ArchivedLogs:Nice Things

Nice Things
Dramatis Personae Akihiro, Anette, Paige, Steve
In Absentia	2016-11-30 "Is being Japanese a mutation now?"
Location <NYC> The Mendel Clinic - Lower East Side
With its sharp crystalline edges and sleek lines knifing up into the sky, this building is one of the most /distinctive/ new additions to the neighborhood. An angular structure in glass and steel, the tall tower has a deceptively slender look to it that is belied by the heavy security as soon as you enter the doors. The front doors are frosted with the Clinic's logo -- a rising sun over a rod of Asclepius -- a motif echoed in many places throughout the building. Visitors to the clinic must first pass through a small mantrap, guarded by some of the Clinic's security guards; once they make it through the metal detector and airlock's double doors they emerge into the much more hospitable lobby. With dark wood floors underneath and comfortable black and red couches at its edges, the high windows give the room an airy feel. A bank of elevators to one side carry visitors to the many destination floors, while the wide welcome desk at the other side is manned by a security guard ready to help point visitors in the right direction. It's been mild and gray all day, thunderstorms intermittently lashing the city. Now, with night coming on, the rain has eased off, though ominous flashes of lightning still strobe in the clouds above. Perhaps owing to the weather, there are not quite so many protesters in front of Mendel as usual today, but a hardy few have turned up with their trusty picket signs: 'CURES NOT CODDLING', 'KEEP NEW YORK HUMAN', and the ubiquitous (if, in this situation, somewhat nonsensical) 'MUTANTS GO HOME.' Steve steps outside and surveys the small handful of protesters on the other side of the street, then glances up at the sky. He's wearing a khaki canvas jacket unzipped over a heather red t-shirt with a big yellow star, well-fitted blue jeans, and black combat boots. His iconic shield is slung across his back, and the rolled-up umbrella tucked under his arm has a matching color scheme. He glances aside at his companion. "You think you're okay to walk home, or should we get a cab?" "I'm not sure," Paige replies as she is guided out of the clinic by Steve, warily eying the protesters' signs. "I mean I -should- walk. That's what they said, after all - practice makes perfect and all that, I guess. And it's not raining anymore, so that's a plus." The horned woman raises the hood of her sweatshirt, perforated by two holes as it is. "Besides, cabs cost money and you're already doing way too much for me. Not that I don't...appreciate it." She glances at the ground, perhaps trying to hide the slight blush on her cheeks. "Thanks." Anette's had an adventurous day. Despite being a skilled flyer, Anette clipped the top of a tree while flying, tumbling to the ground and ending her daily exercise earlier than expected. While the fall didn't seem to hurt her, her left wing hangs a bit lower than the right and as she moves, she's carefully to avoid any bumps or jostles that may agitate it. Her coat is also draped over her shoulders rather than properly worn. She also wears a Metallica Master of Puppets t-shirt, black jeans, and punk-style combat boots. "You didn't have to come with me, I can handle myself," she says to her companion, though she does slow down as the protesters come into view. "Maybe you could snikt a path through them?" "I know you well enough to follow along and see what they have to say. You're almost as bad at following instructions as I am." Akihiro teases Anette. Truth be told, he tagged along because he wanted to and hates seeing her hurt. He's dressed in a similar fashion, except his t-shirt is for a band called Ghost. "They say anything and I'll start breaking noses while you run for it." "Well, you let me know if it starts hurting too much. It wouldn't be a long cab ride, and physical therapy is all well and good, but you still have to walk on those feet tomorrow morning." Steve is still keeping an eye on the protesters, some of whom have spotted them and are glaring. There's some muttering to accompany the dirty looks, as if they are trying to decide whether Steve and Paige are worth the trouble of crossing the street. But then Anette's arrival makes their decision much easier -- the visibly injured wing is apparently irresistible. "What's the matter, you grounded?" A thin, long-faced white woman holding a 'CURES NOT CODDLING' Paige nods and concedes to Steve, "That's true. And they do hurt now more often than they used to." She sighs, her hands finding each other in her sweatshirt pocket. "I just wish they could have given me a clear answer on what's happening. Not just a 'we'll have to wait and see' shtick. But I think the therapy is helping, so I can't really complain about it. You're a good friend, Steve. Maybe---" the protester's actions and voice catch her attention. "Hey, I think I know that lady. Uh, not the one with the sign...I think that's...Anne?" "If they couldn't fix your face, there's no hope for my wings," Anette growls, her talons digging into her coat as she walks, resisting the urge to dig them into faces. Ignoring the protesters, she trudges along ahead, spotting Steve and Paige ahead of them. Smiling at familiar faces, she gives a slight wave, apparently forgetting just who she has accompanying her. The protester isn't letting things go and Anette's comment only seems to anger her and she decides to take it out on Akihiro. "Is being Japanese a mutation now? If you're with them then /you/ can go back to whatever island you're from." Geography is clearly not a strong point. "Nope." Akihiro replies easily to the woman. He lifts his fist a pair of ebony claws burst out, stopping an inch or so from her face. "But these are. I think I was in my fifties the last time I fought this many people at once, but if you keep running your mouth I just might have to cut your fucking face off and test my luck." Somehow this is all said with a friendly smile on his face. The claws retract and he keeps moving forward with Anette, wrapping an arm around her waist. He clearly hasn't caught sight of Paige or Steve yet. "Anette," Steve corrects quietly, then raises a hand to wave back at the owl woman. "So you've met? Small town." But his attention is still half on the protesters -- and Akihiro. The woman with the 'CURES NOT CODDLING' sign does not take the threat particularly well. She shrieks and stumbles back, then shrieks even louder at his threat, smile notwithstanding. "What the /fuck/?!" cries one of the other picketers, hastily steadying the woman. "That freak just attacked her!" He's raising his voice to address other people on the street. "Did everyone see that? Somebody call the cops!" The horned woman visibly shudders upon the sight of Akihiro unleashing his knife-like extremities. Still, she manages not to completely freak out, instead choosing to close her eyes and take a few quiet deep breaths. "We-we've met," Paige's voice comes out unsteadily at first as she opens her eyes again. The commotion with the protesters, however, seems to shake her more than the mutant and she positions herself so that Steve is between her and the scene. "Should we go back inside?" Anette merely stands, looking impatient as Akihiro brings out the claws, waiting for him to get it out of his system. "Please, if I can behave myself tha-" Whatever she was going to say goes unfinished as she jumps in surprise at the woman's direction. "He didn't even fucking TOUCH YOU!" she yells to the woman, glancing over to Steve and rolling her eyes, ticking her head to the screaming protesters. "Any chance of you putting that shield to use and bashing heads in?" she asks, quickly grabbing Akihiro's arm and aiming for the door. While Anette tries to get out of the situation, one of the protesters takes his sign and, holding the stick like a bat, swings it at Akihiro's head in the name of 'self-defense'. "I'm behaving." Akihiro promises Anette. He seems intent on getting inside with her. "Just ignore them, bunch of children." Though he does risk a look back. Just in time to receive a crack across the bridge of his nose. His hands shoot up to straighten it back before it heals at an odd angle. "Alright. That was your one. You got it out of your system?" As his hands lower the man who hit him can watch the skin knit itself back together, leaving no trace of the prior wound save for blood. "Let's get inside before I have to hurt somebody," is grumbled to Anette, his arm going around her waist so he can keep himself between her and the protesters. "Everyone stay calm!" Steve bellows, his voice carrying over the protesters' protests. "You've a right to voice your bigotry, but do not interfere with people trying to get medical care." He tugs the shield from his back and straps it to his left arm, shifting over to put himself more solidly between Paige and the protesters. "Stand. /Down./" The protesters do not look very keep on tangling with Steve /or/ Akihiro, but indignity is written over their faces as they fan out menacingly. "Traitor," growls one man with a graphical sign depicting the silhouette of a horned figure inside a bold red struck-through circle. "You side with the freaks, you no better than them." As Akihiro is struck by the protester's sign, Paige lets out a surprised gasp. She makes as if to move towards the other mutant, but appears to be reluctant to leave her little area of protection. When Steve makes his declaration, she glances from the door of the facility to Anette as she directs her companion towards the entrance. "Steve," she says quietly. "I think we should go inside." The horned woman eyes one of the protesters who is currently on his cell phone. "Th-the police will take care of this. I thin---" The blonde girl is interrupted as the man addressing Captain America points a finger at her. "DEMON!" he yells. "Demon! The devil walks among them!" Anette quickly turns towards Akihiro, reaching up to his face as she's suddenly concerned for his nose, despite his healing abilities. "You ok?" she asks quietly, before turning and glaring towards the man with the sign, talons outstretched at her side, ready to attack. Steve's words reach her and, with a deep, shaky breath, she turns away. "He's right. Last thing I need is to wreck my other wing," she mumbles, trying to make her way to the door again. She catches Paige's comment and shakes her head, laughing. "You really are new if you think the police have any intention of helping us." “Yeah, I’m fine.” Akihiro grumbles. “Keep away from them if you can. Pretty sure this is about to get a little nastier.” The older mutant rolls his shoulders, gaze shifting around the crowd. It isn’t the way somebody afraid would check out the situation either, he has something in mind. Steve glances back at Paige and slowly moves toward her, keeping his shield raised and his stance low. "I don't think it'd turn out too well for you to be around when the police show up," he says evenly. "But you're right, let's just get you inside first. Stay close." With that he moves back toward the clinic's entrance, keeping himself solidly between Paige and the increasingly aggressive protesters. "Demon!" another protester shouts, menacing the smaller group with his sign and walking toward them, drawing his comrades on with him. Paige looks cowed and ashamed as the protesters bark at her and she doesn't seem ready to leave Steve's side anytime soon. "I...forgot," she admits meekly to Anette's comment, though she does not elaborate on exactly what she means by it. Following her protector's lead, the horned woman makes for the entrance. "Why are they even here? Don't they have anything better to do?" Anette outstretches her talons at her side though she makes no move to use them just yet. Actually, she finds herself drawn closer to Akihiro's side, though she does glance towards Paige and Steve, eyeing their situation as well. Though she makes no move to aid them either, likely knowing Steve is more than capable of getting the girl to safety. "Please Akihiro, don't do anything stupid," she mumbles. And then one of the protesters makes a grab for Anette's coat, sneering "Fly away birdie." Anette screeches and jumps back away from him in a panic, her wings and feathers flattening against her back instantaneously, followed by a grimace of pain. As she backs away, her arms swings out, roughly face height, razor sharp talons digging into whatever flesh they find. As Anette backed away Akihiro moved forward. Those talons bite into the flesh of his back, but it doesn’t stop him from grabbing that protester by the front of their shirt and drawing their face back into one solid punch. And then another. And one more for good measure. The crowd doesn’t respond well, moving in on the duo. What’s the worst that could happen? Probably Akihiro being one of the mutants they planned on assaulting. Without missing a beat the immortal slams the top of his head backwards into the nose of an advancing protester, following that with a reverse elbow that puts them out cold. Two down. A whole hell of a lot more to go. “Oh, boy,” Steve mutters. His eyes skip between Anette and Akirhiro, then takes in their opponents. He has almost made it to the door with Paige before anyone spares them attention -- a pair of protesters breaking off from the others and brandishing their picket signs at the horned woman. Steve lunges at them, swinging his shield almost /casually/ and slicing both of their improvised weapons in half. They back off immediately, grumbling profanities. “Anette! Both of you, come on. The clinic won’t allow them inside.” The blonde girl is not one for combat; her eyes widen at the sight of Anette's talons rending Akihiro's back. This is made further apparent as she shows signs of panicking when the protesters begin to approach her. Paige looks as though she would rather curl up than do anything to defend herself, but thankfully Steve fills that role. "Thank you," she whispers, though it may go unheard, before she dashes towards the door and pushes it open. Once Anette has calmed down enough to hear other things over her own pounding heart, she pulls her bloody hand back to herself, grimacing as she catches the end of Akihiro's wounds closing up. She watches as Akihiro single-handedly takes on several of the protesters, the faintest of grins on her face. Though some stand their ground, most of the protesters realize these mutants mean business and back away to give them room, though the insults and angry glares never stop. Anette quickly steps to Akihiro's side, careful to avoid any more elbow jabs or punches. "Please, let's just go inside," she hisses. In a split second, she catches the sound of someone, the buddy of the first one to grab her wings, approaching behind her. Her neck twists first, followed by her body and her hand swings out. She doesn't miss this time, dragging her talons across his face, narrowly missing eyes, and ensuring he's going to have some scars. "Let's GO!" “Alright, let’s go.” Akihiro scoops Anette up and breaks out into a jog to follow Paige through the doors. “This is why we can’t have nice things.”