4/28/2004
12:54 PM
Logfile from GarouMUSH.
West Bridge Street
The desperate hopelessness of the industrial sector just to the south makes itself felt here, in crowding tenements and dying trees. Many of the people here leave their homes to go to the factories and warehouses, and to return again to noise, crowding, and the tempers of too many people in too small a space. The street is a patchwork of potholes and attempted fillings of them, cracked across with the imperfection of the work. The occasional shop is tucked in here, small building among those a few stories taller. From 13th to 15th Streets, every inch of land is used, mostly for buildings, occasionally for a small, struggling garden which even in the best years cannot hope to provide all the needed vegetables.
Contents:
Emma
Alicia
Obvious exits:
Hayden's Bike Shop HOstel Donut Shop South North East
[look Emma]
4'10" of youthful energy packed up into a body all too willing to use it. Emma would be described as pretty if she were cleaned up and dressed the role, but all too often the scrapping tomboy paints herself with bruises instead of blush.
Somewhere in her mid-teens, her features are strong but decidedly feminine. High cheekbones and full lips work well to compliment her almost button nose and deepset eyes, while dark, ash blonde hair frames her face. While not straight, it is not curly either, and untied it reaches down past her shoulders. Her eyes are a cool blue, reminiscent of a bright summer day - but like the weather they seem to hold an amount of unpredictability. There is a hardness to her gaze, and while her smiles can be warm and sincere, they are well guarded.
Her posture is an odd mix of insecurity and confidence -or at least what might be confused as confidence. She seems surefooted and comfortable with herself, but exudes a certain edginess to those she might see as a source of ridicule.
The slightest chill of the air brought on the wind is made more frigid by the shady, desperate feel of West Bridge Street. With cars traveling in sporadic amounts and people even less so, much of the sound of the city is taken up by arguments to be heard through thin walls. It's here a couple buildings away from the hostel, that in a tiny little patch of yellowish green, Yi is stooped and tending the saddest of all innercity gardens ever.
Heading down the sidewalk is Alicia, wearing a pair of baggy pants and a tight fitted shirt. She may as well wear them while she can, her stomach in a few weeks won't be able to. She has a bit of a street swagger to her step, acting as if she owned every inch of cement she treads upon. "Hey Yi!" She calls over upon noticing the hunched over asian.
A young woman with a rather rugged look ensemble of clothing is strolling down the street. Most folks give her a wide berth, even though she wears no scowl on her face. She stops in front of the bike shop, looking into the window and remaining otherwise quiet.
Yi glances up, hand-helded gardening fork stuck in the ground as she works around a particularly stubborn weed. Her other hand waves as she spots Alicia, a smile making its way to the Gnawer's face. "Hello," she greets, eyes flicking back to the stubborn weed. Battle for survival! "Welcome to one of my little gardens." A slice of Heaven, for sure. Not.
"Heh.. you need help with that sis?" Alicia asks as she kneels down next to the Gnawer, eyes twinkling just a bit in amusement. "Hey, I'm pregnant." She says with a nudge to her shoulder, reaching over and snagging up the weed, giving it hard tug with her bare hand.
Emma lets out a big sigh as she stares at the bikes, hands finding comfort deep within her empty pockets. After another glance, she turns and starts walking again, kicking at invisible cans on the sidewalk.
Gently! Gently. The Gnawer puts her hand on the Galliard's. "You're what?" Yi blinks, apparently undecided if the weed is still important in lieu of the news. "Pregnant?" Down go the eyes to the belly. "Uhm... congratulations? Is a she? He? Tom's?"
A screaming match breaks out in one of the tenements near the bike shop, but largely goes quite ignored by anyone in hearing range. Just as Emma starts walking again, a three pack of bikes come roaring down the street.
"Of course its /Tom's/, who else am I screwing? Why does everyone keep asking me that for?" Alicia looks a bit upset at that, furrowing her brows. "I don't know if its a boy or girl, I'm only two months." She says, glancing upwards and over her shoulder at the trio of bikers who approach. She studies them for a second, then catches sight of Emma. She throws up her hand, trying to catch her attention.
Yi looks taken aback at the annoyance washing over Alicia. "Oh, no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way." She shakes her head, trying to emphasize the fact she meant no offense. "I'm just... surprised. Happy." The smile comes back. The fork is set down, and the galliard given the briefest of hugs before she looks up towards the direction of Emma. A brow arches as she wonders where she's seen the other girl before.
Emma stops and watches the bikes, shrugging once more as they zoom down. "Maybe Signe will buy me one." She catches the hand wave and a little smirk settles on her face. She walks over and gives a nod, "Hey Alicia. Yi." She bobs her head to both.
The bikers themselves are hardly the kind you'd see around here. The one at the head wears a letterman jacket from local SCCU, so the others seem to be students as well - at least, the three guys riding the bikes are. The girl looks too young to be in college, or at least her clothing suggests such. One of the guys, a fair-looker dressed in loose jeans and a green t-shirt has a brief conversation with the others. Then, they separate, leaving their bikes parked in front. The collegiates remaining plus one start walking in the direction of the three Garou and the excuse of a garden.
"Hello," Yi greets, looking slightly iffy as she spots the students behind Emma. "Welcome to my little garden." She seems quite aware that she may be putting foot on Havoc's territory, but this doesn't bother her.
You paged the room with 'Er... collegiates plus one is two guys and the young girl.'.
"Thanks." Alicia says, hugging Yi back in return. "I'm happy too. I think." She says with a nervous grin. "Hey Emma, word up?" She asks, letting her gaze trail past her shoulder and to the bikers behind her.
Emma notices those gazes, and glances back herself. "Uh, no word. Nice little garden ya have. My mum had a big garden."
Why are there college students in this section of the citydumps? Well, the conversation they are having flows along. "Yeah, I bet Bach could make or break that shop easy. He's probably already cutting in on the bucks, but holy shit what a dump it's in," says the one with the letterman's jacket. "Whatever Dev'. The main thing is, if he takes it over, we get the hookups, y'know?" "Hell yeah, that's what it's all about. Free shit!" The girl, silent but smiling, seems to just fawn over the one not wearing the jacket. As they draw closer, her eyes focus onto the three Garou and the garden.
Yi nods, looking down at the wilted grass and grown over rows. "Not really... when I took up watching at the caern, I forgot about these. A stupid mistake really, but now it's a little... dead." The ragabash seems awfully saddened in a way.
Alicia furrows her brows slightly as she listens, tilting her chin upwards somewhat as she stares at the group, then meets the girls eyes. "Hmm." With a shake of her head, she glances back to the other two Garou. "Don't worry 'bout it Yi, all it needs is some tender loving care."
Emma steps closer, ignoring the bike enthusiasts for now. "You use any fertilizer? We used to get some processed manure, works real well, and all natural too. They'll bounce back."
As the little SCCU group proceeds on down the street, they finally get within the range of the Garou, and immediately their eyes seem to turn to them. After all, there's just something funny in the air today. College students in the slums. Girls gardening in the slums? It just doesn't make any sense. The one in the jacket, Dev (or Devin), peers down from his tall height. He has his own dangerous feel... a rebel and a player, born and bred. He gazes over Alicia and Emma's curves - particularly Alicia's. "'Sup ladies?" The other, Brian as it were, and his girl look on with a slightly disgusted, hostile look. They aren't meant to be here, but they're here nonetheless.
Yi glances up when the college group has neared. "Hello," she greets them with a schooled look of normalcy and politeness. She looks to Emma with a nod, going back to her gardening as she waits for the group to pass by. But, the group doesn't seem to be passing.
Emma looks up and back at the other, "Hey." She bends down then to pluck a small weed out, grabbing it in just the right way to get weed and roots out. She shakes the extra dirt off then plops the weed over on the side.
"Sup, homie." Alicia drawls to the guys as she pushes herself up, dusting off her pants. Her eyes level into the speaker's, staring as she hooks a thumb into her pocket, features neutral. She shifts her gaze to the others for a moment, instinctivly checking for buldges, wondering if any of them are strapped and looking to scuffle. "Need anything?"
"Dunno," Devin replies, smiling ever so pleasantly. "Jus' makin' some friendly conversation. S'not everyday you see people plantin' vegetables in this part of town." Brian and his girlfriend take a step around, to see this ex-garden. "We're trying to get a feel for who runs these parts of town," Brian chimes in, more confident than before. "Our brother's lookin' to take over the bike shop." He nods in that direction, "But it's probably a good idea to have a look at the real estate." At this, he shoots a look down at Yi, who simply returns him a slight nod.
The Gnawer shifts her weight a little before standing up. The fork is left on the ground. "That's nice," she says a bit testily, a little curiously.
"Who runs these parts?" Alicia says, clicking her tongue ring slightly against her teeth. "Depends on whatcha mean by running. You guys don't look like turf runners to me. Unless you guys are looking to be selling something other than bikes in there." She's all streets on the outside as she turns her eyes towards Brian now. Loose lips sink ships. "An if thats the case, then I guess all I can say is to be careful of what comes out of the doors if its not legit."
Emma looks at the three youth, raising an eyebrow to Alicia's explanation. She stands then by Yi, her shoulders relaxed and her body language as casual as she can hope it to be.
"Nah, nah, nothing like that," Devin interrupts, ignoring an annoyed glance from Brian. "Our friend's got connections, and he feels like opening up a shop. We keep tellin' him he should just buy one uptown, but he insisted on the one here. Probably tryin' to save on the rent." Devin seems awfully comfortable, but perhaps it's all a front. The girl, for certain, looks like she wants to leave. "Then again, it's probably not somethin' you girls understand, hunh," Brian puts in, smirking in a brat sort of way.
Yi just smoulders a little more, like she's taken offense. "That's very nice," she replies, "but if you will please excuse us."
Smirking back, Alicia whaps Brian on the shoulder, in a way that would be deemed brotherly, but she puts a bit of 'mmf' into it. "Yeah, definitly something we wouldn't understand, 'dude'." She says, turning her eyes to Devin with a raise of her brow. "Just tell your /bro/ that he should be careful of what he chops up and puts out on the street. Saving you rent may cost you a bullet." She says the last few words with a rumble in her throat, then turns to head back to the other pair of Garou. "Got a garden to tend to. See ya, boys."
Emma follows Alicia's example and turns her back on the group to face the garden. "You know what else works, at least for house plants, water them with a bit of coffee. Just a bit, mixed in."
Ow. Brian reflexively grits his teeth at the whap, and the girl, now definitely apparent to be no one of adult age, steps in between Alicia and Brian, shooting the turned galliard's back a nasty 'keep off my guy' look. "What, you mean like this?" The metallic handle of a gun hidden under Devin's jacket flashes as he unbuttons his letterman's jacket. "Don't have to worry about that. But I would worry about that sad piece of shit you call a 'garden'." Brian laughs out loud, egged on by Devin's comment. "Figures the bums 'round here have to be pretty to get some money."
Oh, that is so it. Yi fumes, already ticked that her poor garden wilted because of neglect, but now the insult? She steps out of the little plot, anger flashing in her eye. "Go. Away." This is said directly to Devin, who for once takes a step back.
Whirling around, Alicia suddenly has a pair of barretta's in Devin's face. Where they came from? Who knows. They are just there. She draws the hammers back with a slight click, a killer's grin soon crossing her face as she hisses out slightly. "This Garden is not sad, it just needs some loving. Now, before I start giving you some, I'd turn around and get back on those sad excuses you call bikes, and go back home and forget you ever stepped foot here in /our/ turf. Got it? We're not the Charlie's Angels, we aren't the girl scouts. We are really fucking mean bitches who will make your ass disapear over night. Got it, boy?"'
Emma stands up as well, eyeing Alicia first, then the boys. "Bugger off you losers!" Course it seems that Ali has it well handled, but her for good show, her own fists bunch up.
The appearance of real guns, safeties off and all, makes Brian's girl let loose a scream. She was scared before, but now she's not even sure she can keep from wetting herself. Clearly, she's not one from the streets. "Holy shit!" Brian also shouts out, his reflexes a little better than his girlfriend's as he cowardly draws back a step or two. Staring down the double barrels, Devin looks pissed off too, but cautious. Trying to maintain the composure he had, he nods ever so slightly and takes a couple of steps back. "Hey, I can't help it if that's the truth," he says quietly. The Rage floating in the air makes it quite clear though, that he's got instinct to survive too. But, the first instinct is Not to turn your back, especially to a gun, and especially in this neighborhood.
Yi, angry, is still surprised when Alicia breaks out the guns. "Just go," she says softly, glancing back towards Emma as well.
Emma is giving Alicia a wide-eyed stare as the group backs up, "What the fuck is that? Geezus, don't you ever believe in fists woman?"
"The truth is, I got ten bullets in each gun and damn good aim. We're also not bums. We all got homes and people we go back to. We just happen to have a FUCKING garden in the middle of the fucking GHETTO." She says, rumbling in her breath as she levels one upon Devin, the other at Brian as she narrows her eyes. With a loud snort, she drops one gun and tucks it into her belt loop behind her back, the other still held out. "I also know that it takes a good twenty minutes for the cops to come on scene in this part of town. So, if I were you, I'd hurry, cuz I can take all day plugging you."
"No, you won't be doing that." The ominously calm, low tones of a male voice enters into Alicia's power trip. Devin's eyes flick to the source. The green shirted man appears from behind, shotgun in hand but uncocked and unraised -- still, his best shot is right at Alicia and with the spray likely to catch all three Garou. "Heeey, Bach. Nice timing." That's Brian, relieved at least that one gun from the opposition is gone.
You paged the room with 'Bach - he's about 23 years old. Nice lookin' guy with smallish eyes, relatively pleasant face. Brown hair, greenish eyes.'.
Emma lets out an irritated growl. "Fucks sake." She doesn't look exactly afraid of the aimed shot gun, more annoyed. She gives Alicia another glare, obviously somewhat annoyed at /her/. "Your boy there showed his shit first. We were just playing along hmm? So why don't you guys take off, and we can go back to minding our own business?" All the while her teeth are fiercly clenched, desperately trying to contain the rage that begins to bubble up to the surface.
Bach nods, unaffected by the anger and fear flowing around the little gathering. With a glance off to the other side of the street, he seems more concerned about today's weather than he is about the guns. "That's what I thought. So, if you don't mind... I think the exchange of pleasantries is coming to a close." This is the guy who wants to take over a ghetto bike shop? His unnervingly calm eyes set themselves upon Brian - oddly enough, it seems Brian's the leader of the group rather than Bach. "Yea, yea it's not worth it," Brian mumbles before nudging Devin hard in the shoulder. "Let's get the fuck outta here. You got what you wanted, Bach?" The shotgun wielder nods. "I need to return this to the shop, though. S'not mine, after all."
Yi looks from face to face to face. This is one heckuva situation to have in the mid-afternoon.
Smirking slightly, Alicia slips the other gun behind her slowly, letting it fade into dedication, right next to the other one. A snake appears on her back in the form of a large black tattoo. "See ya later guys, it was nice meeting ya." She says, confident, smug as she crosses her arms over her chest, eyes rolling upwards.
Emma lets out a groan as the situation seems to be coming to an end. She looks none too happy, her face flushed red and her hands still fisted up. "I'm gonna take off. Need to cool off now, thanks Alicia." Sarcasm drips from her voice, "I'll stop by later Yi, drop ya off some stuff my mom used if I can find it."
Alicia rolls her eyes a bit as she looks over to Emma. "Look, I grew up on the streets and I know how to deal with shit, OK? I ran with the Walker's and the Gnawers for years. You don't just let people step up like that and what not. Sure, I believe in my fists, but I also believe in making sure what you say gets heard too."
Bach, though, isn't leaving quite yet. Waiting until Brian and Devin are out of range, he gives the girls a slight nod. No apologies. Shotgun still at his side, he walks off, leaving the little group as well some paces behind the collegiates.
Yi sighs softly as Brian, his girl and Devin step back some more before turning away to head back to the shop. Devin has a last glance over his shoulder, pissed that of all things he had to get his life threatened today by some girls.
Eve steps out of a nearbye alleyway, clowly clapping her hands together. "Well, that was an interesting show."
Alicia glances over towards Eve and grins, doing a flourishy bow. "Thank you, Thank you." She says with a chuckle, shaking her head. "Man, being pregnant rocks."
Eve makes a face at the Gaian's comment. "So long as you're not constantly throwing up."
Yi glances over towards the clapping, brow arching as she works down the fading rush of adrenaline and rage. "Hello Eve," she says, looking back to her sorry excuse of a garden. Windowboxes probably look better than this plot. Nope, she's still not very happy that her plants withered. But, at least Emma offered fertilizer. Whodathunk? Maybe actually watering the plants will help.
"That comes with the job. Its not that bad." Alicia admits with a grin on her face, chuckling some. "Ya'know, you coulda came in there any second and saved us." She teases with a wink.
Eve shrugs and slides her hands onto her pockets. "You seemed to have it under control."
Yi shakes her head and squats down upon the garden again. "Hmph. Maybe a little blood would have helped fertilize this stupid piece of ..." The ragabash clears her throat of the frustration.
Alicia nods her head to Eve, glancing over to Yi. "Hey sis, its not big deal. Just start over ya'know?" She suggests. "Or maybe create a new one near Harbor park where it can get more attention than out here."
"Sometimes, you have to start from scratch," Eve notes, reasonably.
Yi just takes failure badly, perhaps. "I have one near Harbor Park. That one is better than here. Here... it is impossible to grow anything. No sun, no water." She shakes her head sadly. "And always someone coming by to try and tear it up. Maybe if people decide to eat weed salad instead."
Alicia nudges the Asian slightly. "See, you picked a bad spot, no biggie. There are a few gardens on the Bawn now that Dane is hanging out, and I got cubs planting vegetables. Why don't you do that? Oh, by the way, Seeker wants to know if you'll be a Guardian for him."
Eve rubs at the back of her neck and takes a step back, before starting to walk away.
Yi nods at the nudge, but that doesn't keep her from being a little putout. "I was a Guardian. I just came back from Guardian duty. Why doesn't-- never mind." She stands up, gardening fork in hand as she glances to Eve and Alicia. "Maybe it is a bad spot." Looking up after Eve, she exhales. "Unless I could find someone who would want to take care of these."
Alicia blinks her eyes slightly and glances off after Eve, letting out a breath. "Well, he's just looking for.. full time Guardian's who actually like doing the job. You don't gotta, ya'know. He just mentioned you cuz he saw you around quite a bit."
Yi shrugs. "I do like being a Guardian. But, I am still," she motions with a hand, "part of the city. Because, if everyone goes to help Seeker, then no one will be here to help the city." In a pause, she wonders to herself if her own logic is sensible. "I appreciate his offer, though. I should be honored that he even considered. And, the woods do need looking after too."
Alicia nods her head. "I didn't think you'd take it anyways." She says with a grin. "I'm just being a Galliard." She turns her head over to watch Eve, calling out. "Hey, sis, wait up! Where're you going?"
Eve pauses at the mouth of an alleyway, looking back over her shoulder at Alicia.
Yi nods, also looking after towards Eve. Something about the Gnawer theurge doesn't sit well with the ragabash though, so she says nothing and lets Alicia do the calling.
"Don't even say g'bye?" Alicia offers with a grin, raising her brow up.
Eve shrugs, lifting her shoulders ever so slightly. "Never really said hello."
Yi steps forward, indecisive, but then sighs. "Then, see you around, Eve." The ragabash takes her little fork, putting it with a couple other gardening tools into a black shoulder bag and starts heading away from the garden.
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