1964-08-19 - Book Geeks
Summary: MJ and Starfire hang out in the library and talk about boys & the moon.
Related: None
Theme Song: None
mary-jane-watson starfire 


Normally most teenage girls won't be in the library on a Saturday afternoon. But then, most girls aren't Mary Jane Watson, former captain of the school Academic Club. She's currently got a few physics books open, and… in something that would probably astonish her classmates, she's wearing reading glasses. Her hair is pulled back and she scribbles down some notes in her notebook as she looks almost oblivious to what's happening around her.

Fortunately, it IS the library.


The nice thing about a public library is they don't typically throw people out for looking different. And Starfire certainly looks different. With a black summer dress on along with her purple and silver boots the alien princess moves between the stacks, with a full dozen books on various topics balancing on one hand. She is at least walking on the ground for the most part, only floating into the air when she needs a book from the top shelf.

"May I please share this table?" Kori asks, having reached the point where her stack of books is too tall to balance even for her.


Mary Jane blinks and looks up, and up at the alien princess. She grins, "Um, sure. Sit down." She doesn't want to say something terribly rude, but can't help but stare a little bit because… well, Starfire does look pretty distinct. "What're you reading?" Sure, that didn't sound terrible, okay.


"I have been slowly making my way through world history," Starfire says cheerfully, seemingly oblivious to the staring. "Although there are many regions for which sources are limited. So I expect there are large gaps I will have to fill using sources from other countries." She puts the stack down on the table, then sits herself down. "May I also ask what you are studying?"


And Mary Jane realizes she's staring. Eek! She lowers her gaze a bit, "Oh, um, just doing some research on quantum mechanics. Honestly, it looks really interesting. I just love the fact that something can be in two states at once, and it isn't defined until you actually see it." She grins, "Oh, I'm Mary Jane, but everyone calls me MJ. What part of world history are you reading up on right now?"


"I am currently up to around a thousand years BC," Starfire explains earnestly. "I have been breaking my studies down into blocks of roughly fifty to a hundred years and then moving alphabetically through the regions. A lot of the books are focused on the Romans." She lifts the stack with one hand then takes one of the books from the bottom. "Oh! You must forgive my rudeness. I have not introduced myself. My name of Koriand'r and I have recently come to this country from Europe." She holds out a hand expectantly.


MJ shakes the offered hand, smiling at Koriand'r, "Wow, that's a cool name… Koriand'r. Like the spice, but a bit different." She hmms, "What part of Europe? I'm not sure I quite caught the accent, though yeah, the Romans tend to have conquered the history section. Which is too bad, there's so much more of the world besides the Romans."


Starfire laughs. "Technically from Monaco, although I have travelled very extensively and learnt many languages. Which is why I do not have a strong accent." She looks at the stack of books. "I do not think a building this size could contain books on every country. So perhaps it is best they only focused on a few more significant empires. Although it does limit the study I can do in one place. Some day I shall have to fly over and find libraries in the regions for which my studies are lacking."


Mary Jane blinks, "Wow, you must be rich. I would love a chance to travel like that." She sounds jealous for a moment, but more wistful about it then she grumbles, "Well, I'm just doing the standard 'guy stood me up last night so studying the best ways to explode him instead' plan." She sounds like she's kidding. Mostly.


Starfire tilts her head to one side and frowns. "Oh. No I do not have any currancy. However I am able to fly and consume only light," she explains. "I am sorry that you were forced to stand up against your wishes. I believe high powered microwaves would be the best way to achieve your goals, however it seems very drastic to cause someone to explode for making you stand somewhere. Surely it would also count as murder which is against the law?"


MJ… stares at Starfire. "Um, wow. Are you a mutant? Because that would be…" She pauses, then blurts out, "TOTALLY AMAZING." She keeps her voice down, but looks shocked by that, "You fly? How fast do you go? Wait, you metabolize light? Why aren't you green? Or is this not based on chlorophyll? But… wait."

She laughs a little. "No, I'm not really going to kill him. But, well, Put-It-Off Peter was going to meet me for a date last night, and he decided that he had other things to do. Typical." She sighs a bit, shaking her head.


"I have been called that term before yes," Starfire admits with a shrug. "Most people do not typically react so positively however. Within an atmosphere I can achieve twice the speed of sound. Outside of an atmosphere I can travel much faster although I am unsure what my maximum speed is." She opens her book. "I do not metabolize light as you would call it. I absorb it more directly, however I do not know the right words to describe the process."

Kori shakes her head disapprovingly. "This Put-It-Off Peter is your mate? I am sure you could find a more reliable partner. You should not settle for a partner who is unwilling to spend time with you. It is a sign he would be unsuitable to sire children or be attentive romantically."


Mary Jane Watson blushes almost as red as her hair, "No! I mean, I don't, it's… um… complicated." Well, maybe it isn't, but it's a convenient excuse, right? Then she ahs, "Though, I guess you're right, I shouldn't settle for someone that isn't able to be there for me. It's just… Peter's very nice. But he's the Invisible Man, because whenever you need him, he vanishes."


"Oh. I did not know he was a mutant," Starfire replies solemnly. "Perhaps he does not wish for people to respond unkindly to you when they see you together? If he was unable to control his invisibility then he could be avoiding your date nights because he has turned invisible."


MJ huhs, "Um, I guess they don't have metaphors where you're from… I mean, he doesn't literally turn invisible. But when you need him to be there, he's just not there." She smiles a bit, "So, um, where are you from again?"


"They have metaphors," Starfire assures quickly. "However English is my… thirteenth language and I have only been in the country for two or three months. So I have not yet picked up many of the local sayings." She forces a smile. "Monaco. Technically it is called the Principality of Monaco. Or the Principaute de Monaco in French. It is very nice, much warmer than here. I am sure you would love it if you visted."


Mary Jane chuckles, "Yeah, like I could ever afford it there. I mean, I work at a coffeeshop when I'm not in school, so…" She grins a little, "Yeah, okay, Monaco. But that's cool. I'll make sure to watch the metaphors with you then. Until you get more used to them anyway."


"That is very considerate of you," Starfire replies, her smile returning. "I am sure you could find an alternate partner or two if you wished though." She frowns, deep in concentration. "There are… plenty more sea creatures… in a body of water? That is an American saying, no?"


MJ grins, "Plenty of fish in the sea, yeah." She laughs, "I suppose there might be, but Peter is just… well, it's hard to explain." She tilts her head, "So, Koriand'r, how are you doing in that regard? I mean, you've heard me complain about it for a while now."


Starfire hmmms. "I was technically betrothed before I left home," she muses. "However I do not believe that arrangement is still valid. I have not really been looking for romantic partners because I am concerned I would cause them harm.. I am also considerably stronger than most people and at times I can be difficult not to damage the things around me.. Oh! If you find it easier you may call me Kori, many of my American friends find it easier to pronounce."


Mary Jane nods, "Kori, then. Cool." She blinks, "Wow, well, yeah, that'd be a problem. How strong are you?" She grins, looking curiously at Kori now as she has someone new to learn about and study. Mutants are so cool!


Starfire drums her fingers against the table. "Let me think. I can easily lift thirty tons," she says after a moments consideration. "If I do not wish to fly while carrying a heavy object I could probably lift even more. Perhaps a few more tons. I have not really had suitable facilities to test my strength in full."


MJ whistles. "Wow. That's amazing!" She looks rather impressed, "I… well, I'd offer the university, but I don't even know if the labs there can handle anything like that. I'll have to ask." Because now she sounds really interested in testing Kori's limits.


"The only place I was really free to train myself without risk to others was on the Moon," Starfire laments. "But gravity is much less severe there. So it was not a very good test."


Mary Jane pauses. Then stares at Kori. "Wait. You… you've been to the MOON?!?" Her eyes go wide, and she shouts, "AMAZING!" Which immediately gets a whole bunch of glares and shushes and mean looks from the librarians before she quiets, going beet-red again as she normally doesn't do that, but… well, the MOON!


Starfire nods slowly. "Twice, but honestly it is quite boring. There is nothing much to see or do. It is also quite dusty and it gets in your hair. I suppose it has been nice to sunbathe on the occasions I visited. I thought about taking some books to read, but gravity is low enough that if I was careless I might lose them and never find them again."


MJ nods, "True, but… yeah, I don't think I'd ever get to go. I mean, I don't have powers, so I'd just be, well, dead. Unless I can somehow become an astronaut, and that'd never happen." She sighs, looking a bit depressed about that.


"Let me just check something," Starfire says, reaching under the table. "I may have… ah yes." She pulls something out from presumably a pocket. "You can have this if you want. I brought a few pieces back for friends and I had some left over." It's not much bigger than a marble, but it's a genuine (if she's to be believed) piece of the moon.


Mary Jane stares at the rock. "This, is a piece of moon rock? This. And you're just… giving it to me?" She blinks, and takes the rock, "Oh man, I can't wait to get this to the lab!"


Starfire tilts her head. "I can fly up there remember," she points out. "If I wanted more it simply takes a day or two. I did try and sell it but no-one would believe it was real. So it has no real value to me. If it will make you happy you are welcome to it!"


MJ blinks, "Well, Kori this is the nicest…" She smiles, "Well, I'll take a look at it, but it should be pretty easy to verify with the labs at the University." She grins, "Oh man, Peter is gonna be so jealous." She looks pretty cheerful at the prospect.


"Perhaps you will be lucky and it will ensure he turns up to your next date night?" Starfire suggests earnestly. "I hope you will do me a small favor and refrain from giving anyone my name in connection with how you acquired it though. It would be very unpleasant for me if everyone knew I could fly to the Moon. No doubt in the best case I would be constantly bothered by scientists or at the worst case the Government might expect me to be involved in some sort of unsavory military project."


Mary Jane nods, "Oh, sure. I won't say where I got it." She grins, "But thanks, Kori. This means a lot, even if it isn't special for you… it really means a lot to me."


Starfire smiles. "I am glad that you are happy," she assures. "Consider it a thank you for helping me with my understanding of American metaphorical phrases. Many people are often rude when I do not understand the more unusual local sayings or they assume I am making some sort of joke. So it will help me to follow local customs and conversations in the future."


Mary Jane smiles, "Well, I'm glad I could help Kori. If you ever want to talk, um… well, I got a phone at the dorm, I guess? I mean, I just live on campus at the university."


"I do not currently have access to a telephone but if one becomes available to me I shall I keep that in mind," Kori assures, nodding. "Unfortunately I am camping outside of the city. So I am not very easy to visit, but the next time I am in the university area I will try and find time to come and visit. I am also frequently here at the library, I think perhaps they could pass on a message if you asked nicely. As I suppose I am… quite distinct and they would not struggle to identify me."


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