capeandcowllogs | there ain't no other step than one foot

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there ain't no other step than one foot

WHO: CAPTAIN METROPOLIS and HUNTRESS
WHERE: Around Manhattan
WHEN: Monday evening
WARNINGS: None? Probably?
SUMMARY: Ain't no better form of bonding than vigilante bonding.
FORMAT: Quick?

[ It's not quite what it used to be, that's for certain; even back home, Captain Metropolis's patrolling had been scaled down in frequency, a few times a week instead of nightly, but here Nelson has barely anything else to occupy his mind with. Work during the day and patrol at night keeps him busy enough so that he has less opportunity to wallow in confused or panicky self-pity.

So far the evening's quiet enough -- crime-wise, that was, in the neighborhood he was in -- but he stays alert; something always happens if you wait long enough, as inconvenient as patrolling solo can be. Less ground was covered. That was how the tide seemed to be turning, though; few people appreciated the benefit to working together anymore. ]

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[Helena meanwhile has had more on her plate than ever. With Dick, Barbara, Tim, and Stephanie all vanished, she's been left to pick up the pieces and try to hold the shattered remains of the extended Bat-family together. And Damian and Jason certainly aren't making things easy. Between Damian's constant ire toward her and Jason's looming jail sentence, that alone would be enough to stress an older sister out. Factor in her obligations to shareholders and the sudden departure of Kate Kane and that makes for one stressed out Huntress.

She hasn't been out as often as she would like. Days are long and exhausting, and she can only manage so much on her own. But she's forced herself into costume tonight to take to the streets. At least this way she feels like she is in her own element. The night is her world, she can move so much more freely and be more of herself in the dark.

She's barely started out when her patrol leads her to a neighborhood she hasn't frequented much before. It seems quiet, like it might not need her intervention, so she might be free to quickly move on. But she pauses, thinking she might see someone out of the corner of her eye. Someone moving around suspiciously in the darkness.]

[ The wind picks up slightly, making Nelson's cape flutter slightly, but above the noise he hears the familiar sound of someone approaching. It's very faint, the step of someone well practiced in stealth, but hearing even a discreet gait is precisely the sort of thing he's trained for.

He can't move as fast as he used to, but he's still not slow. He pulls out his binoculars to try and get an idea of the direction the person is coming from, before he speaks into the darkness: ]

You can come out now. I know you're there.

[ Friend or foe, he wonders. Well, either way the element of surprise was broken. ]

[Huntress hesitates, her own cape catching the wind and fluttering distinctively around her. She stays still a moment, wondering if she ought to reach for the mini-crossbow on her hip, deciding against it quickly as she instead slips out of the shadows and into the pale light.]

Easy, friend. I come in peace.

[ He puts his binoculars away, looking up at her. He squints a little, before he raises his hand in a wave, his other one on his hip. ]

Hello there! I'm sorry, am I patrolling in your area? I haven't been here long.

Good evening. There's no need to apologize, I was simply passing through.

[She finds herself waving back to him. He certainly doesn't look like a criminal.]

Lovely night for a patrol, wouldn't you say?

It sure is!

[ His response is rather enthusiastic; he hasn't gotten a chance to really meet other vigilantes while out and about, and he's eager to at least... meet some of them. Scope out the hero situation a bit for himself. ]

Rather quiet, though. I haven't run into any trouble and I've been at it for several hours -- not that I mind crime taking a night off now and then.

[She offers him a polite smile, flipping her cape back.]

These are the kind of nights I like the most. It's almost reassuring that the world doesn't have to be such a violent place.

I agree. [ He shakes his head a little, sighing. ] It's too bad not everyone else does. Still, every little difference we're able to make adds up. Nights like this only prove it.

[ Smiles broadly!! ]

I'm Captain Metropolis, by the way.

I'm called the Huntress. [Her expression brightens significantly and her voice suddenly turns hopeful.] Metropolis, eh? Is that where you're from?

The Huntress. Ah, a classic, very evocative. It is a hunt, most nights. Not this one, though.

[ He nods approvingly, then quirks his eyebrow up in slight confusion. ]

What? Oh -- [ Brightens. She must just mean... a city?? ] Yes, I'm from New York.

Oh, I see. [She looks down for a moment.] In my world, Metropolis is a city all it's own. I thought that perhaps...

Is it? [ Up go both his eyebrows. ] No, I'm sorry. I'm named for -- uh -- cities in a more general sense. Which comes in handy in -- er -- situations like this, though I hadn't planned for it.

[ After a brief pause: ]

Say, why don't we patrol together?

[She nods, understanding.] It's alright. There's no need to apologize. The name makes perfect sense, I was simply getting my hopes up.

[But then she gives a friendlier smile.]

That sounds terrific. It's been awhile since I had real company on my patrols. [Ever since Batwoman mysteriously vanished...]

[ He smiles back, nodding. ]

Quite a while for me, as well. Some years, in fact... most of my old comrades have retired.

[ He glances down the street, wondering what the best route to take might be. ]

There's really a city named Metropolis where you come from?

Most of mine have, too. [Which might seem odd, considering she's obviously in her twenties or thirties at most.] I've been lucky to have found new companions in this universe.

[She gestures toward the beckoning avenue before them, venturing out to lead the way.]

There certainly is. It's the a cultural and financial center, and sort of a sister-city to my hometown.

[ It does seem odd; he raises his eyebrows again, although doesn't inquire about specifics. In his experience, usually when people retire young it's because something happened. ]

That is lucky. There's enough to choose from around here, even I'm skeptical of what sort of training most of them have had.

[ He shook his head briefly, following behind her. ]

Where is your hometown?

From what I've gathered it's about clean down the middle. You've got the seasons vets like you and myself, then you've got civilians, even children brought here, with no training whatsoever.

[She frowned, it's really disheartening sometimes.]

I'm from Gotham. [A beat.] It's in New Jersey. I've come to find out it doesn't exist in many other worlds.

And they're all given the same expectations? That's just disaster waiting to happen. I'm amazed it hasn't already to a greater magnitude. You can't just drop people onto a battlefield.

So to speak, I mean.

[ He shakes his head again. ]

I've never heard of it, but I'm not in New Jersey often.

When you port in, you're told you're a hero, given the brochure, and sent on your way. Cultivating skills, mastering powers, that's all left up to individuals. There's no organization to it. There are schools and gymnasiums to teach people to control their powers, but if they don't know what their powers are, how can they learn to use them?

Exactly right, Huntress, exactly right!

[ He nods vehemently. ]

I still don't even know if I've gotten anything; they say I have, but I haven't noticed a thing. And I've been in the caped vigilante business for almost thirty years. It's a complete recipe for trouble. Whomever set this system up had no idea what they were doing.

People who don't know what they're doing don't belong out here.

[ He sighs. ]

Sometimes powers are a little bit random.

[She thinks of her own, and as if on cue, a not so fitting song begins to follow them as they walk.]

Sometimes they're useful. Enhanced strength, stamina, the ability to fly. And sometimes it's a musical accompaniment you can't exactly turn off. Any power takes some getting used to, no matter how much training you may or may not have. For example, I lose a bit of my element of surprise when the music begins on its own, but I've adapted. Just imagine if I were granted superspeed, or became a human fireball, and I had no inclination of how to use those abilities.

It's an accident waiting to happen. And that's why those of us who can be good examples really ought to be more visible.

[ He stops for a moment, frowning at the music... ]

You're kidding, that-- [ What. ] ... Some kind of mentor system may not be amiss. Those with experience can lend their wisdom to those without, and maybe the city will be a less disorganized place.

[ He frowns, listening to the music sort of. ]

In my opinion it needn't be anything incredibly formal. It could be as simple as more experienced heroes partnering with those who wish to learn the ropes. Power control can be taught, if that's what's desired, along with more basic skills, like how to read a crime scene, disarm a mugger, or use a grappling device.

[She pauses, looking upward at nothing in particular. The music is bugging her, too.]

There are schools and gyms available for training, which is all fine and well, but there's also value in going out and working a patrol. It's something that simply cannot be taught in a classroom or gymnasium. I trained for this lifestyle since I was a girl, and even then I was nearly clueless when I first took to patrolling on my own.

I might not be able to help with powers, but I'd certainly lend a hand anywhere else. I learned a great deal about combat and defense while in the Marines. [ He juts his chin forward a little. ] Of course, on the streets you still have to be willing to learn on your feet. I'm glad there are some resources available beyond the strictly obvious.

[ He tilts his head a little bit, nose wrinkling. ]

What is that music?

That's David Bowie. [She glances over at him, wondering if he's from some world that never had glam rock, or perhaps he's from some era bygone.] An English rock star. He's not quite my cup of tea, but the kids love him.

[And back to the subject at hand.]

I also think there's room for a bit more organization when it comes to who actually patrols at night. We could use some improved communication to make sure the entire City is being patrolled.

It's noise.

[ He says it with a mild tsk, but doesn't pursue the subject. It's not her fault, really. Nor is it important. ]

I know how hard it can be to get a group of heroes to coordinate with one another. Especially when there's so many... but the danger then lies in parts of the city going unmonitored, or other parts going over-monitored. Us running into each other tonight is a perfect example, pleased though I am for the company; we just as easily might have disrupted each other's operations on accident.

If nothing's gotten them working together yet, I'm not sure what would convince them differently.

That's precisely why we ought to organize ourselves a bit more. Even something as simple as knowing each other's names and where we tend to operate could allow for a smoother method of patrolling and an easier way to call for back-up should a situation get out of hand.

[She places a gloved finger to her lips, thinking.]

What about a list of people we could call in a pickle?

[ He looks at her, tilting his head slightly again before he smiles and claps his fist into his palm. ]

Ah, like a directory? [ He thinks for a moment, then continues with increasing enthusiasm: ] We could get together names, specialties, territories, experience levels, any sort of relevant information all in one place and coordinate that way. [ He touches a hand to his mouth. ] Although if it fell in the wrong hands that could be disastrous...

This method would require extra precautions. No real names, no addresses, etc. The Network could be our means for communication, as it is normally.

[But it is rather tricky to try coordinating large groups of people while safeguarding their secrets. She was used to having the older members of the JSA around to handle logistics.]

Oh, that goes without saying. We can't go compromising anyone's identity in the process.

[ He rubs his lip thoughtfully again, but smiles with some optimism. ]

We have to start somewhere. Is this your area?

[She nods.]

Usually a bit further uptown.

[Nearer to the so-called Oracle House, not that she was going to say as much.]

What about you? Have you settled into a routine yet?

Unfortunately not. I've only been out a few times; I seem to run into someone each time. You can't throw a rock without hitting a hero some nights, it seems. [ He pauses. ] No problems there, of course, but there's no sense in overcrowding an area. I'll just have to venture out further.

And that will be easier to do once we sort out who frequents which part of town.

[She nods, mind made up to that end.]

Cooperation is what we need to make this City a safer place. It might not be an easy start, but we can't give up the belief that we can do it together.

No, we can't. It isn't possible to get a city in order if we can't even do it amongst ourselves. I'd bet that between the two of us we could at least get started cataloging everyone. Then further coordination will be much simpler. What do you think about that?

[She smiles broadly and extends her hand to him.]

It sounds like a plan.

[ He returns the smile, shaking her hand. ]

Would you like my contact information? I wouldn't give it out to just anyone, of course, but we're going to coordinate on this project I don't mind. We should be able to reach each other somehow.

It would be an honor.

[She fishes her Huntress-communicator from one of the pouches on her belt.]

I'll program it into my communicator, if that's alright by you.

[ He smiles. ]

Oh, uh -- sure. I don't have any fancy set-ups yet, but I can give you my home and business lines. [ Keepin' it old school, his home number doesn't even have voicemail. Also (INSERT NUMBERS HERE). ] If you call my work, make sure you ask for Nelson Gardner. It should be a direct line, I think, but I've never taken a personal call.

[She gently plugs it into her communicator, for future use.]

And likewise, here's mine. [INSERT NUMBERS HERE!!] This is my direct line to my office. You can leave a message there should you need to, it's entirely secure.

Oh, excellent. [ He looks pleased, but writes the info in a notebook from one of his pouches rather than even attempting to try his communicator. ] Just splendid, thank you. My -- uh -- my home number doesn't take messages, I'm afraid, but chances are I should be there to take the call if it isn't during work week hours. I don't imagine it should be too much of a problem.

We can sort it out, no problem.

[She watches him carefully, nodding in approval.]

It's been a pleasure, Captain Metropolis.

Very nice meeting you as well, Huntress. [ He nods in turn, . ] I'll let you get back to your patrolling, then -- though with any luck the night will remain as quiet as it's been.

[She gives him a mysterious smile, turning quickly as her cape whooshes around her.]

Safe travels, Captain. Until we meet again.

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there ain't no other step than one foot

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