Players:
Summary: Kevin believes Erik is someone he knows and confuses those around him.
Date: February 20, 2009
Log Title Weirdos are Everywhere
Rating: PG
NYC - Times Square
In the center of Manhattan is Times Square. Many stores, theatres, and restaurants are brightly lit in the area. The big screens at the center of Times Square constantly flashes the latest commercials, and the latest stock prices revolve around the buildings. It's one of the busier areas of New York City, especially during New Years, where the infamous ball is dropped here. If you're lucky you might even see the Naked Cowboy.
Coming off the subway, Danny has headed into Manhattan earlier than usual. He doesn't have to work until later but he figured maybe he'd go to the Tae Kwon Do stuido he practices at and just get some practice in before heading to the bar. His two roomates have decided to move out, one back home and the other got a better job offer so it's been weird seeing his two best friends since birth pack their things and start to move. He's wearing a brown leather jacket over a nice pair of jeans and the asian man is wearing a cowboy hat, with his duffel back slung over his shoulder as he heads down the street.
James slowly walks out of Byrant Park, his shoulders are slumped slighty, his hands are in his pockets, and his eyes are cast slightly downward with his brow furrowed in both worry and thought.
It's too early to start hitting the bars in search for her latest bounty, and too late to go hang out in the park. Which means, of course, that there's hours to kill with good ole' time wasting. Striding down the sidewalk with her hands thrust in her pockets, outfit a simple mix of blue jeans, a star wars t-shirt and a blue jean jacket, accented with a pair of worn sneakers and a lollipop sticking out the side of her mouth, Candy blends well with the crown. Just another passerby, giving the faintest of smiles to anyone who bothers to look her way.
Sometimes you need the city. Erik steps in to the square and looks around curiously, his hands tucked in to his coat pockets as he wanders in the cold. He is wearing his normal dress clothes and coat, wandering along and people watching.
Bald and proud of it! Kevin's wandering the streets, looking human though not far off from his abnormal appearance. His round ears stick out from underneath a blue ivy cap that goes with the long-sleeved shirt he's wearing. He's literally dancing to his own beat with an iPod in one hand and shaking his round rump tucked neat in black slacks. "Hey ya'll, prepare yourself for the rubber band… man," he mumble-sings. Every so often he randomly stops to dance with someone. No one seems too receptive of this, but it doesn't stop him from continuing on.
Passing by Erik, Danny does a double take recognizing the white-haired man but not knowing why. He figures it might just be one of the many people he's served at the bar over time. He shrugs and is about to enter a certain building when he sees the dancing Kevin. A man like that, you can't help but stare at him for a while. "Ah reckon that's one fella that don't got a care in the world." He mutters to anyone listening.
James simply continues walking weaving a wide arc around Kevin though he never looks in the dancer's direction.
Candy blinks as Kevin wanders in her direction, pausing to dance with one of the strangers a few feet in front of her. Now there's something you don't see every day, she murmurs around the lollipop, smirking as she steps out of the guy's way to avoid interrupting his flow. Her back presses against a nearby pole and she shoots a glance towards Danny. Wish we could all have a day like that, right?
Erik chuckles a little bit at Danny. "We should all be so lucky to have those days, from time to time." The white haired man comments, watching Baldie for a moment before he chuckles again and shakes his head.
Troubles Kevin has, but he hides them well. Especially when he feels like spontaneously bursting into song. The man's mood does seem very unshakeable, that is until he happens to open one eye and look in Erik's direction. His other eye pops wide open and he nearly trips over his own two feet. Scratch that. Dancing-Man goes tumbling face-first into the concrete.
Danny just chuckles and shrugs at Candy before looking to Erik. "Hey, Ah ain't complain' if someone can just do their thing and have a fun time doin' it." He says in his thick southern accent. He does notice Kevin's reaction to Erik and gets a confused look on his face right before the bald man tumbles face first. He walks over to Kevin and offers a hand. "Ya alrigh' sir?" He asks.
James meanwhile hearing Kevin's singing has looked up and notes Kevin's fall. He moves toward the bald man confused by what has just happened.
"Heck, wish I could let loose in a crowd like that" Candy says, pulling the lollipop out of her mouth to point it at Kevin. "Guy's got balls strutting his stuff like that. But atleast he's not naked like that singing cowboy that hangs around here." Not that she's complaining about /that/ guy either. Mm, mm. The lollipop gets tossed in a nearby trashcan as she rushes to the guy's side to grab one of his arms and help haul him back up. "Dude, you okay?"
Erik quirks his eyebrows as he moves over to Kevin. "Are you alright?" He asks curiously, holding out a hand to help the man up if he wants it.
Kevin is laying so flat against the ground, it prettymuch looks like his head is going halfway through it. But when he pushes himself up, he's got all of his face nice and intact. "….." He blinks, staring at the hands being offered to him. "Rent due already? I just moved into this square of sidewalk." His gaze goes between each of them, then once again stops on Erik. "YOU!"
Danny is about to make a comment to Kevin but is cut off as he blinks at the sudden accusation. "Y'all know each other or something?" He asks curiously wondering if he should slowly just walk away and mind his own business. He notices James walking over and gives him a curt nod, with the tip of his cowboy hat and everything. He remembers meeting the kid briefly in the park with his buddy Nightshade.
James is approaching the small group and similes slightly at Kevin's joke until Kevin yells. He stops at this point, pulls his hands out of his pockets, and spreads his feet to shoulder width before returning Danny's nod.
Candy glances between the two as Kevin calls out the YOU. Hey, wasn't his fault, guy. Kinda tripped over yourself on that one. She moves a couple steps back to give him room as he rises, her trigger finger flexing into her palm for a second before relaxing. Call it nerves.
"Uh…yes, me." Erik says with raised eyebrows. "Have we met?" He asks curiously, eyeing the man as if trying to remember.
Kevin opens his mouth wide to say something. Then, at that last faithful moment, the mouse hops back in the wheel of his mind and runs a bit faster. His eyes look around and he sees that he's got a bit of an audience. "You…." His mouth almost shrinks. "… Look like someone I knew in college," he concludes, nodding a few times. One good push shoves him up off the ground and he dusts himself off. Doesn't look injured in the slightest.
Danny shakeds his head. "Man ya don't just get the weird ones at the bar but on the street as well. Ah've lived here for three years now, Ah should be used t' this." Danny mutters to himself as he sighs. "Well your allright, ain't ya sir?" He asks of Kevin as he looks to Erik and shrugs.
James steps forward and returns his feet to their usual postition. His brow remains furrowed though.
"You can't throw a stone in these parts without hittin a weird one," Candy says with a smirk and a knowing smile. "But isn't that what makes this City great? Keeps me in work, so I don't mind it," she laughs. She glances over Kevin for a second, making sure he's not hurt, sliding a curious glance to Erik to see if he has any level of recognition in his eyes for Kevin. Curiouser and curiouser.
"Someone you knew in college." Erik responds blandly. "Yes, I get that a lot. You know, white hair being quite the common look for the hip college crowd." He comments dryly, chuckling slightly. "But alright, someone from college it is."
Kevin pauses open-mouthed again, facing Erik but looking at Danny. "Hmm? Oh yes. Face hurting massively. Will need ice for the rest of the day," he rattles off robotically, then side-steps closer to the white-haired man. "Well actually, it's not from college. I saw you someplace… and some things happened…. With some people. Animals too."
Danny looks over to James and Candy. "Y'all here that, somethings happened with people, and animals..sounds like it something very specific." Danny says really not sure what to make of the strange man. "And tell me about it ma'am, when Ah first moved up here Ah was such a fish outta water." Then he turns to look at James. "You all right back there, Ah'm sorry Ah forgot your name and it was just the other night, just things get a bit crazy where Nightshade's involved."
James nods "My name is James." shakes his head slightly "Things got crazier last night and I was just thinking about it some when I saw this man" nods to Kevin "fall."
Candy smirks. "Really? And you'd like New York would be the perfect place for an Asian Cowboy," she teases with a wink before giving a wary glance between Kevin and Erik. As crazy and vague as it all is, it never pays to dismiss something out of hand. "Sure you didn't hit your head a little too hard?" she inquires of Kevin.
Erik blinks a little bit, eyes narrowing for a moment before he gives a nod. "Ah, animals you say." He comments, shaking his head. "Perhaps some that might have belonged more in a zoo, yes?"
Kevin shakes his head at Danny. "Oh no, these animals you wouldn't have believed! One was—" He turns to Erik and nods rapidly. "Yeah! Totally! That one with the stripes? And the dog that turned into a BEAR? Can you believe it? Although that was definitely not as cool as the tiger turning into the naked chick. Wish I had my cameraphone for that. Wish I OWNED a cameraphone, for that matter. Am I right?" His fuzzy brown eyebrows waggle up and down.
"That's right, James, Ah'm Danny, pleasure t' meet ya again, and you to ma'am." Danny says giving Candy and James a smile. Then Kevn starts to talk and he just listens and blinks. "Uh..no ma'am, Ah…um…Ah ain't…really..a cowboy, Ah was born..down…what the hell are ya talkin' about sir?" Danny says and he can't finish what he was saying to Candy because he's just too confused right now.
James blushes slightly at the mention of a tiger turning into a naked woman, and in his eyes a look that clearly means that he is questioning Kevin's sanity appears.
Candy glances to Danny as he talks, but it only lasts or a moment as her attention is quickl drawn back to the others and Kevin's insane rambling. "Okay, now I know you bumped your head. Or walked out of some furry fan's fantasy world." Her head tilts for a second as she grins and looks at the others. "Try saying that ten times fast. But seriously, dude, should be call for an ambulence?
Erik gives a shake of his head. "No, I think he'll be fine." He comments, running a hand back through his hair. "He isn't crazy, he is just /misremembering/." He says pointedly towards Kevin.
Kevin rubs the back of his head thoughtfully. "Misremembering? But… Hmm. Maybe I smashed my face harder than I thought." He shakes his head at Candy. "No thanks! I'm a starving artist; don't have insurance. It's only a fleshwound! I'll walk it off."
Danny is completely flabberghasted by Kevin and he turns to Candy and James. "Please tell me this is just some strange street performance and he really is a starvin' artist and this is how he makes his money, dramatic actin' and face falls." Some how he doubts it though. "And that ain't right ma'am." Danny says with a chuckle at her 'fan fiction' comment. (re)
James shrugs "I hope so, if not we might need to consider taking him to a mental hospital rather then calling an ambulence."
Candy scrunches her face up, not entirely convinced. But she can't force medical attention on people so she eventualy just shrugs. "Suit yourself. But if you start randomly passing out, you need to go regardless of insurance. Don't want to die over something as dumb as that, right?" Candy grins at Danny. "Really? I thought it was damn funny."
Erik gives a little bit of a nod at Kevin's words, the hard look on his face disappearing before he looks back towards the others, to pay attention to them.
Kevin laughs heartily at Candy. "Oh I've passed out over far worse. Farrr worse! There was this one thing, up on a skyscraper? I decided I would—" Once again that hamster starts running in his mental wheel and his mouth slaps closed. "… Yeah. Well anyway! I, guess I should be going." He backs up from the crowd, waving seperately at each individual. Then to Erik he says, "Tell Tigress I said, 'Nice.'"
Danny takes off his cowboy hat and pushes his hair back with his hand. "Boy howdy, and this just is the start of mah night. Makes me wonder what kinda characters Ah run into later. Believe me, ya get the really interestin' ones at around three am." Danny says as just watches Kevin. "Ah don't know, but there's somethin' not right with him, but Ah think Ah'm being obvious."
James nods "Trust me none of us missed that little fact though I find it odd that he changed his story about how he knew your friend." nods to Erik.
Candy arches a brow thoughtfully once more at Kevin, then towards Erik at the mention of Tigress. Huh. Her eyes slip to his hair which at first she'd just assumed was a really good manic panic job. But now.. "Skyscraper, right," she murmurs distracted before shaking her head and focussing back on the group at hand. "Start of my night too, man. I'm really in for it, huh?"
Erik gives a nod. "Life is filled with strangeness and things it is better to not know." Erik comments dryly as he nods to Kevin. "I will."
Kevin offers another wave to everyone, then turns on his heels. Already he's strutting to a rhythm like this incident never happened and he continued to walk down the street.
Danny shakes his head as Keith wanders off. "Well that was interestin' t' say the least. Ah think Ah gotta call of practicin' for t'night now." He says with a shrug. "Ah work at a bar in the east village, we do get our share of strange folk and that man, he was strange folk." Danny says with a chuckle.
James nods shrugs "I've seen stranger things and people then that man but not many." He finall relaxes the half stance he has been holding.
Candy shakes her head as she watches him leave. "Man, I wish I had that kind of energy," she murmurs, pulling another lollipop from a pocket, unwrapping it and popping it in her mouth. "But I am gonna take a cue from him and jet. About time to get to work."
Danny gives a nod g'night to Candy and looks to James. "Ah have too, ah mean Ah've been shot at before workin' as a bartender and have had crazy people break int' mah house, but Ah guess that's what ya get for findin' a cheap place in Brooklyn." Danny says with a chuckle.
James nods "My grandmother's old apartment is cheap so I've seen strange people but none of them have ever dropped in thankfully."
"Ah grew up in Virgina and New Jersey and Ah really don't feel like goin' back to live with the folks and grandparents." Danny confesses as he goes to open his cellphone to look at the time. "Damnit, Ah just charged it before Ah left.
"Ah grew up in Virgina and New Jersey and Ah really don't feel like goin' back to live with the folks and grandparents." Danny confesses as he goes to open his cellphone to look at the time. "Damnit, Ah just charged it before Ah left."
James winces "Be greatful you have the option. Grandmother left me the apartment when she died and she was the last member of my family that I have ever met.
Danny frowns and nods. "Ah'm sorry t' hear that James. Ah guess Ah don't realize what Ah got sometimes but Ah just wish Ah could be mahself infront of mah family." He ran away when he was eighteen and just last year got back intouch with them. "So are ya livin' all by yourself?" He asks noticing James still looks youngish.
James nods "I know I'm young for it but my grandmother sets things up to cover the bills and give enough to get food and clothing until I'm older."
Danny nods but it's not the finacial end he's concerned about, it's more the emotional end and wondering in James is loney but he doesn't want to be the creepy older guy. "Well as long as you're okay Ah guess. Well with your livin' situation an' all."
James nods "I'm ok for now at least. I have a couple of things I want to deal with before moving on, more annoying then anything."
"Bein' on your own can be rough, Ah know Ah work two jobs t' make ends meet." And Danny knows he has to worry aobut getting his own place soon. "Ah don' wanna sound like some creepy older guy hittin' on a teenager cause that ain't what Ah'm aimin' for but if ya need help or anything, Ah'd be willin' t' help ya out. Ah guess it's more Ah'm used to living down south where we were more friendly with our neighbors."
James nods then decides to trust the man "I'm a mutant, my abilities have just woke up and one of them causes me to sense when people or heavy objects are moving. In the city it gets very bad and I want to deal with that while I still have privacy. That's why I'm usually out at night, fewer people to set it off."
Danny nods and takes off his hat. "Believe or not, Ah kinda know what your goin' through." Danny admits. "Ah'm not a mutant but something happened years back, that Ah can turn int' rock. Ah ran away from home when Ah found out." Danny admits with a shrug. "Ah'm in contact with the folks again but they don't know, so it's rough tryin' t' figure it out."
James nods "My grandmother died a few weeks before mine woke up and she was the last family I had that I've met so I didn't have to worry about a famlial backlash."
Danny nods to James and he does feel bad. "Unfortunately Ah gotta get goin', Ah wanted t' get some practice in before goin' t' work but Ah don' go the time now so Ah gotta get going t' work. Here…" Danny says opening up his duffel bag that has his Tae Kwon Do equipment and few other things in it. He pulls out a pen and paper and scribbles down his name and number. "If ya ever need someone t' talk to, or need help or anythin' just give me a call. And if ya get mah voicemail, just leave a message. Mah phone has shit for battery life." Danny says giving James a nod. "Take care okay James, and Ah hope t' see ya again."
James nods and says "Thanks" then takes the paper and puts it in his walled before he begins to walk around the square his eyes lost in thought.
