[Dead Heading] Pipes Hit Hard

Riley had made a quick stop back at the apartment before that evening to change. Sporting a leather jacket, ripped jeans, and hair tied back with their golden hairnettle took on the look of a fine silver bandana. Before entering, Riley activated the token with a touch of glamour.


The darkling casually leaned back in their chair, having ordered themself a maple bar, and Calli her choice of treat.
"Ah'rite," Riley said with a smile as the Night singer pushed for details.

"There's a development project hitting the neighborhood, and it's moving in quick. Unfortunately, the locals haven't been biting on the buy-out. In no small part due to pressure from a local gang element. Problem is Calieagh, the project is going through buy out or not, meanin' a lot of these people are gonna find themselves priced out here soon. Mitch, I, and few others are trying to avoid that outcome. Make sure these folks are fixed up and have a place to go safely once this is all done. This gang ain't makin' that easy with threats and debts."

The Moth paused, taking a moment to look to the Winter courtier. Riley was trying to make an excellent first impression on Calli. The darkling kept a calm and welcoming demeanor to the winter courtier, trying not to appear cagey or hiding info. When talking about the Whitney project, Riley focused on helping the people and connecting what seemed to be some of Calli's own interests. Trying to build a rapport before moving to ask for details or trading info.

"not particularly good at it. " Riley admitted holding up their hands with a innocent ol' me smile.

"But further more, don't know who to be lookin' for.  Could go trying to knock as many gangbanger heads if I could.  I reckon, you being familiar with the area, might know the people I should be keeping an eye out for. Or a a center meetin' spot for the lot" 

"No that's not why you are here" The moth Rolled their eyes a bit but kept a smile.

"You the one who mentioned violence. It might sound optimistic or naïve, but instead, this was handled without such tactics. "

Riley leaned back in their chair, silent for a moment.

"I asked you here to see if you had the insight to who was causing shit around the block. Givin' your connection to the area, I wondered if any names or faces stood out to you. Talking to a familiar face and not wilin' to draw a gun for the wrong questions seemed a better alternative than asking street criminals. "

The darkling paused, looking across the table to Cali dropping a bit of the jovial tone to be more serious.

"Honestly? I am lookin' for a way to handle this that doesn't end in a street war. Or with a bunch of families up shit creek in six months. My hope was you might have info that help, and in exchange, I'd help with somethang you desired."

"Your connection? My snoopin', I noticed some of the locals had been affected by glamor. When one of the others working on this mentioned that you and Mordecai were operatin' around the block. I put two and two together. I assumed, given how entrenched the criminal influence was and your work with addicts alongside Mitch, that you might have heard a thang or two. Or had run into some troubles."

The moth took a sip of coffee before adding.

"Don't worry, I didn't think you were directly tied to them. But I assumed, given your work and the block's situation, you would have done some leg work to be informed."

The spring courtier observed the night singer, trying to read how she felt about these assumptions and questions.

"It seemed higherups wanted to see Mitch pull some weight," Riley said with a shrug.

"We're OK, at least for now. "

Riley shrugged. The tasks assigned to them were obviously a test, one which Chugs plans would go on with or without their success.

"Mitch could use some work on street etiquette, but he'll live," Riley said with a smile.

"What about you? how are you holding up after what happened in the fall?" The Moth asks politely; everyone had been shaken by the Revenant crisis.

"Oh, the nonsense with the possessions? Mostly keeping my head down. A lot of the community blamed one of our own for being connected to the whole mess and some are making the logic leap that King Nohoilpi's namesake and his abilities likely involve him. I'm fucking disgusted what happened on the Reserve.

Whatever dumbass pointed the finger at Yazzie caused that blow up as far as I'm concerned, and I heard, like, that community already knew that the supernatural were fucking with one of their own? Yazzie just wanted to be left the fuck alone and I guess people were just super determined to harass her." Cailleagh took a long drag, shaking off the bout of anger,

"You guys were ground 0, right? That's nuts."

The Onyx Darkling cocked a painted eyebrow, "Woah, slow down! Lemme see."