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It's a cool night in the city, the storm front coming in making it a bit unseasonably cold. Much to the annoyance of certain cold-blooded denizens of New York, particularly the gorgon kind. Delphyne is a bit bundled up, wearing a warm looking jacket over her shirt, her snakes pulled up behind her in a scrunchie so, in the darkness, she doesn't look /too/ different than a normal human. Of course, when she walks under a streetlight, the green skin is a pretty big giveaway. Really, she looks like she's walking down the sidewalk, just heading to Mutant Town, though there's a slight limp in her step.
*
Josephine is just getting off a bender. She's a pretty enough girl but most people wouldn't think about that right away on seeing her. She's not quite the current beautiy ideal. A little leaner. A little more athletic. About 5'5" but with a presence that makes her seem another foot taller, perhaps two. The clothes Josie wears are the popular youth fashion of a decade prior, now really only seen in counter culture teenage and late twenties rebellion. Almost ten years have passed since "Rebel Without a Cause" came out. Her jacket is black rather than red but the blue jeans are a classic.
The brunette is jocular in expression but she's a tense network of frenetic energy, movement wound tighter than a steel spring and ready to explode outward. Despite the smile she might be given to violence at any second. Of course, that might just be the stereotypes talking. She is standing next to a Triumph T100 motorcycle, after all.
"…I must be more blitzed than I thought I was," the woman mumbles, tiltign her head slightly as she does. "Shouldn't've kiped off with that cat's forty but anyone jumping bad at a girl my size deserves what he gets anyway." She frowns, slowly straightens and takes a deep beath. A long bundle covered with a cloth is withdrawn from her saddle bag and she starts to walk after Delphyne.
"Hey! You!" There's a slight swaying to the woman's gait. She's flushed. One would be forgiven for thinking she is drunk. Because she is. "… Wait a sec. Did you eat a schoolgirl? …Do Gorgons eat people? Get back here!"
*
At the shout about her being a gorgon, Delphyne pauses in her stride, and looks over at the drunk woman yelling after her. She tilts her head, "Excuse me. Why would I need to eat anyone to obtain clothes?" She looks at the approaching woman with a hint of confusion, and possibly mild disdain as she stands a few inches taller, seeming not terribly impressed. "Is there something I can do for you?"
*
Josie stops short. Did we mention she's wasted? Because she's wasted. "Wait. I knew… That." Her brow furrows for a second and she shaeks her head slowly. "So. Yeah. You can help me out, sure. You look like a nice skirt. So's, I was going to give you this survey. So you're in New York City. Question one. Are you here to A) Turn anyone to stone or perform other monster-like functions or B) Have a good time?
"Question two is if you're, um. Safe dressed like that wandering around here in the middle of the night. Because people be ripping off righteous chicks like you all the time out here, dig?" Josie blinks, reaching up to scratch the back of her neck. "Take your time. There's no wrong answer. To the second one. The first one only has one right answer, really. Are you actually, like, a real Gorgon?"
*
When she speaks, it's with a pretty thick accent, mostly Greek, but a hint of something… else, it's hard to specify. Then she smiles a bit, "What makes you think I wouldn't be dishonest on the first question?" Okay, normally she'd be angry about this, but considering that it's a drunk that actually knows a little something, she's deciding to humor the new arrival.
"First, I'm here to explore the city and learn more about this world. I don't intend to turn anyone to stone, but if I have to defend myself…" She grins, "As far as number two is concerned, I've been trained by the best, so I'm pretty sure I can deal with any fools that would dare attack me." A pause, then she looks at Josie, "And I'm descended from a bloodline of them, it's a bit of a story."
*
"In my experience you wouldn't bother lying. After you called me out you'd try to rip off my head or something. You know how it is. This is a lot more pleasant by the way. So thanks." Josephine flashes a bright smile. It's actually ratherp leasant, softening her features and allowing a moment of gentleness to poke through. "I'm all for a girl protecting herself. If a couple assholes try to grab you then right on. Statues."
Josie gives a brief thumbs up then and shifts her wrapped bundle behind her back before taking a deep breath. "Traiend by the best? Hm." The young woman nods at this, tilting her head sligthly as it does. "And descended from Gorgons too. That's… PRetty cool. You're from Greece, right? Would you be willing to tell me a little bit about it? I'd offer to escort you home but you can already turn guys to stone, but I could buy you a drink?"
*
Del tilts her head, "Actually, I need a bit of help to turn someone into a statue, but I figured I'd just beat the daylights out of them, as you say around here." She smiles back to Josie, her own expression softened by that as (aside from the green and the snakes) she looks like any other young woman. "Not exactly from Greece, though that's a bit of a story. Though you could buy me a drink, certainly. It isn't often I see someone that actually recognizes what I'm descended from. Most just shout something about 'muties'."
*
"Not looking to choose-off any mutants either. Pretty much, you do you and no one gets hurt then I'm copacetic." Josie shrugs her shoulders, studying Delphyne's expression thoughtfully as she turns to survey her surroundings. A deep breath is taken and then she slowly exhales, nodding her head. "Okay. Is there a place you like? Otherwise there's a friendly place I like a little ways off. Would be easier if we take my bike when we jam but I'm hep to walk." Josie just left a bar but she rather pointedly doesn't suggest it for some reason. "And if you're not from Greece with that accent… Okay, now I really want to hear this story." Josie takes a deep breath. "Sorry about the whole screaming at you thing. Bit of a tense night."
*
Delphyne nods slightly, "Apology accepted. If you have a bike, then we can take it to the place you speak of." She apparently takes Josie at her word that the previous bar isn't one for returning, and hmms a bit, "I am not terribly familiar with taverns around here, so I would defer to your judgment in that."
*
"Right. I know a choice place. Let's go then," Josephine responds cheerfully, nodding as she does. The young brunette pivots on her heel and stalks back to the sleek back motorcycle nearby where she hurriedly stashes the bundle she'd been holding onto. Afterward she rearranges her bags sligthly and gestures to the motorcycle. "Just hold on tight and don't be afraid to lean into me, hey? Have you ever played billiards?" There's enough room for two people on the bike if Delphyne is willing to get reasonably cozy. Neither of them is a giant.
*
The gorgon actually smiles at that, "I am familiar with motorcycles, though I do not actually have one of my own." She sits on behind Josie, placing her arms around the girl to not only hang on, but to steady the girl a bit since… well, Josie does seem to be a bit intoxicated at the moment, "Though, I am not familiar with billiards."
*
"You've never been to a real bar, have you?" Josie asks, making a wild leap after glancing over how Delphyne is dressed once more. She takes a deep breath and then nods once. "Let's get ready to lay some scratch." Nimble fingers snake into a saddle bag and Josephine produces a small, transparent flask full of similarly transparent liquid. She downs it then tucks it away.
A moment later the engine rumbles. Josie leans into the bike and Delphyne into Josie. At this distance it isn't so cold any longer. Better yet, Josie smells only faintly of alcohol. Primarily it's flowers, really. Lilac. She isn't even that unsteady any longer. The effects of her intoxication must be evening out.
Josephine hits the acceleration pretty hard. The pair zoom down the mostly empty streets, weaving nimbly through side streets instead of past lights. She keeps picking up speed, apparently not ocncerned with the possibility of crashing into something.
*
The gorgon clings pretty tightly to Josie, leaning her head forward as she shouts over the noise of the engine, "Is this /entirely/ safe?" She doesn't seem too terribly concerned, but hey, if she didn't ask… plus, well, humans are a little less durable than gorgons…
*
"I'm striking a balance between safe and fun," Josie calls back over the engine and the building rush of air around them. Her hair is whipping through the air. "Don't worry, I won't let you get hurt." Josephine's confidence is gentle and infectious. She certainly isn't terribly worried either. "I just hope your snakes don't get carsick whipping around like this!" It isn't too long of a drive but Josie did pick a bar that was further away than it needed to be. Racing around on a motorcycle is enjoyable.
*
Delphyne laughs in Josie's ear, "I'm more worried about you! But no, the snakes are tied back for a reason." She hmms, "Well, many reasons, but I never thought of /that/ one." She doesn't seem to mind the ride at all, letting Josie do the work as she just hangs on.
*
"Hey, if I crash my bike and wipe out only one to blame is me," Josie responds, laughing as well. it's a sweetly musical sound and now that she's elaxed Josephine is actually rather mild, in tone and bearing. "Enjoying? I mean. Full disclosure we passed the bar twice already." The grin is evident in the young woman's tone. "We were talking. I guess we can actually stop and get that drink now."
*
Delphyne blinks, then chuckles, "Most people don't try so hard to keep my company." She smiles wryly at Josie, "I would ask if you pick up all gorgons like this, but from your reaction I suspect I'm the first one that you have seen." She looks rather amused, and not at all upset.
*
"Sounds about right," Josie agrees amiably enough. She is pulling into the parking lot of a fairly nice bar that is slightly run down for effect. It isn't the only motorcycle. Josie ooks back at Delphyne as she slides down from the bike, taking a deep breath and rolling her shouulders as she does. "I mean. Not just to keep your company," she allows then, though the sly grin hasn't left her features. "You were already coming here with me anyway. It just seemed like you were having fun and I didn't want to interrupt. It was only a couple extra minutes anyway, right. We really burned some rubber on the way here. Why, should I be trying to pick up gorgons…?"
*
The gorgon slips off the bike, and smiles wryly at Josie, "Why indeed would you try?" She hmms, her own grin going a bit sly to match Josie's, "If you are a huntress of sorts, I can definitely respect that. But tell me more about this billiards?" Her eyes dance a bit as she walks towards the bar, looking at it with curiosity.
*
"I should phrase that question better," Josie notes before shrugging slowly. "A huntress? You could say that. But alright… Billiards. I'll show you, even." Josie opens the door for Delphine and then looks up at her with another of those quiet smiles before gesturing to the bar. It's a slightly more upscale version of a biker bar. Everything's clean and the lighting isn't bad. Nothing's broke. But they've gone for that 'decor' and the clientele reflects it. Josie leads the way toward a pool table.
"Basically you set up the balls in a triangle and then you take the white one and try to, um, poke i with this stick and get it to knock these other balls into the pockets. …Oh, hey. that guy's playing a game. Let's watch him." Josie is going to attempt to gently maneuver Delphyne over toward the table in question so they can watch the balls be racked and broken. "What would you like to drink?"
*
Delphyne considers, "They would not have wine here…" Not like home, anyway, but back home they also have, "Is there ouzo? If not, then whatever you are drinking. I'm not terribly picky." She smiles over at Josie, and watches the men playing billiards, eyes narrowed a bit as she seems to study every detail of what's going on.
*
"…Ouzo," Josie responds tonelessly. "No. I'm afraid not. Um. Okay… Sure! Hey, can I get two bottles of Old Dutch?" Josie wanders off only to soon return with a couple of bottles of dark beer. Sherejoins Delphyne to watch the game of pool, offering the Gorgon a drink. there are people side-eyeing the green skinned woman but no one has actually been confrontational. People avoid her somewhat, of course, but that is difficult to get around. Josie sips her beer, an eyebrow lofting as she considers for a moment. "Do you want to try playing a game? And then we can talk a bit about that thing. if you're not from Greece then where are you from?"
*
Delphyne takes the drink with gratitude, "My thanks. And I am from… hmm. Tell me, are you familiar with Amazons?" She opens the bottle and looks at Josie, then smiles, "I think I understand the general idea, so… sure, let's play." She lets Josie lead the way, looking a bit relaxed as she doesn't feel too out of place.
*
Josie has a slight swagger as she walks over to the table, sipping her beer as she goes. "Alright. That'll work fine.. We're not betting anything." She shrugs her shoulders, raising her sshoulders as she does. "Okay, I'll set up to play." While she racks the balls Josie shifts gears, "I'm familiar with Amazons. I mean, kind of. Lay it on me? She requests gently. "In case I have it all wrong. Apparently I may have been wrong about gorgons too." She flashes another of those smiles.
*
Del twirls the cue as if it were a battlestaff, then adjusts her grip as she sees how the other people are holding theirs. Then she hmms, "The Amazons have secluded themselves from the rest of the world, Man's World." She smiles a bit, "There are not many gorgons, though. We are descended from the last two, who took shelter on the island from the predations of Men." She smiles slightly, "That is a brief version. There's a lot more history, of course." Then she sips her beer, and nods, "A good beer. Will have to remember this."
*
"Don't fight with a cue like it's a staff it'll break," Josie observes, though she's smiling more when she sees those mvoements. "Just hit them in the head or poke 'em in the eyes." She takes adeep breath and then exhales slowly, lining up the cue and considering the balls. "Okay, let's see." She shrugs her shoulders afterward. "Alright, let's go." Break th balls, sink them into holes. There are no rules other than the most basic. Josie is a pretty gentle instructor. "Okay. that makes sense. I mean, mostly…" A beat. "So you're an Amazon Gorgon?" SHe squeaks, tilting her head as sheconsiders the table. "What's it like living with Amazons then?"
*
The gorgon smiles, "Disciplined. I was, well, am, part of the royal guard." She leans in at the table, then breaks with hard but not overwhelming force, straightening as she watches the balls scattering about the table. "I was raised among them, trained to fight from an early age." Her eyes drift over towards Josie, "They elected to send me, and others, into Man's World, to see how things have changed over the centuries."
*
"Man's World, mmm." Josie lines up now, taking a shot and sinking one of the balls. She circles the table and gestures for Delphyne to go. She isn't competing right now, not really. It's just a chnce to learn. "I figure we can play a more serious gameafter we've gone through this once or twice. So… It's basically all chicks, right? That's the whole Amazon thing but I don't know how much I've heard is true," Josie offers, tilting her head. "My life growing up was pretty disciplined too. Not that you can tell,r ight?" She gestures to herself and her clothes. That smile's become an actual grin now, showing off her perfect teeth and slight overbite.
*
Delphyne smiles, "I could sense a bit of it, huntress. The fact that you were not nearly as inebriated as you seemed was a clue by itself." She chuckles a bit, then takes aim and misses making a sink, hitting the cueball with too much force so the ball bounces out of the pocket instead, "Hrm." She glances back at Josie, "But yes, no men are permitted on the island."
*
"I mean. I was blitzed. I kind of took care of that though." Josie tilts her head then and scans the table one more time. "You need to have some finesse. Let me show you?" The smaller woman moves up beside Delphyne, arms flanking her as she leans close. "Just like this. Right?" They are about as close as they were on the motorcycle in an instant. Assuming Josie isn't slammed into the floor first. "Anyway, I drank something that cleared it right up."
*
Delphyne hmms, and actually seems to be listening intently to Josie. Or at least, if she minds or takes it the wrong way, she doesn't say anything in favor of paying attention. "Ah, I see. So I should not use /that/ much force." She smiles a bit, "Finesse." Her eyes shift sideways, looking at Josie with an amused expression.
*
Josie arches both brows then, tilting her head slightly. She doesn't seem to get the joke. "Right. Like this." She guides Delphyne through the next shot, breathing slowly and carefully while she does. Josephine's pulse is a little quicker than one might expect but her movements are calm. She still smells of lilac and faintly of beer as well. Their eyes meet briefly and Josie blinks. "Okay, I am definitely missing something. Speak your piece?"
*
Delphyne grins slightly and just murmurs, "Your heartbeat is a bit fast, is all." Why that's funny, she doesn't exactly elaborate, though she tilts her head, and makes the shot. This time, it's a nice, gentle tap… with just enough momentum to knock the 11 in the side… and set up a shot on the 7. "Like that, then?" Which could have a double meaning, depending on your point of view, as Delphyne smells a bit like that beer, but more like herbs and spices… almost like she was recently in a Greek restaurant and just absorbed the essence of it.
*
The comments about Josephine's pulse racing only seem to have the girl more sheepish and on edge. She nods, however. "Like… That. Yeah." It's actually hard ot tell if Josie caught a second meaning to those words as she gently releases Josie and moves around her to the other side of the pool table. "You are going to be great at this game," she mutters. "I needed someone else to lose to," she adds, the smile never fading.
*
The gorgon smiles back, warmly, "Well, I suspect you are being easy on me, mis…" She blinks, then moves over to stand by Josie, "Ah, forgive me, we've been talking and I have not yet asked for your name." She smiles and extends a hand, "I am Delphyne." Her eyes flicker to Josie's, as the taller woman looks intrigued by the shorter one, for a variety of reasons.
*
"Josephine. Josie, usually. And I didn't ask for yours either," the woman notes reasonably. "But there. We've fixed that. Groovy." Josie takes that hand and shakes it. She's stronger than one might expect. Then again she's been designated 'huntress' by an Amazon, so perhaps not.