Summary:The fox, Daredevil and Shang-chi meet on a fire-escape stair outside of a building, where they stop a murderer escaped from justice as well as introduce to eachothers. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Buddy Rawley, better known on the streets as "Buddy Brick". Fresh off a ten year stint upstate in the pen for obbery, but the judge decided that a red brick didn't count as a weapon so it didn't rate armed Robbery. Six days he's been out of the pen, and two of the three witnesses who took the stand against him? Beaten to death with a blunt object, theorized to be rectangular in shape. It'd be a few days before they knew more, our boy Brick was moving quick for obvious reasons.
Not so quickly that he couldn't wait for darkness, for the streets to empty or the rain to finish. Now things just felt greasy, and humid. It's through the thinnest of fog then Brick moves, casually slowing to snag a discarded red brick off the sidewalk. Giving it a moment's study, before he ducks 'round back an apartment building. One swift blow, and he's through the door and moving up the stairs.
Fox wasn't interested in Brick, or really even in playing hero if we're being perfectly honest. She had "work" in an hour or two, work she was told would involve Hells Kitchen. So she sits and waits, car windows parked as she tries to get a feel for the place. She only chances a glance up as Brick passes, though she does narrow her eyes as she hears the trademark crack of a lock being smashed open. No prohibition against a little community service, right?
Shang-Chi had been doing a bit of outreach with a young addict in the same tenement, a woman who had attended a few of his classes only to drop out when her habit resumed. He had come in comfort not in judgement, bringing her a carton of still-warm soup and a bus pass for when she felt up to coming back to class. He would wave her fees, happily, if only she would come again. She said she would try. He could not ask for more.
He's stepping back into the hallway just as Brick rushes up the stairs, leaving the martial artist in his wake. He cannot help but feel uneasy about the intentions of the man. And so he follows, slippered feet silent a she makes his way up the stairs and goes in Buddy's wake.
Past the average person's worktime, when the daylight is not so strong anymore, it comes the time for Matt to wear his red suite grab his billy club, and go out on patrol. The weather doesn't surely help to make things comfortable, but what other activity could keep Matt alive?
Running from a rooftop to the next, it isn't long till his hears, and nose, pick up the sounds and scent he was looking for. Finding someone that just escaped the law's grasp, paying him back for what he's done to people with a blunt rectangular object, those are Matt's goals tonight, and that's why he is now standing on the fire escape ladder of the same building where Buddy just entered, waiting for the right moment to make his entrance without involving innocents in what promises to be a bit of action.
He all but stalks, pausing for the briefest moment to double check his cellphone to confirm the apartment number. His blood's up now, his vision's already narrowing. He should have noticed he wasn't alone in the hallway, but that same focus is how he ended up with three names to scratch off his list in the first place. The signs are obvious if you know what to look for, those shoulders square, his neck tightens and his pace picks up subtly.
He steps up to the door, hand digging into the front pocket of that hoody for his trademark. Then he stops, left hand grabbing onto the doorframe. See he did learn to watch his back in the klink, A glance over his shoulder towards Shang. His throat clears, and he's off. Sprinting towards the far staircase, brick in one hand.
It takes her a touch to get suited up behind those tinted windows, before stepping out of her parked car and into the alleyway. She moves slow and steady, circling round the building to the opposite staircase. A moment's study, before she jimmies the lock and slips into the stairwell. A soft sigh, before she starts heading up. Pausing when she hears the door fly open several floors above.
Shang is quite stealthful, even without trying, his tread quiet. But paranoia can overcome even the greatest of skill, in such matters, and he finds himself discovered. He had only intended to talk to the man, to ask him of his intent, when Brick runs from him.
He doesn't like to assume guilt, but these do not strike Shang-Chi as the actions of an innocent man.
And so he pursues, breaking instantly into a quick sprint, working to close ground between them quickly.
Matt Murdock waits, listens quietly, and a serie of footsteps coming his way are all he ears before he recognizes the man that seems to be running from, someone else? And there's a third person approaching too!
Literally swinging down the fire escape stairs, he'll try to land directly in front of the running man to cut his escape. "going somewhere?"
Brick's no slouch for a man who just spent ten in a box, but that isn't saying too much. He's only starting to wonder about squaring off on the fire escape when he finds he isn't alone, but at least to his credit the guy doesn't spend very long at idle. No he goes right into doing something stupid, like swinging a brick at a man dressed all in red!
Fox takes a moment to try and process, well ok theres suddenly a whole bunch of folks here. She knows a costume when she sees one at least, and figuring this guy might be into something more than idle B&E? Well yeah she books it, coming to a stop a flight down from Daredevil and Brick. Carbine held at the low ready, because no reason to go get tangled up in things just yet.
Yet that mask looms from the darkness, the angles are a jumble at first glance. A polygonal form wrought into the shape of a fox's head, illuminated ever so softly in a neat tiffany blue. Against the rest of her black getup and the shadows, well it looks all the more otherwordly for it. "Friendly behind.."She offers in an electronically garbled tone, every bit as strange as that mask she's got on.
Shang-Chi regards the two costumed inviduals with cool assessment. He'd encountered vigilantes in the past, of course, and, in his own adventures in the East, had often interacted with others who chose to disguise themselves, for good and for ill. The Devil's reputation is known to him. The Fox, not, although, to be fair, he has only heard the garbled promise of her voice thus far.
If Brick comes his way, he'll react but, for now, he measures Daredevil's reponse with curious eyes.
Matt Murdock stands in front of the escaping man, and his senses pick up his reaction almost immediately. Increase of heartrate, muscular tension in the shoulders and arms, legs in position, then his mind calculates the arch of the swing and his body reacts with the best reflexes a trained man could have.
Daredevil's right hand comes up, palm slamming against the inner-wrist of the attacker, moving a step backward to avoid the brick's strike. The hand then would close and twist upwards, following the same direction of the brick's swing so that it would, with a pressure applied on the ulnar and radial nerves, cause the attacker's hand to open and the improvised weapon to fall. His left hand, then, would come up to hit the man's ellbow in a downward movement, completing one of the most basic disarm techniques against an opponent wielding a short weapon.
Brick might be trouble in a brawl, but well he does about as well as you could expect. He loses his trademark weapon, and stumbles. Hurtling into the railing with a shout, before arching back to swing all but drunkenly after his attacker. It's about that point he gets a look at Daredevil, or the apparition down the stairs. Theres a grunt, but well he doesn't stop his swing. He's wild and untrained, but he's plenty big enough to mean a lucky hit could be fight ending.
Down the stairs, well expressions are hard to read when you've got a mask on but no they're not terribly impressed. One boot lifting to kick that brick away from the brawl, letting it tumble down to the pavement below before settling back against that railing to watch. "Well isn't this a lovely start to my stay in New York, looks like we've got quite the turn out here already."Those black pits where the eyes should be, swiveling towards Shang-chi. "What forget your cape, buddy?"
Shang-Chi doesn't seem perturbed by the foxlike figure, although he makes some interesting folklore associations with it, eyes quickly flicking around to make sure she doesn't have nine tails.
"I don't have the shoulders for it," he says, although his muscled traps would probably disagree with that. He continues tow atch, his expression placid, "I see no need to intervene. The man in red has this well in hand, I think. He's well-trained. Ninjitsu, among other things."
Matt Murdock offers a brief nod in the direction of both Shang-chi and the fox-masked one, even if right now he can't really focus too much on them. Aknowledging the disappearance of the man's weapon, Daredevil ducks to avoid the wild swings, then stands up quickly again, trying to grab the attacker's right arm midswing, turning clockwise with him so to follow his own trajectory to plant a left knifehand on the side of the man's neck, following with a leg sweep to put him out of balance.
After performing what a martial artist could recognize by a mix of a judo throw and a karate strike, if he were to have success, Daredevil would find himself behind the now kneeling man, and it would be just a matter of hitting the side of his neck with extended fingertips, aiming to a nerve cluster under the man's left ear to facilitate his transition into unconsciousness.
"welcome to New York…" he'd then add to the electronic-speaking person
"Oh come now, I was told everyone in New York wore capes. I have to say I'm already terrifically upset."Flexcuffs tossed casually towards Matt, though well she hardly seems terribly eager to get up off the railing. When those LEDs flicker off though, the rest of that uniform becomes more plainly obvious. Mottled greys and blacks, chest rig, holster and well for the most part she might as well be SWAT. Nevermind that subtle bright red stitching, or rapier cynched down to the side of her low profile pack.
That ancient M4 is left to hang from it's sling, as she draws slack. "Nice to see plenty of hands on deck, I suppose this guy wasn't just another hood looking for a score?"Voice left, well raw and human. She's young and, well theres the most subtle of southwestern accents burried under there. "Oh by the by, they call me Fox. Not sure why, never did get around to asking."
Shang-Chi purses his lips, "I doubt it. A brick is a poor choice of weapon if it is. Hardly practical. Perhaps it's some sort of trademark," he says.
He bends his knees, squatting a bit to get a closer look at the miscreant in question. "I am Shang-Chi," he says. "I do not have a colorful name or totem. None ever seemed quite suitable. I apologize if that's a bore," he says.
Matt Murdock catches the object tossed his way by the fox, cuffing the man and placing him on the ground, leaning slightly on the rail. "Buddy here, yeah that's his name, likes to beat people with a brick. And, since he already came out of prison, they won't throw him in again because of a bad habit of his to eliminate witnesses in such a way they can't frame him." he shrugs, standing up straight and introducing himself "they call me daredevil, around these parts. Guess it must be the costume." and he even chuckles slightly, leaning on the rails himself now. "Nice to meet the both of you… And na, capes are not practical, they restrict your movements"
"Nothing to be ashamed of, not everyone can fight under their real name, Thats something to be proud of you know, yeah?"Theres a little shrug offered there as she turns her attention to the guy on the floor. "Oh-ho, a murderer. Had a feeling, figured it was a pissed off ex though."
"Oh I dunno I rocked a cape for years, you need to project a "command presence". A little bit of theatricality goes a long way, right? Also handy for fighting bulls, and sword duels when the occasion strikes." Theres a smirk there, discernable in her voice as she glances over her shoulder. "Unfortunately it doesn't go with the outfit, all but impossible to find a cape that goes with my kevlar."
Shang-Chi smiles, "I do not consider myself a vigilante. I am capable, but I am a teacher first. I have fought in my share of wars. I do not think they solve as much as we would like," he says. "That said, if the man is a murderer, as you say, then it is good that he is brought to justice."
"I have heard of you, Daredevil. Your reputation is harsh, but, perhaps, fair. I understand the power of symbolism in helping to do the work you have chosen."
Matt Murdock chuckles and even grins slightly "oh the world is not ready yet to know who I am… behind the mask" he comments, turning his senses on the murderer for a moment to examine his vital signs, nodding as he aknowledge everything is in order. "I can see your point, Fox. But fortunately, I'm not usually sword fighting, or fighting bulls for what it's worth, so…" he shrugs, turning to Shang-chi and offering a small bow his way "true, but not fighting at all, sometimes, is just worsening things… I wouldn't be able to go to sleep at night, or at morning even, if I didn't knew I did all I could to make this place a bit better…"
"The Moral highground has awfully thin air I find, and it's a terribly long way to fall."Sounding a touch bitter behind that mask, but well it's not likely an accident that her body language otherwise is quite so restrained. "Best teacher I ever had taught by providing an example of right action, then again he probably wouldn't be very happy with how I turned out. Worked for awhile at least, gave me something to aspire to. Stuck with me even when I wasn't in the Dojo, you know?"
Shang-Chi reutrns the bow, "No judgment. We all have our own paths to walk," he says simply enough. "I offer alternatives to violence whenever I can. But I am capable of, as the Americans say, 'kicking some ass' if needs be," he says.
"I am not sure of the protocol for this sort of thing. Does one of us call the police? Is he draped over a lightpole or dangled from a fire escape?"
Matt Murdock nods understandingly at Fox, then considers Shang's words for a few seconds "he did nothing, tried to break into someone's home but he didn't ultimately, and so police won't do anything about that… I think I will have a, word with him, to explain kindly that his actions are, definitely, unhealthy… And that a prison is definitely not the worst that could happen to him, then leave ultimately the choice to him." he crosses his arms over his chest, his senses careful to analyze his surroundings "but I think someone could've called the police hearing the commotion out there, they'll be in here in 10 minutes…"
"or you could just break his his hands, but I'll leave the decision to you two gentlemen."Casually plucking a neat bit of bright yellow folding paper from a pocket, to neatly attend to the folding. "Unfortunately I'm afraid I've got duties to attend to, Hen houses to raid and dogs to outrun."Placing a neatly folded origama fox on the handrail before leaning back. "Just give a shout if you see me around town, gotta keep an eye out for each other out here right?"
Shang-Chi cocks his head, "Perhaps it might be worth seeing if he is wanted for other crimes? Even if he did not succeed tonight…he may have done it before, when he wasn't so unlucky as tonight," he says.
He gives a bow to Fox, "And I need to return to my dojo. It is clear this situation is well in hand. I am easy to find in Chinatown, should either of you have need of me."
Matt Murdock grins slightly and shakes his head at Shang "he did a lot of bad things, but he's just come out of prison not that long ago, right now, he's not wanted for anything. Law should be keeping an eye on him but, he knows how to get out of surveillance way." he shrugs, then kneels next to the unconscious man to press a few nerves on his neck and shoulders, ensuring he stays out of games for another couple of minutes at least. "it was a pleasure meeting the both of you, and well, I'm easy to find in this neighbourhood should you need me…" he then wraps his left arm around Buddy's body, effortlessly tossing him over his left shoulder, and offers a wave to the two people before starting to walk up the fire escape, to reach the rooftop. From there, it's just a matter of finding a quiet place and doing some very nasty stuff to a very nasty man, no blood of course, but he could find himself with a couple of broken bones, here and there. Because, who likes the number 206, really?
She leans back over the railing, shoulders twisting before over she goes. It's a neat half twist on the way down, before she hits the ground a few floors down and sinks down into a crouch. Carbine nestled firmly under arm, she rolls foreward on those boots and darts off into the night. Kitsune no, but obviously some flavor of Fox…thing..maybe? Either way she had bills to pay, and special agents to meet with. Busy fox.
Shang-Chi just goes down the stairs and heads towards the subway. He would have much to contemplate on his train ride home, mostly amused consideration of what kind of costume he would wear if he became a garish street hero.