13502/Shop Till They Drop

Shop Till They Drop
Date of Scene:	07 December 2022
Location:	East Village
Synopsis:	Yelena and Natasha go shopping with a few hangers on. Everyone agrees that Christmas Music is evil.
Cast of Characters:	Natasha Romanoff, Valeria Richards, Yelena Belova, Toni Ho

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Natasha Romanoff has posed:
All the girls say hey baby hey baby hey! Having promised her, Natasha is taking Yelena shopping. For clothes and other personal items since she's been declared a real girl now and not a parolee. It means that she has an actual budget, a liscence to kill.. And the older Red Room woman with her playing backup sniper. "So do feel free to grab anything that you might think you want to try on. These places can be kind of chaotic this time of year.."

Valeria Richards has posed:
Shopping is pretty important in the lives of many a young woman with way more money. This is what brings Valeria out and about. The blonde having prepped miostly for the trip by which she meant she just dressed casually in clinging dark blue jeans with a blue leather racing jacket with the family's 4 logo on the back, some while sneakers and plain white leather belt working as accessories while a hint of her wrist computer and some gold rings on each middle finger hint she might be set for any real trouble if one knew what too look for.

What she is looking for though? Val is processing and crunching numbers for bargains on any new outfit that might catch her eye. Even if it's also already worn as she winks at one sales girl on her hunt.

Yelena Belova has posed:
Yelena Belova looks dressed to kill, in the more (or less) fashionable sort of way. A woolen houndstooth coat sits atop a rather eclectic mass of clothing. Sweater with button down tails peeking from underneath it, a midi-skirt with chains and tears set around it to give it a 'cast off' air, a pair of fishnet stockings, culminating in a pair of patent-leather, shiny Doc Martins. Her cascade of blonde hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail, wisps of hair frame her face, which is impeccably made up.

Wandering a random bit of 'on the rack' clothing, her expression is thoughtful, shaking her head as an expression of silent considerations. Every once in awhile, a hand drops to the little paper attached, listing the garment's price.

"Whoah.. and I thought prices in Russia was bad," her Russian accent is strong, which does gain some attention to other shoppers (which might be on purpose..). "This is highway robbery. Like, give me your money and walk away slowly."

Toni Ho has posed:
Why the hell is Toni Ho, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and giant nerd in this place? Because in the few times she's not in the lab at the Trisk, she wants to look -cute-. Is that too much to ask? She doesn't think so.

She's dressed in a black jumper style dress that falls to a few inches above her knees, a maroon sweater and matching tights with black ballet flats. It's chilly, but not frigid and this is warm enough. Her glasses (that totally aren't a secret HUD display and not actual perscription glasses) gleam a bit in the lights of the store.

She rounds a rack and lays eyes on the Widows. Natasha, she is familiar with. Yelena, she is not. She gets a bit of a weird look on her face before she ducks back around the rack and pretends to shop for ugly sweaters.

. o O (Oh no, she's hot.)

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would nod over at Yelena, "Yes, it is. We do have an expense account here." But, she does agree with Yelena on the 'robbery' bit. "I'm sure that they are open to negotiations on some of them. Just do remember that many of the things here are popular and prone to being bought quickly. So decide what is a priority to procure. Or at least set circumstances where you can take your time buying things."

No doubt in reference to the ways that a Widow might decide to make sure there was no competition over for anything that the two wanted. She would glance over at Valeria, "Ms. Richards, I am surprised to seey ou here. I hope that all is well." For the girl that considers Van Dyne Originals 'off the rack'.
    She's aware of Toni's placement, and presumes that the agent is out here doing the same as the rest of them - holiday shopping (and murdering)!

Valeria Richards has posed:
There is a smile as Toni wanders through Valeria's field of vision while the blonde is eying maybe some of the same items that might have been under Yelena's eye. "Hey Nat, got a bunch of preojcts compiling and building so free time. That precious comoddity. Plus with Dad back doing his thing most of the Plaza's resources went back to serving his projects. Can't hog the labs any more!" she states and grins.

Like a teen being given the keys to the garage. Sometimes they'd have to be given back.

She did wear a lot of Van Dyne, the belt ar her waist one such item. "One good trick is to come ahead of any sales, spy anything you know you want and will be marked down, and then conceal it. So when sale starts, you can swoop in where no one was looking." she suggests. "If you have an expense account, you should totally abuse it by the way." she adds. Valeria far from lacking in money herself. She doesn't even have to justify such a spend. There's way more expensive things that she;d have to do that for and it's mostly science stuff and not anything that she might wear.

Unless science goes hilariously wrong.

Yelena Belova has posed:
A single brow rises in the learning of 'expense account', followed by a general 'huh' expression as Yelena nods slowly, a whistle underscoring it all. "Best job on earth," is enthused as she redoubles her efforts in discovering that bit of 'new' that will eventually hang in her closet. "I just need something that won't show //too// much blood." Perhaps that is said a little too loudly? As if to send that message home, she smiles brightly at another shopper as she moves into the other person's personal space without so much of an 'excuse me'.

"A little is fine. Do we also have good dry cleaner on account?"

The other, well, Yelena hasn't had the pleasure of meeting, but if Natasha knows her and speaks civilly? She'll give the younger woman a quick nod in greeting. A light shrug graces her shoulders, and she posits her own theory on shopping, "Or, I ask nicely for sale to be applied at register."

'Nicely'?

"Is old trick before introduced to amazing American lifestyle." Read: Bully from GRU taking inventory. Yup.

Don't think for a moment, however, that the quick motions of the woman in black and maroon //hasn't// been noticed for the attempt at surreptitious hiding. Movement always gains attention, and blue eyes are quick to catch it. She follows the woman's progress before slowly returning her attention to the skirts hanging. With a tongue-cluck, she pulls a skirt from the rack, checks the size and exhales in a sigh, replacing it once more.

Toni Ho has posed:
Toni, unlike the Widows, is not a spy. She's not even the smartest person in the room right now because Valeria's here. Just a run of the mill lab rat with cool armor. That isn't here. She almost wishes it was, then she could hide her face instead of acting embarassing.

These swaters are intentionally hideous, and she sighs, moving along to other things. She squints at a dress, looking at the price tag. "This is insanity. What the hell am I doing here? I can't afford this stuff!"

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would turn her attention over to Toni, "Would you care to join us?" she would inquire to the younger agent. "I'm sure that we can pool some ideas here on things." She's gotten a quick impression of the obvious crushing going from the bona fide super genius to the other super genius, so the least she can do is make sure to enable it just a little bit as she gives her a look of invitation.

"Yes. The American lifestyle that we all thought was so ridiculous as it had to be propaganda. And I think that we were right on that." The American way of life? Pssh. Definitely propaganda. "But yes, now that you are an agent you have a living allowance. That is backdated to when you came to SHIELD as a parolee and indexed for time served." So Yelena has a great bit of money from out of nowhere that she can binge on. On someone else's ruple!

"there are always good dry cleaners. I'm sure that you know the same way I do which outfits are the easiest to keep stains out of and which ones that require extra work."

Valeria Richards has posed:
Hiding bloodstains is actually a valid goal, even for science types. White coats are good for showing it when you need it. But there's always a time when you might have to poke later. "Darker Autumny colors. Browns, maroons..." she gestures to said wearer of maroon and not armor.

The differences in lifestyles between a capitalist and a communist existance gets a chucke. "There isn't a system of government that won't end up with the little people being trodden underneath as long as there is a limit to the resources they need to live. Take away that limit. And the people being trodden on start feeling like lego bricks to bare feet." she points out to the redheaded pair of the Widows.

"You guys want anything, don't worry about paying. Friends of Nat. and so on." Val is that loaded she could probably buy everything.

"There's a place on Yancy Street. Uncle Ben swears by it, says it's better than anything the HERBIEs or my Doombot Pierre can do."

Toni Ho has posed:
Oh, there's crushing going on, but it's not directed at Valeria. ... Well, maybe a little. She can't help it. She likes all the pretty girls. The pretty ones with a bit of an edge to them, though. Those are dangerous.

"Wait, really?" Toni asks Valeria, almost boggling at the generosity. "I don't even know you, and I really have only seen her," she thumbs at Nat, "Around the Trisk." Friend isn't even in the same county, much less ballpark.

"But anyway, I'm Toni, I do R and D for S.H.I.E.L.D." She smiles a bit shyly, because this is hard for her. She's not great with people. "You don't have to. ... Let me get things on your dime, I'm not sure I feel right about it."

Yelena Belova has posed:
"All this," and Yelena squints at the back tags outlining the fabrics, and on the other side, the cleaning instructions. "Bah.." and once more, a shirt is replaced onto the rack. She shakes her head and takes a half-step back as if that'll give her a better vantage for the store's offerings. Particularly now that she's learned that she, effectively, won the lottery. And, believe it or not, Widows do pull in a livable wage for their particular skill set. And the fact that they're ALWAYS on call.

Ugly sweaters, however?

Yelena begins a path towards some of the more gaudily ugly; golds and silver sequened, some with LED lights woven into the fabrics...

"This," and she takes hold of a sleeve of one of them, "I have found presents. Do you think Clint Barton would like this?" It's particularly horrible, but in a festive, fun way. "I can get one for Alexei, one for.." and her voice drops a little lower as she starts the hanger flips.

As for the American lifestyle, however, Yelena looks up and across, "Was wonderful when I was child here. No ice cream man in Russia." How's that for defense of the 'American lifestyle'? "I think dya-dya drinks more because he, too, likes corner hot dog stands more than borscht." Who wouldn't prefer a city-water dog over pickled beets?

Valeria's offer is given a wave; not so much 'dismissive' but 'dismissive'. "Price means nothing." Is it that five-finger discount to which she refers? Or the earlier mentioned tactic of speaking with the cashier regarding 'sales'?

Toni's appearance, or rather, emergence into the more open spot of the shop brings Yelena's attention around. "Oh, how cute. They do come out of labs." Her voice almost coos with that hint of snark behind it. "Is okay. You are allowed. And Natasha says that there is expense account. Expense it to Director Nick Fury. He will pay all."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would smile over at Yelena. It's a rare showing of approval and almost agreement coming from the redhead. A very, very rare showing of warmth from her given out to her protege. The fact that Yelena is happy here means so much to her. It's actuallyv isible on her face.
    "I believe that is a custom, yes. You should get him a few of them. And make sure that he has to wear them and take pictures of it. Perhaps you could upt some paralytics in the cloth so when he tries it on he's incapacitated and you can get photographic proof of the occurence." She would laugh over as YElena would go on. "And it's fine. We can call it a business meeting talking with a consultant and making some contacts for future networking."
    Apparently SHIELD does have an 'ugly sweater' budget notation. Or no one's going to mind too much of some bureaucratic handwashing when it comes to getting holiday presents.
    "Get whatever you like, little one. This will beyour first proper time experiencing the holidays. Enjoy it and make real memories." Her tone soft. She remembered very well how the programming, the establishing of cover identities.. How those went for the Widow program when the girls were placed in the field.

Valeria Richards has posed:
"Gaudy sweaters are a must for this time of year." Valeria states and quickly looks around before she unzips her own jacket. Even she is a victim to the Christmas Sweater. A little undersized in the torso but maybe with too long a pair of sleeves. This is intentional design. Janet would as likely weep as much as laugh. "Uncle Ben's Aunnt Petrunia!" she explains, or blames. It's a haudy miz of Fantastic Four, and Boom motifs. Doombots Chasing HERBIESs. Candy cane 4' and DOOM Latverian emblems. Fantastic Blue and Von Doom green. All for the potential heir of two opposing dynasties. At least Reed and Doom are mostly at that old married couple style of relationship. Like Johnny and ben but more world domination as a gag. "Money only means something to those that care about it. Nice big illusion there. Goes back to my earlier point." even if it does get stolen, one way it'll get paid for like with Toni's choices.

Toni Ho has posed:
Toni did not have money growing up. Her parents split up when she was a baby, her mom worked, but it wasn't easy as a single parent. The full ride to CalTech put her where she is today. If she wasn't as good or as lucky, she'd probably be stuck somewhere, her talents wasted. Not scrounging for every last cent is new, and then this kind of generosity is overwhelming.

She turns a bit, her bubblegum pink hair shifting a bit to hide her face some. "Thank you. You're very kind."

This means she misses the SAN damage from the full blast of the ugly sweater.

Yelena Belova has posed:
Yelena's gaze flickers back to her older 'sister' and flashes a quick smile. It's not easy, and while the blonde hides it well enough, there are those moments when the feeling of loneliness hits, and coupled with a feeling of being directionless? It's not easy.

That's not to mention the traditions in the US are decidedly different than in Russia; not that she was able to actually //observe// even the most major of holidays.

The quick smile turns into a brief, staccato'd 'ha!' as she begins to pull sweaters from the racks. The name of the game will most likely be 'the uglier, the better'.

"Paralytics?" She sounds both amused and intrigued by the addition. "Will put drops in his drink. Or poison his pizza. He eats pizza, yes?" Everyone does. She nods her head, again more a response to her own thoughts than anything external, and the clothes are draped over her arm. One is set apart almost lovingly before she realizes what it is she's doing, and sets it back into the mass pile. She'll separate them later to send them on their way.

"If this is Christmas in America, is not like home." Looking like she'll have to figure out her new holiday traditions, too. Natasha is given another smile as she approaches with her current haul, "I have many memories," she reminds softly, "these will be better." She hopes, at least. "Even if I am not home in apartment for Christmas, I think will be good anyway." Work always seems to crop up; no real holidays for spies and assassins.

"Money," Yelena is carrying her ill-gotten gains towards the register, a bounce in that Doc Martin step, "means very little outside of United States where everyone chase Almighty Dollar. Everyone else? They barter. Work on farm for food. Chicken for beef. Clothes repair for potatoes. Is neighborhood that is most important." Even she's exchanged her particular skill set for that intangeable product of roof over one's head, and, well.. okay.. an emergency aircraft. Or three.

"Like, I will visit lab for drugs, and in return? I will not bother them again for at least one year." She seems so pleased by that!

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff goes to laugh quietly over at Yelena, "Da. I'm sure that he has a great many culinary habits that you can observe and learn how to take advantage of." SHe would smile predatorily. "And he could use the refresher course when it comes to remaining observant." Considering.
    "Traditions are important. They help give a sense of meaning and ritual. Of importance. They are meaningful. And I do have to give the Americans credit.. They managed to somehow in the name of commercialism come up with some of the deepest, darkest, and most twisted things that the human mind could comprehend."
    She means Christmas music.

Valeria Richards has posed:
"You want soporphics? If you're going to spike a pizza. Do not do this is New York. Everyone will know and that is what's known as a 'Dick Move' will have everyone hunting you down. "Just put Turkey on a slice. Rely on freasy food Itis" she points out that common holiday themed foods alone can wipe someone out.

"But if youw want I can probably whip up something cheap. I do enough freelance consulting for SHIELD. A better knock out drug with a good anitodte might be a fun project. Already pondering an aditive that counters most common drugs that get slipped into women's drinks." she hmms and starts going into SCIENCE ponderings. This might take some work getting her back out of it.

Toni Ho has posed:
They're talking about drugging Clint Barton, an Avenger. She almost feels like she shouldn't hear this, and yet here she is.

"I never was really into Christmas. My parents were immigrants and never really latched onto that stuff before they passed." A pause. "Egg nog is pretty good though."

Christmas music -is- terrible, though.

Yelena Belova has posed:
There are so many ways to 'spike' a pizza, and starting from the ground up. How to look like a happy baker making home-made pizza and kneading it into the dough is ground-level sort of stuff. "No one would suspect it was in pizza." Though the education of 'dick move' will have the blonde Widow looking up the term for later. Sounds like vocabulary she has to add to her list of English!

"I would offer to help teach him how to be more observant, but then that would destroy all the fun." And why would she want to do that, again? Nope. Yelena offers up a quick, innocent smile that is here and gone before she turns to the cashier in order to pay for her goods. Ugly sweaters, all that she purchases, and no doubt some are going back to Russia. Whether or not their recipients actually //receive// them is an altogether different story.

Yelena pauses and slowly turns as Valeria begins to bring out some magic words, as far as she's concerned. "Really.." She loves drugs, likes the handiness of antidotes as well. After all, she was one of the purveyors of the 'new' drug being used to help keep Widows 'in the fold'. And the antidote, more to the truth.

The credit card is pulled out, and it's a nice dusky black hue. Purchases are made, and exchange of card and bag are made. Yelena looks back at Toni now, her attention gained by the hint of a shared background. Christmas is hard! "Egg nog?" That, she hasn't yet tried either. "Is drink, yes?" She's heard of it, but only in passing. "Will try it."

Soon enough, with purchases, it's time to hit the next shop, and if there's time? The TREE. The night belongs to the ladies.