trans_9 | Memories Left Abandoned [Open]

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Memories Left Abandoned [Open]

After his confrontation with Sofia, Julian wandered around for a while. He didn't really pay attention to where he was going, and in his travels, he wandered into the area of the city that contained several ruins. He didn't really pay them any mind, at least until he stumbled across one that he recognized.

The Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.

Even as it was, he'd recognize the place. It was his home, once. But like most everything else in his life that he thought he could count on forever, it was reduced to nothing more than ashes and rubble.

For a moment, he wondered if this was the Nightmare King's doing, but he knew the truth. He knew exactly who he was and where he was. He scoffed at the bitter irony of the situation.

"Who needs nightmares when this is your life?"

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"No." She shook her head. "I have no idea what that is."

Then she shrugged. "But we did have a crazy band of crazies try to exterminate us."

"Lucky you." At least she had a world worth going back to.

"And the me on your world... what was his life like?"

"You know," and this was weird for her; to psychoanalyze Julian while speaking to his alternate, "I think there were things in his life that didn't make him happy. His family didn't really want him... so he made all of us his family. Cessily and me; we were like his little sisters. He'd get mad if a boy even looked at us too long. And he and Sofia - I think they were really in love. There were ups and downs, but that's life, isn't it?

"And... I think he was the kind of guy who cared about people almost to a fault. Though he'd never, ever let you know that..."

Sooraya sighed. "Shame he's not around to figure out that most of us cared right back. Even if he was an arrogant jerk-ass sometimes."

She said that last sentence with utter fondness.

"Lucky him." There was a certain quiet sadness in his voice.

"And I'm guessing the X-Men are still in Westchester doing the 'protecting the world that hates and fears us' thing?"

"I think so. But both myself and some of our friends decided that it wasn't worth it..."

She sighed. "The crazies torched one of our friends (who survived because she's a firebender), shot Jay in the head, injured many more, and even killed a few. So we're not all aspiring to protect the bigoted world, no. For me, I just wanted to be left alone to live my own life."

"Might be the smart choice. Of course, there's no more world to protect, so it's all moot anyway."

He paused for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.

"Since when do you use words like 'crazies' and 'jerk-ass'?"

"Since I started hanging out with yo - 'my' Julian more and more. I figured it couldn't hurt to learn some slang." She chuckled to herself. "I even wore jeans back home. Sure, they were wide-leg and loose-fitting, but they were jeans."

In other words, she's a lot less... rigid than the Sooraya you knew, Julian.

That got a smirk out of him, though it was one of the ones that closer to a smile.

"I always knew I'd be able to corrupt you one day."

"Well there you go. Mission accomplished."

"Oh, I'm sure there's still more for me to teach you." Like the joys of bacon. If they ever get to a world where there is bacon.

"You told me back home that, were the situation different, you'd have sex with me. I'm not having sex with you."

What? Back home, Julian was a complete horn-dog.

Well, this one is too. But the idea of nailing Dust made his spine shiver, and not in a good way.

"I actually said that to you? Out loud? I mean, not that you're not hot under all those layers of clothing, but you're like my little sister." Or at least the Sooraya of his world was.

"Yes. Yes you did. It was one of the most disgusting moments of my life, let me tell you."

"Ok, we're not discussing that any further."

Just. No.

"Not at all. So what else do you want to know?"

~~Why get engaged to the hayseed?~~

"I think I'm good for now. Anything you want to know?"

"Sure."

She's not aware of the can of worms that she's about to open.

"What was this M-Day you talked about?"

Well, she might get a clue by his reaction. His expression dropped, he folded his arms, and he turned away from her slightly.

"It's the day when everything went to hell." In some cases, literally.

"Long story short, the world woke up one morning, and over 90% of all mutants discovered that they weren't mutants anymore." And she can guess what happened to the rest.

"Uh huh."

She furrowed her eyebrows, clearly at a loss as to what to say.

"Well, that sucks."

Where had her tact gone? ~~It had probably rubbed off in all the pod-snot.~~

"Yes," he stated through gritted teeth, "it sucks."

"Well, you'd be angry with me if I sat here and held your hand and told you it was all going to be okay. You can admit that much, Julian."

"Of I'd be pissed!" Though he's about halfway there already. "I don't need to be coddled, and you'd have to be a complete idiot if you think that anything will ever be okay."

"As I thought," Sooraya said quietly. "I suppose I'll leave you to whatever brought you here in the first place, then, Julian."

She stood up and started walking in the general direction of the crew areas.

He watched her walk away for a moment, then finally let out a long breath. He hadn't meant to snap at her, but he was barely holding it together and the cracks had long since started to show.

"Look, it's been a long year for me, all right?"

"I'm sure it has."

She kept walking, but turned around just long enough to say:

"You're not the only one who's suffered, Julian. Remember that."

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telekinetic_badass - 2010-02-16 19:04 (UTC) - Expand

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