Logs:For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Dramatis Personae Leo, Rachel, Tian-shin	2020-09-07 "I -- we know each other..."
Location <NYC> Chinatown
One of New York's oldest neighborhoods and the oldest Chinese enclave outside of Asia, Chinatown is a vibrant ethnic community, which draws throngs of tourists annually as well. This neighborhood is packed with Chinese-owned businesses, from restaurants to groceries to theaters to fashion It's a glorious Labor Day weekend, hot but not sweltering even in the solar oven of lower Manhattan. This is one of a dozen bubble tea stands on this cramped stretch of Bayard Street. This one is smaller than most, just a sliver of a storefront, but judging by the number of customers queuing out on the sidewalk it's a good one. Tian-shin looks like she's just come from court, as she often does these days, clad in a pink blouse and gray pencil skirt, suit jacket draped over one arm, sheer gray stockings and sensible black pumps. Her hair is neatly done up in a bun and secured with two black lacquer hair sticks, glossy like her shoes and purse. She has her back toward the establishment they are waiting for, facing the street that her eyes ceaselessly scan. For her all vigilance she sounds casual enough as she says, "If he says so much as another word to me outside of a hearing, heavens help me, I might--" She glances aside at her charge. "--behave very rudely to him." Next to Tian-shin in line, Leo is studying the menu intently and, just as intently, trying not to pay attention to the surreptitious and not-so-surreptitious glances he earns from stray passersby -- the stares in his direction far more common from the tourists than from those who move through the street with comfortable familiarity. He looks more casually dressed than his companion, though still neat; cigarette-cut black jeans, slim-fit vermilion button-down with a black mandarin collar, placket and black turn-up cuffs, and black ankle boots. A small smile pulls at his mouth, brief. "It sounds as though he's already more than earned the evisceration that's coming to him in the courtroom." Coming up the street is Rachel, who's dressed a step down from her usual pantsuit. Instead, she's opted for a pair of beige chinos, a white blouse with a teal-ish floral print, some leather oxfords, and a matching leather belt. It's not something she would wear on the regular, but Sundays were often the slowest of days, and a Labor Day weekend called for something a little more lively than a suit. As she approaches the line, she takes a second to glance at the time on her phone before deciding to stop behind the two. Her eyes linger on Tian-shin and Leo for a brief moment, then flick towards the menu without a second glance. Tian-shin chuffs a soft laugh. "Flatterer," she accuses, without any heat. "He has no case, but unfortunately he can stall almost indefinitely while my client is --" She breaks off when she spots Rachel approaching, doing a double take. "-- sitting in jail. Rachel? Rachel Haimowitz?" She glances back at Leo. "Sorry about that, it's just--we went to school together. This is just one of those small world moments. Um...how are you?" "Well." Here, Leo's smile thins just slightly. "I have learned a lot about how far the government can stretch the law if they've decided you're --" He cuts himself off with a small shake of his head, his eyes skipping to Rachel when Tian-shin addresses the other woman. His hand tightens just fractionally where it's been resting at the crook of his opposite arm. His nod is small, polite; briefly torn between busying himself with the menu and looking at Rachel he splits the difference, eyes dropping to a studied examination of the much-stained sidewalk. The mention of her name comes as a bit of a shock to Rachel, who suddenly looks away from the menu to focus on Tian-shin. A twinkle of realization lights up her gaze as she studies the woman in front of her. "Oh, wow, uh, it's been such a long time since I've seen you," she pauses as the woman's name escapes her, and she huffs, glancing down at the sidewalk between them before pushing the conversation forward, "I'm doing fine. How about you? I see you're in good company." She nods towards Leo. "Feels like it's been an age and change, though" Tian-shin allows, "that might just be this...whole year. This is--" She glances between Leo and Rachel. "Well, I guess he doesn't need much introduction, huh? I'm doing alright. Busy, so busy. Trying to keep my practice up, but I'm also teaching at a boarding school out in Westchester. And occasionally grabbing the best boba in town with badasses like this guy here." She quirks a smile at Leo. "A bit more formally: Leo, this is my old schoolmate Rachel. What have you been doing with yourself, anyway?" "The way everyone keeps saying this year about 2020 seems so optimistic," Leo says wistfully. A touch of red darkens his tan cheeks, and he looks back up at his not-quite-introduction. "Law school?" he clarifies, looking Rachel over and evidently deciding something about her answers his own question follows this up with, "-- what sort of practice?" Rachel nods as Tian-shin answers, her gaze skipping between Leo and her every now and then. "Ah," she stops and takes a moment to sift through her thoughts, "A colleague and I started a law firm in the financial district and we specialize in business and commercial law. You know, we're a single grain of a sand in a mile-long beach," she responds as she shifts her weight from one foot to the other. "Helping the community in more ways than one, I see. That's really lovely. If you don't mind me asking, are you still in the same practice? Or are you offering the Leonid Concepcion your legal advice? How do you two know each other?" she asks. "I do try to hang onto a little optimism." Tian-shin says, her smile rueful. "Yeah, we were at NYU Law together, and...I'm not surprised to hear that. But no, I'm not with Li and Associates any more." She tips her head in the direction of Mott Street, where presumably said law offices are located. "I went independent when I started teaching, though I do have a ragtag circle of like-minded colleagues. I do mostly immigration and civil rights law these days. I would," she admits, "offer Leo legal advice if he wanted it, but his situation is -- kind of unusual." At that last question, though, she looks to Leo, inclining her head. "I -- we know each other..." "No. Mutual friends," Leo's answer comes more readily, though his smile is just a little wry. "I don't doubt Tian-shin's skills in a courtroom -- or the usefulness of your profession as a whole. In some areas. But, well --" His shrug, the small tilt of his head as he edges up in line, it's more resigned than apologetic. "These recent chapters of my life have made it pretty clear to me the limits of trusting in the law. As -- well, a shield or a weapon." Rachel is silent, studying both of their features with just the smallest hint of uncertainty in her expression. Her uncertainty disappears once she pulls a polite smile that doesn't offer much in the way of substance. "Well, that's… interesting," she trails off. "I, uh, bid you two luck going forward. I'm sure you'll need it considering you're fighting an uphill battle." Tian-shin blushes. "Activism has taught me a lot about the limits of law, to be sure, but yeah, your entire life recently is a pretty dramatic demonstration of it." Her head dips. "Thank you. It was nice running into you. If you ever feel like getting your hands dirty and joining us in legal aid..." She fishes a plain business card out of her purse and offers it to Rachel. "Shoot me an email or something."