2014.01.04 - Interlude in Gotham

It's a late evening at a coffee shop by Robinson park. Wally West uncharacteristically sober he sits by himself at a table occasionally sipping on a french vanilla chai. He has been coming to this place the last few nights after work. Not really talking to anyone just ordering the same thing and drinking it silently by himself.

After a brief wander through Central Park earlier in the day, Fern thought checking out a museum might be a good idea, not to mention a great deal warmer. While she isn't familiar with Gotham, one of her friends was raving about some display of Egyptian artifacts, and with Leo off doing Leo things, she certainly had the time. She stayed later than she expected, but before keeping her promise of taking a cab home and not relying on public transportation, it surely couldn't hurt to stop for something to drink. That's how she happens into the coffee shop Wally occupies, walking to the counter to place her order. As she waits, she unbuttons her wool coat, looking around at the few patrons. Her eyes linger on one man, but she can't quite place him. They never really had a chance to be formally introduced, with the havoc and all.

Wally happens to look up to see the somewhat familiar redhead looking at him. Wally recognizes her. Wally knows he has seen her before but doesn't know her name. She was the red head who accompanied one of the students to the party. Wally gives a half hearted quarter smile and an apathetic wave to acknowledge her presence, then returns to sulking.

Fern's smile in return is brighter, her wave more perky, but she notices the half measures of the man. Well, if he was at the school, it's logical to think he knows Leo. And Fern wants Leo's acquaintances to think well of her. She collects her drink, chai latte with whipped cream on the top, and approaches Wally's table. "Excuse me.... hi," she says when near, cautious that the intrusion might not be welcome. "I think that was you... the other day. At the Academy?"

"oh uh Hello" Wally says a bit surprised that she just came up to his table. "Yeah, I was there. I am new teacher there, it was actually my first day." Wally says engaging so as to not be rude. Wally takes a sip of his drink and then asks "So are you a student too? or were you just their with your friend? the blond one with the muscles. I'm sorry I'm still learning names"

Fern's brows lift in light surprise, "Oh! Gosh, that was some first day. It's actually the first time I've ever been there, and yes, I was with the blond with the muscles." There's amusement in the words, her smile stronger. "Leo Luthor. And I'm Fern Fiddlehead," she adds, extending her hand with the introduction. She hastily pulls it back to pull the glove covering it off with her teeth, grabbing and quickly pocketing it before the hand goes back out.

Wally gives a half chuckle at the mention of the excitement of his first day "Well it was my first time there too. Wally West, nice to meet you Fern, and thanks for telling me your friend's name if he ever show's up in my class I'll remember it" Wally says as he accepts the handshake. "You can sit down if you aren't in a rush to leave"

The young woman's hand is warm from her glove, her grip neither unusually strong nor akin to having a fish flopped into your hand. As she withdraws there's a nod, "If you don't mind company for a little bit." But with the offer there she slips into the open chair across from him, setting her cup down, opening her coat to enjoy the warm air of the shop before the eventual trek back into the cold. She wears a plain, v-neck t-shirt beneath her coat, and a plaid skirt, both in shades of blue, and flat heeled black boots. "What do you teach, Mr. West?" she asks curiously, formally using the man's surname. He's a teacher, it's what you call teachers.

Wally's hand is warm from being wrapped around the hot cup, and the grip is firm but lacking enthusiasm. Wally himself is wearing blue jeans, and suede boots, a tan suede jacket over a blue sweater over a long sleeved white shirt, a red a yellow tie can be seen on his neck a bit loosened. on the back of his chair a heavy long coat is hung on the seat back and along with multicolored scarf.

"I teach science mostly physics and chemistry, mostly entry level stuff though." Wally responds to Fern's question with a small smile though his tone isn't quite as warm as his expression still the taint of sadness on him.

"I was never very good with science," Fern admits, a bit sheepishly. "I always liked english classes better, and drama. Just don't seem to have the knack for sciency things." Her manner is fairly open and easygoing, and she leans forward to take a sip from her cup. Although she tries to be careful, she still ends up with whipped cream dotted on the tip of her nose, and she hastily wipes it away. "Are you new to the city, or just to teaching at the Academy?"

Wally smiles a little wider at seeing the funny and objectively cute sight of Fern with a bit cream on her nose. "you got a little something on your, yeah you got it."

"Well I was always a whiz with science things since i was very young I just have mind for it. I moved out here a few months ago though i only just only recently got the job at the school. I was settling in nicely though and making new friends. you know, all that. Are you a native or did you move here from some where?"

Fern blushes at the confirmation that her lost battle with the whipped cream was observed, but she still grins, "Thanks." She's one of those natural good listeners, interested, expressive, and she nods in understanding of his situation, "I'm from Ohio, I've been here a bit over a year now. Had to do the whole making new friends thing, but it got easier." She tilts her head, looking across at Wally, "Are you from another big city? I'm from a small town, the city took some getting used to for me."

"depends on how you define "big City" I'm fom the keystone central city area in Kansas. Where abouts in Ohio are you from?" Wally answers back showing some life in him more than he was when Fern spotted him.

"Kansas?" Fern questions lightly, a friendly tease in her tone, "Are there big cities in Kansas?" She feigns surprise, but then laughs softly, admitting, "Like Ohio is much different. I'm from Greenville, kinda southeast in the state. Lots of farmland and pastures. We live in town though, where it's civilized." Again, it's easy to find the humor in the way she speaks.

"Ha yeah I can see that though I'm from a very urbanized area though I was born out in the sticks in Nebraska." Wally says being polite and genuine in engaging and going with Fern's humor and teasing.

Wally takes another sip of his chai to warm up. "So how are you doing today? what brings you out in the cold?"

Fern goes in for another sip of her chai as well, this time attempting to avoid the melting whipped cream by tilting her head. It's awkward and only fairly successful, so she resigns herself to possible further embarrassment. That's life. "I'm good, just been getting out and about. There's a little museum just up the street that has an exhibit of Egyptian artifacts. It was pretty interesting, I recommend it."

Wally nods "I'll check it out then" Wally says while motioning to his nose in an attempt to politely tell Fern she has some cream on her nose again.

"I just like coming here I like this park I like walking around it and coming here for a nice Chai tea after work." Wally adds to keep the conversation going. He is starting to distract himself from his thoughts by chatting up this friendly cohort of one of his potential students.

Blue eyes go a bit crosseyed as Fern attempts to see the tip of her nose, hand coming up again to swipe away her decoration. "I've only really gotten to Gotham once before." She doesn't say that the city creeps her out a little, and she wouldn't have even come back if not for being urged. She's too diplomatic for that. "I work on Staten Island right now, and live uptown, so spend a lot of time between them."

"Yeah Gotham gets a bad rep but some of my best friends from here I don't mind it. IT has it's high points and some history" Wally says sensing Fern's apprehension at the mention of Gotham. "What do you do on staten island?"

"Maybe I'll come back to another museum sometime," Fern says agreeably, although she still has her reservations. For the first time, when asked about her employment, Fern hesitates for a second. That niggling doubt Leo's put into her head, his concern about her working for a competitor of his family business, is there for just a moment. "I'm a secretary, right now. I was a waitress for a while, but I came to the city to be an actress. I'm kind of... in transition."

"Well you don't have to give up on being an actress but you gotta pay the bills I get that. What I want to do with my life doesn't exactly make me enough to live off of so I have 2 other jobs on top of it so I can live a good comfortable life while i pursue my dreams" Wally perks up a bit seeing Fern's hesitation. "Nothing wrong with being a waitress, or a secretary and especially if you never lose sight of your real goals. I'll keep my ear to the ground and if by chance i find any thing opening up for an actress i'll be sure to get word to you. and If you ever want to you can drop by the school and I will help you if i can." Wally is settling into the role of teacher nicely he instinctively felt the need to give encouragement to someone and it wasn't even a student.

Fern's smile warms genuinely at the concern, "Thank you, that's really nice of you, Mr. West. I don't mind what I'm doing now at all, and I'm good at it." Justin Hammer's meetings aren't that hard to keep track of, especially since he doesn't let Fern know about the ones of a more questionable nature. "I liked waitressing, but I still have a flexible schedule. My boss is pretty understanding about it." Much to the surprise of... well, everyone, really. She finally manages to take a sip of her chai without getting whipped cream on her nose, mostly because it's melted. When she sets it down, she can't resist asking, "What're your dreams?" She hastens to add, "I mean, if it's not being too nosy."

"Oh nothing I just never got over that phase when i was a kid and wanted to be a superhero. I have been trying to break into the police department because I figured it's the next best thing. I'm actually a mechanic for the metro pd just sort of waiting for my chance to pass the exams. if you haven't noticed I'm a bit scrawny" Wally says hoping his lie is believed.

While Fern didn't actually see Wally in action during the 'incident' at the Cuckoos' birthday, she's got more than an inkling that there's something special about the faculty and students there. Even before she did witness some of the powers that day, it only stands to reason, if Leo is going there. But no matter what she might suspect, to Fern it's a personal matter, and if someone doesn't bring up if they can do something, she doesn't pry. It's hard enough, as far as she's witnessed, to have to deal with most powers without having people being all nosy about it. "The mechanic job is one of your other jobs then? I think that's great. I'll bet you'll be a great cop." She neither agrees nor disagrees with the 'scrawny' remark, since it's not exactly how she'd classify him. "I hope you'll get to take the exams soon."

Wally actually smiles for a moment at Fern giving him such kind encouragement he feels a little bad for lying though it's a necessary evil. "Thanks Fern that is kind of you."

Wally had forgotten for a moment to be sad, but it was just a moment. Wally lowers his head and takes takes one last gulp of his chai tea. He is sulking again. Wally was mourning one angel here another sits innocently making idle chatter with him.

Fern grins, noting Wally's head lowering, that spark of happiness fading from his eyes and not letting him just wallow in it. "One day when I'm a famous actress and you're a hero cop, we'll be able to look back on today and know that we went after our dreams." The eternal optimist, always trying to find the best angle for every situation, that's Fern. She looks to the clock behind the counter, frowning in disappointment at the time. "I should get on my way and leave you to the rest of your night. I've got a long ride home yet."

Wally smiles wide at Fern's earnest attempt to cheer him up again before leaving. "Thank you I'm gonna hold you to that. I expect to be front row when you make your star turn on Broadway" Wally says to Fern as she goes to leave. "Have a great evening hope to talk to you soon"

Buttoning her coat back up, Fern grins and promises, "I'll make sure you have two seats. It was really nice to meet you, Mr. West." She moves to the door, pulling her gloves on as she goes, pushing through and turning to give a final wave. As the wind gusts into the coffee shop from the closing door, Fern moves to hail a cab and get out of Gotham.