16117/Vampires (Costumes) For Everyone

Vampires (Costumes) For Everyone
Date of Scene:	19 October 2023
Location:	Empire State Building
Synopsis:	Avengers young and old gather to give out Halloween costumes to underprivileged children as part of a charity event. June steals a phone. Bad June! Bad June!
Cast of Characters:	Steve Rogers, Bunny Macleod, Mark Grayson, June Connor

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Steve Rogers has posed:
The outdoor Halloween charity event is hosted by Fresh Youth Initiative, a New York City charity that focuses on children. The skies are cooperating, mostly sunny with a few clouds, though the temperature has dropped enough that people are sporting jackets even if it isn't down to freezing yet.

Outside the Empire State Building, there are portable awnings set up and columns formed from orange and black helium balloons. A few monsters like Frankenstein and the Mummy are represented with big cardboard figures. A banner across the top declares this the Greater New York Costume Give Away.

A few celebrities are in attendance. DJ Jazzy Jeff is takihng turns spinning some music with another DJ. A-list actor Coby Ward is there, probably more because he's doing publicity for his new movie thriller-action movie, "Darkness Comes", than because he cares about the kids.

Captain America is there wearing his uniform and with his shield strapped on his back. There are boxes of costumes for kids, sorted by sizes, which the celebrities are giving out to lines of children, as well as signing autographs and taking pictures. Containers of candy and also of healthier snacks like fruit chews and juice boxes are also set out.

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    CandyCandyCandyCandyCand-- PRISMA - of the YOUNG AVENGERS! was in attendance today, wearing her dark pink armor with the built-in knee-and-shin protectors, and her goggles lowered, blonde-fade-to-pink hair braided and up in a pair of space buns, the Young Avenger who has been in the news off and on is happy to make faces and pose holding the younger kids up, or doing skate tricks for pics as she hands out candy from a big pink pumpkin -- all appropriately Avengers themed, along with packs of crayons (also Avengers theme)

Mark Grayson has posed:
When the call went out to the Young Avengers to help with a charity event, Mark jumped at the chance. He is always wanting to meet others in the superhero community, and meeting Avengers. Maybe some of them may know his dad. Or knew his dad.

Dressed in his Invincible costume, he is really really sure noone is going to recognize him, but it's still work it! He's currently working at one of the areas, getting permission from parents to lift kids that want to go up, flying them about twenty feet in the air, and then coming back down to land on the ground, just to give them that temporary experience of going up in the air like Superman or other such flying superheroes!

Setting down one child... well, that child's crying as he hands her off with an apology to the parents. "I guess she's scared of heights?" he asks in concern.

And he waits for the next child up in line!

June Connor has posed:
    Charity events. Why would June ever attend them? She'll never say, but there she is. She doesn't look like she belongs at a charity event. Maybe she's one of the groupies for Coby, though her appearance is hardly your average fan girl look. Black denim jacket over a yellow crop top, and the rip along the bottom of the shirt says it wasn't always designed to show her midriff. Piercings, tattoos, tight shredded blue jeans and a fanny pack. The look is one that will generally get people to hold their kids closer. Any flight she might take a kid on would probably involve illegal substances. Nobody wants that.

    She has a scowl on her face. She's not there with anyone. Mark gets a glare without reason, and Bunny likewise gets a look of disdain. Coby? He gets one of those 'I'm available' looks. You know, just in case he's wondering. All in all, she looks like the crook most of these heroes would be stopping, not one rubbing shoulders with them.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Coby shines smiles about, standing to take pictures with his male fans. Wrapping an arm about the shoulders of his female fans. A reporter from the Daily Bugle is there asking him questions as he hands out costumes and signs autographs. "It's really a complex piece. My character, slowly turning into a monster from a family curse. Great emotional depth," he assures the reporter holding her phone to record his comments.

Cap glances over at the actor. His expression neutral, but remembering the actor coming away from a charity gala with a broken hand after drunkenly getting handsy with a certain Transian Avenger. His attention moves back to the next kid, a little girl who comes up asking, "Do you have any princess costumes?"

Steve smiles and greets her. "I believe we probably do," he says, turning to look at the person from the charity that is handing him costumes. A princess costume is handed over and he gives it to the little girl.

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    "Nice choice! Princesses just mean you're a future queen. Rule on!" Prisma gives a bright smile to the kid walking away with a princess dress costume, and turns on her skates. The mobile girl gives a bright smile as she skates backwards, slowly through the crowds.

    "And you get a snickers and you get a mars bar and you get a butterfinger and you get a -- pack of crayons!" she happily hands a kid with a no candy button the crayons. And then high-fives them cheerily.

Mark Grayson has posed:
"You're not Superman. Superman is way bigger!" one child says to Invincible and then punches him. Not that Mark can feel it, but he lifts his brows. "That's a pretty powerful punch you have there, but you should not use violence first, that's how you become a supervillain!"

Hopefully, Prisma did not hear him say that, as he catches sight of June and her bland look at him draws a shrug. Maybe she's here with a sibling? At least that's the only thing he could consider, as the next child in line grabs his attention. This one is dressed just like Captain America, he just doesn't have a shield, and one can tell by the wear and tear on the costume he has had it for years. And he's in a wheelchair.

The child waves for Mark to lean down and he whispers in the hero's ear.

After a moment's thought, he picks up the child, lifts him, takes off into the sky and comes right back down. When he does, Mark kneels and allows the child to go to the ground. One leg crouched, one leg to the side, one hand up, one fist into the ground.

The /perfect/ super hero landing.

The parents take a picture, as Mark helps him back into his chair, and calls over. "Hey Captain? When you have a moment, I have a friend who needs a shield!"

He knows Steve's busy, but it's worth a shot.

June Connor has posed:
    June shoves her hands in her pockets, continuing her stroll among people she doesn't belong among. Oh, there's a phone that's loose. She makes her way past the man, slipping it quietly out of his back pocket. Maybe not the wisest move when there are three heroes present in the area. But then, wisdom's never been her strong suit. She stuffs the wallet in her own back pocket, and the jeans are tight enough that she now clearly has two phones in her pockets.

    It's right then that she spots Steve. Unlike the other two, she doesn't give a look of disdain. It's more of the look a kid has when they know they just let their parent down. She frowns deeply, and starts to turn to walk back the other way.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Steve Rogers looks around, giving DJ Jazzy Jeff an encouraging smile as he starts up a version of the Monster Mash. He turns back as Invincible comes over with the child in the star spangled costume. "Needs a shield?" Steve repeats for the kid's benefit. He crouches down to be on a level with the kid as he pulls his shield off to let the kid feel it.

"I'm afraid I probably can't give you this one, but I think we have some others around here," he says, turning for help to the charity folks. Of course they have a bunch of Avengers costumes, and soon one is bringing over a box that has a new Captain America costume for him, complete with his own plastic shield.

Steve hands it over to the kid, who basks a smile at him and at Invincible as well. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" he exclaims, showing it to his parents as they come to wheel him away to make room for the next kid. More smiles at shined at both older and Younger Avengers.

"Glad that you and Prisma made it out, Invincible," Steve says. His eyes sweep the crowd briefly, pausing as he spots June and Steve's head tilting to the side just a little bit as if he caught a bit of her expression.

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    "We're glad we could make it too." Prisma states, giving a bright grin from below her goggles. She's pausing to exchange her empty bucket for a full one. "This is the best. Look at all these happy kids. All the relieved parents. This is the *best*!" she repeats excitedly -- even though occasionally one of the kids is taller than her. She skates in a little circle, all excitement "Someday, Cap, they're gonna look at me like they do you and Invincible. I know it." the young heroine adds with excitement, and then she skates off again -- she hadn't caught June's look at her, but she does grin as she makes her approach!

    "Halloween sugar item?" she offers one of the Avengers themed candies: a Hulk butterfinger!

Mark Grayson has posed:
The child in the chair is super-stoked to touch the shield and he even offers Steve a fistbump in the short time that he gets with the Avenger. All smiles and his day, perhaps the month made as he gets a new costume and he hugs it to his chest.

Invincible chuckles. "Wouldn't miss it!" he offers cheerfully. "Prisma likes doing things such as this and I just come along on her energy. Which may be fueled by candy." A grin before he goes back to ready the next child for liftoff!

He doesn't catch the look that Steve gives towards June, his focus on entertaining the kids in line waiting their turn for a costume and treat bucket as he comes over towards Prisma and grins. "Got a fruit snack packet? Need a little boost." he comments with a chuckle.

June Connor has posed:
    As June passes the man who had lost the phone, he's checking his pockets. He's looking around. The look of someone who just lost something.

    June doesn't turn back, though her pockets might tell her secret. She flinches almost when Bunny approaches with candy. She looks at the girl as if she were going to bite. Then looks down at the candy. She reaches out to snatch it. "Thanks," she says shortly, and starts to pick up her speed, She would really rather get out of here before someone puts two and two together.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Perhaps luckily for June, whatever Steve might have thought, he's distracted then by the conversation with Invincible. The Avenger follows Mark's gaze over to Prisma. The energy that Mark mentioned is certainly easy enough to notice.

"I don't know why but I feel like I'm probably looking at a young Janet with that energy," he comments, flashing a grin over to Mark.

Another kid comes up and wants a scary costume so he gets a vampire one, with a picture of Invincible and Captain America handing it to him. He moves off with his parents, grinning.

Steve glances up at the towering, famed skyscraper that is the backdrop. "Good turn out. I remember what it was like making a costume out of whatever you could. Nice to know the kids have options," he says, eyes going back to Bunny and June.

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    "Sure thing! But really if you found a phone on the ground -- turn it into the lost and found! It might have someone's grampa's voice on it -- wouldn't wanna lose that!" She cheerily states to June, and then she launches a fruit snack packet from her own bag to Invincible!

    "Only 'cause I packed them for you!" she cheerily calls out, skating backwards past the yellow-and-blue hero.

    And Bunny herself would argue it's more 'manic less-selfish Tony Stark' energy, but that's just because that's the Avenger she's spent the most time with.

    Weirdly.

Mark Grayson has posed:
Snagging the bag out of the air, Invincible shoots Prisma a smile as Steve makes the comparison. "I was thinking she's a lot more like Diana." he admits thoughfully as she moves around. And then explains. "She makes and uses shields. They're pretty awesome." He considers, looks towards Bunny. And then suggests. "I'm sure she'd love some pointers on how to use them."

But that's when Bunny is mentioning the missing phone. "I'll keep an eye out, Prisma!" He calls back, before he's lifting off the ground, not really looking around for the phone, he was going to head back over to where he was to continue the flights with the kids.

He opens the snack back to enjoy gummy goodness, before preparing himself. "Who's next?" he asks the children cheerfully.

Steve Rogers has posed:
Coby Ward comes over to get a few publicity shots with Steve once he's back by himself for a moment. Steve smiles for the photographer, and then tells Coby quietly, "I'll be sure to tell Wanda you said hello."

It causes Coby's smile to fade slightly, but just for a moment before he's got that big grin back. "Captain America, everybody!" he says, gesturing at Steve and causing some applause which Steve gives a nod of gratitude towards but seems more desiring to deflect it. "We have a lot of costumes that need good homes still," he says, inviting the next kid and his mother up.

Coby moves back over towards the area he's been working. His eyes swing across June, giving her a once over before someone is taking up his time wanting him to give out more costumes.

Bunny Macleod has posed:
    Bunny is oblivious of the theft, the comparisons and Coby's broken hand in the past. She's happily handing out candy, giving high-fives, and posing for pictures where she gets everything from 'I like your Atom Eve cosplay!' to 'Are you a Princess Superhero?' to 'Do you need help finding your parents?' from well-meaning folks.

    And she's more than once had to explain she's nineteen.

Mark Grayson has posed:
And Invincible is too busy being the hero that takes kids up in the air and then back down, but he's sure that the story about Coby's broken hand is /fascinating/. Though the first time he hears someone call Bunny 'Atom Eve', he has to slap a hand over his mouth not to bark a laugh.

He was never ever going to say it himself.

Steve Rogers has posed:
A little boy makes it to the front of the line with Cap. He looks rather shy, holding his hands together in front of himself and only peeking up at the Avenger. "Hello, what is your name?" Steve asks the boy.

"M-Michael," he says shyly.

Steve smiles to the boy, saying, "That was the name of my drill instructor in the Army. And are you planning on going out Trick or Treating?"

Little Michael looks at his mother, who gives him an encouraging nod. The boy turns back and nods to Cap.

"And would you like a costume to wear? What would you like to go as?" he asks, crouching down to the boy's level.

Michael looks at his mother again, who again encourages him to answer. He leans closer to Cap and whispers something into Steve's ear. It makes Steve grin and look over towards Mark. "An Invincible costume? I think we can swing one of those."