13958/Fishing For Trouble

Fishing For Trouble
Date of Scene:	17 November 2021
Location:	Coney Island
Synopsis:	Do chocolate chip cookies and cocoa by the seashore result in statistical anomalies (i.e. attacks of fish-people)? Stay tuned for more!
Cast of Characters:	Nightingale, Winter Soldier, Poseidon, Wonder Woman

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Nightingale has posed:
     The weather was turning rapidly from late autumn into early winter. Skies were steely grey, clouds galloping across the sky as they were whipped up by winds high above, leaving foamy hoofprints on the water's surface. It did not seem likely that Old Man Winter would allow for trips to the seaside for much longer. Best to take all the chances while one can.

     Somewhere on one of the lonelier stretches of sand, there seemed perched an odd sort of creature, with large white wings, pale gold hair, and... oh, wait. Was that a harpy come to rest on the shore, with the jeans and white tunic sweater?

     No, it was simply Shannon, hugging her knees to her chest and looking out to sea, after making certain to leave a small offering of barley upon the surface of the briny deep.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Autumn! The season of the changing of the leaves, the falling of the leaves and, for a certain kind of creature, the playing with the leaves! Oh my, such playing! And despite these wonderful diversions, there comes a time when the parks of Manhattan are no longer enough, when what is needed is space to run, to play, to frolic, to chase, to... ball! Like a streak of fur, Lilli sets off after the thrown tennis ball, which is getting a ridiculous amount of air time. It comes sailing over a dune, with the excited German Shepherd close behind, bouncing on the hard sand by the foreshore before being pounced and fielded in a spray of send, a blur of loose soil and friendly doggo.

    James Buchanan Barnes, the often proud and continuously amused owner of said doggo comes ambling over the dune, agreeing at least one thing with Lilli as she returns to bring back the ball for another toss. It's good to be off the leash.

Poseidon has posed:
The water isn't overly deep right there, in that spot... But, the actual briny deep really isn't all that far away. Offerings of barley don't always catch Poseidon's attention. Mostly they don't. But this time? When offered by someone he knows, it seems to. Except, Poseidon doesn't come from the sea. Nope, he walks from the sandy shore and stops next to Shannon.

Dressed in jeans, tan work boots, and a blue and black and red plaid flannel shirt. His silver hair and long silver beard only add to the overall image to make him look like a turn of the century ship's captain. The only thing that ruins the image somewhat is the fact that he's wearing an orange knit hat. Complete with one of those fuzzy balls atop it.

"Everything alright, Shannon?" Poseidon's attention diverts only minutely to regard the dog and its owner with kindly eyes. In truth, possibly because of that orange cap, Poseidon looks like nothing more than a kindly old man. Except that his skin is too smooth for the age his hair proclaims.

Wonder Woman has posed:
Winter is coming. It's a shift of temperature that is perhaps the first telling sign in the weather. Frost comes, to leave its icy rime on everything. The skies, dressed in their wintery grey, promise colder weather to come. Diana exhales a foggy breath into the air, then takes a moment to look across the area. Her black hair hangs loose over her shoulders and back. She wears a thick blue sweater, the collar of it a turtleneck style that's folded down around her neck. A pair of black jeans and a pair of boots completes her outfit. And though they aren't readily visible, she wears a set of bracers beeath the sleeves of her sweater.

There are a trail of footsteps behind her, coming from a fair distance away. She's been walking for a little while. Her gaze turns out towards the sea, picking out those floating pieces of barley upon the surface. And whe her attention returns to the sands, she also picks out the figure of Shannon not so far from that water bound offering. As her gaze wanders further afield, she notices the German Shepherd and her master as they play fetch with one another. And as her gaze comes to settle upon the God that offering of barley had been intended for, a smile touches at the corners of her lips. And towards them, thus, does she turn her steps.

Nightingale has posed:
     That goofy orange hat elicits a wry smile from the winged young woman, and... is that a giggle, or an auditory illusion? Surely it must be the latter, for who would dare to laugh with the fashion sense of a god? "A bit better than I have been," she replies, getting to her feet and brushing grains of sand perhaps as ancient as the world itself off of her own jeans. "Working through the nightmares as best I can... and simply being grateful for my blessings, of which there have been many of late." Glancing down the shore, she too catches sight of the playful pooch and his person, brows lofting.

     Well, now there was a face she hadn't seen for some time!

     Her lips curl upwards in a smile as she watches them play for a few moments longer, and glances down at the simple knapsack that occasionally accompanied her on these seaward trips. "I've got a feeling perhaps I should have brought more cocoa and cookies." Diana's approach, too, was not lost on her, as she looked down the shore once more. "Mhm. Definitely should have brought more."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Hmmm. Now, are those wings, or is he just seeing things? Nope, not seeing things. The ball comes sailing in, rolling towards the surf a few feet away from Shannon, clearly having been launched with some precision. And by the time Lilli rushes in to claim it, Bucky is already halfway there, regarding the mutant, the old man, and... ah. A jaunty wave from the man clearly just out for a walk with his dog. "Think good thoughts, meet good people. How's this for a reunion then?"

    Fine, so he does glance the old man over perhaps a bit more thoroughly than could be called casual, making note of the few discrepancies in his appearance. Right. But given current company, literally anything is possible. So he gives the man a polite nod, but doesn't extend a further greeting. Just in case.

Poseidon has posed:
Poseidon glances over at the approach of Diana, and offerrs the Princess a nod of greeting. His attention returns readily to Shannon. That can't possibly be an auditory illusion. If it is, the auditory illusion brings a smile to Poseidon's lips. His eyes turn up toward his hat, then drop back to Shannon. "You like my hat." Statement, not question. Obviously, he's taken no offense over his fashion sense, such as it is.

"Better is good." His eyes lift, looking out to the sea. "Nightmares," he murmurs. "Are both good and bad. If you heed then, you might find yourself figuring out things you may not have expected to."

His eyes return to the pooch and its companion, and he watches curiously. Perhaps he's had a dog before. He seems to be smiling in something akin to fondness. The lack of age wrinkles is but one discrepency. Those blue eyes seem to hold a knowledge that matches, or perhaps exceeds, the age his hair indicates. The polite nod is returned with another equally polite nod. And as thorough a looking over as the other had given him. Also just in case. Alpha dog meet alpha dog?

Wonder Woman has posed:
That giggle of Shannon's finds its way to carry down the beach to tease its way across Diana's ears. The words that are spoken are also heard, though she simply continues to walk at a fairly regular pace that seems neither hurried nor particularly slow in nature. She tilts her head a touch to one side, her gaze turning towards the man with the dog, and one of her eyebrows quirks up just a touch. A man whom she happens to recognize. She slips her hands into the pockets of her jeans, and she continues forward until she reaches the group of folks.

"Had I suspected that I might run into those I know then I would have picked up baklava from the bakery on my way," she comments, a touch of amusement to her voice. Her gaze easily turns to Poseidon, and she inclines her head respectfully to him, a smile tugging anew at the corners of her lips. "Empty handed though I come, friends are always well met," Diana says, a thoughtful tone behind the words.

Nightingale has posed:
     With a soft thump and a light crunch of sand beneath the spheroid toy, the ball lands very close to Shannon's feet. She can't help another light giggle at the somewhat incongruous sight of a dog toy on the beach at this odd time in the season, just shaking her head ever so slightly. "Love the hat. Reminds me a little of one I had as a small child, only that one was bright pink and white vertical stripes."

     She snickered lightly, with an up-nod towards Bucky, her lips tugging upwards in a smile. "Had a saucer-shaped sled around that time, too. Cheesy plastic number, but it looked suspiciously familiar. Star and all."

     Her smile fades only slightly as she looks back over towards Poseidon, brushing a bit of pale gold hair away from her face and tucking it behind her ear. "Good to listen to the nightmares, yes. But not let them consume you. That... will take some time. I've never been that afraid before, and only hope if something like that ever happens again, I won't let down the ones who need me."

     Baklava it might not be, but as Diana joins the group, she's reaching for her bag to pull out a large thermos and a sizeable container of cookies--it looks as if she brought classic chocolate chunk this time. "Hopefully there's enough for everyone?"

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Nightmwares?" Bucky's eyebrow lifts at the mention of nightmares, fear, and fears of letting down people who are in need. Huh. That all sounds familiar. But instead the comment about the sled is what he decides to engage with, nodding with a shrug. "It's a good shape for a sled, or if you really need to paddle a boat somewhere. Has other uses, or so I'm told." This is, of course, coming from the man who has actually wielded that shield over a dozen times, and has always given it back.

    The look Poseidon gives him isn't missed, and this can only go one of to ways. When sharks meet, they either come to an arrangement, or only one shark swims away. As it stands, Lilli is finally done traipsing around with her ball, puts it at Bucky's feet, and then regards Poseidon with a curious look. In the end, the Shepherd gives a happy 'WHURF!' and comes to sit next to Bucky, tongue lolling.

    And thus, Lilli-approved, Bucky holds out a hand for Poseidon to shake. "James, pleasure to meet you."

    And yes, he does glance for a moment towards Diana, as if to say 'see, I'm being a good boy!'.

Poseidon has posed:
Poseidon turns his head briefly to look to Diana. "Chance meetings don't require offerings," he points out. Offerings? That's an odd way to put it, isn't it? His attention returns to Shannon and he smiles. "It reminded me of a hat I saw on the strangest old television series I've ever seen. Only, that one was orange on the lower half, yellow on the upper half, with an orange ball and orange ear covers. With tassels hanging from the ear things."

Poseidon nods agreement with Shannon. "Too much of anything is bad." Apparently, that includes nightmares. But, perhaps, not fuzzy knit hats? Poseidon shakes his head. "I have faith in you, Shannon. You won't let anyone down when you're needed." The talk of sleds might be over his head. Or beneath his dignity. Maybe both?

He gives a casual glance to the dog, and a half smile. "Nice dog," he says, approval held in his tone. Poseidon's hand goes into Bucky's, the grip firm without being overpowering or pushy. "Percy," he supplies. "Pleasure." If he notices the glance to Diana for approval, he isn't going to draw attention to it! Not yet, at least.

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a glance given towards the ball when it lands near to Shannon, and then her gaze lifts once again to look over the group of folks who have assembled. There's a soft chuckle that comes from her, at the talk of sledding, though she doesn't comment. She tilts her head slightly to one side at the talk of fears and nightmares, and she gives a small shake of her head. "I do not think that you would let anyone down, Shannon," she says softly, a gentle tone to her voice. "Let alone someone who needs you," she adds, sounding rather certain of that.

Her gaze falls to the cookies as they're brought out, and she raises an eyebrow slightly as she gives a chuckle. "You always have cookies. It is a reassuring thing," she says with a warm smile. She looks to the man and his dog, watching them for a moment, and she slips her hands from out of her pockets. "She is a beautiful dog," she says softly, giving a small nod. She watches over the introduction between James and Poseidon, noticing that they're both being good boys.

Her gaze turns to Poseidon at his words, and then she gives a small nod to him. "This is very true. Although it is always pleasing to share," she says, a smile easily returning to her features.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "Her name is Lilli." Bucky informs, and then looks at the doggo. "Say hello Lilli." Now there is high praise! With another happy wag of her tail, the Shepherd stands on her rear legs and lifts a paw at both Poseidon and Diana. And after that, insists on running circles around the group for a little while.

    "Beware angels bearing gifts? I've recently been told it's impolite again to refuse food you've been offered. So thank you." Yes, he will have a cookie. And then he stands around, slightly awkwardly. Not usually a fount of small talk, his shallow pool of approved topics has been depleted. Mostly. But he'll be damned before he starts discussing the weather... he's not yet /that/ old dammit.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon actually grins at Diana, with a motion of her head back towards Poseidon. "There are times I wonder if this one has Charybdis somewhere in his stomach, with an appetite for cookies," she intones, her voice stopping just shy of that giggle once again in a bit of good-natured teasing. "I learned my lesson not having them with me just once."

     Relinquishing the container of cookies to the group, she chuckles, kneeling down and offering the flat of her hand to Lilli. "Hello, pretty girl. Who's a good girl, hmmm?" For, as wise as it was to pay homage to the Father of the Oceans, it would not do to slight man's best friend in the process!

     Looking back over at Diana briefly, she tilts her head. "Everything been going well over at the embassy? There hasn't been any more trouble since that one incident over the summer, has there?"

Poseidon has posed:
It's true. One of the things one can always expect out of Shannon is some sort of baked deliciousness. "Sharing is good," he agrees. "Especially when it's baked and tasty." Clearly, he's not immune to baked goodness!

His eyes turn to the dog, and he nods his head gravely at it. "Hello Lilli. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm. Poseidon." Wait. What's with the name change? Whatever the reason, he seems to like the dog. Maybe he just likes animals in general.

Speaking of the weather, Poseidon glances up at the sky. It's presently clear. His brow furrows. "You know Charybdis is alive and well in my stomach," he says casually, eyes still the sky, brow still furrowed. Curiously, however, for once, Poseidon does not reach for any cookies. Distracted by.. something.

Wonder Woman has posed:
"That is a pretty name," Diana says, giving a small nod to Bucky. Her attention easily turns to the dog, watching her behaviour, and her blue eyes show a sparkle as she reaches out to take the paw and give it a shake. "And good day to you as well, Lilli," she says softly, a warm tone to her voice. She gives the dog a pet on the head, and then releases the paw.

Though Diana is assuredly old enough to talk about the weather, she doesn't go into that particular topic. There's a warm smile to Shannon, and a glance towards Poseidon before she gives a light laugh. "Well. Some belly beasts are hungrier than others for certain things," she comments, a touch of amusement to her voice. "Thank you," she says, stepping forward to claim one of the cookies before taking a bite. She savours the bite, and then she gives a small nod. "These are delicious, Shannon," she says softly, sounding pleased. She tilts her head a touch to one side, and then she gives a small shake of her head. "There have not been any additional incidents, no. All has been relatively peaceful and well," she says, inclining her head towards Shannon.

Her blue gaze turns to Poseidon, and she gives a nod to him, a warm smile coming to her features. "Next time, I will have to try to remember to bring something to share," she comments. "Baked and tasty is the best sort of thing to share," she adds. She studies Poseidon for a lingering moment, and then her attention falls to the dog, studying her briefly before her gaze lifts once again.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    There is a moment when Lilli tilts her head at Diana, but then gets a very happy 'Whurf!!' in reply before returning to Bucky's side to sit down and giving him a happy 'Whurf!' as well, tail wagging. She, of course, gets a pat between the ears in reply, the soldier of a different season nodding as if he understood every bark of that. The cookie? It stood no chance whatsoever.

    But, more importantly, the man catches the sudden name change from 'Percy', and gives Shannon a look before shrugging. "Poseidon? That's an interesting name." But, then again, it's not the first god he's met. At least this one isn't inclined to get into a drinking contest or stab him in the back. So far. It appears.

    His attention then shifts to Diana. "I didn't know there had been problems in the embassy. Nothing you couldn't handle, I don't doubt, but still... worrying."

Nightingale has posed:
     There's a very brief moment where Shannon actually puffs up a little bit with a hint of... pride?... and rises to her feet once more. "Certainly learned to appreciate Themysciran shields in a hurry that day... and the considerable training one must need to undergo to put them to most effective use...."

     However, even her voice trails off, her brows furrowing as the aforementioned baked goodies seem to be overlooked by the very one who mentioned keeping them to hand when meeting was likely! "Poseidon...? Is everything alright...?"

     When a God was distracted, it was wise to be wary....

Poseidon has posed:
Peaceful and well is a good thing. Unless it happens to be the calm before the storm, it's always preferable to trouble. Of course, Poseidon likes storms.... Now, the God of Sea and Storms responds to the others only vaguely. There's only a distracted nod for Diana's trying to remember for next time. No attention for the dog at all. Poor pooch. At least she's not neglected by everyone!

So far, Poseidon doesn't show any inclincation for back stabbing. Drinking might be another story all together. It's his name spoken that gets his attention back to their present location again. "Hm?" He blinks and looks to Shannon. "Oh. Perhaps. Something feels..." He trails off and shakes his head. "I'm not sure." He looks back to the horizon over the sea again.

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a warm smile that Diana gives to Lilli, and she lowers to one of her knees there on the sand. She glances towards James, a flicker of amusement to her blue eyes when the dog returns to him. She tilts her head a touch to one side as she looks between the pair of them, and the she shifts her weight to rise to her feet once more. She brushes a bit of sand from her knees. One of her eyebrows quirks up slightly as she looks from him to Poseidon, and then she looks to James before giving a small nod. "There were a couple of situations that came up. They are somewhat concerning, but they were handled. By myself and others as well," she says, inclining her head slightly towards him.

Diana turns her attention to Shannon, and she gives a nod. "Ah, yes, you did. It was still a very good throw," she says, a smile touching at the corners of her lips. Her attention turns to Poseidon, studying him for a lingering moment, and she tilts her head a touch to one side. "Something comes from the water. Engines, by the sounds of it. They approach," she says quite softly. She listens not just to here but to the surroundings as well, her hearing quite keen. There is often a calm that comes before a storm. "It is an oddness."

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "If there is ever anything you feel you can't handle..." and Bucky will leave it at that. It doesn't really do to offer help to Diana, since that implies a level of helplessness, and he will be the last living being on earth to ever be that crass. He's fairly certain he owes her one anyway, and anyone go gets along that well with Lilli can always count on his assistance, be that explicit or inferred. And indeed, it never bodes well when a god is distracted. In his experience, either something magical or something apocalyptical is about to happen.

    Which makes the announcement of 'engines' refreshingly mundane. "I seem to recall..." he begins, slowly, pulling Lilli a bit closer against his legs. In response, Lilli looks over to Diana and 'whuffs'. "... I seem to recall that it wasn't too far from here I once had to fight my way through a ship full of vampires. Don't ask." Can't tell anyway. Classified.

    "Could be nothing, of course." Absolutely. Ignore that his right hand is straying to the small of his back, and his left is casually loosening his jacket.

Nightingale has posed:
     Also never mind the fact that Shannon's left hand goes to the brown leather pouch that perpetually hangs from her side to make certain she didn't have a brain cramp, and leave it behind. First aid EDC, check. Her right arm, though it rests at her side, tenses, and there's a soft -click-, with a shortened metallic tube shooting into her right palm, from within the sleeve of her sweater. Her thumb hovers over a button on the side of said device, and she settles into what can only be described as a staff fighting ready stance. Her wings flare out behind her, and her head is on a swivel, though mostly her gaze lingers upon the waves.

     Perhaps it was nothing. But then again, this wasn't her first rodeo, either, and it never hurt to be ready....

Poseidon has posed:
Something indeed. But what could it be, when it's in Poseidon's territory? And in the territory of the Atlanteans, no less? And yet, there is something. There seems to be somthing rising from the sea, and the water rises around whatever it, they are. Poseidon seems transfixed, his eyes a little glazed looking.

Whatever it is, it's not a ship. Or, at least, not a surface ship. And then the waters finally part to reveal three of what appear to be pods. Surfacing. They're metallic looking, golden scales and sleek black windows. Mostly round, they appear to be a longer ovoid. Probably handles better in the water. Once they surface, the muted engine sounds become more clear, but are still muffled. Or, perhaps they are simply that quiet. They're still coming toward the shore. Toward the four people and one dog standing there.

Hatches open on each of the pods and what can only be described as fish people leap out brandishing spears, of all things. They have short, stubby legs with long flowy finns. They seem to match the pods. Black and gold. Armor, perhaps? Posiedon closes his eyes and shakes his head. He staggers a step to the left, and drops to one knee. Clearly, the god amongst them is going to be /no/ help at all with.. whatever it is.

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a smile for Bucky's words, and Diana inclines her head towards him. "Thank you, I appreciate that," she says softly. Whether or not she will take a lot of advantage of it is hard to say. She tends to put herself into the path of danger rather than moving aside from it, especially when the safety of others is on the line. It's simply the way that she is.

One of her eyebrows quirks up. "A ship full of vampires?" Diana asks, a flicker of curiosity to her voice. "It could be nothing, this is true. It sounds most like a steam engine than one of another variety, yet it is... muted. Approaching from the water," she explains, her gaze turning towards the water. If she notices -- which is likely -- the straying of James' hands, she doesn't look towards it or give it any attention.

Her gaze turns towards Poseidon, her brow wrinkling a touch when a bit of dizziness finds her, and she closes her eyes for a moment. Ignoring it. And that wrinkle becomes a furrow. She steps softly over towards him, a bit quickly, and she stops once she's nearer to him. She lowers a hand to bring it to his shoulder to give his shoulder a squeeze. A bit firmly. "Poseidon," she says, a touch sharply, firmly. Worried, as well. "Return to your senses, my dear friend," she adds.

There's a glance given towards the ship, and she gives a small shake of her head. "There is magic," she says quite softly. She looks then towards the fish people, frowning slightly.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    In the space of a moment, there are several different sounds. Aside from the sound of the hatches opening, the engines making their odd subdued thrumming, and the shouts of alarm among the clicking of weaponry, there is one discordant sound. A single, loud, piercing whistle. Lilli perks to attention immediately, whurfs loudly and then dashes away towards the dune, barking all the way.

    The next distinct sound is a series of rapid gunshots. Three, for those who can discern the rapid discharges, and three shots wing their way from Bucky's pistol to what appear to be invaders of some sort. The one furthest to the left gets a shot to center mass, just over where the heart would be on a human. Middle fish-person is greeted by a shot to the helmet, mid-forehead. The fish thing closest to Bucky on the other hand may look forward to nine millimeters of rapidly approaching lead to the left eye.

    All before the first case hits the sand.

Nightingale has posed:
     With the cover provided by Bucky's pistol shots, Shannon spreads her wings and takes to the air, well-accustomed by now to being eyes in the sky. At the same time, as she ascends, there's a -click- in her hand, and the ends of the short, metallic tube in her hand extend outwards to the length of a bo staff, gleaming dully in her grasp. For all intents and purposes, it might appear to the fish people as if she is retreating to her home territory of the heavens.

     But to those who had seen her in the field before, it might be fairly evident that nothing could be farther from the truth.

     Be warned, hostile denizens of the ocean.

     Thy reckoning is soon at hand.

Poseidon has posed:
No matter how sharply his name is spoken, Poseidon does not return to his senses. He doesn't respond at all. Nor to the barking of the dog as she runs away. As though in slow motion, he topples to his side and curls into a ball, holding his head between his hands still.

The gunshots fired each land at their intended target. The first two ping off and away with sparks of metal, ricochetting somewhere out into the waters. The third one also ricochettes, but not without leaving a crack directly across whatever material is protecting the eyeholes left in the armor. Curiously, liquid leaks from the hole. Seawater, from the looks of things.

The fishmen all bellow watery sounding fury, and rapid clicks follow. They leap from the pods and dash through the shallows, four of them aimed at Bucky, and the remaining two going straight for Poseidon. The two women are utterly ignored by the fishmen.

Two more emerge from each pod. These have what look like odd, flowy shaped rifles of some sort. But the rifles are twice the size a human rifle would be. And they glow at the butts. Each to one side of the pod openings, they take aim. This time, five of them target Bucky. The sixth aims at the fleeing dog. The weird weapons are discharged, and sickly glowing yellow green something looking like energy blasts from them.

Wonder Woman has posed:
The whistle is shrill and sharp, unexpected. It helps to pierce through the fog in her mind. She gives a small shake of her head, and she looks towards James briefly before her gaze finds Lilli to watch her, to give a small nod. She hears the trio of shots that are fired off, and her attention turns to the fish people, to see the result of the bullets.

Diana glances briefly towards Shannon when the winged woman ascends, yet her attention slides back towards the fish people. She mutters a curse in ancient Greek when Poseidon topples to his side, and she lowers to a knee next to him. "I will protect you, dear friend," she says quietly, her voice near a whisper in volume. She gives his shoulder another squeeze, and then she smoothly rises to her feet before turning to face the fish people. The two who come for Poseidon are focused on by her. "You will not have him," she says, determination in her voice. She's not inclined to pull any punches, to withhold her strength. She steps forward to aim a kick for the midsection of one of them, then swiftly turns to aim a punch at the other one's head.

Diana glances towards the ones who emerge anew, with their glowing rifles. They are vastly out numbered, this small group here on the beach. Yet failure is not an option Diana is willing to accept.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    Well, that didn't work! And now return fire is coming his way. Instinctively Bucky turns his left shoulder towards the incoming enemies, dodges one way, weaves the other, drops to avoid another blast, rolls to get away from a spear and jumps to his feet, just narrowly avoiding one more energy blast. Whew! That was close! And now he's going to have to get -

    *THWOCK*

    The sound of something impacting sand further away is punctuated by a sudden canine whine, and a scrabble of paws. A glowing crater appeared just to the right of Lilli, the fleeing canine having just jinked left at the last moment. For a moment, it's as if someone has poured ice water into Bucky's veins, and despite the glut of enemies coming at him, he risks a momentary glance back. Lilli!!

    They shot at Lilli!!

    The fish man thinking to take advantage of Bucky's sudden distraction is... unpleasantly surprised. The spear is caught, left-handed, and the face that glares back at the creature is barely human. There is anger in those eyes, deep, unfathomable anger, set in a face utterly devoid of expression. And this particular fish-thing is then subjected to the infamous Barnes-kick, which may have been popularised by a certain sensational movie about ancient Sparta, but which had been put to good use by the Winter Soldier before.

    And it is, without a doubt, the Winter Soldier who's in the driver's seat here, hurling the spear full force at the miscreant monster who shot at Lilli!

    Nobody, NOBODY, messes with his dog!

    James Buchanan Barnes is going full Wick, The Winter Soldier is off the leash.

Nightingale has posed:
     Those who thought the youngest of the lot present at the battle to be out of the fight, were about to be very sadly mistaken. It seemed perhaps as if Shannon had flown away, and really, none would blame her for exercising a judgement call in favor of the wisdom of retreat. In point of fact, many would likely urge her to do so.

     But they did not count on her loyalty to friends--a trait that ran deep.

     From the skies, a silent virago did descend, borne on wings of snowy white, with a gleaming rod of death in her hands. It was held roughly center, her grip strong, yet with enough give and flexibility to hopefully blunt the worst of the damage to herself in such a foolhardy maneuver as she was attempting right now.

     There was no battle cry, no sound but the beating of feathered wings on the wind as she sped her way towards her target, only snapping her wings inwards to her back to let momentum alone carry her along at roughly helmet level amongst the largest group of fish-people. On either side of her, there were repeated, sickening cracking noises, as her staff connected with helmet after helmet, the young woman speeding past as fast as a car on the highway.

     The moment she was clear of the group, she began her ascent once again--but there was a yelp, as one lucky shot clipped her right wing, leaving her scrambling to slow her ascent before she described an abrupt path back to the sand.

     "Scheisse!"

Poseidon has posed:
At least none of the rifles are aimed at Poseidon. That will make it easier on Diana defending him. Probably. The one kicked in the midsection curls around that foot with a muffled pained sound. It falls when the foot is withdrawn. The punch to the other one's head takes crumples the helmet around the fist, and seawater leaks out rapidly, draining below the level of the helmet until none leaks out anymore. The thing starts to flop and convulse, then drops to the ground, still twitching.

They did indeed shoot at Lilli. The infmaous Barnes-kick doesn't have quite the impact that Diana's had had, but it sends the fish man sailing through the air, to land on its back in the shallows at the edge of the beach. The spear hurles, the aim true, and, unlike the bullets, penetrates the armor with a sharp *CLANG!!!* of sound. The rifle drops, the butt falling into the opening. As it lands, it must have hit wrong, for a beam of that energy flashes out and then down through the side of the hull, cutting the bobbing vessel half in half. The beam dies out just about as it reaches the sandy bottom, but not before another blast of energy flashes toward Lilli. This time it's uncontrolled. Will the pooch be able to dodge in time?

The Angel of .. .... Mercy? Isn't quite so merciful in this moment. Her maneuver successfully connects with six new fish guys coming out of the pods. It knocks them off the pods and into the water, their heads rattled around quite nicely. Not quite scrambled, but they're not moving either.

Wonder Woman has posed:
The Princess of the Amazons spares a hasty glance towards James and Lilli beyond him. She's relieved that neither of them were hit by anything that had been directed in their path. She gives a short nod to the man, and though she turns her gaze back to the fish people before her, there is a part of her attention that remains on him, and on those retreating pawsteps of Lilli's. She glances towards Shannon's attack run, and the subsequent swiftness of her unexpected descent and landing to the sand. The winged woman appears to be well enough, even with a slightly clipped wing.

Diana takes a moment to look over the fallen fish people, and she steps towards one of them before slipping her toes beneath one of the spears and nudging it so that the end flips up. She catches it easily, and then turns it full circle before herself. She seems not inclined to leave the side of the fallen God. A God he may be, but right now? Right now, he needs her protection lest anything ill be on its way towards him.

The wild shot of the rifle catches her attention, and her gaze swiftly follows the trajectory of it. Lilli. There will be time to give an offering to Artemis later. It will be well deserved.

She swiftly turns the spear as she brings her gaze back towards the fish people and she takes aim with it before sending it flying towards one of the remaining fish people bearing rifles. Perhaps she'll get lucky and hit two of them in one shot. Then she steps to the other fallen fish person in order to retrieve that spear. A weapon helps.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    One pod down, several to go. Even as in the background an angel drops in to slam the emerging fish people with the proverbial clue by four, Bucky discards his pistol for something a bit more reliable and potent... bare hands. A jab from a spear is deflected on his left forearm and slid aside, followed up with a kick to the lower flipper and a grab to the plastron. Bucky *hoiks* up, expecting a very heavy armored opponent, and finds himself holding a fish-thing a foot off the ground seemingly without much effort. Huh.

    The opponent is thrown overhand into another one, the spear transferred to his right hand, and he turns for a moment, extending the haft of the spear to Diana to offer it to her with a simple "Here!". These things seem to be effective, so... may as well use them. And, as he had imagined, Diana has a mean throwing arm.

    Another shot sails past, aimed once more for Lilli, roughly at the same time as Shannon gets her wing clipped. It could be said that, right then, The Winter Soldier experiences a sense of humor failure.

    It's the only things that explains why he suddenly grabs the helmet of one fish-person in his left hand... and SQUEEZES.

    By the dune, Lilli suddenly leaps to the right and rolls, away from the shot. How did she even see that one coming?! A bark is her only response to the renewed attempts of caninenicide, scrambling to get up the dune and out of the line of fire.

Nightingale has posed:
     Thankfully, the direction that Lilli is heading is also the same way that Shannon's barely controlled landing takes her. Sprays of sand hurl into the air as she lands on her feet, skidding towards Lilli in rather undignified fashion.

     Dignity be damned in the moment.

     Feet connect with sand, indeed arresting her fall, with the sand absorbing much of the force of impact and preventing major injury. However, she goes tumbling end over end, with only just enough time to reach out for Lilli, hopefully carrying her along--and out of harm's way.

     But would the impromptu rescue prove effective...?

Poseidon has posed:
Diana's aim is true. One of the four remaining rifle weilders gets skewered as well, leaving four remaining. The other two pods suddenly start backing further into the water. The fish people still on them duck down. Those that are alive. The hatches close as they start to make their hasty retreat. The damaged pod is towed along with them, though its hatch doesn't close. The few remaining spear wielders are left behind.

The fish person held by Bucky and squeezed gets its helmet popped, and sea water gushes out. Soon, it starts quivering and twitching, also dying like the first one to get its helmet tenderized by Diana. No further shots are aimed toward the dog. Then again, the only living rifle bearers are gone now. The pods sunk back out of sight and the sound of the engines retreating.

With the pods retreating, whatever had been affecting Poseidon either stopped entirely, or got worse. His hands drop from his head and he lays there, unmoving. For now, at least.

Wonder Woman has posed:
There's a smile that quirks at the corners of her lips as she gives a nod to James, reaching out to take the spear that he offers. "Thank you," Diana says, inclining her head towards him. With a spear now in each hand, she remains near to Poseidon, her feet at shoulder width apart. The spear that James had offered her is lifted, and she shifts her hold upon it to get it ready for throwing.

She looks briefly towards the pods that start to back into the water, and she takes aim with the spear before sending it hurtling towards one of the remaining spear bearers. As they retreat and sink into the water, though there is a part of her that is not inclined to allow it, Diana does nothing to stop their retreat.

Instead, she turns the spear in her hand in order to stab it into the sand before she lowers to a knee next to Poseidon. Her fingers lightly brush aside a bit of his hair, to allow her a better look at his face, and she looks him over as though to assess how he's doing. "Poseidon," she says, a bit of worry to her voice. Gods might be immortal, but that doesn't mean that they don't have vulnerabilities.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    It's always a bit jarring when the enemy runs out... or just, flat out, runs. After a few intense moments, Bucky is standing on a patch of disturbed sand with several fish-enemies around him in some state of disassembly, with nobody else coming for him. Hmmm. Slowly, with a deep breath, something fades into the background, and James Barnes is left standing next to Diana, an honor guard for Poseidon.

    But not for long! In a flash, Bucky remembers Lilli and turns, bolting for the dune. "Lilli!"

    As it turns out, the German Shepherd is held securely in Shannon's arms, and is quite busy licking the mutant's face with a series of anxious whines.

Nightingale has posed:
     Indeed, Lilli has been rolled out of harm's way, with Shannon's arms soon releasing the loyal doggo to return to her human. She herself sprawls out on the sand, arms and legs akimbo, but not broken. Her left wing seems in good enough shape, for certain.

     However, her right wing is rather ragged, several feathers shot off and what is left of them, blackened. When she tries to move her left wing, it moves with its full range. But her right wing, well... it wasn't the worst it could be, but it wasn't pretty.

     "BUMSEN!"

     Healers made the worst patients....

     As Lilli lapped at her face, she at least calmed down enough to reach up and try to pet the persistent pooch. "SHh.... I'll be okay, just... oof, got to get home and get this fixed up...."

Poseidon has posed:
It doesn't take long before the remaining fish people who are mobile gather their fallen and flee back to the sea. The only thing that remains is the spear Diana had stuck into the sand. Everything else is gone. The fish people might have been a figment of the imagination, but for that spear.

Poseidon is still. His eyes closed. An after reaction to the magic Diana had sensed earlier? Or had the magic doubled in intensity? At least the God isn't writing in pain any longer. That has to count for something, right? Then again... he's still live, isn't he?

Wonder Woman has posed:
The adrenaline never runs out as quickly as an enemy does, typically. It is a fairly common thing in battle. Her gaze lifts to James, and she gives a small nod to him. "Lilli is not hurt," Diana says softly, her words coming even as the man turns to bolt for the dune. How could she know that? However she does, she doesn't explain. She simply gives the information to try to reassure him. She can hear the doggie kisses, even from here, and what Shannon says.

There's a brief glance that she gives towards the remaining fish people, her brow furrowing slightly. Yet her attention easily turns back to Poseidon, and a frown turns the corners of her lips. He is, at least, alive. Carefully, gently, she reaches to pick him up, with one of her arms behind his back and her other arm beneath his knees. She carries him over towards both James, Shannon and Lilli, and once she's reached them, she gives a small nod. "Thank you for remaining and fighting," she says, a grateful tone to her voice.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    There is a shadow that falls over Shannon. Something or someone is eclipsing the sun even as Lilli is trying her best to provide the best possible care, in the one way she knows how. Something though makes her perk up, and give a happy bark, before finally giving Shannon one last lick and then going to sit next to the fallen mutant.

    From out of the shadow that has appeared in front of the sun, a hand appears, followed by a familiar voice. "Can you stand? Let me help you up." The fight is over, Bucky is himself again.

    "I knew chocolate chip cookies are considered bad for you these days..." James jokes, grinning "... but nobody said anything about sudden attacks of fish." And then, more seriously, looking at Diana. "I'll bring Shannon home. Will you be okay with Poseidon?"

    Man, this day has gotten /weird/!

Nightingale has posed:
     It's just a few more moments for Shannon to catch her breath, taking those precious seconds to calm down after the battle. Bit by bit, she ran through a mental checklist, slowly moving each body part in turn. Legs? Check, those moved just fine. Arms? She winces a little bit, but they do move. "Ugh, must've hit those fishy bastards harder than I thought..."

     Indeed, not far away from her on the sand was a metallic bo staff that looked as if it had seen better days. She swore softly, shaking her head. "Shik'isn is going to have my hide when he sees that," she mutters.

     Left wing? Check, it moves as it ought to.

     But when she tries to move the right wing, there's a fairly loud yelp, and it does not move at all. "Ahh frak... I think I can stand, but that wing's gonna need some help."

     Accepting the proffered hand, she gets to her feet, brushing sand away from her clothes and looking around. Her gaze falls on Poseidon, and she lets out a soft sigh. "As soon as I'm in one piece, I'll be by to look in on him. But he's told me before to look after myself so I can help others, so..."

     Who is she to countermand the dictates of a God?

Wonder Woman has posed:
There is a smile that touches the corners of Diana's lips as she watches Lilli with Shannon for a moment. She stands near, but not in the way. A touch of amusement shows in her blue eyes at James's attempt at humour. "Perhaps it was simply this batch of them to cause it. An anomaly," she muses, the corners of her lips tugging up a touch.

She holds Poseidon easily, or so it would seem. At James' question, she gives a small nod. "Yes, I will be okay. I will take him to the Embassy. The fish people used some manner of magic, I could feel it," she says softly, worry knitting her brow. "I will stay with him myself to ensure that he is well."

Diana turns her attention to Shannon, and she gives a small nod. "I am sorry that you were hurt, Shannon. Have your wounds tended to and take care of yourself," she says softly, a smile turning at the corners of her lips. Then she looks to James before giving a small nod to him. "Make sure that you give Lilli a treat. She has been the best girl today," she adds. Then she looks to both of them and she inclines her head. "Be safe." Gently, she steps back from them before pushing off the ground and into the air, to head for the Embassy.

Winter Soldier has posed:
    "I'm willing to accept this as a statistical anomaly." Bucky concedes with a smile. "But I'll require more data."

    Once Shannon is on her feet, he'll kneel down to pick up his pistol, glare at it for a moment considering sand got everywhere, and then simply holsters it after dropping the hammer and engaging the safety. That's one to try to rescue later. "Lilli is getting the biggest treat she's had in, oh... days." The man promises, to the sudden and clear joy of the doggo.

    "C'mon, let's get you home." Bucky mentions to Shannon and, as an afterthought, picks up the spear Diana had left sticking in the sand. The boffins at the lab would have nagged his ears off if he hadn't brought back something for them to study. He slings it casually over his shoulder, ready to support Shannon with his other hand if needed. "You'll have to share the side car with Lilli, hope you don't mind?"

Nightingale has posed:
     "Beats calling an Uber any day," Shannon replies, cracking a bit of a pained smile. She scoops up her staff and, with some effort and a bit of 'conversational' speech in varied languages that would likely have earned her a rebuke from certain star-spangled folk, she manages to collapse it back to its holstered state. It, too, would have to be rescued later. "Besides, we'll have a chance to discuss further data regarding the statistical anomalies of cookies and fish attacks."

     A few moments more are spared to witness Diana's ascent into the sky, with Poseidon cradled safely against her. "At least they'll be alright. But Dr. McCoy might have a few words with me about ducking when I get home...."