13297/It's Hip to Be Square

It's Hip to Be Square
Date of Scene:	16 May 2021
Location:	Joe's Bar, Kingsbridge, The Bronx
Synopsis:	At long last, Victor and Raven finally meet! She gives him a job, and not a good one at all..
Cast of Characters:	Mystique, Sabretooth

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Mystique has posed:
Joes.

It wasn't the best of places to buy out for three hours, but the owner took the money and ran with it. He already had a good portion of it spent, and all he really had to do was keep people out of the dive during these certain times where most of Raven's legends would have their meetings.

The Lady. The Diplomat. The Mob.

There were a few more underneath that belt but Raven took a break to relax as herself, blue, yellow and red, to have a drink and a bit of a quiet time. Besides, she was certain, that once the patterns were realized that one old flame would probably be stomping and clawing his way right to the doors of Joe's for free drinks and maybe, just maybe a good time.

Her perch was as such; right in the middle of the bar, a long array of brown liquor lined along the counter top, shot glass poured, sampled, bottle put aside for future purchases.

And if Raven did not like the flavor profile?

She tips the bottle with a blue finger towards the back of the bar-top so that it could shatter in a million pieces. Music to her ears.

Her legs were crossed, blue fingers lowering to itch along her kneecap. Shoulders roll enough to produce a nice, white blouse, black pencil skirt, black goth heels and tanned skin. The long, dark hair flourishes along her shoulders. Smokey-eye? Done.

Nails now, tap against the shot-glass.

"Any minute now."

Sabretooth has posed:
Victor Creed pushes his way in, ducking his head to allow for the doorway. His own hair is blonde and thick, long enough to reach his shoulders and tied in a topknot in the Japanese style. Logan wasn't the only one who could play the gaijin-san. He's wearing a XXXL Kobe Bryant jersey, blue jeans and boots. He makes his way towards Raven, not having much in the way of eyes towards the rest of the bar.

They react mostly by ducking their heads and not making eye contact, deliberately. Nobody wants Victor Creed's attention. Except Mystique of course.

"Hey there, Raven," he says, settling casually into a seat with loose-limbed insouciance. "Been a while. How's the underground?"

Mystique has posed:
Yup. Heavy thudded boots. She knows that gait. She even gives a sideways look to see the form of him and.. yup. She knows that head. "Victor." A shot is poured, and soon slid towards the large man as she turns around and cracks a loud whistle.

Those of the bar knew of her, they knew what she could do, but didn't know the -real- her.

The real her who controls all of the legends and is slowly seeking to expand her empire city by city until she's the ultimate crime consigliere the world has ever seen. And then some.

"Fruitful. How's life as one of the 'tame and nueutered' ones?" She even does the fingers, then pours herself a shot.

Sabretooth has posed:
Victor Creed takes his shot and snorts, "Think I'm doin' more to make them wild than them to make me tame. A man gets bored after a while, I figured I'd play white knight for a little bit just to amuse myself. Turns out they're starting to turn bloodthirsty all around me. I was practically given permission to go on a killing spree on a few humans yesterday. Real dirtbags, too, running some sort of mutant kid farm. I'm gonna enjoy ripping them up," he says.

He leans back in his chair. He does know exactly how dangerous Raven is and, although he teases, she's one of the few living creatures he respects - or, at least, as close as he can get to it. He doesn't really do 'feelings'.

Mystique has posed:
"Really?" Okay, that was new. Perhaps Raven has been hidden for too long, which.. witnessing such should be a shame. Though once she hears the 'why', it was understood. But still, given permission? Odd...

"Now I totally get it.." She finally voices, "..but what in the living shit brought this on?" She leans back a little upon the stool, one finger lifted to the air.

"Is it because little Summers was arrested by the cops?"

Sabretooth has posed:
Victor Creed shrugs, "They caught me and locked me in the basement for a while. Easier to play along and act repentant for a little bit than fuck with their security. It is legit, no doubt about it. Probably alien crap. Wasn't Xavier fucking some alien chick for a while? I dunno. Anyway, they've pretty much stopped worrying about me now so I can do as I please. Which I was always gonna do anyway," he grins.

"Honestly, it's kinda fun playing superhero. Long as I don't have to wear silly tights. And if I need to rip and tear, well, gosh, Scott, I just...lost control out there. LIke they don't let Logan get away with the same shit all the time."

Mystique has posed:
Raven was now staring down Creed with her borrowed and imagined face. It was a look of pure 'wtf' and 'huh' and half-baked amusement. Raven gets drunk, but with over sixty years under her belt and rapidly healing liver damage gets her the edge on feeling whatever she needs to feel.

Soon after Victor is quiet, she cracks a loud whistle, finger pointed in the air and twirled. The patrons? The look at her, and soon shuffle their way outside of Joe's to take up residence upon the sidewalk. They broke into groups now; smoking cigarettes and laughing at shared stories.

"Okay.. so you're telling me, you can move in and out as you please?" Brows high. Her fingers soon press against her eyes, which revert to their yellow form, but the rest of her remains changed.

"I.." She breaks out into a laugh, her hands now clapping hard against each other. "..Well done!" She can't praise him, he wasn't her child, but this was -freaking- hilarious. "Please promise me that when you're ready to leave and come back to the Fold, you'll tear their asses up before you do."

Sabretooth has posed:
Victor Creed smirks a fangly smirk, signalling the waitress to order a beer as he gets a pack of smokes out himself, lighting up a Marlboro and taking a long drag.

"Oh, I'll smack 'em around good. Just not sure if I wanna kill Logan so it freaks out Scott and Jean or vice versa. Killin' Jean would be the gold standard, but that bitch has got more lives than ten mutant cats," he says.

"In the meantime, I have access to their resources, so I can always pass intel onto you until the Brotherhood is properly up and running again. Is the old man ready to stick his head out of hiding yet, or is he still having too much fun playing king of a little island?"

Mystique has posed:
Fingers wriggle towards Victor for a cigarette of her own, nodding towards his evaluation. It was clear that he considered it, and rightfully so. Being locked up and forced to comply? Bullshit.

"Kill Scott so it freaks out the lot." She nods faintly. "You take down a leader who upholds the morals of Good Luck Chuck, it'll set shit in disarray. Though, with Jean-Bean being all psychic top-dog this entire country would burn." Hrm. If she has the cigarette, it would be lit, thumb now extended to scratch along her chin.

"Eh, do it anyways. I could stand to visit Madripoor."

She nods, appreciating that idea, but leans back a little into her stool to take a drag of her cigarette. "Not sure." She can't even say that she's heard a rumor that he was in town, but.. "I'm a bit busy setting up a multitude of contingency plans for myself, I can't worry about Erik until Erik worries about us and makes contact. And that's a bit hard to do from Genosha I suppose."

Sabretooth has posed:
Victor Creed passes over the smokes, taking a long puff of his own.

"I know it probably irks you a bit that people still look to Lensherr. He's like Xavier, one of those wannabe messiahs that people always cling to, no matter how many times they get left down. People like their saviors. You and me, we can't be that because we get our hands too dirty. Mags does, too, but somehow it always washes off. Probably because Chuck always forgives him and so everybody else thinks they gotta, too."

"But it's been a while since he's been an 'evil' mutant and, honestly, he seems just as soft as them, last I heard. He wants to show some iron, I'll be happy to see it, but I ain't waitin' for him. And I know you ain't either. Still...be nice to have his juice in the back pocket."

Mystique has posed:
"A bit." Raven confesses, taking a drag of her cigarette. "Often we both have our boots on the ground for Erik, but I learned a long time ago.." Old as she is. "I do have to take care of myself." She did have a life before all of this, and a wife..

She shakes her head, then purses her lips. "Like I said." Raven gestures towards the doors where the crew of men and women wait, laughing and having a good time. "I got my own contingencies in place. If I'm ever in a pinch, I can get myself out by paying top dollar and untapped loyalty until it suits me." She pours herself another shot, but she doesn't partake, not yet. "Though, if the old man does touch down and makes contact, I'll let you know." And now she takes a shot, then drops the glass upon the counter.

Sabretooth has posed:
Victor Creed smiles that kind of toothy smile that would make a less capable acquaintance wet themselves a little, the smile of a shark that walks around on two legs, looking for blood. "First loyalty should always be to yourself. Anybody who says different is a liar. Guess that's always makes it hardest to swallow the good guy pill. They're all so anxious to be martyrs. I ain't dyin' for nobody, nohow."

He has his own shot himself, the bite making him grin. He can't get much more'n a buzz anymore with his healing factor, but drinkin' always felt right. "I appreciate the heads-up. I'll keep you in the loop on my end, too. Let you know if the boy scouts start sniffin' around your shit."

Mystique has posed:
"How do you think I've lived this long?" Raven asks.

It was then she grows silent, her mind was working. Working a little bit too much.

"Say. I want to shake the foundation a bit." She stands up from the bar now, walking towards an abandoned table to retrieve a briefcase. Slamming it upon the table now, she opens it with a few clicks to reveal stacks upon stacks of twenties, with some rows and layers missing.

"You feel like rousing and angering the rabble a bit?" Three stacks were retrieved, and wriggled towards Creed. "You'll like it. Trust me."

Sabretooth has posed:
Victor Creed eyes the money and flicks his tongue against his fangs, "Yeah, awright," he says. HE doesn't wait either, snatching the money and stuffing it into his back pocket, before he downs his beer and moves to stand up.

"Who we whuppin'?"

Mystique has posed:
Two more stacks was retrieved from the case, soon walked over to Creed and sat in front of him. She doesn't bother getting back upon the stool, but she does tilt her head and smiles beautifully with the face that she wears. "Baby Summers." Money was plopped down, but a finger lifted. "I wouldn't do it yourself, but if you want, make sure he doesn't know it's you. Get a couple of mutant goons to rough him up. Then stick around to see how the babes take it. Just make sure they don't kill him. Cool?"

Sabretooth has posed:
Victor Creed grins, "Havok, huh? Kid's got a bit of a punch himself, I almost like him. Still, you want him to bleed, I can make sure he bleeds. Maybe even use some disposables I can chop up myself for brownie points. Keeps my cut easier to divide at 100 percent. And makes sure nobody squeals," he says with a smirk. "Not that it's usually a problem. I make sure to put the fear of God in my hirelings. But psychic bitches have a habit of getting at the secrets.

Mystique has posed:
"Before it gets to that point. Kill them." Money was pushed towards Creed, and soon she settles back into her seat, glancing up towards the clock as she begins to shake her hair out.

"I got two more appointments. You should leave."

Sabretooth has posed:
Victor Creed grins and puts out his smoke, standing up, "A'ight. See ya," he says. No sentimental goodbyes here.