13405/Where the Coyote's Wrench

Where the Coyote's Wrench
Date of Scene:	24 November 2022
Location:	Mercy's Garage
Synopsis:	Zatanna and Gabby visit Mercy to chat and bake some cookies for the holidays. Much is discussed and oddly flavored beverages are had.
Cast of Characters:	Mercy Thompson, Gabby Kinney, Zatanna Zatara

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Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Sunday is often a day that Mercy doesn't work. Especially with some of the holidays coming. She took the day off. Save for one thing, calling Zatanna to tell her that she figured out what was wrong. The fuel filter was clogged with something. That said, she doesn't have the part and it will take a while to get to Mercy if she puts in the order. Also she got invited to get to know each other better. Gabby was asked over because... well Mercy likes to bake and this is when she tends to bake. And bake a lot. She has a big bag of flour in her kitchen. Along with other things. She's upstairs waiting on people to show up or not.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Weekends were one of those times that were busy for crime... at least until Sunday nights. Oddly enough most of the Sunday crimes seemed to happen in the mornings. Evening people were tired, and not looking forward to Monday. It was odd how things were at times, but because of this, it often left Gabby with not much to do other than catch up on her online videogaming.

Or coming to bother Mercy during a baking session. That usually meant she got treats, and really she wasn't one to pass that up.

The little Honda Trail pulls up with it's familiar engine sound, and soon after Gabby's taking the steps two at a time up to Mercy's apartment. A polite knock is given right before she opens the door to peek her head inside with a wide grin. "Hey, Mercy! I brought some drinks. No alcohol of course," she assures just because it was hard for her to get any at her age, still. "But some sodas and stuff in weird flavors. For testing."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
If she is not on a show circuit, Zee forgets the day of the week. It has its inconveniences. But she is not above porting to a timezone that suits her or porting to a location for some good baking. Good baking transcends time and space.

Without stopping to leave her shopping bags at home, the mage arrives downstairs in the garage to leave them in the back of the Bentley .

"Hello, Gabby! Nice to see you here, too. I'll walk up with you."

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Mercy heads over and opens the door, and of course already on Gabby's heels there's Medea meowing because of course she deserves treats. Her little stump tail flicking a bit off her butt. "Hey Gabby. Come on in," she says with a big smile as the two are let into the home. "You're fine drinking alcohol if you want to and I'm always curious to see what flavors you got." Then she pauses as she spies the owner of the Bentley in her garage. "Hell double Zees. Come in and get comfortable. I got spare hair ties if you all need them."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney glances over her shoulder at Zee's entrance with just a little half-jump of being startled. A quick whiff of the air puts her instantly at ease though, as well asotherwise recognizing Zee. It was easier to be used to teleporters when you expected to be around them but on occasion she could be caught off-guard. "Sure thing!" She agrees only to venture through the door into the apartment with a tip of her head back in that direction to let Mercy know another was coming, too.

Medea gets a quick loving scritch of greeting because she has to give proper dues to the queen of the house. "I could drink, but it seems kind of pointless if others aren't, too. I mean. If only because it doesn't do anything for me. Coconut rum though smells pretty great honestly."

"Nah I usually just tie my hair into a knot," she assures with a little flip of the length.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Hair ties?" Zee asks reaching to pay homage to the house familiar. "What is this one's name?" she asks, half to the cat and half to the person she deigns to live with.

"Sorry if I startled you, Gabby. Somebody once said to me, "Can't you put a damned whistle on it?"

Smiling warmly at Mercy, "Hello, good to see you and thank you for the invitation." She holds up a wine bottle. "Not knowing your preferences I brought a bottle back with me from France."

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    "Drinking can get to me just like normal. I tried it once and blabbed some secrets. After that, no more drinking for me. I don't like that loss of control." She will wait for all the girls to be inside and closes the door behind them. "That is Medea, the only cat that has no problem curling up on a werewolf's lap for attention." She has a modest home, really it's just a kitchen, an eating nook, a main area, then a single bed and bathroom. "So I just like to bake. I make some breads that I send home to my families, and I figured I would give some to a few churches and stuff around here." She looks at the win bottle, "That looks super expensive and I appreciate it, but I think you may want to save it for someone that will enjoy it more. Though I do have glasses if you want to use it here. I may enjoy a smell of it."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney swings her bag forward to start pulling out bottles of soda in various odd flavors from butter rum to cherry cordial. Never hurt to try new things. She does pause to squint at the pickle flavored soda though uncertainly before that's added to the arrangement on the table. "Might have to sacrifice myself to try that one," she mumbles.

"Ah, you're fine Zatanna. I just got spoiled in that most of the teleporters I know make a noise when they port. Like air popping." Curious she looks back toward Medea and Zatanna with a grin. "Ooh fancy drinks." Mercy's remark earns a nod of apparent understanding. "That's fair. If alcohol affected me I'd probably be careful, too. I'll give it a try if you want to have it, Zee, but... Yeah I probably won't appreciate it much myself. I mean." Here she pauses to gesture at herself as if to say 'look at me.'

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Oh? I understand. Drinking takes a certain kind of practice. My father started me early like parents do in Europe. But no matter, at all. I will know next time we meet," she smiles and makes a pass with her hand and the bottle poofs to someplace else.

"Ah, air displacement. I wasn't trying to be sneaky but I've gotten into the habit of arriving places unnoticed."

Eyeing the bottles, Zee's eyes widen at some of the flavors. Turning to look from Mercy to Gabby, "Why smell wine when you've got interesting flavors like this?"

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Mercy goes into the kitchen and comes out with two extra aprons to show to the ladies. One has the VW symbol on it and the other has in script 'When life goes rough. Fudge it up!' to offer it to either woman. "My one friend when she teleported me I could swear my ears rang for an hour that tunnel was so loud." She points at the pickle bottle, "please do not open that in my home. I've smelled that stuff before and rather not have it in here. It lingers." Grinning wide as she says, "but it's great to sabotage someone's home." She is clearly glad to have company and is happy to get to know others, "when when I got drunk I told my roommate about seeing ghosts. She mostly wrote it off a dumb drunk stuff."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney grins broadly in response. Standing straight again she sweeps her arms out as if revealing a magic trick of her own, or at least introducing the array of plentiful sodas. "I found a shop that just had ALL sorts of drinks and weird onese and stuff I've never heard of. I had to grab a bunch," she explains proudly.

Looking back she frowns at the pickle one with a nod. "Noted." It's quickly removed from the lineup by sliding it back so it was closer to the center of the table and not the main row. "I guess that would be worrisome to someone without powers or abilities. Oh, I should bring Hanako by some time to visit. I think she's getting bored in the pool house by herself. Don't really need her to go all 'vengeful spirit' again."

Reaching out she takes the VW one leaving the more amusing cup for Zatanna. "Thanks! So are you just baking bread tonight, or something else? I know there's a holiday coming up."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
With a questioning look to Gabby, Zee takes the 'Fudge it up!' apron, fitting it over her suit. "Good you warned me off the pickle flavor. Pour me whichever you like the best. I'm up for adventure!"

As she ties off the apron strings, "How goes the League, Gabby? And New York? I've been away a lot recently."

Apron donned, Zatanna asks eagerly, "What are we helping with, Mercy? I'm assuming the aprons are for your assistants."

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Mercy gets her own apron on that has a picture of the Looney Toon of Wile E Coyote holding with a big on and says 'Super Genius' with Genius struck out to say 'Chef' instead. She will smile as she ties it and says. "Well we are doing gingerbread, ginger snaps. Some loaves of bread as well. The bread we'll start with cuz it has to proof longer and some of it will use alcohol as an ingredient that you can all sip from after we got what we need."
    She will lead them to the kitchen where several laminated cards are stuck to the magnet stirp on the wall for recipes and done in order. "First is a spiced bread."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney flashes a grin at the questioning look from Zatanna while shrugging into her own apron. "Figured you could use something a bit fun." With that said she opens the cherry cordial soda to sample, as well as one that declared itself to be Thai Chili Peanutbutter.

"New York's not bad, not been too much going on. A few instances in Mutant town. The League's fine. We helped out a bigfoot the other week that was injured. Just small stuff to keep things running smooth without making people freak out at having a bigfoot rummage through their camp sites."

The important thing was being brought up though: Baked goods. With a gleeful grin she claps her hands together. "Aww yiss, bread. Is it gonna be kneaded or...? I know how to knead and my arms don't wear out easy."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"You'll have to tell me what to do Mercy. I'm good at consuming things. But I don't have a lot of practice in the kitchen. Too much traveling as a child. Hotels and all." The master magician looks a bit humbled at the prospect of baking.

She joins Gabby and pours herself a half glass of cherry cordial to sample. Glass in hand, she observes, "Good news about the League. And how did you take care of the Bigfoot?"

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Mercy gets her trusted mixer out and measuring cups and spoons so they can all get to work. "Yep. We'll have plenty go kneed and get to working. Someone will even have to punch the dough after it rises to get the air from it." She looks over as they settle up at Zatanna and asks, "So how dirty do you want to get your hands and you spend a lot time in Gotham right? I've been having to make more trips down there." She points to some walnuts she has chopped up some. "Just spreads those out on a tray for me, the matt is on it already and the oven should be warm so we can toast them up." Mercy can't resist the obvious joke to Zee's question. "Epic pedicure."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney allows herself a chuckle at Mercy's remark. "Not quite. It had an old bear trap caught on it's leg that was rusted and stuck. The only reason it was raiding camps was because it was injured. So we got it off, healed it up, and it went on it's way. She wasn't dangerous at all."

Her own drink is taken, sampled, and she crinkles her nose uncertainly. "My sister would like this," she determines with a slow, thoughtful nod. "But not really 'refreshing' as drinks go."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zee grins, wrinkling her nose at the play on words. "Hope she liked the color." Holding up her manicured fingers which gleam electric blue, "I don't mind getting my hands dirty at all."

The grin fades at hearing the Bigfoot's plight. "Good work. If it had been someone else, it probably would have died."

To Mercy: "Ready when you are!"

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    "Oh I /hate/ those things," Mercy disgust is clear and intense. "They suck, they're mean, and not the way to hunt." Gabby's ears can likely hear the faint growl in the woman's voice with her words as well. They can all begin baking up a storm.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney smacks her lips a few more times working that flavor out of her mouth. Apparently this one was not on the list of 'continue to drink.' The buffet of drinks is ignored for now as she turns to head for the kitchen to join the other two.

"Probably, but that's the point. Not every critter out there is a huge evil in need of being put down. And far as I know, cryptids are native to Earth to begin with so they have just as much right to be here as the rest of us." A small shrug is given, and she cracks a smile. "Plus I had to check and make sure it wasn't a distant relative or something. My dad's kind of... hirstute and feral at times," she explains jokingly. "I agree on the bear traps though. Just a shitty thing in general."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Snorting a laugh at hirstute, Zatanna joins the parade to the kitchen. Measuring her words, "Mercy and magic are often not said in the same sentence. Much to my chagrin. I'm glad you saved her."

Shoulders back at attention, she salutes Mercy, "Chef, tell me what I can do first, please!"

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Mercy moves with grace and is polite in asking for help or directing the others for getting the list of things done. She has a few timers going at once between one dough proofing, getting another kneaded and then putting one in to bake, least that's her plan. "You're gonna talk about harry and feral in my home," a single eyebrow raised at Gabby with a wry smile under it.
    "Well we got some nuts that should be just about toasted. The oven mitt is there. Once we get them out they need to go into the dough that should almost be done rising in the green bowl with a towel over it. After that I will get the cookie dough going. Not the fun, eat while raw kind, sadly." She will head over to one of the bottles Gabby brought with a few glasses to pour out equal measures and hand a glass to each of the others. "Cheers."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney spreads her hands helplessly in response with a wry grin cracking easily. "Hey when he goes like that people tend to die... uh. Maybe I shouldn't share that family history. He's definitely hominid though. And any cookie dough is the edible kind to me~"

Hearing about the nuts she turns to go for the oven only to pause. Her eyes narrow and she looks side to side seeking out the oven mit while already half-way reaching for it. "I should. Uh. Mit. Yes. We don't need the smell of burning skin."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Cheers," Zee wishes the others and drinks. Glass put aside she returns to the tasks assigned to them. Gloved with the mitt, she gingerly takes the tray of toasted nuts out of the oven and puts them aside to cool.

"So speaking of hirstute. How did you learn or come into your heritage, Mercy, if I'm not intruding?"

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    "Gabby you do remember about my foaster family right?" She will try to stop Gabby from eating any dough, "It won't taste right. They do weird science stuff to make buckets of the raw cookie dough. You won't get sick being you. But I need the batter and it will taste better after cooking. Trust me."She goes and gets a small secret stash of cookies, "That said. Here's some from the last batch if someone gets munchy. I just ask you eat them in the nook not the kitchen, please."
    Mercy gives a soft laugh, "What does body hair have to do with being a mechanic? I mean sure the guy who taught me could get some epic tufts in his ears," she is of course having fun. "

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney steps aside to let Zatanna get the hot item out of the oven she was about to go for without a glove. Her hands tuck back by her sides, fingers wiggling at the edge of her apron as she eases back. Best not to do that. "That's fair enough. I try not to eat food others are going to be eating, anyway, that's just rude. I do have some sense of hygene after all," she assures while moving to the sink to wash her hands now that she'd got that idea in mind.

"I remember. Werewolves, right? There's some kind of running gag that my dad might be the missing link though, because he's so old and can't remember a lot of his past. Pretty sure he was in both world wars," she explains with a little shrug as she moves to dry her hands before moving to the next task.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zee wrinkles her nose at the idea of hairy ears in a human man.

"Eh, it does happen. Does that have something to do with mechanical ability?" she asks drily.

She steps back from the cooking for a moment, her glance traveling between the two women. "Not all werewolves are mutations, are they? In my tradition, we assume they are magical in origin but a scientist might beg to differ with me."

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    "Well some of them were, not all. My foster mother was human, my father wasn't. But I grew up among the pack," Mercy offers to Gabby to help remind, and maybe give Zee a few clews. She laughs as she works and hands over the green bowl to Gabby. "The alpha in my foster father's pack I'm sure is older then your dad. Unless your certain your father predates this country." She taps the bowl. "Punch it down and mix in the nuts please. If it gets sticky use that flower there in small amounts. Punch not slay." Tapping Gabby on the nose with the last bit of advice.
    "No. I'm just a mechanic by passion and choice, Zee. I went to school to be a history teacher, but failed my first interview. I didn't want to go back to my mother and her step father. So I got a temp job at a garage. I already knew some stuff, but I was taught a lot more." She shakes her head in answer to the question. "Not at all. Most are not and can learn to control it. It is hard work and the pack I grew up with police their own if they get a.... feral. Sad but it happens. They do have magic of their own but it's subtle. The pack song. The shadowed hunt. Stuff like that." She shrugs as she answer the mage. "But before you ask. I am not a werewolf, and while I got nipped a few times. I never became one, nor born a werewolf." A glance to Gabby to warn her friend from spilling the secret. Mercy is having her touch of fun as she bakes.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney pauses at the question to shoot a glance to Mercy to let her field that one. She was the expert, after all, when it came to werewolves. A nod is given here or there as she listens, and reaches out to accept the green bowl. "Honestly he might. Though he's Canadian originally. But heck, he apparently had a relationship with Hercules at one point."

"As for the mutant versus magical, I can't speak to that, but one of the girls I knew at school was a mutant werewolf. Her step-dad was a real piece of shit, too. Catholic priest, beat it into her head she was an abomination from Satan and a sinner because of it. Great gal, just no self-esteem and terrified of her own abilities. Seriously though. I'm not sure where the line from magical to mutant comes into play in this case. I mean, she was born that way. Mostly, mutations are very, very random, even when in a family. It's rare that the same mutation runs through the family line."

Gesturing vaguely at herself, she indicates, "Mine are the same as his because I'm a clone. Genetically engineered, etc. But most of his biological kids do share similar mutations as to him. It's a..." She pauses to smile warmly, "As a friend of mine would say, 'a conundrum.'"

And the dough gets punched, with nuts being sprinkled in to mix them. No claws involved.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
A subtle smile edges the corners of the mage's lips, scenting she is being toyed with she reaches for the pan of nuts and shakes them, not inclined to push for information though still curious.

"Most people would think that growing up in a pack, be it wolf or some other animal, magical. I would. Magicians or mages, at least in modern times, tend to be solitary types. Though my mother's people live in a community. But, hidden from the world - so, I guess solitary, as well."

Zee nods slightly, listening to Gabby. "It goes round and round and becomes a conundrum. Ergo, magic." She gives them both a sudden grin, saying, "I am the bane of scientists."

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Mercy is working with a wooden spoon to scrape up a bowl for later as Gabby talks, listening to her friend. CRACK the spoon loudly snaps in Mercy's grip as the talk of the mutant werewolf abusive father. "Old spoon," she offers simply and will pull it out to add to get a new spatula and be sure very carefully no wood is in the dough.
    "Well I get all my weirdness from my biological father, and while I don't have some fancy blood or DNA test to point to. I would bet my business I'm not a 'mutant' in the sense the idiots like to use that word as an insult. I showed my situation to my mother at three months. My father was Black Foot," offering that to Zatanna as she finishes with the dough, finds a sliver and puts it aside. "Not risking splinters. We'll start over." She looks over at Zatanna, "The hard part with growing up with that kind of magic and family is a subtle thing. You fail to learn what everyone else thinks is normal. So say, you can see ghosts or something, it may be when you're in middle school that you even realize that not /everyone/ is seeing them or can be heard by them."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney chuckles quietly, "I guess that's one way to put it," she agrees with Zee. When the spoon snaps though she looks over toward Mercy giving a single nod in apparent understanding. "She's doing much better these days. More comfortable in her skin, either way. If you see a big red wolf that's probably her," she explains with a chuckle. "Maybe I should introduce you some time."

"You met Rien at least once before, right Zee? She's homo-magi. Mom was a witch, dad was... dad. Older sister of mine so she got the magic and the mutation. Helped enchant my claws too so I can help out more with the magical side, which is great, but I have to renew the spell every solstice."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Zee's mouth opens in an unuttered question when the spoon snaps in Mercy's fingers, she watches the silent exchange between the two other women and leaves it unsaid. She contents herself with, "That's good to hear."

Turning her attention back to Gabby. "Yes, once, some time ago. Though..." Zee pauses, eyes losing focus as she remembers the occasion. "...we hardly had time to talk." She looks up from her reverie, neglecting to mention that she felt distinctly disliked by Rien.

"There are not many homo magi in the world, sadly. Rien has a unique heritage, too. As you both do." She adds, nearly smiling, "Our group is unique in a lot of ways, too."

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    "How big," asks Mercy to Gabby about the wolf. "My definition of 'big' for wolf starts about here at the shoulder." Mercy holds her arm to about rib heigh on most women, "usually weighing over a few hundred pounds of muscle as well." She hesitates about the introductions, "If you think she's like to meet me, then sure. Just. Remember that wolves don't always share territory well and sometimes I trip those instincts."
    Feeling she's getting close to lying, something Mercy doesn't overly care for doing she shakes her head. "I am not sure I am unique. Though," she says with a sad sigh as she gets the second round of cookie dough going. "I have yet to meet someone else who is what I am. Not even close," She looks over at Zee. "Seems 'white man' did a number on my father's people and we're kind of hard to find now. Unless you know someone else who can turn into a coyote in an eye blink since three months old?" She steals an errant nut to pop in her mouth and crunch, "Try some." Encouraging the girls to steal a bit and break the 'no eat in the kitchen' rule. Seems single bite items are allowed.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
"And that," Gabby states pointing toward Zee with one flour covered hand, "Is exactly what I want. I want us to be diverse. Not everyone knows everything about everything, much as they might want to. Sometimes a speciality in one area may be useful in one they didn't anticipate. The best way to be able to handle unknown issues is to have lots of resources. Of various sorts." Her hand drops to resume mixing with a chuckle. "Though really that's just kind of how it worked out."

A nut is popped into her mouth to cronch on while considering Rahne's wolf size. Her hand lifts to just below her shoulder height, but given the height difference it wasn't too bad. "Big to me," she admits with a shrug. "I know I'm directionally challenged though."

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Coyote rivets Zee's attention but she pretends otherwise, perhaps sensing that Mercy might be as shy as some of her ancestors. She contents herself with saying, "Not many can claim that. Big or small. The Europeans coming to America and the subsequent ravages on the people here is not anything to be proud of."

She pops a nut into her mouth, following Gabby's example. "We have a wide range of strengths and are lucky for it."

The phone in her jacket pocket, buzzes quietly. "Excuse me." She removes it and swipes the screen, reading it for a moment with a frown. "It looks like I'm going to have to leave earlier than I anticipated. Visitors at Shadowcrest. Mercy, thanks so much for the invitation." She smiles at both Gabby and their hostess, "It was good spending time with you both. Will you excuse me?"