capeandcowllogs | (no subject)

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(no subject)

WHO: Open
WHERE: Central Park
WHEN: Afternoon, Monday 13 June
WARNINGS: None
SUMMARY: Frank engages in an old ritual.
FORMAT: Para

The park was similar enough to the one in his world that he was able to find the field where it had happened, the Shepard's Meadow. It looked almost exactly the same. There was even a tree in the same location, different species though. Sitting down under the tree, Frank laid down a blanket and pulled out a picnic lunch along with a yellow kite which he stared at intently while he ate. Wearing normal clothes instead of his usual attire he appeared to all the world like an ordinary middle aged man, reliving memories of a better time and they'd be right. Finished with his lunch Frank picked up the kite and held it, closing his eyes and letting his memories drift back to that day so long ago. Maria, the children, they'd all been so happy.

Then they were nothing.

Standing up he unwound the kite's line and ran just long enough to get it to catch the breeze. Letting out more of the line Frank let the kite gain height until he was satisfied with it. Holding onto the kite Frank's mind began to drift again, seemingly unaware of anyone, or anything around him.

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She's on her way to work after lunch. She's still not working full time, even though classes were over and she technically could. She reasons that her therapist would like it better that way so instead she went to the library this morning, ignoring the looks of the librarians as she wandered the rows that contained books on virology, epidemic research and molecular biology. Reading the text of those volumes was almost like monitoring the labs back at Umbrella Corp.

If she were willing to admit the emotion, she would call it nostalgia.

But the kite gets her attention. Partially because of the bright yellow color against the blue sky, and partially because it seems to be the only one there. Following the string back, she blinks when she recognizes the man holding the end.

And she stares.

Frank continues to fly his kite, doing his best to ignore the feeling of being watched. Finally he can't stand it anymore and he glances over to see who is staring at him, fully prepared to glare at them until they moved on. Seeing that it's the Red Queen however his expression softens. Gently, he nods his head, gesturing for her to come over.

She approaches, hands on the straps of her sensible backpack, making little noise in her sensible sandals. When she's close enough to speak, she asks, "Might I as what you are doing?"

His first instinct was to reply with the obvious, that he was flying a kite, but he didn't feel the Red Queen deserved that kind of answer. Looking down at her for a moment he finally responds. "Remembering my family. We used to come to this park in my world, to this field."

She doesn't reply immediately, human grieving is still largely a mystery to her and she doesn't want to say the wrong thing, but there's something in his expression that makes her... sad. And she doesn't know why.

"Do you... enjoy this?"

Frank stares up at the kite thinking. It wasn't as easy of an answer as it might seem. "I don't know anymore. I'm not sure I ever did. It's just something I need to do sometimes."

"Like a virus scan? Or a hard drive defragmentation? Something to repair your emotional state?"

She's downloaded enough psychology texts, trying to understand what her doctors say about her, that she thinks she understands the concept and is applying it correctly. He mourns his family, and needs to set that aside. This is his method.

Frank frowns, but then nods. The girl was a lot sharper than people realized even himself. "Something like that."

Then and he wasn't sure why he decided to tell her more. "This is what we did the day they died."

She frowns a bit at that. It changes the diagnosis she's forming in her head, the checklists she's going through. From a knowledge perspective, she was more equipped to diagnose than most of her so-called expert therapists, although even she admitted that she lacked experience. Even so...

"I do not believe that is a healthy behavior. My therapist says it is harmful to repeat the things that remind you of tragedy."

It is why she's been forbidden to work with robotics.

"Probably, but what I do everyday isn't considered healthy either." His life is screwed up, he knows that. It's been that way ever since that day and since there was no way it was ever going to change what was, or wasn't healthy was kind of a mute point.

"You have a point."

She watches him for another moment, head tilting to watch the motion of the kite. The physics were simple, but the reality was quite elegant.

"Is that easy?" She points upwards.

"Usually, as long as the wind cooperates." Reeling in the kite a little Frank holds out the end of the line for her. "Here."

She tentatively takes the string into her hands, surprised at the sudden tug and pull. She almost let go, but held on at the last minute.

"Does it always pull like this?"

Frank almost lunges forward to help her, but stops himself at the last minute. He shakes his head reminding himself where he actually was. "When the wind is strong. It's part of the fun."

"Have you lost any?"

She pulled at the string, playing with the length and letting it soar across the sky. With a gentle tug, she sent it from one side from the other, learning how to control the kite.

"Once, a long time ago." He'd regretted it ever since.

Still, even with those terrible memories looming in the back of his mind he couldn't stop smiling just a little as he watched her fly the kite. "Looks like you got the hang of it."

"It is simple physics and mathematics." She continues weaving it back and forth through the air, enjoying the feel of the object pulling in her hands. It's calming, she can understand why people enjoy it.

"Is today the anniversary of your family's death?"

Her question quickly wiped the smile from Frank's face. "No, but it's close enough. Never visited here, or the graves on that day anyway. There was always some idiot laying in wait hoping to catch me off guard."

"It is a sound strategy, given most human's sentimentality."

Which reminded her. "I will eventually have to report your presence here."

"It's also obvious and an obvious ambush is easy to turn against the enemy."

Frank smirked a little again, grateful she hadn't reported him yet. "I know. I'll be gone by the time anyone responds."

"Which is precisely why I haven't made any calls as yet."

She watches the kite with a slight smile on her face. It's easier after the monster incident, oddly enough. Things can amuse her instead of her feigning amusement to fit in.

"You should do this more often."

Frank raises an eyebrow. "I thought your therapist said things like this weren't healthy?"

"Flying a kite is a 'human' activity. Despite the fact that I'm also using the data to compare it with recent weather patterns and against a variety of weather reporting agencies in the City."

She pauses, tilting her head. "They have an approximate accuracy rating of 87.451%"

Well, know he knew who to call for accurate weather predictions. "Keep the kite. I have to get rid of it anyway, better someone gets some use out of it."

"Perhaps we can fly it together another time." She begins to reel the kite in, sending a brief message to the police switchboard.

"I have to go to work now, a message has been sent to the police switchboard. It will take officers approximately seven minutes to arrive, based on their current locations. Less if there are mounted officers in the park I am unaware of."

"Maybe," Frank said as he nodded slowly and turned to go. "I'll be out of here in three minutes. You stay safe and tell Bauer to not keep you too cooped up."

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