Oh, our flag is tattered [ OPEN ]

[excessivehubris]

WHO: Charles Xavier and OPEN
WHERE: De Chima & Nonah
WHEN: All through October
WHAT: Various scenarios
WARNINGS: Not at this time.



A) Starktech - De Chima: Early October

[ It was interesting how, when it all boiled down to the essentials, his footprint at StarkTech could fit in a single banker's box.

Charles had spent the morning working with HR on his exit strategy, which mainly consisted of Stark's lawyers making sure he meticulously signed and initially all the necessary paperwork to release control of the products he'd developed over to StarkTech. When they'd hit the language of the non-compete, Charles had, in achingly polite terms, told them where to take their recommendations.

When it was all said and done, the lawyers had their bits of flesh and he was released.

Now, a security guard stood waiting while the telepath cleaned out his office. He had transferred from the motorized wheelchair he utilized while in the building, back to his manual chair and was reaching for the box to set it in his lap before taking his leave. ]


B) A cafe - Nonah: Any time in October

[ Now that he was effectively unemployed, Charles had some free time on his hands.

Actually, it wasn't as free as one might think. He had a bit of a list of matters to attend too and none of them were pleasant.

He had to start coming up with a way to support the Foundation, cutting ties with StarkTech and also contact the school down in Heropa to discuss the matter of the name.

Neither duty was one he undertook with any sense of pleasure. Actually, the fact that he was sitting at a cafe, stirring a cup of hot tea and staring into the liquid as if it might hold answers, could easily be termed stalling.

Regardless, he looked like a man who wanted to be anywhere but where he was and could quite probably use a distraction. ]


C) The Maria-Francis Foundation - De Chima: Any time in October

[ The Foundation represented both loss and hope.

The loss of his friendship with Stark, a loss that stirred up memories of the personal sacrifices he'd made through his life in the name of greater good. The loss of a job he'd quite enjoyed actually, a rare opportunity to do good on a more personal basis, something that came without the weight of innocent expectation.

And the loss of financial security. StarkTech's pockets were deep, the same as the Xavier pockets back home. But he had to cut ties with StarkTech in order to maintain the Foundation's integrity and mission statement. All well and good, noble, etc etc .... none of which paid the bills.

Towards the latter half of the month, Charles could be found at the Foundation at almost every hour of the day. While maintaining solvency wasn't impossible, it was going to take some dedicated effort. ]

Comments

b

[divaricate]

[Wanda had kept relatively quiet during the revelations of Tony's recent disasters -- had she not been here for as many months as she has so far, she would have practically jumped at the chance to toss herself in with those that are loudly and publicly upset (rightfully upset) about Tony now -- but now, maybe not so much. Sure, she'd rolled her eyes and was not surprised to see that this version of Tony could also be a complete hot mess (disappointed, but not surprised), but she wouldn't be too publicly vocal about it. Things are kind of nice for her here, and holding another lengthy public grudge against another Tony sounds exhausting. That said, it doesn't mean she doesn't feel upset or angry on behalf of those that Tony's recent actions here have harmed in some way, however. And Charles is one of those people; she might not know him as well as she'd like to, but she knows his ties with the foundation and StarkTech meant that he's likely taken both personal and professional hits.

So, it's when she's on her lunch break and heads back to a cafe in Nonah, she sees him and decides to approach after she's gotten her sandwich and coffee.]

I think people usually read the tea leaves after most of the tea is gone.

[It's a comment said with a small smile and tone that's more light and joking; he looks like he could use some humor.]

Care for some company? [He looks like he could use some of that too, and she's got some time.]

[excessivehubris]

[ Personal and professional hits.

That was a good way to put it and Wanda was right on target with her assessment. Still, at the sound of her voice, Charles looked up quickly and if his smile was not, perhaps, as gregarious as usual, it was still warm and offered a genuine welcome. ]

Wanda, hello. [ He said, almost immediately motioning with a few hand towards one of the two chairs set at the table with him. ] Please, I'd appreciate the company.

[ It would help him stop dwelling; at least for a bit. ]

As you noted, the tea isn't particularly holding up it's end of the conversation. [ The attempt at humor was weak but an attempt none the less. ] How are you doing?

[divaricate]

Well. That's not very polite of the tea. [She takes a seat on one of the chairs.]

I'm okay -- getting used to the idea that I have more new abilities to figure out; this place isn't boring, I can say that much about it. [For better or worse.]

And you?

[excessivehubris]

[ Alright.

That first remark did get a genuinely amused chuckle out of the brooding professor, even as he reached for the mug and lifted it to his mouth for a quick sip as she settled. ]

New abilities? That sounds infinitely more interesting than anything I have to offer in terms of conversation.

C

[the_caped_crusader]

[Perhaps there were whispers when he walked in unannounced, eyes critically exploring the foundation's interior. It's possible they were whispering because Bruce Wayne ran the Wayne Foundation. He certainly didn't have an appointment of any kind, and while he didn't intend to cause a stir he was interested in saying hello to Charles if he was around. He figured the whispers would eventually reach his office...]

[excessivehubris]

[ Bruce might have over estimated the number of employees at the Foundation. However, Charles tended to maintain something of a subconscious awareness of the number of minds in his immediate vicinity.

If only to keep tabs on how many minds he needed to shield against.

There was no one with the professor when he came down from his office, no immediate indication of who might have called his attention to their visitor, but he arrived all the same. His smile was welcoming, though there were hints of strain along the lines at the corners of his eyes as he wheeled the chair across the tile. ]

Mr. Wayne, welcome!

[the_caped_crusader]

[Bruce smiles and takes a few steps to close the distance between them, extending his hand when he's close enough.]

Professor! Afternoon. You look like you've had a long day. I hope I'm not intruding?

[excessivehubris]

[ Leaning forward to return the handshake, Charles' own grip was firm without being over bearing; classic trained manners and all that. ]

Not in the least. [ He responded to the question before retrieving his hand and returning it to the wheels of his chair. Rolling back slightly he motioned to a sitting area set off to the side of the entrance hall. ]

Please, have a seat? What has brought you here today?

b

[dualismum]

[ coffee shops are like Sasaki's second home- he knows which ones are the best, he knows what their specialty is, and if they are cozy or not. He may be an elitist when it comes to coffee, sure.

Nonah has a lot of nice cafes, and after he finds the one he is looking for and orders a cafe americano, he spots Charles sitting down. Once he has his coffee, he decides to approach the man, if only to say hello. ]

Hello, Charles.

[excessivehubris]

[ Hearing Sasaki's familiar voice, Charles glanced up from his tea staring and gave the young man a warm, if tired, smile. ]

Hello, Sasaki! How are you, my friend?

[dualismum]

[ Sasaki knows that look, he often has it ]

I'm alright - it has been a while since we spoke.

[ and maybe he is prying, but Sasaki does worry ] And you, Charles? You look a bit down.

[excessivehubris]

Do I? [ Damn, he'd honestly thought he was doing better at covering it. Clearing his throat, he motioned towards a chair, if Sasaki wished to take a seat. ]

I suppose I've been burning the candle at both ends recently.

A)

[liverletdie]

[ It was...hard.

Knowing that many of the people he'd considered friends or allies were leaving, not because of anything he did, but because he'd been caught broad-sided by someone who he'll become. Someone he wasn't. That stung, of course, that he would have to bear the consequences of being someone he wasn't -- of someone he didn't even remember being, but...

But he knew, if he had been on the other side, it would be exactly the same. That the prospect of someone changing, of the knowledge that they could, it was enough to make him concerned. How many people from their world did he hold things against? Loki with his... everything? Scarlet Witch and what she'd done to his world when she was at her worst?

No, he had no room to talk. But he was also not interested in...burning bridges, either. He knocked on the doorframe, gently, before he stepped in. ]

Everything in order?

Just had to use that icon didn't you?

[excessivehubris]

[ Charles had done a lot of difficult things in his life and most of them had to do with his own personal life. Wiping Moira's life, giving up the use of his legs to embrace the pain of the world around him, just everything with Raven.

Leaving StarkTech ranked right up there with the worst of it.

Tony was a friend. He had been one of the first friends Charles had made in this strange world and though he had Erik, Tony had been special in his own ways.

Had.

No, not the past and that was the problem. Tony was still special and part of Charles hated the fact that he was leaving when all he wanted to do was stay and help his friend. But it was like Moira all over again. What Charles personally wanted and what served the wider good were at odds, and as always it was the telepath who lost part of himself in the exchange.

He almost wished that Tony had stayed away. Packing up to leave, giving up not only the comfort of StarkTech but the intellectual joy Charles had enjoyed in developing things for the company was hard enough. Saying goodbye to those late nights when he'd roll into Tony's lab and they would talk ... saying goodbye to all of it.

It would have been easier to leave with the taste of the battle with the lawyers still fresh in his mouth. They'd provided a buffer between himself and Tony, between the pain of the personal and the cold reality of the professional. But now the pain was back, sharp and clear and Charles had to take a moment, take a breath, before he coughed and cleared the lump lodged in his throat. ]

Everything is signed. [ He answered, another slight cough, before he pulled back on one wheel and spun the manual chair around to face Stark. ] I refused the non-compete, but I can promise you that I'm not looking to sign up with Oscorp or any of your competitors.

[ The words were meant to be professional, perhaps a bit of a joke but it fell flat, even to Charles' ears. The unspoken I'm not looking to trust and get burned again weighed to heavily in the air. ]

But you have the patent rights to all the projects I was working on. Your people are good, they'll be able to follow my notes and finish the work.

FEEL BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[liverletdie]

I'm not worried about that. [ He said, with a wave of his hand. ] Standard procedure but... I'd honestly meant to tell them to back off, and we could have worked something out later. It slipped my mind, I'm afraid.

[ Honestly, he was overwhelmed. Five months was a long time, trapped away from anyone or anything he knew. Five months in digital space when even a thought was nanoseconds, too fast to consider, and there was five months of solitary thoughts. Cut off from sound, sight, data, everything. It was a long time to be with only one's own thoughts. With only your sins to keep you company.

Stark wasn't sure what to make of it, even now. He could only pretend to be human, and hope that eventually it would feel natural again, doing all of these things that he could scarcely figure out how to do. Not when all he wanted to do was submerge himself in data and let it wash over him, feeling connected to a world that didn't want him. ]

I wanted to say thank you, Charles, for coming and working with me. I think you're doing the right thing, honestly, for the foundation. [ And that was important. Moreso than anything that he could do with Starktech. ]

Trust me, I dislike all of it :<

[excessivehubris]

It's no matter. [ Charles quietly dismissed the bit about the lawyers. The projects, the money wasn't important to him. He could make money as he needed too, the funds he'd banked from working with StarkTech all these months, he could spin that into what he needed.

Truly, the grief was over losing the comfort of working with Tony.

Reaching up to brush his hair back and away from his face, oddly enough Charles didn't look comforted by the latter words. If anything, they seemed to agitate him and his lips pressed together tightly before he gave a single, sharp nod. ]

If the Foundation was specific to just charity work ... [ he began, stopped and bit his lips before looking up at Tony. ]

There are already questions coming in from government officials. Unofficial for now, 'friendly advice' type of comments but I can't protect you and the Foundation at the same time.

[ He'd done what he could for Tony, when he'd been questioned by the officials who had been investigating the possibility of criminal charges, civil charges against Stark. Near as Charles could tell, between Stark's lawyers, and the weight of his prior reputation in the community his friend would avoid jail time and even unreasonable fines.

But the Foundation had no such protection. ]

c

[incogneto]

[ For certain, both Erik and Charles are workaholics. So it's remarkable that Erik even notices how frequently Charles is gone from home, how often in the mornings his bedroom door is open a crack and Erik spots the corner of a made bed from the morning previous.

His morning run takes him out of Nonah and all the way to De Chima, up a few flights of stairs. ]

Long night?

[excessivehubris]

[ Charles was sitting at his desk at the Foundation. He had a computer open in front of him and different newspapers spread out around him. One newspaper was in his hand and he was reading, while listening to a radio show that sounded like it was coming out of Japan.

A mug of tea was in his other hand.

When Erik spoke, it actually took Charles a moment or two to seem to come back to the here and now. He blinked, owlishly, at the other man before giving his head a shake and asking. ]

I'm sorry, Erik. What did you need?

[incogneto]

Why do you presume I only come here if I need something from you?

[ He takes a seat, and picks up one of the newspapers, though listening to the radio broadcast with some disinterest as well. ]

Do you know what time it is? I know the lights are on all night, but I thought you might be a little tired.

c.

[hisheartsdesire]

[Although Toby hadn't kept up with the Stark incident well enough to know exactly what went on, he knew there would be some sort of fallout, and that likely affected Charles and the Maria-Francis Foundation. Both this month and last had been crazy to say the least, their events spurring Toby to reflect on things that have happened since his arrival. The things he'd done here in this world when he still knew nothing about it.

The natives he'd sired. The power he'd once had as a vampire, and how the Porter may have—no, how the Porter had definitely changed it. How he's been lying about having always sired while feeding...

This isn't the first Toby's thought of approaching it. Rather, he's just unsure of how to do it, to admit that he's been lying all this time. But then again, that's the thing about lies: once they take shape, they can also take on a life of their own. It's hard to get rid of them once they take root, and it's even harder to regain whatever trust one loses afterward.

So perhaps Toby and Charles aren't in too different a predicament? No, they're still pretty different. Anyway, Toby visits one night, late in the month, after a quick stroll past that strange alleyway in Maurtia Falls. Another visit, another memory... another reminder of how and when things really all began. For Toby at least, it was the end of an old life and the beginning of one that would never end until he decided to do so.

He's been ruminating on all these thoughts as he made his way up the stairs, even though he could've just as easily taken the elevator. But he just wanted, even needed all that time to think and prepare himself before finally arriving at Charles' office...]

[excessivehubris]

[ Charles was at work.

He had lamps in his office and they burned a soft amber glow as opposed to the harsh florescent lights that might be found on during the day. Perhaps a little less on the energy bill as well; every little bit helped.

The professor had his head bent over papers on his desk. His laptop sat on the desk, off to the side with the lid half cracked, as if he were checking it periodically but not working on it specifically. Instead, he seemed to be ready some sort of bound journal.

His focus was completely on his work and he missed Toby's approach. Perhaps he would have heard the elevator start up but the vampire's ascent on the stairs was less likely to interrupt his focus. Toby might have to give a knock, though the door stood open and welcoming. ]

[hisheartsdesire]

[As he approaches, Toby peers through the open door to see the professor immersed in work. For a moment, he's hesitant and doesn't want to disturb Charles. But then again, he's already come this far, all the way from Maurtia Falls, even. And Charles has always been rather friendly and accommodating. So he raps his knuckles against the door before poking his head through the doorway.]

Good evening, Charles. I, um. Hope I'm not disturbing you...

a

[catalysmic]

[Betty rapped gently on the doorframe to announce herself, not sure Charles would have heard her coming, lost in thought as he appeared to be.]

So it's true, you'll be leaving us. [That hadn't really been in question, and the box set empty, waiting, amidst all the things that would eventually fit into it, spoke loudly enough.

Wistfully,] I feel like we should have organized a party or something. [Morale wasn't exactly high, but the oppressive atmosphere was completely wrong for sending good people off, even if anything more gay wouldn't have felt appropriate either. Not under the circumstances.

She propped a paper bag against the box.] I brought some cookies instead. Sorry, I can't remember if you were allergic to nuts.

[excessivehubris]

[ At the sound of her voice, Charles looked up from his contemplation. The smile he gave her was genuine, if not perhaps as wide and gregarious as she and others were used to seeing from him. ]

Hello, my dear. [ He exclaimed, setting one of the files in his hand into the box and then reaching to released the break on his chair, rolling over towards her. ]

Biscuits are lovely and no, no allergy to nuts in fact I quite enjoy them. Please, come on in if you have a moment?

[ While the logical conclusion would be that she wouldn't have stopped by, if she didn't have the time, as had already been noted; the atmosphere in the building was a tense and uncertain. ]

[catalysmic]

[She does have time, or she's making the time. There isn't anything more important in this world than the people you meet in it for as long as they're there, and there's an immediacy to that these days.

When he rolls closer, she joins him, satisfied and sorry.] Then these will be perfect for you.

I'm sure you've been getting this all day, but do you know where you'll go from here?

[Mostly wondering about how she'll stay in touch without the convenience of daily happenstance, and, underneath that, whether or not she'll choose to drift too. Charles has his Foundation; how is that for metaphors?]