16662/Bells will be Ringing

Bells will be Ringing
Date of Scene:	23 December 2023
Location:	Fergie's Pub
Synopsis:	Phoebe takes Damian out to London for some pub therapy. There is, of course, a fight. But also siblings.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Damian Wayne, Kelda Stormrider

---

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    You ever run into anyone, who heard about a trouble, and they 'helpfully' suggest that going out will help you, you don't think that's a good idea, but you decide to go out anyway because they absolutely, positively, will not stop being obnoxious about it?

    That is how Phoebe ended up dragging Damian out to a place called Fergie's. It has a big picture of the Duchess of York, or what would be the Dutchess of York if she were a drag performer in fishnets and a pink feather boa on the door. Peeling advertisements for different bands like MUCHAS MUCHAS, the Backwards and Upside-Down, Empire Strykes Beck and Shyprekt adorn the building's exterior with performance dates in the recent to far past over the summer. The light above it was red and set up with old timey flare, and there were people with mohawks, heavy boots and leather jackets and enough metal in faces to give Magneto a good day.

    This is where Phoebe takes Damian.

    Phoebe has her noserings in. Her ears have black studs in the form of a skull and a ball, and she is now sporting a Santa Hat on her lower lip. Her pink hair is up in bantu knots, and she's wearing a leather jacket with studs at the shoulders and a couple of buttons and a red skirt, along with candy striped tights.

    "So, ah... when I feel like being social, I come here. They have a pretty good 'don't touch anything' policy." she explains as she straightens herself out.

Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian did not tell Phoebe that he and Gabby had broken up. He had told her that he gave her a motorcycle for Christmas early and she had taken off after Bellona.

But not that they had decided to seperate.

But Phoebe could probably read between the lines. And the fact that he didn't go with her probably spoke volumes about the state of things. So when she offered to take him out to do something?

He decided to do so. But he's going incognito. Not really punk. A black hoodie and blue jeans, tennis shoes and sunglasses. "You look the part of something not wanting to be touched." he comments dryly to Phoebe. There's a small blush of humor, but it's not the same as it usually is.

"I could probably make a new sword with all the metal here."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "And you're not even in the door yet." Phoebe comments, and she looks up to the bar.

    "You're the first person I've brought out here." she states, stuffing her hands into her pocket and she pulls out a crumpled box of cigarettes.

    She gives an upnod to a punk with a spetacular cherry red spiked mohawk, and he gives an upnod back to her before she pulls the door open and allows Damian a look inside.

    The place is lit up red. LED light strings provide most of the lighting, along with a couple of skulls or crystal balls. THe floor has sawdust on it. THe stools are black and metal and dinged from being used in urban warfare. There is a long line of liquors behind the bar, with mirrors and booths, with the odd table sprinkled here and there. Pub food is on the menu.

    "OI! YOU POX-FACED WEE BITCHTITS!" the bartender, who looks to be nearly seven feet tall and broad shouldered like Atlas bellows loudly looks to Phoebe, eyeballing her.

    "The *fuck* have you been, lady!" he grins, and grabs a couple of bottles.

    "Your regular?" he asks and then looks to Damian. "New lad?"

    "He's my brother." Phoebe explains with a dip of her head as she shouts over the music. "Damian -- this is Nigel. Veteran Warrior of the Punk Scene. Nigel? My younger brother Damian."

    "I see, I see --" Nigel states. "An' what's the young laird drinkin' tonight? First one's on me."

Damian Wayne has posed:
The culture shock is palatable. Damian is immersed into a world that he is clearly not used to as he passes by the gate guarded by Cherry the Mohawk and finds himself inside Goth Hell... no, more like Goth Heaven. His eyes take it all in, studying the decor, the people, calculating, trying to figure out what to make of...

'BITCHTITS!'

He was distracted! And when someone calls his sister Bitchtits, he looks like he would probably pull out a blade and cut a bitch for making fun of her. Instead, it seems that the pair of them know each other and this is just a ... friendly greeting?

"Hello, Nigel." he offers when he's introduced. And then he's offered a drink, and his eyes turn to Phoebe. Is she gonna tattle? Will he be carded? "A pint of Jarl."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Really more Punk Haven. The British Punk bar has people smoking in the corners. All manner of bright colored hair and darker clothing. Blacks and whites and everything in between for leather and cloth. Phoebe accepts her drink, and Nigel eyeballs Damian, and gives a nod.

    "Right you are then, Lad. Lucky you, we have it." he states as he pours the pint.

    "Nice ta see the lady bring 'bout some of her family. Usually all I hear is how ye'all drive 'er nuts." he jokes in a friendly fashion, yelling above the music, which is just this side of a noise citation.

    There's a couple of people who are eyeballing Phoebe with some familiarity. They don't look friendly.

Kelda Stormrider has posed:
It looks like a scene from an inn in one of the least desirable parts of Svatalheim. The barest suggestion of a smile curls the edge of her lips. Raising her chin, the tall cloaked woman with the imperious face and platinum hair that turns heads ghosts past the bouncer at the door like she belongs. Doesn't she? Where on Midgard does she not belong?

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Yes, well, the driving each other nuts is a mutual thing." Damian responds dryly as he accepts the pint. "You're accent suggested heavily that I would be offended if you didn't have it." A small smirk plays over his features before he takes a draft from the pint glass. He's had drinks before, sure, but silly American laws tend to frown on the behaviour.

He does not catch the glance of the others upon Phoebe, but he does catch sight of Kelda as she arrives. There's a considering glance, before he returns to his drink. It takes all types here, after all, and he's just a tourist.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Luckily, this is not America.

    Phoebe assumes a stool, crossing her legs as she sips at a tumbler, taking a look around, eyeballing the trio who quickly turn back to whatever they were doing . HEr eyes narrow.

    And she catches Kelda's arrival. The bouncer doesn't seem to mind -- she's not covered in Nazi stuff, she seems like she'l behave herself.

    "Hrm... tall lady." she reflects a moment as she tilts her glass back, watching the goings-on in the mirror.

    "Well, considerin' we're not far off from the brew'ry as you Americans measure distance, I'd be a bit disappointed m'self!" he laughs in a bark.

    "An' you miss -- what're you drinkin' tanight? Opening a tab?"

Kelda Stormrider has posed:
With the unerring instinct of an Asgardian for alcohol, Kelda appears to float toward the bar like a snowflake on an eddy of wind. She catches the dark-haired man's regard and nods. Her eyes stop on a young woman with skin the color of foam on dark beer and the near smile blooms.

"You may be the one I was sent here to meet?" Her low voice carrying enough to be heard over the raucous music.

Damian Wayne has posed:
When Phoebe settles on the stool, Damian moves to take a seat next to her, nursing his beer. And finally, he asks. "You got trouble here?" he asks his sister. Apparently he had caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. He may be recovering from a breakup, but it's not like he's turned everything off.

When Kelda comes over to join them, the young man gets a better look up and down of the Asgardian, but when she speaks to someone else, he makes sure not to interfere. Focus on the beer and the atmosphere and the roughly fifty or so ways that he could be attacked here.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    One Hundred Ways to Die in a Barfight.

    "That trio that were eyeballing me up had made a stink last time I passed through. I spoke Arabic at them until they decided I wasn't cool enough to hang out with them." Phoebe states to Damian.

    And she gives a smile as she swivels to look to Keldra, and she tilts her head back a moment, regarding the Asgardian.

    "I rarely forget a face -- you helped with the possessed back in Dismal Swamp, didn't you?" she questions thoughtfully, looking over to Damian.

    That means that this woman knows Phoebe executed someone.

Kelda Stormrider has posed:
One pale eyebrow rises in assent. "You remember. I did not forget you or your abilities." Kelda's icy blue eyes swerve from the young woman to the man next to her then return to the young woman.

"I will be brief. Do you have a message for me?"

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Possible threat then. Got it." Damian responds as he sets down his beer, now becoming more alert because Phoebe has informed him of the problem. And now he's paying a closer attention to the three in the corner - and letting Phoebe and Kelda to speak to each other without him interfering.

He can always ask later!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I do." Phoebe states, and she reaches into the crunkled packet of smokes she had in her hand, and then pulls out a folded piece of paper.

    "Something dark is hangs over the city of Dark Knights. There will be a call to arms." Phoebe looks to Kelda in seriousness. "I hope you will answer it. Could use a few more strong fighters." she states, and slides Kelda a folded slip of paper. An Origami dog.

Damian Wayne has posed:
"So mysterious." Damian drawls when the Asgardian takes the message and origami and then heads out of the bar as fast as she had arrived. "I understood most of that." he says thoughtfully. "And I assume it deals with Cupp." Because he is that much of a detective at least.

"Since I have the time free now, I will be able to assist you more fully than I was in the past, Phoebe."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I think there's something deeper. I can feel it in my bones." Phoebe states quietly, and she turns back to the bar, running a finger over the rim of her glass. "Zee's felt it, briefly, her house felt odd about it. And... I'm scared." she turns back to Damian, looking to her dark-spectacled 'little' brother. "Cupp's a red herring. There's something bigger than him, but I don't know if it'll show itself. I'm almost tempted to invite Robbie along to one of the patrols for them but --" she looks up. "With him knowing just what Cupp did, and his tendency to ..." she trails off. "Be a bit of a hothead." she decides the euphemism. "His temper can be bad at the best of times, and he's very protective of those he cares about. I'm almost certain that he might not be able to--" she pauses as someone comes reaching to grab one of those bright pink topknots on top of her head, spying his reflection in Damian's shades.

Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian was taking it all in, listening to what Phoebe was saying. The thoughts on what Zee felt, what her boyfriend's feelings are and that Cupp is a red-herring. And he had thoughts on it all, before his eyes catch movement advancing on Phoebe. He's never really let it on exactly how protective he can be of his siblings.

But that hand never makes it to his sister's pink tresses as he grabs the offending wrist and is out of his stool. There's a sharp twist, as he uses the pressure of his thumb to break the offending ulna and twists downward. "She did /not/ ask for your advance." he growls.

Fine. Robbie is not the only hothead in Phoebe's life.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    If Damian attains a Spirit of Vengeance people are *screwed*.

    Phoebe leans to the side, away from Damian's forward presence as the ulna snaps. The radial even has pressure, and the guy gives a sharp yell thtat causes everyone to turn and take a look!

    Nigel takes a step back, his face making a shocked expression and a 'there's TWO of them?!' sound.

    Someone comes from behind Damian. Phoebe smoothly snaps her leg forward and makes their knee snap backwards!

Damian Wayne has posed:
As the first attacker goes down, Damian notices the movement from Phoebe, his body shifting to the side to allow her more room for her kick. They have trained together and often and that pays off in spades in the moment as he swivels around Phoebe as she remains in the stool. His attention remains focused on the original attacker.

A sharp punch into the ribs and then he presses his thumb against the collarbone and applies pressure. "You will not touch her without her permission. I can break this bone. I can probably find at least fifteen ways to incapacitate you in the next fifteen seconds if you do not understand."

"So. Do you understand?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "AUUGH! FINE, FINE MATE!" the guy cries out, "I'll leave you two freaks alone! I'll even get outta the bar!"

    "Too right you're gettin' out of my fuckin' bar!" Nigel crows, "and don't you come the fuck back!"

    The guy with the dislocaded knee limped backwards, aided by the one smart enough to not attack the two siblings.

    "Where the HELL do you come from?!" the attacker with the collarbone in jeopardy wheezes out.

Damian Wayne has posed:
It is only when the pair are surely retreating that Damian speaks. "None of your fucking business." he growls lightly. "Just pray you never see me again."

And with the situation folding down, he laughs. "Gabby would have eaten that up." he admits quietly, a hint of pain in his voice. "Maybe if we had done that more often..."

He retakes his seat, and lifts his beer. "To Gabrielle Zelda. May you find your sister... and yourself."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "At least you got her name right. D'you know how many people called her Gabriella?" Phoebe questions as she sits down, and she lifts her glass, and tinks it against Damian's pint glass.

    "She was one of my best friends. Had our ups and downs, but she rarely gave up on me." she gives a small smile. "And who knows? Maybe your threads will cross again in this tapestry of existence. There are a million, million, million things in existence." she gives a grin.

    "And I had to kiss a few frogs, figuratively, until I found my king."

    That's a pun. Reyes means 'Kings' in Spanish.

Damian Wayne has posed:
"I never got it wrong." Damian comments flatly. "Maybe that was the problem. I was a little too perfect. I... wasn't rough enough around the edges for her." He shrugs, and drinks deeply from the pint glass, nearly draining it down before smacking it back down against the counter.

"I had not considered marriage or the like. But I felt close to her." he shrugs. "And yes. I'm aware. And I'm happy for you." he taps the glass for a refill.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Nigel takes the glass to refill it.

    "No, Damian, you're not 'too perfect'. You have flaws, just like everyone else. You hold yourself to a stunningly high bar -- which must be exhausting by the way." Phoebe states as she plucks up a menu.

    "Gabby can't help with her life decides to throw a monkeywrench into the workings. She has business that she has to attend to that takes her away from things a bit, because she's the only one who can do it the way she wants to." Phoebe explains as she sets her elbows on the counter.

    "Good thing you didn't consider marriage. If you got hitched before Stephanie and Dick, she might have shit a brick."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Have you seen there pictures from Australia?" Damian offers with a groan. "I had to block it, I really don't need to see them flouncing around on the beach before the new year." he looks at the beer as it's refilled.

"And that bar was set by my birthright, Phoebe. You know that as well as I do." He lifts the beer and takes a drink. "I'm not even twenty yet. I have several years before I consider marriage or a family. Though I am fairly certain noone would want to be part of the madness of the family genes that I have.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Shows how much they tell me." Phoebe states quietly, blinking a moment. There might be hurt in her expression.

    "Steph I don't think ever really 'got' me, which is fine. Dick is... Dick. He's nice, but we're not close. You, Tim, Jason and Austin are my brothers, Carrie's a sister... And Cass is a sister-like figure." Phoebe states, though her cheeks darken slightly. "I've never really had a sibling-like relationship for too long though." she breathes out, and then looks to Damian, reaches up and -- she ATTEMPTS to ruffle his hair.

    "Have you seen yourself in the mirror? You're adorable." Phoebe states. "You're smart. You have a kind heart and are capable of great empathy. You have made critical decisions that have altered the course laid out by others who would not recognize you now." Phoebe points out.

Damian Wayne has posed:
"You're being nice because I'm broken-hearted." Damian comments flatly, no resistance to the toussel of his hair and he shakes his head with a laugh. "Have you seen all of our freinds and companions? They are also beautiful and handsome." A smirk at that, before he draws in a breath and takes another drink before setting down the glass.

"Alright. I think I've had enough atmosphere for one night." he admits quietly. "But... I'm glad I was here to assist. And I thank you for the distraction."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "I am being nice because you're my little brother and I care about you, you dork." Phoebe gives a small grin. "... and I want to be the person I needed when that stuff happened to me, you know?" she purses her lips. "We shouldn't have to suffer alone."

Damian Wayne has posed:
"I'll be fine." Damian reiterates, before he pushes off. "Come on, let's get home before it gets too late. Or... wherever we're going." He realizes it's magic, but still, it was kinda neat.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "'Oh I just got teleported over three thousand miles to go drinking at a bar in London and all I wanna do is go home -- Tt!'" Phoebe lightly teases.

    "C'mon. I'll take you to my favorite falafel place while we're here. And there's another great pub that I got Tim buzzed at --" Phoebe ventures playfully "They have a huge selection of ciders. Also, I'm the supervisory adult tonight. So you can cut loose a little bit. Hrrrm... could do KAraoke?"