❝ spread the word around, guess who's back in town. ❞

[arethebettermen]

Who: arethebettermen, softenedbyme, teddyalt_man, ovrsizdtinkrbll, glovestodiefor and infinitefool
What: Charles is bringing the high school class together to meet and discuss the possibility of creating a team. Possibly known as the Aliunde-Men (A-Men) or X-Kids. Names are pending here.
Where: Aliunde School
When: 6/23 Day
Rating: PG-13 maybe?

Comments

[glovestodiefor]

Rogue had the inkling of an idea why Professor Xavier wanted them to meet up that afternoon, but she kept her thoughts to herself, showing up on time and listening to what he had to say. She was glad he had decided to try and start up a new X-men team - this Xavier seemed sad, despite all her previous attempts to cheer him up. But if he was anything like the older Professor she knew, he'd be much happier with a project like training the X-men to focus his time and energy into. Rogue's powers hadn't returned to her yet, but she wouldn't hesitate to join the team. Until then she would keep out of everyone's way.

Once Xavier was done talking, Rogue looked at the rest of the people in the gym with her. She only recognized Teddy and Mystique (and boy, that was still really weird, seeing a young and possibly not evil Mystique), and she shyly stuck to the edge of the group. She was still pretty new in Aliunde, and everyone here already seemed like they knew each other.

[arethebettermen]

The attempts helped more than he let show. Charles was lost in many fronts of his life. There was no way to reconcile the bond between him and Raven, simply because for her, it wasn't broken. Erik had never made an appearance in the city, so he was incapable of finding a way to come to terms with what Erik had done. Every time he walked, it reminded him of what happened in Cuba. Post-traumatic stress didn't simply go away after time. It generally required therapy, or at least entrusting the information to someone. The only person he had ever told had left Aliunde. It was little wonder he was hesitant to tell anyone else.

Charles looked over to Rogue and then gestured to the others. She should be involved with them. It was part of being a team.

[glovestodiefor]

Rogue knew what it was like being part of a team. She already had one. And these people, nice as they seemed, were not her team. Especially Mystique. She felt bad about feeling that way - this Mystique was younger and polite enough, and Professor X seemed to trust her, but there was still that lingering worry gnawing away in the corner of her mind that she couldn't ignore.

She couldn't exactly bring it up with Xavier, though, and she seriously hoped he wasn't reading her mind right now. Trying to cover up her previous thoughts, she quietly went over to speak with him. "Professor. Since my mutation is...gone for the time being, there's not really much I can do til it comes back." Which he obviously already knows, Rogue realizes after she says it. Not exactly her best diversionary tactics, but it would have to do.

[arethebettermen]

The worry that was in Rogue's mind was certainly something he was aware of. He didn't question it nor prod farther into her mind to find out what it was. Charles had a hope that whatever was causing the worry could be sorted out between Rogue and Raven. They'd have to work together in order to get this done. Bygones be bygones and such. However, he knew he would have a rocky way of working with Erik if he were to ever arrive in Aliunde. The trust was broken between the two.

"I understand." He nodded. "Perhaps you can help me with some ideas on training exercises then?" She wasn't getting out of being part of the team if he could help it. She was a mutant, and they needed to stick together.

[glovestodiefor]

And thank goodness for that, because Rogue didn't really want to explain to a young Professor X that his holy-crap-I-never-knew-they-were-related-sister teams up with Magneto (who Rogue wasn't even sure Xavier had met yet) and tries to kill all the humans in the future. That sounds like the least fun conversation they could ever really have.

"Sure, I'd like that." She nodded back, smiling. She could always use the training regiments they had back home if it came down to that. "What kind of equipment do we have to work with?"

[arethebettermen]

Most likely that conversation would come up eventually. For now, however, Charles would remain blissfully unaware of what events could befall him due to the choices that they all made that day. He was more content with knowing that the school took off and actually worked than anyone would know.

"Good. I've no idea what most of you are used to." Not to mention what exactly he could do to help some of them with their powers. "For now we have anything that is within the school. Funds are rather limited in the city." Which meant he simply didn't have his fortune to spend like he did back home.

[glovestodiefor]

He was going to have to pry the explanation from her mind - she swears she's not telling him a thing. She'd hate if it ended up being her fault that Xavier and his sister's relationship became strained.

"Lots a teamwork exercises. I only got to join in on actual X-men training somewhat recently, but you and the other teachers also helped students actually use or control their powers if they didn't know how." Equipment was another matter, however. She doubted they could get anything as good as the Danger Room set up here, but she bet if they tried hard enough they could at least put together some sort of basic obstacle course.

[arethebettermen]

There would be surprise on his face if Rogue had not seen how strained the relationship was between him and Raven now. Admittedly, most of that was due to the fact that they came from different times. Raven hadn't experienced the events that Charles had. Where as Charles knew what she would chose and kept waiting for the moment when Raven would make the choice in Aliunde. It was a constant back and forth between the two because he refused to tell her what happened.

"Other teachers." He mused. He supposed that the first generation of 'X-Men' (therefore being who he knew: Alex, Sean and Hank) would help the younger generations. It led him to wonder how large this team became and the carrying ages in it. "Was there any sort of training you received personally, Rogue? For your own mutation."

[glovestodiefor]

Okay fine, she didn't want to make their relationship even more strained. Straw that broke the camel's back and all that. Best not to get involved in family business. Even though Mystique's her mom. /brick'd

"Yeah, like the people I mentioned before, Cyclops and Storm and the others." But Charles had said he didn't recognize any of the names, which was disappointing. They must've come in after his time. "Oh, um. It's kind of hard to do practical training with me, because I don't want to hurt anyone, you know?"

[arethebettermen]

Rogue wouldn't be the one to do that. Even then, he wouldn't force the two to interact if it was obvious they wouldn't work together. Not in this universe.

He assumed they were the students to come after Alex, Sean and Hank. What happened to those three seemed to be a mystery. He had his doubts that Rogue would recognize their names or codenames. "That is more than understandable. So yours was more building your own strength up, I assume."

[glovestodiefor]

She has heard of Hank! Does that count? Though she probably wouldn't be able to recall him by his first name alone. "Lots of strength and agility exercises, and problem-solving, that sort of thing. I tend to, er, freeze up at the wrong moments?" They'd been working on that back home, so no reason not to keep working on it here.