Metro Java...

[amityville_sweetheart]

The streets of Metropolis are busy at this time of day. The fact that it's lunch time in the business district doesn't help with the crowds, but the skies threaten rain. Corrine takes solace in this fact, and idly muses to herself about how funny it'd be to downpour on all of their dressy business suits.

She looks to the sky with this thought, pausing on the sidewalk to stare at the bright, but cloudy, sky. Her face is lifted up, waiting to feel a droplet of rain, but it never comes. 'Huh,' she thinks, 'Did you honestly think that would work?'

She continues along the sidewalk, making a left at the corner. Metro Java is just across the street, and she can see through the big glass windows that it's crowded.

Corrine pauses in front of the windows, staring inside at the patrons. There's a Starbucks just down the block, as well as a Dunkin Donuts. She considers this, then realizes that it'd probably be _more_ crowded in these places, where the white-collar busy bees gather for their afternoon lattes.

'Besides,' she thinks, 'No one bothers me at Metro Java, and I can't get the guy at the Starbucks to stop hitting on me. Drop your coffee on another patron _just once_, and you're famous.'

Resigned to her fate, she pulls open the doors and steps inside the busy cafe.

Comments

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Caleb again sighs, growing frustrated at just how poorly things had progressed thus far.

Realizing that the blonde was in the process of leaving, Caleb was compelled to take action. He focuses his thoughts on the incredible raw magical power of the girl before him, and siphons off just a little bit of it. In the same instant, he focuses on the stale bread.

‘Bread goes stale due to a lack of moisture, so to correct the problem, I shouldn’t need much energy.’ Caleb always gets worried when he leaches power. Ever since the accident, he’s always been scared of inadvertently causing someone harm. Even when performing minor feats that wouldn’t drain enough of a mouse to kill it, let alone a human, he always got nervous. Unfortunately, despite his vast knowledge of the arcane arts, Caleb himself possessed no magical energy, and had to absorb it from his environment any time he was to do anything.

“Please, miss. Before you go, just take another bite of your pretzel.” As he awaits her response, he gazes over her face for any reaction to what he had just done.

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

A sudden feeling of exhaustion passes over Corrine, and she yawns despite herself. In an instant, the feeling is gone, though she feels more tired than she had only moments ago.

'Should've ordered another latte... probably would've, if I wasn't dealing with this whacko.' She stares the man down, then decides it isn't worth the effort. She begins to walk away, but something tells her to humor the man's strange request.

'C'mon, Corri. Why would you eat a pretzel you already know is stale? What if he _did_ something to it? They warn you about those hot dog vendors in NYC for a reason.'

She sighs. She decides to ignore her better judgement. Walking back to the table, she snatches up the pretzel. She heads for the door again, taking a bite of the pretzel... and stops.

Then, slowly, she turns back to look at the man. "What did you just do?" she asks, voice full of surprise. The pretzel in her hand tastes as if it was just made.

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

‘Well, at least I have her attention.’

Caleb smiles warmly. “Have a seat, and it’ll be my pleasure to explain.”

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

Corrine looks around the cafe. No one seems to notice her strange interchange with this man.

Hesitantly, she sits back down in her seat, never taking her stare off of the man. "Well, I think a nice start would be to tell me what your _name_ is."

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

“Certainly. My name is Caleb, and I’m the manager here. As for your prior question ..I possess certain ..mystical abilities. And that, I suspect, we have in common.”

Caleb pauses for a moment, not entirely sure how he should proceed.

“Have you ever heard of a woman named Zatanna?”

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

"What would make you think--?" she snaps, suddenly on the defensive. She's already starting to get up, and there's a strange look in her eyes... fear, but also angry.

It's the same look rabid animals get when cornered. "I don't know who you are, what you want, or who sent you, but the game needs to go and the serious explaining needs to happen right now."

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

“That’s fair enough,” he answers with a disarming smile before offering his hand.

“My name is Dr. Caleb Zukov, and I have the, uh … shall we say ability to sense magic when it is within a certain proximity to me. Which, uh, you are.”

There’s something else, here. It’s been a while since he’s really hit on many women, but Caleb can still recognize when one is not only as uncomfortable as Corrine is, but even a little scared. The discomfort was expected – no way around it, really – but the fear? Caleb doesn’t really want anyone to be afraid of him.

“There’s no cause for alarm. I mean you no harm, Ms…”