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Post by Magneto on Jul 23, 2005 1:11:04 GMT -5
Magneto watched as the woman who looked exactly like his wife stumbled to the ground and scrambled away from him, terror written clearly on her face. His memories flashed back to the last time he'd seen her wear that expression. The fire, consuming everything he'd loved. Somehow, he'd been able to save Magda, but been helpless to save their daughter. He saw her charred body, remembed the pain of not beng able to save her, his hatred for the men who taken her from him. He remembered turning on the bigots who'd murdered his little Anya. They'd died too quickly, there bodies charred nearly as badly as his daughter's from the lighting bolts he'd sent through them.. He remembered the terror on his wife's face when he'd killed those men. He winced as he saw that exact same expression of fear on her face now.
Now, somehow he still couldn't begin to understand, she was here, before him. Somehow, as he looked into her eyes, he knew it was his wife. Still stuck half in memories, Erik went to his knees before the woman, reaching towards her almost desperately. "Magda, forgive me," he pleaded. "Please, do not run from me again. I would never....I could never hurt you."
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Post by magdaleina on Jul 23, 2005 1:29:02 GMT -5
Magda paused when the man seemed to fall down right after her. She shot him a fast glance, auburn hair falling into her face as she did so, and realized he'd settled on his knees and seemingly by his free will. Her eyebrow twitched, partly in confusion, as though the sight of it shorted out part of her mind much in the manner that she'd dealt with the com.
"Magda, forgive me. Please, do not run from me again. I would never....I could never hurt you."
Well, this was not the harrowing encounter she'd been hoping to avoid for the last few decades. Sure, there had been yelling and screaming, but that was mostly her. The man kneeling before her was indeed kneeling. He was not towering above her, roaring questions, demanding answers, nor threatening to kill her -- though now that her brain kicked back into working order, she realized being killed in retaliation was never really a possibility. Even if she had convinced herself at some point that it was an inevitability, if he ever found her.
Perhaps she'd made herself believe it so she wouldn't go looking for him when things got to the point of unbearable, and God knew she'd reached that point many times over already.
Magda shook her head to clear it. She didn't have time for this. If she didn't contact Hamphire soon --
Well, she couldn't.
So that left her here, no way of finding out what her orders were, so she was in trouble by default, and she had all of that on top of presently sharing space with a man who seemed very much to be just as baffled as she was.
She reached for something, anything to say. Of course, addled as she was, the only thing that could be said was the first thing that came to mind: "Are you sure?"
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Post by Magneto on Jul 23, 2005 13:24:07 GMT -5
"Are you sure?"
Her words struck a cord in Erik. This could not be his Magda. She was too young. And his wife had been a baseline human. That was why she fled from him when he'd murdered those men. She had been terrified of him and his powers. As much in doubt as he was of reality in that moment, he knew one thing. He would have never harmed Magda. He loved her with every fiber of his being. Losing her had shattered his heart. He looked straight into the woman's blue eyes, so like his wife's. "I am certain of nothing but that at this moment," he told her, still in shock.
But this woman could not be his wife. She barely aged a day in the past decades. But there were too many similarities, too many possibilities why she hadn't aged. There was one way to know if this was truly his Magda. Magneto grabbed her right wrist with one hand, ignoring any protests or struggling she might do. He pulled the sleeve of her coat up to nearly her elbow, frowning at the bindings covering her arms. He tore them away. Partially obscured by vicious scars were the faded series of numbers and letters that had branded into her skin at Auschwitz. He knew the sequence on his wife's arm as well on the one on own his own. He released her arm and looked at her stunned again.
Magneto's steely blue eyes looked deeply into hers as the full reality of this discovery crashed down on him. Magda was alive, standing right before him. The only woman he'd every loved was right here, within his arms' reach. All thoughts of the Mutant Registration Act, of his planned attack on Congress, everything he'd thought was his life slipped away as he concentrated on the woman before him.
"I thought I'd lost you forever," he rasped, his eyes scanning over the visible scars and her tattered clothing, wondering what kind of miserable, hard life she had led to be in such condition now. It pained him to see her and know she'd suffered. "What has happened to you?" he asked grabbing her gently by the arms.
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Post by magdaleina on Jul 23, 2005 13:55:31 GMT -5
"I am certain of nothing but that at this moment."
He sounded more than dazed when he said it, much so that Magda did not react in time to stop him from grabbing her arm. She planted her feet to push herself back, hissing a fast "Statie!"* as she did so. It took until the man had practically torn away all of her arm bindings to see what he'd been looking for. She turned her face away, half disgusted, and finally, she was able to take her arm back. She curled it close to her, as though injured, and shifted to find her footing, but his voice stopped her.
"I thought I'd lost you forever."
She risked small glances at his face, realizing he was examing the scars on her own. She hated that look he had, whatever it was, pity or regret.
"What has happened to you?"
Magda grunted and pushed herself to her feet, now that she realized he was more likely to allow her than to stop her. The sleeve of her longcoat slid back down over her arm, and she pushed her hair out of her face, finally. What has not happened? she thought.
"You have to let me leave," she said dully, the numbness in her voice probably equalling the shock in his own. Now that the com was broken, and a signal would have been sent that the bug was destroyed, Hamphire would either be expecting her to come back, or do the worst and assume she'd defected. Not that she hadn't been planning to. She had the habit of trying to skip out at least a few times before staying still. Either way, staying here was probably a bad idea.
((ooc: Statie! = Stop!))
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Post by Magneto on Jul 23, 2005 14:24:33 GMT -5
Magda refused to look at him after he'd looked at her arm. She pulled out of his gentle grasp and stood up, pushing her hair from her eyes. Somehow, Erik managed to rise as well, his eyes never leaving her. His emotions were a shocked mix of joy and sorrow. His beloved wife was alive, but she still seemed repulsed by him. Or maybe herself.
It made Erik wonder what sort of life she'd had to lead to survive. He didn't want to think about it. He had made many mistakes and done much harm since she'd fled him. If she thought anything she had done would destroy his feelings for her, she was wrong. If the disgust was for him, he could not blame her. She'd had good reason to flee him, especially considering she was with child when her home was destroyed and her husband became a murderer. He'd never blamed her. It was the bigots who'd attacked them he blamed for tearing apart his life and ruining his happiness. It was never her fault.
"You have to let me leave," she insisted numbly. Magneto's first thought was 'Never'. For decades he had mourned her, never let any woman truly get close to his heart. Now that he knew she was alive and had found her again, he never wished to let go of her, let alone let her out of his sight. In this city, in the current anti-mutant climate? The idea was madness itself.
Unless she still hated him for what he'd done all those years ago. The thought stabbed Erik's heart like a knife. Knowing she was still alive and would rather suffer through the life that had scarred her so than be near him again almost made him want to scream in rage. He forced himself to calm a bit. She was already frightened of him. If he made demands or yelled at her, she might flee from him this instant. The was perhaps another reason, an even more logical one to why she believed she had to leave. She had been spying on the penthouse. Perhaps someone held something over her and was forcing her to work for them. If that were the case, he could easily remedy that problem for her.
He took a long so breath and looked at her, pain at the thought of letting her go clear in his slate blue eyes. "Am I still a monster to you, Magda?" he asked softly. "Or are you in some danger? Please, let me help you if you are." There, he'd made the offer and told her his fears. Now she knew her life was still hers. He prayed silently that she would not run from him again.
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Post by magdaleina on Jul 23, 2005 14:59:35 GMT -5
"Am I still a monster to you, Magda?"
Magda finally met full gazes with him; his behavior up until now assured her that she was not betraying any great trust of her own by doing so. She remembered the man she'd run from, how while surrounded by the bodies of tens to hundreds, he spoke of his power signifying he was something greater than man, a member of a greater race. In those moments she'd been afraid of him like a second Furor. That she, a human, would be less than him. That she would be a slave to a murderer.
But now? Decades later, it was neither here or there. She wasn't human. Hadn't ever been. This race her husband had spoken of was a true thing, though she did not imagine herself any more superior than anyone else, still.
Magda shook her head. Monster? Hardly any more than anyone else. She'd met real monsters since then, after all.
"Or are you in some danger? Please, let me help you if you are."
"Help me?" she echoed, sounding incredulous. He really had no idea, did he? Then again, what idea did she, herself, have? What power did he possess? Perhaps the trouble was that she'd never had such an offer. It was hard to accept as true. She shook her head. "You can't."
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Post by Magneto on Jul 23, 2005 15:33:08 GMT -5
Magda shook her head at his questions, making him uncertain what she meant. She seemed shocked by his words. "Help?" her tone was surprised, not mocking. You can't.
Magneto was taken aback by her reply. Why was she so shocked at his offer? He had made vows decades ago to love and cherish and protect her. Had she forgotten those promises? What sort of man did she believe he was? And what did she take him for, a weakling? He was the Master of Magnetism. No one could tell him what he capable of, save himself. Her response confirmed his suspicions of that someone was manipulating her, possibly threatening her. He would not stand for that. He stepped closer to her and fixed his gaze on her.
"I can," he insisted firmly. "Just tell me who he is and where to find him and he'll never trouble you or anyone else again. No one will ever harm you again if I have my way." Even if she left him again, he would be certain her life was her own before she did. He would have her controlled by no one. "I promised long along time ago to cherish and protect you. I have not forgotten those vows."
Erik closed his eyes and took a long breath. "Wanda and Pietro, our children, whom you left amongst good people to care for them, are grown now. I have met them. Wanda is beautiful and passionate and kind, so like you. Pietro is cocky and wild and thinks he can do anything. Far too much like me for his own good." He had no idea why he was telling her this. Perhaps he thought she deserved to know the children she had to leave behind were all right. She was their mother after all. Distance and time did nothing to destroy those bonds.
"Magda, let me help you," he asked again, opening his eyes to meet her gaze again. "I can help you. Now that I know you are alive, I will know no peace until I know no one is threatening you, hurting you."
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Post by magdaleina on Jul 23, 2005 21:00:10 GMT -5
"I can."
Magda shook her head again, though the man spoke again before she could argue.
"Just tell me who he is and where to find him and he'll never trouble you or anyone else again. No one will ever harm you again if I have my way. I promised long along time ago to cherish and protect you. I have not forgotten those vows."
She raised an eyebrow, for a moment conflicted by that he assured her. It was where they had always differed. She'd wed herself to him in the way of his people, and though her name became Lehnsherr she'd always remained romani underneath. And while vows were honorable, they were null when the woman left or when she was cast out, and thereby marked unwelcome. To hear him assure her now, after she'd spent so many years convincing herself of certain facts -- it left her with little to say in return.
"Wanda and Pietro, our children, whom you left amongst good people to care for them, are grown now. I have met them. Wanda is beautiful and passionate and kind, so like you. Pietro is cocky and wild and thinks he can do anything. Far too much like me for his own good."
She looked at him sharply, though it took her a moment listening to realize he was talking about the twins, whom she had never named. Initially, her first feeling was a light sinking in her stomach, as it had been her intention to make sure their father never found them. Since she had not seen nor heard of them since she left Wungadore, part of her had simply assumed that her husband was similarly detatched.
And all in all, it'd been easier for her to assume they were gone.
"Magda, let me help you. I can help you. Now that I know you are alive, I will know no peace until I know no one is threatening you, hurting you."
Magda shifted, seeming to grasp for words, an objection, anything. She looked lost, and above all other things, tired. How many years had it been since she'd had even a spare moment to recover from that feeling?
The last time she'd managed a chance to run was more than six years ago. Perhaps it had been then.
My, but the offer was tempting. To find a wing to nestle herself under until she felt well again. To be safe. And all from a man whom she'd convinced herself would hurt her. "I am unharmed," she said tonelessly, probably not the proper thing to say, but it'd been a need ever since she realized how much focus he continued to place on her scars. She realized she wasn't looking at him anymore; it was more a reflex than anything. He kept asking questions of 'who's and 'whyfore's and she did not feel secure giving that sort of information up just yet.
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Post by Magneto on Jul 23, 2005 21:24:55 GMT -5
Magneto was beginning to lose his patience. She wasn't looking at him, or listening to him. He could see it in her eyes. They were the same, but different. It was the way she'd looked at the guards at Auschwitz when they spoke to her, guarded, looking but not seeing. It was so distant, it was painful.
"I am unharmed," she protested in an emotionless voice.
The lie was the last straw for Erik. He grabbed her by her arms and looked directly into her emotionless eyes. "Magda, what manner of fool do you take me for?" he demanded. "Don't lie to me. I can see it in your eyes, the way you stand there, looking at me as if I am some prison guard interrogating you. Look at me." He reached up with one hand and stroked his fingers down her cheek. "You are hurting even now. Please, let me help you. I do not want to lose you again."
His expression softened a bit. Magneto knew he might be pushing her too far, but he was still in shock a bit. He was sincerely frightened he might never get this chance again, and he would truly lose her forever. He did not wish to frighten her, have her run away from him. Again. His heart could not bear to lose her a second time. "Look at me, Magda," he repeated. "It's me, Erik. I am not going to hurt you. Nor ask anything more of you than that. Please, just look at me."
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Post by magdaleina on Jul 23, 2005 21:42:41 GMT -5
Magda managed half a cry in alarm when he took hold of her arms.
"Magda, what manner of fool do you take me for? Don't lie to me. I can see it in your eyes, the way you stand there, looking at me as if I am some prison guard interrogating you. Look at me."
One of her arms was released, and her eyes fluttered tremulously shut when he touched her cheek. The soft, tingling warmth trailed down toward her chin. She shivered.
"You are hurting even now. Please, let me help you. I do not want to lose you again."
She wanted to tell him that he would see a great deal more in her eyes if she looked at him. It was information she was protecting by now.
"Look at me, Magda. It's me, Erik. I am not going to hurt you. Nor ask anything more of you than that. Please, just look at me."
She'd been around one or two mutants who read mutant auras as part of their power sets; it was a sixth sense for them, uncontrollable, and her alternating between looking and not looking at them had been the source of many a headache. That such a thing was not bothering Magneto told her, however, that if he had the ability at all, it was something he used at will. Hesitantly, she raised her deep blue eyes to his own, breath caught in her throat, and otherwise frozen to the spot.
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Post by Magneto on Jul 23, 2005 22:18:57 GMT -5
She finally looked at him as he asked. In her eyes Erik saw her confusion, her fear. She was so tired, directionless. He realized dimly her eyes truly were the windows to her soul, that was why she wouldn't look at him. It must be part of her mutation. Everyone had their weaknesses. It just made him want to protect her more.
"I am here now," he assured her. "I am not angry with you. Please, just speak to me. Tell me what you are feeling." He lowered his eyes, the her vulnerable gaze was almost painful. He did not want to take anything from her weakness. He wanted her to trust him enough to tell him. Maybe he was a fool for it, but he realized after all these years, he still loved her. Hopefully she realized this. He wanted her to come to the realization on her own though, not force it on her.
Magneto gently curled the fingers of his hand brushing her cheek, gently stroking her skin with his fingertips. He knew it was dangerous to stay down here much longer. "My offer stands, but I cannot stay someplace so visible for much longer. I am wanted here for my 'crimes' against people who think to judge us by our genetics and it would cut our meeting short for me to be spotted. I have no desire for that, nor to have you harmed for being in my presence."
He knew he could not force her stay. He let out a long breath and released her other arm. He levitated the communication device he'd dropped when he'd seen her into his free hand, and pressed it into hers. "It still works," he assured her. "I merely shut it off. Forgive me for frightening you, Magda."
There, now Magda's fate was entirely in her own hands. If she wanted to come with him, she could. If she chose to return to the life she was living, that was her choice as well. She was the one person he would not order around, not try to control. It was her free gypsy spirit he had loved so much. Erik would not do anything to clip her wings further than life already had.
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Post by magdaleina on Jul 23, 2005 22:36:02 GMT -5
"I am here now. I am not angry with you. Please, just speak to me. Tell me what you are feeling."
Magda frowned, unable to think of what she could say in a moment like this. Seeing her hesitance -- or perhaps seeing too much, the man looked away finally. The hand on her face lingered, shifted, and she turned her head slightly to add more pressure to the touch.
"My offer stands, but I cannot stay someplace so visible for much longer. I am wanted here for my 'crimes' against people who think to judge us by our genetics and it would cut our meeting short for me to be spotted. I have no desire for that, nor to have you harmed for being in my presence."
She looked around, then, having forgotten where the were for a moment. Anyone could walk in here, though enough time had gone by that she doubted anyone had heard her screaming.
Her arm was released, and a metal object was pushed into her hand. She looked down, and realizing it was the com, she felt infinitely stupid.
"It still works. I merely shut it off. Forgive me for frightening you, Magda."
Magda shook her head, smiling sardonically. "Actually," she countered, her voice sounding strange after such a long time quiet, "it doesn't. I shorted it out the second I began running so that it could not be traced." She broke it in her hand. "As far as my employer is concerned, I have either deserted, or I am dead. Either way, I will need to make myself scarce."
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Post by Magneto on Jul 23, 2005 23:23:19 GMT -5
Magneto watched as she snapped the comm in half, smiling at him and informing him she'd short circuited it when she begun to run from him. It made him wonder when she had manifested a power so similar to his, but for now, it was not important. "As far as my employer is concerned, I have either deserted, or I am dead. Either way, I will need to make myself scarce."
He couldn't help but chuckle. "If your employer is wise, he will leave you be," he replied, taking her hand in his. "If you wish, you may come to my room. I can order us some dinner. If my powers are not enough protection for you to feel secure, I can have Exodus take you to my stronghold in Genosha. The only thing you have to fear there is the sharp side of Jean-Paul's tongue and you are more than a match for him in that area, my dear." Eric caressed her cheek again. "Besides, even that young fool would know better than to give my wife trouble."
His expression softened as he felt her skin under his fingertips. A great deal of him was still in shock and a thousand questions ran through his head. When did her powers manifest? Why didn't she age? What had she never looked for him? Who was in the penthouse and why had she been spying on them? Who was her employer? Right now, he waved them aside. He would need to regain her trust before he asked her any questions. "Is that acceptable?" he asked softly.
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Post by magdaleina on Jul 24, 2005 0:14:22 GMT -5
"If your employer is wise, he will leave you be. If you wish, you may come to my room. I can order us some dinner. If my powers are not enough protection for you to feel secure, I can have Exodus take you to my stronghold in Genosha. The only thing you have to fear there is the sharp side of Jean-Paul's tongue and you are more than a match for him in that area, my dear. Besides, even that young fool would know better than to give my wife trouble."
Magda watched him much as someone watched a kitten play with the pullstring on a set of blinds; waiting with vague fascination to see if the animal would get pits paws caught between the strings, and in its excitement just tangle itself up even worse. The way Erik babbled on about the things she might see, and people she had yet to meet -- it was as though their seperation had not begun on such unagreeable terms. It was as though she were waking from a coma, that nothing had changed, that everything would start over.
She wondered if Erik was not making quick work of his own delusion, but there was little she could say to disagree at this point.
"Is that acceptable?"
She nodded to him almost resolutely. "Yes. I will go with you."
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Post by xavier on Jul 24, 2005 12:42:46 GMT -5
Watching as the young man entered the room with a silver push tray, Xavier took a deep breath the aroma of the food quieting his nerves.
Having not see a name tag on the young man Xavier politely asked, "Thank you.. I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."
Looking Charles in the face, Pariah froze for a mere moment in time. He could feel the fear in the great Xavier's mind as he tried to hide it deep in his psyche. Pariah now knew for sure that Charles had seen the vision. "Paul Murray, Mr Xavier."
"Thank you Paul.", Charles was so preoccupied that he hadn't even noticed the odd stare from the service boy.
"Your Welcome, Mr Xavier. Have a nice day.", Pariah searched his own mind desperately for clues of any kind that would point him to why the vision had already occurred. Wanting not to waste anymore time, he turned around to quickly exit the room.
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