| A Grevious Day |
| Summary: | Black Panther and Nightcrawler save citizens in collapsed building disaster, sans one soul |
| Date: | (2014-10-07) |
| Related: | NA |
| NPCs: | Trapped workers and people in studio |
| Scene Runner: | Mutual |
| Social/Plot: | Plot |
| Players: |
 .. .. |
There was some construction lately in Times Square, usually is something nearby, but this is down right in the heart of all the lights and media and signs. Part of the construction was on an old building and part of the rigging collapsed. Hitting a neighboring building that holds a few floors of media rooms and studios, thus the event hit the air pretty quickly and is getting a lot of attention. One responder not looking for attention is Nightcrawler. He is wearing simple t-shirt and loose pants, his toes exposed, as if he doesn’t yet have a hero outfit and isn’t routinely doing the hero thing come to think of it.
But hearing of trapped individuals, both on the construction rigs and in the buildings while facing the potential further collapse of the rigging structure, he felt inclined to act. Where the responders that normally respond are slowly working to get up through potential further collapses, he felt his light weight would be good enough to try and get in to help. Thus, with a bamf, he leaves his location and appears on a neighboring building. On the one hand are a few people trapped in a studio, the rigging blocking the door and too high yet for a fire ladder to get to, on the other, a few more stories up in the rigging are a handful of construction workers on some I-beams.
There is no end of chaos in the City That Never Sleeps.
The Panther has noticed this. Frequently.
Positioned low on the ground underneath one of the buildings in question, T'Challa - clad in his traditional 'Black Panther' armour - pads around the building to its side, scanning upward intently.
He notices the 'bamf' of… something - a figure? a person? - upon the roof, and files the information away for later. When some of the press and the emergency services notice the black-clad hero, they approach with questions and 'recommendations' to clear the area. "We need you and your costume outta here," says one officer. "We've got rescue choppers in-bound."
The Panther shakes his head at them. "There is no time," he tells a police officer laconically. "But you must keep these people back."
"Hey!" remarks the officer. "Who're you to give orders?"
T'Challa says nothing, but takes a running leap at the outer wall of the tall building. In the instant before he connects, there is a light 'shing!' noise as his vibranium claws extend and sink into the concrete.
What follows is the sight of a black-clad person wall-crawling at incredible speed up towards the people trapped in the studio.
Nightcrawler was left with a choice himself, the studio or the construction workers he can see and given his limits on teleporting, the guys and gals of the construction rigging seem to be a better bet to start off. Even if its unstable, with good site he can be in and out without putting more weight onto the structure.
Even as T'Challa starts to ascend, Nightcrawler springs into tumbling on the building, only to give himself upward momentum when he bamfs, next to on of the workers, and then again at street level. The man seems woozy after the trip, the elf pats him, "Rest well, I'll find your friends." His voice thick German accented but understandable enough and he bamfs again to the workers, "Fear not, I am hear to help, one at a time." As if they could choose who to send first, who has more family, who they want out first.
Even as he waits for them to react, to decide, to not freak out at his appearance, a few seconds following one of their own disappearing in the black-blue brimstone smoke, he notes a dark figure ascending/entering near the studio rapidly. Almost as if its a sigh of relief, someone is seeing after the studio and it gives him more confidence to help the construction workers without wondering how he could help the people in the other building.
The climb up to the studio is not as straightforward as the Panther would have liked. Debris breaks free and tumbles down to the ground far below, forcing him to leap sideways multiple times - to avoid being knocked from the wall.
At least the police on the ground are doing a good job of clearing the public away - AND the sound of rescue helicopters can be heard by now as well. Digging his claws into the wall, T'Challa propels himself into a final leap - straight upward and into the ruined studio.
People scream.
And not just because of the damage and the danger of falling. The Panther holds up his hands placatingly, and his gleaming, golden claws retract. "Fear not," he tells those huddled in the corner as close to the blocked door as they can. "I have come to help. If you would - "
He does not get to finish the sentence as more of the construction beams break free, causing a beam to swing toward the studio. T'Challa ducks, his energy daggers flashing, and /slashes/ the beam before it hits him, severing it in two. Part of it hits the floor of the studio, causing more of the room to crumble. The other part swings back and bashes into the side of the building.
The beams where the Nightcrawler attempts to rescue the construction workers shake violently - causing one man to topple sideways, shrieking in terror.
No time to think, even as the people are suggesting one of the old veterans with grand kids, the beam shakes, the structure wobbles and one worker topples sidewise. "Nein, a sec," he says, not sure if the others get that he means for them to give him a moment but instead reacting quickly to the man falling.
With a measured leap up, he bamfs to below the falling man. "You are safe," he says to the man, followed with a second bamf to get him safely to the ground. He knows he doesn't have time to tell him to take it easy, he's going right back up for the next worker, they can be scared by he's wasting no time in getting the remaining few to, no time to spare now.
The shift, unknowingly caused a gas line to break between the two buildings and being near a spark, it is ignited. Hints of black smoke give tell that a fire has started between the structures. The construction workers less at risk then those inside the building.
The rescue chopper finally arrives.
Hovering just above the remaining construction workers perches on the beams, a woman in brightly-coloured gear and a headset waves toward the survivors - and Nightcrawler. Lifelines are lowered down, just as the beams shift again, sliding toward the open air between the buildings - and oblivion below.
T'Challa notes the fire behind the blocked door, placing a hand upon the wall to test its warmth. He turns his masked visage toward the terrified civilians and just looks at them - considering his options. There will be no getting out that way - even if he slashes the wall down. The backdraft would likely blast the wall - and the people - out into the open air. Instead he moves to another wall along the side of the studio. He touches it.
At least it isn't hot.
T'Challa picks up the portion of a beam he had previously cut free, and rams it through the other wall, sending dust, concrete and paint flying. The room beyond is at least clear, as is its exit.
"Go." he tells the civilians. "Leave this room quickly - but do not go into the hall, not until I have made sure it is safe. Go. Go!" And the civilians file out one by one.
That is when an explosion in the room beyond the blocked door blasts it outward - including the beam that was lodged against it. T'Challa hurls himself sideways just as (outside) the life-lines reach the remaining workers and Nightcrawler.
Even as the life lines come to his location, Nightcrawler is with the people again, ready to pick another to take, but pausing to help with the life-lines. Unfortunate for him, the blast in the studio rends out some of the broken beams, maybe even the one used to lodge the door prior to the blast. Either that beam or a chain reaction, causes the rigging to become less stable. Another man falls and Kurt is again left to go for that one, leaving the remaining to scrabble for the life-line to get to safety.
This man knocks his head on a beam and goes limp while falling, the elf has to bamf behind him to nearby beams and work towards the man falling within the structure. With a few lucky bamfs, he's left catching the man while dangling from his tail. Limp but still warm, Kurt goes for the ground, hoping the remaining workers get life-lines or find secure footing in the collapsing structure.
Fire.
Fire everywhere.
The room that had once been a studio is now a smoking crater, with flames licking along the walls and ceiling, and ash choking the air. Fortunately for the Panther, his mask and armour can handle it. He ducks into the second room, tests the door - then kicks it down. The corridor beyond is (for the moment) clear, and so he ushers the remaining survivors into it, and toward the fire-escape staircase.
Glancing back into the studio, T'Challa is in time to see the formerly-lodged beams pull themselves free by their own weight, breaking down the concrete and metal floor - dragging much of it down the side of the building to the ground.
It is only then that the Panther sees one more body in the room - a woman (tall, brown hair, in her forties perhaps) who had been trapped beneath the rubble prior to the gas-explosion. He moves swiftly to her side and checks her pulse.
The Panther sighs. "Goddess watch over you," he murmurs softly, and picks the body up in his arms. Outside and above him the helicopter rises into the sky, all construction workers accounted for.
T'Challa, body carried in one arm, leaps out of the ruined building, and slides down the outer wall - using the claws from one hand to slow his descent all the way to the ground, amid the debris.
Unlike the woman, Kurt's head trauma victim is still breathing. Even as T'Challa de-scales the building with his claws out and Nightcrawler gets his man to a medical unit, the rigging cries above. More collapsing into the building next to it, and the responders calling to clear the streets below for safety. Most cleared already, but they move first responder vehicles out of the way for safety just the same. The crews continue to work and the remaining damage potential will be minimized, but there is still a risk of collapse to the street itself from above.
Nightcrawler is not responding to responders, too many questions and he is bamf'ing around them to avoid too much curiosity, but he wants to see after the other one that helped, with the woman in his arms as he comes down to the street.
T'Challa is already among the emergency service crews. He approaches the paramedics with the deceased woman, and carefully lays her upon a bed - before police and reporters accost him (or try to) with myriad questions.
He says nothing.
Glancing upward at the damage done, T'Challa releases a sigh through his lips - barely audible behind his mask - and then shifts his attention to the studio-survivors as they exit the building by the main doors. "It was not a perfect victory," he murmurs to no one in particular - even as multiple people ask, "Who are you? Who are you?"
"What is your name?"
"Who is the other guy with the tail?"
"Is there anyone else up there?"
"Why didn't you save that woman?"
"Do you think you could have prevented the structure from falling?" and so on… The Panther turns away from them, only to nod to those he managed to save, and then to look in Nightcrawler's direction. He walks toward the other 'dark hero' and offers a polite bow in greeting, and in gratitude.
Taking note of the woman that T'Challa lays on the bed of the responders, Kurt inflicts the sign of the cross upon himself with one hand and offers a silent prayer. Not for anyone but himself, no matter who sees it, or who might protest someone looking like a devil doing that. Despite his normal mirthful attitude, there is a damper now placed upon the day even for the elf.
Turning and meeting with the Panther, he offers a bow to meet the other, more practiced in his training to fence as a younge boy, it is as polite as the others. "Mein fruend," he says in full German before reverting back to Engligh, "My thanks. If not for you the day would of been gloomful indeed." Not that it isn't, but Kurt knows we wouldn't of made it to the studio, perhaps as much as the other wouldn't of made it to the construction site itself.
Even as others watch, some still daring questions, he ignores them, "I cannot stay long, I only wanted to express my gratitude for what you have done to day."
"Ah," remarks the Panther of the Elf. "A man of faith as well as action - yours is a rare breed. Ich danke Ihnen." He thanks Wagner in fluent German, then inclines his head in a formal, slow nod of recognition.
Then he glances behind himself at the people trying to get his attention. "I understand," he replies to Nightcrawler's explanation. "The deed is done; the danger is passed - and now they have already begun laying blame. Americans…" He lets out a breath. "I am the Black Panther," he tells Wagner a moment later. "And I hope, Goddess willing, we meet again."
And he turns to head away.
Not smiling this day, Kurt does nod his head, thankful for the man's use of the German language, "Danke." He says, using the more familiar, with intended respect towards T'Challa. "I am Nightcrawler, and I as well hope our faith is strong enough that we do meet again." Of his own faith, but one of the few in it that do not seek to dampen other faiths, more inclined to reckon everyone could use faith, the semantics of it up to the individual.
Not to keep the other man, but to let him do what he must, no sure if he'll stay and answer or go back whence he came, Kurt is inclined to the same, bamfing after the other turns and off to the rooftops and back to his own abode.