Log:Wrath and Despair, Scene 5

Wrath and Despair 2017/08/18 Lady Winters Yamin Laura Johnson Mindbender Natasha Eclair Rocky 5

The downtown district, and above all famed York Boulevard, is an area of skyscrapers old and new and the jewel of the city where most of the real money is made. From the lower, older buildings like that of the Colonial Bay Chronicle to the height of the Corporate Tower, the district is alive with bustle through the day; while at night it is well lit by the light of ads and news reporting across the sides of the buildings, and the action is focused on a few clubs and other hotspots.

Downtown is its normal bustling self. There are people walking through the district on their way to and from work. There's a pretty constant stream of people out of both Corporate Tower and the neighboring Quinn edifice. And the nearby CBSU campus is back in action, with classes starting this week. There are plenty of signs up welcoming the returning students.

Natasha is perched atop the Corporate Tower, surveying the scene below her, as a queen might look out over her realm. Truthfully, she's just had a very large lunch and is feeling a bit sleepy, but her attitude is no less regal for that.

Avril is standing on the street corner trying to hand out flyers to passerbys, advertising a Welcome Students party at the Bunker Saturday night.

Rocky is putting the final touches on a segment of sidewalk he'd been hired to repair, using a hand-trowel to manually smooth out every last wrinkle from the slowly-setting concrete of the newly-poured slab.

Lady Winters is seated comfortably across the street from the entrance to the CBSU campus. It's the start of a new term, and she's both enjoying her new freedom to be out in daynight without fear of burning, and checking out the new crop of students. She recalls Lorelei, a missed opportunity. And while her motivation has changed, bringing a few new metas under her wing to nurture and guide is still something she'd be eager to do.

Quinn Tower(#2524E)

Thrusting up into the sky Quinn Tower is an impressive edifice. Nearly two hundred feet wide at the base it reaches over six hundred feet in height, making it the second highest building in the Downtown area. Rather than a simple block of concrete the tower is constructed of bright glass with a more organic feel to it. From the base one side tapers in until the building is perhaps a third its width, then the building flairs back out near the top in both directions, cantilevering part of its structure slightly over a park far below.

Ariya exits the CBSU campus following a morning of preparations for the upcoming semester. Classes are not yet in full session, yet her brief reprieve has ended in order to accomplish what must be done before the next iteration of chaos.

Solomon is one of those people shuffling out of Corporate Tower, having just left a 'client' of Mechanica's who's wheels have now been sufficently greased he's off the hook for the day. He adjusts the harness around his waist that holds the incredibly toxic serum he ran across. Its uncomfortable, but he can't argue with the edge it gives him- especially in a town full of capes.

Before he can lament any further on the JakD Injector Harness, he is alerted to his own hunger as his stomach rumbles that there is still plenty to do- like feed its bottomless depths.

He stops between the buildings and looks around to decide where he's going to get his second lunch.

Both Natasha and Lady Winters notice something directly. There's someone up on the roof of Quinn Towers, about 10 stories higher than Natasha is right now. Natasha can make out that it's a woman, dressed in a suit. Lady Winters can only make out a figure at this distance. Everyone else...notices a couple of people, tourists of course, on the street looking up at the buildings and pointing in that direction.

After all, locals wouldn't look up normally.

Natasha tilts her head on seeing someone perched higher than her. And, curious (and perhaps a little instinctively territorial), she takes to the air to fly up and see who it is.

Lady Winters is curious who the woman up on the roof of Quinn tower is. Whoever she is, Nicky waves anyway, her hand enclosed in a bright blue surgical glove.

Rocky *waves* to his good (and always-hungry) friend Solomon, pointing to the cooler full of beer and sandwiches on the back of his broken-down dumptruck in case Sol wants a bit of food and refreshment on this warm summer day.

The woman walks toward the edge of the building, as if in a trance....and then jumps as if trying to fly with her arms outstretched. Only she plummets like a rock.

Once he's fairly certain he coast is clear, he looks up to see what everyone is looking at.

He's about to look up when he sees Rocky with a cooler full of his favorite things. Food and beer.

"I'm off. All I have to do is ignore these yokels gawking and just keep on walkin' to that deli right there and I'm home free..." Solomon grumbles to himself. His stomach agrees.

He purposefully looks down and makes it a solid 3 steps before he sighs and looks over his shoulders to make sure no one is looking at him. He's got an image to maintain after all.

Once he's fairly certain he coast is clear, he looks up to see what everyone is looking at.

He's about to look up when he sees Rocky with a cooler full of his favorite things. Food and beer.

Lady Winters comes to her feet and shouts, "A woman needs help!" as she points to the falling figure.

Natasha tries to fly and catch the woman! Not that she's anywhere near strong enough to carry her. What she can do is open her mouth and make a loud alarm sound!

Quinn Tower(#2524E)

Thrusting up into the sky Quinn Tower is an impressive edifice. Nearly two hundred feet wide at the base it reaches over six hundred feet in height, making it the second highest building in the Downtown area. Rather than a simple block of concrete the tower is constructed of bright glass with a more organic feel to it. From the base one side tapers in until the building is perhaps a third its width, then the building flairs back out near the top in both directions, cantilevering part of its structure slightly over a park far below.

The woman blinks a couple of times and then starts to scream. Natasha notices that it's almost like she just awoke from a dream.

Rocky stretches out to grab the awning of the deli and reaches up, using it like a catcher's mitt to cushion the fall of the costumed lady and her attached dragonnette.

Lady Winters heads towards the expected impact spot. There's nothing she can do to help during the fall. But if the woman is alive after hitting the ground she will be able to keep her that way. Her gloves come off.

Natasha tries another thing to save the woman - exhaling a marshmallow-like substance over her as they fall together. At least she might be able to soften the blow....

Avril stares in alarm. . o O (Merde!) She quickly looks around to see if people are watching, but then sees Natasha and Rocky act and breathes a sigh of relief. . o O (Transforming in front of everyone would be a problem.)

It's kind of hard to ignore Lady Winter's and a baby dragon's squeeling. He turns to see what the excitement is all about- though he looks absolutely bored with the whole thing. Perhaps Wolf's whammy wasn't as effective as it first seemed, or maybe Sol is just very hungry.

He just dealt with people being pushed from buildings. Not much he can do with unbreakable bones. Hitting Solomon at those speeds would be worse than hitting the pavement- well definitely messier.

He fights the urge to continue making his way towards Rocky and his precious cooler.

He isn't really known for having a stone will, so its only seconds before he does that very thing- seeing Rocky 'reach out' to save the day. He shrugs and moves towards the cooler expecting things to work out- again, math isn't his strong suit.

Natasha manages to "breathe" a surprising mass of marshmallow over the falling woman, far larger than the little dragon herself, enclosing her in a fluffy and sweet cocoon.

The two continue to fall for several more seconds...

Solomon gets his hands on the cooler and pops the top, looking inside.

Avril runs off to find a place to change safely, in case more heroing is needed after the woman is saved.

Lady Winters takes a moment, as there seems to be metas on hand, to look around for anyone showing active mind influencing abilities.

Lady Winters wades through the sticky mess and lays her hands on the injured woman, infusing her with healing vitality.

Solomon turns around with an opened beer and unwrapped sandwich as the woman impacts. He makes a face that makes it clear that he doesn't think that lady has a chance but he doesn't say anything, he just falls in with Rocky- at a safe distance from the marshmellow mess.

The marshmallow does its job and explodes everywhere. The woman screams and is left unconscious in Rocky's hand. Though she's breathing shallowly. The people on the street gawk. One starts to call the authorities, and a couple of others take photos.

Natasha flaps her wings rapidly and pulls up just before hitting the marshmallow-covered ground. Mmm, marshmallow. She toasts a bit and swallows it, before recalling she's already eaten too much.

Rocky sets her unconscious form down gently and stands back with Sol to let the paramedics and other first-responders do their work.

Rocky asks Sol: 'D'summwon poosh her? Orzit she jus'. . . jump-ed? Whadhappened, didja see?'

Paramedics show up after about a minute. They must have been fairly close by to respond that quickly.

Solomon whispers back to Rocky, "Naw- I was lookin' fer lunch. I think you saw more than I did." He doesn't mention that he was purposefully avoiding getting involved.

Lady Winters continues with healing the woman, first of any body injuries, and then sufficiently for the woman to regain consciousness so she can be asked questions.

The paramedics check on her while Nicky continues healing her. She slowly regains consciousness and looks around, getting her bearings.

Natasha looks back up at the building the woman jumped from. She wonders if something or someone up there made her jump....

Natasha decides to investigate! And that's best done by sniffing, so she launches herself into the air to fly up to the top of the building again.

Lady Winters tells the paramedics, "She was under some kind of mental influence. I imagine the heroes on scene would like to ask some questions before she is taken away. Her injuries are healed but I'm sure there is mental trauma... and I had to touch her to heal her injuries. Starguard should be asked to give her a check for influence."

Lady Winters looks down at the woman. "I know you, do I not? Mmm... Yes, you were the wife of Ember. What happened?"

The woman nods. "Ember...Charles. Yes." She blinks a few times. "My name is Laura." She takes another moment to collect her thoughts, "I was at work. In Quinn Tower. And I heard a voice in my head, letting me know I had superpowers. No...I felt that I DID have powers."

Lady Winters nods, "Powers, including the ability to fly? And an overwhelming urge to do so?"

Natasha decides to track the woman's scent backwards, in the hope of finding a clue.

She chuckles. "If you could fly, wouldn't you want to try?" She shivers and her smile fades, "Yes, I wanted to try it out."

Solomon can't argue that logic- though throwing himself off a building has been something he was loathe to do after finding out he had 'superpowers'. He didn't intend on being impaled by a broadsword either, or beaten with a car... or diced up with a sword. So maybe he's not an expert on what you should do with superpowers when you think you have them. His plan has not gone well thus far.

Lady Winters nods, "Someone tried to kill you. Do you know of any enemies who that applies to? Also, the kind of mental influence you were subject to usually requires a clear line of sight. Who could have had that?"

Natasha finds the scent heads to an emergency door leading down to the top floor. The door is propped open enough to get in.

Rocky watches the baby dragon zoom back up to top of the building, the sight bringing back memories from time spent in the Fae Realms. Fascinated, he absent-mindedly manufactures a marshmallow-slate-and-mortar sandwich from the ingredients readily available on hand. *nom nom nom* "Wherzat dwagon gon' doin' ?" he wonders, chewing with his mouth full.

Laura shakes her head, "Not that I know of. Unless it's connected to Charles in some way? I mean, he had a number of...former associates that...well...they did kill him."

Natasha sticks her head though the gap and, if the coast is clear, follows the trail beyond it. Being stealthy, because that's a fun game!

Solomon chews thoughtfully as he eats his own sandwich, looking on waiting for something to rear its head up asking to be smashed.

Natasha makes her way down a couple of floors, below the personal Quinn offices, then into the business section below that. She stealthily avoids an office worker by hiding behind a potted plant. Only to knock it over as she scrambles away after the man has passed. The man stops, thinking he's heard something, but doesn't look back in her direction.

Lady Winters nods, "I would imagine there is a connection. It would be an unlikely coincidence if you were selected randomly. Please give this some thought. There is probably something you know, without consciously recalling it, that would explain this attack. It will help the authorities if you could recall it."

Laura smiles weakly, "I...will try. But nothing is coming to mind right now."

Solomon thinks to himself (an improvement), .o0(Dats not a surprise- she just had her head rattled.)

Lady Winters smiles, closed lipped, "You're probably in some degree of schock. Let it come to you in its own time." she tells Laura. Then to the police and paramedics, "She was attacked by a person with mental powers. She needs protection."

The scent that Natasha is following leads to an office. The door is open, and there's a window looking out over the district, with a nice view of the Corporate Tower across the way.

An officer nods to Nicky, "We'll make sure she's checked out and given a protective detail."

Natasha sneaks inside and dashes quickly under a desk! And looks and listens and smells about to see if anyone else is there.

Laura looks around at everyone. "Thank you. All of you." She doesn't really know exactly who helped save her, so she's thanking everyone.

Natasha, finding herself alone, jumps onto the back of the office chair to get a human's-eye view of things.

Lady Winters tels the police, "Whoever did this to her probably needed to be able to see her. It may be too late by now but a search of those viewpoints where that was possible may turn up evidence of the criminal."

The officer nods. "Thank you. We'll make sure someone down in Homicide looks at the case. After all, if it's as you say, it was attempted murder."

Though one designed to look like suicide.

Natasha contemplates the Corporate Tower building through the window.