AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanx, edinarain, LT, dragonlady sakura, Satan's Widdle
Hellper, and gethmane8 for the reviews. You guys are great! I know this
chapter is kinda boring, but I'm using it to explain some things, so you
know (in upcoming chapters) when Ororo is in Victor's memories and when
she's in his subconscious. You'll get it as you read along. So read!
The lush, green slopes of Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning swayed in the cool morning breeze. Ororo was soaring high above the land, dancing in the clouds. However, as hard as she tried, she couldn't get Victor Creed out of her mind, and rain began to pelt down around her, reacting to her melancholy mood.
Her mind was suddenly invaded by a warm glow. A motherly voice spoke to her. "Ororo," Jean said. "Can I speak to you, please?" Ororo groaned from the back of her throat but agreed. She flew low into the Mansion, still hovering above the ground to speed past several groups of students who gawked stupidly.
She finally touched the floor before Jean's office. The door opened for her, at her friend's command, and she walked in, dreading what she knew Jean was about to ask. She offered her a seat in a leather sofa, and Ororo sat down. Jean took a seat next to her.
"Ororo," she began, "I understand you were really scared by what happened on Tuesday, but we really need you-"
"You think you understand?" Ororo cut her off. "Do you understand what it is like to have to relive the worst piece of your life? Do you understand what it is like to have the worst piece of your life exposed to the world? You do not understand shit!"
Jean took a while to answer. "You're right. I have no idea what any of that is like. But I have sacrificed myself twice for the good of this world. Now, if you don't get in there and try to talk to him, our reality will become nothing more than a global massacre!"
"You sacrificed yourself for a universal tragedy that you instigated!" Ororo yelled. "And did you not see what happened in his mind? He does no want to talk to me; he wants to eat me!"
"You've gotten farther than any of the rest of us. Do you know what happens when Xavier or I try to speak to him?" Ororo waited for the answer, but Jean seemed to be contemplating how to explain the complexity of the situation. "Okay," she finally said. "Imagine the human psyche as an avocado."
Ororo almost laughed in her face. "An avocado?! How old are we?"
"There's a thick outer layer. That's where all the memories take place. The Victor that exists in this realm is just living Victor's life, as it actually happens. Then, deep inside, there's this little core, but it's far more powerful than the outer layer. This is where his subconscious exists. The Victor in this realm is the Victor we want to speak to. That's why you saw one Victor in front of you while another one was right behind you." She took a deep breath.
"We got through to his subconscious, but, because his emotions have complete control, we couldn't actually see him. He locks us in a small, dark room, with no doors or windows, and we sit, waiting for him to get tired of our presence enough to talk to us. But he never does." Ororo looked very unconvinced. "He let you through to his memories. That's a milestone in itself! Now, we think that, in time, you can gain his trust and he'll lead you openly into his subconscious as well. Or, maybe you'll come across the memory that'll tell us where Senator Kelly is. Either way, we really need you to do this. We've only got three days."
Ororo gritted her teeth, trying to prevent the words creeping at the back of her mind. "I'll do it," she finally stated.
The lush, green slopes of Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning swayed in the cool morning breeze. Ororo was soaring high above the land, dancing in the clouds. However, as hard as she tried, she couldn't get Victor Creed out of her mind, and rain began to pelt down around her, reacting to her melancholy mood.
Her mind was suddenly invaded by a warm glow. A motherly voice spoke to her. "Ororo," Jean said. "Can I speak to you, please?" Ororo groaned from the back of her throat but agreed. She flew low into the Mansion, still hovering above the ground to speed past several groups of students who gawked stupidly.
She finally touched the floor before Jean's office. The door opened for her, at her friend's command, and she walked in, dreading what she knew Jean was about to ask. She offered her a seat in a leather sofa, and Ororo sat down. Jean took a seat next to her.
"Ororo," she began, "I understand you were really scared by what happened on Tuesday, but we really need you-"
"You think you understand?" Ororo cut her off. "Do you understand what it is like to have to relive the worst piece of your life? Do you understand what it is like to have the worst piece of your life exposed to the world? You do not understand shit!"
Jean took a while to answer. "You're right. I have no idea what any of that is like. But I have sacrificed myself twice for the good of this world. Now, if you don't get in there and try to talk to him, our reality will become nothing more than a global massacre!"
"You sacrificed yourself for a universal tragedy that you instigated!" Ororo yelled. "And did you not see what happened in his mind? He does no want to talk to me; he wants to eat me!"
"You've gotten farther than any of the rest of us. Do you know what happens when Xavier or I try to speak to him?" Ororo waited for the answer, but Jean seemed to be contemplating how to explain the complexity of the situation. "Okay," she finally said. "Imagine the human psyche as an avocado."
Ororo almost laughed in her face. "An avocado?! How old are we?"
"There's a thick outer layer. That's where all the memories take place. The Victor that exists in this realm is just living Victor's life, as it actually happens. Then, deep inside, there's this little core, but it's far more powerful than the outer layer. This is where his subconscious exists. The Victor in this realm is the Victor we want to speak to. That's why you saw one Victor in front of you while another one was right behind you." She took a deep breath.
"We got through to his subconscious, but, because his emotions have complete control, we couldn't actually see him. He locks us in a small, dark room, with no doors or windows, and we sit, waiting for him to get tired of our presence enough to talk to us. But he never does." Ororo looked very unconvinced. "He let you through to his memories. That's a milestone in itself! Now, we think that, in time, you can gain his trust and he'll lead you openly into his subconscious as well. Or, maybe you'll come across the memory that'll tell us where Senator Kelly is. Either way, we really need you to do this. We've only got three days."
Ororo gritted her teeth, trying to prevent the words creeping at the back of her mind. "I'll do it," she finally stated.