Blackouts [J'onn]

[Superman]

Players: Kryptonian + Martian
Location(s): all over the place
Plot Summary: Superman's memory of the last few hours is a little hazy, the Martian Manhunter just may be the man to clear them up!

Superman awoke in still darkness. The night was quiet, very few cars passed by his and Lois' apartment; that meant it had to be late. He moved just slightly in the bed he lay in, alone - Lois was still gone. To the Man of Steel's surprise he was fully dressed. He lay on his cape with most of it's length hanging off the side of the bed and pooling at the floor atop his slippers. At that moment Superman couldn't recall even donning his Kryptonian suit, he also realized he could remember when he climbed into bed.....or what he'd done all that day.

He bolted up from the mattress. His head swam as dark shapes swirled and moved about in the darkness. Momentarily Superman felt nauseous but it subsided as quickly as it'd come. He stood up from his bed and looked around the room, yes he was very much in his own home. But when did he get there? Superman tried to think of the morning, about work, what he'd had for lunch, what sort of threat he may have had to deal with. Everything came up blank. He couldn't remember a single thing.

He couldn't just not remember, his memories were completely gone. There were no fragments Superman could recall or get to pop back up, he was completely blocked off from his own past thoughts and actions. Superman wasn't the type to lose his cool or panic when things went wrong but he knew this was serious and it worried him that suddenly a chunk of his life was escaping him. If his mind wasn't cooperating though he knew of someone who could get it to.

Abandoning his apartment, and making sure no one spotted his exit, Superman took to the skies of Metropolis. All seemed to be well tonight, hopefully things would remain in such a state until Superman could solve his own issues. The cloud thinned as Superman gained more and more altitude until finally he reached his desired height. "J'onn, can you hear me?"

Clark knew J'onn's hearing was just as powerful as his own and if J'onn's concentration was anything like Superman's then he'd be able to pick up on a friend's voice from just about anywhere on the planet.

[jonn]

The night had been a restless one. Jonn had not been able to get any sleep and finally he had just stopped trying. The night wind whisked around and through the window causing the curtains to shift slowly back and forth. The cold air came as a welcome to Jonn as he sat still focusing on the world around him.

When nights like this came it always seemed as if they came on nights that most people would be sleeping soundly as if there were no cares in the world. A grim expression came and went with the thought of the danger that some of them never knew came so close to them in different times.

Suddenly the stillness of the night was shattered as Superman's voice boomed in his mind as clear as if he was standing next to him. "Yes. Yes I can.." Jonn focused and immediately connected with the mind of Superman, communicating his response without ever moving from his spot.

[Superman]

As if the men were standing only mere inches away from one another J'onn's answer came immediately and clearly. Clark was grateful that neither of them had to go out looking for one another, a simple call to the wind was all it required to get in contact. "Glad you aren't asleep at this hour." Superman spoke half jokingly. He was still unsure if the Martian Manhunter ever slept. Like himself Martians did not truly need sleep, as their physiology allowed them to run days on end without tiring, but when the night came Superman did find himself in bed and he did get his full eight hours of sleep. It helped him to feel more...human.

Whether J'onn had this desire to feel more human was unknown as well as beside the point so Superman did not dwell long. "I need your help in Metropolis. More like a favor really, of the telepathic variety. And there's not a telepath on Earth that I trust more than you, J'onn." It was often debated, though few telepaths there were, many disputed who was the most skilled, powerful, or experienced. In Clark's humble opinion all those titles and more belonged to the Manhunter of Mars.

He remained floating idly in the coolness of the night sky as he went on conversing with J'onn, the wind not effecting him in the slightest while it seemed to be unable to decide in which direction it'd blow his cape. "I'm not sure how urgent this really is but I'd be a lot more comfortable if you could come and take a look into things for me."

[jonn]

As he sat Jonn reflected on a case that he had recently been working with the DMA. But quickly his thoughts were brought back to reality as Superman continued.

"I sleep?" Jonn responded with a hint of mind amusement creeping into the edge of his voice. Superman was a jokester every once and awhile but Jonn had complete confidence in his work as a hero.

With feigned effort Jonn stood and flexed some of his muscles. "Alright." Jonn thought. Focusing on the conversation, Jonn gained an idea of where Superman was talking to him from and then with an exhale he lifted off of the ground and through the roof of his apartment and set his sights on Superman's location

"I'll be there in a moment or two. I think you probably have a good grasp on the situation and if you think I should be there, I'll be there." Jonn finished as he raced across the skyline. It was not too often that the Man of Steel contacted him for his help, but when he did Jonn knew that there was something really amiss.

Another thing that piqued Jonn's interest was just why it was that Superman felt as if he could not talk telepathically to him about the situation... Maybe he was just looking into things too far but this could be an interesting one if things were that sensitive for Superman. Jonn closed the distance between him and Metropolis, it would not be long now.

[Superman]

A moment or two, Superman found himself smirking just a bit. That was very much something he'd say and speaking from experience Superman knew it was true. Superspeed was quite the benefit when there was a rush or hurry on things, and though he'd told J'onn he was unsure of this incident's urgency he was glad that his friend the Martian Manhunter was putting a rush on it. And just as the other alien had said his trip to Metropolis was only a moment or so.

Another cape joined Superman's in billowing in the strong gust that seemed regular at this altitude, the two aliens slightly mirroring one another as they floated closer so that Superman could reach J'onn. "Nice night?" The Kryptonian opened with a bit of small talk but he knew J'onn was hardly one for such in a time as this, when he'd been called for a specific reason. "Glad I could reach you and that you could make it, J'onn. I guess I'll get right to it. I woke up a few minutes ago in bed already like you see me but I don't have the faintest clue as to what happened before that moment. I don't remember getting out of my plain clothes, I don't even remember getting into bed, and the entire day up until the point of waking up is a complete blank." Superman spoke with a tight knot in his throat but he pushed through it so that J'onn could understand what it was that had him worried.

Superman was not so forgetful that these things would simply escape, there was obviously something bigger at play here but at the moment he was refraining from jumping to any conclusions. A Superman unaware of his actions was a scary thing and at such a crucial time when he was in a campaign to make New Krypton acceptable to the people of Earth he could not afford to be a "scary thing". "I need you to see if you can get anywhere. Read my mind and tell me what I'm not remembering. Please." Superman may have tried to sound unworried when he spoke to J'onn originally but his voice now was in stark contrast, he just wanted those memories unlocked and ease his mind...if it was possible.

[jonn]

Off in the distance Jonn saw the Kryptonian hovering above his beloved city. It was almost as if he had scripted the moment. But this specific one, he had something that needed to be taken care of. If Superman was calling for him to come and help him with something and he needed his physically there, there was something that was going on that was probably pretty serious.

Jonn did the equivalent of a air slide and coasted to some semblance of a stop and assumed the spot next to Superman gazing across the city. Overall it was an impressive sight, probably one of the best in the world. But that aside he had business.
"I would have to consider it picturesque.." Jonn replied and paused waiting for Superman to finish. "That does not sound good.. I'm intrigued that a mind of this magnitude would decide to go after someone such as yourself.. It could be that your mind is just blocking out something that happened because that is how the mind works. I don't suppose that you have had any traumatic experiences within the last week that you DO remember?" Jonn peered thoughtfully into the face and expression of Superman. If there was something here it would take detective skills and understanding of how the human mind worked. Maybe he would stumble on to something that could help before he even started.

"I can try to look into your mind.. I hope that you do not have any secrets you would prefer me not to know.." Jonn half joked. The tone of his voice showing some forced humor as he prepared to dive into the mind of another hero.

[Superman]

Superman knew that J'onn was uneasy about entering people's minds here on Earth. Back on his home planet it was the norm and almost the sole way the communicated; it was built on respect and trust though. Sometimes as a hero J'onn was needed to get thoughts from villains who otherwise would never tell, Superman knew the Martian felt bad about it but he also knew that Jonn could see it as a necessity. When it came to entering the minds of his friends J'onn always treaded lightly but Superman did not assume it made the green hero any less uneasy. Even with permission he was entering the most sacred and private areas of a person, a person who for the most part was not entirely used to having another in his or her mind.

This time was like no different. If Superman did not believe it absolutely necessary he would not have called upon J'onn and made such a request. Though he wore a brave face the Man of Steel was frightened. Having memories missing was a frightening thing and possibilities swirled endlessly with what could have taken place in those missing hours as well as why. "Not that I can remember, no." The Kryptonian shook his head defeatedly. He wished there was something he could offer that could make this easier on both himself and J'onn, but his mind was an absolute blank.

"The last thing I can remember is the other night. I got in a bit later than usual, changed into something to sleep in, and....that's it." That made for an entire day that Superman could not recall or even begin to piece together. "Just keep away from my awkward teenage days." He offered a small laugh; the both of them trying to downplay this very serious moment.

[jonn]

Reading the thoughts of those here on earth had always been something that Jonn did not prefer to do. He felt that since it was not the way that the people here communicated that should not be the way he communicated with them. Because of that he was always a little uneasy as he read the minds of those around him. Superman had came to him and that made it a lot easier because he realized that his mind was being understood by another being.

First Jonn started with a few basic areas and scanned the thoughts that were created and discarded in the temporary immediate memory. These things pertained to what was happening just now and were the easiest and fastest to read. Once Jonn had a basic feel for them he started to work his way backwards in the time line of Superman's mind. The mind was an interesting thing with most of the thoughts and experiences being saved in one manner or another. People all experience different things through one situation. Because there is more than just one sense in the mind the person can recall individual things about events like the feel of skin or the smell of something cooking. These were all stored in a way that could be accessed if at one time the individual needed to understand something that pertained to something else they could quickly access just that portion of their mind and then move on with there temporary thoughts and cognitive decision making.

As Jonn moved backwards events and daily actions went past slowly and Jonn studied each and every one in an attempt to see everything that had happened and understand just what it was that was going on. Sometimes the specific event that the person was looking for could be related to something done afterward or by someone that left a hint as to why they did what they did within the mind. Jonn continued his search looking for something within each detail. Suddenly, Jonn felt a sudden pain in his mind as if something was blocking him and then a giant chasm within the time line of Superman's memories.

Quickly, Jonn backed out of the mind of Superman and studied the face of the hero. "Just what do you think happened those nights...." Jonn paused for effect and then continued on without waiting for a reply. "I think that someone has entered your mind and placed a block on an event or something within that time frame. It could also be that something happened and your own mind has blocked it out.. Either way I think that if you want to continue to learn about this we should retrace those things that you remember on either side of the darkness and try to reassemble the thoughts that way." Jonn looked away from the hero and studied the sky as he pondered the conundrum that had confounded him. There had to be an answer, he just was not seeing it right now.

[Superman]

Superman without a doubt trusted J'onn wholeheartedly. The two had been friends for years and through that span of time they'd been through a lot. The two aliens on an alien planet had a certain deep level of understanding between them along with respect and trust. That was why out of all the telepaths the world over Superman knew it had to be J'onn he contacted to complete this task. He knew J'onn could do it the most effective, the quickest, and still remain a loyal friend no matter what he found. The Martian Manhunter would understand that this was a mostly private happening, at least until they found out more and decided if it needed to go beyond that. Superman wished that it would not.

Before the Martian entered his thoughts Superman shut his eyes and concentrated, even though that part was unnecessary; it was just a habit. As J'onn began to sift through memories and thoughts Superman could feel it. There was no pain or discomfort of any sort, but there was the odd sensation of having different nerves in his brain sending signals that were not of his own doing. This feeling only existed because J'onn allowed it to, because Superman had requested him to do this; had J'onn not wanted to be felt, he wouldn't be.

There was no telling what J'onn was seeing or finding but Superman hoped that it would be answers to the giant question mark he had in his head. Suddenly the feeling of J'onn J'onzz tipping around in his mind vanished and Superman opened his eyes. Was the Martian Manhunter done already? Superman searched J'onn's face as the Martian studied his, they both seemed to be lost in the moment and confused by it. "I..." Superman started but he knew there was nothing he could recall. It was just a total blank to him and it was growing more frustrating.

If J'onn was questioning him...did this mean his friend had failed? His only hope had come up short and was unable to tell him anything more than what Superman already knew (or didn't)? When J'onn spoke Superman's heart sank and a small frown appeared on his face. "So this was intention?" Superman's jaw clenched as his worst fear was realized. J'onn would probably say that was just conjecture as of the moment, but as far as Superman was concerned there was no other explanation. All he could do was try to think, rethink over the past and find some sort of light in the dark. The last thing, before waking, Superman could remember was returning home and changing out of his cape and tights.

"Before the gap in memory I..." Superman's brow furrowed as he looked down at the city, lost in thought and trying to dig up a memory. "I dealt with something in the plaza, uh about a few miles from here." Superman turned from J'onn and stared off in the distance toward the plaza.

[jonn]

It was not often that Jonn came across something like this. There had to be a reason for it, and very few would and could have done it. The main reason that something like this was so rare was that most enemies of people like Superman just avoided them entirely, and if they did not, the chances of them even making it to this point seemed rather dim. Superman usually got the better of whomever he was going up against. The entirety of the plan was something that both shocked and marveled Jonn in one way, and caused him some fear in another way. If someone had this much foresight into what they were doing my must had an important plan ahead.

As those thoughts bounced around in Jonn's mind he switched his look back to Superman. "Well, you know what I know... What do you think could be the cause.." Jonn did not end his question with a question but instead let the statement hang in the air as if anyone in the area could just drop an answer to enlighten both of the heroes.

"I suppose that anything is more than we got with that... We might as well go back there and attempt to recreate your memory. If that doesn't work I suppose that we will have to resort to good old fashioned sleuthing around the area. If we cannot recreate the memories we will have to just find out what it is from around that point that someone doesn't want you to remember." Jonn finished by lifting his eyebrows a shade at the end for for emphasis. In weird cases like this, he was just grasping at straws. Outside of the other side making some grave mistake the few things they had left to try were probably the only options besides just waiting for the criminals to announce what ever it was that they were doing to the entire world or make a demand of some kind.

[Superman]

This disturbed Superman highly. Neither of them wanted to speak on the most likely and ugliest of circumstance, but it was evident that there was some force behind this. Nothing Superman could wish to forget or traumatically block out would prove inaccessible for someone of J'onn's caliber. If the Martian Manhunter wanted to retrieve it, then it was retrieved; if it was in your mind. The horrible truth was, as Superman believed it to be, someone or something had stolen memories from his mind. But the question lingered; why?

"Same as I was thinking. And I don't like the window of missing time, we might not have much left on our side." It was clear the Man of Steel was working based on the worst case scenario, not his typical point of play but he could not be as hopeful when he didn't know what it was he could have been used to do hours ago. "This way," Superman rolled in the air to begin floating toward the plaza with J'onn after him. Once J'onn began flying through the air as well Superman picked up speed, crossing the distance of a few miles in no time at all.

Upon arrival at the plaza Superman stopped and took in the scene in awe. The cobblestone walk ways were completely overturned and shattered. Awnings were ripped to shreds, pillars were broken in half, and the entire scene just screamed of a battle Superman could not recall. Slowly he drifted toward the carved ground and landed softly. "I...I don't remember any of this." His fight hadn't been that bad, he always tried his best to keep property damage to a minimum but this was the complete opposite. "I..." He bent down and picked up a slab of broken concrete, "Wait!" Superman froze for a moment, his attention had been captured by something elsewhere. He dropped the stone and levitated for just a moment to cross another ten feet or so.

As he landed he dug through debris and tossed aside broken support beams. "J'onn!" He called out to the Martian Manhunter once he was done and took a shy step backward. There beneath the now cleared rubble lay a woman in tattered and singed clothing; not breathing.