7611/Touched

Touched
Date of Scene:	30 August 2021
Location:	Robinson Park - Miagani Island
Synopsis:	Gangbangers go down, lives are saved, but at what cost? Might be best not to borrow trouble before it's here. But that advice came from someone that's already a tad 'Touched'.
Cast of Characters:	Killian Quinn, Stephanie Brown, Michael Hannigan, Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe, Nettie Crowe, Frank Castle, Simon Trent

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Killian Quinn has posed:
    It began as it always does, someone decided they need to extend turf or move their drug or gun market into another territory. Maybe it's the Innocent Devils and the Ghost Dragons, perhaps it's the Irish Wound Ravens and the Jade Tigers, maybe it's the LoBoys returned or Street Demonz. Does it really matter? The result is always the same, blood on the streets in Gotham City.

    The confrontation (business end) of this one started about three blocks from Robinson park, just before the sun's path took it completely down; while there are still people on the streets trying to beat the stifling stuffy of indoor summer heat with no air conditioners. Shots fired back and forth, cars and feet beating it after one another. It escalated quickly, likely from three or four on each side in the start of it to now better'n ten a piece, moving toward fifteen.

    One young mother's already been caught in the crossfire, pulled into a building by a good Samaritan a block back, her child screaming and clinging to mom's hand.

    It's the only civilian victim... for now. The fight reaches Robinson Park to find Killian beneath that old Willow tree near Finger Castle. "Fuck this," is his immediate thought as he steps himself sideways into the mists surrounding the tree, mists seen only by Killian and others with a sight for such things. Don't get involved, it's his first rule of thumb.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
A warm wind ruffles black and eggshell fabric, as if a promise that the dog days of summer are not going to give way too readily. The fabric is part of a cape, lightly suspended in the breeze as it dangles from Batgirl's shoulders as she stands atop a tall building a block away from the park.

<<Multiple shots fired, Batgirl.>> Alfred's voice is always a steadying thing to hear over the comms, even when it's announcing something like this. <<Upwards of ten and possibly as many as two dozen gunmen. Seems a few of the street gangs might be having a disagreement.>>

Batgirl drops back onto the roof from the edging where she was standing and slowly backs up a few steps. << Well looks like they could use my help to find a more peaceful way. They don't call me The Negotiator for nothing. >>

<<I don't believe I've heard them call you th->>

<< Right! So into action The Negotiator goes! >> Batgirl replies, cutting him off before Alfred can finish the thought. She sprints forward and leaps into the air. In response to a current her cape hardens in places to form a framework to spread the cape into a gliding shape as she soars towards the Park.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Just because Mike now lives in Manhattan does not mean the rockstar / actor hybrid doesn't still have some ties left in Gotham. This time around, work called for him to set foot in the city, catching up with mom's old co-workers is what led to staying longer. The building sense of nostalgia is what led to him being in Robinson Park.

He had been near the ampitheater that wasn't currently in use. The sounds of the conflict, longstanding enough to travel three blocks was sufficient means of warning, even for Mike. Giving a look of concern, the musician glances around to see who might also be in the area. The scar on his right arm fades, appearing on his left. Get involved or not, he sure as hell doesn't want to get shot.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    <<'I mean a couple of dozen gunman sounds like a fantastic workout to me!'>> cuts in Misfit, who is out on patrol and on comms tonight too. She starts to head that way vanishing from a roof top in the Narrows and appearing moments later much closer to the park on a building with a high vantage.

    As Charlie steps towards the edge of the roof to peer down at the city she asks. <<'So Negotiator.. are you going to like name your fist patience and your foot silence... ooor hey maybe compromise and compassion?'>> she can't help herself. Totally can't do it.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Ordinarily, a nearly white-haired Goth-Punk coming out of the Urbarail station might not be of any great consequence, but where as Nettie Crowe had been intending to pop over to ask a question or two, the witch had heard the gunshots, and in lieu of people running away from the gangwar, she ran towards, boots skidding on the pavement. She breathes out, and with a word, she flickers, and is replaced by a grayish shape of a woman, wearing a conical witch's hat and skirt, and as she walks forward to the cawing sound of crows, The Greywitch steps into the field of battle. She doesn't exactly fit in with the environment, but she seems ready to interrupt some fighting.

Frank Castle has posed:
Somewhere in the middle of all this, a 'visitor' to the fair city of Gotham is moving from cover to cover, out of sight of most. Clad in a black bodysuit and trenchcoat, the Punisher has an M24 strapped to his back and is moving inside the castle itself, heading for the stairs. "Inside, get me a drone up top. I need overwatch." Frank tells Microchip over his commlink.

"On it, Frank." Microchip replies from the Battle Van only blocks away.

A milspec recon drone launches and starts to fly over the gang war, feeding the information to both Frank and David as Frank moves upwards to a solid vantage point... and starts setting up a snipers nest.

Simon Trent has posed:
     "Oh baby you," Simons voice rings out as he bobs his head from one side to the other in the midst of his car in time with the radio. "You got what I neeeeeeeeeeed!" He holds the note with a firm conviction as he smiles from one ear to the other holding his hand firm into position in a gloved fist of righteous fury. "When you say he's JUST a friend, and you say he's JUST a friend!" He throws his fist down against the side of the steering wheel. "Oh baby yooooooooou"

     His studebaker Goldhawk rolls down the city streets of gotham letting out its iconic rattling and clattering sound of chicka chicka BANG chicka chicka BANG. A bang that sounds distinctly similar to gunfire, enough so that a round of gunfire is sent his direction causing him to swerve off course with a loud "Great scott!" Swerving the wheel in an attempt to gain control of himself as he veers off course and right into a gaggle of gangers.

     Thud thud tha thud thud thud crunch. His head slams forward into the steering wheel sending the horn a honking. Just his luck that he was already dressed in the full Gray Ghost attire for a charity event to add on top of the whole mess of a situation. Now he's stuck in the middle of a gang warfare dressed in full costume.

Killian Quinn has posed:
    Once in the park, one side or the other decides to try to take 'high ground', the defensible position; the castle to be stormed. The group marked with white bandannas, either hanging from pockets or wrapped around heads, runs toward that safe haven at the middle of the park. They're smart about it, spread out, coming at it from all directions while laying down fire to keep their rivals at bay.

    The rivals, the other side, the ones assumed to be ready to do the storming? They wear no colors, but each of them to the man (and the one or two women amid their ranks) has a shaved head.

    "Don't get involved, Killian," the bartender mutters under his breath from the mist none can see, standing beside the duplicate of that tree.
    "But you see it, don't you?!" the little stoat bouncing around his feet demands more than questions. "Nettie Rose, you gotta Killi, you gooooottttta. Do it for Batman," his little voice even goes all deep and creepy when he speaks of the bat. "You know he'd want you to!"
    A glare from Killian cuts the little critter off of that thought and it just bounces about this way and that, backwards and sideways, up and down, saying, "Doitdoitdoitdoitdoitdoooooitdoooooooitdoitdoitdoitdoiiiiiiit..." Until ANY man would be driven mad fuckin' enough to just 'do it'.
    Killian steps from the mists. There's no big fan fare to his arrival, there's no clap of thunder, there's really not any notice at all to be had other than a man now standing visible next to a willow tree.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Gods bless the little theif. The Greywitch, in its vaguely feminine form, sweeps across the ground now, wand in its hand as she sweeps upwards, now on a broom. Nettie's hand loops around the familiar and ancient ash as she weaves in the sky, drawing towards the nearest pond. She had an idea, but she'll need to get some of them a bit wet.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
High in the evening sky, Batgirl gazes down at the park below. Muzzle flashes pinpoint locations of combatants and quickly give her the layout of fight. << Two sides. Nearly two dozen. One side is going for the castle. Others have a lot of shaved heads. >> Batgirl says to fill in Misfit after the younger girl makes her presence known.

<< Shoot! Family that's in harm's way. I'm going in! >>

The aforementioned family, a young mother and father out with a baby in a stroller, and their golden retriever. The woman has the dog in her arms, while the father is pulling the baby out of the carriage to hold. A gunshot cracks, aimed at the bald gang, and it hits a tree trunk just five feet from the woman.

They never see the dark-clad figure that lands behind them, until Batgirl rushes forward, pulling up her cape, arms spread and drawn tight. Just time as two more shots ring out, hitting the bullet-resistant cape. "Quickly, up the path here," Batgirl tells them as she continues to cover them. The family take off at a crouched run as the blond heroine follows to keep up the cover until they have put enough distance, and trees, between them and the gunfight.

Frank Castle has posed:
Seeing the family running for their lives, Frank aims for the thugs unintentionally causing collateral damage to civilians... and silenced 7.62 rounds start to headshot the perps from up high. Stephanie will probably notice the gunfire coming her way is markedly decreased soon enough...

Meanwhile, as the gangs try for the castle, Microchip chimes in, "Frank, you have numerous contacts coming up your way. Estimate contact less than a minute." Frank grunts in reply as he continues firing 7.62 rounds at the gangbangers below. He put a tripwire on the stairwell to his sniper nest... it'll inform him of incoming.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie starts to hum softly as she surveys everything<<'Going to head for the Castle the white bandana folks seem to be trying to take. Isn't white the sign of surrender like waving the white flag.. or maybe parley if you are pirates?'>> she muses letting Alfred and Batgirl know where she will eb dropping in.

    The Misfit bat leaps off the rooftop she is on and vanishes in a slash of pink and purple smoke. Reappearing with another silent slash of smoke at the Castle in the park. Silent to all but the magical inclined who hear a popbang of chaos magic against magically attuned senses.

    She greets one of the gang members storming the castle with a tactical boot to the face. "Have fun storming the castle!"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Off to the distance, the imagery of many gang members heading towards the center of the park is a bit disheartening. But the good news is they're not heading to the ampitheater. So he could just lay low for a bit.

But, there's no sound of sirens or anything like that right now. And there's always the possibility of others in the park about to get hurt.

Fine.

Taking advantage of no one really looking his way, the phantasmed Mike takes a few running steps, hopping into the air. As he tumbles forward, the form shifts smaller, turning into that of a raven.

The corvid's 3 foot long wingspan helps add to the view of him in flight as he takes a low flight path, moving towards the castle, keeping watch for any person who may need help in the meantime.

Simon Trent has posed:
     Simon stumbles his way out of the car intent on looking at the damage. To be fair he's still in a bit too much shock to realize that he's just wandered into a combat zone. He stands up tall and firm sliding into position with his long flowing gray cape over his shoulders. The visage of the Gray Ghost straight from the silver screen.

     "It's a cape!" One of the skinheads calls out turning his gun in the direction of simon. To which gains a quick reply of. "Ow my head." Simon rubbing the front of his forehead as he blearily looks about before an addition of. "Get him." echoes out from a pair of near by thugs who charge his direction feeling lucky to be able to take down a cape.

Killian Quinn has posed:
    For the most part, neither of the groups are paying much mind to the helpful assistance of others trying to herd civilians to safety, but that doesn't mean a few stray bullets don't end up Stephanie's way. It's thanks to her efforts that neither parent, pet, nor child is injured this day.

    "What *is* that?!" one of the skinheads screams when they look about to spot a something in the sky. "Is that one of the BATS?!" ... "What if it is?! Ain't scared of those fucks!" another one calls.

    The other side, the ones with hair - mostly anyway - are making for the castle. It's hard for Frank to get more than one at a time, so spread out as they are. A few fall, but more make it than not. Charlie gets her hit, but one ducks in around to turn and fire a shot in her direction. Duck Charlie, DUCK!

    Killian walks further from the tree, grasses whip and sway at his feet, but he does nothing... yet. Eyebrows shoot up over those big brown eyes as they wander over the area, looking for (what he's telling himself anyway) is the only reason he's out here in the first place. Has zip to do with what the feckin' Batman would want him to do, not one lick to do with any of that.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown says, "Is that one of the BATS?!"

"What if it is?! Ain't scared of those fucks!"

The batarang that comes hurtling out of the night is aimed right at the forehead of the second man. Luckily for him it has a dulled edge so it will only bludgeon.

"I'd say be afraid, be very afraid, but that sounds more like a Scarecrow line," Batgirl calls after whipping the batarang towards the skin head. She shoots her grapple gun towards trees between herself and more of the gang members. It loops around some branches and then reels her in blindingly fast, launching her into the air. Batgirl sails towards the nearest hoodlum, rolling over in the air to deliver a foot towards the man's face.

Seems like she and Misfit might have had the same mentor.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie flies low over one of the ponds, taking a breath she focuses, and with a twist of her wand, she summons up the water from the pond. Sinewy, it pulls up, drawn from its rest and ordered to follow the witch as she draws back towards the sky.

    She brings hundreds of gallons of water behind her, and twisting about, turning over itself as if it were a living, breathing thing --

    and then she drops the water on the 'no man's land between the advancing thugs and those in repose.


    And then, the water *Freezes*. Hope those bat-boots have good grip.

    She perches astride her broom, the witch watching warily.

Frank Castle has posed:
As the tripwire is hit, Frank drops the M24, and a pair of Berettas is pulled out from the webbing under his trenchcoat and aimed for the stairs. He silently crouch dashes across the rooftop so he's out of sight when they start coming up... and as the thugs come into visual range, Frank waits for just a moment to let the stragglers catch up.

Once it sounds like everyone is up, or someone looks his way, Frank starts firing those Berettas, going for headshots.

At this range? the ganbgangers don't stand a chance.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Same mentor and same sparing partners. Surprising no one who gets a good look at their gear at least. Not that many people do with the fast movements from the young women and surprising number of head injuries.

    Chalie is hummming again after quipping. Vanishing as the man dodges around and takes a pot shot right at her like that, another slash of purple and pink smoke. Was that a smoke pellet. Damn cheating bats.

    o/~Another one bites the dust....o/~ is song she goes from humming to singing as she appears next to the shooter spinning with momentum of her dodge and vanish to slam a padded and weighted elbow down on the shooters head aiming to drive his chin down in her knee that flashes up to helpfully meet his face as she helps him to the floor violently.

    Okay maybe same mentor but very different personalities.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Hearing the shouts of 'Get him' The bird's head turns to the source of the sound. Recognizing the costume from the Fundraiser a bit ago the phantasm's path shifts heading towards Simon's predicament. Groups ganging up on one guy is definitely on his list of dislikes. That is for certain.

Phantasm descends quickly, clotheslining the one pointing the gun at Simon with a force one would not expect from a 26 inch tall corvid.

Simon Trent has posed:
     Simon reacts the best way that he can, by falling down into a familiar boxing stance. He lets the ganger come to him still somewhat weary from the force of the crash. (Trained a lifetime for this Simon.) The voice echoes out in his head as the blows from the gangers come down swift and fast. The only thing he has on his side his professional training to keep him from being pistol whipped into submission.

     Simon's motions are showy designed more for the camera than they are for efficiency very clearly built off the back of a silver screen education, and yet when he connects he connects with a great deal of force thanks to those lovely steel knuckles which connect into flesh with a great deal of force slamming against the supple skin of the cheak bone rattling with a loud crunch before he catches onto the falling head of the ganger.

     A twist around of the positioning sees Simon Trent in full costume throw the ganger into a full on pile driver which knocks him out cold in one fell swoop. One on one was about the best that the almost 70 year old actor could hope for so the help may have just saved his life.

Killian Quinn has posed:
    Killian Hangs back, really... do NOT get involved. Except when one of Stephanie's grapples nearly misses a mark, suddenly it doesn't when the branch moves that of its own accord into the just the right position. Just the wind right. Outside the mists, the communication between him and the little stoat is mental and Slink's voice is chiding <<You could end it, Killian Rowan Quinn, wouldn't take much.>> But a little aid here and there is all he offers, quiet and subtle, barely a movement of his hand to cause the effects needed.

    At least one might wake in jail with a new respect for the Bats though! Go Steph!

    Except they aren't moving all in the same direction. Finger Castle is a large structure with many windows, a few balconies. The white bandanna sporting bangers spread out inside, taking up different locations from which to rain their own hail of bullets down upon their rivals.

    However numbers on both sides are dwindling, both by the efforts of heroes or by their own hands, taking one another down. The skinheads also now have the added pleasure of doing their thing on ice. It turns into a parody of one of those fancy ice shows with bangers flailing and trying to keep feet beneath them even as trying to fire off shots at the windows of the castle.

    Never you mind the little root that might shoot up from beneath the ice to further trip this one or that, those were there all along.

    Another one bites the dust indeed, little Charlie. And when he tries to struggle back to his feet despite it all, the shooter will find himself snagged on a large splinter in the castle's wooden floor. How'd he manage to drive that thing right through his own gun hand sleeve, pinning him and the gun to the floor?

    Michael's good deed for the day is done, Simon will live to fight on. The pair of them will find themselves alone in short order. As the gangbanger's numbers dwindle on both sides, it becomes an 'all hands on deck' situation, all attention on the main war rather than the smaller battles.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
After laying out the second man, Batgirl finds herself in a close fight with another skinhead. She whirls and throws flash pellets at his face, blinding him briefly so his shots are wild and miss her.

Though as she moves in to hit him, he rushes forward blindly and tackles a shoulder into her stomach! The pair go down as she grunts in pain. He's far stronger and starts out on top, flailing at her in a 'ground and pound'. But the fight is embarrassingly quick, the lithe blond slipping his hold with a Brazilian jujitsu move and getting into an arm lock with her legs. Once his arm is tied down, a hard punch to the side of his head knocks him out.

She release him and flips to her feet, a bit of blood trickling from the corner of her lip. With no one in the immediate area, she stops to check a downed skinhead. A bullet punched clean through his head. "That's either the luckiest shot for a pistol, or..." Batgirl mumbles to herself before looking about the area briefly, then sprinting off towards the castle.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie never did like skinheads.

    She is satisfied with the ice, and the Greywitch decends, watching the Icecapades occur and comes accross to Batgirl. The gray figure on the broomstick offers a hand to Stephanie, without speaking, as a crow comes to land on the front of the broomstick. The offer was clear, as they're both heading for the Castle.

    Need a lift?

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Batgirl is surprised by the sight of the honest to goodness witch zooming down on a broom to offer her a ride. She takes the hand, swinging up onto the back of the broom as they jet off towards the castle.

"Great ride. But if a house lands on you, dibs on the slippers."

Frank Castle has posed:
When it becomes clear no one is coming up, Frank silently stalks down the stairs and starts to guerilla style clear the castle interior. His own gunshots start adding to the chaos of the gang war as he starts to silently headshot any ganbgangers he comes across inside the castle.

He's taking no prisoners tonight. This is a plain and simple sweep and clear.

"Frank, got some sort of magic bullshit happening outside. Don't step out." Microchip remarks dryly.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie keeps on bopping to the music she has playing very low in her cowl. It will cut out if anyone actually uses the comms after all. Her foot snaps and kicks away the gun, not that he seems to be using it anytime soon with that hand wound. "Ouch buddy." she notes and then follows it up with another kick to the temple to knock the gang members ass right out.

    At which point she heads further into the castle looking for another white bandana gang member to kick in the face. Though. Well. This time she flings a batarang right at said face when she rounds a corner and encounters one.

    It can't all be kicking after all.

    Wonder if she will run into the Castle in the Castle. Since they are both on sweep and clear.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
With the collection of problems gathered around Simon's vehicle, Phantasm doesn't have much time for chit chat or pleasantries. And honestly, it'd be weird hearing a bird talk if you're not expecting it. It seems the fates have a twisted sense of humor in Gotham. But it is quite a sight. The Gray Ghost with a bird themed sidekick of sorts, kicking butt for a brief while.

Fortunately the butt kicking is short-lived, freeing up the bird that is now standing on the hood of the hot car, wings bent like arms ready to swat away any more incoming throws. There aren't anymore.

"Are you okay?" The bird finally asks of the costumed actor while his eyes look in the way of the park.

...

Hope there weren't any tourists inside the castle.

...

He just HAD to think that.

Simon Trent has posed:
     "Good to have you come when you did, otherwise the situation could have gone messy." Simon offers as he stands up from the unconscious crook. He dusts himself off adjusting his goggles into position as he looks towards the castle half expecting another wave of crooks to come crawling from the woodwork.

     "It seems fate has made our paths meet, and I'm better for it." he pauses a brief moment. "Though I wish I could say the same for my car."

Killian Quinn has posed:
    Killian only moves closer to the castle as the numbers begin to dwindle. He has an almost jaunty little skip to his step, grass swaying and bending at his will and lapping at his ankles like ocean water on the beach, a little stoat following along at his heals. Beneath his breath, he's actually singing, 'Shine On' by the Porters; fingers even snap a time or two at his sides. His voice only raises enough to remotely be heard during...

    ~... Don't let the bastards drag you down.~

    Here and there, he still tosses out a little help. A skinhead tripped up via a root through the ice that manages to snake its way around the man's ankle to hold him tightly. The more the heroes move inside and his efforts are less likely to be noticed, the more brutal those efforts become. Thicker roots, pointed and lethal break through to stab fallen bangers through mostly non-lethal spots, thighs, shoulders. Not his preferred method, but fecking Batman and fecking Bruce and his fecking frowny face of 'disappointed Dad' when *bad guys* wind up with roots crawling through one side and out the other or tree branches choking the life out of them. Blood stains the ice, but eventually between ice and root, none of the skinners outside will be going inside.

    This leaves only the white bandannas and a few skinheads inside, their numbers cut by Frank and Charlie's combined efforts. They've caught on that they're in trouble now and turn their efforts away from one another and toward the approaching heroes.

    Tourists indeed! At least there are also Gotham minded locals inside as well, all of them gathered together in one room, door closed, huddle with their tourist charges, shushing them, safe... for now.

    Down to a handful, a dozen between the two groups combined, the gangers have taken to hiding themselves, laying in wait for an ambush opportunity. It's quiet inside, almost enough to lull into a false sense off security, isn't it?

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    There is a wry note in a trio of British voices as the figure turns back to Batgirl. The 'face' is expressionless and featureless, but there is humor in the male, female, and electrically pitched voices that reply:

    "They would have to hit me first, my girl!"

    The witch twists and turns, zigging and zagging through the sky until she comes standing over the top of the castle, maybe two stories above, and she dismisses the broom over one of the parapets, the crow on the front of the broomstick cawing in complaint as his perch is robbed from him.

    There is a flicker of fire as the wand gathers something, from the witch herself, and a large fireball preceeds the two as they drop -- clearing the way and providing appropriate mood-lighting for a cackling witch and a bat to fall!

Frank Castle has posed:
They're getting smarter. Well, they couldn't all be idiots.

When they start doing ambushes, Frank starts to move through the castle carefully. This isn't his first breach and clear of a hostile stronghold, and it won't be the last. He has far better reflexes than these gangangers, and relies on stealth and speed as he checks doors and corners as he continues forward.

There's no hiding from the Punisher.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Batgirl doesn't bother using her cape to glide, just tumbles in the air, using the motion when she hits to absorb the shock on her legs and convert it to sideways motion along the floor. Something she learned from a certain Flying Grayson.

"Thanks for the lift," Batgirl says with a little salute towards Nettie Crowe. She spots a skylight then, moving over to it applying something to the lock which melts right through it, and then drops inside.

Within the hallways, a gang member is stalking. Pistol held in two hands like cops are trained to do, rather than the sideways grip so in style with gang members. It costs him street cred, but improves his accuracy.

He pauses, hearing something, ear cocked. Slowly he moves forward again to a corner. Peeking around it, gun ready to shoot.

And never seeing the dark shadow that appears behind him. Ok it's not tall and looming like Batman. But the effect is the same, a cape wrapping around him and whisking him off into the dark.

Batgirl reappears a moment later, dusting her hands off. "Crap. I should have really asked her if she weighs the same as a duck," she says, glancing up at the skylight where she departed from the witch. Shrugging, Batgirl moves, on the hunt.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie pauses in her sweep of the castle when the honest to god fireball happens outside. "What the hecks was that." yeah she felt something unusual. Over the comms to Stephanie <<'Everything okay Batgirl?'>> using codenames and all. Someone might be close enough to overhear and everyhthing.

    That done she starts moving again through the Castle listening as she prowl's for anyone moving that might make a good target for some gold old fashioned DARK Vengeance!

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"No problem." The raven replies, "Well, better your car than your life." The nagging feeling gets to him. "I got to go. Get somewhere safe, Mr. Trent."

Wings spreading, the raven flies off the car hood, heading straight back into the park to where the action is. It seems like things are mostly handled, but the sooner everything's subdued, the quicker things can get back to Gotham!normal. Which would be- more of these but in smaller clusters?

Flying low to the ground, the bird uses its wings to knock some of the skinheads on the slippier surfaces onto their butts. The blood on the ice does raise some concern though. What in the -?

The bright light causes for Phantasm to glance up in time to see the duo making use of some lighting.

Ok. That's how to make an entrance.

Killian Quinn has posed:
    Killian walks out onto the ice, some of it now melting. The grass beneath forces its way through at his beckoning to secure his footsteps against the slick surface. He squats down beside one of the root pinned skinheads and tilts his head curiously, like he's studying an ant on the ground right before he squishes it with his finger. But he doesn't squish, he just leans in further to whisper, "Ye'd be wise to go back and tell whoever sent ye this that Robinson Park belongs to me and the people of Gotham. This is me home and I won't tolerate home invasions." To punctuate the point, the root pinned through the man's shoulder wiggles and writhes and grows a little more.

    Inside the castle, between the efforts of all present, the numbers dwindle. One door that's swung open by Frank reveals the cowering civilians, another by Charlie a ganger that's cowering that actually pisses himself when the door opens. Stephanie will be faced with one more ready, standing in the middle of the room, gun up and ready to fire at anything that comes through the door.

    One by one, they go down, with still one more floor to clear... the tip top, it's the home of some of the stained glass windows that survived this place being torn asunder not too long ago as far as the history of the city is concerned. All of them are suspended now in wooden stands formed to frames rather than actual window frames.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
The open doorway is covered by Marco's gun. His hand has a slight tremble to it as the adrenaline coursing through him for most of the fight has finally run its course and faded away. The tremble is evident in his aim, but then he's still probably going to be able to hit anything coming through that door.

A somewhat familiar sound comes from the hallway, but Marco can't place it. Until the little metal ball rolls into the room. That's it, it's like the sound of a heavy marble or something like that. The curious little dark metal ball rolls across the floor, the gang member looking at it. Right up until the moment it bursts in a loud bang and flood of light.

Momments later Batgirl is straightening from where Marco lays, hands batcuffed behind his back. << Outside seems clear. Just getting a last one in the... room. With stained glass windows covered over. I think there might have been another gunman in the area. Some of those shots I saw were pretty precise. Going to go have a look. Want to check on any remaining civilians and get them somewhere safe? >>

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    And what an entrance!

    The gray figure lets people escape the room she's entered into. She makes her way about, carefully wand drawn like some bad Gothamized Harry Potter fanfiction, and turns at the flood of light and the bang.

    She silently steps over Marco, and glances to Batgirl, and then draws forward. She looks at each of the stained glass frames.

    <<... depends on the size of the duck.>> the tri-voice replies, <<With fond regards to Dr. Chapman.>>

    The crow that accompanies the gray witch figure alights on one particular frame, holding a stained glass window on a stand. The witch draws closer, looking upon the the strange juxtaposition, half fairy-tale forest with lush green and flowers and a woodland animal in one -- and the other half dark. Trees paled to ashey bone white, not a leaf to be found, skeletal in form --

    and then, Nettie has a bit of bad luck. She trips over Marco's feet, and as her crow goes to try and be of some service, the familiar knocks the stand the glass is one, sending the precious window crashing to the ground!

Frank Castle has posed:
When he comes across the civilians, the Punisher just nods to then, "It'll be clear soon, keep down and away from the door." With that, he moves on, continuing his sweep of the castle... heading for the top floor on his way back to the level where his M24 was left.^

The Punisher's involvement will be revealed at the end soon enough, just from police taking their statements soon enough.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Behind her goggles Charlie blinks once when the cowering ganger pisses himself at the sight of the sort of quirky Bat costumed teenager all sillohetted in the doorway like that. She isn't entirely used to the whole fear of the Bat in Gotham even after all this time.

    Which isn't to say she doesn't kick the guy right in the face hard enough to bounce his skull off the wall behind him then crouch and with brutal effeciency ziptie him up for the cops later. <<'Roger Dodger!'>> she chirps back to Batgirl.

    She will still very careful head through to make sure any remaining civilians get out of the castle and gang flair up now. I mean if she runs into a gun toting maniac that could be bad but she has her guard up still.

    She misses Frank though and runs into the civilians next and blinks at them cowering. "Oh hey.. tour group... uh.... the way out should be clear. Follow me down okay and hang back a smidge in case I need to like totes punch a gang member ok?"

Killian Quinn has posed:
    He couldn't possibly hear that breaking glass from out there, but Killian head snaps up, his gaze on that top floor of the castle.

    <<Uh-oh, that's bad.>> thinks the little stoat called Slink. "Aye, not good," Killian agrees. "I felt it too."

    ...and then everyone will see it, the mists rising up from that broken piece of stained glass. It pours out thick and heavy, damp and clinging. It flows down hallways, through doors and walls, in a matter of moments, the stuff is *everywhere* inside the walls.

    Killian shoves himself to his feet and is on toward the castle's entrance at a dead run. It's not often that Killian Quinn runs. When he does, it's probably a good idea to run too... most times in the opposite direction. It's probably too late, but he screams it out anyway, "Don't BREATHE IT, GET OUT, GET OUT!" Hell, he's not even sure not breathing it will work for the poor sods inside.

    It doesn't, however, seem to have any immediate effect outside the way it clings to a person like any thick fog would, so what's he down there going on about?

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie didn't have a choice. She dropped her illusion, and she tries to contain the fog, breathing it in as she works her spellcraft, trying to summon up the winds to keep the fog contained, and struggling with the spell. Been too long, she thinks direly, and she was about ready to try and light another fireball to dry it out -- and she hear Killian's call.

    "Too late for that! Trying to get it contained!"

Frank Castle has posed:
"What the-" And then the mist has him surrounded. Without any frame of reference for what it actually /is/, the Punisher immediately grabs a rebreather, balaclava, and goggles... and continues through the floor until he can get to his rifle. "Micro, I have some sort of visible mist inside. Bring the Van around to the castle and prep for extraction. I'm done here and I need a decon sweep."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie doesn't hear the warning but does see the mists, the thick fog, and something about it feels very hinky to the teenager as it boils down the interior of the Castle. "Oh Crackers!" she exclaims and steps in to give a good hard shove to get the rest of the tourists and their guide out of the castle even if it means f them may take a tumble down the front steps. "Run run run!" she notes to them even as she gets envoloped in the clinging fog.

    Barbara is going to be so pissed if this eats her or sends her to Jotenheim or something....

Michael Hannigan has posed:
With the outside growing quiet and the castle seeming to be the center of attention, the raven's path swoops upwards towards the top of the castle. Because don't some people in horror films run up the stairs?

It's never a good idea to go up. As the mist comes out of the wall, the raven's eyes widen. Wings flapping hard, he flies upwards to try and avoid the fog.

Killian Quinn has posed:
    That little bit of seemingly harmless glass, t'was the reason Killian was drawn to Robinson Park so long ago. Not that he was aware, only that there was *something* of import here, something needed found and looked over. Twenty years later and the bad luck of a Grey Witch found it for him.

    He's within a few feet of the castle wall when a bit of vine climbing up it grows, thickens snags him by an outstretched hand, a little stoat snatched up in his other hand and pulls him up and flips him through a glass-less window on the top floor. Nature's zip line, that. He hits the ground in a roll and comes to his feet at the end of it. He flips Slink from hand to his shoulder.

    "Bring the pieces back together, Nettie Rose or... melt them!" He'd rather the former as then it could maybe be saved, but the latter will do, won't it? He turns in a circle, noting the rest of the windows without glass, all the doors to be opened to the outside and Killian Quinn does something he *never* does, ever, at least in regards to his 'otherness'. The world knows he's nothing but a showoff otherwise.

    ... he closes his eyes, raises his hands slightly and those vines on outside of the castle spring to life, spreading and thickening and touched to strengthen by Killian's own magic. Before it's over, the entirety of the building is covered in vines, blocking the fog with magic of its like from seeping out further.

    It also traps those inside, inside... in the dark save the dim, modern fog lights in the base of the castle walls. Ironic that even those don't do much to penetrate the fog.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Killian!" Nettie calls out. Her voice is no longer the three-in-one, but there is a note of alarm in her voice, and she grabs for her lighter -- lost outside. Stupid bic lighters are infected with imps and always getting lost.

    So she does the next best thing. She ducks down, into the mist -- it was too late for her, and she reaches into the glass, taking it, squeezing it in her fingers until myriad little cuts form on the glass.

    And then a collection of words, before she brings her bleeding hands down to the ground and tries to reverse the damage to the pieces of glass.

    Corvax, the crow that accompanied her, is nowhere to be seen. The familiar spirit took his leave!

Frank Castle has posed:
The M24 is still there... but now he's trapped inside.

"Micro, stand by. I have a shitload of vines to deal with here. I might need you to use the minigun to open a hole. Get in position." Frank starts to look for any openings in the vines, M24 slung over his shoulder and a Beretta in hand, holstering the second one he had.

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie reaches out and pokes a vine. Well at least she shoved the tourists out before she got trapped in the fog here. "Well.. this isn't ideal." she notes bemused and feels the vines again a bit more. Trying to get a feel for it all.

    Mostly because this whole thing feels very strange to chaos muppet.

    She focuses a moment then decides to not risk bouncing through it. She has been lectured a lot recently about how her teleport has horrible consequences sometimes. I mean. Okay not just lectured but dramatic examples. "Okay you piskies.. come oput and fight!" she declares angrily. Thinking it is like the last time she felt something like this.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Killian may have done what he can to contain the mist, but it doesn't account for the bits that got out before his arrival. While the magic senses of a phantasm are a bit...subpar, the common sense of one Michael Hannigan is very much screaming that the weird mist that suddenly errupted from the castle is not normal and should be avoided. Unfortunately it's also overriding another common sense solution he could easily utilize to avoid ALL of this.

Too bad.

The view of the bird is obscured as the mist catches up.

Killian Quinn has posed:
    It's slow, but it happens, the broken pieces come together like a glass jigsaw puzzle and begin to mend, drawing the fog back to it. By the time the thing is mended, a span of maybe five minutes - perhaps less, but it may well be an eternity for all it matters for those already touched - the fog is gone, but not before, "Do NOT breech anything until the fog's gone!" is called out by Killian to anyone that might hear elsewhere in the castle.

    He studies the glass with an uncommon thing on his face, a frown. "Uh-oh, that's not good," he murmurs, echoing Slink's earlier sentiment, for there, etched in stained glass but still recognizable as who they are? Well, an image of every person that the fog danced over, aside from Killian. Walking into the darker side, showing only backs and walking out the lighter side.

    <<What's it feckin' mean, Killian?!>> thinks little Slink, but the only response given is a shrug of Killian's shoulders up to his chin and a 'fuck should I know?' expression.

    "Well, Nettie... you're still here? Is everyone else that's on the glass now?" he asks as the vines actually do begin to retreat from whence they came, no fog, no need for them, sending them back to their normal is as easy for Killian as blinking an eye or breathing.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie is a tad bit busy. Her hands are a mess, and she is opening a flap on her vest with her teeth, and struggles getting gauze out of it.

    "Aye, I'm still here lad, minus what's gone back into the windoo---" she states, and she looks up. She narrows her eyes on the changed image, and gives a curse in Middle English.

    "Well." she breathes out. "That's bad."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie isn't entirely sure who is yelling but she looks around lost in the fog. Okay well she can probably manage to not breach anything until the fog is gone she figures at least right. There is a sigh as she waits.

    Finally though the fog has faded and she peers around and shouts back. "Is it safe to ... go out or .. hey where are people?"

    She belatedly realizes that she got the tourists out but there were a lot of gang members in the castle trussed up.

Killian Quinn has posed:
    "Best I can tell, that's the House of the Dark One," he points to the dark side, obviously. "...and that's Tir na Nog, maybe? *I* felt it, so I'm guessin' it has to do with me people, not some other..." of the millions of types of fae and different worlds out there. "But I don't know why everyone's not gone now? Maybe not enough time in the fog, maybe that change is just what woulda happened if it were longer everyone one in it?" Maybe, maybe, maybe, he's soooo just guessing. "You need to figure a way to let me know if somethin' happens with ye, Nettie."

    <<Killi, you *can't* go there if they all end up there. You'll be *hunted* in Tech Duinn.>> Little Slink thinks at Killian. He responds out loud with, "Aye, I know... that's why you'll go with'm if it happens, Slink. They'll need someone familiar with it." Just a beat and he adds, "*If* it happens, hasn't yet, maybe they won't go at all." Who the hell's he talking to? Himself? That might be a better option regarding Killian's mental health than if he's speaking to the *stoat*.

    ...and nothing invokes faith in a guide quite so much as the guide being a hyper active, chicken tender stealing *stoat*, right?

    "I say we don't borrow trouble that's not here yet, aye?" It's the Killi way of it, fuck it until it actually happens and then fuck it again when it does... just differently.

    ...and the gang members, to the man, are no where to be found. S'up with that?

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I'd say it's some level of warding on my part, but I'm not sure if I can ward Tir Na Nog, that's... just not something I'm skilled at." she states, and she breathes out, and she looks up at the conversation going on between Killi and the stoat, and reaches down with her teeth to pull out some sort of ointment. She manuvers this around in her teeth, popping the cap of the little bottle open with her tongue before turning it around, and pressing with her teeth. That oral fixation's good for something!

    She rubs the ointment, and then holds the gauze on her hands before she attempts to turn the bottle back with her tongue, and the thing falls out of her mouth.

    "Well. I'd ask for a bit of blood, but one..." she holds up her hands. "Contamination of subject. And two:" she leans her head back against a wall. "I have no idea if it'll actually work with you. Might with Slink, but the amount I would need would hurt him."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie doesn't get an answer but the shouting came from up above so she is going to head back up the stairs. Poking her head in here and there. "Where the heck did the gang members go." she muses to herself out loud before heading up once more.

    "Hello?" she quips looking around before coming in to the top floor where Nettie and Killian are talking. Well Killian talking to the Stoat. "Uh.... am I interrupting?" she manages to not squeek seeing the stoat again. She keeps her goggles down and is hoping the cowl and everything keeps Killian from reocgnizing her isntantly.

    She doesn't realize she vibes with that chaos magic signature.

Killian Quinn has posed:
    What happens next might be just about the strangest thing to happen all eve, does. That sweet little stoat hops from Killian's shoulder to Netties and *bites* her. It's not a love nip either. It like won't scar, but it leaves a little fang marks on the side of her neck and draws a little pinprick of blood.

    <<Got it covered, Killi!>>

    "I'll know if something happens," Killian announces as he holds a hand out for the little critter to scramble to and away from Nettie before she can bat him across the room. <<She tastes like black tea and scones. Who wants to eat a scone anyway? It's like a brick hard donut or something. I like donuts much better. Can we get donuts on the way home, Killi? Oh... no, ice cream? Huh? I want vanilla with sprinkles, or maybe strawberries? Ooooohhhhh, gummy worms, think they'll have those, Killian, huh? Do you? I bet they do and that chocolate all ground up to look like dirt? Maybe we can put some bugs in it. I like bugs...">> and on and on and on and on the little guy prattles at Killian now that the crisis, immediate anyway, is over. <<... oh, hey, I think I left something in Tech Duinn, maybe I'll find it again, if I can remember what it was!>>

    With a long, long, long suffering sigh, Killian reaches up to wrap his fingers around the little stoat's snout, as if trying to hold its mouth shut. Not that *that* does a lick of good when the communication is mental.

    When Charlie enters, Killian does that same 'finger-gun' in her direction as before. Uh-oh, he sees her!

    "Like I said, lets not borrow until we have it, aye," he moves to stand in front of the previously broken glass to, hopefully, hide the 'her' of it from Charlie.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Ow! Hey!" Nettie protests as the wee little theif BITES her! "That is an act that is bloody well *reserved* for someone above the age of five, than you very much!" she states to the stoat, and reaches up with an ointment-and-blood-covered hand to smear some of the ointment there too. "Bollocks." she mutters in exasperation, and then glances to Killian and the Stoat, and then leans her head back again. "Been too bloody looo there, girl." she states, looking to Charlie. "Nah. Not interruptin' none. Finished up here, girl, go home."

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Okay now they are arguing with the Stoat or maybe each other. Charlie narrows her eyes a little bit as she studies all three of them from behind her goggles. "Why did it just bite that..."

    Okay the finger guns cuts her off though and there is a deep sigh. Okay she has no idea who this guy is but she is definitely going to corner Cass later and ask her more about him. "Right. Okay so what did you two do with all the gang members I tied up in the castle?"

Killian Quinn has posed:
    He can't tell an outright lie, but Killian isn't doing that at all when he says, "Didn't do nothin' with'm." He just thinks he might know where they're at.

    Slink has the good sense to duck his little head and look ashamed, in an almost human capacity really. <<Tell her I'm sorry, Killi! I had to!>>

    "Sorry, sometimes he gets carried away with the affection, like love bites from a wee little kitten." <<I am NOT a cat, Killi!>>

    "You okay, Rosie?" he asks of Nettie before his attention turns back to Charlie. He winks, "Send the Bat my regards, aye? Name's Killi." With a glance out the window, he grouses, "Fuck me, I'm late for me shift, this is why I stay out of it..." Never works that way though, ever. He'll wait for the good or not from Nettie though, he won't leave her if she's bleedin' enough to be in trouble or otherwise so.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie waves a bloody hand. "I'll be fine, I'll broom it to a friend's place and have this looked at 'fore I head back to New York. I've got some consults in the morning that need doing." she states, and she stands up, the blood mostly stimied for now.

    And she looks to Charlie, and she gives a lopsided smile to her, and gives a nod of her head. "Love the goggles. Ought to get me a set similar." she comments, and heads, stiffly, down towards the stairs.

    Now... where did that bastard of a crow get to?

Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe has posed:
    Charlie watches Nettie head for the stairs then looks back to Killian eyes squinting. "Well don't be late for your shift." she neither confirms or denies that she is associated with Bats. I mean she doesn't yet know Killian from someone with a logical guess or anything. She will find out later.

    "Okay well...." nothing more to be done here and sirens are approaching. She looks skyward a moment then steps and vanishes in a slash of purple and pink smoke. Gone in a heart beat and back on her patrol in the Narrows. The chaos magic involved in what she did might set Nettie and Killian's teeth on edge tho.

Killian Quinn has posed:
    It might have been mentioned before, Killian can be a bit of a showoff, but really it's mostly just a zest for life and the enjoying of the thing. He passes Nettie by on his way sliding down the stair's banister, slink clinging for all he's worth through it.

    "If it happens, I'll know!" he calls out when he hits the bottom, repeats the same on the next set of stairs and on to the bottom and out the doors. More to the point, Slink'll know and tell Killian.

    Once outside, he sprints across the park grounds toward Tir na Nog (...the bar) that backs right up to the green grass of it. He wasn't lying, Robinson Park *is* his home, from his Greenhouse, to the place he tends bar on the regular, to the Willow Tree that holds just a bit of himself inside it, all of it touches the green of the park in some way, a bit of it nudged and nestled right up against. He's not found often outside the little triangle formed by the three points of his life.

    It's difficult, however, to set the teeth of chaos on edge with chaos.

    Really and truly, it was an accident when he stepped on the root still pinning one of the 'outside' thugs to the ground, just a misstep. ...and that wasn't a smile when he heard the man's screams as a result.