[b][u]July 11th, 6 PM
Hell's Corner, Hub City[/u][/b]

[center][img]https://s1.postimg.org/9bby4f3tzj/Alias.png[/img]
&
[img]https://s26.postimg.org/t15wc76o9/The_Question.png[/img][/center]

Shams held her hip, fingers touching the smooth leather that held her pistol, the thing that was keeping her from being one of the many people here cornered in alleyways and forced to give up their wallet, lives, or worse.

She tossed down her cigarette and stamped it beneath her foot. The smoke held in the air far longer than she had expected, it was almost supernatural, part of the same ugly smog that smothered the city underneath. She reached to adjust her hijab, only to touch hair. She sighed and lowered her hand, she couldn't wear it here, but she couldn't help but think it was still there. It was her religion, it was a part of her, but she couldn't, not unless she wanted to be lynched, burned at the stake like some witch, nobody would come for her, not her colleagues, not anybody. It was better to just look like a cop, especially the cops in this city who were all too corrupt to do something that could come close to resembling their jobs.

She began walking down the evening street, a thick smoggy mist blanketing everything and halting what vision she had. It smelt like rotten eggs and felt like a sauna. Disgusting.

She looked at her watch and smiled as the clock hit six, now she was supposed to finish up, but there was nothing she'd want to do less than go back to that goddamn station and have to pretend that she was just as corrupt as the rest of them. No, she'd read the stories, seen the pictures. If some guy in a trenchcoat could effectively fight crime, then why not a cop?

She climbed into her car and drove towards her apartment, time to change, time to mentally prepare, and time to do what she'd been waiting to do for the last week.

[hr]

[b][u]11 PM[/u][/b]

Five hours and little accomplished, she'd be disappointed if she wasn't so exhilarated. The one punk she'd found had been so satisfying to beat, to break until he told her all he knew about the Bastardos or whatever the fuck they were. He didn't know much, but information wasn't exactly what she had been looking for, the ability she had to punish him for his... advances towards women, without fear of reprisal or denouncement, it was more than she could handle. The justice system may have been broken, but the city had its protectors.

Speaking of protectors, she had really been hoping to see the other masked vigilante, the one they called "The Question". No sightings had been reported in quite some time, and some had begun to believe he'd never existed at all. She knew better, of course, as a police officer she knew far more than she had any right to.

Alias strolled into another alleyway, draping her crowbar over her shoulder. She didn't hear anything, but she had the slightest hope that perhaps there was someone there she could... detain? Was that the right word.

The click of a gun answered her question, perhaps not in the way she intended.

"Who the fuck is this?" A voice asked from the darkness.

"Who cares? They saw us, that can't stand."

Alias looked into the darkness, but couldn't see anything, and that was bad, she knew she was at gunpoint, but there wasn't anything she could do about it.

In her mind she began to pray for a miracle, even though that was a long shot above all long shots. She berated herself for not being more careful, but felt resigned, there was little she could do but wait for the inevitable.

~~~

For about half an hour, he had been following the person. They wore what appeared to be pantyhose over their head, which one could assume was supposed to be a mask, and if there's a mask it's easy to come to the conclusion that the person wearing the mask is a vigilante, so long as they were wandering around in the middle of night as well.

In a way, following this vigilante kind of reminded the Question of his first encounter with Lady Arcana, back when he thought she was just some kid trying to steal his trenchcoat look. Come to think of it, following people around, whether they're vigilantes or not, was pretty creepy of him. Well, it's not like he was going to win the award for least creepy person in the world without the light stalking either.

Back to the task at hand. This person was roaming the streets, toting around a crowbar, and seemingly in search of crime. While he didn't feel he was ready to mentor someone, after all he had just completed the first phase of his own training, perhaps teaming up with this person would help keep the streets of Hub City clean.

Just as he was about to make a dramatic introduction when they walked into the alleyway, he noticed a few guys shipping drugs in the alley. The guys noticed the person before the person noticed them, and it wasn't long before the shippers had the vigilante at gunpoint.

Well. This just means his entrance will be more awesome.

He didn't need to call upon the training with his mentor to deal with lowly thugs like these. They brandished around guns that they didn't know how to use, had sloppy fighting techniques, and were often too doped out of their minds to think of clever plans to dispatch opponents.

So. Two guys, one Question. Could throw the one without a gun into the one with the gun, and then utilize a quick kick to the head to knock them out. Easy.

It was over before it even started. He dropped down from a fire escape, stuck to the shadows as he made his way swiftly, but silently, to the thugs, and before they could say 'I got my ass handed to me' they were out for the count.

The Question, back facing the other vigilante, turned his head for a dramatic reveal. [color=004b80]"... First night out, I assume?"[/color]

~~~

As soon as the first blow sounded, Alias drew her pistol and pointed it into the dark. She could barely see anything, with her face covered and the dark shadows hiding them, but she could just barely make out silhouettes, and it was incredible how fast he moved, the one in the long-coat. He dealt with the dealers in a way so efficient it almost seemed like he was superhuman, and Alias could do little but watch, her hands beginning to tremble and shake as she continued pointing the gun at the faceless shapes in the dark.

Then the fighting was over, almost an instant later. Well, perhaps "fighting" was a little exaggeratory. The man turned to her, and the moonlight highlighted him perfectly. This was the man who had inspired her, who had made her do this, and here he was, before her, in the flesh.

She began to shake even more, her chest feeling like there was a massive pressure being put upon it. She swallowed her spit and nodded in response to his question, slowly, her head moving in mechanical intervals.

She opened her mouth to talk, then clamped it shut, she found herself unable to think of anything to say. So she didn't say anything. Instead, she approached slowly, still holding her gun in her hands. She examined him as she did, looking at his non-existant face through her gun's sights.

Then she stopped, finally thinking of something to say.

[color=blanchedalmond]"Actually, no, it's not my first night, I'm a police officer,"[/color] she said, attempting to deepen her voice as far as she could, a slight Arabic accent appearing due to her nervousness. [color=blanchedalmond]"But, it is my first night... actually changing things."[/color]

~~~

A police officer? The Question quirked an eyebrow beneath his mask at that, turning his body fully to face the person. [color=004b80]"Not many police officers would consider taking up vigilantism. In fact, not many police officers are good people these days."[/color] He replied, crossing his arms.

[color=004b80]"I condone you wishing to help the people of the city, but so far it seems you'll need a bit more than a mask and some weapons to do that."[/color] Question added. [color=004b80]"Still, did better than I did on your first night out. Didn't get beaten to hell and back because you bit off more you could chew."[/color]

~~~

She frowned beneath her makeshift mask

[color=blanchedalmond]"I would have been shot if you hadn't shown up, frankly I'd rather have your first night over dying in some alleyway to some drugged up morons,"[/color] she said, a tinge of anger entering her stoic monotone. [color=blanchedalmond]"A police officer should be more capable than that, even the corrupt ones."[/color]

She looked down in embarassment only to notice something about the man's shoes. They had elevated heels, big ones too. She smirked behind her mask but didn't mention anything about it, it wasn't important.

[color=blanchedalmond]"I thought I was ready, I prepared myself for this day for weeks, I bought a car battery, some jumper cables, a Marvin King mask, I was so ready. Then reality just smacked me down like it's done to me ever since I was born,"[/color] she said bitterly, lowering her gun finally, this Question man having established himself as not being a threat to her.

She was too overwhelmed by meeting the man to remain bitter however, and she continued to stare in wonder, asking herself a great number of questions about him. She supposed she'd have to actually ask one of them at some point before she started steaming from the ears in anticipation, but for now she'd just let him speak, it was hard not to when you could barely force yourself to talk over the incredible amount of pressure in your chest.

~~~

Question listened to the vigilante speak, not interrupting them. As he did so, he also listened carefully to the voice, searching for a distinct accent or any other notifiers of the person's identity. He thought he heard a trace of Arabic earlier, thought perhaps it was just his mind playing tricks on him. However, he did notice that the person's voice took on a fabricated deep quality. From the way it sounded, the vigilante was more than likely a woman.

[color=004b80][i]'First Grim, now this person, huh? Why don't they just show that they're female like Arcana?'[/i][/color] The detective shrugged to himself, then cleared his throat slightly and replied to the police officer turned vigilante. [color=004b80]"Know what it feels like, to think the universe is against you from birth. But the universe doesn't make us this way. We do. We can choose to sit down and take it, or we can choose to do what we believe is right."[/color]

The vigilante began to slowly walk around the woman, studying her as he spoke. [color=004b80]"I think that's why you chose to become a vigilante. You want to help people, otherwise you'd be no better than the dozens of cops who take bribes and turn a blind eye to criminal activity. The thing is, right now it seems you can't do it alone."[/color]

He came to a halt. [color=004b80]"I suppose what I'm asking is if you want to team up. Someone needs to watch these streets when Arcana's off doing other things, like that riot in New York a few months back, and we can't do it alone."[/color]

~~~

Alias watched Question closely as he wandered around her, giving her a rather nice speech about what it meant to be a vigilante, he even managed to effectively guess what her reasoning was as to becoming a vigilante herself. It was rather impressive, almost Holmesian.

Then he asked her to be his partner.

Alias found it hard to hide her jaw dropping even with the sock over her head. She'd been at it for five hours and already she was being propositioned by the Question, who had been at it for years if the rumors were true.

Alias found herself unable to find a place to put her hands as her mind exploded into a cacaphony of thoughts and emotions. Then finally, one word above all the other thoughts surfaced.

[color=blanchedalmond]"Yes, I am willing to work with you,"[/color] she said, attempting to retain her composure and indifference despite her head being filled with screaming and glee. [color=blanchedalmond]"You're right about all of that, I know now that going it alone is a poor decision, so the help would be much obliged."[/color]

She approached him and tapped her toe against the heel of his shoe, revealing what she had noticed before.

[color=blanchedalmond]"And I'm a bit of a detective myself,"[/color] she said, smiling widely behind her mask.

~~~

Question found himself smiling when she accepted his offer, grateful for the assistance. Perhaps he could even take her to Bruce, so he could train her as he did him? [color=004b80]"Great. We should get sta-"[/color] He was cut off as she tapped the heel of his shoe.

[color=004b80][i]'... Oh, fuck, she noticed the elevated heels. Just play it cool, play it cool, play it cool.'[/i][/color]

[color=004b80]"Hurm. Well, at least I don't need to tie my breasts down. Should invest in a voice modulator, will hide your gender better than growling."[/color]

~~~

Alias found herself unable to effectively stifle the chuckle that rose from her throat in response to Question's recommendation, judging by his tone he'd been more effected by her statement then he tried to let on.

[color=blanchedalmond]"Listen I already have an abandoned warehouse filled with a large number of objects that you'd find rather strange, any more money spent and I'll be living on the street,"[/color] she admitted with a pull on the cuff of her glove.

She turned around and looked around back in the direction of the street, realizing just how exposed they were, eh, it didn't matter, most Question sightings were barely taken seriously anyway, even with the space-cop interview.

[color=blanchedalmond]"Well, I think that's enough crime-fighting for tonight. We should decide on a meeting place for when we talk next,"[/color] Alias said, trying to stifle a yawn.

~~~

[color=004b80]"Should meet at that warehouse of yours. Just need the address and a time, and I'll come."[/color] Question said, pulling out his journal and pen, tearing a page from it, and passing the page and pen to the woman. That should be all... Though he feels like he's forgetting something...

Oh, right.

[color=004b80]"Would also like to know your alias. Would be strange to be partners and not have something to call you beyond 'you'."[/color]

~~~

Oh boy, this was sure to be interesting.

[color=blanchedalmond]"The warehouse is 32 Red Street... and my alias..."[/color] she said reluctantly, trying to think of a way to reveal her name without it being awkward or humorous.

Finally she gave up and just said it flat out.

[color=blanchedalmond]"My alias... is Alias."[/color]

~~~

[color=004b80]"... Huh. Well, I didn't even come up with my alias, the first news report just called me the Question and it stuck."[/color] He patted Alias on the back, then tipped his fedora. [color=004b80]"I'll see you at the warehouse at 6:30 PM, tomorrow. Good luck."[/color] And with that, he faded into the shadows.

~~~

Alias watched as Question left, watching intently as he faded into the foggy shadows.

She was in shock honestly, she barely payed attention, she only felt her heart pounding in her chest.

Then she had a realization.

[i]'Hold on...'[/i]

[i]'Did he just fedora-tip me?'[/i]