Mar 20 22:05:00 107 PA - Dregtown Market

From Chronicles

It's a cold night, tonight, and were it not for the occasional unbroken streetlamp and zeal of a desperate tent putting out light in the hopes of luring a lost customer, it would be quite black. The biting wind blows through the area in terrible gusts, stirring up debris and loose slush into miniature dust devils, putting a solid crust of ice over the dwindling snow banks, and turning Celaeno's cigar into a bright red burning ember several meters away from - well, anything else, save the crumbling wall she's leaning against. Perhaps not dressed quite warmly enough given the wind, she doesn't seem particularly bothered by it, her coat buttoned as she simply stands, enjoying the smoke.

The latest arrival to the market place doesn't seem bothered by the weather at all, but then he is wearing a full suit of EBA with the helmet down. Likely able to see just fine through the low-light of the optics built into the helmet, or the thermographics or who knows what else. Zyvis moves with an ease of familiarity, not perhaps with these exact surroundings, but he's definatly used to this type of urban jungle. He does seem to be looking this way and that a lot, but not in a manner of tourist, nor in watching his back so much as... looking for something else. Of course his weapons are always within easy reach too. He pauses when he enters the market though, taking a long look around even as the wind zips through but he doesn't really seem to be interested in what few vendors tents are in place.

Her right thumb hooked idly around the hilt of a sword, Celaeno takes a moment for a long, slow draw on her cigar. Her eyes close as the wind quickly blows the smoke away from her, before slowly blowing what might under better conditions have been a smoke ring. She doesn't seem particularly interested in the newcomer, though his being able to afford a set of EBA armour does tick a box in her head.

For all his seemingly comfortable stance Zyvis doesn't seem inclined to draw any weapons yet. The fact that he is wearing the armor and carrying expensive (relatively) weapons does draw the attention of a few vendors that are still out and about. Turning his attention towards the nearest Zyvis makes his way over towards the tent and appears to be looking over the 'wares' as they are while striking up a conversation along the lines of, "Heard of anyone go missing who had no reason to?" and suchlike interspersed with questions about a supposedly pre-rifts CD or the like.

The vendor stares hopefully at the man approaching him - somehow always managing to bring the conversation back around to this shiny trinket or that family heirloom that is really a steal at this price. Celaeno simply watches the display in amusement from her little wall, a hand sliding into her coat to produce a flask as she does. A moment's unscrewing, a brief nip, a moment's capping, and away it goes as she considers what to do with the rest of her night. Not even any stars out to watch.

Unfortunatly, the lack of information brings a lack of purchase and Zyvis ends up heading away from the tent. It's not really a good time for canvassing the locals anyways. The glow of the cigar catches his attention briefly and just on a hunch, or perhaps just because he heads on over towards Cel but stops out of easy strike range with sword or otherwise so as to not invade personal space or appear threatening. Part of why he has his helmet on after all. "Hey. Anything strange, besides me, going on tonight?" He asks conversationally.

"Wouldn't exactly say you're strange," Celaeno says idly, between puffs, "And I'm not exactly sure how you could be going on. But maybe that's just me." Puff. "Want a nip?" she asks almost disinterestedly, not quite specifying as to what would be nipped. "But to actually answer your question, couldn't say I've run into anything worth mentioning, unless you're really on the market for something to knock your brain into next Tuesday. And even then, I could only point you in a direction."

"Not tonight." Zyvis says with a frown that is hidden behind his helmet, "Suppose it could be to cold for it right now... might have better luck in the day when more people are out and about." This is said more to himself than anything else and then he moves to snag his own section of wall to lean against and wait. Arms fold across his chest and he hmmms softly to himself. "Damned elusive beasty it is."

"Beauty, elusive?" Celaeno passes the cigar from hand to hand to mouth, as she runs her fingers briefly through her hair. "You obviously don't know where to look. Plenty of little joints around that'd be more than happy to set you up with something to fill any niche." She simply grins at the suit for a few moments before turning to peer into the wind, "Unless of course, you were talking about something specific."

Zyvis looks over towards her, "What?" He asks in that age old single word sentence of disbelief. "Beauty?" He shrugs, "Could be, I don't know. I'm hunting a beast, not a beauty." He laughs and then shakes his head. "Not out for that kind of meat tonight." He takes a look at the various rooftops and suchlike. "I'm pretty certain what I'm looking for is pretty unique around these parts. Which is saying something. Not to be found in some flesh parlor." He reaches up and takes his helmet off, breathing in deep of the relatively clean air thanks to the wind, tucking his helmet to his side with one arm. "I'm hunting that invisible thing that escaped the Arena." He clarifies.

Celaeno just grins and nods right back, "Well, in that case you'd be better off going somewhere with more stuff worth hunting. That tends to be what it likes doing, after all - and it's got some pretty vicious claws." She shrugs, "Might check down Junkyard way. That tends to be where all the nasty little critters end up. Though I'd say if you're walking around with all those nice little shinies, you may have to deal with the gangs over there a bit more than any invisible Hunter."

"Gangs don't bother me to much." Zyvis says with a shrug, "Single out the one calling the shots, or the biggest and toughest of them and put him down and the rest tend to give way." He tilts his head to the side, rubbing his free hand over his bald head briefly. "I'd think the beast would prefer an area with easier prey. I'm hoping to catch sight of it, track it back to wherever it's nesting and decide from there." He looks over at her then, studies her briefly, "You don't seem overly concerned about the gangs yourself. I'd think you'd be a bigger target for them than I."

Celaeno's gaze focuses again on the Stalker in front of her, her smile shifting as she gives an exaggerated shrug. "If you think so. But they're pretty smart little bastards, and I'm not entirely sure they're going to be able to discern too much between unsuspecting gangers and the poor folk around here. Dismembered that juicer quick enough, not to mention the security." Puff. "Plus, they like the fight. So saying they're going to go somewhere where they're going to get less of it..." Puff, puff. "But you're the expert."

"How would you know what this creature likes." Zyvis asks with an upraised eyebrow (Or where the eyebrow would be otherwise). "As far as I know it hasn't even been named. As for the Juicer... Juicers are typically overconfident and can be overwhelmed when caught by surprise. The inability to see an enemy is a major disadvantage for almost anyone." He shrugs.

Celaeno just smiles at the man, as he inquires as to her knowledge. "We'll call it a hunch," she says, dismissing her own statement with a wave of the hand. "And you're entirely right - hard to shoot something you can't see. Which I guess begs the question of how you plan to."

Zyvis shrugs, "Maybe I can see it." He says non-comitally. "Eventually I'll find a sign of it regardless, wether it's a place where it is hunting, or find spoor or the like." He smiles, "If it was an easy hunt, someone would have caught or killed it by now. I'm not expecting it to be a quick hunt, in fact I hope it's not. Will make it taste all the better when I succeed." He considers, "Or maybe it will kill me." He shrugs as if that doesn't concern him in the slightest.

With a horribly smug smile Celaeno just smiles and nods at the Stalker. "Right, right. We've all got our secrets," she backs off the topic. "But if you want any information, I sincerely doubt you'll find anybody else with more than me, around. I got a decent look at it at the Arena - which is probably more than anybody else can say, I think." The cigar slides to her mouth as she watches Zyvis. "Consider the bit about its likes to be a bit of free advice - me to you."

"So you can see invisible critters then?" Zyvis asks curiously, "That's funny. Maybe my senses are going dull on me, you don't smell like a psychic or a mage." He grins at her then, "Been getting soft I guess. Or maybe you're just to good at hiding it for me." He says with a wry smile. "Besides, nothings free in this world. If anything, you'll send me in there, then radio your chums and tell them you got some stalker coming in with some stuff worth stealing on him." His tone is not accusing though, more conversationally amused.

"Didn't say I saw it when it was invisible," Celaeno chides, "Just said I saw it. Bit of a difference, there - after all, half of invisibility's just having somebody look somewhere else." Her smile is smug, but there is some warmth there as the talk bounces back and forth like a tennis-ball. "And trust me, I doubt you've got anything on you that's worth it for me to steal. And even if you did, it's hardly my style. Which isn't to say your walking around in that area of town won't get you shot and stripped," she quickly tacks on, before finishing softly, "In fact, I think I even said that already."

"If I wanted to live an easy life, I'd hook up with some sorcerer who wanted me on hand to deal with nasties it accidentally summoned or something." Zyvis says with a chuckle and looks back out over the merchant square after he gives her a quick once over. "I'm used to being shot at, used to this," he gestures around, "But bigger. Still, it's good to know where the gangs tend to hole up in force. I'll just have to make sure they don't see me and don't interfere in my hunt. Isn't worth the time or ammo necessary for a protracted engagement with gangers. They don't have anything I want." He reaches up to idly scratch at one of his cheeks. "So what did it look like?" He asks curiously, "When it's not invisible. Might help me identify any tracks or the like."

"Probably would. But I'm afraid you've used up your free information, at least when it comes to your beastie." Celaeno puffs at the cigar, arms going up in a stretch, her necklace just lifting out of her coat and falling forward as she so does - a large, wickedly curved tooth strung on a simple black cord. "And don't get me wrong, there are gangs holed up all over the place around here, it's just a matter of degrees."

"No different than the Burbs in that respect I'm sure." Zyvis says, gaze flicking to the tooth and then in traditionally male fashion, to her anatomy near the tooth before he looks away. "So why do you stay here in the dregs?" He asks curiously, "You obviously have skills and abilities to make it outside this hole." He gestures around with his free hand to indicate, well, everything.

"It's not so bad," Celaeno says merrily, thumb once again hooking around the hilt of her sword, "I tend to like it, really. Certain level of anonymity, no need to keep your place too clean, plenty of people always happy to bash it up. The music around's got its moments." A hand once again lifts to brush through her hair, dragging a few of the strands out of her eyes, "Keeps things interesting."

Zyvis chuckles, "That, I can understand. It's one of the reasons I never wanted to leave the Burbs. Until the Coalition started their sweep and round ups in preparation for their war on Tolkeen, we were free to make our own way." He shrugs a bit, "Was nice. Nothing lasts forever though." He shrugs, "Now I have much less to hunt, unless I wanted to head down south or up north..." He sighs and then offers, "I'm Zyvis, by the way." Finally he introduces himself.

"Cel," she replies simply, not bothering to extend a hand. "Plus, the PD tends to leave you alone for the most part. What's a stolen radio or a kicked down door in exchange for that? I mean, you can always just kick down another door and grab their radio if you really wanted." She seems quite merry. "Didn't want to rush off to war with Tolkeen? Seems like you would've been like a Juicer in a pharmacy up there."

"I don't like blank checks." Zyvis says, "Everyone should be held accountable for their actions. Wether it be by their peers, like here, or by their own morals." He gestures around, "Sure, this might be a lawless place for the most part but people still have a choice in doing whatever it is they do. I'm not keen on murdering intelligent beings just because they're different than me. I need something more personal than that, otherwise I become the monster."

"Bit think of all the tasty little morsels," Celaeno says, downright chipper. "Practically begging for you to just slip up and take a bite." The stub of her cigar is flicked to the ground, bright red sparks scattering in a miniature explosion. "Goddamn, that has to be my favourite part," she interjects before continuing on, "Of course, that's assuming they'd even send you to the front. They've got outposts all over, now. Ran into one not too far back."

Zyvis shrugs, "There's tasty morsels all over." He looks at her with a curious expression, "Hard to believe a psi-stalker isn't all out to eat everything that's a good meal?" He asks with a smirk and then he shrugs, "Sure, I could have joined the coalition. Get a fucking tag like a dog or an animal, kept on a leash for human masters." He shakes his head, "So very not my style. I may not be some cyber knight, all holier than thou, ride in to save the day, but I -like- the taste of evil. It's more... filling."

"Just talking. You're a bit more conversational than most I've run into, but they usually don't give me too much attention. Couldn't say why." Celaeno's smile is perhaps wider than it should be, "If you're happy, then that's all that matters. Not trying to be a recruiter for the Coalition - they cause us a hell of a lot of trouble around here, even if it is good for business. Speaking of, now, dealing in information's not usually my thing, but since you're obviously looking, what you want to know, and how much you want to spend?"

"I'm not." Zyvis says with a grin, "Willing to spend. I'm doing this for no profit at all, any damage my armor takes, any e-clip recharges, that's all coming out of my pocket." He shrugs, "I'm just taking advantage of a rare person being willing to shoot the breeze with me. Get's a little old all the time, how many conversations that start with; 'I am not afraid of you.' or 'I know people more powerful than you.' or 'It would not be a good idea to eat me.'" He rolls his eyes, "Gets old, very quick."

"You're forgetting, 'You couldn't possibly harm me, for you are as nothing before my infinite might.' Then they start talking about monkeys and..." Celaeno just shakes her head. "But if you don't think a nice meal's worth a few credits, that's fine. You'll probably stumble on it sooner or later."

"Nobodies used that one recently." Zyvis admits with a chuckle, "I'll be sure to roll my eyes appropriately when it happens." He shrugs and smiles, "This isn't about the meal, it's about the flavor and the hunt. Meals are easy after all. If they weren't we wouldn't be successful as a species like we are." He chuckles, "This, is like a vacation, big game for sport."

Celaeno puts up her hands chuckling, "Fine, fine, fine. Have your vacation, enjoy your hunt - just remember, they didn't give it the stage name The Hunter for no reason. Just watch your back, hey? After all, one of these days you might be up for a nip or a smoke."

Zyvis grins, "That's what makes it exciting. Takes a predator to hunt a predator no?" He shrugs, "It might be that it is the better predator than I, but I intend to find out." He chuckles with amusement. "Actually, I don't smoke or drink, but conversation I am almost always up for."

Eyeing the Stalker for a few moments, her smile fading somewhat, Celaeno just shrugs. "We'll see. Maybe I overestimated just how bad it would be if you get yourself in over your head. But who knows. Maybe I shouldn't leap to any snap judgments. We'll see how it all goes. In any case, I think I'm going to wish you luck with your little test of wits against our little friend, and see if I can't find some trouble to stir."

"It's more than a test of wits, but fair enough." Zyvis shrugs and then reaches to put his helmet back on after shaking it to make sure nothing crawled into it while he was leaning against the wall. He snaps it into place, "See you around maybe. Even if my lack of smoking or drinking makes me less interesting." He chuckles and then springs up onto the edge of the wall he was leaning against, pulling himself up easily and starting to look around again, heading off further into the Dregs.

"Far less interesting," Celaeno calls after him with a grin, unbuttoning her coat to let the chill wind in, smiling largely to the world at large as she too makes her exit from the bazaar, only in a far more conventional way.