[Action] Fourth Wall

[selfhelp]

BILLY KAPLAN will be either a) flying/teleporting around or b) wandering through the chaos just wondering what the hell is going on; he's never seen this in Luceti before, and it's definitely something to look at. He'll be watching for familiar faces, definitely, or just poking at interesting-looking people.

EDWARD ELRIC is, surprise! Back from his kidnapping. Sort of. Temporarily. And he's trying to get himself home, but who knows what he'll run into on the way... eh-heh.

ASCH is in Good Spirits, mostly unruffled because he's been through like five years of this madness and refuses to get his feathers ruffled. But he will anyway, because he's like that. You might catch him outside as well, if he decides he's had enough and tries to drown himself in the lake or something. (This is entirely possible.)



[ooc: please put who you want to ping in the subject line or something, this is a catch-all! And Ed's just back for 4th Wall, his real return will be a few days after this. |Db]

Comments

[selfhelp]

[Kind of exactly like Wanda.]

Basically, yeah. Though it can be unpredictable, so it's not like it's unlimited.

[eyecondition]

[That's not healthy, dude. You need to see the Professor for stuff like that.]

You probably wouldn't be stuck here if it was unlimited.

[selfhelp]

[Yeah because he did such a fabulous job with Wanda ALSO HE IS NOT HERE nope nope nope]

Trust me, nobody would. Unless they wanted to be, I guess.

[eyecondition]

[NOPE SORRY Scott's been drinking the X-koolaid for way too long. THE PROFESSOR CAN DO NO HARM not no way not no how.]

Nobody wants to feel trapped. Even if this place is better than their own. It's about giving people the choice.

[selfhelp]

...Yeah, that makes sense. But it's a moot point, either way- I've tried offworld teleportation, and nothing's worked.

[eyecondition]

Seems to be the case for a lot of people.

How long have you been with the X-men? [Because mutant = X-man even if he's from some alternate dimension or wacky future timeline or something.]

[selfhelp]

[X-Men wat.

...Well, okay, technically he's with them now, but... the assumption is a bit weird. Things must be pretty different in their universe, to not even have options.]

Not long. I'm just part of the Luceti division, you could call it, so... four months, give or take?

[To him it's hard to believe it's even been that long.]

[eyecondition]

[Why would anyone want a different option? Everyone's happy working with the Professor.

Join us, Billy.]

Oh.. Sorry, don't you have X-Men where you're from? I didn't mean to assume.

[selfhelp]

[He's already got like a hundred mutants to look after except that he ditched the X-Men anyway so he's got his hands full already 8D;]

Oh, no, we do. But I'm already part of a team where I come from, and I wasn't going to leave them or my home to join up.

[eyecondition]

[Suddenly, suspicion.]

You're not part of the Brotherhood, are you?

[Does this face look more like the Cyclops you're used to, Billy?]

[selfhelp]

[...Kinda does, yeah. As does the attitude. And what kind of mutant does he take him for, sheesh.]

I don't even know if the Brotherhood exists anymore. If they do, they're pretty under-the-radar. I'm with the Young Avengers.

[eyecondition]

[He takes Billy for the kind of mutant who's not an X-Man. How can you not be an X-man?? Seriously he's still stuck on that.]

Never heard of any 'young avengers.' I guess that means you're from the future.

[selfhelp]

[The X-Men are jerks, no one likes them anymore. :C

Billy thinks of Rogue's response to hearing about his mother- and how she's too young to be one yet. Yep...]

Either that or a future alternate universe- we haven't figured it out for sure just yet. My guess is the latter. But the future is the only part that's for sure.

[eyecondition]

At least that means there's a future to look forward to.


...How are things for mutants in the future, Billy? Are you safe outside of the Institute?

[selfhelp]

...Um.

[Wow, that is an extremely loaded and uncomfortable question to ask jksdhkjdhf THANK GOD ROGUE KNEW BETTER. Though he understands why Scott would be the one to ask. It's kind of his thing.

Billy just has no idea how to answer without causing a huge problem for everyone, oi.]

Look, I can't lie- it's been rough. And it's never been good. There's been fighting, and the general public is kind of- [Unsupportive? Homicidal? Evil? Ugh.] ...I don't know. But the Institute's protected now. Mutants are basically safe as long as they stay in the area.

[eyecondition]

[That's not the answer he was looking for. He wanted to hear that their work all meant something. That by the time Billy grows up in the future, mutants and humans dance around together and hug. Or something cheerful and Brady Bunch-y like that.]

It's just going to keep getting worse?

We do good things, Billy. We're helpful, and more patient than they deserve. Why can't they see that?? Why can't--

[Wait. No. Stop. Billy's just some kid from some future long after Scott's dead and buried. It's not his fault. He takes a deep breath and holds it for a ten-count.]

I'm sorry. I just.

Your generation's supposed to have it better.

[selfhelp]

[Billy chews idly at his lower lip, trying not to look as worried as he feels. He knows it's lousy news, and he can't even say that he's experienced the full spectrum of human-to-mutant hate, only observed it over the years and read about it in the archives. But it's certainly taught him a solid lesson in human psychology if nothing else, something even his mother couldn't totally hammer into his head.]

It's been like twenty, twenty five years, tops. It seems like a long time, but people don't even change that fast.

[It would be wrong to call them lucky, but in a lot of ways they're fortunate to even get protection at the institute. At least they aren't all dead after M-Day. But he can't even count the number of ways that such statements are terrible and empty.]

[eyecondition]

[Ohgod telling Scott about M-Day ]would be a bad, bad thing.]

I want to be married in twenty years. I want to be a father. I don't want my kids to grow up having to hide themselves. [He sighs heavily.]

I'm sorry. Don't mean to unload on you. I'm sorry we couldn't give you a better world to grow up in.

[selfhelp]

[What about telling him how Jean's died like twelve times and he has like four children from the future hanging around, would that be better.]

It's okay. I know it must be frustrating... that's why I really hope that it's just my universe that turned out this way. You guys deserve better than what my future's got to offer.

[eyecondition]

[No. That would not be better. And neither would sitting around moping about it. Billy's just a kid. A kid who looks his age, but as far as Scott's concerned, he might as well be negative thirty years old. Give or take.]

I'll just have to do better next time I'm home. But I'll tell you what. I'll head back to 16 and check up on the guys, and then we can let off some steam over basketball. What do you say?

[Scott chooses the Bro answer for his problems. He's not yet discovered beer pong.]

[selfhelp]

[...Basketball? Man, why can't classic male bonding be like chick flicks and popcorn, or playing a video game together, or even a good cry. Sports are Teddy's thing. But the idea of getting their minds off the mess of maybe-future is more appealing than anything else.]

Um... I'm not that great at basketball, just as a head's up.

[It isn't a no- more of a cautionary tale. There's a reason he just likes to watch.]

[eyecondition]

[Because that's how girls bond.]

What, they don't have sports in the future? I'll just have to teach you then.

[selfhelp]

They do, I just have no talent. But sure, if you can tolerate a novice, I'm in.

[Should make for an interesting story to tell later, at least- how he got his ass handed to him by Cyclops at hoops.]

[eyecondition]

Everyone starts out as a novice. Don't worry about it.

[selfhelp]

Haha, okay.

[Now hopefully he won't look totally pathetic 8D]