17820/Stars Create the Best Shadows

Stars Create the Best Shadows
Date of Scene:	01 May 2024
Location:	Hell's Kitchen
Synopsis:	The Star Spangled Kid foils a crime, but the shadows foil her.
Cast of Characters:	Richard Swift, Courtney Whitmore

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Richard Swift has posed:
A weeknight. Usually calm, but in Hell's Kitchen, who is to say.

A pair of hoodlums eye a woman who has slipped away from her friends. They had to take an Uber to the other side of town. Her home was only a few blocks away from the bar. What could go wrong?

What, indeed...

Courtney Whitmore has posed:
A weeknight is as good as any other for patrol. The Star Spangled Kid is making her way along the rooftops, keeping an eye out for trouble below. She has not managed to find much, truthfully, since moving here, and redoubling her efforts. And she is not REALLY hoping that there would be trouble.

Is she?

Richard Swift has posed:
The shadows erupt from the woman's passing, arms from within grasping and pulling her into their embrace. A hand over her mouth, silencing any potential complaints.

She is shoved against a wall, and a glint of steel catches in the distance street light. "Money. Now."

She silently is grateful that is the ask. She reaches into her purse to withdraw her wallet...

...and presses the panic button that emits a sound not unlike a scream, cutting through the night.

Courtney Whitmore has posed:
That sound bursting out sends the Star Spangled Kid into a run. She can hear it, not that far from where she is posted, and she scrambles rooftop to rooftop, until she can peer down at its source. A brief pause before she drops over the side, adjusting her belt to prepare for action!

Richard Swift has posed:
There are two men facing the woman, the one with the knife and the one prepared to rifle through the purse. They both drop back at the sudden noise, the hands of one going to his ears, the one with the knife keeping it at the ready, but no longer so confident as to aim it at the woman.

The woman jumps at the arrival of the hero, while the men remain distracted.

Courtney Whitmore has posed:
The Star Spangled Kid wastes little time. Dropping down beside the trio, she kicks up quickly at the arm holding the knife, determined to get that as far away from the victim as possible. Once the imminent threat is dealt with, she can start to have fun.

Richard Swift has posed:
The man grunts as he drops the knife, the metal scattering down the alleyway, and he turns quickly towards the girl who has appeared from the darkness. His colleague turns his attention likewise.

With their attention taken away, the woman pushes away from the wall and dashes for the safety of the light.

The two men advance on the would-be hero...

Courtney Whitmore has posed:
"Go, get help," the Star Spangled Kid urges the woman as she squares up with a defensive posture against the two men.

"You picked the wrong night and the wrong alley," she says, thinking of the kind of words that she had seen some of the other heroes use. And then the Star Spangled Kid follows up on them, leaping forward with a spinning kick aimed at the head of the nearest man.

Richard Swift has posed:
The man flies into the brick wall to the side, crumpling into a pile from the force of the kick.

The other man looks at the shimmery hero, and decides discretion is the better part of valor. He turns tail and dashes back into the safety of the shadows.

Courtney Whitmore has posed:
Grunting with satisfaction as her kick connects, the Star Spangled Kid bounces with excitement as the man tumbles to the ground. And stops as she sees the other man fleeing.

"HEY!" she says, pulling one of her stars and hurling the light down the alleyway to knock him down.

Richard Swift has posed:
The star takes off in the direction of the fleeing man, but rather than impacting against him, it fades away until it is swallowed up by the shadows, far short of its intended target.

Courtney Whitmore has posed:
Courtney frowns as the star falls short. That's never happened before. She wrinkles her nose, considering giving chase, but then the other man starts to stir and she whips out a foot to his face. "Stay down."

Richard Swift has posed:
The shadows do not seem content to shallow up the star. Courtney will feel coldness against her skin, the encroachment of the darkness, as the light from above begins to fade.

Courtney Whitmore has posed:
This is not right. Courtney shivers, looking around, and then makes a quick decision. She grabs the thug by the collar and hauls him up. "Not even you..." she says as she backs away from the shadows, frowning deeply. "Maybe you'll help us find your friend."

And with that, she turns and dashes out of the alleyway.

Richard Swift has posed:
At the opening of the alleyway, Courtney will find a pair of police officers talking with the woman. The shadows do not seem to emerge from the mouth of the alley.

Courtney Whitmore has posed:
Feeling relief that she is not being chased further, the Star Spangled Kid hands the criminal over to the officers on the scene. She glances back then, trying to make out just what it is going on in the alley.

Richard Swift has posed:
The cops are eager to take in the offender.

The alleyway looks normal now. No signs of animated shadows.

Or the criminal that they seemingly swallowed.

Just another night in the city...