9145/Brief Lay Ups

Brief Lay Ups
Date of Scene:	17 December 2021
Location:	Sporting Courts: Triskelion
Synopsis:	May meets Daisy for a little one-on-one on the basketball court, where they're joined by Jane and get a chance to catch up on recent events.
Cast of Characters:	Daisy Johnson, Melinda May, Jane Foster

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Daisy Johnson has posed:
Mid-afternoon at the Triskelion! And for agents on mission break (like a certain Daisy) it was time to vent off all the stress from previous missions, catch up with other agents and friends and make money out of beating people on 1 on 1 basketball. Not that she would ever admit to betting inside the Triskelion, not even under torture! Unless the torture would be good food, or chocolate...

A message was sent earlier to May stating: > Hey, want to meet up at athletics today? I am shooting some hoops. We can catch up.

Daisy has indeed been shooting said hoops for the last hour or so, dressed in tight shorts and top, training gear and is just finishing shooting a triple, letting out a whistle, "Ahah! Pay up, Davis!" she announces triumphantly to the other Agent, who lets out a resigned sigh.

Melinda May has posed:
Hoops isn't May's first choice as a workout. But meeting up with Daisy is something she actually wants to do. So, when she gets the message, she decides it's a far better offer than the reports currently staring her in the face.

She wanders in, smirking somewhat as Davis is forced to pay up. "Hey," she says, putting on a scowl and getting into his personal space. "Why aren't you in Red Hook with Piper?"

The lanky agent takes a step back, looking at once sheepish and like a deer caught in the headlights. "We went. Yesterday."

"And your report?"

"Uh. Yeah. It's coming. Honest."

"It better be." There's a gleam in the older agent's eye, however, as she turns away from him, leaving him to finish his transaction with Daisy and flee the room. When he's gone, May smirks. "Too easy."

She's dressed in a grey, layered tank and black yoga pants. There's some bruising visible across her shoulders and her forearms. In this place, though, is that really much of a surprise?

"So, how many agents have you skunked, so far?"

Daisy Johnson has posed:
With May coming in there's a certain shift on the Agents scattered about. Many that were relaxing, or even snickering at what's going on suddenly get into more upright postures, others spreading away as if there was nothing to see here. Yes, May does have a reputation. A reputation that comes fully to the fore when she gets into Davis's personal space. It has Daisy first lift her brows but then suppress a chuckle when she notes the glean on May's gaze.

Yes, Daisy has known her for a looong time. But not even her knows when May is being fully serious or not.

"There he goes. Running for his life.." she comments, folding the money into a small side pocket of her training shorts, "I had one hour before you arrived so ...." a beat, ".. a few." a wink follows after. "It is good to see you, May." a look to the bruises on shoulders and forearms. "Seems like you have been getting your fair share of action as of late.." not that she delves into that, instead giving May a choice.

"Want to be the next agent getting skunked? Or other kind of training?" her tone light, even if full of young challenge!

Melinda May has posed:
May grimaces when Daisy points out her bruises. "Yeah," she grunts. "That's one way to put it." She doesn't speak of it further, however, rolling her shoulders to loosen them and stretching her neck to one side and then the other.

"I'm not laying money down with you, if that's what you're asking," she says. "But I'll play." Less of an embarassment if she loses, that way. Hoops aren't as much fun as 'aggression therapy', to her. "I could use the break from reports."

Waaaaaay too much paperwork in her job, if you ask her. She really needs to get back out into the field. Away from HQ. Faaaar away from HQ.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"I mean, I wouldn't want to see the state of the other person..." Daisy comments. Because someone that can make those kind of bruises on May? Serious business. But May is here, so Daisy assumes she was the winner! And while there's still some curiosity there on her expression she does respect it when May doesn't speak more on it. The point of being here is to relax from missions after all. And swindle Agents out of their hard-earned money.

Growing up at an orphanage did give Daisy a certain set of skills...

The mention about reports has Daisy commiserating about it. She knows the feeling well. "This is why I delegate them whenever I can .." she admits with a sigh, "But they.never.end." her eyes widening just so. Reports. The big SHIELD enemy.

"And play it is then." She tosses the ball over to the senior agent, grinning. "I will even let you start."

Jane Foster has posed:
Jane's the sort to not stick her nose where it does not belong. Besides, this tends to be the hour she sleeps, believe it or not. Astrophysics requires staying up at odd hours, albeit not confined to a nocturnal existence like a storied vampire.

Agent Davis retreating through the recreation corridor brings her briefly up short. The poor man's expression says it all. She doesn't ask the obvious question, trying not to be bowled over. "You okay there?"

Something about "Back to work" and the rounded whites of his eyes are indicative of trouble, to say the least. The brunette brushes her bangs out of her eyes. "Boss?"

"You shouldn't go in there," Davis insists before he hastens off, back to his desk or Red Hook, or frankly buried eight feet down. Under a heap of paperwork sounds good, and maybe as much lunar dust, hopefully where no one is going to locate him. Which leaves the young woman in yoga pants and a cozy, long-sleeved shirt less exciting than other yoga gear pondering if there be sharks. Alligators. Sharkigators.

Only one way to know, which means pushing open the door and centering on the court. Might as well go look at what's causing trouble, and surprise, it rhymes with Fae and Lazy. Not that anyone would ever think of them that way. Eventually she'll drop down on a bench on the side to watch, looking exactly the same as she always does.

/Exactly/.

Melinda May has posed:
May catches the ball easily enough. She doesn't do much more than snirk at the comment about what the other guy must look like. Instead, she tests the bounce of the ball between her hands and the decking. She moves onto the court and glances to the younger agent, noting Jane's entrance as she does. "So, what are the house rules today?" she asks, bouncing the ball a little more, from one hand to the deck to the other and back again. "Scrimmage, shot-for-shot? What's your style?"

For the moment, she's not invoking work, but chances are it'll come up. It always does. And it occurs to her she may have a task suitable to the Warriors.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Street rules, of course. Half-court, one player continues with the ball while they keep scoring." Daisy takes note of May's expertise with the ball while she explains the rules. Typical swindler! Letting the other person go first so she can gauge their skill more easily. "We go to 11. Shots are worth 1 point, 2 points if from the 3-point range."

Jane's arrival is noted and she lifts one hand up to greet her. Which might be a mistake as the game had already started! Maybe not that great a swindler...

"Hey Jane. Feel like joining? We are playing for honor and pride and ..." a pause, "Well, we are playing for fun." a grin tossed over to the astrophysicist.

Jane Foster has posed:
"You think I know the first thing about basketball? I'm a physicist, not a /chemist/." Those dirty chemists! Her protest comes good-naturedly all the same. "We prefer soccer. The rarefied biologists go for volleyball, don't ask me why." In short, maybe she's explaining up front why a game of hoops would end badly for anyone sorry enough to have her on their team. Mostly.

Besides, playing against two Inhumans with their exceptional physiques? That's just plain unfair for the mortal agents of the world. "I can be the referee until I see how ruthless you two are," she adds as a sop, smiling altogether brightly between the two. The rules are clear enough from Daisy, after all, and May's set the groundwork for them.

She gives a merry wave all the same. "Hello, May! Tell me if you prefer me on the court chasing after her, but I am good, either way."

Melinda May has posed:
"You know she's skunked every agent she's played over the past hour, yeah?" May says to Jane. This is why she's not laying money down. She *could* blame any loss to the stiffness in her body lingering from whatever fight gave her those bruises. But that's not usually May's style. She's known for telling people to push through the pain, after all.

So, it's guaranteed she'll try.

"I thought physicists were good with games involving, you know... physics," she adds, a hint of a smirk on her lips as she looks at Jane. Then, to Daisy, "I bet she's even more of a swindler than you. She's just marking your moves, that's all."

Then, May is moving aggressively forward in a jab step/fake to allow her to start dribbling down the court and past Daisy, heading for a spot by that basket. When has Melinda May ever done anything by halves?

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Hey, you are ruining my business here.." Daisy complains jokingly when May just tattles on her swindling, her hands on her hips and she shaking her head admonishingly. Shame! But she is soon winking, "Ah well, I did try at least." yet it's not as if Daisy was born yesterday. She knows Jane may have a card up her sleeve. "But I agree, May. Physicists know their physics! And all the strength needed to hoop a basket..." and it's when May suggests that Jane may be trying to swindle her in return that she narrows her eyes, thoughtful...

"Well, I was in this corner first. If you want to swindle you go over yonder." She jokes at Jane, "But no. Stay and referee.."

And then it's game on! Daisy is aggressive as well. Young, impetuous, full of energy. And she *has* learned the game. She swings her hand to try and disarm May on that first pass but the fake gets by and then she is running along to try and block but the way is clear for that first one!

Jane Foster has posed:
"So what you're saying is I'm the wildcard at the end? That's bound to end up with her earning another $10," Jane replies, unbothered by openly scheming where everyone's favourite earthshaking hacker is. She smiles warmly up to May, and then pulls her hair back, fishing out an elastic from the pocket of her yoga pants. Blessed are the workout pants with functional pockets.

"Soccer involves more physics and it's easier to play in the field." Fieldwork of her sort involves a good variation in weirdness, including the Bifrost punching tattoos on the ground for a while, so that's not exactly par for the course. "That's me, utterly underhanded in every way. Not a chance I could be telling the truth."

Rubbery thunks of a ball hitting the wooden court prove pleasing in their way, the squeaks of trainers a whole lot more annoying. She waits on seeing Daisy's defensive strategy to such matters, thoroughly intrigued. Marking moves might be a fair gauge of both of them. Strength to hoop a basket? "Wrong person we're talking about here."

She slips off the bench to follow them, since that's key; keeping clear lines of sight, making sure no one runs into anyone else. Telling off some agent trying to slip in and take shots at the other hoop. "Busy! You can go to Court 2."

Melinda May has posed:
May slips by Daisy and leaps for a lay-up -- no mean feat for a woman as small as she. Then again, she and Daisy are about the same height, not more than an inch between them. So, at least, from that perspective, it's a fair game.

But Daisy is younger and more immersed in the game than May, who counters that advantage with long years of experience in fighting skills that make dodging, deking, and jumping skills worthy of contention. Not to mention a pretty acurate throw. Her first shot ricochets off the back board to brush into the basket. She springs to catch the ball as it hits the ground.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
As the ball bounces into the net Daisy lets out a sigh. "Beginner's luck.." she taunts. She knows May is no beginner! In anything really. Still, she is grinning, taking the ball when it's tossed to her and then back so the round can restart with May still with the ball.

"I never played soccer so you'd have me there. That whole game is sooo european though." She states, "And I totally am not saying that because I have two left feet..." no dancer is Daisy! Which may just co-relate to her soccer skills. "And you are underhanded when you want to." she eyeing Jane briefly. Is there another meaning there? Daisy does look rather suspicious! Of what exactly though?

Yet it's not all fun and games as there are pressing matters. And much on the young woman's mind. So she eventually speaks up. "Have you spoken much with Blackagar, May?" a pause, "I was thinking on asking him to bring us up to the Moon soon. So we can understand more about .., us." being Inhuman. She looks at Jane then, "Maybe you could help us brokering that trip with him?" she knows Jane has his ear!

Jane Foster has posed:
Jane shakes her head, stifling a chuckle. Distracting Daisy may be deemed an unfair advantage to May, but then again, isn't there an advantage for being wily and the cause of terror throughout the organization? And they say Hill is bad. "You never played soccer? It's not European, it's a game you can play anywhere with a ball, and Mexico has entered the chat. Or Brazil."

No kidding, she's a little bit of a fan. No dancer is Daisy and Jane most definitely pretends to be something of one, though it's usually the exceptional grace of her partner that wheels them most impressively through balls and other events. Totally. "You besmirch me, Johnson. Keep it up and I will call you out at dawn. In /New Jersey/."

For coffee, but no one else needs to know. It sounds more impressive.

Her gaze flickers to Daisy and May, and the telltale burst of two betrayals might well be sneaky! One, her heartrate bounces with a skip, and the sheer damn delight around her notches up a magnitude with clarity usually reserved for diamonds, extremely expensive glass, and other objects. Not quite a punch in the face.

"I could. The gardens up there are quite lovely this time of orbit."

Melinda May has posed:
May's emotional radar has, in recent weeks, become far sharper than it was in the beginning. But you don't need to be an empath to sense Foster's delight. Regardless, she keeps her attetion on her opponent and on the ball between them.

Back to the top the key, she starts moving forward again, seeking to dodge past the younger agent for a second shot. "I haven't," she replies, nonetheless. "I haven't seen him since before the Framework." That seems like a long time ago. Though, she's yet to entirely shake her experiences from then.

"I've been preoccupied by tracking down Gideon Mallick and at least half a dozen WAND-worthy cases." Figures, really. She's always getting pulled into the weird crap.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"Dawn?" Daisy wrinkles her nose at Jane, "Make it noon. And I accept brownies." Oh, Daisy knows what Jane is about! A challenge would most likely be them raiding some kind of delicious pastry shop or three. To make notes on the differences! Or coffee. That would work fine too.

Thankfully none of them has a white glove to slap the other with and make it an official duel. So they are fine, even if the brownies will not be. "And so you have been up there, Jane. Good, that means there's a chance he *will* accept bringing us too." a faint smile to her lips. "Lets make it happen.."

The game continues and Daisy attempts to follow up, now more attentive, keeping her ground and not rushing for an all-or-nothing steal yet. Biding her time. She has learned patience with the best! "WAND cases? We went to get an 0-8-4 a small while back." she nodding towards Jane, "You two should join forces about those. Any advance on Mallick? I have mostly been focused on tracking the remnants of List's people, and his labs." anger coming briefly to the fore, along with guilt. She did throw him to his death. Did she regret it?

Jane Foster has posed:
"Can you tell us more about the WAND cases? I've been living up to my nose in them," Jane replies, not quite able to flatten down her delight or a sussurus of quiet, glittering satisfaction at life. When someone's happy, it shows. There might be other alternatives to name her mood, but those are fair as any. Stalking along the court with light, loping steps to keep up with May's advance and Daisy's attempt to thwart that deke, she keeps close eyes on both of them. No elbows are being thrown, a plus!

"Brownies? Then you're going to provide me with worthy intel about a private matter, and we can discuss nuts or caramel toppings. I intend on handing out cookie boxes soon. They've gone absolutely bonkers beyond the sugar cookies and snickerdoodles, though putting one on the director's desk seems unlikely. Maybe it's appropriate to send a photo and ask if he wants one?"

Priorities; don't upset Nick Fury. She breathes out a bit of a sigh. "What's the current status on Mallick?"

Melinda May has posed:
"I ended up in the Underworld briefly," May tells Jane as she attempts another lay up. The ball circles the rim, teetering for just a moment before it finally falls in. It's a near thing. She chuffs softly and catches it, dribbling as she moves back to the top of the key. "And I spent time hunting down a HYDRA sorcerer who fancied himself king of the multiverse." Magic *and* time travel. Yeah. That was fun... If only she could remember most of it.

"We know Maelstrom is Mallick's kid," she says as she faces off with Daisy a third time. She's referring, of course, to the US Secretary of Defense, Denver Maelstrom -- the guy who declared SHIELD non-grata in the US and send them all underground for months. Oh, and the guy who tried to frame May for mass murder when she went in as Blackbird. Yeah. Don't think she's not still bitter about that. "His days are numbered; we've got operatives working on him. But Mallick's up to more." He also still sits on the WSC, and helps oversee SHIELD. So that's a problem. "He's diverted interests into Eastern Europe and god knows where else. So, yes. We've still got work to do."

Before she makes a lunge to continue, however, she sticks the ball under her arm and stops to look at them both. "You've heard Whitman's back, right? He's got quite the story. I think the Secret Warriors might be suited to a little recon mission I have in mind, thanks to him."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"I am just tiring you out." Daisy says good-naturedly to May as she gets the second hoop in. Good natured but there's still a competitive streak to Daisy. And she *does* want to prove herself to May. She has been her mentor for ages after all. It only means she will be 'try-harding' now. Oh noes.

The talk on Mallick and his kid is no news to her. So Daisy nods sharply, her expression briefly clouded. It had been some hard times while they were on the run. But it also helped get the team closer together, "They won't be able to run forever." she says of the Mallicks. "Not from us they won't.." tone full of promise.

With May pausing and grabbing the ball it has Daisy stop as well, hands on her hips. "Whitman's back?" that's a surprise to her, a look to Jane and then back to May. "Whatever is needed, you know you can count on the team." she assures May.

Jane Foster has posed:
Daisy's game is a lot more interesting than going over some of the details listed outright, especially when it comes to Denver Maelstrom. Her eyes narrow a bit. "Mallick and Maelstrom would be people I'd like to know more about since I was not around so much for Framework." For reasons that the All-Father keeps to himself, rat bastard he is. She may have some strong opinions in that direction, though her gaze remains coolly averted to see if the basket is going to be subject to May's ball being stolen. "Before I make a terrible suggestion or a perfectly suitable one, having better grounding on what he's up to and what we need to worry about could help. If no one minds?" They might.

Dane, a matter of a hint of a smile. "My partner in WAND once upon a time is back, mm? He came to me first. I last saw him around the summer, and his absence seems to be much longer from being in a planar distortion. Did he mention that to you as well, or do you need me to follow up on the AAR? He claims that was a realm named by HYDRA, if not created by them. I'm going to see what information can be parsed out on that front, though any sort of library of extradimensional planes we have about likely has a non-human author on it. Or one not prone to giving us much information. I'd like to confirm what I can before embracing everything with absolute trust. Coming back to realizing you were all treated as compromised... it's hard to shake, especially if it was just a few months ago."

Her shoulders straighten a little, maybe in response to Daisy's reaction. That cloudiness causes her to frown a little. "Otherwise, I'd be suggesting going on the hunt as soon as possible. Alas, that's complicated by politics and having someone on oversight being a problem."

She's no Natasha Romanov.

Melinda May has posed:
May tosses the ball at Daisy as Jane starts infodumping. "Free throw," she tells her. "You sink it from here, we're tied. Nothing but net, and you win." Only because she can feel the pressure of work calling.

She steps back out of Daisy's way and gives Jane a brief nod. "I debriefed him," she admits. "But I'd be interested to hear your take. Especially since, strategically, I think we need to get out ahead of HYDRA on this one. There's an 084 there that used to be in Strucker's possession. I'd rather it get buried in our vaults than anywhere else. We also need to recon for a suitable monitoring station we can send ARMOR into secure." Hence why she thinks the Warriors are a good choice. They're a good mix of skills, expertise, and power.

She glances to the clock on the wall. "I've got a meeting in 30. But let's touch base afterward and we can bring all of us up to speed."