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

The Great Outdoors

[morphogenia]

Kamala's life is pretty consistent here. She has a home to maintain with many adorable pets. She's still hard at work on her holiday project to make sure all her friends have gifts. It's on her way back home from one of these tasks where she spots Kurt. There is a blue man with a tail. She's trying not to get her hopes up. He is supposed to be dead, after all!

Sure enough once he gets closer it becomes impossible to deny that is in fact a member of the X-Men, dead or not. She responds the only way she knows how: running and screaming with a look of pure delight on her face. "Oh my God! It's really you! Hi! I'm such a huge fan!"

[praypal]

Kurt looks surprised, not only to be recognized but to be recognized so... positively. That... is not something he's particularly used to. At least not until someone's life is in danger and he's about to teleport them out, and their anti-mutant bias is suddenly a lot less important than staying alive.

But it's not as if the X-Men are completely without fans- though he is surprised to find one in this particular corner of the multiverse, if only because he hasn't met anyone else who recognizes him.

"Ah- thank you," he says, letting a cheerful smile replace the confusion for now. The girl seems friendly and he sees no reason not to act otherwise in return. "It's always nice to meet a fan. It certainly beats meeting the opposite."

[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]

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.

[morphogenia]

It really is. Kamala's enthusiasm does dull a little at the reminder. She knows he's supposed to be dead which isn't fun to remember even if the X-Men have a habit of coming back to life. "You shouldn't be! You make a big impression which is why I'm super glad you're alive." She pauses as she tries to work out if that's rude or not. No, she thinks that's cool. "Believe it or not, the X-Men have a ton of fans. I'm one of them. Obviously. Seriously it's such an honor to be talking to you!"

[praypal]

"I've noticed we do have some. I've had people critique my 'costume' at a Dazzler show, so I know there are even cosplayers." His makeup, they said, was spot on, but he was really phoning it in on the clothes. Which wouldn't have been so bad if Northstar hadn't laughed and agreed with them.

"The X-Men just don't seem to be so much of a household name in this part of the multiverse. Is it wrong to find a little relief in saying that?" It presents an entirely new set of problems but it at least rules out several very nasty potential likely suspects.

[morphogenia]

Kamala doesn't bother to hide her disgust. "Yeah some cosplayers are totally elitist. Consider this a sorry from all the sane-ish fans." She shifts gears because she gets it. Kamala loves the X-Men. She thinks they're great. You'd have to be blind to ignore all the awful things done to them. "It's cool, I think. You guys have to go through so much. That might make a great a story, but that must be hard on you guys. You deserve a break."

[praypal]

"You're my new favorite person here, miss-" he stops, and goes over their brief exchange so far in his head. It's clear he's not used to staying around much after being recognized. "I'm sorry, you have me at a bit of an advantage. I've no name to offer in return, since you likely know both of mine." It's not like he can keep his identity a secret, as distinctive as he looks.

[morphogenia]

Kamala goes red for multiple reasons. One, he called her that. Two, she forget the most basic thing ever. "Oh! Sorry, I'm used to just being an anonymous fan. I never get to this part!" She laughs because it is kind of a silly thing to forget to give your name even if her reasons were valid. "My name is Kamala Khan."