1963-07-09 - Roma meets Roma
Summary: Two Roma meet by chance in New York
Related: None
Theme Song: None
nightcrawler wanda 


While the neighborhood has, for the most part, accepted his presence and the neighborhood kids have pretty much adopted him as their new best friend, Kurt still seems to find that being out at night allows him a chance to explore without strange looks or over-reactive tourists. Tonight, he's back at the nearby playground which is dimly lit and empty, in jeans and a bowling-style shirt. While most would be in the swings or on a bench, he's perched on the top of the metal jungle gym, crouched, his feet balancing easily on the thin surface as he thinks.

He always liked being up high — almost catlike in that — and with the playground empty, it's his turn to play.

There are times where a person has to choose between two unattractive options. In the case of Wanda Maximoff, those options were 'walking home' and 'waiting on an overly warm subway platform for a train that could come who-knows-when because there's some kind of situation two stops ahead.' So she chose the first one.

Wanda walks by the playground with her handbag, and a light summer coat wrapped around herself. It'd be easy to describe the coat as looking cheap, and that's because it was cheap, and also a little threadbare. Her red hair bounces as she steps, and she's singing to herself as she walks — some old Romani folk song. The lyrics are in Transian, but the melody is recognizable enough as a song that was sung in Germany, too.

The melody turns his head sharply. It's been so long since he's heard that melody and it's something he never expected to hear here! Kurt straightens from his crouch, still balanced on the top of the jungle gym, and looks around to see where the song could be coming from. There's only the woman…and he just has to know!

There's a pop of sound and the scent of Brimstone as he disappears from the top of the playground equipment to a little closer…but not right in front of the redhead. She's watched as she takes a couple of steps further before he calls out, in German-accented Romany, "<Where did you learn that?>"

Wanda is interrupted in her singing by a voice calling to her in a tongue that… well, she's heard in New York, but only in certain cafes and street markets. She also notices a certain stink in the air, and her nose crinkles. Still, she turns around, and Wanda is about to say something when she sees this blue guy with glowing eyes and a tail and so forth and drops her handbag, clutching at her chest in shock. "Ah—!" she gasps, not screaming, but certainly startled.

Nightcrawler holds up his hands to show he's not holding anything dangerous and that he means her no harm. She didn't answer, so he asks one more time, still in Romany, "<Are you Roma?>" He cants his head yet keeps his distance. Yellow eyes look to the handbag that she drops and while he does want to move forward and pick it up for her, he doesn't want to get too close. Finally, in accented English, he offers, "I am not going to hurt you…"

Wanda's pale skin is blushing, and it's not from any kind of chill in the air. She kneels carefully to pick up her bag, and holds it to herself, perhaps more out of embarassment than any worry about its safety. "<I am,>" she replies. "<I am sorry. You just… startled me, calling out of nowhere like that.>"

Now it's Kurt's turn to gasp, "Ah!" and break out into a wide grin. "<I haven't heard that song in many years! I'm sorry if I scared you, but I had to know.>" A three-fingered hand is offered even as he steps closer, "<I'm Kurt Wagner. From Germany originally. Your words were different but I knew the melody.>" It was one his adopted mother would sing to him. "<I never thought I'd hear that here…or meet another Roma! Are there more?>"

"<Wanda. It is very nice to meet you,>" is offered with his grin. He takes his hand back and stands a little straighter, "<There is? Where? Do you mind telling me?>" He's not sure that he'll go as it's been quite a long time since he's been in a Roma Community but it's a reminder of what 'Home' was. "<I'm new here too. Maybe a month?"> He watches her for a moment before taking a step back, "<I'm sorry. Am I keeping you from somewhere? I'm just…it's been so long since I spoke to another Roma.>" Even one with a different accent.

Wanda names a couple spots — none of them in Hell's Kitchen itself, but all of them in similar situations, parts of town where the rent is cheap and where people mostly keep to their own. A bar, two coffee shops, and a market where a lot of the merchants will set up, if only to talk shop with one another. When she finishes, she shakes her head softly. "<I am just walking home from work,>" she says. "<The train was stuck and I did not want to wait.>"

Nightcrawler takes note of the names to look up later. He might go…if only to see if anyone knows if anyone from his family survived. "Danke," is offered in German and he considers the answer he was given. "<Are you safe? I can walk home with you. I don't mean to be forward, but…>" there's a shrug, "<We have to protect each other, right?>" Especially since she looks too young to have experienced what he did.

Wanda is 18 and looks it. She smiles to Kurt. "I would not mind that at all," she says, switching back to English, accented though it is with her Transian inflection. "It is a long walk, though. I live in Mutant Town. I do not think anyone would mind you so much there, but along the way, people may not be as nice."

"Mutant Town?" Kurt also switches back to English and tilts his head at that title. "Where is that? And…what is that?" He still doesn't like the term 'Mutant'. It still sounds derogatory to him. "It is night and I am used to the stares. If I knew where it was, I could take us there faster." But he doesn't yet…although it might be a good place for him to learn about.

"Like the Roma… it's a community. It is down near the Lower East Side," Wanda says, using terms like 'the Lower East Side' awkwardly since she's not yet a full Noo Yawker. "I can show you, if you wish. But I do not mind how long it takes. It is a nice night."

Nightcrawler nods, "I would like to see. Is it called that because…mutants…live there?" Does that mean she identifies as one? But she looks so normal! "Lower East Side. Is that near the Village? I know where that is!" He does glance about at the dark playground and the dimly lit streets, "It is a nice night. If you do not mind, I would like to walk with you to this place." Is he flirting? Maybe a little.

"Mostly," Wanda says. "Some are there because they just want to be accepted, and cannot find that else there. Some simply cannot afford anywhere else. That is something I have seen so much of, here in New York. Everyone's shoulders touch, even if on the surface it seems like they would have nothing in common." Wanda begins to walk. "Come, if you are coming!" she says, that tinge of pink still in her cheeks. She's the type to blush, not to flirt back.

"And they are accepted there?" This is news. Interesting news! "They work and live there?" Kurt trots after Wanda and makes sure his stride keeps pace with her's. "Is there a school there?" That would make sense since there is apparently a mutant school that it would be in Mutant Town. "It is very crowded here, ja, but it is a big city. London is also very crowded. Paris is not as much."

"I have never been to either of those places," Wanda says, with a slight frown, as if to communicate that she'd like to have. "I do not know about a school, but you are on the right path… it is a place for mutants, for the different to be different. It is not perfect, but nothing is." Wanda smiles softly.

"Where are you from?" Kurt may not recognize the accent. "I'm from Germany but have been all over with the Circus." Which is why he's been to London and Paris. "You would like Paris. Everyone likes Paris. It is a magical city and the kuchen are delicious!" He walks a few more steps before asking, "Are you one?" He doesn't need to explain that apparently he is. "Do you like it there?"

"I am from Transia," Wanda replies. "And I have traveled around… but aside from here, never very far from Transia." Transia's a footnote on the map of Europe. It has a big mountain, and really not much else. "And… probably. I mean, I think I am. I have no other explanation." She has to think about the last question for a moment. "Yes. I do."

Nightcrawler clasps his hands behind his back as they walk, "I have heard of it. I think we went through it. Maybe we stopped. Did you see a Circus there?" He might have been in it! He looks over the younger woman as if trying to find any indication that she's a mutant. "You do not look like one," is offered as if it's meant to be some sort of compliment. She gets another glance when she says she likes it there. "I look forward to seeing this place then. How big is it?"

"I did not, I am sorry," Wanda says. She doesn't note that it's because she and her family could not afford the circus. Some things just don't need to be gotten into. When Kurt notes that she doesn't look like a mutant, Wanda blushes again. "Mutants come in all shapes and sizes and colors, I have found," Wanda says. "There is no… one eye color, or type of nose, or anything that gives a mutant away. Mutant Town is, ah, closer to Transia than it is to Paris, in size. But it works."

"Some come in many colors," Kurt gestures to himself with another grin. "And they look scary to most. I guess they are the lucky ones, ja?" He's totally trying to keep it light. "Do you work there?" Although she could probably work anywhere. "Do you like it here? In New York? In America? I was not very sure before, but I like it better now."

Wanda shakes her head — "No, I work elsewhere." She doesn't want to get into what exactly she does, for fear Kurt's heard of it. Still, the question of whether or not she likes it is one she has to think on, and think on it she does. Finally, she looks over with the faintest of smiles: "Yes. Very much so."

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