Owner	Pose
Mary Marvel	It's January in New York, which means a light snowfall. Much of Coney Island doesn't get traffic on days like today, the sky a gun-metal gray as snow falls in flurries. Mary is stress-testing the new (used) pea coat and gloves over her flannel blouse, jeans, and snow boots. Also from Goodwill, of course, but she feels very warm. She looks out at the water, enjoying a day off from school, her hands in the pockets of her coat. A moment of peace in the chaos...
Amethyst	There's a swirl in the air. At first, it looks just like it might be a trick of the wind, as the snow spirals up into whorls in the air. But then there's light, too. Sofr white at first, then shading into tinges of purple as it gets brighter, before erupting into a disk in the air. From out of it steps Amethyst...decidedly NOT dressed for a winter day. "Brr!" she says, as she steps through, looking about.
Mary Marvel	Mary BLINKS. "What in the world?" she asks, then duhs. Silly question. Then she notices the woman is...well, not dressed for cold weather. She looks...well, she's got that Amazon look to her. You know, the armor, the sword, the tiara. She's...very lovely. And very COLD, Mary Batson. Focus! What can you do? Well...there IS her coat. It is a couple of sizes larger - with Goodwill, you sorta take what you can get - but it could fit her. The brown-haired girl with the heavy coat waves to Amethyst, then begins unbuttoning the coat. "Hey! Hi!" she says, her voice misting in the cold air.
Amethyst	Amethyst is already starting to reach towards the amulet around her neck...and then Mary announces her presence, and she moves it away, keeping her hand loose at her side. "Uhh...hi there. I realize this must look kind of strange..." Portal, Amethyst. Close the portal. She opens her left hand, which is holding an amethyst crystal, and taps it once, the glowing disk in the air closing behind her.
Mary Marvel	Mary snerks...then snickers. "Oh, ma'am, if you are worried that I've seen something STRANGE in New York City, TRUST me, that ship sailed a LONG time ago!" She beckons to Amethyst as she pulls off her coat. "Come on over here and put this on before you freeze! That's some nice-looking armor, but I don't think cold weather is something it will defend against."
Amethyst	"But if you give me your coat, then you'll be freezing. That's no good." Amethyst points out. She reaches up and DOES touch that necklace this time, her clothes reforming around her as the armor shifts into jeans, winter boots, and a winter coat. "That's much better. But thank you, you're very kind to offer."
Mary Marvel	Mary blinks. "WOWWW..." she says with undisguised awe. After a moment, a chill breeze reminds her she took her coat off and she immediately puts it back on. Ahhh, warmth. As she buttons up the coat, she says, "Uhm...hi! I'm Mary Batson. This is Coney Island, New York City,, New York State, United States of America, Planet Earth, Sol System, the Milky Way..." She pauses. "Uhm...oh, yeah, January 18th, 2028!" She nods. "I think I got everything."
Amethyst	"I'm..." Amethyst hesitates a moment, then looks back. "I'm Lady Amethyst of House Amethyst, of Nilaa, Gemworld." She responds in kind. "And thank you. You're very kind and welcoming. It's a pleasure to meet you, Mary." She considers her surroundings. "My portal didn't open where I expected it to. I don't suppose you could show me to someplace I could stay?"
Mary Marvel	Mary's eyes widen. "Wow. Royalty? REALLY? I never met an alien princess before. Well, I met an Atlantean one, though. That oughtta count." She looks around, then looks thoughtful. "Uhm...well, I don't know if you...okay, you probably don't have money. Well, my foster family has a room open. It's in Brooklyn. It's not like a CASTLE or anything, but it's warm, comfortable, my foster parents are amazing people..." She stops. "Uhm, listen, if that's okay with you, I should probably call them beforehand. Ask them if it's okay with them. But if it is, would you like to stay?"
Amethyst	"I have no local money, though I do have precious stones. And there are services I can perform." Amy frowns a little as she extends the offer. "I wouldn't be a burden? I don't wish to impose." The offer is very tempting, though. "But if it isn't a burden, I'd really appreciate it." Amethyst states with a smile.
Mary Marvel	Mary beams, elevating her mildly-pretty face to lovely with sudden and heartfelt warmth. "Okay! Hang on!" She pulls out a phone - a flip phone, no iPhone for her - and dials. She smiles encouragingly to Amethyst. "Amethyst of Gemworld. Wow...I, hello?" She looks back to the phone. "Mom? Hi, it's Mary. Yes, the coat works great. Yes, I PROMISE to thank the nice police detective for helping out. Listen, I have a favor. There's this lady." She pauses. "You might want to sit down. Okay. She's-a-princess-from-another-world-and-she-needs-a-place-to-stay!" She says the request in quick succession, a burst of verbal machinegun-fire. A pause. "No, it's not just Miss Charlston, she's taking her meds this week. Her name is...get this...AMETHYST. She comes from a place called Nilaa, on Gemworld." Another pause, then her face grows solemn. "Mom, I Double-Dog SWEAR it."
Amethyst	Amethyst watches this conversation, apparently really amused. "I need to get one of those." She wonders idly who Miss Charlston is, but says "If it would be easier for your mom, we can talk to her at your house." she offers. "Maybe convince her I'm at least not dangerous, issues of sanity aside."
Mary Marvel	Mary takes a deep breath. "Mom...she's got no place to stay. Remember what you told me? Well, I'm putting my money where my mouth is. She needs help. You helped me and Billy and Freddy when we needed it. She can use the spare room. She says she has precious stones, and we can...Mom. THIS IS THE RIGHT THING." She pauses again. "Just for room and board. Set up an account. Got it." She grins. "THANKS! I'll tell her!" She hangs up the phone, eyes bright. "Okay! These are the ground rules. Dad knows a diamond exchange guy who can buy gemstones. You and he can go together. He's going to open an account for you at our bank, if you want to set up a bank account. It's a place to store money until you need it. Otherwise, you can get a little safe-box to keep it yourself. You can use the funds to cover room and board. Don't worry, Dad's not going to gouge you. Three meals a day, requests for special food requirements are covered, and you get your own room, your own bed, and a key to the house."
Amethyst	"I don't have any paperwork that would let me set up things like that." Amethyst explains. "But definitely, we can pursue this. Thank you, Mary. You're a lifesaver. If you can get us to your house, I'll go with your dad and we can sort all of this." She reaches to her belt, and takes out a pouch, fishing out a few marble-sized gemstones from it. "Here. You carry these. As a show of good faith." She reaches out her hand, palm up, to offer them to Mary.
Mary Marvel	Mary looks at them for a moment. They are beautiful. But there is right and wrong. "Amethyst...I can't take those now. All ya got is my word. When you're ready, you can give them to Dad. After you see the place. And after Dad feeds you. He made beef stew for dinner tonight." She chuckles. "Just the right kind of meal on a cold day." She points to the subway station. "We can go home that way. Hope you don't mind traveling underground."
Amethyst	Amethyst frowns a little. "And all you have is my word. But I will do as you ask, Mary. You are a very noble woman." She smiles. "And I will travel any way you want. Though I could fly us there if that's easier." She offers, as she looks over.
Mary Marvel	Mary looks up. It's a little too soon to show her EVERYTHING. "Mayyybe we should stick to the subway. It's not far, we can talk and ride, and I can avoid risking frostbite. It's colder than a witch's kiss up there."
Amethyst	"Sure, that sounds great. Err...although I might have to borrow money for the fare. Until I go with your dad. I don't think they'll take gemstones." She moves to walk on with Mary, heading for the subway.
Mary Marvel	Mary invests the few dollars she has to get Amethyst a subway card. it's for a better cause than Reese's Pieces. On the way there, Mary gives Amethyst a basic run-down of the existence of superheroes, aliens, and other weird events. She also reveals the existence of the Internet, and promises lessons in navigating it ("You don't just follow anything on the Internet, TRUST ME") and suggests a couple of smartphones ("...outta my price range, but mine works...") and promises tutelage in using that as well. She also promises to show Amethyst her Superhero Database, including her stuff on SHIELD. "We might want to see about talking to them and get official status for you so you can walk around without worrying about having ID and stuff..." she says as they head up the walk to the house. The house is, indeed, no castle. A basic ranch house, with a large backyard flanked by trees, but it is clean, the lawn trimmed, and the house looks like it has stood for decades and will stand for decades more. The door opens as they get close and a beefy older man holds the door open for them. "So, this is Amethyst? She looks like royalty, that's for sure! Welcome to our humble home, Your Highness." The inside of the home is in muted colors, browns, greens, blues. Old wood, shag carpet, linoleum in the kitchen...but it is kept in good order like the outside, and the entire entry area is rich with the hearty smell of beef stew.
Amethyst	Amethyst listens, interested. She walks in with Mary, looking about, and she smiles as they enter. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Batson. You've raised a very noble daughter." She pauses, and then adds "And dinner smells fantastic." She reaches to her belt, taking those gemstones out. "Mary says you can help me turn these into local money."
Mary Marvel	The man smiles. "Bromfield, actually. Mary keeps her last name because it's her family name, and we don't try to force the issue." He takes the stones, peering at them. "Yer Highness, I don't know much about stones, but we can see Hirsch tomorrow, and he'll get you a good dollar value for them." He hands them back to Amethyst. "Keep them. They ain't mine anyways." He smiles disarmingly. "Now...have a seat, Lady Amethyst. Table's already set. Freddy and Billy are having a sleepover, so it's you two, me, and the missus, and she's dolling herself up once she took a gander at you walkin' up the drive." He winks. Mary heads to the kitchen. "What do you want to drink? We got water, milk, juice...dunno if you've ever had soda, but you can try it. It's kinda fizzy."
Amethyst	Amethyst smiles. "Water will be just fine, thank you. And thank you for your hospitality. Is there any way I can help?" she offers. "It only seems fair." She seems composed, despite the unusual situation. She'll reach up to touch her amulet again, and her clothes shift to match what Mary's wearing. When in Rome, as the saying goes.
Mary Marvel	Mr. Bromfield blinks. "Well...ain't that something." "Dad...she STILL gets to use the closet." The man chuckles. "We got everything ready to go. Figure we can talk about the important stuff over dinner." The stew comes in large bowls, with green beans and thick slabs of crusty Italian bread. Mary digs in as Mr. Bromfield talks between bites. "Rent comes at the beginning of every week. We'll discuss what you can pay, but it tops out at $100 per week, max. If you stay for less than a month, we won't ask for money for utilities. If you stay longer, we can get into that. If you need special foods or something like that, make a list." "I'll take her to the grocer the first time, Dad." "Perfect." He looks to Amethyst. "Mary's got good instincts, so if you accept, you get a key to the front door. You have to keep your room clean. Linen closet's down the hall. I dunno if you had servants where you come from, but here you have to pull your weight or compensate people to help you. We won't force you to do chores, but doing chores here means you have a say in what's going on in the house."
Amethyst	"I did have servants." Amethyst admits. "But I am not too proud to work for my own keep." She'd like to be more open, but there are secrets SHE isn't ready to reveal yet, either. "I'm certain the price is reasonable. Mary wouldn't have led me astray. And I'll try to find a place of my own once I get my feet under me here. The sooner we can get the wealth converted, the better, I think."
Mary Marvel	An elderly lady appears at the hallway. She is wearing her pantsuit and giving Mr. Bromfield the stink-eye. "And you dressed like THAT," she chides him. Mr. Bromfield smiled widely. "Lady Amethyst, may I present my better half, my doting wife, Nina." Mrs. Bromfield bows slightly. "Charmed, Lady Amethyst." "Grab some stew while there's still some, honey." Mr. Bromfield chuckles. "And I think you should have a little chat with SHIELD. They have experience working with aliens from other worlds. Mary says they could help with immigrant status, and I believe her, because she knows anything about superheroes. Even more than Freddy, although I wouldn't say it in his presence. SHIELD should be a good step to take when establishing yourself here in the city and on Earth in general."
Amethyst	Amethyst says "I would as soon not be tangled with local governments if I can." She says, a little hesitantly. "Let's just say that dealing with other cultures is something I've had...mixed experiences with. I would rather be quiet, at least for now." She grins at Mary. "A superhero expert?" she asks.
Mary Marvel	Mary grins. "Oh, you better believe it! I've got my own database on all the big names and a lot of the smaller ones. You want to know about a particular one, I'll give you all I have on them. I even have a few autographs." "You can show her your autograph book after dinner, Mary." Mr. Bromfield looks to Amethyst. "Then if you want to stay under the radar, then you can stay here. No one here's going to mouth off about 'the new tenant,' right, Mary?" "Yes, Dad." She sticks her tongue out at him. He sighs melodramatically. "See what I have to deal with? Anyway...you can stay and be quiet as long as you have to." He looks to Mary. "...I only ask one thing. Do not lie to anyone here. If you don't want us to know, then you tell us that. If you don't know, tell us you don't know. If it's for our safety that you not tell us, tell us that. But if I catch you in a lie, you're gone."
Amethyst	Amethyst hesitates a moment, but then she nods. "Agreed." She looks over. "There are some things I may not say, but I won't lie to you." She smiles back. "I would like to see your database though. After dinner." She takes several bites of her dinner. "This is very well-made. You should be proud."
Mary Marvel	Mr. Bromfield nods, relaxing slightly. "We can handle that just fine. We know not to ask if it's none of our business. And I am proud. My wife's the best cook in Brooklyn." "Sass me no sass, Frank." After dinner, Mr. Bromfield shoos Mary and Amethyst out of the kitchen with a "Show our new tenant her room, Mary." The room isn't large, but there is a queen-size bed, dresser, desk, and side-table. There are fresh sheets and a furry-looking comforter on the bed. "The furry ones are warmest," Mary says. "Now, the bathroom is to the left, next door. Knock before entering, always. TRUST me." Mary makes a gagging sound. "There is a hamper in the closet. If you need help with doing the laundry, ask me. Better yet, ask me if there's any help you need with anything." She sits on the edge of the bed.
Amethyst	Amethyst heads up towards her room, and then looks amused at Mary's commentary. "Yes, from the sounds of things, two brothers?" she asks, curiously. "And no other sisters? I'll probably need your help most with...well, just getting used to things. Is this something appropriate for normal day wear?" she asks, indicating what she and Mary are wearing, as she moves over to sit on the bed, experimentally.
Mary Marvel	Mary smiles. "There's another girl, Darla. She's younger. She is out at the movies with a few of her friends." She looks at Amethyst. "Well, you've got a pretty good grip on casual stuff. I can show you other stuff. Dad said you should probably get a computer. I think a good laptop...that's a portable computer...should help you find stuff." She looks around. "May I ask you a personal question?"
Amethyst	Amethyst replies "I think getting one of those might be a good idea. And of course you can ask...though given the promise I made to your dad, I may have to not answer. But I promise I'll do my best to answer if I can." She smiles. "After all, you gave me a fuzzy blanket."
Mary Marvel	Mary takes a deep breath, "Okay...why are you here? And I don't mean some existential thing, or here in this house, THAT I already know. Why did you come to Earth?"
Amethyst	Amethyst sighs, and runs her hand through her hair. "Because after several years, I finally have things in order on Gemworld. At least, as much as I can. Which brings me here. My people call this First Home. Our people originated here. And there are mysteries about that that I need to unfold."
Mary Marvel	Mary nods. "Okay. All right. That sounds..." Her eyes grew starry. "...that sounds like a QUEST. A HERO'S JOURNEY!" She jumps up and seems to hop around, absurdly excited. "That's...ohmigod ohmigod ohmigod...!" She seems to come to a decision, and is suddenly in front of Amethyst, eyes intent. "I want to help you! I want to help you any way I can. And I can do it, too!" She looks to the window, then back to Amethyst. "...I have a secret I want to share with you. It will explain why I think I can help you."
Amethyst	Amethyst looks surprised at Mary's reaction, watching with wide eyes, and then she nods, standing. "All right? What is the secret you want to share?" She's clearly interested, but she's come to trust Mary in the short time she's known her.
Mary Marvel	Mary looks around, then grins. She heads to the window, then lifts it and steps out through it, holding it open for Amethyst to come through before closing it slowly. She practically scampers over to the trees at the far end of the yard. She feel energized already, as if she's halfway there, already. She turns to face Amethyst, hands clenched into fists, her smile bright. "Okay...stand about ten feet away. You should be good, there." Another breath. "Okay...let me know when you're ready for a shock." She giggles at the word.
Amethyst	Amethyst moves over to the window, heading out with Mary. "All right?..." She stops ten feet away from Mary, as the brunette asks her to. "I'm ready?..." Not that she's sure what she's ready for, but she's ready!
Mary Marvel	Mary takes a deep breath, then looks into Amethyst's eyes. "SHAZAM!" A lightning bolt lances down out of a clear night sky and strikes Mary. For a moment, the flash obscures everything. When it fades, the teenage girl with the second-hand clothes is gone. A fair maiden in a gleaming red costume dress, with a flowing white cape and boots, with golden bracers to complete the image, stands before Amethyst. The wide lightning bolt on her chest glows with mystic power. Then the girl smiles widely. "I am a superheroine. I am called...Mary MARVEL." https://i.imgur.com/GlCUOfz.jpg
Amethyst	Despite the warning, Amethyst JUMPS at the lightning bolt, giving an exclamation in something-that-isn't-English. Her hand darts to where her sword would be hanging, except her sword isn't there because she changed her attire. "You just got hit by /lightning/!" She stares, looking over at Mary. She /seems/ okay, though. And Amethyst can clearly sense the magical power there. "The magic is strong." she adds.
Mary Marvel	Mary Marvel steps forward, all hesitation and uncertainty gone. "A couple of months ago, a wizard reached out to me. Chose me for this. Said I was worthy. That if I said his name, his power would flow through me. But I am not the power. It does not belong to me. I have to use it...to help people. And I want to help you, if you are truly set on doing something noble and right. I admire that..." She smiles softly. "And I can do amazing things, Lady Amethyst..."
Amethyst	Amethyst steps up. "What can you do?" she asks, already clearly impressed. "You look like yourself, but not yourself. Older, I think." She watches, lifting a hand, palm out, towards the lightning bolt, like she's somehow feeling the energy.
Mary Marvel	A tendril of energy, like the arc of electricity, curves outward to flow into Amethyst's hand. There is no pain, no alarm, but the sense of some...unfathomable power within Mary. :"I can fly...at the speed of light. I can lift battleships. I can shrug off damage that can destroy buildings...there are others, but these are enough to go on. But there is the power that is most important, more than these others. That's the power to help people. I could help you when you needed help." She giggled softly. "And I didn't even have to say the word to do that."
Amethyst	"That comes from your heart, and your kindness." Amethyst says. She /yanks/ her hand back when the tendril flows, not wanting her Catalyst magic to possibly interfere with Mary's. "Then you are more powerful by far than I am. I couldn't have asked for a better partner, if that's what you're looking to do."
Mary Marvel	Mary practically shines at the word "partner." "I want to do great and noble things to help others, Lady Amethyst. I will help you in such things. And I look forward to it."