Just a simple exploration ((open))

[ragady]

Ragady was quite new to this city, and it did have so much to offer her. So many shadows, and so many bad people. She could tell. She was in the darkness, hiding in the shadows of the alleyway, the hood to her tattered jacket over her head. She watched the few people who might pass her by with some interest, and thought to herself on what she might wish to do.

She had with her a few things she had managed to collect from the cities before her; a few syringes of sedatives she had picked up from her latest victim (something he had been planning to use on her, it seemed), sewing supplies and dagger like scissors, and three fairly good sized spools of this razor wire stuff in her travel bag. The wire was rather dangerous, but she found if she was gentle with it that she could use it to create perimeters of sorts while she slept, and she was truly fond of that. In fact, if she were to find a way to safely wield it, she was rather looking forward to eventually testing out its uses as a proper weapon.

And then it dawned on her. The perfect way to get a place to stay, the perfect use for the sedatives. She couldn't, after all, use them on anyone too big, she couldn't carry them. But if they were already where she wanted them to be...then there was no problem. She smiled to herself, wrapping the coat tighter around her form and stepping from one shadow to the next, her bare feet not minding the filthy concrete. She would keep her head down, doing her best to go unnoticed, to be non-conspicuous, which was why she hid her wounded flesh beneath the long coat.

It was time to search, it was time to hunt, and all she had to do was find someone who lived alone, someone stupid enough to leave a door or window unlocked. She was sure there would be at least one in this city. She would find them, and leaving an opening for her to come in through would be the last mistake they would ever make.


((Feel free to join in, this was just to give her something to do while out, she can always meet people too. n_n ))

[cat]

There is someone else lurking around in the darkness. Someone who is much, much better at it, if he may say so himself. Which is only to be expected - cats are simply lighter on their feet than humans are. Even humans who are good at that sort of thing. Then again, it also helps that if anyone spots him they tend not to pay any attention to a random street cat, while they might get suspicious of a random human lurking in the shadows. Especially in this part of Gotham where danger also walks in broad view. Not that much of what humans regard as dangerous are actually dangerous to this cat.

The cat's ear twists toward the sound of a human bumbling about near the alleyway he'd decided to take a brief catnap in. Granted, the reason why the bumbling of this particular human catches his interest is because it's less noticeable than most, even if it's still easy for his ears to pick out. Standing with a stretch, he hurries forward to where he can see the owner of those sneaky footsteps before she passes by.

However, he's a bit disappointed in what he sees. With Catwoman's recent legal trouble, he's found himself in a situation where finding a different person to give him things would be a very good idea. But this sneaking woman has nothing, so she's obviously useless. Catwoman had been sneaky too and had treated him like a king, but he supposes that being sneaky doesn't always make a human helpful, though in his experience it often does.

A thought forms, and is translated by his collar, "She's just another stray." But his eyes narrow slightly in irritation at his collar when the words come out - why must the thing speak his thoughts when he didn't intend for them to be spoken? Well, there's probably no harm done - most humans who hear him 'talk' assume that it had to have been another human and don't notice the cat when they look for whoever spoke. Still, he cautiously eyes the woman, taking no real notice of her appearance, his only real concern being whether or not she notices him.

[ragady]

Ragady would, of course, not notice the cat as it moved about, he was right about being much more sneaky than she could manage. Unfortunately for him, she would hear the words spoken from the collar, spinning quickly and drawing a pair of scissors to use as a weapon should it be someone of danger. It was an automatic response, as her green eyes scanned the darkness for who has spoken.

Odd, not a single human around. She relaxed, only a bit, wondering what, then, could have made that noise. She was rather sure...it had talked? Half expecting to find nothing, her eyes scanned lower, where upon she noticed the glint of eyes.
"Was es das? Eine katze?" she tilted her head at the curious thing, tucking the deadly shears back into her coat.

"Ze last time I checked, littel katze, your kind did not speak." she informed it, trying to decide if she had simply been mistaken in what she had heard. If she was correct, however, it would prove quite interesting. After all, how many people could say they talked to cats, and they actually talked back? Though it was doubtful that anyone could notice her interest truly, as her face was cold and blank. She didn't even lean down to level with the creature, simply returning the stare she no doubt received.

[cat]

The cat watches, amused, as the woman looks around, though that amusement fades when her eyes go to him. Then his ears flick back when she talks, partly because he's been found out and partly because it's obviously a foreign language. Figuring out one human language is more than enough in the lifetime of any one cat, at least in his estimation, even if those particular words are easy enough to figure out. Though his ears perk back up again when she puts her weapon away and continues in English... well, mostly English anyway.

Unfortunately for him, it wouldn't occur to this cat that someone might talk to him as if he was a person unless they already knew that he could respond in kind. Humans who don't are generally much more insulting. Therefore he doesn't realize that if he were to simply keep his collar from translating his thoughts for a bit then she'd probably be none the wiser. Instead he responds, "I'm not little." Which is true by cat standards - he's a fully grown Maine Coon tom, so he's much larger than the average cat. Of course, he's still tiny when compared to a human, but he's much better than any human so they don't count.

Taking one step into the open so that he can see (and be seen!) better, the cat's tail lashes behind him once in annoyance, though he's found that generally he only has to object once when someone says something terribly insulting to him. After that most humans treat him with the dignity and respect he obviously deserves. He watches the woman very, very carefully. She is, after all, a bigger threat to him than the other way around, even though the likelihood that she could catch him is very small if it came down to that.

[ragady]

Ragady would give a small and short laugh of amusement at his objection.
"Oh, aren't you now?" she would smirk, rather amused by the cat's indignation. Compared to her, of course the cat was rather small. But she let the remark go, dismissing her own statement with a wave of her hand.
"Ah, I can see zat now." To think, the first one she meets in this city, and it is a talking cat. Perhaps that said something about the city she had come to. Then again, perhaps it said nothing of the city.

"In response to your first statement, ja, just ein nozer stray. But I won't be one for long." she would smirk, a dark gleam to her eyes as she glanced up above, to the fire escape leading to so many apartments.
"What do you think? Is there at least one human foolish enough to leave a door or window unlocked?" she would ask, eyes scanning the windows as if she could tell such a thing from down below.

She would have to be quick, of course, once inside. Scout out the place, sedate any of the humans, contain them. Once they were awake, she could begin the questioning, gather information on the city she had come to. Then again, perhaps this talking creature before her knew something. It was worth a try.
"Meine name ist Ragady, by the way. Was ist Ihr Name?" She did find herself moving towards German more easily, a habit she usually had when speaking to herself or an animal. She did consider, for a moment, that perhaps this cat had not been around the German language enough to understand it, and decided last minute to rephrase.
"Zat is, what might I call you?"

[cat]

When she so quickly and easily repeals her previous statement, the cat is immediately appeased. No sense in holding a grudge for someone not realizing how magnificent he is on sight. That would be setting the bar too high for a mere human. His tail calms in time with his ego, soon becoming still.

His ears perk at her statement, partly because it takes an unaccustomed amount of his attention to understand what she's saying between her accent and the mixing of languages. Perhaps he should just be grateful that she's from somewhere where the language is anywhere close. But her words also grab his attention because they actually interest him: a stray human and a stray human that soon won't be are different things, after all. Of course, he hasn't the slightest idea how that would be accomplished. All he needs in order to get his life back in order is to find someone who will give him things, but he suspects that with humans getting things is a bit more involved.

At her first question, he follows her gaze up the fire escape and answers, "I don't know." A closed door or window might as well be a locked one for him in most cases. There are a few kinds of doorknob he can manage, but those are rare. Windows are either open wide enough for him to fit through, or they're not. Not that he's prone to wanting to get into human's places uninvited - they tend to not react well to that if he's caught. Then again, he's not entirely useless in answering that question because he knows something else that's relevant, "This is a dangerous part of the city for humans - lots of them out at night, lots of guns." Which means a couple of things: one really would have to be foolish to leave a door or window unlocked around here. But that also means that crime is high so there's less of a chance of drawing attention or getting caught.

Of course it doesn't really occur to the cat why she'd ask that sort of a question. Though actually, if he knew exactly what she was planning he wouldn't really care; he doesn't know anyone around here, let alone anyone who gives him things, so he couldn't care less about what any of them wants to do to any of the others. As long as Ragady doesn't try to hurt him, not much else matters to him.

When asked about his name his collar says, "People call me 63." Not much of a name, but nobody's bothered to give him another one since he escaped from the lab and he doesn't really care all that much.

[jasontoddrobin]

Jason Todd scuffed his tattered sneakers against the gravel as he strolled down Gotham's East End, more commonly referred to as Crime Alley. His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his tight, dirty jacket and ripped jeans hung off his lean form, three sizes too big. It was late, late enough that the lights from the city didn't make the smog glow like luminescent fog in the air. Late enough that even as he listened as closely as he could, he didn't hear any coughing or murmuring or groaning at all. Every window he passed was dark. He wasn't much in the mood to sleep at the moment. Not on someone's doorstep or in someone's trash at least. So he kept moving and tried not to think much.

That was his strategy. He tried to keep his mind blank, void of all the things he could be thinking about. He knew it was pointless. Thinking about all the ways everyone in his life had betrayed and abandonded him wouldn't make anything any different. Thinking about it wouldn't make the pain or the anger go away. He was walking, but wasn't really paying attention to his surroundings. He didn't need to worry about getting lost or going home. He had walked these streets so many times in the years since his father had "disappeared" that he could turn down any alley or go around any building and still know exactly where he was. These streets were his home. He had slept, ate, and lived on them for the majority of his life.

Jason managed to emerge from the thoughtless daze he had enveloped himself in far enough to realize that he did hear something else on the wind. Talking. He thought it sounded like a man and a woman, but he couldn't be sure from the jumbled bits and pieces he could make out. He began to step lighter and quicker, making his way down an alley and closer to the voices in only a few seconds. When he slowly peeked his head around the brick corner at the end of the alley, he was confused by what he saw. It was a woman talking to a cat. She gave him a bad feeling, like she was trouble. He scanned the area, searching for the man's voice he was positive he had heard only moments before.

[ragady]

Ragady would frown a bit at hearing about the area. No, she knew what it was like to live in danger. It was hard to let your guard down in such a state. She did take into consideration, then, however, that perhaps this cat would know a good deal about the city.
"Well, seeing as we are both strays, do you know where the other area is? The one where the people feel safer, safe enough to allow the likes of us to slip inside? I imagine they out to have something pleasing to a cat inside, as you would be assisting me in finding such a place. Though if we go to a place too nice, there is likely to be an alarm, though I could likely find a way around that if needed." she offered, using this opportunity to further practice her English, careful to watch for the accent. Why not team up, if the cat felt like it? He could navigate the city for her, and she could get them inside. And take care of the humans.

Actually, fellow strays were about the only thing she still had some humanity for. Well, sometimes. If they showed potential, if they proved to be of interesting character, or if they could be useful. Many "fellow strays" however, were boring and did nothing but get in her way. But for the select few who dared to talk to her, for those which may be able to help in some way or another, she saw no reason to shun them away. Nor did she expect them to stay.

Ragady did not hear Jason approach, she was currently unaware that he was there. Not that such a thing would matter too much to her. She had no idea of the Bat-family. She had no idea that there was anything in this city beyond the basic cop, and those did not tend to skulk about alleyways, now did they? besides, just because she did not know her was there, that did not mean she wasn't on guard. She could draw her weapon at any moment, should it be needed, as proven when she first heard another voice. As she had thought of earlier, living in danger means you do not let your guard down. If you do, bad things happen. If you do, it can be the last mistake you ever make. And her brother, had not been there to protect her for a very long time.

[cat]

Ragady's question immediately puts into mind that part of Gotham where he and Catwoman had played 'hide and seek' with Superman that one time. That area had been quieter and was therefore probably safer for the humans. He hadn't gone back though because it was a bit of a walk. But then again, Ragady does have a point about how she could be helpful to him. She has things like a knowledge of humans and opposable thumbs that he lacks. Therefore he's probably better off hanging out with her than he is looking after himself - at least until someone better comes along.

"I know of a place..." he starts, but then suddenly stops as his attention is suddenly drawn by the sound of quiet-to-humans but not quiet-to-a-cat footsteps that are a little too close for comfort. His eyes immediately turn to where a young male can be seen peeking around the corner. At least, he can see him - it's hard to predict what a human can or cannot see in the darkness. "We've been spotted," he informs Ragady helpfully, knowing that her inferior senses would be much slower than his to recognize the fact. What he doesn't know is if and how much that's actually a problem. Well, a problem for her anyway. He knows just how quick and easily he could disappear if need be.

[ragady]

Ragady would instinctively place her hand on her scissors, ready to draw them at any moment, but would not draw them quite yet. Instead, she would turn her head slowly to face the direction the cat was looking at. The movement was well practiced, just the right amount of speed to make the movement frightening, her green eyes glinting in the light from the street lamp pouring into the alley.
"Hallo," her words drifted out, her tone a combination of motherly and sinister, a combination that almost made the very words creep along the flesh, "Why don't you come out, mein kind?" she asked, a simple enough question. She slid her free hand from the coat's over sized sleeves, motioning the stranger towards them with a single finger and a ghastly grin. Thus was her way, after all. She would see how brave the little spy was.

[ryguy808]

Two-Face had made his way through the streets quite quickly, eager to test out his newfound technology he had easily stolen from a Radio Shack across town. It was hard to hide his face to the general public, but lucky for him, it was football season and the Riders were still in. This wasn't like him, of course, painting half his green, but he was desperate. He had been working on a special project for about 2 weeks now, one that would change the city forever...

He decided to take the East End of town as his rout back to his hiding place, there would be less cops, but at this time of night, all the worst creepers come out. As he walked, he was trying to peel the green paint off his face with his coin. He had used it many times before, the thought that fate was controlled by a flip of a coin always made him sweat, which helped with getting the paint off his face. He looked at his reflection through a window pane, good enough. He flipped his coin while he walked, it twirled violently in mid-air before it fell on his hand. He had perfected this many years ago, he had never missed once, it seemed to clam him down after he had pulled a heist. He flipped it again, this time, it went a little higher. Something wasn't right though, he hadn't traveled far, but he knew something was wrong. The coin never made it back into his hand.

He looked ahead, only to see a woman in the shadows, she looked young, but he couldn't really tell because she was wearing a trench coat. He didn't feel like going past her, but he had no choice, she was staring right at him. "It is very dangerous for a woman to be out on the streets, so many dangers" He paused for a second, letting his comment sink in, waiting for the woman to run away screaming

[cat]

As Ragady addresses the young male, the cat gradually becomes aware of yet another person approaching, and he once again informs the female that, "Someone else is coming." But while he may tout his superiority over the human species, he doesn't particularly like how many are now around, all of them strangers and only one of which he has any reason to trust.

Stepping further away from Ragady, he slips into a shadow where he can observe the situation while been less easily seen. That way if the humans decide they don't like each other he'll remain out of the crossfire - generally speaking, if something goes down in this area between humans, it's a good idea to not be in the way. The only reason he doesn't flee is because he still suspects that Ragady would and could help him, so it would be a stupid idea for him to lose track of her if he can help it. At least until he can find someone better.

[ragady]

Ragady noticed the new form approach, giving a nod in thanks to the cat. Like 63, she did not like how many new strangers were appearing. She whispered, knowing the cat would hear her,
"Stay out of site, I expect you can find me again if you wish." The threat uttered by the newest form made her grip on her scissors tighten, made her free hand move to the other pair.
She turned a sharp glare to the man, and the light from the lamp showed her face for only a moment before she took a single step back.

Vivid green eyes, that were so terribly cold, like orbs of glass more than eyes. A face, filled with stitching bruises and scars. She did note the scares he had on one side of his face. Only one side, the other side perfect. She wondered for a moment how far down the scares went, or if it was only the part of his face. Her own scars, her own wounds, covered almost every inch of her flesh, right down to her toes.

She was on guard now, if either of the forms, this or the one in hiding, dared to approach her, she would strike without warning and without mercy, and she would aim for their vital organs. One stab to the right place, that was all she needed, just one stab to one of the vital organs. And there were a few organs she could chose from. Her brother had taught her such things, mostly so that she would know how to look out for these things herself, know when to seek out a hospital. With her...condition, she was required to check herself over many times a day, and required to be able to tell just how much damage she had suffered. Luckily, that also meant she could turn it around, and knew how to inflict the most damage as quickly as possible when needed.

She gave a twitch, her head tilting to the side with a sickening crack. Her voice still reached out, crawled along the skin like the legs of tiny insects,
"Ich weiß nicht den?" Besides, it wasn't as if she had much of a choice on living conditions, now did it? She was weighing her options at the moment, she still didn't even know about the one in the shadows. Fight, or run? She'd prefer to talk, if it would avoid trouble, but she doubted that would be an option.
"What does ze one hiding think?" she asked, turning to the direction the cat had looked, alerting the new man that there was a third person hiding nearby as well. Despite turning to look at the other, she was perfectly aware of the other man's position as well.


((Hm, is Todd going to respond soon? Should we wait for him now, or assume he can jump in?))

[ryguy808]

Something didn't seem right about the young woman standing there. Two-Face saw everything, and he knew if she was walking these streets, she had some sort of weapon. It made him frustrated that she was playing games with him. She had some sort of accent, this is what tipped him off on who she was. Two-Face had heard of her once before. He did not want to say her name out loud, but he wasn't a one to be frightened. Something came to him though, she seemed innocent enough, he could use her for his plan. Although to get her attention, he would have to kidnap her, but before he did this, he would try talking to her. You seem to be lost, but do not worry, I will not hurt you, yet. He stepped out of the shadows, revealing his full figure. You seem like a person that can hide herself well, but I must warn you, I see everything, including a certain feline that I will not bother to confront, anyways, I have a proposal for you. I know I should not be doing this with a complete stranger, but I keep thinking I know you, which is good enough for me. First of all, what is your name?

[cat]

Ragady's advice only gets a tilt of an ear in her direction, as there are too many people around and she's the one that he's the least worried about. Instead he keeps both eyes on the large male now coming out into the open, while his ears twitch this way and that to monitor the young male and check for anything else he ought to pay attention to - when it rains, it pours, so he's hardly going to rule out someone else showing up.

When the male he's watching speaks, the cat listens carefully without seeming to, having mastered the art of appearing to be an ordinary cat when he feels the need. In fact, he often has a lot more trouble convincing people that he isn't an ordinary cat and shouldn't be treated like one when he wants to, so it's not hard to pull off. However, that act falls apart when he's mentioned, and his ears immediately flick back and he hisses quietly - he always did hate people who manage to notice him when he doesn't want to be.

Fortunately, the large male seems to be paying far more attention to Ragady, so the cat isn't too worried. Instead his eyes narrow as he listens to the rest of what the male says without comment; it's better to let Ragady handle this - at least until he knows what's going on. Or at least enough to figure out whether he's safe here or if he should run.

(OOC: Jason Todd hasn't logged in for two weeks - I don't know about you, but I'm not holding my breath.)