Living In The Fridge

Cast: date: 'October 8, 2012'
place: 'A-Type Safehouse'
participants: 'Jack, Mattie, Yuki'
synopsis: 'Jack and Mattie interview Yuki formally. Will she make the cut? Find out inside!'
log: "As the two agents approach the door of the safehouse, Mattie finishes giving the short rundown of facts she knows about the woman within the safehouse — homeless, cold powers, and apparently without proper identification, having spent many years in the Gloom. With one hand on a coffee cup, the redheaded American lifts her free hand to rap her knuckles on the door, once, twice, three times in a sharp and even tattoo. She has a key, but it's more polite this way, right? \n\n\"It's Mattie,\" she says a moment later, in case that helps ease any nervousness there might be on the other side of the door — since she briefly met the woman the day before, before duty called the agent off to an emergency in another part of town.\n\nMattie has coffee, Jack has tea. It's in a big blue cup with the little Tetley men printed around the sides and is overly light on the milk. He's also got a cigarette in one corner of his mouth, although it's not lit. While waiting for the door to open, he props himself up with a shoulder against the wall to the side and hunkers down a little into the multitudinous layers and hoods that he wears.\n\n\"Just so we're clear, darlin'. The lovable cockney is bad cop, and the icy American is good cop?\" he whispers to his companion.\n\nYuki answers the door, her hair in slight disarray, but on the whole looking better than when Mattie had left the previous day. She does look to have taken a proper shower, and her clothing, a white t-shirt and faded denim jeans, is cleaner. Still stained, handwashing in a sink doesn't seem to do much for that, but they're faded. \"Fancy that! They send th' pretty lady,\" she says, sounding happy enough to see her again.\n\nThen she looks at Jack, stepping back to let them in as she eyes him over, offering him as warm a smile as she can while welcoming them into a room fit to freeze. \"H'lo…I'm Yuki, it's nice to meet you, Mister…\"\n\nThe look the 'icy American' gives Jack is a cool one to be sure. \"Been watching too many American procedurals, Mitchell?\" she asks lightly, but then the door's opening. \n\nThe compliment earns Yuki a chuckle and a shake of her head. \"Mattie'll do. This is Jack,\" she says, nodding to the other man as she enters the room. There, she unslings a duffel bag from her shoulder. \"These should be about your size, give or take. Change of clothes, something to sleep in, some toiletries, that sort of thing.\" The bag is set on the table and the seats are gestured at. \"We're just here to talk to you some, see if you're interested in helping us out, see what you need,\" she says, sliding into one of the seats and waiting for the others to join her.\nA big fat toothy smile is offered to Yuki, \"Awright there.\" It's friendly enough, but with those yellow eyes in the shadows of the hood, perhaps a little offputting on first meeting. He didn't bring gifts, only tea. Which he isn't sharing. \"Bastard freezing in here, fair do.\"\n\nA big fat toothy smile is offered to Yuki, \"Awright there.\" It's friendly enough, but with those yellow eyes in the shadows of the hood, perhaps a little offputting on first meeting. He didn't bring gifts, only tea. Which he isn't sharing. \"Bastard freezing in here, fair due.\"\n\nLucky then he's wearing so much clothing, which he huddles in while moseying over to a chair, sitting next to mattie and wrapping semi-gloved hands around the mug. \"Can have a word with them pricks in maintenance if you want.\"\n\nYuki takes the bag and sets it down for now. There will be time to look through it shortly. \"Sorry about the cold, that's my fault,\" she says to Jack as she helps herself into one of the seats, drawing her legs up. Her shoes are absent, barefoot then, feet resting on the end of the seat. \"W'erever I go, th' temperature tends to drop…I c'n stop it, but anymore it's less trouble t' jus' enjoy it,\" she explains.\n\nTurning her eyes to Mattie, she nods her head, and hugs her arms around her legs, pulling her knees against her chest, \"I'm interested. Fair a time as I've 'ad of it, I saw 'ow that bloke Lex was…if I c'n help people avoid that…well…then show me th' dotted line,\" she says simply enough.\n\n\"We can use all the help we can get,\" Mattie says simply, though she raises a brow at Jack's comment regarding the chilly room. Her eyes slide back to Yuki. \n\n\"So you can control it? There's no moments where it gets the best of you, and you accidentally give anyone frostbite because they looked at you funny?\" she asks, then smiles, fingers fiddling with the lid of her coffee. \"I'm not making light — we have people who can't control their powers and it gets them in some trouble, now and then, and it's all right if that's the case. We'll just need to make sure we get you some practice. Can you keep it in check, and can you focus it if you need to, to protect yourself or hurt someone?\"\n\nJack doesn't wither under the raised brow, it's like water off a duck's back. He sips from his mug, peering across the table pensively while the tea does its best to stave off the chill. The agreement to be of assistance seems to be a mark in the positive column so far.\n\nAfter setting down the beverage, he pulls out a notepad from his pocket and, after crossing his leg over, rests it upon his thigh to write on and look serious about things. With Red asking the questions he feels no need to further muddy the waters at the moment. Mattie can clearly see that his note taking consists of doodles, interspaced with truly horrendous handwriting.\n\nA smile, and Yuki nods at Mattie's question, \"I've 'ad four years to practice,\" she says, her feet turning inwards a bit, toes rubbing against one another, \"Control depends on area, though…I c'n lower temperatures in a room like this one, but not outside. So I usually wear jackets in the summer,\" she explains, giving Jack a second to make his notes, her eyes turning to him briefly, before looking back to Mattie.\n\n\"It's th' same power I use w'en I touch someone…if I concentrate, I c'n localize it. Numb th' skin, or cause frostburn, even frostbite…but that kin' of control gives me bad 'eadaches an' such,\" she further explains, her smile softening a little, head tilting just a bit to the left, \"But as I said…not usin' it at all is tirin' too. Used to be th' other way 'round. Not anymore.\"\n\nMattie lets Jack play secretary, watching Yuki mostly before making the mistake of looking at his writing. It makes her pause a little longer than she should, tipping her head and narrowing her eyes as she tries to decipher whatever he just wrote. Knowing a lost cause when she sees one, she shakes her head as if to clear it of a bad memory and turns back to Yuki. \"There's always a downside, unfortunately. Aside from the paranormal abilities, do you have any other skills that would be of use to a group like ours? Did Cedric fill you in on any of what it is we do?\" She wraps both hands around her coffee cup, soaking in the heat from the plastic container.\n\n\"Do the heat make you uncomfortable then? Guess it's lucky you're living here, rather than someplace what actually gets a summer, innit?\" Jack chips in with a faint smile. Everything gets scribbled down still. It's very likely that not even Jack will be able to read it afterwards, but at least there are pictures. That little stick figure looks super cold. Interspaced with the discussion are little nods as appropriate.\n\nYuki closes her eyes for a moment as she thinks of stuff she can do for Mattie, \"Well, I c'n pick locks, 'least mos' th' older ones. I've 'ad to get into a few buildin's an' such for shelter before…but I didn' steal anything,\" she explains, her eyes opening partway as she looks at Mattie still, \"An' I know 'ow to write. I've 'ad to research everything I've taught myself th' last four years, so I'm good at findin' things out. An' I c'n scavenge anything useful. A butty in the trash, or somethin' worth a pound or two, good for buyin' fresher meals,\" she explains.\n\nThen she looks over at Jack, nodding as her smile actually vanishes, \"The 'eat does more th'n jus' that. Room temperature is uncomfortable, but manageable. But as it gets hotter, it gets worse. W'at would have someone else jus' sweatin' would burn me, or give me blisters. Bad stuff…I 'ad to learn that real fast. An' I learned it the 'ard way.\"\n\nThere's a chuckle when Yuki says she didn't steal anything. \"Sounds like we have some stuff in common. I lived on the streets a bit too, and I did steal things,\" she says in a hushed voice as if confessing. \"I was pretty good at it back then. Better now, but it's hardly a challenge anymore.\" \n\nMattie glances over at Jack's notebook to see if he's still jotting down notes, or what passes for them — most of it is pretty simple to remember at least. \"Have you fought any Others since you left the Gloom?\" she asks, the question a bit more serious than the others so far. \"By Others — I mean the things from the Gloom. It's what we call them. You, me, Jack here, Cedric — we call that Touched. Others are the … well, the others.\" Eloquent, Mattie is not.\n\n\"Yeah, I wouldn't worry about that. I've stolen a fuck load in my time. Reackon I may've been responsible for car insurance prices goin' up.\" Jack adds, joining the club. \"Now, were I a less reuptable fella, I'd be knockin' off banks about now an half-inchin' this, that an' everything. But.\" Whatever the but is, he leaves it hanging out there and instead shrugs a shoulder.\n\nHe's still writing. It looks like a picture of a money bag, the kind you'd get in a cartoon. That also seems like a drawing of a cheeseburger in a trashcan. The captions for these images are all entirely illegible.\n\nYuki shrugs a little, stretching her legs out just a bit, feet resting on the end of the seat as her arms still lay at least over her knees, \"I didn' break into people's 'omes or anything, there was nothin' to steal. Jus' a roof for th' rain,\" she clarifies, shifting a little in her seat and looking back at Mattie, \"I 'aven't fought 'em…but I know 'em. They follow me. If I stay in one place more th'n two or three days, they appear, an' I 'ave to run. I find crowds, busy places…an' lose 'em th' best I can, but they always come back,\" she answers, smiling a little again, \"An' it 'appens more if I use my powers more. Like it draws 'em or sommat,\" she finishes.\n\nThat said, she looks back at Jack, her eyebrows raised, her smile going from soft to uncertain of how she should feel with that information, \"Remin' me not to invite you over w'en I strike it rich,\" she kids.\n\n\"Me too, though I stole some food and money a couple of times. I was 15, though, and a bit of a wreck,\" Mattie says, lest she seem like a hard criminal. \"So we need to train you a bit in handling Others, if you want to go out in the field to fight the Gloom so to speak, or if you prefer working on the research end of things, we can possibly lead you that way. My notes say you don't have a real identification, so we can't do all our normal protocols. There might be another step after we make our recommendations to our supervisor. Do you have any questions for us?\" \n\nThe coffee is lifted at last and she takes a sip, before glancing back at Jack. \"Or do you have any questions for Yuki, Mitchell?\" Apparently she's willing to take the back seat once in a while.\n\n\"See, you only jus' met me. Give it a while an' you won't need no remindin'.\" Jack replies, jovially self-depracating. He doesn't clarify any further. It seems pretty obvious who the hardened criminal in the room is. Even if he has gone straight.\n\nContinuing to write, or draw, there's a picture of a little tentacle monster. \"As a matter of fact, I just might have. Figure you ain't had much in the way of medicals and whatnot. Spend a bleedin' long time in the Gloom though. How'd you feel about talkin' to a shrink, like? Any mental problems we should know about? Proclivities for eatin' human flesh or tendencies to lose your shit and go coocoo for co-co pops?\"\n\n\"I'm use' t' roamin' th' streets, so somethin' out an' about would probably be best,\" she observes, though she'll certainly leave it at that. Instead, Yuki nods her head with Mattie's observation, \"Yeah…th' bobbies couldn' give me a positive ID, so they didn' give me any way to reclaim it. I w's five w'en I went in, I don' remember nothin' 'fore then,\" she explains.\n\nWhen Jack starts his line of questioning, she shrugs her shoulders a little, \"If I 'ave to speak t' someone, I won' argue. Kin'a like to talk,\" she admits. But the part about tendencies and such, that causes her shoulders to droop, and again her smile vanishes, \"Well, I know it may soun' silly, but…spiders. After they tried t' eat me in that…the Gloom…I can't go near 'em. I see one, it 'as to die or I can't think straight…I spent twelve years runnin' from 'em…always chasin' me, always after warmth an' meat…so I hid in dark an' cold. Th' monsters in th' dark are easier to escape…\"\n\n\"We can probably get you some ID once you're cleared. Something to at least use to get on a plane or whatever if you like. Sonnenschein might be able to help you with that bit,\" Mattie says, daintily ignoring the topic of spiders. \"Jack's right though, since we can't do a typical background check, you'll probably have to chat with someone more equipped to check out your mental state and such. It might include someone with the ability to peek in your brain a bit, if you are okay with that. It doesn't seem you have anything to hide.\" \n\n There's a smile at that. \"Honestly, you're better adjusted than most.\" Her eyes narrow on Jack as if to quiet him before he can speak. \n\n\"Is there anything you need while you're staying here? Once you're cleared, you can move to a better one, a bit more secure. We'll find you a nice cozy damp basement without a furnace or something.\" There's another smile punctuated by another swallow of coffee.\n\nThere's some nodding, more scribbling. Jack takes things seriously. In some cultures it must be considered writing. From the other side of the table, at least, it looks like he's being very studious and taking a fully account of everything said.\n\nWith Mattie taking over the talking again — likely for the best — he takes a moment to drain the rest of his tea and again bunch up shoulders to try and sink down into his jackets.\n\nYuki slides her feet down off the chair, leaning a bit to one side on an armrest, her gaze lowering a bit, \"I don' know 'ow well I'm adjusted, really…you spend twelve years in there, you remember nothin' of your life before that…your whole life is hell, an' runnin' away…\" she says, shrugging and looking up at Mattie, \"I jus' try an' keep cheery. If I'm 'ere th'n I'm not there, good a reason as any t' smile,\" she explains, letting on a bit about why she's as cheery as she usually portrays, \"But I'll be glad t' talk t' someone…If they read my mind, could be fun…I don' do anythin' I feel ashamed of, 'least the books I read tell me it's all natural,\" she shrugs and laughs a little, not going into detail, \"…but…\"\n\nShe looks back up, gazing at Mattie, \"…If they c'n read my mind…I wan' to know if there are any mem'ries in there…of mum or dad. Of anything before I left this world…\"\n\n\"We're all a bit messed up. Or mad, to be more British about it,\" the American says with a shrug, her own gaze dropping as she worries at the coffee lid with fidgeting fingers. \"So it's all relative, you know?\" \n\nThat said, she rises and offers her hand to the other woman to shake. \"Thanks for talking with us, Yuki. There might be a couple of more steps in the process but it seems pretty straight forward.\"\n\nFollowing suit, Jack pulls the fag from where he stashed it for tea duty - behind the ear. \"Right you are, darlin'.\" he begins, punctuating it with the snapping closed of the notebook which returns to a pocket. \"Hang in there. You ain't as fruitcake as half of them what I seen, reackon you'll do fine. Before long you'll get into the swing of things. We're a decent bunch. 'cept me, apparently. I'm a raging twat.\" He owns it, at least.\n\nLighter gets pulled from pocket, flicked a few times experimentally. Someone's eager. \"Just grab the dog if you need anything, innit?\"\n\nYuki smiles again, looking between the two before Mattie stands and offers her hand. Yuki stands as well, reaching out to take it. Her hand is cold as ice, as if her blood itself were frozen. Probably not so far from the truth, actually. \"It's been a pleasure, th' both of you,\" she offers, her cheeriness returning, \"If there's anythin' else I need t' do, jus' let me know. Givin' me an actual bed t' sleep in, furniture…it's more than I c'n 'onestly repay.\"\n\nA little shiver runs through Mattie and she wraps her hands back around that cup of coffee; still, she smiles with sympathy. \"I understand. But you don't owe us specifically, and you'll pay it forward plenty. Trust me.\" \n\nShe moves to the door, opening it wide enough for Jack to follow her through, and slips outside."
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