View source for 2016-05-22 - Central Chaos, Quests Start

{{Logsummary|
Title    = Central Chaos, Quests Start
|Summary = A van goes swerving around, out of control with some suspicious noises coming from it.  Two new plot threads are revealed when our hero types decide to see what's up. 
|Who     = [[Cu]], [[James_Hudson]], [[Fluttershy]], [[Bridget_Lake]]
|Date    = 05, 22, 2016
|Where   = The streets of Central Neo Tokyo
|Log=
Cu's dressed all casual like while trying to get the lay of the town down. There's no point in showing his battle attire off everywhere when there's no war AND nothing else going on.  He'd been here for a few nights now, but is still only very slightly learned on what this place is like versus what Metropolis was like.

An odd looking black van comes zipping down the street, maybe moving a bit fast...there's some serious banging and screaming going on within; though what's being said can't really be heard, someone or something is fighting inside apparently. *BANG BANG* something hits the back door of the van from the inside.

James_Hudson seems to just be minding his own business, leaning against a street lamp and looking at a small book he's holding in one hand. Maybe it's an address book? Maybe it's a journal? Hard to say. As Cu walks down the street the blonde-haired young man looks up and over at him. He seems to look the blue-haired man over for a second or two. There's a slight narrowing of his eyes for just an instant before the black van shoots by and the banging and screaming gets his attention. "The hell?" He quickly slides the book into the pocket of his jacket and takes off after the van. "Tch! Ain't no way I'm lettin' that go!"

The Van veers out of control, side-swiping a parked car as what ever is on the inside seems to be panicking and thrashing. "Help! Help!" comes a feminine voice from within, "HELLLLLLPPP!" The Van continues onward...

Wellllll that seems obviously, decidedly bad.   While he's not typically a stick his nose into every problem type, it's not like there's any reason NOT to right now.  As such Cu like wize goes rushing after the van at inhuman speeds.

Which means he blows right past Jimmy, who's plenty fast on his feet but nothing like a Servant. "Wh-!" He actually feels the wind rush by him as Cu darts past him after the van, giving a small shake of his head. . o O (Now that just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Reminds me of my brother.)

*BANG* A man comes flying out the back of the van, tumbling head over-heels into the street, barely avoiding getting hit by the car behind him. There's a brief flash of a struggle within, several men trying to hold someone down and there's a puff of gas. The guy in the street is wearing black, with red goggles. He has an assortment of binders on his belt. Cu catches up with the van with relative ease, followed by Logan...

Try to think of 'The red eyes' in Mystery men

Cu leaps into the back of the Van as he catches up.  "Hey, the doors were open..." he says, pointing behind him like they'd basically just invited him. He narrows his eyes as he adds, "So what the hell is going on in here?"

As he leaps clear of the tumbling man, Jimmy takes a moment to glance down at him. Certainly isn't any group he's run into. Not AIM, not Hydra, if they're kidnapping people they're not big on his list of 'good' groups, though. He lands in the back of the van shortly after Cu. Tilting his head towards the blue-haired man, "You all heard him. So who wants to start talkin' first?"

Both men at the back door, Cu and James suddenly see something coming at them from the back of the van, the figure screams and shoots out like a bullet in a flurry of wings and fear! "Stop her! The collector will kill us!" screams one of the men, "GET AWAY FROM ME!" screams the figure in a panic as the Van careens out of control and hits a parked car!

Cu tries to catch the lady with one arm, if only for the sake of making sure she doesn't hurt herself trying to run out of the back of a careening vehicle.  "Don't get me wrong, I just don't want her to crack her pretty head on the pavement," he states, "Now, speak up.  You might be lucky if you even live to SEE the collector like THIS."

James_Hudson's body is momentarily slammed against the side of the truck as it hits the parked car. "Nngh!" The chassis of the car actually bends outwards a bit from the impact. He gives Cu a glance for just a moment and then looks back at the men. "You heard him. Me? I got six reasons why you should start talkin'." There's a loud *snikt* sound as he pops his claws, the metal catching the light coming through the open back of the car. "Enough reason for ya?"

The flying, flapping figure is caught by Cu and she screams at the top her lungs! It's not a lady, well, it is; but it's also a pastel yellow pegasus! And she's scared OUT OF HER MIND! Fluttershy flaps, kicks and screams! The red-eyes are all over the van, one of them pulls a familiar looking freeze gun and aims it at James!

Cu apparently used his free arm to stable himself from falling out of the truck at the earlier heavy jolt.  Now he's attempting to tangle with a poor, panicked pony.  "Woah, woah there, We'll get you out of here girl..." he insists before looking back to the others again.  "Oyi...you guys have a REAL problem."   With the hand he WAS using to stable himself after the smashing into the car, he suddenly makes a long, red spear appear and attempts to use it to disarm the guy aiming the freeze gun.  Granted he's somewhat at a disadvantage for aiming when he's trying to one armedly calm a panicked horse.

Yep, this is definitely just one of those days that he should've stayed in bed. Bunch of guys in red goggles, one of them has some kind of freeze gun. Blue Boy just pulled a spear out of nowhere, wicked looking thing, too. Asgardian, maybe? Who knows? Plus there's a kicking, screaming, cute little pony from what looks for all the world like a kids show. . o O (Heh! Kitty would like that.) He doesn't make a move since the guy with the spear already is, that spear is long and he'd just be in the way if he did. Plus really tearing into these guys is just going to make that pony more traumatized, he reckons.

Fluttershy has had enough. This is way past her experience and tolerance. So..she faints. Just faints. Out cold. The red-eye fires his freeze gun at the two, and the unconscious pegasus, just as the gun is speared out of his hand, as the other four try to make a break for it out the side door! The night is not going well for them and this was supposed to be an easy catch! The inside of the van suddenly is frozen, barely missing the three at the door!

Cu says, "...you know, it gets REALLY old when you can't get an answer from people."   He picks up Fluttershy and puts her over his shoulders before carefully hoping out of the back of the van."

James_Hudson jumps out of the back of the van a few moments after Cu, rubbing a bit of frost off his jacket from that errant freeze ray that narrowly missed him. "Heh, ain't that the truth?"

The remaining three dash off in eac direction; the guy with the freeze-gun has flash frozen-himself to the wall and is now crying for help! Typical baddie! Fluttershy herself opens her eyes after a few moments as she snaps out of it! "Ayyyaa!!" Cu is a scary-looking guy! In fact, humans terrify her too, in fact, most everything scares her! Her wings snap into over-drive and she tries to run / fly for it! She has to find a place to HIDE!!

Cu says, "Gh, woah, woaaahh...calm down you crazy hoofed lass!  I'm trying to help!"  Typical Cu luck...

Fluttershy takes to the air, though unsteadily, she's not a great flyer. But it's enough to get little distance which helps ease her panic. "I...I..." she stammers, "You can..talk?" she blinks, still wary, but she thought he was some kind of monster. Of course she's afraid of just about anything. "Um...uh...have...you seen any others...l-like me?

"Well yeah..." Cu states, "Are you ok?  What were those guys trying to do with you?"   He dusts himself off a little.  "You're definitely not my first pony, but I do have to say you're my first /talking/ pony."

Fluttershy says, "Ah...um..." she looks around, landing nearby, "I..think I'm okay..." she says in a soft whisper, 'I don't know...why they wanted me...." she shivers. 'I was looking for my friend Twilight...and they just jumped out a grabbed me!" she looks panicked again, the memory freaking her out. "Where is Twilight??" she begins to hyper-ventilate. O.O"

Cu says, "Hrmm, well I just got here myself.  How about you settle down somewhere long enough for me to question that loser who's frozen to the truck?  Maybe I can do something to keep them from going after you again, and we can get you somewhere safe for now?"

Fluttershy looks around nervously...then hides in what ever shadow she can find nearby. *shiver shiver shiver* The guy in the truck is still moaning and wailing, life is so unfair! ;.; Fluttershy puts her hooves over her eyes and tries to keep a grip on herself! Any of her other friends would be fine! But nope! She's going to keep freaking out! Don't hyper ventilate! Don't hyper ventilate!

Cu climbs back into the truck before crossing his arms and glaring at the whining dude.  "Ok...now I know your mouth works, so talk to me about what's going on here.  If you don't I might get inspired to see you CAN'T."

The guy whines, "My arm is frozen...you gotta save my arm!" he cries. There's a crashed van in the road, and Flutteshy is hiding nearby, eyes covered and trying not to hyper-ventilate. The Red-eye in the truck says, 'The Collector...heard about these here; there's a big market for..for...um...living collectibles..." he says, 'Paying big bucks!

And that's when Bridget comes in, tanktop and a pair of jogging pants, hair tied up in a loose bun, well... jogging.  With a fannypack, even.  She slows as she sees the chaos ahead.  "Is... everything all right?" she asks, looking from the flash of pink and yellow over there, to the.. um... wow.  No, Focus!  Hot guys later!  "Living... please, gentlemen, tell me that you are not implying what I think you are implying."

Fluttershy hides and shivers in the shadows! Today has been way past her tolerance!

Cu says, "...and what the hell are living collectables?  You're already doing bad with me here, but if you mean some kind of slavery, wellll your boss is going to have a lot more to worry about."

The Red-eye gulps, "My arm, man, ny arm is FROZEN!" he whines more, 'Hey, it's just a job," he says, 'The collector hires us to catch...living collectibles...and..we sell 'em to the highest bidder...it's just money, man!" he groans, "These pony-things are worth big bucks....we were after a purple one and this one just fell outta the sky...finders keepers, right?

Cu says, "Who's your boss and I'll consider letting that arm free..."

Bridget_Lake's eyes flash.  She reaches into her fannypack, and pulls out a piece of jerky.  The poor quality of the streetlights hide exactly what kind, but it almost seems to sparkle a little as Bridget pops the small piece into her mouth, and chews very deliberately.  "Oh, but if you do something like that, then they'll never learn the value of their own freedom.  Perhaps we should call the police, and let them know about slavers."  Her smile is all sweetness and light... and somehow terrifying for it.

Fluttershy over-hears that they were after a..purple pony? Twilight? She perks up a bit, but still hides. That brightens her up quite a bit though! The Red-eye groans, "I don't know who he is, We get payed electronically, we drop off packages at the dock, we never see who pick's em up! My arm man, my arm!" Fluttershy actually gets a little mad now...it's one thing to pick on HER, but they were after her friend??

Cu says, "Well thanks for trying anyway...."  The warrior of olde REELS back an arm and attempts to knock the day lights out of the red eye.  He'll be nice and free his arm up after, but he's not giving him a chance to run, now that he knows what's going on."

Bridget_Lake figures that blue fellow has things handled for now, and turns towards the pink and yellow ... ooh, wings, pegasus!  With a much more gentle smile.  She pulls a chocolate chip cookie out, and holds it towards the scared pony.  "Here, you look like you could use this.  Rough day, dear?" she asks gently.  "Don't worry, I'm sure he'll have things sorted soon enough.  He looks the heroic type."

Fluttershy eeps and backs away a little, very nervous, "U-um...no thank you..." she offers quietly, still trying to hide best she can. She can't eat a think right now anyway, her stomach is in knots! The Red eye is knocked out. X.X he gasps and goes down, arm and freeze-ray gun still trapped in ice.

Cu does what he can to free the arm before looking toward Bridget.  "Hey, um...where IS the police station here anyway?  I'm new around here too..."

Bridget_Lake smiles.  "That's fine then."  She lowers herself to sit on the ground, making sure that she's between the truck and the pegasus, folding her legs under her like she's got all the time in the world.  See?  Harmless.  Okay, sure, this method of going still to get animals to put you on the not-a-threat list has only really been tested against nervous dogs, but... worth a shot, right?  "Police station should be just north of here, on Yamamoto Boulevard, if I remember correctly."  She grins a bit disarmingly.  "Usually they come to me for my baked goods, not the other way around, so I could be wrong."

Fluttershy takes a few deep breaths, trying to center herself. Keep the panic down. She wishes she were braver!

Cu picks up the guy once he has his arm free.  "Alright then, thank you."  Ahh if he weren't helping the pony right now, he'd probably take the time to throw a pick up line about now.  He can tell the pony's still freaking out though, so he's trying to be quick about getting her off of the street.   "The pony lass there is understandably shaken up, I was hoping to settle her indoors somewhere so she's protected from these idiots till it's safe for her to go back to looking for her friend."

Bridget_Lake mms.  "My place isn't that far from here, maybe three blocks west, if that'll do.  I've got an apartment right above my bakery.  It's not much, but it's cozy, and I'll be there to watch her back... iffin you don't mind, Miss Pony."  She looks towards Cu.  "You're welcome as well.  Be a bit crowded with three, but it's rather late to find a place for the night."

Fluttershy meeps, she's not sure what to do now! "I...I have to find my friend...." she says quietly, "Twilight will know what to do!..." she looks to Bridget, 'Um...mymymy..name...um...is Fluttershy...." she says in an almost whisper, her blue eyes peering from under her pink mane, "I...should keep looking for her...."

Cu says, "I've got a place I can stay, I'm just not sure this girly will manage to make it there in one peice, she seems really fragile.  You really shouldn't look for her at night, Fluttershy, that's ALWAYS when the worst of the worst are wandering about.  At least, you shouldn't look /alone/."

Bridget_Lake gives a little huff of a sigh.  "And if this friend of yours is worth having as a friend, she'll understand and want you to have a safe place to sleep before starting your search fresh in the morning."  She reaches up to run a hand through her hair, then her fingers encounter her bun and decides against completing the motion.  "I'm Bridget Lake, owner of Lake's Bakes.  Pleased to meet you Miss Fluttershy, Mr. I Make Hawaiian shirts Look Good."

Fluttershy says, "Um...I..guess you're right...." she steps out of the shadows, feeling a bit better now. She looks to Cu and bows a little, politely. "Thank you for helping save me..." she says quietly, then to Bridget, 'Thank you too, for your help...I think you're right...Twilight would rather I be safe too...I'm sure she's okay somewhere out there...." Twilight has powers, after all. It'd be a real trick to hog-tie HER. "I'm sorry...I'm not very brave...all my friends are...but...I'm just not like them...""

Cu says, "I've got nothing better to do once we get this jackass to the brig.  If you really want to look all night, I can tag along--"  He blinks at Bridget's coment and laughs a little.  "Ahh, hello Miss Lake," he greets, "Given there seems to be no real danger from giving my name right now, I'm a knight called Cu Chulainn, Hound of Ulster."  "You were just man handled by some scum who took advantage of thier numbers and fear against you," he states, "You're allowed to be afraid.""

Bridget_Lake resists the urge to reach out and ruffle Fluttershy's mane.  Too cute!  "It's fine, really.  Bravery isn't just not being afraid, you know.  I'm not a good fighter at all.  I bake, I knit, I practice running long distances so I can run when I need to."  She giggles.  "If I had to, I would have gotten them so busy chasing me you could have run away."  At the mention of Cu's name, she looks a little thoughtful.  "I think... my gran told stories about you.  Insane number of wives, right?  That's about all I can remember..."

Fluttershy sighs a bit, "My friends are all brave and strong...I'm just...a coward...I can't fight or anything..." she says sadly, "But I'm not going to give up, either," she stomps a hoof, then blushes. "Sorry." She looks to Cu, "I'm sorry...I was scared of you before....."

Cu says, "Hah, yeah, that sounds like me.  ...it's a little disappointing that that's all such a lady can remember of me though."   He nods toward Fluttershy.  "I'm used to dealing with frightened people, it's ok.  And not giving up is it's own form of bravery." 

After this Fluttershy agreed to be lead to Bridget's place for the night.

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