Summary:Catseye, Alex and Laynia meet in the quad at NYU. Self-Defense classes might be in the offing! Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Classes chosen, catalog finalized, all the needed ducks are in their proper rows, at least for the crazed bureaucracy of the school. Now it was just turn it in and wait. And the turning in part, it took all of five minutes.
Then came the waiting. Long long waiting. But there's nothing for it. The golden haired youth known as Alexander Aaron smiles to himself as he looks off to the side back towards the apartment building where he lives with his roommates. This time of the night, they'll likely be playing video games, watching movies, something. And though Alexander is a millennial… he does enjoy the outside.
So it's there at the edge of the quad, where there's more green than grey, with only slivers of sidewalks cutting between the grass and the small sets of trees, with his backpack set down against the trunk of a tree that he relaxes and leans back…
There's a book in his hand, opened and held at ease as he turns it just enough to catch the halo of light from the nearby street lamp. Not enough to read by assuredly, but he doesn't seem to be having too much of a problem.
Sharon isn't a student, but every college campus has stray cats, and Sharon checks up on the feral cat colonies in the city when she has time. Someone setting out food for the stray kitties probably isn't that unusual, but the fact that she has lavender hair and a kitty tail herself, and that even the most skittish of strays will meow or chirp at her, and many rub against her legs before heading for the food, well, that is not exactly normal.
Having signed up, sccessfully even, for several classes, Laynia has been home to change, and returned to get a feel for the school grounds. It would not be fair to say she's reconnoitering the place, that's so unfa—okay, she's basically doing exactly that, and but at least she doesn't look obviously to be doing so. Eyes of cinnamon shift as she ambles along, thick braid hanging to mid-back as she walks.
She's many things, unobservant, however is not on the list!
An amused smile forms, bridge of nose crinkling faintly as she sees a familiar face with nose buried in a book, she approaches, and then tilts her head as she tries to read the title of the book. "Hello again, Alex." Laynia says. "Wheel of Time - The Fires of Heaven? Is good book?" Yeah, she has NO idea who Robert Jordan is. At all.
And then her attention is drawn to the lavender haired girl - the one with the /tail/. While many look a bit uneasy about the ovious mutant, Laynia just looks interested!
At first Alexander's attention had been drawn to the curious silhouette of the young woman amongst the cats. His head tilting to the side as he looks at them all, considering the number of kitties and the number of tails and finding that they… don't seem to all add up to the proper number of cats. Too many tails…
But then that familiar voice, well familiar in that it is not often one hears such a lovely uncurling of the Russian accented tongue, that Alexander looks back and lifts his head a touch. Surprise lights his eyes and then his gaze narrows subtly. "Ms. Petrovna. Are you following me?"
His half-smile is wry but he doesn't seem to actually think she is, for instantly he moves on to the book she's brought up. "Well… it's. Not a bad book?"
Faint praise damnation!
But then he adds, "I mean. It's long? A good value?" It's also one of his roommates' books. So there's that.
Sharon tries very hard not to snort. "Is long, yes. Is also sexist and boring. Magic system in the books is inherently sexist. Women are all bitches, even the ones who are not evil. Would rather sharpen nails by rubbing them on a chalkboard than have to read again. But have perfect memory, so cannot forget them though tried very, very hard." Her grammar is a bit odd, but she doesn't have an accent. None at all, actually. It's like hearing a newscaster or actor speak.
Apparently all Alex needs to do is check out Little Odessa, near Coney Island, he'll be treated to a great deal of Russian accented speech — and a similar amount of full on Russian too. Of course, if he doesn't speak it, yeah, not so terribly interesting but still a pretty language. Laynia laughs softly. "Oh, yes. I was so enchanted by our earlier meeting that I /had/ to find you again, tovarisch." Her smile is, if anything, even wider as she makes this absurd claim.
She looks permission, and then if it is granted will take the book, careful to keep his place, and read the back jacket.
She looks to the lavender haired girl with the entire feral population of the quad as escort, and laughs. "Well, perhaps you should tell us your real feelings on it? If you restrain your emotions like this, I am told it can lead to ulcers or worse." To Cat's senses the woman smells first off of lilac, both her shampoo and soap or bodywash, second there's a faint scent of hurt, and finally genuine amusement and nary a dram of hostility.
At the commentary on the book from the kitty corner, Alexander tilts his head over towards her, smiling as she unloads with her curious pacing of words and that interesting accent/not accent. He blinks a few times and he says to her, "I didn't get that from the book," he says as he examines the spine, "But then again I can barely remember what happened in the chapter before it." Needless to say it did not leave a positive impression, or any at all rather.
Though when the wind changes she might well catch the youth's scent. She can tell he is physically inclined, the subtle scent of sweat and exertion clinging to him, as well as a tang of blood and the scent of steel. But what's more there is the subtlest hint of ozone that might tease her nostrils or tongue.
But then his attention shifts back to the blond woman, her hair almost as bright as his own, though his is a wild shock and safe from the touch of comb, most likely pushed back by his hands and left to find its own way at times. He extends the book towards her as if in offering, "I knew I left an impression, it must have been very good. I'm so flattered." He maintains that half-smile/smirk and the facade of believing she truly has been stalking him.
Sharon ticks the points off on her fingers. "Sets up universe where men's magic is inherently stronger than women's. Man's magic is tainted by dark one three THOUSAND years ago, so all male magic users go mad and slaughter cities and countries. So order of female mages strips male potential mages of power to prevent slaughter of entire cities. Does not kill them, just prevents them from touching magic and going mad. These women are the villains. All males are so scared of women with power that will not consider marrying woman with magic, so all women mages are unmarried and most lesbians. And so women with magic treat men like shit." She gestures with aggravation. "Is sexist and insulting to men AND women."
Sharon moves over to a low brick wall about chest high that holds back a hill on the other side, puts her hands on the wall, and lightly vaults up onto it, twisting as she does so to land sitting facing the two, back and swishing tail towards the slope.
"So, the book left strong impression on you, is scintillating reccomendation indeed." Laynia says with a faint chuckle. She quirks a brow as he then takes her teasing commentary as the truth, a brow arching as she straightens and finds a spot to sit as well. The smile fades briefly as she settles, and then it firms up again as she exhales and drags her braid over her shoulder to fiddle with. Long legs cross so she can sit Indian style, and she returns the book after reading the jacket. "You should be, of course. We Petrovna girls, we are very choosey about whose company we keep."
Laynia shifts her position so she can converse with both people. A smile to the lavender haired girl. "I am Laynia Petrovna." LahnYuh she says it, and she definitely has a fairly deep voice for a woman, and a noticiable accent, unlike Cat. "This sounds…not so good to me." Laynia says with a smile. "How may I call you, miss book critic and cat wrangler?"
Alexander sort of looks at Sharon with an open smile, then looks towards Laynia as if sharing some moment of a grin, before he looks back towards her and he says. "I just… remember that one cool sword fight?" Leave it to the Son of War to fixate on that.
But he then leans to the side, lying there with his hand and elbow supporting his head, turned sideways as he can now equally look at Laynia as well as Catseye. For a moment he draws his lower lip between his teeth and worries at it, eyes lowering then curiously seeking the cinnamon of the Russian woman's, as if gauging her for some reason.
But then another glance towards Sharon. "I'm Alex, by the way. Or Alexander if you're feeling fancy."
Sharon's eyes twinkle with amusement, "Sharon Smith. Yes, it is really my name." Because seriously, could anything sound MORE like an alias? It's not quite being named Jane Doe, but only Mary Smith would be worse.
"Not a student here, but volunteer with group that feeds and monitors feral cat colonies… getting kitten count, someone else will have to do trapping, fixing, vaccinating. If cats smell my scent on traps, then won't trust anymore."
"Sword fights are good things for books, yes." Laynia is clearly not too sure they're all that great in the real world, but for books? Fine things!
She definitely notices Alex's quizzical look. "Da, gozpodin?" Ooh, he's a gozpodin…whatever the heck /that/ is!
To Sharon. "Alex is true gentleman, he helped me with the registration here. Though I am having to be waiting for fall semestre to start." And no, Laynia doesn't even bat an eye at Sharon Smith. "Very nice to meet you, Miss Smith, might I call you Sharon? Assuredly you may call me Lanyia." She nods about the cats. "Is that your power then, you can communciate with cats?" She looks thoughtful. "It seem you have great agility as well…"
Alex grins and rolls over onto his belly, looking across the way towards Sharon and says, "And the tail, don't forget the tail." Though the way the youth smiles and looks between them, one might get the impression he'd look best with a tail of his own or furry ears. Something about that smile of his seeming as if it would't be surprising to see a puff of canary feathers escape from between his lips when he hiccups.
"Da, dorogaya moya." He says with what might seem like a rather well-practiced accent as his eyes thin to conspiratorial slits, his smile crooked.
Sharon shakes her head, "Is not power, just experience." Her lavender tail flicks upward with amusement, "Easier to get along with cats than people for some reason. Can hear them, cats vocalize higher than most people can hear. And having tail, they can read my body language." She shrugs at the agility mention. "Too tall to be gymnast, even if was allowed to compete, but is fun. And yes, the tail helps balance more than might think."
"Or perhaps he is flirt and rake, time will tell." Laynia says and doesn't seem all that bugged by 'my sweet'. Definitely a bit a flirt this one, that's for sure. "Seriously though - you were looking quizzical, have I done something you find curious, Alex?" Oh man, he's definitely channeling his inner Cheshire cat, that much is certain, still…with Sharon and her feline entourage he is in good company it would seem.
Cinnamon eyes turn towards the girl with the lavender hair, and she smiles. "Da, practice makes for perfect, so my instructors always say." She doesn't quite mention her own powers, though the pair of Fear God and Mutant KittyGrrl might well notice a faint hesitation. And then she smiles. "Sounds like it would be useful."
Still lying on his belly and smiling with that wry half-grin, Alexander looks over at Catseye as she tells them about the benefits of kitties and their inherent advantages. Yet there once again is that sort of half-bashful smile that he wore when he was telling her about what he liked in the book he was reading, another condemning opinion that he holds as he says, "Well… I'm kind of a dog person."
Shocking!
But he does roll over slightly onto his side as he peers over at Laynia, though still smiling, "How dare you impugn my character, Ms. Petrovna. But I found an aspect of you endearing, if you must know. Many of the young women I know would have taken exception to sitting down so leisurely in the grass. I found it… charming."
Sharon smiles, "Gymnastics? Yes, is useful, but mostly is fun. Having a tail? Is useful, but also means altering pants off the rack. Also, some jerks try to pull it. That hurts a LOT." Her tail lashes at the thought. "People also think it funny to give me catnip. Does not work, but what if did? Is getting person high against their will supposed to be -funny-?" She sounds really disgusted at the last.
"I like cats, and I like dogs, I…" Laynia looks a little thoughtful. "…I do not think I have ever had a pet." She seems surprised at the realization. A snort. "My brother definitely did not count." She goes still a moment after that, and then continues to fiddle with her thick braid
Sharon's response, however, that gets a deep frown. "Drugging a girl is never acceptable, not ever." Well, not outside of say a military insertion, or the like, there's SOME situations it is actually needed, but not that one. Nope.
She laughs very softly at the mention of the her sitting being charming. "I am in jeans, why would I not?"
The answer to Laynia is given as the youth just waving his hand to the side, as if he didn't know either, but such was the way of the world. At least with some of the people he knew.
Alexander then rolls onto his back, pillowing his head with his hands and looking towards Catseye upside down, smiling as he asks, "What does catnip do though? Have you ever tried it?" He crosses his legs at the ankles, one sneaker's lace coming undone but unnoticed for the moment. "Is it a positive thing?" Then his eyes distance in thought, "I've never done any drugs, myself. I'm always curious about the appeal."
Then he lifts his head just enough to see if Laynia has some insight.
Sharon shrugs, "With cats, catnip relaxes, makes act goofy and cuddly. Catnip has no effect on me. Had it, yes. Not willingly, but had it." She gets a dark little smile. "Threw badboy responsible out window when realized what was trying to do. Second story. Oops?" Nope, she does not sound sorry. Not the ittiest bittyest bit.
Sharon grins at Laynia, "Brothers not count as pets. Can't be housebroken."
Laynia smiles. "You are a very strange man, Alex. But is likable." She casts cinnamon eyes towards Sharon, curious about the effects that Catnip might have on the girl. "Getting high is not so bad, if YOU are the one who has chosen it. It depends on what you do, and whom you do it with, the big thing is that you control IT, once the desire becomes a /need/, that is when things are out of control."
To Alex. "I have not done many drugs, some weed, and LSD once, but that ws not something I would ever suggest for anyone, it was too much. I knew some people who like psilocibin, eh, 'shrooms'? But I did not try, I do not like the loss of control and focus. My experience is limited to mainly weed, and alcohol, but not at the moment."
She definitely listens to what Cat has to say about catnip, and laughs at the mention of tossing the badboy out a window. "That sounds like object lesson, da?" She laughs again at the housebroken comment. "Oh, da! He was…like…force of nature, Lord of Mess."
"I remember a long time ago, was walking through the mall with my dad." He looks upside down at Catseye again and smiles at her, "And there was this protester in front of this grocery store we were going to. Protesting a military action." He looks thoughtful and then adds, "So this guy starts to yell at my dad. And he's all, 'Violence never solves anything!'" Alex even sort of changes his voice a little to sound a little more wild and out there.
"And my dad told the guy, and I'll never forget this, he tells him. 'Ask the City Elders of Carthage if that's true.'" His head bobs a little then he lets it rest back on the pillow of his hands. "So yeah you prolly did right throwin' that guy out the window."
He looks up over at Laynia and frowns a little, "I have a hard time feeling the effects of alcohol. Let alone drugs. Sort of a birth condition thing." He offers in way of explanation.
Catseye looks thoughtful, "Violence is not solution, but eliminates possibilities. Can be good or bad, yes? Can eliminate good choices, good things from happening but throwing badboy out the window, eliminated possibility of my being easy prey. And always remember Old Russian saying." She grins teasingly at Laynia, and her accent shifts to Russian, her grammar shifting as well. "When a person poses a problem, just remember… no person, no problem." Then her accent and grammar shift back to normal, well, normal for her. "Don't like alcohol… smells odd, tastes awful."
"Sounds like your dad was wise man." Laynia says. When she realizes how much she's been playing with her braid, she flips it back over her shoulder, and shifts so she can lay on her side, the right one. That 'hurt' smell, Cat can sense it a bit as she shifts to stretch out, and then settles down a bit. "Myself I think tha violence needs to be used carefully. Self-defense is always permissable. Violence to quell another's attempt at it - for example shooting a sniper before he kills someone, is also okay. I think…the intent is what makes the difference, violence for sake of violence? Not so good."
She smiles. "I don't do the weed anymore, not for long time, and do not get drunk, I will drink from time to time, da, but not to excess. As I say, I do not like the loss of focus and control."
Laynia cannot help but laugh, it is a very loud, and swiftly controlled bark of laughter. "So…Sharon Smith, your name IS alias, how long have you been Bratva?"
Reaching out with a foot, Alexander casually gives a nudge to Laynia's leg as she lies out to the side, though this time he confesses to something as she mentions about when violence is permissible to be used. "I was thinking of teaching a self-defense class." Since he had, now that thoughts of training had returned to him.
Letting his head lie back in his hands he looks up towards the obscured night sky, illuminated by the city's lights. A little to the side he smiles to Catseye. "I think… I like the idea of alcohol? Spending time with friends, loosening social inhibitions? Enjoyment? Sort of like now in a way. Not to say we should go get some booze, but this strikes me as how I imagine it should be."
Sharon laughs, "No, not Bratva. But have met interesting people, yes? And perfect memory, not just for words, but tone, accent. Would make great spy, except for purple, and tail, and cat eyes, and brain turns grammar all around… so no, too memorable, lousy spy." She wrinkles her nose with amusement. "Going to private school… thinking of programming, but mentor thinks would make a good doctor or researcher." She groans at the idea, "But another six years of school? At least? Noooooo…" She clasps her chest as if in agony at the very thought.
Sharon nods to Alexander, "Is how drinking should be, yes. Not guys trying to stare down shirt. Hello? Eyes up here?" She sighs.
"Self defense? Perhaps I enroll, I am sure your class would be interesting." A wry grin. "Would swords be part of curriculum? I have always wanted to lear to fence." Laynia Petrovna - Chibi Sonja! "Here I thought you say you were student, not staff or teacher. Did you you deceive me, Alexander Aaron?" She arches a brow, haughty expression quite ruined by her difficulty in avoiding a smile.
Sharon's laugh earns her a crinkle-nosed smile from Laynia. "Is good saying from Bratva, though! Another I always like 'If you cannot spot mark in room within first minute, is you.'." A snicker at the drama about more schooling. "Someday you look back on school and say 'Oh! Why di dI not stay longer?', Sharon. Trust me."
And then when both Alex and Cat agree on the particulars about drinking she nods. "Is good this way, though yes, eyes peeking down shirt, it gets old very quickly." Not that her present shirt can be peeked down, of course, but then again they're not drinking either.
Rolling back up with a smooth twist, Alexander folds his legs Indian style and grins, resting his hands on his knees as he looks at Catseye and Laynia. "I used to study martial arts a fair amount, it'd be an informal thing I suppose." He lifts a hand to the back of his neck and rubs there thoughtfully, "Though I suppose I could check with faculty." He hmms, eyes distanced for a moment before he looks back to Laynia.
"But oh yes, I do know how to fence. It's very enjoyable. Though no, Laynia. No deception intended."
To Catseye he uncurls a hand as he speaks, "I just sort of imagine this is a moment where it'd be nice for us to be sitting here, sharing a drink, laughing…" Then he tilts his head a little, one eye scrunching up. "Though it does sometimes have people acting like goofballs. One of my friends tried to kiss me last time they got schnockered."
Sharon wrinkles her nose, "No kissing, please and thank you. Do not understand the appeal. Glad others do, someone has to have kids, but no thanks." Her tail almost bristles at the idea. She smiles then, "Fencing… fencing sounds fun! Trained some hand to hand, yes, but no fencing, nothing with weapons. Would be new." That has her tail making lazy S's of happy interest. Really, her tail is incredibly expressive, just like a real cat's.
"I have had some training, but I would not claim to being a martial artist by any stretch." Laynia is in fair shape, but no, not the sort of shape one would expect if she were a fighter by trade. "Informal is good, sort of a self-defense club, all friends, da?" She looks to Cat. "You join too, da, Sharon?" As the kitty-girl so demonstrably is interested, Laynia turns to Alex. "So, it seems you might have yourself some students wishing to learn about fencing." Laynia says with a grin. "Though…I will not be able to for another week to ten days, have some bones still knitting, cracked ribs and ulna."
She grins then at the mention of people just enjoying the night, and each other's company with some good drinks. "Da, is good night, all we need is campfire, is good time." She laughs at the kissing thing. "Kissing can be fun." She offers judiciously. "But if is not your thing, is not your thing. Myself I enjoy, but I can understand if you do not, Sharon, nor you, Alex." The last with a teasing half-glance at Alex since she's pretty sure he was talking about one of his roomies having tried whilst under the influence.
"Sure fencing, though exercise would also be a good base to start from," Alex offers, his gaze distanced as he lets his thoughts wander to the possibilities. He gives a nod toward Catseye, "But if I choose to do a thing, then I'll put it up on the bulletin board down at the Student Union?" He looks between them, "Cool guys?"
That settles that, but he does lean back and to the side a little, "I understand not wanting to deal with it." The whole kerfluffle of smooching and love and the mess of it all. But then Laynia makes her casual jab in his direction and he smirks sidelong at her, "I don't know, Laynia. Perhaps I just need to meet the right person."
Sharon laughs, and grins, "Will check the board then. For now, should probably head back home." She pops up to her feet on the narrow ledge, does a few slow back-cartwheels, then flips back off the edge to the ground, spreading her arms in the traditional gymnast's pose as she lands, giving Laynia a grin. "Should probably worry about the score from the Russian judge, yes?"
"Oh y es, exercise is very important, prowess without stamina to back it up is no use at all." And no, Laynia does NOT specify whether she's referring to kissing, or to fencing! So, yeah, maybe she's a -little- evil. But in a good way! Yes, that's it - she's the good sort of evil.
She beams at Alex. "Da, the heart likes what the heart likes, is old saying is it not?" She is much less graceful about it, but she stands herself, a moment twisting to brush some of the grass off pants, and the twist draws a sigh from her, because…yeah…ribs.
She claps for Cat's display. "Very impressive, Sharon Smith the Not Bratva Kitty Wrangler and Gymnast of Science! Many hats." She will hug the girl if she permits, and then kisses Alex on the cheek. "Hopefully there will be posting on board." A pause. "Or…do we wish to exchange numbers?" This to both. Either way, she sighs. "Alas, must head home, have early day tomorrow, have interview." Possibly, anyway. At the Triskellion. Maybe not so 'ex' spy?
Sharon grins, and returns the hug. "Exchange numbers, yes." She gets Laynia's number, then texts her with a headshot of Sharon and her name. She'll do the same with Alex, then bounce off with a wave.