Break from being Bound: Nico diAngelo

[basic_powers]

The door opens from the closet, into the living room of a rather modest corner apartment. A worn and well-used couch has been made up into a makeshift bed with pillows. The coffee table has a few comicbooks scattered over it's surface, along with the small TV and two video game systems. Two bikes lean against the wall and one can just see the island counter for the kitchen through the corner of their eye.

"Mi casa, it isn't much, but you can hang out for a few days." 'Beauford' says, edging around his temporary tenant. "Bathroom is right down here, and my room is right across from it."

Comments

[basic_powers]

Beauford's just a little, you know. Self concious about it.

"Have since 1916. Maybe even in earlier times, but the historical information on that is a little spotty at best." Pause. "I'm going to guess you don't have them where you're from."

[the_ghostking]

He shakes his head.

"Only in books and movies."

[basic_powers]

"Well, we'll see about swinging by the comic shops here later. Lot of the ones here record their adventures for print." And Profit. Not every hero-team is funded by the government. "Did you see which way they were headed?"

[the_ghostking]

He gestures forward.

"I think they went that way," he says.

And the concept of superheroes recording their adventures for print boggles his mind. In the best way possible, of course.

He really thought he was done with this sort of thing. But ... maybe not yet.

[basic_powers]

"Hrn...Downtown."

Beauford stops for a moment to debate something. Most of what'd be cool to see IS downtown, but going there right now significantly increases the chances of a metahuman run in.

"We'll take the long way around. Traffic will be horrible around near whatever's happening."

It's another block before he makes a right turn away from where the hero went, and towards a lightrail station. "They've got the waterfront streetcars on one stop."

[the_ghostking]

"Oh. Okay," he says, nodding. Really. Beauford knows way more about what's going on in his own world than he does, so who is he to argue?

So, follow he does.

"Cool. So what're we doing first?"

[basic_powers]

"Scenic route on a street car to the Aquarium, then streetcar back down for Pizza, then Pirate Puttputt golf." Beauford replies, getting their tickets from a machine and picking a window seat in the modern-looking train. "It runs along the coast a bit, so you get a pretty good look at some of the other places."

[the_ghostking]

If Nico were more the picture-taking type, he would've loved to have brought a camera or something to remember this.

After all, this is probably his first time ever doing stuff like this.

(Fun, that is.)

Even if he isn't the smiling, grinning, laughing sort - the wide-eyed, taking everything in look says it all.

[basic_powers]

It's a 20 minute ride from the station to the stop they need. Now it's just a transition from sleek and modern to looks-like-oldschool street cars, all boxy and brass trimmed, with glass windows and wooden benches.

"There's the street cars..."

[the_ghostking]

And Nico looks.

"Do you get a lot of tourists?" he wonders aloud.

[basic_powers]

"For the coast and town in general? Yeh, we get a lot...most of them hang around here." Which is why as he's getting onto the old-fashioned streetcar, Beauford has to squeeze past some people who should but ARE wearing spandex shorts and sporting fannypacks. At least he's pushing out space so that Nico can sit at a window while he stands.

[the_ghostking]

He nods.

Luckily Nico's used to crowds, so at least claustrophobia isn't an issue.

But not staring has never been something Nico was particularly good at.

So there might be interested looking around at the people around them. They're certainly not particularly any different from what he's seen in his own world.

[basic_powers]

Most citizens of this 'verse are good old average joes, most of which are people on holiday taking the streetcar for photographs of various places, the Pike Place Market, the ports, the beautiful buildings and storefronts.

It's another 50 minutes of spending time in a car with slack-jaws from Idaho, before their tram pulls to a stop on a hill..and just at the bottom of the hill, one can make out the aquarium

[the_ghostking]

Oooh.

Nico doesn't spend all that much time around the water, but the Aquarium building looks pretty cool.

And admittedly, the waterside is kinda nice.

"We're here?"

[basic_powers]

"Yup," He's grinning like a monkey, because, obviously, it's going to be just as much fun seeing Nico get some joy out of today.

Once inside, it's another moment of buying tickets before Beauford hands over a map pamphlet which shows where the exhibits and cafes are.

"Where to first?"

[the_ghostking]

Nico looks through the pamphlet with a very intent focus.

Actually, he's really just trying to make sense of the letters. Reading has never been one of his strong-suits. Damned dyslexia.

"Uh -"

Randomly, he picks one and hopes it isn't going to be something lame like dolphins or something.

[basic_powers]

You want dolphins, you go to Sea World.

Here it's the sea lion, seal and otter exhibit, with both above water and below it viewing areas to watch the animals dart about in the water. Bonus, it's feeding time and you get to see the animals take off after anything that's put into their enclosure.

[the_ghostking]

Well, that's plenty good enough for him.

Anyway, it's pretty much awesome he gets to see any of this right now.

(Or maybe ever.)

It's not like his world allows him much free time these days.

So, he's admittedly enjoying himself a whole lot. There may even be more smiles than he's smiled for months.

[basic_powers]

After the feeding here is done, Beauford's just going to drag Nico to the Underwater Dome.

Which is to say, he gets to see the skates and sharks from underneath, along with some other cool things before a PA system announces that the aquarium will be closing in 30 minutes.

"You want to hit the giftshop on the way out or head straight for the pizza?"

[the_ghostking]

And cool things they are!

Admittedly, he's learned a lot about wildlife and water animals, plants and environments. This is probably the most he's learned (aside from survival training) in a looong time.


"Actually, I am kinda starving," he admits.

And really, he hasn't exactly got anyone to get gifts for.

[basic_powers]

"Pizza it is then."

And a walk up the hill, another 2 public transports later and another walk after..they're in Downtown and the sun is setting.

"Alright, neat little place here serves every kind of pizza. Sushi, alligator, squash, along with your regular standbys." And thus points out the neon sign above the street. "Peccadilio's. They also do greek and italian food decent."

It's Thursday night, so it's not too busy around the pizzeria, and not that long before a waittress leads them to a booth with menus. By now, kinda starving has probably morphed into really starving with all of the smells around them.

[the_ghostking]

If anything, the walking and transportation give him the chance to see the city a little better than an escorted car-ride would.

And it gives him the chance to talk to Beauford, see the sights and sounds, and feel more free than he has in a long time.

Here, no monsters are out to attack him because he's a demigod. No one's whispering promises of seeing his sister again. No one's whispering anything.


In the restaurant, after being seated and giving his menu a quick glance: "Alligator?" he repeats, picking out the one unlikely word.

[basic_powers]

"Alligator." It's on the creole pizza, and he did mention the odd pizzas this place had coming up to it. "It's an interesting flavor...if you really want to try it out we could order a small on for you, and large spicy seafood for me."

[the_ghostking]

"Good interesting, or bad?" he asks.

Because he is curious.

But uh - if it tastes awful, he'd rather be spared.

[basic_powers]

"Kinda fishy tasting, texture was kind of like steak. Wasn't bad, but I think you need to aquire a taste for it...how does deep fried mushrooms and cheese curds sound for an appetizer?"