"Don't I Know You From Somewhere?"
May 28, 2000
Leeann, Sandy, Rue

-----

Leeann sits outside the ACPD on a bench, she sips on a hot cocoa and reads
over a newspaper while she is on break.

Hands stuffed in his pockets, Sandy saunters along the boulevard,
unconsciously catalogging everything he looks at. As he passes the ACPD,
he slows down, glancing at Leeann - then actually pauses. With a slight
grin, he asks quietly, "Was that you I saw singing in the Red Wolf's Fang
the other night?"

Leeann looks up from her paper. "Yes." she replies.

---Leeann's Desc---
	Standing at 5'11" and weighing at 155 her appearance is average.
Shoulder length ash blonde hair is feathered back - half of it is shaved
but it is growing back and you can see a surgery scarn in the shaved part.
Sea blue eyes peer out behind prescription glasses that sit on a pug nose.
Her skin is milky white and holds a hint of freckling. She is well endowed
and looks like she works out on a regular basis. She's no body builder
though - not by a long shot. You can see a hint of a double chin from her
heavier days.
        Her dress is professional; a black ACPD jacket covers a black
cotton blouse; a black pair of pants gives way to black nylons and shiny
black shoes. In the loops of the pants is a black belt. Secured to the
belt is ACPD standard issue pepper spray and nightstick. On the right
breast of the jacket is the silver shield of the ACPD. Just above that is
a nametag that has engraved in it "Lowe" and "Criminal Artist". She's
wearing light rose colored eye shadow; mascara and no lipstick. The eye
shadow brings out her eyes.
-----

Sandy tilts his head back slightly, and the breeze starts interfering with
his hair - starts trying to send it into his face. "You were amazing," he
says frankly.

Leeann lowers her cup as well. "REally?" she asks.

Sandy nods, expression on his face serious. "Really. What was that song
called...? If I'm not being too forward."

Leeann says, "Its call Who Wants to Live Forever. Its by Queen."

"Queen, huh? Queen is a...singer? Or was it the actual Queen?" Okay, this
look is a little dubious. No doubt, he's pondering the image of Q.E. II
rockin' out on stage singing an inspiringly sweet, melancholy song.

Leeann laughs softly. "Not the Queen of England. Queen was the name of the
group."

Leeann adds. "Don't you watch Highlander?"

Sandy blinks, leaning against the local trash bin. "No - no, can't say
that I do. Queen is a group, huh? I'll have to look into them." He grins -
he thinks he's funny: "Queens and highlanders -- sounds pretty British
Isles to me." A beat. "Even though it's not an actual queen, yeah."

Leeann Hmms. "WEll the character is from in the British Isles if I recall
correctly." she pauses. "Aren't you a bit young to be in a bar where you
watched me sing?"

"I do look it, don't I?" asks Sandy, his cheerful expression changing
slightly to one that reflects the irony in his voice. "I'm not, though,
trust me. So the Highlander is a character? In a serial?" Woo, way to
change the subject.

Leeann nods "In a series yes."

Sandy nods. "Solid. They show it in theaters around here, then, I guess.
Well, good - I need something to do with my free time, neh?" he grins,
then pauses again, brow furrowing slightly. He runs a hand through his
hair. "Oh wait, I'm thinking...no, this would be on television, right?"

Leeann smiles. "It has two movies and its on TV so your right on both
counts." she finishes off her cocoa.

Sandy notes the finishing-off of the cocoa. He smiles lopsidedly. "Sorry,
did it get cold?"

Leeann shakes her head. "Not really." she folds her paper up. "I need to
be getting back to work."

Sandy nods, flashing Leeann a quick 'V' with his fingers. Looks a lot like
saying 'peace'. "Have fun." He doesn't move from his comfy leaning spot
against the trash.

Leeann smirks. "Oh I will." and turns into the ACPD.

Up the street, a young woman comes wandering. She might stand out just
because of the way she's dressed. She's whistling.

---Rue's Desc---
        Her features show such a mixed heritage that the only word one
could use for sure is human...and in this city, maybe not even that. Her
refined face has high cheekbones, a slightly squat nose, and is covered by
skin the color of light coffee. Near-black eyes have a slight almond slit
to them, almost oriental. This indeterminate face is framed by a fountain
of coppery ginger dreadlocks, each one ending in a crystal bead of random
color, and a few in bells that jingle as she moves. Continuing down, one
reaches a slender, waif-like body, she stands about five seven, but has
the thin clothes-horse figure most supermodels strive for, without their
half-starved look. Her breasts are relatively small, her hips slender,
making her look almost like an adolescent girl, although she is definitely
some years older than that.
        She is wearing a black bodysuit, strapless and covering only as
far up her chest as the demands of decency require. On its back is
embroidered a silver eastern dragon. Tight black, leather jeans cover her
legs, ending in leather boots with three inch heels and chrome buckles
around her ankles. A black belt encircles her waist, with a buckle
enamelled with a yin/yang symbol. No less than three silver hoops run up
the sides of each ear, and raindrop shaped ear-rings depend from her
lobes. Three entwined silver chains encircle her throat. On her left
shoulder is an intricate tattoo of the Statue of Liberty.
-----

Sandy raises a single eyebrow at the approaching young woman. Mentally he
restrains himself, thinking, (Black Canary wore less...Black Canary wore
less...)

Rue continues to saunter. Yup. Black Canary wore less. But most women wear
more.

Sandy clears his throat as the girl gets closer. "You wouldn't," he asks
calmly, casually, "happen to be a superhero, would you?" Way to be subtle,
boyo.

Rue blinks. "What, /me/? Nah, I'm an artist." Well, that's a first. Being
mistaken for a superhero.

Sandy laughs. "Pardon, then. I guess I'm just looking too hard." He
straightens, no longer leaning, and quickly runs his hands through his
hair (which promptly stands on end), then hooks his hands in his jacket
pockets.

Rue chuckles. "I'm just your regular normal human chick. No funky powers."
Just a funky hairstyle.

Sandy raises his eyebrows. "Who says you have to have funky powers to be a
superhero?"

Rue shrugs. "Ya have to have /something/." A pause. "I'd like to be
heroic, but I'm not cut out for it."

Sandy flops onto the bench that Leeann had just been occupying. He flashes
Rue a cheery grin. "Since when do you have to have anything more than
attitude and a willingness to learn?"

Rue blinks. "I couldn't. Only thing I do well is draw." . o ( Why am I
even having this conversation? )

Sandy holds up a hand, then just a finger, still grinning. It's clear he's
getting a kick out of this conversation. "All right, so you say you draw
well. To make a statement like that, it's clear you have confidence in
your skill. Once you have confidence in one thing about yourself, it's a
lot easier to gain confidence in other aspects of your life and
abilities." He pauses, dropping his hands to his lap. "And while sometimes
confidence alone can get people killed, -usually- if you start with it you
end up filling in around the edges. Learning martial arts. Figuring things
out quicker or better. Getting the hang of timing."

Rue shrugs. She moves to sit down. "I'd like to help people, but I don't
know. Dunno if I have the guts."

Sandy smiles a little lopsidedly, leaning forward so his curly hair
shadows his eyes, propping his elbows on his knees. "I'm sure you do.
First off, you'll readily admit the desire. Secondly, well, no
offense...but as far as I know, it takes guts to dress like that. Third?
All you need is to see someone in trouble and jump in - don't think about
it, and you won't have a problem."

Rue admits, "I'd be scared."

Sandy says, "Not if you acted without thinking about it first. You'd only
get scared after the fact, and that's when it's okay."

Rue hmms. "I dunno. I don't think I'd do much good."

Sandy laughs again, quietly. "Well, it's a decision you'll probably end up
facing sooner or later."

Rue says, "You think so?"

"I might be biased, but it seems to me like there's a tragedy begging to
be averted or a crime waiting to happen or a psychotic extraterrestrial on
every street corner," says Sandy wryly, flipping his head to get his hair
out of his eyes.

Rue brushes back a dreadlock, with a clink of crystals. "And you think /I/
could stop anything? Pheh."

Sandy raises his eyebrows and sits back again, grinning a grin of such
remarkable self-assuredness that, uh, it's remarkable. "Hey, if *I* can do
it, you can do it."

Rue blinks. "/You're/ a superhero?"

Sandy looks totally nonplussed. "That's so hard to believe?"

Rue butbuts. "You're wearing /jeans/." Superheroes don't wear /jeans/.

A slow grin starts returning to the kid's face. "I just relocated. Haven't
formally debuted here yet, am therefore not on any kind of patrol or team
or anything. And it's just as easy to hand someone their butt in dungarees
as it is in 'work clothes'."

Rue nods. "But what about that like secret ID thing superheroes have
going?"

Sandy says, "That would be what I'd be in right now if I cared, which I
don't really. Sort of, but not really."

Rue hehs. "Got a name I can use?"

Sandy laughs. "Sandy," he says, holding his hand out in introduction. "I'm
Sandy."

Rue reaches to shake hands. "I'm...Rue."

Sandy nods, shakes firmly, then drops his hand. "It's a pleasure to make
your acquaintence, Rue," he says formally, but with an entertained twinkle
in his eye.

Rue relaxes. He didn't laugh at her name. "So, what do you like...do?"

"You mean mysteryman-wise, or social-life-wise, or work-wise, or what?"
asks Sandy, honestly wondering.

Rue says, "I mean funky power-wise."

Sandy shakes his head! "That's what I was telling you. I don't -have-
funky powers. I don't know when it was someone raised the bar on heroing,
but back when I started, all you needed was a mask and a thirst for
justice." A beat. "And attitude, too, naturally."

Rue shakes her head. "And the first thing you ask me...man...

Sandy grins. "What? You look like you could be one in your spare time."

Rue says, "I do?"

Sandy nods. "You do. But what was that you meant about the first thing I
asked you...?"

Rue says, "You asked me if I was a superhero. Out of the blue. That's kind
of...the strangest opening line."

Sandy shrugs lightly. "Like I said - I just got here. I don't know anyone.
So, you know, I'm kinda hoping to run into a few..." He quirks a
funny-looking smile. "And I realize that's probably not smart in this era,
but I was also the right kind of bored."

Rue hmms. "Anything I could do to make you un-bored?"

With a laugh, Sandy eyes Rue. "You arriving fixed that problem."

Rue laughs a bit herself, tossing her head. "Thanks."

Again with the shrug, this time exaggerated and cheerful, Sandy shakes his
head. "Hey, it's my job to give compliments to random strangers."

Rue grins. "I think I like you." . o ( He's hot, too. )

"Ah, pfft, it's just because I fight crime. Yeah. I mean, how could you
not like one of the good guys?" the kid grins, standing. . o O (I'm too
old for her. Way way too old. Gotta learn to stop flirting.)

Rue grins. "Nah, it's not just that."

Sandy hmms, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "It's not just that, eh?"

Rue uh-huhs. "I'd better go. If I don't finish the commission for that
dragon, he might /eat/ me or something." She doesn't sound serious.

Sandy laughs. "Right - and I'd better head to class. I think I've used up
my entire margin for error, and'll -just- make it in time if I leave
/now/." He tosses off a mock salute, grinning over his shoulder. "I'm
positivee I'll see you around." Then he's on his way.

Rue watches him go. . o ( Man. He is /sooo/ cute. )