11066/Wax On, Wax Off

Wax On, Wax Off
Date of Scene:	14 February 2020
Location:	Apple Park - Salem Center
Synopsis:	Bean and Riana finally introduce themselves, and Riana also meets Bear.
Cast of Characters:	Wild Rose, Samuel Morgan

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Wild Rose has posed:
     One trip to the mall was not enough. There were too many projects at home that needed just the right touch for completion. There was the old futon in Riana's living room that needed repairs, lampshades for a different decorative twist in her kitchen, and replacement tips for her woodburning set. However, a minor over-indulgence in pizza afterwards demanded an offering of effort in kind to balance the scales--literally.

     Thus it was that the titian-haired woman has found a quiet little corner of the park to practice in peace, executing a few forms. Her clothing is simple and non-restrictive, yet warm for the season. It's simply a loose pair of jeans, a plain black sweatshirt, and black sneakers. Not one hint of movement is wasted. Each stance is precise, each block and punch sharp and to the point, and the usual kiyah's traded for controlled breath at key points. It was almost like a meditation, the serenity of something familiar, and keeping skills sharp. Her staff is leaned up against a nearby tree, ready for practice as well.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    It's a very quiet corner of the park, which is why Bean usually goes there when Bear has earned a bit of proper play time. He'd been relying on his furry friend quite a bit over the past few days, and the time he'd had scheduled for a quick ball toss in the backyard had been supplanted the day before in favor of the search for a possible rogue master assassin. In short, the German Shepherd had earned himself a bit of time to let down his fur. Ball ball ball ball! Throw ball, throw ball, throw throw throw ball!

    With a powerful toss, Bean arcs the well chewed tennis ball across the pristine snow, some distance away from the figure clearly practicing in the middle distance. The teenager is dressed as usual, non descript black cap, grey hoodie, black cargo slacks and combat boots that, despite the snow, gleam with a polish that's nearly unnatural. "Go get it boy!" A voice that might sound familiar to some people.

    For his part, Bear tears off after the ball, running and bouncing across the snow in the ancient manner of happy dogs throughout the ages.

Wild Rose has posed:
     A bit of a distance away, there is the echo of a voice Riana had heard somewhere before. It's enough to make her pause mid-block, her left foot leading in a front stance, her left fist down near her knee and her right fist in the chamber prepared for a punch. She grimaced a little bit. This was not something she liked doing much, as an overload of her senses could prove quite debilitating. A quick glance around told her that there were few sources of noise present, nothing that she couldn't handle on a normal day.

     Closing her eyes, she takes several deep breaths, mist puffing out near her face where her breath condensed and froze. As she had to learn on her own some years past, she focuses her hearing in the general direction of the dog and his boy.

     Where had she heard that voice...?

     It clicked. A couple nights past, not far from her apartment. There had been a teen who had proven a surprisingly effective ally in the battle to clear out a biker gang and their drugs. But there had been no sign of him since.

     Who was this teen? What had he been doing there? And where did he learn to fight like that?

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    *Chomp*

    The ball barely has a chance to bounce once before a ballistic furry missile bites it out of the air, gives it a few shakes and then starts to trot back the way it came, tail and ears proudly held upright. Yay! Ball ball!

    "Good boy Bear!" is the expected praise, and Bean double times it halfway over, dropping to his knees to give the Shepherd a hug around the neck. "Ball?" Holding out his hand, the teenager waits for the by now slightly slobbery ball to be given back, so he can throw it away again. A spray of snow deluges Bean as Bear takes off again, bringing a smile to his face.

    If this is the same teenager that took down two bikers, destroyed the drugs, burned down a bike and threatened to set fire to the gang leader if he ever showed his face again... then there's something fishy going on here.

Wild Rose has posed:
     Riana just shakes her head. Something could not possibly be right. This image was so completely at odds with the memory of the teen she had met the other night. Either he had a twin brother somewhere, or there was more to this kid than met the eye.

     And what was with the lights turning off and on when he was around? What was with the radio on one of those motorcycles turning on to the most godawful country-western music that ever existed in the annals of song and story? No, this kid was more than he seemed. But what? And did she want to risk provoking him, when she'd already seen what he was capable of?

     Curiosity won out. She had to see who this kid was. Easing out of her low block, she reaches for her staff, does a quick little spin with it just to keep limber, and makes her way over a bit closer to where the dog and his boy were playing. She maintains a respectful distance, leaning on her staff in a non-threatening manner, smiling at the joyous, playful moment.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    There is nothing that might confirm that this teenager is the one seen a few days ago. Aside, that is, from the identical clothing... and the voice... and the way those eyes keep glancing around at the tree line, at the horizon, at everything around them. Bean notices the figure stop their kata and pick up a staff. Motion, gait, the staff... it's giving him a shrewd idea of who this might be. And curse his luck if that's true.

    For a little while longer he keeps playing with Bear, seeing that the stranger is keeping their distance. And no matter what might happen next, he owes Bear some play time, so play time is what the loyal Shepherd is getting.

    Finally, with Bear panting and wagging his tail as if he could take off by dint of sheer effort, the GSD gets an affectionate pat on the neck and the ball disappears back into a pocket. Then, Bean stands and turns slowly, to face Riana.

    "Yes?"

Wild Rose has posed:
     Riana simply smiles, her posture relaxed, her staff less weapon and more walking stick at the moment. Oh yes, the identifying Celtic knotwork woodburned into each end of the weapon was present. Up close, it was both simple, and yet intricate in its own way, with attention given to shading between each portion of the braids. "Wasn't sure it was you for a second," she says, her voice bearing a slight hint of a Boston area accent. "Lost track of you the other night, never got to thank you for helping clean up the place."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "I think you may have me confused with someone else..." Bean begins, stretching out his senses to see if this sudden chance meeting was in fact an elaborate trap. No telltale flash of a concealed camera in the distance, no micro stutter in the microphone of his phone to indicate a microwave receiver nearby aimed in his direction, no listening devices on the woman herself... So instead he scans visually, moving to his right while pretending to fetch something off the ground that he might have lost. No movement in the trees, no sudden cessation of movement either. Hmmm.

    "... or possibly not. Are you here by yourself?"

    The amiable smile that had been on his face remains, but his eyes lose their sparkle, their zest. Those are predator's eyes. "An honest answer would be the wisest course of action."

Wild Rose has posed:
     A simple nod is Bean's answer. The only tech signature he would pick up on from her is a simple, run-of-the-mill, unmodified and slightly older smartphone in her right pocket. She has no hood hiding her face, her own hazel eyes twinkling as she looks at him. "I'm alone, yes. My canine friend is at home." There is a warmth in her eyes as she glances at Bear--and perhaps a few stray dog hairs showing in various places on her otherwise stygian sweatshirt.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Is this a new trick to get him to open up? Undoubtedly, Bear is a weakness now, but one he can't live without. Or is this an actual, genuine comment designed to break the ice? Someone slightly more socially adept might have made that judgment immediately, but Bean has to think about his response. A hand drops down to Bear's head, where it idly rubs between those two expressive ears.

    "I have nothing that indicates you're not telling me the truth. So, to purpose then, I suppose."

Wild Rose has posed:
     "Purpose? To thank you. That gang was within spitting distance of my home." Inclining her head, Riana shifts her staff to her left hand, offering the other to Bean. It's a little bit calloused, and indeed, so are her knuckles. "Riana Mackenzie. Jack's the dog my boyfriend got me at Christmas. And you are...?" Her eyes dart between the two, including both in her question.

     Well, the kid wasn't anything if not direct. It was at odds with the simple joy she had witnessed immediately prior, when he was playing with the German Shepherd. "Mo Dhia, that is one handsome dog."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    A hand is returned for the shake. The grip is strong, and the calloused in all the places one would expect for an experienced hand to hand fighter. A few faint scars trace the surface that betray their use as weapons more often than expected. "Sam. Bean to my friends, and the friendly collection of tail and ears is Bear."

    On hearing his name, and seeing the introduction, the Shepherd sits up at attention. His vocabulary clearly extends to 'handsome', as well it should, since this earns Riana a huge doggy grin. Which is, in truth, all Bean needs to let go of the last of suspicion. Bear wouldn't lead him astray...

    "It was a case of stopping drugs being dealt near the club I work, and teaching some thugs a lesson."

Wild Rose has posed:
     Just before she releases Bean's hand, the strength in her grip might be felt--but also a great deal of restraint, as if forever holding herself back. But the moment passes, and of course, she includes the grinning German shepherd in her introductions. Leaning down, she offers the flat of her hand for him to sniff, in lieu of a hand--or paw shake. "Did you mean Evolution? That's about a block or so away from my place. I haven't been in there yet," she admits. "I was going to ask Remy if he wanted to go sometime."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "That's the one. Best mutant club in the city."

    Bear first sniffs the offered hand and then offers a paw shake, clearly well trained for all social situations. Bean gives him a glance and whispers a silent 'showoff' from the corner of his mouth, before turning his attention back to Riana. "It's worth a visit. Won't see me there though, I don't deal with crowds, I just do the electrics and small repairs." Remy? Well, it's not a common name, but for now he can't assume that's the same Remy he knows.

Wild Rose has posed:
     Riana cracks a smile as her hand is soon filled with the leathery, furry texture of doggy paw, shaking the paw with all the due solemnity and ceremony that is only right for such a loyal guardian as this one seems to be. "An honor to meet you as well, handsome Bear." If she kept this up, she would no doubt wind up with a friend for life!

     Turning her attention back to Bean, she simply listens, nodding at his description of the place and his job there. "I'll definitely have to check it out then, if only to see the results of your handiwork."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "I hope you don't. My real handiwork is evicting troublemakers." Bean mentions deadpan, even while Bear leans into him. Leeeeaaaans! Friendly human! Be friendly to friendly human! Why you smell like being stressed? Be happy, be friendly. Look, friendly human!

    It's impossible to ignore such insistent requests for cuddles, so Bean has to kneel down and hug the Shepherd. "What's wrong boy? What's gotten into you? I'm here, don't worry." And to Riana, he manages a wry smile. An actual, genuine smile. "Sorry, he gets a bit goofy when he's off the clock. Those were some fancy moves you pulled, by the way. And there's only a few people I know that can lift two men off the ground without effort."

Wild Rose has posed:
     Riana just shrugs, her smile a little bit wry, her eyes perhaps a touch more guarded. The way this kid was talking, either he was a mutant himself, knew others who were, or both. She is silent for a few moments, and shrugs. "My kin didn't know I could either, till I told them what I am about a week ago. They're still working through it." Now the tension was in her voice, tinged with a bit of regret. "Guess maybe I should have told them sooner, but even so, what good would it have done? There wouldn't have been anything they could do to help."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "And what is it that you are?" Bean asks, having a shrewd idea, and patting Bear on the flank. Tension is one thing the German Shepherd will not abide, and before long he stands up, shakes his fur and bonks his head gently against Riana's leg. "I... think it's your turn for cuddles. But yeah... what are you? Teacher? Martial Artist? Vigilante? Accountant who takes no nonsense from any client? Or are you talking about genetics? Because those hardly count."

Wild Rose has posed:
     Glancing down, one finely arched titian brow raised in surprise, Riana allows her hand to rest on that big, furry head. She idly scritches Bear behind the ears, smiling a little bit. "Jack's going to be jealous, you know," she remarks, though without any rancor in her voice. A heavier sigh escapes her, and she shrugs. "Mutant. Martial artist as well, tang soo do style. What about you, though? You fought incredibly well, but it's not any sort of form I recognized."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Hmmm... Mutant..." Bean begins, in a tone that is usually followed by recriminations. But then he motions to Bear, who is still demanding scritches, tail wagging furiously. "Oh, look. Bear doesn't care." And then he looks Riana in the eyes. "Guess it's not that important then." If he labored the point any further, it'd start to unionize.

    "Lots of people are mutants. I'm a mutant, as you probably guessed. A lot of my friends are mutants. A lot of them aren't. In the grand scheme of things, anyone who gives a crap about that kind of thing is probably just looking for a reason to spew hatred." That's his opinion on the matter abundantly clear then. "And I'm very glad you didn't recognise the style. Only a few people know it, and most of them I will punch on sight."