[open] my heart can't stop misbehaving

[stealwithit]

WHO: Kasumi Goto + YOU!
WHERE: Maurtia Falls, Nonah, Heropa. (sorry De Chima)
WHEN: Throughout May
WHAT: General shenanigans, casual crimefighting, possible righteous catburglary??
WARNINGS: None at the moment; will edit as necessary!

A | not the kinds of games she usually plays | Nonah, daytime
[ Kasumi has enjoyed many a retro-modern thing that this unique place has to offer since arriving here a year and some change ago. For someone from the 22nd century, when humanity is spacefaring, everything is read from holographic screens, and electronically-infused music dominates the charts, things like hard-bound paper books, televisions, jukeboxes, and rock music are intriguing. She's always harbored an interest these things that she would half-jokingly call ancient artifacts, even back home, where she brought a collection of honest-to-god paper books onboard the Normandy when the rest of the crew were content with datapads; but here she's utterly immersed in that interest. It helps to have had a few friends along the way who were vested in showing her "the classics," whether it was movies or music or literature, but Kasumi is liable to take matters into her own hands and try a few things, herself.

The latest phase involves video games. She's less interested in the actual games themselves and the culture surrounding them, and much more fascinated by the physicality of the games in the arcade. Joysticks. Buttons. Screens she can actually touch (although there's little reason to). The hooded woman who seems to be frequenting the arcade in Nonah as of late always starts the same--examining the controls, getting acquainted with the gameplay. She's not the best at it, frankly, but she's not terrible either, and she's quick on the uptake. And very competitive.

But at least she looks like she's having fun, even if she's mostly keeping to herself; although she's in a good enough mood that she won't turn away anyone who wants to play a round or two with her. ]

B | pretty much a flower shop AU | Heropa, daytime
[ Another thing that Kasumi Goto enjoys, and even more so here: flora. Not to say that one couldn't ever find flowers out in space, on other planets, but Kasumi has always been fond of what Earth has to offer; she grew up on Earth, after all. She's partial to roses, but ultimately she's not picky. Her apartment--which is still a huge mystery that only a handful of people other than herself have ever gone to or even know about--is regularly adorned with (stolen) vases filled with flowers, and even though she's since moved to a different city, Kasumi still goes to the same flower shop in Heropa that she'd come to choose as her favorite over the last year. They make excellent arrangements, she thinks, and half of their profits go to local charities. Although getting a discount for being an imPort is pretty sweet; there are few things Kasumi would dish out honest money for. Food is one of them. Flowers are another.

On the days that Kasumi swings by Heropa to pick up a fresh bouquet, she can be found standing outside the shop, examining their outdoor displays, sometimes chatting with the people running the place. Kind of a strange place to find her, given her insistence on mystery, but she's not shy about her appreciation for flowers. ]

C | we're the alley cats and they can throw their stones | Maurtia Falls, nighttime
[ The schedule's a little different come nightfall, when she's returned to her newly established (as of two months ago) home turf of Maurtia Falls. It's cooler up in the falls, and she won't lie about that being a factor in her decision to relocate. Because, look, Florida humidity was tough for someone with her kind of wardrobe and clearly the solution was not to change up her wardrobe but to move somewhere else; it surprises Kasumi that she managed to hold out in Heropa for as long as she did, but with a few less reasons to stay in that city, she realizes she's much better off where she is, now. She's much closer to "work," now, and she does well with the way the locals generally don't make a big deal of the imPorts, unless it's to resent them, which--hey, that works all the same for her. Kasumi would never liken herself to the celebrated imPorts of Heropa--she would never call herself a superhero, ever. For one, it sounds kind of cheesy, but second--just, no.

Even vigilante is a stretch, but truth of the matter is? That's what she is, in the Falls. She wouldn't thwart, say, a bank robbery or a heist, because that would just be hypocritical even if the thieves in question are just doing it all wrong and being an embarrassment to thieves everywhere and probably don't deserve to succeed. But if she sees the little guy being taken advantage of, she's not going to stand idly or walk past--the influence of a certain few people on the Normandy crew have made her more likely to help out than not--and if the little guy happens to be an actual little kid in danger of being mugged or abducted, or someone in need who's being exploited, then you can bet your ass that Kasumi might come out of whatever dark alley or rooftop she's been hanging out at to lend a hand.

And it's been a while. She's kind of itching to kick some ass. And she can thank the Normandy crew for having that influence on her, too. ]

D | i'm bulletproof and know what i'm doing | Maurtia Falls, nighttime
[ Other nights, Kasumi prefers not to be so direct. Instead, she dons a disguise and goes out on the town, posing as a local lady who's just looking to enjoy a drink or two at the bar by herself. With an unassuming, modest appearance, she's mostly left alone, which is how she prefers it. Attracting attention means it's harder for her to pick up on anything fishy that might be going on in the back rooms of the seedier bars she goes to, harder for her to eavesdrop on gossip between bartenders and other regulars. That doesn't mean, of course, that she'll actively avoid conversation--after all, part of being undercover and blending in means just that--blending in, and if a local wants to chat a lady up at the bar, she won't inadvertently step on any toes by being difficult. ]

E | wildcard??

(( ooc: feel free to hit me up if you'd like to arrange something else or have questions! pm or find me on plurk, either way. c: ))

Comments

For Duv;

[stealwithit]

[ Roughly two weeks after Mabel's set-up of a date, Kasumi finds herself craving for sushi. Her favorite spot for it is a little hole-in-the-wall joint in Nonah; a close friend of hers who's since been Ported out introduced her to the place about a year ago, now, and she hasn't been back there since he left, for a number of reasons. But the time has come, she thinks, because it's honestly the best sushi she's had around here and--well, she can't let something like her hang-ups about her losses stop her from doing something as innocuous as getting sushi.

Specifically, getting sushi with someone who's never tried it before. Truth be told, Kasumi was about ready to go by herself, but it's at the last minute that she remembers that Duv seemed quite open to the idea of trying it, when it had come up in their conversation. She mulls over whether or not she wants to turn this into an outing as opposed to just "Kasumi Goto wants some sushi so she's going to go get some goddamn sushi," but the former wins out in the end.

Why the hell not?

So it's roughly two weeks after the first date that Duv receives a voice message in his inbox: "It's Kasumi. You said name the time and place for sushi, so here's the time and place: tonight, at seven, Sushiya in Nonah. I know it's last-minute, but I can be pretty spontaneous. Prepare your palate."

And she will be there at the appointed time, regardless of whether he agrees or not, because Kasumi Goto wants some sushi and she's going to go get some goddamn sushi. ]

[komarran]

[ Two weeks. Two weeks had passed and he's starting to wonder if he should contact her or consider it a last cause. Maybe the date had gone more poorly than she let on and she was cutting her losses by not contacting him? Dating protocol, both from his time period and her own, is one thing he is incredibly rusty with.

And then he receives the voice message. He had been in the middle of another bout of research, but it's nothing he can't stop. Which he does almost immediately to relisten to the voicemail to make sure he heard it right.

So she was interested in another date. He's not sure if he should be relieved or internally panicking about how to proceed. Well he must have done something right the first time. It is last minute's notice, but he manages to find something suitable in his wardrobe, pressed slacks, button-up shirt, and a nice jacket. He's not sure this is the kind of attire a 'spontaneous' woman would be impressed by, but it's the best he has.

He's only a few minutes late due to the unfamiliar territory. As soon as he steps into the restaurant, he spots her and his expression brightens as he approaches. ]

Kasumi. It's good to see you again.

[stealwithit]

[ Kasumi has, of course, chosen a more secluded spot in the little restaurant for herself (and for Duv), but there aren't too many people in tonight, so she spots Duv entering just as he spots her in her little corner. She casts him a measuring look as he approaches, and--well, that's about par for the course, she thinks. Just based on what she knows so far of him, she'd expected him to show up with this scholarly sort of look. Not that it's a bad look on him, but she does kind of wonder if he'd be comfortable in anything more casual like, say, jeans and a t-shirt. Kasumi herself is a little dressed down, relatively speaking, in pants, a tank top, flats, and a leather jacket with a hood--that's pulled over her head--beneath. All in black, of course, because Mystery.

It's when she looks back up at his expression that she finds herself smiling, too. ]

Right back at you. I'm sorry to call you out here all of a sudden. I didn't interrupt you in the middle of something important, did I?

[komarran]

[ Oh, she looks gorgeous, but he's hardly surprised. Though he does wonder if the hood is normal for her. 'Empress of Mystery' seemed an apt title for her the more he sees.

His gaze only glances at her form before politely meeting her gaze and he settles into the seat across from her. He's overdressed for the location, suddenly wishing he had taken the time to search for the location before preparing, but at least she seems to approve. ]

No, nothing I can't pick up later. I needed to stop for dinner and this was a good reason. [ More than good, really. ]

[stealwithit]

[ Her smile gets a little wider at his response, polite and courteous as ever. What a gentleman, she thinks, and the corner of her mouth curls a little into a smirk. ]

I'm glad you think so. I'll try not to disappoint.

[ Let's be real. She won't. ]

You look good, by the way.

a

[oceanthief]

[well, here's something that's probably a little more familiar to a spacefaring future human: a tug on her shirt to direct her attention downward (yes, Lapis is shorter than even Kasumi) at a delicate blue alien, her face completely stoic.

she's silent for a minute, like she's waiting to be sure Kasumi is listening, before inclining her head towards whichever arcade cabinet is the object of the thief's focus at the moment.]

Whoever wins pays for all the games.

[she's an alien, but she's also kind of stumbled into being an infamous arcade empress. this is going to be a tough fight.]

shorter than even kasumi, bless

[stealwithit]

[ Kasumi feels that tug on her clothes, and while she hardly respects other people's personal bubbles, she ironically regards her own, so she goes a little rigid. But when she sees that whoever's responsible is a... tiny blue girl... adorable. Even with that straight expression. And--okay, the wager is a little intimidating from that delivery, but. Kasumi won't be heartbroken if she ends up losing, which she probably will. It's not like she was using her own money for this, anyway! ]

You've got yourself a deal.

[ As for the object of her focus, it's one of those shooting games, and one that pits two players against hordes of aliens invading Earth. That feels a little familiar to her, at least. ]

it's a hard life for gems out there

[oceanthief]

[Lapis hasn't played this specific game yet, but she's tried her hand at no small number of shooters by now. they remind her of the battle simulations of the old days, albeit in super low tech form, and that's enough to make her fond of them. it doesn't take much in a world where the familiar was few and far between.

she reaches down to tap the coin slot with a few dainty fingers - a little spark of blue energy jolts out, and the game starts up just as if she'd put in actual money. a small trick that no one's bothered to tell her isn't strictly legal here.]

Ready?

[the expression on her face is still kind of...well, but there's a gleam in Lapis' eyes as she hefts the gun up that is at least genially competitive if not reassuringly friendly. it was always a good time at the arcade, after all.]

[stealwithit]

Ready as I'll ever be. I'm Kasumi, by the way. Or Player One, if that's what you'd prefer to call me.

[ That little spark doesn't escape Kasumi's notice, and when she realizes what it is that Lapis had done when the game starts up, she can't help but think that's awesome, as she adjusts her grip on the toy gun. Kasumi has a feeling, judging from the girl's determined expression, that this is going to be a challenge--but in a good, fun way. ]

WILDCARD ; DE CHIMA (lmk if this is/isn't okay!!!)

[khajidont]

[Any other time, and Jaime would have been absolutely delighted to share the wonders of video games with Kasumi. Now, though, he's got more to take care of, and one of those things is something Kasumi is well acquainted with: cleaning up after someone else's messes. Without the ability (or, rather, the willingness) to use his handy dandy bugsuit, he's stuck getting from place to place the same way as everyone else, which means that he's got a long trek to make, laden with boxes full of Shinji and Akihiko's stuff.

He hobbles his way through the streets, and fancy that, bowls right into Kasumi, sending one of the boxes - full of cooking equipment - crashing to the ground.]

Oh -- drat.

[With a grunt, he drops the rest of the boxes on the ground, which look a mite too heavy for someone like Jaime to carry through town, but that's just another secret hidden behind out of date baggy clothing, and looks right up at Kasumi. They hadn't spoken since that one text message, and he can't help but feel a little awkward about it.]

Um, hey, Kasumi. Sorry 'bout that. I couldn't see where I was going.

it's perfect!

[stealwithit]

[ It's equally likely that he bowls right into her because she wasn't exactly visible, or because she popped in out of nowhere. For what purpose will probably remain a mystery, but either way, she's definitely there by the time they make contact. ]

Woops.

[ Collision completed, she leans over to peek at and into the boxes he'd been carrying, bent at the knees with her hands resting on top of them. In any case, she recognizes how awkward this encounter for him must be, given the last time they'd spoken, so she keeps her tone light and causal for now. And--those do look heavier than should be allowed for a Jaime Reyes, and yet...? ]

Whatcha got there, Jaime?

excellent!!

[khajidont]

About five hundred pounds of crap.

[Jaime doesn't look well, per se, but he's out of his room and doesn't look like he's actively dying, which is a plus. Maybe he's a little more worn than usual, but anyone who doesn't know him too well could write it off easily enough as too many all-nighters pulled for school, or staying a little too late at work.]

Couple of my friends got ported out, but they'd been here for, like, a year and a half, so...

[He gets to work putting a few of the items back in.] They have about five thousand things. God, is that a weight in there?

[stealwithit]

[ She watches him carefully as he starts picking things up to put them back into the boxes; he doesn't look too bad, but he doesn't look all that well, either, and if this had been months ago Kasumi would have just attributed that worn look to late nights doing homework or partying (but let's be real, it's Jaime) and generic young adult activities--but she knows better, now. It doesn't mean she'll prod him about it, but she's definitely Worried. And to hear that his friends got ported out on top of what he'd already been dealing with--Kasumi can only imagine that the going's not easy for Jaime, right now.

So she hunkers down next to him, and reaches for the next strewn-about thing to hand it to him. Like, actually hand it to him, as opposed to shoving it in her hood or pocket or wherever she stows away stolen items in transit... ]

Sorry to hear about that. It's tough, huh?

[ Ain't that the truth. ]

Need a hand with all of this?

C

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

[It has indeed been a while. It's almost depressing, how much Maurtia Falls has remained the same despite the amount of sweat and blood imPorts and their allies have put into beating back the darkness on its streets. Yet at the same time, there's something to be said for the familiar.

Speaking of familiar, some of the kidnappers Jacob and Kasumi had caught red-handed last year had been released from custody, thanks to a combination of official backlash against Archangel and the fact that 'Maurtia Falls law enforcement' was always something of an oxymoron. Ransoms were still a lucrative business, and some of the gang were already back to their old tricks. Which brought Jacob to Kasumi in the night, complete with armour and utility belt, ready to kick in some doors, knock some heads, and maybe thwart an abduction in the process.]

I don't know about you, but I'm getting some deja vu here.

[stealwithit]

[ She is never going to get over that utility belt.

But for her part, Kasumi wears the sleek black tactical suit that Cap had gotten made for the team once they went underground (and custom made to include a hood for Kasumi, because Steve Rogers is so very considerate)--she would never ever call it her vigilante costume (at least not out loud), but that's effectively what it is. She would rather call it her spy suit of mystery, or something, but--that hardly matters. ]

You know, I was going to say the same thing, Protector.

[ There's a playful lilt in her voice when she speaks, and a playful tilt of her head at him, even as she's rolling her shoulders back to get ready. ]

I wonder how they're going to feel about this rematch.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

You think they'll recognize us from last year? Maybe we're all just a bunch of different masks to them.

[Jacob shrugs, then cracks his knuckles. Right now he's weighing tactics: to kick in the door of the gang's hideout? Wait for them to leave, then sneak into the place to look for evidence and prisoners? Wait for them to leave, then ambush their vehicle? These questions mean the difference between a successful rescue with arrests actually being processed, and having to fight these guys again a few months from now.]

I like the suit, by the way. Never thought I'd see you in anything like a uniform.

[stealwithit]

Well, you know me, Jacob. I'm just full of surprises.

[ Meanwhile, she's carefully tracking the kidnappers' movements, but she won't act until Jacob does, too. She's always been more of a follower than a leader when it came to team situations, anyway. Unless the situation in question is a heist.

She reaches over and rests a hand on his shoulder. ]

I think you made enough of a name for yourself last year that they might just remember who you are. But that's only because you kicked so much ass.

So, what's your read on the situation?

B!

[overemotionally]

[Jim frequently walks around Heropa after work, still finding the lack of tech compared to his home reality pretty interesting, including the amount of automobiles driving around on the road.

Every once in a while he'll run into someone he's spoken to for a hot second, but he's perfectly content to just wander by himself. It's a pleasant surprise when he looks down the street to see none other than Kasumi...near a display of flowers?

He walks up to her and taps a clothed part of her shoulder.

Teasingly:]

I figured someone in your line of business would stick to the shadows of night.

[stealwithit]

[ She doesn't startle or go rigid at the sudden touch; she would be a very bad thief if she was easily surprised, after all. Instead, she turns her head slowly, meets his gaze, and then offers a smile that says it's good to see you. ]

That's a great Pat Benatar song, by the way. "Shadows of the Night."

[ It is very much a Kasumi Goto song, but she won't admit that much out loud. ]

And don't get me wrong--I'm usually asleep around this time of day. But I make exceptions now and then.

I totally went and listened to that song btw

[overemotionally]

[He wasn't expecting to startle her after she's told him (or implied anyhow) what her profession is.

He grins back at her--a rare, sunny smile not marred by a smirk in any way.]

Never heard of it. Guess I'll have to go find it later.

[He looks at what she had been looking at.]

You make exceptions to your sleep schedule for flowers?

bless you

[stealwithit]

[ She gives him a skeptical look, and although her furrowed brow is lost beneath the shadow of her hood, her lips are still drawn into a thin, unimpressed line. ]

Not just any flowers, Kirk. These guys are the best in the business around here. And they help a good cause.

[ Now presenting: actual giant softie nice person Kasumi Goto. And you know what? She reaches over and pulls a bouquet out of on of the buckets and holds it out at him. Just look. ]

d this is a thing this is gonna happen

[whathawksdo]

[ What if someone decidedly not a local wants to chat a lady up at the bar? Because apparently, Hawke keeps getting stuck hitting on all of Kasumi's various disguised and alter-egos. At least the first time, Kasumi had eventually revealed who she was. The second time, still no clue. This third one? Whoosh, however it is the odd fact that she swears she's spoken to this woman before that draws her in the first place.

So it's Hawke that ends up cropping up next to her, a bit out of the blue thanks to having previously been blocked from sight by a bigger crowd only just leaving that same space. Hilariously enough, she's added the same leather coat they'd found while hunting through thrift shops ages ago to her usual gear, probably to at least give some appearance of trying (but really, she's hard-pressed to leave the jeans behind, even when out on the town for a night). ]

You know, [ She begins. ] I don't mean to intrude, but I could swear we've met somewhere before. You're not a regular here, are you?

[stealwithit]

[ Kasumi glances up as the crowd thins out, only to find--oh, this has got to be a joke. How does Hawke keep on doing this to herself?

The disguise selection of the night, at least, does not involve being a redhead this time but a brunette, lending her an appearance much alike Clara from the masquerade months ago, only in more casual wear. Just a shirt with some old band's brand on it, a black bomber jacket and--oh, look who's wearing jeans tonight, too? This gal. She offers a smile as she makes eye contact with the other woman before taking a modest swig of her current drink--an opportunity for her to think about how she's going to play this.

This time, when she speaks, it's a little less put-on, a little more familiar. ]

You look kinda familiar, too. Do you come here often?

[whathawksdo]

[ Some people are just born this lucky. Clearly Hawke is one of them. ]

From time to time. [ When she needs a drink after reminding Maurtia Falls she's still someone who exists and likes to cause trouble. ] Although now that I'm thinking of it, I'm not sure... Was it here? Or maybe it was at FanPort?

[ A lot of people went to that, but it doesn't seem quite right, either. Something's familiar. No answer comes immediately to mind, like maybe this is a face she just passes by in a crowd over and over. Could that be it? ]

[stealwithit]

[ She shrugs a shoulder as she sets her drink back onto the bar, and gives Hawke an amused little smile. ]

Maybe I've just got one of those faces, you know?

[ Hers if far from generic or plain. But she's biding her time to see how Hawke handles this encounter. ]