nexus_crossings | Vampires go Brrrrrlllll~

"Um..."

There's a pumpkin patch in the Nexus today! A small one. It kind of looks like one of those pumpkin sales you see outside churches around Halloween, selling pumpkins to raise money for the youth group: several dozen pumpkins of various sizes and shapes set out on a tarp. Except there's a low chicken-wire fence set around the tarp, and these pumpkins are not just sitting there.

They're rocking back and forth a little, all on their own, making intermittent rolling forays in no particular direction. Bumping into each other, rolling up against the fence, scrunching up the edges of the tarp as if to get under it and away from the light. Some of them have reddened patches on their skin, as if they're blood-stained.

"Ummm...so, what had happened was, I bought a bunch of rare seeds from a guy at the night market." The young woman sitting in a folding chair by the display looks a little sheepish. "I have a greenhouse on the roof of my building, I figured whatever sprouted could be contained. They just turned out way more prolific than I expected."

She's gonna need a new greenhouse.

"These are vampire pumpkins. They used to believe if you leave a regular pumpkin out in the full moon they might turn into vampires on their own, but apparently you can breed them for seeds and get a full crop. Who knew, right?"

Brrll, brrll! The coven of gourds makes soft thrumming noises as they bump around. Some might find the sound annoying, but Abby thinks it's kind of pleasant, a little like a cat purring.

"Anyway, these are up for adoption, I guess. I wouldn't recommend eating them, unless you're already a vampire, but I can't think why you'd want to, even then. They can't bite you; they don't have mouths. I don't think they're malevolent, just kind of dumb, so probably the worst they could do is trip you up on the stairs. If you get one and keep it in a playpen or a box, it's totally harmless and kind of cute."

That's...encouraging. Any takers?

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"How adorable..." The woman who approaches is green-skinned, and is wearing flowers and vines as her outfit, instead of actual clothes. Pamela Isley gets closer to the fence that contains the vampire pumpkins.

Following behind is Harley Quinn, who is dressed in a golden jumpsuit, and is smiling with Pamela's excitement.

"Are you putting a limit on how many I could adopt dear..." Pamela turns her attention to Abby. "I adore them."

The moment she sees them, Abby is the human (vampire) embodiment of starry eyes. She bumped into Harley briefly a while back and is still thrilled about that. Her with Poison Ivy is double awesome. Girl power! Hell, yes!

(She ships it.)

Anyway. "...um, I wouldn't want most people to take more than a couple but I already know you're the expert. You can have as many as you can get to follow you, honestly."

What's the worst that can happen? Maybe some of 'em will end up attacking Gotham, but that's not Abby's problem if so! The pumpkins themselves will be fine.

"As many that will follow me... hmmmmm?" Pamela smiles, and kneels down. She outstretches a hand, allowing her chemical bond with plants to do all the talking. It is like a calling card to any that want to follow her.

"Careful they don't overwhelm you, Red," Harley notes with a smile.

"Whatcha asking in return? A donation?" Harley pops a piece of bubblegum in her mouth, dealing with the bartering side of the conversation.

As a vampire, Abby has a powerful sense of smell, and while she's not affected by pheromones the same way a normal human would be, she can tell at once what Pamela is up to. She moves to tug the chicken-wire apart, opening the fence wide enough to let the pumpkins roll through. A lot of the smaller ones make a beeline for Ivy, like puppies.

"I just wanted them to have a safe home for however long they live," she says with a giggle at Harley. "I honestly don't know what their lifespans are like, and I can't keep more than two in my apartment."

"I mean, if they pass on naturally, I'd love to have some of the seeds to plant again, but aside from that I don't need anything."

"I would totally take book recommendations, though." She eyes Pamela shyly. "I'm studying botany."

Ivy will gently start to cuddle some of the smaller vampire pumpkins that have approached her. She clicks her tongue at them. And checks their stems and coloring to make sure they seem to be all in good health.

"Red lives in the Amazon. They will be safe in her little claimed territory." Harley tells Abby.

"And if you love seeds... I am sure she would love to exchange some of the new plant breeds she has been able to discover." Harley grins. And then winks. "In fact, I am sure she would love to give you some of her biology research, that is just collecting dust on a bookshelf right now."

Abby has taken very good care of her crop! They all seem to be well-watered and plump. There might be a bruise or two on the smallest ones, thanks to the bigger ones bumping into them, but nothing serious.

"That'll be good; they seem to like humidity. I think they dry out easily once they snap off the vine. They like to have cold water around to drink, and for some reason they're into apple cider. Maybe the nutrients? I don't know. Or maybe it's like drinking apple blood for them, since they're vampires."

Her eyes get big when Harley makes that suggestion. "I...would pretty much give my right arm for that, so...I mean, yes, absolutely, please?!"

Ivy will definitely set aside a few of those smaller ones that have been getting bumped by their bigger brothers and sisters. She still enjoys looking out for the 'smaller guy' as it were. Even for vampire pumpkins.

"I am sure Red will find the right soil for them. And the right nutrients. They will get a lot of nice shade to grow into too..." Harley grins.

"Awesome. At least her research notes would go to good use."

"Yeah," Abby looks pleased by this outcome. "I know who she is; I know she knows what she's doing. This is actually really cool, running into you both here."

She might be a bit of a fangirl, but she's able to be polite about it, so that's something.

"Kind of a win-win for me. My pumpkins get a good home and I get to learn new things."

"Not a lot of people would say that it is cool running into Red. Or myself..." Harley grins. Loving the response.

"Ivy loves sharing her information, to those who want to read it. Not a lot of people want to read her research."

"Well, I wouldn't want to be on your bad side. Either of you. But, I mean...you both do totally kick ass." This is undeniable! Even if you don't like the way they kick ass, or whose asses they kick, facts are facts.

"Well, I don't have a Master's degree or anything, just a B.S., so I might not understand it all, but I'd love to try!"

"Very few people are unlucky enough to get on our bad sides. We are pretty accepting folks." Harley grins.

"It is all her own research. I am sure just knowing someone wants to read it would be a pleasure."

Vampires go Brrrrrlllll~

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