cape_kore | one. | Day 82

[ The video shows a very large, very blue eye blinking directly into it. Almost as soon as it appears, the camera pans out to show Julian's face, and then it seems to hover directly in front of him. His shoulders are down but the camera is directly in front, held by his telekinesis which also happens to be holding the gauntlet it's attached to. Julian walks along like this is completely normal. Once it reaches what he thinks is a reasonable distance, the Town Center with its fountain can be seen behind him.

His expression is a sardonic smirk, and his voice is a drawl. He doesn't sound panicked. ]

So, Cape Kore. My 'new home'. That's cute. What is this, like Survivor for mutants? I see the cameras. You guys aren't subtle, whoever you are.

[ The camera comes closer again, and something bright and metal taps the face of his watch. ]

Who's even on the other side of this thing? I'm fucking talking to myself, aren't I. What a joke...

[ He rolls his eyes, and for a moment looks like he's about to turn this off. Then he appears to think better of it. His face hardens, and his lips compress into a line. ]

Whatever. This is Hellion, I'm with the X-Men. If anyone's out there, sound off. I need to get off this ride, and one of you is gonna tell me how, right now, or I'm going to take every one of those little cameras and grind them to dust.

Start talking.

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[ The X-Men. Jubilee tells him every time they meet that this is the group Charles ends up taking care of. Part of the school he builds to make a difference. He wonders briefly if it actually works. Because there are distinct similarities between the boys he has back home and this man here. And he can see it in the angry, disillusioned way he talks and acts.

For some reason, it makes him think of Erik.

And so he switches his video on, blue eyes rather concerned. ] I'm afraid threat-making doesn't actually get their attention. Our captors like to remain in the shadows. You won't get very far by getting angry.

[ Julian stops when he sees this face.

That's weird. There's something familiar about it, but it's not quite right and he can't place it.

Not dwelling on it for now, he shakes his head and scowls. ]

Will blasting their cameras get their attention? Because I'm not seeing a downside to that plan. They don't need to be watching me.

[ He'll just focus on the facts for now, oddly tempted to track Julian down with his mind alone. This boy is a mutant, he is one of them, and therefore Charles' responsibility. ] They care very little about what we do to the cameras. A dear friend of mine destroys them each morning and twenty-four hours later they're back on the walls of our house like nothing has happened. The only thing I would warn you about is trying to get the one off your wrist. That's quite impossible. And I hear it would have a nasty effect were you to try.

[ A pause. ] It would be foolish to think they wouldn't have a back up regardless, we are here for a reason.

[ For some reason, when Charles talks about the wrist-cam, it makes Julian smile. ]

Yeah, I don't think it's gonna do shit to my wrist, but that's just a guess. [ The 24-hour thing is weird, though. He takes not of that, though he doesn't say anything about it. Not yet. ]

You know what that reason is? Cause I didn't get that memo, and I'm still ready to get the hell out of here.

Edited 2013-06-17 23:02 (UTC)

[ Charles leans back, his own device swinging a little so that Julian can probably see the library. Maybe he should ask Erik to try and stretch his powers to here each morning. Though making the scientists sift through hours of him reading is a little bit of perverse enjoyment. ]

Everyone in the cape has been brought here by an unknown force. One I doubt very many people have seen. We believe it's some sort of an experiment, though it's difficult to get close enough to find out. There are people from vast and various universes and from different times. Some of us, like yourself, have specific powers. [ He can hazard a guess about Julian's but maybe he should meet him in person to find out. ] I don't know if that correlates to anything.

Uh huh. They're kidnapping mutants to experiment on them. That's not even new, are you kidding me? It's all the more reason to get the hell out.

[ But he's squinting at the sight on the other side of that camera, because wow, that sure does look like a comfortable prison you're sitting in there. ]

When you say experiments. What kind of experiments? Cause no offense, Doc, but you look pretty cozy to me.

Not just mutants. But the extent of the experimentation is unknown to me. I think they want to see what we do when we're trapped, when things outside of our control happen. Sometimes people disappear. Often they don't remember much when they've returned.

[ He pauses, a troubled expression filtering across his face. ] We've had to build a life here. To not would mean they'd won. Believe me, I am not the enemy.

Staying here means they've won. Accepting that you're here, and that they're watching and that they can control you like this, that means they've won.

They don't get to do that.

[ Well, at the very least, he sounds less angry now. There's more determination in his voice, though, more steel. He won't be anyone's captive. Whatever this place intends to throw at him, Julian will survive it. He always survives. ]

Who are you, anyway? I know you aren't one of them.

[ He can't really explain why he strives so hard to build a normal life to Julian. It's rather like being trapped in an ant-farm, actually. So he simply raises an eyebrow at the them and responds carefully. ]

Charles Xavier.

[ It's a little difficult to apprehend reactions to his name. Truthfully the whole multi-verse time travel thing is going to give him even more grey hairs. ] I know your name's not actually Helion. I was rather hoping the whole ... nickname ceremony wouldn't pick up but what can you do?

[ Charles Xavier. Well, that explains why his face is familiar. Jubilee had warned him there was a weird version of the Professor here, and it turns out she wasn’t lying. Being semi-prepared for it doesn’t stop Julian from narrowing his eyes, and staring at the man’s face critically. It’s weird to imagine him older and hairless. Even weirder to know that he’s dead now. Then again, if you want to get technical, so is Jubilee.

His eyes are right, though. ]

Julian Keller. [ He says it after a pause, still eyeing Charles. ] I went to your school, Professor.

Have you even opened it yet?

No.

[ He smiles though, thoughtful. ] It hadn't even crossed my mind before I came here. I've only very recently found other mutants myself, and though my home is open to them, educating a more wider group still seems slightly surreal.

Though you're not the first to mention it so I imagine it comes about.

You’ve been talking to Jubilee.

[ God, this is so weird. She’d warned him. She’d told him that the Professor is different here, it’s just…weird, to know more than the Professor. And to see him as young, even though he’s still older than Julian now. ]

We’re from the same place, but not the same time. From what she said, you might be from a totally different world. [ He’s frowning, curiosity getting the better of him and overriding pretty much anything else. ] Your students, they’re not Scott Summers and Jean Grey?

one. | Day 82 | Video

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