2012-12-06 Good News, Bad Clown

Things have changed quite a bit for Terrance Ward since he started making his ventures into the city a couple months ago. Aside from the one incident at Yankee Stadium, his curse has been kept in check... even despite the fact that he's ventured outside of his room! Another success in the form of catching on with an employer, after dozens of failed attempts to do so. He'd even been looking around at apartments lately, and didn't think it'd be long before he managed that one as well. All in all? Life was going good for Terry.
That's why it had become time to make a phone call; he'd asked Kate to meet him back in Central Park, where he had first ended up running into the girl in his quest for directions. It was a chilly day in the park, but this was New York and frankly? It didn't stop the people who lived here from carrying on with their normal routines. The joggers were jogging, dog walkers were walking, bird watchers were on the hunt for birds, and Terry? Terry was sitting on one of the benches in the park, bundled up in a thick overcoat.
And as Terry sits there, a nice, steaming how cup of coffee suddenly appears right next to him.
Sort of.
To be more exact, someone standing behind him moves their hand so that they're holding a cup of coffee not too far from him, and even a little in front of his face, before they let out an almost... Cheerful phrase.
"You rang?"
Yeah. It's Kate. And odds are she /shouldn't/ be happy. Especially not right now. But hey, since she's being a little silly, why can't she smile slightly?
Blink. Blinkblink.
Terry is surprised at first by the sudden appearance of coffee. It /did/ seem like a good day for some coffee, afterall, and his hands reach up for it before he hears the voice behind him and tilts his head back to look. When he sees who it is? He smiles. Why not? He's in a good mood, and she helped get him there with her advice.
"Hey Kate -- good to see you. I have news." Straight and to the point, this one.
"Wild guess... Either you have a job, won the lottery, married someone rich, or joined a Buddhist monastery so that things like money and employment are no longer an issue?" is said in an almost teasing manner as Kate moves around to take a seat.
Only as she sits down she takes a sip of her own drink, which doesn't exactly smell like coffee, even if it is hot and steaming.
"And if it's the last one, I'll actually congratulate you on doing the smart thing."
"Uh.. well, I haven't tried the lottery yet, I'm not exactly anyone's image of casanova, and I'm pretty sure I'm an atheist... although the whole Kung Fu: The Legend Continues thing would be pretty cool." Terry replies, chuckling as he turns his attention fully to the girl, shifting in his seat a bit to partially face her.
"However, I /did/ find a crazy fashion designer who needed a courier, and, well, I got it." ...frankly? He's pretty darn proud of that! "So, I guess I didn't do the /smart/ thing, but I'd say I'm better off than the last time we met at least?" he replies, laughing softly. "... let me guess, I made a terrible mistake and jobs are actually horrible things to have?"
"Actually, getting a job is the second smartest thing you could of done from that list. So congrats!" is said as Kate raises her drink as a sort of salute.
"And having a job is /not/ a horrible thing to have. The trick is to find something you like doing. Or, barring that, at least one that makes you feel like you have a purpose."
Then though, her smile falters ever so slightly.
"And since most fashion designers could be considered crazy, I have to ask... Which one?"
"Thanks!" Terry replies, his tone cheerful enough. "I like it well enough so far. I mean, it's not like, saving lives in an ER or anything like that, but I'm getting to know the city better and that's a plus since I'm planning to live out here -- especially since my phone isn't nearly as fancy as yours." he adds in a bit of a tease of his own. Definitely more animated than he is on most days. When he thinks back on this? He'll probably think he made a fool of himself in the process. For the moment, though? He's happy.
"Uhm. You would ask. I should know the answer, too." he hides behind his coffee for a moment as he digs through his pockets until he finds the business card of... "Mote. Edna Mote. She's like, yea high?" he adds, motioning with his hand to try and demonstrate the woman's height. "Very crazy, but it doesn't look like it's the bad kind of crazy, so..."
There's a faint, "Ah." as Kate hears that name, before she grins. "Edna. I met her before. Tried to set something up with her, but well... It fell through the cracks." is said with a smile before she takes a sip of her drink.
"And I wouldn't call her crazy. Eccentric? Maybe. But not crazy. Especially not since she's been called 'The Reed Richards of The Fashion World'."
And as for the fact that Terry might be animated to a pint he looks foolish, or is behaving foolish, Ms. Bishop doesn't see it as such. At least not right now. but then again she's happy to see him happy, and happy that he has a job now.
"Well, I don't know exactly how much pull I've got, but now you've got a guy on the inside at least. So maybe I can provide a little reminder for you next time I see the boss? If you want, anyways." he offers helpfully, lips curved into a solid grin. "As for crazy..." well, there are things that he's seen that lead him to think that way. In the crazy mad scientist kind of way, but he isn't going to share that part just yet. "...well, they /have/ said that there's a thin line between genius and insanity."
With that said, and an amusement in his eyes that betrays that there's a little more to it than he says, he tips his cup in her direction briefly to indicate her 'turn' before taking a sip of it. "That was my news, though, and I just wanted to say thanks for all you did for me. I mean it." Pause. "/So./ How's life been on your side of the fence?"
And here's where Kate's good mood falters a bit. Especially as she glances away.
"It's been... Interesting. And difficult. I... I can't go into specific, or any details at all, but I've been working on... Well.... You probably saw the news last night. Kids have been rescued who've been kidnapped. And they were put through things while kidnapped that have made things even harder for me. Especially since there's enough kids that it's overwhelming the system around here, and the charities set up to deal with things similar to this tend not to have the resources to deal with anything like this, on this scale in the US."
Oh yes, he saw the news report. "Oh yeah, I did." Pause. "Pretty cool that a bunch of teens /our/ age managed to do all that, and they saved all those kids..." There was a hint, although faint, of jealousy in his voice. Those were heroes, he... was something else, and the thoughts of that tempered his mood a little bit more. Closer to the norm for Terry, but he had coffee and company that he liked, so it wasn't too bad at least.
"Yeah, I can imagine that many kids being shuffled through the system like that must be pretty taxing on the resources... but I'd say that makes you a special kind of hero too, being there for them and helping them out, right?" ...which is something /he/ shouldn't do. People who've had traumatic experiences? They're the most likely to result in an incident, what with lingering fear present to feed off of. /Especially/ with so many of them involved.
"All I can do at this point..." Kate starts to say as she closes her eyes. "Is to try and find resources that people hadn't considered and point them in the right direction."
Then though, it's almost as if Kate picks up on Terrys tone, which prompts her to quirk an eyebrow.
"Hey. At least one of those kids appeared to be an archer. So there's always a chance for you to find something like that which your good with if you really, really want to go the costumed hero route. Not that I'd advocate or recommend that."
Then there's another pause, before Kate.... Grins?
"All though if you /do/ that, you might want to talk to your new Boss. Maybe she'd be willing to design you a costume..."
When she starts talking about how tough it is for the people she's working with? Terry moves to pat her back gently. He can be considerate! "Well, keep doing what you're doing. You might not get as much coverage on the news as the costumes do, but you're doing some of the most important work out there. Saving people is great, but giving them a home to return to, and peace of mind when they get there matters a lot." he tells her, quirking his lips back up in a smile.
The rest of Kate's statement catches him offguard, though. For a couple seconds, he's frozen in place. Deer in headlights. He's remembering the time he accidentally tried to be a hero... and how he brought /Thor/ down as a result. Then there's a choked laughter and a shake of his head. "No, no. There's not anything I'm really, y'know, /good/ at. I can throw a punch and not hit myself, but that's about it... I'd just make more of a mess of things than they already were." Besides. Having people see the creations he becomes, and the mental scars that come from them? That's /his/ fear.
"There's people out there who are really good at what they do. Those kids last night, they were good at heroing. You're fantastic at helping people in general. Me? I carry a tube from point a to point b, and I'm okay with that, y'know?"
And here's where Kate eyerolls, and shakes her head at Terry.
"Don't sell yourself short. If you really wanted to, I'm sure you'd find a way."
And yes, that's all Kate says on that. After all, she doesn't know about Terry's powers, and she's not gonna give away the whole Hawkeye thing.
On the other hand, the young woman does start to stand up.
"You want another coffee...?"
"Maybe... maybe." he replies. Inside his head, Terry doesn't believe it. If Kate had any idea what he really was, about the kinds of things that he did... well, she wouldn't be offering coffee, and she'd probably be running and screaming. Or at least walking away briskly. "Another coffee sounds good, my treat this ti-"
Terry freezes mid-sentence, his hand gripping onto the bench they were sitting on. The cause isn't obvious at first, but it's actually a few yards away. A child that caught a glimpse of a poster on one of the lamps that light the pathways at night announcing that the circus would be in town. A child who had the misfortunate experience of viewing enough of a horror writer's depiction of clowns on TV that the very thought of the circus being in town makes him cling to his mother's leg.
Terry's trying to block it out, shutting his eyes and looking actually rather pained at the moment. Running away would be a nice idea... but at the same time, it would be more awkward than saying he had bad Chinese food or something.
So instead, he grips the bench tighter. Tight enough that his knuckles are starting to turn white - actually, if she notices it's more than just his knuckles becoming paler, skin all over is losing pigment, and his brown hair is starting to gain a rather reddish hue. Something strange is definitely going on.
Is there something strange...
In the neighborhood...
Who ya gonna call?
Well The Ghostbusters aren't here, and odds are they'd be pointless right now anyways.
But anyways, as she turns to look at Terry, Kates eyes go wide. At least as that change starts to over take Terry. Her mouth even starts to form an 'O' before she glances around, as if looking for something, anything that might be the cause of this. Worse, she's thinking about what she's dealt with lately, thus she over looks the poster, mother, and child.
If she only knew what was really happening, and what was causing it though...
After a few moments, he doesn't feel it stopping. The boy's thoughts are clear as day in his mind, and the changes are becoming more radical. His body's starting to stretch and reshape. His face especially, as makeup is formed out of his very atoms -- lips in a twisted smile full of razor sharp teeth, fingers long and thin.
"Go." he forces out. "Go, Kate. /G.."
The word's cut off, and his head snaps up to properly reveal the frightening visage plucked straight from a child's nightmares. /That/ causes a shriek from the boy who happens to spot it, and goes running. His mother doesn't spot the change -- but is chasing after her son nonetheless.
"They all float dow...-... n... ?" What started off as a voice that might be described as demonic and hollow by most reverts suddenly to normal. It's not an instant process, but Terry's normal form starts taking hold again. Just as he left it - even his clothing reverting to the shape and form it had started in. Not everything's normal, though. He's still gripping the bench, and his breathing is as hasty as someone who just ran a marathon. He's braced as if he doesn't know what's going to happen next -- but he can't feel the fear right now. He's not entirely sure why, he's more concerned that it could come back just as quick. Even if not from the first source, any fear would be readily felt.
That change does not manage to startle Kate. While yes, it is sudden, and yes, it should be unnerving, it doesn't frighten her. Again, blame it on recent events. And maybe... Maybe she's not afraid of Terry...?
On the other hand, she does turn her head, and notice the kid running away. And that, as she shifts her gaze back to the young man clenching the bench, prompts her to frown as she just whispers a few words.
"Are you okay...?"
Terry finally looks up after he realizes that his problem may finally be over, and his eyes open to reveal brown hues once again. He's back in control. "You're... still here?" he asks, eyes wide and surprised. He had expected her to be gone the moment it started happening. While part of him is relieved that she /didn't/ run in terror... another part is mortified that she got to witness his other side. It's when that realization hits that he hangs his head again, and focuses on his shoes. Very interesting shoes, indeed. Covered with the grime of the city streets. He makes a mental note to clean them later on.
"No." he shakes his head, "I'm very much not okay, and... you probably shouldn't be near me." Pause. "Ever again. For your own sanity." His words are those of a man defeated - spoken before, spoken again now. His arms move from the bench to instinctively wrap around his midsection, as if it had suddenly got colder out and his coat just wasn't doing the job for him. "I'm sorry." The last words are barely above a whisper.
"Don't be sorry." is said in return, likewise just above a whisper. That is before Kate... Smiles?
"And trust me. I highly doubt you're even the fifth most dangerous person I've been around this week."
And yes, as Kate says that, she seriously sounds like she means it.
"If you want me to leave right now, I will. If you still want to grab that cup of coffee, I will. Either way, what happens next is up to you. And if you want me to leave, you can still call me any time."
What isn't said is that she can help, because she isn't sure, but she does know some people who /might/ be able to or /MIGHT/ know others who can...
There's several seconds of silence in a result to Kate's words. Silence of disbelief. Silence of embarassment... silencce because he just doesn't know what to say. Either she's very brave, or very stupid, and he's not sure which right now. At the same time? Right now he doesn't entirely care.
"If you're sure about that, Kate, I'm not going to say no."
However... "I don't think I can do crowds right now. I'd be up for more coffee, but, uh. As awkward as this is, your place or mine if you want it." He extends his index finger towards her. "You're brave. Not everyone is, though... and I really don't want to, well, y'know."
Now that actually causes Kate to pause, if only for a moment or two. Why? Maybe it has something to do with 'her place'. Maybe it has to do with one of her many secrets. Or maybe it has to deal with something else all together...
Then again, that could be a moot point, especially as her cell phone rings and she answers it.
"This is Kate." is said into the phone, before there's a series of 'uh-huhs' that last a little bit. But by the time she hangs up the phone, what ever the young woman was thinking before is meaningless.
"I'm sorry to do this, but I guess we'll have to make that a rain check. Unfortunately, something has come up regarding those kids, and I have to go deal with it now."
"Sorry. And call me!"
Even after he made the offer, he had dreaded it. What if she had suggested 'his place'? Right now he was still living at home, and he and his dad weren't on the best of terms. If he went the direct route, the usual route... there'd probably be a confrontation. The last time that happened he ended up with a knife in his chest -- granted, the knife was /part/ of him, but the fact remained. He didn't need Kate to see that, or any other horror that his father's mind could concoct. Not to mention the needless teasing about bringing a girl home and wanting to be alone. Ugh.
When the phone rings and she backs out of the offer? There's a hint of visible relief across his features. Saved by the bell. "It's okay -- I understand. There's people out there with a lot more problems than me, and they need a superheroine lookin' after them." he gives her an honest smile at that. He doesn't know about /her/ 'other side', but she's still aces in his book.
"Sure. ... and thanks."
That said, Terry stands up, tucks a hand in his jacket and starts to head off himself. He was pretty serious about the no crowds right now part.
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