Zephyr Plaza Protest Mob

--Attention Zephyr Employees! A large mob of angry mutants has been spotted forming a picket line outside of Zephyr Inc! Any available agents, please report to the lobby and prepare to break up the picketing crowd.--

Trace nods. "I know... But still... Wait... What's that noise?"

Flora stirrs, walking Over to Trace and Jenni. "I think there's something going on, outside... We might want to investigate..."

Jenni raises one ear. "I dunno..."

Trace purrs "It'll be fun... Advencha~!"

Roeinn goes over to the front, "Oh sweet, green-skinned Jesus."

Jenni nods. "Let's do it..."

Neterros groans, and rolls off the couch, shaking off the sleep. "What's going on...?"

Roeinn looks out the window and whimpers.

The noise from the picketing crowd outside rises to a dull roar, audible even within the lobby itself.

T'Chen comes up from downstairs, where she'd been sleeping off some battle injuries. "What on earth is going on?"

Darkwyrm growls as he comes up from downstairs. "Time to break out the smoke bombs, looks like.", he says, rolling his eyes.

Roeinn stares out the window for about five seconds and then turns to the people in the lobby, "Ummm... What do you guys do about rioting?"

T'Chen frowns. "I think that there are better ways to handle whatever the problem is than rioting." she advises. "We should go out there and talk to them."

Flora looks to T'Chen. “And what if they don't listen? What then?"

Roeinn rummages through his pockets and pulls out a PDA with the RSX insignia on it, "I'm gonna try and get us some help."

Neterros sighs, and heads toward the door. "This sucks..."

Trace looks to Jenni, purring "Whatever happens... Stay close..."

Roeinn types away on the PDA and and grunts in frustration, "Well, fuck.”

Roeinn waaghs, "According to RSX, they will not interfere with whatever is going on at Zephyr, because they're too "busy"."

Darkwyrm reverently says, "Blah blah blah. Diplomacy. They're blockin' the road, and bein' all annoying about it. I got stuff to do, so let's just smokim' away so we can get on with our day."

Roeinn sighs and shakes his head.

T'Chen looks over at Flora. "Riots generally happen because people think no one is listening to them. It's possible that they can't be calmed, but fighting is NOT inevitable yet." Seeing Net, she hurries to his side. "Love, I need you with me for this. People are going to shoot first and ask questions later if we don't do something about it."

Neterros nods. "I suppose... Let's hope this doesn't get any worse than it has to..."

Roeinn chuckles at T'Chen, "RSX isn't listening to me, and you don't see me rioting! THen again..."

Flora nods. "I know... Diplomacy is best... For the children, too.."

Devon hurries inside with Skylar, slamming the door behind him. "Okay, whatever we're going to do, we'd better get on it." he tells the crowd.

Rihko comes down from upstairs, paws in her pockets. She tilts her head to the side and her ears flick as she passes through the lobby. "Huh?" she asks. "Something's up? Oh, hey Dark. Skylar."

Roeinn takes off his trench coat to reveal his complete set of battle gear, "I guess we push, then."

Roeinn waaghs, "WHO'S WITH ME?!"

Katarina enters into the lobby from downstairs. Looking around, she sees everyone in a commotion. Walking up to the group of people, she asks, "Hey, uh, what's going on?"

Flora murrs "Don't be so battle-happy..."

Devon softly churrls, "I don't want to fight, but I will if I have to. Who's on the front lines with me?"

Roeinn chuckles, "An orc like myself, NOT battle-happy?!

Trace looks to Jenni, purring "whatever happens... Stay close to me..."

Skylar seems a bit out of breath as she looks at Rihko. "There's a...mob outside, I didn't even know we had enough people to have mobs..." She then looks at Roeinn. "What are you doing?! You want a full out war near Zephyr's lobby? If you're really going to pull that sort of stuff you better go down and hang with the kids at childcare..." She says clearly angry at Roeinn.

Jenni nods. "I've never actually faced a mob before..." she says in a tiny voice.

A clean cut Husky in a feminine suit enters the lobby, a sheaf of papers in her hands. She walks to the front of the group of employees and clears her throat. " Attention Zephyr agents. The higher ups have put out a call for security to break up the picketers outside and suppress the crowd. We believe that violence may not break out for a while, so please take the time to consolidate a plan of approach. The Zephyr PR division remains uncertain on the exact manner to handle this disruption, though we are happy to advise. "

T'Chen clears her throat. "I would appreciate it very much if people would hear me out first." she states. "May I have everyone's attention for a moment?"

Roeinn sighs and looks back out the window, "It's days like these that I wish I'd spend more time at RSX."

Neterros holds T'Chen tightly, one ear trained for what she had to say.

"Violence t'ain't the answer." Dark says, "But some nice smoke grenades and some tactical peppah gas is for breakin' them up nice n' fast."

"Ahhh..." Rihko says. "Just picketers. That's not a riot, riot is when they start burning things and attacking." She smiles and glances around. "Anyone bother to ask what they want?"

Redd gives twelve Smoke bombs to Darkwyrm.

Roeinn looks back away from the window, "I can go out and ask."

Katarina looks at Skylar with a concerned look on her face. "Sky, do you know why they're picketing?" she asks, unable to see out the windows

As usual in these kinds of situations, a rather confused looking dragon encased in metal plating strides within the lobby, a small frown upon his face. "You know, Zephyr seems more crowded than usual today. Or is it just me?" Loki asks nobody in particualr, the dragon essentially speaking to himself out loud, a small flick of his tongue as he samples the air. Though the clean cut husky does get his attention and he tilts his head. "Picketers? What do they want? Or are they just building fences?"

Flora murrs, looking to the Husky in question, and walks over to Jenni and Trace. "Stay close to me, too... Both of you... Stick together as a group... HOPE, LOU, GET DOWNSTAIRS ASAP!"

T'Chen says, "We need a tactical plan that will discourage violence but be prepared for it. First, I'd like to go and talk to the mutants, and hear out their grievances. I'd like a few strong fighters to accompany me, with the understanding that they are not to engage in violence unless we are actively attacked. Second, I'd like a show of force outside the lobby between the diplomatic group and the building itself. I'm going to need some mid-line fighters with some support capabilities. Those smoke grenades I just saw would make great equipment for the people in that role. Finally, I want a force of strong fighters inside just in case they breach the perimeter, with a special focus around the nursery where the children are kept; everything else is expendable. Who can I count on to cooperate with me on this plan? Keep in mind, I want very much to avoid bloodshed if possible."

Darkwyrm frowns. "Fine. I will accompany you. If there's someone that's qualified to make sure they know who's got upperhand in negotiations, it's me."

Devon looks around in the chaos, frowning a little bit...and then a plan emerges. At least there's that. "I'll hold the middle lines if that's what we do."

Skylar shakes her head at Katarina. "No idea." She then turns to Loki and chuckles in an ironic way. "Ha." Before finally turning to T'Chen. "I'm definetly better at diplomacy, but I'll do just fine in a suport role...don't count on me for direct combat tough."

Flora nods. "I'll protect the children. I feel like I'd fill that role the best... Jenni, Trace?" Trace nods, "What do you think, Jenni?"

Neterros chuckles. "I'll just stand in the back and look good."

Rihko snickers a little and her tails twist and curl. "I'll go with you too," she says to T'Chen. "Name's Rihko."

Roeinn looks back out the window, and then looks over at Devon, "Why are you talking about holding lines? WE don't even know if their intentions are 'fatal' or not."

Rihko is quiet for a moment, then shrugs. "If you just want me to loom I'll loom, but I can watch your back, chat with them, whatever you need." The kitsune smiles and her ears flick.

T'Chen smiles at Neterros. "Love, I'd like you at my side if you're willing." Then she nods to Rihko and Darkwyrm. "Your help is appreciated. Three people should be enough to stand at my side; we don't want the initial show of strength to be overpowering."

The shouting outside grows louder and a window shatters, a paper wrapped brick smashing through it to skitter across the lobby floor.

Neterros sighs and nods. "Sure thing, sweetie." He kisses T'Chen's brow softly, looking toward the window with a rather annoyed gaze.

Devon eyes Roeinn. "The din out there is pretty bad. I'm not saying they plan to kill, but we should prepare for a fight."

Katarina looks around before saying, sheepishly, "I'm not really good at fighting, but I can try helping with the talk"

T'Chen frowns, and makes her way over to the brick before unwrapping it to read the paper.

"Hmph. Neterros isn't trained for combat. Are you sure that you want him in the front lines?", Dark says, scowling slightly.

Roeinn grins at Devon, "You should always be prepared for a fight, not always prepared to start one."

Skylar nods as T'Chen continues the instructions, adding to it. "Well people, don't forget the basics, we DO have a right to get these people off here, but that doesn't mean we have the rights to beat them up just because we feel threathned, okay?" She then eyes the paper in T'Chen's hand. "Oh boy..."

Devon nods. "I won't start a fight, but I'll damn sure end one if I have to."

Neterros ignores Dark's rather contemptual remark, and heads over to T'Chen, looking over her shoulder.

Flora jumps, hearing the window shattering, standing close to Trace and Jenni, making sure the other children present have scampered back to the daycare. "Well That's one risk diminised. Jenni, Trace, stay close?" Trace nods, holding Jenni close. "Of course we will... Strength in numbers..."

Loki doesn't seem to have noticed many of the people there, the dragon frowning as he looks thoughtful for a moment, the dragon already at the window, the dragon peering outside. Hopefully he can discern what they are trying to protest from a glance, though he does look like he is about to just march out there and ask.

Rihko quietly sighs and shakes her head. "So much machismo in this room... I'll need to take a double dose of my birth control when I leave just to be safe." She looks over at Loki and gives the dragon a nod. "Hey, what's up?" Her paws stay in her pockets, although she does move a few steps closer to T'Chen.

T'Chen nods slowly. "All right. "This has something to do with the belief that we're engaging in some manner of genocide, people. I know it's not true, but I think they don't. As for Net, there's no one in all the world I'd rather have at my side, no matter what happens. People, choose your places. I'm going out there to talk. The three who are coming with me, please join me. Anyone who's going to hold the outside, please follow us after a minute." With that, she makes for the door.

Katarina raises a paw excitedly before asking, "Hey, um, do we know if they're Prometian or RSX or both?"

Devon nods his understanding. At least someone seems to have a plan, and he'll follow it until someone gives a better one.

T'Chen says, "We don't. And it doesn't matter."

Roeinn looks over at T'Chen, "Genocide?!" he laughs heartfully, "And they say RSX has a bad name!"

Darkwyrm straightens his coat and pats the blade as his side before marching out the door after T'Chen.

Jenni hugs Trace so tightly, it seemed like she was trying to strangle him. "Let's hope this ends well..."

Skylar nods at T'Chen and waits for the other three to join her so that she can take her place as a support outside. "So Devon, ready?" She asks the bunny next to her.

Neterros reaches down into his ankle pouch and pulls out a bottle of pills, rattling out four before popping them into his mouth. After he accomplishes this, he restores the bottle to his pouch and follows after T'Chen hurriedly.

Devon shakes his head. "You can never really be ready for a fight. All you can do is brace yourself and take it as it comes."

Flora looks to Jenni, putting a paw on her hand, as well as on Trace, who seems to be a bit tense, as well. "I'm here, Trace is here, net is here... You'll be fine...

Rihko shrugs and turns on her footpads, following after T'Chen. She puts a pleasant, warm smile on her face, and remains calm, relaxed, and unconcerned.

Loki seems to look intent on the various people here, and he seems to wince with what he sees, a long sigh escaping the dragon as he shakes his head and slumps in place. He casts a slow glance over to Skylar and Rihko, offering a small wave. "Not much is up. An angry mob that I failed to notice. Slogans and stuff about demanding compensation from zephyr and the company being made to pay for what they have done." he sighs, rubbing his helmet where his temples would be.

Shouts rise from an angry crowd, dozens of mutants swarming and picketing in front of the Zephyr main offices. A punkish skunk-beast, his nose pierced and hair spiked pumps his fist in the air. “What do we want?!”

A busty knockout mouse, her topless chest painted bright green, waves a sign in the air that reads 'Murderers of the human race!' and shouts, “Zephyr must pay!“

The shouts of over a dozen other mutants in the crowd ring out alongside her.

The spike-haired skunk beast raises a megaphone to his lips and shouts. “That's right! It's time for you corporate creeps to pay up for what you've done to us! The former human race demands compensation!”

T'Chen steps forward, both hands raised skyward to show that she bears no weapons. "All of you, please hear me!" she calls out to the crowd. "I would like to talk with a spokesperson. I want to hear your grievances and make things right, but I can't hear all of you at once."

Neterros chuckles. "They act as though the regular employees are to blame..." he says to himself.

Flora looks over to Jenni, and pats her on the shoulder. "Listen... We're the back-row... If you're not feeling okay," she looks to Trace "either one of you... Come to me... I'll protect you..."

Darkwyrm rolls his eyes. "Ughh.. not this shit again. When are they going to learn to just shut up and go to RSX and get dosed if they don't like it?", he says, though not loud enough for the crowd to hear.

Devon hangs back in front of the door like he said he would, arms folded, expression neutral. His message is clear: You're Not Getting Inside.

Skylar joins her hands on her back and just watches the crowd from a distance behind the main group, near Devon, hoping to spot anything out of place or dangerous for the front team.

Darkwyrm steps up beside T'chen in a bodyguard fashion, but keeps a distance of about 5 feet as to not take any of the crowd's attention from her, but close enough that his threatening demeanor and no-nonsense expression is hard to miss.

Rihko glances back and forth at the shouting crowd, then pulls her paws from her pockets and raises her hands. "Hey, hey... murderers of the human race?" she asks, tone hurt. "Really? You think they did this themselves?"

Neterros stands just next to T'Chen, inspecting the members of the crowd to take stock on who's gone crazy recently, and to check and see if there's anyone he recognizes in the midst of the chaos.

Katarina takes a step back, intimidated by the crowd. "T-They look angry..." she says, not used to being around so much aggression at once.

T'Chen holds up a hand to Rihko, and quietly breathes, "Please...more than one voice at a time will confuse them, and make them feel ganged up on."

Skylar looks around a few times and approaches T'Chen, hoping that her short size doesn't attract much attention from the protesters, without getting too close to her she says quickly. "T'Chen, the skunk beast that was screaming just now, something's off about him, I think he's riling people up but isn't supporting their cause for real..."

Flora looks to Jenni, holding her close, like a mother would her own child, in such a situation. Obviously, she does the same for Trace, and eyes the outside world from her position behind the window, making sure to form a strong back-line.

Loki sighs as he follows the crowd out, the dragon slumping further. "People are dumb but a person is smart." he sighs, the dragon straightening out and rising to his full height shortly after. He scowls a little, the dragon stepping up beside Rihko. "How do you think the mob makes us feel?" he says to the kitsune in response to T'chen, his tail flicking behind him.

Devon notices that Flora is with her children, and shifts to get a little closer to her. Nobody's hurting kids while he's around.

Darkwyrm shifts his weight back and forth between legs but remains silent. His keeps the corners of his mouth upturned slightly, showing off his sharp canines in a intimidating manner. His arms are crossed over his chest, but he's ready to use his weapon should it become necessary.

T'Chen's response to Skylar is a simple nod, but she waits patiently for the crowd to react to her request for a spokesperson.

Jenni hugs Trace, rather intimidated by the size of the crowd.

Neterros scritches his cheek slowly. "Might strange day, huh?" he asks no one in particular.

Skylar makes her way back near Devon, not wanting to be caught up in the middle of this alone. She sighs and resumes her 'security guard' position.

The punkish skunk beast muscles out of the encircling crowd and stands up on a crate dragged out by a nervous looking skunk girl who emerges from the crowd before scurrying back into it, taking her place amongst the picketers once more. "I think I speak for all of us when I say that it's time Zephyr was made to answer for what they've done!"

T'Chen nods slowly, looking up at the skunk beast while he stands on the crates. "All right, let's first establish a clear route of communication. What is it, precisely, that you believe Zephyr has done as an organization? Once we know that, we can work on recompense."

Flora nods to Devon, still keeping her son, and her daughter-in-law close, and mewls "stay close... You'll be fine... And if they get to you... Run downstairs, and barricade the nursery... I'll hold them off as long as I can..."

Katarina looks at Skylar with a scared look on her face. "Sky, what if they make it past the front line? I'm not a fighter" she says, shifting her weight between her legs nervously

Devon simply tells Flora, "Your kids aren't in danger." Then he nods to Skylar, keeping the lines close.

Darkwyrm bestially hisses, "Hmmph. They sounds like broken records. Just restatin' the same broad claims over an' over and not offerin' any solutions. "

T'Chen looks over her shoulder at Darkwyrm. "It doesn't matter if they're repeating themselves. What matters is that they don't think we're listening." She looks back to the skunk beast, directly into his eyes. "I AM listening. I want to hear what you have to say. Please, explain to me."

The skunk beast sneers and turns to the crowd lifting his megaphone, "Hear that?! They're trying to play stupid! Like they somehow don't have eyes to see the wasteland they've made of our lives!"

The crowd roars, some of them shaking their fists angrily, and a current of disbelieving rage running through them.

Flora nods. "I know... I'm here... I'm just trying to comfort them... They're not used to this... And well... Jenni and Trace have eachother, too... Together, they can beat anything..." Trace nods, squeezing Jenni's paw, "Love you... No matter what..."

Neterros tilts his head to the side. "I'm stupid, but I'm not a fan of people shouting about to everyone else..."

Skylar doesn't move from her position nor looks at Katarina while responding. "Then all non-fighters run back and barricade...I'm not much of a fighter myself but I know how to hold my own...I hope." She then addresses T'Chen again, from her position this time. "T'Chen. You might want to keep an eye on the skunk girl that brought that box. She knows this guy that's making all the trouble, I know it's kind of terrible to say 'look for a skunk girl' but...that's all I got." She says while trying to keep calm as the mob rages.

Jenni nods. "Love you too, Trace..."

T'Chen takes a deep breath. "I admit, I haven't been here as long as many of you." she calls out to the crowd. "I may not understand the full degree of what you've been through. That's why I want you to explain it to me, so that we can reach an understanding." She glances briefly at Skylar and gives a quick nod before returning her attention to the skunk beast. "Please, will you tell me your name? My name is T'Chen."

As the skunk beast shouts through the megaphone, a figure stirs on the roof of Zephyr's building, before looking down upon the crowd and various agents standing outside of the front door. "What's going on down there? And what's with the noise? Can't a guy get a few hours of sleep?"

Devon hmmms. "She's good at this." he notes, before laying a hand on Skylar's closer shoulder. "Careful."

Katarina nods at Skylar, her tail flipping about a little. Confidence slightly restored, she says smiling a little, "Sky, if you're gonna help here, so am I. We can take em on if they get too close"

The skunk beast sneers at T'Chen. "I'm sure you're just dying to hear my name, we've all heard stories about what some of your creep agents have done. You think we want you showing up at whatever shithole we've holed up in for the night and busting our faces in?"

He turns back to the crowd, "Do you think these assholes deserve to know our names? I say hell no! We are the voice of the people and that's all that matters!"

A slow chant begins to sweep through the crowd until many are shouting in unison, "The People! The People!"

Darkwyrm shakes his head and chuckles at the skunk's ignorance and continues standing there looking his best impression of pretty.

Neterros sighs. "Seems to be a communication error here..."

Rihko glances over her shoulder to look at Skylar, Flora, and the rest. She shakes her head. "Cool it. We don't need to plan how to save your children from a slaughter," she says. She turns back to the crowd and hops up onto the skunk beast's crate, calling out. "You people are reasonable! You won't go and attack poor, harmless women and children in the same circumstance as you, right?"

T'Chen nods her understanding. "If you don't want to tell me your names, that's all right. You don't have to. I'm not entirely sure how knowing your names would tell me where you sleep, but I can respect your right to anonymity." A brief breath is drawn in, and she murmurs something very quietly before proceeding:

Darkwyrm turn his head towards the building and frowns. "I don't even know why those noncombatants brought themselves and their children out here. How stupid can you get?"

Flora looks out of her barricaded window, making sure to keep a close eye on the happenings, now that Trace and Jenni are keeping eachother safe. She purrs "No matter what, stay close..." She continues to kool out, making sure to keep a close eye on T'chen, perking her feline ears.

Skylar ends up ignoring Devon as she keeps on watching the crowd, her eyes glinting as she notices something. "Damn..." She walks up to T'Chen again. "A goddamn duo of skunk girls, one of which was the one who brought the box just started the chanting they did now, there's no way you can reason with this guy, he's setting these people up, manipulating them..."

T'Chen begins to take steps toward the crowd. "I may be new, but I am one of you. We are the People, all of us. I walk among you as an equal, unafraid." Her hands remain lifted, palms showing, acting on a display of nonaggression deeply ingrained in the psyche. "I ask only that you work with me to find an answer. Will you help me to help us?"

Loki growls a little at all the speaking, especially when the skunk seems to mention breaking in, his tail thrashing behind him. He seems a little surprised when Rihko leaps atop the crate, the dragon quickly stepping in beside her, though he remains on the ground, tongue flitting out of his mouth. He seems to be holding out on saying someething, but he relents for the time being.

Darkwyrm buries his face in his palm as T'chen starts walking toward the mob. "Great. Now we're gonna have to scrape her off the pavement." He growls and proceeds to follow her at a safe distance, to keep his presence known.

As Rihko balances on the crate and addresses the mob, she also slowly pushes the skunk beast off; not a rude shove, or a hip bump, just a clearly dominant individual taking her rightful place, claiming the rabble rouser's position and authority.

Despite the light push, the skunk beast dramatically flies from the crate, crashing hard on the asphalt and toppling head over heels, he seems to struggle to his feet, his brow gashed and face bleeding. He clutches his arm and screams at the crowd. "Oh god, oh god! The crazy bitch broke my fucking arm!"

The skunk beast regains his footing and shouts at the crowd, his voice practically -oozing- pain, "Oh god, see what these psychos are willing to do to get their way?"

The crowd howls in agitation and the apparent ringleader of the mob bares his teeth. “You think you can intimidate us? The voice of the people won't be denied!”

An apparently incredibly drunk shadow dragon shouts her agreement, flinging an empty liquor bottle forward. It smashes on the steps of the building, scattering glass shards. She shouts from the crowd, her voice a barely comprehensible slur. “Fuck you corporate assholes! I was a power broker with a wife and a job, now I'm a homeless lizard with a cunt! I want back what you took from me!”

Neterros sighs. "And of course, they don't care that we have kids downstairs who need taking care of.”

"Oh, great job.", Dark says to Rihko. "All y'had to do was giv'im a light shove, and you went an' gave 'im some more material to work with."

T'Chen draws in a deep breath. "There is a cure." she states, flatly. "If you will hear me, if you will allow me to speak and listen to me, I will promise you that I will do what it takes to bring this cure to you. Please, don't discard the remainder of your humanity!"

Skylar adresses T'Chen again, hoping not to confuse the crowd with one more voice. "He's faking it and he's good at it, someone hired this guy and those skunk girls JUST for this, someone is riling this mob against us and they need to know they're being played by someone that's not us..."

Flora looks out of the window, murring "If only this'll end well..." She turns to Trace and Jenni, who are standing close together, Trace having wrapped his arms around Jenni. "Oh. I er... I mean... We're safe in here... Really.. I won't let them get to you... Either of you..."

Katarina shakes her head unbelievingly, "He's not gonna listen. He's got too much going for him to back down"

Devon lays a hand on Flora's shoulder. "Just stay calm." he tells her.

T'Chen seems to be more intent on addressing the crowd than the skunk beast, at this point.

Flora nods. "I know... Panic gets us nowhere... Just the thought of ANYONE harming my children, or their loved ones..." She nods to Jenni. "No-one... I will not stand for it..."

The crowd mills in confusion for a moment at T'Chen's words, before the skunk beast howls. "We don't want your damn cure, what do we want?" An occasional voice in the crowd shouts, “Money!” , or another voice shouting, “Protection!”

The busty knockout mouse from earlier shouts, “Take responsibility! We want an investigation!”

The crowd's ringleader waves them for quiet before raising his megaphone. The skunk beast shouts, “We want blood first! Public execution of Zephyr's current leaders, then a full investigation, punishment, and full compensation for everyone effected! Zephyr must fall!”

Rihko raises her eyebrows and tilts her head to the side, looking down at the guy. "Yea... you're totally faking it." She turns back to the crowd and waves a paw. "This guy's just playing you, people, you can ignore him." She pauses, perched on her crate in front of the crowd, paws going back into her jacket pockets. Her ear quirks and her tails sway, and she looks them over. "You know what? Before all this, I had a very nice, cushy job running an art gallery. An -art- gallery. My toughest problems to deal with each day were how to hang the lights, and which room to put which painting in." She pauses, and her tail flicks again before she speaks again, quieter. "Since then, I've been brutally beaten. Multiple times. Raped. Multiple times. Watched my own mother die. Lost all of my family. All of my friends. My life has, frankly, gotten damned shitty." She pauses, and jerks a thumb at Zephyr. "What do you think they should do about it, though? They can't do -anything- to fix any of that, and I don't blame them for it. I blame the wackos who set off the bombs." She turns and leans over, settling her stare on the ringleader. "Wackos like this guy. He's not one of you. He's just using you."

Neterros chuckles. "So in the end, it's all one big blame game. Nothing oughta get better, just so long as we can point our fingers at other people."

Loki seems to finally snap as people start throwing things, the dragon then responding to the voice. "If you were actually motivated you would have marched up here and asked for a job!" he yells in response. "Anybody willing to work will be compensated in turn. Hell, I can name three other groups in the city, along with another on the outskirts that also offer similar provisions." the dragon speaking loud, clear, and remarkably calm as Rihko starts speaking, the dragon waiting for her to finish and throws a thumb in her direction. "Basically what she said. Zephyr cannot fix everything, but if you would pay attention they are at least trying, as are others. The rats. The skunks at the library. And even the survivalists."

T'Chen holds up a hand. "I ask that you hear me, all of you." she states, climbing up onto the podium where Rihko stands. "First, is it true? You don't want a cure, you don't want your humanity back? Those of you who choose to keep your forms will be entitled to the same protection as the rest of you. Which brings me to my next point." She looks out amongst the crowd. "All of you - ALL of you - are welcome within Zephyr's walls, to enjoy the same protection that I do. Anyone who wants protection and a warm bed can join us; I should know, that's how I got where I am now. I agree with the need for an investigation, and I encourage you to choose a spokesperson who is *not* this man-" here she points at the skunk beast "-to ensure that it is done honestly and fairly. There will not, however, be bloodshed unless it is necessary. Not ours, not yours, not anyone's. You say that your humanity has been stolen from you, but humanity isn't about fur, or scales, or tails. Humanity isn't about how you look on the outside, humanity is about who you are on the inside. Humanity is about that inexorable, fundamental decency that can exist within even the most mutated among us. No matter how bad things have gotten, there's ALWAYS a way back. That's what humanity is, and you've only lost it if you surrender it...or allow yourself to be fooled by someone with ulterior motives."

Devon whistles lowly.

Rihko lets T'Chen take the stage, hopping down so she can continue to stare at the skunk beast. Her ear twitches, and she smirks. "You're funny, bubs," she murmurs quietly. "This is the most amusing thing I've seen all week."

Darkwyrm looks down at the skunk on the ground and furrows his brow. "Don't bother getting back up. You're done.", he warns.

The skunk beast snarls at Rihko then points at Loki, "These two, they're just trying to break us up. They don't care how much they've fucked up our lives and are trying to make us turn on each other and blame each other instead of the real bastards responsible! They'll go to any lengths to silence us!"

A sudden pair of loud -CRACK- sounds ring out through the plaza and the skunk beast screams, red fluid spurting from his shoulder. He stumbles backward, face twisted in apparent agony.

A feminine churring scream emerges from the crowd. "Oh god! Snipers! Run!"

The mob breaks and scatters against the apparent display of force, frightened mutants fleeing the scene. The skunk beast shouts out a furious, "You can break up a protest, assholes, but you can't silence us forever!"

The skunk beast turns and dashes for a nearby alleyway, leaping a broken crate and disappearing into its depths, dropping a punctured bag of medical blood as he flees.