Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X. Evie is my character. The idea for part of the evil plot was gleaned from an episode of Star Trek: TNG. They get the credit.
/Personal thoughts/
~~telepathic communications~~
Chapter 2
Brennan was in charge of training her, physically. He showed her how to use all the equipment in the training room and created a workout plan just for her. He also taught her Tae Kwon Do in order to help her concentrate while fighting. Once, in an exercise in the dojo, she was following Brennan's steps and trying very hard not to rush.
Flashback to that day
/Stay controlled. Concentrate,/ she told herself. Shalimar had been watching and saw Brennan make a slight misstep as he was watching Evie more than concentrating himself. He was talking as he worked and had to stop and get back into step.
Shal laughed at him and took his attention away at just the moment Evie was to kick. She did and Brennan took it in the side. It winded him and he stumbled back and tripped. This made Shalimar laugh all the more.
Evie felt terrible. She rushed over to Brennan who was trying to recoup the self-confident image that had slipped for a moment.
"Brennan, I'm so sorry. Are you ok?" Evie was almost in tears.
Brennan just put his hand over hers and smiled up at her as he let her help him up just to make her feel better.
Turning his attention to Shalimar, "You think that's funny?" he asked as he got his breath back.
"Yes," she stated clearly.
"Come up here and we'll see what funny is," he looked her straight in the eyes.
"Oh, I know you did not," she flatly stated as she walked on to the platform, rising to the challenge before her.
Evie moved aside and just watched as the two adversaries took up their positions.
Punches were thrown and kicks given as both skillfully attacked and blocked in their own playful manner. Then Shalimar stood straight up and gave Brennan a loving yet seductive look. As she took a step closer to him, he relaxed his defense and began to straighten. Just at that moment, Shalimar's eyes turned feral gold and she pounced on Brennan, knocking him to the floor, straddling his chest and extending both his arms over his head.
"Give up?" She smiled down at him.
Brennan had a look of shock on his face that quickly turned to a grimace as Shal's legs tightened on his sides and she held his arms extended.
She jumped off. "What's wrong?" Concern filled her voice.
"Nothing, I'm fine," Brennan said trying to hide the pain as he stood.
"Let me see." She grabbed at his shirt and began to lift it.
His side had a bruise beginning to form in the spot where Evie had earlier caught him off guard. She was now standing with them and was horrified that she had done that to him.
"Oh, Brennan, I'm so sorry."
"No, Evie, it's ok. It was my fault for not paying attention," he said as he glared at Shalimar with a grin. She knew she was the one who took his attention from what he was doing.
"Please, let me heal it." She held up her hand, silently asking permission to touch him and make it better.
"That's silly. It's not that bad," he started to protest.
"Please, it'll make me feel better."
Seeing the pleading in her eyes, he gave in.
Shalimar just watched as the three stood there and Evie laid her hand on his side over the bruise. Her touch felt like silk as a silvery glow began to cover the injury. In a matter of seconds a shimmer of crystals surrounded her hand as he could feel the healing in his side. Another few seconds passed and the healing was done. She removed her hand and looked up at him smiling.
"That is so cool," he said as he smiled back at her.
Without saying anything else she left them and returned to her room. That was the first time she had actually caused injury.
End Flashback
That realization was very difficult for a healer to deal with. She knew that if she was ever in a real fight, her life or theirs might depend on her having come to grips with it. She had come a long way in these six months and thought she could handle it if it came to that.
Shalimar helped a great deal in that area. It was her job to teach her to defend herself and take the offensive when necessary. Many times she let her land kicks and punches to get used to the idea of causing pain instead of healing it. It had been very difficult, especially that first time.
Flashback to that day
Shalimar had Evie in the dojo sparring. Evie had learned a lot of moves and now was being given a chance to try an actual battle simulation. She knew her opponents were holograms and didn't let it bother her to fight.
Shal knew that Evie had been trying to get used to the fact that she would have to actually hurt someone and not let it interfere with her fight so she got an idea. After a few confidence building victories with the computer, Shalimar switched it off and told Evie, she would now have to fight her. Evie knew that Shalimar was the strongest member of the team and it would take ten Evies to just wind her. This knowledge allowed her to fight with all she had, to make her teacher proud of her. She didn't expect what happened next.
Good technique was shown in the first couple of rounds and Evie could see that Shal was happy.
"Good, now I'm going to get a little tougher," Shalimar grinned.
Evie smiled confidently, "Ok, let's have it."
After a few convincing attacks, Shalimar intentionally didn't block a kick to her head. The ball of Evie's bare foot made direct contact with Shalimar's cheekbone. When Evie realized it wasn't blocked she was able to pull it a little. The cheekbone wasn't hit hard enough to break but it did swell and bruise quickly. Shalimar fell back and acted more hurt than she really was.
Evie panicked. "Oh no, Shalimar, are you ok?" She gasped in horror as Shalimar stood and moved her hand from her face. "I'm so sorry. Let me heal it." She began to put her hand to Shal's face but Shalimar grabbed her wrist and pulled it away.
"No. I let it happen on purpose. I chose to fight you just like your opponents will CHOOSE to fight you. You need to realize that all wounds don't need to be healed. If you can get a handle on that, then you will be able to fight." Shalimar smiled and walked away.
All day Evie thought about what she had done to Shalimar. She even tried to avoid her so she wouldn't have to see the bruise. Shalimar wasn't making it easy. She made sure she was near enough to Evie so that she would get used to seeing it and see that Shalimar was fine with it. Shal didn't act hurt or mad. She acted perfectly normal. No one else said anything about it. Even Adam seemed to look right passed it.
Finally after eating dinner together, Evie seemed to not notice it, herself. Shalimar came up to her as they were cleaning up the kitchen. "Ok. Now you can heal it." She smiled when Evie just stared at her. "I didn't let you heal it before because you needed to get comfortable around someone who was hurt without feeling the need to heal. I think you've done a good job, today." Shalimar stated proudly.
Evie had to think about what she just heard. Shal was right. She did come to not 'need' to heal it after a while. Perhaps she was going to be able to get a handle on this thing, yet. Slowly a smile crossed her face as this realizations hit. She was so glad that she just hugged Shalimar.
"I'm glad you're happy, but could you get this thing off my face? It really does still hurt." Shalimar said as she pointed to her face.
Evie laughed and put her hand on Shalimar's cheek and the familiar glow and shimmer did its work.
End Flashback
TBC
