7325/Do Martians Blink

Do Martians Blink
Date of Scene:	25 April 2019
Location:	Giza, Egypt, and a lake in the Alps
Synopsis:	Blink meets J'onn in Egypt, they pair go to the Alps, then plan a meal in Italy
Cast of Characters:	Blink, Martian Manhunter

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Blink has posed:
It is morning in Genosha, the sun just rising. Clarice climbs out of bed, yawning and goes to get a quick shower. Princess Lorna didn't mention needing her today, so rather than put on her costume that is her regular attire, Clarice slips into a t-shirt with long sleeves and a pair of pants. She makes herself a pot of coffee and then pours it into a thermos and grabs a mug, cream, sugar and some fresh croissants. Glancing at her watch, she sees it is time to go if she wants to spot the sunrise further west and to the north, up in Giza, Egypt, as she is sometimes wont to do.

A gesture causes a portal to open, rimmed in purple energy. To anyone who happens to be looking at the top of the Great Pyramid, the faint light from it might stand out. Clarice steps through, covering the thousand plus miles in a single step and letting the portal close behind her.

Egypt is still dark, but the sky is starting to lighten in the East. Clarice moves over to sit on that edge, her legs dangling over the side. She pours some of the coffee into a mug, then adds some lots of cream and sugar until it is just a light tan. Finally she pulls out a croisssant and tears off a little bit to nibble on while she waits for the sun to make it to the edge of the horizon.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn , maybe coincidentally, had an idea similar to that of Clarice, even if in his case breakfast is an unnecessary thing and so he didn't even think about bringing it with him. Being unable to teleport, so far, he has to resort to the basic superhero method of transportation, and that means that he actually took off from the watchtower to fly at superspeed to the great pyramid where Blink is having her breakfast. While approaching, he seems just an unidentified small something in the sky, an unidentified something that seems to notice a glow on top of the great pyramid and so it is there he aims his flight.
Currently in the shape of a human male, athletically built and definitely taller than the average, J'onn is now gently descending towards the great pyramid, and so towards its breakfasting occupant, and probably will land in a few seconds.

Blink has posed:
The purple-haired girl lacks any special senses, so spotting the flying figure against the dark backdrop of the sky isn't likely to happen. Not at least until he's closer, and maybe silhouetted against the horizon more where the sky is starting to turn lovely shades of orange and red.

Blink glances up, throat tightening just a little bit in concern. She figures no one is supposed to be up here. But then it's a great big flat expanse of stone. How is she going to harm it? And she's always careful to take her things with her when she leaves.

Still, she's a little concerned. Does Egypt have superheroes? Do they police the no-trespassing areas around the pyramid and Sphynx? Ok, probably not. Still, the thought of opening a portal home lingers in her mind. But instead she stays there, waiting for the flying figure to land. When he does, she raise her hand and give a friendly little wave of greeting.

The twenty-year-old Asian girl's irises are very unlike other people. A vivid shade of green that is not normal. The purple hair could be thought to be dyed, and even the birthmarks around her eyes normal. But the eyes? They probably spell her out as a mutant rather clearly.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn lands gently a few feet away from the woman, offering a smile and a wave in answer to her own greeting. Since they're in egypt, the first form of greetings he tries is in egyptian, a calm "good morning" as he now studies the woman even if very discretely.
He looks human, everything would just make it seem a perfectly average human, if it wasn't for the fact that well, he just landed on top of a pyramid coming from the sky, and that is a hint that maybe not everything is as it seems. No other physical attributes however would give it away.

Blink has posed:
Blink looks up at the tall, powerfully built man as he alights gently on the stone pyramid-top. She swallows down a tiny gulp as maybe her fear of Egyptian superheroes pressed into tourist crowd control have come true as she hears him speaking Arabic to her. The mutant girl gives a small, apologetic shake of her head and uses her hands to make that universal shrug to show she doesn't understand him.

"I'm sorry, I only know English," she tells him, speaking the words extra slow and enunciating them clearly, just in case he only knows a little English. Clarice's eyes fall on the croissants and she picks up the box, offering one to him. "Would you like a croissant?" she offers.

If he is an Egyptian Super Cop? Hopefully this won't constitute bribery.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn smiles and nods slightly, extending his right hand to accept the offered croissant. "thank you, and english is fine anyways!" he replies in perfect english, maybe he is not a cop here to arrest her! Maybe... He'd walk forward, sitting on the edge of the pyramid to the woman's right "here to see the sunrise?" he asks, taking a bite from the croissant

Blink has posed:
Blink lets out her breath in a relieved-sounding sigh as it seems the man is ok with her presence there. And he speaks English! The Asian girl gives him a friendly smile as she says, "Oh good. I've never run into anyone else up here."

Clarice glances towards the distant desert horizon. "Yes. I like to come up here to watch it sometimes," she says, stealing glances over the man occasionally rather than stare at him too closely. "And you? Is that what brought you?" she asks.

Clarice tears a bit off of the croissant. It was made the night before so is still nice and flaky and fresh, with butter cooked into it. Picked up from a little bakery in France, where butter is a staple. Clarice nibbles the bit of light pastry as she continues to steal glances towards J'onn. "I'm Clarice," she offers, extending her hand to him.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn keeps eating the croissant, making a pleased expression "this is very good actually..." he comment, speaking about the above mentioned food, then nod at the question "the sight seems wonderful, from here... I come here too, from time to time, not that often though..." he admits, extending his right hand too to shake Clarice's offered hand. "J'onn, pleased to meet you, Clarice..." he introduces himself, even giving his real name since he, well, just landed here anyways so burning his human identity for the day, not that this is the only one but...

Blink has posed:
Blink shakes J'onn's hand back. It doesn't seem to trigger any realization of his identity, not with him having that human guise. "Really nice to meet you... J'onn..." Clarice says, and saying his name slowly as she looks to him for confirmation she got the accent right in it. "I get it from a beautiful little bakery in Nice," she says, of the pastry. Blink gets a soft smile, seeming pleased that he's like the croissant. She has a rather shy and simple way to her most of the time.

"The sky gets so beautiful here. Especially when there's been a bit of a sandstorm the night before. I think it's the light scattering on the dust, or something," Clarice says as her eyes go back to the distant horizon. Not long now. "So are you a superhero, J'onn?" she asks.

Clarice picks up her mug and takes a sip of the coffee that's turned almost to a latte by how much cream she added. "Would you like some coffee as well?" Clarice asks as she realizes she hasn't offered any to him yet.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn smiles back "well that is a nice shop, that's sure!" he admits, and indeed the croissant is almost finished. Apparently he likes it, even if he doesn't really need to eat. "Ah sure, if you have enough for the both of us..." he then adds about the coffee...
Nodding to confirm that Clarice's pronunciation was indeed the right one, he seems to be thoughtful for a second before answering the question "I, am in the league, yes... So uhm, I suppose I am?"

Blink has posed:
Blink hops to her feet when J'onn expresses his preference on the coffee. "Let me just get you a mug," she says. She gestures with her hand and there's a brief magenta blur from her hand which then opens up into another portal, rimmed with purple energy. A kitchen counter and cabinet are visible practically within arm's reach through the portal that is tall enough even for he to walk through without stopping.

Blink only need step halfway through to open up a cabinet and pull out another mug. She steps back and closes the portal as she returns to her seat and pours him a mugful from the thermos. "here are cream and sugar if you like them," she says as she offers the mug, plus sets the containers of the additives down between them.

As the conversation resumes and J'onn mentions the league, Clarice pauses for a moment. The purple-haired mutant's facial expression suggests her mind is whirring. League, which league. THE League? But who would that make him? And then pieces must fall in place. "Are you... are you the Martin Manhunter?" Blink asks, the vivid green eyes widening fully with surprise.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn looks at the use of Clarice's powers, nodding appreciatively "well that is surely a nice power to have!" he comments, accepting the mug with a smile without adding anything to the coffee, taking a small sip of it and commenting "this is good too!"
Clarice seems to make the right connections, so he just needs to confirm his identity with a nod. "exactly who I am, yes..."

Blink has posed:
It probably isn't the first time that J'onn will have sensed a bit of fangirl emotions from someone he meets. "Wow... I mean, wow. You're really, really amazing," Clarice says. Trying not to gush, but only partly succeeding. The girl is remembering herself, several years younger, and watching amazed on television as J'onn and Superman fought some threat while the TV cameras rolled.

Clarice rests her hands back in her lap once she's passed the coffee over to J'onn. "You're really an inspiration, sir," Clarice tells him. "I know a lot of kids back home who looked up to you." Herself included, though she's trying not to embarrass herself by letting him see just how big of a fan she is. Which of course just makes her thoughts on the matter stand out so he'll know, though she doesn't realize it.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn smiles at all the compliments, switching the mug to his right hand to try gently placing his left one on Clarice's right shoulder "thank you, Clarice! I am glad to be, well, inspiring for people... But no need to call me sir or anything, J'onn is just fine, really..." and he keeps smiling, retreating his hand now and taking the last sip of coffee from the mug

Blink has posed:
The gentle touch and the invitation to keep using his first name both are heartening to the shy mutant girl. "It's really nice to meet you. I didn't realize you came here or... stopped to watch sunrises. Or, I mean, not that you wouldn't. I never really considered it. Just, I'm sure you have so much to do all the time and... and I'm babbling and am going to stop now," she says, a faint bit of dusty rose coloring her cheeks by the end of that.

Clarice looks down to where her hands are clasped in her lap. "I am called Blink sometimes. I mean, I'm not a hero like you. But I'm a mutant. And I work for the royal family in Genosha," she tells him. Her thoughts stray. Magneto. Her thoughts have a feel of hero worship there. And then his daughter, Lorna, a green-haired mutant that Clarice looks up to like a big sister, but with a noted bit of reverence as well.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn chuckles at Clarice's words, smiling gently afterwards "well yes, lots of things to do but, not always... And sometimes I take breaks too! Plus, I decided that well, since I'm on heart, I'd better start understanding better human things so, watching sunrise, drinking coffee on top of a great monument, you know..." he looks briefly at the sky, the hint of an amused expression on his lips "being a hero is just a good action from everyone, Clarice! So who knows, maybe you are too?" and yes, he doesn't give away his picking of thoughts, for now at least

Blink has posed:
Blink looks over, soft green eyes focusing on J'onn as he talks. Some people find those eyes beautiful, others a little unnerving. Those who think the latter also seem to correlate with the group of people who don't like mutants, at that.

Clarice smiles softly as she listens. "I kind of know what you mean. It has taken me a while to get used to changes that have happened around me. And I'm still kind of new to being out and about in the rest of the world, on top of that even," she tells him.

There are brief flashes of memory. A tiny, dark hut with scant bedding on the ground. Someone bald with a large number tattooed on their forehead. Unpleasant feelings.

Clarice though is putting a soft smile on her face. "If I could ever help you with understanding something though? I mean, not that I'd probably be around anywhere you would. But if I was? I would be happy to try to help," Clarice offers to J'onn.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn can't actually do nothing to not see the brief flashes into the woman's mind, nor would he anyways, and this sends his mind on a serie of thoughts hidden behind a smiling expression however. "eh well, you are helping already! I mean, being alone to watch a sunrise on top of a gread monument, eating breakfast is a good thing, being on top of a great monument watching sunrise eating breakfast with someone is even better!" he chuckles "don't worry, I am almost totally sure we will meet again, in the future. I'm sure one of us will find the other and eh, well, travelling is not a problem at all right?"
he closes his eyes for a moment, reopening them immediately after to try looking directly in the woman's green ones, he doesn't find them unnerving at all! He's a green alien, after all. What he'd try to do, however, is sending a reassuring thought, a comforting one towards the woman's mind, almost like a blanket to be wrapped on painful memories to place them away, somewhere safe.

Blink has posed:
The young woman smiles warmly as J'onn speaks of his enjoying being there to watch the sunrise with her. And the smile grows as he mentions they may run into each other again. "I do travel around a lot," she confirms. "It is more difficult going somewhere I haven't been before, though. I can manage it with some study, but I get inaccurate. I have to be careful my portals don't hurt anyone as they open," she tells him.

The gentle telepathic influence does indeed help push the few darker memories from Clarice's conscious thoughts. She smiles over to him, not realizing the kindness that he's giving her. But feeling very comfortable in his presence as a result. Clarice tears off another bit of her croissant and nibbles it. "Do you like the food that we make here, then? What sorts of foods are your favorite?" she inquires.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn finished both coffee and croissant already, and speaking about his favourite food, he just has to say "oreos! I don't know what's that you humans put in those things but well, they're amazing..."
J'onn nods in understanding at the explanation given to him about the workings of portals, then he asks "do you have safe travelling zones, on the most frequented places? Like, I don't know, a small delimited area where you're sure nothing will be cut in half?" he then adds, almost as an afterthought "if you ever want to increase the database of visitable locations, let me know... I suppose I could, send you the coordinates, in a way..."

Blink has posed:
The sky is continuing to lighten in the East, the sun not far from being glimpsed for the first time of the new day. Clarice grins at the mention of Oreos. The young mutant woman then nods slowly as he discusses the safe traveling zones. "Only one place, really. My room back in Genosha. I have signs up not to enter without calling me first. Anywhere else? I figured out after awhile, I can open one portal up in the air high enough to be safe, and then look down and locate a clear area to be sure it is safe," she tells him. "Though a few places, like up here, that no one else ever comes, I don't always take that precaution with," she admits.

Clarice's head tilts to the side. "I would like to have more locations. How would you do that though? I need to have visited somewhere. Though if I look at maps and see pictures, or even current video - webcams are the best! - it really helps my accuracy if I haven't been there," she says.

And just then the sun edges over the horizon. The warm light shines upon them, as if promising to push away the fears and cold of night. Clarice looks over towards the sun and she gives a soft smile. Even if the smile doesn't show a note of sandness, J'onn will be able to sense it in her, a mix of emotions. A memory. Someone kissing her in this very spot, right as the sun broke the horizon. But the memory is bittersweet, the person gone from her life after, it seems.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
"this seems like a good strategy" J'onn admits, turning to look at the sun appearing with a smile. He keeps quiet, letting the moment linger in the air, this time though he doesn't blanket Clarice's memory away, he however tries to remove part of the bitterness from it with a light suggestion, the one to enjoy the goodness of it because, after all, every moment of a life shapes it and influences it, or at least that's the idea he tries to suggest.
Browsing through his own memories, he selects the perfect image of a place, a small mountain lake somewhere on the alpes it seems. He constructs the image of the place in every single detail, then gently tries to place the memory in Clarice's mind, in a way that she could even notice the new memory appearing. "well like this" he mumbles

Blink has posed:
Blink gazes over at the sunrise, having to shield her eyes a bit from the brightness of it, but not minding as that line of fire spreads across the horizon only to turn into the arc of the sun's sphere. She's warmed by the memory. It is a good memory for her overall, and there's the sense from it that the kiss is not something she's experienced many of. That little bit of sadness is left from her mind though, causing Clarice to smile for a few seconds longer before she refocuses her attention back to J'onn.

Blink looks over to him, expression curious. And then she's finding herself remembering the Alpine lake. With the clarity as if she was there right now, had just seen it and felt it and had only for a moment closed her eyes to remember the image. "I... wow..." Clarice says softly. Her tongue wets her lips and then she extends her hand slightly to open up a portal. Through it is a view looking down on the lake, from up above. Once she sees the shoreline is clear, Clarice opens a second portal beside it that steps right out onto the lakeshore at ground level, and closes the first one.

She hops up to her feet, dusting her bottom off and picking up the thermos, mug, and other items. "Show it to me?" she asks J'onn, and if allowed will reach her hand out towards him for him to take.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn stands up as well, just gently throwing the dust away with a bit of telekinesis, then lets Blink take his hand, wrapping his fingers about hers to step with her through the now safe portal into the new location. The temperature is a bit different, the position of the sun even more so, but the place seems nice, quiet, with the air smelling of clean nature

Blink has posed:
The colder air closes in on Clarice quickly, she wore a long sleeve shirt knowing Eygpt would be cool before the sun came up, but it's still a more tropical climate than the Alps by far. But she doesn't seem to mind yet, her face lighting up as she looks around the beautiful area. "I haven't really been to the Alps before," she tells J'onn as she looks around. "I've been through France and Germany, and Italy but not up in the mountains," she says.

Clarice's smile is just beaming. "That you helped me to know where it is, not just how it looks but... how it relates to the space around it, that helps so much," she tells him. She turns, pulling her eyes from the surrounding beautiful scenery to smile a beautiful smile over at the taller man. "This is... it's really sweet of you," she says, looking down and giving a warm, shy smile to him.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
"eh I thought that, well, the more accurate it was, the better you'd be to portal there!" J'onn admits, nodding then when hearing where the woman had been "I loved italy myself, they surely know how to cook there!" he however returns the smile with one of his own "it is a pleasure, Clarice..." he admits, glancing briefly around to contemplate the place, then adds "well whatever the place you'd want to be, I could find out the coordinates like I just did, either by having been there myself or, finding someone that did, I suppose.."

Blink has posed:
The girl's pretty green eyes shine over at J'onn with a deep warmth. "I think you're my new best friend," she says in a playful way before looking down and smiling warmly.

The young woman's eyes lift to look out at the placid lake. Though the thoughts and emotions that she exudes suggest she's gathering courage for... something. Finally she asks J'onn in a meek voice, "If you like Italian food, maybe you'd let me say thank you by buying you dinner there sometime?" She realizes she's still holding his hand and a faint bit of color comes into her cheeks. "I mean, if you... if you'd like to. I'll understand if you have to be... saving the world and all," she tells the hero.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn chuckles at the playful statement and says in an obviously overdramatic tone "eh, what can I say, I will have to accept that responsability, my newly acquired friend!"
He'll then give the hand a gentle squeeze, nodding slowly with a smile starting to form on his lips "I am sure I can find the time for a dinner or two or more, Clarice... But, there's no way I'll let you pay, be aware of that!"

Blink has posed:
The young woman's face lights up brightly at J'onn's answer. She squeezes his hand back and says, "If you have somewhere you'd like to go there? Or if not, I know a nice little place in a mountain town. Small village and small restaurant. This really nice couple who speak broken English. Which seemed to make it all the more charming to me that we had to work to talk," she tells him.

Indeed, J'onn will be able to see the place in her memory. A happy older Italian couple that have owned the restaurant all of their lives. Less than a dozen tables. But the place has a warm ambiance and a cozy feel to it. One can sense the love that the couple put into the place.

Martian Manhunter has posed:
J'onn nods quite entusiastically, especially after peeking into that memory to have a preview of the place "I like that restaurant already!" he smiles, adding "in the worst of cases, I could still manage a word or two of italian..." and indeed he tries with "I should have it learned at least a bit" this last sentence spoken in perfect italian, with no accent or the accent of someone coming from north italy, depending from who you ask.

Blink has posed:
To say that Blink has been charmed by the encounter with J'onn is a bit of an understatement. "Good then, I'll look forward to it," she tells him, shining that soft smile over to the taller man.

Clarice will clarify how to get in touch with him. Whether it means giving him her number, getting his, or just being told to think of him loudly and he'll know.

"I should be getting back. I have some drills I have to run through for work," she tells him. Clarice gives J'onn's hand one last squeeze before letting her fingers slip free. "Thank you for the company. I'll look forward to dinner," she'll tell him, before finally opening a pair of portals. One to take him back to Egypt if he wishes, the other to take her to her room in Genosha.