16270/Sometimes You Just Need A Date (and a Dark Alley)

Sometimes You Just Need A Date (and a Dark Alley)
Date of Scene:	06 November 2023
Location:	Apartment 3A (Phoebe's Apartment)
Synopsis:	A casual date in Gotham City goes awry when Vengeance calls.
Cast of Characters:	Robbie Reyes, Phoebe Beacon

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Robbie Reyes has posed:
A night of reconnection had stretched into a day. Robbie and Phoebe had neither manifested the motivation to go out, and so after a small breakfast, lunch had been called in via delivery. But as evening started to fall on the day following his return, it was time to venture back out into the world. Except Robbie was not quite content to do that on his own, and neither it seemed was Phoebe.

And so later in the evening than one might expect for dinner, Robbie and Phoebe found themselves strolling the streets looking for a place to have dinner. Options are limited at 10pm, but there were a few, although Robbie's interest was really less on the food than it was on the company he was currently keeping.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    And so the pair were walking around the neighborhood around The Curio, which was mostly industrial mixed with rows of aging brownstones and brick rowhouses. Phoebe was wearing thick wool tights in smokey gray beneath a red skirt and a thick, lined hoodie and a pair of beat up leather bicycle boots.

    "I think most of the places that are going to be open are just gonna be bars. There's a couple of dives that serve decent food, but it's kind of hit-or-miss depending on who's cooking -- and pretty much limits the vegetarian options." she admits as she walks, pink hair wrapped up in a modest gray hairwrap tonight.

Robbie Reyes has posed:
    There had been an odd sort of dance before they left the front steps of her apartment building. Robbie offered his arm, but then had almost pulled it back before she could respond, and then offered again, and then they just decided to walk side by side.

    And so it was that when a pair of somewhat roughed dressed 'gentleman' came from the opposite direction, they gruffly shouldered their way /through/ the couple, as if in some sort of demonstration of dominance.

They made it a few steps past the two before Robbie stopped in his tracks, turning to look at the backs of the two as they continued along on their way.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    It had resulted in some laughing on Phoebe's part, her hands ended up getting stuffed in the pockets of her sweatshirt as they walked, and she nimbly side-steps the man that had shouldered their way through. Her nose wrinkles and she turns back as well -- and instinctively goes to check her pocket for her cellphone, keys, and wallet.

    It's Gotham City. Anything could happen.

    She pauses as Robbie stops, and she turns to Robbie.

    "... something rustle the jimmies?" she asks quietly.

Robbie Reyes has posed:
    It is as if her question does not even register with him. Robbie finishes turning fully around and begins to walk in the direction of the two men, who themselves take a turn down an alleyway on the next block.

He does not search for his keys or wallet, although neither of them were subject to any sort of purloinment.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Robbie?" Phoebe questions, and she feels her chest tighten a moment.

    She turns, and she has to take longer strides to catch up with him, he's taller than her by a good bit. Her eyes narrow, but she's learned to follow her gut instincts -- and Robbie has always had the better nose for trouble.

    So quietly she slinks in behind him, like a well-dressed shadow.

Robbie Reyes has posed:
    There is no sign of anger on his face as he strides towards the alleyway. At least, no outward signs that Robbie is simply chasing two men for bumping him. No, there is a purpose to his stride.

    And as the pair grow closer to the alleyway, Phoebe can feel the head radiating off Robbie.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    She didn't think it was just for the extra steps for a pedometer. Phoebe picks up her pace, and from the pocket in her sleeve she produces one of her extending staves.

    Can Robbie handle a couple of goons? Obviously.

    Phoebe's mostly tagging along to make sure everyone survives the encounter.

     "Robbie. Don't lose your head." she warns quietly. Batman was always paying attention, even if this was Phoebe's usual beat, they know she's not on patrol tonight.

    But is there any a time when they're really not on patrol?

Robbie Reyes has posed:
    If Robbie was going to answer her, the scream from the alleyway forestalls it. He takes off at a run, turning to duck down and descend into the darkness.
    But perhaps some of her words made it through, because it remains dark.

    Not lit by flame.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Nope scream negates warning. Phoebe goes full speed ahead as well, skidding briefly on the pavement as she hangs a corner and runs into the alleyway right behind Robbie, giving a whisper and forming a ball of light in her fist to backlight the two rescuers to help obfuscate their identities and shed light into the dark alley!

Robbie Reyes has posed:
    It is fairly obvious what the two had in mind, towering over a woman crouching down against a garbage dumpster. At the flash of light from Phoebe and the sound of heavy footfalls from Robbie, they pause and turn. A bit too slowly to react for the first one as Robbie delivers a fist to the jaw, sending him staggering to the opposite wall.

It does, however, leave the other one wielding a knife with Robbie's side potentially exposed.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Oh hey. This is weirdly like their first date. Except for it was Phoebe and they had bashed the back of her skull into her cerabellum.

    Obviously Phoebe takes exception to this.

    Robbie's moving to deliver a fist to Guy the First, and Phoebe's right behind him, flicking out her extending staff with the light hovering over her head as she uses it to try to deliver a strike to the solar plexus of the knife-weilder.

    "Bad decision pal." she hisses, covering Robbie's side.

    "You should *definitely* rethink your lives after this."

Robbie Reyes has posed:
    This is enough of a distraction for the woman to gather her wits about her and go running from the alleyway, perhaps fortunately for all involved not screaming to attract any further attention.

    The man that ate Robbie's first fist shakes it off a bit as his friend doubles over, the knife clattering to the ground. He charges at Robbie who sidesteps and grabs the man, slamming his forehead into the edge of the dumpster and then neatly flipping him over in to lie with the rest of the trash.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe's martial training is nothing if not efficient. She spins her staff over her head and neck and then brings it down to sweep at her opponent's knees, bracing herself for the knock back from the likely heavier opponent.

    "Victim's clear." she states, looking over to Robbie. Nothing like a little bit of a scuffle to get the blood flowing, right?

Robbie Reyes has posed:
    Her opponent drops, the crack of a knee enough to render him nearly a blubbering fool. But Robbie catches him by the collar with one hand and hauls him up, slamming it against the dumpster which already contains his friend.

    Phoebe would know what is coming from the heat rising from his body, and the twitches in his face. Was Robbie fighting to keep the Spirit of Vengeance down, or was he about to give himself over to its stare?

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    As much as Phoebe would love to revisit some pain on these guys, because she knows they'll offend, and probably have before. They always do. Next time it might be a murder investigation. She raises her hand to try and grab at Robbie's leather-covered shoulder, her lips partign as she takes in a breath, feeling that malevolent heat pouring off Robbie's body.

    Because she knows Eli is probably screaming in his head.

    "Not here." she finally breathes out, "You *promised*."

Robbie Reyes has posed:
    There is a moment where it appears that the demon might win out. Or Eli. Steam rises up from his head on the cool autumn night.
    But Phoebe's words prevail, and instead of the Rider coming out, the perp goes in. With a hard shove that may have cracked a rib or two, Robbie slams him into the dumpster as well, flipping the man in with such force that it knocks from its opening stance to slam down, closing darkness on the two thugs.
    But when Robbie turns to look at Phoebe, there is still a dangerous smoldering in his eyes.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe looks up to Robbie's eyes, the malevolent glow, the awful heat off his body, the burning scent in the air of flesh and hot steel and the copper taste of blood in her mouth, and ice against her spine.

    And she reaches up, offering her hand to Robbie Reyes.

    "C'mon. They'll rethink their ways, and police are gonna show up here in about five," Phoebe tucks some of her pink hair back under her head wrap.

    "We need to not be here by the time they get here."