Feral Bonds Chapter 10
Couple of problems cropped up. First, I uploaded the wrong version of the file and posted my rough draft. I went back and uploaded the revised copy, so you might want to reread it so the glaring plot holes and general stupid mistakes aren't there. Second, sorry for the short chapter on ch9. I just had this insane desire to finish it right there and get it posted. I personally blame the makers of those pyramid hats.
"Feh"
The reviewer known as Me: Um, wow. I'm glad you enjoy the story. I'm trying to portray Mark as realistically as possible given that he's in a world with people that fly/shoot crap out of their eyes/etc. It's gratifying to know that I seem to be succeeding.
Kitchen Xavier's Institute for the Gifted
The oak hallway doors leading from the hallway flew open as a gaggle of teenagers came pouring in from their day at school. Kurt dropped his bag on the table and grabbed a Coke from the fridge. Sipping it, he started in on the preparation of his after school 'snack'. The rest of the students talked loudly amongst themselves. He had just plastered the seventh layer of ham on his sandwich when he noticed Kitty walk in the door and turn to say something to someone, probably the Professor. He took a step forward to ask how she was doing when he nearly dropped the coke on the floor. Walking behind her was the guy they had rescued. His mind almost short circuited trying to decide weather he should run screaming for the Professor, or start evacuating the younger students. He finally settled on croaking out a warning shout when the next thing he saw froze the air in his lungs and the coke finally slipped from his fingers.
Kitty walked into the dining room, wondering at the reaction Mark was going to get. She knew that the report on what had happened in Colorado had to have gotten out and circulated around the students. She almost giggled when she saw the look of absolute horror on Kurt's face. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Mark was just standing at the door, a blank look on his face and he was absolutely still. She reached back and grabbed his hand, jolting him out of his trance. "Come on in, you have to like meet everyone eventually anyway."
Mark stared at her for just a second before he let out a, "Ok." and walked into the Kitchen. He let Kitty start dragging him into the room when a loud 'crack' shot through the room.
Kitty started to flinch when she felt an iron hard arm wrap itself around her waist and lift her off the ground. She let out a startled yelp as she was violently spun around and dropped to the floor. She skidded back almost to the door before she stopped. Catching a flash of motion, she looked up to see Mark vaulting over the table towards Kurt.
Kurt took a step back and glanced down when his coke hit the floor. Cursing inwardly, he reached around to a rack and grabbed a towel to clean up the mess when he heard a yelp. Whipping his head around, he saw that Kitty had vanished and the guy was airborne and speeding in his direction with a snarl on his face. Kurt's reflexes snapped into play and he felt the twinge in his spine that always appeared just before he ported. The guy was almost within striking distance when Kurt felt the twinge spread and he exploded into a cloud of black smoke.
Mark slammed into the counted, cracking the heavy marble counter with his shoulder. Bouncing off, he dove for the coke can. His hand wrapped around it and he torqued his hips and spun over in midair. He completed his roll and hurled the can straight at the bay window.
The coke can flew at the glass like a missile. The students all finally ducked when the can impacted the window and glass shards exploded into the lawn.
Kitty quickly stood and starting rubbing her sore rear. Looking at the cringing students, she came to the conclusion that maybe it was a bit soon to have brought Mark up. Hearing a 'psst' above her, she glanced up and saw Kurt hanging from a light fixture.
Kurt took a quick glance at the standing boy before turning back to Kitty. "Katzchen, what just happened?"
Kitty started to open her mouth when Logan's voice cut into the silence. "Easy, I've seen this happen before Elf. He acted like it was a grenade."
Kitty and Kurt both gaped. Kurt flipped down to the floor. "But it was just a soda can Herr Logan."
Logan snorted and took a pull of his bottle. "Yea, well lets just say he's kinda jumpy." And he gestured over to Mark, who was now standing at the window looking out and appearing to be searching for something.
Kitty watched Mark for a second before sighing. "Maybe the Professor should like, take another look at him. He's up here for like ten seconds and he's already terrified the rest of the students and totally destroyed a window."
Mark let go of the windowsill and turned back to the kitchen. His eyes slid over the mass of students that had just started to stand back up. He turned full to Kitty and started walking back to her, his eyes darting between Kurt and Logan. The students he passed stepping back from him. Kitty's face blanched when she noticed Mark grab a large glass shard that was imbedded in his right hand and pull it out with never a change in expression, much less a grunt. He let the bloody shard drop to the ground and stepped up to Kitty. He quickly glanced her over and turned to Logan. They both just stared at one another without moving. Both of their eyes seeming to search for something in the other. Kitty felt rather than heard the sound of two sets of chests rumbling. The next few seconds stretched into a timeless wait as Kitty looked at the two people most likely to inflict severe property damage stare each other down.
Kitty's neck started to constrict from the tension in the room. She started to reach a hand up to rub it when Mark exhaled and turned away from Logan. She saw the small upturn of Logan's lips before he took another pull from his bottle. She knew something had happened, and that it was important, but didn't know exactly what. The one thing she was certain of was that Mark had lost whatever it was.
She was broken out of her reverie when Logan spoke. "Take em on up to the Professor Half-pint. He's waiting."
She nodded and grabbed Mark's arm and began to drag him out when Logan's hand grabbed her shoulder. "He's not a dog on a leash Pryde. Don't treat him like one."
Before she could respond, Logan had finished his bottle and stomped out of the room.
Kitty was still for a moment. A dog on a leash? She wasn't treating him like that.was she? Well, other than the lab, but she couldn't think of anything else to do! Shaking her head and deciding to ask him later, she led Mark up to Xavier's office.
Xavier's office
Kitty was about to knock on the door when she heard the Professor call out. "Come in Kitty, I've been expecting you." Her hand just hung in the air for a moment before she shrugged and stepped into the office. She saw the Professor and Logan talking quietly behind the desk. Leading Mark to a chair, she sat him down and flopped into another chair.
Xavier nodded to Logan and turned back to the two teens. "Well, I obviously heard about the incident in the kitchen. I must say that Mark's reflexes and protective streak are both impressive. However, his judgment is not." He rolled out past the mahogany desk and came to a stop in front of them. He folded his hands under his nose and just looked at them for a moment before leaning back. "From what I've seen today and last night, he's integrating the basic concepts Jean and I implanted, but he's rejecting the details. This worries me."
Kitty scrunched her brows up. "Like what do you mean by details Professor?"
Xavier sighed. "Details like how to interact with people, what constitutes proper behavior, and restraint. If Kurt had not ported when he did, he would have attacked him."
Kitty threw a quick glance over at Mark's impassive face. "Really?"
Xavier grimaced. "Unfortunately so Kitty. He also seems to be rejecting the language as well. I'm afraid that he is going to have to have another session with Jean and myself before I will be willing to expose him to the other students again." He turned and rolled back to his desk. "However, at least one thing occurred that was to our benefit. He and Logan seemed to have resolved the question of who is dominate between them."
Kitty's face clouded. "What do you mean dominate?"
Logan scowled and started cleaning a claw by the bookcase. Xavier glanced at him and paused for a moment. "To put it in the simplest terms possible, they established that Logan is above him in the 'pack' of the people here at the mansion."
Kitty glanced between Mark and Logan. "Pack? Like wolves?"
Xavier smiled slightly. "That is an appropriate analogy Kitty. Mark has rejected the portion of the implant that deals with human interaction and has fallen back on his instincts. And those instincts are telling him that he needs to acquire a position in this pack. I assume that the only reason he is doing this is because he perceives you as a member and as he is imprinted on you, he also needs to become an accepted member."
Kitty looked over at Mark, who still hadn't moved a muscle. Her thoughts wandered back to when he was growling at Hank earlier. "Um Professor, so is that like why he is growling at anyone that gets near me all the time?"
Xavier thought for a moment. "It's a part of it at least Kitty. His overriding instinct has been your protection. From anything. And that includes what he considers 'others'." He sighed and leaned on the desk. "Let me try to explain this to you another way. He considers himself and you to be in a group. He also sees you being a member of another group, but not himself. Even though he is attempting to gain a position in the other group, he perceives them as not part of his pack and therefore they are 'others'. Because of that, he feels the overwhelming need to protect you from them. Thankfully, so far he has only had to resort to intimidation to fulfill that instinct."
Kitty frowned. "That doesn't make sense Professor. Shouldn't he be trying to show off to the students then? I mean if he's like trying to be accepted and all."
Xavier responded gently. "That is true Kitty, if he was thinking rationally. It would be as you say even if he was relying exclusively on his natural instincts. But the addition of the imprinting and the reinforcement it was given are throwing his responses into chaos. He has come to the decision that keeping you from harm is more important than gaining acceptance from the group. It is in a way fortunate that he is in the process of rejecting portions of the personality that we constructed for him. Otherwise, with his instincts pulling him in two directions could have rendered him quite insane by now."
Kitty swallowed. "Like how crazy Professor?"
Xavier just sat for a moment before responding. "Enough that it doesn't benefit us to dwell on what might have happened."
Everyone's attention was drawn to the door as Jean walked through it. She nodded at the Professor and sat down in a chair.
Xavier returned the nod and spoke. "Thanks for coming Jean. I've already explained what I want to accomplish today with you, but I haven't informed Kitty."
Kitty broke in. "Explained what?"
Xavier turned back to her. "I was hoping that you would accompany Jean and I this time. There are areas of his mind that it is.. difficult for me to access without forcing my way and in the process severely damaging his mind. And I am hoping that his trust for you will allow us easier contact." Xavier felt her reluctance clearly. "It won't hurt him Kitty, and it's not a breach of trust either. We are trying to help him."
Kitty was lost in thought for a few minutes. She finally looked the Professor in the eye and said. "Ok Professor, let's like do it."
Xavier smiled and nodded to Jean. "If you would Jean?" She nodded and gestured. The chairs levitated and arranged themselves in a semicircle next to the desk. Mark had nearly leapt out of his chair when it started to move and only Kitty's sudden grasp on his hand kept him seated.
Xavier rolled around the desk and completed the circle. Jean reached out and placed a hand on both Kitty's and Mark's forehead. She closed her eyes and all three of the teens shuddered and froze.
Xavier was about to reach out for Jean's mind when Logan's voice drifted to him. "You better get it right this time Chuck. The kid's been through enough. And I don't like all this messing around in his head."
Xavier nodded then reached out and connected with Jean.
In the Mindscape
Xavier felt the world shift as he penetrated Mark's consciousness and willed the essence of his mind into a landscape. He heard Kitty gasp next to him. He turned and she was staring at him with wide eyes.
Kitty stuttered for a second before getting her mouth to work. "You're like totally walking Professor."
Xavier glanced down and smiled. "It's much easier to move around like this rather than using the wheelchair. And since absolutely nothing you see is real in the sense you are thinking of, I will it to be this way."
Kitty just gaped. "That is totally cool Professor. Can we like do anything at all here?"
Xavier laid a hand on her shoulder. "Technically yes Kitty, but remember, this isn't a video game, this is Mark's mind. I do this for the sake of brevity, not because I want to be able to walk."
Kitty slowly nodded. Chagrined by the Professors reminder. "So what do you like want me to do?"
Xavier responded. "Actually Kitty, you don't have to do anything. I'm going to be filtering what I'm doing through your mind. Hopefully, Mark will sense that it is you and allow the implanting to fully take this time." Glancing down at her obviously worried look, he gently squeezed her shoulder. "Don't worry Kitty, you will not even notice what I'm doing."
Xavier turned and closed his eyes. The world seemed to melt and start flowing around them. Kitty fought to make some sort of sense of the fragments of images that flashed past them. She vaguely noticed the images starting to flow into a semblance of order and become visible when she caught a glimpse of what she swore was herself. She saw the image start to streak by her and she reflexively reached out to grab it. Just before her hand came into contact with it, she heard the Professor's desperate bellow. "KITTY! DON'T TOUCH..." Before she could stop herself, she closed her fingers on the fragment of the image and the world exploded in a cacophony of light and sound. She jerked and shuddered like she was holding onto a live electrical wire and she felt a pressure start to press against the inside of her skull. She saw the Professor reach out for her just before the pressure blinded her and she screamed away the last of her consciousness.
Xavier's office
Xavier's eyes flew open and he felt hands lifting him up from the floor. He rolled his head to the side and saw Logan standing over him, trying to put him back in his chair. He saw Logan's lips move, but couldn't hear any sound. Shaking his head and concentrating, he pulled the shattered fragments of his mind back together. Logan's voice suddenly broke in. ".you hear me? What's going on Chuck?"
Xavier put a hand to his temple, trying to soothe the pounding headache behind his eyes. "Yes, just a moment Logan, we took quite a shock. I just need a moment to recover." He glanced around and whatever relief he had gained from the throbbing in his head vanished when he saw Kitty lying on the floor twitching and Mark wrapped around her body, unconsciously trying to soothe her distress. His eyes then fell on Jean, who was rubbing her own temples in pain.
She cracked open her eyes and croaked. "What happened Professor? One second everything was going well, then suddenly I felt someone else in the linkup. Then everything just exploded. I tried to hold it together, but it just hurt too much."
Xavier was silent for a moment. "It's alright Jean, you did the best anyone could have expected. What happened was unfortunately not something either of us could have prevented."
Jean asked. "What exactly 'did' happen Professor?"
Xavier sighed and leaned back. "Kitty saw herself and reached out. It is my fault I suppose. I didn't factor her natural curiosity into my plan. When she came into contact with that image of herself, she forced her own conscious mind into the linkup, destroying it."
Jean turned and stared at the two intertwined teens for a moment before looking back at the Professor. "Is she going to be ok?"
Xavier sighed. "I believe so, Mark's mind didn't attempt to force her out, it just became too much for her to." his voice trailed off as he looked at the teens, a pained look crossing his face.
Jean glanced between them. "What's wrong Professor?"
Xavier grimaced. "Reach out to them Jean, but do it gently."
Jean closed her eyes and slowly focused her mind onto the two teens. Feeling an aberration, she moved closer and took a better look at their consciousness'. She violently pulled her own mind back to her body and turned to the Professor, an incredulous look on her face. "That's impossible Professor, neither of them are telepaths!"
Xavier frowned. "I don't know how Jean, but it is true." He turned and looked at both Jean and Logan. "They have a psibond."
Couple of problems cropped up. First, I uploaded the wrong version of the file and posted my rough draft. I went back and uploaded the revised copy, so you might want to reread it so the glaring plot holes and general stupid mistakes aren't there. Second, sorry for the short chapter on ch9. I just had this insane desire to finish it right there and get it posted. I personally blame the makers of those pyramid hats.
"Feh"
The reviewer known as Me: Um, wow. I'm glad you enjoy the story. I'm trying to portray Mark as realistically as possible given that he's in a world with people that fly/shoot crap out of their eyes/etc. It's gratifying to know that I seem to be succeeding.
Kitchen Xavier's Institute for the Gifted
The oak hallway doors leading from the hallway flew open as a gaggle of teenagers came pouring in from their day at school. Kurt dropped his bag on the table and grabbed a Coke from the fridge. Sipping it, he started in on the preparation of his after school 'snack'. The rest of the students talked loudly amongst themselves. He had just plastered the seventh layer of ham on his sandwich when he noticed Kitty walk in the door and turn to say something to someone, probably the Professor. He took a step forward to ask how she was doing when he nearly dropped the coke on the floor. Walking behind her was the guy they had rescued. His mind almost short circuited trying to decide weather he should run screaming for the Professor, or start evacuating the younger students. He finally settled on croaking out a warning shout when the next thing he saw froze the air in his lungs and the coke finally slipped from his fingers.
Kitty walked into the dining room, wondering at the reaction Mark was going to get. She knew that the report on what had happened in Colorado had to have gotten out and circulated around the students. She almost giggled when she saw the look of absolute horror on Kurt's face. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Mark was just standing at the door, a blank look on his face and he was absolutely still. She reached back and grabbed his hand, jolting him out of his trance. "Come on in, you have to like meet everyone eventually anyway."
Mark stared at her for just a second before he let out a, "Ok." and walked into the Kitchen. He let Kitty start dragging him into the room when a loud 'crack' shot through the room.
Kitty started to flinch when she felt an iron hard arm wrap itself around her waist and lift her off the ground. She let out a startled yelp as she was violently spun around and dropped to the floor. She skidded back almost to the door before she stopped. Catching a flash of motion, she looked up to see Mark vaulting over the table towards Kurt.
Kurt took a step back and glanced down when his coke hit the floor. Cursing inwardly, he reached around to a rack and grabbed a towel to clean up the mess when he heard a yelp. Whipping his head around, he saw that Kitty had vanished and the guy was airborne and speeding in his direction with a snarl on his face. Kurt's reflexes snapped into play and he felt the twinge in his spine that always appeared just before he ported. The guy was almost within striking distance when Kurt felt the twinge spread and he exploded into a cloud of black smoke.
Mark slammed into the counted, cracking the heavy marble counter with his shoulder. Bouncing off, he dove for the coke can. His hand wrapped around it and he torqued his hips and spun over in midair. He completed his roll and hurled the can straight at the bay window.
The coke can flew at the glass like a missile. The students all finally ducked when the can impacted the window and glass shards exploded into the lawn.
Kitty quickly stood and starting rubbing her sore rear. Looking at the cringing students, she came to the conclusion that maybe it was a bit soon to have brought Mark up. Hearing a 'psst' above her, she glanced up and saw Kurt hanging from a light fixture.
Kurt took a quick glance at the standing boy before turning back to Kitty. "Katzchen, what just happened?"
Kitty started to open her mouth when Logan's voice cut into the silence. "Easy, I've seen this happen before Elf. He acted like it was a grenade."
Kitty and Kurt both gaped. Kurt flipped down to the floor. "But it was just a soda can Herr Logan."
Logan snorted and took a pull of his bottle. "Yea, well lets just say he's kinda jumpy." And he gestured over to Mark, who was now standing at the window looking out and appearing to be searching for something.
Kitty watched Mark for a second before sighing. "Maybe the Professor should like, take another look at him. He's up here for like ten seconds and he's already terrified the rest of the students and totally destroyed a window."
Mark let go of the windowsill and turned back to the kitchen. His eyes slid over the mass of students that had just started to stand back up. He turned full to Kitty and started walking back to her, his eyes darting between Kurt and Logan. The students he passed stepping back from him. Kitty's face blanched when she noticed Mark grab a large glass shard that was imbedded in his right hand and pull it out with never a change in expression, much less a grunt. He let the bloody shard drop to the ground and stepped up to Kitty. He quickly glanced her over and turned to Logan. They both just stared at one another without moving. Both of their eyes seeming to search for something in the other. Kitty felt rather than heard the sound of two sets of chests rumbling. The next few seconds stretched into a timeless wait as Kitty looked at the two people most likely to inflict severe property damage stare each other down.
Kitty's neck started to constrict from the tension in the room. She started to reach a hand up to rub it when Mark exhaled and turned away from Logan. She saw the small upturn of Logan's lips before he took another pull from his bottle. She knew something had happened, and that it was important, but didn't know exactly what. The one thing she was certain of was that Mark had lost whatever it was.
She was broken out of her reverie when Logan spoke. "Take em on up to the Professor Half-pint. He's waiting."
She nodded and grabbed Mark's arm and began to drag him out when Logan's hand grabbed her shoulder. "He's not a dog on a leash Pryde. Don't treat him like one."
Before she could respond, Logan had finished his bottle and stomped out of the room.
Kitty was still for a moment. A dog on a leash? She wasn't treating him like that.was she? Well, other than the lab, but she couldn't think of anything else to do! Shaking her head and deciding to ask him later, she led Mark up to Xavier's office.
Xavier's office
Kitty was about to knock on the door when she heard the Professor call out. "Come in Kitty, I've been expecting you." Her hand just hung in the air for a moment before she shrugged and stepped into the office. She saw the Professor and Logan talking quietly behind the desk. Leading Mark to a chair, she sat him down and flopped into another chair.
Xavier nodded to Logan and turned back to the two teens. "Well, I obviously heard about the incident in the kitchen. I must say that Mark's reflexes and protective streak are both impressive. However, his judgment is not." He rolled out past the mahogany desk and came to a stop in front of them. He folded his hands under his nose and just looked at them for a moment before leaning back. "From what I've seen today and last night, he's integrating the basic concepts Jean and I implanted, but he's rejecting the details. This worries me."
Kitty scrunched her brows up. "Like what do you mean by details Professor?"
Xavier sighed. "Details like how to interact with people, what constitutes proper behavior, and restraint. If Kurt had not ported when he did, he would have attacked him."
Kitty threw a quick glance over at Mark's impassive face. "Really?"
Xavier grimaced. "Unfortunately so Kitty. He also seems to be rejecting the language as well. I'm afraid that he is going to have to have another session with Jean and myself before I will be willing to expose him to the other students again." He turned and rolled back to his desk. "However, at least one thing occurred that was to our benefit. He and Logan seemed to have resolved the question of who is dominate between them."
Kitty's face clouded. "What do you mean dominate?"
Logan scowled and started cleaning a claw by the bookcase. Xavier glanced at him and paused for a moment. "To put it in the simplest terms possible, they established that Logan is above him in the 'pack' of the people here at the mansion."
Kitty glanced between Mark and Logan. "Pack? Like wolves?"
Xavier smiled slightly. "That is an appropriate analogy Kitty. Mark has rejected the portion of the implant that deals with human interaction and has fallen back on his instincts. And those instincts are telling him that he needs to acquire a position in this pack. I assume that the only reason he is doing this is because he perceives you as a member and as he is imprinted on you, he also needs to become an accepted member."
Kitty looked over at Mark, who still hadn't moved a muscle. Her thoughts wandered back to when he was growling at Hank earlier. "Um Professor, so is that like why he is growling at anyone that gets near me all the time?"
Xavier thought for a moment. "It's a part of it at least Kitty. His overriding instinct has been your protection. From anything. And that includes what he considers 'others'." He sighed and leaned on the desk. "Let me try to explain this to you another way. He considers himself and you to be in a group. He also sees you being a member of another group, but not himself. Even though he is attempting to gain a position in the other group, he perceives them as not part of his pack and therefore they are 'others'. Because of that, he feels the overwhelming need to protect you from them. Thankfully, so far he has only had to resort to intimidation to fulfill that instinct."
Kitty frowned. "That doesn't make sense Professor. Shouldn't he be trying to show off to the students then? I mean if he's like trying to be accepted and all."
Xavier responded gently. "That is true Kitty, if he was thinking rationally. It would be as you say even if he was relying exclusively on his natural instincts. But the addition of the imprinting and the reinforcement it was given are throwing his responses into chaos. He has come to the decision that keeping you from harm is more important than gaining acceptance from the group. It is in a way fortunate that he is in the process of rejecting portions of the personality that we constructed for him. Otherwise, with his instincts pulling him in two directions could have rendered him quite insane by now."
Kitty swallowed. "Like how crazy Professor?"
Xavier just sat for a moment before responding. "Enough that it doesn't benefit us to dwell on what might have happened."
Everyone's attention was drawn to the door as Jean walked through it. She nodded at the Professor and sat down in a chair.
Xavier returned the nod and spoke. "Thanks for coming Jean. I've already explained what I want to accomplish today with you, but I haven't informed Kitty."
Kitty broke in. "Explained what?"
Xavier turned back to her. "I was hoping that you would accompany Jean and I this time. There are areas of his mind that it is.. difficult for me to access without forcing my way and in the process severely damaging his mind. And I am hoping that his trust for you will allow us easier contact." Xavier felt her reluctance clearly. "It won't hurt him Kitty, and it's not a breach of trust either. We are trying to help him."
Kitty was lost in thought for a few minutes. She finally looked the Professor in the eye and said. "Ok Professor, let's like do it."
Xavier smiled and nodded to Jean. "If you would Jean?" She nodded and gestured. The chairs levitated and arranged themselves in a semicircle next to the desk. Mark had nearly leapt out of his chair when it started to move and only Kitty's sudden grasp on his hand kept him seated.
Xavier rolled around the desk and completed the circle. Jean reached out and placed a hand on both Kitty's and Mark's forehead. She closed her eyes and all three of the teens shuddered and froze.
Xavier was about to reach out for Jean's mind when Logan's voice drifted to him. "You better get it right this time Chuck. The kid's been through enough. And I don't like all this messing around in his head."
Xavier nodded then reached out and connected with Jean.
In the Mindscape
Xavier felt the world shift as he penetrated Mark's consciousness and willed the essence of his mind into a landscape. He heard Kitty gasp next to him. He turned and she was staring at him with wide eyes.
Kitty stuttered for a second before getting her mouth to work. "You're like totally walking Professor."
Xavier glanced down and smiled. "It's much easier to move around like this rather than using the wheelchair. And since absolutely nothing you see is real in the sense you are thinking of, I will it to be this way."
Kitty just gaped. "That is totally cool Professor. Can we like do anything at all here?"
Xavier laid a hand on her shoulder. "Technically yes Kitty, but remember, this isn't a video game, this is Mark's mind. I do this for the sake of brevity, not because I want to be able to walk."
Kitty slowly nodded. Chagrined by the Professors reminder. "So what do you like want me to do?"
Xavier responded. "Actually Kitty, you don't have to do anything. I'm going to be filtering what I'm doing through your mind. Hopefully, Mark will sense that it is you and allow the implanting to fully take this time." Glancing down at her obviously worried look, he gently squeezed her shoulder. "Don't worry Kitty, you will not even notice what I'm doing."
Xavier turned and closed his eyes. The world seemed to melt and start flowing around them. Kitty fought to make some sort of sense of the fragments of images that flashed past them. She vaguely noticed the images starting to flow into a semblance of order and become visible when she caught a glimpse of what she swore was herself. She saw the image start to streak by her and she reflexively reached out to grab it. Just before her hand came into contact with it, she heard the Professor's desperate bellow. "KITTY! DON'T TOUCH..." Before she could stop herself, she closed her fingers on the fragment of the image and the world exploded in a cacophony of light and sound. She jerked and shuddered like she was holding onto a live electrical wire and she felt a pressure start to press against the inside of her skull. She saw the Professor reach out for her just before the pressure blinded her and she screamed away the last of her consciousness.
Xavier's office
Xavier's eyes flew open and he felt hands lifting him up from the floor. He rolled his head to the side and saw Logan standing over him, trying to put him back in his chair. He saw Logan's lips move, but couldn't hear any sound. Shaking his head and concentrating, he pulled the shattered fragments of his mind back together. Logan's voice suddenly broke in. ".you hear me? What's going on Chuck?"
Xavier put a hand to his temple, trying to soothe the pounding headache behind his eyes. "Yes, just a moment Logan, we took quite a shock. I just need a moment to recover." He glanced around and whatever relief he had gained from the throbbing in his head vanished when he saw Kitty lying on the floor twitching and Mark wrapped around her body, unconsciously trying to soothe her distress. His eyes then fell on Jean, who was rubbing her own temples in pain.
She cracked open her eyes and croaked. "What happened Professor? One second everything was going well, then suddenly I felt someone else in the linkup. Then everything just exploded. I tried to hold it together, but it just hurt too much."
Xavier was silent for a moment. "It's alright Jean, you did the best anyone could have expected. What happened was unfortunately not something either of us could have prevented."
Jean asked. "What exactly 'did' happen Professor?"
Xavier sighed and leaned back. "Kitty saw herself and reached out. It is my fault I suppose. I didn't factor her natural curiosity into my plan. When she came into contact with that image of herself, she forced her own conscious mind into the linkup, destroying it."
Jean turned and stared at the two intertwined teens for a moment before looking back at the Professor. "Is she going to be ok?"
Xavier sighed. "I believe so, Mark's mind didn't attempt to force her out, it just became too much for her to." his voice trailed off as he looked at the teens, a pained look crossing his face.
Jean glanced between them. "What's wrong Professor?"
Xavier grimaced. "Reach out to them Jean, but do it gently."
Jean closed her eyes and slowly focused her mind onto the two teens. Feeling an aberration, she moved closer and took a better look at their consciousness'. She violently pulled her own mind back to her body and turned to the Professor, an incredulous look on her face. "That's impossible Professor, neither of them are telepaths!"
Xavier frowned. "I don't know how Jean, but it is true." He turned and looked at both Jean and Logan. "They have a psibond."