OOM: New York City with Thirteen

[sunbaked_baker]

It's another bright spring day, and Sunshine and Thirteen are off to take advantage of Thirteen's vacation time in a way that precludes her being called into work. New York City will be plus two young women looking to have fun, today.

Sunshine, for her part, is quickly in awe. She'd never really been anywhere outside of New Arcadia, except to the ocean a few times, and New Arcadia, among the top ten cities in the nation in Rae's world, would be back to being a complete parochial backwater of a city in this world.

"Oh wow," she says, looking up at the gleaming buildings. "I've never seen a city so large."

Comments

[numbered_doctor]

The woman beside her laughs, reaching and squeezing the other woman's hand as they move.

"It is a bit daunting, isn't it?"

[sunbaked_baker]

"Seriously," she agree, risking getting a crick in her neck trying to see the tops of the buildings. "Totally spartan, though."

"It's all so clean and gleaming."

She doesn't feel like bringing up what her world's New York City was reduced to.

[numbered_doctor]

She tugs her friend gently along the street as they move, dodging around other pedestrians.

"I'm sure you'll have a blast."

[sunbaked_baker]

Sunshine stumbles slightly as she dodges almost running into a man in a suit weaving hurriedly through the crowd. The shadows of the tall buildings shine nearly as much as the gleaming glass-and-steel buildings themselves to her sight, their edges catching the light of the morning sun.

"I'm sure I will," she grins, cheerful in the bright sunlight and in the prospect of a day exploring an unknown city in a world not her own. "It's so busy!"

Even the most bustling of her world's cities were never this huge seething mass of humanity.

[numbered_doctor]

Flashing the woman a bright smile, she's careful to keep a hold of her as they move.

"So, where would you like to see first? Zoo, or the Museum?"

[sunbaked_baker]

"Oh, the zoo," she says, swiftly. "I can't remember the last time I visited one."

The New Arcadia zoo hadn't been very good even before the Wars.

[numbered_doctor]

She alters their course accordingly, pointing them towards the nearest subway station.

"Great! I'm sure you'll love it."

[sunbaked_baker]

"Where is it, from here?" she says, following. Her nose wrinkles at the smell of coffee from a Starbucks as they pass.

[numbered_doctor]

"It's a little ways away," she responds, continuing to lead her towards a set of stairs going down.

"We'll have to take the subway."

[sunbaked_baker]

"All right," Sunshine grins. "I've actually never gotten to ride a subway before. They kinda... shut down, during the Wars and never caught back on again."

Being underground blurred the lines between night and day.

[numbered_doctor]

"You're in for a bit of a treat, then."

Quickly grabbing two tokens, she spots that the subway is already at the station, and she tugs Sunshine along a little quicker.

[sunbaked_baker]

"Spartan," Sunshine grins, hurrying along with Thirteen.

"Though I can keep up without you having to drag me, mother," she says, dry.

[numbered_doctor]

Thirteen releases the hand, looking a bit bashful.

"Sorry, just...didn't want to lose you in all this."

[sunbaked_baker]

Sunshine laughs, throwing an arm about Thirteen's shoulder as they move through the crowd towards the train. "Don't worry about it. You think I'm about to let you out of my sight? Hardly."

[numbered_doctor]

She chuckles as they board, leading them to a pair of seats.

"Good to know."

[sunbaked_baker]

"I'd be worse than lost without you," Sunshine says, squeezing Thirteen's hand for a moment.

The subway is interesting. There are so many different people, many of whom wouldn't look out of place at Charlie's, or at the side window for leftovers at closing, for that matter. Sunshine could feel herself being underground, and the weight of the earth above her, between her and the sky.

[numbered_doctor]

"Aww, you flatterer, you."

Thirteen isn't anywhere near as bothered as Sunshine is at being underground, and she relaxes back in her seat as the train shoots off.

[sunbaked_baker]

"No flattering. Just truth," she smiles.

Sunshine isn't bothered about being underground. She's merely... aware. The last time she was underground was when she dropped in o-... visited Con's earthplace. Even then, she could feel that they were underground, in that place of darkness, lit only by the gigantic fireplace shaped like a great maw, with the flames lighting the eyes set into the mantle above it.

But that dark, echoing place is nothing like this well-lit, noisy, human construction.

This manner of transportation is almost certainly safer than that which Sunshine took to and from Con's earthplace, anyway.

"Which stop's the zoo?" she asks, pointing to the subway map over the nearest exit.

[numbered_doctor]

"We're getting off at Central Park," she replies, gesturing to the appropriate place on the map. "Not too much longer now.

[sunbaked_baker]

"All right," Sunshine says.

"I'd heard of Central Park, but had only seen it in pictures." From before the Wars, of course.

[numbered_doctor]

Thirteen flashes her a bright smile.

"Well now you'll be able to see it first hand."

[sunbaked_baker]

"I'll get to brag to everyone at the bar," she smiles back.

But not at home, of course.

[numbered_doctor]

If she did, she might have more than just Vampires and SOFs to worry about.

"Got to see New York with a pretty girl on your arm, bragging doesn't come much better than that."

[sunbaked_baker]

"I get to see a city in a new world full of sunlight, with a good friend, with nothing else to do than have a good time."

"I could use more vacations."

[numbered_doctor]

"Everyone could use more vacations," Thirteen agrees, nodding. "It's make people a lot less stressed."