In need of some fresh air (Mona/Casual)

[chesh]

The night had a crisp cool feel to it, it wasn't cold necessarily, more refreshing. Chesh loved the night, everything about it, the people, the atmosphere, even the drunks stumbling upon themselves. He sat on a bench with one knee pulled up towards his chest, he wasn't bothered or anything that was just how he sat. The only time he sat differently was when he had to act proper in front of someone important..which in reality he really didn't care, but he has to keep his image up. His pink hair stood out in the night lights, most people threw him a glance or two, maybe a remark about him being a freak as well. He had gone a bit of an odd style today, really he just threw on whatever he could find.

He wore sort of a lolli goth punk style today. He had black ripped jeans, with a chain hanging along his side.His shirt had ruffles going down the front, with a long thin black scarf wrapped around his neck. The vest he wore over his shirt had a pocket on the right, where he kept his wallet, and had some odd designs on the front, while in the back it had lacing going from the bottom to the top. As usual, Chesh always had some make-up on around his eyes, he didn't do it to look feminine or anything, it just fit him. He had thrown on some random necklaces that he found throughout his room; necklaces with crosses, some with animals, and wore his favorite watch as well. He didn't look bad, in fact, for some reason it looked rather good, but nonetheless weird.

He had come to the park as he did every night after the show. He didn't know why it had just become sort of a habit, he himself didn't even know why he went there in the first place. He watched couples walk by him with a lovey-dovey air about them. He merely chuckled and grinned "buncha blokes if ye ask me" he muttered to himself. Chesh never understood the point in love, you just wasted time and money on a single person, when you could be spending that precious money on his shows! Now if a couple came to see his show, he'd be more than happy to see them, he'd make a profit out of that.

He stretched out his limbs like a cat, and let out a long yawn. It had been a long night, of course his show's were flawless, he wouldn't have it any other way. The best part though, was that his crown tonight were a lot more enthusiastic than usual. He brought his other knee up to his chest and rested his head on it, as he watched people passing him by, double taking him as usual.

[MONA LISA DRAGOTI]

Mona walked down the path way in Central Park, she let her mind wonder as she clutched a battered book in her hands. It was her favorite time, the night where people's true personalities came out. Mona loved the night air and how it brushed against her skin. It was the one time of day where she could just be herself. Her normal business attire was gone. Her usual high heels were replaced with red high-top converses, The Black pencil skirt that was required for interning was now transformed into black skin tight jeans. Her flowing tops was no longer required and was replaced with a simple red long sleeve shirt. It was simple and yet looked good on her. She liked coming to Central Park, dressed in clothes that no one ever saw her in. She like watching the people that littered the park at night.

It amazed her that so many people acted differently at night then during the day. It was a wonderful way to practice observing people. She wanted to be a therapist , which meant you need to see the truth behind other's gestures. Such as a couple holding hands yet not standing close apart, They liked each other , yet did not enough to be "Lovey dovey". Mona hated those people the most. All their love and emotions, just to be heart broken when they end it all. Mona didn't believe that certain people were made for love, she being one of those people. She was used to being everyone experiments, Always used but never kept. She knew her place and didn't try to change it. But when she saw others around her that didn't except it , it just made her pity people.

Mona walked over to a bench that sat under a streetlight. There was someone on the bench next to her but she didn't mind. She lifted her legs and sat Criss cross on the bench and sat her book in her lap. She loved to read at night, where you could hear the activity around you ,yet still focused on the book in front of you. She loved the book that sat in her lap, she had read it many times in the past years. Her childish love that took her away from the world that once kept her down. She loved the beauty and perfection that it brought to her heart.

Her small true smile that rarely graced her lips,as she opened the old book. She hummed softly to herself as she read a book about a girl who fell down the hole after a late rabbit. The smile stayed on her face as she continued to read her childhood savior.

[chesh]

Chesh wrapped his arms around his one knee, holding it tightly to him. It wasn't like he was nervous, or self-conscious, nothing like that, merely a habit of his. He was had a way of getting lost in his own world, just looking up at the night sky, he could spend hours doing that. He let out a heavy sigh of relief, his day was done, he could relax and stay where he was as long as he liked. A soft hum made its way to his ears, which startled him a bit. He was so sucked into his whole world, he had hardly noticed someone sitting next to him.

He switched the way his head rested on his knee, so that his face was now facing the young woman sitting next to him. He looked at her, a pretty little thing she was, in a simple yet fitting outfit, and down to the book she so happily read. A low chuckle left his lips as he noticed what she was reading, he had an eye for those sorts of things. He had read almost every book he could get his hand on, and this one he had read many times. He had found the book both whimsical and intriguing, it was one of those magical books he had so rarely read. A crooked grin crossed his face, as his gaze found its way back on the woman's, "It's bad for ye to read in a dimly lit area little miss" he chuckled.

He brought his other knee up, and sat cross-legged, almost imitating the girl next to him. He cocked his head to the side, in a quirky way, the grin never leaving his face. "Aren't ye a bit to old for a silly story like that?" he said leaning closer to her "The pretty little kitty is the best character if ye ask me." He flipped a card in between his fingers, as though it had come out of thin air "Chester Vento, nice to meet ye." He was not really sure why he was being so talkative, maybe he was in a good mood, maybe it was just one of those social days, or maybe it was the book that caught his eye. Either way, she had caught his attention, and his attention span was a long one.

[MONA LISA DRAGOTI]

Mona wasn't used to people talking to her while she was reading. People usually just bypass others that look like they were doing something boring. In fact in most cases she liked that people didn't bother her, it gave her the peace that she had grown used too. Her life was so full and busy she rarely had anytime where she was alone. Even in her apartment she was still busy, paperwork and homework filled her home life. She was never off the clock when she was home, which is why she spent so much time out in the streets of New York. She grew up on the streets, though most thought differently. Sure she had a big house that she used to live and where she slept, but she didn't grow up there. Growing up meant that you had to learn things, and save them for the future. The streets of New York is where she learned the most. All the places and sights had filled her brain with new information that she never wanted to let go of. And while she didn't find anything special in the lights and sounds now, she still learned from them.

Mona turned her head to the side to look at the boy who started to speak with her. She gasped in amazement when he pulled a card out from no where. He introduced himself as Chester Verto. She gave him her smile, the one that she gave everyone. Her real one was reserved for only a small group of people and things. Very small actually, really just Dolores and books. She didn't get real with many people, it was a part of her that she didn't want to share. A dark part deep inside her that kept her away from others that wished to get closer. She new as a therapist in training, that it wasn't good for her to keep everything to herself all the time, but quite frankly she didn't care. If she wanted others to be in her life she would let them in. but she did find Chester to be oddly amusing. She could tell from the sound of his voice, that he loved the book as much as she did.

"I don't think I will ever be too old for this sill story" Mona said as she stroked the spine of her book. She had always had a deep connection to the classics, and in her view, Alice had always been a classic. Others put the book down and called it something written by a high idiot. Those people just didn't understand the beauty in a girl finding her away from the world she didn't belong in , to find a Wonderland of possibilities that laid before her. As a little girl she used to wish to be just like Alice and fall down a hole away from her world.

"I have always had a special connection with girl who followed the Rabbit into Wonderland." Mona looked back up at Chester "My name is Monica Lisa Dragoti, but people call me Mona or Mona Lisa. It's nice to meet you Chester." Mona's smile never left her face as she looked and spoke to him,"Do you mind if I ask you, to do another trick? It amazes me to see the magic I read about implemented in the world."

[chesh]

Chesh chuckled to himself softly at the girls amusement towards the silly little trick he had done. He had never done this trick to be showy, nothing of the sort, it was merely his way of introducing himself, everyone had their own way of doing so right? The grin on his face grew wider as the girl smiled at him, he had seen and met enough people by now to know what was a real smile, and what wasn't. "Come now love, if ye aren't going to give us a smile from the heart, don't smile at all" he chuckled as he lowered his feet to the grounds.

It was sort of an odd combination, at least that's what Chesh thought. She had given him a smile that was not genuine, yet she was talking whole heartedly about a book she held so dear. He had no other choice but to nod in agreement with her though, no one was ever to old to read a classic book, no matter what those blokes said, everyone loved them deep down. He quickly got to his feet, and bowed like a gentleman to the girl "The pleasure is all mine miss Mona" he grinned "but please, call me Chesh." A few of the passerby's gave chesh a sideway glance, probably giggling to themselves how he looked like an idiot, like that could wash away Chesh's ever lasting smile.

He cocked his head to the side at her next statement, asking him to do another trick. It wasn't often that people on the street actually asked him to do tricks, mostly they just ignored him and walked right past him. He looked up at the night sky as he thought briefly of what trick he should do. He always had something up his sleeve, quite literally, but nothing to big, most of his gear was back at the theater. He flipped a coin through his fingers back and forth while he thought, then snapped his fingers, letting the coin disappear and three pink roses appear in his hand. He bent down and held out the roses for the girl to take and grinned "Ye like magic tricks do ye?" he coo'd. He sort of wished he had his things with him at this moment, he had never done a street performance, but he'd keep a mental note of it to give it a chance in the near future.

He thought back on what she had said previously and stared at her for a moment "What do ye mean ye have a special connection with the Alice girl? Did ye fall into a rabbit hole when you were a lass?" He chuckled at the thought. He knew what she meant, but what fun was there in the truth?

[MONA LISA DRAGOTI]

Mona gave a laugh of amazement as Chesh produced the pink roses and gave them to her. She sniffed the roses gently before resting them on top of her book. She looked at him as he stood before her. He was different from anyone she had ever known before, yet oddly she liked talking to him. It was odd for her to have a real smile, yet Chesh had made one appear on her face. Almost as if it was magic. Mona shook her head sadly but had her true smile upon her face as she said ,"For me not to put on a fake smile on, would be like you not grinning even if the world booed you off stage. It's how I deal with life and the people in it."

Mona almost laughed out loud as she thought about his comment,"No, There's no rabbit holes here in New York City, But you could count the ditch I pushed into by some bullies when I was 8. " Mona looked down as she thought about how often she got bullied when she was younger. She was always alone before she meet Dolores, and even then she sometimes felt as if she was still alone. She used to think that everyone felt the same as her, but as she grew older she realized that she was the outsider, and they were together. She felt like the little match girl, who stood outside the glass and watched the other family within.

Mona looked back up at Chesh and shook her past from her mind and smiled up at him, "I love magic tricks, I can't get enough of them. I just think It's amazing to see things that only we can imagine in our minds. She picked up one of the roses and brought it to her lips to feel the soft feel of the petals." So tell me Magic Man, what got you into magic in the first place?

[chesh]

His grin grew into a soft smile, as the girl let a true smile cross her lips. There wasn't a person in the world who couldn't smile back at a true smile, they'd have to be a heartless person. He crouched on the floor looking up at her as he cocked his head to the side thinking. "Ah, but that's were ye'r wrong my dear, If I grinned as a crowd boo'ing me off the stage...which ye know would never happen, I'd still give an earnest grin. While you put on a false face, so people will like ye" He grinned.

He looked at her smile fade and sighed "Children are such arse's, can't stand the little buggers" He muttered, remembering his past. Chesh didn't have the best time growing up either, people liked him, but for his smarts. They would have him do their homework and such, the only kids that truley liked him were the ones he didn't go to school with. He snapped back to reality as the girl started to talk about magic, she understood magic well. It wasn't often that a person understood magic that well. "Magic is...well there is no real way to describe it, its...hmm...magical" he said chuckling to himself.

"I started magic with my Father as a lad, he was a magician too ye know, not as good, but he started my career. Me moms the one who brought me the books to read up on magic" He said tilting his head to the side looking up and thinking "She never thought me father was good at what he did either, but he did what he loved, and loved what he did, and that's all that matters, yeah?" He said with a grin. He stood up, rocking back on the heels of his feet looking down at her again "And what do you do lil' miss?" he did a walk around the bench looking her over "Ye don't look that old, do ye even have a job?" he chuckled, meaning no insult towards her.

[MONA LISA DRAGOTI]

Mona let out a laugh that sounded almost hysterical. Jobs? She had too many count and most of them she didn't get paid for. She had some hard times in her past and some harder times in her future. It wasn't easy for someone like her to get ahead in the world. She wasn't pale skinned or ultra skinny, She didn't like boys, She was only 17, She was a "She" in a man's world. She had to fight for the jobs and internships that she had now. It was hard but she did it, and she succeeded in what she did. Her internship at the hospital gave her a leg up on others trying to get into her future profession, so did her volunteer work. And Mona would take any advantages that she could get. She was determined to be a great therapist one day and in the profession where there was thousands of people trying to get into the same career as you, any help would be good.

Mona looked at Chesh and gave him another smile. "You are right, I am a little young to have a profession, I am only 17. But you are also wrong, I have too many jobs to count. I wish to be a therapist when I get older. It has been a dram of mine for years." Mona watched as he moved around almost like a cat.

Mona kept her eyes on him as he walked around her. He seemed to be very odd, but Mona had meet some very strange people in her life. She remembered her friend from the suicide ward who would only eat the color red, and only things naturally red. She liked him a lot, he was nice to be around. But like all the other people she meet in the hospital, he left. They all left soon enough."You don't sound like your from the states. Where do you originate from and why did you come over?"