Notes: Oh yeah. They aren't fooling anyone, and the whole world can see that LOOOOOOVE is in the AIIIIIIR. :D
Chapter 10: Old Friends
At the beginning of October, the institute seemed to be suddenly a lot more on edge than it had been before. Charles and Erik were having one of their chess games — in which they would both try to win each other over to their way of thinking. Again. And that meant the whole house was ready for a fight, just in case.
"So, is this part of the peaceful coexistence creed?" Noh-Varr asked Jean, honestly confused as he watched the group of X-Men making preparations. "You invite your enemies to your home?"
"Charles and Erik are old friends," Jean said diplomatically. "They haven't always agreed on the human-mutant relations side of things — but they hold their friendship above even their difference of opinion."
"So it's a matter of loyalty," he said, his head tipped to the side. "And a matter of respecting each other's free will… you keep putting it above your goals."
"More or less," she said with a nod.
"You are never going to get anywhere this way," he said, which just got a weary sort of look from Jean.
However, for as anxious as everyone seemed to be, Noh-Varr… was not impressed by the man who came to the institute. The tall man was showy with his entrance, a long cape flowing out behind him and a look that screamed that he was unconcerned with anyone else around him. But tactically...
"He does realize that he is only opening himself up to further attacks with something attached to his neck and shoulders, yes?" Noh-Varr whispered to Jean.
"It seems to be a blind spot," Jean replied as seriously as she could, though Scott didn't quite keep the composure as well as she did when she let him in on the conversation and he made a sort of choked sound as he tried not to laugh.
"And he manipulates metal, yes? But not biological components." Noh leaned back and shook his head. "If he is a problem, put him in my ship."
"All kinds of metal, and he doesn't need to be in the direct vicinity of it to use it," Jean clarified. "He could whisk Logan or K here from wherever they are right now if he chose."
"Then why are they here?" he asked. "If he is your enemy and they are so subject to him, why risk them?"
Jean couldn't help but smile. "You know, we have tried that exact argument for years, but they choose to stay anyhow."
"Self-defeating Terrans," Noh muttered, which got a little smirk out of Jean.
Jean was still smirking at Noh as Erik strode past and paused just slightly at the newcomer, smirked, and simply turned to meet Charles.
"You didn't tell me that you found yourself someone interesting, Charles," Erik said as they set up the board.
"I would give Jean the credit in this case," Charles said with a small smirk.
"That would explain only part of why she's so invested," he replied.
Charles simply smiled as he made the first move. "Most of the staff here is intrigued by him."
"Hm?" Erik looked up at him for just a moment. "And why is that?"
"Cultural exchange, as it were," Charles said, smirking a bit wider at his own joke.
Erik frowned and sat back in his chair. "It's not like you to be so … evasive."
"It's a hard matter to explain," Charles replied.
"Try me."
Charles shook his head. "He is from a reality entirely different from our own. So much so that we have struggled to teach him even some basic concepts to our way of thinking in this one."
"Honestly Charles, it's not enough that you've set out to reeducate an entire planet on how to behave — you have to reach out to distant planets, times, and dimensions … no wonder you're at such a premium for free time."
Charles shook his head and couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "You know I don't seek them out — they tend to find me in these cases."
Erik made a face that clearly illustrated how much he didn't believe him. "Oh, certainly. They seek you out from the deepest depths of the cosmos to hear your little dream."
Charles looked up to meet his gaze. "Maybe that speaks to the strength of my philosophy."
"Or to the wild story that it truly is. How is your old friend Lilandra? I haven't heard much on how that philosophy worked out for her."
Charles' smirk dropped into a frown as he moved a knight. "Not everyone is ready to hear it."
Erik shook his head and moved a bishop before he sat back. "Because it's simply not feasible."
"It will be," Charles said simply. "The more people hear it, and the more it is lived. You know that, old friend."
Erik made a soft noise in the back of his throat but otherwise ignored the commentary as they continued their game.
While Erik and Charles had their game, though, the Brotherhood was doing their best to look intimidating — and once more, the X-Men's resident alien wasn't impressed in the least. At least Erik had the power to back it up, but these people…
Jean was trying so hard not to laugh at half of what she was hearing from the teenager as he glared at the group. Posturing is a sign of weakness was her favorite so far, though If you have to try so hard, you know you have no power was a close second. And of course, she was sure to send the commentary along to Scott, knowing that he would be just as entertained as she was by the overconfident teenager in their home.
The young man had come to sit in the living room across from the Brotherhood, simply to watch them with narrowed eyes. Though… it was a bit hard for the Brotherhood to take him seriously when he had a bag of Sweet Tarts with him. And that was what the scene was when the chess game was finished and Erik came to gather the Brotherhood.
He paused and slowly took the young man in before he had to speak — and at the least offer him an alternative. "Do you believe in my old friend's dream of a unified world of mutants and humans, young man?"
Noh looked up at him and nodded once. "Yes, of course. Where I come from, transcendental peace and unity is the norm."
"And you believe that can be achieved while tolerating those that are so obviously genetically inferior?"
Noh-Varr frowned at that. "Your world is only just beginning its genetic advances. This is a time of transition."
"Not if you consider the ages of some of those living here," he replied. "This movement has been going on for over a century. It's only now, in more modern times, that we find so many more of our mutated brothers and sisters."
Noh-Varr tipped his head to the side. "I believe that genetic advancement is the best way to move civilization forward, that it should be encouraged," he said.
"They by what means would that happen while involving homo sapiens into our gene pool?"
"You are still in a stage of random mutation," he pointed out. "Where do you think your next generation will come from but them? You do not have the technology to direct it, after all." He straightened up a bit. "I have not met many homo sapiens here, but I have seen intelligence and evil, seemingly the best and the worst they have to offer. Why not keep the best? That is what we do." He gestured at himself. "I was engineered with the best genes from previous generations as well as other beings. Take the best, destroy the rest."
"If that's indeed what you believe, then I think, my boy, you're in the wrong crowd."
"How so?" Noh-Varr asked, his head tipped to the side. "I am surrounded by the best genetic advances, am I not?"
Erik glanced around the room, met Logan's gaze and sneered. "I'd have to say no."
"You cannot be referring to these posturing imbeciles as alternatives," Noh-Varr said, tipping his head to indicate the Brotherhood.
Logan couldn't help but smirk at that. "He does."
Noh-Varr sneered at Erik. "Then your understanding of genetic advance differs greatly from mine. And mine is far more advanced." He smirked slightly and popped a Sweet Tart in his mouth. "Though admittedly, we did not have candy there. Or music."
Erik frowned and glanced down at the candies, then looked Charles' way with one eyebrow raised. "I had no idea you were stooping so low to keep your enrollment."
But all that really did was get Logan growling low — enough so that those in the Brotherhood all startled at the sudden threat, and Erik looked for a moment as though Logan had just proven his point.
Noh-Varr frowned a bit and looked between the men before he made an honest effort to try to step in before things escalated. "I enrolled because I was ordered to protect this world. If that is 'low' in your estimation… then I understand why you settle for empty strength in your lackeys."
"Wasn't an insult to you, Noh," Logan told him, still growling even as he spoke.
Noh raised both eyebrows before he turned a glare Erik's way. "She is not part of my enrollment," he said, his chin thrust out. "Nor my mission. She's been my guide to this world. Do not presume anything you know nothing about."
Erik matched Noh's glare with one of his own before he simply turned on his heel, levitating on the way out the door with the Brotherhood in his wake — and sure to toss Logan back a few steps on his way past.
Noh glared toward the door for a moment before he turned to Logan. "Are you alright?"
"Of course I am," he replied with a frown.
"This is what happens when you remain in the room with a man who manipulates metal."
"He gets nervous enough to admit that he's afraid of me still," Logan replied.
"And had he tossed you into someone who cannot take the impact of your adamantium?" Noh-Varr replied.
"I wouldn't let that happen," Jean said.
Noh-Varr tipped his head toward Jean and then nodded once before he looked toward Logan. "I was not impressed with them either," he said. "They are empty."
"That's because you're not an idiot," Logan rumbled.
Noh-Varr shrugged. "The thought process is sound, but the execution is more important. If that is who he considers worth keeping and yet he dismisses you and Jubilee? He should not be making any decisions on what is superior."
"I couldn't care less what he thinks about me," Logan said before he simply headed out.
Noh turned Jean's way. "I was right," he said.
"About what?" she asked, though she was frowning after Logan's retreating figure.
"I was right when I said Logan should not be dismissed," he said. "My people had to go to great lengths to find healing — and we had to do it artificially. You have a natural healer in your midst. That is rare. And incredibly superior."
She nodded and frowned on how to explain it. "Erik — and many others — tend to believe that Logan and K both are more animal than human," she said quietly.
"They misunderstand advances then," he said. "
"They do, completely," she agreed.
"Logan and K have enhanced senses… healing… I had to be enhanced with insect DNA and nanites to get such things."
"Which … is exactly why most people after those two want them for weapons."
"They would be excellent for that," Noh-Varr said reasonably.
"And they have been — though the people that used them took total control of them."
He tipped his head to the side. "I thought that was not done on your world."
"It's not typically done here. But as I said … there are some that don't believe the rules apply to them and that those two in particular are actually sub-human and therefore not protected by basic rights."
Noh-Varr shook his head. "That makes no sense. Not scientifically or even logistically."
She let out a sigh. "Noh, do you think that K would have been kind to you if she wasn't thinking for herself?"
"No," he said with a small frown. "I had a gun at her head; she should have taken me down."
"If those people had been in control, she would have," Jean replied. "Or if she thought you were an actual problem — she probably would have simply taken off your arm."
"Then you have destroyed these people. Or at least… you have destroyed their organization and jailed the people, yes?" Noh-Varr surmised. "Since they are so antithetical to your goals and survival."
She tipped her head to the side. "The organization is gone, and … honestly, we more or less let her take her aggressions out on them." She paused. "Before … she attacked Logan and disappeared."
Noh-Varr looked surprised. "But they are married."
"It wasn't an overnight fix, that's for sure."
"And you were able to remove the control these people had over her?" Noh asked, his head tipped to the side.
"Yes," she said, nodding her head.
"Is it a common problem?"
"Thankfully, no."
He nodded and then popped another Sweet Tart in his mouth. "And thus the focus on defense. You must be busy."
"Part of what took so long with her is the fact that part of her mutation is a natural psychic shield," Jean told him as they started down the hall. "Logan too. They're hard to work with unless they let me in."
He gave her a wry smile. "The opposite to me, then."
"Very much so," she agreed.
"Well..." He paused and turned her way. "I cannot see any other way but yours to deal with the realities of your world. I just wanted to thank you for letting me be part of your path — and reassure you that, whatever that man assumed, I am not staying simply because of Jubilee."
"Jubilee will be happy to know that," she told him.
"Perhaps," he said with a small smile. "Or perhaps she would rather hear that I stay for her. I have heard quite a few songs from your world saying something like that."
"I'm not surprised," Jean said with a little smile. "Most of the best music talks about love."
"It seems to be an obsession," Noh-Varr agreed.
"Well, when you feel it, you'll understand entirely."
"I have," Noh-Varr said. He held his hands out, his smile slipping. "And she died."
"I'm sorry to hear that," she said, frowning much deeper than what seemed necessary at the moment.
"She was on the Marvel," he explained.
"Oh, that's … that's awful," she almost breathed out.
He let out a breath and nodded softly before he paused and turned her way. "I cannot change it, so I move forward. But yes, I do know what love is."
"Then you know what it's like to be wrapped up in it," she said. "And why we have so many songs about it."
"The real confusion is the fact that there are so many songs about infidelity," Noh admitted.
"It's a real problem," she agreed.
"It's inefficient," he said.
"Well … usually that's a matter of one person in love … and the other just looking for a good time wherever they can find it."
"Then that should be established up front," Noh argued. "There is nothing wrong with looking around, but a commitment means loyalty."
"It does, but not everyone follows through on their commitments."
Noh let out a noise of frustration. "You are all so… contrary."
"Not all of us," Jean replied, pointing his way.
"You are. All of you. In some way or another, you all seem to be going against your best interests," he insisted.
"That depends entirely on what those best interests are — remember, we choose our own."
"Pure chaos," he said, shaking his head. "Fun at times — but chaotic."
She shook her head and pulled his arm for him to follow her down to her office. "I have something for your music collection."
He grinned widely. "Wonderful! What did you have in mind?"
"Just one album," she said before she dug into the bottom drawer of her desk and handed him a CD. "Track Ten."
Noh-Varr grinned down at the Bon Jovi album in his hand before he leaned over to give Jean's arm a squeeze. "Thank you," he said.
"You're welcome," she said. "It's a favorite of mine, and I hope you enjoy it."