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TEST DRIVE ∞ May 2025
Test Drive ∞ May 2025
The First Collision
The Diadem is an invite-only panfandom game set in a retro-futuristic world where uprooted souls find themselves deep within an eerie wasteland of roads and highways frequently assailed by cosmic storms. Three united strongholds keep the population. Its capital is Panorama, a large metropolis at the planet's center.
Soon, you realize you aren't alone. Calling themselves fluxdrifts, the "locals" have similar stories to you, either for themselves or their ancestry. You speak to an old woman who claims she hailed from another star. You meet a young man who says his great-great-grandfather knew a strange language everybody spoke "back home." As you explore, you stumble across a coin you recognize or your sister's locket. How did it get here? What does this mean? That's for you to discover.
But first, you need to find a ride.
Soon, you realize you aren't alone. Calling themselves fluxdrifts, the "locals" have similar stories to you, either for themselves or their ancestry. You speak to an old woman who claims she hailed from another star. You meet a young man who says his great-great-grandfather knew a strange language everybody spoke "back home." As you explore, you stumble across a coin you recognize or your sister's locket. How did it get here? What does this mean? That's for you to discover.
But first, you need to find a ride.
No invites needed to play on the TDM. Everyone's welcome! Use the Invite Request thread below to request an invite from another player.
∞ Summary ∞
IC-wise, arrivals are scattered throughout the month. Events described on the TDM are also ongoing throughout the month. If you'd rather jump right into the action, you're free to begin in media res with your character having already been on the planet for several days.
Post-impact, characters will wake up in a med tent by the Scrapyard. From there, they must accept a vehicle on loan and make the 2-hour drive to the nearest city, Panorama. If they refuse the car because they don't want the loan, they'll be in debt for medical bills instead...so just take the car. It'll come in handy.
Some things to keep in mind when bringing in your character:
TDM threads can be canon if characters are accepted. Top-levels made to the TDM should be open to all.
Post-impact, characters will wake up in a med tent by the Scrapyard. From there, they must accept a vehicle on loan and make the 2-hour drive to the nearest city, Panorama. If they refuse the car because they don't want the loan, they'll be in debt for medical bills instead...so just take the car. It'll come in handy.
Some things to keep in mind when bringing in your character:
- Pick an injury. At minimum, they got knocked out; at most, whatever they can recover from. Medicine is decently advanced so they'll heal faster if not painlessly.
- Decide items kept. Reasonable items on their person only: photos, keys, clothes, costumes. No pets or animal companions. Wildly out-of-place tech and personal cell phones will be damaged beyond repair.
- Select a weapon. Do this only if eligible. Guidelines about weapons and powers are on the FAQ.
- Choose a vehicle. Decide whether your character gets 2-3 options or if they're stuck with something they hate. Players can pick directly from our collection or source their own images. Anything under a similar aesthetic will work. If your character needs accommodations for driving, they can have them. Ask us for details.
- Get a phone. Characters have to obtain a phone (and a SIM card) themselves. If they've got one from home, it's damaged beyond repair. Phones are cheap. It'll only take a couple of weeks to afford one. You need to know the number before you text or call anyone. Read about phones and the Forum before you hop on it.
TDM threads can be canon if characters are accepted. Top-levels made to the TDM should be open to all.
Fluxdrift
Arrival & Introduction
Date: Throughout May
You've tumbled over a cliff. You were fighting for your life. You're on the cusp of death. You slipped in the shower. Whatever the catalyst, you struggle to cling to consciousness. As darkness overtakes you, a swirling vortex warps light and shadow in a way that defies all physics. A dark wail etches into your very bones. You couldn't describe it if you tried. You can barely comprehend what it is.
Then you open your eyes.
Through the figure's mask ©, you swear the face is grinning down at you. The tent you're in smells of antiseptic, and scratchy blankets line your cot. Injuries you've sustained have been bandaged. In the corner, you spot a MedBot that's fixed you up. Depending on the extent of your injuries, the doctor on duty might give you some painkillers before you go. Thankfully, your belongings are by the exit. Sorry if anything's damaged. Your landing was pretty rough.
You follow the figure outside. They are Yom Crook, here to lend a hand to fellow fluxdrifts like yourself. Their car's parked beside them. Actually, there are lots of cars around, but Yom Crook's stands out with its painted shark mouth. They explain they found you, unconscious, in a diffusion zone and brought you here. The nearest city is a 2-hour drive northeast. Forget about walking. You'll never make it. Also, you owe the doctor a lot of money for patching you up. But you're in luck: they've got some wheels for you and if you accept the vehicle on loan, Yom Crook will cover your medical bills. That's a good deal, right? It's not the shiniest car or motorcycle, but it'll do. If fortune favors, you'll get to choose between two or three options. Plus, if you need accommodations to drive—like adjustments to your seat height or modified controls—you'll receive all that for free.
Take the vehicle. (And the loan.) Yom Crook assures you that you'll have six months before collectors come around. Any time you're ready to pay a part of it down, return here to the Scrapyard. You'll get a receipt and everything. Paying off the loan in six months isn't impossible, but it will take a lot of work. Just don't get too lax. There's a good chance you'll be juggling multiple loans as you try to get by.
You either know how to drive, or you'll have a bare-bones manual to get you started. Road rules are more a suggestion than enforced, so just hit the pedal and go. The car has some basic features. The built-in compass will help you navigate.
Through the figure's mask ©, you swear the face is grinning down at you. The tent you're in smells of antiseptic, and scratchy blankets line your cot. Injuries you've sustained have been bandaged. In the corner, you spot a MedBot that's fixed you up. Depending on the extent of your injuries, the doctor on duty might give you some painkillers before you go. Thankfully, your belongings are by the exit. Sorry if anything's damaged. Your landing was pretty rough.
You follow the figure outside. They are Yom Crook, here to lend a hand to fellow fluxdrifts like yourself. Their car's parked beside them. Actually, there are lots of cars around, but Yom Crook's stands out with its painted shark mouth. They explain they found you, unconscious, in a diffusion zone and brought you here. The nearest city is a 2-hour drive northeast. Forget about walking. You'll never make it. Also, you owe the doctor a lot of money for patching you up. But you're in luck: they've got some wheels for you and if you accept the vehicle on loan, Yom Crook will cover your medical bills. That's a good deal, right? It's not the shiniest car or motorcycle, but it'll do. If fortune favors, you'll get to choose between two or three options. Plus, if you need accommodations to drive—like adjustments to your seat height or modified controls—you'll receive all that for free.
Take the vehicle. (And the loan.) Yom Crook assures you that you'll have six months before collectors come around. Any time you're ready to pay a part of it down, return here to the Scrapyard. You'll get a receipt and everything. Paying off the loan in six months isn't impossible, but it will take a lot of work. Just don't get too lax. There's a good chance you'll be juggling multiple loans as you try to get by.
You either know how to drive, or you'll have a bare-bones manual to get you started. Road rules are more a suggestion than enforced, so just hit the pedal and go. The car has some basic features. The built-in compass will help you navigate.
OPTIONAL PROMPTS: a flat tire; a body on the road (is it a trap?); a fender bender
Panorama
Explore & Settle In
Conditions: Warm spring temperatures, light showers
After 2 hours on the road, you find civilization. The largest of the strongholds, Panorama is where the economy thrives. Massive power plants glowing red make it visible from a distance. The city is divided into three districts. For now, you can access the Pavilion and the Blocks. Don't worry about the Sanctum; they're not letting you in.
You only need to know two things about Panorama: 1) it's big, the size of a modern metropolis, and you'll need your car to get around; 2) anything goes as long as you don't pick a fight with the wrong person. Street smarts will get you far. Despite its geographical size, the population isn't huge. With roughly a million people in a city designed for over twice that number, Panorama is far from deserted, but nor is it overcrowded. It's a good thing. Resources are limited as it is.
You only need to know two things about Panorama: 1) it's big, the size of a modern metropolis, and you'll need your car to get around; 2) anything goes as long as you don't pick a fight with the wrong person. Street smarts will get you far. Despite its geographical size, the population isn't huge. With roughly a million people in a city designed for over twice that number, Panorama is far from deserted, but nor is it overcrowded. It's a good thing. Resources are limited as it is.
The Pavilion: Free Samples
Like any large city, Panorama features a couple of supermarkets. The stock's not as consistent as a proper supermarket. On occasion, shelves can remain cleaned out for a week or two. Regardless, the long tradition of free samples remains. If you're not already shopping, you'll notice the crowded parking lot and clusters of lines inside.
Try samples, push through the crowds as you shop, or give yourself a five-finger discount. If you're cautious, you can pocket a few small items without consequences. The Pavillion doesn't have the infrastructure for surveillance; unless someone sees you, you won't be caught. Steal from the store or pilfer someone's wallet. Maybe you even make a new friend if you bump into another fluxdrift. Or, start a fight with somebody who cut you off in the cheese line. Don't make too much of a ruckus, or you'll be thrown out.
As you look around, you'll see posters advertising temporary positions for the cash register or graveyard shifts in the warehouse. Seems they might've lost several employees recently (how'd that happen?), which is good for you! It's just a 6-week position, but it'll get you on your feet. The city has temporary positions like this all over. Permanent ones are harder to come by when you're new.
Try samples, push through the crowds as you shop, or give yourself a five-finger discount. If you're cautious, you can pocket a few small items without consequences. The Pavillion doesn't have the infrastructure for surveillance; unless someone sees you, you won't be caught. Steal from the store or pilfer someone's wallet. Maybe you even make a new friend if you bump into another fluxdrift. Or, start a fight with somebody who cut you off in the cheese line. Don't make too much of a ruckus, or you'll be thrown out.
As you look around, you'll see posters advertising temporary positions for the cash register or graveyard shifts in the warehouse. Seems they might've lost several employees recently (how'd that happen?), which is good for you! It's just a 6-week position, but it'll get you on your feet. The city has temporary positions like this all over. Permanent ones are harder to come by when you're new.
Samples include: steamed cabbage dumplings, synthetic cherry juice, cheddar cheese, and chocolate-covered alien eggs (it's crunchy and weirdly tasty). They're served in the usual throwaway paper cups with little toothpicks.
The Blocks: Power Outage
Power's finicky in Panorama, especially in the Blocks. Saint Margery's Hospital, located in the same area, has priority for power so the first to go are the motels. Maybe you've been in your room for a couple of weeks, maybe you just got here—and by the way, every motel desk is happy to put the fee on your tab if you don't have the money upfront—but all the motels on the east side are in a blackout, leaving only the west side motels up and running.
What do you do? You have three choices:
What do you do? You have three choices:
- Risk leaving your room and head to the other side where there's power. Knock on some doors and negotiate with another to share the room. They might shut the door in your face, ask for a favor in return, or be nice enough to help you with no strings attached. There's no guarantee your unattended room will be untouched, though, and you'll be on the hook for any damages an intruder causes.
- Sit in the dark and deal. It's not the worst idea, but the TV's down, the vending machines are powered down, and with the entire place plunged into darkness, you risk getting robbed. If you struggle with defending yourself, you might want to find some trustworthy company. You can also sneak out of there and let them take your leftover pizza. It's not like you've got a ton of valuables, right? Plus, clobbering someone in the face with a frying pan sounds great until you realize you've gotta do something with the body. And what if this person's got a friend waiting?
- Get in your car and drive (or grab a friend for a road trip). If you scroll the Forum, you might notice reports on diffusion zones southward. Besides, these motels are hardly your forever home. The city can only provide so much. Why not go for a ride and see what you can find out there?
OPTIONAL PROMPTS: clean up on aisle 3 (what is that goo?); a knock at your door but no one's there; you hear screaming or a commotion down the hall
The Fringes
Quad 3: Lockdown
Conditions: Stormy, with flooding roads
Felix Bjurstrom
> Date: 125-05-17
> Time: 02:15:57
> Emergency road lights have been reported in Quadrant 3! Please, can someone go see what's there? When last we chasers investigated emergency lights, a whole truck filled with sour candy had tipped over. Our stores were stocked for weeks! Oh, be careful - reception looks bad in that zone.
> Date: 125-05-17
> Time: 02:15:57
> Emergency road lights have been reported in Quadrant 3! Please, can someone go see what's there? When last we chasers investigated emergency lights, a whole truck filled with sour candy had tipped over. Our stores were stocked for weeks! Oh, be careful - reception looks bad in that zone.
Through the open windows, a computer awakens and displays a cheerful smile. The lights inside switch on.
Pick your scenario role below. Your thread partner doesn't need to take the opposite role! They can join you in the same scenario (i.e. trapped together). Players are also free to create a generic NPC for the other side to facilitate the thread.
After characters escape, they'll find one bottle of antibiotics in their pocket or car, whether they remember taking it or not.
After characters escape, they'll find one bottle of antibiotics in their pocket or car, whether they remember taking it or not.
A: Sealed In
As you peer through the windows, you see crates of medicine floating around. Antibiotics in the diadem are valuable. Hospitals and doctors are always buying. You can keep it for yourself or make a quick buck. Or maybe you're compelled to help somebody back in the city who's in need. Whatever the reason, you decide to take the risk and step inside.
Water splashes around your ankles. The lock buzzes behind you. If you try to break the windows, you discover they're unnaturally resistant to shattering. With the whole place locked tight, the water begins to churn. Then the computer lights up again.
Warning, it flashes in large, bold text. Quarantine in progress. Release code required for exit.
- To find the code, you'll have to search. Duck under the water, go through sopping envelopes and sticky notes or pick the locks on the filing cabinets and desk drawers. You can also try hacking the computers. Use your computer knowledge or fall back on the age-old trick of seeing who wrote down their password.
- The files, notepads, and emails start innocuous, but as you look through them, disturbing phrases jump out at you—a dark thought you've had or a cruel taunt from someone in your past. The longer you're fixed on the terrible words, the higher the water begins to rise. Only another can break you out of your trance.
- With the rising water comes fear. And the more you're afraid, the more the water also rises. You begin to see faces in the water, bobbing like balloon heads. Do you recognize them? If you move to take a closer look, they will sink back beneath the surface as if never there.
- If you manage to swallow your panic, you can eventually find a triple-laminated binder with the release code and instructions. Bad news: you need someone on the outside to punch in the 6 strange symbols in order. The instructions explain that the code panel is located at the back of the building.
B: Set Free
As you peer through the windows, you see not just the crates of medicine but someone trapped inside. They look like they might be in trouble, and from your vantage point, you notice that the water is bubbling strangely. It's definitely not normal rainwater. As you watch, the water rises unnaturally, stopping and starting. It's as if the water level is responding to an external stimulus.
- The glass is soundproof. You can't hear what the person inside is saying, so you'll have to communicate with each other another way. Try charades, typing on your phone, or whatever you think of. Eventually, you determine that they're stuck and that you need to enter some sort of code onto a pad located—according to your trapped partner—at the back of the building.
- Around the back, shadows swallow your surroundings. The panel must be pried open, but a slippery substance makes it hard to get a good grip. Each time the substance touches you, you grow uneasy. You swear you see eyes watching you, though when you turn around, nothing's there.
- You can't seem to keep the instructions in your mind. And those symbols...they burn into your retinas. Through them, you glimpse an incomprehensibly massive figure unfurling in the darkness, pulsing as if in a deep sleep. When you snap back to reality, you realize you've injured yourself, slicing your hand on a sharp edge or a bruise you can't remember getting.
- Once you manage to release the doors, the water inside the office drains upward into the sky as though sucked out by a giant hose. The darkness spreads. Get out of there fast before the shadows drag you or your partner into the void.
Main Navigation ::: ⇅
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no subject
He holds Charles's gaze, and matches his smile. It feels easier. Not fixed, far from it, but the weight lessens, at least a little, and there's a distinct feeling in him that he's just taken a step in the right direction. He doesn't know what his future is, not anymore anyway, so that feeling is all he has to go on. He'll cling to it, if he must. ]
I'm sure we'll think of something.
[ Finding a purpose, having a goal, it's but a matter of adapting to their new circumstances. And clearly this world is not without its problems, so he has no doubt that they would find their own sort of purpose here. Something to give their presence here meaning. Even when Charles has struggled to find that over the past ten years, and Erik is at a point where he lacks direction.
At least, he thinks, I'm not alone. And it's a strange thought to creep into his mind right now, when he'd pretty much committed himself to living entirely on his own for the foreseeable future. ]
I think we're up.
[ He tilts his head to the line ahead, just a couple more people in front of them. Maybe a good idea not to be lost in deep, serious conversation when their turn comes. ]
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[ But Charles likes it. It's rare for Erik to be the reassuring one and Charles to be the messy one, but it only slightly grates on him. Perhaps there's nothing wrong with their eternal search for balance meaning one leans more on the other at different times. What would it mean, to take off the harsh reins on his pride to allow that again from Erik? He may see in time.
That was one of the first things Charles ever said to him. You're not alone. It was profound for them both at the time. Charles had Raven but he still didn't have proof of other mutants, only theories and hopes. Erik had been alone since he was a child and saw no need for others, until one jumped off a ship into the water and pulled him up for air. Charles who has never been alone until now. He might feel the same.
They do get to the front of the line and Charles politely asks for whatever amount of samples they are allowed to take. If this was a time when he had plenty of food to go back to, he would have only asked for one, but in this case they allowed a few, so he took the opportunity. He puts them on his lap outside of the cherry juice since that might spill, and wheels to the side, tugging Erik and his samples away from line. They're faster than other people were, at least. No argument, just reasonable acceptance. ]
I'm not sure about this one.
[ He is looking at the chocolate eggs. He has tried a variety of unique foods over his life but it's the alien egg aspect that makes him hesitate. ]
no subject
[ He sounds only half-serious, because honestly he doesn't know that he would be a very good optimist. He would rather be pleasantly surprised than horribly disappointed, and he has seen far too much of the world and human nature to really have much in the way of belief. Never even did know what that was like before meeting Charles.
Only time will tell, how things will progress in this place. At the moment, survival is of paramount importance, and that means Charles's own survival as well. No matter how stubborn and prideful he wants to be about it.
Anything else —a purpose, a path, a plan— will need to wait.
He looks down to the eggs Charles mentions, his own samples tucked into a bag that he holds in his free hand. He arches an eyebrow at him. ]
Not worried you'll grow a tail, are you?
[ It's just chocolate... probably. ]
I've managed to get a small kettle. Maybe we can find some tea here.
[ It's probably going to be as shitty as motel tea, if not even worse, but better than nothing. ]
no subject
[ A dry response about the eggs but Charles does decide to attempt them and while the texture is bizarre, the taste is fine. And that's all he's really looking for in a free sample from a supermarket on an alien planet that they're currently stuck in for the foreseeable future. He turns his chair and starts moving toward the aisles assuming Erik will follow him. He is testing out whether he can handle it without having to put a hand on Erik's arm the entire time.
It is noisy right away and he winces but he'll have to suffer it eventually so he tries to put up shields again. Charles pauses for a moment with his chair and sighs before he seems to right himself. He can't spend all his time hiding in Erik's mind like a security blanket. There are enough voices here to ring in his head, but it's the rest of Panaroma that is the problem. ]
Fine, we can get tea.
[ He'll accept that gift from Erik because the thought of it is a deep relief. Even if it's bad tea, Charles will take it, it will remind him of better times and he's always felt better once he has one. Trust Erik to think of that, after all the time he spent with Charles smiling at him over the rim of a teacup. He shoots an affectionate look up at his former (?) best friend but immediately darts his gaze down so it doesn't linger. Being around Erik is so dangerous for him. He'd almost prefer him to drop another stadium on him at this point.
The sudden drop out of his mind is better for both of them to not get lost in that constant intimacy. ]
I've been drinking liquor more than tea these days, it's likely the better option.
[ Barely on the line of drunkard behavior. ]
no subject
So there's a slight wince on his face as Charles tries the egg, but nothing immediate seems to happen, at least. Only time will tell. Which isn't to say an actual alien will grow inside him, but in all fairness they're in a new, foreign place with no idea what their purpose here might be; maybe it's not that unreasonable to worry about the food at their disposal. Not that Erik's prone to paranoia, not ever.
Once Charles lets go and starts moving down one of the aisles, Erik follows, pocketing his free hand while the other holds his bag. It's perfectly reasonable and actually smart that Charles wants to try to do this without having to rely on him as much. Erik can't be beside him every second of the day, even if he wished it, and eventually Charles needs to relearn how to navigate places like this. It's not a bad idea to do it now, when he has Erik there. Just in case he needs to reach for him again.
Not that he hopes he will. But he can't help wonder if Charles will do so again once he no longer has the need for it.
He's pleased enough that Charles agrees to the tea without any argument. To be fair, Erik would have gotten it for himself regardless, it seems a fairly small thing to share. Meals may or may not start to be delivered at Charles's door eventually, but that's a battle for another time. ]
Better and likely easier to get, here.
[ Erik hasn't really tried to get alcohol since he got here, even before, and he has little interest, to be fair. And yes, it might just be the best idea to steer Charles away from it, if possible. He obviously doesn't know everything about what Charles went through in the past ten years but he has some notion of how it might have been, and it doesn't look pretty.
He looks through the shelves on the way there, the selection on offer sparse and focused on the basics, for the most part. He helps himself to a bar of soap, but anything else he's going to save for when he has a real need for it, and hopefully more money. He's not above stealing, but he's not entirely sure how Charles would react to it and he would rather avoid a potential argument.
The tea selection is equally limited, but the fact that there's anything at all to choose from is already a small miracle. There are one or two kinds he's never heard of before, but at least a couple of names should be familiar to them. He looks to Charles. ]
Preference?
no subject
Now they have to restart because neither of them are the more innocent versions of themselves, and yes, that was Erik then, before the weight of mutantkind felt like it crashed on his shoulders too. When it was only vengeance that drove him, before it became a bigger mission. They were in prisons of their own making, both literally in Erik's case, and emotionally in Charles's. He's glad though, that's what he thinks, watching Erik look at the teas while carrying their bag of samples. That he's there, that he's free, that he's alive. He's just not going to say it out loud.
Charles wants liquor. He feels it in his bones. He would say he had an unhealthy relationship with it, but luckily he has not gotten sick since getting here, which would have alarmed him about how serious it became without him realizing it. Instead it's more of a want than a need. Lord knows he could truly use a drink right then, but he'll take the tea. The desire to drink away his sorrows and pass out is not good for him. ]
Earl Grey, although it's not a box I'm familiar with.
[ That's because it's the very cheap kind and Charles naturally has only perfectly brewed and authentic tea! He is not going to argue with it though, being able to see it is thrilling in a small way. He winces when someone starts arguing with the sample worker, not because they're being loud (they are) but because the worker's mind is restrained fury in response. And shouting things in one's head is usually safe, when he's not around. It's small in the end, a little ripple. He wouldn't have noticed if he wasn't so out of practice.
Perhaps on a different day, with some money to his name, he would be eager to try a new type of tea from another world. Charles used to be excited about things like that, new experiences. He'll get it back. ]
I need to get a job, but from what I've gleaned, there are no traditional schools here. And I doubt I would be much use at a bowling alley.
no subject
Charles is right, then. Neither of them are the same as when they met, but there is such a comfort and familiarity to it that it is almost jarring. That an hour ago Charles was berating him for dropping that stadium on him, and now they're just walking the aisles of a supermarket, picking tea. ]
Imagine that.
[ Muttered with palpable sarcasm and a smirk curling his lips. He picks the box from the shelf, looking to Charles when he winces, his eyes flicking to the commotion not too far from. It's not hard to imagine that might be what's bothering Charles, and while he doubts that it will make anything better, he continues down the aisle nonetheless, if nothing else then to offer something of a distraction. Something else for Charles to focus on. ]
I've managed to find work at a warehouse. Night shifts, but it's better than nothing. [ Which means that he was fresh out of a long shift when he ran into Charles. ] Most jobs are like that, unfortunately. Physical labor, menial tasks. I can help you look for something more suited to you, if you want.
no subject
He would have too much pride to do that with Erik now, but tolerating him being aorund, that he can do. It is a bit funny to be on such a casual and normal adventure like this, going to a grocery store like the two of them aren't giants in the superpowered community. Like they couldn't take everything they wanted if they weren't the people they were.
He follows down the aisle and does get curious to look closer at some of the items there. Perhaps he is starting to perk up a little because he's genuinely intrigued by the alien words and boxes. He knows basically every human language there is, so finding something from another world is intriguing. ]
I know, none of the listings worked.
[ Charles did look, he isn't unreasonable, he does understand the situation he's in. He was ready to find a way to survive, and probably given another few days, he would have gone out looking for whatever work would be possible. Instead of looking for something that actually suited him. At a point, he has to be pragmatic. ]
You may help.
[ He says with a sigh. Fine. Erik can be useful, if he's trying to make up for everything. And his friend does know enough about him to guess well. ]
I suppose the reality that my applicable skills aren't useful in this situation is something I had to accept eventually.
no subject
He now follows Charles through the store, not really looking for anything for himself but fine with simply exploring the place. He was never really as curious as Charles when it comes to things like this, so that budding sentiment he'll leave to him, instead watching him, trying to see if anything seems to pique Charles's interest.
He sounds almost reluctant to accept the help, but Erik ignores it, and the sigh. Pride has no place here, Charles can be as grudging as he likes about taking Erik's help, but if it improves his odds at survival, he's going to do it regardless. ]
Still, there must be something else. As a clerk, for instance, or a receptionist. [ It won't be especially glamorous, and definitely a far cry from being a professor, but in this place they're bound to be overqualified for any position available to them. Charles especially. ] I'll let you know if I find something.
no subject
Perhaps he is simply not willing to go back into his depressive state. The situation with Logan and the future he saw, it brought him back to life. This wasn't the life he envisioned, but it is the one he has at the moment.
Charles can be snobby but he could probably do fine as either of those things, and they would work better for him than something labor heavy. He has a pleasant speaking voice and he's extremely polite to people, so forward facing customer service of some kind would likely fit him. He is kind and friendly when he's not in a bad state of mind and wallowing in self-pity, like he was when Erik first came upon him. Like it or not, his friend picked him up a little. ]
Erik.
[ He reaches out to touch his sleeve again and the skin through the fabric, not tangling their fingers as they almost did before, but applying that connection once again. ]
Thank you for not making it harder. [ After a pause, he smirks wryly. ] And not dropping another building on me.
[ Is he going to let it go? Absolutely not! Erik is going to be hearing that for quite some time so he best get used to it. ]
I saw the future you when I saw it through Logan's eyes. In the end, we were a team. If we do ever find our people again, consider that as a door not closed unless you close it.
no subject
There's something of a flat stare at that, but he supposes he deserves that. Would deserve worse, really, if Charles wasn't so deeply forgiving.
He almost makes a callous joke — it's not like there are any presidents around here — but he's silent instead, letting the last words fall between them, sink into him for a moment, before his mind is capable of forming the right thoughts crossing his mind. ]
I don't want to wait for the end.
[ He doesn't want to wait until they don't have another choice but to be on the same side again. Doesn't want to live a lifetime of antagonism and resentment, only to realise in the last moments that it was only time wasted away fighting each other, when they should have been by each other's side. ]
I want to do better. I don't know that I can promise that I'll succeed, but I can promise that I'll try.
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[ He saw them both as old men, at the end of their life, and it would take an apocalypse to bring them together once again. It seemed so cruel that it took all those decades of turmoil when he would do anything to pull Erik closer to him. He's angry now, but it comes from a place of heartbreak more than anything else. Pain and loss and perhaps it is the fear of more loss that is making him put some space between them. He doesn't know how many times they broke apart, how long their future selves will keep hurting one another.
Charles can feel that pain now deep in his chest, still so fresh after a decade of resentment, and that strong feeling shines in vivid blue eyes, spilling his sadness over. There's water in his eyes but he manages to force it away without a tear dropping, breaking eye contact and releasing him before he becomes a damned mess in this bloody alien supermarket. ]
I want that, Erik. I truly do.
[ He wants it so much that he feels sick with it, and he understands why despite being enemies, there was this invisible bond permanently tying them together. They were close friends for only a short time, in the grand scheme of years between them, but it is lifelong. It would be just like him to give in after a cup of tea between them, so foolishly hopeful. ]
I'll be trying my best here too, although in my case, it's learning survival skills. I've been a bit pampered, haven't I?
[ Charles smiles wryly at him although it's an attempt to lighten the moment too. They can wallow in their intense feelings surrounding each other all day, but it'll only make them unnecessarily emotive in a public place, and Charles really has to stop causing that. It's been so long since they spoke, that's all. They had only fleeting moments before it crashed. ]
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Whether or not they will walk it together yet remains to be seen. In truth, Erik wasn't counting on ever seeing Charles again, but clearly fate has other plans for them. It's almost funny to think of it that way, like their paths are always meant to cross one way or the other.
Erik takes a deep breath, looks away just as Charles does too, then simply slides his free hand into the pocket of his vest. Not necessarily cutting off the possibility of contact should Charles need it again, but making it less easy to keep stumbling into it out here. It's starting to feel a little addictive and evidently it's having as much of an effect on Charles, and he's not sure that at this point it's really helping that much at all. ]
Your words, not mine.
[ He might or might not have used that particular word, but he's not surprised that Charles is self-aware enough to recognise that much. But Erik has seen Charles get by on minimal comfort and few amenities before, while they were traveling together. He believes Charles's disability will prove more of an issue, especially as he has spent the last ten years not having to deal with it— or with his powers, for the most part. ]
Is there anything else you need?
[ He fully expects Charles to refuse any further help but it doesn't hurt to ask. ]
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The tea will suffice.
[ He's willing to take it that far now that he's gotten enough samples to survive for another day. It will depend on how long he's going to be stubborn before someone comes along that he'll allow to take care of him (Logan). He's not willing to do that with Erik. He'd likely only resent him more because of it, and they're already on testy grounds. With the tea and food in hand he considers it a successful mission and he gestures for them to go back to the van. He's not going to strand Erik there and he seems in a better mood than when they first started driving. ]
This is putting me in an annoyingly nostalgic state. The driving and the motels I loathed.
[ Charles was a snob about them each time then, and now it's his only option. It's just one of his flaws that he never imparts onto his students, but indulges on with his peers. ]
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He hopes that whenever Charles does need something (because he's sure it will come to that sooner or later), he won't refuse to ask him for that help. But that's a bridge to cross at another time. For now, and as far as he's aware, they know no one else here so they will have to learn to rely on one another, no matter how reluctant Charles might be to do so.
Tea paid for, he follows Charles out of the store, smiling again as the colorful van comes into view. ]
Being here against my will does feel far less pleasant.
[ He enjoyed his time, then. Possibly the first time in his life where he truly had fun, and strangely the closest thing he had to a sense of normalcy. So much so that he entirely ignored the voice in his head telling him that it could not last. ]
We can wrap here or on yours!
Well, yes. That does put a damper on things.
[ Perhaps Charles is feeling nostalgic because he is lonely and Erik is here and despite everything that went terribly wrong between them, he keeps holding onto the good times. He shouldn't, he should be focused on how many things have changed, but it's a sign of how much he did not actually move on during those years. It was stuck in time, those moments, a glowing part of his memory.
While he was finding ways to be happy before it all went to hell thanks to the war, he'll never have again the feelings he had then, when he still had his legs and Raven and the possibilities seemed endless. So no wonder he's holding on. It's foolish but it's human (mutant) too.
He drives them back to the motel. The process of getting in and out of the van does take time but Charles is starting to get good at it. A few more days and it'll become easier. They find themselves in the same hallway where they met only a few hours ago. ]
Mine is 209, for now. You may visit, if you wish.
wrapped ♥
The trip back to the motel is comparatively quiet, but comfortable. He mulls on his own thoughts all the while, waiting for Charles to get out of the van on his own, and they both head up to their floor. He looks over at Charles at the open invitation, a moment's pause before he nods, then answers. ]
You as well. [ Just in case that wasn't obvious to Charles. ] 202.
[ With that, they part ways, not without Erik pausing for a moment to make sure Charles makes it past his door. Then he goes to his own room, still the bag with some food in hand. Probably cold by now, but he's not so hungry anymore anyway. ]