2014.03.22 - Alley Cats

The truth was... Krys had no idea why she came back here. Its been a few days and the chances of anything that could hint at the identity of her or her 'brother' was likely long gone by now. She had to try though. Right?
The blonde woman stands at the mouth of the alley she and James pulled themselves from, hands in her pockets and just staring. What if she did find something? What if she didn't like what she found? Was it worth the risk? "Grow a backbone," is muttered under her breath.
Her brother wasn't far off and she didn't have much time. She had promised she'd be 'right back' while he paid the bill for breakfast and used the restroom to wash up. A glance is given in the direction they came from.
With a sigh, she takes a step into the alley and goes to one knee to begin sifting through things.
"It isn't safe to go into alleyways unaccompanied." A voice floats from above.
The Friendly Neighborhood Cheshire Cat is up there- this particular alleyway being narrow enough in points that he can extend an arm nonchalantly and extend his legs and be suspended.
"It's a good thing I was passing by on my patrol. Lady, you're asking for some creeper to try to mug ya. This -is- Gotham, you know?"
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There's a shriek from Krys who starts just enough to knock her off balance. "The only one doing any creeping is you, you.." The sentence trails off as she looks up at Vorpal and blinks. "..cat?" Her voice squeeks the last word before she begins to giggle. "Oh my God! You're so cute!" Tact? What is that?
Vorpal 's brow furrows at that. "I am not cute. I am a stalwart defender of Gotham and protector of its innocents!"
At this, Krys arches a brow. "I am sure you are. You're also a purple cat... And so adorable!" Pushing herself to her feet, she is clearly fighting back the urge to giggle again. "I have no doubt you're good at what you do... Especially if..." The thought of claws the size of what he would have causes her to shiver. "Sorry. Didn't mean to offend. It's just... Purple. Cat. I'm barely resisting the urge to pet you!"
"I'd rater you wouldn't, it would upset my boyfriend terribly," Vorpal quips. "But more to the point... why are you slinking into Please Rob Me alleyways in Gotham? Did you lose something? I could help you find it."
"You look so soft and cuddly though!" With a dramatic sigh, Krys nods. "Fine fine. Stay there though or I make no promises!" She beams a smile at him before his question causes it to fade.
She had, for a moment, forgotten where she was and why. Looking back down at the ground of the alley, she sighs. "Everything. We lost everything. I don't even know what I'm looking for. A clue. A hint. Something."
Another glance is cast back towards where she came from to make sure James hadn't stepped out yet.
Krys is safe on the overprotective older brother for the moment, since he's still washing his face and hands in the sink.
"Everything? What do you mean? Did your home burn down?" The cat drops to the ground, warnings of petting aside, "What sort of clue are you looking for?"
Despite her earlier teasing, she makes no move to touch Vorpal when he lands. Her hands go to her pockets. "Maybe. I don't know. We don't remember. Just names..." Her eyes slide over to him and the pale blue pools shimmer with unshed tears. "Anything."
"Oh, man... it's like amnesia is going around like crazy." Superboy, Kurt, and now this woman. "Alright... what are your names?" Vorpal asks.
With a sigh, she turns and starts to make her way to the mouth of the alley. "I"m Krys. My brother is James. But that's it. We don't even know the last name." She doesn't mention the fact that they aren't even sure they're related. "We woke up in the alley two days ago with thirty dollars in his pocket and nothing else..."
"... Aaaand that's a problem. I see. I assume you don't have a place to stay at, either?" The Cheshire frowns, looking at Krys, wheels turning to try and think of someone that could help.
A wry smirk comes to Krys' lips. "Define 'somewhere to stay'. There's -always- somewhere. A bridge. A box." She pauses, cast her eyes back towards the diner and then back at Vorpal. "You mean an apartment or something? Nope. Well... We might but..." She shrugs. "If we do, we're don't know it." At least she's trying to find humor in it all?
"Well, if you've lost your memories, they'll be there, somewhere in your nogging." The cat reaches into his band jacket and pulls out three hundred dollars. "I want you to take this and use it to find a place to stay for tonight, maybe a few nights. And you call this number and leave a message with where you will be." He says, passing her a card with his number.
"I happen to know a telepath, she is quite gifted... and perhaps she can help find out that missing clue inside your own head. If I can persuade her to help. Would you be open to the idea?"
Krys blinks. "A what?" Her head tilts curiously. A knot forms in the pit of her stomach and causes her brows to pull together. She doesn't recognize the word. Can't give you the definition. SOmething about it doesn't settle well with her though. "I... I'd have to ask James..."
"Telepath. It's someone who has psychic powers and read thoughts. If that doesn't suit you, my employer... well... one of my employer, anyways, is Zatanna Zatara, Mistress of Magic."
It is a contractual obligation for Keith to have to say her name like that (not really). "She could always read you the tarot cards... or whatever it is magical people do."
"I... I don't know if it suits me or not." Krys blinks again before running her fingers through the long, blonde hair. "I guess... If James is alright with it... We could try? Either one of them? Maybe?" Looking back at Keith, she arches a brow. "Why are you doing this anyhow? I mean... It's not that I'm not grateful... Not knowing is beyond frustrating but..."
"Haven't you been paying attention, miss? I'm a hero. This is sort of what I do every day. I don't get a paycheck from the Avengers just to lay in a hammock and get fed grapes by cabana boys."
The Cheshire pauses and smirks. "That's what I do -off- the clock."
Stephanie Brown enters from: Old Gotham.
Stephanie Brown goes to: North Gotham.
That causes a giggle to rise up from Krys. "But being pet by a girl would be what makes your boyfriend jealous..." She tosses a smirk at him before her brows draw together. "What are the Avengers?"
What are the Avengers? "Oh boy, you really have got it bad, haven't you?" Vorpal asks with concern. "We're a group of heroes assembled by Iron Man. Tony Stark..." his demeanor drops a little at that, but the mask goes up quickly for the benefit of the civilian. "We do good. That's what we do. And occasionally fight horrors from outer space or beyon the veil or whatever happens to threaten the world. I take it you don't know who the Justice League is either? Superman? Wonder Woman?"
Krys pauses in her steps, breath hitching. Her eyes take on a far off look. Seconds later, she blinks and gives her head a shake. "No. None of it rings a bell. Sorry." She gives a shake of her head. "Really? Superman? Wonder Woman? Kind seem full of themselves with names like that..."
"Superman can fly and lift a house if he wanted to..." one purple hand extends, and an illusion of Superman flies on it. "And Wonder Woman is the Ambassador from the nation of Greek Amazons. She is blessed by the Greek Gods with the beauty of Aphrodite, the Wisdom of Athena..." An illusion of the Amazon appears as well. She's dressed in dark red, navy blue and silver. Which are exactly the colors of Vorpal's uniform.
"They're not full of themselves, really. Of course, Wonder Woman is blessed by the gods, but there used to be real Norse gods among us, too..." his tone trails off and the illusions fade. "Anyways, you need to convey this to your brother and you can tell me what it is that you two decide."
A brow arches at Vorpal. "Are you alright?" Krys nods her head. "Aside from hanging out in dark alleys... How am I supposed to contact you?" That method works though!
"Check the bills I gave you. I clipped my card to one of them- that is my personal phone number, so call me from the hotel when you're checked in." The cat nods to the bundle of bills. "And get yourselves something to eat, too. Thirty dollars probably went pretty fast."
There's a second pause before Krys gives a warm smile. "Thank you. Very much." On a whim, she reaches in to hug the cat... And maybe sneak a scritch. "I'll repay you somehow." When she settles back down, it's with a nod. "We spent the last of it this morning." A few steps away is taken, towards the diner she left James in. "I should get back. I need to be there when he's ready. Thank you again!"
"No need to repay. This is my job." The cat takes the hug and the scritch in stride. He's had to rescue crazy cat ladies at some point, he's seen everything. A hug is nothing.
"Now, lesson number one: Stay away from alleyways in Gotham unless someone wearing spandex is with you. And they shouldn't cackle malevolently. That's a dead giveaway."
Krys' steps falter and she begins to laugh. A bright and airy sound. Blue eyes sparkle as they land on Vorpal. "Got it. No cackling alleys unless someone in a stretchy suit is with me. Is there a 'lesson two' or do I get that one on the next meeting?"
"Lesson two is always remember lesson one. Lesson three is NEVER be out at night in Gotham unless it's a public area with lots of people." Vorpal nods. "And if you want to go home, never walk home through dark streets. Take a cab. Preferably one whose driver carries a shotgun."
That laughter fades and the blonde woman sobers. Her eyes -almost- seem to harden. To take on an edge. "I understand." Congratulations, Vorpal. You just drove home how dangerous the town really is. "We'll be careful. I promise. Only out during the day if we can help it. If we can't, we'll stay in heavily lit and populated places."
"And call me if you can't find a ride home." The Cheshire cat ads.
Krys nods her head, slowly walking backwards. "I will. Thanks again..." Wait.. Did she get his name? A quick glance over her shoulder and then back again, a smile and a small wave. "Be safe, yeah?" And then she's turning to head off and meet with James before he discovers her missing and freaks out completely.
"Krys?!" Overprotective brother sounds overprotective, brotherly, and more than a little freaked out.
Uhoh... Krys glances at Vorpal and winces slightly before she turns back towards the sound of James' voice and takes a few steps forward to draw his attention. "Here, James!"
"This is your brother, I take it?" The cat says. Ok, time to shock Innocent Person #2 today.
Booted feet come running, scrambl8ng, crunching toward the alley. James, tall, blonde, sleek for all that he ia muscled, skida to a stop in front of Krys and just latches onto her upper arma qith his hands. "what tye hell, krys?! what wete you thinking? you cant just run off like that!" vouce more scared than angry, eyes wide, cheeks pale, faint tremble. what purple cat?
A nod is given to Vorpal. "Yep. That would be h--" Her eyes widen as she's latched on to and her head snaps around and up to look at her brother. "Easy, James. I'm alright. I was just on my way back. It's okay." Her eyes cast to his hands and then back up. "A little too tight."
"Damn... he's hot, too."
Okay, that was TOTALLY inappropriate, but he thought Keith would get a little humor revenge on the girl for all the cute quips. "Too bad I'm already taken. Hello there, James. Don't worry about me. I'm just your friendly neighborhood Cheshire cat making sure that your sister doesn't go into alleyways all by herself. Especially in -this- town. I hear the two of you have got amnesia... it's been going around, believe it or not."
James yanks his hands away from Krys, as if tge contact burned. His hands fall to his side and clench and unclench repeatedly. About to say more, Keith's voice draws James's attention. The young man stares avbit before seeming to heat what eas said about him and he flicks his eyes away as if embarrassed by the compliment. "ah, yes. thank you," murmura the man, lips barely mov8ng.
Krys' eyes cut to Vorpal and she smirks, quirking a single brow. She gives a faint chuckle and a shake of head. "Such a cute kitty," is quipped back.
Looking back at James, she reaches out to take his hand and offers him a sad, genuinely apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, James. I didn't mean to worry you. I had intended to be back before you were done but we," she motions to Vorpal, "got to talking."
Reaching into her pocket, she pulls out the money and the card she was given and holds them out to her brother. "Here. And he thinks he may know of a couple people that might be able to help us... If you want. One is a psychic... She has some kind of ability that lets her get into you mind..."
"And the other one is Zatanna Zatara, mistress of magic." The cat levitates a few feet off the air, to demonstrate. "If you're not comfortable with people digging into your mind, there's always scrying and that sort of magical stuff."
Taking botj, James frowns at the papers. A tiny furrow of frustration as he stares at the printed symbols and they refuse to resolve into meaning. he couldnt help but notice that his siater has no troubke readinf. he must be an idiot! "i.... dont know, Krys. what if we're like because of theae kinda of people?" because if a purple cat can fly...
Krys nods her head, laying it against James' arm and sighing. "I know. The thought crossed my mind. I came back here hoping there'd be something...anything but...There isn't. It was a long shot anyhow." She sighs. "What if we don't like what we find...? Do we want to know?"
She turns her attention back on Vorpal and smiles a little. "Can we have a day or two to think about it? Maybe?"
"Of course," the Cheshire says, apparently unfazed by the accusations, "Just make sure you're frugal, three hundred can go very quickly in Gotham. And do remember the lessons I gave you."
Seeming calmer when Krys leans her head on his arm, James pokcets card and money before looking bck over to Keith. ".....lessons?"
"We will be. We don't need anything fancy. Just a place to crash," Krys says. "And a little for food. I'll call you this evening. Thanks for everything."
She casts a glance to the sky and then up at James. "We should find a cheap motel before dark..." She gives a wave to Vorpal and then starts to turn herself and her brother away so they can get settled somewhere for the evening. As they walk, she explains these lessons. "Don't go out at night. If you have to, stay in well lit and well populated areas. Never walk back in the dark. Call a cab and make sure the driver has a shot gun. Or call him.." Pause. "Oh! And stay away from cackling alleyways unless someone in a stretchy spandex suit is with you."
"This place is weird."
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