strangetrip | Warm Jelly Donut

Clarice still didn't sleep in her room. There were trust issues and decorating taste issues, but she was spending more time at the 'compound' as she called the Inn. Since the inhibitor collar was removed, Clarice's powers had been broken. She was pretty sure it had to do with everything that had happened to her, at least she hoped so.

So far everything that she'd tried to teleport came back split in two, even after she'd visited the places. Sometimes, it wouldn't hold true and fizzle out after a couple of minutes. The frustration was growing and she knew that made it even worse. She could hear John in her ear to concentrate on something you like.

She sat in the lobby, in one of the padded chairs, with a glowing light between her hands and a bunch of tennis balls at her feet. There was a light from the ceiling above, that correlated to the one between her hands. Clarice picked up one of the balls and tossed it through the teleport only to have two halves fall at her feet.

"Warm Jelly Donut."

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"Oh, um..." She flushed a little. She wasn't really used to admitting this stuff, even now. It still felt weird to be so truthful. "I'm friends with, um. With aliens back home."

Clarice wouldn't have had the same reaction now as she would have before she arrived, thanks to Xavin.

"That would get you on the radar of the FBI. Are they like Xavin?" As that was the only 'alien' she had experience with, that was the example she gave.

She shook her head. "No. Well... not my friends. Their protector can change form like she does, but he's not very nice." He had, at one point, kidnapped her, after all. "They look human. They're the Roswell aliens, actually? From the crash in the 40s only their pods were delayed in opening."

"Huh, I thought the Roswell aliens were little green guys with big eyes. Like in that old movie Close Encounters." She actually had thought it was a myth, like Bigfoot.

"That's rough. Unless they didn't know they were in stasis, then it probably wouldn't have been so bad."

"Most people think that's what they look like, actually." She smiled with a little nod. "It makes hiding a bit easier for them that way too, you know? But, it's always hard to try and be who you really are when anyone around you could be waiting for your to mess up."

"I get that. At least they have friends like you that let them be who they are." Clarice knew the importance of that. "Probably stupid to ask, but how did the government know they existed?"

Unless they had some kind of trackers like Sentinel Services did.

Liz ducked her head a bit, the look of guilt washing over her briefly. "That's, um... that's kind of my fault." She pressed her lips together. "I was accidentally shot from some costumer who got into a fight at my parent's cafe and Max, he, um. He healed me. He saved my life. But then, well, people started asking questions, you know?"

Clarice shook her head, "no it wasn't your fault. Trust me, they would have had their eye on them long before that happened. I bet you the government was following every 'odd' occurrence in the US and yours just happened to be the right odd occurrence. They got lucky."

Liz knew logically that Clarice was probably right, but it didn't stop her from still feeling at least partially responsible. "Do you think... that people in your world will ever learn to just accept everyone? I mean, at least where you don't have to hide and stuff."

Only for a split second, Clarice thought about sugar coating it or lying, but she didn't. Liz deserved the truth.

"No, sorry. People are always going to be scared or threatened of anyone that's different. I know everyone gets along here, but that's because the majority of people are different. In my world, there was an incident where a peaceful march on mutant rights turned deadly. People were killed on both sides, but the only ones that got blamed were the mutants. Go to a world where the different aren't the normal or part of society and I bet they're hunted. I know that's not what you want to hear, but my advice to your friends, is stay hidden in plain sight. If I could pass for normal, that's what I'd do."

Even when she asked it, she knew somewhere deep down inside that the answer wasn't going to be positive. Even the tourists who visited Roswell who said they wanted to meet aliens probably never actually wanted to meet real ones. The idea of aliens was cool, but the reality would be hard to wrap your head around.

Liz nodded at her words, though looked her over for a moment. "It's too bad you'd want to hide... because I think you're really pretty." To which Liz looked entirely sheepish at the admission, but it was the truth.

"Thanks." Clarice could tell she was sincere. "I don't want to be normal, I wouldn't know what that would be like." She was born the way she looked, rather than puberty changing her. "But it is nice, that everyone here is used to the unusual."

They might not have powers, like Liz didn't, but she was friends with aliens.

"Yeah, or they learn pretty quickly." Liz thought of Jackson. "And I think if anyone showed up having a problem with that, they'd be in big trouble by most of the inn."

"Maybe." Clarice allowed, but she was pretty sure power struggles would take over if things weren't provided for them. "They'd probably be in trouble, but that would only increase their attitude. Some minds you just can't change."

Liz gave a small nod. The sort of nod you gave when you knew they were right, but the world sucked and wished it didn't.

"I guess you're right... And I guess I'm sort of lucky everyone in my life has been pretty understanding." Those who knew, anyways.

"And they're lucky to have you." Clarice really meant that. "Your friends that are aliens. I might be a glass half empty person, but knowing there are people out there than handle people that are really different is nice."

"Thanks." She ducked her head a bit and smiled, really taking the compliment to heart. She liked to think she was both trustworthy and a good friend. "Maybe here I can somehow find a way to help you with your powers. I'll keep an eye out for... something." What that was, Liz had no idea.

"Thanks." Clarice said sincerely knowing that it would probably only take time and relaxation. "You never know. You might see something or hear something that might help."

She motioned toward her tennis balls and shot her a quick grin, "if it takes longer instead of sooner, I can always offer to cut fruit. It won't be stylishly cut, but it will be a clean slice."

She laughed softly. "I'm sure Emma will find that helpful." Liz continued to smile. "I should probably get going, but, um. I'll let you know if I learn anything."

"Thanks." Clarice raised a hand to wave before she bent down to pick up a half a tennis ball. "Any help would be appreciated."

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