[ 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]

[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?

[zessica]

It's good on pretty much anything. I've used it to soften landings, too. [She prods the warped utensil with a finger.] Uses are limited, but I don't mind.

[A grin.] Some Elements have a second ability, too. That one's a little more complicated for me.

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue glances at the distorted metal. She can think of a few practical uses for it right off the bat, and she doesn't mind sharing one:] I bet it makes unlockin' doors real easy if you're not particular about shuttin' them again.

[Mutants with two different abilities are pretty rare: Jean is one of the only ones that Rogue knows, and she has been in a lot of heads. Or. Vice-versa. So this piques her interest, and her eyebrows raise a little.] Yeah? Complicated how?

[zessica]

[She snorts softly, shaking her head.] It'd be hard to shut them if the door itself is a piece of debris.

[Zessica sends the former spoon Rogue's way.] Skin based ESP is the best way to put it.

[touchofrogue]

[At that, Rogue suddenly sits up straight. Zessica has her absolute attention.]

'Skin... based?' [...try to sound less like an echo and more like a person, please. Okay. More words.] ...like. You touch someone an' read their emotions?

[zessica]

[She immediately looks taken aback and shakes her head vehemently.] Oh, geez no! That'd be way too much! It's more like, the more that isn't covered, the better I can anticipate things. Like in a fight.

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue blinks.]

Oh.

[Well, that explains Zessica's outfit. Rogue thought she'd just been on her way to the beach or something.

...on second thought, man. What a condition for a power. Rogue is all about personal choice and freedom of expression, man, and that seems kind of... a lousy trade-off.]

That sounds useful. Does it matter how much the other guy is wearin'?

[zessica]

[If she said that aloud, Zessica would argue it was fine. She likes her wardrobe.

Instead, she laughs and shrugs.] Nah, not really. I mean, it's my power, not theirs.

[touchofrogue]

Huh. [She considers that a little bit then offers Zessica a small smile.] I bet that comes in handy.

[zessica]

It can, sure. [Rogue gets a once over.] What about you? Anything special from your world?

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue blinks. 'Anything special...']

What do ya mean? What kinda special?

[zessica]

I dunno, I'm just figuring not all worlds are like mine. Powers, weird life threatening attacks on the planet, really good pizza? [She wiggles her eyebrows in jest.] There's gotta be something.

[touchofrogue]

Mmm. [Rogue takes a thoughtful bite of her food. She considers the word 'pass' and then considers... this is going to be a real long trip if she stays shut off, and Zessica had been very honest with her.

Well. Testing the waters.]

...there are people in my wold that have powers. Mutants. They're - not real highly thought of by the world, as a whole.

[And the award for understatement of the year goes to...]

[zessica]

[Her face goes from jovial to sort of concerned. Maybe a little scrutinizing.]

Why's that?

[touchofrogue]

[She scowls at her plate.] They had a real... catastrophic announcement of their presence.

[Thank you, Magneto, for using the X-Men like that. One day, Rogue really hopes to make it up to you. She just loved seeing her face plastered all over the news as part of America's New Most Wanted.]

...an' a lot of the time, when they get their powers, they don't really know how to control them. People can get hurt. So - they're scared.

[zessica]

[Zessica's expression turns sour, like she just had some lemon.] Catastrophic how?

[She's thinking on the last bit, but she doesn't say anything just yet.]

[touchofrogue]

Like... [Man, it's been a long time since she's had to explain this. But hey, a good thing about traumatic memories? They never really fade! So it's not at all hard to recall exactly what happened, but she knows Zessica is going to need a little more information than that to fully process it, and... she can't help but feel how personal sharing even stupid basic historical facts are when they relate to her powers.

But, well. Screw it. Like she'd said, there wasn't anything better to do. While Rogue might be ashamed of her powers, her lack of control, she's trying to get over that... and she's not ashamed of being an X-Man. It's one of the few things she's proud of, actually.] ...okay. So mutants aren't exactly a new thing on my Earth, they've just been real careful not to get caught or their powers have been dismissed as somethin' else. But there's been startin' to be more an' more of them, an' as these things happen, right now they're split into a bunch of different sides - if they're lucky enough ta find other people like them before somethin' worse does.

[Prepare yourself, Zessica, this will probably be the most words strung together at one time that you will ever hear from Rogue. She sets her fork crossways in front of her on the table as if it's some sort of prop.] There's the group that's been hurt real bad because of bein' different, so they wanna try to take the war to humans before humans take the war to them -- set it up so mutants are feared an' respected an' not hurt - heck, some of them even want mutants to rule the world.

[You can tell by the dripping sarcasm of her tone that she thinks this is a truly brilliant idea. Then she moves her water glass beside her fork.] Then there's a group of mutants who are just so - physically different that they don't fit in, can't fit in to the world the way it is right now. They're hidin' out, just wantin' to be left alone. Can't really blame 'em none, the world hasn't been kind to them.

Then there's another group that's led by someone who's got this crazy dream of mutants an' humans, you know, not killin' each other. No one rulin' over anyone, but everyone just bein' able to live and let live. [She sets her knife crossways over her fork with an audible clink.] So, naturally, these two groups tend ta clash a bit. They were keepin' it quiet, though, so most people still didn't even know mutants existed, until this group [she lifts up Magneto's fork] found a way ta shove this group [she lifts up the X-Men knife] into the spotlight. By attackin' 'em and then running off, leavin' them to fight a bunch of... really tacky giant robots.

holy tl;dr cyclops!

[zessica]

[She sits in silence, listening to this, eyes flickering between Rogue's face and the table every time a new prop is introduced or moved. When she ends with the robots, Zessica slowly reaches over and picks up the knife.]

It sounds to me like these knife-men have the right idea. [She adjusts her grip, to the 'blade' is poking at the fork. It then shoves them to the side.] The fork dudes, while having a horrible plan, must have gone through some bad stuff to turn out that way. Still, no reason to kill everything ever.

[Her other hand reaches for the fork, plopping it prongs down into the (hopefully) empty glass.] Sucks for the glass guys, too. I hope they're able to not have to hide someday.

But my question is-- [She sort of flips the knife in her hand, offering it handle first to Rogue.] -- what are you guys gonna do?

[Yup. She did just ask that.]

>> sorry?

[touchofrogue]

[...heh. Well, Rogue supposes she did kinda give it away. No one knows that many details unless they're involved.

She reaches for the end of the knife handle and takes hold of it with a little wry smirk.]

The best we can, I reckon.