In like a Tourist, out like a lamb

[takingkarabusiness]

Who: Tourists and visitors!
Broadcast: nah
Action: S.S. Tourist
When: March!

[ What are you up to this month, Tourists? Living up to your ship name on the station? Well, share your spoils with the rest of the crew! Or maybe you've been engaging in ahem illicit pursuits? We promise not to tell! ]

Comments

[passingthrough]

The world is safe again. [She wasn't really worried.] What's it mean back home? The symbol that looks like an S.

[takingkarabusiness]

It's like a coat of arms or crest? It means "House of El". My family was Zor-El. Kara Zor-El. It's Danvers now, though.

[passingthrough]

It sounds like a good name. [Kitty wonders if it was hard to use another. She never really considered using Rasputin when she and Piotr were married. She was the last Pryde.] I'm sure they both are.

[takingkarabusiness]

Yeah, it is. Thanks. I like the shield. It reminds me what I'm doing it all for.

[passingthrough]

You protect humans for your family? [In a way Kitty does that. Her parents were both human and their murders affected her deeply. Though she'd probably always have wanted to help people who were being unfairly treated.]

[takingkarabusiness]

Because I don't want anyone else to go through what I went through.

[passingthrough]

[Yeah, that's a really good answer. At least it is to Kitty's ears.] Earth is lucky to have you, Kara.

[takingkarabusiness]

Thanks, Kitty.

Tell me more about what you do at home?

[passingthrough]

The last thing I was doing [not the mission but in general] was teaching younger mutants how to use their powers and fight. Survive. [The word rings hollow because there's no good way to talk about home. It's all death and loss and wrong.]

[takingkarabusiness]

It sounds like you've had a big impact.

[passingthrough]

[Are you ready for her to bring this party down hard?] They all died in the last mission. [She wasn't going to say it. She never got to a point of being close to okay with it even over her time in the prison, but she does manage to say it with a more-or-less steady voice. She just couldn't handle getting some kind of credit for doing something good there. Not that an impact has to be good. It was definitely an impact.

It feels wrong saying it to Kara. She's so... Something. Sweet? Buoyant? Not innocent exactly. That could imply naive and she doesn't think she's that, but Kitty doesn't like being the dark cloud of gloom around her.] There aren't a lot of good things to say about home. [Her tone is lightly apologetic.]

[takingkarabusiness]

[ if Kitty allows it, Kara will reach across and lightly place her hands on Kitty's. it's a gesture of comfort, of understanding something is too heavy for words, but that Kitty's not alone here. this isn't pity, this is "i've lost everyone too" ]

I'm so sorry to hear that.

[passingthrough]

[A little over a year ago after they died Rogue reached out to her with a comforting gesture and got a hand full of nothing as Kitty shrugged it off. There was still a mission to complete and if she let herself feel it—even for a minute—she didn't know if she was going to come back from it. She had to keep pushing forward then. But now she tenses slightly, but she doesn't go intangible.] They deserved a better world. You deserved a better conversation. [There's a brief smile.]

[takingkarabusiness]

[ notices the tensing and eases up, bringing her hands back to her cup. she smiles at kitty's observation ]

Oh, come on. I don't know that "deserve" has anything to do with me and conversations. I appreciate that you'd tell me something so honest in the first place. It means a lot to me.

[passingthrough]

Sometimes honesty is better for holding people at a distance than comfortable lies. [Not that she's actually trying to hold Kara at a distance.] ...But you're welcome.

[takingkarabusiness]

Maybe. There are a lot of lies in my life. So the truth is good to hear sometimes.

[passingthrough]

In that case you're in luck. Truth I've got in spades. Though you know you could probably be honest about yourself here if you wanted. I think different might be the norm.

[takingkarabusiness]

I'm sure you're right. It's just... second nature at this point?

[passingthrough]

Sure. It's hard to change our habits. Harder to change our nature. [Everything about her life has been culture shock and change for over a year now and some things are just so ingrained even if there is a lot of change too.]

[takingkarabusiness]

It's true. It could be possible though.

[passingthrough]

If I've learned one thing it's that anything is possible. [She raises her glass as if in a half toast before taking a drink.] Have you ever woken up in someone else's body before?

[takingkarabusiness]

Okay, no. That would be weird.

[passingthrough]

You are one hundred percent correct. It is extremely weird. Especially if it's a guy's body. I mean, I know my way around, but it's a very different thing from that side.

[takingkarabusiness]

[ oh god she's thinking about that too hard now why would you do that to her ]

Ah.

[passingthrough]

Did I break you? You seem a little broken. [Though she'd rather do it with this than another "everyone has died" talk.]