2013.07.22 - New friends for old men

When last we left our intrepid non-registered heroes, they were hightailing it from a crime scene in Suicide Slums. Silver Ghost had asked Rain to meet him in the subway station one block over from the scene of his apparent death and resurrection, and had taken off through a nearby alleyway, while Rain flew off on her broom. This subway station may be familiar to Rain, if she's a homeless person, as a lot of homeless people make it their homes. With the high-speed rail system in place, the subway system has fallen into disuse more and more throughout the city, and the cost of completely closing it off wouldn't be cost effective for the city, so they have mostly locked the gates closed, and generally forgotten about many of the old stations. This particular station of course has been broken into, hence the number of homeless living here. Ghost meets her there, stepping through the various campers on the platform, leading the way, until he comes to a back wall, where a grand old arch stands in the tile, but has been bricked up. He turns to Rain then, and holds out a hand "Take my hand, dollface, we're gonna have to go through a few walls...." he says Rain is indeed, homeless herself. It's not too bad of a spot, though one can do better. She trusts him, though, and lands her broom nearby. She adjusts her hat, looking around. Well, most of the good subway spots are taken. She spots Ghost, and heads over towards him. "Um?" Her eyes widen at the prospect of going through walls. "Okay, but I'm gonna be upset if I get smacked into a wall." Rain seems a little dubious but she's willing to give it a try, carefully taking his hand. "You can call me Rain, by the way." The Ghost just chuckles as she takes his hand. "You won't. Trust me...." he says, and then pulling her forward, he steps into the wall as if it weren't even there. She can probably feel something happening as he does so, and is drawn along with him through the wall, which it turns out is very solid. It's just that she isn't. The effect might be a little disorienting, because at first there's a tingle, and then darkness, but after about two feet, the tingles stop, as does the tug on her hand. "Sit tight, sweetheart..." he says not calling her Rain as yet, before the soft click-clack of what sounds like a zippo lighter can be heard, and a flame bursts into existance, held by the Ghost, lighting a very old looking corridor, covered in dust. There is only one set of footprints through the dust, but it looks as though it's made more than one trip, as he pulls you along, further down the corridor. "This is a part of the subway that was closed off in 1915, just fifteen years after this part of the subway was constructed." he says, his voice echoing oddly in the darkened corridor. "The company that was running it ran out of funds, and just walled it off." he says by way of simple small-talk as he leads her onward. Rain smiles at his chuckle. She nods and lets herself go with. She isn't quite used to this sensation. It's different from teleportation, but - not. She stifles a gasp. Rain is quiet, though, letting herself go with it. She nods again. "Sure thing." A blink at the lighter, and she glances around. "Oh yeah?" She peers around. "Didn't know that one," She admits. "I tend to stay out of these, they're prime spots and they would always go fast." Pause. How would he - huh. "Well, this is pretty neat..." She is a bit awkward, the sort of awkward generated by being well, an engineer. Nerdy, really. But she seems quietly friendly. Ghost holds the lighter up "C'mon, we're going down...." he says, still holding her hand with one of his he leads her forward, down the corridor, and to a wide staircase, one side of which has caved in. Exposed pipes, and the dripping of water can be heard, as they carefully traverse the staircase, going down...down...down. "Don't worry about that..." he says about the caved in section, or the water dripping "this section of the tunnel's still mostly structurally sound." he says. After a bit they come to another 'station' deep underground. It too is covered in dust, as though no one's stepped foot in here in decades. Except for one set of footprints anyway. He leads her to the edge of the platform, and then lets go her hand, and hops down, offering his hand up to her again, to offer helping her make the transition from platform to tracks. "Sure thing." She keeps hold of his hand, following along. Rain glances around, nodding. "I see," She seems a little concerned. "I take it this is likely your stomping grounds?" She considers. Only one set of prints and all. Plus, not many folks can go through walls! She seems to trust him well enough so far. She carefully takes his hand and hops down into the tracks. "Thanks. It's really nice of you," She remarks, looking over to him. The Ghost's smile can't be seen beneath his mask, but he nods "You're welcome, Rain." he says and then looks around for a moment at her question about this being his stomping grounds "This? No, this is mostly just a buffer zone." he says "occassionally someone finds these old tunnels, so it's better to leave them undisturbed, so the explorers can say they saw all there was to see...." he says "My place is down the way...." he points down the subway tunnel "C'mon..." he says clicking off his lighter, and the sounds of him moving in the dark can be heard, before a flashlight of sorts flicks on. From the light that washes backwards from it, it's clearly a flashlight of some kind. More like an old fashioned 'electric torch', used back in the 1940s. It looks like a small car battery, with a lamp on the front. He begins walking down the tunnel, waiting only long enough to see that she's following. Rain smiles back at that. More to his words, since y'know, she can't see his smile. "I see," She glances around. "That makes sense." There is safety in being hidden. "Oh, I wish I'd brought tea or something. Now I feel a bit bad," She smiles a little at mention of his place. She follows him queitly, glancing around. There's a pause at the flashlight. Huh. That's pretty novel. Her eyebrows lift. She seems surprised by the flashlight. "Don't see many flashlights like that anymore," She remarks quietly. She follows him, though, wise enough not to try wandering around. The Ghost pauses, and looks down at it, and then chuckles "this old thing?" he says "yeah, it's....old." he says "I really need to go shopping for newer equipment one of these days...." he says leading the way. They follow the tunnel about another 200 yards, before they come to a cave-in. The cave-in doesn't look new either, considering how much dirt, and moss has grown over much of the rockfall. "Alright, ready for one more wall?" he asks, holding out his free hand, the other still holding the hulking electric torch. "Well, if it works..." She shrugs and smiles. Rain admits, "I was just surprised. You don't see many like that these days." Not really. She keeps following, blinking at the moss and dirt. She looks over it, with dark purple eyes. She nods. "Sure thing," She carefully takes his free hand. "And it's alright, we'll just go shopping sometime. I need to fix a toaster someone gave me to fix. My soddering iron went out." Sigh. The Ghost once again leads her into a solid rockfall wall, but the darkness this time is much longer. Perhaps a good fifty steps or so, until almost startlingly so, light bursts around her as she comes out the other side. Before her is a large, ornate looking old fashioned, and I mean REALLY old fashioned subway station. The kind with gilded metalwork, marble staturary, stained glass, old fashioned settees and wing-backed chairs scattered about. The tilework is art, laid into the wall. "Alright we're here...." he says clicking off the electric torch. "Go ahead and make yourself comfortable..." he says releasing her hand, and moving to a small set of steps up to the main platform. Parked on the tracks is a 1940 Plymouth Business Coup, silver, though it's up on blocks as the tires on it look nearly rotted away. The Ghost doesn't even seem to mention it as he slips off into what might once have been a ticket office for the subway. Rain closes her eyes. It's like teleporting for the first time. She winces at the light bursts. And then - she - ... stepped back in time. Her eyes widen a bit once she adjusts to the light. "Did I walk back in time?" She seems boggled. "It's nice," She nods and looks around. Rain's jacket is carefully taken off. She's awfully slender, though it is revealed she has two pistols. "Don't worry. These are relic guns. I keep them to work my magic. And - um, well." She wouldn't hurt him. A business coup. "Wow. You even have a classic car." She seems boggled again. "I should bring a coffee maker for you or something." She glances over. "By the way, what do I even call you?" The man's voice comes from within the office "What's that?" he asks and she can hear water running. After a few minutes, he walks out, having removed his hat, and trenchcoat. His head is covered by a towel which he's busily using to apparently dry his head. He brings the towel down, and...isn't wearing his mask. "Oh, the car...yeah she wasn't 'classic', the last time I drove her..." he says "And in private, you can call me Johnnie...." he says "Otherwise, when I'm wearing the mask, you can call me "Ghost", or what have you. The name used to be "The Silver Ghost"....the newsies called me that the first time I got photographed." he says and then chuckles "And, I suppose in a manner of speaking you did sort of just step back in time." he says "This used to be my hide-out." he says "about 62 years ago anyway. Stood empty until I got back to it last week...." he says "A coffee...maker?" he asks, and then walks over to a small area, and pulls out what looks like a metal coffee pot. "Got a perkilator right here...even bought a fresh can of java earlier this week...want a cuppa joe?" he asks. "What's what? Um. It's definitely a classic car now. People pay THOUSANDS for one nowadays," Rain looks over. She smiles, as he walks out and seems to be okay. "Let me know if I need to turn around for modesty's sake, too. I um, wouldn't want to impose." She tilts her head. "Johnnie. Well... my real name's Winter Moontree, but uh. That's really goofy, so I go by Rain. Winter's fine, too." As if that's much better. "I don't have many papers to my name these days anyway," She admits. She is homeless. "The Silver Ghost," She repeats. "That's a neat one. And huh. I'd ask what happened but that seems personal. And yeah, I think it's a later descendant of the percolator," She peers. "Ooh. Neat. Sure, I'd be glad." Rain replies. "Thank you." She appreciates it, anyway. Carmichal sets about brewing the coffee, in the old fashioned percolator. Turns out there's a hot-plate in here. "Winter Moontree...." he smiles "It's not goofy. I think it's actually kind of poetic...." he says gesturing to one of the wing-backed chairs nearby "take a seat, doll." he says "And modesty?" he asks, seeming confused, before he looks down at his blood stained shirt. "OH! No, no, no worries there...I'll change later.." he says "listen, I hear ya about papers. According to the world at large..." he says "I've been dead for sixty two years." he says. He looks to the car, and grins "I'm sure someone would pay a lot more for that one..." he says "she's special...well, she was sixty years ago anyway." he says "Gonna have to find someone who can update her some..." he says "but one thing I do know about 2013...they sure don't make 'em like this anymore." he says. Clearly the man loves his car. Rain smiles over. She blushes. "Thanks. That's really sweet of you," She seems touched. Most people giggle at her remarkably hippy name. She will carefully take a seat then. "And sure thing. Let me know if you need to stop by a laundromat. I have to wash a few things, too." And really, it's the least she can do. She blinks. "Well, we can probably find a mechanic. Lots of people like to keep the old bodies and put in new engines," She notes. "And it was more a statement of surprise," She admits. "Special transcends time, I think." Rain remarks. She seems sympathetic, actually. "But no, you're right. They don't." She tilts her head. "If you have any questions, I'll do my best." She smiles over. She seems happy for the fellow and his car. Carmichal just smiles, and seeing that the coffee has finished brewing pours two mugs of it. "Cream or sugar?" he calls over his shoulder. "I've been down at the public library downtown for days, just trying to catch up on everything." he says "But I'm having a hard time adjusting to some of the technology." he says "right now though I'm more interested in you...." he says "You're clearly some kind of witch..." he says chuckling "There weren't a lot of them in my day, but we had a few...none that rode on brooms that I know of though." he says "But you know, other than healing palookas like me when we do stupid things, what is it you do, Miss Moontree?" he asks. Rain pauses. "Ah, both, please. And yeah? That must be pretty rough," She admits. "There's been huge leaps. We even have hypertech in some places," She remarks. "But I'm glad to help if you ever like," She smiles over. Interested in her? Rain blinks owlishly. She turns a bit red. "I am. My eyes are my witch's mark," She nods. Purple eyes. "My family's seriously old school. Like, flying brooms and naked in the woods. Though, I'm too shy for the nudity," She smiles wryly. "I can do a few things. I'm good at divining things - where they are, anyway. I can do elemental magic. I'm still learning to teleport and portal, so uh." She pauses. "That's a work in progress. I was an electrical engineering student and had just gotten my degree. Then I sprouted powers and it's been a bit different ever since." She shrugs. "Nothing work shaking. Mostly the healing. And I wouldn't feel bad. You were fighting. He just got in a good hit is all." Carmichal brings over a tray with the mugs, and a small ornate glass sugar 'cup', with a small spoon in it, and a few small packets of creamer that look like they might have been filched from a Perkins Family Restaraunt somewhere. He sets this down on a small coffee table in front of the chair, and takes a seat across from her in another chair. He just smiles "You're awful kind to a guy, who shoulda known better than to try and go toe to toe with a torpedo like that..." he says "so you're an electrical engineer huh?" he says "looking for a job?" he asks "And yeah, don't worry about the uh...nudity." he says "A lady should be modest." he says "It makes her even more attractive to the fellas, at least, it did back in my day, in the crowd I traveled with. There was always those wolves, you know the type, looking for a pretty baby-bunny they could liquor up, and put to use. Dirt-bags...." he says showing his distaste for the 'users' in society. Rain smiles. "Thanks," She nods. She has no qualms about filching packets. That is what they are there for! She looks over and smiles. "Usually doesn't hurt to be nice. You seem to be a pretty good soul so far," She shrugs. "If not, there's always the pants on fire move." Really, it's easier to be a little more confident when you can set people on fire. She is obviously joking. "Thank you though, it's kind of you to say." There's a pause. "I usually do odd jobs, but sure. I'd be glad to help. I sometimes watch over a friend's garden home, so I stay there now and then. I am certain a visitor wouldn't hurt." She considers. "And um, well. There's lots of ways to be. Mine isn't more or less wrong than others. But yes, there are lots of wolves these days." She goes quiet. "How about you? Besides um, fighting bad guys." It's Carmichal's turn to look a little abashed, and he looks around "Well, see, that's the thing." he says "I mean you probably put the pieces together already, but I don't exist, in any legal sense anymore." he says "But it's a little stranger than that for me. See, two weeks ago, it was 1951 for me...." he says "I was a private investigator by day....the Ghost by night." he shrugs. "now......" he looks around his lair, and shrugs "I don't even know....I mean even if I had a legal identity, and could hang out my shingle again, who would want to hire a private dick whose entire experience, knowledge, and methodology became obsolete over 5 decades ago?" he "Fact is, I have money...." he says "Just before whatever happened to me happened, I had confiscated a supply of diamonds that were being smuggled. I still had them when I woke up last week, so I sold them off. Money isn't going to be a problem for a very very long time." he says "But what do I do with it? I don't know any scientists to outfit me with the gear I'd need to be able to function in this day and age as I used to. Back then my abilities gave me an edge...but we saw how that worked out earlier..." he says reaching up, and rubbing his still aching skull Hmm. Rain looks thoughtful. "Yeah, I was figuring so. I actually know a few people from the future," She admits. "I could ask them how they got papers," She offers. "Maybe you could even come along." She smiles. "And to be honest, as long as you stick to what Pinkerton and them did, a great deal of it still applies. We just have more technology. I can give you my camera if you'd like to learn to use that, for starters." Then a pause. "I don't know. Being able to be misty and stuff could be really handy. I think - I could loan you one of my relic guns if you would like." She is quiet a long moment, thinking. "What do you want to do, first of all? You're alive, you can come back from the dead it looks like. So you have time. If you were a detective, you're probably astute and good at learning. We'll start there. What would you like?" Carmichal chuckles "I used to use .45s" he says "Colt 1911As actually, but after a while, it just didn't seem right to be killing people who a lot of the time were just desperate." he says "I'd love to find some kind of non-lethal weapons." he says "As for papers, I don't know..." he says "I mean I hired this nice young lady to be my secretary a few days ago, and she said she'd teach me a little about these...what are they called...computers?" he says "so maybe we'll get that figured out...." he pauses as she brings back his recent resurrection, and he just smiles "Miss Moontree, please don't take offense here, but coming back from the dead? As far as I know only Jesus ever managed that feat without some kind of help...I just have a hard time accepting that. I mean I don't feel like I was dead...." he says "knocked out cold maybe..." he says "What I want to do is get off my duff and be useful again." he says "Take some of the scum off the street, live my life..." he shrugs, and reaches down pulling a flask out of somewhere on his person, and pouring some of its contents into his coffee, before he picks it up and takes a gulp "Ahhhh the cure for whatever ails ya..." he says. "To be frank, I use them to channel my spells, too," Rain smiles at his chuckle. "Also, there's a lot of folks who bounce bullets off." She considers. "There are martial arts classes. Or things like stun guns or pepper spray." She tilts her head at him. "And that'd be good to know. Computers are all over." She pauses. "Um. Your head was crushed in. As in squished." She taps her head. "I couldn't find your pulse. No breath, nothing. Your skull was crushed in. And yet... it mended right back." She looks at him in awe. "I speak as someone who heals people on the cheap, most folks don't survive that." She looks to him, baffled. " But I won't push it. Maybe you're just extra durable. If you like cleaning up the streets, then we'll help you do that." She offers. "There are classes you can take to get a detective's license. Some folks just go and register as heroes, too. I'll ask a person from the future how they got papers. We get so many folks from other worlds, other times. There's bound to be a department for it." Carmichal just considers her as she talks about his injuries, and then smiles skeptically. Apparently he doesn't believe her, but she doesn't press, and he doesn't argue it further. As she talks about papers, and the like he tilts his head thoughtfully "So how come you don't have any papers, if they're so easy to get?" he asks thoughtfully, taking another drink of his spiked coffee, before tipping whatever's in the flask once more over the cup, filling it more with whatever's in the flask than coffee. Technically, I have a social security number and all that. I just don't have a legal mailing address or place of residence," Rain shrugs. "It's probably better that I don't. Something like Hell pig would probably demolish it." Rain lets it go. She really should've taken a picture. She will sip her coffee, peering over at him. "Which seems to be the biggest obstacle. And honestly, I run into a lot of weird things. Like I think we had time traveling Nazis at some point." She ponders this. "A lot of points." Sigh. "I probably should register a PO box or find an apartment. My income is just variable and like I said, it'd be SO HARD to explain why a demon leveled my apartment or something. That, and I have no credit history." Carmichal looks duely mystified at the mention of 'credit history', since that is a concept that hasn't entered his experience as yet. "Oh." he says really having no other response to that. He's quiet for a moment, before he shrugs "I could set that stuff up for you, using maybe an alias, that way your uh...hell pigs or whatever wouldn't know it was you." he says "Like I said, I have the resources, and no outlet for them...yet." he says "I'm living in a hotel at the moment, though I spend most of my time here...since this place is familiar." he says and smiles "And you're welcome to stay here whenever you like, there's an entrance I put in last year....." he pauses "well, 63 years ago I guess, just in case I ever needed to get in, or out, and couldn't do it the usual way." he says.  Oh boy. Poor guy. Rain looks sympathetic. "It's um, not quite that easy. We have ties to people and the world around us, by virtue of being around them. Also, I'm magic so - some things can sense that." She seems amused. "But if you'd like, we could probably apartment hunt or stake out a nice place for you to detective it up." Grin. "And I understand that. It's a nice place," She looks around. "In its way." She looks over. "I may visit and check in. I don't mind giving you my phone number. I can mend you up or answer questions. I even repair things sometimes." Fingerwriggle. "I do make a fair amount of money now and then. Mostly since I do deliveries, too." Broomstick beats traffic! "And that's very wise." Carmichal just laughs and shrugs. "that seems fair." he says "though I don't even have a...whaddya call it...uh iPhone or anything like that yet." he says "my secretary was gonna help me get that stuff, but she kinda sets her own hours, and we've not had a chance to do it yet." he says "I should probably get some real sort of place to live though." he says "kinda hard without papers, and I'm not sure I want to set that up exactly...not as myself anyway." he says "I mean I told you about the diamonds, but, you know...I didn't exactly pay any taxes on them." he says blushing a bit, before lifting the flask to his lips. He takes a few gulps and smiles "And wise...me?" he chuckles "Never been called that before..."  "That's alright. A little at a time," Rain smiles and shrugs. "Worst case scenario, we can use mine. My name is good, I have a social security number and all that. I really don't mind," She peers over. "And that's okay. It'd be hard to tabulate anyway. I have a bank account from college but I wonder if it's even still open," She rubs her chin. "... my noodles fund." She jokes. There's a pause. "Why not? It seems to go hand in hand with clever." Carmichal laughs again "Clever's another I've never been called." he says "Hard boiled, maybe. A wise-ass most assuredly, but clever...wise? Those two are new." he says "Winter Moontree, I think I like you. For the record, my name is Johnnie Carmichal." he says "You already knew the first part..." he says "anyway, dollface, I'm gonna go shower off, clean up...thank you for healing my arm..." he says "and anything else you might have healed." he says implying he thinks she may have also healed his head, no matter what she's saying about it. "If you're hungry, the icebox is over there...." he says standing up, and heading back for the office again. Rain looks amused. "Oh? Well... thank you. I'm glad. I think the same of you. Liking-wise, I mean." She pauses. She goes quiet for a moment. "Pleased to meet you, then, Johnnie Carmichal," She grins. "And sure thing. I will stay quietly over here." She doesn't protest. "You're welcome. I hope you don't need my services again, but um, I'd rather you ask than stay hurt," She admits. "And thank you. I appreciate it," She peers over to the ice box. She seems awkward, but friendly.