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Riley's Pub
Peterborough, England'; UK.

Saturday, March 20th, 2021
2:01 AM

 

 

 

In the heart of rural East England and the center of Peterborough lied Riley's pub.  Riley's was the very definition of a seedy pub.  Though tough to see from the stained glass windows the lively atmosphere could be heard before one even entered.  There were various billiards tables and tvs throughout the property.  Though the noise itself made attempting to actually listen to a tv set a failed experiment.  The clientele consisted of various roughnecks and known criminals.  With hardly a full set a teeth among the lot.  To say nothing of the smell.

 

In the center of Riley's was a boxing ring.  As Foreshadow explained, before the trio arrived, housed various underground bare knuckle boxing tournaments.  The most well known of which was something called the Blood Brawl.  Suffice to say, it wasn't exactly Cape territory.  Various eyes following the members of the Vanguard as they made their way to the bar in the back.  There sat an elderly yet muscular black man.  He was missing an eye, half his arm, and an entire leg replaced with a prosthetic.  

 

Before Foreshadow invited them to come with him, he had explained they would be meeting this man as a favor.  He was Gilles Gordeau the man who trained Foreshadow in Savate.  And former kneebreaker for various organized crime families. And all around dangerous thug.  Who spent his days now coaching underground bare knuckle boxers for still legally questionable pay.  "Bonjour, Gilles.  You know pubs should have shut down hours ago right?"

 

Gilles didn't turn to look at the three members of Vanguard and instead dismissively waved his remaining hand.  "Eh, I say to come alone.  You bring children on to my establishment.  Soft.  Too soft.  This is no babysitting service"

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Little Mermaid II

 

Riley's really wasn't Mette's usual scene. She frowned as she looked around the place as Foreshadow led her and Muirne to the contact. She didn't mind seedier places, she really wasn't as prim and proper as most would expect, but still... this was as obvious a bad guy bar as you'd find.

 

She had added a dark grey jacket over her uniform, just to make the green scales stand out a little bit less in a place like this, but she was still very obviously in a costume, green, white and red, with a cowl and everything and her long hair hanging freely. 

 

"Children?" Mette raised her voice slightly, as she glared at Gilles. "I'm the freaking Little Mermaid. I fight sea monsters for fun."

 

 

Edited by RocketLord
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Shadowborne

 

Muirne looked around the pub, mentally comparing it to the town hall where they would drink and feast on festival days. Overall it was not a favourable comparison although the festive air was certainly familiar. She looked at the man that Erick had brought them to meet and had to admit that he certainly left an impression. Old warriors deserved respect for a reason, wounded or otherwise.

 

Deserving respect or not however she was not going to stand there while he insulted her. She knew that the man wouldn't respect her if she did so, and unlike in Rurland she had the command of English to engage in a flyting1 and still be able to be understood. "This is also not a home for the elderly and yet you are here. Anyone can spout insults, ealda2." She crossed her arms as she looked down at the old man's back.

 

A contest consisting of the exchange of insults

Old man

Edited by Kaede Kimura
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Foreshadow II

 

Gilles rolled his broad shoulders forward as he reached for his pint and turned around.  "Oh ho monsters.  Your children are past the bedtime.  Careful wouldn't want to get caught in all this grime.  This is not a place for your government sponsors."  The French man apparently deciding to p play along with a rhyme scheme of his own.  Though he wasn't versed in flitting, he clearly enjoyed talking smack.

 

Foreshadow didn't engage in the exchanged barbs.  Instead, he focused on the reactions of the patrons.  Especially noting that Gilles had yet to answer his question regarding why the pub was still open.  None of the other patrons had set off any alarm bells as far as his sixth sense was concerned.  But, it was clear that the atmosphere had shifted from when they walked in.  Alright, if it gets out of hand I'll step in.  But, he's probably not stupid enough to get them too worked up.

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Little Mermaid II

 

Mette raised an eyebrow at the man, her lips curling into a smile that twisted to her left.

 

"Whoops."

 

The French man's pint exploded out of his glass, drenching his face. 

 

"Guess there's no sea monsters down there."

Edited by RocketLord
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Muirne continued looking down at the man, her shadows starting to flicker out into her partial transformation as her eyes started glowing the vibrant green again. Unlike any time either of the Vanguard members had seen her shadows come out it stopped before becoming a full transformation, leaving her silhouette wispy while her limbs had changed into. Muirne and Aoife shared their amusement as the man was drenched by Little Mermaid.

 

"I've heard that some people can't hold their alcohol, but that is new. Maybe you've had a few too many, it can't be good for you in your old age. Besides, you might catch a chill being covered so." She reached out, her shadowy arm extending until her hand covered the top of his now empty pint. "And since you don't seem to be quite acute enough to notice, what with your eyesight going in your old age and all, but there are no government sponsors here. Just three heroes and an old fool."

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GM

 

Foreshadow took a step back before the live water show occured in Gilles glass.  Staying silent as both members of Vanguard and the 'former' criminal engaged.  Before finally letting out a small chuckle.  "Okay that's enough.  As much as I would like to see how long it would take a one legged man to go down in a butt kicking contest.  I assume being humiliated isn't why you asked for help"

Gilles for his part was lividly patting his clothes.  Mumbling to himself in French as he tried to dry himself.  Before finally tossing his arms up in the air declaring a common French expression about pushing grandma into nettles.  <"Tell those two not to exaggerate, Oui> I do need help">  The man returned to his stool this time keeping his attention plastered on the three.  Ocassionally making childish faces as he spoke.  "I come from the 93.  Opportunities are limited and many fall into shall we say alternate means of employment.  Parisians turn their nose at our problems and blame us for theirs.  But lately the children..." 

As he pause and visibly began to think of how to continue, the older French man made no attempts to agitate either Mermaid or Shadowborne.  But his eyes definitely lingered on them.  "The youths are engaging in dangerous fights nowadays.  They want to protect their banlieus from those who wish them harm.  And have started a movement.  But I worry they have become the enemy of the people.  Violence has increased.  And at the center is some miscreant who bats no eyes when someone is hurt or arrested in his name.  Sevran alone had 3 fires caused by your fancy computer weapons."

By fancy computer weapons, it was obvious that he meant Computronium weapons.  An illegal arms market that has existed since the Communion attack still festers in Europe.  And it was one of the known issues that often pulled Vanguard in to investigate.

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Little Mermaid II

 

Mette was going to tell Gilles that she spoke French, but stopped herself. That was probably a good idea to hide, at least for now, right?

 

"So... you want us to go and do what exactly?" Kids were getting hurt, that was... bad. But aside from the fighting, this all seemed more like an issue for social workers. "Find the guy that's running this movement and kick his ass? What do you think that'll do for the kids?"

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Muirne retracted her arm without much fanfare and listened to the man talk once he switched to English. It certainly seemed the sort of issue to draw Vanguard's attention, so she knew at least why they were here. He said children but she was pretty sure he meant teenagers like herself or young adults like Mette. She could hardly condemn the idea of wanting to protect what is valuable to you, and she wasn't about to condemn them having super-weapons when she was on a team with several people who did the same. So the issue was therefore the violent turn the movement had taken.

 

"Most of the problem is beyond the scope of what we can fix, but regardless we cannot stand by and allow such things to happen. People are angry, rightly so from the sound of it and so are getting violent. Is this person directing them to be violent, or simply not speaking out against it and so allowing it to go unopposed?" It was an important distinction she felt. While the latter implied that he was either not of sufficient moral fiber or brave enough to speak out against the violence, it meant that the anger in the main body of people would likely push a more violent leader to the fore. If he was encouraging it then it was unlikely that his removal could have a negative result.

 

We could strike back against the violent groups, depriving them of weaponry and the more aggressive membership. Aoife piped up, and while Muirne could see the validity in how that would defang the group, it didn't sit right with her.

 

That would imply that we support what they are fighting against. Aoife responded first with a burst of confusion, then derision before replying.

 

If their cause is righteous then the violence is justified. Muirne suppressed a frown at the comment. She could understand how Aoife came to the conclusion, but the targets sounded populated rather than governmental or anything of the like.

 

Violence against civilians is never justified. Muirne responded resolutely. She felt that this conversation would need revisiting, at least to explain the reasoning behind it.

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