|
|
Post by Singularity on Jan 26, 2017 2:53:22 GMT -5
The second Laura walked in, Singularity's jaw dropped. She recognized her instantly. She knew exactly who this Laura was. Only ... No. No, it couldn't be the same Laura. The Laura from the picture Artie had shown her? His daughter? That was impossible. No, the Laura and Artie she knew hated each other, right? Or did she know Artie? What was that guy's name?
But then she introduced herself as Laura Cade. This was impossible. The girl's mind was obviously being blown. Her pupilless eyes darted back and forth between the two of them, though it was hard to tell that was the case. She pointed at the two of them, jaw still hanging open, completely dumbfounded by what was happening. This just wasn't right! No, in every reality she knew, they were mortal enemies. Seeing them being so nice and civil to each other, while heartwarming, just ... wasn't right! It went against everything she had come to observe of the multiverse. Right? At least, as far as she could remember, it did.
"You two hate each other!" she blurted out. She couldn't help herself. "You're supposed to!" She scratched her head. Maybe she was remembering wrong. That was always a possibility. Maybe the fall she took was hard enough that it made her forget something crucial. "Don't you two have a deep seated hatred toward each other that drives everything you do?"
|
|
X-23
Heroes 
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
|
Post by X-23 on Jan 27, 2017 15:46:57 GMT -5
Laura felt a spark of happy pride that her Father was pleased with the idea she'd come up with. when he wrote the question mark that only made her feel better about it, he was looking at the plan objectively and would turn it down if he didn't think it would work. It meant he was taking her seriously, and not giving her any kind of special treatment which was actually the bit that mattered to her, whether or not he ended up doing it. "Thank you." She replied, smiling back at him enough to almost forget all of the strangeness going on in the room right now.
Which naturally remerged itself into apparently Artie was showing off her picture to this lady. Laura assumed there had been a reasonable series of events that had led to him pulling out the family photo album and decided to trust him on it. "Singularity. Right." Okay so that wasn't even a name.... "Miss Sing, are you a Mutant?" Laura finally decided was a good attempt to start finding answers, "i am. So it would not surprise me if you are as well." she was trying to sound friendly while just really wanting answers now. Damn inquisitive side making her really confused about EVERYTHING. The bit about the property was understood, but Laura wasn't daft enough to make a big deal out of acknowledging it. Artie would know she got him after all. "a good idea."
Then everything went to hell in a handbasket, Laura just looked at Singularity like she was insane. which she clearly was for her to be talking like this to people she barely knew. in fact when all she had seen of them talking was Artie being nice to Laura this was clearly the jabbering of a lunatic. "He is my Father. I doubt I could ever hate him. you need to start talking rationally or I will not trust you around people for fear you are unstable." Laura said, her tone calm even if she had taken several steps away from the glowing woman just to be sure.
|
|
|
|
Post by Artie Cade on Jan 27, 2017 16:06:15 GMT -5
Artie, for his part, had gone from being pleased with a closed-mouth grin across his face to that expression slowly...steadily....dropping to a complete look of utter surprise. Hate Laura? Supposed to?
"I'm sorry, I uh..." he said as he cautiously moved back a step from the unusual new girl, "...I don't fully understand what..."
He nodded in acknowledgment to his daughter when she spoke.
Laura was right, of course. He could never hate her. Not ever. All he ever did was for her...or that's what he believed, anyway.
"Hate Laura...?" he said quizzically as he limped over to his daughter and put an arm around her, standing on his toes to kiss her cheek, "How? Why...? I could never....I mean..."
Artie was so dumbfounded by the notion that he could hardly even conceive of it.
"It's...." he said with a sigh, removing his spectacles and mask for a moment to massage the ridge of his nose, "...an uncomfortable thought, Sing. Where did you get it from?"
He looked at Sing again, not bothering to put his mask back on at first before he became conscious of it and steadily affixed the spectacles back into place.
What was this girl? Was she a mutant? Was she just making this up? In what reality would that ever....wait, reality. Was that it? Theoretically that was...possible, he supposed, but he had no knowledge of what this girl did or what she thought but she seemed so convinced of all this that...maybe?
|
|
|
|
Post by Singularity on Feb 3, 2017 5:15:03 GMT -5
It took a moment to realize, but when it clicked, Singularity was nearly horrified with herself for making the two of them so uncomfortable. She covered her mouth like she'd used a nasty word and curled in on herself, still floating in mid air. Her eyes darted between the two of them, trying to think quickly how best to remedy the situation she caused, but she wasn't coming up with anything really useful.
"I'm really sorry," she said in a quieter voice. "See, that's why I thought you reminded me of someone! Because it is you, but it's not you." Well that didn't make sense. "Shoot, what was his name? It was like yours, but it wasn't yours. It was shorter." She ran a hand through her hair and tried to think, when suddenly she had a flash of a memory. It was clear on her face that she saw something the other two couldn't, and she brightened immediately. "Arcade! He was you, but younger! ... And not as nice, I don't think."
Well, that was one mystery solved, but she'd also made Laura uncomfortable. "You see, that was another reality. I get them confused sometimes. When I was up there," she gestured upward, "I could watch multiple realities at once. I'm space. I could collect the memories given off by the planet. Things get ... confusing sometimes. In that reality, the two of you hated each other. Arcade tried killing that Laura a lot."
She let the information sit for a moment, but knew it probably wasn't enough to set either of them at ease. "I mean, obviously that's not the case with you! I can admit when I'm wrong! But ... Wow. This was a bad first impression." She drooped a little, the stars in her body glowing a little less brightly and her hair not flowing quite as much. This was part of the reason she tended to observe, rather than throw herself into the middle of things.
|
|
X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
|
Post by X-23 on Feb 8, 2017 8:56:31 GMT -5
Alright. that settled that. This girl was insane. But apparently rational enough to recognise when people had reactd poorly to her actions so that was a start at least. Laura had no idea what Singularity was capable of and so was not likely to risk setting her off by saying such a thing and when the odd being curled up on herself Laura felt the need to prevent some kind of breakdown.
"You were not trying to be hurtful. you do not need to apologise." Laura told her slowly, it was more or less the real truth, which would hopefully help the girl calm down. Father but shorter? and younger? that did not make any sense whatsoever. "If Father was younger, would I even be born yet? or I would be so young I can not imagine it being possible for us to be enemies. I would not be capable of it." she had no idea if it was wise to start poking holes in the delusions of the mentally ill but she was curious and wanted to try and get this dealt with.
Laura smiled at her Father as he put an arm around her, appreciating the small reassurances while they let this girl explain herself. it still didn't sound at all real. "....another reality?" She did not understand the concept beyond the most basic. but if she was telling the truth that terrified Laura. She didn't want there to be more of her. "why..... would that happen?" Laura asked quietly, ignoring the part of her that said both her and Artie were the type of people to make enemies easily, being far too quick to choose to fight rather then talk. It could happen easily if they were not as close as they were in the real world. The train of thought disgusted her but it was there. and when had she started taking the things Singularity were saying seriously?
"To a degree yes." Laura admitted honestly. "i am not certain the things you are saying are true." she offered before quickly correcting herself "i believe that you are telling us what you think is the truth. I have no doubt you are the honest sort. but it is all rather far fetched. my apologies."
|
|
|
|
Post by Artie Cade on Feb 8, 2017 14:53:56 GMT -5
Artie found himself baffled by this as well. Alternate realities...Laura and Artie hating each other....him being younger, having a shorter name....? Laura was quite right, not much of it seemed to add up.
And yet this thing...well, this girl, seemed so convinced of it. Artie's mind had certainly been turned on its head from meeting Laura, and with what happened to Barbara and meeting Mystique...it was a whole lot of world he didn't know about. He didn't entirely like not knowing things.
But if nothing else, this was all teaching him to keep a broader mind.
"Laura's right," Artie said as he nodded, "Noooo need to apologize. It's just...you gotta understand, it's a strange notion to us."
He leaned his head to the side, resting it on Laura's shoulder.
"I don't think we have it in us to be enemies," he continued, "Not after all we've been through, which...heh....is a lot."
Artie smirked in remembrance. It was one of those memories of the past that at the time was horrid and difficult. But as one got on in years after everything turned out all right, one might regard it as a grand series of adventures.
Which Artie, for his part, did.
"SO, uhhh..." he said as he cleared his throat, "I hope you'll grace us with your presence if only for a night. Kids shouldn't sleep out in the cold...let alone in random spots. Or on Lady Liberty."
He chuckled at this and looked at Sing. He tried to keep himself steady, as his mind whirled and turned in various directions of curiosity as it was wont to do. And this time he didn't stop it.
How useful could this girl be to him? What could she do, more precisely? These things he had to know. And the lure had been set.
It wasn't entirely rooted in malice, though. He genuinely did feel it would be far better to have her here where it was safe than wandering about...
|
|
|
|
Post by Singularity on Feb 19, 2017 23:31:28 GMT -5
Singularity was many things, but she wasn't crazy. She was also smart enough to see when someone thought she was. She might have had the mind of a child, but she was far from stupid. Her glow dimmed a little more and she settled to the floor. Laura had clearly made up her mind about her, and far be it for Singularity to try to argue now. To think that all she had wanted was to see the lights of Coney Island and maybe make a friend. Now, she was starting to feel like she had ruined her chance to make friends with Laura.
She did appreciate Artie, though. He managed to explain it in a way that didn't sound condescending, and she nodded in understanding. She was wrong. This wasn't the reality she thought it was, and now she might have screwed up perception for two completely innocent people. Well, maybe not innocent if they were this reality's version of Laura and Arcade. She didn't know anymore. All she knew was that she felt absolutely humiliated and she didn't want to ruin their night further.
But she knew it would have been rude to turn Artie's offer down. She smiled weakly, but didn't quite meet his eye. "Sure," she said, simply. And, honestly, as much as she loved the view of the city from the top of the Statue of Liberty, it was cold outside. She didn't want to be out in the cold for another night. She shifted awkwardly and hugged herself, looking around. "Where .... Where should I stay?" She was clearly afraid of saying something wrong again. She had already put her foot in her mouth, and she didn't want to jeopardize anything else tonight.
|
|
X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
|
Post by X-23 on Feb 23, 2017 20:46:04 GMT -5
Laura smiled a little when her Father rested his head on her shoulder and nodded her own head at his logic. "That is the short way of summarising almost a decade now." she considered Song for a moment, trying to explain herself better. "it is possible we reacted strongly not because we do not believe you, but because neither of us wishes for it to be true. It would be.... distressing. I did not mean to be rude." Laura could see the girl closing up from the rejection she'd received and couldn't help feeling guilty for being so abrasive. She still thought what she thought but it had been no excuse to be unpleasant.
For a moment, Laura tried to picture what it would be like if her Father hated her and wanted her dead. A heartbeat later, Laura flinched a little as she mentally slammed down on her imagination to silence it and kill the picture that had formed. Laura ordered herself to never follow that train of thought again.
When it sounded like Sing would be staying, Laura was fairly sure that was for the best. There was no good that could come from a young girl who looked this different wondering alone. no matter how powerful she was. Her best case would be her being assumed to be a demon. at worst and more likely, a Mutant. "Are you hungry?" Laura asked, her first instinct had been to ask if she even needed food but that would have been an insult once more. "we should deal with that before worrying which bed to give you. there is plenty of time."
|
|
|
|
Post by Artie Cade on Mar 3, 2017 0:40:50 GMT -5
This immediately made Artie realize two things as he stood up straight again. One: he hadn't eaten in about 48 hours and two: he hadn't offered the girl any food. What a shoddy host he was being...though to be fair, he never usually had to converse with his guests about alternate universe theories. " " he said in surprise as he righted himself, "Of course! Food! How could I forget?"He patter Laura's shoulder where his head had been resting. "I dunno where I'd be without her," he chuckled, "In this reality or any other."Artie permitted himself a louder laugh at that, gesturing for Sing to come follow them as he limped out the side door. "Come on, come on," he said almost excitedly, "Bar's closing down this time of night, so everybody should be out by now. Aaaaanything you want we....uh, that's in this universe anyway, you'll get. We'll cook up anything. Or find somebody who will."He chuckled again, glad that the evening had picked up more. And certainly glad that Laura was there with him. He rarely considered where he'd be without her. It was painful to think about, let alone the idea of hating her. Wanting to kill her was just crazy talk. |
|
" he said in surprise as he righted himself, "Of course! Food! How could I forget?"