Log:Prelude to War in Chinatown?, Scene 1

Prelude to War in Chinatown? 2010/05/03 	 Mortua Domina Harlequin Aoi Jade Phoenix 1

Sasha seems breezily cheerful as he wanders about Chinatown windowshopping. From time to time, he stops to gaze longer at something in a window display.

This district is home to Colonial Bay's large Chinese community; as much Chinese as English is seen on signs and perhaps more Mandarin is spoken. Most famous is Ming Street, curving round from Beach Street to Wharf Street, always full of tourists, especially at its northern and western end. This is practically a street market, with hawkers extolling their wares to passers-by, and signs and banners advertizing everything from fresh duck to herbal supplies, restaurants and bakeries and other businesses. The Heavenly Dragon Palace and the Buddhist temple are among the more famous sights. But perhaps true Chinatown is south and west of Ming Street, where the tourists rarely go.

Jade has been browsing in a little Chinese bookshop off an alley on Ming Street, and has made a few purchases, now in the bag in her hand as she heads back out, with an upward glance to gauge the weather.

Diane drinks some bubble tea through a straw as she looks through the windowfront of an electronics shop. Some of the store televisions are tuned to news reports from China; Diane catches up.

Aoi was heading to Steel's Gym when she is diverted by the color and busy activity of Chinatown's marketplace. She's hardly ever left her home in the last six years and this is so new to her. She lands, intrigued by the whole scene and confident behind the opaque visor of her battlesuit that she won't be seen. So, battlesuited as she is, she's walking through the marketplace gawking in delight at all the goods on offer and the activity around her.

Everyone (including Sasha) notices people starting to run out of a local restaurant, clearly sprinting to try to get away from something.

The crowds on the streets part as those apparent civilians scatter away from the business, trying to get as much distance as possible. Several passersby on the street look at the restaurant curiously, but no one goes inside.

Sasha turns as he notices the people running from the restaurant. He cocks his head to one side as he thinks: I wonder if there's a fire. Don't see any smoke.

Jade frowns, and promply tuns on her "umbrella", and not because of rain. She darts through the crowd toward the restaurant, trying to make out more between them before she loses cover.

Aoi stops her immediate reaction of rushing towards the sound of weapon fire. o O(Systems check... Okay. Energy reserve... Fully charged. Force Field... Activated. Okay. Now I go.)

Even Sasha hears it now...the distinct sound of the discharge of an energy weapon. Perhaps more than one. No...definitely more than one.

FOOOSH! Diane bursts into flames, changing into her heroic form. Her bubble tea and her outer clothing are charred instantly into ash. She takes to the area and flies over to check out what's going on at a particular, aiming to float in over the heads of the fleeing patron.

Aoi activates her force field and heads to the resturant above the heads of those rushing away.

Sasha sees Phoenix take flight towards teh restaurant along with a battle suited figure. He smiles slightly as he follows them, a light of open curiosity in his eyes.

Aoi activates her neutrino scan as she approaches the resturant to get advance notice of what can be seen.

Phoenix screeches to a hover for a moment in midair as Aoi zooms into the shop ahead of her. o O ( Who is that? ) She bolts inside, following Aoi and scanning about for the source of the blaster fire.

Jade notes the presence of other heroes, but doesn't take stop to scan given the obvious weapon-fire.

Sasha stops at the door to the restaurant, peering around the edge of it. He seems the very picture of an overly curious bystander. He cautiously steps in to one side of the door.

Inside is utter chaos. There are what appear to be asian gang members in a gunfight with several asian men in suits. Both sides are using plasma pistols. Tables have been turned up, which they're using for cover. There are five thugs total...and three suits. In the center of the group of men in suits, is an older asian man...with a smoking hole in his chest. Yes...it looks like it's fatal.

Additionally, there are two women standing in a hallway leading to the rest rooms, both caucasians, in long leather trenchcoats. They're watching the firefight, though clearly debating how to exit.

Jade says, "Careful-it-looks-like-Mortua-did-this she's-an-assassin-who-kill-by-touch!"

Phoenix flies between the groups, into their sightlines, but above the gunfight. She extends her fiery sheath into an impressive set of wings form her arms and a flaming bird's tail from her legs. A beak of fire sweeps forward from her head. She says, "I'm going to give all of you until the count of five to throw down your weapons." She repeats the message in Mandarin, for good measure.

Jade decides she wants a gun, especially if there's someone who kills by touch around here. She darts into the restaurant and attempts to kick the nearest combatant's plasma pistol into the air where she can grab it.

Jade effortlessly relieves the thug of his gun while joining him behind partial cover.

Mortua smirks upon hearing her name. She looks at her partner, and then disappears down the hallway...probably heading for the emergency exit. Or the restroom. Hard to say.

Domina glances at the heroes...and clenches one fist briefly as she concentrates.

Domina seems to...transform. Left in her place, wearing a small floral print dress, is a young 6 year old girl. "Where...where am I?" She starts to cry upon seeing everyone with weapons out.

Aoi continues her movement from the room across to where the little girl is standing. Landing in front of her Aoi braces herself against any impact and uses her armored form as a shield for the girl. "Get ready to grab hold of me. I'll fly you out of here to safety." she reassures the girl.

The girl sniffs and nods to Aoi.

Sasha sighs and between one moment and the next turns into Harlequin. Harlequin takes a few large strides forward so that he can see down the hallway. With a flick of his wrist and an ornate wand, a coruscating wall of energy forms between those with guns and himself. And the poor dear child if he can arrange it.

The little girl nods to Aoi, clearly agreeing to be picked up by her.

All of the suits take note of Phoenix. And while they dont' drop their weapons, they do stop firing. They hunker down behind their cover, waiting. The thugs, on the other hand...dont' respond peacefully. The disarmed one takes a swing at Jade, attempting a kung fu knife hand. Two others open fire on Phoenix, and the last two open fire on Harlequin...all of them completely ignoring the suits now.

The blasts pass harmlessly through Phoenix's fire-wings. She turns and faces the thugs, ignoring the suits for now.

The thugs in general miss their targets completely. The only one's succeeding being the two firing on Harlequin...whose shield stops both soundly.

The plasma bolts from the pistols impact on the energy wall. Concentric circles ripple out from the impact points. Quite pretty in its own way.

Jade moves between two thugs as she shout across the room, "Watch-out that-little-girl-is-really-a-woman-in-disguise!" Then she sweeps her foot round, trying to disarm both men in rapid succession.

Jade snatches both guns from the air with her right hand and holds them, with the earlier one, against her chest with the left.

Jade moves on to the next pair of thugs and attempts the same trick!

Aoi appears as a midnight blue anime styled CyberMech outfit with fully enclosed visored helm. The visor is illuminated from within by a constantly changing head-up display. When engaged in combat a bluish-green force field surrounds her.

Jade grins as she ends up with both arms full of gun. "Now-run-along-before-I-have-to-start-kicking-you!"

The little girl takes a hold of Aoi's arm, still sniffling...and giving her the pouty 'Please save me' look.

Aoi hears Jade's warning and turns to look at the girl behind her. Aoi's mind goes back.. six years to when she was in that situation, crying as murderers attacked the family yacht, and the memory drives everything else from her mind except the need to protect this little girl at any cost. She reaches down to sweep the girl up into her arms, still using her armored body as a shield, and if she succeeds in picking up the girl she flies down the corridor to exit the resturant through the emergency door.

The little girl sniffles, ducking her head as she's carried outside into the alleyway behind the restaurant.

Harlequin moves to step around Aoi and the little girl as several translucent silver disks begin to whirl around him. He then runs down the hallway towards the emergency exit.

Harlequin turns the corner, bursting through the door, out into the alleyway...and finds Aoi there with the little girl, now clearly safely away from the gunfight.

The group of the thugs seem to consider their options...and three of the thugs move to surround Jade, punching and kicking at her. The other two charge heedlessly at the suits who are behind cover, clearly intending to get into hand to hand combat with them.

Jade says, "Are-you=mind-controlled-or-just-stupid?"

Phoenix says, "I don't get it..." She levels her hand at the thugs who are charging Jade and casually unleashes a wide fan of flames towards them. "Why are they still attacking?"

Two of the men wince a bit as the fire licks over them. One is even toppled over onto the ground. The one that didn't fall, and the unscatched one take swings at Jade.

Jade says to Phoenix, in Mandarin, "The woman who disguised herself as a little girl is a mentalist- it's quite possible she has them under mind control. Then again, they may misapprehend the situation. Or we may."

The other two start to charge over the barriers...only to get lit up by the suits lying in wait...who were holding off on firing.

And both drop to the floor, clutching plasma burn wounds.

Jade adds, "Or maybe because of illusions they perceive what's happening incorrectly."

Phoenix replies to Jade in Mandarin. << I'll go warn the others. >>

Jade walks past the men Phoenix has just dropped to the ground. as she goes, she stuffs her gun collection into the shopping bag hanging from her left wrist.

The girl looks up at Aoi and smiles, giving her a tearful hug. "Thanks...please...go take care of the bad men."

Phoenix rockets out of the restaurant with a roaring burst of thrust. She follows Aoi's path outside and trying to pick up were she's gone to.

Aoi drops to one knee so she doesn't tower over the little girl, "Yes, I'll make sure they can't come after you. Now go find your parents. They'll be worried about you."

The girl nods readily to Aoi, tears still evident on her face. "Yes, ma'am." Very, very polite.

Phoenix turns the corner in the hallway, and bursts out into the alleyway, causing the little girl to cringe a little bit. After all, Phoenix is on fire. Aoi is there with the girl. Harlequin is by the door, and there's no evidence of anyone else.

Aoi turns to Phoenix, "Stay back. You'll scare her."

Phoenix comes to a quick halt, hovering in the alleyway. "There's a mentalist about. And it might be her," she says, pointing a finger at the little girl.

Harlequin glances from Phoenix to Aoi to the little girl. He tilts his head to the side almost as if trying to see something from a differetn angle.

Aoi says, "Don't be silly. She's a scared little girl."

Phoenix says, "Hm. Where's the other one?"

Jade closes on the suits. "Your-turn-now really-why's-everyone-so-gun-happy?" She attempts to take the guns of all three men!

Jade gets two of the guns in her hands, but one she misses.

The one suit who isn't disarmed levels his weapon at Jade, and shouts in Mandarin,  He looks tense...his boss was clearly just murdered, and he's been shot at. And he's cornered by the wall. He likely will fight, if necessary.

Jade replies, in Mandarin, 

He growls and replies, 

Aoi turns back from Phoenix and gathers the girl up in her arms again if she doesn't resist, "You're not safe here. I'll take you to the city police building and the nice policement there will help you find your parents."

The girl definitely doesn't resist as Aoi picks her up. She nods readily.

Aoi brings her arm thrusters online and flies at high speed towards the city centre and the police HQ.

Phoenix shakes her head, not sure any more about the mentalist theory.

Harlequin shakes his head, then glacnes up at Phoenix. "Wish I could tell which of you was right. Must work on that." He then flicks the wand and disappears into a kaleiodscopic twist of light.

Phoenix heads inside the restaurant to try and find any trace of the other woman's whereabouts.

The two remaining thugs upon seeing Harlequin reappear in the room promptly shake their heads, and look around, saying in Cantonese, 

Harlequin steps out of a kaleidoscopic twist of light back to behind his wall. He bows to the thugs and says in Mandarin, "Please surrender."

Aoi finds a young couple coming out of the police station as she arrives. They're overjoyed to see their little girl, and shower praise upon her. They had just been inside to report their girl missing. The experience gives Aoi a profound sense of purpose and the desire to keep doing exactly what she's doing.

Jade gives the suit some space - she could likely disarm him, but by this point a bit of trust wouldn't hurt. 

Aoi waves farewell to the little girl as the trio leave, delighted her first opening in Colonial Bay resulted in a happy ending.

The suits do stand down, and yes, it was their boss who was killed. "Mr. Chan." Apparently a lieutenant for Pride, for those in the know about the underworld. The thugs, on the other hand, have no idea why they're there. Or why they're being arrested by the police. Or why a couple of their friends have been shot with plasma weaponry.

Harlequin murmurs softly to himself. "Oh, very well done. What a way to start a a war, Mortua."

Jade advises the police the thugs should be checked for mental tampering.

[To Harlequin] Jade says, "Any-idea-why-she'd-want-to-start-a-war?"

Aoi returns to the site of the incident to see if there's anything needed to be done, and to reassure the people there the little girl is safely reunited with her parents.

[To Aoi] Jade says, "Did you help the assassin get away as well as the woman who mind-controlled the thugs?"

Harlequin chuckles darkly, "Because someone paid her would be the best answer. She /is/ an assassin after all." He then bows to jade and witha flick of his wand, disappears into another twsit of light.

This is a small coffee shop located on the second floor of a building not much larger than a two-family house. In the center is a counter with several stools, behind which are a couple of attendants and a row of coffee machines. Large canisters sit on the back wall with all manner of coffee beans from many different countries, and you can hear the almost-constant hiss of the cappuccino machine as orders are filled. In a basket on the counter are wrapped muffins, Rice-Krispy treats, bagels, and doughnuts, which people purchase to go with their coffee. Fresh sandwiches are made for those who wish to slake their appetite as well as their thirst.