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

He'll probably be--

[And then a startled yelp because KURT NEVER GIVES ANY WARNING. And then we handwave a little bit before it's far later and Scott at last makes his way to the center of town, dipping into Rogue's shop with a sheepish smile.]

Hey, there. Did you miss me?

[Well, Rogue figured the interruption was Kurt inspired, or else it would have been followed by a bright flash. So she went to find some clothes that would fit Scott, maybe even some of his if she was lucky. She gathered them up and put them in a bag.

When Scott peaks his head in, he might notice a few changes with her. She's not wearing the same Goth make-up, for one, and her hair is slightly longer and up in a ponytail. And. Well. She's twenty-one now. There are other changes.

Despite everything, Rogue lights up when she sees Scott.]

Hey! [She starts over towards him and stops just short of hugging him.] Well, I guess you could say that.

[His first thought is that Rogue looks old. Not like Grandma-old. Just. ...Not her own age. It's almost weirder than getting kidnapped and ending up in an alternate dimension.

But then again, it's not entirely polite to go around vocalizing a thought like that, so he'll be pleasant at her approach, careful not to get too close in case she'd be scared off by the contact.]

How've you been? Kurt mentioned it's been over a year for you. What've I missed?

[Rogue smiles a little, not quite able to laugh. He's really here. It's hard to believe. She doesn't know how to feel about it.]

That's like askin' me to catch you up on a whole series in a nutshell, Scott. [She reaches over and hands him the sweater and jeans combination she'd found in the clothing shop.] Here. These looked familiar. An' if not... well, I bet they'll fit.

[...suddenly belatedly, she hopes that Scott remembers nothing of their Valentine's experiment together. Loki, she decides, never needs to know about that.]

[It's definitely his style, at least. He pulls on the shirt as they talk.]

So do it anyway. Cliff notes version. I went back home, and then in Luceti... [He trails off to let her fill in the blank.]

Uh... [Rogue glances away, both to provide Scott with some modesty and to try to gather her thoughts.] ...well, not a lot of good. Ororo came back. Logan's here too. I think Kitty was in an' out again. The same thing with Kurt.

[But she didn't remember the sequence of events very well, she was still scattered from losing her sanity a little earlier in the month.]

But I've been here the whole time.

[Well if she's going to be gracious enough to look away, he'll just swap pants then too.]

You don't sound like you're okay with that. Do you want to talk about it?

[Geeze, Scott. There's a door behind you.]

About being stuck here? Nope. [She gives him a small grin before hurriedly looking away.] What, you came back an' decided to play councilor?

[Then those door people will get an awesome show.]

Well. Well, no. I.. Just thought you'd come to me with. Stuff.

[Rogue so rarely shoots him down for anything, he's not sure what to do with himself.]

[Welcome to a world where you have been gone for years and the last time she saw you, you shot her down. This is the world of being (mostly) Just Like Everyone Else. Also in this world, Rogue has a lover.

However, even in this world, Scott is a friend and she softens a little when she hears his intentions.]

Scott, you just walked in the door. I think maybe it's time for you ta come to me with stuff. I know it ain't easy, showin' up here like this. But if you wanna get a milkshake or somethin' and catch up, we can do that.

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