Prompt Post: ROUND FIVE

[oakenshields13]

ROUND FIVE IS CLOSED

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Re: FILL: (3/?)

[kaseykcnew]

3.
a.
It's strange to be a ball of floating energy, but also kind of cool because he can see everything at once. There's nothing that's closed to him anymore. Being ascended is like being a telepath only the sound is ramped up to 11 instead of 5. It's... interesting to say the least.
He check's on the others constantly. Watching how they cope without him, watching how they handle the world around them even as it slowly starts to crumble. Charles can't watch them for long though because it's just too tempting to help them out, to soothe their worries and fears and nightmares. Hank stays up as much as he can, being the surrogate parent to them all now he's 'gone' and Charles can see how it wears on him. He's too young for such responsibility but the others couldn't handle it and so Hank was forced to step-up because he can. And in turn, Hank couldn't handle the responsibility of being a surrogate parent, helper, teacher and leader like he could.
So he always had to leave, move away and focus on something else when Hank broke down and roared and fell apart before putting himself back together again and being the leader they all needed. But, he's left hints, ideas, notes, whispers in all their minds that eventually calmed them, eventually let them settle and return to a semblance of normalcy. And Charles is forever thankful for loop-holes because he'd had to do something for them.
The problem is, when he leaves the kids alone, he always, always, goes to check on Raven and Erik. And that's even worse for him because he really, really, really wishes he could just take them home because the children need Erik and Erik needs the children. But he can't interfere. He can't manipulate them like puppets because he swore to himself that he'd never do that when he'd been just a telepath and he can't justify taking from them the fundamental right of free will just because he can. And so he stops himself as he watches, listens, longs for them.
Raven is growing up, sure in her blue skin, and Charles longs to hug her whenever he sees the pain she hides so well rise up to the surface. He wants to knock Frost about the head whenever the woman messes about in Raven's mind, not bothering to heed the orders to stay out of their heads from Erik when he's not around. He wants to go back in time and fix everything, only he can't because one; he doesn't think even he is capable of time-travel in his current form and two; he'd break the biggest rule that ascended beings had to live by.
Erik, when Charles follows him like a puppy following its master, is always quiet, withdrawn... dead inside. Charles knows that it's because of him. He knows that something precious in Erik died the day his physical body went caput and Charles hates himself for it all because Erik was one of the few things in the world that Charles never wanted to hurt. Erik was, is - always will be - everything to him. It's almost as though when he died, Erik died with him and what' left is a hardened-out shell of a man he once knew and cared for.
And it's times like this, these times when Charles has to force himself away with every ounce of power and inner-strength that he has because he wants to fix Erik, wants to take the pain away, make him better, make him love and be happy. And it breaks Charles' heart to not be able to.
..

Re: FILL: (3/?)

[kaseykcnew]

3b.
One night he's watching as Erik dreams, dreams of him, and he knows he shouldn't, knows that it's dangerous, that it's bending the rules to near breaking point, but he can't seem to be able to stop himself as he gently slips into Erik's dreams. What he finds surprises him, though not as much since he'd seen how his friend had tossed and turned night after night for months. He thought Erik was reliving his time of being Shaw's toy, his time in the camps, not... this.
There are trees, trees that are burned in Erik's memory and trees that Charles remembers being a part of when he'd first ascended. He is surprised to note that, instead of seeing himself and Erik in the clearing, one real the other a figment of a traumatised mind, he finds his friend sitting alone surrounded by dust and metal and despair. Slowly, with the legs of the body he's given himself in this dream-land, Charles makes his way over to his friend and crouches down next to him. He doesn't think Erik can see him right now and it's a relief because he doesn't want Erik to see the anguish on his face as he looks into the dead gaze directed at the dust gathering on the ground.
"I'm sorry Charles..." Erik whispers into the clearing, not knowing that Charles can hear him. "I'm so sorry... it's my fault you're gone... it's my fault I'll never hear you in my mind again... it's my fault the world will burn because you're not here to put out my fires..." He buries his head in his hands and Charles watches in emotional agony as Erik's frame was wrought with great, shuddering shakes as he sobbed for all his worth.
Charles should leave now, he should pull out and go and watch a young child learning for the first time that he can fly a kite, he should go and find the nearest mind, person, soul that is filled with happiness and love. But... Charles can't leave now. He can't leave Erik like this... he never could.
"Oh my friend." Charles breathes out as he moves onto his knees and kneels in front of his sobbing friend. "Oh my dear friend." He says sadly, heart-brokenly, as he pulls his friend towards him and holds him tightly in a fierce embrace. "Erik..."
"C-Charles..." Erik chokes out as the man clings tightly to Charles' loose-fitting shirt. "You're here..." He pulls his head away from Charles' chest and looks into those blue eyes, those familiar blue eyes and his throat constricts painfully because it really is Charles. The real Charles, not a dream, not a memory, not his imagination.
"Yes my friend. I'm here." Charles soothes as he smiles slowly and wipes away a couple of tears rolling down Erik's cheek. "I am real as well." He adds as he raises his eyebrows at Erik's surprised, disbelieving but hopeful face.
"But... you..." Erik flounders, unable to form the words as he tries to believe what Charles has said. Charles is real. He's real. He's real... Oh God, he's real. "You're dead." He says suddenly, his voice numb as he stares at Charles' face. "You died."

Re: FILL: (3/?)

[kaseykcnew]

3c.
"Yes..." Charles agrees softly as his smile slips slightly and he pauses. "But I'm not anymore." He adds as he tries to think of a way to explain that he's really there without revealing why he's there, how he's in Erik's dream when his friend watched him die in his arms. It's... difficult and hard and impossible and Charles just wants to tell him because Erik is beating himself up over nothing and Charles hates himself because he's the cause of his friends pain.
"I'm imagining you." Erik says, his voice still numb and he shakes his head as he tries to move away from Charles. "You're not real, this is a dream."
"Yes, yes it is a dream Erik, but I'm not. I'm real. I am here with you right now." Charles says quickly as he tries to keep hold of his friend's struggling form. "I am not a figment of your imagination Erik, I promise you."
"My imagination would promise me that too." Erik points out as he finally gets away from Charles's grip and he moves backwards, using his hands to pull himself away from Charles. "I just want you to forgive me and my mind has conjured you because I need absolution from you but you're dead and I'll never be forgiven for my sins." Erik shakes his head and backs himself up against a tree on the opposite side of the clearing as Charles stares at him.
"Oh Erik." Charles sighs as he slowly stands and carefully moves over to stand a few feet away from his friend, not making any quick moves or doing anything sudden. "You're logic is impossible to argue with as always. But your ideals aren't." He smiles sadly and he takes a deep breath. He's going to do it. He's going to break the rules because Erik is worth it. Erik is always worth it in the end.
"I'm going to show you something Erik but you're going to have to wake up otherwise you'll never believe me; though you probably still won't believe me." Charles says softly as he gently raises two fingers to his temple and Erik watches in numb curiosity. "Wake up Erik."
And he does.
..

Re: FILL: (3/?)

[kaseykcnew]

3d.
..
Erik gasps as he shoots up in bed, the metal of the frame shaking uncontrollably as he tries to get himself back under control. "It was a dream..." He breathes out as he falls back onto the mattress and stares up at the high ceiling overhead. "It was just a dream."
"Not quite I'm afraid." Charles says as he stands at the foot of Erik's bed and watches as his friend shoots up in his bed again and stares at him wide-eyed. "Breathe Erik." He admonishes slightly as his friend starts to hyperventilate. "I'm real and it wasn't a dream."
"C-Charles..." Erik breathes out as he stares at his friend, his friend who is alive... who is there in front of him, he's real. He's real. "CHARLES!" He cries out as he propels himself forward and hugs Charles fiercely. His friend hugs him back, tightly as though he hasn't seen him in a long time and it's true because Charles hasn't seen the spark of life in Erik's eyes since the day he died. As Erik grips him tightly he can hear his friends mind shuddering and jump-starting constantly.
And then Erik freezes around him and slowly looks at Charles' face. "You're not paralysed." He comments as he looks at Charles' face. "You're not..."
"I was but now I'm not anymore. It's complicated Erik." Charles says as he stares imploringly at Erik's face. He can see Erik's thoughts on his face as clearly as he can hear them. "I'm real Erik, I've been real for a long time but I haven't been able to show myself."
"Why now?" Erik asks, immediately seizing upon one of the easier questions he could ask.
"Because I couldn't bear to see you beat yourself over me anymore." Charles answers quietly as he looks sadly at Erik. "I shouldn't even be showing myself to you, it isn't allowed, but I just don't care anymore."
Erik blinks, not knowing how to respond to such a statement and so he settles for asking. "Allowed?" He frowns as Charles grimaces and his eyes dart away from Erik's face guiltily.
"Yes, allowed." Charles says finally, before looking back at Erik. "I'm breaking one of the biggest rules in existence and there's going to be Hell to pay, but I just don't care. You're more important than any rules." He says the last part with such force, such conviction that Erik can't help but really believe it's his friend. His mind could never imagine this Charles Xavier, the real Charles Xavier, he's not that creative.
"I'm an ascended being." Charles says quietly as though if he whispers he won't be heard. Seeing Erik's confused face he elaborates. "I am pure consciousness existing on an entirely different plane of existence to this world, the world you live in right now."
"Then how are you-" Erik gestures at Charles' form with a hand as he raises his eyebrows. Wow... this is a lot to take in.
"I'm pure energy Erik, a conscious mind made of energy. I can do anything, including making myself a temporary physical body." Charles says, the corners of his lips quirking in amusement as Erik stares wide-eyed at him. Something pulls at his mind, something calling his attention and Charles pales as he realises what's about to happen. He didn't think it'd be this fast.
"Erik. You have to listen to what I say because I haven't got much time." Charles says urgently as he stares deeply into Erik's eyes. His friend stares at him in surprise. "Erik please. Promise me you'll listen."
"I promise." Erik splutters as Charles nods fervently and he can't help but ask. "Charles what's happening?"
"We haven't got time for that Erik. Not now." Charles says as he blinks rapidly. "Erik. This mission you're on, this plan to wipe out the human race. It won't work. I've heard it, I've seen it. It won't work. Please believe me."
"Charles." Erik says, his voice harder all of a sudden, his face shutting down and Charles wants to scream in frustration because damnit this is important!

Re: FILL: (3/?)

[kaseykcnew]

3e.
"Erik! For once in your life just listen!" Charles exclaims as he grips Erik's arm tightly, panic rising his voice and warring with his frustration. "I don't care if you don't believe me right now. I don't care if you think I'm your imagination. I don't care if you go back to your Brotherhood and say nothing of this to Raven, but I am breaking the one and only rule I should never break just by showing myself to you and I'm going to be punished and I don't know what that punishment is going to be. So please..." Charles tapers off as he stares desperately at Erik. "Please, just listen to me."
Erik stares for a long, long time before slowly nodding and he can see Charles' relief as clear as day on his boyish face. "Alright."
"Good." Charles smiles as he nods slightly. His eyes flicker upwards for a moment before re-focusing of Erik's face. "In five years a mutant bill will be signed that will allow mutations to be registered just like the gender of a child is registered. This is good Erik, it is progress because there aren't any plans to hunt mutants. There are no plans to lock them away and test them. There is no plan for a Holocaust anywhere on the planet. I know this Erik. But... it'll only happen if you stop trying to destroy humanity." Charles says the last part softly, with desperation, need and longing in his voice and Erik's breathing hitches.
"I..." Erik doesn't know what he can say to that. He often doesn't know what to say to Charles and now is no different; the feeling solidifies his belief in his friend really being here with him. "Charles..."
"Promise me that you'll try at least Erik, that is all I can ask." Charles implores as he stares deeply into Erik's eyes, his own blue orbs shining with otherworldly knowledge and Erik finds himself nodding because he can't argue with this Charles; this Charles is much wiser than the man who pulled from the water, this Charles knows what he's saying, believes what he's saying and, most importantly, he's making Erik believe too.
"Alright." He agrees softly and Charles smiles at him, a wide, happy, delighted smile that has Erik breaking out with his shark-like grin that Charles loves so much.
"Thank you my friend." Charles says softly as he gently rests his forehead against Erik's own. "Thank you."
"Thank you Charles." Erik responds as he caresses Charles' cheek lightly. "I can't thank you enough."
"You don't have to-" Charles starts only for his words to be stolen away from him as he is suddenly wrenched away from Erik in a wave of light and Erik is left with nothing but his empty room.
"CHARLES!" He roars but he receives no answer. He's alone and Charles is gone. Gone but not dead though.