eyecondition | 01-2 [Action / Voice]

[It's a weird sort of deja vu to go to sleep in one's own bed only to wake up on the ground in the middle of some forest. His first instinct was to assume it was a hugely unfunny joke, and he picked himself up and groped around the closest trees, eyes clenched tightly.]

Very funny, guys! Now give me back my glasses before I end up hurting someone.

[He gropes at two of the nearest trees, trying to gather his sense of direction. He'd memorized every tree around the perimeter of the school for just this occasion. This one is as thick as one of the old oaks, but didn't have any of the telltale carvings he'd notched into the closest trees years ago. That means he's either out farther than he thought or that this isn't a prank at all.]

Whoever's out there, this isn't going to solve anything. [It can't be Mystique again. Mystique is dead.] We can talk about this. You don't have to put everyone into such a dangerous situation.

[There isn't any answer. That means worse things. Had there been an attack? Was he separated from everyone again? There's only one way to find out.]

Look, I don't know if anyone can hear me. But if you can and you're close by, please get back right now!

[He dares to open his eyes, for just a flash of information. A beam shoots out, splintering the tree in front of him and sending chunks of wood blasting out in all directions. Luckily, there hadn't been anyone standing there, though he was almost positive he'd seen a rabbit. And if he'd seen a rabbit, that rabbit wasn't alive anymore. It was a mistake to check at all.]

It's fine, Summers. [He coaches himself now that he assumes he's alone.] You've done this before. Just reach out to Jean and she'll come find you and everything'll work out again. Assuming she's all right. Jean, please be all right.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[She's saying things and they make sense to the edges of his brain but none of that is relevant right now.]

I'm not hurt-- I don't think. Feels like I bruised my back.

And I.. I'm not sure. I peeked earlier. There's nothing but trees as far as I can see. Should I look again?

[ Gently: ] Those would be your wings, Scott. They're very sensitive, so please be careful with them.

It sounds like you're in the forest. There's no need to look again - I'll come find you, alright? Can you hear any running water nearby?

Wings?! [Equally familiar. But it shouldn't be familiar.]

What do you mean, come and find me? How are you talking to me if you're not close?

If you'll follow my voice, Scott, it should lead you to a book. It serves as a comlink of sorts, but it broadcasts to a network of other books like it. [ Ororo continues, calmly. Knowing Scott, it was best to get right to the point, simply and concisely.

Meanwhile, she's already out the door and heading right up into the sky! Making quick, overhead sweeps of the forest wasn't hard, after all. Perhaps she would find him sooner rather than later. ]

Okay. I'll find it.

[It's good that she's chosen to take this approach. Having orders to follow gives him something to do, a place to focus. He crouches back down, feeling about for the book Ororo described. Storm wouldn't lead him astray. Not ever.]

[ She keeps talking for his benefit, though it's a bit muffled by the wind that rushes around her. ]

It should feel like an ordinary journal, Scott. But if you turn its pages, you should hear other voices coming from it. It operates on this world's form of, well, of magic. [ There's a hint of apology on that last word. Yes, she knows how it must sound. ] Everyone who comes here receives one with their name on it.

I think it's here. [It feels like paper, at least.]

And did you just say magic? [Because that's not real, Storm.]

... I know how it sounds. [ Ororo chuckles, not very humorously. ] It is the closest thing to what makes it work, however.

But I can explain things in further detail when I find you, Scott. Can you hear any running water nearby? There is a river that runs through the forest.

[He strains in silence, trying to listen out.]

...No. It's just the wind. I don't think there's water.

[ Hmmm. Just the wind, then. Fortunately, Ororo can work with that. She switches tactics, picking up speed but flying a little lower. ]

Alright. Tell me if you hear the wind rushing above you. I will be flying low enough for you to tell.

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