Apr 16 17:19:33 106 PA

From Chronicles

Apr 16 17:19:33 106 PA

Plaza Park

The sky is dark despite the earliness of the evening. The thick clouds roil and the odd, multi hued lightning crashes from above at intermittent periods. The unnerving display has driven many to seek more comforting locales, but in the park Vixen has come out specifically for this event. Without rain to spoil the evening, she's staked out a spot within a small gazebo, with a clear view up to the sky as trees are scarce in the area.

A nice, quiet evening stroll, with the added distraction of pupil-dilating flashes and bone-vibrating shockwaves. Perhaps Leonard has spent too many nights in the clubs and altered his perceptions of a quiet night, but it /is/ an interesting display. His eyes are upon the sky more than the park as he enters, hood lying loose upon his shoulders thanks to the welcomed lack of precipitation with the storm.

Vixen is currently perched on the bench that rounds the inside of the gazebo, settled on her knees, leaned forward with her arms braced, head on hands, staring upward except for those times when a particularly bright flash will necessitate a shift of gaze or even closed eyes and a few blinks to clear out the afterimage. The stronger booms of thunder cause her to shiver faintly, though not with displeasure, her odd expression lingering between pleasure and discomfort flicking from time to time toward either extreme.

With most driven indoors due to concerns of rain, or worse, the spectator silhouetted by the active discharges catches Leonard's notice and draws his footfalls. It is not until he nears the gazebo that recognition fully strikes him, and evokes a smile. He steps softly into and onto the small structure to watch the display without any immediate interuption. This time, however, his eyes are upon the other half of the audience and not the stage above.

Vixen is focused enough that she doesn't catch on to being approached, her eyes flitting toward every flash in the sky that appears, ears attuned to the big, booming sounds, softer ones slipping below the radar, so to speak. Not more than a minute after Leo's arrival, a close bolt flashes down, somewhere inside the park, though hundreds of feet away from where the two are. The air vibrates with the near instant crash of thunder and Vixen jumps slightly, almost hopping back off the bench. She ends up about poised to bolt, posture straightened where she kneels, hands gripping the railing behind the bench tightly. "Damn.." Spoken in a low, intense voice as she stares off in that direction, a thin line of smoke rising up in the wake of the hit. Her tone mingling a light edge of fear and exhilaration.

Leonard startles at the sudden proximity of the impact, but by the time he can otherwise react, it is over. His slowed reflexes are likely a boon in this case, or he may well have bolted backwards right over the railing. Instead, he steps forward as he regains his footing, to just behind Vixen's straightened posture. Once the peal of sound and its echoes fade, he notes, "Quite the spectacular scene tonight, isn't it?"

Vixen jumps again, though more in a light start compared to her jump before, when Leo speaks, her head snapping to the side to glance back. "Leo! Told you not to sneak up on me," she says firmly. Of course, in the next moment she's reaching back towards him, "Don't see this kinda thing so often. Like heat lightning I guess.. but not so much the same." She shrugs and looks outward again, considering the flashes.

"I'm sorry." Leonard is not entirely apologetic as he meets her reaching by closing the last bit of distance and draping his arms casually about her waist. "Oh, the storm... Yes, it is rather enthrallingly dangerous and rare, too, I suppose." He now looks out upon it over her shoulder, then offers, somewhat critically, "Hmm. It needs more ...purple, I think."

Vixen smirks just a bit, a recline in her posture leaning back into Leo, her hands lingering lightly on the railing ahead. "Maybe.. but I like it fine," she murmurs. "Not really sure why, but I like being out here to see it.. maybe it's the danger.. it's real, but small you know? One of those bolts could hit right here, but its like a million to one. With all the lighting rods and tall trees, this little place might never get hit. But that don't make it any less exciting."

Leonard chuckles quite softly at her admission. "Not long ago I would've thought you foolish to enjoy the danger, but I'm beginning to understand the attraction. Maybe you're rubbing off on me. So long as you don't plan to chase after it with a rod in your hand..." His words trail lightly off with both the jest, and possibly limit his discourse, since he often seems to do better the less he speaks.

"I'd try to climb a tree if I was feeling suicidal, Leo," Vixen replies with a wry lean to her voice. "Though I wouldn't make it far.. never learned how to do that too well." She shivers faintly at another of the louder crashes, but doesn't cringe or balk. "It's kinda like a metaphor for life. Lots of people probably walk through it without getting hit.. it might miss them entirely or hit close like that one over there." Her head tilts towards where the smoke still rises. "But one day it could just come right down out of the sky.. and 'boom', its all over." Her tone thoughtful on that note. "Even if you aren't looking for it."

Leonard's own recent wry tone softens with her timbre and topic, and his light grip of her firms a little. "Maybe that's what makes putting yourself out in it so enticing?" It is much more guess than a thought-provoking question, coming from him. "Those who went inside are certainly much more safe, but then they are missing the show, as well. Most don't look for it, I wouldn't think."

"It could hit where they are.. set the building on fire.. trap them inside." Vixen's shoulders roll slightly. "Safe is an illusion.. there is no perfect safety. Only degrees of unsafe." She lifts a hand to motion out at the park. "But they are missing it, without really being any safer. When you really think about it, there's nothing to be scared of. At least, no more than usual."

"A comforting illusion, just the same." Leonard's lips curl and some wry returns. "Some of us do tend to try and stack what little odds we can in our favor. The unknown can be a terrifying thing, and I can think of too many examples of what stupidity fear often brings. Not everyone is so wise."

Vixen grins casually and tilts her head back, her attention drawn from the display to glance towards him. "Well yeah.. if everyone was, then no one would be.. just raising the bar of mediocrity.. or something like that." She lifts a hand back to lightly pass her fingertips along his cheek. "I like reality, not the illusion. What about you?"

Leonard grins widely enough to be readily felt as much as seen. "Mediocrity and you are two things I never imagine anywhere near each other." He the considers her question, leaning into the brush of her hand. "I've ignored too much of reality in favor of the illusion in many things, and I don't wish to, anymore. Even if it feels like I'm running around with a lightning rod in my hand."

"What kinda illusions? Just from being in Chi Town? Or do you got something else on the brain other than that?" Vixen's light question as she turns her attention back to the flashing lightning. Her hand dipping, sliding around to lay over his own casually. "Can't get rid of all of 'em.. some are pretty insidious. There will always be something that you're not clear on."

"More of myself, and other people." Leonard sighs softly, though it is not an unpleasant exhalation. "For all my time in the sprawl, there, I learned little more than to keep my head down, and when to run like hell. My mother was always there, keeping most of that world, that life, at bay. All so that I could remain an unmarred candidate for true citizenship that she endlessly worked for." His shoulders roll. "We never saw the inside of the city, itself, of course. Then I had the unexpected generosity of Darius, and spent the next years with nothing but study and training. After that, I had nothing, and wound up here. Maybe I don't even have much in the way of illusions, really. Just a great deal of hiding and ignorance."

"Sounds a bit like part of my early times.. except I ended up opening up. :Learning how to play the game. Work people and get what I want or need. That's what the streets are like.. a game that's running all day and night every day. Always changing. New players, new powers, new everything. Makes it hard to keep track." Vixen shifts slightly, a bit of restlessness touching her. She turns her bead towards him again and wonders. "What happened to your mother?"

Leonard stiffens some, in both his features and his grip. He looks out upon the storm as he speaks. "She never knew the details of my education, only that I was receiving one, and bettering myself. When I had finally earned Darius' approval and praise, he provided everything I'd need to start, including a rather lavish supply of credits, so that I could venture out to the rest of the world. The first thing I wished to do was see her, after so long, show her what I could do. Against his strong urging otherwise, I went home." There is a pause for more than just to reclaim his breath before he continues. "I don't know if it was a random patrol, or something had drawn them, but I barely had time to speak with her before uninvited guests arrived. A pack of Hounds and Stalkers, demanding my submission. For the first time in my life, I stood my ground and refused. Then... everyone did what they would be expected to. She tried to protect me. They attacked what they didn't understand... and I ran away..."

Vixen frowns faintly, shifting to turn and face him, moving off the bench. She looks Leo in the eye and murmurs, "I figured running would be in that, cause you can't really fight against those kind of odds." She leans forward to brush her lips against his, then adds, "I dunno where my mother is. Haven't for years.. not really sure if that's better or worse than knowing like you do." She gives her shoulders a roll. "Maybe about the same in the end. Don't really mater since both are bad."

"I know..." There was likely a 'but' to follow, but her affection precludes that, and draws a small smile from Leonard afterward. "Knowing is better than not, in general, but maybe it is preferable the other way around, in this case." His shoulders roll slightly. "I don't know. You are the expert in independence, here." The smile broadens.

"No sense worrying about it," Vixen decides. She looks him in the eye then and murmurs, "I got something I need to do, but if you got time tonight, you should come over. Maybe we can try that dancing thing again.. never know, it might catch on. Though I dunno." Her shoulders roll slightly and she leans into him, the kiss offered a more substantial and lingering one. "Don't get lit up while I'm gone," she adds, grinning lightly.

Leonard's lips curl further until they find themselves pleasantly borrowed. "I always have time, and would love try and start a new trend. I can always use the practice," His grin returns in force, then catches for just a briefesst moment, "and I've more to tell you, as well."

Vixen lifts her hand, lightly touching the tip of his nose with her fingertip. "And I'll listen. When we got time to sit. For now, I'm off to do that work sort of thing I do." She grins and slips back lightly before she turns to head out of the gazebo and along on to this work related thing.