Michael
*It's the middle of the day, "High noon" As McCree would call it. It's a bit hot but nothing unbearable, except for Penelope, who's in the courtyard grass and just messing around with the plants around her, growing plants and patterns.

She doesn't have her usual jacket on, just a tank top with her plants that are through her body enjoying all this sun*

*She has bandages around her body, mainly around her chest and ribcage, but she didn't seem to mind, she's just vibing as she normally does*
Bradley
Fennel is new here. Powers are still fascinating to them - sure, they have powers themselves, but of the distinctly non-corporeal variety. They've never seen anyone lift things with their mind or throw fireballs before, except in movies, so it's still more than a little shocking to suddenly exist in a world where those things can happen.

Especially when those things can kill them. That's a little much for Fennel to want to pry. But when they spot someone in the grass, playing around with the grass and weeds and growing them into pretty shapes, that seems innocent enough for Fennel to feel comfortable asking.

They sit down into the grass next to Penelope, being careful to find a spot where they aren't ruining anything.

"Isn't it cold lying in the grass like that?"
Michael
*She, on the other hand, had never really thought about it like how others did. She just got her very physical power and kinda accepted it. She knows the risk, experienced it firsthand, but never really freaked out about it*

*While she's thinking about what other design she could do, she could feel Fennel step into the grass. She doesn't react but she knows they're there before he sits*

"Not really, it's pretty much my home."
Bradley
"Ohhh, plant stuff. Right."

At least Fennel was familiar enough with superhero media to recognize the tropes - of course the plant person would like lying in the dirt. It was so obvious in hindsight.

"So. If you don't mind, how long have you been here?"
Michael
"Few months, not long at all. I'm assuming you're new here? My name is Penelope."

*She smiles at Fennel before growing a rose and gifting it to them, as just a welcome gift! She certainly thought they'd appreciate it*

*Although looking at... Fennel doesn't really help her with that thought, they're just so androgenous that she can't really pin down anything that they'd really like baised off of gender*
Bradley
"For me? Thank you."

Fennel smiled gently and turned the rose in their hands for a few moments. They'd probably replant it. It seemed like a nice memory to have.

"*Stēš,*" Fennel mumbled before returning to their normal speaking voice, "I'm new here. I arrived a few days ago, maybe." They hadn't kept track. Time felt more fluid than it ever had before. Probably didn't help that their routine of zazen, yoga and various other daily spiritual exercises, which had been grounding them for years, had been shot by the move.

"I'm Fennel. Nice to meetcha."
Michael
"Nice to meet you too, it's always nice to meet a fresh face!" 
*She never really kept track of the days, it's all been kinda flying by without any real landmarks. Other than the incident with Tiff, that one's still fresh.*

"If you don't mind me asking, what's your ability? What got you sent to Newton's Cradle in the first place?"
Bradley
"Yeah." Fennel nodded. "Nice to meet new people once in a while, huh." Fennel didn't really meet new people very often. They interacted with strangers, but those people would always stay strangers. Maybe that was going to change.

"I'm not really supposed to talk about it, actually. They said something about relapse, I think." Fennel had been trying to listen, but even then, they couldn't make heads or tails of why they weren't allowed to talk about their powers. "I don't really get it, though, so... Not gonna harsh my vibe over it. If you wanna hear it, I'll tell you, huh? But no snitching." They chuckled confidently and leaned back a little further into the grass.
Michael
"Yep." *She says kinda akwardly, nodding her head as well while listening to Fennel. She was never really good with small talk like that, always so akward...*

"I don't think I ever got that talk about not discussing powers with others! And plus I use it so openly that it's not hard at all to figure it out." *She'd explain, trying to keep it short. To be honest if she ever did get that talk, she didn't listen because... Well because there's not really anything else interesting about her...*

"And I once hundred want to hear about your power! And I ain't no snitch, I can keep a secret!"
*She'd make the grass he's leaning into quite a bit softer, a lot more comfortable*
Bradley
"Alright, alright." They sat up again, playing with their hair and gently sweeping it out of their eyes. "It's, how d' I put this..."

Fennel had to think. Specifically, they had to think about a way to phrase their abilities that wouldn't send Penelope running for the hills. Which wasn't easy, because apparently people didn't like the idea of their minds being malleable.

"It's, like... Mind control, but less good. I can mess with people's heads, but it's not like I can enslave you or anything like that. Just make you see colors or think your name's John."