Scene #4907: Shady Meetings

Owner	Pose
Guest Psyber	Adele chooses the world, Psyber chooses the city! That had been the agreement to make their meeting somewhat less sketchy than before. The location Psyber chose, on the assumption that Adele chose an Earth-alike, is one that shows he has some forethought and careful planning about meeting strange people. Namely, Psyber is meeting Adele in the middle of a Tokyo in the early-afternoon. The mad rush of people makes it hard for either of them to set up traps, the crowding and dense population prevents ambushes, and the general mass of people makes it hard to enact violence without calling down extensive media attention. It's pretty obvious why Psyber would choose such a location. But there is another reason! That reason is much more simple, you see. Psyber is meeting Adele at a very specific place: A ramen stand. The half-angel is currently sitting at a seat and slurping noodles from a bowl while wearing a dress shirt with some rolled up sleeves. He looks like he recently got out of a business meeting.
Adele Rozenbach	Adele is dressed heavily, with a wide-brimmed hat that provides ample shade and joined by an androgyne servant that looks just a bit too flawless to be human, the latter is holding a large umbrella to provide more shade from the sun. Beneath the servant's other arm is some kind of pet transport cage, closed off enough to make it nigh impossible to see what kind of animal is inside. It moves a bit though, indicating that it probably is. When she arrives, she is drinking from a sports bottle containing some kind of dark red liquid. "Hello, thank you for agreeing to this meeting, Herr Psyber." The german-accented monstrosity smiles, just wide enough to display a long row of shark-like teeth.
Guest Psyber	Psyber turns around in his seat and looks towards the woman as she approaches. He cuts a pretty interesting contrast to her, since while tall, he doesn't look half-as scary as his reputation would imply. He looks something like an off-duty detective, actually, since he's got the rolled up sleeves, half-undone tie and shirt combo. His red eyes lock onto her and narrow a bit as if appraising the woman. He'd only heard a bit about her from Heinkel, and mostly then enough to know she was dangerous. Still, he does smile back in a friendly way, "Hello. It's no trouble, Miss Rozenbach. If Heinkel shows up alive, I'm sure she'll be happy that you're returning whatever she might have left behind when you two had your visit." He sets down his chopsticks and reaches into his jacket to pull out a pack of cigarettes. One is stuck in his mouth and the pack is offered towards the servant and Adele for a few moments if they want to take one. He lights it after and exhales some smoke, "So what did she leave behind, anyway?"
Adele Rozenbach	Aside from the teeth, Adele also doesn't look scary. She looks young and sickly, and terribly pale. She sits down and shakes her head at the cigarettes, "I'm afraid I don't smoke. It's an unhealthy habit, as I make sure to remind my patients." She takes another sip of that drink, it smells... well, like blood. At the latter question, she closes the bottle and sets it aside, and fingersnaps. The servant hands over the animal container and unlocks it. What comes sniffing out is a bulldog... except its head is modelled to be a very accurate copy of Heinkel's, a bit more feral but still more human than animal. "Make sure Heinkel Hund gets back to her?"
Guest Psyber	"These days, everything's a bit unhealthy," Psyber notes, tapping the cigarette into an ash tray and then looking back towards the woman. He tilts his head at her drink, making a mental note of it before looking towards the manservant. He watches the animal carrier get put down on the ground and the strange mish-mash canine come out. "I... see." He looks like he wants it to go BACK into the container by this point. And shortly expresses as such in the most polite way possible, "Yes. If you return it to the container, I will see to it that it gets back to her if she resurfaces." Psyber doesn't want to let the poker face fall, but he definitely is more than a bit suspicious of this strange woman. And for plenty of good reason by this point.
Adele Rozenbach	Adele nods, "Very well." The servant takes the hint, and locks it back in, handing the container to Psyber. "Thank you for taking the time to help with this." If she noticed Psyber's discomfort, then she doesn't let it show. "As for everything being a bit unhealthy, you're definitely not wrong. I fear my diet doesn't work for everyone, but it's done wonders for me."
Guest Psyber	Psyber looks over towards Adele and squints a bit, "Yes, I imagine that certain things don't agree with everyone's diet. Greasy foods, lots of salt, blood, gluten, too much iron. All of them can cause health issues." He taps his cigarette into an ash tray a couple more times, "And you are welcome for the help in this matter. I do hope that if whatever faction you are working for has ethical, above-ground jobs that need doing, you'll consider my office for those contracts in the future."
Adele Rozenbach	There's a brief smirk at the comments there. "It's not merely blood, I do have a more varied diet than that. There's also meat." Adele answers like she's not even really that interested in justifying herself, "I'm a predator, I'm sure that's hardly news to you, Herr Psyber." There's a brief pause, as she considers his offer. And in that pause, a truck carrying along some mirrors comes by, and shows Adele's mirror image. Rather than the beautiful, fragile flower look she's got going, the girl in her reflection, who is very much a girl, looks strung out like a meth addict, hands clawing that bottle like she's desparate for the fix it contains, and eyes that look dead. Adele goes extremely quiet, discomfort on her face.
Guest Psyber	"My mistake," Psyber says as he looks to her, waving his hand, "I didn't mean to make presumptions about the exclusivity of your diet, Miss Rozenbach. Please accept my apologies." The half-angel nods to her respectfully. He drops the cigarette to the ground and snuffs it out under his foot for a moment. As the truck passes by, Psyber looks towards the reflections on the truck and then back at Adele. But what's on his face isn't smugness or taunting at her discomfort. Instead, he shows a level of concern that may surprise her. He reaches into his jacket and offers her a business card. Prof. Of Occult Studies at Miskatonic University Owner - Heaven or Hell Paranormal Investigation Firm 666 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108 (Corner of Beacon and Joy) (617) 555-8782 Dissolve Me In Water! In small text on the back: This card is pressed blessed salt and inked in holy oil. Dissolve in 1 cup or more water to create holy water. "Wear gloves when you touch that, otherwise you might get a rash." He then says, "I'm also available to talk if you ever want to discuss your situation or need counseling. I'm not a professional therapist, but I've given guidance to a lot of people."
Adele Rozenbach	"You can see why I don't like to keep mirrors around." Adele says very, very softly. She's already wearing gloves, so she feels free to pick up the card, though even then it seems to cause some noticable discomfort and she quickly hands it to her servant, who also like discomforted by it, but unwilling or incapable to reject this clear desire of Adele's. "If I have a job that needs to be done, I'll be sure to contact you." Her composure is starting to recover.
Guest Psyber	"It does make sense. Though perhaps all people have images of themself that they hide from the world, so perhaps it's not something to be so ashamed about." Psyber offers her as a consolation. He looks down to the animal carrier at his feet, "So what is the dog meant to prove to Heinkel, anyway? An offer of friendship or one of rivalry?" He inquires of the woman before leaning back against the counter he was eating at in his seat. "I do appreciate that you will consider our services," He nods to her, easily letting her stay off the more unpleasant topics, "As we move towards independant work, regular contracts are going to be vital to my business."
Adele Rozenbach	Adele looks down towards the dog, "Neither, really. I was just struck by inspiration, and decided I'd share. I'm an artist, you know?" She's mostly regained her composure by now, and the topic of her art seems to help with that. "I'll admit I don't like her much, she seemed to be a bit too judgmental for me. I have enough of that from God, I don't need mortals to judge me, too."
Guest Psyber	"Well she is, or was, a judge. That's what the church pays or paid her to do, hunt what they deem monsters." Psyber admits to Adele, leaning back in his seat a bit and watching the woman. He admits, he is interested on an academic level, "I'm more of an investigator. A researcher. It lets me keep an open mind about things, you could say." "Granted, still a man of morality, but one that tries to look at all sides of an issue before making a decision," He crosses his arms a bit and watches her, "Chances are we may go against eachother in the future. Call that a gut feeling. But..." He holds up a finger. "I'd, personally, prefer to remain on amicable terms with you outside of business-related encounters. You've managed to grab enough of my curiosity, Miss Rozenbach."
Adele Rozenbach	"And God has damned me to hell on earth, and ever after, so please forgive me for my lack of respect for that kind of organization." Adele answers with a faint hint of bitterness, which she attempts to hide with a slick, "So I figured if I was to be damned, I may as well enjoy what I still can. Is that so wrong?" The answer ought to be, definitely. "As far as amicable terms go, we shall see where the future takes us, but you do interest me, Herr Psyber."
Guest Psyber	Rather than confirm or deny whether what Adele is doing is wrong and segueing into a pointless debate about morality, Psyber smiles at her gently, "I prefer the opposite end of the teaching of the church. So often, people want to condemn those among them who have been stained by darkness, but it was the greatest men in the Bible who were able to sit with the most tainted people and show them light. The Bible has far more to save about love, forgiveness, and finding a light to clean that which damns us than it does about hate and anger." Psyber notes as he stands up to pick up the carrier. "There are few people I believe are truly damned or beyond help, Miss Rozenbach. That is a folly of man that taints the teachings of much greater beings than them."
Adele Rozenbach	"That's a rather positive outlook." Adele comments, with an amount of conviction that implies sincere skepticism, "The bible also contains passages of people turning to salt for looking back when told not to." She pauses and then adds, "People do seem to take it quite seriously. When I was... not yet what I have become, war was ravaging the Empire over matters of faith."
Guest Psyber	"Yes, well. I suppose that's the nature of text so old. Interpretation becomes rather subjective," Psyber replies, scratching the underside of his chin, "I mean. It's easier to look at it as a set of parables and realize that people become bitter and salty if they spend all their time dwelling on the past than it is to believe in actually turning people to salt." He laughs a bit and then shakes his head. "People will always fight over something. Religion is one excuse, race is another, ideology is yet one more."
Adele Rozenbach	"Maybe, maybe. But whatever the interpretation may be, fact remains that those things blessed by Him are poison to me. That sends a message." Adele points out, opening her bottle to take another sip. "If He didn't want me to take the conclusion that He wants nothing to do with me, perhaps he should take some PR classes."
Guest Psyber	"Mmm, perhaps. But you mentioned being a doctor earlier. Perhaps it is like, with most things, that the cure can be quite painful when administered. There are so many diseases where the treatment is a poison. Cancer, infections, even surgery requires damaging the body to fix that which ails." Psyber points out as he shrugs a bit and watches her sip. "We shall see, though. I'm not so narrow minded as to believe I am unambiguously right and that your side has no merit. I can see why you would believe what you do."
Adele Rozenbach	"I doubt it, but I shouldn't discard that idea outright." Adele answers Psyber, and then she gets up. "The weather disagrees with me, I fear. I've been out too long, I should return home. Thank you for your time." By the amount of things she has to block the sun, 'the weather' probably means 'sunlight' but she might be talking about something else.
Guest Psyber	"You have a pleasant day, Miss Rozenbach. Thank you, in return, for giving me much to think about," The half-angel nods respectfully and then stands up on his own, "I will work to return your dog to its new owner." The half-angel gives her a smile, "Please take care of yourself."