2014-05-27 - Amber meets Batwoman

It's late. Even in the summer time, the sun does eventually set, even in New York. A light, hot rain falls from the sky. In Hells Kitchen, a young woman presses herself againts a wall, trying to get some shelter beneath a fire escape.. There is a clamour down a nearby alleyway, sounds of violence. A woman shrieks.

In the darkness, up above on the roof of the building Amber has herself pressed against, a figure stirs at the sound of woman's scream. The lithe form stands and runs to the edge and drops to the alley below, at the last possible moment the cape that billows out from behind the dropping shape goes taut and catches the night air, slowing their descent. A descent that sees them landing right on top of one of the three men pawing at a woman in torn clothing. An armored fist grabs the back of the downed man's hair, lifting his head and then slamming him face first into the pavement, the sound of bone breaking as his nose busts into a violent spray of blood. The men jump to their feet, absolutely shocked at the sudden turn of events. Their eyes going wide as the dark form stands, blood-red hair blowing behind her. In the dim light the symbol of a red bat can be seen across her chest.

Following towards the sound, Amber stops as she sees the darkly clad figure, narrowing her eyes at the sight and smell of the blood. There is a faint, momentary scrape as some shards of glass rise off the ground, to swirl about her. The men, so shocked, still see the slender form, and if anything their eyes widen even more, and they yell in fear, turning to run.

"You know, sometimes you don't need to go so far. " Amber's voice is slightly harsh, her gaze going towards the Batwoman, and past her, towards the victim. "Are you ok, miss? You'd do well to get out of here. Hells kitchen's dangerous at night."

Batwoman stops as she was heading straight for the two men. The white lenses of her mask regard the swirling barrier of glass, then her head tilts and she looks up at Amber. She takes note that the men flee the moment they spot the young woman.

Well. Well. This isn't the Daredevil she was looking for. Still... Turning, she places her gaze on the victimized woman that is just now standing, "You should listen to the young woman. Get out of here." The woman nods quickly and makes a run for it. Pulling the cape about her like a pair of wings, she once again turns to Amber, "Is this flying glass to protect me or to protect them from me?"

Amber smiles, letting the glass flow to tightly orbit her own body. "It is.. something of a calling card of my own. It helps to make sure violence is kept to a minimum. Most street punks locally don't want to mess with me if they can avoid it. " she shrugs, "So, what brings a cape to the kitchen? Well, a different cape, anyway." The underweight girl seems to stretch a moment, "I'd prefer not to have any trouble nearby if I can avoid it. Still, thanks for helping that woman avoid a rape.. I honestly can't stand that kind of scum"

Batwoman nods once, "Neither can I." She turns and walks over to the dazed man, turning him over, she studies the man's swelling face, "This one will be fine. Just a broken nose." Grabbing him by the back of his collar, Batwoman drags him over to a wall and sits him up so he won't choke on his own blood. That done she approaches the woman with the swirling glass, "I've been branching out of Gotham. New York seems to need my help from time to time." The white lenses of her mask study Amber, "Who are you?"

Amber nods, looking at the thug, "I see. Perhaps you're not as violent as I thought.. " she srugs, smiling, letting the glass fall to the floor, "WHo am I? A nobody.. A street rat. Somebody who slipped through the cracks a long time ago. If you need to call me something.. My name.. is Amber. I live here in the kitchen, on the streets."

Batwoman tilts her head, "A street person with superpowers? I see." She glances at the man propped against the wall, "I don't kill. Broken bones and concusions are a different story." Ruby lips curl into a slight grin as she studies Amber, "For evil to win, good people only need to do nothing. It's good that the world hasn't broke you. Means you're strong." She takes her grappel gun from her belt, but pauses, thoughtful. "Are you hungry?"

Amber nods, "I've had to be strong to survive. " sighing, Amber looks down for a moment, closing her eyes as she listens.. "Am I hungry? What a question.. I'm ravenous, to tell the truth.. It's not easy getting enough to eat.. at least, without hurting people."

Batwoman puts her grappel gun away. Instead she pulls out a small cylinder and speaks into it, "Red Knight. Ignition. Home in to beacon and roll in." She puts the beacon back into her belt, "This will just take a minute." It takes fifty-two seconds. But who's counting? The sound of a powerful engine can be heard coming closer and closer until the source turns into the alleyway, its headlight on. A black motorcycle with the same insignia that resides on her chest pulls in and comes to a halt a couple of feet from Batwoman. It beeps once and becomes idle, waiting. She pats the cycle affectionately and swings a leg over it, settling herself on the seat, "If you wish to eat. Get on."

Amber amber hmms watching as the motorcycle arrives, and she nods, moving, perhaps slightly oddly, to swing herself up onto the bike, wealy putting her hands at Batwoman's hips. "Okay.. let's go.. don'tworry about me fallingoff, it won't happen." or at least she can fake staying on by holding onto the bike itself telekinetically to pullherself through the air!

Batwoman nods, "Glad to hear it." The motorcycle roars to life at the gentle coaxing of its rider and zooms through the rainy night. It's probably a good thing that Amber can hold on with her powers because Batwoman drives like she has a death-wish.

Weaving in and out of traffic, cars come to screeching halts as the people inside lay on their horns in irritation.

In just a few short minutes she slows down and pulls into a Big Belly Burger, stopping at the big menu. A cheerful voice chirps from the speaker, "Welcome to Big Belly Burger! How can I help you?" Batwoman chuckles to herself about something and then speaks to the menu, "Give me four Belly Bursters, two large fries, and two chocolate shakes." Pulling up to the front window, the girl at the window opens it and begins to speak, "Hi. That'll be twenty-fo... Uh... Holy crap, Batman! Wait... Oh crap! BatWOMAN! Oh wow." She smirks at the cashier and hands over three ten dollar bills, "Keep the change." The girl nods slowly, "Uhm. Your order will be ready in a minute..."

Amber doesn't even try to hang on as Batwoman drives, instead rising herself up into the air to fly just behind, above the traffic where, let's face it, it is safer! That said, as Batwoman pulls into the burger joint, she lands herself on the rear of the bikeagain, giggling as she hears the cashier's reaction to seeing who it is. "I bet you get that all the time, don't ya?"

Batwoman takes the food from the man that comes to the window, obviously the manager come to gawk, "Thank you." She secures the food in a small compartment and drives away, "Do you have a place you stay?" Pulling back into traffic she... Yup, drives like a maniac again, going nowhere in paticular until she gets directions.

Amber stays close, and she shrugs, "I just sleep wherever I can. It's not always safe for me to stay in one place, you know?" Sighing, the girl shakes her head.. "So.. nowhere in particular."

Batwoman grunts, "Alright." She drives for a few more minutes before turning off and pulling into what appears to be an old mechanic store. Guiding the motorcycle into the garage, she presses a button and the door slowly comes back down. Once shut the lights come on, illuminating a small workplace. A cot sits in the corner, while a workbench is strewn with equipment. A small table and two chairs sit in the middle of the room. Killing the ignition, Batwoman gets off her bike and takes the food with her, depositing it on the table, "You can eat and sleep here for as long as you like." That said she wanders over to the workbench, using an odd looking tool to unbuckle her belt and setting it on the bench. She pulls her cape off, wrapping it around a small hatrack.

Amber follows Batwoman into the garage, and she smiles, her expression softening slightly.. "Thanks.. I guess.. but.. what's the catch?" Even now, the young woman doesn't fully let her guard down, the years on the streets have been hell for her, and it's not something you can throw off in a moment.

Batwoman shakes her head, "There is no catch." She sits down at the bench, checking the pouches on her belt, "I've never been on the streets. But I am aware of the difficulties people that live on the street endure." Turning from the belt, she looks at Amber through the white lenses, "Think of it as a reward for being a good person. Karma coming back around." Back to the belt, she pauses to point at a door, "A working bathroom and shower is through there. It is stocked with everything a woman needs."

Amber hmms, watching Batwoman carefully for a long moment.. before she nods.. "alright.. Thank you... miss..Batwoman." Amber sits herself down, looing to the food for a long moment, before she starts to eat,slowly and carefully.

Batwoman refastens the belt around her waist and takes her cape back up, securing it to her shoulders. She moves to the table where the girl is eating a puts down ten one hundred dollar bills. "Don't touch my workbench. That's all I ask. This money is for whatever you need. I'll come back. Might be a day, a week. But I'll come back. Keep the place safe for me." She gets on her bike, the garage door opening up to the rainy night, before she hits the ignition switch she looks at Amber for a moment. Without a word she backs up and drives off, the garage door slowly closing, blocking off the sound of the fading engine.