Participants:
| Scene Title | Gods Having a Chat |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Kaylee gives Diogenes her part of research revolving around the Sandman. The two have a chat, as well. |
| Date | August 17, 2009 |
The central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library was designed to resemble an open book, two wings stretching out along the bordering streets, with the main entrance located at their hinge. Inside is the heart of one of the nation's largest public library systems; the Central Library alone contains over 1.5 million books, magazines, and other materials. It also contains the Brooklyn Collection, an assortment of references and ephemera that chronicle the history of the borough, and a Multilingual Center for non-English speakers and linguistic scholars. A cafe on the first floor sells coffee and snacks, while a restaurant on the third floor (open weekdays only) sells cafeteria-style meals. Internet access is freely available throughout the building.
If the world hadn't already become crazy as this particular man believed, then our dear planet Earth has certainly thrown itself into the jaws of insanity the past few days, starting with New York City. Buildings caving in under the might of inexplicable earthquakes, terrorists making haughty demands, conspiracy theories… The tall card house was swaying indecisively left and right, and it seemed as though it was about to collapse. Was it going to?
Diogenes couldn't care less. Or, well, he couldn't care less right now, purely because he has a different matter on his mind right now. Having arrived earlier - as he always does in all manner of meetings - he is now sitting in a comfortable armchair not too far away from the entrance to the public library, reading the most recent newspaper. No, surprisingly he is not reading news; he's skipped to anecdotes. Lithuanian newspapers did not have anecdotes! And these were pretty good. Hehehe.
Already dressed for her double shift at Biddy's, Kaylee slips into the library. Sunglasses are pushed up on top of her head, pulling her loose hair out of her face. The young woman heads back to their table. Or that is how she thinks of it since they spent a lot of time there. "Hello there," she murmurs as she skirts the table and drops into a chair next to the man. A notebook with photocopy's sticking out of it, drops on the table. "Here you go, partner." She gives him a big grin, "I think I've found about as much as I'm going to." sighing a bit, she slumps further down, "I'm heading out in the next day or two for sure now. You got my number.. So don't be afraid to text me, or call if anything something good comes out of it."
Diogenes curiously lifts his eyes off the 'paper to note the arrival of the blonde telepath. It isn't long before his gaze drops back to the newspaper in his hands, and he resumes reading whatever it is he was reading, making it hard to know whether he's listening to Kaylee or whether all she says goes into one ear and out the other. "This is pretty funny", he suddenly speaks up loud enough to attract attention of those who do not like the usual silence of a library disturbed. "Listen to this: Everyone should stop being anti-Evolved. Anti-Evolved activities should be a crime… and crimes are, as everyone knows, only for Evolved scum. Tony, age 17."
Folding the newspaper and setting it aside, he grants Kaylee his full attention, along with a smirk - free of charge. "Only seventeen years old, and already thinking up poor anti-Evolved jokes", he notes, picking up a neat bundle of gathered articles that were tucked between his side and the chair's arm. He sets them down on the table, and starts picking them apart with great care, putting them all in what ostensibly is a random order; he is, in fact, putting together articles that have the most in common.
Diogenes pauses his diligent sorting of the newspaper articles he has gathered. He looks over to the woman in front of him, now closely listening to what she has to say. He was slightly envious, or perhaps he was suppressing his envy to the 'slightly' envy; whichever it was, he certainly wanted to see more of the States, and see how far the fire has spread. "Okay." Just okay? Well, Diogenes wanted to inquire why Kaylee did not want to discuss the finer details of what they have found, but his preference of solitude kept such questions (that could lead to interaction) at bay.
"Thank you", he murmurs. It was no easy task for him to actually show his gratitude. Genuine gratitude, that is. "I haven't really uncovered that much; nothing that could lead me to her, at any rate. If it's the same with you, I might as well try and draw attention to myself." With a sigh, he accepts the notebook Kaylee has offered, and takes a gander at what she found. While he does, he decides to ask the telepath something curious: "Have you seen the video with that faux celebrity, Whitney?"
"I figure you'd probably rather not have to listen to me drone on when everything that is there." Kaylee says with a touch of amusement, pointing at the book. "Just wish I could be here to help you with it." she actually seems torn about the whole thing. Though in the end Adam will win over a guy who's probably only tolerates her. "But hey, I imagine Isis can be of some help."
Arching her brow at his question she gives a little shrug. "It's Humanis First. If they are doing Al-Qaeda like tactics.. She's dead no matter if they close that center down or not." It's sad to say.. but how many soldiers turned up dead anyhow when they fell into terrorist hands. "She might even be already dead."
Isis. The moment Kaylee utters that name, Diogenes shifts in discomfort. He spreads his lips reluctantly to heave a sigh riddled with unspoken troubles. A short-lasting glance is thrown in Kaylee's general direction; it doesn't even reach her visage. Hurriedly, Diogenes starts putting all the articles he has drawn back into the folder he has brought with himself. As he does, he murmurs in response: "Isis is already in enough trouble to warrant an identity change." And then he stops. Not for hammertime, though.
"Would you really change your face if you were in a lot of trouble?.. Isn't that… running away?", he asks, looking up at Kaylee. He already knew the answer he was going to get - 'no'. Kayle wasn't one to run away, or so Diogenes figured. No, this deceptively innocent snake would much rather know what fangs poisoned those who are after her. This assumption coerces Tom to speak further, not waiting for the blonde to answer: "I'm probably blowing this out of proportion, but… Heh, naturally there are Evolved who can change us. Physically. Mentally. We're Gods. We're Gods and Goddesses, walking the Earth. How weird is that?"
"I tend to make people forgot.. or think they saw something else. Works well really." Kaylee says it like it's nothing, but then only a barely a hand full of knew the extend of what she can do. Dio is one of the special few… and to think they were enemies at one point. "I don't think we are gods and goddesses. Our abilities are limited. If we were gods and goddesses we would be able to do it all. Though when you look at history and all these gods and goddess how many were people like us." She grins. "Imagine all we can do teamed up. Like I know this man who can make you think we are in a different place and mentally convince you that you an feel yourself burn." She shakes her head in disbelief. "If evolved banded together.. we could so take over." She gives him a wicked grin, but then it falls. "But truthfully, I'd be happy if I could continue to lay low."
"Tsh, only the Santa Claus in a toga that Christianity has devised is supposedly omnipotent. Omnipotence is an oxymoron — Can the Christian God jump over the highest wall he created? Can he pick up a rock he designed to be impossible to lift? It's a joke. Christianity is one big bad gig, worse even what Robin William comes up with. Now, other deities? They specialised in certain areas. Fire deities, earth deities… And deities that blow holes in cities. Those were the most important ones."
The topic of religion. It fired up Diogenes, it made him spill countless words with brief pauses, during which he caught his breath only to carry on. He's leaning forth, his hands dancing on the surface of the table in a series of wild gestures. "The abilities of one Evolved is 'oh my god' scary. The abilities of all Evolved is 'shit my pants and die from a heart attack' scary. Alone, we're a terrifying challenge. Together, we're the unstoppable force of evolution. Some will die. Most will persevere." He leans back with a sigh. "Sorry. This whole subject… Don't bring it up again", he notes with a faint smirk.
Kaylee watches him rather amused, as he goes on she shifts her position in her chair so that she can rest her arms on the table top. A hand comes up to cradle her chin. "Survival of the fittest." She states simply. "I imagine this Humanis First is just humans scared of the fact that they are on their way out like the Neanderthal." Giving him a sly look, Kaylee says softly "When I get back. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts."
"Everyone is a neanderthal. Today, they are the race to be extinct. Tomorrow, we might be the ones forming something along the lines of Evolvedis Firstus or some similar nonsense." Fortunately, neither Diogenes nor Kaylee would live to see that day. "But that's enough of lecturing and preaching for today. I'm not a pedagogue, just a pretentious mortal who thinks he knows what is going in the world", he admits with a hint of sadness present in his tone. Nothing made sense and nothing had objective meaning; that was the ultimate truth that worked for Diogenes so far, even if it was far from a comfortable one.
He pushes himself up from his seat, picking up his folder and Kaylee's notebook and stuffing it into his mysterious over-the-shoulder bag that he brought with himself after leaving it at home every time he went out for quite a long while. "I'll make sure to text you or call you if I need your input."
When she sees him get to his feet, Kaylee rises too, she's got work too look forward too. "I would appreciate it." She gives him a small smile, and pushes her chair under the table. "Take care of that girl of yours." In Kaylee's mind she needs it. " I imagine I'll see you again when I get back." She flashes him a toothy grin and pulls her sunglasses off her head and slips them on. "Don't miss me too much, cutie." She knows he won't but, she said it anyhow. Even adding that pet name to be funny.
The word 'cutie' elicits an amused smirk. Unlike Isis, however, he did not mind people calling him cute. Hell, he did not mind people calling him anything. After years of verbal abuse from his father, he's become desensitised to what people tell him, be it positive or negative. The notion that the blonde actually called him that, however, was funny, anyone should admit that.
With his bag over his shoulder - it was an over-the-shoulder bag for a reason, you know! - he sets out, as well, going home through a maze he himself devised. How tedious.