Eric entered Charles's office quietly; fully prepared for whatever tirade he would be obligated to listen to. His friend was furious, that much was obvious from the fire in his eyes.
But beyond the simple anger, Eric could see betrayal, pain and disappointment.
However, Eric did not see any surprise...it was almost as if Charles had expected him to act out in some way. It had only been a question of when. Eric sat down across from his old-and possibly former- friend.
When he spoke, Charles's voice seemed choked with a lump of emotion. "How could you, Eric? We built the Cerebro together; as a tool to help the people of the world, not to manipulate them into our favor! You deliberately went behind my back, violating my trust; you have lied to me day after day. And to make matters worse, you had to drag a student into all of this. For God's sake, Eric, why?! What were you trying to accomplish?" His friend demanded of him.
Eric had never seen Charles so angry-or hurt- before, and it pained him greatly to know that he was the cause his friend's troubles. But Charles didn't seem to understand anything! He wanted to hide in his mansion and teach English Literature until the end of time, he didn't want to believe that a war was coming. He refused to believe that what had happened to Eric and his family could happen again.
The thought angered and frustrated him. "I was trying to protect us, Charles. There are more mutants in the world than can fit in your school. How long do you think that you can hide the ones that are already here? How much time to you believe you have left before the government begins to develop solutions to the 'mutant problem'? Before they begin to develop machines and diseases designed to target mutants? Action must be taken, Charles, and we both know that it won't be by you."
Charles sat back in his chair, searching desperately for a way to calm his friend. "Eric, I know you have reasons for thinking what you do. After all they put you through...but this is madness! You can't wage a war against mankind!"
Eric stood abruptly, knocking over his chair. He glared down at Charles, and for a moment, he felt a burning hatred towards him. He hated Charles for having the family that he had been deprived of. He hated Charles for never having felt the pain of starvation, for never having felt actual fear for his life. Charles never had to look at his reflection and be reminded everyday of his past. He hated Charles for being so naïve about the world.
In an instant, the moment of hatred was gone, as was any hope of Eric's that Charles might share his view. "Watch me."
*****^^^^^*****
Mystique sat on the staircase, waiting for Eric to finish his meeting with the professor. They were both in trouble, no doubt about that. Their plan had been practically fool proof, but it seemed as if she was not the only good spy at the school. It was a simple, short plan. It had been perfect!
All they did was have her change into the professor, and fool the retinal scanner. Then, Eric was let into the chamber. He was a brilliant engineer and already had a working knowledge of the tool. After only ten minutes, he had rewired it specifically for Senator Kelly's brainwaves. This way, the next time the professor used it, a signal would trigger a reversal of opinion in the senator. They had finished the job and almost made it back safely.
Almost.
That teacher's pet Scott Summers had seen them enter the lower tunnels and told some other teachers. Mystique never liked Scott. Everyone had put all the blame on Eric, like he had forced her into it, and he had done nothing to deny the accusations. That was just the type of person he was, a real gentlemen when it came to things like this.
They had grown to know each other very well over the months, so well that -they were no longer student and teacher, they were kindred spirits- he had even suggested that she discard with formalities and call him by his first name.
She would not find out until many years later that he had done that simply because he liked the way her voice sounded when she said his name, the way her echoing voice caressed each syllable. He would never tell anyone that she was his accomplice. She was a willing partner, of course, she had volunteered her assistance and had planted the whole idea in his mind.
She was not as innocent as the others thought.
She had been tracing the scale pattern on the back of her forearm when she heard a thunderous echo. 'Is that Ororo girl mad again?' she asked herself, thinking of she new student who could control the weather elements.
Her head jerked to the source of the sound, and saw Eric emerge from the professor's office. He had been so angry that he slammed the door and was storming straight towards her. He walked past her, and straight outside.
"Eric, what happened?" she asked as she followed him. He was storming straight for the front gate, and only spared her a glance.
"I'm leaving this school, Mystique. If you have any sense at all, then I suggest you do the same; unless you think the world will simply open up and accept everyone and everything different from the norm. I, however, have already seen the consequences of such idiotic blindness." Mystique kept following him as the weight of his words sunk in.
He was leaving. But what about all they had shared, everything he had done to help her? No one else at the school had been near as kind or understanding. He was her only friend at the whole institute. It was because of him that the face she saw in the mirror everyday didn't seem frightening, but beautiful. In that moment of realization, Mystique made a last, desperate decision.
Going with him felt right, as if they belonged together.
He had walked ahead of her, his figure silhouetted against the setting sun. She ran after him, calling out, "Eric, wait for me!" he stopped and turned to her, patiently waiting for her to catch up to him. Once she reached him, she asked, "Please, take me with you. I don't have any reason to stay, no one other than you has accepted me." he gave her a look of approval, like she had just aced once of his hardest tests. "All right, my dear." He responded. She smiled, and they both walked away from the mansion, not looking back.
But beyond the simple anger, Eric could see betrayal, pain and disappointment.
However, Eric did not see any surprise...it was almost as if Charles had expected him to act out in some way. It had only been a question of when. Eric sat down across from his old-and possibly former- friend.
When he spoke, Charles's voice seemed choked with a lump of emotion. "How could you, Eric? We built the Cerebro together; as a tool to help the people of the world, not to manipulate them into our favor! You deliberately went behind my back, violating my trust; you have lied to me day after day. And to make matters worse, you had to drag a student into all of this. For God's sake, Eric, why?! What were you trying to accomplish?" His friend demanded of him.
Eric had never seen Charles so angry-or hurt- before, and it pained him greatly to know that he was the cause his friend's troubles. But Charles didn't seem to understand anything! He wanted to hide in his mansion and teach English Literature until the end of time, he didn't want to believe that a war was coming. He refused to believe that what had happened to Eric and his family could happen again.
The thought angered and frustrated him. "I was trying to protect us, Charles. There are more mutants in the world than can fit in your school. How long do you think that you can hide the ones that are already here? How much time to you believe you have left before the government begins to develop solutions to the 'mutant problem'? Before they begin to develop machines and diseases designed to target mutants? Action must be taken, Charles, and we both know that it won't be by you."
Charles sat back in his chair, searching desperately for a way to calm his friend. "Eric, I know you have reasons for thinking what you do. After all they put you through...but this is madness! You can't wage a war against mankind!"
Eric stood abruptly, knocking over his chair. He glared down at Charles, and for a moment, he felt a burning hatred towards him. He hated Charles for having the family that he had been deprived of. He hated Charles for never having felt the pain of starvation, for never having felt actual fear for his life. Charles never had to look at his reflection and be reminded everyday of his past. He hated Charles for being so naïve about the world.
In an instant, the moment of hatred was gone, as was any hope of Eric's that Charles might share his view. "Watch me."
*****^^^^^*****
Mystique sat on the staircase, waiting for Eric to finish his meeting with the professor. They were both in trouble, no doubt about that. Their plan had been practically fool proof, but it seemed as if she was not the only good spy at the school. It was a simple, short plan. It had been perfect!
All they did was have her change into the professor, and fool the retinal scanner. Then, Eric was let into the chamber. He was a brilliant engineer and already had a working knowledge of the tool. After only ten minutes, he had rewired it specifically for Senator Kelly's brainwaves. This way, the next time the professor used it, a signal would trigger a reversal of opinion in the senator. They had finished the job and almost made it back safely.
Almost.
That teacher's pet Scott Summers had seen them enter the lower tunnels and told some other teachers. Mystique never liked Scott. Everyone had put all the blame on Eric, like he had forced her into it, and he had done nothing to deny the accusations. That was just the type of person he was, a real gentlemen when it came to things like this.
They had grown to know each other very well over the months, so well that -they were no longer student and teacher, they were kindred spirits- he had even suggested that she discard with formalities and call him by his first name.
She would not find out until many years later that he had done that simply because he liked the way her voice sounded when she said his name, the way her echoing voice caressed each syllable. He would never tell anyone that she was his accomplice. She was a willing partner, of course, she had volunteered her assistance and had planted the whole idea in his mind.
She was not as innocent as the others thought.
She had been tracing the scale pattern on the back of her forearm when she heard a thunderous echo. 'Is that Ororo girl mad again?' she asked herself, thinking of she new student who could control the weather elements.
Her head jerked to the source of the sound, and saw Eric emerge from the professor's office. He had been so angry that he slammed the door and was storming straight towards her. He walked past her, and straight outside.
"Eric, what happened?" she asked as she followed him. He was storming straight for the front gate, and only spared her a glance.
"I'm leaving this school, Mystique. If you have any sense at all, then I suggest you do the same; unless you think the world will simply open up and accept everyone and everything different from the norm. I, however, have already seen the consequences of such idiotic blindness." Mystique kept following him as the weight of his words sunk in.
He was leaving. But what about all they had shared, everything he had done to help her? No one else at the school had been near as kind or understanding. He was her only friend at the whole institute. It was because of him that the face she saw in the mirror everyday didn't seem frightening, but beautiful. In that moment of realization, Mystique made a last, desperate decision.
Going with him felt right, as if they belonged together.
He had walked ahead of her, his figure silhouetted against the setting sun. She ran after him, calling out, "Eric, wait for me!" he stopped and turned to her, patiently waiting for her to catch up to him. Once she reached him, she asked, "Please, take me with you. I don't have any reason to stay, no one other than you has accepted me." he gave her a look of approval, like she had just aced once of his hardest tests. "All right, my dear." He responded. She smiled, and they both walked away from the mansion, not looking back.