4841/Return Of The Shredder: I

Return Of The Shredder: I
Date of Scene:	23 January 2021
Location:	Brooklyn
Synopsis:	The Footclan steal vital research data to a nefarious end after getting their backsides kicked royally in an open street rumble
Cast of Characters:	Shredder, Kainashi, Andi Benton, Leena Danvers

---

Shredder has posed:
     The dead of night in the borough of brooklyn. A cold breeze sweeps over the buildings carrying with it an ill wind. Twisting monuments to the folly of man span high into the skies over brownstones and blockhouses alike.

     In every direction twisting spires loom the stars blotted out by the bright lights of the city building a perpetual daylight. Thick sheets of ink black rain do their best to block out the unnatural light as lanterns flicker and fade against the encroaching darkness.

     In the depths few people walk the streets a majority of the decent folk are safe within their homes for the night tucked within their beds. Lights flicker on the buildings for a moment, another brownout in the city as new grids transfer about upgrades to the city's infrastructure not going entirely as planned.

     Leaves fall from the trees knocked loose by heavy rain cluttering the streets as the winter has begun to wind its way down on a particularly warm day. The wind carries with it leaves and a darkened shadow for but a single moment before vanishing out of sight a silhouette on the backdrop of the street as a manhole cover rumbles closed beneath a passing car.

     Gravel tumbles from a nearby rooftop two lone rocks bounding from one rung to the next of a nearby fire escape echoing out into the night clattering till they hit the ground.

Kainashi has posed:
    Kainashi was out on her nightly patrol; being around Brooklyn, on the rooftops was a familiarity. She was wearing a hoodie against the sheets of rain, listening to it rattle around her as she crouched behind an exhaust chimney on one of the converted brownstone blocks, using the bricks as a wind-break for some releif from the rain. The hood was pulled up over her head, casting her scarred-up face in darkness as her ears shift beneath the soaked cloth.

    There was something in the air. She didn't like it. It felt odd. Her hackles hadn't gone down all evening, and she had half a mind to call back to the 'base' to mention it -- but it's probably nothing. Just nerves.

    She hears the rattling of gravel nearby, one ear rising up, the reddish-brown leather of her nose twitching as she tries to catch a scent.

    And, figuring that there's little else for a mutant, ninja dog to do, she goes to investigate, moving on well-trained feet.

Andi Benton has posed:
A little rain didn't bother Mania. Neither did a bit of a chill or warmth beyond most comfort levels. A symbiote has a way of making some things easier to deal with, other things a lot more so.

After having a late snack, Andi went out for a patrol, swinging through a few neighborhoods while suited up, though 'suiting up' for her was hardly the same as it was for, say, Spider-Man. It's different when the suit is an actual part of you, not something that gets hung up in the closet afterward.

A pause atop a building, average height for the area, as the blackened figure with the white accents perched at the edge. An internal conversation.

//Something feels strange here, Andi.//
<<What do you mean? It's just a little wet. No big deal.>>
//No, Andi. Something different. Trust us. Have we ever been wrong before?//

She had no answer to that, none she was willing to share, none she felt like getting into an argument over right now. Instead, the mostly featureless head swung side to side, the all-white, slanted, enlarged eyes passing over the area.

Leena Danvers has posed:
Ballista isn't on duty tonight. It's late, however, and she's on her way back home from her favorite run-down dive bar that sells hot wings that'll light your mouth on fire. Plus it's one of the only places that'll sell to her.

She's down on street level currently, wrapped up in a coat, gotta keep those scales warm after all. She doesn't suspect that there's something going on with the rooftops above her. No doubt her scent will be familiar to the canine hunter not far from her, however.

Shredder has posed:
     The smell of copper and iron mixed with the rain barely there lost in the miasma of chemicals raining down from on high washing along the sides of the buildings near and far. All but lost in the torrential downpour is a slow and steady drip that follows rhythmic in notion. A red viscous liquid oozing down the side of a nearby building.

     Outside of an unsuspecting brownstone a lone man sets dressed in a simple T-shirt and slacks. A Captain America baseball cap rests atop his head allowing him to still see out from beneath the glow of a halogen bulb flickering in the darkness.

     He reaches into his pocket grabbing out a cigarette and places it into the corner of his mouth leaving it unlit, as he waits watching for something. Clearly they aren't the only ones who can tell something isn't right.

     He perks up against the wall as the car which had rolled over that open manhole grows closer. He rolls his lighter round in his hand for a moment on edge. Eyes narrow in on the Taxi, as if he's half expecting it to open fire.

     It's a quiet night as the rain rolls heavy and heavier still making visibility difficult but not impossible. A crash of thunder, and a flash of lightning reveals a shadow in the darkness for but a lone moment, something in the trees.

     As that bright yellow cab rolls by though suddenly the guards attention fades his head slumping forward, as sleep takes hold of him, something falling off the bottom of the Taxi into another open manhole.

Kainashi has posed:
    Kainashi sniffs the air, turning her head up slightly. She grasps the straps of her backpack a moment as she considers. Copper and iron, the scent of something akin to blood. That set every nerve in Kai's body aflame as her hackles proove right, and the pitbull shifts her weight, unsure.

    There's the softest whine of concern, and then Kainashi heads for the smell... it could be someone that needs help.

    It could be a trap.

    She taps her side, the familiar weight of the 'ShellPhone' against her waist, secured in place, and she nimbly hops accross an alleyway, closer to the smell of Blood.

Andi Benton has posed:
Mania imitates a very strange gargoyle for a short time, but there is motion nearby to draw attention that way. Someone below, someone above. A cab passing by, a few generally typical sounds dampened by the falling rain that glistens off whatever makes up the 'costume.'

The surroundings aren't enough to keep a particular scent from reaching symbiote and host.

//Blood, Andi.//

That's the beginning and ending of what passes privately between the two internal voices, and it has Mania's guard up. Spiked protrusions along the forearms and shins seem to flex, as if like a porcupine's quills, as the figure goes into a forward lean and dive off the roof, casting out a line of webbing to carry her across the street and toward the same place Kainashi converges on. Someone dead, someone injured, whatever it is will soon be revealed, and paths will cross.

Leena Danvers has posed:
The raptor stops moving as something sets off her senses. Blood, the unmistakable scent of blood.

She licks her muzzle for a second, and then shakes off the instinct. Still, something is wrong, she can feel it. She takes a moment to scan around for the source, forwning a little bit.

It's Brooklyn so it could just be a mugging or something simple like that. But it could be something way worse.

Shredder has posed:
     Out from a nearby alleyway three figures walk dressed in simple clothes. They make a beeline down the sidewalk. One branches off towards the unconscious man just lightly tapping at his pocket before moving towards the steps while the other two make for the front steps of the brownstone.

     They're dressed completely plainclothes less than recognizable the sort of face normally lost in the crowd even as the manhole that something under the taxi had vanished into slowly closes itself back over.

     As parties converge they would manage to do so on a collection of three bodies. Each one has been completely stripped of clothing and left with grievous injuries to bleed out in the rain. For the moment they seem alive but just barely left to die of either their injuries or the cold.

     The actions are far more professional than the rank and file of the Foot Clan, or the criminals of this region in general. Something special is going on.

Kainashi has posed:
    Kai lands on the rooftop, and the reek of blood is strong here, the smell is what gets her first. The sound of the rain is deafening... but they were alive. Humans were pretty resilliant, after all.

    She fells her nose with the scents of the three people, left out to die in the cold.

    "N-no... no no... this is bad..." she mutters to herself, setting her pack down. She didn't have enough bandages for everyone here -- and instead there is the sound of cloth ripping, and she tears at her sweatshirt, trying to quickly work to bind the wounds with shaking hands before she barks out: "Help! HELP! Someone call 9-1-1!" to a largely uncaring city.

Andi Benton has posed:
Mania swings back up, momentum carrying her toward the same rooftop Kainashi is at. In the moment, eyes pass over Ballista and it almost causes Mania to miss her target.

//Andi, is that a--//
<<Not now!>>

There is a focus as she corrects her trajectory, casting out another line, and then she lands softly near the..

//Andi, is that a--//
<<I said not..wait, that looks like some kind of dog.>>
//HMPH!//

Finally, Mania speaks aloud. The voice is like a combination of a human female and something else, something alien in nature, something a bit deeper. "What's going on here? We smelled blood." Andi isn't an expert in first aid, but the symbiote has a bit of knowledge about a lot of things. Apparently the state of an injured body is one of them. "This one will die without help soon." Mania is left to size Kainashi up, and certainly vice versa.

Leena Danvers has posed:
Spotting Kainashi and the other person, who Ballista doesn't know, she moves towards them, "Shit." She knew she smelled blood, and now she found the source.

Of course three naked nearly dead guys in a street in Brooklyn was bad, but there had to be more going on. They were hurt but it wasn't clumsy or random like a mugging.

She hopes Kainashi won't try to kill her, as there's a much more serious problem going on, "I don't have any of my gear on me so no medkit, but I can call 911." She does have her phone, after all. She pulls it out of the pocket of her jacket, and then hits the digits, getting on the line with an operator and giving them the location.

Of course she won't be there when the paramedics show up. They'd probably blame her for this. Plus...Well these guys are nearly naked. Which means someone is walking around in their clothes, probably nearby. She sniffs at the air, trying to filter out the scent of blood from the scent of their clothes, maybe she can track who did this that way..

Shredder has posed:
     The folks laying on the cold ground look to be in rough shake. Shivering from the cold as the sheets of rain drench them from all angles. Looking at them they appear to have been jumped and beaten with a brutal efficiency. However it looks like each of them put up one hell of a decent fight. These men from Japan were well trained but whoever did this was even better trained.

     Down the road the three plain clothes men make their way in the door of the brownstone. The door closes behind them with an audible click as something moves in the shuffles in the nearby tree.

     Out from the brush a figure darts up into the sky covered in raven black feathers. He holds the features of a man mixed with those of a bird and eyes are covered with a dark black bandana on the center of which rests the symbol of the foot clan. It stands at 10 foot tall and is covered in sleek black muscles with a raven's beak and glowing green eyes.

     It darts up into the sky spreading its wings wide as it hovers watching from the depths of the rain.

Kainashi has posed:
    Kai is not a large figure. Even standing up she'd be just under five feet tall. She has bent legs and a tail, which is curled under, and as she uses what looks like a sweatshirt -- as a figure swings over her, her ears swivel to mark where the new figure was coming in, seemingly unpeturbed.

    "Looks like they were attacked and someone stole their clothes. They're bleeding badly." she states. She reaches into her packpack, and pulls out a battered ziplock bag of bandages. They don't look sterile, but they'll work.

    "Help me bind them up! Do you know how to use a phone?" she asks, finally turning her gaze to Mania, and she stiffens a moment, looking the figure up and down.

    "... are... you one of the Spider-people?" she asks, and then sniffs. There's only the smell of blood in her nose right now, she wants to track them. Wants to find the people who did the hurting -- her hackles are still rising --

    And Ballista shows. Kainashi tenses, her shoulders squaring -- and then as Ballista calls and sniffs the air, as the ziplog bag is tossed to Mania Ballista gets half a soaked sweatshirt tossed to her!

    "Help."

Andi Benton has posed:
"The..dinosaur..is calling," Mania remarks, a confused expression evident from the shape of the eyes and the body language. She has not had much to do with ninjas, though thugs have been on the menu before. The Japanese men suggest this could be gang-related, maybe. "Is this some Yakuza thing?" she wonders, splitting attention between the two mutants before peering more closely at a few of the injuries, ignoring the lack of clothing.

"And..yes. We are. Spider-Man is our friend." There is an emphasis on the word 'friend,' as if there's a deeper connection in the mind or minds of whatever this thing is. "We are Mania. And..we are going to try something."

Both hands extend toward the closest victim, and lines of strange webbing are cast out to cover and seal over the worst of the wounds. It should bind and at least staunch some of the bleeding, even holding things together. "This will last about an hour. We--"

The bag of bandages, which had been caught and set aside, is further left alone as motion from the trees and then sky draws attention from the symbiote, turning toward the shape. "What the fuck is that?" the dual voice wonders. Solid white eyes lock on to the figure, and Mania visibly bristles. It is akin to a challenge, if more of that body language is understood.

Leena Danvers has posed:
The motion is hard to miss, as Ballista turns to look up at the darkness. She takes her phone and tosses it to Kainashi, "Dispatch is on the line, let them know these guys were attacked and they need help ASAP. I'll be back." And then she goes off.

Her coat is thrown off, leaving the raptor's form exposed. She's not wearing her armor, instead just wearing a pair of jeans that have been modified to fit her tail and a t-shirt with the logo for the band The Disaster Artists on it.

"Hey!" She yells at the night, though generally focused on where the movement came from, "Come on down, I won't hurt you too much I promise!" She's probably lying, though she doesn't usually joke when it comes to hurting people.

Shredder has posed:
     With their wounds patched the men on the ground now stand a far better chance of finding themselves patched back together. They are breathing heavily, pale as the driven snow from blood loss but alive for the time being.

     The rain rolls down heavy in all directions obscuring vision as the outline of the raven swoops down low over the rooftops gliding from one to the next. As it travels out from the depths step members of the Foot Clan from hiding. Soldiers clad in black from their head to toe with the only color a lone strap of red across the eyes and waste. They come from around every corner appearing from darkness as if by black magic forming from the very shroud of the veil.

Kainashi has posed:
    They're going to ake it. Hopefully. The three of them are pushed against one another and covered with one of those thin, metallic blankets to conserve heat, and Kainashi's emergency supplies are exhausted as she slings her pack back over her back --

    And then the smells change. The pounding rain blocked the footsteps as the ninja seem to magic themselves into being. Black and red, with that symbol Kainashi knows too well.

    After all, it was branded on her.

    She grips her hands into fists, her scarred up face scrunching as she bares her teeth, her ears pinning back.

    "Foot Clan." she gives a low growl, and she reaches into a different hold of her pack, this time she extracts a heavy weight of chain, the ends kissed with twisted steel rebar.

Andi Benton has posed:
At least covering the naked bodies means they won't be a distraction. Mania did what she could to settle up the wounds, but the flying..thing in the air has stolen much of her attention away from Kainashi, Ballista, or much of anything else. Sight seems not to be of issue for the symbiote and host, and the two mutants might catch a glimpse of claws at each finger and thumb lengthening by an inch or two, a subtle preparation for more.

The threat is revealed shortly afterward, with numerous ninjas now nearby, various weapons made out as well. "We have a welcoming party. Foot Clan? We were in the mood for some action." The thing is, as the last word comes out, that mostly featureless face is that way no longer. A line forms where the mouth belongs, curling into a wide grin that becomes more evident when that mouth parts to reveal sharp teeth, a long tongue flicking out in a serpentine way. "Who wants to be first? Come play with us!"

But Mania doesn't wait. Mania charges at the closest handful of would-be attackers, taking the initiative first and leading with a leap, the claws out to slash down at them. Not to kill, but certainly to injure.

Leena Danvers has posed:
There's a momentary pause as Ballista looks at the sheer wall of ninjas that appeared out of nowhere, "Well we're surrounded, that simplifies things." She muses, looking to Kainashi for a second, "Believe me or not, but I'm on your side for this fight."

And then she runs towards one of the groups of ninjas. She's definitely not unarmed, she'd never go out without a couple of guns on her, but being a raptor she'll at least have some natural weapons as well. She leaps towards the group she's charging towards, aiming to land on them with her full weight and maybe dig in with the scythe claws on her feet a little bit as she takes them down.

Shredder has posed:
     Wave after wave of the Foot Clan pour out from the darkness descending on the group. They fly fourth with tonfa and nunchaku and shuriken. Their training leaves something to be desired with many knowing more the basic level of martial arts but it's more the scale on display as they throw themselves with a fearless devotion at the trio.

     There is no waiting in a circle while one attacks and then another and a third. Instead they attack in groups of three four and some cases six all attempting to simply drown the heroes in sheer volume.

     Mania manages to send a wave back flying with a loud cry from the footsoldiers. They slide across the rain slicked streets into the distant wall with a clatter knocked unconscious.

     Blood spills across the streets as several members of the Foot clan let out pained cries as the strikes of Ballista shine through as more are thrown to either side from the wall of soldiers thrown against walls some thrown through windows and into the livingrooms of brownstones.

     The clatter of blade on blade echoes out into the night air as the Tengu circles round overhead before landing on a single branch. Its form is slick with shadows as if it were only partially there. Its face holds a lengthy nose like beak.

Kainashi has posed:
    "I'd prefer 'Target Rich Environment.'" Kai replies to Ballista, probably the longest and most intellegible statement she's made to the deinosauroid ever, and she proceeds to open a Case of Twisted Tea Brand Whoop-Ass.

    She has some unresolved business with members of the Foot Clan.

    Staying closer to the three in a protective manner, the canine, robbed of her sweatshirt now, shows the muscle and scarred arms of the red canine as she swings that heavy chain as if it were twine.

    There's a snarl, the flashing of teeth, and Kainashi, the former living practice dummy for the Foot Clan mixes her chain with *ripping out parts of people's railings* for their front stoops, using part of a ballister to deflect a poorly-thrown Shuriken, and then with her super-strength whip the four-pound piece of cast iron at an offending figure.

    The snaps, crackles, and pops as she moves through the crowd, Alopex's chosen student in Ninjitsu, are certainly not ceral, and what she lacks in raw talent is made up for in her agility and the raw, untamed strength of the mutant canine.

Andi Benton has posed:
The amount of Foot Clan to deal with soon leaves the rooftop too cluttered to be able to safely fight, if there is such a thing as safe in this instance. Mania fights like a creature with a wild, feral abandon, though each strike is controlled and composed like there's a strategy to the unpredictability. What might put fear into at least some of these ninja is the way parts of the body morph at times, such as the hands growing even larger to make it easier to swat at opponents, or literally forming a shield to block an incoming strike.

Mania appears to have a sixth sense as well, sensing an attacker moving in from behind and turning attention toward the threat just in time. More webbing is used to bind limbs and weapons, then as the strange Tengu flies about and alights in a tree again, the friend of the Spiders leaps off the building and weblines her way back down to the ground where more ninja begin to pour out. "Do you ever stop? We can go all night!" she claims. Internally, there is a bit of a debate going on.

//We should stop them for good, Andi!//
<<You know what I've said about killing. Not unless we have no other choice.>>
//You are too stubborn sometimes.//
<<And you want us to be like Venom instead? You want me to lose myself to you?>>
//Would it be so bad to allow us a little control once in a while?//
<<Just stay focused. There are a lot of these guys.>>

Leena Danvers has posed:
As she's busy pounding away at a couple of guys, Ballista gets grabbed from behind by like three more Foot troopers. She lets go of the guy she's beating, and turns her head to side-eye one of them, "Are they really paying you enough for this?" She wonders to the guy, before she headbutts him with all the force her prehistoric skull can muster.

The other two find themseles on the wrong end of her claws, and then she throws one into the pile of others near her, "How on earth do they recruit so many people?!" She yells, mostly to Kainashi, but really she'll take an answer from anybody, "And how the hell do the cops not see 'giant army of ninjas' on the CCTV cameras or something!"

Shredder has posed:
     From the depths of the brownstone come four figures. Three of which are dressed in normal street clothes but the fourth is dressed in a labcoat of all things. For this part of the city it sticks out like a sore thumb. They walk calmly, two of the individuals chattering and laughing and having a good time till they notice the foot clan ocean ahead of them. They duck down low grabbing onto the woman in a lab coat.

     The Tengu turns its head to one side looking away from the conflict. Those bright white eyes falling down the road as the Foot Clan are taken down by the dozen knocked out cold as the bargain bin soldiers that they are.

     The tide of the Foot is thinning dramatically as with all things their numbers are not for all appearances endless. Still far outnumbered they catch a glance as the group attempt to rush their target towards the open manhole cover.

     The Tengu zipping over to land in the road between the two groups.

Kainashi has posed:
    Sniff. Sniff sniff --

    "THEM!" comes a sudden call from the cainine. She turns away from the Foot Clan she was facing off against, and turns her attention to the quartet of humans. The smell of the clothes. The scent of blood. She appears to notice the tengu for the very first time, looking surprised a half moment before one of the Foot Soldiers gets a bit ballsy, and whacks her with a tonfa.

    WHUNK. Right in the back!

    And the young canine turns, grabs the young Foot, and with all her strength -- which is considerable, considering she flings dumpsters and trucks -- LOBS him like a bad bowling ball throw at the quartet making their way towards a manhole!

    "ODIYAAAH!" she calls out as a kiai as she throws her opponant.

Andi Benton has posed:
The adrenaline is pumping for Andi Benton. The last time there was a fight like this? Maybe never. There was one at a warehouse with Spider-Man, but the numbers weren't this great. There are a few places where Foot Clan ninja get in to strike at her, even landing some blows, but it seems to have no great effect before something like a backhand fist is thrown to create more room.

//Let us taste one, Andi.//
<<No. Focus!>>
//Just one! We love the chocolate, but we also love--//
<<I said no! Maybe when this is done the dog thing will let you pet it.>>
//The DOGGY? Like the KITTY we saw? Yes, we want that. We will not try to make you kill.//
<<Gee, thanks.>>

Andi can play dirty when the stakes are higher, and she knows what has captured Mania's attention before. Whether or not Kainashi allows it is another story. More space is made, just as the group leaves the building with the person in the lab coat, and Mania pauses. The shape of the mouth fluctuates between menacing grin and disturbing grimace, a pause following Kainashi's throw. Ballista's looking in good shape as well from what she can see, but the momentary wait comes after Kainashi's attention has shifted further to those that have exited. "What's the deal with them?" Mania asks, though a lot of that focus returns to the too-tall Tengu. "And what's with you?" This is an unknown to her.

Leena Danvers has posed:
The sudden change in attitude from Kainashi does get Ballista's attention, as she turns her attention to the quartet and, more importantly at least to her, the tengu, "Aw shit, boss fight time."

She's not worried about who the Tengu is, she figures they're probably another mutant, like her. And if they're working with the Foot, they might very well have been made by Null and sold to the Foot. That was the plan with Sally and Ray after all.

"I don't recognize you, birdboy, but I'll kick your ass anyway if you're with the Foot Clan. Come on over here and let me pluck you!"

Shredder has posed:
     With a great deal of speed the Tengu zips forward flying forward with claws outstretched. It's a blue of motion and feathers fighting like a demon in the night air. Ahead of it the rain seems to part leaving a spot almost perfectly dry. A wave of pure air thrust about.

     The Clan member goes flying allowing for three of the plain clothes Foot Clan to dodge out of the way effortlessly however the doctor is not so lucky finding herself tossed to the ground and against the wall with an unconscious teenager now laying spread across her blocking her from standing.

     Something clatters off into the darkness in another direction almost impossible to see for the rain as papers go wild in all directions a plume of research is already being washed about in the waters.

     The epic confrontation for the ages is just about to begin, a brutal and no doubt bloody battle between four juggernauts for the history books! A battle of devastation and destruction on a city wide scale!

     However that's when the echo of police sirens washes out the distance growing ever closer. The flash of lights around the corner causes the Tengu to crash to a halt mid flight just inches from its target instead pulling up towards the air leaving behind it a cloud of feathers that coats the ground.

     "We are not finished." Echoes out from seemingly nowhere. As puffs of smoke appear from all directions flash powder slamming into the ground as Foot Clan Ninjas vanish from view as quickly as they had appeared running into the shadows and the sewers and buildings.

     How so many people can all vanish so quickly is beggars belief but somehow they manage it.

Kainashi has posed:
    How many people can vanish all at once is a complete mystery, unless you're also a ninja.

    Kainashi gives a growl, and she quickly pops a flash-bang smoke bomb, and turns to retreat back into the alley, away from the flashing of reds and blues.

    The people on the rooftop would be okay, she tells herself, but as she moves she passes between Ballista and Mania with a soft 'Follow Me' said out loud as she moves, trying to lead her allies -- however temporary -- away from the scene!

Andi Benton has posed:
Oh, Mania is ready to fight. So ready. They've all been through the appetizers and now it's time for the main course.

Except...the sirens. And the very sudden disappearing act on the part of the Foot Clan, not to mention the Tengu. "No, we are not!" the symbiote and host calls out by way of a retort, the visible expression twisting into one of annoyance. It's tough to even tell which way to go to pursue!

//We would have had them, Andi! We would have--//
<<I know. Stop. I know. I don't think this is the last time we're gonna see them.>>

Frustration simmers in the body language of the 'Spider' before the head turns in the direction of the voice heard. Kainashi's. Reluctantly, Mania follows.

Leena Danvers has posed:
Ballista wants her phone back, that's why she follows Kainashi. The last thing she wants is her phone in the hands of one of the Mutanimals. She of course is just assuming Kainashi is one of the Mutanimals and not a member of the Splinter clan but that whole thing is outside of her thought process at the moment.

"What the hell was all that about?!" She calls out, while following. She's not very good at stealth.