2013.10.09 - Where In The World Is Jenny Sandiego?

It was not easy to find. Shen asked many people, most did not know who she was speaking about. She has been asking for since Jenny Sparks disappeared off and on. When she finally found a clue though, it was from a strange, short fellow. But Shen just smiled and thanked him sweetly.

That is when she found the passage to the Oblivion Bar. His leads took her to were she saw the magical symbols, and when she reached out to touch them, a door swung open! Eyes wide, she enters the bar and looks curiously about. Her wings shuffle behind her, causing a soft rustle sound which is likely not too noticable. Smells like a bar. Alright, she knows place like this! She meets Cole in them. She wanders up to the first person she sees, "Pardon me," she says in heavily accented English, though the words are carefully prounced. "Do you know Pete Wisdom?" Her tone is respectful and polite, and there isn't any aggression in her body language, though she doesn't really come off as helpless. Innocent yes, but not helpless.

As fate would have it, the first person she meets is a pale, reedy black-haired man in a rumpled suit, nursing a tumbler of Scotch, neat, and scribbling things in a notebook in what looks, god help him, like shorthand. He glances up and smiles crookedly. "I do. Why'd you ask?" he asks, his own English distinctly North London. It's not rudely asked, either: almost gentle, but for the wryness involved. "I mean: I've a guess who you are, and I've a guess why you want to know, but I'd like to hear it from you."

Shen seems to perk up at the English accent, appearing to like it. "We have am mutual friend. She told me she wanted to introduce me to Pete, but I have not been able to contact her in a long time. I was hoping to meet him and see if he has heard anything. I am Shen Li-Min," not seeming shy in sharing her name. She even bows slightly, respectfully toward you.

Aw, respect. Not something Wisdom's used to, clearly-- he looks startled, then stands, himself, and offers his hand. "And I'm Pete Wisdom. You're Jenny's friend." He looks apologetic, the expression sitting somewhat uncomfortably on his thin face. "I'm afraid I haven't any news for you, though. I hadn't heard from her since we got Faiza back to her home dimension and I rejoined SHIELD. I expect she's drunk somewhere, but she hasn't got the same number as she did, and I've no way of tracking her."

Shen's face crumbles a bit, "I see," the sorrow at missing Jenny obvious. But she works to cover it up and says, "It is an honor to meet you however Mr. Wisdom. Jenny spoke well of you, she seemed quite fond of you really. If I hear anything from her, I will work to find you again unless there is an easier way to contact you?"

That disappointment: /that's/ what the discomfort was for. Expecting it. Pete looks unhappy, but reaches to briefly clasp Shen's upper arm. "Listen: she's a tough old girl. Not even being dead stopped her. She'll be fine, and we can both yell at her when she shows back up, yeah?" Then he moves to sit back down, gesturing broadly at the chair across from him-- which is already facing away from the table, as though someone else was straddling it before. Oh, fate. How you do look kindly upon this place. "I'm actually reasonably easy to get in touch with. I've a public listed telephone number, and you can find me either through SHIELD or, god help me, Doctor Strange."

Shen blinks at the touch, but doesn't pull away or stiffen, just seeming surprised by it. "I felt like she understood me, perhaps better than I understood myself. And I felt I understood part of her as well. I just...miss her. But there may still be a time in my life that she will return. I will not give up hope of that," she ends simply. Though she smiles a bit, "I doubt I'd yell at her, though I may give her a hug and not let go for a while."

Shen nods however, "I did not think to look into a phone book. I have seen them before. I will do so. I have heard of SHIELD, but I do not know how to get ahold of them, and I have not heard of Doctor Strange. I am still very new to the world in many ways," Shen confesses as she moves to take a seat, turning the chair backwards to do so. This is so her wings hang loosely behind her rather than getting crushed by the back of a chair. Well, for a 'lady', she knows how to straddle a...chair anyway. "I have a phone number, but it is not in a public listing." She makes a writing motion. Geez, don't even have to ask for her digits and you get them Wisdom. Moving up in the world.

Pete pushes his notebook and pen across the table to Swift, grinning crookedly. "SHIELD's also in the directory. Doctor Strange, as well. He's got a big old house in Greenwich Village in New York. Best bet, if you don't want to muck about with the pages, information services is 4-1-1 in the States." When she's finished writing, he takes the notebook and pen back, then scribbles his own number at the bottom of the page before tearing it off, handing that across to her. "So-- you're not from the same universe as Jenny, then? Her world's very close to this one."

"I supposed I should get one of those," and Shen goes to write down he rphone number very carefully. She then sets the pen down atop the notepad and slides it back. Her name is even written in English. She shakes her head, "I am not. There was once a Jenny Sparks of this world, I grew up on stories of her from the monks at the temple. She saved my egg during World War II from the Nazis," she informs Pete gently. "But this is the first time I remember meeting her, though it felt like I have always known her," Shen confesses. "It is not a feeling I have experienced before, and it has made me further understand lonilness. Many things in this city have taught me the meeting of that, and yet, when I meditate the feeling is gone and I can feel the connection we all have. Conflict in my life is a new thing, but one I am learning much about," Shen admits.

"What of yourself? What drew you to Jenny?" Shen seems to not mind speaking of Jenny or 'feelings', just being an open individual.

Wisdom laughs. "I try not to think about it. It involves Crosstime, which always gives me headaches." He waves a hand around. "I'm twenty eight, but I remember working with her in the late nineties, and reading about her in the eighties. But I'm too young for that-- so. I try very hard not to-- yeah." He goes for the Scotch: Hypertime drives him to drink. He doesn't address being 'drawn' to Jenny, or, really, his feelings-- or hers. Shen may be an open individual, but Pete... is not. Her openness and clarity of perception may reveal that he's wearing a mask like anyone else, but it's one he's certainly comfortable in. It's one of his faces. "What sort'f conflict you been in, then? People give you trouble 'cos of the wings?"

"Not often. I believe I come off too nice for many to be mean to me. The few that are, I can generally handle with minimum force and threat." Shen sounds so calm and polite when she says that, it may be different to see her threatening anyone! "Mostly it is internal, though I see much conflict in the world. The activities of Genosha have me greatly concerned and I have been meditating on if I should approach Magneto or not to try and sense his intentions."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. works as a law enforcement agency does it not? I have not learned much of it than the little bit I heard in the news. Could you tell me a little bit?" Shen sounds curious, and the fact she knows so little about it likely reflects truth in her temple past.

"Law enforcement? I s'pose so. But not like cops, more like government. Just, UN-based. I'm an agent, rather than a law enforcement officer," Pete explains, putting his tumbler down and slouching back into his seat -- it rumples his suit even more. "And I'd be very cautious about dealing with Magneto. He's an extremely persuasive man, and extraordinarily powerful. I can't imagine he'd object to you: his primary interest is mutants, but he takes no issue with other superhumans, or with extraterrestrials. He's just-- he doesn't see that intolerance reversed is still intolerance. He's afraid. Fear can make people do some awfully wretched things."

"I am not human, Mr. Wisdom," Shen says gently, "Therefore, I cannot be a mutant. I am not sure what I am, but I was not born from a human woman. As a result, I am not sure how he would react to me. I do not believe I am an alien either." She sighs softly, knowing she is likely the only one of her kind, existing for a sole purpose. Shen nods, "That was what I was afraid of with Magneto. The more I think and meditate on it, the more I wish to go see him. Perhaps my words and actions will mean nothing, or perhaps they can move mountains. One does not know, till one tries," Shen states.

Though Shen does make a self-note to not talk about anything that may hint of Stormwatch to Wisdom. That would likely be very bad. Not that he is untrusthworthy, but he does have his duties. "I have not seen all that fear can do, but I have seen hatred. It is...murder," Shen says very softly at that, her eyes darkening. "There is still so much I do not know, and am unexperienced. But does one leap into the unknown and embrace all that it may be, or does one approach things cautiously?" She mmms softly. Great, philosophy talk with Wisdom, poor Pete.

"Wisdom," says Pete with an air of amused self-deprecation, "suggests discretion is the better part of valor. Embrace the unknown whilst wearing a flak jacket.

Pause.

"And keep a flask handy at all times."