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Summary: Aiden, Theo and Zoya randomly meet up in the park. Some cold shoulders are thrown.
Date: July 28, 2011
Log Title: Isn't The Cold War Over
Rating: PG
NYC- Thompson Square Park
Thompson Square Park is a small park in the middle of Mutant Town. The benches might need a fresh coat of paint, the fence might be rusted in places and the pavement is raised and has cracks but it's all part of the mutant haven and fairly relaxing. Trees and grassy areas are in between the many paths, there are a few structures and benches along the path as well as a special area of the park that is marked 'the dog walk'.
//Two trees have been planted in the park as a Memorial to Carmencita Florez and Detective Baxter each with a plaque stating the tree is in their memory. //
It's just reaching noontime in the park and the weather is quite nice. Maybe a little on the hot and humid side but it's not stopping people from enjoying the park. In one area of the park the sound of some electronic style music can be heard playing and the blue winged mutant can be seen dancing to it. He's dressed in a pair of tight black pants tucked into knee length boots with several buckles on them and a sleeless black shirt. The tattoo like markings on his chest, arms and neck that are visisble show a green colour as he seems quite intent on his dancing. In one hand is a long length of rope about with a ball on the end that he moves around in complex patters that match with his dance.
Hippie dancing. That's the first thing that goes through Theo's mind. The boy wears a pair of cargo shorts and an orange T-shirt, just getting out of his Ferrari. The teen is followed by Proto, and he closes the door, locking the car as any smart car owner would do in New York City. Especially if your car is that nice. "Let's see if there's any cameras here, Proto. Something that might've seen Mindbender and Upgrade." He doesn't recall any cameras at the park, but wait, what's this? There's cameras at the nearby stoplights. Theo sticks his hands in his pockets, and starts walking toward one of the lights at the edge of the park, an eye on Aiden and his dancing.
Zoya is one of those people who isn't faring well in the warmer weather. Could be that she's from colder climates. Then again, wearing so much dark clothing probably doesn't help matters any. Dressing light becomes a bigger challenge when you're trying to conceal weaponry. Almost a shame she didn't get some sort of ice-based power, instead. Her day is uneventful, having recently returned to the city and the only real familiar territory she has. There's always room for some manner of excitement, however. Especially with the enticing image of an Italian exotic pulling up nearby. It's enough to earn even her attention, though her thoughts are less focused on how fast it drives. Perhaps..there's something worth sticking around here for.
The poi that Aiden is moving around gets released and goes flying in the air as he uses his wings to help him do a forward filp, his wings extending to their full twenty foot wingspan as he lands. He goes to grab the poi as it falls back down towards the ground but as he glances up he realizes his throw is off. "Damnit." He curses as the ball on a rope lands on the ground. With a sigh he turns off his music and grabs a bottle of water from his duffel bag to have a drink and a rest before attempting again.
Theo stops within range of the light, and stares at it. It's almost like he's in a trance, as he seems to drift off into another world. Meanwhile, the little robot with him begins to circle around him, examining the area. A small snake-like camera starts peering out and around at the surrounding people, first at Aiden, and then at Zoya.
Zoya seeks out the pair of individuals that stepped out of such a blatantly flashy vehicle, if..individuals is the right way to think about it. A man..and a machine. How peculiar. If that isn't enough, there's the dancing guy with the blue wings finishing up a set not far off, either. This area may be more familiar than she realizes, which may very well be enough to spare it of her less than delicate touch. On a whim, in part because she gets the feeling that she's being watched all of a sudden, she changes her direction towards the driver of that all too expensive car. "Am not only one here who does not understand 'subtle,'" she remarks.
There's a slight red hue to the tattoo like markings on Aiden as he finishes up his water and goes to retreive his poi. Since he landed not to far from Theo he can't help but notice proto. "That's an intersting robot thingie you have there." He comments. "I didn't know they made robots." He says looking at it with a bit of confusion. Technology isn't Aiden's strong point.
Theo continues to stare down the light after Aiden and Zoya speak to him, but seems to be concentrating on something else. "Company." The words come from Proto, the little quadraped robot. "Hello, I am Proto," he offers to Zoya first. Theo snaps out of whatever world he was in, and looks back to Zoya, and then Aiden, processing the statement he heard a moment ago. "Well, I'm not a "they" so, I guess "they" don't, but I do."
The Ruskie woman knows not this creature before her, or its mechanical pet. He sure -looks- human enough. With such a disregard for staying incognito, especially given that robot, she's only giving this man a fifteen percent chance that he's someone that she shouldn't consider to be a valid target in the future. The brief chatter between he and his device gives her a second of pause, learning for herself how the two communicate and what sort of connection they share. The notes in her mind update themselves: if potential target, destroy device first. Yet, even in making such a decision based on such limited information, there's something approaching a lopsided, somewhat friendly smile. She's so not ready to commit to anything, one way or another. "You have name?" she simply inquires. "Strange little construction, you are." With the winged one even closer now, her attention drifts over to him. It isn't the wings that draw her eye so much as his boots, of all things. Wings, she's seen those before. But those… -Those- are some mad stompy boots.
Aiden nods slowly at Theo and then at the Proto. "Uh..hello Proto. Um..I'm Aiden?" He offers as his tattoos shift from being green and red to various shades of yellows and oranges that seem to blend and be seperate at the same time. "You do what? Make Robots?" He asks sounding uncertain as he slowly coils the poi around his hand and arm. "That's…is that really possible?" Obviously it is with Proto standing in front of him.
Proto answers Zoya, "Hello Youhavname, it is a pleasure to meet you. Hello Aiden, it is a pleasure to meet you." Theo grins a little. "Yeah, it's not that hard, getting them to be smart is the hard part, building them is easy." He shrugs, "I like doing it, it's a good pass time. Besides, stuff like that can sell really well."
"Is not that smart," the woman says out loud when the robot decides to refer to her in such a fashion. Without another thought on the matter she almost completely ignores Proto, instead focusing on what appears to be its creator. "Do dis sort of tink often, robot buildink?" Seems ..oh, a bit high-profile? He's being way too casual about the whole thing. And, only maginally less high-profile, she glances back at Aiden's boots once more. She'll have to find a store that caters to such fashions before torching the city as a whole. It's a redeeming quality.
Aiden looks over at Zoya and blinks. "What? It's a robot..that talks. And all you can say is 'it's not that smart?'" He furrows his drawn on eyebrows in a bit of confusion. "I mean, I only thought this kind of thing was ficition. As for passing time, I don't think building robots is for me. I prefer to practice to kill time. That or read." He says before looking at Zoya before looking down. "Is there something on the ground? Did I step in something?"
"That's okay," Theo says with a smug grin, "Most people aren't that smart, either," he tells Zoya, the implication of his voice says that she is one of those people. "He's impressive enough that Tony Stark thought it was cool. Hence how I'm seventeen and have a job at Stark Industries." Nothing like a little shameless bragging. "So what were you practicing?" the teen technopath asks Aiden.
"Smart enough to know what is name and what is not," she replies with a sidelong glance to Theo, which is now a far cry from being friendly. Any other person probably would have found themselves getting shot at for such a remark towards her, but no. Not this time. Not yet. Between Proto and Ferrari over there, there's no shortage of ways which she could get back at this man. Someone like him is probably well attached to his fancy belongings. At least where cars are concerned, she knows how to take care of them. Despite her twisted thoughts still mulling over all of the bad things she'd love to do to the guy and his toys, she looks back to Aiden, the former matter seemingly forgotten already. "Like your boots," is all she offers.
"Congratulations?" Aiden offers to Theo not quite sure who Tony Stark is or what Stark Enterprises is so to him he doesn't know if it's a good thing or not. "I was practicing fire dancing for my act in Coney Island. I work for the freakshow down there. I have to learn the dance to where I can pretty much do it in myself or else I can really hurt myself or someone else." He says before looking back down at his feet and smiling. "Thanks. I got them…um…I think I got them out in San Francisco a few years ago?"
"Are you now?" Theo responds to Zoya, as if she had told him something he didn't know. He doesn't know Zoya, but he doesn't like his work being unwarrantedly insulted. "So what is your name?" He folds his arms across his chest, and Proto stops surveying the area. Instead, the little robot is now focused solely on Zoya. "So you usually have the ball on fire when you do the dancing? I think that'd make it way cooler, I gotta admit," he comments to Aiden.
Zoya frowns slightly upon hearing that the fancy footwear came from San Francisco and not here. Perhaps her earlier thought regarding not torching certain areas had been incorrect. However, now there's some other new, curious bit of information for her to pick at. "Freakshow?" Yep! The guy with the expensive ride and the talking robot doesn't get her interest at all, yet a member of the local circus in a nice pair of shoes does the trick. Theo's response is met with another look of absolute indifference. On the inside she's highly amused. Did she just touch a sore spot in return? "Is none of your business," she easily answers. To a man who has so much of the world unlocked and at his fingertips already, a bit of mystery will do him some good. Either that or tear him apart inside. Either way is good with her.
"Oh it's much cooler when it's on fire. It looks amazing too just very dangerous to do without a spotter and without knowing the full dance. I'm hoping to try my act, well just the fire dancing and maybe the fire breathing, blindfolded one of these days. I'm still up in the air if it's a good idea with sword swallowing." Aiden says not shy at all about talking to strangers. "Yes, a Freakshow. I know, I know I shouldn't be degrading myself as a mutant working for a freakshow but honestly I like it and have been doing it for most my life." He says grining before his eyes glance back to Zoya. "And it's wonderful to know there are always friendly sorts here in Mutant town." He says to her.
Theo grins smugly, as if Zoya's non-answer was a personal victory. "Bah, it's not degrading. Mutants should use what they have to give them an edge. See, that's what more mutants need to understand. If you are super strong, show a construction company that you save them the purchase of a crane, and get better pay for your abilities. If you control fire, join the fire department and you'd be indispensable. Too many mutants go around worrying about whether people approve of them or not, just need to capitalize a bit." Theo shrugs. "But at any rate, I need to keep working, I didn't come out here to socialize. Good to meet you Aiden," he offers to the winged man, not commenting to Zoya any further.
Aiden's comment actually does get a smile out of Zoya, mostly at the moment when he labels her as a friendly sort. To be fair, he's clearly not normal. That already places him much higher up in her eyes, and she can..actually..make friends with other mutants, at least. Really, this guy ain't all bad. Not yet up to trusted ally by any means, but potential exists. "May have to catch dis act of yours, could use some excitement." It's generally a bad thing when she gets bored. Then, completely out of the blue, Theo says something that she isn't expecting to hear. Solid, valid support for mutants and their abilities. Granted the examples that he has to offer aren't quite what -she- has in mind for such things, but there just may be hope for this guy, yet. Part of her wants to use her own power to give herself that 'edge' and shatter one of the windows of his Ferrari with a piece of gravel stuck in the tread of her boot, but she suppresses the idea. This specimen requires further study before proper conclusions can be drawn.
"Well it's not really about that. It's just, why let what you are stop you from doing what you love?" Aiden doesn't really care about mutant superiority or any of that. "It's not about an edge at all it's just about having fun." Aiden says shruging a shoulder. "It was nice meeting you Theo, and good luck with your work stuffs." He says before shruging. "Sure, it's in Coney Island so feel free to come down to Brooklyn sometime. It's not that expensive to get into the show."
Proto continues to watch Zoya in a guarded manner, circling around as Theo walks away with his back turned. The little robot seems to follow back to the car with his head turned to Zoya actually quite well as Theo reaches the car.
Zo has an almost sly looking smirk upon her face as the two depart, the machine keeping its optics on her as much as it is. "Feel like should pose for it," she thinks out loud while casting an ever so brief wave at Proto. What she's interested in is how its owner seems to be so aware of what it's doing, being able to extend one's reach like that could prove quite useful. It's something worth her keeping in mind down the road, always assume that person has an extra set of eyes and ears. That alone might make for a good ally.
Attention shifting back to the winged one, her intrigue is brought out further. "What is life if cannot have fun along way?" she decrees. "Tink we may see alike on dis point, you and I."
"Why don't you then?" Aiden asks Zoya with a grin. "And honestly I don't think there's any harm in him and his robot. I mean who knows what work he's doing but.." There's a shrug. "Anyway. The name is Aiden not Tink. I dont' have gossamer wings, they're feathery so my stage name of Blue Bird fits better than Tink." He says mussing up the back of his hair with hand as if it already wasn't mussed enough. "Well I'm just here to live my life and enjoy it. No use going through life being meloncholy."
Zo gives Aiden a puzzled look when he brings up his name, thinking of a way that she might explain the predicament before dismissing it with a shake of her head. It's not worth the trouble of trying to pick that one apart. "Aiden," she repeats. And this time reciprocates, "Zoya. Am one to express bit of fun when there is need to," she seems to reassure the winged one with a slight grin. "Need to be careful sometimes, can lead to bigger problems." What, like alerting the police..getting the feds on her case..that manner of thing. "Can admire one who is quick with mind and body."
"Nice to meet you Zoya." Aiden says. "The only bigger problems I face are getting to drunk at a club and throwing up on the subway tracks. That only has happened once so far." He says chuckling. "I guess, I don't really know who admire to be honest. I guess it's still my mentor who taught me everything I know for the most part."
Despite her typical predisposition towards people, Zoya finds herself intrigued by the mutant before her. She doesn't attempt to hide it from her expression, and even less from her words. "That makes mess, have trouble stoppink after run through that," she says in an attempt at humor over throwing up on the tracks. "But how is it one like you can live so free of worry around dis place? Do you stay close to Mutant Town?" She's already avoided certain areas simply because of the color of her eyes, something which isn't even an obvious label for being a mutant.
"Why should I live my life based on how someone might not like who or what I am?" Aiden says. "I'm happy with who I am, I'm comfortable in my skin. Sure I do get some weird looks, comments and I've even been jumped once because I'm a mutant but why should that stop me from being who I am?" Aiden asks. "When I'm preforming people are intrigued, they see a show and they're curious afterwards. Maybe it breaks the ice a bit. And no, I don't always stay so close to Mutant Town. Being confined in one small neighborhood like this would drive me crazy."
It had to happen sooner or later. Zoya's learning something from the mutie before her. "Only once?" she asks, surprised. She doesn't get jumped all that often, herself, but it's common enough with the more obvious ones. There's a level of bravery here that, frankly, impresses her. At the same time though, it pretty clearly labels Aiden as not being of the violent action-seeking types. It's a shame, but overall it seems like a good start. "So, have good dexterity. Can fly, no? Anytink else?"
"Yeah I can fly." Aiden says laughing. "It's amazing how many people ask me that as if the wings are just there. I'm an empath." He explains. "Well, only once in the city. I've had trouble in other places but you learn to leave instead of start trouble. I pretty much grew up among mutants who all looked different. You learn how to deal with it and not sweat the little things."
She lightly rolls her shoulders, "Are two ways to know. Can either ask or wait to see if catch self when fall." Wait, what now..? -Empath?- "What is that, 'an empath?'" The word itself is unfamiliar to her. Unfamiliar things are potentially dangerous. If you're able to see right through her, things could end badly… "Havink quick way out can be helpful," she agrees, though clearly hasn't gotten past the one part of the conversation yet.
"Empath, like Empathy. I can feel what people are feeling. Emotions and such." Aiden says but he doesn't mention that he can control them. "I don't know how else to explain it but anyway, Emotions are my thing. Wings and emtions." He says nodding. "Though the dexterity thing, that's just from years of training. Nothing fancy in regards to that."
There's a slight hesitation from the Russian femme when the matter is cleared up. Probably a good thing that she's in one of her more level moods today. While your ability to sense how she is feeling wouldn't be a threat in itself, it certainly would have ended this conversation a lot sooner. "Are person of many talents," she states with a faint smile. "Have other tink in common, am also quick which does not come from blood."
"I don't really know about that. You pretty much know what I'm good at already. Beyond what I've said today, there isn't much." Aiden confesses with a casual shrug. "Ah are you a gymist or something? Or an acrobat?" He asks curiously as his tattoos are now mainly green with hints of orange in them.
The inquiry has Zo pausing once more, thinking of how to describe the situation. "Where you fly away from trouble? I have learned to run from it." And to it, and through it. "Cannot say am anytink official about it, have just found ..what are words, path of least resistance? Has given me good sense of balance, control over what am doink."
"Okay, I never really had to fly away from that much trouble though. No different than getting in a car and leaving. I mean execept for the one time where things…well that's another story." Aiden says as blue starts to appear in the markings. "Well it's good to be physically fit since we are mutants and trouble can tend to happen. I guess before I moved here there was a huge drug war out here and then a while back this rat girl was throwing fire around."
Drug war..? Rat girl? Man, she missed the party! Clearly Rat Girl didn't do well enough if her name isn't well known, Zo would have to try harder. "Is ..interestink time we live in, no?" she says with something approaching a genuine smile once more. "Beink quick can only be good tink. But if I am not quick am goink to miss lunch. Will see about makink it to show, maybe get time to talk more later?" If things go really well she won't even kill anyone while she's there!
"I guess so, I'm glad I live in it though. I don't think a man wearing guyliner would have really made the cut a hundred years ago." Aiden says making a joke at himself. "Well enjoy your lunch. I should get back to practicing before I gotta head off to Coney Island. It was nice meeting you." He says as he heads back to his stuff.