daylight deals a bad hand to a penguin

[parroted]

WHO: Jack Pherson and OPEN
WHERE: One of the little lakes in Central Park
WHEN: This afternoon/evening!
WARNINGS: NUDITY he's uh, kinda not dressed.
SUMMARY: Pherson does in fact bathe sometimes. ...in lakes. With his penguins. And the ducks. And fish. YOU GET THE IDEA.
FORMAT: WHATEVER YOU WANT I'll match

[ Every once in a while, just after dark, with the polar bear keeping watch for cops (but not particularly caring about anyone else), Pherson swims with the fishes.

It also helped mitigate the smell, though Pherson had long since caring about being hygienic. He piles all his clothes and his robe on the beach and dives into the lake. All the creatures in the lake come to speak to him, fishy platitudes intermingling with duck gossip. Pherson's small pack of penguins dive in with him, taking advantage of the fishes' curiosity.

Pherson doesn't particularly care that he's a naked man swimming in a public park. He has plenty of company that doesn't care. ]

Comments

[hedera]

[And it had been such a lovely evening, too.

Ivy had just been taking a stroll in the park, going through the trees to avoid the gormless human passerby below, when she noticed... penguins. Now, penguins have a very particular association in her mind, but when Oswald is in your presence, he tends to make said presence very known, so it clearly isn't him. She follows the penguins with her eyes, and sees that there is...

And there is a man in the lake. Naked, completely unconcerned about anyone who might not want to see any of that, completely unconcerned about anything but himself. Typical. It annoys her, as often as it occurs.

Pherson may be too busy bonding with the ducks to notice the grass inching out toward his clothes, wrapping around them before trying to drag them away toward the trees...]

[parroted]

[ Pherson doesn't notice at all, and his loyal watch-bear only notices just as they start to reach the trees. It growls, and Pherson hears the warning clearly in his head -- and turns around and looks, seeing his clothes disappearing. ]

GET THEM BACK.

[ Instantly, the penguins all come out of the water to waddle toward the clothes. ]

[hedera]

[Ivy is laughing-- whether at the penguins or at Pherson himself, it's uncertain. The grass stops moving around her feet, leaving the clothes behind her. She looks down at the penguins with a slight grin on her face.]

Call them off, dear, or you're definitely going to have a very interesting walk home.

[parroted]

[ He's frowning at her. Something twinges in his memory -- a feeling of red. ]

I don't have one. This is my home. And you, my dear, might want to play nice or you'll feed my friends here.

[hedera]

Is it really? I can't say I've ever seen you before, though I'll admit I haven't been around for too long.

[A branch from the tree above her lowers itself onto her shoulder, an almost fond, protective gesture.]

Will I? [She scoffs.] I think you'll find my children greatly outnumber your friends.

[parroted]

POLYNESIA, GATHER THE BIRDS AND THE BEASTS. [ He's bluffing a little, but his parrot nearby (usually she's on his shoulder, but the whole water thing --) flaps off, cawing "birds and the beasts, birds and the beasts"

He gets out of the water, dripping and naked, staring at Poison Ivy.]

You speak to the green things. [ This is important, he knows it's important -- ] You speak the red.

[hedera]

[She looks him up and down, briefly. She does not look impressed, and momentarily considers just giving him the clothes.]

They're called plants.

[parroted]

[ And he, in turn, doesn't seem to give a shit about being in the nude. In fact, the only real reason he cares about the clothes is his image -- he wore a goofy cloak for a reason, lady. ]

You've been gifted, sister. Maybe we could make amends.

[hedera]

[She smiles thinly.] I'm listening.

[parroted]

You speak to the plants, I speak to the animals. We have a common ally - nature. [ He's speaking very earnestly, seeing all the possibilities of such an alliance.

He happens to appreciate allies. ]

[hedera]

We share a common ally, yes, but do we share a common goal? [She runs her fingers over the branch; leaves grow and flowers bloom in their wake.] I'm willing to do anything to protect and nurture my children. How far are you willing to go for your friends?

[parroted]

Willing to suffer for them. Willing to kill. [ He pauses, just a split second, staring at the new blooms, before continuing - ] Like I've done before.

[hedera]

[Good-- anyone who can put aside the pathetic morals of men to serve Mother Nature gains the slightest sliver of favor in Ivy's book. Even if they are men.]

We're of the same mind, then. Perhaps we could find a way to work this to both our benefits.

[As if an afterthought, she sends the clothes back to the man's penguins.] I'm Poison Ivy. And you are?

[parroted]

[ He instantly warms up, smiling at her. ]

Jack Pherson. I look forward to our working relationship.

[hedera]

Have you done much work in this city, so far? I haven't been here long enough to attempt much of anything.

[hypnosymphony]

[ it sure is too bad for everyone else that other people like to pass through the park

he gives the polar bear a wide berth, though naturally he looks at the penguins in the lake and

promptly looks away again, sighing. He doesn't particularly mind, per se (there are very few things that he objects to strongly enough to be called an inherent dislike) but there are probably better ways of doing things. ]

Have you considered getting some sort of pool? Other people might object to your presence in the lake. [ not that he does, though... ]

[parroted]

[ Pherson looks up at the man, treading water near the shore, particularly unconcerned. ]

They don't matter.

[hypnosymphony]

It might be safer for the animals, at least. Less chance of being recaptured? [ It's a subtle kind of suggestion. He sits, some way away.

Well, he sounds concerned, at least. ]

[parroted]

[ He looks a bit more sharply at the man. Before shrugging a naked shoulder, splashing a little. ]

I doubt the municipal government would appreciate me getting a pool for Central Park.

[hypnosymphony]

Somewhere more private, perhaps. I'm sure it could be done somehow. [ he's already mulling the hypothetical scenario over in his head, absentmindedly. ]

[parroted]

You actually seem to care. [ He's not entirely sure why, but he also won't take his eyes off the strange man.

It's curious. ]

[hypnosymphony]

Should I not? You certainly seem to care a lot about these animals, and they care a lot about you. It would be a shame if they were separated from you. [ the phrase could seem like a threat, with the right tone, but he seems entirely genuine. he shrugs, sitting back with an easy, gentle smile. ] Though I'll freely admit that it's none of my business.

[parroted]

I wouldn't worry, the only thing that could separate these animals from me would be death. [ He says it so lightly, so pleasantly - but with absolute sincerity. These animals will die for him. And he knows it.

But he's definitely warmed up to the stranger. ] It's rare for anyone to have an interest.

[hypnosymphony]

Loyal to the end, I see. I've always found it interesting how animals and humans can bond. [ he is Interested ok ]

I do like animals - they're better company than people, sometimes, truth be told. [ a rueful smile. ]

[parroted]

My bond's stronger than most. [ He treads water, casually, watching carefully ]

Do you have friends of your own?

[hypnosymphony]

I can see that. I'm assuming it would be dreadfully hard to befriend a polar bear, otherwise.

Mm, there's a few stray cats that have taken to me, but I don't specifically own any. They seem to know their own minds, so I don't think they'd take kindly to being domesticated. [ cats, man. you know how it is. ]