Silence was normally a good thing, but when you were walking with someone who was a virtual stranger, a little conversation did a lot to set one at ease.? She glanced sidelong at David and said, "And here I thought my...er...Daniel was quiet."
?Yeah?" he replied, an invitation for her to continue talking, even if he wasn't going to be saying all that much in response. He was perfectly at ease walking along the street, even with a stranger next to him. Physically perfectly at ease, at least. His mind was still churning and swirling with all the tranquility of a washing machine. Long training that emphasized relaxation was the only thing that kept his body from tensing up in sympathetic relation to his unsettled brain.
She chuckled softly, seeing that he wasn't going to rise to the bait.? Digging her hands deeper into her pockets, she took a moment to look around at their surroundings.? They'd already crossed through the Marketplace, which was empty at this time of night...er, morning.? The bridge across the river was a vague shape in the foggy distance.? "Weather remind you of home?" she asked, desperate enough for conversation that she'd resort to discussions of the weather.
He nodded, letting a brief smile curve his lips. "Some. Warmer here, though."? He looked out across the river, and the shadowy shape of the bridge that spanned it. "Not quite the Golden Gate."
"Nor the Verrazano or Brooklyn.? Still, it's kinda nice during the day...when the dragons are fishing.? So...were you a detective?"
Fishing Dragons. Christ. It would be a while before he could hear something like that and just take it in stride. "Nah. Patrol." Though the only reason he wasn't a detective yet was that he honestly enjoyed walking the beat. Before everything had changed, he'd be considering going for the shield. If he had ever wanted a family, the promotion would have made it possible to get a bigger place.
"Ten years as a beat cop?? Wow.? Same precinct or did you move around a lot?"
"Same. Chinatown." It was where he grew up, and when he'd become a cop, there'd been no question of where he'd work.
?Oh.? That's pretty cool.? You probably really know the neighbourhood well, huh?? People know you, trust you..."
It was true on both counts. Ten years walking the same street, seeing the same faces made for a lot of close bonds. It had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done in life to leave the job, honestly. "Yeah,? he said. ?I liked it. Felt almost like extended family." The extent of his reply was a pretty good indicator of how much it meant to him.
"So...why'd you leave?"? They'd crossed the bridge now and she could see the city wall and the clock tower of Perp Miz.? She nodded towards them.? "That's where we're heading.? Though, I'll warn you...the area - WestEnd - is rather...tough."
So she lived on the wrong side of the tracks, eh? That was interesting, especially since she was obviously well off, and in a position of political power. He'd have to ask her about that some time, at least if he decided to work for her. As to why he left the Force, well... He shrugged a bit. "Things got weird. Needed time to deal."? Even though he was not only on another world but also talking to someone who wasn't even human, he didn't know it he was willing or even able to explain what had happened to him.
?Weird?? Weird, how?"? She turns her steps to the southwest, leaving the main thoroughfare for an infrequently travelled alleyway that looked like nothing more than a cow path.? It headed directly to the city wall and a small break in it.
He didn't answer for a minute, too busy looking at the strange sight of a city wall in the middle of a city. Then he realized the city must have started out a lot smaller, and grown past the wall. This place had the strangest mix of medieval and modern architecture. As they reached the wall, he looked over at her and said, "I...changed."
She arched a brow and she gave him a smirk.? "Changed.? Yeah.? I'm familiar with that.? But, somehow I suspect that your changing isn't the same as my Changing."? They slipped through the small gap in the wall and the atmosphere shifted palpably - becoming malevolent, violent.? She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck rising and hidden eyes on them.? Not all of the eyes were friendly, either.
Yet another statement from her that made no sense to him, and one again, his only real way to handle it was to ignore its existence. One of these days, he'd probably understand better, assuming they continued spending any time together. An instant later, further discussion become unwise as the feel of their surroundings took an instant turn for the worse. It was like passing through the wall had taken to a completely different place, one that was undeniably hostile. His own movements changed accordingly, becoming more fluid and dangerous looking.
She took notice of this and inwardly smiled.? It was good to see someone human take notice of his surroundings like a Lycan might.? There was suddenly a movement in the shadows to her left, but she did not stop walking.? She could see the Zen building just a few blocks from their current location.? Maybe they could make it without incident.
There were other people nearby, he could feel their presence drawing close. Whoever they were, their intentions were clearly harmful. He'd always had some talent for reading people's energy; his master said it was simply being attuned to chi flow, and the past two year's changes had heightened the ability drastically. It was this same ability that had made him sure Riley wasn't human. "Trouble," he said shortly, jerking his head towards their left.
She nodded and then tipped her head towards the Zen building.? "Home's right there."? She wasn't adverse to kicking a little Mako ass, and she felt quite certain that David would be more than able to protect himself if it came to it, but she had just left the office after practically living there for four days.? She was tired, cranky, hungry, and missing Daniel.? She was not in the mood to fight. But it didn't look like they were going to have much of a choice, apparently, as five gangers spilled out of an abandoned building on the left and fanned out in front of them. They were carrying a motley assortment of weapons - a chain, a pair of knives, a metal bar, and a fire axe. Axe-man took a step forwards, slapping the handle of his weapon against his palm. "Lookit what we found, boys," he said, grinning malevolently.
She sighed deeply and moved to David's left, holding her hands up in front of her, palms out, fingers spread.? "C'mon, guys.? You know me, right?? Do you really want to do this now?"
David took a step forwards, raising his hands as well. "Don't," he said calmly to the gangers. "It's not worth it."? His confidence seemed to give them pause and they took a minute to glance at one another nervously. One of them muttered, "It's that cat bitch, she owes us."? The rest apparently agreed with that sentiment and they all began moving forwards, brandishing their weapons.
She shook her head and muttered, "Morons," under her breath and then...Changed.? Not all of her, mind you - just teeth and claws.? She took a step to the left, putting a safe distance between her and David, trying to draw as many of the Makos to her and away from him.
?Yeah?" he replied, an invitation for her to continue talking, even if he wasn't going to be saying all that much in response. He was perfectly at ease walking along the street, even with a stranger next to him. Physically perfectly at ease, at least. His mind was still churning and swirling with all the tranquility of a washing machine. Long training that emphasized relaxation was the only thing that kept his body from tensing up in sympathetic relation to his unsettled brain.
She chuckled softly, seeing that he wasn't going to rise to the bait.? Digging her hands deeper into her pockets, she took a moment to look around at their surroundings.? They'd already crossed through the Marketplace, which was empty at this time of night...er, morning.? The bridge across the river was a vague shape in the foggy distance.? "Weather remind you of home?" she asked, desperate enough for conversation that she'd resort to discussions of the weather.
He nodded, letting a brief smile curve his lips. "Some. Warmer here, though."? He looked out across the river, and the shadowy shape of the bridge that spanned it. "Not quite the Golden Gate."
"Nor the Verrazano or Brooklyn.? Still, it's kinda nice during the day...when the dragons are fishing.? So...were you a detective?"
Fishing Dragons. Christ. It would be a while before he could hear something like that and just take it in stride. "Nah. Patrol." Though the only reason he wasn't a detective yet was that he honestly enjoyed walking the beat. Before everything had changed, he'd be considering going for the shield. If he had ever wanted a family, the promotion would have made it possible to get a bigger place.
"Ten years as a beat cop?? Wow.? Same precinct or did you move around a lot?"
"Same. Chinatown." It was where he grew up, and when he'd become a cop, there'd been no question of where he'd work.
?Oh.? That's pretty cool.? You probably really know the neighbourhood well, huh?? People know you, trust you..."
It was true on both counts. Ten years walking the same street, seeing the same faces made for a lot of close bonds. It had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done in life to leave the job, honestly. "Yeah,? he said. ?I liked it. Felt almost like extended family." The extent of his reply was a pretty good indicator of how much it meant to him.
"So...why'd you leave?"? They'd crossed the bridge now and she could see the city wall and the clock tower of Perp Miz.? She nodded towards them.? "That's where we're heading.? Though, I'll warn you...the area - WestEnd - is rather...tough."
So she lived on the wrong side of the tracks, eh? That was interesting, especially since she was obviously well off, and in a position of political power. He'd have to ask her about that some time, at least if he decided to work for her. As to why he left the Force, well... He shrugged a bit. "Things got weird. Needed time to deal."? Even though he was not only on another world but also talking to someone who wasn't even human, he didn't know it he was willing or even able to explain what had happened to him.
?Weird?? Weird, how?"? She turns her steps to the southwest, leaving the main thoroughfare for an infrequently travelled alleyway that looked like nothing more than a cow path.? It headed directly to the city wall and a small break in it.
He didn't answer for a minute, too busy looking at the strange sight of a city wall in the middle of a city. Then he realized the city must have started out a lot smaller, and grown past the wall. This place had the strangest mix of medieval and modern architecture. As they reached the wall, he looked over at her and said, "I...changed."
She arched a brow and she gave him a smirk.? "Changed.? Yeah.? I'm familiar with that.? But, somehow I suspect that your changing isn't the same as my Changing."? They slipped through the small gap in the wall and the atmosphere shifted palpably - becoming malevolent, violent.? She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck rising and hidden eyes on them.? Not all of the eyes were friendly, either.
Yet another statement from her that made no sense to him, and one again, his only real way to handle it was to ignore its existence. One of these days, he'd probably understand better, assuming they continued spending any time together. An instant later, further discussion become unwise as the feel of their surroundings took an instant turn for the worse. It was like passing through the wall had taken to a completely different place, one that was undeniably hostile. His own movements changed accordingly, becoming more fluid and dangerous looking.
She took notice of this and inwardly smiled.? It was good to see someone human take notice of his surroundings like a Lycan might.? There was suddenly a movement in the shadows to her left, but she did not stop walking.? She could see the Zen building just a few blocks from their current location.? Maybe they could make it without incident.
There were other people nearby, he could feel their presence drawing close. Whoever they were, their intentions were clearly harmful. He'd always had some talent for reading people's energy; his master said it was simply being attuned to chi flow, and the past two year's changes had heightened the ability drastically. It was this same ability that had made him sure Riley wasn't human. "Trouble," he said shortly, jerking his head towards their left.
She nodded and then tipped her head towards the Zen building.? "Home's right there."? She wasn't adverse to kicking a little Mako ass, and she felt quite certain that David would be more than able to protect himself if it came to it, but she had just left the office after practically living there for four days.? She was tired, cranky, hungry, and missing Daniel.? She was not in the mood to fight. But it didn't look like they were going to have much of a choice, apparently, as five gangers spilled out of an abandoned building on the left and fanned out in front of them. They were carrying a motley assortment of weapons - a chain, a pair of knives, a metal bar, and a fire axe. Axe-man took a step forwards, slapping the handle of his weapon against his palm. "Lookit what we found, boys," he said, grinning malevolently.
She sighed deeply and moved to David's left, holding her hands up in front of her, palms out, fingers spread.? "C'mon, guys.? You know me, right?? Do you really want to do this now?"
David took a step forwards, raising his hands as well. "Don't," he said calmly to the gangers. "It's not worth it."? His confidence seemed to give them pause and they took a minute to glance at one another nervously. One of them muttered, "It's that cat bitch, she owes us."? The rest apparently agreed with that sentiment and they all began moving forwards, brandishing their weapons.
She shook her head and muttered, "Morons," under her breath and then...Changed.? Not all of her, mind you - just teeth and claws.? She took a step to the left, putting a safe distance between her and David, trying to draw as many of the Makos to her and away from him.