16974/Drink with Me

Drink with Me
Date of Scene:	21 January 2024
Location:	The Wick
Synopsis:	So a witch, a reality traveler, the Winter Soldier, and Damian Wayne walk into a bar...
Cast of Characters:	Nettie Crowe, America Chavez, James Barnes, Damian Wayne

---

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    The Wick was one of Nettie's few haunts that are outside the supernatural circle of things. She could come in, order a beer, and then just people-watch from a chair or a booth, and it brought her back to simpler days when she wasn't trying to nursemaid her son back from seeing the abject horror of death by touching her face nd dealing with a bunch of asshole vampires and demons for a book.

    Her silver-gray hair was braided and put into a bun. She was wearing a men's wool vest, opened, over a gray long sleeved shirt, and she had her crows with her -- each wearing a red 'SUPPORT ANIMAL' vest in a bit of making fun of the law.

    She has a half-drunk pint of something pale and slightly greenish tint in front of her, along with a variety of bar foods that she is *probably* sharing with Corvax and Torny, along with flipping some tarot cards on her lonesome.

America Chavez has posed:
America Chavez didn't really do the drinking thing much. Or often. She could though and sometimes by god the idea of sitting down with a cold one was exactly what she needed. For once she's old enough to do so as well. Instead of sipping beers someone managed to get their hands on, she's shouldering her way inside the bar to head for the counter to order.

"Cervesa and lime," she requests as she sidles up already fishing out her money and ID because she knew it would be asked. Her gaze as wandered over to the old woman with two crows wearing vests to stare openly.

"Okay that's a first even for me."

James Barnes has posed:
    The skeletons in the Winter Soldier's closet are too numerous to count, requiring the kind of space that most celebrities maintain for their wardrobes. And he's sort of a celebrity in that sense, isn't he? Infamous versus famous, sure, but the point stands. It's partially why he doesn't often involve SHIELD in his many attempts to track down the ghosts of his past. There's an entire wing of SHIELD that deals with mystical threats, and yet it's to Nettie that he comes more often than not. What dark magic does his arrival in this particular bar on this particular night bring?

    Well, he has a bag with him. Black, nondescript, the kind of backpack that you'd find in a bargain bin somewhere, not even worthy of a logo. Wordlessly, he walks over to Nettie and sets the bag down on the seat next to her. For now, he remains standing. Down the way, he clocks America -- because he's always looking, always scanning faces -- and he remembers her. He also has no idea how old she is, but as she produces her ID he nods over to her, once. Besides, it's not like he's Captain America. He honestly wouldn't give a shit about a little underage drinking, so long as it's done in moderation.

    After all, the legal drinking age was younger when he was a teen.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    And in Nettie's day the drinking age was 'he's a growing boy, give him beer.'

    And then five year olds were drunk.

    Nettie's pale eyes dart over to America, and she gives a small smile and lifts her glass to the lass. "What. Never seen a tarot reading before? I could tell you your future. It'll cost ya." she jokes, as the two crows turn to regard America. One is a big, black crow in a pirate hat and a red vest. The other is molted black and white, a hooded crow and somewhat smaller.

    He's just wearing a vest.

    And certainly, Bucky could go to SHIELD, but then there'd be a file somewhere on his ghosts and shadows. Nettie doesn't keep public files for friends.

    "Ah, Bucky. Pleasure to see you tonight. Order what you want, there's a tab open for the table. This's some sort of... avocado sour ale?" she pauses, and reaches for the draft list. "... yeah, might switch to the tangerine after this."

America Chavez has posed:
America Chavez glances over toward the familiar individual she'd seen at the party not long ago near Captain America. The nod cast her way is returned with one of her own, and soon enough her bottle of beer is offered over. It's taken up, and tipped toward the woman who responds as well.

"I meant the birds, but I'd probably break your cards. Magic is weird around me. Something about 'not belonging' and crap." Which was true. She was from a universe sealed off from all the others. She shouldn't be here--she was an aberration.

"But if you want, sure. Could be fun," she adds taking a gulp of her drink. "Good to see you again, too, old man," she offers over.

James Barnes has posed:
    The standing up that Bucky seems to maintain isn't awkward, it's more... looming. Which, admittedly, is unintentional. It just happens. He doesn't really mean for his footfalls to automatically be silent, or for his expression to hover somewhere between baleful and actively hostile, but it's all muscle memory at this point. Too hard to shake off, even though he tries.

    So after a moment, he sits. Harder to loom if you're seated, after all. His brows pinch a bit at mention of an avocado sour ale, and the expression doesn't change when Nettie suggests something tangerine flavored next. What he ends up ordering is some local, but otherwise very boring, lager.

    "Put it on my tab," he says, nodding down towards Nettie's cards, though his eyes are on America. It'd be easy to say he doesn't put much stock in these sorts of things, but that's not necessarily true. After all, Hydra has put magic of all kinds to very dark purposes with great success in the past, so he knows it can be reliable. Though, with Nettie dealing, he's less concerned about the results.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    While Nettie's player totally read that as 'harder to loom when you're naked', her brain bluescreened a moment.

    "Nonsense. You know your credit's no good with me. That debt was settled *decades* ago. There's no tab between friends." she gives a wry smile, and motions for America to join the two.

    "Aye, magic goes awry among a good lot of young people, so I hear. Luckily I'm no ordinary reader of cards, and this is no ordinary tarot set. I've read for kings and czars, for farmers and soldiers. I've read for great magicians and great sacrifices. And mostly, on occasion, I read for m'self too. The birds are Corvax," she motions to the black crow "And Torny. And they're good lads, or working on it." she gives a smile, looking to Bucky and to America.

    "Should I wait for an introduction?" she gives a gentle mile to the two.

America Chavez has posed:
America Chavez lifts her eyebrows as Nettie assures her that this is no normal reading. An amused grin creeps over her as she looks to the cards that Nettie is currently messing with, thoughtful and at the same time... "Sounds like a challenge to me, then. Don't say I didn't want you, Bruja."

Taking her bottle of beer in hand a quick chug is swallowed. Then she's off her stool to walk closer toward Nettie giving good ole Bucky a shrug at the question of introductions. "I'm America Chavez. Miss America to a lot," she explains simply as she plunks herself down to sit next to Nettie. The sleeve of her denim jacket has slid partially down the arm that holds her Corona with lime to reveal a star tattooed on the inside of her wrist---Back in Nettie's time that meant something specific.

James Barnes has posed:
    The prompting for introductions is probably the only reason Bucky gives one, given the way he shifts suddenly in his seat. It's too late in the game to bemoan his lack of manners, just something he's going to have to live with, but he does at least say, "Bucky Barnes," and then he's lifting his chin a little, to America.

    "Saw you with Harlow and Macleod." He lets the implication do its thing, which is to say he casts a long, lingering stare the young woman's way. No way to tell if he clocks the star on her wrist (or its meaning) but he does say, "Not sure if you were their date or just as friends, but... they're good kids. And I trust the company they keep."

    What he doesn't say is that he worries about them, with all that Young Avengers business. Because he knows he's a hypocrite; he wasn't much older than they were when he went off fighting a war, after all. But some of that concern does reflect in his face as he looks away, taking a distracted drink of his beer. And then his eyes turn down to the cards. "Debt or not, I'll cover the fee. I want to see this."

Damian Wayne has posed:
A magical item that passes through Gotham will eventually draw the attention of one of the Bat-family members. And while one could have ended up with the friendly Dick, the angry Jason, or the pragmatic Tim, if you're really unlucky, you get the grumpy one.

Though Bucky and Robin had parted ways after an encounter on the item, with the younger Robin reluctantly allowing the more experienced soldier to track it down - it doesn't mean that he won't meddle.

Damian Wayne can show up anywhere there is good food and atmosphere. The Wick counts for that. Dressed down in a tailored suit, he is without accompanyment as he moves to settle at the bar. "Club soda, please." he asks politely as the young man settles on the stool.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie takes her cards, and she spreads them. They are *old*. The minor arcana have no symbols on them other than a number of staves, cups, swords, or coins. Nettie's crows settle back in as Corvax and Torny look to one another, and then Corvax to Bucky, and to America. Chances are the older bird can feel the power coming off America.

    Nettie gives a sly little smile at the star on the inside of America's wrist.

    "Placer conocerte, chiquita." Nettie greets America as she shuffles her cards, and then she hands them over to America.

    "Give them a shuffle. I've asked them to behave themselves. The old spirit's a bit touchy some days." she explains, "but the cards are older than I am."

    Damian Wayne makes his entry, and she purses her lips a moment as she raises her eyebrows.

    "Now, now, aren't you the son of one of my friends?" she calls out to Damian, "Damian, isn't it? Come, come, have a seat, -- have you met my friend Mr. Barnes and our new friend Miss America? Quite the auspicious name."

America Chavez has posed:
America Chavez gives a nod over to Bucky again when he introduces himself properly. The name doesn't really ring any particular bells for her, or if it does, she makes no note of it. Though she does remark, "Yeah, saw you by Rogers. Buddy of his?" A simple question really as she takes another sip off her beer. "Wasn't a date. Those two are newer to the group I run with. Though I've been gone awhile. Had some stuff elsewhere to take care of," she admits with the smallest of frowns.

Nettie's remark earns a grin, and she tips her beer toward her slightly. "Pleasure," she responds only to set the drink down. A quick swipe of her hand over her jeans ensures she's not got any condensation on her hand when she reaches for the cards to start shuffling. "To be honest, never had my cards read before. Had someone read my palm once." That was amusing in many respects.

She's still shuffling the deck when Damian is called out, and called over to them so she nods in his direction as well. "Make yourself cozy. I'm about to break some magic cards," she jokes only to stop suddenly with half of the deck in each hand. A little furrowing of her brow occurs while glancing toward them, but then she just sets them down. "Think they're done with shuffling." It felt done. Like a little nudge saying 'that's enough'.

James Barnes has posed:
    When Bucky had set the backpack down on the seat next to Nettie, he hadn't gone into detail about exactly how he retrieved it. In fact he didn't say anything about it at all, did he? But there it remains, for the time being, his attention split between the ongoing conversation and keeping a general awareness of its location, as if he thinks it might scurry off without him noticing.

    "Old friend of his," is the answer he gives America, after a quick nod towards Damian. Given that they met in costume (or at least, as the Winter Soldier and Robin... it's not really a costume for Bucky so much as it is "whatever tactical gear he has on hand") he has no reason to clock the kid as anything other than a bit out of place, given his apparent age.

    Still, Bucky's suspicious about all things, so he keeps a side-eye directed towards the newest arrival as he sips his beer. "Figured it was something like that," he adds towards America, having previously made that exact guess regarding her involvement with the Young Avengers.

Damian Wayne has posed:
When Nettie gets his attention, the young man raises his brows as he recieves his drink. It only takes a moment for him to get the recognition as he comes over to join the others. "Thank you for the invitation." he offers to her, before he sets down his drink to pull out a chair. "And yes, you know my mother. But I am also an avid fan of the teas that your shop delivers to our home."

Bucky, he of course recognizes from the dance, and makes sure to remind him of that. "Sergeant Barnes, it is a pleasure to see you again." he offers politely. And in case it was forgotten. "I'm Damian Wayne, I was the host for the party on the Intrepid a few weeks back?"

"Miss America?" That draws an amused smile for a moment as he looks from Nettie to America as he seats. "She certainetly has the classical looks and beauty and right mix of skin tones to suggest a large cross-section of the country." he admits, "A bold, if fitting name. Nice to meet you."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Then indeed they're done. They're a good deck. Won them in a bet when I was a fair slight younger than you an' the young squire here." Nettie states, opting to not use Damian's last name as she gives a smile.

    She does gives a grin and a soft 'ha!' at the idea of 'old friends'. "No matter wht we're all the Old Friends." she gives a bright smile.

    Damian's complement gets another bright smile from Nettie at his complements. "Aren't you just the charmer." she grins at him, and she accepts the cards back. She begins to set them out, face-down. Creating a cruciform reading style as she stretches her fingers.

    "Aye. Sorry I missed that one, I heard it was quite the party... but some folks don't like the memories that come back 'round that time. Dark doings." she murmurs quietly, and she gives a soft 'mmrm'. She turns over the first card. A feminine figure forcing open a heraldic lion's mouth. They are wearing a bit of a ridiculous hat, and the card is labeled 'LA FORCE'

    "Strength. This card represents you." she explains. "Given you're a member of a superpower team, as Mr. Barnes states, it's probably quite apt." she gives a bright smile.

America Chavez has posed:
"Miss America seemed an obvious choice given my name. America Chavez," she responds back with mild amusement to Damian. She does nod though as well causing her curls to bounce a bit. They were natural. Nothing to do but let them be. "But yeah, I am a literal melting pot. My moms made sure of that," she remarks only to tip her drink back for another swig. "Mm, strength, yep. I can give more than few good punches. One usually does the trick though," she admits with a shrug.

"What about you, Chico? You look kind of Persian but you got the rich white-boy nose going on," she offers back to Damian with a raised eyebrow. "And green eyes don't exactly scream 'pure blood' in that region either. I mean, unless you're into the Big Trouble in Little China mythos." It's a joke.

James Barnes has posed:
    While the reading is happening, there isn't much for Bucky to contribute to the conversation. Maybe if he were more social, he'd interject, but as it stands he just looks between America and Damian for a long moment before he takes another drink. Which ends up emptying his beer almost entirely.

    "I remember you," he confirms, for Damian's sake. Though he hadn't been all that sociable at that event, either.

Damian Wayne has posed:
When Nettie makes her comment, a chuckle escapes from Damian. "I'm sure my father would be pleased to hear you say that, Miss Crowe." Probbaly his mother as well, but as long as they don't mention her name, they're in a pretty safe area.

"Got it in one." Damian offers to America with a small lift at the corner of his mouth as the young woman works to get a read on him. The Wayne name is probably the biggest give away in all of that, and he's more than willing to allow whatever flights of fancy present to him on the matter.

"My mother is from that region and it was where I spent part of my youth before being introduced to my father." A shrug of his shoulders as he takes a sip of his soda. And proceeds to add more lemon to it. "He has recently decided that I should be making more of a social presence, so that I am not... skulking around his home most nights? I remember you from the dance as well. I apologize I did not get a chance to interact with you further, I was getting my first taste of hosting an event and was a bit out of my element."

When Bucky mentions that he was remembered, Damian nods politely. There needs to be nothing more said on the subject as he tastes his modified drink. Much better. "I don't think I've seen a live tarot reading before."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Well, I do them quite often. Most of the time for m'self." Nettie explains, as she flips the card. She gives a soft 'huh'. Eight of Cups. It shows eight cups, some spilled over, in a messy dining room table, with a round door and Bilbo Baggins yelling likely that he's going on an adventure.

    "That's... somewhat odd." she recounts quietly, raising her eyebrows. "You've traveled a long way unexpectedly. An unexpected journey if you will." she states, and she reaches for the card and turns it back over. Where before it had the same pattern on the back before she flipped it over, now it has a leather bound book cover with THERE AND BACK AGAIN written on it.

    "... interesting..." Nettie states, her too-blue-to-be-true eyes settling on America, and then she turns over another card.

    The Tower. It's... strangely adorable. Ordained with hearts and and gold filigree and little lightning bolts.

America Chavez has posed:
America Chavez tips her head to Damian's apology of not spending more time with her while there. Barnes had said similar after all. "Honestly I'm not big on crowds, but I respect that generation and what they fought for." A little glance is shifted toward Bucky again, and hten back over to Nettie as well with a nod. "So I wanted to make an appearance. Besides. I don't dress up too often anymore."

As the cards start to be revealed she can only quirk a bit of a grin. "Nothin' unexpected about it. That's the reason I'm here in the first place. Chose adventure over peace forever." Whatever that might mean.

As the book and then tower are revealed she plucks the lime out of her Corona to bite down on it squeezing out all the limey goodness, which she washes down with the last swig of alcohol. It's all set aside now that she's properly enjoyed the drink so she can pay actual attention to the cards. "Mm. Violent change or something, right?" Nevermind the hearts. She say snothing to that.

James Barnes has posed:
    All Bucky has to offer up is a quiet "Wait, is that from the Hobbit?" because of course he knows those books, they were around when he was... you know, younger. He folds his arms over the table, one of them making a dull thunk sound as it makes contact with the flat surface, and then he considers the tarot cards again.

    "It was good," comes out a bit latter, and he looks up to glance at Damian, before he frowns slightly and refocuses on the cards being laid out. "The event, I mean. Thanks for putting it on."

Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian's attention returns to the card reading momentarily, as if he watches it long enough, he may learn how to do it himself. Which may not be far from the truth. Studious green eyes as he litsens to the explanations. Even when it's mentioned that America is a superhero, it is just passed over.

He's either used to the exposure or has enough couth not to play it up. "You're welcome. It went over very well. We raised enough that I was able to convince father to match the donations and we are going to purchase an apartment complex and renovate it to house up to fifteen hundred veterans that currently do not have a place to live as well as provide outreach and training services to them." he explains before he draws from his soda again.

"Chose adventure over peace. That is... a unique way of looking at things." He's clearly not disagreeing with it, just mulling that over.

James Barnes has posed:
    Though he'd sat down fully with the intent of watching this card reading in its entirety, the subtle buzz in his pocket forces Bucky to draw his attention away. To his phone, and whatever message scrolling across its screen.

    "Duty calls," he mutters, then shares a heavy moment of Serious Eye Contact with Nettie before his eyes drop to the bag in the chair. One nod later, he's standing up, squinting at the two youngsters at the table before he clears his throat. "Later," is all he offers up, before dipping out.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie gives a cautious look to Bucky, to Damian, and then to America.

    "What's strange is that these two are not cards that normally appear in my deck. These are from... well... other decks. A Hobbit deck -- well spotted, Bucky -- Tolkien didn't care for me much, incidentally -- And this one... it's... very cute, isn't it?" Nettie asks, picking it up and turning it over so that others can see that it has hearts and magic wands with hearts with wings and sparkly moons. "Not precisely my style. That are not ancient Tarot de Marseille cards. I don't think I even own this one --" she states... and then she starts flipping cards over again. Tower, with the tower over a chasm in the Earth. Tower, with cats, in a cat tower. The Tower, a towering tree overhead in the midst of a forest fire. Slightly surrealist tower on a black and white checkerboard tile floring. A Cooling Tower, with DNA strands in the clouds. Ben Solo, AKA Kylo Ren. A towering giant, wrecked from the sea with lava for a deep look in its throat. A stag, screaming, its antlers towering with strange flame. Ravens below the Tower of London.

    And finally, Donald Trump falling out of Trump Tower, naked.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie looks to America.

    "You are positively fascinating, young lady. I should think I would like to get to know you better." she gives a kind smile.

    "Be safe, Bucky." she gives a wave to Bucky, "Come by for tea any time. I've got a coffee machine running now thanks to the young people who prefer it." she gives a wave of her hand, though her eyes catch the serious expression.

America Chavez has posed:
America Chavez draws a slow, deep breath at the mention of the heart and stars tower not being one of her decks. She just gazes at it with a sort of fondness as if she were looking at a picture of the past rather than a card.

"I was a Princess back home. Daughter of heroes," she murmers as her smile grows again, fingers lightly tapping on the table. "But the fight was over. Peace was won. Everyone was saved. It wasn't really adventure--- I mean, partially that," she admits with a glance at Damian to further explain. "I just wanted to try to do as much to help as my Moms had. I couldn't do that where I came from. So." A shrug comes, and she finally turns her gaze down to the other versions of the tower with a quiet, "Hah," of amusement. "You'll probably be pulling those forever, Bruja, I've been to a lot of worlds."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"It's a noble thought to have." Damian offers in gentle comment to America. And a sentiment he can agree with. He can do no less in honor of his father in Gotham, after all.

Which is so small fish compared to this. But he also can't punch star-shaped holes in reality. Just the way that it is, really.

"Do what you can with what you got." But with the explanation turning to multiple realities and the like, Damian knows when he should pull out of a conversation, with a soft 'Hnh.' that is far more like his father's alter ego than he lets on.

"I'm glad to have met you, Miss Chavez. Miss Crowe, a pleasure as always. But I should return to the Manor. It's late and I would not want to worry my family." A little grin. "Another time?" And with that, he's rising to his feet, pulling a couple of twenties from his wallet to set on the table as a tip for a single club soda.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "... that tracks, as the kids say today." Nettie murmurs, and she flips them all over.

    "And my name is Nettie Crowe. These are my familiars, Corvax and Torny."

    "How do y'doo miss." Corvax states.

    "Hola!" Torny states. He pronounces the H. He's trying.

    "Be well, young man. Give my regards to your father and mother." she states gently.

    And she smiles sadly, and turns back to America, and gives a quiet sound.

    "I had to leave my family behind as well. Should you ever wish to recount them, you are welcome at my shop. Tea will be on me."

America Chavez has posed:
America Chavez nods toward the grunt from Damian. She was kind of used to such things herself, or used to doing such herself, so she doesn't seem to take offense to it. "Nice meeting you," she offers as he heads out. Bucky as well having left she just regards the cards a moment more.

But more greetings were being given so she looks up to the crows as well. "Ah, thought you guys were a bit too well behaved. Nice to meet you," she adds on with a grin. Nettie also gets a thoughtful, softer look. "I may. Thanks. It's been years though." Not that it helped much at times. Nettie knew how that went. "I get around though, so maybe I'll pop by sometime."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Aye. Hundred and fifty-four...ish for me. Doesn't get any lighter, but it does get softer." Nettie replies, and she scoops up her cards, shuffling them back into the deck. All of their backs change back to the same, plain tan backing.

    "Aye, there you go. No need to be rude to the young lady." she murmurs to the ancient cards, and then tucks them away.

    "Pop by any time." Nettie gives a smile, and offers out a calling card.

    It just has an address, and the imprint of a crow on it.

    "Speaking of -- should get on home. Thank you for entertaining an old lady tonight, duckie." Nettie gives a smile, and she peels off some bills to pay for the table's drinks.

    ... and then reaches over to finish Bucky's. Waste not.