"Ah... bon soir." Alec then takes a closer look at the punkish one and looks to the box of food and he laughs. "Did you get /any/ meat in yours? I stopped going there after my beef with noodles had one piece of beef and half the normal amount of noodles." Turning back he takes the hand, sauce and all. "Alec Sainte Jean, 'Alec' is fine, I do no be at work."

Kaz says, glumly, "Two fuckin' shrimp. I ain't goin' /there/ anymore." That doesn't mean she doesn't eat a few broccoli anyway, though.

As if to stroll along only to remember the sights and sounds of this city, Yi moves over the designated park meadow with a slow meandering pace. Stopping every so often to stoop down and examine some thing, then standing back up to continue on, she eventually wanders towards the group's outfringe to get a better look.

"Mark Pryce," answers the Get. The introduction is exceedingly terse, and he wastes no further time with smalltalk. He continues on his way across the park, and then eventually out of it, back into the city evening.

Kaz adds, "One've them strong'n silent types." Tilting her head at Alec, she asks, "S'you had a chance t'talk t'th' admins, see if they wanna help out with this thing've ours at all?"

Lovely park, really. Relatively at ease, Donovan strolls along, checking out his surroundings with the air of one who new to town but largely unconcerned that he is in strange territory.

"Friendly sort isn't he?" Alec watches as the punk leaves and then takes up a seat next to Kaz on the bench. "Alors," He shakes his head sadly. "I have no been able to get in touch with anyone, et has been too busy at work recently, but they give me the night off. So I think that I will go to the park, then go home and make phone calls. And here I go and run into you." He stretches a little, arms up in the air, then back down. "But I do make arrangements for your friend John whenever he is ready."

Kaz flips, of all things, a celphone out of her pocket. "You wanna borrow my phone, feel free." She blinks at this last news. "Yeah? What kinda arrangements? I can tell him, maybe?"

"What about John?" comes the newmoon's query. As if she's concerned about him. Nah. Surprise for a brief moment comes up to her features at the cellphone. She nods over to Kaz. "Hey Mama Kaz," she smiles, and dips her head to the doctor. "Doctor St. Jean. A pleasure to see you out and walking around instead of cooped up in the hospital like the patients."

Donovan clasps his hands behind his back, and wanders over to the... fountain. It is, after all, the centerpiece. Nevermind he happens to recognize a few people over there. He pauses a good few yards off, not truly wishing to interrupt.

Alec blinks and looks to the cell phone and laughs. "Alors, I do no know all the phone numbers up here!" He taps his head with a grin. "I have the list at home." A look and faces out of the past. "Nei-ho Yi. It has been too long." Alec stands up as the Raggie makes her way over. He offers his hand and the seat on the bench.

Kaz says, innocently, "Just trying to help," and flips it back into her pocket. "Hey! Yi!" Kaz's mood seems much improved from last night. "How you doin'?"

Yi saluts the Kaz and the Doc with a couple of fingers, then shakes Alec's hand though opts not to sit. "What's up, Doc?" She couldn't help it. Really. "Things are good. I think Bernie's sharper than Dr. Jean's scalpels when it comes to learning new tricks." She grins, and spots a lizard. "Hey! Lizard!"

"What's cookin? I don't know." Alec makes the effort of trying to smile at the old joke. Noting that his offered seat wasn't taken, Alec resumes his seat, hand reaching out to pat the previously unmentioned pack. Almost as if to make sure it didn't go anywhere in the last twenty seconds.

Kaz asks, "Yeah? Whatcha teachin' her now?" before being diverted by Donovan. "Don ho!" she calls. "How goes?"

Donovan takes a single step forward, hesitates, looks to Yi, looks to Kaz, and then only nods in greeting to Alec. Given a few more seconds, he offers, "Good evening."

Kaz mutters, "Sorry." Pointing her chopsticks at Donovan, she explains to Alec, "Silver Fang." Pointing the chopsticks to Alec, she explains, "Non-furry Gaian."

"Oh, that's a newmoon Sekrit," Yi grins back at Kaz. "Seeing things in a different light, bending reality and 'all that good shit.'" Her pseudo-smile of approval at Kaz's introduction is evident. "What is a respectable son like you, wandering in a city like this?" she queries at the Fang.

Down, up, up, down. Damn it's tough on the knees being polite, standing again Alec offers out his hand to the Fang. "Alec Sainte Jean. A pleasure." French, though not of france if one is able to tell the difference. A look to the collection of people going back and forth. Some sort of meeting that Alec fell in on?

Sophia walks toward the fountain, a holding a dog's leash. Seeing Kaz, she smiles. "Hi! I haven't seen you in ages!"

Donovan grips Alec's hand firmly, but briefly. "Squire Donovan Rothwell. A pleasure, monsieur." Reclaiming his hand, he then turns to Yi. "Bringing respectibility, of course."

Alec chuckles quietly at the quips. Nothing changes, no matter where you go it seems. Samantha grins at Alec, tail a-wagging. Hiya.

Kaz brightens as she spies Sophia. "Yo! Kid! How goes?" She pokes a chopstick at the Walker. "That there's a Walker cub, alla y'all that don' know her. We're alla us family, here, Sophia."

"The Great Sun Dragon, of course. Bring honor to our humble city," Yi fields back at Donovan. Seeing Samantha and the Walker cub following, she waves enthusiastically. "Hey!" She stoops down and gives Samantha a 'hello how are you' scritch between the ears.

Kaz starts determindly finishing her food.

Donovan turns, re-clasping his hands behind him again, and he nods to Sophia, quite solemnly. "Perhaps, in good time," he says to Yi, "That dream might be realized."

Sophia looks around with wide eyes. "It's amazing how few people I've met so far. I'm Sophia, and this is my friend, Samantha."

Shadow Eyes pads in from the grassy part of the park to the south, tail wagging a bit as he catches so many scents.

From afar, to the room, Reggie notes for those he hasn't met, or spoken with, PB -1.

From afar, to the room, Nevada notes that -- ...notes that Reggie stole his comment.

Long distance to the room: Yi | Nevada has arrived. Screaming fan girls of BSB has arrived. Nevada has left. BSB Fan Girls has left.

Shadow Eyes pages to the room: |Gnawer Teen Idol Nevada has left the building...

Kaz brightens, and calls out, "Yo! Boss! How goes th' day?"

They pour out of the woodwork like cockroaches (or rats), Donovan swears. But never aloud. Ahem. His hands slide into his pockets, the better to keep everything /in/ them.

From afar, to the room, Anneka holds out for a few poses before showing up. :) Shadow Eyes chuffs a greeting to Kaz and proceeds to approach the others he does not know. I assume we are all family here, then, since you are talking so to me, Ears-To-The-Ground?

Kaz nods, with a small grin, and points her chopsticks, at people, one by one. "Gaian Kin, Walker cub, some dog that may well be lupus Kin that's prolly Gnawer, Fang Ahroun, an' Yi you know. People who dunno Elan here, this's th' Gnawer Elder, yippekayi-o."

A heavyset man lumbers ponderously on the sidewalk, with a clear view of the park, although he's yet too far to be identified.

Yi glances up at the padding Shadow Eyes, and one could imagine her dipping her head towards the wolfdog. Something about Donovan's demeanor and slipping hands into his pockets gets her to look up from Samantha-scritching. "My aunt told me, that you shouldn't stick your hands in your pockets. For one, it makes it harder to catch yourself should you fall down. And, it also shows you have something to hide." She smiles sweetly and turns back to the majority.

Alec takes a minute to put two and two. Coming up with six he looks towards Elan and nods his head in hello. To Sophia there's a smile and a quiet, 'Allo.' Getting all the introductions from Kaz, Alec grins and leans back into the bench letting everyone/thing get acquainted.

"Even Sun sleeps from time to time," Donovan says calmly in response to Yi -- although he doesn't look at her. "/My/ aunt told me to keep possessions close when in the territory of so-called Urrah."

A choke chain clanks and jangles as its owner blows into the park like a greasy newspaper. Nevada Madison and a brown-papered bottle of dubious origin make their way towards the group after a moment, the latter causing the former to walk not quite so straight.

Kaz suddenly realizes, in the middle of a bite, and asks Alec, "Oh, yeah, an' bein' as you're respectable doctor an' all, you mind bein' part of the media stuff? I mean, news paper interviews an' stuff? F'th' bash, I mean."

Sophia looks around at the crowd. "Imagine how we must look to other people?" she says, with a slight snicker. "So, what are you all doing here? You're clearly not walking your dogs..."

Yi grins at Donovan's aunt's advice. "Your aunt is a very smart woman." Movement and a chokechain turns her head yet again, and she shakes her head with a grin towards Nevada doing the drunken swagger. "The party's just getting bigger."

Shadow Eyes pads over to sniff at Sophia and Donovan. Humans rarely approach the park. It has an evil reputation, for some reason.

Kaz points her chopsticks at Nevada. "Packmate," she tells those who don't know, and adds, hefting her flute, "Hey, I was just buskin' an' stopped f'dinner. Ain't no big thing..."

Samantha steps in front of Sophia. She's mine.

Donovan, of course, is not human. Some speculate he's actually a robot with shapeshifting abilities. Or a lizard. He does crouch, and with bland expression holds a hand out toward Shadow Eyes, palm up, at low level.

There's someone else on the way as well, some kid on a skateboard from the looks of it and one who doesn't appear concerned or aware of the park's unsettling reputation. The kid's path might intersect Nevada's at some point or another, the wheels on her board clattering along pitted, stony cement. It's a girl when she rolls past a spot where the moon's light is bright enough to catch her, a skinny thing with sandy hair and a beaten up old satchel over a shoulder. Anneka, for those who know her already, an absent sort of look on her round, befreckled face. She does look up towards the fountain though, when she gets closer, grins when she catches some familiar faces amongst the crowd.

Alec turns towards Kaz and nods. "Oh, well I mean the papers might no like my lecherous, degenerate gambling ways but I do think that I can stand in front of the cameras for you." Blinking at the flute, "I did no know you played." Alec grins at the discovery and re-evalutates the Kaz yet again.

Kaz lowers the flute case again, and beams when she sees Anneka. Pointing the 'chops at her, she says, "Gnawer cub, yayuss." Then she blinks at Alec. "Dude. It's my major source of income. Wanna hear me play some?"

Nevada points a pretend gun made from his hand at Kaz. "Hows'i gaan?" he greets, taking a swig. "Hey, hey, you know -- at guy? With the -- ... gi'in us trouble back on Elson? .... fixed him." This would certainly explain who he got the bottle from. Apparently, the rowdy youth didn't see fit to crack it over the aforementioned problem's head. This is unfortunate because whatever he's drinking must taste bad, judging from his expression. "Hey, Raggedy Ann.. "

Yi has mostly just taken to giving Samantha a daily dose of scritching. Nev's slur is just on the verges of her understanding, while she waves at Anneka. "Hey Otter," comes her greeting to the halfmoon.

Kaz registers Nevada's comment. "Heh. So he ain't gonna be givin' no lil' kids no trouble no more? Damn good t'hear, that."

Rather like one of those nifty toys one puts in a car, Donovan's head bobs, a lot, as he greets here and there, silently.

Anneka casts an enthusiastic wave to Kaz as she rolls up, somehow managing not to lose her balance on the board beneath her when she does. "Hi!" She beams at Nevada as she rolls past, close enough to catch a whiff of whatever he's drinking. She makes a face too, as she scrapes the board to a halt somewhere near Kaz and Yi. Her eyes are a bit big as she glances about at the folks assembled. Wow.

Samantha is sitting on Sophia's feet, leaning into Yi's scritching. Nice person.

Shadow Eyes moves over and headbumps Alec.

Alec says "Et's been since The Game, since last ah've 'ad a chance to stop by. Been too long their kid... too long." Alec seems pleased that the Fostern is here. "You been keeping the riff and raff in line?" Another grin. "An' on behalf of all of the cousin's, let me say s'about time." A head bob over towards Kaz. "Should be quite the event though."

Yi looks among the gathered, then motions with an all encompassing twirl for Anneka. "We're all family. Distant cousins and such." Her scritching continues for a little while.

Kaz takes that as a no, and puts the flute case back under the bench. "Eh, Alec. It'll be ok. I dunno if we got the right funds for a /huge/ bash. I still gotta talk t'Lianne about that part. An' Buick. We might have t'scale down a little."

Shadow Eyes then pads back over and sniffs at Donovan. You I do not know. Shadow Eyes, Fostern Bone Gnawer Theurge, elder of my tribe here, alpha of Ring of Fire.

"He'd betta not, 'salllll I'm sayin. I might not stop at uncle, 'en, you know." The Galliard snorts. "He called me ... called me.. stupid-ass snot nose kid. S'what he called me. Then he called me daddy. S'kinda funny at'ually.. " He takes another drink, then squints at the bottle. An eloquent shrug is made. He may be a kid, and he may be stupid, but his nose is fine. It has nicely survived a break or two. After a hard sniff that drug addicts have been known to make, Nevada's attention wanders the collection before Yi and the golden retriever are registered.

Donovan speaks quietly, addressing the canid before him. "Donovan Rothwell, Sun's Silver Son, deed-named Cold Blood as of several months ago. I am the herald of Helios, a squire in the service of House Austere Howl, Lodge of the Sun, and human-born Ahroun of the illustrious Silver Fangs. You are well met, Shadow Eyes-rhya. It is a pleasure." Yes, of course. Always lovely to meet the lowly. Nothing says that he's lying, however, and his expression is politely neutral.

"Lizard, for short," Yi quips up towards Nevada with a wink and tensing inside her body for a wellaimed kick. "Or you can call him the Great Sun Dragon."

Kaz snorts at Nevada. "Yeah. Well. He ain't goin' much further with /me/, lemme tell you. If I was jus' a /little/ less patient..." She trails off.

Shadow Eyes has summoned a Helios spirit recently. It is good to meet you son of the Sun.

Samantha rolls her eyes at Donovan. Windy homids. Sophia shuffles her feet out from under the dog. "Sam, shush. Show some respect, /please/."

Anneka grins a bit more at Yi and leans her skateboard up against a bench before tucking her hands into her oversized pockets. She glances over towards unfamiliar faces though, with just a bit of bright-eyed curiosity. Especially at that introduction!

Donovan straightens, and nods down to the lupus -- Shadow Eyes, that is. "Indeed." Indeed, it is a pleasure to meet a Silver Fang, isn't it?

Nevada doesn't look like he'll be kicking Yi anytime soon. It takes a moment for her comment to percolate, and slightly longer for him to realize the Brit is a warrior of Falcon. He takes another drink. "Mulan," he says to Yi, though he's looking at the doggy. "I'm ganna head.. head on back. Oh. Um. I fixed the TV." Even though he broke it in the first place. "Night, guys.. " A vague nod and a friendly enough smile is pointed in their direction.

The large man trips over a crack in the sidewalk, and catches himself by throwing out an arm. His colorful language as he considers his road rash nearly enrapture a rollerblading teen going by, and the man struggles back to his feet. After regaining his balance, he limps heavily into the park, apparently in search for a seat.

"Don't get into trouble now," Yi chides in a sisterly fashion towards the galliard. The TV, well. She just chuckles after her housemate, finishing scritching Samantha and straightening back up.

Anneka blinks twice as she straightens up a bit, and waves to Nevada. "Bye!"

John strides into the park, surveying the small crowd. His hands are sunken deep in his coat-pockets, and he wears a grim expression, revealing only mild surprise at the number of people in the one location. He heads towards Sophia, examining the others closely.

Donovan waves vaguely after Nevada (belatedly), and then goes back to protecting his pocket. He's silent, and generally stoic, calmly studying those he doesn't recognize, as he's at a disadvantage.

Kaz points her chopsticks at John. "An' he's a Walker," she explains to Alec, before she remembers Alec's met him already and goes back to eating rice.

It's interesting, all the faces here. And for a moment Alec just has this grin on his face when Kaz re-introduces John. "Thanks." Dry, but amused. More faces here than met in a whole year. About bloody time.

Shadow Eyes's ears perk up and he goes over to sniff at John, curiously. It seems the city is more alive now.

Sophia looks at John with a warm, semi-apologetic smile. "There's some kind of party or something going on. I can't quite explain it myself."

Max meanders into the park and then toward the occupied benches near the fountain. Climbing onto the bench from behind to settle on the back beside Kaz's shoulder she nods to Alec with a muttered, "Yo, Cousteau." Then she nudges Kaz and looks pointedly over at Donovan. "Who's L. L. Bean J over there?"

Malachi slouches in from the direction of the meadow, a shrimpy figure in jeans and oversized sweatshirt. The hood's up, shadowing his face, and his hands are buried in his pockets. The kid's steps falter as the notices the crowd; he hesitates a few moments, then hunches his shoulders and takes his slouch over closer to the river.

Yi glances over towards John and sobers quite a bit as the Walker comes over. "Yo, John," she greets. "Any news?"

Kaz blinks twice as Max settles on her. "Well, hullo. That there's Donovan. One've them Sil --" She stops as Malachi appears, and then goes on, rather quieter, "One of Brittany's bunch."

John mutters something under his breath, and gives Kaz a brief nod, and sends cautious, measuring looks to the unfamiliar faces. Eyeing Shadow Eyes, a small flicker of a smile comes to the corner of his mouth. "Plan on it getting livelier." he says gruffly, then turns a slightly warmer smile on Sophia. Which lasts merely seconds. The Walker starts to move towards Yi. "Yeah. News."

Donovan quirks his light-colored eyebrows as he is given yet /another/ name. He should name himself Collects-Many-Names. Hm.

Shadow Eyes flicks his ears at John, and sits down for a good scratch.

Yi purses her lips thoughtfully. "Things been well for you?" she queries further, "Not many complications I hope." She glances around at the various and catches Kaz's pause, glancing in the general area and spotting Malachi. "Well." Her eyes turn back to John in silent inquiry.

John watches the others warily - obviously ill at ease amongst so many strangers, but in a vaguely protective way. His eyes flick continually to his cub, and those around her. To Yi, he murmurs, "Pretty much without a hitch. Need a few things from you when you're not busy. Photograph, and such."

It's with slow steps, one foot dragging, that the heavyset man inches over to a bench besides the flower bed, one bunch of flowers determinedly alive in the bed. Wrapped up in rubbing his bloodied palm and piting his fortune, he ignores the assorted people.

Kaz looks around, and suddenly asks both Max and Alec, "Yo. You wanna blow this joint? Pizza? I actually got some useful stuff buskin' t'day, s'I c'n treat." She adds, calling out to Anneka, "Yo, Otter, come with?"

Yi shuffles a foot on the grassblades, then glances about at the various. "We can go do that now," she nods to John. To the others, she does a little mocksalute. "I have a few errands to do. See you guys around, and don't paint the town pink, na?" She manages a half-smile.

Kaz says, dryly, "Can't guarantee that, what with Max around, but we'll try... Catch you on the flipside, yeah?"

Malachi kicks at something on the ground, then bends down to pick it up. He turns it over in his hands for a few moments, examining it, then stuffs it into the pocket of his sweatshirt and continues down toward the river's edge.

"Sounds alright with me." Alec opinies. "I do no like being part of a group where I am no the center of attention oui?" Alec the prima? There's a laugh. He hoiks up his bag and stands up.

Anneka glances around Yi at Reggie, a quick thing, her eyes limned with concern for a moment. Fast enough that really, unless one was looking right at the cub, it wouldn't be seen. Then she's looking over to Kaz and nodding. "Yeap!" She toes at her board and catches it as it leaps into the air, then starts over to Kaz and Max. She grins at Yi along the way. "Bye." Everyone else gets a cheery wave.

Sophia smiles at Yi, and bows her head. "See you later." To John, she adds "Can we get together later on for some training?"

Donovan steps aside as there is to be a mass exodus. He smiles vaguely to those that should catch his eye. Ask to go along? What? Never.

Max smirks, then straightens and hops up and off the bench. "Yeah. I gotta go see a guy about a thing. Then I'll come munch 'za wit'cha. No slimies."

Shadow Eyes flicks his ears, and says goodbye to Ears and the other leaving.

Yi turns eyes briefly towards the river with the lone kid there. She shoots Kaz an experimental glance, indicating with the direction of some part of her body that the loner at the end of the park might be worth checking out. Then she glances over at Donovan. "You ought to have a meat lovers." She grins towards Max. "If not pink, then something interesting at least."

Max salutes in Yi's direction. "You gottit, chica."

Kaz shudders. "Would I ever put one've them things onna pizza of mine? Y'makin' me nervous there, Max..." She follows Yi's glance, raises an eyebrow, and manages to imply, "Very soon but not now" in one brief look. Hopping off the bench, she jerks her head at Anneka and Alec and wanders off. "Later f'y'all!" is her parting comment.

If that was an invitation, Donovan declines, simply by looking and blinking slowly at Yi. "Perhaps I ought to. But no time soon. Be well."

Alec says "Au revoir all, have a good night. Pleasure meeting you all." A hand wave to all and sundry as the doc makes his way out of the park with Kaz and Co. "Lead on."

John nods at Sophia, as he starts to move away with Yi. "Practice the moves I've taught you until they become instinctive. Reflex. Use a mirror. You must be able to do it without thinking, or looking. I have to deal with Yi, now, but if you meet me back at home in about two hours, I'll teach you how to kick." That said, he nods at Yi, and begins to leave the park.

Glancing about at the departing, she inclines her head to Donovan. "Well it's good to see that the nobles are coming down to have chats with the peasants every so often, na. See you around." She gives Sophia and Samantha a final wink and strolls quickly after John.

Samantha walks up to Shadow Eyes cautiously. Eyes averted, tongue hanging out, she shows every sign of submission. Sorry I was rude before. I didn't know you were a changer.

Donovan lifts a hand, a bit awkwardly, to wave after Yi.

John ignores the others, and as Yi catches up, he grunts, "Somewhere where we can take your picture. Any side-alley'll do."

Alley(#1718RAJ)
Tall tenements to either side block most of the light from this narrow alley. Two flimsy doors open to the alley, leading up small flights of stairs from basements to either side. The rows of trashcans stand at attention like little battered knights, just returned from a losing battle with the town's strays, homeless, and drunks. The dead end of the alley is actually a bit cleaner than the surrounding area, most stray trash cleared away, and a new cardboard box spreads over the concrete. The end of the alley opens out onto the main street.
Obvious exits:
Stairs Street

[NOTE: Those funny {bordered texts} would be Cantonese. :} ]

John appears to have had this particular alley in mind. What's amusing is what appears to be a makeshift studio, of Gnawerish proportions - there's a garbage can for a seat, with a plain background courtesy of a cardboard box, propped up against a wall. John pulls his hand out of his jacket pocket, revealing a small camera. "Sit on the can, and look bored."

Yi eyes the setup for a few moments, judging its stability and all that before sitting down on top the trashcan. Bored, probably not, but if there's one thing she can do it's look absolutely straightfaced, not reading any emotion. That is, until her eyes do a very quick scan of the alley and rooftops before returning to John and his camera.

John crouches, and takes four snaps. Slightly different angles, all with the flash. "Right." he grunts, rising to stand again. "Lianne's people'll work on these, and slap them together to get you some ID. Happy birthday. You're twenty-one." he grunts, slipping the camera back into his pocket. He nods to her briefly. "Things okay back home? Any more word?"

Yi blinks a few times after each flash, and stands up after the actual picture taking is complete. "{White Eagles and Black Snake are fighting each other again. Always about that one piece of Wan Chai docks. But that's all I can get from this. Hanna didn't say much more... and when she doesn't say anything, then I know she has something held back in her crescent sleeve.}" Yi pulls out a letter from her vest pocket. The one she received awhile ago. "{Nothing more than that. No phone calls, no anything. I have the feeling this has bloodsucker written all over it.}"

John inclines his head to her, folding his arms. "{Know much about the blood-suckers?}" he asks, in that awkward, stilted accent.

"{A couple, but they're young. One of them particularly, seems to like tormenting my Sept but not far enough to get himself killed. He's from the North Point, but goes along with Red Sand. That's their group. But... we've always been able to deal with them easily. Not exactly the strongest of their bunch.. but cunning. Always coming in packs, if they do anything.}" Perhaps it's just the moon at this time of the month. A low growl rumbles along her inner throat, maybe more feral than usual. "{This doesn't follow though. If it is such a big threat, then White Eagle and Black Snake would be after the threat like the gloryhounds they are. Something just doesn't sit right.}" Yi's brow furrows in thought as she looks up to John. "{Maybe a westerner?}"

John winces vaguely, at the thought. "{Western vampires... are generally afraid of the Eastern ones. However. They're all bastards.}" he mutters, struggling to get the words right. "I mean..." He frowns. "{Yi, I cannot come with you. The Walkers are moving, now, and our plans require my attention virtually every step of the way at this point in time. But you should contact me about this. I know vampires. I know them well. And they are /dangerous/. You could beat several of them in a fight, quite easily, but you'd have to know who to fight. And that you're supposed to.}" He looks vaguely uncomfortable.

Yi only gets a fleeting smirk. The westerners afraid of the east eh? They should be. Mwah. She shrugs, trying to make light of it though the gravity of the situation is of course weighing in her mind. "{I can fight bloodsuckers. I just don't know -your- kind of vampire.}" The newmoon glances about. "{And I think I should be able to puzzle it out after some more news. If, I get news. I never expected you to come with me, John. I told you... this sept needs you, as well as your tribe and kin here. The battle of wills between Lucca and Roger isn't exactly helping the responsibilities they carry either, but that's for them to deal with.}" She smirks, wry in word. "{I'm sure fifty Garou with their brains on straight should be able to deal with a vampire or two.}"

John nods, carefully. "Just... be careful. They're tricky. Keep your thoughts buried, and if you sense them slipping, /fight to keep hold of them/." he warns. "You can never be too alert. {Your mind won't be private, and they can infulence your thoughts. Make you do...}" He shudders for a moment, and his fists tighten. "{Make you do /terrible/, /unforgivable/ things.}"

Yi snorts. "{The primary goal of course would be to go in and do a clean job without actually having that happening.}" But, something keeps the newmoon on edge at the Walker's words. "{You wanna go do something?}" It's a full moon. She's actually kind of surprised that John's not covered in blood somewhere yet. Not his, of course.

John shrugs, a little, with a hint of annoyance. "Maybe. I try not to get mad. I don't need it around now." He shrugs again, wrinkling his nose. "Bad enough just thinking about {/cursed bloodsuckers/.}" He visibly calms himself, and jams his hands into his coat-pockets. "There's a few things I could do with a hand in. How well do people know you? That guy been tailing you again?"

"Mm?" Yi's mind wandered away, but it comes back at the verbal whipping of leeches. "Tail? Oh..." she glances around, then looks back to John. "Not lately that I've seen. What do you need help on? I still am in your debt, you know. Drug deals to crack down, people to interrogate, anything?" She pauses, then seems to murmur, "{I seem to have quite a dark side...}"

John chews his lip thoughtfully. "Let's go looking, shall we? I'm afraid I need more information before we can handle the really interesting, and useful things. And I'll probably deal with that using the Pack, anyway." he grunts. "Get the younger ones some experience."

Yi nods emphatically. Something to take her mind off home. Or, just something to get her reacquainted with being exceptionally mean. "The lone wolf finds his place, eh? Who's in it?"

John snorts at the 'lone wolf' comment. "I still work my own way. The others will adapt to suit that, I'm sure. I just need their talents in other areas." It's almost an excuse. "I still work better alone." he mutters. Looking up, he eyes her carefully. "The Walkers, basically. Daisy, Lucca and Roger."

"Well enough," comes Yi's reply. "You ever been up on the rooftops?" Yi glances around, out of habit, then over at the entrance of the alleyway. She gets stuck with a muse. "How about the rooftops of the skyscrapers here? Uptown at the financial buildings? I think the view must be a lot better there." A creeping smile that only a ragabash can accomplish comes around. "How about it? Maybe you can take a picture for me, so I can have a nice picture view to bring home and show the family."

John shakes his head, minutely. "I prefer the ground view, mostly. I can climb, but for someone my size..." he gestures dismissively. "It attracts attention. I prefer not to."

Yi arches a brow, then shrugs. "Ok then...but I wasn't suggesting climbing sleek panes of glass on 40 story buildings." She's about to say something more when a distinct series of 'clicks' of a camera shutter goes off.

John pages: John scans the area pretty damn quick : What's he see?

You paged John with 'Entrance of the alley, the flicker of a camera slipping out of view. And quite quickly after, footsteps running away. Whee!'.

John's reaction is almost instantaneous. The speed of his reaction, and then his running, is frightening to behold in someone so large... Not a tank at all. /Fast/. His coat flaps out, untied, behind him as he leaps for the entrance of the alley.

Yi is hot on John's heels. Or sort of. This is her section of the city, and she's got it pretty memorized. When John takes off, she heads in the other direction, bolting up onto a dumpster and over the side of the wall. As John bursts out of the alleyway, he can see a darkly clothed figure, running away about 50 feet and growing from them, with a satchel slung about his shoulder and flopping crazily.

John grins ferally, and puts on an extra turn of speed - arms pumping at his sides as he dashes in pursuit. He keeps his hands free, and chases with the intent of slamming into the man, almost.

The Walker's body knocks the man down from the back and he goes down with a cry. A clinking of keys spills out onto the street and the man shouts out, "Ah!! What the hell are you doing!? Help! HELP somebody!" He struggles valiantly, trying to get away from this crazy man who just happened to tackle him out on the street. "Get the fuck off me you crazy sonnuva bitch! Help!"

John's hand clamps firmly over the man's mouth, quickly, and after a quick darting into his jacket, another hand sticks a knife lightly into his back. Enough to prick. "Let's go somewhere quiet, ok?" The Walker looks to Yi, and motions for her to get the keys, with his head.

The man struggles up to the point where he can feel a knife, and then he siezes up. Petrified, it takes John to pull him up. Some muffled words and whimpers come out from around the Walker's hand. Something along the lines of money and wallet, and you can take whatever you want.

Not seeing Yi /or/ a cameron, John frowns and mutters a profanity under his breath. He peers at the man, and sinks the knife in a little deeper, now, drawing a little trickle of blood. "Talk fast, and clearly. Be honest and leave nothing out - and you live." he snarls, taking his hand away from the man's mouth to reach for the keys. "Who was taking pictures? Why did you run? Where did they go?"

You paged the room with 'a cameron? lol'.

John pages to the room: BUH? Camera!

[OOC Note: For those of you that didn't get it, John also plays Cameron on GarouMUSH.]

The man whimpers and just about screams at the feeling of the knife digging in. "I-.. I don't know what you're talking about.. honest.. I just ran out and bumped into a guy and I live in there.." He vaguely motions to the building right behind them, a tenement building. Strangely, the door is open. "I..I have to get to the video store before they close in ten minutes and return these videos.. and..I'm sorry.. I .. I.. please don't kill me.." The man wants to sag, but he's way too scared. The satchel when checked, just has some porn videos. Yup.

John lets the man fall to his own feet, and pulls the knife away, with a sigh, scratching his head. "Dammit." He eyes the man again, and then searches for his wallet. Pulling out the driver's license and running his eyes over it a few times, he puts it back into the wallet and tosses it at him. "Don't mention me to anyone. I know where you live." he grunts, fearsomely. Turning to leave, he adds, "Hurry, or you'll have to pay a late fine." then walks quickly back towards the alley.

The man falls to his knees, whimpering and sobbing with a clutch to his satchel like it was the only thing on earth that kept him alive. Behind the alley though, comes a different shout. "{Hey! Stop!}" Yes, that's Yi. She was waiting alright. The shout comes from behind the building with the open door apparently not having the proper springs or pneumatics to swing closed.

John twitches with irritation, and reaches into his jacket to pull out one of his 9mms as he quietly and quickly stalks throught the open door, with the aim of getting through to behind.

Sounds of a struggle ensue, and sure enough down the hallway a few seconds run is Yi getting smacked backwards by a blunt camera-like object. Plop, onto the floor she goes, stunned but with camera in hand. Her attacker bolts out the back door and out into the alleys behind the building. Something obviously isn't treating this man well though, as his head hits a lowered fire-escape ladder with a CLANG.

John strides over to the man, with a sidelong glance at Yi, then growls piercingly, "Freeze. {And I do mean, freeze.}" He raises the weapon to point it at the fallen man. His eyes flick over to Yi briefly again, then back to the man.

Freeze he does, but not without a curse of pain. Yi groans with a shake of her head, a trickle of blood coming down the side of her cheek as she squints in attempt to focus her vision and look around John. The guy is the tailer, from days before. And he realizes, at this moment, that the guy pointing the gun at him was the same man Yi was talking to before as well. "Shit," comes his murmur, as it dawns to him he's pissed someone off. Someone with a gun.

Seeing the man's face, John frowns and and mutters incredulously, "You cheeky bastard..." then steps over and lowers the weapon to shoot the man in the leg, before putting the weapon away, and moving to lift the tailer by the collar of his shirt.

Yi is quick to dispatch and negate the entire roll of film by opening up the camera and pulling out the plastic. She jumps at the shot. That was unexpected. The man's hoarse scream of pain is cut off as he gets lifted up. His eyes are closed, tears involuntarily squeezed out and flowing as freely as the blood of the bullet.

John lifts the man easily, and slams him against the wall - his free hand searches for a wallet or some ID. "I don't give warnings twice." he grunts, irritatedly. As the man weeps, John growls, "Grow some fucking balls. You knew we meant business." searching the punk for possessions.

The punk has about 400 in cash, wadded up in his back pocket. In that are a couple of rolled joints. Another jacket pocket has a lighter, and on the side of his belt clipped in a sheath is a small knife. "I was just *gurk choke* doin' my fuckin' AAhhh...!" Yi took it upon herself to kick him in the bullet wound. "Asshole," she mumbles while wiping away the blood on her head. "Who sent you?" She also, means business.

John appears to be visibly losing patience, stuffing the cash and joints into his pockets, and unsheathing the punk's knife, to sink it into his other leg. Leaving it there, he grumbles to himself. "No mood for this shit." Looking over to Yi, he mutters, "You deal with him. I'd only chop his fucking fingers off." With that, the Walker heaves the man into the other wall.

Slam. Crumple, Ow. The man curls up, but finds it's just amazingly painful to do so still. Yi eyes John a brief moment and then stoops down beside the guy, gripping onto the knife as he yells out in pain again. "Who ...sent you?" Slow, methodical, and patient. That's Yi's way. The guy cries out as the knife comes out of his leg. "I don't know! I don't know hi--*gulp* his name..." Yi considers this answer. "No... I don't think that's what he wanted to hear," she indicates with a knife to John. "And I'm quite certain he'd chop off your fingers if I wasn't here. So talk." There's that smooth, silky, slick stab of the knife into the guy's poor leg again, around his kneecap. Most of the people on this side of down are pretty used to it now, and close up windows. A few lights turn off. The man curls further in whimpers, before he gasps out, "Some chink... I don't know him... just gave me the money .. and told me to follow you-- aAAAauugh!" Yi involuntarily twists the knife at mention of a 'chink'. "What did he look like?" The man shakes his head. "Like a fuckin' chink!" Yi waits. Then she smacks him upside the head with the broken camera. "What did he look like?" The tailer spits out some blood and a tooth, gritting his teeth. "If I tell you, he'll kill me."

John folds his arms - impatience evident on his face. "I'll make it slower, and more painful." He takes a step closer, and leans over, unstrapping and peeling off his right, full leather glove. The sight is... perverse. His right hand, no longer fully gloved, is covered in faint burn scarring, but what makes it truly terrible to behold is the cat's-paw effect - the underside of his palm and fingers are dark, and vaguely bubbled. The skin twisted and contorted horribly, stretched in some places, and in grotesque pools at others. No fingerprints... but it's no wonder he wears the glove. Holding the hand up for the tailer to inspect, he murmurs lowly, "You wouldn't believe how long I can keep you alive for..."

Eyes go wide, and the guy tries to back up but there's no where to go. The sight is absolutely grotesque to say the best of it, at least to him. "Holy shit man! Fuck... you're fuckin' fucked up... shit!" Continue this for a few seconds before Yi smacks him across the face. "Such a dirty mouth. I hope you brushed your teeth after I gagged you with all that trash last week." The guy's first reaction is a glare back at Yi, but this is quickly dissipated as she punches him. Again and again, her fists pummel into him until her knuckles are well bruised, and until something cracks. The guy's face is bleeding heavily, bruised worse and his jawbone broken. His brief struggle only gets his arms broken at the elbows. This guy is helpless now, and the striking only made Yi's glare get darker. She seizes the guy's jaw, squeezing in a very eagle claw like manner until his tongue protrudes. "In the East... women would bite off their own tongues to commit suicide. But I won't make you bite off your tongue, if you don't cooperate." She lets his head go, and sinks the knife into his balls. Ah, that girlish scream. "You won't live to grow any balls unless you tell me WHO sent you."

John pulls away, and slides his hand into the glove again - zipping and fastening it up. He watches Yi with a vaguely disappointed look. "Don't get carried away. He needs a tongue to talk." he grunts, but otherwise folds his arms, giving the poor man a dull, bored look. Sorry... bad cop and worse cop, now.

Yi growls, pulling the knife out and wiping it along the guy's shirt. The tailer can barely talk beyong a few syllables, the pain making his head spin along with the blood pooling. "I didn't get carried away. This is the least I could do for him." Then she takes the guys hand and wraps it around his own knife. "If you don't tell me, I'm just going to let you cut yourself piece by piece, like that frog dissection I did in school." Wow, she's calm. "'m sorry.. 'm sorr... *choke*" Blood spills from his mouth messily. "He talked like you. Fuckin' chink... told me to leave pictures...at the phone booth on Regan couple *cough* from now..." The man's head flops dully, but he's not out yet. Yi glances up at John, with some look in her eyes that tells she's...disturbed to say the least.

John leans forward, putting a hand on Yi's - staying her for now. "Shh. Take a deep breath." he says, surprisingly softly. "When are you to next leave pictures? Can you contact him in any way, or will he find you?"

Yi turns her face away a moment, keeping her tongue in check. The man shakes his head. "Calls..boss..tells him to put up and shut up... I don't know when..." The guy is surprisingly cooperative. Maybe it's the fact his head is spinning inside. John tilts his head. "And who is your boss? I need a name, and a place. Take a deep breath, remember." he says, lowly.

Yi checks out the blood on her hand, idly, before looking back to the guy. His tongue is lolling floppily, drooling with blood and saliva onto his shirt. For a few moments, he just grunts in an attempt to say whatever it is he wants to say. "T..Tonie.." comes a name. "At the cl..*gagging, coughing* club." That took a lot of effort. Yi stands up, looking at her hand again. "Tonie, at a club. That's very helpful...{Not.}"

John leans forward a little closer, eyes narrowing. "Tonie who?" His eyes flick briefly to Yi. Butt out.

"D..underground.." The guy tries to gaze at John through the blood trickling down from his open skull. "Ch..chink bastard.. s'gone." Yi looks at the guy, then wets her lips. "{Tonie D. Underground, and someone from home who is likely gone by now. Someone, knows me and wants me dead.}" She sends her glare towards the wall. "Tonie D..." she glances around. "Tonie D... is one of the DJ's. At that club at that old church." She gazes at John. "Why would he want to..." Yi trails.

John pulls back. "Much more helpful." he comments, softly, as he silently unsheathes his knife. With a quick, careful motion, he slits the man's throat, and wipes the blood on that already bloodied shirt, before replacing it. "The Temple. That's where Rina and I go." He closes those wide, unfocussed eyes, with gloved fingers, and then straightens up. Gruffly, he murmurs, "Well, now. If someone wants you dead, you might want to find out who. Starting with a phone booth on Regen, and Tonie D." Reaching inside his coat pockets to pull out the wad of cash and the joints, he flips through the notes and offers them to her. "He's your man. Might need this in Hong Kong. Looks to be about four hundred. Plus change."

Yi takes the cash, glancing at the dead man. "Should get rid of that body." She sighs, and counts out the cash before stuffing it in her vest pocket. "Isn't the Temple someone's territory already? I heard it was mafia territory."

John shrugs, stuffing his hands in his coat, and eyeing the cooling body. "Used to be. Rina killed the guy in charge. I have a few odd jobs to do, and then I'll concentrate on making it /mine/. People already know me. Sort of."

Yi nods slowly, moving over to a dumpster. With care she picks up some old rag and uses that to open and fish around inside briefly, coming up with a bottle in a bag. It's only half full, but she walks back over and pours it on the corpse. Then she sets it on fire, leaving it be and starting to walk out of the alley already. "{Then I'll go tomorrow. No more games, this time.}"

John nods to her as she leaves, then steps over to the destroyed camera and exposed film - he picks up the film, and then, after straightening up again, crushes the camera further, under his boot. He follows a good distance after Yi, stuffing the film remnants into a pocket, and stepping around the burning body. Leaving it for someone else to find.