wade in the water

[bbharry]

Harry Potter woke up believing that he was at Hogwarts in his first year of schooling. It was shortly after the incident with the troll in the bathroom where he, Hermione, and Ron first made the team that they did and took down the troll together. When he woke up in an entirely unfamiliar bed, he was confused. He was more than confused really. No

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[and_dontgetcute]

You'd think that after a year plus in this city, things like this would surprise him less and less, but when it comes to the Rift, apparently there can never be too much. This week, the Rift is taking the white knight aspect of Flack's personality rather literally and well, let's put it this way:

He has armor. And a horse.

He wants neither.

But the armor won't come off -- not even to let him sleep for Christ's sake -- and the horse won't leave him alone. So he's trying to make the best of it. Add to the fact that he's compelled to help every single person he comes across who seems like they're in need of it, no matter how minor, and he's winding up with some pretty long days.

When he comes across a girl in a ball gown stuck in the grass, however, he's just grateful to find someone who actually needs the help. That way, when his feet start carrying him closer, he can actually sound relatively sincere.

He pushes the visor up, and sighs. "You alright, miss?"

[brokehisthrone]

Zoe has had a lot of people walk by her today and many have been dressed in strange fairy tale like outfits. They have been compelled to do different things. The people that aren't too busy with their own Rift-afflictions have moved away because in Chicago, one can never be too certain of anyone.

It's why she's ended up stuck here for so long, but she can say with certainty that she has never seen anyone dressed up as a legit knight. She might be staring from where she sits as he walks over to her.

"...the Rift got you too, didn't it?"

She grimaces in commiseration.

"Yeah, I'm okay mostly. A witch cursed me, and my legs... don't work," she says. "You wouldn't happen to be giving rides, would you? ...on your horse."

[and_dontgetcute]

"Yeah, it got me too."

But at least this time didn't involve blabbing secrets or seeing the horrors of your own mind. Then again, the suit of armor of a little inconvenient.

He glances back at the horse when she asks, before shrugging. "Shouldn't be a problem. Where do you need her to take you?"

[brokehisthrone]

"It's mean that way."

However, Zoe has to admit that it was much nicer this time than it was the last time that the Rift did something for a whole week.

"Thank you. I've been asking people for help for awhile, but people don't seem to trust anyone in this city, not that I can blame them," Zoe says with a small smile. "The Crowbar, it's a... bar and my home. I'm not a lush, not that a drink doesn't sound good right about now."

[and_dontgetcute]

He nods with a smile. "I know the Crowbar. C'mon, let's see if we can get you on the horse."

It's easier said than done. If Flack had been in his normal clothes, this wouldn't have been this hard. But between his armor and her dress, it takes a little bit of doing to move the way he wants to, but eventually, he gets her up onto the horse's back with minimal jostling.

[brokehisthrone]

"You do? Very cool. We're kind of well known in the city," Zoe says for either giving out alcohol or for exchanging information.

And this is going to take more than a bit of maneuvering. It's probably a fairly hilarious sight. "How do people actually do this in stories?" Seriously. She doesn't understand. This is more than a little embarrassing and frustrating all at once as she misses being able to... move herself.

But then she's on the horse... and gratefully, she glances back at him. "Thank you. I've actually never ridden a horse before. Silver linings."

[and_dontgetcute]

You don't become a cop in this city without knowing where the information is. The Crowbar is definitely somewhere he slips into every once in a while, just to listen to the different conversations that are happening. An ear to the pulse helps, in it's own way.

Flack is sure that if anyone from home had seen that little display, he would have never heard the end of it. It's moments like this that he's a little glad he's alone in Chicago, but those moments are few and far between. He manages to get Zoe up on the horse, however, sitting side saddle, and the horse, to his credit, doesn't buck or startle too much.

He pats the horse's side in thanks, before moving to the reins and starting to lead him along. "I haven't ridden a horse since I was eight. Never really my thing."

[brokehisthrone]

It's so true. Anyone who is involved in the city, in the supernatural world of the city that doesn't know about them. There's information to be found either from Sonny directly or from those that frequent the bar.

Zoe pats the horse as well in thanks that she wasn't thrown off once she was hauled up there.

She glances at him and then back at the horse. "I... don't know if it'll really be my thing either," she admits, wincing as she looks down at the animal under her. "Though I am grateful. A witch cursed me for some reason, couldn't walk at all."

[and_dontgetcute]

"They seem to be handing those out a lot lately."

Thankfully, that's one of the things that aren't common about Chicago. Curses and magic aren't really part of the supernatural scene -- at least not that he's aware of. He's still learning, but he'll pick it all up someday.

[brokehisthrone]

"Yeah, they do, and I've lived in this city for awhile, around eight-nine years now," Zoe says, shaking her head. "I've seen a lot of strange things, but witches who curse people... that's new. We have magic, and there are witches in this universe, but they're really rare and I've never met one from here. As far as I know."

She could be wrong about that for all she knows.

[and_dontgetcute]

"You know more than I do," he replies as he guides the horse along. He knows that whoever's watching this is getting quite the show. "I've only been in Chicago about a year."

And what a year it's been.

[brokehisthrone]

Zoe shakes her head, smirking at him just slightly. "There's no such thing as only a year in Chicago," she says as the smirk becomes a smile. "I mean, you've experienced The Great Flooding, The Week Long Blizzard, Pour All Your Secrets Out, just to name a few."

Now he's experiencing Fairy Tale... whatever this is. "I swear a year here can feel like ten sometimes." That's something that has never changed.

[and_dontgetcute]

"Tell me about it. But telling myself it's only been a year makes me feel better about the whole mess."

Honestly? It does. On the days he feels like he's been trapped here forever, and can barely remember the life he had before, he reminds himself that it's only been a year, and it hasn't always been this way, and it makes him feel better.

Somewhat.

[brokehisthrone]

Zoe looks at him sympathetically at that.

"Hey, we do whatever we can to get us through in this city," she says as she looks at him. "If focusing on that helps, do that. I have to stop and smell the roses sometimes... in a manner of speaking. To take a break from all the terrible. It's necessary."

She believes it is very necessary.

[and_dontgetcute]

"I don't think you're wrong. Get too caught up in the bad, and you'll fail to see the good. And most of the time, the Rift is just annoying more than anything else."

[brokehisthrone]

"I don't think you can really be wrong with how you deal with the Rift, with Chicago," Zoe admits quietly as she sits upon the horse, and they're definitely making a sight on the sidewalk. "It is very annoying, but it can also lead to all those disasters and deaths, and it's... just good to take a step back."