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Some people take warnings to heart. When they're told they're lost, or they don't belong somewhere, the usual response is to leave and probably not return.
As it turns out, Domino's not one of those people. She's actually been spending the last few days in the Hell's Kitchen area and some of the surrounding territory, keeping a low profile where possible and making most of her moves during the evening hours. It's been a rough week.
The fact that her car's now getting an attitude isn't helping matters any.
The black and blue trimmed '62 Polara might look really out of place around here if the driver's side window wasn't already broken, and a closer look would show that the car had been hotwired and no longer requires on a key to operate. Rather, what it seems to require is a competent mechanic, of which the albino is fresh out.
In the meantime she's leaning over the side, looking like a mouse sticking its head in a lion's maw for the size of the vehicle compared to that of the driver (and this car's more of a mid-size!)
"Probably shoulda stuck with the other one," she grumbles to herself.
*
With the beginning of school, the kids he spent the summer with have homework and don't tend to stay out after dark. Now that sunset is earlier and earlier, they said their daily farewells. It meant that the kids were safe at home and Kurt could either enjoy the night inside or out. Since it's a nice evening, albeit getting a little cool, he's chosen to perch on one of the fire escapes nearby. He's barely a shadow, crouched and balanced on a narrow bannister. It means, however, he gets to see a lot of things.
Like a somewhat strange looking woman and a car that seems to have issues.
There's a moment's thought before he teleports in a puff of dark-smelling smoke, only to reappear closer to the woman.
"Car trouble?" is asked in a friendly manner, his German accent still very much present in his speech.
*
First it's the sound, and the whiff of something in the blessedly cool air which clearly does not belong. Something which could easily be viewed as something chemical in nature. Domino's head snaps up, turning to try and follow the sound.
Then there's the voice. A very much -German- voice. She just keeps right on turning, quickly tracking the source—
And nearly leaping straight out of her own skin. Her feet actually do leave the ground long enough for her to end up sitting on the fender, very nearly falling backward into the engine compartment. Despite her skin already being as pale as a full moon she makes a solid attempt at looking even more pale than her norm.
"Whatwhowhere did—" she stammers before shutting her eyes hard, one hand braced on the side of the opened hood for support as she forces her thoughts into coherent order. "-Was die verdammte Holle!-" she finally blurts out, looking once again just like a frightened mouse that had just gotten backed into a corner.
It's quickly followed by a wide-eyed stare, jabbing a finger toward the dark blue individual. "Wh-who are you…"
*
"I do speak English," Kurt offers with a sharp-toothed grin, "Very well, some tell me." He holds up his hands to show that he's not armed, "My name is Kurt. What is your's? I can call someone to get your car, perhaps? I do not know if I could help, but if you need it pushed to a petrol…gasoline station, there is one," he points with one three-fingered hand, "About five blocks from here."
He doesn't actually seem to behave like he doesn't belong here…as if his appearance is completely typical and expected.
*
Even the sight of the guy's hand is almost enough to make the albino jump again, her hands both firmly reaffirming their hold upon the car as if the entire world is about to flip upside down.
Once again her eyes firmly close, muttering "I'm tripping..that's it..just another bad hit…" before she risks another look.
She's had experience with Germans before. A psychic would be having an absolute field day with everything running through Domino's mind right now. If not for the Blue One's friendly demeanor she might have really cracked by now. Even the name being offered sounds innocent enough. 'Kurt.' Nothing to it!
"Domino, I'm—I'm fine..really!" she quickly replies, her stare never faltering as she clumsily shuffles toward the front of the car so she can get back to her feet and put the vehicle between the two of them.
Just as soon as she has something solid to hide -behind- her hands grip the sheet steel body so firmly that a lesser vehicle may have started to bend. There's rough edges under there. It probably hurts to hold on that hard.
"I'm not going back."
*
"A pleasure to meet you, Domino. That is an interesting name Is it Italian?" He doesn't move since it looks like she's still spooked. Kurt lowers his hands but keeps them visible. "Going back? Well…we can take the car where you like. Or you can leave it here und it will probably be used for many parts." He's just being honest, really.
"I am not going to bite. Do you need help? If I am making you too uncomfortable, I can leave…" and there's almost a sad little tone to that last offer.
*
At first she doesn't have anything left to say in response, one of her hands coming up in silent protest as she dips her head forward and slowly shakes it. Then the hand slaps down onto the fender, mostly covering up a choice four-letter word hissed under her breath.
If he's seen people struggling to piece reality back together after being on a drug-induced vacation then he can probably guess what she's going through.
Dom's head lifts up, making eye contact with the guy once more. "-Kurt,-" she says as though making absolutely certain that it is really his name. Then she laughs abruptly, sounding somewhat delirious. "Sure..! Yes. -Okay.- Let's push Sleeping Beauty to a gas station. I hear this is a bad part of town at night."
Finally finding the ability to move on her own power again she starts walking to the back of the car. "No, it's..not Italian. Just a ..you know. Nickname. Sorta thing."
When she goes to push the car it doesn't do anything. Probably because she forgot to take it out of Park.
*
Nightcrawler actually doesn't have all that much experience with drugs. With the Circus, if you weren't on your game, people could get seriously hurt or killed, so at most, the only thing that was around was pot. He tilts his head, looking at her for a moment before he takes a step or two closer. "Are you ok?"
When she mentions the part of town he glances about, "It is not so bad, but maybe it is not good for a young woman." But never fear! He is here! He'll move to join her at the back of the car and push…but when it doesn't budge, he frowns. He steps over to peer into the front of the car, "Ah. The…gear…"
*
Domino's in the middle of grunting "As fine..as can be..expected" when Kurt points out an important and completely missed detail. She gradually stops pushing on the car and takes a step away from it, reaching up to scratch the back of her head. "..I knew that."
When she steps forward to free up the drivetrain she keeps one hand on the side of the car every step of the way. Brake off, transmission to neutral. At least that figurative roadblock is easily cleared!
Returning to the back she briefly pinches the bridge of her nose. "It's been a rough time, Herr Doktor. You're not from around here, are you? I'm kinda not, either." Kinda not 'all the way here,' either. But now the car rolls a lot more easily! Fancy that.
"Couldn't get a damn breakfast at this hole in the wall diner, guess you can't be too white either or people lose their heads. Living out of this heap," she says while pushing her shoulder into the car for emphasis. "Real vagabond stuff. It's..been a trip."
*
Nightcrawler helps push as promised, and it's much easier once the car is back in neutral. He does glance over when the woman returns, "Nein, I am not. It is not the easiest place for those like us, but there are some who will help." He listens and continues to push the car, looking at it when she mentions she's been living out of it, "You have been living here?" The concept isn't new to him, but it's still a bit of a shock.
"What is it you need. Money? There are places to go where they will not look at you if you can pay for your meal." There's a pause before he asks, "Are you hungry?"
*
There it is, again. 'Those like us.' Domino stops pushing for a moment, looking down at her dirty white hands. "I'm not a mutant. I'm just ..really really pale. I mean, it's a condition, I suppose it could be classified as a …" she trails off, looking sidelong to Kurt with an expression that seems a little bit lost. She looks ready to continue that thought but never commits to speaking the words.
"All just a transition. Just..getting my feet under." Another hesitation, then she confirms "I really am hungry."
It might seem odd to be going hungry and living out of her car when she happens to have such a nice vehicle. Given her frame of mind it may just not start because she forgot to fill the tank.
"How do you get by, given..your..everything?" she lamely asks, gesturing all over herself to represent his physical uniqueness.
*
"Isn't everyone different and unique?" Kurt offers with a bright grin. Whether she's a mutant or not, it doesn't really bother him. He continues to push the car in silence for a few moments before he offers, "When we get the car to the station, I can buy you something. Coffee and a sandwich, maybe…I do not have much, but you are welcome to it."
Because that's the right thing to do.
The question brings back his grin, "Get by? I have friends und I do not people make me feel bad because I look different. I have always looked like this. It is me. Und I like who I am." He lifts a shoulder in a shrug, "If I did not, then I think life would be very miserable. So I do not let it be that way."
*
At first Dom gives a brief, forced laugh to his question, though when the offer is made and his thoughts regarding life are voiced she's left frowning and glancing his way. There's still something of a glazed over look to those pale blue eyes, like she's still not fully situated upstairs. Even so, while it may be a while longer before the idea takes root, there's something Kurt says which will give her a lot to think about later on.
"How can you be so damn cheerful?" she almost demands, as if her very tone of voice is trying to capsize his views on life as a wave would try to overturn a boat.
"I can afford it, I ..I think I can—I -should- be able to afford it, but not everyone wants to handle a simple transaction. There aren't enough forks in this damn city to deal with all of these bigots," she cryptically decrees. It must mean something to her, anyway. "The people..at this gas station. Are -they- willing to do business or are things gonna have to get ugly again?"
*
"You are in Hell's Kitchen," Kurt offers first. "They will help you." If he has to drop names, he will, but he's become fairly well-known around the neighborhood. "I think I even know some of the ones who work there." They may even he there this late.
The other questions require a little more thought for a response. "I am cheerful because if I am not, then my life would crush me. And I do not think that is God's purpose for me. I do not think He wants me to despair so much that I can no longer appreciate what amazing things there are in the world. Look at the art, listen to the music, to the laughter of the children. How can you not be cheerful when you think of these things?"
*
Another brief laugh swiftly follows. On the upside Domino does know what part of town she's in, though before she can respond to Kurt's reassurance her thoughts get wrapped up in his response to her question.
Within their brief encounter her emotions have been running through the proverbial gauntlet, though they haven't gone cold until he asks his next question. This time her voice is pitched low, sounding a bit more detached than before. "Because those things were denied from me."
The thought gets pushed out of her own mind, returning back to Kurt's previous statement. "Just a few nights ago some dude in an eyepatch dropped me onto the hood of another car and told me to get lost. I'd rather not repeat such an encounter."
*
"You do not look around and hear the laughter? Or see the art…it is even on the buildings!" Graffiti can be amazing! "And there is music…you can walk down the street and hear someone playing in their home with the windows open…or stand by the door at the Opera and hear the singers. Or on the street with people playing or singing?" Kurt tries to point out that these things can be found now.
His lighter expression grows concerned when she mentions the man with the eyepatch. "Was it a black man with the eyepatch? What did you do that he would do that? He does not do that to people because he can."
*
There's something more for Domino to think about. The past is the past, after all. What happens now, that's all up to her. Taking in the sights and sounds also happen to be things which are very easy for her to do around here. There's a world of options surrounding them both!
And yet she's looking rather suspicious about the whole idea.
"That's an affirmative," she sort of grunts while glancing up over the car to the glow of the gas station's sign. "Puffin' away on a Cuban. I feel the odd suspicion that I didn't give him the best of first impressions. He someone you know? 'Cause he can be a real jerk. Be careful who you call a friend."
*
"What were you doing?" Kurt asks, his head tilted in question. "Because if you were just sitting there, he would not have done such a thing. I know him very well and he would not hurt someone just because. He would not hurt you because you looked different. This I am very sure of." He's adamant about that. "Maybe he can be a jerk, but he would not tell someone to leave unless there was a reason."
*
The albino woman sniffs and quickly rubs at her nose with the back of a hand. "Looking for work opportunities," she replies in her usual vague way.
It's also a point which she seems to want to move past, letting up on the car so it can coast the last couple of inches. "Appreciate the assistance. I can handle things from here. I, uh… I don't…" she hesitates once more, back to looking somewhat lost and confused. "This one's been really messed up. Hope you got what you needed."
Whatever that's supposed to mean.
*
Nightcrawler has lived in cities. He's not as naive as some might think him to be. Yellow eyes look to the woman for a moment before he digs into a pocket and pulls out a few bills. "There is a little hostel…two blocks up und to the left. They will not kick you out, but they will give you a bed, a shower, and a breakfast in the morning for that. Or you can do what you want with it, but…I hope it will help you. If you still need a place after, I can talk to the Priester there und he will give you a bed until you find something. You should not be sleeping in the car und you should not be trying to find…a job…on the street."
*
More reluctance, both physically and mentally as Domino reaches for the offered money as if something might suddenly lash out and sting her along the way. "Yeah, it's ..not that kinda work. Just..it all makes sense in the end."
But a shower. -Showerrr…- It's useful information simply for having a chance to get herself cleaned up!
"I'll figure it out," she half-mutters while waving at the blue guy with the bills in her hand. "It's what I do."