bakerstreet | (no subject)

(no subject)

The Trapped Meme

You are now trapped somewhere and there's no immediate escape occurring. What now? I'd add more loving flavor text, but I figure we've all been there. We've all sat around wishing that we could just...leave, but we couldn't for some reason or another. So let's just cut to the chase.

Comment with your character!

Reply to other characters. You are now stuck somewhere. Where are you stuck? I don't know! Maybe it's some intangibl- I guess I'll just list out some possibilities.

1. In an elevator!

2. In an airport because your plane got delayed for three hours!

3. In traffic!

4. In a boat or some similar vehicle - a plane, an airship, a living island, a spaceship - in which getting out means that you'll probably die.

5. In some obligation like a boring party, a class, or a meeting, and your only hope for some scant entertainment is some clandestine texting or someone being cooler than they first appear.

6. Or something else.

And have fun.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

They would be useless if you ever find yourself in a place with no elevators.

[ Then again he isn't entirely sure how lovely it is to be able to extend one's bones into claws either. Charles imagines it hurts, but doesn't dwell on what pain might be for others. He can barely handle his own pain let alone someone elses.

If Charles knew any better? He would imagine Logan could of been the man for the job. He knew how to keep an even head it seemed. He would of been a valuable asset in the future, except Charles isn't entirely sure how the school could come back together. He can't teach someone if he can't connect, and it is too broken to connect. ]

Miracles don't exist my friend. I thought you knew that. [ Oh there is the bitter. We found it. ] I can't imagine you'd have anymore fun being stuck in an elevator in dead silence if you knock me out.

[ He does have a valid point. You gotta admit that one, Logan.

Charles lets a pause fill the air. ]

You really believe it is possible to change the future. [ A statement, not a question. ] What will happen to you once we have achieved this goal of yours?

No shit, you think so?

[With a huff, he tries not to dwell too much on their rescue from this place. Logan could wait, he had time. Not loads of time but enough. He just hoped Kitty could manage while he was taking this little interlude. It was hard to waste time like this, he felt guilty for sleeping and eating, lately. Let alone a detour like this.]

Course I know that, just a fancy term for having a bit of good luck for once. [Just because he knows it didn't mean he likes Charles knowing it. It's hard to get used to this. The bitterness and hurt. The professor had always been his rock, the one sane man in a world of lunatics. Yet here he is, like this.] Doesn't mean having a little faith is a bad thing. Sometimes good things do happen just because they happen.

[He shrugs, not willing to get too touchy feely over the matter. And yeah, Charles may have a point but if they start having some sappy heart to heart, the silence might win out.

There's only so long he can rally someone around before it just gets too awkward.]

I know it's possible. It's just doing it that's the hard part. You can't just do one thing and expect a change, you have to follow the whole sequence of events. It's not easy. [Especially not when he has to trust Erik of all people. And Mystique. Not really an easy task.]

I dunno what happens to me. I guess I either stop existing and get rewritten or go back to somewhere better. Or worse. If it can get any worse. [He couldn't say, he really couldn't. What the future holds? A total mystery.] Regardless, I won't be here forever. I can tell you that much.

[ The detour is hardly his fault. Technology, lay overs, the universe seems out to stop them from actually doing this task. Perhaps the future is simply set in stone and one cannot change it.

He is rather certain he can't save Raven as it is.

Charles lets out a sigh and eases himself to sit down on the floor of the elevator. His elbows rest on his knees as he looks up at the man from the future. Part of him wants to remain skeptical, but that part is always skeptical. His trust in others came from reading their minds. It is how humans operate, he assumes. Believing in good will that someone is right. ]

I'm quite aware of what the expression means. We do use it even this far back into the past. [ He rolls his fingers against his palms. ] Good things happening simply because they happen tend to be short lived. Something always comes to sweep it away.

[ Good thing he'd rather avoid a heart to heart too. ]

So then how many events must we change to receive the outcome we want? Raven won't come with is willingly. She has always believed that it is either humanity or us. Despite how much I tried to show her differently. [ There is a sense of hurt in his voice. He can still recall their conversation at the kitchen table before Cuba very well. ] And we both know that Erik will only work with us so far. It doesn't take a telepath to know how the man thinks. Even if he did try to save the President.

[ That is one thing he is still not entirely sure on. Erik not only abandoned him injured on a beach, but he forced him out of his mind. That bond that had been forged was cut at the seems. It was one of the most painful things for a telepath to live through. ]

You're really willing to let yourself be erased? All that you have done? The people you've helped? [ Charles chuckles and shakes his head. ] I must admit that I do admire your dedication and selflessness.

You know, Chuck, you're a bit of a downer.

[It's said with a slight inflection, like he's aware that he's stating to the obvious. Charles had suffered and he was still suffering, the sadness and bitterness was taking over him and sometimes he just wanted to knock that stupidity out of his head and move forward, make greater strides towards positivity.

Whatever Erik had done to Charles, he'd broken the poor bastard. Yet another reason why he wanted to tear Erik a new one. If there was anyone he'd kill for, it was Charles. He owed the man more than he could probably vocalise and maybe that's why this was annoying him so much, he couldn't fix it.]

Good things don't always crash and burn. Sometimes, it might not seem like you've made much of an impression or it's for nothing but it rarely is. I've lived a long time, longer than you could imagine, and I've seen the best and the worst. Trust me, it's not always bad.

[And that's the closest Charles is getting to a pep talk here. It was the nicest way he could think of saying 'buck up, it'll get better'.]

We just to prevent Mys-- Raven, stop her from what she intends to do and prevent her DNA from being taken. If we can do that, by any means, we can probably secure our future. And as long as Erik doesn't have plans to sell his own people out, I don't think we have to worry too much. [Well, they had plenty of reasons to worry but give him a damn break here. He's going crazy enough trying to keep everyone sane and on civil terms without adding to it. He had to have faith that both Erik and Charles sent him back because they knew themselves. And they knew they could get this right.]

After this? You can worry your ass off. Guy's a dick and he's not going to be stopped easily but this time? I think he understands why we have to do this.

[And by think, he means hope. Hopefully that wasn't obvious.]

I'd still help them, if I can, I just wouldn't be this me. I'd be a new me, probably. [He let his head rest against the back of the elevator.] Given the way things turn out, it's worth it. I guess if I can't be there to do what I did, I've got to believe someone else can be there. And I have a feeling I can bank on that.

[He turns to Charles, half smiling. Wolverine could only do so much but luckily, there would always be the x-men. He was sure of it.]

So I've been told as of late. Namely by you. [ He lets a cynical smile grow there. It's been a while since he smiled, so Logan should at least consider that some sort of a victory.

Perhaps if the man asks, Charles will tell. There is already an unspoken bond there - despite his best efforts not to be close to others. Logan knows something that not even Hank had knew: how his powers developed. He isn't sure why he would of told Logan, but the sheer fact that he knew is enough to say several things. It will probably seem ridiculous to anyone he tells anyways.

He sniffs slightly. ]

I'm not sure I want to imagine how long you have been alive for. Healing as fast as you do is remarkable and a burden as well. [ Healing and being able to manipulate one's bones in the way that he does is truly amazing. If he had more of that spark in him, he would be sure to tell Logan that. But at the moment he is sure that talk about mutations and how amazing they are is pointless and stupid. ]

Mystique. [ Charles eyebrows raise and he laughs slightly. ] That was the codename she wanted to go by, you know. The new name she picked for herself. She gave one to all of us but I never thought she might actually see it as a brand new identity. [ He bangs his head slightly on the wall behind him before looking up at the ceiling. ] Erik wouldn't do that. He cares too much about mutant kind to sell any of them out. He'd be most likely to kill them first.

[ And that is all he'll say about Erik unless prodded further. ]

A new you. What a marvelous idea that is. [ If only it was that easy to just simply become someone new. Even "Magneto" is still Erik. Even "Mystique" is still Raven. ] You really do believe it will all just come together. Maybe not easily, but, that it will. It is... amazing.

I call it as I see it. And you're not exactly a barrel of laughs. [He doesn't mind himself, he can deal, it's more concern for Charles than his humour. Still, the smile is gratifying, he can't help but return one himself. Though it looks a little more like a smirk than anything.

He won't push Charles, he didn't need to break him any more than he was. Right now, he was just trying to keep him together. Delving deeper wouldn't end well for him.]

Not going to lie and tell you it's a dream come true, living no matter what. But it has it's pros and cons like all things. If I died so easily, I couldn't be here now. I wouldn't of been able to maintain this kind of momentum back here.

[The bulk of his life, unfortunately, was pain. But that didn't ruin the good parts. Like the X-Men, Rouge... Jean. He thought of her and suddenly living as long as he had seemed worth it just to of met her. Even if she'd happened to of had a thing to pompous assholes like Summers.]

It's weird, her having a name and life outside of the brotherhood. I never thought that much on her, if I'm honest. Didn't even realise you two were close, Chuck. You kept that one to yourself. [He had inklings, things had been implied, but he hadn't connected the dots till things started to fall apart and he noticed the hurt his old friend seemed to be over this.] You, her, Erik? Cute thing you had going.

[Code-names and everything, it was a little amusing and jarring that their moral enemies and their leader had once been friends.]

Over the years, I've seen some strange things. Some good, some insanely fucked up and a few I'd happily unsee. Changing the future? Not the oddest or hardest by any measure. [Turning to Charles, he couldn't help but smile a little, throwing his arms out in a mock challenge.] What? Don't believe I can do it?

No. I'm not. [ There's no point in denying that much.

The broken professor lets out a deep sigh. ]

You had mentioned you were the only one capable of the trip back. I suppose you could count that as a positive towards your mutation. Minus of course everything you may have to re-live through given you're in the past. [ Charles lowers his eyes to look at Logan again. ] This is extremely difficult for you, Logan. I don't need my powers to be able to see that on you. Most would consider me a lost cause at this rate.

[ Given he considers himself a lost cause. He's too broken to handle his power, and he's missing far too much in his life that made it meaningful. Why not just waste away inside the mansion and let the world do as it pleased? The world certainly doesn't seem to be fond of the idea of mutants--like Erik had said. Erik also has no intentions of truly being united unless one sees the world the way he does. Raven went with Erik, and everyone else was taken to war.

It is a rather hopeless situation he finds himself in and he's a fairly hopeless man. Logan has more strength in him than he realizes in order to deal with it all. ]

I don't see why I would share it. Raven and Erik turned their backs on that life. [ He rubs his fingers against the palm of his hands again as he looks back up to the ceiling. ] The CIA wanted to create a team of mutants to handle a man who wanted to start World War III - mutants verses humans. They recruited me, and by that extent Raven, not knowing we were mutants. We found Erik while we were looking for Shaw... and given we were government agents, she thought we all deserved code names to match.

[ He frowns deeply. ] We were children when we met. Raven had taken the shape of my mother in order to steal food from the kitchen. Once she showed me who she was, and I showed her my own powers... she became part of my family. We were all each other had for years. [ And she abandoned him too. ]

I think there is more to you that even you are aware of.

[Woah, talk about outright denial of something.

He didn't even want to entertain the idea of being amusing? Well, if that wasn't a bad sign, he didn't know what was. Charles was entirely broken, it was nearly unwinnable. A lesser man might of given up on him.]

As long as I can avoid all the trigger points, it's not much of a problem. Sometimes my head gets screwy when I think about certain things but I don't have much time to stop and ponder my past. I'm a little too busy trying to fix it. [There's a slight smirk on his face, turning his head to Charles and raising an eyebrow.] It's not easy but it's worth it. For both of us. I know you're not exactly having an easy time but trust me. One day, you'll thank me for dragging you out of that place.

[It may look bleak for Charles but he'd seen what he was to become. This wasn't how things would be, with or without Logan. Charles would find his feet, metaphorically anyway, and he'd sort out his own mess. All he had to do was handle every other aspect.]

Didn't mean you couldn't share a little, Chuck. I knew about Erik, we all kind of did, it was an open secret.

[Not that he was going to rub that in much but he knew they'd been friends. It was 'Raven' he hadn't been clear on. He knew how much Erik had meant, even if it wasn't something they discussed.]

Things never change, there's always an us verses them thing going on. Fighting is always easier, that's why people do it. It's probably why she left it. Nothing personal, it's just whatever option suits. And she's a hell of a fighter. Trust me, I've been kicked in the face by her a few times.

[He reached out, just in the spur of the moment, and rested a hand on Charles's shoulder. An awkward gesture of reassurance.]

This thing? It ain't about me, it's about us. All of us. Making the right decisions for once. Who knows, it might change more then we'd think.

[ It is an extremely good thing that Logan isn't a lesser man. The future Professor X apparently picked the right man for the job. ]

Ah, if only we could all fix our past mistakes. [ That bitter smile comes back in that attempt of humor. This is hardly about fixing Logan's mistakes at all. ] Maybe I will. If we can change all of this. [ A small motion of his hand is for the gesture of the area around them. ] What are these trigger points?

[ He rubs his eyes tiredly. Moving around like this isn't something he is quite used to at this point. Days were spent moving around the mansion or seeing what the news was, if he felt like torturing himself. Sometimes he would go out with Hank, but that was rare. Though he is aware it is more the emotional and mental strain of the ordeal and not the physical one that has him trugging along. ]

I suppose I had my reasons. [ Probably just not wanting to talk about it. ] She is a remarkable woman. She fought with us in Cuba, although I imagine she has changed quite a bit since then. There might be nothing left of the Raven I knew, depending on how much Erik has changed her.

[ The touch jars him from the reminiscing. He looks up at Logan then, almost bewildered at it. ]

People are who they are at their core. That won't change unless the person themselves changes it. [ His hand weakly raises and he waves it side to side. An old gesture to refer to his powers. ] That was something I was rather good at seeing, even if it was a lifetime ago.

We can't fix all of them but we can work on it.

[Logan raised an eyebrow, not sure how to respond. He'd spoken of most things with Charles, they spent hours reliving the worst horrors he'd experienced and working through his mental blocks. And yet when the younger version asked him what his triggers were, he didn't know what to say. He didn't even know if he wanted to answer, part of him suddenly felt ... odd? He couldn't explain it.]

I'll tell you another day, Chuck. It's not really worth talking about right now. We got a lifetime for my problems. I can handle myself, it's you we need to focus on.

[They'd already established that his life was a mess and his mind was some painful cavern no one wanted to fall into. But that was okay, he didn't always have to focus on it. Right now, he'd focus on Charles. Making him better and repaying him for everything he'd gotten from him. All the hours of talking, of tracing his past and trying to find answers. Charles had suffered too.

He needed someone to be there for him.]

She's not really known as the nicest of people. [Raven will always be the chick that kicked him in the nuts. That wasn't a good impression to make.] I'm sure Erik had a hand in that, he's very good at corrupting people.

[Okay, that bewildered look is probably fair. He wasn't much for comfort so he swiftly removed his hand to avoid making it look awkward.]

I wonder what that says about Erik core. I mean he's a dick but he always comes back to help when you need it. [For the most part, anyway. Whatever those two had, there was a loyalty there.] Sometimes, no matter what, priorities never change.

You are incredibly optimistic. Is that something I taught you as well? [ He doubts it. But, he sighs at his own attempt at humor. It is rubbish. ]

I see. Yet another thing for me to look forward to. [ Maybe he will owe it to Logan. He traveled back to change the past, that does make one incredibly indebted to another. Though he has the suspicious feeling that his new found (old found?) friend would say 'no' to the notion. Thus he keeps it to himself and tucked away in the back of his mind for later. ]

She wasn't always that way. [ A sour look crosses his face before he looks away. ] She was never really happy with me, I think. I insisted she hide her true self. I was far more afraid of losing her to some other force than losing her to my own blindness.

[ He goes quiet then at the mention of Erik's core. He knows of course. He saw deeper in to that man's head than anyone on the Earth could possibly understand. ]

Erik will never find peace in this world. If not for his birth race, than his birth species. He has horrible scars left over from what he experienced in the War. Things that are buried deeply that he doesn't even know they are there. Oh, Erik might come to my aid if I need it, but he will never think living in harmony with humanity is possible. Despite our difference of opinions? I am a mutant, and as you heard in his words, his "old friend." But he wouldn't hesitate to hurt me if I were attempting to stop him from keeping all of mutant kind safe.

Oddly enough, you hit the nail on the head, Chuck. I ain't no positive thinker. I don't believe the best in people, I don't have faith in humanity and I know that all fate does it screw you over. But you always told me otherwise.

[It was surprising really, Charles had such an impact on him without him even realising. The man had changed so much about him, it was strange to see him contradict all of that now.] I always thought you were delusional. But I get it now.

[He wouldn't of fought so hard if he didn't have a reason to believe. So all the bad things that had happened to Charles, they made him into the man Logan knew. And that surely had to mean something.]

We all make mistakes, it's not easy to know what to do with mutants. Some people hide and keep safe that way, others are more bold about it. You can't really argue which method is better. You were trying to do the right thing.

[Which wasn't easy when your sister is blue.]

Look, I get that Erik suffered. I get that. But it's not a free pass to be a dick for the rest of your life. I've suffered too and I'm damn angry about it but you know what? That's between me and the people who did it. With guys like Erik, you have a choice to reject them. Hell, they'd deserve it. Yet all I ever see is you extending the branch of friendship. As far as I can see, you're the better man cause half the time, he can't even offer you that. I wouldn't beat yourself up too much over anything with him.

Faith seems to be something we are truly short on these days. [ Charles has little faith in the world as opposed to humanity. How can humanity truly accept them after what they have displayed? Throwing missiles back at them? That's hardly going to help their cause. It feels like an uphill battle he isn't going to win. ] Perhaps I am a tad delusional. The world certainly seems to think so.

[ Erik and Raven believe so. ]

The method is best to the person. For some reason I simply believed that everyone would prefer to live side-by-side one another. Sometimes, my friend, hearing the most inner thoughts of a person is not as good as one would think. Still, I thought that things could be changed.

[ Charles turns his attention back to the man from the future. ]

No... no, it is not. But that is the way he is. [ He frowns. Charles can't even tell himself to rise above his own issues. Who is he to tell Erik to do the same? ] You mean other than the fact that he was the first true friend besides Raven I ever had.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only