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

[the_ghostking]

Nico nods, looking around in a state of semi-awe.

First of all: he's in a different world. A world outside his own, in a totally different universe.

Secondly: the place looks so ... well, cozy. And lived in. The last time Nico can remember a place like this ... actually, he can't. Because he's never had one.

"Cool." It's slightly quieter than he means it to be.

[basic_powers]

It's just the right tone to make Beauford smile and head towards the kitchen. Some of the time...he gets reminded of how often someone used to do the same thing for him. From the light coming through the windows, it's mid-afternoon.

"You want a soda? I've got Dr. Pepper and some microbrands in the fridge."

[the_ghostking]

Nico slowly takes his time to glance around the immediate space.

"Microbrands?" he repeats, pausing.

[basic_powers]

"Local companies who make special and weird flavors of soda." He replies, opening up the fridge and peering in before selecting a blueberry flavored soda for himself. "Jones is biggest brand, but there's a couple who make some mean rootbeers."

[the_ghostking]

Oooh.

"I like rootbeer," he says, perking up at that. "Well, the one time I had it anyway."

[basic_powers]

"Right...Maple hand rootbeer. Brewed with wintergreen and maple syrup." A nice cold glass bottle is place up on the island counter. "You wanna explore the town first, or chill out in here?"

[the_ghostking]

"Thanks."

He takes the bottle gratefully, thoughtful for a moment.

Then: "I want to see the town."

They can always come back after, right?

[basic_powers]

Yeah, though Nico'll probably be tired out by the time they get back.

Seattle is a hilly town.

"Alright..." Pause for a bit of pondering before taking the two bikes from the side of the wall. "You know how to ride bike? If you don't, we can always take the trams and walk."

[the_ghostking]

It'll be good for him. Kid needs exercise.


Embarrassedly, he shakes his head.

"I never had the chance to learn," he admits.

All those years in the Lotus Casino Hotel and the immediate aftermath really put him out of having a normal childhood.

[basic_powers]

Beauford just gives him one of those sad looks, almost shaking his head. That shit just ain't right.

And the hills of this town are no place to learn for the first time. The bikes get set back against the wall.

"Trolleys it is then." And down another corner in his apartment..and they're out into the hallway, and then down to the street.

And it becomes apparent why Beauford asked about the biking as several people zip past down the hill.

[the_ghostking]

No, it definitely ain't.

And Nico's starting to see that there's quite a bit he's missed. Demigods just don't have time for normalcy. It's kinda sucks.

In any case - Nico follows, blinking as he notes the cyclists making their way down the hill.

And it hits him again: he's in a different universe.

[basic_powers]

If it's because of the people bicycling downhill to work and what not... It's just Seattle, a major biking city.

If it's hitting him that he's in a different universe because somebody in a cape and tights flew overhead, that's a different matter.

Because that totally did happen.

[the_ghostking]

Well, it hadn't been about the bikes, but -







"Was that a -"

[basic_powers]

"Hmm?" Beauford glances back at Nico, and then without much surprise glances upwards. "Was that a ...oh. Yeh. Yeh that was a man in tights who just flew overhead."

[the_ghostking]

"Really?"

Okay, Beauford never explained this to him.

"You've got superheroes in your world?"

... somehow that seems so much more awesome than a bunch of Greek gods.

[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.