Participants:
| Scene Title | It Wasn't Me |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Canaan comes across Xiulan and Abby learning self defense in the park. Doyle does too, only Doyle has more fun than everyone else in the end. |
| Date | April 12, 2009 |
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.
Cardinal is taking this babysitting business seriously. Enough so that he maybe mentioned it to Xiulan that Abigail probably needs to learn self defense that doesn't include a bible or a shotgun. Both very valid methods of self defense. But in very unique situations. So a meeting was set up in Central park in a grassy area for the redhead to meet the Asian woman. Green scooter secured safely, she's sitting on the end of it in yoga pants, short, sweater, her Scooter jacket tucked away with her helmet. Everyone who gets near her is suspect to the parnoid healer.
Xiulan is getting near to Abby, course, that's probably to be expected. At any rate, the tiny Chinese woman makes her way at a comfortable jog along the path. Clad in shorts, sneakers and a tank top, she's managed to work up a light sweat by the time she reaches Abby. She's smiling, though, a whispery greeting offered as she slows to a halt and goes about the business of stretching before she can get sore. "No trouble before I got here, right?"
Canaan has arrived.
Red hair shakes side to side in tandem with her face. "No one Xiulan" Helps that the Healer was giving off the 'don't come near me' vibe. "Richard said that I should learn to defend myself with something more than God's good word" She's actually mourning the loss of that bible. The one Conrad gave her. She's hoping that some day, some day she might get it back, but highly unlikely. Logan probably had it burned. She pushes up from teh green scooter, to watch Xiulan stretch before she starts to mimic the woman and her actions. "How is the shop?"
"Well, keep the good word handy," Xiulan advises as she offers the redhead a hand up. "The shop is good," she admits. "Slow lately, but generally business is good." A wink is flashed at Abby as the healer gets to her feet, her head canting to the side to crack her neck as she puts a bit of distance between them. "I was going to come see you at the bar, anyway. This is way more fun, though. Okay," Xiulan notes as she draws back a step, "Show me the first shaolin move that comes to mind for you." She's betting on 'Crane', Karate Kid is just great for people coming out with Crane stance.
Poor Xiulan. She's sorely mistaken. Abby's never seen Karate kid. Nor Bruce Lee, hell not even Jackie Chan. Oriental themed movies have never entered her sphere of influence. So she just shifts her legs to either side, and brings her fists up like some clueless five year old standing in a dojo on their first day. That and a very hopeful look on her face.
It takes Xiulan a moment to wrap her mind around that. In the end, she ends up flashing a wry smile and noting with no small amount of affection, "It's not Crane Stance and that is a huge bonus." Taking another moment to observe the healer, she finally dips her chin in a nod and drops into horse stance. At the moment, her legs are about shoulder width apart, hips tilted slightly forward and her hands at her sides. "What you want to do before anything else is find your center of balance. So, bend your knees, drop your bottom and tilt your hips forward." Turning to the side so that Abby can see what she is doing, Xiulan places one hand at the base of her spine and the other just beneath her belly button. "This is where you power comes from, from a place of balance and groundedness." Pausing a beat, she flashes another wry smile. "It's going to feel really wierd until you get used to it."
So very out of place in a place like Central Park, the obvious student walks along the path with a sort of aloof casual air. His aqua blue eyes moving aimlessly over the people and things, inspecting with interest much as a typical tourist would. As he moves his hands are held within his pockets, and as people move buy he is surprised to find someone teaching a martial arts class. "Private lessons in the park…" The man muses along to himself before turning in the pairs direction, seeming to disect the woman's movements. Noding with approval at the form and stance. Moments later is is watching from a short stance in a polite way, not saying much else.
For a brief moment there's confusion. Crane Stance? What the blankety blank is Crane Stance? Something not good. But what Abby is slightly good at it mimicking. Widening her legs, tilting her hips forward a little. Try to find a balance. Try to find a balance. She didn't stick around after church because of this. Heck, her sunday best is in the back of the scooter. But she's there soon enough, after a few tries, trying to find her center of gravity and assume this 'horse' stance.
"Course," Xiulan notes in tones that more then a little wry. "You'll start to feel it in your thighs pretty quick. On the upside, it's a great stance for toning and strengthening." And, while she's still talking, she's also making a point to watch Abby. In fact, the only time her gaze flickers away from the healer is to take stock of the approaching student. Comfortable with the watching male in her periphereal vision, Xiu turns her attention back to Abby and grins at healer. "Excellent. Now, you have three striking platforms, hands," And Xiulan demonstrates a simple and straightforward punch. "Feet," A more complicated front kick follows the word. "And elbows." At which point she swipes at the face of an imaginary for with her elbow. "Being a woman, you're going to find that you'll get the best power from a kick or an elbow swipe. Elbow swipes have the added bonus of throwing men off-guard when coming from a fragile looking female."
Off and to the side the man simply watches with interested, a boyish smile painted across his face as he does so. His arms crossed over his chest and his ears open as he blatently listens in one the woman giving instructions. How wondering it would be to get lessons in the park, the man seems to think as he quietly observes them both. A polite smile sent if they happen to look his way again.
Three moves! followed one by one. Canaan is unseen by the redhead and a good reason too because for now she's unaware, and not given to self consciousness at the moment. Beginner, easily enough to see in the clumsy, tentative and chaotic way that she try's to mimic Xiulan, repeating the words to herself. Her weight shifts to one foot, Her palm darting out, a kick forward then back down. Followed by a very screwed up use of her skinny elbow. The little gold cross at her throat jostled with each attempted movement. It's when she brings her elbow back that she spots Canaan and her cheeks flush red from his gazing on them. "Someone's watching"
"How long have you known Richard?" The question comes as Xiulan watches Abby. She is, however, still staying on point. So much so that she alters horse stance slightly, placing her left foot forward, toe pointed to the ground and her weight mostly settled on the right, rear-most foot. "In a straight forward fight, this is your most stable, grounded stance. Until we have time to get really deep into Shaolin, you'll want to opt for this stance. From here," she notes as she drops her arms into a defensive boxer-like pose. "You can throw a solid punch from the hips." And a solid jab is demonstrated for the healer. It includes, of course, the shift of weight from back foot to front and a firm twist of narrow hips that comes all the way up from Xiulan's toes. "You don't have to be strong," she notes. "To break someones jaw."
Abby's observation is met with a faint nod of Xiulan's head and a reassuring wink. "It is a public park, Abigail. Don't worry, if anything happens, I got you." And it really isn't bravado so much as simple confidence in her abilities. She does, however, offer a polite smile toward the male. It never hurts, after all, to let a person know that you are aware of thier presence. "I'll talk to Richard about getting you a punching bag so can practice throwing blows in the comfort of your home. In the meantime, I want to walk you through a few simple throws and hold breaks." Pausing a beat, she cants her head, her expression turning curious. "You do know where to strike?"
Catching the few odd looks the man suddenly begins to wonder if he is intruding, when the comment about 'something happening' comes to his ears he lifts his hands palms up. "No no no!" He tried to stop the thought in a very clumsy way, shaking his head awkwardly as he does now. A few steps are taken forward and the man is addressing to two. "I was wondering if you gave classes to anyone, or it is an invitation only sort of thing. I am just new to the city and left my gym back in Arizona… so I have no where to train." He explains before realizing that he is intruding once again. His blue eyes look between the two with an embarassed gaze before he backs off again and adds. "I can go if you'd rather…"
"I don't know anything Xiulan" Still holding the Horse pose, blue eyes flickered to Canaan. She doesn't say anything but when she looks to her 'teacher', the flush of her cheeks seems to be in retreat. He's not there to intrude. Doesn't mean the redheads going to drop her guard, but she's not going to bolt anymore. "You can.. stay. It's okay. I apologize i'm not used to anyone watching"
When Abby visibly relaxes, Xiulan offers the man a friendly smile and calm reassurance. "No need to leave, really. And, if you don't mind my using you as a demonstration, I'd be more then happy to have you join us. I am," she adds in painfully polite tones. "Xiulan." Glancing back at Abby, just to make sure that the healer is comfortable with that, Xiulan notes. "If he's game, it would be easiest way to show you how to defend yourself against an attacker."
"Oh… uh… I suppose that would be alright. Nothing to different from the womens self defense classes I used to teach." His smooth baritone voice calls out as he steps forward, smiling a bit sheepishly between the two as he comes to stand beside Xiulan. "It's nice to meet you, my name's Canaan Brock."
"Abigail Beauchamp" Better to see it, run it through her mind a few times. "They're not.. official lessons. She's a friend who's just teach me how to defend myself in ways that don't include hitting someone in the face with a bible" Biblethumping. For. The. Win. She scratches at the back of her neck though, a glance to Xiulan, leaving it up to the asian woman what to do. Invite Canaan to help or not.
"Thank you, Canaan." Xiulan states. "And it is very nice to meet you, as well." Taking a few steps away from Abby, the diminuative Chinese woman rolls her shoulders, bouncing for a moment in place before tossing Abby a wink. "Okay, since Canaan is game for being tossed around, a bit, lets start with an easy throw." Dropping back into the modified horse stance, Xiulan's expression turns more serious as she speaks to Canaan. "If you'd throw a punch for a me, we're going to a do basic guided throw." The moment Canaan indicates he's good with that. And he does. Xiulan has him throw punch. Mind you, they are both moving in a slowed down version of the move to allow Abby to see what is going on. As the punch is throw, Xiulan takes Canaan's wrist with her right hand. Twisting at the waist, her left foot slides forward as her left hand grips his shoulder and uses his own momentum to flip him onto his back on the grass. The moment he is down, however, Xiulan drops to one knee, 'pretending' to drive the knee into his stomach whilst her right hand releases his wrist and aims a solid punch at his adam's apple. Of course, her knee actually takes the grass next to his stoman and her fist doesn't actually impact his throat, but still. It is once the move is over that she looks up at Abbey and smiles. "You're using his body weight and momentum to your advantage, you see?"
"It's nice to meet to too Abigail." But even as he is greeting her is is nodding and throwing the slow and obvious punch, and in a sudden flurry finds himself on the grass. His argil sweater a bit stained, but no worse for wear. At least it looked like he had some experience falling. "Ow…" he murmers as he simply looks up from below.
"Oh! Lord" Hands cover her mouth as she watches the two go through the slow motions. instinct is to cringe and look away. But this is lessons and she needs to pay attention. "I could just kick him in his, you know" There's a very vauge gesture to his midriff, which clearly indicates a little further south in the groin region. "when he's still standing.
"You could," Xiulan admits. "Of course, in reality, you have to kick really hard to do any real damage and most men will get very pissed off and come back at you with everything they can muster." That kind of pain is funny like that. Xiulan has seen men take a serious kick to the nads and get back up to beat the hell out of someone. "And if you don't kick hard enough to drop him to his knees, he's going to punch your face through the back of your skull." She's stuff pretty close to /that/, too. "So, lets stick with a throw, a knee to the solar plexus and a punch to the throat." If they can't breath, they can't fight. Shifting her weight on her knee, she offers Canaan a hand up as she rolls to her feet. "You alright with letting her try it? You know how to fall, so…."
A slight cough brings him to his feet, with the womans help, before he looks across at Abby and chuckles slightly. "I suppose it couldn't hurt, hands on is the best way to learn." The man replies with an odd air before he steps forward and looks over at Abby. "Ready?" Asking and waiting for her to nod, or agree, or give him the signal to attack. Then his fist comes at her, slow and ponderous, but still something she will have to try to catch.
They say there's nothing like a New York Hot Dog.
Of course, the only place to get a -real- New York Hot Dog was closed down years ago with the decline of Coney Island, but what the vendors sell these days is a passable imitation at least. The ketchup, mustard, and relish-slathered bread bun vanishes between thick lips, the meat with it, and teeth close like a guillotine to tear off a bite. A low, contented groan is muffled by the bite of hot dog as the portly fellow chews, taking his time with it as if it was pure orgasm in meal-sized form.
A newsboy-style hat and a baseball jacket - the Mets, not the Yankees - is worn by Eric Doyle as something of a disguise. It hides his bald pate and adds a flash of blue that he normally wouldn't wear, anyway. At the sight of the faux-fighting, he lumbers along over to a bench and drops down to watch. Hey, free show.
Abby's visually pumping herself up for this. she can do it. Like the little engine that could, only metal, and not going uphill. She clenches her hands into fists a few times, releases before she nods to Canaan. When the fist comes at her, the redhead darts forward, fingers gripping around hsi wrist with a surprising amount of force, imitating Xiulan's movements but with far less finesse and more raw ability. to try and grab his shoulder, flip him onto his back and her knee into his stomach. Only unlike Xiulan, the Healer is actually driving with her knee towards him instead of the ground.
Having been watching the healer's attempt, Xiulan is startled to see that Abby's knee is actually going for Canaan's stomach. Of course, privately she blames herself for not making it clear that it is only practice. Fortunately, she is right there and able to intercede by blocking the downward driving knee with a quickly interposed leg. Course, it still doesn't feel great, but at least she isn't injured. She does, however, flash a grin at the healer and note. "Very nicely done. Only lets go for the grass and not actual harm." Slanting a glance at Canaan, she offers a wry wink before patting Abby on the shoulder. "Good to try again? Let's try to add the throat punch… Pulled, mind you, no real contact. And remember to use your hips." It is to Canaan she that she adds. "Keep it nice and slow for me, please."
The pang of pain from the knee is dulled, but it is nothing that he can't handle. Or so he thinks before standing upright and cringing a bit and what feels like a deep bruise on his rib. "Ow…" he comments again before he moves from the pair, shaking his head a bit. "Sorry ladies, but I actually need to be heading to classes and if I show up covered in grass with strange bruises… I might loose my reason for being here." Caanan remarks with an odd grin before he nods to both politely and begins to head off. "Sorry… next time I will come around in something less… nerdy?"
Darn, they're sparring, it's not a cat-fight after all. Not too terribly disappointed with the fact that his live show is more of a stage rehearsal, Doyle relaxes there upon the bench contentedly munching away at his hot dog and watching the trio. Well, duo, as the male of the three begs off for work to depart. "Cheesy lines," he mumbles against his lunch.
"i'm sorry. yes, thank you" Her hand offered out and taken by Canaan, and thanks to a quickly uttered prayer in her mind there' a light warmth and tingle that wicks away the bruise, to where it almost doesn't exist. Write that feeling off as just side effects of getting nearly knee'd by the religious redhead. Yes indeed. Noooope, no ability was used on you. She drops his hand after a nearly inappropriate amount of time and steps back beside Xiulan to watch Canaan walk away, a glance around the park and people around them. Blue eyes light on Doyle, the hat, everything. THey remain there for some odd reason.
Canaan announces his departure and Xiulan offers a faint albeit polite bow in response. "It was very nice meeting you, Canaan." Of course, Abby takes his hand, and the length of time the hand holding goes on does serve to arch one of the Asian woman's brows. It is only once he has stepped away, however, that Xiulan murmurs quietly. "You did really well, Abby…." Course, Abby is staring at the man on the bench and Xiulan can't help but slant a glance in his direction. Mind you, the glance is coupled with a pleasant smile and polite inclination of her head. Wouldn't want to freak the guy out, after all. "Abby… Did you want to take a break?"
"Hmmm?" Oh. She's staring. Another flush from the redhead as she looks away and back to Xiulan. "I guess. maybe. I'm sorry. I hurt him. Not too much, but he'll be fine. He'll be better in a few hours. I took it away" A wriggle of her fingers to the other woman to indicate what she did. Break is good. That guy is watching as well too" A discreet or maybe not discreet gesture to Doyle. "Except I don't think he's going to volunteer to help"
As the two women look in his direction, Eric wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, scattering a few crumbs and smearing a lingering blotch of mustard away from his lips in the process. A brittle, forced smile curves to his lips slowly, never touching heavy-lidded eyes, and he brings his free hand up to wriggle his fingers in a baby-wave to the staring women. Then back to the hot dog, though he keeps an eye on the pair. Not quite staring… but only not quite.
Glancing between the benchwarmer and Abigail, Xiulan rolls her shoulders in a shrug, one hand raising to lightly pat the healer's shoulder. "Alright, we'll take a break. We can go over strike points." Dropping down into a comfortable sprawl on the grass, Xiulan stretches her legs out, settling her weight back on her elbows. "Generally, the best spots to aim for for the purpose of slowing someone down enough to get away are the throat and the solar plexus. Like I said, it's hard to do much when you can't manage a breath. Course, you can cause serious harm, which doesn't hurt when it's needed. Otherwise, the heel of your hand to the nose? Perfect and potentially lethal. Mind you, can't be squeamish if you are in a fight for your life, so." Kill em, dead.
Can't be squeamish. She doesn't like fighting. Most of the bridge? Duck and cover, cower till they called her and even then, there were people beside her protecting her. The redhead doesn't flop out on the grass beside Xiulan, just stands with her hands at her side for a moment before bringing one across her chest and holding it there, stretching a bit. "Solar plexus. Chest?"
A purse of his lips together forms a moue of disappointment as the sparring ends, Doyle's head shaking regretfully at whatever thought happened to stir within his cranium. Another bite of hot dog's taken before the foil-wrapped bundle is set down on his knee, still in the curve of his hand. Those heavy lidded eyes watch the pair in lazy consideration, before something makes his lips twitch up a bit. At his side, his other hand lifts a little, fingers clawing inward as if squeezing the air.
The puppeteer only spools out a thread or two to curl into the muscles of the redhead's body, guiding her hand as it goes across her chest in a somewhat more juvenile grab as she asks 'chest'. Nobody ever accused Eric of being incredibly mature, after all, even at his age.
"Here," Xiulan notes as she lightly touches the center of her anterior torso. "Just below the lower edge of the stern-." And then Abby is squeezing her boob and Xiulan blinks, blinks again, then clears her throat. "Uh. Yeah, a little lower and more… center." Abby just honked her boob. Seriously, that's just not… "Have you been drinking, Abigail?"
"I didn't do that!" Abby is not in the habit of feeling herself up, much less not in public and a look of utter confusion has slid across Abby's face. "I didn't do that! I swear" Trying to yank her hand away from her chest like she just put it in scalding water.
A twitch of Doyle's fingers, a tug on the puppeteer's strings, and the redhead's hand does indeed leave her breast! Unfortunately, it's now aiming for the center of Xiulan's anterior torso, just below the lower edge of the sternum, with every iota of strength the petite girl has to leverage into the strike. So nice of the chinese woman to give directions! Whatever its result, she's freed immediately thereafter, those thick fingers wrapping themselves about the hot dog's foil holder once more to bring it up, hiding his slow, lazy smile by taking a bite of the hot dog, chewing contentedly and watching the pair with those sleepy, amused eyes.
Ah, New York Hot Dogs. There really are none like them anywhere else.
Xiulan is almost too startled by Abby's boob grabbing and the denial of boob grabbing to register the blow being aimed at her torso. Fortunately, however, she catches the motion just in time to roll to the side. Unfortunately, the punch catches her rib cage. More unfortunate is the fact that Abby spends a good deal of time hauling around beer cases and that puts considerable force behind the blow. At least enough force that there is the icky sound of a rib breaking. Perhaps more unfortunate still is the fact that Xiulan continues her roll to a crouching ready stance, dark eyes narrowed as she hisses something pointedly unpleasant in Mandarin. It is, however, followed not by a punch, but rather by, "Have you flipped your fucking nut?"
'I didn't do it!" The red head is utterly horrified now, staring at her hand as if it's grown a mind of it's own. "Oh lord. Oh Lord i'm so sorry!" Before the red head darts away to the adjacent scooter. Her fingers fumble with the keys in the pocket of the jacket, not even bothering to put her helmet on. Just trying to put the key's in the ignition so she can get away. Though the tears that are starting to hamper the womans vision keeps that from happening at first.
At the sound of a rib breaking, Doyle winces faux-sympathetically. "Ye-ouch," he exhales in a faintly amused drawl of voice, his head shaking, "That has got to hurt. What a vicious monster of a young woman she is. Maybe she shouldn't look at people like they're freaks." The last of the hot hog's popped into his mouth, and he pushes himself heavily to his feet, the foil and paper crumped up into a ball and carefully deposited in a metal-sided trash recepticle beside the bench. Both hands tuck into the pockets of the baseball jacket, then, and he strolls along on his way, whistling the tunes to a song that won't be written for years.
"ABBY STOP!" Hey, Xiulan's got a set of lungs on her, that was /loud/. She does, however, wince as she rolls to her feet, sigh spilling past her lips as she watches the healer run for the scooter and start crying. She /can't/ let Abby try to drive in that state, it isn't safe and she's currently on healer sitting duty. So. "Really," she murmurs under her breath. "Stop." Course, the -only- way she make sure that Abby doesn't charge blindly into traffic is to make certain that she can't get into traffic. And well, /blindly/ is the best possible way to make certain that there is no traffic getting in going on. Which, of course, means that Abby finds herself currently blind. Hard to drive when you are blind. /Hopefully/, Abby won't try. At any rate, Xiulan is making her way toward the redhead. Mind you, it's a slow way, since, you know… broken rib and all. "Stop." Doyle? Well, he's not really paid any attention to.
The sudden lack of seeing anything is a sure way to stop the young woman, a shriek let out and key's dropping. "I'm sorry. I didn't do that. It was me but.. oh lord I didn't do that!" Shaking hands help Abigail push herself away from the Scooter and away from where she'd last seen Xiulan moving in from and from her voice. "It wasn't me, It wasn't I swear on the bible it wasn't me" obviously Abigail can't see doyle make his great escape either.
Xiulan stops moving, if only to prevent the healer from backing into traffic, or into a tree, or a bench… "Alright, it wasn't you… It doesn't matter, Abby." Deliberately keeping her tones calm and soothing, Xiulan takes another step toward the panicing woman, her voice softening. "I'll let you see, but you have to /promise/, on the bible, not to bolt, Abby." Cause she's just not up to chasing at the moment. She does, however, slowly make her way toward the dropped keys. "I believe you. Someone was fucking with us… Hell, it was probably that kid we flipped." Yeah, that's it, blame it on Canaan!
'Wasn't me. Is wear it. I promise you won't bolt if you don't swear at me again" Tears are making their way down the redheads face. "I'm not a violent person and I don't.. I d..don't go around grabbing myself in private or in public" The former blonde's getting near panic attack stage now as she turns this way and that, unused to not seeing and overwhelmed by it all. Her hands out in front of her, moving back and forth to provide a buffer for herself and anything she might bump into as she babystep/shuffles aimlessly. "Oh god, I broke something. I heard it, I hurt you"
"Okay, no more cussing," Xiulan promises. Fortunately, she found the keys. Unfortunately, she doesn't want to risk bending down to pick them up. She does, however, remove the blindness, extending one hand toward the healer. "It's alright, Abby, just calm down, please." She doesn't go on about the broken rib, although she does start a slow approach toward the panic female. "Listen, we'll call someone to come get you, alright? I'll be fine, just a little tape and some aspirin and all is well." Course, she's scanning the area for a sign of anyone who could have done this. Hotdog man is gone and most everyone else is too far off.
"I can fix you. I can fix it. I can make it better. I promise" Abby's all but blubbering when she can finally see again and is rushing forward to take the Asian woman's hand. A prayer, nearly unintelligible is burbled out, but there's no healing coming out. Which only prompts the woman to rattle off another fruitless prayer while gripping the other woman's hand. It wasn't her, it was someone else. Xiulan's believing her. but no matter how hard she's trying, concentration is failing and with it, the lack of healing to make the other woman all better.
"Abby…." Gently holding the healer's hand, Xiulan reaches out to press her shoulder, her own breathing slow in an attempt to calm Abigail's. "Breath, it's not that serious." It's just a rib. "We need to get out of here, though." It isn't safe to stand around in an area where they have been pointedly messed with. "I need you to grab your keys for me, alright? We'll hail a cab back to my place and call Richard, but you need to breath and try to relax for me."
"I can't leave Lazarus" A snotty runny nosed horrified exclamation, even as she's taking the key's and wiping at her eyes with her sleeve. "He'll get stolen!" SHe's still trying hard to activate the healing, but the healer in the state she's in, it's unlikely to happen right this moment. Still grasping the woman's hand though, Abigail works a shaking hand into the lock that holds the seat down, lifting it up and fumbling through her messenger bag inside for her phone. "Richard. Call Richard" She sniffs a few times, large hiccuping gulps of air as she tries to follow Xiulan's instructions and dial Cardinal.
Lazarus? "Who? OH!" The scooter. "Right. Well, lets get someone out here to help first… Um. Maybe Richard can drive Lazarus for you." Richard on a scooter…. Good lord, Xiu, DO NOT LAUGH… It'll hurt. Alot. Course, she's holding Abby's hand, more to calm the woman then in hopes of healing. It will not, after all, be the first broken rib she's lived through. "Breath, Abigail. Slow breaths." Can't have her hyperventilating and passing out after all. And, while the phone is being rummaged for, the surrounding area is being watched. God help the son of a *bleep* if Xiulan figures out who is responsible.
Of course, this is Central Park. There're people everywhere; and not a few of them are watching the pair, after the commotion that was just caused. It could be the little girl staring at them from across the meadow, or the mime walking along one of the paths that criss-cross through the greenery. It could be any of them, or none!
"He won't ride the scooter" Even as the speed dial for Richard is hit and the phone ringing to try and find the shadowman. SLow breahting means that the blonde actually holds her breath a few times, in an effort to force her body to slow it's breathing down. SHe also lets go fo Xiulan's hand, digging out a bottle of water and thrusting it to the woman, and then a little bottle of her anxiety pills.
"Well, we'll figure something out," Xiulan assures Abby. Twisting open the bottle of water, Xiulan presses it into Abby's free hand, her brows furrowing as she turns the bottle of pills and glances up at Abigail. "One?" As the bottle is opened, a single pill is spilled into her palm and extended to Abigail.
The phone, of course, goes immediately to voice mail. The sun's so high in the sky that getting a hold of the shadowman will be difficult, at best. Chances are he's dead to the world unconscious right now, either from sleep or alcohol.
So there's a ragged breathing woman who sounds like Abby and some things are barely heard except Lazarus, someone's messing with them, Xiulan's hurt, she can't heal her, central park. Usually this kind of phone call is one that Teo is the receiver of. But Teo's in Africa. With the midtown man, and therefore, not getting the phone call. The babbling is interrupted by the taking of the water and the pill, downing the latter with the aid of the former before she hangs up with "Voice mail" and trudging to the bench that was so recently occupied so that she can sit and thrust her head down between her knees and work at calming herself down.
Right, it's the middle of the day. Fuck. Fortunately, the cuss is silent as Xiulan follows Abby over to the bench. "Listen, it's going to be alright, Abigail. You just cannot tear yourself up over this, okay? It was /not/ your fault." Opting to stand, rather then risk sitting, Xiulan leans her hip against the edge of the bench, one hand resting on Abby's back in a soothing gesture. "Some jerk decided to mess with us, that's all it was. Next time, we'll practice inside." She's so not risking a repeat of this. "Do you think you can drive?"
"Don't know" Muffled from behind a curtain of red hair, getting her breathing under control, working hard to not fall apart in the middle of central park more than she already had. "Call your dragons?" Probably the only other thing more ridiculous than Cardinal riding on her Scooter would be a tattoo'd chinaman.
"I can do that," Xiulan decides after a few moments of consideration. "We cannot tell them what happened, however." She doesn't want to be outted as evolved. She does, however, pull her cellphone out and make a quick call. Sadly, the entire conversation is in Mandarin, so it is hard to tell what might have been said. When it is over, however, she gently brushes Abby's hair off her face and offers reassuringly. "They're on thier way. We'll get to my place and you can take a nap, alright?"
"Then what are we going to tell that?!" Blue eyes slanted sideways and up. "Sorry my friend didn't know he own strength and she hurt me. They'll hurt me"
"No, they won't hurt you." Xiulan assures. "I'll tell them someone tried to mug us and I got hurt chasing them off." Easiest thing to do, really. "Worst that will of that is the park being better patrolled for a while." Smiling faintly, Xiulan makes an attempt at humor in hopes of cheering Abigail up. "You are going to be a force to be reconned with once you master Kung fu, Abby."
"Oh yes, I can break ribs with the heel of my palm" Looking down at it and the ache that radiates. Probably did something to herself. But she's resigned herself to waiting with Xiulan and for these flying dragons to come and fetch them. 'Bible in my left hand and kungfu with my right" Abby's not that great at humor and it's a ragged attempt at trying to make a joke and not look like a total mess either when the womans friends come.
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