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Central Park, not far from the zoo. It's still considered dangerous to walk in this area, but the pretty girl with the pretty yellow dress doesn't seem too deterred. She sits on a park bench with some pigeons gathered around, clucking and cooing around her. Somewhere, she's managed to get a handful of grain and s feeding them that instead of bread crumbs.
Sadly there was no super cool entrance like a fish man coming up triumphant out of the fountain. Triton was wearing a long coat and practical apparel up to and including a half mask that seemed to connect to a sort of apparatus that went around his neck as well, presumably to have something to do with, one might guess, being a fish out of water. Really the green skin, webby hands, and giant black eyes and fins might be a slight give away. There was that. A kind tone with a most-literal Mid-Atlantic accent commented, "I hear they love bagels too, and a nice pizza."
Chloe lifts her head to take in the man. Where others might start or sidle away, she merely offers him a thin smile and says, "It's not good for them, though." To the birds, she says, "Is it?" They coo and mumble as they peck the grains from the ground. One intrepid bird hops up on the stool beside her, and she holds out her hand so the bird can peck a few grains of it. Her own accent is right out of Attilan. "Do you like bagels and pizzas? Do they go well with your physiology?" Or anyone's really.
Triton sighed thoughtfully and offered in good humor, "Eh better the bagel than us?" He gave Chloe a faint smile that was shown only in the form of a kind tone and a wrinkling around his eyes. He considered the question and chuckled, "Remarkably, yes, though sadly it gets ruined submerged. So yes I can it jsut never turns out when I make it at home for some reason." Says the submariner. who knew.
Chloe's smile broadens a titch. "I can't imagine," she says. "Do you come to land often? I'm new to the city. I don't know anyone. I don't suppose you'd want to sit for a moment?" The pigeons give Triton some side-eye, the way only pigeons can do. She murmurs to them, "Make room, little ones." And? They do, hopping down off the bench and moving aside.
Speedball tilted his head and chuckled "In an official capacity or on my own time? The Atlanteans got a bit tore into over the last twenty years, and there are other…communities I've come to report on in the Pacific that we may stand to have negotiations with. This weekend? This weekend I'm taking some time out for myself and catching up with family because, well," How did he want to put this in the year after the 10 year exile of most of the royal family, "They are always entertaining and never a disappointment. And yes, I'd love to sit actually." He watched the birds get shooed. "Friends of yours?" he asked as he sat.
Chloe watches the birds as they resettle for more pecking of grain and cooing. "Yes," she says as she regards them, her features softened. "They are friendly little beggars." She feeds another one from her hand. "Right now, they are my family. I'm afraid I lost mine awhile ago." She doesn't seem too terribly bent about it. It's just one of those things. "Are you a diplomat?"
Triton softened a look around his eyes at the story and offered, "Well my condolences on your losses, Chloe. But, yes, I try to serve as a diplomat. We are…endangered enough and too few. We need fewer wars on all fronts and more solutions. When people feel strongly about things people make decisions on defending those ideals. I suppose my responsibility to us is seeing people breaking fewer things than we are fixing. How about you? When was the last time you've been home?"
Chloe lifts her head as she thinks. "I don't remember," she says. "It feels like a long time ago, but it can't be any longer than a few years." A pigeon flutters up to her shoulder and she gives the bird a preening nuzzle, apparently unconcerned about whatever diseases this flying rat is carrying. "I got lost, and everything is kind of a blur until I got here." With a little laugh, she admits, "I'm still not sure 'here' is real."
Triton leaned forward, elbows to knees. Webbed hands folded thoughtfully. "If you wanted to return, it is your birthright. I would be happy to take you. The bigger question would be, how do we define real? In a space of time where we have seen things shift in dimensions or by pure physic? Every day is the opportunity to see something we have not seen or known to be possible. And yet? Here we are. With electricity, walking on land, flying in vehicles, and talk of humans going to space. These things would be maddening 100 years ago to most. I think maybe real is how we conduct our self with the challenges that are placed in front of us whether we are asleep or awake. Here is as real as you make it. But if one has had… touble being moved from perception to perception or state of being to state of being I'd imagine that to be much more difficult."
Chloe's attention pinpoints on Triton, and the girl in the pretty yellow dress has a nigh-feral glint in her eyes. "Can you?" she asks, her voice soft. "I would like to go. I want to see if it jogs any memories of who I used to be." Her gaze wanders across the park, then, glancing up at the trees and around at the lovely day with birdsong and the laughter of nearby children. "I can't let this place make me soft," she says. "It's almost too nice."
Triton blinked one set of eyelids a second before the other in reptilian fashion. His head tilted and offered, "I can take you now if you wanted to go. My cousin was inbound to pick me up anyways. It's… something you're due to you. Not everyone remembers. Sometimes things happen, but they do not have to remain terrible forever I suppose." There was a kindness to his alien eyes as he quietly offered, "The choice remains yours. I'm a diplomat, remember? Not a guerrilla travel agent."
Chloe murmurs wordlessly to the bird, who flaps back to the ground with the others, and she scatters the last of the grain. "I want to go," she says. "Are there others of our kind in this place? Do they come on purpose? The people here are so fragile and breakable." She gets to her feet, the breeze stirring her sunflower-yellow skirt.
Triton offers for her to walk with him as he stood up. "Should be careful out here. I hear there's… interesting things not to be taken lightly in Central Park. As for the people? They're fragile, but capable of great and many things. They are different but at the same time alike. I might be stronger than you but does that make you weaker? I should think certainly not." Fragile, yes, but he was willing to try to like them. "Attilan? That's our home. You will find a community where we are a peoples, and yet still startlingly unique. My… cousins and I alone are even vastly different from one another, but you will find a community of others. Some fly, some dissipate into energy, some of us live a life aquatic, some seem ordinary until the most remarkable of times."
Chloe says, "I've run into those things before." She gestures around the park vaguely. "They can be killed." The delivery of her words isn't boastful, but rather plain and factual. The way she moves is precise, and her gaze cases the area every few minutes. This isn't a woman who'll be taken without a fight. "Even the strong have their weaknesses," she points out. "Points of articulation are fragile by nature and easily exposed." She purses her lips then bobs her head in a nod and says, "Let us go, then. I look forward to seeing home again."
Triton arched an eyebrow with a faint chuckle on teh lessons of fragility. "Yeeeees, so my sister has pointed out. I'm sure she'll be happy to hear this all the same. Or maybe we won't tell her and let her sort it out." For his own reasons this amused him. "Come, we can hope she is there. You're not, um, squeamish are you?" He didn't suspect the answer to be yes but he considered this the professional courtesy of a host. "Lockjaw should be here shortly. Easily the most likable member of the bunch." He walked, in his own pace, though efficient to a copse of trees in the park and waited for a time. After a long moment a abundantly large dog appeared and Triton's eyes lit into a smile above the mask he wore. "Aaaah I missed you. We have a guest coming with us." God that puppy was lovable if not the size of a Buick.
Chloe's lips twitch at a crooked smile. "No, I'm not squeamish," she says. She falls into step with Triton. When the dog appears, she tenses and her hand strays to her purse. Then she relaxes when the animal appears to be friendly, and she holds out a hand to the big puppy, in case the animal wants to catch her scent. Its polite introductions. "What a sweet dog," she coos. Animals tend to understand her. It's her thing. Magical animals, though, that's a different story.
Triton tilted his head and Hmmmmmd "It's complicated. he's one of us. He is, I think, the best of us if you ask m- no, aaaaw Lockjaw no licking' He was laughing in a muffled sound. He noted to Chloe, "If we get back and someone starts trying to squirt butter and lemon at me I'm drawing an official line." He didn't sound like he had any reasl concerns but offered to her holding out a hand in case, "Just hold on. Let go when we stop."
Triton manages to get a laugh from Chloe, and she takes his hand. "He is a good dog," she says, of Lockjaw. Then again, she looks like one of those who would insist they're all good dogs. That 'bad dog' is a filthy phrase that must never be uttered in decent company (i.e. dogs). "I promise I'll put a stop to any pan-frying," she says.
Triton chuckled and paused squinting curiously at Chloe, "I should bring you on all my diplomatic forays then. It would me dinner hour far less awkward not being chased with lemon wedges." He had a sense of humor about it in any case but one tends to if they are the only of their kind. His hand rest on Lockjaw, "Take us home, Lockjaw." He loved using that phrase truthfully. Even though it always felt more asecond home and that he was visiting, he truly enjoyed coming back to his people. When the world stopped blurring there it was: all of Attilan from the palace porch. "Welcome home, Chloe." It was hers as much as it was any of theirs.
Chloe walks to the edge of the porch, laying a hand on the rail. For a long moment, she just looks out over the great city of her ancestors. Then she looks back over her shoulder at Triton, and there are tears bright in her brown eyes. "I remember," she says softly. "Only bits and pieces, but I remember." She turns and looks at the building they stand on the porch of. "We're at the palace," she says. "I remember seeing it from the city." She moves quick as she goes for Triton to hug him. "I'm home."
Triton watched her watch the city. The smile on his face stretched into his eyes that were viewable and oh, hey! He chuckled and gave her a hug in return. "Attilan has missed its lost daughter. By all means though, stay as long as you like. We will find a place for you while you are here, Chloe."
Chloe's steps have a bounce in them as she releases Triton from the hug and glides gracefully back to the porch rail, her yellow skirt swirling. If she were to burst into song and a bird came to braid her hair, it would suit her. But she doesn't, this time. "Thank you," she says, "Thank you so much! That other place was nice, but it wasn't like this."
Triton was watching Snow White at large. Still he let her go and there was a satisfaction to it all. He dropped his weitht into his back foot and pat Lockjaw, "See, this is why we do it." His head swiveled back and watched Chloe take it all in. After a moment he gave Lockjaw a gentle pat. "I'm going to try staying in. I'll call you if we need anyhting. Try to bring Crystal back." He winked withthe set of doule eyelids and a chuckle. "We can go into the city if you want?"
Chloe hesitates. Going into the city? But the palace is so majestic. There are people in cities. Crowds sometimes. She bites her lip, the squares her shoulders and lifts her chin. "I will go into the city," she says. Challenge accepted. "Am I properly attired?" For a tea party perhaps.
Triton chuckled and arched one eyebrow resting a hand on her shoulder. There was amusement and warmth, "Chloe, I'd absolutely love to get into a discussion with someone today trying to mandate someone else's culture and attire. Let them come. You are fine. You don't have to try to be them here, you can be you. There is… a log history of things bothe great and terrible which you are a part of with the rest of us, all in time though. If you wish to see the palace you are welcome to come with me. I'm pretty certain nothing changed overnight that I'm suddenly unwelcome." Unlike two years ago wherein it might have been more of a coin flip.
Chloe looks out over the city, then to the palace. On one hand, the city is her home. On the other hand, she's never been inside the palace before, to her knowledge. Hell, she could be royal for all she knows, but looking at the building, thinking about what's inside, she draws a blank. "Yes, I want to be inside there, to see what there is to see."
Triton could watch the conundrum for an hour. Finally he helped her out too amused. "You know," he mused, "You can do both. Neither is particularly going anywhere. I mean it's in theory my home but I never was able to live here because." His head tilted to the side and it was really without saying unless they flooded the palace it'd have been bad news.
Chloe turns to Triton. "You're a royal," she says, and she inclines her head, almost a bow. There's a moment's uncertainty. She doesn't remember how royals are to be greeted. "The palace first, then." She frowns. "Where will I stay? I have no money nor means of making it. She's learned that much about life in civilization.
Triton warmed a grin which wasn't seen so much as heard, "Chloe, it will work out. Commerce is different here. For now consider yourself a guest. Our society… works a little differently in how we contribute. We work and build up our community and find ways to contribute. Unlike the outside world our needs up here don't rest in currency but contribution. And," he chuckled, "I'm a royal but I choose not to stand on formality of it. I serve in our military. Try to keep the peace between our nation and others and sometimes… jsut our nation I suppose. Nothing is idyllic."
Chloe says, "A home, even a flawed one, is better than a perfect facsimile of a place you've never been before. I believe there are things I can contribute to earn my place among my people." She looks out over the city again, seeking out green places. " I can hunt. I can also talk to animals and bend their will to mine surely there is something in that that my people will find useful." She sings a snatch of song then. Such a pure and pristine trill. A little brown bird lights up on her upheld finger. She turns to show it to Triton with a small smile upon her lips.
Triton arched both eyebrows and said, "A friend of mine from Atlantis has sucha skill withthe sea, to communicate directly there. Always did boggle at me why I could not do the same. It is an extraordinary gift." He reached out with a finger and pet the bird with care noting with some humor, "Of course this also makes him a strict vegitarian. Great power, great price I suppose. May I ask what do you remember?" He didn't mind the bird but walked with her through the halls that were large, beautiful, but also with discrete technology to belay their overall potential.
"I don't get to speak to marine animals very often," Chloe says. The bird tweets pleasantly as it's pet. "Thank you," Chloe says. "I've been able to do it for as long as I can remember." Which isn't saying much. She murmurs to the bird, and it flits away, going about its business. She turns back to Triton, and her features are bright and youthful. Just being back here has made such a difference. "I didn't have the luxury of being a vegetarian where I was, but I think I could try it now. I've… had to use my powers to cruel ends out of necessity." She lowers her gaze, the storm clouds crossing back over her features. "I remember this city, a woman who I think was my mother. Then I was in Hell."
Triton continued walking through the palace in the common areas. There was the palace guard who still recognized Triton giving he and guest deference leaving him rather unbothered. When one's spymaster is escorting someone it was far to assume they were vetted well enough. He paused having her walk with him out to the garden overhang. "Hell? Dimension, actual Hell or literary, figurative hell as in nightmare and shadown, hell?" In this she had his pointy ear.
Chloe follows along, and her gaze is wide-eyed upon the palace grandeur. Looking out over the garden, her shoulders relax in relief. Gardens usually mean some kind of animals, however small. "Some sort of hell dimension," she says. "There were demons, legions of undead. Every day was a struggle to survive." She glances aside to Triton. Those dark eyes are haunted, with something grim and hard behind them. "I learned to take care of myself. Eventually I found the Hellmouth that leads into that nice park in that world where we just were. Sometimes I think I'm still there though. That I'm dreaming in some deep slumber, of being in a better place."
Triton rest a hand on her shoulder briefly with an encouraging nod. If there was anything that truly made him a strong diplomat it was that he earnestly believed in the core of his message. "Chloe, were we able to take back the terrible things that happened to you or others? We'd put that up as an option. Terrible as I can never imagine tht to be you did survive. You are surviving. More so you don't have to fight alone if you don't choose to. That we can offer you. That is one of the many wonderful things it is to be Inhuman. It is here when you are ready for it. I respect this is, as you express, a lot for you, but it is here."
Chloe turns toward the touch, lowering her gaze. "I have never had anyone to fight with me at my side," she says, her words coming with some difficulty. "It… would have made things easier. Would make thing easier from now on." She smiles a little, but there's traces of a wounded beast in her eyes. "I'll fight to defend you," she says. "Tooth and nail, and then some, against any threat." She braces her arm against her chest in some kind of hellish salute.
Triton corrected with subdued encouragement. "Us. They're your people too. I'm just related to a guy in a chair. Makes those people in that market no less yours. In time." He returned the gsture to her being familair enough with warrior cultures to grasp the reverence of its meaning. He took a deep breath and mused, "It's difficult sometimes, coming from a world one can only hope to describe to someone that they would understand and yet bears the experience no scope. But you ahve my word as son of Mander and son of Azur that while they are not perfect they are fundamentally a good peoples. We do welcome our diaspora." he paused and said very casually, too casually, "Or I'll put pirannahs in the fountain." There was a bit of levity to that. Would he do that?!
Chloe watches Triton intently while he speaks, and though there is so much that's forbidding about the young woman, he's managed to capture a measure of her regard. She smiles, a secretive sort that not everyone gets to see. "I don't seek perfection in my people," she says, "just that they be fundamentally good. You seem, to me, fundamentally good." Then she laughs. Whether or not he would go through with his threat, she delights in it. Then again, she can tell the piranhas not to bite her.
Triton folded his webby fingers together and sighed, "I have my moments. However, were I not I suppose I'd be a conquistador instead of a diplomat." He sighed with faint tehatrics, "And then I'd have to get all my business cards changed, and those don't hold together too long underwater anyways. Such…an unbelievable pain." He shook his head with the humor held in tact. THere was a genuine joy as seeing their lost neighbour fine something to hold onto and their people the better for it. Apparently the birds agree with this.
"See, that's how I could tell," Chloe tells the diplomat. She pats him on the arm, an unfamiliar gesture, but one she tries on for size, and she says, "I can keep your business cards for you if you like, but I won't know who to hand them out to. You might get called to settle all kinds of disputes." She gestures then to the rest of the great room and says, "Please, show me the rest of it? It's all so grand."
Triton chuckled and tilted his head at her jest, "Well then we'll meet all manner of interesting people. Won't they be surprised? Come, you must see the garden up close. There's a young man I'm told that has done some delightful things with it." They were not things of critical importance to the future of the Inhumans, but definiately something important to the present. It was also not often he got to play tour guide so that was, admittedly nice.