Log:Honored Market Guests

2020/08/01 	 Chen Grimm Magda Kid Tengu

1

Grimm is strolling along the street markets in Chinatown, smiling to herself. She looks very...chipper? Can that be right? As she window shops, she looks for a place selling loose leaf teas.

"Spices and herbs. Fresh from the mainland." A loud voice drowns out the other market stall holders when it speaks. Chen Li is working at her grandfather's stall today.

Lunchtime. What better means to get a meal on the go than noodles. Pot-stickers, possibly, which is why Baker has both. It's a pleasant change from the other forms of greasy fast food, at the least. He noms on the go, proving that he is at least coordinated enough to walk and chew simultaneously.

Grimm draws close to the market stall advertising spices and herbs. She slows to take a look, not fully sure if any of them are teas. "Do you have any, hm, oolong?"

Chen ducks under the counter to check. Bobs up again, "Yes. " She places four jars on the counter. One is whole fresh leaves, one is crumbled leaves. Dried leaves. And the last crushed and ground leaves. "Which do you like?" Chen asks, with a tiny hint of 'this is a test' in her expression. Given Chen's acting skill that has to be intentional.

Grimm is a little intimidated by the test. She's not an expert on tea by far, but she's acquired a taste for it. She's never seen whole fresh leaves before. "Umm." Her eyes flit between jars. She points to the dried leaves jar uncertainly. "This one? I'm...afraid I don't know the differences between these, though," she admits.

Nom. Nom. Slurp. Baker's back to the noodles, now, though his coordination shows its limits in that he's cheating and using a fork. He then spies the Grimm one ahead at the shop and offers a bit of a wave. Shouting to interrupt her shopping would be rude, especially with his mouth full.

Chen points to the dried leaves, "Those will last for a long time. Two or three weeks. But if you're intending to drink today," she pushes the whole fresh leaf jar forward, "these will give the most jenyo-on, that is, genuine favour. Seep them in hot but not quite boiling water."

Grimm notices Agent Baker and offers him a wave and a smile. She looks back to the jars. "Hmm. I don't think it'll be today. It's a gift for someone else. So I guess the dried leaves." She points to the crumpled leaves and the crushed, ground leaves. "What about these?"

Chen lowers her voice, "For tourists." she says conspiratorial.

An elderly Chinese man with sparse hair and a wispy goatee stands from where he was crouched sorting out a delivery and clips Chen on the back of her head, speaking to her in Mandarin.

Chen bows to her grandfather. Then grins at Grimm, "Grandfather reminds me I meant to say honoured guests to our market."

Grimm grins at Chen's conspiring advice. Then tries to not grin when she gets clipped. "Ah, I see. Umm, then a small batch of the fresh leaves to try tonight, and some of the dried, please."

Chen is still grinning as she measures out a three leaves of the fresh and a dozen of the dried, slipping them into sealed locit bags. "Two dollars and 60 cents, please, honoured guest." *swack* She gets clipped again.

"Hah. Tourist, huh?" Grimm shakes her head and hands over the cash.

Chen's grandfather speaks in Mandarin again. Chen bows again, clearly respectfully this time. "I've beed told to go away before I scare off any more customers." she says. "If you have time would you and Baker care to join me in the Golden Dragon Tea House. If you wants coffee of western teas go to Past Times. If you want Chinese and eastern teas there's nowhere better in the city."

"Sure, I'll try it out." Grimm looks Baker's way and beckons him over with a nod of her head.

Baker is in mid-slurp of more noodles when he's ... summoned? Brows quirk as he chews and swallows en route. Once present, accounted for, and mouth is emptied, he offers a smile to Grimm and then Chen. "Hello."

Chen smiles and offers Baker a high-five, then heads over to the tea house with Grimm and Baker. She bows yet again to the pointy eared waiter who greets them ar the door, "Table for three? Inside seating or outside?" Chen nods to defer the bhoice to Grimm and Baker.

Grimm follows along. "Either's fine with me," she smiles.

The waiter leads the way over to an outside table, "You can do less damage out here, Miss Li." he says deadpan.

Grimm raises a brow. "How...how much damage do you do here?" she whispers aside to Chen.

Chen sighs, "Give me a break, Lyrran. That was ten years ago." She looks momentarily surprised at her own words, "Wow. It really was that long agao." Turning to Grimm, "I had a run in with one of Tim Lee's metas some time ago protecting a young boy. She kicked the living daylights out of me and the tea house got badly smashed up during the process."

"10 years ago...?" Gabrielle asks, a little confused as she tries to guess Chen's age. "Were you, like, a little kid then? They should give you a break."

Baker isn't sure what to make of the comments of damage. On the other hand, he has more than alittle familiarity with those ostensibly helping yet excel at collateral damage. But, damnit, he's on lunch!

Chen chuckles, "Mentally, yes. I'd grown up in a Shaolin Temple for my first 14 years, and then 2 years in a mastermind villains lair.. not that I realised it at the time. "I was really sheltered and naive. Only being a meta I was so full of my steff and wildly over confident, you know."

Grimm counts those years aloud to add up. "14....16...plus ten...so you're 26?" she checks.

Chen nods, "Yes. Well close enough. I've been on a couple of FTL trips and on other dimensions a few times so it's hard to be sure. But that's close."

Grimm nods slowly. "Yeah, it's a little hard to keep track, especially in other dimensions."

Chen nods, "I'm a homegirl. Much to my surprise. When I was young I wanted to travel all over the place. Off world too. Now my jobs demand a lot of travel I find I value the time I spend here more and more."

"You want what you don't have," Baker chuckles, "and then get tired of it when you do. That sounds about right, for anyone. No surprise there. In general. I'm not an expert on how other dimensions play into that."

Grimm tilts her head thoughtfully, then looks over the menu. "I'll be honest, I didn't realize you were working at a market stall when you weren't at Starguard."

Chen chuckles, "I don't. But I like to help my grandfather when I'm in the city and have the time. I have two paying job. Stunt person, and bullet catcher."

Chinatown. Home of exotic foods, friendly people, and the local HQ of those pesky Triads who Evelyn has been at war with for a couple of years. They have this love - hate relationship where they love to hate each other. She's only fortunate that they only know that they are at war with Forsaken, not with the social worker wandering the sidewalks today.

Turning a corner, the smell of tea makes her nostrils flare, and she smiles. Yes... it is definitely time for tea. So she changes directions and approaches said tea house. Outdoor seating is a brilliant marketing principle after all.

Baker lifts a brow at Chen. "Interesting. You might want to stick with tea sales." A grin. "The medical has to be way cheaper that way."

Grimm smiles and shakes her head. "Bullet catcher doesn't sound like a job I'm eager to reprise anytime soon," she comments. "Me and bullets don't agree."

Chen pulls out her PDA and flips through images to one showing a wall plaque with a dozen and a half spent bullets mounted on it. She passes the phone over, "My collection. Not every one is a life saved. Some would be assassins are rotten shots."

"That all depends on whether the bullets you catch are small lead projectiles, or a blonde girl in a cape, eh?" asks Evelyn as she strides past the table and pauses, "Forgive me for interjecting. Couldn't be helped."

Chen quips back, "I'd rather have a guy in spandex. With or without cape."

Grimm chuckles at the comment and has to think on it. "Mmm. I guess maybe my statements could still apply to that sort of Bullet."

"Spandex? Hmm. Not for me," Grimm smiles a bit to herself.

Magda enters from Golden Sands.

With a chuckle, Evelyn shakes her head, "Well, gender aside... I think there's only one who uses the name these days. Maybe.." But she heads for a nearby table and settles in before reaching for the terminal display to place an order for some classic tea. Simple... no elaborate variations. Just tea.

Baker opens his mouth to possibly agree, in one for or the other. His eyes glance about his current company and his mouth closes again. Maybe it's best that he just smiles and nods.

Chen sits back in her chair a bit dreamy eyed, clearly her mind is elsewhere. Or maybe on someone else. Then she sits up. "So what's happening in the real world outside of Hollywood? Things seem to have been agreeably quiet of late."

Gabrielle grins at Chen's dreamy expression. "Thinking of a particular guy in spandex?" she teases. "Quiet? Well. Hmm. We had some alien terrorists on the loose," Grimm comments. "They were apprehended and extradited back to the Guild."

Grimm glances over at Baker. "You got a particular person in spandex that's caught your eye?" she notes his silence on the matter after opening his mouth.

For those who keep an eye out for such things, the petite form of Magda Gutzu can be seen working her way slowly through the stalls and street-facing racks of the various stores. She seems to be mostly browsing, although there are a few items (okay, items in bags) in her hand. Today her silver hair is braided into multiple long loops, thereby dropping down only to the middle of her back.

"I thought the point of the spandex -was- to catch the eye." thinks Evelyn aloud as she looks up from her terminal-menu. She turns her chair to face the others more fully and though she doesn't -really- know these folks at all, she feels at home in Chinatown, so is more comfortable talking to strangers here. "I mean the mask is for hiding their faces and protecting families but the spandex. Who does skintight stuff -without- wanting to show off.

Baker gives Grimm a mostly nonchalant and hopefully near-innocent shrug. "Spandex or not, most of the metas here aren't exactly inconspicuous, so it's hard for them -not- to catch eyes. Besides, keeping an eye on them, or visitors, or VIPs, is often part of the job." Thus, should any incidental oggling occur, it must be work-related.

Chen chuckles, "Have you ever tried to kick a 7ft monster brick in the face wearing a skirt, or ordinary thous? Neither yields good results."

Grimm puts in an order for oolong tea, some appetizers, and leans back in her chair. "Well, there's workout clothes. Yoga just works better in skintight workout apparel," she shrugs.

Kid Tengu

Kid Tengu has disguised itself as an attractive teenage girl of South Asian decent with brown eyes, long blueish silver hair & tattoos on her right arm. She looks like trouble & her eyes carry an uneasy tension (TL;DR: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/6aWyX6).

KT has a slender feminine build that is accented by her relatively rebellious style of dress. She is wearing a red crop top shirt with a band on it & a snug length Black leather jacket with sleeves rolled up & secured with a zipper.

She accessorizes with leather motorcycle gloves & grey jeans with holes in both knees held up by a wide belt with a single row of menacing spikes running along the center.

She completes the look with black motorcycle boots loosely worn with two black buckles along the top.

Chen nods, "I used to dress in Shaolin monk outfits but they didn't last long in a fight. So now I wear me." She grins widely, "Oh, my, you should have seen Victory's face when he discovered that."

KT arrives, seeking a pick me up and had heard of this tea shop in passing. He hears a lot in passing though it usually takes a lot to actually get the alien shifter to check it out in person.

KT flies overhead, landing in the alleyway and choosing a suitable shape- someone they compiled from holos, mags and other media sources.

It isn't long before she comes inside, looking around to see who's who before taking a seat and looking over a menu.

She chooses a seat in easy ear shot of everyone.

Grimm laughs at Chen's revelation. "Oh man. The boy scout must've been red in the face," she grins.

Magda, moving past the Golden Dragon Tea House, pauses to greet Grimm. "Gabrielle," she greets the other woman, but does not look to linger -- she does not, after all, know Grimm all that well.

Baker has his noodles from the last place, which may not make him terribly popular with the staff here. He sets the disposable bowl aside and covers it with a menu.

Having tea dropped off at her table, Evelyn reaches for the cup and lifts it halfway to her lips. When she gets that far, she pauses as her eyes flicker towards Chen. Good to know. "I just feel sorry for the ones who can't take a mask off and vanish into the crowd. It must be so exhausting to have to be 'super' twenty four hours a day."

KT lifts her head at that and chimes in, "Oh I'm sure they manage. Espeically the ones with corporate contracts."

Chen sits and thinks for a moment, "You know, I can't think of anyone I know with a corportate contract. With jobs, yes. But not corporate metas. I suppose there must be some."

Grimm looks over to Magda and gives a nod and a wave. "Hello again, Magda. Fancy running into you here." She looks to the others. "Magda, this is Chen Li and Agent Jack Baker," she says, smiling.

"What about those NashCo... umm Omega Guard? Swanky digs in a penthouse on top of a corporate tower? I'm pretty sure that counts." KT says with a shrug before turning back to her menu.

Magda pauses with a smile. "Just finished moving fully in," she replies to Grimm. Offering her hand to each of the others, she introduces herself ("Magda Gutzu") with each handshake. "Anyhow. I like to browse a city for a few weeks after I move in, see what I might enjoy, what I'm missing, what catches my eye." Her hand lifts, displaying the few bags with what, by their size, can only be a few small knick-knacks. "Hence, shopping."

Baker glances over to Evelyn. "That's one drawback to public civic duty, I suppose, though I'm sure people manage. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many volunteering." He adds, after the formal introduction to Magda, "Nice to meet you."

KT looks up and waves. "I'm... Katie." KT says. "Nice to meet you." She flashes a dazzling smile designed to disarm and endear.

"The pleasure is mine," she replies to Agent Jack Baker, looking him over as though she were memorizing the details of his face and dress. "Volunteers for public civic duty?"

"Omega guard? That sounds like a pretty sweet gig," Gabrielle laments. "Starguard just has stale drip coffee and day old donuts." She has her own little bag of shopping items from a nearby stall, resting at her feet. "Oh? So where'd you end up moving to?" she asks Magda. Her tea arrives, as do two small plates of baked buns: Sesame and red bean.

Finishing the motion of lifting the tea to her lips, Evelyn takes a small sip before she hears Magda's voice, and glances over that way. When she notices that yes, it is indeed that woman, her shoulders slump and she keeps the tea cup up to try to hide her face somewhat.. in hopes of -not- being recognized by the other woman.

But she glances over at mention of the Omega Guard, and lifts her brows. She watches and waits for now.

KT looks over the menu and decides on something simple. She sets the menu down and folds her hands over it. For an alien she's got the human thing down pretty well- especially in short spurts.

She orders the oolong. Easy. Simple.

She smiles and thanks the waitress while listening to the others carefully.

"Probably pretty nice." 'Katie' agrees with Grimm. "Not that I'd know in either case. Just something I noticed is all." She adds.

Chen nods belatedly to Grimm's comment. "Save the world. Again. And get a stale doughnut. Not a great incentive."

Magda does indeed recognize Evelyn, but holds no animosity towards her; the social worker has her own problems, and issues, and outlook. Magda's been where Evelyn is now, but as she'd said after Evelyn had left the coffee shop, she's developed past it, no matter that it took her years to do so. No need to conjure up past fights until doing so is warranted.

"Oh, I've owned a place in Golden Sands since the revitalization," Magda tells Grimm, "but I've been renting it out until recently. Six zero one Golden Sands Road -- the place with the little shop-kiosk places in the walls, an old Roman style."

Grimm laughs at Chen and nods. "Yeah. And I'm not even getting paid," she laments with a shake of her head as she grabs a sesame seed bun and nibbles on it.

Ah, too bad Magda didn't develop past her self-deluded belief that she's right. But Evelyn sips the tea once more, reaches a hand out to press a thumb to the print scanner to pay for her order and then she stands and turns to walk out. No words spoke. No exchanges. No sense getting involved in more debates with someone who wo n't understand the truth even if it was punching her in the face. It's time to go and -not- make more trouble.

Chen watches Evelyn leave. Glances at Grimm and Baker. Lifts an eyebrow questioningly.

Grimm is chewing on a mouthful of sesame bun, just catching what transpired. She shrugs her shoulders at Chen and makes a noise to indicate she's clueless.

Chen nods to signify so is she.

Magda does not miss the glances after Evelyn and those exchanged between the people present; she reminds Grimm, "She's a social worker -- the one in the coffee shop who pointedly disagrees with what I do. I don't believe I caught her name. It's evident she's had traumatic experiences with some criminal or another -- probably superpowered."

Katie cocks her head to indicate the same which puts Grimm's seasme bun in her line of sight. She has second thoughts over her simple order.

"What do you do?" 'Katie' asks unaware.

Magda gestures, a wave to indicate that the topic is past. "Anyhow. You should come by some time," she tells Grimm. "Or, you know, make another movie night of it; I've a fair collection." She gives 'Katie' a quick, brief smile. "I provide an alternate source of necessary income for those who feel they have no other opportunities -- or as has been said," and she gestures after the walking-away social worker, "I pay super-criminals to not be criminal. But that's neither here nor there -- today is a day for shopping." She smiles, trying to defuse the situation and get the spotlight off /her/.

Chen frowns, "Does it work?" she asks Magda. "I mean, seriously, virtually every super type can earn more using their powers legoitimately than by breaking the law and getting caught by us. So if they're criminals it's not for lack of money."

"I suppose you could do a wide invite for a movie night. Get to know more of the people in the city currently," Grimm offers in response to Magda's suggestions. She munches on her bun and listens to the discussion thoughtfully.

"Huh." KT says with some surprise. "That's... got to be problematic. Sounds like your heart is in a good place. I wond..." She falls silent to hear the answer to Chen's question as it interests her- especially since she herself is the offspring of her world's 'Ruling Class' (read Villainous).

Magda hesitates, then glances at Grimm as if to ask permission -- or perhaps to apologize. "Often, yes," she replies. "As you say, many supers can learn to use their abilities, whether they're innate or exterior, to do something that will earn them significant sums. Much of the issue lies in frustration -- a great many people refuse to hire people with a criminal record, or those who are not, shall we say, pleasant to look upon, and these lead to turning towards what's perceived as an easier route, meaning criminal activities -- or else a lack of creativity in using their talents for peaceful, not violent, purposes. Heroes, it should be noted, can have the same issue, in that they aren't willing to put in the work to turn their capabilities to peaceful pursuits."

A slight shrug, and she continues. "Some of the issues are personal psychological ones. And of course there's the general delight in doing something the ordinary person can't -- again, another thing they share with superheroes." She smiles. "Not something to which I'm immune," she confesses.

Finally, though, she again tries to turn the topic away from her work, looking at Grimm and saying, "That ... sounds possible, if a little, um ... confusing. Not knowing the people to invite, how would I invite people?"

Grimm smiles a bit at Magda's question. "Hmm. Well. You wanted to teach ethics to heroes, right? Why not invite them for starters?"

KT recognizes when a human would prefer to avoid further questions along a specific line. She backs off in time for her tea to arrive.

"Thank you." She says graciously.

The Alien Shifter cocks her head at the mention of teaching heroic ethics. That could come in handy for someone like her.

"Ethics for Heroes? Is that a CBSU course or something?" She inquires curiously- though aloofly. More like to keep up with the conversation than her specific interest despite actually having a personal interest in it.

Magda says drily, "Those are my courses. But I suppose I could extend a general movie night invitation to the hero teams." She turns to 'Katie', giving her a cursory looking-over, and gives a slight nod. "Not the actual name of it, but yes, I'm giving a course on modern ethics at CBSU, and similar courses at several local high schools. The ethics of superpowers is a core element."

"Neat. Maybe I'll check that out." KT says, finally having something to look forward to for Tyson's senior year in Earth 1-B High School.

Chen says, "I realise the practical difficulties but aren't you teaching the wrong people? Wouldn't it be better to teach ethics to those without any. You know, bad guys. And girls. Superheroes generally have their hreat in the right place, except ones like me.""

Grimm sips her tea delicately to savor it. "Mmm. Well. They often do go into heroics for their own reasons. Usually good ones. Then there's some vigilante types who are...morally flexible." She glances at Chen and quips, "Where do you keep your heart?" she asks the shapeshifter.

Magda smiles slightly. "Not at all. Few people -- and this is especially true of heroes and villians of the 'super' variety -- think things all the way through. Saving the day is well and good, but does the day need saving? How much of it -- all of it as many heroes would state, or just the part that /only/ the hero can save? I have had to deal with champions who became oppressors because they didn't establish their own personal ethics, they relied on others. If someone carrying their lunch on a tray trips, and you can save not only the lunch from going everywhere and causing a mess the restaurant employees would have to clean up, but /also/ the person who trips over their own two feet, which do you save -- and why?" It's clear she enjoys such conversation -- and the example is, after all, a very recent one for her.

Chen grins, "Normally in the usual place. When I bother having one." She holds a hand out palm uppermost, "Want to see it?" she asks grinning.

"Umm... what does that mean?" KT asks naturally unsure in this town.

Grimm leans back at the offered palm. "Uh, no thanks, Chen. I have enough nightmare fuel rattling around in my head," she chuckles. She looks to Magda. "Umm. You'd...save the person? Because they could've been injured otherwise."

Chen says, "That's a null question. Short of any hidden factors you haven't mentioned you save both. Obvious."

"Yeah. Sure- if you can save both- you do both." KT agrees. "Whatever does the least harm- or the most good."

Magda asides to Katie, "Would you save the food from going everywhere, the person from falling flat on their face, or both?"

Magda nods slightly, her head turning to get the last response -- Agent Baker's.

Magda nods slightly at the answers. "Parents know different decisions. You let the child fall, so that they learn coordination, but catch the food so that you don't have to prepare another meal. You catch the child if the fall would be especially harmful, but let the food fall, so that the child understands, by cleaning up the mess, that there are consequences to their mistakes. You let both fall, to allow both lessons to occur." The hand not carrying the several standard white plastic shopping bags makes a gesture. "In the case I witnessed, I caught the food -- because the cleanup would not have been performed by the one who tripped, but by employees, through no fault of their own."

Chen says, "So the question was incomplete. If the age of the tripee is relevent it should be mentioned."

Chen shrugs, poses a question to Magda, "Red, or blue?"

Magda smiles slightly. "The age of the tripee is /not/ relevant in this case -- it was a fellow professor of about thirty. If, again, the fall would be especially harmful -- if the professor had been eighty, for example -- then yes, that would have been relevant, but overall, it is not. The concept remains -- do you save everything, or do you allow a lesson to be learned, if learning that lesson is relatively harmless?"

Chen huhs, "What lesson. That you shouldn't trip when carrying a tray of food. If a 30 year old professor don't know that I'd say he's incapable of learning ever."

KT touches the cup tentatively. A moment later she finally sips her tea now that its had sufficient time to cool to her preferred temperature. She's always been a people watcher anyway and would prefer to listen.

Magda nods at Chen's statement. "That, of course, is valid as an opinion -- but it's also an ethical judgement all on its own. I don

Magda nods at Chen's statement. "That, of course, is valid as an opinion -- but it's also an ethical judgement all on its own. Please understand that I don't say you're right or wrong -- but I /do/ say that you should consider the origins of both your judgements, and make sure that what you decide are your own reasoned decisions, and not those assembled by society, or a religion, or your parents -- where-ever you may have learned your lessons -- and taken in whole-cloth without passing your own critique. My course isn't to pass judgement; my course is to get those taking it to think for themselves." She grins. "It's a surprisingly tough sell."

Chen has been thinking. She looks up, "Let's try a harder one. There's a powerful bomb in the city. Powerful enough to knock down a couple of city blocks radius. Do - I - go looking for it or do I help my team mate who is trapped and will almost certainly die if I leave him to join the searchers?"

Magda shrugs. "I don't know -- what do /you/ do? More importantly, why do you do it? My answer would be different, because I have different capabilities. I will note that no matter what /your/ decision in this case would be, you would be dealing with mourning, guilt, and the lash of public opinion."

Chen glances to 'Katie#, "How about you?"

"Leave." Katie says flatly. "'Family first' is what I live by... but if I were a real 'hero'... well then the choice is clear. You do whats best for as many people as you can."

Chen nods, "Given the limited information I gave a perfectly reasonable answer, Katie. And why any abstract talk about ethics is effectiveloy meaningless. Because circumstances change in every case. I stayed and saved my team mate. With a clear conscionce. Because I knew that among the sear4chers were heroes with vastly better senses than mine."

Grimm is stuck debating on what she would do in the scenario, finding it difficult to choose.

Chen glances to Grimm, "Say there's a bomb in Chinatown here. How long would it take for you to find it?"

Grimm frowns a bit at the thought. "I'm not really sure. Maybe a while. I'd have to know what I was looking for. And filter it out from all the other things I can sense around me. This is a densely populated place."

Chen nods, "I live here. This is my home. It would take me hours at best and I still wouldn't be sure to find it."

KT smiles. "Thanks." She grins before putting together that three of their number are 'public' metahumans.

"So you guys are like... for real bonefied heroes?" She inquires. "With powers and all that?" She seems surprised- then again most of her interactions are with baseline humans. No powers. No adventures.

Magda nods once at Chen. "Then it sounds like you did think it through; excellent. That you posited only the situation and not the capabilities at hand does not make discussing ethics -- whether in the specific or in the abstract -- meaningless."

Grimm still struggles with the question, but gets saved by Katie's. "Umm. I'm not bonefide anything," she chuckles

Chen smiles, "I hope I qualify." She turns to Katie, "When I was your age," she says while looking no older than Katie, "I wanted to be a famous meta. Hero or villain didn't matter. Only the level of fame matter. I was lucky. I met heroes who inspired me."

"Arid." Katie says with some sense of appreciation. "I know something about making that choice. Where I cam from you could either get out or 'go out'... if you know what I mean." She lifts her tea and takes a sip, seeming grateful for soemthing. Perhaps for getting out.

In truth, it was for getting out with her family. "I suppose inspiration can guide you to some very surprising places." She muses.

"Oh, I don't know, Gabrielle," says Magda, "If you're a member of Starguard Gamma, you really /are/ established as a hero, are you not?"

Grimm sips her tea and cringes at Magda's point. "Starguard Gamma takes on a bunch of volunteer metas on missions. I'm a member of Gamma. But I'm not a Starguard agent like Baker is," she motions over to the man. "There's a bit of a difference there. Gamma's like...freelance metas that come and go. With a few consistent members who are actual members of Starguard. Then there's Starguard as a whole, which is military. I ain't military."

Magda hmmms, nodding thoughtfully. "Would they bring on a villian? In anything but the most dire circumstances, that is."

Chen innocently asks Katie, "Where do you came from that enforces that kind of choice?"

KT shrugs. "Plenty of ghettos & slums to go around- the whole UE isn't equal." She says to divert attention away from her interdimensional origins.

"Not every hood gets heroes to show them the way." She adds quietly though with a hint of pride as if she might have helped herself.

"They already have," Grimm answers Magda. "Commander Perrault's got a soft spot for people trying to mend their ways. There's one rather infamous former villain on the team."

Chen nods, "Very true. We have one in Colonial Bay. Harrisburg. Despite all the heroes doing what they can it's still... well..."

Magda gives Grimm a little smile. "Is that you?" she teases. "In any case." She looks with interest at Chen. "It's still what?"

Chen shrugs, "A mess."

Grimm snorts and laughs. "No. It's not me," she answers certainly. "The Commander doesn't know my sins," she smirks.

Magda nods to Chen, then Grimm. "Sounds like someone should take a look," she comments to Chen, "though I've heard that there's someone there who doesn't like interference."

Chen says, "I've never had any problems when delivering food to the food kitchens. But I can't speajk for others."

"Lots of messes to go around, but its always nice to lend a hand." KT says deciding she should take a look at this neighborhood for herself. "Maybe I'll take a look around."

Chen says, "Can I advise against it, Katie. It's better than it was but it's still damgerous."

"Ah, yes. That some person is the one I was referring to about Starguard taking in reformed villains," Grimm comments and sips her tea.

Magda ahhhs. "Does this person have a name?"

"I'll take your advice under consideration?" KT offers Chen as a consolation prize. "I mean- I wasn't planning on moving in- but I've got a nose for things. No better way to know a town than seeing it at its worst."

Chen looks at Katie, "If you decide to go, give me a call. I'll go with you. They know me."

Grimm sighs a little at the name request. "Um. She was a big deal a while ago. Lady Nicky Winters," she answers reluctantly and takes a bite of her sesame ball.

That answer piques her statement. "'They'?" She inquires. "Who is this 'They'? Lady Winters?"

That answer piques her statement. "'They'?" KT inquires. "Who is this 'They'? Lady Winters?"

Chen says, "The Harrisburg Watch. Basically a.. what.. private police force? Vigilante group?"

Magda's eyebrows lift. "Sounds like I have some studying to do."

Grimm sips her tea quietly and enjoys her food. "A militia."

"Interesting..." KT says as if she were deeply curious now. She'll definitely be making a visit.

"So what do these local enforcers look like?" She asks with intense interest.

Chen says, "Like gang members, only with a white armband on the right upper arm from what I've seen. Is that whet you've seen, Grimm?"

"As far as I know, the Watch doesn't commit crimes. But they will shoot outsiders," Gabrielle shrugs.

Grimm says, "That's why I think militia is a more fitting term. It started with a bunch of kids taking up guns to keep metas and outsiders out."

Chen nods, "Yeah. Only, don't mess with them. Because whether they're good guys or bad guys, the folks in Harrisburg like and respect them."

Magda hmmms. "How long has this state of affairs been happening?"

Chen says, "Since before I arrived, and that was ten years ago."

Grimm refills her cup with the pot of tea left at the table. "Uhh. Over a decade. It was before I transferred out here. If you think you're going to magically fix things...heh...it doesn't work that way. Billionaires like the Takagas and Porters have spent a lot of money to try and help rebuild. Paragon still goes over to help do maintenance and repair and tend the urban gardens and other sustainable stuff she built, even though she's retired. They got a mage that lives there that watches over. A free clinic. They don't want help after the city abandoned it." She shrugs and sips her tea. "The Harrisburg Watch did manage to kick out the drug dealers and gang members though. They stay out as well."

"Well that's impressive." KT says. "Certainly can't fault them for their independent streak." She takes another sip of her tea- this time more thoughtfully.

She takes note of the description- most specifically the white armband.

Chen remains silent. Thinking of the mage that Grimm mentioned. Remember how he helped with Trick but is still such an unknown factor there.

Magda says slowly, "In other words, for ten years they've been the de facto law enforcement and, apparently, government -- to the satisfaction of the citizens of the area. The only fix they need is for a couple of lawyers to show them how to make it all legal."

"Over ten years. Like I think fifteen?" Gabrielle tries to recall, but isn't really certain. "I dunno, I should ask Harlequin next time I see him." He has her owing him, and expects her to baby sit the Little Wolves. "Lawyers? Huh."

Chen smiles, "That would open a whole kettle of worms I think. Immortal and unkillable I may be, but that's one case when it's include me out!"

Magda gives Chen a small smile, but nods to Grimm. "There's a reason the job was invented. To screw everyone else over wasn't originally it."

"The city's been kind of spiteful towards Harrisburg ever since it got wrecked in some alien invasion. I get the feeling they'd lawyer up to fight them, I dunno, emancipating themselves from the city? Or the U.S.? How would that even go?" Gabrielle asks, confused.

KT finsihes her cup of tea and leaves a tip in old style cash. "THanks for the chat." She says gratefully before getting up to head out. "The Smash & Grabs are playing at the Haus tonight. I've gotta get going so I can get ready for the opener."

Grimm waves to Katie as she and Chen head off.

Magda shrugs. "I don't know -- but honestly, if the situation is otherwise that stable, establishing or re-establishing its own governance independent of Colonial Bay /would/ be the ideal method to rectify any outstanding ... issues."

Magda also gestures a farewell to the two as they go their seperate ways.

Grimm shrugs. "I think the 'Burgers are just being stubborn. I try not to get involved anymore. Though I'm able to come and go as I please around there. I just stay off the Watch's radar."

Magda nods in understanding. "Well, anyhow -- I should be off home. Care to come see?" she invites the other woman.

"Hmm? Sure, I suppose I have a little time." Grimm snatches up her last bun, one of the red bean ones, and grabs her bag before standing up.