Whistling in the Dark (IC)

[KnightDisciple]

"Mercy is often meaningless without justice. I never said I didn't believe in people undergoing the consequences for their actions. I merely advocate that we work to help them reform themselves, so that they don't end up back in the prison. I believe in free will, but I also believe in vicious cycles. We have laws, we have law enforcement. But they are not perfect. Where applicable, we should make our voices heard in our civilian guises, so that we can urge the system to be better. When in costume, I try to ask for mixed sentences, rather than locking them up and throwing away the key. And while these people may be blessed in some senses, in others, it's very rough. And before you say 'not as rough as it could be', that doesn't devalue what they have to endure."

He points ahead, as they draw near to old "abandoned" buildings.

"This area is a 'hotspot' because it provides prime grounds for gatherings, storage, and the like. These buildings aren't legally inhabited, and aren't regularly checked by the police. Both the gangs and the mob use them. Typically for selling...whatever they feel like. We're close enough to Boardwalk we get plenty of mob activity up here."

Distaste creeps into his voice.

"This is the area where those who knowingly choose to commit evil gather. These are the ones who peddle weapons, drugs, and lifestyles of violence gather. I've busted a few minor ones, but I'm noticeable enough they scatter before I get here. The ones that don't scatter...are likely numerous enough to put me in peril. Now that I have contact information for the Freedom League, I've occasionally called things in when I find out there's a notable gathering. But they're like cockroaches. You remove some, and more scuttle out of the darkness to take their place."

He looks towards Dyne for a moment, before looking forwards again, hovering in the air about a half-block down from the small industrial park.

"People are flawed beings. We're capable of incredible good, incredible beauty. But also incredible evil, cruelty, and ugly things. We should work to make it easier for people to make the right choices, but never forget that at least some people will truly, sincerely choose evil. They're the ones that run the gangs and mobs, sell the drugs, and so on. The rotten apples in the bunch."

[rpgronin]

This was getting heavy, and not in that awesome rock-and-roll musical sort of way. To say that Noah was getting a little depressed with all the talk of crime-and-punishment in the Southside of Freedom City would be putting it lightly; his typically up-beat and zippy disposition faltering slightly even as he sprung to-and-fro to keep pace with the others. Wander might have been pretty blunt and to the point, but this Gabriel guy... wow. Way to make an already bleak sounding place full of criminals sound down-right dystopian!

"So... uh... near the Boardwalk, huh?" Momentum hums out, eager to change the subject to one slightly less sorrowful and morose. "Y'know, me and these other guys were here a while ago. Big fire and junk. Went in to save some, like, guys having a meeting or whatever, and bam! They had machine guns and were shooting at us!" the young hooded hero chimed, smacking the back of his hand into the others palm for dramatic effect. "Well, I mean, they were shooting at people. Mostly me. Turns out they were, like, some of these mobster-guys you seem to know so much about. Faretti or Fanetti or Fettucini or something."

He pauses awkwardly, trailing off in thought for the moment.

"But the secretary was, like, grateful and stuff! So that was... uh... something... I guess..."

[Electra]

"Faretti?" Wander asked with surprise, turning to Momentum. "Are you sure that was the name?" That was weird, but maybe it was just a coincidence. There was bound to be more than one person in Freedom City with that name... who happened to operate in the shadows and had a lot of people working for him... Brow furrowed, she nonetheless took the time to observe all the landmarks she'd need to find Gabriel's hotspot later if need be.

[tryrar]

"Heh, I remember that, though I didn't know those poeple you pulled out were mobsters. I only got there in the middle part of the fight with that inferno man, after all." Dyne shakes his head, wondering what the heck mobsters were doing in that building. Oh well, I guess we'll never know... Dyne turns back to the scenery, trying to remember some landmarks for future referenc.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel turns and listens at the new line of conversation. He nods as Momentum talks about machine guns and such.

"That's why I try to play it careful around here; well-armed criminals can be a real threat if you're not careful."

He frowns as Wander reacts to the name.

"Have you heard the name "Faretti" before, Wander? I don't recognize it offhand myself..."

[rpgronin]

"I think so." the boy chimes again, his voice cracking with a distinct lack of confidence as he struggles to recall the finer details of the encounter. "Fa-somethin'-etti, anyway. I kinda didn't, y'know, catch it real clearly once he started shooting at me or whatever."

Launching himself off of the street again, Noah springs through the air like some sort of displaced firecracker, glad to have shifted the conversation from the more depressing topic to something more exciting; at least for him.

"But yeah, it was pretty exciting, I guess. Y'know, other than the part where I got my socks rocked... and stuff..." Momentum coughs out under his breath sheepishly. "I... uh, I guess that part could have gone way better."

[Electra]

"The first few fights are always kind of weird," Wander told him reassuringly, though she was distracted by the name he'd divulged. Surely it wasn't the same guy... but all the same, she'd be having a talk with Avenger and Phantom, just to make sure. After all, if they were dabbling in mob politics, that would affect how she had to take care of Jack Jr! "You get better at it as you go on, especially if you're learning to work with people at the same time. "I've heard the name around," she told Gabriel evasively, "but it's probably someone totally different."

[rpgronin]

"I guess..." Momentum sighs, his recollection of all his butt-whoopings still fresh enough in his mind that he could readily recall every single nuance of his embarrassing career since his arrival in Freedom City. There was something almost humorous - and most certainly sad - about being able to count both the number of fights he'd been in and the number of fights where the hooded boy had been decked on the same hand.

"So, what about you, Wander? You must have, like, had all sorts of really weird stuff happen to you here in Freedom." the inexperienced youth inquires, curiosity rife in his northern accent, content just to have someone vaguely within his own age group to relate to. "I mean, where I'm from it was nothin' but, like, convenience store robberies and junk like that. Then I moved here, and... yeah..." he trails off, the wiry kid rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Can't say I've... uh... got a good track record going and stuff, if you know what I mean."

[Electra]

"I actually do a lot of interdimensional work," Wander told Momentum with a half shrug. "So it's weird, like fighting Nazis or talking animals or alternate versions of yourself, but it's not exactly in Freedom City Prime. But we get called up when there's need here, too, fight the Grue, fight demons, robots, really whatever is threatening the city. My team has been together more than a year now, we're pretty good at it. But if you want to get into weird stuff, just wait. Freedom's totally full of that kind of thing, and most heroes get caught up in it, far as I can tell."

[KnightDisciple]

"Nazis, talking animals, and alternate versions of yourself? What happened to just worrying about your next test?"

Gabriel's tone belied his words; he was actually somewhat bemused as he shook his head.

"And here I thought just the Freedom League got into those sorts of shenanigans. I can believe it though. As for demons..."

A dark look passed over his face.

"They seem to like popping up when you least expect one. Still, glad to hear your team is doing so well. I'm sure all of us will end up on one crazy adventure or another soon enough."

[rpgronin]

Momentum blinks. He just... stands there and blinks, face scrunched into an odd amalgam of awe, confusion, and disbelief. What could he possibly say to that, assuming it was all true? Dimensions full of Nazis? Talking animals? Alternate Momentums? His head swam as the bombardment of concepts tried to beat their way into his skull. It all sounded implausible, if not outright impossible. Then again, some pretty strange stuff had been going on since the begoggled hero arrived in Freedom City. Maybe she really was telling the truth.

"Oh." is all he can muster out though, still wrapped in a burlap sack of confusion and tossed into a churning sea of warped perceptional reality. "That's... uh... um... wow..." Noah continued to stammer obliviously, still fumbling with how such a thing was possible before giving up on his endeavors to understand the principles of multi-dimensional travel, or how one did so to fight the extremely odd entities therein.

He then falls silent, unsure what else to really say.

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel sharply clapped his hands together, getting everyone's attention.

"Let's keep it moving. Clear our heads a bit. Come on, time to swing south."

With that, the sonic hero once more took to the skies, his path taking them back south through the area. They slowly left behind the most worn-down part of Southside, especially as they approached Freedom College. Of course, Gabriel still took time to point out potential problem areas.

"That club there tends to get really rowdy on weekends, enough that brawls are semi-common."

_____________________

"That street is kind of out of the way, somewhat popular "hang out" spot."

_____________________

And so on. Eventually, the group started to slow down as they approached the airport, landing on a nearby rooftop.

"Well, that was the quick-and-dirty tour. Any questions you haven't already asked?"

[Electra]

"Um, no, I think that's good," Wander replied, giving Momentum a look out of the corner of her eye. He'd been looking at her like she'd grown a second head ever since she'd told him what sorts of adventures she'd gotten up to with her team. Well, he'd asked, hadn't he? What was she supposed to have said? Running a hand through her hair, she said, "Thanks for the tour, Gabriel, I think it'll really help me out. I better get going though, I've got a lot of homework to get done before morning."

[tryrar]

"I think that will be all for me as well. It's getting late, and I have deadlines to attend to..." Dyne gives a nodding salute to Momentum, then turns and flies off into the night.

[rpgronin]

"Yeah..." Noah hummed in agreement with Wander, still bouncing thoughts about through his head as he glanced her way with a modest sense of skepticism as Dyne sailed off into the night. Despite the sudden weirdness the conversation had spontaneously taken - much of which, he thought, was his own fault for opening his yap - it was at least nice to get a decent tour of the once unfamiliar locale from a first-hand aficionado of the area. Granted, it might have been more prudent if he'd payed more attention to his surroundings than failing miserably at networking, but sometimes that's just how things go.

Fishing his cell phone out again and checking the digital display, his fears as to the hour was confirmed. It was getting late, and if he wanted to avoid getting grounded indefinitely, he'd need to get busy booking it back home. Goodness knows he didn't want to have to hear his sister taunt him in his imprisoned state.

"So... uh..." Momentum began again, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm not, like, any good at this sorta stuff, but I mean, I don't really know a lot of... um... y'know, superheroes. Not really, anyway." he said, steeling himself in an attempt to feign some sort of confidence in the wake of the more experienced duo still present. "But look, if you guys ever, y'know, need help or whatever... not that you, uh, probably will... you can hit me up on Twitter. Same name, all lower-cased, switch out the O and E for a zero and three."

Pausing for a moment, Noah can't help but consider just how stupid that sounded. Professionalism? In his dreams maybe, but definitely not here.

"I mean, just in-case. Or something."

[KnightDisciple]

Gabriel smiled and nodded at the other heroes as they left, or prepared to leave.

"Take care, Dyne.

I'm glad I could be of service, Wander. If you're in the area and need help again, look me up. Or drop me a line; I have a number through the Freedom League."

He handed her one of the cards he'd taken to carrying, with a "dummy" phone number on it that led to his cell phone. Another card was given to Momentum.

"Glad I could give you a tour and some advice, Momentum. I'll keep an eye out for your Twitter, but feel free to give me a call if you need to. I may not be a 24/7 help line, but I'll do what I can. And you're doing fine; practice and experience will only make you better. That goes for both of you."

He gave them both a winning smile and offered a parting handshake. Then, he took to the skies himself, out to make one last quick round before retiring for the night.

(OOC:Feel free to do final posts, but that's basically a wrap. Fun times, folks! )

[rpgronin]

Examining the calling card with an odd sense of optimism and intrigue as Gabriel flew off into the starry evening sky, Noah pocketed the petite parcel into his pocket, stowing it away for the no-doubt eventual date in which he'd need some serious aid. Networking: it was a good thing.

"I... uh... I guess that's my cue, or whatever." Momentum said, feigning a soft smile as he looked towards the only remaining member of the impromptu amalgam of superheroes that had formulated through sheer happenstance. Turning away, the hoodie-clad hero-in-training readied himself for his outlandish bound homeward, eager to sneak back into his room before the unthinkable happened. He hesitates, however, and turns back to the girl one last time before calling it a night, face scrunched in thought.

"Hey, Wander?" he asks, rubbing his neck stupidly. "Is... Is what you said true? I mean, for real? The whole dimensional thingy, with Nazis and... uh... junk?"

[Electra]

Wander studied him for a moment. "Of course it's true," she finally said. "What possible reason would I have to lie to you? I didn't put on my uniform to impress anybody with all the stuff I've done. If you're going to be a hero, you deserve to know what kind of situations you might wind up getting yourself into. And you need to know what the stakes are. It's not a game, and you can die doing it. You could die far away from home, and if you're really unlucky, no one might ever even know what happened to you. That's why you've got to always practice, always be prepared, always be on top of your game," she told him solemnly. "That's the only way you're gonna make it."

She reached into a hidden pocket on her uniform, withdrawing a crumpled map and a golf pencil. Scribbling down a radio frequency, she ripped off that corner and handed it to him. "This is Young Freedom's signal frequency. If you ever get yourself in bad trouble, broadcast on that frequency and someone will come help you."

[rpgronin]

Momentum stands still as Wander says her piece, swallowing hard as the girl elaborates on what life truly is for a hero. He's rather taken aback, a feeling of sudden uncertainty and uneasiness taking him over even as the begoggled teen takes the torn parchment and eyes it as if it were some sort of great gift bequeathed unto a peon by some powerful figurehead. Stuffing it right alongside the calling card from Gabriel, Noah looks up to the far more experienced heroine, an unusually blank expression etched across his face.

"I... okay. Thanks." he chokes out, sheepishly stepping back slightly as he contemplated the words Wander had left him with even as he failed to conjure up a tangible apology regarding his prior inter-dimensional disbelief. "I'll... um... I'll keep that in mind."

What was once just a normal night had turned into something wholly different; something Momentum didn't completely understand, or hadn't even ever bothered to consider. It was a lot to take in, and it certainly wasn't going to be something he could just do, or spontaneously come to terms with. Wander's stark, almost grim disposition on heroism certainly contrasted with how Noah had perceived it. He'd certainly have a lot to think about, that's for sure.

"Guess I'll go ahead and bounce..." Momentum murmured solemnly, gesturing a hand to signify a passing goodbye. "It was... uh... cool meetin' you, Wander. I guess maybe I'll see you around."

Turning his back to the spandex-clad heroine, Momentum gave one bountiful bound, rocketing through the air with a bright red streak of kinetic energy trailing behind him as he sailed onwards back towards the Midtown district.