4388/On a Lark in the Dark within a Park

On a Lark in the Dark within a Park
Date of Scene:	13 December 2020
Location:	Tricorner Island
Synopsis:	Colleen and Elektra find themselves immersed in an underworld war. It's grusome and gross at times!
Cast of Characters:	Selene Corvinus, Elektra Natchios, Colleen Wing

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Selene Corvinus has posed:
To say that Selene had her work cut out for her here in the United States would be an understatement. The Lycans that migrated here from eastern Europe had done precisely as they desired, and begun to amass all manner of new defenses, offenses and general surprises for the vampires of the 'New World Coven'.

Almost every night was spent following leads on Lycan situations unfolding in the New York area, and more vigorously in the Gotham City area.

Elektra had been on the back of Selene's mind as a potential contact too, one that she'd called in because a chance had come up to corner one of the main Lieutenants of the Lycans who was working to establish a connection with 'the Hand' organization.

Directions had been sent to Elektra where to meet, a large hotel in Gotham City, though it is not a hotel that sees any residents any longer. It shut down in the 1990s and saw its glory days in the mid 20th century. Once a glamorous hangout for the wealthy, the large hotel now rests on the western edge of the downtown island in Gotham, an eye-sore and a reminder of the changing days.

Selene instructed Elektra to drive around to the back of the building, where she'd find a service door open that would lead her in to the kitchen and then the dining hall, and finally to the foyer where she said she'd find her waiting...

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Elektra has been in the business long enough to know not to trust others all too quickly. She has arrived at the designated spot a while ago, looking it over, staking it out for activity. If there's a trap to be had here she wants to be well ahead of it. She was out there atop a nearby building, squatted down for the good of an half-hour, binoculars with infrared on, spotting the streets, the surroundings of that large hotel... Gotham always had that touch of making everything look eery, specially these abandoned places..

This serves another purpose too, which is to wait for another of her companions to join her, Colleen. Not that she was here yet, something that left her none too pleased. And perhaps worried. And that /did/ upset her. Worrying about others. A weakness..

But brushing away those thoughts she has had enough of both waiting and also of casing the place. It was time to go in. She slides down the emergency stairs on the side, down to the ground and making her way across the shadows towards that back door, sliding in as a winter breeze, death following her...

Soon enough she is making way past the kitchen and towards that foyer, dressed in that black and red garb of her assassin ways. The mask is down though, no need to have it up as Selene has seen her face before afterall.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
What used to be a fancy and upscale foyer has turned in to an indoor ice rink. But not in a very pleasing and aesthetic way. No, this ice rink was born out of the hotel's utter disrepair. The hotel lobby sits at the base of a tall ring of balconies going up to the top of the hotel's roof where a skylight used to allow natural sunlight to shine in, but now that the glass has been shattered the skylight lets in all of nature, including rain.

The rain has fallen down to the lobby floor and now frozen across the wood, and once carpeted, flooring. The sounds of dropping water can still be heard though, even with the icy floor covering the bulk of the lobby, up to the check-in counter and all around the waiting and lounge area.

Additionally, it's begun to lightly snow this evening and the ice is covered in patches of white powdery snowfall.

With the muffled sounds of Gotham outside, distant police sirens and vehicular traffic, the the ambiance of the hotel is gloomy, to say the very least.

Selene isn't anywhere in sight either. Not at first anyone. She'll let Elektra roam around a bit before her voice calls out from above. Up on the first balcony overlooking the lobby, the black clad woman holds on to the railing and peers down to Elektra. "You made it." Her voice, sultry and calm, echoes down to the woman in black and red.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Gotham. She had friends here. Despite her best efforts none of them had yet agreed to move away from this gloomy place. It's in their blood, they're gothamites for life. Her motorcycle pulls up outside the despondent hotel and she takes off her helmet. This is the place alright. The instructions were clear.. the choice of venue not so much.

Dressed in black pants, black top, black leathers. She's learnt. Her Katana is slung over her back. The young ninja barbie makes her way in to dilapidated hotel and calls out, "Hello.. ah, I'm late. I should have taken the hyperloop, it's faster than the interstate."

Her eyes roam over the fuzz on the remaining carpets wondering just what kind of fungus has taken root here. She's glad to have gloves on.. touching anything in here is suspect and would probably demand a tetanus shot.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Lovely. Snow and Ice. Not that she expected 'less' from Gotham. But Elektra has worked in harsher conditions. She makes way into the foyer, dark eyes turning here and there in search. The woman she was supposed to meet is nowhere in sight. That doesn't bode well either...

"Was there any doubt?" She then asks without looking up at that balcony, pausing to glance over her shoulder at Colleen calling out. That's not very ninja-like! She will have to have a word with her grasshopper.

"Someone is joining us." She then says up to Selene, eyes turning her way. "Someone I trust." she reassures. "She will be of help in this."

"We are in the foyer, Colleen." She calls out, her voice echoing in the otherwise dark and silent place.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Selene's hands are on the railing as Colleen makes her presence known. Her eyes go over to the direction of the voice from the other woman before she looks back down to Elektra. "I see." She says whilst slowly turning to her right and start to walk with one hand trailing over the railing. Her booted feet carry her toward the old staircase that she starts to descend, rubber soles impacting on the damp carpets that still cover the steps. The curved staircase leads her down toward that icy lobby below.

"Additional help is welcome, of course, if you trust them." The woman in black replies to the other in black and red. "Our... situation, is scheduled to arrive here any possible moment. He's coming to meet, you, in fact." Selene says to Elektra.

Once on the perimeter of the icy covered floor, however, Selene looks to greet Colleen as she enters. "You'll be guised as a recruiter for this 'hand' group. I hope that's acceptable." She adds in her smooth voice, her brown eyes going back to Elektra's own.

Colleen Wing has posed:
A look is given to Elektra of 'we came all the way to Gotham for this dump?' with raised eyebrows. But hey, she's lived in worse. Some claim she lives in worse. Cynics. She looks to Selene and takes in her visage. There's something about her - she knows Elektra is slow to trust. "Here? Okay then," she says and lets out a sigh.

Pretending to be Hand. Again. She may never be rid of them, so she chooses to flip the equation and think that may be they'll never be rid of her. "It's lucky we have plenty of intimate knowledge about the Hand." She looks to Elektra, "How do you want to play it. Do you want to take the lead? I'll be your lieutenant," she says with a touch of a smirk.

There's a niggling feeling inside of her though.. Elektra _is_ Hand. Colleen is considered by some to be 'having a tantrum' and will 'get over it eventually' and is thus still Hand. They don't like to let go of anyone they sink their claws in to. This fake recruitment could just as easily be real recruitment. She's been tricked enough by their mind games to have doubts. But this is Elektra and in Elektra she chooses to trust. "I'm ready."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Elektra would be one of those cynics. She has been on that apartment. And there's a smell to it. But hey, Elektra only has a smirk on her expression when she notes the raised brows. Beggars shouldn't be choosers! "Glad you could join us." is there an edge to her tone. Maybe! She's still upset about worrying. But those thoughts will come later..

Attention turns back to Selene, arms folding about her waist in a loose manner and once she hears about the plan she snorts. Now -that- is ironic. "Yes, we shall go that way." she says of Colleen's plan. "And as she says we do have some knowledge it will be fine."

Her eyes trail to Colleen, "Be very careful. Who we are facing may very well have capabilities that reach beyond the normal. Do not take anything for granted and keep your guard up at all times." there. Pep talk. That's more than she used to do.

"We are ready." She then announces to Selene, dipping her head towards her, tone low. "I imagine you will be wanting to stay out of sight? Come in at the best time to strike?"

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Selene's hands are in the pockets of her long black leather coat. It gives her a very comfortable and casual demeanor, but it also likely suggests she's holding some manner of item, or possible weapon, just inside her pockets. She walks toward Colleen and Elektra, as they converse, her eyes going from one of them to the other before the ultimate question of staying out of sight is brought up.

This pulls her brown eyed gaze back to Elektra, who gets a small nod from the pale skinned woman with the shoulder length black hair. "They'll know me, if they see me... or smell me..." She quietly replies. "I'll be... not far, I promise." Not that these two women can't take care of themselves, but, still, she prides herself in her long years of learning to fight and helping to protect those that are younger than she is.

Another look is given to Colleen along these lines, as the woman does just have an air of being a bit... 'green' to this kind of thing. But, to be fair, Selene's seen neither of them in a fight, she just feels Elektra may carry herself with a more experienced gait.

"Don't trust them." Selene says to Colleen, before she looks back to Elektra. "They're always lying."

With that little 'pep talk' the woman turns and starts to walk toward one of the corners of the dilapidated lobby, a doorway behind the registration desk. "They're coming." She says as she sinks into the shadows offered there-in.

Sure enough,t he sounds of engines can be heard (and felt) rumbling around the outside of the hotel and permeating the otherwise dank atmosphere of this cold and derelict place.

Colleen Wing has posed:
From her jacket she takes out a long black bandana. She learnt this trick from Matt after all. She wraps it about her fore head, then over her mouth and nose and ties it off. This leaves only her eyes visible. It's a nice quick way to become anonymous and, really, to look like the ninja she used to be.

She takes her Katana off of her back. It's moving from 'a weapon I wouldn't use unless I absolutely had to' back to how it used to be... the 'weapon I will use in a heart beat'. At least, that's what she wants to sell, to pretend to be Hand. She ties it about her waist, a nice cant to its posture. One hand rests on the hilt of her sword, her index finger and thumb unwinding the cord that ties the tsuba to the scabbard. The blade is now a reality and she sets her mind to that state of being.

Her free hand rests on her hips and she listens to the two pep talks. Her eyes stare blankly at Elektra and then she listens to Selene's warning. "This'll be interesting then," she comments and her posture changes from casual civilian wandering in to a ruined hotel in Gotham, to samurai of the Wing Way, and Defender of New York City.

No.. she must correct her mind. She's pretending to be Hand. She can feel Bakuto's look in her mind. He'd never say it, but she can feel 'I told you so' oozing from her thoughts of him. This feels too much like a real memory, because it was - though, not with Elektra by her side.

Her language shifts smoothly back to her native Japanese, "Lying to The Hand would be unwise."

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Weapons? Elektra does seem to have her own. Besides the obvious Sais that are on the back of her sash there are knives here and there, a few throwing stars on her bracers and who knows what else? A ninja never leaves home without their tricks afterall. She reaches up to her mask, covering the lower half of her face and adjusting her ponytail on her head.

When Selene says they are coming there is a sharp nod from Elektra, along with a narrowed gaze. Keen senses on that one... But she shouldn't be *that* surprised. The sound that comes soon after has her make a move to a darker spot of the area. Classic. Keep yourself mostly in the dark so they cannot fully evaluate you. She gestures for Colleen to do the same.

And finally, she leans one shoulder against one of the large pillars of the place. It's just meeting with another werewolf, no need to be too tense. And it does convey the message of 'this is our turf'.

The response comes in Japanese, she nodding. "As they will soon find out."

Gaze then focus on the entrance and she waits. That wait before a battle that she knows will happen. It's enough to get her blood boiling, that lust for a fight visible on her eyes, the hunger.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Selene disappears in to the back of the hotel, their visitors take a few minutes before the front doors are just flat out shoved straight open, sending a few pieces of wood, along with a lock and chain, skittering across the floor. So much for keeping the Gotham riffraff outside!

Now, within the doorway, is a towering man of seven feet, and pure muscle. Wearing a brown leather jacket with a white wool neckline and lapel, a muscle shirt beneath it and black leather pants criss-crossed with chains over his hips. Flanking him on either sides are equally 'rough' looking men who all stalk in to the hotel.

"Wooooo, get a look at /this place!/" The smaller man on the left says, while his counter part on the other side of the 'big one' just looks around as suggested.

The trio stride inside until they stop when Elektra and Colleen are seen. "Get a look at them." The big guy says then, grinning at the two women. "Best behavior, boys. I think these are our contacts..."

As they walk to greet Elektra and Colloeen, the big guy speaks up. "Ladies. It is a pleasure. I'm Rock, and these are my associates, Pretty Pete and Jax." He motions from his right to his left at the other men.

"I'm guessing you're here to talk about a bit of... business?" Rock asks, eying the women a bit more lecherously now.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
The assessment begins the moment the large man makes his way in, sharp, dark gaze eyeing him up and down. Then over to the sides as the 'flankers' make themselves known. But she can spot an alpha when she sees one. Or at least the alpha of this particular 'pack'. So her focus stays on that one to the detriment of the two others, sizing him up but never looking him fully in the eyes. No challenge there as of yet. This is a business meeting afterall!

In Japanese she says first to Colleen. "Bigger than I expected." in compliment? Or perhaps she simply enjoys the challenge of it.

Though when she addresses the group she is speaking in english. "Good evening, gentlemen." She inclines her head slowly and measuredly towards them. Polite, prim.

"I am Shade." She introduces herself smoothly, then gestures to her companion. "And this is Dragon." there. Now Colleen is Dragon Fist.

"And indeed we are. I am certain you are aware of who we are representing here. It reached our ears that you could be ..., interesting assets to our organization." a shrug, "And while that still has to be seen we are at least willing to give you a chance."

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen makes her way in to the shadows with Elektra. She remains standing, instead of leaning.. just to make it clear who the 'boss' is in this little charade they're pulling. She watches as the three enter the building. Big brutes. The Hand would never take them - they're probably untameable but they are the kind of street riff raff that The Hand uses to control more territory without any actual risk of loss to themselves.

"Smaller than I expected," she replies in Japanese using an onscure phrasing implying she's talking about their brains rather than their physical build. Her little smirk is hidden behind the wrap around her head.

When Elektra starts introducing herself she feels a small gulp in her throat. This is dangerous, she can feel it in the air. She can feel it in her blood. The adrenaline junkie in her is happy. Given Elektra told her there are vampires and werewolves and they might have to deal with one or both - not to mention the dead people in the park who may have been killed by a vampire. Things have started getting weird again. Another alien invasion can't be far off.

In Japanese she says, "Do you think they're a pack?" she says using the animal word for pack, not the human word. She doubts any of them speak Japanese, let alone natively enough to grasp the intricacies of these word choices. Making word choice puns is a Japanese leisure sport.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Rock is a big dummy, but he's not entirely dumb enough to insult the two women that were seemingly sent here to assist his group in getting further assistance from the Hand. As much of a glutton as he is for a pretty face, amongst other parts. He tries to visibly contain himself, as he looks from one to the other.

He chooses to center his gaze on Colleen though and leans toward her just a little. "English. Babe." He 'warns her'. "I'm still not sure about you and yours. Part'a me thinks you underestimate what me'n mine can bring to the table. Yeah?"

His gaze flickers over to Elektra then, who gets a greasy smile from him as he lingers it for a moment. "Strength, heightened senses, a hunger for death and blood... You scratch my back, I scratch yours." A glance to Colleen. "Both of yours, if you're in to it." He grins, and his two companions shift their weight and openly snicker.

"But!" Rock snaps a finger aimed upward then. "Only if we're treated as equals. You got an army, so we're told... well..." He motions his hands outward. "We got the kinda power that even Captain America wishes 'e had."

"We on the same page then, girlys?" Rock then asks the both of them, not entirely sure which one of them is 'in charge' here.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
The badmouthing in Japanese towards the trio has Elektra amusedly smirking under her mask, gaze briefly taken by Colleen for an instant. Well, at least she seems to not be too nervous, always a plus..

So her attention is back on the Rock, she dislodging herself from the wall. "Yes, we have heard..." about their powers, and what they can bring to the table.. She makes a show of approaching, hips swaying, looking each of the men in turn. "All three of you then?" she questions.

"We have more than an army. Our Hand is everywhere, pulling strings, ruling through the shadows. You'd gain much more than simply brute force. That you seem to have plenty, isn't it so boys?" is she teasing?

"But we do have questions. Namely on what you *want*. And what enemies we will inherit if we do take you into the fold. Asking to have your back scratched, well, I can imagine you have an end goal for wanting to join." a beat. "Is it for protection?"

"And that would make me wonder what would be dangerous enough to threaten you..." She trails off, waiting for the men to answer. Clearly trying to pick out on some answers. No need to off them just yet!

Colleen Wing has posed:
'Dragon' is becoming increasingly aware that things will happen fast. Very fast. When the time comes. It's a strange notion to kill werewolves, but not vampires. Why not both? if we're going down that road - aren't they both horrendous infections? monsters in the dark, spreading their curse through violence. She imagines with Selene walking out it'll seem like their enemy has followed them here to disrupt a business meeting. It'll be a bad day for the wolves then when they find out Selene and they are working together.

"I said, I like your motorbikes," she says in English to Rock when he demands she not speak in Japanese. That tells her a lot about who they're dealing with. The Hand has very high standards for those it cradles. They must be patient, skilled, smart, and above all else mouldable. Any old thug will never do.

If the real Hand were here, they'd no doubt capture these creatures and drain them of their blood to see what makes them tick, to bio-engineer it in to a new weapon for The Hand to use. This will be a small mercy, "The Hand grips the world in its palm whether you are on board with us or not. Choose your words wisely." Heck, why not lay on some melodrama.. this is a once in a life time opportunity to ham up being The Hand without actually bowing down to Bakuto's insane and endless lectures on the true nature of the world.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Rock is being at least fairly calm as he stares between the two women while they respond with similarly flavored answers for him. "Well that's just adorable." He says to 'Dragon'. "Why I've heard stories about Hand operatives getting wiped across the floor by as few as one lil man in red jammies and devil horns." The big muscle bound protein-based advertisement raises his hands up to do the mocking devil horns gesture, playfully, but very disrespectfully toward one mister Murdock!

With another bit of laughter from his cohorts, Rock lowers his hands again. "Beyond that, what my people are after though--" He reaches in to his jacket then and pulls out a cigarette that he moves to light with a match struck against his chest of all things. After a puff on it, he continues. "World dominance." He grins around the cigarette, then plucks it out of his mouth. "We're being hunted. By wealthy creatures of the night... They've been on us like stink on shit for generations now, and the connections the Hand offer, is appealing to our need for a 'leg up' in this fight. And not the kind of leg up you do for pissin' neither."

He takes a step to the side, his foot impacting on the ice now, and completely cracking it beneath his boot, sending web-like patterns out across the sheet of frozen rain water. "We give you extra power, you give us... a broader reach for better candidates. We fight for each other's desires then. Win win. Yeah?" His eyes go up around the old Hotel, eying the place thoroughly now. "What a shit hole..."

A split second later and there's a loud gunshot, but not inside, out back behind the building, the way that Selene had told Elektra and Colleen to come in through. This gets all three of the men to spin around and look in that direction!

"Whats this then?" Rock says.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
There. Now they had to put the finger on the wound! Elektra frowns then, perhaps not for the exact reason they must be thinking of. That he is an enemy that they cannot beat? Hardly so, more that he is an ally of hers. And in other times..., quite a lot more than just an ally.. So she ends up snorting, and when her voice is finally heard again it comes smooth. "I see you have been keeping yourself well-informed." she admits. The fights had gotten big enough. It was bound to attract attention of other members of the underworld..

"Hunted? Here I was thinking nothing could hunt your types down... But this deal *is* appealing. There might just be enough to have us scratch each other's backs afterall.." and maybe she will have a Sai in her hand when she goes to scratch Rock's...

But then the gunshots. It has Elektra turn and stare at the door. Is she surprised? She doesn't lose her cover and tells the men. "Are you betraying us?" she hisses. Might as well sow confusion. Regardless, she reaches for her weapons, not yet drawing them. For now she will choose to be on *their* side.

"Were you followed here?" she then asks.

Colleen Wing has posed:
"We are vast, managing 'heroic' types is collateral we're willing to accept to keep them occupied and away from our real interests," Colleen says and the moment the words have come out of her mouth, her throat feels intensely dry. She was being dramatic, playing up the part... but the strategy is sound. Were they really making a dent in to Hand operations of late? or were they being 'managed'.

She doesn't have the time or space to dissect that sinking feeling in her stomach, that's for another time. She is rather curious about this war going on between the vampires and the werewolves.

The gunshots though, that wasn't part of the plan. A thumb flicks the tsuba of her katana and it pokes out of her scabbard smoothly by two inches. Her other hand grips the handle and she lowers her stance, allowing the shadows to swallow her more.

She does what any good number #2 would do in this situation. She rushes quietly to the door and peers outside to see what's going on, ready to draw her sword. It also forces the werewolves to choose who they want their back to - Shade or Dragon. She says in Japanese again for Elektra's ears, "Let's hope everyone is sticking to the plan."

Selene Corvinus has posed:
The gunshot echoed around the derelict hotel and the people within it fall further in to distrusting one another even more than they may have already.

"Followed? Don't be daft. Nobody even knew we were comin' here, cept for you lot." Rock fires back. He takes a step toward the front doors that he and his associates had busted open, listening...

"Gotham is a tough place, may not even be related to--" Rock cuts himself off then when he sees movement outside. Selene walking up the front stairs now, strolling right up to the front doors and pausing within them. In her left hand she's holding a severed head.

The head is tossed in to the hotel, where it slaps wetly down upon the snowy iced-over floor and slides right to Rock's feet. He stares down at the head, seeing his own face staring right back up at him. A twin? Certainly not anymore!

Quickly, Rock looks back to Elektra and Colleen. "You brought them here!" He shouts, "You brought the Death Dealers!?"

His two men both reach in to their jackets and pull out guns, mirror Rock as he draws two twin handguns and aims them toward the doorway!

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Elektra is the kind of deceiver with years of experience. She has a story, she sticks with it, the more that can be used to sow confusion. It's one of the tenets of the Hand afterall, misdirection. Smoke and mirrors. So as long as they continue to not know exactly who's on who's side the better. So she lets herself be 'convinced' with Rock's argument even if her eyes do look suspicious... Nope, they certainly weren't the ones preparing an ambush here!

And while Elektra was perhaps expecting some more subtlety out of Selene besides just walking through the front doors she can at least admire the nerve, smirking under her mask with some amusement.

"Don't be daft." there! Right back at him! "Whoever is that bitch?" She takes out her Sais, eyes still on Selene. Is she going to attack her? At least for the first few moments it appears like so. "Take her out and we can sort this." though of course that she gets herself ready to move out of the way of those handguns if they start pointing in her direction. Getting shot hurts. Even with body armor!

Colleen Wing has posed:
A severed head. A twin of Rock? Well this took a dark turn. It is Gotham after all and may be she should have been more prepared for exactly the kind of turf war they've walked in to here. She reminds herself.. they're just another gang. But.. as long as she can pull it off, she's going to try and stick to no killing. The look of disappointment on Matt's face would be too heart breaking.

"Don't shoot them," she says and her sword is drawn, not to cut a limb, and certainly not to dull itself by trying to cut through gun metal. No, she uses the spine of the blade to strike at the trigger finger of Rock's hand, "We need them alive for questioning."

There, a plausible Hand-like excuse for not killing. Well, it seems Selene intends on doing a lot of dismemberment. She shoots a look over to Elektra, not at all sure how far down the rabbit hole she's just been tossed. This must be one of those 'sink or swim' moments.

"Be brave, do not sink to their level," she goads. If they start shooting though, well, all bets are off. They are apparently supernatural, may be a lost hand or two won't hurt them too much. May be they grow back? who knows! Disobey the hand, lose a hand.. there's some poetry there too.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Selene, in the doorway with the city behind her, stares in at the arming individuals within the rundown and abandoned hotel lobby. She doesn't go full aggressive mode yet, though a silver bladed dagger does retract back up in to the right cuff of her black leather trench coat.

She eyes 'Rock' directly, across the 20 or so feet of distance separating them. "You're not him." Selene speaks up, now motioning toward the head she'd thrown on to the icy floor. "You may as well drop the charade." As she looks back up to Rock, her eyes do flicker to Colleen and Elektra, well aware they're still playing their part, which doesn't bother her in the moment.

"This is why they've come to America." Selene says TO Elektra and Colleen though. "They're recruiting... them--" She motions to 'Rock' now whose suddenly starting to change shape.

Shrinking, and expanding. What was the 7 foot tall 'thug' is now briefly shrinking in to a small Asian woman with raven black dreadlocks and tattoos across her face. But she's only in that form for a brief moment before her skin darkens and her bones start snapping and popping as they extend and 'bulk up'. Taking on the form of a Lycan.

"Mutants." Selene says.

What was 'Rock' now throws its guns aside and charges at Selene, roaring quite loudly. While the two henchmen begin to change in to their Lycan-forms as well! This is all going quite downhill now!

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Well, look at that ..., full on Lycans ... But the part on the mutants..., mmmm. Questions for later. Right now Elektra has to focus on staying alive. The Sais are brought up at the ready, facing one of the lycans nearby, in this case Pretty Pete..., which really isn't that pretty anymore.. Look at all that fur..

But now all the pretenses are down, the 'game' face is on, murderous gaze now fully on the transforming one. In japanese she says towards Colleen. "Stay close. We fight together." and she darts, right as they are still morphing.. Take advantage of every moment!

She moves quite fast, towards both Colleen and Petey, jumping up in the air in quite the graceful flip while attempting to stab the creature on the flank. Almost like a bullfighter? Well, a NINJA bullfighter..

Note to self though. Get silver Sais next time.

Colleen Wing has posed:
This is the moment when The Hand would reveal they have a hundred highly trained killers sneakily at the edges of the establishment and they all rush in so the people in charge can casually walk away while mocking the would be heroes. Ever since becoming one of those would be heroes - a defender - she has learnt to hate that tactic so very very much.

But here they are, out on a limb all by themselves. This is a level of madness she has never experienced and she fought aliens invading New York City twice. "Got it," she replies in Japanese and moves fluidly with Elektra. In the one moment, covering her flank, in the other cutting at an achilles tendon on Pretty Pete, then sliding back in to defending Elektra. It's almost like they've trained to do this kind of thing.

She can't help but feel this moment is utterly surreal. They've faced some weird situations but lycan infection of mutants. Mutations upon mutations. Where does that crazy end? probably with the genocide of humanity... non-lethal is still her aim, but she's not sure Elektra is going to restrain herself.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Being that Elektra and Colleen had these Lycans believing that they were tenuous allies, the two women warriors get the jump on Pretty Pete! Both of their attacks land on the Lycan whose attention was primarily focused on Selene across the room in the threshold of the hotel.

The Lycan roars in pain as the women slash and stab his body, and though he's staggered, it takes him only a second to turn and swipe back at them with fiercely savage clawing strikes!

Without silver, the Lycans are only cut-and-healed-again within moments!

The other two are headed toward Selene, charging on all fours as their roaring rumbles the walls of the hotel, causing icicles to start to shake and fall from the balconies above!

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Keeping him in pain, keep him controlled. Even if the weapons don't seem to be hurting them as well as they could be Elektra is relentless in her pursuit, deadly stabs in what would be mortal wounds as each stab goes for those places she knows internal organs should be, even in the end stabbing the creature through an eye with a roar of frustration..

But as the creature continues it's regeneration she flips back, cartwheeling away from a swipe of a claw that lands way too close for comfort. "Move in." she calls out to Colleen. Classic Hand techniques! Facing an stronger foe but with them having the superior numbers? Bait and switch. Keep the creature on it's toes with blows while they alternate keeping distant from those claw swipes. Right now that's all they can do.

"Tell me these things stop regenerating eventually.." She calls out across the room to Selene.

Colleen Wing has posed:
"Hai!," she says as she notes Jax and fake 'Rock' have left. She hopes Selene is fairing better out there than they are in here. The regeneration is.. horrifying. Every one of these strikes and cuts should disable a person for life. This, seems like all it does is make the big wolf person more pissed.

Colleen charges back in. Light on her feet. She's practiced enough with Danny that when those big claws come slashing toward her, it's nothing different than a bear claw weapon. The strikes swishing through the air as she controls the distance and posture of the fight. Each carefully controlled miss accompanied with a cut from her sword, which would normally take a decent chunk out of a person.. but not this monster.

"New strategy time?," she asks Elektra as she ducks underneath an arm and then shuffles back two paces as the werewolf dashes forward. But, it's fast. Faster than she could ever be and the moment Pretty Pete realises he needs to stop cutting her and instead back hands her... Colleen tries to compensate but goes flying backwards along the floor. She rolls back up to her feet and shakes her head as she momentarily sees stars and coughs for the wind got knocked out of her. "Tag you're in," she wheezes as she tries to quickly recover.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Selene ascends one of the other, formerly, grand staircases to the second level balcony and trailing behind her is 'Rock' with Jax actually bounding up the wide of the wall to try and race around behind the Vampire attempting to get up to the top of the stairs, the two Lycans looking to surround her!

When she makes it to the top of the stairs, Jax is leaping down in front of her to do just so as 'Rock' makes it up to where the Vampire is, only to be faced down by a now wielded pistol.

Two of them are drawn now. In either of Selene's hands. She keeps the Lycans back, snarling and growling at her as they know those guns are filled with a very potent ammunition.

Down on the main floor, Pretty Pete is dealing with the two 'Hand' women. He's quite mad at them at this point, having thought that they were formerly on his side in this confrontation. But clearly not. His agility and speed is very very high, but the women are clearly well trained also.

With his frustrations building, the powerful Lycan grabs at the entire reception desk and rips it out of the floor, now swinging it around to throw it at the two women! Whether it hits them or not, it's sent flying across the weather ravaged hotel lobby in to one of the pillars beneath the balcony that Selene is standing on...

Selene, facing down the two Lycans up there, feels the balcony shuddered by the thrown furniture and the Lycans take the distraction as a moment of opportunity to lunge at the Vampire, who darts away, scaling over the railing to jump back down toward the first floor.

When she lands, she splashes down upon the wet ice, and looks up to Elektra. "Only when they're dead." The Vampire replies to the question finally. She then slides her hand in to her jacket and rolls a handful of eight-inch long silver spikes across the ice toward Colleen and Elektra (Probably more ideal of a weapon for Elektra than Colleen, in that they're sai-like). "Use these!" Selene shouts to them as the two Lycans from above are now both leaping down toward her!

Elektra Natchios has posed:
That's one deadly game of tag to be in.. Elektra hisses as one of the Lycans blows connect and throw Colleen across the room... Not that she glances her way to even make sure she is fine. Worry about that later. Because right now there is a reception desk incoming..
th Elektra now pretty much running on instinct she doesn't even hesitate, leg spreading in quite the show of athleticism even as the receptions desk flies over her head, so close to hitting.. The roar of frustration is a good enough reward for it though.

The woman flips back up to her feet effortlessly, about to throw herself into the fray again when those silver spikes land nearby.. Yes, those will come in handy... She tosses the Sais towards Petey which are easily brushed aside and it suddenly turns into a race towards those pikes. Elektra reaches just a hair before the creature, flicking them up to her hands and placing a kick on it's jaw and flipping back.

"You know what you have to do." This spoken in japanese to Colleen. She will know.. And Elektra jumps, flipping in the air to dodge the first swipe but the next catching her on a shoulder. Not that it stops her momentum, driving both spikes down on the creature's shoulders, right where muscle meets bone.

And now that the creature isn't regenerating and disabled for a few moments it also means it's vulnerable to other attacks.

"Now!" She calls.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Bits of receptionist desk shatter everywhere and she shields her eyes briefly, bringing her sword up as a mirror to check her surroundings in that briefest of moments. Enough to see behind her the whole balcony starting to come down. She rolls forward rises up. Her adrenaline is pumping and she can feel the thu-thump of her heart, even, steady, just as she trained it to be with her grandfather up in the mountains of Japan.

This is an opponent that just isn't going to quit. The silver spikes slide over and Elektra is already going for them... oh no. She knows where this is headed and she can feel her blood lust boiling over. She wants a piece of this too even though she knows it's wrong. The darkness in her she tries to deny; or at least claim is merely Samurai heritage.

With Elektra pinning the lycan's shoulders she charges in and with one mighty cut, slices cleanly through its neck. Head dropping on to the ground with a thud.

Colleen is all kinds of insta-react now as she immediately turns to spy the remainder of the room. Her mind is racing and it'll catch up to the fact that she just murdered someone in a moment. Not in cold blood at least.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
With the spikes handed over to her companions in this fight, Selene is left to deal with the other two Lycans as they consider her to be the bigger threat here than the two 'Hand' agents that apparently have turned against them for the Vampire's favor.

They're not happy about any of this, and after landing on the cracked ice floor. They again start to bound after Selene who has run off toward the pillars holding the balcony level up above their heads!

Pretty Pete, impaled by Elektra's claimed spikes, is roaring in savage pain and trying desperately to thrash its head over to snap its teeth down over one of the woman's wrist, but when it sees Colleen's incoming attack, it moves to stand up!

Only its too late, and the Lycan's 'pretty' head is severed from its body, and thumps across the wet icy floor, spinning on its right side until it comes to a sudden halt. The silver spikes that Elektra has inside of its shoulders sizzle against the creature's flesh, almost acidic against the creature's ability to heal itself, but that starts to fade away as the life begins to leave the body of the beast.

More gunshots now echo around inside the lobby. The back of Jax's skull is blasted out across the moldy carpet of the hotel lobby, with splotches of silver shining amonst the dark red ichor.

'Rock' sees this and looks back toward Colleen and Elektra, to see Pete dispatched as well. 'She' roars and starts to rush the women, her intention is to burst between them, however, and make a break for the front doors, fleeing!

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Not all fights can end without death. Elektra has known this since she was ..., quite young. And this is one of those. She does have full confidence on Colleen though, that she will know what is going on and act and so when the blow comes and blood sprays out of it's head she can't help it but wickedly grin under her mask. One less of those creatures to worry about.

"Two more to go." She says to Colleen, not the type to allow her to think too much on what she just did. Because there's more killing to do.

It's at that point that she hears that roar, the charge being done towards the two women. She throws one of the spikes towards Colleen for her to catch it.

"Legs.." She tosses herself to the side right after, spinning as so to not be directly in front of the large werewolf. The aim? To either slash or stab the spike right into the creature's leg as it runs. Of course that with it's rather high speed it will be hard. Doesn't stop her from trying though!

Colleen Wing has posed:
For all the time Colleen spends practicing and teaching the sword, since it was her grandfathers teaching, she does not forget all the things Bakuto taught her too. As much as she despises her ex-teacher now and loathes how his preaching somehow always makes sense, he did teach her broader skills. He never framed it as 'be super killer' but more as 'you never know when you'll need this skill'.

Colleen catches the silver spike in hand, getting a bit of that blood smeared on her too, not that she isn't covered from the gushing that Pete's neck provided... and with an efficient under arm through as the lycan rushes past her, throws it in to the back of his left thigh. She'd call that a non-lethal take down, except she's not so sure the silver is non-lethal for these creatures.

A turn this way and that.. only the attempted flee of Rock remains, and so she lowers her sword and catches her breath. It's not the first time she's killed and it was the heat of battle. If not today, then this new class of horror would have become her enemy tomorrow.. NO, that's Hand thinking. Her lips tighten behind her mask and she wipes the sword against her black sleeve twice before sheathing it.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
The two women-- thrusted in to this weird world --both strike at 'Rock' as they flee and their silver spikes strike true and drop the beast. It rolls around on the ground in clear agony as it slams its claws in to the ice and ruined lobby floor. It's hands tear at the ground until it can shred it to pieces before suddenly its body pops and snaps, muscles receding as it returns to its normal form.

Now, back in to the form of that Asian girl, her clothing tattered and doint nothing to conceal her body as she rolls on to her back, spikes sticking out of her blood-gushing wounds. "F-- uck you b-oth." She grunts out to Colleen and Elektra.

From the shadows Selene emerges in to the main lobby floor, walking across the distance with her handguns at her sides. She stops when she reaches Colleen and Elektra, and looks between them, before looking down to the wounded Asian woman... a lycan yet still... and exhales.

She looks up to Colleen first, but doesn't speak to her, instead sweeping her gaze to Ele. "Do you want to finish her?" Selene asks, her natural sultry tone is as calm as ever, as though none of this is out of the ordinary for her.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Elektra rolls across the floor to finish getting out of the way just as the lycan gets taken down and falls to the ground.. She gets back up, arms folding together.. She knows the fight is over. All that's left is just formality. If killing can be called a formality.

"Good job..." A nod given to Colleen and one of her hands reaching up rest on her own shoulder, sensing the pain there now that the adrenaline rush is starting to fade. That will..., hurt later. But at least the wound doesn't feel too deep.

When Selene joins them moments later she dips her head, in acknowledgement to both her help and also the prowess shown. "Seems like you are the real deal."

The question about killing the woman is returned with a shrug. "All yours." then she looking down at the fallen mutant, "Should had made better choices in your life."

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen glances away from Elektra as she says 'good job'. She knows this is normal for Elektra, but it's never going to feel normal for Colleen. Her stomach is turning and her back aches from the very rough fall and roll she did on the floor.

Her eyes turn back to the writhing asian woman on the ground and says, "Isn't there a cure? We know people who know people who know people.. may be we could find her help. I don't know much about mutants but there must be someone out there who can look after her."

She folds her arms, a protective gesture of self doubt and her discomfort with executing someone who can't fight back anymore. "She's not Hand," she remarks.. the Hand she knows will never stop. Never ever. Mutants? they go to rallies for mutant rights. She's seen it on the news.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Selene had asked Elektra if she'd wanted to do it because she didn't think Colleen could, it was a judgemental observation of the two fighters, and could be construed as a bit insulting, but there's a lot going on in this moment and it can also be easily overlooked.

Of course, then Colleen does start to throw out suggestions of why not to kill the woman...

"There's not." Selene softly replies, not looking at Colleen, she just raises her right handgun up and aims it right down sights at the injured mutant-lycan's nose.

"Fuck you, Vampir---"

Unless otherwise stopped, the handgun will go off and strike the woman in the face.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen's hands grip in to fists for a moment as she isn't entirely sure Selene will do it.. but then she says 'There's not' and she realises this is a war that has deep seated biases.. even though she admitted this lycan was a new kind, based from mutant stock.

All that Iaido training. Her body is like a coiled spring as she draws and places the blade of her sword to Selene's neck in barely a heart beat. "STOP!" She can feel the adrenaline causing her body to have small shakes. This is not a fight she at all thinks she can win, but it's also not something she can have on her conscience.

"You haven't even tried," she says, her voice shaky now. "You can't just execute her because of who she is now. Elektra please!," she says as her eyes shift to look to her friend; not sure even she could take Selene right now.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
If Elektra was expecting Colleen to try and stop the execution at least none of that shows on her expression, it remaining impassive, the deadly master of Hand in place now, drawn to blood and expecting it fully to happen. There is no future to this creature but more violence and blood if it lives.

"Look at her." Is Elektra's response, "She chose this. To become someone like .., these werewolves." a shake of her head soon after, "Spare her and how many more innocents will be in danger?" easy maths really! For someone practical and without idealistic purposes....

Her dark gaze then falls on Colleen fully, "Sheath your blade, Colleen." the tone is ..., determined.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Selene's eyes are on the Lycan's own as they were staring right at one another for the execution to take place. But it didn't come. Colleen's sword came up and went to Selene's neck, and it stayed her hand from squeezing that handgun's trigger.

Slowly, Selene's eyes-- once brown, now a very pale bright blue --look at Colleen with an intense chill. She listens to the woman's plea, then hears Elektra's response. She remains motionless, her gun still aimed at the Lycan on the floor, who is wincing, and laughing at the same time, pain and amusement at what's going on here.

"Miss... whatever your name is." Selene starts. "I've been at this for over six hundred years. I assure you, there is no positive solution to sparing this creature's existence. They hunt, murder, and feed. Or they wither away and die. If you contain them, they will only shrivel in upon themselves, suffer and ultimately perish. You cannot take the beast out of their blood."

Can you with a Vampire though?

"Don't listen to that bitch." The lycan on the ground spits fleck of blood. "A steak dinner and I'm fine and dandy." She grunts the words out and then winces loudly as pain from the silver in her legs shoots through her every fiber.

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen's seethes behind her makeshift mask. Elektra is the devil on her shoulder.. or is she meant to be angel on hers? it certainly never works out that way. The sword disappears with a flourish back in to her scabbard and she pulls up her hood. She doesn't even look at Elektra or Selene, especially not fake-Rock.

She turns and walks away to her motorcycle. She mounts it and picks up the helmet. Part of her mentally braces for the sound of the gun shot she knows she couldn't stop even if she tried. But now she knows this world exists... she's going to find an answer that doesn't involve more bloodshed.

Danny must know someone. Perhaps Claire has a connection to a research group. May be that mysterious hero with the dragon has answers. Someone must know something. She puts on her helmet and starts the engine of her motorcycle and with a skid over the ground, turns and drives off down the road.

Selene Corvinus has posed:
Selene's eyes follow Colleen as she storms out, leaving them in the hotel with the last living lycan on the icy floor at their feet. A glance is given to Elektra then before the pale skinned woman in black looks back down to the Lycan.

As the motorcycle starts outside, the gunshot does indeed come.

Grusome and cold. Gotham City lays witness to a war that long predates it, and has now spilled over in to it's boundaries.

Inside the Hotel, Selene looks once more to Elektra, after lowering her weapon again. "I can have a car take you wherever you need to go. Thank you for the help with this." She tells the one that was far more... willing to go the distance, so to speak. "Tell 'her' thank you as well. If you feel she'll accept it."

Putting her gun away, Selene pulls out her phone and contacts her people to report in.

Snowfall is coming in through the broken sky light far above.