8167/A (First) Day in the Park

A (First) Day in the Park
Date of Scene:	08 October 2021
Location:	Centennial Park - New Troy
Synopsis:	Jessica meets a nice person in the park, aka Demona. They both survive the encounter.
Cast of Characters:	Jessica Cruz, Susan Sullivan

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Jessica Cruz has posed:
It was something of a big deal for Jessica to be out here at all. Especially during the twilight hours of the day. It was late afternoon and she was staring at a hotdog that she had bought and swallowed as she looked in the direction of her apartment and relief from being out in the open. She has her hoodie pulled up, her body tucked in and her hotdog with her. A tiny voice in her mind quietly says.

"Go ahead, Jessica. Eat it. It's fine. Nothing is going to happen."

She looks down at the odd ring on her finger, staring at it carefully before she finally takes a bite and lets out a slow breath. She then looks around carefully after the bite, chewing it as she watches people walk by. She feels like a caged animal in a zoo. Wanting to pace back and forth. Trapped out here despite being free. Her eyes darting a ltitle before she looks back to her hotdog.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    There is someone watching her. It might feel like it's a lot more, but from a spot on the ground, typing on a laptop, a woman in a skull-themed gas mask glances up at Jessica occasionally. She tucks her antique-looking laptop into her Beauty and the Beast girl's backpack and zips it up, slinging the anachronistically cheerful-looking thing onto her back. Otherwise, the woman is dressed in all black. She stands with little effort and takes a few slow, calm, deliberate steps toward Jessica.
    "Hey," she finally says when she gets close. There's some kind of speaker in her mask that makes her voice easy to hear and very clear, but her voice remains quiet and calm and somewhat sympathetic.

Jessica Cruz has posed:
Another bite and Jessica keeps her head down, slowly chewing and swallowing. She shifts slightly and seems to hug to the edge of the bench, right against the armrest and then she blinks when there's a voice nearby. She can see feet near her, looking at the black jeans and boots at the bottom. She shifts uncomfortably at the noise that came from this person who is interrupting her solitude. She takes another bite of her hotdog, as if to fight off the need to respond even as the voice in her mind urges her to say something in response.

/Say hello, Jessica. They spoke to you./

Jessica doesn't respond or even look up for a moment. Maybe if she ignores them, they'll just go away. That's the real trick. Maybe they aren't even talking to her. Someone will come walking up in a moment who that person was really saying hey to and then they'll both leave. It's a truly perfect plan. At least in Jessica's hot dog eating mind.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Moving to the side of the bench, Demona squats down and looks up from her mask. "Hey, don't be scared," she says. She takes off her stocking cap, revealing a bald head and long, sharp ears. She unbuckles her gas mask and takes it off as well, revealing her face to the other woman. "See, look. I'm not hiding anything." Okay, she actually was, and she was at least 'spooky' if not scary. Another beat passes before she asks, "Are you okay?"

Jessica Cruz has posed:
While she might seem like a wilting flower, there's at least one thing that Demona proved about Jessica. It's that she can move. Fast. The hot dog hits the ground, she is back up into the bench, over it and standing on the otherside within just a few seconds. She's gasping heavily and staring at the, uh, woman in front of her. She stares with hard eyes. It's an odd sort of thing. It's not scared or afraid but healthy fear. Few know the difference. Fear is a form of respect. Respect for the fact that something is dangerous or could be dangerous but respect all the same. What Demona might notice is this is someone ready to fight or flight but not histerically.

For a brief moment, there's a flash of green acorss her eyes and her right hand glows brightly for just a moment.

"I'm fine." Jessica finally says, firmly and clenching a fist. There's no judgement in it. Just a healthy dose of caution and finality.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    The hot dog probably would have hit the ground, anyway, but upon closer inspection, it appears to have stopped just shy and is now floating. Demona stands and nods. "Okay," she says, calmly. She puts the mask back on, followed by her hat. "I'm sorry to scare you," she says. "That's why I usually wear the mask, but I know the mask is also scary, sometimes." The hot dog raises and rests on the wrapper on the seat where Jessica had been as Demona takes a step back. "If you're fine, would you like me to go, then?" Demona asks, thrusting her thumb backward over her shoulder.

Jessica Cruz has posed:
A frown and Jessica watches as the hotdog floats over to the bench. She swallows and slowly licks her lips before she looks to the side. She sucks in several gulps of air, slowly letting them out as she does. She looks for a long moment at the ground even as within her mind something tries to soothe her. Convince her that she isn't crazy. Convince her that everything is ok and that this is part of things. A ring therapist. That's just what she 'needed'.

"No." She states and slowly steps back up to the bench and looks at Demona carefully, "Thank you. For saving my dinner." She reaches down slowly and plucks it up before looking at Demona more directly before stepping back again and taking up the hot dog as if to eat it but partially using it as a sort of barrier between her and this person.

"You, uh, aren't human?" She asks and looks at other people nearby.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "No," Demona says, slowly sitting on the ground near Jessica, but not even as presumptuous as sharing the bench with her. "Someday, mutants won't be called that, anymore, because almost everyone will be one, and maybe I'll fit in better. Right now, though, I recognize I'm scary." She raises a hand. "I'm Demona. What's your name?"

Jessica Cruz has posed:
She isn't sure really what to make of any of that. Jessica takes another bite of her hot dog. Chewing deliberately before swallowing and then she looks down at it carefully. She can hear what is being said but it is hard for her to get past the idea that she's out in the open and not in any way safe. Her home is way over there and she's way over here. She takes longer than usual to respond.

"Jessica." Her voice is quiet as she says it, as if giving away such a thing was a secret and should be guarded carefully. She looks at the last bite of hot dog carefully before looking up at Demona and squinting a little at her. She considers her for a long moment and then shrugs.

"Probably right. I imagine."

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "Jessica's a pretty name," Demona compliments with a curt nod. "You're pretty, too. Why are you so scared, Jessica?" Demona asks. "I can offer to protect you while you're out here, if you want."

Jessica Cruz has posed:
"Personal reasons." Jessica states simply enough, seeming to close up tighter at the questions and taking a step back. She swallows and then shakes her head, "I can protect myself." She states rather firmly, staring at the woman. She clenches her fists up tighter, grinding her teeth together and trying very hard not to lash out. She looks in the direction of her apartments and then looks back at the woman in question.

"I need to go home." She states simply and nods her head. She crumples up her hotdog wrapper and then nods her head.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    "Okay," Demona says, standing without effort. "Thanks for talking, Jessica. If you want to talk again, find me, okay? I care about you, inside and out."

Jessica Cruz has posed:
Jessica blinks and seems to sort of be taken aback by that and stares for a long moment at Demona before she shakes her head.

"Thanks." She states and turns to start toward a nearby trashcan to throw away her trash. She then starts off toward her apartment. She looks back only once before looking forward.

"Bye." And then Jessica shoves her hands into the pockets of her hoodie and starts away quickly toward her aparrment.

Susan Sullivan has posed:
    Demona raises her hand. "Bye, Jessica," she says with a smile that reaches her eyes. Once the other is out of sight, she turns and notices a boy about ten who had been staring. "Hey, kid," she says, walking past him as he stares at her.