1755/Purple & Black

Purple & Black
Date of Scene:	01 August 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Blink, Imbroglio

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Blink has posed:
It's raining in Gotham, but then it always seems to be these nights. Or at least, it's always raining when Clarice seems to visit the place. Dressed in her full 'adverturing' gear of deep green lycra cycling shorts and a simple almost Chinese style dress that splits down both her legs almost from her hips. The mutant has ease of movement on her side...

Which makes it odd that she's just standing under the shelter of a pigeon coop as the rain lashes across rooftops and asphalt with equal aplomb. Her long hair is back in a single cabled braid, but loose strands have plastered to her head as she does her best not to shiver in the cold.

"This hero'ing stuff is /not/ as fun as it looked..." She idly mutters to herself, peering out into the dark, pointed ears listening for anything that might be exciting...

Imbroglio has posed:
Something exciting happens soon enough. An owl comes soaring up onto the roof, overshooting it by a few meters. Then, as it slows down and starts to arc back towards the roof, it kind of... going goopy. Like the flesh and feathers were liquid, the body rearranges itself in a most disgusting way. It forms into a humanoid shape, gaining apparent mass as it comes down, eventually landing on the edge of the roof, on a different edge than Clarice. It mostly looks like the young woman that might be found at the antique shop, except her flesh's changing features are more obvious. It makes it hard to pin down what she really looks like. Additionally, she's nude. Her torso, roughly the area of a one-piece swimsuit, is featureless and colored pitch black. Like a superhero leotard.

While Clarice might stand out in most situations, the new arrival seems to have missed her completely as she rubs a hand through her hair.

"This hero thing is harder than it looks," she mirror's the other woman's thoughts, completely by coincidence.

Blink has posed:
Blink /stares/. This is new, at least the wobbly goopy stuff is new. She'd heard of mutants that could change shape, like Mystique for example. But birds and black goo... That's a rather interesting turn. Softly glowing green eyes take in the form, and the apparently tighter than tight outfit. She couldn't possibly be out in this /without/ clothing surely?

"Uh... Hi." Her Barbadian accent, softened by her time with Americans carries clearly across the roof top, despite the rain. "That's some pretty neat flying right there..." She takes a step to the side, making room under the coop's protection. "I'm Blink, want to come in here out of the rain?"

Imbroglio has posed:
The shapeshifter's "leotard" is about as featureless as a Barbie doll, so it's fairly hard to tell whether it's actual clothing or not. At least just by looking. She lingers, sitting on the edge of the roof with legs dangling, while Blink remains bewildered.

"WOAH-my-God-" blurts out of Imbroglio's mouth at the sudden greeting, falling off the roof. At least nearly. Her... hand seems to have branched into a series of octopoid tentacles, suckers gripping enough to keep her stable. Once seated again, her hand is back to normal in little more than a blink.

"Um, hi," she answers back, craning around to look at Blink. She looks embarrassed. Maybe? Hard to tell with the shifting features. A mask, of sorts. "T-thanks. That's really nice of you," she answers to possibly both the compliment and the offer, rising up to scurry over to the other woman. "I'm Da- I mean I'm Imbroglio. Nice to meet you," she murmurs awkwardly.

Blink has posed:
Blink grins, offering a hand despite the risk of tentacles reappearing. Hey, some of her old cell mates had tentacles after all. "Blink, careful about that letting names slip business." She grins, teeth bright in the half-light. "I've done it to more than one person, and now Superboy runs around calling me by my real name in public." There's no sting in the words, just a friendly reminder.

"So you're out to do heroing too?" Her eyes flick over the other girl, noting the odd twisting face and the barbie doll physique. "That's some outfit too! Do you paint it on?" Her own dress hangs limply, completely sodden from some time out in the rain. So at least she hadn't spent /all/ night under the coop!

Imbroglio has posed:
The hand is accepted without any concern, shaking it gently. Not a very firm shake at all, but at least it isn't limp.

"I'm still learning," she admits a bit sheepishly before her eyes go wide, "You know Superboy? Wow..."

Then, there's a little pause. She wonders, "How do you hide your real identity? You're, like... pink. Not that it's a bad thing!"

The question is followed by a nod, "I am. Or trying, at least. They usually get away. I'm always worried I'll break them if they're normal people. Or they'll cause too much damage if they aren't."

Questions on her 'outfit' have her looking down, running fingertips over her abdomen. She returns her gaze to Blink, eyes ever-so-briefly entirely black in an inhuman fashion. "It's my skin. I just... kind of change the color and make it smooth so that I don't flash anyone," she explains, "It's a lot easier than having to deal with a costume change when something goes down."

"... I like your dress, too!" she adds a moment later.

Blink has posed:
"Your... Skin?" Blink latches onto that first as the shifting girl as she makes her answers. She shakes her head; "Aren't you cold? I mean... I know I'm from Genosha and everything, but it's /freezing/!" She stamps her soft brown suede boots against the floor, making little 'splish splash' noises.

"But thanks, it gets the job done. As for hiding my identity..." She shrugs, the grin turning to a smirk. "I don't really, but no one knows the young mutant from Genosha, so I don't really have the worry of bumping into people I help later on the street." A pause; "Well not /much/ worry anyway."

She looks at the side of the coop, judging it's suitability to lean on, however with it being covered in pigeon droppings she decides against it, instead leaning on one hip. "I know what you mean about being worried about hurting people too much... Just remember they're goons, thugs, /bad guys/. They'll hurt others if you don't stop them..." That's how it was put to her anyway, and a good fight now and then gets the juices flowing!

Imbroglio has posed:
"I run a little hot," Imbroglio answers a little cryptically, clipped tone suggesting there's a reason for that fact. A moment, and she adds, "I'm sorry that you're cold."

"That's one way to do it..." she muses about Blink's identity, "Though I know you now. Kind of."

"Yeah, though. Bad guys. I just don't want to kill anyone, you know?" she admits, seeming quite bothered by the possibility.

Blink has posed:
"Ah, my choice to be out here." Blink answers with that same bright grin, she bounces lightly on the balls of her feet. Keeping limber or trying to stay warm though is the question. Maybe both? "Yeah, killing is bad, but sometimes neccessary depending on the opponent." The teen opines with conviction.

"I try not to, but sometimes, it's take them or risk some folks /really/ innocent getting hurt or killed. In those situations I'll do what I have to." It's a bit of a grim outlook for one so young, though she doesn't make it clear if she's already reached that point or not...

Imbroglio has posed:
"I can't kill people," protests the shapeshifter with conviction bordering on panic, "It's really bad, okay?" There's a moment to calm, then she adds, "I mean, it's good if you can do it. To save lives. But I can't."

There's a nervous look to her face at the thought. Kind of. Still hard to tell. She runs a hand through her hair.

"I'm glad you can do what you need to do," she reiterates, trying not to sound judgey. Personal code more than anything.

Blink has posed:
The pink girl's hands come up, palms out in the universal gesture of surrender. "Hey, hey, I wasn't saying /you/ should. I mean, there's plenty of heroes that /don't/." She ticks off her fingers, "Batman, Superman... Um... Some of the X-Men maybe?" She's clearly not as clued up on her heroes as she might be.

"Just stick to what feels right for you..." 'And I'll take care of the rest' seems to hang in the air unspoken. The teen doesn't /like/ killing, but her training has certainly prepared her for it. "It's good that you've got your ethics all straight anyway." She offers as a sort of olive branch for this sudden rift.

"So what's got you out looking for trouble anyway?" Blink quips suddenly, grin returning in an effort to bring this meeting back to steadier ground. "Can you do more than owls and cute girls?"

Imbroglio has posed:
"I don't know, some villains should probably die. I just can't be the one to do it," the teen woman attempts to explain in return to Blink.

It really had very little to do with choice or honor for this little non-human. More a matter of hunger and some things that need to stay taboo for fear of growing monstrous.

That said, she doesn't contest the claim that it's mere ethics that led to the decision.

"I can do more than owls and-..." Imbroglio trails off, initially eager to change the subject but now caught off-guard. "Cute girls? When did I-..." she starts to wonder, her cheeks (and face? maybe?) briefly turning red in a blush before it fades away with the shifting features.

Blink has posed:
Blink's grin stays exactly the same, she'd apparently hit a mark with the compliment and didn't want to make it worse for the poor girl with the strong morals. She does add; "Yep, cute girl." She gestures to the entirety of the shape changer before her.

"I'm guessing it's more of your disguise, but you do pretty well, despite the whole Barbie shaped suit thingy." Clarice trails off as she struggles to descibe the other woman's get-up sufficiently. In the end she just shrugs; "But you said you can do other things?"

Imbroglio has posed:
"I think maybe you should be wearing glasses? I barely even look like a person like this..." complains the shapeshifter, weakly. Nearly mumbling the words. The blush makes itself known in brief moments here or there, still.

"Thank you, though," she answers, finally daring to look back at the mutant, "It's based off the-... old me. Or what I usually look like." She speaks up a little, "You're pretty, too. I really like your hair."

A few awkward moments of miserable silence, and she seems to remember the question, "Oh! Yeah. I have to have seen it before. The better I know it, the better I do. But I can turn into pretty much anything. Any requests?"

Blink has posed:
Blink grins, accepting the compliment as though she gets them all the time. "Thanks! It's a /nightmare/ to keep straight, but otherwise it's a pretty neat colour huh?" She flicks the braid out over one shoulder, the magenta strands gleaming dully in the street light.

She doesn't comment on needing glasses, if you don't argue, then they can't win. Or something like that anyway... "Requests? Let's see... Can you do people? Like, could you do me? Or does it have to be an animal? In which case, I quite like those giant fruit bats! Saw them on the Discovery Channel, all little tongue and /huge/ ears!" She seems quite animated about it.

Imbroglio has posed:
"A neat color, yeah," Imbroglio agrees with a little more enthusiasm to her voice, smiling and looking over the braid for a moment, "I never got to dye mine."

Though why should she need to?

"I can do anything, but things that aren't alive never really look quite right," admits the bookworm to Blink with an awkward little smile.

The change that follows is an uncomfortable one. The human brain just doesn't want to accept that a human can do what she does. That her features are moving around, changing shape and size. The color shift is so gradual that it's hard to notice until it's already done. And once it's done, Blink is looking at herself. Almost like a mirror, in fact. A passing glance would put them as identical.

But there are flaws, if you look too long. The clothing was mimicked, for example, but it's made of flesh. Colored and textured properly, of course, but it's all literally attached to her body. Anything in the shadows has little flaws here or there. And if Blink tried to look at her doppleganger's opposite side, she'd find it largely featureless and shifting. Nothing to compare it to.

Blink has posed:
"Uncanny..." Blink says, staring at her flesh-crafted self. "Do you know how you do it? Like can you tell me why my eyes glow?" She's already taken a half step forward, hand half up as she's about to feel the other woman, before her brain kicks in and she realises she'd be /feeling/ the woman herself. The hand falls away.

"That's really amazing Imbrog...Imbr... I'm just going to call you Im okay? Easier to shout in a fight... Otherwise you might get hit before I even get your name out!" It's a little presumptous, but then Clarice has the whole blase front to keep up. "So what made you come out in Gotham?" She pauses, then flushes a plum colour. "Ah, sorry, I forget most people don't get to bounce around the cities like I do..."

Imbroglio has posed:
"It's not exact," explains Imbroglio with a little awkward smile. It might look really weird for Blink to see someone else's expression on her own face, "I don't have organs, for example. No heart or lungs, really. So the way I make them glow is probably not the same as the way you do." There's a little tension at the near-touching, but there's no withdrawal from the proximity.

The form melts away, briefly shrinking and... was that a fruit bat for a second there? Hard to tell. It didn't last long enough to really examine for accuracy. But then she's back to Imbroglio again. Kind of. Now she actually has a face. In fact, she looks almost exactly like a normal person, save for her 'leotard' still in place for lack of other clothing.

"You can call me Dana. If you want. When it's just us, at least," she offers towards the other individual. Really bad at the secret identity thing.

"I came here to try to make a difference. Fight the bad guys and weird things," she explains at the question, tilting her head a little, "What about you? And what can you do?"

Blink has posed:
"I'm Clarice." Blink offers by way of trust. There's a little moment of relief when Dana stops reshaping herself, it's a cool trick, but it's like watching something moving by when you know you're standing still. Her stomach does it's little queasy dance of nausea at the sensation.

"I'm pretty much out for the same reason. Gotham's a pretty bad place at night, so sometimes I'll come here, see if I can find something. Get some practice in for when it's really needed you know? Training's all well and good, but nothing quite so... /exciting/ as the real thing." She looks about at the rain, her grin slipping ever so slightly. "Not the best night for it though, think all the goons have more sense than us and are staying in the warm..."

But then she remembers that Dana also asked what she can do. "I'm a portaller, so I can open portals to other places. It's pretty useful." With her grin returning full force she echos Dana's own words; "Any requests?"

Imbroglio has posed:
"Nice to meet you, Clarice," Dana offers in a friendly enough tone, bearing a genuine smile, like they didn't just do introductions five minutes ago.

"This is my training," she admits a little dryly, looking out towards the edge of the roof, "Maybe I should pick something easier."

"Maybe we could try going out together? If not tonight, some other time," suggests the shapeshifter as she turns attention back to Blink.

Talk of portals catches her attention, "Where can you open portals to? That's a way cooler way to travel than my way." She waits for the limits before she suggests a place.

Blink has posed:
"Oh! Flying is pretty cool though!" Blink flies, sort of... It's more falling with style. At least she'd term it flying if she were asked... Maybe. Moving on!

"I can open a portal pretty much anywhere I've been. Or if I've seen a lot of pictures of the place I can do it, but it's less... Exact." She pulls a face, more than once having fallen out a lot higher than she was expecting. "Like I said, I live on Genosha... That's an island out near the Bahamas." She explains, but way of understanding the distance involved.

"I've done a bus before, Sabretooth thinks I could do a lot more if I'd try..." She trails off, not really wanting to go down that road. It leads to /why/ she doesn't try. "So yeah! I can take you to New York, Metropolis, back to Genosha, I've popped over to Egypt once or twice, but they're even more anti-mutant than the groups in the states!"

Imbroglio has posed:
"Flying is pretty cool," Dana admits with a shy, almost coy expression as she brushes some hair out of her face.

"I've never been to Genosha. Is it safe there?" wonders the shapeshifter, seemingly making her "request" to the mutant.

It seems as if 'going out' might have been missed or misunderstood, but the shy shapeshifter doesn't quite seem to have the courage to try asking again.

Blink has posed:
"Safe enough." Blink offers with a grin. "Come on, I'll show you... And still have you back in time to kick some bad guy behind." The purple teen flourishes her hand before her, renting the air with displaced atoms until a doorway to a beach blossoms like a deadly, bluey-purple edged flower.

"Here we go, don't touch the sides!" Grabbing Dana's hand, the teen skips over the bottom fo the portal, to land with boots in pale white sand. On the horizon, the first edges of the dawn sun crests the sea in shades of deep red, orange and pale yellow. "Here we are! Genosha!" Or at least a beach thereof.

Looking behind them, Imbroglio would be able to notice the broken teeth of destroyed buildings, and in the distance several tall towers, with lights all over them.

Imbroglio has posed:
"Sounds like a deal," Dana answers, though somewhat timidly.

Her eyes turn to the portal, eyes going wide as she lets slip a 'woah' in wonder.

"What happens if I touch-..." she's cut off by her hand being taken, mental energy taken instead by trying to follow along without tripping and falling like a doofus.

"It's really pretty," she comments, looking to the sunrise rather than the destroyed buildings.

Blink has posed:
"It is." Clarice agrees, the portal behind them closing with a -blink!-. She lets the girl's hand drop once they're through, having realised that she'd probably encroached on personal space. Or something. American's were touchy about that after all.

"As for the edges, they uh... /displace/ things. But it looks like cutting straight through, so not fun for any involved." If her cheeks paling by degrees are any indication, there's a nasty story behind that particular part of her powers. "But I made it big enough not to worry."

Imbroglio has posed:
There's a little start from Imbroglio at the sound of the closing portal, looking behind herself now. She sees the buildings, but she doesn't comment. She doesn't comment on the dropped hand, either, though she looks a little more reserved after the fact.

"Oh. I don't think it would hurt me, probably... but I won't test it," Dana answers, giving a little nod of understanding.

Blink has posed:
"Good plan..." Clarice grins. "So! Normally out here I'd go swimming, but we get a good view from up there..." She points at one of the buildings a bit further into the city, it's top a cracked tooth against the sky.

"Sorry about grabbing you by the way, I kinda get carried away sometimes..." She rubs the back of her neck bashfully, but still with some grin left. "Just let me know if I am 'kay?" There, that should resolve any misunderstanding. The purple girl often forgets that not everyone's as laid back as she.

Imbroglio has posed:
"I like good views," answers Dana with a little smile back at Clarice, after looking back at the building, "And maybe we can swim after, too. If that sounds fun."

"N-no! No, it was fine. I didn't mind," answers the shapeshifter awkwardly, "I'd say if it was too far. Promise."

Dana is probably not laid back. At least not right now.

Blink has posed:
Blink's grin returns unabated. After all, she has a blase devil-may-care persona to cultivate! This time, rather than taking, a slender purple hand is offered. Her other moves in a slow circle, pulling the /there/ to /here/ and smushing them together by means of her portal.

"Careful up there, floor's not exactly flat... And uh, if you hear creaking, maybe turn into that owl and get out?" It's easy to see why she's giving the warning, through the portal the building looks off kilter by about twenty degrees, the floor having partially collapsed.

Imbroglio has posed:
There may be a brief moment of hesitation, but this monstrous shapeshifter takes the hand gently in the end. Her attention lingers upon Blink until the portal opens, then she looks to it.

The warning about creaking earns a little frown. Her skin shifts some, and a reddish, fleshy rune raises of her her stomach. A reminder, perhaps, that her outfit is just flesh.

"Zi Anna Kanpa," is chanted a few moments under her breath, and the next step she takes displaces far less sand from beneath her feet before they make their way through.

She gives a sheepish smile by way of explanation, "I'm a lot heavier than I look. I just fixed it. I mostly do that when I turn into birds, so I can fly still."

Blink has posed:
The portaller watches it all with interest. "So you're kinda magic?" Her free hand /had/ started to reach out to trace the rune, but with a quick look back up at the small woman's face, she decides against it. There's that sheepish look again before she draws the other woman on.

"Good to know. It's not shifted for years, but I know I can get out if it did. Just wanted to make sure you could too!" It's all clear as crystal really, Blink's quite happy to risk her own neck doing foolish things, but not the necks of others at the same time.

Stepping through, it's firm floor that meets them, old carpet tiles having long ago succumbed to weather and wind. "This is kinda my hidey spot... To think." She grins, point out towards Hammer Bay, where the sun slowly makes it's way out. From here they can see nearly the whole Island! "/This/ is how I see Genosha." A wide gesture takes it all in.

Imbroglio has posed:
"I know only a little magic. But I might be made of magic, I'm not really sure," Dana answers with a little unease, unsure whether revealing these details would be wise. She doesn't recoil from the almost-touch, but it does seem to earn an uncertain expression. Until it doesn't happen.

"Thank you for your concern," she offers a little quietly. She might be trying to over-analyze the concern, given her distant expression and furrowed brows.

The words that follow from Blink get a curious look. "And you're showing me?" she wonders, looking as surprised as she sounds. Her gaze follows the pointing, watching the sunrise, "This is so pretty. Thank you for showing me."

Blink has posed:
"It's where I come, so it's my hidey spot. But I don't /own/ it..." She looks out at the sunrise, a genuine smile alighting the Barbadian's face. "And I definitely don't own that sunrise... Everyone should get to see that sometime..." She's clearly rather content to be up here, despite the slight tilting that has her leaning a little to stay upright.

"You seem... Worried?" Finally the girl takes the time to /really/ look at Dana's face. Various little cues sinking in. "I'm glad you like it though... It really /is/ pretty. And don't worry, I'm not going to go telling your secrets to people. We hero'ing types have to stick together right? What's that you said before about going out together? That sounds a sure thing! When you thinking?" She takes a moment to flop down on a pile of cusions apparently set there for the purpose, if the way they're under the only surviving bit of roof is anything to go by. "Grab a seat!"

Imbroglio has posed:
"That's a good way to think of it," Imbroglio admires, glancing briefly to the mutant, then back to the sunrise. It's not likely that she could make her way back here any time soon without help, anyway. Transporting people with magic is so far beyond her skill set it isn't funny, and it's not a quick swim or flight even for a shapeshifter.

"Huh?" wonders Dana, looking back to meet Clarice's gaze. "A little," she admits, left hand moving to grip her right wrist, "I worry about a lot of things. I'm kind of a monster." The idea of hero'ing together earns a smile and a nod, though, "Yeah. Together. With a real hero. Maybe things will be okay, yeah?"

Her gaze is averted when talk of going out happens, "Whenever you have time? I have the shop. I run it now, so I'm pretty busy during the day, but any time other than that."

She seems to notice the cushions for the first time, gingerly making her way down. As she does, the rune on her stomach shifts briefly. She wobbles as her weight seems to shift, but she seems to get it under control by the time she's sitting.

Blink has posed:
Blink has to laugh, a hand on her own belly as she abandons herself to mirth for a moment. "Oh... Oh sorry, no it's not you." She wipes a very human looking tear from the corner of her eye as Clarice attempts to get herself under control.

"Sorry... Sorry..." It's all she repeat for a minute before finally she gets enough in to advise; "Sorry, you just said 'real hero'." The girl's grin is bright and wide, and very genuine. "I'm still sneaking out to help folks mainly, or it's been right place at the right time to lend a hand. But I'm not a /professional/." After a moment, Clarice adds; "I guess it wasn't /that/ funny... Just... Do I really seem like a proper, bonafide hero?" Her green gaze travelling over her still rain-soaked form and back.

"You seem /much/ more heroic, all magical girl and runes and such. Very fancy." And there's no tone of sarcasm to it, Clarice means what she says, and says what she means. "Though I /can/ help with hand to hand combat if you like, Sabre's training me, but I think I could help give you a few pointers if you need it?"

Imbroglio has posed:
The sudden laughter seems to catch Dana off guard, eyes wide in surprise. Looking a bit embarrassed.

"You're more hero than I am, I'm sure," she answers back, averting her gaze. Taking the laughter at least a little personally. Her gaze returns to her, "You do to me. I guess I haven't actually seen you do anything yet. You might be a villain trying to trick me. But you seem like a real hero to me."

Imbroglio looks down at herself. Seeing her 'uniform' seems to embarrass her a bit, but there's little to be done, it seems. She doesn't seem to see whatever Blink does, for certain.

"We could spar sometimes, maybe? I could probably use some pointers. I'm all brute force and no finesse, really," she admits.

Blink has posed:
Blink's grin slips to a smile, noting the averted gaze and embarrassment. "Thanks, Dana really. I'm /trying/ to be more heroic than anything else." Her gaze drifts out, down to a series of buildings and cages that have been all but flattened by the war. Rubble and rent metal stick out at odd angles, creating long spiderwork shadows in the morning light.

"It's just hard sometimes you know? I'm part of the Brotherhood for instance. People keep /telling/ me they do bad stuff, but I just haven't seen it. Magento /saved/ us, he's a freedom fighter. Not a terrorist." There's just a hint of unease in that, as if she's not /quite/ as sure as she once was...

Imbroglio has posed:
The other girl looks out over the ruins, too. Frowning a little pensively in thought as to how they got that way.

"I don't know much about mutant politics. It never really affected us much back in Salem," she admits, glancing sidelong over to Blink, "I know the line between those two is thin. Sometimes just a matter of perspective. I've heard of them doing bad things, but... perspective. I couldn't really say."

Blink has posed:
"The X-men are meant to be heroes, and they've done some things just as rough... Even if it is true." Which her voice makes clear that for her at least, it's not. "But yeah, it's those in the governments that tell the media what to write. There's always an angle..." Blinks shoulders shrug, a simple movement that conveys... Well not a lot really.

"Salem? And you're magic?" Blink's grin blossoms back. "So what does Imbroglio mean anyway? I mean, my handle's Blink, becuase that's the noise my portals make." She gestures, opening one with a -blink!- and closing it just as quick. "See?"

Imbroglio has posed:
The talk of X-Men just gets a quiet not, Dana not comfortable enough to comment really. She doesn't seem to have any reason to protest, however. She certainly doesn't seem to be judging Blink's affiliation.

"I'm... aware of the irony," Imbroglio mentions on Blink's observation, "It's not good magic, anyway..." The question gives a little smile, though the sudden portal earns a slight jump, "It means an extremely confusing, complicated, and embarrassing situation. It seems to fit my life pretty perfectly. And my power some, too."

Blink has posed:
"That kinda sounds like life in general..." Blink opines, taking the divulgance seriously. It's clear that Dana's not too confident, and just a little on edge. But the more she watches, the more she's realising that's the norm for the shapeshifter.

"Isn't magic meant to be like a tool? It's not good or bad, it's what you do with it?" It's an attempt to hopefully help Dana feel better, but it's also a genuine question. Clarice's knowledge of magic being limited to what she's seen Wanda do. And she's not even sure that /is/ magic.

"It's a good name though, very intellectual." Again, a complete lack of sarcasm shows how up front the young mutant is.

Imbroglio has posed:
"I guess it does," Dana agrees, though not strongly. Her hands fidget a little in her lap.

"I think some people probably say that. I don't really believe it though. I think some magic really is evil. And that's what I found," Dana explains to Blink with a wan little smile.

"Thank you," she responds in the end to the compliment, "You're very nice."

Blink has posed:
Blink's answering nod comes with a smile. "Your welcome Dana. Though if you found evil magic... And now /you/ are that magic..." She ponders something, working out some stuff and finally decides with a grin; "Then /you/ must have been a /super/ good person before hand, to keep it all in check and doing good with it now." It's a perfectly reasonable extrapolation from the information given after all.

Imbroglio has posed:
There's a bit of a meaningful look given to Blink. It turns into a brief smile at the other woman's attempt to put a good spin on it, but it doesn't last.

"I told you, I'm a monster," she answers, averting her gaze after a moment further, "And I decided to become a hero to try and make up for it."

Blink has posed:
Clarice's mind is at war with her heart really. Her brain tells her that dismissing the girls worries out of hand will only make Dana more defensive, but then her heart is shouting not to let this poor girl think of herself as a monster. Finally, honesty seems the best policy.

"I kinda thought I was a monster too, when I was a bit younger." She offers quietly, not quite meeting the other woman's gaze. "I mean, why else would you get locked up in a cage and have folks stick you with needles and things?" The mutant shifts a bit. "Want to know what I learnt?" She does look up then, quirking a magenta brow.

Imbroglio has posed:
Dana listens, for now. Still looking concerned and uncomfortable with herself more than her company.

"That's so awful..." she answers to talk of needles and cages. It may be for lack of anyone else to talk to in her life, and it's almost certainly in part due to the kindness shown thus far, but Imbroglio looks on the very verge of spilling all the beans.

She refrains, in the end. Instead she responds to the question with a curious nod of confirmation. She does want to know.

Blink has posed:
"That the /real/ monsters, don't look like monsters." Clarice opines in her most serious of voices. "The /real/ monsters are all dark and twisted on the inside... Emotionally and mentally I mean. They don't see people, they see things that can get them what they want." And if her knees come up so she can hug them? Well it /is/ still early yet, even in Genosha it's cool at this time of the morning.

"You might be full of dark magics and having to fight them all the time. But unless you're a /really/ good actress, I don't think you, Dana, are the monster." She offers a rueful smile, her two pence spent. "That's what I learnt anyway..."

Imbroglio has posed:
Imbroglio looks down at herself, as if checking whether or not she looks like a monster right now. She looks back to Blink a moment later.

"... you really are nice. And definitely a hero," Dana repeats her earlier sentiments at Blink's words, smiling a little at this. It seems to have helped, at least.

Blink has posed:
Blink stares a moment, green eyes glowing in the morning's gloom. But then she's grinning against, letting one knee fall sideways so she's sitting more comfortably.

"Did you want me to grab you a jumper or something? You keep looking at yourself..." Maybe the flesh suit wasn't seeming such a good idea anymore? "And thanks Dana, it's good to hear I'm doing alright in my hero'ing."

Imbroglio has posed:
"I can change, when my weight isn't a worry anymore," Dana answers back to Clarice with a grateful smile, "And I think I will... unless we're going to go beat up bad guys after all."

It seems like maybe the flesh suit wasn't such a good idea, or at least she didn't expect to have anyone looking at it for more than a few seconds at a time. Not so good for socializing.

Blink has posed:
"Well we can /try/ and find some bad guys..." She looks at the sun climbing it's way up the horizon. "But I'm going to need to go pretend to be well rested before too much longer... How about a hot drink and I'll let you get back to it?" Because you know... Time difference.

Imbroglio has posed:
"Oh. Oh, right. I guess it's morning," Dana realizes, looking back to the sunrise she'd been staring at. At least, it's morning where they are now. She looks back to Blink, "I don't want to keep you up too late. Is there a way I can find you again?"

Blink has posed:
"Sure!" A tiny notebook and stub of pencil is grabbed from the small belt around her waist, scribbling out a number and handing it over. "Best to text, international rates to Genosha are /crazy/!" The young teen stands, doing her best to lock her jaw around a yawn so as not to give away exactly /how/ sleepy she is.

"I've got a few hours to sleep yet, then it'll be all training, working and uh... I guess more training!" The grin on her face gives tell to her outlook on her life, which is pretty damn positive! "Want me to send you back where you were?" There's a hand half raised, ready and willing.

Imbroglio has posed:
Dana takes the number, holding it to her chest a little possessively. She doesn't make many friends, it seems. Or at least doesn't get many numbers that aren't on business cards.

"Good luck with your training. Back where I was is fine, yes," she answers back with a quiet, shy smile. And so they part ways.