13905/Cat's in the Cradle with the Sparkly Doom

Cat's in the Cradle with the Sparkly Doom
Date of Scene:	20 January 2023
Location:	Gotham Wax Museum - Amusement Mile
Synopsis:	The Cat, an Ospray, and some Tipsy Magical Women end up in a cat exhibition...
Cast of Characters:	Talia al Ghul, Selina Kyle, Zatanna Zatara, Austin Reese, Meggan Puceanu

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Talia al Ghul has posed:
The Gotham Wax Museum has put up a notice that they're having an exhibition of one of the largest cat themed memorabilia in the United States. Felix the Cat clocks. Cats Eye diamond earrings. Stuffed cats. Cat sculptures. Cat carvings. Cats sewn as pillows. Body pillow cats. Anime cats. Even some old Garfields.
    Several thousand items are being put in the rather notoriously 'easy' Gotham Wax Museum with the museum's normal displays put back in storage for this short term exhibition.
    It's late at night, security is barely existant, and the displays have all been put out.

Selina Kyle has posed:
It's predictable, it matches almost perfectly to her M.O., and it's likely a trap. Not that Selina cares, of course. The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

Breaking into one of the top floor windows from the roof is child's play for Catwoman. Alarm system? A pair of needle-nosed pliers and snips, and she gives it the night off. With the regular exhibits in storage, the cat-burglar peruses the top floor exhibits like a proper tourist.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
After a rather heady bottle of wine brought from faerie, Zee is tipsy enough to consider a late night foray to the Gotham exhibit. Giggling like a teenager, Zee pulls Meggan by the hand through the portal, leaving a dead bottle spinning on a table and candles guttering in the vast library.

It's not a discreet arrival - a purple line sizzles into existence in the exhibit hall, out of which a booted foot appears followed by a woman in tailored black. "It has to be hyperbole, calling it the biggest collection of cat foo in the world. I bet the Japanese have a bigger one, somewhere."

Austin Reese has posed:
Honestly who would own that much cat stuff? Austin likes cats. Hell Austin owns a cat, his adorable little Dorito that he would fight anybody to protect, but that's..That's a lot of cat stuff. He was looking at the exhibit's description on the webpage on his phone.

He had, at the very least, wanted to check it out. There was too many themed crimes in this city to let this go un-observed. He was on a rooftop across from the museum. After he put the phone away, he looked across to the rooftop of the museum. After the figure disappears through the top floor window, Osprey follows after a few moments, landing on the window sill just in time to see the bright purple line. He drops down and takes cover, having no idea what the cause is at first and not wanting to get spotted until he knows what the hell is going on.

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
Afterhours visits to places she shouldn't be? Sign Meggan right up. As fair as Zatanna is shadowy, Meggan slides up right behind Zatanna. Her white hair falls to her waist in a pair of braids woven with delicate wire that might have a battery pack hidden somewhere to account for the occasional sparkle or glitter. Curb-stomping boots make a good accompaniment to the magician's style; they share a like for that kind of footwear. "In Gotham? Why? Are they building a new temple to Bast?"

The flick of her fingers dashes a glass out of the way, putting it on some forgotten pedestal that explains a less than exciting wax exhibit where no one will notice. Unlike Zee, she isn't drunk. Can't be. But faerie wine has another set of effects, leaving a faint frostiness to the air around her.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
As the magical girls go to pop their way in, they go past a pair of full size lion plush toys. Easily the size of a bed, with diamonds for eyes and sparkles alla long thier frames. A series of Felix the Cat Clocks all let out a 'woohoo' at the hour. Several hundred carefully sewn cat plushies rest upon a wall,a ll of them on display.

Selina, as she goes to make her way in finds along her route a massive collection of cats eye diamond earrings. All of them carved in some way to reflect cats. Cat eyes, cat heads, black cats.. Sparkling over like a prism.

Selina Kyle has posed:
Purrrrr-fect! Selina is examining the delightful earrings when she hears sounds below. The flash of purple light reflects up the center of the open stairwell, and immediately puts her on guard.

Crossing to the stairs on quiet feet, there is no hesitation as Catwoman vaults lightly over the rail from the third floor to land in a crouch on the second floor railing.

That's where she pauses, to listen.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"Were you ever the kind of child to collect plush toys?" Zee sways slightly contemplating the lions, lips pursed in disapproval. "They are too noble to deserve this. I'd prefer a real temple of Bast."

The last word ends on a hic, which she hides behind two manicured fingers.

Peering owlishly at Meggan, "We oughta conjure them up something memorable."

Austin Reese has posed:
Osprey keeps himself down for the moment, though he decides to sneak around and try to find his way closer so he can listen in on the two magic users. One he properly identifies Zatanna though, he can only tilt his head in confusion as to what she is even doing in here.

He opts to stay put rather than reveal himself just yet though. Mostly because he's curious. Something about cats and curiosity could probably fit here.

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
"Mmm? No, never. Between scrapin' by and being locked in the concentration camp..." The thoughts trail off, ice-edged syllables that lead to a predatory stillness. In the land of many a Bat, Meggan knows to don at least a facsimile of a mundane mask. The biggest of the Bats can glower like no one's business and rustling his cape isn't wise. Looking human doesn't extend to confronting a life-size leonine sculpture made of squishy happiness. She floats up a few inches off the ground, as though the very presence of the huge cat buoys her, her dark-stained lips stretching into a wicked smile. A wonder she doesn't squeal in a high enough pitch to shatter glass from here to the end of the hall where wiser, lither cutpurses loiter.

"Not much for fright, but catch a gander at that!" she giddily murmurs from the side of her mouth, head tipped to catch her own reflection in diamonds galore. "Maybe for Sekhmet." Teeth show in that dangerous smile.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Over in the side is a very, very huge plush figure of Meowth (That's Right) that has a set of jangly bells shaped like coins dangling off it htat with each little wobble would sparkle and chime. They definitely ring over at the loud squeal that comes from Meggan.

Over to the side of Selina is a massive Sabre Toothed Tiger that had been ever so carefully gone through an incredibly extensive taxidermy and preparation.. That also had a large saddle on the back of it.

To the side of Zatanna would be a large, complete collection of the 1980's Thundercats toy line. As if by Austin's presence there would be a box of hundred and hundreds of cat themed Beanie Babies and Tamogotchies.

And as Selina would peek her eyes on out she would see a life size cat.. That had been carved out of many, many diamonds all then so artfully pressed together.

Shinnyyy..

Selina Kyle has posed:
Selina Kyle hears the voices downstairs... two female voices... and she makes her choice. Jumping lightly down from the second floor railing, she does a controlled tumble down the stairs and rises smoothly. With a flick of a wrist she brandishes the whip, facing the two women.

"Stop, in the name of the law."

It might have been a more convincing delivery if her voice was less low and husky. And if she wasn't vacuum-sealed into a skin-tight leather suit with over-sized goggles and a cat's ear hood.

The jeweled, life-sized cat is so close now...

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"It glitters. It glows. But is it real? Where are the guards, the vaults? Where the elaborate system of laser traps?" Zee'e eyes follow Meggan upward, and she waves a hand in dismissal of the lions but doesn't move on.

The glint of Meggan's smile lights something in her sapphire blue eyes. Her mouth opens to shape a spell.

It remains open in surprise at being challenged in the name of the law and resolves into laughter. She says with the precision of someone who has drunk too much faerie wine for her own good, "Why Selina, don't you think of me as a fine, upstanding guardian of the law?"

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
The many facets reflect the white-haired Englishwoman's face as her expression turns from mildly curious to outright thrilled. Zatanna may laugh, but the coy lift of Meggan's gaze through her snowy lashes and the drop of her hand to her hip is equally as impertinent. Her feet still barely graze the floor, but at least contact becomes a possibility. "Are you going to make us?"

A simple sentiment, delivered in that lilting British accent brushed over heavily by Welsh and Scottish, is loaded like a Wayne heir's bank accounts. She shifts to a contrapposto pose to Selina's claims, flashing that wide smile. "I can think of a better game."

It's only then she spots a Mewtwo in the Pokemon-gone-crystal collection, housing some fat amethyst or moissanite creation in its grumpy paws. Oooh, shiny. She practically says as much.

"Lasers that great a problem, you fancy? Bet we could do something about that." An idle nod includes them all, but she's still eyeing Mewtwo and the bed-sized lions.

Austin Reese has posed:
When Selina makes herself known, Austin isn't very far behind her, as he steps out of his hiding place, "Guess this place is under way more protection than it needs." He says, with a little bit of a laugh, "I can guess what you're doing here." He says as he looks at Selina, but then he turns to look back at Zatanna, "I'm not sure why you're here. But I suppose it doesn't matter in the long run."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
There are a series of large dolls about. Selina is standing up and posturing. Then all of those Felix hte Cat clocks go off, tongues clicking. From several of them a smaller version of Felix pops out of a door, which then goes to chase around a small bird running in front of it.

Over to the side of Austin, even as he goes to enter in wittily are a pair of Sylvester and Tom Cat dolls. Custom made, with Sylvester having Tweety in a paw, and Tom having Jerry as the two shake hands.

As Meggan goes to happily (or worse) eye Mewtwo, there's a chime 'Meowth That's Right'!

Selina Kyle has posed:
Selina Kyle smiles playfully, her head tilting only a little as her gaze shifts from one to the other to the other through the heads-up display in her goggles. She slowly coils the whip as she replies. "Me? I'm simply here as a tourist. I just don't like crowds." A light shrug follows and she gives Zee a little head-tilt. "Darling, you're drunk." she declares.

Then she offers "The security here is really too basic for such valuable objets d'art. Even if they did use lasers." Her French is pretty good, even. Pointing to Austin, she adds. "I don't believe we've met, although I can guess your affiliation from the costume."

Austin Reese has posed:
Austin takes note of the Sylvester and Tom figures. He doesn't remember a lot of Tom and Jerry getting along but that might be from the later stuff. He still takes note of it, before turning back to Selina as she points him out, "Osprey." He tells her.

He hmms faintly as she mentions the thing being too valuable for the security, "That's a good point, actually. You think it could be an insurance thing?"

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"I don't dispute," the Felix cats whirl, chase and chime. Zee continues when quiet descends on the room again. "I don't dispute it." She makes a broad gesture to the room, encompassing all of the kitsch.

"It's Meggan's fault, you know. And...and...it's the only way I could subject myself to all of this."

Her fine-boned hand makes another sweep of the room. "That faerie wine. Why Osprey! Are you here to protect the museum, too? I like those glittery cats though," she adds certain that everyone follows her logic.

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
Meggan admires the cat that truly wants her attention. Could be Selina, could be the sudden attack of the black and what clocks demanding attention all at once. Her shoulders tighten and bristle against the relentless sonic attack. Tick, tick, meow, tick. "She's only a little sauced. Proper drunk, we'd have ended up bombing a proper party with champers somewhere in Singapore. Like that movie about really, really loaded people."

Her smile ticks up but it's measured by the grate of all those things going off, be they cats or monstrous metronomes that need to be clawed to pieces. Nope, clearly this isn't a sound she likes.

"Allo, Osprey. Hunting bird, are you?" A wiggle of her fingers shows perfectly friendly undrunk greetings. See, she's fine. "The cats need sparkly hats, and /you/ need a sparkly cape. Imagine the kind of cat that Dolly Parton would be if she was a cat. Right?"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
There does not, in fact, appear to be any real amount of security. Even by the lax standards of the Gotham Wax Museum. Admittedly, the standards of the Gotham Wax Museum probably includes zombies which they've mistaken for wax statues put on display.

Zatanna seems to be quite catty, even if her commentary makes no one contrite. Even as Meggan considers over what a Dolly Parton cat might have on a collar..
    There, in fact is a very, very large glistening, diamond studded cat-collar in a display case that's easily enough to perhpas get Selina to feel me-owwed.

Austin Reese has posed:
"Somebody's got to." He replies to Zatana, though the note about being a hunting bird gets a grin out of him towards Meggan, "Very much so." He responds, as he steps out away from the Tom and Jerry and past that diamond studded collar, "You think it's a trap then?" He asks, as he turns to look at some of the more expensive items on display, "Why would someone put all this stuff out here if it wasn't a trap?" He'd put something expensive and unguarded as a trap. And has! ... Oddly enough also against a different cat.

Selina Kyle has posed:
Selina Kyle smirks at that, nodding slowly in agreement with Meggan. "I couldn't agree more. A museum is *such* a boring place to visit while you're drunk." Catwoman begins to pace, her steps slow and as deliberate as the sway of her hips. Runway models move with less grace.

"Osprey." she replies with a small nod of acknowledgement. "Catwoman." Yeah, just in case he didn't get it.

Selina lingers in front of the display case with the glittery cat collar for a moment. "So are we all going to -assume- that, just because I may have burgled a few feline-themed valuables in the past, that I'm here to rob the place? Seriously?" Her right hand toys with the whip, left tucked behind her back while she talks. The whip is uncoiled, then, its length dropping softly to the floor.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
"If we had cracked that second bottle, we'd be there now. They are -so- over the top in Singapore. And the foooood. Hokkien prawn mee. Chili crab. Mmmmm....now, I'm hungry," Zee accuses.

Squinting she turns on Meggan, "Big haired cats. Would be a tra...trabesty. Travesty."

Perhaps it is enough to told that she is not so drunk. Words mirror deeds in Zatanna's universe. The magician flips her heavy, dark hair behind her shoulder and subtly straightens, eyes moving from Osprey to Catwoman, "Funny meeting you both here. What brought you? Certainly -not- the treasures."

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
"'Cos people get bored, and they got enough money for all these diamonds and jazz? They want a show." Meggan lifts her shoulders a delicate smidge. Hers is an innate sensibility for the ridiculous and the surreal, given that her other half embodies most of the 'ridiculous' and 'real'. Sir, Constantine would knee someone in the groin for calling him that.

Cat and bird. Ooh, that's a mix, one painted in fascination across her sharp-edged features. "We using our proper names? Gloriana." Her fingers wiggle again in greeting. Zatanna's steadiness suits her well enough. "Hokkien prawn mee? You taunt me and I'm steering you to the nearest tube station that gets us to Singapore. See, we didn't see anything, Ms. Cat."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Over to the side of Zatanna, flopping about is a huge Hello Kitty doll that seems tl let out an affirmative series of squeaks over at the exchange that is going on. Nope, no one has any preusmptions over about Selina's presence wahtsoever.

And by Meggan a small picture showing a cat wearing a witch's hat which reads 'Cat Magic Woman'. Johnny would -love- it!

Austin Reese has posed:
"Well it's good to meet you all." He glances to Selina for a second, "Well face to face, at least." He hmms faintly as he looks around the floor, "Honestly? I saw Catwoman sneak in here and didn't know who it was." He pauses for a moment, "And I thought somebody might be up to some cat-themed heist or something. You know how this town gets sometimes."

Selina Kyle has posed:
"Me? I'm here out of curiosity, of course." Catwoman purrs. "I mean, do you really think that I'd be bold enough to steal something while you were all here with me?" She rolls the handle of the whip, the coils slithering lazily around on the tiled floor.

Motion and distraction.

She lingers, her weight shifting side to side before she sidesteps away from the display case. "Well I must say, Osprey, that I'm deeply, deeply hurt." The display case that held the bejeweled cat collar is now empty. Still locked, but empty. She points to Austin, then, with the sparkly collar dangling on her index finger. "That's profiling. And that's wrong."

With another playful grin, she tosses the collar to Austin.

Zatanna Zatara has posed:
Diamonds sparkle in the air. The magician merely shrugs and smiles from under her eyebrows at Catwoman. "Oh course, not. Never."

The newly sober Zee catches the hint. "Who needs a tube station, I say? John can join us. We'll go on a spree and taste all the delights. Hainanese chicken rice, barbequed stingray, and a grand chendol."

With a bow worthy of the stage, "You are both welcome to join us. Home before sun up, I promise though not what kind of condition you'll be in."

Meggan Puceanu has posed:
Meggan arches her eyebrows mildly. "We need to give them some wine," she pronounces to Zatanna rather pointedly, flicking her wrist while the woman bends. "Proper wine. Maybe bit of sake, mead, but no ouzo. Bad blend, that." Trust the wit of a woman who isn't absolutely three sheets to the wind, and appraising the bat-ling and catling with quite clear interest. "Street food's /legendary/ out there. Worth trying, I'd say. Come on, you might pluck a necklace right off some fancy heiress' neck and she'd never notice."

Now that cat in a witch's hat totally shouldn't be swiped, but John is John and the white-haired fae goddess thoroughly buried in the depths of her Unseelie side. Would it be fun? Of course. She nudges her elbow in that direction, and that poor little cat tips over into a shadow of sorts, never to touch the ground. Yup, stopping a robbery. They're abetting good taste.

"Now, then, where's the shallowing in... that way wouldn't be good, you lot probably get itchy in dark and narrow places." She glances around the staircase and then heads for a perfectly neat little spot showcasing too many bloody clocks.

"The time is out of joint, o winter sprite, and ever I was born to set it right!" The couplet comes together as she reaches for the Otherworld that's her birthright, needing no gate whatsoever or funny trees growing it into shape. Pendulums swing, cats squeak, and a blurry patch of frost spreads in a graceful web briefly across the ground. It won't be there for long, but the path leading beyond shows a fantastical array of pinnacles and spires not at all like dark Gotham outside. She gestures grandiosely to match Zatanna's flair. "Your yellow brick road awaits." Except it's diamond.

Austin Reese has posed:
Osprey reaches up to grab the collar out of the air when she tosses it at him, with a grin, "Hey I've lived in this town my whole life." He replies, as he moves over to take the collar and put it back on the display cace.

The offer from Zee gets a hmm from him, as he turns back to the trio, "I'm game." He finally responds, following the pair along. Whatever kind of adventure this is, it's not something he'd want to pass up!

Selina Kyle has posed:
Selina Kyle laughs softly at Meggan's invitation. "Thanks all the same, but I'll take the way less sparkly." And with that, Catwoman -skips- over to the stairwell that was her arrival. Pulling something from the small of her back, she fires a grapple line straight up.

Wait, is that a *BAT* grapple gun...?

A slight detour, then Catwoman is out through the same window she entered. And anyone who checks after her will find the large, sparkly cat statue is missing.