17139/One of the (Good) Guys... kinda

One of the (Good) Guys... kinda
Date of Scene:	09 February 2024
Location:	Narrows Rooftops
Synopsis:	Red Hood's return to Gotham City takes him to the Narrows, where Riptide (River Banks) has adopted a couple blocks as her own 'turf' to protect. The two have a brief conversation at the rooftop afterwards.
Cast of Characters:	River Banks, Jason Todd

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River Banks has posed:
    GOTHAM CITY - THE NARROWS

    Riptide had been trying so hard to keep her head down. Keep her gear locked up. Go to work, pick up her brother from the bus, go home, deal with the sound of arguing couples and the smell of despair in the tenement walk-up she lived in at the edge of The Narrows, the first place that had beginning to feel like Home.

    And it was beginning to feel right defending it.

    That morning one of the women in the building had been talking in hushed tones about how her teenager kept on coming home empty-handed from work. A couple nights' investigation turned up that some little pissant gang of twenty-somethings was taking the shift-meal and tips from a kid waiting tables after school, claiming it was 'protection'.

    That didn't sit well with River, so on went the paintball mask with some 3D printed parts to re-enforce it. On went a gray and teal stab-resistant jacket (purchased through The Powder Keg and altered to fit her) that helped hide her body. A couple of cross-leg utility straps, and a hood pulled over her head to hide her blonde hair.

    Her little brother asleep and safe at home, and she was out. She didn't move like a bat. She was a little more picky with her routes around the couple of streets this gang tried to call home.

    And it wasn't long before she heard the voice of Sami Sou call out:

    "Please don't! I don't have anything to eat at home!"

    A quartet of toughs in matching plaid jackets and dorags were coming up. Knives out. One with a small revolver. Sami didn't stand a chance.

Jason Todd has posed:
Red Hood has been quiet and under the radar since the holidays himself. The year has started out with something of a bang for him; In something of the worst way. Almost a month later, he was finally back on the streets checking on contacts and catching up on The Word as it were.

Standing atop a random apartment complex, he finds himself across the street from young Sami and the growing number of miscreants intent on ruining the evening. Behind his mask, Red Hood scowls. For the moment he watches to see how things set up.

River Banks has posed:
    Sami raises his arms. A plastic bag looped around their wrist, heavy with chicken tenders, fries, and a couple dozen bucks with some change rattling about.

    That's when a road flare drops behind them, lighting up the alley in an angry red glow, bouncing off the wet-from-sleet walls, and rattling off the fire escape came a figure that was doing their damndest to look androgynous. But that face mask was River's.

    She's backlit, her shadow being cast over the the quartet from behind Sami.

    "There's a back door at the end of the alleyway. Go through that and take a left. It'll get you to the next street." she states in a low voice to Sami, and as Sami stumbles backwards, holding his apron in his other hand, he doesn't need a second reminder.

    "Looks like we got ourselves an imitation Bat." one of the guys in plaid states, and cracks a grin. "Let's find out how ugly they are beneath the mask!"

    River crouches slightly. She had padded, armored gloves on. The type of stuff you'd be hitting punching bags with -- and she ducks the first blow, striking him low to his solar plexus. He grunts, stumbling to the side.

    The second one comes in, the knife catching against her jacket as she turns to deliver an elbow, followed by a one-two-three strike of dirty alleyway water to his side.

    The third one with the knife is more cautious, trying to size her up as the fourth one -- the one with the revolver, is hiding behind Number Three, and trying to take aim and not hurt his friend!

    "You're gonna pay for that, dickhead!" he warns "No one interferes in The Narrows Skull Company business!"

Jason Todd has posed:
Red Hood is about to take action when the flare is dropped and someone with good intentions steps in -- River? He frowns again behind his mask. That paintball mask was unmistakable even across the street and backlit with a flare.

The moment the run comes into play,however, he is in motion. A leap off the edge of the fix story apartment building turns into a forward flip and the firing of a grapple line to take him the rest of the way across the street.

Landing with no more noise than a stray dog (he's got too much mass to sound like a cat, let's be real here), he rises up behind the one with the run. His chin is tilted downward making that Red mask seem all the more menacing.

As the revolver begins to rise, his left hand flashes out and grabs the gun, twisting it. Unlucky #4 just happened to have his finger inside the trigger guard because he was planning to shoot. As Red Hood twists the weapon, so too the finger twists in an unnatural direction as he brings up his right hand to cover #4's mouth. He may have stepped in to stop the gunman, but so far River has held her own against the hand to hand attackers. He's not here to do all the work for her.

River Banks has posed:
    CRUNCH. Unlucky Number Four screams out as his finger's not only broken horribly, but the joint gets pulled out of socket. He had noticed the landing, but had registered Red Hood far too late to do anything about it other than turn his gaze and make a really unpleasantly surprised face.

    The gun doesn't go off, but the scream distracted Unhappy Number Three enough that River goes in for the take-down, strike to the Diaphram to knock the wind out of him, box his ears with both gloves and then a turnning elbow strike to send him crashing to the wall.

    She may be huffing and puffing a little bit, looking up to Red Hood in the front of the alleyway as the flare fizzles, water seeping into it.

    And Red Hood gets an upnod. She produces a couple heavy duty zipties from beneath her jacket.

    "Good to see you." her muffled voice comes out.

    "Al'y'all on the other hand? Gotta date with the GCPD. Better not see you 'gain." she warns, dragging two together to ziptie them to one another.

Jason Todd has posed:
Watching her move and clean up, Red Hood is impressed. Not that he'd tell her that. You don't tell anyone they do good work, it makes them careless and sloppy. Someone's been taught by a perfectionist, clearly. Just imagine.

"I was lost at sea. But I'm back." He looks to the motionless or barely moaning gangers as she secures them.

"So you're really doing this now?" the faintly glowing lenses of his mask turn to regard her 'armor' with all of the disdain a rich person has for a homeless bum begging for a dollar. Not because he can or because he despises her in the least, rather because he knows in that glance that she is woefully unprepared and under-armored for what she's going to face if she does continue doing things like this.

River Banks has posed:
    "Lost at sea sounds like a hell of a way to start the New Year." she replies conversationally like she is not literally daisy-chaining people they beat up in an alleyway. She has to stop and check their security a couple times, and then she goes to hop up on a dumpster to access the fire escape to get away from the people who until recently were armed and about to steal someone's meal and tips.

    You have to be pretty low to steal from a kid waiting tables.

    "W'ya mean 'really doin' this now'?" she questions, maybe a little brusquely in manner as she reaches for the fire escape ladder to pull it down enough for her to climb up.

Jason Todd has posed:
"It was something" he notes grimly. As she finishes and snaps back at him, he snorts.

"This. Raging against the dying of the light. Or whatever you want to call it." He lets her scramble up the fire escape while he stays at ground level long enough to use his mask to scan the faces of the four punks. Only wanted for petty theft or lower degree felonies. So far. At this rate one day they'll find themselves in real trouble with one Bat or the other.

Taking just long enough to unload the revolver's bullets on top of #4, he disassembles the weapon and tosses the pieces down as well. GCPD can have them.

Pulling his own gun he fires a grapple line and launches himself to the rooftop to land with a light bounce just before River can climb off the fire escape herself.

"You know how dangerous this is."

River Banks has posed:
    Cheap reloads and old revolver parts tumble down in the alleyway as oen of them groans.

    River a a little huffy when she reaches the top of the building, and she swings herself up and onto the rooftop. She takes her mask off, and takes a deep breath before giving a dry cough with an 'ugh, I need to swab this out again--' and she pokes at the nose piece with her glove. She does give a :| expression to Red Hood.

    "Yeah. I know how dangerous it is. But Sami's ma is pullin' doubles an' overnights ta pay off debts. Sami waits tables for tips and food. He's a good kid." she states, and she leans her head to one side, rubbing at her neck. "They don't deserve ta live in fear none. 'Sides. It... makes me feel like I'm makin' up for before."

Jason Todd has posed:
He listens and watches. The demeanor River displays is different, that's clear.

"There isn't some ledger you have to fight to clear. Let's get that out of the way right now. If you do this because you feel like you owe it to someone, anyone - everyone. Then you're going to make mistakes trying to push too far. To do too much. You're going to get hurt." Or worse but he leaves that unspoken. Or leave Rio a true orphan. Also unspoken.

He studies her a moment longer, "I can see you've kept your training up since we worked together." It isn't a 'Good job River!' but probably as close as he'll get. For now anyway.

"No one deserves to live in fear if they're trying to get by and do the right thing."

River Banks has posed:
    "Yeah. Was thinkin' of joinin' a boxin' gym or somethin', but... tryin' not to rely too much on your cash." she explains, and River ups herself up to sit on a low wall guarding a bunch of rooftop air exchangers, and she pulls down the hood of her jacet. She's braided her hair and pinned it close to her head. It's not entirely neat, but it's functional.

    "An' ain't it the right thing, ta use these powers an' do good with 'em? Rio still thinks the /Justice League/ is gonna come callin' any day now." she purses her lips.

    "... missed seein' your face over the holidays. Y'should stop by sometime. Rio made both of 'yous' stuff at the 3D printer at the library."

Jason Todd has posed:
Red Hood nods, "That'll help some. Boxing. But most out here don't play by formal fisticuffs rules. MMA or something like Krav Maga would be more suited to your build and style." There he goes offering advice.

"I didn't say what you're doing is wrong. I said that how you're doing it isn't exactly safe. Stepping in when you need to - like you did tonight? You did the right thing."

He frowns under his mask at mention of the holidays, "Yeah. The holidays aren't a favorite time of year for me." He then smirks, "And it was hard to stop by while washed up on some deserted island. It took me a while to swim home. Salt water and electronics don't play well when you're adrift for days."

River Banks has posed:
    "I can only imagine. Closest I've ever been to lost at sea was a trip down to th' keys in Florida. An' that was before all it went down. Told Rio your civvie side was busy handlin' all tha cars comin' in smashed from people like us who dunno how to deal with snow. Figured bein a castaway's good enough reason, he'll wanna hear all your stories." she taps herself down, and pulls out a water bottle. 'Gotham Academy' has been scratched off it and someone with childish handwriting's written 'LIQUID KICKASS' on it.

    "So... ah... ain't gonna be bothered by Sabretooth. At least for a while. Speakin' a' debts." she pauses, and then her eyes narrow and she looks over to Jason.

    "You... dind't seriously *swim* home..."

Jason Todd has posed:
Shaking his head, Red Hood laughs dryly, "Yeah. I'm not sure I'm up for telling that sort of story to him. Getting almost blown up on Riddler's yacht, drifting for days at sea on a scrap of the boat before washing up on some island? There are so many parts of that I don't want to try and recount."

He pauses and looks at her, "No. I didn't swim home. I'm strong and can endure a lot. That would have been the Guinness Record to be them all, swimming from someplace in the Indian Ocean back to Gotham Harbor."

"I'll stop by soon. Without the mask. We'll see about me wearing it some other time maybe."

Then he looks at her intently as she mentions Sabertooth, "You're the second person I've met who was being chased by him. And the second to say they don't have to worry about him any more. Something I should know?"

River Banks has posed:
    "He caught up with me on an errand in New York. He pissed me off to the point where Ah... lost my cool." she explains, and River rubs her arm a little.

    "Ah kinda... agitated all his water in his body until he split like a microwaved hotdog that was put in for a bit too long. Don't think he's gonna be too keen on makin' a second attempt." she explains, and then she shrugs.

    "I got his Saberteeth in a box in my kitchen."

Jason Todd has posed:
Red Hood listens in silence. He considers what the implications of those details may be. "Good job defending yourself" He pauses. "Is he dead?" Are mutants ever truly dead? Well some, yeah. But Sabertooth? Red Hood has no knowledge of his abilities or physiology but being microwaved can't be good for the soul.

About the teeth he seems impressed, "He'll probably want those back unless he can grow more" he adds sarcastically. "Is he like a beaver?"

River Banks has posed:
    River breathes out.

    "He's some sorta healin' monster. Cut him up pretty badly when Ah took him by surprise first time we foght. He healed right up 'fore I could even breathe. He said he'd be back. Tossed 'im in the Hudson thogh, so maybe the river pollution will get to him.

    "I imagine since his teeth are even better than yours he grows 'em back just fine."

    She isn't forthcoming on more details.

    "... ah don't like usin' that part of my powers, Hood. Ah felt guilty, but... my arm was near broke. Was missin' a shoe an' Ah was all ripped up." she wraps her arms around herself.

    "... kinda thought maybe you'd heard about it happenin' and weren't comin' back 'cause of it." she rubs the back of her head, her brown eyes looking over to Red Hood. "'Cause of course I did wrong by some rule. An' I don't wanna disappoint you."

Jason Todd has posed:
Shaking his head, he steps over and rests a hand on her shoulder. "I really was shipwrecked. I got back as quickly as I could between healing up, figuring out where I was and how to reach people who could help me when my gear was all fried."

"I'm not going to tell you that you were wrong. In the end? You have to protect yourself. Others might tell you not to kill. I try not to. But if it's them or you?" He leaves the answer unspoken.

"If I have a problem with anything you do, I can promise you - and you know it already - that we'll have a talk." Not unlike going out behind the woodshed with dad, proverbially, probably.

"I'm glad you're okay. And I'm glad Rio's still got his big sister. He needs you now more than ever."

River Banks has posed:
    "Ah know you're not lyin' when you say you were shipwrecked. That makes sense. You wouldn't jus' say shit to placate someone like that. An' I'm *glad* your back. I'm glad you're *safe*. Got that big ol' lump in my throat when I saw you at the end of the alleyway 'cause /I/ missed you." she states, and she rubs the back of her neck with her glove still on. She's a bit more haltingly trying to piece words together.

    "Ah know it don't mean much, considerin' I'm a criminal in recovery tendin' to my kid brother, an' you definitely deserve the devotion of someone more proper educated, but Ah really enjoy your company. Havin' you 'round for beer an' pizza or take out an' just kinda... not.. feelin' like I ain't worth it for a little while." she mumbles, her face red enough that her freckles stand out more. She sniffs a moment, as if trying to measure her statement, and then adds quietly "Since this shit's so dangerous you oughta know 'fore you end up shanghai'd to the Moon or somethin'."

Jason Todd has posed:
As River starts talking and sharing her feelings, he pulls an object from one of his belt pouches. The more she talks, the smaller he rolls the item around in his gloved fingers. As she finishes talking, he lobs the object at her. Unerringly it bounces off the tip of her nose - a rolled up foam earplug. Not because he wants to block out what she's saying, but because it's soft and serves the purpose of booping her in the nose.

"You worry too much about things that don't actually matter to me, River. I'm a felon too. I've got black marks in my background. I've killed. A lot. I've attempted to kill."

And there's one person if he ever has the chance, he will struggle greatly in trying not to pull the trigger again.

"You two are good. Rio's a good kid. You're an awesome big sister. And you deserve some breaks to fall your way."

River Banks has posed:
    River had been watching him roll the foam object at the end of her statements. She's booped on the nose. Her arm flails a moment and she nearly knocks over her waterbottle.

    "... Hood I'm tryin' ta say that I like you and would like to maybe do a normal date thing like a movie or somethin', jus' ta be crystal clear."

Jason Todd has posed:
Red Hood is suddenly glad that his mask has no means of expression. Iron Man clearly had the right idea. The expression of surprise on his face inside the mask might be comical to some.

"I have a pretty good idea what you're trying to say River. And I'm flattered." He steps around to face her. "Thank you. It's kind of you to say and I respect you taking the chance in saying something. Having any sort of relationship with someone like me is not exactly what you imagine it to be. But this isn't a no."

"Let me stop by your place soon and we'll see how things go when neither of us are behind masks. Fair?" Not that he is a whole lot better than a certain father figure in showing his true self when outside of his armor and mask, either. Apple; tree.

River Banks has posed:
    "That's fair. Sorry for springin' this on ya on your first forray back out." River states, reapplying her paintball mask and tucking her water bottle back under her jacket.

    "Until then, stay safe out there, Red Hood." she gives a wave, and then turns to head off in the direction of home, mission and bonus side-quest complete.