Hazing the New Guys

[Heridfel]

Liberty Park abuts one of the most upscale portions of Freedom City, but even it isn't free of crime. Unfortunately for the would-be mugger, the Emissary happened to be overhead on one of his patrols when the attack all went down. An ordinary human versus a superpowered paragon of an advanced civilization would be no contest. For once, the criminal realized this and surrendered immediately, no violence needed.

[MarkK]

The Emissary would have been pleased at things going smoothly, but that would require getting past his irk at the crime having occured at all. Instead he just cast his gaze about for a policeman to deposit the would be mugger with.

[Heridfel]

Sometimes, what they say is true. You can never find a cop when you need one. There isn't so much as a bike cop within sight (even Emissary's sight, which is positively telescopic). He'll probably have to take him into a station, or at least find a patrol car. The woman that he saved walks up to him.

"Thank you so much for rescuing me... Captain Wonder?" she says, questioningly. "I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here."

"I know what I would have done," the mugger mumbles.

[MarkK]

A nod to her with a smile.

"The Emissary miss, and it is simply part of my duties."

A look back to the mugger at his words.

"And on assaulting and robbing the lady, then what would you have done? This is one of the city's wealthier districts, and your face is visible, plain as day. While society's uneven qualities are unfortunate, even the smaller of crimes comitted here, on reporting, would get dogged pursuit and search to maintain a certain image of the area, and that is simply how things are. Had you thought that far ahead? Were you thinking to so severely injure this woman that she could not attest to your actions?"

His tone entirely matter of fact as he speaks.

[Heridfel]

The woman looks quite embarrassed as the Emissary corrects her. She begins to apologize, "Oh, I'm so sorry. There are so many heroes in the city, but you... you were just inducted into the Freedom League, weren't you? I feel so dumb."

The mugger looks less comfortable receiving a lecture from the metallic monolith than he did when he was being captured by him.

"I wasn't going to hurt her, just threaten her a little. See, I didn't even run into her and knock her down," he says. "Some of us got to eat, you know." His tone suggests that he thinks the Emissary isn't "one of us" in that respect.

"That doesn't give you the right to take my things!" the woman says indignantly.

[MarkK]

He shakes his head.

"Honestly, it's quite flattering to be mistaken for a legend such as Captain Wonder miss."

And looks back to his prisoner of sorts besides.

"There are many ways to eat that don't involve you goading the local authorities to track you down. How long could you have fed yourself off the contents of this woman's purse? How long before you would need to steal again? And what would you do when you did? Risk the increased vigilance that would come to this area due to your actions? Try somewhere more run down, and instead risk the more lethal consequences of acting within another criminal's marked out territory?"

The tone of his questions are one of, well, questions. As though taking up a tack of not so much judging the mans actions for him in terms of morality, but having him consider them as futile even for his own goals.

[Thevshi]

Megan Howell gathered up her books as her last class of the day finally finished. All around her other students were starting to get ready to leave as well, a few going up to the front to talk more with the professor. It was only the first week since classes had started at Yale University, and Megan was doing her best to get herself into a routine. A part of that routine was making time to head back to Freedom City for a few hours, so she could get back to school, get some studying done (which was far easier for her than her classmates) and then spend some more time getting to know more of her fellow students.

Glancing across the classroom, Megan noted one of the cuter boys in her Freshman class. Hmm, maybe I can try to find which dorm he's in. She thought as she stood up and then started towards the door of the classroom.

After making her way from class, Megan headed in the direction of the library, managing to avoid anyone that she knew to avoid delays. Once she was able to duck out of sight of other students, she took off at high speed, moving far faster than the human eye could follow. As she ran, she speed up the side of one of the tallest dorms, changing to her Velocity costume in the blink of an eye.

Hiding her things, she was then off again, speeding away from the campus and back towards Freedom City.

About ten minutes later, she was once more speeding down the familiar streets of Freedom City.

As she was passing through part of Liberty Park, Velocity's high-tech goggles caught sight of a familiar silver form. A split second later she was over next to her fellow new Freedom Leaguer.

"Hey there." She said brightly before she focused on the man before Emissary, who seemed very cowed. "We have a problem here?" She asked, though she had a general idea what likely was the situation as she looked at the woman that was also there.

[Heridfel]

The last retort of the mugger is mumbled so quietly that the Emissary can barely hear it over the sonic whoosh of Velocity's arrival.

"Or you arrest me and I get fed there..."

[MarkK]

He cocks his head.

"I've been to prison so that I might know the places where those I subdue get sent. Of the various varities they come in, and done supplementary research and spoken with inmates there besides. If you've already been before, if you know what it's like.."

He pauses.

"No. This will but cycle. I could speak of things like life within prison and the potential despair of it. I could speak of things like your stay not being all that long, and then you'll have to risk yourself further and further to get back in, that doing so could end you up in maximum security simply for endless repeating offenses, a place I assure you you are nowhere ready for a permanent stay, but I think you would have a reply to each. I think you might even mention not having opportunities for anything else you could make use of. And that may even be true."

"So instead we will speak of the practical. Yes, you are going to jail for this action. Yes, you will likely spend several months there. In each of them, I will visit to discuss how your rehabilitation is going. Whether you make use of that for anything beyond ignoring me or the like, will be your decision. When your sentence is done, through time or parole, I will see to it that you are placed into a halfway house that particularly finds the ex convicts there placement in gainful employment. The work will likely be far from glamorous, but compared to victimizing others, to risking yourself in desperation against the police, criminals, the.. often dire price longer stays in prison can pull bloodily from your body and soul, it will be clean, it will keep you fed, and it will be reliable, and be without the potential to kill you, if nothing else appeals. It can even be a basis from where to improve yourself further, with enough time. But all of that? Will be your choice. I will see you given a real opportunity. But you will be the one who decides what happens as a result of it. I invite no reply, nor discussion. I merely tell you what will be."

His tone firm, particularly for he, who rarely speaks so.

He looked to Velocity then.

"There was a problem, but it was dealt with. I'm just going to find some local police to deposit his man with."

A look to the woman that would have been mugged, as he grabs hold of the mugger to take aloft with.

"Miss, if I could get a name and phone number from you to give to the officers, though please do call the authorities yourself to report this incident besides."

[Thevshi]

"Police?" Velocity asked. "Let me see if I can't find some for you real quick." She then added, and was off in a blur, speeding around the area looking for any police for Emissary to drop the mugger off with.

[Heridfel]

Even though the Emissary hadn't seen any police nearby, Velocity's definition of "nearby" was just a little farther reaching. It only takes her about ten seconds to locate the nearest police officer two and a half blocks away. The officer takes a step back as a blur suddenly turns into a person right in front of her. Her hand starts to move towards her gun before she recognizes the young hero. Of course, Velocity probably could have taken that gun away and disassembled it before she even finished getting it out of the holster, but the cop's reflexes were pretty good.

---

The man just sighs as the Emissary lectures further. It's hard to tell if what was said got through to him, based on his world-weary attitude, but if the Emissary knows anything, it's that there's always hope. The woman nods to the Emissary.

"I'm Alice Gizorki - the only one in the phone book," she says. "Thank you again for saving me. I'll go put in the call right away."

[Thevshi]

"Good afternoon officer." Velocity said with a wide smile as the woman relaxed after recognizing her. "Sorry to startle you, but one of my fellow members of the Freedom League just apprehended a criminal in Liberty Park and was needing to turn him in. If you can wait here a moment, I'll direct him here."

[Heridfel]

"I, uh, alright," the policewoman says. "If you have him wait a minute, I'll be right over. It's easier that way. We had a guy sue the police department because he claimed that being flown at high speeds by a superhero gave him whiplash. If they try doing anything with us, it's resisting arrest."

She shrugs a little as she starts walking toward the end of the block, where an empty police car is parked. She says, "Lawsuits - what can you do? I'll be there in a couple of minutes."

[Thevshi]

Velocity smiled slightly at the officer's joke. "Sure thing, I understand."

Keying her Freedom League communicator, she called Emisary. "Hey, I found an officer, I'll bring her to you, just hang tight." The young speedster then waits to lead the officer towards Emissary.

[Heridfel]

Although the officer seems to be moving slowly to Velocity, in truth, nearly everyone besides Johnny Rocket seems stuck in permanent lethargy. She gets to her car, starts the engine, and pulls out into traffic. She begins driving toward the park, assuming that Velocity will show her exactly where in the park that she needs to go once she's a bit closer.

---

A cloud passes in front of the sun, and the Emissary can see the line of shadow moving across the earth as he waits for Velocity to bring the police officer that she found. Alice looks like she's torn between heading away and remaining for the police to get there. She looks back to the Emissary.

"So, um, I can just call later, right? I was taking a walk, and I could really use some more relaxation now," she says.

[Thevshi]

While Velocity had long gotten used to the fact that everyone else moved very slowly, she did not let herself show too much patience in the costumed identity. After a somewhat fidgity waiting, she zipped ahead of the patrol car, making short, quick movements to guide the police officer to Emissary.

[MarkK]

"You can indeed just call later miss. Though would you mind providing your phone number so that I can give it to the officer when they arrive?"

[Heridfel]

Alice looks a little apprehensive at sharing her number in front of the criminal, but she realizes that he could look her up in the phone book as easily as the Emissary could.

"It's 555-152-8242. Thank you again," she says before walking away from the pair toward the far side of the park.

---

A minute later, the policewoman arrives behind the somewhat frenetic Velocity. She looks over to the Emissary, clearly seeing who the perpetrator was.

"I'm going to need a statement from you, along with the basis for the detainment," she says to the metallic superhero.

[MarkK]

He nods to the officer when they approach.

"I came upon this man attempting to mug a young woman walking through the park and subdued and detained him. Shortly afterwards Velocity arrived and located you. The lady herself has since moved on, but she will be reporting the incident besides, and I have her information to provide for you."

Which he does, at that.

[Heridfel]

The police officer takes the information, and then, after handcuffing him, the mugger as well. He seems fairly subdued, in keeping with how he had acted since the Emissary had captured him. Velocity and the Emissary are left alone in the park. The cloud in front of the sun is keeping it shrouded in shade, and it feels a little colder out now, too.

[Heridfel]

Both Velocity and the Emissary glance up at the same time. Dimly, the rocket-red burn of jet boots can be seen above. Daedalus uses gravitic technology, and no other heroes in battlesuits have been in Freedom City for some time. They can strain their eyes, only to see that coming down towards them is Doc Otaku in his mecha, riding some sort of oversized flying surfboard bristling with gunports.

"Greetings, new Freedom Leaguers! I heard that you were new recruits, and I wanted to make sure that they hadn't lowered your standards!" Otaku cries out. The villain hovers above them. He seems to be waiting for a response from them... or as Velocity sees, for something else.

Velocity's visor helps her pick up the secondary threats - namely, Otaku's trio of terror, the Angel Androids. The three pseudo-girls are coming in like missiles from opposite directions, looking like they're trying to surround the heroes.

[Thevshi]

"Oh, we are up to taking you down!" Velocity called out to the genius criminal. As she spoke she picked up the movement of Doc's androids, moving up behind her and Emissary. She was not too surprised by the tactic, but it was not going to work.

"We have incoming behind us." She said to Emissary as she became a blur of motion, running back to intercept the approaching androids. As she came below the nearest of the three, she released a hail of high-velocity marbles at the android.

As soon as she had made the opening attack, she sped off to one side, putting some distance between her and the androids, hoping to draw one or two away.

[Heridfel]

The red-headed angel android takes heavy fire from the teenaged speedster. Before she has even landed, Velocity has thrown marbles as effectively as most soldiers could handle a submachine gun. She crashes into the ground, and all she can do is wobble to her feet. Despite the grievous damage done to her, she is still active, a testament to the solid construction that Doc Otaku has exercised. Sparks are flying from her torso, and she focuses on Velocity with her single functional eye.

[MarkK]

Given an opening after one of the androids drops, The Emissary pushes himself into a faster, more forceful arc, eyeing Otaku's battle platform warily. He moves to spiral up to and around the board, angling to send daylight shimmering off his silver skin and into Otaku's eyes, hoping at least to draw fire and prevent potshots from being taken at Velocity as she engages the robots.

[Heridfel]

The two uninjured androids move off against Velocity. One of them slips behind Velocity, not knowing that the heroine can see all around her. Even so, being attacked from two sides splits Velocity's attention, and the jab from one android makes the second one's attack a little more likely to hit her.

Otaku quickly shades his eyes, not letting the Emissary's aerial wizardry distract him from his goal.

"I see you haven't learned how to play well with others yet, Velocity," he shouts out sneeringly. "Fortunately, I am here to teach you a lesson."

The surfboard begins to fire, splitting its attack between the two heroes. Both shots go astray, and he mutters to himself, "Looks like they could have used more calibration."