Cuckoos
New Member
Five Minds One Purpose
Posts: 39
|
Post by Cuckoos on Nov 13, 2005 0:38:43 GMT -5
The Stepford Cuckoos stood around their mother. Their psychic shields were around her like a bubble. The bubble sent the girls reassuring feelings into her as well as kept the rest of the people from feeling the inner turmoil their mother was going through.
They heard as the young man finally responded to their psychic message, < I’m afraid I can’t do that. They’re my parents too, and I’m not leaving until I know what that entails for us. >
Shock was evident on the girls face, they were his parents. How could that be? They had never mentioned them having a child. Who was this person? Why weren’t they told about it? These were THEIR parents. What did this mean for them? If this was their child...what would happen?
Inside them the Super Sentinel technology seemed to kick start, due mainly to the emotions they themselves were feeling. Still they seemed to remain calm on the outside. Like a the unbroken surface of a lake deep in the wood, but deep inside there was a rage like that of a fierce storm.
Soon the girls could sense Mr. Summers and the young man approaching. “Scott and the young man are approaching,” Mrs. Grey said...more to herself than to them.
Soon the door was opened and in walked Mr. Summers, from his mind they picked up one word Nathan. The young man was attractive, in a rough unclean way. One of his arms seemed to be made of metal.
Mr. Summers then said, "Thank you for your help, girls, but this is a private conversation. We'll explain everything when it's over." He held open the door, his tone and expression set firm.
“That is fine SIR.” they all said in unison. Before leaving the girls each turned to their mother and kissed her on the cheek, a sign of reassurance. She would know what they were going to do most likely.
As the girls walked by the young man they all gave him one of their famous icy stares and telepathically said, <And you call those things telepathic shields.>
Once the door was closed behind them, the Cuckoos used their powers to shield themselves from anyone sensing their presence or actually seeing them through any means. A nice and efficient trick their mother had taught them. Soon they remained quiet to hear just how the conversation developed.
|
|
Cable
New Member
The furture for the House of M
Posts: 38
|
Post by Cable on Nov 14, 2005 1:25:08 GMT -5
Nathan followed his father and the others down the hall. As they reached the office, he passed the other two and followed Cyclops into the room. The first sight inside the room was his mother surrounded by five identical teenage girls. His mother was beautiful and he could barely make eye contact seeing what he was doing to her. The girls were beautiful too, but they didn’t look like either of his parents. This was mixed news. It was somewhat comforting to know they didn’t technically have any more kids, but the girls looked very attached. They would most likely be affected by his coming back. He didn’t mean to take their parents, but he had a right to know what kind of life(if any) he could make here with them.
The girls were excused and the first thing they did was kiss the cheek of their apparent mother. That was rude and possibly a power move considering the situation, but she probably needed them. On their way out, every one of them gave him a dirty look. They were certainly unsettling. <And you call those things telepathic shields.> That was even more unsettling after seeing their disdain for him. One thing was for sure, whether he stayed or not, Nathan was going to find a telepath to tell him whether or not his shields were satisfactory. As the door closed, Nathan looked at his parents together for the first time in ten years.
Written by Phoenix
Jean’s eyes locked on the young man as he entered, taking in his height, down to the metal arm—what had happened to him that he needed something like that?—to his hair colors to his glowing eye. He was handsome for a young man, and he certainly had Scott’s facial features. There was no doubt about it.
< It'll be all right, Jean, > Scott offered her comfort, squeezing her hand lightly after he came in and asked the girls to leave. She could only smile slightly in response and return the squeeze, trusting that yes, everything would be alright. Even if this wasn’t Nathan. But Jean didn’t want to focus on what would happen to the boy if he was proved to be an imposter. She doubted that she and Scott, and others who felt as strongly as they did, would be held accountable for their actions.
Trying to focus on the positive, Jean sent a wave of love towards each of the girls as they came over to give her a kiss on the cheek. She could feel the anger the girls were emitting as they emphasized the cordial title they gave to Scott. She understood their hurt, and why they didn’t want to leave, but it would be best if they were gone for just a little while, until their parents could tell if this was indeed Nathan or not. Jean could sense them right outside in the hallway before they masked themselves, and knew of their intentions, not that she blamed them. She and Scott would have to have a long discussion with them after all of this was dealt with. They had a right to know now what happened so long ago.
Jean wasn’t exactly sure how to begin. 'Hi, I’m the person who you claim is your mother,' or 'Thanks for drudging up a painful, gut-wrenching time of our past,' didn’t seem to cut it. So she just cut straight to the point.
"I’m sure you realize that because of numerous details, we have reason to doubt who you claim to be," Her tone was apologetic, but guarded. The boy was young, but too old to be her son. She didn’t want to outwardly make him feel alienated, but she couldn’t help but want to protect herself and her husband.
"You know I'm a telepath, and I sense that you are as well," Jean wasn’t guessing. He had the mental signature of a telepath, and his energy was strong. "The easiest way to help us find out if you are who you say you are would be to join you on the astral plane in your mind, and for you to show us your earliest memories." For a telepath, memories were like stamps of permanent existence. Being telepathic meant remembering nearly every single sight, sound, and smell, whether you wanted to or not. Perhaps “Nathan” could remember what it had been like when he was a child, preferably an infant. Also, being in his mind would allow Jean to sense any kind of deceit.
< I’ll take us in slowly. > Jean said calmly, but with a hint of apprehension to Scott via their rapport. She was well used to bringing others to the astral plane, especially Scott, and knew how to guide his psyche onto it as if it were her own. When Nathan opened his mind to them, she held Scott’s hand as they manifested in his psyche exactly the same as if they were still standing in the office.
____________________
Nathan understood their concern. He would have been wary in their place. Simply nodding, he sat in one of the chairs before opening his mind to them completely. It apparently wasn’t that hard, since the girls informed him that his shields were crap. Still, he didn’t plan on hiding anything. She had to know he was being completely honest.
Nathan’s mindscape was like an open plane. It was only lit by a glowing yellow eye hanging in the middle of wherever the group seemed to go. The ground and walls were laced with wiring and metal panels. His mental self walked up to his parents and said “This will be as good a place as any. It all conforms to my wishes any way.” As he said it the glowing eye closed and the room was dark until a memory came into focus. It could be seen on any of the four walls around them, like big screen televisions. The memory was one of his earliest. Himself as a baby in his mother’s arms, surrounded by students, mostly female. Most notable was Ash standing right up front. “This is one of the earliest memories I have. Please bear with me, I just recovered most of the oldest ones a couple of days ago.”
He showed a few more of his memories from infancy before moving on to what they all really came to see. The memory of being left with Askani for the last time began playing as he explained. “Here is the last time we saw each other until today. Once you left, a man named Essex came snooping around and eventually killed my care taker, I believe you called her Askani.” At this point it showed Sinister’s hand turning into a blade and impaled Askani through the heart. “He took me and left a bomb inside the house to cover his tracks. Essex is the man who raised me since then. He was a scientist, and crazy. He took me for a reason. Essex theorized that the House of M would be swallowed by it’s own power. He needed a pawn, a mutant who could fill the power vacuum, someone he could influence. From the early memories, it looked like he intentionally singled me out, because he considered the both of you to be very strong.”
Nathan Memories suddenly changed and showed himself inside Sinister’s lab. “The only problem was that I wouldn’t be old enough when the time came to take control of the world. I already told you he was crazy, but he was also very much a genius. He created a powerful growth accelerant and injected it into me. This is why I’m older than I should be and also what caused my arm. He said it was something dormant within me that caused the reaction but my body began changing. Veins replaced by wiring, skin changed to metal. My left eye can see in night or heat vision. All this occurred naturally. It’s all some kind of organic alloy. Luckily he was able to stop it before it took my entire body.”
Again, his memories began shifting. This time to the end of that first year, when he was an unnatural adolescent. “This was me by my first birthday. I was fully adjusted, like it had been nine years. This is when he stopped giving me the growth serum. He said I would be twenty one when the House of M would fall. That gives them five years.”
“My powers only partially emerged at first, when I was too young to handle that much power. Being an Omega, the power would have ravaged my mind. This is why my earliest memories just came back a few days ago. Since then, I’ve been training and studying everyday. I believed every word that man told me and I wouldn’t allow myself to be an under qualified leader.” The images in his mind now were all of himself growing up on the farm in Nebraska. He decided to stop just short of what he did once he learned where he came from. Nathan didn’t want to have to tell his parents he was a killer, at least not right now.
|
|
|
Post by Cyclops on Nov 14, 2005 3:33:17 GMT -5
“That is fine SIR.” The girls weren't happy with his order, but then, he didn't expect them to be. He watched at they all kissed Jean on the cheek in turn, then filed past "Nathan", giving him a look of pure disdain. If this boy really was their son, there would be some patching up to do with the Cuckoos. If he wasn't, Scott was tempted to let the girls have him. They would probably think of a hundred more horrible ways to torment him than a rather quick and painful demise at the end of a single blast from Cyclops' uncovered eye.
Jean smiled briefly at Scott as he squeezed her hand reassuringly. Then she turned her attention on the boy claiming to be their long dead son, examining him closely. "I’m sure you realize that because of numerous details, we have reason to doubt who you claim to be." Her tone was gentler than he'd expected, then he would have been. "You know I'm a telepath, and I sense that you are as well. The easiest way to help us find out if you are who you say you are would be to join you on the astral plane in your mind, and for you to show us your earliest memories."
"Nathan" simply nodded and sat down. Scott felt a twinge of respect. The boy had a great deal of dignity and obviously could keep his head under pressure. Admirable traits.
< I’ll take us in slowly. > Jean sounded worried. Scott squeezed her hand again. He trusted her implicitly, she knew that. Her words were more for her comfort than his, he knew that. Even though he was basically helpless on the astral plane, there was only one telepath he knew of stronger than his wife. And that man had truly been dead for twelve years.
The boy's mindscape was almost like being in a machine, with the wiring and ominous glowing yellow eye. It was completely different than Jean's, which he had been in many times. Hers was almost someplace calming, comforting. "Nathan" walked towards them. “This will be as good a place as any. It all conforms to my wishes any way.” As the boy approached, Scott almost instinctively stepped forward to place himself protectively between the boy and his wife.
Suddenly the four wall around them began to flash images. Nathan, his son, as a baby, cradled in his mother's arms, surrounded by a flock of cooing students. Scott squeezed Jean's hand again, his own heart in his throat. For the first time since this boy had arrived, he thought he might not be ready for this. Swallowing hard, he concentrated on the keeping his calm. He could feel Jean's tumultuous emotions through their link. He had to keep it together, for her.
A few more familiar scenes flashed around them, making his throat tighten more. Then they were seeing Askani's safe house. "Nathan" began to narrate. “Here is the last time we saw each other until today. Once you left, a man named Essex came snooping around and eventually killed my care taker, I believe you called her Askani.” Scott nodded numbly and without thinking, pulled his wife protectively into his arms. This would be the worst part, at least as far he could tell. Reliving their son's 'death'. He watched as the white skinned man, this Essex, turn his hand into a blade and killed Askani. He lowered his head and squeezed Jean's shoulders as the boy continued his story. “He took me and left a bomb inside the house to cover his tracks. Essex is the man who raised me since then. He was a scientist, and crazy. He took me for a reason. Essex theorized that the House of M would be swallowed by it’s own power. He needed a pawn, a mutant who could fill the power vacuum, someone he could influence. From the early memories, it looked like he intentionally singled me out, because he considered the both of you to be very strong.”
Scott decided one thing in that moment. Even if this boy was lying or worse, had been deceived, if he ever found this Essex, he was a dead man. For killing Askani, maybe Nathan, and for what he'd done to the boy in front of them.
The 'screen' showed a lab scene. “The only problem was that I wouldn’t be old enough when the time came to take control of the world. I already told you he was crazy, but he was also very much a genius. He created a powerful growth accelerant and injected it into me. This is why I’m older than I should be and also what caused my arm. He said it was something dormant within me that caused the reaction but my body began changing. Veins replaced by wiring, skin changed to metal. My left eye can see in night or heat vision. All this occurred naturally. It’s all some kind of organic alloy. Luckily he was able to stop it before it took my entire body.”
Scott forced himself to breathe, anger at the thing that do this to an innocent baby, even more so to his son began to fill him. He changed his mind about killing Essex if he found him. He was going to find him and kill him. Slowly. Blast him apart one limb at a time.
The next image was of a boy who looked much like the one before them, maybe five years younger, the age Nathan should be. “This was me by my first birthday. I was fully adjusted, like it had been nine years. This is when he stopped giving me the growth serum. He said I would be twenty one when the House of M would fall. That gives them five years.”
Scott's eye narrowed behind his ruby-quartz sunglasses. This boy had been raised to overthrow Magneto. For what purpose? Essex was obviously a mutant and would only prosper in the current society. Especially with his admittedly completely mad, but astonishing scientific knowledge. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind for now. There would be time for that discussion later.
“My powers only partially emerged at first, when I was too young to handle that much power. Being an Omega, the power would have ravaged my mind. This is why my earliest memories just came back a few days ago. Since then, I’ve been training and studying everyday. I believed every word that man told me and I wouldn’t allow myself to be an under qualified leader.”
Something about the boy's last few words struck a chord in Scott. He'd been the same way himself when Xavier had been training him to become the field leader of his X-Men. He believed completely in his mentor's dream and had pushed himself his whole life since Xavier had taken him in to be a strong, capable commander. What if Xavier hadn't had such a benevolent dream?
Scott finally remembered to breathe again. He closed his eye as he felt relief wash over Jean, tainted with a swirl of emotions. If she believed this was Nathan, and Scott believed she did, now that had to deal with what their son had suffered through.
And what they would tell him about their lives. He pulled Jean against him for a few heartbeats, his face half concealed in her hair, absorbing all the information Nathan had imparted on them. He looked over at Nathan, his expression difficult to read. "Nathan," Scott's voice was a barely more than a rasp. "where is this Essex now?"
This was important. If this maniac was on the loose, everyone in the school could be in danger. Which was just as important as his son, especially since he didn't doubt the madman would have given up on a scheme he'd worked this hard on. He vowed to himself this bastard wasn't getting his son again.
|
|
|
Post by Phoenix on Nov 15, 2005 1:30:41 GMT -5
Jean was able to keep herself under control as they entered “Nathan’s” mind, used to being on the astral plane as much as the Earthly plane. It was a second nature, automatic whenever she had to enter that level of existence. Here she had to be more careful of her surroundings, because of who the young man was claiming to be. Though she felt at odds in her mind she still didn’t fully believe him, but felt him open his mind completely, which peeked her curiosity. His mental shields could be easily broken through if she wanted to, so his willingness to show them everything in his mind earned him a smidgen of trust on her part.
But his mindscape was so different compared to hers. Wiring connected the ‘walls,’ and an ominous glowing eye stared down at the trio. It was like being thrown on a quest to return the ring and save Middle Earth, except this time it was a quest to discover the truth about the young man and possibly be reunited with their son. But Jean didn’t want to entertain the thought unless she was absolutely sure this was Nathan, and so far she wasn’t totally convinced.
“This will be as good a place as any. It all conforms to my wishes any way.” Jean took note that the young man seemed to have control over his mindscape and knew the basic functions of his telepathy as Scott moved forward slightly, placing himself between her and “Nathan.” His protective feelings ebbed over towards her, and Jean understood how he felt. She didn’t want anything detrimental happening to him on the astral plane either. Though she could easily remove them from the young man’s mind if anything remotely appearing harmful started, there was always the possibility something would go wrong, and injuries on the astral plane were particularly dangerous.
The walls of his mind flashed with images as the boy began to show them his earliest memory. This was it. Jean was hoping he would remember something substantial to provide a clue as to who he really was. The image of a young infant, cradled in her arms surrounded by students adoring him blared brightly, causing Jean’s heart to leap. It was Nathan, her son, and there she was, barely into her twenties herself, holding him. Jean could scarcely believe it. Her mind whirled with what this meant. With how this boy, this young man, could be Nathan. Only Nathan would have this image in his mind, wouldn’t he? Jean was beginning to believe so, and took comfort in Scott’s display of assurance, knowing how hard it was for him to watch as well.
“Here is the last time we saw each other until today. Once you left, a man named Essex came snooping around and eventually killed my care taker, I believe you called her Askani.” Jean’s head jerked to the side, staring at the images on the walls. Askani. No one knew who they left Nathan with, except a spare few and Jean could count them all on one hand. They wouldn’t have divulged any information like this to anyone else. How could he have—unless this was—was it? Though they were on the astral plane their interactions were still very real, and tears poured down the side of Jean’s cheeks, seeing Askani being killed by the malicious murderer named Essex, and Nathan being taken. Dully Jean allowed herself to be pulled in by Scott, needing the support as the boy went on, “He took me and left a bomb inside the house to cover his tracks. Essex is the man who raised me since then. He was a scientist, and crazy. He took me for a reason. Essex theorized that the House of M would be swallowed by it’s own power. He needed a pawn, a mutant who could fill the power vacuum, someone he could influence. From the early memories, it looked like he intentionally singled me out, because he considered the both of you to be very strong.”
This was Nathan, their son. Who they thought—they thought he was gone. It ran like a litany through Jean’s mind. She had been probing his mind lightly while he’d been explaining, and there was no deception, no lies. Just truth. The horrifying, beautiful truth. The feeling inside her confirmed it. She knew her son. Their beautiful baby boy.
The horror Askani experienced registered in the back of her mind, and how much she hated this Essex character, but first and foremost, was the thought of Nathan being alive. The tears ran steady and her heart constricted erratically, thinking of how much they’d lost, but how much they were being given.
As the images changed, Jean could barely concentrate but couldn’t look away. A lab appeared and she stared in disbelief, “The only problem was that I wouldn’t be old enough when the time came to take control of the world. I already told you he was crazy, but he was also very much a genius. He created a powerful growth accelerant and injected it into me. This is why I’m older than I should be and also what caused my arm. He said it was something dormant within me that caused the reaction but my body began changing. Veins replaced by wiring, skin changed to metal. My left eye can see in night or heat vision. All this occurred naturally. It’s all some kind of organic alloy. Luckily he was able to stop it before it took my entire body.” The metal arm was Essex’s fault. He played with their son—altered him—like some lab rat. And that explained his age. Scott’s anger mixed with Jean’s as well as her multitude of emotions as she watched the scenes over Scott’s shoulder through wet eyes, leaning close for support.
“This was me by my first birthday. I was fully adjusted, like it had been nine years. This is when he stopped giving me the growth serum. He said I would be twenty one when the House of M would fall. That gives them five years.” The mention of the fall of the House of M caused Jean to frown slightly, wondering why Essex wanted the House of M to collapse. It didn’t make sense. Obviously he believed mutants were superior. But if they ever found him he might not live long enough to give an answer.
“My powers only partially emerged at first, when I was too young to handle that much power. Being an Omega, the power would have ravaged my mind. This is why my earliest memories just came back a few days ago. Since then, I’ve been training and studying everyday. I believed every word that man told me and I wouldn’t allow myself to be an under qualified leader.” He sounded exactly like Scott. Never mind just his facial features, but the boy’s demeanor rang of his father so much that it was uncanny. Jean only wished she could have been the one to help him grow up, to see how his personality unfolded. But that was stolen from them.
They never had the chance, never had the opportunity to help him through some of the toughest years in life. Never had the chance to hug him again after he was gone, or comfort him when he got upset. For that, Jean mourned until she felt as if she could barely go on. She and Scott went through Hell and back, and this man, this ‘Essex’, would pay.
"Nathan," Scott's voice was a barely more than a rasp. "where is this Essex now?" Jean had been wondering the same thing, though her relief and gratitude for finding their son alive had overshadowed her anger. He was indeed their son, and she was truly grateful. A DNA test would still be needed just to be safe, but Jean already believed it, and through their bond she could feel Scott’s trust. < I believe it’s him, Scott, > Her voice cracked mentally. < There’s too much to refute it. And his mind—there’s no deceit. Just honesty. Just—the truth. > She didn’t trust herself to say anything else yet as a new wave of tears sprung to her eyes, hugging Scott close, needing the embrace.
Taking a few moments to gather herself, Jean’s eyes cleared enough to focus on Nathan and she took a breath, calming herself before speaking, "Why couldn’t I feel you anymore? For a while, after your death, I thought I could," And it nearly drove her literally crazy, but she omitted that part, not wanting to bring it up. Jean paused, taking another shaky breath, "But then it just.. stopped. I couldn’t feel you anymore," She knew his mental signature like the back of her hand, inside and out. And for a while, still believed he was alive. How could his mental signature still be there if he had passed away? When she really couldn’t feel him anymore, she knew he was gone and chocked up sensing his signature to wishing he were still alive, and thinking his mental signature was still there when in reality it wasn’t, though she never really believed that. A mother just knows.
|
|
Cuckoos
New Member
Five Minds One Purpose
Posts: 39
|
Post by Cuckoos on Nov 16, 2005 1:05:28 GMT -5
The five identical girls listed to the conversation in the office through the door. What came out of this would determine how their lives changed. It could be for the better or throw off the entire dynamic. Inside the office were their parents, but they also had young man with them. A teenager claiming to be their child. A child the Cuckoos had never heard about.
"I’m sure you realize that because of numerous details, we have reason to doubt who you claim to be," it was their mother. Her voice was quiet, not like typical cheerful self. Anger rose in them. He was not proven to be their child yet and he was causing them so much pain, "You know I'm a telepath, and I sense that you are as well. The easiest way to help us find out if you are who you say you are would be to join you on the astral plane in your mind, and for you to show us your earliest memories."
And just like that they were gone. The Cuckoos could not follow into the young mans mindscape, without alerting them of the fact that they were doing it. They would be terribly upset about it too.
“They have gone to the astral plane,” Mindee said to her sisters.
“Where we cannot follow.” Phoebe continued.
“Our mother is quite quick on her toes,” Sophie finished. And the rest of the girls agreed.
After what seemed like an eternity. That was the weird thing about the Astral Plane, time has no real relevance when it comes to the mindscape. You could be gone for what seemed a while and return in a couple of minutes and vice versa.
|
|
Cable
New Member
The furture for the House of M
Posts: 38
|
Post by Cable on Nov 18, 2005 1:25:25 GMT -5
"Nathan," Scott's voice was a barely more than a rasp. "where is this Essex now?"
Nathan knew one of them would ask that. It’s what he would have asked. He had been watching them during the entire speech. He couldn’t help but notice his father’s similar emotionally absent stare. It was almost uncanny how similar they seemed even when he was raised by someone else. His mother however, was not so hard to read. Tears began to flow down her face as soon as the first memory was shown. He had seen her pull closer and closer to her husband throughout the reliving of his life until now.
For the first time since first hearing his Mother’s voice in his mind, Nathan’s blank visage faltered. His emotions showed through as he contemplated how he could tell his parents that he killed a man just two days ago. Luckily his mother had another question he could focus on for the moment. "Why couldn’t I feel you anymore? For a while, after your death, I thought I could," Jean paused, taking another shaky breath, "But then it just.. stopped. I couldn’t feel you anymore,"
Nathan jumped at the chance to change the subject, his composure returning. “I don’t know, that’s why I asked why you didn’t come for me? I still haven‘t scouring every piece of my memories. Nearly all I‘ve been doing for the past couple of days has been traveling here. Maybe we can find it.” With that, Nathan pulled back to what happened as soon as he arrived with Essex to his lab. He watched as the original tests were done to create his growth accelerant. Slowly moving through the memories, he caught sight of one that seemed odd. It was of Essex walking toward him with something small in his hand, but Nathan was turned over and therefore couldn’t see what he did with it. “This very well could be what happened. I’ve been feeling a pinch in the back of my neck since...“ he hesitated, almost revealing the murder he comitted, “since leaving. A medical exam might reveal whatever that was I think he put in me.”
Now, he was left with nothing but the question of what happened to Essex. He didn’t want to answer the question but he also knew he couldn’t tell them anything less than brutal honesty. He couldn’t disrupt any of the small amount of trust he may have earned. Nathan fixed his gaze on his father’s sunglasses, because he couldn't stand to look in his mother tear-soaked eyes at the moment. “I...I killed Essex. Once I realized what he did, I destroyed our farmhouse and the lab with him inside. I just......lost it.”
|
|
|
Post by Cyclops on Nov 18, 2005 2:20:25 GMT -5
God, this was tearing Jean apart. Scott could feel it, as her tears soaked into his shirt, her emotions into his soul. He kept her wrapped in his arms the whole time, knowing she needed his strength.
And to tell the truth, being strong for Jean was the only thing that was keeping Scott from breaking down himself. Rage, fury at the person who'd done this, at himself for not protecting his family better, even some resentment at Nathan for showing up like this and sending them into turmoil. But mostly he just wanted to find this Essex and tear him limb from limb. Then blast the pieces to infinity.
< I believe it’s him, Scott, > Jean's voice cracked with emotion in his mind. < There’s too much to refute it. And his mind—there’s no deceit. Just honesty. Just—the truth. >
< I know, honey, > he agreed as she clung to him. God, this was just about killing her. Scott flinched at the emotions, barely keeping his composure. He couldn't break down. She needed him. He reached up one hand to stroke his wife's hair comfortingly.
Nathan hesitated to answer his question, which surprised Scott a bit. The boy had been direct so far. He wondered for a moment why he was hesitating, then Jean managed to pull herself together enough to ask the question nagging at her most.
"Why couldn’t I feel you anymore? For a while, after your death, I thought I could," she asked their son. Scott winced visibly. God, he remembered having her keep saying she could still feel him, and holding her, just like this. He hugged Jean again, this time for his own comfort. "But then it just.. stopped. I couldn’t feel you anymore."
Nathan's face become neutral again. “I don’t know, that’s why I asked why you didn’t come for me? I still haven‘t scouring every piece of my memories. Nearly all I‘ve been doing for the past couple of days has been traveling here. Maybe we can find it.” With that, Nathan pulled back to what happened as soon as he arrived with Essex to his lab. He watched as the original tests were done to create his growth accelerant. Slowly moving through the memories, he caught sight of one that seemed odd. It was of Essex walking toward him with something small in his hand, but Nathan was turned over and therefore couldn’t see what he did with it. “This very well could be what happened. I’ve been feeling a pinch in the back of my neck since...“ he hesitated, almost revealing the murder he comitted, “since leaving. A medical exam might reveal whatever that was I think he put in me.”
Scott frowned at that. There could be more than some sort of neural inhibitor in whatever this madman had planted in their son. He nodded. "We'll check that out," he assured Nathan. "Along with the DNA test." It seemed harsh in this emotional situation, but somehow, he had a feeling Nathan would understand their caution.
Then Nathan looked at him. Scott met his son's gaze. There was something there, something familiar and he knew what Nathan was going to say before the words came tumbling out. “I...I killed Essex. Once I realized what he did, I destroyed our farmhouse and the lab with him inside. I just......lost it.”
Scott closed his eye and pressed his face into Jean's hair again. He knew he'd have done the same thing in his son's place. A great deal of him was proud of Nathan for it, and more so for being up front about it. Meeting his son's gaze again, he uttered one word.
"Good."
Slowly, he released Jean from his protective grasp. There was no doubt in his mind anymore. This was their son, as improbable as it seemed. Nathan had laid everything on the table, now he needed to be shown it was all right. Besides, Jean had been aching to hold their son again for ten years. He wasn't going to restrain her from it for one more heartbeat. < Go ahead, honey, > he told her softly through their link. < He needs to know we believe him. >
|
|
|
Post by Phoenix on Nov 19, 2005 23:47:07 GMT -5
This was one of the endless moments when Jean was both glad and hesitant to have the mental rapport with Scott, due to the thick amount of emotions she was emitting. He felt it all, too. But she couldn’t help it. And she took comfort in the fact he understood. But Jean tried to put a cap over what she was releasing regardless, not to overwhelm either of the men on the astral plane.
Jean subconsciously hugged Scott back as Nathan skipped over Scott’s question, causing Jean to wonder why. But as Nathan answered her question her eyes redirected to the screens of his psyche. “I don’t know, that’s why I asked why you didn’t come for me? I still haven‘t scouring every piece of my memories. Nearly all I‘ve been doing for the past couple of days has been traveling here. Maybe we can find it.” A pit of anger swirled dangerously in the pit of Jean’s stomach as they watched Essex approach Nathan, who couldn’t quite catch what he had in his hand or see what the monster did with it. “This very well could be what happened. I’ve been feeling a pinch in the back of my neck since...“ Nathan paused over something, and Jean could feel his reluctance, [/i]“since leaving. A medical exam might reveal whatever that was I think he put in me.”[/i]
"We'll check that out," Scott had frowned slightly, thinking along the same lines as Jean. "Along with the DNA test." Though it was necessary to run the DNA test, Jean knew this was their Nathan. There were just too much that added up now, voiding the discrepancies. But it was standard procedure.
“Believe me when I say this,” Jean’s eyes locked onto her son’s, nothing but raw honesty in her eyes, “If I could have still felt you, still had that link that we had before, we would have come for you. We would have searched Heaven and Hell until we found you,” Jean needed him to believe her. He was their son, and they loved him with every fiber of their being. She would have done whatever she had to to get to him. “If we had know that this—this monster—he just—“ She could feel herself getting angry. Stopping she calmed the fires before continuing, “We’ll work with you on finding out why I couldn’t feel you anymore.” Her voice held a determination so solid it would be difficult not to believe her. She would work with him personally, not just with his memories but with his telepathy as well, if he would like her to. They would find out why she couldn’t sense him anymore after he was taken. It was only a matter of when.
Nathan paused, his eyes focusing on Scott. It was then that Jean remembered Nathan still had yet to answer what happened to the monster. “I...I killed Essex. Once I realized what he did, I destroyed our farmhouse and the lab with him inside. I just......lost it.”
Jean was speechless, unsure what to say. She could feel the muss of Scott’s face in her hair. Finally she released the breath she didn’t know she was holding when Scott said, "Good." A look of understanding passed over Jean’s features. As much as she wanted to get a hold of this character herself, she understood Nathan’s need to destroy the person who took him away from them. He would receive no judgment from her.
< Go ahead, honey, > Jean glanced over at Scott as he released her gently. < He needs to know we believe him. > A slow smile spreading over her lips, Jean turned to Nathan, only remnants of dried tears remaining on her face as she approached slowly, as if he might disappear. Reaching out tentatively, she touched his cheek gently, memorizing every contour of his face, every touch and feel, real even on the astral plane, over his glowing eye and passing over his hair. It was light in the front and dark in the back. Taking a few moments, hoping he wouldn’t mind, she drew him into a close-knit mother-son embrace. A wall she’d erected inside herself long ago cracked, causing her eyes to water again, but in a happier, more relieved sense.
Taking all of her emotions of believing he was who he said he was, of all the love she had for him and how grateful she was that he was alive, she enveloped him in her feelings, so he could share what she felt and hopefully know that they believed him, without having to say a word. Jean was so full of emotion, she wasn’t sure she could speak even if she wanted to. After a few moments she mentally tugged on Scott a little, urging him to join them, despite the fact that he wasn’t so fond of displaying too much emotion. A little bit couldn’t hurt this once.
|
|
Cable
New Member
The furture for the House of M
Posts: 38
|
Post by Cable on Nov 21, 2005 13:31:28 GMT -5
After reviewing the memories of his first days at the lab, they both looked decidedly worried. They probably imagined the things Essex could have done to him. However, Nathan didn't believe Essex would have done anything past protecting his investment. He knew the man, knew his near obsessive hatred of failure. No, he needed Nathan and therefor wouldn't purposely do anything causing long term damage.
At the mention of a DNA test, his mother seemed displeased, like she didn't think it necessary. "Believe me when I say this, If I could have still felt you, still had that link that we had before, we would have come for you. We would have searched Heaven and Hell until we found you, If we had know that this—this monster—he just—" She poured her heart out to Nathan and he could feel her angering. “I know,” he stopped her. It really wasn’t necessary at this point. Their emotions wouldn’t be surging so much if they didn’t care at all. Nathan unconsciously held his breath while after admitting to the murder of his adoptive father. From what he remembered, they seemed like benevolent people. Upon returning, he imagined the last thing they wanted was to find out he was a murderer on top of everything else. Those thoughts were dashed(at least somewhat) when his father said "Good." Nathan could see that he really meant it. He had felt both their anger at his captor. Letting go of his breath, he slowly turned to look at Jean, her face full of understanding. It was beginning to sink in that they weren’t upset by his actions. That’s when his father let go of his mother. She slowly crossed the ‘room’ over to Nathan. Taking a moment to trace her fingers over his face first, she pulled him into a tight embrace. It was slightly uncomfortable at first. The farmhouse wasn’t a very loving place. Not uncomfortable really but they weren’t close either. The first hug he’d received since being taken was only months ago, from a person he just met. He snuck out one night and found a group of people who took him clubbing. By the end of the night, he’d been almost overwhelmed by the amount of intimacy some people were willing to show. For a moment, Nathan stood stiffly with his hands in his pockets. But when he began recieving all the feelings his mother projected, he couldn't help but put his arms around her and burying his face in her hair. He concentrated soley on being close to his mother, physically and mentally.
|
|
|
Post by Cyclops on Nov 22, 2005 22:51:16 GMT -5
Scott listened as Jean put into words what they both felt. If they had known their son was still alive, they would have moved Heaven and Earth to get him back. And put a quick and painful end to the monster who'd taken him from them and robbed him of a childhood. As Jean started to get agitated, Nathan stopped her.
“I know." [Nathan]
Those two words did much to alleviate some of the guilt Scott, and Jean as well, were feeling. He didn't blame them for not being able to prevent his kidnapping, or not even knowing he was still alive and coming to rescue him. Scott couldn't help but be glade Nathan had destroyed Essex. Even if it was too late to save their son from the monster, no one else would suffer at the monster's hands ever again.
Jean smiled at him when he released her, then crossed to their son. He watched as she traced Nathan's face with her fingertips, then pulled him into a hug. He could feel the comforting emotion she was projecting. His wife was so much better at this than he was.
Their son seemed to be more like him though Nathan stood stiffly for a moment before returning his mother's embrace. Scott smiled, trying to swallow the tight knot in his throat. He was trying hard not to think about how many years she'd been longing to do that, how long it'd been since Nathan had known any real affection. Scott had grown up in a similar void of true emotions as well, passed from foster home to foster home, never truly part of a family. He'd never wanted Nathan to know that indifference; or worse, what his son had grown up with, being a pawn and a guinea pig for a mad genius. True hatred for the monster flared within him.
Jean's comforting emotions quelled that rage, and Scott could feel her mentally beckoning him. He hesitated. It wasn't uncertainty that gave him pause, or even any lack of desire to embrace his son and know he was real. Scott was terrible with expressing his feelings and he could already see this emotional stunting in Nathan. He wondered absently if it was a genetic curse he'd passed onto his son, or if it was just their emotionally sterile upbringings that made them that way.
Either way, having Scott rush to hug his son would have made them both uncomfortable. He moved even more slowly to the pair than Jean had. Wrapping one arm around his wife's shoulders, he squeezed gently, laying his other on Nathan's shoulder.
Scott let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He was real, even here on the astral plane. He'd forgotten they were there. Glancing around the eerie mindscape, he mentally nudged Jean. < It's time to go back, honey, > he told her through their link with a heavy sigh. < We've got a lot to do. >
He didn't really want to deal with all of this now, but it was who he was. Scott was already beginning to make of list of the things that needed to be done to integrate Nathan into their lives. If he wanted to be a part of them. Scott had a feeling he wouldn't come here if he didn't though.
|
|
|
Post by Phoenix on Nov 26, 2005 0:01:49 GMT -5
Moments after she embraced Nathan, she could feel his hesitancy, his discomfort, before it slowly melted and he hugged her back. Not letting go, she felt Scott’s own hesitancy wane as he slowly made his way over to them, showing as much emotion as he would allow. He and Nathan were alike in that aspect. Neither seemed comfortable showing how they felt.
< It's time to go back, honey, > Scott reluctantly projected. < We've got a lot to do. > Jean didn’t want to let go. This was their son, and the DNA test would only confirm it. But still, she knew he was right. They had a school to run and classes to teach. Besides, Jean knew there were five very curious girls they would have to contend with once they emerged from the office.
< What do you say about staying here forever? Or maybe just an hour? > But Jean knew they couldn’t do that, as much as she would like to. Hugging Nathan tightly one more time she reluctantly released him, taking a small step back. "Let’s head back. We can discuss ..everything else in the office," Jean knew Nathan would understand she meant back in the earthly realm, out of the psyche of this mind. They still had to talk about his future. < Ready? > Taking one last look Jean took Scott’s hand out of comfort and slowly took them back to their bodies in her half of the office.
-------------Return from the Astral Plane-------------
Back in the office Jean’s eyes focused in on the boy in front of them. They had a lot to go over, but she couldn’t help but want to study him, to learn more about him and who he was as a person. "We’ll have to get a DNA test out of the way, so once we’re done here we can show you around and then take you to the lab, if that’s alright," Jean didn’t want Nathan to think they didn’t believe he was who he said he was. She believed it without a doubt, now that they’d counted for all the previous discrepancies.
"Now that we’re together," Finally. Unbelievably. Gratefully. "would you like to stay at the school? Of course we want you to," Jean felt at odds asking this question. Of course, she wanted him to stay, and wanted him to be a mainstay in their lives, but that was up to Nathan. She guessed that was what he wanted as well, but not wanting to go on assumptions or speak for him in case he had other ideas. Which, if he did—well, she would deal with that if it occurred. A barrage of other questions floated to the surface of her mind, but held them back for now. There would be time for them later.
|
|
Cuckoos
New Member
Five Minds One Purpose
Posts: 39
|
Post by Cuckoos on Nov 26, 2005 1:50:52 GMT -5
The five young girls had been standing by the door for what seemed to them a sight of forever. It was almost as if they were holding their breath. What would you do if you knew that your life was about to change and nothing you did could make it go back to the way was before. The girls knew that this was life altering moment, but they were not prepared for what could happen.
Their mother was the first to speak, "We’ll have to get a DNA test out of the way, so once we’re done here we can show you around and then take you to the lab, if that’s alright,"
They had to do DNA testing...that could mean that they did not actually believe the story this stranger was telling them. But they wanted to show him around. That was not something that they would do if someone was lying to them. The Cuckoos started to panic.
"Now that we’re together," their mother paused before continuing, "would you like to stay at the school? Of course we want you to,"
Of course we want you to. Six words had just shattered their world. So much emotions started to rush to the surface. Wait too much anger what was going on.
“Esme dont-” the other four never got to finish. Esme fulled by her great rage had managed to over take the collective.
The sentinel technology inside her was processing more power inside of her. Not really knowing how she managed to slam the door open and began to scream in her voice as well as the voices of her sisters, “How can you believe him! It is all lies! How can you do this to US” they all said as tears fell from her face. At the same time she was lashing out with her telepathic powers trying to get rid of the emotions. Esme finally turned and ran out. Leaving the rest of her sisters in rightful state of mind, with nothin to do but look at their parents.
|
|
Cable
New Member
The furture for the House of M
Posts: 38
|
Post by Cable on Nov 29, 2005 2:11:26 GMT -5
Nathan felt so overwhelmed by the emotions filling his mind, he actually felt tears run down his face. It was such a foreign concept at this point in his life. The last time he’d cried was as a baby. Since then, it wasn’t allowed. Essex had warned him never to cry or risk punishment. Nathan never was punished, for any reason. He knew the lengths at which Essex would go for success and didn’t like the risk involved in a punishment. After a few moments, his mother said "Let’s head back. We can discuss...everything else in the office," and they withdrew from his mind. Nathan took a moment to compose himself before re-entering his body. Being that emotional felt odd now that they weren’t there anymore. He had to straighten out before going back.
Nathan once again looked up at his parents, who believed him this time unlike when they went into his mind just a few minutes earlier. He took the first few moments to scan the area, which was something he’d quickly learned to do a long time ago. He always kept a feeler out for Essex inside the house, as he was always less tense when not in his presence. Ash and the blue guy had left already, but the five girls were still just outside the door. He could feel how nervous they were without trying. His parents obviously meant a lot to them, which probably meant he was an enemy in their eyes. But if his parents felt as strongly for the girls, that probably added up to five siblings. It wasn’t really a big deal though. This was already a huge adjustment, they merely added a little more weight to his new life.
"Now that we’re together, would you like to stay at the school? Of course we want you to," his mother asked. In the back of his mind, he felt an emotional spike outside the office but ignored it for the moment to answer the question. The girls were hearing some shocking news, the spike wasn’t odd at all. “Yes, I…” he was quickly cut off by the five young blonde girls bursting through the door and screaming in unison. “How can you believe him! It is all lies! How can you do this to US” Ok, so maybe they weren’t taking it so well. Nathan frowned as the one girl ran away. He stood up from his chair and motioned for the other four to take a seat, trying to be polite as possible. He then turned to his mother. “Can you call her back in here? I doubt she wants to hear from me.” It was presumptuous to invite the girls into the conversation, but that’s who Nathan was. From his earliest teachings, he was conditioned to be strong willed.
|
|
|
Post by Psylocke on Dec 1, 2005 0:21:29 GMT -5
((Crossposted from Back Yard *sorry, forgot to do this earlier*))
Anna's mind was never easy to read due to the number of psyches located in it so Betsy didn't even try. She was afraid Anna would notice. Instead, she concentrated on sending Scott a message. <Scott, Anna Marie is here in full Red Guard costume. Sean is securing the sub-basement. Right now she's talking to Remy, Ash, Warren and Katherine Pryde. I'm about to go greet her. Shall we meet in your study?> She didn't apologize for the crappy timing, there was nothing that could be done about it anyway.
|
|
|
Post by Cyclops on Dec 2, 2005 22:19:52 GMT -5
Scott didn't blame Jean for not wanting to return to the real world. He never even dreamed this could happen.
He was slightly more disorientated than the two telepaths as he returned to his body, taking a moment to regain his full senses. Scott was hardly unused to being on the Astral Plane, but he was not a telepath and took a bit more time to recover.
"Now that we’re together," Jean was asking Nathan. "Would you like to stay at the school? Of course we want you to."
She didn't even need to ask to know that Scott wanted Nathan to stay as well. The logistics of explaining him were taxing right now, but they'd think of something. After all, they managed to hide five Super Sentinels in plain site for ten years.
Speaking of the Cuckoos, suddenly all five girls charged into Jean's office, tears streaming down their faces, their eyes glowing. “How can you believe him! It is all lies! How can you do this to US!”
Scott winced visibly at the pain, anger, fear and confusion the girls were projecting at them, taking a step back and throwing up his arm as if to shield himself from the wave of negative emotions. Then Esme turned and flew from the room, leaving her sisters looking stunned. He guessed that she'd taken control of their collective mind.
Nathan stood up, motioning for the four confused girls to sit. “Can you call her back in here? I doubt she wants to hear from me.” He was a bit surprised at his son's cool head under such an onslaught. It was a good trait to have around this school.
< Jean, I'm going after Esme, > Scott told his wife. < See if you can calm down the other girls. >
"I'll get her," he said aloud, starting for the door. Then Betsy's voice interrupted his train of thought. <Scott, Anna Marie is here in full Red Guard costume. Sean is securing the sub-basement. Right now she's talking to Remy, Ash, Warren and Katherine Pryde. I'm about to go greet her. Shall we meet in your study?>
A member of the Red Guard? Here, right now? He groaned and rubbed his temples. The yearly inspection. It had been well past the time for it. What timing. He hoped Betsy was waiting for an answer, or if all else failed, Jean would have heard her message and could convey his reply.
< Stall her, > he ordered. < Tell her we're dealing with a student right now. > He switched his orders to his wife, once again thinking there were too many people in his mind sometimes. < Jean, send Nathan down to the sub-basements and have Sean find him a place to bunk until Anna-Marie is finished with inspection. The girls need to be calmed down. I'll try to talk to Esme. >
As he stalked from the room, Cyclops shook his head. There were very few times in his life he felt completely overwhelmed. When the professor had been murdered and he'd lost his eye had been one of the few that stood out. Nathan's 'death' had been another. Today was trying very hard to surpass them both.
He could feel the muscles in his neck and jaw tightening. What else could go wrong today?
[[ Exit Cyclops to the Cuckoos' Nest ]]
|
|