World Tree MUSH

    Night City. A hive of scum and wretched villainy. And that's only in the corporate sector. Out here in the fringes, there's a phenomenon of temporary markets, run by Fixers with connections, and patroned by merchants vending anything and everything. From mil-spec cyberware and unique or rare weapons, to more mundane but still barely legal or illegal items, like honest to goodness fresh food, or corpo-grade clothing.

    It's to one of these that Scavenger brings Catra... or Catra brings Scavenger as the case may be.

    The Night Market is an ephemeral thing, it won't be around for more than a few hours, but the various vendors have set up spreads of their wares in any nook big enough for them.

    Scavenger might've set the 'date' but Catra's the one that brought her here. "Look," she starts, backpedaling and focusing her gaze on Scavenger as they get near. "...it's loud. It's bright. It's crowded. But you would not believe the stuff you can find here..." she grins widely. "I hate that it's so busy but if you want to get your hands on something new to wear or try some food that doesn't come in a can or... hell, I dunno, they probably sell some black market brain dances here." 

    Melog seems to have taken the high road, away from the lights, sounds, and people, but watches dutifully from above. It knows what's up. "I'm not touchin' that shit though... but... c'mon! This is -way- better than some stuffy shop downtown and I bet it's got stuff that's more your style too!"

    Scavenger's normal state of being is ears pinned down and grumpy.

    Right now, her ears are flat against her skull and she looks both ready to murder and run away like a scared child. She gives Catra a side-long glare, but grumbles and continues along. The Etherian catgirl has that grounding effect on the Zalak. "Fine, but I'm going to find a dark corner to hide in for a week after this." she says grouchily.

    "I'm totally with you there," Catra says, turning around to see where she's going. "When there's this many people, my tail's in danger. Even worse if Melog is keeping me hidden..." she grumps. "But a place like this.... we never had something like this in the Fright Zone..." she sighs, leaning over the first food stall she finds and breathes in deep the scent of... whatever it is.

    "...food's way better, too." Is she seriously saying that about fried crickets? The menu in the Fright Zone must really suck. "...and..." she whirls back around to face Scavenger again. "...we get your clothes, we grab a snack, we get out, ok? And... maybe we... I dunno... do dinner.. sometime. Just us."

    Maybe she's not brave enough to pull Adora in on this just yet.

    Scavenger looks at the food stall. She shrugs a little, she's eaten far worse on a mission.

    The Zalak follows the Etherian, as her own tail loops around her waist like a really thin belt. "You able to control it? If so, wrap it around your waist. Saves getting it trodden on." she suggests.

    Scavenger then nods a little. "Clothes, snack, leave." she agrees.

    The last bit makes her ears lift a little and a brow quirk. "What about that blonde friend of yours?" she asks.

    Catra goes rigid, but she's honest about it. She's trying. She's spent so many years lying, scheming, surviving. She snatches up a box of magnum ammunition for her revolver and drops a few eddies on the stall in passing. 

    "Adora? She's.. kind of.. my girlfriend.. and.. I'm.. trying. To. Figure out. My feelings. Because..." Melog makes a 'rawrf' noise from the roof of an adjacent stall and Catra balls up her fists and stomps a foot at it. "I'm trying!" she huffs.

    "...she and I have been through. A lot together. Like. The whole growing up child soldier orphans thing. Together. And. Stopped a world-ending crisis. Together."

    She looks away, ears drooping, side-stepping a scooter that's honking as it trundles by with a bunch of stacked boxes. She's been gesticulating, too. And then she just slumps. "...because I like both of you. So... um. Let's... ..let's just focus on the thing we're doing here."

    Scavenger looks up at Melog, then to Catra. Back to Melog. Catra.

    She shrugs and moves over to a vendor stall with an array of various clothing, body suits, t-shirts, various kinds of trousers and shorts, footwear and accessories.

    Yellow eyes scan across the items, until she spots something and reaches into the rack.

    She pulls out a halter-dress style article. It's made from some kind of smooth but tough material, and has a hood lined with synthetic fur.

    She holds it up against her chest and looks at Catra as she turns to pose with it.

    The silence would be deafening if the entire night market wasn't so damn loud. It at least gives Catra a way to think, and maybe shrink down a little even. She gives a vending machine a Fonzie-bonk and grabs a can of soda while she waits and watches Scavenger hunting for clothes.

    Catra's own mismatched eyes pick up on something she sees that interests her too, maybe. But she holds off for now, instead focusing on her silent companion. "Oh, totally! THat hood... totally you..." she laughs, unable to keep from grinning and maybe even blushing a little at the sight of Scavenger actually posing with it. "You think you can fight in it?" she asks, which is clearly the most important question.

    Scavenger's simple reply is. "Yes." as she looks it over. "Reinforce the chest and waist... might need to get a backpack for supplies." She looks back at the rack, lower down and crouches to get a pair of rugged looking boots. They seem to have a similar material to the dress-coat. "These." she turns to the vendor, and fishes out her commpad to transfer the eddies from her account.

    "Catra." she says as she folds the articles into a carry bag. "You spotted something too. Right?" she asks, looking over. Is she really that perceptive?

    Catra slugs down more of her soda, watching as Scavenger sorts out her extra accessories. Boots are a must, absolutely. "I mean backpack we can get anywhere... but bet you we can find one here..." she makes a finger-gun with the hand holding the can of delicious beverage. Then she tilts her head, ears flicking, flattening, then perking up.

    "I uh, yeah, kinda..." she fidgets and looks left, then right. "I had... this really nice... ballroom thing..." she laughs, "...when um... Adora and I were... fighting. Each other..." she mumbles the last bit, but surely Scavenger's ears can catch it. "...but I don't know how to get back to Etheria and... if that outfit's even..."

    She tosses the can into a nearby bucket and rifles through one of the racks before pulling out a suit coat in a maroon color. "...bet you didn't know I could ballroom dance," she uses that confidence as a coping mechanism since she's still a bit off of her game, and flashes a grin at Scavenger.

    Scavenger listens, getting a wistful look on her face for a few moments before the suit is pulled out. "At this rate, I'd believe you if you said you went to space and destroyed a galaxy spanning empire with only pluck, wit and that magic sword you found." she says dryly, though she does have a bit of a smile tugging up her lips.

    She lifts her commpad up to the vendor, and gestures to the suit. "Add that to the bill too... and..." she looks around, spotting something else and tugs a mid-sized hiking pack. it's essentially made of pockets and pouches. "This too."

    The vendor complies, and soon enough the dress and the suit along with the boots and pack are all secured in an easily carried container. "So. Food and scoot?" she asks, seeming a little bit more at ease, though she's still wincing a little as the hawkers try to catch peoples attention.

    As she talks, Catra's grabbing some other things. Definitely a suit jacket, the shirt beneath, some pants, and some nice shoes. Added together with an untied bowtie and she'd make a good wedding singer. At the mention of the whole business about space and a galaxy-spanning empire, she just scoffs and shakes her head.

    "What, no! That's ridiculous! There was a kiss involved, too," she says, completely serious and blushing. "...I mean... the kiss saved Adora and Adora saved the galaxy... with her magic sword. I dunno so much about pluck and wit though..." she rubs the side of her head, blushing more as Scavenger pays for all of their stuff. 

    "You sure? I can get some of that... I'm still saving up for a motorcycle but I can buy a pair of shoes... or am I grabbing our snack?" she jerks her thumb towards a little section of the Night Market that vaguely resembles a food court, or at least has a mix of food trucks and carts in a loose 'circle the wagons' sort of formation.

    "I, get a stipend from Rhodes Island for all my necessities. The jobs I did with Rebecca, and for Twintail are just sat in my account." she replies, tucking the pad away and shouldering the duffle-bag like carry container. She scoffs, "Like I said, I'd believe it." she adds, nudging the Etherian with a shoulder. "If you're offering to pay for food, I'm not going to stop you."

    "...still.. thanks..." Catra mumbles, rubbing the place where she was nudged. Not that it hurt, but the warmth from it just. Felt nice. "...yeah I got food. Take your pick! This is, honestly.... my favorite part of the Night Market. Like. Ok. Maybe there's a real nice gun or sword that I can't just... get off of a Tyger Claw's dead body or something... but... this..." she pushes through an archway that's got makeshift coverings, draped between a couple of carts.

    Right into yonder food zone. Strings of lights, hanging lanterns, and all manner of scents fill the area. Who knows what most of it's made from, but there's enough spice, flavor, and MSG to make it taste like anything else. "...my treat, your choice, c'mon, this place won't be here tomorrow and..." she has a sobering moment as she gently pats the rat on the back. "...who knows if we will be too."

    Scavenger hears that somber tone, looking at the catgirl with a slightly softened expression. "Those who fear the reapers call, shall pass the veil in a funneral pall. They who greet him as a friend, shall have pleasant company, at the end." the sing-song timbre hinting it was someone else's words, long ago.

    She rests a hand on the catgirl's shoulder for a moment, then breaks off to snag something that looks edible. She really doesn't care too much what it is.

    Catra shrugs, "I'm definitely not afraid of dying... but it ain't my time yet, you know?" She puts her hands against the back of her head, looking relaxed, smiling at the touch to her own shoulder. "...but that's why I'm saying we ought to have a good night and... keep doing our best... and... Adora's way better at this positive-talk stuff..." she laughs. "Point is, we don't know if we're gonna be dead tomorrow or next week so... live it up, right?"

    "That's what I've done, every single day, since I got exiled from my tribe." remarks Scavenger. "Every day I woke up was another way of telling Death 'Not this time, try again tomorrow'." she takes her snack, some kind of meat-like substance on a skewer, and plunks herself down in an out-of-the-way spot, gesturing at Catra when the vendor starts complaining about payment.

    She bites into it and chews thoughtfully.

    Catra slips in and lays down some bills, holding up her hand. "...five more for me..." she states, then goes to join Scavenger to eat. Meat-like skewered substance? Good stuff. Saucey, too, probably!

    "I mean... there's... gotta be more than just spiting death to live for, right?" Then she frowns, shrugging as Melog makes a noise at her. "...yeah no, nevermind. Spite's a great reason to wake up in the morning. Carried me real far.." she laughs and tears into a skewer.

    "Humanity's greatest invention and chief export. Spite." remarks Scavenger. "Sometimes, it's all you have left after life takes everything else. It's no way to live but then... what else is there to live for?" Yellow eyes look to Catra for a long moment.

    She then says in a much softer tone. "She's lucky to have you, you know. Never let her go, or you might just regret it every single day afterward."

    Between swallowed mouthfuls, "...look... I get it. Like I said. Spite took me a long, long way... but there's more to life now, you know?" She takes another bite and finishes up one of the skewers, idly twirling it in her fingers with clear dexterity and skill. When Scavenger's tone softens, though, she nearly drops the stick and blinks, cheeks darkening.

    "...yeah.. yeah. I know. She thinks the best of me and I'm still kind of a creep. She believed in me when I didn't believe in anything. Thought the world of me when I thought the worst of her. Things woulda probably turned out way different if I hadn't been such a piece of shit, though..." she grunts and flicks the stick before holding up a fresh one.

    "I could never let her go. Because she never gave up on me," she stares up at the sky through the smoky haze of food vendor grills. "...but I meant it when I said I liked you, Scavenger. So. Maybe. You don't just have spite to live on anymore. Not that it's my place to tell you otherwise. Took me a long time to come to it myself... still not any less of a jerk though..." she laughs, "...I just figured out how to point it in better directions."

    "Me? No. I'm a lost cause. You don't want to put any faith in me, other than saving your scrawny ass now and then." Scavenger scoffs. "I'm just a Scavenger. A bottom feeder. All I'm good for is cleaning up other people's mess. So don't go worrying about me."

    "Keep telling yourself that," Catra says, tilting her head back and shoving the entire contents of the skewer in her mouth. NOMP. Swallow. "...you keep me and Adora around, you'll change your mind. Like I said..." she sits up proper now. "...I know all about that life. Just. Hoping you figure it out before you slip too far down, okay?" she sighs.

    Scavenger finishes off her own skewer, then stands and starts walking out. She dumps the empty skewer stick in a trash can on the way past. "Time to go I think. Too much noise." She turns a corner, and leaves the Night Market behind. Whether Catra follows her or not is on the Etherian.

    Of course Catra follows. She brought Scavenger here, and she's going to leave with her, too. "Not wrong. Fright Zone was at least quiet, and smelled better. Usually..." she falls into step not far from Scavenger and Melog hops down to join them both. Catra still has some food and she noms on the way out. "Thanks, by the way. For. You know. Asking me out like this. I uh... I could tell it was hard, doing it. The asking part. I appreciate it. And you."

    Scavenger remains silent, one hand digging into a pouch while the other holds onto the bag with their completely legitimately acquiried goods. She seems distant, lost in her own thoughts. She mumbles something to herself, though Catra's probably got good enough ears to hear it clear as day. "If only she were still alive... Now all I can do is carry on alone. Carrying her dreams on my back."

    Those sharp feline ears do catch it, and she blinks her mismatched eyes at Scavenger. Though they walk a little more, she finally speaks up after finishing her food. She takes her bat off of her belt, gives it a little twirl, then hooks it behind the back of her neck so she can sort of just hang her arms over it. "..hey.. I'm not perfect, and... I've made a lot of mistakes... and have a lotta regrets... but..." she moves a couple of meters ahead of Scavenger and starts walking backwards.

    "...don't be blind to the stuff in front of you, or something. Literal or not. I got nothin' on what drives you /personally/, but all I can do is draw lines from all the shit I messed up with. So.. just.." she sighs and turns away, lifting an arm and waving it behind her. "...you got my number. You're not alone. Reaching out's a bitch but on your own time, don't forget about me, kay?"

    Then she shifts the bat so she can glance over her shoulder and grin, "...or Adora. She's a big doofus but that equally big heart on her sleeve hasn't failed her yet. But, hey. You do you, maybe my scrawny ass will be the one to save your tail sometime instead," she winks.

    "Catch up later, bring the clothes when you wanna go out with me in 'em. Later~" she snaps her fingers and Melog rushes to her side and within a few steps, the two have faded from sight.