Logs:All Hands

All Hands
Dramatis Personae Beau, Ion, Scramble
In Absentia	2022-03-30 "We probably not gon' to blow anybody up in the face. Probably."
Location <NYC> Freaktown - Riverdale
Things are bustling in Freaktown today. Tents have popped up all over the lawns of the repurposed mansions like new spring flowers and all around the sounds and smells of new construction are filling the air. Ion, dressed in jeans and work boots and a very weathered Mongrels cut, is just emerging from one of the big houses with a large stockpot in his arms, redolent with spices. There's already a crowd in various states of dishevelment gathered around the table that he brings it to, handing the food distribution off to another Mongrel as he starts working his way through the group, checking in with the folks who have washed up here today: "{Ey, fam, welcome - - we getting a new chair for Nic here this afternoon you take him a spare plate meanwhile, huh?} -- no shit? Fuck those pigs, you be safe here -- {your sis staying where? I send someone to pick her up, aright.} -- you the one needed the inhaler I got you -- Hey, friend, not seen you around before, got a name?" -- one by one through the crowd of exhausted or angry or traumatized newcomers. Towards the middle of the crowd is Beau, recently back in the city after a less than pleasant stay back home. Everything he currently owns is slung over his shoulder in a dusty gray duffel bag that looks smaller than it is thanks to his massive frame. A few muttered apologies later he steps mostly out of the way to let everyone else funnel towards food. “Imagine this is what Ellis island used to be like.” he mostly says to himself, “Hopefully those pig fucks stay away from here.” Scramble is stepping out of an annex of the medic tent on the adjoining lawn with a young Black man who looks significantly less out of sorts than he did going in earlier. She wears her Mongrels cut over a purple button-down with red contrast stitching, dark indigo jeans, and engineering's boots. "Aight brother, you be safe now. We'll get you the stuff soon as we can." After he peels away, intent on the newly arrived food, she shuffles out of the way of the hungry refugees and leans back against the the solid trunk of an old oak, breathing slow and deliberate. Beau's muttering catches her attention, but it's at a noticeable delay that she says, just a touch sharply, "Ellis Island ain't got nothin on us. They wasn't even tryna take care of folks." "Don't be shy, friend, got plenty of food for everyone." Ion gestures toward the table when Beau hangs back, looking the bigger man over with an amiable smile. "You need a place to rest we gonna have heat and power in the new shelters soon." His chin tips up to Scramble when she appears. "Shit, I think we a little too brown to get through Ellis Island. You eat too, yeah, sister? Looking beat." “Yeah, sorry, I just meant in terms of bodies.” Beau half gestures to everyone, stopping when Ion speaks up. “Just wanted to make sure everyone got a helping first.” He shifts uncomfortably, fidgeting with the strap on his bag. “If y’all need any help, feel free to let me know. I ain’t got any construction experience but can help with the moving and lifting.” Scramble squints slightly at their very own huddled masses and gives a noncommittal shrug, evidently appeased. Points at Ion with a firm nod. "We used to feeding folks eat a lot, if that's the worry. You take what you need, there'll be plenty of time to sort out work after you get settled." She quirks a wry smile at Ion. "I'mma wait til the crowd thins out a bit. Ain't only hungry here." She pats her belly. "Yeah? We always need extra hands. You strong as you look?" Ion's cheeks puff out as he looks Beau over. "Bet plenty people got a use for extra muscle." His cheek sucks against his teeth, and he moves slightly out of the way of the line, a step closer to Scramble. "You want some? Fuck knows I ain't using my sanity." “That’s good to hear, actually.” Beau admits, “Takes a lotta calories just getting around.” He glances back at Ion and nods, “Stronger, actually. Last time I really was able to check a couple tons was light work. Durable too, took an explosion to the face about two years ago when I was still in high school, so muscle is about all I’m suited for at the moment.” Scramble's smile eases a little at the offer. "Just enough to take the edge off..." Her power sinks into Ion's mind, and he can't exactly feel its subtle push and pull, but he feels something. It withdraws only an instant later, leaving Ion feeling odd and giddy and a little dissociated. Her "thanks, man" is quiet and warm. Then she does a double take. Looks Beau up and down. "We probably not gon' to blow anybody up in the face. Probably. You could save the construction folks a lot of time." Ion, meanwhile, is bouncier than he had been, brighter-eyed and brighter-smiled. "Shit, for real? Whole-ass explosion?" sounds absolutely delighted; there's a small shower of sparks when his hands clap together. "You tough-tough then, gonna be good to have around -- you hear that?" To Scramble as though she could have missed it. "We could blow this kid up. Hey-hey-hey-hey how you take this --" is all the warning Beau gets before Ion claps a hand on his arm, the touch accompanied by a heavy JOLT of electricity. “Don’t even need to be forklift certified.” Beau agrees with a nod towards Scramble, falling quiet as Ion bounces around, grinning at the spark show. “That’s pretty co-.. Wha-?” His sentence is cut abruptly short as his whole body locks up for a moment, his hand tightening around the metal clasp on the bag’s strap effectively squashing it. He’s quiet for a few moments before reaching up and massaging the afflicted area, “That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but it definitely sucks.” "Brother, I just said we probably weren't --" Scramble does not seems all that surprised or even displeased when Ion zaps Beau. "Like I said, probably. I ain't got much experienced being blown up, but this guy supplies a wide range of zapping." She is peering in the direction of food with newfound interest. "You stick around here for a while, you'll see all kinda lifting. And we'll be needing plenty more of it soon. Even if only a quarter of these folks stay, we gon need to expand." Ion is watching Beau intently through this clenching, cheek sucking against his teeth when it passes. His next clap of hand on the bigger man's back comes, thankfully, with no further jolting. "Shiiit you brush that off like a pro. C'mon," he's ushering the others toward the food table, now, "think both of you need to get some food into you. Ain't gonna put you to work on an empty stomach." “To be fair, you almost put me on my ass.” Beau rolls his shoulders and turns slightly, his back cracking before being lead off. “Yeah, been a lotta talk about this place I overheard, not all of it great. Reckon it’ll be seeing more faces soon, for better or worse.”