694/Little Trouble In Big Queens

Little Trouble In Big Queens
Date of Scene:	30 May 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	87, Jacky Diamond, Little Blackhawk

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Vorpal (87) has posed:
It is the end of the four day weekend and peopl are winding down and getting ready to go home, so that they may return to their jobs (those who were lucky to have the day off) in the morning.

The Cheshire cat walks through the streets, heading towards one of his favorite eateries in the area after a long patrol night. He's not quite ready to go back to the HeroWatch offices tomorrow. Especially because of recent events, he needs to find a way to disengage himself from that sensationalist rag without damaging himself too much in the process. Perhaps a burrito will reveal the way for him to do so? He's in costume and isn't disguising his feline form... just to see how people will react.

SO far there's a lot of staring. But that was expected.

The open air food court where Ay Chihuahua is located isn't too far away, though, and they know him there under his alter-ego. They should be fine with him eating there... after some teasing about shedding over food.

He hasn't noticed the young man following him. In fact, very few people notice him, as shadows just seem to cling to him even when under bright street lights. Which is exactly what he wants.

Jacky Diamond has posed:
Food court. Jacky had to come out here to do a house call with a family whose dog was sick. They'd moved here from Yonkers, where Jacky's job as an assistant veterinarian is located. And the dog is ... old. He's OK, but he's old. Moving was stressful. Jacky spent a half hour just chatting with the dog and reassuring him that this was a good place and he'd be all right and he was still a good dog.

It's heartbreaking when dogs get to that stage, being unsure of themselves.

He's going to eat dinner and maybe take in a movie somewhere before he pops back home. So he's ordered a Burrito Grande with not so much rice.

And his hackles rise as his ESP starts telling him there's someone really weird near. Not a mutant. Not a danger. Just ... weird.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"...Oh, wooow." Elliot is blinking profusely, her gaze focused firmly onto the Cheshire Cat as he makes his way through the street in full costume. Her blue eyes are wide as she joins in the gawking. Elliot is just a girl, kind of scrawny really, dressed in a pleated blue skirt and white blouse with a jean jacket that serves as a repository of pockets more than anything. She has her phone out in one hand and seems to be speaking into it... She holds it near her chin, not by her ear, however.

"That's amazing! Where did you get the costume?" Elliot... Bounces. It is not simply a skip; skipping does not convey the level of energy behind those azure yees and the blonde blue tresses that frame her cherubic face. 19 is a good age for someone with her sort of face, really.

Elliot is, by the way, a mutant. Not that she is aware. The girl moves from the doorway of an earby building and onto the sidewalk, apparently setting her sights on actually crossing paths with the Cat. So much for just staring.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
Vorpal blinks and stops outside of Ay Chihuahua when he is intercepted by Elliot. Funny. He had expected that his cousin would be the first to unknowingly ambush him with a camera or a phone...

Note to self: Call April, or mom and dad will keep sending hints over text like 'How is your cousin doing?' and 'Have you talked to April yet?'

"Er... it's just your modified spandex unitard with a custom logo printed on the front..." he says, stretching the high collar of his suit. And then he stops. "... wait, you're just talking about the suit, right? The fur is real..."

Vorpal (87) has posed:
The man following at a distance suddenly stops, and decides to pick up a free newspaper from one of the stands near the corner and starts perusing it. In the dim lighting. While Vorpal and Elliot might be too distracted to notice, the view from Jacky's table is just at the right angle for him to see the twosome and the rather suspicious bloke. Whenever he's not fading into shadow.

Jacky Diamond has posed:
While waiting for his burrito, Jacky looks around. There. Cat-man. Source of the weirdness. Girl next to him. Also source of ... Oh. Hm. Weird vibe off her. But there's something else... oh. Hello, Burrito is ready. But there's something... oh. Sneaky bastard. Dammit. If that guy gets to them Bad Stuff seems likely. Thumbs are pricking etc.

"Can I get that to go, please?"

Jacky takes his burrito in a bag, and he decides to walk toward the weirdness. Why not.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
Elliot blinks and tilts her head slightly to the left, brows furrowing. Her expression clouds as she considers this and then the blonde slowly asks, "Did you say it was- real? Or did I mishear you...? Oh well. Either way, you look awesome!"

The girl bounces on the balls of her feet and then glances down at her phone. Into it she narrates quite seriously, "Met a person who looks like a cat. They are very cool. Their name... Oh!" Elliot asks of Vorpal, "What's your name? I'm Elliot. Everyone was staring so I figured I'd just come say hi. Seemed more polite at least. And I mean, it's a nice unitard too!"

Ekliot turns her head slowly, her gaze settling onto the approaching Jacky. She take a deep breath.

Moderately enthusiastic waving ensues. Why not? He's headed this way.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"I go by Vorpal, and-" the cat blinks as Elliot begins to narrate into her phone camera. "You wouldn't happen to work for -"

But then he catches Elliot's wave to someone, and he looks in that direction. Someone else is coming up to them, adding to the group of stares and rubber-neckers. Maybe going without disguise was a bad idea?

Wait. He's seen this guy before, under the hoodie. Just a few weeks ago, even. He tries to remember, because it would be very impressive if he remembered the name as the guy came up-

"Hey, I remember you," he says, perfectly confident on what jumps to his tongue, "Jack Frost, right?"

Ouch.

"This is Elliot. She's never met a cat before."

The man observes them some more, and shakes his head. He walks away, or at least down the street to the point where he disappears around the corner. But Jacky may sense that he is not altogether gone.

Jacky Diamond has posed:
"Jack Winters. Hello, Elliot," Jacky says, and //esper pushes// the sense of his greeting toward her, because it feels like the thing to do.

"Vorpal, right? There's someone nearby who has a real bad vibe."

Warning given. Now Jacky can prep himself for more aggressive action. Or more defense if he has to.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"I mean. I've 'met' cats but they've never introduced themselves!" Elliot agrees, nodding her head slowly. Then she blinks and turns her gaze onto her phone. "Anyway, do I- oh. The phone..." She tilts her head slightly as she does. "Work.. Um. Right! Now, it's for school stuff. I mean. Don't worry! You're not going to be in a project or something..."

Elliot takes a deep breath and turns slightly to more fully face Jack, tilting her head slightly as she does so. "Hello, Jack..." Her smile fades slightly when trouble is mentioned. The girl scans their surroundings. "I don't know. I mean, people are nice enough around here." She reaches up with her free hand to drag it through azure tresses.

"Mr. Jack Winters and the Ver-pull Cat..." Yes, Ellie is talking to the phone again.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
"I don't mind being a school project, but if you give me enough time I can actually show up at your class, you know." Because that's good PR, right? Ellie can't be any older than he is, but of course it is harder to gauge age when the other person looks like a cat. And his voice does make him sound older- it's the nice chest register.

"Jacky, Jacky, it's *Queens*. Everybody's got a weird vibe over here-"

And then, the lights go out.

No. That isn't accurate at all, because no electricity is cut at all, but a veil of inky darkness covers the food court nevertheless, and it is strong enough to leave the strongest lights very, very dim.

"Okay... this isn't natural," Vorpal says immediatelly. "I can barely see at all." If the cat can't see, either there is no light at all... or there is something strange going on.

And that Something Strange emerges from around the corner. It's hard to see, but there might just be a human shape there. Wherever it passes, that area becomes engulfed in total darkness. It is advancing towards them.

"Elliot, get behind me and start ru-" no, it is dark, he can't ask her to run away, she'll fall and injure herself or, worse, walk out into a darkness-covered street and get hit by a car that can't see herr. "Stay behind me."

The darkness isn't absolute. It pulses. Sometimes it is very, very dark, other times it's almost as if the lights are fighting to get a foothold and fill the area with a very dim, yellowish haze.

"Jacky..." he's asking the other guy for what he might be able to do. They have a civilian to protect and not a lot of ideas about what FROM.

Jacky Diamond has posed:
Jacky's not sure what this is. Partly because Vorpal puts out his own random vibe, and partly because the darkness is harshing the vibe a little. He'll figure it out in a moment though.

"Hey, he was stalkernating YOU, dude."

Jacky looks in the direction of the darkness.

"Hey. What's with the lights-out, man?"

Little Blackhawk has posed:
Elliot squeaks when the lights go out. Yes, she actually squeaks. The girl's eyes go wide and she opens her mouth to speak and show off those perfect pearly whites of hers- then nothing. She's silent. No one sees her smile disappear for abject confusion. Because the lights are out.

"Wait, get- behind you and do what? I don't understand," the girl starts in a panicked tone. She is turning in a circle now and surveying everything as she does. "Car. Twenty-four meters and- passing. Maybe? There's going to be an accident if the lights don't come back..."

Then the pulse of darkness is dimming and she pauses. The girl is in midstride actually, more or less behind Vorpal. She takes a deep breath. Somehow she doesn't step on anyone or walk into anything. Her spatial awareness in the darkness is pretty much perfect. It doesnt' stop her moving in circles confusedly. At least she is more or less behind Vorpal still.

Vorpal (87) has posed:
People aren't realizing what's going on. They're treatinng this as some bizzarre black-out, or a failure of the power grid. Only a few have noticed the encroaching dark shape, with a small number of shrieks. But people shriek during a blackout ocassionaly, right? Falling, stepping on others, things happen.


Jacky's inquiry doesn't meet a reply- at least a verbal one. But were he to probe for a mind, he would find an unsettling mind. Disjointed, almost coming apart at the seams, kept together solely through hunger. It isn't surprising at all that the hunger is directed at the target he was stalking.

The shadows figure lunges, advancing at an unusual speed *at* Vorpal.

"Crap!" He reaches behind him and tries to wrap an arm around Ellie's waist so he can start running.

"Jack, try tripping him!" because he saw that TK trick at the comic book store. Right now, they could use it.

"Are you good at running and jumping?" the ceshire cat asks Elliot as he tries to sprint. "Watch me... do what I do... and if you can't, shout!" He says. There's a light that suddenly appears over him as he conjures an illusory light to light their way. That, too, also stutters against the darkness, but it manages to light enough to allow Elliot to see what Vorpal is about to do- treat the food court like an obstacle course. He darts ahead of her, jumping over furniture, using poles and grates to vault over, slide under... it's a route designed to draw the shadow man in wide circles, the better to give Jacky a chance at tripping him somehow. The Cheshire cat is under the impression that the reason the shadow lunged at him was because he was after Elliot, since she was right behind him.

After all... why would he come after him? He's a nobody. But creepy villains are always attacking innocents, and nobody looked more innocent there than Elliot. If she couldn't match his skill, he was going to have to use the Rabbit Hole to get her to safety and confront the shadow being himself with Jacky's aid...

Jacky Diamond has posed:
"Trip?" Jacky says to himself. Fine. He turns into diamond -- not like anyone's going to see -- and flings his bagged burrito at the strange shape. The guy felt so hungry, just before Jacky shifted to his alternate form. Maybe food will help? Unfortunately, while being diamond is protective, it cuts out a big chunk of the ESP -- the part where Jacky can touch people's thoughts and feelings. So he starts to move toward the guy as well.

Little Blackhawk has posed:
"Running and jumping. Right. Okay. He's bearing- that direction. On your left, twelve meters? Okay..." Elliot takes a deep breath, watching as Vorpal is making his dizzying display of athletic skill. "Right. I can do that. Okay. Highschool gymnastics is good for something, right?"

Then Elliot starts to move. The first thing that should be noted is the reaction speed. She launches into movement and then she is simply a blur. First she copies Vorpal's movements, leaping onto the nearest pole then across tables, vaulting furniture- and then she is doing her own. A handspring. Running along a wall. Her movements become more confident the more she does.

The girl doesn't actually move at a superhuman pace but Vorpal does- and her reaction time to those minute changes is nothing short of miraculous. Either the girl is at the peak of human potential physically or something strange is happening. Either way she is in fantastic shape. Maybe scrawny was an unfair term?

Better yet, the light going out again doesn't slow her down. Objects don't move and she doesn't need to see them to act on that.