Scene #8914: Blade Lineage

Owner	Pose
Angela	As it turns out, Berislav killing a Kurokumo Syndicate leader doesn't cause too much of a stir in the City--at least not one that really moves through the grapevines that Berislav is listening to--outside of Olivier complaining, the word on the Backstreets is actually rather quiet.. The people who DO care, the Blade Lineage, actually send word to Berislav that they'd like another meeting. There isn't much of a Watch presence in The City so the Blade Lineage serves as an opportunity to create that presence. The Blade Lineage is a small Syndicate--they live fairly ascetic lifestyles and they don't attract any members--their members tend to be, in fact, those who have nowhere else to go and they even occasionally reject prospective members who DO have someplace to go--because being in Blade Lineage is something the leaders of the group wouldn't wish on anyone. The meeting is taking place in the Backstreets of District T (the Nest itself is a different sort of horror) and has, once again, set up shop in a crummy pub squirreled away in a dark alley with few other patrons present. It's the best Bamboo-Hatted Kim can do for privacy right now. He is seated on a mat with a cup of rice wine before him. Kim is a quiet man by nature so he has an aide with him, Aeng-du. Aeng-du is a tall woman with her hair pulled back with the aid of a red hairband and tied together with two large beads behind her--red and white, traditional colors of the Blade Lineage. She, like Kim, are wearing kimonos that serve as the Blade Lineage's uniform. Saya, the Blade Lineage woman the Watch helped earlier, is nearby but is quiet, sullen, and withdrawn. To backtrack a bit, Recently Meika Kirenei joined the Dawn Office because she had a business card pointing her to them that she didn't exactly remember receiving. There the Dawn Office informed her that they were told to expect her and that they were requested, by The Black Silence, to help train her up. Meika didn't seem to have any particular ability to be a Fixer but one doesn't just ignore the wishes of a Color just because it seemed strange. There she met Phillip (a bit of a coward with aspirations to be better but carrying a lick of self loathing), Yuna (a capable Fixer, doesn't know a Tidus), and Salvador (the office leader). She s still a newbie to the office but this mission will mark her first real mission with the team as opposed to some of the smaller odd jobs Fixers occasionally take up. The mission is simple: The Dawn Office is to gather information about this meeting in a relatively unobtrusive manner. Who is the job for? According to Salvador it is on behalf of the Liu Association and, indeed, there is a second mission entrusted to Meika for if they are found out or once they are done gathering information, whatever happens first. It's a bit atypical of a job for Dawn Office who normally take combat missions--but they figure it'll be a good fit to see if Meika's ready for anything bigger. Salvador can't go on this mission--he's too well known--but Yuna and Phillip are relative unknowns and will be joining Meika. They aren't coming wearing their Dawn Office coats, because that's a bit akin to telling. Yuna is bringing her cello bag which is carrying Phillip's workshop weapon because coming in with the telltale weapons of Dawn Office will also be telling. Meika, whose weapon has a whole 'nother maker's mark on it, is actually given permission to open carry her weapon if she'd like but she has her own bag to hide it in if she'd like. Phillip is to take lead on moving in but Yuna is the operation leader. Phillip steps in, being followed by Yuna--they take position near the Blade Lineage detachment at another table, garbed as normal citizens rather than Fixers. Surely Meika's presence among them will not cause any trouble. "Hey, Meika. Grab us some drinks won't ya?" Yuna asks, handing over some ahn (local currency). The bar won't ask for an ID.
Angela	Kim takes a long sip of the sake and Aeng-du leans in to listen to Kim. She nods once and then speaks to the Watchmen. "Hello to our new friends. Thank you for having this meeting with us. Thank you for protecting the Lineage. We are in your debt." Aeng-du bows her head and Kim follows suit, though her remains seated with his hat covering his eyes. "We contacted you because we...are wanderers, tied to no District or Backstreet. We were once defenders of the Second Seat but after his assassination...we were forced to flee. We seek to be comrades of the Watch--and we hope that you can help us find a new haven in the City so we can stop running. We have seen in Berislav that he is a noble man, and we have listened--you too are defenders of virtue--but we can only do so much when we are on the run. We beseech your aid." Kim nods once, solemnly.
Father Berislav	Father Berislav enters the pub in his usual priestly attire, taking a seat seiza-style on the opposite side of Kim. The silver crucifix sways slightly when he drops to his knees, stopped by the soft cloth of his cassock. "Hello, and thank you for having us," says Berislav, inclining his head respectfully. "It's my hope that we'll be allies, as well. I believe that the Blade Lineage has the best interests of the City in mind, and I know that your approach to the work that must be done here isn't so different from our own way." "I'd like to first assist with--" He lowers the rice wine he'd brought in, mid-sip, and looks across the bar at the trio who'd just come in. There is a heavy, weighted moment of confusion written on his face, as his gaze cuts all the way across the establishment. One can almost imagine the line drawn between them. "Meika?" he says, loud enough for her to hear. "Meika Kirenai?"
Odette Raskins	Odette's still a little torn up over that particular Kurokumo bigwig's death even now. Some time has passed, at least, so it's not strictly about not being able to save a life, but because she still doesn't really know what to do about those confusing feelings she was having leading up to said death. Not that there's anyone she can really ask about that here, so she'll just have to bottle it all up for now. There's still work to do in the form of the meeting she had been scoping the area out for, and it's time to finally find out what the meeting is actually about. After a brief dip downwards in a quick curtsey, Odette pivots to trying to match Kim's and Aeng-du's bows with a fair bit more stiffness thanks to never actually trying to do that before. "H-hello! Um. Oh, it was just... Uh. Happened?" She replies with an awkward chuckle, realizing halfway through that sentence that she's not really sure what to say and just ends up winging it instead. A light cough to clear her throat later, and she shuffles herself off to the side of the seating area. "It never hurts to have more friends in... Everywhere, yeah. Um. If you're looking to settle down here and get more roots in, what if you tried... Um. A-are there any things you're good at?" She gestures vaguely with her hands at first, then raises her medical bag for emphasis and clarity. "Y-you know. Treating people, making stuff...?" She pauses to look over at Berislav in case she should be shutting up, then at the very normal locals and actually looking somewhat more alert and... Excited? When he repeats that a familiar name. "Eh? Is Meika...?"
Dysnomia	It wasn't Dysnomia's first time visiting the City, really, but it was definitely the first time she'd had to go through its usual checkpoints...And at least now, they weren't wandering the streets at night to hunt down a runaway horror. Probably. She hadn't been there, but Dysnomia had heard from the grapevine that Berislav had involved himself in some gang drama in the City, in his typical way. When the call for a meeting rang out, Dysnomia felt herself drawn in. She was still wearing her hoodie and jeans, her normal slowly shifting from constantly outfitted in her full suit to something closer to camoflague. Berislav was the one who'd initiated contact, and Dysnomia wasn't exactly the negotiator type, so she resigned herself to backup, sitting just behind the Father. Eventually, they brought up the subject of finding a new home. "Watch develops a lot of safehouses across the multiverse," she informed, without promising anything. "Could set you up with something, if you find the real estate. Livable areas are kind of my specialty..." She trailed off, following Berislav's stare. "No, can't be..." Mia murmured, but she was still looking. "Why'd she be here?"
Hibiki Tachibana	The word on the Backstreets may be quiet, but you'd have to be something special to not imagine the Kurokumo will have something to say about what happened eventually. And probably in a very violent fashion. While preventing that wasn't really on Hibiki's mind at the time - honestly, even had they saved Sumi's life, she'd likely have reported back and plotted revenge regardless - the fact of the matter is that they'll have the Thumb to worry about in the near future. One (read: Hibiki) can only hope they'll focus their attention on them, the Watch, rather than leaning harder on others. By learning as much as possible about them and the other gangs in the Backstreets, about life there outside of the Nests, they'll find a way to make some meaningful and lasting improvement. Maybe with a minimum of righteous murder. Maybe. I know we haven't exactly agreed on everything before, but I like to think I'm getting a slightly better idea of how you work. That's also why it's important to have this meeting with the Blade Lineage. Having allies in the City, being an ally that they can rely on... it'd probably be impossible to make serious change without that. On top of having a sore spot for do-gooder wanderers with no place to belong. "...We'd sure like to help you find that haven, if we can. And we'll definitely need your help, too." Hibiki has taken her own seat, cross-legged vaguely near Odette, with marginally less bandaging than she's had lately visible. No matter how her and Berislav's methods differ, they do still have the same endgoals - so this'll be the time for working together. "Could you tell us more about... the home you had before? About that Second Seat... and who exactly you're running /from/." Important things to address before anything else, at least she thinks. Knowing as much about the Blade Lineage's past will be important. Her head tilts towards Berislav to hear the first point he's about to make... before he trails off, and almost simultaneously, she freezes in place and turns her head at the same time as him. Because she heard it too. And she's no less stunned for it - for several seconds, she doesn't even breathe, eyes wide as they cut right past Yuna and Philip towards... "Huh...?
Meika Kirenai	Meika can count the number of times she's been to a proper bar with the fingers of one hand- but fortifying her against purposeless unfamiliarity, is the fact that technically she is getting to do so as part of a secret spy mission, to observe and overhear shared information. And more so, part of a weird job for weird people that shouldn't fightfully have given her the time of day, that working with hasn't helped settle the eating-away feeling that everything around her has been going far smoother than any real reasonable expectation would dictate. The weird and floaty feeling of waiting to see if it all falls apart isn't too bothersome, at least. Anyone looking around the pub shouldn't see much of anything surprising in Meika's presence- and for those who've met her prior, there's just enough change in her appearance and demeanor to sow a hint of doubt it's even her: same shock-white hair, but cut short and boyish, same too-red eyes, but less worn and tired, same letterman jacket, but-- no, that's exact enough, down to the little scrawled embroidery on it for the long-left-behind hockey team she holds dear. Unexpected to see here, of all places, for certain. 'Grab us some drinks won't ya?' "Yeah- I got it. Be back in a second," Her answer comes in with a small nod her senior's way, and a nervous glance over around the room. Leaving at her table seat a violin hardcase (it's on the table, infringing on Philip's space), of nearly the same design to seem matching with Yuna's much larger cello case, Meika takes the handed-over money with loose grip, hopping up and trudging over towards the bar. "Hey, can I get three-" 'Meika?''Meika Kirenai?' "-Uh, three of..." She blinks, surprised and distracted by Berislav's call. She recognizes the voice- it's of a priest she's had to talk with before, a number of times- but why would anyone she know be here? Why would anyone who knows her be here? Leaving her trailed-off words towards the barkeep, she pushes over the bits of cash, hoping the default of her fragmented order is an awkward number of glasses of beer to have to bring back to her coworkers. Stepping away again, just a little more out in the open, she shuffles and turns, looking around- that's odd from her, to not know where the attention-grabbing call came from. Maybe she's hearing things, maybe she misheard, maybe- "... Father Waters... Beri- Berislav?" Her heart is pounding in her chest when her eyes cross him being around- thoughts fix on how that'll somehow ruin the job she's on, and get her in trouble- further thoughts fix on 'what the hell?'. She's not sure whether to focus on the priest, or that he's sitting near someone the Office she's with is paying attention to, or to mentally curse herself for not simply pretending she didn't hear him, or that the name he asked wasn't familiar, or- "Oh, ahah, it is you, huh..? Small world..?" Small talk seems normal. Sometimes people meet out in the wild. It's a bar, that's normal, right..? A church official nearby when she's doing something that's arguably wrong always feels gut-churningly guilt inducing. She's praying it shows less on her face than she knows it must.
Liza Grier	It's rare that anyone ever sees Liza Grier outside of her armour (at least while having any idea who she is) but it's hardly rare that she actually goes without it. In the first place, no matter how much of a workaholic she is, it's just not possible for even her to spend a majority of her time 'in the field', and on top of that, she didn't get to have such a career in the first place by rushing things. Logically, if you think about it, this has to be normal. If you balance out the number of hours across her life, those in the blood red hardsuit have to be a tiny minority. Logically. Rationally. Obviously. No, there's no helping it. It's still super weird to see her dressed for a dive bar. Just sitting there. Perhaps a little postmodern gacha-y, given that Amazon doesn't deliver clothes to space, but it's unmistakably freaky to see that woman side-sitting at a communal drink table with her shoes off and her hair down, jacket undecided around a comfortable slim-fit sweater. It's like seeing your teacher at the grocery store times ten thousand. The slight peek of her 'casual' model PDA-- a jailbroken and heavily modified civilian-grade wrist-mounted computer-- under her sleeve when she reaches for a cup only drives it in. If you have any idea who she is, at least. Otherwise, she's just some woman with a flat stare and red-eyes-white-hair combo who smells like too much sunscreen and bleach. Despite her gore-spattered track record, the worst part is that, to a hardened veteran of the Backstreets, she doesn't even have the eyes of a killer. As if there were some secret third thing to be. "Of course it's sake." Liza murmurs to herself, considering whether to go with the authentic dish, before deciding she can't be bothered. "Not that I actually don't like it." she continues, to no one in particular. Something about the quiet thump of a bottle and cup, and the sound of the perfect, easy pour, confuses the brain into assuming there must be a waitress nearby. "Maybe I should spend more time on the classics. Reset my palate. I've been getting a little crazy with the mixes lately." Dropping ice into a glass she doesn't plan to use, she rattles it apathetically near Berislav's ear as if she's jingling car keys. "Hey. Hey Sorry-Daddy-I've-Been-Bad; eyes forward and pay attention." she says, audibly not impressed by his distraction with Meika. "You're the one who stuck your dick in crazy and asked us to come and vibe check. Focus on the gang war you chose sides in." Rolling her eyes in annoyance, she addresses Kim directly, while watching Aeng-du instead. Talking to the boss through his aide; familiar stuff with crime syndicates. "Damn. 'Ronin'? Seriously. You're former bodyguards and everything?" she says, thinking of two different Elites already who'd go insane being here. "Who's the Second Seat? You're making a lot of assumptions with 'defenders of virtue' already. Not to mention assuming you can stop running with the Watch."
Angela	Saya's gaze soften a little upon seeing Odette but she doesn't say anything. She's no doubt here as extra security rather than as someone with the authority to speak up. ''Various people trail off while looking at Meika'' This is immediately noticed by both the Dawn Office and Blade Lineage. "They know her They all know her." Yuna says. "How's that even possible? Is she a Watch asset?" "She wouldn't be out of the loop then, would she?" Phillip murmurs back. "Maybe a former member of the Watch...?" Yuna asks. Meanwhile, Aeng-du tenses up and most of Blade Lineage bring their hands to their blades, anticipating that Meika is an ENEMY of the Watch. But Kim exchange a glance with Aeng-du-- --and Blade Lineage shift to a more passively guarded state as opposed to openly reaching for weapons. Aeng-du says, "To...answer your questions. We are primarily pursuers of mastery of the blade as a group. Each one of us has their own extra talents but many of us had no training at all outside of what the Backstreets taught them before they came to us. Our mentor taught us honor and strength." She nods to Kim, some of this is likely improvised on her part rather than drawn from whatever Kim murmurs or signals to her. Kim seems like someone who doesn't like to do a lot of talking hench Aeng-du's role in this meeting. "...While we would be happy for a safe haven, if you smuggle us out of The City we would be unable to help you here." They aren't above running right now. Kim speaks up solemnly to add, "One cannot protect the flock by running at the sight of a fox. Fleeing would mean abandoning our duty to those that struggle to make this City a less cruel place." "We are from District S run by the Wing known as Salpippyeo Agroindustries or S Corp. It is a feudal society. The Second Seat was hoping to expose the secrets and misdeeds of S Corp but was assassinated by the Third before he could bring those truths to life." Aeng-du says. "...Or so sensei believes." She gives an uncertain glance to Kim. ''Hey Sorry Daddy-I've-Been-Bad'' "...This meeting is an opportunity to do away with misconceptions. Whether we are virtuous, we invite you to decide but that is our goal." Kim says, one eye picking out from beneath his bamboo-hat. Some things only he can really speak on. "The Second as our former master. But that is correct. We were his bodyguards. ... And I failed to protect or avenge him." ''Not to mention assuming you can stop running with the Watch'' There is no audible response to that, but the mood amongst the Blade Lineage sours considerably as they contend with the idea that even with the Watch, their situation may not change at all. And the idea that they might not get the Watch's help in the first place. Phillip and Yuna step up and forward as myriad amounts of attention are placed on Meika, but they don't seem inclined to start a fight--considering none of them have weapons (except Yuna and maybe Meika, hidden) it'd be suicide to.
Father Berislav	Berislav does not give Odette any indication that she should 'shut up.' If anything, he seems fine with her being here, as if it were business as usual. What pointedly isn't is Meika's presence. The conversation in Connecticut, and his mistake, still ring clearly in his memory. Even if she were hiding it perfectly, Berislav knows the position of spiritual authority he holds--the same kind of authority that's been used against her in the past, by people less concerned with her spiritual health than her rigid adherence to ideas of acceptability. "You're not in trouble." Small world..? Berislav blinks owlishly at her. "I... suppose so," he says. After a pause... "How have you been? You look like you're doing well." The comment is made with a smile, genuine. Hey. Hey Sorry-Daddy-I've-Been-Bad; eyes forward and pay attention. "We can catch up later, if you'd like. Go spend time with your friends," says Berislav with a faint smile, and a little nod of farewell for Meika. Once Meika has returned to her 'friends,' Berislav attends to business at hand. You're making a lot of assumptions with 'defenders of virtue' already. "Are they?" asks Berislav of Liza. "It's primarily myself that they've spoken with. The way this City treats its people is abominable, and its leadership has shown little interest in changing that. More to the point, the chain of accountability is even more deliberately serpentine than the average engine of abuse, presumably to frustrate the efforts of people like you and I." "This is not a 'gang war,' Liza," he clarifies. "It's God's work. Therefore," he says, turning to face Aeng-du and Kim, "You'll have my help even if you don't have the Watch's. The abuse that goes on in this City towers like a mountain, sin after sin heaped on top of each other. But faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains, with the will to see it done." "It will be difficult work, but you're no strangers to that. If we can't keep you from running, we can at least make the back foot less perilous to be on. Piece by piece, chip by chip, we will wipe that mountain from this place and let the light of the Lord shine on this City for the first time in generations. The Kurokumo Clan are the most immediate threat to you at this time, is that right?"
Odette Raskins	"Oh yeah... Renting out space of you their own should really help make things feel more homey." Odette nods lightly at Mia, likely getting the wrong impression from what she said while still nodding along with that anyway. "And if you've got decorating skills... I-I bet that'd help them get way more comfortable wherever they're getting set up." She adds, then lets out a slightly more anxious noise at Hibiki bringing up their pursuers. "That'd be good to know, too. I-I mean, if they start coming after us, then knowing what they look like or what they can do could... Um. Could help a lot with not getting caught off guard, yes." Odette's nerves are already starting to get to her as she glances at the entrance a little more often after that. There's a distinct sense of relief, then, when Meika shows up and proves that her ears weren't playing tricks on her earlier. "H-hey, Meika! It's been a long while. Are you doing alright? Have you been on more-" Before she can really get her questions out properly, Liza's tone and sudden ice jingling have Odette freezing up despite not being the actual target of what she says. "Stuck his... Wh-what? Huh?" She asks in bewilderment, glancing over at Berislav and Liza from the corner of her vision before turning back to Meika for a few more seconds. "W-we'll catch up later, okay? Today's a..." Wait. Why's she afraid of Liza? Does Berislav know her? Apparently so, as he addresses her and the Blade Legion reps directly, drawing Odette's attention right back to the real reason for being here today. Saya's softening look gets a brief tilt of the head from Odette, but the EMT doesn't quite get it right away. "Each one of us has their own extra talents but many of us had no training at all outside of what the Backstreets taught them before they came to us." "That could be... Hmm. OKay. Um. I-if you could really figure out who's good at what besides fighting, that'd be a big step forward in seeing what sorts of unique.. Ish? Stuff you could bring to the City. Y-you know, to make things-" She gestures atBerislav, nodding slowly in agreement with at least part of what he says. "-better, even for the people that aren't involved in the whole..." She needs a better phrase than gang war so as to not betray Berislav's trust in her, but she's also wary of annoying Liza by calling the conflict anything but that. "... E-everything going on?" Odette fidgets in place as she says that, still glancing between him and Liza anxiously all the while. "But after all this stuff with the Kurokumo's settled, do you... A-are you still planning on carrying out what the Second Seat was working on against S Corp after that? Or... Did you have some other plan to get all of that stuff out there?"
Hibiki Tachibana	... Father Waters... Beri- Berislav? Oh, ahah, it is you, huh..? Small world..? Even though it's not her that Meika is speaking to, Hibiki's mind experiences some kind of form of whiplash hearing Meika... ...she doesn't... sound like Meika. It has to be her, shorter hair or not. She recognizes Berislav. There are a dozen questions to ask, like why in the world she's here, why she's not just at the summer camp that Flamel mentioned, how her showing up now while they're here just can't be a coincidence, who she's actually here /with/, how much she actually remembers of them if she recalls the Father-- but out of all of those, the disconnect her mind can't help but have with her memories and what's in front of her, so suddenly rather than a meeting she's had time to prepare herself for, leaves her mentally reeling. "Small... world." Hibiki murmurs almost lamely, her attention drifting down to the floor. "...Yeah. Don't-- mind us." It's Liza's snapping and the Blade Lineage's moment of being on guard that gets her to perk back up with at least a little more sense and less shellshock. "--Ah... she's not an enemy. Don't-- ...don't worry." She looks grateful for Kim's disarming of a situation she didn't and still doesn't know how to handle. Speaking of Liza, it's far from her first time seeing her out-of-hardsuit. It's not even the first time she's seen her lazily casual. The get-together at her very own house, the beach visit that Rita had set up, the trip to the pub after the Temple of Three Winds was dealt with... encounters that feel like they're from an eternity ago. It's only really been a year and some change. That has its own sobering effect. She might be distracting herself from Meika. ...This meeting is an opportunity to do away with misconceptions. We were his bodyguards. ... And I failed to protect or avenge him. Hibiki winces, shuffling where she sits. She doesn't have a drink of her own. "...I'm sorry to--..." She starts, still off-kilter, then trails off. "...I'm sure that means you want to protect what you have now that much more. I can't imagine coming to us, knowing you might get wrapped up in our troubles too, was an easy decision to make. Or maybe not, if you've been on the run for what happened in S Corp..." At least in her eyes, it takes a lot to go through all of that and still be willing to do good where they can. As the mood perceptibly sours, she shakes her head. "You'll get /our/ help either way," she adds on after Berislav. Another thing they're aligned on. "But workin' out what the Watch can do and how that'll even go is part of why we're here. But I can definitely tell you we don't got any intention of making things any harder for you." The mention of the Kurokumo Clan itself gets her to ask after a second, "...and they work for... 'The Thumb', right? Who're a Syndicate that are way bigger and have way more pull in the City?"
Meika Kirenai	'You're not in trouble.' Posture stiffens. "Ah. I- Yes, Father. I just- long day, that's all," she blabbers, as if it's an explanation, to brush off that conversational guilt-tone. She's not sure that'd be the case if he knew he's someone to keep an eye on, for how he's chatting near the people the Dawn Office is there to learn more about the goings-on of. Endlessly bad(?) luck, it seems. "I- I've been fine. I- I moved." As if he needs to know that. She coughs, and quietly clears her throat. It's odd to hear the sound from how she fidgets while just standing around. "... Not to here." Avoiding looking at Berislav means she looks over the other denizens of the pub- the civilians around, Kim and Aeng-du, Liza, Odette- Oh, that's another person she's met, out and about before, and talked to a bit ages ago at the beach- why is she here..? The job talked about there being Outsiders, Watch agents nontheless, so why- 'H-hey, Meika! It's been a long while. Are you doing alright?' "I- I don't know why..." A blink. "Yeah..? I'm doing- look, I've got to get-" '...Yeah. Don't-- mind us.' Hibiki doesn't even get a response. Meika looks her way, stares for a few seconds, and stiffens. Once is wild. Twice is insane. Three acquaintances randomly bumbled into doesn't happen. 'Go spend time with your friends,' At Berislav's comment, Meika looks over her shoulder at Yuna and Philip, as they step closer- she takes a couple steps back, still laden with the glasses of tap beer she bumbled through ordering. "Y-yeah. I'll leave you be, you're busy, I'll-" Heel-turn, the few steps rushed, she closes the distance with the other Dawn Office fixers, and presses the glasses into their hands as she steps between the two of them, still facing away from Berislav, and the Blade Linneage representatives he and Liza are talking with. She quietly 'Psst''s Yuna, and goes to sit at the table the Dawn Office's fixers had been at- "Miss Yuna? Quick- quick chat..?" Her elbows are on the table, her face in her hands, and her heart is beating fast. It's a good thing her voice is kept to a whisper. "Who's supposed to- to be who we're here to watch..? Can- can you say it again? Was there a list..? This can't be right, something weird's going on, I think, or-" Leaving Philip to focus on eavesdropping is a bad idea, but trusting him as an I'm-not-crazy-right anchor might be worse. "I- I think I have to sit back, Miss. I don't know what's..." She gestures the Watchmembers' way, with the back of her hand, not looking at them. Exasperated and confused- the beer she's set down works as something else to focus on, at least. "I'll- I'll just... take some notes, for now, from here, it's- it'd be weird if I walk over there again. They- they know me..? I'll..." Pencil and pad of paper out from her jacket pouches, set down in front of her. A small little smile, and she waves Yuna off- she's still listening, nervously watching how anyone in the pub is- and flinching away from each time any her gaze meets that of her acquaintances.
Liza Grier	'...While we would be happy for a safe haven, if you smuggle us out of The City we would be unable to help you here.' 'One cannot protect the flock by running at the sight of a fox. Fleeing would mean abandoning our duty to those that struggle to make this City a less cruel place.' "That's funny." says Liza. Not 'funny ha ha'. Swirling her cup for a moment of thought, she says, "It almost sounds like you aren't asking for a partnership, but like you want us to save you, incidentally while you still keep saving people you can't ignore." and then she tips it back. "So basically you're begging for a helping hand, because you're sure that our goals are aligned. You're not paying us back, so much as you assume we're the kind of people who want to see your work done." she says, thunking her cup down again and rejoining eye contact. "It's just really really funny. It feels like forever since someone has had the brains to do that. Acknowledge the mission instead of figuring we're like the mob." 'The Second Seat was hoping to expose the secrets and misdeeds of S Corp but was assassinated by the Third before he could bring those truths to light.' "Haaa. No wonder you're out of a job. The bodyguards who lost." Liza smiles joylessly. "You were working for the good guy." The sound in her throat is a novel form of scientifically observable 'anti-humour'. "So . . . Not running away. Tell me about that again? Is it just so you can keep shielding the people on the streets? Or do you have unfinished business with the Third we should know about?" 'Are they? It's primarily myself that they've spoken with.' "Inferring what the Watch is like just from talking to you is a pretty big assumption, Berislav." says Liza. "What's the more important assumption is that they're gambling we see them as 'defenders of virtue' in the same way." Already pouring herself another one, Liza taps on the table in a hopefully meaningless way. "It's annoying because you're actually a good example of what the Watch is supposed to be like. Like wearing your one set of nice clothes and getting invited back. Who are we going to show them like you?" She laughs, and this time she thinks it's funny. 'The abuse that goes on in this City towers like a mountain, sin after sin heaped on top of each other.' "I'll admit." Liza says over the rim of her cup, holding up one finger so she can finish the entire thing in one go. The facial expression she reveals again is marginally improved in mood. "I never thought I'd find a job as big as the Company out in the wild. It's daunting. Exhausting to think about already. Tempting, too, because it's all laid out in one 'convenient' urban sprawl. And a little exciting. I could fire a gun out the window without looking, right now, and probably hit someone who deserves it." "But it's still a gang war, until it's a mission. You didn't know half of this before you pulled the trigger, did you?" Liza looks at Hibiki, then tries not to roll her eyes at her instantly pledging her undying allegiance. She meets it halfway and settles on a grimace that makes her reach for a third drink. "Fair warning. Kim. Aeng-du. For the rest of your people, too. We have the resources and expertise to organize multiple cells here, hide them practically anywhere, get you what you need; this shithole is probably perfect for a base, too. But even after all that, you're still on the wrong side of the narrative. Unless you hide away and do nothing for the rest of your lives, people are going to see you, and they're going to find you, eventually. You'll still have to protect each other. You'll still have to run away from a hopeless situation when the time comes. You won't be able to live normal lives, just like that."
Liza Grier	Liza starts counting off on her knuckles so she can loop around her hand as she increments, going a little faster as she goes. "What you get is real intelligence, early warning, fresh hands and inside guys; sympathizers, enablers, saboteurs, a safe bed and a skilled surgeon; materiel, personnel, transport; if you make a few friends, even enough guys to take on a project beyond your means right now. What we can give you is the means to commit to the fight. For real. Not scratching and biting to be allowed to not get with the program another day." Squeezing her eyes shut for a second, she breathes deep, clears her throat, downs a third drink, and says in neutral tones, "Do you understand that? If you think you're going to be saved, we'll smuggle you out of the City and you'll have your ask as long as you never come back. You've done enough to earn your out; I won't judge. But otherwise, you wake up in the morning to my help because you're a part of the cause too." Done with what she considers responsible address, Liza finally acknowledges the others by bringing up her PDA. Touch-navigating through a few menus, she says, "Meika . . . That's a Paladins operative, right? Kicked out. Ideologically loyal? I kept notes on what I overheard, but you can't tell me she's an amnesiac burnout living a normal teen life if she's here of all places."
Angela	''You're not in trouble.'' "Huh? What's that mean?" Phillip asks, halfway instinctively as someone who often worries about being the one in trouble and halfway between wondering how Berislav is the arbiter between trouble and not in trouble. Of course what he says next is no doubt predictable to Berislav now. "Are you her dad?" "Phillip, you know what 'father' means." Yuna retorts. "...If he's the dad that means..." His eyes trail over to Liza Grier. "Oh," He murmurs with 'growing' understanding. "That's why 'Daddy-I've-Been-Bad'..." Aeng-du and Kim have another small conversation and Aeng-du nods to Odette. "Alright." She says. "There's not too many of us left so it shouldn't be too hard to get you a list of what everyone can do. It's not ... often people ask what we can do besides fighting. As for ... the Second Seat's plans... We would like to fulfill them, though we are not in a position to do so right now." ''Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.'' "You have a poet's heart, Berislav. But it is too soon to presume it would be just you. I hope we can talk more later about...other matters." Kim does not explain further but he doesn't seem to consider it important to the business of the day--but perhaps more personally important. He does reach out, however, and place his hand on his arm--a small sign of comradery besides words. ''And they work for the Thumb right?'' "Correct. The Thumb is one of the five biggest Syndicates of the City, comparable to he Index--We call them the Five Fingers and I'd honestly call The Thumb one of the more 'normal' ones. The Index is...impossible to predict and the Ring are what I'd generously call 'artists', I haven't run into the Middle or the Pinky before..." Aeng-du explains, happy to exposit.
Angela	Yuna is guided back to sitting down by Meika's anxiety. She has been progressively more relaxed around Meika since their first meeting and, as such, feels an instinct to look after her in a way she wouldn't with Phillip. "Yeah this has gotten pretty fucked." Yuna says. "My instincts tell me to just deliver the message and get out of here. Gathering information secretly wasn't ever gonna work if everyone in the Outsider party knew you--or think they knew you anyway." She frowns. "...I'll pass on the message this time, alright? We'll get to the bottom of this but it sounds like all these people knowing you might be related to why the Black Silence sent you our way in the first place. Don't stress--you can rely on me." She has theories. They're all wrong. She is leagues more confident than Phillip though and stands back up, approaching Phillip and pushing him back a bit to serve as the point woman. ''So basically you are begging for a helping hand'' "That is correct." Kim says, shamelessly tranquil. "But I can promise whatever seeds you plant--if they live to grow--will be yours to harvest. We want to help you because we believe people like you to be concerned with making the City better--even if it means running afoul of it. No matter how benevolent a Thirteenth Association may be, there is only so much an organization sponsored by The City can do. Like has been surmised, we hope to revolutionize the City in larger ways but right now it is a dream beyond our means." His gaze slants down. "...I suppose inferring the Watch is like the one man we met is a gamble. ... But sometimes you must roll the bones or be swept away. Gambling is the act of the desperate. And we are desperate." ''Liza lays out exactly what the Watch can do for them--and a warning'' But before Kim can answer, Yuna clears her throat, drawing attention from the Blade Lineage. "...We were sent here to deliver a message so before you decide, you might want to hear this. The Liu Association has offered to take you lot in, minus Kim because he's wanted by a Corp. Sounds like you've got big plans but maybe some of you just want to eat tomorrow and the Thumb already bumped off another one of your cells so it might not be a bad offer. So that's three options for you." She looks to Liza. "...Paladins? Amnesiac?" She glances back to Meika for a moment. Amnesia would explain it but she'd...know if she had amnesia right? "...She's already a part of our team so we'll fight for her if we have to. Otherwise we don't have a hand in this fight of yours yet." Kim takes a breath and finally answers Liza. "...You and Father Berislav are generous." Kim says. "I know my decision but...to those that have followed me thus far. There is no dishonor in leaving me now. You can escape this city or you can join the Liu Association or you can hide forever. Following the Watch will not bring you peace--and the succor it provides you will not be as easy as the other paths before you." He raises his head--showing both of his bright blue eyes for the first time. "Following me is a path of continued battle against the flow of the City as she says. You may leave in peace with me. Lay down your sword if you desire. From what I've heard, the Multiverse is a land of plenty and wonders both beautiful and horrifying." "But if you follow me, perhaps you can make a difference on behalf of those we've sworn to protect. A better position for this fight than ever before, but it will still be a fight. And one day, we may be asked to repay our debts to those that saved us.--and we will be honorbound to do so." Saya is the only member present who seems a little hesitant about going along with this but she gives Odette one more look--and her resolve hardens and her posture stiffens.
Father Berislav	That's why 'Daddy-I've-Been-Bad'... Berislav looks between himself, Meika, and Liza. Three people with white hair. One day, he'll stop having to explain it. The priest clears his throat softly. "We're not related," he says simply and politely. Yuna seems to have it in hand, and he'd rather not draw more attention than is necessary anyway. You didn't know half of this before you pulled the trigger, did you? "I did, in fact, despite my reputation." He smiles coyly at Liza, the expression lasting briefly before it's replaced with a sobering frown. "It was sooner than I'd have preferred," he continues, his voice lower, "But I'm confident you would have 'pulled the trigger' in my position." I kept notes on what I overheard, but you can't tell me she's an amnesiac burnout living a normal teen life if she's here of all places. She's already a part of our team so we'll fight for her if we have to. "Ah. So that's what it is." Berislav nods. "I see." The message is delivered. All of those here opt to stay, and only Saya even shows hesitation. The priest smiles. "Thank you for delivering the message. Something beautiful is coming to this City. Perhaps not swiftly, but with certainly." "It was kind of your Association to make the offer it did. I hope that when the scope of what we intend becomes clear to you, you'll allow yourselves the hope this place works so hard to choke you of, and join hands in building it with us."
Odette Raskins	"There's not too many of us left so it shouldn't be too hard to get you a list of what everyone can do." "R-really? Oh, awesome. I mean, I'm not really a... I've never worked on the management side before, but I've seen the evaluation forms back on the station, and..." Odette takes a deep breath to steady herself as she tries to get into the mind of one of her supervisors for just a moment, imagining what she'd do differently, then exhales. "If whoever's left can really get their.. Um. Stuff together? You might be able to carve out a good niche with what you've got!" It's a little pie-in-the-sky feeling, but Odette sounds hopeful enough when it doesn't involve relying on her own abilities. "We would like to fulfill them, though we are not in a position to do so right now." "Y-yeah... No, that makes sense. Um. Especially if you've lost a bunch of... Yeah." That, meanwhile, is considerably more awkward to address for long. "I- I don't know why..." "Yeah..? I'm doing- look, I've got to get-" Between that and the strange way Meika's behaving around just about everyone, Odette can tell that something strange has happened to Meika. She just doesn't know what's actually going on, but seeing the way she's getting far more attention than before... Best not to push it right now. Instead, Odette snags a napkin and pops a little pen out of her PDA, then jots her number onto it quickly. She starts folding up that napkin, pauses, then reopens it and rewrites it on the other side before refolding the napkin. A few quick practice waves of the hand to feel the weight and heft of the paper square, and then she flicks it waaay over to land right next to Meika's spot at the table. It's not subtle at all, but it's quiet, and.. She doesn't actually know Meika's number. She does, however, recall what Liza brings up about her allegiance with the Paladins and nods after a few moments. "Th-that's right. She's been with-Um. Wait. She was kicked out?" Odette lifts her head to look from Liza to Meika, then rubs her face as the mystery gets even more complicated. Odette can only hope that Meika contacts her later. For now, however, she still needs to get her head back on track, and she focuses once again on the topic of the Blade Legion's involvement with the watch. It's reassuring to hear it spelled out so plainly, too, and Odette even looks like she's getting pumped up hearing Liza say all of that. Better yet, Kim makes it sound like the Blade Legion is into it, too, and Odette's vibrating just a little in her seat. She nearly jumps out of her seat when Yuna suddenly makes a noise, though, patting her chest after a moment to calm herself again before listening more closely to Yuna's offer. The EMT stays quiet at first, pursing her lips as she looks from Kim to Yuna to Liza to Meika, then to Saya when she gives Odette that look. "... I-it's not a bad deal, for sure. I mean, safety's.. Safety, yeah. Not much can really beat that, especially with the kind of stuff the.. Um. The Watch does?" Although Odette knows (largely) what she's saying, she's still fidgety and nervous enough to still make it sound like a question somehow. "But if you want to work on making things better for..." She nods at Kim and Berislav. "Y-yeah, for the people here, the Watch is.. Um. We'll be glad to have you with us!"
Hibiki Tachibana	Liza looks at Hibiki, then tries not to roll her eyes at her instantly pledging her undying allegiance. Liza gets a look back, with a grimace of her own, but otherwise no shift in her expression. It doesn't look like she regrets showing where she stands, for whatever reason. Before anything else comes from that though-- I kept notes on what I overheard, but you can't tell me she's an amnesiac burnout living a normal teen life if she's here of all places. "...Sure doesn't seem like it," Hibiki replies only to the last sentence; the quiet murmur into her earpiece might easily just be an under-the-breath thought spoken out loud that just happened to get picked up. "I knew Lilian and Flamel planned to help her out now that she's lost her memory, but why is she here now...? No way either of them would have anything to do with it..." She trails off with a slight scrunch of her face, not quite putting together the connection between the Black Silence mission and Dawn Office right away - the explicit offer was made out of her earshot, after all, and she wouldn't recognize the Office's coats even if they were wearing them. But she's certainly running through things in her mind when Yuna gets their attention, immediately snapping a certain someone back to the forefront of her mind. "Liu Association...? They're the ones that specialize in... all-out warfare," she repeats, showing that remembering things is at least one of her few strong points. "Is Meika working with them now...?" That doesn't sound right at all for a depowered magical girl, but the incorrect thought is the first thing she mumbles out to herself, followed by a 'maybe I should just ask her herself?' But she goes silent for a second, waiting until the Blade Lineage comes to a consensus. Even Saya. For as much as she might not like her, Hibiki has to admit Liza has a way of laying things out plainly, and it sure worked out this time. "...Even if it was a decision made from desperation," she starts towards Kim. "Thanks for being willing to throw your lot in with us. All of you." She looks to the other assorted Blade Lineage members on saying that, but lingers on Saya specifically for a moment - before glancing to Odette, and giving her a little nod. After that's settled though, it's Yuna who Hibiki looks towards, her brow furrowing more than a little. She can see Meika past her, and her eyes drift there for a long moment before returning to where they should be. "...And thanks for giving them the chance. But-- if you came to deliver that message... you had to have already known we were all gonna meet here."
Meika Kirenai	'Are you her dad?' Clearly, today is just a bad dream. That must be it. There's no other answer Meika can think of. She pinches her face- hard, harder- and doesn't wake up. When that doesn't work, when Philip makes it worse seeing Liza- who Meika, fortunately, doesn't know- Meika elbows him as she's turning away, for a not-so-subtle 'shut up'. "Obviously not, what's your..." An exasperated exhale ushers her away as she's off to wither at the table. 'Yeah this has gotten pretty fucked.' "I- I swear, I had no idea this would-" A pause, an anxious tap on the glass she's holding, "I don't understand. I didn't know they'd..." Meika, too, is forming theories that are all wrong. A few acquaintances she's met around with before- Hibiki's a girl she'd met to wander around suburbs and construction sites doing petty vandalism, Odette's a buddy she had that came out to a little campfire Meika put on a while back, and Berislav a priest she's had cause to be talked to by- none of it clicks easy to her that they're all members of a multiversal Elite faction, nor as aware of eachother as they are, nor that Meika would have cause to know Elites. That all her own reasonings come backwards, is unnoticed by Meika. The simplest thing, a coincidence, doesn't hold up- the second simplest is that she'd just, by pure luck, skirted this group without ever having known their binding tie. That makes this a secret she wasn't told about, and she wilts more in how she's sitting, from worry over learning what she wasn't meant to. '...I'll pass on the message this time, alright?' "Right. Thanks, Miss Yuna- I'm s-sorry, Miss Yuna. I'm sure it's- it's a fluke, right? I'll handle myself next time, y-yeah." Her whispering fades off as Yuna continues, and her breathing hitches. "... Huh? Like, I was set up, or something, because I know them..? Is that- s-so it was, sort of a prank..? Don't spies do that to people?" As Yuna sets off, Meika watches, the lip of the beer glass up against her mouth. She hiccups when the paper lands near her, and stares over at Odette- the throw was impressive, and her eyes flit between the medic and the napkin a handful of times before she reaches for it, opens it up, and takes out her phone to type it in. -(Unknown Number)- (???): hi. (???): this is meika kirenai. Meika: what the hell? Meika: ??? Three- four fairly concise messages, the totality of what she's sure enough to say to the medic. She sets her phone down and waits for it to buzz, her eyes turning to Yuna and- 'So that's three options for you.' Message delivered, at least. Meika's forehead hits the tabletop, embarrassed on more fronts than she thought imaginable by this everything. Every quiet, barely-heard 'Meika'- she hears from the other side of the room- or imagines so, at least, in the ambient noise of the locale -causes her to exhale more, uncertain and worried about the ins and outs of whatever is being said. She tries to push down that it must be something important and secret, for all that- and winds up only ambling out of her seat to find an empty one, closer-by. '... you had to have already known we were all gonna meet here.' Meika, eavesdropping now, so much worse than she used to be at it, lets out a little snort at how funny that seems. She's not close enough to reply- it's just awkward hovering, now- and likely easy to shoo off.
Liza Grier	'That is correct.' "I like you." says Liza, to Bamboo-Hatted Kim. Words she seldom ever says to anyone at all, to this guy. There's no Tone about it. No 'but'. No laugh, or double back. "You're aiming a lot higher than gambling on who is stupid enough to help you." she adds, on her third, taking it at a more measured pace now. "If you all died and only we lived to see that revolution, you'd still be happy. That's the kind of certainty I hear out of you. Compared to the kind of certain people are when they know they can't sink any lower, I can tell those apart in my sleep." '...We were sent here to deliver a message so before you decide, you might want to hear this.' "I was wondering." Liza says, without turning back to look at Yuna whatsoever. She's determined to focus on her drink now. "You're carrying Stigma-brand bags. It took me no time at all to figure out who you are." She turns her wrist slightly sideways. The receiving light on her PDA is blinking. "With Stigma, under Liu; you can only be Dawn, right? Skulking around a bar like that, barely two tables over, coming in with your effects, letting the rookie talk to her friends . . . So the rumours are true that you only take on combat missions." Liza gently sets down her cup. '...She's already a part of our team so we'll fight for her if we have to.' "You'd die." The tonal swerve is instantaneous. Not the same as 'the narrative', but more sustained, which is worse. "Sounds like you've got big plans for her. But maybe you just want to eat tomorrow. Right?" Still without turning her head, Liza turns her other wrist, as if to check her watch, and a phone-- a remote control-- a hand-detonator just dropped into her hand. The light on it is blinking softly too. "Fuck off, roach. Go tell bossman that you did real good. Maybe you can suck the shine off his shoes tonight." 'But I'm confident you would have 'pulled the trigger' in my position.' "That goes without saying." Liza says to Berislav. "I've given you too much shit for your soft spot to disagree." 'No way either of them would have anything to do with it...' "A billionaire and a spook wouldn't have anything to do with putting a kid up to something dangerous? Really?" Liza says to someone two years older than Meika. "I'll take your word that you'd know if they had." she decides. 'And one day, we may be asked to repay our debts to those that saved us.--and we will be honorbound to do so.' Finally, Liza picks up her drink, and in a single swallow finishes off the third. Examining Kim, eye to eye, over the light caught in the rim of her cup, she says, "Then here's my terms. The job's finished when the Third is dead. The payment is that I come back in one year, and if I see that you haven't changed shit, you are too. That acceptable?"
Angela	''We're not related'' ''Meika elbows him'' Phillip winces, rubbing at his side. "But you said--" He cuts himself off, glancing over as a phone number is tossed over to Meika--stealthily memorizing the number himself--and then thinks about what he'd even do with it. Yuna meanwhile puts herself front and center like she intends to fight the world and the way things are going she might at least have to fight the bar. But Berislav instead says the offer was a kind one, and thanks her for delivering the message, and speaks like--well, speaks like someone promising a second coming. "...The City's changing alright. But I owe Sal and I'm not leaving his side. Besides, Phillip will be completely lost without me." Aeng-du gives a small nod to Odette but Saya leans in to actually murmur to Odette and ask Odette, quietly. "I was... Actually my blade feels heavy as of late. I still believe in the cause but could you teach me what you know about healing others? Perhaps I could've saved them if I..." This might explain the weird look. ''Is Meika working with them now...?'' "No, she works with us. We're the Dawn Office." Yuna explains. "So only indirectly at best. ... Don't know how Sal knew you would be here, but he knows a lot of people in The City. He could've gotten a lead from any number of people." ''You'd die.'' Yuna says, "Maybe. I'm used to fighting against odds. But you know that's not the point. What kind of FIxer would I be if I didn't look out for my teammates." She stalls when that remote detonator drops into Liza's hand. "Tch. Fucking crazy-- Fine." But there's no real REASON to have a fight so she returns to the table. "Alright, we did the job. We weren't sent out to pick a fight." She lifts Phillip up by the arm. "If it's a prank it sure isn't funny. We'll figure this out, Meika. Let's go." Phillip's gaze lingers on Odette as well, and then on Hibiki before the Dawn Office makes its move to depart.
Angela	Meanwhile... Bamboo Hatted Kim is more focused on Liza since she seems to be seizing the reins a bit here and it seems like she and Berislav are on the same page--albeit with the former being the one to swipe away the rose colored glasses. He naturally has no idea how rarely Liza says something like that--let alone in a manner that seems quite serious--but it's easy to see it's not something someone like Liza probably gets to say a LOT. It doesn't entirely feel like a positive statement, though. There's a kind of weight to 'I like you' here that such a phrase normally wouldn't have. ''If you all died and only we lived to see that revolution, you'd still be happy.'' Kim nods his head once. He might be a little messed up, to be THIS much of a samurai. "You seem to have been one to be fighting against the---narrative--as you put it for quite some time." Kim says. "To be seen through clear eyes is a blessing for those who know the path before them." ''Then here's my terms. The job's finished when the Third is dead. The payment is that I come back in one year...'' "Your offer is generous. I accept your terms." Bamboo Hatted Kim says because he's that kind of guy. Out of all of Blade Lineage, he is the one most tied to the cause above all else. Even if Liza takes his head next--it's a favorable deal for man like him. He turns his gaze to Berislav after--as if to suggest that he intends to rely on him to help avoid that particular favorable end, however. "This locaftion is compromised. We'll have to meet somewhere else next time." Aeng-du says, bowing her own head. "...Thank you for helping my sensei." Aeng-du, on the other hand, is loyal to the people of Blade Lineage. ...But with new mysteries, and new objectives--it's hard to say this meeting was anything but a success--at least as far as how the samurai are concerned.
Odette Raskins	Odette's PDA buzzes against her hip, and she glances down at it briefly before picking it up and tapping away at the screen. PDA message from Odette Raskins (EMT): "hey" PDA message from Odette Raskins (EMT): "its Odette" PDA message from Odette Raskins (EMT): "you on?" PDA message from Odette Raskins (EMT): "I'm" PDA message from Odette Raskins (EMT): "*OK" PDA message from Odette Raskins (EMT): "didn't want to blow up you're spit" PDA message from Odette Raskins (EMT): "spot" It's a good distraction from that exchange between Liza and the Dawn representatives, too, even though Odette can hear the clear shift in tone that has her sitting up a bit straighter than before. It's not as though she disagrees with Liza, either, and she feels in her gut that Liza's probably right. She's just not used to such things being said in that straightforward manner with that level of confidence. It really reminds her of what got her into the Watch in the first place. Saya's question is the first thing in a while that actually gets a surprised look out of ODette, followed by a somewhat excited nod. "S... Sure thing! Um. Yeah, I mean. I'm not a..." She starts, then lowers her voice so as to not disturb the meeting with how excitable she's getting again. "Like. A full paramedic yet? B-but I can show you what I know, and what you might be able to improvise with." Meika was asking about that a while back, too, wasn't she? That could be worth getting those two together sometime to really get some good learning work going. With that idea starting to form, Odette's looking almost normal-confident for once, and she looks back across the table when she hears Yuna getting ready to back off. She also catches Phillip looking right at her, and Odette blinks owlishly in utter confusion at that. It's just enough time for her to get caught off guard by the deal Liza proposes, slumping slightly at expecting it to get rejected summarily at how insane it would sound to most people. And then Kim accepts it. "Whoa... R-really? Wow. Um... Okay! That's..." With that taking a far better turn than Odette could have hoped, she looks over to Aeng-du with a quick nod and breathing a heavy sigh of relief. "We'll do what we promised to and then some. Just... Um. Please don't slack off so the... Er. Other side of that deal doesn't have to happen."
Father Berislav	...The City's changing alright. But I owe Sal and I'm not leaving his side. Besides, Phillip will be completely lost without me. "I try to see most people, yourselves and Sal included, as seeds among thorns," says Berislav. "That they'll prosper, if their surroundings are better. I try to see most people that way, because despite everything that's happened, it keeps coming true, in the end. And so, every seed planted among thorns, on rocky ground, every seed eaten by wandering birds, makes this transient world a little lesser. It doesn't matter to me, who planted the thorns--but it matters to me very much who still tends to them." If it's a prank it sure isn't funny. We'll figure this out, Meika. Let's go. I suppose I'll have to talk to Petra about this. Did she know Meika was here? Berislav sighs. "God be with you," he says in farewell, waving a hand. This location is compromised. We'll have to meet somewhere else next time. "Dysnomia can help you with that. She really is very talented when it comes to making spaces--a hideout should be well within her wheelhouse. And... if you have a spot in mind, but you're not sure about the... level of activity, I can have it watched and vetted for you." He bows his head. "I'm pleased to be working with you."
Liza Grier	'Maybe. I'm used to fighting against odds. But you know that's not the point. What kind of FIxer would I be if I didn't look out for my teammates.' "Yeah, I bet you're hot shit in a street brawl." Liza says. Finally looking at Yuna, even just out of the corner of her eye, head slightly turned, she says, "But where's your gas mask?" tapping the side of her head, where a strap would go. 'Tch. Fucking crazy-- Fine.' Liza smiles. 'You seem to have been one to be fighting against the---narrative--as you put it for quite some time.' "Long enough people would prefer to believe I don't exist than examine how much power it actually has." she says, blandly. "Clear eyes are rare even amongst friends." 'Your offer is generous. I accept your terms.' Finally, Liza smiles in a way that isn't mildly insane. "Then let me get you something good to drink. This is too downscale for celebrating."
Hibiki Tachibana	A billionaire and a spook wouldn't have anything to do with putting a kid up to something dangerous? Really?" Liza says to someone two years older than Meika. "I'll take your word that you'd know if they had. Liza gets a look and a tilt of her head, in a way that may be construed as slight confusion, before there's a decisive nod. "Not this. I know that much." But seriously, then where...? Either way, Kim gets offered one hell of a deal - and takes it with no hesitation. That alone says enough about what kind of man he is... and how much conviction he has to hold for what he thinks is right. Maybe for how much he still holds what happened to the Second in his heart. "...In that case, guess we better all make sure we do our part." Not that assassinating officials, no matter how corrupt, is anything but a Liza Grier thing. ...Her contributions'll have to be elsewhere. There's also some relief when things with Yuna don't devolve into a fight, and their group heads out. There's a mixed bag of expressions on her face as they all - Meika included - prepare to leave. Her eyes meet Philip's on their way out, and if anything, she gives a slightly sympathetic look to how hard he verbally fumbled the bag there. After they're gone, Hibiki exhales, running a hand back through her hair. "Sounds like that 'Sal' of theirs has plenty of connections to throw around..." Huh. Hold on... she glossed over it when Liza said it before, but now that she has a moment to think... With Stigma, under Liu; you can only be Dawn, right? "Wait, no way this is because of the /Black Silence/...!? No way, right...?" Catching the plot entire minutes after the fact, Hibiki brings a hand to her head as she nearly almost blurts that out at normal volume; she only 'just' barely manages to turn it into something hissed between her teeth. Maybe she'll need something to drink too.
Meika Kirenai	Odette's PDA buzzes with new messages as she sends her own over, a flurry of miscommunication-born stress readable both on it, and on Meika's face across the way. Meika: on what? Meika: im getting your messages if thats what you mean. Meika: you're on? Meika: how would i see this otherwise? Meika: oh. Meika: if this is a prank i don't get it. talk later maybe. once whatever is funny isn't anymore or whatever is going on isn't still. Meika sighs, putting her phone down. It's good to have that number, probably, but it doesn't seem like anything will clear up what's going on through the handheld device. Her boot taps the ground under the table, anxious- that's familiar, but not that it makes noise. 'You'd die.' Watching that exchange is worse, actually, than all of Meika's imaginations at what the next turn this detached-feeling haze of 'what the hell, what the hell, what the hell' is going to wind up being. She may not know anything about what she's doing here, but she's not stupid enough not to catch Liza's shift responding to Yuna as something to stiffen up and pay attention to, even before the detonator makes it to her hand. Chair squeaks, steps backwards towards the Dawn Office's table, and as Yuna decides whether or not to listen to Liza and leave, Meika's already going to pick up her case to dip out the door. 'If it's a prank it sure isn't funny.' "... Yeah. It's really not." White-knuckled grip around her violin case, furrowed brow, and worry boring a hole in her chest, she's leaving in worse state than showing up nervous, even. Berislav's parting 'God be with you' collides against her with a flinch, shoulders straightening, to mumble out a paired "And with your spirit." Her free hand shoves itself into her jacket pocket, as if worried for having nothing to do, save shoulder open the bar's door and head off.