Return from another world
He was slowly going insane… Nick knew this and had done since Johnson’s death nearly a year ago, and since then his mind reading had become uncontrollable. It had been ok for the first few months, he had managed to keep his concentration and the thoughts in his head had remained a background noise, occasionally becoming louder when he lost concentration but on the whole he was still able to istinguish between everyone else’s thoughts and his own.
But not now, now he was a wreck for most of the day, the periods of noise had become longer accompanied by a slow decline into insanity. But at the moment Thompson was in one of the rare periods of sanity, and before the noise became too much for him again he was determined to make his escape from this world, having gathered as much as possible from the ruins during the first few months he was confident that he could open a dimensional portal with the equipment that was left after the place was trashed.
Sure enough the agent was standing in front of a swirling red mass, a gateway to what he hoped was the world in which he had set up home before Johnson was killed, but in his current mental state one could never be sure. Gathering the few items he had managed to rescue from the ruins from a nearby pile of rubble. He pulled his jacket on, the long garment tattered around the bottom as if to match the rest of his clothing, the only item of visible clothing that was untouched were his boots and trousers, next was his sword, the lightweight blade slipped safely inside its sheath on his belt, his guns had been left behind in the hummer used to escape the initiative building.
Everything gathered there was nothing left to stay for, the order was in chaos, most of their agents were dead and their headquarters was in ruins around him. He had little time, rubbing his forehead as the voices inside grew steadily louder again slowly drowning out his own… it was usually fine around the ruins as there were no people close by but even in this deserted place his control was weakening. As he staggered through the portal it hit him, he had gone from a deserted area to one densely populated.
The sudden influx of thought activity instantly broke down what little control he had, he didn’t even know if he had arrived in the right place for as no sooner did the portal close behind him he collapsed to his knees with the strain. A shadow of his former self he rocked back and forth on the floor grasping his mixed up head In his hands and muttering incomprehensible nonsense, completely oblivious to all around. Edited by: gunfielddan at: 11/11/05 2:38 am
“Compromise is not a four letter word! It is in fact an inevitable part of the solution to any conflict. At the very least it gives us a way to keep a discussion open and sometimes that in itself can be a major step forward! When people stop talking to each other, that’s when they reach for their weapons.”
Scott looked around his first year diplomacy class as he spoke, scanning the faces for lack of interest. Compromise wasn’t always an easy subject to abord! Certainly not at first! There was the initial resistance to overcome, the idea that ceding something to the enemy was a kind of defeat. But then the first thing you had to get rid of when you were teaching diplomacy was the concept of’ enemy’, this clear division of the world into black and white, good and evil. Scott had seen both in his long career! Demons! Angels! So many things that should have been clear cut but which in reality were far from being so. “Maybe I should ask Spike to come down for a guest appearance” he thought with a sigh.*Not that that would make man's own problems any easier to deal with.*
The trick was to see the grey areas… something not many people thought Scott was capable of, even if he had been teaching this class for more years than he cared to remember. “The bottom line with any compromise is to Know Your Limits" he explained writing the words a trifle awkwardly on the board he spoke.” And there have to be limits, people, otherwise it’s no longer a compromise, it’s a surrender.”
He could feel the mixed sympathy and curiosity coming from the pupils as they eyed the dark sling he wore to support his right arm.News as to the full extent of his illness hadn’t yet made its was round the school but it was obvious to anyone who looked at him that something was wrong. Well, that much he couldn’t hide and he had resigned himself to the fact But the rest he was going to keep under wraps as long as possible Though with rumours already circulating he didn’t fool himself that that would be very long at all. In any case that was a bridge he’d cross when he came to it. And he’d do it with as little fuss and as much dignity as possible.
“Ok let’s turn to page 18 of the textbooks” Scott said briskly "And remember now this is going to be the subject of your next assignment so lets all try to stay awake while we go through it, shall we!” The words were tempered by a good natured smile but that didn’t stop a series of groans breaking out at the mention of the promised homework. Scott’s grin grew wider. Kids and assignments! A love hate relationship! Ah well some things never changed!
But then again sometimes things did. And without warning! The pupils faint grumbling sounds were changed into gasps of surprise and shock as an area of the classroom suddenly disappeared, a portal opening giving a brief vision of a world of ruin and desolation before closing again leaving behind a moaning dishevelled figure on the ground “ Stop” Scott shouted, his voice rising easily above the ensuing hubbub and confusion as the students pushed back from their desks and panic starting to set in. The tone of command forced them to stillness as their heads snapped round to look at their teacher. “Good” he continued calmly” Now you’re all going to leave right now and in an orderly manner, understood?”
A slight movement of his head towards those students who were members of teams was enough to indicate that he wanted them to take charge of the others while he handled the more immediate problem of the intruder. Instinctively Cyclops had moved into a position where he stood between the pupils and any potential attack, his hand already lifted to the ruby visor in case of trouble.
Though it didn’t look as if this confused man was about to cause any. Scott had seen trauma in all its forms and this man seemed deeply traumatised to say the least. He also seemed vaguely familiar. Scott dredged through his memories trying to put a name to the half remembered face though the troubled figure was so changed that even when he had Scott still hesitated before moving forward a few steps and asking gently “Agent Thompson…is that you?”
Re: Return from another world
Removing his hands from his face the agent looked around His head filled with a blur of noise Nick could barely remain conscious and his vision was slightly blurred, he could just about make out the retreating shapes of several people, chairs, table. A slight spark of hope ignited inside him, but he could barely understand what he was thinking himself… his own thoughts clouded in a fog of everyone else’s
Someone or something had moved over towards him, he could see the lips moving… but trying to make out what was being said merely drained him more, that face was familiar. Nick concentrated as hard as he could on the man, pulling his words and thoughts from the babble, but they were so quiet in comparison… he was in pain, there was fear, concern for the well being of his pupils, but that was all he could manage before he weakened again… barely recognizing his own name as Scott spoke.
As he lost control once more the voices closed in he forgot where he was, everything grew steadily darker and he could make out easily a pair of red eyes, in reality Scott’s visor. Crawling quickly backwards away from this approaching creature his flailing right arm clipped the leg of a chair an in his confusion he thought something was trying to grab him “get away” he yelled, his hand moving swiftly to his waist then quickly slicing at the offending creature with his sword.
Struggling to his feet the agent caught a table, knocking him back to the floor, his sword clattering to the floor as he stopped himself from falling flat on his face. In an instant he had spun around on the floor, using his powers he flung the ‘creature’ that had just attacked him across the room, the table splintering into many pieces as it hit a wall, his powerful blast of psychic energy sending yet more furniture flying across the room.
After the initial outburst he was too weak to use any of his powers, his mind slowly collapsing under the strain Nick dragged himself backwards into a corner, it was instinct more than anything else, instinct was all that drove the distressed agent when he was like this… right now he was trying his best to hide, his hands covering his face once more in an attempt to conceal himself from the red eyed monster… cowering in a most out of character way, mumbling at the creature to stay away
Re: Return from another world
There had been a moment when it had seemed that Thompson was coming back from the well of confusion into which he had been plunged. The frightened eyes had cleared slightly, focusing on Scott as a drowning man might focus on a lifebelt that had suddenly been thrown to him. Cyclops kept talking his voice low and reassuring trying all the while to fathom the cause of the other mans distress. “Its all right, you’re safe now You’re back at the Institute, Agent Thompson. Xavier’s Institute You’re among friends……”
It didn’t look as if the calming words were having any effect In fact Scott wasn’t even sure that they were being heard. Scott wracked his brains trying to remember anything at all concerning Thompson that could help him get a handle on what was going on.
There were so many possible reasons for a reaction like this that it was hard to know where to even start looking. Perhaps the very nature of the portal he had crossed had somehow scrambled the agent’s thoughts, Perhaps the world he had come from had been so harsh and inhospitable that it had reduced him to madness. Scott knew how hard it was to judge relative time when other dimensions were concerned. Although Thompson had only been gone for a few months as far as they were concerned, years could have passed in whatever world he had been hauled off too.
Whatever had happened the result was that the man was there before him, scared and lost and there didn’t seem to be any way for Scott to get through to him. Even the smallest step forward seemed to shatter whatever fragile hold Thompson had had on his sanity sending him cowering back as if he expected the very walls to attack him Get away he cried, striking out at invisible enemies with the incongruous but still highly dangerous sword that he had dragged expertly from where it hung round his waist.
Hauling himself to his feet unsteadily Thompson stumbled against a table, only just managing to keep himself from going down hard, the weapon torn from his grasp as he fell. The mental blast that sent chairs and tables flying over the room came out of nowhere and only the fact that Scott had already had his hand on his visor allowed the already injured mutant to disintegrate all of the fragments heading his way before any of them caught his wounded arm and sent him down as well. Even so he took care to keep the low level blast localised, making sure the potentially deadly beam kept well away from the prone man and the red flash was over so rapidly that he doubted the other had even noticed it in his confused state.
Sensing that further movement would only aggravate the situation Scott stopped in his tracks, willing himself to stillness and his thoughts to calm. Thoughts…! Scott cursed himself for not remembering sooner The man was a telepath. He was probably picking up on Scott’s concern and puzzlement something which couldn’t have been making his own state of mind any better.
Scott took a deep breath, smoothly running through the mental exercises Jean had taught him, walling his thoughts up behind a barrier of meditation. He was good at it. Having a wife and son who were both telepaths had made sure of that. "Ok Im just going to wait here till you feel better" he said gently taking a few steps backwards keeping his movements slow and unthreatening. "There’s no rush.You take all the time you want. Then when you’re ready we can see about getting you some help. How does that sound."
Re: Return from another worldooc: you can still edit, just guessed the ending would stay the same, no matter if it dont as i havent really mentioned anything you've said
~Dan
It was a good ten minutes before the hallway had cleared itself reducing the mental traffic flying around to a level that Thompson was able to handle, as the thoughts became farther away he was able to distinguish his own from within the mess, the constant noise was accompanied by a tremendous headache, quite obviously the two were linked. He had been breathing heavily since arriving but as he gained composure it slowed, slowly the agent removed his hands from in front of his face, although still very blurred he was back to some form of normality, the red eyed monster appeared to be a man wearing what could possibly be red glasses.
Shuffling himself around on he floor so he was no longer huddled in a ball his searched around his jacket pockets. The world he had just come from was entombed in darkness, this one wasn’t accounting for some of the vision problems he was suffering, finding the pair of sunglasses Nick slowly put them on, but although they stopped him from needing to squint everything was still a little blurred, he recognised the man in the glasses, it was Sean Summers’ father, he could tell by the face, or what he could see of it. It was only now that he properly noticed the destruction he had just caused, tables and chairs strewn all over the place, some broken “I…” he was unable to finish his sentence…a group of students walked down the corridor and as their thoughts became louder the pain in his head grew.
Hands clenched to his ears the pressure he was putting behind them was obvious as his knuckles turned white, trying to block out the noise, rocking slowly back and forth. He wanted to speak, but all the agent could manage was a groan through gritted teeth, but almost as soon as it had come the pain slowly subsided to a dull aching when the group had passed. Nicks grip on his head relaxed, his hands slowly falling to the floor limply... he was a wreck and he knew it, unable to even form a coherent sentence
“Help” his voice croaky and pained, the word was not something he liked to use normally but about now he felt he had no choice.. this was obviously the right world and there was bound to be someone in the building who could help him. After all he knew they had a medical unit, he’d been down there before, the scar still on his hand from where Johnson had tried to shoot Spike and Nick had blocked, and he knew of the extra curricular activities of the school… only because he and his partner were so good at snooping around. But these memories were jumbled up in with the rest of the mess within his tattered and tortured mind.
Again someone walked down the corridor outside, resulting in the same reaction from Nick, it had become second nature to him now an involuntary reaction to the pain in his head. If only he could explain, if his head could get together for long enough to manage more than a few words hey would probably be able to help him, but right now all he could do was to try and concentrate hard enough to think straight.
Taking a few deep breaths he concentrated hard, finding his own thoughts, when he struck gold.. “Riley…” shortly after Johnson had died during the escape from the initiative Nick had explained to the occupants of their getaway vehicle what was going to happen to him, the first name he could remember was Riley’s… the initiative agent would surely be able to tell them what was wrong if he was still here.
Re: Return from another world
Patience was something Scott had in abundance when he needed to. As Thompson’s struggled against his inner demons, searching desperately for some kind of composure, Scott waited motionless, not wishing by any action of his to complicate the already difficult task.
Long minutes passed before the laboured breathing finally eased and some sort of recognition came back into the agents still mainy unfocused eyes as they re-emerged from behind his concealing hands and sought Scott’s own. Scott carefully maintained the barrier around his thoughts, waiting still for the man to make the first step in re-establishing communications.
For the moment he seemed to e more concerned with finding something in his pocket his hand finally pulling out a pair of dark glasses which he promptly put on Scott couldn’t hold back a wry smile. If anyone was well placed to know how important glasses could be it was him. These ones may not have had the ruby lenses that Cyclops was forced to wear to keep his powers under control but they did seem to restore a modicum of sanity to Thompson. Why that should be Scott neither knew nor cared he was just glad to see that the familiar object had somehow grounded the mans fleeing spirit to reality.
Now Thompson looked around the wreckage that had once been a classroom, only now beginning to realise that he was the source of the havoc that had reigned there from what Scott could see. “I…” That was all Thompson managed to force out before he suddenly doubled over again in pain holding his head as if it was about to break apart.
Scott had to make a conscious effort not to go to him, to try to offer some sort of help but he knew only to well that sometimes uninformed concern could in fact do more harm than good. Not that he had the intention of merely standing there and doing nothing while the other man went through hell. But he needed more elements before he could intervene effectively. Elements he was busy piecing together from this puzzle which had so unexpectedly been dropped into his lap.
Scott was used to people thinking he was cold, detached and in some ways it was true he supposed. He had always possessed the ability to put his emotions on hold, to ignore them for long enough to let his intellect work out what needed to be done and how best to do it. If that made him seem cynical then so be it. As far as he was concerned it made him efficient and that was all that mattered.
Therefore when Thompson’s plea for help finally came, it was not lack of sympathy that kept him from replying straightaway Rather it was the fact that he was beginning to see some sort of correlation between the amount of activity in the corridors close to the classroom and the suffering on the man’s tortured face. It was a shaky theory at best but as Thompson reacted to further movement outside by once again bringing his hands to his head Scott began to feel that it was the right one.
What was it that was causing him so much anguish? Noise? Scott didn’t think so…..There had been no obvious reaction to the sounds of the desks crashing and splintering against the walls. Noise of another kind then? One that would be noticeable only to telepaths? In any case there was now something that Scott could do to help and he was just about to do it when Thompson spoke again. “Riley….”
He spoke the name more as a request than an accusation, as if he expected some kind of assistance from the young mutant. . Scott sighed Something more that the Finn boy was mixed up in then. He wondered if they had a report on this one or if it was one of the many details that Riley had omitted to tell them. In any case it was at least good to see that Thompson had managed to concentrate long enough to be able to give them one more lead as to what was happening to him.
” Ill get him as soon as I can” Scott told the agent. But first of all we should get you somewhere you’ll feel better. Somewhere quiet. Carefully Scott activated his com link still hindered in his movements by the loss of movement in his right hand but managing to enter Hank's code all the same.
"Hank? This is Cyclops! I’ve got a situation in Room 18 . Its under control but I need you to clear all the classes in this corridor and put a cordon round it for at least fifteen minutes. Then I need a teleporter down here asap Talia by preference. Ive got a telepath in pain down here.”
Re: Return from another world
ooc: will wait for Talia or whoever to post as thers only so many times i can say he's in pain and going mad lol, will be glad when this bits over and he's normal again
Re: Return from another world
Awkwardly Talia had made her way towards room 18, only teleporting as close as a few hallways away to where she knew students and furniture wouldn't be getting into her way. Last thing she wanted was to teleport into a table and god knows what would happen there, she shivered each time she pictured it in her mind.
Timid fingers reached for the handle, curious as to what exactly was going on within and yet knowing there was an issue with a telepath had made her shut her mind tightly as best she could. Sure Tal was a telepath, but sometimes they thought too much of her, she wasn't strong, not like Jean or Xavier definitely, she could barely keep other people's thoughts out of her mind, how could she help anyone?
While her naturally deformed slender fingers twisted the handle, her other hand offered a gentle knock as she entered, slinking cautiously into the room... If someone was in pain that she wanted to help, but she still felt as if she was in over her head, what if he was a really strong telepath and overwhelmed her? Golden spheres located Scott, assurence of safety and guidance seeming to radiat from him the instant her eyes met the older man. Teachers wouldn't let her sink into trouble, they'd do what they could to help her if she was having difficulty... Still, the young nurse seemed hesitant to close the door and shut herself into a room with a stranger she knew nothing of, but after a moment of inner persuasion she finally stepped a little further into the room to show she was ready for whatever Scott wanted of her.
Re: Return from another world
Once more scott’s voice was lost in a fog of noise as the agent struggled to keep his telepathy under control, but slowly his weak grip on reality was slipping, probably not helped by the lack of sleep or proper food, he had been living off of whatever he could find in the ruins, something that was not too easy in near complete darkness “I cant make it stop…” nick was becoming frustrated with himself, why couldn’t he get his point across. With a groan he slumped forwards, loosing control of his mind again, his own thoughts disappearing into the background noise as before.
His glasses fell loose to the floor between his legs but he didn’t notice, as he slowly looked up the eyes now glassed over fixed upon Scott as Thompson tried to focus on something, to anchor his mind in a bid to remain as sane as possible. How he had managed to stay alive in a world where demons reigned supreme was by acting purely on instinct, but his condition was a lot better then and he had been able to stop himself on occasion. Now however was something completely different, he had lost control of pretty much everything, and as he fought to regain control he was weakening himself, anything could trigger a reaction at the moment, the slightest thing out of the ordinary could make his fragile mind snap.
The trigger came, out of the corner of his eye during his attempt at focusing on Scott a creature had entered through the doorway It was blue, had pointed ears and a tail… “demon” the word came out a low hiss, a hint of fear betraying his feelings. Instinct took over and his tired legs forced him up at speed to his feet stamping on the glasses as he did so pushing himself father against the wall as if he wanted it to swallow him up. The agent had to find a way out of here, he had obviously come to the wrong place after all, as he glanced around franticly trying to find an escape route he could see the yellowy eyes of the creature upon him.
The Door was behind the creature… the only option left was the window, as quick as his tired body would allow he raced towards it, using his weakening powers to throw a few of the remaining items of furniture out of his way. Before he reached the window the agent took a small leap intending to break through the glass and land outside, but it was stronger than he thought… either that or he was not strong enough to break it. Instead he hit the glass with a loud thud before rebounding onto the floor in a heap… it was no longer just his head that hurt.
Re: Return from another world
It had seemed like a good idea at the time. No! It still was a good idea ,given the criteria. Despite the agents extreme reaction to the teleporters arrival!.” Although I am getting careless” Scott admitted *I should have factored Talias appearance into the equation Then maybe I could have a avoided this .*
Though it must be said that Thomson had been losing coherence even before the young telepath had appeared on the scene. “I cant make it stop…” he had muttered scant moments ago, leaving Scott frustrated before his own inability to help. If the problem did in fact come from the mans telepathic abilities then he had done everything possible, trying at least with his security measures to limit the number of minds he could come in contact with Not that the cordon would have become effective just yet but it was all he could do. And apparently it was far from being enough.
And so Talia had been his best hope of success. Though the initial failure of the plan was in no way her fault! No it was his and while on one level that was worrying on another it confirmed that part of him which some others seemed reluctant to acknowledge. His humanity, Call it what you wished! What it boiled down to was his instinctive inability to see Talia as anything other than herself. A beautiful, caring young woman whose compassion was matched only by her courage! Though his intellect told him that that wasn’t the vision that the world had of her! And while here, in this particular situation, it was undoubtedly a mistake not to have taken into account how this man might react to her physical appearance, in the end, Scott acknowledged the righteousness of his position. Talia was Talia unique and precious. It was other people’s loss if they couldn’t understand that.
Thought to be honest he couldn’t say if Thompson’s reaction was typical of the man. Circumstances were too far out of control, there was no way even to know if the Agent was even seeing Talia or some other nightmare plucked from his own troubled brain. All Scott knew was that she had come in and panic had flared . “Demon.” The name had been flung at her with much the same desperation as Thomson was now flinging himself at the window. There was no way in to stop the inevitable collision, Scott could only watch and wince in sympathy as the man went down stunned by the impact.
Thanks for coming Cyclops said only hoping the scene hadn’t shaken Talia’s fragile self worth too badly. “You can see I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I needed your help.”
Re: Return from another world
To say it was unexpected would be as obvious as to say the comment was painful, Talia's expression melting away instantly to a stunned hurt. Confusion the only thing at that point which kept her feet rooted to the ground, though fear caused her to back up against the door as things started being thrown in her general direction.
While there was a sight of sympathy before her, Talia still felt too hurt to actually feel anything for him other then a sense of pity as he rushed into the window and fell crashing down to the floor.
"Thanks for coming" Yellow eyes peered over towards elder man with what could still be seen quite clearly as a crushed ego, already her barriers rebuilding despite being in the safety of one of her father's dear friends, as well as a teacher she respected.
“You can see I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I needed your help.” Always glade to be of target practice, but the cynical words never touched her tongue, only a hurt frown tugging at the corner of her lips while she watched Scott, as if trying to assess if this was all some test or maybe even it had been a joke she just didn't understand. The comment however was brushed aside as the German mutant looked woefully back at the other male laying wretched on the floor, her body almost instinctavly shifting to her human form with a final flick of her now vanishing tail.
A demon... as if being branded a mutant wasn't bad enough, now she was being called a demon. No one had ever said it to her face before, she knew they thought it, but they've never said it.. out loud it hurt even more then she would have imagined.
Talia’s face said it all, a look of hurt and betrayal crossing it as if he had set her up for some kind of cruel joke instead of asking for her assistance. It was a shame and he was sorry to have been the cause of such misery to her but right now there wasn’t time for her emotions. This was a mission, every bit as much as any she had ever been on out on the field and he needed her to shape up.
It was never easy being a parent especially the parent of a mutant. There was an inevitable desire to protect your children from the hardships of the world, to give them a place where they could feel safe and loved. The truth was that it wasn’t always the best approach. Yes they needed the love and security that only a family could provide but they also needed to be able to face the outside world on their own terms. It was a difficult balance to strike and Scott wasn’t sure that they had got it right with Talia.
Granted she had done well in the team mission and her work in med lab was first class. There was definite progress and they were all proud of how far she had come. But perhaps if they had protected her a bit less, forced her into more contact with the other students? Would she be talking then? Would she be able to take things like this , no matter how unpleasant, in her stride. Or would she have closed up altogether, aggressed by a world she couldn’t find her place in?
That was what they had feared. That was why they had encouraged her to work with Hank, hoping that his kindness and patience would nurture confidence in the young mutant. And so it had. Under his gentle care she had blossomed, growing more skilful and more serene. But even his constant example hadn’t made her feel any better about her appearance. And so words still cut her. As they did Hank. As they did every mutant. The trick was not to let that stop you from living and that was something Talia had yet to master.
Which was sad, thought Scott was sure that given time she would manage it. The trouble was that there were situations where you didn’t have the luxury of time and this was one of them. Fortunately though Talia seemed to have come to that conclusion as well. Scott gave a sigh of relief as purpose came back into her eyes and she changed into her human form. A good initiative on her part if indeed Thompson had been scared by her natural form but psychologically a hard move for her to make and Scott applauded her courage in doing it. So maybe they hadn’t done so badly by her after all.
He had to admit that he was glad to have a team mate beside him, for that was what Talia had become. While the treatment Hank was giving him made it possible for him to function correctly under normal circumstances he wasn’t foolish enough to think that he could cope with a situation like this on his own. If Thompson started flinging things around again he would have to use his beam and he could already feel a headache settling in after his last utilisation. Scott just hoped that they could keep the man calm long enough for Talia to work out what was wrong with him and perhaps find a way to help. Or failing that teleport him to a safe area at least where they could contain his outbursts till they did find a solution.
With a quick nod to Talia Scott stepped slowly forward, keeping his movements calm and unthreatening, positioning himself beside the fallen sword which he then pushed towards the opposite wall with his foot, well away from the fallen agent. One less thing to worry about if things should suddenly explode again! “Try and pick up on what he’s feeling Talia” he said softly "But be carefull Whatever’s going on in his head I don’t think its pleasant.”
Cyclops made his way even closer trying to give the man someone perhaps vaguely recognisable to interact with when he opened his eyes. “Agent Thompson” he said gently. “Try to calm down There are no demons here I promise. You got away. You made it back to the Institute And now we are going to help you. If you’ll let us.””
Re: Return from another world
Nick opened his eye's slowly, the noise in his head had dissapeared for a few seconds after he had hit the window, it had felt stragne being able to think properly again, but once more the voices became steadily louder. only now he had some composure again, the short period of silence had isolated his own thought within his tortured mind, giving him a few good minutes of sanity before he lost control again.
"what the" it took a while for him to remember what had happened since he had walked through the portal "Try and pick up on what he’s feeling Talia But be carefull Whatever’s going on in his head I don’t think its pleasant.” scott's soft voice speaking the words so true it was uncanny made him look over at the owner of the voice, remembering scott... and the girl next to him, what had he done...
“Agent Thompson. Try to calm down There are no demons here I promise. You got away. You made it back to the Institute And now we are going to help you. If you’ll let us.” it didnt matter where he was, not any more... he had done somethingterrible, he had called the poor girl a demon. it was exactly what he had feared the day Johnson had died... he was hurting innocent people, and the fact that he didnt mean it and couldnt help it just made it worse, he was turning into somethig evil and couldnt stop it.
moaning a little the agent shuffled to his feet and shakily leaning against the window, a silent fear crept over him.. he was not a man usually affected by fear, his life had been one big ride of terror to any normal person, killing creatures of the night for a living, and getting attacked in the bargain. but now he was terrified, not because he might die from this problem, but for what he could turn into if he couldn't stop himself, he knew inside that he was a very dangerous person, and if he were to lose his mind completely... it did not bear thinking about.
he flicked his eyes from scott to talia "i'm sorry, i'm so sorry" it wasnt really dirested to any one person, though he did feel very guilty about what he had said to the girl. "i cant stop it" his voice was shaking nearly as much as his body, once more he colapsed to his knees, looking at the floor as the pain in his head continued to disorientate his mind.. he probably only had about 15 minutes of control left... he had to do something before he hurt anybody else. a quick look round the room showed there were very few options availiable here..
"i'm too dangerous like this... there's nothing left you can do, i must make it stop.. before i..." a sudden burst of pain cut his words short, doubling him up in agony "you have to kill me, its the only way" his voice forced itself through gritted teeth as he fought back the noise to regain some composure, though he remembered the last time he said this, it was to spike, and the vampire hed knocked him out and refused... "please, its the only way..." he pleaded, he could see no other option, he'd tried drugs, but they had just made him as if he was drunk, and that was not acceptable.
Re: Return from another world
Sympathy swelled and worry grew as Talia watched the wretched looking man, her eyes full of sorrow, the hurt ego fading to be replaced with her passion to nurture. The sword seemed out of place, if Talia was a strong telekinetic mutant she would have tried to move it further away but her pain and energy which that untapped ability brought on wasn't worth the try.
“Try and pick up on what he’s feeling Talia” Panic, fear, Tal didn't even need telepathy to see that, and she dead what lay beneath such a surface. "But be carefull Whatever’s going on in his head I don’t think its pleasant.” Of course it wasn't, nothing pleasant drove someone this far off the edge. Already she could hear the ghostly echoes of his mind and that of Scott's also cluttering her thoughts as the barriers were slowly lowered, images, noise, all starting to flicker inside her mind..
“Agent Thompson” Recognition, Talia could feel his mind focusing, distraught as it was. “Try to calm down There are no demons here I promise. You got away. You made it back to the Institute And now we are going to help you. If you’ll let us.” Concern, worry, self anger and fear.. a face, death.. everything all swirling around her thoughts, all tugging the telepath's mind one way and another.
"i'm sorry, i'm so sorry" Guilt, a righteous fear, a moment spent seeing her own face let Talia slightly taken back, understanding the regret he held for his previous statement and bringing some peace to her own mind. "i cant stop it" Talia's own heart ached, all the more from the link with Thompson's, her hands drawing close to her chest for comfort. It was hopeless... danger, a need, a need for something, Talia associated the need in the only way she could, and that was a need to help, unlike Thompson's own concerned desires.
"i'm too dangerous like this... there's nothing left you can do, i must make it stop.. before i..." Flinching from the sudden burst, Talia's first reaction of timid shock followed by an urge to get closer, her body flowing forward gracefully, already away of the words which were now to come from his lips. "you have to kill me, its the only way" Slender knees folded beneath Talia's swift form, ignoring the mental thoughts as strongly as she ignored his vocal plea's as she now knelled before him. "please, its the only way..." Scott may be the teacher, but his job was to protect his students, she was the nurse, it was her responsibility to this patient, it was her that needed to take his needs into her heart and do her best to mend what had been broken.
Thanks to Michael, Talia has learn how helpful words can be, how a voice is so much more touching then whispered words in the back of ones mind. But even so, she had to do her best to block out her teacher's presence, she had to focus, to brave all just to creep from her own shell.
"Listen to my voice," Talia began, her accent light in her gentle but firm voice, careful and assuring hands reaching for the cheeks of the man to cradle his face and draw his eyes to her. "Let me silence all ze ozer voices." So much easier said then done, not that the hesitant girl found speaking anywhere near the realm of 'easy'. Her own broken shields were tapped into once again, but instead of raising them around her own mind she raised them around his.
"You know Spike?" The German girl continued, mostly focused on her chore of shielding his thoughts of things which troubled him. "He is here in ze school." She wasn't sure what to say, all she knew was that she had to quieten the agents mind, she had to calm it, she'd never done it before, not like this, to say it was straining would be quite accurate... "He didn't give up or give in.. you cannot either." She whispered softly to him, trying to show that even one as far gone as Spike had been able to be pulled from his broken reality, even if the vampire was scarred, he was still infinitely better then before.
Re: Return from another world
Why wasnt anyone doing what he had asked... it was quite a simple request he thought, but his mind at the moment was unable to grasp the fact that in this world people just wouldnt do that. "Listen to my voice, Let me silence all ze ozer voices." his eyes were drawn to look into hers as she spoke, her accent completely lost on the tormented agent as he concentrated as best he could on the voice, the rest of the moise slowly fading into a quiet mumbling.
It was clear to even his tattered mind that she was reading his thoughts, such a mistake for one so young, not that he was that old himself, he hadnt turned thirty and already had seen enough death to last him a lifetime, surely she could see that there was nothing left for him now. "You know Spike? He is here in ze school. He didn't give up or give in.. you cannot either." know spike... bit of a an understatement, he had saved his neck twice at least.
a feeling of calm slowly spread itself across his mind, something he had not felt for so long now, not since Johnson's death when their link was severed had he been able to think straight again. at first he felt a great relief, after so long the comforting feeling of someone else had restored his sanity... but that changed quickly as he stared into the girl's eyes.
she was removing the barrier around her own mind to shield his... taking his thoughts along with hers... if she did this for too long she would be in the same condition as Nick was himself, the thoughts of everyone that were screaming in his own mind would be doing so in hers instead, and his range was probably larger due to the enhancments he had recieved in the order. he could already tell she was straining to keep it up as it was, any longer and she would be too weak and they both would be in trouble.
"you're going to hurt yourself" he slowly reached to her hands at his cheeks, softly removing them and pushing them back towards her chest "i cant let you do that, my mind is full of things no human should have to see" the agent cringed as he unwittingly dredged the worst thoughts from the back of his mind where he had tried to blank them out, people torn to shreds, tortured, eaten... you name it, he had seen it in his relatively short life...
he leaned a bit farther forwards to her, his voice quiet and determined "tell Spike that i'm glad to hear he's better now... and i'm not giving up, to let myself become one of them would be to give up... i have fought evil all my life, i am not about to become it, there is nothing worth saving my life for now.. i shouldnt have come back, it was stupid of me to hope for anything to go right" quickly he stood, using the little mental strength he had to force her shield from his mind, he just couldn't let her endanger herself on his behalf "but thankyou Talia for trying" the agent admired her courage... to walk into a room with him like this to help him was something that not many people would do.
As the voices in his head became louder once more Nick glanced over at Scott, the man didnt really look as if he would be able to do much to stop him from his plan, not physically anyway.. the arm in a sling could be decieving though "One last fight, Sorry for the room" the short period of silence in his mind had given him the time to hatch a plan... if they wouldnt kill him off and he couldnt commit suicide then he would just have to make himself dangerous and let the security systems do it for him, he had been away for so long that they were bound to have removed any clearance he had, feeling the girl trying her hardest still to calm his thoughts... why did she not just let him do this. Almost as soon as the words escaped his lips the agent, renewed by the breif respite of pain in his head, dodged past a shocked Talia and bolted for the door, his injured, fatigued limbs not as quick as they should be.
Re: Return from another world
There was no need for an apology but one still came, the man fighting through his pain to make it."i'm sorry, i'm so sorry"i cant stop it" Thomson gave up the unequal struggle to remain upright and slumped to his knees"i'm too dangerous like this.. he said. there's nothing left you can do, i must make it stop.. before i... Another wave of suffering tore through him cutting the phrase off, threatening to take what shreds of sanity remained with it as it passed. But the agents voice steadied again the words only too clear as he told them . "you have to kill me, its the only way, please, its the only way..."
Scott shook his head. This was desperation talking. The man had obviously been pushed to his limits and beyond by whatever phenomena was affecting his powers. Cyclops could sympathise. When the disease that was killing him had brought on that first devastating attack in the restaurant he too had wanted someone to put him out of his misery and not to protect others from what he might have done as was the case with Thompson. No he had just wanted the pain to end. But he had pulled back from the brink or rather those he loved had pulled him back. That was what Thompson needed to realise now That he was no longer fighting this by himself That there were people who would help him through it, maybe not family but friends at least and that could make all the difference.
And indeed someone was already there helping. Scott watched as Talia knelt gently beside the wounded man his eyes opening in wonder behind the concealing visor as she spoke. Actually spoke . "Listen to my voice, Let me silence all ze ozer voices." It was what his mother would have called an everyday miracle and he was glad that he was there to witness it.”Looks like I have the answer to my previous question.” Scott thought with an affectionate smile. *Talia will be just fine. In fact she’ll be better than fine She’ll be wonderful*
"You know Spike?" The question came out of the blue as far as he was concerned but he had no doubt that Talia had a good reason for asking it. "He is here in ze school. ... "He didn't give up or give in.. you cannot either." She might not talk often but when she did the words were wise and kind. Scott didn’t try to intervene. This was her domain and she was doing just fine."
However Thompson wasn’t about to let her continue. "you're going to hurt yourself"i cant let you do that, my mind is full of things no human should have to see" " he said pulling back, removing her hands from where they had rested on either side of his face. Scott moved slightly closer, knowing that given the agents present instability the situation could explode into violence at any moment and making sure he was ready to protect Talia if it did. Not that he doubted she could take care of herself, not after what he had just seen but in this particular team set up she was the trouble-shooter. Which made him her line of defence.
tell Spike that i'm glad to hear he's better now.. It didn’t seem like the man would hurt Talia though In fact all his actions tended to be aimed at protecting her.. and i'm not giving up, to let myself become one of them would be to give up... i have fought evil all my life, . i am not about to become it. Scott wasn’t sure exactly where the conversation was going but he got the distinct feeling that he wouldn’t like it when he found out ans sure enough he was right.there is nothing worth saving my life for now.. i shouldn’t have come back, it was stupid of me to hope for anything to go right"
There is a fine line between desperation and despair and Thompson had crossed it. While Scott still felt sympathy for the other mans plight this probably wasn’t the time or the place to show it. Agreeing that all was lost was probably not the way to go nor was it anywhere near the truth.
There were possibilities at the Institute that Thompson probably couldn’t even imagine. Jeans experience alone was matched only by the professors in the realms of telepathy. Add to that Hanks skills as a doctor and the many and varied mutant powers at their disposition and it all made for an impressive array of weapons with which to attack this particular problem. Once all that had been tried and failed then they could begin to be concerned but certainly not before.
However Scott didn’t get a chance to explain that. Thompson moved swiftly, suddenly pushing his injured body past the kneeling girl and towards the door. Damn! Scott couldn’t trust his beam sufficiently to risk bringing the man down with it but neither could he have the agent running free around the school. That left only one solution and it wasn’t one that he found particularly appealing. But then again he was Cyclops and so he didn’t hesitate.
With a silent prayer that the landing wouldn’t hurt to much Scott launched himself at Thompson’s legs. One handed rugby tackles weren’t what he did best but then again with things as they stood he didn’t really have a choice. And who knew maybe his luck would hold.
Re: Return from another world
"you're going to hurt yourself" The rejection of her help was anything but pleasantly accepted, Talia’s resolve strengthening more as Thompson’s hands carefully removed her own, but she was unsure how to react, she couldn’t very well force herself onto him… "i cant let you do that, my mind is full of things no human should have to see" Didn’t he understand though? Talia was shielding his mind.. what was in there couldn’t get out, even to her, sure some slipped by in her struggle but she was trying and she was doing well, if only he had let her focus hard enough and continue unchallenged. Part of her suddenly felt like flinching, like pulling away, moving back as he leaned forward, but she resisted the urge, forcing herself to remain still, to be there for him, to listen to what he obviously had to say.
"tell Spike that i'm glad to hear he's better now... and i'm not giving up, to let myself become one of them would be to give up... i have fought evil all my life, i am not about to become it, there is nothing worth saving my life for now.. i shouldnt have come back, it was stupid of me to hope for anything to go right" But that was giving up, Spike was harmful, but he fought against his very nature, he refused the very thing that he needed to do to survive and worked his way around it, insanity wasn’t the only thing he battled… he battled the monster he was. Talia had been there, with Madison and Frost and Rogue amongst the others of the team who had escorted the newly arrived Spike to the medical bay. He was a mess, a frightful one, but timid and scared as well as obnoxious and loud. She had seen him at his worst that day and seen him at better times since, she knew what he had to deal with, just like she knew the secrets of so many others who lived around her. To defy your very nature, to try and stop what it was you thought you were becoming, that took strength, and to just destroy yourself without trying, that was giving up and Talia may be a quiet girl but she had a very stern belief in such things, even if most people weren’t aware of that side of her.
Maybe that’s why she actually spoke to people when they were suffering, when things looked unbearable for them, when they were moments from surrendering to whatever was tormenting them, if she could do anything to help pull them from the brink of such a fate then she had to, she wouldn’t let them sink into the Abyss without trying, she wouldn’t stand by and let them give up on themselves or give into whatever tried to take over them, in whatever way, be it pain, disease, withdraws… A force suddenly struck her mental barriers, a shockwave of kinetic energy pushing her own mind back, knocking her out and forcing her to lose what little control she had over her psychic abilities momentarily. If he could still have the strength to push her out, why couldn’t he have helped her shield his mind instead? If he had worked with her instead of selfishly seeking a swift means of ending what trouble he was now in, then maybe they could have be a step close nursing the man to full health… or least put him on the road to recovery.
"but thankyou Talia for trying" Trying? Was that it, her eyes looked up at him and though they usually lacked pupils now there was a soft chocolate gaze and theyl pleaded very clearly for him to reconsider whatever he his mind was starting to stir up. "One last fight, Sorry for the room" A frown clearly showed on Talia’s face as Nick’s thoughts betrayed his next move, it seemed however that Mr Summers didn’t need the aid of telepathy to read the man’s thoughts as he reacted swiftly and recklessly – in Talia’s medical opinion – leaped for the troubled agent and tackled him to the ground.
"Zis is why men get into so much trouble, zey act foolishly in order to accomplish zeir tasks." Frustration boiled over as Talia snapped at the two of them, not bothering to walk the short distance to thhe door and instead teleporting beyond them and reappearing by the door. Her now five digit hands balling gently into fists and her arms folding firmly across her chest. "Mr Summers, you are in no condition to be hurling yourself at anyone, und Mr Thompson..!" Well, she was talking now but once this was over that was that, silence would occur again as it always did after any scene when it calmed down. But she was not about to let either patient hurt themselves further without giving them a good scolding off. "I am a nurse, you are now a patient, und zat means you do as I say so zat I can help you, und if you don’t zen I vill act in your best interest und do what I must regardless of your desires to give up because of zis problem you can not handle. You are not ze only one to lose a partner, nor are you ze only one who needs help in order to silence ze voices." Rogue had to be helped, Jean had to be helped… even the Professor himself blocked off corners of his mind to keep those around him safe. "Everyone here iz in need of ozers to help zem, ze X-men have helped people like you, zay have helped silence ze screams und mend ze heart, und zey can help you like all ze ozers if you were but strong enough to let zem." Her voice softened but remained determined and unwavering, despite her hands loosening to clasp together before her chest, she didn’t care if she had to drag him to the med bay without permission, she wasn’t just going to stand around and do nothing.
Re: Return from another world
Frustration boiled inside the agent as Scott brought him crashing to the ground, his face planting itself firmly on the floor giving him a small cut on his lip. Looking towards the door his only chance of leaving the room was cut off as the girl teleported, her body blocking the way "Mr Summers, you are in no condition to be hurling yourself at anyone, und Mr Thompson..!" for some reason he felt as if he were very small right about now, but the noise inside his head was ever growing again and nick could tell that he did not have long before he lost control again… this time he felt it was for good, he was too weak to resist it now.
"I am a nurse, you are now a patient, und zat means you do as I say so zat I can help you, und if you don’t zen I vill act in your best interest und do what I must regardless of your desires to give up because of zis problem you can not handle. You are not ze only one to lose a partner, nor are you ze only one who needs help in order to silence ze voices. Everyone here iz in need of ozers to help zem, ze X-men have helped people like you, zay have helped silence ze screams und mend ze heart, und zey can help you like all ze ozers if you were but strong enough to let zem."
Painfully he forced his arms and legs to lift himself to a vertical base “you think I want to do this” his voice was not only showing pain, but that fact that the agent was beginning to break down “you think I wanted to do any of this… a lifetime of hell for no reward… for them to play around with my mind until It was too much for one person to handle so I was dependant on someone else, knowing full well that if something happened to them I would loose myself in insanity… you think that if there was any other way of stopping this I would hesitate to take it, because I wouldn’t” it was probably the most he had said in months, and with his mental state deteriorating by the second it came as a surprise to him that he had managed to hold on long enough to bring out even a sentence, but the inevitable was catching up with him and he had nothing left to hold it back, his reserves all gone from his pointless attempt to get out of this room.
A wave of pain passed through him once more, his legs giving in and again he found himself stumbling and falling to the floor, this time sideways, arms flailing in a vain attempt to keep balance. “just do what you have to do” Nick gave in… he was too weak to resist anything any longer, he had given his all and it was showing, the constant pressure on his muscles to keep going had clearly finished them off and he was no longer able to even raise his hands to his aching head, though his tightly closed eyes gave away the pain inside.
The toll on his internal organs through lack of food and over exertion was to be taken into consideration as well, it was not just his brain that could not cope, added to the headache were pains in his chest and back that were not caused by any of the physical torment he had endured, things were beginning to give up on him. As his breathing slowed his body slumped farther onto the ground, the agents head slowly drooping backwards, previously his heart had been pounding at an astonishing rate to keep him going but now it was slowing as fast as his mind was fading
Re: Return from another world
Talia was still talking That much he knew. *She sounds annoyed* the lucid part of Scott’s brain told him. I think she may even be scolding me.At any other time he would have found the idea amusing but not just then.Just then he thought he might well deserve it.
Luck had been with him as he hit the ground. Luck and years ofexperience. As he had planned he had come down on his left shoulder, the tackle clumsy, barely enough to throw the still weakened Thompson face forward onto the floor. Even so it didn’t stop his right arm from being jarred and that was something he was paying for now.
The price was high and getting higher by the minute. The pain took hold of him cutting off his breath, leaving him not even the possibility to cry out. *Just as well otherwise Talia will only get madder* The stupid thought kept coming while he tried desperately to hold on to consciousness, telling himself that this wasn’t the moment to black out and leave the girl with two patients on her hands instead of one.
But it wasn’t easy. As it was he couldn’t even stop Thomson when the agent pushed himself out of his grip and staggered upright.. It was an impressive feat given the state he was in. Scott wasn’t sure he was capable of doing the same.
Since the disease had taken hold the least movement or contact where his arm was concerned was agony. What he was experiencing at the moment however took it to a new level. In fact Scott suspected that without the extensive amounts of painkillers he was taking every day he would have been out cold. To be honest, had he been alone in this mess, he’d have decided he was better off being just that. But he wasn’t alone There was Talia and Thompson to think about and that kept Cyclops stubbornly hanging on though his vision faded to black as his sight deserted him once again
Through the roaring in his ears he could hear Thompson’s voice, the desperation in it clear even if the words themselves were blurred. Then one phrase stood out simply because the man was once again at his level. “just do what you have to do» And with that all defiance crumbled. There was a thud as his body hit the floor, near enough for his outstretched hand to brush Scott’s leg giving the X man at least some idea of the agent’s position.
In all probability there was no danger now. But probabilities weren’t something X men took chances on. With an ultimate effort Scott swiftly pushed himself over to where the man lay using his own body to keep the agent pinned till Talia could intervene. There was no movement and the breathing he felt beneath him was too slow. That much at least he realised even if all he could see was darkness.
He rolled clear onto his back leaving the nurse much needed access saying as he did so, his own voice still thick with pain “Get him to med bay Talia. Ill be fine but Thompson,he needs to get there fast”
Re: Return from another world
Yet again brave words seemed to be uttered and while Talia was a compassionate person she didn’t approve of people giving up under any circumstances, not unless living was at such a devastating cost that there wasn’t any chance of a life of any kind. Only stern eyes watched the figures fallen in a heap upon the floor, hesitant to move and yet eager to lend a hand, Talia remained watchful and cautious and could already feel herself seeping back into the silence that she so often lived within.
“just do what you have to do” Surrender, not the most ideal forms of agreement but still it gave a similar out come, leaving Talia eager to take advantage of the comment and not let him change his mind. If only he had succumbed earlier, none of this would have been necessary, some people were too stubborn for their own well being. They didn’t realize their involuntary actions of keeping things to themselves just hurt others, like Summers attempts of hiding his ailing condition from Hank until the final moments were there was no denying it… The doctor was hurting so deeply from the ‘what if’ and the ‘if only’, in Scott’s attempt of brushing things off Beast was more hurt now then he may have been had he known from the start. There was a difference knowing you had done everything imaginable in comparison to doing only as much as you could in the short time allowed.
“Get him to med bay Talia. Ill be fine but Thompson, he needs to get there fast” Although Talia stepped forward, she hesitated, unsure and worried, should she not take both of them to Medbay? What was she thinking, she couldn’t leave Scott on the floor like that, dear lord how could he even assume such a thing?! Though he was hurting… her form of teleportation wasn’t the smoothest, it did leave a quesiness with some people, like sea sickness would. If she could get the Nick to the med lab, then she could leave him there with someone else and return to Scott’s side… The final sounds which came from Talia’s lips were nothing more then a gentle sigh, her now human features moving towards the two, very careful tender hands reaching out for Nick, and with a simple thought, a detailed mental image, and a strong focus, Talia’s mind pulled both herself and Thompson into the other dimension, so fast the journey that the Wagners never realized they were entering another realm.
"I vill be back shortly Mr Summers." Talia’s words echoed in the teachers mind, returning once again to the habit she relied on, the chaos was over, the threat was dimmed, the urgency fading away, her voice was no longer needed.
TBC: Talia fades out.. so with Hank maybe in Medlab right? Up to Ann!
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