Mingle ∞ Log
No Lifeguard on Duty
Summary
What's going on?
An
unexpected heat wave in mid-June, coupled with the cycling shutdown of all air conditioning units in motels across the Blocks, has made the summer unbearable. Meanwhile, the ever-eager
storm chaser,
Felix Bjurstrom, has uncovered a
fancy resort with a pool in a diffusion zone only 1 hour out from Panorama. Lucky, right? Well...kind of. It's got some quirks.
When is this happening?
June 10 - 30
What should I know?
- This area is one of many diffusion zones that appear throughout the planet.
- A storm chaser is someone dedicated to studying the cosmic phenomenon in the Diadem. Felix is a pioneer in his field.
- A winding highway filled with old empty barrels will take you to the zone.
- Characters can travel with a friend to save on gas! Parking's limited, so it might not be a bad idea.
- At any given time, there's max several dozen visitors. Most work long hours, some are traveling through the diffusion zones, and others prefer not to risk the drive or waste precious gas, so it won't draw a huge crowd (but there's still a crowd!).
- This is a mingle rather than an event. Plot-heavy elements will be minor. The game's first proper event will be posted in July!
What does my character know?
- Having lost his phone, Felix will spread the word using good old-fashioned printed posters that he's put up around Panorama. A young woman is seen helping him. They appear to be close. Some say that's his daughter.
- Though the timing is impossible to predict accurately, Felix believes that due to this zone's unusual proximity to an anchor point, it has a high chance of persisting for 2-3 weeks.
- Directions are printed on the posters, though characters are also free to stumble across the zone by accident.
∞ Links ∞
Introduction
The resort looks like your typical upscale vacation spot: a beautiful pool, lovely cabins, and plenty of pool chairs. The sky is
perpetually nighttime and there are
two moons. One moon is smaller than its sister and glows purple. The other looks like the Earth's moon. The weather is
pleasantly warm. In fact, conditions are almost
too perfect.
Other
fluxdrifts are here, too, and you might come across them, all of whom are taking advantage of the pool. They'll converse superficially with you and will come and go randomly. You'll want to keep a close eye on your belongings. Other than cooling off, this isn't a bad place to start making connections. Life in the Diadem is better when you've got allies if not friends.
Just outside the resort is a
spacious parking lot, designed for visitors. Nobody's following parking rules so put your car anywhere it fits. If you get blocked in, well, that's a problem for when you leave.
At the end of June, the diffusion zone will flicker and morph into an unremarkable overgrown park, long abandoned to the decades.
Prompts
As you wander around, you discover deactivated androids in many of the poolside huts. These androids cannot be mistaken for any organic species: their chassis is metal, and their heads are shiny. Circuits and wires are visible. But each is dressed distinctly human in a way that borders on disturbing. You spot lipstick drawn on some of the metal faces, as though they're playing dress up...or as if they don't realize they aren't human. One android is frozen in place with a diary clutched in its hands. Another has a hairbrush for its nonexistent hair.
Something seems to have destroyed them—perhaps a powerful EMP wave that knocked them all out. All except one.
The Bartender
The poolside bar is at the eastern end of the resort. There are plenty of seats. A few are occupied by deactivated androids. The bartender is also an android and appears to be the only functional one in this place. He speaks with a modulated voice and has a neutral accent. He exhibits the following behaviors if you sit at his bar:
- Icebreaker. Whether you're alone or with a companion, he'll try to get you all to be friends, asking random self-generated icebreaker questions. He'll be visibly disappointed if you don't play along.
- Bartending. While cheerful, he can't make the correct drink: it's always too strong, incredibly weak, added salt instead of sugar, messed up the ice. He's obviously doing his best, but it's just not working. The harder he tries, the worse he performs until it becomes a comedy of errors with stuff falling over, ice dumped in your lap, champagne corks flying, and any number of slapstick mishaps. You can help him out by mixing the drink yourself.
If you're nice to him, he'll introduce himself as Thomas Lustras. He's happy to
tell you about his son. Strange, you think, but who says androids can't have paternal instincts? Yet, when the android takes out his wallet to show you a photo of his son—named Edward Lustras—the picture is that of a
human child, roughly 5 years old, in the arms of his
human father.
The driver's license in the same wallet confirms that Thomas is (was?) a real person. The picture on the license matches the human male in the photo. A half-scorched business card states that Thomas was a consultant at Outer Rim Resettlements. Thomas believes he's on a company retreat and wistfully declares he's eager to return home to his son.
Maybe don't look too closely. After all, this place will soon disappear. And so will he.
The Grill
It's not a vacation without a grill! Not a grillable item is in sight, though, so you'll have to rely on what you can bring out of Panorama. Some of the visiting drifters will pitch in to share, unloading hotdogs (some synthetic, others authentic, and some far past expiry), burger patties (same) and buns, and "kebabs" made of blocky frozen vegetable squares. The squares vaguely resemble corn, mushrooms, and pineapple. The texture is passable, like a flavor-infused block of tofu.
Fire up the grill and take turns grilling. You'll also have to manage the propane. The grill's also prone to sputtering out, requiring regular minor repairs to get it back up and going. Any loose bolts or screws can be taken out of the dead androids to replace the rusty ones in the grill. You're unsure if you should feel uncomfortable doing that or what, but it is a solution.
Parking Woes
Like any crowded event, the parking lot can get chaotic, and the lawlessness of the diffusion zones doesn't help. While some are happy to help barbecue, others are more interested in picking fights over who got to the parking space first. It won't take much for a fistfight to break out, and a knife fight isn't out of the question, either, though nobody'll be killed (this time).
You can let the troublemakers beat each other, or you can try to intervene if somebody who doesn't deserve it is getting harassed. Just avoid causing too much of a scene. Breaking noses is acceptable; gutting someone head to toe is not. There are Enforcers visiting the zone, and if you interfere with their nice pool time, they won't hesitate to haul away everybody involved and make you sit in jail for a few days.
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diademlogs2025-06-08 10:11 am
no subject
Yes, you do.
[ Reap and sow, everyone does, but Erik especially. Him being so aware of it is one of the reasons that Charles feels positive about the direction that they're heading in. Erik could have reacted to all of this in a troubling way but he's handling his emotions and being more disappointed than reactive. It's a good sign. He tilts his head up when Erik says that and he smiles for him, genuinely.
He leads him toward the living areas where people have claimed rooms and cabins for themselves while this place exists. Charles snuck one himself, a cozy two-bedroom with a reasonable living space for him to live in luxury for a few days. He did find a key for this one and locked it; certainly people could have tried to break in, but they haven't. Luck or possibly felt there wasn't anything worth pilfering.
It is clean and not looking particularly lived in given that Charles didn't have belongings to bring here. There is a few glasses and a bottle of whiskey on the main table, and one of the bedrooms is slept in, plus the wardrobes appear to be open and if Erik peeks, he'll see there are still clothes in there that are up for the taking. Charles is currently wearing some that fit him. It's nice to have more than one or two sets of clothing, that he came with and that Logan had to get for him. ]
My abode is your abode. For just a short time, I'm pretending to be on vacation.
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There's really nothing he can do about it now. Charles is right, it can't be fixed overnight, and trying to do so now would only make things worse. Best to let sleeping dogs lie for the time being. Maybe there will be a way to remedy the situation one day, maybe not— but today is certainly not that day.
So he resigns to setting that aside for now, following Charles through the rows of cabins, surprise expressed more clearly on his face as they approach the one Charles has claimed for himself. It is, by far, much more impressive than the dingy motel rooms they've had to settle with back in Panorama, and when he steps inside, the sheer size of it makes Erik's eyebrows shoot up as he looks around. ]
You really have taken to this place.
[ It's not a criticism, necessarily. Maybe it's just what Charles needs, after the difficulties he's been through. But Erik still worries if having this and then seeing it gone won't do more harm than good in the long run.
Nevertheless, he steps further inside, not going into any of the rooms right away, instead keeping to the main living area. The level of comfort is impressive, considering the difficulties they have to deal with back in Panorama, and it prompts the question of how these diffusion zones can even come to be in the first place. ]
You know those clothes you've found might vanish when this place does.
[ He's not sure, really, it's just a possibility that's worth considering. That anything they try to claim might not outlive whatever phenomenon has brought them into existence. ]
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It is very indulgent to be here and Charles knows that, but he cannot resist it and he doesn't intend on it. Eventually, yes, he has given himself a cutting off date when he must force himself to go even if it is still there for quite some time afterward. He wheels over to the living room couch and pushes out of his uncomfortable default seat for a more comfortable and plushy one. The discomfort of his wheelchair has been an ongoing frustration but not one he speaks out loud. ]
I have, but I know it's temporary. I've given myself four days and then I will leave and not come back to avoid temptation. Otherwise I'd be here until it disappears.
[ And possibly disappear along with it. Charles has no idea about the details as he hasn't gone investigating, but he suspects this is the wisest move. It only just appeared so from what he's told, it is likely to be around another week or two. He reaches over to pick up the whiskey he's stored here and pours two glasses, setting one down on the table for Erik to take at his leisure.
He snorts at that, resting back against the softer couch cushions. Anything is possible but he is fairly certain that is not the case. Still, it's amusing to think about. Humiliating if it truly happened, although perhaps in Charles's state of mind, he would go 'this may as well happen' at the time. His pride has taken a beating lately, it fluctuates. You would think the arrival of people who adore him would feed it, but it only makes him more anxious.]
Then some people are about to get a surprising show.
[ He says dryly, watching Erik closely. It's quiet in here and in this place so he is not as tense as he was during their first trip to the supermarket. He is blissfully at ease with his mind here. When he goes back, he'll have to adjust again. ]
Henryk? Why a false name here?
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Four days seems reasonable. Some time to not struggle with the difficulties of the city, in a place where his mind gets a break. He knows that's a good part of the reason why Charles wants to stay here, and while Erik can't begin to imagine the constant noise in Charles's mind, he can certainly understand seeking peace and quiet.
Erik doesn't take the drink right away, still walking through the room, stopping near a window and looking outside. People milling about, in swimsuits and summer clothes, a surreal sight after just leaving the city. These diffusion zones really are something. ]
It's the name I took, before I came here. [ He glances back to Charles. ] I wasn't sure where I was when I got here, if all of this was even real or whether or not I was still on Earth. It seemed... safer to retain my human identity, I suppose. Just in case someone showed up, or something happened.
[ But then Charles showed up, to add to Raven, and once he saw the dangers of this place, he knew he wasn't going to be able to hide anymore, so. Seemed pointless to cling to it.
He takes a seat next to Charles eventually, picking up his glass on the way. ]
In hindsight, it probably was a pointless idea, but maybe it's for the best that Scott didn't know right away who I was. He needed a place to stay and he wouldn't have accepted my help, had he known who I was.
no subject
[ They became their identities entirely the more they slipped into the roles of mutant terrorists. Charles is certain that he at some point mentioned their names, but he likely didn't call them so familiarly with his students. ]
They didn't know how close we were. Or that Raven was my sister. I guessed that by that time, the distance had been so great and our paths so diverged that it hurt for me to talk about it, so I never did. My role as their leader didn't seem to include much space to be a peer or person.
[ Charles is not surprised given that he put distance between himself and them even in the ten years that they were apart. It all came crashing back the moment they were in his area again, since he was far from over the love he shared for them, but after a few more decades apart, with so much violence and disconnect on top of it? Charles can see why he didn't get deeply into his own pain and struggles, not when he had to be their professor and leader and put his students first.
He was in his old mind briefly and learned a great deal from that encounter about himself, but also about how important his role had been for the X-Men. He can see why he would prioritize that, make that his life and purpose, and accept that the love he once had for them couldn't matter more. It's a tragedy, and he was sad to hear it, especially with Raven, but it lined up with what he could see. He must have stopped trying to reach them. ]
If our plan succeeded and we changed the future, perhaps that went differently. We have no way of knowing. But I'm hopeful.
[ He reached Raven. That could have changed her path. Erik himself left and decided to start a new life, as he's told Charles here, and the Henryk he was going by. The alteration could mean that decades from now, it could be a different story for the X-Men. Charles likes to think so, at least. That's the optimist in him.
He takes a sip of his drink and turns his body toward Erik, closer than he expected to have him, but it feels natural, easy. Perhaps he wants to hope that this could be replicated too. ]
Scott reminds me of myself. I can see that I put a great deal of weight on his shoulders as the field leader of the team.
no subject
I'm sorry to hear.
[ It is equally unfair to Charles, too. The sacrifices he's made in this future for the greater good, for the cause he dedicated his life to. It's all the sadder to think of him not even talking about Raven, or telling others about her. That's the future Erik was going to build, had he kept on that path.
He hold his drink in his hands, tucked between his legs, but doesn't drink. He doesn't even glance over at Charles when he turns to him, his gaze just lingering, unfocued, on some spot across the room. ]º
Your plan. [ Not Erik's plan. His plan would have only made their future even worse, if anything. He is relieved, for once, that he was stopped before it was too late. ]
He's clearly very loyal to you. So is Logan. [ It speaks volumes he didn't come at Erik when Scott mentioned the stadium incident, for one. Erik's lips curl faintly then, and he finally looks over at Charles. ] It's well deserved.
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Charles studies Erik since he's not drinking and staring across the room, clearly caught up in his own mind. Perhaps this did harm him more than he wants to admit, and it makes Charles concerned. ]
Yes, my future self is apparently a picture of perfection. He always knows the right thing to say and do, the right way to be a leader and father. Sounds so terribly like me, I know.
[ His tone has an undercurrent of bitterness to it and at least for Erik it might not be hard to understand why. Charles doesn't feel that way about himself right now. He's gone through years of being a disappointment to himself and Hank and the rest of the world, and wallowing in self-pity and misery alone in his mansion. To know that eventually he gets his shit together and becomes the leader he was supposed to be is gratifying, yes, but it also feels far away from who he is right now. ]
I feel like I'm making it up most of the time, I don't know how to be that person for them.
[ Erik is one of the few people who Charles can express this to in the more frustrated way that he feels. Because he's trying to keep it together for everyone else and seem like he can handle it, albeit with some weak moments from him in the start. But it's difficult not to feel like he's a fake. Masquerading as a man that they all love and respect, and here he is woefully inadequate for the job. He would rather hide in a fancy resort and drink in Hawaiian shirts than deal with reality all the time. That right there already sets him apart. ]
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He can't help a soft laugh that comes with Charles's last words. He lifts a hand, apologetic, turning as well so he can at least partly face the other mutant. ]
I'm sorry. It's just... you're sounding just like me.
[ With the doubts, feeling as though he's lost his way, and his purpose. Struggling to keep himself together for the sake of someone else. ]
I remember, when we first met here, you told me how we would have to look after other mutants, were any to show up here. Should I remind you of your own words now?
[ Granted, Erik's struggle is different. He has done at least some of the bad things that these mutants hate him for. Charles is wrestling with a future of himself that right now seems impossible to live up to.
Erik doesn't think it that impossible. ]
I don't think giving up is going to be an option, for either of us. Not under these circumstances. And it's not going to be easy, I know that, but nothing that's worth it ever comes easy.
[ It's alright to struggle, to feel that difficulty, the urge to hide away when that chance is offered to him. Erik also knows it's not a long-term solution, just like him offering to seek another place to live in Panorama would have never lasted, not while Charles is here too. He would have never been able to stay away for long.
Not unlike Scott or Logan, really. He supposes Charles just has that way about him, people are drawn no matter what. ]
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[ Charles's tone is teasing and he smiles faintly at him to soften the edge of what those words could mean. He thinks they both have things to learn from each other and that's always been the case. He wouldn't say as much as he is if a part of him didn't need Erik's reassurance. He has to seek it from someone who knows him as him, not as some ideal version of himself. ]
I plan on looking after them, although they are looking after me just as much, it seems to bring them peace. [ So Charles allows it even if his pride sometimes gets sensitive about it. ] You know that this is what I wanted, this relationship to my students, but it's difficult not to feel like I'll be a disappointment.
[ Charles sought out that position before. His eagerness and his love for others made a perfect recipe for someone who was a natural leader and support system for the mutants that they found and brought home. Back then, it did feel easy and natural to be that person for them, for Erik. He didn't shy away from it, didn't fear that he wasn't enough. His confidence was unwavering. Erik isn't the only one who has taken enough hits to feel ground into dust a little bit.
Charles runs a hand through his hair which thankfully looks less stringy these days, getting back some of the fullness now that he's taking care of himself better. He thinks if there is anyone who can reassure him that he still has it in him, it has to be Erik. ]
Naturally, I brought you here to comfort you, and now I'm the one seeking comfort.
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They just need to find a middle ground, is all. Erik knows this will be more work on his end than Charles's, fully aware that he's been the one that has caused more problems between the two of them. Ball's on his court, as they say. ]
I understand. [ He doesn't need to be in Charles's shoes to know how he feels right now, and appreciate how difficult this all must be for him. ] I know it's easier said than done, but you shouldn't overthink it so much. You're not going to disappoint them. They're grown men, they understand that you're younger, and you've been through a lot. But at the core, you are the same man they know. Your beliefs, your morals, your faith in our kind. That's all still there.
Just worn down, put away, momentarily set aside. It's not all gone. Charles need only reach for it.
[ His eyes follow Charles's movements, smiling faintly while he runs his fingers through his hair. He shrugs then, relaxing a little more into his spot on the couch. ]
I don't see why we can't have both. I want to be here for you too, Charles.
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Charles is more than happy to find a middle ground, just as he always has. It was never his choice for them to
break uppart ways. He may not fully trust Erik but he wants him here, he missed him dearly all those years. It's why it hurt so much. If this place means they can attempt to fix what is between them, he will consider it one of the good parts. ]I didn't used to overthink too much. It all felt so easy and right when we were younger and started all of this. The future seemed brilliantly bright. And it is, truly, especially if we managed to stop that tragedy from happening. What Logan and my other self showed me about the X-Men was beautiful. Our dream realized, Erik.
[ He sips his drink and points at him. ]
And before you call it my dream and remove yourself from it, we did start it together, my friend. Don't forget that.
[ Erik's motivations and dreams changed, or rather what he thought he had to do in order to keep them safe. But he did believe in a good future for mutants, he wanted the best for his people. Or this him did, before whatever happened in the next few decades that brought him darker and more violent, less concerned about the lives of his own people than the greater mission. ]
You know me. I always do better when I'm the one helping other people. [ He doesn't like receiving it as much. ]
no subject
Maybe with time. Maybe there can be a future where they'll find some way to coexist with humans, to share the same planet. But to think that things were ever easy is naive at best, a tragic mistake at worst. ]
A dream only if we've really managed to stop an apocalypse.
[ He wants to believe that they have. Not Erik so much as Charles— and most of all, Raven. But they have no way of peering into the future and knowing how that's going to work out. All they have left is hope.
He doesn't argue Charles's insistence that it was their dream, something they've shared, however briefly. Erik still shares it, in a sense. A desire to see their kind prosper. Even if it may not have seemed so, truly all he wanted was to stop those who wished them harm, who wanted them gone. To give any mutant the chance to live their lives in peace, free from discrimination and persecution. ]
I'm not telling you not to. But that doesn't mean others can't look out for you, too. [ Erik doesn't especially like being on the receiving end of other people's concern either, though, so he gets that. ]
no subject
[ And it is their Raven here, so she has no sense of the future better than they do. The only option they have is of Hank shows up, and Charles can't find himself to wish for that, although a part of him selfishly does. It's strange how he realized just how codependent he became on Hank. It didn't seem so obvious until he was separated from him and realized how many ways Hank was his right-hand man. They just have to live without knowing. ]
In true me form, I'm going to hope for the best. Raven chose differently. Regardless, the X-Men do have a beautiful future, for a time.
[ The blood they took from her wasn't enough to do what they needed to for the sentinels. The humans in charge saw that not everyone was Erik. Charles believed before he came here that they succeeded, and he's not going to let go of it now, because that would be too depressing. And this situation is difficult enough as it is. If he'll have to blindly have faith, he will. That's one of his strong suits.
He sips his drink, his eyes still fixed on Erik, watching him closely. He seems to be doing slightly better than he was when he stormed out, which is good. Charles thought getting him somewhere private was the best option of smoothing over ruffled feathers, and getting him back on the path instead of shaken off of it. He cannot force Erik to do anything (morally) so all he can do is hope there too. He doesn't want to lose again. ]
I know, I know. It's not as if they're giving me a choice either. Since I haven't found a job yet, I'm quite reliant on the kindness of others. Logan and I have only the one bed. Not that we share it, obviously, but it's not exactly a comfortable situation.
[ And they don't have the money yet to upgrade. He'll figure that out eventually. He and Logan are sharing a very tight lack of space. ]
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From here on out, it's a matter of effort and hard work. Well, on Charles's end, mostly. Erik's efforts will be largely placed in keeping himself hidden and out of the way. It might just be the best for their people, considering all the shit he's done. ]
I can imagine. The rooms are exceedingly small.
[ No smaller than a number of places he's stayed in over the years, but for two people, it's certainly a greater challenge. He doesn't know Logan well enough to say whether his kindness is in character or not, really, but if nothing else it shows how much he must care for Charles. Erik has largely avoided coming over just to stay out of the other mutant's way, but he is genuinely relieved to know Charles has some support, there. ]
I haven't been able to find much work suited for you, I'm sorry. [ Even more stationary work still demands some movement, however occasional. Desk jobs are few and far between, and most of them don't seem keen to employ someone who's disabled. ]
Have you... thought about using your powers to maybe nudge an employer to hire you? [ Yes, yes, he knows, it's not morally right, but look. Desperate times. And Erik isn't saying that he should force them, just gently push them in that direction. After being hired, he could then prove his worth. Win all around. ]
no subject
[ There is an option for places with more than one bed, and perhaps that will be an option if he feels strongly about staying with Charles, but Charles would be fine with them living next door to each other. If he and Scott wish to stay close, there are options for them being neighbors. Charles became too reliant on Hank, he sees that now. It may be time for him to learn better self-reliance going forward, albeit with an open heart toward those who wish to keep him close.
Charles waves a hand as if to say 'it's fine' about him not finding a job for him yet. Charles hasn't gotten any option either, and he truly is attempting to. He looks every day and tries to figure out solutions, but there is a serious lack of education and even scientific research or career-path here. Technology might be the only way for science to head toward, and he is behind on that.
He gives Erik a look at that. ]
And why don't I nudge everyone to give me their money and put me on a throne? It's a slippery slope.
[ Charles is not above using his abilities, he does it all the time. But it's usually involving some form of protection or to avoid conflict, and much of his telepathy these days is accidental. He's better, but it's still there, along the edges. Power like his is attractive to the wrong sorts, it's why he is so strict with himself about when and where to draw the line. ]
I've been volunteering at the hospital. They usually find me something to do during the day, so I'm not going mad by myself in the hotel room. I thought perhaps if I had some natives looking out for me, better connections could be found.
[ And he is proving to be helpful and charming and they like him there. Charles is good at getting people on his side and greasing the wheels when he needs to, and that's what he's been doing. The hospital connection will turn out to be very helpful for him one of these days. ]
I was thinking perhaps we should have a standing date. Or, meeting. [ Unexpectedly flustered. ] Meet-up, you and I. A day of the week when we have lunch or go on a walk or visit. I think it would be good.
[ For Erik, mostly, but truthfully, for him too. He needs to occasionally be himself and not only Professor Xavier. ]
no subject
He arches his eyebrows and dips his head in acceptance, understanding what Charles means even when Erik himself has fewer qualms about the moral implications there. It's definitely a good thing that Erik doesn't have that mutation.
Also, very smooth save there, Charles. Erik will even give it to you and act as though he didn't notice. There's just the shadow of a smile on his lips that's easy to ignore. ]
I'd like that. [ Not that they're so far from each other, but there's a strange sense of routine that he's settling into. It's easy to not notice the days passing. ] We could take the opportunity to explore more of the city.
[ Or even beyond, if they have reason to take to the road. Hopefully not too nostalgic a notion. ]
sorry for the wait, busy week
It's strange because Charles wasn't nervous about the idea until he spoke it out loud, but that's due to them still figuring out what this all looks like after what they went through. After their conflict, their discord, and the violence that broke them apart yet again. They both want to close that distance, but it felt like putting himself out there to ask for consistency, even if he knew Erik would agree. They would both like that. Charles smiles back at him, some amusement aimed at his own silliness over a word as foolish as date. ]
As long as I'm driving. [ His smile turns closer to a grin. ] Your car is a terrible option for me, and I've been bereft from it for a decade. You must indulge me.
[ Erik's car is tiny which makes it funny to see him in it, but it wouldn't be a comfortable fit for his wheelchair. And Charles frankly likes being in charge, which they're both very aware of. One of his various quirks that Erik might have forgotten about given the ten years in-between. ]
Have you made more friends?
[ It might seem random but it's not, Scott was one of them, Erik is still trying to open up, he's curious. ]
yes how dare you ignore me
He lets out a soft chuckle at that, shaking his head. ] Ah, yes. In your fashionable van. We need to get you a pair of bright sunglasses to go with the paint job. [ A pause. ] And your shirt.
[ Erik is just going to look out of place but like hell he's going to give up his new plaid shirt look, thank you very much.
He takes another sip from his drink, delaying answering that question. Friends. When has he ever made friends. (Charles doesn't count, that's different.) ] I wouldn't call them friends. But a few friendly acquaintances, I suppose.
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[ Charles may some day have to paint over it or ask for help on the matter because he's not certain he can handle the hippie vibe of it forever. He's well past the time when he used groovy unironically in everyday conversation. At the playful jab at his clothing he just scoffs, smiling. ]
I think someone's just jealous they cannot pull off as much color. I've always been the stylish one.
[ It helps that he cares about that and Erik does not, although his first costume as Magneto was fairly bright. Charles does like fashion and he fluctuates between either being very prim and proper, subdued and British, or flashy and eye-catching. He can't be made embarrassed about it, he knows he's pulling off looks.
Erik can have all his plaid. It suits him. Very much. He has a sort of lumberjack energy right now. He does know that 'friends' is a loaded word and that Charles is the only true one he's had, but he's using it more generally. ]
That's good. As have I. There's a young woman named Kimiko, I'm fairly certain she's like us. I think she's alone here, if you run across her.
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[ He could not possibly imagine Charles ever choosing that look, but it's still amusing to Erik. In terms of size and accessibility it still is the better option for him, and function should trump asthetic. Maybe the paint job is something that can be fixed in the future. ]
And since when does colour equal style? Please.
[ Well, Erik does care about style. Used to care more, to be fair. Right now he's more focused on comfort than anything else, and the way he dresses now already isn't too different from how he'd been dressing for his past three months in Poland. But they both know how well Erik can pull off a certain look if he wants to. ]
Yes, I've met her, too. Here. [ He nods to the resort at large. ] She was rather quick to link the two of us, as soon as I told her what year I came from. Otherwise, I've met a young woman named Wanda, and a witch named Rowena.
[ That's a total of three people, it's great progress. ]
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[ They are certainly not in a position to afford luxuries like that, small as they may be. It might be a future project if there is a time when he's flushed with cash or someone else has paint to play with. Charles is just again realizing how lucky he was to have access to being able to completely redo anything he wanted including his wardrobe. Alas.
He laughs. ]
Oh you really think you can challenge me on that front? Although I did always like your turtlenecks.
[ It's not as if Charles was extremely aware of everything that Erik wore when they used to live together, not at all. He's observant, that's all. Truthfully he does notice what people wears because of his fondness for fashion but they used to both dress quite sharply. Not that it's important here. This outfit is not his usual style but he thinks he still pulls it off. Charles is teasing. It's easy to do that now they're attempting to lean back into their former ways. ]
I met Wanda and Rowena too. Wanda is remarkable for having very strong telepathic shields. I could probably get through them if I tried, but I didn't even knock. I figured it was best to wait and see.
[ Charles does knock when it comes to these things out of respect, but he could tell that Wanda had it that way for a reason. Not quick to trust. He respects that. ]
I met another man on the astral plane, his name is Viktor. Some scientific experiment changed his body, he looked like a man there, but he said he was something else now in person.
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[ He's not going to point out how that might not work out so well if Scott's there too. Funnily enough, he doesn't think Logan would be as much of a problem. But to be fair, at this point Erik would probably agree to anything Charles asked of him, and he imagines the same must be true for Scott. (The van does have two sides, at least.) ]
Think I've moved a little past that particular style.
[ He's more of a small town in the woods man now, apparently. Closer to a lumberjack than anything else. But he is going to keep that in mind. Charles liked the turtlenecks, good to know. ]
She was afraid to reveal her abilities to me. I think... something must have happened to her, to cause that fear. She seemed to ease and open up once I assured her I had no issues with her particular ability.
[ Hardly the first (or second) telepath he's met, and while Charles is the only one he'll welcome in his mind without explicit invitation, he's confident that he doesn't have to worry about that with her. Besides, the shiels Charles put up in his mind will at least allow him to sense it if anyone were to try. ]
Something else. [ He shoots Charles a look. ] That could mean anything. But if you met him that way, then he's yet another telepath, you think? You're becoming rather popular around here, it seems.
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[ Perhaps painting can be therapeutic for him and Scott. It will be quite some time before he has any funds at all that could afford a paint job, so by then he is hoping that things will be better for them. That is Charles and his way, always thinking perhaps tomorrow could be better. At least he's found that again. Besides, he is bossy, and he will boss Erik around to paint. He likes to flex that muscle from time to time. ]
That's a shame. Not that you don't look good as a lumberjack, but it lacks a touch of drama.
[ Erik's first Magneto look, now that was dramatic. So was his second one. The X-Men uniform might be colorful but that was really its own level. Charles doesn't wear the uniform himself, he's no longer in the field. He may be flirting a little bit with his commentary. Just a touch. He's in a fancy resort with a drink, what's wrong with a tiny compliment?
But talking about the others is far more important than massaging their combined egos. So Wanda gave away more of her powers to Erik than him, that's a good thing, the two of them combined was a good team for a reason. Some people respond to Erik better. ]
She said she was from a city I've never heard of. She commented on knowing bad scientists before, so perhaps she's been on the receiving end of experimentation.
[ He could tell that was a point of pain for her when she brought it up. Charles knows tension when he sees it. He was treating her very gently out of suspicion, but now it is starting to make sense. Rogue was experimented on as well. It seems not even other worlds are better about people doing that to mutants. ]
Perhaps. I met Rowena there and she is a witch, so it seems there are other versions of telepaths than myself and Emma.
[ He smiles back at Erik with that look. ]
Oh you know me. Belle of the ball.
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[ Not that Erik seems especially bothered by it, if anything he seems perhaps a little too eager about it all. Well, aside from the potential animosity he's likely to face, but having Charles there will likely offer a buffer of sorts. Erik at least will be content to stay in his own corner and not even engage in needless conversation, though he suspects Charles won't be content with just that.
Maybe, with time, things won't be quite so uncomfortable. It's not as if they'll get their hands on paint tomorrow. And Charles can be endlessly stubborn when he wants to be. ]
And I always thought you looked rather good in a dress shirt and vest. Very scholarly. But the purple's doing you no disservice, believe me.
[ A little more laidback and resort style than he would expect from Charles, but— well, he has a hard time picturing Charles dressed in anything that he wouldn't appreciate. And indeed, it's just a harmless little compliment, surely there's nothing wrong with Erik returning it. ]
She didn't go into specifics with me, either. But I think she might have volunteered for those experiments.
[ She did say something along those lines. How she and her brother were desperate, with her people being at war for so long. He can't fault her for it, not in the least.
His lips curl at the last words, head canting a little to the side. ]
No one can quite compare to you, so I wouldn't worry so much about it.
[ Not that Charles is worried. He's probably delighted to meet others like him. ]
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[ Charles is very stubborn and he will get a promise out of everyone to play nice. He thinks that considering they're not in their world, a lot of what kept them apart is taken away. There is no mutant-human war to be worried about, no open prejudice threatening to hunt them or tearing them apart. No reason to be enemies, there are only reasons to be allies, to bond together because they are still their own kind. That's where he's at.
Charles's smile is blinding for a moment at that returned compliment and he demures, waving a hand as if to brush it off, but he's radiating pleasure over it. He hasn't lost his weakness for flattery and bolstering of his ego, his only real vice at the end of the day. He would pretend to be more modest with anyone else, but he'll take it like a flower takes the sun in Erik's case. ]
Well you'll see it again, given I have three shirts now.
[ He doesn't have an entire wardrobe to get in and out of. Charles will use any opportunity in the future to scavenge more clothes for himself. Maybe the next time he'll get a suit out of it (he will).
He is surprised to hear Wanda may have volunteered for experiments. In his mind they seem like a terrible idea, but he has spent enough time with her, a handful of minutes it may have been, to think she had her reasons. ]
Perhaps given that she has abilities, she may not be a mutant, but she could still be one of us, if we wanted to frame it that way.
[ If Erik wanted to. If he already started bonding with this girl with psychic abilities, who was experimented on as he was, perhaps there's good reason to see if she wants to come closer. They've recruited before, and they may not have a team here to do the same for, but there's something to be said for strength in numbers. It's Charles, to always find a way to bring people to come together rather than apart. ]
Oh, I wasn't worried about that. [ Erik was right. He's delighted!] Emma and I didn't exactly get on, I love the idea of connecting with other psychics.
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We can probably wrap on this one!
Sounds good to me!