open » you don't need them to believe in you

[theycalledmeacurse]

» WHO? rogue + ota
» WHEN? last week of june
» WHERE? fitness area, chapel, hallways, others
» WHAT? testing her new inhibitor bracelet, cleaning the chapel
» WARNINGS? scars and talk of how she got them through imprisonment and torture during a genocidal war, talk of character death



hands up if you're ready for a fight // i don't need you to believe in me ( o p e n » mess hall )

[ The gloves on her bed had been a surprise, the thin fabric the same color as her faded green jumpsuit, but she hadn't hesitated to snatch them up and slip them on, the familiar feeling of fabric encasing her skin more of a comfort than anything else has been on the station. She hasn't had gloves for almost two months and she's missed them, the terror of accidentally touching and hurting someone ever present without those small safeguards. She's been careful, of course, but her life has always been plagued with those horrible accidents.

But things will be different now. Her vision has been returning since that other 'accident' that had led to her death and subsequent resurrection, only a peripheral blur still giving her trouble, and so she walks confidently to the mess hall, marching right up to one of the fabricators for her high caloric breakfast, and—

There's a bracelet hanging there, innocent-looking and completely still, not having been set there recently but seemingly ignored by anyone else who must have been by recently. Picking it up with a hesitant motion, there's a spark of hope deep inside Rogue as she examines the innocuous object. A small silver surface, a typical cuff bracelet style, small circles of inlaid metal along the inside of the bracelet. And through the center, only noticeable when looking closely, a thin line along the band.

It couldn't be, but it was. An inhibitor bracelet perfectly matching the design Hank had been working on for her before the war. He'd never finished it, they'd barely been able to test it, but she'd thought of it so often over the years that there's no mistaking it.

Within moments she's sitting at one of the tables, tray of food left forgotten as she strips off her gloves and slips the bracelet onto her right wrist opposite her communicator. The thin line through the bracelet begins to subtly glow, just a hint of light from within, and there's the slightest sense of something as the magnetic field begins to emanate from the band of metal. Her attention is now completely on her wrist, expression filled with tentative hope and an edge of fear, and she won't notice if anyone happens to walk by or even sit at her table. Feel free to comment on the barely palatable food growing colder by the second. ]

fight until we're winning // don't you wanna be a superhero ( o p e n » gym, hallways)

[ Working out in the jumpsuit has been difficult, her movement not quite as free as she'd once been accustomed to, and so she doesn't hesitate to put her shiny new bracelet to use. In the fitness area, she undoes the top portion of the suit, slipping out of it and tying the sleeves around her hips to keep them out of the way. Her ribs no longer show beneath the black sports bra, though it's clear that she's still too thin for living in space where it's so easy to lose muscle mass. What is also clear to see are the scars, long thick strips of dark pink tissue running the length of her back from shoulder to waist, the precision of each betraying that they were not created by accident. The small tattoo of M4827 on her inner left arm is a pretty good clue as to what happened for anyone who cares to notice.

She doesn't care who sees them, though. Her focus is on the weights she lifts until her arms and legs burn and on the tightening and movement of muscle as she moves through a 24-form taichi sequence, first slowly and then with incrementally increased speed throughout the week. Her stamina isn't anything like what it used to be though, so there are frequent breaks, and she's happy to speak with others during those times. She may even ask if anyone's interested in a light sparring match.

And at least twice a day, she abandons her mag boots in her room and goes for a barefoot run through all the decks, slow to fast and back to slow, occasional breaks for easy walking. Her breathing has gotten better over the weeks, she can last for longer periods of time, but she still has such a long way to go. Each session of dodging people in hallways her hair tied up in a ponytail and her torso bare of the jumpsuit helps get her one step closer to her goal. Anyone care to join her? ]

get your mission on lock and see it through // you've got all the power you need in you ( o p e n » chapel )

[ Rogue hasn't believed in God in a very long time. She can't quite remember if she ever really did, honestly — perhaps as a child in foster care, hoping for a better life that had taken far too long to come. Perhaps when she'd finally been adopted and she'd had a few years of being in a loving family. Any true belief she'd had a in a benevolent higher power had been destroyed when she'd been gifted with her mutation, an ability she'd never been able to control that could so easily hurt the ones she'd loved. And once the war had begun, there'd been no hope of that belief ever being rekindled. Watching the human race destroy itself in the quest for a genocidal cleansing of the planet will do that to a person.

But none of that means that she begrudges others their religious beliefs. If people here can find some solace in worship of whatever gods they believe in, then she'll do whatever she can to help that effort. Including cleaning up the chapel. She'd first wandered into it during one of her runs, and the sorry state of it had sparked in her a need to do something. She's not an engineer, she has no technical skills to help repair or maintain the station, and she has no strength to aid in the quest of uncovering more on Reverie, but this. This she can do. So for a few hours each day, she spends time in the chapel picking up any bits of garbage left behind, scrubbing at walls with a towel, and bit by tiny bit clearing up some of the grime covering the room. She doesn't disturb those who wander in looking for that solace, but she'll gladly engage in whatever conversation is initiated. ]

show the symbol on your chest // show the world who you really are ( w i l d c a r d » )

[ Looking for something else? Drop it n the comments below or hit me up at taintedcrimson or taintedcrimson#0896. Rogue's inhibitor bracelet only has a charge of 5 hours, but this is still being discovered, so... Accidents May Happen. If you haven't filled out Rogue's permissions, please do so! ]

( » ♪ )

Comments

( the chapel )

[possidetur]

( it was the second time that she'd returned here. vanessa couldn't say that she had a clear reason why other than the familiarity of it. she'd once said that she had a complicated relationship with the almighty and that had only magnified as her role in lucifer's quest had intensified.

if vanessa had to put something on it she would say that her feeling of being lost had drawn her back here, though she had yet to pray again, or even speak to him.

she'd thought to walk through the chapel, perhaps investigate some of the writings on the walls. instead she catches sight of rogue quietly working, watching her for a few seconds before stepping closer )

Would you like some help?

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ Rogue hears someone enter the chapel but doesn't look up at first; she's working on a particularly stubborn bit of grime along one of the quotes in the wall and is determined to get that spot clean before finishing up for the night. That voice causes her to turn, a smile blooming when she sees Vanessa standing there. A friendly face, thank goodness. ]

I'd love some, thank you, sugar. [ Reaching down, she picks up one of the small rags she's been using to clean up the room — technically one of the towels from her room, just cut into smaller pieces. ]

[possidetur]

( vanessa takes the cloth with a nod, setting herself to work on some of the nearby text )

You seem to be in better spirits.

( though perhaps being able to see again helps there )

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ Does she? Is she? Pausing in her work, Rogue considers the notion and, after a few moments, gives the other woman another smile. ]

I guess I am.

[ Forgive her, this is actually quite a surprise for the southern belle. ]

gym (he's pasty but I only have one upside down icon and it's blue)

[bestials]

[ Rogue is not the only person abandoning the mag boots to work out. Hank has left his on the floor, next to his balled up socks and glasses, and is currently doing inverted crunches from the pull-up bar, hanging on with his mutated feet, rather than slinging his knees over the bar. He pauses when he sees another person come in, but without his glasses on he can't exactly recognize her face. He gives an upside-down nod of greeting and returns to his workout, hoping against hope she doesn't mention his feet. ]

clearly he needs to workout more in the next movie

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ Rogue takes note of the new face in the gym and his not quite human feet, but she's not going to say anything about the latter. It's not her style and she knows all too well how jarring and uncomfortable something like that can be for people. He's minding his own business and she should do the same.

So she does, giving him a small smile in greeting and heading over to a nearby weight station. Stripping down the top of her jumpsuit, she ties up the sleeves as usual before slipping on her inhibitor bracelet just in case. Weight training had never really been her thing before the war, so she's relying on everything Bobbie has been teaching her to make sure she's holding herself correctly and not doing more damage than good. ]

[bestials]

[ Satisfied to let the moment pass in peace, Hank does a few more crunches, before deftly flipping himself down to the floor, landing upright solidly. He bends over to grab a towel to wipe away some sweat, then replaces his glasses on his nose and finally glances over at the woman-- at which point he sees the long scars on her back.

He lets out a strangled cry of-- empathy? pity? it's hard to say-- before he realizes he probably shouldn't say anything about them, and stops himself. ]

mess hall

[personify]

[Rogue must be thoroughly engrossed because it seems she's not noticed who it is she's just sat beside at her chosen table. The not quite recovered peripheral vision could be an contributing factor.

Yet, Raven notices her. She watches as Rogue stare at the glowing bracelet, seemingly entrances. Brow furrowing, she sets down her forkful of so-called food back onto her plate and clears her throat to get the woman's attention. She's a little worried there might be something wrong with her and that device she's wearing the cause.] What's that you've got there?

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ No, Rogue most definitely did not notice who she sat next to. If she had, not even the slowly building joy at finding the bracelet would have distracted her from the other woman.

She doesn't recognize the voice and doesn't look over at first, her eyes still watching the faint glowing as she absently answers the question posed. ] An opportunity. [ But then something registers, just a faint push from the back of her mind, and she glances to the side— ]

Raven. [ Her eyes are wide, shock clearly written across her expression because, for just a moment, she'd forgotten that a ghost from her past had arrived on the station. ]

[personify]

[If the first words she speaks weren't confusing enough, the next catch her fully off guard. Who is this? And why does she know her name? The look in her eye is not lost on her either, the pure and utter shock. What this means, Raven's not at all sure.]

Yes? I'm sorry, do I know you? [She's certain that she doesn't.]

Gym

[magneticfields]

[ The situation with the pool is finally resolved, something Erik could not be more pleased about. Though even taking pleasure in that is something he recognizes as a problem. The little rats in their cage, deprived of every comfort, so very grateful for the smallest scraps bestowed by their uncaring captors.

Still. He has enough clothing at this point to use one of his jumpsuits to make some makeshift swim trunks. The heavy fabric reminding him of nothing so much as the heavy linen swimsuits used to be made out of before the proliferation of synthetic fabrics. How strange. He's on his way to the pool when he notices Rogue.

What she's wearing is perfectly reasonable for exertion. What's noteworthy is that she is the one wearing it. It's so surprising that it takes him a moment to register the scars on her back. He waits until the fatigue forces her to rest before approaching. ]

I see you're taking the space life primer seriously. [ He smiles a little. ] Probably for the best.

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ Focused as she might be, Rogue can't not notice when Erik enters the gym. There's a presence to him that's impossible to miss. She doesn't follow his movements though, turning her attention firmly back to finishing her set, and she doesn't address him until he speaks first. ]

I would have been doing it anyway, I lost too much muscle mass in prison.

[ She doesn't smile and her answer is matter of fact. Her body is too thin and too weak, and if she's stuck here in a place that keeps killing them all, then she's going to make it as difficult as possible by staying healthy and in shape. ]

[magneticfields]

One of the unfortunate side effects of prison. That and the strain of so much solitude.

[ His tone, and expression, grow somber as he remembers how many years he spent without even the comfort of metal. ]

That's not all you lost.

[ His tone is gentle. Softened by sorrow and guilt. They were supposed to make things better. ]

( a. )

[mentis]

( He hasn't really cared for food in a long, long time. He ate, of course he did, but the enjoyment of it no longer resided anywhere in him. Food was for survival, and some days he didn't even want to do that.

But for a moment, just a moment, he thinks back to it, salty chips shared on a rainy beach, junk food littering a car as the road stretched ahead, chocolate hidden in his study drawer because prying eyes and sneaky hands would find it otherwise. It's a wistful longing, because what the replicator has spat out can't possibly be considered appetizing. Still, he's got to eat, and when he slides into a free seat he's determined to do so.

Except after the first mouthful, he'd rather do anything else. Which is why his gaze settles on the young woman sitting opposite him. She's completely in her own world, and Charles would leave her be but he needs a distraction from the assault on his tongue. )

I know women are fond of jewelry, but that barely even sparkles.

( Excellent job, Charles. Misogyny this early in the morning? )

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ It takes a moment for the remark to register, and another to process that it had been spoken to her in the first place. Tearing her gaze away from the bracelet that feels a bit like salvation, she looks up at the man who--

What. Her eyes widen and it's only thanks to having (mostly) gotten used to Erik being from another time that she doesn't completely lose it at the sight of her mentor and teacher sitting there at the table with her, a few decades younger than when she'd last seen them. It doesn't, however, spare either of them from her blurting out the first thing that pops into her head. ]

You have hair.

[mentis]

( He's clearly not expecting that, and for a moment he just blinks slowly at her, one hand lifting to check that yes, he does still have hair. Maybe it hasn't been properly washed in a while, but it's definitely hair. )

So do you.

( Most people do.

His expression flickers between mild amusement and concern, frowning at her a little. )

Are you quite all right?

mess hall;

[reposing]

[Alucard had come to the mess hall with full intent to examine the replicators further in hopes of determining whether there was a way to improve them -- and perhaps foolishly seek promise that they could help him in some way. He's not risked drinking from them, not since witnessing people becoming sick since he first woke here.

It could be different now, but it hasn't been worth to risk it yet.

He stops on his way as he notices Rogue, and his demeanor immediately softens.]

Rogue? [Alucard calls out gently, approaching her, noticing the new bracelet she has on along with the gloves.]

Found some items, I take it?

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ The last time she'd heard that voice, she hadn't been able to see the face that it belonged to. She hadn't been able to see the kindness there, to watch the gentleness of his movements and see the power that was hidden in them. But now, as she looks up from the salvation on her arm, she sees him and she smiles. ]

Hello, sugar. Lord, it's good to see you.

[reposing]

[Before with Rogue, her gaze had been a bit off due to her lack of sight. However, it's different now.

She sees him. She confirms as much as when she says it.

Alucard comes closer, not hiding the relief in his gaze.]

Your eyes. They've healed?

[He offers his gloved hand to her, should she want it.]

(gym)

[uniqueone]

[ One was not particularly looking for the gym but he was mapping all of Reverie Terminal. He had never worn clothes in the first place so he had removed the jumpsuit the first day. Now he was walking around the whole station, mapping it, sans jumpsuit. He looked far too inhuman anyway, so there is really no point in pretending he was other than a robot among organics.

Seeing Rogue practicing taiji, One was immediately interested as his programmed fighting style was also tai chi, though it was qigong. He came into the gym quickly, regardless. ]

Your stance is not correct.

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ If the being had been covered in green skin and sparkly purple feathers, Rogue wouldn't have blinked twice, she's so used to mutants with outlandish physical mutations. But the robot that walks toward her...

Well, she doesn't have a good history with robots.

Stumbling back a step, it takes a fear-filled moment for her to process what he's said, putting the pieces together like a frightened puzzle in her mind, and even then she's more than a little wary of the other being. ]

I'm sorry? It is?

(sorry for the delay)

[uniqueone]

Yes. You are stiff and it shows.

[ One isn't ignorant of her distress. Well, he's ignorant of the reason for it, her sudden stiffening, the unconscious step back, the constricting of her pupils all are signs of fear. One reasons that since he means her no harm then there's nothing to be afraid of. As such his behavior toward Rogue is the same as it would be if she evidenced no sign of fear. ]

( running )

[warfares]

[ They live on the same floor so it's really only a matter of time before he catches sight of her during one of her jogs, looking hale and hearty and in far better spirits than he'd seen her in some time. ]

Living life dangerously, [ mouth upturned slightly, amused, as she dodges someone he can only presume to be new given how pristine their jumpsuits are. ]

[theycalledmeacurse]

[ Living on the same floor, it's a wonder they don't run into each other more often. (Ha, ha.) But catching sight of him brings a smile to her face that spreads into a full-fledged grin at his comment. Slowing to a stop, she leans over slightly to catch her breath, speaking in a heavier accent than usual thanks to her mood. ]

Do you mean the boots? [ specifically the lack thereof ] Or the running around half-naked? Because I'll have you know, there are very good reasons for both.

[warfares]

A little of both.

[ With the rings restored, the station had settled into what passed for normalcy. For Kylo Ren, this meant rising early and heading straight to the gym to work out, before moving up to the Mess Hall for breakfast ㅡ hardly the most riveting day. ]

Enlighten me, [ he says, stepping out into the hallway. The door immediately slides shut behind him. ]