A Sparrow Flies

Participants:

magnes_icon.gif sparrow_icon.gif

Scene Title A Sparrow Flies
Synopsis A chance run-in between Sparrow and Magnes leads to discovering comics, and a short flight for the bird.
Date October 19, 2009

Brooklyn

Random street and comic shop somewhere's.


It's getting later in the evening, still no word on where he could find members of FRONTLINE, nothing on Bella's location, Claire's likely busy somewhere, and Magnes has a policy of not visiting Delilah on night's he could seriously use a lay… not that he has any idea what getting laid is like. So here he is, trying to have a relatively normal evening as he exits a comic shop with a rather stuffed bag, since almost all he spends his money on lately are Claire and ammo. He also has a small Gamestop bag. Tonight he's wearing a dark blue t-shirt with a neon blue Superman logo, an unbuttoned black denim jacket, some black jeans, and a pair of black generic brand sneakers.

He's not even trying to hide the fact that he's the guy who's in the news a lot anymore, it's become exhausting, so he just nods whenever someone recognizes him, and dodges if someone happens to wanna throw something or swing a punch.

Lucky for Sparrow, that she's out and about, trying to find some things to buy. Likely a few warmer articles of clothing. She's got a few bags in hand, but nothing compared to what some women might have if they were let loose near the shopping areas. Peering into a nearby gallery's windows, she is pondering something, though soon turns and nearly bumps into the man exiting the shop next door.

"Sorry, excuse me.." The young woman offers to whomever it is she nearly ran over, her gaze looking up to the man's face. Only then does she pause, and just blinks. "You." It's not a bad comment, just one of those surprised and.. hey.. it's /you/!

"Ah, uh…" Magnes' cheeks go red, though for once it's not because he has a pretty girl in front of him, well, mostly not because of that. "Sorry, do I know you from somewhere?" He didn't exactly get a good look at her face in the heat of bullets and a crazy super strength guy… "Oh, right, TV. Yeah, um, if you wanna hit me with rotton fruit or something, let me change my shirt first? If not, nice to meet you." he smiles after that, mostly taking anti-Evolved people disliking him in stride.

A tilt of Sparrow's head is made as he goes off, and when he talks of her wishing to throw rotten fruit at him, she blinks. "Why would I want to do that to you?" She questions, completely confused. "I just wondered if you were alright after everything.. and if your partner was alright? I did what I could.." Words are given softly before she finally realizes, "You don't remember me, do you?" A question that is quickly followed by, "You saved my bacon the other day in Chinatown. Helicopter and all? Even though.. I was trying to save your ass at the time.." Odd how fate works!

"You'd be surprised how many people disapprove of me being a cop just because of my ability. Also I think being anti-Glenn Beck made people have some sort of political bias, but I don't worry about that stuff." Magnes smiles and offers a hand after putting his Gamestop bag on his wrist. "Right, right, I remember you. You were a huge help actually, I'm glad you were out there. I couldn't do anything about that super strength guy because my partner was laying there unconscious."

"I'm new to the city sooo… " The young woman shrugs lightly before taking his hand, and offering a smile, "Sparrow is the name. Sparrow Redhouse. From New Mexico." She laughs, "Yeah, was a bad day for me to go out for authentic Chinese, but.. I'm glad I helped." Saved four cops. Pretty good total for a 'civvie'! "But your partner is alright?" She wonders again, hoping so.
Roleplay> Huruma rattle maracas.

"He'll be fine. Of course I scoured more publicity, so that means I'm most definitely getting fired soon. I'm kind've in the news a lot, and the NYPD is kind've pissed about that." Magnes lightly squeezes her hand with a slight nod. "My name's Magnes J. Varlane."

"Well, that's sort of stupid if you ask me. Let go a good officer who's risked his life?" Sparrow shakes her head, and then states, "They'd be stupid to do something like that, though I guess.." She considers the comments he made to her when she first ran into him, "I guess the publicity hasn't helped you in doing your job?"

"The publicity doesn't really affect my job so much as it does my personal life, they're just worried about their reputation." Magnes says with a bit of annoyance, but otherwise just shakes his head and gently takes his hand back. "It's alright though, I'm finding alternatives. Hey, you read comics or anything?"

"I can see how it coudl though. Possibly." Sparrow murmurs before she wonders, "Have you tried to get with that group that came in there at the end? I sort of ducked out when they arrived. Were they with you or…?" She knew they looked like SWAT, but wasn't going to stick around and get questioned. The smile appears, before she shakes her head, "Can't say that I really got into comics, but I have tried a few of the card games here and there. Been years since I played though. I like some video games, when I'm not working though."

"That's FRONTLINE, they're a special taskforce of Evolved. I'm not with them, but that'd be cool." Magnes motions for her to follow him back into the relatively organized comic shop, or as organized as most comic shops get. "I saw your ability. You ever wanted to read a comic with someone who has it?"

"Ah, I remember reading about them in the paper." Sparrow offers, nodding, "I could see how it would be nice to get on with them. I could.. yeah.. that would be good, especially if you're into the force, want to stay a cop." She turns, soon to follow him into the comic store, pausing to look around before turning back to him, "A comic.. with someone like me?"

"Yeah, but I'm having trouble figuring out how I'm gonna actually get in." Magnes admits, instantly going over to a long cardboard ben with a gigantic stack of comics to look through, like a makeshift file cabinet. "I think they're in here. I'm looking for the Atlee Terra. She wasn't technically in the Teen Titans, but she took the Terra name, so I'm sure they'll have sorted her series in here…" He vigilantly flicks through comics almost expertly, so quickly that one would think he might miss some of the covers. But sure enough, he plucks one right out and keeps going. "I could get you a paperback of the original Terra too, but uh, that's kind of a sad story."

"Don't know their superiors or anything?" Sparrow asks as she steps over towards the boxes, and as he starts to flip through things, she glances down, then back up at him, "I have heard of the Teen Titans. They have a cartoon on cable? I babysat some kids who watched it.." But as he plucks one out, she reaches for it, though she pauses, "There's a paperback? And how is it sad?"

"Well, see, the original Terra dies eventually." Magnes says as he plucks out three more comics, until it's all four in the Terra mini-series. "That's all of the new Terra's mini series. There's more of her if you decide you like those. She has the same ability as you." Whenever he mentions abilities, his voice goes a bit low.

"We all die, Magnes. All just a matter of time, really." Sparrow seems fine with that idea, accepting. As he plucks out all the Terra comics, she reaches for them, flipping through a touch, though she does seem intent on buying them to read. "I'll take these.. and if you can find the paperback, I wouldn't mind it either." A moment, she she looks up at him, "Terrakinetic, if you want to be scientific about it. My powers are a gift though from Mother Earth.. "

"Yeah, that's why her name is Terra. Oh, and if you find something not in plastic, ask for one." Magnes snickers, though nods with an understanding smile when she explains where her powers are from. "I haven't given much thought on where my ability is from, I mean other than my genetics. In a lot of ways my ability has made my life horrible, but in other ways I'm doing things I've never imagined." He hunches down, looking through a box of old paperbacks that are just sort of laying around in random stacks. "I mean, I'm a cop, I have a girlfriend, I have friends. I know I have some public recognition, but it's not nearly as cracked up as it should be. I personally wish I was doing that stuff in a costume, without a mask it just kind of messes with my life. I'd love to do it all anonymously…"

"My people believes that is where it is from, but.. " She is Native American. Sparrow listens as she crouches near him to dig through the books, "I can certainly see how you might wish that, but you just have to keep in mind.. you have the ability for a reason. You are a good cop. From just what I saw, Magnes." She speaks quietly to him, looking at him, "Back home, we don't have all this going on. People accepted you for who you are."

"Your home sounds like a very nice place. Maybe I'll fly there some time, if I figure out where it is." Magnes lifts a paperback, Terra Incognito, around twenty dollars. "Here we go. It's got quite a few important issues. Remember, these are both two different Terras. I'll pay for these, I have a discount card."

"New Mexico." Sparrow answers, "Here and there. Moved around a bit but.." She ponders, "I think it was my connection to my mother's people. They are far more accepting of such things than some others." She states before the paperback is found, and she reaches for it. "I see. I'll take a peek online as well. You have me curious now." She states, though as he offers to pay for it, she hmms, "I.. hmm.. alright.."

"I'd love to learn more about your culture, I mean I've never known much about…" Magnes turns around, leans down a bit, and squints at her. "Uh, I don't wanna be offensive and assume you're Mexican just 'cause you're from New Mexican, I mean that's not even the real Mexico. So uh, what is your culture exactly?" he asks before placing the book on the counter and reaching into his pocket. "And don't worry about me paying, I mean, I feel like it's my civic duty to get people into comics."

When he speaks, Sparrow actually laughs quietly, "I have some Mexican in me from my father, but my mother's people are of the Zuni tribe. Pueblo dwellers." She says lightly, taking no offense at all from him. "I was raised on and off the reservations, taught about my mother's culture." Rising from the box, she walks to the counter, "Well, this is more than just a comic or two though."

"Man, that sounds a lot more interesting than how I was raised. I've never been to a reservation before, what's that like?" Magnes asks as he pulls his debit card out, a blue Visa with a Superman symbol in the middle, and hands off his discount card too. "Hey, don't worry, I barely spend anything, I'm usually too busy lately. I'm just happy to be getting my mind off of things."

"Depends on the reservation. Some are good places to be, some are rather sad to see." Sparrow speaks honestly enough, "It's like.. " She pauses, "The ghetto here? Some areas are not bad, some are just.. sinkholes of misery." Laughing quietly as she notices his card, she cannot help but flash him a grin. "I have to say that the city has been intresting so far. Even without the fun of getting chinese food."

"Man, that does sound pretty sad, but I'm glad there's good ones too. I learned a lot about Native American history with the colonies and stuff, but not really about the culture. Still, it's kind of sad how the country was founded." Magnes sympathizes, even if he can't truly understand anything, and soon after the comics are all bagged and boarded, they're placed into a plastic bag together with the shop logo (Which is lots of heroes and stuff all in one bubble). "Maybe I can take you to another Chinatown some time." He can fly, she saw that much.

"For some, it's all they know, all they have. It's sadder when you consider the Elders left with no where's to go. And so many of the children leaving." Sparrow states quietly before she chuckles, "There were some big battles in the midwest, but most of the people were just rounded up and put on reservations." With the order taken care of, she thanks him quietly before the offer is amde, "Another Chinatown?"

"Man, even if they were just put on reservations, it just sounds kind of… I don't know… mean." Magnes hands her the bag, nodding to the clerk before heading to the exit and motioning for her to follow. "And yeah, almost every city has its own Chinatown… well every city I've been to."

Nodding quietly, Sparrow glances aside to him, "Most of the time, it was very unfair to the Natives who were put on the reservations. many were taken to areas where they had never been, didn't know the land. Add to that, warring tribes were often put together in the same place, and expected to co-exist. It was.. a tragedy of American history. There are those still angry with it, just as you get those descendents of the slaves unhappy with the way their ancestors were treated." It is history. but, as they discuss Chinatown as they head towards the door, she turns to him, "Right, but.. I mean.. how are you just going to show me.. " She's not putting the fact that he can 'fly' to him showing her another Chinatown.

"Maybe one day the government will make up for it, but, who knows. We have a hard enough time getting them to be fair with current issues." Magnes shakes his head, clearly referring to Evolved. When they walk out and he looks around the dark area, he places both his bags in one hand, then offers her his left. "Come on, let me show you what I mean."

"I think I'd be happy with current events being dealt with, yes." Sparrow offers before they step outside the comic store to the street. When he offers his hand to her, she turns, and after a moment, takes his hand in hers, the grip firm, not too light. A tilt of her head is made, brow lifted as she hmms, "Alright.. "

"Hold your bag tight." Magnes warns, then a few seconds later, when it doesn't seem like anyone's really around or paying much attention, they're suddenly ascending into the air. It only takes a brief few moments for them to suddenly have a nice view of the entire neighborhood. He doesn't even have to pull her or anything, he simply shifted her gravity, so she's still floating next to him with his hand firmly grasping her's. "This is how I'd take you to another Chinatown."

With his warning, Sparrow tightens her hold on the bag in the other hand. Waiting, she soon gasps out when he takes them upwards, into the air, her eyes widening a little before she laughs softly, glancing about. "The sparrow finally gets to fly without the need of an airplane." It makes her giggle more before she looks around some more, her fingers perhaps holding his hand a little tighter though. "This is.. incredible.. wow.." She pauses, then asks, "How? I mean.. "

"How did I lift a chopper and do all that other stuff?" Magnes asks, figuring she might be confused at someone seemingly using multiple abilities. "Gravity manipulation, but only myself and things I touch." He gently lands them on to the dark roof of the comic shop, having gotten fairly crafty with avoiding rooftops that'd offer an easy sniper shot. When he lands, he releases her hand, but she still seems to be a foot taller than him. That'd be because, without him touching her, she's still a foot above the ground. "Though I can make the manipulation stick for a while."

"I wasn't sure what all happened, or.. it was a little confusing. And I didn't see what you did to the helicopter exactly." Sparrow admits before blushing, "I was busy concentrating on getting the asphalt to answer me, then the concrete when I saw it coming for me." AS they mvoe towards the rooftop, she waits to feel it beneath her feet, esepcially once he sets down, then lets go of her hand. It's a moment before she realizes she's still floating there, her head snapping down to peer, then to him. "Wow.. that is… " The things they could do. Ahem.

"It should be wearing off right about…" Magnes tilts his head slightly, then she slowly starts to descend until she lands softly on her feet. "Took me months to get good at this. If I explained half of how my flying works, I think you'd wanna punch me in the mouth."

As he manages to time the moment when she will manage to float back down to the ground, or in this case, the rooftop, Sparrow is laughing, "that's truly amazing, Magnes." She means it, honestly. Grinning, she murmurs, "That is so.. I mean.. wow." Shaking her head, she finally wrinkles her nose, "I won't begin to try and ask you how you do it. It'd be like me trying to explain to you how I manipulate the earth and all. You just manage it, and you do it fairly well." A pause, and she wonders as she glances around, then back to him, "How long have you had the ability?"

"Since I was around sixteen or seventeen, but for years all I could do is jump really high and walk on walls. This year though, I went through some extensive training and learned to do all sorts of stuff, like simulate super strength and fly. I can do most of the cool Superman stuff, except I've been shot four times so I'm not bulletproof." Magnes takes a seat on the roof, which is relatively clean and kind of soft due to the way it was tarred. He digs into his Gamestop bag and pulls out a smaller Wendy's bag. "You can share my burgers, I got a few, I was gonna pig out and watch a movie, but it looks like a good night to sit on a roof, talk, read comics, y'know, simple stuff. I miss when I just did stuff like this, before everything was so chaotic…"

"Yeah, I know the feeling. I learned I could do mine about then, little earlier. At first, it was just playing with rocks, making them feel like playdough to some degree, in my hand." Sparrow moves to take a seat as well, still seeming surprised to find herself up there. Laughing, she nudges, "Certainly wear a vest then. I'd hate to read about you getting shot or something anytime soon." As he takes the fast food bag out, she ponders, then nods, "Just one.. that'd be enough for me." She grins, laughing soon, "Things are far more.. calmer.. back home. I haven't decided whether or not I want to stick around the city yet.. I just.. I don't know, guess I'm trying to find a place to fit in? Or see if the city fits me?"

"I'm sure you'll fit in quickly, and if you need a job, there's an opening at Panucci's Pizza. I used to work there, but now I just live in the apartment above it. Mister Panucci taught me how to cook." Magnes unwraps a burger, all of them Baconators, then takes a large bite. "I've lived here forever, but I've only been involved in this stuff for about a year, like, all the Evolved stuff. I could tell you some horrible stories of the things I've gone through, and, to be quite honest, you're a very nice girl, I don't think you should try to be a hero."

"Well, I'm actually here to get some of my work in a few of the galleries." Sparrow names a few, ones that might be well known to be some of the leading galleries for artists who are decently well known. Or very promising. Nothing cheap there, to say the least. "Right now, I have a decent savings, but.. I might take you up on that. Wouldn't be the first time I've done some waitressing or the like." Chuckling, she takes a bite of the unwrapped burger, chewing it before answering, "Try to be a hero?" She wonders what he means by that, "If you're talking about what I did the other day in Chinatown, well.. I don't /normally/ do things like that. But.." Her gaze falls away, "All I could see were the cops being pinned down.. gunned down.. I just.. couldn't stand back and do /nothing/, Magnes. Not when I had the ability to give some of you cover." She looks up at him, "Would you have gone after that man if it meant leaving your partner unprotected? The two cops in the building behind you, would have been killed when the ceiling gave way if I hadn't stopped it from doing so. "

"Oh, no, I don't mean anything like that, if you can save people do it. But don't get wrapped up in organizations or even the government, that's just putting a target on yourself and putting your ethics on the line. I've done things this year I never imagined I'd ever do, I mean that in a good and a bad way. Just…" Magnes shakes his head, offering a friendly smile. "Just, don't lose yourself, alright? I know we barely know eachother, but it doesn't take a genius to know you're a good person, and I don't want this city to ruin you."

Sparrow ohs, blushing a little before she shrugs, "I'm still waiting to see what the city says to me, Magnes." The young woman offers, studying the burger before another bite is taken. Quiet descends until she swallows again to speak, "I've had some people talk to me her and there.." Brows furrow, "Strange how I keep bumping into people here and there. " A glance aside, and she says, "I ran into a guy in a cafe around the corner. A chinese guy. Nice, but after helping out in Chinatown, I almost have to wonder, ya know?"

"Just be careful, be very careful, I've seen what people are willing to do, even to a girl. If you ever feel suspicious of someone, you call me, alright?" Magnes reaches into his pocket, handing her a piece of paper with his number and email written on it, sick of having to write it down but too cheap for business cards. "So, let's read comics and you can tell me more about the reservation you're from, alright?"

Taking in the advice, Sparrow nods to him, "Alright, I can do that." The paper is taken, and the number is looked at before she actually goes ahead and takes out her cell and programs the number in, offering her own number in return. slipping the phone back into her pocket, she glances to him, "I'm uncertain about this one guy, but not sure if it's just my nerves about being seen in Chinatown or not. " She chuckles, but readily agrees to the changeof topic in comics, seeming fairly interested in flipping through the ones he got her, and any he bought himself, likely bringing up similarities between the comics and real life these days with the Evolved.


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