[Day: Wednesday, October 29. Time: 10:00 (or around there) a.m.] [Cheryl's been hard at practice for her big broadway debut! Or maybe that's Abby's broadway debut... well, anyway, she's been working hard. Fortunately, there's a five minute break waiting for her, along with a text message if she is one to check her phone.] [Mini Start!] * Cheryl looks like a dude! So who knows what's undearneath? She lets out a soft male-sounding groan as she takes a drink of water and checks her cell. She murmurs, "Christian wasn't kidding," as she flips it open and pushes buttons a moment to check it. [THE PHONE DOES NOT EXPLODE! Instead, there's a text message from Shani: "Want to get lunch today? If you get any time off..."] * Cheryl licks her lips, then talks to someone walking by to ask, "Uh, when are we getting lunch today?" When the person answers with some sort of time, she texts the time and adds, "Don't have too long, someplace close?" [In about half a minute, Cheryl's phone beeps/vibrates with a response: "Ok. Meet you outside."] * Cheryl smiles a little at the phone, then frowns and says, "A few hours to get there, yes." She puts the phone back in her invisible pocket and takes another drink, before getting back out on the stage. [Spinning Rampart Symbol! It's a few hours later, at lunchtime, and Cheryl's actually sneaking around from the side of the building as herself, wearing a light shirt and jeans, and carrying a smallish duffel bag, her hair tied back and up. She looks a lot on the 'physical exertion, yay!' side.] * Cheryl even is showing off her arms! She has arms? Weird. * Shani is outside, as promised, and wearing a longish overcoat - the same one Cheryl saw the day Shani was walking out on Edmund - and carrying a purse. She's looking at some of the many posters that litter the area. * Cheryl lets out a whew as she walks up to Shani and says, "Ah, hey, you made it." She rubs one of her own upper arms, not even wearing a coat. * Shani looks over - she's wearing sunglasses - and smiles. "So they letcha out after all." I don't know the area too well, so... wanna start walking 'til we find somewhere that looks good? * Cheryl lets out a quiet groan and smiles weakly. "Barely." She then licks her lips nervously a moment, before nodding. "Ah, yeah, I don't either. I mean... not for a fast lunch." * Shani nods and and puts words to action as she starts walking. "So... how's it been going? You look fuckin' tired." * Cheryl laughs slightly and says, "I--um, well. It's weird. Yes? But no." ... Yeah? * Cheryl nods a little and says, "Achey, though. All sorts of achey. But it doesn't... well... I'm not feeling it here." She taps the side of her head. Guess that's good. I mean, 's probably the most important part, yeah? * Cheryl smiles a bit and says, "Ah, yeah. It's weird, though. At least I'm in good shape." She lets out a slight laugh, then, "Stop it!" Then she looks back to Shani. "Sorry, I'm a little giddy and warm." * Shani snerks. "Sure." 's long as you're comfortable with this. I was kinda surprised when you volunteered, y'know. * Cheryl mms. "Well..." she trails off, then decides to ask, "Why?" I--I mean, when I volunteered first, I wasn't really... the roles weren't decided. No, I mean... volunteered in general... * Shani looks away, ahead so she can weave through the crowd that's gathered on the roads during lunch hour. "*I* wouldn't fucking do it, for sure. It kinda made sense, after, 'cause of the singing and stuff, but." * Cheryl ahs and says, "You were surprised... then. Not now?" Well, I dunno. It's pretty brave just the same, y'know? 's not like you've got any prep time going in. Even wearing someone else's clothes, that's gotta be pretty fuckin' scary. * Cheryl actually blushes more than the flush from the exercise and says, "Aa-ah, well... um... yes. But it's not... that brave." She lowers her voice a little and leans in after her, adding, "I mean... nobody will ever really know it's me." * Shani snerks. "Yeah, but *you* know you're you." And I'm gonna know you're you. * Cheryl looks down a bit before looking back up to say, "Well, kinda... but I had reasons." She dodges by a guy and adds, "Ah, um, maybe we can-ah-talk about this when we're inside? I'ma cooling off." Yeah... you find anywhere that looks good yet? * Shani starts paying attention to her surroundings again. * Cheryl squints and then points over Shani's shoulder. "Yoshinoya?" * Shani looks over. "Sure? Let's try it out." And she heads thataway! Time for food! * Shani heads that way! "Sure. This's Japanese, right?" * Cheryl nods slightly, shifting the duffel on her shoulder. "Yeah, think so." * Shani enters! For great food! * Cheryl goes in too! She orders a chicken bowl, however this place takes orders, and ends up sitting at a small table with Shani, the duffel resting at her feet. She takes a sip of her iced tea! It's almost like tea. * Shani seems kind of lost at the menu for a while, but eventually she gets a beef bowl with vegetables, because... that's the most obvious thing to order? She also gets a hot tea, which confuses her considerably less. * Shani sits across from Cheryl, and starts picking up bits of meat and vegetable with her fork, tasting them a little too cautiously. * Cheryl finishes her sip and leans on her elbows forward. "I... ah, wanted to prove I was part of the team." Then she takes a bite of her food. * Shani seems to approve, and she starts eating with more gusto. "Whaddaya mean?" she asks between bites. "Ain't seein' no reason you're not." * Cheryl looks down, swallows, then looks back to Shani. "Remember what happened earlier yesterday? I... Abigail handled it so well. She even..." she trails off and takes a drink of the tea. * Shani blinks and puts her hands around her own teacup, though she doesn't drink it yet. "... What?" * Cheryl looks back at her and says, "Well, we... asked the spirits in the area what happened." She bites her lip a moment, then she murmurs, "It was ghastly and vivid, in all the wrong ways." * Shani swallows, and now she looks uncomfortable. "I... I bet." She has some of that tea. * Cheryl is silent a moment, then says, "I... Abigail doesn't need me. She's strong enough. And if she doesn't need me... you all don't need me either." Her face tightens a moment, then she adds, "I... am not just here to watch. So when something came up for me, I... well." She smiles weakly, then takes another bite. I... uh, Cheryl, it ain't like I really *know* what's goin' on between you guys, but... * Shani is silent for a bit, while she thinks about what to say (and eats more beef bowl), then settles with: "I hear you all the time. And I'm pretty sure that you ain't just along for the ride. You've never been hidin' in a corner, far as I can tell." * Cheryl looks back at Shani while she's silent, and once she answers she looks down a moment. Then she says, "Shani, thank you." A moment, then she looks back to her to say, "I just... want to contribute. If I'm going to do this... I don't want to sit by, I don't want to be, um, my own sidekick." She smiles a little. "It's... not Abigail's fault." I want to do something with my own hands. * Shani nods. "Yeah. I hear ya." Silence, then, "Well, you're probably the best one of any of us to actually do this, so I guess that ain't so bad." She grins. * Cheryl blushes a bit and brushes her hair back, then nods slightly with a small smile. "Bella... does get the more embarassing songs. But... um, well, she is very forward in the play." * Shani chuckles. So playing a guy... that ain't too awkward? * Cheryl swallows, then says, "Well, it is, yes... but it's acting, too. I... would prefer not to, but I think playing Bella would be..." she trails off, then, "I don't think there is a way this is not uncomfortable." She looks across to her. "To be honest, I am nervous, but... it will turn out fine. I will have the strength for it." * Shani nods. "Yeah... I hope so." Sorry about the chick opposite, by the way. Wasn't really thinkin' that you'd be actin' with her. * Cheryl smiles weakly, but with a blush. "She is bossy and, um, enthusiastic. I am very grateful for Jacqueline's... help." Christian did warn me of her, and Abigail had... heard of what she had done before, so I was prepared. * Shani stops in the middle of eating and tilts her head. "Hyde's help? Oh, you mean the thing." Back to food! * Cheryl nods slightly. "Yes. It, ah, makes the body contact less... personal." She takes a large bite of food. Can't talk with your mouth full! * Shani wrinkles her nose. "Ugh. Thanks for that." * Cheryl chews, swallows, then says with a weak smile, "It is, uh, not easy for me either." Then her voice quickly shifts for her to joke, "Yeah, just easy for Christian." * Shani snerks. "Hey, that's fuckin' cold." * Cheryl takes a sip of the tea and leans back. "Like I care? Not like you two aren't gettin' your revenge." Couldn't pass up another easy line. The girl just keeps settin' me up. * Shani shrugs. "Honestly, I ain't sure this'll be revenge for her or not." Be nice if it is, though. * Cheryl nods slightly, then says after a moment, as she stabs chicken in the bowl, "I wonder why she chose you. It doesn't... she doesn't look at all like you." What, 'cause she ain't Black? * Cheryl starts and immediately says, "No--" then cuts herself off. She smiles weakly and says, "Sorry. I... yes, but I wasn't really thinking about that." * Shani shakes her head. "Okay, seriously. Who else'd she pick?" * Cheryl shrugs slightly and says, "Someone else? Jacqueline?" A small beat, then, "Solaris?" * Cheryl finishes, "Why would she have to pick you? Her figure's nothing like yours," and then finally eats the poor stabbed chickens. * Shani shrugs a little. I think they're too old. * Shani sips tea. * Cheryl mms quietly, then says, "I... suppose that is true." She closes her eyes. "Still, I do not like it." ... What? People dress like other people all the fuckin' time. * Cheryl smiles weakly. "Yes, a lot of people will be doing that in a few days." The smile slips away and she says, "It just doesn't feel right to take someone on a date as... someone they know. Maybe... that's just me?" If I knew more about New York heroes, I suppose I would have a better suggestion. Well, he told me that it ain't what he was plannin', you know? Her showin' up how she was was a surprise to him, too. * Shani snerks a little. "Plus, way I hear it, the skank did *not* fuckin' dress like me." * Cheryl nods slightly, mm-hmming. She takes a bite, then replies, "More... 'This clothing line inspired by Horus'?" * Cheryl then makes a face to herself, before adding, "Something like that?" * Shani thinks about that, then laughs. Yeah. Somethin' like that. Don't really bother me by itself, though. Thought it was fuckin' hilarious when I heard about it. I'm more pissed because of what she did to him. * Cheryl smiles more broadly a moment, then nods. "Right..." * Shani shrugs and goes back to eating. * Cheryl mms and then starts, covering her ears a long moment before someone nearby drops a bowl on the ground with a loud crash. She takes her hands away slowly and sighs to herself, taking another bite of food. * Shani winces at the sound, then looks at Cheryl with wonder. "How'd you know that?" * Cheryl starts again at Shani, then she licks her lips and says, "Ah... um..." she trails off, then her voice quickens as she leans back and says, "Little useless goddamn visions, Shani." Mever much of anything you can do about 'em. * Cheryl looks out the window. "Mostly, anyways." * Shani thinks about that, then nods, going back to her meal. * Cheryl chuckles a little, and then after it dies down murmurs, "It is good at keeping me from knocking things over." She smiles a little across at her as she leans on her hand and takes another bite. Fuckin' bet. Don't sound completely useless. * Cheryl mms quietly, then says, "I think Abigail just--well, I don't agree." She frowns and takes a big drink of her iced tea, before putting it down. "Sorry." Uh... sure? * Shani looks lost, as often happens when Cheryl does stuff like that. * Cheryl smiles wanly and says, "Abigail has had... different experiences with it than I. That's all." All right. * Shani has another mouthful of food, chews, swallows, then says, "This beef bowl stuff ain't bad." * Cheryl smiles a bit more. "Good! I'm glad." A small pause, then, "So, um, I mentioned Halloween. Do people do things for Halloween here?" ... Same as anywhere? Dress up, trick or treat, go to parties, whatever. I ain't got nothin' lined up... don't even got a costume yet. * Shani chuckles a little. "All the bullshit goin' on the past few months kinda made it slip my mind." * Cheryl nods a little and says, "I, um... I hadn't really planned anything either. The last couple weeks have been... distracting." She smiles a moment. No shit. * Shani leans back and stretches. "I dunno... maybe, if things ain't too busy, we can do somethin'." * Cheryl sits up more straight, the smile staying on her face. "Ah, sure. Maybe the necklace might even be here." Bettin' it will, yeah. Put that order in a while ago; should be showin' up any fuckin' minute now. * Cheryl nods a little and takes a last bite of her bowl before checking her cellphone and paling slightly. "I--uh, lunch is up. Lunch is very up." She looks back to Shani as she slips off her seat. "I--I'll call you or you'll call me or... Halloween, right?" * Shani starts at that. "Shit! I'm sorry." She watches Cheryl get ready to run. "Yeah, sounds good." Get movin'. See ya! * Cheryl replies quickly, "Oh, it's not your fault. I--I'll see you tomorrow, at least!" She starts off, adding as she goes, "And make sure nobody brings a camera!" * Shani waves Cheryl gone. "I'll try!" [And so Cheryl goes off for more... Twilight: The Musical! Oh cruel world. Mini end.]