Chapter One: Friday Night Firefight

[Trogdor]

For a while, Nick Tenebrous busies himself with getting everybody settled and supplied with tea or coffee. "I"m sorry I don't have enough chairs," he apologizes. "But I don't generally have this much company." In time, however, his guests are as comfortable as they're likely to get in such cramped quarters and he turns his attention to the matters at hand.

"I'd offer to call the police," Tenebrous says after Mr. Han suggests turning the gang-bangers in. "But I'm afraid I never got my phone connected." He smiles sheepishly. "The real question, though," he adds, "is what we intend to do in the larger scale. There are a lot of us 'special' people living in one place. I think we either have to start working together - coordinating our actions, at least - or split up to keep the Skree from noticing us."

[Muskrat]

Pilgrim shifts in his seat, a bit uncomfortable in the crowded apartment, then says, "Well, I agree ideally that they'd be arrested and do some time, I don't know if we can count of the police to do that. The only reason the police came by last time is that Mr. Fowler has some pull with them." He looks to the old man for confirmation. "The cops generally don't care much about people in this neighborhood and I don't know if they'd be willing to get into a fire fight with two major gangs. I suspect we may have to try to settle our troubles on our own." He looks at Jack with surprised appreciation and says, "If we could win that gang over and help them develop into true defenders of this neighborhood, that we certainly be a good thing. I'd be happy to approach them--I used to be a gang member myself and I know what it's like, though I'd be happy of some company on the trip. I might also try talking to Tough Luck. Seems after our last encounter he's really turning over a new leaf--he called me to warn me the attack was coming. I don't know how much pull he still has with Sex Money Murder these days, but he might open up avenues where we could at least try to find a way to negotiate some sort of peace with them."

Pilgrim pauses and looks around the apartment. "I don't know about you all, but I have trouble believing that it's a coincidence that there's a group of people like us with unusual gifts all in one apartment. I know you may not share my faith, but I believe that this must be part of the Lord's plan to heal this world. But we'll have to work on our own to discern the Lord's will."

[Chanur]

Cobalt sits on the floor so as to make him eye level with everyone else. He grins a huge mouthed grin at the boy and makes faces back and flexes one of his huge arms. He then grabs the kid lifting him up by his feet and makes it look like he is walking on the ceiling and plays gently with the boy. Sitting back down once the talk turns towards what to do.

"I saw we smash them into pulp and grind their bones into dust. They are a scourge to humanz, no bettah than the Skree. We need to let the gangs know this area is under our protection, anyone violates that and its clobbering time!"

He then grabs the boy again and uses his feet as a back scratcher before putting him back down . "I do think it's no coincidence there is so many of us in one place. Maybe, just maybe we are here to free our people? Why else would god have made us so?"

[ardh05]

"I'm sorry, but just who or what is this 'God' I keep hearing reference to? I have never heard of such a thing before..." Ookami asks from the corner, where he is trying not to scare those not used to him. "And as far as the ignorance goes, I was originally a wolf, so please pardon manners."

[veritas]

Jack smirks slightly at Cobalt's comment, agreeing nominally with the sentiment if not the methods. As Ookami speaks, Jack simply crosses his arms and leans against a nearby wall, looking at Pilgrim.

"Care to field these Pilgrim? They seem to be in your purview."

[Eanwulf]

** Cobalt **
Warren and his mother shriek initially, and then lighten up once they both see that Cobalt means no harm and merely wants to play. Before long young Warren is cackling with glee and barraging the blue behemoth with a multitude of inquisitive questions. "You're a giant!" the young boy proclaims enthusiastically. "I bet you could pull a man's head off with only one hand!" The young lad then proceeds to punch Cobalt as hard as he can. “Did you feel that!?” Once more punching our hero as hard as he can, Warren reiterates. “How about that one!?” The process continues on for several minutes before Warren finally relents. Turning towards his mother he exclaims. "I wanna be like Blue Man here when I grow up momma! I wanna rip people's heads off with one hand! GRRRRR!!! SQUISH!!!" Crystal merely smiles frantically and prays Cobalt isn't angry with her son.

OOC

Sending PM

[Eanwulf]

** Remnant **
Pearce doesn't reply. He merely continues to stare. After a time he smiles feebly with tears in his eyes. The young boy then leans in and hugs Remnant tightly, as if almost unwilling to let go. In time, he does indeed release his grasp and leans back against his mother, smiling warmly. "I like him." the boy professes to his mother as she softly rubs his newly shaven scalp. "He's a good man." Apologizing for her son's rather odd behavior, Crystal comments nervously. "I'm so sorry hon, (addressing Remnant) I don't know what got into my boy. He's never this emotional."

OOC

Sending out a PM.

[veritas]

Jack smiles feebly at Crystal.

"It's no problem at all, he's a sweet kid."

Jack leans back against the wall is quiet for a short while, listening to the others discuss matters.

[Muskrat]

Pilgrim smiles at Remnant and says to Ookami, "God is the being who created the universe and all that is in it, including you and me. And we are all made in God's image." He pauses to think a moment. "Usually the 'made in God's image' part is seen as just referring to humans, not animals. But I believe that being made in God's image simply means we have a soul and therefore know right from wrong. Though you may have started as a wolf, you clearly know now right from wrong and I have no doubt that you too are a child of God and made in his image." Pilgrim privately thinks that the men who transformed Ookami from a wolf into this half-human creature were trespassing on ground only God was meant to walk on--but that is not Ookami's fault and he has no desire to hurt the man-beast's feelings. "Over the centuries, God has sent many messengers to humanity--prophets--trying to teach us how live in accord with God's will, to good to one another and love one another." He pauses, thinking about a way to explain that the wolf-man might connect with and then says, "God is like the wisest and most caring of pack leaders, trying to guide his children through the dangers the world besets us with, by imparting his wisdom. God, however, works in mysterious ways and it is not always easy to know precisely what he would want us to do it any situation. We can only pray to God for guidance and try to discern his will." He adds quickly, so no one thinks he is a fanatic, "At the end of the day, I don't think God cares as much about what you believe as what you do--whether or not you try to do good. Whether you believe in God or not is secondary."

He turns to Cobalt and says, "The gang members are also God's children, just as all of us are. Jack and I fought them a few days ago--and, by healing one of their leaders after his own men accidentally shot him, I have helped him turn away from his life of vice. He was the one I mentioned who warned me of the attack. If we can find a way to stop these thugs that doesn't involve killing them or doing other grievous harm to them, I would ask us all to try to find it."

[Chanur]

Cobalt feels rage quickly build in him as he hurriedly puts the boy down. He starts to emit a low but very noticeable growl and his hands turn into fists. "They have turned away from God and now serve evil! They should be shown no mercy! Eye for eye!" His speech gets shorter and more pronounced as he starts to slam his fist into his hand with more and more force.