Owner	Pose
Cael Becker	If you asked her, Cael wouldn't be able to tell you why she was drawn to the great ash tree created by Lydia's magic time and time again - especially not now that she has Jon back, and safe. Maybe it served as a reminder of just that? But either way - that is where Cael can be found, not for the first time. She stands near the roots of the massive ash, throwing a ball which her 100 plus pound dog pursues - and brings back to her, tail waggins happily. The wind reveals the vibrant colors of purple, green, and blue dyed into the under layers of her blonde hair, and tattooed flames burn across her hands - while a brightly colored leather cuff with butterfly shaped cut outs adorns her left wrist.     Life has returned ot the park - and other people play with their pets, picnic, or jog. It's good to see life return to the city, little by little, as the rebuilding continues.     Here is there she can most feel like they really accomplished something. Like it was really worth it. Here she can see what they were fighting for.     Perhaps that's why she returns?
Terry O'Neil	"Very magical trees, ash trees," comes the disembodied voice, somewhere up in the canopy. "Did you know that the early version of Cinderella didn't have a fairy godmother but the spirit of her dead mother, manifested through the ash tree that had grown on her grave?" The leaves rustle, and a shape begins to take solidity, nestled in the crook of a branch, "One of the earliest version of it comes from the twelfth century, The Lady Of The Ash Tree, a poem written by Marie De France..." the grin appears first, and then the rest of Vorpal in shor time. "Hello there."
Cael Becker	"I've never been much of one for fairy tales," Cael remarks, looking up to Terry, as Bear trots back to her side, barking twice at the man in the tree. "Not since I was very, very young, at least, and dreaming my fairy godmother would come and fix my life. ...never happened of course." She retrieves the ball from her dog, scratching at his back before giving it another toss.     "You just going to stay up there?" she asks. "Aren't you a bit old for climbing trees?"
Terry O'Neil	"Well, there's always the hope that a handsome fireman will come over and get me down from the tree," he says, still with a little bit of humor, but not as ebullient as usual, "But it's hard to find a fireman in Central Park. They're all over at Fire Island, so..." He leaps down from the tree, the feline lands on his feet without much effort. "There."
Cael Becker	"I've see any good-looking firemen coming, I'll warn you so you can get back into the tree," Cael offers helpfully - amusement tugging at the corners of her lips. "I wouldn't want to ruin your- ...'plans.'"     The pup trots back with his ball - but instead of offering it to Cael, Bear drops it at Terry's feet, wagging his tail and looking at the man expectantly.     "Traitor," Cael comments. Her expression grows more serious as she adds, "Jon talked to me... about Donna. He's taking hard. How are you managing?"
Terry O'Neil	"You are the /best/ boy. Aren't you? Yes you are!" Vorpal takes the ball and gives the fluff ball a quick pet before he lobs the ball- slightly high, but slow so the pup can see it and have a merry chase. He sighs, "... as expected. She's not dead. She's just... a victim of probability. You ever read the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy books? She's kind of like Fenchurch..." He frowns. "But I am positive it can be reversed. Unlike Fenchurch. I'm /sure/ the answer is... somewhere in Wonderland. The prophecy Troia spoke seems to allude to it."
Cael Becker	Bear, sans vest and definitely in a playful mood, is all waggling tail and lolling tongue as he turns to pursue the ball, all 100 pounds of lumbering white fluff. Cael follows him with her eyes as she talks. "I hope you're right. I hope you, and Jon, and the others can figure it out. I already told Jon - if in any way me being there helps things - makes it more likely that you save her - then I'll be there. I don't know how I could help in someplace like Wonderland, but..." God. How is it she just takes ideas like 'Wonderland' as a matter of course these days? "...I'll be there if it helps."
Terry O'Neil	"I mean, Cael... people have come back from death. And this isn't the first time one of us has been given up for lost. Donna is like... the sister I never had that I constantly frustrate. If reality itself refuses to give her back, I will go to Loki himself and ask him to learn how to fuck with reality until it spits her back out." The feline follows Bear as well. It's hard not to love the pup, regardless of the supposed enmity between dogs and cats (it's mostly for publicity). "Titans don't just give up on family. No matter... how big of a screw-up one might be," he says quietly and rubs an elbow absent-mindedly with his hand. "And you are more than welcome to come. We will need all the help we can get... to find out whatever the hell has taken root in Wonderland."
Cael Becker	"That's how I was... when I found out Jon was going to die. That I was going to make sure we found a way to- ...to make it right. One way or another. To get him back." Cael gestures to the tree behind them as she adds, "I came here. When Michael was- when Jon was being tortured, Uriel said Jon would be returned to me here, so... stupidly or not, I came here every day and I... talked to him. Let him know that I was here, and I was waiting, and that I wasn't giving up on him. And that I knew he was strong enough, and would be home soon. And when he died I- well. Coming here again, and talking to him, and promising him that we were coming to bring him back... It was only natural. I didn't think he'd be able to hear me either time but- ...apparently he did. He said he did, anyways."     The pup returns with the ball once more - again dropping it expectantly at Terry's feet - and crouching down playfully.     "Jon came back." So why not Donna?
Terry O'Neil	Terry crouches down, pats Bear's head, and once again throws the ball, giving it some bounce so the pup can bound after it. "Last year... Gar's Doppelganger attacked him and pretty much... well. Tore him apart. Left him for dead and threw him into the ocean." He glances at Cael. "I saw the video of the attack. I'll spare you the details- I still have nightmares about it to this day. I thought there was no possible way Gar could have survived that..." he trails off and looks up at the tree. "But he did. We found him. He had turned into a starfish and was regrowing... well. What his doppel had- well. And for about three months Donna, me, Cait and Vic were given up as dead, crushed by a singularity... but we were actually lost in a parallel universe. But we came back- the Titans here kept looking for us." He nods at Cael, "Jon came back. Gar came back. We all came back. But... you know what's the greatest liar of all, Cael?'
Cael Becker	Not all. They don't all come back. Alis was still dead.     ...somehow, still with her. But still dead. Perhaps, thouggh, this isn't the time to point this out.     "What, Terry?" she asks, turning to face the man, while Bear snaps a the ball, misses, and skids as the ball bounces off a bench, and he's forced to change directions in pursuit.
Terry O'Neil	"Hope." The Cheshire puts his hands in- wait. He's wearing his hero suit. No pockets. He awkwardly rests his hands on his hips, altering trajectory and trying to pretend he meant to do that all this time. But it's clear he didn't. "Hope is the thing that makes you quit because your expectations aren't met after you push for something and it doesn't come true." The Cheshire cat points to Bear, "You have to push hard and abandon the expectation- of where the ball is going to go, because you will deflate when it's not there. You've got to push and push past even when you have no hope left in your heart. You have to move to the other side of hope, but you've just got to keep fucking /digging/ because what's the alternative?" He glances at Cael, and gives her a wan smile, "And sometimes you find something on the other side of hope. Sometimes it's what you were looking for. And some other times it's something you've learned about yourself..."
Cael Becker	"Hope can be a real bitch," Cael agrees quietly. "I know all about the pain it can bring. I learned that lesson early. As it turns out, I'm pretty fucking stubborn. It comes in handy."     Success! Bear finally snatches up his ball - and spends a few moments growling at it, and gnawing on it on the floor. You thought you could get away from me! I'll show you!     "Hope's not the only liar, though," she remarks.
Terry O'Neil	"What's that? Aside from every politician on television and the weather man?" Terry asks, smirking a little at Bear's victorious growling. "... my god could he be any more adorable?" he asks quietly, "... I'd so get a dog but Gar would say I already have him."
Cael Becker	"Our own preconceptions. The reality we build for ourselves in our minds. We can't see past it. It blinds us. We can trap ourselves that way - we can trap others we care about. We can do real harm that way."     Cael looks towards Terry - ignoring Bear as he gnaws at his ball. "You are objectively ridiculous, Terry. I think there's no real denying that, and maybe some people struggle to see that - but ridiculousness isn't your sole defining characteristic. You're also capable, determined, and of outstanding moral character - as far as I can tell. You were pivotal in helping us save all of reality. All of these things can be true, at once."
Terry O'Neil	"And sometimes it's the preconceptions of others that keep us prisoner." Terry is silent for a few moments, his eyes taking the scene in, before he speaks again, and he seems to be quoting something from memory. "There is much misjudgment in the world. Now I knew you for a unicorn when I first saw you, and I know that I am your friend. Yet you take me for a clown, or a clod, or a betrayer, and so must I be if you see me so. The magic on you is only magic and will vanish as soon as you are free, but the enchantment of error that you put on me I must wear forever in your eyes. We are not always what we seem, and hardly ever what we dream." He rubs the back of his neck, his voice growing very quiet towards the end.
Cael Becker	As Terry recites off the quote, a puzzled look crosses Cael's face as she tries to place it. "That- ...almost sounds like it belongs in the Last Unicorn, but I'd //know// if that quote was anywhere in the movie."     Not much of a book reader, our Cael.     Bear finally trots back to Cael - but he doesn't drop the ball - instead he wrestles for control of it with her, growling playfully and breaking free - only to drop the ball willingly at Terry's feet.     "Oh that's how it is, is it?! I //swear,// Bear..." But despite her words, Cael is all smiles of amusement.     "Anyways. I think you're pretty formidable, Terry. You're an asset to any team you're on. If anyone can't see that- well. Hopefully they'll learn to see past their preconceptions."
Terry O'Neil	A quick Rabbit Hole, and a book is thrust at Cael. "Right before he rescues the Unicorn. He wrote the screenplay and it's beautiful. But the book is a million times better, trust me," the Cheshire says. And then he smiles a little sadly. "Hopefully, you said, but remember- it's best not to hope. We do. But I appreciate what you said... truly, I do. Maybe someday some people will see there's more to me. But if they don't..." he shrugs, "I won't be surprised. I've always been understimated- it's an advantage when it comes to enemies, but I sometimes wish it wouldn't be so prevalent among my allies," the smile widens a little. And then he bends down and grabs the ball, "Who's the /best/ boy out there? This time... it's for the championship!" Wooosh, it flies through the air with the greatest of ease-
Cael Becker	Cael finds herself blinking down at the book in her hands. "Oh. I didn't realize- huh." She considers it for a moment then remarks, "Well. Reading for my ski trip with Jon, Martin, and Agnes I suppose." She flashes Terry a smile. "Thanks."     She watches Bear running after the ball, while turning over Terry's words in her mind. "I suppose I did," she agrees. "But... even as hard as my life has been... I still have hope. I don't know that I'll ever be without, no matter how much pain it causes me."     She glances aside at Terry as she adds, "If the conflict with the angels didn't prove how much you're //needed// in this world, though... I don't know whatever will. Think on it, huh?"
Terry O'Neil	"I will think of it. But... you know, we need a lot of things in this world. Most people would consider toilet paper an absolute essential necessity..." he gives Cael a slightly playful smirk, "But you don't see people singing its praises outside of animated bears in television commercials?" He glances around as his comm chirps. "I should be poofing out, I've got monitor duty in fifteen minutes and I wanted to grab something to eat before I settle there for the next few hours. But... I'll call you and keep you up to date on the Wonderland plans, okay?" he gives Cael a genuine grin, the first real one of the day.
Cael Becker	Cael acknowledges Terry's words with a nod, looking towards him with a small, encouraging smile. "Goodluck," she wishes him. She hesitates for a moment then adds, "Look - I'm trying to pry Jon away from his work for a week. A week straight. This Donna stuff is important enough - and important enough to him - that if you need him... well. That should be the deciding factor. But if we can give him that week... We both need." She needs it. She needs it badly.     "Oh, and thanks for the book."     Calling towards Bear Cael adds, "Just you and me now - traitor!"