maskormenacelogs

WHO: The Major and... YOU?!
WHERE: Maurtia Falls
WHEN: 4/21
WHAT: The Major is bored during the epic spring snowstorm. Come throw snowballs at her head or something.
WARNINGS: None for now.

Just when the Major was planning on getting out her spring wardrobe (which, honestly, wasn't that different from her winter wardrobe), the snow had blown through Maurtia Falls like the ice-cold breath of Jack Frost himself, leaving the city with a couple feet of snow. The city had practically shut down, and not even the criminals that seemed to occupy every shadow were smart enough to stay inside.

The Major trudged through the snow in one of the parks, her long coat flapping in the wind as she watched kids celebrate a day off from school by building snowmen. The storm had pretty much blown through, though a few flurries still hung in the air. Her apartment was without power, so there was no use staying home when it was only marginally less cold than it was outside. Regardless, she didn't show much sign of discomfort in the cold. It was easy enough to just turn off her sense of hot and cold. Instead, she found herself faced with something even more unpleasant: boredom. With criminal activity at an all-time low thanks to the weather, well... there wasn't much to do.

Without warning, a snowball slammed into the back of her head. Luckily, she only felt the force of it, which was barely enough to cause her head to tilt forward. She spun around, glaring daggers at... a small, buck-toothed kid who giggled and began to run off to hid behind a nearby tree.

Her expression softened as bits of snow and ice dripped from the tips of her purple hair. "What the hell," she muttered to herself, bending down and compacting a small ball of snow in her hands. She released it in a perfect parabolic arc, sending it smacking lightly into the back of the kid's jacket. She wasn't much for kids, but it wasn't like there was anything better to do.

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The snowstorm had caught Laurel by surprise. She expected warmer weather in the spring months but it seemed like freak storms were a thing in this place. Laurel bundled up in her warmest clothes before heading out onto the streets of Maurtia Falls: she didn't live in this city, but that didn't mean Laurel was opposed to going outside of Heropa from time to time.

Laurel was glad to see the kids who were off school having a blast in the snow. The street was lined with snowmen, each with different accessories and looks. They varied in size and shape, and it really spoke about how creative the kids were. She asked them if she could take a few photos of the snowmen with her device and they were quite happy to let her do that.

She came across the Major a little while later, watching as she masterfully threw a snowball at a kid who seemed to be hiding behind a tree. Laurel let out a low whistle as she approached the woman, smiling afterwards.

"That was a pretty good shot."

"Thanks," she responded, picking a few bits of ice out of her hair. It was a combination of skill as well as software that gave her pinpoint accuracy. "But I think I may have just escalated hostilities."

The kid and some of his friends were busy packing the snow into tight little balls, creating an arsenal to unleash upon their trench coat-clad foe. The Major raised an eyebrow slightly at Laurel. She hated to bring someone else into her fights, and especially someone she didn't know, but she only had so many hands for throwing snowballs.

Laurel glanced over at the children, a smile playing on her lips. It looked like they were gearing up for a full scale war. She looked back at the Major, noticing the raised brow.

"Looks like you'll be outnumbered. Maybe I can help with that." She didn't have any immediate plans and the kids would enjoy a snowball fight - that she knew for certain. Laurel smiled again, widely this time. "I'll join forces with you. Laurel, by the way. Hi."

A brief introduction was better than no introduction at all.

"Motoko," she replied with a slight nod, already bending down to begin construction of her arsenal. Even with Laurel's aid, the odds weren't in their favor. And the kids had already amassed a truly terrifying amount of snowballs.

"Maybe we should look for cover," she said, motioning toward a half-buried park bench nearby that would work as a makeshift shield.

"Sounds like a plan." Laurel agreed, crouching down to quickly roll up a few snowballs to take along with her. "I'm ready."

She doesn't waste any time in heading towards the park bench - a snowball landed quite close to Laurel, thrown by one of the children. Maybe that was a warning shot. Laurel picked up the pace, intending to get there before she got pelted by snow.

The Major provided some covering fire as they made their escape and finally ducked behind the bench. "They've got the advantage of numbers. but they're just kids. I'd bet on our throwing arms over theirs. If we can keep up a steady attack, they won't be able to get into range."

The Major, always a professional.

Laurel nodded in agreement. "Been a while since I've thrown a snowball, but my aim is pretty good. Plus, we do have a bit more strength than they do."

Just then, a volley of snowballs came their way. Laurel wasted no time in prepping a few snowballs for a counter-attack, rolling them up as fast as she could.

Most of this month had been a blur for Jacob, thanks to the so-called 'sleep plague' that had occupied most of his days and nights with a hideous nightmare. Dreams of a life where he served the Soviets so faithfully he would even kill Commander Shepard had left him rattled and disoriented. The snowstorm in April didn't help matters either. Walking through the city and watching the snow come down, some paranoid part of him suspected that he had slept into next winter, or even was still dreaming.

Spotting the Major getting into a snowball fight with kids didn't exactly ease the surreal feeling.

"Major?" Jacob stood there and squinted, trying to confirm that yes, this was her, yes he was seeing this. It was rare to see the Major in daylight and not involved in some life-or-death crimefighting. Seeing her playing with kids was rarer still.

"Jacob," she responded, shielding her face from a barrage of snowballs. "I need you to flank them on the left." She returned fire before tossing him one of her pre-made snowballs. With his help, she just might break their formation.

Jacob looked at Motoko: pinpoint accuracy, superhuman strength, speed, and reflexes, astounding tactical acumen, and who knew how many millions of dollars worth of cybernetic upgrades. Then he looked over to the children she was battling with, who had none of those things and no real advantage save numbers.

Then he smiled. Mischeviously.

"I don't think so. These teams need balancing. Heads up, Major!"

His biotics glowed, and levitated a clump of snow off the ground to send it hurtling toward her head. Inside, Jacob could feel something within him starting to warm and relax. After weeks trapped dreaming of the blood and horror of a fake war, a play war might be just what he needed.

Betrayal! In an extremely rare turn of events, the Major was actually caught off guard as the snow hit her right in the side of the head. "I never took you for a traitor, Jacob," she said with mock outrage as she shook the snow from her hair.

Now she found herself assaulted from all sides. The kids seemed pleased to have an adult on their side, and renewed their assault with vigor. The Major leaped out of the way of the oncoming snowballs, looking for a way to turn the tables.

And that's when she suddenly turned invisible. Only her footprints in the snow gave away her location, and soon enough, snowballs were flying from seemingly empty air, with most of them aimed at Jacob.

"Guess what? I'm full of surprises," Jacob said as he stooped down to pack up some more snow the old-fashioned way, using his hands. "Besides, I like kids."

And he was suddenly very popular with the kids the Major had managed to antagonize, who cheered as Jacob threw his snowball. But suddenly there was nothing to throw it at, the Major had vanished, and the snowball hurled through the air without impact.

Jacob barely had time to be confused before the Major's retaliation clocked up upside the head and left cold meltwater dribbling down his collar. He wiped the remainder of the snow from his face and yelled to the kids. "Look for her footprints! You can find her with her footprints!"

If there was ever weather that could defeat the Major's cloak, this was it.

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I'm so sorry, I thought I tagged this!

It's okay!

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