Hitting The Streets [Helter Skelter Investigation]

There was a lull in the busy streets of Suzie Q. For all of the media figures displayed on the giant television screens embedded in the buildings, everyone swept past the dancing and speaking figures behind the screens without much care. Now as the morning rush hour waned, the bustle of activity ebbed almost as part of a clockwork system. True, people were pretty scarce around these parts now as the mass majority were still in the middle of a basic maneuver of going from Point A to B. But there appeared a couple of people lounging around, just sticking around in their free time...

Dakini. Such a strange name. It wasn't the only demon to have been named after a mythical presence. Or maybe it was other way around, now that she thought about it. She had always been inside of Sera as long as she could remember. Perhaps it was the same with the Demons. Even before the divide, perhaps they were here all along. There was no way to know for sure if she was honest, but that wasn't important right now. For the time being she had some investigation to do.

There weren't a whole lot of people about right now. Strange for Susie Q, But the city life had it's own ebb and flow. Sidestepping a random stranger to avoid bumping shoulders with them, she shuffled off to the side and crouched to grab a paper from one of the paper vending machines. While she crouched, she investigated the area around, eyes passing over each of the individuals that seemed to be loitering around. One woman had strange eyes that seemed to glow like her own when she was her true self. It was hard to say if it was a true effect or a byproduct of some nice lenses or something else. There was also a scarred man in a suit to take notice of, and Moth wasn't sure what to make of him. Though he had the look of someone who could work in the underground. Exactly the kind of place Dakini would have been heard of. One of them was probably the best to talk to. The cadet that was lingering around likely wouldn't have the right information that Cam was looking for.

Huffing as she knelt down enough to obscure her face from view, Moth closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were the liquid gold color they were meant to be. It felt good to let out even this much of her true self, though the rest of her would have to remain plain, everyday Sera. Flicking open a pair of dark sunglasses from her pocket, she covered her eyes and stood, she opened the paper and walked forward, pretending to read it as she made her way through the mostly deserted street. She glanced up just as she was neering the strange -eyed woman, and stopped, seeming to have taken sudden interest in the stranger.

"Excuse me. Can I just say I love your eyes miss." She said to initiate conversation, lowering her paper and smiling a practiced smile.

> Talk to the smoking woman with strange eyes

The woman seemed rude, skeptical even, as her words darted across with her golden hues narrowing at the Shadow Self. She knew nothing about this solicitor and seemed a little annoyed being bothered from what looked like her smoking break. But, she was also willing to hear what the Moth had to say. Though for how long, would depend on the course of this conversation...

Moth looked the girl over with a quick glance, folding her paper and stuffing it under one arm, she stood with her weight on one leg, arms folded lightly as she considered the other girl. The girl seemed the brash sort, and it was probably best to play to her mood. "Sorry to bother you, I was just looking around the district. I don't get out to Susie Q very often, but I heard that there has been some interesting stuff going on since the District Leader disappeared. You haven't heard any interesting rumors, have you?"

She tipped her glasses just enough for her own golden eyes to become visible. If she was mundane, the gesture would seem like she was simply making eye contact for effect, but if she truly had shadow essence like Moth did, she'd notice what the PI was getting at immediately. Hopefully it was the former. Having friends in these situations was always preferable. If not friends...atleast like-minded allies.

The golden-eyed woman seemed to have raised an eyebrow at the eyes the reporter had. But didn't seem at all impressed or nonplussed. Either way, they seemed to have a tinge of curiosity of her as they made another drag of their cigarette and slowly breathing it out almost pensively...

Moth tapped her chin, eyeing the distant Cadet to make sure she was far off enough to not be in earshot of anything either of them might say. A pleasant smile graced her own lips. "I'm always interested in seeing what's going on in the city. It's my job to know things, after all." She offered something of a shrug to the other girl. "Can't tell you much more about my reasons, client anonymity and all that. Still...Dakini I've heard of, but not Anahita. Are they together or are they opposed? And you said action 'tonight.' What's the word on what they're planning tonight?"

Moth rose an eyebrow as the other woman spoke, taking in the information and seeing if there were any pieces she could take and use for her own, or Skelter's benefit. So there were two fronts, Dakini and Anahita. The one Skelter was interested in was Dakini, and apparently the street knew that. Whether Skelter knew or cared that his plans were so transparent wasn't her business, but it was something to say that his name carried that kind of weight. Ofcourse it did. He'd gone from being a terrorist to a Cadet to a terrorist again and had some truly frightening rumors going around about his powers. Yes...she'd done some homework. Of course she would after allying herself with someone so dangerous. Something the smoking woman added struck her as odd though. The way she had spoken, and the way Skelter had spoken before, made it sound like Dakini was the one in charge. And yet... "What do you mean her master? I thought Dakini was pulling the strings." She asked, favoring the other with a quizzical look.

Sera smiled a little and gave the girl a shrewd look. It wouldn't be the first time she paid for information. But sometimes it's better to pay for Information with partnership...and more information. "At the moment I'm a tad light on cash. Hence the Job. But I'll tell you what, I'm a good friend to have, and if you give me a bit of info about the man behind the curtain, I'll owe you a favor." She flicked out her business card and handed it to the woman. Cam Jensen Investigations. A private Eye, and one with a name that had history if the woman was aware of the scene at all. "Maybe I can give you a little bit of information as well. Call it a trade." She smiled, taking a moment to commit the woman's features to memory, as well as the buildings nearby that she might work at, her outfit and what that might say about her occupation or social status.

> Bribe her (Attempting to use services or information in place of actual currency)

Relevant Strengths

Spoiler:

The House of Cards had been one of the first things Moth had looked into after her awakening to her power. She had looked into it before, of course. It paid to know things, but sleeping within the psyche of Sera Jensen, Moth had paid extra close attention. After all, she could always see the missing pieces even when her idiot other self couldn't. And after joining Skelter's gang, well... she had done a bit more digging in the places she knew she could find some info.

"It was a Gladitorial ring in the form of a stage. From what I heard, Invidia got a kick out of watching his idols claw each others' eyes out. Sometimes literally, I'd imagine. And then, when they got to the top, I've inferred he would eat them. He was clearly some kind of demon - or spliced with demons in some way. I never got close enough to know what he was. But I do know it was Skelter who took him down in the end. Playhouse couldn't handle it." She folded her arms, "I was a little late to the party for information, but a half eaten corpse is pretty juicy, wouldn't you say?"

Moth put her finger to her chin as the woman gave her the psyche terrorist's name, thinking, then smiled. Always good when a little Quid Pro Quo did the trick. She looked back at the woman with a more easy smile. "Do you know anything about this Boogyman? or Dakini even? Heard about any popular haunts they might have? And you still haven't answered my question about what's going on 'tonight." She kept an easy smile. She decided she liked this person. They might be worth keeping in contact with. Clients and informants in the nightworld of Endy were hard to come by and well-earned.

The woman took a pensive drag out of her cigarette, as if trying to formulate any kind of forgotten memory of the subject matter. Though it did suggest of the lacking information there was to be had about these two. However, that silence would be broken once the first memory rose up to prominence. "There's not much known about them. Save for the fact that Dakini, unlike Anahita, cares much of her underlings. Boogeyman, on the other hand, is an unknown constant. But they say they were ostracized by humans and prefers demon-kind instead... As for where they are, I'm afraid I can't help you on that. But if I had to surmise a guess, perhaps look for a place where it would be easy to blend in. Gangs like these like to retain their secrecy thanks to the Government... That said, good luck with your search. You're getting into some murky waters, Miss Private Eye."

She made a wave of farewell and left the area with smoke trailing behind her. The rest of the people in the city would also move on...