[ Video, Action ] Deuce of Clubs

[touchofrogue]

Who: Rogue and you! Yes, you.
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: Saturday afternoon

[A is for Unintentional Broadcasting (or action, if anyone's there)]
[When Rogue wakes on the Marvisa, the video picks up on her suddenly convulsing. It has been months since she has experienced her powers in full, and her mind is thrown into sudden, loud, throbbing pain. She is surprised that the internal chaos is not as bad as it has been, and after a moment she realizes why: she only has three psyches left, and they are all more or less friendly. After taking a few moments to settle down, Rogue sits up. She is woozy, distracted and disoriented. She goes to stand and overbalances, the missing appendages on her back throwing her off enough that she trips on a sheet and falls gracelessly to the floor.]

Oh for the love of -[she can hardly believe it, she reaches to her back to confirm: her wings are gone.]- what in the Sam Hill--

[At this point, the Network decides that further following Rogue Walking Around to Get her Bearings will be boring, and shifts to something else. Later, she comes back to the communicator not only to answer any return comments that her embarrassing swan dive might have drawn, but to address the fleet as a whole.]

[B is for Delibrate Broadcasting]
[While the communicators aren't set up like Luceti journals, Rogue gets the general idea. She sends out a video post.]

Uh - hi. My name's Rogue, an' I guess I'd like ta speak to the Welcoming Committee. I'm hopin' to get a little bit more than the 'Lost in Space' vibe up here. Speakin' of... anyone have any idea how to turn this music off? I swear it's killin' brain cells.

[A pause. Her gaze shifts downward, and she seems to be bracing herself before she looks back up and addresses the camera with a small smile and a wry, if slightly hopeful light in her eyes.]

Guess I should throw some names out there, just to see if anythin' will stick. Anyone ever hear of... a group called X-Men, say? [A gloved hand reaches up to wrap around a deep green crystal pendent hanging from her neck.] Or a place called 'Luceti'?

[Another awkward pause. She's got a LOT OF EMOTIONS right now, okay, and she's not sure what else to say or do. She kind of hates throwing her hopes out to space like this, but what other choice did she have, really? She gives the camera another quick, small smile.]

Thanks.


[Rogue stretched. She was standing on a narrow railing in the Hospitality Deck - just standing. She hadn’t tried walking yet. She was still not used to this strange feeling of being without her wings. Her balance was off when she moved, when she stood… it would take her a few days to get used to it, maybe longer. She’d get used to it, though. If there was one thing all her experiences had taught her, it was that you could adapt to anything.

Her wings. Her wings were gone. She'd been left with two narrow scars running a lurid red down her back. She could access Logan and heal them, easy, she thought. But right now they were a physical reminder that she hadn't lost her mind completely. She could use that. She felt… oddly adrift (ha ha, and she couldn’t even blame Kurt for that). Even when she’d come into Luceti, Kurt and Kitty had been there. She didn't know what to do. She was alone and afraid... and already lonely.

She took her first step forward and wobbled, much to her frustration, and then another step. She didn’t fall - not yet - but it would be all right if she did. Rogue knew how to fall. She’d just take it one step at a time.]

Comments

[touchofrogue]

[There is a pause here as Rogue considers this. She is a private person, normally. But, well. Luceti wasn't exactly private in her mind yet. Nothing she would say about it would be secret or... something everyone in Luceti didn't already know. It was just... now people didn't know. And how could she even explain... she always felt like she was horrible at explaining things.]

Tell ya what - with fair warnin' that I am terrible at story-telling, I'll fill up all the time we've got ta kill about the basics of Luceti. [She tilted her head and lifted her eyebrows at Zessica.] You tell me some more about that - dimension grabbin' thing you've got goin' on back home?

[zessica]

[Her eyebrows raise just slightly as Rogue offers that up. Color her intrigued. A hum escapes her before her grin fully forms.]

What? Like a story trade off?

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue nods, the shadow of a smile on her lips.] Yeah. I mean. [She gestures around to the empty mess hall.] Unless you've got a better idea or somethin' more pressing ta do.

[zessica]

Not one. [She raises a brow, and her lips come together in a sort of smirk.]

Okay, how about we just ask questions? That might make it a little easier. [Another bite.] Feel free to start.

[touchofrogue]

Okay. [Rogue takes another bite of her food and considers.] What's the name of your world? What's it like there?

[zessica]

Vega. [Zessica takes another drink, pondering the second question.] Well, we've got cities, towns, schools, militaries... You'd need to be more specific.

Anyway, what did you do back on your world?

[touchofrogue]

Back in my world? [Heh, she hasn't thought about that in ages.] I was just tryin' ta get through high school.

[...of course, things got in the way. And she doesn't quite look like she belongs in high school anymore, the flush of early 20s is upon her.

She jabs at her plate and retrieves some more food. The whole X-Men thing was so much more complicated, and honestly it feels like a complete answer to her, but... it wasn't entirely, was it?]

...an' then I wound up tryin' to stop someone from takin' over the world. You know. As happens 'pon occasion. [She rolled her eyes a little, not wanting to get into it in detail, and trusting in the way most people were from that maybe she could leave it at that.] What about you? What'd you do?

[zessica]

That sounds a little familiar. [She raises her eyebrows in jest before leaning back in her seat somewhat.] School. In a way for a while. We're a specialized place, where only certain people can attend. It'd take a bit of explaining, but I don't mind sharing if you ask.

[Zessica grins, leaving that bait open.] Favorite thing to do?

[touchofrogue]

[Ooh, conversational bait. Rogue is a champion at ignoring that if she wants to, but in this case - not so much. She's grasping for straws of the familiar, and besides, she's interested.

First, though, Zessica's question. She exhales a light puff of thoughtfulness before answering.] Depends on the day, really. I kind of love music. [That's admitted almost shyly, because she isn't just talking about listening to it. Rogue plays guitar and sings, but it's always been something very private for her.] An' Penny. My horse.

[A shadow passes over her face and her eyes widen in alarm.] Geeze, I hope Billy an' Teddy are takin' care of her. She won't just disappear if I do, she belongs ta that world.

[Shit, she should have taken better care about getting a successor at the stables after Loki left her on her own. Who cares if the Item Shop gets all weird disorganized, but the horses. DD8.]

[zessica]

[Her brow furrows at Rogue's expression. She hadn't mean for something like that to happen.]

I'm sure she'll be fine. Animals are pretty resilient, even when we're not. [A smile appear as Zessica nudges her under the table with her foot.] Come on, your turn.

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue listens and takes a minute to think about what she knows. Even if Billy and Teddy are gone or if something else weird happens, Luceti is filled with kind-hearted individuals. Ridiculously so, almost. She knows that someone will think of releasing the horses, even if they can't care for them. They won't be trapped in the stable.

That's definitely what will happen. Heck, even Kurt can do that, and he would, too, if she disappeared.

Rogue didn't quite flinch when Zessica nudged her under the table, but she did move to make sure that such a motion wouldn't be able to occur again without significant more effort. She was covered, but it was safer that way. It was always safer that way.

She shakes her head.]

Right. Sorry. Okay. [What had she been thinking about? Oh yeah.] What kinda school did you go to?

[Zessica had said specialized, and it hadn't sounded like she meant electrician school.]

[zessica]

[She doesn't really notice Rogue pulling away as she's taking another bite of her noodles. When the next question's asked, Zessica swallows and makes a hum sound.]

Well, it's called The Holy Angel Academy, or Neo-DEAVA. Students there are called Elements. We've got special abilities, so we're able to pilot the Aquarion. [She pauses, looking a little sheepish.] It's a giant robot that's made by combining three vectors. Those are smaller, plane type machines that we fly.

[touchofrogue]

[...okay. A giant robot is pretty weird, even on Rogue's scope of weird. However, two things stand out even more - 'special abilities' and-]

'Holy Angel?' You're an - angel?

[zessica]

[A surprised laugh erupts from her, and she shakes her head vehemently.] Oh, god no! That's just the name of the school! [Zessica waves her hand in dismissal.] It's a dumb name, but there you go.

[touchofrogue]

Oh good. [Rogue was relieved. Honestly, in places like this, you never knew.]

So - why does it take a person with special abilities ta pilot a giant robot?

[...kind of forgetting it was Zessica's turn here, huh Rogue?]

[zessica]

[That earns a shrug.] Not really sure, that's just how it works. When we union-- combine the vectors-- we can utilize our powers to help or work with each other's. One of my friends can turn invisible, and when she's in the Aquarion, it can do the same.

[It's okay by her. If someone's interested, she'll tell them.]

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue nods. 'That's just the way it works' is a good enough answer for her - sometimes things just work that way. Some of her own inherent concerns are surfacing, however, and her brow furrows.]

An'... are you guys there 'cause you wanna be there? How'd they find out that you had special abilities? [They didn't kidnap you and run experiments on you, or anything, did they? Because that is Rogue's world, and she hates it almost as much as the rest of her world hates mutants.]

[zessica]

Yeah, we are. We're welcome to step out at any time, but I've been through too much there to just up and leave. [Zessica hums to herself.] Sometimes they run in families. One of my friends there is a member of a famous Element family. Both she and her brother have abilities. Other times, the school hears stories of people like that, a few even sought out the school themselves. It's really all over the place.

[She takes a sip of water, sighing a little.] It probably sounds weird.

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue glances down at her gloves.]

Not as weird as ya might think.

[She looks back up.] I'm glad ta hear that it's somethin' you want to do, not somethin' anyone is makin' you do.

[zessica]

[Zessica looks at Rogue curiously. Something about the way the conversation is going piques her interest.]

You know, you haven't asked me what my abilities are. Most people would jump on that right away. [She leans forward just a little.] Why is that?

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue shrugs a little.] Honestly? Because the other things seemed more important.

[She glances at Zessica and then takes a bite of her food. She doesn't move back, there is still plenty of space between them and Rogue has been working on not being super paranoid about her space bubble for the past few months.] An' someone's powers are kinda personal, aren't they? They make up a big part of who you are.

[zessica]

[Those words earn a genuine, sincere smile from her, and she makes sure Rogue sees it.]

They are, you're right. [Zessica leans back into her seat, a little more at ease.]

They're a big part, but hardly the most important. I've got no problem sharing if you do want to know. So just ask, okay?

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue considers if this is a door she really wants to open. It really... isn't. She's been enjoying the conversation, and although she is curious... she isn't necessarily willing to talk about her own powers. She hates talking about her powers.

...but, well. She was interested. And they are a big part about getting to know someone.]

I am curious [she admits slowly]. But if you don't feel comfortable, don't, okay?

[zessica]

Like I said, it's fine. Hang on one second.

[Zessica pushes her chair back and stands. She glances around quickly before spotting what she wants. A few steps are all it takes to reach the silverware-- actual metal, not the cheap plastic crap-- and she plucks a spoon from the container and returns to her seat.

It's twirled between her fingers a few times before she stops. A moment later, her hand glows green, and the spoon twist and warps until it's curled in on itself. Zessica drops the crumpled ball of metal on the table and takes another sip of water.]

Distortion.

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue straightens up in response the Zessica's hand glowing - it reminds her a bit of how Mia's powers always put on a display - and she grins when the crumpled ball of metal drops to the table.

She's actually kind of relieved. That was a very cool power, but like Kitty's or Bobby's, it wasn't something that was intrinsically personal and potentially painful.]

That's very cool! Does it work with anythin', or just metal?