12321/Mutant Squatters

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Mutant Squatters
Date of Scene: 10 October 2020
Location: Bryant Park, Midtown
Synopsis: Mutant squatters are attacked by thugs. They receive unexpected help from some heroes.
Cast of Characters: Pixie, Winter Soldier, Warpath, Nightingale
Tinyplot: Mutant Cure


Pixie has posed:
It's early evening and not a good time to be out and about in a particularly poor part of town. This particular area on the edge of the park sports a shabby little hotel, known for a past termite and rat infestation or two in the past, frequent floods and illicit activity. Really, they once called it the 'Savory Lodge' but after it shut down, it became better known as the 'Unsavory Lodge' for frequent crime.

It is also home to a number of homeless mutants, mostly poor people with nowhere else to go, their obvious mutations making them hated and feared by most people.

Which is probably why tonight, a group of mutant hating punks start yelling and throwing rotten eggs and rocks at a group of young mutant kids, barring them from entering the dilapidated hotel.

Megan is also here for a stroll in the park, although she has learned to keep a low profile these days, wings flattened and hidden under her neon pink Jean jacket, under which she wears a bright green shirt , hands stuffed in the pockets of her studded black jeans and tries not to catch their attention as she bears the area. "Oh no oh no...Should I just sneak by or...Or..?" she mulls a bit as she watches. They outnumber her 8 to 1..Oh, and they're sporting weapons too, by the looks of it!

Winter Soldier has posed:
    It's not a good part of town to be walking in, but it's also right next to a park that a certain someone likes to walk in, and that means that, being a responsible dog owner, Bucky makes sure she gets to walk there a few times a week. Granted, he likes to randomise the places he walks Lilly, but she likes the park, so... that's that. After concluding some essential business, and ensuring that the native squirrel population is still well and truly in check, they begin to amble back. Taking a slight detour. Because of either karmic fate or the Winter Soldier's very good hearing, this detour takes them towards the thugs bullying children.

    Children! A deep breath, and next to him Lilly stops. She knows that mood her human is in. It's the kind of mood she can't really dissuade him from, so she sits obediently waiting for the command to...

    "Lilly, be a good girl, stay here."

    There it is!

    By the time he's emerging from the deeper shadows, James Buchanan Barnes isn't approaching, he's striding. Children! They're picking on children!

Warpath has posed:
     Jimmy and Shannon are on foot currently. A truck not far behind. There were rumors about this and Jimmy decided to have a look. Since Shannon is needing a little uplifting...yeah uplifting, sure....he drags her along on what will likely be a recon mission.

     The scene that greets his eyes causes him to pause,"Hell no." the deep, grumbling voice rumbles as he sees the children being picked at. It doesn't take much for Jimmy to become Warpath, really not much for masks anyway, but there is a decided difference in his presence in the world when he settles into business.

Nightingale has posed:
     It might be the better part of wisdom for Shannon to hide her wings in this part of town. About the best she does is to keep them tucked in tightly against her back this time, not too terribly keen on making a target out of herself. However, it seems that for the thugs, the target's already been chosen. A black scowl furrows the normally cheerful, unflappable young woman's features.

     "Oh, hell no!" Really, one is left to wonder in this moment if she is somehow actually related to Warpath, as they utter the same oath at the same time. It just takes one look at him and she nods once, fitting a Bluetooth earpiece into her ear and winging her way into the air. She's in her dark blue jeans, comfortable black boots, and a wine-red turtleneck against the autumn chill. In her right hand this time, there is a collapsible metal staff. No way was she going into this completely unarmed.

     "Nightingale to Warpath. Flying high, eyes in the sky."

     Time to go to work.

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn glances around, relieved to see she's not alone and she grins sheepishly to Bucky and the two Xmen. "Heey guys! Nice timing! How's about we teach them a lesson?" feeling empowered, she summons her soul dagger, burning bright pink in the darkness and takes a step towards one of the goons. "Mists of Morpheus go!" she yells, hands glowing with pink energy. One goon drops to the ground, apparently falling asleep as he starts to snore.

The others spin around and glare at the pink haired girl. "Brats! mind yer own business!" they snarl and start to charge the would be saviours, brandishing clubs, knives, metal pipes..Ooh and a gun or two. One sees the flying angel winged mutant and snarls, starting to fire off rounds at her.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Feels like I should have been here five minutes ago." Bucky retorts with half a wry grin, kneeling down for a moment to pick up a rock. They want to throw rocks huh? Fine then.

    "This is my business!" and the rock is launched at the one with the loudest mouth, a full on, full power, flat trajectory projectile that is aimed for the man's shoulder. As long as they're just threatening with bits of wood and sharp metal, he's not going to...

    By the time the more enterprising thugs have finished drawing their firearms, the Soldier's arm is starting to come up with his own, kneeling as he takes aim, sending a round into the knee of the one letting loose in the middle of the city.

    "Federal Agent! Drop your weapons, now!"

Warpath has posed:
     Touching his ear as well, Jimmy's com lights,"Watch out for the bullets. Keep an eye out for more of them and find a position for us to withdraw to if needed." Jimmy instructs Shannon. His attention draws towards The Winter Soldier and he smirks,"Like deja vu all over again." he mutters and goes towards where Pixie is, diving towards the nearest shooter. There is an advantage to thick skin. So far his hands remain free of weapons...so far.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Ballocks!" With her wings beating the air frantically, Shannon climbs higher and higher into the sky, banking just out of the way of stray rounds heading in her direction. One gets a little bit close, nicking one flight feather--but thankfully missing anything vital. One lone feather flutters to the ground amidst the fray, but is thankfully not accompanied by blood.

     She continues to circle above the battle zone, keeping a watch on the action below. There -had- to be a way to get those kids out of there, or at least under some measure of cover! She did -not- want to be having to heal a child tonight!

Pixie has posed:
One of the goons stares bewildered at Bucky, and is met by a very powerful, well-placed shot by a professional soldier. Okaaay, he wasn't expecting that. The thug yelps, staggering off balance as he clutches that injured shoulder, which is enough to make him loosen his grip on his lead pipe. "Damn you!" he snarls, rushing at Bucky, waving his metal pipe blindly at him.

Another joins in, shooting at him from afar, but he is met by a well placed bullet in the knee and he screeches in pain, crumpling to the ground, while a third thug continues to shoot at Shannon in the sky above. Well at least she seems too fast for his aim and he swears under us breath. "Damn muties!"

Another is caught off-guard as his bullet practically bounces off of Warpath, and suddenly he's tackled to the ground and the breath is taken out of him. Still he attempts to stab at Warpath with his knife, probably a futile effort.

Megan meanwhile, is already rushing towards a thug carrying a baseball bat, bringing up her dagger to briefly solidify, long enough to actually block the attack before she stabs the dagger into his gut. He screeches in pain, staggering back and too his knees as he clutches his head in pain.

"Federal agent? Hah! You're outnumbered an if you're with the muties, who's gonna believe you?" snarls one of the thugs. Well, at least they're leaving the mutant kids alone, but they're so shocked, they're crying and huddled in a corner, one or two of them injured and bleeding from the thrown rocks.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Hmm. Usually shouting 'Federal Agent' is enough to make the merely criminal run away. So when one actually takes the time to scoff at the concept of the law demanding they stand down, Bucky knows it's going to be getting ugly. The final shot of the one he takes down hits him square in the left arm, flattens and falls to the ground like a smoking disc. "I liked this jacket!" A bullet proof federal agent? How many of those are around? Honestly, he'd return fire at the one that shot him, but that one seems to be well and truly out of the fight. This leaves him with no option but to stand and fire a shot at the shoulder of the last one still shooting at Shannon, while keeping an eye on the one rushing him with a metal pipe.

    Cute.

    "I do show up in the most unexpected places." the Other James concurs with James the Warpath, and meets the swing of the metal pipe with his gloved left hand, catching the weapon and just holding it. In a grip that is strong enough to lift a car. Meanwhile he's still scanning for targets, giving the pipe wielding thug less than a quarter of his attention.

    Just not worth his personal time, it seems. Not worth the effort.

    Beneath him.

    And he's making that very clear by just holding onto the pipe. "At this point, you may all consider yourselves to be under arrest for various charges. You have the right to remain silent..."

Warpath has posed:
     When Warpath hits the ground with the bigot, he drops an elbow right into his face, shattering the nose and cheek bone. A swat of his hand sends the knife flying,"I look like a kid to you asshole?" he practically spits into the man's face.

     Standing again, the massive mutant takes a handful of the fallen man's shirt and picks him up from the ground. The one taking aim at Shannon gets a visitor in the form of a thrown thug, head first into the shooter's face. His attention move to James the Soldier,"We have to stop meeting like this." he muses. Another thug gets closer and Warpath palms the man's face like a basketball and picks him up off the ground to dangle,"We get through this I think we're over due for a beer."

Nightingale has posed:
     As she was uncertain if any shooters yet remained, Shannon tapped her earpiece. "Warpath, any gunmen still left down there from your POV? I'm not seeing any from up here." Pausing, she scans the ground again and chuckles. "My regards to our ally, and tell him he needs to work on his free throws, hmm?"

     Oh hell no. She didn't just go there!

     Circling a little bit lower, she frowns, hovering over the injured children--just within sight, but not close enough to frighten them. Let them make of her presence what they would--a guardian angel, maybe? Or just someone a little bit like them?

Pixie has posed:
It seems that the thugs - who are clearly drunk or stupid for not heeding Winter Soldier's warning - are at terribly outmatched by the well trained heroes. Those that are not immediately incapacitated in one way or the other struggle to climb to their feet and flee as far away as possible..Except one that is about to aim his gun at Shannon.

"I don't think so! Dihal Novarum Chinoth!" and in a whirl of pink energy, she teleports him into the nearby river. have fun with that. "Negative, Shannon! All clear down here! Let's get those kids treated before these thugs wake up!" she talks into her earpiece, glancing around. "Hii James and James! How's it shaking?" she grins sheepishly, as she surveys the scene.

Looks like the immediate threat is over although the group of four kids, three of them with reptilian skin and features, a fourth with fishlike scales and features continue to cower and cry in a corner, two of them covered in blood. Looks like they got hit pretty badly by those rocks.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "... anything you say can be used against you in a court of law." Bucky continues the Miranda speech, squeezing the metal pipe and tossing it casually aside, towards the legs of a fleeing thug, after which he's free to pick up the thug that tried to brain him with the pipe. One handed, just like Warpath. It's... almost comedy, really. "And it will, because I have a long memory."

    A nod over to James, from James. "You name the bar, first round is on me. But it'll have to be tomorrow, because these goons are going to give me a lot of paperwork. More paperwork because they're still alive, unfortunately." Yeah. Let that sink in for a second, oh ye who would throw rocks at kids and shoot at angels. This is the Winter Soldier being restrained and reasonable!

    "Where was I?" he asks of the thug hanging from his arm, and then nods slowly. "Ah yes. You have the right to an attorney. In the case you cannot afford an attorney, which I doubt, an attorney will be assigned to you. The dumbest, laziest, most incompetent attorney I can find, I guarantee you that." And then he shakes the goon, to emphasise the next words. "Do you understand these rights, as I have described them to you? Do you?"

    Regardless of answer, he'll nod to Pixie with his patented Brooklyn smile. "Young lady. You picked one hell of a neighborhood to stroll around in. Do your parents know you're out this late?"

Warpath has posed:
     Looking back towards the one he dangles by one hand Warpath looks at the man and comments,"Less work if you're dead? You hear that. I'd suggest you get real quiet and contemplate the phrase silent as a tomb."

     He glances up towards Shannon and smirks,"Nightingale I know it's difficult, but do try to behave yourself." he replies through the coms. Once Bucky is free to cuff his charge he puts him down, otherwise he just hangs in the air.

     "Any injuries within the team?" he comments through the com. He can see Bucky is good. His attention moves to the children,"If not see if you two can calm the young ones. I have a tendency of being less than a calming influence to new people."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Shik'isn, that /was/ behaving myself," comes the reply from Shannon--this time with distinct laughter heard both over the comms, and as she lands on the ground nearby the children. Crouching down as she turns to face them, she presents as low and non-threatening a profile as she can, tucking her collapsible staff away in her pocket to show her empty hands.

     "Hey there," she calls out, keeping her voice soft and her tone, soothing. "It's okay, you're safe now. Will you allow us to help you? Please?" Pausing, she tilts her head and looks at them. "Do any of you have families we need to contact?"

Pixie has posed:
"Gaah!" the fleeing thug falls and trips from the tossed pipe, while the other dangles with a groan in Bucky's other hand. At least he's keeping his mouth shut, and simply nods wordlessly, "Do t hurt me! I surrender!" he manages to utter. Some of the remaining thugs still on the ground just groan in pain but don't bother to try and flee.

Megan's gaze sweeps over each of them a bit warily, but deciding they're not a further threat she rolls her eyes at Bucky, "Cmon, I'm not a kid anymore! Nice to see you too!" she makes a face but steps towards the cowering kids, keeping her distance as Shannon addresses them.

"Waaah, my mom and dad are away, looking for food.." whimpers one of the kids, hugging his sister, "We adopted the other two, they have no family.." Megan frowns, peering up at a relatively new sign nearby. "Oh no..This building is condemned..." she mutters, shaking her head.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Bucky winks at Megan, just had to get that barb in there, and then looks confused at the thug he's still lifting effortlessly from the ground. "Surrender? I think you're confused my friend, you don't need to surrender, this isn't a war." A slight emphasis on that last bit. Clearly, the Winter Soldier wouldn't have minded this to be a war. Less paperwork. "You've been arrested, and that'll do just fine."

    Okay, so maybe he's less than gentle when he drops the man on the ground. Well, drop... some assistance is given in the downwards plane to ensure a fully compliant horizontal positioning to facilitate an approved compliance technique followed by the use of approved improvised restraint devices.

    Yes, he's using zipties to cuff the thugs, one by one.

    Yes, he's using zipties to administer 'first aid' to the ones that have holes in them. Great emergency tourniquets, they are, those zipties.

    Upon which they get stacked like cordwood, neatly in a row, in a seemingly random order, but actually secretly arranged in order of descending assholery on the Bucky Barnes scale.

    But when he hears the kids, it's clear he wants to just start stacking them all in a heap, and then set fire to it. Fingers clench. Leather creaks.

    A whistle summons Lilly, who comes bounding into the scene with all the energy of an excited German Shepherd. She makes straight for the kids, all lolling tongue and wagging tail.

Warpath has posed:
     Jimmy looks towards the kids and watches Shannon and Megan work with the kids. The arrival of the dog will get a nod of approval. That will probably loosen up the kids a little bit. As fast as the Apache warrior rose, the teacher and guardian rises again.

     Looking towards Bucky he comments the name of a local pub,"I should be able to be there tomorrow around three." he offers,"I think I gave you my number when last we met. Call if you have trouble getting there."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon just smiles softly at the kids, reaching out to each one in turn if they will permit it. "Will you allow me to take care of those cuts for you?" Overall, they were minor injuries, and though she pauses to check over each one, nothing about her gifts told her that any of the injuries were serious.

     So she does what a Nightingale does, with a soft little hiss of pain on her end, as each of their cuts and bruises becomes her own. It might be a disconcerting sight for some, but she tries to smile through it. It's a fairly quick process, with each of the littles left visibly whole in the end. "I'll be okay, and so will you now." Too, Lilly's appearance sees to that, healing little spirits just as she took away their cuts with a touch.

     But she looks over at Warpath, Winter Soldier, and Pixie, her brows furrowing in concern. "Is there anything we can do to help these kids?" she asks, her voice sounding as if her heart is actually close to breaking, despite the smile she kept on for the little ones' sake.

Pixie has posed:
The thugs dont even bother struggling anymore. Bucky clearly has this under control and they would be fools to struggle further. Megan sighs, trying to think, "Hmm, wasn't there a new shelter opening up in mutant town? I'll make some calls, see what we can do. It's a shame really, but this run-down place isn't safe for them to live in anyway.."

The kids seem scared, but the sight of the angelic looking Shan gets a smile out of one of them, peering wide eyed at her. "Are you an Angel? Can I touch your wings?" another one nods wordlessly and orders Shannon her hands, watching in wonder as her own wounds are transferred to Shannon. And the other two kids giggle and run towards the dog. "Doggy!" they giggle, reaching out to pet her, which clearly relaxes them.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Wordlessly, Bucky has taken out his phone and is making a few calls. It's still a wonder to him how these things work without wires, or some kind of giant backpack transmitter, but this time he's making modern technology work for him, calling in for a few vans, an ambulance, and a unit to keep a quiet eye on the area from afar just to make sure no goons come back to make more trouble. Then, the hard bit.

    He kneels next to Lilly, trying hard not to look intimidating, but that's damned hard to do for someone like him. He smiles, as best he can, at the kids hugging Lilly, who in turn is using all her canine wiles to keep these little ones distracted and happy. Lilly is a wily dog.

    "Look, kids... ehmm... I'm going to have to go and put the bad people in jail. Could you... do me a huge favor, and look after my dog for me for a little while? I'll be back to collect her later, I hope that's okay."

    And he'll be back with a stack of food for these families as well, not to mention a small hillock of chocolate and candy for the kids to help them forget this trauma. Between that and Lilly, he hopes he can be of some small help.

    Lastly, he pulls a small card out of his pocket and offers it to one of the kids. "If there's any trouble around here, if anyone tries to hurt you, or if at any point you feel scared about anything, call this number, and I'll be there as soon as I can. I promise you that."

    And so it happens that the Winter Soldier, protector of all those bullied or oppressed, joins the struggle on the side of the Mutants.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon nods, smiling a bit at Pixie. "Andrea's organization. I'll send her a message soon as we get home." Her smile widens as she watches the interaction between Winter Soldier, the kids, and Lilly. The little one who had been fascinated by her wings, she gladly extends one in their direction so they can touch it and see that she's just as real as they are.

     "No, I'm not an angel. I'm a mutant."

     The littles that will allow her to do so, the winged teen hugs very gently, rocking them back and forth and humming a soft, wordless tune. She might not be a powerful protector, but that was not going to stop her from doing what she could.

Pixie has posed:
The kids are only too happy to take care of doggy and they eagerly wrap more arms around doggy, nodding happily albeit shyly to the scary strong but surprisingly gentle Winter Soldier. Megan nods and smiles,"Right, Andrea's place, I'll talk to her, looks like place is coming down real soon, like in the next few days." she smiles at Bucky too, "Wow that's really generous of you, I'll be sure to pick up some food too!"

Well, at least this story had a happy(ish) ending!