17091/Happenstance

Happenstance
Date of Scene:	04 February 2024
Location:	Hell's Kitchen
Synopsis:	Phoebe and Sma'shaw hang out near her old digs, talk life. Sma'shaw gets ear scritches, Phoebe talks about how her hair turned pink.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Sma'shaw Ihaka

---

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    >Hey.
    >Going to be in Hell's Kitchen hanging out on rooftops off 53rd street.
    If you're not busy, could hang out.

    That was the message sent out to Sma'shaw's phone, since he was one of the few people Phoebe would hang out with who was still in New York.

    Phoebe Beacon had ways to get around the cities she had called Home. There were two 'Bookmarks' that she had tagged in New York City that she could utilize portals for. She had dropped a box of chocolates and two roses at the burned out wreckage of a building that used to be safe to her, picked up a pizza at a hole-in-the wall place and a six-pack of some offbrand cola, and then had made her way up a fire escape to the top of one of the tenement buildings in Clinton -- Hell's Kitchen.

    The neighborhood she called home for six months, and the last time she felt safe, with parents.

    Tonight she's in her gray jacket with the orange stripe down the side and a pair of jeans, with her high lace-up boots. Her hair is all stuffed under an orange pompom hat

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
Traffic had been a helluva a thing to deal with...which is why he didn't, for the most part. See, when you pilot an RV that's like an APC that can be a submarine, you tend to use the best parts of it to skip the annoyance of rush hour traffic. Legal? Probably not. Efficient? Absolutely!

As much as he was excited about getting to hang out with one...or maybe only(?) people that wanted to chill with him consistently, the feel of the text had him a little worried. Sure, text does a terrible time of conveying emotions (which is why he almost always ends his with a little emoticon or gif), but he couldn't help but feel like something was a little off. He stepped out of the Landshark, letting it lock up on its own...and he closed in towards on of the building off of 53rd.

Crouching down, the boots around his feet wind up, and he leaps into the air with a jet of force as the dyson blowers in his boots carried him up effortlessly. Using the last of its remaining power to control his descent safely, he turned and caught the familiar scent: not too far away. Between his movement and controlled use of his kinetic jumpers, it didn't take long before he ended up on her rooftop, wearing the lower half of his mechanic's jumpsuit and the boots, with the upper half tied around his waist. "Ayyyyy Phoebe, good to see ya' again, mate!" He grinned excitedly, trying to bring his usual excitement to the table!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    And Sma'shaw was a good person to hang around with when you were feeling down, it's true. It's hard to feel down at the absurd audacity of an Australian Pirate Hyena.

    And like Phoebe had explained, she liked the oddballs.

    "Sma'shaw!" Phoebe greets, with a raised hand as she sits down on some folded blankets on the rooftop. Box of pizza next to her.

    "I really didn't think what to get you for pizza toppings, so I hope plain is all right." she explains, stretching her arms up a little bit.

    "Always grab pizza when I come in to New York. It's just one of those things Gotham doesn't do the best, in my book. I got super spoiled on Brooklyn and Hell's Kitchen pies when I lived in the area." she explains with a smile.

    "Nice jump, by the way -- there a gadget that does that? Or did I miss the memo about Hyenas being able to jump crazy high?"

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
Pizza! He thought he'd smelled something delicious on the air! "Oh, pizza? Hah! A propah yeen nevah turns down a good sloice! Unless it has olives, anchovies, or -pineapple- on it." He makes a bit of a face, scrunching his nose and letting his tongue go 'bleghhh'. "True 'nough about the pizza 'round New York, though. Can't seem to beat their sloices, not one bit, 'ey?"

He lumbered over, plopping onto a folded blanket next to her as he snagged a slice of the good stuff, and pop a cola with a cola, gnoshing down into some plain-jane pizza. "Mmph. Oh, m' kinetic jumpahs! Oi took out those doyson jets and installed them in the heels of m' boots. They're powahed boi the movement of m' yeen peets, so whoile they're short lived on running them, rechargin' is a synch!"

He looked over to her, chewing pensively at his pizza as his tone shifted a little, cautiously probing his friend. "So ah, whot's th' latest n' greatest? Wasn't expectin' ya in the great York of New, n' all."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe cracks a small smile, as she looks over at the Yeen, and she mouths the phrase 'movement of m' yeen peets' with an air of amusement, and she gives a small smile and a shrug of her shoulders.

    "Eh. I'm in the sort of 'weeks around which I was born', so I stopped by where I used to live with two of my dads and sort of paid respects." she explains, and she leans her head back against a wall. The pompom hat gives a wiggle.

    "That building, right over there. Two and a half years ago that was home." she points to a burnt out building. "I lived over the bar."

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
His expression softened to something gentle and solemn as he nodded, finishing his first slice. "Aye, seems like the thing ta' do." He peered over where she'd gestured, gazing forlornly at the burnt rubble and disrepair.

He flicked his gaze over to her. "Gettin' close to yer birthday? Well, Happy Birthday, just in case Oi end up not bein' around t' celebrate for whoteva reason. Oi'll 'ave to foind you a suitable gift. Or just drag you down to Choild Rat Casino." He snickered at that, his tail sweeping back and forth all giddy-like.

His eyes swept back to the building, his claws tapping on the gritty surface of the rooftop. "Oi hope y' had good memories of tha' place, at least. Enough to out numbah th' bad."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "It's complicated." Phoebe replies quietly, about her time spent there. She could still see it so clearly. Six steps down into the bar. One polishing glasses at the bar, the other sitting at the far end so he could watch the door and...

    "Thanks, it's ah... just kind of assumed. I was assigned one when I got adopted the first time. So it's assigned Valentine's Day, at least by the courts in Gotham City." she explains. And she pauses, she straightens and she looks over at Sma'shaw.

    "I'm not going to Chuck E Cheese's for my birthday. I at least deserve like, Dave and BUster's. On sensory days, so everything's not so loud and in your face and *awful*." she murmurs quietly.

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
The Hyena mutant perked his brow softly, tilting his head quizzically. "Ye birthday's on Valentine's? Bit of an interestin' date ta' pick. Wheeeelp! Least it ain't Crimbo, Oi here the woes of many a' folk who end up with consolidates gifts on those days."

His black lips curled with amusement as she utterly refuted any notion of the child gambling establishment. "Whot? But tha' screamin', cryin' n' snotting kids is whot toies it all togetha! A place of misery and minor disease collectin'." He snickers softly. "Well alroigh', maybe we could compromise for...aw, whot's tha' place? Five Noights at Fimbo's or whotevah?" He grins a little wider...and suddenly his eyes widen.

"Hrm...you know whot! Oi moight not be a spell-slingin' yeen, but, Oi'm pretty sure Oi could work me own magic, if yer lookin' to get an early birthday gift?" He peaks at her from the corner of his eyes, infectiously playful!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Assigned. They gave it as an approximate date. No one knows when I was actually born anymore." Phoebe explains, and she gives a soft snort. "Yeah, I know that plight. Everything I've ever gotten for my birthday has been holiday-colored. Christmas must be worse." she agrees, and gives a soft snort.

    "You never want to know what people find in the ball pits at those places." she comments, "there's so much horrible things hiding there, beneath the balls." pause. "Don't read too much into that sentence." she jokes, and then she looks up t Sma'shaw. And she gives a slight grin.

    "I'll bite. What you got on your mind, Yeen." she asks, and then she quietly adds: "Also, don't spread what the pink one said too widely.

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
It was -far- too late, he was already yeen-giggling oh so childishly at the phrase 'beneath the balls', wrapping his upper and lower lips over his teeth to try and keep the sound from getting out...to no avail. "Y-ye? Beneath the balls, aye? Sounds loike a job for one of those crappy Axe loofahs, Oi h-hear those are gr-eh-hah-eat~!" He breaks out into a full cackle, huffing and laughing for a solid minute~!

When he finally calmed down, he looked over to her with a slightly worn out smile and an achey diaphragm. "...Tha' pink one?" He buzzed through his memories of the Manor...and hit an overload of faces. Oddly enough, the BIG Wayne was the only one that cropped up, far more chiseled than he actually looked...and now with pink hair. Eugh. "Ah, not ringin' any bells. But yeah, can do. Anyhoo! This completely non-magical yeen will grant three, friendo buddy pal n' mate, one -magical- wish. Whotevah thoy harht desoires~!" His tailed whipped about, oh so curious to see what she'd settle on!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Oh, that's so kind --" Phoebe gives a bright grin, "and I have so much more than I could ask for. I'm really very lucky and know it, I could have everything I could ask for --" Phoebe trails off, shyly a little bit as she rubs the back of her head, and then she takes a deep breath, and then lets it out in a huff.

    "/Anything/?"

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
"Anything!" Sma'shaw echoed, his tail wagging much faster as he leaned over a little, the tension of what was on her mind driving him crazy! It was almost too much for a poor hyena lad like him to bare! "Tha's a lot of possibility to crunch down to one choice -- a toughie, Oi know." He grinned, bobbing from side to side just to vent some of that eager, enthusiastic energy! This had to be good!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe looks thoughtful for a moment, and then she purses her lips, she looks up to the 'Yeen, and she gives a quiet 'hmm'. "So..." she begins, "Like I said. A while back I was hurt pretty bad. I in general, don't like touching other people and don't like people touching me... but..." she pauses.

    "This is going to be so weird to request... and it is TOTALLY OKAY to say 'no that is too weird'--" Phoebe stammers a moment, and then just sort of wheezes out:

    "... can I scratch your ears? It's been a super invasive thought for weeks."

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
...He blinked. And sat up straight, his already big, wide eyes even wider now as his black lips purse in surprise! There was even a bit of green tinging his cheeks! "...Scratch me ears?" They flicked: one, then the other. He didn't really know how to respond at first...no one ever as to -scritch- him, much less even look at him...until Phoebe, it seemed.

"...Scratch me ears...hrm. Well. Oi doubt it'll kill me...and," He added, partially to cover up his own nervousness as he cleared his throat to maintain composure. "Oi trust ye' the most. So. If that is what your yeen wish is, then it is moy yeen command!" And with that, he sorta, awkwardly, tilted his frame forward and craned his head down to her, trying not to unbalance himself and end up accidentally flattening her!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Oh... okay! Okay--" Phoebe trails off a moment, and as the Yeen bends over, Phoebe reaches her hands up.

    Her touch is very gentle at first, running along where the ears join to the yeen head, and she holds her breath. She smells like roses and black pepper and citrus, like usual, especially this close. And she purses her lips together, and then just gently runs her fingernails along the skin there, her thumbs curling and applying pressure lightly as she scritches the cone-like ears of the hyena similar to how you might ruffle a friend's hair, and after about fifteen seconds she lifts her hands and draws them back down.

    She breathes out in a huff, her cheeks and ears darkened from embarrassment, and she gives a small laugh.

    "Okay! I think I have it out of my system. Thanks, Sma'shaw."

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
He gulped softly as she raised her hands up, closing his eyes and bracing himself with an inhale through his dark, wet nose. Part of him mildly regretted, as the intensified scents of roses, black pepper, and citrus, all of these splashed against his mind like paint across a canvas...right as her fingers touched his ears. The movements were subtle but he couldn't help but snuffle and lean into her fingers, his eyes rolling around in his skull.

Fifteen seconds of scritchies stretched over what felt like an eternity of new found endorphins...and then it suddenly stopped. His tongue had rolled out, his expression utterly goofy as she stopped, and suddenly his composure returned to him. "W- done already? Ah- Oi mean," He cleared his throat, his own snout turning a darker green with a chuffy laugh. "Yeaaa' course! S' whot gifts are for n' all, Oi'm just happy t' help!" And yet he felt so utterly selfish wanting MORE of those scritches.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoeb gives a smile, and leans back against the wall as she gives a small grin.

    "Most animals have these little nodes behind their ears, when they're tapped they release endorphines, like oxytocin, which makes you feel happy and relaxed. It's why cats and dogs like to be scritched there. Humans have 'em too, but ours are smaller and harder to activate. But you just have these big wonderful ears and that thought's been stuck in my head since New Year's. So -- thank you. Best present I've gotten this year."

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
He sits back up with a bashful grin of his own, giggling softly! "Aw, really? Learnin' a whole new part a' me today! Hah!" He chuffs a little, actually having to catch his breath a little, as he forgot to breath during the scritchening. "Well Oi'm glad Oi could provoide such a stellah gift to ya'! Oi wanted it to be somethin' special, and well, Oi think we both enjoyed it in this case. Shwooo...tha's completely changed m' mental, not gonna loie. Oi'm gonna hafta figure out how t' live without scritches now...slippery slope they are." He snickers into his paw, grinning big and wide!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Not necessarily...? I mean --" Phoebe trails off a moment "Barbers give head massages. Scalp massage is totally a thing. I like it when my brothers braid my hair or RObbie plays with my hair, it's not out of the question for if you need a head scritch that you can get one. There's gotta be a barber shop in like Bushwick that might do it. Lemmie do some research." Phoebe considers.

    "If not, I mean, if you're in Gotham some time and you don't mind Potato and Idu--" Phoebe sinks into Problem solving mode, and her nose wrinkles a moment before she grabs another slice of pizza.

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
He nods a little, taking up another slice and down right devouring it in big chomps! "Huh, really? Fascinatin'. Perhaps hope is not lost afta' all...still, can't help it'd be a bit weird for a tall glass o' yeen to ask your mates for scritches, y' know? Loike, obviously it ain't scandalous or nothin' just...Oi dunno, this is very new territory fer me!" He cackles nervously, chuffing into his free paw with mild embarrassment.

"Well ah, research is appreciated, buuuut oitha' way, thank ye' fer opening moi oiyes and all. Glad Oi was able to make y' birthweek a good one, aye?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Ah, don't worry about it then." Phoebe gives a laugh, and rubs the back of her head. "Everyone at their own pace, but I'm glad that you've discovered you like having your ears scritched -- otherwise this would be a really, really embarrassing hang-out session." Phoebe grins, and looks up to Sma'shaw.

    "So, how have you been keeping, my man?"

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
He kind shrugs a little. "Pretty good. Fought a weird zombie man throwin' Dorito dust...really spoicy stuff, enough to burn things loike how acid would. Ran back into tha' ground after Oi hit 'em with a tree though, zombies hate trees n' hyenas, y' know." He nodded sagely. "Oi've honestly been hopin' to hang with a fella mutie as of late, but things haven't loined up. She's probably busy n' all, can't blame a gal. Ahhh, whot else...well there was yer party, which was very neat. Honestly, things have been pretty uneventful, mostly been enjoyin' m'self on tha' Landshahrk."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Oh yeah? Anyone I might know?" Phoebe inquires politely as she pops one of the colas, and takes a deep breath, looking up to the sky above them. "It was definitely a surprise to see you, but as you saw the Waynes aren't really phased by much. I wish Tim had made it. He's like me, he likes the oddballs." she explains, and draws one knee up.

    "Zombies also generally don't like fire as a rule. Then again... most things don't like fire as a rule."

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
"Cheers, Oi'll drink ta' tha'." He clinks his aluminum can into hers, taking a swig of cola.

"Mmmh...maybe? You know anyone boi th' name Sally Proide? Cat mutie, or uh, maybe a Lioness, Oi think? Real cute lookin', undahcut n' all. Leathah jacket. Haven't really seen 'er around much, but Oi haven't been terribly active m'self save for the occasional spur of th' moment heroics."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I'm afraid not. I've met a couple of animal mutants, but mostly my mutant experiences are run-ins with the Spiders." Phoebe admits, not wanting to out the more notable mutants she's met. "But she seems nice. Other than me you seem to be an excellent judge of character." Phoebe gives a small grin, and then leans back.

    "Thanks, Sma'shaw, for coming out tonight. It's nice not to be alone when I'm all broody."

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
"Aye, Oi'd loike t' think so, you've been roigh' good company boi me." He grins right back at her, knocking the rest of his soda back and crushing the can effortlessly.

"Anythin' fer a mate o' moine. Though, if y' feel broody fer any reason, moi texts, emails, calls: all open to ya'. Even roigh' now, if y' got anything else t' get off yer chest." He smiled genuinely, just happy to be a pillar for someone he cared about.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe considers a moment. She arches her eyebrows upwards. And then she states, in amusement:

    "I was a little mad when Caleb guessed that the pink hair was from the argument with the demon car. Of ALL THE THINGS I could have done in my life, lose an argument to a Hellride was definitely not something I would have figured." she states in admission, and gives a grin.

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
He knit his brows together", equations flying across his vision as his yeen brain spun around in its thinkpan. "...Wait, pink hair -is- tha' car? She looked nothin' loike a car..." He tapped his chin a little, now considering widening his dating pools to potentially dubious automobiles from the depths of hell. You know, just on the off chance it ever happened, gotta keep the horizons wide.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "... no no--" Phoebe states, and she takes off her hat. She shows her dusky pink hair.

    "The other pink hair'ed girl's name is Megan. I've worked with her on a couple things. She is... definitely not the car." Phoebe explains.

    She points to her own hair. "I got into an argument with a car. I tried to turn it pink as a prank. Now my hair is just this way."

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
Sma'shaw blank faced at Phoebe for the longest time, falling into an echoing loop of silent disbelief.

Before he cracked a grin with a snort. "Wait, 'ang on a tick now...how does you changing your hair ta' pink permanently have anything to do with arguin' with a car??"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I tried to turn the car pink as a prank on my boyfriend. The car, who until then only ever changed the radio station back to what it wanted, did not appreciate the opportunity to rep Barbie Pink that afternoon and I got blown back against a wall and knocked out. When I woke up? Pink hair. Hid it for a while. Kinda makes me stand out." Phoebe gives a small laugh.

    "So, yeah. That's the story behind my pink hair. And I'd appreciate you *not* telling anyone about it. You're one of four people who know why it's actually pink now."

Sma'shaw Ihaka has posed:
He couldn't help but belt out a hyena classic cackle, holding his stomach at the poor girl's misfortune! "Ooooh, now it all makes sense! H-hah, boi the toide, you've certainly out done y'self in tha' department~! Haaaah...well if it's any consolation, honestly, yer rockin' tha' pink pretty good. Legit 'ad zero oidea that it wasn't intentional."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Thanks, man. I appreciate it. I still hide it most of the time, 'cause it's... a lot." Phoebe explains to SMa'shaw. "Got really good at turning other people's hair colors, so if you ever wanna try, you let me know." she explains in a gentle tone, and then leans her head back, closes her eyes, and breathes out.

    "Good night to have a friend." she states to the Yeen quietly.