In the Wake of Sadness

Brief Title:
IWS

Characters:
Blindfold and Topaz

Scene Runner/Watcher:

IC Date:
04/02/2013

Location:
Chinatown - New York

Summary:
Blindfold offers comfort and information

Social or Plot:

TS:
No

Log:
==[ Chinatown and Little Italy - New York ]==

Rumor has it that Chinatown has turned into a pure tourist trap, and in places, that's true; some of the bustling streets offer nothing but high-priced stores or kitsch, and Canal Street, the area's northern border, houses perhaps the biggest of the area's outdoor markets. Even those streets, however, are still recovering from a two-year depression that stripped most of the tourists away. The rest of the area - where the tourists *don't* flock - is largely residential, and its businesses reflect its makeup. Traditional herbal-medicine suppliers, acupuncturists, and low-priced noodle shops and teahouses cater primarily to the locals. Signs and conversation are frequently not English; overheard music is rarely Western; and one of the major local shrines is the Wall of Democracy, covered with newspapers and posters describing the situation in China.

Just the other side of Canal Street is an area marked off with a sign - tattered glittery letters strung on wire across Mulberry Street, saying 'Welcome to Little Italy.' Though there are few Italians still actually living there, the bakeries and restaurants reflect that original makeup, and the area still celebrates the ten-day Feast of San Gennaro every September.

==========================================================================

Chinatown is finally back to normal, after the completion of all the New Year's Festivities and the few Chinese tradiontal festivals that follow it. It's still a busy hive of activity, from locals and tourists alike. The tourists are here for the knock off hand bags and knock off items as well as to see and taste the closest thing most will ever get to authentic chineses cuisine. Amongst the crowd is Topaz, her prescence is unmistakable, even to those without the ability to see. With all that has gone on in her life most recently, she is leaving a wake of sadness in her path. Anyone that comes within a few feet of her, no matter thier previous mood, is suddenly struck with melancholy.

Ruth taps her way along with Ororo at her side in casual wear but Ruth steers toward the sadness. "Miss Topaz, please if you don't mind?"

When she is approached by Blindfold and her chaperone, Topaz is at one of the food stalls looking through the fruit and vegetables that are offered for sale. Some are easily recognizable, others not so much. If the young woman had sight she would notice that Topaz's eyes were bloodshot, though overwise she looks like herself. This is the same woman she met previously, not an alternate version "Oh," she says as the teary eyed vendor packs up her selections and hands them over "Ruth was it not?" the waves of sadness seem to pull in slightly as she speaks to Ruth.

Ruth smiles softly as she poked into Topaz's head. Putting a hand on the woman before giving her a hug "Why so....ohhh...I'm so sorry, yes my apologies...he was a good man" sniffling

"Yes, something he was quite unsure of himself, though the rest of us had no doubts about." While Topaz isn't a powerful telepath she is skilled enough to know when she is being read. There is nothing on the surface of her mind that she needs to hide so isn't offended by the breach of privacy "You were one of his students?


Ruth gives the woman a squeeze gently "Well he had a checkered past but once a part of him was separated then he was a good man, though some doubted it and judged, yes sorry" slowly retreating from the woman's head "I worked with him a couple times and he did teach me yes thank you. My apologies sorry, with the wonky things of late I...just wanted to be sure you were you, please forgive me I know it's rude but not all the changes in people have been peaceful"

Tucking the brown bag into the mesh grocery bag on her arm, Topaz nods at the girl. With something to focus on her empathic projection has gotten better "That is alright. I would have done, have done the same. Hopefully some of this, as you put it wonkiness, has ceased. The mad gods are at least dealt with." she was an integral part of that, having worked out and casted the spell with Doctor Strange to separate the two worlds permanently.

Ruth nods still hugging the woman "But realities are still mixing together, yes sorry. Thank you for all your help with the gods if only death could be undone, yes sorry"

"The reason for that is scientific, well out of my realm of expertise." Topaz hugs the girl in return, giving a comforting rub on the back before disengaging herself. "Death can be undone in a way, but the consequences of such action usually are dire and not worth what little is gained. The person rarely comes back as he or she is remembered." she speaks as if she has intimiate knowledge of such things.

Ruth nods letting go of the woman "He will be well remembered, yes sorry. It's confusing with the realities mixing with our own, hard to keep track of things, yes thank you. May I ask please why Manuel focused so intently on you at our last meeting? Some of my teachers would like to meet you, yes please"

Having not gotten the man's name when they met Topaz has to rely on the other clues to figure out who Ruth is speaking of. "You mean the spainard you thought he was being a gentleman?" she asks in clarification before continuing "He is an empath, no?" a brief smile crosses her lips, but it doesn't dim the sadness in her eyes "His powers are of little use on me. They would never work. To him I am an abberation and I would imagine a challenge.

Ruth nods "A challenge to be conquered...yes sorry. He acts like a gentleman wants to be viewed as such but for the glory and game, yes sorry. He controls people like puppets on a string, sorry my apologies. He controlled Dr McCoy in very humiliating way street you left, my mentor says he can pretend to care about others but is incapable of actually caring, yes thank you"

Topaz nods in agreement, though the girl can't really see it, "Yes, I could sense he was a manipulative and full of himself. As soon as he approached I felt that I needed to shower to remove his taint from my skin." her soft tone becomes sharp and harder "He will get nowhere with me. I have dealt with worse than him and won. He is nothing but a moth circling a flame, unaware that he will get burnt if he flies to close.

Ruth nods "Be careful please there aren't many who can put him in his place thank you and he is one of those that had changed, you may find a completely different version of him white rather then black"

"You have nothing to fear about that. Like you, if I have meet someone once I can tell within moments of running into them again, whether they are the same person or not." she takes a step aside, to let someone else peruse the market stall. "I may or not be capable of putting him in his place, but where I can put him would be equally uncomfortable, if not hellish." probably more literally than figuratively in her case.

Ruth smiles with a nod "Seems his upbringing went fast forward molding him for his life, both interesting and a shame, yes thank you. I wish he could be taught to for good, I'd like to keep some hope for him, please thank you" though her voice held a tone of regret "I suppose the current wonkiness offers us art lest that...a chance to see how people we know could have turned out if events had unfolded differently, a chance to see that some are made to be bad, that it isn't their nature, yes sorry"

Topaz makes a thoughtful hmming noise "We can hope that once everything is back to normal he will remember this different version of himself and strive to be more like him. No?"

Ruth smiles hopefully and nods "I hope so yes, maybe he will remember how much people cared about the other him without his influence, something he may crave, and with luck perhaps he will change his ways to be more like his other self, thank you. Miss Frost would like to meet you when you have the time of course thank you please"

"She is another teacher of yours?" Topaz glances at the darkening sky "She is welcome to come visit me at my bar, the Voodoo Lounge. It's in the Village. It has a very eclectic clientele, but everyone is welcome, regardless of differences. It's about time I head that direction. The happy hour rush is about to start, and we are short a bartender this evening. It was good meeting you again.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License