From woodland to wetland

inventions are out of necessity
it became a necessity to survive bears
ain't pretty, but neither were the bears afterward

The jar wasn't the only thing strange, as it also included a conduit cable that rounded behind him, just under his jacket to the metal glove on his left hand. Josef nodded as he took in the words, knowing full well that people never wanted to be on the losing end, even if it was toward refuse that they had just left behind. It was different in the wilds though, there were cabins and outposts left unlocked in case people were stuck, lost, and afraid. Taking a breath of the night air and some of the smoke that came from Ira, as a more interesting topic appeared. "You don't say, sounds mighty interesting feat. I'd love to hear about it sometime", his line of thought running away before she gave him the long rundown on what the lockdown was all about.

"Weird, so it all boils down to politics and public unrest. Because some anarchist began blowin' up stuff? Probably more to it, I know. Sounds like it'll bring more trouble than it's worth, a new plate..."  Josef rolled the idea in his mind, thinking about everything he knew at this moment as they stood there in the dark, the glow of the fireflies and her cigarette the only things that silhouetted them. "It makes more sense that the Houses would want to sabotage it, right? because it could create some kind of imbalance. Whatever the case, you're describing the possible loss of civility. Shame, as that means people will get hurt" His voice showed genuine concern for people as lifted the claw to use the metal to scratch his cheek.

What also came to mind was to keep his involvement in smuggling or being smuggled to himself. It didn't sound like it was a rare occurrence but just the same, he wanted to start a life here and he chose a turbulent time to do so. Josef stretched out the claw and stared at it for a moment, he'd have to make a choice perhaps on whether or not he'll craft dangerous things in the Drench. "Ira, know what people do for self-defense round' here? I mean, legally speakin' of course" not really knowing what it was like in the City, while in the wilds they were allowed weapons cause they kept culling wild beasts that came too close to civilization.

JOSEF

Ira

"Who knows... There are so many theories going around at this point and you can poke a hole in each one one way or the other. It's a really headache and I've mostly settled for just trying to go through my days as wall as I can and care about personal things instead. If something more happens, m'sure we'll hear about it." It all is more or less the new everyday life now and while she doesn't exactly feel like rolling over and accept the oppression, she can't care about everything. She has enough with her own stuff to be too involved in the unrest and protests as well.

She doesn't add any more comments to it, falling silent for a short moment and watches the glowing jar again, as well as what she can see of the metal and wiring. Curious questions pop up in her mind once more, but before she can start considering asking anything, he hits her with an unusual question and her gaze moves back to his face.

"You're expecting you'll be needing it? Hm, perhaps..." She draws thoughtfully on the cigarette and thinks for a few seconds before continuing. "Legally, fists and such. Far as I know, only Enforcers are allowed to carry weapons. Not that everyone cares. Concealed knives and guns are not uncommon, I guess. Works as long as you're not caught, right?" If no one is around to actually enforce the laws, one can't get into trouble for breaking them.

inventions are out of necessity
it became a necessity to survive bears
ain't pretty, but neither were the bears afterward

Nodding in response to her comment on laying low and waiting for the issue to wash on by, in more words than that, he got the gist of it. Josef then wondered if his glove would be considered fists or a contraption, it wasn't a weapon but more a tool for constructing stuff. Then again, they may look at it like it was a wrench or crowbar, still a weapon if it's swung at someone's head. "This? no, but you never know for certain. What I have is more like... a fancy welder, it's not concealed and there isn't a name for it yet. I'm thinking of building them when I figure out the power source, twas told of Bizu bugs and thought I may be able to harness them instead"

Josef gets a light in his eye, one that people may have seen in other craftsmen where they begin to dream big, and excitement fills them. He always wanted to be an inventor and in the city, he wanted to become known for his mind and not for being able to hunt wild things. "Either way, I can take care of myself. If a blast from this won't stop it, I guess I'll go back to woodchopping" His scarred right hand tapping on the handle of a hatchet, poking out from his lower back. "Tools of the trade should be fine as long it's not for whacking strangers" He said with a chuckle, the words aimed at either just himself or the air. The fireflies once again glowed a bit brighter, as if in response to his words, but that couldn't be it.

"Expecting crime to be pretty standard in the dark, or are there shadowy organizations or something that stop mayhem? or is it just good ol' sensibilities that do that?" wondering again aloud as he watched Ira, hoping he wasn't scaring her or anything with his incessant need to speak. His eyes watched the glow of the cigarette she had burned down with each inhalation. Honestly surprised that she stuck around to chat, he wasn't much company for most and hoped to change that with time as his people skills grew.

JOSEF

Ira

"Guess anything can be used as a weapon if needed, but at least they can't outlaw it all. Or we'd be without bottles, chairs, tools..." Welders can hurt people as well. Most things can and when regular weapons become illegal, people just get more creative.

An amused smile tugs at her lips when she spots the spark in his eyes. It's always appreciated to see someone getting excited over thing still and that not everyone is just tired and beaten down by everything going on. "Tools should be fine, yeah. Might be someone finding issues with it, but there always will be." She says with a soft chuckle, looking back once again to the glowing flies while listening to his next question.

She isn't scared off by the talking. If anything, it is almost like slipping into work mode for her. Minus that she is not getting paid and she is not able to feed him drinks until he runs out of money. Listening to people talking is easy for her. The small problem for her is sometimes she can't get away with just a smile and some nods when people are sober and she has to talk in return, which seems to either ending up with her venting without a filter or awkwardly trying to come up with something to say.

"Bit of all of it, I'd say. Plenty of pickpockets around, especially in the Neon Alley. People getting mugged here and there in the dark. Some areas are probably more watched over by the Drench Kings and people doing shit there might get punished for it. But I dunno much about their ways. Never run into them or any of their people and I'm happy to keep staying out of that trouble." Even if the Kings are looking after the Drench in their ways, she still doesn't want anything personal to do with what some people muttered about being basically the underground crime lords of the city.

inventions are out of necessity
it became a necessity to survive bears
ain't pretty, but neither were the bears afterward

Outlawing everything would just make more sense, but it would come at the cost of fracturing any amount of stability the Platers had with those of the Drench. As it would solidify the Drench as second-class citizens or worse, slave labor by another name. Josef didn't bring these thoughts out, he had some qualms about accidentally triggering someone else's fury and Ira was the friendly sort. "True, creativity go hand in hand with invention and I doubt people will find an issue with it if they speak with us all polite' like" chuckling as he clenched and unclenched the metallic gauntlet. Josef was many things, but subtle didn't seem to be one of them.

"What of injuring such people, pickpockets, and muggers for example? Will anyone mind? Also, who are these Drench Kings? I mean, lawless areas should be kept civil by those around, right?" Josef voiced his thoughts, thinking about how the Enforcers don't patrol much and crime is probably rampant. What stops people from becoming vigilant, meting out punishment to those who cross them? Perhaps the crime is organized, but he doubted many would stick up for a thief in the night. "Sometimes, those who touch a beast, learn by being bitten" he murmured quietly before shuffling from one foot to the other, not because he was damp, but to shift whatever was trying to slide into one of his boots.

JOSEF

Ira

She takes a long last draw from the cigarette, it had almost burnt down to her fingers by now, and then throws it away into the dark where the glow quickly goes out against the damp ground. Keeping her face turned away, she slowly blows the smoke out while taking the time to think over his questions.

"I mean, if you catch someone with their hand in your pocket, don't think people will blame you for taking a swing at them. They might fight back, or have friends coming running." She looks back to him and rolls her shoulders in a shrug. "Though if the Forcies see it, they might just blame everyone involved."

She takes another moment to just watch the fireflies and tries to think of what she can even say about the Kings. "Honestly, don't know too much about the Kings myself. Three of them, ruling an area of the Drench each. Bralen controls the area under the DESPOT Plate, Silas got POD and Serkli rules under POE and POSE combined. Can't really tell you anything about their network and such. All I know is that lately they sabotaged the tram going between the Drench and the Plates and seem to be gathering people to protest against the lockdown and curfew."

inventions are out of necessity
it became a necessity to survive bears
ain't pretty, but neither were the bears afterward

Josef watched Ira take the last draw, tossing her cigarette butt away and answering his question after time passed. It was relaxing talking like this, though it'd be better if he were sitting on a log next to a roaring flame with a mug of something bitter in his hands. "Right, so it all boils down to not being caught" Josef replied with a shake of his head, yeah, this was going to take some getting used to. As to her comment on the Forcies, he could see why the people of the Drench disliked them if they didn't care to be just and just did their job in such a manner.

The syndicated Kings, the criminal masterminds, or whatever they were that controlled the plates or whatever one called the underground. It was interesting that people could do such things, yet never better the community around them. "Terrorism or a show of force, huh? I see why there's a lockdown. Are there no groups of truly altruistic folk? I mean, it can't all be criminals, and Noble politics determinin' everything. If so, no wonder the Drench is so wary." Sighing as he looked up at the broken lights and ceiling high above. "Well, I guess it takes others to try and make a difference" He whispered with a smile, looking back at Ira to see if she heard his naive words. "So what are your plans now, Ira? back to dry land or just continue taking your stroll and bump into another stranger?"

JOSEF

Ira

She nods in agreement. Don't get caught and one's mostly fine. What he has to say about the rest makes her huff softly. "Sure there are. Lots of kind people around here too. Just... We're all a bit stuck between all the other conflicts sometimes. Definitely stuck under the boot of those." She points up at the Plates. "We're the trash that keeps their city running and they're being ungrateful fucks about it. At least those in charge up there."

There are probably a lot of regular citizens up on the Plates wanting to care about those living down below, but if so they are doing little about it. Though for all she knows, they might just be under a similar boot as well. She hasn't really talked with anyone living up there to know the situation other than speculations and rumours.

"Dunno. Either roam around some more or spend some extra time at home since I've got no more work for today. Who knows, maybe I'll stumble into more people." She gives him and amused look and shakes her head with a smile. "Should probably get out of your hair, though. Standing here keeping you from grabbing yourself a room and get away from the streets."

inventions are out of necessity
it became a necessity to survive bears
ain't pretty, but neither were the bears afterward

Josef took it all in, from what Ira said, it was a sort of generational dispute between Platers and the Drench. It made little sense as they should all be working together, then again, greed and power were always the factors that turned man into what only had the skin of one. "But kindness doesn't really do much if people don't step up" but that was the talk of fighters, most people just wanted to be left alone. Live peaceful albeit quiet lives. Shaking his head lightly as she spoke of the trash that kept the city running.

There were many things he was missing, but he doubted Ira had the full picture as well. The violence and control of the Drench may come to blows due to misconstrued notions. Perhaps even the Enforcers were just a scapegoat for whoever pulled the strings. "Mind yourself, you may stumble into someone more prickly than me" nodding to her as she spoke of roaming about or home.

Reminding him that he hadn't gotten a place yet and getting clean was a priority. As the damp had a way of rotting away even people, given time. "No worries there, I'm happy for the company. My journey was a long one and haven't had the pleasure of speaking to many people so cordially in a bit. You, on the other hand may have more important things to deal with than entertain a stranger like me"

JOSEF

Ira

The amused look remains and she narrows her eyes slightly at him, her smile turning more into a smirk. "Don't you worry about me, I've already run into way more prickly people than you before. I'll be fine." Her gaze leaves him and drifts up over the walls of the buildings surrounding them, as if she's searching for something. "Though I probably should get going soon either way..." She says more to herself and looks back to him.

"It's my job to entertain strangers, sort of. Guess I don't mind talking to you since I'm doing it without getting paid." She teases and shakes her head with a quiet chuckle. "Perhaps we'll run into each other at another time... Less literally, hopefully. When you've had a chance to settle in. Sounds to me it's quite the change from what you're used to."

With nothing to do with her hands anymore, she shoves them back into her pockets and shifts her weight more onto one leg, still not seeming to be in much of a hurry to run off instantly.