23/Shades of Purple or when Kate met Stephanie.

Shades of Purple or when Kate met Stephanie.
Date of Scene:	19 February 2020
Location:	Nickle and Dime 24 Hour Pawn - Bludhaven
Synopsis:	Kate and Stephanie team up to stop a trio of crooks from fencing their goods. Special appearance by Detective Dick Grasyon!
Cast of Characters:	Dick Grayson, Kate Bishop, Stephanie Brown

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Dick Grayson has posed:
There had been a series of high rise robberies in Manhattan, with robbers that were actually scaling the buildings of the high rises, breaking in, and stealing the jewels before escaping. They had been a thorn in the side of the NYPD, causing a small task force to be created to go after them. But it's nothing that's drawn the attention of say... the Avengers. Or what other super hero groups are out there.

In the meantime, in Gotham, a character that Stephanie Brown has been keeping an eye on, the elusive Frankie the Fence has set up a clandestine meeting in Bludhaven tonight. Apparently he's gotten word of some merchandise coming down from Gotham that is worth the time and trouble for him to make the trip. He's the first to arrive at the Pawn Shoppe, making his way from his Cadillac into the back entrance, where he's greeted heartily by a few hoods, and the owner of the shop, a man with a rap sheet they call Teflon Thomas, because a charge one hasn't stuck yet.

As they're meeting and greeting, a non-descript sedan pulls up and three figures emerge. The Manhattan robbers. They're also making their way into the pawn shoppe. From the front.

Kate Bishop has posed:
These aren't supervillains. They aren't even villains like the Shocker for instance. These are just criminals and as far as Kate is concerned this is a good test run to see how her gear holds up and if she is as ready for this as she feels she is.

Not to mention it is actually a bit personal, one of the places these robbers hit was one of her families. Her sisters. They took some jewelry that belonged to her mother, and of course some of her sisters.

A dark shape steps out an an alleyway across the street shortly after the guys make their way into the front of the pawnshop. Making pretty good time and avoiding street lights, the silhouette of a bow in her hand, arrow nocked but not drawn back yet.

You can do this Kate is what she keeps telling herself in her head. The cops clearly haven't been competent enough to do this yet.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
"A pawn shop? Seriously?" Stephanie watches from a the edge of the rooftop on the building across the alley from the Pawn Shoppe, letting out a quiet but sharp sigh as Frankie slides into the back entrance of the store. "You came all the way out here for this, Frankie?"

Rising out of a crouch, she slipsdipe down to the fire escape and over the edge, aiming to make as little noise as possible in her descent. "Well... this'll be worth it for one of us, at least," she mumbles to herself as she hits the ground. "Okay, Steph. You can do this."

Pulling the cover of her mask tighter, she slips towards the building, sliding from trassh can to car, to whatever else will give her cover as she slides up closer.

Dick Grayson has posed:
Yes. That's what he came out here for, Stephanie. Your rogue's gallery is still using training wheels. Seriously. After the entry of the robbers in the front, they are met there by Teflon Thomas who is giving a look over the various jewels and such that were taken. "How much cash you boys looking for?" he asks, the loaded question of pawn brokers everywhere.

It's one of those 24 hour pawn shoppes. The type that down on their luck go to with their dredges of their jewels and get undercut terribly. Pennys instead of dollars on the ounce. There's musical gear, televisions, jewelry, collectibles, and of course guns. Lots of guns.

"We're looking for at 50K." comes the response from the lead hood.

"Fifty?" Thomas whistles. "That's a pretty large amount this time of night. Let me talk to my expert, see what we can come up with." He moves to gather the bag to take to the back, when one of the hoods draws a gun. "So you can lock us out? Naw, that ain't happening. Your fence can come out here!"

Thomas frownts, and over his shoulder, calls out. "Frankie! Come out and take a look at this!"

Kate Bishop has posed:
Right then. Kate finishes her hustle across the street keeping her head down and trying, again, to keep to the shadows. Having made it without any gunfire she leans and glances in the window past a very sad set of drums, to peer at the deal taking place. "Gotcha." she mutters to herself, no fancy comms because no team to talk to.

She edges her hand down, carefully pops the front door, then with a slip of her foot she opens it so her hands are free to draw her bow back and point it right at Teflon Thomas. "All of you freeze." is said over the ring of the door chime.. .. .. seriously though if not for the teenage girl's voice the whole outfit probably gives a start towards Hawkeye, it is a very expensive homage after all.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
As Steph slides up to the back door, she presses her ear to it, trying to hear the coversation transpiring inside. A grin slowly forms on her face as she rises up to her feet. "Bing-" She's cut off as the doorbell inside rings out and a new voice joins that of deal being made inside. Eyes widen as she hears Kate, reflexively sucking in a breath.

Welp. Now or never now.

Boot to door, she puts the brunt of her weight behind kicking it open. She would prefer stealth, but it sounds like that ship just sailed. "You should probably listen to her,"she offers out, eyes centered on Frankie before sliding over to Thomas, and then finally to the person who's spoiling her bust.

That's supposed to be her job!

Dick Grayson has posed:
And the robbers, Frankie, and Thomas, find themselves... surrounded!

And for a moment it looks like the two teen girls might pull it off, because the group is starrled. One of them cries out, "Cheeze it, it's the capes!"

But then the realization settles in.

"They're brats! Wanna be Robins with no Bat! Take them out!" One of the robbers swings around, his pistol that was aimed at Thomas now snapped around to fire at Purple Girl #1 -- which would be Hawkeye.

Thomas is grabbing a shotgun that's under the counter as Frankie the Fence is getting out of the way, because he's not gonna get involved in the firefight that's about to break out as Thomas is levelling his shotgun towards Spoiler, and his first shot goes wide, blowing up the table that was set up with Italian food, sending it splattering all over the place!

The hood's shot is fired towards Hawkeye, does she have the reflex to avoid it??

Kate Bishop has posed:
Well I mean he did telegraph and have to swing around from where he was pointing it at Teflon Thomas. Which is good because one thing Kate does not have is Super speed. What she does have though is excellent reflexes and she steps to the side so a display gets shot and not her. "You see I'm literally pointing arrows at you, right?!"

She leans back around firing off said arrow fast aiming for his hand, with surprising precision despite just being shot at by the guy. Then she ducks back and nocks another arrow. "Also do I look like some sort of bird!?" to the Robin bit.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
"Whoa!" As food goes splattering, Step tries to keep her attention focused on Thomas. There's a lot going on at once, and she's trying her best to keep on top of it all. And oh good, now they're taking shots at Robin, too. Steph can't wait to tell Tim about this later, assuming she isn't slinking off to have a bullet wound delt with. Or... an arrow wound?

"Robin? You wish!" she shouts, smirking as she rushes in, closing the distance between herself and Thomas. A hand dips into her costume, and pulls out one of her two sticks, trying to move fluidly as possible as she hurls it towards him.

Dick Grayson has posed:
The arrow strikes goon one's hand, knocking the pistol aside as he cusses loudly, grabbing his hand. "Get her!" That's the plan. The entirity of it! A large goon, the second of three moves at Kate, trying to grab a hold of her to literally crush him against his girth and slam her into the ground. In the meantime, goon the third is slipping around, pulling a knife from his boot to move upon Kate to try to stab her unless stopped!

Thomas chambers a fresh round with a /ka-clak/ as the spent shell is kicked out of the shotgun and a new round slides in, but Stephanie's fast on the stick. The shotgun is knocked to the right and slams into the fuse box, sending the shop into total darkness, which may favor the ladies, but in the darkness, Frankie the Fence swings a bat at Stephanie's back, attempting to catch her from behind!

Kate Bishop has posed:
"Arrows are sharp!" she notes sassily to the wounded goon who shot at her.

Of course as she steps back out to fire another arrow at the thugs, probably to pin someone's foot against the floor she gets slammed into by someone who could be a linebacker. "Son of...a.. ufff" her bow getting dropped as she gets slammed towards the ground now.

It doesn't quite work out that way for the big guy though, she does... something.. as they fall to the ground which causes the thug to be pivoted and then launched by both of her feet upside down ... right into the window display drumset.

Kate rolls back up to her feet breathing hard, those battlebatons in her hands now as she squares off with the knife wielding goon.

Then the lights go out and her glasses kick in. "All right.. good shot girl robin!"

Stephanie Brown has posed:
As the lights go out, Steph slides on her heel, pivoting in both an attempt to change direction and make use of the darkness as well as really hard to not respond to Kate's "Girl Robin" comment. Unfortunately, the sudden pivot and the distraction put her just enough off guard, and-

Oh right, Frankie. As she's reaching for her other stick, the bat comes full force contact into her back. With a gasp and a grunt, Step stumbles forward, bracing herself against the counter that Thomas hides behind. She huffs up a breath, spinning to look towards Frankie, while tyring to her to remember where Thomas was. Situational awareness if one of those things she needs to work on.

Nothing like trial by fire.

"Keep 'em coming, Girl Green Arrow!" is a call back she immediately regrets, because Green Arrow is definitely higher on the foodchain than Tim is.

Dick Grayson has posed:
Burly goon slams into the drum set with such a clatter,
Alarms sound and klaons rattle.
The girls are winning, which is keen,
But they better hurry for police are on the way to the scene!

Slammed against the bars, the burly good slips to the floor, that only leaves the knife wielding goon as he grips his knife tightly and tries to get in close to swipe at Kate, but in the dark, he's at a disadvantage compared to Kate's night vision glasses, and he reaches to try to clumsily stab and poke at her.

In the backroom, as Stephanie goes forward, Frankie moves, trying to push over a large shelf covered with televisions and other equipment to trap Stephanie. He's in no want to hurt the woman, he's just trying to put something between him and her in order to escape out the backdoor.

Thomas fumbles around for his shogun shells, just as the emergency flood lights in the corners come on, illuminating the area in a harsh light.

Which is good and bad news for all involved.

Kate Bishop has posed:
"Does my costume look green..." she ducks back from a knife swing. "I mean.. I know it is dark but it is purple for the record." not that she wants to be called Hawkgirl next by girl robin though.

She strikes out with the batons in her hands, first swing is aiming to break the knife holding hand, the other to break the jaw of the flailing guy. Nightvision hopefully for the win right. "How are you doing back there... we should probably.. wrap this up soon.. cops..." yeah Kate is breathing hard. So much adrenaline. It isn't that she is out of shape but this is a lot different than hte dojo or various practices.

Intense AF.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
As Frankie pulls down the shelf, Stephanie scrambles to pull herself up on to the counter and out of the way of the falling debris. She doesn't waste time pulling herself up all the way, as soon as her heels are leveraged against the edge, she pushes off and leaps up and over the last tumbling TV. As she sails through the air, she slams her stick into the base of Frankie's neck, hoping to send him collaapsing to the ground.

As the flood lights come back on, she hits tthe ground and skids, bracng herself as her back collides with the wall - it's not a big shop, after all. With a grunt, she flicks her eyes over towards Kate. "Whatever, Purple Arrow. Mind cleaning up the trash?"

Because that's what you are, Thomas, and she doesn't enjoy being wide open like this.

Dick Grayson has posed:
Kate's batons are effective, the strike to the goon's hand sending the knife skittering across the floor while the blow to his mid-section doubles him over. The goon is easily dispatched a moment later by Kate's swift reaction, leaving him open to be floored and taken out of the fight. It seems that Kate's taken care of business on her side.

In the meantime, Stephanie manages to strike Frankie, sending him to the ground short of the door, and he slides to a halt, slow to start to try to recover, knocked dizzy by the blow.

That leaves Thomas. Who without any shells to load into his shotgun, uses it as a clumsy swing to try to take out Stephanie, as he finds himself outnumbered two to one by the two women.

Kate Bishop has posed:
Kate blinks a couple times as her glasses quickly shift out of nightvision to compensate for the suden flood lights "Damnit." then the take out the trash comment sinks in. "Right. On it." she hooks her foot under her bow and kicks it up into her hands with practiced smoothness.

Honestly she would never admit it but she practiced that move so often it is pretty much muscle memory. She would claim she did it because she might be disarmed and need to retrieve it like now. But honestly she did it because it looks so damn cool.

The batons clatter to the ground and she draws an arrow and shoots it at Thomas, aiming for his shoulderblade, the one associated with the arm holding the gun like a club.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
As Thomas swings at her, Steph huffs out a breath and ducks, slipping to the side. The movement is a bit slower than she would like, but there's little to be done about it in the moment. As she backs away, her eyes flit over to to Frankie on the ground. Looking back up to Thomas. she slides back from him and closer to her primary target.

Boot placed against his shoulder, she sucks in another breath as she waits for Kate to shoot, and hopefully put all of this to an end.

Dick Grayson has posed:
The arrow strokes Thomas in the shoulder and he lets out a sharp cry of pain as the shotgun is dropped. "You bitch!" he snarls. Such language used on a pair of teen girls! He's about to reach for something else when a light from outside illuminates the shop, and from the back there's a figure standing there, pistol held in his hands. "Bludhaven Police, freeze!" the voice calls out.

A voice that Stephanie knows.

Detective Dick Grayson, his badge slung from his belt stands in the doorway, his hands on his pistol as he looks around the backroom of the shop. The downed figures. And then to the two girls that caused it all. His eyes settle firmly on Stephanie. There will be a talk about this later. A long talk.

Probably with a certain pointy-eared guy. But for now, he has another deilemia. The commissioners directive on vigilantes is arrest them all. But how does one do that when he's a vigilante himself?

"It'll take the patrol out front thirty seconds to get through that front door, ladies. You have that long to vamoose." He offers, as Dick steps aside to let the two of them pass.

As Stephanie comes by though, his words are low. "Good job, kid." he offers to her quietly.

Kate Bishop has posed:
Kate totally has another arrow knocked to put it through Thomas's hand when he starts reaching for something else. Honestly Dick saved him more medical bills.

Kate pivots not aiming her bow at the cop though, she doesn't have a quiver of non-pointy-piercy arrows really. So it wouldn't be nice. "Crap." and then the cop seems to be letting them go. "Right on!" she gestures with an arrow at the jewels "Stolen from Manhattan, those cops couldn't solve it." and she is hustling for the back door clearing to the alley behind the shop. To Stephanie "Rocking, that was amazing!" very enthused.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie's posture reflexively straightens when she hears Dick's voice. Well, that was unexpected - but definitely not unwelcome. Her mask hides the brief look of relief she bares. "Thanks," is all she offers, looking to Kate before following after her. A smile forms across her face as Dick compliments her work.

She doesn't waste time responding. Wouldn't be a good look for either of them. Instead, she huurries out the back down and down the alley, instinctively following behind Kate. "Yeah," she answers, sounding at least a bit out of breath. "Sorry about the the Purple Arrow crack," she adds.

Dick Grayson has posed:
Dick watches the two girls scamper into the night like they had just found a sale at the Gap and made out like bandits.

"...was I ever like that?" he asks himself, then shakes his head as he reminds himself he's an adult now, and has adult duties, like arresting people. "Well, Thomas, can't wait to hear your excuse this time." he says as he reaches for his handcuffs. "You have the right to remain silent, anything you say..."

It's all humdrum stuff. And it gives the girls more time to get away.

Kate Bishop has posed:
Kate glances around the alley and then looks to Stephanie "Hey no problem, beat the green arrow comment or those guys calling me Robin." she peers a moment "Also you don't look like Robin, nice choice in color by the way and weapons." a not towards the batons Spoiler has.

She slings her bow. "We should definitely make ourselves scarce, last thing I want to do is have my identity blown with the cops my first night." the hell you say though, her first night. She .. was very competent in there all said. Not great. Not like Hawkeye great but yeah Kate is definitely proud of herself.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Sliding her sticks back into their holders, Stephanie chuckles. "First night? I would love to meet whoever trained you," she offers genially, using the moment to catch her bearings a bit. "I know a Robin," she adds with amusement. "Never been one, though." She extends a hand to Kate. "Spoiler."

She's more used to working somewhat alone, or with Tim or Bruce, but- hey. She hasn't been at this that long either, so. "Hold tight and I'll get us out of sight," she offers as she pulls a grappling gun off her belt. She'll never figure out how she lived without these, much less cumbersome than the grappling hook.

Kate Bishop has posed:
"Well, a lot of people have trained me." the girl has a lot of priviledge really. "Spoiler, okay that is a good name for a crime fighter." her hand extending into Stephanie's smoothly "I.. actually can't believe I didn't think of a good name to use for a situaton like this..."

She blinks at the grapple gun. "I really need grapple and other trick arrows..." she does step in though and holds tight suddenly.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
"I hear Purple Arrow isn't taken," Steph offers in a glib tone. "Though Green Arrow might sue for copyright infringement. If that's even a thing you can do." She pauses, before shaking the thought out of her head. Pressing the trigger, the grapple gun fires and latches on to the highest point of the adjacent building.

In a moment, they are whisking off the ground. Slower than usual because of the added weight, but quick enough to make adifference. Once up on the roof, Stephanie ducks down and looks back towards the pawnshop. "I suppose I should've asked if you'd need a way down too," she observes after a moment. "You gonna be okay? You'll have to let me know what name you cokme up with."

Kate Bishop has posed:
"Yeah... I'll put a lot of due consideration into Purple Arrow... and then come up with something better I am sure." amused tone there as she inhales sharply as she is whisked off the ground by Spoiler.

Kate looks the rooftop over and then nods "I am sure I can find a way down somehow... I do not have one of those... though." indicating the grapple gun. "Als I will be sure to let you know... do I light a Spoiler Signal on a roof top?" okay yeah she is snarking now, a smile.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
"Whatever you do, don't give me any credit." For the name. Steph looks down, and then around the roof. "There's a fire escaple on the other side. That should fine for getting down>" Assuming it's still in good condition. Bludhaven isn't nearly as bad as parts of Gotham, but it's not anything to write home about either.

"If you're going to be in the area, I'm sure we'll bump into each other again," she offers to Kate as her grapple gun recoils and she starts towards the far edge. "For how big these cities are, they're awfully small." Regrettably so at times. With a wave back to Kate, Steph steps to the edge and surveys her surroundings, before firing her grapple again and swinging off into the night.

Kate Bishop has posed:
Kate looks after Stephanie and nods to herself now. "I really, really need to either get one of those or figure out how Hawkeye makes all those trick arrows of his." she breaths in and then grins "That was amazing." she starts to job to the fire escape and the motorcycle she parked a few streets away.

"Good job." she says to herself with a grin. "Even met another hero even if I hadn't heard of her."