A Place To Relax

Isabel was wandering the city, as usual. Her schedule was extremely tight. She didn't want to miss out on some valuable wandering time. That's when she noticed the school girl walking home, or Isabel guessed home. Kids usually went home.

"Hey! Hey. You there! Come here! I have candy."

Isabel started skipping towards her, inspecting her up and down.

"What's your name?"

"Kasha!  Stop running so fast!  Slow down!", yelled the young 9 year old girl known as Annie, trying to keep up with her black and partly blue cheetah.  Kasha just had too much energy today, and he was free in the park!  Free to run!  Free to jump!  Free to lick anything he-  Um...okay maybe not anything.  Some things would be just gross to put your mouth on.  (*Ahem*publickdrinkingfountans...)  Even so, he had to listen to his master and suddenly stopped, looking back excitedly waiting for her to catch up.  She did before long, breathing heavily.  "Kasha~  You're gunna wear me out..."  Kasha whined in response.  Why couldn't he run around?  He wouldn't go far from Annie.  

Then something caught his attention; a nearby girl talking to another who seemed to be minding her own business.  Kasha blinked and both he and Annie looked at them; scanning their minds, like they did everyone else, for their general thoughts, emotions, and mental state.  Except...the loud one seemed...off.  There was something about her that wasn't exactly...um...normal.  Annie blinked as she watched the two who were only about 7 feet away.  "Meracs schee?" she said quietly.  Kasha had to admit he didn't know either and watched curiously.

Keri looked up at the strange girl with long black hair. "I'm sorry, I don't eat candy" she responded in her natural soft tone before returning back to her book. When the older girl asked Keri what her name was, she couldn't help but scrunch up her eyebrows. "Pardon me, but I don't think giving my name to a complete stranger is a wise decision" she stated politely.

This was how Keri was: polite, quite, and smart. She had only started crime fighting under the name Zuciya a couple of months ago, of course her father still doesn't know about her secret identity, but she just felt like she needed to help those in need, like the chief police who found her when she was five years old.

Keri then felt the presence of two other people in the same general area as her. She then closed her book and internally sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to be able to read peacefully anymore. When she looked up, she was a little nine year old girl, with a black and blue cheetah. Odd, but she has no right to judge because she's a meta-human with implanted telepathic powers.

"I think it's rude NOT to introduce yourself to someone you just met. I'm Isabel Harkness, at your service."

Then the colorful cat came galloping about, followed shortly by another girl. Isabel giggled happily, skipping over to the kitty and fearlessly reaching out to pet it. Sure, animals tended to be nervous around her. She was a corpse, after all. Animals tended to sense these things.

"And if this isn't the cutest kitty I've ever seen. I could just pick you up and take you home with me."

Isabel considered doing just that, eyeing the girl who was running up deviously.

Kasha watched as the strange woman came over to pet him; and having no problem with that, he allowed her to do so. However, unbeknownst to Isabel, the act of petting him would allow Kasha's mind reading abilities to delve a good deal deeper into examining her personality and specific thoughts. Speaking of her personality, Kasha really didn't like what he found. This girl was sporadic, childish, reckless, more or less intelligent, able and willing to kill without remorse, estranged to feelings like love and compassion, physically powerful in one way or another; and what's more, she smelled funny. The sensation, along with sensing her desire to take Kasha home and the possibility that she might even hurt Annie to do it, was instantly sobering. That hyperness that was there before dropped, and what remained was directed into a protective instinct toward Annie. However he didn't act yet, as he would wait to see what Isabel actually did. Her mind was chaotic and it was hard to predict what she would do next.

Annie blinked, sensing everything Kasha had as well. She noticed how Isabel was looking at her, and grew nervous and a bit worried. "Um...he can't really leave me. It's his job to protect and take care of me, and he can't do that if he goes home with you." Hopefully Isabel understood that. Annie then smiled to Isabel, hoping to befriend her or at least get on good terms with the girl. "His name is Kasha by the way; and my name's Annie. You can't take Kasha home, but you can play with him right here and now if you want to. Kasha's got lots of energy today." Though still suspicious of Isabel, Kasha had to agree that he really felt energetic and wanting to do something. Playing with Isabel would be just fine to him; it's not like she could hurt him. It was Annie that he was worried about. He began to sniff at the hand that petted him and pawed at it like the over-sized kitty he was.

Annie looked over to the other girl again; the quiet one on the bench. From what Annie could sense, she seemed really nice. Her personality seemed peaceful, kind, and smart. Annie guessed she might be a good person to sit by and talk to. But then again, she was hoping for quiet time to read, so maybe not today.

Keri closed her book gently and looked up at Isabel. "In that case, my greatest apologies. My name is Keri Pierce" She replied politely in her natural soft spoken tone. Keri usually had a high tolerance for a lot of people, but there are times where enough is enough and she has to put her foot down, of course that time is not now... not yet. She noticed that Isabel had her eyes on Kasha, and Annie looked uncomfortable with Isabel's statement.

Keri kept watching Kasha and Isabel interact, and noticed their certain behaviors. She then noticed Annie looking at her, and couldn't help but smile gently at the little one. Keri noticed that she was hesitant to come and talk to her, so Keri held out her hand softly, to invite Annie to sit on the bench with her. "Nice to meet you Annie" she said warmly and softly.

Isabel laughed at Annie, Isabel felt like the girl really loved the cat, so Isabel decided not to take it. She wasn't very good at loving things, no matter how hard she tried. Isabel took the cats paw and played with it, trying to see what the cat liked.

"Nice to meet you, Kasha!"

Isabel couldn't help but overhear Keri introducing herself to Annie right away with the utmost politeness. She couldn't hide the frown as she gave the kitty a petting. Not 5 minutes ago, Keri was worried to even give Isabel her name, but Annie got it right away? A jealous vibe shot through her and she found herself pouting rather quickly. Was it something she said? Did she smell funny? She hoped not...

Annie observed that Isabel decided not to to to take Kasha, and felt relieved by that. Kasha also felt more comfortable with the situation and pawed at Isabel's hands, then suddenly jumped back and started bouncing around her, then stopping to crouch and stare at her, then jump forward, and then back again! He didn't know what he wanted to do, but he knew two things. One; he wanted to play. And two; he wanted to get some exercise while doing it. He really was pumped full of hyper today.

Annie giggled at how excited her cheetah was and how he was acting. "Mac schep-pa..." she reminded him. "You two play nice now, okay?" She then responded to Keri's kind invitation to come join her by smiling and walking over to her, hoping Isabel wouldn't feel TOO jealous.. "Nice to meet you too Keri. Sorry if I'm interrupting your reading..." Annie said, looking to Keri's book as she sat down on the bench beside her.

Keri waved her off. "No worries Annie, I've already read this book" she stated smiling at the little girl. She then noticed that Isabel was upset. "Nice to meet you Isabel" she said politely, softly, and endearingly. Her apology was addressed to the both of them, but it is understandable that certain things Keri did sometimes upset those around her.

Keri was happy that she's starting to meet new people, even though she's been heavily protected by her father for as long as she could remember. "Kasha is a very beautiful creature" she said while smiling to Annie. Keri wanted to expand her horizons and wanted to make nice with a lot of people... it's very lonely in her current world.

Isabel seemingly ignored Keri's peace offering, a vain attempt to soothe her. Kasha would be able to see Isabel mocking the girls words with a frown. She'd go back to playing with the kitty, a fitting distraction, considering she didn't fit in so well with people. Maybe she should just kill them? People were easier to deal with after they'd been killed. She whispered to the kitty quietly.

"What do YOU think, Kasha? Should I do it? I'm not sure."

Isabel looked at the kitty for a moment, as if she'd actually expected it to reply, then settled for giggling and pretending to pounce on the creature.

"I'm just playing, Kitty!~ I would never!~"

Annie felt better after Keri said that she had already read that book, and was happy to know that she wasn't distracting her from anything too important.  Annie smiled a little bit and looked forward when Keri complimented on Kasha.  She swished her legs as she looked up at him as he played with Isabel.  "Thank you..  He is really pretty, isn't he?"  Annie swished her feet as she sat watching her familiar, thinking about how much she loved him and how happy she was to have him.  

Meanwhile, Kasha was busy playing with Isabel.  So far it went alright, until Isabel started thinking about murdering Annie and Keri.  The instant he felt these thoughts, Kasha stopped where he was and stared at Isabel.  He didn't show it but he was about ready to stop playing right there and lounge for her throat.  However, Isabel's thoughts seemed to change and she began to play again, pretending to pounce on him.  Kasha continued to play with her, pouncing back on her playfully and nibbling on her arms like a giant kitten.  However his mind was less than playful, and this play was more to keep Isabel happy and busy then it was for the enjoyment of it.  He found it quiet impossible to relax and have fun, knowing that this girl could turn psyco on a whim.  He didn't trust her, and guessed that he probably never would; in fact he had already made up his mind right now that the first chance they got to leave Isabel without suspicion or problems, they would.  Isabel was trouble and he wanted Annie to have nothing to do with her.  Yet he gave no hints of these kinds of thoughts in the way he behaved. He seemed happy and full of energy, giving no hints to the thoughts that lingered in his mind.

Annie felt all of these thoughts in Kasha, and she could understand them.  Yet she wondered about Isabel.  Was there something wrong with her?  Did she need a friend like Jemmy had?  Or was Isabel really nothing but trouble?  She wasn't sure... but at any rate, she was glad to have Kasha to help her figure it out and protect her.  In addition to Annie, Kasha also considered the nearby Keri.  He had already determined that she wasn't a danger, but was she IN danger?  Isabel didn't seem to start things off too well with her.  For right now though, he just let these thoughts hang and did what he always did.  Wait and see what happened next.

Keri could feel the bitterness oozing off of Isabel, but she just brushed it off, accepting the fact that it was partially, if not mostly, her fault why Isabel was so hostile to her. Same old same old... many kids at her school are like that. Instead of thinking too hard about Isabel and her corresponding feelings, Keri focused on adorable little Annie and Kasha.

By the looks of it, Annie and Kasha are not "normal", based on Keri's observation. Not that it was bad not to be normal, but she could sense that they were special, kind of like the way she was, and not only that, she received that vibe from Isabel as well, however Isabel's was a bit more skewed to one side, and her aura was completely different from Annie's and Kasha's. For now, Keri was just going to be as normal as she could and to just sit and wait to see what was happening, and what could potentially happen.

Keri then turned back to Annie, after composing herself for a split second from Isabel's reactions and remarks. "How are you today little Annie?" She asked smiling at the little girl, being completely warm and empty, from the outside in. Of course, as always, Keri's voice was soft and quite, almost like a loud whisper, but that was because she isn't fully comfortable with socializing with others around her.

ooc: TT^TT IM SOO SORRY!!! ILL MAAKE THIS UP TO YALL I PRIOMIIISEEE!!!!

(OOC: Bloo has been skipped due to inactivity.)

Annie looked up to Keri with a happy and genuine smile. "I'm doing really well today, thank you. Kasha's kind of gotten really hyper today, so I had to take him out today to burn it off." She looked back to Isabel and Kasha, watching them play. "It's actually kind of fun to watch him bounce around excitedly like this, as long as he doesn't scare anyone or break something..." She looked back to Keri again. "What about you? How are you today?"