Disclaimer: I don't own any of the X-Men characters or the X-Men universe. I only own my original character Anastasia Nereus.
See, peeps? Two chappies in one day, I'm making up the evil cliffhanger to you guys! :D
Enjoy!
There was the river….30 feet in the air…..
Charles took a brief glance back at the mansion, where he could see all of the mutants and Moira staring at the river with their jaws dropped.
He looked back, and among closer inspection, could see that even the fish were still swimming in the river, going along with their lives as if they weren't suspended 3 stories in the air.
Anastasia choked back a sob, and the river suddenly wobbled. Held by unimaginable panic, Charles was relieved when Anastasia finally raised her hand and slowly lowered it, the river sinking down alongside the motion.
When the river had finally gone back to its original state, Charles started raving, as his personality would call on him to do.
"My God, that was superb! The control you exerted over the water, even the fish! Anastasia—" Charles turned around to give Anastasia a big congratulatory hug.
But she was already gone.
Erik, as he had seen the entire transpiration from the second-highest floor, could feel nothing but awe for the water-controlling mutant. What he had done, which had seemed so monumental to him…could never compare to what she had done. Mein Gott*, she had lifted a river!
But when he saw the distant gleam of tears on her face, he couldn't help but feel that this wasn't as much of an accomplishment to her as it was to him. Plus the fact that, despite being a mostly stone-hearted individual, he felt the need to protect this woman from every single harm possible, physical or mental. Not that he felt any sentiments to her, or anything of that sort….simply preposterous…
But when she had lowered that river, a visage of utter despair had fallen on her face. Erik could see her completely ignoring Charles's praising babble, and turning her head towards the mansion. Despite the great distance between them, Erik and Anastasia locked eyes for one brief, yet extensive, moment before she closed her eyes and evaporated into the breeze.
Erik wasted no time walking to where she would be. He ran.
Anastasia slowly twirled her fingers around, watching the water from the fountain follow through and around them like tiny snakes. If there was one thing she would keep from destruction if the world ever went into nuclear war, it would probably be this fountain. The intricate detail put in the sprouts, and the beautifully clear water shed from this sculpture simply amazed her. Unfortunately, today was one of the many days that this fountain wouldn't be able to soothe her.
"What was your memory?" Anastasia, out of pure reflex, sent a lightning fast whip of water at the source of the noise, but fortunately, this German mutant had amazing reflexes. He swerved gracefully to the side, and, like a panther, smoothly glided into the seat on the bench next to Anastasia.
"What do you mean?" Both of them knew that she knew full well that she knew what he was talking about.
"The memory….that gave you the power to do…that…" At that point, Erik made a dramatic lifting gesture, which garnered a few low chuckles from Anastasia. But she still stayed silent.
"If you won't talk….then I guess I will have to," Erik sighed, and this time, Anastasia quizzically inclined her head towards the handsome German.
"As you might know, I am Jewish…," both of their eyes briefly flickered to Erik's left forearm, where the infamous tattoo lied, "and before…the war, we had a great life. All of the Jewish community was a great family, and every year, at Hanukkah, an honorable and distinguished person of the community would light the candles every day. The year before…our last….," Anastasia gave him a reassuring pat on the leg.
"I'm here…I'm listening…" Erik nodded and continued.
"They let me light the candles. Me! Only a brat and a disobedient one at that! But for some reason, that year, they let me light the candles. And the pride, the honor, and the serenity I felt at that moment, the joys on the faces of my mother and father…those feelings have been all I have been striving for since…"
Anastasia could feel her eyes filling with tears again, and blinked them rapidly.
"Erik, that's…the most beautiful thing I have ever heard…Thank you…" Erik gave her a glance filled with emotion that she couldn't stop one lone droplet from falling from her eye.
"Anastasia, the thing is…until recently, I had all but forgotten that memory. If it wasn't for Charles, I would still be oblivious to the existence of that precious experience…."
"That's why, no matter how many horrors haunt you, you need to open your mind. Of all of the people who could deal with the horrors that you, and that I, have faced, Charles would be the best possible choice you have. And you know that." Erik finished, and Anastasia exhaled a deep breath.
"I agree with you Erik," she began, "but the trouble is that even Charles says it himself that he can barely get into my mind. How can he help me face those horrors then?"
"Don't forget, it's not just him who can help you," Erik subtly mentioned while giving her a meaningful gaze, to which Anastasia gave a wobbly smile in return. Then, Erik's face contorted back into his signature smirk.
"Plus, doesn't he have to train as well?"
"Anastasia! Anastasia!" Charles shouted into the hallways. The British telepath had been searching every corner and crevice of the titanic mansion, but nevertheless, the Mediterranean woman stayed out of his search.
Charles sharply exhaled, his hand nearly pulling his hair out from worry. Of course, of all the people he had to find, it had to be one of the only beings on the planet that he couldn't read the mind of. Oh how great was the luck of Charles Xavier.
After several more hours of searching, Charles dejectedly returned to his, previously his father's, office. Slumping into the armchair behind the ornate oak desk, Charles frowned into the distance, still disappointed at failing to find the slightly hydromaniac mutant.
"Where could she possibly be?"
"Maybe right behind you."
"GAH!"
THUMP
Well, Anastasia hadn't expected this. Sneaking up on the telepath had seemed like a good idea in foresight, possibly releasing some tensions. But she definitely hadn't expected the mutant to scream, slightly shrill, like a teenage girl. Or to plummel very ungracefully out of the comfy armchair to the floor in the goofiest way possible. Nope, she certainly hadn't expected this.
"Um….are you okay, Charles?..."
"Can't…feel….my face….Ow…." The tangle of British mutant limbs groaned.
"…Charles…? Sure you didn't break something?"
"Mphhh….my face…."
Anastasia chewed on her lip. Surely something wasn't wrong with the bright chap.
"…Faaaacceeeee…."
It wasn't as if the fall had stupefied the intelligent professor.
"…Faaaa….."
Surely not.
"…Grgshrhdah…."
Anastasia gulped.
Time to get Hank.
"Charles…"
Charles started to hear a low buzz around his ears, but ignored it for the peaceful rest he was in now.
"Charles…!"
A thin beam of light peeked through his eyelids, but quickly disappeared. The buzzing began to become intelligible, and Charles actually started to listen.
"It's been hours, why hasn't he woken up yet?" A frantic, distinctly feminine voice shouted.
"It's probably just a concussion or some sort….he'll get over it soon….hopefully…" A calmer, but still panicked male voice murmured.
"Probably? Hopefully?" The female voice shrieked.
"Anastasia, calm down…" A deep masculine timber resounded.
"How should I? Look at him, he looks practically dead!"
"If I know anything about Charles, he's not going to go down for the count with just a head injury."
"Right-o, Erik"
Anastasia literally broke her neck in whiplash as she turned to the source of the last statement. There was Charles, fully awake and smiling his devious handsome grin at that. But right when she was about to sigh out of relief, Anastasia realized something.
"You….were awake the entire time, weren't you?"
Charles sheepishly grinned, unaware of the darkening expression on the water mutant's face.
"Well, I slowly came to over the last few minutes; by the way, I am extremely flattered by your worry for me,- "
SLAP
Charles' eyes stayed wide open, as he began to feel the distinctive sting on the left side of his face. Through the shock of being openly slapped, he could only vaguely hear Anastasia's scolding.
"Don't you dare make me worry like that, you bumbling British fool! If you're awake, get up then, you prat! Ugh, men, stupid arrogant, egotistical creatures!"
Needless to say, Anastasia didn't stop her much needed rant for several more minutes. While she was letting off her steam, Charles discreetly looked around the room for the other mutants. Sean, Alex, Hank, and Raven all had similar expressions of slack-jaw and shock, while Erik wore a face of utter bemusement. Charles glared at that face, which only increased in mocking his current predicament.
Anastasia finally sighed sharply, and got up. She extended a hand to Charles, which he tentatively grasped, and pulled him up onto his feet with surprising strength.
"Let's go, I need you in private."
Charles was still surprised at Anastasia's strength as she dragged him across the estate, taking so many twists and turns in the meadows and forest that he was completely lost. The fact that he never knew that this trail they were on even existed was also adding to his confusion. Finally, the thicket of bushes and trees came to an end, opening out into a small courtyard, on the edge of the hill overlooking the entire estate.
And in the middle of the courtyard was the most beautiful fountain he had ever seen. Inlaid with various Grecian carvings and sprouting the clearest water he had ever seen, Charles was shocked at the beauty. He was even more shocked at how he hadn't known that this place existed.
"I found this place when I was wandering around one night, twinkling in the moonlight…" Before Charles could give her a quizzical look, Anastasia gave him a guilty smile, and admitted, "Resident insomniac, at your service."
Charles gave her a resolute grin and said, "Well, we'll get around to fixing that."
Anastasia's lips made a tiny upward turn before returning to their solemn placement. She sat on the bench, and patted the space next to her, wordlessly gesturing for Charles to get there.
Once he sat down, the two stayed in a smothering silence for several more minutes. Finally, when Charles finally couldn't take saying something, Anastasia did him the favor.
"I want you to break into my mind." Surprisingly, Charles didn't turn to her with a face of utter joy and surprise, as Anastasia expected.
"Are you sure?" He solemnly murmured, and even though he had asked the question, Charles knew that the Mediterranean was nodding.
"I know that I have a lot of demons in that skull of mine, but at least I know them all. What I want you to do….is to find that bright corner. Because I certainly can't."
Charles still looked unsure, so Anastasia grabbed his face and sharply turned it towards her.
With those ice blue eyes stabbing into his soul, Charles suddenly felt slightly scared…and anticipatory?
"Okay, let me make this clearer. You don't have a choice. You will help me." Anastasia hissed, hoping to break the telepath with just that. But Charles still had that unsure glaze over his aquamarine eyes.
"What if I find something you don't want to see?" Anastasia's gaze hardened.
"Then that's my problem." Anastasia pondered how to convince the mutant any further, until when Erik's quirky smirk came to mind.
With a similar smirk plastered onto her face, Anastasia murmured the wrongs of the 'oh so wise' German mutant, "Besides, don't you have to train as well?"
Not to be bragging in any way, but Erik was quite proud of himself. Escaping the detection of both the powerful telepath Charles and the queen of paranoia Anastasia was quite a feat. He was even proud of his wonderful hiding spot of a thorn-less raspberry bush, both comfortable and yummy.
However, all of that pride quickly transformed into blinding jealousy when Anastasia grabbed Charles' face, leaving the two of them in a very suggestive position. Erik didn't even deny it anymore; he suffered from an extremely bad bout of attraction to the hydromaniac mutant. So when he saw Anastasia's beautiful reddish lips only centimeters away from Charles, it took all of his self control not to jump up and throw the Brit to a far, far away place.
But when Charles finally nodded his consent to read the woman's mind, Erik's jealousy quickly faded into intense curiosity.
"Are you still sure?"
"Yes, I am quite sure, Charles," Anastasia sighed.
"You do know we might be stuck like this for a long time," Charles was pulling at straws, but Anastasia was resolute.
"Just shut up and read my mind," she said, and Charles bit his lip, before putting his finger to his temple.
And in he went into the deep abyss of Anastasia Nereus's mind.
Although it had only been a few minutes in reality, Charles felt as if it had been hours. After defense after defense, Charles felt like a skeleton, about to collapse any second. But finally, no more titanic walls popped up in front of him, no more samurai tried to chop his head off, no more hyenas ganging up on him to eat him alive; finally he was through.
As he walked through Anastasia's subconscious, although he couldn't help but gasp and cringe at the horrors the woman had gone through, he knew that he was making progress. He felt the warmth, and he saw the darkness begin to give way to light. He smiled, and started to run towards the bright star, the dark memories passing him in blurs.
Until he ran headfirst into the worst darkness yet.
Yes, it's another cliffhanger. Please don't kill me.
*Mein Gott : German for 'My God'
Please review, everyone!