4305/=The White Spires of the Cathedral

=The White Spires of the Cathedral
Date of Scene:	05 December 2020
Location:	Saint Patrick's Cathedral
Synopsis:	Bowling with Santas at St. Patrick's Cathedral
Cast of Characters:	Jessica Drew, Heather Danielson, Ted Kord

---

Jessica Drew has posed:
The tall white spires of the cathedral drew her in off the street. Raised by agnostic scientists who had neither the time nor the inclination to take her to church, Jessica has little experience with ritual or theology. The architecture attracts her, the color and solemn quiet that reigns in most churches as well - a stark contrast to the streets of New York. Or is it spider-sense?

The dark-haired woman walks the perimeter of the church, stopping to look into the niches where votive candles burn in front of statues donated by long-dead parishioners, the wealthy of New York. Her fashionable boots tap quietly on the stone floors as she walks into a sanctuary devoted to St. Francis. Adjusting her scarf for the heat, she stands looking up at the saint's statue surrounded by baby animals.

Heather Danielson has posed:
    Raised in the Midwest in of all things, a Methodist household, Heather grew further and further from the church the more she got involved in the life of being a model. Sure, she does things because they are the right thing to do, but she doesn'ta scribe things to some greater power.
    After all, she's met some of the greater powers out there, and they don't seem involved with the church. Either way, she does love the beauty of well made buildings. Plus, this was on the list of places that the girls she has signed up to adopt for a weekend wanted to visit. So she has come to visit ahead of time, doing homework and preparing to show the kids around. After all, she wants to actually be a -good- role model. But she is somewhat incognito, which is difficult to do when you are on posters inside lockers.. -and- one of the Titans. A blue ball cap with an odd yellowish music note logo on it rests atop her blonde hair, the hair pulled into a ponytail that sticks out of the gap in the back of the hat. She is dressed casually but with a large leather jacket to keep her warm in the New York Winter.
    Either way, she sits in the back, with a book about this very building in her hands... as she tries to familiarize herself with all of the important bits.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord flies along filming what he's witnessing and dictating into a throat mic. He'll send his mini podcast to a couple of friends. Below a huge gang of well... Santa's swagger and stagger down the Avenue, scaring the tourists.

"This Beetle one, reporting to you the finest New York tradition... the Drunk Santa Pub crawl. Yeah these giys get done up as the jolly old elf and get hammered. I figure watch them incase they make a real fuss or need help. God is supposed to watch out for drunks and idiots but God have a lot on his plate. It's His busy season. Oh, wait... little group of about a dozen peeling off the main herd."

A number are no longer staggering as they move towards St. Patrick's and produce pry bars from under their belly pillows or bellies. With a yell they charge the doors.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Spider-sense whips Jessica's head around toward the door as she winces at the clash of sound breaking the silence. Two steps take her out of the sanctuary. Around the church, people look up from prayer or reading startled at the shouts. Without hesitation, she rapidly walks up the aisle toward the source of the sound.

Heather Danielson has posed:
    Without any sort of super spidey or any other sort of sense other than the Mark One Eyeball or Eardrum, Heather doesn't react with the same sort of speed that Jessica does it with. But she stays in the sanctuary, only turning her head to direct her blue eyes towards the front only after Jessica heads that way.
    Then the shouts come and she closes the book carefully, setting it on the pew beside her. Then she steps out into the aisle and turns to face the back of the sanctuary.
    Seeing Jessica heading that way, she calls out, "Excuse me. Any idea what's going on?" comes her question.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord says to himself, "I can take the last two guys from behind before they cause any mayhem. They'll get released but the church comes first."

Like that he swoops down and grabs the two Santa's lagging behind by their collars. Flying them, straight up.

Beetle hangs them from a convenient gargoyle that looks sturdy. Engineering fu.

"Hey what **** lemme go I'll bend this bar around your ****ing head you... of **** don't drop me! It was his idea! Awww!" one says. As the other is hung into place he says, "'Let's avoid Gotham Myron, The Bat will hang ya off a roof' you says," he sneers at his partner imitating his voice.

"For ****'s sake, have some respect! This is a church you dumb ****s we're near the birth of our f---ine Saviour. No I'm keeping the pry bars!" Beetle snaps at them.

Blue Beetle drops down deal with the rest, already feeling knuckles on his face.

Jessica Drew has posed:
"No, idea," Jessica huffs in a clipped British accent, walking even faster as more and more people look with alarm toward the door. "Idiocy from the sounds of it."

A surreal picture awaits her at the end of the aisle: rotund men dressed in red and white trimmed suits with fake white beards, faces flushed from alcohol stand crowded at the church door. They are not carrying candy canes but brandish crowbars. Overhead the intricate opening chords of a Bach hymn spill over the organ balcony and stop at a woman's high-pitched scream.

Heather Danielson has posed:
    Moving to catch up with Jessica, Heather looks like the kid sister to Jessica's fully adultness. Adultness really is a word! Either way, she strides up with the intent of protection someone she thinks of as a civilian. She has no idea she is so outclassed by the agent of SHIELD.
    "Whoa. Can we talk about this?" she asks as she lifts her hands and tries to place herself between Jessica and the Santas. "This really isn't the way Santa should behave, is it?" She asks.
    But she turns her head and half-whispers, "Stay back. I'm with the Titans." to try to impress this 'civilian' with her desire to protect and serve and.. well you know. She has no idea she's talking with someone who has more authority -and- more raw physicality than her.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord realizes zotting these guys from behind is a bad idea as there are no doubt worshippers beyond them he could send them flying into people and all that. How else to get in? He spots the bell tower and flies up up and... right to it. He's getting the hang of this flying, you bet!

Jessica Drew has posed:
Jessica's eyes widen in alarm at the beautiful teen screening her from the mob. She steps in front of the young woman, an arm barring her from moving until she reconsiders.

"Titans, is it? Well, bravo. I think between the two of us we can nip this in the bud. Really. No worries."

Shaking her head as though addressing a group of naughty children, "Time for you to turn about and leave the church. Or you will regret it." She walks up to the Santa closest to her and his crowbar clatters to the floor. Jessica's movement nearly too fast to follow with the naked eye.

Heather Danielson has posed:
    Eyes going wide as Jessica shows her skill, speed, and power... Heather shakes her head like she just got punched in the nose and stunned. She's trying to clear her preconceptions. "Um..."
    Then she breaks out of her mental block and strides forward. "As the lady said. Cut this out." she states, blocking with her body. She really doesn't want to punch any drunk Santas if they are just too drunk to know better.
    She braces herself and readies to take a hit, or to use her considerable strength to bar the way.

Ted Kord has posed:
Above the bells of St. Patrick's toll, for no scheduled reason. Drowning out several cries of a less Heavenly nature.

"Oh my gosh! What I get for cursing. Oh man. Stupid bells! Owowowo," Beetle mutters. He bursts through the door at the bottom of the bell tower, wobbling a bit. "PAX VOBISCUM" he yells to the frightened worshippers. He spots the altercation way down at the end of the aisle and floats down cautiously drawing his weapon.

Loud noises can make you dizzy. He has to save those ladies! Those lovely ladies! Maybe Christmas was coming early? Hah!

Jessica Drew has posed:
The church reverberates with bells as the organ comes to an abrupt stop punctuated by the metallic clatter of a second crowbar snatched from a Santa's hand.

"Hey!" The drunk Santa Claus looks at his empty hand then at the well-dressed woman standing in front of him. His bleary eyes jump between the blonde teen and Jessica. "Yeah. What the hell? Get outta my way."

"Really," Jessica says, her implacable expression edged with sympathy for the drunks. "Come on. Get back out on the street and leave these people alone." Behind her a man holds up his phone, saying, "I called 911."

Stupidly drunk he pushes forward. Jessica grabs him by the front of his fake fur tunic and holds him up in the air with ease, "You don't listen. Go. I don't want to hurt you." The man struggles in her grip, his flushed face darkening as the chokehold cuts off his air.

Heather Danielson has posed:
    The bells make Heather flinch. She turns her head to look back inside just as one of the drunks shoves forward and tackles her.
    "Hey!" she calls out as her basic girls' self defense comes into play and she falls onto her beck and uses a knee to lift and thrust the Santa over her head and onto his own back.
    She rolls to her feet and goes to one knee, "Hey, you okay?" She asks as she reaches down a hand and basically holds the guy down with her strength by pressing her palm to his chest. But then as others start to move forward, she narrows her eyes and stands up.. hefting big-fat-drunk-Santa in one hand. "Seriously guys. This is a STUPID idea." she says as she places her handheld Santa-club before her and strides forward to push a bowling pin setup group of Santas back onto their butts. Then she sets the one in her hand down on a couple of the others, "I think I got this group handled." She mutters towards Jessica.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord holsters his gun. It is as nonlethal as he could make it, but it still seems wrong. However, he is still a man who looks like a bug at the moment and is flying! That has to count for some cred. He turns his goggled eyes on the Santas and says, "We aren't letting you wreck this place. Period. We are... not letting you. Go. " He tries his level best to sound like Batman. The Beetle gets into a defensive crouch and hopes he looks paranormal. He spares both ladies a glance but they seem okay. SHIELD? Mutants? Amazons? No idea.

Jessica Drew has posed:
"Bowling with Saint Nick! Now, that's a striking idea," Jessica hurls the Santa she is holding up into the four standing Santas wavering behind him and bowls them over in a flurry of hands and arms.

Out on the street, police sirens wail announcing their arrival and blue...Jessica does a double take at the goggled man in blue hovering above them. "I rather think they got the idea," she says conversationally to both the super heroes. The last two santas standing, both bug eyed at what they just witnessed edge out the door right into the arms of the police racing up the steps.

"It might be time for us to fade off the scene. I'm in no mood for questions."

Heather Danielson has posed:
    Inclining her head. Heather nods to Jessica. "Works for me. Let's just let them think of it as Divine Intervention, eh?" she asks before she turns and smiles, "By the way. I'm Knockout of the Titans. Good to meetcha." she says before she turns and trots off into the night.

Ted Kord has posed:
Ted Kord watches the Santa's hightail it. Watches Heather do her own fade. He drops brush the floor. "That was magnificent! Are you an Amazon?" Why not, he'd check out the Parthemon? He pulls his goggles off and his hood to look Jessica in the eyes. Merely a guy with brown hair and ordinary looks. "I'm Ted Kord. Come up to Kord Co if you want to talk some more. We better skitter right now." Then like Peter Pan he turns and flashes out the doors as sirens grow louder. He's pretty sure Jessica can handle her own fade.