Players:
Summary: Kai & Jules try to save a mysterious woman from some muggers. But it would appear that the muggers are the ones who need saving.
Log Title: The Not So Helpless Victim
Rating: R
NYC - Hell’s Kitchen - The USS Intrepid
Docked in the Hudson River running along 12th Avenue lies the USS Intrepid, a decommissioned Aircraft Carrier that now serves as a museum. A small bridge leads from one side of the busy road to the museum entrance, with the river just north acting as a docking area for cruise ships that come into the city. To the west of 12th Avenue is an area mostly consisting of warehouses and old buildings that have been converted into residences.
The ship itself is large and silent. Many old planes sit atop the deck for visitors to examine up close when they come to visit. Occasionally the ship is accompanied by smaller vessels and submarines on special holidays. The museum is open most days from 8am to 5pm, occasionally staying open later for movie showings on the flight deck.
Scene
The overcast sky sets the mood; small droplets of rain pattering down from the North with a rather high humidity. The rain only makes the weak breeze seem just that much colder, providing another rather bleak afternoon in New York. Hardly a day that anyone would want to be out causing trouble and the like. At least, that's what Jules is counting on. The androgynous teenager trundles around the corner from an adjacent street, while bundled up in the puffiest, warmest, waterproofest winter weather jacket possible. The result makes the teen look a bit out of place from the other locals who likely wear overcoats or similar wear. Not that Jules particularly cares, and as such, the strolling continues.
There is the sound of footsteps coming from one of the streets adjacent to the bridge over 12th Avenue. After a moment someone who looks to be rather out of place appears, seemingly oblivious to the attention she has drawn to herself. The woman appears to be in her late twenties and is dressed rather lavishly in a long fur coat that leaves her shoulders exposed. The tapering of a green dress can be seen below along with some tall black boots. Her hair is done up and she is wearing an array of rather expensive looking jewels. The woman appears to be going to the opera, but she is heading instead for the docks, probably a rich European tourist heading back to the cruise liners. Behind her several less than friendly looking men have gathered, following the woman at a short distance as she approaches the bridge.
With school done with for the holidays Kai has been at something of a loss for what to do with himself so snuck out of the city yesterday for a sparring session with Red who is the one responsible for the beginning of a black eye he's sporting, though she didn't point it out he has gotten sloppy of late and will have to work on getting his game back on par with his training. Dressed in black jeans, a t-shirt patterned like a composition notebook, a black peaked beanie and dark grey converse the boy seems to have forgotten to grab a jacket, don't really need to bother when the cold doesn't bother you. Bored he too finds himself near the docks sighing as the rain falls.
Jules, always paying attention to the environment, is perhaps the first New Yorker to acknowledge that something is happening that could be considered bad. Specifically, the 'bad men' following the woman who appears to be all too well dressed for this part of down. Of course, there could be a completely logical point of explanation for the situation, so the androgynous teen only makes an indirect path to enter a vicinity close enough to capture earshot. More drastic measures otherwise may be deemed if the situation is as it seems.
Nearing an opening in a fence that surrounds the entrance to the bridge the woman stops. She hesitates for a moment as though debating some task unknown by those who watch her. Finally the woman turns and faces the group of men behind her. Six of them. They look to know one another, perhaps a local gang or maybe just a group of ruffians local to the area. "Can I help you, boys?"
One of the men laughs and steps forward. "Such a shame for such a pretty lady to be walking all alone in the rain. And your pretty coat is getting all wet, too." The speaking man keeps the woman's attention while one of his associates circles the fence to cut off her escape from the other side. She seems to notice this and sidesteps to change directions. The woman quickens her pace and glances back at the men as she flees, though there is a wisp of something on her face. A smirk perhaps? It is hard to tell. What is not hard to tell is that the woman is heading into a fenced in parking lot with no visible exit. She almost runs into Kai along the way, stepping around him at the last moment but keeping her attention on the group that has begun to follow her again.
Kai steps to one side as Eris does to avoid bumping into her and frowns as she's followed by the gang-like group, true she could be in trouble but that isn't his problem nor his concern however he was just thinking that his skills are getting a little rusty and this does appear to be a perfect opportunity to touch up on his skills, if he believed in such a thing he'd have thought it was fate. Quietly he begins following keeping to shadows and behind any large objects that could hide his presence, step one follow the target(s) without being tracked.
And to that same degree, one more person appears to be following the rag-tag group of would be mooks. Jules, catching part of the aforementioned conversation, quickly begins to follow the group as nervous glances are exchanged between people on the streets. Those not involved in the conflict turn their head, ignoring what might be a violent end for someone who otherwise might not deserve it. In a fortunate twist of fate, that provides Jules with an opportunity to disappear, to vanish as if never there. A teleport with a destination that puts the teenager right behind the group of thugs, not a wisp of smoke or smote of light to mention of. Just as silently, the teenager motions to poke one of the thugs on the shoulder as an awkward walk is made to keep up to speed with them. "Excuse me? Gentleman? Would you be perhaps willing to leave this poor woman alone? Maybe you would like to get a cup of tea?"
The man that was poked turns his head and quirks a brow at the kid who just poked him. "Get…Get some tea?" The man laughs rather loudly at the boy, "Are you serious? This is a big people matter. Go home. And…" He spots a shadow dart behind one of the cars. "And take your little friend with you. This doesn't concern you." The man reaches out to grab Jules, if he makes contact the teenager will receive a forceful shove.
Two of the other men turn their heads to glance at the commotion as well. Interestingly, the woman also stops walking, glancing back over her shoulder and giving Jules an annoyed look. Her fists ball up and she continues forward again, seeming to exaggerate her steps so that her heels make as much noise as possible. This does seem to catch the men's attention again, causing most of them to remember the pretty lady with all the expensive looking jewelry.
Kai is annoyed now for two reasons, one, yes he definitely needs practice, two, the teleporting idiot didn't factor into his plans and played a part in getting him spotted. He shrugs to himself, well this is a setback but he can still get some action in even if he's lost the element of surprise, he can't help but find the woman's actions strange, she is trying to get the gang's attention?
"Oof!" reacts Jules as being shoved away. What manners! To refuse a polite cup of tea. A quick rebuttal is offered, "Even the Thoggnyi have manners." While Jules pats down the front of the jacket so recently grappled with. Of course, it doesn't seem that Jules even notices Kai, despite the Gang's pointing out of such.
There is a clear voice over the rabble of the ruffians. "Oh no children, please do not put yourself in harms way on my account. I'm sure that I will be ok." It is the woman's voice, and it is strange in some way. She does not sound frightened, nor does she sound legitimately concerned about the boys' welfare. She instead still sounds a bit annoyed. One of the men gets within a few feet of the woman and reaches out to grab her. She shakes off his hand and gives him a venomous look.
The man that shoved back Jules chuckles. "What the shit's a Thoginny? You heard the lady. No need to get hurt. And she's in no trouble, just want to talk to her is all."
Kai stays firmly where he is, something here isn't right, who is that woman? Pulling out his phone he uses the camera function to take a picture of the woman, with the dark it isn't the best picture but it'll do. He ignores Jules, saving the two involved isn't why he's here also the boy is a teleporter it seems so he is probably not in any real danger.
"Oh, please." says Jules happily as the teen slips by the man that shoved him out of the way a few moments prior. This brings the androgynous teleporter just a bit closer to the woman, and frankly between the thugs and Eris. "We're all reasonable people here. Can't we work this out like mature adults? No reason for anyone to shoulder anything, right?"
Eris narrows her eyes as she sees one of the boys holding up a phone to photograph her. Not wanting that to show up anywhere unwanted she flicks a hand quickly in his direction. The shock of Jules appearing so close to her sets off her aim quite considerably, however. There is an odd noise near Kai as a long needle made of some sort of crystal embeds itself in the ground a few feet off. "Damn kid…" He must have run up close when she wasn't paying attention. "You're ruining my fun." Her eyes look very unfriendly right about now.
The men seem a bit confused now. This lady doesn't seem at all concerned by their presence, and the boys are apparently not threatened either. "Hey! Don't ignore us! You brats get back home. And you, missy, hand over the rocks. There's a toll to use our street through this part of town. Hand them over and we'll let you all go."
Kai smiles as the needle embeds itself in the ground next to him, pulling it out of the ground he examines it for a moment, "Yet another mutant, I don't seem to meet any humans in this city", he takes another second before firing a needle of ice of roughly the same size into the ground next to Eris, his one being something of a warning shot.
Jules jerks a bit as an ice spike comes whizzing from the shadows to land in the pavement nearby. With the heightening tensions, all Jules can do it play up that card, now. "Everyone calm down. There is totally, probably a sniper watching right now. "
The men seem not to notice the throwing of ice and crystal needles for some reason. Perhaps because they're all too annoyed with all of these people ignoring them. "Snipers? SNIPERS? That's your plan to get us to run away? I'll show you a sniper, kid." The man who spoke pulls a handgun out of his breast pocket and points it at Jules. "How's this for a sniper, kid?" One of the other men pulls out a knife and heads toward Kai, two others try to close in on Eris.
The needle thrown back in response is not missed by Eris, though who threw it she did not see. "What's this? Another mutant out there? Which of you is it?" She seems completely unconcerned with the appearance of weapons. "Well? Who dares to threaten Envy?" The woman holds out a hand and a long ruby sword appears to grow out of nowhere. She swivels it once and holds it in a battle position. "Show yourself. One of the men? Or one of the boys?"
Kai hmms and makes a note of the name Envy but before he can make any further decisions he spots the man approaching him with a knife, rolling his eyes he throws two smaller ice needles at the man's feet aiming to spear though his feet into the ground holding him in place, if it works he'll go on to say, "Don't be an idiot, stay there and I’ll let you got later" and turns his attention back to watch Eris.
At the gun, hands raise in an offer of peace, which doesn't seem to quite matter anymore. The sword behind Jules are particularly attracts a modicum of attention. "How did everyone get weapons so quickly.. Oh dear.. Come on, now. There's no need for violence here. We could all leave here happy today."
There is a yell from the man whose feet were impaled. He falls down, but with his feet pinned in place it just causes him to twist or possibly break both ankles. The men on either side of him see this and jump into action, rushing the boy that threw the ice needles. "Boss, this one's a mutie!"
The one with the gun hesitates momentarily, glancing over his shoulder at one of the men approaching Eris. This man is apparently 'the boss'. "Uh…Envy? That's what she said, right?"
"Yeah that's what she said. Makes sense. Don't worry, I can handle her. Shoot that kid, don't need him…Or maybe her…It causing trouble." He motions idly to Jules as he gives the order, not rushing Eris along with another man.
Eris hears some chatter, screams, and a gunshot. But these things are all of little importance to her. She stomps a foot on the ground, causing a great cracking noise as a wall of crystal rises up between herself and the men rushing at her. They seem now to be of little interest to her. "You. The boy with the phone. You are the other mutant? Fascinating. Is your power like mine? Were those crystals? I sense they are…But somehow different." The sword in her hand transforms into a ruby throwing star the diameter of a ceiling fan. She winds up and hurls it forward, aiming it at Kai.
Kai slams his hands down on the ground as he sees the other men coming his direction, from where his hands touch the ground ice spreads across it with thin but long (about 1.5m) ice spikes erupting from the surface, is he trying to kill them? or just ward them off? whose to really know at this point. He turns his attention back to Envy with less than a second to spare, he slams his hand to the other side of him, "Shield!", a spiked ice wall just big enough to protect him quickly forms, "Wow, impressive".
With the reaction prompted from someone about to shot and die, Jules reacts by literally 'blinking' about a metre to the left. The instant nature of the teleport would make one pause in confusion. Did Jules really just teleport? Or has the teen /always/ been one metre to left. In either case, the bullet misses. "I'm actually a male. At least last I checked. Thank you for being considerate enough to at least attempt the correct proverb. Could you please not shoot at me again?"
Of the men that have attacked Kai, one of them is pinned to the ground with spikes through his feet, one is now partially mangled in a wall of spines, and the other is looking very much like he is no longer interested in fighting. He darts off at a tangent and heads for the bridge crossing 12th. The two men that went after Eris seem to decide that this is a good idea as well, turning to follow their companion as he flees across the street. The one who fired at Jules seems a bit confused. He turns the gun to re-aim at the boy. "Good, I'll know what to carve on your gravestone…I guess." He fires again, not yet having noticed that he is alone.
Eris laughs at the ice wall as it catches her shuriken. "Oh my what fun. I think you would be very fun to spar against." She frowns as the men dart off. "But alas, the humans are getting away. And what's more they heard my name. I'm afraid I'll have to go and kill them before we can play further." She glances at the teleporter, "You can bring your friend I suppose, if you want." Bring him where? She doesn't specify. She instead starts off after her quarry, though she cannot run as fast as they can with her current outfit.
Kai grins a little at Eris words before turning his attention to the men who attacked him, "That ice will melt sooner or later, when it does you can go, tell anyone of this and I will find you…", he doesn't bother finishing his threat instead leaving them to fill in the gaps as he starts off after Eris, his enhanced speed helping him catch up enough to keep her and the men in his sights.
This time, Jules disappears completely before the gun is even retrained on him. Not a sound. He probably never existed. Ever. Just in that man with the gun's imagination. Actually, Jules is now suddenly next to Eris, "You can't kill them!" He says while running along her side, "I can't let you do that."
The man with the gun seems still confused, even more so when he looks around to discover that EVERYONE is gone. Well, perhaps not everyone. There are a couple of his buddies horribly mangled and impaled with spines of ice, but everyone else is gone. "Um…Guys? Hey! Wait up you guys! This is so not cool!" He takes off after the group, cursing himself for running after the mutants. "Oh man…I am so going to die." Up ahead he can see the others running across the foot bridge. It appears that they are running for the Intrepid. Good idea? Maybe. There are probably guards on that ship that might side with them instead of some crazy mutants.
Eris makes it up the stairs to the upper portion of the bridge before the others catch up to her. "What? Why shouldn't I kill them? They're only humans. Damn it. I don't feel like hunting them down on that ship all night." There is a crackling noise as she holds a hand up over her shoulder, a large emerald spear forms which she prepares to hurl at the nearest target.
Kai stops running as they get closer to the Intrepid, those men are probably going to die so it's probably not the best idea to look like he's with Eris, he continues walking in that direction but looking more inconspicuous and keeping an eye out for any other members of the gang, "Hmmm should I have let the others live?"
Jules makes a sound like 'gack!' as he reaches to grab Eris' forearm to prevent the throw. "Because they're people, and we're people, too! They deserve to live, don't you think? Is it fair for us to make judgments on their lives?"
The men seem to make it to the other side of the bridge alright. There is a scrambling noise as they begin to climb one of the chains hanging down from the side of the ship. It appears that they do intend to climb up into the carrier for cover. The one in the back with the gun slows down considerably. He seems less enthused about the idea of running after these dangerous mutants, but he appears loyal to his friends. He follows along at a very slow walk.
Eris's hand is jerked out of the way just in time to send the javelin down into the street below. There is a terrible noise of crystal on steel followed by the screeching of tires and the undeniable sound of a car crash. Eris stops and glances down over the side. "Damn it! I'm going to get blamed for that, you know. Get out of my way. They aren't people, least not at the same level as us. We are gods. Start acting like one." She continues on, but hearing the other boy behind her she responds. "Of COURSE you should have killed them. As a warning to the other humans. But there's plenty of time for that later. I'll not have these ones escape me."
Jules is suddenly in front of Eris. Obviously another teleportation. Or he just stepped in front of her. "Even the gods have mercy on humans. We aren't even that. I'm not going to let you hurt them." The car crash is just acceptable casualties. A broken car is better than being dead, of course.
The men on the boat are now out of site. At the sound of the crash the one with the gun decides it is indeed time to go home. He turns tail and heads off the direction he came from originally.
Eris frowns at the boy as he pops in front of her. "It is unwise to stand between Envy and that which she desires. And right now what I want is the HEADS OF THOSE FILTHY HUMANS!" The woman looses all composure and begins literally screaming at the boy. The few people in the road who stopped to help with the accident look up confused. "GET OUT OF MY WAY OR JOIN THEM IN HELL!" The woman brings down her arm as though to slap the boy, but in a flash there is a large crystal blade in that hand.
Kai is fairly disappointed when Envy loses her composure he was beginning to like the woman, stopping where he is he leans against the wall to see what happens, he also pulls out his phone again and begins sending a text, Red may be able to get him some information.
It seems as though for a moment, Jules is there to literally stand up for this shit with a straight face. In fact, that lack of expression doesn't seem to change too much as Eris' hand readies for said strike. Only when Jules realizes what's about to happen does he attempt to step back to avoid it, narrowly avoiding the crystal which swipes across his cheek. The little bit of blood produced from that strike is miniscule, it's barely a scratch. "Calm down." replies Jules, holding up a hand over his cheek.
"Calm down? CALM DOWN!? I will calm down when those men are DEAD! Do you know what they would have done to me had I not reacted!?" She stomps a foot down and there is a cracking noise beneath the three of them. The bridge shifts slightly and Eris goes pale for a moment before visible calming a bit. She closes her eyes and there is a bit more cracking noises in the bridge as it seems to shift back into place. The woman closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before opening them again. "It is not wise to anger me. Move or die."
After a few minutes Kai starts scrolling though the text received, "Hmm, mutant… tried to kill Iron Man multiple times… arrested once… no, twice… has the ability to create crystals and transform her biological makeup into crystal… that’s it? that’s rather limited information".
"And do what? Your targets have already fled." Jules offers with a frown, but he then smiles faintly. Hand still on cheek. "If you'd like, we could do something else. I definitely highly suggest that. What do you say?" All the while, the teleporter does not move out of the way.
Eris has a rather dangerous look in her eye as she faces the boy in front of her. "Got away? They're on a goddamn boat! Boats sink, my dear boy. Granted…That is a very large boat. But do not underestimate me." She turns her head slightly as she hears Kai muttering something behind her. She catches only pieces of it, but it certainly sounds like he is reading a file on the woman. "What is that? Who do you work for?" And then "HA! Do something else? What would you have me do? Want to go get our hair done, dear?"
Kai sends a text back, 'Thanks Red, let me know if you learn anything further', "I don't work for anyone, do you?", he points over at the boat, "The humans are still on there, quick before they get away, go kill", he slips his phone back into his pocket, hopefully Red will find something further.
Jules actually shoots Kai an angry glare. "Sure. Or we could get something to eat instead of killing people. Doesn't that sound a lot better?" says Jules to Eris with a kind of curious and innocent stare, but an appraising one none-the-less.
Eris gives Kai a suspicious look, but his advice to kill the humans seems sound to her. "He has a point, you know. They need to be killed." She nods to Jules. The woman is suspiciously not using her powers as much as she was in the parking lot, perhaps it has something to do with the way the bridge shifted earlier. She stops again and gives the boy in front of her a very strange look. "You want to…Eat something? Are you asking me on a date? I'll tell you what. Bring me the heads of those humans and I'll buy you a Happy Meal and take you to see…I don't know…Pokemans. Hmm? Sounds like fun, eh?" As she speaks the woman creeps forward, trying to push Jules back toward the far side of the bridge. She still holds the blade she slashed his cheek with earlier, playing idly with it in her hand.
Kai groans, Jules' attempts to distract Envy from her goal are irritating, "Why don't you spar for it, the boy wins you go eat something, Envy here wins, she gets to kill the humans without you yabbiting on, seems like the only fair and agreeable way for the two of you to deal with your opposing views".
"Shake on what…You bring me their heads and I buy you a Happy Meal?" Eris chuckles. "Or the sparring…I suppose I can agree to that." She nods toward the ship. "But we do it up there. With the wreck below the police are sure to appear soon. I'd rather be…Not on a bridge above the freeway when they show up. Hmm?" She extends her hand to shake.
Kai nods and waits for the two to move to their agreed sparring place, "Easiest way to work this out, if you'd doe it in the first place you wouldn't have wasted time", he looks down at Envy's feet, "Depending on the kind of footwear she is wearing you may want to both remove your shoes".
"Just the spar, and besides, I don't want either of us to be arrested. So deal." replies Jules with a shrug towards Kai and Eris. Envy's hand is taken with a firm grip, and just as the first shake is to begin, the pair have 'disappeared'. Blinked. The destination nigh a kilometre away on top of some building in Hell's kitchen. The jump is instantaneous and possibly a bit disorienting as some people find it to be. Jules quickly releases Envy's hand and jumps back, "Sorry for that. I don't particularly like Happy Meals. Fast food is really bad for you. Good luck!" With a smile, it seems the teleporter is about to jump away again.
Eris was just about to glance over her shoulder to comment on how well she can fight in high heels when she suddenly finds herself not where she remembered herself to be. "What…Did you…Don't you go anywhere! I'll cut off that treacherous little hand, you wretched child!" The woman stomps the ground and an array of crystal spines blossom from the ground in the general direction of the boy, though if he is about to port out it will likely be too slow a reaction.
Kai reacts to the two disappearing with a "huh", before turning and heading back the way he came, pulling his phone out of his pocket, he'll check on the two men from earlier and then head back home, "That Envy must be fuming, I wonder if she'll kill him?".
Death would definitely be the result if the teleporter wasn't already prepared for such an event. Just like that, Jules is gone and Eris is left by her lonesome on the rooftop. She could have had a delicious meal instead. Oh, fate. How cruel are thee.
~ Fin ~
