Scene #9256: The Sign

Owner	Pose
Angela	It starts with a call to the office. "Hey... my name's Jack... My friend got stabbed, was trying to lend somebody who needed help a hand but it was a trap. We've money, so we'll pay you if you can treat the wounds or escort us to someone who can... It's more than I can handle and there's kids with us. We're at the corner of Haupstrasse and Dorfstrasse. Backstreets.' We're Yurodiviye. Look for the two kids playing lookout." The Yurodiviye is a big group. It has people all over the place, even in District N's backstreets. The two kids are standing on the street corner, looking distressed--one, the boy, looks more anxious. The girl is missing a tooth and is rubbing at her eyes furiously. They're both wearing newsboy caps. They aren't exactly lingering at precisely at the street corner, they're actually a bit further back, closer to an alleyway. The boy has an armful of newsletters held closer to his body. The girl has nothing in her hands and she's pacing around like crazy. Neither of them actually know what Moses and Ezra look like. Periodically the girl tugs on the coat of someone and asks them if they are Moses and that person pulls away with a look fo disgust on their face. "What if they don't coooooome, Chance?" Gamble (the girl) says, crossing her arms and stiffly pouting at the negative reception they've been getting. "They'll come, they--like--help people, right? That's what the word on the street is..." Chance tells his sister. "Stabbed people need help." Gamble can't argue the logic. Inside the alleyway, Sonya is sitting down on a box while holding their side. He is a young man with snowy white hair and whomever assaulted him is long gone. He doesn't seem to be in immediate threat of expiring---though it's tough to tell how shallow or deep the cut is from a distance. Jack's Distortion seems to be regulated largely to a brass gear embedded in his left eye and long segmented black and gold arms ended in similarly brass claws. Sonya's Distortion is centered around his heart, a frozen frost covering it completely--like an ice cube--but it is still visible. Bundles of frozen yarn and thread pour out of his hands through his veins. "Sent the message. No idea how long it'll take, you crazy bastard. They might not even show. Bit of a long shot on a ''hunch''." "Have a little faith..." Sonya chides. "If they do not come, we can risk the trip ourselves."
Distortion Dets.	'Hey...' 'We're Yurodiviye. Look for the two kids playing lookout.' The office phone slams back down into its socket, as Ezra finishes taking hurried notes about the job- location, individuals, extant threats, ideas of what to double-check she's stocked in her carry case, and what things she remembers about the specific section of the Backstreets the call is coming from. "Detective, we've got a job request! Someone got stabbed out in the backstreets! Apparently they need help!" "So? Did they dial us by accident? Did someone give them our line as a prank? What should we care, I'm not the world's doctor-" "But Detective! They're Syndicate guys! With that one that the Father works with, the Yu.. ro.. something! So we've gotta come rushing to the rescue, right? They're supposed to be our friends now, too!" "..." "'Cooperation' sure seems to benefit them all first. So be it. Get the gear ready, will you, Ezra?" "Aye aye, Detective!!" . . .
Distortion Dets.	For making the journey through hired cabs and on foot, the two Fixers make good time- it's always a much faster task to head from a Nest out into the Backstreets, than handle the queues and identification for the reentry checkpoints. Surprisingly, it's Moses who walks in front down the outlying streets, not the bodyguard who'd appear more suited for taking point and scaring off any of the other myriad reasons someone could get stabbed that the City contains. "Hey, Detective? Caller said two kids, is that them over there?" "Mm?" "Other side of the street, right over there." Ezra subtly points towards Chance, where he stands with his newspapers, and Gamble orbiting him. Before either of them cross, in the bit of time afforded before they inevitably get approached and accosted about whether they're the Fixers that got sent for, Moses gives the surroundings a quick once-over. "I don't see anything dangerous. Still, be ready if someone tries something. That alley looks like a dead end, so be sure to watch behind yourself, Ezra. I don't want you getting hurt." "Heheh, c'mon, Detective! I'm big! I'm tough! What's a little stabbing ever done to anyone?" "Even so." Moses puts the tip of her pipe up to her lips, exhaling through her nose. "Go greet them, will you?" At her word, Ezra steps out from flanking the Detective, and crosses the street, waving her arms to gather up attention. Her oversized carry case clatters at her side, the obvious weight of it seeming to not impair her at all. "Hey, you two! Are you the lookouts we're supposed to find?" Big, smiley, and shouting, Ezra can't help but find the two scamps a tad charming, just from the limited observation. "Where's the hurt guy? How bad's he doing? I can get him alllll patched up, if you'd lead me over?" Moses' heels clack on concrete and asphalt, quiet compared to the dull thud of Ezra's (platformed? That's got to be unfair with how tall she already is) boots. Down into the alleyway, more and more smoke seems to be billowing out from Moses's pipe with each breath she takes, though it's a gradual enough change for it to go unnoticed. Instead of addressing the kids, the Detective just continues until the two other members of the Yurodiviye are in plain view. "Names. Condition. If you need to be moved, do you have any places planned that could harbor you? My assistant brought maps, if you need to point them out. While you're at it, you might as well explain what happened better." Is she fishing for information? It's not as if she was paid for discretion. Piercing grey eyes pass over Sonya and Jack, lingering curious on Sonya's icy threads. The longer Moses looks at him, a growing look of unease shows on her face. As Ezra kneels down towards Sonya, Moses places a cautious hand on her shoulder, maybe more for her own sake than the taller woman's. With her case set on the ground, bandages and small green HP ampules emerge, to be applied as soon as Ezra can get an idea of how hurt the man is.
Angela	''Hey, you two! Are you the lookouts we're supposed to find?'' "Woah! Big!" Chance says, completely forgetting what he's supposed to be telling this lady in the moment. "...I'm going to be taller than you." Gamble says. "I'm going to grow up and be as tall as her." "...Wait! Shit! Sonya!" Chance startles. "Yeah he's right there...! Follow me, Gamble doesn't like the sight of blood she's still a BABY." "I'm not a baby!" Neither Chance nor Gamble seem armed, or even augmented up, though of course--they are KIDS. Though it's not unheard of for kids to be weaponized in the City. "Hey! Jack! You didn't say The Detective'd be so big!" Chance is saying. Jack is, of course, armed--that distortion with the clawed hands--well he's also wearing claws for real, they're superimposed on his hands right there. His expression is guarded. "Didn't know she'd be that big." Jack says. "The bleeding heart here became one a bit more literally." Sonya turns his head to study Ezra, then he smiles and says, "Oh, are you--someone from the Office?" He at least doesn't seem to be assuming Ezra's the Detective herself--something that seems to be proven true when someone playing that role a bit more directly steps into view of plain sight. In the meantime, Ezra checks Sonya out. The wound seems messy--but ultimately shallow. Painful and bloody but not life threatening. Sonya, despite his injuries, seems to be focusing on Moses. Not just on her face, but on body language, posture. He doesn't flinch from the smoke. There is a momentary flash of something black and red on Sonya's forehead--but it's only there for a moment--neither Jack nor the kids seem to notice it. "Certainly. I have contacts in this District that I wanted to check in with--we were looking for someone--to make contact with them--but along the way I got a little careless. A young lady was being harassed by two other men and I thought I could lend a hand. I rushed forward to intercede--but the lady was in on it and got me with a knife before Jack scared them off. Or perhaps they saw the kids and thought better of it? I imagine they only wanted money and since I have a reputation of someone who lends a hand to people in need..."
Distortion Dets.	'...I'm going to be taller than you.' "Wah, really? No fair! I'm not growing any more, I won't stand a chance!!" There's barely a moment of thinking before Ezra's set her tone to fit humoring a child like Gamble. She sticks a heavy-gloved hand out to shake. "Hey, what's your name? So I know who to look out for in the record books? I'm Ezra, with Moses' Office!" 'Follow me, Gamble doesn't like the sight of blood she's still a BABY.' "Well, blood's icky! She's right not to like it." Ezra's agreeing earns her a small side-eye from Moses- who doesn't remark on it, but does puff out acrid smoke. "After you. We're following right behind," the Detective confirms, with a resigned nod- and does so. 'Hey! Jack! You didn't say The Detective'd be so big!' "Big? No, I could pick her up with one arm if I had to. Sometimes I worry if it gets too windy, she'll just blow away-" "Ezra, enough. Shouldn't you be trying to be a good influence in front of children?" Hypocritical, maybe, coming from the chainsmoking Detective. "Aww, whoopsie... anyway, that's the Detective, not me." Moses nods, backing her up. "Detective Moses, of my own Office. That'll serve as introduction to the rest of your friends- I'm sure you lot can here me, correct?" >Painful and bloody but not life threatening. Ezra hums as she works, cracking the glass neck of the ampule between her fingers and applying it both to the bandages she's readying and the edges of Sonya's wound, once it's cleared up. If Chance and Gamble are watching, she really does not seem upset by the sight of injuries in the slightest, despite her words. "Hey, mister, you've gotta keep this clean, but I think you'll be fine in a jiffy!" She shakes the now-empty ampule, to show it off. "Got you the good stuff! Cuz it's on your tab!" Uh oh. Moses still keeps a bit of distance, the flash of red makes her jump, taking up the distinct set of expressions befitting someone who is about to reach for a weapon, despite the woman appearing to be unarmed. "Ezra, figure out what's got those threads piercing through him, if you will. Injuries like that are odd." "Huh? I don't see any-" "Mm." 'I imagine they only wanted money and since I have a reputation of someone who lends a hand to people in need...' "Do you now? Perhaps you'd live longer if you were less charitable." A pipe drag, and a following ragged cough. "No, forget that. Who am I to stab the sentimentality of a stab victim? I suppose you were playing the part of a hero." "Yeah! Trying something nice for someone! 'Least you'll get a cool scar out of it if you pick at the scabs-" "Ezra." "Don't pick at the scabs! Doctor's orders~!!" Ezra winks.
Angela	''Wah, really? No fair! I'm not growing anymore, I won't stand a chance.'' "You can wear bigger shoes... Shoes as big as Chance, who is gonna be tiny!" This results in Gamble being noogied ferociously until Gamble snaps at his hand with her teeth. Gamble rubs her nose with her wrist and says, "I'm Gamble! And this is Chance. We're from Proxy News...!" "Wha--I wnated to say it--" Chance complains. "It's nice to meet you Miss Ezra..." ''That'll serve as introduction to the rest of your friends'' Sonya's eyes widen slightly and then he has a small laugh and a wince. "You really are a detective." He whistles and--out of sight, there's the sound of people bustling nearby and behind Moses and Ezra--and also above--generally moving in an ''away'' direction. "The Father didn't mention your name but rumors about you have started hitting the streets so I did some looking into it." He reaches into his coat pocket, drawing out a stack of ahn, wrapped in a rubber band. He offers it up for either Moses or Ezra to take. It's plenty of cash--the Yurodiviye is a bigger group than it appears... ''Figure out what's got those threads piercing through him.'' Sonya takes a moment, then he smiles, "So you can see it. You can see--" "--The Abnormalification." Yeah he heard that one first. "...I see... so there's a personal element to it.." ''I suppose you were playing the part of a hero.'' "That's right." Sonya smiles. "The poor hero who needs a hand after an unfortunate mishap. But... we may have similar goals..." He winks at Ezra, "Don't worry, Doctor. I'd never go against a Doctor's orders." And then he looks back to Moses. "The Yurodiviye can't see them like you can--not a single one of us--but we do see people who are suffering from the weight of The City. A lot. Some of 'em we see every day. It might not be as clear as your sight, but we can direct possible cases to you. If you're interested."
Distortion Dets.	'We're from Proxy News...!' "Whaaaat? No way!! That sounds fancy! What's it called that for?" Ezra giggles away at the roughhousing between the two scamps. Luckily, and yet unfortunately, their scuffle is a cause for her to redirect her focus on the fact that she is, actually, at work right now. Discerning ears may hear her whisper 'Serious mode, engage'- or it could just be the wind. >He whistles The growing smoke swirls around Moses, still gathering mass as if aiming to cross some uncertain threshold. It doesn't, not yet- but as she barely even looks around at the more-hidden Yurodiviye agents responding to her word, it's Ezra who seems a bit jumpier. "Detective..." "Mm. I said to be careful. Still, you'd have noticed fast enough to stop them from doing anything, Ezra. Don't count it against yourself." Clearing her throat to address the injured Sonya, the pipe smoke dissipating ever so slightly around Moses, "Are any of them hurt too? Did the rumors say to be cautious of us?" The Detective's tone isn't hostile, more curious, as to why this band chose to operate in this way. "I suppose you won't need us to show you the way to some sort of safe haven, if you've the numbers to look out for yourself, here." Option not firmly off the table yet, but Moses is taking a distancing stance out of habit. It winds up being Ezra who takes the cash from Sonya, setting it aside to check through later; though not without a quick thumb-through guesstimate to be sure it's sufficient. She throws a little affirmative nod Moses' way, field accounting duties accomplished. That Ezra seems pleased, more than the payment being handed over at all, puts Moses a bit more at ease. 'So you can see it. You can see--' "Yes. I can, in fact, in others and in you- don't blame me for assuming, injuries of all shapes have passed in front of my eyes. This, the-" '--The Abnormalification.' Moses' face screws up. "I see," exhaled, finding petty need to clarify, her voice quiet enough to be muddled beyond Sonya's hearing range, "Signs of what could come to pass, in people. How they may distort and be transformed. Don't be tacky." 'But... we may have similar goals...' "Which are? I'd like to hear them from you. Call it a judgement of character." Surprisingly, Moses doesn't use a harsh tone- hoarse, tired, but not even overly cold. "The Father has told me only pieces about his other associates. Call me old fashioned, but I like to hear things from the mouth." When she takes a drag on her pipe, her exhale blows near enough to Sonya to be somewhat overpowering. "Mm. And I would be interested in cases you come across." More so than she's trying to let on. "You clearly already have the means to contact me. It shouldn't be hard for you to refer them to my desk." "Sounds like we'll get pretty good business, maybe I can buy-" "If charity workers are sending cases to us, Ezra, do you think they'll be well-paying? Keep the finances balanced. I want the cases, even without our fees. We'll survive." "Okaaaayyyyy.."
Angela	"'Cause it's a ''proxy''...For the People..." Chance tells Ezra like he's been waiting his whole life to hear someone ask him this question. Gamble finding blood 'icky' wasn't a lie. She's staying out of the alley for sure. The money's enough to make one wonder how a group primarily known for quietly helping people out can hold onto such money--but in order to get anything done in The City--even help people--it sure helps to have some capital on your side. ''Did the rumors say to be cautious of us?'' "Not at all, we're just careful every time." Jack says. "Maybe too careful." "But isn't it right to be? Especially once we've gotten involved with Outsiders who mean to make enemies or--frankly--Outsiders at all. It's not illegal or taboo, but I imagine there's plenty of people who'd prefer they stayed out of our world.--maybe even as many who wish to exploit them." Sonya shakes his head. "Just me.--Don't worry, I have no intention of blaming you. I've seen just as strange, believe me..." He sounds regretful about that, but also--Is it always active, Sonya wonders, can she not turn it off? Does she see a Distortion when she looks in the mirror? That qauestion is a bit crass for a first meeting. "Ah, sorry, I heard that term first. But if you prefer Distortion, I won't offend your sensibilities since your friend is treating my wounds and all." The smoke blows past him. Sonya closes his eyes. He's a man who is used to dealing with people from below them. And he'll keep at it until there is no 'above' or 'below' at all. Sonya openly admits, in agreement with Moses, "I expect the ones that pay well--they'll be able to find you, we don't need to help people like that. But not everybody even has the means to reach out to you--heck, I'd imagine the ones you're most likely looking for are gonna be those people who'll struggle to find you." He nods to Moses, "I won't pretend that it's just innocent caring for everyone on our behalf. If we send people who need help to the person most suited to helping them--that's good for our rep too as well as yours." Even without their fees, Moses will take hte job, Sonya thinks. No wonder the Father was so taken with them. "I feel that mostly answers how our goals align." The Saint says. "The work you do is something I want to help get done. And a City where those that live within it do not feel the pressure to Distort--that's hwat I hope for. People's lives shouldn't be dictated based on how they've been crushed."