A day in the life of Bob

The Jump City Central Park. Patched up and looking almost just as good as when Emblem had last burned it to a crips when he last visited. While it was still ahrd to believe what happened, more and more visitors returned over time, and they had all the right reasons, the weather was fantastic. The sun was shining, and the patches of grass were full of people enjoying the sun, enjoying eahc other's company, enjoyed throwing the ball around, or enojoying their barbeque. the scents mixed with the clean grass 'n tree scent, and mixed marvelously. A day to remember.

Amongst those enjoying was Bob. Emblem hadn't shown up lately, and he had his spot back. The low concrete steps connecting some playgrounds and the lower part of the Park was back, and so was he. Bob was the only one who had been given a warning of the demolishment ahead. Emblem had sent him away, and he had listened. For as Bob said it..''Em-mon did not look right.''

Today it all looked right. Bob enjoyed to be back to his usual spot, with his bongo's in front of him and his guitar next to him. He had some new stuff to play. While he sat down and took a bottle of water from his bag, he smiled. While others enjoyed various events, he was enjoying himself if there were others. bob was at complete peace, calm, and cool. He slowly tied his dreadlocks together with a rag, before grabbing his guitar and playing a song to complement this day even more. He coughed a little to clear his throat, took another sip of his bottle, and started playing. A song everybody seemed to know well. From when he entered the Park to where he sat down peopel looked at him, raising hands, waving, little kids running for him to hug his leg (they can't get higher) or wait for him to kneel and hug them, before they'd go back to play. Everybody knew Bob was a good guy. He loved this feeling. No hatred..and when he started playing after waving to some people barbequing, a lot more smiles appeared. Bob's music was serene, and with that, soothing..

'Three Little Birds' were at his doorstep...singing sweet songs...

Kat entered the park, putting the hood of her tank-top cautiously over her ears. The last thing she needed was people staring at her like she was some sort of experiment gone bad. She looked up at the sky before placing her extra strength sunglasses on. The sun hurt, and it made her wish she had waited until nightfall to come out like she had origanally planned. Kat walked to the swing-set and sat on a lonely swing by the concrete. The sweet sound of a skilled guitar player filled the air, followed by a Raggue-sounding man singing 'Three Little Birds'. She stopped, got off, and went around to the steps.

"Wow, you're really good."

Bob would finish this song for sure, but after he did he looked up, smiling at this foreigner. It was weird to see someone wear a hood over her head when the sun was shining so badly. While he looked at her, his fingers kept playing some sounds, probably a mix and match of some other songs. The sounds was gentle, and carried a long way. In between, he talked. He had only faint traces of his Jamaican accent, but was calm in what he did.

''Thank you kindly. The name's Bob, and it's surely nice to meet you. Might I ask what's a lady like you doing with her hood on? If you need water, feel free to take one of my bottles, it is in my bag. It's hot enough... I have not seen you around her much, are you new to the City?

Bob paused. he didn' want to startle her with questions. Although he was intrigued. He loved meeting new people. Bob smiled, putting his guitar to his right and swap them for his set of bongo's, balancing on his lap. Apparently, the lady didn't know how his groove was. It would take some getting used to if you were new, he guessed. While his hands had automatically started tapping the bongo's in a simple yet upboat rhythem, he kept looking at her, blinking at the sun's brightness. Bob nodded next to him. Looking up at her was hard in this weather, even if the sun was on his back or up front..

''If you want to, grab the guitar and play with me....miss..? Why not join me for a minute?''

Bob smiled before making his rhythem a bit more upbeat, and a bit more advance. He smiled, this was one of this favorite rhythems, but it seemed everybody would hear it differently, hear what they like, or depending on how far they were standing...

Kat smiled at Bob. Even though he did ask a lot of questions, there was something about him that made her comfortable, like she was just able to relax. Maybe it was his hippie personality, or that he just naturally was a peaceful soul.

She mad sure the hood was going to stay in place, then grabbed the beautiful instrument. It truly was a peice of art; sculpted just right, sturdy wood, and with only a few marks that indicated use. It was nice meeting someone with such respected for the musical art.

"Not the most fond of sun. I get sun-burned easily. Thank you for the offer, but I'm good."

Kat started strumming, easily matching Bob's pace and beat. If there was one thing in this world that came as natural as breathing, above profiling others, the instinct and grace in battle, the will to keep on the path ahead, it was playing guitar. There was something unique to the beat. Different reactions to the melody, all postive, but as though it struck each indivisual's Happy Cord.

"To answer your question, yes I am new. Just got here a day or so ago."

(mind if Shadow jumps in? I'm kinda bored...)

(it's OK with me. though Emblem's off, and i'm bout ready to leave, too.)

(Oh that's cool, I'll just wait for Emblem to give the OK xD)

(By all means do. I reckon Bob wont mind at all )

Bob kpet rapping the bongo's, humming as he looked around. Days passed by insanely fast when he was playing. When this new individual picked up his guitar, he became positively surprised as well. She had rhythem. Mostly little kids would pick up his guitar and pluck a few random chords, surprised at Bob following their ploings with its on his bongo's, playing somewhat of a musical game and making it sound playful as well. Others would try to jam, with either no rhythem or no experience with a guitar, but as long as they had fun, it was fine. This one however...was quite skilled.

It didn't take long for a pleasant stream of constant music to fill everyone's ears, as Bob kept looking and anticipating his other musical half, playing in and innovating as he went. It was quite nice, someone who could play. A few kids gathered at their feet, looking at both of them. It seemed as if they were playing with each other but playfully againsteach other as well. There was no competition in it, but it was fun nonetheless. The reactions from onlookers were great as well.

Bob never wanted to ask for money, and never did he have to, but the more they played on, and enjoyed themselves, the more funds were raised. Little kids wagged along with some coins they got from their parents, just to place it on Bob's bag with the utmost care. One little tyke tried to give it to Bob personally, holding it up, trying to make his way through the growing crowd of watching children and parents. Bob smiled, stood up with his bongo's still going, and placed them in front of the the boy's feet. He stopped for a second but Kat played on in her graceful vigour, and Bob held his massive hand up for the coin.

The kid looked at the bongo's and looked at bob. Bob smiled and nodded. The kid lay the coin in his big hand, where the coin looked a lot smaller now, and he sat down in front of the kid, who was still looking at him with his big eyes. Bob slapped the left side of the bongo, and waited for the kid. The kid took a shot at the bongo and slapped his little hand on the right side. bob did two slaps in a sequence, and so did the kid follow. After that, the kid ran off, apparently done with his courage and full of satisfaction. ''He had played Bob music'' he said to his parents, who stood several feet away looking at what had just happened. Bob waved at them before picking up his bongo's and seemlessly following Kat's rhythem again, who seemd to be taking it up a notch just for the sake of fun. In the rhythem, Bob rhymed, following the song..

''Hey lil' stranger...playing Bob's guitar...I was just won'drin'....Who you actually are?''
''Where do you come from....if I may ask miss...if you wanna know...Bob's home is this.''

Bob laughed at his own attempt and placed down the bongo's for a second. His real home was a short distance away, this Park however was where he truly felt home when playing music. While he was known through Town as some sort of ''Peace-fountain'' where no harm would befall anyone if they behaved enough, he though she should get some reward for her peerless play. Only one story of him fending off robbers who were trying to steal a woman's belongings and hurt her while they did was known. And legend said he nailed them down in a rhythem..

Eyes turned a bit as Bob took a gulp from his water bottle, and took out a sandwich to eat. He looked at Kat as well. She deserved some attention, even if she didn't wanna take her hood off. Mutual respect...and he'd share half his gainings with her, that would be only fair. Seeing how much had been dropped, he would still have a nice income for the day, and a stranger could always use some money to provide herself.

(Thank you very much!)

Shadow peered around the corner at the sunny, cheerful park. It was full of people and laughter, generally giving off a pleasant atmosphere, even after the beating Emblem had given it. Most people would have eagerly walking right in, but not Shadow. This was definitely not her scene. Sunshine and butterflies? No thank you. For a second she almost left, temporarily forgetting why she was here. Then she remembered.

Well, what'll it be? Shadow asked herself. Go home and sulk or get your job over and done with?

Home. It was funny, thinking something like that. She hadn't had a home for years. Not until she met Simca, anyway... And Shadow wasn't sure the Silvers' base qualified as home. Not yet.

A particularly loud scream of laughter from some overexcited child brought Shadow down to Earth again. She knew, even if she didn't want to, that she couldn't leave. She was here for a reason, so sunshine and butterflies or not, she wasn't going until she got to the bottom of this Emblem thing. The rest of her team was being incredibly tight-lipped about him. Shadow knew they didn't have to tell her every little thing, and they were a new team, but she wanted details and she was going to get them. So she had decided to start her search at the park, the last place she knew Emblem had been.

Shadow had tried to dress a little more inconspicuously than usual, wearing jeans and a hoodie instead of her dress. She knew she would still stand out, but there was no way she was going to wear any less than that. She wouldn't get hot. Living with an eternal shadow inside of you tended to keep you colder than most people.

Taking a deep breath, Shadow dismissed all the unnecessary thoughts from her mind and stepped out into the bright light, wincing and pulling her hood further forward. Placing her hands back in her pockets, she walked into the park, passing a couple of people playing the guitar and the bongos.

Shadow stopped and glanced back at them. The Jamaican guy playing the drums looked quite normal, but what had drawn her attention was the girl strumming the guitar. She had a hood and sunglasses on, just like Shadow. Curious, Shadow closed her eyes for a moment and mentally looked into the shadow underneath the girl's hood. Surprised, she found a pair of cat ears there.

Another metahuman? Shadow wondered, unconsciously staring at the cat-eared girl. As she pondered this new development, Shadow realised the girl had met her gaze.

Kat smiled as the kids and other people of the park dropped the money in front of Bob. He deserved the money. She wasn't sure what it was, but he seemed to be the idol of everyone who lived here. It made her feel pretty good, too, when he let the kid play. Though they weren't paying to much attention to her, Kat saw a few point at her and smile.

"Just go ahead and call me Kat. But, ah, don't worry about anything else. It's not really something worth talking about."

She wasn't sure whether to stop or not when Bob took his lunch brake. Not really giving much thought to it, she just kept playing. It felt good to be doing something with some purpose.

Then she turned her head and saw a girl with dark hair, a hoodie, and sunglasses, looking unresponsively at her.

(Shadow is not wearing sunglasses. Sorry, I don't think I made that quite clear ><)

(LOL)

Shadow wrote:

but what had drawn her attention was the girl strumming the guitar. She had a hood and sunglasses on, just like Shadow.

(I know, I know, but I couldn't think of how else to write it)

(LOL)

(um.. just go ahead and post like I didn't say sunglasses)

Bob felt the rays of sunshine. It seemed the sun was working his ass off just to make this day even better. He took a last gulp and closed his water bottle again. When he rummaged his bag first, he saw Shadow. Another lady with a hoodie. Bob thought to himself... 'I'sa nevah get them ladies wearing hoods when the sun is shinin' like this' but he refrained himself from saying it. They probably had perfectly good reasons. He rummaged in his bag but realised he had what he was looking for in the front compartment of his bag. A ocarina appeared, painted a dark blue and having about 12 to 16 holes. Bob didn't know, but he bought an ocarina that was remodeled after an ocarina from a game. He just liked it for it's feel and clear sounds however. He'd learned to handle the instrument in a week or so and had almost mastered it.

Bob placed his long sturdy fingers around the instument, and raised it to his mouth. With the moment he blew, the tunes mingled with the guitar, but it sounded so much more playfully. While he did so, Bob seemed to hop a little on the spot, clearly enjoying and assessing the playfullness of the tones, making them go from high to lower and high again with every hop. Kids started to do it as well. One who had taken a ball and while he hopped around, he prodded the ball in Bob's direction. This humored Bob as he rolled the ball on the point of his shoe, and lifted it up with his foot. It stayed in the curve of his shoe, before he started to play with it, kicking it in the air and keeping it form the ground. It seemed funny, as he was playing an ocarina and kept keeping the ball go up in the air as a game, but all in the same rhythm.

After some time, Bob prodded the ball back to the boy. Slowly, the crowd dissipated a little. Bob was here almost every day, so people would be able to see him when they would want to. It was time to go for some, and others, while mesmerized by Bob's charisma, turned back to their barbeque meals.

Bob took a quick break, and looked at Kat, suggesting she would do so as well. He didn't know if the other woman was an acqaintance of her, but of course, she could sit down as well. It was time for an afternoon break. He placed the Ocarina on his bag, and looked at Kat.

'Even heroes need to be sitting down sometimes. Sit down Ms. Kat, and enjoy the day. Even if your music is very good, every beauty loses it's shine when looked at forevah. And I have never met anyone who wasn't worth talking about, so that won't happen today as well. I do hope you are alright, and if not, why not talk to Bob? You can trust Bob. Even Em-mon trust Bob.'

Bob thought back of Emblem and closed his eyes. While somethign was amiss, Emblem hadn't killed him. Maybe he didn't just see Bob as a morale raiser, but as one of those 'strong ones' he talked about once. Bob didn't know for sure though. He was just Bob. Bob was always Bob. No fight unless forced to the utter extend, no pain, just peace of mind and harmony of soul. A lot lacked that unison, yet most never turned to evil. It seemed Emblem was an exception. Emblem liked Bob though...and Bob liked Emblem while 'Em-mon was Em-mon'..