Cipher's Elegy
By Cypher
Prologue
It's funny how things change when you're dead. I never thought of myself as a philosophical guy, yet now I find myself questioning the meaning of life, contemplating the existence of God, and of course: what was my purpose in life? I know it couldn't have been to unleash that great danger on the world. It's possible he died with me. I'm not really sure...
But I'm getting ahead of myself. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Douglas Ramsey, a mutant. My ability is rather weak. I can innately understand any language after hearing or reading just a few words. I was the only two-year-old who could speak English, Spanish, and some French.
Apparently having a gift when you're a child is unique among mutants, but at that time, mutants weren't very well known. Even my parents didn't know of them, and assumed my gift for languages was simply that, a gift. My parents. I had strange parents. My father was a translator at the UN, and worked nine months out of the year. I didn't see much of him except in the summer, when my whole family would take a vacation in Canada. Speaking of Canada, that's where my mother was from. She was an aide for the Canadian ambassador, and after I turned four, she went back to work. From then on, nine months out of the year I was in the care of a nanny.
I didn't mind them working. In fact, my love of silence, of solitude, derive directly from their lack of presence. And there were other perks, usually in the form of gifts, but from time to time something special would happen. Like when I turned seven. My parents had missed my birthday, but a month later I went to the Smithsonian, and they spent an entire day with me. It was times like that I knew that, despite their absence, their work, they loved me.
Their absence also allowed me to make friends with kids they wouldn't approve of. One special friend was Jonah. He was six years older than me, got in all sorts of trouble, and would always act without inhibitions. He also watched over me like an older brother. He made some of the school years bearable. If it weren't for him, I might not have ever realized who I was.
Jonah was, I learned later on, an albino. He had skin so pale one could mistake it with milk. He also had one unusual feature that stood him out from others: his eyes. I had never met anyone with ruby eyes before, but Jonah had them. One day I finally asked him about his eyes, when I was ten, I believe. He told me he had them because of his gift. It was then he told me that I was a mutant.
I couldn't believe it, but he explained that he was a mutant, and I was like him. His eye color barely even described his power, just acted as a way to separate him from humans. His true power was far more astonishing: he could turn invisible. I had nearly passed out when he made himself vanish. I thought I had just dreamed him up, or that he was a ghost. He caught me, though, and explained how being a mutant didn't have to be a curse, especially with a gift as hidden as mine.
And so we bonded further. Jonah had mastered his power long ago, and promised to help me master mine. Before that even started, though, he explained to me what a mutant was, the science behind it. It was difficult for a kid like me to fathom, but somehow I was able to grasp the concept he was explaining. From there he taught me how to not only hide my power, but to manipulate it to my advantage and reach my full potential with it. He once told me that languages were the key. If I could think of everything in terms of language, my powers would do the rest.
He was right, too. Math and science, two subjects I had never done well in, suddenly became easy. As long as I thought of mathematical equations as a form of grammar and biology as a language to explain life, my powers seemed to adjust accordingly and help me understand concepts far more easily. It was amazing. Jonah even taught me computer programming. After typing in just three lines of code, I had deciphered every possible combination for programming. It was exhilarating, and when I told Jonah, he smiled and rubbed my head, giving me my own nickname. Thus, Cipher was born.
What was different about Cipher, what did he have that Douglas didn't? Douglas had always been shy, unable to relate to others due to his gift. He was always the odd man out and lacked confidence to speak his mind. Cipher, though, he had some of Jonah in him. Cipher had enough confidence to speak up, to talk to the students he had avoided before, to face up to his fears. After Cipher had been released, I finally began to integrate with society. I finally began forming friendships where none had existed before. For the first time in my life, school was more than just a place to learn; it was a place to meet with friends, to have fun. And I had Jonah to thank.
Jonah still looked out for me, but he began to get busy, and we started to drift apart. After I turned fifteen, I said my usual good-bye to Jonah before I left for the summer. He gave me this...sad smile. I didn't understand why, but I brushed it off, figuring he'd had a bad day. I should've realized what it was. He was twenty-one, and ready to go to graduate school. But I didn't think about that. I just went to our house in Canada.
We had a lake near the house, and one day after I had come back from swimming there, my mother handed me a letter from Jonah. Immediately I felt fear. Jonah never wrote while I was away. It was our time to spend with our families. I practically ripped it open. What if he was in an accident, or sick, or his mutant powers had injured him somehow. I had to know. It wasn't any of those, though. He was just writing to let me know he'd be leaving for college, and that I'd be in his thoughts. I was like the brother he never had, and he had to leave, to grow up. He was sure I'd be alright. He had taught me enough to survive, and was confident I would succeed in life.
I didn't know about my life, but at that moment, I lost most of my confidence, and was devastated that he was leaving. The rest of that summer I was in a deep depression. My parents tried to figure out what was wrong, what they could do to make it better. I told them they couldn't. They didn't understand that Jonah wasn't just my friend, he was family, and he was leaving me, possibly forever. In the end, though, I realized that Jonah wouldn't like me as I was, and I strived to do as he wished, be successful, confident, even mature. It was that attitude that led me to decide to tell my parents that I was a mutant.
I wasn't too worried about their reactions. Canada, unlike other countries that had begun to realize mutants existed, had begun cataloguing any volunteers that stepped forward. They were allowed to live their lives, and while they might've been under surveillance, nothing negative had happened. In fact, the Canadian government was trying to pass a Mutant's Rights Act. They wanted to make their country a safe haven for mutants. I figured I would remain in Canada and finish my schooling there, seeing my parents three months out of the year as usual.
I never got the chance to tell my parents, though. The day before I was going to, we had a visitor. He arrived in a jet, and got around in a wheelchair. He was bald, but his eyes held a confidence and friendliness I had only seen in Jonah. He was the second person to change my life. I'll never forget his voice, or the first time I ever heard him speak.
"Hello. My name is Professor Charles Xavier. I was wondering if I could speak to you about your son Douglas, and his...gift."
Those were the words that truly changed my life, some would even argue that they sealed my fate.
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Author's Prattle: Well, here we go, I FINALLY got off my butt and started writing my Evo fics (yes, I have others besides this one on the way). I'm sorry all I have ready is the Prologue, but with luck I'll have the first chapter out by next week. As for further chapters and the other fics, I can't give any definite time just yet. When I get back in school (and write to avoid boredom), they'll come out more steadily.
For those of you who don't know me, I'm Cypher (just look at the 'by' line). This is my first dabble in the cartoon genre (I've done anime and television, still am writing in those, too). I've been writing for a few years, and I've chatted with some of you to bounce off ideas of (thanks). I've found that most people prefer these "Prattles" rather than disclaimers and notes at the beginning. So if you ever have questions about anything you read, just check down here.
Disclaimers. I put disclaimers down here too. I do not own X-Men Evolution. I'm not sure of the exact parties, but Marvel is definitely one of them. For those of you unfamiliar with the VERY extensive Marvel universe, Cipher belongs to them as well (though I'm altering his life and times for this fic). Jonah DOES belong to me, however.
Hmm...I believe that's it for this. If you want to learn more about me or my fics, just check out my profile page. Otherwise, thank you for reading, and reviews are always welcome!