2020-10-13 Barcade Adventure

Barcade

Participants: Austen Jeremy Tink Jana

Location: barcade

Date and Time: Nov 13- At night

Summary: Pinball and wings are magical!

Mood Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6ljFaKRTrI (optional)

The barcade is probably filled with on the way to being drunk people. It's not full but it's definitely not a slow night! In the arcade section there was a group of people, maybe 5 or 6, around a hispanic woman playing a game of pin ball and they all seem rather... hyper? Maybe more enthused than they should be about pinball.

The woman playing was intensely concentrating on the game like she was on some kinda hot streak. There would be a "SHIT!" from her as some bad thing happens with her current game.

Wing night! Dressed down in some heavy boots, bdus, and a baggy, dark hoody, Tink makes her way into the Barcade in the way of someone familiar with a place. Swinging through to drop an order for a big pile of the spiciest and way more of the sour apple and blue raspberry alcoholic slush. The sounds of pinball and cursing draw her attention towards the crowd around the one playing. "Pinball makes me say that, too." she calls over with a grin.

Austen the irritation of the streak loss is obvious as the woman turns around to look at the compatriot of pinball cursing. "Yea well I mistimed a button push and the fuckin ball went around the paddle instead of hittin the tip like I wanted!" Slapping the side of the machine. Austen coughed suddenly and covers her mouth. "Sorry, not sick. Just something stuck in my throat." Thumping her chest. "What's a fellow foul mouth doing up this late? Boozin and cruisin?"

"Everybody knows 'just the tip' is never accurate." Tink quips with a laugh. Her number is called and she goes to fetch the big cup of blue and green spiked slushee and the pile of wings as big as she is. Carrying them over to a table, she sets the food down. "Pretty much. Taking a break from work for a little bit. You?"

"Pinball is never about luck," says Jeremy, his attention fixed on the silver ball rolling along the polished glass as he manages his own table. "The ball will always do exactly what you ask, as long as you know how to talk its language. But... That isn't easy."

Austen was now unknowingly surrounded by two pinball enthusiasts. Or one enthusiast and the other just a lover of innuendos and lucky timing. "I had about a good eight..." She looks at a groupie of hers and he say 'nine.' She, looking back at Jeremy, "Nine minute streak of a single ball. I don't speak machine but I know a mistimes tip shot when I make it." Allowing another easy joke if seen.

"Mm, I don't spea--" Tink starts, then coughs, sliding onto a seat at the table where she set her food down. More than she'll eat, really. The cups of bleu cheese are set on the table as she gets comfortable. "You guys hungry?" she asks, looking over. "Nine minutes is pretty long." Abandoning the low hanging fruit and going right for the size joke instead.

Jeremy lets the ladies handle the size jokes. "I could eat," he says affably, staring unblinking at the pinball. "Just let me finish this... Oh, drat." BEEP BEEP BOOOOOOOP. Down the drain goes the ball.

Jeremy has only just now finished losing a game of pinball, and settled in to eat some of Tink's wings. He's dressed more casually than his description implies, wearing a windbreaker in lieu of a formal jacket.

Austen eyes the wings then looks back at the machine then back to the wings. She does this several time before slapping the machine and walking over to the table. The woman's black shirt, jeans and boots looked worn but nothing that might indicate she lives on the streets. "If you're offering. People who take the easy jokes are always worth talking to and hanging with."

Tink debones a flat, setting the bones on a napkin and running the meat through some dressing before popping it in her mouth. Beckoning them both over. "Spicy." she murmurs, pausing her chewing to get the word out before finishing and swallowing. "I'm Tink." She says, tacking on to the invitation. "How're you doing tonight, Jeremy?"

Jana heard about this place sometime ago from someone who is no longer in the city so it's a pleasant surprise to her when Jeremy tells her to meet him there and even more so when standing in the doorway she sees Tink near her lawyer buddy. Grinning broadly she heads that way.

Jeremy eats chicken wings by gripping their base with a napkin and then tearing the flesh from them with his teeth. He doesn't bother with the sauce, taking the spice straight. "We'll see in a moment," he responds, waving Jana over. "I understand you two are acquainted. And you," he says, looking over his shoulder to Austen, "You're a mystery to me, but if they let you on the roof of Wu Sun, you presumably know more than most?"

Jana heard about this place sometime ago from someone who is no longer in the city so it's a pleasant surprise to her when Jeremy tells her to meet him there and even more so when standing in the doorway she sees Tink near her lawyer buddy. Grinning broadly she heads that way.

Jeremy eats chicken wings by gripping their base with a napkin and then tearing the flesh from them with his teeth. He doesn't bother with the sauce, taking the spice straight. "We'll see in a moment," he responds, waving Jana over. "I understand you two are acquainted. And you," he says, looking over his shoulder to Austen, "You're a mystery to me, but if they let you on the roof of Wu Sun, you presumably know more than most?"

Austen she tilts her head and picks out a chunky wing to pick at for the moment. "I know enough that I probably would have lost an arm had there not been anyone else there." Taking a small bite of the wing. "I am really good at making friends in very bizarre ways..." Complete sarcasm on her part. "You can call me G."

Jana is def acquainted with Tink as she moves up behind the other small blond and wraps her arms around her, resting her chin on Tink's shoulder, planting a kiss on the other tiny woman's neck before she grins at Jeremy, "Well good to see you both together." She glances at Austen, unsure. "We cool to talk business?" She asks the two kin she knows are 'in the know'.

Jeremy says, "She's affiliated. This place isn't secure enough to discuss anything we'd need to conceal from her, so maybe her presence will be a helpful reminder. Besides, as I understand it, you need to discuss social media strategy matters? It doesn't strike me as a high-risk topic."

Austen is completely used to being an unknown and doesn't seem to mind the distrust and wariness. "If by affiliated you mean I like to throw my dogs Bones to Gnaw on, then yea. I'm a fellow dog owner. Just a broke dog owner. We make do." Hinting at her tribe.

Tink licks her fingers, then wipes them on a napkin - getting them clean as she can before reaching back to awkwardly hug Jana back. "Hey, J-bird." The kiss to her neck softening the smile with fondness. "Hungry?" Offering to share the spicy wings with Jana as well. "I'd love to listen in on that, too, if that's alright? And... I know a few dogs that gnaw bones. Always had some in the family."

Jana grimaces, "Yes, I have a couple of questions for you, all of them regarding council member Jefferson-Price of the 8th division. I would like to put you on retainer in the event he does push a defamation suit against those of us working to better SkidRow but also consult you regarding the opportunity to proactively sue him for claiming we're all mobsters and meth heads when the bulk of us working to do honest, charitable work for poor and disenfranchised people are students from good families with no criminal ties and he's potentially impacting our future earnings as educated professionals with his claims." She blinks twice and then smiles, sweetly as she eyes the hotwing Tink offers a bit dubiously before reaching for one and sniffs at it before even sorta licking it to decide if it's safe to ingest.

Austen has no idea what they are really talking about. "I will just listen for a bit. I know nothing about suits or law or what ever." And like she said, she shuts up to listen and get more info on the locals.

"American free speech laws are extraordinarily expansive," says Jeremy, apologetically. The hotwings are spicy enough that he's sweating a bit, but it doesn't affect his diction more than his accent. "So I will happily defend you against a defamation suit, but I should discourage you from proactively pressing one. Two reasons," he says, taking a sip of water to clear his throat. "First, you'll probably lose. Just as he'll probably lose if he pushes a defamation suit against you. The bar is very high. Second, it's in neither his interest, nor your interest, for you to be putting each other through the discovery phase of a suit - rummaging through each other's wallets, lookin for secrets, trying to prove that you did or did not do harm." He looks at Tink, then back to Jana, then gestures towards Tink, who - he does not say this out loud - is an eco-terrorist specializing in the felonious production of explosives.

Spicy wings! But the bleu cheese can help with that, some, the dairy cutting the heat. Leaving Jana and Jeremy to use fifty dollar words, Tink considers. "There was... an accident in Skid Row that got pretty hot. And complicated. Endron is one of those real slimy, slithery big corps and they... uh..." Tact is not easy for the blunt Tink. "Have decided to sue the city of breach of contract and there's a lot of pushback."

Jana shakes her head, "Oh no, I think he's going to try and sue US because after he went to the press saying all the protesters are mobsters and criminals we're going to claim he's scared of a bunch of 100 lb freshmen students and we're going to challenge him to actually you know... represent his constituents. I anticipate he's going to be all 'Oh no I'm not scared of a bunch of 19 year old girls' which is stupid cause he is. But." She shrugs and takes one of the wings from Tink, deciding it can't be THAT bad, with the creamy sauce on it. And then her eyes water when she pops it in her mouth. "Do you have taste buds any more?" She asks the gnawer kin.

Austen nods at Tink with the brief explanation. "Huh... That sounds like a story I have been told. But THat was before I walked into this particular town." Taking off all the meat on her lightly picked at wing. Swallowed and face wiped. "Sounded like a real party I missed and the hang over from the booze is worse for the non-party goers."

"Well, that would be foolish of him to do," says Jeremy. "He's a public figure. The burden of proof for the suit would be on him, and he'd have to prove actual monetary damages stemming from your statements, which would subject -him- to discovery - at which point I'd be able to rifle through his finances looking for evidence of impropriety," he muses. "Well, here's hoping he's foolish enough to try. If he does, I think I should be able to represent you."

"You know they say that heating super hot stuff is like.. boring people's version of S and M, right?" Tink teases, leaning to kiss Jana's cheek, then offering her the boozey green apple and blue raspberry slushie. "Shit's been crazy. There's toxins all over the ground, to the point that people are getting hazmat training to help clean up. We have a hundred and fifty roomies and none of them like to do dishes or take the trash out. The main, uh, issue seems to be quiet, for the moment, but now we're dealing with the backlash and time constraints and lawsuits."

Jana takes and sucks back Tink's slushie readily as she blinks a few times at Jer and Austen, "I just want to make sure I have some coverage. After all, my wanting to help disadvantaged people now should not be impacting my future earnings as an environmental scientist or interrupting my ability to complete my schooling because he is painting me as a methhead mafia whatever. You know?"

Austen leans back and listens to Tink. "I'll have to not be represented by suit because, while not a methhead. I wasn't the cleanest person on the block when it came to sports team affiliation." She giggles like it was funny. She starts in Cantonese "I was a runner for some rather," to English "professionally, well dressed men who paid very well." They could figure out which language it was if they knew.

Jeremy raises an eyebrow. "-Is- it hurting your earnings, or interrupting your schooling? Can you provide records that would be convincing to a disinterested third party? I couldn't take on a defamation suit accusing Mr. Jefferson-Price of libel unless I felt I could present a convincing argument laying out the financial impact of his statements," he says apologetically. He nods to Tink's topic as well. "It's not a frivolous suit by Endron, either," he says, mood turning dark. "They have people on the council who are willing to attest in a court of law to the verbal agreements made to hire - and empower - Endron to perform the emergency cleanup, and Endron has a strong argument that these agreements were binding, and that they were violated, entitling them to damages to recoup the expense of their abortive 'clean up' effort," he says. He puts actual finger-quotes around 'clean up'.

Jeremy gestures to Austen as well. "I've learned not to assume the Garou or their affiliates can endure a close examination by the law. Regardless of which," he says, tapping his chest.

"Same boat we're rocking, G. Not much on paper about me and mine, but, uh..." Tink grins a bit sheepishly. "I've worked with some questionable groups when their goals aligned with ours. Earth First type folks." she says, dropping her voice then plucking up a wing to work on, lightly shoulder bumping Jana and beaming a smile at her. It's good to listen to Jeremy and Jana knocking heads.

Jana blinks a few times at Austen when she changes languages to one she doesn't understand. She nods to Jeremy, "And THAT is why I need to work with you, could you be our legal counsel for the project? We can pay you, I think, and if the people I'm working with think their futures are protected they're more willing to stand up against Endron and the other corps."

Austen was already on a kick of trying to prove... nothing out of nothing. Switching to Korean. "Why does what people think about you even matter?" A raised brow. "We are all equal under the one true law after all." There were more important laws than Man's after all.

Jeremy looks conflicted a moment. "I'd need to get a sense of what kind of activities I might need to provide legal support for. There's a limit to how much dirt I can get on my hands - my role depends on a convincing facade of being a 'respectable' lawyer. I'm not a National Lawyer's Guild firebrand. But... Within those constraints... I think we can manage something." He raises an eyebrow, looking to Austen. He says the following in Korean: << How many languages do you know? Korean, Cantonese, English, and a fourth one just now? ...Wait. >> He shifts back to English, turning his chair. "Have you ever been to Singapore or Hong Kong?" he asks, quite serious.

Tink quiets as the conversation goes more serious, listening, but not knowing enough about the law to do more than follow along - understanding, but not initiating. As the other language comes into play, she arches an eyebrow at G. Curious!

Jana glances between Jer and Aus and as multi-lingual as she is, she blinks a few times, confused. "Of course, I don't want to endanger your repuation, and if there's a more freedom of rights leaning lawyer you know and could recommend I am happy to draw on them so you're not tainted by all of this. I get it."

Austen leans in, fully interested in this Jeremy fellow. Starting in Cantonese. "I have only ever spoken," Korean, "three languages good sir. Cantonese, Korean," And in English. "and English. I'm a multifaceted homeless woman. And no, I've never left the streets of LA."

Jeremy holds out his business card for Austen to take. "I may need someone trustworthy to assist me with investigations in Hong Kong in the near future - someone brave enough to risk making enemies. I don't speak Cantonese, and," he speaks quietly, "I don't heal like you do." Ahem. "If you're interested, call me."

Jana plucks the card meant for Austen and smiles, tucking it into her pocket, "I'll be in touch." She kisses Tink's cheek and peels aways, heading for the door. #silverfang

Tink glances from face to face, finishing off the wings that she wants and lightly nudging the plate more towards the others. "I gotta take that call." she says with a cheeky grin, rising to jog and catch up to Jana, sliding an arm around the other's waist.

Jeremy clears his throat, takes out another card.

Austen is now alone with the fancy schmancy lawyer man. She takes the cards and turns it around a few times. "Jeremy huh?" Placing the card in a pocket and giving her attention to the man. "So... You would want me to somehow find my way to Hong Kong? A homeless vagabond?"

"That would be ridiculous," says Jeremy. "I'd arrange for transportation and set up an expense account." He gives her a firm look. "I know you've been having a difficult time integrating in to the sept. This could change that. If you bring back the information we need, people will notice that. It's good for your reputation. It buys you a lot more slack."

Austen sees no way this could go any right way with herself on her own. "So, you'd give me a plane ticket, some pocket money and whisk me away to some strange land all alone with nothing but the clothes on my back?" She wasn't trying to be difficult but it may come off that way and switches to Korean to have a modicum of privacy. <I'm fine with making enemies in a place I don't live. Doing it alone is another thing fucking entirely.>

Jeremy swaps also. "<That's a reasonable concern. I'm not committed to making this a solo operation. But in the wake of the recent events, everyone is reluctant to move manpower away from the sept, in case they're needed for defense. I'm still recruiting. This job is an investigation of the activities of a Hong-Kong-based Chinese nationalized firm called Pearl River Chemical. I don't need a commitment from you, but an understanding of what you'd need to be comfortable with the idea would be helpful.>"

Austen just shrugs at his mention of not requiring an immediate commitment. < I am a homeless, penniless woman dude. You get me a temporary pack of at least three and I'll be happy to go. I only know the language and I am fine if I am just the interpreter. Maybe get one who's good with the spooky stuff and someone good at making people do things.> Another shrug. < I'm a runner and a talker.>

Jeremy nods. <At least three.> He furrows his brow a moment. <That may be doable. How can I contact you when things come together?>

Austen liked a good time and getting glitzed on foreign booze and drugs alone was a piss poor time! < I may benefit the most about this little venture but I am charitable enough to not hog the spotlight of others wants some good old fashion fun.> She giggles.

Jeremy raises an eyebrow. <I'm sure you are. But, if I can't contact you...>

Austen pulls out a napkin and scribbles some numbers on it. < I try to keep my cell charged but it's sometimes tricky depending where I sleep. But I return texts when I get them.>

Jeremy nods sympathetically. <Smartphones have shit battery,> he agrees, taking out a smartphone with a shit battery and putting in Austen's cell #. <Do you have a place to crash tonight?>

Austen looks him up and down. <You offering a side of your bed? Wouldn't mind heading home with you.> She could do with a real show. The ones at the shelter suuuuucked.

< I am offering you my couch,> corrects Jeremy politely. <Out of solidarity. Nothing prurient.>

Austen just smirked at the man and chuckled. <Can't blame a girl for trying man. Can I borrow a shirt so I can do laundry and borrow your shower?>

< I don't have a laundry machine,> apologizes Jeremy. <But yes. We can stop by the target on the way to get you some spare kit, if you prefer. My budget is hardly bottomless, but we can cover the basics. Call it a retainer fee.>

Austen pumps her fist like it was a big win. "Good shit. Let's get a to-go box. I might wander out for an hour or two in the middle of the night. Habit of makin sure shits safe you know?"

"Fine," says Jeremy. What's the worst that could happen? The world is already ending, after all.