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Post by BijuuGuy on May 9, 2024 21:49:24 GMT
Black wasn't an unfamiliar color to Emma Frost. A tone she had worn numerous times in her checkered past. It typically had a particular feeling or phase attached to it. A statement each time. It was how she worked with fashion. In its purest sense. Her peers seldom understood its deliberate nature. Some had grown to a level of comprehension. But it was always something that couldn't be entirely deciphered by others. Part of her mystique (lowercase "m"). Today, however? She was simply feeling it. Most would likely attempt to draw some sort of meaning from it, though any queries would be met with indifference. Today, her lengthy black dress was simply donned because the Deputy Headmistress felt like it was that sort of day. She sat behind her desk, writing a disciplinary report when she heard the door open. Her head rose enough to gain an eyeful of who was entering her premises. An expected, asked for guest. Emma had taken it upon herself to try and mentor a select chosen in their particular abilities one on one. Abilities which could achieve their full potential not in a classroom filled with anyone and everyone who could tap into psionic forces, but those that flourished under strict and deliberate guidance of a Psi of the Highest Order. Her pupil of today was one with such abilities. An empath. In telepathic classifications, empaths had the potential to be among the most dangerous. That was not the aim today, yet Emma would be remiss to not consider that option. Though as it stood, she was to help the young man gain a semblance of what he could truly accomplish. All in a controlled environment, without the fear of hurting anyone. These kids were all vulnerable one way or another. A delicate hand was required. Emma Frost was not known to have a delicate hand. But she was effective and despite her general demeanor, the well-being of these children was her highest priority. As her student entered the room, she stood from her desk, gracefully making her way to the comfortable set of chairs and a sofa that lay in the middle of her office. A serving of tea had been brewing for a time, having reached its perfect state as she sat down on one of the ornate chairs. Without saying a word, she gestured the man to sit across from her, on the sofa. Not paying attention to whether he actually took the seat, she was already pouring him a cup of said perfectly brewed tea. "I'm glad to see you took my invitation seriously. I seldom do personal tutoring."
Whether or not he responded to her was his prerogative. Her mind was already at the next stage. Time was a valuable resource, not to be wasted. But he didn't need to know that. What he needed to know was that he had all the time in the world. Emma needed to pressure him in just the right ways. She was an expert in that. Young Niels had no idea what he had agreed to. "Now then, Niels. How about we begin with what you're hoping to achieve here." |
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Post by DornKoon on May 9, 2024 22:36:02 GMT
Miss Frost was one of the more intimidating teachers at Xavier's School. She had a certain reputation, and Niels could not tell whether it was earned or not. However, he knew better than to judge someone based on gossip. He knew that she was one of the best psionic mutants at the school, maybe even the world, so if anyone could teach him, it would be her. Sure, he had been spending time with Professor Xavier and had learned a lot, but Miss Frost seemed... different.
Hesitating for a moment to check the time, Niels knocked at the door to her office. He waited a few seconds before opening the door and took a moment to adjust his green flannel vest before stepping inside. It was important to be 1: on time, 2: look one's best, and 3: be clean.
Niels did as instructed and sat across from her, watching as she poured tea. He could tell that she was confident. She radiated confidence.
"I appreciate you putting aside time for me, Miss Frost. I would never take your invite as anything other than serious; Papa did not raise no slacker, no sir." He smiled slightly, glancing around the office momentarily before Emma asked what he hoped to achieve. He reflected on it for a moment before he replied. "There was an...incident in New York City, it was that which Professor Xavier used to find me, I'm sure other psionics might have felt it. One of my bullies, Brad, said some things about my mother, and I... lost it. The Professor told me I caused mass hysteria in the whole school, and while he could fix most of the damage, he could not help Brad, I... broke him. All he can feel now is... grief and sadness without a target or source. I know he cannot sleep without medication." Niels looked at the teacup, letting the words linger before he continued. "I want to understand my powers, Miss Frost."
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Post by BijuuGuy on May 13, 2024 23:04:36 GMT
He put in effort. Not all of them did. Some liked to please, others couldn't give a damn. Emma knew this all too well. She herself was part of the latter group. There was absolutely nobody she needed to be acceptable to. What mattered was what she did to progress the mutant cause. To educate and protect the children. Whatever preconceived notions any of them had about her didn't matter. Either they got on board or they didn't. But one way or another, they would benefit from her knowledge. That was, frankly, a given.
Yet Niels was the one who liked to please. An almost smile appeared on her face as he echoed her statement of satisfaction towards him. And then he spoke of the event that caused his powers to emerge. All she could think was how common stories like his were. After all, her own was similar. But even then, she was lucky. As far as she knew, nobody was left in a state of... well, whatever this Brad was now. Of course, she wouldn't show her emotions outright and Niels had no access to hers anyway. To him, she was an impenetrable wall. For now.
Though that didn't stop her from vocalizing her views on the matter.
"I recall that incident. Potent enough to reach a portion of the Eastern States. Impressive, aside from the obvious."
She could empathize with his plight. Powers like that often were linked to tragedy. It's why Emma had recently become partial to the term "trigger event." Coined by another evolutionary branch of Homo Superior, much like mutants. An apt description for something that is often undoubtedly traumatic. For mutants, Xavier's school's existence was a beacon in a seemingly impossibly dark world.
"My own abilities emerged in an identical fashion. Though I got off easy. Such states, however, can rarely be fixed without other deficits. An unfortunate reality. Yet one you must learn from."
Emma's words were almost nonchalant. Why wouldn't they be? She had gone through these thing time and again. At some point, you develop a resistance to their crushing weight. It was part of the mutant experience. Some got off easy, others had to deal with their mistakes. Luckily for Niels, Emma's checkered past was filled with mistakes. She knew exactly what buttons to push.
"Cornelius. What you must understand is that our lives will always be fraught with their fear. They saw you at your worst. What they didn't see, was your own fear and unknowing. It will forever be part of you, but do not succumb to it. Instead, use it to become something fabulous. They may not ever understand, but that is not your job. What you absolutely have to accomplish, however, is control. Mastery of yourself is essential. I ask you to trust me on this. I know what I'm talking about."
She looked at him straight in the eyes, even as she was taking a hearty sip from her cup. Emma was sure that her words would reach him. In what capacity? She couldn't yet tell. The life of a telepath was often faced with the realization that other minds weren't always a free-for-all buffet. It took her a while to learn that herself.
"Now then, an exercise. Try to influence me with the rawest emotion you can muster. Don't think of control yet. Simply attempt to sway me."
Emma's task was a straightforward one. Perhaps too much so to Niels. It was simply how Emma worked best. She needed to see her pupils at their most vulnerable before any semblance of sanity or control could come into play.
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Post by DornKoon on May 14, 2024 9:28:48 GMT
Niels took the opportunity when Miss Frost spoke to sip from his tea. He did not interrupt her and continued trying to get a read for her without using his powers. She did not possess the "loud" personality that others with similar levels of power would have; his experience was that those with great power usually had little reason to hide how confident they were. Miss Frost, while confident, was not emotionally screaming it, but he could admire that level of composure- not unlike Professor Xavier, even if she were more nonchalant about it.
"Yes," he said once Emma paused to sip her tea, giving him an opening to comment. What he said came from a place of understanding and surprising maturity for one so young. "I know all too well the fear, stress, and anger my schoolmates experience, how they feel let down by their families and the world. I myself quickly understood that my situation is rare... very rare." As he mentioned his father, he sighed with a slight smile. "My father, even if he didn't understand, at least accepted and encouraged it." Benjamin Hausknecht had assisted the school since his son was enrolled. He had also become a strong advocate for mutant rights.
He was taken a little aback by the instruction to influence her.
"The rawest emotion?" He repted her words before nodding. He looked into himself, eyes focused on the deputy headmistress. He had taken to the visual representation of the Emotional Wheel to understand his own and others' emotions, which he did now, too. He was not good with disgust... neither anger. "I think I got one," he finally said... tapping into himself for the emotion needed; he picked the emotion he was most intimately familiar with, sadness. So, that was what Niels did; a wave of sadness washed over Emma as he tried to sway her. The death of his mother had given him a deep insight into how people felt sadness, be it hurt, loneliness, or guilt.
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Post by BijuuGuy on May 17, 2024 20:40:17 GMT
Emma seemed to be pleased at Niels' understanding of her words. At least that's what her limited expression conveyed. She was difficult to read when she chose to be. Offering a short, knowing nod, was a compromise. They were on equal ground in that regard. The need to prove that point further was unnecessary.
The Deputy Headmistress sat slightly further back after finishing her cup of tea, taking a relaxed position as her pupil was gradually performing his given task. In ordinary circumstances, his abilities couldn't touch her. Her mind was inaccessible by design. For the purposes of actually helping this young man, she let him in ever so slightly.
A mild gnawing sensation made itself known. Trying to get to her core. She felt the anguish, guilt, and everything else that came within the package of sorrow. Unknowingly, Niels had chosen an emotion Emma despised. Not because she was averse to it in others. On the contrary, because she was so aware of it around her. And especially within her. Sadness had the unparalleled ability to bring everything nasty to the forefront. It had the frightening skill of warping everything a person knew. It was also exceedingly necessary. The mutant experience wasn't complete without it. Or simply the general existence of anyone.
While she could feel all those things, her face didn't move an inch. She still kept intently looking at Niels. It wasn't going to affect Emma like it would almost anyone else. She wouldn't let it. But she did gain a good hold on how to proceed.
"Good."
In the blink of an eye, Emma's mind was fully fortified again. Just like that, without moving a muscle. She straightened herself in her seat a bit.
"Tell me about the most recent time you tried to willingly use your abilities. Spare no details."
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Post by DornKoon on May 17, 2024 21:43:17 GMT
Niels relaxed once Miss Frost said good, taking it as a sign that he could stop... and so he did, letting up the young mutant let out a sight sigh. Unsurprisingly, she had been able to stay composed despite being assaulted by such raw emotion; it was impressive and encouraging. Niels could see a goal, something to attain.
The most recent time he used his abilities willingly? Niels raised a hand to his cheek, looking back and trying to remember. He often used his powers without thinking about it, and parts of them were second nature at this point. Neither had he tried to attack or affect any other students... at least not in any memorable way. He glanced to Miss Frost, keenly aware of her... well, being aware of him.
"I was helping Papa in North Salem; he opened an art gallery there when he moved here." Niels absentmindedly sipped from his tea, drinking the last of it. "We were putting in a new installation, some figurines made by a South American artist, and I think she's from Uruguay. As we were doing this, a man came inside- I don't know him, but he seemed to be looking for an excuse to start something. He said things like how bad the art was and about wanting the place for his own thing. I know there had been one other person interested in the place when Papa made his offer for it; he did not take that loss very well." Niels paused, putting the cup back on the table before continuing.
"My father has put in a lot of effort with this gallery, and I've been working hard to inspire him to get back into it after- Mama died. I could not have some bottom-feeding moron ruin all that. So, I don't know how exactly, but I did something about it..." Niels did not look proud, but his voice clearly showed he did not regret it. "I thought of making him piss himself with fear but decided on a more refined emotion connected to it, insecurity. I wanted to make him feel inferior. I don't know what he saw; I'm not sure how I thought of doing it, but he left quickly afterwards and has not returned since. "
Niels examined Emma, curious to know what she would say to this. He did, however, remember something else.
"There have also been- things happening that I did not do willingly. Sometimes- when I hold something or touch someone, or walk into a room, I see things. For a moment, it's like I become connected to something else, and I can hear myself say things- but with someone else's voice."
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Post by BijuuGuy on May 18, 2024 0:00:12 GMT
Niels was far more open than Emma had expected. At least in the sense that he would be willing to share his experiences without any preconceived notions about how she would react. He was indeed taking this seriously. Her liking of him grew a great deal because of this, almost immediately. Not that he was going to be made aware of that.
Emma's face betrayed nothing. No semblance of... anything other than a few curious looks. His mother's death was a clear and definite point in his development. It was also the likely aspect that fueled his abilities. That and, well, family in the truest sense. An expected trait. Family was one of the most common causes of any sort of emergence. Be it the initial manifestation or subsequent use of abilities. Most of these kids had complicated relationships with their parents. Some of them happened to be lucky. Niels seemed to be in the latter category, if not by much.
"So you thought of an action, an emotion, and then changed course. Inklings of fine control. I can work with that."
She took a brief break as she refilled both cups. Emma didn't touch hers, however, as she instead stood up from her chair and began gradually walking around the room as Niels filled her in on the other aspect of his powers. He was more interesting than he had let on. At least from what was apparent.
"Psychometry. The ability to experience the history of whatever you touch. A useful addition. Easily managed too, as long as you know what you're doing."
Emma's words were matter-of-fact. Simple statements of truth. They carried within themselves the implicit meaning that she was going to teach him how to handle all of it. That was the goal, anyway. But that didn't matter much yet, as he had bigger fish to fry.
"Right now, however, we have to focus on unlocking your mind. You need a complete understanding of your own emotions and experiences before you can safely influence anyone else. With that in mind, I propose we take a trip down memory lane. You need to let me in."
To some, her request may have sounded more sinister than it was. Emma's proposal, however, meant revealing everything about Niels. It was the most progressive way to tune Niels into the necessary frequencies that empaths worked off of. Niels needed to face everything he had experienced and done, no matter how painful. Freedom of the mind was the goal. All he had to do was accept.
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Post by DornKoon on May 18, 2024 0:19:17 GMT
Niels could only nod at first. It was good to hear she could work with what he had told her, but he did not know how to reply; no, a reply was unnecessary. He already had a feeling he knew what Miss Frost meant.
"Psychometry" He repeated the word, a brief memory of reading about it in one of those spoofy occult books from the library, but then again, it had also mentioned telepathy... and here he was with a telepath, so why could Psychometry not be a thing? "I'm just turning increasingly into a medium..." he muttered to himself, first the ghosts and now visions...
Niels was surprised when Miss Frost mentioned going down memory lane and being told to let her in. Yes, he could see what the other students meant by her being very different from Professor Xavier, but... maybe that was what he needed to become stronger. Part of him was curious to find out more, but at the same time... there were parts he did not want to relive. There was a moment of hesitation before the young empath reached out and took a sip of the tea before nodding.
"Okay, Miss Frost," he said, "Let's- Let's do this."
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Post by BijuuGuy on May 25, 2024 20:34:54 GMT
He wasn't the first nor would be the last to mistake Psychometry for something solely related to the occult. It had more definitions than just the one. This wasn't the only ability that had been classified as such. In a world like theirs, where every minute difference in abilities and genetic composition was separated and catalogued, it was no surprise that some of them were essentially the same thing, but still different in origins, applications, etc.
"If you begin seeing and speaking to spirits, do let me know. Otherwise, your application of this has no real correlation with anything arcane."
Emma was pleased at his expected approval of her entering his mind. It was a fairly run-of-the-mill procedure for telepaths. Xavier did it just as much as she had, but their difference was the intensity. Charles and Emma had always disagreed on certain principles in teaching. To her, he was too soft, too lenient. To him, she was unnecessarily harsh. It applied particularly to this method. Charles skimmed the surface of what these students needed to face. Emma's approach was more involved, but to her, it yielded better results in the long run. Their disagreement would likely never be resolved with common ground.
"Very well. We will be going through certain periods of your past. Some of them obviously instrumental, some seemingly less so. Each contains essential parts of you nonetheless, exactly what I require to help you understand your powers. I need you to show these memories to me as truthfully as you can. I will know if you try to alter them in any way."
Her tone carried a note of very mild threat at the end. Like a mother warning her child. Otherwise, Emma was in an explanatory mode, which meant that was getting into a seating position, posture and tone of speech that were outstandingly teacherly.
"I won't sugarcoat it: this will be an uncomfortable experience. You possess adequate emotional maturity, yet these memories will be raw. For the best results, I will be prying within those memories. I could see things you may not want me to see. But... if it gets too much... I will stop."
She had never seen the point in trying to coddle her students. They were grown enough to begin understanding how the world worked. How people worked. And what they needed to improve themselves to prepare for that world. The last part of her warning was accompanied by reluctance and a sigh. It was something she clearly didn't want to say, not really. She would've done so anyway if the session got too difficult, yet school mandates were something she herself signed and had to abide by.
Emma only barely waited for Niels' response before jumping into his mind. What unveiled itself first was a scene from Niels' early youth. A study, conducted by his mother, abruptly cancelled for reasons unknown. They didn't stay on it for too long. It was a fairly self-explanatory scene.
As if without blinking an eye, they were onto the next memory. This one much more clear. Early teens. Heightened emotions. Yet in his case, they felt different, almost unnatural. Niels felt things more potently, particularly those of his parents. The rest of the scene Emma would see was then revealed gradually, as Niels' mind was bringing back the pieces.
"Early signs of manifestation. Now, remind yourself how you felt as you experienced these intense emotions of others around you."
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Post by DornKoon on May 25, 2024 22:18:42 GMT
Niels was unsure if Miss Frost had mentioned spirits as a joke, but knowing what kind of person she was... it was most likely not a joke. His mind drifted back to his meeting with Jason in the mansion kitchen, mostly on ghosts... or Imprint Ghosts, as he had explained to Jason, he liked to call them.
"Well... about that." Niels hesitated briefly but continued. "I can- see and speak with ghosts or those who can speak. Most of them are like repeating movie clips, replaying their last moments repeatedly. Just imprints of powerful emotions."
Although he was unsure how Miss Frost might interpret this piece of information, Niels felt it might be in his best interest to be truthful, even if saying it out loud felt silly. He was not sure how he felt about the possibility of that being "occult"; could it still be a part of his empathy? The idea of anything arcane had not even crossed his mind, but it would have to be a question for another time.
The younger psionic listened intently to the instructions, nodding to show he was paying attention and understood.
"I understand," Niels said. "I'll- do my best." Even if the idea of someone prying into his memories did feel a little weird, or well- he did not know what she might see, and maybe that was more frightening. If they saw someone, he did not even remember was there. He did, however, not have any time to voice his concerns before finding himself quite literally inside his mind. It happened so suddenly and subtly that it took Niels a few moments to recollect himself. The images of his emotional development study show that he had vague recollections of it, a "wonder child", as they called him at the time. "I was pulled out of the study because it was a waste of time, or that was what Mama said," Niels commented, voice tinted with some melancholy. "But she was lying..."
The small room which followed was the one he used to have at the old apartment in New York City. The walls cracked from age, and the window was impossible to close. Life had been simple and complicated because it was just him and his parents. After all, he had become keenly aware of when they were trying to hide things from him. Niels was at the desk, busy with homework, eyebrows furrowed in concentration... math by the look of things. It was like reliving and watching simultaneously; he was still aware of Miss Frost, but at the same time... he was at the desk.
A light knock drew his attention from the desk to the door; it was his father, still dressed in his security guard uniform. "Hey, Buddy, dinner's almost ready; we'll be having cabbage rolls," his father said with a smile.
"You okay, Papa?" Niels asked before he could leave the door.
"Of course I am," his father said with a chuckle. "Your old man is fit as a trombone..."
"Fiddle, Papa," said Niels, and he knew the words and the smile were all a lie.
His father was always frustrated when he came home from work, tired, and sometimes even angry, yet he insisted on trying to hide it. These lies might have worked for anyone else, but Niels could feel the truth. The scene shifted to a small kitchen, where Niels was having dinner with his parents."I did not know why at the time, but I could always tell what they were feeling and how common it was for adults to say one thing but feel the opposite." The one speaking was, and was not, the Niels in the memory. "My father was always overworked, and for as long as I can remember, my mother always had this air of guilt; even when she felt other things, the guilt was always there in the background." Niel's mother was a small, thin woman, her face slightly hollow, with the scent of smoke a clear sign of how addicted she was to cigarettes.
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Post by BijuuGuy on Jul 19, 2024 21:32:58 GMT
Emma took a mental note of Niels' admission to being able to commune with spirits. Whether those were actual spirits or mere remnants of the mind was to be determined later. But there was a clear distinction.
The initial memory of the study benefitted from the young man's comments. Perhaps it was a memory they'd need to return to later. For now, the picture of the current memory was becoming more clear. Their surroundings reminded Emma of her own upbringing. Mainly the period where she had to take care of herself. In an apartment not unlike Niels' previous home. Yet, unlike him, she released herself from those confines as soon as her powers emerged. Others weren't so lucky. Though "luck" had different meanings for people. Some saw such an apartment as a blessing. She did not.
From the onset, his family seemed like a close one. But as Niels elaborated and from what Emma could very clearly sense, tension and strife were almost constant in their household. She couldn't pinpoint the exact cause yet, though it wouldn't take much to reveal those secrets. Emma took a stroll around the kitchen scene, examining their home and more importantly, Niels' parents.
"It's a difficult experience, sensing what people really feel, yet unable to determine the cause. But you will learn."
Her comment wasn't exactly aimed as a response to anything he said, though it fit. But it was more an examination of the overarching scene. For the moment, the mother became the more important memory in the room. Emma too, could sense the guilt coming off of her as strong as the stench of cigarettes.
"Was her guilt related to the study? Give me your best estimation with the information you have so far."
Emma more or less knew the answer, but it was Niels' response that mattered here. While that particular previous memory wasn't all too important in the grand scheme, it did set in motion a significant part of understanding Niels and what he was like then. They wouldn't leave this memory yet, as there was more to uncover. This was the part where they would become more involved, as each successive memory would have even more essential details. Ms. Frost was going to leave no stone unturned to ensure this boy's proper education.
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Post by DornKoon on Jul 23, 2024 23:05:39 GMT
Niels continued to watch the scene playing before them, which was a somewhat surreal experience. He did not have much experience with telepathy; he did not walk into his memories like this with Miss Frost. He was both part of the memory and watching it, as weird as it was to take in.
"Yes," he said at Miss Frost's words. There was truth in what she said, and anything else would have been trying to fool himself, and most certainly, he could not fool her. "People do feel a lot of things that don't seem to make sense; it is difficult to determine the cause at times."
At the mention of his mother, Niels' attention turned to her.
"So, how was school, Cornelius?" The woman asked at the table.
"It was fine. We had an exam in math, and I think I did decently." Niels, in the memory, replied, gesturing with his fork.
"That is good-" The woman exchanged a glance with her husband, who made what might be described as an encouraging gesture. "There was something- that is- my mother called..."
"Bestemor?" Memory Niels looked up from his plate, a little of his Norwegian slipping through. "What did she want?"
"S-She wondered if you wanted to- spend the summer in Norway this year."
Niels did his best to estimate his mother's guilt; he had been living around it for so long that he knew it well. Not that he could be sure; he knew emotions, but as Miss Frost said, he did not know what caused them.
"I think so-" he replied, "She changed so much after the study, not just the guilt, but the smoking, she'd always smoked, but not like- this. And, as I mentioned... her reasoning about the study being a waste of time... was a lie. If she lied, there was another reason... and her guilt always flared up when she was with me-" Niel hesitated; he had no proof, but part of him had always been afraid that he was the cause of his mother's guilt somehow, that his powers might have done something to her.
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Post by BijuuGuy on Aug 2, 2024 21:05:07 GMT
Niels' conversation with his parents was telling. Strained, careful. Especially the mother. There were clear signs of her acting differently, as little as Emma saw in the previous memory. Not to mention Niels' own admission. Children do see patterns adults may not, after all. The mother's proposal only further confirmed her suspicions. A pity she couldn't reach the mother's mind, it would've made this entire excursion far more simple. But there was one kernel of information she wanted to ask about.
"Out of curiosity, does Norway carry any significant meaning?"
The young lad attempted to give his best guess to her previous query. It wasn't enough to provide any clear answers, but the signs and implications were present. She needed more, they needed to go further.
"Well then. It is clear enough that this study had a profound effect on Sonja. You can almost see the strain in your relationship. But since we cannot prod her mind, we need to move forward. Remember the lie. It can come in handy once we reach the next memory."
Common for a telepath of her might, Emma knew Niels' mother's name by heart. A subtle, yet perhaps eerie reminder of who Niels' teacher was. Yet even her powers had limits. Indeed, poking the minds of those deceased through the memories of others was a nigh impossible task. Emma's annoyance wasn't made clear, but it was bubbling inside. As grand as telepathy was, it came with its fair share of unreasonable restrictions. A mere moment later, the scene began changing again. Feelings of festivity permeated the memory, as the scene was set. A birthday. Followed by immense tragedy. Niels' mind would fill in the rest, hopefully providing some much needed insight into Sonja's past decision.
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Post by DornKoon on Aug 3, 2024 19:12:32 GMT
"It does," replied Niels, melancholy in his voice. "My mother's maiden name was Henriksen, and she was born in Norway. My grandparents ran a farm and wanted Mom to do the same with her three brothers." His attention turned to the many pieces of art decorating the walls and sculptures adorning shelves. "But Mom loved art; she met Dad at an art exhibition in Berlin. They found someone to express themselves in each other, and since neither family approved, they moved here. That's where I came in, as a miracle, I might add since Dad had been told he was sterile."
The young empath was unsure what Miss Frost meant, and before them, the scene shifted.
They followed Niels as he hurried up the stairs, leaving the festivities outside to search for his mother. The apartment was too small for any meaningful party, so they set up in the yard outside. The Niels in the memory radiated happiness, and it was a guess to assume anyone he met would feel similarly joyful. "Mama? Where about to have cake." Niels called out as he walked into the apartment. The boy in the memory stopped, he checked the parent's bedroom... but it was empty. Then, the faint sound of Sonja's voice... from the kitchen. "Don't- my son- weapon." Niels tilted his head before walking down the small hallway towards the closed kitchen door. "We never closed the door to the kitchen..." came Niels' voice to Emma. "I don't care... never..." Niels stopped outside the closed door. "Mom?" He asked and was about to open the door when...
An explosion erupted from inside the kitchen, sending Niels flying into the opposite wall, saved from much of the blast by the door.
Niels and Emma were surrounded by nothing but darkness; the boy had lost consciousness from the explosion.
"Someone killed my mother," Niels said, and there was anger behind the words, a broken heart. "But no one believed me; they said it was the gas in the kitchen. More lies... Mom had stopped smoking two weeks before this- She was supposed to get better, and things were starting to look up... we were supposed to... ". His voice died, as he did not know what else to say.
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Post by BijuuGuy on Sept 10, 2024 17:04:21 GMT
On the surface, Niels' mother hailing from Norway didn't carry too a significant meaning. But there were inklings of nostalgic yearning from Sonja. Whether or not it was important, Emma actually wasn't certain. The jury was out on that for now. However, the revelation that his father was claimed to be sterile may have linked his mother's lingering emotions together.
The following memory was perhaps one of the most significant ones. His mother's death.
Stopping at the closed door, Emma heard the same snippets Niels had. Questions arose, with the tutor making her own quiet theories about what Sonja had uttered before the explosion.
It was strange to witness an explosion while in a memory. Nothing could affect you, so it all simply washed through both Emma and Niels before they were in complete darkness. The young lad laid his heart out as best he could. A struggle many young mutants faced. Disbelief from those around them. Isolation was a cornerstone of their experience. One way or another, most had felt like that at one point. However, unlike baseline humans, mutants had all of that tied to who they were. And what they could do.
"Be happy?"
Emma wasn't entirely sure if that was what he meant, but it was a decent enough guess.
As they remained in the darkness for a while, the elder telepath took a look at Niels. He needed to feel all of this again, to gain a semblance of control, understanding, and perhaps down the line, closure. To aid this along, Emma vocalized what she knew.
"Now, considering what we know, I have theories. Sonja mentioning "a weapon" seems too coincidental with what we know of her behaviour after the study. Which means it wasn't a coincidence. My prevailing options are: the study was meant to use your abilities to create a weapon. Or you were meant to become the weapon. I'm leaning towards the latter. Unless paired with an iron will, empaths are malleable, particularly at such a young age. I believe your mother got wind of this, deciding to pull you out. Those people proved to be dangerous, putting a target on her back, as well as yours. Her guilt may stem from this. And perhaps her feeling of betraying you. Or it could additionally come from you being considered "a miracle." However, there is a piece missing that I cannot currently find."
It wasn't a perfect answer, but it was hopefully something that would lead them in the right direction. They had gotten this far. Though this felt more and more like something which bore investigation in the real world, in the present. If her theories held water, there was yet another person or group who were using mutant (or meta) children as guinea pigs. Emma's feelings on such possibilities were clear and public.
She wasn't certain whether it would satisfy Niels. So she decided to cap it off with a statement of which she was vehemently sure of.
"Though these answers are partial still, there is one thing you can absolutely be certain of: your mother was murdered."
It wasn't an exactly new admission. Niels had known this for years, but Emma hoped that someone believing him may increase his resolve. She let the words hang there, as she waited for his mind to shift to his next memory.
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