4281/Stealing Christmas

Stealing Christmas
Date of Scene:	02 December 2020
Location:	Outside FAO Schwarz in Manhattan
Synopsis:	Candy Cane Stabbings. Selfies. Fans. Alien Attacks. Busy Christmas season for Kate and Kamala.
Cast of Characters:	Kate Bishop, Kamala Khan

---

Kate Bishop has posed:
It's Christmas time in the city. Ring-a-Ling. Soon it will be Christmas Day. Even stop lights. Blink a bright red and green. As the shoppers rush. Home with their treasures

Well okay maybe it is a bit before Christmas. Still most of the stores seem to be decorated before Thanksgiving is even remotely over. Also Black Friday and Cyber Monday and OH MY GOD Shopping Chaos!

Which for some god awful reason means this idiot wanna be Supervillain with a Christmas theme decided to try to rob the FAO Swartz near Central Park.

Which totally interrupted Kate Bishop's plan to get toys for her cousins for Christmas.

The battle was fierce. Snowglobe Bombs. Tinsel Whips. A Candy Cane Sword Fight.

God Damned Epic.

Right now though the archer is sitting on the hood of a sleigh themed villain-mobile with the idiot dressed like an evil santa glued to the pavement. One of the cops is asking Kate about being able to get him up to take him in. "That... sounds like a problem for the Raft.. I mean... ugn..." yeah she has had enough of today already "I wish I had a peppermint frap..." she digs in a pouch and tosses a spray bottle to the SWAT officer. "Spray this just on the part in the pavement.. I do not want to glue him again."

The teen sounds tired and is still bleeding from her shoulder where she got stabbed by a fucking Candy Cane.

She also doesn't seem to be paying close attention to the people gathered around due to bad crowd control taking photos and video.

Kamala Khan has posed:
Kamala was not out here shopping for Christmas, but she does enjoy the holliday season all the same! People seem so much nicer, they seem to care for one another just a bit more, and everything is so festive and... good. It's odd, really, but whenever someone shows disdain for these few months, she always points to how arbitrarily people go out of their way to be better people between November and December.

Should these events be remanded to just a few weeks? No, of course not, but...

Small victories right?

Suffice that it is interrupted by a villain themed in the style of the Christian season. And there's a Titan here to do combat with him!

Kamala is amongst those watching, bright eyed and grinning, she's using her cellphone to collect footage if only to prove to her classmates that she had, in deed, seen the Archer engaged in the good fight!

Even once the others had began to dispurse, the dark haired girl wearing a Giant-Man fanclub t-shirt remains, waving stupidly, almost idoically, at the young heroine. "Hey! Good job with the fight!" Thumbs up! All grins.

Kate Bishop has posed:
It is true that people do indeed start to disperse. The show is over. Also it isn't like Better Looking Hawkeye is famous enough to merit large throngs of people or autograph hounds or anything like that. Not like main tier Justice League or Avengers.

Which honestly on reflection is not fair. I mean hell the Titans totally helped save the world like twice this year.

Still there is a perfect opportunity for Kamala to get up close and wave and speak up and all that. Though it honestly takes Kate a moment to realize that the person trying to get her attention isn't another demanding cop, or worse yet a REPORTER.

She looks up and blinks a couple of times behind those sunglasses and then tilts her head and looks around then back to Kamala. Then the words actually sink in and she grins a bit. "Oh hey thanks. I definitely count not dying by candy cane a good job if I am honest about it. That would have been embarassing." she squints a bit. "I had no idea Giant-Man has a fan club. Didn't he do some awful thing or something?"

Kamala Khan has posed:
"I... uh... yeah.." Kamala stretches her shirt out when it's pointed out to her, looking down at it with a little frown. "But it's vintage. He gave it to me himself! He's... I don't know, maybe he's bad, but he's also done a lot of good. So I'm trying to see the good in people." That said, she releases the shirt and grins at Kate. "You're Hawkeye!"

Beaming a smile so bright it might as well be hanging on a Christmas Tree.

"I'm Kamala Khan... I've read all about you and the Titans! What you guys did in Metropolis during the invasion? That was so incredible... like..." So much excitement, she's practically bubbling over with it. "Listen, I don't want to make this weird or anything, but can I get a selfie with you? My friends at school would absolutely lose it if they saw I met you!"

Nevermind that's she's met Spider-Man, Giant-Man, /AND/ Captain FREAKIN' Marvel..

It's all so new, so exciting, to her.

Kate Bishop has posed:
Okay all that. Aaaaaalll that. Was not at all what at all what Kate was expecting to hear in response to the whole thing about Giant Man.

He gave it to this teenager. What the heck.

"Well uhm.. seeing the good in people is really admirable. I am think he is my teammates father actually so I should probably cut him some slack." she then grins. "I am indeed Hawkeye. Contrary to all the nicknames the press seems to like to give me."

Like Hawkgirl. Hawkingbird. Hawklass. Hawkeye II. MockingHawk. Esh.

"You want a selfie with me?" she honestly reacts like this is the first time anyone has ever been this excited to meet her or requested a selfie. Kate actually blushes a good deal. "I mean .. sure." she slides off the hood of the death sleigh and stretches a bit. "Be careful to not get blood on your retro shirt though..." she glances "I need to get this cleaned up after you take hte pic I think." she gestures Kamala closer now.

"Your friends at school will lose it. Like really?"

This up close it is pretty obvious Kate is about Kamala's age.

Kamala Khan has posed:
"Oh yeah." Kamala assures Kate, "I'll have to tell them who you are, probably, but..." She's not being ugly, even if that almost certainly stings. The important take away is that SHE knows who Kate is. And SHE is very excited to hear that Kate is going to take a selfie with her.

Nodding at the warning, she slides up as close as she dares without getting contacty with the blood parts. Her hand goes up behind the heroes back and her first two fingers grow to make floppy bunny ears behind Kate's head. They /really/ look like bunny ears too. All thick, floppy, and long.

"Say, best super hero team ever!" Snap.

All grins.

"Do you have social media? Maybe I can... I mean this might be silly, but maybe I can tag you? I think I've seen some of your tweets actually. Back when Harley Quinn use to post a lot. Shame she doesn't do that anymore, she use to be really funny."

..

...

.....

"Not sure what happened."

Kate Bishop has posed:
Kate is posing, bleeding, in her hero gear all armored up and armed in several very sharp and pointy sort of ways. But yes the whole part about Kamala's friends being needed to be told who she is for them to lose it. Does that count as losing it. "Okay that stings more than candy cane shards in your shoulder.. for the record."

Well I mean, it is kind of nice that Kamala seems to definitely know who she is and is quite excited about the selfie. So yeah she poses with her there. She is blinks a bit puzzled right after the snap.

Were those giant bunny ear... fingers... what the...

Though before she can zero in on that line of questioning the comment about posting it and Harley derails her. " I mean, Harley is kind of crazy and definitely not a good role model for anyone. She threatened to kill me the last time we met. Though I am told she reformed." she sounds skeptical. "Also.. yeah it is Hawkingbird on Twitter and Insta."

Then she manages to catch back up with her train of thought, though she asks as she pulls out a slap patch bandage and with one hand starts to peel her top a ways so she can get to the stand wound. "Can I see that photo though?" she swears...

Kamala Khan has posed:
Kamala has her phone up in both hands, thumbs working at the speed of text to get it posted to insta AND twitter. "Hrm?" Glancing up, half cocking her head, eyes rolling forward, and a big grin. "Oh, well I tagged you! Don't worry." She assures with the phone slipping away in the back pocket of her capre pants.

"She is, totally, crazy, but that doesn't mean she can't reform. Didn't she use to be a doctor or something? I kind of think it's tragic really..." Said with a little down turn of her smile into something closer to a frown.

"Brilliant doctor manipulated by a love affair gone astray... I'm not saying she shouldn't be punished for what she's done, but in a world full of people hating women... I feel like maybe it's other womens responsibility to try and see the ones who come out of dark places for the hard work they've put into it..."

Small shoulders rise in a smol shrug, eyes going down to the sidewalk as she talks to a SUPER HERO about... well... this.

"But yeah, she's not a role model for anyone except women who get themselves out of manipulative relationships that change them for the worse. In that way, and possibly only that way, Harley Quinn shouldn't just be /a/ role model, but /the/ role model. I just hope she keeps it up."

That's where she sounds doubtful.

Kate Bishop has posed:
Well Kate will need to check it later, she is too busy getting her hands bloody to bother to check right away. "That candy cane have better been sterile. This.. This is why I take antibiotics all the time I swear to god."

"She was a psychiatrist in Arkham I think. Which is irony. Also I appreciate that that Wonder Woman vouched her and my friend Vorpal says she is reformed." she pauses "That does not change the fact she popped a Russian Monsters head like a watermelon with that old Comedian Gallager.. Gilligan.. the sledge hammer guy and the watermelons. It nearly had me giving up being a hero since it was like my third crime busting trip out in the wild. That kind of stuff haunts your sleep."

"Though you are right, more power to her for telling the Joker to take a hike and that is actually a pretty empowering way to look at it." she looks up from bandaging her shoulder and smiles "Good attitude honestly. Sorry if I dissed someone you look up to a bit for that." she does mean it too. She is just cranky at this point. "Do you know you are the first person to ever ask to take a picture with me?"

Kamala Khan has posed:
"I don't look up to her, persay..." Kamala says to Kate with a little grimace, "I just.. I don't know, I can appreciate what she's gone through? Or maybe I can't, I've nevr been in her shoes. I just figure it can't possibly be easy... to come back from wherever she was mentally?" It's all a big grey area really.

Still...

She shrugs and grins and then nods.

"Vorpal is totally rad! I wish he'd post more stuff on Twitter. Can I ask you a question?" She doesn't bother waiting for the answer, "Are him and Beast Boy .. like... together? I kind of get the feeling from some of Gar's posts that they are, but they would be totally adoralicious together." Hands up.

Hands down. Jaw joining... big eyes at Kate.

"Wait, really? Well good! I'm glad I got to be your first. It's sort of a big deal to me. Even if maybe you could, ya know... not cuss so much." Oh snap. "Even if you are kind of cute when you rip someone's-" MUCH QUIETER "-ass-" Normal voice, "-apart on twitter."

Kate Bishop has posed:
Oh thank god a subject change. "Sure you can totally ask a question." this whole having fans thing is very new to Kate.

Oh crap a subject change. She frantically tries to remember if this is something that is a team secret or if this is something the public knows. It isn't the best poker face there for a moment as she thinks about it. "Uh."

"Oh.. hey yeah they are together or a thing or ... well I mean. They got photographed kissing I think after the whole Themyscira embassy thing and Gar made a post I thought about it..." she trails off and frowns.

"It was probably drowned out because War World happened then next day which is when some of the team got sucked into the Wormhole... Vorpal included." she frowns.

"Wait. I cuss too much on Twitter?" she blinks and looks over to Kamala. "I... wasn't aware I cuss too much." she honestly isn't. It is sort of adorbable. Maybe the stress of heroing has prevented her from realizing what comes out of her mouth, or tweets at this point.

Kamala Khan has posed:
"uhh.. I mean, not /too/ much, but you do cuss a lot..." Kamala doesn't sound upset, so much as informative, "I read a lot of your tweets... I read everyones tweets. So it might not be fair because I see it as a single body rather than individual posts, but.." She nods a little, again looking down like she just told a magician how to do their own magic trick.

"I think it gives you a grown up appearance, but it also gives off the wrong impression for parents who might not want their young daughters following someone who, by all rights, /should/ be their idol... Anyways, I'm not lecturing or nothing, just saying." Try to smile through it, Kamala. You just Abu'd it.

"I think your social media presence is great, don't mind me!" Hands up and everything!

Kate Bishop has posed:
Kate blushes a faint bit once more. She didn't thiknk she actually cussed a lot. She may have reexamine her life choices ab it. I mean as far as she can tell this other teenager is her only fan and she thinks she cusses a lot.

"That.. is actually pretty insightful." she admits about the whole reason Kate might do it. "It is really hard to get people to take you seriously when you have people wondering if you are old enough to superhero. Let alone pilot space ships." pause "Which I totally do and the DEO has to let me because I saved the planet that one time." smug Kate is smug.

"I'll have to consider the fact that I may have actual fans.. I probably need a publicist." she makes it sound painful though. "Gar probably has advice..."

Kamala Khan has posed:
"I get it." Kamala assures her, grinning gently, aware that she may have come on a bit strong. It wasn't her intention, seeing Kate rethink her whole social profile right now.. she reaches out to tenatively pat her upper arm. "For what it's worth, you really are a great hero. People tend not to pay attention if you can't throw a building, but.. the people who matter the most, they see. I promise." Pat.

Then she nods, grin coming back in spades.

"I'm sure he will! I mean, I'd totally moderate your social media platform if you wanted... Well, I could, not that I should... You don't know me.." Her turn to be a little embarrassed, "nevermind, forget I said anything, that was really dumb."

Kate Bishop has posed:
And now her first selfie fan is gving her a pep talk.

After she got stabbed by a candy cane sword stopping an evil Santa Claus.

Her life is whacked out.

"Thanks. You are right when you are on a team with people as strong as Hulk or Thor... well people believe you aren't quite as tough. You wonder if anyone will notice you. Still bow powers are powers too and they are pretty sweet."

"No seriously it is cool, it was pretty sweet honestly Kamala. That said I am pretty sure if I get social media advice like official like I should talk so someone who isn't potentially Bad Santa's over there apprentice or something. Not that you are but we did just meet and you could be a secret villain." a smile.

Yeah she is totally teasing Kamala too.

Kamala Khan has posed:
"I would be the absolute worst villain..." Kamala says with a snort laugh, hands in her pockets now. "I'm giving the hero a pep talk. How many super villains do that? Besides Megaman villains, that is." Vintage video games!!

There's a tiniest of little grins though. And the smallest twinkle in her eyes.

"You can't judge yourself by the powers of OUR people, Hawkeye. Besides, how much courage does it take to go fight world defeating invaders when you /know/ you can throw Manhatten at them? I'd say it's way more couragous going to fight those same invaders knowing you /can't/."

Kate Bishop has posed:
"That is definitely true. I am totes more couragous than Captain Marvel or Thor." she gestures to her shoulder "I can be killed by a Candy Cane and I still do this."

She trails off.

"That or I am nuts. Either way I do my best." a grin. "You're fun Kamala. Thanks for the pep talk. Seriously. You are pretty good and easy to talk to."

"Nice to now you aren't a villain." she looks around. "I need a peppermint frap, want to get a coffee before I take off?" ahah there is a conventient Starkbucks. Like every corner in this damn town.

Kamala Khan has posed:
"Whooooa now... don't go talking smack against CaptaiN Marvel..." Kamala says with a wry grin, totally teasing. Her cheeks are just a touch rosey, but she's nodding to Kate all the same at the invitation for coffee.

"I'd love to. I'm a little strapped for cash though. Abu grounded me and took away my allowance... which means I can't do my little after school job until I'm, in his own words, old enough to retire." She might be joking, by the way she's laughing she probably is.

Since she's headed towards CONVENIENTBUCKS.

"You know, you should write a song about being the most unappreciated underpowered hero."

It did not get missed.

Kate Bishop has posed:
"Not sure I can sing that well. I am a good dancer though and can play several instruments... but not sure I am a triple threat... or is that acting?"

Then she waves off the part about being strapped for cash. "My treat. You're my first selfie fan so the least I can do is buy you a coffee." a smile as she just heads over dodging traffic and walks into the corporate shill coffee shop slightly bloody and still holding an the WonderBow in one hand.

There actually is some staring and some more photos, just no selfie requests "Can I get a Venti Peppermint Mocha. Hawkeye." yeah that pleases her every time. Then she pivots to Kamala "What would you like?"

Kamala Khan has posed:
The celly cameras get a little finger waves as Kamala trails a step behind the armored, armed, and bloody Hawkeye. A sheepish grin, pointing after the Titan mouthing, I'm with her. Because apparently that's important despite the outward dishevaled appearance of her compatriot.

"Uhhh sure, venti peppermint mocha sounds good! I don't usually drink coffee so much, but I like chocolate and mint." The last part said to Kate quietly. "Thank you, by the way. For coffee." Coughing into her fist with a side to side glance over her shoulders.

"They're staring."

Kate Bishop has posed:
Kate pauses and looks around once the drink orders are in then back to Kamala "they do that." she laughs just a bit. "Still you are the first one to ask for a selfie. I think is is the sword or sharp arrows maybe.. or maybe the cussing."

She pulls out a surprising rolled up bit of cash and pays with a twenty, dumping the change in the tip jar, then moves to the pickup area and leans against the stirer and napkin bar. She roots around in a pocket and palms a couple advil and pops them in her mouth dry swallowing them. "So if you are grounded and with no allowance... how are you out here today watching a Supervillain get his ass kicked. Are you going to be in trouble?"

Kamala Khan has posed:
"Maybe a combination of all three?" Kamala offers helpfully, grinning.

Moving to join Kate at the pick up area, she watches the advil manuever, and looks up at the question. "Hm? Oh... OH!" Reaching hurriedly for her phone, she checks to see if there's any messages. Scrolling quickly with her thumb, there's a moment of tension... and then relaxation. "Oh, good. He's still over at the shop. Dad is down here picking up some supplies for mom, so.. he told me I could pick up some some stuff at the comic shop over there-" Pointing at it through the window.

"It's only a block or two back where he's at and Abu can get really long winded when he's chatting up the clerks. I /should/ be okay!" The phone disappears, shoulder and arm moving in a very odd way to put it back in her pocket. Too relaxed, hard to really see if someone weren't paying attention.

Kate Bishop has posed:
Kate grabs the drinks and passes yours off to you. "Ah well then no problem." she well something is definitely off she isn't quite sure yet what it is. She eyes Kamala thoughtfully though behind those purple sunglasses.

She then takes a sip of her mocha and almost drops it when her T-Comm Blares to life in a pocket in her jacket. "What the fuuu.." choking the mocha and the swearing down. She is trying. Honest.

<*ALERT! AIRSPACE VIOLATION - TOWER UNDER ATTACK*> is announced in a way it can't be missed. The Red Alert overriding her ear piece there for a moment.

She scrambles to pull out her T-Comm and stares at it a spit second then stuffs it back in the coat, flipping to comms. "I need to go Kamala."

She is already turning away and saying to her comm <<Someone give me an update now. Is it Aliens again!?>> starting to run for her bike.

Kamala Khan has posed:
Kamala hears that alert and frowns... watching Kate rush off without trying to intercept her. She looks at the drink in her hand, then up at Hawkeye getting ready to go do battle with gosh knows what and... there's a moment where she considers following?

That's crazy though.

Rubbing at the back of her neck.

"You're already grounded, Kamala.. don't. go. chasing. waterfalls..."

Dramatic sigh.

Much lower voice, toe kicking into imaginary dirt.

"Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're use to..."

Still. She's going to be keeping tabs on what happens. "Seeya around, Hawkeye!" Waving from the window, probably unseen, cus things seem pretty impressively real right now.