12612/Grail in the Dugout

Grail in the Dugout
Date of Scene:	29 August 2022
Location:	Yankee Stadium
Synopsis:	Grail comes to Earth. Samples Stadium Hot Dogs. Speaks to Scott Lang and Monet. Goes 'take me to your Amazons'. And deals with Power Girl doing her own very unique 'welcome to Earth' intro.
Cast of Characters:	Grail, Monet St. Croix, Scott Lang, Karen Starr

---

Grail has posed:
After what happened with Rhino and Captain Cold, Monet and Scott were left with nothing but a fast blur that evaded them rather quickly. Grail, for her part, had not come to this planet looking for a man dressed like some terresterial animal, another with a freezing ray, another with some kind of odd helmet and a woman who had powers like she could be an Amazon but not dressed the part.

She knew she had to go elsewhere but first she needed to rest. So, the first clue to having found where Grail is hiding is that there was reports to the local police that someone had busted open one of the doors to where some food was stored and it had been stolen. Someone had to have been strong enough to physically rip the doors off.

Sitting in the left field bleachers, up near the top, is a grey skinned woman currently consuming what she hopes counts as food for Earthlings while her side mends itself from the damage she had taken from the explosion she was in. She meat she had grabbed (at least she thinks it is meat) was not well made but it was sustenance and so she was dipping raw hamburger meat into cheese sauce and consuming it.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Grail had a very easy to recognize mental signature. Having coordinated over with Ant-Man, and Ant-Man perhaps with the other Avengers to get in backup if they needed it, Monet St. Croix is flying along on an intercept course over towards the bleachers.
    The Yankees are out of town, and the Mets are playing, so just the stadium grounds crews would be present who are no doubt irritated by more mess to the turf they'll have to clean up.
    Monet would give a wave to ensure that Grail noticed her, flying in and going to pause if not intercepted or threatened about twenty meters away. "I'm glad that you found yourself somewhere to stay. Questionable varieties in consumables aside."

Scott Lang has posed:
     Scott really, really didn't want to go looking for the bleeding woman who had popped out of a portal and then shrugged off a freeze ray like it was a stiff breeze, moved fast as the wind, and put Captain Cold in traction with a toss. Any one of those would be a good reason NOT to go looking to see someone like that again. But a guilt-tripping rant from Monet about how he was an Avenger and had a duty and so on and so forth had left him following...by car as he pulls up outside the stadium while Monet has already flown in.

     "Yeah, hey, don't wait for me, not like she's not dangerous or anything. Serve that little princess right," mutters Scott as he sets the car alarm and then pushes the button again for good measure. Getting inside was no problem as he shrinks small enough to fit between the bars over the entrance and then reverts back, Monet floating up high easy to make out in the largely empty stadium. Way over on the other side of the stadium. And up several floors. Scott looks around the outer terrace and groans. The escalators weren't on. He begins to jog his way around and up and can already feel a stitch forming in his side he swears as he leaves his helmet down for the sake of fresh air.

Karen Starr has posed:
    Regardless of whether or not Scott had hit the In Over My Head alarm and pinged the Avengers, Karen had- luckily, perhaps- been in the area. Having heard of the incident with one of Barry's guys and one of Spider-Man's guys, Power Girl wasn't about to let Scott continue on the search on his own. She'd been keeping to the skies, and for a while, just /listening./ Who needs a police receiver when you can hear the whole of the city at any one time?

    The alarms at the stadium had been tripped, and while police were on their way, Power Girl had done her due diligence- and warned them to stay back for the time being, just before floating into the air above the ball park. Monet made her way in, but that warranted only so much attention from Karen. Instead, she figured it'd be best to reassure Scott.

    "I'm here in the sky, Ant-Man." The confident voice chimes in over his communicator. "Not sure if you should engage, but I don't think we're sure of anything about this person. If we can get her to stand down quietly, that'd be best."

Grail has posed:
Looking up at Monet when she approaches, it seems Grail had some degree of above human senses. She casually pushes food into her mouth and then sets the tube of meat and tub of cheese aside, casually flicking her hands free of a bit of leftovers before she stands up. She eyes Monet carefully before looking further up into the sky, squinting at what she thinks might be another figure. She's unsure of what Monet means but she responds all the same.

"I'm not staying here, I needed food and a place away from your people." Grail simply responds before she looks past Monet briefly, seeming to eye the area around before adding, "I have no further use for you. YOu are clearly not who I came here for." She states simply enough to Monet before tilting her head.

"You do not apear to be an Amazon at least."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
The approach of Power Girl is met with an internal grimace by Monet ST. Croix, remembering the few previous experiences that left a mark. But nice to know that it's available. "I am not one of them, but I have trained with them." Monet hovers her distance away, not advancing.

"And what did you come here for? Who are you? I can perhaps assist you in finding those whom you wish to contact or a location to stay in." Cautiuos. The other woman isn't necessarily hostile so no reason to be aggressive.

Also unacknowledged is that Monet can't touch her or hurt her in all likelihood.

Scott Lang has posed:
     "Hey PG you up there? Yea I'm not, I'm not looking for a, a fight, geeze they made this place big enough. But this one, she's quick and strong and, bit of an attitude on her. Could've killed Snart if he smacked his head the wrong way," Scott quickly summarizes, his panting obvious even over the comms. "Almost there, some flying delinquent got there first. Freaking kids," Scott critiques.

     He DOES make it though, eventually emerging from a tunnel slightly down and to the left of Grail and Monet. Though as he emerges it's with a Yankees cap on his head and another poking out of a pouch, a beer in one hand and a slightly stale soft pretzel in the other. Seems he'd made at least one brief stop.

     "Hey, hey up there. Don't mind me...I mean do mind. I gotta, hold on," the tired Scott pausing to take a long swig of the thankfully low alcohol content drink and a contented gasp as he pulls it from his lips. "Right, better. Hey Scott Lang, Avenger. What's going on? No game today, still a nice view though up here right?" he prattles on in a friendly manner as he walks up the steps towards Grail, stopping 2 rows below her and then scooting into the aisle and folding down a seat to plop himself on, kicking his feet up on the back of the chair before him.

     He seemed like a fool. Maybe he was. Or maybe he saw being friendly as a better way to open someone up instead of interrogation, twisting his head around to flash a grin. "Not a bad choice on the cheese sauce but ahh, you want the nachos with that usually. So how's Monet treating ya? Monet you playing nice?" Scott playing his 'good cop' role even if Monet wasn't exactly bad, just straight-forward.

Karen Starr has posed:
    Power Girl, for the first few moments, is content with being on the communicator. "Yeah, I'm up here. I heard that she helped out, kind of, in that fight. It's why I'm not down there yet, because this has the really high potential to turn sideways fast. I know you're not looking for a fight, but if there is one, do what you can to help evacuate and stay back. I don't think it'll be safe." There's a short pause. "Yeah, I've met the other one. She's got an attitude, too." Says Power Girl, the angriest Kryptonian.

    After another pause, there's an audible sigh over the communicator. "You paid for those, right?"

    For the moment, Karen is content to remain on the periphery- until the situation was contained, or was definitely not going to be.

Grail has posed:
Sucking in a breath, Grail glares at Monet for a long moment before smirking and shaking her head, "They trained you?" She asks and tilts her head, "Well." She doesn't say further but there's an impression that she is not impressed. Either way, she turns her gaze upward before being distracted by Scott. She looks at him briefly before shaking her head.

"I do not know nor do I care what a nacho is." She casually steps toward where he is and looks at Monet briefly as she moves. "I am seeking the Amazons of this world. I assumed they were more active but apparently they are not." She states simply enough, "Otherwise fools like I saw today would not be so active." She considers this fo ra moment.

"Or the stories I have heard of the are greatly exaggerated."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would give a low nod, "The Amazons are active in this world. They also have their own responsibilities and obligations. I can attempt to get you in contact with them to meet with some time, perhaps. So who are you and why do you wish to contact them?" She would consider how to elaborate upon the point of 'not so active'.
    "They are soldiers and peacekeepers. Dealing with things like the common constabulary should is beneath their stature." Her attempting to sync in to what she assumes is the other woman's more militaristic viewpoint. Hopefully that assumption works and her passing explanation also does. She would click her tongue and speak telepathically. <<Can you cue me in to your comm frecuencies?>> That is sent to Ant-Man.

Scott Lang has posed:
     Scott's easygoing smile becomes slightly more strained when Grail steps his way but he keeps himself seated, though he oh so casually sets the beer in the cupholder of the seat's armrest, his fingers twitching over the shrink button built into his glove. Shrink, don't grow Scott, even the billionaires would be miffed having to pay for Yankee Stadium's upper deck. Power-Girl doesn't get an answer to her question about his paying for souvenirs and food. They both know he hadn't and he didn't want to try and talk to her while Grail was this close anyway, she'd surely hear. At Monet's telepathic prod though he acts like he's nervously adjusting his suit's neck collar with one hand while he fiddles with the limited controls the communicator had, trying to tune into whatever other comm signals were close by, assuming Monet had something compatible on her.

     To Grail though he says, "Just a nice crunchy corn chip, lotsa shapes and...yeah I guess you don't care you said that didn't you? But hey like she said, we can get you a face to face with an Amazon. They don't really live around here so you gotta give us a bit of time is all. We can all go somewhere quiet, away from the public, get some decent food, catch a movie, probably be enough time to dig up an Amazon by then. You care to try some pretzel instead by the way?" Scott offers tearing off a hunk of the salty sourdough and holding it in Grail's general direction.

Karen Starr has posed:
    Listening in is only so comforting to the Kryptonian in the sky. There's a small frown that forms across her features, and she starts to descend calmly. "You're going to before we leave." she comments, allowing Scott to understand that stealing is wrong. Even from overpriced stadium vendors.

    From the sky comes the blonde form of Power Girl, arms impassively folded in that typically unfair way. She descends upon the bleachers with an imperious air- a serious expression on her face, and none of that disarming charm that Scott might have.

    "If you want to speak to the Amazons, they have an Embassy in Metropolis. We can arrange for you to be taken there, but there won't be any more destruction or theft along the way. This isn't a Take What You Want sort of planet, and if you're going to stay on it, you're going to abide by our rules."

Grail has posed:
A look over at Monet as she seems to bring up more about them and she's about to say more when Scott speaks up again. She is hearing what she's hoping to hear and that put sher immediately on guard. In her experience, when people are nice to you is when you are in the most danger. Then there's Karen. She is not nice but she also makes Grail squint at her.

"From what I have seen thus far of your world, I do not know that you have the capacity to make such demands upon me." She steps casually up to the edge of the floor of bleachers she is on and plants a booted foot on the railing. She leans forward with a smirk.

"Listen, whoever you are." She looks to Monet as if to say 'here's your answer before looking back to Karen, "I am Grail. A warrior and I'm related to these Amazons that you have on your planet." She casually bends the railing with her foot as she presses down and it moves like it were sand beneath her feet.

"I will be going to this Metropolis and I will be seeing the Amazons. I will not, however, be spoken to in such a manner as if I were some passing thief upon your strange amalgam of a world."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Oh lovely. Monet grits her teeth over as she goes to speak back to Ant-Man <<Appreciated>> Then she goes to speak to Grail, "And what world then is it that you hail from? We can get you in touch with the Amazons and they will no doubt be willing to speak to you."

A quick comm-stud is sent back to Power Girl and Ant-Man <<Stand down. There is no need to be aggressive with her. We want her to cooperate, and that means that she thinks she is doing things out of her own initiative and our willingness to concede to her>> Don't these -people- have any sort of training on de-escaltion?
    Monet hovers in a slightly different direction. She's giving a show of moving back.. But also in the opposite direction of Scott. So hopefully it menat that Grail's eyes would track her and give Scott just a few extra inches of room if he needed it.

Scott Lang has posed:
     Women. Why did they have to be so aggressive all the time? Scott stares at the poor railing a moment before popping the untaken bite of pretzel in his mouth, chewing slowly before swallowing and, regretfully, clearing his throat loudly. "Hey we know you're not a thief, I've known plenty of thieves. I am one! Power-Girl here will tell ya. And you were hurt, walked right into a fight, things got a bit crazy, nobody blaming anyone...I mean Captain Cold might hold a grudge but that's fine," Scott wiping his hands off on his thighs, still making no move to try and stand up. Buddy buddy, they were all friends here.

     Except PG wasn't the type to back down typically. Scott's mind races and then it comes to him. His surefire way to get on someone's good side, and maybe distract them. "Hey Grail, you ever see a card trick before?" Scott questions casually, a deck already shuffling between his hands that hadn't been there a moment ago.

Karen Starr has posed:
    It's not that Power Girl hasn't received training on de-escalation. It's that de-escalation hasn't worked so far, and Grail has proven strong enough to bend metal.

    Furthermore, Power Girl has been doing this a long time. Sometimes, you just have to talk to people- they're reasonable, scared, and have more power than they understand. Sometimes, though, you have to show you've got a spine. She's pretty sure this is the latter- appearing weak in front of Grail is as far as Karen can figure, one of the better ways to set her off.

    "Yeah, that's all great. So far, all you've done here is help out, and then take what you wanted and broke anything in the way. You want to speak to the Amazons? We'll take you. If you're their responsibility, everything'll be kosher. But until we get there? You abide by the rules of this world, because that's where you are."

    There is a short pause, to let that sink in, before Power Girl continues. "You do not in any way want to test whether or not we've got the capacity to make demands. Didn't work well for Warworld, didn't work well for Zod, and it won't work well for you. Just come along quietly, and you'll get everything you want."

Grail has posed:
It's not that she's exactly ignoring Monet, it's that she isn't a threat in Grail's mind. Not anymore. No, there's something about the woman in front of her that screams out threat and there's a big part of Grail that wants to test just how big. Her hand clenches and unclenches, there's a brief glow that almost burns in those solid red orbs.

"I don't know, or care what a card trick is." The woman states simply and off-handedly to Scott. She is, right now, really fighting a baser instinct. One that doesn't want to come along quietly. Doesn't want to be handed what she wants.

The biggest predator rarely wants to be fed. It wants to hunt.

"Alright." Grail says with a dangerous grin that floats somewhere between dangerous anger and baser joy, "I'll play along for now. Just be careful about offering everything. I have a lot of wants." With that she steps her foot down from the railing and stands up tall, "I have given you my name, what do I call you oh defeater of worlds of war and whomever or whatever a Zod is."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
This is now between Power Girl and Grail. And Monet is not particularly happy on that at all. But she's not remotely in the tier of what she knows Power Girl is on. Having been on the receiving end of one Kryptonian in her lifetime.. A nd getting the impression that this woman was in the same league.. She didn't want to get in the middle.
    She goes to give a slow float over to the side to not get in the way of Grail's visibility up to Power Girl, and then send telepathically over to Power Girl and to Ant-Man ~Is there somewhere that you can convince her to stay until we have been able to arrange something for her at the Embassy?~ Monet is evaluating data in her mind and waht she knows and what she's seen.
    ~I remain curious as to her origin. She displays no familiarity of Earth despite to some level the Themyscirans having had a presence in the open for decades.~

Scott Lang has posed:
     Scott remains on edge even after Grail supposedly agrees to what they want. 'Play along for now' not exactly the most calming thing to hear from someone that looked ready to scrap with a Kryptonian. He moves slow as he stands up, the seat giving an obnoxious creak as it folds back up and Scott finishes his beer with another swig before setting the cup back down in the cupholder and giving his Yankees cap a firm tug and a touch of the brim. "Hey, great. We're all buds now. Can still get you some real food, and me. We could raid the club level on the way back down maybe, better stuff there," Scott helpfully suggests, moving to slip by Grail towards the upper deck exit he came in by while she's still fixated on Power Girl. A look at Power Girl making him amend, "Or we could buy food. That's also an option." His fingers at least slip away from the shrink/escape button on his suit.

Karen Starr has posed:
    There's only one psychic frequency Karen is tuned into, and that belongs to one J'onn J'onnz and the Justice League. Poking into her head, even to deliver messages, finds that she's protected. She doesn't hear Monet because of this, but that doesn't necessarily matter. In the end, there isn't any violence to be had.

    She floats down towards Scott, and as she lands on the concrete next to him, she's reaching into the gauntlet on her left hand. "Listen," she begins, pulling out a money clip that is- it is not a small amount of money. "Take her somewhere, get her something to eat and then drive her to Metropolis. I'm going to go speak to Diana, and make sure they know she's coming."

    Turning her attention to Grail, she speaks again. "I go by Power Girl." she answers, before it's right back to Scott. "Anything goes wrong, you hit the alarm on your comm and I'll be there. Just a few hours of babysitting, you can do this." The tone in her voice is somewhat subtly different than normal. After all, Scott had handled Maxima, and Grail was pretty similar. On the same token, she trusts him. That much is implicit.

    Monet on the other hand- "I'd... Keep her away, probably. But you do what you think is best." Then, she's pushing off of the concrete and into the air. She needs to make use of the time Scott's going to buy going the slow route, so... As soon as she's a little distance away, there's a crack- and Power Girl is a blur Metropolis bound, at an obscene but just barely safe multiple of the speed of sound.