1447/What a crazy, random happenstance

What a crazy, random happenstance
Date of Scene:	30 April 2020
Location:	Cedar HIll, Central Park
Synopsis:	There was this bird, see.. and..
Cast of Characters:	Alexander Aaron, Thea Queen

---

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    For people new to the city it is difficult for them to really grasp exactly how large Central Park truly is. It's a tremendous homage to nature settled in the middle of the city with sweeping vistas and many attractions. The impression given from the many... many television shows and movies that feature it seems to rob it of some of its grandeur and is something that usually has to be witnessed first hand to truly understand.
    For many of the people in the city it is one of the few places to see greenery, to accept that there had been something here before the settlement of the people, and in some ways that can be seductive. Especially on the gentle slope of Cedar Hill where during the day people congregate and recline and enjoy the outdoors.
    But nearby is the Glade Arch, which has a bad reputation not only for the prominence it's played in various movies, but because of the murders that had happened there. The attacks in the eighties. The muggings and hidden spaces that the place affords for would be ne'er do wells.
    What many don't understand is that just such a place also is a trouble spot not due simply to bad architectural design, but also because the creatures who worship the old ways find it a place of power. A crossing of leylines that assuredly grants strength to creatures from the past who once held sway over mankind.
    And it is this night when just such a creature returns, manifesting silently as a deeper shadow, a heavier feeling of dread...
    The thing unfurls its wings and sweeps out of that hidden dark place, taking to the air to rush across the night sky.

Thea Queen has posed:
Central Park. It's the spot in the city that most of the boroughs of Manhattan actually meet, from the dark and downtrodden to the rich, artsy and trendy. Million dollar brownstones line the edges on one side, museums, a castle and a hospital to the north, a 200+ year old gun battery to the south. It's rich with history, both good and bad.

Thea Queen had said she was going clubbing. She did, and, well.. she didn't say where. She didn't even really specify when she'd be home (or if). She simply said that if she needed help, she'd call.

Thea's back... ish. She's got her rig, her red breakdown recurve with a dark red quiver of arrows, a smattering of specialty arrows with her plain broadheads. With cowl and cape, she's keeping to the darkness, and the trees, digging up skills used and perhaps a bit rusty. But, she does have a purpose to being here.

Her old dealer's.. boss. Most of the trade is done from the Park, and she's looking for him. Word was that there's going to be a move on some lower key stuff.. and Thea figures that it's nice to start slow and really build up.

There's the touch of.. cold, a deeper, clingier cold that strikes her, though.. and as she moves, she has to pull her covering a little more around her.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Most drug dealers avoid the park, ever since the crackdown. But Mia's guy, he had a system. It required the cooperation of the city in some ways, since the police always had their head on a swivel for when people repeatedly showed up in patterns walking the same areas. Nothing screamed at them more 'dealer' than the same guys walking the same beats at the same times through the park. Easy to identify and handle.
    But Thea's guy, he had a system. And it was the events that went on in that place. The gatherings that were popular enough to provide a small crowd, but not popular enough to draw too big of a one. And for them it was almost like a free market. Deal after deal after deal, run through the folk fair, the farmer's market, even the tai chi festival. People were gettin' paid. Combine that with a repeated changing up of the button men and you had an unassailable system, for the most part.
    And maybe that was what had drawn the archer here. And wasn't at all the reason that that one kid down there... the one with the blond hair and the casual demeanor... he was there for something else entirely.
    For he was settled on the edge of the gathering. Tonight it was a celebration of music from around the world, a gathering of perhaps a hundred people easy going and settled on the sweep of the grass. Currently a reggae band played on the stage. And it was near there that Alexander was seated on a bench, leg pulled up near his chest as he watches. Even as only a few feet away Laszlo Dinkens, an old acquaintance of Thea's, stands there making cash.

Thea Queen has posed:
That chill in the air, though. Thea can feel it through her leathers. She's skirting the edges of the gathering, the scent of pot tickling her nose wherever she moves. (What she wouldn't give for... no.. no..)

As she moves around, trying to remain under the radar, Thea catches movement that isn't the casual, up and down bob of 'Running man' dancing. She catches sight of..

"Oh.. there you are," is whispered to herself, "stupid.. stupid..". She's in the wrong set of clothing for this, so plans have to change. And they do.

Thea creeps a little closer, and picks up a stick. Quickly rummaging, she sets up a pretty rudimentary sling, and from the safety of her spot, lets a rock fly at Dinkens' head.

First lands is a shoulder shot, and Thea curses softly, murmuring under her breath again, "I can hear it now.. back to the range..". There's a second that flies, and that lands, *thunk*..

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    That small clatter of a stone, the errant one at first, it hits Laszlo's shoulder as he blinks, eyes widening when he turns to the side to see what that was. A hand's already lifting to his shoulder as he grimaces, sweeping the area with a glance only for it to suddenly settle on that kid on the bench.
    "The fuck?" The tall pale man says and then shoots a glower at Alexander, "Did you just throw some shit at me?"
    To which Alex's answer is a succinct, "What?" As he turns to look at the man as if he was insano.
    "I said did you..." /WHAP/ Another stone baps him in the head, "Oh hell naw." He says as he then realizes it's for sure not Alexander since he was watching the kid right in front of him. So he stalks forward into the shadows.
    "Some motherfucker is about to get his shit pushed in." And as easy as that, the dealer pulls a rusty revolver and clicks back the hammer as he moves into the wooded copse behind the bench.
    Likely right where Thea wants him.

Thea Queen has posed:
Well, that would have sucked.. as Dinkens turns on the very kid Thea was trying to get him away from. The follow-up, however, is actually spot on, and she can't help but armpump.

All senses are on alert, however, as the dealer rises from his spot and really uncaringly pulls his revolver out as he heads from the crowd. The chill in the air, though.. it seems darker than usual, as if some of the stars aren't quite up to their required level of twinkling. It feels heavier to Thea, but those thoughts really have to take a back seat as she pulls her bow foward.

When Dinkens is far enough away from the action and close enough that she can take her first shot (figuratively speaking), Thea comes from the side and aims for the knees with a bow-strike, following it up with a wrist strike in an attempt to disarm the man. "You are seriously a jerk, you know that?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    There's a /crack/, muffled by the impact with the heavy pants Laszlo wears but she feels it jolt up her bow knowing that it was a good hit, and the results aren't bad too as suddenly Laszlo's down on one knee and growling, "What the!"
    He doesn't get to add anything more as he's trying to turn to her and then /WHACK!/ as she smacks the weapon almost disdainfully out of his hand, sending it flying into the brush and leaving it out of play for now. It's all done in a precise series of steps, perfectly executed and leaving Laszlo back on his ass in the middle of the old leaves and detritus, grimacing as he rubs at his wrist.
    "The fuck is wrong with you!" Not exactly the quietest sort, but perhaps not loud enough for his words to reach the crowd beyond.
    But then any further cries are muted as Laszlo leans forwards, eyes narrowing as if trying to gauge the dark silhouette of this vigilante who has accosted him, and then he changes his question from what is wrong with her to, "Who the fuck are you?" Even as he reaches a hand inside of his jacket sloooowly.

Thea Queen has posed:
It's a good thing that her bow can actually withstand the abuse, because that's exactly what it is. Bow abuse.. and she'll apologize to her read breakdown later as she's checking it for cracks or seams. For the moment, Thea's just really annoyed, no pissed off that this guy would do this.. in a crowd. Sure, a little hypocritical, but--

She's trying.

The gun goes scattering, thankfully, the hammer still pulled back though.. it's locked and loaded and could go off if the trigger is messed with. And with the rust? Could blow up as much as fire.

On his butt isn't enough. Thea catches the hand movement and moves to put a foot on his chest, pinning him to the ground. "Don't.. do that. Keep your hand where I can see it. I am your worst nightmare.." Her face remains hidden under that red leather cowl, a splash of red across her eyes hides (it really doesn't) some of her features.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Hey, hey, it's cool!" Laszlo says as he spreads his hands and suddenly has a boot on his chest, holding out his hands open with his eyes wide. It's one of those vigilantes that he's seen in the papers with all the crazy and the suits and the gadgets. Though this one is kind of short and that voice is...
    "Thea?" Laszlo says at perhaps the /worst/ possible time even as she has her boot on his chest and he's leaning forward trying to see, as if somehow trying to look past the mask that's there, barely illuminated by the faint halo of the street lamp close to the sidewalk.
    But when it rains it pours as she'll hear a branch /crack/ some fifteen feet to the right, in time to catch the silhouette of... oh great the kid from the bench who is standing /right/ there. This has to be the worst day ever.
    Even as that blond-haired youth holds up his hands and says, "Hey, don't mind me." He tilts his head to the side, then back to look at Speedy. "Carry on."

Thea Queen has posed:
Lazlo is complying. This is good. Thea's got it under control, right? Until...

'Thea?'

That's not going to be graced with a response, though it doesn't help much with the fact that the recognition is causing the heart to race more. What the hell does she do now? This isn't the way this is supposed to work!!

In the next second, Thea is ready to drag the guy further into the brush when she catches the sound of a *crack* of brush. Not wildlife, and blue eyes behind a red mask shoot up to look at the source. "Go away.."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Hands still held partially up, Alexander tries to defuse the situation a little as he tells her, "No hey, thought this was..." His bright hazel eyes are barely discernible in the shadows, but there's a subtle hint of... warmth to them as he looks down to the fallen man, Laszlo.
    "Thought it was something else, it's just I had this feeling and..."
    Before Alexander can finish his statement there's a rush of movement. A sudden palpable blur of wind and air carrying with it a graveyard stench that is rich in loamy earth and decomposition. But it's more what's carried on that wind that draws the eye for a great shadowy shape /slices/ across the way down from the trees and _lands_ heavily right on Laszlo with a sickening crunch that for a moment is combined with a muffled scream then silence.
    As the... whatever it is, now perched there upon poor Laszlo lifts its boney head and its beak clacks apart to give breath to more of that graveyard stink even as it looks back and forth between Thea and Alexander.
    << I do good for young master. Old master pleased. Saved young master. Now you no do thing old master not want. Yes? >> It's voice is raw, guttural, and weirdly accented.

Thea Queen has posed:
The cold, the dark, the paling of the stars is noticed again, this time coming a little closer to the forefront of Thea's consciousness. The chill makes her hands colder, and instead of actually grasping the collar for that pull to the underbrush, as the bird ... creature descends, Thea actually lets out a scream and takes one, two, three fumbling back steps, her bow coming to the fore, and an arrow nocking on the string in defense.

"Ohmygod" rushes out in a single breath, and the scream and *crunch* of body causes Thea to actually look away, her bow dropping slightly as she fights a wave of nausea. Ohgodohgod..

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Are you serious?" It's that blond kid's voice, heard as he steps forwards. "He was no danger to anyone!" Even as he moves to perhaps put himself more in line between Thea and the creature. A creature that, though it is a thing of death and bones and gore and decay, somehow manages to look pitiful and hunches low under the displeasure in the boy's voice.
    << Him has knifes. I stopped, see. >>
    And at that the creature uncurls a skeletal hand to indicate the knife that was in Laszlo's pocket, his hand still twitch-twitching as the brain slowly realizes it's rather very dead.
    "Look even if he had a knife he wasn't..." But then Alexander rubs the bridge of his nose and frowns, then looks over at Thea and grimaces as he perhaps realizes the veritable shit storm of repercussions that might come of this entire situation. He takes a deep breath and scowls.
    "No you didn't save me, no I don't owe your master anything. Just... you've made things even worse. Just get rid of the body."
    To which the monstrosity bobs its head as it replies. << We must be talking. Message have I. Saved. >>
    "Whatever," Alexander says and turns away from the critter, then looks back at Thea with a look that she might have seen in old movies everywhere. It's usually in that moment when the mobsters turn away from the assassination victim and are wondering exactly what they're going to do with the witnesses.

Thea Queen has posed:
It's a horrorshow. Thea is trying to keep the bile from rising too far up into her throat, swallowing it down. The iron smell of blood mix with that graveyard stench is rough and it is guaranteed to linger in her nostrils long after she's home. Not even the cloyingly sweet smell of pot at the party down the way can get rid of it.

Does she have any stuff?

That particular thought is squashed as she watches the interplay between the youthful, almost innocent looking blond man and the.. bird from hell. Like a tennis match, and at the end of it all, with //that// look, Thea raises her bow again.

"Oh no..." comes the low, feminine voice. There's a hint of tremor in it, but for the most part, it's controlled. "I'll just back away now.. Don't do anything you'll regret." Her words are paused even as she takes that first step back, "I'm not sure he deserved that.. but he was a low life scum, selling death to the highest bidders."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Despite the way the youth looks, the way he talked to the creature, and that... almost palpable feel in the air of some grim portent that threatens to roar with such terrifying awe... he tries to look as harmless as possible. "No hey," He holds up his hands, not that that has helped anyone else during this night.
    "That..." He motions towards the creature that now has /huffed/ and hefted the body of poor Laszlo onto its shoulder, then expands its grimy ragged wings with a sweep outwards. How can that thing even fly? The aerodynamics are all /wrong/.
    And yet Alexander watches calmly, and for a moment she might well feel that...
    You know, this isn't all that bad. Not that scary. Just a body. And a hell beast. And some weird looking pale kid. She's seen worse, right?
    But there might well be a lack of edge to the fear now as his pale eyes glimmer and he murmurs, "Nothing's going to happen to you. I have nothing against vigilantes."
    Then he tries a smile that might look handsome under any other circumstance, but now...
    "Hey, some of my best friends are vigilantes."

Thea Queen has posed:
It's a cold chill, one of those bone-numbing sort of fears that inhabits the recesses of the mind. Her bow arm ceases to shake and it settles into something more solid in form. She's gearing up purely from muscle memory. The arrow.. as far as she's concerned, this is all the control she has, and as such...

Oh.. hey.. maybe it's not all that bad? Not all that weird. If the world can house mutants, and superheroes, and.. and.. okay, it's not all that bad.

The chill in the air doesn't seem anywhere near as bad as it was, and the leather seems to be protecting her from the elements. The edge is indeed softening, and as a result, her human brain is beginning to fill in all those holes with what it thinks it needs to be filled with so that the story may end up being quite different from the reality.

The arrow is unnocked with an experienced push of her thumb, and her bow is dropped from that ready-up. "Right..." she says, her voice found, if only for a moment. "I.. gotta go."

One more step is taken, two, three backwards before she turns around to try and disappear into the woods and brush, branches seemingly reaching out to cut her face in the progress.