| Sometimes, Lightning Strikes Twice |
| Summary: | Static and Black Lightning meet each other while dealing with some common thugs |
| Date: | (2014-09-13) |
| Related: | NA |
| NPCs: | Some thugs |
| Scene Runner: | Mutual |
| Social/Plot: | Plot |
| Players: |
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The night has settled over Coney Island, the stretch of land on the southside of Brooklyn here glowing with amusement from the arcade and midway atmosphere in those places that remain for Coney Island to still attract some tourists. Then again, just off that area it gets pretty dark, pretty fast. Over this sky there is a blue streek, flying on a patrol, sticking to rooftops and shadows, knowing he can be seen by anyone looking up - but as a passing curiousity, making one wonder if there is lightning in the air or a storm is up there in the darkness over the city.
Black Lightning is between the bright of Coney Island itself and the dark streets north of the area. He has rumor of some gang related activity, a pick up of some drugs, an exchange of some weapons. He's been more vigilant on trying to watch gang activity in the city after his encounter with the Punisher. This is one of those nights, he's approaching a backlot near a deserted warehouse where two vans are gathered, one with the guns, one with the drugs, two men are standing before their groups, figuring out the exchange.
It's pure coincidence that has a certain other electric-powered superhero in the same area this evening. Static is still new to the Big Apple, and he's quickly finding out that even while flying through the air, it's a LOT bigger than Dakota City. He's still finding out the best patrol routes and the best nights to tackle them, and if one is out looking for trouble (albeit with the eye to stop it rather than start it), it follows that one has to find places where trouble is most likely to lurk.
As such, the young metahuman's course has him coming in on the opposite vector, passing over the dark and derelict areas towards the bright lights and sounds of Coney. Anyone chancing to glance up will probably mistake the glint and spark of his flight disc for another flash of summer lightning, but Static makes no such mistakes as he does his best to keep a keen eye on the streets below. "Guess not every night's full of bouncing guys with pumpkins for heads," he notes to himself, having already run across one or two of the city's examples local color.
Black Lightning can't say he's meet pumpkin headed bouncing guys, but he's had his share of individuals during his stay in NYC. Though he only has one intention for the night. Less stealthy now, he flares up a little with electrical charge, doning a slight shimmer of protection about his body as the stuff flickers around him and he bolts down to that meeting taken place. Its meant to get attention and others up in the sky would certainly notice.
Coming between the two groups, he stands between the men making the deal, calling out, "Deals off, those drugs aren't hitting the streets on my watch. Time to leavve before it gets serious."
One of the thugs tbbts/pshaws, "The hell this guy says, flashy or not, we got the guns … light em up." Proceeded by the sound of guns starting to cock.
That charged aura certainly -is- attention getting, and Static whips his head over to blink a bit before quickly veering off towards it, thinking that perhaps an electrical box may have overloaded or something (it wasn't his fault, honest!). When he clears enough of the rooftop to see someone -else- standing tall against some very shady people while electricity is bleeding off his body — well, it makes him stop short for just a moment, hovering in place as he stares with wide eyes…
But then the guns come out, as does the command to make use of them. Which sends the young hero quickly streaking down towards the group, throwing out his hands. "Save the lights for the ones upstairs!" he calls. "You guys look like you could use a few more!" Tendrils of energy crackle from his fingers before before streaking out to strike and envelop the brandished guns… surprisingly -not- to shock their owners. Static learned very early on the kinds of effects being exposed to a sudden blast of current can have on a human body, and a sudden muscle spasm is -not- something one wants to inflict in someone with their finger on a trigger.
No, this has a very specific effect — every piece of metal in those gun frames will find itself suddenly magnetized and locked, hammers and triggers frozen in place, bullets refusing to chamber and/or cylinders refusing to turn. So unless one of these lowlives has one of those specialized ceramics-only weapons made specifically to fool metal detectors, they're going to find themselves holding handfuls of useless junk.
Taking eyes away for a second, Black lighting looks at the new arrival. Noticing some of what he is doing, even if not understanding just yet what the other man is doing. Some of the men are discouraged and start to head for the vans. With a quick blur of lightning, he goes near the van with the drugs, and starts to syphon off the battery, its not running so no alterntor to recharge. "I said, the drugs aren't hitting the streets. You losers can high tail it, but the drugs are confiscated."
Between two men with lightning powers, there not a one of them that really wants to make more of a scene of this. Some did try to fire and realize they can't thanks to Static, some of them drop/leave their guns, trying to get to the other van. There's a slow dispersing. Black Lightning isn't after the men themselves, just trying to stop the drugs.
Luckily, Static is on hand to pick up with Priority Number Two; a single glance is enough to tell him what Black Lightning is doing. Although the other hero might not recognized some of Static's tricks, absorbing electricity is something Static's done enough (and -had- done to him, ugh) that he can get an idea of what's happening, enough to realize that -that- van won't be going anywhere. Which just leaves the other one…
"I'm sorry, did he say 'high tail it?' Pretty sure he meant 'high and dry,' since that's where you guys are headed." A quick flit of his flght disc to the side to change his firing angle, and Static leaves off the gun-freezing to clench his fists and fire off a -much- harder blast of energy. "I'm sure the cops would -love- to have a word with you about the heat you guys are packing. Not to mention I'm betting those aren't Girl Scout Cookies in that van. But hey, you never know — some people do crazy things for Thin Mints."
This one is one of Static's classic tricks, as a group of those fleeing thugs will find themselves enveloped in their own cracking aura — and then find themselves either dragged or slammed against the side of the very same fan they're running towards as they're wrapped in their own personal static field, one strong enough to pin them like a fly on a bug strip. That trick though, is the sort of thing that Static needs one-on-one, or -on-two, focus to get -quite- right though, so there's a good chance that one or two of them might slip the snare and get away.
As the van he was on is rendered out of commission, Black Lightning watches Static, seeing he means to stop the men for the cops to question. Certainly not his intention, but he's not leaving the other to do all the work once Static has made that call to start rounding them up. With a slight kick off the battery he just took, Black Lightning launches himself to hover, throwing out more light to see around the abandoned lot along with the poor street lights and what Static is throwing off from himself and his tricks.
Seeing some of the othes going in the other direction, he says, "You heard the man, the cops want a word with you all." The ones that went for his van are met instead with Black Lightning moving there and ionizing the are with a roiling stunning static storm. He as the epi-center as he does this. Setting out that energy, he can be seen touching near his ear and calling into it, "This is Black Lightning, if there are no cops in route to <street and street> near Coney Island, call in a disturbance would you?" Then he puts his hand down. Some stunned on his side, he zaps down to throw stunning punches at any left, just to work on making sure they don't get away. Unlike Static, he has to get a little closer to stun them - the bolts have a little less control on his side.
With his little group taken care of, Static turns his flight disk in place — just in time to see Black Lightning cleaning house, right at the heart of his own personal electrical storm. " …whoa… !" The young metahuman has a rough idea of how to handle himself in physical combat, but mostly it's to make sure all the brittle and crunchy bits inside him stay in one piece. So seeing Black Lightning first hurricane-sweep a good chunk of them and -then- go hand-to-hand to take out the last few stragglers with taser-punches, is impressive all on its own.
It might be that at least one of them managed to escape during the chaos, but between the two of them this little gathering of scrubs would find itself put down pretty quickly. So a moment to catch a breath… and then Static glides down to step of his flight disc to approach the other hero, absently catching it up as it folds itself into its more compact shape. " …um… hi!" Well, what -does- one say to one such, during a time like this? "Pretty sweet moves you've got there." Okay, -that- might work.
Now with time to think and speak, Black Lightning turns with a grin to the voice, "Hello." Though he gives one more look around just to be safe and then moves closer to the other man. "Thanks, you had some pretty interesting things there too. That disc, picking them up, I can't quite do that." Of course, his ability begins and ends with electricity itself.
Jerking a thumb up and around him, "I didn't know someone else was in the neighborhood, hope I'm not breaking some barrier, encrouching on your side of the tracks here." There are more thoughts and questions on his mind, but that seems a good place to begin an open dialogue. Police called, no sirens indicating their near just yet.
"Oh — that? Yeah, that was… well, kind of tricky to pick up. I had to practice a lot." Not -entirely- true, but the young man can be modest. …sort of. Kind of. When called for. On occasion. Blinking a bit though, as he other hero mentions the possibility of stepping on toes. "What? No no — I was about to say the same thing! I'm, um… kind of new in town."
This feels a lot more awkward than it should be. Then again, two men in masks talking together on a dark street with vans full of guns and drugs — there's not a lot -not- to be awkward about. But finally the young man decides to fall back with the basics, offering a grin and a gloved hand to shake. "I'm Static."
His own hand covered by his suit, all one piece, the other man takes it, "I go by Black Lightning. Its a motorcycle reference." Just to clear that up, seems a few people give him odd looks when he says it, so he plays it safe and just says it straight forward. Then folds his hands on his chest a moment. "You and me both, I'm from Metropolis regularly, but there's been a few things up here lately." A pause, some late autumn insects in the trees pick up the silence, but he doesn't let it hang too long. "Look, I don't want to make it more awkward, but you being new and all, in town … well, is solo sort of your thing, ain't gonna change or you in it for the long haul. There's a group of us not far from here, trying to pitch in to help out old New York and all that …"
" — oh." Yeah, good thing that clarification followed. Being a child of the modern age, Static probably would have guessed a name like that would be paired with afros and gold medallions. Not that that would be a bad thing, he knows at least one person who totally rocked those back in his day. Was pretty handy with electricity himself, too.
"Metropolis, huh?" Static can't help but look impressed — if there's any city he's heard about that's more 'Big City' than New York, it would probably be that. "I'm from Dakota City myself, and um.. yeah a few things up here too." Like starting college, but that's probably not something he should be going into just now.
The young man blinks as the introduction segues into another introduction of sorts. "Huh? Well, um — I'm solo right -now-. I used to run with a partner, but — " He pauses though… and takes another look around at the grimy alleyway, with the assortment of groaning, insensate thugs. "Ummm… maybe we should be having this conversation someplace else?" Giving his wrist a flick, the silvery flight disc unfolding itself as he tosses it, then crackling faintly as he snares it with another electrical field to hold it in place as he steps onto it.
"Sure thing Static," nods Black Lightning, giving another once over following Static's look. Then upwards a little with a chin thrust, his legs charge up and he starts to ascend. Assuming they can both fly fast, because of the electricity and knowing what he can do, he still goes at a slow speed. The sort to go up and maintain conversation while still being close to stop any men from getting. Good news, sirens are distant but approaching.
WHen they are near each other and moving, out of hearing range of others, he continues, "I know, not normal conversation, even in a suit and throwing lightning around. I think I'm finding it easier at least mentioned the concept. On the same grounds, if you got something going, we don't want to get in your way, but best to maybe have a heads up - watch out for toes and all that." Because, regardless of outcomes, they at least seeming to be going in the same direction, stop criminals.
Having come in late, it's a surprise to Static to see the other hero -can- actually fly, and unassisted at that. "Whoa! Now -that's- cool," he remarks with a grin, crouching down a bit to steady himself as he sends his disc flying along, easily keeping pace with Black Lightning. "Last time I tried to make myself fly without riding on something, I ended up smacking myself into a pile of scrap metal." Deciding to practice his powers in an out-of-the-way junkyard as a smart move. Discovering firsthand — and facefirst — just how strong a magnetic attraction he could create with his own electrical field… well, he didn't -feel- particularly smart after that, learning experience or no.
But then, back to the converstion. "Hey, it's cool! I mean — if I can lend a hand or something, sure! But um… I do kinda got something going on. Not this, exactly, just um.. other stuff." Like, stuff without the mask. "You know how it is. …I mean, you -do- know how it is, right?" Blinking over at Black Lightning as he realizes that he might not. "I mean, you do this full-time… ?"
With a shake of his head, Black Lightning reponds, "No, not full time, only when I can. Full time, I'm a teacher. As much as I don't want the kids on these streets left alone with criminals like those guys around, I can't leave my school yet either." Giving a consideration of that, "I think only one of us so far doesn't have a regular full time job - or well, he does, but part of that job is to go out, public image, do the heroing thing, join a team. More luck it was with us and no one else picked him up."
Turning up a little more to get over the city, he looks off over the east river at Manhattan itself a moment. "Most, its us giving what time we can. We're hoping to grow enough, to have enough folks on hand for when others have those real-life moments they can't get out of. No push to join, just putting out that feeler. If you like, we could maybe arrange for you to meet some of us, see if it feels like a fit for you, or us, go from there. No contract or demand - our primary goal really is just the protection of New York City and all her people."
Even though Static himself mentioned the idea of full-time heroing, hearing it described like that makes it sound pretty cool. And he just sort of stares as Black Lightning continues. What he's describing is a pretty noble ideal — protecting Dakota was what -he- was about, after all. But of course, Static wasn't the only one who lived there; others took up the fight as well, and they had every right to. So why not the same for New York? This is his home now, at least for awhile. It'll be good to have some backup while he feels things out himself. It sounds —
— too good to be true?
No, Static isn't -that- cynical. But he's no fool either (regardless of what one older sister might say on the subject). He has to remind himself that this is someone he literally just met, and although he seemed to be on the right side of things, he's known first impressions to be wrong. Plus the whole 'strength in numbers' mentality sounds great on paper, but he's seen firsthand just how quickly that kind of thinking can be turned into something else — Dakota was known for having a pretty rough gang problem a few years ago.
So — optimstic but cautious, Static offers a brief smile and a nod. "Guess a little meet-and-greet wouldn't hurt. Okay, sure! I'll bring the pizza!" One has to wonder just who he's meeting though, and if he's going to end up regretting -that- offer.
Not that Black Lightning knows what's going on in the other's mind, but caution is good just the same. "Ya, just get to some of us is all, see if we might have a few of the same pages - mutual benefits sort of thing. If its pizza, I like BBQ, bring lots of those red pepper packets too." A chuckle from the man as they continue to fly. THe police get to the kids in the gangs and start to round up the suspects.
"How goods you're memory," he ponders, but goes on hoping its good enough, "Do what you got to do, but give me a call at <number, one of the local area codes>, or send a text. Its personal, unlisted. We'll figure this out as we go. Not to keep you, but if we're at least going to be neighbors, good to at least know who lives next door too." IF the team thing doesn't work out that is.
Static's no eidetic, but he can remember a phone number easily enough, speaking it back to the other hero. "Got it! I'll be sure to keep in touch!" Mind you, getting digits from a cute girl would have been better, but hey, getting them from a superhero's pretty cool too! The young man pauses in mid-air though as the lights of Coney come more brightly into view, and he gestures off to the side. "Got a ways to go before I'm through for the night. Catch you around?"
With a nod from Black Lightning, "Ya, definitely, just keep an eye out, we can't miss each other in the night sky, I'm sure. I need to go back let the others know what happened here too, so when they see the police reports, they'll know what happened." Giving him a wave, "Take care Static, good to meet you - good to meet someone similar to myself, it'll be nice to share some tricks." At least the electric ones that is.