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It IS winter. And the circus, while sticking around the lovely state of New York, is mostly quiet. Warmer days see some customers, but tonight, well, it's been slow. After making sure the animals are fed (she helps out a few times a week), the sorceress heads back to her vardo, tugging her nearly ankle-length white winter jacket tightly around her body. Whose bright idea to migrate to the cold was it, again?
While it's cold, Kurt doesn't seem to mind walking about the city. He has on his trench coat against the chill and it helps some…but when one can't wear shoes, it does make for a cold walk. There are a few teleports to let him warm up his toes some, but for the most part, he's happy to walk for now. Tonight's walk takes him to where the Circus was earlier in the year and golden eyes widen some as it still seems to be here. Interesting. He would have thought they would have moved on to warmer weather for the season. A three-fingered hand lifts in greeting to the figure moving from the animal shelter and he calls out, "You are still here! Are things ok?" Maybe he doesn't recognize the figure in the coat.
Amanda Sefton lifts a hand, waving back. She laughs, trying to sound, well, merry about it. "More or less!" she confirms, nodding. She approaches slowly, darting around a snowbank. "We've been so popular that Management decided we should stay… this 'almanac' that seems so popular called for a mild winter, but…"
Nightcrawler tilts his head as the voice sounds familiar. It's been a while, however. He steps closer to continue the conversation, "Ja? That is wonderful that you are so popular! I have not seen the show yet, but if you are still here, I will try!" Too bad he spent the week's grocery money on cookies the other day. He still isn't quite sure why he did that. "You have been to Europe, ja? This is not so bad a winter…it could be far worse."
Likewise, Nightcrawler's voice is /awfully/ familiar. And German! But it's been a long while. She smiles brightly. "We came over from England," she explains. And for a moment she looks a little embarrassed. "Management enjoyed having us winter in South France."
"Ah," Kurt grins, showing sharp, bright teeth. "I have been there. It is beautiful any time. I am very sorry that you must now spend the winter here, but…there is a lot to do, ja?" So many things to see and do…if one can pay for them. "England?" He rattles off a couple of other circus-members of his previous troupe.
Circus life is fairly insular after all, and Amanda brightens up at the mention of people she knows. "Oh, they traveled with us for a time when we went from London up to Edinburgh and back. Nice couple." She shivers visibly and smiles, nodding back to her home along the way. "Can I interest you in something warm to drink?"
It is pretty cold and they do know the same people! Kurt's grin widens and he steps closer, "Danke, that would be very nice. If you see them, can you please tell them that Kurt Wagner says hello?"
Her head tilts… and then she grins wide. "Ah, Kurt!" She gets closer quicker and beams. "It's me, Amanda! We met last winter when we were all just getting settled here!" She tugs down the fur-trimmed hood no doubt helping to hide her face. "Come, come! Let's get out of the cold…"
Nightcrawler ahs! "I was hoping that you were still here! Hallo, Amanda!" He hops a little closer, his grin widening even more. "So you are all settled now…und you are still living in the vardo? You are not in a hotel or a flat?" But he'll come with her without a fuss.
"Still in the vardo." She smiles and leads the way, around another snowbank and into her home. She quickly closes the door behind herself and Kurt. Perhaps surprisingly, it's quite warm inside. Amanda maaaaaay have cast magic around the circus to make sure everyone - performers, helpers and animals - are comfortable against the cold. But no one needs to know that! "Tea? Coffee? Hot chocolate?"
Nightcrawler's eyebrows shoot up, "Chocolate? You have hot chocolate?" Oh, it's been a long while since he's had that! "If you do not mind…danke." He looks about the vardo and gives a little smile, reaching out to touch a shelf and then part of a wall. "I have very old memories of one of these. So long ago…"
She also has a wood burning stove in the back of the thing, which is… dangerous at the best of times. But, magic. She smiles. "I keep some on hand," she confirms, nodding. "Several of my friends are fond of it." She removes her jacket and hangs it, indicating Kurt should do the same if she likes. The interior of the vardo is painted in bright colours as one might expect, and the walls are covered in framed photographs of every city the circus has stopped at over Amanda's stay with them. "The water will take a moment to boil."
Kurt removes his trench coat at the invitation and hangs it up. He's only sort of dressed for the colder weather in a pair of jeans and an oversized sweater. "Thank you for sharing it with me," is offered as he turns to look at the pictures on the wall. Many of the places seem familiar. "How do you like New York?"
"A bit overwhelming, like London," she says. "But not enough polite people." They might have thought she was just an awful carnie if they saw her, but at least they kept up the illusion of politesse. Here, they're just a bit mean because her skin's dark. "But I have met many wonderful people, so overall a positive experience, I think." The water boils in time, and Amanda sets about making two mugs of hot chocolate. "What have you been doing with yourself?"
Nightcrawler looks at the image of London before turning to look at Amanda, "No? I have found most people to be nice here. Most…" not all. "I did not go out too much in London. I did as you are doing, stayed with the Circus for most of the time." But he was also much younger. Turning from the pictures, he does his best to keep out of the way of the preparations, "Doing? Ah, not much, I am afraid. There is not much for someone like me to do here."
"Have you thought about helping around here?" she wonders, smiling as she hands over a mug of the hot chocolate. "We're always looking for help, and more than a few of the people here are mutants of some kind." She is, of course, making an assumption. Hopefully not a bad one!
Nightcrawler takes the mug carefully, wrapping his hands around it, "Danke," is offered quietly before he shakes his head, "I would not want to get your people in trouble. I got my troupe in trouble, which was why I had to come here. I do miss the circus, though."
Amanda Sefton laughs and shakes her head. "I don't think you would, but I won't press." She smiles and sits down at a small table in the front of the vardo. Usually reversed for card readings. "You still need to come see the show," she reminds.
Nightcrawler moves to sit at the table as well. "No? Well, maybe I shall come by and ask. I have not had too much practice since I left, but…as long as I am not on display…" but that's being too presumptuous. "I will come see the show. Do you perform in it or do you just tell the fortunes here?"
"I just tell fortunes and help out with the animals." Which is perhaps a little boring for some, but she enjoys it. "I don't think Management would put you on display. She's not like that." She sip at her hot chocolate thoughtfully, for a moment peering into the depths as though the answers will come by. "We don't do anything Sundays or Mondays, but the rest of the time we're usually performing," she explains.
"She? Your manager is a woman?" That's probably a bit strange in this day and age. "That is good to know as I try to go to Church on Sundays. Und I try to help them there some…when I can." That's mostly what he's been doing. So enough people come und get their fortunes read? That is good…"
Amanda Sefton nods. "She is!" Amanda holds her hand about five feet of the ground. "Small woman, big round glasses, usually keeps her hair in a bun. Brown, but graying." It's possible she's been seen around the grounds, but Amanda has never personally seen her move. Management is always just… there when she needs to be. "Some people come every week to have their cards read."
"Every week? That is great for you! I suppose they do not have many like that here…not who can truly read the cards." Or so he presumes. "I will try to find her then, when I come to see the show." Kurt grins and takes a sip of the cocoa, nodding. "It is very good, danke for sharing it." Again.
"You're welcome." Amanda smiles brightly. "Knowing how things are, she might just be knocking on the door any moment now." Management always seemed magical, even if Amanda couldn't sense anything. Maybe that was the point? Her gaze flickers to the door. "…Always when we're not expecting it, of course…"