((*Thank you to Race!*))

The sun beat down on her dark head, causing the shine from her clean hair to simulate a halo. The Scathachian, however, didn't know this. What she did know was that she was hot, had a headache and still no closer to locating Race. Since the previous evening when a few friends, specifically a Mr. Ilnaren and a Ms Batten, were discussing Race's whereabouts. His friends knew that he had seen some difficult times recently, perhaps that was putting it mildly, and they were worried about him. So, there stood the Judge, bereft of her usual black leather ensemble as the weather was looking forward now toward summer, in the middle of the Wonderplex Amusement Park. There were laughing and screaming children all around (sometimes it was difficult to discern between the two sounds), with adults carrying all manner of foods, drinks and souvenirs, as well as the occasional tuckered out toddler.

With a sigh, she ran her hand through her hair and looked around once more. She had inquired about Race when she was at the entrance. The ticket taker had said that he hadn't seen the bossman, but he could possibly be inside. Which led to the Judge purchasing a ticket and entering the park and roaming around aimlessly into the sea of roller coasters, running children, merry-go-rounds, and every possible sort of food on a stick.

"He's not here," she murmured to herself. Instinctively, she rubbed against her hips at where the hilts of her blades would have been, but of course, she was not wearing them. Isuelt's bare fingers brushed up against the soft linen of the white drawstring trousers she had on, paired with a light-weight pale blue short sweater. The Scathachian looked every bit like 'one of the crowd' as she wanted it. Today, she was off duty. Today, she was just checking in on a friend. Her sandaled feet turned and she began to walk away from the monstrosity of a ride that she had been facing. It seemed to be the biggest attraction at the park and therefore the best vantage point to watch for Race. Suddenly, stopping short as a flock of screeching children gushed past her, nearly running her over. The espresso-haired Scathachian simply glared at the kids as they disappeared behind the line for the ride and shook her head. "Seriously...this place is like a receptacle for insanity..." She muttered slowly as she tucked a few dark strands of hair behind her ear to combat the breeze coming up.

"Oh hey! Ma'am! HEY!" The young man's yell was barely heard above the natural roar of such a surrounding; when Isuelt turned around, she saw the adolescent boy who had taken her money upon entrance and told her that Race may or may not be around. He was wildly waving, jogging toward her.

"Yes?" Isuelt halted her steps and wore an expectant expression as she turned to face the boy.

"You should check The Alley. He runs fights down there."

She blinked for a moment, remembering that Katt had said that she refereed there. "Right. Thanks, kid." The tall Scathachian turned and just barely missed running down a small toddler who was just standing there crying over a lost balloon. With haste she maneuvered her long legs and side-stepped the tot.

"Any time, sweetheart."

Isuelt paused only to ponder if she had heard the kid right before she wrinkled her nose, rolled her eyes and made her way through the crowds of people and toward the area of the park that housed The Alley. Descending down the path, as prescribed by the helpful signage, the Scathachian came upon the entrance to The Alley." She really couldn't help but chuckle at the name." It was rather fitting, seeing as how that back alley behind the Inn attracted more than its fair share of fights." Her dark hair was pushed back behind her shoulders, rendering that light blue color to flex its muscle." Quite a spectacle not being garbed in black, Isuelt entered the establishment." Her lashes swept left and right, trying to see past the gathered crowd, looking for one face in particular. Waitresses drift through the busy establishment clearing tables, gathering tips, and taking new orders once customers seat themselves. A few patrons talk at the bar while looking at playback from Pegasus races, some local events, even listen to a replay of the Rhydin Rewind."She cleared her throat and ventured further in." Her legs carried her bar-ward, and she paused to watch the faces of the tenders." Before she spoke to any of them to ask about her quarry, she turned to look toward the rest of the room." Katt refereed here, so she was looking for rings." Maybe Race would be refereeing?" Fighting?" A sigh from the woman as she wondered about him throwing himself into the ring against an opponent while he was intoxicated, or worse." She felt his pain, she did." If not empathetically, then sympathetically."

A boxing ring bell sounds off as the televisions switch channels to a birds eye view of the fighting cages in the center of the room. A very familiar face walks center-ring and reaches overhead to pull down the microphone. "Lllllladies and Gentleman. May I have your attention please" The days contests are about to begin. There will be violence, there will be blood, if you are faint of heart, or squeamish in anyway, please do not watch." The Mogul takes a moment to adjust his tie before continuing. "Our opening match is a pair of new comers." He motions to the left entrance. "Now entering the ring in red, standing at eight foot three, weighting it at six huuundred pounds is a being who's name I can't pronounce. So we'll call him Bob!" A lumbering Umberhulk edges its way into the ring, clawed hands over its head as it roars for the crowd.

Hearing Race's voice, Isuelt looked around, seeing him on the monitors." Though before long she was headed down toward the cages." She slipped, sidestepped and squeezed past some of those gathered for the day of recreational bloodshed." Her gaze at the Mogul was only briefly usurped by the incredibly large "Bob.?" Those dark chocolate eyes of hers widened against her lashes as she gawked at the Umberhulk." After all, she'd never really seen one before." "Great Hera..." she ushered under her breath as she stared.

"His opponent comes to us from the deepest reaches of quadrant sixteen beta.." Race motions to the other side of the cave where the next door opens. "Standing at five foot four, weighing oooooone hundred and twennnty pounds...Kiiiiiip-lar!!" Needless to say the least that the fight appears completely one sided. "This David and Goliath match up is sure" to thrill and excite. Without further adieu...lllllllllllllletsssssssssssss get reeeeeady to ruuuuuuummmmbleeeee!!!"

The Scathachian, Daughter of Justice, made a face." This hardly seemed like a fair fight." Taking an inhale then, she folded her sculpted arms over her chest." She had a pretty fair vantage point as she leaned against what she thought was a wall, until it moved." Looking up, she saw a behemoth of a man leering down at her with a waggled brow upnod to her." "Hey there, little lady...?" A slight roll of her eyes as she looked back to the ring, keeping her focus on Race, not to mention the two about to battle to what she hoped would not be the smaller combatant's death.

The Mogul makes his way out as the microphone is raised from the ring to let the combatants begin their dance. He doesn't even look back as Kiplar goes full on rabid squirrel against the Umberhulk.

As the crowd around her jumps to their feet and roars, spurring on the fight, Isuelt took her leave from the spectators and kept her dark gaze leveled (albeit difficult in the dim lighting) on the Mogul." She pushed her way through the crowd, trying to reach the corner of the ring where Race had exited."

He stands there watching the fight idly while igniting a match for his pipe." The man looks tired and beat like he's had one too many sleepless nights.

A cheer went up from the crowd, but Isuelt kept on her trek." She was nearly toward that section of the room, and her eyes sought the vicinity." Finally, he came into her line of sight after two people who had been standing, sat back down." Calling his name was would have been fruitless in the midst of such a sport." So, she stood there, watching him for a moment." She pressed her lips together and heaved a sigh before she headed over." Her gaze flickered to the fight for a moment, she had to hand it to the little guy, he was still kicking." After a swallow, Isuelt looked back to Race, who was now almost directly in front of her line of sight." She could have reached out to his shoulder if she stretched, but she stood her ground for now, simply taking in his appearance and mannerisms." Worry was etched into the fine wrinkles around her eyes.

Pipe between his teeth he rubs at his face slowly, even slaps his own cheeks like he's trying to wake himself up. The mogul turns and catches sight of Issy, offering her a friendly wave. Behind him Kiplar is being thrown around the cage like a living racket ball.

His friendly wave elicited a somber expression from her." She knew she didn't have long, much the same as poor Kiplar." She was glad to see that he was okay, physically." The volume of the crowd only let her convey a mouthed equivalent of his name, her lips moved to signify she had called to him, though her voice was nowhere to be heard." Those long legs pushed against the floor, and she started toward him.

Watching the judge approach he gives her new duds a misogynistic once over and let's her know he approves of the look with a playful grin. The way he puffs on the pipe at the corner of his mouth suddenly doesn't look right.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she laid a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze." She watched the pipe for a moment, thinking that was new." Learning forward then, her lips aimed at his ear, "Race, I've not seen you in a while." I've been worried about you.?" The volume was anything but soft or dulcet." Instead she was competing with the noise about them.

He returns the shoulder squeeze and jerks his head to the side indicating for her to follow as he leads her away from the noise to a side door. The volume change is jarring as they enter a comfortable office, the roar outside is reduced to a muffle. Fingers go into his ears to rub away the change as he looks to her. "You look good Issy. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were here to ask me out on a date."

A sigh from her as she smirked." Her eyes never really left him." "Well, if I thought it would do any good to get you back topside, I would.?" There was a wrinkle that undulated over her brow as she took a few more steps." "I've missed you being around." Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but I'm not really your type anyway. Not tall enough." He shoots her a grin as he drops onto a comfortable sofa and kicks his shoes off." "Just needed to keep myself busy, tried to find a hobby. Nothing really worked out since I can only mess with flowers until the sun goes down. Then what?" He shrugs and looks to her softly. "Still adjusting to the change."

"Why don't you come with me?" On patrol?"" The Judge crossed the distance to the couch and knelt down in front of him." "Ring or no ring, you're still you, Race.?" She paused to stare at the edge of the couch for a moment, "I can always use the help." And I think you could use the effort.?" A glance up to him, "You know?" Get out there, keep doing what you're good at?"

He looks at her thoughtfully before speaking again. "Trust, the one time I have you on your knees between my legs...you want to talk about heroics..." The Mogul playfully rolls his eyes before sitting forward. "Issy. Why is it important to you, Katt, and whoever else, that I continue to put my life on the line for a city that doesn't give two sh*ts?"

She sighed with a slight roll of her eyes, though she couldn't help but fight the growing smirk on her face. Finally, she chuckled softly and shook her head. He usually had a way of making her laugh through nearly any situation. After another deep breath, she tried to continue her serious line of thought. "I honestly don't know what to tell you, Race. Really." She was remembering similar conversations she had had with Perceval Tucker and Edward Batten. "The city doesn't deserve heroes. But nonetheless, we're here." Her brows knitted for a moment as she looked up to him from her kneel. "It's got less to do with the city, I think, than with the heroes. It's not that the city requires us...I think it's that we require it. The act of saving people, doing good. It's as much what we need as breathing."

He looks at Issy in thoughtful silence for a handful of breaths before scrubbing his face with his hands. "Do it not for the glory, not for the gain, but to spare others of a greater pain.." he says gently like an old mantra. "Yeah, I know Issy. However there is one little detail that gets overlooked. How long do we keep up this form of psychological masturbation before just giving up" Before we become no better than the things we rebel against?"

"No one's rebelling, Race. We're working to protect people." She paused and placed a hand on the edge of the couch just beside where he was seated. "For goddess's sake, you yourself stopped me from killing Renna when she was deemed defenseless. You are a hero. Ring, no ring; it doesn't matter. It's who you are, your heart, that makes you a hero." Then quietly she added, "It's why that ring chose you." She had been listening to Katt and taking in what details she could of his situation.

He shook his head at that last. "Issy...why is it so important to you, Katt, and others that I continue to put my neck on the executioner's block and play chicken with the headsman' You know eventually we all lose that game."

She swallowed and sat there, resting back on her heels. He was correct. He was absolutely correct. Her chocolate-hued eyes lowered, seemingly under the weight of her lashes and she stared down at the ground by his feet. Her voice was dulled as she spoke, "Maybe I didn't want to face that executioner's axe alone."

He leans forward then and puts a hand on her shoulder. Never mind that his shift brings her face a few inches closer to his groin. "And you won't Issy." He replies in a soft tone. "My ring was becoming a crutch, I'm just dealing with the withdrawals...or something. I keep getting told to man up, deal with it, let people in who want to help, it's making my head spin. Can you blame me for not being out and about as much?"

The Scathachian thought about that for a moment. It made perfect sense; and she herself had suffered from that withdrawal for periods of time after two significant events in her life. Her shoulder, under his hand, rose and fell as she lifted her eyes to his. "No, Race. Actually, I can't blame you at all. I guess I was just as worried as everyone else. You're sort of a likable guy, you know. Gods help us all." A smirk then as she began to see the grass from his side of the fence.

His hand squeezes her shoulder before he says, "I'm gonna get us a drink. You should move unless you want my tender bits brought that close to your face." The Mogul is such a classy guy, though all of this is said with a smile.

Wow, the almighty eye roll could be felt two rooms over as she stood up and sat her hands on her hips. "Appreciate the warning, Race." A smirk on her lips as she sat on the couch.

That got a laugh at him. "Issy, if I thought for an instant I was your type..." The man doesn't even bother finishing that statement as he gets up and brushes off the front of his pants before moving behind the desk and opens a drawer, pulling out two glasses and an unmistakable bottle.

Simply a shake of her head as she leans back and crosses her legs. A drink will be more than welcomed.

"Ice?" He asks while filling one glass and looks to her.

"Ice is for rookies." She chuckled as her head tilted back to rest on the back of the couch.

"And foreplay..." he quips with another laugh. Both glasses in hand he moves back to the couch and holds one out for her to take before plopping, yes plopping, down beside her.

"Yeah, apparently." She took the glass as she lifted her head up for a sip. "Better now..."

Settling into the comfortable leather sofa he looks at her a moment then takes a drink. "Much."

Reaching over with her glass, she clinked it to Race's. "To the poor S.O.B.'s with hero complexes."

"God help them all..." he retorts with another drink after the cheers.

"God help us all..." Whispering her echo to his sentiment. With a brief pause to admire the quality of the alcohol as it swished in her glass, she then downed it and let the heat run down her throat.

He watches the ceiling a while, pondering over the visit. "I guess I should tell you...Batten and I have been working on a project for some time now. Since last year."

Her head joined his as she leaned back and watched the ceiling. "If you tell me it's a calendar of me, I'll leave you right where I find you."

"No. We've been designing a prison, gathering all the resources and documents required....along with figuring out who all we'll need to bring on board to get everything operational.." he says in an even tone. "Catching these assholes isn't good enough. We need better containment."

The empty glass resting on her thigh, she turned her head to look at Race. "That's an excellent idea. Really."

"Looking to have it be a floating station in Trebor's orbit." Feeling her eyes on him, the Mogul looks at her. "A space prison designed to house the likes of Renna, Kain, Raven...and all of their ilk."

"That's brilliant." Her dark brows rose up a fraction. Finally she lifted her head off of the back of the couch and sat up to look at Race. "That's f*cking brilliant."

"What's brilliant is if they try to escape, we can release all of the oxygen from their cells. Or jettison them into the local sun." He nods a little and exhales. "But it's going to be a while yet before we can start construction."

Drawing a slow inhale through her nostrils, she canted her head. "I cannot even begin to fathom what that will take." Famously, this Scathachian disliked technology only half as much as she disliked magic.

"There are two ways to do it. Build it here on the planet, and fly it into space. Or build it up there. I'm voting the latter since shipping materials is cheaper than trying to fly an ark like that out of one orbit into another. Plus it's too much of a target down here." Finally he sits up and shakes his head.

He could have been speaking Draconic for all she knew. Although, she did comprehend the difficulties of carpentry and the concept of having to move something like a prison from here to all they way up there. And it wasn't as if she wasn't intelligent, by any stretch of the imagination. It was that the Scathachian had little interest in things she couldn't comprehend or control. A hubris, perhaps.

"Enough shop talk. Want a tour of the park?" Broad showman smile for the Judge.

Her posture shot up to attention. "I'd love one!" At least now the premise of a million screaming children running in ten different directions didn't seem so annoying.

"Splendid," he replies and gets to his feet, offering her his hand.

Taking the empty glass, she handed that to him instead. You know, since it was really rare to have a guy help her off the couch. She popped up and grinned at him, "Shall we?"

Amused laughter dances off his lips as he put the empty glasses back on the desk with the bottle. "We shall, but you're leading the way back up the stairs." He wags a finger at her before moving towards the door.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, if there's one thing I live for, it's giving guys like you a thrill."

"What do you mean guys like me" You were just saying how likable I am, and I'm a true hero. These are bad things?" But he's grinning all the way to the stairs.

"I don't think those qualities have anything to do with the fact that you are staring at my arse." She chuckled and hopped up those stairs.

"I can always do more than stare..." he half threatens.

"Raye would kick your arse," over her shoulder. "After she was done with you, I'd have my go to put out those eyes of yours." Still laughing.