Who ⬤ Lalli Hotakainen and OPEN! What ⬤ A couple open prompts, a couple closed prompts When ⬤ Throughout July Where ⬤ Throughout the city Content Warnings ⬤ possible stardust shenanigans, threads will be marked as such
[It might not be easy to pick up on at first, as this young man is quite skilled at moving about the city silently. But at some point it will be obvious that you have a shadow following after you. He's not staying too close, but he's close enough to see where you go and follow after.
What do you do? Do you try to book it and avoid him? Or do you confront him?]
[Lalli knows that Stardust is a potent drug. He knows it makes people act weird. He knows he's been ordered to just confiscate the contraband and turn it in back at the office. And he knows he should just follow those orders and not question it.
But he's curious. And after liberating a small bag of Stardust from some street thugs, Lalli is now looking over the bag questioningly. A tiny smell won't hurt, right? Then he would know what it smells like, to make it easier to track down.
Intervene if you like. He's also just standing there like a doofus with it, so you can probably snatch it out of his hands to sell it to the medicine woman if you want.]
[Those are the shouts of a random street dealer as Lalli pursues him. His wild flailing is really no match for the silent speed of a trained scout, so Lalli catching up really is a forgone conclusion. He's also not really trying to arrest this man either, he just wants to grab the packets of Stardust the dealer is carrying. It's a quick grab-and-go, as he has done many times in the past. Lalli tends to follow his orders pretty literally, and the orders were to collect Stardust, not arrest people.
But this time doesn't go as planned. This time there is a horrible accident. As Lalli takes the last couple steps to reach the street dealer, his hand is extended towards the man's pocket, where the packets of stardust are. But as he grabs, the man turns down an alley, meaning one of the packets gets caught between Lalli's fingers and the corner of that pocket. The thin plastic containing the Stardust rips open in a burst of powder, startling both Lalli and the dealer.
The dealer keeps running. Lalli skids to a stop, but not before sliding through the cloud of powder and inhaling a big mouthful of it.
This leaves Lalli standing there by an alley, coughing up a storm as he tries to wipe the Stardust off of his face. He can barely see for all his eyes are watering right now, but he can see a shape of somebody nearby. And he'll call out to that person between his coughing:]
[Working in pairs is always a pain, but someone has to keep an eye on the newbies. Besides, Lalli's skills have proven quite useful over the months, and passing on some of his knowledge is actually pretty helpful. As long as his students listen to him the first time he explains things, then he doesn't mind showing them a few tricks.]
How good are you at climbing?
[Might as well get that part out of the way first. Lalli's preferred method of travel is rooftops, after all. If Shealtiel can't climb then they'll have to work out something else though.]
[Well. Lalli's busy out in the field and doesn't have time to run back to the office to report his findings, so instead he's going to tuck himself into a quiet space and pull out his phone. There's a few people he could call, but there's one in particular he thinks of first.
[Nero missed the majority of this. Usually when people are running from cops he doesn't get involved with it. He sighs a little bit and turns into the alley, pulling out a flask of water.]
I got some water. You okay?
[Oh hey, this was the guy who let him hang out in his apartment. It's a big enough city he wasn't expecting to run into Lalli again.]
[Sorry Nero you're involved now. Lalli is kind of glad that it's a somewhat familiar face at least.
Lalli will take that flask, thanks. He's quick to pour it on his face and start washing off the powder, he really doesn't want to get any of it into his eyes. It's helping with cleaning up the majority of the Stardust, but he still inhaled some of it and the drugs are definitely starting to work their way into his system. It's only a small amount, but he's never used it before so it's going to hit him hard in about five minutes.
As he wipes off his face, he'll hold out the now-empty flask of water towards Nero.]
[ It takes a few rings of the phone until van Zieks manages to finish the file update he was just doing on his computer - though he usually prefers to work with print-outs, it is sometimes inevitable to try and make his way through inscrutable software.
[Lalli, who is standing right by a fire escape that goes to the top of a nearby building, who stops for a moment when Shealtiel talks about not being able to scale a building.]
...
Think you can manage with a ladder? It's easier once we're already up there.
[He at least has remembered to say his name before starting to speak, he's Learning.]
I found a building with an entrance guarded by big men in sunglasses. There is loud music coming from inside. I have been observing it and sometimes people enter with little packets of Stardust.
[Drinking and eating is a good idea though, especially with how even street food is starting to smell really good. Lalli is a very picky eater, but that takoyaki stand a block away is starting to smell tempting.
He's going to just. Grab for Nero's hand. And start walking in that direction.]
[Nero's too surprised to pull away. He doesn't know this guy that well, but, uh, okay? Looks like his little walk is turning into a surprise outing with a surprise guest.]
[ It is very good that Lalli remembered to do that because van Zieks routinely forgets to check caller ID. Tech is hard... he once considered himself a competent man keeping up with the times, but currently he feels like a grumpy grandpa. ]
Good work, but would it kill you to be a little more specific? Where are you right now?
Following You (open)
What do you do? Do you try to book it and avoid him? Or do you confront him?]
Stardust (open)
But he's curious. And after liberating a small bag of Stardust from some street thugs, Lalli is now looking over the bag questioningly. A tiny smell won't hurt, right? Then he would know what it smells like, to make it easier to track down.
Intervene if you like. He's also just standing there like a doofus with it, so you can probably snatch it out of his hands to sell it to the medicine woman if you want.]
Stardust Accident (open)
[Those are the shouts of a random street dealer as Lalli pursues him. His wild flailing is really no match for the silent speed of a trained scout, so Lalli catching up really is a forgone conclusion. He's also not really trying to arrest this man either, he just wants to grab the packets of Stardust the dealer is carrying. It's a quick grab-and-go, as he has done many times in the past. Lalli tends to follow his orders pretty literally, and the orders were to collect Stardust, not arrest people.
But this time doesn't go as planned. This time there is a horrible accident. As Lalli takes the last couple steps to reach the street dealer, his hand is extended towards the man's pocket, where the packets of stardust are. But as he grabs, the man turns down an alley, meaning one of the packets gets caught between Lalli's fingers and the corner of that pocket. The thin plastic containing the Stardust rips open in a burst of powder, startling both Lalli and the dealer.
The dealer keeps running. Lalli skids to a stop, but not before sliding through the cloud of powder and inhaling a big mouthful of it.
This leaves Lalli standing there by an alley, coughing up a storm as he tries to wipe the Stardust off of his face. He can barely see for all his eyes are watering right now, but he can see a shape of somebody nearby. And he'll call out to that person between his coughing:]
H-hey! Help?
Cracking down (closed to shealtiel)
How good are you at climbing?
[Might as well get that part out of the way first. Lalli's preferred method of travel is rooftops, after all. If Shealtiel can't climb then they'll have to work out something else though.]
RING RING (closed to Van Zieks)
Ring Ring Ring, answer your phone Van Zieks.]
no subject
I got some water. You okay?
[Oh hey, this was the guy who let him hang out in his apartment. It's a big enough city he wasn't expecting to run into Lalli again.]
no subject
Lalli will take that flask, thanks. He's quick to pour it on his face and start washing off the powder, he really doesn't want to get any of it into his eyes. It's helping with cleaning up the majority of the Stardust, but he still inhaled some of it and the drugs are definitely starting to work their way into his system. It's only a small amount, but he's never used it before so it's going to hit him hard in about five minutes.
As he wipes off his face, he'll hold out the now-empty flask of water towards Nero.]
Thanks.
no subject
Yeah, no problem. This what you're doing over in Enma?
[Chasing down people for their stashes?]
no subject
Mhmm. Tracking supplies from dealers to find the manufacturer.
[Sort of. Lalli isn't being particularly helpful on that front, besides getting Stardust off the streets. But it's something.
Once he's wiped his face off, he grimaces.]
I think I breathed some.
no subject
It'll start hittin' soon.
Uh. Do ya know what it is? [Because if that's cocaine Nero cannot help him even a little bit.]
no subject
[So, not quite cocaine but it's definitely an upper. He's in for a trip.]
no subject
[Drink? Eat?]
no subject
I'm decent. I wouldn't say that I could scale any building or anything, but I can manage if I need to.
Why? Are we going to be climbing?
no subject
These days have been far too busy. ]
Van Zieks speaking. This better be urgent.
no subject
...
Think you can manage with a ladder? It's easier once we're already up there.
no subject
[He at least has remembered to say his name before starting to speak, he's Learning.]
I found a building with an entrance guarded by big men in sunglasses. There is loud music coming from inside. I have been observing it and sometimes people enter with little packets of Stardust.
no subject
[Drinking and eating is a good idea though, especially with how even street food is starting to smell really good. Lalli is a very picky eater, but that takoyaki stand a block away is starting to smell tempting.
He's going to just. Grab for Nero's hand. And start walking in that direction.]
no subject
Where are we going?
no subject
( It's only a problem if there's nothing to grab onto!! He shifts to rest a hand on the fire escape in question here, glancing back to Lalli. )
So, we're going up to the top of this?
no subject
Good work, but would it kill you to be a little more specific? Where are you right now?
no subject
Don't. Ya should fuckin' know better'n t' snort shit ya took off some shitheads.
[ Says the man who ate Stardust off the streets. Do as I say, not as I do. ]
no subject
Wasn't going to.
[He totally was going to.]
I haven't had it before. I was wondering why people want it so much.