2013.09.04 - Double Nating

Although Genosha stuff is very important and Magneto can be up to no good, there are some other important things in life too. Like fathers, including adoptive ones. Nate lost his (which coincidentally was also a gun-totting cyborg) last year so the second he saw Hope, he took her apart to tell her about Cable. That was about two hours ago.

Then he called Cable. And then they flew to New York. Nate's telekinesis is much more fun than his telepathy, and when flying ten miles up, at hypersonic speeds, and over the ocean, telepathy is much easier to handle than in the middle of New York. Funny thing is that Hope probably manages better than Nate using his powers for long periods.

During the trip, he reviewed with her his meeting in Central Park with the older mutant, and with Domino. Cable's girlfriend (yes, much snickering here).

Now they are at Harry's, a nice place with good beer. Nate has a beer, because he has a fake id card that says he is 21. Hope can have a coke.

To say that Hope has been looking for Cable would be an understatement. To be more accurate one would have to talk about circumstances that only turn up when time travel is involved, and in such cases there's no easy way to describe things since most languages do /NOT/ have the proper tenses to explain things.

Thus, when what little was said, and the info dump is done, Hope is definitely more than willing to meet Cable. Especially considering who, and what else she has been looking for.

And yet...

And yet, as the redheaded teen sits in the pub with her 'uncle', she does look slightly uncomfortable.

"So.... What did you hold back on me...?" is said as she eyes Nate, trying not to look too freaked out.

Nate rarely holds back anything. And when it comes to telepathic memory sharing, he actually doesn't know how to hold back information. "Nothing. But look, this guy, I don't think he is old enough. And he didn't seem to know about a daughter." He didn't seem to know about /him/ either. So that idea about Cable being future-me was discarded. "On the other hand, there was again this psychic... kind of resonance I got first from Rachel, and then from Jean. Pretty sure we are related. He did say his name was Nathan Summers."

And the 'not old enough' bit is enough to make that slightly uncomfortable look become even more pronounced. To be honest, Hope did notice that in regards to the memory, but still....

She has to know. Beyond a shadow of a doubt. But if it a 'young' version of him, then....

Well, things have gone from the dark side of the moon and right into the core of the sun without even a chance to stop inbetween. That is so to speak. Especially after what was blurted out to Rachel, Jean, and Shift not too long ago.

"I hope he gets here soon then. And that you're wrong about his age. Or else things might be a bit..."

Pause.

"I just hope he gets here soon."

Bodyslide by two!

Easy enough after an air-conditioned meal of grease and sugary-grease, even if that was days before. At least Graymalkin is no longer a surprise! Welcome to your memories, Domino!

Still, it lands the pair outside of Harry's, and Cable stops at the door, staring at it for a long moment. Rolling his head forward, his 'good' hand rises to pinch the bridge of his nose. If the buzzing was something before, there's that mental *pound* of what should be the familiar, what his brain (well, okay, psionics) say that should be familiar, but just isn't.

(Confused yet?)

Taking a step back, then, Cable drops his hand and reaches for the door, a tight smile coming to his lips. Here, they're not going to mind a huge mutant dressed as if he's got something to hide, right? Nope. It's Harry's. "I want top shelf tonight."

Opening the door now, Cable doesn't even have to scan the room to know where the two of them are seated. Go figure.

Domino can see where this is going from a mile away. It's going somewhere that she does not want to go. It's weird enough that she remembers Graymalkin, so quickly being reminded of the life she used to have and how much further she had progressed from the much more petty illegal acts for cash that she had fallen into over the last few years.

That's not to say that this 'new' direction is all fun and games. "Look Nate, I don't want anything more to do with your multi-dimensional chronologically challenged timeline-skewed estranged family BS, okay? I've got my own problems to deal with!"

Then came the bodyslide. By. Two.

"And you don't care that I don't care," she says with a defeated sigh. "You suck. You're also buying."

Top shelf it is. For both of them. May as well make it worth her while.

Nate winces, almost dropping his beer on his lap, when Cable 'bodyslides'. Nobody had told him the old man was a teleporter! And he had counted to be able to sense him coming from a long distance. His mental defenses slam-down so hard even the psi-blind in the pub feel it, and some even look around confusedly.

"There he is," he hisses to Hope. He was getting better at keeping his telepathy under control when near other telepathic family members, but with Cable it seems extra-hard.

It's probably a good thing that Hope wasn't trying to copy Nate's powers when Cable bodyslides in. For multiple reasons.

And yet, as he /AND/ Domino enter the pub, and she glances in his direction for a moment or two, she flat out scowls. That is before, without so much as a word, she starts to stand up.

Why is she so silent though...?

Give a little bit, and that probably will become clear.

Now Cable can keep pretty much anyone out, he can. Including his mother/step mother (in case no one was confused yet, hang on!). It's just a matter of directing things in the right ways, the right tweaks to the right shields and walls, closing windows, and then?

Silence.

Mostly.

At least he's not going to be threatened with a migraine for another hour.

"Nope," is given to Domino, coupling it with one of those grim smiles. Dancing in minefields, Cable likes a partner who knows the steps, or at least can follow really, really well and offer intel on where another hidden explosive may be.

Entering, Cable allows the door to close behind them before he requests, "Bottle of Jamesson," and gesturing towards the table where Nate sits and... huh. For a long moment, the large mutant stares before he takes those steps again around the tables, around the dotting of guests around.

"Nate," which sounds strange to Cable's ears. Good going! One Nate wasn't good enough? Or is he another clone of me? Or am I a clone of him?

(Okay, confusing.)

"You must be..."

Where has Dom heard that simple, so innocent-yet-not response before? That would have been the last time they were meeting up with Nate Grey, and she had been the one saying it to him.

"We're gonna have ourselves a big friggin' problem if you keep this up," she mutters back to Cable while rubbing the side of her face with the heel of a palm. She'll call out those hidden explosives alright, if she feels that it's in her best interest.

She's got nothing else to offer on their way over to the table (besides getting something for herself at the bar,) leaving Cable with the awkward situation of breaking the ice while she grabs a chair and spins it back-to-front, as if the meager back of it might act as a barrier between the upcoming conversation and herself.

But, whatever. She's got some potent stuff to drink.

"Nate squared. Red. Looks like it's time you kids put all of the cards on the table."

She'll just ..y'know. Go back to playing referee.

Nate is no one's clone. Completely original test tube baby, really! He was, however, occupying the same metaphysical position/space in his reality than Cable fills in this one. They are alarmingly identical except for a few details, like Cable's technovirus, or the 'improvements' Sinister left in his genes that make the younger Nate too powerful and that will kill him soon.

Otherwise, well, they probably even have the same fingerprints.

"Cable," he greets. "And Dom. This is Hope, yes." He glances at the young redhead, poking her under the ribs. Because she looks dumbstruck, and that is not cool. "Think fast, red," he mutters.

You want a problem Domino?

Well, as Hope looks right at Cable, she takes a deep breath, before letting out, "If you don't know, then I probably shouldn't say."

Then again, since Nate says her name anyways...

She winces as she's elbowed, before glaring at the non-technoorganic virus laden male Summers.

"Hell, this is probably the last thing I should be here for. Sorry if I'm wasting your time Nathan."

The large, techno-virussed Nate looks at Hope for a long moment and takes a couple more steps as a chair is pulled out telekenetically, and a second one for Hope. For good measure, there's a nudge on Domino's, just so the albino doesn't get the idea she's going to stay too comfortable.

"Hope," and Cable's tones drop as he believes that he can feel the turmoil, the disappointment that looks to him to be in the slight girl's frame. "You're not wasting my time. I've got a lot of it, and how I spend it is exactly how I should." At least Cable's sure of something. "So, sit down." Beat. "Please."

"We both know that just because of who I am now doesn't mean that I won't be at some later date. And having things like this revealed to me could be the catalyst down the road for me to do what needs to be done at the time to do it." Beyond that? Does he have to go into particulars?

"Now if my head hasn't given you a headache," Here, Nate looks at all three, and yes, even Domino, and continues, "Let's use this time constructively, okay?"

Domino definitely has problems. Like she could ever be comfortable here! One of her problems happens to be the three hundred and fifty pound half-cybernetic lugnut getting situated next to her. Her life had been getting mighty complicated before. Now that Cable's here (again) things have gone from 'mighty complicated' to 'what the frack just happened?!'

She's actually fortunate in that this conversation doesn't (shouldn't) directly involve her! Things may have gotten seriously convoluted on her end of the ring but they're still pretty simple compared to what the other three have to deal with!

That translates to 'this should be entertaining.'

When Hope apologizes and Cable talks about using this time constructively, Dom promptly holds a hand up in silent protest. "Hold up. We need to figure something out here before I take myself out back and put a bullet through my brainpan. You're Nate," she declares while pointing toward Grey, "and you're Cable," she finishes while pointing to the other man.

That same hand makes a twirling motion like a ground worker might use to signal a crane operator with to raise the boom. "Game on."

"I'm fine," replies the younger Nate. Headaches and he are old friends, after all. "Yeah, Hope. Sit down. You want to change the future anyway, so the sooner we start the... no, scratch that, the sentence was not going to make any sense. What I mean is that if you want to change the future, you can't be shy about changing the future all the time! Cable, you travel through time, right? So you must know how these things go. You tell her to stop being silly."

"We also know that time travel is messy. The only way things can get messier is if..." Pause. "Never mind. There's a couple of ways it could get messier."

Yeah. Even if Nate repeats Cable telling her to sit down, and after a few moments she even does, she doesn't exactly calm down. Instead, there's just a slight glance at Domino, before she points at X-Man.

"Nate."

Then at Cable.

"Nathan."

"And despite what Nate says and apparently believes, there is /NO/ way to prove that this is an alternate reality for me. Hell, even if this is some alternate reality, it's still the /past/ for that reality. I haven't been born yet. Certain big things that kind of /have/ to happen before I'm born haven't happened yet. So anything I do risks wiping me out of existence."

Then, slowly, she looks directly at Cable.

"That is especially true for me when it comes to you, Sir."

Then there's a glare at X-Man.

"And I'm only willing to change the future if I can't get back to where and when I'm suppose to be, but that can't exactly be fixed either since even I don't know the exact when. And even then I'm limited in what I can do since if certain things don't happen, I probably won't exist."

"'Nathan. Nate. Cable. Askani'son. Hey you. You bastard.' I pretty much answer to anything and everything at this point," he offers something of a lopsided grin to Domino in response. "And probably some that you'll invent in, oh, a week. Two. I'll let you know when the time comes."

Aggrevating? Hell yes.

Now, Cable is seated, and he pours his first drink in a tumbler. No ice.

"I'm on a time track, and if you don't believe you're in an alternate reality Hope," and Cable slows to consider, pulling the glass up to look at the liquid there, "Then you're not. You'd know." She's got that look about her. And if she was his?

"As for certain big things, well. I don't believe in -changing- the future. I want to be sure the future happens the way it should." Which could be different than the way it happens, as far as the little things are concerned. It's rather arrogant, if one takes it apart and analyzes his words. Is he the arbiter of what should and shouldn't happen?

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, if this happened, it was supposed to happen. And what we say here has everything to do with our future. In our timeline."

"And I remember that I hate time travel," Domino mutters from her end of the table.

In another moment she's giving Hope a weary, narrow-eyed stare. "I can already tell that I'm not going to be very fond of you." She's trying to be polite in her wording, honest! Unlike the sharp twitch of her hand once more, kind of a 'have it your way but let's get things moving' gesture. Nate, and Nathan. If there's any further complication she's going to start assigning numbers to people.

With Hope's rundown of her own situation the albino chimes in once more with "I'd ask if there was a hotline you could call for this sort of thing but I think we have both of those technicians here already."

So far the most difficult question she's had to answer today is whether she wanted the vodka or the rum. Go her.

When Cable teases her she passes that tired/aggravated stare his way. "I just bet you already see that all coming."

As he continues talking she focuses more on her drink than anything, right up until the end when she cocks her head at an angle and looks to Cable once more. "Would it screw up the timeline any if I put the stereo out of its misery? Can't stand this song."

She's kinda in her own little world.

Contrarily to what everyone seems to think, Nate didn't come from a bleak future. His world completely diverged from this one at some point in the 50s, maybe even before. When the final exchange of atomic bombs took place, it was the early 90s.

Nate takes very seriously this doomed world and doomed future things.

"Hope..." he starts. Then sighs, and finishes his beer before speaking. "You are willing to risk you life in Genosha, right? That is fine, it is your life, not mine or anybody else's. I don't think you are too young or any crap of that. But if you are truly willing to risk your life to do what is right, do not go halfway. Go and use what you know, change the world for better. Don't wait for something that might never happen. Tomorrow Magneto could kill us, or a Sentinel, or even a bank robber with a crappy gun and some luck. And then we can't do any more good, just hope that what we did was enough to leave the world a better place. Has it been enough for you?"

Not all of Hope's 'situation' has been revealed. And yet, she actually smiles as she glances at Domino, "If you're willing to let me borrow a gun, I'll put it out of its misery for you."

And yet, as that's said, there's a subtle change from Hope. It's almost as if she's starting to /think/ in another language all together. If that's even possible...?!?

<< I'm from a point after 'No More Mutants' Nathan. >> is said in /ASKANI/. Yes that's right, not english, but instead a language that technically doesn't even exist yet time wise. But as it's said, the redhead doesn't even blink.

"And Nate..." is said as she switches back to at least speaking in English. "Odds are what happens in Genosha won't effect the 'big things' I'm talking about. So I can do anything and everything that I need or want to do to help you guys there."

"Don't touch that stereo for another ten minutes." Cable looks around the bar and nods in the direction of a young couple in a darkened booth in gesture to Dom, his tones holding that tenor. "I kind of liked their great, great, great..." Beat. "Grandson." Every action has ramifications. Repurcussions. It's just a matter of how far one is willing to go with it.

Genosha.

Genosha.

Genosha?

Glancing back at Domino, there's that look on his face. It's something that's come to the fore of his brain, something that will be demanding some attention. (Why hadn't he heard... is this time yet?)

"Hope," and Cable actually drinks some of that liquid in the glass. "Leaving the place a better world is a goal, but it's a hard one. The little things count as much as the big ones." He points to the couple that he'd pointed out to Dom only seconds ago. "Them. But you know what? If Sal isn't born to them, he'll be born to someone else, and those goals will be fulfilled. Trick is to know what's important and what's not."

As for what's important?

"I need to know about me. Sounds a little conceited, but in this little group, I'm sure I can be forgiven. Right?"

Hope's words that come gains Cable's attention immediately, not necessarily in what is said, but how. And yes, what. << Well, you're definitely someone close to me. >> is given easily in return, in the same language. There's that touch that attends it. There's a difference between 'conversation' and truly wishing to be understood, having complete understanding. << You have to know we'd never let that happen. >> We. Didn't Nate say that she was his daughter?

Clearing his throat, Cable shakes his head and murmurs, "Don't be so sure, Hope." The smile turns a little grim. "Odds are, however," how's that for a nod to Domino, "That things will only get worse before it gets better."

Encouragement. Domino's silent gaze snaps back to Hope. Half a second later she's reaching for one of her weapons.

Only to get verbally shot down by Cable. "Killjoy."

Then she realizes why she's not shooting the stereo. "Oh--come on. Really? Like I'd give a crap!" Who names their kid Sal, anyway?

Again that hand expresses everything for her, quickly upturning with another sigh in a complete 'fudge it' motion before dropping onto the back of her chair. Along with her other arm. Soon to be followed by the weight of her chin. (These guys are no fun.)

Cable's surprise at Genosha is met with a single brow hooking upward. "Tied into all of the world news except CNN, huh." How could he not have heard about Genosha by now? Isn't he the one that's supposed to be keeping tabs on these things?

If not then they may soon have a problem.

They're also speaking in some really funky bizarre language. "Great, we're all multi-lingual here. That's fantastic," she mutters.

"My mood's getting worse, does that count?"

"Get more drinks," suggests Nate, glancing at Domino. "Whatever happens in Genosha concerns Magneto, and whatever concerns Magneto you can bet is going to have a big impact in mutant politics and future." It already is, which is why the X-Men are getting involved. "So yeah, it is going to affect all mutants yet unborn, you included. That is why doing the right thing is important, Hope."

There's a slight snort and a shake of her head at Nate, before Hope mutters, "If you only knew..."

Then though there's a glance at Domino.

"If I knew what would make it better, I'd do it or say it. Sorry."

Then well....

There a hard look at Cable as the redheaded girl slips back into that other language.

<< Stop and think about that for a second. /AFTER/ it. The /FIRST/ born after it technically. Too much of a chance of my not being born if it doesn't happen, if it doesn't happen. >>

"And as for you? Nathan, lets just say that your time travel tech has issues, and you adopted me."

"I'm sorry, Dom. I had a few things on my mind that I had to give priority to. It's not like I can just step in anywhere in Genosha. Some things have to be timed right. Sometimes we can't step in until the proverbial excrement strikes the electric wind generator."

Now, Nate looks back to the pair of.. Summers'ses.. Greyses.. yes, them, and his voice cants a little lower. He's including Dom in this, certainly. (Oops, had he neglected to mention this before?)

"Magneto has to succeed. If he does not, there will be something more of that mutant free world." With that bombshell, Cable shakes his head. "Beyond that, I can't really say. It won't be pretty. Lots of people, good people, will die.

With what Hope says to him, there's a look given her. One of those that perhaps 'her' Nathan had given her so many times. It's the 'I do understand. Can you see what it is I just said?' sort of ... parental look? He does have the courtesy to look a little apologetic when the light accusation is made, and he shrugs, a half-smile forming. "We do what we can?"

Domino doesn't bother raising a hand this time. Instead she curls her head until the white patch of forehead is nestled against her crossed forearms. It muffles her voice slightly when she half-groans "If we're here to sort things out then can we please all stick to a language that everyone at the table is familiar with..?"

Ask and she shall receive. The next thing she hears is Cable telling them that Magneto has to succeed. "-What.-"

Dom's running out of appendages to drop in dramatic fashion.

It's too much to process. Too much to deal with for this setting. Up snap both of her hands, palms forward before a full compliment of black lacquered fingertips start to rub at her forehead. "Why can't anything ever be simple..."

Then Hope's talking about Cable choosing to adopt her. That black and white colored head slowly lifts upright once more, more or less, half-gloved hands drifting off toward her temples while icy eyes stare at Hope, then at Cable.

"I'd really like to think that I get a say in this..."

Wait! Adopted? Well... damn. Seems Hope forgot to tell Nate about that little detail. Redheads. "I think I know, thank you for being so condescending, you are very fun, Hope." He remarks sarcastically.

Magneto has to win, uh? His eyes narrow to Cable's statement. Magneto is not going to win without fighting him if he is the human-hating tyrant he has been told he is. Too alike to Apocalypse for his tastes.

There's a slightly odd look at Domino before the older albino woman may pick up a telepathic message. One that Hope /tries/ to send to just Domino, but considering that she's copying Nate and how little training she has, whether or not she can keep either of the guys from catching the message is unclear.

~ Unfortunately you weren't with us when we got stuck in the future. But you might want to talk to Nate or his sister or mother if you want to hear that story since I'm getting the impression you don't want to hear it from me. ~

On the other hand, at that 'Magneto has to win' thing...

"If you're willing to change the one big thing that lead to my being born, then you shouldn't be afraid to change that one Nathan." is said out loud, with a faint smirk. One that Nathan may recognize as one a kid might offer to a parent who the kid feels just said something that goes against one of their 'rules'.

And as for X-Man...

"Gee Nate... I know I'm fun. But it's nice to hear you actually say that."

Cable passes Domino a glass of Jamesson, his after he refills it. See? He cares! "Keep up with the tenses, Dom. You know damned well I make sure you're up on things." How else can he work? Without a base, it's impossible. He's a man who believes in having people around him.

Nate's comment to Hope brings a sigh out of the large man, and he shakes his head slowly. "It's the one thing about time fixing that's the worst. People will die. People will live. People won't believe me when I say it. But, there's got to be faith."

Now, Cable pushes his chair out from under the table and makes to rise. "We'll talk about what was put into place for you to be born, Hope. But I have a feeling tonight's not the night for it. Nate has my number and I have the feeling that now that we've come face to face, the brainphone'll work well." Once he's on his feet, he exhales in a quiet sigh. "And believe me. We need to talk."

Looking back at Domino, Cable adds, "Hey. Bring the bottle along. I think we need to talk too."

There's a subtle flinch and tensing of muscles as Domino's mind is spoken to directly, and it's not by Cable. She's still quite touchy about psychic links, even with him. But, as she tells herself here and now, Hope isn't the enemy. Though in this moment part of her kinda wishes that she was. Then she could go for her guns again with a clean conscience.

"Not all that sure I want to hear it at all," she admits in a low tone.

Frankly, this is all getting to be a bit much for her. It's been a long couple of days. Beneath the armored coating she's cut to hell and back from a shapeshifting mutant that didn't appreciate her concern. Now hearing that she might be a mother by proxy and that Magneto has to succeed in Genosha, she's ready to get trashed then go detonate half of a city block. Or something to that effect.

Up from the chair she goes. A bottle gets nabbed in either hand. "Gonna take 'Nate's' suggestion here and get some more to drink, after all. 'Nathan' and I have some dialogue to initiate."

She would lead except that Cable's already half a step ahead of her. Damned psychics.

Yeah, this went very well. Now Nate is angry at Hope cryptic and arrogant know-it-all stance. Worried about Cable's prediction about Magneto and, of course, has the expected headache. "I need some fresh air," he states, heading out but using other exit. They have to get back to Genosha, but he can certainly take a couple hours break.