2012-10-24 Overcast

Overcast Metropolis skies loom above the northern buroughs of Bakerville; sounds of the Monorail can be heard a street away from where a lone figure stands staring off towards Metropolis' naval yard - gulls dotting the skyline sweep from east to west in lazy to erratic looking dances with and against one another in their battle for food.

The youth calling himself Conner has just stepped off the departing rail-based transport as looking as lost and bored as one could expect of an uprooted clone without direction. He knows what he is, who he is, who his possibly family could even be but he has no idea on how to begin his own journey, to make something of the Metropolis Kid, of the clone of Krypton's last son. Thought alone makes his lips quirk and curl back while fingers curl in tightly and crush down in to his sweater almost tearing it. It truly is an eventless day.

It has been a long time coming, truly. Rogue has meant to come up to Metropolis to check things out, give the other city a look-see and see what's so special about it compared to the one she has made home for many years. At first there was nothing for her to be impressed over - one big city's like another, right? - but as she wanders it's clear that Metropolis has something New York City doesn't have, an energy, a magic that the Big Apple doesn't have. Or maybe it's a case that she just hasn't noticed it? Either way, she is caught up in it and can not help but to be in awe. After a quick hop on the monorail she steps out once it stops only to all but bowl into Conner, her own attention span shot when she immediately returns to gawking. A gloved-hand shoots out when she catches sight of him out of the corner of her eye, her expression quick to become flustered. "Ah'm so sorry," she immediately calls out regardless of if there was a collusion or not.

That distant glare in steel blue eyes withdraws to the present as Rogue bumps him and is met with a wall of muscle. "Careful." Conner murmurs in response to her apology. Just as quickly he catches himself and remembers this whole 'manners' thing; "Sorry I mean it's okay I was in the way."

The young man is looked at quickly before Rogue steps to the side, allowing for other people to pass them while also affording the young man some space. "Yer a'ight," she says although it's slow in coming at first when she notices how he looks at her. The glare has her taken aback and she's not exactly sure what to say. Clearing her throat, then, Rogue reaches up to brush a lock of hair from her face while she adds, "Ah don't know how Ah managed to be so clumsy. It ain't like Ah haven't lived in a big city, ya know," trying to be conversational.

"It happens." Conner's ever obvious grasp of social interactions begins to shine through. His hands still knotted up in that sweater. "It is pretty crowded." He shifts from one foot to the next while trying to avert his eyes from watching her too closely. That might also be considered rude after all... so many rules to this it was... frustrating to say the least.

Rogue isn't the most social creature normally and misses out on a lot of details people more practiced in such things as conversation and interaction with others go but she does notice how Conner seems nervous, or at least she's assuming that's the case as he fusses with his clothes. "Are ya a'right," she asks, sounding concerned. No, she doesn't know him but still, she has been in his position more than once and her heart goes out to him.

"Huh?" Confused by the question. "Me? Yeah I'm fine." Conner fires back, maybe a little snappier than it should be. "Why? Is something wrong with me?" More of the crowd from the train pushes past them until the two of them are the only ones left standing on the platform. That bit of darkness in the horizon creeping out further in to the sky. Have to love October nights.

"Ya look as nervous as a long tail cat in a room fulla rockin' chairs, to be honest," she answers, trying very hard to be gentle with her tone. No sense in upsetting someone, after all. Rogue looks at Conner and smiles, her own bout of nerves ebbing. "Ah'm Rogue. It's nice to meetcha..." Not knowing his name, her voice trails off as she watches him expectantly, perhaps expecting him to supply her with a name.

"I do? Well I'm not." Self-awarenes strikes and he looks down at himself then finally directly at the woman before him. "Thats a weird name. I'm Conner." Turning to look one way down the road then the other he asks, "You live around here or something?"

Yes, it is a weird name but it suits her, it being one Rogue gave herself many years ago. But that's not said. No, what she does do is grin and even nod in agreement, happy to leave it at that. When Conner asks where she's from she shakes her head, once again winding up with her hair falling over her face. "Ah'm from New York," she answers once she brushes her hair from her brow again, looking vaguely disgruntled for having to do so. "Ah jus' came out here ta visit. What about ya. Ya live here?"

"Oh. No... I guess. Not here though but in Metropolis." The permanent looking frown across Conner's brow looks as if it is starting to ease up the more they speak. "I was just out for a walk. Never rode on the monorail until just now either... didn't like it. Too cramped, too many people and it smells." Those hyper senses can at times be a serious pain.

Did it smell? Rogue didn't notice anything but she wasn't on the same part of the train as Conner so maybe it was just the car he rode in... maybe? She looks behind here where the now-departed monorail was, a brow lifted. "Ah... guess so," she eventually says, not sounding too certain. "Ah welll. There seems to be lots of other modes of transportation -" like flying, if you are somewhere doing so won't attract attention, "- to be found 'round here."

"You're from New York? Never heard anyone from there with your accent." A blank statement on Conner's part. "Am I keeping you from your visit?" He asks curiously. Not sure why he is still talking to the woman but it feels like it has been a while since he has actually had human interaction that appeared to be genuine.

Hmm? Oh. Right. That. Rogue laughs and blushes some. "Ah'm from the South originally," she explains. "But Ah've lived in New York for so long that Ah tend to think of it as home." When she asks if she's being kept she pauses, thinking about that for a second. "Ya know, Ah ain't got anything planned. Not that Ah know what's around here... do ya think you could show me around a bit?"

"Yeah but not much to see. You're going to get bored. " Conner replies while watching her blush. Turning he starts walking away from the monorail tracks. "I thought you said you were visiting? Did you mean just the city? I don't know many people who just leave their home to walk around somewhere." Kind of like he is doing now to some extent.

"The point is that this is all new, ya know? Ain't ever been here so..." Rogue lifts a shoulder at the same time she starts to follow him, easily catching up to the teen and following his pace. "Ya mean ya never met someone who jus' came to look at what a city has to offer?" That kind of baffles her. Don't people do that a lot?

"I guess, Rogue." Conner uses her name as if he is trying to get a better feel of it. Their walk carrying them past a strip of window stores and outdoor resteraunts. This time of day and the weather most are fairly empty with the occasional man or women hovering over a laptop or newspaper, book or drink. "No. Not really met anyone who does that. I don't know a lot of people here."

Rogue will admit that just coming to a city to look around isn't usual but she still finds it hard to believe that Conner hasn't met others who have done the same, that getting her to go quiet as she dwells upon it. "Ah guess it's jus' one more thing Ah..." Stopping herself, she looks at her companion, grinning a bit. "Ya don't? Did ya jus' move here?"

"Kind of, er, just recently I did, yes." Conner says in a quick reply.

Passing a colorful stand the magazine vendor bent over infront of it drops a stack of booklets; Metahuman Registration Act in bold reads across the cover of the top one. "Stupid." The youth blurts out as they pass by the bowed aged man,

"What was that, kid?"

The booklets has Rogue sighing inwardly while outwardly she tries to act like it doesn't bother her. She doesn't want to call attention to how she's a mutant, not while things are so volatile. She reaches over to take Conner's arm, intent on pulling him away from the vendor. "He meant nothin' by it, Ah'm sure," she says to the man before she drops her voice to a whisper. "Careful," she implores. "There's a lot of tension now and Ah don't want to get into a fight."

Conner's mouth is already poised half open to respond to the senior citizen as Rogue gives him that pull.

"Just keep walking." The man says gruffly which only adds to the tension as the Kryptonian Clone resists the Southern Belle's draw briefly. "I said... nevermind. Not worth it. People are stupid." He repeats only finishing more of what he was saying. Not adding more to it as if he doesn't have the words or is just too frustrated to elaborate.

"Pick your fights wisely," comes a bit of advice from Rogue who looks behind them, wanting to make sure they aren't going to be followed. "Look, Ah know it sucks but..." Rogue sighs and shakes her head. She has gotten into the habit of not telling people she just met that she's a mutant and she isn't about to do so now, but she does give Conner's arm a squeeze of reassurence before letting go. "Jus' be careful."

"I am careful. I wasn't going to fight some old guy." Conner grumps at her. Not enjoying the chided feeling but also mildly embarassed that he was about to act out and unaware how he would have behaved if he had carried on. It's the squeeze that has him come to realization she had touched him and a blush appears across his cheeks. "Where do you stand with all of that?"

"That's something best left to talk about somewhere else... later." The tone Rogue speaks in is serious. She is not going to be conned or bullied into continuing the subject now but the subject is then changed as is her demeanor, Rogue now all smiles. "Are ya hungry? How about we find a place to get something to eat." Hopefully Conner is a typical teenaged boy in that way that boys are often distracted by mention of food.

"Alright." Conner says while studying her face. That very short lived blush gone as he reverts to 'chip-on-the-shoulder-angsty-teen' again. "Food, I like that idea. I know the place for that one at least." Yeah he is hungry. He is always hungry.