It's Not the Waking It's the Rising

[praypal]

WHO: Kurt Wagner, You!
WHERE: Fountain (Open to 1), Inn, Various Outdoor Locations
WHEN: Nov. 27 - Dec 4
OPEN TO: OTA, Arrival Locked to 1
WARNINGS: None yet.

---

Arrival

Yellow eyes open in the dark. It's cold. And he's weightless- wait, no, he's in water. Did he teleport in his sleep? No, that hasn't happened since he was a teenager. He struggles for a few precious seconds to locate the light, and bamfs-

Or not. His movements feel clumsier too, though that might be the oxygen deprivation. It takes him several more seconds to truly register the full extent of his situation as he struggles to the surface- he can't even cling to the stone walls of the well! This is strange.

He gasps loudly as he breaks the surface, groping one arm over the ledge of the fountain and spitting out a mouthful of water. "Scheisse," he coughs as he begins to haul himself over the ledge- and noticing just how much harder it is than it should be to do so. The laws of gravity are not meant to be so restrictive where he is concerned, and he feels downright clumsy. This isn't right.

Also, it is definitely not Central Park.

Inn

Dressed in the dry set of light grey scrubs he'd found in his pack, Kurt has made his way to the social center of the village, even if he's not feeling too much like his usual social self. But there's hot food and, most importantly a roaring fire that he's gotten himself as close to as one can without risking burning off one's fuzz off.

He's got a bowl of something hot that someone was kind enough to spare, and it reminds him enough of the big pots of stew or curry that they'd leave bubbling in big pots around the clock when the circus was performing that it's bringing him some modicum of comfort.

The Great Outdoors

This feeling of unbalance, this simply will not do. If he is to function here as anyone else, he has to get used to life without the superhuman agility he's been used to since his very first steps. So he's found somewhere nice and empty aside from a few felled trees, and clad in sadly very drab scrubs, he's doing what he would with any other setback-

Pushing past it, and with style.

Even with the loss of his powers, he still has his tail. That lends him more balance than most would have, and he's making the most of it as he makes running leap after running leap, pushing himself into handsprings, backflips, using the tree trunks as balance beams.

And, every so often, falling on his fuzzy blue butt. Or face.

The muscle memory of years in the circus and cross-time swashbuckling is still there, it just feels hindered. He can work with hindered. Hindered just means it's harder, not that it can't be done. The effort of having to work these muscles and his spacial awareness this hard means- well, he's not as aware of the rest of his surroundings than he might be.

He does not realize he's being watched until he stops to perch on a sufficiently stable rock to catch his breath.

Comments

[praypal]

"We've met a few times, and you- she- was helping one of my students learn to control some of her abilities, the last time I spoke with her. I don't know her closely, but she's a lovely woman who's accomplished quite a lot," he says, because first meetings are not the time to bring up some of the more... complicated issues that come with her other self's past.

"Billy and Tommy- I believe your other self has mentioned them, but I've never had the pleasure, actually. I suppose it's only a matter of time, with as few people as there seem to be around here."

[minus1twin]

"I see."

Wanda's expression softened into a warm smile. "They're good kids." It was a little complicated but Wanda didn't really mind. She had a family, even if it was by proxy of another universe. It was a comfort in a strange way. Wanda had never considered becoming a mother before now.

"Well," She looked up at Kurt, her light green eyes reflecting the firelight. "I hope we can be friends. There aren't powers here but we help each other." She'd learned to hunt and prep meat for that purpose.

[morphogenia]

She stops just short of Kurt. It takes all her restraint not to hug him or beg for an autograph or something. Kamala folds her hands in front of her and continues to gush. "I bet! I promise everyone is super cool here about being different. No angry robots are coming after us or you since you know. X-Men." Good cover, Kamala. So smooth. She's honestly too hyped to notice how lame that was. "How are you? Can I do anything to help? Did I mention I totally love you guys?" She's going to calm down eventually, but for now? The biggest stars in her eyes.

[praypal]

"I am sometimes also called Nightcrawler," he adds, assuming The Iron Bull is some sort of codename- it looks like it would be an apt one. "And ja, mostly? A man named Zevran pulled me out of the water when I arrived."

[praypal]

"Well, the things I am used to are not things I can teach- normally, I can teleport myself and others about and cling to walls. But I could teach acrobatics, ja. Once I am more used to having to hold so tightly on to things- and not being quite as balanced as usual. That's why I am out here- to retrain myself."

[praypal]

"Sounds exciting," says Kurt, without a trace of irony. It genuinely does sound exciting to him.

He is wobbly as he stands and begins to sort through the dry clothes with tri-digit hands, fumbling a bit with the buckles on the pack. "I apologize for my clumsiness. I am not drunk, just far less agile than I am used to being. There is something dampening my usual abilities."

[praypal]

Kurt grins. "Well, I would be a fool to turn down such an offer of friendship, wouldn't I? And you can count on me to provide as much help as I can," he assures her. "I have to say, this has been one of my more pleasant trips outside of my home reality, outside of the loss of my powers. Not a single person has tried to kill me, and the lack of anti-mutant bigotry is refreshing."

[praypal]

The shortage of paper and lack of colorful Sharpies really is a shortcoming in this village.

"I am alive, and mostly whole. That is more than I could say for myself even a year ago, so I'm taking it as a 'win.'" he tells her. "I am surprised to meet someone who recognizes me." Even a woman he's used to being recognized by had no knowledge of him. He's not going to pretend that doesn't bruise his ego.

[praypal]

Kurt gasps a little at the name.

"The lawyer from Hell's Kitchen?" And probably Daredevil. It's not like the X-Men team up with him terribly often, unless the Hand is trying to drag Wolverine into something. Or occasionally Psylocke. Kurt's always been a little unsure, but he's reasonably sure he's heard Logan name-drop him as "Matty." And there was that I'm Not Daredevil business.

"You'll have to pardon my surprise. I am used to you being ginger. And on the news, not sitting beside me by a fireplace."

[ombranera]

"You smell less of wine and more of wet fur." But not dog, he'll note. Wet dog has a sour tinge to it this is- much like skin, much like hair. Nothing overtly offensive. He offers an arm, his shoulders to the newcomer, head cocked to one side. "That seems to be a common theme among those that wake here."

[to_defend]

Teleportation? That definitely sounds like something she is not capable of. Acrobatics, though, she thinks she'd do alright.

"So, normally you're able to just ... appear places and stick to things?"

[blindninja]

His back straightens instinctively and somehow his smile seems on the warmer side of brave.

"Yeah. Nelson and Murdock." And Page. It's still a work in progress. He's not wearing that red sweater that states definitively that he isn't Daredevil, but you know, Christmas is coming around soon, maybe there's time yet.

Ginger throws Matt off though. And being in the news? For what?

"...why would I be ginger or on the news?"

[praypal]

"You've had some high-profile cases. The other you, I mean. Assuming this is another case of dimensional doubles. Someone much smarter than I once explained alternate realities being the result of different outcomes of the same situations. I suppose one of those situations was whether or not you were born with red hair. It is a mutation, technically, I think." Just one that means other-Matt needs to worry more about sunblock than genetically-based bigotry.

"And he's taken some cases for friends of mine. Actually, I think he helped with my legal papers after I returned from the dead, come to think of it. Or perhaps his partner. I'm reasonably sure some of the forms I signed had his- your- law firm's name somewhere. It was almost as much red tape as getting my citizenship. You'd think they'd simplify the process given how common an occurrence it is starting to be for people in my line of work."

[praypal]

He holds on to the offered arm for balance, though the longer he's on his feet, the more he feels his tail making up for some of his wobbliness.

"Just how far is this warm Inn you mentioned? I admit I'm not used to long walks on a good day. Teleportation can make you a bit lazy that way."

[blindninja]

Well, here he is talking about 'the other Matt' like it's an everyday occurrence to... what, discuss 'alternate realities' and redheaded doppelgangers? If he hadn't come out of a fountain a bit over a month ago Matt would be asking if Kurt had left his tinfoil hat at home.

As it is, anything is possible, and Matt's trying to keep an open mind.

"Oh." Yeah, Matt's familiar with the idea of coming back from the dead. It hadn't been pleasant and it's not an experience he would like to repeat any time soon. Thankfully his didn't involve quite as much paperwork.

"So you know another version of me." Forgive him. He's usually not this slow. "And he's... somehow also ended up blind and becoming a lawyer?" Doesn't sound like a very different outcome to Matt. Actually it sounds pretty shitty, like the universe has it out for him.

"I suppose that part is God's will. Or something."

[praypal]

"Ja. And I have always thought so about my own life. I'm sure you felt a difference between my hand and most other people's when I touched you. I am not wearing velvet gloves, it is indeed fur. Blue fur, at that. Along with some other very unique features- which also come with very unique gifts," he shares, openly and without hesitation. It doesn't feel right for everyone else to be immediately in on something about Kurt that Matt has no real way of knowing.

"Being born looking the way I do has lead to challenges, but I am a better man for them, I believe." He knows, actually- he saw what his Age of Apocolypse self was like, as well as so many other Kurts during his Cross Time Caper days.

[ataashihunter]

"Nightcrawler? You a thief or spy or something with that name? And I know Zevran, he is from the same world as me."

[praypal]

"No, a superhero. But I am normally capable of blending in to the shadows, and my night vision is a bit better than most thanks to the glowing eyes thing. I am never truly in total darkness unless I wish to be." Which is a very optimistic way of looking at the fact that his eyes do in produce bio-luminescence, which a very large percentage of people see as creepy as fuck if not some genuine sign of demonic heritage.

[ataashihunter]

Bull raises an eyebrow at that. "I get what a hero of stories and stuff is, or even the title hero of Ferelden but what is a superhero? Do they all have special names?"

[praypal]

"Mostly, ja. Those who have the luxury do it mostly to keep their identity hidden from public. It is often a thing that places one at odds with the law, and earns you powerful enemies. I can't exactly hide beyond disguising myself in public. I just think it sounds more memorable. And perhaps a mercy to the enemies I best. It sounds much less humiliating to be defeated by the astonishing Nightcrawler than 'Kurt Wagner.'"

He smiles and shrugs after that last bit.

[blindninja]

Blue fur. Matt blinks a few times, clearly perplexed. It's been a long time since he had seen blue, but there was no mistaking that slightly leathery feel and the soft bristle when Kurt touched his hand.

"Are people afraid of you? Or do they just stare? I suppose they're not mutually exclusive."

[praypal]

"Often, yes. Fear, and often knee-jerk anti-mutant hatred. And thanks to a very... ah, interesting life, there is no shortage of footage of me in some sort of life-or-death battle that can be creatively edited to provide a very threatening face to put to the phrase Mutant Menace. I suppose that is the only part that truly bothers me. I can dodge some rocks and torch-bearing mobs easily enough, but not all mutants are so lucky," and he means that mob part both literally and figuratively.

"It's not exactly good for the ego when your image is used to make people afraid of others, but in the end, it's still making people afraid. It's very easy for some to justify hating a child when you can associate him with a man who looks like some sort of blue demon."

[praypal]

"That is right," Kurt answers. "And I blend into shadows, normally. I suppose I still do a little, but no more than anyone else with my coloring would."

He's scared the crap out of so many students sneaking out after curfew.

[minus1twin]

"Does this happen to you a lot?"

Wanda smiled at him, her eyebrows arcing in a curious expression. She hadn't had a lot of experience jumping between worlds or times. This was technically her first though she'd met enough people from alternate universes for it to be familiar to her.

She couldn't imagine doing it all the time.

"And I think you look nice." He looked different but Kurt was still handsome and he had a good smile.

[blindninja]

They're not really terms that Matt is familiar with - mutants and mutant menace? - but it makes his eyebrows rise and his face melds into a more pensive expression. There are parallels he can draw to 'gifted people' and sentiments against them that have steadily gained traction since the Incident, people like Jessica Jones who cop the flak for things they weren't involved in and never asked for.

"People don't accept you, where you're from?" Matt's not sure if the vast majority of people simply don't care and there's the 1%ers out to get them, or if discrimination is systemic and widespread.