2014.05.25 - Social Workers are heroes too

It's a quiet day at Moontree Manor, and Leylze was, until recently, out caring for his little garden. Rain let him start one when he first arrived, and despite his initial unfamiliarity with Earth's plants, it's coming along fairly nicely. Dressed in his people's traditional garb, since he's around the house rather than out and about, he's since returned indoors, and is seated on the floor in the corner of the living room, quietly meditating.
Harvey is driving the unmarked car, downtown insisted that a more experienced local officer be involved. Angela is explaining as they head out to the address Angel had.
"I was doing some exploring, getting familiar with the area, and I encountered a group of youth gang members threatening a smaller child. I intervened and got the gang to back off, and talked to the child as I escorted him to where he is staying. He has a significant problem...he is an illegal alien who is an escaped slave, and is also a refugee."
Bullock pulls up at the manor and gets out of the car. He looks around and gives a derisive little sarcastic whistle at the ostentatious surroundings. A middle-aged, dark-skinned woman -- Callie Harris, from Child Protective Services -- steps onto the paved drive from the back seat, taking notes as Angela speaks. "Escaped slave? You're serious? How did he get to Gotham?" she asks, concern written clearly on her face. Bullock starts off toward the door, taking off his fedora and fanning himself with it in the warm weather.
Angela responds, "I did not ask, though I assume it was in a lifeboat. You can ask him. I just thought you should have a bit of background. I felt certain he would be able to apply for legal protection, but it is not my field. That is why we called you."
Angela steps over to the door and rings the doorbell.
Bullock peers up at the house, sneering slightly. "Nice digs for a refugee," he comments.
Callie shoots him a disapproving look, then her expression softens as she looks back to Angela. "I suspect so, if what you're saying is correct. Although, a lifeboat...?" She trails off with a thoughtful hum.
The doorbell! Leylze knows enough about human technology to at least recognize what that means, but it still takes him a few moments to come out of his meditations. Standing, he slowly walks over towards the door, unlocking it and pulling it open. "Oh...Detective del Toro of the Goth-am City Police," he says, looking at Angela, and gives a deep, formal bow. "I-I...wel-come you." He has a thick accent, but not so thick as to make it hard to understand him. He's also...very unusual in appearance. Either he's a mutant, or the illegal alien thing ought to have "space" between the two words. His garb is rather different as well. 
Standing once more, he looks over at Bullock--quickly looking away, nervously, as something about the man just seems scary--and then towards Callie. "Um...I-I welcome you as well." The boy's probably about fifteen or sixteen, if we're judging by human years, but is a little bit small for his age.
Angela says, "Good day Leylze, this is my comrade Detective Bullock and Miss Callie Harris from Child Protective Services. May we come in?" She glances at the others to see their reaction to the young alien.
"Oh. Oh, my." Callie's hand goes to her mouth as she takes in Leylze's appearance. The breathless moment is broken when Bullock barks out a sharp laugh. "Illegal alien, huh? Good one! I like you, del Toro." The detective reaches out to give Angela an amiable but probably unwelcome swat on the shoulder. The social worker shoots Bullock a vicious glare, then turns back to their host, her warm demeanor taking over. "It's good to meet you... Lails?" she says, cautiously attempting the unfamiliar name.
It's actually not a bad attempt! Leylze gives a hesitant smile, and steps back, opening the door further and stepping aside to allow them in. "It is nice to meet you also," he says, quietly. "I, um...I am Uzkyuli Leylze of the Linsverti people, and the Freylevi order." He looks at Bullock more hopefully, not really understanding the man's laughter was meant to be /at/ him. At least the big man's mood seems to have improved a little, so Leylze is a bit more at ease.
Angela could have avoided the clap, but knows it is well intentioned and so does not. She says to Leylze, "I was explaining what you told me about your people and history to the others. Perhaps you would care to explain it. Miss Harris needs to know about you so she can help you."
Harris and Bullock enter the atrium. The social worker's focus is entirely on Leylze, but Bullock immediately starts looking around suspiciously. Not detective-suspicious, necessarily, but Bullock's upbringing in Gotham hasn't inspired a lot of confidence in rich people. "Yeesh. Smells like hippies in here. Is this thing supposed to be smoking?" He leans toward the Egyptian-styled incense burner, giving potential fire-code violator Anubis a jaundiced glare.
"Detective Bullock, please..." Harris chides him, giving the others an apologetic wince. "Yes, Leylze, Detective del Toro is right. Being from another planet makes this... complicated, but I may still be able to help. Do you have parents on your world? Anyone who can claim responsibility for you?"
Leylze shuts the door once everyone is inside, locking it again. He's...somewhat familiar with Gotham too, and he knows it's not a good idea to leave your doors unlocked. Even with two cops and a social worker inside. He beckons them into the living room, gesturing to the various chairs. "Um, please...feel free to have seat." He does so himself, sitting cross-legged on the floor. When he's nervous, it's more comfortable to do as he would have at home. 
He looks at Harris, respectfully, though there's a touch of sadness in his eyes. "I...no. I was...um...please for-give me, I am learning Eng-lish." He's actually pretty good at it, if hesitant and a little clipped. "I, um...I was...left by tribe, as...as baby, yes? I was left at place of Freylevi order." He chews his lower lip, thinking, and finally manages to get his words together to continue. "I...became priest of Freylevi order...but...was taken."
For now, Angela is there to help Leylze feel more comfortable, but she is keeping an eye on Harvey. He means well, but he can be a bit clumsy and things in here look expensive and breakable. She waits for Harvey to be seated, then seats herself on the floor as well. She is comfortable enough seated that way, due to her martial arts practice.
Harris takes a seat directly across from Leylze, while Bullock flops down into an armchair in the corner, putting his hat back on and peering at the group from underneath it.
Harris notes down what she can make sense of, then asks the alien in a gentle tone: "You were abandoned, and then...taken? By whom? Did you go willingly, or were you kidnapped?"
Leylze hangs his head. "I-I do not know, um, whom. I live much time with Freylevi, and become, um, became priest...but...sky-ships came." His eyes water, and he takes a deep breath, trying to keep himself calm. "My...my brother and sister priests, many kill, um, were killed. I was taken, with others. I am, um...I was told we would be slave. Um, slaves." He shakes a little, but takes another deep breath, holding back tears. "My teacher...I..." And he fails, as water starts trickling down his cheeks. "I-I am sor-ry...I-I..."
Angela reassures Leylze, "We cry for our losses here on Earth, more the women than the men, but men do also."
She is not sure how to offer comfort, this is an alien...and she is on duty. She is trying her best.
Bullock simply watches, appalled. Fortunately for both police officers, Harris immediately gets up off the couch, dropping her pad, and kneels down in front of Leylze, finding his eye level "I'm sorry," she says sincerely, extending her arms to embrace the boy. "Don't you apologize. You will be taken care of. I promise." Bullock stares at del Toro, at a loss.
Leylze sniffles, looking relieved that no one seems to mind the tears but trying to get them under control anyway. "Um, um...teacher...taken al-so, um...I-I..." He quakes in Harris' arms, trying to get his emotions under control enough to speak...it's quite a battle. "I-I never...talk a-bout be-fore, I not tell e-ev-en Rain, I...I do not...I..." He looks at Harris, sorrowfully. "Teacher...my teacher...he g-gave life...so I get free."
Angela says respectfully, "He was a hero, that is what heroes do. They sacrifice themselves in order to protect others."
She smiles at the young Alien in encouragement. She lets the social worker do the physical comforting. She thinks it best, he will need to rely on her more than Angela in the future.
With his near total inexperience with emotional outbursts that aren't of the angry variety, Bullock stays well out of this conversation, finding something to interest him on the wall. "It's alright," Harris tells the alien. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. We're going to take care of you." She releases him and sits back, but doesn't move to get up from the floor. After giving him some time to compose himself, she continues in a lighter tone: "You mentioned someone named Rain. Is that a friend of yours? Is that who lives here?"
Leylze past the tragic part of the story, Leylze is slowly able to get his emotions back under control. He's still quivering a little, and his eyes are wet, but he's doing his best. "Yes...Rain is m-my friend. She is owner of this house. She was very kind, a-and let me live here..." He looks around at the three. "She is very kind...she is a good per-son. She ask, um, asked for no-thing. I owe ve-ry ve-ry much." A long pause. "I-I...can stay with Rain, yes? I wish...stay with Rain."
Angela is not very clear on the protocols, but thinks the courts tend not to break up emotional ties for children in such situations. She is not able to make any promises. She says, "We will need to meet her, she does need to know what is going on."
"If Rain is an adult, she can apply to adopt you," Harris answers, thinking. "Temporary custody in the meantime will be tricky until she has been reviewed by an officer of the court, but if I can meet with her, I may be able to vouch for her. Clearly her income level won't be a problem." She gives Leylze a curious look. "Is she here now? Or could I make an appointment to talk to her?"
Leylze has friends over! Well, not quite. He's got two cops and a social worker over, sitting in the living room, meeting with him about the whole illegal alien thing. They've been talking for a little bit, poor Leylze started crying, Ms. Harris the social worker comforted him, and now things seem to have calmed down a bit and have moved on to questions of custody. 
"Um...I...do not under-stand 'adopt', and, um...'cus-to-dy,'" Leylze says, uncertainly, looking at Harris with wide eyes. "Um, um...I-I think...Rain is not here, right now, but...um, I-I think, she will meet, yes?" He's still a little shaken up, so his English isn't as strong as it's been getting recently. "Rain is kind, and...um, I will ask, yes?"
Angela explains, "You may be an adult in your home culture, but here you are considered a child. As a child, you have someone who takes responsibility for you."
She has tried to explain a bit about being a child rather than adult yesterday.
Harris nods and gives Leylze a warm smile. "That's good. This will be an irregular situation, but I think I can convince a judge that it will be better for you and for the state to keep you out of the foster care system. But let's do our best to avoid delays. Will Rain be back today?"
Over in his corner armchair, Bullock tugs off his fedora, leans back, and drapes it over his eyes. A long stay in a plush chair with not much to do agrees with him well enough.
Rain has been out and about. And in her defense, the witch is a bit wary about dealing with authorities ever since being well, homeless. But soon, the door knob turns. The rustle of grocery bags outside is heard. She does knock, to avoid startling Leyl. "Hey, is something going on? Do you have guests over?" She pokes her head in. The woman has dark purple eyes and a tan trenchcoat wearing orange tabby cat. Both blink. "Oh."
Leylze is /just/ about to answer Harris when the door opens, and he looks over, quite pleased. "Rain!" He stands, walking quickly over to take some of the grocery bags. "Um, um...I-I am sorry. These are, um...Detective Angela del Toro of the Goth-am City Police, Detective Bullock of Goth-am City Police, and Miss Callie Harris of Child Pro-tec-tive Ser-vi-ces." A look around to confirm that he got all that right. "Um...I-I am told I need doc-u-men-ta-tion, for I am il-le-gal alien, yes? So...Miss Callie Harris comes to help. This is good, yes?" He looks rather confused by the whole thing, and his eyes are stained in the way that suggests he's recently been crying, but he seems in a good enough mood now. "Um...I-I do not under-stand all."
Angela stands up from the floor, looking in Rain's Purple eyes with her own yellow-green ones, "Greetings...rain? I am Detective Angela del Toro. I assisted Leylze yesterday when he was accosted by a street gang. He told me his situation, and I thought it possible to help him."
Angela is fit and athletic, and seems both professional and sympathetic.
A dark-skinned woman in a modest business suit, Harris looks up from where she's sitting with Leylze, and her face falls. "Oh," she says, echoing Rain. Standing and doing her best to cover her disappointment, the social worker extends a hand toward the gothy young woman. "Call me Callie. I hope we're not intruding." Bullock stands up, too, but looks a lot more rumpled and grouchy and still half asleep in the process.
Rain blinks. She seems uneasy about the whole thing. She furrows her brows a bit. "Thanks. And er, wait - what?" She looks confused. "Technically, I suspect they are right. I just um. Not a legal person." She's a lay person, yes yes. And as someone who is formerly homeless, she really doesn't seem to trust authority much. But she smiles politely, carefully accepting the hand. She seems puzzled. Disappointment?
Hmm. "Pleased to meet both of you. I think if he wishes to become a documented citizen, it's really up to him. He does seem pretty young," She admits. She seems concerned. "I think." She seems a bit surprised. "Either way, it is usually pretty good."
Leylze is blissfully unaware of both disappointment and unease, smiling a bit as the two shake hands. He's still quite nervous, but everything /seems/ to be okay, so... "Um...Miss Callie Harris want to speak with Rain, so...so I can keep stay-ing with Rain a-and not go to, um...what was...fos-ter care sys-tem?" He shakes his head a little. Clearly this is more than a little above his head...he's not exactly from a society with a lot of formal laws. "I want to stay with Rain, be-cause Rain is kind. But...I do not want to an-ger lord of this land, yes?"
Angela thinks Leylze is going to need some remedial education on social studies and history at least. She steps back and lets Callie handle things though. So far, things are going pretty well. She has certainly seen domestic situations turn out much worse.
"I'm sorry," Callie says to Rain, looking like she means it, "it's just that Leylze seems to like you, and I was hoping we could arrange an adoption. Certainly the BSA is no stranger to matters of alien immigration, so long as the child has a legal guardian. But I guess that isn't very likely." She puts on a brave smile. "Still, we'll figure something out. And it's very good of you to have taken him in in the meantime."
Blink. Rain tilts her head. "Huh? Oh! Er." Oh goodness. Rain's eyes are wide. "Well, I'd be glad to have him stay here. So if adoption is best..." She considers. Well. "Um. I don't need a husband though, do I?" Concern crosses her face. "I mean, I don't mind - if he'd like to be adopted, sure." Smile. "I just uh - wow." This is a bit sudden. Surprising, but Rain seems okay with it after a moment. "And thanks, L." Beam.
Leylze is looking a tad worried, now, as Callie suddenly seems to think it /isn't/ going to work. But Rain /does/ seem to think it'll work. And...he's clearly very confused. "Um..." A long, long pause, and he bows towards Callie for lack of any better expression, arms extended, palms of his hands up. "I will do...as I must...to stay with Rain. I will com-plete trials of a-dop-tion if need. Rain is a good per-son, and I...I will not do harm." He looks up at Callie, then at Angela, then at Rain, and then goes back to his bow.
Angela has observed the adoption process lately, since her uncle died leaving her cousin Ava orphaned she as become more aware of it than before. She will explain to Rain, "No, you do not need to be married. You do need to have an adequate income and to be able to care for a child."
Grimacing, Callie explains, her words sympathetic and honest: "Married would make it easier, silly or not, but that's not the real obstacle. A well-off single woman can certainly arrange an adoption. The problem is... well, how old are you, Rain?" She poses the question in a gentle tone of voice. "I am not going to have an easy time convincing a judge to give custody of an alien teenager to someone who is barely more than a teenager herself."
Well, shoot. Rain listens. She rubs the back of her head. "I'm 22." She looks to Leyl. But he wants to stay here. "I have an income, yeah. I uh." She frowns a little. "I'm not TOO young, am I?" She seems concerned. She seems worried now.
Leylze remains in that bowed position, like a supplicant appealing to a high priest or king. "I...Rain is ve-ry wise, and helps ma-ny peo-ple, yes? Rain teaches me much. Rain is not too young. I-I will tell judge, Rain is good per-son and wise per-son, and teacher. I-I am not...big prob-lem, yes? I am good and...and...I am priest of Freylevi order. I am peace-ful. I am heal-er. I do good things, yes?"
That part Angela does not know much about. Well, if Rain were his older sister it would not be a problem, but they are clearly not related. This kind of thing is why she called in a professional.
"It's not ILLEGAL," Harris answers slowly, "but I don't want to get your hopes up. It is very unlikely, especially with the added scrutiny that his origin will bring." The social worker looks over at the boy, deep sympathy written across her features. "No one doesn't think you're both good people, Leylze. I'll tell the judge as much myself. But I'm just not sure it will work." She crosses her arms and taps her fingers quickly against her arm as she thinks. "What about one of the meta academies? They could become his legal guardian and bring Rain in as a caretaker of some kind."
Leylze looks up, totally confused and uncertain now. "What is me-ta ac-a-dem-ies?" he asks, nervously. "I...I do not under-stand what means. I am sor-ry...I am...um..." He finally stands again, looking around at the others. "I-I am guarding my-self, yes?" He points at Angela. "Detective del Toro can say, yes? I guard my-self, and not hurt bad peo-ple." Clearly not getting the whole legal guardian thing...evidently, he thinks it has something to do with martial arts.
Angela says, "A meta Academy is a place were they teach people with special abiliyies how to use them better. Something like healing for example." 
She adds aside to Callie and Rain, "I would thing filing for Emancipated minor status would be possible, but would make application for refuge more complicated.
Harris shakes her head regretfully. "He would have to be financially self-sufficient to be emancipated," she points out. "But Rain could be right. I don't know what the residency requirements for the various meta schools are. They might let him live with her until he reaches the age of majority." That said, she turns to the boy and attempts to soothe him. "Leylze, our laws say that someone needs to be responsible for you. To take care of you. We might be able to make that someone a school. At the school, you could meet more friends -- maybe even friends from other worlds. And it's possible that the school would let you stay with Rain whenever you wanted."
Mmph. "She means you have to go to school. To learn to read and write more fully. I've been helping him as I can," Rain offers. She takes a deep breath. "But I guess training would be good, too." Rain doesn't say whether or not she has powers. But she does have odd-eyes. And thus far, a cat in a trenchcoat. "Well. Even if I just pay tuition... I'd likely do so in installments. I think - I am okay with adopting him if he'd like. But he should have a back up choice in case I'm not old enough to parent," She remarks. "Although-" Pause. "I'm sure, things will work out."
Leylze is trying very hard not to be distressed, and somewhat succeeding thanks to the varied reassurances he's getting. It sounds like he's not going to be taken away somewhere and locked up where he'll never see Rain again, or some such. "Um, um..." He folds his hands together, looking between the others. "I will...do what I must, to not anger the lord of this land. I wish...to stay with Rain. But...if this 'school' is w-what is needed...I will do this al-so." He thumps a hand to his chest, trying to look brave. "I am Linsverti. I will be strong." It's pretty rare for Leylze to try to relate himself to his people (other than the Freylevi) in a positive light, but...he needs their strength and courage right now.
Angela tries to relate what is happening to something the young alien would know, "A school is kind of like a training temple, it teaches things that you should learn." It is clear there are a number of those, possibly a school would be a very good place for him.
"I can get you brochures for several of them," Harris offers. "I didn't bring them with me -- I didn't realize the nature of the situation. But I can bring them tomorrow, and we can get in touch with them and see what arrangements they would be willing to make." She looks between Leylze and Rain. "It's clear that the two of you have bonded, and I think that's incredibly important for a child's development. Especially one who has been through as much as he has. I'll do everything I can not to break that bond."
Rain is quiet. She looks to him. "Hey... it'll be okay," She offers. "You might just go during the day. Like um, younger people do here," She offers. Surely he's watched a little TV? "... thanks. I appreciate it. It's nice having someone here." She does live alone in a manor, after all. "But I understand if - things are difficult due to my age," She smiles weakly.
Leylze has viewed the magic picture box occasionally, with a mix of excitement and trepidation. He /has/ understood by now that the things shown on it are usually performances rather than reality. He seems to finally get what they are saying, and nods a bit, looking around the group. "Um...I under-stand. I will...wait to see what is to hap-pen, yes?" He smiles a little, and bows to Harris again. "I thank you for your kind-ness, Miss Cal-lie Harris of Child Pro-tec-tive Ser-vi-ces. I will...trust you."
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