4522/Can a footsoldier become reformed

Can a footsoldier become reformed
Date of Scene:	29 May 2018
Location:	Manhattan
Synopsis:	Drake tries to reform a footsoldier. Power Girl drops the serious business. It doesn't end well.
Cast of Characters:	Slipstream, June Connor, Power Girl

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Slipstream has posed:
It's growing late in the evening, nearly ten at night and Drake had texted June earlier to let her know that he's free and can find time to hang out if she wants to. That was roughly five hours ago though and by now he's already settled in for the night in a pair of lounge pants and a simple t-shirt as he taps away at his computer as he edits a few videos of gameplay. He looks bored, chin propped up in one hand and his mouse swiveling by the other. The TV has some type of music station on, playing some 80's light rock such as Journey and Speedwagon.

June Connor has posed:
    Through the window, as is probably expected by now, comes June. She's silent, being a ninja, gripping the top of the window and sliding herself through the opening, landing lightly on the ground. she shoves her fingertips into the corners of her pockets as she strolls through the apartment as if she owns it, "Okay," she says, as if she knows she's late but not admitting it. "So I'm here. What is it you wanted to do now?"

Slipstream has posed:
Drake glances over at her and looks amused. "Well, I texted you forever ago. Too busy robbing a bank or something?" He says in a joking manner. He pushes upwards and gives a stretch. "I don't know, I was going to say let's just hang out, but if you want to take a stroll through Harlem's rooftops and see if we can do some superheroing I'm up for that also."

June Connor has posed:
    "We don't rob banks," June says blandly. "And I've seen you do superheroing. You aren't mean enough for it," she observes. She glances around. "You can kick people's asses in Overwatch, but it's a different thing in real life, you know?"

Slipstream has posed:
"I sure kicked your ass and your homeboy that night on the roof. Just because I don't win /all/ the fights doesn't mean I suck at it. Also, being a superhero is not about being mean. It's about being selfless and doing the right thing for your community. We don't kill. Those who do are just vigilantes who are assholes. Like the Punisher. That doesn't count." Drake grins at her as he rises off his chair and heads to the dresser. "And I'm sure you guys rob banks also. Maybe they don't take you along because you suck at it." He winks.

June Connor has posed:
    "Yeah, but you got duped after you beat me, remember?" June says. "I gave you a sob story and you bought it, and my people got away with the goods. So can you really say you won?" She winces. "I would just run like hell if I saw Punisher," she agrees. "Because I know he'd kill me as soon as look at me." She laughs. "It's not money they need," she comments. "Believe me, bank jobs don't pay well enough. They want things that will generate more income, not just simple cash."

Slipstream has posed:
"You guys were gonna get away regardless if you gave me a sob story, because I can't personally take on a team of ninjas by myself. Sides, you're sitting here in my bedroom rethinking your life of crime. I consider that a win. I played the long game." Drake says as he pokes her nose with his finger. "Boop."

June Connor has posed:
    "Sure," June says with a bland stare, completely unresponsive to the poke on her nose. "I'm just rethinking it all over." Sarcastic much? She glances at the TV. "So this is what you do most nights? Either go look for crime to fight, or else...watch TV?" She tilts her head to one side.

Slipstream has posed:
"No, most nights I would still be jacked into the game and playing Overwatch. Except I didn't want to for a change. I went to the gym, worked out for two hours and then got dinner. Ended up working on some videos and the TV is just music to keep my mind happy." Drake peels out of his shirt to reveal his lean frame, then takes out a darker shirt from the dresser. He snags a pair of jeans as well and some socks, then heads for the bathroom that is connected to his room to dress.

June Connor has posed:
    June pushes her tongue against the inside of her bottom lip. "You got some kind of crush," she teases. "You gotta take your shirt off every time I come over here. Your lantern girl is cut your junk off," she teases as you enter the bathroom.

Slipstream has posed:
"You're the one bringing it up, maybe you got the crush. Seeing shirtless guys weird for you? Never been to the beach?" Drake calls out from the bathroom as he changes into his street clothes, then heads back out as he lobs the shirt and shorts on to the bed. He snags his Addidas and tugs them on. "I bet my lantern girl would think you're hot." He says with a smirk.

June Connor has posed:
    "Oh, one of those kinds of relationships," she says. "Yeah, I can't say I swing that way," she confesses. "It always seemed kinda weird. Tried it once, it was just kinda 'meh'." She walks toward the door, what's this? She might leave through the door? Well, if she's going with Drake, at least.

Slipstream has posed:
"I don't know if it's one of those relationships, I'm just saying." Drake says as he heads for the door after snagging his keys and wallet. "You up for a hot dog or something? We can grab some street meat on the way. You are actually giving this reforming thing a chance?" He asks with a lift of his brow.

June Connor has posed:
    "At 10pm?" she asks. "I think you overestimate the desperation of street vendors," June comments. "Even in your rich kid part of town people don't want to be out that late." She opens the door, glancing around at the hallway. "Huh," she shrugs. "I always thought it'd be green."

Slipstream has posed:
"Obviously you have never been to a club in your life, because when people come out stumbling drunk at two am, vendors are right there on the curb, ready to hook people up with easy sales. At least in the bad parts of town." Drake grins at her as he steps out into the hallway. "Why would you think it would be green? Our team colors are blue and silver." He says as he heads for the elevator, scanning his badge for the doors to open.

June Connor has posed:
    "Yeah, but you don't own the whole building, right?" June asks. "And I didn't mean that. If you want drugs, yeah that's easy enough," she says. "It's those folks that make the rest not want to be there. She cocks an eyebrow as she walks down the steps on her tiptoes, as silent as ever. Sure there is an elevator, but she doesn't even make any indication that she will take it, and even if it's mentioned, she goes down the stairs anyway. She's far more graceful than most people who dress like a pierced up rebel, but then again, Drake would know why.

Slipstream has posed:
"Yes, we own the whole building. The first floor is the battle station, second floor is our gym, third floor is our kitchen and utilities and the fourth is our dorms. Also, you won't be able to open the door down there without a badge." Drake says as he watches her head down the stairs as he steps into the elevator. "Badge in, badge out. That's the rules." He says as he waves as the doors close in front of him. He'll be badging the door once she makes her way down to let her into the lobby. As the doors swish open and he steps out, he scans the door to open it, then heads for the double doors as he gives a wave to the lady at the front desk who looks perplexed at the sight of June.

Power Girl has posed:
    Manhatten is typically a quiet place. Too quiet for Power Girl- to some extent. Recently, though, she'd been around for some trouble involving ninjas of all things- and during that 'adventure,' Drake had gotten himself in some serious trouble. How she knows where he'll be is something of a mystery. Knowing those Metropolis types, she just heard him say something Overwatch related while she was on the Moon or visiting Mars (Mild exaggerations, surely) and came flying.

    Either way, descending from the sky is the white-clad blonde most call Power Girl. When she nears the concrete, she calls out. "I see you're walking, Drake. That's good."

June Connor has posed:
    "Fancy," June comments. She gives an inverted nod to the lady at the front, her hands still in her pockets. As she sees Power Girl descend, she doesn't make any outward signs that she's alarmed, but her heart begins to race, and her fingers dig a little deeper into her pockets, feeling the smoke pellets that she keeps on hand for emergencies. A lot of good they would do her. She glances to Drake, and back to Power Girl, and suddenly, she doesn't have anything else to say. She gets quiet, and seems to recede a little.

Slipstream has posed:
"Yeah, it's pretty fancy. Blizzard kinda takes their property seriously, and I'm considered.... I guess a valued asset to their company's overall strategic marketing plans." Drake says with an amused grin as he takes in a deep breath of that city New York air. At the sound of Power Girl's voice, he pauses and glances upwards, then smiles to her. "Oh. Hey. Yeah, I'm walking. Finally got cleared to leave the med bay. I was poked and prodded and scanned and all that good stuff. Got an upgraded bracelet." He holds up his wrist. Oh. This is my good friend June. I'm training her in Overwatch strats and we're headed out for a hotdog or two if you wanted to join us."

Power Girl has posed:
    People don't normally get -nervous- when Power Girl shows up. The increase in heart rate, the way June fidgets- it gets her attention. Especially since the -last- friend of Drake's she met ended up hitting on her, Power Girl aims to head things off at the pass, expecting to see a marker or pen in the girl's pocket. Her expression changes, a little. Everything that Drake says falls somewhat on deaf ears, and a slight sweep catches a tattoo on the upper arm.

    "So I'm pretty curious if you've already told him, or if you were going to wait until you were about to kill him first. Those won't help, by the way."

June Connor has posed:
    June's stone expression remains that, but despite her tough look on the outside, her heart is about to pound out of her chest. She gives a hiding smirk. "Kill him?" she asks. "Good to know your friend is an assumptive asshole," she comments to Drake. As scared as she is, it seems not to keep her from making snide remarks. It's the only defense she really has. Besides the smoke pellets, which are only a distractive device, she has three kunai tucked inside of the hip of her pants. Her fingers roll one of the pellets between to fingers.

Slipstream has posed:
"... Okay. So, June is also .. ah .. a ninja .. and we had an epic throwdown on a roof. I won by the way. I don't know, we started talking, and she's thinking of leaving her bad girl roots behind and take up crime fighting with me. A side kick. Sorta.. you know.. someone to go rooftop jumping with me, stop some car jackers, that kinda shit." Drake says as he rubs the back of his neck. "And to hopefully give her some understanding that superheroes do not randomly kill bad guys, that we actually do try and help people." He mutters, "Even if there is a ton of property damage due to it." He glances over to June, "Be cool. Power Girl is awesome. She gives me tough love all the time. You just get used to it."

Power Girl has posed:
    "Assumptive? I get to be assumptive when, without a second thought, someone immediately resorts to attempt to kill somebody in one of the most painful ways I can actually think of? Or was that not covered in your New Ninja Orientation?" Folding her arms, Power Girl does keep quiet for Drake's explanation. "Considering what happened to you, I'd honestly be questioning it myself. Who seems more prone to murder? The people who run and jump and punch a lot, or the faceless group of historical -assassins- who carry -bladed weapons- to every situation? Doesn't necessarily seem like a hard question to me, but I'm not the conflicted one." There's a pause.

    "Aren't YOU -Tony's- sidekick?"

June Connor has posed:
    June takes a deep breath, and her heart rate suddenly becomes eerily normal. As if she was never worked up. See, Drake?" she comments. "You think I don't know what I'm talking about." She looks at Power Girl, "Thank you," she says genuinely, but with a touch of distain. I appreciate your assistance in proving me right." She turns back to Drake. "See, tits magee here knows that she's the hero, because she judges people she's never met and opens conversations accusing them of murder-" she side notes "-and who /doesn't/ carry a blade on them at all times in the Bronx?" she asks Power Girl. "Is everyone there a criminal now too because they are poor?" She shakes her head, and is bold enough to spit at Power Girl's feet. Apparently she has a lot of faith that Drake's presence will keep her from getting punched through a wall... at least immediately. She's clearly angry, but her heart rate now continues to stay steady. "And I'm not your sidekick. I'm not looking to be a hero, you just want to live in your pretty world where there's just good and bad, the good are pretty and bad is ugly, and there's no mixing of the two. Everybody is the bad guy, Drake."

Slipstream has posed:
There is a long sigh from Drake as he rubs a hand over his face. He looks back and forth between the two of them as they go at it. "Guys, come on, chill out. June, you're like.. taking this to an eleven. Power Girl is just ... concerned because your boss sorta tried to kill me. It was a really scary moment for all of us. She's just being a protective friend. But there's no reason for either of you two get all crazy mad at each other." He gives a bit of a wince at June's last statement, then rubs the back of his neck. "I'm not Tony's sidekick." He says to Power Girl. "I'm his lunch break and probably right now more of a headache to him. I don't think I've earned the right to be considered a sidekick to a guy like that. I'd probably be more of a side kick to .. I dunno... Ant Man or something right now." Zing! He gives June a bit of a nudge behind him. "Hey, PG, don't.. get upset at her. She's had it rough and I'm trying to be a friend and to help her out."

Power Girl has posed:
    The slap comes like lightning. To be completely fair, it's a very, very gentle one- just, contextually, it's gentle for a person who could rearrange the solar system if she needed to... So it only feels like an adult woman just offered up the Five Finger Face Salute. "Figure yourself the fuck out." she accuses, returning the offending hand to her waist. "Your friend, your -boss-, just went straight to murder. Thing one. She found out he was there to stop her from stealing something, and her response was to try and -kill- him without hesitation in a way that would have him screaming in pain every second of his very, very short life. The idea of who is in the wrong in this situation shouldn't even be a question. I can count on one hand the people that people like me have -had- to kill. Had to, because if we didn't they'd have torn a continent in half or fucked the planet inside out." There is a silence, then, to let that set in- she isn't exactly exaggerating.

    "If you want someone to say it outright, you're not wrong. It's not all just black and white, everything is gray, but there's a clear difference between someone carrying a tazer or a knife because it makes them feel safe, and someone slinging up a full length sword because they want to -use- it on somebody, and if you don't understand that then go ahead. Keep moving blindly forward until I have to punch you so hard you'll get a NASA patch." Another pause. She means that, too.

    "Everyone has urges. Everyone who can do something better than somebody else is trying to figure out how to use that to their advantage. Sometimes it's easy, and harmless, like writers and actors and models. Sometimes it's horrific and wrong. Sometimes someone knows what a gun can do and all they can see is that they can use that to hurt other people and get what they want. Sometimes it's because they're desperate and sometimes they don't understand that it's wrong in time. A lapse in judgment is less egregious than maliciousness, but you damn well need to understand that maybe a lot of you wannabe ninjas have it rough and are just looking for something to get by because you have nothing else- but the people 'in charge' of your organization? They want to hurt people. They want people to bleed."

    "You shouldn't be having a dilemma. You should be running, or you should be fighting. We can help you do both, but this shouldn't be a question. You shouldn't need convincing."

June Connor has posed:
    June's eyes go wide as she takes the slap to the face, knowing just too well that it could have been the last thing she ever experienced if the kryptonian wanted it to be. "I think that's my cue. I don't defend anybody elses actions, I told him not to screw with her, he made his choice. That was his. What she did was hers. None of that is my fault. Go track her down if you want to judge her, but don't you think for a second that you have a right to judge me or any of mine biproxy. But hey, that's your actions, so I'll let you deal with your anger problems."
    She throws her hands up, and starts to walk away. "Thanks for a great time, Drake, good to meet your friends. You sure showed me how different it is on the other side of things."

Slipstream has posed:
"Woah! Hey. You didn't have to hit her." Drake says quickly in June's defense as he holds his hands up to Power Girl. "She may be a total bitch but there's no need to get hands on." He looks to June as she starts to walk away, then sighs loudly. He squeezes his fists together out of frustration, closing his eyes for a moment, then blinks out of sight in a small blur of soft blue light.

Power Girl has posed:
    Power Girl watches the girl go. Her arms fold, and she looks momentarily over to Drake, whom she watches disappear with a raised brow. Her expression is impassive- but she'll let this take its course. She's already pretty well aware of the road that June is heading down- she's seen it before. It's probably up to other people now, at the very least! Power Girl said what she could.