Log:Brunch Bane

2019/12/10 	 Carpenter Hotfoot Chen Copycat Lien Rangel

1

Past Time's Coffee Shop The smell of fresh coffee is the first thing that assails you. The next is thevery old style. It seems the owner has gone for the Edwardian style from earlylast century. Lots of imitation wood panelling and prints of old Englishcountryside. There are many partitions between the tables, affording someprivacy and the sound seems hushed in the room, this has been achieved mainlythrough very good design, which muffles sounds. At the counter service is quitequick and cheery, conveying a welcoming and friendly attitude. The menu boaststhe fact that for a little extra real coffee is served along with light hot andcold meals and snacks. All in all a pleasant place to pass a bit of time.

Arthur Aevus has stopped by for a nice cup of tea and some jam tart cookies.He's curled up in a chair, knees drawn up to his chest, oversized scarf wrappedaround his neck despite not feeling cold or heat, as he reads a temporal physicsbook with keen interest. For a book on time, it's printed on good old paper andworn leather binding.

Lien wanders into the shop, seeking what at least some portion of the clienteledo: a convenient, overpriced, and mildly nutrituous breakfast. Whetherindecisive, or that its up front and easy to point to, she goes with the biscuitthat bears everything remotely morning related piled atop it: egg, cheese, hashbrown, sausage, ham, bacon.

Entering the shop with a slight limp favouring her left leg, the Blue Arrowdraws her hood back to reveal... a cowl. Her order, simple enough. Flavouredwater. Procured, the bottle in hand is brought over to where Arthur has bookedhimself, not making a big show of her presence.

Arthur finds the physics of it all riveting. Not that Kat would, nor would sheunderstand any of this. She was pleasantly surprised to find out Dorian would,though. He turns a page before green eyes lift to notice blue archer. Andslightly past her, the one who warms her Handwarmer's hands. Arthur's eyesquickly flick back to Rangel in disguise and smiles. "Ah, my temporary teammateof few words. Good morning!" he bids cheerfully.

Lien grabs her food and finds herself a seat at a small table; the former tohold her butt, the latter for her food. The hooded gimp gets a brief glance,likely more due to the limp, as does the young man with the ...conspicuousfashion sense.

With care, the blue archery enthusiast seats herself in a somewhat similarmanner to Arthur, probably for different reasons. "Many words," her rough voicereplies, "just not all at once. Harder some days to speak." Water is tasted.Slight frown ensues. Only slight.

The comment draws Lien's eyes back to the blue one, and sparks a bit of a smirkaround her current mouthful of food. She might have a few suggestions to helpwith that, but ... mouth and hands full of food at the moment.

Arthur reaches over his book for his tea. "What happened to the leg?" he asks.As he draws the teacup back, he misjudges the clearance of the book. Tea cuptaps book, tea cup tips, he adjusts a little too quickly, and his nice tie andshirt get a little splash of earl grey. "Oops!"

"Overworked," the Blue Arrow says succinctly. "Landed wrong. It happens." Morewater taken, less frowny. She examines the label on the bottle even as the teagoes spilling, only turning the direction of her eyes to indicate she noticed atall.

Difficulties in speech, and a drinking problem? Lien can relate to those. Herbreakfast is not long for this world as she hungrily chomps it down, though thepair keep her attention. Breakfast and a show?

Arthur frowns down at his stained shirt and vest. "Pity." It's hard to tell ifhe's talking about the injury or the stain. He sets down his book and flicks atthe stain. It evaporates with white glittering motes as the clothing isreformed, good as new. "Rest, ice, compression, and elevation should help withthat," he says with a smile and picks his book up again. Then he frowns slightlyas he realizes he lost his place, but the smile is back after a tick. "So sincewe are to be facing the best of the best in the Best of the Best, it would begood to know what you're best at. Other than archery, of course."

"Infiltrating, sabotage, counter-infiltation," The Blue Arrow responds."Positioning. Public speaking." More water. Bottle done. She replaces the lid."Or whatever you call it."

"Speech writer, too?" Arthur smiles wryly.

Carpenter has his coat wrapped around him as he walks into the coffee shop, asit's gotten colder outside.

Arthur Aevus is enjoying a nice cup of tea and some jam tart cookies. He'scurled up in a chair, knees drawn up to his chest, oversized scarf wrappedaround his neck despite not feeling cold or heat. He sets down a book ontemporal physics as he speaks with the blue archer sitting similarly near him.For a book on time, it's printed on good old paper and worn leather binding.Lien is eating breakfast and watching the pair.

Carpenter actually doesn't recognize any of the heroes in the shop today. Nottoo surprising, with the general turnover rate in town. People retire. Or moveon. He smiles to himself and he makes his way to the counter. "Just a coffee.Thanks."

Arthur doesn't look particularly super or heroic. Rather skinny and plain, andalso not quite from around here. He could be a tourist from a comic conventionor some nerd event.

Carpenter gets his coffee and takes a sip of it. Based on the way he winces,it's bitter. He heads over to the doctoring station to add some sweetener to it,and then looks for a seat.

Carpenter grabs a seat at a booth and sets his cup of coffee on the table,before he pulls out his PDA to check some notes he made earlier in the day.

Arthur taps his foot on his chair a few times. "How are you at racing orstrength?" Arthur asks Blue Archer, not exactly hopeful. "We may be, ah, lackingin that division a little compared to some."

Only having recently discovered anything approaching modern fashions, Citlalihas managed to upload several different outfits into her holo-disguiser. Ofcourse, it -can- change her entire appearance and not just clothing. But she hasno reason to change the appearance of -who- she is. Only what she is wearing atthe moment.

So she finds herself wearing a simple black teeshirt that is pretty skintight.The fact that she is in fantastic shape means there's not much to hide in thatoutfit. The shirt has a Pink Floyd prism on it.. dark side of the moon ofcourse. And she has virtually painted on bluejeans to go with it.

So she steps into the shop and pauses to inhale slowly and get a good sniff ofthe place even as her dark eyes flit about to take in the sights.

Lien ate her breakfast, that is. It didn't stand a chance. She was hungry. Whilecoffee isn't her thing, she did get a cup of water to wash down all that starchand grease. Her attention does finally peel off from the pair with the possiblespeech and drinking problem. It moves to the door as the little bell jingleswith the entry of another. Another to whom Lien isn't sure to wave to orconsider wait for the passing of, considering their semi-fradversarialinteractions. One pinkly-topped, white-bodysuited, and begloved CopyCat.

Arthur grabs one of his jam tart cookies and dunks it in his tea. "I wonder howSpirit managed to win. He's won the games twice. Well. One and a half times?It's...complicated," he smiles. Half his cookie loses cohesiveness and dropsinto his cup with a small splash, to Arthur's dismay.

Arthur just stares at the pink-haired one and drops the rest of his cookie intohis teacup with another splash. . o O (Oh no, this could create a paradox! Why'dI leave the watch at home!? The Torus usually warns me about stuff like this!)

"If it's a straight line, no contest." the Blue Arrow intones in a rough voice."Someone else wins." She taps an empty water bottle against her knee. "I'm notmeta-strong. No contest." She settles in the chair. "I can back off if you needthat stuff."

After that initial study of the room, Citlali nods to herself and notices thatthe queue is formed up to her left. She turns and strides that way, getting intoline and holding some local currency in her hand. After all, she has been doing-some- work for the Ridderfolk and got paid for it too.

Carpenter had managed to hear a slice of conversation from the blue archer andArthur. He says to them, "You're both intending to compete in the Best of theBest this year?"

Arthur tears his eyes away from the CopyCopyCat and looks to Carpenter, smiling."Yes, a first for me. I'm only in it for the charity potential." He sips histea, forgetting his sodden jam cookie is dissolving at the bottom and making thetea oversweet. He cringes a little and pulls the tea cup away as if it offendedhim.

Having reached the front of the line, Citlali selects a brew basically atrandom, her broken English barely passable, but enough to order coffee at thevery least. But then she turns and asks, "Please excuse. What is Best of Best?"I mean, she does like competition.

Carpenter says to Citlali, "It used to be an annual event here in Colonial Bay,and the city brought it back after a long hiatus. It's basically a localmetahuman competition. Ostensibly, it's to prove who is the best for braggingrights. But it's also for charity and public relations."

"Seeing how I measure as baseline," the Blue Arrow replies. "It's a showcase. Ican't lift tonnage. I can't move supersonic."

Nodding her head, Citlali indicates that she understands. She is trying to-not- use her mental ability to skim surface thoughts and understand what othersare saying. The only way to really learn a language is to use it. "I see." shestates as she picks up her divine smelling cup-a-Joe. She holds it under hernose and smiles widely. "I like competition. What is goal? Race? Like Olympics?"

Carpenter nods. "That's one of the events, yes. Or it has been. Power lifting isone of them. And...race, normally. Usually some target shooting. And then theythrow in things like...defusing mock bombs. Or saving civilians. About ten yearsago, there was a 'save the maiden' event, with a mechanical dragon. I suspectthey changed that to 'save the civilian' this year.

The facsimile feline waits in line to reach the counter, offering a smile to thecashier. "Here to pick up the Freeman order. We called in." The server nods andpulls it up so that Copy(Copy?)Cat can tap her (well, Griffin's) card to pay thebill. "We'll bring it right out," the cashier notes before excusing herself tohead to the back to do just that.

"So they give points to whoever can lift the most," Blue Arrow mentions. "Andrun fastest. Not a thing I can work on. But I'm penalized for it." She coughs,shrugs. "not complaining. Not looking to win."

Lien is mildly surprised that she went unnoticed by the pink pixie. No wave. Noglare. Maybe it's a good thing Lien didn't fire the first wave, afterall. Withher food done, she decides to take the lack of notice as a cue to hop up andmove out.

Carpenter shrugs, "You're not 'penalized' for it. It's looking for the overallbest hero. Do you think that a meta without a ranged attack is penalized in thetarget shooting?"

"So, one competes in strong events. Does not compete in weak events. Yes?" asksCitlali as she takes a sip of her coffee. But then she grimaces and shakes herhead before placing the cup on a table, "Smell good. Taste very bad." shestates.

Carpenter sips his coffee, "I'm pretty sure that Spirit didn't win every event he was in when he was Syphon. The guy was slower than I am on foot."

"Anyone can work on that," Blue Arrow points out. "Not the best example. Pick up a rock and throw it." She looks thoughtful then. "I'll do that."

"Interesting, a baseline," Arthur comments as he grabs a cookie and nibbles on it. "Wait, baseline...you mean you've got no superpowers?" it suddenly dawns on him.

Carpenter shrugs, "Yeah, you're right. No one can possibly work to get strongeror faster, either." He rolls his eyes and sips his coffee again. "So just showoff with what you're good at."

"And by.. super powers." begins Citlali. She shakes her head, "Powers that setone apart from the average person?" She asks with a smile, "Such a quaint idea.Anyone who -has- abilities is somehow better than those without?" She shakes herhead then and shrugs, "Who is more important than what, yes?"

Arthur taps his chin in thought at this development, glancing again towards Copycat. o O (Maybe a future self. I don't remember this anytime soon...)

Arthur looks thoughtful as he looks back to Carpenter. "So who would you say is the physically strongest contender for feats of strength?"

"Recommended training to change half-ton lift into kiloton?" The Blue Arrow asksCarpenter. "Tried everything, hit sarcasm ceiling." She turns a nod and a shrugtoward Arthur. "Might have heightened reflexes."

The cashier returns, with two others. One takes over at the register while theoriginal cashier and another each push carts bearing large bags filled with...well, lots of sandwiches, judging by the smell. Lots and lots. Someone's havinga party... or a very large business brunch.

"Are you sure you don't want any coffee? It's complimentary.."

"No thanks," Copycat answers before heading for the door with the brunch in tow.

Carpenter shrugs, "I'd recommend lifting weights to get some points in the category, rather than expecting to beat Titan."

"Assume goal is be best at most events. Not -all- events. Yes?" asks Citlali asshe lifts her cup and places it on the counter. To the clerk she says, "Thankyou for your efforts. I do not know how modern humans tolerate such terribleflavor."

Carpenter shrugs, "I'd recommend lifting weights to get some points in thecategory, rather than expecting to beat Titan. If you can lift a half tonalready, you're already ahead of people like me, right?"

Carpenter thinks about it. "I saw Paragon signing up. I'd say her."

Carpenter says, "I didn't see Titan at all. He might be busy with a movie production right now?"

"Sorry for seeming bitter. I am, not about that." The Blue Arrow mentions.

Carpenter rubs his chin. "That Havoc guy, maybe? Umm...there was a woman named Lily around, but she hasn't been seen in about a year."

Arthur watches Copycat leave, wondering what it is that has him feeling off about that. . o O (Why would I put in an order under Freeman? That's...odd...)

Once outside, the servers and their carts stop as CopyCat does. The other twowere expecting a car to put all that in, but the pink pixie doesn't need one."Thanks. We can take it from here." The cashier nods and hustles back in. Thehelper, a young man who's smiling at her alot, looks around. "Are you sure? Ican push these wherever you need..."

"You're so helpful..." Copycat smiles wider and steps up to give him a gratefulsmooch on the cheek. This leaves the young employee just standing there smilingdumbly.

"Faker," the Blue Arrow says.

Arthur stares dumbfounded. . o O (Kit! Or...someone else!) "Ah, excuse me, Ithink I see someone I could potentially recruit!" he says as he gets up from hisseat and tucks his book into one of the large coat pockets before brisklywalking out after Copycat.

The Blue Arrow also rises, but less explanatorily, and moves in a similardirection to Arthur, though takes a few hops to reach rooftop level usingawnings and flagpoles and other things that Rangel does not to aid in the cleverdisguise.

Though she is still thoroughly confused, Citlali nods her thanks to the otherpeople in the coffee shop and turns to head out, "Forgive me. It turns out thatthis sort of beverage is..." She pauses as if searching for the words, "Notmy... cup of tea? Is that correct?"

Carpenter chuckles. "They do have actual tea as well, I think." He still watches curiously as the others go to leave.

Copycat leans in again, putting a hand on the helpful helper's shoulder as shewhispers to him. They then both move to grab the two carts to push them anew.Can't have people missing their brunch! She does pause to offer a polite, evenfriendly wave to those exiting the coffee shop.

Arthur steps out and towards CopyCopycat, trying to come up with strategy. Hereally didn't want to out his powers quite like this, but he can be a bitsubtle. And seeing Arthur and a Kat in the same place and time can't hurt hisdisguise. "Hey, you there!" he calls after Copycat, offering a smile. "It's beensome time since I had a chance to catch up with you, Copycat."

Copycat's wave lowers when Arthur calls out. Her head tilts a moment as shelooks to him, then she shrugs. "It will need to be a little longer! We've gotpeople to do, things to feed." She then waves her generous helper to keep onmoving with his cart.

Arthur slows his pace a little as he follows Copycat just outside the coffeeshop. "P...pardon?" He frowns a little and immediately knows that's not thelocal-timed Copycat. He needs to slow her down. Maybe something improbable canhelp. Like a pebble getting kicked up by the cart's wheel and jamming into theaxels to grind it to a halt and maybe pop off the wheel? That'd be fortuitousright about now.

Goldie pads along the street to Past Times and sits at the door lookingsoulfully up at passersby until one kindly person opens the door for her.Entering she sniffs, picking up the scenes of several she knows and some shedoesn't. Approaching the table where those she knows are seated she flops to thefloor at Carpenter's feet.

The Blue Arrow loads up one of the completely unlike Rangel fowling arrows, moreas a standby than a plan to follow through. "Send to police band," she sayssubvocally into her communicator. "Past time's coffee shop, employee madephysical contact with suspected infectious shapeshifter. Police officer inside.Recommended caution, examine exposed skin areas."

Carpenter looks down at Goldie, "You're not supposed to be in here, you know."He thinks about it a bit...and glances up at Copycat interaction outside. Hethen looks down. "If you're Chen, you should change into a human form.Otherwise, I'll have to kick you out. Rules and all that."

Thus a wheel of one cart-of-many foods, pushed by the Copycat's help, picks up apiece of gravel. He pushes harder, only wedging it in further... until it popsthe wheel off the axle. With one end free, the whole bar axle just sort ofslides on out the other side. The four wheel cart now has only two. This doesn'tdeter the young man from trying, though it really doesn't roll worth a darn,now.

Copycat turns to look back at the cart, then her head swivels back to Arthurwith a sigh as her smile fades. "Is there something wrong with feeding starvingchildren?"

Goldie changes form... into a perfect duplication of Detective Carpenter. "Butthen you'll have to kick yourself out. Anyway, no offense intended but I'd paidgood money to see you trying to kick me out unless I was willing to let you."Carpenter-2 smiles.

"No," Blue Arrow says, "But there is a law against using stolen currency. Youaren't CopyCat. You're the same masked guy from Harrisburg." She doesn't go onto reveal why else she's so certain.

Arthur takes a few steps back from CopyCopycat. He glances towards the BlueArrow, then back to Copycat. "A shapeshifter? I'd be interested in knowing whyyou'd choose Ms. Prince to impersonate."

Carpenter looks at his doppleganger across from him. "Yeah, well...if you were anormal dog, it would have been easy. That also would have been a giveaway. Andit would have been mean on your part."

Goldie glances out at the intervention happening outside. "What's happening, Detective?" she asks Carpenter.

Carpenter furrows his brow and looks in that direction, "Not entirely sure. Acouple of the Best of hte Best competitors are confronting...Copycat? Might aswell get a closer look to find out what's going on." He grabs his coffee cup andgets up, heading to the door.

Goldie nods and follows, "I don't do mean. I have crazy down pat but not mean,"she says cheerfully. "Detective, do you have a given name? And would you mind ifI used it?"

Copycat shrugs, though proves Blue Arrow's point as her form ripples and altersto that of the young dark-haired, blue-eyed teen in jeans and hoodie. "Flesh isflesh." Hunter puts his hands into his hoodie pockets. "Some arrangements arejust more pleasing to mortals than others."

The coffee shop employee finally stops trying to push the cart and steps up toher side as Hunter eyes Blue Arrow. One hand withdraws to flick therecently-charged card towards the archer's feet. "There. Are you done troublingus, now?"

Carpenter shrugs, "My name is Jack. Though I'm also fine with just being called'Carpenter'. I've gotten used to it." He pushes the door open and stepsoutside."

"That depends on if you let that employee go," Blue Arrow responds. "I haven'ttested your reflexes yet and I expect you don't want that. Leave the stuff.Leave the puppet. Walk away."

"Puppet?" Arthur asks towards Blue Arrow while not taking his eyes off of Copycat or her recruit.

Blue Arrow (Rangel) is on the roof covering. Carpenter's just walking out. Others are in the shop."

The bell above the door tinkles as Bree breezes in, just barely avoiding thedetective. She steps up to the counter and orders a large (plate-sized)chocolate-chip cookie and a large glass of milk.

Carpenter-2 shrugs, "Only one way to find out," 'he says conversationly toCarpenter-1. Then in a louder voice, but still a copy of Carpenter's, "Heythere. What's going on here then?"

"Puppet?" Hunter also asks. Apparently, there's an echo. After a moment ofconsideration, he finally smiles. "As you wish." He gestures to the shop,commenting to the employee. "Thank you for your help. Go on back inside. Don'twork too hard." The young man in the coffee shop apron nods and walks back forthe shop.

Hunter returns his attention to the high and the low addressing him, nowgesturing to the carts. "You can keep these. There's plenty of other meat in thecity to feed everyone."

Carpenter mutters to his copy, "You know, impersonating an officer is a crimetoo, by the way."

Carpenter-2 chuckles, "No. I'm inpersonating you. Unless I claim to be a police officer I'm not committing a crime."

"I'm more concerned about the pupp-man, I mean man that is suddenly working withyou," Arthur says, relieved that he's no longer secretly talking to himself. Isshe really that flat...? Focus, Arthur! "Let the--did you say Mortals?"

"Check that employee," Blue Arrow says. "Potential skin-borne biological hazard.And not just because of touching a shapeshifter. If so that's a mind controlissue on top of the stolen card."

"Biological hazard?" Arthur quickly hikes his scarf up to cover his mouth andnose. His muffled voice acts, "Should I even get that close if that's the case?"Chen scowls. "Talk about prejudice. What's wrong with touching a shapeshifter?"she demands of Blue Arrow.

"Check. The. Employee." Blue Arrow says. "Then attack me over failings."The employee seems unharmed, if possibly a little confused, as he walks backinto the shop with a new jingle of the door bell. "Yes. Mortals. Fragile.Narrow-minded. Imperfect." Hunter answers Arthur before his eyes lift to Bluearcher. "Fearful," he adds.

"Paranoid," Blue Arrow adds.

Carpenter looks confused, "How the heck am I supposed to check for mind controlof all things? Or how do I check for a biological attack on him?" He blinks. Buthe shakes his head, heading back inside briefly to wave the worker over. Heshows his badge. "Detective Carpenter, CBPD."

"Skin-borne biological evidence would be found," Blue Arrow says. "It's not a shapeshifter issue. It's a that shapeshifter issue."

Chen looks at 'Hunter'. "You left out arrogant, opinionated, and entitled." asshe morphs back to Chen and changes a hand into a sizale mirror reflecting'Hunter's image back at him.

Carpenter looks the worker over where he was touched by hte shapeshifter, "Just wanted to follow up and make sure you weren't affected by something biological."

Hunter smiles he sees Chen's reflection of himself.. in more ways than one. Hepoints a finger her way. "You... have potential, and you're right. So manyflaws. So much weakness. Disparity. Soon that will all be rectified."

Inside, the employee turns to Carpenter and blinks, approaching. "What's wrong, officer? Oooh..." He sways on the last step, clutching his stomach.

Carpenter knows enough that he shouldn't likely touch the worker, if whatever it is...is transmitted by touch. "Are you okay?" He furrows his brow.

Arthur lowers his scarf so he won't sound muffled. "Sounds like someone with a god complex wants to 'fix' things. That's never good."

Bree ducks away as the detective enters again. finding a table where he can't see her face.

"Sounds like someone's going to begin an invasion," Blue Arrow says.

"Underground, unknown numbers. Here, of all places. If it's localized. You don't seem stupid. What's the point?"

"Why can't it be?" Hunter looks to Arthur, brows lifting. "Should the strong nothelp the weak? Improve life for all?" He shakes his head at Blue Arrow. "Notinvasion. Evolution."

On the bright side, the employee's initial discomfort seems to have passed. Onthe less pretty side, his abdomen begins to rapidly swell, as does his neck, theexposed skin growing darker.

Carpenter quickly places a call to the hospital's meta wing. They're the bestsuited people to deal with whatever is going on. He also tries to clear somespace around the worker, waving people back. He says to the guy, "Just take aseat right there. Dont' move any further."

Bree ducks down in her booth and quickly changes to Hotfoot.

Hotfoot approaches the detective, "I can get him to the hospital in a few seconds."

Arthur frowns. "I really don't think you have the best of intentions." He glances towards the coffee shop to see what's going on with the employee.

Carpenter blinks and notices Hotfoot. "Only if you can do so without touching his skin." He points at her fingerless gloves.

The Blue Arrow leaps rapidly away, down the street a full 19 meters from herprevious location, drawing her shot back and aiming at the HunterAlike. "SpecialAgent Ferryl. Infectious hazard shapeshifter meta. I am engaging." She adds thestreet address and mentions the coffee shop by name.

Hotfoot says, "Is there a tablecloth or something we could put around him?"

Carpenter grabs one of the tablecloths and says to the other person behind thecounter, "I'm sure you'll get it back once it's decontaminated." He gives it toHotfoot, "There you go."

Hotfoot drapes the tablecloth around the waiter and scoops him up in her arms. "If you could open the door..."

And so ends yet another hero's career with an arrow to the knee. Hunter looksdown at it and yanks it out to look at it. Meanwhile, the knee rapidly knitsitself back together, at least on the outside.

"... That wasn't very nice..."

He looks up to the blue arrow launcher. "... but flesh is stronger that your toys. We'll show you..." He glances to the coffee shop.

The swelling man suddenly balloons further, and not exactly as he was before. Itis less controlled and more just ... outward. Very rapidly, a limit is hit, orperhaps Hotfoot pokes a thin spot.

And he explodes.

Arthur looks to where Hunter is looking, and watches in horror through thewindow, glad he's on this side. He looks back at Hunter and points a finger athim, thumb cocked like a gun. "That's enough. You're done," he says with suddencertainty.

It isn't a boom explode, but more a ... wet pop. Those within the shoppe, andthe interior, furniture, and even windows are splattered with greenish ooze. Thestuff is unpleasant smelling, and has the consistency of ... somewhere betweenhydrochloric acid and molten lava. It feels about the same, too, as things beginto dissolve. Glass. Wood. Cloth. Coffee cups.People.

Her skin burning, Hotfoot runs to the kitchen to find baking soda.

Carpenter manages to turn his body slightly and only get hit partially, catchingmuch of it on his coat. But that's only a temporary reprieve. "Son of a..." Hequickly pulls off his trench coat, "I liked this coat. Damn it."

Patrons scream, and now continue to do so, now spurned by the burning as well asthe initial ew. Beside Carpenter and Hotfoot, there are eight patrons or staffthat appear affected, and most are fairing far, far worse than those two.

A beam of white energy surges from Arthur's finger as he cocks back the 'hammer' that is his thumb, striking Hunter.

Hunter's hoodie gets ruined via the large burn hole through it, and through historso, to even ruin the back! The force throws him back a half-dozen meters,though his prone form simply... rearranges itsef so that he's standing again."A fiesty one..." he grins, even as the large hole closes so that he is onceagain more a door than a window.

Arthur gasps at the hole he put in the kid. He didn't realize that'd be THATpowerful. He's actually relieved when he stands up and knits together, thoughnow he worries it's not enough!

Hotfoot decides to forget the backing soda and heads for the dishwashwer's station, to use the water sprayer as a makeshift shower and rinse away the goo.

Carpenter points to the barista, "Water! In the sink! Don't let it drain intothe sewer system, but run teh water to get your hands clean! And if you have abasin sink in the back for dishes, let's use that! Come on, people!"

The Blue Arrow draws again, taking up a different spot for tactical advantage,"Past Times Meta now suspected of murder, mass-scale assault. Requestingemergency biohazard and corrosive substances response. Unknown number ofcasualties." Covering injured, rather than deceased. "Meta still in immediatearea. Caution advised."

The affected patrons are rather paniced and in pain, but most do their best tofollow Carpenter's direction. One who was closest to the door takes the quickroute, running outside believing that relief is nearer there.

The panicked surviver running outside finally draws Chen's attention to eventsinside the coffee shop, and tips her previous confusion into action. Reachingout with a long extended arm she tries to grab the killer-shifter.

Carpenter forgoes washing himself off to help the civilians first, getting them to the basins, sink, and Hotfoot's sprayer.

Hotfoot looks up at the ceiling for a fire sensor.

Hotfoot zips out into the dining area and hops up onto a table, raising her hands over her head and igniting them.

Chen reaches out and attermpts to grab the again upright, not to mention uptight, Hunter.

Hunter doesn't resist as she enwrapped by the extruded Chen. "See? Flesh isstrong... though our flesh is strongest..." All that contact of flesh to flesh(like Chen, his attire is merely a visual trick), allows, at the cellular level,many little buts of him to mingle in with some of the many little bits of her...

Hotfoot tries to get her flaming hands near a fire sensor.

With flaming hands held high, Hotfoot manages to trigger the fire sprinklers, showering everyone (even Carpenter) with water.

Chen looks at her fingers, wrapped around Hunter, in horror as they turn a nastyshade of rotting black. "Seriously. Do NOT touch this guy." she says hurriedlyas the black decay moves back toward her major mass. "Try to scape up as much asyou can of me and put it in a decent sized box. I'll fight this off...eventually." By the time she's finished speaking half of her mass is amalodorous puddle of rotting black goop. The rest of her quickly follows.

"Tsk tsk." Hunter clicks his tongue to Chen as her flesh looks to ...fall apart."You should get that looked at..." Speaking of looking at, there is suddenlynothing Hunterish to see (or hear or smell) as he seems to vanish.

Arthur stares in horror at what became of Chen. "Dear god...what have youdone?!" There's screaming all around and now a melted Chen. He rushes over toChen's remains after Hunter vanishes. Bands of light extend from him and try togather Chen up.

The Blue Arrow moves closer, keeping an eye out for signs of continued presence,updating the situation to Starguard as it develops. "I've seen that one a fewtimes," she informs Arthur. "Dangrous to touch always. Seems to favourparticular disguises. Building an army of subterranean creatures."

Arthur can't seem to get Chen together easily. He manages to find a cardboardbox in an alley and sweep some of her into it. Heading back to the coffee shop, he enters carefully and sees the chaos as people try to wash the acid off. "Don't worry, I'm a doctor," Arthur exaggerates greatly. Once examined by him, people find their burns aren't as bad as they thought. Lucky, that.