Owner	Pose
Julie Yan	It's a lovely afternoon in Central Park. People are watching park performers do their thing, picnics are had, kids play, grownups socialize, and dogs chase dogs. Julie's here for a workout, currently jogging along a walkway with her hair tied behind her head in a bun, a hoodie tied around her waist as it trails behind her like a little cape. With earbuds playing tunes, the martial artist is content to run another lap or two before calling it a day and maybe hitting the playground. It's no muscle beach, but those monkeybars make a great workout.
Koriand'r	Starfire doesn't need to jog. Being in eternally good shape is a side effect of her genetic tinkering, which she hates. She misses exercise and the sense of accomplishment that came with pushing past her limits, but now that's pretty much impossible. The closest she can get these days is to watch joggers in the park, a wistful, desirous expression on her open and unguarded face as she remembers what it felt like to have to stretch muscles, make them move and reach and strive. She's sitting on a park bench at the moment, earning stares for her golden skin and flaming hair and purple latex outfit, watching Julie in particular with naked longing in her eyes.
Julie Yan	It's hard to not notice Starfire's eyes, seeing the alien eyeing her does give Julie a little smirk as she recognizes her from the party. The same one she met that Pezzini detective, Wonder Woman, and Wonder Girl among others. She pulls an earbud out and stows it in a pocket before she starts to draw closer to the green-eyed alien, giving a grin and wave as she ends her run prematurely for the day. She can jog back home later, or something.     "Hey there. Starfire, right? I think I saw you at a gala before, some embassy if I remember right?" She says, wiping sweat from her forehead as she removes the second earbud, both returning to their little case as she turns off spotify for the moment. "I'm Julie, we didn't really get a chance to talk in all the excitement..."
Koriand'r	Starfire watches the voluptuous beads of sweat on Julie's skin with a bittersweet ache, but no envy. Envy isn't in her nature. She tears her gaze from those perfectly imperfect droplets of water in which her superhumanly keen eyes can watch tiny rainbows sparkle where the light hits their pregnant curvature, and smiles up at Julie from her seat, then down at her when she stands. Her gloved hand creaks subtly as she offers it to shake. "Hello to friend Julie," she greets politely. "At which gala did your eyes see me? I am sorry to ask, but there have been many." Her gaze flickers over the other woman assessingly, a slight frown of concentration on her lips. "I admit to feeling surprise that I did not notice you. It is usual for me to possess more keen observance."
Julie Yan	Julie takes the hand to shake, and bows her head in respect to royalty at that. "Asgardian embassy, I think? It's been a while." Plus your memory gets a little fuzzy when you've been fighting bad guys on regular periods of time. Julie doesn't bother rbinging that up, and she chuckles. "Don't worry, there were a lot of drinks and food, not to mention people." She says, and eyes Kori's seat. "Mind if I join you? I've been out and about since lunchtime, working off the chicken fried rice and all." In fairness, there's a lot of sweat all over Julie, her abs, her arms and neck in particular. Looks like she's been training like crazy, and if Kori's eyes don't fool her it seems like she's got weights in her shoes.
Koriand'r	Starfire shakes her head, smiling. "I am not minded for myself, but is it well for you to sit? I had thought humans must continue movement following exercise or else will themselves injure. Am I mistaken? If not, I could perhaps join you. It is no trouble."
Julie Yan	Julie shrugs, "I mean, if you wanna do that sure. I appreciate the concern, but I'm not gonna break because I stopped running for a little bit." She says with a crooked smile, producing a water bottle and sipping from it. "You out here for exercise, or just enjoying the sun? It's beautiful out today."
Koriand'r	Starfire is visibly crestfallen at the mention of exercise. Her face falls, her shoulders slump, even the light in her hair dims (her skin's light does too but that can be hard to tell in direct sunlight). "I no longer require exercise," she says glumly, but brightens up figuratively and literally as the subject changes. "But the day is lovely outdoors. I enjoy it." She watches the crooked smile disappear behind the mouth of the water bottle, smiling some herself. "It is also pleasant to watch others exercise, but that is not why I asked if you should continue. Comparative xenobiology has never been my superior strength of study."
Julie Yan	"Oh." Julie frowns a little. "That's...kind of a beautiful curse. Me, I kinda thing i could go without for a while but...what's the point? It builds discipline, there's the rush of it...plus it keeps me active. I like being active." She says, and takes another sip. "Nothing says you can't join me for a jog, I guess." The martial artist chuckles. She can tell there's something about her that Kori likes, why not indulge a cute girl for it? "I'm heading along that walkway, if you wanna join me, please be my guest. I'd love to get to know you a little better." She offers with a grin.
Koriand'r	Starfire's eyes widen in surprise. "You wish to know me?" she asks, blown away despite being a celebrity superhero supermodel who's constantly getting hit on by people who want to 'get to know her better.' Touched, her hand comes to rest unconsciously on her heart. "Then you shall, and I shall come to know you as well," she declares firmly. Her feet lift off the ground about a foot or so, to the open stares of everyone watching. Her knees bend and her body tilts forward, shortening her, bringing her eyes closer to Julie's level. "I am prepared to follow you now. What is it you wish to know better, friend Julie? I shall answer honestly."
Julie Yan	Julie grins wide. "Sure, why not? Not every day you meet an alien princess superhero." She laughs. "A cute one at that." She can't help herself from flirting juuuuust a tad, but it's all in honest friendliness. And also a little bit of admiration. The fact Kori's receptive so far has her heart aflutter. "I mean, where'd you come from? I'm curious, it must've been a long trip to say the least."
Koriand'r	Still hovering in place, Starfire dims again at the question, though less than at the mention of exercise. It probably means something. "My world is called Tamaran. I was crown princess there, but it was conquered by invaders who exiled me." Her eyes cut away from Julie's during this speech: Starfire promised to be honest, and she technically was, but there's so much more to the story than she can bear to tell. She changes the subject rapidly. "And you are from where, Julie? Your appearance is human but I do not wish to assume."
Julie Yan	Julie's face darkens a little. "Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't think it'd be..." She abandons her line of thought. "I'm from Hong Kong, it's a city-state off the coast of China, in the Pacific. I was born in a Chinese province, but my parents died when I was very young. They had a friend, my godfather and sifu, who took me in and raised me, trained me, and helped me master my own gifts." She snaps her fingers, demonstrating a little flame. "I was born with a phoenix's soul bound to mine, and as a result I'm extremely powerful in chi."     Julie turns around, snuffing the flame, and tugs her sports bra's straps aside to reveal a glowing red phoenix sigil on her back, puling with energy. "This little gal's been with me all my life. I was punching concrete to powder when I was six...sifu helped me focus my power so I didn't break things just by stepping too hard."
Koriand'r	Starfire nods along dubiously at this explanation. "I comprehend your words, though they describe phenomena with which I am unfamiliar. I infer that you say you are like me, made strong and flaming by a thing you did not ask for?"
Julie Yan	"Basically." Julie nods. She doesn't expect anybody to understand completely. She doesn't get it sometimes, either. "It's a weird burden. I wouldn't trade it for the world, yet..." She sits at the bench, staring at the ground in contemplation of her words. "Yet it's an ugly burden at times. It's made me a lot of enemies in the East. It feels like an entire country considered me a persona non grata, because I wouldn't use my powers for their ends. I love my homeland, but...it's government isn't exactly the best. They don't accept me for being me, and I feel like I'm basically an exile now..." She sighs, looking to Koriand'r. "I think I mean to say I get how it feels, being an outsider sometimes."
Koriand'r	Starfire thinks about it for a moment, face solemn, eyes locked on Julie's. "For what use does your government wish you?" she asks.
Julie Yan	"Settling domestic issues. Mostly stamping out foreign influence, possible dissidents..." Julie blinks back tears. "They wanted me to be an enforcer of theirs, to keep the populace from acting out of line rather than defending them. I couldn't ever allow myself to be used like that, so I made the hardest sacrifice I could and left Hong Kong. I..."     Her prior flirty grin gone now, Julie looks solemn as she tries to hold her gaze. "I still feel like I abandoned my home, sometimes." Something about this feels off, admitting this to a stranger, but Julie can't hide it anymore. "I needed to go where the heroes were, to learn how they did things...the Justice League, the Titans, the Avengers, X-Men, I always tried to do as they would, but I felt like I needed to see for myself. It's why I came here, to America."
Koriand'r	Starfire's hand is hot as it comes to rest on Julie's shoulder, though not as hot as the name 'Starfire' might imply. "I am full of comprehension. I also have no wish to be a weapon, though that is what I was made to be. I will make battles when I must, but my strength is better used for helping others than making them hurt until they comply with their government."
Julie Yan	Julie reaches up, and she squeezes that hand tightly. Her own grasp is warm as well, and the martial artist leans on Kori a little. "I wanted to help people on my terms, not just the guys up top in their ivory towers. Sometimes, laws are just a barrier to doing the right thing. I can't do what I do if it means people you see on the street are terrified of me. I wanted to stop criminals, not threaten people who just want to get on with their lives peacefully."
Koriand'r	Starfire doesn't withdraw her hand, but she also doesn't smile because that feels like the wrong signal for the room's atmosphere. "Then in Hong Kong, you would not possess the secret identity?" she asks, pertinently if also a bit inanely.
Julie Yan	"Do you have one?" Julie counters. "I never felt right wearing a mask when I could just be me, the person people could go to when they needed help."
Koriand'r	"In a way, I do," Starfire argues. Her hand stays where it is. "But not as humans have them. You perceive the difficulty I would have in maintaining such an arrangement. Yet you could have privacy, if you so chose."
Julie Yan	"I guess you're right. I have my ways. I guess if I make it known I'm off on patrol, I'll do it. I don't know, I'm still figuring this whole hero thing out even now." Julie shrugs.
Koriand'r	Starfire squeezes Julie's shoulder carefully but warmly. Now feels like the correct moment to smile. "It is difficult of comprehension," she agrees. "You will uncover your balance in the fullness of time. Secrecy may not be for your tastes, after all."
Julie Yan	"Maybe you're right." Julie manages a little smile. "I...I just want to thank you. It feels weird telling this to someone i just met, but...I needed someone to vent to. I don't really have a lot of friends I can really talk to about this."
Koriand'r	Starfire nods solemnly. "That is logical," she agrees. "There are not many costumed heroes in the world, so it is full of sense that you would not know many of them. But now you know me!
Julie Yan	"And yet it feels like there's hundreds out there. They're so densely packed in this one region, it's -weird-." Julie laughs, an actual laugh. She pats Kori's shoulder. "I guess I do, and I'd be all too happy to consider you a friend." Julie smiles, and offers to embrace the Tamaranian.
Koriand'r	Starfire accepts the hug, and the camera smash cuts on that note because it's important to have a good ending.