11024/Tea Time at Emi's

Tea Time at Emi's
Date of Scene:	04 May 2022
Location:	Emiko's Apartment
Synopsis:	A most excellent tea was shared, with a surprise appearance by Bart!
Cast of Characters:	Emiko Queen, Jonathan Sims, Bart Allen

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Emiko Queen has posed:
An invitation has gone out to one Jonathan Sims. An invitation to a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, to be held at Emiko Queen's newly refurbished apartment in Union Square. It is recommended to bring his appetite as a kaiseki ryori (multi-course haute cuisine) will be served as part of the ceremony. The invitation is sent by messenger, delivered on a small papyrus scroll bound with ribbon and wax seal. A car is sent to ferry him at the appropriate time and place, dropping him off in front of a two-story building that had clearly once been a commercial store on the bottom with living space upstairs. The downstairs has been completely blacked out, but a set of iron stairs lead up to the front door of the upstairs apartment.

And there, waiting to welcome him in, is Emiko Queen. She wears a full formal kimono, black with red and white cranes and flowers, over a white haneri. A white obiage is underneath a yellow obi and tied with a red obijime and black obidome. Her tabi are white and there are formal zori house slippers on her feet. Offering a deep bow from the waist, she straightens and smiles, "Please, welcome to my home. If you would remove your shoes, I will take your coat and lead you to the table. The first courtse is just about to be served, you are precisely on time."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jonathan Sims certainly has no lack of appetite to bring; he does hesitate over what to wear before deciding that if it's a proper formal ceremony he may as well wear something relatively nice. So he digs in his closet for a button-up and jacket and slacks that he hasn't worn in a couple of months, a pair of loafers that he used to put on every day. Now all he think is that loafers won't be much good if he runs into trouble along the way, that sneakers or boots are more comfortable and have better traction. That the jacket won't hang right if he wears his ICER. Waving that off--and leaving the ICER behind--he puts on his prosthetic almost defiantly. No tie, though. Jon hasn't worn a tie in /years/.

    He bows in return to the bow Emiko gives, a little awkwardly. He's more used to shaking hands, even if he's missing his right arm. He smiles, however, as he looks around. "You have a lovely home," he offers as he removes his coat. "I'll admit to not knowing much about... any of this. My ancestors spent time all over the world, including Japan, but I haven't had much call to access the memories." His appearance has changed slightly since he met Emiko. He's clean-shaved, for one, and for another his hair is now dyed in bright colors: teal and blue intermixed with bleached blonde that almost looks gold.

Emiko Queen has posed:
Smiling brightly, Emiko takes his coat, hanging it up, "Then please, allow me the pleasure of acquainting you. And later, you can compare your experience to your ancestors'. Let me know if there is anything I can do to improve upon it." Motioning him to follow, she turns and heads down the hallway, offering, "Please excuse any furry black missiles. Huginn and Muninn have run of the place and they like to introduce themselves to new faces." She glances upward where two young cats with very long back legs, bobbed tufts for tails, and mid-length black fur peer from over the edge of the catwalks that stretch along the walls near the ceilings. Each cat is missing one yellow eye, Huginn the left and Muninn the right.

The sitting area has been rearranged to make room for a tatami mat and a low-set table with a pair of cushions in front of two place settings. "If you'll seat yourself at the setting of your choice, we will start with the thick tea, an appertif, and appetizers." Turning, she moves towards the kitchen to collect up the tray that bears the first 'course' of the tea ceremony. She carries it back out and sets it carefully on the low table. Moving deliberately, she kneels at the table and retrieves a high-walled bowl with the matcha in it, then a delicate-looking teapot steaming from its spout. Pouring carefully, she uses a tool that almost looks like a little wooden rake to carefuly mix the matcha and water together into a thick brew. While letting the matcha steep, she turns to Jonathan and smiles, "I so rarely get to practice anymore, this is a treat for me as well. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity."

She removes a few different plates and shallow bowls from the tray, setting them out, "I was not sure if you are vegetarian or piscatarian, or vegan, so I made a variety. There are vegetable and beef gyoza, along with the special dipping sauce. Sweet and spicy glazed edamame. Chilled tofu. Pickled Japanese cucumbers with soy sauce. Harumaki, spring rolls with pork. Miso eggplant. Onigiri, rice balls. And tsukune, chicken meatballs." Emiko motions to the plates and smiles, "Please, eat as you please, I will serve the thick tea shortly."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I would say that traditions change over time, but I know how important it can be to keep things as they once were." Jon stops a moment to peer at the cats and offer a hand--his left one--for them to sniff, if they like. But then he keeps following Emiko further into the apartment. He goes to sit down, folding himself a little awkwardly for a moment. He's /tall/, even for an Englishman, and sitting on the floor is always a matter of folding himself into a shape that doesn't take up too much space without being uncomfortable. But he manages, before Emiko returns with the tea tray.

    He peers at the matcha and the rake, curiously, then looks to the food. "Oh, I eat... pretty much anything, although I'm allergic to shellfish." Odd how little that comes up, really. "So nothing with crab or shrimp or the like, but anything else is fine. And it's not a /deathly/ allergy or anything." He considers for a moment and then takes one of the gyoza, dipping it in the sauce. "I'll likely try a bit of everything."

    He looks at her curiously for a moment and says, "Do I have any, ahh... am I supposed to make conversation? Be quiet? Inquire after the weather and supply the latest gossip?" His eyes twinkle a bit. "Gossip is the subject of choice at cream tea, I've noticed, though that could have just been my grandmother and her friends."

Emiko Queen has posed:
"This is a tradition that has been passed down for countless generations, but I would imagine that each generation adds to or removes from it in some small way. I'd love to know how it was originally done." Emiko smiles towards him before moving to pick up the ladle, a small 'bucket' on the end of a thin handle, she ladles the tea from the stone bowl into the individual cups (no handles on these!), then passes the first to Jon and keeps the second for her own. "The koicha is prepared as a shared drink, while the usucha will be prepared separately at the end. Please let me know when you are ready for another serving of the koicha." She nods to the small cup with the thick tea. It holds a bright, grassy aroma with underlying tones of sweetness that carry through into the taste when sipped.

"Good to know, crab, shrimp, and eel can feature prominently in Japanese cuisine. I'll save the broiled eel and sauce for tomorrow, then. Have it with a nice watercress salad and some onigiri." Emiko takes a little of everything, much as Jon states, then turns a smile towards him. "I don't have any particular allergies, but I've never cared for asparagus. I just can't seem to get the taste for it."

She eats a few bites, takes a sip of the matcha, smiling, then looks to Jon with brows raised. "Oh! I'm terribly sorry. This is a formal ceremony, but one for relaxation and comfort. So talking is encouraged. Any topic you like, and I'll do my best to keep up."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon takes the tea and sniffs it for a moment, eyes going distant. A flash of memory, hard to catch, and he shakes his head. He takes a sip, instead, making a sort of surprised hum. "I never think I'll like matcha, and then I do. My husband loves tea of any sort, so I've had it before, but never quite so thick." He grins. "And I know what you mean, about asparagus. I'll eat it, but I'm terribly picky and it winds up not being worth the trouble, usually."

    He goes on eating, indeed trying a bit of everything. "I'm curious about the ceremony itself. The Archive provides... a rooting in Zen Buddhism, which I think is what drew... early 1900s, that must have been my great-great grandfather?" He pauses frowning. "Mmm, must have been. And that the longer ceremony is chaji and the shorter chakai and I can /tell/ that I am mangling those words." He makes a face. "Sorry. At any rate... I grew up with Devon cream tea--I'm from Bournemouth, it's a regional tradition--and that can be terribly particular in what one eats and the sort of tea, but it's not as... hmm. There isn't as much ritual in the preparation and presentation, though it's what most people would call a 'high tea.'"

Emiko Queen has posed:
Chuckling softly, Emiko nods, "Matcha is difficult to get just right. Too little water and it's a mess. Too hot and it burns. Too cold and it's lumpy. And then there's the matcha itself. You have to use it fairly quickly or it gets... stale. Then it starts tasting.. mulchy." Shaking her head, she mutters, "You don't want mulchy matcha." She looks to Jon and smiles again, "I've never done a fully proper 'high tea'. It sounds interesting. I wonder if there's a correlation between the two ceremonies."

She also likes to sample from everything, pausing once to offer, "Please don't feel you have to eat too much of anything. All leftovers will go to Bart when he comes over. That man is a black hole for food, nothing survives him." Chuckling softly, she gives a nod and looks back to him, "And I agree completely on the matter of asparagus. Properly prepared, it can be delightful. But it's so damned finicky to prepare that it's just not worth the trouble." She looks back to the matcha and refills her cup, offering him some more as well, "I've found that when it comes to stirring the matcha, this little implement works best, with smooth, slow motions of the wrist. Many like to use a whisk, but I think that forces the matcha to blend too quickly and you end up with more froth than tea."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon accepts more tea and nods thoughtfully as he listens. "Cream tea is, well... technically it /isn't/ a high tea, because 'high tea' is really just dinner. But when I speak to Americans they think of 'high tea' as the sort you go to a tea room for. And you can get high tea in a tea room of course, but cream tea is usually had in the afternoon. You take tea, and have scones split in half, put clotted cream on each half, strawberry jam. If there isn't strawberry jam then it isn't a proper cream tea, it's just afternoon tea with clotted cream." He grins. "But that's part of what I mean; in England we more delineate what one eats with the tea, rather than any sort of worry about how to prepare the tea itself."

    He picks up some of the frozen tofu; he's comfortable enough using chopsticks. "I am... I eat a lot myself, these days. I went through a time where I nearly starved to death, and it has a rather profound effect on one's relationship to food. I eat like a teenager, these days." He chuckles, and then adds, "Bart Allen, yes? I've met him a couple of times. Are you properly one of the Titans? I forgot to ask, and it's funny, I spend less time keeping track of who's part of which group than I did when I wasn't actively in this world."

Emiko Queen has posed:
"Interesting. That seems like an unusual distinction to make. What if someone is allergic to strawberries? Is another jam appropriate to substitute, or are they forever denied having 'cream tea'?" Emiko seems interested in this little fact and seems to find it amusing that they are so picky over what is eaten at the tea than the over the tea itself. She shakes her head, chuckling, "It seems to me then that English 'tea' is more like... like the Tolkien halflings. Breakfast, second breakfast. Elevensies. Lunch. Tea. Supper. Dinner. More of an opportunity to eat something specific... and tea happens to be present."

Glancing back to her plate, she savors the miso eggplant along with the sweet and spicy sot glazed edamame. "I can understand that. Food and I have a... history. It's been used as a training tool in the past. I follow a strict dietary regimen, but because of Bart, I've broadened my horizons more with 'cheat days'. I'm still not really a fan of pizza, though. It's too greasy." Looking back to him, she smiles and gives a small nod. "That's him, yes. He's my boyfriend." She's proud of that, like it's something special. Another nod is given, and she glances back to him, "I am, though recent. My brother... encouraged... me to come here and try going to school, making friends. I received an invitation to the Titans years ago, but they broke up a few months later. Once they reformed, I was already pretty deep into some issues in Starling City. But then Ollie started harping on my lack of friends and how I was 'working' too much. So here I am."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Actually, Tolkien died in Bournemouth, and visited the general area regularly throughout his life. It is rather exactly like the hobbits, yes." Jon grins brightly. "I'm rather too tall to be a hobbit, but I always found kindred spirits in the Bagginses. Fond of my comforts and my routines, worried someone will 'chip the glasses and crack the plates,' but give me the slightest sniff of an adventure and off I go into the wilds."

    Then his eyes widen. "You live in New York and you don't like /pizza/? Well, don't let the locals hear. I love it myself, but I'm generally food of street food, and pizza is a wonderful street food, grease and all. I suppose you might like something... Californian better." He says it the way Emiko might have heard those 'selfsame' locals say it, with a wary sort of air. "The sort that uses white sauce and artichokes and so on. Good enough, I suppose, but it seems like a flatbread to me. What's the point of pizza if you can't fold the slice and eat it while you're walking?"

    He's working on a spring roll, his second actually. "As for allergy to strawberries, /well/, I suppose one could leave the jam out of the cream tea but that was always the best bit, to me." He frowns thoughtfully. "I honestly don't know. Some people would say my putting milk in the tea is inadvisable, and I've heard more than one strident argument about whether to put the jam or the cream on the scone first. I mean, the /Cornish/ put the jam on the scone first, which," he gives an exaggerated roll of his eyes. "Anyway, a lot of places will serve things like lemon curd and orange marmalade but Granny would have said that's not a proper cream tea. There's not much room made for food allergies in traditional cuisine."

    He tilts his head, curiously. "How do you find the Titans? I spend more time with... well. The Gotham sorts. The Outsiders. I only really met the Titans because of the whole business with Caitlin Fairchild. Donna Troy--" He stops, frowns briefly. Coughs. "She, ahh... she invited me and some others to Titans Tower to talk about Caitlin, and to work on some anti-angel ideas, which really did work out wonderfully."

Emiko Queen has posed:
Laughing lightly, Emiko gives a grin towards him, "Ah, see? Then it IS like the halflings! I love it." She splits the last of the thick matcha between their cups, then eats a little more of the eggplant. Looking back to Jon, she chuckles, "I suppose that makes me Legolas in the situation. Got into this whole things by following some dirty, scruffy ranger sort around. Far too competent for my own good, but rarely consulted despite my breadth of experience."

She lifts a shrug towards him and smiles, "I only moved to New York a month or so ago. I've only been in the states for a handful of years. There are a number of foods that are indulged in here that I just... don't know -why- it's a thing. They are so... sweet. And fattening. And... just -why-?" Letting out a small sigh, she shakes her head, "That white sauce is actually worse than the red, healthwise. I'm simply not a fan of pizza."

Emiko glances to him and quirks a small smile towards Jonathan, "What if you used blueberry jam or blackberry or raspberry instead? If the allergy is to the particular berry, would another fruit be an acceptable substitute?" She sips on her tea and gives a nod, chuckling softly, "I suppose not. But it seems to me that strawberry was probably -not- the original jam that was used. Strawberries would have been harder to come by. Blackberries or blueberries would make more sense, given their fertility and rate of spread."

Glancing up in surprise, Emi looks at him, "I didn't find them. They found me. I wasn't looking to join a group, I was already part of one. I was running with the likes of Green Arrow, what did I need with a group of kids still 'in training' for the big leagues? I was in the big leagues. But. Something happened in Seattle, and Nightwing happened to be there. I resolved the issue, and apparently impressed him enough that he offered me a space on the team. When I declined, he gave me a little card with an address on it, said if I changed my mind to go there." She smiles faintly, "I like the Bat Brigade. They're more in line with what we do in Starling City. Here its all... Gods and Godlike aliens and mutants with crazy powers or mutates with crazier powers. I feel... out of place." Mention of Caitlin and the angels has her shrugging lightly, "All before my time, I'm afraid. I have yet to meet Caitlin, and I wasn't involved in the Angels thing at all."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon considers Emiko's statement about the health of certain foods for a long moment, then says, "It's /because/ they're sweet and fattening. We're wired to make sure we have enough food, to like things that have plenty of calories. Fat, sugar... well, everything in moderation, I tend to feel. As for strawberries? They are /everywhere/ in that area in the spring. We used to grow them in the backyard and Granny would make strawberry jam for tea. The West Country's famous for it, has been for a couple hundred years. And while people have been eating bread with cream and jam since, oh, at least the 11th century the modern usage of the term 'cream tea' dates to the early 1900s. It's a particular thing that sprang up because of the intersection of being both dairy country and strawberry country at a time when people had enough leisure to enjoy afternoon tea and enough money to /buy/ tea." He smiles. "Blueberries aren't native to England at all, and blackberries aren't as sweet. So. Strawberry jam."

    Then he chuckles. "I, ahh... I meant 'how do you find' as in 'how do you like them.' What do you think of them." He hesitates, considering, as he holds a bit of miso eggplants between his chopsticks. "I don't know if I'd call them 'in training,' from what I've seen. Younger, certainly, but most of them have been doing what they do longer than I have. And they were the only superhero team outside of our own that stepped up to help in any official capacity, in Manhattan." He frowns, briefly, then smiles. "Unless you count Captain Rogers as official help from the Avengers, I suppose."

    He eats the miso eggplant, then takes a sip of tea and frowns thoughtfully. "I've been talking to people about... hero-ing philosophy, I suppose, of late. It's funny, because I think much of my view on the whole business is more in line with the Titans than the Outsiders, but I have a formal relationship with the latter." A smirk. "It's nigh-impossible for me to have a secret identity, for instance, given that I cannot lie. And the Bats seem to have a kind of... mmm... how to put it..."

    His brow furrows, then he says, slowly, "It's interesting, I think, that often people like Batman who have no inherent powers, will think of being a 'hero' as a sort of... distinct thing. Superheroes... sacrifice, or suffer. They put on a mask and hide their identity to protect themselves and their loved ones. They put out a mystique, a... cultivated aura. Conversely, many of those like me who have some kind of innate 'thing' setting us apart--magic in my case, I'm homo magi--see it less as a unique calling than as... I don't know, just kind of what we do? Not a unique and special thing, just, well..." He shrugs. "Some people fight fires, some people fight costumed supervillains, some people fight angels and demons. I happen to be the latter, and just about anyone can do it if they want to and learn how. Batman took Saint Michael on fist-to-fist and the Titans came up with a scientific way to utterly defeat several less powerful angels. Didn't require anything special."

Emiko Queen has posed:
Shaking her head, she looks to Jon, "There's more to it than that. Asian peoples have the same drive to survive, but not nearly the same taste for sugary or fatty foods. And sugar as a refined resource is a new substance, relatively speaking. Things are far, FAR sweeter these days than they used to be." Emiko chuckles softly and gives a small nod, conceding the point of the berries to him. "I concede to your deeper knowledge of England and it's past. I wasn't aware that blueberries didn't grow naturally in England." She lifts a shrug and offers a smile, "I'm better with my own culture, admittedly."

She blinks, then laughs, then shakes her head. "I'm terribly sorry, I misunderstood. They're a good group, good people. But... it's hard to feel a part of them. They have a tendency to spend most of their time with the friends or significant others of the group, so I rarely see them when there isn't something happening. I'm not... part of that group, yet. I don't know that I will ever be." She looks back to her plate and smiles, "I would agree. You have to remember, when I say that I thought of them as being 'in training', it was before I really knew any of them. Or anything of what they were doing."

Emiko leaves the plates and bowls holding the appetizers on the table but begins to put her plates and the tea set back ontot he tray so she can serve them the next course. Collecting up anything of his that he's finished with as well, of course! "I find it interesting that anyone without powers is immediately compared to the single most standout superhero, as if we are all immediately capable of the exact same things he is. Which apparently includes his decades of training, his personal fortune, his cadre of sidekicks, and the neverending stream of gadgets that somehow always manage to seem to fit the occasion. He is someone who can and has secretly acquired Kryptonite on a fairly regular basis, in addition to specifically have tech crafted against nearly every superpower he's ever come into contact with."

Gathering up the tray, she carries it into the kitchen, she continues, "And this is to say nothing of the fact that he is and has always been the -leader- of any group he's been part of. So to compare my situation to his is a logical fallacy, I'm afraid. I'm in neither the position nor of the ability, to match Batman on nearly any appreciable level." Emiko collects up the next tray, bringing it out to set on the table with a smile. "The main course. Clear soup with tofu, spring onions, and thinly sliced mushroom. Sashimi, all fish, no seafood, on a bed of thinly sliced daikon with soy sauce and -true- wasabi. Grilled wagyu and fish with vegetables. Steamed chawanmushi, my fish stock does not contain shellfish so this should be safe. And I have left off the sunomono as that has both shrimp and octopus." Settling back in carefully, she looks to Jon with a small shrug, "The Titans have a leader, more than one. My opinion is often drowned out or overlooked or simply unasked for as decisions are made and orders given without consultation. So no, I do not feel particularly 'connected' to the Titans."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon grins. "Oh, I'll admit that there's extra sugar in almost everything. But there's a reason for that--it works. But, then, cigarettes work too. Doesn't mean it's good to smoke a pack a day."

    They watch the collecting of the dishes with interest, and then chuckle. "I bring up Batman because we were talking about his particular... milieu? His..." They wave a hand in a circle. "His area of influence? He and those who seek to emulate him cultivate an air of mystique, an aura of fear, and it isn't just him that I speak of. The particular difference I've seen is with how the Gotham-based vigilantes tend to think, and that's deeply influenced by him. I didn't mean to compare you to him, per se."

    He purses his lips a moment. "But I've met more than one who person who's said 'I don't have magic, how can I fight magical threats?' Or who's acted as if the only way to be a superhero /without/ powers is to be like, well... like Batman. I suppose I'm saying I /don't/ see it like that. You step up, and that's the most important part, in my mind. My girlfriend has no particular powers, no special training that isn't available to any government agent, she didn't even believe in magic at /all/ until a few months ago, and she's an invaluable member of the Justice League Dark." He smirks. "She scolded me the other day when I said healing at a normal rate was a weakness. If nothing else she makes sure I don't get too big of a head."

    He frowns slightly. "I know how it feels, though, to not quite... fit in. I've had trouble with that for most of my life. I think I'm finally managing to feel at home with the JLD, but it took time and effort. The Titans seem... mmm. Racuous? I like them a great deal, but I can see how someone new might feel overwhelmed and left out."

    He looks over the food, then says almost idly, "Have you considered spending more time with the 'Bat Brigade,' as you called them? I know Bart has ties to them too." Reluctant to talk /too/ much about the Outsiders, of course. He picks up a spoon and takes a sip of the soup.

Emiko Queen has posed:
"Mmm, I believe I will stick with my less-sugared foods," Emiko chuckles softly and shakes her head. "I'd rather not start a habit that I would then have to 'kick'." Still, she seems amused at junk food being akin to an addiction, even if that's not far off.

"I speak on it only because you referenced directly his going 'fist to fist' with Michael. I can guarantee you that had -I- tried that, I would not still exist. He has access to items that I do not. To resources and, quite frankly, abilities, that I cannot hope to match." She smiles once more and shakes her head, "I don't envy him, however. He leads a very lonely lifestyle. For all that I am.. somewhat isolated, I'm far more at peace than I think that man ever will be. He's driven in a way that I simply cannot fathom. By a force that I cannot begin to tap into."

Looking back to Jonathan, she laughs lightly, "Admittedly, I wouldn't say no to accelerated healing. Not that injuries have ever stopped me, but it would certainly make things less.. challenging." Taking a bit of everything again, she doesn't bother with a spoon for the soup, lifting the bowl in both hands and sipping from it directly.

Setting the bowl back down, she stares into the liquid and frowns faintly, "It's less that I feel overwhelmed, and more that... they don't seem particularly -interested- in new friendships. They're perfectly content as they are. There are members I've never even met, and people that aren't members that get treated better than I do." Lifting a shrug, she looks back to him, "It's of little consequence. I don't intend to be a Titan forever."

She chuckles softly and lifts a piece of the grilled fish, glancing towards him, "That is easier said than done. They aren't exactly an.. open.. group. He does, and he's asked Tim if I can have access to 'The Roost'. Tim and I even play video games on occasion. Damian and I spar weekly. Individually, they are easy to get along with, but that doesn't net inclusion into the group." Emiko lifts a brow at Jon and smiles faintly, "Are you trying to help me make friends, Jon?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon laughs. "Sorry, it's... habit. I used to be a psychiatrist." A brief, faint pain crosses his features. 'Used to be' is fairly recent. Then he shakes his head. "And particularly, I worked with superheroes. Loneliness is a common complaint, and I have a sort of knee-jerk compulsion to see people integrated in a community."

    Watching what Emiko does, he tries picking up the soup bowl and sipping it instead, then puts it down and picks up a piece of the grilled fish. "Damian--? No," he cuts himself off, sharply. "If I go down /that/ rabbit hole again I might /never/ come out. I know who Tim is, and discovering that was... not the best experience. I probably could put together the puzzle, but then what? I know, and a friend is likely upset, and I've spent time and effort that could be better spent elsewhere." He frowns. "I'm terribly curious, though, I'll admit."

    He smiles. "Safer territory. How's this: what brought you to New York? Just your family? You mentioned 'Ollie,' yes?"

Emiko Queen has posed:
Emiko curves a smile and offers, "I can appreciate the sentiment, but I'm not your average superhero." Pausing, she adds, "To start, I wouldn't ever -call- myself a superhero." Chuckling softly, she sips from the soup again before taking a piece of the beef and chewing on it, giving a nod, "Excellent sear." Looking back to Jon, she offers, "I'm often alone, but rarely lonely, and the times that I -am- lonely have little to do with how many people are around me."

Letting out a laugh, she shakes her head, "If he sends you down a rabbit hole then I'll spare you the stark raving insanity of my own background." Letting out a small breath, she gives a nod, "I know enough.. for now. If I feel that I need to know more, I know where to go to ask." Emiko eats a few of the vegetables before offering, "If it helps, Bart 'outed' Tim to me. I think he thought I already knew, and Tim was very gracious about the whole thing, but I don't know that he was -quite- ready to have told me otherwise."

Blinking, Emiko shakes her head, "Oh no. My family -sent- me here. Ollie is in Starling City. He insisted that I needed to be 'socialized'. I'm the only one that lives here."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "I quite literally went mad trying to figure out whether or not Tim was a cape," Jon says with a chuckle. "And I should know. Admittedly, I was in a... bad place at the time. I try to keep the secret; I haven't even told my husband. It seemed important to him."

    He focuses on the fish for a while; shellfish allergy or no, he evidently likes fish. Or at least this fish. "Why would you not call yourself a superhero? You run about with those who do, you square off against the same threats." He looks at her curiously. "Is it anything to do with... well, you seem perfectly well 'socialized' to me, but we've only met a couple of times." A smirk. "Was he expecting you to go to Broadway for enlightenment or something? I do love this city, but the idea of sending someone here for such a purpose..." He shrugs.

Emiko Queen has posed:
"Hm... I've determined that amongst fellow masks, it's difficult to keep such things to oneself. This is, really, a relatively small community, after all. It's hard to keep such things secret when pieces start falling into place." Emiko lifts a small shrug and smiles towards him, "But, admittedly, I had a rather unfair advantage. I grew up knowing about a lot about the different heroes and then joining the Queen family well... that sort of put more of the pieces into place."

She chuckles, "Because that implies that I'm a powered individual. I'm not, and I'd just as soon not be placed in the same category. I am, very human, very unpowered. I simply have the advantage on an extreme level of training that is not made available to the vast majority of the world." Emiko looks towards him and smiles, "Call me a vigilante, a mask, a cape... but I'm -not- 'super' anything." She takes a bite from the fish and offers, "Snapper. A personal favorite." She lets out a laugh and looks at him, "He felt I was spending too much time behind the mask and not enough out in the world. But keep in mind, this is coming from a self-purported playboy, one who actually -does- earn every inch of that reputation. I've lost count of the women, the parties..."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Mmm, that's interesting. That you're willing to be known as so many other things, but not 'super.' I suppose it does rather imply superpowers, yes? Like, well, Superman. I tend to use the term interchangeably with 'cape' or 'vigilante.' Perhaps I shouldn't." Jon muses on that, taking another sip from the soup bowl.

    Then he chuckles. "Mask-life balance /is/ a struggle for the modern vigilante. Look at us, having this lovely meal and talking about 'work,' after all. If he's right, then I'm hardly helping in that endeavor. But I'm curious... do you see us as so different, really? You have no powers, I was born with magic even if I didn't realize it for a long time. I suppose technically there are different genetics."

    A brief, pause, then, "What /is/ it with masked vigilantes posing as playboys anyway? Or /being/ them? How do they have /time/? I'm barely managing to fit in a family vacation to Austria, and we're only going for a week."

Emiko Queen has posed:
Emiko gives a small nod, "Precisely. I try to keep a distinction between those with powers and those without. It's a matter of technicality, but I think it's an important distinction to make." She pauses, then adds, "And technically correct is the best kind." Chuckling softly, she eats more of the fish, the vegetables.

"Is it though? I would call this an excellent example of successful work-life balance. Would you rather be discussion the weather? Fashion? The latest memes on the internet? I think this is a much more enriching conversation than any of those potential topics." Emiko smiles across at him and lifts both brows, "Absolutely. I defy you to shoot a bow with the level of skill and accuracy that I've acquired. I wasn't -born- with my abilities, I learned them. I earned them through hard work and effort. Some would probably call it torture." She holds up a hand towards him and murmurs, "I'm not suggesting you haven't -earned- your powers through your efforts, but you would have them whether you worked at it or not. I must actively work to maintain mine. I can't 'take a vacation' from my abilities or I lose the edge that allows me to keep up."

Emiko shakes her head, "Don't look at me. All of my friends are masks, my boyfriend is an -actual- superhero. I schedule my time very carefully to maintain this lifestyle."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon considers that for a long moment as he eats his fish. "I don't know," he says, thoughtfully. "I have had to learn to shoot a gun, to use a staff and sword. I have had to learn to aim magic when I want to use it as a weapon. And my magic, in particular, is limited by my imagination. I... recently learned, to my profound regret, that my ability to heal is /hampered/ by my medical knowledge. I am going to have to learn anatomy and human bodily functions all over again, with an eye toward magical healing, and that took me..." He blows out a breath. "Twelve years? And more money than I care to think about."

    His expression is still thoughtful. "I doubt I would ever be able to use a bow with your ability--but if I'd had your training, would I be able to...? I don't know. It's a fair question. I certainly know what it is to study something, to hone it, to have to keep up with it. It used to be psychiatry... now I spend much of my time asleep lucid dreaming so I can train with weapons that no one living knows how to use, study magical theory, expand my knowledge and imagination."

    He smirks. "I think I understand what you mean, though. The standard sort of... I get up every morning to go train with Falcon and his, ahh, apprentice. I run laps, and I've been getting faster. Bart... just /is/ that fast, right? And no amount of training or practice would make him faster. If that is your definition of superhero... then I'm not entirely certain I would be one either."

    He grins. "Perhaps you can see why 'take a week off' is proving difficult. We'll manage. I need the time with the family. But we're all terribly busy in one way or another."

Emiko Queen has posed:
Emiko chuckles softly and shakes her head, "I'm not certain that you do, Jon. You say you get up every morning and go train with Falcon. You run laps. But then you turn around and say that you use lucid dreaming to train in weapons that no longer exist. That is an option to you because you have the power to do so. You have a power. It is not something that was gained with training or exercise, it was something you had. Something you were born with. Even if you stopped using it, it would still -be- there. Ready for you to use again at your choice." She motions to herself, "What happens if I stop training? If I cease my strict dietary and exercise regimen? I slow down, I lose strength, muscle mass, endurance, flexibility, athletic ability. I stop being able to do what it is that I do."

"The point is that Bart doesn't have to train at all to be that fast. He just -is-. I could train every day of my life, and I will never be a fraction as fast as he is. You don't have to train to keep your magical ability, it will always be there." She finishes her own soup and sets the bowl aside, working on the meat and vegetables again while listening to him.

"My definiteion of 'superhero' is one with an innate, born, or acquired extra human ability that is not dependent on active effort to exist. If I do not train daily, constantly, I cannot be a mask. If you do not train daily, constantly, your magic does not go away." Emiko looks to Jonathan with a smile, "Not, of course, that you do not have to train to enhance or extend or learn new aspects to your gift. I do not wish to minimize the effort you put into your training. I only point out the difference."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon grins. "I had to learn to lucid dream--but yes, the /ability/ to do so is something inborn. I don't question that I have different abilities than most people do. But by that definition every homo magi is a superhero, and that's demonstrably untrue. In my specific case... I wasn't born with it, not entirely. I didn't even know I /had/ magic until I was 33. What I have is genetic, passed down from my grandmother and will be passed to my daughter... and much of what I can do, she won't be able to do until I die."

    He frowns, then. "The other difference, at least for me... is that I /cannot/ stop. I don't have the choice. You could decide, one day, to stop training. Bart, well, I don't know if he can /help/ going fast, but I doubt he /struggles/ with it. I will be Archivist until I die. A longer life than most, but... I cannot lie anymore. I /cannot/. I try, and I choke up. I am compelled to do foolish things like jumping through holes to Wonderland. I have duties I do not entirely relish. I'm hardly the only one such, I don't mean to bemoan--"

    He stops, and reaches up to massage his throat. "Well. Evidently I /do/." A smirk. "I don't /like/ bemoaning my fate, how's that?"

    He starts in on the vegetables, and says, "I do see what you mean, about the difference. I think, perhaps, I would categorize myself in a different category altogether, though that's because much of what I have came not entirely by training nor by birth, but by bargain. Much of what I am, and can do, I owe to other entities entirely. And they don't really give you a manual. I woke up with my ancestors' knowledge shoved in my head one day and no idea what was going on." He shakes his head. "I did have a moment, when I... very nearly did put it all aside. Or at least, I was willing to. A moment when I could have broken the bargain. I don't know what would have happened, if the gods would have stripped me of my magic or not."

    He smiles. "I am always terribly impressed by someone like you, though. That you keep it up, I mean, whatever the original circumstances. You don't have a god poking at you insisting you go out and do so, and you don't have innate speed or strength that cannot be turned off. It /does/ take real effort to maintain those skills, and I don't mean to diminish that, at all."

Emiko Queen has posed:
Emiko gives a small nod and offers, "An amendment then. A -super- is someone with an innate, genetic, or acquired ability that is beyond what humans are normally capable of. A super-hero- is someone who chooses to use that ability to the betterment of mankind." She smiles faintly, "A fair statement?" Intellectuals, they can get caught up in the pedantics of definitions for -hours-... as they are both currently proving, much to their mutual enjoyment.

She pauses, then looks at him, "Sure about that, are you? Now who's making assumptions? The manner in which I was raised engenders certain side effects... like being the person other people would really like to see dead. If I stop, not only are they allowed the opportunity to get to me, but I am in essence, putting my own head on the chopping block after placing the axe in their hands." She smiles faintly, "I understand your meaning, in that your abilities came with certain responsibilities attached. The circumstances of my birth and childhood came with certain consequences. I can stop no more than you can, unless I want to die. That said, I will grant that most in my position are capable of stopping if they so chose."

There's a small chuckle and she motions for him to continue on, "Few of us -want- to 'bemoan' but we do want someone to listen to us and to whom we can share the bad with. Even fewer of us wish to share the bad with loved ones. It's understandable."

Emiko picks up another bite of the fish and gives a nod towards him, waiting until she's finished the bite to agree, "You do seem to have a rather unique situation, I'll grant you. Most of us don't get to talk to any of the various gods, let alone make bargains or be in a position to accept or decline a bargain offered by one. There is debate if they could have stripped innate magic from you.. from what I understand, they can't take it away from you, but they can essentially... lock you out of your own room, if that makes sense. You would still be homo magi, but if you tried to utilize that magic, either nothing would hapen, or bad things would."

Turning a smile towards him, Emiko gives a nod, "Thank you. You'd be amazed how many don't seem to understand the sheer level of effort and will that's exerted to stay at the peak of one's human capability."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon considers her statement for a long moment. "You could choose to stop, though you'd be risking your life. You could... find some way to hide, perhaps, or decide to take the risk. You may not /want/ to, it may be a choice that is no real choice at all--but it /is/ a choice. I don't mean to belittle what it would mean. A threat on one's life is no small thing." He stirs vegetables around on the plate a bit, frowning. "I make the distinction, however, because I don't get that choice, in certain matters. I cannot lie, for instance, any more than you can fly under your own power. It simply isn't possible. No amount of will or choice or willingness to die would make it possible. Throwing yourself off a cliff wouldn't make you suddenly sprout wings."

    They shrug, tone a bit wry. "Of course... I /am/ alive. I'm doing work I believe in. And I'm not... I don't want to be one of those people who go about moaning 'woe is me, my life is so rough!' I came back to life after dying. I /can/ actually fly! I have a wealth of knowledge at my fingertips, and more power than most humans dream of. In return, I have duties and responsibilities and... taboos, I suppose you might say. I'm just... still adjusting to all of that. It's a stark thing, realizing how much I've put into Ma'at's hands."

    Then he smirks and says, "A lot of 'supers' don't appreciate how much time and effort goes into something that one must train. Dedication, effort, willingness to risk and push oneself. Of course, for all I know Superman spends eight hours a day practicing his flying and punching, but it's..." He ponders, picking up some more fish. "You said you feel out of place among all the demigods and magical users. I understand the feeling; I used to feel that way myself. Being someone without superpowers, throwing yourself into that world anyway, choosing to use your training as a hero--even if you need to keep up with it in order to keep yourself safe--I've just always had a great deal of respect for such people."

Emiko Queen has posed:
Chuckling slowly, Emiko looks at him and lifts a brow, "Do you honestly believe that's a choice? Self-preservation is one of the defining characteristics of pretty much every living creature in the world. It's the 'cake or death' scenario. Who will -ever- choose 'death'? That isn't a choice, its a manipulation of the variables to the outcome you wish to see. No scientific community would ever accept a study with such obviously manipulated data." Pausing, she sighs heavily and amends, "Except in America, where it is apparently encouraged by whoever has the biggest wallet."

She grins at him and offers, "I don't mean to say that you have it any better or worse than anyone else. And I certainly have sympathy for having put so much into another's hands. Especially a God's. That is... ballsy. But you did have the good fortune of picking one of the more even-keeled Gods at least. Could have been much worse."

She moves to start cleaning up the main course dishes as she did the appetizers, turning a smile towards Jon and giving a nod, "And I for one appreciate that there are those out there who understand and appreciate the effort we put into being able to stay at that level. I still don't know that I'm really going to fit in with the Titans, however. They're good people who have absolutely no need and little use for me on the team. And I don't see their little social group expanding anytime soon." Rising up, she carries the tray into the kitchen and calls out, "I have desserts coming up, with the thin tea. It closes out the ceremony."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "People can choose to die," Jon says rather somberly. "I did, in the end. I stepped in protect Caitlin, knowing I would die. But... well... I understand, therefore, why it doesn't feel like that. It takes an extreme circumstance to risk your own death, and usually it means trying to save someone else."

    Then he shakes himself, eating his last bit of fish. When he's done, he smiles. "Ma'at chose me, I think, more than me choosing her. Evidently I mostly fit what she already needed. So I'm not finding it too terrible a burden. It's just been... a rough week."

    Jon settles back a bit to watch Emi taking the tray away, brightening. "I do like a good dessert, though I know the term can be... expansive. I have heard something about... bean paste?" He sounds dubious that /bean paste/ would make a good dessert.

Emiko Queen has posed:
"People choose to die when they feel they have nothing left to live for, or when they are defending another. People don't choose to die for no reason whatsoever," Emiko points out as she selects the dishes to add to the tray. "But! Yes, I think in the overall that there's more to being -compelled- to do something and just... not wanting to die."

SCarrying the tray back towards the table, she smiles, "Then I am glad I could offer this small respite. The tea ceremony is meant to be an enjoyable, relaxing event where people can catch up with one another and linger without feeling rushed through a meal."

There's a chuckle as she nods, "Anklo, red bean paste. I know it sounds strange, but its almost more like a jam." Setting a dish down, she motions to the soft-looking, pillowy steamed buns, "Manju. Steamed pastry buns with red bean paste filling." Another dish is set down. "Dorayaki, two small, sweet pancakes with red bean paste between them." A third. "Dango. Sweet rice flour balls on a skewer, drizzled with honey." And a final, "And, of course, mochi. There is green tea, black sesame, and these are Sakura mochi."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon leans forward a bit, looking over the selections. "Well, my girlfriend has a problem with clotted cream being called 'clotted,' so I can hardly judge anyone else's culture for what they enjoy." A brief frown. "Sakura... cherry? Right?" He picks up one of the manju and bites into it, eyebrows raising in surprise. Red bean paste is often a surprise to someone presuming it's going to be anything like, say, American bean dip.

    He eats the manju and goes for a dorayaki. "This /has/ been quite lovely. I'm glad to have given the opportunity to practice. It is an intensive thing, learning all of this? Or in the nature of a hobby?"

Emiko Queen has posed:
Laughing softly, Emiko glances sidelong at him as she prepares the thin tea. A stone teapot with a heavy-looking wood and metal handle, two cups (still no handles), and invidual servings of matcha, less than before. She pours the water in, using another of those tiny rake-like contraptions to stir, then lets them steep. "Yes, though in this case.. the mochi is pink, with anko filling, and wrapped in a pickled sakura leaf." She smiles at his response and offers, "Anko is very versatile."

Settling back, she takes a skewer of the dango, one of the dorayaki, and one each of the mochi. "It took time to learn proper preparation of the foods, but the real trick was learning the proper preparation of the matcha. That is supposed to be the strong start and finish to a proper tea ceremony."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen has been out he had a class, and Emiko's place was closer than his. So, the door can be heard to unlock, and "Hey honey I am home." can be heard as Bart comes walking in arms full of bags, how did he unlock the door with that many bags, one may wonder, but he has his tricks. He walks in and looks over "Oh did not know ya had company hon."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon reaches out to pick up the tea and sips it slowly. "This is closer to what I'm used to from matcha... but quite a bit better than I'm used to. Your practice has clearly paid off." He smiles, and takes another sip.

    Looking around, he waves to Bart as he puts the tea cup down. With his glowy emerald hand. "Hello! Emiko was just treating me to a tea ceremony, it's been lovely. Did we actually leave any leftovers?" He looks back at Emiko and picks up a dango skewer.

Emiko Queen has posed:
Emiko gives a nod and offers, "Many places have done away with the thick tea entirely, which I think is a shame. It helps cleanse the palate but also shows the versatility of the matcha." She lifts her own for a sip only to turn and smile warmly towards Bart, "Hello! I wasn't expecting you for a bit still. Bart, you know Jon, I believe? After that impromptu Wonderland trip, we started talking and tea was mentioned so I offered to show him a traditional tea ceremony."

She rises up from the table, careful of the kimono, then moves to lean up and give Bart a light kiss. "There's still a lot left from the meal, and some things that Jon could eat due to allergy. If you want to fix a plate from the kitchen, you're welcome to join us." Smiling, she moves back to the table and reseats herself to nod at Jon, "Plenty left, and there's all the shellfish dishes I left out since you mentioned an allergy."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen kisses Emiko back and gives her a quick hug and then catches the bags before they can fall, maybe that's how he opened the door. He nods a bit and says "Yea Jon is the one who makes sure my friends and I are only slightly crazy." He smiles and says "Sure, let me put these things up." And he blurs into the kitchen, and after just a moment, he is walking back out in the Kimono that Emiko bought him on their trip to Japan, with a plate loaded with food.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon chuckles. "I think most of us have to be at least /slightly/ crazy to do what we do. Certainly most people wouldn't see it as 'normal.' But not getting /too/ far into mental illness is definitely the goal." He takes a moment to savor the dango.

    "Emiko and I have been talking about technical definitions of superheroes. I think we settled on... you and I are both 'supers' and 'superheroes,' and Emiko is neither of those things, yes? I think my daughter would be a 'super' but not a hero. Yet." He sighs. "She's liable to go that route, given her role models."

Emiko Queen has posed:
Emi smiles at the hug and turns back to pour out another cup for Bart so that he can join them. Setting it at the place setting opposite Jon, she looks up and lights up to see him in his kimono. "You look good, Bart." She turns and points to Jon, "But he's right. Nobody in their right mind would put on a mask and go punch bad people in the face. BUT. We do need grounding, so we don't go so far around that we end up on the other side of the mask."

Lifting her own cup, she sips from the tea and nods to Jon, "Correct. I would fall under the term 'mask' or 'vigilante' or even 'hero', on the days my ego needs stroking." A grin is flshed and Emiko sips from her tea again, then reaches for the mochi she chose, taking a bite. "But lacking a superhuman ability, I can be neither a 'super' nor a 'superhero'."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen looks over to them and says "I have to disagree, and not just cause I know you are super even without super powers." He offers a smile and says "People consider Batman, Green Arrow, and such superheroes even without superhuman abilities. While you may not be superhuman, you have studied and practiced and honed your abilities beyond that of normal people, beyond that of even most olympic athletes, you have worked harder to be Super, than us who were just born into it."

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon chuckles. "See, that's entirely the conversation Emiko and I were having. I've actually have to work quite hard to learn how to use my magic, and much of the rest of what I do isn't anything inborn. I had to dig into the memories of an ancestor dead several millenia ago to learn to use the khopesh, for example."

    He nods toward Emiko. "But as she pointed out--even having the /ability/ to dig into those ancestral memories, to train while lucid dreaming, to... have magic, that's all beyond what any normal person can do. I can quite literally fly, and no amount of training would grant Emiko that ability."

Emiko Queen has posed:
Emiko smiles softly at Bart and murmurs, "One, I love you and you're the best. Two, you're horribly biased. And three?" She pauses, then looks to Jon with a nod, then looks back to Bart, "Granted, my situation is unusual, but the existence of the Arrow Team and the Bat Family both show that very clearly, people -can- train hard and do what I do. However, there is no amount of training that I can do, ever, that will let me run at even a tenth of your -base- speed. That -is- the basis behind being a 'super' or being a 'superhero'. Having abilities beyond that of normal men and women. Things that we could never hope to have."

Lifting her tea for a sip, she looks to Jon, "I do, however, agree that that does not exclude or preclude supers from training heavily. You just aren't required to lose sleep for it." She chuckles softly and murmurs, "You should ask Bart sometime how much he sleeps in a night when he isn't indulging me and staying in bed because I'm such a light sleeper."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen runs a hand through his hair and smirks a bit and says "What thirty minutes, and I am good." He tells them, and perhaps even less, but he does not go into that. "Well, see now, I have to ask, cause specially magic types, often don't know anything about magic till they start studying it, and it seems the trying and studying is what allows them to learn, and what about the whole Zen and guru stuff, that you can train and learn but normal people would say is beyond normal human abilities?

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon tilts his head a bit. "Zen and guru stuff...? I'm not quite following, with that." He eats another dango, frowning thoughtfully as he chews. Swallows, and says, "So I am homo magi. That means my magic is almost entirely inborn, and what I do is... quite different from a lot of others. I can learn to do the ritual style magic that someone like, say, Constantine does, but most of what I do is either my own or granted by my gods."

    He gestures with his emerald arm. "My daughter, we're discovering--who is also homo magi, naturally--can /also/ do the same sort of magic that I can. I summon constructs from the Astral Plane... so for instance I can summon the concept of sparkling light." He waves his fingers and a shower of light floats through the air, teal and gold and purple. "I have to... stretch my imagination to come up with ideas such as how to use that for healing. I have to hone my concentration and my focus. And none of the constructs /last/, though their effects do, so if I want to do something longer-term like a ward I have to use the rituals."

    He glances between the two. "The thing I wonder is... could just anyone learn the ritual-type spells, or does it still take a certain type of person? If I introduced you to the person who's taught me wards, for instance, could you learn to use them? She learned magic herself, but was the ability inborn? Hmm."

Emiko Queen has posed:
Emiko lets out a small laugh and shakes her head, "Zen and guru stuff... well first, Zen is a philosophy, not a magical aptitude. Anyone -can- learn Zen and those who teach it would highly encourage that everyone try. Also, God I envy that. Thirty minutes? I could get -so much- done..." Sighing softly, she looks back to Jon, "If your significant other ever just stares at you for a long moment, not saying anything, just staring. Don't ask, just accept that they are in a moment of simultaneous envy and adoration."

That said, his question has her lifting a shrug, "That is also an excellent question, and not one that I can answer. I'm not a geneticist." She smiles quickly, "Or a zen guru." Oh yeah, that's sticking around for a bit. "That said, I imagine there are forms or types of magic that could be used without innate ability. I know that we can use enchanted items without having to be specifically trained in that brand of magic. The instructions are built-in, so to speak." Emi gives a small shrug, "If that would translate to being able to cast spells? That is an excellent question. You are welcome to try and teach me."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen looks over and says "You know like in the movies, slowing their heartbeat, the one foot punch, stuff like that. Now when you add in items, I have to ask, do you consider the Green lanterns Supers? I mean their rings allow them to do all, that but without them, they are normal like anyone else right?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    Jon chuckles. "My particular ability of 'lucid dream and do things while I sleep' comes with the side effect of dreaming past statements... which means having nightmares of past statements, really. Martin and Cael both try to avoid giving me statements at all, so I won't have to re-live their painful memories." He smirks. "Aside from that... Martin has his own magic and Cael... is rather stubbornly a Muggle."

    The last thing to try is the mochi; Jon grabs one of each, and says, "Ritual magic shouldn't be too hard for most people to learn, but I wonder..." He glances at Bart, hesitating thoughtfully. "Cael picked up an amulet during the war with the angels that, while she wore it, gave her enchaned healing and strength and durability, trained her to use all sorts of weapons--and that knowledge, at least, remains. Was she a super while she was using it? Is she a super still if she puts it back?"

Emiko Queen has posed:
"That is another excellent question! Hmmmmmm... I would say yes, in the terms of the Green Lantern ring. If I have it correctly, the rings choose the wearers, which shows a level of sentience that is unusual in inanimate objects. Which also suggests that those who are chosen possess a superhuman ability already, whether they're aware of it or not. In the case of the Green Lantern Corps, that would be willpower, correct? You could go your entire life and never find out that you have superhuman willpower." She lifts a shrug and sips from her tea.

Glancing to Jon, she smiles, "In -that- case, I would say no, unless the amulet chose her of its own accord, as the rings do for the Lanterns? I can pick up and utilize a magical item, that does not confer the magic to -me-, I am simply accessing the magic that exists in the object." Her smile grows, "In D&D terms... you could put me in a full suit of magic armor, equip a magic weapon, wear a magical item set... but I am still a human. Knock the weapon from my hand, strip me down... and there is only what I can do as a human. Even the Lanterns have shown they can call the rings back to them, if removed."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen hmmms a bit and says "I am not sure, I agree with you totally there, but I will add another aspect to the questions. What about those who are normal members of their own race, but be it cause of where they are or just cause their race can do something others can't? I mean like in the future there is a whole planet of people who can shape change are they super?"

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Well, she had to prove herself worthy of the amulet, but many people have proven themselves worthy. I suspect you could, for instance." Jon takes a sip of the tea, which is a good chaser for the green tea mochi, and picks up the sesame mochi.

    "See, that's where the whole thing breaks down a bit, because... well, for instance, in the past, /everyone/ could do magic. The Earth was simply more magical than it is now. We homo magi are merely the remnants of that past, still carrying the magical blood. Most of the survivors of the fall of Atlantis fled elsewhere. I actually tend to believe that people in ancient cultures who could do things we might call 'magic' were homo magi. Maybe that's where the 'one foot punch' comes from? I don't know enough to comment on that."

    He considers for a moment, then adds, "The funny thing is that my ancestors pretty much believed the same. Everyone had their protective amulets, it was taken as a matter of course that the dead returned to their bodies and the gods had once walked among us. Is a Martian 'super' just because humans can't do what they can? A Kryptonian? Hmm." He pops the mochi into his mouth.

Emiko Queen has posed:
"One inch punch. And that is a feat that any human can do with appropriate training, will, and ability to persevere through multiple instances of broken knuckles." Emi states quietly as she lifts her tea for a small sip. Setting it back down, she looks to Bart, "Aliens are not human. THey don't fall within the parameters of 'what a normal human can do' because they lack the basic requirement of -being- human." A smile plays around her mouth as she leans in and kisses the corner of his mouth, "But you're still my favorite."

Looking back to Jon, she gives a nod, "But was it the amulet that she had to prove her worth to, or whoever she got it from? If the amulet itself demands worthiness, then I would say yet, because again, that denotes a level of sentience. Of choice." Emiko lifts a shrug, "I can't speak to prior generations magical ability, or to Atlanteans. I did meet Aquaman once. He was nice."

Bart Allen has posed:
Bart Allen looks ofer. amd says "So Super only applies to human?" He starts to say more, and his phone beeps "Oh speaking of Aquaman, I need to go handle this, he helped me out with one of the Dr. Impulse videos, and seems he needs a bit of speed." He leans in kisses Emiko, and waves to Jon. And in a blur his plate is empties and gently rattling back down to the table and he is gone.

Jonathan Sims has posed:
    "Well, we were guided to it by the archangel Raphael. And it was a matter of battling her way through a series of guardians, thus being able to reach the amulet at all. Once she puts it up--I'm researching likely spots in Ireland, it originally belonged to Scathach--I would presume that the magic would provide guardians once more. That seems to have been laid down by the original owner--find the location, battle the guardians, and you are worthy to take up the amulet."

    Jon smiles. "I assure you, though, Cael Becker is the least super of individuals, in that sense. Strong-willed, certainly, but many people are strong-willed." He chuckles. "And my daughter would look at us all and question the very idea that magic isn't 'normal.' She grew up learning about magic, surrounded by people who could do magic, and never saw a television or a video game until we found her. Someone made the mistake of introducing her to Clarke, and so now she keeps telling me 'hyper-technology is just sufficiently advanced to be magic.'"

    Jon smirks. "And by 'someone' I mean 'me.'" He finally picks up the sakura mochi and tries it, then makes a pleased sound and grabs another. Those he definitely likes.