Same disclaimer as always :) Hope you guys enjoy!
Five
The whole group was gathered at the stairs of the dojo. They were talking in quiet whispers as Adam approached. They all stopped talking when they saw him. It pained him when they did that; it always made him feel like the enemy in certain situations. Outwardly, though, he showed no emotion of that sort except that he was incredibly tired. The day was only half finished and he felt like he had gone through an entire week's worth of events.
He looked at the others, analyzing the expressions on their faces. Emma's face was full of concern, Shalimar with a nervous sort of tension like she was going to jump out of her skin. Jesse was calm but the emotion behind his blue eyes belied his confusion. Brennan's expression held a mixture of anger, worry, and the same self-assured confidence he always held. He was the one he would have to apologize to, the one he had let loose his panic upon. Hopefully he could be forgiven.
"Hopefully this is the part where you explain to us what the hell just happened in there," Jesse said quietly. Adam sighed and rubbed his face with both his hands.
"It's a very long story, so I'll try and give you the abbreviated version," not wanting to stand on his own two feet anymore, Adam sat on the edge of the computer platform. "The woman in the lab is Oriana Ashlin. She's what is known as a multi-talent elemental."
"Multi-talent?" Shalimar said puzzled.
"A New Mutant with multiple abilities pertaining to their specific mutation. She's a water New Mutant with ever evolving abilities. So far she's displayed every known mutation for a water elemental."
"Every known mutation?" Jesse looked astounded. Adam nodded and paused to let everyone absorb the information.
"So far anyway. Her DNA structure is in a constant state of flux. After I found about her mutation I was able to come up with a series of treatments to help stabilize her."
"How did you find out about her?" Emma asked. Adam fell silent and this sent another tremor of worry and anxiety through the group. This was definitely going to be a long day.
"Adam? How did you meet her?" Brennan's tone was even. Adam took a deep breath and crossed his arms.
"I met Oriana almost sixteen years ago, a little after I had met Danielle actually. She was a brilliant young researcher at the local university. The papers she published caught my attention and the attention of Genomex and Breedlove. It was decided that we would extend an invitation for her to join Genomex. When I went to meet her, I found out something that changed a lot of things," Adam paused again.
"What did you find out?" Jesse asked for everyone. Adam's eyes were distant as if he were seeing something that the others couldn't.
"I found out that she was dying."
"Dying? From what?" Emma exchanged glances with Shalimar.
"She had a genetic defect of the blood. An extreme case of anemia that left her heart very weak. She was dying slowly, had been since she was born. While nature gave her such debilitating physical challenges, it gave her an amazing mind and a great talent for science and the arts. Her mental skills are a lot like mine, but at the same time extremely different. She began many of her college courses during high school, she wanted nothing more than to make a difference."
Adam's gaze was drawn to the lab where Oriana was resting. He remembered the first time he had met her, her inner strength hidden by her delicate physical condition. She had always been full of passion and a need to prove herself. At the same time she never hid the fact that her time on earth was limited, and that she probably wouldn't be able to accomplish the things she wanted to. Oriana had brushed him aside not wanting to have to explain herself or her situation.
"You cured her didn't you? You came up with a treatment to help cure the disease that was killing her," Shalimar stated. Adam nodded.
"I did. At first she wouldn't have it. She wanted to keep things the way they had been, the way things were going to be in her mind. She had already accepted the fact that she was going to die and that was that. I wouldn't have it though, I could not stand by and watch a brilliant mind like hers die," Adam stopped before he said what he didn't want the others to hear. Shalimar finished it for him.
"There was more to it than that, wasn't there?" Her expression softened and she gave him a slight smile.
"Yeah," he chose his words carefully. "It seemed like such a waste. I had known her for only a few weeks, and I already felt closer to her than if I had known her for years. She had such a life force, an energy that never seemed to fade, even if she was lying in bed weaker than a baby. I cared about her too much to let her go, even if she wouldn't let me."
"He was bound and determined all right," another voice came from behind him. Adam turned, surprise etched into his features. Oriana was standing there, tall and straight. If it hadn't been for the tank top and cotton drawstring pants that she was wearing he would have sworn that she had never been bed bound.
Five
The whole group was gathered at the stairs of the dojo. They were talking in quiet whispers as Adam approached. They all stopped talking when they saw him. It pained him when they did that; it always made him feel like the enemy in certain situations. Outwardly, though, he showed no emotion of that sort except that he was incredibly tired. The day was only half finished and he felt like he had gone through an entire week's worth of events.
He looked at the others, analyzing the expressions on their faces. Emma's face was full of concern, Shalimar with a nervous sort of tension like she was going to jump out of her skin. Jesse was calm but the emotion behind his blue eyes belied his confusion. Brennan's expression held a mixture of anger, worry, and the same self-assured confidence he always held. He was the one he would have to apologize to, the one he had let loose his panic upon. Hopefully he could be forgiven.
"Hopefully this is the part where you explain to us what the hell just happened in there," Jesse said quietly. Adam sighed and rubbed his face with both his hands.
"It's a very long story, so I'll try and give you the abbreviated version," not wanting to stand on his own two feet anymore, Adam sat on the edge of the computer platform. "The woman in the lab is Oriana Ashlin. She's what is known as a multi-talent elemental."
"Multi-talent?" Shalimar said puzzled.
"A New Mutant with multiple abilities pertaining to their specific mutation. She's a water New Mutant with ever evolving abilities. So far she's displayed every known mutation for a water elemental."
"Every known mutation?" Jesse looked astounded. Adam nodded and paused to let everyone absorb the information.
"So far anyway. Her DNA structure is in a constant state of flux. After I found about her mutation I was able to come up with a series of treatments to help stabilize her."
"How did you find out about her?" Emma asked. Adam fell silent and this sent another tremor of worry and anxiety through the group. This was definitely going to be a long day.
"Adam? How did you meet her?" Brennan's tone was even. Adam took a deep breath and crossed his arms.
"I met Oriana almost sixteen years ago, a little after I had met Danielle actually. She was a brilliant young researcher at the local university. The papers she published caught my attention and the attention of Genomex and Breedlove. It was decided that we would extend an invitation for her to join Genomex. When I went to meet her, I found out something that changed a lot of things," Adam paused again.
"What did you find out?" Jesse asked for everyone. Adam's eyes were distant as if he were seeing something that the others couldn't.
"I found out that she was dying."
"Dying? From what?" Emma exchanged glances with Shalimar.
"She had a genetic defect of the blood. An extreme case of anemia that left her heart very weak. She was dying slowly, had been since she was born. While nature gave her such debilitating physical challenges, it gave her an amazing mind and a great talent for science and the arts. Her mental skills are a lot like mine, but at the same time extremely different. She began many of her college courses during high school, she wanted nothing more than to make a difference."
Adam's gaze was drawn to the lab where Oriana was resting. He remembered the first time he had met her, her inner strength hidden by her delicate physical condition. She had always been full of passion and a need to prove herself. At the same time she never hid the fact that her time on earth was limited, and that she probably wouldn't be able to accomplish the things she wanted to. Oriana had brushed him aside not wanting to have to explain herself or her situation.
"You cured her didn't you? You came up with a treatment to help cure the disease that was killing her," Shalimar stated. Adam nodded.
"I did. At first she wouldn't have it. She wanted to keep things the way they had been, the way things were going to be in her mind. She had already accepted the fact that she was going to die and that was that. I wouldn't have it though, I could not stand by and watch a brilliant mind like hers die," Adam stopped before he said what he didn't want the others to hear. Shalimar finished it for him.
"There was more to it than that, wasn't there?" Her expression softened and she gave him a slight smile.
"Yeah," he chose his words carefully. "It seemed like such a waste. I had known her for only a few weeks, and I already felt closer to her than if I had known her for years. She had such a life force, an energy that never seemed to fade, even if she was lying in bed weaker than a baby. I cared about her too much to let her go, even if she wouldn't let me."
"He was bound and determined all right," another voice came from behind him. Adam turned, surprise etched into his features. Oriana was standing there, tall and straight. If it hadn't been for the tank top and cotton drawstring pants that she was wearing he would have sworn that she had never been bed bound.