Exiles in Elseworlds

Marion is standing on the far corner of the Square, looking at all of the lights. She's a little bit away from the library - only a block or two. Right now, she's caught up in the awe of it all. There is a temptation for her to flip back the viel in front of her face and look at it unprotected from the people passing her by. Though she's lived here all of her life, she can't recall ever having been here by herself before - in fact the times she's been here at all are countable with ease. Her purse is held firmly in her hands, arm through the straps and hands on the bag itself.

Her father would be so upset with her but her interview went well and she's feeling giddy with it.

As she's staring at the lights, a man in a hurry collides with her, knocking her down. Marion falls to the ground, still holding on to her purse, tightly. The man doesn't even stop to appologize. There is a sharply inhaled breath as she can feel she's skinned her knees through her stockings. The sting of the scraped skin is suddenly lessened by the thought of having ruined the expensive item of clothing.

And the disapproval of her father at her having left the library unaccompanied.

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This city is populated by miscreants of all descriptions. From all he's witnessed, only a small percentage are like himself...honest. It's the majority of the people here that has him enjoying himself, those well dressed and primped demons who are almost begging him to teach them a few lessons.

Case in point. Even had he been the one to try such an obvious tactic with the naive target now lying on the ground, he would have at least waited to liberate her of her valuables as he apologized, making sure she was all right. As it is, he can at least salvage the situation.

He's suddenly behind her, helping her to her feet.

"Sind Sie gut, mein liebes?"

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Marion finishes standing up, with unexpected help, She starts to pull herself away from him but then she gets a look at the person helping her up. She should be stepping away from him. She should be pulling up her wall of isolation around her self.

He's.... He's....

Her gloved hand remains in his as she says, wide-eyed, "I'm... I'm sorry. I don't think I understand?"

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No sleep for the wicked.

It's New York. Downtown before there was an Uptown. He's been plucked back in time once before, and it was amazing and horrifying at the same time. This is much the same way, but even more antiquated in some ways - but not historically logical ways. Something twisted in this time stream.

Still, it's been ages since he's gotten a chance to swing around the Apple freely, which is something he used to thrive on - and he can use the chance now to clear his head.

"Fatal loins... fatal loins..."

How in the world are they supposed to stop some random two people from having sex?

Not gonna know until some digging is done. It's probably more Raven's realm, as she seems built for subterfuge, but she can't do everything.

He debated the mask. Mutants plainly rule the day, so he wouldn't NEED it, as he might not stand out so much... but this is still the Heroic Age. It'll be good to see if this place has the masked vigilante type in any sort of prominence.

Times Square. He's used to seeing it as a rotted-out haven for squatters. Even if it's neon vomit, it's a better sight to see than Vulture's cannibal cults.

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On a streetcorner, a flattened cardboard box serves as a dance floor for a ballerina in a tattered tutu.

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Spider-Man lands on a ledge, crouched down and running his accelerated vision over the area. Looking for anything he might be able to follow up on. Any sort of clue.

Ballet... doesn't seem like your normal busking kind of act. Not that buskers are allowed on the maglev tracks of Uptown...

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The cardboard box is faded, and bears witness to other nights of hard use, but as the ballerina's shoes thock against the cardboard, a logo can be seen:

SUMMERS ELECTRONICS - THEATRICAL

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The name means little to him - he doesn't recall Summers being any sort of electronics name by 2099, so it must be a small business that got crushed by the megacorps or something.

If he had money on him, he might drop some cash for her.

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Across the street from the ballerina is a store, still open, named BETTER LIFE. Judging by the items displayed behind chrome-framed windows, it is an electronics store. A smaller version of the logo on the ballerina's box can be seen next to the entrance, with a block of text underneath the logo.

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Times Square used to be a big deal, so businesses in this area might help give him a better lay of the economic landscape.

He squints just slightly from his position, to better focus his vision to read the text.

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The text reads "Authorized Summers Electronics Retailer and Service Center."

The store's display window features phones, stereos, TVs, and air purifiers. Within the store, signs hanging from the ceiling direct customers to Toys, Home Care, Kitchen & Entertaining, Office, Travel & Auto, and Personal Care.

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He's already had enough of a look at her to be interested so there's not need to be blatantly obvious about looking her over again while she can see. Instead, he gives her a slow smile.

"I asked if you were all right."

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He's going through his old history lessons, trying to figure out if that's low-end or high-end technology for this day and age. The store looks nice, though, a bit stuffy and antiseptic - catering to whims and not needs, so he can guess what market it's going for.

His eyes scan the rest Square, looking for anything else, business or more likely pleasure, that might spark a clue.

Instinctively, he keeps darting his eyes to the sky to look out for the Public Eye flyboys hounding him - the old habit dies hard. All the vehicles are earth-based, and there's no maglev, even.

Deep breath.

He chances another look at the Tallus, on the off-chance it'll decide to be specific again.

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He's ... beautiful.

Marion smiles up at him through the thin veil she's wearing over her face. "I scraped my knees." In fact, there is a thin trail of blood sliding down one of her legs that she hasn't yet noticed.

Nor as she noticed that her hand, in her torn glove, is still reasting in his hand.

Before any of that registers, it registers that she's staring at him. Not only that but her response must have sounded... childish. A blush rises quickly to her cheeks.

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"Hi, mister." There is a gray-skinned little boy on the ledge near him. "Whatcha doing?"

On closer examination, he has bat-like wings.

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She's perfect! Innocent! He hasn't dabbled with one of those in years.

He smiles again, then kneels down to have a look at her knees, one of his hands wrapping gently around the calf of her leg.

"A little of the right attention, and you will be just fine. The stockings, I am afraid, are lost." His accent is thick European.

The only reason she can tell his eyes lift to look at her is because he lifts his chin as well.

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Marion cannot ignore that touch and gasps at the contact between his hand and her leg. The blush deepens in color as she tries to carefully pull back from him. "I'm sorry. Thank you for helping me but... I... I have to go now."

His hand is very warm. She's suddenly very worried she will hurt this handsome man.

Oh, Poppa is going to kill her for ruining the stockings. Especially if she comes home blue.

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He straightens to stand before her, very much in her personal space, that smile still in place.

"Kurt."

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Swallowing, Marion looks up at him, not so very much as he isn't that much taller. Of course, she's always been taller than average. She should be leaving... Walking away. Right now.

"I'm Marion. Thank you again," she says, offering him her hand.

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He takes her hand, lifting it to place a feather light kiss to the back of it before tucking it under his arm with another smile.

"Sie sind willkommen. It would be remiss of me to allow you to walk away unescorted after such a fall." Did that smile just become a grin? Hard to tell.

"Other unsavory sorts may take advantage of this situation."

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Marion takes a few steps with him before she stops cold.

She's staring at her hand, at the skin visible beneath the thin leather of her glove. The blush, the color, drains from her face as she looks, her gaze slowly dragging across him to look at his face.

"I... didn't hurt you." There is confusion in her voice as she looks back town at the torn glove and then to his hand. It might well occure to Kurt that every square inch of her skin is covered. Or was before some of the fabric tore.

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He stopped when she did, but it's what she says that lifts his brows and brings that smile back.

"I was not aware that you had tried."

Oh, he had noticed her mode of dress. It might be that he even somehow managed to look at the labels and could tell you who made them.

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In a rash act, Marion pulls off her glove and places her hand against his. The soft fur there explains why she hadn't noticed the contact instantly.

And nothing happens.

Nothing at all.

Except Marion faints.

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He catches her easily, somewhat confused. Typically they faint as soon as they get a look at him, not a good ten minutes after. Oh, well.

They're starting to get some looks, however, so he gathers her up into his arms, giving anyone looking a rueful grin.

"Too much to drink."

Then promptly proceeds to walk away with her. He finds a small fountain nearby where he sits, propping her up against him. He takes advantage of this situation to get a good look at her.

Lovely. Even out cold, she doesn't change. Interesting.

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