Players:
Summary: Many people come and go, discussing things that have happened and things that will happen.
Log Title: A Typical Night at Nowhere
Rating: PG
NYC - Nowhere
Nowhere is a community bar, with a slightly old world feel. All of the tables and chairs are made of wood, though there are some couches in a slightly offset room with green fabric. The music varies, depending upon the Owner's music taste for the day. Beer and Liquor are both served, but are both carded for as well.
At the front of the bar, right as one walks in, is a large sign. "Superhuman friendly establishment. There will be no tolerance for disparaging remarks based on one's genetic status. Any fights will not be tolerated within the bar. The management holds no responsibility for where combatants are teleported."
It is also quite impossible to use fake IDs here. There is a telepathic bouncer that works the door.
Scene
The door to Nowhere opens and lets in another bluster of cold air. The wind actually seems warmer than it was earlier, but it still carries small fluries of snow with it. The ground outside is covered in salt and slush, a few piles of snow built up around the curbs. The patron that stepped in stomps her boots and shakes the snow out of her hair, walking up to the bar and smiling at the bartender. "At least it didn't snow the two feet they predicted, eh? Regular Brucey, if ya don't mind."
Bruce nods to the girl and turns to grab a Shock Top out of the beer fridge. He cracks the top off and hands it to her. "Yeah well I could do without the cold all the same." He's wearing blue jeans and a camo shirt, the black sleeves of an underarmour shirt come out from under his t-shirt. He's been wearing clothing like this ever since he was caught on camera in his underwear, not wanting his distinct tattoos to draw too much attention. People around here know he's the Dingo of course, but the mutants that frequent this bar have a more friendly disposition toward the man than the police.
Having finished doing some volunteer work shoveling some driveways and helping some of the residents of Mutant Town, David decides to visit Nowhere, while not old enough to drink, He has come to somewhat view this place as a watering hole for him. Even if he has only been here a few times. Spotting the bartender and smiling, David, dressed in a blue hoodie and jeans, walks in and plops down on a barstool, "Bruce! Good to see you again. And with more on that just your underwear." He laughs, "And a coffee please."
One thing Travis will admit he loves, is the snow. He's been enjoying the snowy winter as he's originally from Denver so he's used to it. He's heard about the club called Nowhere and decided that he'd go and actually not hide his extra limbs. "I wish there was a place to go skiing that was mutant friendly, I miss it." He says as he walks into the club and immediately takes off his coat showing six arms and a custom Colorado Rockies jersey that fits his six armed frame. "I'll be honest, I've never been to a place like this." If he means a club or a place for mutants, he's not specific.
"It's an okay place," Rashmi says, her voice muffled by the thick scarf wrapped about the lower half of her face. Stepping to one side, she stomps the caked-on snow from her shoes out of the way of the door, tugging her scarf off with slightly rattily mittened hands. "Coffee's better at the Grindstone, but, this *is* a bar, right? Anyway, I'll see about doing some digging, find a slope that doesn't raise a fuss about mutants. With luck, you'll go skiing before winter." A smile is flashed Travis' way, as the redhead tugs the knit cap off her head and unzips her coat, nodding a less-than-wildly-friendly but perfectly courteous greeting to the man behind the bar.
David's comment about Bruce being on the news in his underwear raises a bit of laughter from several people at the bar. Bruce just waves a hand and turns to pour a cup of coffee. "Coffee again? Really now you know I'd not mind givin' a beer to someone who helped during that whole fiasco." He turns and sits the cup down in front of David, grabbing a little dish of creams and sugars to place next to it.
Travis does get a few stares when he removes his jacket, but the looks seem to be more of curiosity than anything else. In truth most first timers in the bar get a few looks, especially if they're obviously mutated. The room settles down almost immediately and everybody goes about their buseness as usual. Bruce glances up and offers a wave to Rashmi. "Oy miss, Lil got tired of people askin' methinks. We've got some tea now…Somewhere."
David turns with everyone one else when Travis walks into the room. Not actually having met a mutant with that many arms, he does not give an odd reaction. The human platypus got that one. He also spots the redhead who came in with him and smiles and waves to Rashmi, "Hi ya, Rashmi and Rashmi's friend." He offers when he turns back and get the coffee, "Well, maybe. But you never know where someone from the school will show up." He sips the coffee and uses the cup to warm his hands a bit.
Travis looks at Rashmi and gives a bit of a smile. "Are you a regular here? And where's the Grindstone? Is it that place in Central Park?" He's way off but he doesn't know much outside of New York City. "Aren't you a popular one?" He teases in a friendly way as she is greeted by David. "So shall we find a place at the bar or is there a table anywhere?" He does feel a bunch of eyes on him for a bit and tries to play it off though it does make him a bit nervous for second.
"Regular?" Rasmi asks, chuckling. "Not really, I've been here once or twi—" The mention of tea grabs her attention, and her eyes flick to Bruce in pleased surprise. "Oh? Thank you very much please, that'd be *perfect* for this weather." Turning a bright smile to the bartender, she sets about guiding Travis to an open table, nodding and lifting a mittened hand to David in greeting… then realizing she still has her mittens on, tugging them off with a faint blush. "The Grindstone's up in Salem Center, where I went to school last. Kind of an unofficial mutant hangout for the town, they're really great. As I'm sure Mr. Alleyne could tell you," she goes on, nodding briefly David's way. "He's one of the people working there."
Bruce waves a hand at David dismissively. "School? You mean that Xavier's? I get so many of those students in here it's not even funny. I only really turn them down for drinks when they piss me off…" He lowers his voice a little "Or when certain coworkers are around." And then he looks over at Rashmi again and nods, turning around to rummage through a small box above the coffee pot. "Ok we have…Earl Grey, Jasmine, Blueberry…What is this? Something with a candy cane on it…Got a preference?" He fills a mug up with hot water and turns to look at the table. "And yer friend there? What'll ya have buddy?"
"Students from there? Come here? Never. They are all good kids." David feigns shock and then makes his way over to Rashmi with his cup of coffee, "Happy New Year! How're you doing?" He smiles at Travis, "Hi there, David Alleyne's the name." He sips his coffee and then offers, "Happy New Year to you as well." to Travis and then to the bar patrons in general.
"Travis." He says in response to David. "Nice too meet you, and I'll have a coke." Though he kinda would rather have a jack and coke he knows he's not here to get drunk and party combined with the fact that he's not twenty one. "So that guy David works at Grindstone?" He asks trying to get it straight. He leans forward a bit resting four arms on the table.
"Jasmine please," Rashmi says in answer to Bruce's question, bobbing her head as David comes over. "Happy New Year to you too, Mr. Alleyne—er no, Travis, I meant he works at the school I went to. Sorry… Anyway. I'm doing all right, sir… School stuff, and they've got me in charge of the dance planning… Which reminds me, we're doing a big craft fair this weekend at Salem Center, if you want to show up."
Bruce nods to Travis and fills a glass with ice, turning to the soda gun and filling it with coke. He places the coke on the counter with a straw and a lime and then turns to prepare Rashmi's tea. He places the tea packet on a small plate with the mug of hot water and adds a lemon wedge as well. Placing this on the counter as well he nods to the two of them. "Here's yer drinks. And…" He turns to take care of some of the other patrons. It seems he's a bit busy to do table service tonight.
David blinks when he hears Travis say that he works at the Grindstone, but then is corrected by Rashmi. He laughs a bit, "I wish I worked there. And nice to meet you, Travis" he looks to Rashmi, "You don't have to call me. Mr. Alleyne. David is fine. I'm not that much older than you. Just graduated really young." He takes another sip from the hot coffee, "So how was your holidays? what did you all do?"
"Thanks sir." Travis says to Bruce and pulls out his wallet so he can pay for his and Rashmi's drinks. "About the craft fair, I have a few things left to stain and finish making. I've been spending a lot of time in the workshop and it's great. I love being able to get lost in a project." Though almost all his clothing is covered in sawdust now. "My holidays were pretty good, I actually was invited to Rashmi's for Christmas so my Mom and I went over there."
Kalindi enters the establishment, seeming to examine the 'x' on her hand for a few moments as she enters. Her hand is wrapped around a gold staff, which she seems to be using to rest some of her weight on at the moment. Her movements are a bit pained, currently having cracked ribs from an encounter. Her face is more visibly apparent: someone recently beat the snot out of her. Her nose is braced to stay straight, and there's a patch on her cheek where the skin broke, must of it around that side of her face dark and purple. Still, she seems social enough, giving small nods of greeting to a few patrons of the place, Bruce included, before she pauses midstride upon spotting David and seems for a moment perplexed on how to proceed.
"Here, I'll get this one," Rashmi says, holding up a hand as Travis moves to pay. "You can get the next round, then we'll be even. Be right back…" And with that, she weaves here and there through the crowd, laying down the money for the drinks plus a few-dollar tip, then winding her way back to the table. "Wow, crowded… Anyway. Mami and Papi always like to make a big deal out of Christmas, sir. And since they don't have family in the country, they tend to invite as much of the neighborhood as can fit in the apartment. It was a lot of fun, really." As Kalindi enters, she glances over her shoulder… and freezes, brows drawing down in deep concern for the multitude of bruises on the other Hindi's face.
Bruce grabs a few beers and passes them out to the people at the bar. He collects up the money and nods at Rasshmi as she heads back to the table, putting the extra money in a mug by the cash register. He turns and looks down the bar, deciding everyone is good before making a quick round through the bar to collect bottles and glasses. He stops near Kalindi and shakes his head, "Rough night? Come up to the bar and I'll get ya somethin' to make you feel…Better." He narrows his eyes as he looks between her and the table of non-alcohol drinkers. "Right. Well I'll just be up there." He collects a few extra bottles and heads up to the counter again.
Smiling as he listens to how Rashmi and Travis spent the holidays, David suddenly grabs his head a moment, feeling an overwhelming sense of unease as he instantly recognizes the skillset that just entered the bar. Without even looking at Kalindi, he knows she's here and he instantly flashes back to a few days earlier and the brawl that led to her bruises. He looks over to the Hindu goldsmith and ponders that he should say something, despite the demon he saw with her, David has only ever seen her twice, once as a hero defeating Bookworm and second victim of an unprovoked attack from a student. He lifts up his coffee mug and nods his head as a greeting. A public bar is not the proper setting for the conversation he would like to have with her. "Um, the craft fair, yeah if I am in town, I'll definitely go there."
"Rashmi's family is amazing." He says before there's a bit of a concerned look as he spots Kalindi and Travis shakes his head. "Really, no one should hit a girl like that." He says as he's kind of got that macho streak. Hitting girls equals bad. He looks at Rashmi and frowns. "Excuse me a second." He says getting up and going over to Kalindi. "Sorry to bother you Miss, but…I can heal people if you'd be interested?" He doesn't know if she'll be offended by his offering but he can't not ask.
Kalindi returns an incline of her head to David. She recognizes him, but he tried to help her, at least a little bit. As Bruce asks her a question, the young woman nods absently, leaning more heavily on her staff, "I had been in the hospital because I have been, ah, concussed. But I am better now, just still very very sore." She begins following Bruce at the offer of something that might make her feel a bit better, but hesitates when Tavis approaches her. She seems a bit surprised and says, "Heal me, how does this work? What would I need to give you? It does not look good for me to be walking around with this face."
"I um…" Rashmi trails off as Travis approaches the woman, biting for a moment at her lower lip. Opening the tea packet, she sets it in the water, glancing from David to Kalindi. "Er… I guess you know her, sir?"
Bruce is back up at the bar now, glancing from the people at the table to Kalindi and back again. He has is arms crossed and is giving them a general "Don't do anything stupid in this bar" look. He hears the newcomer offer to heal Kalindi and seems to calm down a bit, turning his back to the room for a few seconds to pour some vodka into a glass. He turns back to the counter and fills it the rest of the way with vodka, sitting it on the counter for whenever Kalindi should make it up this way.
Nodding his head to Rashmi's question, "Yes I know her. Though I never got her name, oddly enough. I was there when the fight that led to her bruises happened." He looks over to Travis speaking to Kalindi and would have said to be careful, but David figures no fight will happen tonight, but then again he didn't expect it the other night, either. He exhales and turns back to Rashmi, "So this dance? how's the planning coming along?"
"You don't need to give me anything, and it works by you letting me touch you and my power just kind of heals you." Travis offers his lowest right hand to her so that he can cure her injuries. He is listening to David and Rashmi's conversation but he's just focused on trying to help the injured lady.
Kalindi glances around as if checking if this is okay, before she just nods at Travis, "Okay, I would appreciate it very very much. I do not like to be looked at with this look, ah, a look of pity. It was a very off day to me, and I do not like to look so weak in front of others, you know what I mean?"
"Wait, fight?" Rashmi says, pitching her voice down for David's ears only. "You mean the one with Hosea? That's *her?*" Wincing in fresh sympathy as the bruises take on her meaning, she settles back in her chair, watching quietly with one hand over her teacup as it steeps. "Planning's coming along okay," she says at normal volume. "The fundraiser, calling for a good hall, caterers, costumers… *Lots* to deal with, but it's going to be a lot of fun if we get everything we want to do."
Bruce rubs his chin as he looks over at Travis and Kalindi. So that kid can heal people just by touching them? That's pretty interesting…And useful. He'll have to bring the many armed kid to Magneto's attention at some point. If only they knew about him before the mutant town attacks. He shakes his head and glances over to a patron knocking on the counter. He offers a smile and fills her order.
David blinks and is surprised Rashmi knows. He thinks to himself, <Man, news travels fast!> He whispers, "Yes. That's her." He then speaks normally, "So who all is on the committee? I can think of a few students who should be on that committee. This would be a good chance for them to step up and also to come out of their shell. Actually the dance is a great idea." He finishes his coffee and considers asking Bruce for a real drink, but with Rashmi present he refrains and asks Bruce for another coffee. "So how're things at Barnes? And how does it compare with Xavier's?"
Reaching out a hand, Travis touches Kalindi and there's a soft blue glow that surrounds the bottom right hand. She'd feel a tingly feeling as things started to heal. He keeps his hand there for about five minutes and the bruises, cuts and breaks heal until it's like she's new. "There, I hope you feel better." He says to her once he's finished and goes back to his table with Rashmi. "Sorry about that, I figured since I could help, I should." Though he's interested in hearing how Barnes compares to Xavier's.
"Thank you, thank you," says Kalindi in response to Travis as he goes, standing up and seeming to check if everything is alright. She smiles when she sees that everything is in order, and so she snaps her staff in half and lets the two parts snake around her arms in a sudden set of new jewellery. She walks towards the bar, and pulls out some money to pay for her drink, glancing between it and Bruce, noting conversationally, "It is very nice that you had a healer here. I feel like I am very healthy right now."
Bruce picks up the money and cashes it into the register, returning the change to Kalindi. He glances over her shoulder to the group at the table and nods. "Yeah. Pretty useful guy. Didn't happen to catch his name, did ya? He'd probably be of interest to me boss." Something about the way he talks may lead Kalindi to believe he's not talking about the bar owner. "Be right back." He collects up a second round of drinks for the table and takes them over to the three. "There ya go kids, on the house. Thanks for fixen up me buddy there, eh?" He pats Travis on the shoulder and heads back to the bar.
"Yeah, but would he be interested in your boss?" David smirks, "Travis, Bruce. Bruce Travis." David takes the second cup of coffee and sips, "If you make your drinks as strong and as good as your coffee then I will be more of a regular here." He chuckles, "Kidding, of course. About the drink part. Not the being a regular here." Looking over to Kalindi he pushes a chair out, "Join us, if you like" He says that in perfect Hindi.
Travis gives Rashmi a bit of a help look as he hears talk of 'bosses' and stuff. There's a bit of a nervousness as he pulls his arms in a bit tight. "Nice to meet you Bruce." He says with a bit of a smile. "And thanks for the drinks but I don't mind paying for them, she's a lady who was injured, I couldn't just let her stay that way when I could do something." He says being honest. "So..uh..Rashmi. Do you have any plans for the dance?"
"Ah, no, I have not yet caught his name," responds Kalindi to Bruce, shrugging at that. But when the invitation is extended over to her, she approaches and finds out what the name is in rather short order, overhearing David. She carefully carries her glass as she walks, seeming rather pleased with her much more graceful steps now, before she sits down and says to David, smiling, "Ahh, thank you." She says this in English, since she tends to avoid invoking languages nobody else understands in most cases. As a general introduction, she notes, "I am Kalindi. You may call me Kali if you would like. It is shorter, and I answer to it."
"Be nice," Rashmi says to Bruce, reaching up to rest a hand on Travis' shoulder. "I mean, well, aside from the free drinks which was very nice of you thanks. But I'm pretty sure Travis wouldn't be intere—" She trails off as Travis asks his question, and blinks, flushing. "Um… You mean besides running it? I don't know, nobody's asked me before… Er… Hi, miss, um… Kalindi." Between the mild shock of being asked, and the mild shock of finding out who Kalindi is, the redhead is clearly not on top of her game.
Bruce stops mid way back to the bar and turns around as the people that way speak to him. He glances toward the bar and decides no one is in immediate need of his services and heads back to the group. He crosses his arms and shakes his head at David, "Not interested in my boss? Everyone's interested in him. I seem to recall you and Dodge-Balls over there at the event he and I set up." He shakes his head at Travis and holds up a hand, "No really. Cost of non-alcoholic stuff is pretty low here anyway. I make more than enough to cover it." He narrows his eyes at Travis and rubs his chin again, "That's a neat trick, the healing thing. You could really come in handy in a pinch, ya know?"
"Yeah I was there." David sighs a bit remembering that horrible night. He then nods and smiles, "Ms. Kalindi. Nice to see you again. And I'm glad to see that you are healed. And your guards? I called for an ambulance. How're they?" He asks as he sips more of his coffee and looks around at Travis and Rashmi and then back to Kalindi.
"Dodge-Balls?" Travis says raising an eyebrow in a bit of uncertainty. "I guess sir, I am still learning a lot of about the healing and stuff." He is vague on purpose as he doesn't want to end up getting a reputation for anything. "Though I don't mind using my power to heal people who need it." He's not a powerful healer or anything but his powers can have a significant effect. "Well I haven't asked you yet, I was asking if you had plans but yes, Rashmi, I was asking to see if you'd like to go together. I mean, we can go as friends and don't worry, if you have another guy who you want to go with, go for it."
"Are you talking about that thing in Mutant Town? I was there, I was going to get some cotton candy," says Kalindi, annoyed at even recalling that, "And then I fight robots with men inside instead." Pause. "I know it is bad for my teeth, but I like it," she adds, defending her choice of sweets before anyone can protest. To David she notes, "My guards, they are okay, but I do not think I will go without gold without more protection. I think, two very large men, strong, nobody will attack me! Your stupid friend, I do not know what I should even do if I see him again." She's clearly ranting now. "It is a waste of time to talk with an idiot like that, 'oh you ah vedy bad you ah da debil', he says. Tell him to take the debil and put it in a place very uncomfortable! I do not believe in his devil!" She pauses, a bit self-consciously now, and notes, "If I see him again, I do not know what I shall do. He attacked me once before with no warning, and if I was not lucky, I think he would have killed me. But next time, I will not be without my jewelry."
"I, um…" Rashmi clears her throat, flushing slightly. "…Sure, Travis, I um… I think I'd really like that." There's a small smile on her face, but as Kalindi launches into her rant, she looks over her shoulder at the other Hindi, clearly worried. "…I um… *really* hope that doesn't come around to bite him," she murmurs.
Bruce quirks an eyebrow at Kalindi. "Oh? I didn't see you in the papers anywhere, but thanks for your help nonetheless. What a mess." He shakes his head. "Only wish they hadn't come after me with those rocket launchers. Envy was too nice. Left too many alive…For some reason. That's so unlike her." He shakes his head again and glances back to the bar. It would still appear that no one needs anything just yet. They all know what he looks like if they do. He offers a quick nod to the others as they speak but keeps his attention on Kalindi for now. "Your wounds, they were from another mutant? Someone attacked you?" That's interesting. "You said it was a man though?" If it was a woman he'd assume it was Envy. He ignores the awkwardness going on between Rashmi and Travis.
Blinking at Kalindi, "You will do nothing to him and he will do nothing to you. We are working on it. He is sorry for the attack and regrets it. Though for his own protection, hopefully you do not run into each other again." Then to everyone present, "It was a tragic mistake that is being fixed at the moment. which reminds me" David turns to Rashmi, "I could use your assistance with something. What's your class schedule like next week?"
Travis smiles at Rashmi and nods. "Awesome, well…I look forward to it." He says as he listens to what Bruce, Kalindi and David are talking about and then the comment about leaving too many people alive…what kind of people work here? "So you know the person who attacked that girl…Kali? I don't understand fighting like that, guys really shouldn't hit women." It's just something he grew up learning.
"I think he must have been a mutant," says Kalindi, nodding at that, "When I tried to fight back, I went through him, and he was much, much bigger than me. I would say, eh… A foot and a half taller. Tall like someone who plays basketball, and very strong. I am very good at a fair fight, but it was not that." She crosses her arms and shrugs and looks at David, pointedly, "I doubt he is sorry at all. He only seemed sorry that I am still breathing. You can say it was a tragic mistake, but you were not the one he tried to kill. Mistake! That is a /big/ mistake if it is one. It is not, 'oops, I dropped your ice cream'. It is, 'oops, I broke bones of two men and then broke your ribs and your nose and tore your flesh and gave you a lot of bruising, oooooops'. I think he is just a terrible person." She crosses one leg over the other and takes a drink.
Rashmi sighs, nodding. "I do… He's a student at my old school. I… it's complicated. I'll explain more when we have time to go into it, I promise. but that sounds like a *lot* of fun, the dance, I can't wait eithe-" Blinking, she turns her face up to David, brow furrowing. "Um… kind of solid, really… what um… What's up, Mr. Alleyne?"
Bruce listens to Kalindi speak and nods. The description could fit one of several people here in Mutant Town. He is not familiar with anyone capable of passing through others that would be that tall however. Unless Caleb got much larger in the several months since Bruce saw him last. He crosses his arms again and taps his foot, looking between Rashmi and David. "A tragic mistake?" He shakes his head. "You know someone at your school tries to kill a fellow mutant on the street and you're all like "Woopsie-Dasie!" But when one of us takes out a couple of crooked cops for hunting down mutants we're suddenly monsters?" He shakes his head again. "I mean really. I'm trying to like your schools, but yer kind of screwed up."
"Well, he is sorry, but I can understand why you are upset. It is expected and I wouldn't be surprised if you ever see him again. I can apologize on his behalf and speak to his sincerity with which he is troubled but what he did to you, your guards, and to two other students at the school." David exhales, "The school is a good school, Bruce. If I remember correctly many of the students and some of the staff helped out with the incident from last month. I don't know the other school, but I know some of the students there too. We're all trying." David frowns as he takes another sip from his coffee and looks to Rashmi, "I'll email you about it. But if you're pretty busy then maybe not."
Between listening to Kalindi, Bruce and David he thinks some people have some pretty crazy ideas. "None of it is okay or 'whoopsie-daisy'. It doesn't matter, trying to kill a fellow mutant or taking out a couple of crooked cops, I mean killing is just wrong. Fighting the good fight, now that's respectable." He's about to go on but his phone starts ringing and he looks down at it. "Sorry, I gotta answer this. It's my Mom. I'm gonna head outside Rashmi, hopefully I'll be back soon." He says but who knows what his Mom wants. "Nice meeting you David, stay safe Kali and thanks for the coke Sir." He says before exiting Nowhere.
Finishing his coffee, David rises and nods, "Well, it's been fun, folks. But I have to head out." He looks to Bruce, "Thanks for the coffee." He looks to Rashmi, "We'll be in touch." And then to Kalindi, "I am really sorry about what happened. I am working with the student to make sure it doesn't happen again." With that he leaves.
Rashmi bobs her head, lifting a hand as Travis gets up. "Take care, Travis…" As the teen wanders out, the redhead takes a deep breath, stands up from her chair, and walks toward Kalindi. "Ma'am," she says, the moment the older Hindi pauses to take a breath. "Look. We're not saying it's okay that he hurt you or your friends as badly as he did. I know… I *spoke* to him about it. We *all* feel it was a horrible thing to do, and we're all sorry it happened. There's more, Ma'am, but it's only pertinent if you want to hear it."
"If he wants to give me his apologies, then tell him to seek me out and give them to me directly. I will not bring him harm if he approaches to do such a thing. I do not want your apologies on his behalf. I have seen you lie before," says Kalindi. The last is said /very/ accusingly. Given that Kalindi puts dishonesty at the very top of her hierarchy of 'terrible things', it makes some sense. At least from her perspective. She rolls her eyes and says to Bruce, "But /thank you/. I feel like an attack out of nowhere is being ignored by people when they are so quick to say 'tsk tsk tsk' to me. I at least can justify." To Rashmi's speaking, though, she seems to calm slightly, especially as Travis leaves. "I want to hear things. It is just… I do not like being told it was a mistake." She glances around, and says quietly, reluctantly and through her teeth, clearly ashamed, "It /frightened/ me. It /shook/ me. I am angry that he scared me, but mostly at me for having been weak."
Bruce nods to Kalindi and offers a wave to Travis and David. He collects the empty glasses and turns back to the bar, glancing between Kalindi and Rashmi before trotting up to the bar. It seems a few people want new drinks, and as much as Bruce would love to hear what Rashmi is about to say he'd rather not sacrifice his tips to do so. He keeps an eye on the table as he drafts beers and mixes a few drinks.
Rashmi nods quietly, gesturing toward her recently vacated table, now that she appears to be the only one with a drink and an interest in it. <Come,> she says in Hindi, <sit with me and I'll tell you. It probably is nothing important to you, but it may help you understand why this happened.> I admit," she continues, switching back to her more native English, "I've sort of been wondering whether or not it'd be a good idea to seek you out, after what I had learned. And, again… I *am* sorry it happened to you at all, even more that it was because of someone I know."
Kalindi still has the accent of something else when she is speaking in Hindi, but it's much less prominent, <Please do tell me, I am interested. Thank you for at least acknowledging that I was hurt. I hate admitting that I've been weak, but I cried in my Father's arms after it happened. He had to see me like that…> So weak. So human. She touches her face and shrugs. <So please. Tell me.>
Bruce hesitates for a moment while filling orders to look over to the two women. Damn, speaking in some language he's not heard before. Looks like it doesn't matter that he's not over there anyway. "What"? Sorry…Sam Adam's Red? No, we've got Killian's. Ok." He goes back to filling orders before washing the glasses that accumulated while he was out on the floor.
The door opens and the form of Vinny wanders through in his usual semi-waddling gait. Even in a place like Mutant town the Platypus-man tends to stand out. Showing his ID to the bouncer if asked he makes his way towards the bar, glancing about at the various patrons as he goes.
Rashmi takes a moment to sip her tea, frowning into the mug. "<…He didn't grow up like a normal child, madam,>" she begins, slowly, her Hindi slightly rusty from years of less than regular use. "<When he was a child, he was pressed into service for a horrible man, in his country. He was a soldier… perhaps more accurately, a killer. That is how he grew up; killing who he was told to kill, hurting who he was told to hurt… And it was only recently that he found God and changed all that… And to be honest, I'm not certain he's got a full grasp of everything when it comes to that, either. So… It wasn't random, but it wasn't purposeful either, why he hurt you; he heard demon, he saw a threat, and I guess… instinct took over, you understand? But it shook him, too… badly, that he was still capable of doing those things.>"
Rashmi takes a moment to sip her tea, frowning into the mug. "<…He didn't grow up like a normal child, madam,>" she begins, slowly, her Hindi slightly rusty from years of less than regular use. "<When he was a child, he was pressed into service for a horrible man, in his country. He was a soldier… perhaps more accurately, a killer. That is how he grew up; killing who he was told to kill, hurting who he was told to hurt… And it was only recently that he found God and changed all that… And to be honest, I'm not certain he's got a full grasp of everything when it comes to that, either. So… It wasn't random, but it wasn't purposeful either, why he hurt you; he heard demon, he saw a threat, and I guess… instinct took over, you
Kalindi takes another drink from her glass and looks into it for a moment. <I do not believe in his God. People use the term demon to describe me sometimes, but I think it's ingenuine. I'm nothing infernal, nor is my Father. I told him this. I told him that I do not think demon is the right word, that it has negative connotations… My English is bad. How do I know he won't snap again if I see him? I can't let him hit me by surprise again… I'm a good fighter, but let's be honest, I'm a small woman. Getting hit like that is like being hit by a truck.> She glances up towards where Vinny walks, eyes just naturally drawn to the obvious mutant, but they return to her drink, which she sips from again.
Bruce tries to listen in on the women once more and sighs. Still speaking their mysterious language it seems. He glances down the bar again and sees no one in need of drink, so he turns back around and messes with the computer they hooked up to the sound system. For some reason he selects "Danger! High Voltage!" and turns around to see Vinny at the bar behind him. Bruce calmly walks to his end of the counter and places his hands on the bar, leaning in to inspect the newcomer for a moment before speaking. "Hmmm…Haven't seen you around here before. You wouldn't happen to be from Oz, would ya?" His own dialect is distinctly Australian.
Vinny grins as Bruce walks over, after hearing an Aussie accent he drops any semblence of trying to americanize his own speech. "Dinkum Aussie is right. New in town saw this boozer and figgured I'd lob in for a pot of Fosters if ya got it." He looks around a moment and back to Bruce "So what gave it away eh? The rugged good looks?" His lips twist into a grin under his bill.
Questions, it seems, which make Rashmi look miserable. "<…I don't know it *won't* happen again if you cross paths,>" she says, sighing and shaking her head. "<But if it does… I think you have a lot more options than you realized, madam… He attacked you first, right? Well… In this country, that's breaking the law. Legally, you would have been well within your rights to report it to the police. Probably you might even have won the case. Did you know that?>" She seems about to say more, but the burst of Oz-talk at the bar has her looking up, eyes widening slightly. "…Huh. Wow." There's enough amusement to put a smile on her face, despite the bitter topic of conversation, and she shakes her head, looking back to the gold-adorned woman across from her.
<What?> says Kalindi, blinking a few times, <Yes, he attacked first, or rather, he attacked my bodyguards. I tried to fight him after that, though. He hit my bodyguards, but I tried to punch him next after he tried to charge me, and he hurt that boy… Is that boy okay? Maybe he was concussed too?… But then, it was like he wasn't there.> She crosses her arms and contemplates for a few moments. <So I can get him in trouble with the police with that?>
Bruce scratches his head. "It was the hat actually. Well that an' the fact that yer a platy-pus. Ye know…Not a common species around here. Even in Mutant Town." He pulls a bottle of Foster's out of the cooler and cracks it open, pushing it across the bar. "Sorry, not on draft tonight." After another glance at the women. "What brings you to New York? Certainly not the nice weather…Though maybe with all that fur you don't mind the chill so much."
Vinny takes the bottle with a nod "Take it how I can get it. You know the old joke about American beer bein' like makin' love in a canoe." He takes a swallow and nods "Yeah chill don't mean much to me really, came here cause this is where ground zero is ya know? This is where the whole human/mutant fight is goin' down. Mabye not here exactly but this country ya know?"
<Maybe,> is Rashmi's clearly reluctant answer. It's an unpleasant truth, that Kalindi could get Hosea in trouble, but fairness requires it be said. <If you'd reported it right away, it'd be more likely something could be done. But it's still worth saying, just in case there's a next time. And depending on if he's a citizen or not, he could face a few months in jail, or just being deported. That's the problem; the law tries to be as fair as it can, but there's only so much fairness it can offer for people who aren't legally under its purview.>
Kalindi frowns slightly at the last bit, tapping her cheek lightly. <I am not sure of my legal status here. My Father's men say they have taken care of it, but I don't know what they mean. Maybe I cannot do that, if I'm not under the law's cover.> She turns slightly and looks up at the two Aussies, tilting her head, noting in English, "I like the sound of that accent." Her own accent obscures her words much more.
Bruce chuckles a bit at the slight joke and nods when the other man speaks. "Yeah that's kind of why I came here…" He's silent for a moment, thinking about something before shaking his head. No. If the RAIC sent someone after him they'd make it a less obvious mutant. "Had a bit of trouble here just a few weeks back. Big bit of trouble actually." He nods in agreement with himself.
A drunk old man at the bar looks over suddenly, his eyes twinkling slightly in the dim light. "Tha's right! Old Dingo here saved bunches of people! Hero he is."
Bruce suddenly looks a bit nervous and taps the man on the shoulder. "Oh no Rodger, I'm Bruce. Dingo doesn't come here…You know that." He points down the bar, "Why don't you tell Carl about your daughter's new job, eh?" The man nods and wanders off. Bruce smiles at Vinny, "Silly old drunks, don't know what they're talking about." He glances over at Kalindi. "Um…Thanks I guess? How you ladies doin'? Need some more drink?"
<It would probably be good to make sure you have an actual legal identity here,> Rashmi says, frowning slightly at the idea of it being 'taken care of,' <Even if it means filing for citizenship the normal way.> At Bruce's question, Rashmi looks down at her tea, then back up. "Um… Actually could I get another cup of the same, please?"
Kalindi's glass is still half-full so she shrugs, glancing down at Rashmi's tea. "May I have what she is having?" To Rashmi, she shrugs and says, <Well, I know I have a legal identity. I think I am… a refugee or something? I will check…> She frowns and adds, <I don't think I am a real citizen, though.>
Bruce nods to Vinny and turns around to prep two teas for the women at the table. "Be back in a minute." is offered to the other mutant before he steps out from behind the bar and takes the drinks to the two women. He sits down one of the teas for Rashmi and moves to put down the other for Kalindi. Unfortunately he loses his grip and dumps burning hot water on his hand, dropping the cup in the process. "Ow! Bloody hell I'm sorry about that." He shakes his hand a few times. "I'll a…I'll get ya another." He heads back to the bar, waving his burned hand a few more times.
Rashmi gasps as the cup is dropped, glancing down at her own tea and sliding it over to Kalindi. "Here… Have mine. I'll be right back." And before she can even finish saying the words, she's out of her chair and following Bruce to the bar. "Hey…! Don't worry about the tea, okay? Just take care of your hand, I don't mind waiting until you're not, y'know, *scalded,* okay?"
This would definitely seem to be an odd place for an Avenger, but young Vance came to Mutant Town to assist with some reconstruction after the attack a few weeks ago. But being of age and being a mutant himself, Vance decides it's ok to have a drink. SO dressed casually in a Notre Dame T-shirt and light blue jeans, the brown-haired hero takes a seat at the bar, but when he hears Bruce's yell. He sits by the bar, but telekinetically picks up the broken pieces of the cup and places them on the counter, "You, ok?" He yells out to the barkeep, "You ok?"
Kalindi blinks a few times as the cup is passed toward her, also getting up to at least check if Bruce is okay. "Are you okay?" That's about as hard as she's going to check. There's nothing else she can do really, especially since that broken cup is removed.
Bruce holds up his hands as he is swarmed by people checking to make sure he's ok. "Geeze geeze! I'll be dandy, don't worry!" He holds out his scalded hand to Rashmi, turning it into sand. "See? No more pain. I can keep it like that until I can get some aloe for it, eh?" He chuckles and turns back to the bar. "Let me get ya a new…Tea." He sees the Avenger and narrows his eyes a bit for a moment before heading behind the bar.
Of course Bruce recognizes the other man, he makes it a point to know who the Avengers are since they're always trying to arrest him for one thing or another. Bruce hasn't had any runins with the Avengers since the attack on Mutant Town though. He's hoping that this one's not in a do-goodery mood today. Even if he doeswn't recognise Bruce, it's not too much of a connect-the-dots game to figure out that the Australian man with a hand made of sand is the "Mutant Terrorist" Dingo.
The Aussie glances around for a moment looking for Vinny, but it appears the other mutant wandered off somewhere. Oh well, they'll catch up some other time. He smiles at Vance. "Just a minute, mate. Gotta make up some tea real quick." He turns and prepairs another cup for Rashmi, turning around to hand it to her with his previously burned hand.
Rashmi lets out a breath, watching Bruce's hand change composition, and frowns. "Just don't leave it too long, okay? From what I understand it'll hurt like *crazy* once it goes back, and all you need for now is a wet rag, right? But, thank you," she finishes, holding up the teacup and nodding, turning… only to freeze at the sight of one of the more universally-known Avengers not terribly far from her. "Oh! Um… hi, sir…" One would think after working for She-Hulk for months, taking a mall trip with Iron Man, and generally finding herself in the middle of most superhero-grade crises to plague the city this last year, she'd not look quite so starstruck, even if only momentarily.
<Maybe I shouldn't have come in here.> Vance thinks to himself when he sees both Bruce and Rashmi. One Bruce is a terrorist. Two Rashmi is a student at Barnes. Looking between the two, he looks to Bruce, who is currently not harming anyone and in a bar full of innocents and most likely mutants. It would be a bad move for Vance to try something here. He looks to Bruce, "I'll have a Corona." He then looks to Rashmi, "Hello." Not having ever met Rashmi, but knowing from her file that she is a student, he pauses a moment, "Rashmi Franklin?" He asks.
Kalindi looks down at her tea and then up at the others. "Who is this person?" She is not so familiar with the Avengers, not familiar at all. Sure, she's googled them, but that doesn't really mean she'd recognize any on sight (except for She-Hulk, who Kalindi finds very distinctive).
Bruce shakes his head at Rashmi and chuckles. "I'm a big boy. A little burn ain't gonna slow me down." He turns back to Vance, speaking to Kalindi without looking at her. "He's Justice. One of the Avengers. They've been working in Mutant Town trying to help get things back in order after that little war we had a few weeks back." The man grabs a beer out of the fridge for the other man and hands it over, "I trust you're here to relax? Some of my patrons would be…Upset if you brought your business into the bar." Bruce simply looks at the man across from him, wondering if the Avengers are still planning on capturing Dingo. It would truthfully be an awkward political move to arrest the mutant at this point.
"He's—" Rashmi begins to explain Vance to the other Hindi, but falls silent as Bruce takes care of introductions, leaving her to mentally goggle at the fact that random Avengers seem to know her by name. "Um… yes, sir, that's me… can I, um……. help you?"
Vance smiles at Rashmi, "Nice to meet you and yes, I'm Justice, but you can call me, Vance. I'm a bit too young to go by sir." He then looks to Bruce and loses the smiles, "I am here to relax. I was helping out with some stuff in Mutant Town and thought I would get a drink. But don't give me a reason to bring my business here, Mr. Jumbuck." He takes a sip of the Corona, "Got any limes?"
Rashmi coughs quietly. "Well, maybe," she says in answer to Vance, "but—erm…" Glancing back and forth between Avenger and part-time terrorist, Rashmi decides to settle for ducking out of the way, hurrting back to her seat, and plunking herself down at her chair again, shoulders hunched. "…Um… yeah. He's pretty much a hero, ma'am," she murmurs to Kalindi. "…Who I have no idea why, but knows me by name."
Rashmi coughs quietly. "Well, maybe," she says in answer to Vance, "but—erm…" Glancing back and forth between Avenger and part-time terrorist, Rashmi decides to settle for ducking out of the way, hurrting back to her seat, and plunking herself down at her chair again, shoulders hunched. "…Um… yeah. He's pretty much a hero, ma'am," she murmurs to Kalindi. "…Who I have no idea why, but knows me by name."
Taking the lime wedge, Vance squeezes some into the Corona and then takes a sip, "Well, you're welcome, but doing my part, Bruce. As an Avenger and as a mutant." Vance understands the pressures of being a mutant, especially in the spotlight as an Avenger and convicted criminal. He takes another swig and then heads over to Rashmi and Kalindi's table, "Mind if I join you?"
Bruce shakes his head as the man walks away and wipes down the counter where he was sitting. He takes a moment to fill a couple more orders and looks up as a man comes into the bar with a dolly. He waves the delivery man over and signs some paperwork, taking the beer cases from the man and stacking them behind the bar for now.
"Well I don't see anything *wrong* with it," Rashmi answers, clearing her throat. "Just… it's kind of surprising… sort of like when She-Hulk gives you a job offe—hi!" Looking up at Vance, she smiles broadly, tilting her head and glancing back at Kalindi. "Er… well, I don't mind, d'you? Oh. Right. Since we never *were* properly introduced, I'm, as stated, Rashmi Franklin."
Kalindi smiles and says, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Rashmi Franklin." To Vance, she shakes her head and gestures towards one of the emptied seats at the table, "No, you may sit down if it pleases you. I am Kalindi, or Kali if you want to call me that. I answer to either."
Vance nods and extends his hand, "Kalindi, that's a pretty name. I'm Vance." He extends his hand to shake and then takes the proffered seat, "And sorry, Rashmi, that we haven't been formally introduced. I just recently returned to the Avengers and haven't yet visited the school yet. I was only recently told about it. I should be visiting it within the week."
There is a collective groan from several of the patrons as "I Whip My Hair" comes on over the loudspeaker. Bruce leaps for the computer and changes it to something drastically less horrible. "Damn it Lil! I know you're behind that one.” He deletes the song from the playlist and shakes his head, turning back to the delivery and starting to restock the fridge with the newly delivered beer. The man glances over to the Avenger every once in a while and eventually wanders down the bar to whisper something to a green haired girl in a black dress. A few minutes after he returns to his duties she stands and moves to a table adjacent to the three, seeming not to pay attention but definitely within earshot of them.
Rashmi blinks, brows drawing down as Vance mentions the rather secret and certainly not fit to be mentioned in public not-quite-top-secret SHIELD school… in public. Puzzled, she tilts her head, sipping at her tea. "Aren't the Avengers usually sort of um, busy with world-shaking problems to hold rallies at local colleges? Not that we wouldn't appreciate it, of course, I'm just curious what you're planning to further when you stop by?"
"Thank you, I think it is a very nice name, too," says Kalindi, smiling at that and finishing off her other drink before starting on the tea. "You give talks about something?" she asks Justice, "To be a hero and give talks, where is all this time coming from?"
"Well, it's a responsibility. Part of being a hero is speaking about the topic. It's not all adventures and fun times. It's good to have a presence outside of my costume." Vance smiles and sips his beer, "So do you frequent this bar often?" He asks the Indian ladies he is seated with.
Bruce continues to work at restocking the bar, stopping occasionally to pour drinks for customers. He glances over at the table once in a while as though checking their drink levels. The man acts in an almost distracted manner. A glance at the green haired lady at the table next to them would show that she is pointedly staring at Bruce, following him with her gaze as he moves up and down the bar.
"Not often," Rashmi says, sipping at her tea. "But I like to stop in places in Mutant Town whenever I can… especially after the attacks. I mean if I can't do a *whole* lot to help out, I can at least make sure the shops here get my money when I want to get something, right?"
"Seldom. I will sometimes visit people I know here, though, and if I am in the area… I like this business. It feels open," says Kalindi, glancing about. No risk of fights breaking out is one of the things that Kali likes in particular. "I think the attacks were unfortunate."
"That's a good point about supporting local and mutant run businesses." Vance looks at Bruce and the bar, "Though not sure how often I will visit here." He shrugs, "Yes the attacks were very unfortunate. Goodness it is 2011 and there is still bigotry and prejudice out there!"
Bruce shakes his head. Fine by him if the Avengers don't visit all that often. He gets one or two of them in here on occasion, but recently it was to help plan the war and to help with the cleanup afterward. Bruce is fairly certain things will go back to the way they were before. He pities any of the Avengers who try to attack him in Nowhere though. The man glances over at the Green-Haired woman for a moment, making brief eye contact. She's a useful one, able to telepathically transmit what she hears to him from across the room. Not that anything they're saying is particularly interesting, but he'd rather know what the Avenger's up to.
"Social change never happens as quickly as we'd like it to," Rashmi says, finishing off her tea. "But as much outcry as this attack's gotten, I think we've come a good way toward ending it for good. Just… y'know, one step at a time, right?" Smiling to Kalindi and Vance, the redhead rises from her chair. "I'm really sorry… but it's getting pretty late, and I've a full class load tomorrow, so I should get going." Tugging a small wallet-sized change purse from her bookbag, she works a few bills free, laying them on the tabletop; another tip, far more generous than the one she'd given when Mason had visited.
"Yes, I must be going myself, I am getting very tired," says Kalindi, rising after Rashmi does. She puts down some money as well, and looks up towards Bruce and offers him another friendly nod. "It was nice meeting you," she says to both Vance and Rashmi, "But now I must say goodnight."
As both ladies leave, Vance offers, "It's nice meeting you both as well and hope to meet you again." He stands up and looks to Bruce, "Thanks for the free beer. Stay outta trouble!" He smiles and waves and leaves.
Bruce waves to the three as they leave, offering a smirk to Vance. "Don't I always?" He chuckles and goes back to cleaning. Once they've left he nods again and seems to speak to no one. "Thanks dear, take the money off the table. You can keep it." The green haired woman nods and stands, taking the money the three had left before exiting the bar herself.
~ Fin ~
