Something Funny Happened on the Way to Atlas!

[FrancisCross]

((As many of you already know there was an impromptu RP session in Atlas Park involving me, Mimi, Jaygo, Tawney, Detective, Ezekial Kane and the Simian Defense Force. I am presenting, for your reading pleasure, the events of that session should they become another moment of RP between our respective groups. I am sorry if I misquote anyone as I am writing from memory as well as writing to convert an RP moment into a fictional moment. Please allow me a bit of creative license in order to make this work, my apologies if I offend anyone…I do not mean to. Also, I have edited for content and time, this was over an hour’s worth of RP!))


The sun was finally shining as Francis crossed the street from the Yellow Line into Atlas Park. The tram had been packed more than usual for a Sunday afternoon but one look into the plaza and she could see why. Francis hopped the dividers easily and passed across the City Hall walkway and into the main square where half a dozen men and women in white suits and dress coats shouted orders at the gathering horde.
“Ugghh,” Francis growled, “not another costume contest.”
The Anointed Brotherhood, today’s sponsors, were doing their best to manage the crowds but as Francis reached the edge of the square she was quickly awash in excited smiles and too-bright spandex. One rather star-spangled fellow with a gigantic white star on his chest waved as he walked past.
“Maaaan,” She muttered, “Now I’m never gonna find Mimi.”
It was the only sensible reason to be in the middle of Atlas Park on a sunny, weekend, afternoon; she was meeting someone.
“Just wait next to the City Hall railing,” Mimi had said, “I’ll just find you there.”
So here she stood, caught in a tempest raging through a sea of people.
It was then that the inevitable happened….

*WHUMP* *CRASH* Hey! *THUD* Watch where you’re going!!

She whirled around, only to be staring up into the round, hirsute, face of a seven foot Simian.
“Awwww…shiiitttt….”Her nose scrunching up at the corners.
The Simian narrowed his dark, seemingly pupil-less eyes
“Watch it Human.” He snorted.
“Hey, chill.” Francis brushed off her jacket, “It’s crowded out here.”
“It wouldn’t be such a problem if you humans could pick a direction…and then go there.”
“Relax already,” She squinted at the letters printed above the Simian’s Fist Emblem, “Recruit Razor.”
The Simian growled, towering over her. Francis dropped her left hand, tiny blue sparks trickling over her finger tips.
“Foolish humans, just don’t get it!” He waved a meaty fist through the air, “How you insult us!”
Francis spit out a lock of pink hair. “Insult you! My best friend is a Simian, I don’t have any reason to insult you! Now back off!”

All three Simians looked over at the small, pink-haired catholic schoolgirl.
“And just who might that be?” Came the deep, gravelly, voice.
“His name’s Scout.” Francis raised her voice over the din of the plaza.
Several quick glances passed between the Simians.
“The rogue Scout?” One of them growled. Francis was having trouble remembering which one was which but she thought one of them was called Sytch.

Francis glanced nervously from Simian to Simian as they growled and made odd noises at each other. One of them beat his chest and snarled; Francis would have thought it comical at any other time than right then. She carefully tried to back up into the confines of the crowd when she noticed something unnerving. There were Simians everywhere throughout the crowd. Some hovered just above the heads of the milling mass while others wound their way through the throngs towards Francis and the other Simians. She gulped, there had to be at least twenty of them.
A quick look back at the three large primates in front of her told her they were still in the midst of a heated…conversation? She fished through her jacket pocket and pulled out her cell phone and hit Speed Dial 6.
There was nothing but a continuous empty ringing.
“Damn it Jasmine, pick up your phone!” She slammed the phone shut, took a deep breath and flipped it open again, this time thumbing in a quick set of numbers.
“Yeah?” Came Jaygo’s usual ebullient voice.
“Jaygo!” Francis’ voice was a low, hoarse whisper.
“Hey Franky, how’s my favorite goth?” The background held an odd chiming sound and grunting noises that were either Jaygo playing a video game or some troll having his face beaten in.
“Ummm….been better. How fast can you get to Atlas plaza?”
“Atlas? Uhhh..I dunno…why?”
“Damn it Jaygo…just, how fast can you get here. I’m about to be publicly eaten by a band of MONKEYS!!”
“Son of a…I’ll be right there! Did Scout do something?”
“Yeah…he joined SJS! Now get over here!...oh…and bring others…this might get messy.”
“Yeah, no problem…I think I saw Tawney a moment ago.”
As Francis shoved her phone back in her pocket she looked up. The three Simians from earlier were still arguing about something but now several more had joined the scene and none looked too happy. Three young Simians she could handle if needed, but not this many, and not this many older ones.
“You know,” remarked a growling Simian, “Simian Scout would kill you if commanded.”
Francis’ face went livid. “He would not.” She hissed.
“He’s still a Simian.”
More words were said, something about enlightenment and humanity’s rightful place but Francis was no longer hearing.
“You take that BACK!” She shouted, her voice barely rising above the noise of the crowd.
“What!?” The Simian replied, “You dare talk back, I hate humans…I eat humans!”
“Hey Monkey! Lay off!” It was the most blessed voice Francis thought she had ever heard and she turned to find Tawney fast approaching from behind, followed quickly by Jaygo, Detective, and Ezekial Kane (who was kinda weird but it was ok at the moment, when faced with a mounting number of giant monkeys).
“What’s going on here?” Jaygo snapped as he landed beside Tawney.
“They said Scout would betray us,” Francis replied not turning from the Simians, “and then they threatened to eat me. I coulda taken these guys, but I’m no match for all of them by myself.”
“Nothing the Arena couldn’t fix.” Deadpanned Ezekiel, “at least they haven’t started throwing poo yet.”
One of the Simians lunged forward menacingly, “Foolish humans, how dare you insult a superior race! You give your people a bad name!”
Jaygo shrugged, “We just came from detention.”
Francis leaned over to Tawney and muttered out of the side of her mouth, “Anyone seen Scout today? This could blow up if he shows…”
“Nah, not today. I think he was finishing something up in Crey but I haven’t seen him.” She whispered back.
Within minutes the situation began to boil and Francis backed up well into the growing number of St. Joe’s students in an attempt to avoid knocking into yet another Simian. Heated words flew back and forth from both sides each demanding an apology from the other but neither side willing to concede any point….and Francis was pretty sure something was said about bananas.
She watched the growing tirades carefully and finally pin-pointed those who seemed most respected among the Simians, one Fel Mariah and one Simian Smith. She eased her way past the other students and called out,
“Fel Mariah, can I speak with you.”
“Yes Ms. Cross,” came the reply, “What has happened here? *growl* Recruit Sytch! Hold your tongue!”
As fast and concise as Francis could manage under the circumstances she told Fel Mariah of the altercation that was quickly spiraling out of control.
“You seem like a reasonable…ummm…cat. This has got to stop. We won’t be bullied by your Force and I won’t tolerate any threats against Scout!”
“What does the rogue Scout have to do with this?” Mariah looked puzzled.
Francis heaved a deep sigh, “Listen, your recruits need to watch their mouths or they’re going to find that those arrogant words come with a price and I’ll be happy to show them just how “pathetic” me and my friends are!”
Within moments, demanding shouts for apologies filled the air followed quickly by affirmations of superiority and angry denouncements from Simians, students and Thralls. Francis shook her head.
“I’m sorry Mariah, you seem reasonable…I’m sorry the rest are not.”
With that, Francis retreated into the safety of the SJS students and began to pull them away.
“Not now and not here guys,” She said, “There will be another time, but right now I gotta find Scout.”

---Franky X
"And now if you'll pardon me...I need a cigarette..."

[JadeRooster]

Why those lousy..! Way to tell 'em what for, Francis! Boy, if I had been there, there'd'a been a heap of monkey butt-kickery, I'm sure of that. "Rogue" nothin', Scout's a good mark in my book any day, I dare those stinky, rotten losers to badmouth him around me! No-good little... *grumble*

[Ezekiel Kane]

Seriously, those guys need to relax. I am all for intergalactic race relations, but it is races like that, that make me wonder if the Rikti were the real threat...



....

....I'm wierd?...

[Lycia]

You're not wierd Zekey! I think you are more.....uh.... Stoic! Yeah!!! The Stoic Ezekiel Kane!!!

[Ezekiel Kane]

....Zekey....????