Bane and The Stony Shade (Open)

Jacky shuffled her stack of money again and again until she knew the exact amount and what the amount weighed. She’s always been the De Luca family banker and bookie, but hard times had fallen and her brother took over for a while. Why was she returning to the Cities? She wasn’t really sure why she had returned, but something was always pulling her back. Back to where it started maybe? Who knows, honestly Jacky didn’t care. So many things had happened since she abandoned the Night Hawks months ago. She had been kidnapped, tortured, sold, saved, a catalyst for a major curse, and so many other stupid and painful things, that she just wanted to start over. After one last reshuffle, she packed her 10 Grand into her leather jacket and headed out into the autumn night air. After a short, brisk walk she found herself outside one of her favorite haunts, The Stony Shade. As she entered, the warmth crept up her back and tried to oust the chill from her bones. Since her “accident” she was almost perpetually cold. A slight smile bloomed across her face as she took her customary place at the bar. Nothing had changed in the last 6 months, only the barkeeper was different. She wondered what had happened to Marty, but decided not to ask.

While she sipped her beer, the atmosphere in the room began to change as people noticed her sitting at the bar. A young male adult, a frequent, moved closer to her and started to glare. Bane turned and looked at him. Her piercing green eyes focused on the idiot standing next to her. “Can I help you with something?” Bane wasn’t looking for a fight or anything but the guys glaring was irritating her. Yeah wench. Nobody is supposedddd to sitttt in the thattt seat. It’s for a certain someone only! Move ittttt!” The guy was seriously slurring his words and didn’t come across as intimidating as he thought he was. Without a second thought, Bane grabbed the man by his hair and slammed his face into the bar top. A bright red stream of blood escaped out of his nose, and then he slumped to the ground. Bane returned to her beer as if nothing had happened. An older gentleman directed the young man’s companions to collect their unconscious friend and exit the bar. He walked over and Bane stood up expecting a fight. The gentleman leaned in and hugged her to her surprise; then he tipped his hat and walked back to his booth.

Moved by the man’s compassion, Jacky left her beer and moved to her favorite booth. A young male bartender walked over and asked Jacky what she drank. “A bottle of scotch, if you would be so kind.” The bartender nodded and returned with what she had asked. He smiled shyly and mentioned that he was new and that his name was Nick and that if she needed anything at all just ask. Jacky nodded and said she would. She settled back into her seat and watched the bar dynamics.

The door to the bar swung open, as a man, keeping his head low, walked into the bar. He had a coat and a scarf about him, his black hair keeping his eyes dark. He walked slowly and meaningfully to the bar, where he sat at a stool and then slammed his hand onto the bar, making quite a loud noise. It attracted some, if not all, of the attention of the bar. The man slowly looked into the bartender's eyes, his green ones shining, saying,

I'll have a hot fudge sundae with chocolate chips!

The bar went silent for a moment before bursting into laughter at Jamben's request, which he laughed at as well, but still paid for what he had ordered. Though it was a bit out of the ordinary, the bartender gave him what he wanted, sliding it to him on a glass dish with a spoon. His face instantly lit up, and he started eating the delicious, icy treat with joy.

Ah...I must be the only one who enjoys a cold treat in the middle of winter.

The bartender gave him a weird look. Sir...it's the middle of summer.

Jamben only returned a bright smile after a moment's confusion. Ah, that's right...it is, isn't it? Silly me...

He kept mowing down his sundae as the rest of the people at the bar looked at him weirdly.

Bars never held much interest for Cook. Perhaps it was because he would never enjoy the wonders of drunkeness. A side effect of his meta-gene. But surely a skirt chaser such as he would love the bar scene and the almost endless supply of skirts they supplied to chase. But where was the thrill in that. Like a lion pouncing on a dazed gazelle, sure its meat but its just not the same.

But there he was sitting by himself at the bar of the Shady Stone nursing a gin and tonic. He ran his finger around the rim of the glass while he stare blankly at the bartender doing his work. He just wasn't himself at the moment. He needed something to make his heart go all pitter patter. Something to get his blood boiling.

The restaurants around Jump City were so bland. Like boiled chicken bland. They all did the Sam things, followed the same trends... It was so dull. And all of the blonde beauties he usually lusted for had become droll to him. So droll on fact he found himself in somewhat of a slump. Even his trademark grin was gone. He needed something to get him out of this slump. Something different.

Then his drink lept a few inches in the air.

The shaking bar knocked him out of his bored stupor as he searched around for the cause. And there it was. Or rather there she was... A purple haired beauty. Even with the assault Cook could sense the dangerous aura that surrounded her. Such a dangerous aura was exactly the inspiration he was looking for. He perked up and downed his glass as she made her way to a booth. He was grinning so hard his cheeks were burning. He had to speak to her. He had to get to know this women with hair of violet and eyes of jade.

He left the bar and made his way to her booth."Names Cook, name and profession. What's yours sweetie?" he asked her as she sat down opposite herew with an outstretched hand and grin still planted firmly on his face.

Captain I'm A Bad Guy was in the mood for a drink, and to show off his new cowboy hat he'd just bought. He didn't care that it was hot pink because it matched with his suits powder blue, and it was wide brimmed. Pushing through the door of The Stony Shade he started to strut towards the bar wishing he had spurs, but then he would need cowboy boots instead of his powder blue dress shoes. Reaching the bar he held up his hand to get the bar tenders attention. His attention turned to the rest of the bar, he noticed Cook, who according to one of his ex's was a kindred spirit hitting on a girl who wasn't bad looking. He then turned to the person that was right besides him and saw what Jamben was eating. Leaping away as if something had burned him he shouted Ice Cream that's disgusting! pulling out his death ray and sonic disruptor, the one set to "bacon" and the other "well done" he aimed at the ice cream on the counter and fired.

Ooc: Sorry I'm late guys. Just finished my AP homework

Bic:

Bane had been enjoying her bottle of amazing scotch, when a handsome looking fellow walked in and ordered ice cream… ice cream? His antics were defiantly odd, but her super secret Metahuman senses were tingling and she decided he wasn't a fellow to trifle with so she kept right on drinking. The loner who had been sitting at the bar earlier as Bane had broken that one guys nose, slid smoothly into her booth and started chatting. He was a cook? That’s nice, she liked to cook and was fairly good at it, but her busy lifestyle prevented her from doing to much of it. In reality she hadn't worked an oven in forever.

Wait, did he just call her sweetie? Instead of shaking his hand, she ignored him and gestured for Nick and whispered into his ear. The bartender smiled and brought out a bottle of gin and returned with a second bottle of tonic. He replaced Cook’s glass with a fresh one and made him another drink. “Well it’s certainly not sweetie, but since your asking its Bane; of people and the world. How can I help you Cook? Glancing over at the bar with the ice cream guy, some weird idiot had walked in, in an ugly suit and cowboy hat, then pulled a (what was that thing a gun of some sort?) Bane wasn't really sure, so she returned her attention to her scotch and her new acquaintance.

Retracting his hand back, he thanked the bartender for the booze with a nod. "no need to offend sweetie... err I mean Bane. Call everybody sweetie. Kinda like a nervous tick or something like that." he took a quick swig of and gave him self a moment to examine this lady a bit closer. She was dangerous alright, just like he thought. An also quite easy on the eyes. But for Cook most females me met were of high caliber. But even with that said she far better than what he had encountered up until this point.

He put his elbow on the table and leaned a little closer to her, a sly smile on. " To answer you question Miss Bane, there are a lot of ways you can help me. he paused for just a moment."But for now I guess I could settle for some of your precious time. I'm kinda new in town. And I don't know a soul in this big old town." leaning back he, sloshed his drink around in the glass." And your loads better company than those dudes over there." jerking a thumb over to the general vicinity of the two newcomers who caused more of a commotion than Bane did with her random act of violence.

Jamben was enjoying his ice cream when suddenly a man walked up next to him, proclaimed how disgusting ice cream was, and then pulled some kind of gun, aiming at his ice cream. Just before it fired, Jamben lifted it and leaned back, using his feet on the bottom of the bar for support so he wouldn't have to cast a spell.

Calmly eating his ice cream as if nothing had happened, and maintaining his laid back- Jamben chuckled a bit at the clever word use- posture, looked at the man as he ate.

You might want to put that away before somebody gets hurt, Jamben said with a full hearted smile. Without the words he had just said, you'd think he was complimenting you. Jamben took another bite, noticing a purple haired woman, which was interesting, as he kept eating, waiting for the man to back away.

Captain I'm A Bad Guy heard him but it was too late as the bar which Jamben's feat where at the bottom of simultaneously became blackened ash and a liquid puddle. In fact both beams kept going destroying the wall behind the bar all the way to the street hitting the front and the back of two cars as well as the building behind them. The car which had been hit in the back started to beep as it's alarm went off. Captain I'm A Bad Guy's normal smile was gone from his face as he noticed he had missed the ice cream. Pointing both of his weapons at Jamben this time he cried You won't save that wretched filth a second time!

Ooc: I'm a liar. Here's my post.

Bic:

"Nervous Tick? Good then I'm a doctor, maybe I can help you with that or hook you up with something to fix it." Bane smiles at Cook, knowing she had been kind of mean in someway and since he was a nice guy she felt bad. He had his elbow on the table and had a look about him, like the cat that had caught the canary. Time... time was precious and to some people more than others, she thought. "Time is precious and mine isn't cheap. You're new? I remember being new, I fell into a good crowd, that treated me right. I wonder what happened to them... " Bane had a sad look about her as she remembered her friends from the Night Hawks. She wondered what they were all up to and if they would take her back if she tried.

The sound of something exploding followed by the smell of ash and smoke assaulted Bane's senses. Did the powder blue idiot just try and bow up her bar! The guy who had just gotten shot ate was still eating his ice cream and being a gentleman. Bane really liked this guy and he brought a smile to her face. She laughed at the commotion that was flowing around them as people fled. Leaving her, Cook, Ice Cream Guy, and Powder Blue idiot by themselves on one side of the bar. Remembering her manners she turned her attention back to Cook. " How much of my time you looking to need there handsome?" Bane was in a way better mood than she was earlier.

Aer àmbulant.

Captain I'm A Bad Guy's ray kept going on and destroying the bar, but Jamben's feet still anchored him into the air, as if they were anchored in the air itself, placed out in front of him now that the bar was destroyed. To other people, it would seem he just had damned good balance. The girl in the back with the man giggled, seeming to be enjoying herself. Jamben smiled back, waving at the girl, signifying he had it under control.

Captain I'm A Bad Guy, however, persisted, saying Jamben couldn't protect his meal twice. Jamben raised an eyebrow.

That sounds like a wager.

A rapier appeared in his right hand sheathed, pointed to the floor. Before Captain I'm A Bad Guy could even fire another shot, with a quick flick of his wrist he sliced at both of the weapons, aiming to cut them precisely in half, and afterwards, sheathed the rapier before the sheath could even fall over. Captain I'm A Bad Guy would have to either move his weapons, that is if he had the reflexes, or have them destroyed. Either case would leave Jamben free. He still remained anchored in the air throughout the entirety of the event, the rapier disappearing as he continued to take another bite of his sundae.

We have an audience, and I'm willing to entertain them for as long as you're willing to continue making a fool of yourself. So do yourself a favor, and get out of here before the cops arrive.

He turned his head slightly to the couple in the back.

If you don't mind my saying, I'd ask you two to get out of here. I wouldn't want this madman to hurt you on my account.

OOC: I apologize. I didn't mean for it to come off as automatically hitting. You have a chance to react, and I'll edit my post so you may react accordingly. Again, I apologize, sometimes I forget to put my actions into a present tense.

Ooc: I'm thinking Pax needs to post before I do, unless he disappeared or something, then I'll post. If he doesn't by tonight. say 8:30ish my time. I'll post accordingly, this also gives Noodledorf time to repost if he would like. Sound Good?

((I'm here! Replying now. Got busy with work and such.))

Ooc: That's ok. I just remember I gave you a dead line what a terrible person I am. Love you Paxxy!