outer_divide | video;

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[it's automatic now; to make a call out that's meant only for a certain telepaths mind. a yell of tell me you're back. tell me you can hear me. please, before it's gone completely. his mind wiping blank in a way that only a person who spent half their lives around telepaths would know how to do

now, he turns his attention to his network device. it's different to his last one, but similar enough that he has no trouble navigating his way through it. the draw of the ship is too strong for him to leave the area yet. so when the video cuts in, the metal hull, gleaming in the sun, is all too clear]

Glory. If this is your doing, congratulations. You got me.

[his face may look familiar, but there are differences there. his hair is slightly longer, styled differently. he seems more relaxed than his other self. even his voice differs slightly. the undercurrents of german are less pronounced. but it's still clear that he's spent a lot of time speaking another language entirely. (hebrew, to those who can tell).]

We've already discussed this, so if you wouldn't mind, I have work to do.

[he adds a ping here to the few people he cares about; to hope summers, snape, caffrey. even givens gets a message sent through. but they're all bouncing back, and that leaves him...confused. annoyed. angry]

Will someone tell me what's going on here? Is this the city playing tricks again, or...

[there's some muttering under his breath then; hebrew now. if anyone listens closely enough, they may register the word ha-satan amongst it all. yes, he's talking about that satan]

I want answers. Now.

ooc; to you pesky telepaths: you're welcome to pick up on that first message. he knows how to project his thoughts well enough to make it rise above the usual surface thoughts people have. he just can't direct it to one person :|b

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[his control slips there for a few moments. traces of lostneedwant make it across the connection before he forces himself to stop. he can't mess this up again.]

I don't have an answer to that yet, but I will, soon.

[he focuses now on the scene in front of him. on the barren landscape, and the buildings off in the distance. then it's the ship, and the path he'd followed out. it's each of these details that he tries to tie in to a single image to send back to charles.]

Can you show me where you are, Charles?

[The traces of lostneedwant were ... curious. It wriggled through the near overwhelming chaos in Charles' mind, inquisitiveness always having provided a focus in the chaos. Who was this man?

The question held the telepath's attention so when the images of the landscape, the ship and path out of the ship came to him, Charles was alert to them and able to suss out what Erik was attempting to show him. It still felt, strange to have such clear and precise communication from another, something he had never experienced beyond Raven.

How did this man know to communicate with him so effectively? The sense of that question nudged its way back down along their connection, along with quick flashes of the med bay. Charles had not made it far from his stasis pod to the floor.]

Who ... are you?

[it's to be expected. from what he knows about the other versions of himself and charles, they didn't meet until far later in life. they didn't have the decade together that made this sort of conversation so easy to have.]

A friend, whether you believe it or not.

[he's back in to the ship again, letting his feet guide the way as he starts retracing his steps in order to try and find charles. he makes that all clear as he keeps his focus on the path he's taking. a warning being sent ahead of himself for charles' sake.]

I can explain myself further once we get you out of there.

Edited (fff format) 2012-07-18 14:42 (UTC)

[At this time in his life Charles knew only Raven as another mutant, though much of his academic work told him that there was a high probabilities of others being out there!

A friend? Charles did not maintain friendships, not beyond Raven anyway, however as he glanced around the dark, alien looking room, the telepath made a wry noise.]

A friend, eh? It does appear that I could use one of those right now.

[He admitted softly, wincing, slightly when Erik sent that warning ahead. Without shielding it was rather like taking on a blaring bullhorn in his head.]

I can hear you!! [He did not mean to sound so sharp but dear God Erik was loud!] You do not have to shout. I ... I can hear you, regardless.

[Erik probably wasn't 'shouting' at all. It just felt that way to a mind that constantly picked up the whispers and breaths of minds over a hundred miles away.

Other than that, Charles stayed sitting in the same spot on the floor, folded up in the shadows. It might be difficult to see him, unless Erik looked down and to the left of the stasis pod. He wasn't deliberately hiding; well at least not consciously hiding.]

[he winces this time in response, an apology there but unaired. instead he tries to send across the feeling itself, unsure as to just what he's doing wrong. this may not be his charles, but that doesn't mean he particularly wants to hurt him either.]

Is this better?

[speaking aloud- softer -instead. he does his best to let instinct guide him, trying to follow that connection back to the source. he'd never had any trouble when he was younger. but things had changed a lot before he was pulled away from his world.]

I'm not anyone's 'Charles' [The response was given absently, like speaking to a question heard just off to the side, rather than a direct inquiry.

He did pick up on the apologetic emotion and winced. He had not meant to make anyone feel awkward, quickly sending back an almost frantic sense of it being all right. He did not want this man angry with him, after all.

The softer tone of a voice spoken aloud, drew Charles' head up from where he'd had them against his knees. Raven had worked with him for years, to get him to be more attentive to a person's voice, rather than their mental tones.]

No wait, please don't ... [He stopped and took a deep breath. Using voices was better. Raven said so. Though except for the loudness, Charles had been enjoying Erik in his mind. No, no ... that was wrong. Voice, he had to focus on voice.] I ... I mean yes, yes that is better, thank you.

[there's amusement at first. the use of a possessive word before charles' name had always been an area of contention between himself and the other erik. he may have refused to call the charles he knew 'his' aloud, but they'd always belonged to one another in his mind.]

My apologies. [even if it's not meant as anything more than a tease this time.

he slides a hand to the metal of the corridor, half to ground himself and half for direction now. he can feel the pulse of the ship, the hum of power that keeps those other pods functioning. but what he really wants to feel is the warmth that comes from being stood in the same room as charles, regardless of the version. he wants that one note of familiarity to prove to himself that he isn't alone again.]

Whichever route is more comfortable for you, Charles. [aloud or telepathic.] I'm not here to hurt you.

[There was a small huff at the amusement and the teasing, though there was no real heat or rancor behind it. Perhaps a bit of leeriness but no contention.

There was a brief flash of inquisitiveness as perhaps Charles picked up a hint of what Erik was consciously doing with his power to ground himself. The mental signature of Erik's power calling to Charles' feral telepathy.]

What are you doing? [The voice instinctively asked inside his mind, rather like someone coming up over his shoulder to peer inquisitively at your actions.

In equal measure, while that sense of curiosity echoed along telepathic lines, Charles spoke with his voice.]

I ... people like it better when I use my voice. [He simply answered with stark honesty. The first time he had not tried to hide himself since he was nine years old.]

[ooc: If any of the telepathic nosing about stuff is too much, please let me know and I will edit. :D]

Finding you. [it's as simple as that, as far as he's concerned. whatever advantages he can abuse to make that search quicker, he'll take. as long as it means finding charles by the end of it, he'll go however far he has to.

the last comment gives him pause though, and for a brief moment, there's a flicker of anger. he's met far too many mutants over the years who've believed that they've had to hide their abilities from the public. but the very idea that charles is the one catering to those whims leaves him on edge.]

I'd like you to choose for yourself. It doesn't matter what others think.

ooc; nah, go for it. erik's pretty okay with charles' snooping around his surface thoughts

[At those last words there is a flash of stark terror and then an emphatic.]

Oh yes, it does matter. [Before Charles realizes he is already instinctively responding to this man with his telepathy a habit Raven had tried to help him overcome.

No more than a couple of hours without her close to help steady him and he was already reverting back to bad habits. At least, habits he'd been told all his life were bad.]

I suppose I should ... try to help you.

[More telepathy, damn it! Charles brushed his fingers through his hair in an agitated gesture and then struggled to his feet. His messenger bag banged against his hip as he absently pushed it off to the side, looking first one direction and then the other.

Pinching his lower lip between his teeth, Charles turned and began to head in the direction were Erik's 'presence' felt the strongest.]

Here! I'm ... I'm here!

[He called out as he moved towards what looked like a doorway.]

It shouldn't. [their mutations are still gifts, and ones that he sees no reason to hide. so while he knows that there are sometimes reasons to keep them to themselves, he can't quite understand why charles believes now is one of those times.

the sudden echo along the corridors has his attention head snapping up, attention fixed on trying to pinpoint just which direction to head. his steps speed up in response though, rounding a corner to come to a halt by the entrance to the room, where he simply stares at the other man for a moment too long.]

Sorry. [for how long it took. his expression seems more like relief than an actual smile though, despite all attempts.] That should have been "hello Charles".

[Charles did not respond. He'd spent years trying to avoid Marko getting him committed to an insane asylum, not to mention standing up to his step father's attempts to beat him into inappropriate reactions.

This Charles was cautious about his telepathy.

In the end an answer did not seem to matter as between one breath and the next the disembodied voice he had been speaking too came through the door. As Erik simply stood and stared at him for a long moment, Charles shifted and raised a hand to tug at his cardigan. He even glanced down at himself to make sure he had his shoes on and a quick check at the back of his neck confirmed that the sweater was on right side out.

These were small matters he sometimes forgot to ensure if he was particularly distracted with some bit of academia but no, everything appeared to be in order.]

Ah, hello ... Erik, yes?

[Charles gave the man a tentative smile before dark brows furrowed thoughtfully as he realized ...]

Oh! You were just brought here also? When I woke up, I ... I thought maybe I had been taken to some sort of ... errr [He made shaky motion with his hand up by his head.] hospital. But nothing here looks remotely familiar to any sort of hospital I've ever seen on Earth.

[He was rambling.]

[it's difficult to step any further in to the room, but he eventually forces himself to try, keeping close to the exit once he does. he wants to move closer, to prove to himself that charles is really there. but it's the constant reminders that this isn't the same man he was trapped in the city with for all those months that keeps him from acting on it. this version doesn't hold himself the same way. he doesn't look anywhere near as dangerous as erik knows he could potentially be. this isn't a charles that's been to war, and it isn't the man he fought alongside all those time.]

We're- [he shakes his head, his hands slipping in to his pockets, fingers brushing over the metal sitting inside. it may still not be entirely under his control, but the contact is calming.]

This is a planet beyond the reach of those from our own worlds. From what I've been told, a way back hasn't been discovered yet. But it's only a matter of time.

We can't stay here though. [not with the threat of the oa still hanging over their heads.]

[Standing quietly, Charles made no move towards Erik either. His expression became more shuttered and he shook his head.]

That is not possible.

[He said softly.]

Kennedy has just begun to talk about putting man into space. There is talk of other planets but nothing like this.

[There was talk of it though. Talk and ideas and fictions built around this very sort of scenario. Things that his mind had easily picked up from the thoughts and minds around him in a day.

Thoughts and imaginations that were not his own. Could they have finally overwhelmed him? It had been a concern both he and Raven had shared for years and Charles looked away from Erik turning and walking back towards the stasis pod.

He reached out and touched it with his hand, gripped it tightly and pushed against it.]

This is real, I can feel this is real. It is not just in my head.

Kennedy? [it's still almost half a decade too soon for that. the idea of people going in to space is still fairly alien to him. there'd been rumours of the soviets planning something, but nothing that'd warranted his attention for too long. there were operatives already in place throughout the world to keep an eye on potential threats.

he manages a few steps further in to the room, following after charles as he moves away. there's a part of him that's still concerned that this is just the city playing tricks with him again. but there isn't any reason for it. not that he can see.]

This is something beyond the capabilities of your world. The last city- We were brought there for a reason, and I'm sure it's the same here. Once we find out who's responsible, we can work on finding a way to return home again.

[there's a moment where he reaches for that connection again, attempting to project the fact that he'll do whatever it takes to keep charles safe while he's here. that he's not going to mess that up again.]

This is all real. [and hopefully he'll believe it too, soon enough.]

[For a long breath, Charles just stood there, staring down at the floor as if transfixed. When he finally looked back up at Erik there was conflict in his expression as he struggled between what he was about to admit and continuing to flatly deny that any of this was real.

There was just something about this man, perhaps the way he kept echoing a sense of familiarity back into Charles' mind, that made Charles want to trust him.]

It's happened before. [He said quietly.] I've gotten lost in the imaginations of others and believed myself living events that were no more than the fantasies of another's mind.

Like being trapped in a dream that is not your own and at its worst, when I had completely lost my sense of self, it could be very real.

Just like this.

[He thumped his hand down on the stasis pod, wincing a little as the alien materials had no give.]

[it's an admission that actually hurts to hear. after seeing just what his own charles had gone through when the city had decided to play with his mind, the idea that this charles could well be living through that and more doesn't sit well with him.]

How do you prove to yourself that this is real? [the telepath-proof room may not be an option here, but both charles' before had had their own defences for when things went wrong. if this one has something similar, then maybe they can work it out between them. maybe charles can actually have a neutral space of his own to try and...stabilise himself?]

Is there anything I can do to help?

[Turning back to the man at the question, Charles looked legitimately puzzled in response to the question.]

Sometimes Raven brings me back. But other than that, I've simply managed to find my way back out.

[The answer, in unspoken words, hinted at the fact that he was well aware that he had been lucky enough to find his way back to his own mind and sense of reality. There was no magical cure, it was simply luck and survival.

At the second question, Charles' brows furrowed and a slightly disbelieving look came across his face.]

Why would you want to help? People hate what I do, even Raven ... tells me to keep my abilities under control, so we can function in society.

[raven. a person that he's both grateful for existing and hates for taking his place by charles' side. they may've grown closer in the last months, but it isn't enough to erase the past between them.

he needs to focus past that though. to remember just how different the other worlds are. that raven is charles' sister in one of them. so regardless of his own opinions, raven is clearly important to this charles too.]

Your abilities are a gift, Charles. You shouldn't have to hide them.

[if anything, he should be flaunting them. they're the next stage for a reason, and the sooner mutants stop being forced to hide who and what they are, the better.]

I want to help you because I'm like you. [he can hold off on the multiple versions until later. or try to.]

My abilities are a curse. [Charles corrected quietly, looking genuinely frightened for a moment before obviously forcing himself away from what ever memories this conversation was stirring.

At the claim of being like him, Charles glanced up, brows furrowing.]

You mean ... [He waggled his fingers up by his head.]

No they're not. [it comes out closer to an angry snap than a disagreement; the very opposite of what he'd like. their abilities are anything but a curse, so the idea of charles believing otherwise leaves him angry.

a breath. another. and he tries again, trying to push away that anger to focus on the problem at hand.]

My ability is different to yours. [drawing his hand back out his pocket, he holds the piece of vibranium out so charles can see it. a moment later and it's floating up from his palm, reshaping itself in to a cube instead.] There aren't many mutants who share the same power.

[Charles' head whipped around and he looked ready to snap right back when Erik was moving, drawing out the piece of metal and performing such an incredible feat with it.

The anger washed off the telepath's face, as if chased away by rain and he walked closer to the older man, eyes transfixed on the cube.]

My God. [He exclaimed, glancing up into Erik's face and then down at the cube.] That is amazing. May I?

[He was already reaching for the cube, barely remembering to stop himself before just taking it up. He had only experienced Raven's powers, which were absolutely beautiful as far as Charles was concerned. This ability of Erik's tickled at his curiosity and he practically vibrated with the desire to ask questions.]

Of course. [because he's incapable of saying no to charles, regardless of the version. the piece of vibranium may be important to him, but the other man takes priority.

reaching out with his power, he pushes the cube in to charles' hand. it still takes more effort than he'd like to manipulate this particular type of metal, so it takes a little while this time to reform it to the shape of a chess piece. a king, this time.]

There are hundreds of thousands of other people like us out there. We aren't cursed. We're evolved. Gifted,

[Once again, Charles' eyes widened as the piece of metal shifted in the short time it took to reach him and he carefully plucked the king out of the air, holding it very carefully.]

Your control is astounding. [He breathed, obviously fascinating by both this man and also the chess piece in his hand.] I can not even imagine.

[Charles paused and then looked up. The words that came from him next surprised him, because it was something he never spoke of, never discussed with anyone but Raven. In fact, he could hear the whisper of his sister's voice, telling him to be quiet, to be more cautious that this could be a trick.

Yet the thoughts, the images, the feelings coming off the German told a different story and nudged the telepath into speaking almost incautiously.]

It is only a gift if you can control it, Erik. If there is no control; if the thoughts, memories, feelings of hundreds of minds around you are constantly doing battle with what you hope are your own? It is no gift, my friend.

I had a good teacher. [in charles, at least. his time with schmidt may have started him along the road to using his abilities, but it's that decade spent with charles that developed his powers. it's the other mutant that taught him the right way to do things. the better way.

it's a somewhat distracted answer, regardless; the rest of charles' words striking a chord with him. it's the kind of thing he'd expect to hear from one of the others instead.]

Control is something that can be learned. And even before then, there are ways to manage your gift. [his hold on the piece is gone, and he can't keep himself from stepping close this time. close enough to try and close a hand over charles' shoulder to squeeze.]

Charles, I know what you're capable of. You can control it. It doesn't control you. Not unless you allow it to.

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