(no subject)

[mnt_raph]

*The exit opens to a dark alleyway. Doesn't matter that it's the afternoon, most alleyways are dark. Especially ones in this part of town. The sounds of the city are overwhelmed by the stench of the trash in the cans lining the alley.

Raph takes a deep breath*

Home sweet home.

Comments

[mnt_raph]

*Raph stretches backwards, the bones of his spine snap as he does so.*

Andrew. It's the middle of the afternoon. I'm sprawled on a park bench by my favorite pond in Central Park. No one's running. No one's screaming. There ain't a ninja in sight.

This don't seem wild to you?

[stilljustandrew]

...oh.

*He begins to smile.*

Yeah, that's ...

... that's pretty cool actually.

[mnt_raph]

*Raph shuts his eyes and basks in the sun for a moment, a smile slowly forming*

Yeah. Yeah it is.

Andrew?
What's your biggest dream?

[stilljustandrew]

Biggest dream...?

*He looks out over the lake, and up at the odd little castle, and further up at the chill blue November sky.*

...I don't know.

I used to dream about things like -- meeting Peter Jackson or somebody, you know? Or learning to do magic. Or being a hero in some epic struggle of good and evil.

Or meeting a girl who --

[mnt_raph]

Yeah yeah yeah...I get the picture.
How'd you feel at first.
...
Overall, I don't need details, thanks.

[stilljustandrew]

...Nervous. Like I'd screw it up.

[mnt_raph]

*he opens his eyes, and watches the world go by*

Yup. I'd say that pretty much sums it up, right there.

[stilljustandrew]

*He takes a long drink of root beer.*

So now what?

[mnt_raph]

*His mind reels. Oh the possibilities!*

I'd say Yankee Stadium, but it's a little late in the season for that. Next year. Uh..I dunno. What do you wanna do?

[stilljustandrew]

*The suggestion "Let's go crazy Broadway-style!" is in his head, but he squelches it firmly. That sort of line only leads to musical numbers, nd that's just not happening on this trip.*

Uh ...

oh! I'd kind of like to get Meg a present. Maybe a souvenir or something.

Only I, uh, don't have any money.

Never mind.

[mnt_raph]

What kind of present?

[stilljustandrew]

...I don't know. I've never done this before....

uh, a necklace maybe? Or, I don't know, something to wear?

--not a scarf, though, she's got tons of those.

[mnt_raph]

*He chuckles*
Yeah, no joke. That girl's got enough scarves to choke a yak.

Hmmm. If April's shop were still 'round, I'd take you there.
Tiffany's?

[stilljustandrew]

-- isn't that like really expensive, though? Diamonds and stuff?

[mnt_raph]

*Raph shrugs*
Dunno, never been inside.
Wanna go?

[stilljustandrew]

...Sure.

[mnt_raph]

*Raph stands up and brushes off his combat pants.*

Okay, ummm. I'm pretty sure it's down town. I think.
where did I remember seein' that place
Yeah, I think it's that way.

*He points to the South East portion of the Park. He turns back to Andrew, and sighs*

Cab?

[stilljustandrew]

Or subway. Whatever's good.

[mnt_raph]

*he says absently*
Good would be trompin' through the sewers, but I doubt they'd let us in after somethin' like that...
It'd be the 10 to the 30?

Fuck it. Cab.
Come'on.

*there is an uneventful cab ride to the corner of 57^th and 5^th.*

[stilljustandrew]

*And inside Tiffany's, Andrew peers at diamonds and jade and amethysts and amber, wincing occasionally at the price tags.*

[mnt_raph]

*Raph can't help but totally stand out. Black hooded sweatshirt, black army pants, combat boots. The employees give him a wide berth, and the security staff are keeping a close eye on him, and he knows it.*

Find anythin'?

[stilljustandrew]

*He sighs.*

I totally couldn't afford any of this. And ... I dunno, none of it looks like her, you know?

Is there somewhere else we could try?

[mnt_raph]

This is New York! Course there are other places to look.
I uh, just don't know where....*he snaps his fingers*
The Village. We gotta head back there to get back anyway...and they've got a whole bunch'a little shops and what not.

*They exit and snag another cab*

[stilljustandrew]

*Feathered masks in one place, painted glass beads in another, embroidered shawls in another; a thousand types of tawdry finery in the windows of half a hundred hole-in-the-wall shops.*

*Andrew fingers a necklace of amber and shells, and frowns meditatively.*

[mnt_raph]

*Raph calls over from where he's untangling a beaded curtain on display.*

That don't look like the face of a happy shopper.