2010-05-19: Two Australians Walk Into A Bar

Players:

Bruce_icon.jpg Hunter_icon.jpg

Summary: Hunter literally runs into Bruce on the street. Bruce shows him how to get to Nowhere and they share a couple drinks.

Log Title: Two Australians Walk into a Bar…

Rating: PG (L)


NYC - Mutant Town

Mutant Town, also known as District X, has become a haven for mutants. This section of town doesn't care what you look like, accepting all mutants no matter what their appearance. Most of the businesses in this section of town are mutant run ranging from small convenience stores to clothing shops to restaurants to night clubs. The buildings here aren't the high rise buildings you might find in mid-town but most are about 5-6 stories high. Mutant Town might not be the most luxurious section of town, in fact it's fairly run down, but this section of where mutants are safe and welcomed regardless of race, religion and culture.


Scene

The streets are a little less crowded now than they were earlier in the evening. Most of the dinner crowd has passed through and gone home for the evening and much of the traffic has died down for the night. There are a few people sitting in the patio sections of bars and restaurants talking and one or two smokers who came outside for a cigarette.

Bruce steps outside of his apartment building and lights up his own cigarette. He looks up at the sky a bit apprehensively, hoping it doesn't start raining again. Deciding he should be safe without his hat and coat the man wanders up the street a short ways and glances up at the roof tops. He wasn't present for the shootings and doesn't know all the details. He'd like to find out more but first he'll have to figure out which rooftop to investigate.

Hunter has returned to Mutant Town after having lost his guide yesterday. It seems that the rainless skies are still holding out which benefits a guy walking around in naught but a t-shirt, jeans and boots. Having not a clue where he is going he wanders around from street to street in search of this pub Caleb said was here.

Bruce puffs his cigarette and puts his hands on his hips, trying to line up by eye where a shooter would have to be in order to hit the victims where they were. He had seen the police tape, but he was in too much of a hurry to stop and talk to anyone the other day. He stands where he thinks one of the victims was and looks up at one of the buildings. He backs up a bit as he studies the rooftops, not watching where he's going. If he does not turn soon it is likely he'll run right into Hunter.

Hunter spins about trying to get a lay of the land. As he turned back in the direction he was walking in he bumped into something rather forcefully. Back peddling a step he realizes it was a 'someone' not a 'something.' "Sorry mate! My fault, really. Wasn't lookin where I was goin."

Bruce stumbles a bit as he runs into Hunter. In truth it's as much his fault as it is the other man's. The collision does cause Bruce to drop his cigarette and lose his train of thought. This displeases him. He is about to turn around and bust the skull of whoever ran into him. How dare they not watch where they were going? But then he here's the voice. Something familiar. "Mate?" He turns quickly and looks the other man up and down. "You from Oz?" Bruce's own accent is strongly Australian. "What're you doin' in a place like this?" Like this city of millions of people. Bruce looks at the other man suspiciously.

Hunter shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "I'm from Melbourne actually. Where you hatched from? Reckon around the same part I bet." He does a once over look on Bruce out of curiosity then remembers that the guy he nearly ran over asked another question. "You asked what I was doin in Mutant Town? Don't know really. Thot I'd see if I can find this place called, Nowhere. Kid told me about it the other day."

Bruce narrows his eyes at Hunter and ponders for a moment. Another Australian from the same town as him. That is rare, but perhapos not so rare in a place like Manhattan. Bruce decides that this newcomer is most likely not from the military come to hunt him down. After all, they did bump into each other seemingly at random. "Erm, yeah. I'm from Melby, too. Left there a ways back actually." He scratches the back of his head and picks up his cigarette, continuing to smoke it despite the fact that it was just on the ground. "Nowhere? Yeah I know of it. Actually I work there when I'm not busy not working. I can show ya if ya'd like."

"Well, seems runnin into you was a good thing after all," he smirks. "I'd probably have been lost round here for a bit before I found where you work. If it wouldn't take ya outta your way I'd be greatful." He pulls his right hand out from his jeans and offers it out toward Bruce. "Names, Hunter."

Bruce smiles crookedly and shakes his head. "Naw, ain't no trouble, mate. Just out takin' a look at things before headin in fer a drink meself." He glances up at the rooftops once more before turning back and shaking the other man's hand. "Name's Bruce." he turns and beccons the other man with a hand motion. "Billabong's this way. Easy ter spot once you get to the corner actually."

"Big flashin sign that could be spotted from space?" He asks as he follows alongside Bruce. "Place I work at sometimes looks like a neon mess on the outside…come t'think of it…inside too. Bit hard on the eyes at first." He bumps into a nearby trash can and is thankful that it didn't fall over spilling its contents into the street. "What brought you out 'ere? Me..well, change o'pace really."

Bruce shakes his head and points to the bar as they approach. "Not really the flashy signs an all that that'll make the bar stand out. More the folks out front." He's right. The bar has a few people standing outside of it who are blatant mutants. Bruce waves to a giant creature of some sort as he walks into the pub. "I er…Needed to get away fer a bit. Problems with the old job and such, ya know?"


Mutant Town - 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."


Hunter understands your reasons for wanting to get a change of pace. The mutants out front were quite the eye opener to him. Up until recently he hadn't run into a lot of mutants and most looked about as normal as he and Bruce appeared or close enough. "Ya I know whatya mean. Somedays I think bout goin back but then I get o'er pretty quick."

Bruce sits down at the bar and winks at the bartender. "Hey love. Don't even joke about how I'm 'always here' cause you know I ain't. Get me a vodka sprite and whatever me mate here wants, eh?" He turns back to Hunter and continues talking after the other man has ordered. "Yeah I might go back sometime. Want to take care of some stuff here first. Seems like this place might need me more than Oz right now."

Hunter budges in at the bar taking up the space next to Bruce while tossing a nod to the bartender as she sets the pint down in front of him. "Bit of a mess 'ere. I've found no trouble yet but I reckon it'll be knockin down my door soon given the current state o'things." He raises up his mug taking a long draft then sets it back down to reach for a handful of snacks. "You run into any trouble here? Mutant Town or New York?"

Bruce drinks down half of his drink in a single gulp. "Yeah, things here've been a bit bad fer our kind. Why I stick around. Heard about the shootings the other night? Right outside there." Bruce shakes his head, "Yeah I've had me share of bruises since I moved here. Sometimes from mutants, too." He takes anotyher drink, "Friendly advice, if you see a white hairted kid with ghost powers…Avoid him. Or dump salt on him. He's bad news." Especially if you're trying to rob a bank.

Hunter takes a long draft from his mug then sets it down to reach out for a handful of bar snacks nearby. "Don't think I've seen anyone like that but salt? Really? Don't think I could lug around enuff but a few salt packet from Maccas would work in a pinch."

Bruce chuckles. "Yeah well it didn't take much to keep 'im down. He kind of blasted a hole in the back bar, the little bastard." The bartender rolls her eyes at the story. Apparently she remembers this all too well. "But salt's something I can deal with real easy." He reaches across the bar and grabs a salt shaker used for margaritas. He dumps out the salt and points at it, causing it to change its shape into that of a tiny Kangaroo. The bartender grabs the empty dispenser and yells something unfriendly at Bruce about how he shouldn't waste salt.

Hunter blinks several times as he watches what is happening on the bar. "Now that's a neat trick." Curiously he reaches out with the tip of a finger to poke at the salt 'roo. "Never seen anythin like this. Can you do that with anythin?" He thinks about showing Bruce something that he is capable of but it probably wouldn't go over well given the lack of control he has on his abilities.

Bruce waves a hand at the bartender. "Ah give it a rest Lil. I'll pick up some more later on. Now be a peach and get me another vodka, eh?" She really doesn't look too happy, but eventually she laughs and gets him another drink. Bruce turns back to Hunter, "Yeah and no. Mostly I use sand. Has to be a mineral part of a certain size methinks. Just found out I could use salt about a year back." If Hunter touches the Roo he'll find it's quite hard right now. Bruce has condensed it to maximum hardness.

"Not a lotta sand round but I bet gravel would be interesting," Hunter comments as he taps at the little salt figure again finding it more solid than he thought possible. He swivels about to lean up against the edge of the bar. "Hmm..don't think yer Lil will like if I mess anythin up but one good trick deserves another." He reaches out toward Bruce's moving salt and pushes some of the salt particles back an inch or two.

Bruce laughs "Oh no, just don't destroy anything and she'll be fine." Bruce does notice the salt moving back. Not only does he see it, but he feels it as well. Lil comes to pick up the little Kangaroo and looks at it. She shrugs and sits it on the liquor shelf next to about a dozen or so other little salt figurines. Apparently this is his fun bar trick. Bruce rolls up the remaining sand into a ball and lets it sit on the counter. "Well I felt ya move it. Can you only do that with particles? Or anything?

Hunter notices the salt figure collection nearby and finds himself snickering. "Well, yeah its pretty much everythin around," he shrugs as if what he can do isn't as interesting as what you can do. "Buncha trouble it is. I can't control it all that well. Spend most of my time just tryin not t'break everythin."

Bruce nods and plays with his little salt sphere. "Well I can see how your power could be useful, but I also see how it could be trouble. Just be careful who you show it to around here." He takes a drink of his second beverage. "Some of the folk around here don't approve of mutants all that much." He sighs, "And it'll probably be a little while before we can rid ourselves of that type."

"People out in the city you mean? Didn't think there'd be much of an issue here. Least, that's what I'd hoped for. Its rough walkin around a buncha people I gotta make sure I don't accidentally flatten into a flapjack," he says as he turns back around to finish off the rest of his drink. "Tho I appreciate the advice."

Bruce continues to play with the little mound of salt. "Oh? Well most people in the city aren't out to hurt anyone. There are some extrem anti-mutant factions out there. They cause a bit of trouble every now & again. Wish someone'd just go get rid of all of em, but whatever." He shrugs. "I'll point them out to ya, you can go flatten them for me, k?"

Hunter laughs heartily and can imagine how well that would go over. "Sure thing mate. As long as they play nice and not tase me we're gold." He turns toward Lil and asks for another round for them both and offers to pay this go. "Course, with the news bein what they are I'm sure they'd turn it into somethin like, crazed aussies take out innocent guys minding their own business."

Bruce shrugs and finishes off his second drink so he can start his third. "Yeah well I wouldn't be surprised with the way they report the news in this town. Though I'd rather be branded a villain than let them come back and shoot up more of our people." He receives his drink and transfers his straw to start on this one. "Mutant lives are worth more than a couple murderous mundanes."

Hunter turns around on the stool putting his back up against the bar. "I hear ya. I've never been one t'stand about when things go South. Course, things are always gonna be looked at different like dependin on who's doin the lookin." Hunter catches the time off the watch of the guy sitting on his other side. "Say, thanks for showing me how t'get here, and for the drinks. I got t'be headin out. Hope t'see ya again, Bruce."

Bruce nods in agreement with the other's words. "Yeah, know how that goes all too well." He finishes off his third drink rather quickly and offers a wave to the other man. "Right-o. Well I'm here often enough workin or drinkin. Stop by some time." He looks like he's about to say something but another mutant comes over and starts talking to him, so he just offers another wave before turning back to the bar.

Hunter leaves a tip on the bar for Lil and pats Bruce lightly on the shoulder as he walks past tossing a, "Later." He pushes open the door and offers a nod to the mutants hanging out in front of the bar. "G'day." He walks on thinking about what Bruce has said about the goings on and considers looking into things more as he heads back through the park towards his apartment.

~ Fin ~

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