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[Someone had overdone it these past weeks. Had overdone it and once the adrenaline had faded, once he'd gone back to his suite, showered and laid down to sleep, he'd woken to a spot of trouble.

Muscles that had made up for the lack of spinal integrity were seized up, his entire lumbar region compromised in a combination of agonizing pain at the wound location and worrisome weakness below. Though Charles could navigate himself, to some extent, between bed and bathroom, a fall as a result of weakened legs, leaving to a wicked split on his temple had made up his mind for him.

He needed help.

Getting to the console in his suite had taken a combination of awkward navigation, the inability to even sit in the chair leaving him flat on the floor, though he managed to toggle the device to 'audio'. A couple of breaths, to give his voice some measure of calm before he spoke.]

Perhaps I should have anticipated this situation earlier and asked after this point before now, however I do hope I can be forgiven it slipping my mind.

Does anyone know the location of hospital facilities that may be near the Water Sector? Perhaps transport to such facilities or if there might be a medical expert who could come to my suite?

I fear that I have aggravated a pre-existing condition this past week and it is causing me a touch of inconvenience at the moment. I would be most grateful for some assistance.

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Mine are in Water Sector--I can be with you in five minutes.

[Brisk, business-like tone here--but there's an underlying note of cheer.] Where are you?

[Of cheer?

Charles might have wondered about that, except right now he's just grateful to hear a response from someone.]

WA-D1 the ... ah I'm afraid that the door is locked.

[He has crafting back, Charles. Sorry, your medic will be in a horrendously good mood.]

Ah. Is there an open window? I'd rather avoid property damage, and I'm afraid lock picking was never one of my skills.

[That, Charles can understand actually.

Even if his telepathy isn't back to full capacity, it is still returned enough to help him breath easier. Well, easier if he wasn't in quite a bit of pain at the moment.]

Check the bedroom window? I had it opened for air flow, I don't believe I closed it.

Right. I'll be there shortly.

[Septimus isn't wholly certain how far his abilities will go at the moment--nor how comfortable this patient will be with his brand of healing--so he does grab a handful of items before flying over.

Flying, crows it feels good.

Still, it barely takes him any time at all to find his way to Charles' suite, and locate the window.] Hello? I'm Sep, we spoke on the network.

[Luckily Charles' suite was on the small side, as Charles himself was not in the bedroom but rather out in the living room, stretched out on his back on the floor.]

In here!

[He called and then, a moment later.]

A pleasure to meet you, Sep. My name is Charles.

[By now, Septimus has gotten used to the feeling that most people in this place have strange names; still, he feels a twinge of wistfulness at yet more unfamiliarity.

He quickly crosses to the living room, and when his eyes fall on Charles he instinctively opens up his watercrafting to start getting a sense of what's wrong, specifically--he can feel the pain without even trying.]

It will be more of a pleasure once you're patched up. What can you tell me about your condition?

[Raising his head slightly, Charles gave Sep a genuine smile that was slightly pinched at the sides of his mouth.]

I sustained an injury to my lower spine not long before I arrived here. [The next words cause him to pause as he trips, briefly, over speaking them.]

I believe it was severe as I recall having no feeling or mobility in my lower extremities after it occurred. However, when I was brought here, feeling and mobility were returned but with significant discomfort and marked weakness.

[Glancing towards the front door, he motioned towards the cane sitting just inside the door frame.]

I usually find some stability and assistance from that cane but with our adventures the past couple of weeks, I fear that I may have overdone things. I was alright until I came home, cleaned up and then slept for a bit, I fear that the inactivity allowed muscles to seize.

[Hello. Have the newest resident of the Water Sector looking at you with just a mild bit of concern.]

What happened?

[Err actually she's going to be looking at an empty room as the camera is staged to shoot about three feet above where Charles lays.]

Hello. Ah, nothing particular. Well, slightly particular but that was back home, as I said this is a pre-existing condition acting up.

[Oddly enough, this works for her. It's easier for her to talk to people when she can't see them. Still, there's a hint of concern in her voice, too.]

Do you need help?

[She's not sure what she can do to help. Maybe just...talk to him a bit? Keep him distracted?]

I do, actually.

[He'll be honest with her.]

Though I believe someone is on their way.

[He doesn't want to say that she also sounds young, too young to be able to pick him up off the floor.]

My name is Charles, by the way, Charles Xavier.

[Honest is good. Especially since she hasn't learned to doubt people's words just yet.]

Victoria Desange. That's good that someone is on their way. You'll be okay then. Right?

It is very nice to meet you, Victoria.

And yes, I'm certain I'll be alright. [At least he was going to hope he would be alright, he'd know more when help arrived.]

Okay.

It's nice to meet you, too.

[While she does mean this, she's also repeating what people have been saying to her for the past few days. It's a learning process for her. She wants to be normal so copying others helps.

But she really does mean it.]

Have you been here very long, Victoria?

[She does sound young and despite his current state of being indisposed, the educator in Charles is concerned.]

Is there anyone from your world here with you?

A few days.

[She spent more time skulking and hiding and poking around than she did in her suite. And only a couple minutes on the network which she's still not sure of.]

No. I looked already.

I am sorry to hear that, my dear.

[This had to be a frightening place to find one's self when young and with no one you know present.

Which raised a few concerns.]

May I ask how old you are?

[He knew that as an adult, he was expected to have a job but what provisions were made for children?]

I'm eight. [She doesn't act it, does she? She's probably far too quiet and still to be eight. Shouldn't eight year olds be outside or getting into trouble?]

Eight?

[It is a rhetorical question and it is a good thing she cannot see the disapproving expression on his face. He would not have thought the turtle cruel enough to bring a child here completely alone.]

May I ask where you're staying, Victoria? Have you been given adequate housing?

Professor? You dying or something?

[She sounds facetious, but it's a real concern okok.]

[His response is a low, pained chuckle.]

I should be so lucky. [Wry moment is wry.] However, nothing quite so dramatic. Merely a miscalculation on my part.

That's not chill, Professor. You dying... That'd be lame.

[A beat.]

What can I do?

[It's only a grudging request so much as she's not cool with people realising she actually, y'know, cares about people.]

Well, provided you aren't calling me an 'old fart' I suppose I'll take lame.

[Even if its vernacular he's not familiar with, he can get the gist of her meaning.]

Well a gentleman named Sep said he was on his way, which will hopefully see to my getting off the floor of my living room.

I ... ah [this is not a question he feels comfortable asking and though he is doing his best to cover his own disquiet, his voice might shift a little as he is forced to accept the necessity.] I don't suppose you know if there are wheelchairs to be had?

'Old fart' doesn't work for a guy with an afro like yours. Start strutting the bald and I'll bring that one out.

[Ororo listens to the rest and she's nodding.]

Sep's a good guy. Knows his stuff, says he can work mutants too. I'd trust him.

[As for the rest... She pauses, knowing that's got to be hard to bring up, for all that Professor X goes hand-in-hand with the wheelchair thing.]

The kedan-- [Shift. Adapt. It's not exactly an option here.] They'll do whatever I ask 'em. Couple hours is all I'd need.

[It might take some plying, buy she's got some juulan sitting around. BPRD monies, but HB's been hard to track down and... he'd understand. The big guy'd want her to use it to help a friend.]

[Charles blinked and reached up to touch his hair protectively, though she couldn't see the action).]

I do not have an afro and let us kindly leave the state of my hair out of this.

[He had his vanity in his youth! Of course, losing his legs would quickly put paid to a lot of that vanity.]

Thank you, Ororo. I don't expect to need it on a permanent basis. [At least he was going to do everything in his ability to make sure that did not happen.] But having it for supportive care, is probably wise.

[She can't help it -- a hairy Xavier is just... Weird. It demands teasing. But fiiiiiiiiiiiiine. She'll lay off the afro jokes. And she won't bring out the hair plugs one either. Do you see what she does for you?]

Yeah, I get it. No way it'll be forever. [A simple, thin smile.]

Want me to bring it by as soon as I've got it?

[Or does he want to deal with Sep and take some time to himself first?]

[He is not hairy! Just his head. Wait till you see the pitiful scraggle that he calls a beard; its a sad thing.

Hair plugs will earn you a very stern look, young lady!]

Well, not here anyway. [He'll amend with a wry tone, one that indicates he's aware of his future with the chair back home.]

If you could, Ororo. I'm in Water Sector but building D-1 this time.

[Can you pull the "young lady" card with her now? Maybe she should ID you, see if you're old enough. OH THE CONUNDRUMS OF TIME WARPS.]

You got it, Professor.

[Ororo disconnects the feed, saving them both the awkwardness for a spell. It gives her the time to get some juulan out from under her mattress and find a kedan willing patch something together. It's rudimentary, at best, but she stays with him while he works and points out that, y'know, those wheels need to be able to move for the whole chair to be of use. Little things like that.

Weird. That's how it feels to be doing this. The Professor's long been chairbound in her mind and she's just gotten used to the idea of a young rendition of him hanging around. Maybe even used the whole motion bit to separate the concepts of them in her head, but-- Screw that, she supposes as the kedan bends a bar to be just right.

Temporary, he says. It'll help him get around, but she leaves a deposit for a better design with him. Four hours and change it took to get the model and it works enough to push it through the Sectors to 1D of Water. It's no masterpiece without polish or cushion, but it works and that's what she meant for it to do.

Ororo stops at the door. Thinks. Worries, even briefly. Maybe she should just leave it for him to bring in later and save him the, what? The awkwardness? It's not like it bothers her to see him in a chair, but vice versa? Who knows. Ugh. It's hard to figure and she decides to at least knock to let him know it's here.]

[Have you seen his fashion sense? He is enough of an old fart, even at this age, to be able to pull the 'young lady' card.

By the time Ororo got to his suite, Charles had at least been transferred off the floor and onto the couch. There had been some discussion at placing him back into bed but he knew Ororo was coming by and that would have been kinda awkward so couch it was!

At the knock, he called out.]

Come in! It's open.

[Perhaps not wise from a safety standpoint but he's got a very mild mental net cast to pick up intention if not direct thoughts.

His suite was small, the living space just inside the door and Charles was laying on the couch, facing the door so he would see her when she walked in. There was a rueful smile on his lips but it was welcoming all the same, just ignore the slight color on his cheeks, the only indicator of his embarrassment at his situation.]

[And that means no quick escape from the unease for either of them, but Ororo heeds the call and opens the door to look in first. She sees the Professor on the couch and offers a quick, subdued smile that quickly transitions into a nod. Easier, that way.]

'Storm's Lightning Delivery' -- or something cheesy like that.

[She says it with a roll of her eyes, finding her footing (so to speak) and turning to pull the chair in behind her.]

Look, before you say anything, I've got him working on the Milan model. [Added quickly, to explain why it's not the sweetest wheelchair on two wheels. Er, four.]

[Pushing himself up on his elbows, Charles chuckled softly as he eyed the contraption.]

So long as it does not collapse beneath my weight, I will forgo points for style.

[He gave Storm a warm smile as he looked up at her and his next words were definitely heartfelt.]

Thank you, Ororo. I appreciate this.

[Ororo turns the chair around once she's got it over the threshold, then leans down to brush a bit of dust off the seat before she levers in into a position near the couch, but not so much on top of it that he couldn't ignore if it he chose to.

Then she just... kind of stands there, a hand combing through the hair hanging over the back of her neck. Her smile is sheepish, though she manages to look him in the eye.]

It's cool, Professor. This -- [A quick gesture to the chair.] -- it's cool. [Yeah. So not saying "this is the norm for me" to the guy that still has some mobility.]

You just give me a yell if you need anything else.

Anyone who offers healing should at least be willing to go to the patient. Otherwise, I'd reconsider their services.

[Charles gave a tight chuckle.]

At the moment, I am afraid I am in no position to be particular about my options.

Do you still need healing or to be moved?

Someone is coming to help but thank you for offering.

I am unsure that we've had the pleasure of a proper introduction? My name is Charles, Charles Xavier.

All right.

We haven't, as I haven't been here very long. My name is Raven.

It is a pleasure to meet you, Raven, though of course I do wish the circumstances were slightly altered.

[As in, they hadn't been drawn from their home worlds to a world teetering between life, sleep and death.

Well, alright actually the turtle was a rather curious mystery, though the inability to go home of one's own free will was a bit off-putting.]

You get used to strange circumstances eventually. It's pretty much an occupational hazard.

Well, I suppose that depends upon your occupation?

Do you have superheroes in your world?

[ She's never actually had to ask this before, it's strange. ]

Superheroes?

[A curious term but nothing he would use to define mutants, at least not at this stage.]

We have people who have performed heroic feats?

Secret identities, unusual powers, not the usual jeans and t-shirt outfits, that sort of thing? That's the right idea.

[Well, that did sound a bit more familiar, even if Raven had been drinking at the time she gave them all those ridiculous code names.]

Are superheroes common in your world? You speak as if 'occupational hazard' is something to be expected?

[ Some days, drunken code-naming makes more sense than the alternative. ]

Common as in well-known, yes. I wouldn't say there's an abundance of them but there are always new ones establishing themselves. Unfortunately, the same can always be said of supervillains as well.

I see.

[Was the direction his own world was going to move towards? Charles winced slightly at the thought of such.]

And what of more normal citizens? Do they play a role in all of this?

They're just... living their lives. We give them protection.

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