ArchivedLogs:Float Break

Float Break
(Part of the Buzzkill TP)
Dramatis Personae Autumn and Jack
In Absentia	2015-08-19 Jack and Autumn chat over root beer floats.
Location <NYC> Evolve Cafe - Lower East Side
Spacious and open, this coffeeshop has a somewhat industrial feel to it, grey resin floors below and exposed-beam ceilings that have been painted up in a dancing swirl of abstract whorls and starbursts, a riot of colour splashed against a white background. The walls alternate between brick and cheerfully lime-green painted wood that extends to the paneling beneath the brushed-steel countertops. There's an abundance of light, though rather than windows (which are scarce) it comes from plentiful hanging steel lamps. The walls here are home to plentiful artwork available for sale; though the roster of prints and paintings and drawings and photographs changes on a regular basis it has one thing in common -- all the artists displayed are mutants. The seating spaced around the room is spread out enough to keep the room from feeling cluttered. Black chairs, square black tables that mostly seat two or four though they're frequently pushed around and rearranged to make space for larger parties. In the back corner of the room is more comfortable seating, a few large black-corduroy sofas and armchairs with wide tables between them. There's a shelf of card and board games back here available for customers to sit and play. The chalkboard menus hanging behind the counter change frequently, always home to a wide variety of drinks (with an impressive roster of fair-trade coffees and teas largely featured) though their sandwiches and wraps and soups and snacks of the day change often. An often-changing variety of baked goods sit behind the display case at the counter halfway back in the room, and the opposite side of the counter holds a small selection of homemade ice creams. A pair of single-user bathrooms flanks the stairway in back of the cafe; at night, the thump of music can be heard from above, coming from the adjoining nightclub of the same name that sits up the stairs above the coffeehouse. The scorching afternoon heat has only just begun to fade, and the towering cumulus clouds aspiring to thunderstorm melt away without spilling a drop of rain. Evolve is starting to fill up, though not yet crowded, and some of the patrons are looking perkier than has been usual of late. At the bottom of the chalkboard displaying the daily specials, someone has written "Caffeine is Working!", with the last word underlined in three different colors. In the back of the cafe, Autumn is folded up into one corner of a couch. She wears torn up indigo jeans and a t-shirt that actually kind of fits her, black with a monochrome print of Light and L back to back, divided by the words "Death Note" written top-top-bottom in the characteristic off-kilter style of that series. A plate on the coffee table before her holds the remainder of a powerhouse sandwich, and she is nursing a root beer float. Sitting near Autumn, Jack is a drinking a root beer float of his own. The liquid disappears once it reaches the top of the straw though. Weird invisible guy eating. He's in old worn jeans and a lightweight blue hoodie of a similar shade to a certain pair of sharkpups today, covering up despite the heat. There's too much recent crime to risk otherwise. Letting out a breath as he leans back, Jack lets his hood fall back. "I needed this after all the tests today," he remarks, empty sleeve gesturing at the float he's got. "I could seriously drink these all day." Autumn nods her agreement, stirring her float with the straw. "So much more refreshing than just ice cream." She tilts her head at Jack, eyes expertly focused on where his face would be if she could see it. "Tests? Already? It's still two weeks until school starts, isn't it?" Her shoulders hunch in and she pulls at her drink hard. Drowning her troubles in root beer. "It's either the bubbles or the added sugar," Jack tries to joke. He takes another sip and then lets out a sigh. "Yeah, they're for end of summer term. Not everyone takes classes over the summer but some of us have to...catch up. Missed a couple years of school so..." he shrugs. "How's it been going for you lately?" "Oh joy, summer school." Autumn's tone is flat, but the rueful quirk of her mouth sympathetic. "Yeah, I've been there. You feel mostly caught up, now?" She does not answer his question at once, but pushes the generous scoop of ice cream around to watch it bob in the root beer. "I don't know, really. I mean, good, in a way! Making a lot of progress with my powers. I have to focus, but I can turn it off now, or even do other things with it. Like not just crank everyone else around me up, you know?" She sighs, hunching even further into the couch cushions. "But DD's still sick...probably going to get sicker. And I have to make some decisions about where I'm going before summer's out." "Joy upon joys," Jack echos in an equally flat tone. "As caught up as I think I'll get. I mean I'm pretty sure I'm passing things so hopefully I don't have to re-do anything..." he trails off, gesturing vaguely with a sleeve. He perks up a little at the mention of power progress. "Other stuff? Like what?" he's curious. His shoulders hunch a little as the subject gets more serious. "What're you leaning towards? Decision-wise I mean." "Good luck on that. Taking classes over sucks." Autumn sits up a little straighter, as if only now noticing how small she has made herself. "I'm getting to where I can kind of distinguish mutants and their powers. It's like growing a whole new sense, I can't describe it. But Matt thinks I'll eventually be able to tune other people's powers individually, like he does. Right now I mostly can only do a blanket effect, so I try to keep it off whenever possible." She chuckles mirthlessly. "I feel like keeping out of trouble is the best I can ask for right now. And as far as making a decision goes..." Slumping back against the couch again, she shrugs. "I mean, the school seems.../interesting/, anyway. But the people my mom works for? They'll /pay/ me enough to cover DD's medical bills, and they said they'd help find our sister. Which...that's what I really want, you know? But I don't know if I can trust them." "Sound like you're getting pretty awesome," Jack offers. "I don't blame you on keeping out of trouble. Definitely better to avoid trouble than worrying about getting out of it," hs says. He bites his lip as Autumn speaks, debating if he should say something. Eventually, he takes a breath. "Autumn...I'll be honest. I don't think you can trust them. I mean I only met those two guys but they gave me major mobster vibes. Just their general attitude and how at least one of them had a gun...the car just waiting...and everything you've mentioned...I think they might be bad news," he says. "Thanks, but I don't know if I'd call myself /awesome/," Autumn demurs, but she allows a thin smile at the compliment. "Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to be able to...you know, exist without throwing everything around me into chaos, but I still don't feel quite like I /know/ what I'm doing." She plucks a slice of cucumber off of the sandwich. Stares at it. "Those guys? Oh, they're totally mobsters. I don't think they'll screw me over, because I'm useful and my mom is...kind of terrifying, apparently? Still, they're not great people. Getting their way by force is kind of their /thing./ But..." She chews on her lower lip, looks at Jack steadily. "What if your sister was missing, and some folks offered to help you get her back? Would you care how shady they were as long as they would do it?" "I'm pretty sure that goes for everyone. Some people are just better at faking it than others," he says, trying to be funny. "I don't know...screwing people over is sort of in their job description," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. He's quiet a few moments, taking a deep breath. "I've always been an only child so I don't know how I'd react to that really but...how shady they are may influence whether or not they'll actually do it. Or if they'll just hold it over your head. Same with the medical bills but...when you start disagreeing with them or what they want...they've got that ot use on you," he says. "People from the school can help look for your sister too," he adds. Autumn pops the cucumber into her mouth, chews slowly. Stalling. At last, she says, "You're probably right. About them." She swirls her root beer float gently. "But...now that Jax is, you know...on probation, he can't. Lead those raids anymore. Not like I blame him or anything!" she adds hastily. "Just...shady as they are, these people might be my best shot." Jack tenses at the mention of probation. "He's not the only one though," the invisible teen replies. "There are plenty of others that can handle the search and raiding...hell...I mean I doubt they'd let me but I'd help," he offers. "I know you would." Autumn smiles sadly. "My brother still insists you're a superhero. But I mean..." She looks down at the foam in her cup. "Sure, there's lots of other people who /can/ do it. What I wanna know is who /will./" "Pretty sure the people living around Jax will," Jack replies. "I mean its not like Jax was doing it all solo," he points out. He gives a quiet chuckle. "He's not the only one. Spencer does too. And my roommate," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. "I just try my best to help out..." "You're right." Though Autumn doesn't sound particularly convinced. "I'll ask around, I guess. See if anyone has any plans toward that end. Thanks." She drains her float, holds up the cup. "I think I need another. How 'bout you?" Jack's smile is unseen but its there. "Hey, no need to thank me. Happy to help," he offers. When prompted, he glances at their cups and nods. "Sure, let's make it a double even," he says, getting up and starting to lead the way to get more tasty soda and ice cream goodness.