009 [ Voice ]

[hellionated]

[ So Julian's been gone somewhere close to a week. He finds that out from a newspaper stand. For him it's been a hell of a lot longer than a week, and his head is spinning now. Memories he hadn't known were there are rising to the surface, fitting back into place. Friends, enemies, people from other worlds. Events he'd thought he'd never forget. Skrulls, Vulcanus.

God, this is weird.

And last time he'd been here, he hadn't looked like this.

He's walking through the City, metal hands concealed in his pockets. Every part of this is a mess. His powers are holding the phone to his ear, and there's no video.

He sounds like he's bored. ]

This place has good timing. I was almost in math class.

So I'm back. You can all stop missing me now. Since nothing's in pieces I'm gonna guess no one tried to destroy the place this week. Did I miss anything worth telling?

Comments

Video

[hellionated]

[ His jaw sets and he sends a quick frown up at the camera.

People are gonna see some time. And odds are they'll react like this because people are nice that way. He still can't really deal with that. He'd rather not deal with their reactions at all.

Hence why no one else is getting video. ]

It's done. If you know that, you know the rest? You know about Hope? [ You know that you die? ]

Video

[themisfit]

I know that Hope is on Utopia, unless she has since moved. I do not know anything else concerning her.

Video

[hellionated]

[ So we'll just avoid that subject completely. ]

And she's still there, right under Cyclops' thumb. Same as always.

I can't tell you anything Beast and Marvel Girl don't already know.

Video

[themisfit]

Mm.

I know. Thank you all the same, Julian.

Video

[hellionated]

Would you want to know detail?

Video

[themisfit]

I hesitate, in some areas, but I do wish to know that those I care for are well, or that they possess the means to be.

Video

[hellionated]

They are. Miss Pryde’s Headmistress now. [ Kurt would care about that, right? Probably. ]

Video

[themisfit]

[ Beat, because, yes, he does care about that. ]

Katzchen... Sehr gut. And she is well, now?

Video

[hellionated]

Yeah. Well, now she is. She had that whole, pregnant by Brood thing, but it's done now.

Video

[themisfit]

... I beg your pardon?

Video

[hellionated]

No, it's cool, they're gone now.

Video

[themisfit]

I feel as though they are the sorts of things that are never truly gone.

Video

[hellionated]

The ones with the biggest axes are. [ He shrugs, though. ] But they let Broo hang around. He's both a Brood and the main reason any of them came to the school is cause they were after him. But apparently they don't care about that.

Video

[themisfit]

Not knowing who that is, I cannot say much on the matter.

I'm glad Kitty is okay.

Video

[hellionated]

Last I heard she was.

Video

[themisfit]

Good to know. The piece of good new is comforting.

Do you require anything in readjusting to the City?

Video

[hellionated]

I don't need any help, I'm covered.

[ He has no idea what he's doing and he doesn't want anyone to see him and he doesn't want anyone to know anything is different from how it was before.

This isn't gonna work out at all. No part of it is.

Whatever. ]


...How much longer till we graduate?

Video

[themisfit]

About a month, now. Congratulations.

Video

[hellionated]

I'll go home and be back in uniform anyway, it's all fake. But it'll do.

Video

[themisfit]

A lie to some, a respite to others... It is what you make it, Julian.

I will see you at school.

Video

[hellionated]

I'll be there.

Thanks, Mr Wagner.