Players:
Summary: Shopping, and food consumption occurs at the mall.
Date: March 30, 2011
Log Title: In for a Sugar Rush
Rating: PG-13
Westchester- Salem Center
The middle of the week meant that the mall over in Westchester was fairly empty for the majority of the day. This seemed to be a suitable time for a reclusive billionaire to drive over to the comic book shop across the street to pick up a box of items that had been accumulating for over a month. After picking up the items, hanging out with some of the kids in the shop to play the newest TCG, he drove over to the mall for it was there and one could never avoid popping in to avail oneself of the food court. Not that he will ever admit to being hopelessly addicted to caramel pecan buns or strawberry banana smoothies with energy shots. Can he be picked out of the masses easily? If the person had ever seen him wearing t-shirt, jeans, boots and a leather jacket perhaps. Throwing in his backwards turned ball cap and shades he appears to be just another incredibly attractive man.
Among the throngs of… people who generally aren't there and enjoying the open space in the food court, a young rat girl is sitting at a table. Tabitha seems to have lost the jeans and motorcycle leathers for now, and has taken on something more of a goth look; damaged black skirt and top, along with bicep-length black gloves and the odd bit of steel chain here and there. She's busy munching on a burger; a Burger King specimen, judging by the wrapper that says 'whopper'. She seems pretty fixated on it, and is paying pretty well no attention to her surroundings. At all.
Not one to usually venture out of New York, there are still a few little shops that Anita prefers to visit outside of the city. That and going on a drive to Westchester gives her an excuse to take her bike out. The rumble of her Indian coming up the street fills the air and she easily pulls into the parking lot to find a space. It takes a couple of moments for the lithe woman to get her bike settled and make her way inside: First stop? The food court for a drink and maybe a little snack for while she shops. The leather jacket that's practically mandatory when riding is unzipped to reveal a black t-shirt with a catchy, snarky phrase on the front. Her dark jeans are tucked into her biker boots and her helmet locked to the bike so that she doesn't have to lug it around with her. She stops when she reaches the food court, scanning the available choices.
Downstairs from the food court Tony is distracted by the self serve candy shop with it's varied assortment of goodies. With an empty bag in his hand he goes about scooping various chocolate covered items and a handful of sour additions before weighing out and walking through the mall munching on the candies. Since one can not live on candy alone Tony finds the escalator that goes up to the food court and leans against the side as he rides up to be dropped off on the second floor. Scanning the various options he finds nothing to his liking save for his friend who is standing about gazing at the various junk food. Coming up behind her he brings the bag of candies around into her view. Doesn't say anything but he does spot Tabitha across the way. "She's gone Goth…" he mutters to himself.
Tabitha is busy tapping her foot while she's eating, and she's humming something vageuly tuneful while she's chewing. The rat girl polishes off her first burger, and then unwraps the second one off her tray — and there's still another one after that. The rat girl's tail sweeps lazily across the floor behind her while she eats, and at about the moment when Tony spots her she just happens to look up. She grins toothily, and holds up her burger as she waves with it, and then lowers it again jsut in time to catch a piece of pickle that's trying to escape.
Decision apparently made, Anita shoves her hands in the pockets of her jacket and starts to take a step forward. Only to be stopped by a bag of candy that suddenly appears in front of her. She makes a small surprised sound and looks behind her, following the arm that's offering said candy, and finds herself face to face with a friend. She smiles and plucks a piece of chocolate out of the bag, "Hey, honey." She looks in the direction he seems to be looking, "Goth?" Wait for it… "Oh." She blinks a couple of times when she finally spots the rat-girl and shakes her head, "That's… different." It's not every day one sees a giant goth-rat eating burgers in the mall, after all.
Tony is still looking over at Tabitha's table where she's now spotted him so he tosses her a bit of a wave. "I think she found the Hot Topic." Anyways! Tony smiles pulling the bag of candies back towards himself after Anita has taken a piece. Peering down at the assortment in the bag he fishes out a strange shaped one and offers that to Anita. "These are better. Also! Hello, babe." He leans in to kiss her cheek. "What're you doing at the mall? Never mind, c'mon!" Takes Anita's hand and all but drags her over to Tabitha's table. "Tabitha. Did the Hot Topic get you?" The question is asked in a very serious and mournful tone but truly he's just griefing her.
Tabitha was just about to take another bite from her burger, when instead she looks up at Tony and Anita as they both get close to her table. "I, uhm… well, sorta," she replies, trailing off at the end. The insides of her ears color, and she coughs softly. "I uhm… sorta needed more cloths than just my biker outfit if I'm gonna be going to school right away here, and they were having a sale. And if you only have a couple hundred bucks left in your wallet and no income, beggers can't be choosers." She pauses, and is about to take that bite from her burger, when she lowers it for a second time. "But… actually, I like it. It's kinda cute. Right?"
"I believe you might be right." Anita's voice is amused and she shakes her head a little at the sight. She slowly chews the piece of candy she'd taken, smiling at his suggestion about another piece of candy. She takes that one and bumps her shoulder lightly against him at the kiss, just taking the show of affection in stride as he talks. She's about to answer his question, but is cut off and rolls her eyes in amusement, fortunately not objecting to not being allowed to answer right off, though she ignores the 'never mind' and answers anyway as she's dragged over to the table, "Just getting out of town for a day." She gives a little sympathetic wince at the thought of Tabitha not having much money and being stuck shopping at Hot Topic, but then… "I suppose it's cute enough…" She pauses for a moment, her expression turning mischievous, "I wear some costumes that are similar at work, actually." Though there's usually a lot less fabric involved when she's at the club.
The bag of candy being held by Tony is extended towards Tabitha. "I'm not going to comment. I've learned over the years it's best not to mention a thing about women's fashion for it always ends badly." It would appear that Tabitha has been having quite the lunch and that reminds Tony that he meant to be acquiring a caramel pecan bun at some point. That confectionery delight was unfortunately at the other side of the mall. "No plans?" Tony asks Anita while pulling out his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. From that wallet several large bills are pulled free and pushed across the table towards Tabitha without a word being spoken about it.
Tabitha is, once again, about to take a bite out of her burger when abruptly several large bills appear in front of her. The rat girl closes her mouth early, missing the burger but succeeding in mashing it against her face, covering her lips in mustard, ketchup, relish, and a couple rebellious bits of onion. By the time she can speak again, she's managed to dab at her chin with a napkin. "I… I…" She pauses, and shakes her head. "Thank you," she says, finally. "Thank you *very much*." She puts the burger down for the time being; apparently eating it isn't happening, and she gathers said bills quickly to make sure they don't blow away or something. "I'll uhm, be looking for a job as soon as I'm accepted at school, and know what hours I can work."
Who doesn't love a good trip to the mall? Fiona likes it, that's for sure. And speaking of Hot Topic, she looks like she belongs in there - though, as she would be quick to tell you, she doesn't actually buy anything from that place because they're all fake! Yeah. Great. At any rate, she looks slightly tired; carrying a woven mat of some kind under one arm as she pauses to take a look at the food court. Suddenly, she is very hungry indeed; she wanders up to one of the Chinese food places and comes away with a pretty large plate before spotting someone she knows. That person being Tabitha - she's not exactly sharp enough to recognize Tony right off the bat. So, as luck would have it, she wanders over, greeting the rat girl with a cheery, "Hello!" As cheery as she can imagine anyway; her feet are dragging like she just ran ten miles.
"Getting out of the city, mostly. Doing a little window shopping." Anita a crooked little smile pulls at one corner of her mouth, "Maybe getting a bite to eat before looking around." She chuckles softly, "I used to be a real mallrat when I was a kid." She glances at Tabitha and winces at her own choice of words, but doesn't take them back. It's a valid term, after all, and it's not like she used some kind of politically incorrect racial slur. As the money is tossed on the table, the dancer raises one carefully groomed brow, looking at her friend out of the corner of her eye, "You know… I still say you should come see me at work." She's just not going to let him hear the end of that until he takes the time to see her on stage. And let her earn a little of that money. Then Fiona's walking up to join the (literal) mallrat and the older woman gives her a small smile, waiting to see if she'll be polite and say hello to the adults present, or if she's just going to talk to Tabitha.
Tony watches a hamburger paint Tabitha's mouth more than go into it and barely restrains himself from chuckling. "Think nothing of it," the money. He's got enough that what's on the table is of no consequence to him and Tabitha clearly needs it. "I did tell you to keep asking," Tony smirks at Anita before a young woman appears at the table to say hello to Tabitha. Since the young ladies will probably chat Tony takes the moment to toss a few more pieces of candy into his mouth while turning towards his friend. "I've got an idea I need to run by you but not in front of the children. Oh, and if you're just window shopping I can tag along if you'd like the company." Tony's not being rude to the newcomer at the table he's just being his typical self.
Tabitha perks up as Fiona stops by. "Oh! Hello Fiona," she says as she regains her wits. She makes a point of taking a large and successful bite from her burger, and chews it up happily before speaking again. "Fiona, this is Tony, and… a nice lady." Her ears color as she blushes a little once more. "Well, anyway. Introductions more or less complete. I uhm… if you all are wandering on, I'm gonna finish these and might catch up in a bit… Unless you're having a private conversation, which is cool too."
Fiona blinks, looking from Tabitha to the previously ignored pair of adults, "Hi! I'm… Fi… Fi-ona…" she stares at Tony, almost dropping her tray full of food. It lands safely on the table with a nice thunk though, "Wow, she totally wasn't bullshitting! She really did you know you! Not that I didn't believe her, I mean, but really, erm, that is," she stammers. Meltdown imminent!
Anita's smile turns into a smirk, "That you did." And so, she does. Practically every time she sees him. She gives Fiona a little wave at the introduction, a soft, husky chuckle accompanying it at being called a nice lady, "Anita." There. She's provided a name. And here comes the typical starstruck stammering that happens around famous people, "Oh, Tony's just like any other guy." She gives him a sly look, "Well… Maybe not exactly like any other guy." She laughs lightly and leaves the comment hanging, turning her attention back to the billionare, "Oh?" An idea, huh? And not appropriate to voice around the kiddies. Sounds interesting… "Oh, I'd never turn down your company, honey."
It would appear that Tabitha's friend is a bit celeb-struck so Tony helps to make sure the tray of food stabilizes before it winds up on the floor. "Fiona is it? Always nice to meet one of Tabitha's friends." Casting a glance back across his shoulder Anita is regarded with a playful glare, "Behave." Not that he means that at all which is obvious. Since the young ladies are probably going to chat amongt themselves for a moment Tony takes the time to put his wallet away. "I've no real plans for the day so if you would like company as you window shop I'm up for that. I do have to point out," mainly to the girls. "That I would rather not attract attention to myself as I'm not in the mood to be mobbed near the Sbarro which is not Italian food." Just in case the ladies about him ever considered purchasing that glop.
"Oh, well, that's definitely true, that stuff's gross anyway," Fiona seems to snap out of it for a moment, watching as Tabitha abandons her. Waaail! Oh well. "Yeah, we met a few days ago," she notes, "It's nice to meet you both," she nods. She seems a bit more in control of herself now, which is probably welcomed. "I'm definitely not doing any shopping though, I just stopped by for some food! I'm pooped. My friend's teaching me martial arts. Says I need to know them, blah blah blah," she stabs a bit of chicken with a fork, chowing down on it. "It's good exercise, though!"
The woman bats her eyes a couple of times, feigning innocence. The offer of joining gets a nod and Anita looks pleased by the thought, "I'd like that. It's always nicer to shop with friends." She shakes her head, "Of course. I certainly wouldn't go advertizing who you are to everyone." It would kind of suck to be known as Tony's 'girl of the moment', after all. And the press might start thinking that there's more between them than there really is. The little rant about Italian food has her shaking her head, "No, I don't think I'll be going there. It's not the most appetizing food in the world." She looks at Fiona for a moment at the mention of martial arts and exercise, "I would imagine it is. I prefer to dance for my exercise, though."
"I meant the young ladies giving me away," Tony tells Anita. "I don't believe there is anything actually worth eating up here to tell the truth." As Anita would like company during her wandering through the mall Tony is pleased by that and can find a moment to sneak off into various shops that are of particular interest to him. Reaching up to lift the ball cap off his head for a moment he then pulls it back down covering his hair while regarding Fiona with a tinge of curiosity. "She dances, I throw tanks…are you studying a particular art or are you interested in MMA?" Tony's had extensive close combat training though on a personal scale he prefers to use a lot of MMA training for every day workouts, sparring with others and a particular art allows him to bring in the meditation aspect.
"Well, I would say it's pretty close to Kung Fu, but I'm not sure it qualifies as a specific martial art. It's from his home, I'd have to say it's pretty obscure," Fiona describes it - not letting on that her friend is, indeed, an alien. At least not quite yet. "So far it's just been getting in shape though."
There's a little amused smirk at the comment about Tony throwing tanks and Anita shakes her head slightly, "Of course." That for the thought that the girls would be the ones more likely to give away who he is. She shrugs, "Well, it's not exactly the best food in the world, I'll admit, but sometimes it's nice to just get something fattening and disgusting." Not that she's going to make an issue about getting something to eat here, but still… She looks interested in the fact that this friend of the teenager's isn't from the area, "It's nice to learn new things, sometimes."
Tony pops a few pieces of candy into his mouth as Fiona and Anita speak. The bag is then rolled closed and tucked into a pocket of his leather jacket for safe keeping. "Anita, if you are in the market for real food that will at least make your hands disgusting I know of a place not too far from here but that would be for later. Cinnamon rolls and Jamba Juice is what's needed ASAP." To Fiona he bows his head, "It was a pleasure meeting you, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. Don't beat up on your instructor too much."
