is that they pay us ... so we are?"

Pippi has posed:
    "... but aren't models small? Like the trains?" Pippi inquires, "... or airplanes? I've seen model boats before too." the canine trails off a moment.

Pippi has posed:
    "... you're talking about a completely different thing, aren't you?" Pippi realizes sheepishly, her ears drawing back as she looks embarrassed.

Ghost Spider has posed:
Yes Gwen knew what Pippi meant, which is why she snorted soda, but she figured MJ would understand and explain. It just gets worse though to the point of embarrassing her friends which she doesn't find joy in.

"We are, it is okay Pippi you probably haven't ever dealt with it to be honest. Models are small replicas yes like that. When people are models or do modeling though .. it is mmm"

She pauses thoughtful. "So all of the pictures of people advertising things, like clothing, or cars, or anything are models. They are nice to look at and help sell products."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Here! I'll show you," Mary Jane reaches for her phone, looking a little sheepish herself at embarassing Pippi and grasping to make up for it. A moment later she fishes the device out of her bag, flicking through to find a series of professional photos of her. Nothing major, but some shoots for some soda commercial and a spring fashion line from earlier in the year. She holds the phone out for Pippi to take.

"They pay people to be in photos, basically. Or on TV."

Pippi has posed:
    "OH. So that's what the pictures are. I thought it was weird humans would put pictures of other humans on walls." Pippi states, "I thought it was kinda weird, but..." she trails off, and as MJ holds out the phone, Pippi seems especially hesitant. It looks more expensive than the burner phone.

    She very, very carefully accepts the phone in both her hands, but doesn't appear to know how to scroll through it.

    "Huh."

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen leans over and flicks her finger deftly to swap to the next photo, showing Pippi how wordlessly.

"Even knowing they pay us to pose in photos doesn't make it any less strange I suppose. They also pay you to show up in person and hold products or be seen using them. People are swayed by other people doing stuff, especially people they look up to because they are pretty."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"I mean, you can see why they want to hang up Gwen's photo," MJ fires off an unexpected compliment at her friend, gesturing at her as though it were the most obvious thing in the world, "So it's not that weird, right?"

She doesn't seem all that worried about Pippi having her phone, picking up a can of soda and opening it with a 'ksss' sound.

"This night got a little stranger than I thought ... in a good way, though."

Pippi has posed:
    "... right. Because you're a fox." Pippi recounts, though the phrasing sounds odd. She flicks another couple of photos, and then very gingerly hands the phone back over to Mary Jane.

    "I... don't get a lot about beauty, but... y'know. Dog." Pippi gives a wry smile, and then goes to stand.

    "Speaking of, she's probably worried. I should get back."

Ghost Spider has posed:
The unexpected compliment gets a blush from Gwen.

"Uh.. mmm oh right. Tell them I am still working on stuff, I haven't got it yet but I intend to.. also hello and all that." that is super vague but probably not to Pippi. "I won't snitch on you either Pipster.. it was nice seeing you."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Tell them the rooster crows at midnight and the rain in spain flows mainly on the plain," Mary Jane says to Pippi, having a little fun at the expense of Gwen's cryptic commentary.

That done, she rises to her feet and begins to pack up the little mess they've created around themselves, "Did you want to crash at my place tonight, Gwen? Figure it's better than going all the way to Queens at night."

Pippi has posed:
    "... you're going to have to write that one down, I'll never remember it!" Pippi states plainly to Mary Jane, before: "... oh you have no--" she stumbles about, and gives a grin before finger-waggling at Gwen, and with a hop and a jump off a stack of lockers, the canine mutant is up and back out the window she came -- followed by the rattle of something smacking the dumpster and a weak call of "I'm okay!"

     -- and Pippi goes out into the night, heading home.

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen waves to Pippi and sees her well out of the location before turning to MJ and looking guilty and sheepish and worried. "You have to keep all of this a secret MJ.. you just have to."

Then she considers "At this point yeah I can make really good time to Queens but the emotional whiplash has wiped me out..."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"I'm not telling anybody anything," MJ tells Gwen quietly as she watches Pippi go, turning to face her friend fully once she's gone, "I ... I'm not sure what I know, really? But I know that if you're keeping it from me then you have a damn good reason. Believe me, I'm keeping some secrets you wouldn't even believe."

She says no more about that, only raising her eyebrows and turning to gather up some more of their things, "I don't care how fast you can sling through the air, when you're beat you're beat. Stay at my place."

Ghost Spider has posed:
"You do know you're fishing... but that is totally fair." she breaths in deeply. "I was keeping them from you because I don't want you to get hurt by the bad people I am punching in the face all the time MJ." she goes to get her drumsticks, the set isn't packed up every practice, too big a pain in the ass since they rent this scary warehouse, it at least has locks and it isn't her best drum kit.

"So I guess fuck it, not like I can be the one in the red and blue suit, I like Ghost Spider so far but Spider-man hates it."

"I'll answer questions but only about me not about anyone else, it's their secret."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"I'm not going to ask you any questions," MJ says quietly, standing up to place a hand on Gwen's shoulder and give her a warm look, "And I do understand why you didn't want to tell me. I appreciate that. It's dangerous out there and you were just trying to keep me safe."

She sighs, shrugging her shoulders and smiling wanly, "I don't want to pry. I don't want to drag anything out of you. If you want to tell me what it's like being the Ghost Spider? You can tell me. If you don't, then you can keep it a secret. I'll never breathe a word of it to anyone."

Then, she winks: "I like your suit more, though."

Ghost Spider has posed:
"Yeah, I told him my friends like my suit better because it has more style and it drove him a little crazy I think." wry amusement in her tone.

"In for a penny in for a pound MJ.... trust me it has been driving me absolutely nuts not being able to tell you. Less so for the others but I haven't known them as long." a head shake as she grabs the unopened sodas.

"As for how it is to do that.. it is crazy intense and often very scary. I mean .. the suit is special but I am not bullet proof... I just dodge bullets really well."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
MJ nods her head, lifting her own soda up to her lips and taking a sip from it.

"I've seen. There's a subreddit for you, did you know that? All your YouTube clips are up there for anyone to see. I'm a big fan." A pause, she glances sidelong at Gwen yet again, "A really big fan."

Once more she sits down on one of the crates, leaning her forearms on her thighs and yawning, "So the other week? With the cut on your face? Who was that?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen blushes at the big fan comment there and pushes some of her pink bangs back tucking behind an ear. "I've seen the subreddit and the video.. I mean not as much as Spidey I guess but the costume really seems to be a hit."

Gwen leans back then slides up smoothly onto her own crate seat. "Oh.. I think that was Stiltman. Which is embarrassing... I mean what kind of villain is Stiltman even...."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Man on stilts?" MJ wagers, laughing faintly at the idea, "I mean, you shouldn't be embarassed. Some of those guys are kinda ... out there. But that doesn't make them not dangerous, and you kick their asses. You rock."

She looks across at Gwen, clearly content to just be alone with her in the warehouse, "But hey, now we know a masked hero we can do marketing for ... "

Ghost Spider has posed:
"Yeah some of them are shockingly dangerous. This fire demon guy kicked my ass and made me run away.. no one got video of that thank god."

Gwen blushes a whole lot more and looks up the ceiling "We do yes... and she knows other people... but um we still need a lawyer who is used to keeping superhero secrets to help with setting up a business like this if you are really serious about it."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"I'm serious about it."

MJ nods her head, following Gwen's gaze up to the nothing-in-particular on the ceiling, "I'll find us a lawyer. There's bound to be one, right? I mean, they have to prosecute or defend some of those guys you beat up. They must know how the law works as far as masks and shit goes."

She exhales noisily through pursed lips, "This doesn't change who we are, right? I mean, the two of us?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen nods along with the talk of lawyers. "We have to make sure it is structured in such a way that you don't know any of the identities.. that way you can deny knowing even the one you do know though. Safety reasons.

That last question though. "God I hope not MJ." she grins over to her BFF. "We are best friends.. you are like the only person who doesn't wear a mask that even knows about this.. and now I can talk to you about it and not lie all the time with you. Which sucked. I didn't like it not one bit." she hops down and steps over offering MJ a hug.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
MJ steps into the hug, closing her eyes and smiling. She rests her chin on her friend's shoulder, murmuring pleasantly before stepping back. Her hands still resting on Gwen's upper arms as she looks at her critically for a moment, nodding her head.

"Well, just so you know, I'm not going to be your kid sidekick. We're the same age and you might be able to throw cars around and stuff, but I can barely do a pull-up. Plus, I don't know if I'd be able to pull off the whole spandex thing."

She grins at the little joke, then her features become a little more earnest: "It doesn't change anything. I'll be here whenever you need to talk."

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen mutters "Not done yet" and holds the hug for at least six seconds. Chemists.

"Yeah I am pretty sure you would need to be bitten by a mutagenic spider to be my kid sidekick.. also I have one of those lately.. the Black and Red one with the hoodie and sneakers. Kid Archnid.. man I hope he comes up with a better name...."

"Also for the record you can definitely pull off spandex."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
MJ doesn't complain at all as the hug lingers, eyes still closed and a happy little smile on her face.

"Kid Arachnid?" she laughs, shaking her head, "Not even Arach-Kid or something? Spider-Lad? Spider-Man Junior? You masked types really do need a marketing department, huh? That's all just off the top of my head."

The comment about the spandex prompts her to stand upright, looking back over her shoulder at her rear end in the pair of jeans she wears, "Well, unless I get bitten by a mutagenic spider I'll have to take your word for it."

Ghost Spider has posed:
"Well at least until a modeling gig asks for you in Spandex or you try some on anyways, trust me though I am around a lot of models.. you would do fine in it." amused and shaking her head.

"I'll have to see if he likes Arach-Kid it is almost punny.. and I think Ghost Spider is pretty good.. can't do Spider-Woman she is an Avenger."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"You'll always be Spider-Woman to me," MJ sighs wistfully, "But Ghost Spider is pretty bad ass, too. And, like I said - best costume. I'm serious about making that hoodie that looks like that one you have. I don't even care if I'm ripping you off."

She grins, "So, I know I'm not meant to ask any questions about the others but this pertains to you. What are they like? Oh! Are you dating any of them? It always seems like the super hero types are dating each other. Like Captain America and the Wasp."

Ghost Spider has posed:
"I told you to just make a knockoff last time we talked about this.. " amusment "And thanks."

"Also no I am not dating anyone with my abundent free time... I am either at work.. at band practice with you .. or fighting super villains .. that leaves some time for sleep. So nope not dating anyone I have been keeping a secret from you."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Good, I'd be jealous."

MJ doesn't add anything more to that, standing up from the crate and rolling her shoulders casually with a wide yawn.

"Do we want to start cleaning up and head home? I've met one of your friends, but I don't want to be out here if one of your enemies shows up."

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen's eyes narrow just a touch at the comment and thne she slides off her crate seat and stretches big. "I've got my sticks... I think we just need to grab the pizza and soda and your guitar?"

A look around to confirm and then a shudder. "Yeah well .. if I tell you to run in a direction you do it okay if that ever happens.. I have a .. kind of danger sense that warns me... I think tonight it was warning me about my cover about to be blown which threw me off and made me blow my cover.. stupid tingles."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane can't help but laugh at the tale of the danger tingles, "So they made you walk right into something they were trying to warn you about? I'm guessing super powers aren't always as cool as they sound."

She nods her head, ducking down to pick up her guitar in it's olive drab canvas case and slinging it over her back along with her bag. She grabs up her share of the pizza and soda.

"Hope you find futons comfy because that's all I've got."

Ghost Spider has posed:
"It was more like they were blaring danger and it was coming from the crates Pippi was hiding behind and .. yeah okay I think I am not up to full speed on how to read and interpret them yet." she really isn't.

"MJ, a futon will be like a cloud with as many hours as I put in this week, I could sleep on a stone slab in a mausoleum."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Well, I hope it won't come to that."

The last of their things gathered up, MJ leads the way across the floor of the warehouse to the door. Once she's there, though, she pauses and turns around to look earnestly at her friend. Her best friend. Forever.

"Can you promise me something, though? That you'll always be careful. I can ... I can deal with you being Ghost Spider. I can deal with you showing up late to things. I can deal with having to make excuses for you and pretend I don't know your secret. But I can't deal with your badly hurt or dead, okay? So just ... be careful."

Ghost Spider has posed:
"I'm way more durable than I look and I heal really fast... that cut Stiltman gave me would have probably killed a normal person and I was healed by morning." she isn't saying it as an excuse to not be careful, she is excplaining she is tough not just strong and fast.

"But yes I will be carefully. I don't want to do that to you or my dad MJ."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Although she's laden down with the things they're carrying, MJ leans in to bump her shoulder against Gwen's. A sort of impromptu hug that she's doing her best to perform without hands.

"Good. That's all I ask. And for you take me swinging around sometime. That looks like crazy fun I'm not even going to pretend I don't want to do it."

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen nimbly slides the door open with her foot, show off.

"Done. Though I will need to make you wear a disguise.. everyone has a damn cellphone camera."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"Oh god, there we go, I knew it," MJ says with a laugh, shaking her head, "Getting me in spandex after all. What am I gonna be? The Red Spider?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen laughs waiting until you are out of the door with your stuff before shutting it with her foot. Like she taps it and pulls it to her with her foot not hooks it. Show off.

"Well price of admission.. I mean I was thinking just a mask of some sort but spandex has appeal Red." walking ahead now.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
"I'll be the world's lamest superhero," MJ follows after Gwen, waving her box-laden hands over her head, "The Red Spider is here! Watch her hang off Ghost Spider's arm and then go and hide under a table once the bad guys start showing up!"

Ghost Spider has posed:
"This is totes a ride not a ride along MJ..."

She seems to be in a very good mood though as she walks out onto he street, dropping the topic until they are at and inside MJ's place for certain. Never know who is listening.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
It's a relief when they're home, and MJ immediately dumps everything in the little space by her door and relishes not having to be lugging it around anymore. Not everyone has super strength.

She moves to the sofa, flopping down on it and stretching her arms over the back of it before looking at Gwen, "Okay, I gotta see it. The wall-crawling stuff. You gotta show me how you do that."

Ghost Spider has posed:
Gwen sets down her load carefully, depositing the soda on a counter there.

"Okay..." she steps and closes the drapes before .... well... honestly she just jumps up, easily reaching the ceiling and stick her fingertips to it and just .. dangles by her fingers.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
MJ immediately jumps up from the sofa, pratically leaping across the room to stand underneath Gwen and look up at her hanging from the ceiling.

"That is the coolest thing I've ever seen!"

Ghost Spider has posed:
"Yeah it pretty much works on any surface too." she kicks her shoes off then flexes her arms and swings up to plant her feet now on the ceiling and lets go with her fingers.

She stands on the ceiling and looks upside down at MJ now. "It isn't gadgets.. only the webslingers are gadgets. I made mine... they are totally better than the others."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
MJ stands face to face with Gwen, although they are standing on opposite surfaces thanks to the latter's spectacular spider powers. She folds her arms across her torso, looking up to the place where her friend is stuck to the ceiling and back down to her eyes.

"So, let me get this straight - you're a genius who built those web-shooty dealies and presumably mixed up whatever's inside them, too? On top of that you can stick to walls, sense danger, you're strong, fast, nimble, heal super quick ... "

The redhead quirks an eyebrow, the corners of her mouth raising into a playful smile: "The total hero package, huh?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
"Don't forget I don't need as much sleep... thank the Asgardians... and I never get worn out ..well almost never like an energizer bunny." she mms "Though I eat a crazy lot more now."

"So I guess total hero package though there are def stronger and faster and tougher people than me out there. I also did this to myself by accident so it isn't like I can't fuck up sometimes right."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
MJ reaches up to frame Gwen's face in her hands, grinning at her - practically beaming - as she speaks: "Hey, everyone fucks up. The fact that you're out there at all trying to do something good rather than just doing stunts for movies or something is amazing. I've always been proud to have you as a friend, Gwen, but now I'm ... I don't know ... really proud? You're the smart one, what's a good word?"

Ghost Spider has posed:
"Man I could make sick money in Hollywood too.. damnit."

The compliments get her to really blush there. "Uh... delighted .. gratified.. delighted... maybe proudest?" she kicks her foot and flips down away from MJ to land and then straight right side up feet on the floor once more.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
MJ pulls her hands away as Gwen flips, tucking them into her pockets and wandering back over to the sofa to flop down on it lazily.

"I am ... delighted, gratified, and the proudest I have ever been to have you as my friend, Gwen. And this is all ... it's kind of a relief, honestly. I was starting to worry you were ditching on me because you didn't want to hang out anymore or something."

Ghost Spider has posed:
"Heck no MJ... I think it would be more likely I had a drug habit than that." she pops her friend in the shoulder lightly as she flops onto the couch as well.

"This is definitely a relief you are right. No lying."