Participants:
Scene Title | Shifting Winds |
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Synopsis | A convergence of many on the park, of pizza boy, company agent, magazine editor and very strange pre-cog |
Date | December 18, 2008 |
"No Jacob!" Nalani's muddled accent floats across the open space. "To the left. I want them more to the left. I want the trees in the background. It's not too much to ask is it" The demand also slipped with it the compulsion for the man to shift everything to the left. There's models dressed up and displaying some of springs new clothing. Nalani was having issues with the shoot and came down to oversee it herself. One leg up, foot on a boulder and looking over the lake scene. The transparent acrylic platform just beneath the surface of the water, little pieces of ice floatin around it. 'get the water going, it needs to look like it's raining, thank god it isn't snowing or this would be even more of a disaster" Assitants, crewmembers, stand by models, lights, camera's, everything looks odd in the park. Nalani slaps a leather gloves against her pant in disgust and just pulls the lapels of her fox fur jacket closer, muttering under her breath in the mid day air.
Magnes has to take the more harsh routes to get to Central Park from Brooklyn in under an hour, which involves lots of long leaps and sky diving forward. He's sacrificed many pizzas to learn to travel this way, but it pays off when he finally arrives with eleven minutes to spare, skating into the chaos of the photoshoot and looking around for who ordered.
"Excuse me, I'm from Panucci's pizza, someone ordered a large!" he yells, holding the box up with both hands as he waits for someone to claim it.
The light, almost silvery laughter that comes after Nalani's gripes and commands is very much a contrast with the woman's aggrieved tone. So is the girl it came from, who stands off to one side, well away from the photoshoot subjects — young, fair-skinned, very blonde, blue-eyed. Tamara's hair is just a little mussed by the day's activities, whatever they may have included so far; there's a slight cant to her head as she looks at Nalani, one corner of her lips tugging upward. "Snow's just different. It's pretty, until everyone's walked on it." Her gaze lifts to Magnes, as he arrives and announces the delivery. "Don't worry about that, though. It stayed away a while."
"Where have you been" hisses a blonde assistant when magnes calls out. "Your alte!" By their standards. "She's starving. Why she needed it from your place and not some place closer. But what she wants she gets" Tamara is ignored for the most part by the assistant as Magnes is shoved none to nicely towards the tall exotic fur clad editor.
Nalani's focus is gone from the models down to Tamara during the whole time after the young woman spoke. The chocolate eyes studying the young evolved woman. "Whats your name?" Suddenly asked. Magnes is seen out of the corner of her eyes and studied just the same. Like a shark trying to decide who it's going to eat for dinner.
Rami has arrived.
Nervous would be an understatement, but Magnes tries his best to keep it together as he's nudged forward and studied by the editor. He doesn't make much eye contact, but not to seem rude he instead writes notes about toppings on the receipt as he holds the box in one hand now. "Ah, I'm just Magnes, I made this pizza, I hope you enjoy. That'll be eleven twelve, and I'm really not late, it's only been forty nine minutes." he uneasily corrects the other woman.
For Tamara's part, the scrutiny might as well have been water sliding off a duck's back, as the saying goes. It doesn't rattle her in the least; she's not afraid of any possible shark eating her for dinner. The teen's smile becomes more crooked as the woman settles upon a question, a peculiar wry regret in her eyes. "Shadows shift and lights fall. There were still more. Enough." The first sentence sounds like the deflection it is; the last two are attempts to reassure, perhaps even apologize. The girl steps to one side, looking past Nalani at the lake and the photographers and models — half of whom are watching the pizza delivery boy and the little conversation instead of continuing about their work.
'She'll pay you. Hand me a piece" Nalanie's voice laden with an undisguised order. Not the special kind, just with the authority of someone who's imporant and can't be bothered to right this moment reach over, open the box and open it. All this while the Assistant is opening an envelope and counting out the petty cash and offering it to magnes. What does he do? Take the money right now or hand Nalani a slice of pizza.
And then, her attention diverts to Tamara as the leather gloves are passed off to another simpering slave, errrr assistant. because, you know, a hundred girls would kill/ them for this job. Btu then attention diverts again to the models, photographers, assistants. "Am I //paying you to stand and look pretty? Yes, yes I am, but i'm also paying for photo's to be taken. Get to work!" The blonde assistant is digging into her bag of holding to present a hanky to be placed on Nalani's hand so that the pizza and pamperd flesh never touch each other. Back to Tamara. "Tell me your name" Now it comes across with the weight of her ability, wanting a straight answer.
Magnes has no more room to write, he slides the pen back into his pocket and looks between the women. Money or pizza… Wait, why is he giving her pizza again? He swallows, her voice of authority almost instinctively causing him to choose the pizza. When the hanky is placed into her hand, he opens the box and gently hands her a slice. "I hope you enjoy, and um, where should I put this?" he asks, possibly wondering if he has to stand there with it.
Rami is dressed far better for the weather than the poor models, or even his dear sister. The Company agent is dressed in a neat suit that is mostly covered by a heavy wool jacket. A scarf in muted oranges and greens is coiled like a snake around his neck. "Ah, my sister. Never hard to find," he murmurs to himself. He makes his way towards the shoot. "Ahkti." He's not close enough yet to identify either Magnes or Tamara.
Tamara isn't sure why the words are different; Nalani's power is a thing she can't perceive, except in how it changes possible outcomes. Visible only in the ripples it creates. But the words… do something. Her face twists in a grimace, visible only in the second before the girl's hands lift to her face; her shoulders draw in and she takes a reflexive step backwards. "Don't," she protests, in a small and quiet voice.
"You can hold the box. You'll be tipped nicely" Magnes is told, fixed with a look of approval that he chose to give her the pizza first. Tamara though once again, ping pongs her attention again as an impeccably manicured dark brow rises. "I only asked you your name" her eyes narrow though, even more the shark, since something happened that doesn't ordinarily happen with something so simple a request as that. Tamara resisted. Then there's Rami's voice and the pizza is dropped back in the box. 'Stay there" ordered to Magnes. "Akhy! Oh, it's utterly Terrible the models are whining about being cold, and the photographers are just not getting the shots we need and I am surrounded by incompetance and I want this girls name, but she won't give it to me. I think she'd be perfect for a shoot out in the hamptons. I can make her known" Tamara recieves a look akin to 'how dare you refuse me, i'm only trying to help before she lifts her arms for her brother, her glossy black hair flitting in the breeze of the park.
Magnes stares at the box, then stands there, turning to watch where Nalani is going. He's holding a pizza box for a possibly large tip, and this person seems important. He might not just be a pizza delivery boy after this, he could be a photo delivery boy, or some sort of coffee delivery boy, the possibilities are endless… "Yes ma'am."
"Well, this should make you feel better." Rami holds up a paper coffee cup. "Just the way you like it." He does a better job than any brown-nosing assistant-wannabe at getting the order right. He glances towards Magnes. The look lingers a moment. Testing. The Haitian's gift always works, but he's paranoid. "Which girl, dear?" Then he follows Nalani's gaze to Tamara. Oh. It's the mystery girl again. "Hello."
Peeking around her fingers at Nalani, Tamara watches the woman seek solace in her brother's presence (and the gift of coffee). As they talk, she very slowly lowers her hands — her demeanor having shifted from at-ease to wild-shy and almost wary. Only almost, uncertainty being the greater factor. The regard Tamara gives Nalani, and upon Rami by virtue of his proximity, is the sort of 'I'm not really sure what's going on here…' study that most people confer upon her.
"Because Akhy always knows how to make his sister's mood better" The coffee is taken, a press of her lips to his cheek before she looks to Tamara. "Your face is what many would want to take pictures of and there's a spring spread that you will be perfect for! She won't even give me her name" Nalani pouts for a moment like a petualant child. 'I'll take the pizza again. Give some to her as well and Rami, you need to eat, your too skinny. It's not fashionable for men ot be too skinny. Bitch is replaced by adoration. Her eyes still study Tamara though.
Magnes hands her the slice again once he rolls over to the group, then holds the box out to both Tamara and Rami. He's not sure if he should hand-serve them too. "I hope you enjoy it. Again, I made it myself." He glances at Rami for a moment with a tilt of his head as if he's experienced deja vu. Though Rami's concerns should be eased when he says, "Hey, anyone ever tell you that you look a lot like Wolverine from the X-Men movies? That's pretty awesome."
"Nalani, dearest. When have you ever seen me eat pizza? Unless it was something at a high end Italian restaurant. This…" Rami motions to the pizza box. "…is…not…I presume, gourmet? Not to insult you, mister pizza man." He glances again to Tamara. "Would you like a slice then?" He picks up the pizza and moves towards Tamara, the slice held out on a napkin. Magnes' comment though, earns him quite a look. "…I do? Despite the fact that I am neither hairy, white, nor built like a bodybuilder? I think you need your eyes checked." Yes, he's familiar with the X-Men, even though he doesn't seem like the type to be a pop culture guru.
Head tilting to one side, that air of not-quite-comprehension still apparent in the furrow that creases her brow, Tamara watches the two adults. When Rami moves towards her, her attention seems to focus on him. She doesn't give any indication of being about to bolt as he approaches, but neither does the girl meet him; she lets him hold out the pizza for a long moment before finally accepting both napkin and slice. At which the girl proceeds to hold it herself, the pizza apparently forgotten just as soon as it came into her hands. "They're not boxes. What do you build with bodies, if not him?"
"Not high end, but just as divine. If i'll put it in my temple, you can put it in yours, won't kill you Akhy" Finally, Nalani takes a bite of the triple pepperoni and cheese. It's nto quite the restaurant scene in harry met Sally, but nalani is certainly having a divine moment when she finally swallows the pizza. More wierd looks thrown at Tamara before she grabs an assistant. 'Can you find her handler. Obviously, she's not all there" nalani taps the assitants head with her coffee cup, liquid sloshing inside. " I want to speak with her handler" like Tamara's some dog with a trainer. "Pizza boy. You made this?"
"Wolverine is Canadian, close enough. You're like a thin version." Magnes adds with a light chuckle, then turns his attention to Nalani, still not saying anything to Tamara. If they're having trouble with her, he sure as hell can't do anything, and it seems like business. "Huh? Oh, yeah! I've been in the pizza shop for a while, so I know my way around the kitchen. I can do milkshakes and stuff too, Mister Panucci taught me a lot."
Rami squints at the pizza boy. "I'm…British." Dear lord. He'll have to go over Magnes' medical files and make sure no one hit him on the head too hard while he was in custody. He returns his attention to Tamara. "I don't think she has a 'handler' sister." He examines the strange girl for a moment. "Why don't you have a bite of pizza, mmm?" His tone doesn't have the weighted command behind it like Nalani's, but he's still a fairly persuasive man.
The charm, authority, persuasion, whatever-you-call-it has less effect in and of itself than the simple reminder that she's holding a piece of pizza. Tamara peers at Rami, then looks down at the pizza in her hands as though only now recalling its existence. Which is true. "Oh." But in an even more abrupt fashion, her head snaps back up a moment before she would respond, eyes focusing intently on Nalani. Her gaze might seem just a little darker than before, at least to Rami who's nearest of all; not quite so clear a blue. The frown reappears, confusion and anxiety resulting in another halting step backwards.
"You should have some, It's very good" The weight of the words pressing behind them. Nalani's testing the waters, seeing if it was a one time fluke or not. Surely something simple as 'hey eat this slice of pizza' would evoke obeyance. But it doesn't. WHich only get a further puzzled look to nalani's face, fine wrinkles creasing her forehead. Her own pizza is slapped back down on the box, her appetite gone. "Pizza boy. Tomorrow, another pizza, to Hollingway publishing. Bacon and pineapple next time" He's not dismissed though. 'How are you so sure Rami?" The fox fur collar is drawn closer to her and she tears her gaze away from Tamara to the models. "Oh please, can this not be done yet. Every minute is money lost! Get it done with, get the shots and pack up. You don't need me to babysitt you!"
Magnes looks down at the pizza as if he were wondering if something was wrong with it, but he just nods when she asks for another tomorrow. He's not sure what's wrong with Tamara, but finally he decides to give her a warm smile, forcing confidence, then says, "It's alright, it's not poison or anything, and I wash my hands and stuff before I cook."
Rami follows Tamara's look towards his sister. "Why are you looking at her like that?" he murmurs in a tone low enough that she should be the only one close enough to hear. Then he raises his voice and says to his sister, "Where's that bullhorn I got you for your birthday?" His tone is wry.
Tamara looks over at Rami, and wrinkles her nose. "I don't like her," the girl answers. "She's too loud." And then he recommends a bullhorn — but she doesn't respond to that. Instead, her attention shifts to Magnes, her expression softening into something less strained. "I know," she assures him, smiling softly. "It was okay. It just… I…" Her voice trails off, and Tamara shakes her head as though trying to dislodge or shed something, blond hair flying.
"Oh just eat it already!" It's not yelled, nor does it have the previous weight. The annoyance that even having to be out here when she could be in a warm restaurant with her brother is evident. "You'd better have washed your hands and it's out getting detailed. Someone thought it would be cute for there to be swarovski sequins all over it. Well no, I joked that it should and then someone took me seriously. Someone clear her off the set, clear the pizza boy away. They're distracting" And with those spoken words, Nalani turns her attention away from them and marches down to the pond. Presumably to deal with her photographer who's busy clicking away pictures of models in rain jackets and absurb umbrella's that don't in fact, protect them from rain, which is falling down on them, thanks to the miracles of machines and really large sprinklers.
Magnes gets nudged away, rolling along but not before handing the box to the assistant. Thank god he's out of that tense situation. "Now I can get back to work…" he idly says to himself, quickly rolling away. He's certainly not the type to stick around when he's not wanted… usually.
"Well, my dear, that's not exactly… —-" Rami begins to speak to Tamara, but is interrupted by the buzzing of his cell phone. He pulls it out, snaps it open and says curtly, "Hollingwood." He listens for a moment, hand in pocket, then paces back towards his sister. "Yeah. Yes. Of course. - Ten minutes." And then the phone is snapped shut. "Ahkti. I have to go. I'll see you later?"
With everyone else distracted, Tamara turns and starts to drift away, taking her slice of pizza with her.
Nalani waves her hard in an irritated fashion to Rami. "Yes yes, I know, have to go. Go! Call later and i'll make time for you" She's busy it seems three moments later with studying the pictures produced.
Rami nods to Nalani, "Yes of course. I'll see you next week for sure." He then starts at a brisk walk towards where a suspiciously nondescript black sedan is parked.
Any additional notes fall to the bottom.
![]() December 18th: It's as simple as... |
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![]() December 18th: The Hypothetical Building |