5534/A Bird in the Hand

From United Heroes MUSH
Jump to navigation Jump to search
A Bird in the Hand
Date of Scene: 10 October 2018
Location: The Bronx
Synopsis: Hellboy and Superboy meet a ballerina carrying a laundry basket full of rubber duckies.
Thanks to: Harley Quinn a great roleplayer.
Cast of Characters: Harley Quinn, Superboy, Hellboy




Harley Quinn has posed:
A typical street in the Bronx, at midday, is entirely flooded with people. People going places, people getting there. People hunting, gathering, and foraging. Today is no different.

A pale woman in what appears to be some sort of Swan Lake costume is making her way down the sidewalk. Her fluffy white tulle tutu flounces, mid-thigh, with every step. Her hair is swept up into a graceful blonde updo. In her arms, she is carrying a round white laundry basket, completely full of yellow rubber duckies. Full to overflowing, as every few steps one of the little guys bounces off the top of the pile and lands on the sidewalk behind her. She's seemingly unaware of the phenomenon.

No, in fact, she is completely distracted. Because up ahead is an older gentleman known to locals affectionately as "Merv," and he mans a hot dog cart. The best in town, or so people say. The costumed ballerina steps into line at the hot dog cart, leaning first one way and then the other, looking down the line. Duckies are spilling everywhere.

Superboy has posed:
Trust Conner to know where the best hot dogs in town are sold. He has super-senses for the hot dog detection, and all. So most days he comes here between classes to get some lunch. Today it is not exception, and so Merv is busy getting ready a hot dog 'with everything'.

Since he came here during a 20 minutes break during college courses, Conner is not wearing his so-called uniform. Which lately is just a black T-Shirt with a red S on it. But he is not wearing glasses either. Sometimes he gets recognized, but most times he is just another New Yorker paying little attention to the world around him.

Super-senses and all it takes him a minute to spot the blonde and the duckie trail. "Miss," he points out, a hand already extended to receive the hot dog. "You are losing some ducks."

Harley Quinn has posed:
The blonde turns to look at the guy without glasses and definitely no red S on his shirt. Wild blue eyes go wide, and she glances up at the towering pile of ducks in her laundry basket, then back at the few around her feet, and that one back there by the trash can. And the one a four year old is nabbing off the sidewalk as she passes. And the one toppling ass over teakettle as a city worker blows it along the gutter with a leafblower. "Oh. So I am...I'm such a clutz!" Five more duckies have hit the ground while she visually followed the trail back as far as she could see.

Superboy has posed:
"Well, they are a lot of ducks," replies Conner diplomatically. He was about to go picking up ducks when Merv delivers the hot dog, and soda can. "That'll be five, fifty" he notes. Which is really unnecessary, it is like the 100th time Conner buys this.

"Yeah, here," replies the dark-haired young man, giving the man some coins. And now his hands are full, so no space for duckies. Sorry, duck-lady. "So," he adds conversational-like. "Why so many ducks?" Then he takes a big bite out of the hot dog.

Hellboy has posed:
    For his part, Hellboy was getting off work after a long day, and his 'casual' uniform was a bit more...casual. Khaki shorts that ended at the lower thigh, held up tightly with a thick leather belt, along with what looked to be a black 'gym' shirt, of the long, sleeveless variety. Across the front of that black shirt was a yellow oval, with a black bat inside of it. It was a 'classic' sort of logo, one easily recognized here on the East Coast. Aside from a black watch around his massive left wrist, that was all that was covering the massive red form of one of SHIELD's loudest Agents. No gun, he kept that at the Triskelion. No utility belt or 'gear', that was all back home. No, Hellboy was just walking along the street of the Bronx, ice-cream in his left hand, his massive right stone one at his side, passively.

    He wasn't close enough to the two to join in on the conversation, though he was getting close enough that when a cloven hoof stomped across one unfortunate rubber duckie, the squeak was shrill and loud. Enough for the half-Demon to look down with surprised yellow eyes, beneath the freshly sanded-down 'stumps' of his former horns.

    "What in the crap?!"

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Oh nooooo!" squeals Ballerina Harley, turning to look back toward the squeak in despair. "STEVE! Steve are you okay? STEVE!!" With a crestfallen gaze and quivering chin, she watches Hellboy look down at the duck. "He was my favourite..." Harley murmurs, half to the handsome guy helping her with ducks, and half to herself.

"The more important question," she begins, looking back at Conner, "is why NOT so many ducks?"

Superboy has posed:
Conner munches some delicious hot dog while looking at Harley with a slightly quizzical expression. Why not so many ducks? "For once," he swallows, "they fall off," Steve included, it seems.

There might be also some other important reasons why not so many ducks. But to be honest, the hot dog is even more important, so the young man steps back to see the, uh, big red guy. GIANT red guy. Yes, Big Red can deal with the duck situation best.

Hellboy has posed:
    Well, 'massive' was a bit of a loaded term, but definitely he was the broadest shape in this trio of people. Hellboy lifted one hoof, kinda bouncing around slightly as his right hand peeled the flattened rubber soldier off the bottom, looking at it in the palm of his hand.

    "Uhhh...sorry. Y'know, maybe you could get a lid for your duck bucket, right? Keep 'em from doing...this. Hey look that kid's taking one, I mean are you cool with that?"

    Big Red was gesturing around, looking at the slender blonde woman, and the dark-haired alien clone teenager. Not that he knew that, of course, but it just went to show how radically the public sphere had changed in the last few years. He still remembered when SWAT riddled him with bullets in '82. That hadn't been fun.

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Huh? Oh...yeah sure. Nah it's cool," Harley says nonchalantly. "It'll probably be fine." She turns back to Hellboy and smiles. "Got some Steve on ya there," she chides, bowing with a flourish to pick one last little piece of yellow rubber from his hoof. "By the way, could ya direct me to the Hudson River, Big Red?"

Hellboy has posed:
    Hellboy looks around, adjusting his shirt even as idly, his right hand dropped the remains of 'Steve' back in her basket, nodding and grunting as a form of thank you when Harley scoops the last little piece off. The expression on his face was rather neutral at all times, but inwardly, the gears were turning. He didn't have any proof or any evidence, but his gut was telling him something was off. But he'd answer her question, pointing off toward some buildings.

    "Here you go...thataway."

    He immediately finished ice-cream and cone both, woofing them down like they were nothing. And to his digestive tract, they basically were. He'd watch Harley, but before she went too far, he'd hold up his hand and yell out, following after her loudly with clacking hooves.

    "Hey, wait a minute, mind if I walk with you? I got some business over there, myself."

Superboy has posed:
Conner pauses on his hot dog-devouring to point the way to the Hudson River. "It is some walk, though," he offers, "Harlem River is closer. About to blocks." He suggest helpful. Hey, maybe she wants to put the rubber ducks there. He is getting the idea the little blonde is not... serious, lets go by 'serious'.

Harley Quinn has posed:
"Oh uhh...sure!" Harley has already gone several feet, precariously balancing the ducks to keep any more from escaping. "I mean, if you wanna. It's gonna be a boring trip. I'm not interesting at all. At. All.

Harley isn't waiting, though. In fact, she's hustling her bustle a little more, in the direction of 'thataway.'

"Oh no, it's okay," Harley chirps. "The Hudson River is way bigger!"

Superboy has posed:
Conner uh huhs at that statement. Part of him idly wonders how many ducks will make it to the Hudson. But duck-lady is really not the oddest thing he has seen in New York (maaaaybe this week) so he takes it all like a New Yorker. With a hot dog. "See you later," he offers. Not likely, he thinks.

Hellboy has posed:
    Immediately, Hellboy was moving his massive right stone hand, aiming the back of it for Connor's chest. Now, this was not an attack, or anything offensive, he just wanted to stop the lad a moment as he muttered with a low voice. Of course no matter how gently he meant it, it probably wasn't gonna 'tickle'.

    "Listen, kid, I don't trust this. You might wanna get outta here for a few."

    It was just advice, freely given as the big red man started following behind the pale woman. From his left pocket he pulled out something that looked like a beeper, but he seemed to mutter right into it, coordinates, badge number, simply updating SHIELD that he was checking something out. Did he need back-up, or his usual tools? Probably not...but he just hoped that if worst came to worst, that he could do anything with his limited toolset.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Harley keeps right on flouncing in the direction indicated. She gets distracted once by someone selling cotton candy, but she is back on course soon enough. Laundry basket of ducks in one arm, giant rainbow cotton candy in the other hand. "I can make it from here, guys. Honest!" She calls back, hastening a little more.

Superboy has posed:
Conner unghfs when the stone hand pushes him. Stone magical hand, goes right through his invulnerability and he blinks in surprise. That hurt. A little. "Hey, what?" Oh sure, he is big and red and maybe he is not a mutant but something else. "You leave that duck-y... er... lady, alone," demands the young man.

Hellboy has posed:
    In annoyance, Hellboy spun around and gave the kid a stern 'point'. The point could mean many things. 'Stay there'? 'Go in that direction'? 'You are special'? Whatever it was, it was likely a bit ominous.

    The girl knew she was being followed now, which meant this was now becoming an extremely low-speed chase. Sighing in exasperation, Hellboy reached down the front of his gym-top, pulling from around his neck the SHIELD badge so that it could dangle proudly. He was walking a little faster now, hooves clacking against pavement.

    "Hey, wait a minute, I just wanna ask you some questions is all. I just wanna know what you're gonna do with those ducks! You're not in trouble!"

Superboy has posed:
Conner was about to get involved to, well, save Harley from the mean Big Red probably demon when Hellboy pulls out the SHIELD badge. Woah.

Okay, so he is a cop. Or is it a spy? Definitely Big Red would be a crappy spy so Conner assumes 'cop'. And he is chasing after a little blonde with rubber ducks. Maybe a crappy cop too.

"Hey Merv," he turns to the cart and forgets about duckies. "Give me another hot dog, okay?"

Harley Quinn has posed:
With a squeak and a flail, Harley starts to run. Her hair is falling down from its updo, revealing it's black and red tips. Unfortunately, rubber duckies make better doors than windows, and she trips right over a curb, sending duckies everywhere. Along with the Jack in a Box in the center of the basket. With a panicked look, Harley looks back at Hellboy, pulls a device from her cleavage, jetting in the other direction just as the Jack in a Box explodes, sending Smilex gas everywhere.

Hellboy has posed:
    Hellboy hits the dirt when the explosion happens. When the smoke clears, Hellboy is in the fray, coughing and helping as many people as he can, and probably losing Harley in the aftermath. He'll have to go to the SHIELD doctors to get this case of giggles taken care of, but at least this stuff didn't erupt in the water.