6837/Leo Checks In

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Leo Checks In
Date of Scene: 07 July 2021
Location: Hope House
Synopsis: Leo brings Nicolai some disturbing, but not unexpected intel.
Cast of Characters: Nicolai Codona, Leonardo




Nicolai Codona has posed:
    Kids have yet to start back to school and many in Bushwick don't even attend anyway - something Nicolai aims to change - so Hope House is a little busy. It's quickly caught on as the best neighborhood 'hangout' around, games, snacks, air conditioning and, currently, even a slip and slide in the back courtyard.

    Normally Nix can be found hanging with the kids, shooting hoops, playing air hockey, just being with them. But today finds him out front, manning. He's behind the desk, feet propped up on it, idly strumming a few notes from a vintage acoustic Fender.

Leonardo has posed:
After the early events of the evening before Leonardo's remaining patrol was fairly dull. He did get Donnie to order in pizzas (hard sell there of course) and had left overs for breakfast following his waking a bit before noon.

Deciding to check in on the victim from the night before he has pulled on his Sam Spade disguise... a buff colored fedora (with a blue ribbon naturally) and a matching trench-coat that obviously originally came from a Big and Tall shop before being left at a thrift shop or the like which almost brushes the ground as well as closing around his over-sized torso.

Even disguised, Leo doesn't come up to the streets until he's under the block that Hope House is found on and he takes a path to the entrance that avoids most of the gathered metahumanity. He keeps his chin tucked down as he walks in. A quick look around gives him a good idea of the lobby's layout and he makes a beeline to the desk that Nicolai's manning.

"Good afternoon," he says to the proprietor in greeting. "Hope you're well today," he also offers.

Nicolai Codona has posed:
    Nicolai looks up when Leonardo enters, but he doesn't stop strumming that guitar and he doesn't lower his legs from the desk. "Hey, yeah... I mean, I'm good," he replies - still strumming. It's like that damned thing is an extension of his hands the way he can pull notes out of it without thinking. The song he's playing isn't anything familiar, but it's good... really good, a happy little, sweet sounding bit. It fits the room with the kids laughing and milling about.

    "Anything I can do for you?" If he's surprised at all about anything regarding Leonardo's appearance, he doesn't show it one bit. Might be because the lobby is filled with the strange and unusual from that boy with no hair and skin the color of onxy to the little girl with the lisp and the forked tongue visible when she speaks.

Leonardo has posed:
Leo's face is at least partially concealed by the hat, the mask is definately hidden in the shadows cast by its brim, but he smiles about the music and nods about the response.

Cutting to the chase, Leonardo says, "I didn't sick around to make sure you and the girls were okay but based on seeing you here I have to assume they are also." There, that should get Nix's attention. If not that, the following question sure will. "Did the arisolator get into your hands or did I screw up just tossing it into the building like I did?"

Nicolai Codona has posed:
    Yeah, that gets his attention, not that Leo didn't have his attention to begin with, but that actually causes Nicolai to stop strumming, put his feet on the floor and set the guitar aside.

    "That was you huh? You scared Carl, the volunteer on shift last night, half to death." His tone isn't angry or even chiding, just matter of fact. "First you toss that in and then he looks out and sees..."

    He waves his hand as if to dismiss that thought and just goes with, "Everyone's fine, but... thanks for your help. Just dunno who would do such a thing, although I think I do know what it was."

Leonardo has posed:
"The police took the guy and his buddies into custody," Leo says. "I don't know who they are or if they are part of a larger group but I can tell you what they are and that will tell you why they did it." He pauses and says, "Tell Carl I didn't mean to scare him."

After another pause including a brief glance around the lobby, Leonardo says, "Kids about though, not sure if you want the rest of this discussion out here or not."

Nicolai Codona has posed:
    Oh... Well. Nicolai stands. "Ummm, yeah, we can talk...." He has an office but it's still mostly empty, so he gestures toward the door in the back that leads to the food pantry. It stays locked, unless of course someone needs something from it. So, it should be uninterrupted territory.

    "Did you... chase him? You shouldn't have done that." He steps from around the desk and calls out, "Lincoln, come find me if anyone needs anything and be polite if you have to answer the phone!"

    "Yessir, Mr. C!" the little onyx skinned kid, scrawny and ... looking about 12, but likely older, hurries over to settle in behind the desk.

    After a gesture toward that back room door, Nicolai steps in beside Leonardo to head that way.

Leonardo has posed:
After the pair have stepped into the room and the door's closed, Leonardo asks, "Do you mind if I take off my 'disguise'?" He obviously knows its not a good one but that it does hide something.

Once acquencence is given, Leo removes his hat and jacket exposing his carapace and plastron. Yes, this is a humanoid turtle with swords strapped to his back... but was he human? Its the likely assumption and largely part of the reason that Splinter has lightened up on some of the secrecy rules that Leonardo and his brothers were raised with.

"They are fanatically anti-mutant. He tried to kill himself even... bullet to the head." Leo says this somewhat grimmly, adding, "You're lucky he didn't try a bullet to your head I think," and then asks, "What exactly did he do to you if you dont mind my asking."

Nicolai Codona has posed:
    Nicolai should be surprised to hear what Leonardo has to say. He's not, not one bit, he may even be just a touch more surprised that he's talking to a turtle. Not that he lets it show. The fact that he isn't surprised is a testament to how messed up the world is in regards to mutants.

    "Well, my father used to say that you know you're doing something right if you piss off the bigots," he murmurs softly, just a touch of well... sadness there.

    "I can't be sure, I don't have the resources at my disposal to analyse it, but I think... it was Kick. It's use has been a bit rampant here in Bushwick the past month or so."

Leonardo has posed:
"I have a friend who might be able to dig up details with the police," Leo offers. "I don't know anyone who can analyze chemicals and such either, wish I could help with that." He frowns about that but then says, "That seems about right with bigots and all," with a hint of a smile about.

Nicolai Codona has posed:
    "All I know is what it does. Or can do in some situations. It can enhance mutant powers briefly and cause a person to lose control of them. I just don't know how it does it." Nicolai leans against one of the shelving units in the room, heels of his hands against the shelf.

    "That's... never happened to me before last night, like what happened with the girls. I've never..." he searches around for the right words, but the best he can come up with is, "...taken anyone with me."

Leonardo has posed:
Enhancing mutant powers. How about those mutants without powers. Frightening thought. Downplay the concern, Leo...

"Any idea how it affects non-mutants?" Leo asks about the first while showing concern about the man's apparent distress. Regarding /that/ he then asks, "Taken? So... What is your 'power'?" in a way that shows this is not a conversational subject he's accustomed to.

Nicolai Codona has posed:
    "No, no idea," Nicolai admits helplessly. "I was actually heading out last night to see if I could spot any drug deals going down from the rooftops when..." Well, he was the thing that was going down.

    "Well, the technical term people like to give the one that blipped on me last night is Astral Projection. I just call it crossing over. My soul, my essence, my life force, whatever you wanna call it leaves my body and travels to the other side, to another plane." The one that blipped on him definitely seems to imply that there's more. Tit for tat he asks, "So, will that shell stop a bullet?"

Leonardo has posed:
Leo nods in an admitably wishy-washy fashion. "Depending on the callibur, distance and angle... maybe," he explains oh so clearly. "My plastron..." he taps the 'chest plate' ... "Won't really, but the carapace..." angles his head back for a moment to indicate the back of the shell ... "Does and has." Pointing with the opposite arm at a fresh groove on the edge of the carapace near his shoulder he says, "One of the mooks last night got me there with a lucky near miss. It's definately thicker and tougher than a normal turtle's shell would be." And there, he's said it. He's a turtle. Does Nix get the inferrance... Leo waits and sees.

Nicolai Codona has posed:
    "You shouldn't have gone after him alone," Nicolai points out with a frown causing his brow to crease. Pot, have you met Kettle? He's not from the states, so he's not very well known here... yet, but Nicolai had quite the reputation in Romania. That also means he's likely had run-ins with all sorts of 'hero' types over there.

    He's not too far thrown for a loop, but the little bit of 'whoa' in his voice when he asks, "So... you're not a mutant?" is clear enough.

Leonardo has posed:
Just looks at Nicolai at the mild chastizement and blinks for a moment as he is not used to such things from anyone but Splinter and Raphael really. "Someone had to and I was patrolling alone last night," he says; no reason to explain who he would normally patrol with, this guy can find out about Leo's brothers at a later date. "I'm not going to apologize for helping clean up the streets."

Ah, and there's the million dollar question. "Yeah, I'm a mutant," Leonardo says. "But... that term has a lot of loaded assumptions in it," he explains without a true explination. "I'm not one of those 'suddenly developing powers during puberty' type mutants though, sir," he adds.

Nicolai Codona has posed:
    "Well, next time you find yourself doing it alone, stop by here. I have a few tricks up my sleeve, even if I'm not bulletproof," Nicolai offers.

    "So, not an X-gene mutant? Not that it makes a difference, human bigots are gonna bigot no matter the reason that you're different." It should be noted, that nothing in Nicolai's tone indicates that he things ALL humans are bigots, but... maybe a lot of'm?

Leonardo has posed:
Leo nods at this and says, "My father didn't believe we should show ourselves at all but... with all the human mutants up here we don't stand out that much as different." He doesn't know the term mutate. He doesn't know that he's effectively a reptilian version of the Fantastic Four, just with 'humanoidness' rather than flashy powers. He and his brothers just consider themselves and their kind mutants.

"No, exposure to a glowling sludge did this," Leo says, "May tell you the whole tale sometime even if you'd like. Though its best told by Master Splinter really."

Nicolai Codona has posed:
    Very carefully, Nicolai broaches the subject, "Umm... by Master, I hope you mean like your Sensei or something?" Because, hello, mutant slavery, be them X mutants or otherwise, something he is NOT on board with.

    "I should get back out there soon. Lincoln's a little young to be manning the shop too long and my day shift called off. We're having a little shindig here tomorrow, fundraiser, feel free to stop by. And you don't need to hide who and what you are here, unless you want to."

Leonardo has posed:
Realizing the implication, Leonardo laughs like only a teenager (no matter how much responisbility they've shouldered) can. After a moment, and some breathing exercises, he says, "Yes, exactly that. Master Splinter trained me in the art of ninjitsu, the way of the sword and stealth and ... all that jazz as they say," with a bit of restrained laughter still in his voice.

Grabbing his trenchcoat and hat, Leo says, "I understand." He puts the hat on first and then begins to don the coat as he also heads towards the door. "I... feel better not advertizing my full nature as there are people who might hurt you and your tennants to find out about me and my family."

Nicolai Codona has posed:
    Nicolai is laughing along with Leonardo by the time it's done, just not as boisterously. When he pushes off the shelf he's leaning on, he says, "Hey, if you're not doing anything, seriously, stop by. I could use the back up... just in case." He opens the door, holding it for the turtle to exit first and then he's back to work.

Leonardo has posed:
With his shoulders hunched a bit to futher obsfuscate his profile, Leo steps out of the office and tips his hat a bit forward as he says, "I'll keep that in mind, with my brothers even if they decide they want to meet you." He waves to Lincoln and says, "Nice meeting you, Mr. Codona. I'm glad to know you and those girls are all okay," as he heads for the door intending to vanish into the throng of mutantkind outside.