14999/I Scream, You Scream, Ice Cream...

I Scream, You Scream, Ice Cream...
Date of Scene:	25 May 2023
Location:	Sheldon Park - Bleake Island
Synopsis:	It's Free Ice Cream Day at ONE FELL SCOOP, a weirdly Scottish Play themed ice cream bar, where you could order MacDeath by Chocolate, Lady MacDeath by Chocolate (which had cherry sauce that *WILL* stain your hands and make it difficult to wash off), their Banana Split dish was called the Weird Sisters due to the three different flavor scoops and three different sauces, and of course they have all the normal flavors and doings of a home-made ice cream shop. Belinda Gutierrez stops in for a free milkshake, gets some advice, and is warned about a *werewolf* in Gotham City.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Belinda Gutierrez

---

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    ONE FELL SCOOP was the name of a weirdly Scottish Play themed ice cream bar, where you could order MacDeath by Chocolate, Lady MacDeath by Chocolate (which had cherry sauce that *WILL* stain your hands and make it difficult to wash off), their Banana Split dish was called the Weird Sisters due to the three different flavor scoops and three different sauces, and of course they have all the normal flavors and doings of a home-made ice cream shop.

    Which is why Phoebe Beacon-Wayne, one of the adopted Waynes, was sitting at one of the tables in the shop.

    Currently the shop has a big sign that says "FREE ICE CREAM" that was rather hand-made and rushed looking, and there is a running talley being kept of all the ice cream sold.

    Probably due to Phoebe, who's hair is beneath a skullcap, and she was wearing a light, washed-out hoodie and a pair of jeans.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
ONE FELL SCOOP. How could someone ignore such a place? Especially one that serves ice cream.

Especially *free* ice cream. Under any other circumstances, Belinda Gutierrez would not be in Gotham. New York girl, after all. But deliveries know no boundaries, and neither does the truly miraculous gift of the Student Public Transport Pass. However, there was no time requirement on this particular deliuvery, and it was a warm day, and it was free ice cream...

Belinda hums cheerfully, stepping away from the pick-up counter with a sigh of relish. And a positively gigantic glass-- vanilla milkshake! On the clock-- no ice cream. Yet.

Light jacket over her relatively clean white tee shirt and denims, she slides into the oppoosite seat of a random booth in the crowded store. Offering an apologetic murmuring to Phoebe as she steals the seat opposite. Will ask permission, apology in moment. Busy now. Milkshake!

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
R    Phoebe looks up as a stranger joins her, and she gives a small smile, and gives a nod.

    "Don't mind me." she states, giving a wave of her phone. "Checking on a couple things. Vanilla milkshake? Classic." Phoebe replies, and she waggles her bowl. Mostly empty. "Cannoli ice cream. With waffle cone bits and chocolate sauce."

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
"Mrrflemrm," Belinda cheerfully replies, lips firmly locked around her straw, lungs and belly and stomach working ferociously to draw that vanilla goodness up and through and in! "Jus' passin' by," she finally manages, stopping for air as she shivers at the frosty mix, exhaling with welcome joy. "Had stopped off midtown, was walking throiugh, saw the sign, and then--" She coughs, burps, shaking her head with a quiet giggle. "Well, free ice cream. Hot day. How could anyone say no?"

She leans back, stretching gingerly as she checks the backpack at her side, ensuring the strap remains loosely about her arm. "Mmm. Sorry to stop in. Nowhere else to sit. Or stand. Busy-busy! Es loco crazy, no?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Si, pero ah.. todo de ellos gustar helado?" Phoebe tries. And then she gives an embarrassed smile.

    "Been trying to learn Spanish, sorry, tryin' to impress someone with a full blown conversation." she jokes, and stirs her ice cream. "An' that's the point of a free ice cream day. Gotta bring some joy to the city. Gotham always has it hard. And hey! Everyone likes free food." she smiles, setting her chin on her palm. "Do you work int he area?" she asks conversationally.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
"Very much!" the young woman agrees, fingers wrapped around her glass, circling the confection affectionately. "Food is very serious business," she continues, sighing with delighted joy. Moment's peace-- even in Gotham, it can happen! "^It is not bad," she answers, smiling as her eyes twinkle. "Keep learning, keep practicing. Then, when feeling comfortable with it, try to pick up a dialect or slang or two. Then, you will not 'talk like a newspaper' as mi madre used to say." She bites her lip, fighting desperately to keep the giggles down. "When first learning a new language," she explains, "It is very common to speak it primly and properly, but without any of the shortcuts one uses in every day speaking. So-- It is as if one did speak very clearly and simply so that anyone could understand. Simple sentences. Simple terms. No conjugations, or..." She trails off, waving her hand in the air ^absently. "...no other English grammar terms!"

She sips another quick draught of her shake before continuing. "No, from Nueva York. New York. Am making a delivery especialle in the city. Teas, some small cookies, other finger food things." She settles on her elbows, stirring her drink with her straw. "Old family friend, I think. Am not sure; I just run deliveries!"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Heh, there is a particular dialect I interact with a lot. I /think/ it's my boyfriend's first language." Phoebe explains with a bright smile as Belinda giggles around a bit. "So I know a little bit of slang already, but Spanish is a Romantic language, and I've focused on East Asian and Afro-centric languages." she explains, "so it's a very different process of learning and speaking, but I think for wha tI'm learning it for? Totally worth it." she gives a small smile.

    "I appreciate the insight though. English itself is like, four languages stacked in a trench coat," she waves a hand in the air a moment "Beating up Germanic tongues for loose syntax in back alleys."

    "So you're a delivery runner?" she asks in curiosity.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda slurps at her shake, nodding quickly around a mouthful of milky icy goodness. "Courier," she explains carefully, "Also stock keeper, maintainer, and general gopher. It is a part time position while I am still in high school; eventually, I may go to other things. Like astronaut!" She punches her fist against her breast, grinning with silly glee. "But first I have to graduate. And the n college. So, for now..." She sigh, snorting in mirth. "Deliveries. But at least the jogging is good, once you get outside the city. Forests! And no evil Grammar English teachers waiting to pounce you and ambush with pop quiz Englits-as-Second-Lingua tests!"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Astronaut is a pretty lofty goal!" Phoebe replies, having another bite of her ice cream as she listens to Belinda.

    "What are you considering for your coursework for that? Engineering? I'm a Bio-Sci major at Gotham University." she gives a grin, "so I always kinda rep my school when people are pursuing the first round of higher ed. There's also tons of schollarships for those pursuing Higher education, which, I suppose being an astronaut may make it pretty much some of the highest education out there..." Phoebe pauses, amused by her own word play.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda laughs in return, eyes sparkling with such lofty mischief! Her smile fades as she considers though, listening carefully at the goings on of the crowd as she swirls her straw thoughtfully. "I am doing biology and sciency things for now," she explains, "Focusing on that direction in school, and keeping fingers crossed. Though soon, it will be time to begin focusing on looking at the scholarships and such for colleges." She stirs her drink more, brow furrowing as she broods in dark thought. "Though I am very sure the competition will be much mor ethan getting into Happy Harbor. Still, have to start somewhere; nowhere to go but up!"

She bites down on her straw, giggling at her own high-rising punnery.

"So! Math, sciences, and everything else I can get my hands on. Work cut out, I am sure!"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Oh! You go to Happy Harbor? My younger brother graduated from there." Phoebe explains, and she gives a bright smile. "I like your enthusiasm. It's nice to see in a city like Gotham. Too bad I can't steal you for early acceptance through the Wayne grants." Phoebe gives a small laugh, and rubs the back of her head. "Make sure if you do any volunteer work, you get that recorded as well. It helps with both financial aid and acceptance from what I hear." she replies. "Math, science, deliveries, sounds like you do have your work cut out for you. I'm glad you were able to stop and grab an ice cream -- you definitely deserve it."

    And Phoebe gives an upnod, setting her phone down. "Gotta name, Vanilla Milkshake?" she asks.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda snerks, quick to grab a napkin, dabbing at her face. "Actually, 'Nilla Monster is my secret codename," she counters, grinning wickedly. "Fighting crime and scaring evildoers everywhere by guarding ice cream parlors and pizza shops and the Big Belly Burger, and I cannot believe Gotham has one here! Truly the highest in fine dining." She grins, bowing her head.

"Belinda," she amends, setting her cloth aside to reach out in handshake. "Belinda Gutierrez, and ugh. Volunteer work." She grimaces briefly, sighing as she makes a mental note. "Well, I guess you can get away without sleep..." She pauses, head tilting with a quirk to the side. "Wayne grants?" she asks, momentarily mystified. "Like, Wayne Johnson the wrestler?"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Don't knock it. There's tons of ways to volunteer. Picking up litter, planting community gardens, walking dogs in shelters, socializing feral kittens, heck, talking to people in the hospital or collecting and sorting donations to be sent elsewhere, security at events sometimes. I like soup kitchens myself, because when I get the low social battery thing I can go back and wash dishes for two hours and not be bothered by anyone." Phoebe gives a smile. "And Gotham has all the regular stuff, plus more BatBurgers per Capita, we are the /epitome/ of fine dining." she gives a bright grin.

    The idea, though of The Rock handing out grants makes her pause.

    "I... think that's Dwayne Johnson, but nah. In this case? The Wayne Family was one of Gotham's founders. You find the name pretty much everywhere in the city." she smiles, and folds her hands a moment.

    "A while back, Bruce Wayne -- the current patriarch of the fam -- his... parents were murdered. He was a witness to it. So... he's got some quirks and stuff, a bit eccentric -- but he does what he can to help the city. Library funding, funding for psychiatric and non-violent training for police, a huge grant to make a place where low-threat inmates from Blackgate can interact with their kids and families outside Blackgate Island..." Phoebe gives a smile, her fingers folding a little.

    "Too much stuff to name, really. Pretty much all the Waynes have their adopted charity stuff."

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda whistles softly, leaning back as he considers the idea with renewed interest. "I live and work and go to school in New York," she begins, "But the train does not take too long to run down here. Or maybe focus closer to home." She smiles sheepishly, brushing her hair back. "I'm pretty sure New York has its own soup kitchens and homeless too. Just have to sit down and work on a schedule for what and wher eand when and how...."

She huffs quietly, bending her forehead to the table. "There ar enot enouogh hours to the day. May I ask for a clone? Maybe two. They can dogwalk between tasks."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Oh, I don't mean here in Gotham. New York has tons of locales that need an extra hand now and again. I finished up Highschool in Clinton." she gives a grin. Clinton, AKA Hell's Kitchen.

    "I mean, you could ask for a clone, but what are the ethical dilemas of creating two clones for more work and dog walking..." she considers the rammifications thoughtfully.

    "But the Grants are pretty much available to any student. A lot go to students from Gotham City going to Gotham University, but one of my friends is going to MIT on a grant that covers all his academics." she explains with a smile.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda is thoughtful at the possibilities, gears already grinding in her thoughts on how best to approach, to consider, to work towards-- "So, it is something that could be applied for," she hazards to guess. "To be considered and work for without undue stress." She glances at her wrist watch, warm eyes gleaming sharply. "Going to have to consider that-- and gotta run, for now!" She grabs her shake cup, grinning with joy as she leans across the table.

"Thank you," she offers earnestly, voice quiet. Thrilled beyond words! "I have to run and get this packet delivered before sunset. I know anything like grant earning surely would not be easy to do, but if it is worth doing--!"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Sure thing!" Phoebe gives a smile, and she goes to stand as well, grabbing her cup to bring it back to the counter.

    "I've got it, Miss Wayne!" one of the counter girls cheerily states "You don't have to clear the tables, we do that here!" she laughs, and Phoebe has the good graces to look embarrassed.

    "Ah, thanks, Lindy." she states, and she gathers up her bag and grabs for her motorcycle helmet.

    "Be safe out there, Belinda! There was even a report about a *werewolf* like, a week and a half back!" she calls out with a little worry to her voice.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda bites her lip, having the grace to look momentarily spooked! "In the city?" she asks, incredulous. "Caramba. And I thought you only had to worry about alligators in the sewer!" Grabbing her backpack, she slips out with a grin. And about a block down before a start-- Miss /Wayne/?!

"... could not be," she murmurs, glancing back. Grimace. Time to run!