2014-09-17 - A Day in Bludhaven

Nico Minoru finds herself in Bludhaven. Unfortunately, when she was growing up before the Merge, she called it New Jersey. She got dropped off by her friends and has been wandering, needing some time alone. To think.

Dumb, yeah, but sometimes a person needs to just walk, y'know? Now tell the bunch of guys around me that. "Um, not looking for any trouble, guys. I just wanted some sushi." They seem less than impressed, one of them trying to lift my skirt from behind while I hear the others laugh. Potatoes, I hate it when I'm dumb. "Nothing to find in there." They don't believe that either. I make some little fists and grit my teeth, this is probably gonna hurt.

Luckily for Nico, Bludhaven has a protector, that of course being Nightwing. He is out of his normal patrol routes and he notices the alercation starting to take shape, that many guy arounf one girl is never a good sign. He trys to diffuse the situation first. He leaps off the low roof near by, it is just a couple of stories up. He twists and sommersaults through the air trying to be noticed this time. He sticks the landing and smiles, "Evening gents, I don't think the lady is looking for company."

Heads turn. The girl's too, looking an interesting mix of scared and focused. Nightwing would have seen that look before, in police force members who have been pushed once too often. The guys however, respond with a mix of answers. One of the bigger guys uses the distraction to grab the girl, a hand over her mouth and an arm around her waist. She kicks and squirms; she's a fighter but unskilled.

The rest? Well, they seem to have not yet met a Bat in person. Or a Nightwing. They're going to have to be taught.

Nightwing shakes his head as his thoughts chastize him. He tried to do things the easy way for once and it turns out that was a mistake. He does not draw his Escrima sticks just yet, instead he meant them hand to hand. Most of the time the term martial arts seems like a misnomer, not in theis case; there is definate art to Nightwings movements as he confrots his attaccker. His form in constant motion as he strikes out using feet and elbows hoping ot put them now without serious harm being done.

Nico Minoru tries to bite the hand over her mouth, but he's a tough one. He shakes her hard, then puts the bitten hand around her throat instead of over her mouth. She starts to turn blue with lack of air, as he grabs a handful of her chest.

The attackers for their part are all brute and no art. They have no style; even the smaller ones fight like they want every move to be the one that knocks a person out. So easy to read it's almost refreshing, though the girl looks like she wishes he'd hurry a bit.

Nightwing notices the dire straights of the hostage as she starts ot turn blue, then hte kid gloves come off, the escrima stick are drawn and the art is over as the more serious fight begin. He is still taking ccare to not hospitialize his opponennts but he is noe striking har with the entent of knocking out quickly. this looks much mroe like the expected form of a vigilante.

Nico Minoru kind of watches the world go white with little sparklies while she sees Nightwing taking out people. A little detached part of her brain gives him a 9.3 on form and 8.7 on execution, and she berates herself for watching the Olympics too much last year. Then she gets a gasp of air as the big guy finally gets it through his head that he should help and drops his squeeze-toy to the ground, where she collapses to hands and knees and gulps air.

Big Goon takes a big swing at Nightwing as his last compatriot goes down, both fists balled together for a massive swing...

That swing connects, Nightwing see it coming however ng is able to roll with the blow, it hurt and will bruise up tomorrow but it does not take him out of the fight. He rolls up into a crouch position and says, "You will find me a lot harder to handle than that." he reaches back and plls out a piar of his wingding and tosses them at hte good, they are a distraction however the reall attemt follows in their wake in hte form of a leaping kick for the former Boy Wonder.

"Gruh, glad to get rid of all those weaklings," the oversized rapist says as he stalks Nightwing. The distraction works perfectly; he's relied on his size his whole life, and hasn't built his brain very well. And the leaping kick drives him off of his feet to land in front of Nico. Who takes that moment to throw up on his pants...

Not wanting to take any changes with a man this size, Nightwing follows up with a right hand ot the face, then he takesout a a zip tie to bind the man's hands if able. He looks over ot Nico, "You alright?' he asks, his voice suprisingly soft and compasionate, at least compareed to the reputation the Bat-family has.

Nico Minoru sits on her butt. She looks at Nightwing as he ties the guy up, and the pile of unconscious or out of commission thugs. Wiping her mouth of vomit, she wonders what a girl has to do to look decent when she's being rescued by a handsome superhero, and hopes her makeup isn't too badly ruined. Unfortunately her eyes are running from being choked out. "I'll live," she says. "Can I kick him? Please?"

Nightwing looks around and then nods, "Yes once." he knows he likely shoudln't allow this btu well she has does deserve that much satifaction. He then adds, "But I never saw it." He tells her trying to souds gruff but ultimately failing.

Nico Minoru tags the guy who was planning to rape her with all of his friends in the central area. With her heel. Then gets to her feet and says, "Nothing to see there anyway," referring to his junk. "Saved my life, probably," she says, looking around with the eyes of someone who's been hunted before. "Got them all?"

Nightwing looksaround and does a quick count in his head, "Yeah no one has made a run for it yet." He retrain the others at least those likely to wake up soon. He then looks back to Nico, "Are you hurt?" He says, "I am just glad I spotting the situatiobn before it got any worse.'

Nico Minoru does a quick self-inventory. Alive, check. Nothing else matters. "I'm cool." She's actually got a few bruises, but she writes them off without apparently minding. "Temptation to kick some more is rising though. What do you do with people once you've, yknow, punched them into submission? You're really cute."

Nightwing tarts to answer, "Well normally I ca...Um thanks." he then says, "always nice to be notices." he hten goes back to the answers, "I call the cops to pick them up."

Nico Minoru facepalms, realizing she said that out loud. "I'm going to pretend I wasn't stupid enough to say that out loud, alright?" She sighs, leaning against a nearby car and fingering her now sore throat. "I really don't want to be here anymore though."

Nightwing nods to her, "Alright, lets walk somewhere." he loooks around and mutters to softly for most to hear, though if she does he is calling in a report so the cops will come pick up the gang. He looks over ot that, "Well I must be losing it, first i didnt' see anything now I didn't hear anything." So where are we headed?"

Nico Minoru motions to somewhere. "Anywhere. Bus station, that's where my friends were going to pick me up later, if they could find something to eat." She eyes the unconcsious ruffians and shudders, then steels herself and says, "I can walk, you don't have to escort me. I won't even be stupid enough to get caught again."

Nightwing shakes his head, "It was not stupid, just wrong place wrong time." he keeps walkign with her, 'Well you want a bie to eat there is a diner near by pretty cheap and once the firghtned wears off you might be pretty hungry." "How cheap?" comes out of her mouth before she can stop it, and she sighs. "Sorry, I knew they weren't after me for my money because I haven't got any. The frightened wears off pretty quick after this kind of thing happens to you a few times, mister Bat. Nightwing, right? You're in that MMORPG video game my friends used to play."

Nightwing nods to hr, 'Yes i am Nightwing." he grins, "MMORPG? Huh I might have to check into that.' He then says, I can cover it." he then question a bit, "You have bene attacked before?" he wlaks along with her subtly tryign to steer them towards the diner

Nico Minoru shrugs, allowing him to steer her. She's not going to argue with the cute guy in the tight pants who wants to buy her a meal. "It happens. I'm tougher than I look. I just got blindsided back there, and you were something amazing. I should really find a way to thank you but now I'm sounding like a fangirl and apparently I'm also going to try to monologue you to death I should shut up now."

Nightwing smiles, 'Well you have already thanked me, and I was just doing my job. Someone has to keep the city safe." Once inside the diner they are seated in a booth where Nightwing cna keep an eye on the exits. He then says, "I am partial to the burgers here." He nods to her, "Just be careful Bludhaven as a way of sneaking up on you."

"God love me, I would die for a good In 'n Out burger," she says, not complaining that it's a diner. "I'm Nico, by the way, and you saved me from being raped and killed, Nightwing. And now you're sitting in a diner with me in full costume with someone coming up behind you..." her eyes flicker over his shoulder a moment.

Nightwing had not seen anyone sneaking up on him but oyu do not live long as a superherp without being a pit paranoid so he turns and looks spotting nothing he hten starts to turn back, "Ohh I see how you are being sneaky." He is not yet facing her again.

Nico Minoru uses the chance of him turning to get closer, grab his tunic, and lean up to plant a kiss on Nightwing. If she can, she's not a fighter, but she is grateful and wants to give that much.

Nightwing was not expecting the kiss but he does not resist once she releases him he smile, "You are welcome." He figures it was a thank you. He waits untill she is sitting back down to continue, "I have not been to an In and OUt burger, btu then I don't eat a lot of fast food."

Nico Minoru orders something filling to eat anyway, coughing slightly as she sits down. "Yeah but I'm starving. Seriously, I haven't eaten in two days. Got to sell something for money soon or I'm gonna have to get the family to settle for a while, pick up a part time job."

Nightwing nods ot her, "I see sounds, like oyu could use some help." he then asks, "Where you headed?" he then asks, "And what sort of job do you think you would like, I do know people after all." He smiles.

Nico Minoru sighs. She puts her chin on her hands, on the table, and looks at Nightwing. "You would. You don't realize how perfect you seem to normal humans. We're runaways, we don't hold still for long. And I'm making sure that my kids are okay. I could get a job here for a couple nights maybe, see if I can't get a few bucks in tips, but then we'll be gone again."

Nightwing nods to her, "I can understand that, you have to look out for your family." he then says, "I know you would likely not except charity, otherwise I would just give you some cash." he then says, "But yeah I think we can get you on here. Paperwork is not always taht improtant in the 'Haven." He then shakes his head, 'And I am far from perfect, I am just one man trying to make things better."

Nico Minoru hrms. "Gotta admit, it would be really nice to be able to KNOW that I had a job waiting for me if I get into town. Thought you all didn't like other h...um, hard cases hanging around. I mean, as long as people don't have super powers they're welcome here, right?" She's avoiding something, not looking.

Nightwing shakes his head, "It is not realy about powers, it is more, that we are a family here too. and well this is a dnagerous line of work and it is nto the sort of thing everyone is cut out for., but if you or your family have powers but keep things under wraps, I would have no issues." He then even adds, "And if you or them were serious about making a commitment to this I would even be willing to train you some. I did help fund the Titans after all."

Nico Minoru turns and looks Nightwing in the eyes. Her expression is slightly haunted, but only slightly. "I'm the oldest one of us, I think. Maybe Chase is a month older, not sure lately. But unless you know magic, real true magic, you can't train my powers, Nightwing. Gotta admit I'd love to learn how to duck faster, but I'm getting pretty damn good at that. I'm the one of the group who's most likely to die to a random bullet, if that makes any sense. But I can't....I just can't be under Batman. We had some issues with adults, all of us, dunno if you heard about the Pride in LA? That was our parents. And honestly, I just...can't be under them yet. So we wander until all of us, every one, is ready to try again. Does that even make sense?"

Nightwing nods, "Alright no pressure." He then says, "You are not in Gotham, this is Bludhaven. Different cities. I am not going to lie and say I do not work with him and that we are not connected, but while we are a family, Bludhaven is my city, you are welcome here." He softens a bit and smiles, 'I understand, I am willing to bet I do not know the whole story." he then grins, "Well i do not know magic but I know some people that do." he grins. "Though they are all adults to." by that he means older then he is since he is an adult as well but he doesn't point that out right now.

Nico Minoru forgives Nightwing for being an adult. He just earned it. And her burger is ready, which she welcomes with an actual squeal. "Oh my god I am so hungry thank you thank you," she says, and it's the last thing she says for a while. Nico adds, "Um...can I confess something to you?"

Nightwing starts ot eat his own burger and trys ot shift some of his fries from his plate to hers. He then nods to her, "Well I am not a preist btu, yes you can." he tells her.

Nico Minoru eats them.

Nico Minoru says, around bites, "My family *nom* kinda the Minoru clan, blood mages, goes back, mm damn I needed this. Um, they go back like twenty generations as wizards and shit, but nobody bothered teaching ME anything and then it was too late and I really just, god damnit I wish I could just find a starter's handbook? I'm sooo lost and magic is the only thing I've got except for a serious wish to keep people alive."

Nightwing nods to her filing her full name away in the rolodex of his brain, "I see, so you need a place to start." he then says, "Well there is someone who might be able to help..." he smiles, "Someone who I think would understand your predicament a bit." He speaks of Raven but does not use her name at the moment.

Nico Minoru has finished her food already, polishing it off like a growing teenager. She sighs, looking at the empty plate guiltily. "I should have brought some of that home to share, but I was really hungry."

Nightwing nods and smiles "Don't worry I won't let you leave here empty handed." He then adds, "Trust me a Bat always has a plan." That much is true even if it is one being made up on the fly. How many of you are there?" he asks.

Nico Minoru grins a little. "I wasn't begging, but right now I think nobody will ask questions if I bring home a meal. I'm gonna owe you another one, and I don't forget a debt, Nightwing. There's five of us, all young enough to think this was a light snack."

Nightwing nods to her, "I knwo you are not begging.' he nods and places a to go order for another five burgers and fries. He then says to her, "So you thinking about spending a coule of days in the 'Haven?" He asks.

Nico Minoru smiles. It's a nice smile, even if the makeup is still messy. She looks at the clock, then blinks, eyes wide. "Aw hell.." she says, slumping. "I was thinking I might but I'm soo late now I gotta get to the bus station," she says, hoping she can stay long enough to get a peace offering of five burgers and fries. "Lemme use the washroom real quick and don't vanish until I get out? I want to at least let you see me without looking like someone tried to kill me?"

He is gone when she comes out but on top of where she left the burgers and fries there is a piping hot apple pie. A good bye gift from Nightwing. He will also watch her from the rooftops as she makes her way to the bus station after all ththat much food makes her more of a target, though he does his best not to be seen and once she is safely with her frineds he ig gone one with the shadows and night.

Nico Minoru comes out smiling. He's mysterious, and handsome, and he's gone. Well, maybe she'll meet him again someday. But for now, that's as much as she can handle of an adult, even one who saved her. And she finds a place to cry on the way home. But she does get home, and her family brings her in with her new stories to tell. About her day in Bludhaven.