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"So from what I have seen in your mind, Erik is going to Switzerland."
Charles, Alisa, Fate and Hank sat comfortably in chocolate coloured armchairs, which were situated next to a roaring fire that flickered every so often beside them.
As soon as Alisa had escaped, she'd rushed back to Charles, releasing the mental shield on her mind so that Charles could see all that she'd discovered. Charles had called an meeting immediately after. This resulted in the four of them discussing the matter at hand, sipping scolding hot herbal tea by the fire as they did so.
Alisa couldn't help but feel a little irked towards Charles as the extent of the situation didn't seem to be taking any toll on him at all. Contrasting to her, who's brain was infected with conflicted emotions. Having Erik out of the country was certainly a relief, any mutant apart from Charles would agree with that. However, not having Erik in close proximity made him all the more dangerous; Unpredictable. Alisa didn't like being in the dark, and that precisely what they'd be if they let Erik continue with his plan to go to Switzerland.
"Yes." Alisa replied, quietly.
Charles nodded in response, his hand stroking his chin which indicated that he was deep in thought. After a few moments of silence, Alisa's incompetence to hold her tongue became to much for her.
"Well?" She demanded "What are we going to do?"
Blank faces greeted her at her inquiry. Anger threatened to boil inside of her, why didn't they understand?
"What is there to do?" Fate said, a trace of misery in her tone "We'll just have to wait until he returns."
Astonishment filled Alisa at the other girls words. She didn't believe everyone's calm demeanour, not one bit. Alisa concluded that they were all going as mad about the matter as she was, but all of them were just very adept at hiding it.
"Wait, like sitting ducks? Seriously?" She exclaimed in outrage.
Immediately Alisa disliked the stares they gave her. Fate stared at her in an resigned nonchalant way, while Charles and Beast scrutinized her warily, as she were an animal that needed to be tamed.
"The only possible way I can think of is getting someone to go with them. But its just the question of who would go." Charles murmured, although it was audible enough for the other 3 mutants in the room to pick up.
In the spur of the moment, Alisa opened her mouth to volunteer, and just as she was about to say the words, a voice sounded in her head.
Alisa no, Charles's voice echoed in her head, you can't go.
Why not? ,Alisa demanded in her head, you were perfectly prepared to let me go into his hideout.
That was an entirely different matter, that was not in a different country. What if you get hurt or need to escape and cant get back?, Charles inquired adamantly.
"I can take care of myself!" Alisa exclaimed angrily in reply, her expression turning weary when she realised she'd said her reply out loud. But she just couldn't help herself, she didn't understand why Charles was treating her like a child.
During the mental conversation between Alisa and Charles, Fate and Hank had exchanged knowing looks, recognising when Charles was invading the intricacies of someone's mind. Personally, Fate was reluctant to let Erik go, but she didn't see any other option. However, if there was one, Fate was almost certain she would take it as it would then lift the intense worry for of how Serena was coping with Erik's presence from her mind. Undoubtedly, Erik would fall for Serena, but that didn't mean that he would do so willingly. It was anticipated that Erik was certain put up a good fight, having a tendency to be belligerent and cruel when in this state.
"I am fully aware of that but obviously you aren't considering the risks, do you have no concern for your own life?" Charles said, his tone condescending.
Hank rubbed a furry hand against his head, feeling the beginnings of a migraine beginning to form. Upon seeing his hand he scowled at it. Despite the fact that it had been a year, Hank still wasn't used to the fur that covered his entire body, his nostalgia for his old appearance growing with every second. He'd spent hours trying to find a new cure, but after weeks of searching he gave up out of sheer exhaustion. However, his insecurities was still a dominant factor in his mind, and adding Erik to it wasn't helping matters either.
"Of course I do, but now that I have seen Serena I am determined to help keep her safe from Erik" Alisa snapped.
"I believe you've helped enough, plus I've thought about it and I believe that Serena is safe in Erik's care, he is supposed to love her after all." Charles said softly, however his voice bore a sense of finality, making it known that the subject was now dropped.
Alisa scoffed at that as she sat back in her armchair, scowling at the floor, her arms crossed over her chest. Honestly, she found it extremely hard to accept that Erik could ever fall in love full stop, never mind with a human. She felt obligated to help Serena, even though she wasn't a mutant. Alisa possessed a soft spot for humans as she had been adopted by one when she was a child. Her adoptive mother had died 2 years ago and that's a year ago Charles found her, striving to survive on her own. Alisa knew that she wouldn't go against Charles's wishes, after everything he'd done for her. However she was determined to make it known that she wasn't happy about it.
"So we wait until Erik returns?" Fate questioned.
Charles nodded. "I don't see any other option. So yes, we wait."
Alisa's scowl deepened. "Lets just hope that he hasn't killed her before then."
Charles shook his head disapprovingly, trying to suppress the part of him that was aware that there might've been some truth to Alisa's words. Despite their different views, Charles still held the friendship that they'd previously possessed, and because of this he knew that in anger Erik was prone to doing things he would regret later on.
Serena tapped the wall in a feeble attempt to satisfy her boredom. It had been a day since Erik had barged in and announced that they were going to Switzerland. In that time Serena had discovered a bathroom in the little room that she was confined in, by accidentally banging her fist on the wall in frustration. She had assumed that she was meant to find it, as it was so easy to get to, and in there she had showered and put on the spare change of clothes that had rested in the bathroom beside the shower. Ever since then Serena ate the food that was given to her and tired to think of what she'd do the moment she was free from these mutants. All of a sudden, her musings were interrupted when she looked up to find Erik, Emma, Azazel, a man wearing a suit, and the blue mutant who's name she thought was Raven, standing in front of her. Serena jumped in astonishment, scowling at them all for entering so abruptly.
"Come on Serena." Raven said softly, extending her hand out to the woman.
Serena didn't hesitate in taking her hand, out of all the mutants, she appeared to be the kindest. When Raven looked at her it wasn't with malevolent disdain like the others, it was more like morbid curiosity, a fact that Serena took comfort in.
As Serena took Raven's hand her heart thumped in anticipation, wondering if teleporting this time would be different since they were going to another country. She was met with disappointment, however, as the sensation was like it had always been.
One minute they were in the small, confined room, the next they were in Graubünden, Switzerland. Despite her travel expectations, Serena wasn't prepared for the scenery that greeted her when they arrived there.
The sky was a cathartic blue, contrasting to the dull grey sky's that she was used to. Snow topped mountains encased them in a valley that dipped dangerously, holding new things to be discovered. Below them, wild flowers were dotted inadequately across the grass, making them all the more noticeable. The few houses that rested in the distance were small and cosy except for one, which stood out among the cluster of accommodations. This house was a great deal bigger than the rest, and could almost resemble a mansion but not quite as it wasn't big enough. The balcony that stretched around it was welcoming and homely , and Serena suddenly found herself filled with childish excitement at the thought of going inside.
"Its Beautiful." Raven gasped beside her.
Serena glanced at her while nodding. "It sure is."
While Serena and Raven had been speculating the view, the other's had started to walk ahead, unfazed by the beautiful scene. Erik threw an irritated glance at them which they knew was there queue to start walking or be left. It wasn't long before had reached the house, chosen rooms and had settled themselves in. Erik insisted that Emma and Serena share a room, so that someone could keep an eye on her, however Raven cut in.
"I'll share a room with her." She said ignoring the grateful look that Serena shot in her direction.
Erik raised an eyebrow. "You're sure?"
"Of course." was Raven's confident reply.
After that Serena and Raven settled into their room, for the most part, not talking.
In the spur of the moment, Serena decided to break the silence.
"Thank you for offering to share a room with me." She said quietly.
Raven turned to her, that look of curiosity residing on her face.
"Its alright, I wouldn't have wanted to share with Emma either." She smiled.
"Yeh Emma, she sure does bring the party." Serena said derisively, smiling in return.
Raven laughed at that, Serena joining in shortly after.
"You know, your not so bad." Raven said after a pause.
Serena raised an eyebrow, flattered but taken aback at the same time.
" Oh? How was I expected to be?" She inquired, grinning.
Raven shrugged, the casual act somehow looking wrong but normal at the same time on her.
"I don't know just not like you are now. I guess I thought you'd be more hostile and bitter. I thought you'd look at us with fear in your eyes. But here you are making jokes." Raven said the curiosity now present in her tone as well as her face.
"I am guessing that's how most of us humans treat you then?" Serena asked and Raven responded with a nod.
"Yes, I hate it. It makes me think there's something wrong with me, even though I know there isn't. That's why I went with Magneto, because when I am with him he makes me feel proud to be a mutant." Raven confessed, her voice lighting up when she mentioned Magneto, who Serena assumed was Erik.
Serena wished she could see this side of Erik, the side that inspired people instead of terrified them. For some reason, she was glad to know that Erik wasn't all bad. He undoubtedly had his flaws but in the end he was just like everyone else, perfectly capable of harbouring feelings.
"Well now I am starting to understand why you hate us, but Erik seems to have this hatred that's more amplified than yours." Serena replied.
Raven smiled sadly. "Yes but he had a tough childhood. I know that's no excuse but still, its part of the reason. I also know that he believes in being yourself, which wouldn't be a problem if that didn't just apply to mutants."
"I guess, I don't know I cant help but pity him. I try not to after everything he's done to me but I do. Because when I look into his eyes, all I see is the ghost of a man who is trying not to feel, who is fighting against the very thing that makes us human." Serena said softly.
"But he isn't human."
Serena shrugged. "Mutants have feelings too right? Plus I'd say that Mutants are just humans that are different. Different but equal."
Raven grinned at that. "Different but equal, I like that."
Outside the door, Erik listened intently, but the two women had finished talking about him. He walked away from the door, his head littered with Serena's words.
'When I look into his eyes, all I see is the ghost of a man who is trying not to feel'
At first he felt anger, hot boiling anger. But as he thought about it he realised that Serena may have been right. Her perception of him was perplexing, and he couldn't figure out why she could remain so positive after everything she'd been through. Furthermore, he couldn't help but involuntarily feel relieved that she didn't hate him. However, she did pity him; Erik wasn't sure which one was worse.
He despised being pitied, especially by a human, however he didn't seem to mind that much. He hoped that this was because he wasn't feeling entirely himself, and not because it was specifically Serena who held this pity towards him. Erik shook his head, forcing the thoughts out of his mind.
Serena was a mystery, one that he couldn't seem to solve.
Right then and there Erik decided that he would figure Serena out, he would untangle the intricacies of her personality, whatever the costs.
In that moment, Erik smiled, his spirits lifted at this new challenge.