4564/Park Patrol

Park Patrol
Date of Scene:	01 January 2021
Location:	Astoria Park
Synopsis:	Mania patrols, then encounters what is apparently a knight in modern times. It is confusing.
Cast of Characters:	Andi Benton, Millicent Keller

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Andi Benton has posed:
Night has set in, making it easier for those with ill intent to maneuver the city. On the other side of the coin, those who have reason to sneak about under cover of darkness, even on the side of good, can make their way around with fewer eyes on them.

Then there's Mania. Exactly where her good and bad sides lie is still being determined, but Spider-Man would be pleased to know she's managed to stay primarily on the side of the light rather than giving in to any darker thoughts that may come up, though it hasn't been without a few close calls.

Tonight, her path out on patrol brings her through Astoria Park, the black figure stopping along the way for a glance around. Maybe there will be someone trying to cut a drug deal, for all they know.

Millicent Keller has posed:
    It wasn't guided by any advanced crime fighting computer nonsense, rather by an off hand comment somebody made that Astoria was a rough place late at night. Thusfar it'd been more than a bit of a let down if we're being perfectly honest, because people don't need to know you're a superhuman otherwordly knight to flee at the sight of somebody in full plate. Which is a shame really, but bandits of quality are a rare breed this side of things.

    She doesn't linger on in the shadows waiting to pounce, quite the opposite really. She's parked herself right in the center of what would normally be a hotspot for illicit drug deals, and well she does sort've stand out even amongst capes you know? Bone white semi-fluted full plate, engraved with otherworldly text and touched off with a little gold leaf to make the text pop. All this over jet black mail, and no shortage of navy blue silk flecked with gold and silver. The length of that massive two handed sword balanced on one shoulder, free gauntlet perched atop a sturdy black leather pouch on her belt. Just as casual as can be.

    Of course in years of yore this would be more than enough to summon a worthy foe to do battle with, but well criminals it seems are shy in New York these days.

Andi Benton has posed:
Well, what's this? That doesn't look like any sort of drug dealer to Mania, but the plate armor and sword and all the rest certainly draw her attention enough that something could be going down in another part of the area and it may go completely unnoticed right now.

Having balanced herself atop a light pole, the bulb itself long in need of replacement, she flips down to land in a soft crouch before rising slowly. Then, a few steps closer, until another light that /is/ working helps illuminate her. The figure is, for some, potentially intimidating. Black, a white spider symbol dominating the front and back of the torso, but a featureless 'face' except for a pair of angular white eyes. And, spikes visible in a few places.

"Yo, if you're trying to get to Medieval Times, it's waaaay somewhere else," she says. Or rather, they say, for the voice sounds like there's two blended into one.

Millicent Keller has posed:
    "They won't undertake their criminal enterprise with me here, and I am content to be here all but every night. If they want me gone they can come and fight me, and I will break their mother's hearts."She lifts a gauntlet up to give her chest plate a knock-knock before holding upwards palm out. "Well met all the same, I did not presume I would warrant a spider's interest so soon."Her speech is tilted with an accent, just not an earthly one by any stretch of the imagination.

    Slowly that close helm rises to fix Mania with the dim gold glow of the gaze hidden within. "Goodness forgive me for my poor manners, I've got you at a disadvantage. I am known simply as the "Free Lancer", I'd hoist my banner but I'm not confident anyone around here would even know what the cloth meant."

Andi Benton has posed:
Mania's hands, fingers tipped with what certainly appear to be claws, come to rest at her hips as she plants a skeptical enough expression on the one calling herself 'Free Lancer.' It shows in body language, a tilt to the head, one eye squinting more than the other. "Breaking their mother's hearts? That's not overly aggressive any, nope," she states with sarcasm, and the gesture is met with a muted wave before the hand returns to the same place as before.

"We were on patrol," is added, a glance had at their surroundings. "You're probably right about people not understanding a banner or whatever. They might mistake it for a flag. We are Mania."

Millicent Keller has posed:
    "Well met Mania, a pleasure to run into more of this fine city's defenders nevermind one with such a heavy symbol."Casually she takes a side step, before hopping up on a convient railing for a seat. That blade gets slid down to rest the pommel against the ground, apparently unafraid of simply grasping the blade with her gauntlet. "Yes well some degree of theatricality is called for, even when it comes to a boast. I'm afraid I never acquired a bard's precision with English."

    "And you, I do hope I am not a delay on your patrol? I can assure you I'm not here for illicit substances, though I cannot promise any who do throw down the gauntlet will live."Theres a little shrug there. "Far be it from me to deny a Warrior his death by combat, it's not as though I have any pretense or deception to my methods. If they are brave enough, I grant them the honor of my sword."

Andi Benton has posed:
The eyes shift toward some confusion.

//Why does she talk this way, Andi?// comes an internal question.
<<I don't know. Maybe it's part of the persona. Some of them think they're all fancy and different and whatever.>> she answers her other half.

At the same time, she waves things off a bit with the same hand as before, though there's a moment of extra time that follows before that voice is heard again. "We are not judging what works for you, but if you are looking to kill anyone, that might be going too far in most cases. Especially if it's a minor crime."

Potentially strange words from someone who has struggled with certain urges from time to time, which is not lost on the symbiote's side. While it may not show outwardly, there is a sense of skepticism and amusement inside. "Not a lot of warriors out here, either. So what made you decide to dress up as a knight?"

Millicent Keller has posed:
    "By title and rite, I am as I appear. I am a Knight, and so I dress as is appropriate. Anything else would be a simple deception, and I am nothing if not honorable when I am at arms."Theres a little shrug at that "as if a presence of a Knight should confound, where there gods walk amongst us? It does tend to get the attention of my favored foes never the less, so there is a practical benefit."

    "There are indeed not many true warriors left in the world any more, but a clenched gauntlet can accept no gold."and well she extends one of those gauntlets just to drive the point home. "So I am seen, and those who feel themselves worthy do on occasion seek me out. Then it's glorious combat, until one of us has been granted a good death. It's not something for everyone, but the game is as old as time."

Andi Benton has posed:
//We think something is familiar about her, Andi.//
<<Yeah, sure. I've never seen anyone going around in armor before. You know this city has some weird people.>>
//What does that make us, then?//

No answer inwardly or outwardly to that, as Andi's side of the hidden conversation cuts out at that point. "Okay, you're a knight, and you..fight people to the death, sure. Who? What kinds of people? Knights are all about honor and stuff, right? You just said it. So does that mean you'd kill a mugger?" These are important questions for Mania to have answered, while that little something tugs at the back of their combined thoughts. They seem not to have an answer to the comparison of knights to gods, though those eyes do squint in unison, as if she's thinking. Hands remain by her side as she points out, "Most people don't use gold around here, either." She might take certain things too literally here and there.

Millicent Keller has posed:
    "They should, gold is a solid investment."Because of course she would say that, what knight from Switzerland wouldn't? "As for whom do I kill? Well I'm rather straightforward, If lethal force is used against me or an innocent? They die. If they are a soldier of an invading army, they die. If they seek single combat, they die. The lives of muggers and pickpockets are beneath my attentions ordinarily, and I would never grant them the honor of my blade."
    "There is no honor in killing those who can not defend themselves, and rightly few can when I am concerned."Then again nobody ever accused Millicent of being humble either.

Andi Benton has posed:
"And what if the police decide you should be arrested because they think you went too far?" Mania wonders, and as the eyes can portray it, there is a flash of amusement to them in how their shape shifts. "Then what? These are things we have had to ask ourselves at times. It is easier to kill when you can, harder to choose not to." Then there is an admission. "But it can be so tempting. We must remind ourselves the Spider would not do it." Or would he, if pushed far enough without seeing an alternative?

Whatever the creature facing Free Lancer is, it certainly holds an alien, otherworldly appearance. It's hard to tell if that's just a costume or more. "We would simply web muggers and leave them for the police. Maybe we would taunt them first."

Millicent Keller has posed:
    "You presume I am new to any of this, current crime fighting included? I've been at this for many years now, and I've had plenty of run ins with the law. I have killed no police yet, nor do I plan to start."Theres a little shrug there. "I just prefer not to make a spectacle of myself, You want to fight to inspire? That's admirable, but it's not my way at all."

    "In anycase, Mania. I have a long boring wait ahead of me, and there is plenty of crime going on who would deserve a webbing. Don't let me keep you from your duties, I'm hardly worthy of such concern. Were I a threat, I would let you know."because, well sneak attacks aren't very knightly are they?

Andi Benton has posed:
There is a longer period of silence on the part of the black-suited vigilante, or whatever Mania really is. Arms cross, head angling again in an almost animal-like show of curiosity. "You confuse us, but we feel like we know you somehow," the dual voice finally decides, leaving talk of killing and police and patrols behind. While a step away starts, it's followed by a pause. "And we have decided we are finished patrolling tonight."

Millicent Keller has posed:
    "Maybe you do, maybe you think you do. Who knows anyone, really."And so slowly she dismounts that railing, pulling that greatsword in half and swiftly letting what was once one large blade shape itself into a pair of Falchions. "We have a long wait ahead of us however, but if nothing else? Tonight this park is safe."

Andi Benton has posed:
The show with the sword leaves Mania's head shaking slowly back and forth, a hand raising to run over that spiky head of 'hair.' "Hmf," is the extent of the answer she can muster up right now. There are, instead, many more words and questions being shared within by this point, and it causes another period of silence to come from her as far as Free Lancer is concerned.

Then, she gives a muted wave and backsteps toward the shadows once more. "Safe. Yes." There is nothing else in the way of goodbyes, just the motion of her swinging elsewhere once she's sent a line of webbing out to catch hold of something. Truly an odd night, one that will have her wondering exactly what that was all about for some time yet.