17175/Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound
Date of Scene:	13 February 2024
Location:	Amusement Mile
Synopsis:	Kiana takes Jason back to Gotham. A street gang jump them as he's taking her to a safe house.
Cast of Characters:	Jason Todd, Kiana

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Jason Todd has posed:Scene takes places in early January.


A week or so after being found by Kiana, Jason has recovered from his shipwreck (AKA explosion) injuries. While hanging out in a tropical paradise is an unanticipated, yet welcome, location to heal he has begun to feel restless. It was time to get back home.

He didn't understand the details of the trip. Portal. Reality Warp. What it is exactly doesn't matter as much as the fact they are travelling halfway across the planet in doing so. There are many words for such a feat. Amazing. Impressive. Remarkable. Really... freaking convenient.

Regardless of one's chosen superlative, they're in Gotham now.

Looking to Kiana, Jason offers a crooked grin. "Welcome to Gotham City. Sorry about the smog. And the smell. I'd say it grows on you, but mostly you become nose blind to it eventually."

Kiana has posed:
Kiana wasn't very forthcoming on her ability to relocate them to the other side of the planet. With Jason's training, he could easily read her uncertainty, less a matter of being able to explain it than one of being unwilling to.

Which, might itself be a little distressing thing to figure out of the person about to teleport you.

But they walk into the water, just a few inches deep. And then the water swirls about their feet briefly but already they are sinking down into it almost like they were standing on an elevator platform.

A moment of disorientation and they are rising out of the water right on the shore of Gotham's northernmost island. The weather change is immediately noticeable, going from warm tropics to New Jersey coastline in February. Jason's shirt, courtesy of old Ned probably isn't the warmest thing. Kiana's bikini isn't either. She does give a tiny shiver as a cold wind blows, though probably seems to be holding up to the first change of temperature better than most would similarly dressed.

She looks around, the sparkling lights of Amusement Mile so close to where they came out. "Oooo, what's that?" she asks, the girl's soft brown eyes widening as she stares at the lights that are meant to evoke just that kind of reaction, even if they don't usually get it from adults who are familiar with it.

Jason Todd has posed:
Yeah, that was an experience. Jason pauses to touch his temple. Not one to usually experience vertigo, he also hasn't water-portaled before. A blink or two clears his mind and he looks around.

"Ah yes. Winter in Gotham." He's holding what's left of his Red Hood armor and mask in a bundle, not about to have left them behind even damaged as they were.

He pauses. "Yeah.. That's Amusement Mile. It's a pretty fun place but not dressed as we are." He pauses and studies their exact location. "We need to go this way. I've got a safe place near here. Not exactly for moments like this but emergencies are emergencies."

He shrugs off the admittedly thin shirt and wraps it around Kiana's shoulders. It isn't much but at least it'll give a little protection from the weather. Of course he's walking barefoot and shirtless through Winter Gotham. But this is Gotham. Stranger things than this happen by the minute here.

"Gotham is.. good but still bad, happy while sad, filthy yet clean. It's the best analogy I can think of. For everything you could describe about the city there's almost certainly a polar opposite someplace in the city." He gestures to change directions, now cutting down a dark, rather filthy alleyway.

Not an ideal path to choose but it leads to the hidden safe house.

But first, the gang that uses this alley as their common hang out turns to stare at the two underdressed souls. Shark like grins are flashed as are weapons.

Jason sighs, "Nothing is ever easy."

Kiana has posed:
Kiana follows along, and is listening to Jason's explanation of the city. But it's pretty clear she's trying to take in everything at once. And there isn't much that doesn't seem worthy of getting a look. From pausing to look at the flashing signals for the crosswalks, to pausing to watch a Zesti Cola semi-truck roll down a road towards Amusement Mile.

As Jason puts the flannel shirt about her shoulders, she gives him a soft smile, "Thank you. It's colder out of the water," she says, which probably sounds the opposite given how much faster water leeches away body heat, even if it is warmer than the sub-freezing air.

She holds her arms close about herself for warmth, which helps at least a little in terms of how much mocha tanned skin is showing. Though that doesn't seem to do a lot to prevent stares from street gang.

Kiana sees them and a bright smile comes to her face. "Hello. I'm new to Gotham," she offers in a bright, cheery voice.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd can agree about it being colder. This is where a certain vigilante's relentless training and survival drills come into play. Not that Jason would willingly admit it was the right thing to do to a teenager - or anyone. But right now? Mind over matter is helping. So is focusing on the eight gang members who think they've found a pretty girl and an easy mark.

Jason can't help but smil...smirk .. at Kiana's friendly greeting. It turns to a scowl when the leader of the gang leader responds.

Making a grotesque snorting sound, the large figure spits, almost hitting her. He smirks. "Well. Bitch. We're going to be sure to give you a proper Gotham welcome, aren't we..?" The group is made of five males and three females but they're all learing at Kiana like she was a steak and they haven't eatten in weeks.

Quietly Jason speaks to Kiana, "They're not friends. These are the bad part I told you about. I can handle them. Just stay back okay? It'll be fine. I promise."

After a meaning full look to reassure her, Jason looks to the group. "That's not a proper Gotham welcome. We don't need or want trouble. How about you find another alley to lurk in. Just for tonight." His eyes are focused, watching, calculating. Three pipes, four guns and a large knife. It was hardly a fair fight.

"Sorry, Chippendale. We don't take orders from candy asses like you. Who the hell walks around Gotham shirtless and barefoot?" mocks the leader. The others laugh and begin to spread out. Jason begins to move forward, intentionally placing himself between the gang and Kiana. This isn't how he planned for this trip to go - but he'll be damned if he lets them hurt her.

Kiana has posed:
If that loogie directed her way bends towards the ground a little faster than gravity dictates, well there is a little bit of a wind making it down the alley. Probably not the kind of thing to stand out to the gang members.

The South Pacific Island girl's friendly smile fades away as Jason's quiet murmur imparts a little information about the group in the alley.

Her eyes dart back to them, catching sight of the pipes if not the guns or knife that aren't necessarily out in the open yet even if the lumps in their clothing are correctly read by Jason.

Kiana looks hesitant, but at Jason's instruction she takes a little step back, giving him more room. "We can go another way," she says to Jason in a whisper.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd shakes his head and grimly reassures Kiana, "We can't. It'll be okay."

His ribs are feeling better. It has been long enough his ribs are healing properly but he hasn't been working out as much as he would if he had been still in Gotham. Regardless, he wasn't going to let any of them past him.

Stepping closer, Jason's voice lowers. There is a deeply menacing tone Kiana hasn't heard before. "Last chance. Walk away."

It seems to get to two of the members who lower their weapons and back up a few steps as the leader laughs, "Fuck off pretty boy." He raises his gun - but Jason is expecting it. This is nothing he hasn't seen many times before.

As the gun comes up, he is already moving, closing the distance and making it harder for the gun to be aimed at him. He spins inside of the attack. Grabbing at the weapon his movements are quick and direct. The gun is out of the man's hand before anyone can realize what has happened. Then the clip is ejected, the slide is removed from the weapon and turned into a projectile aimed at the face of the next nearest ganger with a gun.

HOlding onto the lower half of the pistol now as a melee weapon, he spins around and clocks the gang leader with the grip of his own weapons. Fast movements take the man down and Jason is moving to close on the next.

Pressing the intiative is the only way to get out of this without getting hurt. That's his mindset as a gunshot barks in the narrow alley. The bullet streaks past Jason's head to bury itself in the wall beyond him.

The other gang members close in on him, intent on crowing him. They know how to fight effectively themselves.

Kiana has posed:
For Kiana, events happen so fast she stands there gawking at first. The rapid explosion of violence from Jason catches her by surprise, the teen staring as he moves through the first man like a hot knife through butter, disarming him and also stunning the next man over.

It isn't until the shot that she fully recovers. And even then she flinches and looks about as the loud retort rings and reverberates in the narrow alley, maybe not even sure what it was.

But seeing the group closing in on Jason is obvious enough. As two of the women move to get behind him, Jason will hear a sudden sound, like a explosion in the water. The two women go skidding across the alley and into the brick wall, their bodies wet. The water draws back away from them flowing through the air and rapidly reforming into a bi-legged shape, which a moment later goes from clear water to turning back into Kiana.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd doesn't have the time to focus on what Kiana is doing, exactly, but he sees she moves to help. It isn't what he wants. He doesn't want her to get hurt. But let's face it; having no armor or real weapons, Jason is going to have a hard time with eight opponents while still healing. But now it seems the still-standing number is down to five. Three men and the last of the women.

The woman has the large knife and she snears at Kiana, "Gonna make you bleed. But not too bad. Yet. We all want our fun first.." She starts to close in on Kiana.

Jason is primarily focused on the last two guns. They're the most dangerous elements of this equation. Still, he can't get to them immediately or he'll risk getting shot. Or risk they'll go after Kiana. Instead he closes in on the guy with the length of pipe. THe man swings it and Jason blocks it with his forearm. Muscled as he is, it hurts less than one might think but it still hurts. Fortunately it doesn't break a bone. In that moment Jason wraps his arm and hand around the pipe to wrestle it away from the ganger while using him as a shield against the two guns.

The encounter doesn't last long. Just long enough to shove the formerly pipe wielding man at one of his buddies and then throw the lower half of that pistol at the other gunman.

Using the distraction, Jason closes in with the pipe and dispatches the solo ganger. A blow to the stomach, one to the back of the shoulders and a sweep of the pipe behind the legs and the man is down.

In that time, the other two men disentangle themselves - just in time for Jason to disarm the last gunman. THen it turns into a two-on-one brawl as the gangers grab the piple and they all tumble to the ground.

Kiana has posed:
Kiana might lack any training, but the threat of a knife doesn't really seem to phase her. "I don't know why you'd want to treat us this way," she says, an angry expression on her face.

And then she explodes, her body turned into a blast of water which hits the knife-wielding woman, knocking her back and into the wall, leaving her stunned as she falls to the ground. The knife? Doesn't really prove much of a threat while Kiana's body is literally turned into water.

Again she reforms into her normal bipedal shape and turns to look towards Jason to make sure he's ok. As she does, one of the first two women reaches feebly for the knife. Kiana puts a bare foot on the handle and slides it away out of reach before checking back to make sure Jason is ok.

Jason Todd has posed:
It looks like a free for all. The two men trying to pin Jason down. But from under them Jason erupts upward, throwing them off, one to each side. Grabbing the pipe, he mercilessly delivers a beat down to the one that originally had a gun. The man won't be walking or chewing food for a while after Jason is finished.

Turning around, the other man has managed to stagger to his feet. Dropping the pipe, Jason steps in and unleashes a flurry of punches and strikes before sweeping the man's feet from under him. Going down hard, this time the man stays down.

Standing and turning to check on Kiana, Jason wipes his cheek and mouth. "Are you okay?"

He seems to be okay, just breathing heavy from the exertion. A side glance to the three women to make sure they're down as he walks over and recovers the two guns. Removing the clips and ejecting the rounds in the chambers, he holds onto the guns themselves.

As long as Kiana is okay, he'll encourage getting past and away from the now defeated gang. His safe house is down the alley and in another side alley that connects. A dingy, weathered door seems unassuming. Walking up, he presses on a brick while looking up at a security camera just above the door. With a chirp the door unlocks and Jason lets Kiana enter first before he takes a final look around and disappears inside himself.

The narrow utility hallway has a myriad of conduits and pipes running along the walls as it extends some thirty feet before stairs descend underground. Another door and security system later, Jason leads the way into his safe house. A small studio apartment in size, the space has a bed, small kitchen and a full bathroom. One wall holds a wide selection of weapons - guns, knives, Batarangs and other tools. Beside it hangs an intact copy of his Red Hood armor and mask. Nearer the bed is a dresser that has fresh clean street clothes.

Tossing the bundle of damaged Red Hood gear on the work table, he heads for the dresser. "I've got plenty of clothes. I'm sure you can find something that is warmer and fits you. Mostly." Given their size difference it may not fit perfectly but it's better than going around in Gotham's winter without anything at all. "If you want to clean up, there're towels and things in the bathroom. Help yourself" he says with a smile.

He winces as he takes a seat for a moment. Yeah, his ribs haven't fully healed and just took another beating though he won't complain about it.

Kiana has posed:
Kiana gives Jason a quick nod, as if to be reassuring. "I'm fine. A couple of them tried to go after you from behind, is why I didn't stay back," she explains, looking a little bashful as if for having not stayed out of it as he'd asked. "I've never really tried to do that, to someone," she says hesitantly, biting her lower lip for a moment before shaking her head as if to rid of herself of whatever her thoughts were.

She follows along with Jason quickly enough. Still peering every direction as they enter the safe house. "You weren't kidding about that the city could be rough, were you?" she asks. "Is something like that very common to run into?" she asks.

Kiana looks around, nodding. She looks with obvious curiosity at the Red Hood outfit. Though she also looks at the clock that way, and any number of other things that are far less curious to most people. She moves towards the bathroom, but glances back in time to catch the wince. "Did you hurt yourself worse?" she asks, voice full of concern.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd nods. "Thanks for the help. I know you're able to defend yourself. I just tend to fight alone." He glances toward the spare armor then back.

"It depends on when and where you are. Most people just want to live their lives. But then there are criminals who prey on the weak and helpless. The police do what they can but it's a large city and there are a lot of places for criminals to hide."

He rubs his ribs, checking how they feel and shakes his head, "I'll be okay. I haven't worked out or trained for the last few weeks. I'm out of shape and feeling it" he says dryly.

"Go ahead and clean up, I'll be fine" he promises.

Kiana has posed:
Kiana hesitates in the doorway, eyes on Jason, before giving a small nod and going into the bathroom. She's at least familiar with the sink from her time at the hospital, the water heard running.

"I don't understand why people would behave like that to each other," she says, sighing just loud enough that Jason can hear that as well. She finds a comb or brush in there and runs it through her hair, before emerging back into the other room and going over to look through Jason's dresser for clothing.

"I thought the lights where we came out looked very interesting," she says of Amusement Mile, while she's looking through for something to wear. "And I could hear music there that wasn't like anything I've heard Rafael play, or the radio at the diner."

She pulls out a sweatshirt, feeling the fabric between her fingers as if it's new to her. "So what is your life like here? I mean, I spend my time in the ocean, or finding pearls for Ned. Picking coconuts and fruit. What is your normal day like?" she asks curiously, looking over her shoulder.

Jason Todd has posed:
Jason Todd trades off with Kiana once she is finished, pulling the bathroom door mostly closed while he washes up after the alleyway fight. "Some people never have a chance at a good life. Those who have the ability to help are often selfish. They amased their fortune why should they share their hard work with others who haven't tried to work for themselves? So there are those who turn to crime because they don't see any other way to survive. Some do it because they like being bad. It isn't a perfect picture but that accounts for many of those who turn to crime."

"Amusement Mile is a lot of fun. As is music. I'll introduce you to some of my favorite bands' music. And Bat Burger. Big Belly Burger. The best dumplings in the world.." his voice trails off as he makes himself hungry.

"I work on cars. At least that's what everyone thinks."

He emerges in a pair of cutoff sweat shorts and a Gotham Knights tanktop. He glances toward the weapons and armor. "But, uh, as you've already guessed probably, I have a different line of work actually." He moves to the kitchen to check the 'fridge as he continues.

"At night, sometimes during the day, I'm known as Red Hood. A vigilante. I go after the criminals that the police and government can't seem to catch or keep in prison. Those who hurt people the worst."