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FORTY FIVE ✖ VIDEO
[Charles is sitting at a desk in his room, dressed in one of his usual dark blue sweater/lighter blue colored shirts combos, and over all looks very put together, even though he's sort of been chewing over making this post and how he wants to say all of this for a while before actually turning on the video feed.]
My counterpart during the breach worked for the secret facility in Bargewell, trying to rehabilitate mutants and aliens who could learn to cope with and control their abilities and pass for human among a normal population. [Which isn't a secret to some, but will be news to others.] He honestly wanted to help them, and thought the facility was a safer place to adjust, away from people who might think to cause them harm for being different.
Because- [And it's silly, to have to hesitate before saying this, because he's certainly not hiding what he is or what he's capable of.] He was a mutant, too. And he lived his whole life terrified of who he was and what he was capable of, and what might happen if anyone ever found out about what he could do. He spent his whole life being afraid because he thought there was something wrong with him for not being "normal".
[He pauses, considering what to say next, because he can't help but think of Raven, and how he basically made her feel the same way because she was different, because she couldn't be herself without exposing what she really was, and it just wasn't safe to be parading around yelling "mutant and proud!" from the rooftops.
But he could have been more supportive. He could have told her she was always beautiful, no matter what color her skin was, and he's still not entirely sure he's ever going to have a chance to make up for that. Or ever see her again.]
I know I've had it easier than a lot of people with supernatural abilities. I've always had to hide what I'm capable of, but it's not like I have something physical to hide that marks me as different from everyone else, and so I've never felt like there was anything wrong with me, or been told that there might be or was.
But I have known people who have heard that said, and, worse, actually believe that's true after being told it for so long. And it isn't. There is nothing wrong with us for being different. We shouldn't have to be afraid, or ashamed, and we shouldn't have to hide. [Erik's words taste almost bitter in his mouth, and he has to take a breath before he continues.]
Obviously, we do, and me saying this here isn't going to change that, for those of us who come from worlds where that's the norm for people like us. But we aren't there now, and there's no reason to hide or be afraid, because there are people here who understand what you're going through now and what you've already been through before coming here. You're not alone.
We're no better or worse than people without abilities just because we can do things they can't. We're all just people. We're flawed, and we make poor decisions, but that has nothing to do with being able to read minds, or change our appearance, or use magic. It's time for us to accept what we are, and that's people, not monsters or supermen.
[Private to Alex]
[Charles... really doesn't know what to say, here. He's had experience with adjusting to breaches before, obviously, and it's not like it's really new, to think of Alex as his son, but suddenly having memories of being married to Moira and watching Alex grow up and having a family was different. Certainly not bad, but different, and he knows Alex well enough by now to know that he probably does not want to talk about what happened, and he doesn't want to push him too hard or say the wrong thing.
Still, he doesn't just want to leave this completely unaddressed, so he finally goes with something simple.]
I understand if you don't want to talk about what happened, but I want you to know that if you do, I'm more than happy to listen. [And he knows you knew that already. But sometimes it's good to be reminded that there are people around who care.]
[Private to Jean]
[Starting this conversation is easier, even though he knows talking about what happened isn't exactly going to be easier with Jean than it was with Alex. Being homeless and being alone and scared, rejected by your family wasn't exactly something that was easy to cope with, especially when Jean was already worried about how her parents might react to finding out what she could do. The least he can do is let her know she's not alone, here.]
I've been thinking, would you be interested in working on reducing the mental blocks your Professor put around your telepathy and adjusting to actually using it? I thought it might be a good idea in the event that - God forbid - a flood or something ever gets rid of them, and I certainly understand how overwhelming it is to go from hearing nothing to hearing everyone all at once. [And we should probably talk about the breach, too, but this is a gentler segue?]
[Private to Doyle]
[And this is flat out easy, because he's done some thinking about how to approach this issue, and it's not exactly simple, but he does think he can at least manage to help the man get to sleep easier, without completely erasing the memories of the visions.]
Mr. Doyle, how would you feel about getting to work solving the problem you spoke to me about?
My counterpart during the breach worked for the secret facility in Bargewell, trying to rehabilitate mutants and aliens who could learn to cope with and control their abilities and pass for human among a normal population. [Which isn't a secret to some, but will be news to others.] He honestly wanted to help them, and thought the facility was a safer place to adjust, away from people who might think to cause them harm for being different.
Because- [And it's silly, to have to hesitate before saying this, because he's certainly not hiding what he is or what he's capable of.] He was a mutant, too. And he lived his whole life terrified of who he was and what he was capable of, and what might happen if anyone ever found out about what he could do. He spent his whole life being afraid because he thought there was something wrong with him for not being "normal".
[He pauses, considering what to say next, because he can't help but think of Raven, and how he basically made her feel the same way because she was different, because she couldn't be herself without exposing what she really was, and it just wasn't safe to be parading around yelling "mutant and proud!" from the rooftops.
But he could have been more supportive. He could have told her she was always beautiful, no matter what color her skin was, and he's still not entirely sure he's ever going to have a chance to make up for that. Or ever see her again.]
I know I've had it easier than a lot of people with supernatural abilities. I've always had to hide what I'm capable of, but it's not like I have something physical to hide that marks me as different from everyone else, and so I've never felt like there was anything wrong with me, or been told that there might be or was.
But I have known people who have heard that said, and, worse, actually believe that's true after being told it for so long. And it isn't. There is nothing wrong with us for being different. We shouldn't have to be afraid, or ashamed, and we shouldn't have to hide. [Erik's words taste almost bitter in his mouth, and he has to take a breath before he continues.]
Obviously, we do, and me saying this here isn't going to change that, for those of us who come from worlds where that's the norm for people like us. But we aren't there now, and there's no reason to hide or be afraid, because there are people here who understand what you're going through now and what you've already been through before coming here. You're not alone.
We're no better or worse than people without abilities just because we can do things they can't. We're all just people. We're flawed, and we make poor decisions, but that has nothing to do with being able to read minds, or change our appearance, or use magic. It's time for us to accept what we are, and that's people, not monsters or supermen.
[Private to Alex]
[Charles... really doesn't know what to say, here. He's had experience with adjusting to breaches before, obviously, and it's not like it's really new, to think of Alex as his son, but suddenly having memories of being married to Moira and watching Alex grow up and having a family was different. Certainly not bad, but different, and he knows Alex well enough by now to know that he probably does not want to talk about what happened, and he doesn't want to push him too hard or say the wrong thing.
Still, he doesn't just want to leave this completely unaddressed, so he finally goes with something simple.]
I understand if you don't want to talk about what happened, but I want you to know that if you do, I'm more than happy to listen. [And he knows you knew that already. But sometimes it's good to be reminded that there are people around who care.]
[Private to Jean]
[Starting this conversation is easier, even though he knows talking about what happened isn't exactly going to be easier with Jean than it was with Alex. Being homeless and being alone and scared, rejected by your family wasn't exactly something that was easy to cope with, especially when Jean was already worried about how her parents might react to finding out what she could do. The least he can do is let her know she's not alone, here.]
I've been thinking, would you be interested in working on reducing the mental blocks your Professor put around your telepathy and adjusting to actually using it? I thought it might be a good idea in the event that - God forbid - a flood or something ever gets rid of them, and I certainly understand how overwhelming it is to go from hearing nothing to hearing everyone all at once. [And we should probably talk about the breach, too, but this is a gentler segue?]
[Private to Doyle]
[And this is flat out easy, because he's done some thinking about how to approach this issue, and it's not exactly simple, but he does think he can at least manage to help the man get to sleep easier, without completely erasing the memories of the visions.]
Mr. Doyle, how would you feel about getting to work solving the problem you spoke to me about?
Private -> Spam
She walks in further, grinning at Charles when she sees him.]
Hey.
[Her voice is a bit soft, a bit uncertain. As exciting as unlocking her power is - it's also a little terrifying.
Never mind the fact that the last time they spoke in person, they weren't them at all.]
Spam
But it's good to see her again as the young woman he knows, and not the homeless little girl who had been cast out by her family, so he smiles and walks over to her, hugging her briefly before pulling back and looking her over like, well. A parent making sure their kid was okay.]
How are you doing?
Spam
There's a lump in her throat, suddenly, and it takes her a few moments to swallow past it before she answers.]
I'm - I'm okay.
[A hoarse little laugh.] You know that's the second time I've been homeless?
Spam
The first time I fell overboard in port, Erik and I were unrepentant murderers helping a company repossess designer organs from people who couldn't make good on their debt for the transplants. I wish I could say I understood the point of introducing us to these realities.
Spam
Okay, that - I can't believe that has really happened. No matter what reality it is. [She can't conceive of an Erik who would do that, let alone a Charles.]
Spam
Spam
Spam
And those people weren't your parents.
Spam
Of course he'd realise. Jean looks down, staring at the brittle grass crunching under her feet.]
How do I know that? They were - [They acted just the same, in her memories. Right up until they threw her away.
Jean slips her arms around herself.]
Sara didn't fight for me. She cried, but she didn't fight.
Spam
Things we're shown in these breaches often say nothing about the people we actually are, or the people we know. That's not a reflection on the people you know.
Re: Spam
She takes a deep breath, and she nods.]
You're...yeah. It's - yeah.
I just...I still don't know... [She has no idea how close it could be.]
Spam
And I know I haven't met them, yet, but it sounds as if they obviously care about you, and I don't think that will change when they find out what you can do.
Spam
Spam
Spam
And, after a quick swipe of her eyes...]
I wish they could meet you.
Spam
Maybe they will, someday.