Chapter 2,
A battered medical bay was quickly left behind. Inside, walls dented and tables upturnd. Instruments everywhere and spaterrings of blood staining the once white walls and floor.
Half way down the hallway that Charles Xavier, owner, headmaster and founder of the mansion school that I had found myself, was leading me down. Trailing behind was Logan, I had yet to discover how he was there. Sure there was he's mutation to heal faster than most. Even then though could he heal himself once he was dead. If he had died. I had been so sure I had left him to die in the woods... last night? Something that could wait for now, something that would be much better left for when I could properly sit down and concentrate on how to ask those questions and understand them.
"Her name? What is it? I have simply been reffering to her as the redhead... at least mentally. Feel kind of bad about it." I said to Xavier as we walked down the hallway. I looked back at Logan questioningly, finding him with an expression of shocked amusement on his face... I was not sure if this was a good or bad sign.
Turning my gaze back to Xavier, I resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow... it seemed I still had a personality of who I once was. "Her name is Dr. Jean Grey. She is one of the instructers here at the school. You will meet all of the instructers here soon enough. That is if you decide to stay." He said, if somewhat stiffly. Apparently there was a nerve there. Best to keep clear of that topic for a while.
"I can't see while I wouldn't. Stay here, that is. You've shown me only good hospitality... all things considered, On that note, sorry about the room back there. And to you as well Logan." Looking back at Logan and giving him a nod, his eyebrows raising just a fraction. "But perhaps that is a conversation left best for when we can sit down and properly go through it." I said. Wishing to currently just take in my surrondings and familarise my self with the area, something that seemed to be an instinct for my brain to drop into, relaxing and allowing my brain to organise what I had already been told.
Still allowing myself to come to terms, with not so much what I had been told but with what I had been realising about myself. No memories of who or what I was. No memory of learning anything. Everything I knew simply was. Schiesse it ranged from the simple act of talking to the knowledge of how to kill a another person! It was this that made me question wether or not I actually wished to know of my past.
No! I had to know! If it was bad and the person I was now, didn't like it. Then I would leave it there. Become a new person. Something that I had been given the chance to have. I was Nemo now. Regardless I could create yet another being after that in which I could be. A clean slate... to do as I wished.
We travelled through many areas of the mansion. I am sure this was unnessercary. Nothing was ever spoken during this time. I was in no way sure what could be said and I had many a thought on my mind. Through the kitchen and what I correctly assumed was the living areas. There was a few rooms filled with desks and instruments, classrooms probably. A dining area, a living room capable of fitting a small crowd. More hallways than I dare count.
We stopped at a set of doors standing tall and proud and knocked. Now this, this surprised me. We had just been strolling through the mansion for a good half hour going through doors and passages and rooms, all with not a hint of hesitation and here we were. The owner of a mansion knocking within his own home.
"Come in!" A female voice called from within. Calm and gentle, yet full of power and authority! Yet again I found my self questioning the type of place this was. Entering we saw a room full of young adults. I lone woman, dark skinned and white hair standing at the front of the room. Another instructer I assumed, every eye was now upon us, the three new entries to the room.
"What can we do for you professor?" The dark skinned woman asked.
"Ororo. Am I no longer allowed to check upon my students wellbeing?" He asked, a light smile dancing upon his lips. Ororo, as it seemed she was named smiled slightly and shook her head slightly and lowering it. An old game between friends I speculated. No way of knowing yet though. I allowed my eyes to scan the room. Not really taking it in, just as something to ensure no one was going to blidly attack me... or me them.
"But of course, While I am here. We may have another person joining the school soon, This is Omni Et Nemo, or Nemo. He only arrived last night, and has yet to decide if he will be staying with us. I trust that everyone will help while acclaimatises to the enviroment if he does stay on." The professor said. Looking around the room meeting a few eyes as he went. A chorus of "Yes Professor" rang through the room, followed closely by Ororo's "But ofcourse."
I of course simply stood there. There was nothing I could say. Hey everyone, if this guy beside me didn't heal nearly any wound he received I would have killed him last night... Yeah that sounded Really good.
"Also if I could borrow Rogue from you." The room seemed ready to start gossiping at this. Before it could Xavier continued, "No trouble my dear there is just something that needs your attention. If this is okay with you Ororo?"
"I don't see why not, we were about to wrap up anyway." She replied.
A pale skinned and dark haired young women, nearly the exact opposite of Ororo got up and moved towards the entrance, where we were. As we were leaving I caught the begginings of a summary leave Ororo's mouth. Once the doors had fully closed behind us, Logan rubbed Rogues hair. Family? I thought. Again I pushed it out of my mind, not relevent and not enough information available anyway.
"What can Ah do for ya professor?" She said. The accent of her voice caught my attention, forcing me to look at her again.
"Ah saved your life!" "No you didn't kid" driving off as the words bounced around in my skull, I hadn't gotten anymore than 50 metres when I stopped the truck, letting her catch up.
Holding her lifeless body with skin to skin contact, hoping to whatever deity that she would wake. A draining sensation. Wounds forgotton opening again as her mutation started its work. A surprised grasp of her from her mouth as the world faded to black.
"I'm sorry for what you have been through." I said sincerely. Suddenly. Looking at the young woman named Rogue. While also directing it at Logan. They all looked at me, Rogue, with only utter confusion, Logan seemingly always the same with nothing but a raised eyebrow and Xavier, Xavier's look was of surprise and interest. Looking at Logan, "Your memories. I, it was a noble thing to do. I imagine as well that near death experiences are not that fun. I don't think what I've been through really counts." Looking at Rogue as I finished. Bowing my head I tried to sort the new memories into a place in my mind where they would not affect my personality to much. Failing miserably.
"A telepath?" She said breathlessly. Green eyes widening fractionly.
"Nothing so usefull, could we proceed? I would rather this conversation be private for now. If that's alright." I said, now knowing that these hallways could be swarmed with people soon. I had yet to have my arms covered, all that I was wearing was a white robe likely from the medical room, it was by no means soft just something that allowed for a form of diginty. I had no wish to absorb anyone else just yet. Where were my clothes for that matter?
"That may be for the best bub." Logan said.
Xavier nodding rolled forward. "Not far, just down this way. We can sit in my office."
Following after him, Rogue staying near Logan. There was definatly a bond between those two I concluded. The way they walked with each other screamed of it. The question was what type of bond? I couldn't place it. Later. After this was done and I knew more I would sit down and sort through everything.
Reaching a simple wooden door, Xavier twisted the bronze handle and we enetered what I thought, must, be his office. Papers, stacked neatly along a large mahogany desk. Many books lining the walls on shelves, a few art pieces scattered throughout the room, a couple of painting's and a more than a few pictures scattering along the room. All organised neatly, meticusly and even a sense of style. Two chairs near the desk, opposite of a big glass window looking out onto the grounds.
Looking breifly out upon the grounds I realized that the mansion oozed a sense of homely granduer. Breif signs of use in the floors, the rooms and obvious signs of large living around the place. All of this, while still mantaining a sort of over the top impression it was not for every day living... it appeared I still had a personality. Meditation after this was looking good right now.
For now though, "I'm afraid I cannot offer you a meal, there are however some snacks I could pull out if you would like." Xavier said, realising it was directed to me I actually thought on it for a second, looking down breifly, I realised.
"No thank you, though if there are any clothes I could borrow? And perhaps some gloves to cover my hands, I would be thankful. Please?" I replied, killing a person was not on my list of things to do right now... answers were.
"Of course, Ororo will be on her way soon with some clothes and gloves, I know you have many questions so I shall try and answer them." Xavier said, leaning back in his chair getting relaxed.
"Why am Ah here Proffessor?" I had to double take to make sure it was Rogue and not myself that blurted those words, sure it was on my mind but I did not actually plan on asking the proffessor that. I doubt he knew.
"Be,"
"'Cuase if Magneto had known about him it might have been him in that contraption Rogue." Interrupting the Professor, his whispered words seemed to take a lot out of him. Rogue however.
"So he can control metal, Don't explain why Ah'm here?" Words heating up.
I will say this... Being stabbed, hurts. Wherever you get stabbed, but being stabbed through the heart, spine and ribs... Bloody hell, That. Hurts. Having your mouth covered and being connected to the person who you are sucking their life force out of, feeling their pain of you sucking their very being out of them, on top of your own pain. Well, if there is a devil and I go to hell they wouldn't accept me. They'll throw me back out and give me another life.
Of course the hand over my mouth may have stopped me from screaming... it didn't stop Rogue however. A high pitched scream tore through her lips short and fast the door opening not seconds later, oh. Did I mention that when bones grow inside of your arms as they tear through muscle as the muscles repair the damage at the same time as your heart ribs and spine alongside it hurts? No? Well now you know.
Ororo was standing there shocked, Rogue nearly hyperventalating and the professor simply grimacing. "Logan, do you know how long it takes to get blood out of carpets?"
Everyone stopped and stared at the Professor. Even me with three claws through my body.
Rogue reacted first. By simply fainting. Fanbloodytastic. Schiesse, goodbye civalized life. Standing up again now that I was healed... agin thanks to Logans regenerative capabilities giving my neck and shoulders a roll, I caught a glimpse of Ororo, A picture of disbelive. Eyes wide, eyebrows nearly in her hairline and mouth slightly upon eyes rolling back, and faint. Weird. I thought these people would be used to this, well the abities not the violence. Then again.
Logan, stood looking just a little surprised, and smug.
Yeah.
It was time for some payback...
Where was the question. The neck? The stomache? Or the groin? I had no wish to snap a bone on Logan, and even with pointed bone claws I didn't think I could punch through the thick denim he was wearing, the stomache he would block to easily, therefore it was the neck. He was turning around as well, good.
Three bone claws through his neck later and he was on the floor obviously in pain and already healing.
"You as well? Do either of you know?" Xavier said as I went to pick up the clothes that Ororo had brought in from, wherever she got them.
Looking back to Xavier as I started to rumagge through the bag the clothes were in I said, "Actually I would like to know how you know that. It's of no consequence though. Is there somewhere I could change?"
Sighing Xavier indicated to a door on the other side of the room/office "There is an Ensuite I had attached some years ago when I realised I spent so much time in here." Nodding in thanks I entered the surprisingly clinical ensuite. A toilet, bathtub and fullbody mirror was all that was within the room, White tiles and white lights nearly blinding me. What did these people do? Xavier did not seem mysophobic, so what was with the cleaniness of some areas of the mansion?
Chucking off the robe that I had been wearing, I reached into the bag that held the clothes, a blue pair off jeans, socks, underwear, a white button up shirt and a pair of leather gloves and a pair of sneakers.
I took a moment, just a moment to look myself over. Black hair dangling just above my eyes and covering my ears, but short enough that I wouldn't be able to tie any of it back. Just a tiny amount of facial hair, the pale white of my skin contrasting with the darkness of my hair, all of it. The skininess of my body surprising me, if it wasn't for the small muscles over my body I might have actually been worried about being underwieght and/or anorexic.
Lastly I looked at my own eyes. A hazel green staring back at me, hmm. Seemed even my eyes could not decide what they were. Just what I needed right now. More that I couldn't be a hundred percent about.
Putting everything on I was surprised it all seemed to fit loosely. The clothes would do for now, at least until I could gain some of my own. Bending down to put the sneakers on I found I couldn't even fit into them. Too small. Oh well. Would have to go without shoes for a time.
Giving myself a once over in the mirror again, I realised I really would need some clothes of my own... no matter if I stayed or not, there was no point not to. Never hurt to be prepared though. Grabbing the robe and throwing it in the bag that the clothes had been in I carried it out with me.
Stepping back outside into the office I was happy to see Rogue and Ororo conscious once more, Maybe we could get somewhere now. Looking over at Logan I said, "Well now that we know what happens when you ram those metal claws of yours through my spine ribs and heart... breaking them. Perhaps we can do something that does not involve blood?"
Ororo looked like she had a headache coming on, Xavier was definitely looking like he was already there and Rogue, well she didn't seem to know what to think. "Will someone please, Explain what's going on?"
"Rogue, the reason you're here is because Nemo here, has a very similar mutation to yours. Nearly identical. Skin to skin contact is probably just as fatal to others for him as it is for you... except for Logan it appears." Xavier explained. "There are however differences. Where as you, Rogue, seem to absorb the psyche and powers for a time depending on how long you are in contact with them. Nemo seems to be able to permentally absorb the pysche, memories and if another mutant, their mutation... all of it. Maybe permantally."
At this point I looked down at my right arm. Taking the leather glove off and extended the bone claws that I had grown due to Logan. Rogue actually jumped back at the sight of them, breathing shallow, slow breaths. She seemed to be calming herself. I actually felt sorry for her at this point. She certaintly would not be doing anything other than relaxing that night, she could forget any plans she had.
Noticing Logan extending his claws again I held up a hand to him. "I'm me, I think. It's hard to tell really. Finding it hard to discern between what's me and what's you. The memories are fairly easy your body build is so much different to mine that I can identify if it's me or you. It's the personality traits and feelings for others thats hard to discern. Like wanting a whiskey and a cigar. I'm not sure if that actually is you or if I actually did like whiskey and cigars. To make it harder your memories show you like it but the feeling of liking them does not come from those memories... hmm. You're a Telepath aren't you Professor?" Receiving a wide eyed nod I continued. "I don't know what it would do for me but I would like training for it. Telepathy I mean. At the very least I may be able to separate the different psyches in my mind so that I may actually know who I Am."
"Wait! What are we talking about? I get his mutation but I feel I'm missing something here Professor." Ororo said. Only then did I realise that Rogue and Ororo should actually be brought up to date with everything.
I replied. "Actually that may be for the best. Professor? Perhaps you could bring them up to date? I was after all unconscous for a lot of what has happened recently."
Rogue just sat there, looking lost, confused and generally just not knowing what to do simply listening as everything went on. I had an inkling of an idea what she was going through at the moment, and schiesse did I sympathise with her.
"Of course. Nemo, or Omni Et Nemo here was found by Logan yesterday morning in the woods. Naked and nearly dead. After checking for a pulse Nemos power kicked in and Logans hand contracted around Nemos throat eventually killing Logan and ..."
"I ran after that. I knew I had just killed you. Utterly confused, shocked and scared I ran, the Screaming didn't help either. I ran out of the woods at sunrise and ran into the Professor here. I think it caught up to me that I had killed someone, with the professor there and a mansion behind him, I fainted."
"There was no screaming Nemo." Xavier said.
"I didn't lose Concousness until after you ran off bub, there was no screaming." Logan verified seeing that I was about to say something.
"Hmm. Something to come back to. My next memory is waking up in the medical bay. I believe I had a nightmare from Logans memories. Needles... so many needles. If I never see another needle I'll die a content man. Did anything happen while I was out?"
"No. Basically just made sure you were alright. You didn't wake up until last night that was when you and Logan all but destroyed the Medical bay."
"Excuse me Professor? Destroyed the Med bay?" Ororo asked.
"I lost myself to Logans psyche and went into a kind of berserker rage and tried to kill Logan. Got thrown around like a rag doll for my efforts." I explained. "After that I woke up again with all the aches and pains of being thrown around entails. We, Logan, Xavier and Myself wondered the mansion for a little before arriving at your class. I don't have any memories of my own before Logan found me in the woods. No Idea who I am, my history, where I was born, anything! We, or I assume I've had some form of combat training even if it is only a little. Other than that, the Professor and Logan know just as much about me as I do. Lastly obviously Nemo is not my real name. But I have no idea what it is. So Nemo works as much as anything else at the moment, and it fits."
There was silence as everyone digested the information. I sat silent to compile the questions I wanted to ask of the Professor.
"I would like to stay here for now if that is okay with you Professor. If you would be able to give me training for combat and telepathy I would be most appreciative." I waited for Xavier or someone to respond.
It was Ororo. "Nemo, telepathy I can understand if I'm understanding you're powers properly. But why combat training?"
"I ask for combat training Ororo because if I have had training, no matter who from I may actually have to fight. They might consider me a traitor or dead and someone's pretending to be me. I may even stumble upon leads where people want to keep themselves secret and they try to kill me just because I found them. Better safe than sorry really." I explained.
"Do you really have such grim expectations?" She asked.
"No. I simply wish to plan for the worst I might find, while I hope for the best. I do however doubt I'll look at the first book I pick up and the answers will be there." I said. A small edge in my voice. "Furthermore, A mutation like mine should have been picked up. Not sure of my age but I'm not that young. I think. The government should have picked up on me. I mean Magneto found Rogue before you guys. Urgh. There are too many possibilities to ignore the chance that I have lived a life in the criminal worlds. It's just a possibility I can't ignore."
I was surprised to see Ororo nodding her head in approval before clasping her hands together and leaning forward onto the desk and speaking. "I know someone who may be able to help you. He's good at what he does so it may take me awhile to get a meeting set up for you. But if you do need something in the criminal world, he is the man to go to."
"Thank you." It was all I could say. An offer of help that may actually lead somewhere.
"Oh don't thank me yet. You may be cursing me once you meet him." She said chuckling, I found it was actually quite releiving and found myself grinning alongside her.
"Yes we can manage to train you in combat, I think it's time to see if any of the other students would like to stay on and we can train you alongside them." Xavier said.
"Is there anyone who could train me in something like inflitration? It may be a skill I will need." I said. Hoping for it not to be taken wrong.
"Remy should be able to. My contact. Wether or not he will is another thing entirely." Ororo interjected.
My eyebrows shot up, this was just getting better and better. I wasn't sure if I was actually beleiving it all though.
"Telepathy I shall train you in, It may lead us to helping Rogue and others like yourselfs. Telepaths do have a problem of having to hear a lot of things if they don't have someone to train them or can't train themselves. I do ask that in return. You train any telepath you are able to train." I simply nodded, that was more than a fair thing to ask.
I shot a glance at Rogue during this and for the first time since she had been in the room she actually had hope on her face. Pyschial touch was a thing I believe a lot of people take for granted. I knew that I had no right to sympathise with her but I did, I had been aware for about twenty four hours... she had lived like this for nearly a year, only time would tell wether I was as strong as her.
"Would you like to take part in any classes? They should help fit in after you find what you are looking for or even help you create a new you." Xavier asked.
"I would like be apart of only some of the classes aswell if possible Professor. Further, if I actually have any skill with combat than your battles shall be mine. It is the only way I can think of that might ever repay what you have already done for me." I said.
"Thank you. Perhaps we should stop for now and we will come back to it later. Ororo, could you find Nemo a room for himself. I have no doubt you will end up having some form of sensitive information lying around your room once you start researching your past. Rogue Could you go with them and answer any questions within reason please?" Xavier said.
"Of course. Come on we'll find you a room." Ororo said, smiling kindly, while Rogue simply stood and nodded.
"Thank you, for everything. I have no doubt that a lot of other people would have simply thrown me to the dogs." I said as I put on my glove again having left it off during the talk. I left the office with Rogue and Ororo a slight bounce in my step reaffirming my goals and plans in my mind as we walked out. Leaving behind Logan and Xavier. Logan staying behind to tell Xavier that he was staying behind and not leaving for Alkali lake just yet.
AN: I plan on about 20 chapters all up, hoping for around 80k – 120k words. The plot will not actually start to happen until around chapter 5. Review and tell me what you think please.
