2013-11-07 - The Apache and the Indian

Morning at the beach. It's probably damn cold, with the cold coming off the seawater over the night's chill. The sky was incredibly gloomy, likely pregnant with potential rain. Sitting on a rocky outcropping, with the waves crashing over the rocks, was James. He'd gotten hungry over the night and zipped to a 7 Eleven for some hotdogs and donuts or something, and the leavings were at his side. He was watching the ocean, the chill wind blowing through his dark hair. The huge man sighed. He looked deep in thought.

For those who want to be alone the beach is a great place for someone to get away to if they do not mind the near ice cold wind from the sea. When one can be immune to the effects of cold, or can survive underwater for a near indefinite period of time it's a good place to get away. As such, Cyberdragon AKA John Coltan just wanted to get away and think over what happened instead of being told to let it out, and talk with people, had chosen to head into the Ocean where he felt he could relax some. As Such he is slowly walking out of the surf, the Red and black striped dragon peeks his head out of the surf and then peers around, he's wanting to make sure that when and where he comes out, no one is around to avoid causing a panic.

As a result Cyberdragon is slowly starting to to come out of the water near some rocks. He's wary to try and keep track of his surroundings, he's been ambushed before a few days ago, so for the moment he is wary.

The problem with not being noticed by somebody like Proudstar is he's got super-humanly acute senses. Hearing, vision, even a slightly heightened sense of smell. But he saw that shape in the surf, and saw the head of... holy crap, a dragon! The very tall, very broad Native man stood up, one hand reaching to the sheaths on his back. He called out, loud as he could, hoping the dragon could here. "YO!" Wait. Yo? Really? "Hey! You're not, like, a bad dragon, are you?" Bad dragon... Come on, James.

One man is not going to make Cyberdragon worry, so unless James pulls out some sort of seriously high tech camera and starts snapping photos of him there won't be any trouble. So most likely if the person freaks out, A sea monster is the worst that could be claimed. When he is called out as a Bad Dragon he turns flexing those razor sharp talons of his on his fingers as the creature just watches and tenses as if expecting to be attacked on the spot.

Tense moments pass as he says, "In a bit of a bad mood, but not a Bad Dragon. Came out for some... solitude." The Tail of the dragon whips around, the end of the tail looks like a very deadly blade if it connected. The Glowing golden eyes just watch the Native American waiting for him to make the next move.

James Proudstar gave a hmmmm. An audible one, over the crash of the surf. "Well, you're talking and not trying to eat me. You even go so far as to admit you're in a shitty mood. I can respect that." His hand left the sheaths, his knives remain in them. "I'm doing the same. Wanna brood together?" What else was there to do? "Don't think I've ever met a dragon before." And he's met some crazy stuff. Hell, he WAS some crazy stuff.

There is some trepidation as he watches the man and then thinks. Why the hell not, "Alright but I got attacked by some lunatic a few days ago who had an explosive charge in his head, you go nuts on me you'll be singing Soprano for the rest of your life understand?" Being a hero doesn't mean being nice all the time.

Of course that explains why he is in a bad mood as the Dragon reaches the edge of the Rock and just starts to crawl out. The Form of the dragon slowly changes and morphs, turning from a streamlined Aquatic variation of a bipedal dragon, into one that is more... aerial shaped which includes a pair of wings slowly extending and forming from the back of the suit. Shapeshifter it seems. "Cyberdragon, Avengers Academy." he introduces himself tied with a hero group just to keep things... friendly.

James Proudstar waved a hand almost dismissively. "I'm not gonna go crazy on you, I'm immune to explosives, and get your talons near my junk and I'll slay you and hang your tail as a trophy." He didn't sound threatening, though. He was almost joking. "James Proudstar," he said, tipping an invisible hat. "Uh, I'm also called Warpath. Worked with Supergirl and some Avengers from time to time." He wouldn't mention the X-Men because they don't like their infamy. "So what's up? People after you? Consider yourself lucky, they could go after the people you love, instead. You can fight back, they probably can't." His face hardened. Too-recent memories burned in his mind.

As James introduces himself Cyber seems to think and then recalls some of the more senior Avengers members. And then the pair seems to visibly relax. "Ah Warpth. Sorry, I been dealing with some trouble." Then the talk of his family he nods, "Yeah one reason why I want to keep my identity a secret. As for that? I think my family is already being protected. I am not sure those who are after me want me to go nuts on them just yet. Not that I know whom they are At this time." and then The dragon sits down on the Rock beside Warpath.

When the dragon explained some of his situation, James nodded. "Count yourself lucky. I'm all that's left of my family, friends, neighbors and community. They were all killed over something I wasn't even involved in. Mad scientist. Had experiments. Killed everyone and vanished so as not to be found out. I hope you never, ever have to bury your family like I had to bury mine." He sighed. "So, mysterious villains after you. Probably want to use you as a weapon. That's the usual schtick." He lifted a hand, balled it into a fist, for bumping. "You need a buddy, I'll help you out when I can. I'm not on any official teams, so that's what makes it easy for me."

"I never knew my father, no aunts uncles, siblings, Just my mother. She's got a weak heart and knows. So she is expecting it. She said if something did happen to her, to take the high road. Let vengeance be the Lord's." John says and relaxes and then will Bump that fist as well. "You have my utter sympathies, no one should endue that. As for a weapon. I am more frightened if someone actually succeeds in capturing me. The powers are not my own, but a suit of alien tech."

He thinks and then exhales. "Few days ago guy in power armor showed up and attacked me. I ripped him out of his suit, and his head exploded when I was about to ask him who he worked for. Then a second person attempted to take part of my suit, and when the police chased her down and tackled her her head exploded. Cranial implants."

James Proudstar gave a deep, deep frown. "Their heads exploded?" His face visibly darkened in thought. "That happened to my cousin when he was going to give me information on the villain plaguing me and my family." After the fistbump, that fist balled in tighter, his dark knuckles whitening. "Vengeance is a mortal thing. And some would call it honorable. I wouldn't countenance any court to enact their idea of justice on the man who... eliminated my whole tribe. They needed Apache justice, and they got it." He put that hand back down into the rock, and there was an audible cracking. He left a hand print in the solid stone.

As he listens and thinks on James story and nods. "Yeah I can understand a little. When the blood in your veins burns and the spirits of your ancestors cry out for justice. Part Cherokee myself, distant ancestor." John at least understands the need and desire and hopes it won't happen to him. But as he watches the rock deformed and then he thinks of trying to match it, but chooses not to have a macho contest. Despite the name Muscle Beach, now is not the time.

James Proudstar shut his eyes and nodded. He sighed. "I got their vengeance. I don't hear their cries anymore. But now I'm kind of lost. All I really have for skills is being a warrior. And I have something to fight for. It's just a lonely kind of path, though." He sighed. "And it puts me on a dangerous edge of almost being a bad guy. I try to stand against corruption, and that includes, like, political and corporate corruption. I try to help fight people who would destroy the environment to fill their pockets, now."

As he listens to James, Cyberdragon inhales, "Yeah you would have thought with the Skrull attackers, The Merger of the Heroes of the other world like Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, You would think that people would start looking up to them. Seeing them as examples to live up to. To start growing up. I'm new to the hero Business myself." And Lifting up a Rock Cyberdragon Throws it as hard as he can out to sea easily overt throwing most normal humans by a long shot. "Still Same damn pettiness. Well if you want advice, Seek out another hero like Superman, or Wonder Woman. With them being so High profiled, they may be able to help you with wisdom. Or at least keep you from ending up on the wrong side of the law. Personally I don't understand why people just rages about mutants. It's evolution. You can't stop Evolution."

James Proudstar could see just how far that rock went, before it went skipping and then disappeared into the ocean. "You can't stop evolution, but people do two things: hate and fear what they don't understand, and fear change." He sighed. "Nobody likes being left in the dust, and seeing the future happening before their eyes freaks people out. I'm not defending them, though. They need to grow up. And I might talk to Superman or Wonder Woman... met her yesterday, actually. Shared nachos. She doesn't like 'em." He laughed a little.

"Aye, When in doubt seek the wiseman, or wise woman. Wisdom is wisdom, I will listen to any who shares it and will think on it, as long as it does not rub what I know as right and wrong the wrong away. I am not above roughing someone up, scaring, or intimidating them. But I want to avoid harming them, and will do all I can to avoid killing them." Cyber says as he admits he is a rookie, yet has the wisdom to see it, and knows to seek guidance from his elders. Not the typical rookie.

James Proudstar nodded. "I'm not above punishing the guilty. I don't really have much faith in our system. But I know good people from bad, and sometimes people make mistakes. I'm mad as hell that Batman hasn't killed the Joker, yet, just to preserve his sense of morality. His personal feelings come before the lives of others, and that ticks me off. The Punisher, though, just too extreme, even for me. I'm not above killing a threat if it really means saving lives. But I won't kill someone over a mistake. If it was mind control or desperation, I understand both. I'm an Apache, so I don't always follow the traditional rules of engagement, but if there's no good reason to hurt someone, I won't hurt them. I have my honor." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

As he listens to the talk of Batman and the Joker. "Personally I don't think I would have an issue killing that Lunatic Joker. Hopefully I won't confront him, but if I do, just because I won't kill him doesn't mean I have to save his life if he is in danger of loosing it. I would place more value on the lives of others then someone like him. As for Batman.... I think the Joker wants to try and force Batman to cross that line. Wants to be the one to make Batman take that final plunge into total darkness. Personally if I was Batman, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of pushing me that far. To be the one to cross that line."

"So what if he does want Batman to cross that line? Killing someone doesn't plunge you into darkness; liking it does. I've never really enjoyed hurting people unless it was friendly training. I never liked killing that scientist. He deserved it, and justice needed to be served. I don't care how much that loon wants me to be a murderer; there's a difference between killing and murder, anyway. If it meant saving the lives of others, hell, countless others, who knows how many people the Joker will kill in his career? Then I'd let him go if we were hanging from a rooftop. I'd run him through if it came to it. Batman says he's the night and all that crap. That he's vengeance. Vengeance isn't always tempered with mercy. At least put the Joker in traction, or something." He sighed. "He has the brains, but I'm not sure Batman really has the balls. He's the protector of his whole city, but that city's whole system is rotten. He should be more proactive than reactive. Waiting for crimes to happen isn't helping anything."

As he thinks of that and says. "I... can't argue with that Logic. I personally can't stand the idea of killing someone. As for Batman's reasons. You need to address that with him. Just be warned, They don't like other heroes hanging out in Gotham. Makes the Criminals hide, or up the game. I mean he comes from a world that has Superman. Have you seen the data file on Superman? He stays out of Gotham City, and leaves it to Batman. You really want to take on a guy who can keep him out of a place? I might be able to get word to one of his allies, for him to meet you. But I don't want to get tangled into that mess." James has his reasons for killing but it's clear that Cyberdragon does not want to cross the line of taking lives, period.