High Striker: IDK, uh, Free Food + Talk

[Circe]

A bored Circe is a dangerous Circe. This much is true. However, reaching out to the usual suspects has proven, troublesome. Her coworkers are busy with things that they don't want her involved in. There aren't other Summers to make trouble with. And her favorite Lost are doing stuff.


Which brings us to where we find the blue Larcenist now. Funderland's High Striker is an indoor venue built within a large metal building. It currently features semi mobile bunkers to allow the "arena" to be rearranged at random. These bunkers come in plywood, for greater realism, and inflatable barriers to mix up the lay out quickly. It is surprisingly cleared out of most of these in one area, near the only unlocked entrance.


A quartet of folding tables, a large blue bin, a large trash barrel, and some chairs have been placed about 50 feet from said entrance. Three tables have pizza boxes (cheese, veggie, meat lovers, Hawaiian, and pepperoni), wings (honey or buffalo), sodas in multiple flavors, and beer. A few random IPA, but mostly brand names.


Thus had Circe come to a conclusion on how to draw others to her at Funderland. Provide the place, refreshments, and victuals. But the why to gather? Well, there were 2 white boards for that excuse, erm, explanation to the gathering. One was labeled "Stuff the Groundskeeper Should Know" and the other was a set of various words. The words being: fists, melee, old ranged, modern ranged, sneak, run.


Yes, the Larcenist couldn't find another topic for her blue brain to pop out, so statistics it was. She also had markers and erasers for updating it. Circe herself is nursing a Pepsi at the fourth table. A notebook as she takes an inventory of her, well, armory. She had quite a few boom sticks at her disposal. She should really consolidate.


Under her table is 2 toolboxes under it, a towel, and Circe herself has both her hedgespun multitool and glasses. If nobody shows, she can just get to work building parts for sale or personal use.

[Circe]

Well, this is disappointing. The break rooms for Funderland's staff will be full of snacks it seems.


Circe breaks out her tool boxes and starts working on a sales item. There was always a market among her customers for this kind of accessory. Mufflers are popular you see. The lack of visitors was irksome though.

1 'muffler' made

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-03-29 10:47:16	[04] Circe rolls 11 to backup crafts if no party (10 Again)	8, 6, 7, 2, 1, 4, 6, 7, 1, 9, 1	2 successes
2024-03-29 10:47:16	[03] Circe rolls 11 to backup crafts if no party (10 Again)	4, 9, 2, 8, 1, 9, 1, 8, 9, 1, 6	5 successes
2024-03-29 10:47:16	[02] Circe rolls 11 to backup crafts if no party (10 Again)	6, 6, 1, 1, 3, 6, 3, 7, 2, 8, 4	1 success
2024-03-29 10:47:16	[01] Circe rolls 11 to backup crafts if no party (10 Again)	1, 10, 9, 1, 10, 10, 5, 5, 3, 2, 6, 2, 6, 5	4 successes

Half an hour later, the Groundskeeper wipes the grim and oil from her blue hands. Then gets herself a pizza. Still nobody showed up? Angry Summer? Yes.


She preps things in Spring for celebration and maybe work, and nobody shows? Yes, her Mantle is blasting. Angry is the ignored party planner.

[Kray]

Having had his own odds and ends to take care of Kray had been about to head off when the scent of food wafted past and well leaving fed was always better then leaving hungry and thus follows his nose. Swinging the door wide his immense outline fills the space as he places hand upon the lintel, having been recently reminded of the dangers of doors as he leans into the room to see ... well Circe feasting alone. ''Uh. Hey Circe, you alright?'' The deep voice only momentarily preceding the entry of the giant himself in plain red T- shirt jeans and his long coat.

He has every intention to see if he can get a meal out of this, until the heat is noticed. Looking around autumnal hat casting his bulbous yellow eyes into gloom, trying to get get a feel for what he just walked himself into. ''What's all this for?'' Gesturing to the board with the key words. with a great grey hand. ''You training?'' Might explain the temperature.

[Circe]

Circe finished the slice. The blast of hot air from her Mantle's flare is assisted by a solid punch at a wood obstacle, cracking it. Angry Circe. Circe was tempted to open her suit's jacket, draw a fucking gun, and start shooting to let off steam.


Fortunate for legal consequences that a different relief comes. Kray. Okay, she now likes the Gristlegrinder. The Mantle dials back. Mostly, she is still pissed. For she is a Summer. She turns to Kray.


"No, social gathering, and no." She quickly snaps. Then pulls back the Mantle, tamping it down. "Got pissed. And this plan is because of that talk we had after the tunnels." She waves towards the banquet. "Free food to lure in folks, give a chance to talk on the threats and problems of the Freehold. Public forum of what not. Do NOT," she points at Kray, "Hold back on feasting. I've been here fer an hour. Yer first, you get as much dibs as you want."

[Kray]

A pissed summer queen is no joke and something worthy to be cautious of if not fearful, fortunately he had better control over his fear then most. That doesn't stop his own feeble mantle of illusory flames from flaring when something splinters only to be gusted and battered by the sovereigns own, the difference was more then obvious. Even as she calms hers down.

Still I'm here now and being told to eat so ... I think I've come out ahead. He takes a seat and reaches a twisted arm not to the table but to where two tables legs are close together and grabs both. ''Uh. Okay so Problems, threats.'' The screech of the table legs drowns out anything he would say as both tables get pulled into easy reach, and consequently claimed. ''What about that board?'' Pointing with his free hand to the fists, melee, and guns board.

He then picks up a plate of wings and open his terrible jaw wide. This is not a snake unhinging it's jaw more like the most mangled and terrible bear trap to have ever been imagined, the force and tension when fully open does not bare thinking about. Into this maw of maiming he pours the entire plate. She said not to hold back. Over stuffing a mouth already full of teeth. And then the trap closes and the sound of dozens of tiny bones splitting is instantons, lessening with his movement of the jaw as the contents is collectively splintered down into something that can reach his stomach.

[Circe]

Kray finds his refuge. In the sheer audacity of deciding to just take the whole table with the wings as his own. That actually amuses Circe, gutting out her Mantle as she laughs, "Oh ho ho ho," that puts her in a less violent mood. Not less angry, just less violent. She retrieves herself a grape cola. "Ya want something ta wash all that down?"


As for the question of the board. She had an answer. "I got board, so I had the remarkable idea to ta come up with this question for folks." She smirks and sips her soda. "Would you like to take a survey?" she waves her free hand towards the whiteboard, a smarmy smirk on her face.

[Kray]

He might ... might have over done it a bit eating the entire plate as his jaw works slowly to compound the mass of wings into something he can swallow. Not that the was every going to admit that. He just slowly nods face full to bursting when a drink is offered.

Realising that he will need to speak to actually be useful he turns his head up and with an effort swallows the disintegrating contents of his meal in a few big gulps. ''Ah.'' Savouring what surely can't have been a pleasant experience with so many bones. ''That was good.'' Eyes fall back down to the sovereign. ''Much obliged for the meal your majesty.'' From her to the board again. ''Survey? Sure, why not.'' I remember these, used to get a shilling for answering some questions about shoes or hair wax. A meal definitely seems to have served as preferable to money.

[Circe]

Circe gets him a couple of beers. Her multitool easily includes a bottle opener. The tables? No, the tables have rounded edges, so not so good for the opening technique. Then gets herself another slice before Kray moves on to it and getting a chair. She moves it so she doesn't have to turn too much to speak with Kray.


The pepperoni paired with the grape soda. It paired okay. She ate the pizza more demurely than Kray did. It was kind of heard for Circe to not do so.


The survey had been just a boredom thing whilst waiting. How did everybody fight? It was good to know. She finishes her pizza and downs the soda. Burps. Nods.


"Okay," she dumps the paper plate and can onto a table. "So, as ya can see," Circe waves her left hand to the white board, "The question is, how do you fight? Or how do you want to fight?" She grabs a marker and does a hash mark on melee and modern ranged. "Sometimes I can't shoot someobody. Law ya know? How about you Kray?"


She was pretty sure she already knew the answer.

[Kray]

He takes the beers. ''Ah. Thank you.'' Guess it's that kind of meeting. He will leave the pizza alone when it becomes clear it is the Summer queens dinner choice. He appreciates the food more then enough to be considerate. The other plate of wings however, that finds its way into his lap. But is eaten slower, a couple at a time, interspersed with throwing his head back to pour the beer down.

The burp some might consider not lady like, from Kray it just gets a small grin, not much more then the corners of his mouth twitching, but it is there.

Fighting again. There really is no escape from it. Does he seemed dejected? no more resigned. Use what they gave me, a core idea of autumn. ''Uh. Well. In a fist fight I can confidently match against most professional boxers and martial artists.'' His eyes are on the board not the sovereign. ''The really good ones is a coin flip, and the true greats. I'm not there yet unless I use my teeth.'' Mood darkening. ''If I bite.'' Now he looks to her. ''As you might expect it usually kills. Kills in seconds.'' I learnt to use it, I had to.

He looks away again. ''Weapons I can if its something I don't want to touch, not especially trained though.'' Strength made up for a lot of it. ''Never give me a gun, I'll hurt myself or someone else I didn't mean to.'' Trigger guards were not made for me. ''I can throw stuff pretty well though.'' A pause. ''You want any of that demonstrated to get a better idea?'' Please don't ask me to eat someone. Wait why would she, she's the only one here.

Since they aren't here I reckon this is worth sharing to. ''I beat Vincent handily ... twice.'' And might as well. ''Sarah wanted to learn to fight so I showed her what I know.'' The truth. ''Neither should be allowed in a dangerous situation. They will die.'' If it's a fist fight anyway.

[Circe]

"So, avoid peak Chuck Norris or pro-boxer and yer golden," she nods and just does a hash mark on the fists category. It was fair enough. As for bite equals death, that gets her approval and nod. "Makes sense. Good to know what yer tools can do. Kinda hard to not kill with some things, like guns too. Uuuuh," she thinks for a moment on that. Circe isn't oblivious, trying to reach out with similarity of preferences for violence and burden of death. Or something.


Small problem though. The blue Larcenist HAD found a way to make guns less kill. Puts down the marker and gets her pizza again. Yeah, that was wrong. "Well, depends on the ammo. You hear of bean bag? You think beanie baby, but nope. It is massive physical trauma induced bruising."


Circe nods along, though her ears droop as she eats and hears Kray disdains guns. Always a disappointment that. "This place is not setup for demonstration," she admits to him, finishing her slice. Then washes it down. "The only thing to throw here are the bubble obstacles," Circe points to a large, inflatable cone. He'd get no distance from that at all. "And the plywood ya'd probably put holes in," considering the Fairest's blue fist had cracked where she punched. If her little Fairest fist could do that, then the Ogre would be making windows.


"Baseball or hatchet throwing maybe in the future." The former with a good throwing arm can actually do damage. And cops freak out at somebody with a bushel of hatchets, but not baseballs. "Might have a few b-balls in Funderland," she looks at Kray. Then down to his arms. "If yer throwing arm makes 'em do damage to the stalls though," she lets it go unsaid how damaging the Freehold's public property was bad.


Oh hey, she got a thought on less kill from his hands and a flash of lightning to her brain. Very much the latter. "I know of no way to make bites less lethal, but there are zappers available as gloves," she thinks there are. Not legal, but there are, "If ya ever want something less kill. Or to laugh at the fun sounds folks make when ya taze them bro."


"Keep the white mage out of the front lines," she nods at that logic with as far as Seraphina went. Not expect her to do during a fight. Vincent was more a scout maybe? She didn't really recall what he did. Then again, with that briar wolf the boys had tried to befriend, Circe didn't risk them learning more.


"I've only seen Sera in a fight, um, once? With briarwolves. She has new knife though," that she was certain upon. "I think she should probably stick to contracts, healing, or feet," she goes back to the whiteboard. Grabs the marker, and adds a slash under run. "Though, Vincent is a sneak, right?" She adds one to sneak. "I may LIKE violence and autofire. Yet, I am aware of the utility of stealth," she adds a second to sneak.


"If the enemy never knew you were there, you get away with a lot of stuff," she smiles at Kray. Sure, she got this knowledge by playing Metal Gear franchise, but it was still viable knowledge. "Camouflage is great for messing with folks too."