5686/After Dark

After Dark
Date of Scene:	30 October 2018
Location:	Randall, Nantwich
Synopsis:	Some thugs run afoul of Jubilee, who then meets the Batman.
Cast of Characters:	Batman, Jubilee

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Batman has posed:
    The message from Bruce Wayne to Jubilee was straightforward. He had to put off their plans for dinner that evening as something had come up. They could reschedule for lunch the following day. He claimed a meeting was running long. In truth, it was a robbery at the Gotham Museum of Antiquities staged by the deranged Professor William McElroy - otherwise known as King Tut. After putting a swift end to that caper, the Batman finds himself with time to kill. Time he always kills in the same way - patrolling Gotham City. At present he rests for a moment atop the back of an immense stone gargoyle, cape drawn about himself and his eyes fixated on the streets below. The screen of the heads-up display in his cowl shares a rotating feed from several airborne drones, all keyed to any abnormalities that may occur within their sensory range.

Jubilee has posed:
Jubilee never had too many excuses to go to Gotham. But since she met Bruce Wayne, she's found herself with a peculiar interest in the dark and gothic nights, the architecture, and the gritty vibe of the streets. So when Bruce canceled dinner, she decided to explore. She was already here, why not make the most of it?

And so, walking down the darkened streets, she stops in occasional awe at the sight of the gargoyles perched atop a building, antiquated notions of guardians who could be no more effective than a buttress. But they make her smile. This is /his/ city.

Batman has posed:
    From his place high above, Batman watches as a familiar signal chirrups on his HUD from one of the fleet of drones monitoring the city. He has a habit of recording the unique biorhythmic signature of everyone of interest that he meets, uploading them to the Batcomputer and allowing him to be aware of all manner of individuals who come and go in his city. This particular signal belongs to Jubilation Lee, and he pauses in his patrol to pay it special attention. He observes her quietly from afar, the overhead footage from the drone transmitting a crystal clear, high definition feed of her as she roams the street. His face betrays no emotion but grim determination, but internally he wonders about her. What she's doing. What she's thinking.
    On the street, five men in dark clothing stand up from where they sit on the steps leading up to a nearby building. They see Jubilee coming down the street and immediately begin to approach her, the one in the lead who must be almost seven feet tall and thick with muscle calling out to her in a thick Eastern European accent: "Hey, hezká! You looking for us?"

Jubilee has posed:
"Not...really..." replies Jubilation distractedly as she takes a picture of a fountain and the way it seems to gather light from afar. "Some reason why I /should/ be looking for you? The full dog barks at midnight and all that?" She is still taking pictures, but finally lowers the camera and yawns. "I am lookin' for somethin to eat though, I'm staaaarving. What do you guys suggest around here?"

Batman has posed:
    "Sure, baby, we know all the best places to eat," the leader calls back, chuckling along with the rest of his crew, "You want to come with us?"
    The group move to cover the distant quickly, a couple breaking out into a jog to hurry behind her just in case Jubilee should think to turn and bolt. Somewhere down the street, a clearly uninvolved man turns his head pointedly, pretend he doesn't see and hurries to unlock the front door of his apartment building and vanish inside. That's Gotham for you.
    High above, the Batman regards the scene and concludes the most likely eventuality in a millisecond. He is already moving, reflex prompting him to swoop down from atop the gargoyle and with the aid of a de-cel line descend rapidly to the rooftops far below. He tells himself in his head that he knows enough about Jubilee and her capabilities but not enough about her methodologies. These thugs don't know with whom they're messing, and best he intervenes before someone is severely injured or killed. It isn't, he convinces himself, because he is worried for her.
    No. It isn't that. He's sure. Jubilee is Bruce Wayne's concern, not Batman's.

Jubilee has posed:
"Sure!" Jubilee announces in a chipper voice as the men approach. She turns to face them finally, wearing a pair of brass goggles with darkened glass. "We can watch the fireworks together!" And with that, there is an eruption - a fountain - of magnesium-style flashes, over and over, but far more blindingly brilliant and intense with their heat. "Oooh, Ahhhh!!" she quips, as some of the flashes begin chasing after the men in question.

Batman has posed:
    "Carodejka!" cries one of the thugs as the sparkles fill the air and begin to chase him, batting at them fearfully as he turns tail and runs. He might cop some flak from his buddies, but he's not about to mess with no 'witch.' In a moment he has disappeared down the street and around the corner, still flailing his arms as though he were lit on fire.
    The others are not so easily cowed, and although they flinch they refuse to run. One of the two nearest Jubilee turns his face away from the blinding flashes and reaches out to try and capture her in a bear hug, attempting to pin her arms to her sides. The leader lifts a hand to his face, trying to shield himself as well as he takes a few tentative steps forward.
    "So you got some tricks? Big deal! I've got tricks, too."
    As he speaks, he produces a switchblade from his pocket. A subtle gesture of his wrist prompts it to flick out, catching the light from the fireworks as he does so.

Jubilee has posed:
"Oooh tricks! I like tricks!" She seems unconcerned with the huggermugger. As long as he is trying to hold her arms down, he's busy. She can still turn her wrists and hands. She fires off a blue sphere toward the man with the switchblade. No need to aim it right off, as the ball of roiling plasma grows to the size of a softball and curves toward his bladed hand as it moves with blinding speed. "Hot potato!" she calls out as the ball engulfs his hand and the knife, swiftly heating the knife to over a thousand degrees. "And if you think THESE are good, you gotta stay for the grand finale!"

Batman has posed:
    "Do prdele!"
    The leader lets out a shout of surprise, the knife burning a red-hot welt across the palm of his hand and prompting him to drop it hurriedly on the ground with a clatter. The one hugging her doesn't know what else to do, so he simply grips her tighter. Furiously, the leader raises his other hand in a balled fist which he draws back behind him - aimed squarely at Jubilee's face.
    "Ghh!" He makes no further noise, something like a living darkness moving out of the night to wrap a burly arm around his neck from behind. He immediately stumbles backwards, thrown off guard. A sickening crack and the sound of something heavy striking thick flesh is heard, and the leader collapses in a groaning heap on the ground. As he falls, he reveals the looming figure of Batman glaring seemingly at Jubilee.
    "Let her go."
    The hugger-mugger does what he's told, but it doesn't stop the remaining goons from immediately descending on the Bat and momentarily obscuring him from view.

Jubilee has posed:
"Not. Cool." Jubilee says with fierce disapproval, and she opens her palms, releasing a number of plasmoids the size of ping-pong balls in various colours which zoom toward those that crowd in around the bat. As each touches the back or leg or arm of one attacking the Batman, it detonates in a surprisingly lacklustre "paf," but each incinerates clothing and scorches the skin beneath, drawing back toward Jubilee again as she unleashes a second volley that does likewise.

Batman has posed:
    For a moment, it appears the Bat may be overcome by the men gathered around him and leveling kicks and punches in his direction. But their cries of alarm make it very clear after a moment that he has them where he wants them - their attention turned entirely away from Jubilee and on him. The first of the thugs goes reeling, staggering backwards out of the group and doubling over forward only to be met with a heavy kick to his jaw. Another is driven completely off his feet by what can only be an immensely powerful upward palm strike by the Dark Knight, sailing through the air and landing awkwardly at Jubilee's feet.
    The last thug, at a loss, draws a knife and lunges through the dark. Batman's hand darts out to grab it, but for a moment it seems too late and it looks as though the blade has been buried in his midsection.
    "Hnh!" the Bat lets out a grunt of pain, bringing his elbow down on the exposed wrist with a crack and prompting the last fighter to scream in blood-curdling pain.

Jubilee has posed:
"Huh...told ya that wasn't cool." Jubilee pilfers in her handbag for a moment and pulls out two long, bright pink cable ties, reaching down and binding the wrists and ankles of the guy at her feet. But then there's a grunt of pain from the Bat, and she steps on the guy at her feet and takes a few quick steps toward the Bat before the guy screams. "Guess THAT wasn't either..." she observes, pausing to watch for a moment as she pulls more ties from her handag. She is in a fluttery black skirt with silver threads that catch the light here and there with a sparkle. Her heels haven't seemed to hold her back, and her glittery kaleidoscope chemise is still pristine. Her hair, however, is a bit of a tousled mess, held back by the goggles now atop her head. "You want I should cuff and stuff 'em, Boss?" she asks the Bat in a faux gangster accent.

Batman has posed:
    "You need to get out of here before the other one returns with his friends," the Bat says tersely, leveling Jubilee with a steely gaze. The one still writing in pain at his shattered wrist is knocked unconscious with a solid kick to the head, the Bat moving to momentarily reveal what looks to be a bleeding wound in his torso. Internally, he considers that he needs to reconfigure the armor there. Too many injuries as of late. He lifts his head, as though listening to some unheard message in the air.
    "The police are coming," he announces, turning his attention back to Jubilee with a critical stare. After a moment of assessing her he concludes - a statement and not a question - "You're okay. No injuries."

Jubilee has posed:
"Fiiine," Jubilee relents. "But hey if you ever want a sidekick, I'd make a GREAT one. It's in my blood. My aunt's third cousin's brother's third wife was a sidekick!" she offers brightly. "Can I at least take a picture of you?" She holds up her camera, not aiming it at him, just gesturing to it.

Batman has posed:
    The Bat says nothing, only frowning as Jubilee speaks. He simply turns away from her, moving over to the still-sizzling knife on the pavement and kicking it across the street and firmly out of reach. A quick survey of the goons on the ground assures him they're going nowhere soon, and he foregoes the usual cuffing. Once he's done, he turns his attention back to Jubilee:
    "Be more careful," he chides her, "you might have abilities but they won't always save you. All it takes is a lucky shot."
    His voice is low, gruff and without any emotion besides perhaps a deep, seething anger.

Jubilee has posed:
Jubilee presses her lips together and looks around at the others strewn about. It's the closest thing to a frown she's worn in a while. "Guess I'm just lucky, then." The playful smirk returns to her lips and she shrugs. "Thanks for being my luck tonight." But her attention is turned to the wound and blood on his armour. "He really DID get you! Omygod, are you okay?" Without a second thought she runs over to him trying to examine it.

Batman has posed:
    Batman moves with unnatural grace, moving around Jubilee even as she approaches him and ending up several feet behind her. He draws his cape close about himself, concealing the bleeding wound as he does so. He doesn't address it, making sure to keep her at arm's length as he takes several more steps backwards.
    "You need to leave. Now."
    As she stands there, her cell phone beeps.

Jubilee has posed:
Jubilee sighs. "Fine...but you better take care of that..." She nods toward the concealed wound as she pulls her phone from her bag, brow furrowed, to look at it. "I'll leave, so you can go take care of that..." She gestures vaguely, "...whole thing." Reluctantly, she moves out of the square and into a block with more light before she checks her phone.

Batman has posed:
    In the time it takes Jubilee to retrieve her phone, the Batman is gone. He moves without a sound, vanishing into the darkness as quickly as he came. He offers no further words, simply disappearing. The phone, when she checks it, is a text message from Bruce Wayne which reads: "Ever wanted to go over Kahndaqi import export law in detail for eight hours? Me neither."

Jubilee has posed:
"Sounds like SUPER fun night for you!" comes Jubilee's texted reply. She looks around, spotting a coffee shop with some impressive pastries in the window, and she sends one more. "Nice night for a walk, here, but I just found a cinnamon roll the size of my head, and some coffee. I think you got the short end of the stick. Maybe next time, Dear..."