1747/Space Cadet

Space Cadet
Date of Scene:	19 May 2020
Location:	Bryant Park
Synopsis:	Mori's got her head in the clouds, but Cecily, Maxwell, and Elliot bring her back to earth with tacos.
Cast of Characters:	Mori Merritt, Elliot Hayes, Cecily Winters, Maxwell Wave

---

Mori Merritt has posed:
Bryant Park is usually a bustle of activity most times of the day. People visiting the nearby library coming to study, office workers enjoying a lunch break. Usually, though, the noise is at a normal calm level, the gentle buzz of activity hanging around. Except today, there's a cacaphony of honking.

Six Avenue, the street parallel to the fountain plaza to the park seems to have some kind of traffic incident. Or at least, it appears that way with the parking and yelling. There's someone standing in the street, a young woman, and cars are attempting to veer around her while others simply honk loudly and shout at her out the window. Then, as abruptly as it started, it stops. The young woman blinks in confusion at the cars, then just continues crossing the street like she had intended to in the first place, headed in the direction of the fountain. Mori looks calm, like nothing at all happened in the last two minutes.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
Elliot hurriedly snatches the flash drive out of the library computer in front of her. Her grip slips briefly when she reaches for the black messenger back beside that computer and she nearly spills the hurriedly stacked papers inside all over the table.

The diminutive blonde pauses, takes a deep breath, shoulders her bag, scoops up a small stack of books, and darts toward the door. She nearly makes it through the glass double doors, then has to double back and smile sheepishly at the librarian as she checks out her prizes- a couple of texts on Catherine the Great- and finally exists far more sedately.

Elliot herself is waiting patiently at the light to be allowed to cross when the chaos begins. Horns blare, breaks shriek, people begin to shout. Elliot jumps back from the curb, superlative reflexes on display as she avoid being clipped by a surprised driver- and then fresh pages of text, still warm from the printer, scatter everywhere.

The header page for Elliot's essay is then run over by a guy on a bike as he circumnavigates the traffic jam. Elliot herself? Is almost too busy staring at Mori to notice.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    It must be Taco Tuesday. At the least, in Cecily's world, every day is Taco Tuesday. Regardless of whether or not it's actually Tuesday in this world or that, the fox is in the park, at one of the taco stands. She might snag a hot dog or a gyro occasionally, but the mutant-friendly outlet 'El Supernatural Mexicano' does good business with its brick and mortar locations and travelling trucks and carts.

    Then the honking starts. The vixen's ears swivel towards the traffic jam, and her eyes dart in that direction, even as she keeps her hand outstretched to receive her paper plate of crunchity taco goodness. The other hand? Holding to a bookbag slung across a shoulder. "...well that's not something you see every day, is it Ramon?" she asks the vendor, who has paused handing over the plate to look over as well.

Mori Merritt has posed:
While most eyes have turned towards the sound of the honking, Mori heads away from it, casual as can be. It's as if it didn't really happen at all. Shifting the bookbag she's carrying, she heads directly to the fountain and sits down on the edge, proceeding to fish through the bag. It's hard to tell if she didn't notice what had gone on or is purposefully ignoring it, but it's clear to see that she's giving it way less thought than everyone else nearby.

The cars in the meanwhile have started on their way again and the regular New York traffic has resumed, sans someone blocking their passage. Life is... normal again?

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Libraries are a crucial resource for Maxwell Wave, not only for knowledge they contain but the atmosphere and resource they offer. He sighs as he exits the library and heads out into Bryant Park. This place always seemed a little more peaceful then Bushwick. Well, usually it did. First, he noticed Elliot darting out the door. He starts to raise his hand to say hello then he reminds himself that he met her as Amplitude. He curses under his breath. "How do people manage this?"

Soon, he follows outside and then there is the traffic incident, and nothing really turns New Yorkers sour faster then the only slow streets going slower. He approaches the commotion wearing fairly casual clothes, jeans, t-shirt, Stanford hoodie, and some black converses. His backpack is really bulky since he is carrying his helmet and the rest of his Amplitude gear inside of it.

He manages to get a glimpse of a potential cause, his gaze following Mori. Curious, he'll approach the foundation.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Life goes on, definitely. Ramon finishes handing Cecily her taco platter, and Cecily takes it, though her eyes are on Mori. It's not hard to look the woman over, as the fountain plaza would be fairly close to the taco cart. "Thank you, dear," she says to the vendor, taking her drink as well and looking for a place to sit nearby. Her tails flit this way and that, just a normal day in NYC aside from the pedestrian mishap.

    At least a familiar face in Maxwell is something she'll have, as she glances towards the library and casts a small smile his way.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
A few moments are spent gathering up the papers that survived Elliot's unfortunate clumsiness and then the blonde straightens herself, taking a deep breath as she casts green eyes over her surroundings before finally pivoting on a heel and heading toward the fountain.

The blonde is wearing a sheepish smile to go with the smiley face messenger back and the pink t-shirt that reads

You read my shirt. That's enough socializing for one day

Ellie takes a deep breath as she is moving closer. "...Are you alright? That was- err, could've been..." After flailing for words for a moment Elliot surmises, "You shouldn't walk in the road like that. It's not safe."

Mori Merritt has posed:
"What?" Mori's head tilts just slightly to the side with a quizzical look as Elliot approaches. She seems momentarily confused as to what she's referring to. She looks around, visually searching for clues before she notices the street. "Oh. Yes. Crossing the street." The topic is dropped entirely as she offers a warm smile. "I like your shirt."

It's a simple bit of conversation, but she seems entirely at ease about the whole thing. Just another day in New York City. She gestures at the messenger bag. "Are you a student? The bag's cute too."

Maxwell Wave has posed:
     The tails are hard to miss, noticing the swish in his peripheral vision, he offers a friendly smile when he recognizes their owners. His eyes are concealed with dark goggles to keep the glow at bay. Otherwise, he's looking fairly normal and healthy. "Afternoon, Miss Winters. Good to see you again!"

He thumbs in the direction of Mori and raises an eyebrow in Cecily's direction. He'll then turn and continue approaching the fountain to get in range of the conversation. He nods his approval at Elliot's sage advice regarding being a safe pedestrian. "Yea, don't cross streets without looking both ways.. and don't touch power lines."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    That is one problem with Cecily's meta nature. Very, very hard to hide, and impractical to in the midst of an oncoming New York City summer. "You as well, dear," she says kindly, moving towards Max but casting her gaze back towards Mori. A brow quirks, an ear lifts, and she returns her gaze to Max. "Perhaps all night studying and misjudged the traffic?" she hazards a guess as to what happened. Then a shrug to Max, "What brings you out here today?"

Elliot Hayes has posed:
"My shirt?" Elliot glances down briefly and then gives a quick nod. "Thanks." This turns into a somewhat bashful smile as she adjusts the messenger bag she's wearing and fidgets slightly from left to right. When Maxwell speaks up Elliot glandces his direction and arches a brow before nodding. "Right. I'm a student at, um." Her gaze drifts to the bag. "NYU."

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori's attention is drawn several places as more than one voice pipes up in her direction. "There are never only two directions to look," she points out. "... and why would anyone touch a power line? That's dangerous." She gestures vaguely towards the street. "I just... crossed." She shrugs about it, but the smile is still there.

"I'm a student too. Art. Still kind of new to New York, it's a big city." Aside from the weird street incident, she seems... normal?

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Max thumbs over his shoulder toward the library and speaks with Cecily "I was brushing up on some physics topics and also seeing what new reference material had come in. How about yourself? The tacos that good nearby or did something else bring you out?"

He then offers Elliot a big grin, larger then natural, to anchor the line he dropped about power lines. He only attempted an alter ego to protect himself from the police, and a power line surfing woman probably wasn't working for them. So yes, the dots should be easy to connect Max = The Motorcycle Helmeted Goofball trying to be a hero.

"Well, when crossing the street, there's the inbound traffic on your right and the inbound traffic on your left. Though to your point, in this day and era, looking up isn't a terrible idea. You never know what's coming from that way!" He tries to make a joke but the delivery is a little flat.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    "Taco Tuesday," is Cecily's answer. "El Supernatural Mexicano has the best mexican food in town," she claims. She shakes her head at Max, but casts a gentle smile towards Mori. "Look left, look right, look left again, cross. Also, welcome to New York City. More than enough sights to see, and too many people," she comments dryly. Looking around, she shrugs, and takes a seat near Mori. Her tacos are getting cold.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
"What kind of art? I'm studying electrical engineering... And music." Ellito finds herself speaking i na near whisper, though it might be more because Maxwell's commentary has drawn her attention away from Mori than any kind of distress. She finds herself nodding along slowly. "Taco Tuesday. There's a cart not that far away that sells them for a dollar today, but I've never been to El Supernatural Mexicano or anything like that... Um." She pauses. "I'm- Elliot. It's nice to meet you. Liking New York so far?" She adjusts her bag again. Maybe she should get one that's a little smaller- not that her books would fit.

Mori Merritt has posed:
"But I..." Mori frowns, momentarily looking frustrated. "I looked." There's something off the way she says it. "There's more to look at than that." She looks like she's about to continue when Cecily suddenly draws her attenion. Tails usually do. She stares at them blatantly for a long moment before she seems to realize she's staring. "Are they real?" The tone's different. She's not asking if the tails are legitimately real tails or some kind of costume. She's asking if they're /there/.

A moment later, she's back to mention of school. "I mostly do charcoal drawings but I'm trying other mediums. I'm not really sold on doing just one thing, but I really enjoy it. It's peaceful. Gets some stuff out of my head."

Maxwell Wave has posed:
"Taco Tuesday is a sacred ritual." He raises his hand and bows his head solemnly. "One I should.. really consider engaging in."

He squints in the direction of the taco cart and considers his option there. He perks up a little bit once he catches the name, Elliot. Bingo, a name to associate with the woman who rides power lines. He offers Elliot another smile, "Oh, I think I ran into you once before, Elliot. Though we didn't get a chance to exchange names, I'm Maxwell Wave.. Max for short."

He's a little weird with those dark goggles, and one can either imagine he's really into steampunk or he has some kind of mutation. He checks his wallet, looks back at the cart, and then announces, "Be back in a bit, with tacos to spare."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily is very, very dainty, as she cradles a taco in her fingers. She leans over the plate, taking a bite of one of her two crispy tacos. It has a nice crunch. Dramatic, and a little messy, as some lettuce and crumbles of what looks like chicken fall out the back end. To say nothing of the dry cheese getting on her fingers. Her ears lift at the query to her about her tails, and she sits up, dusting her fingers off on a napkin and dabbing her lips.

    "They're real," she answers, before taking a sip of her beverage. She nods to Max, "Taco Tuesday is a very sacred ritual. Ramon carries the torch well," she nods to the nearby cart. The Mexican man looks to be stirring up something inside of the cart's depths, and he's wearing a wizard hat for some inexplicable reason.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
"I get it. That's what saxophone is like for me. I've learned some other instruments the past few years, but..." she gives a slow shrug of her shoulder, and then turns. SLowly. "Tacos. Perfec.t If you could grab me a couple I'll get you back next----" And then Elliot sees Cecily. And her tails. She pauses for a second, then glances between Cecily and Mori both, as if to gauge whether or not her response is reasonable. Then she opens her mouth to speak, closes it, pauses, and finally gives a single brief nod. Elliot apparently resolves to simply fidget now.

Mori Merritt has posed:
"Elliot. Maxwell." Mori seems to be committing the names to memory. "I'm Mori." She offers, but the tails seem to have her attention for a moment. "Right, I wasn't sure. I thought they might be." She smiles warmly. "They're very beautiful." She politely doesn't interrupt the taco-eating now that her question is answered. Instead, she half-heartedly swats in the air at something, then stops.

She returns to Elliot's prior question which she hadn't gotten to answer. "New York is nice, I enjoy the parks more than anything... I used to live near a forest, everything here is far less green. So I try to come out to places like this often... especially when I'm sketching. Much more peaceful. Need to clear my head sometimes."

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Maxwell finished a well-paying contract in the finance district recently, so he's feeling good on cash for once. He engages in a friendly enough conversation with the 'Taco Wizard' then orders some carne asada, barbacoa, and carnitas. He considers a seafood taco, but decides against it. He thumbs out some dollars from his wallet and then eagerly waits for the man to dish out the grub.

He returns with a couple of paper trays and leans forward in front of Elliot, he nods to each and calls out which type they are, giving her free reign to pick her 'magical taco'.

While he waits, Maxwell glances toward Cecily and announces, "Ramon is my new best friend. Any time I come to the library, I'm talking to that guy. I think he genuinely loves what he does."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    The premium meats cost a little extra, but not too much extra. Your basic shredded chicken and ground beef tacos are about a dollar and some change. Rice and beans are free with three or more tacos. Horchata is on tap. It's a good taco cart. It's big enough to be a trailer, and there's probably a truck parked nearby to drag it out of the park once it gets late. It doesn't take long for the order to be made, and the man's accent is a thick combination of hispanic and New Yorker, making it a little hard to understand him sometimes, but his big smile is more than enough to convey his feelings.

    Back to the fox, she actually seems to blush very faintly, her pale cheeks lighting up at Mori's words. "...thank you very kindly, dear. Cecily," she gives her name, nodding her head, before crunching back on her taco. Her ears lay against her head a little, a hint of embarassment, and her tails seem to flick a little more energetically at the compliment.

    How cute.

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori takes the opportunity to glance towards Ramon the Taco Wizard, smiling just slightly before looking back at those around her. "I'm always a fan of seeing people do what they're really passionate about. It's probably one of my favorite things in life, really. Passionate people tend to be happy people." Her attention briefly goes to Cecily's tails again, as if checking to make sure they're still there.

When she looks away, she looks vaguely in front of her, head tilted to look slightly upward, like one would if they were looking for a plane... or possibly a superhero, it could be either these days.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
"Well, free free to take a taco, Mori. I mean.. I am a stranger, but Miss Winters can at least vouch that I'm not some crazed taco drugging maniac." He sets the trays on the side of the fountain and grabs a styrofoam cup of beans. Wielding a spork, he begins to munching while others consider which taco to eat.

He follows Mori's gaze, looking between her and the vague point on the horizon. "What's going on over there? You see Spiderman or something?"

Cecily Winters has posed:
    "He's not a crazed taco drugging maniac. He's actually a kind professional in his field," Cecily says off-hand, between nibbles and swallows. She's taking care not to spill anything, and is also making sure to not talk with her mouth full. She hasn't caught sight of Mori's sudden glance skyward, too busy glaring at a pigeon that seems to be eyeballing the meal in her hands. "...shoo, bird..." she nudges her foot in its direction, and the pigeon is completely humanized from the city and merely skips back an inch or two.

Mori Merritt has posed:
"I guess I must be pretty naive if I'm not thinking about drugged tacos instantly," Mori points out, but she does take a moment to take a taco, looking away from where she was gazing at the sky. She blinks a little in confusion as she's asked what she was looking at. "Oh, it was a... thing." She waves a hand dismissively. "Probably Spiderman."

Instead, she sets about to eat her magic taco. It is, after all Taco Tuesday and this is a sacred tradition. "But is he as good at his job as Ramon the Taco Wizard is?" She gestures towards the taco stand.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
"I've never lived anywhere green unless you count my grandmother's house," Elliot replies wrily. "It sounds nice, though. I like to sit around in the parks and just- think." She is perched on the balls of her feet now, watching as the tacos are approaching. "Cumin magic," she announces reverently as she reaches out and takes the taco with both hands. "Thanks, Max." There's a dimpled smile for the young man and then---- tacos must be consumed. "So. Going to see you guys here every tuesday now?"

Cecily Winters has posed:
    "There are other locations around New York City," Cecily replies in terms of Elliot's inquiry of meeting again. "Ramon has his cart here on Tuesdays. There are other carts here and there, and a base cantina as well, where they serve alcoholic beverages and offer a wider variety of foods," she explains between tacos, ears lifting again. At least she isn't blushing anymore. But she does glance at Mori now and then, and her tails waving a little more.

Mori Merritt has posed:
"But it's not Taco Tuesday if the tacos are on Wednesday or Saturday," Mori points out, distracting herself with the taco she's eating for a moment or two. "And the tacos just aren't quite as magical if you eat them alone." She does, at least, seem to be enjoying not sitting by herself, even if something still seems a little off. "It wouldn't be so bad if I just happened to show up here on Tuesdays and people also happened to show up."

Elliot Hayes has posed:
"That's right. It's only Taco Tuesday if it's tuesday, and he's here on tuesday usually. So..." Elliot shrugs, though she;s ndding along with what Cecily has to say, even if those green eyes do drift to those tails periodically. "I'm usually here at hte library. Might run into you on tuesdays then. Maybe." That earns Mori another of those quiet, slightly rueful smiles.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    There's a small sigh, and Cecily finishes her second taco. "Should you find yourself near another cart on a Tuesday, you could get the same deal and the same food. If you just happen to not be here in this part of town on a Tuesday, you should be able to acquire more tacos," she shrugs. "I am never able to tell where I will be on a given day," the fox adds.

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori glances over towards Cecily. "It's understandable. It's hard to tell when something may... come up. Life is unpredictable and it may be hard to go somewhere regularly. I just believe it was a nice thought, meeting with people." Her eyes flick briefly to the horizon again before she takes another bite of a taco.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    "It is very unpredictable. But I would not be averse to connecting with any of you again, especially over tacos," Cecily states, finishing her third and final taco. She tilts her plate, gently tapping it, gathering the spilled cheese and toppings into her cup of beans to mix it in and not let any go to waste. She swirls her spork around in it, watching Mori, then back to the sky.

Elliot Hayes has posed:
"It is a nice a thought," Elito agrees. "But if we end up in different places maybe we'll meet there. Life can be funny like that sometimes." She finsihes her taco and makes a point of moving toward a nearby wastebin to dispose of the remaining trash. Elliot is a pretty precise eater, all told, and she hasn't dropped so much as a shard of tomato. "I should... Probably work on this essay," the woman finally suggests. "I'd kind of rather just sit around here for awhile longer, though."

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori's gaze stays on the sky again for the moment, then she brushes her hands off on her pants, regardless of the fact she didn't have anything on them. Force of habit. "Stay then, I'm pretty sure nothing's stopping you from..." But she never finishes the sentence. She isn't cut off, exactly, she just stops talking, her attention on the sky.

But it doesn't look like there's anything up there.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily might not have the best eyesight but she can tell when there isn't anything to look at. She blinks at the sky, then slowly turns her focus back to Mori. "Is there something the matter, dear?" she asks, ears lifting up, tails going still for the moment.

Mori Merritt has posed:
There's no response from Mori. Whatever she's looking at, it's clearly interesting enough that she's not paying attention to anything else--which sort of explains the incident with the street. She's like that for a good solid thirty seconds or so before she looks back down, not seeming to be fully aware that she was even asked a question.

She turns her head just enough to notice Cecily looking her way, then blinks, looking around her briefly to see if there's something she's forgotten. "Hm?"

Cecily Winters has posed:
    "Mori?" Cecily speaks up, "You had your head in the clouds, dear," she states gently, as a matter of fact. "Is something the matter?" the fox inquires, fingers idly brushing over her cup, condensation leaving streaks on the paper. There's a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips, and she sounds the faintest hint concerned.

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori offers a soft smile. "Ah, sorry, I do that sometimes. Clouds are distracting, you know?" She shifts her bag a bit as she makes herself more comfortable on the fountain. "It's alright, things just happen sometimes." She gives a vague gesture towards the sky as if somehow that explained everything. She does catch the hint of concern, but her smile doesn't fade. "I hope you aren't too alarmed."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Another glance to the sky, a purse of lips, a light frown, and she looks to Mori again. "...there's no clouds, dear..." she says quietly. "I'm not too alarmed, not at all. More interested in your well-being."

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori reaches up to rub the back of her head. "Ah, I'm fine, it's just a thing I do. There's some..." She spends a rather long amount of time in thought, clearly trying to find words rather than zoned out this time. "... things. Things make it difficult to focus." She smiles sheepishly. "It's not really a medical thing, I've been to plenty of doctors. It's just a... hard to explain thing."

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Max has been quiet for awhile now scarfing on his tacos, beans, and rice. It really was a marvel of a meal, something he likely wouldn't make for himself back at his apartment in Bushwich. He gazes toward Mori thoughtfully for a moment and then gazes upwards himself. "Ah.. I think I understand that a little bit. I use to get really distracted to. Just a secret between us, I see a lot of.. different things. It used to really be information overload, but then I learned to use it to enrich my world versus distract me from it. It took... a lot of focus and training. I remember crying myself to sleep as a kid because it wouldn't stop."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    "I think you may be in good company here..." Cecily suggests, glancing to Max, giving him a knowing nod, then looking back to Mori. She has those fox ears and fox tails. There's clearly something off about her. Several 'off' things if you do all the counting. "Do feel free to reach out if you think you may need support," the vixen offers, looking sympathetic.

Maxwell Wave has posed:
Max wipes his hand off with a napkin and then pulls out his phone. He swipes through a few messages and then appears to double take suddenly. He seems very excited. "Oh whoa.. Oh whoa! Dr. McCoy agreed to meet me. Whoa.. whoa."

He scrambles in a panic, depositing his trash in the nearby trashcan. He returns and slings his backpack over his shoulder. "Ah very nice to meet you, Mori! Good to see you again Miss Winters, and good luck on your essay, Elliot. Very sorry to run, but I've been trying for something like this forever."

He dashes off in a hurry. "See you around! Wish me Luck!"

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori's head slowly turns towards Max, her brow furrowed. She seems, for the first time, to honestly relate. "I... am not sure I can make it enrich my world. I... it's not..." She seems frustrated again, turning back to Cecily as Max heads off. "I don't exactly know how to ask for help for this sort of thing."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    "First step to figuring that out is asking questions or talking about what might be.. affecting you..." Cecily offers, lifting her shoulders in a shrug as she finishes her drink as well. "First step can be a bit difficult, really."

Mori Merritt has posed:
"Yeah, usually I try and explain things and people just give me weird looks, so I just... don't." Mori fidgets a bit, looking down at her shoes. "It's not something that makes logical sense. And when I try to explain it, it's just... I don't have the words to explain." She seems to think about things for a moment. "Have you ever played a puzzle game where you have a partner and you have to describe to them what you see so they can figure out a puzzle on their end? It's like that, but the other person doesn't have any puzzle to look at for context."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    The fox gets a lopsided smile, "Dear, I didn't always have fox ears and fox tails... I couldn't always do the... things I can do..." she shakes her head, still smiling lightly. "The question is, then, are you the one trying to describe the puzzle, or are you the one that's being spoken to?" she inquires.

Mori Merritt has posed:
That's a question Mori hasn't really gotten before. "I think it's both, really. Maybe I'm supposed to make meaning out of what's there but at the same time I'm having a hard time trying to explain that to everyone else." She pauses. "That's part of why I draw. I can't forget, so if I can draw it then I can reproduce it for someone else to perhaps understand."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily's lips purse, as she considers the words. "Curious. You keep looking at the sky, then. What are you seeing, or what's being said to you?" the fox is interested, leaning towards Mori and focusing her eyes on hers.

Mori Merritt has posed:
"It's not always the sky, just then it was." Mori glances back over. "You know when there's a slide projector and it snaps down into darkness and then comes up with a photo? It's like if someone made a slide and snapped it down superimposed over everything, but often just for a second. Sometimes it's longer and blocks out everything, like I'm somewhere else and everything's different." She lets out a slow breath. "The sky was... purple and marbled, but it had this red tinge to it, the way the sun looks when a forest fire has happened and there's smoke everywhere. And it's real to me. Sometimes I can hear something at the same time, I can smell things, it's all just... there. But it's all things I've never seen, I don't have anything to compare it to, so it's hard to describe everything."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily listens intently, ears lifted, both swiveled in Mori's direction to take in her words. She parses what she's saying, looking thoughtful, nodding. "I'm afraid I'm no expert on the occult or supernatural, but there's always beliefs about parallel worlds and dimensions and of course, afterlives..." she muses, frowning. "I'm curious if anything affects you from there, or if it's just things you see glimpses of?"

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori rubs the back of her neck again. "Ah, I think it's more than just things I see, but that's hard to explain as well. There were a good six months where I could barely do anything, took me a while to just... be able to focus on anything." She frowns, just slightly. "Do you know anyone who might know something? I've just been sort of living with it... I don't know anyone who would know what to do about all of this. This is all beyond me. It's not like you can just call someone up about this..."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    A shake of her head, once again, "Unfortunately, I don't, dear. I'm still figuring out my own powers, and none of them seem to cover living between worlds..." Cecily swirls her ice, lips still pursed. "That gentleman from earlier, Max? He might be very helpful in aiding your focus. And making some sense of things. Me..." she idly brushes condensation off of her fingers. "...I'm a security consultant. Not a wizard."

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori holds up a finger. "But you have a tail, which is cool. Also you've been incredibly kind to me even though I'm just a stranger. That makes you just as important as a wizard, I'd say." She smiles, this one a bit more bright. "You've already helped in different ways. I don't often get to explain everything. And things aren't always so clear. You caught me on a pretty good day, actually."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily's got three tails, actually! And they're very fluffy. She gives a little shrug, "It's my job to help. It's my job to see good people stay good. I'm happy to offer my services if you desire any protection, as well, but you've got such a bright smile, dear. And you seem very kind. I have big hopes for you, honestly," she states, soft, kind, despite the fact she looks like she might often be an intense woman when she's on the clock or in less favorable situations. "But I don't sell tacos."

Mori Merritt has posed:
"I will be certain not to confuse you for a taco wizard," Mori solemnly swears, glancing in the direction of the taco stand briefly. "I'm glad we met, New York has been a little intimidating so far and it's good to have a friendly face around. Max and Elliot were very kind as well. Hopefully if I show up some Tuesday I'll find more friends around here." She pauses. "I usually am careful with the whole crossing the street thing, I just can't control when things happen and sometimes I just can't see what's actually going on around me anymore."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    "Not that I would mind being a taco wizard, and at home I can cook them rather well, but that is neither here nor there," she says with a little smirk. "Perhaps on a non-Tuesday I can invite you over for tacos," she laughs. Cecily shakes her head, standing up slowly. "Well, in any case, I can promise you that my tails are real, and that I'm real."

Mori Merritt has posed:
"Really, being a taco wizard would be nice..." Mori gets to her feet as well. "But I would appreciate the company, so long as you don't mind me being, uh, well... like this." She shrugs a bit. "But I'm glad you're actually real and that the tails are as well, as I'm not sure I've really seen a tail like that up close? On a person, at least. Plenty of foxes in the forest."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily grins, "Am I allowed to call myself a taco wizard in my own kitchen?" she asks playfully. She gets within arm's reach of Mori, and gently lifts one of her tails up. The tip of it twitches lightly as she idly strokes length. "You can touch it if you like? I trust that you won't yank on it or anything, yes?" she asks gently.

Mori Merritt has posed:
"I believe everyone is allowed to be a taco wizard in their own kitchen. That's where the real magic happens." Mori grins, certainly looking much brighter and positive than the beginning of the whole conversation. "I wouldn't yank on a fox's tail, so I certainly wouldn't yank on yours. Especially given it's /real/." She peeks for a moment, as if unsure if it's fine before she reaches forward to tenatively touch the fluff. "I'd ask you all kinds of weird questions about it, but I'll save it for next Taco Tuesday."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    A nod from the fox, "Magic does happen in the kitchen, and it is... one of my favorite rooms to be in..." Cecily holds her tail out a litle more. She smiles, and there might be the faintest purr rising up from the depths of her chest. "You are free to ask me anything you like next time, yes," she states. That fur? Immaculate. Soft. Fluffy. Silky. And could imagine all three would be super cozy if wrapped around oneself.

Mori Merritt has posed:
Mori gives a small nod of approval, petting the fur gently for a moment. As she retracts her hand, she seems clearly pleased at the floof. "I tend to burn things these days, so I go for microwave meals," she admits sheepishly. "I don't do much cooking on my own. Used to be fun, though." She nods. "Thanks again for talking. I wasn't expecting to make friends today, but I'm glad I did."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily steps back and releases her tail, once the petting is done. "The city is huge. And it can be... incredibly lonely, despite the millions of people who live and work here..." she gazes off into the distance, towards the skyline. She looks back at Mori, "I do hope that the three of us you met today can count for something. And if you need a guardian angel, do look me up." The fox's other hand seems to produce a business card from nowhere. It's all black, with a metallic silver design that looks like a fox. The only other markings, in the same shiny silver, is a phone number.

Mori Merritt has posed:
The business card is take and Mori looks it over before tucking it away in her bag carefully where she's sure not to lose it. "I appreciate it, Cecily. I'll be sure to give you a call if things get a little tricky." A pause. "Or if I want to say hi." There's a warm smile. "Take care, alright?"

Cecily Winters has posed:
    "Anytime," Cecily nods, her warmth and mirth slowly slipping away as she glances towards the skyline. "Unfortunately I do need to get back to work. Do be safe, dear, and take extra time to cross the street if things get odd with your perceptions. The city is noisy, and there may be a time when the cars won't be so kind." She purses her lips, then opens her arms a bit, in case Mori is up for a hug.

Mori Merritt has posed:
There's no second thought when the arms are opened in offering of a hug. Mori goes right for it, which may be a pretty strong indication that she'd likely been dealing with it mostly on her own. No one wants to befriend the space cadet. She hugs, letting out a small sigh before she pulls back. "I'll take care, thank you. Don't get into too much trouble."

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily would be ok with someone recoiling from her, considering the tails. And the mutant-ness. And oftentimes, the firearms. But the being practically pounced on actually surprises her. But her arms wrap gently around Mori's shoulders, the fox just a little taller. Her tails wrap warmly around the girl, too, for the moments the hug lasts before she lets go entirely and steps back. "No promises, dear."

Mori Merritt has posed:
"You've got to at least try, that's all I can ask," Mori offers as she steps back. She shoulders her bag, glancing towards the street she originally came from before starting in that direction. There's a wave offered before she solely focuses on her retreat... and it even looks like she's making it without interruption for now. At least there's that.

Cecily Winters has posed:
    Cecily watches, waiting, to make sure that Mori gets going safely. There's a nod, the fox looks satisfied, and she promptly pays Ramon another visit to order a churro for the road.