Log:Makeover's Peril

2008/11/20 	 Lightray Spirit Ferryl Makeover Lack Dread Brawn 1

Scene: Past Times

Lightray sits at the corner table reading something on a battered looking PDA.

As has been done before, Ferryl enters the shop from the back rather than the front. She stretches out, letting a yawn as she sits down at one of the unoccupied tables while she takes account of each other person present. Lightray of course gets a longer look than others, and it's only when she's satisfied with what she sees that she sets her bow against the table and unhands it.

Dorian comes in from outside, holding the door open for a woman on her way out of the establishment. He then makes his way over to the counter.

Lightray looks up from his reading when he feels the weight of someone's gaze. He looks around then nods to Ferryl. Before he can turn back to reading his attention is caught by Dorian coming in.

Dorian waves to both Lightray and Ferryl as he reaches the counter. He smiles to the barista, and says, "Just a decaf. Thanks." He takes the provided drink, and moves to the side table to doctor it.

Lightray returns Dorian's wave and sets his PDA aside. He sets the PDA next to a glass of iced tea.

Ferryl looks at Dorian and waves in reply, sitting sideways on her chair to accommodate her tail.

A man comes in, his features mostly hidden by his dark glasses, coat and baseball cap, though he looks maybe 40 and overweight. He looks nervously about the room.

Everything about the incomer grabs Ferryl's attention. His nervous disposition has her reaching for her bow.

Spotting Lightray, he goes hurriedly up to him, and says in an anxious whisper, "You're a cape right? You gotta help me! They're going to kill me!" He looks about as if expecting they aforementioned 'they' to be somewhere in the room.

Dorian raises a brow as he finishes adding milk to the coffee. He turns around, regarding the newcomer closely.

See Ferryl's move he takes cover from her behind Lightray and the furniture!

Lightray nods as he looks over the man in the baseball coat. "Yes, I am a 'cape', sir. And I will be happy to help you." He gestures to a seat. "Who is after you?

Ferryl decides that's her cue to find cover and a vantage point. She heads back out the rear doors, bow in hand, reaches the rooftops and locates a spot across the street to observe from hiding.

He sits down, though he remains on the edge of the seat. "I dunno - probably lots of them - metas. I can tell you who's behind them - I can tell you lots of things! But you gotta promise me you'll protect me!"

Lightray nods to the man. "I will protect you, sir." He looks over at Dorian. "Do you mind if I invite someone else over?

Pulling out a PDA, Ferryl looks up Dorian's contact number and calls him.

"Another cape? Sure. You;ll need all the help you can get! These guys are killers - well, some of 'em are at least!"

Dorian furrows his brow as his PDA rings. He answers it. "Hello?"

Ferryl informs Dorian, "Your nervous friend in there works for organized crime syndicates. Meta who changes peoples' looks. One funny thing about that is how he's wearing a disguise. Potential trouble incoming, southbound Wharf Street." She terminates the call, though avoids trying to conceal who sent the call.

Lightray smiles at the man as he gestures to to Dorian. "Yes, he is."

Dorian hangs up, and moves over toward the table where Lightray and his friend are. "Okay...so, who's looking for you?"

Lightray lets Dorian take over the questioning as he pays more attention to the man's reactions.

"A bunch of Chinese metas. I don't know their names - but they're working for Tim Lee."

Dorian raises a brow. "Who's Tim Lee? Is he connected to Pride?"

Lightray nods. "And why would a group of metas be after you, sir?"

Ferryl watches for the conversation as best she can from her vantage point, while watching the incoming potential target.

"Yeah, some bigshot businessman in Chinatown. He's got connections to Pride, or that's what Pride thinks. I think he's thinking of going into business for himself, if you know what I mean -"

A young woman enters the coffee shop and goes up to the counter. The man looks at her nervously then relaxes.

Dorian glances over at the woman as well, his eyes glowing briefly as he regards her, and then he looks back to the man. "So...why are they after you?"

Ferryl moves further from the coffee shop, higher up, keeping it in view. When she lands, she turns and takes aim at her potential target.

Lightray smiles slightly. "Yes, I think I do understand what you mean, sir." He lets Dorian continue the questioning as he begins to watch the various comings and goings in the coffee shop.

Lightray smiles slightly. "Yes, I think I do understand what you mean, sir." He lets Dorian continue the questioning as he begins to watch the various comings and goings in the coffee shop.

Dorian scans the room again, and his gaze pauses just to the right of the man, as if he's staring into space. He furrows his brow, clearly considering something.

Your informant rather suddenly looks as if he's been struck and slumps to the floor.

Ferryl waits to get a better idea of the situation before she fires off the first attack.

Dorian changes into his glowing Spirit form as he drops the form he was holding. His hand glows brightly, like a flare, as he flies to get in front of the door, so it can't open without bumping him. "The attacker's invisible! He's right next to the guy, where I was staring." He lets loose with a beam of bright light at the area.

Spirit's blast moves through the area, apparently undisturbed. Which would be the case if someone invisible was hit anyway.

Ferryl quietly frowns, and continues her bead on the man walking.

Lightray moves to cover as much as the man's body with his own as a field of sunlight springs into existence around himself. Sunlight then pools in his hands as he attempts to heal the man of whatever damage laid him low.

Ferryl's target seems quite oblivious to her presence.

The sunlight sinks into the man. As it does, a rosy glow suffuses his skin as a flush of health returns to him.

Ferryl doesn't reveal her position yet, even at her present range.

The informant groans as he comes too again. Only to take another apparent blow and pass out again.

Ferryl believes she shall have some choice words with the heroes about how to keep someone from being attacked.

Spirit stares in the direction of the attacker. "Fine...we can't see you. Time to return the favor."

Lightray shouts out. "Someone mystical coming through the door!"

The blinded customers get a bit panicky, but, as far as can be seen, only Lightray and Spirit can still see!

Lightray glances around, then drags the man under the corner table before trying to stabilize him again with another double handful of sunlight.

That rosy glow of health returns to the man's cheeks once again. Lightray mutters, "Maybe this time it shall not be wasted."

Ferryl decides the two inside will probably be able to handle the one incoming there. She turns attention on the one in motion, waiting for just the right moment to improve her own position.

That rosy glow of health returns to the man's cheeks once again. Lightray mutters, "Maybe this time it shall not be wasted."

A man comes in from the street. He's a Chinese man, tall, with an air of confidence but otherwise unremarkable - except that the a gloom seems suddenly to fall over the shop. He stop inside the door, and laughs. An unnerving laugh.

The bouncing guy gets closer...

Ferryl takes aim, looking to slow the target down significantly.

The arrow lands on its mark of a nerve cluster, rebounding from the man but seriously hampering his momentum. Ferryl already has another arrow drawn and ready.

Spirit looks around nervously, looking for a way out. He shouts incoherently, and then charges at the door, leaving a streak of light behind himself as he folds his arms, and tucks his head...hoping to plow through the man in the doorway, or at least get by him.

Spirit zips past the man and out the door.

Lightray stands in front of the corner table and shakes his head as Spirit flies out. "That was cruel, sir. Catch!" He quirks a grim smile as he speaks and fires off a bolt of sunlight at the laughing man.

The laughing man seems to be bodily lifted by the bolt of sunlight. The force of the blow flings the largely limp figure across the street and into the wall of a building. His impact breaks the wall of the building and his form rests in the impact crater.

Ferryl fires again, giving the incomer an even harder time of getting around for the moment.

Another arrow, hitting the other leg, reduces the man to a very slow advance. Ferryl draws her third arrow.

The jumping guy clearly decides it's time for a change of plan. He jumps down into a back street, out of Ferryl line of sight.

Ferryl grins. "That should deter him slightly..." She takes this opportunity to change sniping nests.

Lightray takes a hit from an invisible fist and hits the front window of the coffee shop.

Lightray reels from the blow from the invisible man and hitting the window and bouncing off it bring him to his knees.

Spirit stops, and lands, getting under cover. He wants to help as best he can, though...and tries to hit the attacker inside with a blinding beam of light.

Someone holding a car jumps onto the roof of the coffee shop. Ferryl can't see anything but the car from that angle.

Ferryl grins. "Interesting..."

Ferryl re-positions herself to get a line of sight on the man holding the car.

Spirit thinks he spots the energy signature of the attacker, and sends another beam of light at the man.

Spirit can't even tell if he misses as the beam travels through the window of the coffee shop.

Ferryl sends off another arrow to Car Man, deciding he needs to stop doing whatever it is he's doing. "really shoulda stayed out of sight..."

The informant sort of floats out the fire exit of the coffee shop.

The arrow lands squarely as Ferryl intended it, knocking the very tough man senseless. Ferryl looks mildly amused. "Hey cool. Captain Unconscious is getting away. HEY GUYS!"

Spirit takes off, trying to get a better view of the fleeing villain

Lightray flies to and through the the fire exit. He spots the informant being carried by the invisible man. He shouts, "Hey there!" as he lets loose with a bot of sunlight. These actions seem to be a drain on him and the gem on his chest flickers slightly.

The person seems to have dropped the informant when attacked - at least he drops to the ground.

Lightray sighs softly and chuckles. "Well damn."

Ferryl shoots again, deciding to try to take the car man down quickly rather than permitting him to get a car thrown at someone.

The arrow bounces unheeded off his thick hide.

Spirit watches the invisible guy run off. "He ran through a solid wall. That one." He points to the wall where he disappeared. He then turns, and fires at the man on the roof.

Spirit's blast catches him in the midsection, driving him backward, and down, with the car atop him.

Lightray goes over to the informant and picks him up with a grunt. He mutters as he takes the man back into the coffee shop. "You are a sack full of trouble aren't you?" He kicks the door to the shop closed behind himself.

The brick stands, hefting the car with him. He says something in Mandarin and hurls it at Ferryl.

Ferryl grins. She calls out, "You shoulda kept the shield, friend."

Lightray leaves corner table.

Ferryl moves to even greater distance, turning and firing another shot. "It's been fun. Let's see how much longer it lasts."

Another arrow bounds off of the brick's thick skull. "Looks like he's pretty tough. Might even take another two before he's down." Ferryl sits on her perch, a daunting distance from retaliation.

Spirit tilts his head. "The invisible guy went back inside the coffee shop. Keep the big guy busy, eh?" He flies down to the front of the coffee shop, since he'd have trouble getting in the fire door.

Spirit opens the door to the cafe, and looks at the invisible man. "You're not so smart. Retreating is your best option, you know."

Lightray has the informant in a booth with himself on the outside, to make sure no one can get to him.

The invisible person seems to take the advice and leaves the building - but doesn't go far.

Ferryl calls out to the big guy, "Is this going to keep up, or do you pack up for now? Your choice."

The brick reaches into his pocket and pulls out, what looks like a metal ball. And hurls it at Ferryl.

He misses horribly of course.

Ferryl nods. "That's answer enough for me." She draws another arrow.

But he doesn't half make a nice hole in the building next to Ferryl. Oh. It goes right through.

Ferryl takes aim again, and releases her next shot. "Six."

The brick just laughs at Ferryl's arrow.

Ferryl misses the specific spot. "Two left."

Spirit flies back over the building, tracking the invisible man with his EM sense. He lets loose with a laser blast at the man, hopefully getting him to considering discretion over valor.

The man -or woman as it turn out - flickers into visibility!

The brick takes a deep breath....

... and blows at Ferryl with extraordinary force.

He blows another hole in the wall, but misses Ferryl.

Ferryl hms. "Blowhard." SHe picks up a piece of rubble with her tail, sending an arrow with a line attached past the man, swinging down with both hands while the large piece of rubble is used to impact the brick.

The woman says something in Mandarin and vanishes again from sight. This time she really seems to be leaving.

Ferryl continues on through, sending the guy to street level with the impact. "I can do that again," she mentions.

Spirit flies back over the building to get a view of the brick, and lets loose with a laser at him. Maybe he'll get the point, too.

He's blasted along the street a bit.

Ferryl swings around and lands on a roof near the brick and Spirit. "That was kinda fun. I can see why you guys do this sort of thing up close and personal."

Spirit chuckles, "It's not THAT fun, really." He lets loose with another laser at the brick. "Geez this guy takes a beating."

Ferryl grins. "So, property damage."

Spirit's blast strikes the brick, finally dropping him unconscious. "At least we have a couple of them to question. The other one ran off."

Actually, it seems two have. The scary guy seems to have sneaked away at some point.

Ferryl nods. "Bravely ran away. Reminds me of me." She looks around. "So where's the mark?"

Spirit motions to the shop, "Inside with Lightray."

Ferryl nods. "Why is he still in the general area?" She looks inside. "I'll ask the guard." She heads in. "Why is he still in the general area?"

Lightray says from his seat in a booth. "I am getting my breath back. The invisible man or woman or whatever rang my chimes."

Ferryl nods. "That's because you stayed where she could hit you." She grins. "Let's go. That's not going to end now. They're going to send a better group. Or just one very good sniper."

The coffee shop is already getting back in order. They're kind of used to this sort of thing.

The target is still unconscious, so can't confirm this theory.

Ferryl adds, "If they send someone who is as good as I am, not that there are many, he's going to die very soon without a lot of cover."

Lightray nods and stands. He then reaches down and lifts the informant up with a soft grunt. "Who is this boyo? And why is he so important I wonder?" He heads with Ferryl towards the door.

Ferryl shrugs. "His handle is Makeover. He's a meta who changes appearances of people for crime syndicates. I'm guessing he failed in some major manner or he decided to turn his coat. The latter, if they're sending that kind of muscle after him."

Ferryl grins. "I think he recognized me."

Lightray nods. "Well then, who should we take him to? The police or the government?" He seems to think for a moment then nods. "I imagine he may have been frightened by you. Good thing you are on the side of the angels now." So says the man with the wings.

Ferryl shakes her head. "Not quite. I'm really more on the side of myself. I saw trouble on the way and intervened. Don't take it like it's going to be a huge deal."

Ferryl adds, "He went to superheroes, not the law. Something tells me he won't want to be near the cops."

Ferryl hms. "So let's get him underground. Follow me."

Lightray smiles slightly. "Well, then how about a nice neutral place? Too bed spirit had to leave. We could have gone to his base." He then nods to Ferryl.

Ferryl uses her expertise and weaves through routes to prevent anyone from being able to track her movements easily, before ending up holing herself and the others up in a basement.

Makeover comes to not long after you get to the basement.

Ferryl keeps alert at the door when they hole up, and waits. She was only able to pick up two of her spent arrows. "Half of my ammo. Let's hope for the best. Hiya, Makeover. Surprisingly, I'm saving your life. Who's after you specifically and why?"

Lightray smiles slightly and just leans against a wall. He lets Ferryl take the lead in questioning Makeover.

"Shit," mumbles holding his head - "that Chinese chick really punches hard...." He looks about, and is relieved to see Lightray there. "We're safe? Ok, I'll tell you."

Ferryl shrugs. "As far as I could make us safe. It's not my specialty, but I just asked myself what would make my job a lot harder."

"Look -" he takes a deep breath - "I go by Makeover. I've got the power to make people look different. I'm perfectly legit, ok? Nothing illegal in that. But - well, the same can't be said for all my clients, right?"

Ferryl laughs. "You don't have to do legalspeak at us. I don't plan to go to the cops under my own power and I'm pretty sure Lightray is happy you're not dead."

Lightray smiles warmly. "I would imagine that making a fugitive from justice look like someone else /may/ qualify you as an accessory after the fact, truth be told. But go on."

"Hey - as far as I *know* my clients haven't done anything wrong either. Is it my fault if they don't share with me? So, anyway, I got this big contract. The guy who hired me didn't give a name, but you know, I have contacts, and I know given who came to me it's Mr Tim Lee, behind it, right? Big shot in Chinatown. Close with Pride, that sort of thing. So, you know, I've done business in Chinatown before, seemed ok, so I said ok."

Lightray nods. "And what went wrong Makeover? How did things go south for you?"

"Well - when I get there I find he's got *dozens* of Chinese who need a new look. And a lot of them metas too - I dunno how many. But you know, it's clear he's up to something big. But I figure, so what, it's none of my business, and the pay is good. So I get to work. But then I hear some of them talking. And it's all in Mandarin, but you know, I don't tell anyone I speak Mandarin, right? Keep my head down, play stupid American, 'No hablo Chinese,' know what I mean?"

Ferryl listens, both to Makeover and the door, and beyond.

"And anyway - I hear some things that worry me. Like these guys want to change their look so *Pride* doesn't find out about them. Ok, I can live with that. But then I hear that when I do the last girl, she's gonna kill me so I can't talk. And that's when I figure it's time to get out of there."

Lightray nods slightly. "Hmm, and did you ever change the last girl? Or is that when you took a powder?"

Ferryl hms. "Neat. So not going to the cops was just because of the urgency and strength of opposition, I take it."

"Turns out that last girl can kill people just by touching them! Soon as I'm done the job, I'm dead. I'm not going near her. So I pretend I'm too tired to finish the job. Go to bed, finish the job in the morning - and then I sneak away at night. That was a close thing, I can tell you, too!"

Lightray goes over to Makeover and then murmurs, "Do you know how they found you, Makeover? And can you tell us how you made them over?"

Ferryl shrugs. "He snuck out, they checked on him, saw him gone, gave chase. Pretty simple."

"Yeah, like the cops could protect me from one of them! I dunno how, but he's got himself some serious meta muscle.... ANd a lot of them have powers, and mostly I don't know what! And yeah - I could sketch the lot of them for you, the ones I changed. Maybe even what they looked like before, too, sometimes. I have a knack for looks."

Ferryl asks, "Can you change your own looks?"

"You think if I could I'd look like that?" he says, even laughing a little.

Ferryl shrugs. "No harm in asking, y'know. It's not usual that people can do that without being able to do it to themselves."

Lightray takes out a battered PDA from a belt pouch and hands it to Makeover. "Once you have sketched them, I get you out of town, Makeover. I am certain with your skills, you have someone who owes you a favor or three who can help you then, correct?"

"I'd at least get rid of the gut.... Mostly they wanted to look Chinese still, but different - what, that's your protection? 'Get out of town?'"

Lightray smiles slightly. "I could put you inside a hero base, I suppose. I am certain I will catch a great deal of flack from the others, but they did tell me where it is."

Ferryl looks thoughtful. "You must have some people who know your skills who want to keep you alive, with that kind of talent on hand as muscle. The best I can do is keep you out of the line of fire. May I suggest some kind of mundane makeover? Haircut, completely different clothes, for a while anyway."

"Well - I guess maybe. Could spend some time in Europe again, been a while. If you can get me there without them noticing. BUt you sure as hell had better do something about them or they'll catch up with me, I bet!"

Lightray seems to think for a moment, then murmurs in an abstracted tone. "Makeover? Do your powers only work on the living? Or could you makeover a corpse to look like yourself? One that could then be found dead somewhere?"

"Won't work. I already tried that stunt when I was escaping."

Lightray smiles slightly. "Oh well. Worth a try." He then nods. "And yes, I will be doing something about this influx of Chinese supers. I do wonder what Tim Lee is up to. And whether Pride would like to help with the problem."

Ferryl lifts her brow. "I already did something about them. My part in this is done when we break contact. If I need to do any more work I'll have to ask for some kind of bodyguard fee."

"Where's that other guy, Spirit? He wasn't asking for money! What kind of lousy cape are you?"

Ferryl laughs. "Oh, jeez. I guess you don't recognize me."

Lightray smiles warmly. "Ferryl is the type of cape who is a reformed underworld figure." He looks over at Ferryl. "Sorry, that does make you sound like Charon does it not?"

Makeover starts the sketches even as he talks. Indeed, it seems to be something simple for him.

Ferryl shrugs. "I don't know what you mean by Charon. I'm an ex-assassin who killed for Next Generation's interests."

"Oh, I *have* heard of you then. Just hadn't seen your face."

Lightray nods. "Charon is the ferryman of the River Styx. He takes certain spirits to their place in the Underworld ruled by Hades. His pay is the coins left on the eyes of the dead." His gaze turns back to Makeover. "You are quite skilled, Makeover."

Lightray adds. "If you can put any names to the faces it would be most helpful."

Ferryl nods. "So we know each other. I can promise you that if it wasn't me there today, you'd be in pretty deep danger of being killed dead after the heroes dealt with that team that went after you. So like I said, I've done a pretty big part already. No praise expected, no pay expected for what I've already done." Her face takes on a calm glaring sort of expression. "Please tread carefully and avoid referring to me as lousy in future."

"Hey, it's what I do, you know? But I could be better. You know, if I could make 'em look like Lorelei or whoever I could have a better class of clientele, you know? I'm better at faces than names, and I think they had code names anyway. I remember there was this one guy, a magician I guess, they called Character, like a Chinese pictogram? He writes the things in the air when he casts spells or whatever."

To Ferryl he says, "Hey, no offence. I'm really grateful. You want a makeover or something I can do that."

Lightray nods. "Interesting. Any code names would be useful." He looks down at the images being created. "I wonder if China is trying to slip its sup, metahuman team into the country covertly? I suppose I should try to find out who is on their team."

"Oh yeah, and the killer chick is called Bane. She's kind of classy. She seems to be pretty important."

Lightray looks over at Ferryl. "Do either of those code names mean anything to you, Ferryl? I am not as knowledgeable at to the metahuman world as I should be."

"I'm guessing new code names to go with the makeover, myself."

Ferryl grins. "No need. Might get in trouble if I change my looks." She looks at Lightray. "What's your PDA contact info? I'd like to stay in contact till I'm finished tonight." She stands, "If you hear someone coming, and I didn't contact you just before, get out of the building. Run somewhere safe. Avoid open streets."

Lightray smiles and gives Ferryl his PDA contact information. "I will treat it as being in enemy territory, yes."

Ferryl nods, and heads outside, taking a look around for anything problematic.