7885/Rare breeds

Rare breeds
Date of Scene:	19 September 2021
Location:	Sherwood Florist, First Floor
Synopsis:	Old friends reconnect. New friend connects. Food is consumed. Pinking shears feature more than they should for a throwaway gag.
Cast of Characters:	Dinah Lance, J'onn J'onzz, John Stewart

---

Dinah Lance has posed:
It's late at night. Sherwood Florist closed a half-hour ago and Dinah, dressed down in Jeans and a cropped tee, is sitting in the darkened store with just some task and spot lighting on her latest project: a Habenaria Radiata--white egret orchid--presented to her as a gift from a grateful Russian businessman after an unpleasant situation that involved Russian mafia assassins and a flower delivery gone very, very wrong.

The bulbs, having been watered appropriately, are being carefully planted in an oversized pot surrounded by an environmentally controlled box whose side is opened so that she can work on the plant.

Any similarity between this and her working on her bike is purely coincidental of course.

"There you go," she croons to the little bulbe with its jutting green point now barely poking above the soil. "Soon you'll be ready to show."

She has a new favourite apparently.

J'onn J'onzz has posed:
The Martian Manhunter had been away for a few weeks.

Most likely dealing with something offworld, but considering he returned with a trinket of Green Lantern appreciation, whatever he got up to probably went quite well. He could've gone anywhere. He could've gone home, he could've gone to see his niece, he could have reported in to the Justice League.

Rather than do any of that, J'onn goes to see Dinah.

He had been to the Sherwood Florist a few times before, typically to warn Dinah of a new situation or direct her attention to something within her wheelhouse. Sometimes just to visit for the good company.

So it's now that Dinah may see the tall Martian approaching her store. Even though he could probably just walk through the door, either phasing through or just powering through it, instead, he lifts a single finger, and with his knuckle knocks on the glass.

Red eyes look upon Dinah as the humanoid being of J'onn J'onzz makes his presence known. A quiet gesture of asking for permission to come in.

He didn't want to risk the Canary Cry.

Dinah Lance has posed:
"Come on in, J'onn," Dinah calls from her workbench as she carefully adjusts the environmental profile on the isolation box. "I'd open but my hands are full of mud and I've got to get this just right."

It figures J'onn would knock. Not that he has to fear the Cry, but rather because he's actually polite. He knows the Cry would mess up her lovely little shop.

Temperature: 12.5 degrees (Celcius, because that's what the encyclopaedia of orchids uses). Humidity about 10. Distilled water only for germination. And ... there. Everything's adjusted.

She turns in her seat to watch J'onn enter before heading over to the sink to wash up her hands.

"What brings you here so late at night?" she wonders aloud. "Thinking of going out for Chinese and wanted a place that's authentic?"

J'onn J'onzz has posed:
Her permission given, J'onn simply vibrates his molecules to render himself as a non-solid, and simply phases through the door rather than reach for the likely locked door and try and pry it open and effectively break it. J'onn likes to consider himself a thoughtful person.

Once inside, he approaches, taking note of the slight temperature differences as he does so. "12.5 degrees celsius, low humidity. Are you trying to care for a particularly new plant?" The question asked with a tilted head as the black-suited man approaches, his cape slightly dragging along the ground as he approaches closer.

"Wished to see a friend." He answers simply. "See how you were doing. It has been a little too long for my liking." He informs, though the talk of Chinese food?

-that- makes him smile.

"Chinese food does sound appealing. Have you eaten? Are you hungry?" He seems to remember his manners. "I apologize if I have interrupted your work."

Dinah Lance has posed:
"Someone gifted me a white egret orchid," Dinah says to the question while washing. "Orchids are very fussy plants so I had to get it into its soil and germination environment as quickly as I could. This one wants a pretty low temperature and humidity, but high soil moisture, so I'm putting it into isolation until it's ready to live life to its fullest."

She looks with undisguised fondness on the little green slip that's above the soil line. "When it grows up it's going to have flowers that look like a bird. Like uncannily like a bird. They're splendid little blooms, but not common in this part of the world. If I can nurture this to the point of reproduction I'd have a top seller on my hands."

Soapy hands now rinsed off and dried she finally heads over to J'onn, hand extended for a shake. "Good to see you again. Have you been behaving? There's a lollipop in it for you if you have."

Beat.

"Or a shot of bourbon if that's your thing instead. Your call."

J'onn J'onzz has posed:
J'onn hears of this White Egret Orchid, and he takes a deeper glance at the plant, a soft smile touches his face. "Beautiful." He states. "When it grows into adulthood, you will have perhaps a plant that is desired by many. Though, you could simply increase it's price if you intend to sell it." J'onn offers with a soft smile. Though he is aware that Dinah -does- love her plants.

One does not simply give away a gift, after all.

"Wise." J'onn tells her about her treatment of the plant, though when she extends her hand to him, J'onn seems reminded once more of the human concept of greeting, and extends the same hand to wrap around hers and give it a firm shake. Not so firm as to hurt her, but firm enough.

"You suggest I misbehave, even though I am more behaved than you."

He seems amused at her words, simply shrugging. "Treats are always a delicacy to me. Though I do not believe I have ever tried a...'shot of bourbon'."

Dinah Lance has posed:
"Well then, you're up for a treat!"

Ducking behind the counter, Dinah comes back up with a bottle labelled "Five Roses" (because OF COURSE!) filled with an amber/brown liquid and two ornate tumblers. Cracking the seal on the bottle she pours two generous doses of the liquid before replacing the cap.

"Better watch yourself. First-timers tend to cough," she warns, picking up the two glasses and handing one to J'onn. She illustrates how to drink it by downing it in a single gulp, letting it rest briefly in her mouth before swallowing. "After that we can order in some Chinese. There's a place down the road that makes the best crispy duck in the neighbourhood and the owner owes me a favour after I came through with an order of some really hard to source flowers."

She'll gloss over the real reason for the debt that included some local gang activity. Don't want to worry her 'uncle'.

"He'll send out a real feast and we can eat it on the work table once I clean up. So what have you been doing with yourself?"

Her hand reaches for the phone as she speaks. A land line because, hey, who needs all that fancy gizmo stuff when the old stuff works just fine, right?

J'onn J'onzz has posed:
"I do enjoy treats."

J'onn doesn't seem to understand -quite- what he may be asking on himself here. Normally, that's completely okay. This time? He may quite literally be out of his depth. So as Dinah cracks out the bourbon and pours the amber/brown liquid into a neat glass, he's handed the cup and he seems to look at it curiously.

He sniffs it.

Then, following Dinah's example, J'onn pours the liquid into his open mouth, holds it there for a moment, then swallows. He seems to make a bit of a face, namely his eyes squeezing tight, before they open again and he shakes his head.

"You were right. That does burn a little." He doesn't cough, however. Internal fortitude for the win! Though he eventually puts the cup down. "Food would be a delight." He smiles to her then. "Kind of you to help them with flowers." Unless she's talking about drugs, but J'onn is being respectful and leaving her mind alone for now. Maybe he'll pick up a surface thought?

"...did it involve hitting someone?" He tells her. J'onn never considered himself an uncle or parental figure. Just a friend. Though he shrugs.

"Do you require assistance with the cleaning?" Some of the objects begin to levitate. His powerful mind at work. "I have been well. I have recently returned to earth from assisting the Green Lanterns."

Dinah Lance has posed:
"You helping Hal clean up after himself?" Dinah scoffs as she reaches for the washing rag ... only to see it already in use. "Huh. I guess that is an area of speciality for you, isn't it?" she muses with a grin. She gently reaches for the rag, adding, "Just pick the items up off the surface and I'll clean under and around them. Teamwork for the win."

Smirking while she works, she adds, "Well, you do know me well. The flowers were an excuse. The real work involved hitting people. Multiple times. Including my favourite gag of hitting a person with another person. That never gets old!"

She finishes the wipedown.

"OK, you can put them back. I didn't have to sing, so that's probably for the best. But ever since then, I can't set food inside the place without getting a full-blown banquet. Or pick up the phone to dial them without getting one delivered. It's embarrassing ... but the food is really good so..." Whatchyagonnado shrug.

This time she picks up the phone and, in fluent Cantonese, talks to the person on the other end after dialing, complete with a long-suffering sigh as the excited voice on the other end starts talking a thousand words a minute.

"OK, I'm glad we cleaned the whole table. We're going to need it."

Two stools get kicked into place by the table, one sliding across the floor like it's a curling rink, the other more fancily sent by air mail to make a four-point landing in its rightful place. "Pull up a stool. And tell me what alien flowers you brought back for me to grow so they can try to take over the planet while saying 'Feed me, Seymour!'."

It is closing in on October 31st. Her annual showing of The Little Shop of Horrors is not far off...

J'onn J'onzz has posed:
"...Something like that." Replies J'onn. "Rather than helping Green Lantern specifically, I heard word that the Green Lanterns were fighting against the Yellow o the planet of Minosyss. It was...interesting to me, the dichtonomy of the colors of the spectrums they wield. I would've liked to have learned how their power rings worked and why they worked the way they did...how such a thing could be constructed is...quite beyond my knowledge."

Manhunter remembers himself.

"Ah, you remided me." He reaches behind him and out comes a very...ugly, plant. It looks like an octopus and a venus fly trap had a baby. "I found this plant i one of the valley's on my departure from the planet. I am...quite uncertain as to its chemical structure, but it would do well in room temperature." J'onn smiles.

...is the plant moving?

"It does best in slightly shaded regions, I've discovered. It can survive without oxygen, though it is not sentient, rather it can survive and seek other sources of nourishment." J'onn tells her then with a soft smile.

Though he tilts his head as she tells him about this store that gives her a feast. "Do you think this is a romantic attempt?" He questions, his face stoic. He doesn't seem to comment on Dinah absolutely taking advantage of the situation. Survivors.

J'onn's telepathy assists greatly in putting everything in its place.

"Though...I do not understand this...'feed me Seymour' comment." He looks to the door. "I should..make myself more presentable if it is delivery."

Dinah Lance has posed:
"Yeah, probably for a best you put on a disguise. I think I have set of nose glasses in here somewhere..." Dinah feigns looking for them before chuckling. "And 'Feed Me Seymour' comes from the movie Little Shop of Horrors where there's a plant that feeds on blood. I show it in the flower shop every Halloween."

The plant, however, erases further conversation down that line of thought as J'onn presents it. "OK, now that, J'onn, is ... really intriguing. What kind of soil was it? Alkaline or acidic? Do you know what kind of food it needs?" Without touching it for now, she inspects it closely, going so far as to pull out a magnifying glass to look at smaller structures. "Huh. Interesting. Internal thorns. That's a rare adaptation you kinda/sorta find in some cacti. Give anything trying to eat it a bad stomach ache."

Carefully she takes a large bowl within which to place the pot for the plant, keeping it doubly-separated from the environment around it. "This is exactly the kind of gift that's perfect. I'll have to check it for invasiveness first, naturally. Make sure it can't accidentally overgrow the entire continent in five days or something."

J'onn J'onzz has posed:
J'onn seems to humm a little bit, missing completely on Dinah's humor in him wearing a disguise. It'd be VERY bad if the food was delivered and the poor, probably traumatized human realizes that Martian Manhunter and this chick at Sherwood Florist know each other! The tabloids would go wild.

Though he's briefly distracted by Dinah, J'onn nods softly. "I discovered what you hold now in an alkaline environment. It seems very...unique, even amongst itso wn culture. It does not appear to be parasitic in nature, nor is it 'greedy' as some vine species on earth are." J'onn ponders a moment. "Though...it is a curious thing. I have not encountered many species like it in my lifetime." Which was a -long ass time-.

He watches her seem to examine the gift and J'onn finally smiles in genuine sincerity. "I am pleased you enjoy the gift. You may have to hide it from onlookers, in case they try and buy it from you." He smirks.

Then...the green Martian seems to change.

Where the Martian Manhunter once stood, now only appears a handsome african-american male with dreadlocks and a Jamaican soccer team shirt, with baggy pants and shoes. Normal attire for this part of town. "Will this suffice?"

John Stewart has posed:
It's around this time a man wearing a black leather coat, shirt, and blue jeans comes into view from down the street, hands in his jacket pockets. Walking right up to the door and peering inside. It's easy to tell the man is bald, black, and he has a curious raised brow as he looks between Jonn and Dinah.

Then, seeing Dinah behind the counter, John gives a friendly wave, and non-verbally requests to be let in with a knock on the glass.

Dinah Lance has posed:
"That's not their usual delivery guy?"

Dinah looks puzzled as she heads across to the door, adding, "What am I on such a predictable schedule he had the food waiting for me?" She slides back the deadbolt and opens the door a bit, standing in the way. "You got here fas..." Then noticing there's no insulated bag hanging from the man's shoulders pauses a moment. "You're not from the Lucky Dragon, are you? Sorry, shop's closed. Just got a friend visiting."

She starts to close the door again with an apologetic smile and shrug.

J'onn J'onzz has posed:
As Dinah and J'onn talked, J'onn felt the touch of a familiar mind nearby.

The mind of John Stewart.

He seems to frown a moment, though he eventually stands up. In his form of 'John Jones', he keeps an eye on Dinah as she approaches for the door. Alas, it is not the food place, but the Green Lantern himself standing there.

"Dinah."

J'onn speaks simply enough. "He has business to discuss. As a favor to me, please permit him entry." He tells her. Its not forced, nor is he going to act on it if she says no, but its out there.

John Stewart has posed:
"If I'm intruding, I can wait for later. I just saw a friend was here and wanted to drop off a message." John looks to Dinah then, and confident eyes for the first time appraise her. It's not ogling... but there's definitely an appreciation for her in his eyes, before he looks back to her eyes, and reaches out with his right hand to her, it coming out of his jacket.

It's an offer of handshake, and from here, she can easily see the green Power Ring, exactly like Hals, "John Stewart, one of the Green Lanterns assigned to this sector. You probably know my partner already." John smiles warmly with his introduction. "I just returned from a trip to Oa."

Dinah Lance has posed:
"Oh, God, just what the world needs," Dinah moans exaggeratedly, laughing. "Another Hal." Grinning she opens the door wider and lets John in before taking his hand to shake it. "What's your schtick? Race cars and giant pincers? Japanimation robots? My Little Pony?"

She shakes her head and steps back inside to the work table, carefully setting the gift plant to one side. "Probably good that the Lucky Dragon always overdelivers. Means there's going to be enough for three. Dinah Lance, Justice League, among others. I'm the one in fishnets that doesn't talk backwards and do magic."

J'onn J'onzz has posed:
"For the moment, you are not." Intruding, that is.

"You will forgive me for remaining in this guise, I hope. I do not wish to scare away the delivery driver when they arrive." J'onn states with a bit of a small smile. "And how are the other Green Lanterns, and the Guardians?"

Of course, if only the Martians knew why they didn't like fire.

He looks then to Dinah. "Please, you are more than your fair share. You surprised many of us with your effectiveness in the field." He smiles at her, before his eyes are on Stewart.

John Stewart has posed:
As Dinah informs him about Hal, John just gives a knowing smile. "He's insuffurable at the best of times, but he's loyal and knows his stuff. That counts for a lot in my book." Then, his eyes turn serious. "I'm a marine turned architect. My 'thing' as I've been told is I can't bring myself to make hollow constructs." John brings up his left hand, tapping his temple. "I just don't think like that. I fill in the details without realizing it, comes from the mindset." He pauses, then adds, "I also have a thing for guns. I was a sniper on two tours, it's familiar." John walks inside, his eyes going to Jonn, then. "No problem. I can respect the privacy of those who aren't open about it." His face turns serious once again, "I'm in the minority with the identity thing. Believe me, I get it."

Then, he takes something out of his jacket pocket with his right hand and offers it to Jonn... a small martian statue from his home planet. "A little thank you for your help out there. It's not often anyone likes helping us to do our job."

Dinah Lance has posed:
"OK, so you're not a Brony, good. There's that at least." Dinah's not letting up on that at all. "But yeah, come on in. I've got Chinese delivering if you're hungry. The good stuff, none of that chop suey crapola." She roots around the counter for a third glass, frowns at it, washes it at the sink briefly, and sets it out, pouring three fingers of Five Roses into it, sliding the glass over to John. "Listen, if you guys have something private to discuss, I can gap the plugs in my bike or something?" she offers, gesturing to the garage entrance behind her.

J'onn J'onzz has posed:
J'onn nods ever so softly to John as he seems to approach him and offer him a little Martian statue from his homeworld. "How did you come by this?" J'onn seems thoroughly pleased, like a child on Christmas day, to receive this statue. "Thank you, John." J'onn tells him with a smile, keeping the statue in his hand.

Though his attention turns to Dinah. "You interrupt nothing, Dinah." J'onn tells her.

John Stewart has posed:
"We already had our discussions when he left to come back here." John tells Dinah as he looks over to the woman, "This is just fulfilling a promise-" A look to Jonn briefly, "-and you're welcome. I stopped by Mars on the way back here." He turns away from Jonn then and starts to look around, walking as he takes it all in, "you know, I've never actually taken a look at this sort of stuff." John informs them out loud. Then, he looks back to Dinah, taking the offered glass. "I was curious about your shop -I assume this is your shop anyway- if you don't mind questions."

His eyes sweep the shop until he finds roses, "I do Architect contracts to keep up with my day to day. I'd love to pick your brain about these-" John gestures with a hand idly around the shop, "-when you have some free time?" he asks, his tone one of casual curiosity, sipping the bourbon as he does so.

Dinah Lance has posed:
"Yep. Sherwood Florist is mine," Dinah chirps, spreading her hands in an encompassing gesture. "Lock, stock, and barrel. My grandmother started it all off. My mother carried it onward. I'm the third generation of Dinahs to own this place." More than a little fond pride is spilling out of the pint-sized frame of the screaming vigilante. "Yeah, we don't have a great sense of originality in naming. Three generations of Dinah. My daughter will have to be called Dinah. Even if he's a son." For no particular reason she picks up a set of pinking shears and looks them over before setting them down again.

"Anyway, what brings you to this misbego..." Whatever the question was gets interrupted as the door gets another knock, and this time it's actually food delivery. Which Dinah accepts, chatting up the delivery guy with fluent Cantonese as money changes hands, some of it seeming to require force to get the guy to accept it. Finally she gets back to the table overloaded with bags of food. "OK, let's get the four food groups into us. We got our starch, our grease, our sugar, and our booze."

J'onn J'onzz has posed:
"Regardless, thank you. I'll be sure to treasure it always." J'onn smiles happily, though his attention then shifts to Dinah. "...That is a lot of Dinahs. You could name your daughter Sara or something else equally pleasant as your name, Dinah. To break the cycle." J'onn suggests, unknowing if what he said would be considered rude or if it is just an observation as he intended it to be.

Then the food arrives!

"Ah, the food arrives." J'onn moves to help Dinah with the food, making sure the table was clear.

John Stewart has posed:
"Humans tend to be traditionists." John notes to Jonn as the martian moves to help. "I think she was trying to make a gender joke." Yes, if you explain it, it isn't funny.... but John knows what it's like to be dropped onto a foreign planet ahd /HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE DOING/.

"What's the menu?" John asks as he eyes what's there. "Do you do takeout a lot?"

Dinah Lance has posed:
"Nah, no more than three, four times a week." Dinah waves dismissively. "Hardly ever." With practiced ease she unbags and cracks open all the oddly shaped containers, announcing each dish as she identifies it. Showing off with the Cantonese names. For American Chinese it's meat-deficient. (For Chinese food it's a bit meat-rich.) Naturally, as well as showing off, she does explain in English as well. "These are fried dumplings with pork and cabbage." That kind of explanation. Cracking open her chopsticks, she rubs them against each other to rid the edges of superfluous splinters and picks some up. "Dig in. Or it'll be gone. I don't screw around with my food. Active lifestyle means garbage guts."