Kind of callous, aren't you?

[Mike Morbid]

So I'm patrolling Atlas Park. There seems to be no end of Hellions, zombies, and other such malcontents roaming the streets. Thanks to my improved physical structure, they are little more than a nuisance to me at this point, but the citizens don't have that advantage.

 

Soon enough, I see some thugs trying to snatch a woman's purse. She is valiantly trying to hold onto it, but it is just a matter of time before she loses her valuables or gets hurt. I charge in and get to work. The first guy goes down with one hit, but the second one is made of sterner stuff. Regretfully, I use too much of my strength, and hurt him rather severely. As I call for paramedics, the woman runs back. Standing over his mangled form, she picks up her purse, then smiles sweetly at me.

 

"Thank you so much!"

 

I'm rather taken aback. I look down at the guy she is almost standing on. If you reassembled his arms and legs, make some alterations to his spine, and perhaps use a combination of duct tape and powerful glue on his face, you might be able to make him back into a semi-functional human being. I've been fused with the spirit of a dragon which had a rather questionable view of human life, and even I am rather grossed out by the mess at my feet. However, she doesn't seem to be the least bit bothered by it. I stammer out a reply.

 

"Uhm… yeah... you're welcome."

 

Perhaps I'm keeping a vigilant eye on the wrong people.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Mike Morbid

[THEDarkTyger]

That Rikti adapted medical tech can do amazing things. *nod*

[Coyotedancer]

She walks that route to work every day... and every day she sees half a dozen similarly mangled, or fried, or stabbed, or electrocuted, or gnawed-on-by-demons gang members who've tried to snatch a purse and run afoul of some hero. It's an ordinary thing in Paragon City.

 

After awhile, you just get used to it.

[Troyusrex]

12 hours ago, Mike Morbid said:

Soon enough, I see some thugs trying to snatch a woman's purse. She is valiantly trying to hold onto it, but it is just a matter of time before she loses her valuables or gets hurt.

I beg to disagree...never in the history of CoH has there EVER been a successful purse snatching. Many, many attempts, but no successes. 

[tremor3258]

26 minutes ago, Troyusrex said:

I beg to disagree...never in the history of CoH has there EVER been a successful purse snatching. Many, many attempts, but no successes. 

The FBSA had to disallow grip strength as a registered superpower when the paperwork deluge threatened to overwhelm them.

[Eva Destruction]

THere is, however, a constant stream of civilians with pulled muscles and dislocated shoulders caused by playing extended games of purse tug-of-war.

[Mike Morbid]

There must have been changes recently, because I saw a hellion actually win the tug of war. He said something like "I knew I would win" and started running. Of course, I squished him before he got too far, but I'm sure he's a legend among hellions.

[srmalloy]

52 minutes ago, Troyusrex said:

I beg to disagree...never in the history of CoH has there EVER been a successful purse snatching. Many, many attempts, but no successes. 

Actually, I've seen two examples that suggest that it happens, although offscreen. One was a conversation among a group of Hellions where one says "No, I'm telling you -- he got the purse!", and the other one was a 'pass by and come back later' situation in Kings Row over on the east side; I was over there to talk to the contact there, and there was a Skull playing tug-of-war with a civilian. When I'd finished with the contact and headed back out, the civilian was gone and the Skull was rifling a handbag. So there is at least the suggestion that purse snatchings can be successful.

[ArchVileTerror]

Aye, new to the game are actual -successful- purse-snatchers!   You can even see some Skulls in Kings Row rummaging through their spoils of war . . . and complaining about the contents.

[Twisted Toon]

2 hours ago, ArchVileTerror said:

Aye, new to the game are actual -successful- purse-snatchers!   You can even see some Skulls in Kings Row rummaging through their spoils of war . . . and complaining about the contents.

You know, you can tell a lot about a woman by the contents of her purse...

[Coyotedancer]

Somehow I image the usual Paragon purse-contents to include an unusual concentration of switchblades, brass knuckles, pepper sprays, cans of mace, Snake-b-Gone, pocket packs of Round Up weed killer (for DE plant monsters) and that kind of thing. 

 

No one carries cash or anything else valuable in a purse. Ever.

[ArchVileTerror]

Don't forget the Reward Merit Cards for City of Gyros!

Buy nine Gyros, and the tenth one gets 50% extra filling!

[TheRealBrandino]

On 5/23/2020 at 7:30 PM, Coyotedancer said:

She walks that route to work every day... and every day she sees half a dozen similarly mangled, or fried, or stabbed, or electrocuted, or gnawed-on-by-demons gang members who've tried to snatch a purse and run afoul of some hero. It's an ordinary thing in Paragon City.

 

After awhile, you just get used to it.

That's like those cars I see casually driving around talos during a rikti or zombie invasion.  After that many invasions I guess you just stop caring. 

[ArchVileTerror]

"Ugh . . . gonna need new windshield wipers.  Zombie ichor just -always- gums 'em up to the point of no return."

[EmmySky]

9 hours ago, Twisted Toon said:

You know, you can tell a lot about a woman by the contents of her purse...

Dont be looking in my purse...hell even I am scared to look in there!

[Coyotedancer]

*laughing* And what about those of us who DON'T carry one? 

 

We are mysterious. XD

[ArchVileTerror]

I use a wallet.  My spouse -still- says I carry too much stuff in it.

[Coyotedancer]

Guilty.

 

Definitely guilty of that here, too. 

 

[Twisted Toon]

12 hours ago, EmmySky said:

Dont be looking in my purse...hell even I am scared to look in there!

 

41 minutes ago, Coyotedancer said:

*laughing* And what about those of us who DON'T carry one? 

 

We are mysterious. XD

 

40 minutes ago, ArchVileTerror said:

I use a wallet.  My spouse -still- says I carry too much stuff in it.

 

34 minutes ago, Coyotedancer said:

Guilty.

 

Definitely guilty of that here, too. 

 

Not quite the responses I was expecting...But, this is CoH after all. The unexpected is the norm.

[Coyotedancer]

The Ways of the Purse (or lack of a purse-) are Many and Full of Questions.

[Eva Destruction]

Full of questions that often even the owner of said purse can't answer.

[mechahamham]

On 5/23/2020 at 7:53 PM, Mike Morbid said:

Perhaps I'm keeping a vigilant eye on the wrong people.

Today, I answered the trouble call to help Admiral Sutter defend Independence Port from Sky Raiders and Praetorians. By the time my group had finished, we'd followed the trail of Praetorians to Talos Island, into the sewers beneath the island, and up into Skyway City, where two (or more) Colonel Durays were coordinating an attack on the city's transportation infrastructure.

 

We engaged the multiple Durays, dodging strafing fire from sky-skiffs and attack aircraft and...

 

And there was Derek, calmly walking along the center median of a still-intact stretch of freeway.

 

While we were fighting, and Derek didn't even look up. For my group, it was a do-or-die fight against invaders from another dimension. For Derek, it was Monday.

[ArchVileTerror]

Did Derek do that nonchalant half-wave as he approached the sortie?

If he did:  That's /so/ Derek.

[EmmySky]

Its because Derek doesn't carry a purse.  No need to be wary and on guard.

[MTeague]

18 hours ago, EmmySky said:

Dont be looking in my purse...hell even I am scared to look in there!

Is this like opening the trunk in Repo Man?