Seattle Summer Showoff

[basic_powers]

As they exist from the narrow door of the linen closet for his apartment, Dinah will see two doors down the hallway to her left. One has a biohazard sign hanging from it, and the other is part-way open, enough that one can see the window and bed inside. There's a couple of photos hanging from the wall, one of Beauford and a blonde young woman laughing with the lights of a carnival in the twilight background, and one with Beauford and a reddish-brown haired man in a repurposed tan flightsuit, grinning in front of a college graduation ceremony.

To her right, she'll see that Beauford was infact not exaggerating at all about the shoebox size of his apartment's kitchen, as there is only a tiny island seperating it from the small living room. There's a well-used black futon and coffee table with a little black laptop on top of magazines and comic books. Against the wall there's a shelf with a flatscreen tv, several videogame consoles and a dvd/bluray player. Light filters through the curtain outside and Dinah can likely see the door out of the apartment with three bicycles hanging from hooks beside it on the wall, and pannier bags for the bikes hung with coats and hats from the coat rack.

It doesn't take much guessing to figure out that the blue and gunmetal bike is Beauford's from the homemade welds and adjustments given to it.

"Welcome to my humble bachelor pad...I'd give you the tour but this is pretty much it."

Comments

[basic_powers]

It's a slow movement as it places suckers along the glass of it's tank to move about...and then squeeze itself into a tiny, tiny plexiglas box through a small hole.

"...now that's a contortionist." Beauford grins at Dinah before perking up and moving over to a much more colorful exhibit...a coral reef display with anemones, fronds of algae and coral species growing carefully..with tiny cleaner crabs and several fish in residence, namely clownfish and a couple of blue tangs. "Ooooh."

[raptorcanaria]

"Oh, beautiful," Dinah breathes, grinning and crouching down against the tank, following all the movements. "So much colour!"

[basic_powers]

"Australian tropical reef habitat...great barrier reef." Beauford reads from a little plaque below the tank. "Thought to be the world's largest collective organism."

[raptorcanaria]

"Wait, what is?" Dinah says, drawing back to read the label. "The entire thing? Wow, that's awesome."

And she draws back a little to look at the coral with a different eye.

[basic_powers]

"...no wonder your buddy Aquaman is so hard on for keeping the waters safe for life. Something that awesome should be left for other generations to see."

[raptorcanaria]

"I say that about the whole planet," Dinah says.

"But it's nice to be reminded some of what we're trying to save."

[basic_powers]

"Yeah.." He's still smiling and watching the tank when something growls softly.

"...er. Maybe we should start thinking about that pizza place now."

[raptorcanaria]

Dinah turns her head to the side and down, eying his belly.

"Classy," she remarks.

[basic_powers]

"Honestly, I think the talk about eating the monsters might've been a sign." He grins, taking out one of the snack bars and unwrapping it. It's a pretty good bike ride to the pizza place. "You want to get anything at the gift shop on the way out?"

[raptorcanaria]

"I wanna see what they have," Dinah decides.

But as she says that, she's looking at a plush octopus.

[basic_powers]

...yeah, like he's going to stand between Dinah and whatever she wants to pick up.

"...hey they have lobster socks!"

[raptorcanaria]

"Yeah?"

Arms full of octopus, Dinah looks over. "Oh my god, those are adorable.

"They'd suit you."

[basic_powers]

"Pfffthahahaha!"

Alright, he's picking up a 2 pair.

"And I think you'd get a kick out of a pair for yourself."

[raptorcanaria]

"I'd wear them under my boots and no one would ever know," Dinah agrees. But she doesn't pick up the pair.

[basic_powers]

Like she has to, anyways, the checkout is swift and merciless. Beauford departs with some socks and some little figurines for gifts, and Dinah gets one of 2 of her plush octopi, along with a cheap little drawstring backpack.

The walk to the bike rental shop is only about a block away. And the paperwork for two rentals is quickly filled out by Beauford.

"You got any preference? I'd recommend something with at least 3 different gear speeds."

[raptorcanaria]

"No preference," Dinah says cheerfully, giving the bikes a critical look.

"I haven't ridden a real bicycle in ages. I hear you never forget how to, though."

[basic_powers]

"Yeah, you never really forget..." Depending on when you started at least. He's just going to be picking out two semi-sturdy looking racing bikes from the racks with the attendant. And two helmets, if the one Dinah lent him earlier is anything to judge by...well. It looks like Beauford got her helmet size spot on.

"First leg of this is going to be entirely uphill sadly....but once we get to a certain point, it'll be mostly downhill to the Piccodalio's."

[raptorcanaria]

"I think I can manage an uphill climb," Dinah says, tightening the strap of her helmet around her chin. "Depending on how uphill it is, anyway."

She also takes a minute to finsh a small, overpriced bottle of water she picked up in the gift shop, as well.

[basic_powers]

"Pretty uphill...about a quarter mile sadly." Beauford grins, strapping on his own helmet and handing her the second snack bar. For him the uphill ride isn't going to be that much trouble, but he suspects that partway through it, Dinah will want to have something to eat. "But we can make up for that with a nice scenic trolley ride to get back up close to my apartments."

[raptorcanaria]

Dinah always wants something to eat.

She tucks the snack bar into a pocket as she swings her leg over the bike, standing up over the saddle for a second.

"Sounds great - lead the way," she says, before kicking off.

[basic_powers]

And with that, they're off pushing to get up the hill. Beauford wasn't kidding about it being a bit tough, Seattle is a very hilly city. They actually pass a couple of old-fashioned trolley cars heading down the other way to the ocean scenic line before the grade of the slope shows any sign of being less of a challenge.

It's also across a couple of stoplights and crossings, so they're not moving on sheer momentum the entire trip.

After they get to a certain intersection, Beauford's already making a right turn to go down a very long hill.

Make that go very quickly down a long hill.

[raptorcanaria]

Beauford's worry about Dinah needing the snack bar wasn't quite on form - she gets to the top just a bike length behind him, where she finally pauses to have the bar, giving him the head start.

Then she re-pockets the wrapper, leans forward, and rockets behind him.

[basic_powers]

Normally he wouldn't bother pedaling while going downhill like this, but there are a couple of factors coming into play..

The light ahead is just about to turn green, and if they time it just right, they won't have to stop biking like maniacs all the way down.

[raptorcanaria]

Dinah's knocked her bike up a few gears and is giving it everything she's got, her expression determines, although her eyes are laughing. It'd be forgivable if that look she gives him as she passes would be interpreted as a challenge.

[basic_powers]

...if it is a challenge, Beauford is certainly willing to meet it head on! Without endangering either of their lives.

There is a close shave when he rockets through a yellow light just a second behind her though.

"Slow down! turn ahead!"