11808/Mutant Town Meetings

Mutant Town Meetings
Date of Scene:	21 July 2020
Location:	Bushwick (Mutant Town), Brooklyn
Synopsis:	Tandy Bowen & Piotr Rasputin share information and food. Piotr warns about staring into the abyss.
Cast of Characters:	Colossus, Dagger

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Colossus has posed:
    It is a slow morning, a little later in the day. The pickup is a red Ford, on the nice side but not tremendously large or overpriced. It is nce enough to be used, but not so nice to not be used as a pickup. Which is convenient, as Piotr Rasputin needed his pickup today. Boxes of supplies, the basics, are loaded in the back.Rather, they were, but Piotr has been patiently unloading the truck for a half an hour. He puts the last box on the sidewalk and works the latch on the truck bed, settling the tailgate up and then working the hinged bed cover to secure it as well
    No one is helping Piotr unload th truck, but he does not really seem to need the assistance. He is wearing a red polo shirt and a pair of khaki pants with heavy black boots. As he leans down to pickup the last box of blankets his left hand ushes his short cropped black hair away from his eyes. He grunts, "Should have brought one of the kids. Might be good to be reminded how lucky we have it." The reason why he did not bring the kids is because Piotr is also working. His binder is a little sloppy, largely because he's been working his way. He likes newspaper articles and photos; things he can touch. Held together by staples and paperclips, the folder labeled 'Becki Jamison' is about a young mutant girl, about 16, who went missing. Her powers? She could make pleasant or unpleasant odors at will. She was also a couple of different shades of pink. She's been missing for 4 days. He wants to do a canvas of these blocks. Maybe something has turned up. He picks up the box and attempts to tuck the folder under his chin. Instead it slides forwards and lands on the ground. Piotr growls something less-than-wholesome in Russian.

Dagger has posed:
Ephesians 5:11 'Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.'

This city is sick, drowning in the poison that runs through the veins of the concrete jungle. While the Avengers and the Fantastic Four and the Justice League do their part to take down criminal super powers in their capes and tights, there are those who have stuck to the shadows, the alleys and the churches to 'defend' those who go slipping through the cracks, to protect the uncared about.

The large Russian is being watched from behind a stained glass window at the top of the church across the street. A church that has been long forgotten about. The team of Cloak and Dagger has been staying in Mutant Town for a few weeks, tracking down those who wish to hurt the innocent, both human and mutant alike. Perhaps Piotr can see the flicker of light up above within the dark church, moments before the side door opens up to reveal the blonde hair, blue eyed young woman.

Dressed in a pair of slim jeans and a baggy over sized sweatshirt, she makes her way over to him, then leans down to pick up the folder. As she rises upwards, she holds it out to him, while glancing down towards the name of the girl. "You are looking for Becki Jamison?"

Colossus has posed:
    Having grown up in the X-Mansion with the likes Betsy, Jena, and Alison, Piotr is not often taken aback by a pretty face, especially when it is a surprise. Piotr tilts his head to the side. "I am. Have you seen her? Her parents very worried about her. She had an incident at school, some words were said and that was the last anyone saw her."

    Piotr adjusts the blankets to one hip, his big arm mostly wrapped about the width of the box as he does so.  His brows are serious. "If you have any knowledge, I would appreciate it." He wipes his right hand off on his khakis and offers it to Tandy. "Piotr Rasputin. I amâ?¦" His lips quirk  little bit. "An educator and a mutant rights activist. If you need some character references?" His gaze indicates the shelter he is restocking. "I hope many inside will vouch for me."

Dagger has posed:
As she looks over the paperwork in her hands, Tandy's eyes narrow some, then gives a lick of her lips. "Peter Rasputin, huh? Do you know a Kurt Wagner?" She asks as she turns the paper over. She brushes some hair back behind her ear, tucking it away to the side before she hands it back to him. "I have some friends who work at a school nearby."

She gives a slight glance up towards the church, where the slighest motion of shadow can be seen lurking from above. Her eyes narrow for a moment, then lightly clears her throat. "My name is Tandy Bowen. I can help you find her, but it won't be until tonight. How is your emotional fortitude, Mister Rasputin?"

"I only ask this, because what you may see will be upsetting. The people that have taken her and several others, we have been tracking them and have found their base of operations. They are taking mutant children to sell overseas to a buyer who is experimenting on them. Every few days a boat comes where they load them on shipping containers."

Colossus has posed:
    "Kurt Wagner and I are well known to each other. He and I have been the closest of comrades since the day I left my farm in Russia many years ago." Piotr was quietly. "We work together, as well." He doesn't identify the elf any further, not at all certain how much Tandy knows about his friend. "I am not sure the school I work at is nearby. It is out of the city." Again details are limited. He supplies the information in a quiet, sedate tone.
    "If the situation is dire, I am quite capable of solving it myself." Piotr says this is a lower, slightly darker tone. "I tend to gather attention and if they can stop me, you had little chance of success on your own." Piotr lifts his left hand as if to forestall any rebuttal. "I mean no offense." As to his emotional fortitude, Piotr is more quiet. "I am Russian, and I have been doing what I do since I was a teenager." Piotr's voice is quiet and reserved. "There is little that can shock me when it comes to the unkindness we visit on each other."

Dagger has posed:
"So you're an X-Man?" Tandy is anything but shy or subtle when it comes to the bush and beating it. "You can call me Dagger if you want. My partner, Cloak, he is watching us from the church tucked away in the shadows. He and I have been working this mutant trafficking ring for months and we've taken down several gangs who are employed by a woman that is simply called The Madame. We just know that they are going overseas to Singapore, where obviously laws about how they treat mutant are flimsy at best.

"You can't solve this by yourself. The last time we partnered with the X-Men, we barely made it out. They have heavy hitters on their side as well, it's why Cloak and I try to operate in secret. We hunt from the shadows. While I do enjoy my time with your family as comrades, subtly is not really your strong suit."

"But I admire your passion and confidence Mister Rasputin. You'll need it, because seeing children locked in cages and sedated tends to set me off. And, when I get set off.." Her hands flare up into a pair of brightly glowing daggers. "People tend to burn."

Colossus has posed:
    "Very well." Piotr says quietly. He's not so stubborn or pig-headed as to insist. Still, he seems confident. "Passion is admirable." Considering her, Piotr's gaze flicks to where she indicated then back at her. "Will we require additional assistance?" Piotr asks this nonplussed. He wasn't at the last altercation, and he seems to feel that his presence is a game-changer.
    "So you seek to remove them more subtly? That is not exactly my strong suit, I admit."

    "How much help do you need and where should we meet up? Can you give me a location? I have a few friends who are very capable with computers who might help with intelligence gathering, particularly for entry." He keeps it casual, still using general terms, as a part of him is looking for the fishhook concealed in this bait. 

Dagger has posed:
"We can meet here. I've worked with Psylocke before I like her, a lot. Cannonball is loud and noisy. He is good for creating a distraction. Cloak is a teleporter. So getting into the building won't be difficult. It's an old warehouse near the docks. This time they are keeping the children underground as opposed on the main floor. We have been watching for a few days. We don't like it, but unless we know the ins and outs, we would create more of a risk. They have these two .. things with them. Cyborgs I think? They can nullify powers which is how they control the children so easily."

Tandy lets out a long sigh as she runs a hadn back through her hair again, removing the long bangs from her face. "Our goal is to go /into/ the warehouse from the outside. The gang that is kidnapping the kids aren't that big of a deal. They're just normal thugs. Cloak eats them for lunch easily. It's just the two Bobs is what worries me. I don't know what they are. I just call them Bob. They wear suits. They look human, until you remove one of their limbs. Then it's all spark plugs and wires. The Punisher partnered with us once and shot a leg off. The Bob didn't even flinch."

Taking a pen from him, she scribbles the address of the warehouse down on the back of one of the papers in the folder, then circles it. "Do not make a move on this without us, okay? We've put our heart and soul into this. This is /our/ mission. Our life's work." There is emotion in the back of her throat as she says this. "The type of people that made Cloak and I into what we are today are the same types that hurt these kids. So it's personal. On a biblical level."

Colossus has posed:
    "You have done a lot of work, and you are saying a lot of names of people I respect, trust, and care about. I imagine I can handle â?¦ Bob." The way he says the name is cold, dispassionate, and vaguely menacing. "Perhaps both. Still, best to have many hands here. Many hostages means many chances to stop us by endangering them. Da. We will help. I will delay. I am not here to break hearts or interfere with your mission. I want to help. These children are scared and alone. They were stolen from those that love them. We will return where they belong, unhurt and unspoiled."Piotr declares it quietly. "This." He very precisely scrawls out a phone number. "This is me." He says it simply. "This is also a sign of trust, da?" He lifts his brows. 

Dagger has posed:
"Da." Tandy says as she takes the number, tucking it into her pocket. "I mean, yes. Same with you. Cloak and I are not out there like that, and the X-Men are the only allies that we have. We aren't really good at playing with a team. We just .. we work in the shadows because it's safer." She chews the inside of her cheek some, then says, "It's nice to meet you. I can tell that this is important for you." She gives a glance about the street, then takes out one of the fliers for Becki and folds it in half, tucking it into her pocket.

"After tonight, those who took the children will be scared, more scared than they ever have been. They will know true fear and for the rest of their lives, scream at every shadow they see." She folds her arms over her chest, letting out an angry noise in her throat. "Do you like chili dogs? I could go for one."

Colossus has posed:
    "I do not dea lin fear. They will face justice for what they did, and if we must, we will learn from them what we can about who is paying them. That is the way to fight this. These are crimes of economics. If we make it too expensive to continue, they will stop. Scaring the foot soldier will not make these crimes stop. Another one of those can always be purchased. Strike at the leadership and understand their motivations. That is how you affect change." Piotr gives her a nod. "Scare the leaders if you must, but fear is imprecise. It can lead to either a fight or a flight. Strike the walletâ?¦" Piotr's shoulders move in a slow shrug.
    The offer of a chili dog makes him pause. "Could be good. But you are too skinny. Eat two. Or there is a diner. Get a plate with vegetables on it as well. Grow up big and strong. The body is a temple, do not put garbage in the temple. Particularly before a hard fight. I will buy you food if you promise to eat your vegetables." Piotr tilts a brow and is quite serious. "Will feed your partner as well. Is a small thing. A good meal before a fight helps performance."

Dagger has posed:
"I am not skinny. You're just bulky." Tandy says with a snort towards him, squinting her eyes. "My partner also doesn't eat food. He eats light. My light, and the light of the evil." She says as she furrows her brows, then gives him a bit of a nudge on the side. "I eat just fine. I'm not telling you how many muscle milk shakes you should be knocking back." She gives him another nudge, then another. ".. Geezus, you're thick." She pokes the side of his arm, then looks up at him with her brows raised.

"Maybe you need to go on a diet so you can fit through doors." Her grin is wily as she strides off. "C'mon, Rasputin, let me introduce you to the greatest chili dog street vendor in Mutant Town. I have no clue what his mutant power is, but I'm assuming it has something to do with food because he's amazing."

Colossus has posed:
    The big Russian softly scoffs. As she starts to poke at him, at about the third poke he flexes. "Eat good, exercise well, and you too might become fit." Piotr teases back. "And I fit through most doors just fine. Some are too short." Piotr admits this fact with a rueful nod. He takes only a moment to deliver that last box of blankets before treating Miss Bowen to her chilli dog. The bit about her partner eating light out of people is distressing, but he keeps that to himself for now. 

Dagger has posed:
Rolling her eyes upwards, Tandy walks along the sidewalk with him. "I /am/ fit. I bet I can run through this city faster than you. I am sleek and agile. You're just a huge bear. Big Russian bear. What's your super power anyways?" She asks as she continues down the sidewalk, sliding her hands into her front pockets. "I'm gonna assume you're like James. A strong guy? You can lift a bus and chuck it into the sun or something?" As they walk, her eyes track the street and alleys carefully, giving a pause for a moment as she stares down one particular alley before moving forward again. She looks a bit tense for a moment.

Colossus has posed:
    "James?" Piotr considers. "Native American? Angry a lot?" Piotr asks. "And I am sure that you can run faster and fit through tighter places. I do not need to fit.  He chuckles at her. "And Da. I am large Russian bear. Very cuddly. That is it." The big man is amused at that and gives head a little shake. "Nyet. I think that a bus into the sun might be a slight exaggeration. Merely into orbit. Perhaps lunar orbit with a few steps of running to get a little more oomph. I am Colossus. I am living metal and quite difficult to hurt."" He gestures as he speaks giving a little side armed throwing motion..

    A few feet past the far side of the alley he quietly asks. "What is the problem with the alley? Shortcut to your chilli dogs?" He glances over his shoulder. "Your partner is not going to be upset with us walking to get something to eat?" 

Dagger has posed:
"Yes, that is him. He's been really nice to Cloak and I. He installed a hot water tank in our church where we live. Since, we are technically homeless, which is probably why you think I'm skinny. We are runaways. Running away from our problems, our past, or pain. We were both kidnapped from the street and experiemented on with synthetic heroin. It's why we have these powers now. Powers that is killing us. He and Kurt has been helping take care of us, bringing us food and supplies. We never asked them to, but it's nice that .. someone cares about us." Tandy says as she goes off on a bit of a tangent, glancing off to the side. For someone who says they don't work with teams well, she seems to long for one.

"You are living metal? You can show me later in the church, mister cuddly Russian bear." She tries to soften her voice again, pull her emotions out of her holy war. It's hard at times, the tug of war that she has with herself. "Don't worry about the alley. It's nothing. A week back I rescued a woman there who was almost .." She pauses and gives a shake of her head. "Just some men are evil. I don't know if I'll ever forget her screams.. or his."

Colossus has posed:
    That is pretty damn dark. Even Piotr's stoic Russian mein softens a little. "We have very smart friends who are very good at solving horrible issues in genetics that threaten lives. If your issues can be solved, we can solve them. In the meantime, if using your powers will kill you, why continue beyond what is strictly needed? Continue to run intelligence and surveillance and turn results over to others. Ourselves. The Titans? There is no shame in being smart and minimizing risk. Let others who are in a better situation shoulder more of the load. It is a team effort, and many hands makes short work." Piotr lifts his left hand. "Just think about it, da?"

    Piotr shakes his head. "Be careful, Tandy. If you stare into the abyss long enough, it will stare back at you. Also, those who fight monsters should be careful lest they become monsters themselves. Philosopher who wrote that second one was not a nice man, but there is a great deal of truth to it. Just think, that is all, da?"

Dagger has posed:
"I have to use my powers. My light powers. Otherwise they will burn me up from the inside. I have to constantly discharge them. Cloak, he lives on my light. Without my light, he will become a monster, devouring anyone around him within his darkness. My powers keep him in check and his powers cool me down. We're bonded together for the rest of our lives." Tandy says as she presses her lips together. "He's my best friend, my partner. It's why we have gone into this mission together. To rid the streets of those who wish to poison this city and it's children with their drugs and sins. We consider our powers to be given to us by fate."

Giving a shake of her head, she lets out a laugh. "Oh, Peter, if only it was that simple. Sometimes to defeat monsters, you have to become one. The police, government .. those paid to protect these children are just as guilty and turn a blind eye. Some even take a cut. These monsters need to be treated with anger and force, or else they'll continue to eat at the soul of this city."

She marches forward a bit quicker on the sidewalk, eyes narrowed. "There's the chili dogs." She points out, trying to ease up a bit. "I'll eat two, just for you, okay?"

Colossus has posed:
    "It is all well and good until one morning you do not know whose face is staring at you from the mirror." Piotr says patiently. "But I am not going to argue. You heard me. I will stop. Later, I think, you will be in better place to listen to your heart." Piotr says it gently and with a patience that might be borderline infuriating. His tone remains gentle and encouraging. His voice is deep and his cadence is slow and thoughtful, as if Piotr stops to think before he opens his mouth. "Eat three if they are that good." Piotr says quietly. "What else do you need in your headquarters? You have power and water."

    He slides his wallet out of his pocket and pulls a twenty out to cover lunch. "Splurge. Have a soda?" He adds, in a reconciliatory tone, "They do smell good."

Dagger has posed:
"I'll start with two." Tandy says as she loosens up, pausing before the vendor. "You don't gotta pay. I can pay for myself. You and your friends are always paying for me." She says with a soft sigh in her throat as she reaches into her pocket to pull out a number of crumpled bills. "And I don't like soda. It ruins your teeth." She says with a grin to him. "I like water. It's healthy. How are you going to give me lip about bulking up and then you tell me to drink a soda? Not all of us are blessed with macho genes that make us look like a body builder."

She nudges his money to the side, handing over the bills to the vendor who glances back and forth between them in a confused manner. "They smell amazing because Walter is amazing. Aren't you?"

Walter just laughs and rolls his eyes. "If you say so, Tandy. They're just hot dogs."

"Magical hot dogs."

"Okay, yes, I make them with /magic/." He says with exasperation in his voice as he hands over four of them.

Colossus has posed:
    "I insist. If pride forbids, call it a date." Piotr says simply. He gives Walter a nod and then interferes with the change of money with a steady, calm hand. "If not that, then big russian man insists." The presses the twenty to Walter. "Keep the change." Not that there will be a ton of that in New York. Still, Piotr is quietly insistent. "Is price you pay for dealing with me. A full belly is a good price to pay, if you ask me."
    Piotr steps aside and starts to unwrap one of the dogs. "Now. You see, soda was because you are too skinny. My mother would shake a wooden spoon at me if I showed up with you." He pauses and considers things. How long has it been since he was home? Too long. His lips lose their soft smile and settle back into his more stoic expression. "But then, my mother is a hardworking farmer's wife. She likes to say she gave birth to me while driving one of the tractors." His smile returns, but only for a wistful second. "I could bring hom Wonder Woman and she would call her too skinny."

Dagger has posed:
"I don't think anyone would dare call Wonder Woman skinny. She is beautiful, strong, incredible. I would love to meet her one day. I had a poster of her on my wall as a kid." Tandy says with a snort as her money is nudged to the side. She and Walter trade looks and she finally shrugs, tucking it into her pocket. "A date? You're making this a date? Am I even your type? I'm too /skinny/." She says with a snort.

Unwrapping her dog, she sprinkles some onions on top as well as a bit of mustard and takes a bite. "Maybe your mom expects you to bring home a guy if she wants you dating some buff, chunky person." She says with a scoff around the dog, chewing, then swallowing. She does eat hungrily though. Perhaps there is some truth to this words, that she doesn't really eat well, or much at all.

Colossus has posed:
    "My mama would be very disappointed if i were gay." Piotr says with a soft shake of his head. "My brother was a cosmonaut. He flew off into space and never came home. My sister? My sister will not have children." ALthough Piotr would never think it, that might be a blessing. "She wants to be a grandmother. Might be the only way she ever gets papa off the farm." He wrinkles his nose. "Is not something I am adverse to, but I thought I found the right girl. SHe was like you. Short. Tiny. Skinny. Fearless. We were too young. She was too smart. Now? Now I worry she is not the girl she was." He settles hi blue eyes on Tandy. "Too long staring at the abyss." He says simply.

    "So, nyet. You are more less the type of girl I have brought home to momma." He considers and his shoulders move in a tiny shrug. "So perhaps I should work on that. Do you think Gina Carano likes mutant men?" His eyes twinkle.

Dagger has posed:
"I'm sure Gina Carano eats mutant men. She's a machine. I would be terrified of her." Tandy says as she takes a bite of the dog, sighing happily once she swallows down a bit more. "I used to date a guy who was older than me in high school. He was a real jerk. I come from a rich family. Mother is an actress. My dad a traveler and haven't seen him in years. I dated the kind of men my mother would. Jerks. Shallow. I haven't dated anyone since. At least not seriously."

Giving a shrug of her shoulders, she looks about the street again, listening to the song of the city in the form of loud honking and crowds mingling. "Now I'm so focused on the mission that I haven't had a chance to give men much attention." She glances up at him. "At least not large bears."

Colossus has posed:
    "Never date a bear. Baggage. Lazy. They sleep the whole winter." He takes a large bite. He lifts his brows and nods, giving a sound of approval. After chewing and swallowing, he continues. "They are good. But you are bonded with this other one. Your friend. Is there even room? Would he object? You make it sound like you are all but married. He feeds off you like child from mother. You are a pair." That is a mixed metaphor that hopefully no one reads too much into.

    Piotr continues, gesturing with his chilli dog as he speaks. "Besides, with your mission? You are right. You have no time. That is the problem with crusades and missions. They require focus, and my papa always said you should work to live, and not live to work." Piotr pauses, then shakes his head. "You thought lunch was free? You are forced to listen to suspect advice." He gives a soft chuckle at that.

Dagger has posed:
"No, we are not married. He is my best friend. I'm not his mother and he is not a child. We are our own person. He's protective of me and I am protective of him. Partners should look after each other, take care of one another. But that doesn't mean I'm anchored to him."

Tandy stares off down the street for a moment before she looks back to him. She lifts her chin upwards, giving him a smile, followed by a light poke in the bicep again. "Bears are cute and are probably warm to sleep next to." She gives a lick of her lips to toy a bit of mustard away. She takes in a deep breath, then lets it out slowly. "But your advice is good advice. It's advice I've been hearing from Kurt, Sam .. James. Our mission is important, but it's not .. " She struggles to form a word, waving her hand in the air. "It's not .. everything.. like you said.. the abyss. I just want... I want to be okay again."

Colossus has posed:
    "It is okay to want things. Aspirations and goals are how we better ourselves." Piotr agrees. He flicks his gaze at his phone, does some mental math and does it again. "I have promises to keep." Slowly he squares his shoulders as if picking up some burdens. "I will see you soon. We have mission to accomplish."

    Piotr lifts his left hand and he has his index finger extended. "After that mission, make your next mission figuring out what you really want. Then, see if that is something you can achieve. The hard part is what comes after those two steps. The hard part, Tandy, is living with your choices and decisions. Be careful. Get some rest and be ready when it is time to show up, da?" His lips quirk. "I will eat these on the way. Spasiba, Tandy-- Thank you." He explains in case she doesn't know much Russian.

Dagger has posed:
Nodding her head, Tandy says, "This was a great first date, Peter. I'll make sure our second one will be more fun." Her lips curve up into a bit of a grin as she starts to unwrap the second hot dog. "Spasiba." She calls out to him as she watches him go.

With a glance towards another alley, she can see a shift in shadow, followed by the gleam of yellow eyes. With a slow breath, she starts into it, shadows wrapping about her as she fades out of view.

It's time for a talk.