Let's all hold hands and sing Kumbaya

[notzubats]

Who: Everybody! It's a planet mingle!
Broadcast: If You want!
Action: On the Holding Hands plant!
When: From June 23 until whenever we need a new mingle.

[At long last, the fleet has arrived to a new planet. This means it's time for a mingle guys! Get in! ]

Comments

[takingkarabusiness]

"Dermatologists hate her", am I right?

[ wait you're probably not from an era with shitty internet ads ]

What year are you from?

[athru]

I don't know what that means.

[ Another strange aspect of the future she can't possibly understand. ]

1973.

[takingkarabusiness]

Right. I'm from 2016.

And it was a dumb reference. Ads, like in magazines? Have gotten really awful. They try to get people to read them by making false claims like "dermatologists hate this woman because she figured out that bananas hold the secret of youth".

Anyway. It's not as funny if you have to explain it.

[athru]

[ Raven wants to laugh at how ridiculous it is, because isn't that why Trask wanted her? Because of her DNA, her abilities, her youthfulness and her transformations? In forty years time it would be commonplace joking and it makes her snort. ]

No, you're right, it loses it's humour.

[takingkarabusiness]

Sorry.

[ she feels like she's been apologizing for most of this conversation but she's still not ready to let it go ]

[athru]

You don't have to apologise for everything. You don't know me, you're going to make mistakes.

[takingkarabusiness]

Maybe, but I can still do better.

Anyway, the time thing is so interesting. I was supposed to land around 1980. My cousin did, but I didn't end up showing up until 2004.

[athru]

And what did your cousin think about you being late?

[takingkarabusiness]

He was an infant so I'm not even sure he knew I existed until I showed up.

[athru]

'Surprise, we're related', right? Been there.

[ Sort of. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

Yep, and "surprise, you're not alone in the universe".

[athru]

... I know that one, too.

[ And Raven swallows, crossing her arms. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

Can I ask about it, or not so much?

[athru]

When I met Charles. [ She shrugs a shoulder. ] It's hard not to think you're alone when you thought you were the only freak around.

[takingkarabusiness]

I can't imagine. I mean, I'm different, sure, but I always knew why. My mother told me before she sent me to Earth that I'd have powers. I can't imagine what it was like to just... not know why for any of it.

[athru]

I was a freak. [ Raven says it plainly, without caring, tense before she speaks. ] But Charles showed me I wasn't alone. That's why he's my brother - he's a pain in the ass like that, trust me.

[takingkarabusiness]

I'm pretty sure Alex called me a freak more than once when I showed up. I can't say I blame her, though. She was an only child until she was 14. That has to suck.

[athru]

[ Raven doesn't feel comfortable going into the details of just how comfortable Charles was adopting a little sister - that's his business, not hers - so she just nods. ]

It takes some getting used to.

[takingkarabusiness]

I'm glad you got used to it, though. Family is important, even if it's complicated.

[athru]

[ Family is a confusing mess for the lot of them, but at least it's getting better - and Raven tries to hold onto that hope. ]

A lifetime of complicated doesn't even come close to describing it.

[takingkarabusiness]

Sometimes words just aren't sufficient. English words, anyway.

[athru]

What language would you prefer? Tiếng Việt? Français? Deutsche?

[ ... Now she's showing off. ]

[takingkarabusiness]

[ it sounds like /kryptahniuo/ but is clearly alien. she smiles and switches back ]

Still working on my other Earth languages, though.

[athru]

[ Raven blinks - but she doesn't try and attempt the language. Not yet, at least. ]

I'll learn that one day.

[takingkarabusiness]

I can work on it with you. It might be nice, actually.

But I'll make sure my "definitely Kara and not Raven" test is something harder.

[ she kids she kids. she doesn't at all think raven would impersonate her ]