Nikola had silently agreed to go to the mall with the others since she couldn't think of any other thing to do to advance their investigations. Nevertheless her mind was stuck in an idea : to explore the posibility of juves being taken into concentration camps, she ended up going along with her group while trying to keep things on good terms with the other groups.

She had ordered a vegan option and as she kept her eyes stuck in an unexisting horizon when an idea came to her mind, she decided that Vamp could provide an interesting opinion so she decided to start talking about her thoughts

"Now that i see this other groups here im beginning to think that if the government would want to kidnap and exploit those with the carbon plague , it would be easiear to do it with juves that belong to underdeveloped families or fringe gangs, so maybe we can ask some of the juves here if they have missing people in their gangs or something similar"

Tailgate walked along with the group to the mall. Food sounded good, actually. He found that he seemed to be a little hungrier since...everything had happened. He tried to push aside the ugly memories that threatened to bubble up at that. Just focus on food for now, he thought.

He noted Darina seemed to really be at home in the mall, or at least was very familiar with it. Which made sense. He also noted the more 'hardcore' juvies around and made a mental note to be on good - ie: not too noticed - behavior.

He ordered two slices of 'za and a soda, wanting a bit of caffeine to go with the 'fuel'.

He glanced at Nikola, a slice halfway to his mouth. He pondered a moment, then warily said, "So long s'we're careful. Some o'the gangs here later on are...less chatty."

"Gotta be careful how we put this, yeah.

We start asking questions dumb and they think we're working for zombies, and things are going to get real dicey.

Shin-Ji had gone with a very large iced herbal tea and a ZA WORLD combo.

As a streetfighter, Shin-Ji always knew the value of keeping yourself fueled, but since becoming a Tinman, hunger now officially rattled him. It was hard to describe, but you started to develop this weird growing sense of dread.

His brain seemed to know that going without food was now a very, very bad idea.

"Hmm you are right.. but since we can see many of them here, before going around making questions , maybe i can get my v trodes to help us do an online research, that way we could do some intel and check if any of the groups here have missing people, off course if you dont mind the fact that the others will see as we check some projected screens together"

While the group is chatting and eating two guys approach the table.  They are clearly in some sort of combat gang, megaviolents perhaps, dressed like heavy metal or chromer musicians: leather, spikes, chains, mohawks or long hair.  They are both of European ethnicity, though the artificial blues and greens in their hair obscures any specific ethnic designation.  Ignoring you for the moment, one of them leans on the bench seat near Darina.  "Hey D; looking hot," he says to her in a tone that is best described as "icky."  "Want to ditch these gonks and comes with us?"

Darina shrugs him off.  "No thanks, the bruises don't go with my style," she says.  His reaction mixes several emotions but settles on a predatory smile.  Her expression is more disgust than anything else.

Tailgate tried his best not to react too much to the two guys that approached - well, more that he tried not to react to what they said and they way they said it. He smirked when Darina blew them off immediately.

He looked over at Vamp, who was the most likely to start shi...wait. Actually...was it Shin-Ji? He normally seemed fairly chill, but it seemed like maybe certain things set him off.

Regardless, Tailgate discreetly put a hand on the grip of his pistol. Just in case things went sideways.

Shin-Ji was a Streetfighter.
Streetfighters didn't start fights, they finished them.

But, he really, really wanted to get in a brawl. It had been quite some time since he'd had a chance to blow off some steam, and Megaviolents were fair game. Survivors guilt, a lack of sparring, and an inability to having done anything useful yet had left him with a screaming voice in his head saying FIGHT SOMEONE DO SOMETHING.

Of course, they were here for a reason, and getting in a fight on Za (largely considered holy ground by violent Juves: you didn't fuck with the place that supplied you weapons or Pizza).

Then there was Darina, throwing hormones into the mix, was Darina, who immediately awakened ancient ape parts of his brain that wanted to impress her.

Her casual dismissal of them actually kind of made him back down though - it was clear she had this under control and wasn't terribly scared of these idiots.

So he left his hands on the table, and quietly intoned koans in his head and tried to avoid staring directly at the two assholes. He sure as hell wasn't going to start something, but if he opened his mouth, it would probably be inevitable.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:42, Thu 05 Jan 2023.

Vamp looked up when the two guys approached but said nothing to them given she was working through her slice of meat that looked pizza-shaped. None of it was real meat, of course, but one couldn't be choosy when one lived as she did. Kibble or soy was better than dumpster diving (for food, not fun).

If they were still around and didn't get the hint then she might say something to them but until then she had food and drink and was happy at both. Goths and Megaviolents tended to be good with one another so maybe they could find common ground and this wouldn't turn into a fight.

If it did...they'd find out this kitten had claws and fangs. For real.

"C'mon, do play hard to get.  What's it gonna cost us?" the blue-haired guy says reaching to grab her arm.  They both snicker at his 'joke'.  Darina pulls away and slaps him across the face, which just seems to get him more horny, and he grabs for her again.

"Just, no!  Forget it!" Darina cries out trying to pull away, unfortunately, the booth limits her movements.

---

Blue hair guy is grabbing her arm on the first round.

Review of Saturday Night Skuffle.  One person (first one to do it) rolls initiative (1d10) for your side.  In a turn you get one action.  If you perform two actions they are both at -3.  You can move your MOVE in meters for free.  Hand-to-Hand and Melee attacks use Streetfighting (or Kata) skill.  Skill + REF +1d10.  Roll the same skill to defend.

Some Rolls:  Blue-Hair Grabs Darina, her defense is insufficient.  Both Blue and Green rolled their defense below, they are not attacking you guys this round, but if you attack them, they are ready for a fight.
12:58, Today: Referee rolled 1 using 1d10 with rolls of 1.  Initiative.
2:54, Today: Referee rolled 13 using 1d10+9, rerolling max with rolls of 4.
Darina's Defense total is 13.
12:51, Today: Referee rolled 19 using 1d10+13, rerolling max with rolls of 6.
Blue Guy Grab Darina total is 19.
2:55, Today: Referee rolled 19 using 1d10+13, rerolling max with rolls of 6.
Green Guy Defense total is 19
12:55, Today: Referee rolled 29 using 1d10+13, rerolling max with rolls of (10+6)16.
Blue Guy Defense total is 29.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:58, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

11:44, Today: Shin-Ji Han rolled 7 using 1d10, rerolling max with rolls of 7.  Roll initiative.

Shin-Ji, brooding and feeling a combination of anger, guilt, and the simple desire to practice what he'd trained fighting with his promise not to start shit, had been right on the edge, and this was enough to push him over.

Still though, he wasn't about to punch the mega in the face.

A couple weeks ago, he might have, when his arms were.. well... arms. He legitimately didn't want to murder someone, and that was a distinct possibility with his new limbs. Thankfully, his sifu's first martial art was Sambo. So he grabbed the guy back by the arms. His carbon-fiber arms with near hydraulic levels of strength.


11:59, Today: Shin-Ji Han rolled 21 using 1d10+16, rerolling max ((5)).

The guy managed to slip out though, moving with surprising speed. Shin-Ji didn't want to grab his victim by mistake.

Oh what a charmer. Trying to resist? Playing hard to get? Let me hold your hand.

He went for another grab, fueled by rage, he grabbed the kid by the wrists.

Try and grab again. Hopefully he has to make another defense check? Add 3 luck to the roll.
13:34, Today: Shin-Ji Han rolled 32 using 1d10+19, rerolling max (((10+3)13)).


Then he began to squeeze unless he let go.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:35, Sat 28 Jan 2023.

Tailgate sometimes said or did things without thinking them through. This was one of those times.

"Just like some charfhounds to bring hands to a gun fight."

He had calmly, for the most part, pulled his heavy pistol out and pointed it right at the forehead of Mr. Grabby Hands.

"Remove hand and walk away or lose more than a lonely night."

OOC: Not sure what Intimidation would fall under, but he's drawing his gun, aiming it and then trying to get them to back down and flick off, lol.

17:02, Today: Tailgate rolled 12 using 1d10+9, rerolling max with rolls of 3.  Fearless Leader (Cool).
This message was last edited by the player at 00:02, Sun 29 Jan 2023.

Nikola observed how the scene started its development in front of her eyes as she had delayed to react due to still being inmerse inside her thoughts about the posible positive and negative consequences of the fight.

The view of tailgate pulling a gun made her go back to the situation at hand, it seemed that things could either escalate if one of those guys decided to pull a gun as well, it could also happen that they could be intimidated, but seemed unlikely, Either way if the fight kept moderate in duration and intensity the other juves could seem them and hopefully be willing to help them with their questions about missing members  after that.

So maybe she could signal somehow that the gun is just a warning to make sure no one escalates above that limit, she decided to quickly take the brass knuckle she had bought in the mall weeks ago and punch the green hair guy in the face to prevent him helping his partner inmobilized bt Shin Ji, while conveying that she wanted to keep the fight within the non lethal limits, just in case she had a hunting knife in her trenchcoat ready to  be used if they attemped something letal at short distance

OOC : 23:55, Today: Nikola Net rolled 10 using 1d10+9, rerolling max with rolls of 1.  Dice + 5 Ref and 4 Streetfighting.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:57, Sun 29 Jan 2023.

Summary of Round 1

Blue Hair guy grabbed Darina by the upper arm with his right hand.  Shin-ji jumped up and after some back and forth managed to grab the Blue Hair Guy's left wrist.  The three are now in a three-way tangle of sorts.

Nikola and Tailgate move after that, with Tailgate drawing a pistol and pointing it at the Blue Hair Guy, which at this point mean pointing it at Shin-ji and Darina as well since the three of them are in close proximity.  Blue Hair Guy hasn't noticed him or the gun yet, he is focused on Shin-ji and to a lesser extent the struggling Darina.

Nikola then jumped out of the booth and threw herself at the Green Hair Guy, brass knuckles in hand.  Unfortunately, her attack is uncoordinated and he easily side-steps her, smiling as though it is a game.

Round 2

---

Okay, you guys have Initiative since they rolled a 1 on the die.  Here are their defense rolls with Streetfighting.  If Tailgate is going to shoot at one of them the DV is 15.  REF + Streetfighting + WA of the weapon, if it has one.

Vamp is sitting at the booth/table and can react this round.

He had something of an evil smile.

"Let go of her or I'm going to tear apart your arm like a hot'za bread stick."

Shin Ji did more or less exactly as he promised. He began to increase the pressure until the mega let go or he reached maximum grip strength. As a streetfighter, he probably could have sprained the guy's wrist. As a Tin Man, things were probably about to get very ugly.

Basically, unless he if he lets go, I keep the grip. If he gets attacked by either of them, squeeze for full damage.

What's the damage a tin man does with a squeeze? 4d6 with martial arts added to the roll?

Tailgate let out an exasperated noise as his aim was ruined by multiple people - and he had been completely ignored anyway. He angrily put the gun back away and got up to his feet, exiting the booth. He wasn't sure how to help at that exact moment, but he was getting ready to.

Nikola should have felt relieved that the gun did not escalate things but she didnt, instead she was angry for the way in which her attempt ended up in a failure that resulting on the other guy’s condensending look. Out of fury she reacted by using the small momentum she gained to try kicking that arrogant brute in one of the heels

OOC: All right i dont know what did i do wrong but somehow it got rolled twice or somwthing as the d10 came up with 14 and then added those 9, so of you want you can take that 14 or i can roll again

21:36, Today: Nikola Net rolled 23 using 1d10+9, rerolling max with rolls of (10+4)14.  (+5 Ref + 4 Streetfighting). –
This message was last edited by the player at 00:43, Sun 05 Mar 2023.

Shin-ji squeezes Blue's arm and can hear the bones cracking and feel the muscle and other tissue give.  The guy lets out a very genuine scream and releases Darina, falling to his knees as his arm is shattered.

Meanwhile, Blue's unexpected scream distracts Green just enough for Nikola to clock him, and though it doesn't take him down or anything, he feels the punch.  However, for the moment he is far more concerned about is friend than he is about her.

Darina also looks concerned, and then she says apparently addressing Green and Blue, "Don't mess with the cybered up, boys."  She looks straight at Shin-ji and adds, "let him go, Bobby; let's get out of here." It's obvious that she is intentionally not using his real name.

Tailgate had done literally nothing in the encounter. He'd probably been not even noticed much, if at all, by the two meatheads. He stood up and moved next to Darina, or at least a bit closer.

Then he said quietly, "Delta 'n' go stuff yourselves, gonks, before things get really fun. An' stay away from Darina from now on."

Shin-Ji was not the brightest neon in the sky. He blinked, but after a second, even he picked it up she meant him. To be fair, he'd genuinely been horrified at what had happened to the poor gonk's arm. If he'd been alive, his sensei would have pummeled him for ridiculous over use of force, but at least he was still alive.

He let go of the juve's arm at Darina's request, and partially out of horror at what he'd just done. He did his best to look stoic, probably the only kind of acting he could manage other than "tough guy". "Your call."

It certainly had not been smart to do that, but he hadn't exactly had a lot of practice using the new limb. He'd certainly dislocated arms before: he'd had a literally killer grip with his sensei's Sanbo training.. now.. he'd have to keep that in check, even more.

Definitely time to bounce.

"C'mon, c'mon!" Darina says with growing insistence.  She pulls Shin-ji along hoping the others follow and leaves the pizza joint.  The two megas are huddled together as you leave and the store manager is moving through a growing crowd of adults watching.  It seems that most juvies are looking, and looking away, passing by curiously but not hanging around.  thankfully there aren't taht many adults anyway.

Darina leads the way down one level and a good way down the mall before relaxing her grip on Shin-ji and slowing down.  "I appreciate the defense, that guy's a real jerk; but you can't show off like that!  If the security cams caught it you could be in trouble.  that's why I fed them another name," she stands with her arms crossed.

---

Get a Clue rolls please.

Shin-Ji seemed a little out of it, possessed with a weird combination of guilt at what he'd done to the kid, his own stupidity at nearly getting everyone in trouble, and a weird mix of pride for having absolutely destroyed someone and a bit of awe at what he'd just done without even really thinking about it.

He ended up feeling apologetic, but not particularly guilty. The juve was a mega, after all.

"Yeah, my bad. Gonk move. I'm not used to these arms yet.
Just been wanting to hit something for a long time now.

23:27, Today: Shin-Ji Han rolled 17 using 1d10+9, rerolling max with rolls of 8.  Get a clue.

Tailgate was no stranger to having to delta from a fight scene pretty quick. He didn't need much urging to get his feet going. Especially since someone might report that he'd had a pistol.

He looked a little sheepish himself, even though Shin-ji was the 'target' of Darina's cautionary scathing/warning. That altercation...hadn't gone well even though no one on their side had gotten hurt. She was right, it hadn't been smart.

He let out a sigh and nodded, "You're right. We gotta be smarter."

13:16, Today: Tailgate rolled 19 using 1d10+10, rerolling max with rolls of 9.  Get a Clue.

"No, it's okay, you guys just got this and that idiot deserved to be out in his place," Darina says calming down, fanning herself ineffectually with her hand.  Shin-Ji and Tailgate see Melinda Upton and couple of the other New Harbor mall brats approaching.  Though Melinda is walking casually and in the open, it's clear that a good six or seven are surreptitiously congregating in the area.  Melinda stops and folds her arms across her chest.

"I remember you," she says pointing to the group, though it's not clear if Darina is included.  "What's the deal bringing violence to my backyard?  And yeah, that fuckin' Mega had it comin, but it attracts the wrong kind of attention," she is almost, but not quite scolding.

Tailgate couldn't help himself. He turned to face Shin-Ji as if siding with the mallbrats, folding his arms across his chest. He accusatorily asked, "Yeah, Shin-Ji! What's the deal with bringin' violence t'their backyard?"

He then glanced at Melinda, and quietly affirmed, "He really did have it comin' though."

Nikola felt a little better after letting some of her frustation go as the mega took the hit, but was then disapointed by the fact that even though they kicked those brutes out, that did not seem to make them more popular with the other Juves.. something that she hoped it could ease the task of finding out if any of the gangs had missing members.. she mumbled to herself "Had i known everyone would ignore us, then could have tried interrogating those megas... whatever" she then saw Darina being approached by some of the mall brats.. "could that be used?" she asked herself

OOC: 19:48, Today: Nikola Net rolled 20 using 1d10+9, rerolling max with rolls of (10+1)11.  Get a clue  (7 for int + 2 for get a clue).
This message was last edited by the player at 22:49, Thu 11 May 2023.