[ Gambit waves goodbye to her with a tip of two fingers against his forehead and a wink in her direction. He waits until she's out of earshot before he speaks to Scott. ]
Good girl. She was excited when I told her I was a mutant, not afraid at all. If only more people could be like her. [ He sighs and shakes his head. ]
You leadin' the X-Men here? [ He seems a little young for that but he knows his Scott grew up at the Institute and the expectation always was he'd take over one day. ] Or are there not enough of us to make it worth it?
She's a good reminder of how things can be back home.
[Although with what Gambit just said... it sounds like the same problems still persist there. The fact that the X-Men exist at all in his reality probably should've told him from the get go. Kind of a tiring thought, even if he is also glad that the team exists in his universe. Mixed feelings about one situation, but things are never simple when it comes to being a mutant and X-Man.
But he nods to Gambit's question, once more taking on that sort of leader type demeanor.]
Here and back home. Although, you're the third official X-Men here, besides me and Alex. [Since Raven is now gone. But Scott is definitely just giving information to the other mutant, almost like he's briefing him about the situation. He's definitely talking like that.] John Allerdyce is here, also known as Pyro, but he tends to stick with Erik. It sounds like he left the institute in his timeline.
[...] And we're still X-Men, no matter how many of us are here.
I know Pyro. Part of the Brotherhood of Mutants. [ And there's a little grudge there. Gambit doesn't look happy to hear that. ] He not causin' any trouble here? Keepin' to himself and Magneto?
[ It's too weird to call him Erik. Gambit doesn't like the guy in his universe. It'll take some time before he calls him anything other than Magneto. ]
I hope we're all buddy-buddy with us all being captured and the like. [ If they've got to fight each other as well as this common enemy Gambit's going to pull his hair out. ]
[Ah, so there's some history there. He wonders then if Gambit is just from his future or still a separate timeline.]
He's not, but he is sticking with Erik mostly.
['Brotherhood of Mutants,' he really hasn't heard Erik calling his group or followers that in a while. Maybe a couple of times, but for the most part, he's just living in Genosha with other mutants in an isolated sort of way, but peaceful. He wonders if Charles went there after taking a break from the institute. He wouldn't be fully surprised.
But Scott nods, affirming Gambit's hope and wanting to put at least that issue to rest immediately. No need to start inner conflict with mutants here.]
Erik is from my timeline and he hasn't been causing any trouble at all. [He can be Erik's biggest critic, but also, he's going to give credit when it's due.] ...Actually, when I first got here, he was the one that told me that we should all work together, even with other humans.
[A small smile.] Don't worry, even I was surprised.
You wanna surprise? He leads the X-Men in my world. Xavier passed on and left the Institute and the team to him.
[ Which would explain some of Gambit's grudge against Magneto. The rest he doesn't think will come up. Scott's young enough that he probably doesn't even know Rogue so why bring her up? ]
But he has been peaceful with humans back home too. Tryin' to keep Xavier's dream alive. Be good.
[ Gambit doesn't know what happened to him. He might be just as dead as Gambit is. ]
[Okay, that is surprising. Surprising enough that Scott actually lets his shock overtake him, mouth parting for a moment as he stares at Gambit. There's a lot to unpack in just those couple of comments, other than the whole Erik leading the X-Men thing, like Charles dying and leaving everything to Erik instead of any of the other mutants. Also, how did Charles die?? It's a sobering thought, especially after losing both Jean and Raven back home just recently.
But he's sort of getting the idea that Gambit really is from a different reality altogether.]
Ah, so... he's been a good leader to you? And the rest of the X-Men? [The question comes a little awkwardly, especially as he thinks about this other version of him that definitely exists in Gambit's world. Scott wouldn't be thrilled if Erik just took leadership of the X-Men, not after years of training to be the leader himself. Yeah, it would be really hard.]
[ It's a lot to put on the younger Scott's shoulders and he feels a little guilty almost immediately after seeing the kid's reaction. Just because Gambit's having a hard time accepting what's happening back home doesn't mean he needs to be a jerk here.
He runs a hand through his hair and tries to put himself in a better state of mind for this conversation. ]
He's doin' the best he can given no one trust 'im. [ Including Gambit but that's more personal. ] Government weren't to happy when he took over the X-Men but he withstood the trial and convinced 'em to give 'im a chance.
Scott's got other problems right now. Not sure I should tell ya 'em. Not sure if you'd want to know or if it'll change somethin' for ya back home. Just... he's doin' the best he can.
[No one trusts him... it sounds like Erik took over at a time when things were still pretty tense between him and the X-Men. While Scott wouldn't like it if his Erik took over back home, he wouldn't really have a difficult time trusting him. Probably. Depends on the circumstances too, but he's gotten the idea that he's probably on better terms with his version of Magneto than Gambit's.]
If it helps, the Erik here has no intention of leading the X-Men. So you're stuck with me.
[But it sounds like he's trying his best, the one back in Gambit's timeline. Can't say he envies their situation at all though, even with the recent deaths he's been dealing with. Honestly, it makes him want to push himself harder to be that reliable leader here and back home, shove any doubts and feelings of his own to the side so that the others can follow at least one thing that hasn't really changed.]
...Could you tell me how Jean is doing there at least? [He doesn't need to know all of his other self's problems, but he can't help but ask about that.]
Don't know if I should. [ He rubs a hand against the back of his neck. ] Things are... complicated between ya two. Kinda rebuildin' your relationship after... well, after some trouble with Mister Sinister. But ya two been through a lot. I'm sure ya all come through this too.
[ Because that's what they do. Jean and Scott come together, strong as steel, and then disaster strikes but they always find their way back to each other. Hell, they got through the Phoenix. ]
Sorry it ain't better news.
[ It seems like Gambit doesn't have anything good to add. ]
[Surprisingly, perhaps, Scott seems quite the opposite of looking upset, he seems... relieved? Because despite the fact that he has no idea who Mister Sinister is, the main thing that he focuses on is the fact that Jean is alive in that other reality. Maybe things are complicated with their Scott, but at least she isn't a flying cosmic force that's travelling through space.
She's still with him-- with the other mutants. Still herself.]
No, that's... I'm glad.
[He smiles a little, despite everything, his posture visibly relaxing. He's happy that Jean is okay in one timeline, even if she's arguing with his other self. As Gambit said, they'll probably pull through.]
Probably some of the best news you could've told me.
[ Gambit's eyebrows go up. Apparently things are just as complicated with Scott and Jean in another universe too. Maybe that shouldn't surprise him. ]
If you say so. [ He's a little curious but asking Scott about Jean can lead to long conversations that Gambit usually regrets. Scott's his friend but they aren't particularly close. ]
Ya need anything, ya can call on Gambit, yeah? Always got ya back.
[A simple offer of trust, probably expected, maybe even instinctual, but it still brings up a feeling of gratitude in Scott. Another small reminder that he isn't alone and even though he doesn't know Gambit all that well still, it's important. He's lucky that he has people he can trust in this unknown world.
Two X-Men having his back is better than none.]
And don't forget to reach me if you need anything.
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[ Gambit waves goodbye to her with a tip of two fingers against his forehead and a wink in her direction. He waits until she's out of earshot before he speaks to Scott. ]
Good girl. She was excited when I told her I was a mutant, not afraid at all. If only more people could be like her. [ He sighs and shakes his head. ]
You leadin' the X-Men here? [ He seems a little young for that but he knows his Scott grew up at the Institute and the expectation always was he'd take over one day. ] Or are there not enough of us to make it worth it?
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[Although with what Gambit just said... it sounds like the same problems still persist there. The fact that the X-Men exist at all in his reality probably should've told him from the get go. Kind of a tiring thought, even if he is also glad that the team exists in his universe. Mixed feelings about one situation, but things are never simple when it comes to being a mutant and X-Man.
But he nods to Gambit's question, once more taking on that sort of leader type demeanor.]
Here and back home. Although, you're the third official X-Men here, besides me and Alex. [Since Raven is now gone. But Scott is definitely just giving information to the other mutant, almost like he's briefing him about the situation. He's definitely talking like that.] John Allerdyce is here, also known as Pyro, but he tends to stick with Erik. It sounds like he left the institute in his timeline.
[...] And we're still X-Men, no matter how many of us are here.
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[ It's too weird to call him Erik. Gambit doesn't like the guy in his universe. It'll take some time before he calls him anything other than Magneto. ]
I hope we're all buddy-buddy with us all being captured and the like. [ If they've got to fight each other as well as this common enemy Gambit's going to pull his hair out. ]
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He's not, but he is sticking with Erik mostly.
['Brotherhood of Mutants,' he really hasn't heard Erik calling his group or followers that in a while. Maybe a couple of times, but for the most part, he's just living in Genosha with other mutants in an isolated sort of way, but peaceful. He wonders if Charles went there after taking a break from the institute. He wouldn't be fully surprised.
But Scott nods, affirming Gambit's hope and wanting to put at least that issue to rest immediately. No need to start inner conflict with mutants here.]
Erik is from my timeline and he hasn't been causing any trouble at all. [He can be Erik's biggest critic, but also, he's going to give credit when it's due.] ...Actually, when I first got here, he was the one that told me that we should all work together, even with other humans.
[A small smile.] Don't worry, even I was surprised.
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[ Which would explain some of Gambit's grudge against Magneto. The rest he doesn't think will come up. Scott's young enough that he probably doesn't even know Rogue so why bring her up? ]
But he has been peaceful with humans back home too. Tryin' to keep Xavier's dream alive. Be good.
[ Gambit doesn't know what happened to him. He might be just as dead as Gambit is. ]
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But he's sort of getting the idea that Gambit really is from a different reality altogether.]
Ah, so... he's been a good leader to you? And the rest of the X-Men? [The question comes a little awkwardly, especially as he thinks about this other version of him that definitely exists in Gambit's world. Scott wouldn't be thrilled if Erik just took leadership of the X-Men, not after years of training to be the leader himself. Yeah, it would be really hard.]
How did... Scott take it?
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He runs a hand through his hair and tries to put himself in a better state of mind for this conversation. ]
He's doin' the best he can given no one trust 'im. [ Including Gambit but that's more personal. ] Government weren't to happy when he took over the X-Men but he withstood the trial and convinced 'em to give 'im a chance.
Scott's got other problems right now. Not sure I should tell ya 'em. Not sure if you'd want to know or if it'll change somethin' for ya back home. Just... he's doin' the best he can.
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If it helps, the Erik here has no intention of leading the X-Men. So you're stuck with me.
[But it sounds like he's trying his best, the one back in Gambit's timeline. Can't say he envies their situation at all though, even with the recent deaths he's been dealing with. Honestly, it makes him want to push himself harder to be that reliable leader here and back home, shove any doubts and feelings of his own to the side so that the others can follow at least one thing that hasn't really changed.]
...Could you tell me how Jean is doing there at least? [He doesn't need to know all of his other self's problems, but he can't help but ask about that.]
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[ Because that's what they do. Jean and Scott come together, strong as steel, and then disaster strikes but they always find their way back to each other. Hell, they got through the Phoenix. ]
Sorry it ain't better news.
[ It seems like Gambit doesn't have anything good to add. ]
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She's still with him-- with the other mutants. Still herself.]
No, that's... I'm glad.
[He smiles a little, despite everything, his posture visibly relaxing. He's happy that Jean is okay in one timeline, even if she's arguing with his other self. As Gambit said, they'll probably pull through.]
Probably some of the best news you could've told me.
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If you say so. [ He's a little curious but asking Scott about Jean can lead to long conversations that Gambit usually regrets. Scott's his friend but they aren't particularly close. ]
Ya need anything, ya can call on Gambit, yeah? Always got ya back.
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Two X-Men having his back is better than none.]
And don't forget to reach me if you need anything.