2013.04.26 - Present Tense

Yet another place to look at, this time Rose is hoping for no hiccups, or violent outbursts. That typically doesn't take much this day and age. Rose pulled around the corner after passing the zoo, finding a space to park a couple blocks from the address, but that was typical for this area. 
 
Shutting off the bike Rose, dismounts, glancing back to Nate or just back in general to make sure he is still attached to her vehicle. Daring, wreckless - Rose lived on the edge in damn near everything she did, this neighborhood though... Seemed to be an exclusion. So close to attractions it almost looked new. Amazing what paint and spackle can do to old buildings. 
 
"Bit more pricey here, but I'm less likely to be stabbed by young mutants." A jab, Rose smirked towards Nate in regards to his friend.
Nate smirks, "as if you don't love to pick fights with everyone. I bet little Laura would give you a good workout, too." Despite Rose's motorcycling skills, which get much teasing from him, Nate seems to like the whole apartment-hunting thing. But then again, he is easily amused; Rose would be hard-pressed to find something that he dislikes doing. "Maybe later we can check the zoo, I have yet to see it."
 
"Like Illyana's demons, but I am sure far more unleashed.." Rose states calmly, though there is a flash in her eyes, as if she has already accepted the challenge Laura had not even made. 
 
Reaching to the inner pocket of the leather and maille jacket she withdraws the small piece of paper she had written the apartments information down on, glancing to her phone for the time she needed to meet the landlord there. "We're a bit early yet." She murmurs before shoving the paper back away and shoving her hands in the pockets. Beneath the jacket Rose has a shirt on, an old worn band shirt torn across the stomach at a sharp angle that only leaves part of her abdomen bare in the slope, pants much akin to a black and silver paint spattered vinyl cling to legs and tucked into her boots. 
 
Moving along the sidewalk blue gaze casts towards Nate. "So what did you pick up off the Hope girl that had you so set on finding her. Is her mind as somewhat cryptic as her words?"
 
With that outfit Rose is going to scare away half of the landlords of New York. But Nate doesn't care much, he is convinced Rose won't be able to live in the same place for longer than three months anyway. But she is fun. Then her question derails his train of thought. Ah. Hope is a serious matter.
"She is a Summers, and she was raised by a man that looks a lot like me. Chances are we are related." Replies Nate. "I didn't go memory reading on her or anything, but she is definitely not from this time or this world. What I got was pretty bad. The future seems pretty bleak. Same with Rachel. All these super-heroes, and the future is still crap."
 
Rose doesn't have much, and only a precious few does she keep on a permanent basis, or for as long as she can. Nothing is ever permanent in her mind and she handles it with aplomb so far. Her life is too mobile for too much beyond what she can carry on her back. If they didn't like her due to her clothing, she had a pocket full of fix-all in a tight wad. Only recently though, have things seemed to reach a... calm. Now for the storm? 
 
Passing the gates of the zoo a few small concession stands only boast a taste of what could lay beyond or within the gates. Novelty and tourist postcards, keychains and some stuffed animals, another had funnel cakes. Her focus is on Nate and what he was saying until that smell reached her nose... Not even Rose could pass that up, slowing near the stand. 
 
"Because with great power comes great responsibility.." Rose says in a low tone, placing her hand over her heart, cracking a grin before it fades and she moves slowly back to serious.. continuing. "..and with the weight this world puts on anyone in responsibility, people crack under the pressure. Mutant, meta... Still only human and still can fall to pressure.."
"All of them?" Nate shakes his head. "I don't know. There are a lot of crazies pulling from every direction, so I guess any of them could get lucky." He frowns, thinking in the recent craziness involving the Space Phantom and his 'Master of Time'. That is another story to amuse and mind-boggle Rose later on. And... ah! But look at all those keychains!
 
"No, not all, but enough to defeat those who don't buckle.." Rose says lowly, a tone to her voice indiscernible in pinpointing what exactly she is speaking of or to in these references. Cryptic almost herself, even as a single finger pulls up a Red Panda keychain and brings it up for a brief smile and lets it drop with a plastic clatter back to its rest. 
 
Right next to the trinkets was the concessions, and moving to the window she ordered a funnel cake. Pancake batter fried and dusted in powdered sugar. Unhealthy, but she was active enough to counter anything too negative about the indulgence. A girl can have her damn sweets! 
 
"I wouldn't know though, Nate, I haven't seen what you have. Or Hope if it is true - what you see." Pausing one corner of her lips curled upward in a small fleeting smile. "Your family is just popping up out of the woodwork all over."
That seems to be a family trait. After all Nate also plane-jumped. Time-travelled? Maybe in a way, he is pretty sure he went about 15 years ahead into the future besides a few dimensions sideways. "I am sure we will cross paths with Hope again, maybe she will be more forthcoming next time. Meanwhile, we must worry mostly about the present, right?"
 
"True enough. I'm just curious is all." A single brow raises with the smirk that comes and goes like a summers breeze on Rose. Gathering up the funnel cake she pulls off a piece and holds the plate out in offering to Nate as she walks towards the several story building that may be the place to lay her head for the next brief period of time. "As long as I don't have to rope her again until you catch up. That tends to piss people off before making them talk." A small laugh passes briefly as she shakes her head, the long white hair falling to veil her features.
Nate's munches the cake happily, and if Rose is not quick eating the rest she might find more bits are gone. "Nah. I think her being so afraid to change her own past is kinda silly. She wanted to prevent that future where she grew up in the first place! Bah, time travel, better not to think too hard about it!"
Up ahead a man waits by the railing fitted staircase that lead to an apartment building.
Leaning against the wrought iron guarding he was in a snappy suit that only befitted someone who owned a building in New York that was not placed within the slums and so close to tourist attractions. He was balding, but in an attempt to erase the sign of this he shaved his head bald, completely, to the point it looked polished in the suns fading light of the evening. 
 
Rose doesn't pause in seeing him but she does lean over and lowly mutter to Nate. "If he moves his head in the right direction he'd blind me with the reflection off that noggin'." A joke at the landlords expense though she said no more as she took another bite of the cake and left Nate with the plate if he wanted to finish it, wiping fingers off on a provided napkin and disposing it in the trash can right at the foot of the stairs. 
 
Turning towards the man now, standing in front of him beside the trash can he glances eyes down to her and then down the street, almost dismissive before Rose smiles and offers her hand. "I am Rose Wilson, I think I am here to meet you in regards to the apartment." 
 
Now she had his attention, though it is more puzzled and bordering on anger then dismissive this time as he speaks without taking her offered hand. "You're shitting me.." Oh yes, there was that anger!
Nate happily accepts the cake and chomps it down in seconds. Then he looks at the landlord, and then to Rose. He can almost see the train-wreck coming. The plate is left on the trash can, and Nate moves behind Rose, giving the older man a warning glance. Another glance is directed into the man's mind, it might come handy later if Rose likes the apartment enough. 
Train wreck indeed. But we'll wait for that one. -Sometimes- Rose has patience, and it ends right after delivery of what she needs or wants - far from sainthood. The smile started to flicker and fade like a flame put to an open window, but it didn't go away, it only darkened the surrounding features a bit. "No... I am not /shitting/ you." Rose says as her hand drops to her side, glancing back only momentarily to Nate, picking up the look he was throwing to the man and warping her darkened smile back into place of something a bit more eased. 
 
The man roughly grabbed the bottom hem of his suit and *snapped* it into place, an adjustment that would easily show the red under his collar as eyes flick from Rose to Nate and back, clearing his throat but not quite his demeanor about thinking he is being played for a fool. Took off work early to cater to some 'punk kids' who want to just giggle at the prospect of having a decent life beyond their current appeal. "You did see the price on this?" 
 
Rose steps back only slightly, extending one arm upward in gesture for him to lead the way to the place, tilting her head. "I did, and I am here. Lead the way." Despite the smile Rose's words were blunt edged.
Nate snickers at the landlord's worries, "money is not much of an issue, we can pay a year upfront if she likes the place and you want assurances." Yes, he said 'we', even though he is not going to live here he really has no good use for Halo Corp's paychecks. On the other hand, Mr. Bald Landlord seems the greedy type. And Rose is has not kicked him yet, so she must be in good mood or really interested in the apartment.
Just as the landlord snaps a glare at Nate, Rose is looking over her shoulder at him as well with both brows raised in question. She isn't going to argue, but her lips parted and then her jaw snaps shut just before glancing back to the brave and the bald who is just watching them as that glare cannot help but fade slightly at the mentioned prospect of a years rent on the flat. 
 
Stepping ahead he guides them both into the building after punching in the security code, moving towards an old elevator that has clearly been polished and restored to keep its old architecture, like the building, but its working order to code. 
 
Rose in turn is still looking speculatively at Nate, one brow cocked. "/We?/ Nate..." Exhaling lightly Rose silences as she gets into the elevator and leans against the wall, watching as the man pushed the button to go to the 7th floor. 
 
"It's a corner apartment, overlooks the street and the park from one side. I am sure it will suit you both well enough." The man speaks on, cutting the sales pitch short, his voice still filled with doubt as he looks between the two and the elevator opens up to the carpeted hallway, already stepping out to move towards the apartment door, withdrawing keys. 
 
Just as Rose steps forth her cell rings, pulling it free with a look of 'not now...' that shifts to one of some shock. Shifting her eyes between Nate and the Landlord she stops for a moment and take a breath, answering. "Yes?... Yes... How did you---? I know what you both are capable---. No. No. I don't want to. No. I hate you both." One sided conversation on both terms, and Rose is angrily stabbing the hangup button on her cell phone with her finger. Any harder and she'd crack the screen. 
 
Clearing her throat. "Sorry. Carry on." Now -there's- that edge in her voice as the landlord pushed the door open he speaks. "Again, it is 1500 a month, no utilities paid.." As he leers after Rose who just plunges in ahead.
"Hush, you," replies Nate with a grin. "Oh, it is for her," he mentions to the landlord, "you have make her like it, I am just here for the ride, and probably hauling here her furniture and stuff." He pokes Rose under the ribs lightly, but steps back when her cell rings, peering at the hallway and feigning he is not listening to her conversation.
The man just stands at the door, leaving it open like an invitation for them to leave more then a welcome. He has nothing more to say as the leather clad, white haired femme strides across the flat, casually glancing over the space it provides. Enough, if not plenty in the open spanse that only bears a partial wall divider for a bedroom from the living area, an L shaped counter forming the space that is the kitchen. All of the floor is original woodwork, as well as the framing over archway and along the wall-to-ceiling meeting. The ceiling is lofted enough to give it an airy space appeal, one that Rose is now scanning, but her mind seems almost not-there anymore. Moving to the window Rose looks out and down, scowling as a black sedan pulls up and Peabody, as well as a small dark haired girl no more then 5, get out and head in..
 
"I'll take it." Rose says, leaving the window and heading towards the bald man she withdraws a wad of bills and begins counting it out. "First months rent and deposit. You can go." Suddenly Rose is getting hasty, not anything like her typical aloofness.
Rose casts Nate a look, one that bears a range between anger and panic. This is going to open up so many more questions, ones she doesn't know if she is, or ever will be ready to answer.
Nate frowns at Rose sudden change of mood and quick decision. Sure, the apartment is nice, maybe nicer than the others they have seen. A glance through the window gives him a pause. He knows that dark haired child. "Got yourself into some kind of mess, Rose?" He glances at the landlord, and 'pushes' him some into accepting the cash and forget the questions he wanted to ask. The man leaves mumbling about bringing some documents that need signing in half an hour.
As the landlord walks down the hall counting the bills again and again, it is odd no question on where that cash came from, from one so young, nothing what so ever. He just wanted to close the deal and be gone for whatever reason. He didn't even look up as an unknown large man walked past with a little girl in tow, clinging to his hand while her other hand is occupied clinging to her small backpack, an escrima stick poking out of the top. 
 
Rose has those few moments to breathe and look at Nate, shaking her head slowly, though it drifted into a small nod as her palm swept over her face in a smear of being 'at a loss'. "You can call it that... I.. You have no idea." A glance towards Nate, she did not know he knew the child, but an apology bordered somewhere deep and unspoken as that large shadow, accompanied by a small one eclipsed the open doorway. 
 
"Here you go Rose. I will bring you the rest of her belongings later tonight." Peabody glances around the place briefly. "Nice place. Needs furniture. Your father will be contacting you later." Lowering down the hulking man straightened the little girls coat, smiled and ruffled her hair. An odd gesture for a man that was not at all remotely hiding the aura of deadly in his own right. "Give her hell, okay Lian." 
 
Rose just looked like she wanted to scream and hide as she stared.
Pausing in his rise though Peabody glances to Nate, no gesture to even look away or at Rose as he inquired. "Who's your friend?"
"Lian, hey, long time no see," Nate grins at the child. Then arches an eyebrow at Rose. Her father? What? And now Rose looks quite upset. He has never seen the white-haired girl like this. "I'm Nate," he notes to Peabody. "Just a friend helping her with the moving," which is kind of true.
Category:Log