3686/TP: Awakening (I'm Just a Girl)

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TP: Awakening (I'm Just a Girl)
Date of Scene: 20 January 2018
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Finally some witnesses to the kidnappings. And the first demon, Wrath, appears.
Cast of Characters: Redstar, Rachel Cole-Alves, Shadow
Tinyplot: Awakening


Redstar has posed:
The police last had a new report an hour and change ago. It was about two miles from here, and the witness said the girl was just walking, a flash, and she was gone. The witness was apparently hysterical.

Rachel Cole-Alves has posed:
    People huddle against old, cracked buildings along the ruined street. It's a hold out, really. As the circles come closer to the center of the city the roads are in generally beter repair than they are toward the outskirts but this neighborhood doesn't really fit that bill. Two miles and some change from the nearest kidnapping. Alleys and roken streets. Right now Rachel is walking alone, her red hair allowed to fall in a light bob that frames her neck. She's just wearing jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt, blue eyes wide as she picks her way over broken pavement. Jeans, a t-shirt, and a small pistol tucked against her inner thigh. She briefly catches the eyes of a homeless man who looks to be twenty or twenty-three but doesn't say a word.

Shadow has posed:
    Another kidnapping, and the clock is ticking. Whoever is doing this is grabbing victims entirely too quickly for Natasha's peace of mind. Even assuming they'd mapped the entire city's demographic beforehand they'd still have to account for itineraries... Or perhaps there are multiple groups. The patterns do seem to imply magic, but so far the city's most pre-eminent sorcerer hasn't been able to be of help, so it's time for an old-fashioned stakeout of the area where the pattern implies the next hit is most likely to take place.

    It's earlier than she prefers to operate, but waiting until sunset would mean at least two more kidnappings, and she's not going to sacrifice innocents to her comfort zone. On the plus side, at this hour in the afternoon a seemingly empty cab driving around looking for a job isn't likely to attract much attention, and there's enough traffic that a brief slowdown is easily explained -- and no one notices the door opening and closing, or another shadow slipping into the alleyways...

Redstar has posed:
A sound of a scuffle comes from an alley ahead of Rachel. The bum looks at her sadly, then returns to staring at his mostly empty bowl. The scuffle doesn?t even gain his notice, it's that kind of neighborhood.

A cat screeches and a trash can topples. The sound of a kid, voice male and high, comes from it. Crying and the sound of laughing from older, deeper voices. A dumpster and trash block a good view from the street.

Rachel Cole-Alves has posed:
    Rachel is here for a reason. She knows she shouldn't break character but the pit in the depths of her stomach just gets deeper and more insistent as she listens to the noises from the alley. It's when she hears a childish voice squeal and cry that she finally moves. The redhead moves up against the dumpster first and leans forward slowly to per into the alley, those azure eyes of hers wide as she studies the situation. Get a clean review of the location and who is present before you commit. Basic stuff.

    Rachel pointedly refuses to reach for her gun. Giving that away might be the last mistake she ever made given the circumstances.

Shadow has posed:
    The noise doesn't match what the Shadow expects from the kidnappings she's looking for -- but that doesn't mean it's not worth checking out. She flits noiselessly down the alley, casting ahead with her will. An easy wall-sprint lets her push off and vault to a nearby ledge to give herself a better view of the surroundings...

Redstar has posed:
Figures stand with their backs to the alley exit in a loose semi-circle. The crying boy can?t quite be seen past them from the alley opening. Yet above a child of maybe ten lays on the ground, curled with hands over his head and balled up. The tall tenements on either side make the alley dark, even if the winter clouds did't already make it darker.

"Pathetic, Dickson," One figure says, lightly kicking the ball. "No wonder they took your sister!" A couple of the boys laugh and another kick goes into a kidney. The boy cries out and tries to scoot away. "Nowhere to run, loser!" Looks to be a mostly typical bully situation.

Rachel Cole-Alves has posed:
Rachel waches the sceen with growing concern, bows furrowing slightly as she does. The redhead clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth but doesn't say a word or move to intervene. Not just yet. She's weighing consequences, of course, casting around for something she can use to even the odds. Silence follows as she considers what to do. Finally Rachel reaches down and gropes about on the ground by the dumpste, looking for something... Ah! A glass bottle. Shebites her bottom lip, tilting her head slightly as she gauges the distance.

    The crash of the bottle hitting the alley is deafening. It explodes into fragments that would shower the group of bullies. Timed right, no one would be able to tell where it came from but it would certainly be hard to ignore...

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow's mouth twists into a scowl underneath her scarf. Petty bullies. Not who she's looking for, but there doesn't seem to be any sign of the kidnappers, and the child might be able to tell her something. Besides, there's always time to nip /this/ kind of behaviour in the bud before it becomes something more sinister a few years down the line...

    The shattering of a glass bottle comes unexpected, as does the presence of the woman who threw it. The Shadow takes in her appearance and stance, eyes narrowing. Her quarry? Or a fellow hunter? In this city it's not always a clear distinction. Either way, she can probably wait until after these would-be scum have been dealt with, and the bottle provides as good an opening as it gets...

    As the tinkling of the glass dies away, those present hear another noise. A sinister, mocking chuckle that starts low and soft, growing in volume and malice like a predator stalking closer as the very shadows of the alleys shift and extend, swallowing the light.

    "Heh. Heh heh heh. Heh heh hah hah HAH HAA..." The voice comes from everywhere at once, echoing off the alley walls, now far, now close, now left, now right, but every time they turn to look there's just a flicker in the corner of their eyes.

    "Such brave little heroes you all are when your enemy can't fight back. Such courage to hurt those who already suffer... Did you think no one would notice? Did you think no one would KNOW!?"

    The last word isn't so much said as it is snarled, a mixture of righteous rage for the offense and contempt for the foolishness of believing they'd get away...

Redstar has posed:
Well that certainly got their attention. The crowd of four boys duck or cover their heads, scattering to the edges of the alley. The boy on the ground opens his eyes, looking around quickly, as his assailants brush and shake shards of glass from themselves. Then he bolts for the exit, making it half-way before the back of his jacket is snagged.

"Tell your buddy to F-off! You know you owe me, Dickson!" There is anger in the lead child. "Gigi gave you my money, where is it?!" He shakes the kids who whimpers. Maybe this is more than simple bullying...

"I don't got it! I gave it to mama to find Kimber, so go *&#5331 yourself!" The younger boy says and kicks his assailant in the shin. There is a nerve that runs along the shin, it's why it hurts so much when you bang it. And this kid was wearing heavy-duty hiking boots. The leader howls in pain and drops the kid, who bolts past Rachel as fast as his scrawny form can go.

The leader of the gang looks around as he straightens with a snarl of rage. ?Who the hell is that?? He asks, using anger and pain to fight his fear. His cronies, however, are looking freaked out. "It's the kidnappers!" One boy screams and breaks for the exit. This makes the other two look about in fear, eyeing their leader uncertainly. "Dude, let's go!? One of them urges.% From behind Rachel someone reaches to tap her lightly on the shoulder.

Rachel Cole-Alves has posed:
    That tells Rachel more than it doesn't. Nevermind the sheer freakiness involved in the Shadow's entry to this fight. She can't afford to think about it, to let her mind be dulled by the presence of - that. Whatever it is. She compartmentalizes and puts her emotions away for the moment. There's a job to do. It doesn't matter if she is hurt or scared, she will do that job. It isn't enough to stop the shaking in Rachel's hands, however. And it isn't even directed at her.
    Ultimately it's irrelevant. When the boys start to panic Rachel breaks cover. She darts through the alley haphazardly and makes her way toward the ten-year-old boy in the mist of all the bullies. A glance is ventured at the Shadow. The boy takes off and Rachel curses softly, shaking her head as she turns. She's a bit older than the drugrunners but really- Rachel's chose not blend in and soo far she does.
    Now the redhead is face to face with the Shadow. Reflexively Rachel finds her hand rejecting her decision not to draw her gun but instead of actually reaching for it she curles her fingers into a fist.

Shadow has posed:
    A moment's hesitation, and then it's too late to run, as an indistinct shadow blurs toward the leader and lifts him off his feet by his lapels, coalescing into a tall figure shrouded in black with piercing sapphire blue eyes that seem to blaze into the boy's soul, weighing it and finding it wanting. "You aren't who I'm looking for, so I suppose this is your lucky day. Now. You are going to turn around and run home. You will forget you were ever here, and what he owes you. And you are going to behave from now on. Because if you're still peddling your filth when I'm no longer occupied with other things, I'll *KNOW*. And there will be nowhere you can hide where I won't FIND you..."

    The Shadow holds the bully up at arm's length in the air without apparent effort for a few moments longer to drive the point home, then opens their hand to let them drop -- /away/ from the glass -- chuckling darkly again before turning around to face the remaining bully, chuckling again. "Get out. Find an honest way to make a living -- while you still can."

Redstar has posed:
The leaders eyes get big and his mouth falls open in surprise. Utter and stark terror fills his face and he flails about, "DEMON!" He screeches, slapping rather pathetically at The Shadow's hands. When she drops him he lands a little awkwardly, but is already running for his apparent life. One of his crew had drawn a gun for his waistband, but has thought better of it. Those kids bolt pat The Shadow, and Rachel, in abject terror.

The alley is empty. Screaming boys have summoned sirens, but they are several blocks away yet. As the two women eye each other a bent figure wanders into the alley. The smell of booze and something acrid comes off of him. Like bad eggs. "Spare some change?" He slurs, holding out a trembling, filthy hand.

Shadow has posed:
    Of course, there are almost always sirens in New York. Regardless, the Shadow does not intend to be here when they show up. The dark figure, features already starting to blur again as if fading back into the shadows it emerged from, turns to regard the woman, sapphire blue eyes raking her up and down, a single eyebrow twitching as that gaze notes the lump Rache's fist was not quite reaching for. Almost certainly a weapon. Fellow hunter, then, most likely.

    A slight nod and tilt of the head in acknowledgement, but just as she starts to address the other woman she's interrupted by the 'beggar' -- and almost every instinct she has starts screaming almost immediately. Her gaze locks onto the man, her nose crinkling under her scarf even as she draws one of her handguns, not quite pointing it at him.

    "Who are you?" she snarls even as her conscious mind puts the clues together that her subconscious already tallied -- homeless beggars do not approach scenes of violence. And they don't smell of sulfur. "Show your true face!"

Rachel Cole-Alves has posed:
    It appears that Rache is about to speak when the drunk beggar makes his way into the alley behind her. He walks toward the redhead and she whips her head around to stare as he approaches. Rachel's sense of danger isn't quite as developed as Natasha's but even she can tell that this is something out of the ordinary. She tenses slightly as the man close and slowly draws herself to her full height.
    The copper-crimson haired young woman opens her mouth as if to speak before the Shadow's voice echoed in the alley once more. Rachel opted to listen and watch as inobtrusively as possible. Her hand slipped just a little lower.

Redstar has posed:
The bum recoils slightly at the sight if the gun, or maybe it's the way the shadows twist around Natasha. He only takes one step back, hands coming up to his face, "No shoot! Am sorry! Please I beg!" His accent is weird and beneath the dirt it is hard to tell if his skin is naturally tan or even tan at all.

Across the street the two women see a trio of teen girls walking home from school. They don?t seem to notice the alley, deep in their phones and chatting. But Natasha and Rachel see it clearly. Four people step out of apparent nothing, flanking the girls on both sides. The two in the lead run right into them, looking up in surprise. One drops her phone and it lands with a cringe-worthy crash.

The people are dressed in red slacks and long-sleeved red tunics. Their heads are close shaven and it is hard to tell if they are men or women. One bears black tattoos around his eyes that twist slowly, sickeningly, and hypnotically as you look. This man smiles and the girls don't even scream, but mirror his smile. There is a bum between the two would-be heroes and the girls. The tattooed man raises a hand that holds a crystal...

Shadow has posed:
    The Shadow snarls loudly but wordlessly, the gun's aim shifting minutely between two squeezes of the trigger. The gun roars twice, two bullets racing downrange to intersect the rising crystal -- and the wrist of the hand that holds it.

Rachel Cole-Alves has posed:
    Now Rachel goes for he gun. She draws in a smooth kotion and fires off a series of quick hots to match Natasha's. In an instant shes's moving toward the peopel in their crimson tunics, breaking into a near sprint over the course of an instant. The echo in the alley way is deafening ,but she doesn't slow.

Redstar has posed:
Natasha probably didn't know the crystal was magic. But that doesn't really matter. There is a red flash of light that is somehow dark when the bullet strikes. The bum suddenly moves with a fluid grace and swiftness, fingers flexing and he says something in a language the human ear shouldn't hear. A large circle of fiery red force appears in front of him and a blink later it shoots at the two women. Heat like an inferno wafts off of it and one can be certain crispy skin might result from contact.

The dark light sucks suddenly inwards like a vacuum and there is a huge explosion of sound and force, knocking people down, breaking windows, and setting off car alarms. At the center of it lies a curled and crispy form that can only be identified by teeth now. There is a less crispy body next to it, probably the one standing next to him. The girls...something is very, very wrong. One's skin now looks like obsidian and faint green flames wreath about her. She screams and launches into the sky trailing more green flame. Another girl is on the ground, unhurt outwardly, but unconscious. The last girl...is now part of the wall they were standing by, her skin now brownstone and face one of surprise. The other two red robes menaces are not to be seen.

Shadow has posed:
    That was... Not planned out well. Perhaps fortunately, Natasha has very little time to contemplate what her error in judgement has wound up costing others as she has to blur away from the incoming ring of fire, drawing a second pistol as she moves and unloading both into the "Beggar"'s chest. Survive first, worry about asking questions later.

Rachel Cole-Alves has posed:
    Rachel is thrown from her feet, hitting the ground with a solid thump and then tumbling. She rolls a few meters in the alley before coming to a stop near the entrance. She's at least somewhat congizant of her surroundings but beyond staring at the rictus of one of the girl's facees as she studies her surroundings it seems the woman is too disoriented to do anything. She might remember some of what is happening, however.

Redstar has posed:
The bum stumbles from the blast and turns to stare with wide eyes. Then bullets slam into him and he grunts, bending over, and quickly traces a blazing circle in the air. Gripping his side he falls through his portal into a dark room. Shadows move behind him and a pair of red eyes look up to meet Natasha's before the gate ceases.

The sirens that were so close have stopped. Terrified screaming from residents and bystanders can be heard on the street. A howl of despair rings through it all, chilling and magic, meant to fill those who hear it with terror. Out in the street what had been a corgi being walked by it's owner has been transmogrified into some kind of stunted hell beast. Four tentacles rise from its flesh, fur gone and shiney white and gold skin bulging with muscles. It approaches the downed girl.

Redstar has posed:
The hellcorgi howls once more as it stalks towards a downed pedestrian. But the Shadow still has her wits and gun. Despite looking horrific it only takes a shot through the brain to take it down.

The sound of pounding feet coming down the sidewalk spurs the would-be hero to leave, the damage is done. The authorities have arrived. The screams of horror and despair ring through the Harlem streets.