16441/Narrows

Narrows
Date of Scene:	29 November 2023
Location:	The Narrows - Miagani Island
Synopsis:	Blood Spider meets River Banks on a rainy night in the Narrows
Cast of Characters:	River Banks, Kaine Parker

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River Banks has posed:
    River Banks usually wasn't too afraid of walking by herself. But in her neighborhood, boarding the Narrows in that piece of Gotham where Bats may yet fear to tread, she's been walking a little faster these days. Checking her rear in the small windows of what shops are still open to make sure no one's attentively following her.

    Blonde haired, brown-eyed, she ducks into a storefront's awning to get out of the freezing rain that's beginning to tumble down from the gray Gotham skies. She was wearing a thinner jacket, doesn't provide much in the way of protection from the cold.

    It's been a quiet night... which just seems to mean something's about to happen.

Kaine Parker has posed:
The rain never washes the Spider away. The rain's cold bite is subdued by Blood Spider's suit. He can still feel it, but it's not cold to the bone. Like getting caught in the rain on a spring day. It's unpleasant and annoying, but it won't knock someone on their ass for a few days like cold rain can. He's sitting on a building edge looking down. Not quite peering, but definitely hunting. Seeing a blond woman with obvious fear in her motions, he'll speak up.

"Shouldn't be out here this late at night!" it's an older sounding voice. Not someone pushing toward middle aged, but someone seasoned. They've seen a bit, their voice carries that weight. The red and black uniform has all the hallmarks of someone Spider-Man "adjacent," but maybe a little toward the not-so-friendly neighborhood spider. Blood Spider will wait for the woman to look at him. Those red spider eyes gazing down upon her. He'll give a small half wave, half salute. "Save this part of Gotham for things that like to go bump in the night," he's just trying to warn the woman. Not quite scare her away.

River Banks has posed:
    She jumps. Not a voice she's used to, not in a place she's used to hearing voices, but she turns, spying Blood Spider on the wall. She takes a deep breath and then stomps one wet sneaker-covered foot and yells out "Goddamnit how many a' ya Spider-Folk are there?!" in frustration, giving out a huff as she looks up to the red spider eyes.

    "Ain't y'all s'posed ta be hanging out in New York?" she asks him, "What're you doin', y'all having an exchange program with the bats now?" she questions, crossing her arms against the cold.

    She's not scared. Spooked a little, sure. "Did Cyber-Spider send you ta check up on me?"

Kaine Parker has posed:
"Too many," Blood Spider replies with a mixture of sarcasm and honesty. His hidden past is why that phrase is both.

"Why stop at New York? The original is franchising and sending a Spider to each major city. I'm waiting for Brie Spider to hit Madison any day now," yes, despite the anger he's still a Spider deep down.

"No. I'm the black sheep of the family. My appearance is coincidence," and he knows how bad that sounds. Cyber Spider he knows by reputation, news reports and some run ins. However, it's not like there's a family group chat they're all apart of.

River Banks has posed:
    "Hey, well competitions rough in this town too for the crime fightin' gig. So I hear." River states, sounding less impressed with the sarcasm. "Ain't nothin' wrong with a black sheep. They got the bad rap is all." she states, her arms still crossed and guarded as she regards the crimson and black spider.

    "... Cyber-Spider an' I met a few times. An' some spider-lady type. Ah don't see y'all outside Gotham much, but apparently there's another one that ain't red out here somewheres. You... uh... good with the ... y'know..."

    And River makes a flapping motion with her hands, like a bat in flight.

    "Hear they can get pretty testy."

    Pause.

    "Unfortunately I know one a' them does get particularly testy."

Kaine Parker has posed:
"Yeah. What city isn't filled with some competition and corruption?" Blood Spider muses honestly on the matter. "I know they do, but I'm not part of the group chats. So, if Cyber sent someone after you, I don't know who it is," and she talks about others.

"The lady part doesn't narrow it down as much as you think," and that's more honesty coming from him. It's a big family.

"The bats don't bother me and I won't bother them. The bats bother me and we'll have a problem," Blood Spider is willing to play by most of the Bat's rules. However, that doesn't mean he's afraid of any territorial nature that may come from him. In his mind, Gotham is full of enough criminals to give every hero a chance to clean up part of the city.

"If I cross a bat, or bird, I'll deal with them then."

River Banks has posed:
    "Ah... 'kay." River states, and she bounces on her heels a moment, letting the rain fall as she looks up at Blood Spider.

    "So... ah. Which one are you?" she questions, "Y'know. In case someone asks?"

Kaine Parker has posed:
The rain continues to fall down. Running over the black and red. "Blood Spider. Scarlet was taken," Blood Spider admits it's not his first choice. It works though.

"And may I ask your name in return? No one will ask, but turn about, fair play, all of that," it's the least she could do given the conversation. "Do you need a lift to your destination? It'll pull you out of this craphole and to familiar ground," it's just an offer, a way to get her to a better place.

River Banks has posed:
    "... well, this craphole is where I live." River states with a very flat expression. She purses her lips and she shakes her head "Ain't in the business of givin' my name to strangers. After all, I don't see your face." she replies, leaning against the building whose torn awning she's taking shelter under.

    "Sounds like there's a lotta competition in the Spider-friends. Sounds dangerous. All y'all ain't gonna start biting one another are you?" she questions... now. She knows Miguel has fangs. She has no idea if that's a common trait. After all...

    She's only seen one Spider's face. And it's not any of the clones of Parker. Once you've seen one Parker you've kinda seen a lot of them, it feels like.

Kaine Parker has posed:
"Sorry to insult the place," he admits and fels like an ass deep down. His gaze just focused n her for a moment. "Makes sense with the face. I'll give you that. Got a name I can call you. A nom de plume?" he asks just looking for something to call her, even if it has zero ties to anything regarding her name.

"There's not competition. Just a lotta faces and most trying to do good," he looks down at River. "I don't plan on fighting anyone, but I can't speak for the rest," and he can see some wanting to take a swing at him.

River Banks has posed:
    "Eh. Pretty sure the Narrows have been called a lot worse." River replies, and she shifts her weight.

    "Naw, don't really got much in the way of names, plumes or otherwise." she sticks her hands in her pocket.

    "Cause otherwise you can connect a face to a name and reference it. You Spiders are all pretty smart guys. People. Some are ladies, yeah." she breathes out at her gaffe.

    "I'm River."

Kaine Parker has posed:
If River did a gaffe, Blood Spider doesn't call her on it. All he says is, "It's nice to meet you River,"and he means it. An unexpected turn f events for the evening. Not necessarly a friend. However, it's proof that not everyone in Gotham is angry or a jerk. Honestly, it's a welcome change of pace from his usual company.