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It's night time in the city that never sleeps. Bars and restaurants are filled with people, and Farrell's is no different. It's not a place that Trish has made a habit of coming to, seeing as she really doesn't like coming down to Hell's Kitchen, but she's made yet another exception. She's dressed up relatively nicely, a little purse clutched by her side.
Approaches the bar, she pulls out a picture of Jessica Jones and slides it toward the bartender when he finally approaches. "Have you seen this woman around and all in the last month or so?" She asks cautiously, not having too much hope.
*
Maverick has arrived.
*
How Kitty Pryde ended up in Hell's Kitchen is anyone's guess. An empty barrage of glasses in front of her might suggest that she's elbows deep and already nursing a hangover. As it stands, however, she's finishing ANOTHER iced tea. Her expression deadens as a shot glass is left in front of her, complete with a shot of liquor. She peeks up to the bartender pointing at a small group of young man drinking in the corner. Her eyebrows draw together. She squints and gives them a small wave while leaving the shot on the counter.
Until she hears Trish talk about a missing woman. Her face blanches and she plucks the shot from the table, downing it in one swallow. She coughs hard. And harder still.
She's nearly choking on the shot. The cherry in it was… not expected.
*
It's hard to tell what has the young man at the far end of the bar looking up — Trish asking after a missing woman, or the sudden fit of coughing. He may be dressed down in jeans and a tee, but Johnny Storm is still recognizable enough. At least, once he's close enough to get a good look at in these dim lights, and the sight of someone possibly choking has him abandoning his own seat to hurry over and check on poor, poor Kitty.
"Whoa, whoa, are you okay?" Johnny asks quickly, grabbing a fistful of napkins on his way to offer them to Kitty once he reaches her. He waves at the bartender. "Glass'a water, please!"
Johnny has not forgotten the other woman at the bar. Just. Prioritizing.
*
Madrox has arrived.
*
The bartender gives Trish a shake of the head in response, and she sighs, putting the picture away. "In that case I'll have a gin and tonic, heavy on the gin, light on the tonic." The coughing fit by the other woman definitely catches her attention. "Oh dear, that poor thing!" Is her first response, before she gets a closer look. Doesn't she know her from somewhere? OH yes! She, too, rushes to the girl's side, patting on her back. "It's okay! You'll be just fine!" She throws a little smile in Johnny's direction.
*
Madrox
*
"So. This is it. This is the moment of truth. I stand on the sidewalk, hands shaking with anticipation as I stare down the barrel of the door to Farrell's. I could use a cigarette but I'm trying to cut back. I could find any other reason to not go in this place but I kno—"
"Could you find a reason to /go/ in? Because you're in the way, pal!"
Jamie Madrox didn't even know he was standing in the doorway of the bar. He was too busy monologuing to realize that people might actually be trying to enter. He glances back over his shoulder to offer a small nod and then moves right on into the bar, the collar of his jacket pulled up and everything. Enter the Detective.
"I step inside and there's not a moment to lo—"
"Hey! Shut. Up."
Madrox frowns.
*
The glass of water immediately is set in front of the choking Kitty Pryde. Without an adequate heimlich maneuver immediately enacted, her ability kicks in protectively. A whole cherry drops to the floor like it fell from nowhere, and the brunette gasps for breath as her hands press hard against the bar in front of her.
"I'm… okay…" she wheezes. A glance is given to Trish, "It's…. Patsy…" she frowns.
She gasps for breath and guzzles the glass of water against the burn that has formed in her throat. Another shot appears in front of her, and the bartender points to the same group of young men. She glowers.
*
Either Johnny completely misses the cherry taking an unconventional path to the floor or he is very good at ignoring it. Either way, he's more concerned with the fact that Kitty is talking now. That is a good sign. "Oh, good," he says with a relieved sigh.
He lifts his attention when he's joined at Kitty's side, and… blinks. It is Patsy. Johnny flicks his gaze between Trish and the group of young men Kitty is glowering towards, hesitating, before he holds up a finger. "I will be right back," he tells them both.
Then, rubbing his hands together and whistling to himself, Johnny takes a few bouncy steps towards the group of boys that are sending Kitty drinks.
*
Instinctively rubbing Kitty's back as if to sooth her, Trish smiles softly. After her last encounter with Kitty and her friends, a falling cherry doesn't phase her too much. "That's right. Iiit's Patsy." She says gently. "Last time I saw you, you weren't doing so great. It seems like you're not doing so great today, either. Is there anything I can do to help?" Despite her own concerns, she still can't help but feel the urge to help others.
She glances up at the drink that's placed in front of Kitty, and to the group of young men that are glared at. She sighs and shakes her head, looking at Johnny as he starts toward them.
*
Jamie has barely had a moment to realize what's going on. He doesn't know what's going on. What he does know is that there's a bar and a tender and he's got some cash. He doesn't say anything but he does catch himself a seat at the bar. He makes with the silent ordering of a drink before he turns to look off in the direction of Johnny and the Uh Oh Boys. He just raises an eyebrow and watches. This could be good. This could be bad. Either way, it's going to be entertaining. Madrox grins.
*
There's a flicker of a smile at Trish's question. She rubs her shadowed hazel eyes and glances over her shoulder towards the young men again before just shaking her head. "I'm a mess," she mutters sullenly. She forces a smile, and looks back at the drink before puffing out a long suffering sigh. She lifts the shot and inspects the bottom. Seems fine — no expected objects. She brings it to her lips and swallows the fluid in one go. Again she coughs, but this from strength of drink rather than actual choking.
The five young men cock their heads at the approaching Johnny Storm. "What's your problem, man?!" one of them invites a conflict, it seems.
"Yeah! We're just buying a gal a drink — "
One of them snickers in the back.
*
What business does some Korean guy have looking so gosh darned confident about approaching a table of five young men like this. The nerve. Johnny stops near their table and flashes a cheerful smile, clasping his hands behind his back. "Geez. Settle down," he says lightly to the most aggressive of the group, sounding amused. "That's two drinks so far. Should I assume there are three more coming?" he asks curiously, gaze moving between each of them in turn.
*
There's a glance toward Johnny and the table of five again. Trish doesn't know what he's up to, but she's a little curious. She sighs and turns back to Kitty. "Oh dear." She frowns. "Well, we've all been a mess, once or twice in our lives. That's nothing to be ashamed of. Wanna tell Patsy about it?" Did she really just refer to herself as Patsy? And in the third person? What's going on with her today! Maybe she's just mother henning a little bit. Who knows.
*
The young men being stared at by Johnny squint back at him with the question. "At least. I think my friend just give the bartender some cash and said to give her as much as it would get her." He glances towards one of his buddies and then defensively replies, "She's been sitting there drinking iced tea alone looking sullen for the last hour and a half — " one of them offers.
"Annnnd did you see what she's wearing?" The statement prompts Kitty to look down at the Jean-dress-loaner and squint over her shoulder at them again. "That screams that she's looking for company."
The most chill fellow of the party shrugs, "Figured we buy her a few rounds and see if she wanted to come join us. That's all, man." Because that's all Hell's Kitchen is known for. Buying petite women drinks, and leaving them alone.
Kitty's eyebrows knit together and she just shakes her head and looks back to Patsy. With a wry smile she manages, "I don't want to think about it anymore, to be honest. It's why I'm here and not — " on a perfectly lovely date with her boyfriend. She forces a smile, "I just feel forgetting for awhile, you know?"
Kitty lifts a and points to the photo of Jessica Jones. "She a mutant?" seems like a rather invasive question. "I'm not… accusing… just asking." Her eyebrows lift.
*
Madrox's ears perk up as he hears some choice words from over there at the table and his foot collides with the bottom of the bar. With that done, Madrox is focused on his drink as it arrives. He lifts it and takes a long sip from it. The drink is then paid for with ease.
Meanwhile, Jamie Madrox is already making his way around the perimeter of the room in to set himself up in a somewhat flanky position. He doesn't say anything but the way he's glaring at Johnny's head may just get him the attention he needs to be able to let him know he's got his back.
Jamie turns around on his stool to sip and watch.
*
The explanation from the young men has Johnny slowly nodding his head as he follows along, his hands staying loosely clasped behind his back. Uhhuh, uhhuh. This all sounds legit. And then they go and mention what she's wearing as if it were a motel vacancy sign.
Johnny doesn't even look back over his shoulder. He just smiles at the group of boys, quietly clicking his tongue. "…right. Here's what's gonna happen. I am going to reimburse you for the drinks you so generously purchased," he begins, one hand going into his pocket to retrieve his wallet. "And then you're gonna leave her be. Maybe find another bar with five different girls to each buy a drink for. I mean, seriously, this is just…" He gestures between the group of them with an odd expression before he draws some cash from his wallet, not even checking the amount. He extends it towards the rowdiest of the boys, almost like he's hoping for a problem. "What do you say, pal? Copacetic?"
*
ROLL: Kitty +rolls 1d2 for a result of: 1
*
Kitty glowers more. She doesn't need anyone to stand up for her. She threw a giant Russian out of a window yesterday. But for now, like the SLEEPERKITTY she is, she just lets it alone.
"Dude. We don't want your money," the most aggressive fellow replies. "We're waiting to see how this plays out. See, my buddy and me have a bet — "
Because every woman wants to be the end of some bar bet.
"Ease up, man. Look, we're just trying to see which of us she'd like best," another counters.
"So we're just waiting it out. Not going anywhere."
It's then that Kitty turns her head to realize that there are twins in the bar. She draws her eyebrows together and stares at the Jamie sipping his drink watching things unfold before she gives a nod towards the Jamie that has Johnny's back, "Uh. Friend of yours?"
*
At the mention of the picture of Jessica, Trish smiles sadly. "I…I don't know. We don't know, I suppose. Not for sure." She murmurs. "She's special, though. That's for sure. Whether she's special 'cause she's a mutant or because of something else, I'm not entirely sure." She tells Kitty in a soft tone.
However, she gets disctracted. A little too distracted. By Johnny and the table of the five. She sighs heavily. "How can you stand guys talking like that about you." She says loudly, turning to view them all. "Look, boys," She says loudly so they can hear, embasizing the word 'boys' as if they're not worthy of being called men. "A lady will accept drinks from a man, but you boys are not worth her time of day. Now leave her alone." She waves her hand at them in a motions that says, 'scoot, leave'.
*
Madrox pulls up alongside of Johnny to make sure that things look a little more even. Then Madrox pulls up along the other side of Johnny. Then Madrox shows up behind those Madroxes and Johnny. Then another one shows up next to that one. Then another one shows up next to THAT one. In fact, it's starting to look like Johnny's amassing an army of many Ones right behind him. Even if he's not paying attention to it.
Madrox with the drink takes another sip and just grins. His foot dangling from the stool and occasionally connecting with the bar behind him. He raises a glass in the direction of Kitty. "I don't have friends. I just really hate assholes." He gives another nod and finishes off his drink.
While that drink is getting finished off, the Army of Madrox have decided to start various cracking of knuckles and necks. Not to mention sneering at the Five Minute Warning jerks at the table. That's right, each of those Jamies seems to be initiating their own intimidation tactic. They each seem oblivious to the fact that there are seven of them now.
Eight finishes off his drink, gives both the ladies a bit of a nod and then heads up to stand with his, uh, brothers? He stands closest to Johnny somehow too. He just crosses his arms over his chest and glares.
*
Turning down free money? Well, okay. With a shrug, Johnny returns the cash to his wallet and the wallet to his pocket. "Suit yourselves." He considers laying out his opinions on their approach to meeting women, eyes flicking between each of the five, until… nah. Sue'd kill him. Instead, he just flashes another smile and turns to wander back towards the bar, blinking in mild surprise when he realizes he has been joined by several other men. The… same one. Many times. Huh. That's a thing.
He looks past the Jamies at Trish's contribution, however, and the way his mouth twitches… he's trying very hard not to crack up. Johnny's eyes are positively twinkling in appreciation. "…ohhhhh, there is no way this doesn't end in violence now, is there?" he says under his breath, a bit of a giggle to his tone.
*
There's a smirk that follows Trish's remarks about standing the men talking to her like that. "Honestly? Normally I would deal with them myself. But," she shrugs and looks back towards Johnny… and the Madroxes. Well that's different. Her head cants to the side, and she purses her lips accordingly. "Evidently I don't have to," she emits another sigh.
"And I wasn't even drinking. It was iced tea," she glances at her empty cup and the now-full shot glass beside it. "Just because I look nice doesn't mean I want anyone to talk to me." She rolls her eyes.
The fellows, however, are indeed, rearing for a fight. Of course, the appearance of increasingly equal odds make it less appealing, but they don't walk away. Instead, two finish their drinks in quick swigs, and the five each begin to round on the two (five?!) men that appear in front of them.
*
"You tell 'em, sister-friend!" Trish nods firmly at Kitty. "We women don't always look nice for men. Sometimes we look nice just so we look nice! It's more for ourselves then anything!" Patsy knows. Patsy understands. That's why people can relate to Patsy! It's just…it's Patsy! She does seem surprised at the multiples of the one man. It's turning out to be an interesting day! Although, both days now, that she's run into Kitty, have been interesting days.
*
As he hears the men behind him rising from the table, Johnny just hangs his head. He was walking away, damn it all, and now his sister's gonna kill him.
He casts a very apologetic look towards Trish and Kitty, raising his voice enough to carry across the bar to them. "I am so sorry about this. I swear I was just gonna pay for the drinks."
Johnny turns around to face the group. Slowly, he brings his hands up to about hip-height, palms facing the ceiling… and as he sighs, his hands seem to ignite, flames dancing from his palms and fingertips. "I would really prefer not to take this any further, fellas," he tells the lot of them, sounding tired. "Sue had a really bad day…"
*
At least one of the fellows is easily intimidated by fire. But alcohol has a weird effect on people that are too brave at moments they ought to be not brave at all. One of the fellows (big, but not too bright), takes a running charge at the Torch while another swings in Johnny's general direction (poorly and not very coordinated-like).
Kitty stares at the scene unfolding and rolls her eyes unceremoniously. "I'll be back," she mutters to Trish before slipping off her own bar stool. While she has no intention of going incorporeal, she really doesn't have to.
She catches the sloppy swing in her palm, counters with an elbow to the fellow's solar plexus, and causes him to crumple into a mess on the floor. She backs up and gives a small nod to the fallen man before strolling back to where Trish is still sitting. "Sorry. Don't typically let strangers fight my fights for me." Typically.
*
Sitting back and crossing her arms, Trish considers getting involved with the fight. But then where would the fun in that be? She'd not really be defending anyone. Besides, drunk men are the sloppiest fighters. She could probably just poke one and he'd fall down. Instead she just sits back and watches.
She raises an eyebrow at kitty when she returns. Trish says, softly, "You know, I'm pretty sure it was fire-boy over there that picked the fight. Not you. Sure, those boys might have been rude and crass, but…" She pauses. "Nope, nevermind. That was very much your fight. How dare he not let you fight for your honour. Want I should slap him for you when he's done?" She holds up her hands defensively. "No. You're right. You should be the one to slap him for starting the fight."
*
When he's charged anyway, Johnny winces. Damn it, he was hoping that would work. The flame vanishes as quickly as it had appeared, though his hand is still very hot to the touch when it snaps up to catch the swing and steer it wide of his face. "Fellas, seriously -" He takes a step back, grimacing as he ducks another fist. "- I do this for a living, it wouldn't -" He bends over backwards to cause another to fall short. "- be remotely fair -"
Dammitdammitdammit. As it becomes clear the men have had too much to drink to be reasoned with, Johnny just calls another "I am so sorry about this!" back towards the bartender. He tries very, very hard to avoid sending any of the others back into the bar's furnishings as he begins to dismantle them with very precise, effective punches, proving that — yes, he does do this for a living, and no, it really isn't remotely fair. "Pleasebequickpleasebequickpleasebequick -"
*
It's quick. In short order the remaining fellows are creamed. UNFORTUNATELY, bars where fighting happen tend to attract more fighting. In the opposite corner of the room, two fellows have begun to throw down. Outside the bathroom another fight seems to have started, and just at the entrance one another.
Kitty stares at Trish and then smirks. "My honour didn't need defending," she observes with a lopsided grin. "And I know I could've told the peanut gallery that I have a boyfriend, but that shouldn't matter. They should just leave me alone anyways." She rolls her eyes. "And yeah, I can defend my own honour. If.." she's starting to feel the effects of the liquor. Kitty doesn't drink.
She shakes her head. "If it comes down to it." She looks around the bar, "I think we should go — this doesn't seem…" she frowns.
*
"Do you have anywhere to stay the night? You can stay with me, if you'd like. I've got a spare room." Trish tells Kitty. "Look, you stand beind mee," She raises an eyebrow at the girl. "I know you can fight and defend your honour. Just trust me. I'll get us out of here. With Fire Boy." She clears her throat. "Hey! Fire Boy! Clear us a path to the door, won't ya!" She calls out, while she throws a couple hundreds onto the bar for the bartender. "For your trouble, sir!" And with that, she starts pushing her way forward, making sure Kitty is close behind her.
*
That actually gets a somewhat incredulous laugh from Johnny. He's gotten so accustomed to being recognized that it's all he can think to do upon being called 'Fire Boy.' Not like it isn't a fair moniker, anyway. Maybe it's the low light. "No problem," Johnny calls back towards Trish, carefully picking his way past the foursome now in a heap on the bar floor. He's reaching for his wallet again when he sees her beat him to it, and his mouth twitches into a very odd smile. Well, okay. He'll just focus on ensuring a path to the door, then.
"I really didn't intend for that to happen," Johnny tells both Trish and Kitty as he sweeps past them to take the lead. "Honest to god. Are you both okay?"
*
"I… could go home…" Kitty returns quietly. Not that that would be the best idea with how her head feels. The disconnectedness only lingers further as she moves towards the door. She smirks at the thought of a cleared path and has easy appreciation for Trish's assertiveness at getting out of fighting bar. Sure, Kitty could walk through without issue thanks to phasing, but there's something oddly freeing in being Kitty, normal woman instead of Kitty, the woman who can walk through walls. "Alright… I'll stay at your place tonight. Plus, then I'll get to tell people I've been to Patsy's house!" Because that is a novelty.
Johnny receives a chuckle and a sake of Kitty's head, "We're fine. We're both fine." And in a weird way, Kitty feels more fine now than she has all day. Once the trio are in a brighter area, her eyebrows draw together, "Wait. You're Johnny Storm. Huh." She smirks. "Johnny Storm saw fit to defend my honour. And Patsy Walker is letting me sleep in her spare room. Huh! No one is gonna believe this~" the liquor is working its magic.
*
There's a gentle nod from Trish. "To my home it is." She could've had them stay at Jessica's. It's not too far from here. But that would have been a little too weird, even for her. Once they've finally made their way through the path to outside, she smiles at Kitty. "There. All safe and sound!"
She stops dead in her tracks, however, when she realizes, as Kitty does, that the man they'd been dealing with is Johnny Storm. "Frumple pumpkins, it is Johnny Storm!" She flutters her lashes lightly. "I uh, I gotta say, it is an honour to actually meet you. It's, well, hi." She giggles and clears her her throat, blushing slightly. She doesn't like him! No way!
*
Once they're outside and in the safety(???) of Hell's Kitchen, Johnny lets out a sigh of relief and lightly shakes out his hands. Maybe Sue won't kill him. Hahaha. Right. Fat chance.
Of course, now somebody recognizes him. The slightly rumpled young man flashes the pair his best winning smile, actually looking a bit sheepish. "Ah, yeah. That's me. Sorry about…" Johnny gestures awkwardly back at the bar they've just completely voluntarily exited and in no way fled from. "…I didn't ruin your night, did I?" he asks, wincing at the thought.
And then it's his turn to pause. Slowly, he points at Trish. "…that's right, I was gonna come back and say hi to you. You are Patricia Walker, right?" Johnny asks, expression brightening.
*
ROLL: Kitty +rolls 1d10 for a result of: 9
*
Kitty emits a soft sigh, and the liquor continues to work its magic: "No, you didn't ruin my night. I did that, I'm afraid." She issues the pair a one shouldered shrug. "Walked out of a date with my boyfriend and told him I was going home but took the train into the city instead only to end up here alone at a bar in Hell's Kitchen because I thought it would help somehow but instead I had creepers leering at me all night ohmygosh why did I ever leave Westchester?"
She presses her hands to her eyes. "And worse, why did I come back to Westchester? There wasn't any trouble before — and then I showed up and people start to vanish and they go everywhere and I am some kind of ninja thing — " yeah, it's probably wise to think she's just had way too much alcohol.
*
"You…you know who I am?" Trish almost seems surprised, for a moment, that Johnny recognizes her, let alone that he calls her Patricia Walker, instead of Patsy. "Ummm, yeah. Yeah. That's me. Patricia Walker. Or Trish. Or Patsy. You can call me any of those names, really. Whatever you'd like!" She averts her gaze. She's starting to ramble.
"Don't worry." Trish places her hand gently on Kitty's shoulder. "In the morning, we can deal with all the vanishing…ninja…stuff, and start getting all the help that's needed, okay?" Including tylanol. Kitty will probably need it to help with the hangover she's bound to have.
*
ROLL: Kitty +rolls 1d2 for a result of: 1
*
"The circumstances are horrible, but it's really nice to meet you, Trish," Johnny says, actually looking a bit flustered himself. "It's… I mean it sounds stupid, but growing up, watching your show kind of helped my sister and I with our english. But, uh… maybe another time." His eyes drift to Kitty, his mouth twitching into an odd smile. "That sounds rough. Can I at least call you both a cab?" he asks hopefully, thumbing over his shoulder at the bar. "I should stay and… fix this."
*
Kitty feels increasingly drowsy as the moments drone on. "Mmm," she replies helpfully to the required tylenol and resolving all of the vanishing people and the bad luck she seems to have brought to Xaviers. The thought about the cab receives another very eloquent, "Mmmm," in reply. It's possible she may just be done for the night.
*
Getting a small piece of notepaper from her purse, and a pen, Trish writes her name and number down on the paper and gives it to Johnny. "I know that I just, you know, met you, and this may sound just a titch, you know, crazy, but here's my number? Call me, maybe?"
Looking at Kitty, Trish shakes her head. "We need to get you to a bed. And soon." She says with a small smile. "A cab would be nice." She says to Johnny. "Thank you."
*
Johnny watches Kitty start to driiiift with a bit of a wince, his hands coming up as if to catch if she should start listing too far to one side or another. Oh, boy. Poor girl. "Yeeeeeeah, I better call you guys a car… if I hadn't flown, I'd just drive you myself -"
He blinks once and accepts the paper from Trish, glancing between it and her a few times before he develops a downright quirky smile. "Seriously? I — yeah, definitely! Let me just, uh -" Johnny quickly tucks the paper into his pocket and turns to hurry back to the bar. "- make that call for you. Tomorrow? If you're near the Baxter Building before I call, just - I'll buzz you in!"