A Reunion

[367]

What's Up?

It's been a month since Professor Charles Xavier fell into an enigmatic coma, leaving his institute and his protégés to continue on without him.

It's been three days since the mark that had appeared on Xavier also appeared on his first eight students, the original X-Men. While none of them have followed their mentor's lead into oblivion, word of this strange shared circumstance reached them all quickly and they've agreed to gather and discuss the situation.

For better or worse, it seems that they're in this together.

It's dark, cold, and snowing outside when they gather in one of the mansion's parlors, a large room with double doors (which they close behind them) and a lit fireplace. The flames inside crackle and dismiss the worst of the night's chill as they arrive one by one, taking positions on two couches and three chairs scattered around a low table. The antique furniture and built-in bookshelves make the space reminiscent of Charles Xavier's office and the man's presence seems to hang over the gathering.

...But at least the bar cart is well-stocked.

Volunteer Slots

Scott Summers had the foresight to prepare a snack for the group before they met up. Or maybe they just needed a distraction. Regardless, they arrive armed with enough deviled eggs for everyone!

During the discussion, Kitty Pryde says something about themselves or their life that is just...not true. They don't know why they said it or where the thought even came from. How strange.

Near the end of the discussion, Kurt Wagner's mark begins to glow, bright enough to be visible through or around anything that might be obscuring it. One by one, the others' marks follow suit, ending with Emma Frost. The glow of their mark persist for several long moments after the others go dull and seems to pulse within their skin...before they suddenly collapse back with a gasp and fall unconscious.

When Emma wakes, only minutes later, their friends are around them and they recall nothing but a blinding light.

ARRIVALS ⮾ DURING THE TALK ⮾ AFTER THE TALK ⮾ OOC

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DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

Kitty pulls up an extremely comprehensive spreadsheet of every weird crime in the area, and every person with mental based powers that their records had ever encountered. But she hides her work immediately, slamming the laptop shut immediately and dramatically. “No meaningful leads. I’ve been looking since it happened. I was talking to my husband when we were clipping our dog’s nails last night, and he said.” She blinks, feeling like something was off, but isn’t sure how.

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[empata Manuel de la Rocha (Empath)]

Manuel is mid-sip of his drink when Kitty says what she says and he nearly chokes in surprise. This feels like one of her ill-conceived, poorly-timed jokes but if it is...he doesn't get it. Then he feels her confusion and that leaves him at a loss. He stares at her silently, waiting for anyone else to speak up.

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

Scott isn't as good at data analysis as Kitty—more of a hands-on, pen-and-paper kind of guy—but he looked at the same numbers and couldn't find any leads either. Frustrating. And... confusing? Husband? Dog?

He looks at Lockheed, like the dragon might be able to explain.

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

"...Kitty, what on earth are you talking about?" Emma has immediately searched her companion's brain and come up blank - no sign of anything strange, and certainly no sign of a husband or a dog. She sips at her drink, frowning a little.

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

"I don't know." Kitty admits. And neither apparently does Lockheed, who is mirroring Scott's quizzical glance and directing it back at Kitty herself fairly exactly.

Kitty scans her brain, imagining herself pushing through its atoms in the way she phases through matter, tries to peel back layers to see if there feels like there's anyone else in her brain. No one so obvious as the time her older self was sitting in there, taking over.

"I don't have a husband. That just slipped out. Weird! Other thoughts??"

She flips open her computer as a distraction again. They do have a matter at hand, here, and if she's going insane she'd rather no one paid attention to that.

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[empata Manuel de la Rocha (Empath)]

"Just slipped out?" Manuel retorts, incredulous but still at a loss. There hadn't been any shift in her emotions when she'd said it. There hadn't been any hint of deception then and there isn't now either. There's just a lack of understanding and a thread of panic that she's turning her conscious mind from. It...doesn't make sense.

He glances at Emma, then back at Kitty, then shakes his head in frustration.

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

Kurt blinks rapidly at this entire exchange. "Have you been recently fantasizing about marrying some man we haven't met yet?"

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

“What?? No. Eww.” She looks personally affronted at this very real hypothetical scenario. “I wasn’t thinking about anything. It just. Was what I said??” This doesn’t actually make sense even to Kitty.

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

Kurt raises both hands, don't shoot, because Kitty looks like she might want to. "I don't often mention my nonexistent wife in conversations."

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

"Especially so casually," Emma agrees, brows drawn in. "How much have you had to drink? I haven't been paying attention."

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

"Nothing." Kitty laments, but it's true. She's been caught up in reunions and business. She stretches out a hand now, in expectation of a drink, "But I'd love to change that."

DURING THE TALK: Who did this?

[empata Manuel de la Rocha (Empath)]

With his inability to make any sense of this leaving him restless and Kitty's hand out for a drink, Manuel stands with a sigh. "What's your poison?"

He can make himself useful, at least.