2023.05.18 PRP: Installation Troubles

Creating 2023.05.18 PRP: Installation Troubles
Viktor encounters some trouble on his way to install cameras
IC Date	05.18.23
Players	Viktor, Shinju - ST Shinju
Location	Alleyways of Chinatown
Spheres	Mage

It's late afternoon in Chinatown, not too long from sundown. Finding parking was... difficult. What with the central district always being full to bursting with tourists and revelers that spill off elsewhere. The residents that hired Viktor to install a set of wireless security cameras and a smart lock/doorbell system -did- specify that he get there after 5pm so they could be home when he did it, so the difficulties in arrival at least aren't a problem there. The address seems to place the home somewhere in the Zhuzhai District, but the maze of roads makes it impossible to find the house directlyf rom the roads. The closest parking place the man in the van can find seems to be a block or two away, some sideroads and alleyways inbetween it and the address.

Viktor grumbles a little bit as he parks the van, looking at the destination dot still annoyingly distant on his phone's map. Then with a sigh and a shrug he moves to the back of the van to pack the tools and items he needs into a large duffel bag. He hops out and locks the van behind him before checking the map again and looking up and around to orient himself to it. Resettling the weight on his shoulder. He starts out on foot down the street, looking around at the unfamiliar neighborhood.

As Viktor walks down the street, he can hear the sounds of distant revelry from the more central parts of the place. The people on the street he parked on give him passing glares as he begins to walk down it... they seem to be more locals than tourists, though there are a few still looking in the windows of the small shops out here. As per the guiding GPS map, the quickest way through to his destination looks to be through a side alleyway that cuts between the sandwiched buildings.

Viktor looks at the map, then the alley, then the map again. Welp, it's not like it's going to be worth trying to go around, right? He shifts the bag to his other shoulder and starts down the alley, hoping he's not getting any dirty looks from the locals.

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Viktor rolls Perception + Alertness vs 7 for 3 successes. <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

As he ducks down the alleway, he seems to avoid getting any more looks. It's quiet, dim, the light of the sun not reaching here well due to it being so low in the sky. The only things here are some trash cans, side entrances to the surrounding shops, and a dumpster sticking out from one side. The alleyway looks to be split by another one that goes inbetween the buildings, perpendicular to his current one connecting to the street. As Viktor approaches that intersection, though, he can hear the sound of footsteps and voices around the corner... sounding like they're almost to the intersection as well. They're speaking in some Asian language, which he can't tell, but they have quite the passioned tone... probably 2-3 people together.

Viktor steps to the side of the alley wall on his side of the intersection, giving them a chance to pass before he blunders into them. He also takes a moment to glance at the time on his phone, hoping he's not late enough to annoy the clients. Hopefully he can finish the job fast enough to make up for lost time...

After Viktor steps over to the side, staying close to the wall, the source of the sounds he heard quickly become visible. Three men wearing simple white-based t-shirts and rugged black pants, looking to be locals based on their asian appearance, talk to eachother as they walk through the alleway. At first, they seem to just pass by... but then one of them gets a look at Viktor and taps the shouldres of the others who would have otherwise kept walking. Quickly, they all turn, one of them stepping forwards with a smile as he looks up and down Viktor. 'You look lost. What are you looking for with that bag?' he says in pretty good English despite the accent.

Viktor gives them a polite and friendly smile, nodding at the alley past them. "Nope, not lost. Just here to help some people on the next block with an install. I'm sure I can find it, no problem."

'Ooooh install. What are you installing?' he says. 'Install... he is going to the houses. Must be expensive...' the one on the left adds.

Viktor shrugs, keeping his attitude friendly and casual. "Naww, nothing professional grade or anything. Certainly nothing to get excited over. Still, a job's a job, right?"

The one in the middle steps forwards a bit uncomfortably close, looking down at the bag. Viktor is definitely taller than any of the three by a bit, but they don't seem to care... looking from the bag, up to him. Still with the grin. The others Start walking closer too. 'Not professional? Really? Why don't you show us what you mean?'

Viktor shakes his head, still smiling. "Sorry guys, but I'm running late. How about some other time? Hell, meet me at Fry's tomorrow and I'll give you a whole demo."

'Ohoh, fry, sounds interesting...' the one on the left says. 'Running late? We can help you lighten the load.' The one right in front of Viktor says... as he unhooks the thick chain hanging from his belt. 'Drop the bag. And you wallet... and we will let you run back where you came from.'

Viktor looks over their heads at the alley behind them and talks past them. "Well, that's disappointing, isn't it?" Then he turns and runs like hell back the way he came. As Viktor spouts out his words and turns to run, the chain-wielding thug seems to have been expecting it. Before Viktor can even start running, he whips the chain down, tangling up his legs and knocking him flat to the ground with a painful thud. The thug on his right immediately tries to pin Viktor to the ground, but misses as Viktor narrowly rolls over. After Viktor pulls himself up as fast he can, the last thug tries to go in for a grab as well, but fumbles it up thanks to Viktor's quick thinking. As this is happening, a figure garbed in a purple and black kimono trots by the alleway entrance that Viktor came in from. She seems to be minding her own business at first, a pipe hanging from her mouth, but she turns once she hears the commotion. She steps quickly into the alleway, staring down the thugs and Viktor in full view. "Oi, oi, what do you think you're doing? Get the hell away from him you damn sickos!" She says in a fiery tone, English bearing no audible accent. The thugs grin at the 'small' lady inbetween their panting breaths trying to get after Viktor, one managing to say out. 'Oh, and what are you going to do about it, lady?'

Viktor looks up at the woman as he scrabbles his feet, and gestures to try and warn her off. "They've got weapons, run!"

This time, Viktor manages to kick his survival nerves into action, slipping away from the thugs as they go to attack him once more. They quickly start to make chase as he runs towards the exit of the alleyway, but then... the woman Viktor told to run instead walks forwards, positioning herself inbetween Viktor and the thugs. Not a moment later, her hand has already slipped into her robe... and pulled out an ornate black-and-gold sheathe, from which she immediately draws out a shining silver blade. A katana. She holds it towards the thugs, eyes narrowing. "What will I do about it? How about take some fingers. Or hands. Goddamn thieving scum..." she says with pure bile. The thugs immediately hesitate as they see the blade, looking at one another... before slowly turning and running around the corner of the alleyway... but not before spouting something in the Asian tongue they were speaking before as they duck out.

Viktor stops at the sight of the blade, then turns and watches as the men run off. His chest works fast as he tries to catch his breath. "Uh, wow... Thanks, really, but I'm glad you didn't have to use that."

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Viktor rolls Awareness + Perception vs 8 for 0 successes. 1 -1 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Shinju watches the men run off with a pure look of scorn over her face. She quickly turns the blade around and sheathes it in one smooth, perfect motion... just watching her doing it looking like something right out of a movie with the amount of skill it conveys. She stows it back in her kimono, letting out a puff of white smoke as she pulls the pipe from her mouth."Damn right. I hate having to clean off blood. They were smart." Then, she turns back to Viktor, giving him a look over. "They rough you up too bad? You look scuffed up." Now, in less strenuous of a situation, Viktor can sense something subtley... off about the woman. Not in a way that makes him not want to be around her, quite the opposite. She seems just a bit unusually nice to be around compared to the norm.

Viktor looks down at himself, assessing with a quick and practiced eye. His hands run down over his shirt and then his legs one after the other as he crouches. He straightens back up, his easy grin returning to his face. "I'll probably be sore in the morning, but it's not serious. Best case scenario, really, since nobody got hurt. Oh, and I'm Viktor, by the way."

Shinju gives him a simple nod, seemingly ignoring his words as she takes another drag from her pipe. She flicks it up and down with her teeth as she glances down at Viktor's bag, still where he threw it down. "This yours?" She says plainly.

Viktor runs his hand over the back of his head, looking embarrassed. "Yes, kind of. It's more that I'm responsible for it. And not doing a good job of that, apparently. Yeah, hell, I definitely owe you one. I didn't know this part of town was... so rough."

Shinju lets out a long sigh, picking up the bag and carrying it over to him. She hands it off. "Don't sweat it, I didn't do much. And... yes, shit happens, as much as I hate it. Just went off the beaten path and those scum decided it was ok to rob you because you ain't from here. Bad luck."

Viktor accepts the bag and throws it over his shoulder. "Maybe not much, but more than enough. Uhhh, shit, I need to get to the job site and finish this install, but can I buy you dinner or something afterward? Like I said, I owe you one, and I wouldn't even be getting this commission if you hadn't showed up."

"...buy me dinner? You trying to take me on a date?" she says, leaning up against the wall and placing one foot up on the side of her leg idly. She glances down at herself for a moment, gaze hardening, but quickly looks back up at him.

Viktor pauses, caught off guard by that and taking a moment to refocus his attention on her. "Huh? Oh, no, I mean I wasn't trying to imply anything like- But sure, I guess? That was the first thing I thought of, anyway."

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Shinju rolls Arete(3) (3 dice) vs 3 for 1 successes. 1 +5 10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======---> Viktor rolls Perception + Awareness vs 10 for 1 successes. 6 9 +10 <-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Shinju slowly reaches a hand into her kimono, but doesn't remove her gaze from Viktor. She lets out a long breath... then her face turns from a hardened expression to one of jubilant belly laughter. He can feel that -something- just occured, but he has no idea what. "Bahah, don't worry. Just messing with you. I won't turn down free food... go get whatever you're doing done and meet me at Ukiyo Sushi. Not far from here... and not dangerous. That is all...."

Viktor nods, his smile increasing a few degrees as he hauls the bag back up onto his shoulder. "Ok, sounds good. And I know that place, it's pretty good. I'll be... Call it about an hour, plus minus 5 minutes. This won't be a complicated job, I'll have it done in no time."