Persistence of Memory
folder
X-Men - Animated Series (all) › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
57
Views:
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Reviews:
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Category:
X-Men - Animated Series (all) › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
57
Views:
7,473
Reviews:
68
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own X-Men Evolution, or any of the characters from it. I make no money from from the writing of this story.
51
Persistence of Memory Chapter Fifty One (NC-17)
Disclaimers Apply
A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, BUSIEST
WOMAN ALIVE ™, Prophetic Muse, Hamster Witch, and Uberbeta…congrats on the
solo! InterNutter, TC and Maxwell Pink are
supershiny bunnies for archiving. J ProPhile gets extra muse kibble just
because. Morgan…you there? Readers/Reviewers: Nemain is pissy. Nemain
doesn’t like harpies. Nemain apologies
if this chapter is weird because of her bad mood. Aside from that, thanks!!!!! *blush*
It looked
like a strange road company of The Sound of Music, with a few too many
Von Trapps. Professor Xavier sat
sedately in the middle of the dining hall, cleared of the tables and ch
ex
except for the ones the students were sitting on as if arranged for a class
photo; the teenagers were seated around him in what seemed to be height order,
giving further indication that this was a photo op. Storm stood next to the Professor as Logan ushered Stevens in,
his face grim in light of the fact that the reporter was followed by a small
news crew, not at all part of the arrangement.
“I see you’ve brought guests,” Professor Xavier said pleasantly.
Logan
nearly snarled, but managed to restrain himself. “Seems he felt it best to…ah…document this.”
“I had
expected this,” the Professor replied, never ceasing to smile. He had, thus far, managed to suppress his
annoyance and worry over Remy, Evan and Jubilee (who, he found out, had
disappeared the same time Remy had) and had even managed not to panic that
Warren and Forge were not back from retrieving the mutant detected on
Cerebro. Instead, he kept his false yet
strangely believable smile on his face and motioned for the group from Channel
Four to sit. “Would you like some
coffee? Tea? Water?”
“We’re
fine,” Stevens replied just as genially.
“Let’s get this under way so we can all enjoy the weekend, eh?”
“That
sounds like a plan…proceed.”
Smiling in
a too-cunning manner, the anchor produced a book from his briefcase. It was Kitty’s
purple photo album, something she noticed and nearly lunged for had Kurt not
stayed her with a tight grasp on her shoulder.
“I would like to know about these pictures.”
The only
indication that the Professor was perturbed was a slight tightening of his
smile. A whisper of surprise rippled
through the students, who had by now all heard of the photo book through the
grapevine and several annoyed glares turned Kitty’s way. She tried to slink low in her seat but was
prevented again by Kurt and her staples.
Steeling herself, she spoke up.
“That’s mine. It was for my
college entrance application. I’m
applying for early decision to several computer science programs.”
“This seems
more suited for the visual arts,” Stevens said dryly, thumbing through the
pages as the cameras rolled.
“I wanted
to demonstrate my versatility with various kinds of software. I also have a killer program designed for
AI, if you’re interested.” She raised
an eyebrow in challenged “I just may
like to see that,” he rejoined. “I had
this looked at by some experts in the field and they could not determine how you manipulated these pictures.”
“Well,
that’ll just have to be my little secret until I get grant money for grad
school, won’t it?” she smiled sweetly.
“If you can
stymie experts in the field with your…software…I’d surely like to see what else
you’re capable of. Just for veracity’s
sake, of course.”
Kitty’s
smile became edged. “Amanda, be a dear
and run up to my room…the one next to Kurt’s…and get the red box off my desk.”
The
heretofore silent non-mutant made a moue of distaste at her errand but at a
pleading glance from Kurt, sighed.
“I’ll be right back…Kurt.”
Kitty hid
her grimace well. “Next question?”
Stevens was
not quite impressed. Returning his
attention to the Professor, he asked, “Based on the inforonalonal packet I
received the other day, I was led to believe this school had strict rules
pertaining to student behavior and decorum.”
“Yes,” the
Professor sighed, knowing what was coming.
“These are
stills captured from a video feed taken last night. If I’m not mistaken,
these are two of your students in what seems to be a pagan ritual involving
sex…at least I think that’s an altar.”
He passed the pictures to the Professor with a smug grin.
The older
man took them gingerly, sparing a harsh glare for Lance and Amara, who had the
good grace to look mortified. “Mister
Stevens, it would be a shame to have you arrested for trespassing, video taping
without permission,[1]and
possession of child pornography.”
Storm’s
eyes widened slightly. She caught the
slight loophole in the Professor’s statement.
At their ages, Lance and Amara were legal—barely—but the phrasing it
would be a shame removed any taint of deception from the threatened
accusation. “Mister Stevens, we have a
wide variety of cultures, races, creeds, religions, paths and ideologies
represented in our student body. We do
not force them to follow a way contrary to their upbringing. If some of these paths are
considered…pagan…we still respect them and we make every concession available
to the students for maintaining their chosen paths and their native cultures
should they choose to do so.” She did
not say it, but her tone added, you idiot.
Logan
shifted uncomfortably, his eyes flitting towards the door twice before he said,
“Be right back…we got more company.”
“How did he
know that?” Stevens asked, mildly confused.
“I didn’t hear a doorbell.”
“Would you
like to ask questions pertinent to the school, Mister Stevens, or has Channel
Four taken a turn for the tabloid?”
Professor Xavier nodded to Storm, who moved towards the door, ready to
usher the news crew out.
Stevens
sighed and proceeded down a list of very bland and appropriate questions, including
a few for the older students about their experiences at the institute and if
they wanted to stay there for school full time or go back to Bayville. Amanda returned for this last round. “Oh, I
hope Kurt decides to come back,” she said brightly, dropping the box onto
Kitty’s lap.
Kurt
laughed nervously and tried not to meet Kitty’s glare as Amanda looped her arm
over his shoulders in a “friendly” manner.
“Amanda and I used to be…um…closer…”
At Steven’s
inquisitive look, Amanda amended, “We dated.”
This seemed
to perk Stevens up considerably. He
swung his attention fully to Amanda and began peppering her with
questions. “Did you know he was a
mutant? What are his powers? What did your parents think?” The list went on and on until the Professor’s
subtle throat clearing gave way to a tubucular-sounding cough.
Amanda
smilnd and almost preened as she began to answer. “Oh, Kurt’s not weird at all!
He was always the perfect
gentleman! My parents thought he
was…interesting…and while we dated, the only powers Kurt ever manifested was
the ability to find a parking spot close to the theatre!”
Kitty
sighed in relief, something she felt echoed through her friends. Amanda had danced around the truth and only
lied once, but she was so charming in her manner and such a “wholesome” sort h heh her neatly braided hair and tidy clothes, Stevens did not seem to
disbelieve her. The tension level in
the room dropped markedly, only to rocket to new heights as the doors to the
dining hall swung open again, admitting not only Logan but Remy, Jubilee and
some people nobody wanted to see.
“Shit,” Kitty hissed under her breath.
“We need better locks.”
Magneto
stopped just short of the Professor. “I
seem to have obtained some of your belongings, quite by accident, I assure
you.”
The
Professor’s eyes skimmed over Remy and Jubilee and settled on Piotr. “Only two were on accident,” he said
softly. “Remy, please wait in my office
with Jubilee and we will discuss this later…”
“Discuss what?”
Stevens asked avidly, leaning forward.
He seemed to have forgotten his camera crew and paid no mind to the fact
they were getting a terrible shot of the back of his head.
“My old
comiot’iot’s reluctance to accept our true nature,” Magneto said silkily. “We are mutants, Charles. Do not be ashamed.”
“Mutants! The truth!” Stevens crowed. “How?
When? Can you prove it?”
“Aliens,”
Jamie muttered under his breath, earning a sharp jab in the ribs from Rahne.
The
Professor breathed out a tense sigh.
“Be careful what you wish for, Eric.”
Magneto
smiled faintly. “First names again…like
old times. You wish to see proof of
my…our…powers…that will not be difficult.”
He snapped his fingers and Pietro stepped forward from behind Tarot in
the cadre of Brotherhood members, now greatly reduced. “If you would?”
Jubilee
ground her teeth as Pietro produced a cel phone from seemingly out of
nowhere. “That won’t work,” she said to
Magneto. “She’s not there.”
“I have no
idea who mea mean, child.” Magneto
shoved her forward with a slight sneer.
“This one was bent on retrieving that one,” he said to the Professor,
jerking his thumb at Remy. “He seems to
think I’ll believe he wants to join us again… his skills as a liar are not as
good as those as a thief.”
Remy
shrugged. “Got you here, eh?”
Pietro
snapped the phone shut. “She’s
gone. Mesmero said…” he glanced at the
news crew and sighed. “She’s gone.”
“Told you
so. Warren has her in the lab. So
ner!” Jubilee went so far as to stick
her tongue out at the old man. Her
chance meeting with Warren several minutes earlier had done much to further her
understanding of the situation.
Magneto
closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to gather his thoughts. Silence had fallen and taken on a
apprehensive quality. “Then we do this the hard way.”
Leech and
Wanda tensed but were a second too late.
A metal fixture ripped from the wall and went sailing towards Stevens’
head. Jean reacted instantly, stopping
the metal in it’s trajectory. The
silence moved from apprehensive to stunned.
“Are you getting this?” Stevens breathed. The metal fell to the ground with a clatter, Wanda finally
kicking her senses into gear. “How did
you do that?”
Magneto
smiled smugly. “That, my friend, is an
entirely different interview…”
Stevens
stood somewhat shakily. “I’d love to…”
“Bayville
Arms hotel. Three p.m.” Magneto turned
sharply on his heel and swept from the room, leaving Remy and Jubilee
behind.
“How…” the
reported began.
“Out. Now.”
Logan grabbed one of the camera men by the arm, Scott moving forward to
take hold of another.
It took all
of five minutes to clear the room of non-mutants, Amanda included. “That,” the Professor said after a moment,
“did not go as planned.”
Bale eye eyes turned to Remy and Jubilee.
“Quoi? I went in cause I saw
Piotr…I been tinkin’ dat mebbe…” he blew out a harsh breath. “I dunno what I been tinkin,” he lied.
“And I
didn’t want to leave Remy there,” Jubilee said plaintively. “And who’s that woman with Warren and are we
gonna be on t.v.? What’s in the box, Kitty and why are you all looking at me
like that?”[2]
Kitty said,
as calmly as possible, “The box is full of discs I was goto uto use to bolster
the lie that those photographs were part of a complex computer project. And we’re staring at you because you two
just dragged the Brotherhood in here and ruined this…this!”
Frowning,
Amara said thoughtfully, “But didn’t you take those pictures in the first
place, Kitty? So isn’t this all your
fault, when you get down to it? If they
had not found them…”
Kitty
flushed crimson but did not get the chance to respond. The Professor said tightly, “I can make sure
the tape does not air but we are, in the parlance, screwed.”
“Maybe
not,” Emma said softly. Psychic communication fairly crackled
between them. “You see?”
“That is
dangerous and far too chancey.”
“Compared
to our alternative?”
The
Professor sighed and wilted visibly.
“As of now, no one is returning to Bayville High School. Ever.
And also as of now, the only way anyone is leaving the premises is if
they are in an ambulance, a police car, or escorted by a teacher from this
establishment. Is that clear?”
“Very,”
Kurt said hastily. “May I take Kitty…”
“To the
lab, yes. Everyone else…go. Just…go.
Emma, call Channel Four for me.
Tell them my proposal. I have a
new recruit to talk to.”
[1] It’s illegal
to video tape or otherwise record people without their permission in many
places in the States, but there’s so many loopholes and places where it’s not
illegal that it’s sticky to prosecute.
Let’s pretend in Bayville, the law is clear, okay?
[2] Again, a Dogma
moment. I think I mentioned a bit
before that reminded me of Jay and the whole “Who the hell is this bitch? What
the fuck happened to that guy’s head?” thing.
Disclaimers Apply
A/N Goddess Foxfeather, Queen of Mad Plotbunnies, BUSIEST
WOMAN ALIVE ™, Prophetic Muse, Hamster Witch, and Uberbeta…congrats on the
solo! InterNutter, TC and Maxwell Pink are
supershiny bunnies for archiving. J ProPhile gets extra muse kibble just
because. Morgan…you there? Readers/Reviewers: Nemain is pissy. Nemain
doesn’t like harpies. Nemain apologies
if this chapter is weird because of her bad mood. Aside from that, thanks!!!!! *blush*
It looked
like a strange road company of The Sound of Music, with a few too many
Von Trapps. Professor Xavier sat
sedately in the middle of the dining hall, cleared of the tables and ch
ex
except for the ones the students were sitting on as if arranged for a class
photo; the teenagers were seated around him in what seemed to be height order,
giving further indication that this was a photo op. Storm stood next to the Professor as Logan ushered Stevens in,
his face grim in light of the fact that the reporter was followed by a small
news crew, not at all part of the arrangement.
“I see you’ve brought guests,” Professor Xavier said pleasantly.
Logan
nearly snarled, but managed to restrain himself. “Seems he felt it best to…ah…document this.”
“I had
expected this,” the Professor replied, never ceasing to smile. He had, thus far, managed to suppress his
annoyance and worry over Remy, Evan and Jubilee (who, he found out, had
disappeared the same time Remy had) and had even managed not to panic that
Warren and Forge were not back from retrieving the mutant detected on
Cerebro. Instead, he kept his false yet
strangely believable smile on his face and motioned for the group from Channel
Four to sit. “Would you like some
coffee? Tea? Water?”
“We’re
fine,” Stevens replied just as genially.
“Let’s get this under way so we can all enjoy the weekend, eh?”
“That
sounds like a plan…proceed.”
Smiling in
a too-cunning manner, the anchor produced a book from his briefcase. It was Kitty’s
purple photo album, something she noticed and nearly lunged for had Kurt not
stayed her with a tight grasp on her shoulder.
“I would like to know about these pictures.”
The only
indication that the Professor was perturbed was a slight tightening of his
smile. A whisper of surprise rippled
through the students, who had by now all heard of the photo book through the
grapevine and several annoyed glares turned Kitty’s way. She tried to slink low in her seat but was
prevented again by Kurt and her staples.
Steeling herself, she spoke up.
“That’s mine. It was for my
college entrance application. I’m
applying for early decision to several computer science programs.”
“This seems
more suited for the visual arts,” Stevens said dryly, thumbing through the
pages as the cameras rolled.
“I wanted
to demonstrate my versatility with various kinds of software. I also have a killer program designed for
AI, if you’re interested.” She raised
an eyebrow in challenged “I just may
like to see that,” he rejoined. “I had
this looked at by some experts in the field and they could not determine how you manipulated these pictures.”
“Well,
that’ll just have to be my little secret until I get grant money for grad
school, won’t it?” she smiled sweetly.
“If you can
stymie experts in the field with your…software…I’d surely like to see what else
you’re capable of. Just for veracity’s
sake, of course.”
Kitty’s
smile became edged. “Amanda, be a dear
and run up to my room…the one next to Kurt’s…and get the red box off my desk.”
The
heretofore silent non-mutant made a moue of distaste at her errand but at a
pleading glance from Kurt, sighed.
“I’ll be right back…Kurt.”
Kitty hid
her grimace well. “Next question?”
Stevens was
not quite impressed. Returning his
attention to the Professor, he asked, “Based on the inforonalonal packet I
received the other day, I was led to believe this school had strict rules
pertaining to student behavior and decorum.”
“Yes,” the
Professor sighed, knowing what was coming.
“These are
stills captured from a video feed taken last night. If I’m not mistaken,
these are two of your students in what seems to be a pagan ritual involving
sex…at least I think that’s an altar.”
He passed the pictures to the Professor with a smug grin.
The older
man took them gingerly, sparing a harsh glare for Lance and Amara, who had the
good grace to look mortified. “Mister
Stevens, it would be a shame to have you arrested for trespassing, video taping
without permission,[1]and
possession of child pornography.”
Storm’s
eyes widened slightly. She caught the
slight loophole in the Professor’s statement.
At their ages, Lance and Amara were legal—barely—but the phrasing it
would be a shame removed any taint of deception from the threatened
accusation. “Mister Stevens, we have a
wide variety of cultures, races, creeds, religions, paths and ideologies
represented in our student body. We do
not force them to follow a way contrary to their upbringing. If some of these paths are
considered…pagan…we still respect them and we make every concession available
to the students for maintaining their chosen paths and their native cultures
should they choose to do so.” She did
not say it, but her tone added, you idiot.
Logan
shifted uncomfortably, his eyes flitting towards the door twice before he said,
“Be right back…we got more company.”
“How did he
know that?” Stevens asked, mildly confused.
“I didn’t hear a doorbell.”
“Would you
like to ask questions pertinent to the school, Mister Stevens, or has Channel
Four taken a turn for the tabloid?”
Professor Xavier nodded to Storm, who moved towards the door, ready to
usher the news crew out.
Stevens
sighed and proceeded down a list of very bland and appropriate questions, including
a few for the older students about their experiences at the institute and if
they wanted to stay there for school full time or go back to Bayville. Amanda returned for this last round. “Oh, I
hope Kurt decides to come back,” she said brightly, dropping the box onto
Kitty’s lap.
Kurt
laughed nervously and tried not to meet Kitty’s glare as Amanda looped her arm
over his shoulders in a “friendly” manner.
“Amanda and I used to be…um…closer…”
At Steven’s
inquisitive look, Amanda amended, “We dated.”
This seemed
to perk Stevens up considerably. He
swung his attention fully to Amanda and began peppering her with
questions. “Did you know he was a
mutant? What are his powers? What did your parents think?” The list went on and on until the Professor’s
subtle throat clearing gave way to a tubucular-sounding cough.
Amanda
smilnd and almost preened as she began to answer. “Oh, Kurt’s not weird at all!
He was always the perfect
gentleman! My parents thought he
was…interesting…and while we dated, the only powers Kurt ever manifested was
the ability to find a parking spot close to the theatre!”
Kitty
sighed in relief, something she felt echoed through her friends. Amanda had danced around the truth and only
lied once, but she was so charming in her manner and such a “wholesome” sort h heh her neatly braided hair and tidy clothes, Stevens did not seem to
disbelieve her. The tension level in
the room dropped markedly, only to rocket to new heights as the doors to the
dining hall swung open again, admitting not only Logan but Remy, Jubilee and
some people nobody wanted to see.
“Shit,” Kitty hissed under her breath.
“We need better locks.”
Magneto
stopped just short of the Professor. “I
seem to have obtained some of your belongings, quite by accident, I assure
you.”
The
Professor’s eyes skimmed over Remy and Jubilee and settled on Piotr. “Only two were on accident,” he said
softly. “Remy, please wait in my office
with Jubilee and we will discuss this later…”
“Discuss what?”
Stevens asked avidly, leaning forward.
He seemed to have forgotten his camera crew and paid no mind to the fact
they were getting a terrible shot of the back of his head.
“My old
comiot’iot’s reluctance to accept our true nature,” Magneto said silkily. “We are mutants, Charles. Do not be ashamed.”
“Mutants! The truth!” Stevens crowed. “How?
When? Can you prove it?”
“Aliens,”
Jamie muttered under his breath, earning a sharp jab in the ribs from Rahne.
The
Professor breathed out a tense sigh.
“Be careful what you wish for, Eric.”
Magneto
smiled faintly. “First names again…like
old times. You wish to see proof of
my…our…powers…that will not be difficult.”
He snapped his fingers and Pietro stepped forward from behind Tarot in
the cadre of Brotherhood members, now greatly reduced. “If you would?”
Jubilee
ground her teeth as Pietro produced a cel phone from seemingly out of
nowhere. “That won’t work,” she said to
Magneto. “She’s not there.”
“I have no
idea who mea mean, child.” Magneto
shoved her forward with a slight sneer.
“This one was bent on retrieving that one,” he said to the Professor,
jerking his thumb at Remy. “He seems to
think I’ll believe he wants to join us again… his skills as a liar are not as
good as those as a thief.”
Remy
shrugged. “Got you here, eh?”
Pietro
snapped the phone shut. “She’s
gone. Mesmero said…” he glanced at the
news crew and sighed. “She’s gone.”
“Told you
so. Warren has her in the lab. So
ner!” Jubilee went so far as to stick
her tongue out at the old man. Her
chance meeting with Warren several minutes earlier had done much to further her
understanding of the situation.
Magneto
closed his eyes for a moment and seemed to gather his thoughts. Silence had fallen and taken on a
apprehensive quality. “Then we do this the hard way.”
Leech and
Wanda tensed but were a second too late.
A metal fixture ripped from the wall and went sailing towards Stevens’
head. Jean reacted instantly, stopping
the metal in it’s trajectory. The
silence moved from apprehensive to stunned.
“Are you getting this?” Stevens breathed. The metal fell to the ground with a clatter, Wanda finally
kicking her senses into gear. “How did
you do that?”
Magneto
smiled smugly. “That, my friend, is an
entirely different interview…”
Stevens
stood somewhat shakily. “I’d love to…”
“Bayville
Arms hotel. Three p.m.” Magneto turned
sharply on his heel and swept from the room, leaving Remy and Jubilee
behind.
“How…” the
reported began.
“Out. Now.”
Logan grabbed one of the camera men by the arm, Scott moving forward to
take hold of another.
It took all
of five minutes to clear the room of non-mutants, Amanda included. “That,” the Professor said after a moment,
“did not go as planned.”
Bale eye eyes turned to Remy and Jubilee.
“Quoi? I went in cause I saw
Piotr…I been tinkin’ dat mebbe…” he blew out a harsh breath. “I dunno what I been tinkin,” he lied.
“And I
didn’t want to leave Remy there,” Jubilee said plaintively. “And who’s that woman with Warren and are we
gonna be on t.v.? What’s in the box, Kitty and why are you all looking at me
like that?”[2]
Kitty said,
as calmly as possible, “The box is full of discs I was goto uto use to bolster
the lie that those photographs were part of a complex computer project. And we’re staring at you because you two
just dragged the Brotherhood in here and ruined this…this!”
Frowning,
Amara said thoughtfully, “But didn’t you take those pictures in the first
place, Kitty? So isn’t this all your
fault, when you get down to it? If they
had not found them…”
Kitty
flushed crimson but did not get the chance to respond. The Professor said tightly, “I can make sure
the tape does not air but we are, in the parlance, screwed.”
“Maybe
not,” Emma said softly. Psychic communication fairly crackled
between them. “You see?”
“That is
dangerous and far too chancey.”
“Compared
to our alternative?”
The
Professor sighed and wilted visibly.
“As of now, no one is returning to Bayville High School. Ever.
And also as of now, the only way anyone is leaving the premises is if
they are in an ambulance, a police car, or escorted by a teacher from this
establishment. Is that clear?”
“Very,”
Kurt said hastily. “May I take Kitty…”
“To the
lab, yes. Everyone else…go. Just…go.
Emma, call Channel Four for me.
Tell them my proposal. I have a
new recruit to talk to.”
[1] It’s illegal
to video tape or otherwise record people without their permission in many
places in the States, but there’s so many loopholes and places where it’s not
illegal that it’s sticky to prosecute.
Let’s pretend in Bayville, the law is clear, okay?
[2] Again, a Dogma
moment. I think I mentioned a bit
before that reminded me of Jay and the whole “Who the hell is this bitch? What
the fuck happened to that guy’s head?” thing.