7546/An Overdue Conversation

An Overdue Conversation
Date of Scene:	25 August 2021
Location:	Robert Marksman's Penthouse #1
Synopsis:	Clarice updates Robert on some changes in her life.
Cast of Characters:	Clarice Ferguson, Robert Marksman

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Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    After messaging Robert to make sure he has time to talk, Clarice shows up at the man's door - carrying with her some fresh fish 'n chips and a pair of beers.
    Fish 'n chips from one of the most highly rated shops in the UK, no less. Teleporters are such cheaters.
    She raps at the door, shifting her weight from one foot to the other and greeting Robert with a small, uncertain smile once the door opens. "I brought provisions," she remarks, lifting up the bag of food to show him - and causing the green, catseye bracelet she wears on her wrist to catch in the light.

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman smiles and says "Hey hon, cool." He motions her to have a seat and says "I'll get some plates, and something to drink, what you want?" He offers to take the bag for her if she wants him to.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Oh, I brought a pair of beers," Clarice remarks. "But if you want something else..." She follows him in after letting him take the food, shoving her hands into her pockets. The last time she'd stopped by, he'd barely been moving in... "Looks like you got everything settled into place," she remarks.
    Yeah. Probably a month ago, or so.
"Sorry I've been so... busy."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman nods, and says "It is ok." He sets the food on the end table, and fetches two plates for them, the beers seeming to be ok since no glasses. "I have been busy as well, lot to do with rebuilding the clinic and retrofitting the hotel and such." He looks over to her "Been a decent month?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:

    "It's been a complicated month," Clarice replies. "Some of the best moments I can remember, honestly. But... some real bad stuff too. I mean, I'm sure you heard all about the alien invasion. They were after one of the X-Men, because they think she's the key to conquering the //universe//. So that was bad. And then Mystique turned herself over to Wonder Woman, and the American justice system, and I had to run the Brotherhood for a while."
    She takes a deep breath in, letting it out slowly before she adds, "And I found out my little sister's alive."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman 's brow raises but smiles "Seriously? Congratz hon, that's wonderful news, have you been in contact with her yet?" He will as her. He stops eating to wait and listen to see what she tells him more.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Her name's Cynthia. She's 16. Her powers are... a lot like mine, but a little different. She can't make portals, instead she can 'stash' things - she teleports them into some sort of pocket dimension I guess? And she's smart, and plays the piano, and... I don't know. I'm still getting to know her." She brushes a tear from her cheeks, and stops picking at her food to pull out her phone instead. She pulls up an image of herself, next to a teen of african ancestry. She has irregular patches of purple on her deep brown skin, and her hair is a mix of black and purple as well. She and Clarice are side-by-side in the Asteroid's garden, taking a selfie with the Earth in view behind them.
    She offers the camera over to Robert as she adds, "She's moved onto the Asteroid to live with me. She was living in a tent orphanage in Genosha. There's about 50 kids right now I'm trying to find mentors for because- I mean, Cynthia has me now, but her friends have no one who care about the, and I- that just isn't right.
    "So, you know. Lots of things to keep me busy."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman will look at it, and smiles a bit as he looks at the two of them "I can see the relation around the eyes." He offers "The shape of them and your nose." He offers to her. "Seriously hon, I am happy to hear it." He reaches over to take her hand giving it a soft squeeze.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice returns the squeeze, smiling a bit awkwardly as she admits, "I still keep expecting to wake up, and find out I dreamt it all. It doesn't seem real. I- we're trying to find her a school she likes. Somewhere she won't be stared at for her ears, or her eyes, or... the purple. She hates it when people stare." She shakes her head slightly. "It's so hard to believe. She even- she was able to stash our family albums before everything got destroyed. And- I mean, she even had videos of my birthday parties when I was little."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman looks to her, and says "Well we are starting the school here in Bushwick, you can bring her to here, heck if you want we can ever set the two of you up with a room in the hotel, and you and her can have two homes." He says expecting the asteroid is one as well.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Yeah, but how long is it going to take to find a site, find teachers, get funding...? She's 16, and she's been learning on computers only for the last year, and... She needs a school //now//," Clarice points out. "We can always transfer her later if she wants to. But I can't wait for us to get a school off the ground in Bushwick. And she's looking specifically for advanced courses. I'm sure we'll find something."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman hmms and nods a bit to this and says "You said there were 50 kids there, that need help, mentors, homes and such. They all around her age or ranging in ages?" He hmms a bit in thought.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "A lot of different ages," Clarice answers. "And we're not moving them from Genosha. I mean, getting visas to move mutant children legally is a nightmare. No one wants them. I'm trying to get members of the Brotherhood, of the X-Men, maybe even the Neighborhood Watch to agree to take on a kid and visit them once a week. We're even offering a monthly stipend that the mentors can spend on things for the kids - baseball equipment, or musical instruments, or whatever it is their kid needs, or they want to do with their kid... You know?" She nibbles at one of her fries before letting out a sigh. "It's a lot of work to get something like that off the ground."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman nods a bit and says "I can help out, I will put in some time, and we can set up some things at the clinic see if any of the normal folks around want to." He hmms thinking a bit as he eats.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "We'll have to provide transport, of course - and arrange for visas - but seeing as I'm friends with Queen Lorna, I don't think we'll have very much red tape on the visa side of things," Clarice agrees - flashing Robert a smile as she adds, "I appreciate the help. Though - I don't mean to add to your load. I know you're pretty busy, too."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman looks to her, and says "Hey it aint like I threw my lot full fledge in to help those around here or anything." He offers her a smile and says "I wonder if we could get a Genosha Embassy in Bushwich." He hmmms a bit at this.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "That's... not a terrible idea," Clarice agrees, with a blink of surprise. "Maybe even encourage dual citizenship?" she muses in a thoughtful tone. "I'll talk to Lorna," she promises, flashing Robert a broad, bright smile, which starts to fade off her features before she remarks.
    "I, umm... there was something else I came to talk to you about, though, Robert," she admits in a quiet voice.

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman 's brow raises a bit at the smile fading. He looks into her eyes "Whats wrong Clarice?" He assumes something from the change in mannerism and something she told him early on does go through his mind "You know no matter what, I am going to count you as a friend right?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I'm glad," Clarice replies, in response to that reassurance, her smile broadening again for a moment. "I just- I mean, you know Rahne was missing, and then hurt, and she's fine now, which good, I just-" She takes a deep breath in, letting it out slowly as she adds, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that... I love her. We love each other, and I owed it to you to- well, to tell you that," she admits, shifting a little uncomfortably in her seat as she watches Robert for his reaction.

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman does frown just a bit and says "Well can't say I aint disappointed." He admits to her "But you were honest about it going into the situation and I want you to be happy. And don't worry I did not do all this to impress you, I aint packing up my stuff and going back to the tech tower."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I appreciate that Robert - I do. And I do hope we stay friends. I do enjoy your company," Clarice admits. "Though I imagine I'll still be pretty busy for a while yet. I'm spending as much time as I can spare with Cynthia, and with her best friend, Pete, who- well, I've made him my mentee since, you know, it's not like Cynthia would stand for him //not// being part of our lives," she says with a wry smily. "And I don't want to take her away from the supports she'd managed to build for herself since the Sentinel's attacked, anyways. So... yeah. I'm gonna stay pretty busy. But you are welcome to come up to the Asteroid, you know. Whenever you like."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman looks over and nods his head a bit and says "Maybe we can still go to the movies, invite Rahne sometime still work on catching you up with stuff you have missed, maybe Cynthia and Pete too." He offers her with a smile. "I will just have to work on finding a date so not the 3rd or 5th wheel." He offers with a chuckle

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Well - Cynthia and Pete are just friends. So you wouldn't be the only one without a 'date' if you- well, if it was just the five of us. But I'd like that, yeah. Or you know - maybe I can bring Talia along too. She was threatening to start shoring me more movies and shows the other night," Clarice confides.
    "I guess I can see how it'd be awkward if it were me, and Rahne, and Mystique, and Lydia, though," she admits in a wry tone.

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman nods, a bit and says "Well, I am sure, I will find someone, I mean look at me." He jokingly flexes a bit for her, and says "Seriously though, If you wanting me to go off with the four of you sometime, I can go solo, or find someone, either way works, at least three of those folks I consider friends, and hope to be able to count Rahne in that when I meet her.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Rahne considers just about everyone a friend. She's- you'd be hard pressed to find someone friendlier, or kinder. But then again - maybe I'm biased," Clarice remarks - looking down at her plate and tearing at her food a little more. "She's- she's also a very understanding person. You both have that in common, I suppose."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman shrugs a bit and says "Eh with me it probably depends on who I am being an understanding person for." He offers a bit, and says "You have a picture of you and Cynthia together you can send me?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Sure," Clarice agrees. "The one I showed you. Or- well, there's this one, too." Picking up her phone again - she flicks to an image of her, Cynthia, and a diminuative red-headed woman sitting on a blanket in a garden. She offers the phone over to Robert again. "That's Rahne with us," she explains quietly."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman hmms and nods he smiles a bit and says "Both are good, but I think the first one, would be best. You said she had the family album, can ya send me a pic of your parents too?

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I- sure, I can. I mean, I've got photos of them when I was little. The photos of them in Cynthia's albums are more current, of course." Clarice is puzzled as she uses her phone to send the picture of herself and Cynthia to Robert's cellphone.
    "I can look at the photos later and pick one out," she offers. "...why, though?" she asks in a puzzled voice.

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman looks to her and says "I got an idea, but I want to see if it works before I tell you." He offers with a smile "I think you will like it if it comes out like I want it to.."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Yeah, okay," Clarice agrees - flashing Robert a slightly uncertain smile. "I'll ask Cynthia if I can look at her albums tonight, then. She won't mind," she remarks. "And I'll have to live with the mystery." She smiles at Robert before adding, "You're welcome to come up to the Asteroid though anytime - like I said. Join me and Cynthia for a picnic, or a movie, or whatever. You can hear her play her piano, and hear Pete on his guitar... Those kids are talented, and I don't think that's just my biased and uneducated opinion."

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman nods, and says "Will do, and if you see one of the kids who ya think I would get along with specially well let me know.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I mean - there's a bunch of them, and they all need //someone//. You're welcome to come to the orphanage with me sometime and get a look at them yourself." Clarice smiles with amusement as she adds, "If you're at all good at football- I mean, soccer - then they'll all love you."
    Glancing at her phone, she lets out a sigh, and finishes off the rest of her beer.
    "I should get going. Cynthia wants to take a look at Happy Harbor, and since I went and told her she could..." She smiles a bit wryly as she climbs to her feet.

Robert Marksman has posed:
Robert Marksman stands and offers her a hug and says "Well I am better at football than soccer, but I am sure, I could do ok." He smiles and says "Might see if there are any who like to work with art, and maybe help a few."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice returns the hug warmly, and without any hesitation. "I'm sure there'll be some artists. I'll ask Kelly which of them like to draw," she remarks. "And there's a few kids who were just- well. They've just been relocated to Genosha from America from their safety. Maybe one of them likes Amerian Football?" she suggests with a grin.
    "Anyways. I'm glad we could finally talk, I've been meaning to for a while. And... thanks for understanding, Robert. Really."