2828/A Long Walk

A Long Walk
Date of Scene:	08 August 2020
Location:	Cherry Hill Fountain
Synopsis:	Cassandra runs into Wanda in Central Park. Pretzels are eaten, and a bit of magic enhances a wish made at a fountain.
Cast of Characters:	Cassandra Cain, Wanda Maximoff

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Cassandra Cain has posed:
Why does nobody ever listen?

Cassandra Cain has been talking to this vendor for five minutes, and he just waves her off. Over and over, she makes motions to the food he sells, big active ones. To her it's like repeating yourself but louder in the hopes that someone will understand. She stomps one heel in frustration, wondering how normal people do it.

Right in front of her a kid runs up with a tenner. He says, "One please," then walks off with the hot, steaming pretzel the guy gladly sells him. Then the vendor turns to the asian chick who keeps making waving motions in his direction, and sighs. "Look lady. Either tell me what ya want or I got other customers."

The young lady glowers at him, then makes a gesture that's decidedly unfriendly. And seen in movies.

The vendor scowls. The scene is set. Mute button on.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
The walks are something Wanda started when she first moved to New York. At first they were a way to get to know the city. The locale itself, but also the people. They came to be something that she enjoyed and continued long after she'd gained familiarity.

There were always new people to meet, but the truth was Wanda felt better after the walks in ways she didn't really understand, or even consciously think about. It rarely had anything to do with thinking and working out problems. But then many of the things that troubled Wanda Maximoff, she couldn't really put a finger on anyway. Feelings were trouble.

Today's walk had taken her through Manhattan, leaving the Avenger's Mansion and out in a slow arc across the island. One that brought her to Central Park. Her boots make only soft sounds on the paved walking paths, her black, airy silk skirt swishing lightly with each step. A deep purple blouse is light, appropriate for the warm weather.

The fountains ahead draw Wanda and like most of these walks she just lets her feet go where they wish. And today it is to the fountain. A boy runs past with a pretzel, breaking a piece off and tossing it up in the air but it bounces off his chin rather than being caught in his mouth. He picks it up and eats it anyway, saying, "Five second rule!"

Wanda continues past him, her lips quirking just slightly in a smile. The scent of the pretzels reach her from the nearby vending cart. The auburn-haired woman approaches it as she sees Cassandra flash the gesture to the vendor. She glances back and forth between the two. "Is everything alright?" she asks in her quiet way, English softly accented.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The guy, moustache big enough to call him a popular video game character without being ironic, looks up to Wanda. "Hey, all good here lady. You wan' one?" He's got an accent, but most people do. New York is a melting pot of all sorts.

The asian girl actually kicks the guy's stand then, just with her toe. She regains the guy's attention with that. "You! You do not hit my stand! What you want? You talkee, me sellee." He turns away from the lady again toward Wanda.

Behind him the asian lass blows out her cheeks, her face showing a modicum of actual anger then. She glances to Wanda and frowns, letting her face go back to normal, then lifts both of her hands on the sides, a shrug that quickly changes to an eyeroll. Then she seems to mime 'counting money' in her hands, gestures to the pretzels, and then spreads them out, palms up.

The guy, oblivious to the mime play, starts to prepare a pretzel for Wanda. "Best in town. No refunds. I got a reputation to keep."

The lady doesn't look poor. She actually has on boots that likely cost a fortune, and that's just a start. The hoodie is slightly torn but very good quality. The pants appear to be custom tailored martial arts pants, kendo style. But no words are spoken.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
The mild-mannered Transian woman glances from the vendor towards Cassandra and back. She doesn't ignore the mimed communication as the man does. Wanda pulls out her phone, one of the latest Stark models, easily capable of serving as a credit card with a thumbprint and wave over the modern credit reads of the day.

"I'll have one with salt, and one of those flavored seltzers. Blackberry," she tells the man before Wanda turns her attention towards Cassandra. "I'd like to treat. Would you like something?" Wanda asks, giving a little wave of her phone and then gesturing towards the visible food as she looks over to Cassandra. "I suspect she might be mute," Wanda adds, an eyebrow going up slightly to make it a question for Cassandra, though when the woman's green eyes look to the vendor, they have a slight amount of disappointment in the man showing. She hasn't paid for anything yet, which might help modify the man's attitude there.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
The dark eyes of the young lady watch Wanda with unexpected focus. She's seen it before, when someone is reading your lips. It's a dead giveaway. Though her eyes rove about more than just that, glancing to the shoulders more often than the face.

"Hey, I got everything," the guy says, then he glances at the lady he's been trying to shoo away. "She won't tell me what she wants," he follows it with a slur that shouldn't be printed. Then goes back to preparing the food that the paying customer is asking for. That'd be Wanda.

Without reacting to the slur, the young lady turns her head a touch so she can take in what the guy's saying as well. She LOOKS like she's hearing with her eyes. She turns whenever anyone speaks, puts them into her field of vision. But there's a bit more to it perhaps.

She tilts her head, left then right, as if thinking. Then she pulls out a credit card of her own, glances at Wanda...the puts it away, as if she got the message. A small nod is subtle, but respectful. To her.

Then she tilts her head away from the vendor, a question the lift of her eyebrow, and the way she pauses.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda gives the vendor a slightly more open frown. "If she's unable to speak, that would preclude telling you, yes?" she comments. As the man hands over Wanda's pretzel, the Transian woman looks back to Cassandra. She motions to the pretzel and then towards Cassandra in a questioning way. And then motions towards the other types of pretzels the man on his display. Like ones coated with cinnamon, or cups of cheese or mustard for dipping the pretzels into, plus the little display that shows bottles of what he has for sale.

The boy who previously made the purchase goes tearing past, his pretzel already consumed. Or perhaps dropped on the ground for longer than five seconds. But lets face it, that probably wouldn't stop him. He runs over to join up with a pair of kids just arriving with a watchful adult in tow, the three of them then running over into a grassy area while the woman finds a bench to seat herself on.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra, because this is whom it is, points to the pretzel that she's chosen to fill the rumble in her stomach. Though her mood has gotten worse, it doesn't stop her from indicating which of the edibles she shall accept. Oddly it's one with very few toppings. A simple pretzel, no frills.

Perhaps she's watching her figure.

The guy says, "Yeah, guess that'd make sense." He turns to his wagon, looking at Cassandra, and then says, "Which one then?" He didn't see her. So she points again, exasperation becoming even more apparent. And then she takes it from him kind of like she'd rather not. Not from him.

Which is when she turns to Wanda, then gives an upnod. Respectfully, then motions away from this place with a very definite air of acceptance about her. Well, at least she won't babble and ruin the day!

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda motions towards a bottle of water. "And a water as well," she tells the man, receiving it and then using her phone to complete the financial part of the transaction. Wanda offers the bottle of water over to Cassandra, though if she doesn't take it just hangs onto it otherwise. She has the bottle of blackberry flavored seltzer for herself already.

The older woman's smile is soft and friendly as she nods at Cassandra's gesture. "I'm just out for a walk," she tells Cassandra, but a chance to sit down in the shade somewhere would be nice." Wanda glances around the area and spots an empty park bench along one of the paths, beneath a few large, leafy branches casting a nice bit of shade. "How about this, join me?" she asks, with a motion towards the bench and then a welcoming look to Cassandra. Wanda starts over that way, and if accompanied, will take a seat on it, leaning back and opening up her cold beverage to take a sip.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
An odd one, the little lady that Wanda hands the water to seems to already be heading in the right direction, when Wanda indicates where to go. Likely a coincidence, but she looks back to Wanda every time she speaks. She hears, turns, and takes in content. So there's something going on there.

She holds her pretzel, though her stomach complains of the wait. She has manners then. And when they arrive under the fronds of the shade tree, she turns to watch the boy and his friends dash past, flailing sticks at each other in a rendition of some epic battle that never happened. But it so did, and will again, so long as children play.

Glancing to Wanda, Cassandra tilts her head. Looks her over as she approaches, then sits only afterward.

She then proceeds to eat the entire pretzel as if she were starving to death. Not a crumb is wasted, and she washes it down with the whole bottle of water like she's never had it before.

Then she touches her lips, glancing around warily. But not at Wanda.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda tears of a small piece of her pretzel, giving Cassandra a soft smile as she does. Perhaps she suspects the young woman doesn't speak English and so is being particularly emotive to help communicate, even if she still continues to speak. Even if the words aren't understood, tone of voice can impart a lot too.

Wanda lets the salt from her pretzel dissolve on her tongue before chewing the small bite. "I'm Wanda," she says, with a touch of her fingers to her chest to help make clear she's referring to herself. She looks down at the pretzel. "And this is pretty good," she says. "Even if the vendor is a bit of a surly fellow." She has a way of speaking that differs from others, and might stand out more to one who watches rather listens. It's not so much that she talks slowly as that she seems to consider each word. To give its moment before moving on to the next.

Wanda looks back to Cassandra, watching as she consumes her pretzel so quickly. The incognito Avenger tears her pretzel in half and offers halve of it towards Cassandra. "Still hungry?" she asks.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Cassandra shakes her head at the offer of more food. Her eyes flicker all around, taking in the environment in a hurry. She seems to calm, then looks back to Wanda. While she does so she keeps her hands present, ready to move. After and only after she's...made sure that it's safe, because that's clearly what it was she was doing, does she turn her attention.

She places her fingers on Wanda's offering hand, then breaks off a tiny bit of the profferred pretzel. Then pushes the rest back. Then out of nowhere she upnods toward the pretzel vendor and rolls her eyes, just the tiniest bit. But her attention returns to Wanda.

And, wonder of wonders, she turns over her right hand and makes a 'go on?' motion with a little circle of her hand. She tilts her head, listening.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
The pretzel is held still while Cassandra tears off the piece. It leaves Wanda with a soft smile as she tears off another small bite for herself when Cassandra is done. The auburn-haired woman asks soft in Mandarin whether Cassandra speaks Mandarin. Then she does the same, but this time speaking and asking about Cantonese. Both delivered with obvious questioning looks to make them questions.

Wanda slowly chews her own bit of the pretzel and follows it up with a sip of the beverage. She looks around the park and at the fountains which can be seen nearby. "It's a beautiful day to be out. Though I'm looking forward to Autumn coming. I like a little cooler weather, if I"m honest," she says with a little grin and a silly roll of her eyes.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Both languages gain the same response from Wanda's new acquaintance. Cassandra turns to look at Wanda when she speaks, attending to her clearly but without much in the way of actual response. On the second she does smile a bit, just a bit, and then raises her hand to her own lips.

Cassandra opens her lips, mouthing nonsense syllables for nearly a second, then shakes her head. She makes talky=motions with her fingers opening and closing and grins, though it's clearly an amused look on her face to go with the action. Then she gestures lower, to Wanda's entire self? It seems so. Then the same thing but with both hands. And then a firm nod, still without a word to adjoin.

When Wanda talks of the day, the weather, and the future she turns a moment, looking at the fountain and the area about with different eyes. She seems to actually look, which is very different from the danger-level scan she did a moment before. It's so very much slower, and peaceful. Wanda gave her that moment, and she seems almost...startled.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Though Wanda Maximoff's green eyes hold an expression that indicates she's working on interpreting what Cassandra means, there is soon a look of acceptance and at least partial understanding that results. "So not a matter of just not speaking English but something else then," Wanda says in a conversational tone. "Well, that is fine with me, alternate means of communicating are just as good," Wanda says, her voice carrying a tone of approval and acceptance.

After referring to the fountains, the Transian woman looks back to Cassandra to see her own examination of the beautiful small pool with the ornate central fountain with the light globes above it. Kids are playing in the paved area around the fountain, and in the distance a horse drawn carriage that gives tours of the Park can be seen approaching.

Wanda dusts a few crumbs of salt from her pretzel off her skirt and then rises from her seat. "Want to go over and make a wish with me?" Wanda asks. She motions with her head over in the direction of the fountain and then extends a hand to Cassandra, palm and fingers turned to face upwards in the gesture of invitation.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
For once, Cassandra seems to not have heard Wanda speak. She has her eyes looking around, the colours of the trees engrossing her entire being. A bird that flies over causes her to tilt that intense gaze upward, but only so long as it is in the sky. Then she smiles, her eyes to the upcoming carriage. A peaceful moment, one which might be rare from her reaction to it.

Wanda's raising off the seat causes Cassandra to start, a blush appearing on her face seconds afterwards. She stands, the hand being looked at along with the person, before she takes it, a full measure of what seems embarrassment in the little mute one. But she does rise and look to the fountain, uncertainty in the rise of her eyebrows and her lips. It's not too hard to read her when she's being expressive.

Still, she walks a few steps in the proferred direction, a smile slowly returning. Then she tugs Wanda's hand, hurry up!

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
The balm for the embarrassment might be found in the warmth of Wanda's smile as Cassandra's attention comes back to her. Warmth that grows as the younger woman takes the offered hand then starts forward, pulling at Wanda to hurry up.

That draws warmer laughter from the woman who quickens her step to keep pace with Cassandra, holding hands as they approach the fountain, Wanda giving a soft squeeze as they do.

A myriad of coins all sorts fill the bottom of the fountain, guardians of an equal number of wishes. Most are familiar US currency, a few stand out as being noticeably larger or smaller, or have a hole through them or are two-tone as the park obviously draws many visiting tourists from afar who used their own coins.

Wanda uses her free hand to slip inside of a pocket and retrieve a pair of coins. She holds one and looks thoughtful, glancing up at the sky. Then she holds the coin nearer to her chest in a somewhat meaningful way, as if gripping a treasure. Or perhaps imparting something of her self to the coin. Then she gives it a little toss into the fountain where it splooshes into the water and disappears to join the others at the bottom.

The older woman turns back to Cassandra then. She holds up her hand holds out the second coin. She lets go of Cassandra's hand slowly passes that hand over the coin once, twice. Cassandra might catch the tiny amount of chaos magic that imbues the coin, though Wanda's hand is covering it well enough it would be difficult to spot. Then she offers the coin over on open palm to Cassandra to take.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
Watching Wanda make her wish is a profound thing for Cassandra's eyes. She listens, and inside she smiles as she hears. Love. She's wishing for love. Not new love, but for someone she already has. For a future, and for a life together. Cassandra lets her finish, her happiness from meeting this decent lady reaching a height inside of her. It's a selfish wish, but that seems to be a part of it.

She's about to offer me one. I don't know what I want, though. Ugh, this is harder than fighting sometimes. Aaand...oh! That's neat, I can't do that. She's saying things to the coin. Good luck? Do I deserve good luck? Do I?

Cassandra reaches to take the coin, her eyes fascinated and full of wonder. She seems to have noticed many things, but hasn't truly grasped how much what Wonda does is real. Still, she turns to the fountain and...the world stops.

Not really, but the young woman's attention vanishes from the world around her. She seems to be frozen in time, and she holds the coin as she looks out at all the wishes in the water, and the realization of what it means washes over her.

Time begins again, at a slow walk, and Cassandra drops her coin onto the fountain's edge. It rocks there, poised to fall, and slowly tips into the abyss. And a plunk of coin hitting liquid seals her fate.

I want to tell her what I'm seeing. Someday, I want them to understand.

It begins.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Quietly, Wanda watches the passing expressions upon Cassandra Cain's face as she holds the coin with the small hex upon it that will greatly increase the chances of a wish made it coming true. While she may not know what that wish is, there is the sense that is something profound for the younger woman.

Green eyes track the coin's progress that ends with it slipping into the water, quickly lost among the other coins to most, though the touch of chaos magic upon it leaving it standing out to Wanda.

She reaches over very gently, and if there's nothing from Cassandra to suggest the contact would be unwelcome, her hand ends up resting on the young woman's shoulder. A soft squeeze given, and a smile that waits for Cass to find when she looks Wanda's way. "It's always important to dream and to wish," Wanda says, her eyes lit by something more than just the sunny day. "And it can be easy to lose ourselves in so much happening around us. Lose sight of that," she says thoughtfully, thinking of the many things that sometimes steal that focus from her. This year, with Genosha and Brainiac and so much else, there have been many.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
A ripple goes out in the water, the fountain's placidity ruffled, as Wanda touches Cassandra's shoulder. Nothing more, just a simple ripple. But the wish is in the world now, and that ripple will be felt again, in more ways than one.

Cassandra's Eyes are away from the coin now, turning when she's touched. She seems to hold a deep thought in her as she watches, listens to what Wanda is saying, but it's possible that much of the true content goes past her.

The year, pain, many things, chaos, friendships, travel. Loss. Say something. Begin your wish with action.

Cassandra gulps, looking up at Wanda as the woman's eyes light up, with something more. And she opens her mouth, a voice coming that's rarely used. Rough, gravelly and out of practice. But she speaks, and she tries.

"Cassandra."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
The word, the name, was unexpected by Wanda. Magic is more than mutant powers, more than potions and hexes and formula perfected over generations. Magic is something from within, and Wanda senses it in the soft, raspy uttering of that name.

Her face lights up so. Wanda's mentor Agatha Harkness would have made this a lesson about the true power of magic, that Cassandra could cause such a reaction with but her name. Though it would be a lesson long learned by the Scarlet Witch.

Wanda's expression is a mix of warmth and pride. "Cassandra," she repeats softly. "It's a beautiful name," and she touches a hand over her heart, though what she's communicating probably doesn't need that extra gesture to be understood by the Asian young woman. After a moment, Wanda touches the hand to herself in a different way as she says, "Wanda," at the same time she touches her chest.

The Avenger lets her hand slip down from Cassandra's shoulder, back down to her hand which she'll gently grip and give a squeeze if the younger woman allows. Behind them, the soft clip-clop of the horse's hooves can be heard, and the rattle of the wagon wheels on pavement. "Tours of the park," the driver calls out softly in advertising, apparently having an empty space at the moment.

Cassandra Cain has posed:
There is a moment when Cassandra seems to understand. She grasps the edge of what magic is, how it works within, and she breathes on the fabric of reality that she caused to shift with a wish, and with her name. But she doesn't know how to hold onto it, and it slips away.

She finds her hand held, squeezed, and wonders how she didn't notice it happening. She tenses, just a tiny bit but enough for Wanda to feel it, and though she does squeeze back, she also frees her hand from the grip. And her heart from the moment, though she knows it not.

Her mouth moves, almost saying it. Wanda, her lips say but without the breath to call it to life. Then she smiles. And without a word save for the sparkling in her eyes, turns away. Her journey has to continue; her thanks will come in time.

And she walks a few steps away, pauses, and looks over her shoulder.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda lets go of Cassandra's hand as it is pulled away, and she turns to watch as the younger Asian woman starts to move away. At that look back towards her, Wanda smiles and raises a hand in a motionless wave goodbye. After, she turns to make her own way off across the park, resuming her walk.

One that has brought her more of the smiles she'd sought than she'd hoped to find.