ArchivedLogs:Little Mercy

Little Mercy
Dramatis Personae Heather, Mercy
In Absentia	2017-08-12 "It's a spectator sport: we watch them, they watch us. And there's nothing we can do about it."
Location <NYC> Central Park North
Central Park North is slightly quieter than its southern counterpart, being further uptown and slightly out of the bustle of the City - insofar as one can escape the bustle of the City even here, in the acres of green and blue that make up Central Park. The reservoir is in the northern half, providing miles of jogging and biking trails along the clear water, as well as benches for people to sit and rest. It's early in the evening and gathering clouds have cooled the landscape in Central Park. In ripped blue jeans, a gray t-shirt, and a tattered trench coat of dark brown leather, Mercy sits below a tree off the beaten path. Her knees are drawn towards her chest, one pair of arms skillfully concealad by her posture and clothing. She holds and appears to be reading today's New York Times newspaper, though she looks utterly disinterested in its contents. Indeed, the tall young woman seems to hold little regard even for her surroundings, not looking up or even acknowledging passers-by. Her black hair is pulled into a braid and she wears a pair of black lace-up boots with three-inch heels. Wearing a pair of goggles, a purple tank top and a pair of tie-dye coloured sweats, Heather is sprinting through the park. Not moving at a too-rapid-walk, but seems like she is running from her own perspective, which kicks up some dust behind her as she moves beyond the speeds that cars achieve out on the highway. She slows down and comes to a complete stop before getting to Mercy's bench. "Urgent delivery," she states using her voice recorder. She removes the backpack she's wearing and places it on the ground. Although she doesn't look up when Heather arrives, Mercy purses her lips and folds her newspaper to then narrow her eyes at the other mutant. "The news sucks. It's not funny enough anymore." Her tone is odd, coming across as though she is blaming Heather. As she sits up properly and proceeds to stand, her second pair of arms remains well-concealed unless someone is actively looking for them. Closing her eyes, she inhales deeply before opening them again and wearing a small grin on her face. "Do you expect me to reach in there?" comes an inquiry. Heather shakes her head and kneels, to reach into the backpack, pulling out a bubblewrapped VHS tape. "I expect nothing of the sort. But I needed to catch my breath," she replies from the recorder. "I just ran here," she adds, as if that was not sufficiently evident. "Is the news ever funny? It has never prompted me to laugh. Well. Sometimes I liked the comics at the back when I was a child. But those do not count as news." "They don't?" Mercy asks dryly. "Mmm. I've never been quite sure. But you are wrong. The news is amusing." Her tone has not altered, it is still fairly dry and flat. "Reading about humans freaking out over such silly things rarely gets old. Politics is a spectator sport these days." The tall mutant sucks on her teeth as she eyes the video cassette. "Is that it, then? What we agreed to? The Internet is very distasteful. Talking with people you can't see." "It is what it is. You may unwrap it if you want," plays Heather, offering the tape. "It is in very good condition so I wanted to make sure to protect it. Most collectors prefer all the packaging intact and I did not want it bumping around in my bag." Once the tape is out of her hands, she swings the pack back around her shoulders. "I do not follow politics. I do not always understand it. I just listen for ways it might affect me. Or my friends." "Oh, good. I was worried." A touch of emotion actually enters Mercy's voice as she accepts the tape carefully from Heather, running a hand over the bubblewrap before tucking it preciously into her coat. She then proceeds to pat down her pockets, quite a few of them revealing lumps. "Oh, don't get me wrong. Politics these days are awful. But there's nothing we can do about it, hmm? The politicians are all up in their own heads with their fingers in their asses making decisions for their own gain. What do you think will happen of that protest the other day? Politicians will whine about the violence, disparage people wanting to live without fear, forget it ever happened, and move on with their lives. It's a spectator sport: we watch them, they watch us. And there's nothing we can do about it." She pauses and re-pats one of the pockets before grinning softly and withdrawing a wallet. "Except profit." From the wallet, the mutant swiftly produces a ten and five five-dollar bills to offer in Heather's direction. Heather carefully reaches out to take the money, though it's hard for her to avoid looking like she is just snatching the money out of the other mutant's hand. "That is news that affects me and my friends. That protest. It is not fair." She scratches her scalp lightly for a few moments while the recorder continues to play. "I do not understand the law. It is very arbitrary. Jax has been through enough. Mutants have been through enough." She puts her hands on her hips and chirps something a bit indignantly. Mercy proceeds to skim a few more bills out of the wallet before gently laying it on the bench nearby. The money goes back into her coat. "If life was fair, I wouldn't have had to pay for this video. Did you know they changed the ending in this version? Everybody is supposed to die, but the female lead intentionally screws it up. It makes it interesting. Some people dislike it because it ends differently. But all the others all end the same, don't they? Also, it is horribly offensive to Native Americans. Disgusting. But before it was horribly offensive to people of color. Also disgusting. Laws are arbitrary, the plot and title of this movie has been altered, Jax Holland is going to prison again, and I get a movie I should have had years ago. That is life. What is fair about it? What is unfair? It just /is/." Heather shrugs and plays, "It would not be fair for me to run here and not have you pay. But I have had that experience before." She glances over towards the wallet on the bench and then continues, "I have not watched the movie that I just sold to you. I only know its financial value. Not the cultural value. Watching movies is extremely boring. Do you think we should not care when things are not fair? Fairness is a good thing." Lips pursing again, Mercy affixes Heather with something of annoyed look and a little bit of a sneer. "I am not a philosopher. /I/ am trying to stay alive and have a little bit of entertainment while I'm at it. Watching movies is one of my past-times. Internet is too expensive where I live." With a small bow of her upper body, the mutant says, "Thank you for the movie. I hope our transaction was to your liking. Perhaps we will do business again in the future." "I am trying to do the same," plays Heather, offering a half shrug in response to Mercy. "If there is anything on your wants list I will keep an eye out. Enjoy your movie." Heather makes a half wave, turns on her heel and zips off right back where she came from.