Depositing the cub onto the rooftop, Yi takes a moment to stretch an arm. It's a lot of work trying to haul up a hundred pound lupus onto a seven floor tenement by just a fire ladder. After checking the rooftop door, she turns back to the dog. "Ok, we're sort of safe up here...sort of. Don't shift yet, as it's still daytime. Have to watch out for airplanes." She looks up and around, at the neighboring buildings, then has a peek over the edge of the building roof before nodding to Rotem. "Why do you think I brought you up here?"

Flying-Wolf chuffs, looking about. Good view. Enjoy before die.

Yi shrugs. "True... it's a pretty good view. You can see all the way to the river. But also, you can see much of what's going on down below." After looking about again, she motions to the cub to tuck in behind one of the corners. There, a convenient set up of crates blocks any viewers. "Go ahead and shift in there. There's a white t-shirt in the opening of the second crate."

Flying-Wolf shrugs and paws over towards the spot she shows him. He looks around, just to be sure, and shifts, returning to his bald state and running a hand over his head. The cub then dresses in the clothing provided and walks back out, the t-shirt too short to cover the important parts.

Yi chuckles softly. "First thing I could point out, is that you should always know what is around you. Not just the landscape...but what is around too. If you thought to look in the fifth crate, there's a pair of boxers and jeans. The first crate had shoes."

Rotem smirks and looks at Yi. "Rotem's rule number one, if you've got it, flaunt it." he states, gyrating his hips at Yi with a grin and then heading back over to the boxes to finish dressing.

Yi smiles again, and looks out over what she can see of the city from this building. While the cub dresses, she asks, "If there's something I noticed about most people... it's that they don't look around themselves very much. They think themselves, the center of their worlds. Everything revolves around them. Even if they don't realize it. The nicest people, including me, always have something in mind that benefits them." If Rotem looks around inside the boxes, there is also a gun inside the crate, as well as a knife in a sheath.

Rotem collects the other items as well. The cub quickly pockets the gun, and the knife is inserted into his right sock, just in case.

"Did you check the gun and knife?" Yi queries, still looking over the edge of the rooftop at the street below. "Don't worry, it's loaded." Or is it? The Gnawer newmoon comes around the crate. Somewhere from around the crate she hands him a black jacket, synthetic fibers but warm enough. "If you're going to wear a gun, make sure it's concealed properly. White t-shirts, don't do that unfortunately." She fits the jacket around the cub and looks at him. "There. Now you have some decent clothes, a decent hairstyle, and decent weaponry. At least, for this town. Come on. Let's look at the people."

Rotem remains silent, pulling the gun out just to be sure. In a quick motion, from seeing far too many, far too violent, movies, the clip is dropped into his other hand, the bullets checked, and the gun replaced in its hiding place. The safety is still on, however. The cub then steps towards Yi and nods. "Lets rock."

Yi chuckles. "Not now... not yet. You're all ready to blast someone's brain out of their ear. Put the gun away, Rotem. If you got it, you can flaunt it, but flaunt it when it's... more stylish to." She motions with her head over the side of the building. People pass on their way to destinations below, some crossing the street intersection, some chatting. Cars stop and go. A typical day in downtown. "Look at the people. Lot of them, aren't there? And still, not one of them realize that they are in danger that their life could be taken at any moment. Every single one of them, too busy, too blind, too self-oriented. You know what I'm talking about? Ever notice that sort of thing?"

Rotem nods. "All the time." the cub sighs. "Definite problem. Heard over in new york a woman broke her foot, and lay in the middle of times square screaming for an hour before anyone stopped walking to help her."

"Ah, but see, she maybe...broke her foot because she wasn't careful enough. And to lay there screaming for an hour? A whole hour?" Yi shrugs. "I don't know about you, but I would like to think myself able to take care of a problem like that without screaming for a whole hour." She turns back to the street scene. "Look, there." She points down at a group of boys, probably no more than 14 or 15 years old each. "They gather here, thinking they will be cool when they show up and greet each other loudly, dress loudly, talk loudly. Nothing can stop them, nothing can kill them. At least, they think so." She turns back to Rotem. "Some Garou, think that way too. I hope you are not like that."

Rotem shrugs. "Hard not to think that way, when you get shot in the gut, and then bite off the gun." the cub mentions, in q quiet whisper. "But I've seen the Wyrmy stuff. So I know better."

Yi nods a bit. "I have not yet seen someone that is immortal. Well, with your exception of some vampires who claim to be." She turns away from the edge of the roof and crouches down, though motions for the cub to keep watching. "That group of boys. They draw too much attention to themselves. Their hair, colored in all sorts of strange colors. Their speech, always loud and full of 'fuck' and 'shit' and others. They think that shield will protect them, but nothing but air keeps their heads from the bullets in the gun." She flicks on a lighter, lighting up a cigarette. One puff though, and she stands up to drop the cig off the side of the roof. Quickly she pulls the cub back just one step. Down below, it hits one of the boys on the head and there's an errant, "HEY! Fuck!" followed by laughter. Yi grins at Rotem. "See?" She lets go of the cub and motions for him to look back over.

Rotem doesn't peek over instantly, he isn't a ragabash, but he knows not to be seen. He moves aside and looks just slightly over the edge from further down.

The boys aren't looking up, not even the one who got hit with the cig. In fact they just keep right on posing and talking. "They won't look up at you, don't worry. The one who got hit, he doesn't want to look embarrassed. He just wants to look cool and be like his other friends. 'Fuckin' asshole,' he'd say, and never admit he was caught off guard." The newmoon glances over to the cub. "It doesn't matter if you are a Shadow Lord, or a Bone Gnawer, or whatever tribe. Don't be caught off guard. It's just that, we are better at doing it because we have a reason to. The Shadow Lords like to claim they're never caught offguard, and I'd say they rarely are. The Gnawers... we're loose. Very loose. But, we're never off guard either. It only looks like we are. Throws a lot of Garou off. They think we're careless, but we're not. Sort of like... drunken boxing. Ever tried it?"

Rotem nods. "I've tried boxing while drunk, not the martial art." the cub comments, and reaches down to pick up several pebbles and rain them down upon the gang, stepping back at the last moment.

A chorus of curses rewards the two Garou above, before the boys group up and shuffle a few feet away from the side of the building. Yi chuckles, then regains some bit of seriousness. "Now... had that been a group of mafia thugs, we would have been caught in a very bad situation. There are times for some light play, when you're on guard duty. But..." she looks at Rotem with an arched eyebrow. "You learn, not to overdo it. Ok?"

Rotem nods. "Little stuff, okay. Garbage bins over the side, not okay." The cub smirks and moves off back towards Yi.

Yi stands back up from her stoop. This whole time, she's set herself in a much shorter position than the cub. Now she stands back up. "Right. Well, unless you really have a grudge and want to surprise someone. But that sort of thing usually makes quite a scene." She walks over the rooftop towards its center, motioning for the cub to follow after. Her walk is slow, thoughtful, like she's trying to think of what to say. "So... what do you think you can do to keep yourself from being seen in this city?"

Rotem shrugs. "Keep off the main streets. Don't harass the meter maids..." the cub thinks as he follows Yi. "No felonies.." he adds, as an afterthought. "Keep in lupus most of the time, and try to avoid crowded areas. Trouble always happens there."

"But most murders take place in alleyways, docks, closed streets..." Yi stops and turns to face the cub. "Now why would I ask you about that sort of thing?" It's rhetorical. "Because, we have to keep low. Not just Garou... but everything. Every animal on this planet, tries not to make a scene. They're very subtle when they want to be. Not only that, but because...well, it's a waste of energy. That, and it draws attention to themselves. Shadow Lords, you noticed with Jarred, can be very subtle. They like to put up a front, and mask themselves, keep you guessing about their true intents. This is natural, not just for them but for us. Bone Gnawers, we're subtle. We roam the streets freely because no one is going to notice that bum drinking in the corner, or the average girl in the park reading, or the janitor who cleans the toilets three times a week. We work behind the scenes. Sure, the city is dirty on the surface too, but to clean it you have to get at its roots. Those roots, are the Wyrm and sometimes the Weaver. And sometimes, it's just humans."

Rotem nods towards Yi. "Sometimes, the roots are in the sewers." the cub adds, smiling. "Then we need big weapons. Like bombs and Napalm."

Yi shrugs. "Sometimes it's just the fungus that grows on the roots. The mold that is working itself into the healthy plant to make it sick." She wets her lips. "But tell me, who are the main Garou who go clean these sewers? Shadow Lords? Glass Walkers? No... Bone Gnawers. We are the ones, indeed, who go behind the scenes, under the ground, into the muck. We're janitors of the city. We clean up, and make sure it's kept clean. Now that doesn't sound like much of a deal, what with the Glass Walkers and Shadow Lords sitting up top and just wiping away dust on their desks, but it's just what we do. And that's why we are the ones who really know what's going on all the time. That's why, the Bone Gnawers are never truly caught off guard. That's why, we survive."

Rotem nods. "Well, most of us." he adds, smilling.

Rotem follows along with Yi, looking behind him, then back around himself, just to be sure.

"You think you haven't survived?" Yi tilts her head. Then she asks him, "Are you ready to die?"

Rotem shrugs. "Not much choice. I haven't survived, if I'm being culled." the cub shakes his head. "But lets not dwell. Might as well enjoy the time I got left."

Yi stays in her spot, just regarding the cub. "You really don't think you have a choice. So now, all you will do is enjoy the time you have left. Nothing about responsibility, nothing about helping others, nothing about fighting for Gaia. Does it appeal to you anymore, now that you know you're going to die?"

Rotem nods. "Sure if does. I gotta make a difference before I go, don't I?" the cub smiles. "Thats why I said I'd go to the sewers. Sure, its going to hurt more that way, but I get to battle it out."

Yi clasps her hands behind her back. "And does this make you happy? Does it make you sad? You wanted so much to help out in the sewers... and now that they are sending you there, are you not happy because you know you are going to die?"

Rotem nods. "Yeah. because I won't get to finish the job. I was hoping to run through there someday, wherever I want, under /my/ lights."

"Well you are going to run in there. Maybe not under your lights, since we only got five of them up..." Yi muses. "But you're an ahroun. Ahrouns know they're going to die. Every Garou dies eventually, but ahrouns... well I will admit I've not seen an old ahroun yet." She tilts her head again. "Aren't you proud to be an ahroun, going off to throttle the Wyrm as much as you can before you die with its blood in your jaws, howling a final battle cry?" Her hand motions dramatically, as if describing some movie plot.

Rotem shakes his head. "No. I wan't to take more of them with me first."

"Oh but there are plenty for you down there," Yi shrugs. "Perhaps a whole nest of banes reserved just for you and Banecruncher." She takes a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "So you'll be going down there and taking out as much as you can. Doing what ahrouns do best. But I ask you... what are you going to do, to maybe make the galliards remember this sort of thing?"

Rotem shrugs. "I'm going to kill them all, and still come back alive." the cub states. "Or I'm going to die trying."

Yi nods. "Fair enough. So now I know, at least, you're not going to be completely depressed and sulk around with your tail between your legs like you did when you lost you eye." At that mention, her brow comes up. "Oh forgot about that." She reaches into her vest and hands over a pair of shades. Decent ones, that hug the head. Matrix-y, but not drawing attention. "Thought you'd like these. It's really amazing what you can get looting off unconscious thugs. Try 'em on."

Rotem chuckles and puts them on. "Thanks hon!" he says, smiling happilly.

Rotem looks down and then back up, making sure that they don't fall off his head, then hugging Yi to him gently. "Thank you so much!"

Yi looks the cub over. "Hon?" Her half-smirk gets caught up in an 'awk' as she's hugged. "Uh, your welcome..." she manages out after an awkward attempt at a hug after. Then she pushes back again. "You have to keep those on, when you walk around town. Otherwise, people will notice your eye. But remember... subtle. Don't draw attention. Normal people always look at sunglasses, but if you don't look back they won't stare. I think it's a 'cool' kind of mentality. But not too cool.. otherwise you get the darker side of the townspeople gathering around. And police will think you're trying to do something." She tilts her head, and puts on a particularly heavy accent. "You know what I'm say?"

Rotem nods. "I know whatcha' sayin' dog. I be cool." the cub drawls, smirking.

Yi holds back a laugh. "Well you are the one who has lived in this city all your life, you know what people to avoid right?" She nods, approvingly. "Now.. we'll get back to the Gnawer part of the deal. Somewhere along the line, your spirit decided to draw from the deck of cards and came up with Bone Gnawer. That means, you are the wolf who watches the city's sheep. But even sheep have brains. They'll get suspicious when a wolf is walking amongst them, and it's only strengthened by you being a fullmoon. They know that you're a predator. So, you act like a sheep. You wear the sheep's clothing, you wear the sheep's sunglasses... but you carry the wolf's weapons. Never forget that you are a wolf. But a wolf, in sheep's clothing." She motions for the cub to follow her again. They'll be going down from the roof. "Subtlety is the key. The only attention you want to draw, is the attention that tells people, 'Look don't bother me or you'll get hurt.' That is how ahrouns walk the city streets."

Rotem nods and follows Yi, climbing down from the fire escape, heading towards the street. He stuffs his hands in his pockets, and holds his head up high, a stern look upon his face.

Once back on the street, Yi first looks at Rotem and the way he's standing. "Mm, well, maybe a little looser than that. You're a Bone Gnawer. Relax a little. Remember, we're relaxed, but we're on guard always." She lifts his hands out of his pockets. "Don't put your hands in your pockets. Not just because you wouldn't have much time to catch yourself if you did happen to fall, but because that usually means you have something in them. Show the sheep, that you're just another one of them. Except you have black wool instead of white." Then she touches his cheek. "Not stern. That's John's look. Sometimes you'd think he was constipated or something, but that might just be me. Go for calm. The moon's getting big, but you have to keep cool. Work on that some."

Rotem nods, turning his head slightly and pressing his head against her cheek, sighing as he closes his eyes, enjoying the breif touch. The cub then snaps out of it, nodding and trying to look more average.

Yi blinks, rubbing at her cheek a little but smirks at him. "Alright. I think that's good. A whole new look, none of that bullet holes in the shirt and claw rips. Nice shades, by the way." She laughs. "You want pizza?"

Rotem nods towards her, talking along swiftly. "But I'm not going in, okay? They kinda know how I eat there."

Yi tilts her head at him. "Well then, we'll have to change how you eat there then too. I'm going to make you learn, Rotem, that you can't hide from the world. But, you can conceal yourself in it. If that doesn't make sense now, don't worry too much. You're an ahroun, after all. Subtlety isn't your strong point." She grins and crooks a finger for him to walk with her. To the Pizza Parlor!

Garcia's Pizza Parlor(#2882RJM$)
The first thing some people notice when they step into this room is the noise: almost always there is some sort of noise, of music or conversation or the employees in the back, cooking. Others see the lights, harsh yellow-white over the counter and on into the kitchen in the back, a dimmer, indeed faint glow above each of the tables scattered around. No matter which sense is first engaged by the room, almost all soon are captured by the smell of pizza; the smell pervades the place, an aroma of melted cheese, cooked tomato sauces, various meats, vegetables, all subtle, yet all blended together into the overwhelming smell. The smell tells the customer that, despite the less-than-classy look of the restaurant, the product is, undeniably, almost guaranteed to be good.
(Type +view for details.)
In the corner near the door is a trio of video games and a soda machine. Scattered around the room are several tables; lining the back, the counter on which the pizzas are put before they are picked up.
Contents:
Rotem
Obvious exits:
STreet

The moment they step in, some people move. Some people look up, but then go back to their conversations. Yi motions for Rotem to pick a booth, and with her eyes tells him to remember what she's being telling him. Then she turns back to the counterboy and rattles off an order of two large meatlovers.

Rotem slips into the booth, sitting down well into it and keeping to himself, scanning about the room.

Once the order is placed and gotten, Yi hauls the two pizzas over to the table and sets them down in front of Rotem. Her hand doesn't exactly move away, the newmoon wanting to first tell the cub, "Ok. Noticed how some people moved off. They had their pizza, and conversed but when we came in they moved away and went out. That sort of effect is expected. But even as you notice that, the goal is to make it look like it wasn't you who just made them decide to go. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. Most of the time though, when two wolves step into a bar.. or a room.. that's going to happen. Just act natural. Don't draw attention. Eating, is no different. I know some really rough tumblers who have better manners than princesses. They, on the other hand, have to make sure the way they eat is more sloppy than they would normally. It's kind of funny." She picks up a slice of pizza in hand. "No forks, no knives. Just eat, but don't stuff your face."

Rotem nods, lifting a piece of pizza to his lips, smirking and taking a large bite. The sauce gets on the edges of his mouth, but he doesn't seem to notice.

And things progress pretty normally, if not for the fact that the people around them have moved to give some wider berth. Still no one thinks to remove them from the vicinity, and most just try to continue with their meals. Eventually the pies are eaten, the drinks are drunk, and Yi leans with her back to the booth to gaze around at the various people, including the kids at the arcade. "So, what makes those kids there, different from the boys we saw posing on the street?"

There are several regulars who hang out at Garcia's. There're the kids, Jesus, Tina, and Pedro, who hang out by the video games, except when the police chase them back to the high school. There're the neighborhood folks who stop by for a chat and a slice, and maybe some business. Notable among these are Toni and Mo, a pair of black, leather-clad lesbians, and Misha, a runty little guy whom nobody angers, ever. There're also, of course, the staff, from Mama Louisa Garcia, the proprietor, to Antonio, the counterboy, nicknamed 'Wesley' for some strange reason.

Rotem shrugs. "They're not loud. They are just concerned with their games. They still won't notice much around them. They just wanna kill the evil vogons, or whatever the game is."

Yi shrugs. "Not just that... but they aren't concerned for their lives. For them, their death isn't an issue. They know that when the game ends, it's over until they find another couple of quarters. For us, when it's game over, it's over. Still... it's a game. And because it's a game, we play it. We don't complain about when we're dying. That's one of the rules of the game. We're not like the woman who breaks her foot and screams for an hour. We attempt to drag ourselves back to our feet and find help. That's what the city dogs do. Because if you do lay down and die, that's exactly what's going to happen. Die fighting, or die crying." She glances about again, ever on the watch even though she's in repose. "Now.. let's talk about status. You know we Gnawers are at the bottom rung. Like I said, we're the janitors, not the corporate CEOs. But even amongst the lowest, there's a sense of heirarchy that is always being built up, then taken down and rebuilt." She leans towards the cub. "You know your status. But sometimes, you don't act like it. Your words come, sometimes, too fast. That, detracts from being subtle. Wars aren't always won with battles, you know?"

Rotem nods. "Yeah. I know. I gotta watch what I say." the cub looks about the room as well, eyes fixing on another person in a leather jacket, and looking him over for a moment, then back at Yi. "But I've been getting better, lately."

"That's good. Keep working on it," Yi answers, also turning for a moment to look at the leather jacket guy with a quick appraisal before returning attentions to the cub. "So you lead Donovan to see Kaz. Does this mean you are more hospitable towards the Fangs?" Her voice is conversationally low of course, quiet enough to keep the sounds within the sphere of the booth.

Rotem nods. "Yeah. Not that bad. Richie rich, but still, nice guys all in all." the cub rolls his shoulders, smilling. "And it was nice to be the one leading."

"I don't know, he was a bit stuffy don't you think?" Yi grins. "Oh, and try not to call him 'Lizard.' I'd call him 'Mushu' but it wouldn't make sense to him I think." The newmoon obviously is holding in some mirth at that idea. Then she leans back again, into the booth. "Do you think you are alone in this world? I mean, you are one of us, but do you really feel that way? Or are you just the omega hanging on the fringe and taking what he can get?"

Rotem shrugs. "I want to be one of the Gnawers. I want to have a family." the cub shakes his head. "But now that they want me dead, I dont feel like they care."

Yi arches a brow and crosses her arms over her front. "And I'm not a Gnawer? I don't care?"

Rotem shakes his head. "Not you, Kaz, and Elan."

Yi nods slowly, understanding. "I was just questioning you but I know what you meant. The first answer, isn't always the right one. Don't say all of them, because not all of them know. I didn't know, until Kaz told me." At this she half-lids her eyes and levels with him, her voice low. "And I won't see it happen without a fight. Rotem, I believe you are worth at least, an honorable fight. I want to send you down there, not because you're supposed to be culled, but because you are a warrior who fights for Gaia given the chance. I want to see it worth something. I'm not letting you go without a challenge. Maybe I am selfish, but... I worked too hard to try and get others to see it. I'm still working on it. I just need your help in trying to prove to them that you are an ahroun, worthy of the Gnawers and Gaia."

Rotem nods towards Yi, smiling slightly, not wanting to make a scene. "Thank you, Yi." he says, wipeing a tear from just under the glasses.

Yi grins back. "Does this mean I'm talented, making ahrouns cry on their moons?" She laughs and sits back, handing him a napkin. "You have to remember that too, you know. Maybe it's wrong for me to put the illusion of it into your head. Maybe it's my own illusion. But to me, I will not be consenting to sending you down there to be culled by worms because we Gnawers didn't have the heart to. No... nothing like that. You're a fighter, and that's what you do best. Fight the Wyrm." She looks about the pizza parlor and taps a finger on the table. "Let's go, na? Can't have blubbering on a full moon in a crowded pizza parlor." She grins widely.

Rotem smirks towards her. "Because I like you, I'm not going to hit you for that." the cub says, jokingly, and rises up. "Lets go."

Yi gets up as well, chuckling. "If you hit me in this place, I'll start thinking you forgot my lessons." She strolls out with the ahroun, heading for the church. And when they exit, though they probably don't notice, the atmosphere inside gets a bit looser when the underlying tension dissipates.

Rotem puts his hand about Yi in a friendly manner as they walk down the street. One might mistake them for boyfriend and girlfriend. God knows enough people have before. He smirks, whispering. "I'm learning." and under the cover of his jacket, gives her a less then gentle jab in the ribs.

Yi acks at the jab, poking back with a wry grin as she slips out from under his hand. "Not that," she chuckles. "People will think we're more than just friends. And Gaia help me if my boss sees us." She shakes her head with a wry smile and takes to walking a pace ahead. "So let me ask you something... if you don't ever go home... what made you stay around St. Claire? Why didn't you take off?"

Rotem shrugs. "I know all the haunts around here. Know where to get food, and how to survive. No need to strike out in new places."

"Never bothered you that you wouldn't try and see the world?" Yi continues, dodging around a person who is rather hurriedly trying to get from Point A to Point B, but doesn't have an expressway or a car.

Rotem shrugs. "I want a plate of food in front of me, a kin beside me, and a bed under me. I don't really care what the rest of the world looks like." the cub says, jokingly. "Just as long as it ain't looking Wyrmy."

Yi pauses in step. "Well you can get all those in prison," she notes. "Even though the kin might not exactly be who you'd want." She jumps a pace ahead with a laugh and continues walking.

Rotem smirks, moving up faster now, the cub puts his foot out, giving Yi the traditional 'flat tire'.

Yi stumbles, but the newmoon is pretty accustomed to regaining her balance from odd throw offs. She turns around and walks backwards, facing the cub as he goes. She's not going to let that happen again. What's even odder is how she manages to dodge most of the people coming from the opposing direction the pair walk in. "And if it doesn't look as clean as you'd hope it to be?"

Rotem shrugs. "The kin can pack my bags, and cook dinner for me when I get back from the battleground." the cub smiles. "And my friends can look out for lamp p--" the cub cuts off, too late.

Clunk. Ow. Yi, stopped by a lamp post, just seems to ooze from around it. This time, though, she rubs at the back of her head and mutters quietly. A couple of people who see it laugh, but otherwise they move on their way snickering. The newmoon just glares after them, but turns her wry gaze at Rotem. "So much for advance warnings. Alright, should we call it even now?"

Rotem smirks and nods. "Yeah." the cub says, moving along to her. "So, where to now?" Yi considers this as she continues to rub away the bump forming. "You pick, Mr. Sunglasses."

Rotem shrugs. "Police station." he says jokingly, then keeps walks in the general direction of the church.

"Wow you really want that kin and bed, na," Yi comments with a quick look over at the cub. She sticks her tongue out playfully for just a second before withdrawing. "How about the church?"

Rotem chuckles. "S'good for me."

[Later...]

Forgotten Church(#1801RAJLM)
The old church is dark, dimly lit by outside light coming in through scum-encrusted windows during the day, and tomblike during the night. There is a coatroom in the back of the nave, with separate doors leading off to mens' and womens' restrooms, and two staircases, one going up to the balcony and bell-tower, and the other leading down to the basement. The double doors leading out to the street are at the back of the coatroom.
The hard wooden pews in the sanctuary are, for the most part, still intact. There are even Bibles and hymnals left in the shelves along the back of each row, although many of them look rather chewed on. The altar on a dais at the front of the church is empty, and the lectern that once stood next to it has been knocked over. Rotting red cloth hangs at the very front of the church; there might once have been a design on it, but it has long since faded or been eaten away.
Contents:
Rotem
Mural
Obvious exits:
Street Basement

Sitting in a pew, Yi flips a switchblade up and down, mostly just an idle waiting while Rotem takes care of business downstairs a moment.

Elan pushes open the doors and comes in, a small bag of groceries under his arm.

Yi glances towards the doors, and spotting the tribal elder immediately stands up and slips the blade into her pocket. "Evening Elan-rhya. Need help?"

Elan shakes his head and closes the door behind him. He sniffs a bit, and frowns. He glances to Yi, eyes narrowing.

Yi licks a part of her tooth, and arches a brow. "Something wrong?"

Elan frowns a bit. "Thought I smelled something. Anyway. Help yourself." He unwraps some lunchmeat and half a loaf of bread.

Yi doesn't sit back down, as Elan doesn't sit. Force of habit. "Elan-rhya, Kaz told me you and her were going to send Rotem down into the sewers with Banecruncher. I'd like to speak with you about it."

Elan sits down and folds his arms. "So talk."

Yi chooses to sit on the floor despite whatever grime there may be beside the Elder. "Well... I don't believe that he should be going down there. Sending a cub down into the sewers is the same thing as culling him. I know Kaz told me you and her talked, and you two wished for him to die fighting in the sewers. Before his Rite of Passage. I thought it over, and... I don't think he should go."

Elan says "Why not?"

"Because I feel he shouldn't be culled," Yi answers simply. "He's not ready yet, but he will be. Maybe in a few days, maybe in a few months. But he has potential."

Elan snorts. "He's gone and blown the Veil wide open, and his picture is all over town. He's useless as a city Garou, unless he stays in lupus for the rest of his life. Which he can't; we don't look THAT much like dogs, when all is said and done. I've GIVEN him chances. More than a lot of other cubs I've seen. The only other solution for him is to go to a different city, where they MIGHT not have his picture, which they might. Push his ass through a moon bridge and dump him on Western Eye, is the only way he can live."

Kaz pushes in the doors, munching on a bagel.

Yi shakes her head. "That is his picture of the past, Elan-rhya. He can change his appearance. I've already done it for him. He looks nothing his picture there now. We even ate pizza at the parlor on Regan today without trouble." She furrows her brow. "And he didn't break the Veil. There were no sightings of werewolves reported, no giant dogs, no caveman like humans. That alley gunfight, Elan-rhya, is my fault, and the fact that he and Leonard were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

From afar, to the room, Elan wants to know how you managed to change Rotem's appearance.

Long distance to the room: Yi shaved his head, gave him new clothes, shades... You paged the room with 'And told him how not to draw attention to himself. To act normal, and not like some punk kid.'.

Kaz stops abruptly, and rolls her eyes.

Elan blinks a bit. "And where did you do this?"

Kaz starts into movement again, heading for the two speaking together. "Jesus Christ," she mutters.

Yi takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. "I shaved his head at the caern. I have his hair, if you want proof of that. Today I took him up on top of a tenement building on Regan to talk. I put his clothes there ahead of time, and the shades I took off of an unconscious thug."

Elan nods at this. "Good. I was hoping you hadn't taken him here, first." He looks at the floor, then back to Yi. "I don't think that potential is there. He's been constantly at odds with us. I blame part of that on myself, and letting him hang aorund that damn Shadow Lord. I should have let the Get have him."

Kaz relaxes slightly as Elan speaks, and something that was on the tip of her tongue fades.

"It's not Jarred's fault either," Yi tries. "I know, it is somewhat of a situation where the faults of the pupil are the faults of his teachers, but... sir. He just needs time. I was the one who brought him here when he firsted. In fact, it's probably my fault that Nevada's human friend was killed that day when Rotem firsted. I took the responsibility of teaching him. When I couldn't do that, I asked for some help. This whole time, Rotem was running from us because he was afraid of us. Afraid because we kept telling him that we'd kill him. That's why he turned to Jarred. I thought, just giving us some time to cool down would help. And it did, in a way. But when he came back, he required more instruction, and that I asked for Leonard's help. Rotem learned something out there in the woods, and he got better. But it's just That one night, when he and Leonard were coming back, that he and Leonard happened to be in that area at that time. It's not his fault, sir. Give him the test to prove himself, if you don't think he has potential. Don't send him on a suicide mission. We need our warriors, not dead cubs in the jaws of the Wyrm."

Elan frowns, still. "We need cubs who don't let themselves get seen by the freaking cops, either." He shakes his head. "I'll think about it...I don't want to kill him, but at the same time I don't like the idea of him in this city. Let him prove himself elsewhere."

Kaz curls her lip. "Yi. /After/ he came back from Leonard's, he called Brittany's tribe, to her face, just after meeting her, a bunch of backstabbers. This is not a Garou. He just doesn't /get/ it."

Elan just shakes his head. "Never call them that /to their face/, lord.." He shakes his head again.

"Where, then? I offered to take him with me, but that was disagreed with. And, we're supposed to watch the city. His home, is this city. If he can't watch his home..." Yi swallows back quietly, turning to Kaz. "But he led Donovan into the city to see you. There was no calling of backstabbing there. And on this moon, his and Donovan's moon... they're both ahrouns. Nothing happened. He does have the tendency to take things far sometimes, but that can be changed too. I'll bet he will apologize to Brittany for his words."

Kaz shrugs. "He already did. But that ain't the point. You wanna /know/ the point? All of the point?"

"That he's young and impressionable? That he needs the time to grow into a proper Garou, and not killed because he was pushed off the block too soon?" Yi asks.

Kaz says, "Nope!" almost cheerfully. "That's not the point. I'll /tell/ you the point. If it takes Leonard a fuckin' week of spending all his time with the cub to get him to be reasonably polite to anyone, and he /still/ goes out and says that to Brittany, then he doesn't get it. If he kills a kid on his firsting, kills some gang guy while in glabro, an' gets seen good enough to get the police on his tail, he just doesn't get it. He has /had/ enough chances, and /more/ than enough chances. It doesn't have anything to do with you being a bad teacher. Him getting seen was not your fault. Him killin' that kid was not your fault. Him getting seen was /his/ fault, and killin' that kid was /his/ fault. If you wanna fuckin' make it your fault, that's your priveledge, but it means you're deludin' yourself." She stops. Voice a little hoarser, from many emotions at once, she says, "I don't slaver for the kid's blood or something, but Jesus Christ, he just doesn't /get/ it. I mean, fuck, I thought it was /nice/ of us to give him the chance to go out fightin' the Wyrm, but if he's gonna try and bolt to whatever fuckin' tribe that'll take him, I'll go kill him right /now/. It'd probably be easier on /his/ damn emotions, given as he was fuckin' cryin' on my fuckin' lap, four hours ago."

Elan rubs his temples. "I have such a frickin' headache..."

Yi sighs quietly. "He didn't kill Kyle directly. It was the Delirium that caused the human to blow his guts out with his own gun. His getting seen that night, shouldn't have happened but I was the one who told him and Leonard to stop the thugs by killing them. That, is the truth. He can't help it if he doesn't want to die, that's why he went to who he thought where his friends for help." Yi runs a hand through her hair. "So, if he -does- 'get it', right now, and if I can prove that, will you let him live?"

Elan looks to Kaz.

Kaz shrugs one shoulder. "To my mind? Fuck no. But I seem to be a heartless minority, so you might wanna rely more on Elan for this one."

Elan says "So, show me."

Yi stands up, turning her head and calling towards the basement. "Rotem! You're wanted up here."

Rotem calls back quickly. "Coming, Yi," and the sound of footfalls upon the steps is heard. Soon the cub emerges, his hands tucked into the fake leather jacket, his head lowered slightly, glasses covering his eyes. He pauses for a moment as he sees the gathering, but then continues. He bows his head towards Elan, then Kaz. "Hello Elan-Rhya, Kaz-Rhya." the cub then looks to Yi, "You called?"

Yi leans onto the pew backing, her hands gripping the wood a bit tighter than usual. "This is it, Rotem." She turns to Elan and Kaz. "The defense calls her client to the stand." She glances over at Rotem. "Take off the glasses, and answer all questions honestly please."

Rotem nods, pulling the glasses off his ears and tucking them in the pocket of the jacket, looking to Elan and Kaz. The cub moves closer, standing straight, looking back and forth. "Yes?"

Kaz says, a little tersely, "I've already talked to him, thanks."

Elan looks to Kaz. "We gotta get Anneka up to speed, quick. I hate not having a fucking lawspeaker in the tribe."

Kaz shrugs. "She's doin' pretty good, f'only bein' here a month. But I wouldn't want her to judge him anyways, not when she's still a cub."

"That was more than four hours ago, Kaz. A galliard knows the ways of the Garou well. You, even moreso from my experiences of seeing you work." Yi wets her lips and looks at the two other elders. "Ask him anything. I'm sorry for not having a halfmoon around for this. But you two are the elders of the tribe, and I believe you are both capable of deciding what's good enough to prove himself." She glances briefly at Rotem, then back to the two.

Elan nods at this.

Rotem remains silent through the exchange, his hands neatly folded behind his back as he waits, thinking to himself that this reminds him of Leonard in some odd way.

Kaz sighs. She starts pacing. "Don't you /get/ it? It's not that he don't have potential and shit and he can change all he wants in four fuckin' hours, the /point/ is, he fuckin' /had his last chance/. Boss, you wanna listen to all this shit, you feel free, I'm gettin' outta here before I /pop/, given this fuckin' moon."

Elan nods at Kaz. "I'll listen, Yi. Make it good."

Kaz actually doesn't leave; she heads for the stairs to the balcony, and disappears halfway up them.

Yi also nods to the galliard, knowing this is probably a bad moon to do this under as well. "Opening statements made... and now the questioning, na. Rotem..." she rubs a hand on her neck. "Tell us, why you think you should be allowed to live. You have been given millions of chances, tested the patience of your elders, tested the patience of other tribes elders, even insulted your elders. Why, should we let you live?"

Rotem pauses, considering this for a moment. His hands remaining behind him, head hanging down as he thinks, breathing softly and slowly. "There are only so many of us left around here." he cub begins, taking a breath and considering each word carefully. "Only so many of our kind, fighting against insurmountable odds. We need ever last one of us, in this fight." he looks down again, thinking. "I've had every chance there is. And more. I've had the most, and the best I can ask for. But I've also learned much." the cub sighs, closing his eyes and looking upwards, remembering, "I spent a night in a sweat lodge, clensing myself, and scrubbing, until my skin was bloody. I spent a day, without saying a single word. To learn patience, and to learn to listen. To really listen. Not to just wait for my turn to speak. To take my teachers words to heart. It was only then that I truely started to learn. Only after I had wasted my chances." the cub sighs. "So I ask you, to give me one more. Because I've been trying, in the time I do have left now, to fix the errors I have made. And I cannot fix them all. Not even in a lifetime. I cannot return Kyle. But I can give his death meaning. I can go out and fight, and help, just a little, to make things better out there." the cub looks to Elan again.

Elan frowns a bit. "I'll see what Leonard says, about this lodge stuff. I ain't decided, yet. That's as good as it gets."

Elan says "But you're right. You wasted your chances. All the goodwill we had for you is gone, and I doubt you'll ever get that back. So maybe you live. More than likely that ain't happenin' but maybe you do. Think about that and see if you still wanna live in this town, full moon boy."

Yi purses her lips slightly. "If you want to know about the sweatlodge, it's a Native American way of cleansing the mind, body and soul. Leonard took Rotem there to cleanse him from his errors, from the rage around him, and to give him a clear, clean mind to learn. Admittedly, it still took a lot of teaching, and not all of it got through but he -is- getting better." She glances at Rotem, then at Elan. She bows to the tribe elder. "All I can ask on his behalf is that you reconsider sending him into the sewers. He's taken all his chances, but maybe he did so without realizing before those were chances given to him. He does now, and I hope you let him live long enough to make up for the generosity and patience."

Rotem nods, head lowered down, considering this. After a long pause the cub replies, "Even if I was an omega forever, I would stay here. I would want the chance to someday, maybe, earn that back. To prove my worth. I just hope I get that chance."

Elan snorts. "You'll wish we'd fed you to the Wyrm." He stands up and rolls his shoulder, the moon finally getting to him. "I'll see you later."

Yi says no more, simply giving her elder a short dip of her head and keeping her eyes lowered.

Rotem bows towards Elan, head lowered. "Thank you for hearing me out Elan-Rhya." the cub remains slightly bent until Elan dismisses him.

Elan waves Rotem off and stalks out the door, looking none to pleased. He takes the lunchmeat with him as he passes.

Kaz is, evidently, still listening, because she emerges when Elan says he's leaving, clumping down the stairs grumpily and trailing after the theurge.

Yi motions for Rotem to head down basement wards, herself turning to go the opposite direction. Meeting adjourned.