4550/Bar practice

Bar practice
Date of Scene:	31 May 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Shadowlite, Redstar, Shredder

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Shadowlite has posed:
Even having joined SHIELD recently as a commission contractor, Shadowlite still frequents mercenary bars to keep in touch with contacts and find potential work. The Rocky Road is one of the more 'in the know' mercenary bars, with a mix of casual and mercenary patrons. It isn't often that metahumans or superpowered individuals come through here though, so Shadowlite and Starr stick out like sore thumbs in a back booth, with Shadowlite wearing his gear vest and hood as he leans back into the seating, a meal and a mug of some form of alcohol in front of him as he lazily listens to the chatter.

It's a fairly quiet night, even with the occasional glances and 'what do you think they're here for?' murmurs as people glance in the known mutant mercenaries direction. Having been outed by Rising Tide has been helped and hindered Shadowlite with the attention.

Redstar has posed:
It wasn't but a month ago Starr was on the news causing...problems. Since then she hadn't really shown her face around the three citys of Gotham, NYC, or Metropolis. Yet here she was sitting backwards in a chair at the booth. The table itself having been pulled out enough to allow for it. Those wings kind of make booths an impossibility. It just makes her seem more likelya guarding for their table though.

The demoness lets her eyes rove across the patrons. She isn't shy. Those all-black eyes are unnerving and her presence likely to keep things to murmers. Only the truly stupid would think to mess with them. "A lot of hurry up and wait," She comments cryly to Shadowlite, lifting her glass of what appears to be whiskey. The bartender had started asking for ID, but decided against it when she showed him her sharp-toothe grin.

Shredder has posed:
    The corner of the bar has a young woman, who may or may not be twenty-one. She looks a little young to be present, but she isn't drinking alcohol, either. She sits in a black haltertop and black leather pants, sipping some tea from a mug. Her distinct japanese features are clear, but she is also someone that seems almost to be invisible while she is not hidden at all, scanning the room. Her eyes curiously shift toward Starr, unconcerned that she will be notices staring.

Shadowlite has posed:
"Slow day. My usual people would have approached by now. Might be they're a bit iffy about dealing with someone who taunted the Hulk?" Shadowlite muses aloud to Starr, his voice mask in full effect, even here. Not like anyone would be able to stop him from using if they wanted to; the man disappearing in an instant if he wants after all.

"I'm going to get something light." Shadowlite grunts to Starr as his mug is empty. A moment later, and Shadowlite gets up with another lazy grunt as he moves towards the bar. His vest has plenty of pockets... and he has two holsters at his waist; revolvers, looks like. "Barkeep, something light for me." Shadowlite confirms his orders as he leans against the bar counter.

Redstar has posed:
Starr lets out a sigh and rolls her eyes. "Yes, well, my passions get the best of me sometimes. I've been keeping my head down since at least," She says a little huffy. Despite her physical appearance she is dressed in normal, if provacative, clothes. An open-backed scater dress with the black leather fanny pack about her waist. It doesn't seem too packed.

"I'm going to play pool," And onto her feet she goes and moves to the empty table and bar cues. One is picked up and she twirls it idly. Of course no one seems interested just yet in playing with her as she racks the balls. Perhaps her absence will allow others more comfort to approach. Meanwhile she can keep an eye just as well from the table as from the booth.

Shredder has posed:
    The young woman leans back in her seat, eyes shifting slightly as another patron, a young man, passes by Shadowlite. He's casual, and remarkably good at what he does, but the question is whether he is good enough. His hand dips two fingers into one of the vest pockets.

Shadowlite has posed:
Being in a well known mercenary bar means you keep a lookout... and when someone passes by, you keep an eye on funny business. As it so happens, he does notice the hand... but doesn't say anything or show it, seeing what she's looking to do first. Instead, he just goes to grab the mug.

Redstar has posed:
Starr was rubbing a bit of chalk onto her cue and admiring Shadowlite's ass, apparently, when the young man walked by. The reason she noticed is because it blocked her view. Those black eyes flick up to the kid's face as she lines up a shot without looking. *CRACK* the triangle flies apart with a solid sliding into a corner pocket and the rest dispersing nicely. Everything on her end seems to be normal. For the pickpocket though? Probably not so much. The demon manipilates his temperature, bringing it up quickly from normal to a swimmy 102.

Shredder has posed:
    The young man pulls his hand back, nothing in it. He winces, and reaches up with his forefinger and thumb, grabbing the bridge of his nose. He walks away to the corner of the room, maintaining a good deal of composure, considering the situation. Karai sighs, taking another sip of her tea, shaking her head.

Shadowlite has posed:
A few seconds of 'nothing' passes by, before one hand reaches out in the young mans general direction, and a smokey black mist pours from his hand as Darkforce is pulled over the dimensional barrier.

Underneath the young man, black tentacles begin to form out of nowhere, a black mist pouring from the floor as four of them start to grow in size around him. They're not doing anything yet, but he has plenty of time to move, if he wants.

Redstar has posed:
Starr moves to make another shot, this one not quite making it. The attention on the boy fighting his fever is released. His body will bring it down naturally on its own. However as the demoness continues to play her game against no one she watches Shadowlite. There is a delighted little smile that looks creepy on her demonic face. But then, perhaps that is the point.

Shredder has posed:
    The man looks like he is trying to center himself, controlling his breathing carefully, and he starts to jump back in surprise as he sees the tentacles start to creep up. He loses his cool a little, and stumbles back away from the encroaching appendages.
    The japanese woman at the table lets out a slight sigh, getting up from the table, and finishing her tea before placing the cup back down.

Shadowlite has posed:
With the need to maintain the tentacles keeping his focus, Shadowlite doesn't see the japanese woman stand up, but keeps the tentacles moving towards the young man. Shadowlite can move his rifts easily, so they keep up with the man, moving at his exact speed as he stumbles back.

So far, they just... loom over him. The rest of the bar patrons have started to notice as well, some screaming and running out of the bar. Most just murmur about 'frigging metas' as they watch the display.

Redstar has posed:
Starr stands up and leaves the cue on the table. Her games is left to stand because she is watching Shadowlite's back now. That means watching the bar. The people fleeing don't really matter to her. It is the woman standing and the bartender taking out a phone that catch her attention. The bartender gasps and suddenly is drenched in sweat. For a moment he sways before he topples over. A waitress screeches in surprise and moves to check on him, finding him unconscious and shivering with fever. The whole time Starr is just grinning with delight as the bar falls to a bit of confusion.

Shredder has posed:
    The man nimbly kicks a toe at the tentacles, then snaps it the other direction. He looks like he actually knows how to move in a fight pretty well. Karai ignores the hysteria brewing, walking directly to the man. He turns to her, "Help!" he says to her, only to receive a fist to the mouth. She looks down at the tentacles. "My apologies, henshitsusya," she offers toward Shadowlite. "I ask that you pardon his indiscretion." Unlike most of the people in the room, She seems very serious, and very unconcerned.

Shadowlite has posed:
"For one thing, I have no idea what henshitsusya means." Shadowlite casually offers, his free hand taking a sip of that light beverage, his other hand still maintaining those tentacles. When the young man goes for them though, all four suddenly lunge for him, working on grappling his limbs, and stretching him out to his limit, before Shadowlite pulls down the hood to obscure his mouth once more and turns to regard Karai.

The hood and goggles only make it clear that Shadowlite is a man, while the Rising Tide dossier made it clear he's a mutant. Beyond that, it's very hard to get a read on him, with the hood pulled down. "For another, if you're going to poke bears, you might want to do it somewhere that most of the patrons /aren't/ looking out for themselves." Shadowlite notes, casually. His tone might be amused, but the way the tentacles are still screwing with the man suddenly turns angry, his limbs being pulled to near their limit. "Some people aren't as forgiving about that as others."

Redstar has posed:
Starr slowly strolls up to Shadowlite and her eyes trail over Karai thoughtfully. "Indeed. In a differnt mood I might have just let his brain boil itself..." She says in a purring voice. Those black eyes trail over the held would-be pickpocket. The distance is closed and she leans her face in towards his. Those yellow flames about her eyes don't actually burn, but he doesn't need to know that. Heat wafts from her body normally. "Or slowly turned his appendages to ash..." She grins first at the lad and then turns that dark smile on Karai. Is she next?

Shredder has posed:
    The young woman doesn't elaborate on the definition of the word. The man, while he fights valiantly against the tentacles, finds himself stressing his muscles back in the direction. "I understand," she says coldly. "I will see to his discipline. Release him now, though." Her tone indicates that it is not a suggestion. While her stature is rather small, not more than 5'4". She looks wholly unintimidated, despite her apparent disadvantage. Her dark eyes shift back to Starr, but does not seem to feel the need to reply. Nerves of steel on this one, though clearly young, she carries herself as one who is seasoned.

Shadowlite has posed:
Instead of releasing him, a portal opens below him. Black lightning flicking this way and that as the black hole in the floor grows large enough for the man... and the tentacles promptly drop him into it, before they disappear back over the dimensional barrier, "Give me an order again while I'm not under contract, and I'll make it my personal mission to hunt down any and all of your associates." A pause, "I've been doing this sort of thing for over a decade. Don't test me."

Shadowlite closes his fist, the portal closing when he does so, and the misty wafting off his hand stopping, "Don't worry, he's not dead. Just... transported somewhere pleasing to me. Good luck finding him." Those goggles stare at the woman, "are we done here?"