On the way back
Erik felt terrified. Last night he was sure he broke something. It never ended well. He didn't left bed, even when the kind blonde woman brought him a tray of breakfast he didn't move. She tried to coax him out of bed by telling him it was okay but it was just so hard to believe it. It was almost noon when he felt something standing close to his room and then there was a knock. It was the girl who shared her food with him last night. Erik recognized that metal very well. He felt her opening the door and walking inside . She stood beside his bed. "Are you awake?" She asked.
Erik slowly and hesitantly turned and faced her. Her face lit up with a smile "Hey." Sha hopped on the bad making him flinch. "Sorry".
" 's okay" he said sitting up putting some distance between them. They sat there for a few moments. Erik looking anywhere but her eyes as she watched him.
"I was born in a lab" she said out of nowhere. His eyes snapped up staring at her questioning. "I did. " She said again. " That's how I got my metal skeleton, that's how Papa got his metal skeleton as well." She sounded sad. Erik remembered her Papa. The big guy who looked like bear or something. He waited not knowing what to do with this information. " I don't know where the prof has found you but I know our kind too well." And to Erik she sounded a lot older than she was meant to be. He too knew what she meant. It was oddly comforting to see someone who understood. He felt his body relaxing a little. "I don't know who you are but we're not letting you go back to wherever you came from. We lab rats look after one another." She said the last part with a smile.
"Erik" he whispered. " My name."
"Laura" she said reaching out with her hand hesitantly. "Does the metal still hurt?"
He shook his head shaking her hand with his own. He saw her eyes drifting to the numbers on his skin before snapping back to his face. "Sorry it's just weird"
His body tensed. "No, no no! I don't mean it like that. " She said hurriedly. "It's just I've seen this before" she let go of his hand.
"The numbers?" He asked. Were there others? Did they save others like him? Hope blossomed in his gut.
"Yeah it's... You know prof has a friend. He kinda rules this place for mutants, don't tell my Papa I said that because he kinda doesn't like him much but I really do. He's the only adult I know closely who really understands except Papa and he's not boring"
"Mutant?" Erik asked confused trying to focus on the important parts of the conversation. His English was rusty and it was getting hard to keep up with Laura.
"People like us who has powers, actually it's interesting 'cause his name is Erik as well."
"What?" He asked. "He had these?" He pointed at his wrist.
'stop being weird it's a common name, you had like three in your neighborhood.' Erik mentally scolded himself.
"Yes the exact same thing, and uncle Erik can control magnetism and metal, it's so cool"
'okay this is weird' Erik thought. A man with powers like him, same name and same mark.
"He can do what I do?" He asked stuttering.
"Yes! Which is kinda weird when you think of it" Laura said excited yet frowning with confusion. "Although He's very very powerful" she said. Erik couldn't believe it. This was his chance. He could find this guy. He would ask him, hell he'd make him if he had to, whatever it takes to teach him and then he would go back and get rid of Herr Doktor and he finally could help his people. If he was like Erik, coming from where he has, maybe he would even join him. For the first time in a long time a real grin appeared on his face.
Laura looked at him curiously." Not that I don't enjoy seeing this look on you but what are you so excited about?"
"Do you think you can help me see your uncle?" He asked hopefully.
"Sure... But we can't tell Papa or Prof." She said and there was a playful spark in her eyes. It reminded Erik painfully of Ruth. He pushed it aside, all more reason to find the man and ask for his help.
"I promise" he said truthfully and it seemed to convince Laura. "Then c'mon" she hopped off the bed and eyed the cold breakfast tray distastefully. " We'll get something to eat and then we find a way to call uncle Erik" she said taking the tray and moving towards the door. He put on a the pair of shoes that was under the bed and followed her out. For the first time in a long time Erik felt like he had a chance.
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"This is absurd!" Forge throw the stack of papers on the table knocking off some markers.
"Calm the fuck down Forge!" Celine said irritated. They all had been working on this the entire morning and yet it was the only thing they came up with. The only thing that could work. She looked over the data their gathered. Apparently all the changes the body and the DNA of the kids was going through was completely related to their memory and limbic system. Which meant they were kids only because their minds was pushed back and they believed they were. So all they needed to do was to live through all the memories they have lost and remember who they were and they needed to believe it so they changed back.
"We're going to need some help from their friends " said Émilia. Charles nodded his mind where hers was. It was a telepath's job obviously but they both knew the risk.
" Not all of them lead the happiest lives." It was beast who poked the elephant in the room. " Even if we make them live through it " he said.
"which requires us actually finding a way to tell them what really happened in the first place and they're not actually kids" Moira cut in only to have them all glaring. She shrugged. No matter how much they disliked it they knew she was right.
" Yes that too," Hank said defeated, " if they live through all those memories and don't want to change back, we're going to end up with bunch of kids who lived through 35 years worth of trauma."
"That's all considering they can actually survive the process" Celine said cringing at her own words.
"Guys we're sort of on the clock." Said Emilia.
" The Frost girls know all their histories. I can switch places with them." Said Celine. "You are familiar with the process right?" She looked at Charles the telepaths silence was getting on her nerves.
"I am " he said. And that was all.
"Maybe we should start with the one with most normal life?" Hank was looking like a hopeless kid. But it didn't make him any less right. "That is the best idea you had all day" Celine added. She turned to Charles. "Do you mind helping me to talk with girls?"
"Of course" he said as they both moved towards the elevator. The others going back to up to get some rest. "What are you thinking about so deeply" she said as the doors were closed behind them.
"How much do you know Erik?" He said straightforward not meeting her eyes. She knew what he meant. How much has she seen in Erik's mind.
"As much as he let me" she said. Erik was very gaurded with his mind. She got flashes sometimes of his past or his nightmares but never looked all the way. Yet she did have some opinions. "It has to be his choice" she said as the door slide open with a ding and they entered the hallway leading to cerebro.
"What if he lived through it and changed his mind... His life... He's barely a teenager he wouldn't survive that" Charles's voice was shaking with deep sadness. "Charles you can't choose for him." She said firmly. Erik might have lived a brutal life but so did half of the people in Ganosha.
"Look" she stopped a step away from the circular door. The other telepath turning to face her. " I know you care about him. But he has survived living this once, and wether he wants to go through with it again or not must be his choice. Promise me you will give him that choice while I'm gone."she said desperately.
"Celine..."
"Charles" she said firmly. "Promise me... " She repeated. "I need your word"
The telepath stayed quiet for a moment and for one moment she was afraid he would say know. She knew she wouldn't be able to match his powers if he really tried and for one dreadful moment she felt her gut twisting with pain. Charles closed his eyes and took few deep breaths. "I..." He paused as if the words were struggling in his mouth. "I give you my words" he let out eventually and Celine let go of the breath she didn't realize she was holding.
" Let's get this over with" she said and they walked inside the room she knew to be cerebro.