2014.01.02 - Queen of Squirrels

Another relatively decent weathered day, especially considering the onset of Winter in New York. From a big picture perspective, things are peaceful: no alien invasions, no HYDRA Über-Bombs, and no banks were being robbed. At least as far as one could tell. One odd thing, however, was going on in the heart of Central Park. For the hobos, the half-awake junkies, the yuppie power walkers, the moms-with-coffee-and-strollers a rather unusual thing was going on indeed. In an open fielded area, gathered around a fuzzily dressed young woman, was a massive assemblage of rodents. Squirrels, to be specific... about fifty or sixty of them! They'd formed very nice little rows, and... were they flexing? Yes, they were making rather orchestrated motions. One of the hobos realized that the young woman seemed to be leading some sort of Yoga instructional class, and apparently all the young squirrels in the park were trying to mimic her movements. The human onlookers mostly thought they might be dreaming. Or high. Or both. The squirrels seemed to be trying very hard to keep synchronized, though generally failing.

"Okay, gang. This time I want to you... reach for the skyyyyy!" the young woman proclaimed quite excitedly, demonstrating a full stretch, arms raised upward. Virtually every squirrel mimics this, their little paws pointing to the sparse clouds above. "That's so good!" the woman cheered on reassuringly. Our gang leader, of course, was the effervescent Doreen Girl AKA Squirrel Girl, and this was actually a routine she did at least once a month in the park. Central Park was where Doreen felt most alive--and cleared her mind from all her intense college classes. She was also trying to facilitate and nurture what she would call "A Positive, Pro-Active Squirrel Community." The many onlookers just continued to stare at the bizarre scene.

Julie was not too much in Hero mode at the moment, just enjoying the last days of the Christmas holiday with her family - well, actually Katie in the moment. Because even if a 13 year old sister can be hell of a pain at times, they are soooo adorable when they drag you into the Central Park for a snowball fight. Tucked in a thick red jacket and matching black gloves (and for sure wearing something warm underneath), Julie followed after the girl in the yellow snow suit dashing through the park - where she had seen snow Julie still wonders, but anything was a good reason to come away from Jack and his video games. Eventually she blinks as Katie stops pointing at Doreen "Is that..." the little girl asked, receiving a hush movement by Julie as she interrupts her "Aren’t they cute, Katie? So many squirrels trying to mimic her!"

Doreen's heart raced as she saw all her little friends so involved in their health and fitness, and the joy and excitement could be seen very clearly in her face. Like a mother exceptionally proud of her children. "Yaaay!" she chirped, and all the little squirrels gathered began a wild chorus of callbacks, their little squeaks and chitters forming a cacophony of animal noise. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" she said ceremoniously to the horde, who seemed to take this message as a command to disperse. And disperse they did: within ten seconds or so, almost all the squirrels had scattered away in a wave, scrambling up trees or into the distance. Really, there was only one squirrel of the group that distinctly remained, and it had a shiny, pink bow tied around its neck. It leapt up and latched itself onto Doreen's upper arm, as Doreen seemed to be inspecting the area. She produced a little plastic baggie, in fact, and was quick to identify a random squirrel turd that one of the gathered creatures had left behind. Walking up to it, she carefully picked it up using the bag itself, muttering "Tsk, tsk! Screwy Louie outta know better!"

Katie giggled as the squirrels ran off, trying to follow them and catch one "Katie! Leave the Squirrels alone. Don't dare to..." Sighing Julie eyed after her sister dashing of over the grass, aborting the sentence she was to say. "I will wait here!" she then added before her sister vanished behind a few trees, likely coming back dirty in a few minutes. Turning she caught sight of a park bench, sitting down on it while she waited, her eyes following the oddball Squirrel Girl.

Doreen took the moment to plop her booty on a park bench near to Julie. Across from her sat a particularly vacant looking junkie dude, a common sight in the park unfortunately, and he glanced up at her through his rugged, befuddled haze. Doreen reached into one of her satchels and pulled out a handful of macadamia and offered some to her little squirrel friend, still clinging to her. "I'd say this was a super morning!" she declared.

Julie blinks a bit, knowing well her sister can defend herself, but still a little worried "I hope she doesn't get one of those squirrels..." she mutters, thinking about what could happen if Katie got bitten. Rabies or such. Then she looked over to the girl... with the tail "Are those your squirrels? Or you just take care for them?"

Doreen's squirrel held the treat with its paws and busily bit away. Doreen, already smiling, met Julie's approach with a friendly face. She didn't appear even slightly self-conscious about her outfit--grey tights and fuzzy, brown padding. "Oh, no..." Doreen said, quickly dismissing the notion that any squirrels were 'hers'. (Squirrels is their own peoples, of course!) "I do look out for them, of course. I protect them. This whole park, when I can," she proclaimed, a hint of self-doubt was detectable. It was a big park. "But that girl'll be fiiiine... she's chasing Scuttlebutt. And he's scared of everything, even his own tail," she mused.

Julie blinked one time, two times, then smirked, almost laughing "Scuttlebutt? You have names for all of them? They must be thousands. How can you tell them apart?" It was not too unbelievable that she can talk to them, but telling them apart? "I'm Julie by the way. And you? Let me guess... The Squirrel Queen?"

Hesitating for a moment, Doreen corrected Julie with a slight smirk, "Squirrel Girl." She gave the squirrel sitting on her a little pat on the head, and continued, "These little guys are just like people. You can tell your friends apart, can'tcha? Your classmates?" Her earnestness was almost infectious, and then continued, "I guess you could say I was born for this. She pointed downward at her tail without looking, "Mutant." She gave an awkward little shrug. "Haven't had a chance to find out all their names," she admitted, suggesting that somehow these squirrels were naming *themselves* ridiculous things like Mr. Hoots and Nutty McGee. After a few quiet seconds, Doreen said: "You're different. Most girls like you don't talk to me."

"Most Girls don't have little sisters believing in space seahorses." Julie replied - knowing well that there ARE space Seahorses - Kymellians to be exact. And Z'Narx. "I guess it is not too easy with that, right? never had a childhood and have to stand up for squirrel-kind since then?" which wouldn't be very unlike to her, only she stands up for humanity and her family for some long years.

"Your sister has a lot of energy," Doreen commented, taking a moment to eyeball her in the distance, running to and fro. Is it possible that 'Scuttlebutt' was messing with her on purpose, like a game? "I love that. If I ran into a space seahorse, I think I'd probably check out it's scales. I have a class about aquatic life this semester, actually. Such lovely scales..." her voice trailed off, as the mounting weight of her textbooks came into mind. She did a good job of forgetting how overwhelmed she actually was between school, heroing, and working. Moments like this in the park seemed almost irresponsible. Trying to regain her sense of conversation, she added, "I'm Doreen. Been in New York about six months. You live here?"

Julie snickers on the scales comments but then shakes the head "Actually I live over at the west coast, I'm just here for the holidays and a few. I guess you study or go to school then?" she asks, leaning back against the wood. She could be... roughly the same age as her? "No secret Identity then, Doreen Squirrel Girl?"

"Well, yeah, it's sorta-kinda semi-secret!" Doreen chimed, showing her uncertainty on the subject. "Hey, I grew up in L.A. myself. Know allll about the sunshine. Been enrolled at NYU this Fall," she admitted, "And it's way, way harder than high school." A dourness--an uncharacteristic sort of sadness entered Doreen's tone for but a moment, "Back then they didn't even want me there. On account of the squirrels..." her voice trailed off. Trying to force a peppy change in tone, she said, "But that's the past. Here I am in the big city now, and I can be a true hero. This place is full of trouble for me to whip up. Into shape," she concluded, hinting that 'stopping crime' was somehow akin to teaching a gang of squirrels some yoga.

Julie snickers as she hears that. "I guess they were wondering about the full lecture hall first and then realized that all of the places were taken by a six-pack of squirrels each," she teases. "But fighting crime with an army of squirrels? Does that work?" she asked, then her eyes fell onto a clock nearby. "I should gather Katie and bring her home to lunch. Unless I want her to go all grumpy."

"Oh, well, they do like to help me out," Doreen admitted, "But I got plenty of my own powers. And I've got the proportional powers of a squirrel!" she declared proudly, revealing sharp, tiny claws at the end of her fingertips. Her voice tried to project a kind of over-practiced confidence--defensive, like something she might say to a criminal who was questioning her skills. "Here, take my card," Doreen said, sliding out a business card and presenting it to Julie.

Juie snickers a bit as she takes the card, eying the picture and number on it "I will think to call it if I need some help - at least when I am over at this coast." she answers, standing up and cleaning her jacket. "Or maybe if I want to get to some hero party. After all you are a heroine and you should have access." she adds amused. "Katie! come, let's go home! Mommie is waiting with Lunch!"

With a big smile, Doreen waved at the returning Katie and to Julie. "Was nice to meetcha. Guess I'd better get back to studies," she brushed herself slightly, and stood up. Her pet, who'd climbed up to her shoulder, cast a very human-like goodbye wave to the two girls as well. And then, quite suddenly, Doreen made off in a mad dash--her running, er, *scampering* speed quite notable. "Have a nice daaaaaay!" she called back.

With a smile and a wave Julie first catches her little sister in both arms, swirling around with her once before she waves at Doreen "You too Doreen! Don't fail in your exams!" Julie gives farewell before bringing her sis home, who demand to know "Was that the Squirrel Queen?"