(Untitled)

[regeneracy]

Characters: Claire Bennet, Dante, & Erik Lensherr
Location: Somewhere & Somewhere
Planet: Coruscant
When: Week 33
What: Lessons. Two different ones, with two different threads. Yes, I am that lazy. Also, either of you feel free to switch to prose if you'd like!
Rating: G/PG? Perfectly innocent, family friendly good times.

Comments

[oxidantshappen]

[ Erik doesn't respond for a while, though he listened to her carefully. Intentions were a critical part of his ideology, in that he believed if people weren't with him, they were against him. He ran a hand across the surface of the speeder, the interior of the vehicle evident to a man that could sense metal like a sixth sense. ] That's still far too many shades.

[ Especially for him, really. He had trouble adjusting to the realization that people functioned differently, especially here when the concept of brotherhood wasn't defined by who they were, but by their morals. His brows furrowed as he paused, examining the rear of the vehicle, testing his ability to remove a cap. ] It seems less like they're trying to make things black and white, and more imposing their morals on everyone. I suppose the type of person you are, what you can do, is irrelevant here. [ There's a bit of sadness to that, though Erik doesn't let it on. Brooding is a waste of time, not when anyone who allied himself with Revan, with the Sith, was an enemy of his and sought to keep him here for selfish games. ]

You say your friend joined them? Did he ever tell you why?

[regeneracy]

[That's a complicated story, one involving too many feelings. She tries to make it as cut and dry as possible. Adults never really care for the details in teenage romances anyway.]

He's my boyfriend, actually. He wasn't at the time, but he thought the Sith would be able to send him home. He thought they would make him stronger. And maybe they did, but they didn't do anything but use him. Definitely didn't send him home. I went to go get him because at the time my family wasn't here, and I wasn't going to be alone and let him just run away.

[She almost hisses out the last words, and has to bite at her bottom lip to prevent herself from continuing.]

It's complicated.

[oxidantshappen]

[ She was right about one thing -- adults never did, least of all Erik. He turned around and leaned against the speeder, arms folded across his chest. Erik tilted his head, trying to see where she came from. The things people would do for love, while not a foreign concept to him, just seemed irrational, confusing almost. ]

Clearly. The things people will do for love, hmm? I suppose this boy means a great deal to you for you to go that distance.

[regeneracy]

He does, but at the time, it was more about not being alone. I was afraid and angry that he had just run away from me. A lot of that anger was probably because he faked his own death to go be there, but I guess the moral of the story is that giving in to your anger doesn't always end that poorly. [She gives him a meek smile, and reaches up to scratch at her hairline, feeling awkward.]

It doesn't matter now, he's here, I'm here, my family's here. I'm not alone anymore.

[oxidantshappen]

Shame it took you that much to realize that. There's never been anything wrong with anger, you know? [ It's certainly kept him going, for one. ] As long as you have a reason to keep yourself going, why does it matter if you're angry or happy?

[ Although way to hit a sore spot. When he speaks up, it's almost quiet. ] Is your family that important to you that you'd prefer not being useless?

[regeneracy]

[She goes quiet, trying to figure out an answer to that. She rubs her thumb against her lips, biting down on the tip of it as she thinks it over.]

Peter is the most important, I'd do anything for him. But really, I just don't want to be alone. I've been told a few times now that my ability will make me stop aging at some point, and I'll essentially live forever. I guess my biggest fear is being alone. I want to be useful so I can keep people with me for as long as possible.

[She looks up at him.]

Does that make any sense?

[oxidantshappen]

[ He nodded, though it only partially registered. Erik never had any qualms about being alone, not like this. It only just dawned on him how significantly different their lives were.

Not even that vaguely close thing they could have had. She needed people. He didn't. ]

In a manner of speaking. You'll never be truly happy with someone then if you're worrying over being solitary.

[regeneracy]

Yeah, I've been told that. It's...not big enough a deal to focus on. [She shrugs, feeling as if they've talked about this enough.]

I also need to become stronger to kill a serial killer? [Yes, that is just as absurd as it sounds. But she's grasping at straws to not sound like an entitled brat.]

[oxidantshappen]

Now why would you want to be doing that? [ He laughs softly; the idea of a teenager turning out to be a coldblooded killer... one as upbeat as her was ridiculous. ]

[regeneracy]

He's trying to cut open my head and steal my power. It's a...thing. [Yep, her freakshow life is very laughable. Look at her laughing and making this nonchalant as possible. But no, really, teach her things, she needs to know them ;___;]

[oxidantshappen]

And who would this he be? [ Let's just bond over everything, because this sort of torture... thing isn't even conceivably funny to Erik, despite how much she's laughing. ] Nothing wrong with defending yourself in that sort of situation, though serial killer might be pushing it.

[regeneracy]

He goes by Sylar, and he's here. And trust me, when he's killed a whole lot of people with powers, it's not pushing it. [She tries laughing again, but it's dry and too awkward and she just stands there awkwardly. A hand goes to her hip then and she leans in so she can intensely whisper in a special high school cheerleader way.]

Listen, I know this all sounds made up and far fetched. I get that. But he'd be out after your power too, if he ever knew you had one. There's a lot of reasons why I need to learn all that I can. There's a lot more to this than abandonment issues, or even Sylar.

[oxidantshappen]

[ Well. Shit just got interesting. In a manner of speaking. Erik straightened up and looked down at her, gauging whether or not she was telling the truth. ]

When he comes after me, I'll kill him. [ There's no confusion, no hesitation. He's adamant about anything that involves keeping himself alive, even if it means defending himself against another mutant. ] What exactly do you need to learn?

[regeneracy]

You're new here and were able to control your power. Even if you don't think it's necessarily accessed through the Force, you had to concentrate. I need to be able to find that place between rage and serenity, just like you told me about.

[She doesn't dare smile fully, not wanting to get her hopes up, but a little lopsided half smile works its way up on her face.]

Plus, general self defense would come in useful, don't you think?

[oxidantshappen]

[ Flattery gets you nowhere, least of all with Erik. ] It's not an overnight lesson, though the idea would suggest it. I focus on my memories, a moment in time that kept me going. Whether it works for you or not varies.

However, you should realize this isn't a battle. What works here won't happen out there when your instincts come into play. [ At least Charles had taught him something worth repeating, as shoddy of an instructor as he could be. ]

[regeneracy]

But at least learning how to fend for myself will give me a clue how to use my instincts properly. [She becomes a little more serious with that, knowing that at a time and point she's going to be pulled into the actual war. She's remained a spectator for too long now, and she knows that won't always be allowed to continue.]

Have you ever been so defenseless that you'd give anything to have the power to stop being a victim? That's all I want is to learn. If we need a battle to teach me, then fight me.