5968/Clearing Out the Clouds

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Clearing Out the Clouds
Date of Scene: 17 April 2021
Location: Central Park
Synopsis: Out for a walk in Central Park, two speedsters and a witch bump into each other. It's no joke, but neither is it crisis. No vampire cults, today.
Cast of Characters: Jacqueline Falsworth, Wanda Maximoff, Pietro Maximoff




Jacqueline Falsworth has posed:
It's a sunny... well, mostly sunny afternoon. A few clouds scud across the sky, casting intermittent shadows. The temperature out is still on the cool side, but nowhere near cold. Light jacket weather, really. There's a tell-tale breeze that suggests there may be rain later in the evening or overnight. But not right now. Right now, it's a great day to be out and about in the city.

Having a rare few hours off, Jacqueline Falsworth is out in Central Park. It's a weekend, which means it's fairly crowded. She doesn't often go for crowds, really, but she's been isolated long enough, recently. So being out in the midst of people feels good for once.

She wanders along near the lake, hands stuffed into her pockets, as she watches a group of college-aged youths gather together in some sort of more structured manner than most of the rest of the park-goers. She pauses under a tree, leaning against it, to watch them curiously.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Being cooped up in the Avengers' Mansion on nice days is difficult, even when the option of spending time outside on the grounds is there. There is something freeing about being out and away, particularly for one that has Roma in her blood. While it's not the mountains, Central Park does offer a few things that she can appreciate.

Thick woods.

Fields.

A lake.

But getting out also provides that secondary advantage; no AI listening in to conversations. So, Wanda has asked Pietro along for her walk in order to speak with him away from everything. It's nothing out of the ordinary, of course. The twins are virtually inseparable.

So, with a casual fashion statement for the day consisting of jeans, low boots and a nice warm oversized sweater, Wanda is walking near the shore, her tones soft.

"Clint needs the help, Pietro. I cannot let him go now without making sure he is safe." It's no secret that SHIELD is on the ropes, as it were..

Pietro Maximoff has posed:
Despite the time spent here in many respects New York City remains a strange place. It is difficult to imagine that it will ever feel like home -- though living in a mansion with several people who are only little more then strangers in most respects might have a little something to do with that. So like Wanda, Pietro too finds it something of a relief to be out under the open sky, in Central Park where they can at least indulge in the illusion that there are not towers of steel and glass and concrete surrounding them on all sides.

It is difficult to restrain the urge to simply run, to glory in unfettered motion, but his sister is one of the few people for whom doing so doesn't feel like a sacrifice. It's not that Pietro is anti-social... well, okay. Maybe a little bit. But he has some pretty fair reasons.

Listening to his sister, it is clear that the white-haired mutant is working very hard to keep an expression of disapproval off his features, though he does nod. "I suppose it isn't very realistic to expect you to ignore the matter," he conceeds. But Pietro doesn't like to see her put at risk for other people's affairs. A curious attitude for an Avenger really. But then he is largely there for her, first and foremost.

Jacqueline Falsworth has posed:
SHIELD on the ropes is, remarkably enough, something of a concern for the other speedster in the park, too. Jacqueline's instructions from M-13 were very clear: Continue to monitor the situation, but keep your distance. To some degree, this irritates her. After all, she has friends in SHIELD, too. Very old friends. But there's little to be done about it, so she certainly doesn't dwell on it now.

Of course, if HYDRA starts dropping magic bombs on top of everything else, she'll be all over it. That's also -- she can hope -- for another day, however.

She continues to watch the students in the park as they set up their little soapbox area. The way they go about it, she doubts they have any official permission to be there, doing... whatever it is they're doing. Some sort of social awareness campaign looks likely. Several of them have grabbed bright yellow fliers -- the black on coloured paper, homemade variety that show some burgeoning skill at layout but absolutely zero dollars for production beyond the cost of a couple of reams of coloured photocopy paper. Rather what one would expect from a bunch of college kids.

Jacqueline would probably have difficulty remembering ever being that young, save that when she was their age she was hunting Nazis across the wilds of Europe. And even that made her seem older than these.

An earnest young girl in a Colombia windbreaker approaches her, extending her one of the fliers before asking her to consider giving them her support. Jacqueline makes a polite noise as she takes it, but pushes off the tree to wander away from the imediate gathering -- more in the direction of the Avengers, just per force that they're not in the direction of the gathering.

She glances down at the paper as she does. It advertises a program by someplace known as the DAYBREAK INSTITUTE, which promises the usual New Age claptrap of elevated consciousness, personal fullfillment, and a gateway to immortality. She lets out a world-weary sigh at it, even with its stylized starburst design over a city skyline. "At least," she says dryly to herself, "there aren't overt occult symbols on this one." Maybe it will just dabble in vedic teachings, rather than turn out to be the latest attempt by some ghoulie or ghostie or long-legged beastie to feast on the souls of the young and gullible.

It occurs to her, she really needs to get herself a better hobby.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
"No," and there's a hint of a smile that pulls under the word; she's already made up her mind and there's nothing that can change it. "I cannot." Wanda's walk has something of a spring to her step; she's in good spirits, and there's a twist, a turn to take her brother's hand in hers. "And you should not either. It is a chance to get back at HYDRA." Her words are quiet, the lilt of her Eastern European tones belying the seriousness held in meaning.

"Besides," Wanda continues, "it would be a chance for the two of you to bond." Is that the word? 'Bond'? Her brow furrows briefly as she considers before she dismisses the doubt.

As they walk, the young collegians with their bills are politely waylaying passers by with their pale yellow pamphlets.

"Meetings are Monday nights, 8 o'clock," is speedily offered with one of the papers put into Wanda's hand before they make the same attempt with Pietro. "We'd love to see you!"

And off they go.

Pietro Maximoff has posed:
Revenge.

It is far from a noble impulse all things considered. It's generally not considered very heroic certainly. But Pietro has never really considered himself a hero. Nor has he ever concerne3d himself very much about what others might think of him. And while it might not be a noble impulse, revenge is the sort of thing that he understands. That he respects. Turning the other cheek is for other people. When he is wronged he likes to see the guilty party answer for it.

The Avengers must have really wanted Wanda to take him along with her as part of a package deal.

"Perhaps," he conceeds with a slow nod. She's his twin. Clearly she knows how to appeal to Pietro. At least most of the side. In regards to spending more time with Clint? That might be a tougher argument to make. He makes a face in the way that only an over protective big brother can -- even if by mere minutes -- before he allows, "You might not be so pleased to have us in more constrained quarters for a prolonged period of time," he points out.

As the pamphlet is stuffed into his hands by those walking by he eyes it for just a moment. Given their background, given all they've been through, Pietro is not immediately dismissive of... unconventional viewpoints. But still he gives a little snort at this, rolling his eyes. "It must be nice, to have so few concerns that one can waste their time with such things," he mutters.

Someone is a little curmudgeonly today.

Jacqueline Falsworth has posed:
Jacqueline doesn't necessarily disagree with Pietro's sentiment -- not that she's intrusive enough to really pick up on it. If she notices the pair now, it's more because they're striking than because they've done anything in particular to attract her attention. True, she does have a sixth sense, honed over several decades, when it comes to the unusual and occult. But that's not really what trips it now. It's probably nothing more than the faint hints of their accents hitting her sharp ears combined with the notable red and unusual white hair.

She shoves the pamphlet into her pocket, rather than scooting it over to the nearby garbage can. "Think they have a permit?" she asks casually as she nears, upper-class London accent unmistakeable, despite the entirely casual, daresay American thumb over her shoulder gesture she uses to indicate them. She doesn't particularly look like she's looking to engage in a full conversation. Merely voicing a passing curiosity, given there's bullhorn coming out as a young woman steps on top of step stool of some sort to start 'preaching'. Or whatever it is she's doing.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda also believes in revenge. It's probably one of the things that separates her from the other Avengers; she's an unlikely one, actually. Sure, she's gotten pep-talks and mentoring moments about how to be a hero, how to discern right and wrong action, but when everything is said and done, she has her own moral compass, which very much aligns with her twin's. So, she completely and unequivocally understands his position.

Thus, the revenge angle. And, maybe the 'Clint can't help himself, he needs our help' angle probably couldn't hurt either.

"Be nice," though it is said with that indulgent, sister-smile, "he is very good to me, and you should be happy."

As they walk, Wanda doesn't even bother looking at the pamphlet; another $.02 sheet of yellow paper wasted, but rather than wadding it up and throwing it away, it simply disintegrates in her hand in a *pfff* of red particles. "Not everyone has the cares of the world upon their shoulders, brother.. and I think if we stop for ice cream, you will forget too?" A ghosted smile appears as she adds, "I know I will.."

Wanda catches the quality English accented voice, and she turns, brows rising, her expression open and friendly. A shrug graces her shoulder before, "I thought such things were not necessary in America?" After all, if it weren't, wouldn't the police be here?

Pietro Maximoff has posed:
A faint smirk slides over Pietro's expression at his sister's gentle chiding. He probably deserves far worse all things considered. He does not make things easy, even at the best of times it seems.

Of course, in a pinch Wanda can surely count on the fact that he would be the first one there for her. That probably makes it a little bit easier to be forgiving when he can be a little bit difficult about other things. At least he hasn't been outright hostile or completely dismissive. That's not beyond him certainly. Perhaps Clint at least gets a few points for at least being an Avenger. Maybe that's enough for him to be civil, if not friendly.

No matter how he might really feel. Afterall, while he might not put a whole lot of stock in it given how they were actually raised, his sister is a princess. Something he would have asserted long before Genosha or their association with their 'father'.

"Nice, I can try my best," Pietro offers up, though it begs the question of just what he believes his best entails. "But happy? With this sister you may ask too much of me," he retorts drily.

Sadly, Pietro cannot just make the offending pamphlet disappear -- though he could probably create the illusion of it given his speed -- but he does crumple it up, balling it up in his fist before it is deposited into a nearby recycling receptical as they pass, blurring for just a moment as he deposits it a dozen feet away, back to his sister's side in a blink of the eye as Jacqueline makes her comment. "I would not be surprised if they did not. Foolish nonsense, though they do not seem to be truly causing trouble," he conceeds. Sadly annoying him is not a crime. Though maybe that's for the best

Jacqueline Falsworth has posed:
Interestingly enough -- probably more evident to Wanda than Pietro -- Jacqueline easily tracks the other speedster's movement. Indeed, for her, the world slows down around them and he merely jogs to the can and back in that space between heartbeats. A wry smile touches her lips and her head cants curiously for a moment. She studies his face long enough to imprint it in her memory, and then turns to Wanda, memorizing her face, too. It doesn't take long, however, before she's pulling up images in her mind of the scant dossiers M-13 gave her on the Avengers. Suddenly, it all makes sense to her. Her shoulders relax almost imperceptibly, curiosity replaced with understanding.

"I don't really know," she says in reply to Wanda. "I'm not up on all the nuances of American law. I'd suppose, though, that a grand park like this would have a few more regulations than a casual community park. But perhaps not." She gives a mild shrug and an easy smile. "I'm Jac," she says by way of casual introduction. And she nods to Pietro. "No. I don't think they're causing trouble." A dry chuckle escapes her. "Not yet, anyway. The last gathering like that I saw was in Hyde Park some years back. It got messy before the end, but doesn't everything?"

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda is obviously used to Pietro's speed, as he flits hither and yon, this time off to the garbage can and back at her side before a breath can be drawn, or her heart to give a single beat. "Your best is all I ask, then." It's obviously not a difficult conversation between them, given her manner and mien; green eyes giving off the gentle affection for her brother. The family resemblance is certainly there, for all their differences.

"I will find a way to make you happy, one day. Fatten you up, first."

Jac's words bring Wanda's attention around and off her brother, and the thought of ice cream, if only for the moment. "If they wish to speak," and there's a wince as the bullhorn screeches in feedback against the primitive sound system, "and it harms none," and does she have to finish the thought?

Introductions bring introductions, of course, even casual. "Wanda," is given in return. "Just getting out in the air. Too long indoors. Even walking in rain is better than staying inside."

Pietro Maximoff has posed:
That seems... unlikely. Many would kill for the metabolism that comes along with being a speedster, but it does mean that his calorie intake in every given day might be the most heroic part of being him. To actually gain weight? Well, he might have to stop moving and take up eating fulltime.

Mutant problems. On the whole that is hardly the worst sort of problem to have. Even Pietro would conceed that much. Still, he shoots his sister a brief, small smile before his expression smoothes back into that slightly distant countenance that he seems to always so readily fall into amongst strangers.

This new acquintance is not wrong however, Pietro does indeed miss the fact that Jacqueline manages to track his movement. It's something that he rarely looks for anymore given how rare it is -- at least when he is not working with the Avengers to deal with some threat at any rate. He simply slips back into place, none the wiser.

Arrogance sometimes has that sort of drawback.

"Mmmmm, A fair point. I do not know what sort of thing you saw in Hyde Park but I expect it is not the sort of thing that anyone would want to see happen here," he admits.

Jacqueline Falsworth has posed:
"Been a long winter," Jacqueline agrees with regard to getting out. "And it's nice to have even a hint of sun." So says the woman who's spent way too much time hunting the dark, lately. And if she smirks a little at the idea of the redhead trying to fatten up her speedster brother... well, that's experience talking. He's not the only one with an heroic appetite.

"No," she agrees fully with Pietro. Her expression turns grim, in fact. "It's not something you'd want to see happen here." A vampire cult uprising in London was bad. In NYC? It could be worse.

Nevertheless, she gives the pair a coridal smile, now. "But, I doubt we have to worry about it, now." She glances to evangelical group. "At least, we'll hope not." Her smile warms. "Enjoy the rest of your walk. I think I'm going to go grab a hot dog from the street vendor and get back to it." Speaking of caloric intake, indeed. "Take care."

With that and a small wave, she continues her way down the path, past them and away.