Participants:
| Scene Title | A Strange Encounter |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | What seems to be a conflict waiting to happen turns out to be an encounter that brings together a unique cast of charaters. |
| Date | September 6, 2008 |
Central Park has been, and remains, a key attraction in New York City, both for tourists and local residents. Though slightly smaller, approximately 100 acres at its southern end scarred by and still recovering from the explosion, the vast northern regions of the park remain intact.
An array of paths and tracks wind their way through stands of trees and swathes of grass, frequented by joggers, bikers, dog-walkers, and horsemen alike. Flowerbeds, tended gardens, and sheltered conservatories provide a wide array of colorful plants; the sheer size of the park, along with a designated wildlife sanctuary add a wide variety of fauna to the park's visitor list. Several ponds and lakes, as well as the massive Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, break up the expanses of green and growing things. There are roads, for those who prefer to drive through; numerous playgrounds for children dot the landscape.
Many are the people who come to the Park - painters, birdwatchers, musicians, and rock climbers. Others come for the shows; the New York Shakespeare Festival at the Delacorte Theater, the annual outdoor concert of the New York Philharmonic on the Great Lawn, the summer performances of the Metropolitan Opera, and many other smaller performing groups besides. They come to ice-skate on the rink, to ride on the Central Park Carousel, to view the many, many statues scattered about the park.
Some of the southern end of the park remains buried beneath rubble. Some of it still looks worn and torn, struggling to come back from the edge of destruction despite everything the crews of landscapers can do. The Wollman Rink has not been rebuilt; the Central Park Wildlife Center remains very much a work in progress, but is not wholly a loss. Someday, this portion of Central Park just might be restored fully to its prior state.
Caim smiled having finally met a new friend as he walked thorough the park. " I wonder how many people have actually gained powers like me? Well now that I have registered I am sure that I am going to end up meeting more people just like myself. " He thought to himself as he looked around at all the people standing around in the park.
Aidan is sitting on a bench in the shade, with his legs tucked up under him. His laptop is out and on his lap as he types away quickly at whatever he has open. A backpack sits on the ground with a reusable water bottle beside him. Life is good for now in this little patch of cool in the warm morning sun.
It's a gorgeous weekend, and the young Filipina is out and about for a jog. She's dressed casually in a pair of grey Columbia bootie shorts and a matching black tanktop.
Central Park of a morning is filled with many others like Claudine, Aidan, and Caim: joggers, bloggers, and…less-than-desireables waking up from a night spent sleeping on and under park benches. Still, as the morning progresses the park will undoubtedly fill up with families and other sorts. It is a Saturday, and this patch of green in the broken, urban jungle is an oasis unlike many others.
Dressed casually in a t-shirt and pale long-sleeved shirt, Bryan ambles down one of the park's paved paths with the iconic Starbucks cup in one hand. The thumb of that hand is pressed against his lower lip, which is pulled into an easy smile as he carries on a light-hearted conversation with the shorter blonde beside him.
Then again, light-hearted conversations between these two particular Company agents aren't exactly ones that can be held in normal voices.
Beside Bryan, Elle looks equally at ease in a light blue tank top, dark jeans, and pair of sleek sunglasses riding atop her loose blonde hair like a headband. Unlike her companion, her choice of drink is a Slusho— which is sipped at as she talks. Wry smiles periodically slip onto her face as the conversation stops and starts, but the much shorter woman is startled when she catches a glimpse of Claudine jogging on past. "Small world," she remarks up to Bryan, unchanging her stride.
Caim smiled as he walks over to a patch in the grass that he looks down at with a slight frown, which quickly turns back into a smile. " I wish I could keep the grass from being hurt, but I guess it can't be helped. " He muttered to himself as he set his small collection of items down, his coat which is wrapped around a battered looking canteen. He thinks for a moment and then starts to move thorough several various defensive combat moves that he is trying to perfect, all the while trying to keep his eyes on the spares people that litter the park. He had become all to familiar with the fact that not everyone is willing to be kind to people like himself, and knows that not everyone finds it desirable to speak with the homeless.
Aidan continues to type away with a half grin on his face. Apparently he's amusing himself there. After a moment he pauses to stretch, and check out his current surroundings. Claudine gets a look over with a quick smile. Maybe it's because he recognizes her. Maybe it's just because of the way she's dressed. When Bryan is spotted his gaze lingers on the man and the woman he is with for a moment before he turns back to working his computer.
There are a lot of people in the park to look at, but two in particular catches Bryan's eye. He smirks when Elle points to Claudine, then shakes his head. "Or it's that 'new car' thing." He catches Caim's movement out of the corner of his eye and slows, rubbernecking and then stopping altogether to look at the ragged young man fight the air.
"Check this out," he mumbles to Elle, eyebrows lifted as if someone just told him a joke, but he can't laugh aloud for the sake of politeness.
But Elle has already noticed, slowing to a stop just after her companion does. Any thought of Claudine leaves her mind at the sight. She puts one end of her straw into her mouth as she stares; unlike Bryan, she /does/ softly giggle aloud. If Caim's watchful at all, it'll become obvious that he is being stared and laughed at. "What's the kid doing?"
Caim makes a few more passes as he moves through his form and then stops dead in his tracks as he notices the two watching him, and laughing. " Why are they laughing at me. " he thought to himself. " Don't you two have anything better to do then laugh at a homeless kid. " He shouted to them, his face flushed from embarrassment as he tries to go back to what he was doing, a little irritated now that he is the center for someone's amusement.
Aidan looks up from his computer again at the shouting. It's loud enough for him to pick up the noise from this distance, if not maybe quite what is said. His reaction is a bit of sign language, likely the equivalent of 'What the hell? Crazy people.' But now he's interested. He unscrews the top of his water bottle to take a drink as he watches both groups. His look towards Caim is wary as if Caim might freak out at any time.
Bryan tsks, lowering his cup and rolling his head to look at the blonde beside him. "Now look what you've done, Kim. You've gone and -upset-, young grasshopper here." Shaking his head in apparent disgust, Bryan looks once more to Caim. "You could teach rugrats how to stand up to bullies. In your spare time, I mean. Better than begging for spare change, I bet."
It hadn't been the teenager's raggedy state that had attracted Elle's notice - it had been the moves. "Not -my- fault he's putting on a show in the middle of Central Park," she answers at Bryan without looking at him, slurping away at her drink. She headtilts at Caim, waiting to hear a response and resisting (for the moment) her urge to catcall.
Caim shook his head, and grabbed his things. " I can't help it that I don't really have another place to practice. Plus I am not a beggar, the very thought of begging is appalling to me, besides how am I to help others with bullies when I can't even deal with the ones that torment me. " He glared at the two for a moment. " I'm just happy that I was able to bring a little bit of amusement to your apparently dull lives. " His comment was very honest and seemed to be truthfully spoken, even though it was painfully obvious that he was hurt. He slipped his coat on and held the canteen, opening it and taking a drink as he decided he wasn't wanted here and started to walk along the path. " Stupid people, always making fun of those who are in a worse position then themselves, who are they to judge. " He though and spoke very softly to himself.
Aidan watches each of them in turn when they talk, focusing on what they're saying. There's a rather amused grin on his face. This is better than some TV show. Live action drama. Hey, Caim is definately bringing amusement to Aidan's life at the moment.
t's not as if upsetting the homeless kid will put a real damper on Bryan's day, but it isn't something he meant to do. "No offense!" he calls after Caim, lifting his coffee before he takes another sip of the hot beverage.
"Damn, Kim," he says with a chuckle and a sigh once he's brought his hand back down. "Were you that sensitive at that age?" Was he?
It might be ironic that the look Elle flickers at Bryan is mildly offended. "I'm not a /glass ball/, Kyle." She simply stands and observes for a moment, her eyes narrowing into thoughtful crescents. The straw hadn't left her mouth once yet, but now it does. "Don't let us spoil your fun, Superboy," she interjects loudly, with mocking earnesty, at Caim's retreating back. "Come back — show us what you got." We're not going to hurt you!
Caim turned and looked at the two and decided to give them a chance and slowly walked over to them. " What am I supposed to show you exactly? " His body was in a defensive position ready to defend himself against the two, having no idea what to expect from them. " I don't really have that much fun anymore. " He thought to himself.
Caim turned and looked at the two and decided to give them a chance and slowly walked over to them. " What am I supposed to show you exactly? " His body was in a defensive position ready to defend himself against the two, having no idea what to expect from them. " I don't really have that much fun anymore. " He thought to himself
Aidan types one last thing into his computer before he closes the laptop and tucks it into his back. If this goes bad, that'll make for a quick getaway. His eyes stay over on the others though, even if Caim's position makes it harder to see what is being said. He signs another comment to himself, something about wishing this was all captioned like T.V.
"We're not looking for a show, kid," Bryan says with a chuckle and a half-smile. "Strangers can't say their sorry? You need to practice," and by Bryan's standards, he definitely does, "so who are we to keep you from it, huh?" He glances to Elle, then smirks. "I bet Kim here'd spar with you if you asked her super-nice."
The defensive manner of Caim only serves to amuse Elle further, and she makes no move as he approaches the pair of them. "I'm not a martial artist, Kyle." There is an eyeroll in her tone, her comment meant to be heard clearly by both. "Besides" and she smiles wistfully, lifting her eyebrow"I might hurt the poor kid." Connotation? Duh. She'd cheat.
Caim blinked slightly surprised. " Your… sorry?!? W…well I am just not used to people who aren't homeless to be nice is all. " He dropped the defensiveness in his stance and smiled at the two. " Well, I would have to agree with umm… her. " He pointed at Elle. " I am not a martial artist either, besides, I don't like the concept of fighting a female in any aspect of it… it's just wrong. Plus, she probably would hurt me. " He stopped for a moment. " Oh I am sorry, my manners are becoming lacks. I'm Caim Fitzgerald. It's a pleasure to meet you. " The previous disagreement having been completely forgotten.
"Figures." Aidan mutters, actually using English instead of ASL for this. "The pretty lady smiles at him, and suddenly the kid forgets totally she was laughing at him five minutes ago." He pulls his water bottle over for another drink, waiting to see what will happen next. It's the small things that bring amusement, really.
"You're tough enough, I think," Bryan says to Elle, bumping his shoulder against hers before he moves to sit on the bench next to Aidan. After all, if there's going to be a show, he ought to be comfortable. Looking to Caim, he tilts his head to one side. "I wouldn't worry about Kim. I /know/ /I'd/ hurt you, and I don't think I want to start a criminal record today."
Whoa now. Elle never said /she/ was sorry - or that she was going to put on a show for anyone. Left alone on the path, she fingers her plastic lid a bit more sourly than she had before. "Your chivalry isn't making anybody smile, Fitzy. See that guy beside Kyle? Why don't you ask him if he wants to fight? He's closer to your own size." Shoddy teenager or not, Caim is more than half a foot taller than her. It would look like abuse, mang.
Caim shook his head. " I never asked to fight anyone, I think you two are confused, i only came back cause you asked me to. " He looked over everyone who was here and shook his head. What is wrong with these two. " Plus I don't care if my "chivalry" is making anyone other than me smile. " He grabbed his canteen and opened it, slowly taking a drink from it and closing the lid.
Aidan blinks over to Elle. "What? No. Sorry. Can't." He states. One word sentences for the win. After a moment he adds. "If I break this, I'd be in real trouble." He gestures towards his cochlear implant. It makes a good excuse. Bryan gets a quick look. "I saw you here the other day." Aidan states in that odd vocal tone he has.
But Bryan just nods, his eyes now locked on Aidan. "You can take it off, can't you? I'll keep it safe for you until the fight is over. Or we could just tell…Caim here that he can't hit you in the head." He glances between the two contenders with a gentle smile. "Sound fair?"
"I asked you /back/ because I wanted to see your hot taekwondo moves." Elle actually has no idea if it's taekwondo. Or what it was. She twists her head to smirk her encouragement at Aidan, her look cutting into the weak conversation he tries to start up with Bryan. "I bet you could take him on. Just a little? C'mon." The look in her eyes she adopts is almost a pouty one.
Caim stood there silently. Hot Tae Kwon Doe? He then chuckled a little. " I don't want to use my training to show off to anyone. Besides, I'm not really that good anyways. I know enough to stop people from hurting me, and that is it. " He then walked over to a nearby tree and sat down under it, hoping that the topic was going to be dropped, yet the two seemed very adamant about it. I wonder why they want to see something like that, are they war monger types? He sat there quietly in thought.
Aidan follows each of them with his eyes as they speak. Then he shakes his head. "Oh, no. I take this off, and I do not hear a sound. I'm not in the mood for that out here in the park." He likes what hearing he gets from it, thank you very much. Even Elle's eyes on him don't change Aidan's answer. "I don't fight. I'd break really easy, I bet."
It is with a heavy sigh that Bryan pushes himself up off the bench. "Com'n Kim. Looks like we've been sentenced to watching Kung-Fu movies all day." That seems the only way that Bryan's going to get this craving for violence satiated. But 'watching Kung Fu movies' with Elle will probably not involve a TV, but /will/ involve getting quite sweaty.
Elle needs no further indication, waiting for Bryan to join her in departing as soon as she spots him getting off the bench. She looks slightly crestfallen, but in a purely childlike manner. "Another time," she suggests innocently, slurping away the last of her drink and waggling her light, empty cup. "We'll have to have fun with /you/ another day."
Caim watched the two as they were leaving. " Wow, a rather odd couple wouldn't you think? " He spoke loud enough for Aidan to hear him as he looked over to him. Caim leaned against the nearby tree and took another drink from his canteen.
Aidan looks after Elle and Bryan as they move to leave. "That sounds like a threat." He mutters before he looks over to Caim with a blink. "They seem to have the same desire to see fighting. Maybe that's what draws them together."
 September 6th: Wakeup Call |
 September 6th: Permit Yourself Happiness |