549/Tigers, Lyons, and Bear

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Tigers, Lyons, and Bear
Date of Scene: 16 March 2020
Location: Union Square Park
Synopsis: What do you do when you see a sabertooth tiger in Union Square Park? Meet it.
Cast of Characters: Alanna Lyons, Samuel Morgan, Kevin Plunder




Alanna Lyons has posed:
It's a sunny afternoon, though not entirely one you could consider warm. There's enough of a breeze to make it still a bit chilly, but it seems to hint that maybe warmer weather is on the way. Alanna seems to be of the mind that it's going to stay cold and remains firmly garbed in her grey peacoat, one hand in her pocket while the other flips through messages on her phone. She stands near some of the stairs, resting her hip up against the railing as she occasionally glances about, perhaps looking for someone or waiting.

Given the size of Union Square Park, it's got plenty of space for people to gather. A small protest seems to be going off to the side, and by the signs present it appears to be an anti-mutant one. It's no bigger than a handful of people and while a few people do engage with them, the crowd isn't rowdy and doeesn't seem like it could spark into anything dangerous.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Idiots. Idiots everywhere. It could be said that Sam has very little patience for anti-mutant sentiment, but he'll be the first to admit that he's biased. He is, after all, subject to that hatred, although he's lucky enough to show no exterior signs of mutation. So stealthy a mutant, in fact, that he had managed to get into the Pro-Humana event a week or so ago just to make sure nothing serious happened that would strengthen anti-mutant sentiment. Which makes him both pragmatic, and probably a hypocrite. Those are things he can live with.

    Dressed for spring in that his hoodie is of the lighter zip-up variety rather than the front pocket variety, the teenager is currently jogging around the park, flanked by a very energetic German Shepherd. Someone is exercising someone. It's not immediately obvious who has taken whom for a walk here...

    Every so often that jog takes the duo past the protesters, but no attempt is made to engage with them, or even look at them for more than a moment just to make sure nobody is going to step in their path.

Alanna Lyons has posed:
The protest crowd is just background noise to Alanna right now. They aren't causing trouble, they aren't very big, and they aren't too terribly loud which makes them a non-entity for the moment. She doesn't spare them a second glance as she looks around, peering at the time on her phone with a bit of a frown.

"Well, that's unfortunate," she says. Looks like whoever she was supposed to meet no-showed. Which means she's tucking her phone away in a pocket and looking around with more interest again. Her eyes trail over people, checking to make sure there's no one she knows around. Not that she's worried, it's just a quick check. Big family.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Ey, put that dog on a lead!" It's a comment from a commuter, who half blinded by his own cup of coffee and blinded further by his phone had nearly run into the German Shepherd that's running along with the teenager in the park. The only response is a Universal Salute, Sam not even breaking stride to dignify the comment with a response. True, he's technically breaking city code by having Bear off the leash, but he's also staying out of the way of people, out of the way of trouble.

    Combat boots pound the walkways, thump on grass and carry him ever onwards, at the same pace, around and around and around the park. Just out for exercise...

Kevin Plunder has posed:
Kevin tends to draw attention. Well, it's more fair to say that his 'pet' draws attention.

T    he tall, muscled man makes his way through the area, taking it all in curiously. His long blonde hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail. He's dressed in tight, dark pants and boots, along with a button-up shirt that has been left mostly unbuttoned. A necklace made of some simple leather thong, with numerous large, weird animal teeth and claws hanging from it (Along with an odd piece of abnormal metal in the shape of a half-moon) can be seen against his chest. Some folks recognize him from recent the news, while others seem more interested in the sabertooth tiger.

He holds idly to a long, thick chain, which is wrapped about the neck of a HUGE sabertooth tiger. The thing could probably be ridden by somebody like a horse. It stalks along before him, the chain seeming more to keep with laws then to serve any real purpose. Folks stop and stare, or back away and leave. Kevin and his tiger, however, don't seem to care. A few of the NYPD, looking like park patrol, pause on their foot route to stare, clearly considering what, if anything, they should do.

Alanna Lyons has posed:
Alanna has thankfully put her phone away, so when she sees the sabertooth it's a full on glance and not out of the corner of her eye. "... okay, I know there's a market for exotic pets but this takes the cake." She's not sure her family's even got a line in that particular market. Part of her is curious, the other part of her screams 'Oh hey, an animal that can snap your head off'. For now, she sticks with a healthy combination of both.

Taking a few tiny steps closer, she glances towards Sam, who appears to be in the same general area. "Careful, I don't think that guy's pet and yours are going to mix very well."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    The commuter, still fuming and furiously posting something on Twitter about the disgraceful state of youth today, nearly runs into another animal. As mentioned, he's still furious, and lowers his phone to have a proper shout at the next dog walker in his path. "Why don't you... ooooooo.... eerrr..." He looks at the animal that he assumed was a dog, but is a lot bigger up close. Then he looks at the owner, casually strolling with it. A few braincells click and, by unanimous vote, decide to shut down his mouth and take direct control of his legs. Angry commuter, exit park left...

    Sam turns his head when Alanna gives her advice, but shrugs on his way past and continues on. Continues on past Lord Plunder and his companion. "Hey man, nice tiger!" Which is accompanied by a friendly 'Whurf' from Bear.

Kevin Plunder has posed:
The Sabertooth (A soundly extinct animal...and one that likely never grew to this size even then) seems rather relaxed. It sniffs the air now and again and glares at folks who get too close, but it hasn't seemed to snap up any children or small animals yet. Kevin arches an eyebrow when the angry man hurries away, and then he shrugs his heavy shoulders.

"Zabu gets along with those who do not push his boundaries," he replies to Alanna. His voice is deep, and with a refined British accent. If you listen closely, however, there is a bit of an almost animal growl to the edges of his words, making the refined accent somehow seem wild. He pauses in his walk.

Alanna Lyons has posed:
Alanna's gaze rests on Sam for a moment as he passes, and she shakes her head a bit before she looks back towards the elephant in the room. Of course, this is less elephant but more sabertooth and less room than more open space. As it hasn't seemed incredibly dangerous, she approaches cautiously, if nothing else than to get a better view.

"Zabu seems like an incredible creature. I can't imagine how you managed to get him here from wherever he came from without people giving you a great deal of trouble."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Seem to me..." begins Sam as he doubles back, deciding that this is an opportunity too rare to pass up. He jogs on the spot, refusing to stand still, although Bear doesn't feel the need for any of that, sitting down attentively and look up at at Zabu, sharing a look with the Sabertooth Tiger. A glance from one companion to another.

    "... seems to me that a man with a tiger like that never gets given any trouble." He's aware that the NYPD is hovering around, and he's watching their indecision with an amused smile.

Kevin Plunder has posed:
"Private transportation," the man says after a moment. Zabu leans out a bit, his nostrils flaring as he sniffs at Alana a bit. Whatever he smells seems to bore him, however, and the enormous beast glances back at Kevin before settling down onto his haunches to wait. He doesn't seem to like the chain much, but it also looks quite loose on him. Honestly, he could probably break it or slip out of it in an instant.

"He is a most incredible creature. "Almost one of a kind. He has been with me for many, many years now." The Tiger turns towards Sam and leans out to sniff at him and his dog from where he is lounging.

Alanna Lyons has posed:
"Trust me, there's always someone with a bigger tiger," Alanna says after a moment. "Proverbial, not literal." She glances towards the tiger once more, interested in the story of where he came from. "It doesn't seem like you'd be able to move him very far otherwise. The government can be very tricky about those things."

She looks back at Zabu. "He does seem like a unique creature. Are there any more similar to him? I always wonder when I'm looking at some creatures if they are the last of their kind." She's also pretty sure she remembered sabertooths being extinct.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    There's a smile as Sam gives Alanna a look. It's that typical New Yorker look, the one reserved for out of towners who are seeing the sights for the first time. "We had dinosaurs on Wall Street two months ago. Big kitty like this isn't that surprising."

    Which is, of course, not strictly true. And the appearance here has confirmed something for the trainee agent, but it won't do to appear to knowledgeable all at once.

    Bear doesn't mind being sniffed, snuffling right back. Yup. Big cat. Like a dog, but not. Friendly. Hi friend!

Kevin Plunder has posed:
"Many of his kind were hunted, but he remains. A few others, as well, but few. They are...long-lived, however. I do not know how old Zabu is, or how long he will live, but...it is longer then us," the man says. Kevin glances towards the man and furrows his brow.

"Dinosaurs? Here? What happened?," he asks, suddenly seeming quite interested.

Alanna Lyons has posed:
"... I'm aware. I live here." Alanna folds her arms across her chest. She doesn't look amused. "Personally, though, I actually like seeing a creature that I don't normally get the opportunity to see. He's majestic." She's always enjoyed seeing big cat exhibits in zoos, so getting to see something like Zabu up close is a rare treat.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "They appeared out of nowhere." Sam begins, still having an amused smile on his face, possibly from Alanna's reaction. He does like to play the native New Yorker from time to time, it's by far his favorite persona. "Guess some guys were trying to use them as a distraction for a bank robbery. They showed up, ran around, caused some damage, disappeared. A velociraptor tried to eat Bear. But The Green Lantern took care of it."

    He finally stops jogging in place and drops a hand down to pet Bear between the ears, giving the Shepherd a fond smile. "Kicked that monster right in the teeth for you, didn't I Bear?"

Kevin Plunder has posed:
"He is Zabu," he announces officially. "I am Lord Kevin Plunder."

The name has been on the radio, in the newspaper, on television...all over the place. Lord Kevin Plunder, the real-life equivilant of Tarzan, recently returned to the world and settled in America. Tabloid covers show him as well, and abound with tales of a 'Savage Land' filled with dinosaurs and monsters.

"Huh. That is...interesting. I should look into this." He worries idly about creatures being taken from the Savage Land, or if there are pockets of the creatures ouside of it.

Alanna Lyons has posed:
Whatever game Samuel's playing, Alanna does not seem fond of it. Her arms don't move from where they're crossed, though now her attention is solely on Kevin and his pet. "Oh, that's certainly a name I've heard. It's a pleasure, Lord Plunder." She offers both a nod to him and Zabu.

"Alanna Lyons."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Whatever the game is, Sam stops playing it when the introductions are being made. His accent even changes, letting a hint of Kentucky and the Carolinas creep in. In response to the introduction, he gives a formal half bow, and even Bear dips his head, one paw forward. "My Lord Ka-zar. It's an honor."

    It probably is, at that.

    But that also gives away that he's not utterly ignorant of who he's speaking to, even if his wink to Zabu is less than courtly. It's the greeting of a teenager that simply likes animals, no matter how fierce they might look. "To be fair, I don't think the dinosaurs were actually real. They vanished into thin air when the Green Lantern knocked out the bank robbers. Or so I heard."

    Belatedly, he introduces himself. "Sam, Sam Morgan. And this wonderful specimen of a canine, my furry friend and compatriot, is Bear."

Kevin Plunder has posed:
"Pleasure, Alanna Lyons," the large man says. He arches an eyebrow at Sam and turns fully towards him, then. He looks surprised, and he offers a nod in reply. "A name I didn't expect to hear much out here. Feels strange coming from human lips that do not belong to my Queen, and yet here we are." He chuckles, his voice deep. "But thank you, Sam Morgan. And hello, Bear."

The man shifts his weight from one boot to the other as he looks between the two. "Illusions or creations, then? Ah, that is far less troubling, and a good thing to note."

Alanna Lyons has posed:
Alanna politely nods towards both of them, really, though her stance and posture haven't changed much in terms of everything. She tips her head in the direction of the two to listen, but she doesn't add anything to the conversation, instead seeming to think on something.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "I seemed to recall you mentioned preferring that name at a press conference, about two years ago." Sam must have a good memory. And an interest in international politics. Possibly one of those teenagers with far too much time on their hands. "In case the NYPD get a bit concerned, remind them that cats are usually exempt from leashing laws."

Kevin Plunder has posed:
"It is true. Kevin Plunder is my given name, and Lord is my title...but Ka-Zar is the name I prefer. It is the one I have lived with for most of my life," the man explains. He then follows Sam's glance towards the cops standing a bit away, speaking into their shoulder walkie. "Hrm. I am prefering not to have an incident at the moment..."

Alanna Lyons has posed:
"Good memory," Alanna does note. Not everyone happens to remember press conferences from two years ago at the drop of a hat. "I doubt it's leash laws you're going to have to worry about there, they're probably more worried about it being considered an exotic animal or potentially dangerous. I haven't looked up the laws regarding that sort of thing."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "They do like to check permits for that sort of thing." Sam agrees with a glance to Alanna. "But I'm sure that any competent lawyer will argue that a sabertooth tiger is exempt from licensing, given that it's neither listed on the exotic species list, nor considered to still be alive. Can't license what's legally extinct." There's another shrug there, and an apologetic look to both Kevin and Zabu. "No offense meant."

Alanna Lyons has posed:
"Plenty of good lawyers in New York City," Alanna says. "I don't think it'd be too hard, although they might have to keep an eye on the people nearby for their own safety. Crowd control." There's a buzz of a phone from her pocket and she smoothly pulls it out and answers it in one motion. She gives a half a wave in passing as she walks off.

It probably wouldn't be the last time a sabertooth was lurking around in Union Square.