Just kick the ball already!

@redfloridascout

First rule of the bar: Do not attempt to fight with the mercenaries. The civilians were smart to no do that after their first time with the first set god knows how long this building was establishment. But there will be always a set of passerby driving by town for fuel in both their transport and in their bellies who dares test the rule.

Second rule of the bar: If the first rule is ignored, make a bet on it. The civilians were also smart to make a quick cash grab with the mercs or among each other by guessing which one of them can survive the longest against the rule-breakers. It's never which side would win but always which mercenary from either team.

Natasha was among the group to be caught in the fight and was betted on. It won't be long till she was out of the betting pool when a brute double her size took over a buddy she had taken down, grabbing her by the shirt, lifting her off her feet, and headbutted her hard. The Sniper was seeing stars, her body stumbling upon touching the ground again, and soon she was collecting blows to her stomach and her face before she was lifted up again and thrown out of the window and landed against the trash cans. It was the last thing she saw of the bar's light from the inside before blacking out.

When she eventually woke up, she in the back of Nathan's car, her jacket that she vaguely remembered leaving on the chair in the bar through her hazy memory search was used a pillow, and with no memory how she got back to the car. Her body was throbbing and her face hurt, the head more importantly from the headbutt.

Of course the guys friends weren't too happy that their buddy had just been domed and promptly joined in the fight and the ever nimble Scout was more than happy to teach them the unspoken rules of this bar, ducking and weaving around these fools. Smart people usually bet on the hot-headed man, he was often one of the last few standing.

Once the brawl was over, Sean quickly became aware of the unconscious woman slumped up against the trashcans in the alley. Rolling his eyes he approached her and gave her a sharp nudge with his foot to try wake her.

"Oi, wake up, woman. Wake up!" After some time of her not responding the Scout sighed and crouched down to pick her up, opting to hoist her onto his back to make moving her easier. Grumbling, he grabbed her bag and coat and hauled her over to the car she had arrived in. Leaning on it, he rummaged through her bag to find the keys before he unlocked the damned thing.

"God yer such a fuckin' pain in my ass." He scowled as he dropped her into the back seat, making sure she fit in properly before closing the door on one side, the whole time grumbling insults at her. Moving over to the other side, Sean used her jacket to prop her head up. He threw her bag at her after putting the keys in it, then he slammed the door shut. He used the front drivers door to lock all the rest of the doors before shutting that one too.

"Don't say I never fuckin' do anythin' fer ya!" He yelled at her before shoving his hands into his pockets and starting the lengthy walk back home. He didn't mind it, helped him clear his head and got some exercise in too.

He holds up some red tulips with a happy coo.

@minidocofred

"Flowers for me?" Scout tries not to stare at the kid's wings as he drops to one knee, accepting one of the tulips. "Nah little buddy, ya meant ta give flowers ta girls, they go crazy for that stuff. You know any girls? I s'pose ya don't, ya look like— uhh..."

He hesitates, trying to think of a more sensitive way to say "escaped lab experiment". This kid might not like being equated with a freak of nature and Scout wouldn't want to upset a kid.

"But boys deserve flowers too! My Papa said that boys usually get flowers when they die and that's not right! Guys deserve them to!"

He cooed happily and looked at Scout with his big red eyes.

Galen put a finger to his chin in thought and smiled

"Wait one second!"

He chirped before running off... somewhere???? It's like he disappeared and then came back with a big bouquet made of smaller boquets that he could barely hold in his arms.

"I got enough for everyone! Now you can keep your flowers for you!"

Galen gave a big smile and fully expanded his wings though the length barely seem to go past his fingertips.

...

             &&  keep going

                      be strong

The child chirps, holding up a red carnation with a big smile.

@minidocofred

He had been messing around with his soccer ball when the child approached, he had no idea why the fuck a child was at the base but it gave him pause. He stopped the ball under his foot before kneeling down to be at eye level with the child.

"Oh shit, that's fer me? Thanks kiddo." He spoke softly for the kid, giving him a thankful smile.

"Mein Papa is inside! But he said cameras are everywhere so I'm safe!"

"Yer papa huh? Hows about ya... uh... ya go back in there and uh..." he looked around before remembering the existence of his ball, he quickly picked it up and offered it to the bird child.

"But.. this your ball!"

He coos sadly, his wings fluttering a bit before getting an idea.

"How about you play with me a bit? Then I tell my Papa you gave me a gift of play!"

"I mean, yeah it's my ball, so that's why it's a gift, I was so moved by tha fact ya gave me such a pretty flower that I wanted ta give ya somethin' in return!" Oh god oh god, if he played with this kid and he got hurt, it was 100% going to he his head on the chopping block.

Wait... what if he accidentally made the kid cry from not wanting to play with him?!

SHIT SHIT SHIT!

"Uh-huh! One of the Blu showed me a rat they have named Petunia! She was all grey and white and could spin to get a snack!"

The child chirps, holding up a red carnation with a big smile.

@minidocofred

He had been messing around with his soccer ball when the child approached, he had no idea why the fuck a child was at the base but it gave him pause. He stopped the ball under his foot before kneeling down to be at eye level with the child.

"Oh shit, that's fer me? Thanks kiddo." He spoke softly for the kid, giving him a thankful smile.

"Mein Papa is inside! But he said cameras are everywhere so I'm safe!"

"Yer papa huh? Hows about ya... uh... ya go back in there and uh..." he looked around before remembering the existence of his ball, he quickly picked it up and offered it to the bird child.

"But.. this your ball!"

He coos sadly, his wings fluttering a bit before getting an idea.

"How about you play with me a bit? Then I tell my Papa you gave me a gift of play!"

"I mean, yeah it's my ball, so that's why it's a gift, I was so moved by tha fact ya gave me such a pretty flower that I wanted ta give ya somethin' in return!" Oh god oh god, if he played with this kid and he got hurt, it was 100% going to he his head on the chopping block.

Wait... what if he accidentally made the kid cry from not wanting to play with him?!

SHIT SHIT SHIT!

"Well, pardner, metal's easy. I bend it all the way I want it 'til it's perfect, I weld it all together myself, 'n' if it needs it, I improve it in the process. You give me what you need fixin', tell me what you want done to it, and I can have it done for ya in under fifteen minutes. Maybe ten if I'm efficient. I can even use a tougher material, if you want an upgrade."