Log:A Pickpocket in Chinatown, Scene 7

A Pickpocket in Chinatown 2010/11/11 	 Harlequin Trick 7

''Trick had been left in Harlequin's home to recover from his unconscious state, while Harlequin consulted other heroes about what to do. He took the precaution of chaining a bell to him and spreading chalk dust about, and leaving Ziand standing guard. Harlequin returns to find Trick without the bell, but visible, staring at the skull.''

Harlequin looks at Trick, then to Ziand. "Hello Trick," he murmurs. "Did you sleep well? Any nausea?"

He jumps a bit. "How do you know my name?" he asks suspiciously.

Harlequin chuckles. "I talked to Madame Lorelei as well as the girl with the shopping bag who almost caught you. That is how I know." He nods to the ragamuffin. "I am Harlequin. Are you thirsty? There's clean water in the bucket over there." He gestures to besides the bed.

He goes over the water and sniffs before taking a drink with his hands. "What happened? How did I get here? Where am I?"

Harlequin ticks off the points on his fingers. "One, yiou were knocked unconscious somehow. Drugs I think. Mauler had you in his hands. Two, a friend of mine, a thief like you but who can teleport brought you to me since he didn't know what else to do with you. And three, you are in my home which is underground somewhere in Colonial Bay. And four, both Pride Leung and Lee in Chinatown think you stole something from them and want you." He pauses, "Any other questions?"

"Oh right,.. I guess Mauler must have knocked me out. Wait! I didn't take anything from Pride Leung! I mean, once I found out how dangerous he was. I'm not stupid!"

Harlequin tilts his head. "Yes, you may not have done so deliberately, but did it occur to you that picking the pockets of well off looking Chinese in Chinatown might /not/ be a good idea? That some of them /might/ be Triad associated with Pride or Lee?" He adds after a moment. "You do not have to steal directly from either to make them humt you."

He frowns. "I guess. But I didn't take anything important, just money and stuff. And once I found out what Pride was planning I knew he was a bad guy to mess with at all!"

Harlequin raiess a hand to cover his eyes for a moment, then murmurs, "Once you found out what exactly?"

"Well, you know, once I got into his place and... well, I didn't hear a lot of it! Just little bits.... I mean, as soon as I heard i jsut got out of there and didn't take anything!"

Harlequin points a finger at Trick's head. "Except you did, Trick. You took knowledge of his plans or part of his plans by overhearing it. And now Pride would like back what is in your head. With or without it being attached is my guess."

Trick's eyes go wide as he realises the truth of this, and he emits a stream of language he shouldn't know at his age.

Harlequin listens to the stream of cursing then nods. "You left out calling yourself a nosy little (*&$ which is what some of those hunting are undoubtably calling you." He sighs and sits down. "OK Trick. What are we going to do?"

"I've got to get out of the city! But how am I going to do that? Mauler can see me or something somehow! And Lee's got that zoo-woman and the creepy lady as well. What if they follow me?"

"It's not fair! I mean, I've run into metas who could follow me before but never more than one at once!"

Harlequin looks at the kid for a moment, then murmurs, "You have never been in an area with such a concentration of metas before either, Trick. And fairness has little to do with it. If you had not been trying to steal from Pride becasue of /your' pride none of this would be happening, no?"

"It's not funny! I wish I *had* taken some of his stuff, now...." he grumps.

Harlequin tilts his head. "No, it is funny to me. Its tragic for you, but that's life I am afraid." He is silent for a moment. "Care to hear some suggestions as to how you can get out of this?"

"I bet Auntie could have got me out.... she'd show Pride!" he grins for a moment. But only for a moment. "I guess she's still on the moon though." He pauses, listening. "Ok, how?"

Harlequin chuckles. "First, I know you will hate this because I would have at your age, but: First, write down what you overheard. We will make three copies, one for Lee as I assume it affects him, one for Pride, and one for the police even though they will not be able to act on it. Second, I will make certain each get their copies. Three, I take you to stay with your friends in that school in England. You stay there for at least 2 semesters. Four, I give you the names and numbers of some people in Edinburgh you can runaway to if, and only if, the school is absolutely intolerable." He pauses. "Can you live with these suggestions?"

"School! Why have I got to go to school!?

Harlequin chuckles. "Why do become a better thief, Trick. They will hone your powers and the knowledge you learn in classes will make you able to pick bigger and better targets. Take what they teach you and use how you will, Trick." He pauses. "Besides, I am certain you miss your friends, no?"

Trick does a teenaged shrug. "I did fine before I even met them!"

Harlequin is silent for a moment. "I am certain you did, Trick. But was it not better when you could hang out with people who understand? Besides, if you have to get out of town, why not be with your friends?"

"I guess... I mean, sometimes I miss having someone to talk to, yeah."

Harlequin murmurs, "I will also have Ziand set up an e-mail account you can contact me through if you wish, Trick." He looks over at the skull. "You can do that correct, tovarisch?"

The skull sighs. "Yes, easily. In my ample free time."

"Cool, it *does* talk! I knew it!"

Ziand somehow gives the impression of rolling his eyes. "Joy. Oh for the days when I had an appetite for boiled children." He swivels on his jaw and boots up the computer with spectral hands.

"Where'd you get it?"

Harlequin looks at Trick then shrugs. "I stole him from a museum. I was on the run at the time. Still am I suppose."

That has his interest. "You're a thief too?"

Harlequin chuckles. "Yes, I am. At times. I mostly am a con artist these days." He looks over at some books on a shelf. "An education helps with that. Allows one to fit in with many different crowds."

"You're just trying to trick me into going to school!" he says. Then pauses. "Did you go to school a lot?"

Harlequin looks over at you. "Of course I am because I know you will benefit from it. And yes, I went to school seven days a week once upon a time. And I was beaten with a knout if I did not perform well enough. That will not happen at the school you be going to."

Trick makes a face, as if that brings back unpleasant memories.

Harlequin murmurs, "You will be safe there, Trick. Pride is not so prideful as to attack what I assume is Lord Markham's school." His voice softens. "None of the adults there will beat you or ignore you or abuse you, Trick. And if they do, get me word and I will show them their mistake."

He thinks. "I guess... I mean, the others are still there, right? They wouldn't stay if it was *that* bad....."

Ziand mutters to himself, "Another distraction. Helping the helpless, bah! Now if it were a girl I would understand..."

Harlequin seems to just ignore Ziand. "I am certain. So, do we have a deal, Trick?"

"Yeah. Yeah, ok...."

Harlequin spits in his hand and offers it to Trick. "Shake."

Trick spits into his hand and shakes. "Deal."

"So, do you know where I can get a talking skull?"

Harlequin chuckles. "Well, technically you have one already." He taps the side of the kid's head.

"So, now what?"

Harlequin takes out some paper and puts in on the desktop. "Now, you write down what you heard, then we go to Lord Markham's." He looks over at a small freezer chest. "Would you like some cold cuts while you write?"