(She's learning not to listen so closely. On Earth, it's easier, but here? She could hear a pin drop in the thought airways. It's not really like she can turn it off, but she's pointedly not paying attention to his brain. It's a little exercise on being less intrusive, less... Cuckoo.
So, she doesn't hear it from his thoughts, doesn't notice it from his stance. Instead, she just keeps the heels clicking on the concrete in a rhythm, looking around as if she was trying to figure out where exactly was he thinking. They're passing by Xavier's, her fluttering fingers saying bye to building.)
It had most of my favorite restaurants, so I'm so mad that they didn't get copied here. One thing I did, though? I totally stole a luxury car, so if it's far? We can take it, it's right there. To your luck, a lot of us are from a version of Earth, so you can still ask for recipes.
(The Maybach parked within the gates.)
Oh, cripes, I totally forgot to explain to you the whole thing. Uh, it's gradual. Mum and us, her darling daughters who are actually clones, have this mutation that we turn into diamond like I kinda showed you, except it does this thing that it kills off our empathy and emotions. The longer in it? The longer it takes to rewire, so it's kinda like thawing, sorta. Regardless, though, I'm fine.
[The clicking of Sophie's heels is rhythmic in a way that gives Clive something to focus on, a little like the beat to a song. It helps calm him, even out his heart rate.]
Too bad we didn't get the chance to try things out together. I made it my mission to find every good hole-in-the-wall spot possible. I have been spoiled by the convenience of it all. And the choices.
[Clive looks over at the car and makes a thoughtful sound.]
Sure, why not? Let's do it. I thought about bringing my motorcycle, but wasn't sure if you would like it or not. I learned that it isn't for everyone.
[Clive watches Sophie, searching her face for a moment longer than some might find comfortable before giving a small nod of his head. He isn't sure if she is telling the truth, but she isn't pushing so he won't push either.]
Not having the whiplash is good. One of the people I know, well, I wouldn't be surprised if he was struggling a bit. Not that he would likely let me help but.
That's on you. Cannot believe I had to hunt you down for part two of the saga, you should have contacted me much, much earlier.
(Which is a very weird way of saying 'maybe you should have texted me'. There's a little laugh at that, simply because, well, a bike is cool, but pretty mundane. Her people fly and stuff, and sometimes she goes on a little jolly flying ride, so a bike does not compare.
Pretty cool aesthetics, though.)
I've flown and have been flown, I have no issues with bikes aside from the fact that this dress is super, like not bike-appropriate. Welcome to where all of us mutants crawled out from, by the way.
(It's short, it's too tight, and there's no way it would work.
Telekinesis opens the gates to the school, and she gestures with her head for him to follow her through the gates. Click, clack, click, clack. Thing is, she sees his staring, knows what he is doing, and just because he is doing it? She's not giving in, giving him a phony, yet completely sweet smile as a response.)
And you think his response would be... What, exactly?
Yeah, I should have been more on top of that. Although, I guess it is a good thing I didn't tell you.
[He lightly bumps her shoulder with his arm.]
You really did help me out.
[She made it so he didn't go off the deep end quite as fast. He doesn't want to think about what may have happened if Sophie hadn't wanted her taste of the gossip.]
I've always wondered what it would be like to fly for the fun of it. I've done it in a different form, but that has only happened when fighting.
[Clive follows and quirks an eyebrow at her patently false smile, but says nothing about it. Clive scoffs a bit of a laugh as he walks around to the passenger side of the car.]
He'd probably tell me in some convoluted way that he didn't need my help or my pity.
[Clive sighs quietly.]
But I think he does. Need help, that is. I often wonder if he has divorced himself from how lonely his life is.
At least something good came out of that mess, but hear me out, you ever hold gossip from me again? I'm giving you nightmares.
(She doesn't mean it, not at all, and it's shown by her playful tone and a little tongue bite before she fishes her keys from her bag.
Aw, dawg. Too bad she can't fly. She was able to, once, but that was a specific time, never to happen again.)
I mean, I'm always princess-carried when I do get flown, so it's definitely not the same, but it is still super duper cool. You get to see everything.
(She comes to the driver's seat, her phone, although no longer usable in Etraya, contains her playlists. Hope Clive enjoys the mix of classical, pop, and techno. There is no logic to her playlists, just go with it.)
Are you fucking him? It totally sounds like you're going to. I'm catching a pattern — lonely, difficult, or complicated.
(God forbid he turns this talk towards her, you see?)
[Clive snorts a surprised laugh. It’s probably the first genuine positive one he has had in a couple of weeks and it feels good. He smiles at Sophie over the top of the car and it actually reaches his eyes.]
Yes ma’am. I’ll make sure to tell you as soon as possible.
[Clive slides into the car and reflexively puts his seatbelt in. He thinks about the way Barnabas would sit there and stare until everyone was buckled like he was the world’s grumpiest dad.]
Dion can jump really, really high. It almost feels like flying. He scooped me up princess-style once to carry me somewhere high up. It was an interesting experience. In a good way. I had fun.
[And he got a glimpse of what it would be like to be able to actually be manhandled by someone. It was an interesting and not unpleasant experience.
Oh, Sophie, you got his tastes down almost entirely in one. Much of the music library on his phone is the same.]
I am not fucking him. Though I wouldn’t mind it if I were.
[Clive glances at Sophie sidelong.]
I am learning I have a type. Complicated tends to veer towards the top of the list.
[Hint. Hint. He sees you, Sophie. He is fluent in ‘full of shit’.]
(She loves making grown men pinky promise her, so that's what she's doing right now with her pinky stretched, with the bonus of her black, perfectly manicured long nail.)
Seriously, you better. You have my number.
(Which is not her preferred method of communication, but telling her he wants to diss would get her into his brain faster than lightning, she's shallow and needs enrichment.)
Dude, who's Dion? You got all these friends and introduce a girl to none.
(Saying things recreationally, she doesn't really need to be introduced. Preferrably, she'd love to be so influential she skips introductions altogether, as once was, but alas. Can't win it all.
What can be done is get them out of the property, her telekinesis closing the gate with some difficulty — a little too heavy for her skillset, give her a moment, another one, one more... Eh, good enough.)
Wow, a compliment, confession, and slander all in one? Be still, my beating heart.
[It takes Clive half a second to realize what Sophie is doing. His smile turns into something softer as he reaches across and hooks his pinky with hers. He gives their hands the smallest shake before leaning back in his seat.]
Considering my apparent penchant for getting myself into weird situations, I’m sure something will come up.
[Clive tilts his head to glance out the window, pointing out directions as they go.]
He’s someone from back home. I don’t know if you saw last month, but there was a sparring match between a giant dragon and a knight, where a group of people decided it would be safe to get close enough to watch. Dion was the dragon. He’s normally human-shaped, though.
[Clive taps his finger on his thigh.]
Actually, I have some pictures. I can show you when we get to the restaurant.
Oh, I have no doubt, and on top of that? You are super helpless, so.
(Considering the shit she's helped him with? He needs her, somehow — she can sorta kinda help, in that very specific way of hers. On top of that, that's free entertainment that has nothing to do with her own mess of a life, so, she wins.
Of course she does.)
Yeah, I saw that, but it just wasn't a super interesting thing for me to watch or anything. What were they fighting about again? Also, aren't you sort of a dragon? I'm still kinda lost on what you can do and can't do.
(Vessel of God, or something? That was really the least enthralling part of that conversation.)
[Clive can’t help the surprised laugh. There it is again. There was something oddly relieving about being around Sophie. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it.]
I think you are the first person to ever call me that.
[He is rather pathetic when it comes to his romantic life, though. She is right there. Her unique form of levity and seriousness seems to really be what Clive needs right now. He made the right choice coming out tonight. It had been a toss up, but he’s glad he did.]
They were sparring. It wasn’t anything they were fighting over, just testing their skills against one another. [Clive sighs.] And I made the fool’s choice of warning Etraya to stay away because it would be dangerous.
[Clive shrugs a shoulder.]
Sort of? I can transform into a big monster, too, yeah. I also have different kinds of combat magic I can use without transforming. But the thing that tends to be the most immediately impressive is the whole ‘look suddenly he’s a giant monster’ thing.
[Clive chuckles.]
It’s a double-edged sword, that multitasking business.
(The way he handles his love life explains way too much about his thought process to her. Besides, well, he chose to have her here with him, and that maybe isn't the best thing ever — but she's here now, isn't she? She'll deal with the helplessness herself, somehow. Hopefully.
At least it's cute. Doesn't give her any headache personally, and it's entertaining.)
Oh, yeah, you tell people 'don't' and their thought process is always 'why' and 'yes'. You have to make the 'why' compelling enough.
I'll show you mine if you show me yours, by the way. I want to see it.
(He's in her list of recruitments, but she wants to look and see first what exactly he can do with her own two eyes. Vessel of God is cool and all, but it lacks the rest of the explanation.
They arrive, and she parks the car in front of it, kind of without much care about how much space she is taking, because look. It's not like there's an abundance of cars in Etraya.)
Oh, for sure it is. I don't remember what exactly have I told you and all, but I'm pretty sure I told you I'm a Stepford Cuckoo? Which means, one of five identical hivemindy clones. We usually all date the same person at the same time, which is both really fun, but also, hah, definitely high maintenance. Everything has a pro and a con, man.
(While the Cuckoos have their own differences and personalities, they are very similar, especially when they're on their bullshit. Imagine dating five Sophies, minus the kind and heroic qualities she possesses individually. Oof.)
[He certainly feels stupid. For a lot of reasons. His love life, if it can even be called that, is pretty high on the list of things he feels stupid about. But it’s easy to feel like that around Sophie. She’s judging him, yeah, but it doesn’t feel malicious.]
I learned that pretty quick. Saying ‘it’s dangerous and you could get badly hurt’ wasn’t enough to deter people either. I get that there are a lot of strong people here, but it doesn’t seem like a lot of them have many self-preservation skills.
[Frankly, Clive can’t really judge on that front. But at least he doesn’t run headlong into monsters fighting just for the fun of it.
He turns to consider Sophie for a moment.]
The giant monster or the rest of the powers? Either way we are going to have to go somewhere with a lot less buildings.
[He is very interested in seeing what Sophie can do. She’s the first person he has ever met who can do any of the things she has shown him so far and it is fascinating.]
Yeah, you told me about that. I can’t imagine anyone who could keep up with five of you. Do you ever play the ‘swap and pretend you are one of the others’ game? I’ve never known people who looked identical, but I’ve heard stories.
(It isn't, not really. She isn't on the path of destruction with him, she isn't saying it to hurt. She's saying it because that's her point of view.)
Or, you know. Giant monster fight. That's some movie shit, and when there isn't a mission going on, this place is dreadfully boring. At least some entertainment came out of it.
(It's not that she hates Etraya. It has given her opportunities and possibilities that would never be possible at home. Hell, no one knows what a Cuckoo is, or what they are like. No baggage, which is, uh, both unnerving and liberating at the same time.
It means that it's harder for her to explain who she is outside this place, and why does she see things the way she does. To know one Stepford Cuckoo is not at all the same as the experience of seeing her in her usual element, walking, talking, breathing, all the same, a perfect unison. Not to mention, the fact they're Emma Frost's is also a very important point that explains half of it.
But also? No people, no clubs, no VIP, no brands, no minds, no money so she can't be rich again, it's blergh. Not a vibe.)
Yeah, that's okay, I don't mind driving us and, well, I can show you and tell you my stuff whenever.
(She hops out of the car, but not before hearing that comment. Oh, yeah, no, it's hard.)
Only when it's super inappropriate to do it. It's nearly impossible to tell us apart, we talk in unison and act in unison, too, so even our mum has trouble. I think only... Three people can tell which one I am just from looking at me without second-guessing, out of everyone we know.
You make a good point. Next time I’ll just work with others to cordone the area off or something. Redirect traffic if it gets too close.
[Because there will be a next time. He’s sure of it. There is no way that one spar would be enough for any of them. There was a lot to explore with one another, especially when it came to Odin. Out of all of them, the only two Clive hadn’t really fought were Ramuh and Odin. He wasn’t going to push Cid. Not until he was absolutely certain that the curse wouldn’t take him here. Maybe he could ask after, though.]
It is a nice car. [Clive gets out, moving to hold the door to the pub for Sophie.] How fast can it go?
[Vaguely, he wonders about asking Sophie if she can help him sleep. When was the last time he got a full night? At the very least, before they all left for their mission. And yet, his body still hadn’t crashed on him.]
Does it ever get frustrating when people can’t tell you apart?
Just do it on Snake Island. No one has any reason to go in there if not the bootleg McDonald's.
(Giant snakes, and the restaurant is at the station, so there's no need for anyone to venture further. Or, well, hopefully not. There are all sorts of dumb people in this world, and she doesn't put it above anyone to just go there because they want to wrestle a cobra.)
I think... 155 mph. It's a luxury car, so it's not supposed to just cut through everything and everyone, I guess?
(She hears that, actually, not because she really was trying to, but because she was vibe checking him at that time, seeing if he feels alright enough.
Oh.)
By the way, I can put you to sleep. Not a problem, it's effortless.
(Hopefully that fact doesn't unsettle him.)
Oh? Nope, not at all, because you see, that's kind of the whole point with us. Back on Krakoa, we'd wear all the same uniform, with one wearing the one that differed, and we would switch the one who did and just not tell anyone which was which. My sisters actually did have a time in which they dabbled in individuality, and then collectively decided it sucks. I was dead that time, though, so this is kind of my first time.
You make a very good point. I’ll bring that up the next time someone wants to Prime and fight.
[Snakes or no. The animals would probably be smarter than the people here and make themselves scarce to stay as safe as they could. Animals that weren’t in dire straits for one reason or another would much rather leave people alone for the most part.]
When you come from where I do, 155 mph sounds impossible.
[Though Clive was learning that he did like speed. His motorcycle had quite the kick to it when he pushed.
He is jolted out of his thoughts at Sophie’s words and blinks. Right. Telepath. He would probably get used to it eventually.]
Is it safe?
[A strange thing to ask, considering she had literally created a space in his brain where they could look at each other and talk, whether she was there physically or not. He nods as he listens, reflexively pulling the chair out for her when they are seated.]
(Absolutely not, but hey, if she's not a little conceited and arrogant when she gets told she's right, then life bears no fun.)
Wow, you'd definitely lose your mind in a jet. I'm assuming you're like, some medieval, pre-cool tech timer.
(The fashion, that statement, amongst other points. No complaints about having her chair pulled for her at all, long legs crossing elegantly as she rests her hands atop her lap.)
Yup. I know what I'm doing.
(She's attended Xavier's, and also stole knowledge from her sisters. She's traditional, Emma Frost-y in intent, but doesn't disappoint like that.
What a fucking difficult question, though.)
That's quite a packed question, and super broad. Start small, and you might get an answer.
[Clive takes his own seat and nods at the host as they hand the two of them menus. Maybe he should try something other than the stew this time…]
Considering I have no idea what a jet is, yeah, I probably would. We don’t even have bicycles where I am from. It’s all carriages, wagons, and chocobos.
[He nods, trusting her. She hadn’t done anything to show him that she didn’t know what she was doing so far. She hadn’t pushed his boundaries or made him do anything he didn’t want to do.]
I might take you up on that. It’s been a bit since I had a full night.
[Clive furrows his brows minutely for half a second, gaze assessing. He might consider asking an easy question, but when has Clive ever gone the easy route?]
Does it get lonely being on your own after so long with your sisters?
Goddamn. That actually sounds horrible. You sure you want to go back home? Here sounds much more fun.
(Or maybe not, but hey, look, you don't have to feed, clean, or deal with bicycle's moods. Or send letters. Or live on candlelight, which she is assuming is also part of the deal there.)
Sure, yeah, I don't mind. I can start running some hormones in your brain for you before you go home.
(And get him the final push when he's in bed, so it's a pleasant, gradual experience.)
Yes. I've never been alive and willingly away from them more than a few months. It's like I'm missing limbs.
(And that's her whole annoyance. Yes, she did leave the hivemind. She wanted to. It was painful, and it was horrifying, and she even had issues with her powers way longer after that.
But they were there, a subway ride away. She's just alone here, so while she is fearless and stubborn... Not even being able to feel their presence makes her heart ache at times.
Travel is much more convenient here, that’s true. There is a pretty convenient way for me to travel back home, but as far as I know, I’m the only one who can do it and I need to find the travel points first. There are these obelisks that I can teleport between after I have activated them. Don’t ask me how it works, I have no idea.
[Sophie would be surprised and probably a little grossed out to hear that Clive enjoyed the act of caring for and cleaning up after his chocobo. Yes, that even means mucking out stalls.]
That would be great. Should we try that after I’ve shown you some of my powers? I don’t want to be too tired when I do that.
[The idea of losing control again so soon after Vander turns his stomach. He thought about getting something light, foregoing a true meal, but he can’t remember if he actually ate much today so sour stomach or no, something is going in the gullet.]
We had similar things. We'd have these flowers that came in pairs, so we'd plant them at different locations and there would be a pathway from the human world from Krakoa, but only mutants could go through. Pretty damn neat.
(There's a smile when she thinks of Krakoa, but it dies pretty fast, and she is fully focused on the rest of the conversation.)
Yeah, we can do that. I can also wake you up, so that's fun. Everything is in the brain.
(Every. Thing. Clive.)
... Uh, I've been here for what, five months? And I cut them off two months or so prior, so. I'm not counting, really.
(It also gives dates to other stuff and — oh, damn. Okay.)
I myself haven't ever been without them. Even in the brief periods I was alive between being really, really dead, I had at least one of them.
[Learning more about Sophie is nice. He likes listening to her tell her stories, the cadence of her voice, how expressive she can be. He props his chin in his hand and gives her his undivided attention, menu forgotten.]
Are you able to see people’s dreams if you check on them while they are sleeping?
[What must that be like, being able to see a mind so unfiltered. Clive isn’t sure he would want that power.
Aaaand one day he might get used to Sophie referring to herself as having been any variation of dead. Apparently, Etraya wasn’t the only place that laughed in the face of the natural order of the world.]
Well, I know I can’t do even a fraction of what you and your sisters can do together, but if you get lonely or bored you can always call me. I might not always be available to come to you, but I can at least chat a bit.
('From' is a strong word, to which she can only give him a waving hand that screams 'more or less'. How does she explain Krakoa without bumming out their entire evening beats her. Well, if she does, at least they'll have some topic to discuss. Mutanthood is never not going to be important to her.)
Technically, I was made in London. Also, technically, I'm American. But I'm also a Krakoan national. It was our nation away from all the yuckies of human society. Didn't last, because nothing we ever make for ourselves does, but alas.
(To be fair, telepathy is something horribly fun, and also, maddening. Annoying. Makes all of them fucked in the head, because how could they be normal with all that just happens to them? At least here in Etraya, whereas she expected to do a lot more 'I feel all you feel and I'm tired of your bullshit thus I'm feeling bitchy' explanation, most people seem to just let her be.)
Yup. I think the best way to explain it is like you're in a crowded room. You see and hear a lot, but it's all too chaotic and it just blends in the background. You pay attention, you can zoom in, see what is really happening with each person around. That goes for dreams, I can see that they're happening like I could glimpse at a person sleeping in a party, but I sure as hell am not going to go check on their drool or whatever.
(She hopes that helps explaining how it works. Sometimes, she knows too much, some others, she knows nearly nothing. Depends on how nosy she's feeling that day.
The offer is nice, though. She enjoys Clive's company; otherwise, she would not have helped as much as she has, or even reached out herself. The fact she's here says enough, hopefully.
What is interesting is that he is raising some really pressing questions at a very sensitive time. Sophie never emote-talks. Maybe to him, limited time only? She might.)
It's not... A horrible idea, no. I'll keep that in mind.
[The shortness of her answer has Clive wondering, but that is something for another time. The idea of there being a place only for mutants, away from all the other people that might other them, sounded pretty great to Clive honestly. ‘Nothing we ever make for ourselves does’. Clive frowns ever so slightly. Not for the first time, Clive wonders about the kind of life Sophie has had to lead.]
So you are both from the world where all the humans live and from Krakoa. I use the word ‘from’ loosely. More like a ‘this is where your home was’ rather than a ‘you were made there’. [He hesitates for a second on the word ‘made’. But he supposes she was, being a clone.]
Have you always had your powers or did they manifest one day? [Clive shakes his head a little.] You’re stronger than me. I would have lost it by now, not being able to have any quiet.
[Clive can’t help the snort of a laugh at Sophie’s analogy. He couldn’t really think of someone who made him laugh quite as much as she did. Yet another thing he enjoyed about being around Sophie.]
Of course. You’ve helped me through a lot. [Clive blushes the tiniest bit.] And I like spending time with you.
[Why was it so embarrassing to be open with people about this stuff lately? Normally he wouldn’t have any problems with it. Time to change the subject.]
Another telepathy question: If I call out to you with my mind, will you hear me through the noise?
I know it's probably confusing, but yes, that feels like home to me. The school I live in here does, too.
(Too many situations and variables from a world he doesn't know. There is a lot she is saying hidden in fine print between the lines, and it is a little bit of a test to see how much Clive connects dots. For, well, enrichment, and it's another way to get to know him. There's a lot to be said about someone with what they choose to see and what they pick up from their environment, biases, and thought processes, and all.
He seems to get the gist. No more Krakoa. Mutanthood sucks. So forth, so forth.)
Mutants just get their X-Gene manifesting one day. Us? We were made, aged to teen years, and dropped into that school, so the Cuckoos are a different case. I've never been different, so it's really all I know, so I guess if you wanna switch perspectives? Etraya drives me fucking insane. Too quiet. How do you not flip out when you can hear a pin drop every time? See, the grass is always greener.
(Big reason why she was happy upon getting to Earth? Millions of voices, like God intended for her. Here? Back to the same lame 100-ish. See why she gets grumpy sometimes for no reason?
But he laughs, and she does a little celebratory dance with a small smile on her lips, because yes, she's hilarious, thank you for appreciating it. Also, very humble.)
D'aaaw, Clive, I like hanging with you too. Although, technically, this is kinda the first time, huh?
(Oh. Another winner question.)
... Yes and no. I mean, here, probably? It's eerily quiet, so it's harder for me to not hear something. That said, truly dependent on how much I am, you know, tuned in.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2025-08-15 10:22 pm (UTC)So, she doesn't hear it from his thoughts, doesn't notice it from his stance. Instead, she just keeps the heels clicking on the concrete in a rhythm, looking around as if she was trying to figure out where exactly was he thinking. They're passing by Xavier's, her fluttering fingers saying bye to building.)
It had most of my favorite restaurants, so I'm so mad that they didn't get copied here. One thing I did, though? I totally stole a luxury car, so if it's far? We can take it, it's right there. To your luck, a lot of us are from a version of Earth, so you can still ask for recipes.
(The Maybach parked within the gates.)
Oh, cripes, I totally forgot to explain to you the whole thing. Uh, it's gradual. Mum and us, her darling daughters who are actually clones, have this mutation that we turn into diamond like I kinda showed you, except it does this thing that it kills off our empathy and emotions. The longer in it? The longer it takes to rewire, so it's kinda like thawing, sorta. Regardless, though, I'm fine.
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Date: 2025-08-15 10:41 pm (UTC)Too bad we didn't get the chance to try things out together. I made it my mission to find every good hole-in-the-wall spot possible. I have been spoiled by the convenience of it all. And the choices.
[Clive looks over at the car and makes a thoughtful sound.]
Sure, why not? Let's do it. I thought about bringing my motorcycle, but wasn't sure if you would like it or not. I learned that it isn't for everyone.
[Clive watches Sophie, searching her face for a moment longer than some might find comfortable before giving a small nod of his head. He isn't sure if she is telling the truth, but she isn't pushing so he won't push either.]
Not having the whiplash is good. One of the people I know, well, I wouldn't be surprised if he was struggling a bit. Not that he would likely let me help but.
[Clive lets out a deep sigh.]
Knowing me, I'll probably try anyway.
[He lets Sophie lead him to the car.]
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Date: 2025-08-15 10:53 pm (UTC)(Which is a very weird way of saying 'maybe you should have texted me'. There's a little laugh at that, simply because, well, a bike is cool, but pretty mundane. Her people fly and stuff, and sometimes she goes on a little jolly flying ride, so a bike does not compare.
Pretty cool aesthetics, though.)
I've flown and have been flown, I have no issues with bikes aside from the fact that this dress is super, like not bike-appropriate. Welcome to where all of us mutants crawled out from, by the way.
(It's short, it's too tight, and there's no way it would work.
Telekinesis opens the gates to the school, and she gestures with her head for him to follow her through the gates. Click, clack, click, clack. Thing is, she sees his staring, knows what he is doing, and just because he is doing it? She's not giving in, giving him a phony, yet completely sweet smile as a response.)
And you think his response would be... What, exactly?
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Date: 2025-08-15 11:05 pm (UTC)[He lightly bumps her shoulder with his arm.]
You really did help me out.
[She made it so he didn't go off the deep end quite as fast. He doesn't want to think about what may have happened if Sophie hadn't wanted her taste of the gossip.]
I've always wondered what it would be like to fly for the fun of it. I've done it in a different form, but that has only happened when fighting.
[Clive follows and quirks an eyebrow at her patently false smile, but says nothing about it. Clive scoffs a bit of a laugh as he walks around to the passenger side of the car.]
He'd probably tell me in some convoluted way that he didn't need my help or my pity.
[Clive sighs quietly.]
But I think he does. Need help, that is. I often wonder if he has divorced himself from how lonely his life is.
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Date: 2025-08-15 11:13 pm (UTC)(She doesn't mean it, not at all, and it's shown by her playful tone and a little tongue bite before she fishes her keys from her bag.
Aw, dawg. Too bad she can't fly. She was able to, once, but that was a specific time, never to happen again.)
I mean, I'm always princess-carried when I do get flown, so it's definitely not the same, but it is still super duper cool. You get to see everything.
(She comes to the driver's seat, her phone, although no longer usable in Etraya, contains her playlists. Hope Clive enjoys the mix of classical, pop, and techno. There is no logic to her playlists, just go with it.)
Are you fucking him? It totally sounds like you're going to. I'm catching a pattern — lonely, difficult, or complicated.
(God forbid he turns this talk towards her, you see?)
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Date: 2025-08-15 11:29 pm (UTC)Yes ma’am. I’ll make sure to tell you as soon as possible.
[Clive slides into the car and reflexively puts his seatbelt in. He thinks about the way Barnabas would sit there and stare until everyone was buckled like he was the world’s grumpiest dad.]
Dion can jump really, really high. It almost feels like flying. He scooped me up princess-style once to carry me somewhere high up. It was an interesting experience. In a good way. I had fun.
[And he got a glimpse of what it would be like to be able to actually be manhandled by someone. It was an interesting and not unpleasant experience.
Oh, Sophie, you got his tastes down almost entirely in one. Much of the music library on his phone is the same.]
I am not fucking him. Though I wouldn’t mind it if I were.
[Clive glances at Sophie sidelong.]
I am learning I have a type. Complicated tends to veer towards the top of the list.
[Hint. Hint. He sees you, Sophie. He is fluent in ‘full of shit’.]
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Date: 2025-08-16 12:10 am (UTC)Seriously, you better. You have my number.
(Which is not her preferred method of communication, but telling her he wants to diss would get her into his brain faster than lightning, she's shallow and needs enrichment.)
Dude, who's Dion? You got all these friends and introduce a girl to none.
(Saying things recreationally, she doesn't really need to be introduced. Preferrably, she'd love to be so influential she skips introductions altogether, as once was, but alas. Can't win it all.
What can be done is get them out of the property, her telekinesis closing the gate with some difficulty — a little too heavy for her skillset, give her a moment, another one, one more... Eh, good enough.)
Wow, a compliment, confession, and slander all in one? Be still, my beating heart.
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Date: 2025-08-16 12:31 am (UTC)Considering my apparent penchant for getting myself into weird situations, I’m sure something will come up.
[Clive tilts his head to glance out the window, pointing out directions as they go.]
He’s someone from back home. I don’t know if you saw last month, but there was a sparring match between a giant dragon and a knight, where a group of people decided it would be safe to get close enough to watch. Dion was the dragon. He’s normally human-shaped, though.
[Clive taps his finger on his thigh.]
Actually, I have some pictures. I can show you when we get to the restaurant.
[Clive gives Sophie a little smirk.]
I am a man of many talents.
[He lets that sit for half a beat.]
Multitasking being one of them.
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Date: 2025-08-16 12:42 am (UTC)(Considering the shit she's helped him with? He needs her, somehow — she can sorta kinda help, in that very specific way of hers. On top of that, that's free entertainment that has nothing to do with her own mess of a life, so, she wins.
Of course she does.)
Yeah, I saw that, but it just wasn't a super interesting thing for me to watch or anything. What were they fighting about again? Also, aren't you sort of a dragon? I'm still kinda lost on what you can do and can't do.
(Vessel of God, or something? That was really the least enthralling part of that conversation.)
I can see that. Seems to be working out for you.
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Date: 2025-08-17 04:39 am (UTC)I think you are the first person to ever call me that.
[He is rather pathetic when it comes to his romantic life, though. She is right there. Her unique form of levity and seriousness seems to really be what Clive needs right now. He made the right choice coming out tonight. It had been a toss up, but he’s glad he did.]
They were sparring. It wasn’t anything they were fighting over, just testing their skills against one another. [Clive sighs.] And I made the fool’s choice of warning Etraya to stay away because it would be dangerous.
[Clive shrugs a shoulder.]
Sort of? I can transform into a big monster, too, yeah. I also have different kinds of combat magic I can use without transforming. But the thing that tends to be the most immediately impressive is the whole ‘look suddenly he’s a giant monster’ thing.
[Clive chuckles.]
It’s a double-edged sword, that multitasking business.
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Date: 2025-08-17 01:15 pm (UTC)It's true, though.
(The way he handles his love life explains way too much about his thought process to her. Besides, well, he chose to have her here with him, and that maybe isn't the best thing ever — but she's here now, isn't she? She'll deal with the helplessness herself, somehow. Hopefully.
At least it's cute. Doesn't give her any headache personally, and it's entertaining.)
Oh, yeah, you tell people 'don't' and their thought process is always 'why' and 'yes'. You have to make the 'why' compelling enough.
(And 'hello guys, huge kaiju fight, don't come near' doesn't really cut it.)
I'll show you mine if you show me yours, by the way. I want to see it.
(He's in her list of recruitments, but she wants to look and see first what exactly he can do with her own two eyes. Vessel of God is cool and all, but it lacks the rest of the explanation.
They arrive, and she parks the car in front of it, kind of without much care about how much space she is taking, because look. It's not like there's an abundance of cars in Etraya.)
Oh, for sure it is. I don't remember what exactly have I told you and all, but I'm pretty sure I told you I'm a Stepford Cuckoo? Which means, one of five identical hivemindy clones. We usually all date the same person at the same time, which is both really fun, but also, hah, definitely high maintenance. Everything has a pro and a con, man.
(While the Cuckoos have their own differences and personalities, they are very similar, especially when they're on their bullshit. Imagine dating five Sophies, minus the kind and heroic qualities she possesses individually. Oof.)
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Date: 2025-08-17 05:13 pm (UTC)[He certainly feels stupid. For a lot of reasons. His love life, if it can even be called that, is pretty high on the list of things he feels stupid about. But it’s easy to feel like that around Sophie. She’s judging him, yeah, but it doesn’t feel malicious.]
I learned that pretty quick. Saying ‘it’s dangerous and you could get badly hurt’ wasn’t enough to deter people either. I get that there are a lot of strong people here, but it doesn’t seem like a lot of them have many self-preservation skills.
[Frankly, Clive can’t really judge on that front. But at least he doesn’t run headlong into monsters fighting just for the fun of it.
He turns to consider Sophie for a moment.]
The giant monster or the rest of the powers? Either way we are going to have to go somewhere with a lot less buildings.
[He is very interested in seeing what Sophie can do. She’s the first person he has ever met who can do any of the things she has shown him so far and it is fascinating.]
Yeah, you told me about that. I can’t imagine anyone who could keep up with five of you. Do you ever play the ‘swap and pretend you are one of the others’ game? I’ve never known people who looked identical, but I’ve heard stories.
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Date: 2025-08-17 09:46 pm (UTC)Or, you know. Giant monster fight. That's some movie shit, and when there isn't a mission going on, this place is dreadfully boring. At least some entertainment came out of it.
(It's not that she hates Etraya. It has given her opportunities and possibilities that would never be possible at home. Hell, no one knows what a Cuckoo is, or what they are like. No baggage, which is, uh, both unnerving and liberating at the same time.
It means that it's harder for her to explain who she is outside this place, and why does she see things the way she does. To know one Stepford Cuckoo is not at all the same as the experience of seeing her in her usual element, walking, talking, breathing, all the same, a perfect unison. Not to mention, the fact they're Emma Frost's is also a very important point that explains half of it.
But also? No people, no clubs, no VIP, no brands, no minds, no money so she can't be rich again, it's blergh. Not a vibe.)
Yeah, that's okay, I don't mind driving us and, well, I can show you and tell you my stuff whenever.
(She hops out of the car, but not before hearing that comment. Oh, yeah, no, it's hard.)
Only when it's super inappropriate to do it. It's nearly impossible to tell us apart, we talk in unison and act in unison, too, so even our mum has trouble. I think only... Three people can tell which one I am just from looking at me without second-guessing, out of everyone we know.
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Date: 2025-08-18 10:31 pm (UTC)You make a good point. Next time I’ll just work with others to cordone the area off or something. Redirect traffic if it gets too close.
[Because there will be a next time. He’s sure of it. There is no way that one spar would be enough for any of them. There was a lot to explore with one another, especially when it came to Odin. Out of all of them, the only two Clive hadn’t really fought were Ramuh and Odin. He wasn’t going to push Cid. Not until he was absolutely certain that the curse wouldn’t take him here. Maybe he could ask after, though.]
It is a nice car. [Clive gets out, moving to hold the door to the pub for Sophie.] How fast can it go?
[Vaguely, he wonders about asking Sophie if she can help him sleep. When was the last time he got a full night? At the very least, before they all left for their mission. And yet, his body still hadn’t crashed on him.]
Does it ever get frustrating when people can’t tell you apart?
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Date: 2025-08-18 11:13 pm (UTC)(Giant snakes, and the restaurant is at the station, so there's no need for anyone to venture further. Or, well, hopefully not. There are all sorts of dumb people in this world, and she doesn't put it above anyone to just go there because they want to wrestle a cobra.)
I think... 155 mph. It's a luxury car, so it's not supposed to just cut through everything and everyone, I guess?
(She hears that, actually, not because she really was trying to, but because she was vibe checking him at that time, seeing if he feels alright enough.
Oh.)
By the way, I can put you to sleep. Not a problem, it's effortless.
(Hopefully that fact doesn't unsettle him.)
Oh? Nope, not at all, because you see, that's kind of the whole point with us. Back on Krakoa, we'd wear all the same uniform, with one wearing the one that differed, and we would switch the one who did and just not tell anyone which was which. My sisters actually did have a time in which they dabbled in individuality, and then collectively decided it sucks. I was dead that time, though, so this is kind of my first time.
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Date: 2025-08-19 10:31 pm (UTC)[Snakes or no. The animals would probably be smarter than the people here and make themselves scarce to stay as safe as they could. Animals that weren’t in dire straits for one reason or another would much rather leave people alone for the most part.]
When you come from where I do, 155 mph sounds impossible.
[Though Clive was learning that he did like speed. His motorcycle had quite the kick to it when he pushed.
He is jolted out of his thoughts at Sophie’s words and blinks. Right. Telepath. He would probably get used to it eventually.]
Is it safe?
[A strange thing to ask, considering she had literally created a space in his brain where they could look at each other and talk, whether she was there physically or not. He nods as he listens, reflexively pulling the chair out for her when they are seated.]
And what about you? Do you think it sucks?
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Date: 2025-08-19 10:43 pm (UTC)(Absolutely not, but hey, if she's not a little conceited and arrogant when she gets told she's right, then life bears no fun.)
Wow, you'd definitely lose your mind in a jet. I'm assuming you're like, some medieval, pre-cool tech timer.
(The fashion, that statement, amongst other points. No complaints about having her chair pulled for her at all, long legs crossing elegantly as she rests her hands atop her lap.)
Yup. I know what I'm doing.
(She's attended Xavier's, and also stole knowledge from her sisters. She's traditional, Emma Frost-y in intent, but doesn't disappoint like that.
What a fucking difficult question, though.)
That's quite a packed question, and super broad. Start small, and you might get an answer.
(Stalling! ✨)
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Date: 2025-08-19 10:51 pm (UTC)[Clive takes his own seat and nods at the host as they hand the two of them menus. Maybe he should try something other than the stew this time…]
Considering I have no idea what a jet is, yeah, I probably would. We don’t even have bicycles where I am from. It’s all carriages, wagons, and chocobos.
[He nods, trusting her. She hadn’t done anything to show him that she didn’t know what she was doing so far. She hadn’t pushed his boundaries or made him do anything he didn’t want to do.]
I might take you up on that. It’s been a bit since I had a full night.
[Clive furrows his brows minutely for half a second, gaze assessing. He might consider asking an easy question, but when has Clive ever gone the easy route?]
Does it get lonely being on your own after so long with your sisters?
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Date: 2025-08-19 11:01 pm (UTC)(Or maybe not, but hey, look, you don't have to feed, clean, or deal with bicycle's moods. Or send letters. Or live on candlelight, which she is assuming is also part of the deal there.)
Sure, yeah, I don't mind. I can start running some hormones in your brain for you before you go home.
(And get him the final push when he's in bed, so it's a pleasant, gradual experience.)
Yes. I've never been alive and willingly away from them more than a few months. It's like I'm missing limbs.
(And that's her whole annoyance. Yes, she did leave the hivemind. She wanted to. It was painful, and it was horrifying, and she even had issues with her powers way longer after that.
But they were there, a subway ride away. She's just alone here, so while she is fearless and stubborn... Not even being able to feel their presence makes her heart ache at times.
Don't make it weird, Clive.)
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Date: 2025-08-20 01:43 am (UTC)[Sophie would be surprised and probably a little grossed out to hear that Clive enjoyed the act of caring for and cleaning up after his chocobo. Yes, that even means mucking out stalls.]
That would be great. Should we try that after I’ve shown you some of my powers? I don’t want to be too tired when I do that.
[The idea of losing control again so soon after Vander turns his stomach. He thought about getting something light, foregoing a true meal, but he can’t remember if he actually ate much today so sour stomach or no, something is going in the gullet.]
How long have you been without them now?
[He’ll do his best to not make it weird.]
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Date: 2025-08-20 02:02 am (UTC)(There's a smile when she thinks of Krakoa, but it dies pretty fast, and she is fully focused on the rest of the conversation.)
Yeah, we can do that. I can also wake you up, so that's fun. Everything is in the brain.
(Every. Thing. Clive.)
... Uh, I've been here for what, five months? And I cut them off two months or so prior, so. I'm not counting, really.
(It also gives dates to other stuff and — oh, damn. Okay.)
I myself haven't ever been without them. Even in the brief periods I was alive between being really, really dead, I had at least one of them.
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Date: 2025-08-22 10:08 pm (UTC)[Learning more about Sophie is nice. He likes listening to her tell her stories, the cadence of her voice, how expressive she can be. He props his chin in his hand and gives her his undivided attention, menu forgotten.]
Are you able to see people’s dreams if you check on them while they are sleeping?
[What must that be like, being able to see a mind so unfiltered. Clive isn’t sure he would want that power.
Aaaand one day he might get used to Sophie referring to herself as having been any variation of dead. Apparently, Etraya wasn’t the only place that laughed in the face of the natural order of the world.]
Well, I know I can’t do even a fraction of what you and your sisters can do together, but if you get lonely or bored you can always call me. I might not always be available to come to you, but I can at least chat a bit.
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Date: 2025-08-22 11:03 pm (UTC)Technically, I was made in London. Also, technically, I'm American. But I'm also a Krakoan national. It was our nation away from all the yuckies of human society. Didn't last, because nothing we ever make for ourselves does, but alas.
(To be fair, telepathy is something horribly fun, and also, maddening. Annoying. Makes all of them fucked in the head, because how could they be normal with all that just happens to them? At least here in Etraya, whereas she expected to do a lot more 'I feel all you feel and I'm tired of your bullshit thus I'm feeling bitchy' explanation, most people seem to just let her be.)
Yup. I think the best way to explain it is like you're in a crowded room. You see and hear a lot, but it's all too chaotic and it just blends in the background. You pay attention, you can zoom in, see what is really happening with each person around. That goes for dreams, I can see that they're happening like I could glimpse at a person sleeping in a party, but I sure as hell am not going to go check on their drool or whatever.
(She hopes that helps explaining how it works. Sometimes, she knows too much, some others, she knows nearly nothing. Depends on how nosy she's feeling that day.
The offer is nice, though. She enjoys Clive's company; otherwise, she would not have helped as much as she has, or even reached out herself. The fact she's here says enough, hopefully.
What is interesting is that he is raising some really pressing questions at a very sensitive time. Sophie never emote-talks. Maybe to him, limited time only? She might.)
It's not... A horrible idea, no. I'll keep that in mind.
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Date: 2025-08-23 12:43 am (UTC)So you are both from the world where all the humans live and from Krakoa. I use the word ‘from’ loosely. More like a ‘this is where your home was’ rather than a ‘you were made there’. [He hesitates for a second on the word ‘made’. But he supposes she was, being a clone.]
Have you always had your powers or did they manifest one day? [Clive shakes his head a little.] You’re stronger than me. I would have lost it by now, not being able to have any quiet.
[Clive can’t help the snort of a laugh at Sophie’s analogy. He couldn’t really think of someone who made him laugh quite as much as she did. Yet another thing he enjoyed about being around Sophie.]
Of course. You’ve helped me through a lot. [Clive blushes the tiniest bit.] And I like spending time with you.
[Why was it so embarrassing to be open with people about this stuff lately? Normally he wouldn’t have any problems with it. Time to change the subject.]
Another telepathy question: If I call out to you with my mind, will you hear me through the noise?
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Date: 2025-08-23 01:03 am (UTC)(Too many situations and variables from a world he doesn't know. There is a lot she is saying hidden in fine print between the lines, and it is a little bit of a test to see how much Clive connects dots. For, well, enrichment, and it's another way to get to know him. There's a lot to be said about someone with what they choose to see and what they pick up from their environment, biases, and thought processes, and all.
He seems to get the gist. No more Krakoa. Mutanthood sucks. So forth, so forth.)
Mutants just get their X-Gene manifesting one day. Us? We were made, aged to teen years, and dropped into that school, so the Cuckoos are a different case. I've never been different, so it's really all I know, so I guess if you wanna switch perspectives? Etraya drives me fucking insane. Too quiet. How do you not flip out when you can hear a pin drop every time? See, the grass is always greener.
(Big reason why she was happy upon getting to Earth? Millions of voices, like God intended for her. Here? Back to the same lame 100-ish. See why she gets grumpy sometimes for no reason?
But he laughs, and she does a little celebratory dance with a small smile on her lips, because yes, she's hilarious, thank you for appreciating it. Also, very humble.)
D'aaaw, Clive, I like hanging with you too. Although, technically, this is kinda the first time, huh?
(Oh. Another winner question.)
... Yes and no. I mean, here, probably? It's eerily quiet, so it's harder for me to not hear something. That said, truly dependent on how much I am, you know, tuned in.
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