15589/At the Night Market

At the Night Market
Date of Scene:	10 August 2023
Location:	Chinatown
Synopsis:	It is what it is.
Cast of Characters:	Wanda Maximoff, Shredder, Phoebe Beacon

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Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Two Bridges bubbles with activity even though it's not close to full dark. Red paper lanterns swing over entrances to cloth or nylon tents and elaborate stalls. Food trucks clustered close to Canal Street make a colorful display of metal sides and bright menus, and cooking oil floats heavily over the air. Mandarin, Cantonese, and Malay are only a few of the languages peppering the conversations in full swing. The set here tends to be a bit younger, free to wander unencumbered by heavy responsibilities. A stage set up to the side hosts several dancers singing to Canto pop songs. Many screens flash different angles of the musicians, all meant to entertain the small crowd noshing on bao or noodles. Lots of food to be had, but other goods too. It's part shopping smorgasbord and part cultural experience.

In the middle of it all, the shuffling pedestrians part a little for Wanda. Partly this is because she carries several lacquered chairs, following after a woman holding just as many bamboo trays stuffed with food. "Excuse me," the witch has to repeat herself often. It's a fact of life the chairs may graze or bump someone.

Shredder has posed:
    Oroku Karai is here. Unlike most young women her age, she isn't here to just enjoy the festival. She has a meeting with one of the local gangs. Diplomacy among thieves is always a touchy matter. She wears street clothes, though, to blend in. A pair of black leggings and a short sleeved T-shirt. Easy to move in, and the shirt hangs low enough to conceal the low profile utility belt that blends in with the black leggings. Wanda's entourage of chairs gains her attention, though, and she stands aside, a rather direct stare on the Avenger. One that clearly is asking the question to herself 'what is she doing here?'

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    It was a good night to not be home, and working Gotham City, Phoebe was way more of a night person. Wearing a gray tee under a light jacket and jeans, motorcycle helmet stuffed into her backpack and pink kinks and coils set into braids, Phoebe is also somewhat an oddity at the market; few would recognize the once leader of the Justice League Dark, but some might recognize the girl from small supernatural escapades from Hell's Kitchen -- or far more likely, one of the adopted Wayne Kids who shows up oh fashion blogs and gossip columns.

    "Hey, those look awkward --" she approaches Wanda from the side "want a hand?" she offers, holding out an arm to take one of the stacks of chairs.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda carefully negotiates a way through the crowd. A warning from the woman she follows tells her of the curb, so she halts for a second to check for any overt problems before stepping up. In casual attire instead of her shiraz leathers or cloak, she might get away without being identified on the first look. Maybe that's beneficial. The chairs totter above her, much like the heavy food-laden bamboo tower a bit ahead. Her peek confirms someone is offering help and it's not her imagination.

"That would be great." Going still means the chairs don't threaten to topple over on anyone else. A tinge of good luck bubbles around her that partially accounts for no automatic disasters. "The second one from the top is a bit wobbly. Be careful."

Shredder has posed:
    Karai arches her brow, watching the interaction. Still, the balancing act is impressive. "Why have you chosen to transport your goods in this way?" she asks. She doesn't give the same offer of help, but positions herself in a place that something could be handed to her.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe carefully extracts a number of chairs, using the curb to her advantage as she tilts the chairs back onto herself, and relieves Wanda of some of the load. If Phoebe, with her own mystic senses, feels the bubble of good luck she doesn't mention it, but is happy to help.

    "There, much better, right?" she gives a smile to Wanda, and then an eye narrow, and a half-playful 'Don't I know you from somewhere?' -- mostly because hey, it'd been a long time since she saw Wanda dismantle a gun on a subway.

    "Hey, see someone else is here to help --" she states with a smile to Karai, and she hands Karai a single chair, and then takes another one from Wanda, and begins to follow the woman with the stack of baskets.

    "Might be easier than trying to move a cart or truck through the crowd?" she ponders out loud.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"She would have done it herself." Wanda smiles, making no shame out of her accomplice's intentions to deliver meals and cart chairs in one go. The other woman seems to have noticed the parade isn't following her as fast. She pauses, the fragrant pork buns giving off a mouth-watering aroma.

Wanda is careful to hold firm to her several chairs until Phoebe has accomplished taking some. The stiffness in her posture speaks to enduring the weight without complaining. That doesn't stop her from grinning suddenly when Karai ends up pulled into their options. "Not a hope of manning a cart through here. We'd need Superman driving an ice cream truck to stand a chance!"

The process begins again, but the open seating with several older people gathered around, playing Mahjongg, is easy to spot. The reason for all those seats would be the extra boards, and the tables waiting for food. They shall all be received very happily.

Shredder has posed:
    Karai accepts the chair with some slight bewilderment. It's clear she didn't expect to be enlisted. She follows through the crowd to where the mahjongg boards are gathered. The young woman seems less enthusiastic when she sees it. She was here for a mission, and now she's helping move chairs.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    It's a regular parade of buns, chairs, and some of the scariest people in the world moving through the crowd specifically to help one lady bring the food and chairs to the mahjong tables.

    "Well we can't let that happen -- if she spilled the food, that would be a tragedy." Phoebe states in response to Wanda, and she gives a friendly smile to Karai.

    "I'm Phoebe, by the by." she introduces herself simply.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Poor Karai, carrying the chair unexpectedly. Such is the nature of going out and about in NYC! The Big Apple deputizes people all the time.

Juggling chairs, Wanda drops the mass down a bit heavily. "Oof," she breathes out tiredly. The lacquered seats will be distributed without her help, but she tries anyway. She gets one at least tucked under a nearby scarred wooden table. "Spilled food is the most frustrating spot. I am happy it didn't happen. Wanda. Enchanted to have your help, Phoebe!"

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Phoebe slowly tilts over, with one leg up for counter-balance as she sets her chairs down, and like Wanda isn't needed for distribution -- someone even takes a chair from out of her hands when she tries. She gives a smile and a nod of her head to the mahjong players.

    Phoebe does give a :I expression at 'enchanted'. She even gives a supressed sort of a giggle, and attempts to cover it up with a cough into her elbow (and away from the folks playing matching tiles), and she waves her free hand to Wanda.

    "Just happy to be in the right place at the right time. Nice to get to help people every once in a while."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
The chairs are dispersed, but it's the trays and baskets of bamboo that prove the shining stars of the show. These are handed over like newborns. Everyone gets a look and the serving utensils, broad chopsticks and a few sets of bent tongs, join the fray.

"Help yourself," says the woman who brought the whole thing, inviting them with shooing motions to try.

Wanda winks, responding to the cough in a knowing air. Her eyes glitter in bright laughter unshed. "Always something to look forward to. The market is still busy so I hope we did not pull you away from anything for too long."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "No, no, ah, typically I'm not in New York overnight. Not my hometown anymore." Phoebe explains with a little embarrassment, rubbing the back of her neck as her shoulders droop, and she smiles to a lady and gives a small bow -- but isn't about to announce why she can't have the pork buns. Last time she announced she was a vegetarian, there was grief to be had!

    "It is... really busy. Wasn't anticipating having to park several blocks over, but it's nice. Getting out of Gotham for a bit to come out this way." she replies to Wanda. "Anything in particular you were looking for, or just sort of out of the house as well?"

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Any comments to be had about that are best kept quiet. The witch has discretion with a nod. "Then all the best for the evening until you make your way out."

Her smile widens. "Do they have festivals like this in Gotham? I imagine they'd be very popular. I know how good their noodle restaurants are." Her hand rests on her stomach in mute testimony to a memory of really good food. The addictive quality of ramen down by the docks is real! "I wanted to get out. See what was new and feel the energy. It's always very exciting."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Some of the best noodle places and vegan-friendly fare on the Eastern Seaboard is in Gotham -- there's this one place called Planted Evidence. It's crime-themed and all vegetarian fare. And Onion Maiden's Palpatots are awesome." she recalls, "I also like Synd Noods, and there's a couple really great ramen places near China Basin. Bristol's a Good Food desert though, unless you wanna pay out the nose." she wrinkles her nose. "All country club, no sandwich."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"Planted Evidence? I am going to have to remember that." Wanda doesn't pull out a phone so memorization happens the old fashion way. "I've not heard of that one, but it sounds excellent. Buddha Bodai here is excellent, and Avant Garden. I spend a lot of time there. Superiority Burger, I wonder if they have anything of the sort out there. You may convince me to peek into Gotham. But not overnight, I wouldn't want to overstay the welcome."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Yeaaaah, Batman." Phoebe states, and she doesn't finish the sentence. Her shoulders square a little bit as she looks out over the crowds, and she stretches her fingers a bit.

    "Well, if you should stop in to Gotham overnight, just say 'hi'." she jokes, "I hang around."

    "Nice to meet you in person, Wanda. Don't be a stranger!" Phoebe calls out, and then slips back off into the crowd in search of tofu and noodles now that she's hungry!