1785/The Sincerest Form Of Flattery

The Sincerest Form Of Flattery
Date of Scene:	22 May 2020
Location:	April's Apartment
Synopsis:	Vanessa asks April to help with testing Vanessa's mutant power
Cast of Characters:	Vanessa Carlysle, April O'Neil

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Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa had called April to see how she was doing. The trial of the drug smuggler, Yu Phun, was now over, Vanessa having done her part in testifying. Though she mentioned that the trial had been delayed, and said something in passing about, "Ambushing us on the way to the courthouse with a rocket launcher." Which is the kind of thing that probably doesn't make it past the keen reporter instincts of an April O'Neil, let alone past anyone else. But there wasn't much time to fill in details on the phone, and now Vanessa could safely be back in New York City, and at her old apartment, she said she wanted to stop by April's. Pizza and beer, just like old times.

So it is there is a knock on the door, Vanessa having said she'd pick up the food. Sure enough she has a large pizza box from Angelo's in hand, and what looks like a twelve pack of bottles. Actually good beer too, not the kind of stuff that Vanessa would normally buy. She's wearing jeans and a stretchy navy top that fits to her form nicely. And she's looking more bright and happy, even viewed through a peephole, than she has in quite awhile.

April O'Neil has posed:
April welcome Vanessa in, the Hyenas and Harley were out so there wasn't any yapping down in the stair well and she cleaned up it so it was nice and presentable. "Heeey." She says to the other as she comes and moves to help her with the food as well as exchange a hug as best she can. "So glad you're all right." She tells her, having heard about the trial as she's been keeping up with it online. "The ammount of crazy shit you've gotten yourself in to is starting rival me, ya know?" She tells her friend with a grin.

The auburn haired reporter heads toward the kitchen, walking past a giant baseball bat and mallet hanging on the wall beside the door, clear indications that Harley is still here. Plus April's office has been turned in to a second bedroom now.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle had checked to make sure they would be alone tonight when she called, as well. She's quick to set down the pizza to free up an arm to give April a very tight hug back. "Oh god it's so good seeing you. I felt like my old life was just... gone or something," Vanessa says. "I mean, granted, living in a wealthy, handsome... stud's mansion is not the worst thing in the world. But still," Vanessa says. Her gaze focuses in on April. "Not worth missing out on you though," she says, renewing the tight hug again before finally letting April go again.

Vanessa glances towards the new 'wall art', but doesn't bring it up in the conversation. "Yeah, you really are not kidding there about the crazy shit," Vanessa agrees. "And you haven't even heard the half of it yet," she says, as if there's a lot to hear still.

Vanessa pulls out two beers, passing one over to April, and then opens up the pizza. She knows April well enough to have got her favorite. "Anything good playing on TV, or turn on a movie while we catch up?" she asks.

April O'Neil has posed:
In the closet by the kitchen and the bathroom is a muffled thump noise and the sound of a muffled voice. It's quiet and April walks over to stand in front of the closet, then kicks it softly to try to warn whatever is inside it to shutup.

That's normal now, this is April's life now.

She accepts the beer and grins. "Having all that great new life means you gotta take on some new challenges, yeah? Rocket launchers though? I'm... not so sure that should be one of them." She peers her blue eyes after saying that and then takes a sip of the beer. "Harley and I have binge watched everything on Disney Plus about eight times now. But you're welcome to browse through it to see if there's anything you'd like to watch. I've been catching up on Amazon stuff too, their shows always get less attention it seems."

April walks over to the sofa chair and sits down on the arm of it. "I'll have to take you by the new podcast studio later if we're not too tipsy. Give you a graaaand tour of it! It's great, I love it. Vernon even loves it."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle oooos. "I'd love to see the new studio," she says. "Though that means you're encouraging us to not drink too much tonight. Not sure that's going to happen," she says with a laugh as she opens up her bottle and takes a drink. "I've been on good behavior more than usual to avoid Oliver's mother losing the good opinion she seems to have of me so far. Apparently it is a less common occurrence when it comes to Oliver's girlfriends, so I don't want to ruin it," she says with another chuckle.

Vanessa grabs plates, putting slices of pizza on each and bringing them over. She gives one to April and then plops down in the chair whose arm April is sitting on. She reaches up and rubs April's back with a scritch of her fingernails through her top. "It's so good to be back," she says with a warm sigh. "Maybe that Jack Ryan show? I haven't seen any of it yet," Vanessa suggests when Amazon is mentioned.

Vanessa lets out a breath and sips her beer. "Yeah, a lot of catching up to do with you. Rocket launchers and archers and getting ambushed in the woods," she says, shaking her head.

April O'Neil has posed:
April stands up and moves to the sofa then when the plate of food is presented and she grins at Vanessa. "I promise I won't record your drunken ramblinbs and post them to social media for Oliver's parents to discover them." She says with a sly grin as she settles in again and reaches for the remote that is there beside some of Harley's adult coloring books.

"Jack Ryan... yeah, I've watched a few of those but we can start it over. I've always had the biggest crush on Jon Krasinski. Ever since The Office." She sighs, thinking about watching that show when she was a kid.

Taking a sip of the drink and a bite of the food, April looks over to her friend. "So are you two like super serious then? Are you about to become Queen Vanessa?" She asks with a big grin.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa gets her plate again, resting it on her lap and taking a bite of her pizza. "Mmmmm... so good," she comments. "That's another thing. I'm eating mostly real food. Less takeout and pizza and pub food," she says. And it's starting to show. Actually, it's not just the food. Vanessa has added a bit of athletic tone to her that wasn't there before. She was previously fit, but not particularly athletic looking. But there's just the beginnings of a little definition visible on her upper arms where the short sleeves of her top leave the arms bare.

"I'd say... we are, yes," Vanessa confirms. "Not that we've really talked about serious steps. But I'd be lying if I didn't say I've thought about some of those things with him," she says, breaking out in a soft, private smile that she then shares with April. "So, no time soon I don't think. But... I don't think the thought of me doing anything but continuing to stay with him there ever occurred to him. And, well I didn't want otherwise either, but I didn't want to assume."

Vanessa takes a swig of her beer. "What about you? Anyone new in your life? Any crazy avengers that you've been on?" she asks.

April O'Neil has posed:
April is indulging in her food and enjoying it quite a lot, but she's used to this kind of food and works it off because of her very active life style. She's always had muscle tone to her form, especially in her legs due to her bike riding. But she's no stranger to pounding on a punching bag at the gym either.

She does note Vanessa's arms though and eyes them for a moment while chewing. After clearing her palette though she shakes her head. "I'm just really happy for you, Van." She tells her friend. "You've come a long way from where I met ya. I mean back then you seemed happy 'enough' but now you seem to have a purpose that is really driving you and pushing you to try to improve, which is awesome. Truly awesome."

She reaches a hand out to put it around Vanessa's arm and pinch it. "Plus, look at these damn guns..." April grins. "I'm gonna challenge Oliver for your love now, ya know, if ya keep bulkin' up like this."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
A smile grows on Vanessa's face as April speaks of how far she's come. "My life has definitely changed. I'm actually thinking about... careers now?" Vanessa says, her voice a little incredulous about it still. "Before I was just trying to get by and make ends meet. Well, you know how it was," she says. "And... Oliver doesn't seem bothered by knowing about my past. We haven't really discussed it still openly. But he knows the gist of it. And... doesn't seem to stop him from caring about me," she says with a smile.

Vanessa glances at her arm and gives a little laugh. Not really a gun, maybe a derringer. Not really big, just showing a little tone now. "I've been getting a bit more in the way of workouts, yes," Vanessa admits. "And don't think you couldn't mount a good challenge either," Vanessa says with a laugh and a waggling finger towards April. "Just need to make sure I get back around here to see you more often. Thank God for the HyperLoop there."

April O'Neil has posed:
April just flashes a smile at her friend between bites of her food and sips of her drink. She brushes her long dark hair back out of her face so she can see the other more clearlya nd keep her hair out of her foooood too. "I imagine you barely have any time at all." April admints then. "What with all of that, rocket launchers and you know..." She shakes her head softly. "Moonlighting as the Green Arrow's sidekick archer and all."

It's a perception thing. April is a perceptive person. She's an investigative reporter who deals in super hero mysteries, theories, legit stories of facts and not just fictions. She knows stuff about the super hero life, even if she isn't one herself.

"That was you right?" She asks then to confirm it. "In the warehouse, during the Foot versus Hand versus Dinosaur plague last month." She grins at Vanessa. "I know your voice, hon. It's sultry and sexy and it's easy to pick out of a crowd."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa's hand stops halfway in bringing a slice of pizza to her mouth, the young woman glancing over at April with her brow furrowing slightly. She slowly lowers her hand, setting the pizza back on her plate and replacing the tasty slice with her beer bottle. Vanessa takes a long swallow and gives a tiny burp as she lowers the bottle.

"Yes, that was me," she says, letting out an exhalation. She grumbles and shakes her head. "Should have known. Thought maybe things were so hectic you hadn't noticed. Forgot to turn on the darn voice modulator," she says, gazing over at April steadily.

Vanessa lets out a sigh. "So, yeah. As it turns out, Green Arrow was the one who raided the penthouse that night. And when he found out the girl there got caught up in it and was going to testify against Yu Phun... well. It wasn't a coincidence he showed at that bank robbery when you and I were in there. He and his allies have been protecting me, protecting Oliver. His ally, Arsenal, stopped Yu Phun before he used the rocket launcher on Oliver and I when we were driving to the HyperLoop station," she says.

Vanessa clears her throat. "And so, he's been training me a bit, Green Arrow. Least he can do for having put me in danger, right? And... well, actually, this kind of leads into something else. I wasn't really planning on revealing that part. I'm sure you can understand why those heroes keep secret identities. To protect loved ones. So I wasn't going to reveal that part. But, there's something else related to it there that I wanted to ask for your help with."

April O'Neil has posed:
april is nodding softly to all that Vanessa says then and there, it's a lot to take in but she's kind of been processing the idea that Vanessa was a possible vigilante for a little while now anyway!

"I assume Oliver is okay with you doing this?" She asks, having not pieced together that Oliver was Green Arrow yet. Though if she got Van pegged, Vanessa should know it likely won't take her much more information to make that leap of logic.

"I mean, I'm happy for ya, I just want ya to be careful. Trust me, I hear about it on my show all the time. So and so's family member tried to become a street vigilante and ended up dead at the bottom of an elevator shaft, or at the base of a bridge, or whatever. People think they're empowered because of the likes of Superman. They forget he's an alien!"

Beer sip is had then. "But yeah, what do you need?"

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa gives a slow nod at the question about Oliver. It's a tight line she's walking, trying to not outright lie to her friend, yet letting what she says be misleading enough to steer April away from the thought Oliver might be the Green Arrow. "Well, it was a bit of surprise for him when we got jumped by a group of thugs, and I grabbed up a bo staff from one of them and started using it," she says. "He's understanding. Though, he also has a little bit more reason to feel I'm not in over my head," Vanessa says. "Which is the part I wanted to discuss."

Vanessa takes another long sip of her beer, with the sense of steeling herself for what comes next. "So... ah... well I really picked up stuff from Green Arrow really quickly. And it turns out, it wasn't just I was secretly some natural archer. I saw a specialist, and... it turns out I've got an active mutant gene. And it seems that I'm able to kind of mimic or copycat someone else. In this case... his archery, fighting and... well, I even pick up memories. My brain sort of rewrites itself. It's happened with Green Arrow, and it's happened with Oliver. I don't know if you remember, but that bank we were in when we got robbed? I knew the manager. But, I didn't. Oliver knew him from dealings with the bank. Yet I knew his name without thinking about it. Later, I was able to recall memories of those meetings Oliver had with him," she says.

April O'Neil has posed:
April is a good listener and she listens to aaall of this, then sets her plate on to the table beside her and reaches for a napkin to dab at her fingertips. "Jesus, Vanessa." She says softly after hearing the details on what's going on with her friend. "I mean, that's amazing, but it's kinda freaky too. And well, heh--" She shakes her head softly. "Terry, my cousin, he's going through something fairly similiar though it's far far more... Terry'ish." There's a grin that comes and goes from her lips before she sets the napkin in a wad on to the plate beside her as well. She turns to face Vanessa more straight forward. "So you're now gonna what... go out there and start fighting anti-mutant nutcases? I don't wanna lose ya out there, Van. Mutants have a way of vanishing. I hear it all the time too. Person finds out they're a mutant, get too publicly flashy about it and boom, they're black bagged and are never heard from again."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa is gripping her bottle tightly. "You know I've never really given a lot of thought to the whole mutant thing. I am fine being around Bushwick, but, I'm not any kind of activist in any direction. So... since finding out it's been kind of... made it all hit home. I mean... shit? Genosha? And now this Stryker guy?" Vanessa says, sighing.

"Well, no, so far I haven't gotten involved in any of that. As you saw, I've helped Green Arrow but he hasn't focused on that either," she says. "Really, I'm just trying to work this out on a personal level. I don't know what all I can do. Or how it works. How to control it. The specialist I saw, I think I can trust to keep it under wraps. But she suggested some things she imagines I'm capable of. But I'm kind of scared to try them with Oliver, or Green Arrow. I mean... April? She thinks I can maybe not just copy thoughts and skills, but even appearances. And... ah... I don't know if it would be permanent or not. So, I'm really trying my best to not do that and end up a man the rest of my life, while I'm figuring out how it works."

Vanessa pauses and looks down. "Which... is why I wanted to... ah... ask for your help."

April O'Neil has posed:
April shakes her head softly side to side at that information. "I can't even imagine." She softly says back. "And of course, I'm here to help you. Whatever you need." She glances toward what used to be her office out of reflex, but is quick to look back to Vanessa. "I know mutants from my show, some of them say that there are experts out there who can help you learn the full potential of what a mutation is capable of doing. If you'd like, I could start to snoop around in that direction and see what I can come up with." It's not like the Turtles. She knows that. The Turtles mutation was caused by a chemical sludge from a laboratory, and what Vanessa is describing is the mutation that is springing up in the genetics of human beings all over the world now. At least five to ten percent of the United State's population is rumored to have genetics along those same lines now.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
The smile that April receives is truly warm and brilliant. "I would say I'd love you even more if you would, but I'm not sure I actually can love you more than I do already," Vanessa says in a warm voice for her friend. "Yes, if you could find out what options are there, I would greatly appreciate it. I have been cautioned about revealing this about myself though, and I think it's pretty good advice. So I'm... well, baby steps," she says with a rueful laugh.

"So," Vanessa says, setting down her beer and getting her pizza again, taking a nibble before replacing the slice. "Um, what I want to ask... you can absolutely say no to, with or without explanation, and I will be completely fine with it," Vanessa says. "I honestly don't know I'd say yes if our places were switched," she says.

Vanessa takes another deep breath. Cleansing, that. "So, um... I was wondering if you would let me try to copy you. Consciously. And even, to copy you physically. So far it's just happened. But the doctor thinks I subconsciously held myself back from what her tests suggested I might be capable of. And... I have no idea if it'll go away. So what's it mean? I might end up looking like you. Hopefully I can change back. But it could be I'd be stuck that way. And, ah, well if I have to be stuck looking like another person, you're not exactly hard on the eyes, April," Vanessa says, adding a grin and a soft laugh to try to inject some levity, though she does have to force them just a bit. It is a serious matter.

"Maybe worse though, from your standpoint... I could end up learning everything about you. EVERYTHING. Have every memory you have. Every embarrassing moment or secret. It doesn't mean it would all hit my conscious mind. It's like.. I don't know, you probably have memories of when you were 8 but they aren't always forefront in your mind. Some things, like recognizing a familiar face are just there. Most of it though I'd have to consciously think about to pull the memories up. A few though just pop up, particularly if something related happens around me."

April O'Neil has posed:
April puts her left arm back on the back of the sofa and props her head up on that hand with her fingers sinking in to her hair as she does this. She lays her other hand across her thigh and just stares at Vanessa as she speaks and asks her favor. The looks part makes her flash a grin. "Appreciated." She says, as that's a very humbling thing to be told. Or is it an ego inflating thing? Depends on one's personality, maybe it's both!

"I mean... if there's no inherent danger in it, for either of us. You haven't spoken about what it does to the person you're copying though. Will it turn me into a withered old hag or something?" She asks, now cracking a grin for Vanessa. "God, can you imagine if there were two of me? I can think of a few people's mind's I'd like to burst just playing around with that." She glances toward the doorway. What would Harley even think of that? Let alone the Turtles. She KNOWS where Vern's head would go.

Back to Vanessa, she looks. "I'll do it though if you need the help. I don't care what kind of secrets you learn from me, I think you've learned most of them already anyway."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle reacts to the question about danger with a quick shake of her head. "We haven't seen any reason to suspect there's any harm for you. I had some of Oliver's knowledge without realizing it for weeks, over a month. It kind of came on gradually. You know, I think part of the reason his mother likes me? Is she showed me her prized china collection and I was... familiar with it. I mean where it came from and some of the little obscure facts about it. It was weeks later, when enough other things had happened we started to suspect, that we realized... Oliver's heard her talk about that china a dozen times. And so I was tapping into his memories. So she liked me, because I already knew the subjects of her stories and showed appreciation, even if she and I didn't realize it at the time."

Vanessa gets a very grateful look as April gives her assent. "I promise I'll do my best not to delve into your memories," she says. "If it even works. I don't know, maybe it won't work on women. Or maybe it's only certain people? Kind of experimenting as we go. But in any event, Oliver hasn't shown any signs of being affected. Green Arrow doesn't show any signs. I have Oliver's healed broken forearm duplicated in my arm, is how the doctor expects I can copy physically too. But he doesn't show any signs of being changed."

April O'Neil has posed:
April has a slow grin form over her lips as she listens to the story about the mother-in-law-to-be. "That is totally relationship cheating, ya know." She chides Vanessa in good humor. "But I can't fault you for it. Casey's mother is the only mother I've met from my illicit love affairs, but I absolutely adored her. I don't know how she ended up with a son like Casey." She grins again then briefly before she draws in a breath and sits up straighter to put both of he rhands in her lap. "Okay, so what do you need me to do?" She asks. "Need me to light some candles? Or lay down on a plank of wood or something?" A light laugh escapes her lips then. "Or just shutup and let you do your thing?"

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa takes a bite of her pizza. "Well, I'm not entirely sure. So far it had just happened," Vanessa replies. "The doctor seems to think it's something I can probably control based on the fact I seemed able to copy them physically, but didn't. Even if it was my subconscious holding me back."

A small swig of her beer is taken and then Vanessa gets up to get a pair of fresh drinks for them. "So, trying to figure out what it takes can be part of it. Maybe it takes touching or contact? With Oliver that has been there. Obviously," Vanessa says with a coy smile at the last part. "But, even training with Green Arrow that would be the case too. And might explain why it hasn't happened with others. So. I guess first I can just sit near you and try for awhile. If nothing happenings, we'll just keep trying and seeing what works? Might need to spend a lot of time with you if it turns out it takes a lot of exposure."

Vanessa glances towards the door. "I... REALLY don't want Harley to know about his. For many reasons which you can probably figure out easily enough."

April O'Neil has posed:
April laughs at that last part as she glances toward the doorway. "You'll know when Harley is back, because the Hyenas will be running up the stairs like gangbusters." She says back before looking back and scooting over to sit closer to Vanessa. "Though yeah, if Harley comes in and we're sitting here holding hands, she might have a number of questions for us." She says /this/ with a laugh quick to follow it. "But I understand why you'd want to try different things, that's smart. It'll help you learn what works and what doesn't. I sorta did that with Terry, though his power is based on mirrors - and I don't think he'd care if I told you that. But yeah, I gave him one of my mother's old makeup mirrors and he was able to use it as well. I keep meaning to ask him if a reflection in water works too... but... Anyway."

April moves to tie her hair back behind her head so it's out of the way and she can sit there beside Vanessa without having to push it aside all the time. "So a movie then? Have you watched Tiger King?" She asks with another growing grin whilst fussing with her dark hair.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa smiles and says, "I have not seen it. If you want to watch that instead, I'm game," she says. "So for now, maybe we can just hang out like normal here. No extra physical contact and see if anything happens. After a bit, couple of hours, if nothing we could maybe try contact for awhile and see what happens," Vanessa says. "I also considered it could have some emotional component. I mean... I love Oliver. And... well Green Arrow has been protecting me, you can imagine that engenders quite a bit of goodwill towards him. If so, I figured you're my bestie and there's probably no one else besides Oliver I'm that close with. So... hopefully it'll work," she says with a smile.

She grabs her pizza to take another bite. "So, Tiger King then?"