Fashion in Central Park

Participants:

Dion_icon.jpg Aillen_Icon.jpg Jocelyn_icon.jpg

Scene Title Fashion (and lack there of) in Central Park
Synopsis Aillen introduces Dion to Jo. Conversation ensues in which Dion is obviously fashionable, Jo is socially awkward, and Aillen threatens the school with woad and kilt.

Central Park

Spring time in Central park, later afternoon.


It was a sunny Monday end of a day, the school day departed and the day warm and spring like. The sort of day one hoped for, though more to have been along the weekends when one was of the age to be burdened with education. Who could wish to be stuck in doors after all? Kids and parents alike are making their way through the parks, some gathering to play, others gathering to eat whatever they can find from the vendors.

Amongst those enjoying the day is Aillen, leaning back against a tree. His flute rests in his lap, with his messenger bag resting beside him. There is a quiet relaxation about him in that moment, not really worried about anything, not caring about the schoolwork he has waiting for him or the other issues to be had. It was just a nice spring day and he was a young man out in it.

It is way too much to be cooped up inside doing homework. Dion, therefore, has skipped it for the moment. There's always more homework. There aren't enough days like this. Instead, he headed into the city to walk around and do a little shopping. He's picked up a few things by now, so as he walks through the park he carries a few smaller bags in a larger Saks bag. He's sipping from a bottle of water, and looks in no rush to be anywhere.

Another late afternoon in Central Park, another perfectly lovely day. Most of those who occupied the park were quite cheery, happy, delighting in the warm weather and clear skies, the birds chirping, small woodland creatures frolicking about, it looked like something out of a fairy tale. Except for Jocelyn. She sits on a park bench, her knees pulled up to her chest, glaring rather grumpily out at the overly cheery people. Her mother had left a lovely note for her, informing her that she was taking a business trip to Rome, and that she'd be back in a week's time. So, her mother got to go gallivanting off to Rome, while Jo was sitting quite angrily in New Atlantis. Needless to say, the young woman is not pleased in the least.

Seeing Dion go by, he raises the wooden flute in greeting as he gets to his feet, brushing the grass bits off his trousers. Giving a grin he inclines his head to look at the bags, "You helping to keep the Atlanteans going by yourself at this rate?" he tilts his head. He slides his stuff back into his messenger bag, and as he stands, he sees Jo in the distance looking a bit sulky. He gives a wave to her as well, "Heyo over there."

Dion catches Aillen's wave, and returns one of his own. He shifts his path towards the other teen, and says, "How do you mean? This? Just a few necessities. I'd be buying them regardless of who was in charge." He glances towards Jo then, when Aillen waves to her.

Jo sighs heavily, her brown eyes scanning the park. She perks up noticeably when she sees Aillen, and waves in return, cocking her head a bit to the side in curiosity at Dion, who she's certain she's seen around school before. She unfolds from her rather compacted position on the bench, standing up, and stretching - not that standing made her any less compact, being as short as she is. Jo shifts her canvas messenger bag over her shoulder, slinging it across her torso, and makes her way over towards the two young men.

"Friends should know friends after all." Aillen chuckles and gestures. "Dion, meet Jocelyn. Jocelyn, meet Dion." He tilts his head to each. "And you of course know my handsome and athletic self. " He smiles and bows. "So you two enjoying the day then? Glad to be out of that school. I had to get some green beneath my feet and blue above my head. " Cricking his neck he stood and stretched a bit more and let out a happy sigh. "Preferable to concrete and glass if I can get it. Be nice if there was a bit more of it around, but somehow I'm thinking its going to be clinical steel soon enough, ya?"

Dion gives Jocelyn a proper looking over as he smiles to her. Not a looking over in the leering sense, but more in the way of someone examining her sense of fashion. "Nice to meet you. I've seen you on campus, of course." He looks back to Aillen then says, "There are parks in Brooklyn, you know. Not like this, of course."

Looking at Jocelyn reveals a rather boring and decidedly not very well dressed young woman - her hair is long and back in a braid, and she's taken advantage of her mother being out of the country to free her more comfortable attire from the lock box she'd been using to hide it from her mother - in this case, a pair of green canvas cargo shorts and a faded black t-shirt with 'meh' emblazoned on the front in white. Overall - very much not impressive.

"Nice to meet you, too," the young woman grins and looks up at Aillen, "I'm stuck here because mom's on a business trip. In Rome." She's a bit bitter, and slouches, more so than normal, anyway.

"I'm sure that's a terrible loss? Not having to see the big cathedrals and listen to Popes and such?" Aillen chuckled. "Yeah yeah I know. Ancient relics and old buildings were the things ya'd be seeing. " He looked to Dion. "She's big into history and art and such." He gave a shrug and reshouldered the messenger bag. "Anything interesting you picked up at Saks?"

"You're stuck here… in the park?" Dion replies to Jocelyn. "Did she take the house keys with her?" He doesn't seem to be serious. Then on to much more important things - his shopping. "Oh, I found a darling ascot I simply had to have. And a vest that'll work nicely with a pair of slacks I have."

Jocelyn sticks her tongue out at Aillen, "Yeah - I avoid the Vatican as a matter of principal, thanks." She shakes her head and sighs, "No - I've got a set of keys, but honestly, I have no desire to sit in the condo alone. Boring as hell," she rolls her eyes. She glances sideways and rather warily at the Saks bag, having had enough trouble trying to get into the small boutique near it - going into that store would likely make the poor fashion misfit comatose. "I think you're the first person I've heard mention actually wearing an ascot," she pauses and tilts her head, "But I honestly think you're the only person I've ever seen who can pull off wearing an ascot." Jo snickers, a very obviously self-deprecating sound, and looks down at herself, "Granted, not like my opinion matters, but," she shrugs.

"Well, aside from the blonde from Scooby Doo. He was always sporting that thing. Not that I'd call it a good look on a cartoon." He grins looking to Dion. "I'm sure that you'll at least draw attention to yourself at the club in an outfit like that. I can't promise that attention will be all positive or even flattering mind you. " Aillen shook his head. "Course you could probably manage it. Me? I don't think I'd be able to pull off anything more complex than this." He gestured down at his standard button up over t-shirt and khakis combination. "And definitely not in the traditional attire of my family. Woad smells horrendous."

"Ascots are lovely." Dion replies with his nose a bit in the air. "It's criminal that more people don't appreciate them." He looks her over again, then says, "It isn't too late, you know. Every day of our lives is an opportunity for fashion." He does say, "Some need to work at it more than others, of course." To Aillen, he smirks. "I always draw attention at the clubs. And it's always the kind I want." He sighs melodramatically and not at all seriously, then adds, "It's so hard, being me."

Jocelyn chuckles, "And some of us get forced unwillingly into modern dresses by their psychotic mothers who then destroy their comfortable clothes." She slumps and crosses her arms over her chest, glancing up at Aillen, admittedly having to crane her head back a bit to actually see him, "And, oh gods, ew. Woad? I imagine even your family would be ok with modern dyes. That don't smell like things that have died."

Aillen makes a face at Dion's psuedomelodrama. "Oh yes, terribly difficult having people to attend to your needs and your other blessings." He runs a hand through his hair. "Guess I'll go the rugged look, you can do the whole pretty and rich thing. I think that's still the in thing right?" He glances to Jo a moment, then thinks better of inquiring to her about matters of fashion, he'd been there helping her pick out some of her newer clothes. "Sides, I'd still look horrid in an ascot. Probably something a bit more um… normal? Modern? Well not too modern, I don't know what they've been advertising recently aside from undergarments." He shook his head, but obviously having seen the billboards of some of the classmates.

Dion ohhhs to Jocelyn. "I get that. I have to hide a lot of my nicer things from my grandparents. They just don't get it. They have no sense of style, and would rather I just sit at home being dull." He grins at Aillen then. "It is, isn't it? I didn't need them this evening, though. And I'm far from rich. I just shop smart. And sometimes people want to buy me things," he adds with a sly smile.

Jocelyn snorts at the mention of the undergarment ads, another wave of thanks that she doesn't have an exactly divine figure that would put her in the same compromising position as some of her classmates. She smirks to herself, actually looking a bit sinister for a brief moment, before going back to a pleasant grin. "Shopping smart would be useful. Mom chucked a sum at me and told me to go 'get some respectable clothing,'" she glares at Aillen, who has seen her in said clothing, "Not massively fond of my mom's concept of respectable clothing."

"Hey I like those sundresses I helped pick out for you." Aillen grins at that, and looked to Dion. "You can pick em next time, you'd probably pick something more fashionable. Alright, you definitely would pick something more fashionable." He grins. "And next time you get people to buy you things, think of me, some of us are on a limited budget here. Thankfully, plain colored t-shirts and buttoned up shirts are cheap and on sale often." Aillen just nods, pleased with himself for whatever reason. "I will spare you where I got em, I don't want you having a heart attack or anything. "

Dion hmphs, tossing his hair. "What, exactly, *is* 'respectable clothing'? I mean, I wouldn't be caught dead in what either of you is wearing. No offense." he adds after a moment. He nods to Aillen then, about picking out dresses. "That's certainly true," he agrees, "I do have a gift for choosing flattering styles. Sometimes despite a person's efforts to be difficult."

Jocelyn looks absolutely mortified at the thought of more shopping. Her face goes pale for a moment, and then she blushes rather bright red, sputtering incoherently, caught a bit off guard by Aillen's sort of pseudo-compliment-like-thing-y. She looks down at the ground - waiting for her complexion to return to normal - social is not her strong suit, and she take a long moment to collect herself.

"Respectable clothing, for me anyway, in my mom's eyes, is skirts, dresses, and other appropriately feminine things," she grimaces, rolling her eyes, "To be fair - most people wouldn't be caught dead in what I'm wearing. But honestly, have either of you ever tried fighting in a dress?!" She pauses for a moment, and looks between the two of them, "Never mind, don't answer that." She shakes her head, "And I'm not difficult…" She grimaces, shrinking back a bit and looking at the ground, "I'm just not a dress-up doll." She mutters the last part under her breath.

"Hey what's wrong with this?" He looks down at himself, "I mean sure it's not worth a couple thousand dollars, but it looks fine, right?" Aillen almost has a pleading look as he looks to Jocelyn. "Bah. Fine. I ever get the money you pick me an outfit then. " He makes a face, "Just no ascot, please?" He shakes his head again at Jo's commentary, "Nah, fighting in a dress isn't something I'm looking towards. Definitely pants for me, and definitely not naked either. " He grimaces, "I mean can you imagine me fighting all naked? Seems like a way to get stabbed places I intend to keep whole and hearty thank you very much."

Dion arches an eyebrow as he watches Jocelyn sputter and be all sorts of socially awkward. He, apparently, has the social thing down perfectly. When she asks about fighting in a dress he starts to open his mouth, but the other two teens are fortunately spared his reply when she says nevermind. It's probably for the best. "Oh, darling. We're all dress-up dolls," he says then with a shrug. "We just don't all play with our toys the same way. And no." he says then to Aillen. "I wouldn't choose an ascot for you." He does spend perhaps an uncomfortably long moment looking at Aillen, after he comments about imagining him fighting naked.

Jo looked up at her friend, glancing over his outfit, "Nah - I think it kinda suits you. Relaxed, laid back," She grins, "But again - I'm not the fashionable one," she gestures at Dion, "He is." She smirks and bows slightly, given that curtseying in shorts is rather ridiculous, "So I have to say, I'd trust Dion's judgment over mine."

And then Aillen continues on about fighting naked, and Jo's eyes glaze over momentarily, blushing yet again. Jocelyn shakes her head, glancing sideways at Aillen, "To be fair - that - both fighting in 'dresses' and fighting in the nude aren't tooo horribly far fetched for your ancestors."

"Yeah yeah kilts, woad, blah blah blah" Aillen rolls his eyes. "Ya know ya bring that up much more, one of these days I'll show up wearing both, all proper like. Then you'll get ta suffer. And I'll make sure I have a cold or something so I can't smell it either." He shakes his head. "Thankfully, I'm going to be the bigger man about this. " He stands a bit taller, showing the obvious height difference. "So, What would you put me in?" He looks to Dion, looking a bit put out.

Dion replies, "I really hadn't given it much thought. There are so many fashion disasters at school I've had to inure myself to a lot of it. I'd skip the kilt in school, though. There's cultural pride, and then a New York City public high school. Never mind the headache of a day covered in woad. For both you and everyone around you."

Jocelyn grimaces, "Oh please, spare us the woad, if you insist on the kilt, fine, but, not the woad. There's a reason the woad dyers were banished from polite, impolite, and general human company for a good portion of history," she snorts and shakes her head.

When Aillen decides to puff up like some sort of rutting peacock, "Oh yes - go ahead and point out that you're a whole damn foot taller than me," she gives him the side eye again, crossing her arms rather emphatically over her chest, and turning back to Dion, "Yeah, but at least I acknowledge that I'm a fashion disaster," Jo grins and shrugs, "And acknowledging the issue is the first step."

"Not as much a headache as some of the classes have been. Ech." Aillen grimaces and shakes the messenger bag a bit like it held a snake. "And fine fine, I am not a bloody runway model. Its not like I need to be if I'm busy putting some hurt on something." As she turns he put a hand on her shoulder. "Ya know I could just pick ya up, be nice and taller above me. " Aillen just gives a smile as he takes his hand back. "Or ya could do the other things anyway."

Dion smirks at Jocelyn. "It's a very, very small first step. Actually trying to do something about it is the real first step." Then, "So… if we're talking about woad and fighting, I take it you're one of 'us'?" It hadn't quite come up yet, after all.

Jocelyn glares daggers at the underside of Aillen's chin, since that's about all she can see from her vantage point. But still - angry glare - grrrr. "Do. not. pick. me. up." she grimaces, and gestures to the surrounding park, "And oh yes, floating a full foot off the ground, in Central park, in the day time. So not worth it to be taller than you. You can keep you're lofty status, you make a good sun shade." She smirks and glances back at Dion, "Ah, yeah," she bows slightly, "I suppose the floating comment would have given that away, if nothing else." Not that she really goes out of her way to hide it, but, eh, she shrugs and smiles, "And I assume by your commenting on 'us' you are as well?"

"Well ya sorta had gone out of your way with the York and all there. " Aillen nods to Dion at that. "Still good it's out there in the open a bit. Still I should be getting off soon. Got matters to attend to for my mum and all. You guys'll be alright?"

Dion chuckles. "Yes. The floating would be a giveaway. And I'm one of 'us', yes." he replies, then nods to Aillen. "I'll need to be getting home soon. It is Monday, after all. My grandparents will be having a fit." He doesn't look like he cares at all.

Jocelyn nods to Aillen, "Ah, yeah, I should get home, too, if for no other reason than I've got homework to do," she grimaces, "Granted, lack of mom makes the place rather creepy and quiet," she thinks for a moment, and shakes her head, "It was nice to meet you, Dion. I'm sure I'll see both of you in school tomorrow, in theory. Provided we're not all eaten by horrible mutated New Atlantean sewer rats, or some such," Jo says, with an eye roll. She bows slightly to Dion, "I'll avoid saying 'hi' such that you don't have to be seen with such a fashion disaster as myself," Jo grins, "Wouldn't want to tarnish your image or anything."

Aillen chuckles and shakes his head as he turns to depart. "I don't think I much qualify as fashion template and he doesn't mind my presence that much. You guys have a good night. I'll see ya tomorrow."

Dion chuckles quietly, and he looks pleased with himself. "Since I met my father, I get to decide who is acceptable around me. If you like, you may join me at my lunch table." He has one right in the middle of the room where he can be seen, and he apparently decides who sits there. "See you both in school." he says then, before turning to continue the way he was going.


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