Summary:At 'The Carnival' club, the act after Dazzler wants to make a big impression. Log Info:Storyteller: n/a |
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'The Carnival' is not an actual carnival. It is, in fact, an East Village club where performers of all kinds go to perform. Tonight, it is one Alison Blair - stage name Dazzler. She has the early morning slot - like 3 am early - when most people have gone home and the most of those hanging in there are drunk, unconscious, or have no idea where they are. There are some dancing to Dazzler's performance at least, and the artist is certainly giving it her all. No such thing as a bad show in her book.
The music reaches a crescendo as colorful lights erupt above the stage area. It is a small stage, so it is Dazzler, her sound system (thanks, Hank!), a guitarist, and a drummer. The latter doing the best to stay out of the way of Dazzler's choreography. One last orchestral chord blast and Alison bows to the cheering few. "Thanks for coming out" she waves, grinning happily. "Coming up next are the 'The Junior Jugglers'!" Alison and her band head off stage and into the 'crowd' rather than backstage.
As it happens Hank has been working on some research at the University, and, being Hank - /totally/ lost track of the time. So, when he finally got out it was close to 2AM. He sighs and realized that sleep was not an option for a few hours at least but really had no desire to drive home to Westchester. "Well…" He digs out his phone, and looks for /something/ to do, and that's when he remembers an email from Alison, a grin as he reads it and sees that yes, she's /working/.
He goes to the club and is in the crowd when Ali finishes her set.
As she exits stage front, he grins. "Hello Miss Blair." That deep bass voice hard to miss. He's seated in a spot where the light helps keep his fur less…obvious. Not because he's ashamed, nope, it is because he doesn't want to make the people around him uncomfortable and ruin the performance.
"Hank! You made it" Alison grins, giving the furry guy a big hug before remembering she may be a bit sweaty. "Oops, sorry. Did you catch the whole show?" She sits herself down next to him, still high on adrenaline. "I think I may have to make Sarah my agent as well as my manager. Not that the venue is bad but I was hoping for more people." She watches as three clowns make their way on stage to…juggle. "And not be a support act for jugglers" she giggles.
"So what have you been up to, Hank? Did you see I used your super-gizmo? It is incredible. Thanks so much for that." Alison leans over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek in thanks.
A warm laugh and yes, he hugs the Dazzler, sweaty or not. "Don't be sorry, I'm actually rather fond of hugs." Hank admits, and grins. His smile grows wider. "Almost, I was about twenty minutes late, sorry. I got…distracted with some research I was doing." Yes, he's contrite. And if anything, he looks more chagrined. "In fact, I got /so/ distracted I hadn't remembered the show until after, apologies."
"I think perhaps you should, if you think it will help." He grins. "And yes, juggling seems a little…outside your usual."
He smiles and laughs. "I /did/ notice it, I -did- make it for you, as you might recall." And then he blinks at the kiss, and then, smiles maybe a bit goofily. "Ahem, yes, well…been doing science, stopped an armored car heist." A hand waved airily. "You know, the usual."
"Ah, doing the big science stuff" Alison teases before shrugging. "It's fine, Hank, I'm glad you managed to make it for some of the concert. I asked Sarah if she would take over as agent too. She seemed…I won't say 'keen', interested. Do you know Sarah or could I be saying any name?" A wink for Hank as she drinks down some water from a bottle she has with her.
"I know you made it for me, silly, just wanted to see if you saw." Alison gives him a playful punch to a furry shoulder. "Armored car heist? Wow. Nice." A grin at the casual air he presents. "Did I tell you that I helped stop some bandits attacking Wall Street? They were dressed as clowns." A wave of her hand at the stage. "Like them actually. Just a coincidence…"
Up on stage the trio are juggling ten pins to the general disinterest of the crowd. One of them steps up to the mic to speak in a goofy voice. "Hellooooo, everyone! We have a really explosive act for you tonight!" The two behind him toss a ten-pin each into the crowd area…where they explode with more than glitter and paper flowers. Some people scream as they are hit by shrapnel, clutching at wounds, though they are soon silenced by the white cloud of…something…that has people collapsing to the ground. "Surprise!" the clown grins, turning his painted-on grin into an even more inhuman visage.
"I truly wish I could have been here sooner, NEXT show I'll be here early, but no bells. I draw the line at bells." Hank shakes his head. "Actually, no, can't say that I do do know her. I will just take your word for it, and offer my support, mm?"
"Very silly, actually. Or so I'm told." And nope, Hank is not in the least bit upset at this fact. He 'oomphs' at the punch, like, yeah…she /could/ punch him hard enough to hurt. "Oh, well, there were a pair of armored heroines as well." He quirks a brow. "I wasn't aware that you were a crime fighter." After all, it isn't like he knows that Ali's a mutant.
And then the /evil/ clowns attack. "Well…are you /sure/ they weren't the same clowns?" He rises then. "Excuse me, please." Hank picks up a chair. "Excuse me, sir…but it seems you've picked The Carnival, not an artillery proving ground. So…" He picks up a second chair and then lobs them at the two clowns NOT speaking.
He throws /hard/.
"Ooh, a pair of armored heroines. I think I'll have to call you 'Love Machine' from now on. I don't fight crime, I just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time." Alison managed to cover that slip up brilliantly. Right?
Explosions! Yet, Alison doesn't even wince. Absorbing the sound, storing the charge away, before looking much more concerned about the white cloud floating in the air. "I think the other clowns are in jail…" she starts before ducking behind a table, giving up her chair for Hank.
The chairs fly throw the air and slam into the backing clowns. The cracking noises that follow are not the chairs breaking, more like clown bones. The targets flying through the air from the impact of seating, though they don't have far to go on the small stage before the wall stops their progress with a pair of thudding noises. The clowns slowly slide down the wall. None of which seems to bother the lead clown. He's whooping and hollering with delight as his companions have an enforced nap. "Ever wanted to join the carnival?" he cackles at Hank, pulling a gun on the mutant and firing. What emerges from the barrel is a pink bubble that gets larger and larger as it floats towards Hank.
"Love Machine?" Hank laughs. "They were in /powered armor/, and we'd just met." He's laughing still as she covers her slip up, and nods. "Ah yes, that can ruin a perfectly good trip to the Brokerage." He says with a smile.
And then comes the splody. And…curious…the sound of the blasts…seemed a bit muted, must have been low powered explosives, that's good, the injuries should be less grave. Or so he thinks.
He nods thanks at the second chair being offered and clearly approves of Alison taking cover as he engages and manages…ouch…okay, dial back the force next time, but Hank's adrenaline is pumping, and they had explosives!
"I'm really better suited for the zoo, actually. So no carnival for me, thanks." When the pink bubble is fired, and grows, Hank sighs. "Oh please don't be gum…please don't be gum…" Rather than waiting, he leaps /for/ it, regretting that he's wearing shoes as there's no time to free up more claws, instead he'll try to shred the bubble rather than let it get to where it is going and maybe hurt others.
Yeah, he's going to regret this isn't he?
Oh, it's gum. A very nasty gum. As Hanks claws slash through the sticky, expanding bubble, he finds that it starts to envelop his hand. Cutting it to pieces just means that numerous sticky pieces are now spattering over his fur…and still growing. The clown on stage is violently laughing as he fires more bubbles towards members of the audience that haven't run for the hills. Hank managing to spot a drunken youth completely disappearing inside the expanding bubble; the pink shell bulging with the punches he throws to try and escape.
A beam of light slams into the bubble around the youth and it explodes into burning fragments that disintegrate in the air. The clown does not look happy at this turn of events. "Booo! How can people enjoy the fun of the fair if you start doing that!" He seems to be addressing someone behind Hank. The clown pulling a bouquet of obviously fake flowers out of his jacket, their plastic stalks quivering from the motion, before tossing it towards it into the air. "You've all been a wonderful audience!"
The flowers bloom as they fly through the air; developing snapping jaws out of their petals. Jaws arcing through the air to the increasingly sticky Hank.
Yup. Gum. Hank's probably going to have shave the goop out, especially when it keeps expanding. Ah well, it was worth a shot - his hopes of a *pop* end, but hey, at least it isn't an enveloping bubble of ick! Okay, smaller bundles of ick is not /really/ much of an improvement.
The sudden light show and explody of the poor enveloped youth's bubble does get Hank's attention, he glances behind to see who shot if he can, but can't spare any time to do more than a fast glance thanks to the carnivorous bouquet of fanged doom.
CBOFD is a bit long, he'll work on a better name later - death blossom, maybe?
Despite the icky-sticky-gum, he continues forward, much of his usual grace blunted by the gross, still, he will try to dodge past the snapping jaws of the faux flowers, rolling with super-agility and regaining feet swiftly. A long arm with essentially a blob of pink and blue adhesive where his hand should be lashes out for the stems — if he can, he gets hold of the flowers…probably to try bashing them on the ground and tables after. Assuming he doesn't get chewed on for his troubles of course!
Hank's glace behind suggest that it is Alison that is glowing and zapping floating bubbles from the air - that can't be right. He must have gum in his eyes.
The floating flowers of fatal fate are easy to catch, despite Hank being slowed down by the still expanding gum. Thank goodness he has that super agility. When the plants are slammed into the ground, they act like a plastic toy smashed by excessive force; shattering into little bits. The petals attempt to snap at him, but they seem even more hindered by the blobs of gummy badness and before too long they are no more.
The clowns are gone. The cloud of sleeping powder now resting on the ground alongside snoring audience members. "Are you okay, Hank?" asks Alison as she runs over to him, pulling up to a sliding stop as she winces at the mess in his fur. "Ewwww…is that gum? That is going to take ages to get that out. We'll have to cut it off." She still glows a little, particularly her laser shooting hands. "Maybe we can burn it off?"
Wait, Alison is /glowing/? And has laser hands? Um, yeah, definitely warrants further investigation. Later.
Hank is not in the least bit gentle when he smashes the bouquet into the ground either, and since he can /lift/ a semi-truck, and a -loaded- semi-truck at that the force he can deliver is very significant indeed.
Breathing a little swiftly, he looks to Ali and checks the urge to offer a helping hand - after all, his hands are gunked up! "I…yes, it will likely have to be cut off. If I had access to my lab, a solvent might be an option though it would probably be not a great choice." A sigh. "And fur is flammable."
A brow quirks, and then he nods. "Burn my hands free, please, and then lets see to helping the injured…"
No doubt the next few hours will be /fun/.