19497/Lunch and WAR!

Lunch and WAR!
Date of Scene:	13 November 2024
Location:	Barney Greengrass Deli
Synopsis:	The War for Atlantis interrupts a quiet lunch. Wait! There's a War for Atlantis?
Cast of Characters:	Arthur Curry, Mera, Natasha Romanoff, Wanda Maximoff

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Arthur Curry has posed:
Arthur Curry is dressed in his usual hoodie, though this is a new hoodie with the sleeves freshly removed, showing off his well muscled and tattooed arms. He's eating a hot dog while waiting for their main order to arrive.

He looks across at his beautiful companion and smiles. "So I thought you might like surface world cooking. We have to dip food in lava or eat it raw back in Atlantis. The terrestrials are really creative with their cooking. Sometimes you can't even tell what the food used to be. Of course this food is different from the food in Amnesty Bay. I should have told you... no lobster or shellfish here." He holds the frank out for Mera to sample.

Mera has posed:
Mera sits across from Arthur wearing her own, surface-world attire. A loose, denim shirt hangs open from her shoulders over a white tank top. Khaki shorts are rolled up to mid-thigh, along with sandals to allow her feet to breathe. Mera sips a Coke, because it's bubbly and sweet.

At his invitation she regards the hot dog suspiciously. Taking a finger, she dips it into the mustard for a taste and blinks a few times. Then she leans in slowly, keeping eye contact as she opens wide and takes a large bite. Chewing a few times, crimson brows lift and she nods before swallowing. "What sort of creatures are shaped like these tubes?"

Arthur Curry has posed:
Arthur Curry regards the bit of frankfurter left and answers before finishing it. "It is very processed food. Asking too much about its origins is considered taboo. You don't want to know basically. Just eat and enjoy... would you like me to get you one?" He should have known better after offering her food previously, and flowers. The svelte woman opposite him can eat. He can too but he prefers several meals during the day. Like a Hobbit.

He would not like others to compare him to a Hobbit.

They may have made a minor error in their choice of clothing, he realizes. The people eating here haves coats and scarves as Winter approaches. They are dressed too lightly. But then cold and heat doesn't bother Atlanteans much.

Mera has posed:
Mera wipes a bit of mustard from her lips and nods. "Does it come with anything on it besides this yellow stuff? Can they... how does the saying go?... drag it through the garden?" See, Mera IS learning surface-world lingo!

She looks over at another table and spots french fries and onion rings. Her nose twitches, being much more sensitive to smells than humans. She points. "Bring some of those things as well. The dark brown ones, I think."

Arthur Curry has posed:
Arthur Curry gets up to find the server. "Sure. Now, don't mooch food from people. That doesn't go over well, cute as you are. I'm going to get a few beers too... do you want anything to drink..." If they draw a few stares there are gasps as the door is flung open and four men in body suits and face masks enter.

<<Kill the usurper and return his stolen trident to King Namor!>> The leader aims a pistol at Arthur and firers throwing him back. People scream.

Mera has posed:
Mera is about to respond to Arthur when the four men burst in. She may be a princess, but she has been trained for combat from a young age.

There is no hesitation as Mera flings a ceramic plate at the one who shot at Arthur, using a good amount of her strength. It shatters against his temple, throwing him hard against the wall.

Mera doesn't look back, pivoting and picking up an empty chair and she advances quickly on the others.

Arthur Curry has posed:
Arthur Curry is thrown back, taken off guard. The beam does little damage to him though. "Go through the kitchen, get out of here!" He yells to the patrons. Then he lumbers forward, tanking several mosre shots from the three still standing. He reaches Mera and grabs a duffle bag he laid under the table and the Trident of Poseidon is in his hand. A lightning bolt blows one attacker back out the door. One of the two still standing flings a cylinder at the feet of the pair.

Mera has posed:
Mera is using the chair as a weapon while the attackers seem more interested in shooting at Arthur. She starting towards them when one tosses the cylinder at their feet.

Mera recognizes it. "Detonator!" she cries, putting herself between the device and Arthur. That done, she drops the chair and tries to push him back as much as possible before the thing goes off.

Arthur Curry has posed:
Arthur Curry doesn't get pushed back very far. It's sort of like Daenerys trying to push Kel Drogo. "I'm not a damsel in distress! Tell me what to do and I'll help you!!!" He looks at the trident and it begins to glow. "Add the Trident's power to your own!"

Mera has posed:
Mera and Arthur jockey for position for a moment, then she nods and grips the trident. "You are the king. Stay behind me!"

The hydro-detonator explodes.

The massive rush of water would immediately fill the small cafe with the force of a hurricane.

Except Mera is here. She has a moment to prepare, and she is tapping into the power of the Trident.

The explosion surges outward in all directions, and stops when it gets to be about the size of a small car. Even Mera's power can't contain it fully, but she does manage to channel it out the door before anyone in the cafe is hurt.

Arthur Curry has posed:
Arthur Curry phews. He makes sure the attacker Mera dished it out to is still unconscious for the police. He can already hear sirens but, Atlanteans and their kin would be pretty hard to catch and he wasn't leaving this one behind to wake up. He goes over to the counterman who stood by his post!

Arthur take a half dozen gold coins and drops them on the counter, "That should cover the chair and the breakage. Here's a couple more for our order. Add two franks, loaded and make it to go. You okay babe?" He looks back but of course she'd be okay. She can drown a city on a good day!

Mera has posed:
Mera draws a deep breath, exhaling slowly as the deluge washes the remaining attackers out into the street. Where they can escape, of course. She is wet, Arthur is wet, the floor is wet, and many of the patrons are wet.

But no one is hurt.

Turning towards Arthur, she smiles a little when she sees that he's getting food to go. "Drag mine 'through the garden', love." she reminds, flipping her wet hair back. "It looks like they've gone."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
The situation with Atlantis diplomatically is always a tricky one. Due to Namor's esteemed personality and the general unstable state of the underwater kingdom internally, balanced only by one man's willingness to sacrifice his rightful place for the greater good of his country, one must always be wary to not overstep. So when there are news of Atlantean terrorists being intercepted by members of the royal family, it means that SHIELD is deploying a followup team.
    Of course, with the way things work, they will always arrive just a little too late. So Natasha is arriving over on an armored motorcycle just as Arthur is paying over for the damages.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
There's a tight connection between SHIELD and the Avengers and when supernatural powers are on the loose in the city? Odds are that an Avenger or three may be called in to check out what is going on. In this case it comes in the form of the Scarlet Witch, the form of the redhead woman seen approaching the place...

Flying, of course.

She is dressed in dark bodice, black pants, the long dark red jacket that is her trademark finishing her ensemble as she lands on the sidewalk. Not exactly a hero landing but a graceful one. She notes Natasha and nods her way before her eyes go to the knocked out terrorist, letting out a thoughtful hum.

Arthur Curry has posed:
Arthur Curry turns to see the newcomers. "Oh. Hey. We got one. Came in to <kill the usurper!> Like we're supposed to believe Namor wouldn't want to kill me himself. The man's a jerk but he doesn't roll that way. Anyway, I'm Aquaman but call me Arthur, or Orrin. This is Mera... I'd not get between her and the door..."

Mera has posed:
The other two women enter, but Mera turns her attention towards the street. She gestures quickly to the terrorist on the floor. "That one may not be alive, but there were others who are getting away." she offers. "They will head for the ocean if they are truly sent by Namor." Giving Nat and Wanda each a once-over, she adds. "I am Mera, Princess of Xebel. You won't catch them if they reach the ocean, but I can."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would give a nod to Arthur, "I'm familiar with members of the Justice League." She would note in a professional tone of voice while sliding off her bike, putting it in a lockdown mode and going to ready her Widow's Bites in case the attackers needed some more juice to put them down. "I hope that your current operational tempo is acceptable."
    A nod of appreciation is sent towards Wanda. "Can you secure them?"

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"I know who you are, Arthur." Though Wanda's eyes are on Aquaman's trident as she speaks, those green eyes sparkling in a curious manner at the artifact the man carries, she coming to a stop close to both Arthur and Mera. To the latter she dips her head, "It is good to meet you." she touching one hand to her own chest, just above the heart, "I am Wanda Maximoff." she offers to them, "Sometimes called the Scarlet Witch."

"Why would Namor be wanting to bring you harm, Arthur?" She approaches the knocked-out terrorist, looking him over from up close, thoughtful.

"The river isn't far from here." She notes after a moment of contemplation, looking in it's direction, "But we can intercept them. Come." She weaves with her hands, magical energies of a dark red color flowing through the gathered, "Let's fly." she grins faintly.

Arthur Curry has posed:
Arthur Curry nods as the energies lift him up. He's more at home with science than magic but it is part of his heritage, even without the trident. He tells the counterman to keep their dinner home. They take to the skies. "Mera, go straight to the river. They may have a craft there. We'll deal with the other two." He blows her a kiss.

Mera has posed:
Mera gives Arthur a brisk nod, then a longing glance towards the counter with hotdogs and onion rings. "Meet back here." She returns the blown kiss with a more exaggerated one of her own, complete with a wide arm gesture. Mera is still understanding the concept, after all. With a flash of crimson hair, she dashes out the door and sprints towards the river.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova goes to call out to Wanda, "Understood." Wanda's in a far better position to intercept than she is, so she goes to help with on-site security to sweep around the area with her weapons high and held in front of her just in case there are other issues.

"Is the situation here stable?

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda watches Mera dashing out before she lifts up from the ground, arms serving as guidance for her flight, "Come." she says to Natasha, "Your eyes will be needed." and then she flies up onto the skies to begin her search for those runners, using that vantage point from above to look for them.

"See if you can find any of them nearing the river." She calls out.

Arthur Curry has posed:
Arthur Curry says, "These damn crowds. It makes it hard to spot them." He peers and then yells, <Hey guys, look over here!> in Atlantean. The yell is quite loud. In fact he hurts his own ears. Then two men look up and curse. Also in Atlantean. It's probably lost on the surface people. They break and run for it.

"You guys should let us catch you. Lady Mera is waiting in the water for you. I heard she made Attuma cry once." True. Honest.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
With the two fugitives making themselves known by falling to Arthur's trick there's a grin out of the Witch, "Now to intercept.." and she starts flying closer to the duo, long red hair flowing in the wind as she starts her descent towards them, attempting to land in front of them, hands already crackling with hex energies.

"You should listen to what Aquaman is telling you.." her voice crackling with energy.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
It's a chase then as the Avengers assist the Atlantean Royals in pursuing the terrorists who were making a break for the Hudson. Amongst them it's a fairly easy catch, and then some catchup on the current state of political affairs.. Best to nto let Namor know on that one.