Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel.
BlkDiamond – Thanks! I love Sinister for whatever reason. So many interesting angles.
BJ – Isn't it great to watch serious characters act silly? It works, hopefully. Appropriate vengeance for a character like Remy, non?
Chapter 2 – Friction
Dear Charles,
'…although I deeply regret that it involved Remy, whose life really has not been fair at all (which is mostly your fault).'
Is not acceptable cost what I am so often critiqued for?
Assume for a moment that I possessed entirely and utterly pure motives for the Massacre. If I told you that killing them saved the world, you would look less harshly upon my actions and discharge them as a necessary malevolence; if I had a wholly unrighteous or unjustifiable cause (such as that you suppose me to have), would it make a difference?
No, it would not. The Morlocks remain dead and the impact of my measures remain unchanged. The same lives would be ruined, the same guilt would be felt. The one and only difference that having altruistic motives would make is that the judgemental bystanders would sleep a little better and evaluate me a little less harshly. Obviously, I care about neither of these things. However, you fail to appreciate the costs of your own actions, and those of your team.
'Being the 'superior' intellect among the two of us, maybe you have learned that his own insecurity probably played heavily in his judgment.'
Preposterous!
How on earth is it possible that Remy lived with the world's so-called greatest telepath for years and his true nature was never exposed? Becoming an X-Man was Remy's way of beginning the long journey to atonement. You would be amazed at how many sins go without expiation when a person is dead; the presumption is an attempt to absolve both yourself and your team for the charade where the beloved X-Men left one of your own (possibly the most useful one, at that) to freeze to death. In addition, the theory is highly improbable, considering the massive damage to his mental shields occurred during the psychological aftermath while he was recovering, meaning he spared your band of murderers from feeling the pain they caused Remy.
Speaking of which, I was somewhat amazed initially that anything was capable of breaking Lebeau. The intense damage to his respiratory system prevented him for speaking for quite some time, but when he finally regained the capability, I came to an important realization. Some of the most awful things that I have done during my extensive career concerned unfortunate Remy, but he always recovered, fought the damage, and continued to live as normally as could be expected. Never again. There is no recovery from some mental injury and you managed to cause intense, horrifying psychological pain to that boy.
Now, to address your claim that Liz is wicked: I thought I would share a brief history to explain how the two ended up involved, as it seems to be a mystery to most. As my apprentice, she is a well-trained, effective physician; when I rescued Remy, I brought him to the lab and we slowly nursed him back to a reasonable state. At the time, I do think that my fatherly love blinded me from realizing the type of bond the two were forming. Or, possibly, their romantic attachment did not form until later. That is not really the point. What is the point is that my supposedly 'wicked,' cheap' daughter connected with Remy due to the malicious acts of your untrained, impulsive team. So, if by 'moral vacuum' you mean 'girl who saves the X-Men from one another,' then yes, Liz is a moral vacuum.
A moral vacuum that is superior to Lebeau, who will, in all likelihood, never fully trust anyone else out of fear of abandonment. Trust should be the foundation of a marriage, and knowing what I do about Remy, trusting Liz is simply impossible for him. I understand their attraction on many levels. She is a quiet intellectual, very well-behaved, and he is the rough masculine man that disturbs what she perceives to be a boring lifestyle. In truth, I do not know how long the relationship has lasted or when it began; my first realization that it existed on any level was the day I stumbled onto them copulating on Liz's kitchen table in the Oxford apartment.
Charles, I would have taken his head off right there, had I been allowed. Unfortunately, that was two years ago, and my theory about that being a weekend fling, along with the one-month fling, the casual affair, and yearlong affairs were proven very wrong. Why must she do this? My Lizzie! I nurtured her when she was just a child, constantly begging for my attention. She has rebelled against her upbringing and against me by pursuing this ill-fated romance. And Remy…this is retaliation against me, I am certain. Taking my daughter away is something a foe would do. Taking my daughter's virginity is something only Remy could execute.
We must stop this marriage. If Liz is hurt by Remy, I make no guarantees about Remy's safety. As her father, I have mulled over and even written down quite a few plans to wreak havoc upon Remy if he breaks her heart. Turning him into a powerless, quadriplegic woman actually ranks very highly on that list. If you care about either of them, you will assist me in ending their relationship.
Nathaniel Essex
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Dear Nathaniel,
Have you ever considered getting help?
You fluctuate between pity, admiration, and complete disdain for Remy. Although, I felt the same way last Tuesday when I spotted them mid-sexual intercourse high in a tree outside my window.
Why do I tell you this? Because I know that it will cause you more anguish than burning down all of your labs at the same time. And I am pleased with myself for causing it.
Curiously, you seem to have no problem fulfilling the roles of amoral scientist, loving father, and physician; most people would find any of those roles to be far too intense, especially the one that involves attempting to tame the black-haired animal you insist on referring to as a person.
Amusingly, you seem to be unaware or possibly in denial of Liz's true disposition. Under the 'I am here to help people' façade there lurks a creature of certain evil. The way her mind functions, the things she says…sometimes I think Remy and Hank are the only ones that do not secretly fear her. While she never formally joined the X-Men, she has proven to be a highly skilled doctor and a good friend to Hank. However, the infirmary is the only place where she does not cause unnecessary drama or pain. Like her unscrupulous father, she enjoys playing with the lives of others like a puppeteer.
How is it that Remy can tolerate her? I do now know, but I am sure your assessment of their basic attraction is incorrect. Quite simply put, Remy is the laid back, ruggedly handsome calm guy. And Lizzy is the sexed up fireball that shakes his whole life up. Liz is Remy's addiction, and vice versa. Liz craves normal things because of Remy, like marriage. Without that sliver of normalcy, there is no doubt in my mind that she would grow up to be a more humane version of you.
Out of curiosity, what are you going to tell your daughter the next time you feel an itch to cut into her future husband? Does she even know about the things you've done to Remy? As far as your rant on the Massacre is concerned, I have my own opinions as to why that occurred.
'Is not acceptable cost what I am so often critiqued for?'
Yes, it is. The fact that you are willing to accept death, pain, and torture appalls others. Unlike you, the X-Men do not leave a trail of death and ruined lives everywhere they go; there is no doubt in my mind that the world is a better place because they exist. The same absolutely cannot be said for you. Or your spawn. I pity Remy for so many reason. Make no mistake, Sinister; my need to call of this marriage is atonement of my own, fulfilling the need to protect one of my own from future harm, having been unable to save him before. Why it is that Remy feels he deserves to suffer through a relationship with Liz is beyond me.
We both understand why Remy was left behind. The Massacre was your fault, front-to-back, as well as the consequences, one of which was Remy's abandonment. Had it been an event the X-Men were not involved in, we both know he would have been scorned, but left on the team, probably without punishment. But the X-Men were there that day, and they suffered a significant amount of emotional harm as well; I do regret what happened to Remy, but I cannot in good conscience hold any of them responsible for their reactions. From a purely logistical standpoint, my team is better off without Lebeau entirely because he ruffles so many feathers, especially with those people who left him there. What I regret most of all about the entire situation is that they didn't simply execute Lebeau. They left him vulnerable to you, and God knows what you and your Lizzy did to him then!
Has he not suffered enough? Why must he subject himself to further torture at the hands of the Essex family? I believe that if Remy had a higher opinion of himself, he would pursue a more compatible, nicer woman.
To answer your question, yes, I will help you break them apart, but I will not use my powers to do it and I do not wish to be revealed as ever having conspired with you for something that most would perceive as being so ridiculously petty.
Charles Xavier
Read and review. Or else!
…
Pwitty pwease?