11941/Comfortable in Your Own Skin

Comfortable in Your Own Skin
Date of Scene:	09 July 2022
Location:	Melville
Synopsis:	Mercy goes to try and help out a ghost. It turns into facing things head on as a brute tries to goomba stomp her, the head makes a clean runaway, and oaths are made to never go to Bludhaven again.
Cast of Characters:	Natasha Romanoff, Mercy Thompson, Joshua Foley

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Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The Russians were always up to something. Spy games, crimes, acts of notoriety.. All it took was for someone over at the embassy to be involved and faster than you could call out 'diplomatic immunity' anything official when it came to dealing with them fell flat. Including an incident for the recently deceased at some sort of horrific crash. Said incident had been quickly cleaned up, and infromation on it burnt and buried. There was no chance at justice. But knowledget.. Perhaps.
    A ghost wanting information of their passing to be passed along to thier family for closure. A russian courier taking information from a drug dealer in Gotham to take back to the Russian embassy to have be arhcived and vanished forever.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    The only reason that Mercy became is so far from home is she's looking for a part on an old VW, and was told that she could maybe find it at a wrecker not far from here. She was just taking a little walk, trying to shake the itch she has in her when she noticed the ghost. Eyes looking at the spirit and she sighs some. There goes the day, looking around she tries to make sure nobody is noticing her or there aren't more around. She casually walks closer toward that ghost and tries to be casual. "You saw a light right? Most know how to do this part without needing a help."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
For the ghost, there's a sense of blood, trauma, and rage. Just another of thsoe endless small crimes in Bludhaven. Deaths. Misery. Corruption. So many things forgotten and so many names left unmourned. For an entity that just wants to have it -known- what happened.. For Mercy, the spectre guiding her is pointing along in the direction where a thick, muscled man in a cheap suitw ith a fedora is walking along rather slowly thorugh the night with an aura of authority

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Mercy tries to not go to places with too many ghosts, it can lead to al sorts of problems. She looks where the ghost is pointing, "Use your words. I can hear you. I got good ears." Speaking of good ears and senses, Mercy figures it's a good time to pay more attention to those. That's how you stay alive after all. So she watches the guy in the cheap suit, walking and gives him the good once over. It's amazing what you can learn and hear from someone if you learn how to listen. Knowing if that 'metal jangle' sound is a pocket of change, a set of keys, or the hinge on a folding knife are good things. "What's this guy's deal?" Eyes flicking to the ghost as they move together.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Josh tries to make himself look as calm as he wishes he really was. He drives the black van through Melville, keeping his eyes peeled. "I don't think there's anything we want here, why'd they send us all the way to Bludhaven?" Josh complained.

"Shuddap will ya?" Anthony said. "You wanna try Bushwick? We ain't even boosted yet. It's just recon."

The two young men, barely 19, are dressed the same, both wearing black cargo pants, boots and nondescript tactical shirts. It was mostly Josh's blond hair and Anthony's brown that made them easy to tell apart.

"This place is creepy though, the stories, you know?" Josh says. Josh sees a woman walking down the street, and a man further up. "Like those two. One of them could be a werewolf or something."

"You wish she was a vampire, about the only way you're gonna get a chick to eat you," Anthony snorts.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The ghost can't do much more as it's seemingly getting agitated. Well, less seemingly, moreso definitely is. It gives an emphatic point over at the man that's walking forwards. Big, stocky, and just on a fast trot in a cheap business suit. Slung over his shoulder is a cheap looking army surplus duffel bag. He has a rather fast trot and is going qjuickly. Even in Bludhaven for someone not being openly aggressive or threatening, and not running people down, he's definitely getting them out of teh way.

He's passing right by Joshua now. And it's quite possibly easily hearable to Mercy on the 'werewolf' bit

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Mercy's eyes flick to the van as it approaches. Did she hear them? Surely a woman outside and down the street couldn't right? But in her life the word 'vampire' and 'werewolf' tends to grab her attention. This is already making her shoulders want to bunch up more. She forces herself to stay relaxed and reminds herself, running is always a strategy, and she can run fast. "Just talk," she can't help but curl her lip a little. Mercy jogs up and pulls out a five dollar bill, "Hey buddy. This fell out of your pocket." If the guy just runs from free money, it lets her know. And $5 is a small price to pay to try and calm a ghost down.

Joshua Foley has posed:
"That guy's totally a fucking mutie," Anthony grunts. "Look at him. Huge, pushin' people 'round. Stop the van."

Josh looks uncertain but does as he's told. The van stops abruptly, then Josh slams it into reverse and rolls back several feet before stopping again, this time with a bump as one tire goes up onto the curb. Anthony piles out of the van as soon as it stops and pushes past a man in a city works vest to get in front of the big guy. Anthony slows as a woman approaches the man, but is directly in his way and not moving. Josh jogs around the van to catch up and comes over from the side. He clenches and unclenches his hands a few time and glances up and down the sidewalk.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The man goes right past Mercy. Then goes to slowly turn over her and would just sneer, "Nyet. Get on your way litlte girl." He would move to try and give her a shove with his shoulder. Presuming that it did connect, it would hit with the strength to send an ordinary person flying -hard-. The move was telegraphed, at least, but done with the sort of casuality of someone who knew their strength and knew how to use it.

This would let Joshua see the big person going to try and shove Mercy to send her flying, large duffel bag on his back clinking.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Okay this is getting a touch intense. Guys, even young ones, jumping out of dark vans are big red flags. She's learned in experience that appearances are deceiving. The shove doesn't hit, she's studied martial arts and one of the big things to do in a fight: do not let big guys grab/shove you and gain even more advantage. She manages a twist out of the way and slides her feet back as she pockets the fiver she used as bate. "Rude much?" Eyes flick and go to the two boys and then she glances at something likely nobody else sees. "Why don't we use our words and not get ugly." Get the damn hint ghost! "That bag looks like mine, you sure you didn't pick it up at the track suit gym down the block or so? Maybe got someone else's instead of yours." Please don't be a big fight. Please don't be a big fight.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Josh frowns and Anthony grins when they see the big guy tries to shoulder check Mercy. Anthony smirks and puts his hand into one of his pockets when Mercy says the bag is hers.

Josh's eyes go a little wide when Anthony reaches into his pocket. He darts forward and tries to catch the big man by surprise and full on boot him mid-step to knock him off his stride. "Stealing shit?" Josh demands as he does. "Put the bag down!"

"Yeah, better put it down," Anthony says, taking a step forward. It is not clear whether the brown haired kid is doing to pull something from his pocket or pile on the big if he stumbles, but his eyes are dancing in anticipation.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
the big man would turn to face Joshua and Anthony, "Stealing /shit/? I've never met this girl before in my life befroe seh came up towards me. I'm just on my way and here she is trying to rob me. She's been following me for the last half mile. I thought she was just lost but she was watching me from over there.." He would casually point over at the car.

Towering over Josh and Anthony right as Josh goes to kick him. It doesn't go well. The striek goes up and over, the man reaches forwards, catches the foot in it, then goes to twist it over like one might pop a corkscrew. This turns the leg around roughly a hundred and eighty degrees before the release. "Oh, you're with her too?" The man goes to adjust the sling of the duffel bag. It clonks. There's something -heavy- in it. Metal.

The ghost is rushing the man. Not htat he notices it. Or cares. The ghost is running through him again and again, soundlessly screaming as it zooms through the bag again and again and again to no avail.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    This is getting out of hand fast. Not something Mercy is a big fan of. We got people getting violent and clearly this guy has more muscle then he looks like. Which is saying something. The thing about bags, they tend to be strong. The straps are not always the case. She is getting annoyed at the ghost also, "You are real close to me just ditching you." She adds, "I never seen any of these too before, big guy. I also know when I'm outclassed." She will attempt at least one grab at the bag. Reaching for the bottom and back of it to try and yank on it hard. The goal is to get the back's strap to break and see if she can 'purse snatch' and rely on her speed to get away before more happens.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Josh's world explodes in pain and he hears himself shriek as his leg snaps. He hits the ground and rolls over in pain, cradling his leg.

"What the fuck?!" Anthony explodes. His face goes red and contorts in rage. His hand whips out of his pocket and brings a pistol with it. Just as Mercy is reaching for the bag, Anthony is pointing the gun at the big man. "Get on the ground ya mutant freak! I'll fucking drop you right here!" Anthony's eyes are angry and wild and it's easy to picture that gun going off by accident at this point.

Josh rolls on the ground and then suddenly his body relaxes completely. He feels a rush, warmth...

"Yeah... yeah! Get on the ground!" Josh says as he scrambles to his feet, both feet. "He'll shoot.... Listen to him, okay?" Josh almost pleads.

Anthony blinks and has a look of total incomprehension on his face when he sees his friend get up, and it takes his attention off the big guy for a moment.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The big man glances over at Joshua, "I gave you a -warning-. The next move is when I snap your limb off like a twig it is." The sudden motion from Mercy goes to bypass the man, and she yanks the heavy duffel bag away. It clinks. Heavy metal box. Lined wiht lead. Smell of blood within.

The ghost is screaming over in a rage, senselessly now as it's just slamming through the box again and again through the bag. In a senseless gust of violence that amounts to nothingness.

The man goes to swing over an arm that barely misses Mercy, going to try and then STOMP at her with a foot that if it missed her would leave an ankle deep crater in concrete!

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Great! Someone gave the racist a gun. Species-ist? Whatever. The guy who probably least should have a gun has one aimed her way. She looks over as Josh seems to stand up, "how?" She HEARD the guy's leg break. Not a fracture either, that sounded like a clear full on snap. Not even werewolves bounce back THAT fast. The distraction is enough for her grip to get too loose on the box as she sees a foot aimed her way. "Oh man! That reeks of blood, what is in that thing?" She gives up and rolls free of the stomp but only because she's faster then most think. Even then the dodge is only safe by millimeters. "Is it you in that box," again she says to the air. If she doesn't do something for this ghost he's likely to end up a poltergeist or worse. Nobody needs that. She really doesn't want to pull on her trump card, not her style. "What did I get tangled in today?"

Joshua Foley has posed:
Bang.

Bang. Bang.

Time stops for Josh with his ears ringing. The big guy moved so fast. Hit the ground so hard. Nearly killed that woman.

Bang.

Josh can almost see the smoke curling out of Anthony's gun. The rage.. and glee... on his face. Anthony is yelling something, but Josh can't hear him. Anthony is running. Josh's mouth falls open. Then he is running, too. Just ringing in his ears. No other sounds. The woman trying to get the bag. The city works guy diving for cover. The big guy. His hand on the van's door. How did he get to the van? Anthony yelling at him. No sounds though.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The ghost is in a state of near feralness, running along and smashing through the bag again and again and through the lead lined container within it. The man goes to take a nother SWING over at Mercy, just missing her. Then looking at Anthony, "Fine." Then his face starts to retract and.. Change. Various bits of skin peel off, revealing a face that's far more lizardlike beneath. Slightly malformed in size..

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Mercy instinctively tries to cover her head and body as gunshots go off. The kids who were trying to be..... she's not sure what they were thinking really. Either way it seems they're scattering. She is just taking stock of things and the ghost, "you're distracting me." It's hard to focus on a bag with a ghost-body going in and out of it all the time. Then the guy goes even just weirder as well. "What the what?" Mercy is more then a bit confused. Okay. More more shot at this, make the big guy's strength work against him. She will try to feint a kick at the lizard guy, like Josh did for real. But that is all a fake for her to pivot fast and gain speed for another 'box' grab. She knows what is in the bag, and what's in the box that is in the bag. It should give her a better grip. This time she knows to pull as hard as she can, which is going to be a lot more force then Mercy looks like she can pull. "Come on and yoink already."

Joshua Foley has posed:
"You see that? I told you he was a mutie, I KNEW it! I can sense it! Wooo!" Anthony yells from the passenger seat.

Josh fumbles with the keys and then the van roars to life. He looks up in time to see the woman reaching for the back again and hesitates.

"I knew it! Take that!" Anthony exults.

Josh sees Mercy fake out the lizard monster. "Fuck it," he says. He slams on the gas, yanks the wheel, and the overpowered, armoured van leaps forward onto the curb, narrowly avoiding pointing at Mercy, but heading right at the lizard guy. Josh tries to hit him to buy the woman some time, slams on the brakes and then van jolts backwards into traffic, narrowly missing a silver sedan.

"Get some!" Anthony yells out the passenger window as Josh tries to throw it in drive and race away.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The lizard is slammed through HARD and sent flying away from the blow! Th is has the container inside the duffel bag flying open from the chaos, the impact, and the box goes to pop it's top! Flying over through the air as Josh goes to run away through the shattered, broken window is a shorn off human head that goes to land squarely in the passenger seat! And the ghost is shrieking and racing along after it!

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    Mercy has had enough of Anthony's mouth. "You're an idiot. Shut up already. Just because something is different then you doesn't make it a 'mutie' or whatever." Then there's a car going at her and things go nuts. HOW she didn't end up under a tire she's not sure. That's a good way to break an axle. Then the head is out of the bag. True fact, not as fun as a cat. She sees the ghost going for it and sighs, "you can't pick it up!" She knows it sucks being dead but really. She is not carrying a bare head around, not like that. So she needs something to wrap it up in. AFTER she gets it. "Pretty sure the cops need this." How the hell is she going to explain this. "Excuse me," she says to Josh as she reaches for the head. "You think this weird me out, but it doesn't even make my top ten for strangest horrible things list."

Joshua Foley has posed:
"What the fuck?!" Anthony shouts as the head lands in his lap.

Josh slams on the brakes. "Is that a head?!" he yells and shies away.

"Get it out, get it out, get it out!" Anthony yells. He panics, bobbling the head in his lap until Mercy reaches for it and he fairly shoves it in her direction, across Josh to Mercy, reaching in through the shattered driver's window.

"Don't give it to me!" Josh yells and bobbles it towards Mercy. "What kind of life do you live, lady?!" Josh gets out.

"Dude, are these brains? You think these are brains, what the hell?" Anthony asks, showing his hands to Josh.

"I don't know!" Josh shouts. He slams his foot down on the accelerator. "I don't want to know!"

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The head bops and flies along, somehow landing in the air in a macabre sort of way over as it was juggled in a morbid slapstick fashion to land over in the hands of Mercy, it bouncing around and settling. Right before the eyes would flash OPEN and gibber, awake with ectoplasmic energy.. As it would if not stpoped float up in the air, let out a raging scream, and go to try and fly off in another direction.

Mercy Thompson has posed:
    "A strange one," admits Mercy as she takes the head to hold it by the hair. She looks at Anthony, "Nah. Wrong color for brains." Doesn't mater if she's lying, she just can't resist. Even as she gets away from the speeding car. Then the head flies off!?!? "Okay. That's actually new." She looks around and doesn't want to see what anyone with a cellphone can do. Yep time to leave. Leave now. Leave fast! She breaks off at a fast run, unfortunately trying to follow the head.

Joshua Foley has posed:
The van speeds away, swerving madly between vehicles, but not before Anthony can heard yelling.

"Never! Never going to Bludhaven again!"

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Mercy goes to run after the head, which is rushing into the night screaming and gibbering madly. Shrieks fill the air over as several doors open from people staring out at it to confirm yes, it is happening. Then doors go to close just as quickly.

Time for everyone to head out.