7272/It's not easy being Green

It's not easy being Green
Date of Scene:	08 August 2021
Location:	Cafe Lalo
Synopsis:	Green on Green results in clothing, a barbecue, and breakfast next morning.
Cast of Characters:	John Stewart, Beatriz da Costa

---

John Stewart has posed:
It was a bit of an explosive return to be sure for John, but it's been a bit of time since the fleet arrived, and now John is off duty, touring Earth to get used to the changes. Sure, he has other planets to handle as well... but Earth is the planet with the more immediate problems. Enough problems that Oa decided to assign two Green Lanterns to the sector.

Still, he's quick on the uptake, and has already bought a tablet PC, using the public wifi in the cafe to browse the news at his own table in the back while he sips a coffee.

Wearing a brown plain shirt and a set of jeans with combat boots, John is clearly in civliian attire, his brown eyes focused on reading. His Power Ring is clearly seen on his fingers... but no others.

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
The new one. Not sticking with the League as it battles, but coming down to Earth. Green corpsman. Probably best to sound him out ... shit, computers at the Watchtower are down. Emergency disconnection protocols. All local data wiped. This is convenient.

Still, Beatriz da Costa has her connections left over from her days of joint operations. Pull in a few favours and ... there he is. Manhattan. Starting to nest, so he'll probably be there a while.

That's how Beatriz found herself tailing John Stewart from a distance before he parked himself in a cafe. Flying away to where she'd stashed her bike (and two changes of clothes ... dammit!), she put on her leathers and mounted the beast. Not long afterward a green-haired, green-clad, olive-skinned woman rolled up outside the cafe in a green Ducati Desmosedici.

There's a theme going on here.

It seems the two people in Manhattan who know bikes are in the cafe and actually change tables so they can stare at the bike longingly through the window as its rider (herself the kind that tends to make people stare longingly) dismounts, locks the helmet to the handlebars, pats the hard-shelled travel case, and walks into the cafe, looking around for a seat.

Picking a table near (and slightly behind) John, she sashays her way into the seat, leaning back and craning her neck to get into John's field of view. "What's good here?"

John Stewart has posed:
There's a brief moment as those focused brown eyes look to Beatriz in a side glance. There are a number of ways he could take this, and his eyes move back to look her over in full, his head turning just slightly in the process, before his eyes go back to her own. "No idea, just found it myself."

His eyes turn back forward, before he looks to the chair opposite his own. "If you're looking to talk, you're welcome to sit with me." He offers, before his eyes go back to his tablet PC.

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
"Don't mind if I do!" The cheerful woman's accent betrays non-native origins. (Someone with good skills in language, idiom, and dialect could narrow this down to Brazil, likely.) "I hate coming to new places alone," she says as she gathers up ... well, nothing, really, just herself, but somehow she gives the impression of gathering up a bunch of stuff before hopping into the seat next to John.

Not opposite. Next to. Ninety degrees. Not a hundred and eighty.

"Bea," she says in the tersest conceivable introduction. "So you're new to the neighbourhood then? I live in Happy Harbor, but was in town for some shopping."

Beat.

"Yes, clothing, before you ask with a raised eyebrow. What else would I go to Manhattan for?"

Bea winks conspiratorily before picking up the menu card on the table with the specials. "Hmm... Death by chocolate sounds good. I mean there are better ways to die, but chocolate's way up on the list."

She forcibly makes eye contact with the server through the process of half-standing and waving maniacally, pointing to the menu. "Death by chocolate and the strongest damned coffee you make!" she calls across, shattering the peace of the place like her bike engine had earlier shattered the peace of the ... busy, noisy avenue. Damn that's a loud bike!

"So what do you do ...?" She pauses. "I don't think I caught your name?"

Because, naturally, she hadn't given him even a slight pause in conversation to provide same.

John Stewart has posed:
Thoughout it all, he's non-plussed about how 'loud' her personality is. In fact, he seems to find it amusing from the way his demeanor subtly switches from passive to observation. "I wouldn't know, I just moved here. This is my first time actually staying in the city for any length of time." John tells her, sipping his coffee for a pause, before he continues, "John Stewart, Green Lantern of this sector alongside my partner."

He looks away from the tablet PC now, since she's next to him, and he watches her eyes, "Your turn."

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
"Beatriz da Costa, fashion model, fashion designer, and visual artist," Bea says. She mock-frowns. "Doesn't that ring on your finger know everything?"

She waits for John to take a sip.

"I mean Hal's knows me." She smiles prettily. "So knows that I'm also Fire of the Justice League."

She holds up her hands in a symbolic defensive gesture.

"I know I could have come as fire, but do you know how many outfits I burn through if I get even hotter than I already am willy-nilly?"

John Stewart has posed:
He looks her over again, this time paying attention to the clothes, before John looks back to her eyes, "I wouldn't know. Never asked one of the technologists for an outfit that can handle your heat?" John asks, politely.

He looks down over his own clothing then, "I just got some basics myself, I should probably do some clothes shopping myself sometime." His eyes go back to her eyes. There's still that passive confidence; seemingly feeling her out, "Our rings have a database I can access. That doesn't mean I know all of it offhand, I need to actually use it to get the information... and that seems like it'd be a bit rude while talking to a beautiful woman such as yourself."

That last isn't delivered as a compliment, but rather a statement of fact; he's not going for flattery yet, it seems.

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
"Huh. See, if I had that kind of a thing, I'd be checking on everything and everyone around me. I'm really kind of a nosy person."

She followed a newly-returned Green Lantern to his neighbourhood. That's probably a given.

"Probably for the best that I don't have one of those."

Yet somehow found where John was...

"And yes, I'm sure one of the big brains in the Watchtower could come up with something. I mean they've done it before. But what always comes out of it is spandex. They give it fancy names like 'molecularly unstable, thermomorphic fabric' but what it boils down to is fancy spandex. I like clothes with texture and character, not the leotards most people in the scene like to have on. I just try to make sure I have time to strip down at least to my underthings before flaming out, and always have a spare set of clothing nearby to wear after I'm done. A bit expensive, but ... hey ... have you seen the expense account at the Watchtower just for insurance?!"

She grins after speaking. She knows she's babbling and seems to just be having fun.

"So, you're down here on Earth right now. Coming home for a longer stay, or is this a waystation for you?" She points symbolically upward as if her speech were in a speech bubble in some kind of online game. "Nosy, remember?"

John Stewart has posed:
For his part, John just... listens. she's a rambler, no doubt about it. But for his expression, he doesn't seem to think there's anything wrong with that.

Then, when she's done, he looks back to the tablet PC, and brings up a news article on the Fantastic Four, bringing up a picture of them. "Johnny seems to have a decent uniform." John taps the Johnny in the picture, before he puts the tablet PC down and turns in his chair to face Beatriz, "You're awfully interested in me." John relaxes into the chair, an arm drapping over it, "Do you often track down handsome men just coming back to their homeworld, or am I special?"

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
"I was thinking of him in specific. I mean, yes, me, as the viewer, I appreciate his uniform. Very nice and easy on the eyes. But it's not much for expressing himself, is it? I mean it's just tight spandex that doesn't burn. Not a lot of room for varying your look. Maybe a change of colour here or hazarding a print pattern there. That's about it."

She gestures to herself. "Now try rocking a spandex bustierre with a spandex bolero. It would look stupid. And then there's the accessories! No, I'll put up with a bit of inconvenience before I put up with the spandex brigade."

She smiles as the server delivers her chocolate brownie with dark chocolate sprinkles topped with chocolate ice cream with chocolate curls and chocolate whipped cream drizzled with chocolate sauce. And a coffee that looks so thick that a spoon would stand up in it ... or dissolve. One of the two. The talk is (mercifully) interrupted as she takes a sip and a little nip of the brownie.

"Hmmm... This is so good!" she enthuses.

"Now where were we? Oh, right. You. Old instincts. New player comes in I want to sound them out. You're Lantern, but not JL, and you're in Manhattan, which is kind of in my neck of the woods when everybody's off fighting space aliens or whatever they're doing this week." She shrugs. "Not like they tell me anything, after all. I lost my powers in a big to-do back in the day and retired. Then they came back. But I didn't tell anybody and I think they're a bit pissed about that part. Anyway, you. So yes, you interest me. I like to know who's what and where. Old habits. 'Sides, if you're new you're probably disconnected. Can't hurt to have a new friend quickly, right?"

John Stewart has posed:
"Lots of take but no give? Yeah, I know organizations like that. Some have good reasons... some don't." John notes, before he sips... and puts the cup back on the table. "Most of what you need to know about me is I'm a marine who attacked a superior officer when he was going to start a massacre of civilians over his own stupidity." John offers, bluntly. "Now, I have the power to defend and protect without answering to anyone but the Guardians."

Then, his eyes look over her body. A detailed look this time. It could also be considered ogling, except there's no lustful demeanor to his eyes as he does it... though once he's done, she can see an appreciation for her figure in his eyes, "I think you'd look good in just about anything, but I get it. You don't want to look good... you want to look /fantastic/, and there's nothing wrong with that." He gives a gesture with his Power Ring finger, indicating it, "I can just use this to alter my clothing if I need it, but having the actual clothing gives me the sensations for them."

Then, he smiles. It's a confident smile. One of someone sure of himself, "I've been gone for about five years or so... so yes, disconnected is the right word. Are you offering to help with that?" John's raised eyebrow has both a curious... and a flirtatious angle to it.

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
"Well sure!" Bea enthuses. "I mean after the trip you took, we're practically next door neighbours." She pauses and muses, "Though that would still be true even if I were in Brazil..."

She shakes her head, sending unruly green hair flying, including a few strands that leak over the bandana she tries (and fails) to keep it in control with. Carefully retucking those she continues. "Only five years, but ... you know ... when you leave a place, you change and so does it."

Her own eyes raking over John's form are frank and are not by any means dispassionate.

Let's face it. It's ogling.

"You grow one way ... and ..." She discreetly gestures at his ring. "... seems to me you grew a lot. And the place you left grows another. Which, believe me, just the Doomsday thing and the fall of Genosha were pretty radical changes. So you come back and feel like a stranger in your birthplace."

There's something wistful in that voice. Like she's talking from personal experience, not theory.

"Anyway, it always helps to have a friend, and I love being friends. So it sounds perfect. You want clothes? How 'bout I finish my coffee and chocolate and we head out and get you some clothes."

Pause. Frown.

"You're not one of those guys who won't try on clothes for looks, right?"

John Stewart has posed:
"You sure you want to be friends? You've got that look in your eyes that my ex's used to have when I was on shore leave." John teases, "I had plenty of admirers wanting me for themselves when I got back for school. If you're a bit hungry, I'd be happy to consider this a spontanious date." He takes the cup, takes a sip, and puts it back down again. "Doesn't help you keep using chocolate euphemisms."

"If you have suggestions for clothing, I'm all for it. I'm not about to turn down the advice of a fashion designer. Especially one who's making it clear she's got an interest in more than my ring." John winks.

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
"Oh wait now! A ring!? This is way too early to be talking about rings!" Bea opens her eyes wide in shock. "I mean I know your name. Your service record. That you're a Lantern. Your address. The route you took to get to the cafe. Which web sites you opened while browsing. I just don't know enough to be talking about rings already!"

Beat.

"That's usually third date material. Second if the first was really hot."

Then she dissolves in giggles only interrupted by her consumption of her morning dessert and her coffee.

"Sorry. That was uncalled for. But it was funny so I did it."

John Stewart has posed:
"I'm the sort of man who goes as fast as my woman is interested in going, to a point. I'm usually fine with the serious stuff on the first date." John points out, "I don't like to waste anyones time being shy, you know?" He gestures around the cafe, "nice public spot so that both parties feel safe enough." He looks back to Beatriz, "I'm usually happy to go home on the first date, too."

Another sip of his coffee, and it's empty. "You've got an energy to you, so I'm not surprised. Fire is a pretty apt name."

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
Bea's eyes stray to her motorcycle with an amused smirk. "You may regret the choice of wording someday," she says with a grin. "That's one of the fastest street-legal bikes in the world."

She looks left.

She looks right.

She looks at the ceiling as if seeking a camera or microphone.

"And it's not street legal any longer," she says in a stage whisper that almost fills the room, leaning toward John conspiratorily.

She sits back. "But yes, Fire is apt. Hot by form. Hot by temper. Hot by inclination. And hot by literality."

A 30cm jet of intense green flame projects from an outstretched finger.

"So let's get you some clothes, and then let's get some decent food from a bodega. I'll cook you something up at your apartment as a housewarming, OK?"

John Stewart has posed:
"Sounds good to me. Don't worry about safety with me. The ring auto initiates a protective shield around me if I'm about to be harmed." John informs her, standing up and drinking the rest of the coffee in one gulp, before putting it and a five dollar bill down under it. "So. Taking your bike, or flying?" John asks, casually.

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
Bea's expressive face makes a "are you nuts?" look. "We're in the Upper West. All the good stuff is lower East or Soho."

Again her eyes do an appraising rake over John's form, though this time it's clear that this is professional.

"OnlyNY. Soho. They'll have what you need. And it's totally a coincidence that they happen to carry some of my work." She grins. "I don't dabble in the men's side much because I love exactly the kind of stuff men hate to wear: flouncy stuff, jangly stuff, you know. But I did a sporting wear line that did pretty well, all things considered, and OnlyNY stocks it. Among a lot of other things. You'll do fine there."

"So ..." Bea sighs. "Soho's a bit of a chore to get to, but I really don't want to burn up anothe ..."

She stops.

She looks at the bathrooms.

She looks at her bike. Then gets up without a word, getting the mounted case open and pulling out a canvas shoulder bag.

"Here, let me pay for this," she says on the way back, dropping a load of money that covers both plus a tip. "Meet me by the bathroom door in a bit. Thankfully it's unisex!"

Because trendy place. Obvious.

And like that she vanishes to the bathroom, stepping out a few moments later, a mass of high intensity green plasma in female form, looking around for John.

John Stewart has posed:
The question only has John shrug indifferently. "Ok." John replies, simply.

John himself is standing just to the side of the entrance, patiently waiting, when she leaves the bathroom. Upon seeing her, he snorts, walks out, and heads for the side alley for the cafe.

Coming around the corner, Beatriz sees him in a form fitting Green Lantern uniform/suit, his eyes glowing with Green Oan energy. He plainly doesn't hide himself... and his Power Ring is clearly glowing green as he stands there, his full height, "Lead on." He gestures up to the sky.

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
"Could you get the shoulder bag out of the bathroom?" Fire asks, wispy forms that make her face breaking into a smile. "That way I don't lose the outfit and I have something to change back into when we land."

She opens the door, gesturing to the bag hanging on the hook.

"And then yes, let's fly. I'll try not to break the sound barrier, but it's hard. Flying's a whole lot of fun."

Once the arrangements are made, Fire, who seems also not particularly bothered about people knowing her, given the staring, and the enterprising kid who positioned himself just so to make it look like he and she were in a selfie together, and other such signs. She walks out of the cafe, ignoring the subdued expressions of surprise and takes to the air, high enough that she can get her bearings, waiting for John to follow before tearing off toward Soho.

No tricks. No aerobatics. No "follow me if you can" games. Just raw speed and a gentle landing in front of the shop.

John Stewart has posed:
He walks in, grabs the shoulder bag, and walks out, before he simply... lifts off and takes off after Beatriz. John actually keeps pace with her, no matter how far or slow she's going. Her /exact/ speed, at that... and this close, she can see the slight green shimmer of the protective field around him, and the aerodynamic profile that the Power Ring maintains for him.

Indeed, his suit doesn't even ruffle with the wind, and there's a curious 'sound' of rushing air, as if John is in a wind tunnel.

While Fire goes in front of the shop directly, John lands in an alley. If she cares to look, the suit disappears in a thin aura, and so does the green glow of his eyes as the Power Ring powers down, and John walks out in his normal civilian clothing again.

There's a gesture inside the alley, and a raising of an eyebrow, "in there? I could put up a privacy screen for you."

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
"Oh, that's a really good idea! Usually I just go into the shop and use a change room. Makes it a bit of a public spectacle, sure, but it was the only way to get privacy. That's a very kind offer!"

Bea enters the alley, looking around, impressed. "They clean the alleys here?" she wonders aloud. "That's like ... so not Maceio."

It seems there does not exist a class of thought which Bea does not express as soon as it enters her head.

After the screen goes up, she quickly fizzles out and slips into her clothing, zipping up the shoulder bag and slinging it before knocking on the divider.

"I hope you were watching!" she says with a chuckle in her voice. "I mean if not I wasted the show I just put on!"

John Stewart has posed:
The ring is aimed into the alley, and she actually gets a solid floor to stand on as well as walls and a roof. There's an actual privacy screen made of flexible Oan energy... and a green light to see with. The inside and outside are amazingly detailed even.

Clearly, John does not just make hollow constructs. He has an imagination in his head.

"Woman, if you want to put on a show for me, I'm not gonna object, but I'm pretty sure three seconds isn't much. I'd be impressed if you did." John teases back, "now, let's go see what you're looking to dress me up in." He brings up a finger, "I make no promises to wear any of it."

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
Thus begins the arduous trek of dressing John. After the rapid nixing of sk8trboi looks--offered with mischievous eyes and a broad grin--Bea gets to work building up an ensemble of high quality casual: Chino pants. River shorts. Assorted NYC themed tees (each suspiciously selected to be what seems invariably a half-size too small). Fishing and polo shirts. Even a clubhouse jacket that she insisted made him look, directly quote, "hot".

Initial joking suggestions aside she takes the rest of it seriously, trying to find a look that suits John. (And her own particular tastes. Exemplified by the too-tight tees. She's not even hiding the lip licking when he's trying those on...)

"OK," she says, finally, as the negotiations reach their close. "I think that will be a good collection for you. Up to date. Modern, even. Without looking hipster trendy bullshit. And the River shorts ... just ... Excuse me a moment. I have my happy place to visit."

She rolls her eyes upward with an exaggerated beatific smile.

"OK, I'm better now. These OK for you? If so, the nice gentleman over there drooling at the sale prospect can process the credit card while I hit a market to get something to cook, OK?"

John Stewart has posed:
During the process, John actually picked out some of his own clothing, but was happy to indulge Beatriz in her obvious attraction to him. He even went so far to as model for /her/, doing sexy poses when she had the lust in her eyes.

He might be a Green Lantern, but he was definitely human under that uniform. To be fair to that uniform as well, it fit him well, like a glove. Makes you wonder how he fits in a marine corps uniform as well. Former military and all.

By the time they were done, Beatriz could easily tell John was a human male in his prime with a healthy interest in her, what with the ogling he threw her way as she made her 'appetite' clear. "Sure, take your time." He takes out a debit card from his jacket, "I have a few more things to get here."

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
"Slow it down, Bea," Beatriz said to herself as she headed off to get the fixings for a proper BBQ. "Let him find out how awesome churrascaria is before ..." She let the words trail off. Not the images.

In this part of the city? It's the Italian butchers she went for. Closest in style to her native Brazil and just as hot-tempered as she was, turning the purchasing of the meat into a good-natured shouting match where all the red faced gesticulation ended promptly as the final tally was made and paid. "Come again soon!"

"Ooh, probably a few times tonight!" she'd shot back with a wink.

Then it was back to the clothing shop and looking around for John. "I forgot to ask if you had any dietary restrictions," she said, holding up the bag. "So I got a bit of everything."

John Stewart has posed:
"No restrictions." John tells her as he waits just outside of the store, the bags of clothing around him as he stands against the wall, arms crossed. "I'll try just about anything once." John tells her with a completely straight face, "My place, or yours?"

Beatriz da Costa has posed:
"The bike, first, then your place," Bea says with a coquettish grin. "I'll show you how to do churrascaria. Then we can have dessert."

Beat.

"Will you be cooking breakfast, or should I get fixings for that too?"

Yeah. There's that grin. She knows what she did.

John Stewart has posed:
"I bought some basics for the week a day ago when I moved into my new apartment." John replies, before he grabs up the bags and heads for that alley again. "I can bring it along." John says as he brings up the ring. That uniform once again materializes, as does his glowing green eyes as beams of green energy wrap around the bags, and John floats up into the air.

"My place has a garage. I'll set it in there."