[Luceti] 1st Shuffle [Accidental voice/video]

[cajunspice]

[The sound of paper rippled violently in the air was combined with the hollow thuds of something light and small impacting against wood, the image on the camera violently being thrown around at random angles before it landed facing upwards towards the sky. Strands of grass loomed over the view of a tall tree, the camera looking upwards into its branches, as the sound of a voice was close by. A very annoyed and pained voice.

Quickly following behind the journal was the sound of something much larger and heavily falling from the tree branches, hitting quite a few as it dropped. This was the source of the voice, which was now letting out a constant string of curse words in French and grunts of pain. The figure managed to grab hold of one or two limbs during its decent, but was unable to stop the fall, as it finally landed heavily next to the open journal.

At first there was no movement from the person, the only motion visible from that of wind’s moment of the plant life. A groan and the appearance of an arm that partially covered the camera proved the man was still alive, along with a mumble.]

“Merde… Remy, no more drinkin’.”

----

[Having been walking for awhile since his sudden decent into Luceti, the forest was clearing to reveal the town which... god, he was stuck in another hick town. And he thought Bayville was bad. He may as well try the bar Rogue talked about, maybe be able to scam a drink or two out of someone since he had no money on him. The trek through town was interesting, it gave him a starting picture of what the the area looked like. Remy hadn't even begun to figure out what he was going to do when night came, without a place to sleep or money to support himself. He would wing it, see what happened, as normal.]

[Avoiding to elude too much attention from others, or get into a conversation with someone he didn't know, Remy eventually sauntered his way up into the bar, pushing that half hour limit Rogue had originally given him. He was looking a little worse for wear but not showing that it bothered him. He would need to grab something to clean up the scratches, didn't want anything getting infected. Ha! The last thing he needed. Abducted by alien mad scientists. Losing a chunk of memory. And in the middle of who the hell knows where with no one he trusted. Great times.]

Comments

[cajunspice]

[Any comment regarding the ale was cut short as Rogue brought up the situation. Dropping his face into his hands, Remy vigorously rubbed his palms against his face and sighed.] Rather just get drunk 'nd let future me worry 'bout it. [But that wasn't a smart move.]

Ok, give me the basics, worry 'bout rest later. Got aliens, half-assed powers, prisoners of this place. What else?

[touchofrogue]

The basics are kinda complicated. [Rogue brought up one hand to her forehead and massaged her temple for a moment, before asking the barkeeper to add some whiskey to her Pepsi. She might as well have a little comfort for telling these stories, even if it was only Southern Comfort.]

The world's some kind of sinkhole. It pulls people from all kindsa worlds and all kind of places. Some of them will be from worlds that leaked into ours in things like comic books an' TV shows and I wouldn't mention it to them -- they get sensitive.

[That's a rabbit trail, but it's too late now. Where was she going with this again? She is so terrible at explaining this place.]

[cajunspice]

So the whole parallel universes merde be true? [Yup, he needs a drink for this. Raising a hand to motion to the bartender.] Double bourbon 'nd coke.

'nd for some reason, we all get wings out of this. [Remy glanced back at his own as he said this, eyeing them with contempt before taking a curious glance at her own back.]

[touchofrogue]

Yeah. [To both questions.] You'd best watch 'em. They'll be sore for a couple of days, but you don't wanna get them injured. [She gave an imperceptible shudder.] Trust me on that one.

[cajunspice]

Pretty sure don't want to get any part of me injured. [Remy shot a grin in her direction as he moved to rest his chin in one hand, his elbow now propped up on the bar top.]

Ok. So... we're here to be, what? Observed? ...experimented on? [He made a face at the last comment, really hoping it wasn't true.]

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue tugged a little on the fine gold chain around her neck. The large emerald pendant that hung from it was currently tucked inside her shirt, but talking about experimentation made her want the physical comfort of holding it. She tugged it out of her relatively (for her) modest neckline and rolled it between her fingers.]

That's why they keep us in the enclosures. There are a whole bunch of them. Just about everyone with this world with small wings was yanked in here at one point or another; big wings mean they were born here. There's a whole story there too but for now -- experiments. The official story is that they're tryin' to master the 'Shifts' that brought us here, but I think they're just sick in the head. Don't worry, though - they're not usually the kind that put you on the lab table. It's been things like... thought bubbles, or love experiments, or... makin' us think we're someone else.

[It wasn't exactly comforting, but she knew what mutants thought of when they heard experimentation. She thought it was important that he knew it wasn't usually like that. Not unless the Rogue Malnosso got you.]

[cajunspice]

Donno if that be better or worst, chere. [Love experiments? Altering how someone thought? Those were far scarier than having a limb hacked off or chunks taken out of a body. Sure, the idea of anything happening to mean Remy couldn't do his job or use his powers was something he did not want to think about, but to be forced to be some he wasn't or be with someone he didn't want to be stuck with was worse.]

[He switch topics, deciding to move on.] And these? [He held up the journal that had fallen to earth with him.]

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue shrugged. It was what it was.]

They're gifts from the Malnosso. They go back for as long as the enclosure has been here. We can use 'em to talk, but they're public channels. If you wanna single in on someone, you have to make a filter. I bet you'll get the basics pretty soon.

[cajunspice]

So it like a cellphone or broadcastin' device? [Whatever it was, it was great technology! Wait. Public? Ah merde...]

Ah cherie, I didn't mean to call ya out for others to hear. [Well, he just felt like crap now. He had no problem doing it one on one to her, but not for others to pick up and see.]

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue let the emerald pendent she had been messing with drop back down to her chest, but didn't bother tucking it back in. Her gaze sharpened on him when he - sort of - apologized. And oddly enough, she believed him.

Huh.]

I don't like my private business bein' spread out for everyone to see. [She sighed a little.] But seein' as it's not like you knew what you were doin', I think I can let this one go.

[She glanced away from him, straight ahead.] Sometimes the circumstances make a difference. An' that was a long time ago for me.

[And of course, she's only talking about him blurting that out over a public broadcast.]

[cajunspice]

[Still, no one liked their darkest thoughts and past moments aired for all to see, he knows he wouldn't.] Will have to owe ya a drink, or two, to make up for it, once I get on my feet 'nd get a few dollar to my name here.

[touchofrogue]

[The worst of it would be explaining it to Loki, she thought, and she knew him. She knew she'd have to. Rogue took another sip of her drink and then shook her head a little. What was done was done.

She gave Gambit a sidelong look.]

You might wanna get a shirt an' a proper set of pants first.

[cajunspice]

[Glancing down at himself, Remy shrugged off the comment as he picked up the drink that had arrived for him, taking a large mouthful and feeling a kick of the alcohol against his tongue before speaking.

Ya the second person so far to criticize my fashion. For all ya know, I could be goin' for a whole new look.

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue allowed her gaze to follow his, flickering over his chest.]

It'd be a cold one. [She observed and then took a small sip of her whiskey and soda.] And you wouldn't stand out for long. That's standard gear for male New Feathers.

[She slipped one hand in her pocket.] Chances are, some of your clothes an' things might follow you. You'd best check the clothin' shop for your coat after this, an' the smithy might have your bo. In the meantime...

[She withdrew the deck of cards she lifted from her shop on the way here and set the pack down on the bar between them. True, everything Gambit touched would turn into a weapon, but she thought he might feel better on his own here with the kind he was most familiar. Like havin' 52 explosives tucked into one little pocket. And since it seemed he was being reasonable, she was going to give him this in good faith. She didn't think he'd be trying to blow up her hand again any time soon. He was smart enough to know what being in an 'enclosure' meant.

She let the cards speak for themselves and took another sip of her drink.]

[cajunspice]

[He could get his gear back? Oh thank Dieu above! That was one less thing to worry about, along with his weaponry. True, he could use any bo-staff or stave, but he preferred his, had all sorts of secrets in it.]

[Shrugging off the cold comment, Remy's vision instantly flicked to her hands as she pulled out the cards, a smile spreading across his face as they came into view.] Ah chere! A femme after my own heart, ya know what a homme likes to see.

[Taking the offered cards, Remy quickly slipped them out of their packaging and let them ripples between his hands, getting the feel of their weight and texture back to his fingers. Flipping them over, he began his traditional routine, seeking out the Queen of Hearts and Ace of Spades to sit at the bottom of the deck.]

Merci. [Things suddenly didn't feel as bad in this world. He had his cards, his gear would show up at some point, he had others to confirm he wasn't totally insane or imagining this all. It wasn't great, but the dial had been turned up a bit more to a more optimistic outcome.]

[touchofrogue]

[There was something about seeing one of Gambit's real smiles that... hurt, because she had memories attached to that smile that he didn't, and even knowing that, her instinctive response was the same: a rare reciprocating smile, soft and brief.]

De rein. [She forced the syllables out; as always, speaking in another language felt awkward, and she could feel the translation Shift try to pull at it. The fact that it was supposed to be in another language seemed like it was what pushed it through. She wondered if he felt that, or if the translation Shift just made accommodations for the way people normally spoke.]

While you're sortin' those, pass me your journal. There's somethin' in there I should show you.

[cajunspice]

[If it was to be pointed out to him, Remy supposed he would pick up the extra strain talking French caused, but since it was part of his normal vocabulary, he didn't really notice. Unless he was to fall into full fluent French, then no doubt he would find it a strain.]

Doesn't take long. [He added a mock scolding to his voice, as if to tell her off for doubting his skill with cards. Switching the full deck to one hand and shuffling then between his fingers, he passed over the journal to Rogue. Picking up his glass again and returning to his drink, he watched her use of the book while still absentmindedly playing the the deck. It was completely normal for him and had a tendency to keep him occupied and from getting too fidgety.]

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue raised an eyebrow in silent comment and then gave her attention to the book. It took her a while to find it. She didn't usually get to this stage of greeting New Feathers and it had been a long time since she'd read it...]

Here. [She slid the opened journal over to him.] Some light readin' for ya.

[cajunspice]

Ah, merde, didn't say there would be homework. [Taking the journal back, Remy quickly ran his gaze over the entry, looking for anything interesting to grab his attention. If not, he would read it later.]

[He made a face as he got to the power limitations. This would be annoying, not that he was planning on being in a fight anytime soon, but still a pain in the butt. As if to test the theory, Remy flicked the first card in the deck between his fingers, lighting it up with a normally powered charge that he would use to make it explode. While it glowed like normal, the level of light and heat coming off it was not what he was use to.]

[Pulling the charge back into him and returning the un-exploded card back to the deck, Remy tilted the glass back he was drinking from, finishing it in one long swallow.] Great, just great.

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue gave him a sidelong glance. She supposed, for some people, the power limit was a pain. For her, it had kept her from going crazy for... at least a little while. She probably would have gone crazy a lot sooner, all things considered.]

It gets better.

[Or worse. But she decided to go for humor.]

Did ya get to the part where everything's free?

[cajunspice]

[Hey, he was worrying about his own powers, Remy hadn't given a thought to how it would affect the other mutants here. It would sink in with time, but for now, he was more focused on how a watered-down form of charging was going to alter life for him. Hell, he used it daily, even if it was only lighting a cigarette.] Sure. [More like you got use to it, adapted to it.]

[With the switch of topics Remy returned his eyes to the journal, seeking out what Rogue just brought up.]

Huh, well, makes gettin' on my feet easier. [He shot her a glance and clicked his tongue in a 'tsk tsk' sound.] 'nd here I thought ya were actually buyin' me a drink.

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue smirked and shrugged a little.] I'd hate to disappoint ya. But circumstances bein' what they are...

[cajunspice]

That they be.

[Flipping the deck back together in his hand, Remy placed them upon the bar top.]

How long before it all sunk in for ya?

[touchofrogue]

[Rogue shrugged. It was kind of funny that he asked her that; he was one of the few people she wouldn't have to explain this answer to and it made it so she didn't mind telling him.]

I fell half-naked on a half-naked man. [She gave Gambit a wry smirk.] You can bet it sunk in pretty quickly.

[cajunspice]

[Remy's eyebrows shot up at that, biting down on the inside of his lip to keep himself from saying something stupid. Keep quiet boy, no matter how tempting it was to make the joke. But, god! He wanted to say it. No. No! Don't isolate yourself away from one of the few people in this world that won't be outright hostile to you because you want to be a smart ass, otherwise you'll be stuck with only Scarletwitch.]

[Clearing his throat, he offered Rogue a half smile, falling back behind his typical mask to make sure he kept his mouth closed.]

Is that so?