xp_logs | [Artie, Marius] Connecting the Dots (backdated)

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After the conclusion of Witches' Road, Artie provides a debrief as only he can.
Backdated to November 1st.

"Artie!"

It was the exclamation of one who was not only a terminal morning person, but wholly unfamiliar with the virtues of comfortable silence. It was, in short, the sound of Marius cursing the kitchen with his presence as he returned from some exercise he would no doubt characterise as "bracing".

"Don't often see you here," remarked the X-Man as he glided past the smaller man to seek something suitably electrolyte-rich from the communal fridge. He shot Artie a bright smile, noting the coffee. "Long night?"

Several days camping out at Snow Valley had left Artie's milk unfortunately lumpy. He blinked, lifted his head away from the bowl of lucky charms and entire jug of coffee to glare.

Marius took this silence as an affirmative, yet somehow not the accompanying hint.

"Come to think on it, I've noticed a general absence of you lot the last week or so," he continued, plucking a sport drink from the fridge and breaking the seal with a crack of plastic. He turned back to Artie, heavy brows raising. "Assumed there was an operation or similar. Concluded now, or merely come up for a breather?"

Could Marius sign? Who knew. The text Artie presented was plain. "Something like that. A couple of kids" and he added their faces, "were under protective custody with us. Magic shit."

"Ah," said Marius. Looking at the tired man before him, a thought occurred. "How does that work when there's a magical battle on, anyway? I know Amanda and Topaz and them specialise, but what about the rest of you? Is there a strategy, or do you just have to hang back while the rest of them . . ." Marius raised his free hand and waggled his fingers, mystically.

Artie projected a cartoon car driving into a cartoon man and continued shovelling cereal into his mouth.

The implication arced gracefully over Marius' head and bounced off into the bushes.

"Seems a bit limited, eh?"

Artie raised an eyebrow, the effect ruined by his tongue snaking out to lick a dribble of milk off his chin. He answered in images. A mage, doing spell shit. X-Force clustered, two here, three there. The three - Clea, Topaz, Amanda - turned into rabbits, hopping in circles. The two - himself and Jubilee - threw their hands in the air, a silent panicked conversation between them. The tiny figures on the counter picked up cartoonishly huge guns and shot the mage until the others turned human again.

Marius' head bobbed amiably. "I see, I see. I suppose it's true, not a few problems can be solved with a bullet to the face." That had not, in fact, worked on him, but who was he to tell Artie his business? He took another swig of his drink. "Regardless, I believe I'll leave that area to the experts. It's a bit fuzzy, but when last I encountered magic I distinctly recall unravelling. Can't say I recommend it."

Artie nodded vaguely. Sure. Eventually the words seeped in. "Yeah, sorry about running over you." The text looked embarrassed.

There was a moment of silence as Marius' face assumed an expression that could be described only as "buffering".

Then, abruptly, the pilot light of memory finally flared to life.

"Thank you!" Marius beamed, enthusiastically gesturing at Artie with his sports drink. "For ages I was tormented by the fear I'd been struck by a hapless motorist, but to know it was you? Truly, it is an honour and a relief to know the windshield I went through belonged to a comrade-in-arms."

Artie blinked. This was the direct opposite of the response he'd expected. He swallowed, and smiled. "I'll happily run over you any day, bro."

The other man grinned. "Much appreciated. Should the need arise, rest assured that I would do the same for you."

Artie signed his thanks. As always it was never certain if he was experiencing elaborate performance or not when talking to Marius.

He stood, gathering his now empty bowl and coffee and nodded goodbye.