2014-03-08 - Meeting the Family

Ted Grant is behind the coffee bar with Stretch. Tony is having a seat and frankly looking boggled. Stretch is trying to keep from cracking up. Ted is looking a little baffled by their reactions.

Tony says, "But the scones come in those boxes from Tres Fratellis."

Ted says, "Did you ever see me take them out of said box? Nope."

Stretch looks over at the plate of pastry carefully, "They's fine scones, Champ. You really been bakin' them up?"

Ted looks a little miffed, "Sure. You think I can't buy a recipe book and follow some instructions? The hard part is the fresh coconut. I had to buy a vise to crack 'em. I got tired doing it with my hands."

Tony deadpans, "You sure you're not a liiiiiittle gay, Ted?"

Ted grins and says, "Nah straighter than Dick Tracy's chin ... no thanks to you getting me to go to that club, ya mook. Try the new ones. I used macadamia nuts and honey."

Selina Kyle is talking to 'Polly' as she wanders into the gym; she's dressed in sleek white yoga pants and a form-fitting sports top to match. Light, and quite expensive running shoes are on her feet, and a towel around her neck as she escorts the other girl in. "That," remarks Selina, with mild amusement, "Is utterly entertaining." Whatever Polly had said clearly has Selina's mouth quirking upwards.

Polly steps in behind Selina already dressed in her usual get up of jeans, sneakers, and a hoodie. This one was for some Japanese Death Metal band called 'Baby Metal' that didn't look at all scary as they were three very cute Japanese girls. But Baby Metal is awesome. "Oh yeah you should have seen it," she enthuses only to hop up a moment at the gathering of men. "Do I smell scones?" Always hungry, this one.

Ted sets up a new placard reading 'Free Scones'. He then sets up another reading 'Water $3.50 a bottle."

"Free scones?" Selina looks half-amused. "What, are you trying to lure in the cafe crowd, now, Ted? Will there be latte machines here, next? Or maybe cappuccino's? Iced Cappuccino's," she says, nodding. "There you are. You'd look good in an apron," she says to Ted, cheerfully. Then, she begins making her way over towards the ring.

Polly rolls her eyes a bit at the sign though she bounds over to the counter regardless. This had become her place to splurge on food when she was otherwise sticking to the diet of rice and veggies that Damian swore on sticking with. A scone is plucked up only to tuck between her lips but once her hand is free she fishes into her pocket to pull out a rumpled bill which she lays down on the counter. Thing is, it's a $50. "Should cover it," she chirps with a grin only to turn away and regard Selina in the ring.

Stretch was about to say something but the elbow in is ribs occupied his attention. Tony munches on a scone and grins for no reason.

"Evening Ms. Kah-le. Nice ta see ya as allus," he says after catching his breath. Tony just munches on his scone smiling.

Ted is actually smiling and says, "How are you lovely ladies this evening?"

In honeyed tones no less.

Maybe a doctor is needed.

"Of course there's no charge for regulars like you. Take your money back, red. It's no good tonight. Eat up," he says pointing at the pastries.

The door jingles open and in walks one shapely dame! Not just any dame thank you very much, Louise Grant Mason! She currently is speaking to a young woman at her side, "Nope, the men are pretty respect here! If not, just kick them where it hurts dear." The young woman appears to be a slightly younger version of Louise, by perhaps about 10 or so years.

"I didn't mean grabbing, I meant hitting Mom!" Wanda rolls her eyes. "If they were any good at hitting their mark, not hitting /ON/ their mark."

"Oh," Louise says. "Sometimes I loose track of today's slang," she says with a shrug.

"Or your mind is in the gutter," Wanda smirks.

Louise tsks, "Never, innocent as the dew on an early morning!" She then waves when she sees Grant, "Ted!" She sounds chipper and happy. Both of the blonde women are in workout clothes and jackets, though the jackets are being tugged off. They also have bags with them as well with clean exercise shoes.

Selina begins a series of shadow-boxing, some very quick one-two jabs that'd be deadly, in the fighting-ring, or out, if they ever landed, following up with a smoothly executed roundhouse kick. She's not trying to show off, though. She's just really warming up. "Stretch, do we need to call the ambulance? Did a safe fall on his head?"

Then she looks over towards Carrie. "Are you ready?" She grins, wide and utterly full of mischief. At least, until the other women walk in. She bounces on her toes in place, rolls her shoulders a bit, tips her head to consider them, curiously. She'd not seen them around, before.

Polly grins over toward Ted with a shrug as she leaves the money sitting there. "I got it off some rich guy with loose pockets," she suggests with a grin. Did she really suggest she'd just picked someone's pocket? Or was she joking? Who knew? "Just consider it helping pay for the groceries." When the two women enter she easily recognizes Ted's dance partner from the other night, but the younger version was a bit of a surprise. She steps over to Ted and lightly elbows him in the side as she whispers, "Getting to meet the fam already?" With Selina's question she steps over toward the ring taking another bite of the scone. "Lemme finish this," she suggests.

Tony for his part steps away from the guys and women who were oggling the newcomers with surprise. "Hey, welcome, ladies!" He greets with a broad cheery grin. "If you need help with any of the equipment or a tour lemme know." A look is granted to Selina as well to include her in this. "Also taking suggestions for what tunes to throw on tonight," he adds as he strides over to the stereo set up.

Stretch shakes his head as he answers Selina, "Naw ... rumor has it Superman kicked him in the haid and was seen ta be limpin' away. 'N cussing a blue streak."

Ted chuckles good-naturedly at the razzing, "Ah heheheheheh, Hiram and Polly. Always with the jokes. I'm gonna tell you a few later on. Hello Louise! Who is this lovely lady with you? Wait, you didn't tell me you had a daughter in high school!"

"Jazz," is what Louise says, but at the same time Wanda says, "Baby Metal!" The stare at each other and yes...they even have the same pout. "Didn't I teach you to have taste girl?"

"Not unless it involved lingerie mom," comes Wanda's snippy comeback.

Course she Wanda gets smacked aside the head, not fast enough to move completely out of the way as she catches finger tips, "Ouch!"

"And you should listen to me more often, you already have a man to drive you nuts by now.wait a second," Louise states.

Wanda rolls her eyes, "Ugh, no thanks on men or any relationship right now," and sticks her tongue out at that briefly, but is then laughing at Ted's words. "I'm not that young by far! Been graduated for a while, though my brother is older," and Wanda smirks over at Ted. "Did it break your head yet? Cause mom has a habit of doing that to people, literally and figuratively!"

"Oh shush Wanda," Louise says, then toward Tony, "No dear, we know how to operate everything, but thank you." Finally toward Ted, "This is my daughter Wanda Mason. Wanda, this is Ted Grant, the boxing champ and friend of Jay and Joan I mentioned."

"Oh!" Wanda's face seems to light up at that, "I like Mr. and Mrs. Garrick! Mrs. Garrick's cookies are the /best/!" She then grins more widely at Ted, "Pleasure to meet you sir!" While at the same time she is dodging another slap about the head from her mother with skill, "Ha! Sorry mom, you never were much of a baker."

"Interesting," muses Selina, casually, looking more entertained than anything. She moves her legs forwards, backwards, in a motion designed to keep her body moving effortlessly. "YOu never told me that you actually got along with a woman, Ted. When did this happen?"

Tony sweeps his arm forward to give the pair of mother and daughter a sweeping bow. Joking as the gesture may be it was very smoothly done. "I'll let you ladies hash out the details then! If you'd like I can give pole dancing lessons. Which," he adds with both hands lifting as he straightens giving a laugh. "Is an amazing workout in spite of the stigma attached. For the punching and tough-guy stuff you'll want Ted." A wink is tossed toward Louise at that particular wording. Is he trying to be wing-man for the big guy? MAYBE.

Polly licks her fingertips clean of the scone she'd purloined only to grin broadly at hearing the cry of 'Baby Metal'. She turns and tugs the edges of her hoodie out to display the bandname there with a grin. "Nothin' wrong with Baby Metal!" She calls out in agreement only to laugh quietly watching the bonding between mother and daughter. Looking away she leans against the edge of the ring.

Ted Grant winces at the slap Wanda receives. A woman after his own heart. He leans on the counter eyes very obviously only for Louise. "The Garricks are aces. So Louise ... did you think about our ... evening? Got any preferences for eating ... the other work related stuff?"

Stretch heads away from the counter and joins Polly by the ring. "Man ... if he screws this up ... Ah'm leaving town for a while. Mr. Saunders can deal with the tantrum. I don't think he'll screw it up. usually takes a couple dates before they realize what an evil ole devil he kin be. Ah hope he don't screw it up." Stretch actually looks at Ted with a certain fondness.

Selina shrugs, and just shakes her head as Ted appears to be sufficiently distracted by the blondes in the room to pay too much attention to anyone else. She just eye rolls. "Pathedic. C'mon, Carrie. Let's see what you've learned so far. Since, obviously, the only thing you're going to learn from Ted today is how to get a pouch on your belly and how to make dinner plans."

Wanda laughs at Tony's dramatic movements, "I might take you up on those lesson," drawing a gasp from her mom. Oooh, that just encourages her! "Count me in! I wonder if you have poles strong enough to handle a Hulk? Shulkie like be interested too!" Oh yes, Wanda is so straying to tag after Tony! She though grins over at Polly, "That's right, Baby Metal is adorable and talk about stage presence!"

Louise rolls her eyes at most everyone. "Oh, if it makes you happy, Baby Metal it is if they have any." Guess where her daughter picked it up from? Or maybe she picked it up from her daughter. "And Ted is quite a gentleman Miss....," this stated toward Selina. "If he wasn't,...," course she gets interrupted.

"Ewwww, don't want to know!" Wanda winkles her nose.

"Oh hush, I'm not dead dear," is Louise's response to her daughter. Though the comment makes Wanda look like she wants to gag which makes Louise sigh dramatically. "Anyway, considering the last time I was on a date was when my dear Mark was still alive, but I do enjoy dancing, good sandwiches, and punishing the bad boys," making a joke.

Wanda looks like she is about to faint! Louise just looks proud of herself for tormenting her daughter! Wanda groans, "What happen to my mother that did funny little dances for Shulkie when saying long legal words?" She hides her eyes. "Mr. Pole Dancer, please saaaave me!" She then goes to distract herself, "Oooh, females! Let me pay attention to you and stop being purposely traumatized by my evil step mother!"

"I am not your step mother!" Luckily, Wanda isn't in reach of Louise right now. But Louise then sighs, "Dear Lord, I'm sorry for back talking you, can you take my sense of humor away from my daughter please?" Her eyes are looking heavenward. But she then walks over to join Ted and steal up a pastries to nibble. "Charging a lot for the water huh? Evil. Sure you aren't a supervillain?"

Polly watches the banter go on between mother and daughter a moment longer. When Selina asks to fight she looks up about to say something, but gives a quick shake of her head. "Rain check?" She asks simply. "Need to get some air and check on a few things." Even as she says this she leans away from the ring and fishes into her pocket for a cellphone. Apparently things involved that.

Ted Grant grins and says, "On the house for you darlin'. Shall we melt the brains of the young people and flirt a little? I made the scones myself. If ya like them I'll whip you up a batch. Your daughter is cute despite her best efforts. Tony's a good instructor by the way. He does Parkour too. If he could make a fist with the thumb on the outside I'd let him 'kick for me."

Ted leans closer and gets a conspiratorial look. He lowers his voice and says, "Word is a bunch of missing athletes are being sighted up in New Guernsey. Cops haven't moved on any of the reports as there's no ransom demands yet. Are you game?"

"Also, I know a sandwich shop on the way. Surely a slim thing like you needs a little sustenance. So, you got your mask and your roscoes?" he asks quietly.

Tony lifts his head from where he'd paused to grab a bottle of cleaning spray to go over the equipment with a clean rag. "Heard that! I left the punching to my ex," he offers out with a shake of his head. "He was more the meathead type."

A soft mmm, "No," Louise comments. "If I tired, daughter tag along," she says quietly to Ted. "She's fine to have at your side in a fight, not so much on a date," she states. "But would tomorrow work out?" She then smiles all innocently over at her daughter.

Wanda pouts a bit, "Awwww, I rarely get to see girls actually fight for real, they usually hair pull and stupid stuff. Not that hair pulling doesn't have its uses," she states. She then offers her hand toward Selina at least, "Wanda," she says in introduction. "What forms do you practice?" She sounds curious and interested. She then chuckles at Tony, "I can do my own punching and I'm no meathead!" Considering she wears a tight tank top and practical booty bottoms to work in, she certainly isn't, wow!

"Don't keep me waiting too long," Selina says to Polly, her voice wry, and somewhat disappointed, but affectionately so. "Oh. And, do drop by, later? We have some things to talk about, you and I." The mischevious grin suggests Something Is Up.

Polly gives Selina a dubious look at that though she smiles warmly to the woman. "Sure, course. I'll stop by later, just... Things." Yeah things. When Wanda shows interest she grins at the other woman giving a shrug. "I'm Polly. Dunno if I'd call it a style but it works. Parkour, too, and I'm learning the pole from Tony. Otherwise some boxing and a bit of judo mixed in." Chuckling she gives a wave. "Sorry to bail guys. Back later." And with that she starts out the door typing away one handed at her cellphone.

Carrie enters West Side - Gotham City and leaves.

Ted Grant calls after Polly, "You got my number if you need me kid, okay? I'm staying in tonight."

He turns back to Louise, "She's a good kid. Just don't know how to shut up. But back to you ... about eight pm would be good. It's about an hour's ride south. You uh don't mind motorcycles do you? I don't drive a car ... funny as that sounds." Dammit he's smiling too much and can't help it.

Selina just smirks at Ted and Louise, watching them out of the corner of her eye, and not trying to pretend she's not, either. Still, she goes back to her routine, a few quick jabs, a kick, high or low, and occasionally switching up with an uppercut or right hook to her invisible opponent. "Maybe I'll take you up on that pole dancing, Tony. I could use some limbering up." It's hard to tell if she's serious, or joking.

"Oh, that sounds fun! Though it's cold...gotta wear thick stockings then," Louise says with a mmmm, "Gets nippy in that outfit of mine."

Wanda then calls back, "Add chaps during the ride, or just tug on pants underneath."

"Girl, that is just not classy," Louise states. "A dress over chaps, oh my!"

Wanda watches Selina for a few, but as the woman doesn't seem much on socializing, wanders off to start her own stretches and routines as the girl seems to know her stuff. Her mother and father taught her well.

Ted Grant's eye widen a little. "We could just wear civvies on the ride. That way if we need to go in quiet and check things out we don't raise suspicions. Change into our uniforms when we get there. "

Stretch nods to Tony, "It's no big deal. Yeh folly him around and watch him hit folks. Usually they fall down. Solomon Grundy didn't. We ran fer it."

Ted looks up at Stretch and scowls, "You ran. I was covering your retreat. And I was throwing that big zombie heat the whole time!"

"Mebbe Ms. Grant-Mason kin give us She-Hulks numbah fer the next time we run inta him."

"Maybe one of your ancestors was bitten by a radioactive giraffe. Go check my bike out. I ain't paying you to watch the ladies work out!"

"Nope but it's one reason I stick around. G'night ladies. It was a pleasure seeing y'all. Enjoy the scones. Mr. Grant spent all day a' bakin'" He heads into the back narrowly ducking a flung scone.

Louise cracks up laughing over Solomon Grundy, "I'd run too for goodness sake! I don't think that man can appreciate a good sway of the hips to save his unlife from what I hear!" She then grins, "Well, if it's beating up big, bad men, I think Shulkie be interested. She's almost always down for a good rumble. I'll bring her by soon, she's mega-fun."

Wanda finishes her stretches and goes over to a punch bag to start working out. She's like Louise in that way, she doesn't baby the bag, she works it!

Ted Grant leans a little closer. "From what I seen of her on the news she looks like a hoot. But I bet you're more fun. Hey I switched my music over to those eMPee things. You want to hear some swing music? I had enough of this Baby Phat Metal crap."

Tony stops his maintenance and hold his hand up palm forward. He says, "Stop right there! I'll put on the swing music ... unless the lady prefers country western? I just loaded some Greg Saunders and Junior Brown. The last time you touched the equipment you managed to wedge a couple CDs in the same slot. Oh don't give me that look. And try a scone Ms. Mason. He really does bake well when he isn't beating people up." He begins fiddling with the sound system.

Wanda cries, "I'll fight you over the music Tony!"

Louise is laughing at that, "I think you just lost girly," she teases her daughter. "And already had one myself, Wanda, come try one."

Wanda pouts and comes over to try one. She mmmms, "He's a better baker than you mom." And she dodges the swing! Good thing Louise isn't trying real hard!

Ted Grant shakes his head. "You shouldn't sass your mother young lady. From what I see she has a mean left hook, not to mention that meta-cog ... fountain of youth thing she does. I'm hoping a little of it will rub off on me. I should look so good."

Wanda laughs at that, "You just /choose/ to be that young Mr. Grant."

"It has to do with the fourth wall," Louise explains. "Most people just think I'm crazy though," she says a little sadly. "And it was my husband's greatest discover too."

Wanda is rolling her eyes again as she munches on the pastry.