Owner	Pose
Sophie Graf	Lao Wang's Baozi palace, is supposedly the single best place for Baozi in the tri-state area. No joke it's got five stars from the local tryhard indie newsrag and everything, but lets be frank it's like nine at night and this is Gotham. The guy with the skinny jeans and beard who sent her here, should be fucking ashamed of himself. Not that it's dangerous by Sophie's standards, but he had no way of knowing she was armed and amorous. She does indeed catch a few eyes as she strolls down grimy sidewalks, delicately tugging at the cuffs of her dress shirt as she goes.     When she finally does get into the place, and a booth where she can relax with her tablet and menu? She was looking for Orange chicken, crab rangoon and maybe like an egg roll or something, you know. Fake American Chinese, which has more in common with Midwestern comfort food (With rice) than anything else. Leave it to a hipster, right? She does manage to figure the menu out. She does manage to order, Goubuli which she even manages to pronounce half correct.     This done she folds her jacket over her satchel and lets her eyes alight to the glow of her tablet, because well she may not actually fence anymore but this isn't going to stop her from arguing about it on the internet. It is after all, her birth rite in a way."
Wu	Unlike in Hong Kong, Alice, here, doesn't have any particular reason to stand out much. Red hair? Yeah, odd in Hong Kong, especially as it isn't dyed, but here? Loads. For the same reason that the slightly softened harsh angles of her Han heritage don't stand out much: loads of mixed marriages in the USA make Alice nothing special.     Yet...     There's still that bearing. That ramrod stiff bearing that looks half like a drill sergeant and half like someone with no sense of soul whatsoever. And there's that face. That haunting, haunted face with the world-weary expression of one who still wants to love the world but is finding it increasingly hard.     Whatever it is, she stands out despite blending in. People look at her briefly. Those who know her greet or turn away in (probably vain) hopes of not being recognized according to their status.     Just outside Wang's Palace she talks with a street vendor. Words are carried by stray zephyrs. Words like "licence" and "other jacket" along with Alice's genuinely amused laugh and waving along. She then enters the restaurant and is instantly greeted effusively by the owner who babbles at her about some moon fairy or something--it's hard to keep up as they switch easily among three languages. The owner physically steers Alice over to an empty table, the one near Sophie, and covers his ears when she tries to order.     Alice, catching Sophie's eye as the owner walks away, shrugs in embarrassment.     "He's ordering for me, I guess," she says.
Sophie Graf	You can feel it out on the street, it's like the tingle after lightning hits. It only gets stronger the closer you get, not that anyone else seems to be picking up on it. Some essential current, some flavor of divine favor from a god who rose and fell before man invented the written word. A figure remembered only for it's creations, and a few cave paintings. It's not twisted, it's not even terribly intimidating. This isn't the kind of magic put off by a spell, this is more like a curse for lack of a better term. Something wild and strange, something Alice has felt before. The unique sort of static put off by a Reynard, distinctive no matter the mask.     Sophie does have a certain, air of disinterest about her. Chin lifted, shoulders pulled back, spine straightened. If not for the presence of a tablet, she'd pass for proper high society at some rich girl function. Not that her attire looks entirely cheap at the moment either. Height looks about right, but well considering how much body armor "Fox" wore it's hard to verify her build lines up.     At the spoken word, Sophie lifts her gaze. Peering quietly over her tablet, before offering a perfectly executed and entirely fake little smile. "It sounds like he likes you I suppose."if she recognizes Alice in return, well she's not letting on. Social contact returned, politely she lets her gaze wander back downward.
Wu	The vibe from Sophie doesn't show up on Alice's radar at first. While she waits for her order, however, she idly toys with the pendant around her neck, the jade image dangling from red silk, as she looks around the dingy hole that's nonetheless packed and noisy with customers. Her eyes fall on Sophie again, and this time they remain, riveted in place, lids narrowing as she openly appraises the girl.     Which is just the point that both Sophie's order and Alice's arrive.     Alice's is a stack of bamboo steamers with the signature steamed buns of the place releasing white vapours and tantalizing (and sometimes bizarre) smells. Sophie's is a plate with some green vegetable stir-fried and leaking a purple-red fluid at the bottom of the heap. And nothing else. The server appears confused as well as harried as she looks at the dish briefly, obviously thinking there's some mistake. A quick check of the order sheet confirms, however, that no, this is indeed the ordered dish.     "I'm going to make a slight guess here," Alice says over the din, just barely. "You didn't know what to order so you stabbed at something on the menu?"
Sophie Graf	Sophie peers, and well she looks like she's prepared to stick it out until help arrives. "That would be correct, I'm afraid I was directed here by a coworker."and a pause as she offers the waiter a smile to let him know to leave the plate, because by golly somone worked hard on...whatever that is. "It would appear, I have need of your services oncemore if you'd be ever so kind so as to assist?"Indicating plainly to the seat across from her own, as she admits defeat and finally plugs that tablet away.     "I was expecting something a little less authentic I'm terribly shamed to admit, but well it hardly seemed sporting to admit defeat and not try anything. This place is quite excellent, or so I've read?"And a pause as she gets a good look at her plate. "What -did- I order, incidentally?"
Wu	"Three-colour amaranth," Alice says with a grin. "It's a leafy green. Usually you don't eat it in isolation. It comes with something else."     Taking the tray overflowing with steamed buns with her, Alice slides in across from Sophie. "This place is actually noted most for these," she comments, gesturing to her bounty. "And the owner has been embarrassing me ever since I brought a ... friend of mine here once. The owner is smitten and she's come back as well, so ... he thinks I set him up with her."     The stack of steamed buns gets a bit of a dubious stare.     "My money's no good here anymore, it seems, and he keeps giving me way more than I can eat. Why don't you help me with these?"
Sophie Graf	Theres a smile offered, perfectly delivered and for once genuine. "That would be lovely, thankyou. Of course share and share alike."As Sophie moves her bag and coat to make room, before setting her own plate out for Alice to have free access to. "I used to have a similar problem, though he was a baker. So somewhat more convient, most of the time. He resorted to just throwing bread at me whenever he saw me, as a way of forcing me to accept his gifts."     "So is it appropriate to try the first one plain, or is sauce considered an essential additive?"As Sophie diverts her gaze to study the spread carefully, before well she gets in there. She does thankfully know how to use chopsticks at least! "I trust I didn't miss much after I departed, incidentally?"
Wu	There's only a briefest of pauses before Alice recovers.     "Pity. I was hoping to spring that on you while you were biting on the first one," she says, a bit of an amused glint in her eye. "But at least I now know that my intuition was right. We have met before."     She gestures to the bowls on the table. "Baozi can be eaten plain or dipped. If you dip, vinegar is the base ingredient with soy sauce and spicy black bean sauce being the most common additives of choice, but others are possible. The different twistings on the top indicate different ingredients. I'd avoid these ones..." She indicates one steamer. "...if spice is a problem for you. That's pickled mustard greens with dried chilli flakes. The rest are safe."     Contrary to Sophie, Alice just picks up a bun and dips it in some vinegar briefly.     "Only the miniature ones that are fried use utensils," she explains with a grin. "I know, it's too complicated. We've had five thousand years to make everything stupidly ornate."
Sophie Graf	And a soft "Aha" as she exchanges chopsticks for bare fingers, and well so she eats. Taking some moments to consider the texture, the flavor and finally deliver her nod of approval for whatever that's worth. "I'm french, and I went to a charm school. I'm entirely comfortable with needless complication, without it we would have nothing to fuss over when somone behaves more practically?"     "Yes well, as I am given to understand I am not as anonymous as I might like when it comes to magic users. The mask as well tends to make an impression, so it seemed silly to go through the motions."And another pause as Sophie takes another bite, chewing thoughtfully. "You seemed sharp enough to have something between your ears."
Wu	"French. The hated enemy in world cuisine with which Chinese competes around the globe." Alice's eyes twinkle. "French and Chinese thinking are so similar it's no wonder we have to live half a world apart. If we were any closer we'd be at constant war."     She looks at one steamer and an eyebrow rises in surprise. "OK, those ones. Be very careful." She indicates a steamer filled with squat things in thin wrappers that look suspiciously bulgy. "They're soup baozi and they're not buns like these. And the name is apt. Those WILL need chopsticks and they're eaten whole. If you try to take a bite out of one you will be covered in soup. The name is literally descriptive."     A pair of chopsticks materialize in her hand and very carefully pull up the delicacy by the knotted top. It disappears in her mouth and causes her to shut up for a while as she chews.     "Some things here are an acquired taste," she says, using the opportunity to nab some of the amaranth with her chopsticks. Another short pause ensues. "Soup bao are not one of them. If you don't like these, you have soul damage."     She looks across at Sophie again. "You have a direct style about you in your work, Ms. Huli," she says. Huli? What? "I'm using the Chinese for your name to make sure nothing searching for your real code name gets triggered," she adds. "People wind up dead who would otherwise be facing courts and possible acquittal."
Sophie Graf	"People wind up dead every day, but not from last night. Well not from our actions anyway, but the sentiment is appreciated."Sophie follows along, trying the different dishes without hesitation. She's in no rush, but well she doesn't seem a terribly picky eater considering this is her first time. "Direct, well I'll take that as a compliment. I endeavor as always to be efficient, and precise. You yourself were hardly a slouch, adaptable and quick on your feet. No wild throws sent down unseen ventilation shafts, every swing you made landed."     "Huli, hm. Goupil, may be more appropriate. It is French, but before they changed the word to honor those who came before."And a pause, as Sophie snags herself a drink of well beer of course. "Family tradition, or something you learned all by yourself?"
Wu	"A combination," Alice admits grudgingly. "The talent came to me in a flood. The rest was endless thinking and practice. My style's very different than my ..." Face clouds over. "... My predecessor," she finally chooses to say. "I'm less flamboyant and less public about who and what I am."     There's a short pause as she chews thoughtfully.     "If you had the Sight you'd not see me. If you were REALLY sensitive you might see some of my possessions leak. But the Craft only shines when I activate the charms."
Sophie Graf	"The one before me, was some sort of government agent. Before that however, famous and flamboyant. They wrote books and fairy tales, changed the word they used to describe that particular animal in our honor. A swaggering, lovable rogue, who stole from the rich and protected the huddled masses of the body politic."She offers a shrug, moving back to pick out another soup baozi because damnit those -are- good. "I tried that myself, it was very bad. People got hurt, lives got ruined. This thing I'm doing now, much safer for everyone involved."     "Especially in Gotham, it would seem that the altnernative is untenable. Men and Women refuse to stay in jail, and those who do are neither punished nor reformed. A system which I believe, can be improved upon."And a pause as Sophie chances a glance up after Alice. "As you said earlier, I'm somewhat direct. I believe I might be inclined to address the problem directly, how does that strike your fancy?"
Wu	"I'm an officer of the law," Alice says. "I've sworn certain oaths. Unfortunately I'm also ... something else. I've sworn oaths there as well."     Another attack on the amaranth follows as it's a great opporunity to quietly chew.     "In that capacity I eradicate threats to humanity. You, for example, fall under the purview of that part of my life if your aura has anything to say. Were you a predator on humanity I would be obligated to dispel or destroy you." She tilts her head briefly. "You seem, however, to be more concerned with assisting humanity. You're out of my scope."     Another short pause. She doesn't bother disguising it with chewing this time.     "Threats to humanity, though, are not arrested. They're not tried and jduged and sentenced. They're to be destroyed, dispelled or in whatever way is possible prevented from continued harm."
Sophie Graf	"Cultures so very alike indeed, I'm thrilled to find somone who sees things in a more practical light."Theres a shrug there as Sophie nomfs, casually. "The issue to discuss then, is what constitutes a threat to Humanity as a whole? Aliens and demons and so fourth, nasty bug things certainly. What about more nuanced affairs, what sort of body count is sufficient to label a person or perhaps a criminal enterprise as such? What if their trade is something more illicit, dealing addictive poisons for instance?"     "I am neither a Hero at the moment, nor am I some villian. Heroes don't fill graveyards as swiftly as I do, I'm something rather different. I will be a Hero oncemore in the future perhaps, when my current endeavors have been settled but for the moment? I'm just, working my way through a problem. There are some debts owed, which I feel it wortwhile to collect on."
Wu	"I think there is no easy answer to your question. Were it easy my life would be much more pleasant. As it stands, the assessment has to be left to each person, as do the consequences." Alice gestures over her shoulder where the street vendor has "slyly" slipped back. "That man is breaking the law. I don't care. He's not a threat. Yes, some of what he sells is fake. Yes, hypothetically he's watering down a brand. But I don't care. He's not a threat in any meaningful way."     She shoots a glance out the other window on the corner. "Down there. I came across a young lad who mugs. He's a threat, but not to humanity, just to individuals. And he doesn't do it because he enjoys it. He does it because he's desperate." She snorts, eyes narrowed as she turns to face Sophie again. "Many of the so-called "heroes" of Team Spandex in this town are just glorified bullies. The Batman, for example, obviously has tremendous resources at his disposal from all the gadgets he uses. I mean I'm a gadgeteer of sorts and I'm kept nearly in poverty just keeping up on my ingredients. I think just that motorcycle he was spotted in a couple of months ago could pay my room, my board, and all my operations for a year. Why is he out here, in one of the poorest cities in the civilized world, beating up the victims of a society gone wrong instead of using those resources to better the society?"     She leans back and eyes Sophie assessingly for a reaction.     "I submit that it is because he enjoys pummelling the poor and uses 'justice' as his excuse. So 'hero' or 'villain' -- these are abstractions that mean nothing to me. Do you leave the world a better place behind you or a worse one? That's all that matters to me."
Sophie Graf	"I think that we are going to be very good friends, because we do seem to agree on all the most important things."Sophie leans back somewhat, setting her napkin on the table and retreating into her beer. "I do worry however, you said you had funding problems? My work, does generate a profit. I see it as only appropriate I should help you with the burdens of your responsibilites, financially of course. The alternative would be an evidence locker, where it will be stolen by evil men who happen to have badges."     "A tip off in either direction, from you and I? A little money to cover any expenses, there's no reason we can't do good for the people of Gotham whenever my business draws me here."Reaching out to offer a toast, to business conducted perhaps. "I am going to request a small favor however, from one concerned citizen to another. I'm looking for somone."
Wu	Alice chuckles at the offer. "I'm a Hong Kong cop, Ms... Huli, shall I call you for now?" She raises her own glass. "Small amounts of graft are in my blood. Corruption involves large amounts." She taps the glass with her own and adds, "Ganbei!" before draining hers.     "I can certainly help on a case by case basis. Who are you looking for?"
Sophie Graf	"They were known as the "Brown Bag Club", a reference to their preference for malt liqour I believe. There were nine originally, two I know of are still in French custody. There are three of them left, but I'm afraid they've gone to ground."And a pause as Sophie sips that beer. "I do not have names unfortunately, but if you hear anything? Please do let me know immediately, they.."And a pause as Sophie cuts herself off with a forced smile and a sip of her beer. "Have a debt I intend to collect, something of an intensely personal nature you understand?"     Sophie does pause to reach yonder, producing a business card from her jacket before offering it over.