Summary: Black Cat and Catwoman meet. A truce is struck.
Participants: Black Cat and Catwoman
Location:Waterfront - Gotham
Rating: PG
Gotham's Waterfront - a bevy of activity at all hours as ships come and go and cargo's off- and up-loaded. Many trucks come and go and numerous dockworkers buzz about, doing their work as is per the norm. The only thing out of place is a lone figure sitting atop one of the large buildings, watching intently as one ship in particular starts its mooring procedures. Smiling to herself, Catwoman rises from her seat and leans over, looking for the life of her like someone who is about to jump.
There's that familiar sound: someone landing on something. But in this case, it is not the Bat waiting behind Catwoman. Instead, ahead of Gotham's native and perched atop one of the higher stacks of shipping crates is another figure. Deciding that perhaps scouring Gotham for someone similar to her is too immediately difficult, she instead allowed curiosity to overwhelm her (despite advising Spider-Man days before that she doesn't succumb to such feline pursuits). Waterfronts are always interesting locales. New York's provides many items that can be fenced for a pretty penny. Why should Gotham be any different? She crouched, peering over the edge of the crates as she tries to determine what's being unloaded.
"If you've come here expecting an answer or to chastise me for what I did to your little Robin it's going to have to wa..." Catwoman murmurs after hearing the sound of footfall only to stop herself short once she looks over her shoulder. Not the person she was expecting. "Who are you," she queries warily while reaching down, about to free the whip that sits clasped at her hip. The similarities have yet to sink in yet but even then there's something about this that is equally off-putting and annoying. The whip is left in place but it should be obvious to tell that the Gotham cat is fully expecting a fight.
Whoops. Now that's definitely a slip up. She should have noticed this other woman. Maybe it's just the feel of the city that is throwing her off. Craning her neck though remaining crouched, Black Cat lifts a thin platinum eyebrow in surprise, before she stands. "Checking out the cargo," she answers. More is sure to come, her mouth opens, but she chokes back the words when she gets a better look at Catwoman.
Catwoman frowns slightly, displeased over being interrupted. "No offense but you'll have to find another place to scope out. I was here first." Territorial as any respectable cat should be, there's a possessive 'mine' tone to her voice when she says that much like one child telling another that they got to the coveted doll first. "I hear New York's a good city to work out of. How about you run along and stake out a nice little ship of your own." Sneering, the length of braided leather's finally freed from its hold and flicked, fully extended to its full length in a threat - yes, she will use it if she wishes to.
Black Cat's fingers on her right hand twitch, as she prepares the grapple line inside her costume. "Then you heard wrong," she retorts, her tone reflecting that some possessiveness Catwoman feels in regards to Gotham. She considers the weapon and its length. How fast can the other woman use it? How good is she with it? Still a little crouched, ready to use her grapple, she continues, "Have you been dealing with a little mutant girl with bright blue hair?" Might as well come out and explain herself. A fight in unfamiliar territory is probably not the best option.
There's a grin from Catwoman but over what is hard to tell. Then there's the mention of the blue-haired girl and she finds the smile faltering, her expression slightly confused. "I met someone who has blue hair, yes. Don't know why you're asking, though." Tired of this, the whip is snapped at the other woman's feet, trying to snare her around the ankles so she can then try to yank them out from under her. "I'm bored of this prattle. It's time for you to go," Catwoman intones darkly, her eyes narrowing as she adds, "Maybe I should see if you can land on your feet."
And then it's Black Cat's turn to grin. To her credit she doesn't flinch -too- much at the whip cracking at her feet. Although she does make a point of keeping her gaze on Catwoman, as though concentrating on her for some reason. "She thought I was you." Of course Cat insisted she'd never come out here because she'd never get the smell of the turnpike out of her hair. And yet here she is. If Catwoman does snap the whip again, Black Cat will neatly flip backwards to a lower level of crates, landing (predictably) on her feet. "I was curious," she says as though it explains everything.
Being as proficient as she is with it, Catwoman finds herself lost as to how she could possibly miss tangling Back Cat's feet up, the range nowhere far enough for it to be 'difficult'. Her confusion shifts to annoyance when she bounces away, the arc of the flip watched carefully as she tracks her. "Curious? About what?" She doesn't chase after Black Cat but rather walks in what might be considered a meander, her arms folding about her while the long strand of leather is allowed to trail behind. Bless her bad luck. But it won't protect her forever, and Catwoman will eventually land a blow. And with a whip... well, that's going to be harmful, to say the least. Her shoulders shrug almost elegantly, eyes on the whip, before reverting to gaze at Catwoman more directly. "Not every day someone tells me they think someone else is ripping me off," she replies. "Although..." Sure, it seems they're too cat-themed burglars. But there are differences. "...I think this is a case of 'great minds think alike.'"
There's a bark of laughter from her but she's really not amused. There's nothing humorous about it at all. "Stealing...your what? Your getup? Your...schtick? Look. I don't even know who the hell you are so how could I even rip you off of whatever it is she is thinking I ripped you off of?" The whip is snapped again, the tip angled down, this time attempting to bind Black Cat's arms to her body. "I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Catwoman." Kept short, the introduction is left only half-completed, left for the other cat burglar to finish.
There's another shrug from the black and white-clad thief, but in that instant the whip swings around her shoulders and pins her arms in place. Herein lies the problem with unconscious powers: you can't get them to work when you really need them. "No flattery? Maybe I've been hanging around the Spider too long," she murmurs. She really has to stop picking up his habits. "I'm Black Cat," she answers. She manages to bite her tongue and not offer the obvious 'sorry if I don't offer a handshake' bit. Tied up. Haha.
Feeling a little better now that she has the other woman bound, Catwoman dashes down to where Black Cat is, stopping after she gets within several feet in front of her. "I don't do flattery, dear. If that's what you're looking for, however, perhaps I can direct you to some of those cargo workers who are about to go on their break. Bet they'd flatter you very nicely." The posturing, fun as it is, grows tiresome and she is quick to undo the whip from around her torso and it isn't long before Black Cat's released. "I don't think this is going to dissolve into a fight so keeping you bound is unnecessary, don't you think?"
Hmph. Black Cat is quick to give her arms a little rub down and bend her elbows as though making sure everything is still in working order. The scowl on her face is only there for a brief moment. "I think you've convinced me to behave." Though truthfully, she cannot fault Catwoman's behaviour, even if her pride demands otherwise. She'd probably be upset if Catwoman made a move on New York.
Catwoman leaps easily atop a nearby crate once she has her whip back in place, it allowed to dangle coiled at her hip. "So you really came out here just to see who I am?" She's skeptical but it is held in check, or so she hopes, the leeriness hopefully masked as curiosity. "You do realize that this..." A hand is waved towards Black Cat and then herself to indicate the similarities they share, "...is just coincidence, yes?" Funny how that happens, yes? "Coincidence," she agrees with a nod. "I never thought it anything more." But she eyes that coiled up whip almost warily; her mask doesn't hide her facial expressions as well as Catwoman's. "Can't blame me for coming to look. If someone told you a woman in New York ripped you off, I'm sure you could out to check into that too."
Pulling a leg up, Catwoman rests her chin on her bent knee while watching her doppelganger, this time with less caution and more curiosity. "I suppose I would," she concedes after a moment, "It'd depend on how your presence was made known to me." Grinning, she pauses to give things a swift thinking over before adding, "I am sorry for over-reacting, Black Cat. I don't handle surprises very well." Shaking her head, she leaves it at that which is probably grossly over-stated.
Black Cat considers for a moment or two and then offers a clawed glove. "Truce?" she asks. She sounds sincere, at least, and her body language does not indicate she is about to do anything violent. And indeed, after the handshake, she doesn't make any aggressive movements. She takes a moment to look back down at the water front. "Gotham is your territory, then?" she asks, casting a glance over her shoulder, back towards Catwoman.
"I can't promise that something won't bring me to your city but I won't just trounce on your territory without reason, Black Cat." Catwoman says that with a soft smile. "And yes. I think we do have a truce." Standing again, she moves to step over to where Black Cat stands, she too looking out over the docks and one ship in particular. "There's a ship coming in with a small cache of drug money. I...am thinking about stealing it."
Black Cat casts her glance out in the direction Catwoman indicates. "We get a few of those in New York," she answers. "Are they as boring and as poor a challenge as the ones I get are?" Having to deal with a hero after the theft is usually the more challenging encounter of the evening, she's found.
Chuckling, Catwoman looks at her counterpart from the corner of her eye. "Depends on how well armed they are," she quips wryly. "Want to join me? We can split the money fifty-fifty." Rarely does Catwoman work with someone but the chance to do so with her 'twin' is too good to pass up. The whip is once again uncurled but she doesn't move yet, waiting for Black Cat to answer before going to cause problems for the bad guys.
"Oh, why not?" she asks, grinning. There's anticipation in her voice. Her wrist twists and the grapple line slides into place. "Lead the way." She'll have to return the favor some time, if Catwoman ever finds herself in New York. The firing of her grapple line will follow Catwoman's whip movements and soon the Manhattan feline will be following her Gotham counterpart to the target boat.