Exiles in Elseworlds

Why don't you just kill the Summers who aren't Alex? she wants to ask. Then Daddy wouldn't be worried, and I could stay here.

But she's had too many years of doing what older people tell her to do. She sighs. "As long as it's not dyed red. Got any blonde?"

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"Dark brown is more anonymous, but I have some honey blonde in here." Raven nods for Spiderman to keep an eye on the girl. She pockets the stone knife and heads to the bathroom.

When she returns, she's holding a small bag of dyes. "I also have colored contacts. Again, I suggest brown. Until you're settled in a new place, err on the side of mousy. You don't want attention."

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"It's California," Lorna says with more authority in her voice than she's had since she first came to. "Anyone who isn't a blonde is going to stick out." She takes the bag and searches for the honey blonde dye, wrinkling her nose at the smell of the dyes, or maybe at the thought of being mousy.

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Raven wrinkles her nose right back, but then sighs. "You're right. You're too fair to pass for Hispanic. Go blonde." She fishes out both some bleach to strip the green from the girl's hair and some honey blonde dye to put a little color back in. "There's some fire engine red lipstick in there, too. Tastes like strawberries."

She really looks at Lorna's figure for the first time. "If you're comfortable wearing something low cut, you can ensure no one gets a good look at your face."

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"Um ... how low-cut?"

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"Just a second."

Raven walks into the bathroom. No need to demonstrate her powers in front of the girl.

When she comes out, her borrowed face is just as mousy, but now shadowed with a fedora. The sack-like nurse's dress is replaced with a pinstriped suit, the plunging neckline adorned with just enough lace to leave it unclear whether or not she's wearing a bra.

"Something like this. I hope you can walk in four inch heels."

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Her chin lifts proudly. "I can dance in them." She can't help a covetous glance at the outfit. "Who's your designer? I don't recognize--though the width of the lapels suggests a Van Dyne...."

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"Lovely, isn't it?" Raven spins on one heel, then leans back and winks. "Off the rack."

She lights a cigarette. The freedom to smoke will leave her missing this world once they go.

"Go on - start bleaching. I want to get you on a plane tonight."

Raven stretches out on the bed. That's another luxury she may not be able to enjoy for a few more worlds. She blows a smoke ring up at Spiderman. "You comfortable with this, or should we take the boy out of the equation once she's safely out of town?"

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"Remember you said that." She takes another leisurely drag off her cigarette. "I'll be fine if we end up stuck here due to sentimentality. Can you say the same?"

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This world is so familiar, yet more reminiscent of her past than the present. She thinks of the man she encountered in the lobby, and of that painful moment of regonition and rejection.

"I'm ready to go home." Her eyes narrow. "Can you say the same? You're running from something, kid. Not running to. I'm old enough to know the difference."

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That gets a sharp look, even from behind the mask. Yeah, she's a billion years old, but being called 'kid' has never sat well.

Although he'd let him fall once before. And he's lost a lot of the reasons he had to keep going. And he's in control of a nasty corporation that makes him a demon to the people he's been trying to fight for... and these worlds they've been to actually have fresh air you can breathe without taking anti-pollutant pills...

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"One hell of a fucked up concience you have there. Do you plan on following this cannibal for the rest of his life to make sure he doesn't snack on anyone else? Or are you going to let his future innocent victims suffer and die? Let him live, their blood is on your hands."

Mmm. Smoking in bed. Shaw won't let them smoke anywhere on the Helicarrier anymore. All the good hotels are non-smoking. She'd forgotton just how relaxing it can be. She takes one last long, satisfying drag then pops the filter in her mouth.

Her eyes widen in shock. She rolls over on one side and gags, spitting it back out. "Sheisse! Is that what they normally taste like?" She stares at the half chewed filter in disgust.

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Spidey just smirks under the mask, as that reaction makes up for the arrogant lecture.

"Yes. Cigarettes taste like poison, because they ARE poison. Outlawed in 2030, and only bitchy libertarians cared."

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"Used to 'em tasting like hickory barbaque - kinda sweet with a smoky aftertaste. Goes well with the texture..."

She stares at it in horror, then slowly looks down at her own hand. Her brow furrows. She closes her eyes, concentrates with all her might, and then licks the back of her hand.

Her hand falls limply to the bed. She turns away so he won't see her face.

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You just nailed her granddaughter, Miggy, throw her a bone.

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