[OPEN] A Cat's Paw Touch Will Win It!

[legallygreen]

Characters:   Jennifer Walters and anyone who wants to join in!
Content:  Tired of the political panel, and waiting with baited breath for some kind of formal gala to be announced, Jennifer spends some time in the town, playing games and winning goldfish.
Setting:  The Flower Festival
Time:  Early evening, after the political panel
Warning:  None as of

Comments

*has to* =3

[destnys_overr8d]

Hellboy wandered the games booths for a while trying to decide if he wanted to play one . . . and if there was one he could play. His strength and his height made some a challenge in ways they weren't meant to be challenging - like hitting the target without risking doing damage to the booth itself.

After a while he spotted a pretty young lady wandering alone. And by "lady", it wasn't just gender. She looked like someone who should have an escort of some kind, with her delicate umbrella - there was a proper name for that kind wasn't there? the kind meant for sun rather than rain? - and little gloves. Huh . . . maybe he should go say hi, see if she needed assistance or was lost or something. He wasn't exactly a model samaritan, but he couldn't make himself leave this alone either.

A crooked grin tugged at his mouth at her laughter at herself when she missed the flower targets with the rings. He stood back from her just a little bit - he didn't want to startle her too badly, let alone seem threatening (his looks he couldn't help; his proximity, he could).

"A little higher and about a hand's breadth to the left, and you'd probably have gotten that."

...I cannot express my joy in words.

[legallygreen]

Jennifer turned from the game as someone spoke to her, and gasped as she nearly ran into someone. It was then that she had to look up, and up...and up. Her eyes got wide for a moment, but she smiled brilliantly at the stranger standing behind her.

She had never seen someone like him before, towering over her, and red. Bright red. It almost reminded her of someone she knew that was bright emerald green. The festival was so wonderful, having space for everyone and so few people truly caring about human or demi-human. Jennifer nodded a bit in response.

"You are probably right. I think I will try again. Think you could give me some advice as I try?"

She turned and paid for another set of rings, making sure not to accidentally prod the stranger with her parasol as she turned to throw it at the target again. The first ring was a little higher this time, but too far left, almost catching the flower target but slipping off.

"Hmm...better try again."

XDDD

[destnys_overr8d]

Okay, that was not the reaction he was expecting. It was welcome . . . but definitely unexpected. Glowing yellow eyes softened a bit as he gave her a lopsided grin in return.

...and thought to take the cigar from his mouth - with his flesh hand, no call to risk scaring the girl after all by bringing any more attention to the other one than necessary - then nonchalantly changing hands to hold it somewhere that the breeze wouldn't blow the smoke at her.

"Yeah, I think I can do that."

He ducked back a bit to keep the top of her umbrella-thing from catching in his trenchcoat, and chuckled. "Here, lemme hold that for you." If she didn't protest, he took it from her, holding it so it still shaded her.

"Hmn . . . my bad. Make that half a hand's breadth. Ya almost got it."

*LOVES the Hellboy*

[legallygreen]

He took the parasol from her and she gave him another smile, nodding as he offered his advice about throwing the rings again. She concentrated, and threw another ring, and this time, it actually went over the target neatly, followed by the next one, for two in a row.

"Ha! I did it!" She cried after an excited, wordless noise. Jennifer smiled at the stranger again, and then did her best to turn away so she would not laugh at him as the very tall red man held her tiny champagne colored parasol with it's beaded edging.

The game owner handed her a prize, a stuffed animal in the shape of a unicorn, and she smiled at it, thinking of the real unicorn she had met the other day. Jennifer then turned her attention back to the stranger.

"Would you like to try? My treat though, since you gave me such excellent advice, and as such I am now the owner of a remarkable specimine of fluff."

Yay, glad I'm doin' this right, then....yeah? *LUFFS him so much*

[destnys_overr8d]

Oh, Hellboy knew exactly how ridiculous he looked. He really didn't care, though there was an amused little grin on his face at her reaction. "Yep. Congratulations."

He was in a really good mood today so he actually glanced the booth over, considering it for an instant before going ahead and shaking his head. "Nah. Thanks, but - " He thumbed with his stone hand at the proliferation of cutesy prizes. " - I tend to give those things nightmares."

He'd spotted the pretty little fish in its bag in her basket, and he gave it a nod. "Should probably get him home and in a bowl before much longer."

[legallygreen]

"Hmm? Oh, yes!"

Jennifer smiled and pulled the fish out, giving him a once over. "Yes, I was on my way to get him a bowl and some other items when I got distracted by the fluffy unicorn. Speaking of which, this is Alphonse. I am certain he is pleased to meet you."

She put the fish back in her bag and held out a delicate, petite hand to him as well. "And I am Jennifer Walters, Ambassador of Ivona. I am pleased to meet you as well."

[destnys_overr8d]

Hellboy peered into the clear bag, raising an eyebrow. Still, he gave her a small grin. "I'll take your word for it."

He couldn't held the slightly surprised look that crossed his glowing eyes at her easy and unafraid introduction, but then he carefully took her hand in his flesh one, inclining his head to her. "Call me Red. Pleasure's mine." He cocked his head at her. "So, what's an ambassador and nice lady doing out alone?"

[legallygreen]

"It is nice to meet you, Red." She replied with a nod, shaking his hand firmly, though chances were he probably did not feel it in his large hand.

Jennifer smiled as he asked her what she was doing out alone, like one might have used a pick up line. She almost wanted to laugh if she had not gotten the feeling that he was just being generally interested. She supposed it was rather odd that she was out playing games on her own when she looked like she should have been instantly kidnapped off the streets for a ransom.

"Just having fun. I am not an ambassador all the time." She said, smiling sweetly at him. "I find that spending time here, like this, is more relaxing than sitting in my quarters on the ship I am traveling on while reading a book. The people here are charming, and if I had not been playing games, I would not have gotten to meet you."

[destnys_overr8d]

He realized how much his comment sounded like a bad pick-up line (was there really such thing as a good one) but not until after he'd said it. Oh, well. And then he nearly laughed aloud at her last comment, wondering for an instant if maybe he wasn't the one being picked up on.

"Heh . . . you coulda done worse, yeah. It's getting dark, though. The not-so-charming really start to crop up with twilight. Drunks, brawlers, vampires, bad pennies..." He ticked them off on his flesh hand with one stone finger, giving her a crooked grin at the latter choices. In truth, he was only half kidding about the third item, but he really wasn't expecting trouble from any of them or their ilk - too many people. No, it was the more mundane ones people had to worry about in a setting like this.

"Want some company for the evening?" Again, might sound like a pick-up line, but he honestly didn't want anything from her. Except maybe friendly company. Weren't too many who would so easily or freely accept his presence, so he figured he'd enjoy it while it lasted. She seemed a genuinely sweet young woman, he had nowhere in particular to be or anything to do, and he really didn't want to be hearing about her on the news the next morning.

[legallygreen]

Jennifer smiled at him again, just as kindly as she had before, and nodded. "Thank you, that would be lovely, Red."

Without another word she slipped the unicorn into her bag, and moved to his other side, taking his arm gently as she looked around with a smile. "Well, where would you like to explore? There are many other booths we could go to, or perhaps dinner? I have not had any yet and I know of a lovely cafe."

Don't know which arm she's taken, so running with this. Lemme know if I need to change though!

[destnys_overr8d]

Hellboy couldn't suppress the faint grin. She didn't seem at all bothered by the four-sizes-too-big stone arm. She was either a hell of an actress, or one of the sweetest young women he'd ever met.

He frowned a little at himself, realizing part of that last comment fell squarely in the realm of "you've been dancing with the dark too long".

He hesitated at the last, though. "I haven't either. I'm . . . looking for work right now, so . . . " Yeah, he knew he was the last one for tact, but he didn't want to come out and say he was broke and couldn't buy her dinner. Or seem to want to make her buy.

That one is quite fine

[legallygreen]

"Hmm, I see how that would be a problem." She said, but then smiled up at him. "So it is fortuitous that I asked you before you had a chance to ask me. I would be very rude to ask you to dinner and then not treat you to it."

Jennifer was used to trying to pay for things for others gracefully. With Ryuuki it was different, she could scold him and just give him money, but she was not hurting his pride. It was different for other people. Feeling independent was as important to her as it was to others and she knew just how to make it a favor to her that they let her pay.

"If you are looking for work on a ship you are certainly in the right place." She continued, walking him to a cafe where they had set up tents so people could eat outside and watch the flowers. "There are all kinds of ships here for the festival."