16165/A Rare Shopping Day

A Rare Shopping Day
Date of Scene:	05 April 2024
Location:	Queens Center Mall, Jackson Heights
Synopsis:	Nikki goes to the mall, runs into Nick, they talk about recent events and have lunch together. This time without the Paparazzi!
Cast of Characters:	Nikki Hawkins, Phantasm (Drago)

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Nikki Hawkins has posed:
The Mall. It once was a place of unspeakable horrors and terrors beyond imagination for Nikki. These days she's gotten mostly over her fear of being out in public and shopping, especially if she manages to keep her head down and just go in and out of the stores she needs and then head back to the bus station. Or subway. Or perhaps she'll text Tim and he'll just send a car for her. Whatever works.

So today she's come to go to a couple stores. Buy some fabrics in one spot, some clothing in another, and then she'll likely pop into one or two of the gaming stores to see if she can pick up anything new for her collections. Though, she might also need to figure out food at some point. For the moment, she's standing in front of one of those maps that shows you where you are and how to get to where you're wanting to go.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
The mall is full of a lot of shopping opportunities. But despite the various items people my find worth purchasing, there is one particular product that's pretty common on most people's lists.

FOOD.

The directories placed in the mall are positioned at key places, often where one wing of the building connects with another. So, as one Nick Drago, dressed down with his hair tucked away under his knit cap, makes his way to the food court, he turns to find a familiar figure figuring out where to go next. "...Nikki?"

Nikki Hawkins has posed:
Nikki blink-blinks at the sound of a familiar voice. When she turns to face it, Nick can see that her right arm is wrapped in a bandage from wrist to elbow and it's this arm she raises to wave at him. "Heya Nick! Fancy seeing Nick here. Nikki didn't think Nick was a mall-type person." She offers this and then looks back to the map she was just pondering over. "Nikki's here to grab a few things to work on some new cosplay designs, and maybe a new outfit or two for when she goes out with Tim again." A smile from ear to ear when she says that. "What's Nick up to?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick blinks as he's reminded of a core trait of one named Nikki. But with each exposure comes a shorter recovery time. He cracks a slight smile to the observation. "Sometimes the things you need to buy are only found in the mall. Or you don't have time to go out to where you normally shop."

He turns, exposing a bookbag that does not appear to be empty. "Sketch supplies." He replies back.

Righting his stance, he considers Nikki for a moment. "...By the way, Sorry about the whole. Tabloid thing. Hope that didn't cause any problems for you."

Nikki Hawkins has posed:
Nikki smiles and nods. "This is true. Tho Nikki could probably find some of these things online... or Tim could find them for her... she likes to come out every once in a while and shop herself." Saying this as she looks to the map once more and then back to Nick. "Nikki knows a couple good places in the mall for art supplies. Where does Nick normally go?" A pause. "Did you wanna start walking there?"

Regardless, she's going to step away from the map now and more to Nick's side. "Nikki is also trying to get better at being out in public again. After she got into a fight in Gotham it's been hard to go outside of Tim's house."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"It'd be a long walk if we went to where we normally go." Nick replies with a shake of a head, "I normally go to Salem Center when I got a lot of things to shop for in one trip.Different sights, Kind of make a day of it." He pauses, "But, today's not one of those days. So, today I just finished up at Brush and Beyond. I'm actually heading to the food court to get something to eat"

The musician steps back slightly, turning to look to Nikki as she explains getting into a fight and the trouble getting outside. "Oh really? Did you get hurt?"

Nikki Hawkins has posed:
"Yeah. This small group of guys pulled me into an alleyway in Gotham. Wanted my money and my phone..." Nikki begins to explain. "I managed to punch one of them, call an emergency line I have access to but just before help arrived, one of the other guys slashed at me with a knife. Took it on the arm. Wound up falling back and cracked my head on the ground. So mild con...concu...brain injury...thing...and stitches in my arm." She beams tho. "Good thing Wayne Enterprises has kick ass insurance."

As Nick mentions he's going to the food court, Nikki nods. "Mind if Nikki joins you? Waiting for some of my fabric order to be done still then she can pick it up, do the rest of her shopping and go home."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"No," Nick replies, "I don't mind at all." Turning to head towards the food court, he considers the information shared. "That's. Not a fun experience. Getting attacked." He comments, stating the obvious, "Nor are the concussions or the stabbings."

Nick brings up his right arm, bending it to show the scar on the forearm. "I got this one when I was working in a convenience store."

Nikki Hawkins has posed:
Nikki winces visibly. "Oh! And don't worry about the tabloid stuff. Tim understood and wasn't upset or anything. He actually appreciates the fact that I had a friend willing to walk me to a safe spot." She says this and then comes back around. "That's a nasty scar...I'll probably have one like that. And it wasn't fun, but in the end I'm okay and that's what matters.." Sharing that as she smells of the food court find her. "Did you have any idea where you were gonna get lunch from?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Glad to hear he was understanding." Nick nods, lowering his arm, "It wasn't fun to get, that's for sure. Buuuut it did end up changing my life around a bit. It actually got me to where I first met Rod, which led to Jack and Wade... Making Silver Round..."

He pauses, shaking his head for a moment before glancing ahead of him in the direction of the food court.

Nick hurms, "Not sure right at the moment. Probably what looks good."

Nikki Hawkins has posed:
"That's a big ask from some place like the mall. It all smells good and looks good, but it's a risk to eat it none the less." Says the woman who is joining the man for lunch. "I might just get some ice cream from one of these places. Not sure what I'm hungry for..." Then her phone chimes, so she pauses to look, answers a text back, and then continues walking. "Oh! I'll be going to Germany in a couple weeks. Got a Smite tournament to go play in."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Everywhere you eat comes with a risk." Nick comments, "Including home. Might as well enjoy the source of the risk." He pauses as they reach the food court glancing around at the lit signs. "Sometimes you end up coming across a gem of a mom and pop type of place..."

Nick turns to the mention of the tournament. "Oh Germany sounds nice. I'm assuming you're going to ask Tim to come along?"

Nikki Hawkins has posed:
"Nikki supposes so..." Offering this before looking around at the lit signs when they get to the food court. Nothing really stands out to her while she looks over and then she glances back to Nick. "Oh yeah...it'll be fun. And Tim's gonna come along, he and Nikki are going to make a week out of it..." This much more before she tilts her head one way and then the other. "Cause Nikki wants to see a few other places and it'll be easier being in Germany and taking trains around Europe..."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"Good idea." Nick agrees, "If you're making the trip out there, might as well get some extra days in... I even had a few days off here and there in my schedule when I was filming overseas."

Nick pauses his look around as he sees a person stepping out from the counter area with a tray ladden with samples. A glance to the sign betrays it not being a chain. A glance to the prices and the small line, causes for him to give a curious look. "I think I may have found my latest food adventure..."