FEB CATCH-ALL

[heartstings]

WHO: Kenzi & YOU
WHERE: Maurtia Falls (mostly)
WHEN: FEB
WHAT: Kenzi doing Kenzi things post CnC2020
WARNINGS: Alcohol, language, possibly some violence.


[A] THE RED BRANCH
[ Work on the Branch hasn’t made any progress due to spending most of the last month in an alternate version of the City. Was it alternate? Kenzi couldn’t be sure, the way events played out it could have been how things would have ended up if not for Atropos. All she knew was that she wasn’t herself -- she was herself but she wasn’t, it’s confusing.

In any case, Kenzi can be found in and around the Red Branch during the day and maybe during the evening. If it’s too cold or snowing outside she’s inside continuing cleanup. If it’s a clear day she can be found outside -- somewhere on the grounds -- cleaning up any trash she finds or working on getting the old sandpit back in serviceable order after Xellos blew it up. Thanks, Xellos.

Though she may not be cleaning, instead she might be working through a routine with a pair of truncheon either indoors or out. Or working on creating some smoke bombs fill with various colors.

Mostly she’s just trying to keep busy and not let her mind wander to thoughts of the City or a certain someone she may or may not have feelings for. ]


[B] GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN (OPEN; ANY CITY THAT ISN’T JEOPARDY)
[ Kenzi can be found in the bars and clubs in any of the cities; flirting, drinking, hustling some guys at pool if there happens to be a table, and dancing. She back from vacation and not letting the fun train come to a stop. Not yet, anyway.

She might also be found in a cafe or diner, window shopping, or just chilling on a bench. She likely has Sir Apple, the cat-sized green and pink fairy dragon, with her. Having him around garners a bit of a crowd, usually children, so she can’t be too hard to miss. ]


[C] IT’S ALL FUN AND GAMES…
[ The funny thing about suddenly have ten years’ worth of new experiences in her head is that she’s a much better fighter now. Sure, she no longer has telekinesis to fall back on but her physical skills have been honed. And while her body isn’t used to the movements, her mind knows what to do so it’s just a matter of training.

After a few days, she decides to see what she can do out on the streets at night. Her plan is to locate any drug dealers, knock them out, take any money they have on them, and then leave them for the cops. She’s dressed from head to toe in black, with a loose hooded jacket made from the material Oliver had given her, goggles and a facemask covering most of her face, and her hair braided and pinned back beneath her hood. She initially intended to make herself a full outfit from the material Oliver had given her but then she was ‘ported out and her powers changed making it impossible for her to create the outfit.

Maybe she’s up on a roof keeping a lookout for the activity she’s after. Or maybe she’s in the middle of kicking some butt and looks like she might need a bit of help. Either way, drop in? ]


WILDCARD
[ If you’re looking for something else feel free to drop it here or HMU at rubberspaceducky. ]

Comments

text - setting a date for conversation - prelude to nobody town

[callmevision]

You're back?

So many others came back... I hope this reaches you.

[heartstings]

[ She stares at her comm for a little bit before responding. She's actually been back longer than many but hasn't wanted to talk to anyone. ]

yeah

[callmevision]

I am glad.

I... I hope you are okay.

[ This felt awkward. Very awkward. ]

[heartstings]

im fine

[ Might as well go ahead and pull the bandage off... ]

we should prob talk

b.

[goldtoxicity]

Kenzi?

[ kenzi might not recognize the young man who approaches her at the bar. josh has never had the pleasure of drinking without a healing factor burning the alcohol out of his body, and he figures it'd be a waste not to give it a go at least once while he's, uh, temporarily depowered and human looking. ]

[heartstings]

[ Hearing her name, Kenzi turns and stares at Josh for a moment. He looks familiar, sounds familiar, but she thinks that maybe he's just one of the guys she's likely drunkenly made out with one night.

She brings a finger to her lips, squinting at him. ] You are?

[goldtoxicity]

Do I really look that different?

[ you really really do golden boy. he flashes a lopsided smile. ]

[heartstings]

[ He can probably see the gear turning in her head as she looks him up and down, brow furrowed. Slowly her eyes widen as it clicks. That smile is difficult to forget. ]

Josh? What the hell?

The Red Branch

[governorkang]

[He's been back for a few days now, and he knows Kenzi came back shortly after as well. All her things had been there when he returned, and then sometime while he was out, she'd snuck into the house and taken it. She hasn't answered her phone despite him blowing up her voicemail, and he's tired of her avoiding him.

As soon as he spots Kenzi at the Branch, he heads right towards her, not intending on letting this nonsense continue.]

[heartstings]

[ It's not that she wanted to ignore Kang it's just that she couldn't deal with the guilt. She still can't deal with it but it actually feels like it's getting worse the longer she puts off talking to him. Which is just turning the whole thing into a cycle of avoidance.

She has loud music playing as she works through some routine she remembers from the City, trying to make it feel natural in this world. She doesn't notice Kang until Sir Apple alerts her to him.

She stops, dropping her arms to sides. ]

Hey... [ Meekly. ]

[governorkang]

You left without a word and haven't answered any of my calls.

[He pulls a nearby chair to him and sits, straddling it so that his wings aren't pinched.]

I was worried about you.

[heartstings]

[ Kenzi spins the truncheon in her grasp and decides to focus on them rather than Kang. It's difficult to look at him. ]

I was busy. [ That's not a good excuse and she knows it. ]

FOR GABRIEL

[heartstings]

[ After getting off the network with Gabriel, Kenzi goes about gathering up some stuff for a night away from the Branch, which includes Sir Apple.

Once she receives the text she heads to the hotel and up to the specified room, knocking on the door once there. ]

Housekeeping! [ She can't help herself. ]

[privatepurchases]

[One archangel with pizza in a relatively nice hotel room. There's two beds and a side living room with a couch and a decent sized television. There's pizza and he waves.]

Kenzi they sold me on something called cinnamon sticks. They're delicious.

[heartstings]

[ Once in the room, Sir Apple jumps and glides from Kenzi's arms to settle on the back of the couch, slowly edging his way hear the pizza. Kenzi, meanwhile, pauses to flop down on of the bed and tug off her boots. ]

Cinnamon sticks are amazing.

[ She makes her way over to check out the pizza, hoping there's no green peppers like she said. ]

[privatepurchases]

[No green peppers but there's pepperoni, bacon, and tomato. Gabriel's 6 years on earth has taught him he enjoys meat and garlic and the pizza is like that on one side. The other side is vegetables - but no green peppers.

He runs a hand over his face before slipping off his shirt.]

Cinnamon sticks may be my new favorite thing. There's also something called craft beer.

[He wants to get very drunk tonight. Though he can't fathom why.]

text

[reborningreen]

Hello, Kenzi.

This is me, checking in. Feel free to tell me to butt out if you want.

I won't, but if it makes you feel better, do it.

[heartstings]

[ As tempting as it is to tell him to butt out he hasn't done anything to deserve it. ]

hey
kinda busy rn

[reborningreen]

No worries, Just wanted to check-in.

Reach out sometime, when you do have time.

Nothing important.

[heartstings]

[ Her response comes a bit later. ]

well uv checked in
n im fine

SPARRING (OPEN)

[heartstings]

[ is this a good idea? Probably not, but it can't be any worse of an idea than putting herself out there on the network for some actions.

Upon arriving at the Red Branch one need only follow the mostly cleared out path back into the woods a short way before they'll come across a clearing filled with a few broken wooden benches and weapon racks. Where once stood and overgrown sandpit is now a messy crater thanks to Xellos' "helping".

Kenzi stands near the edge of it scowling down into the rugged surface of the pit. There's a bundle of wooden weapons at her feet, some of them are padded while some aren't. She's dressed in some of the most protective clothing she owns, which is to say not that protective since Oliver hasn't finished her suit yet. The jacket she wears is the only item that offers any sort of protection as it's made of a special fabric.

Make yourself known by whatever means desired, push her into the pit if you think it's a good idea.

She can be found out here most days as long as the weather isn't shitty. ]

Morning After (For Gabriel)

[heartstings]

Kenzi's date with the Joker had been an interesting one, to say the least. She'd expected it to either end with her leaving in frustrated anger or for it somehow go terribly wrong. She hadn't expected it to turn into some intense flirting while sharing a great meal or for her to actually feel some kind of connection with the crazed clown. And yet, that's exactly what happened and it would have ended with the two of them in bed if not for one little hiccup. Which was fine, it was probably better that it didn't go that far. Although it certainly left her quite frustrated and more than a little embarrassed that she got rejected by the Joker.

And then to add to the strangeness of the evening they had a little chat that seemed to be quite genuine, on his part, about relationships. She'd even told him about Hale, which she didn't bring up too often for the obvious reason of it fucking hurts to do so. And he'd comforted her. Actually cradled her in his arms and held her while she cried, doing what he could to soothe her and make her feel safe.

And that was the most fucked up part, she did feel safe. She actually felt safe in the arms of a man who had terrorized two cities not months before, an act that even she'd been affected by. A man who has killed thousands with seemingly no remorse. A man who has treated a woman that loves him like shit. A man who is, by all rights, more monster than human. Yet he'd shown he could be kind and caring...

Or maybe it'd been a really good act. Him using his manipulative skills to get into her head and, do what exactly? Somehow use these acts of kindness to turn her to his side? To see if he can make her into a monster?

That's a thought that occurs to her now as she makes her way through the early morning streets of Maurtia Falls.

Was this all just part of some sick game the Joker was playing with her and had she actually fallen for it? It's that thought, rather than the chill in the air that sends a shiver down her spine.

The sun is barely creeping over the horizon as Kenzi climbs the steps and unlocks the door to the Branch. She prays that Gabriel is sleeping so he won't hear the bell over the door. The last thing she needs is for him to see the bruising on her face before she's had a chance to cover it with make-up. Unfortunately, Sir Apple is excited to see her return and nearly bowls her over once she's in the door.

"Shhhh, we're trying to be sneaky here." She chastises the little dragon as she cradles him in her arms and makes for the den.

[privatepurchases]

It's violet that wakes up. Gabriel stirs when the jackalope noses at his arm trying to squirm free to investigate the noise before he blinks, blearily. The huge gray creature hops into the bar's doorframe staring at Sir Apple before Gabriel - in a pair of flannel pajamas - gray and pink like always - stares and wipes a hand over his eyes.

"...Did..." he stifled a yawn, still not seeing things, "Did you just get in?"

He could wake up more, but he had been deeply, deeply asleep. Yawning, he moved to pick up the rabbit.

"I cleaned the bar up for you. You okay?"

He still can't see, trying to wipe sleep from his eyes.

[heartstings]

Shit.

Kenzi shoots a little glare at Violet. She'd managed to forget about that critter after it, along with Gabriel, have been around so much as of late.

"Yeah," she responds, doing her best to try to turn her face away so he can't see the bruising along her jawline. Her lips are a little harder to hide, though to swelling has had time to go down.

"Oh, thanks." She's not about tell him he doesn't need to worry about cleaning since he is staying there. "I'm fine, just tired. I didn't get much sleep."

Now she almost regrets not staying at Joker's hideout. At least if she had she could have gotten more sleep and, at a decent time, stopped by a shop and grabbed some make-up to cover up with before returning.

[privatepurchases]

"Mn."

He stares at her blearily, "...You want something to eat? Is it too late for humans to eat?" He has nowhere else to go to ease that pain but...

Well. Lucifer was right to talk about trying to get out more, trying to get out and be kind to people. Trying to be less about his own pain.

His eyes open wider and he stares at her.

"What in heaven's name happened?"