5641/An Outing in Gotham

An Outing in Gotham
Date of Scene:	24 October 2018
Location:	Gotham City
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	X-23, Miss Moreau

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X-23 has posed:
So far, ever since she left Xavier's, most of X-23's excursions have been in New York. But lately, Diana has been getting persnikity about the teen being out there doing grievous bodily harm to the criminals of New York. So, X-23's ranged further afield. Gotham isn't far by bus, and is way more crime-ridden than New York (and that's saying something). It's a rich ground of opportunity for the teenage assassin to keep her edge sharp.

So, she's used a technique so far that seems to have worked. She's in the least threatening attire possible; cheap sneakers, simple jeans, and a simple t-shirt with a Wonder Woman logo on it. Her brown hair has been pulled back into a ponytail. It would make her look young...except she needs no help to do that. She already looks young. And now she's strolling down one of the worst neighborhoods she could find. It's not going to take very long at all for the local street life to zero in on what looks like a hapless teenager in the wrong place.

Miss Moreau has posed:
As far as criminal hunting grounds go, only the Narrows will be more fertile for Laura's purpose. This late at night, she's already passed several ladies and men of the evening, drunkards, and minor drug dealers on street corners. She gets /looks/, but no one messes with her immediately. Probably some run away.

Cue one beer-bottle and trash strewn alleyway. Laura would find herself beset upon by a trio of men, mobster looking types by their size and scruffy cheap suits. Italians, and they look oddly /worried/ as they duck out of a back entrance to an all night diner.

"I'm telling you, Johnny, the woman's a psychopath! Had her boys rip out Bob's kneecaps!"

"Hey, freak or not, we're not going to let her muscle in on our turf! We just need to either put a bullet in her, or pay her off. Huh?"

Johnny, the leader of this little group, steps up to Laura. "Hah, you'll do. Hey kid. Be a good little girl and come with us! You're gonna solve a problem."

They're all moving to bodily corner Laura. A black feathered raven lands on a garbage bin. It's eyes stare hard at what's happening. A purple mark on it's forehead is easily overlooked as the creature watches with interest.

More and more start to land, up on rooftops. They watch. And wait.

X-23 has posed:
The teenage girl looks back at Johnny, frowning. "What kind of problem?" she asks. At the same time, /she/ clearly notes the raven. Superhuman senses and combat awareness are good for that. But she lets the men approach. The impression is probably that she's too naive to know what to do. In reality, X-23 has virtually zero concerns about anything these men might do. They're practice, nothing more.

Miss Moreau has posed:
She's exactly the kind of person they're looking for. Or at least the presentation, anyway. Johnny moves to put a meaty hand on the girl's shoulder, to shove her between his two friends.

"See, this real bad lady named Miss Moreau has been mean to our friends. We want her to stop screwing with good, innocent guys, you see? With a kid like you around, she won't try anything weird. All you gotta do kiddo is stick with us, don't do anything stupid. We'll even pay ya. Now let's get going, huh?"

A car rolls up a street away. A charcoal suited man steps out, opening the door for the elaborately dressed form of the very woman that the three men are so worried about.

"Let's find the little vermin, shall we Sebastian?" Arm in the much larger goon's, they unhurriedly walk to the entrance of the alleyway where Laura and the goons are at.

X-23 has posed:
Talking is okay. Touching is not.

When Johnny moves to put a hand on her shoulder, there's a metallic *SNIKT* sound. Two metal claws...really, more like slightly curved sword blades...pop out of each of the girl's hands. A swift move, as her arm moves to rid him of his.

"I don't need you to pay me. I'll take your money after you're dead." Her speech is...unbothered. Emotionless, really. She's just stating facts. Sun is warm, grass is green, and all three of these men are about to be dead.

What follows next is going to be messy. The girl is fast, exceptionally well-trained, and has precisely zero hesitation about using lethal force. Oh, and has two adamantium claws on each hand that can pretty much cut through anything.

Miss Moreau has posed:
It's fast. These men are goons, con men, more relying on size and rep and guns than actually being a challenge for someone like Laura. Johnny goes down, clutching his new arm stump. One goon's throat is shredded. Another's heart rapidly drains blood from the perforations in his chest.

The tap of shoes and a sudden pause brings Sebastian and Moreau into view at the end of the alleyway. "Ah...those are the guys, Princess." Comes the slightly shocked White Rose. The many ravens caw as if in approval of the bloody scene that Laura has created.

"Mmm! What a lovely, savage scent!" One of the ravens lands on her shoulder, chirruping in her ear. The goon keeps a hand near where his pistol's kept. Just in case.

"My my, little cub! What are you doing in this filthy alleyway? Sharp talons like yours are wasted on the likes of Johnny Ricci. I mean, really, criminals lack grace in this city these days. What is your name, my sweet?" Her voice is warm, friendly, but the cadence has the quality of snakes writhing against each other.

X-23 has posed:
Laura's reasonably covered in blood. None of it /hers/, but people bleed a lot, especially when you slice and dice them into bits. She looks back as the words come her way, but doesn't bother retracting the claws yet. Might still need them.

"Practicing." Laura is many things, but a girl of many words is not one of them. Eyes sweep over Sebastian and Moreau. "X-23." she states, simply, in answer to the latter.

Miss Moreau has posed:
Moreau gives a melodious giggle. "/Practicing/! Such a strange name. You can call me Miss Moreau, little one. Are you trying to become one of those masked heroes? Or do you simply enjoy the hunt?" Her smile grows, beaming with pleasure.

"Does feeling blood splash on you excite you? Is your heart pounding? Mmm. Do you enjoy what you do, sweet cub?" Leads in the villainess. She lets go of her companion, taps with her cane, and walks forward slowly. She doesn't even take out her book. A slow approach, until she's a good foot out of polite range. She extends a hand in the vague direction of Laura's voice.

"I'm sure you're dirty. You have nicely solved a problem for me. A favor given deserves a reward!" Comes the woman, all chipper. "...Do you like ice cream?"

X-23 has posed:
Laura watches. "Neither." She's no masked hero...and there's no real enjoyment here. "Just practicing." Honing her skills. She watches as the woman approaches. Thankfully, she stops at a nice tactful range. She looks about at the dead men, and back down to herself, as the other woman speaks about being dirty. Bloody is more like it, but she is that.

The last question gets a reply, though one no more emotional than anything else she's said. "Yes."

Miss Moreau has posed:
Moreau gives a little dissatisfied huff. "Well, that simply will not do! You should take joy in your pursuits. Ahh, and to slay three men so quickly at your age...my pets tell me they didn't know what hit them! So efficient."

Several of the birds start to swarm the corpses. Peck. Rip. The magically enhanced ravens begin to gorge themselves at a rate that shouldn't be possible. How they can pack in so much flesh is a mystery.

"There's a Dairy Queen a mile down the road. Shall we? I'll make sure someone brings you something new to wear. 'Normal' people frown at the sight and smell of blood." A small shake of her head. "An orphan?" Guesses the woman.

X-23 has posed:
"Your pets? The birds?" Laura asks. "Besides. Too easy; no challenge on those." But she answers "We shall. New clothing is good." To her credit, she seems to have adapted almost immediately to speaking to a blind woman; there's no gestures, and everything is spoken and tone.

"That depends on the definition." she answers, using the most words yet for a given sentence.

Miss Moreau has posed:
"Yes. I love animals! So loyal if you treat them right. Keep them fed. And they're so /useful/!"

Moreau is then happy to break the personal bubble, arm offered for Laura to escort her back to minion and car alike. She makes sure to keep within claw range. At the emotionless girl's mercy. Tricks can get one killed. Putting Laura in control is the safest bet for the villain.

One car ride later, and Laura has a nice, neat dress in roughly her size to wear. Given who it's coming from, it's in that same gothic lolita style Moreau favors, though cut to the knees to give the young woman the ability to move. She's thoughtful like that. It even has a tiny victorian hat to go with it.

Moreau and one of her birds have a vanilla swirly each. Sebastian is eating /far/ too much ice cream cake. The employees range from looking terrified at this invasion of Gotham Weird, to lighting up blunts and rolling with it. A shorter Goon is happy to provide drugs for the poor employees. The White Roses are nothing if not generous to the locals they lord over.

"Well, your name /does/ sound like a shadowy corporation's illegal experiment! Or an escaped convict. Or you could just be a madwoman! But I'm willing to bet you do not have a family to call your own."

X-23 has posed:
Laura is...utterly confused by the dress. It would seem that she's never worn one before, though she'll put it on when offered. But the ice cream gets nommed with vigor. She'll eat what she's presented with, and rather quickly. "No. No family. My mother is dead. And my father does not want me." No contractions, but there's the slightest /hint/ of emotion in what's been devoid of it before there.

Miss Moreau has posed:
Moreau seems /way/ too happy to play dress up with Laura. Practically glowing with maternal enjoyment, legs crossed and cane leaned against the table, she occasionally reaches up from her ice cream to brush the head of her raven or lean over to nuzzle her goon like a cat.

A scowl blossoms. "A wonderful child like you? Bastard. Anyone should be proud to have a little one like you as family." Pause.

"Tell me you at least have somewhere to go. My little Family exists to take in people who are...unusual. That society rejects." An offer hangs in there.

"...I'd love for you to call me Aunt Moreau, if it pleased you."

X-23 has posed:
Laura seems amused at that. "I am not a "wonderful child"." At least, not by any normal definitions of it. "I have a place. It is not normal. But it is safe." Then, almost as an afterthought, she adds "Thank you for the ice cream. And the clothes." Even if the clothes are WEIRD.