InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Who ate all the pies?"

i_steal (i_steal) wrote in we_coexist,
@ 2008-04-10 21:54:00

Entry tags:

challenge 1, jeannie, selina kyle, zz:status complete

Oh for a pink bracelet (Challenge #1 - Jeannie)
So things had settled down and it was time for Catwoman to go prowling. She had the perfect target too; a priceless magenta pink diamond bracelet had just arrived in The City. There had been a small blurb in the paper about it, and its rarity, and after the description of the bracelet, she had decided that she wanted it all for herself.

She skillfully went over the fence and slid past the alarm system. The owners of the mansion and of the coveted bracelet were out of down, and their security system has been easy to figure out. After picking the lock to the back door, she clicked on her night-vision goggles and avoiding all of the trips to the alarms, she headed up the stairs. And she was feeling greedy too, for she knew that there would be other jewelry to check out in the safe.

She had studied this job for a time, and she knew the security system and blueprints of the house well. Catwoman didn’t do a job without knowing all of the ins and outs of a home such as this.

She knew exactly where the study was, and she knew that the safe was stashed being a really hideous painting of toilets. (This she knew by staking the house out. Fortunately, the people were idiots and their study was in plain site.) Who on earth would buy a picture of toilets and put it up on their wall. These people didn’t deserve to have such a gorgeous work of art as the bracelet if they had such horrible taste in other art.

She skillfully and easily got into the safe and was riffling through the rest of the jewelry when she thought she heard a noise.

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i_blink
2008-04-12 09:14 am UTC (link)

From the outside, the building had seemed very familiar. It was not in the right place, of course, but nothing here seemed to be. So it was not surprising to Jeannie that the yard seemed much larger, or the drive much longer, nor that it was not surrounded by other familiar homes. But she was certain, looking at the edifice, that she knew it. It was Dr. Bellows’ house.

Except that once she was inside, nothing seemed to be the way she remembered it. But then she had been in her bottle for thirty one years, seven months, two weeks and three days before being released again. It was understandable that the Bellows might have rearranged. But she did not understand why they would choose some of the things that she saw. She did not like to disparage other’s tastes, but some of it was rather, well, ugly. It was all very strange, and became even stranger when she realized that the layout of the home was completely different.

Who would do such a thing? The Bellows were going to be very unhappy when they arrived home to find that nothing was where they had left it. For example, the living room should be on the other side of the house. With an emphatic blink, she put it back where it belonged. Which made the hallway adjoin oddly to the dining room, so she blinked and changed that as well. Much better.

Smiling to herself, she clasped her hands behind her back and did a little skip-dance down the corridor, until she reached the door of the study. There she paused to chew on her thumbnail uncertainly. It was not that the room was in the wrong place. It was exactly where she remembered it should be. But that study was the place where Dr. Bellows kept his safe. The safe with the file he had on her ex-master darling, Tony Nelson. Would he still have that file? Would it tell her where he was now? Oh, how she missed him.

It would not hurt to just take a little peek, would it? Surely not. Decision made, Jeannie’s hand stretched forward to clasp the doorknob. She would be very fast, and only look for what she needed. That was all. That was not too bad, was it?

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	i_steal 2008-04-14 07:06 pm UTC (link)
	She noticed that the door was beginning to open, and dove for the back of the couch. The room wasn't a good one to hide in, but she figured that with her mask on, she'd look like she was up to no good. The only thing that Catwoman could do was to hide and hope that the person didn't actually enter the room. Her hand instinctively went to the handle of her whip. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

i_blink
2008-04-17 10:34 am UTC (link)

The study was not as she remembered it either. The desk was in the wrong place, but surely the safe was still behind it. Even if it was mahogany now instead of practical metal. Pink slippers made little noise on the plush carpeted floor as she crossed the room. Fingertips touching the top of the desk for balance, Jeannie leaned over to peer behind the massive piece of furniture.

But the safe was not there. A pouting frown appeared on her face. Where had the safe gone? She was certain that was where Dr. Bellows had kept his safe, it was where she recalled it being the last time she had been in his home. Where else would he put it?

Spinning on the ball of her foot, she turned to peruse the room. Index finger set against her lower lip, Jeannie’s eyes scanned the darkened study, trying to think. If she were Dr. Bellows, where would she have put the safe? If she were a safe, where would she be?

The odd sight of a painting hanging from the wall at a disproportional angle did not grab her attention as it might have at another time. Because her mind had already decided where she would be if she were a safe. Behind the couch, obviously! Hidden was always better, after all.

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i_steal
2008-04-19 08:21 pm UTC (link)

She almost sighed in relief as she heard the padding back towards the door. But then she realized that whoever was here was searching for something, and they were coming behind the couch. She didn't have much of a choice as this point, so she chose to stand up, hand on her whip, so at least she had a fighting chance when the person find her.

She was more than a little surprised at what she saw when she stood up. The woman in front of her looked like she should live in the house, but she didn't think that was possible. She knew for a fact that the owners where out of town. She could also tell that the person in front of her was no thief, and so, deciding that maybe being nice would get her out of trouble, she said, "Hi."

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i_blink
2008-04-23 12:39 am UTC (link)

Jeannie blinked. In surprise rather than with magical intent, but she still blinked. There was a woman in the Bellows’ house, one she did not know. One dressed in a very unusual manner. Though she was not so unaware that she did not realize her own manner of dress was sometimes considered unusual.

“Hello.” That was a good place to begin when someone said hello, was it not? Even someone wearing a cat costume. “I am Jeannie. I know, or I knew, the Bellows. They are not home?”

That was a rather silly question. It was perfectly obvious that they were not home, as the house was dark and silent. And empty but for this woman. Did she know them? Was she related to them? Oh, perhaps she was a niece or a cousin! That made far more sense.

Except for the outfit, which was still very confusing. “Are they at a costume party? Oh, I love parties! Am I keeping you from attending? I am sorry. That must seem very rude.”

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i_steal
2008-04-27 11:10 pm UTC (link)

It didn't take long for Catwoman to realize that the other woman didn't have a clue what was going on, and the very visibly relaxed. She wasn't caught after all! That was fine by her, she figured she should just go with the flow and get the hell outta dodge as soon as possible.

"Yes, exactly, there was a costume party. Except everyone's left, and I'm afraid that our gracious hosts put my bracelet in their safe, and I'd very much like to get it back." She wasn't going to ask the other woman in front of her about her own strange dress, either one of them could make a very fine entrance into a costume party.

"As for the Bellows, I don't believe that they own this house anymore, the owners of the house are the Smiths. Do you know them?" Catwoman didn't recognize the name Bellows at all, they must be in the world that the other woman was from.

She wandered back to the awful picture to move it, "see, the owners left me a message and told me that my bracelet is in here." As she moved the picture, the safe was reveled.

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i_blink
2008-04-28 09:01 pm UTC (link)

“Oh dear.” The words were breathed out on a soft sigh, and Jeannie looked down, chewing on her thumbnail. If this was no longer the Bellows’ home, then she had broken into someone’s house. That was not good, was it? Especially not since she had rearranged several rooms in the house. She would have to put them back, of course, and find a way to make it up to these smith people.

The woman dressed as a cat moved toward the oddly hung picture, and mentioned again that she needed her bracelet. Perhaps, since she had been so rude as to break into the house, she should do something to aid their guest. That would be a nice thing to say that she was sorry, would it not? Yes, she could do that.

Moving closer, Jeannie finally saw that behind the picture was a hidden safe, the door flush with the wall. “Oh, that is terribly clever, is it not? Why, who would think to look for a safe hidden that way? It must be very safe. I am sure that your bracelet is most definitely secure. What nice hosts.”

She smiled pleasantly. “Would you like me to retrieve it for you?”

Perhaps it should have occurred to her to ask why the hosts themselves were not here to open the safe, but Jeannie could not think of a reason why this woman would lie to her. She must be telling the truth about the costume party, since she was dressed as a cat. So the rest of her story was accepted easily.

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i_steal
2008-04-30 05:54 am UTC (link)

When the other woman asked if she could retrieve the bracelet for her, Catwoman was instantly curious - did this other woman have powers? Should she really persuade her to help her steal the bracelet? She stood for a moment thinking, and as usual, curiosity won over any other feelings.

And why not. She was now curious to see how the other woman would open the safe.

"Help would be wonderful! I would ever so much appreciate it. Should I stand back?" She stood back a little anyway, unsure of what to expect.

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i_blink
2008-04-30 06:41 pm UTC (link)

It came to her suddenly that she had made an error. In her eagerness to help the lady dressed as a cat, she had not thought her actions through. After all, her ex-master darling Tony really did not approve of her using her powers in front of other people. And she was not yet well enough acquainted with her new master to know if it would be upset at the same thing.

It was better to be safe than sorry, though. That was a good motto to live by. So her answer was accompanied by a little wave of her hand as she gestured the other woman back. “Oh, yes. You should stand back and, uh, close your eyes. Yes, close your eyes. It is a family secret.”

Jeannie waited until the lady dressed as a cat had closed her eyes, going so far as to wave a hand to be certain. Then she stepped closer to the safe, crossed her arms, blinked and nodded. The door to the safe popped open, and she smiled with pleasure at her success.

She took one step back then crossed her arms behind her, holding her wrist with one hand. In as casual a tone as she could muster, she announced, “There you are. You may retrieve your bracelet.”

Then she frowned slightly. “But you must not think that this is alright under other circumstances. Stealing is wrong, and if it were not to return what is yours, I would not have…” Oh, what was the phrase? “I would not have packed the safe. It is not nice to take from others.”

Just as quickly as she frowned, Jeannie smiled again, this time her eyes sparkling. “Is your bracelet very pretty?”

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i_steal
2008-05-01 03:24 am UTC (link)

The ease in which the other woman had opened the safe had been amazing. She had heard no sounds, no lock-pick, and it was almost instantly opened. Oh no, she groaned to herself, what have I done.

Catwoman was beginning to feel guilty about using the other woman, especially since she seemed so naive. And she was a magic user, and Catwoman knew better to mess with them. She stood silently thinking, and tried to push the guilt away, but she didn't think she could go through with it anymore. Catwoman didn't hurt innocents, and on the East End of Gotham, she'd helped them. This was too much for her.

She stepped forward and rifled through the safe for a moment. She sighed before she explained, "I don't see my bracelet in here. I wonder if they forgot to put it in there."

It was hard to give up her prize, but she didn't want to use anyone and it was probably for the best if she ended this escapade as quickly as possible.

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i_blink
2008-05-02 04:22 am UTC (link)

Oh that was very disappointing. If her bracelet was not in the safe, then where was it? Had she lost it? Jeannie knew how very disappointing that could be when you misplaced something important. She had once lost her slippers, and had they not shown up in a museum exhibit, she might never have had them returned!

“Are you certain it is not in there?” The lady dressed as a cat had not looked very closely. Perhaps she had just missed it. Jeannie took a turn of her own, reaching into the darkened space, letting her fingers trail over a surprisingly small number of items. Until she felt a small string of hard, square shapes.

With a bright smile, she drew out the bracelet that she had discovered and asked, “Is this not it?”

Then she got a good look at what she was holding, and a soft sigh eased out of her. “Ohhh, it is very lovely, is it not? So sparkly, and pink. I am very fond of pink, you know. It is one of my favorite colors.”

Though… it didn’t really match the lady’s outfit, did it? That was a bit odd. But if it was hers, then she should have it back. Jeannie held it out, the bracelet dangling off of two fingertips.

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i_steal
2008-05-03 12:19 am UTC (link)

Oh the temptation... she could still take it if she wanted. It was right there, and the other woman had no idea who the rightful owner was. But she just couldn't take it at this point.

Her mind made up, Catwoman shook her head. "No, that's not my bracelet." She tried the best she could to sound disappointed. "Mine wasn't pink. Maybe they made a mistake." She shrugged, "it's OK though, I can call my friends when I get back to see if maybe they made a mistake."

She wanted to leave, she'd spent too much time here already, especially since she wouldn't be bringing anything home.

What was it about The City? It always seemed to spoil her plans to steal anything.

"I thank you for your help, but since my property isn't here, maybe I should just leave."

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i_blink
2008-05-04 06:52 pm UTC (link)

“Oh, yes. I suppose that would be best.” There was some reluctance on her own part to return the bracelet. It was pink, after all, and Jeannie was quite fond of jewelry. Perhaps she should get one for herself. But not this one, as taking something that did not belong to her would not sit well at all with the djinn.

Turning, she put the string of pink gems back into the safe, closing the door afterward. Just to be certain that it was secured, she winked one eye in the direction of the combination lock. It was not quite a full blink, so it should not have been as noticeable to the other woman.

“I am sorry that I could not help you locate your possessions. I am usually much better at it. Perhaps the next time we meet I can give you more aid.” But the lady dressed as a cat was right. This was not their home, it was not even the Bellows’ home, so they did not belong there. Besides, she had another goal yet to accomplish and she could not do it here.

Tripping lightly on nearly silent feet, Jeannie made her way to the door of the study. There she paused and waited for the lady dressed as a cat to join her. It was time for her to leave, this had been a rather selfish impulse. It was just that the house so much reminded her of the Bellows’ home and she thought she might have found something she knew. But really, she should be concentrating on giving Spike what he had asked for, since she had not been able to do that yet. Yes, it was time to go.

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i_steal
2008-05-07 11:08 pm UTC (link)

Catwoman was impressed with how quietly the other woman could walk. There were very few that could tread so lightly. She smiled to herself, this woman had a lot of potential as a burglar, but Catwoman wasn't one to encourage competition.

They to the bottom of the stairs and headed to the front door, Catwoman did not feel bad about her decision. She had protected an innocent, and that was fine by her. She almost giggled out lout, she had spent too much time with Batman before she got to The City, that must be why the change of heart.

"I wanted to thank you for your help, you are very kind to help someone you don't know retrieve their items. I wish you luck in finding these Bellows pepole, I hope you run into them."

Without another word, Catwoman slipped into the shadows in the garden outside of the front door.

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