3425/Hark! What Rainbow Through Yon Window Breaks

Hark! What Rainbow Through Yon Window Breaks
Date of Scene:	18 September 2020
Location:	5B - Karolina's Greenwich Loft
Synopsis:	Old friends meet up, and realize that they are a little more different in many ways than they were in the past - and similar in other ways.
Cast of Characters:	Karolina Dean, Nico Minoru

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Karolina Dean has posed:
    Lovely late evening, the sun burning orange along the skyline as its blaze is slowly extinguished by the inexorable turn of the world. The early-autumn/late-summer air is still warm, though hints of the coming chill can be felt in the growing long shadows of the skyscrapers. Across the horizon, a rainbow streak arcs across the orange sky, not the most uncommon sight in a city that calls many heroes home. The ribbons of multi-colored light might be familiar to some people, though, and the humanoid prism that's trailing them comes to a stop on top of one of the towers of the Greenwich Lofts.

    Karolina lands gracefully, exhaling a happy sigh, carrying a colorful thermal bag emblazoned with a variety of NYC postcard images in a posterized art style. She kicks off her shoes, settling bare feet on her patio, and reaches into the bag. Her bright, shining aura dims and vanishes as she slips her bracelet on, but the real prizes are the sealed container of soup and some vegetable spring rolls from a local noodle shop. She glances at her vegetables, the current crops mostly out of season now with some fall vegetables starting to develop. "Hey, don't look at me like that!" she says with a laugh towards her plants. "Sometimes a girl can go out for noodles, can't she? I'm allowed to be too lazy to cook -sometimes-..." she tosses her hair back and then plops down in one of her chairs, popping the lid off of the soup and breathing in deep the scent of her bounty, basking in the fading light of the sun as well.

Nico Minoru has posed:
    It was hard to miss that rainbow streak through the night.

    Well, it was hard to miss that rainbow streak anywhere, really. But still, it was chance, perhaps fate of sorts, that from a cheap hotel room across the city, Nico had spotted it when she happened to glance through the window. A cant of her head, and the Staff of One is produced.

    "Take me to the end of the rainbow," she tells the staff, and a pack of pixies are sprung of light, fluttering around Nico's head as she gets ready, glancing at herself in the mirror and applying one last dash of black eyeliner to her eyes, before putting her hair up with a maroon bandana.

    Because you need a little extra woosh in certain situations, right?

    In either case, the gothic witch manages to make her way across town, holding the staff in the other hand. Considering how long she's been wearing what she has, she didn't mind the wierd looks about her dress - or the fluttering pixies around her head.

    And that might be the first thing Karolina notices.

    The little pixie of light giggling at her window, the airy sound a herald before another flies up - and another, darting outside of her window and pointing inside, their giggles growing louder due to the sheer number of pixie going on there.

    And then there was a knock at the door.

    It was Nico Minoru, feeling vaguely... awkward, overall. It's been some time. Of course Karolina would remember their runaway time, but... was this even Karolina? A pixie pulls at a lock of her hair where she settles, cross-legged, atop Nico's head, pointing in the direction of the door.

Karolina Dean has posed:
    Karolina spends a few minutes on her roof, enjoying what's left of the sun, letting her soup cool. She might not be bothered by heat, overall, but she'd rather not scorch her tongue on boiling broth either. She crunches down on her spring rolls, one after the other, and frowns at the oil on her fingers. She glances at the plants again, as if they're glaring at her, sticks her tongue out. "Don't give me that. I'll stir-fry you in peanut oil," she grins, and napkins her hands off.

    With a sigh, she carries her things down the stairs, into her apartment proper, and moves around to get some music started and.... glances out the window. Light motes? Fireflies? She squints, no that's a.... pixie of some sort? "Oh? What in the..." she moves closer to the window, eyes widening as she sees the swarm, and they're pointing at... her? "Um, can I help you?" she calls through the glass, confused. She's so focused on the flitting winged creatures that the knock actually startles her. Had her soup not been set on the table, she might have dropped it! "Coming!" she calls out, bewildered.

    The sound of some bolts being undone echoes in the hall, and the door opens partway with a chain at head-level keeping it from going further. Karolina peeks out, stares even more wide-eyed at Nico, and slams it shut. There's a fumbling noise, the chain being slid and unlatched, and she opens it up wide in an attempt to be sure she's seeing what she's seeing.

    "Nico!" she gasps, eyes roaming her from head to toe a half dozen times before settling on that face. "You're here?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
    There was a quirk of Nico's head at the door, as the giggling pixie starts to fade from creation, considering its duty was finished. The pack of pixies outside of the window likewise wink out one by one, still laughing and contorting with each other while the negative energy that fueled them runs slowly dry.

    Leaving just Sister Grimm in the hallway. Twisting her wrist just so, the staff of one vanishes in a puff of logic and purple air, the magic staff perhaps... never existing at all?

    Just in time for Karolina to open the door to see her.

    "Hey, 'lina," she says somewhat wanly, a smile - however subtle - tucking up the edges of her black-painted lips. "I was wondering if that rainbow was you. So I thought I'd say hi - or at least pretend to," she says, bringing up her hand - fingerless gloves and all, waving it in a slow wave in front of herself, Jedi Mind Trick style. "So hi. Would it be cool if I come in a bit? I'd like to catch up," she says.

Karolina Dean has posed:
    Karolina is dumbfounded. She hadn't seen Nico in years. Not since the social system in California had broken up the Runaways and sent them scattering. She has to blink, not sure if she's really seeing who she's seeing or if she's just not gotten enough sleep. "Four years?" she asks, softly. Behind her, further proof that it's Karolina, as the stereo plays some of the woman's extensive Beatles collection. Her cheeks tint as she realizes what's playing, snapped back to reality as 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' transitions from the previous song.

    "No! Yes! I mean... come in!" she nearly trips over her own feet as she half-stumbles backwards, one hand grasping the door, other arm opening wide to gesture into her spacious apartment. "What are you doing in New York?" she asks, then glances at the window, finding, well, nothing but the skyline. "....were... those your friends?" she asks, though now sounding unsure if she'd even seen them at all, though she does recall that Nico was quite talented in the ways of sorcery.

Nico Minoru has posed:
    It was further proof that it was Karolina, "You're still listening to the Beatles?" she asks. Which were big words, considering that Nico was still dressed as the witch in an anime or something. One arm folds over the other, and her left arm was... thicker, perhaps, under the long sleeves of her dress. The subtle smile blossoms into something more, showing her teeth - a flash of white against the contrast of her black lipstick.

    "Never change, 'lina," she says, stepping inside. "Shoes or no?" she asks, pointing down at her boots. There were like a million buckles, so it might take her some time to get them off of her legs.

    "But... yeah, those were what the staff of one decided to make when I asked them to follow the rainbow," she says, another showing of that subtle grin at the edge of her lips. "I'm just glad I wasn't following a Leprechaun or something halfway across town," she says. As for the subject of what she was doing in New York City... she pauses. And decides to ask instead. "You look like you're doing great, 'lina, seriously," she says. "Are you doing well?" she asks.

Karolina Dean has posed:
     "Of course I am," Karolina smiles, "...I grew up with them... and I'm in walking distance from Strawberry Fields!" she exclaims, even through her bewilderment. "Oh, um, up to you.. I don't.. ever have guests, actually.." she laughs and closes the door behind Nico, taking the time to look her over again, making sure she's not still dreaming. Or worse, having hit her head in some fight and is unconscious in Metropolis or something. "...this IS real, right? You're real, right?" she asks, starting to lock the door. Heavy bolts, it's still NYC after all.

    The purses her lips at the non-answer to her question, but she also doesn't notice the oddness of the woman's other arm. "I'm... doing really good, actually... I've got my own place... I've got my classes at NYU and I've..." she sucks on her lower lip, hesitating for a moment, reaching an arm across herself to grasp on her own upper arm, a nervous gesture. "...been working with a team again."

Nico Minoru has posed:
    "Wait, Strawberry Fields is an actual place?" says Nico, her brow quirking.

    "You don't have guests? That's kinda... surprising," says Nico, kinda lingering in the entryway of the place. Without waiting further, though, she kinda squats down, starting to unbuckle her shoes, one by one, little clicks following the path of her hands. She had stripey stockings on beneath that, as she pulls the boot off of her foot, and sets it aside.

    "I think I'm real," says the woman, the smiles already drawing back down to a neutrality. "Although there's some days I wonder," she says, bringing black-painted nails up to brush a lock of her hair behind an ear. "Are you real?" she asks of Karolina.

    Now off comes the other boot, set aside. "It sounds like you... well... ended up pretty normal, really," she says. "And yeah? You're a superhero? Thought I heard about that in the news, in passing," she says, with a smallish quirk of her head to one side. "How's that going?" she asks.

Karolina Dean has posed:
    "Yeah, it's in Central Park," she jerks her thumb towards the window, which may or may not even be pointing in the right direction. "Well, I mean, it's a memorial to John Lennon. So... it wasn't a real place, but it is now. But you know how important it is to me..." she steps past Nico, hurring to turn the stereo down. Not that it was loud but the exact song at that exact moment were... surprisingly timed.

    "Well, I mean, sometimes classmates drop in for studying and group projects, but those are few and far between. And with my schedule these days it's a bit harder?" she shrugs helplessly, heading into the kitchen area and grabbing a couple of bowls. "You look real. I think you're real? I mean, I'm pretty real! I don't know, I'm not majoring in philosophy so I'd rather not be having an existential crisis right now because you're paying me a visit," she laughs. It's good natured, at least. Playful.

    "I -guess- I ended up normal... I mean years of therapy and just ... wanting to figure out me, and then stop being me... I only... just recently started... fully being me again?" she offers a lopsided smile, as she divides her soup up into two bowls. There's a flood of broth, noodles, fried tofu, onions, and mushrooms filling both bowls. "I mean being a gay rainbow alien superhero is... normal? Maybe it is for me? I don't know... and it's going. It's ... well. Going well mostly. Mostly...." she sighs, takes a breath, and then shifts gears. "You still didn't tell me what you're doing all the way in New York. It's a long flight from California... and are you hungry? I got a bunch of soup from a ramen shop,and it's enough for two meals but I figured you're here..."

Nico Minoru has posed:
    "And that's what matters, I guess," says Nico. "Not so much the place, but the feelings, right? The emotions, the energy," she says, her eyes tracking after Karolina as she moves to turn off the radio. Her lips purse a bit. "I'm as real as I've ever been," she says.

    "But with all of the things I've seen..." she says, stepping into the apartment proper, and letting her eyes wander.

    "...sometimes I wonder," she says. "I've been kinda wandering through the US after we... broke up, I guess," she says, her eyes perking up when ramen was mentioned. "Being a superhero... kinda," she adds. "Witch shit." A beat. "Like... real ramen ramen?" she asks. "If it's those little packets..." she says. Ramen shop? Probably real.

    "I'm down, 'lina," she says.

    "I think gay rainbow alien is pretty damn normal, considering the rest of what's going on in the world," she says, stepping towards the table itself. "At least, if it isn't, then I don't want normal," she says, letting a grin touch her lips again. "I like what you've done with the place, and... I'm sorry for just dropping in," she says. "But the place is cute," she adds.

Karolina Dean has posed:
    "Well... yes... it feels like home here. And... so does my new family. It's complicated? I've been keeping busy, though, or trying to," Karolina smiles, gently patting the table. "C'mon, grab a seat and a spoon. Yeah, real ramen. You can get anything to eat in this city, and it's usually good! Vegan options can be a little sparse sometimes if you're looking in the wrong places, but.." she gestures to the merrily steaming bowls in front of her.

    "So you just sort of ended up here in your travels? I... guess I worried about you, when we all broke up... I'd heard you ran away. Like... ran away for real. Not.... our thing...." she vaguely gestures, in reference to the Runaways. "And, thanks. It's home. I've still got to get some of my unicorn toys out on display, but... I actually spend more time in Metropolis these days, too."

    Karolina doesn't sit, though, she's heading for the fridge. "Anything special you want to drink?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
    A pause then, and Nico moves to take a seat across from Karolina, drawing a deep breath as she closes her eyes, a bit briefly. The woman was reserved even on the best of days, and with a subject like that - it was like pulling teeth. She pauses a moment, breathing in deeply and releasing the same, the intensity of her eyes present as she looks to Karolina.

    "Yes," she says. "There's..." How to say this? "... something set to happen here, soon," she says. "According to a book I found in Ohio," she says, pushing a hand through her hair briefly. "So I came here to stop it, as best I can," she says, patting the bookbag she carries by her side. "But... yeah. I couldn't... handle the whole foster situation. It sounds emo, but I really didn't feel like they understood me, and I just couldn't... go back to normal," she says, her black lips pursed tightly.

    "So it makes me happy beyond belief that you seem to have found a home. A family. Someplace... gentle," she says. A beat more. "I'll take literally anything to drink," she says. "Even wine," she adds.

Karolina Dean has posed:
    It almost seems like Karolina doesn't believe Nico. What with the look she gives. The talk of a book, the talk of something going on. But she just shrugs, and opens the fridge. "I'm not twenty-one yet, Nico," she chides teasingly, but does pull out a bottle of grape juice and leans up into her cupboard to dig out a couple of glasses, stretching on her toes and showing off those long legs in her shorts as she does so.

    She turns around, filling the glasses, shaking her head, "...gentle... isn't... what I'd call it..." she says quietly. "I fly with the Titans now..." she says quietly. "...back when Metropolis was under siege a couple of weeks ago? We were there. At ground zero. We even went into space..." There's a twinkle of light in her eye, and she can't help but smile. "...I can fly in -space-, Nico. It was amazing!"

    All of that enthusiasm seems to bleed out of her expression and voice, though, as she swirls her fork around in her soup, stirring up the noodles. "...four of the team didn't make it back. They're lost out there, in space, somewhere. But they're alive. We know it. There's just.. a lot of work to do.." she exhales a sigh. "So, no," she looks up at Nico, "...I have a family, but I'm not in a gentle place. The world isn't a gentle place, and... someone like me can help. So... I do." She takes a long drink of her juice, and pours another,like it might as well be wine after all.

    "...so if you need help with something, let me know? I... can try to help... and.... I know others, too."

Nico Minoru has posed:
    A wave of her hand, and a lifting of her brows when she was chided about the age. "Yeah, of course," she says, her right hand scratching at the wrist of her left as Karolina gets the drinks, her eyes distracted elsewhere - towards that view of Central Park, primarily, and the night beyond it.

    "What would you call it then?" she says, looking back to Karolina with a quirked brow. "Wait, you can breathe in space?" she asks. "I didn't know you could do that too!" she says, the enthusiasm of the other girl seeming infectuous in her, sparking a smile on her lips as well.

    A pause, though, when the mood of the conversation changes. "No, it isn't a gentle place," says Nico, agreeing. "But that's why they need people like you, and me, to help where we can," says Nico, reaching across the table to rest her hand on Karolina's forearm unbidden. Left hand - it was cold beneath the frilly glove she favored.

    "And that's why it's good to have friends and family when dealing with it," she says. A pause more.

    "I got it under control, I think," she says. "But if I have trouble, you'll be the first one I call," she says. "Although... if you know any weird old book stores or out and out magic shops around town, like... real magic, that'd be really helpful to kinda tap in with the community here," she says.

Karolina Dean has posed:
    The hand resting on her arm earns a blink. She listens to Nico talk, but her eyes go down to that hand. And when everything is done and said, she looks back up to her old friend. "I don't know of any such places, and I've lived here for... three years now? But, I don't.... usually look into that sort of thing..." she offers, giving a lopsided, apologetic smile.

    "Just be sure you call me, ok? I can give you my number, and.... well, you know where I live now..." she laughs. "Just.. if I'm not home, I'm in Metropolis. I come back here regularly to water my plants though... and I still have classes," she says softly, looking like she feels guilty for leaving them alone so much.

    "But.. you.. this.." she turns her hand over, gently grasping Nico's arm in return, while her own is touched. "...you were never this cold..." she says quietly, a little blush tinting her cheeks again. "What happened to you?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
    Pulling the hand back when the coldness was mentioned - the other arm was warm, if Karolina was avoiding the witch arm. "If a friend of yours knows - like someone who's really into magic?" says the woman, turning her head back to her. "Just ask her the question, they'd probably know exactly what I mean," she says.

    A tapping of her nails against the tabletop.

    "Well, yeah. Plants need to drink," she says, the smile returning a bit. "And I can't think of a better plant momma than you," she says. "So... sorry if the pixies or whatever were harrassing them when I came, you know?" she says. A beat at the last question. A sigh, a bit, and she seems to deflate.

    "I nearly died," says Nico. "But the Staff kept me alive. Do you remember that thing?" she says. "I think it has a mind of its own, mostly," she says.

    "And it's... not going to let me die easily. I think," she says.

Karolina Dean has posed:
    Karolina almost panics, and she grabs for Nico's hand with both of hers. She's still strong, and it's as if she doesn't want the other girl to slip away again. "Um... if I remember... I'll ask if they know something around, sure..." she says quietly, glancing back at the window--and the plants--again. "I'm majoring in agricultural sciences. Like maybe I could start a hydropnics place here in the city for vegan food, or a farm upstate..." she shrugs.

    "The.. pixies didn't bother me.. they surprised me, though?" she offers, then frowns. "...we.. both have had near-death experiences lately, haven't we. What... happened? Yeah, I remember that staff... it's creepy. I always thought it was going to kill you. But now you're saying it's keeping you alive? Just... promise me you'll try to be safe with it, ok? Not... let it take over your brain or something... if it wants something from you that's probably a bad sign?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
    And as strong as Karolina was, the hand beneath was unyielding - it didn't have the same pliancy as skin should have, being made of stone or metal beneath, perhaps. "That sounds..." she says. "Like it would be healthy, at least," she says. "You know I never asked - was your whole family vegan, or was that something special that you did yourself?" she asks.

    Nico squeezes back, gently, those fingers curling back with a strength and.. almost grace to them.

    "You and space, me and, well... witch shit," she says, lips lifting wryly.

    "Maybe it's because I'm the last of the Minorus, now that our parents aren't... really around anymore," she says. "I hope. But yeah. It's not a staff of sweetness and light," she says. "But maybe I'll make it that way, one of these days," the grim woman says.

Karolina Dean has posed:
    At the least, Karolina sees to keep that arm from getting away on her. She frowns, feeling that it's... no longer flesh and blood. Regardless, her hands hold it, her fingers tangling if she'll be allowed to, and she nods. "My parents were into the whole vegan thing... I think they were just keeping up on some... Hollywood fad diet thing, but it stuck. And... I really like the food. To be honest, I'm still not even sure if I have to eat, being what I am? But I'm sure there's some science about biomass conversions and whatever..." she trails off, sighing quietly.

    "Me and space. I'm... probably part star... and... I mean... if you can't make that thing a staff of sweetness and light, you've got me at least? That's kind of my thing..." she says, a bit more cheer returning to her features. "I'm... glad you're here... even if.. things weren't so happy back in California... for... lots of reasons."

Nico Minoru has posed:
    She was allowed to tangle fingers. There was an almost cogwheel nature to the fingers as they move with the joints, wrangling around the other girl's fingers, Nico being absurdly gentle with that - more spreading her fingers out and allowing Karolina to take the lead there, her eyes full on Karolina's.

    "That sounds like way above my paygrade," she says. "Maybe Chase, if he were here, he'd be able to science it up," she says.

    "That's why we worked so well together, 'lina. You kept us all... hoping, I think," she says. "Seeing the good, in all the bad here," she says. "...but yeah. California is in the past, right? We're just picking up the pieces of our future, now."

Karolina Dean has posed:
    Karolina takes that initiative, not caring how.. odd or mechanical that hand feel. It's Nico's. It's her friend's. But she doesn't take it further than that hold, that squeeze. She'd make that mistake once before and it still haunts her.

    "I'm not sure I want to be under a knife or a microscope unless absolutley necessary... I mean it's like I bleed solar flares or something... and... the whole space thing just flew out of left field. There were some explosions and my suit broke and..." she trails off, shaking her head.

    "I try. Even if I break down and cry, I still try. There's so much wrong everywhere, but hope is a beautiful thing. It keeps us moving forward, and keeps us from losing sight of what matters most to us. Even if it hurts to hold onto that hope sometimes. Even if it hurts even more when it's shattered by the truth," she sighs. "But yeah, I'm still holding together, and putting those pieces together. Seems I found one more in you, huh? If you're planning on sticking around?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
    And there was calm in Nico's eyes - perhaps a little more darkness and Grimm to this Sister than Karolina might otherwise remember, but still. She keeps those brown eyes upon Karolina's own. "I don't think it matters what you are," she says, firm voice rich with a purpose. "Other than a friend, and whatever you want to be. I'm just very grateful that you're alive after that happened," she says.

    "I don't wanna lose a star in the sky, after all," she says, gently returning that squeeze as best she can.

    "I'm going to stick around until the work I have in town is done," she says. "Then maybe I'll start looking again," she says. "I don't know what I'm looking /for/, but there's a lot of people out there that need help," she says. "Magic help."

Karolina Dean has posed:
    There's a firmer squeeze when Nico suggests that she'll be leaving again, at some point, following her purpose. But then she lets go, and slowly pulls her hands away. "I'll always be that Lucy," she says with a small smile. Karolina is still as bright as ever, still as emotive as ever. There's a sadness in her blue eyes, but also a joy. Kaleidescope eyes. "And you know if you need me, I'll come running," she says with a sigh. She's still unsure of her feelings towards Nico at this moment, currently a little lost.

    "There's a lot of people here that need help. New York is huge. So are Metropolis and Gotham. The Titans... could always use an extra hand, I'm sure, but I'm in no position to recruit and ... we've got missing leadership... just... please don't be a stranger?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
    And there were issues with what Nico was feeling as well. So close to Karolina's flame, she realized that she enjoyed that light, but... seeing her living a happy life, a normal life, well... that struck a peace within her deeper than she really thought she could experience anymore. She was... happy for her.

    "I know," says Nico. Another pause, and she withdraws her hand from the kaledioscope grasp, drawing a small scrap of paper and a pen from her bookbag at her side, to scribble a number down, and push it - with two fingers - towards Karolina.

    "This is my cell phone number," she says. "Keep in touch, alright? And... thank you for the ramen," she says. "It's wonderful," she adds.

Karolina Dean has posed:
    "Thanks, I'm not hard to find. Unless I'm off on some super secret mission or something?" Karolina offers, half-teasing, but also half serious. The paper is taken, and she looks it over. She doesn't have her phone right at hand, and she'll put it in later.

    "Nico... I missed you. I mean, I miss everyone, but... I'd hoped to put all that life behind us, so we could ... have lives. Look at us, just like you said. Picking up pieces of our future and trying to help people. So they don't end up like we did..." she sighs, not sure what she's trying to say.

    "...whatever happened, with us, our parents, the Pride... whatever was back in California... I'm just glad to see you again..." she locks those blue eyes on Nico's darker ones, before sliding her ramen closer to herself and looking down at the bowl. It's at least cool enough to eat now.

Nico Minoru has posed:
    And the rest of the evening was small talk and ramen - a quiet bit of normalcy that Nico enjoyed. But it was soon enough - and even with a hug! that Nico bids her farewell, to draw back to her hotel room, her bookbag bobbing on her shoulder.

    The text would come out, quickly enough.

    'Enjoyed it. Text me anytime, alright? :)'

    Although when Nico gets to her hotel room, she tosses her bookbag upon it, a few ingredients and cantrips spilling out over the top of the bed.

    She leans over the collection of fallen objects, lips pursed.

    And pulls out another book: a spellbook, starting to make arrangements, seated cross-legged on the bed of a cheap hotel...