Out of the Past [IC]

[alderwitch]

When Bombshell wasn't actively engaged in causing a bit of good natured havoc for the crime fighters of Freedom City - which thanks to Scarab's intervention in trying to keep her reigned in lately was often these days - she actually had a good many hobbies that she enjoyed pursuing. One of the advantages in keeping Freedom City as her home was the many museums the town boasted. Back in the day, she'd spent her time casing them and waiting for a good opportunity to add to her 'private collection'.

Today, there was a fantastic exhibit on Greco-Roman artifacts that she was perusing as any other patron would. She drew a few appreciative looks in her belted trench coat and dark glasses. Okay, she was dressed like a film noir spy but some habits just died hard. Unfortunately - and she would kick herself later - she was enjoying the casual stroll through the museum too much to notice the heist in progress until it was already in progress. As the alarms rang out and people started scurrying for the exits, Natalya pursed her lips and frowned as she evaluated the robbery in progress much as she had been evaluating the artwork and with the same sort of discerning eye. Amateurs. Rank amateurs.

As the true robbers fled with their ill gotten gains, she ducked into a bathroom and seconds later, the incomparable Bombshell was wiggling her way out of the museum's air vents and out onto the roof. Like she wanted to stick around and answer questions by the police. She really didn't want to stretch her new identity quite that much, thank you.

[Moira Morley]

Moira was not totally without culture. She did a little bit of studying on art and found it fascinating, really. The way things so beautifully came together and still were around after hundreds and hundreds of years intrigued her. Today was no exception. The Greco-Roman exhibit was not only an exhibit to her, it was like looking at her family's past. Sure, as told by mortals, but she could account for the second hand representations being somewhat true. Though there was this nice piece of work she saw that wasn't art. Well, old dusty art. She would have walked over and talked to the noir looking woman, but then something happened. A museum robbery? In broad daylight? What gusto! Well, heroics came before socializing. Though it looks like the alarm scared off the girl anyway. Alright now she had to find out where those crooks where before they got away.

[Avenger Assembled]

Freedom Angel appeared over the museum in a blaze of glory, having been in consultation with the American Cathedral Restoration Project in the basement and been close enough to hear the alarms. Recognizing Bombshell, a famous thief whose exploits were known even in Heaven, the angel of Freedom pointed his blazing sword at the notorious criminal and called "Natalya Browning! In Heaven's name, surrender to divine justice!"

[alderwitch]

Bombshell had just slipped her mask on when there was the sudden and awe inspiring presence of a real angel. She blinked at him and then glanced to either side as if looking for who she was talking to. After a moment she pointed to herself and said, "Seriously? But I... Oh, hell."

The blasphemy probably didn't impress the angel. They generally took those things seriously, after all. Bombshell was more concerned about spending some time back in jail so she fixed the angel with her most charming smile and started working her way back to the edge of the roof, "Now, big, tall and feathered. Let's not get hasty with the smiting..."

[Avenger Assembled]

"I will not raise my hand against one who has not raised hers against another," replied the angel. "But your crimes are well-known even beyond the Gates of Pearl. Will you not surrender now, before once again you are forced to sin against the laws of Man and the love of the Creator? Put aside crimes against property and embrace the true love of the heart."

[Moira Morley]

Well, that wasn't hard. Bombshell, notorious thief. Freedom Angel, well... angel. That girl would not get away with her family's scrapbook! She smiled at the scene, "[divine]Well isn't this a surprise. You're both looking well today. So, miss thief, you're cornered. Why don't you just hand over what you stole and we'll make the prison stay short this time.[/divine]"

[alderwitch]

Two heroes? And here we came to the down side of living in Freedom City. Too many darn heroes. At the demand to hand 'it' over, she looked down at the bodysuit that looked poured on and asked innocently, "Is it bigger than a breadbox? See, no matter how I ask, my tailor keeps leaving off pockets..."

She pivoted slowly to provide them both a good look and point herself towards the edge of the roof in one movement, "I'm afraid you've got the wrong girl. I would never be so ham handed with a heist."

[Avenger Assembled]

"Oh." Freedom Angel put his sword away, looking embarrassed. "My apologies, then. So what were you doing on the roof?" he asked, frowning a little. "Were you looking for the thieves as well?" He shot a look at the Olympian nearby, furrowing his eyebrows, before focusing again on the evidently innocent thief. Well, perhaps he'd been mistaken all along!

[Moira Morley]

Moira would have facepalmed if she would have thought about it at the time. She looked at Freedom Angel with a a mix of curiosity and disbelief. "[divine]Come on! Are you seriously buying this? People have said you can't be lied to and you're going to believe the first sexy girl you see?[/divine]" She shook her head and then looked to Bombshell, "[divine]So where are you hiding the goods, beautiful?[/divine]"

[alderwitch]

Bombshell had been about two seconds away from leaping off the roof but sh could do nothing but blink and stare at Freedom Angel for a moment. Sure, it was the truth but not even the paragon of paragons himself would have believed her.

She turned an amused smile filed with pure devilish mirth on Divine and linked her hands behind her back, "No pockets, see. One of you want to frisk me to check? I'll even hold still for you..."

The Scarab would not have approved as now she was just causing trouble. She sighed woefully, "I thought I'd just take a stroll... Tragically, wrong place and wrong time."

[Moira Morley]

Moira put her hands on her hips. While she wouldn't mind frisking this perp, it did seem like she was telling the truth. She was either really good at lying or telling the truth. Moira sighed with a shrug, "[divine]OK, maybe I jumped to conclusions a little too hasty.[/divine]" Her voice turned stern, "[divine]But if I find out you've tricked us, your butt is mine.[/divine]"

[Avenger Assembled]

"That's not necessary," said Freedom Angel with the patience of a saint. "I know very little about theft and burglary, and I doubt Divine is any better at that sort of skilled task. If you assist us, you can greatly assist our efforts to catch the real thieves and return those artifacts." He nodded. "The smiths who crafted those gold necklaces did so in the name of those they loved. We owe them the respect and dignity of returning their work to their rightful owners."

[alderwitch]

"Wait, what now?" Bombshell, settling her hands on her hips. Oh, heroes. How they always managed to settle their differences too quickly and turn their attentions back to the task at hand. Bombshell could even admire it when it wasn't getting with the plans of the rest of her day. Not that she really had any, but still, "Just help you... track down a bunch of fellow thieves... for nothing? What's in it for me?"

Although it would be at least interesting, right? Not that she was about to let the capes and cowls set know she was contemplating agreeing just on a lark, "Honor among thieves and all that. Word gets around and all of a sudden I've got to squash rumors of going soft. Keeps a girl busy, you know."

[Avenger Assembled]

"Because," said Freedom Angel with great patience and utter sincerity, "those works were crafted in love and meant for the ages. To steal them from their rightful owners and deny the world a chance to appreciate the beauty and passion carved into their every fiber is a sin against the joys and sorrows of those men and women long past. Don't let their light fall into the darkness of crime and corruption." He offered her his hand without hesitation. "Come with us."

[Moira Morley]

On that show, this would be the type of scene where the lady angel would reveal herself to be an angel and would deliver the week's message. Moira smiled as she looked on at the scene. A Kodak moment it was. If this didn't make the thief take evaluation of her life she knew something that would. She knew honey also gathered more flies than vinegar, "[divine]And if that doesn't make you help us,[/divine]" Moira said in a silkier voice than she normally spoke with, "[divine]I'm sure I've got some connections you would be interested in.[/divine]"

[alderwitch]

Bombshell looked between the two of them and with obvious reluctance stepped away from the ledge. This wasn't going to end well, she just knew it. Bombshell had heard speeches like this before. If she recalled correctly, the last one had also appealed to her better nature as well as hitting her right in the libido. She held one slim black gloved hand out for the Angel to talk, "Oh, alright. They were hacks anyway. Just remember this the next time I'm about to be arrested, alright?"

At least it would liven up what had promised to be a boring afternoon, right?

[Avenger Assembled]

"Excellent," said the angel, looking down at the cop cars arriving below. "Why don't I speak to the police and assure them of your innocence, and you can start your investigation?" With that, he took off from the roof and made a neat landing before the police cars, a perfect symbol of holiness before the mundane uniforms and flashing sirens. "Officers of the law!" he called. "The situation is serious, but we have made much progress. Myself, the being who calls herself Divine, and the reformed thief Bombshell are investigating the theft!"

[Moira Morley]

The being who calls herself Divine? Divine didn't know if that was supposed to be a compliment or an insult. Either way, it didn't matter. She stayed with Bombshell. Smiling at her happily, hiding her suspicion, she studied Bombshell with a longing stare. A few seconds later after taking in everything, she spoke with a light tone suggesting interest. "[divine]So, I've always wondered what an 'off duty' criminal did. I mean you can't just sit and scheme all day long, right? You have to have a hobby or something.[/divine]" Moira walked by her, seemingly just to get to her other side. "[divine]I mean, were you here when the robbery happened? Or do you happen to walk around in work apparel all the time?[/divine]"

[alderwitch]

"I'm not reformed!" She called after Freedom Angel but sighed as she was ignored. It probably didn't help that she was suffering from ennui about her current career path at the moment as it was heavily curtailed. Bombshell pivoted slowly to watch the woman circling her on one heel and gave a lazy grin, "Same things an off-duty hero does, and I should know. I happen to be well acquainted with one or two of those, as a matter of fact. Very well acquainted."

She smirked and went back to the air vent, pausing to add, "I did have the outfit with me, as I do like to be prepared, but no, I don't wander around in this by and large. I save it for work and special requests. Yesterday, I caught a matinée with Scarab and today, I was taking in the sights of the museum below. Why, do you wander around in costume all the time. I imagine our feathered friend does... but you seem like a more sensible sort of girl."

Bombshell flashed another sharp edged smile and then politely held the grate open for Divine, "Ladies first?"

[Moira Morley]

Moira lightly chuckled when Bombshell mentioned her acquaintances. She wondered how Elena was doing and would have to pay her a visit one day. The talk about costume got her to thinking. She had one, but she never had time to change into it in this type of emergency. Heck, she even had the thing packed. "[divine]Believe it or not, I do have a costume,[/divine]" she said pulling the vacuum-packed case out of her backpack. "[divine]It's just times like these you never get the chance.[/divine]" She slipped into the vent, giving Bombshell a sly wink. "[divine]Maybe I have time now?[/divine]"

[alderwitch]

The premier thief dropped down next to Moira in an easy crouch, reaching up to gently resettle the grate. She gave the hero a slow and lazy smile, "By all means, we have the time and it really doesn't get much more private. After all, its just us girls here."

"I always find that its best to be properly dressed for an occasion, otherwise you'll find you're really missing that accessory that you simply cannot live without. For instance..." She reached into the bodice of her costume and pulled out a slim multi-tool and unsnapped it to re-secure the grate above them, "A screwdriver. Never leave home without it."

[Moira Morley]

"[divine]And just enough space to change,[/divine]" Moira greeted Bombshell happily as they stood within inches of each other, "[divine]I hope you don't mind the closeness.[/divine]" Moira slipped off the casual clothing, putting it on Bombshell's shoulder, piece by piece. "[divine]Be a dear and hold those for me, would you,[/divine]" she said looking into Bombshell's eyes with a light caress of her cheek. Moira pulled out the white that would become her toga. The material was otherworldy, it felt like the most comfortable thing ever as it accidentally brushed Bombshell. Moira tried to not bump into Bombshell, except when she deliberately did. Those were few and far between but they were soft and meant in a playful manner. The toga was formfitting, it reached down far enough to cover what needed to be covered. Next came the gloves of the same material. they reached half way up her fore arms and d no fingers. Finally, a white mask made of some kind of glossy ceramic. It covered the area around her eyes enough to be considered a mask. The sandals would have to wait until they got somewhere less close. "[divine]So there you have it,[/divine]" she said in the same silky voice as before, "[divine]maybe you can show me how you do yours on one of your off days?[/divine]"

[Avenger Assembled]

"Are you two all right down there?" called Freedom Angel, peering through the grate down at the two ladies. He'd flown back up onto the roof looking for them, and listened to the noises from inside. "Is the grate stuck?" he asked doubtfully, giving them both a significant look. "I can come down there and cut it out if you're having a problem. Or perhaps the two of you can."

[alderwitch]

Bombshell managed to look comfortable in the tight confines, a slight smile curving her bright red lips. She didn't squirm away from Moira's deliberate brushes and neither did she return them, although her gaze slid down the goddess's body with appreciation. She dutifully held the woman's bag, hefting it lightly, and looked bemused. It wasn't often someone handed their possessions to a thief to hold. She cocked her head at Freedom Angel's voice without looking away from Divine, and purred up at him, "Don't worry, feathers, we're just fine. I was showing your lovely lady friend a... short cut. Why don't you come down and meet us in the gallery?"

She let the words hang and then scooted around Moira to pop the screws on the air-vent down into the scene of the crime. Again, she held it open for the super hero. "I doubt it would be nearly so entertaining, but I'm always happy to give a lesson or two in the art of the quick change."

[Moira Morley]

"[divine]But of course,[/divine]" Moira smiled, "[divine]And maybe I can teach you something about taking it slow.[/divine]" With that, Divine winked and slipped out of the small enclosed area and into the museum. She looked around. This was where she was when the bell rang and that hot blonde noir girl disappeared. Huh, it looks like Bombshell was telling the truth after all. "[divine]Well, would you look at that,[/divine]" Moira said putting her hands on her hips, "[divine]See I had to take the stairs and you just slipped out of here like it wasn't a problem at all.[/divine]"