3708/The Search for Students: Part I

The Search for Students: Part I
Date of Scene:	21 January 2018
Location:	Mutant Town, New York City
Synopsis:	Rebound stops a mugging with an audience
Cast of Characters:	Rebound, Cyclops, Spider-Man

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Rebound has posed:
Bushwick, AKA Mutant Town, is not always the best place in the world. Especially in the evening.

It's evening now: late enough that it's getting dark (helps that it's winter and the sun goes down early), not so late that nobody is on the streets. The location is just barely inside Bushwick, though; you could call it in Flatbush and be about equally accurate, as the edges bleed into each other a little bit.

It could just be an ordinary night, though there's some noises coming from a side street - a shortcut on the way home of some people who live in one of the districts but lives in the other - that are a little bit out of the ordinary; a voice, slightly raised, the sound of something (or someone) sliding. This being New York, people are trying not to notice it.

Cyclops has posed:
     Due to the amount of violence happening in Mutant Town as of late, Scott and the X-Men have been sure to keep an eye out in the hub of Mutants. Cyclops himself is only in street clothes right now as he patrols the early night street. He remains as incognito as possible, that is to say, no visor, no X-badge. He's just a man on a walk.

Spider-Man has posed:
While some like to stay incognito, blend into the surroundings until they have disappeared, there is an alternate school of thought. Spider-Man is just such a thinker, donning two of the three primary colours, and accented with two very large and surprisingly expressive 'eyes'. He's on his patrol, having started it in his old stomping ground of Forest Hills, in nearby Queens. Now in Bushwick, there are some buildings from which to swing, but it's not nearly as easy as in Manhattan.

Rebound has posed:
There's always been a fair bit of crime in Bushwick, especially since it ended up a de facto mutant ghetto. Why would tonight be any different?

Of course, it's not. Both the patrollers can find a crime just starting in that alleyway: a mugging taking place between a couple of street toughs and someone who just wanted to take a fast way home after a work shift. There are no guns (yet, at least), just a threat and raised fists.

And, now, another civilian.

Naomi Lewis is dressed in street clothes, including a winter jacket, hat, and scarf. It does a good job of covering her face even though it is really too warm for the scarf tonight. Most people would be walking away from a problem like this, but apparently she has other opinions, given she is walking directly toward the toughs like she was intent on breaking it up. "Hey, uh... maybe you should go somewhere else," she says, because she absolutely has not mastered witty commentary. "Like, right now. Instead of shaking people down for cash."

Spider-Man has posed:
Bushwick was one of Spider-Man's least favourite places to patrol. New Yorkers, as a rule, were blunt and aggressive. The Incredible Hulk could rip a bridge in half and expect a pretzel vendor to be cursing at him about the lost business... rather than running in fear. But in Bushwick, sometimes known as Mutant Town, there was every chance that the vendor would have powers to back up that New York bravado. Spider-Man caught the mugging, but he was farther away than the woman. So he made a quick thwip to send him over there. He quickly, from years of practice, managed to set up his camera.

Sure, it was a simple mugging, but every photo was potential income. And once that was done, he dangled by a thread, upside down, "ooh, I love a good street performance. But she's right guys, you should really think about taking your act out of the alleyways. I mean, there's no hot dog vendors, no pretzels, no pizza, no food of any kind. Foot traffic seems okay, hi there," he looked to the girl, "but you're never going to make it to Broadway like this."

Cyclops has posed:
     Scott hears the ruckus down at the alleyway, running over to observe, hoping to find whoever it was that had been helping those in need here in Mutant Town.

  Of course, he finds who he is looking for. The lack of commentary mastery shows she's new to this, though anyone willing o put themselves in danger to help another...that's the mark of bravery he likes to see. And of course, Spider-Man makes an appearance, the master of New York bravado and witty banter. Cyclops for now just stands in the entrance to the alleyway, making a road block of sorts, if only to allow himself to assess the young woman in her abilities.

Rebound has posed:
Naomi has pulled this trick a few times before, but she's never had back-up when she did it. (Does Spider-Man count as back-up? The news says he's a criminal, but the news is perfectly happy to treat her like a criminal too, and she's pretty sure she's not one.)

She looks surprised, inasmuch as anyone can read her covered face, when Spider-Man addresses her directly. "Uh..." So do the muggers, and their victim takes the opportunity to sprint - he's not much older than Naomi is, and he makes pretty good speed now that he's fairly certain he can get away. He's picked the side street exit Scott is not in front of.

One of the toughs curses and reaches for him, though, and that's when Naomi throws herself at that particular mugger to stop him from chasing. She doesn't really slam him so much as ricochet off him, with a flicker of just-visible colour as her hands impact. "Hey!" she yells. "No chasing!"

Naomi really needs help with her banter. She does not need help with the tough; he's trying to fight back, but it's not working, as every time he hits her there's another pulse of colour and his hand is shoved roughly away from wherever on her he hit. There's another one, though, and Naomi is out of hands, so maybe Spider-Man (or Cyclops) does have something to do.

Spider-Man has posed:
Spider-Man sees the other man run off after the victim, but Naomi gives chase and he allows it, not wanting to use his webbing to interfere in case he might accidentally hurt the tough, or Naomi, while trying to pacify him. Instead, he keeps hanging there. The man hasn't threatened or given chase, meaning Spider-Man can afford to be magnanimous, even playful. "Hey, nice shirt, very retro. My best friend's dad has one just like it." He quickly fires of a web line when the man begins to inch, webbing the hand to the wall, "hey, I'm talking here. Now, as I was saying, you should really think about relocating. The street would have been good, but I'm sure we can find you something in a nice cell, maybe one overlooking a park, some greenery, that's where it's at. Prisons are very feng shui these days. You'll love it." And another webline went to the other hand. "I don't suppose you have a piece of paper and pen for the cops? I always like to leave a note. Are you going to be okay, how about a bagel while you wait?"

Cyclops has posed:
     Cyclops merely maintains his 'wall' against the alleyway. Spider-Man and the young lady have this pretty clean.

  Scott manages to come closer to the group, observing the two as they work. Naomi's ability seems quite interesting, but he wants to see her close the deal here, not just deflect shots.

  A quick glance to Spider-Man gets Scott to procure a small pad and pen, and throw it his way. "That bagel come with schmear?"

Spider-Man has posed:
Without much reason for aerial displays, Spider-Man hadn't set off his camera yet, and he probably wasn't going to. Nothing happening yet would be the kind of shot that J. Jonah Jameson would want to discredit him. Catching the offered pen and paper, in separate hands, switching the hand that held the webline in the middle, "thanks Mister," Spider-Man exclaimed, before writing, 'Dear Police, I stopped this mugger. Sincerely, Spider-Man. P.S. He's had a bagel," and webbing the note to the man's chest. Spider-Man tossed the pen and paper pad back to Scott, "so, what kind of bagel would you like? Can you watch him mister while I grab it from the bakery down the street?"

Rebound has posed:
The only reason the second guy hadn't gotten involved is because he was as surprised as anyone else - and by the time he was able to, Spider-Man was sticking him to the wall. That makes it a little hard for him to do much but struggle. "Hey! You can't get away with that - " He looks down at the note on his chest.

Spider-Man totally got away with that.

Naomi, for her part, does not actually seem to know how to fight very well. Every time she's punched, it doesn't really work, but her own contribution is wrestling him around awkwardly until she is sitting on him, holding his legs back in a lock so he can't really kick much and pinning him by leverage. If she didn't have whatever she has that is giving her that field, she would have gotten a black eye twice over. "Can I borrow some web?" she asks Spider-Man, looking seriously at him for the first time. That's /really/ Spider-Man. And...

...he's got a friend? Naomi looks over at Scott. Him, she doesn't know. That's not really a surprise. She uses her free hand to tug her scarf back into place - it slipped some, in the scuffle.

Cyclops has posed:
     Scott catches the pad and pen, placing it back in his jacket. "Just joking. I'm good." He says with a smile, looking to the red and blue spider. "I'll watch while you do your thing though." He offers, looking at the note. He adjusts his glasses after, watching Naomi as she does her thing. "Not bad, kid." He offers her, had she shown much trouble, he would have stepped in to intervene.

Spider-Man has posed:
"Hey, you know that you and your friend hit that guy, we saw it, Glasses," he gestured towards Scott, "Prism Girl," he gestured to Naomi, "and myself, Spider-Man. You do the crime, you have to... you know, I've never really looked into how successful superhero convictions are. But hey, you can look into that for me. When you get out, and become a rehabilitated member of society, let me know how it went." Then he let himself down, jumping off the floor, until he can land near Naomi, where he wets the man's feet together, then hands together. "Excuse me," and once she's up, he'll web the guy over near his friend, "thanks, so, what's your real super name. Rainbow Woman? Kaleidoscope Girl? Or how about Seven. I don't know, maybe you had to be there. But a friend of mine said Seven would be a great super name. I don't understand it myself. Oh, right, bagel," and he fired off a web, moving quickly through the alley on his way to the outside, where he could pick up a bagel or two for the bad guys, since they might be there a while.

Rebound has posed:
"Kid?" Naomi objects to Scott. "I'm not a kid!" Which is probably belied by the way she sounds saying it; she's not a /young/ kid, but she's a teenager, and now that Scott is closer he can tell. Sixteen, seventeen, not any older than that. She shoves her hands in her pockets once Spider-Man has helped stick the thugs near each other; she has to admit that's way more effective than what she had been doing.
Shepider-Man talking a mile a minute seems to have taken the back-chat out of the thugs, too. Maybe she should learn how to do it. They're objecting, but not insulting her, which is better than average.

"Uh, I hadn't really decided," Naomi lies; she had in fact decided but she's not sure she wants to say in front of Spider-Man, who is clearly a whole lot better at this than she is. So much for the news. Apparently you can't trust everything you read on it.

Great, is she a Spider-Man fan now? Is that how this works?

She watches him go to get a bagel, or multiple bagels. She should have asked for a bagel, she thinks, too late; she has enough money on her to cover it. Oh well.

Spider-Man has posed:
Of course, there was a method to his madness. The fast talking set his enemies at ease and distracted them at the same time. It was great at calming them down and dissuading them from their evil. If anyone was especially bent towards evil, it'd be annoying. And as for the bagels, well, this particular neighbourhood had a bakery that offered Spider-Man bagels if he caught any thieves. The safer the neighbourhood was, the better business. All Spidey had to say was where the guys were tied up, and one of the staff would check, or ask a cop later, and it was all good. Spider-Man himself was too poor for bagels. Way too poor. But instead of having it himself, he gave them to the bad guys, since they'd be stuck for a while. Returning a few minutes later, Spider-Man had a bag with a cream cheese bagel, plain since he didn't know which type to get, and gave each of the tied up men half. "Here you go." If they hadn't called the cops, the bakery would have by now. "So, unless you two are into talking to nice policemen about robberies, I'd suggest you skedaddle. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Glasses and Super Name Pending." And with that, he thwiped, heading up towards the roof, to look for more people to help out.

Cyclops has posed:
     Scott approaches the girl once Spider-Man has left for bagels. "You in school?" He asks, holding up a hand, and pulling out a business card with the other. "I know of a place where they can help you with your...abilities. If you need it." He holds out the card in a friendly manner, with a slight smile.

  Once Spidey came back and fed the bad guys, Scott would offer a wave, and a slight smile. "Thanks." He offers, before shoving his hands in his pockets and making his way out.

Rebound has posed:
Naomi Lewis isn't exactly raking in the dough, but if you can't afford a bagel once in a while, what kind of New Yorker are you?

While Spider-Man is gone, Naomi chats with Scott. Sort of. She accepts the card and looks at it, squinting slightly because it's pretty hard to read a business card at evening with sub-par lighting. She's not sure what to make of it. She's not in school (regrettably, she had to drop out) but it's not like she can pay for it, anyway.

"Uh, thanks," she says, slightly awkwardly. It's a weird situation to be in. She tugs her scarf up again before shoving the business card in her pocket with everything else she keeps in there. "I'll... look at it." She will, too. Though maybe not immediately, or at least not where anyone can see her.

When Spider-Man returns, she... well, it's hard to tell if she's smiling under her scarf. "That's what I usually do. And, uh, thanks. You make it a lot easier than it is for just me." Probably because Naomi really has no idea what she's doing with fighting and the vigilante-ness.

Fortunately, she knows like six easy ways home from here. She takes off the scarf when she's a few blocks away, because damn does it get hot.