2290/Imagine

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Imagine
Date of Scene: 01 July 2020
Location: Strawberry Fields
Synopsis: Ellie went to reflect a bit in Strawberry Fields, happened by Tony Masters, and earned herself some fighting lessons in the process.
Cast of Characters: Negasonic, Tony Masters




Negasonic has posed:
Ellie doesn't look like a Beatles fan, not one bit, hell, she looks like she's too young to give a damn about a certain John Lennon at all. But here she is, decked like a self respecting goth, over the 'imagine' wording on the memorial, surrounded by the flower. A rather unpleased look on her visage, which considering her shorn hair, multitudes of piercings and grim expression, wasn't friendly enough as it is.

Tony Masters has posed:
Tony could maybe be a Beatles fan, despite being in his twenties. Whether that's why he's here or not is unclear. The decade older non-mutant wanders into the area with the memorial on the ground, wearing some casual non-descript clothing. A nice shirt and slacks, some sneakers, a light jacket. No obvious weapons on him. He just looks like any other moderately handsome guy with brown hair. He glances around the area at whatever fans are assembled there at the moment, and notes the angry looking goth girl right in the middle amidst the flowers. Hmm. Are you suppossed to stand there? Not that he's one to talk. He makes his way towards there, drawn by curiosity, and notes to Ellie when he arrives, "You know, I didn't think Lennon did a lot of goth songs.."

Negasonic has posed:
"Not really..." Ellie snorts, looking up at Tony with a disapproving glower, she already assumes he's here to poke fun or at least snark at her a bit. She then shrugs as she looks up at Tony, "I guess Working Class Hero is the closest, but these words," she points at the statement on the memorial 'IMAGINE', "these are on point. The world can only be a better place in your imagination, because people suck. I respect that he admitted that."

She looks with a sneer at some of the fans around her, muttering, "most people just didn't get it though, thought he was talking about a solution."

Tony Masters has posed:
The older mercenaries lips twitch a bit at the response from Ellie. "Aren't you a ray of sunshine. I guess you're not one of those 'perky goths' I hear about then." He sounds more amused than anything else. His hand resting in the pockets of his jacket, he looks down at the word on the ground. "Can't really argue with you about the suckiness of the world. It is pretty garbage overall. Still, I enjoy myself for the mosrt part." He glances up at her. "Though I'm not completely sure that's what he meant. I got the impression he was more hopeful than that. But not like anybody can be sure at this point, is it?" He shrugs one shoulder. "So, anything in particular have you pondering the state of affairs, or did you just randomly decide to stop in too?"

Negasonic has posed:
"Perky Goth?" Ellie arches an unamused brow, looking a bit irked at the words alone, "isn't that contradiction in terms?" She asks, turns out she's not drugged out of her mind and uneducated, because stereotypes are stereotypes. Reality, usually different. "Yeah, it's an epic dumpster fire, that's for sure." Crossing her arms and stomping a flower on her way further back from the memorial, she asks, "what's the part you enjoy then? I'm looking for some..." she thinks a moment at the question, but doesn't answer, although it doesn't seem like not having an answer was the reason for her silence.

Tony Masters has posed:
The merc can't help grinning at her expression on hearing 'Perky Goth'. "Hey, supposedly it's a thing. Wearing the black and the piercings and stuff, but bubbly. Don't blame me." He watches her tromp out of the flowers, raising a hand and smoothing back his hair a little. "Hmmm. I like testing myself. Pushing my skills and seeing what I can do." He considers her for a few moments, then adds, "I'm Tony, by the way." He offers a hand to the teen. It's hard and callused. Clearly, whatever it is he does is pretty physical. "Looking for what? Release? Happiness? A darker shade of lipstick?"

Negasonic has posed:
"No, it's not a thing. I mean a cheerleader can play dress up and call herself a goth, but that doesn't make her a 'Preky Goth' it makes her a cheerleader that looks decent for a change," Ellie seems rather adamant about her take. "So what is it that you can do?" Ellie asks, looking Tony with a sort of expression that suggests she's ready for disappointment. "Ellie," she at least introduces herself in turn. So she does have some manners. She actually shakes hands, her grip a bit forced like she's trying to present herself as stronger than she might be. "I could do with a darker shade of lipstick actually," she takes the dig in stride. "A nuclear holocaust might be cool too, if the lipstick is too much of a hassle."

Tony Masters has posed:
Tony smirks a little at her words. "If you say so. I'm not part of that whole thing so I don't know what's 'real' or not." He doesn't look particularly Goth himself, it's true. He's dressed pretty normally. He looks like a normie overall, really. He's handsome, but not to that almost unnatural extent many supertypes are. Clearly in good shape, but doesn't have the massive muscles of somebody that can chuck a car. Not much like the people she lives with. "Hmm? Well. I'm a a private bodyguard. I occasionally train security personal for corporations and the like. So, I like testing out my skills against others and seeing how they stack up.Pushing my limits, learning new things..." He squeezes her hand back firmly. He's strong. But again, not superhumanly so. Just... close. "Acheing for that post-apocalyptic aesthetic, huh? You know, hashtags and cheap junkfood will be a thing of the past if that does happen. Sure you want to live with that, Ellie?" He smiles at the shorter goth girl. She seemed snarky, but there was something kind of charming about her all the same.

Negasonic has posed:
"What's real is that people suck," Ellie offers helpfully. "I get it, it's a dangerous job, lots of asshole who want to hurt other assholes," Ellie mutters, sounding quite angry, "don't you sometime have to protect people you wish you could hurt yourself though?" She can see that as a prime reason why she couldn't handle such a job. Ellie isn't strong by any means, super or regular, so she really can't measure up to Tony, pulling her hand back with a silly grin on her lips. "Guess I shouldn't have tried to impress, you have a serious grip."

She shrugs at the dear price presented by Tony, "if enough people who deserve to die will die? I think I can do that. #MakeItSo." Yes, she speaks out loud the hashtagging of her answer.

Tony Masters has posed:
"Once you see enough of the world, you start to get a bit numbed to it. Everybody is terrible on some level. Even you, Ms. Angry Goth. Even me, as charming as I might be." He studies her face as she lets out her rage, and shrugs one shoulder. "Yeah. Sometimes. I've had some... unpleasent clients." He never liked working with Hydra for instance. The particularly hardcore ones were just creepy. "But hey..." His lips peel back briefly in a predatory grin. "If they annoy me enough, nothings stopping me once the contract is over..." Then she actually gives him a compliment, and he lets out a brief laugh. "I try." He narrows his eyes a little at her final thought, and reaches out. Lightly tweaking her nose between his fingers. It was the sort of thing you might do to a kid. "It's nice to dream about it. But, if that sort of thing did happen... who would be the most likely to survive? Not little rebels like you. It would be the ones you least want to, scuttling away to little bunkers and the like waiting to rebuild the world with even more power once things settle down."

Negasonic has posed:
Ellie laughs at Tony's suggestion, and looks very intently at him, for once, "oh yeah...? Tell me please, how am I so terrible? You don't even know anything about me." When he does that patronizing gesture of tweaking her nose between his fingers, Ellie steps back and looks a little upset, glowering at Tony without saying anything. It's clear she's displeased, as she eventually snorts, "I'm not a kid." She does mellow a bit though, murmuring, "thanks for calling me a rebel at least..." that she did find flattering.

Tony Masters has posed:
Tony studies her. "Hmm. I don't know. We've just met. But there's something. There always is. You just ignore what's terrible about somebody if you like the rest of them enough." He crosses his arms at her glower, and smirks a litlte. "You're, what? Sixteen? Sorry to break it to you. But that's still a kid. Enjoy it while you can. It doens't get any better once you're older." The smirk softens slightly at the thanks. "I just say it how I see it, kid. You do seem to be at that point in life. So. I'm curious. What're you planning on doing to make the world a better place, El? Being sarcastic and angry, or something else?"

Negasonic has posed:
"I don't like any of them," Ellie grumbles, crossing her arms, looking all upset, though Tony's estimation gets a grin out of her, "15, but I pull it off, don't I? Think I could fool a bartender?" She asks, conveniently forgetting that 16 is not enough of a sell to get it. "Oh, there's nothing to enjoy when you're from Genosha, hell's worst place on Earth, or at least used to be when I was a kid." Yeah, she didn't quite subscribe to this whole 'she is still a kid' notion. "Well, my dream is to one day kill a whole lot of racist fucks, that'll make the world a better place."

Tony Masters has posed:
Tony rolls his eyes a little. "Uh-huh. You're very cute, El. But no. I don't think you could fool a bartender." He seems amused though. "If you want to underage drink, that's what shoplifting is for. There are other ways, but I don't think you should try flirting with older guys to get them to buy you booze. Not that I don't think you could pull it off, it's just a bad idea." The revelation of her birthplace gets a raised brow from the brown-haired man. "Genosha? Hmm. Sounds like that place isn't very... liveable, these days." He looks her over again more carefully. "Well, I've heard worse dreams. Maybe I'll give you some pointers at some point." He's not a hero! He can endorse the better world through murder plan.

Negasonic has posed:
"...cute...?" Ellie looks skeptically at Tony, as she grumbles, "I do absolutely nothing to be cute, I mean, see?" She runs a hand through her shorn hair, as if to point out she doesn't have any cutesy hairstyle. She shrugs about the assessment on her odds with a bartender, "but I can sound really tough, and I think my hair and piercings throw people off their comfort zone. I bet I got a shot...I mean, I could try and make my voice sound deeper...maybe if I smoke before."

"Eeeww, I wouldn't go dating older men, I'm not stupid," Ellie says with a shrug, before looking a bit more dour, "yeah, Genosha got fucked when it was liberated by Magneto, assholes couldn't stand mutants having their way for once." She does, however, look quite excited at the proposition of getting tips, particularly as it means Tony believes her. "Awesome, so care to give me an example of a pointer?" Maybe she's more serious than one would think.

Tony Masters has posed:
Tony grins at her. "Yep. Cute. That's why trying to flirt your way to booze would be a bad idea. They might not want to stop at just flirting. Would't want an innocent teen girl to be taken advantage of." He considers her assesment of her own looks, head tilting. "...I think they look good on you. But maybe. Don't discount the appeal of goth girls to non-goth guys, though." It sounds like a genuine warning from the older guy. "Magento. Yeah. And it seems like things haven't improved any recently."

At the question about pointers, he raises a brow at her. "Hmm. Well. What do you know about fighting right now?" He can probably guess from the way she moves and her general physique. But easier to just ask her. Normally he charges for lessons, even minor ones, but... he really does like the kid. She amuses him.

Negasonic has posed:
"What did I do that was cute...?" Ellie seems actually concerned as Tony repeats it, as she honestly doesn't want to come off as cute, ever, partly why she dresses and acts the way she does. "I appreciate your concern," Ellie mutters, before offering a rather endearing cocky smile, "but I pity the asshole who thinks he can force anything on me. I won't be anyone's slave ever again..." she sounds rather fierce as she speaks that promise out loud. "That a thing...?" Ellie arches a brow, looking uncertain at the entire idea of 'goth appeal' to 'non-goths' as it were. "Magneto is or rather was a saint, these assholes got him...they fucking lit the whole country to get their way."

"Fighting? Well, not a lot...I mean, I can throw a punch or a kick or whatever, but I prefer to get all explosive in an enemy's face..." she doesn't quite elaborate on what she means by that.

Tony Masters has posed:
"Hmm. Well. I guess you didn't do anything 'cute' cute. But you're very... earnest, about your gothy ways and all. I find that charming. And you're also physically pretty, so guys are gonna treat you better by default. Some girls too." Then he gives an approving nod at the bit about guys trying to force themselves on her. "That's the spirit. Give 'em hell if they try." Then he lets out another laugh. "Guys finding goth girls attractive? Hell yes. Kind of amzing you don't know that." He doesn't comment on the sainthood of Magneto. He may or may not have met the guy during his work in the past.

Tony considers her words. Explosive? Ah. Right. Genosha. So she's a mutant then. He says, "Well. Lets see. A good pointer would be...." Then suddenly he's stepping forward. He's startling quick, a hand flashing up in a palm strike towards her chin... that stops just before actually touching her. "First you do this..." He uses a single finger on the underside of said chin to tilt her head back. "Then when they're stunned by that and exposed, you do..." Then his other hand flashes out, a flat hard fist heading towards her throat. Again, it stops before actually touching her. "...this. Usually, a crushed trachea is a good way to take the fight out of somebody. Obviously just showing you once wouldn't do anything. But that's the kind of thing I can teach."

Negasonic has posed:
"I try," Ellie looks actually flattered for once, while a lot of girls no doubt want to be thought of as 'cute', she seems genuinely much more pleased with being called 'earnest'. At least when put in that perspective she doesn't seem to suffer as much from what was most likely, truly, a compliment. She chuckles somewhat nervously when her looks and what benefit they may hold are discussed, clearly not accustomed to such talk or thoughts. "I guess I get a point across in how I look, people aren't usually comfortable approaching me. They must think I'm some kind of punk or something."

Ellie was not at all prepared for an impromptu fighting lesson, and Tony's movement is much faster than what she's used to, so she's easily caught off guard. Frozen in place, while he luckily stops short of actually hitting her with that palm strike. Her eyes open wide as he sends yet another blow that stops short of hitting her throat, and as she takes a step back, and a deep breath to settle herself, she quips, "you weren't bullshitting, you really can fight, huh?"

Tony Masters has posed:
He nods his head at her. "Mmhmm. I don't mean to brag, but I'd say I'm one of the best in... the world." Which DOES sound like bragging to be sure. But is also technically true. He smiles over at her. "I don't want this to sound the wrong way, but... if you ARE a mutant, chances are you're going to have to deal with people who don't like you for just that reason. And while I'm not sure what it is you can do that's... explosive, I can almost guarantee there's going to be times where being quieter and more discrete would be a better idea. I normally don't offer lessons to random people I meet in the park, however spunky. But I have to say I find myself genuinely liking you. That doesn't happen often. So I'd be willing to give you a bit of training here and there when we're both free. If you wanted."

Negasonic has posed:
"...seriously...?" Ellie looks like she's on the verge between being skeptical and taking him at his word, Tony certainly surprised her with how easily he could have kicked her ass if he wanted to. She didn't even see his attack coming, until he stopped short of hitting her. "Are you kidding me? I was born in Genosha, I was grew up a slave, I only got a real taste of freedom when Magneto freed us. That's why I will always remember him fondly, no matter what evil lies people say about him. Anyways, I know what racists fucks can do."

Not wanting t give everything away, she does smirk at the question about the vagueness of being explosive, "wanna know my mutant name...?" Ellie offers, apparently brimming with pride and dying to share. Clearly she imagines her name would give all the info he could care for about her gift.

"You know, normally I'd tell an old guy offering to teach me stuff to go fuck off," Ellie keeps being honestly blunt, "but you're legit...I mean, I really didn't see that coming, whatever it was. If you're willing to teach me, I'd love to learn, but...yeah, I like...barely got allowance at all, so can't really afford much."

Tony Masters has posed:
He's too legit to quit. "Grew up a slave? Right, right. Harsh country. Sorry to hear that, El." He gives his head a shake. "I let a lot of things slide, but that..." Even amoral mercenaries have standards. Sometimes. He snorts a little at the offer to share her codename. "Sure... why not. Wait, let me guess first. Drama Bomb? Black Death? Captain Goth?" Then he laughs. "Well, most of the time an old guy offers to teach you something, it's probably a good idea to tell them to fuck off. But I'm not THAT old. I'm only... twice your age." Man. She really is young. "Don't worry about the cost...maybe once you've been trained up a bit, I can find you some minor jobs that don't offend your staunch morals." He pulls out a cellphone, preparing to offer his contact info to her. His non-work info, even. "Oh... are you a big fan of the social media stuff? Twitter and instagram and all that."

Negasonic has posed:
"You really don't know about Genosha, huh? Humans said that mutants are a subrace and only fit to serve, they put us through something called Mutate Bonding process, it basically makes us obedient drones..." Ellie says in a very somber tone of voice. Her expression darkens, and she turns to stare at that memorial again. "It's like being a prisoner in your own body, while you do things without control."

It seems the lapse into dark memories from her childhood had drained away her excitement in sharing her codename, she doesn't even laugh at the derisive guesses Tony makes. It looks like she's almost ready to withdraw entirely, when he mentions the one passion in her life, and she quips, "@AtomicPinCushion is my handle on social media...I think I should go for now, thanks."

Tony Masters has posed:
Watching Ellie withdraw into herself, Tony reaches out and rests his hand lightly on her back as a sign of support. "I know of it, but I never really knew many of the details..." He's quiet for a time as well, then nods and lets his hand drop away. "Right. I have an... apprentice, I think you might get along well with. I'll have her contact you if you'd like. It was a genuine pleasure to meet you, Ellie. Watch out for yourself out there." The somewhat villainous mercenary gives the angry young goth girl a smile.