4348/Flower Power

Flower Power
Date of Scene:	27 April 2018
Location:	Watchtower
Synopsis:	Meeting the newest member of the Justice League
Cast of Characters:	Superman, Green Lantern (Cruz)

---

Superman has posed:
Superman does spend a lot of time on Earth. That said, there are cool places like the arboretum up in Watchtower that a man can just walk around, enjoy some flowers, and not be distrubed. Also...the fact that it's a bit less crowded up here cause you can't quite just catch an Uber to Watchtower doesn't hurt either. For now though, there's a new recruit to meet and so he's put on his best stern face, is in the Superman 'uniform' as it were, and his cape drifts lightly behind him as he walks, the edge occasionally brushing the blades of grass or the edges of some of the plants. He didn't set a specific time, just said 'this evening' and so your arrival will find him with his back to the entrance, his gaze looking out the open windows towards the planet. Following the weather patterns, the flow of the clouds, even from up here being able to see close enough to watch the tides and currents if he focuses, his arms are folded and he looks every bit the solitary hero that he is.

Green Lantern (Cruz) has posed:
Keen eyes might see a small green spark ascending from the ground and heading towards the Watchtower. Lanterns are hardly subtle. And soon enough, the new recruit steps into the arboretum, nodding slowly. A wise choice. Plants were her only real friends for several years while she was playing hermit in her own home.

She stops within ten feet of Superman, to the side, to look out the window. She knows that he can hear her so she decides to wait patiently, enjoying the flowers, and wondering just how they managed redwood trees up here.

Superman has posed:
He turns after a moment, smiling. "You know...I hope you all don't take this the wrong way, but it doesn't always make me feel warm and fuzzy when I see green glowing things flying towards me." You know, that whole 'Kryptonite' thing. Still, he smiles and holds out a hand as he walks over. "I'm Cla...well I guess really Kal-El," he says playfully. His tone is friendly, relaxed. "I'm probably supposed to affect a stern face as the Justice League...well part of the founding members. Let you know that this is serious business and that you have a great responsibility...but my guess is you already know all that or you wouldn't be here...and wouldn't have been chosen as you were. That's how it works if I recall correctly? The Lanterns choose you?" He gestures to a place to sit, and while there are plenty of benches he prefers to find a nice tree to lean back against. "So how about...instead of all that lecture stuff, you tell me about you?"

Green Lantern (Cruz) has posed:
Jessica Cruz nods and shakes your hand. "It is an honor, Kal-El. I am Jessica Cruz." She then listens to what you have to say. "Yes. 'You have the ability to overcome great fear'," she muses, gazing out. She creates a construct chair for herself and another in front of her if you choose to use it. "That's what Anillo told me when it came for me. After I fought the twisted Ring of Volthoom to a standstill till it left me out of disgust." She rubs her right arm with her left hand. "I still bear its scars - I might till the day I die. Physical... and mental. But the willpower to resist that depraved artifact... is what drew my new ring."

Superman has posed:
Seeing the chair he gets up, and for a moment he pokes it. Not out of fear, though you can imagine that still, Green is not his favorite color. He looks to you though, as you rub your arm as you talk about scars. He could use his X-ray vision and possibly look at them but he tends not to be that invasive, so he nods his head. "What is a Ring of Volthoom?" It's interesting cause you don't actually know what he does - does he know about it? Has he been briefed? Or is he truly completely out of the know about the item. And so the Paragon of Justice settles down into the construct chair and purses his lips, nodding his head as he puts his hands on the arms, and it holds his structure. Looking at you, he grins, that smile that reminds people that Superman can be impressed and isn't that old, "Neat...." he says, before waiting for your answer to the question.

Green Lantern (Cruz) has posed:
Jessica Cruz blinks. "Yes, I know, green glowy things are hardly a Kryptonian's best friend but... it's all I can do. I don't think you'd like me as much if it was... red for example." She sighs softly. "It's... a dark mirror of a Lantern Ring... similar, but worse. It has the spirit of a madman inside, who feeds on its bearer's fears. It tried to make me do horrible things. Literally rooted itself in my arm. Couldn't remove it." She then asks, "Wait... you're teammates iwth Hal - haven't you ever sat in a construct chair before?" she asks blankly.

Superman has posed:
You can feel his gaze on you, watching, as you talk. One of the problems with Superman is that when you're in front of him, telling a story, it's not just your words - it's all of you. Your gesture, your breathing, your body language - hell, the littlest trickle of perspiration forming is enough to be a give-away or a tell as it were. Not that it means you're lying but it's all those little reactions that make up for him who a person is. On the flip side, he also learns so much by their breathing, their heart rate, the perfume they wear or the body wash they like - he's a person who truly has a 'sense' of all the people in his life and its because he experiences them, not just sees or talks to them. "That sounds...miserable," he says, almost a bit of heartbreak in his tone as he looks to you for a moment, then back to that arm before he nods. "What was yours? Your greatest fear?" But then he laughs as you mention the chair and he shakes his head. "Not really, no. I mean, we have chairs already so...kinda overkill at least down at the Hall."

Green Lantern (Cruz) has posed:
Jessica Cruz gulps at that question, freezing for a moment. "I'd rather... not discuss that..." she whispers in a small voice, then shakes her head. "Sorry... I... I have to face my fears. I know it's one of my liabilities... I'd be useless if a Yellow came by..." She sighs softly. "My biggest fears are my family being used against me. My sister mainly... not really any other family." She sighs softly. "And it was hell on Earth - but I didn't go along with it. I fought and fought till it gave up. That willpower... is what brought Anillo to me."

Superman has posed:
"There's facing your fears and there's privacy. You don't have to share if you're not ready yet," he says, waving a hand where even as you tell you don't have to go into too much detail. "It's the challenge to some degree of the life we live, though even moreso for you, since it's what brought you to here. I could fall in love with someone but what would that do if anyone found out who I was out there? It's...it's what makes it so hard to become part of what it means to be part of Earth, and yet one of the biggest reasons to protect it is that connection between people." He gives a little sigh and stands up, looking to you as he clearly plans to walk again. "Sounds like you've had quite the adventure so far. What brought you to our little gaggle of heroes?" He says that last word, hero...fairly self-depricating. It's a given title, an adjective, but hardly a mantle he takes easily.

Green Lantern (Cruz) has posed:
Jessica Cruz shrugs. "Wonder Woman encountered me fighting off someone who drank a Mr. Hyde potion or something and was crashing his ex's wedding. He was crazy-strong and firebreathing - she even tossed me her sword, and... I chose mercy, smiting him down instead of slaying." She smiles faintly. "Basically, I think I impressed her, and thus I ended up here. Would be good to connect with Hal again."

Superman has posed:
"Well, if Wonder Woman was impressed by you, then far be it for me to hold you hostage," he says, and his admiration for Diana Prince is obvious. "There's no secret handshake or cool little ring ... ok scratch that you actually have a cool ring. What I mean to say is that there's no special ritual or ceremony. We need people who care about others more than themselves, and who want to see humanity and its better virtues succeed in place of its vices. Not that vice in moderation doesn't have a place, but it makes a poor ruler. If you can do that...well...then welcome aboard." He holds out his hand again, smiling to you before he says, with a wider grin. "Wanna race back," he says, pointing to the planet.