15685/What's Zoo With You

What's Zoo With You
Date of Scene:	23 August 2023
Location:	Central Park Zoo
Synopsis:	At the zoo, kids learn about the animals, courtesy of Beast Boy and Vorpal.
Cast of Characters:	Gar Logan, Terry O'Neil

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Gar Logan has posed:
One fine afternoon at Central Park Zoo, a special program for the kids has been set up with a couple of Titans there to help: Vorpal and Beast Boy, naturally. One is feline, one can be anything. With an educational background, it provides ample opportunity for the children to not only see some of the actual zoo animals, but it allows Gar to /be/ various other creatures big and small that aren't part of the zoo itself.

With the Temperate Territory serving as a backdrop, the pair occupy a stage with a few handlers - for the actual animals, not them (probably) - and a number of chairs for the kids to watch from. The green Titan, at least, is in costume as he returns to his usual form after helping them learn about meerkats. "...I don't think any of them have any warthog buddies for real, though," he finishes. A lot of the info has included various facts in line with the information he gave on social media when he went through the alphabet of animals one day at a time.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Vorpal, in costume as well, has been helping with his powers of illusion by creating little infographics that float over Gar's animal transformation. Sometimes accompanied with a funny side comment. His interjections are usually not informative- he's there to add whimsy to the information in order to give the kids a bit of a refresh between animals. "Also, take a note that this only applies to the Earth variant of the meerkat. In Wonderland, it is actually just a mere cat. But don't tell them that- it makes them very sensitive. And if you don't believe me, you can ask Beast Boy- he's been to Wonderland with me!" He grins and winks at Gar, leaning against... nothing in the air. The effect is rather good- accomplished by one of his magical constructs, disguised with illusory invisiblity.

Gar Logan has posed:
Beast Boy rolls his eyes. "Mere cat, he said. Honestly, I can't take you anywhere," he retorts, giving a nudge as he walks past him while commanding attention with his own stage presence. He's been taking requests, but there's a pause in that as a few penguins are brought up close for the children to ooh and aah over. While they do so, Gar comments under his breath to Vorpal, "Right now I'm thinking it's a good thing we did this here instead of Gotham City. Otherwise I can't help but picture them with little rockets strapped to them for some reason."

As this is going on, he watches the kids and their parents, some sticking around to keep a close eye on their boys or girls, others taking advantage of the chance to catch their breaths and take a break. "I'm still having trouble believing we'll ever have kids. You can't, we already know that."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Don't discount weirdness yet. The Themysciran Embassy is in New York. The Cheetah prowls around here any time she wants to pester Diana." The Cheshire smiles, and gives Gar a little nudge. "I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact we're getting married. I mean..." he ponders and looks at Gar, "I've been thinking. I know I won't *disappear*, just potentially lose the Cheshire. Maybe. I mean, I'm different than my dad. What I'm trying to say, poorly-"

He gives a grin to a kid who waves at him, and he waves back while talking to Gar quietly, "... if you /do/ want kids with me, with Kian's people's tech..." he gives the green Titan a side-glance. "I'd be willing to try and see what happens. Some time in the future. When we've had time to grow more, lived some more. Yeah." He puts his hands on his hips, "I'd have kids with you, Garfield Logan."

Gar Logan has posed:
Crossing his arms, Beast Boy reacts a bit like someone who's waking up from daydreaming. "Wait, kids? It's way too early to think about anything like that..and I don't know what the Akiar could do about it either, /and/ we can't be sure about..you know, where that side of you would go or what it would do to you. If anything."

Something snapped him out of it, maybe the reminder about getting married. Definitely not Cheetah and Diana stuff. "Anyway, you'd still be you if you didn't have the Cheshire, but I've kinda got used to that by now. I don't want that to change." The kids are given enough time for each of them to get a close look at the penguins, though it doesn't involve handling or touching them.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Don't worry. I'm not rushing into anything. It took us five months to have an actual real date. It's been three years for you to propose." He leans in and intertwines his fingers with Gar's briefly, "You've always kept me waiting. But it's always been worth it." He lets go of Gar's hand. Not because it's a secret that they're together- people who have been dead for ten years probably know by now considering all the publicity- but because they have to keep their attention on the kids and pick up the cue when they are through with the penguins to continue with the polymorph-and-tell.

"... Harley's still insisting on planning the bachelor party, isn't she?" he grins, "I think having it in Wonderland is probably the safest possible way, considering it might involve pyrotechnics."

Gar Logan has posed:
Beast Boy waves it off after the hands are held for a few moments. "Neither of us were ready. And then Kian ended up part of all this, so that kind of just fits, doesn't it? Why would we ever do something normal?" he wonders, the question mostly rhetorical whether Vorpal picks up on it or not.

"And as if that wasn't already enough proof, you have me agreeing with you about Wonderland. I never would have imagined that," he adds, before it's his turn to take requests again from the kids.

There are a few calls for him to be a wolf, so that he does. Of course, he's a green one. Turning his muzzle and head toward the cat, he quips, "Should I let one of them be a wolfrider, or are they too young for me to tell them about that comic with the elves? Probably too young."

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Probably too young," Vorpal replies. He knows that comic very well. He used to read it a lot in highschool. A lot. Totally for the story. Definitely. And then he smirks, "Speak for yourself. I was ready to date you the moment you almost broke my phone," he quips, and then he stands forward and gestures to Gar, "Okay, who wants him to do the bit from the Three Little Piggies? Show of hands! He's very good at it!" he looks back at Gar and hmms, "Or maybe the Little Red Riding Hood? Nah. Incidentally," he tells the children, "Did you know wolves can run up to 38 miles per hour? That is also ten miles under Beast Boy's /actual/ speed in human form when he hears that dinner is served. No-" he says over the laughter, "It's true. I have video evidence!"

Gar Logan has posed:
Laughter from the children, the only reaction from Beast Boy to the teasing and joking around being to mock-growl and bare teeth, which does give a few kids pause before he flips it around and acts like a big, wild puppy by rolling around, tongue lolling out, pawing at the air a few times from his back. From that position, he eyes Vorpal and says, "If you can prove that and it isn't sped up like an old silent film, I'll buy you a steak dinner." Then he puts on a show of drooling, passing by Vorpal to get some of it on his leg.

The kids just eat this all up, then get him to try a few more animals familiar to them, such as big cats and a couple types of birds. He does not show them the Akiar form.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
"Oh, ewwww-" Vorpal makes a big show of it, shaking his leg, "Ew, it's on me now. Don't laugh," he says with mock distress, "I'm going to smell like a doggy kennel all day now until I get to take a shower-" he thumbs in Gar's direction, "He's absolutely awful. Drool everywhere. Chewed furniture. Shedding on just about everything."

Slow look at Gar, and Cheshire grin. "And that's /before/ he turns into a dog."

Gar Logan has posed:
"You're lucky I don't bite you and put a hole in your costume," Beast Boy says after finally going back to normal again. With him as different animals, it gives the kids a much safer experience, though they're still instructed to be respectful. One wouldn't just get all handsy without invitation first.

Not a word, cat.

Then he puts on a thoughtful expression and walks around Vorpal speculatively. "Have we gathered up enough of your shedding to make a blanket yet? I'm trying to remember..." Of course, the kids are just as enraptured with Vorpal, if not more. He is, in a word, exotic.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
The Cheshire cat smirks, and follows Gar's walking with his eyes, "Oh, I am sure you have. But you don't want a blanket of my fur! It's hot in the summer, isn't it, kids? you want something light, something airy, something bright- who's with me?" he says, leaning on Gar's shoulder as the Green Titan gets close enough, "I think we should end today's demonstration by giving Beast Boy a gift for being so good with us and showing us so many different animals! Really, he is a total sweetheart." He grins and pinches Gar's cheek with a mischievous grin, "Show of hands, quick, should I give BB something nicer than just an ol' fur blanket?"

Gar Logan has posed:
Beast Boy almost immediately lifts a finger to place it against Vorpal's mouth, raising a brow in question as to what exactly he's planning.

The kids, naturally, unanimously, demand in the affirmative. "Remember our audience," Gar says through a mildly clenched jaw, voice kept low over their approval. No doubt he's assuming a particular thing or two.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
Vorpal kisses Gar's finger and says "I'm not an idiot, love. They'll /love/ this, and it's perfectly appropriate!" He steps back and holds out his arms, basking in the affirmation of the children. "Alright! Our public has spoken!" A Rabbit Hole appears, causing the kids to 'aaaaah' and 'ooooh' as it drops... a rather sizable box in the cat's hands. It looks like your stereotypical gift: a large square box, tied with a beautiful green ribbon. The cat deposits it on the ground and gestures to it.

"Beast Boy, come forth and claim your present!" The cat's grin is perfectly innocent.

Gar Logan has posed:
Beast Boy draws his hand back, coming to rest both of them at his own hips as the show goes on with the portal that leads to the box being brought into play, set down nearby.

In moments he's the size of a housecat-cat, batting warily at the box to nudge it around a few inches before looking up. "Oh. Em. Gee. Knowing you, I have one big guess what could possibly be in here. I wasn't born yesterday."

But if it's supposed to be for the kids, he's dealt with worse. If nothing else, he has a bit of protection from his smaller, lower position to the stage as he tugs at an end of the ribbon with his teeth in order to help loosen it up.

Terry O'Neil has posed:
And the ribbon is loosened. And nothing happens. The lid remains in place.

The Cheshire cat purses his lips, "Really? Oh man, it looks like something broke..." He sighs and walks over to the box and takes the lid off, and peers. "Huh... would you look at that?" he says, peering in with both eyebrows raised.

Gar Logan has posed:
Nothing? Nothing at all? The green cat has already hopped back as Vorpal comes to help remove that lid. It would be fitting if he were the victim of his own trap, but still no change.

Little cat face squinting, it's entirely too fitting that his curiosity gets the best of him and Beast Boy creeps toward the box like it's an unknown quantity, batting at it a few times before lifting up to peer over the opening. "Look at what?"

Terry O'Neil has posed:
And then, WOOMPF. Vorpal's hands grab Gar's hindpaws, boosting him into the box, and slams the lid on top. "Alright, kids, repeat after me: If I fits, I sits! That's the cat motto!" He grins and scoops up the box under one arm, with enough leeway so that Gar's head could poke out of it by moving the lid enough, if he so wants it. "Thank you for being so awesome with us! Now I need to go back to the tower and get Beast Boy his Meow Mix. Otherwise he gets /cranky!/"

Gar Logan has posed:
The yowl is genuine, as is the brief 'fssst!' from within the box. "Why you..!" Beast Boy blurts. Rather than his head poking out, after the mention of getting cranky there is a paw that slips through to swipe a few times at the much bigger, flamboyant feline. Claws not out, though.

The kids laugh and cheer and everything. An event well done.