#fawrx

Wesley went to his parents’ graves for the first time in what felt like forever. In a sense, for him it had been a lifetime ago. He was a poor child trying to make sure he survived the next day back then. Now he was a strong and self assured mutant who could get anything he ever wanted. And yet, here he was, remembering the days when he had nothing to look forward to except the peace he could find underneath his bed.

Jonathan had told him that he wanted to leave and Wesley couldn’t refuse him. They had a scare, the two of them, with him almost dying in front of him. He could sense that Jonathan’s fragile heart couldn’t take what they did anymore and he didn’t blame him. As much as he wanted Jonathan there with him, he didn’t want to torment him the same way his parents had. The only person he never wanted to have to force them to do something was Jonathan and if he wanted to go, he let him.

It hurt though, knowing that the boy he had seen grow up wouldn’t be there with him every day. It was like losing a piece of you that you didn’t realize was there. Sometimes he would go into his room to ask him something without realizing that he wasn’t there—that a new mutant was now residing where he used to sleep. Other times he would find something that Jonathan might like and thought he should tell him, except he wasn’t there. Of course he could call him, but it was never the same as seeing the smile on his face. Jonathan was the son that he would probably never have, the friend that would always be there despite the cruelties that he wrecked on people. Because to Jonathan he was just a boy who saved him from the shack.

He stared at the graves of his parents, their faces, not as prominent in his brain as they used to be. He hated them more than he hated any other human out there. Sometimes he thought that was the reason behind his dislike of humans in the first place. They were soft and weak and they tried to cover that up by beating on the people who were stronger. He wondered if they always knew that Wesley would be better than they ever were, that he would be among the most feared mutants in the world. He was sure that they didn’t.

There were no flowers there and if there were he would have gotten rid of them. They didn’t deserve anyone’s love. In fact, they weren’t liked by anyone. He wondered how many days their bodies were rotting before someone figured out they were dead. Was it the smell or the fact that his mother did call her boyfriend after a while? It was probably the smell. Her boyfriend slept with a lot of women and he wouldn’t care that his mother didn’t respond to his booty call.

His entirely life he told himself that he would be better than them that he wouldn’t allow himself to be as evil or cruel as they are. But he knew he was just as bad, if not worse. At least they never killed people. Wesley was never faint of heart, given his past, but sometimes he got a little sad for the path that he went down. He could have been someone else if he didn’t have dicks for parents.

The building was all standing. Everything inside was rubbled, ashed and frozen beyond recognition, at least most of it was. The foundation had crumbled, literally because of the building and figuratively because of the summit that could have been. The people, their faces ashen, and dusted, bloody and sweaty and some just plain - lifeless Who's fault it was whoever directly or indirectly killed the people - Jonathan knew that the Brotherhood had won - they had won the battle where mutants really cannot exist with humans. But for the price they had lost lives, many lives - and it was something he in a way - regretted. All the more he would have if Wesley didn't survive.

Survive he did though - once Jonathan had taken care of the girl who almost killed him - and hurt Wesley, which that was the original plan she had though - he didn't think twice to envelop Wesley's wound with a cold compress to stop the flow of the blood as much as possible. "We need to get out of here." he told him in urgency and this time, he didn't care if Wesley tried to get into his mind - Jonathan knew what his duty was first and foremost- to get Wesley to safety. Damn the X-Men, damn the Brotherhood and fuck all the humans. Swiftly, he helped his mentor up and tried to get into safety as much as possible. 

Let the area die with dust and ashes- he would be back later with the cleaning team - just to see where everyone could still be - and of course as back-up if ever another fight would have ensued. Once he knew Wesley was safe from any harm that might come to him, Jonathan too a quick breath and went back to where the gala had been held. There were still a few signs of fighting, but at the most- it was just until the last breath. Before he could reach the main area - there was silence- and then a few pops from either side as if by teleportation - Jonathan was the first Brotherhood member to come. Granted the police were scared of him, and the few X-Men had their powers ready to clobber him.

His eyes met an older woman and he did only what he could say "Please." With that, he felt a whisper in his mind, just like Wesley's once was - but kinder in a way - and who would've thought that for Jonathan there was such a thing as someone kinder than Wesley? For some reason, he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was - the older woman let the X-men team hold their ground and talk to them somehow - talk to them - without saying anything.... and that's how he knew, she was a telepath. No doubt. 

Unsure of where to go, he stayed his ground until the X-Men started walking around him - some still looked at him with angry eyes but none made a move. The woman was then- openly talking to the policemen, so was that telepathic thing for him just an illusion or something? Whatever it was - the guards also didn't bother getting near him. Slowly he turned to leave but then he caught the eyes of the woman again who seemed to be laughing with their blue color. /You're welcome./ she smiled at him and his brain registered the words that where whispered. With almost a choke of gratitude in which he was sure the woman noticed. He gave a small smile and a nod -before turning his back and looking for the people he called friends- and Brothers.

It wasn't long before he saw them, the Dancolts -, Darcy, his wings still there but the feathers scattered all around- he took one to keep for him. The blood where he was sure it was Wesley's when he was helping him up. The continued flames that flickered- in which he used a layer of ice to pummel down. The large chunks of rubble that he knew he was the reason of their falling just a few hours ago - and Grason, oh his little Raindrop Princess Grace. Damn it, he told himself, angry - but still... he just missed him, he missed them all. A non-frozen tear literally made it's way out of his eyes and into the ground he was standing on- which transformed into a sad series of swirls for a few meters - all of it, he wasn't aware that he made- as his eyes were closed. 

It was the same feeling- the same big feeling of happiness he witnessed so many years ago with Wesley, when the older man said Jonathan could come with him. The happiness that he built with the magical swirls on the ground- the same came out of his sadness at everything that turned up. Taking a very deep breath. He left the building and the site itself, only dimly knowing that the floor he was walking on was still taking shape of the melancholic swirls that littered the ground and followed his feet. With one last look at the the mutants and humans that had angry- and some now even sad and curious eyes, the woman who was still smiling at him and nodded, and the building that would be rebuilt later on - Jonathan turned his back -and ran, ran away somewhere for his own.

It felt different, one would know that - when there's a big event coming and then you do nothing but prepare, and even meditate. After all it was a big attack- a big event and from head to toe, Jonathan had to commit himself to this day. This important day. It wasn't like any usual missions he did a more than he could out - the usual recruitment, infiltration, back-up little wars and battles behind the punks in the X-Men in the alleyways. This time, it was one for the Brotherhood, and definitely, he was going to do this right, because Wesley was the one leading the attack.

Jonathan would stay with his mentor, his friend, and the giver of a new life from him. They had been together, he was able to know his powers and Jonathan was able to share his in any way he knew possible in the run of their friendship when he was seven years old - up to the time they both went to the Brotherhood- and now this. This, one of the moments of truth. To signify that they were still high up in ranks. 

He wasted no time following Wesley and talking with Grason when he could even thought it was short and clipped as they started their journey. Hell he could feel the jitters even though he didn't really want to think much of it - since he had to focus on the best of his abilities and concentration. They would get in, cause the properly executed plot - and then cause a little bit more mayhem - and show the President that they were more superior - and all those Brotherhood talk - and then leave.

Of course as an emergency when the X-men would come, if ever they find out - and hopefully they would find out a little bit too late. It was time to fight, and Jonathan would fight until he can for the Brotherhood, but Jonathan would fight until death just for Wesley. So when the whole conflict started and fires were ice were thrown around to show that the Brotherhood was there - he only followed- not looking at the faces of the people who he might come to destroy later on, to freeze to death or have his ice creep inside their blood and implode. 

He kept his calm. He had to do this properly, just as they planned - but then again, nothing goes to plan - just like  how the X-men arrived, and for him, not just Fire and Ice where thrown from the Brotherhood side, he could also feel the same force and more from the X-Men. But whoever had the most back -up he didn't care - this time, it wasn't just the time to attack blindly, but know how to defend, and he was sticking his ass with Wesley and would defend him at any and all cost. 

Even in the rubble that the place now was. He continued to defend as he could, throwing ice of the strongest kind to block anything and everything that was coming onto them - to be able to start freezing the bars and breaking them so that metal and concrete would run and fall down on the enemies - the aggressors were mutants as well, Jonathan was pretty sure they could get out of the situations he was giving them - after all he wasn't there to kill someone.  Fixing his glasses that he has Wesley give him - the one so that that girl from before wouldn't fucking blind him anymore - he kept it on bare minimum to be able to see - and later once he could feel her again and see her light, he would be sure to damn turn the power to maximum and hit her with whatever she had.

The same kind of feeling fled when he remembered Emma, that girl he sometimes used to meet as a kid -who was there with him and they had real fun- she was part of this too - and for some reason, he would rather look the other way than hurt her... with a shake of his head - he continued on - he couldn't see them anyway.

The word inside the Brotherhood was spreading like wildfire. Francis Berkley had been imprisoned for her involvement with mutant traffickers. She was going to be executed by Olivia Steel herself the coming afternoon. Some voices had raged against the decision to make it a private execution with only a few important people present. They wanted to see blood for the huge betrayal from one of their most trusted. It was exactly the reason why Olivia had decided against performing a public execution. So many things could go wrong just because the heightened emotion of one of the mutants was leading to them losing control over their powers.

Rachel felt sick to the stomach when she heard the talk start up. At first it had been only whispers but with passing time the noise grew stronger especially after they had cited the young brunette into Olivia’s main office for questioning. No, she hadn’t known about what her very own sister was up to. No, she wasn’t involved as well; she would never harm another mutant like that. No, she couldn’t explain what had caused her sister’s actions. The questions just kept coming and coming until it was already dawning again for a new day to begin. Judgement had been passed quickly and her inquisition had been the final act before they could officially decide to kill her only real living relative.

The brunette wasn’t allowed to walk around in public without a loyal escort out of fear that someone might try to make a move at her just because she was the sister of Francis. One of the mutants who had tried got his wrist broken and after that event, they stopped trying to physically hurt Rachel. The eighteen year-old was scared. She couldn’t wrap her mind around what her own sister – the one person who had been like a mother to her for most of her life – had done. Yet the longer she thought about it the more she was able to see what might have driven Francis to such measures. The older woman had always enjoyed to dominate other people. She wanted the power that her position gave her but it still wasn’t enough to satisfy her need for being worshipped.

Francis was ruthless in her approach to the human problem that they had to solve. It was clear that she would never sell other mutants to them without having a hidden agenda. Whatever it was for her this time, it wouldn’t play out. Someone had outwitted the mutant with her power of Clairvoyance and she would better pay the price for her sin. After Rachel was finally alone in her room for the first time in hours, she had cried. The tears were for her sister who had turned out to be anything but the saint that the young brunette always thought she was. She cried for losing her forever.

When the time of the execution dawned, someone escorted her back to the room where Olivia would mark the final moment of Francis. Usually Rachel wouldn’t have been allowed to attend the meeting but she was family and Wesley seemed to have persuaded the stern woman to have her see this with her own eyes. It wasn’t just out of courtesy and pity of course. The brunette was sure that they wanted to keep her from ever following in her sister’s footsteps. They shouldn’t have worried of course. Rachel might be very crude in her approach in the field but she had a sense of what was right and what was wrong. Even humans didn’t deserve to be sold as slaves to just anyone. Of course that point of view had never left her lips. Showing pity on humans was going to get her into trouble.

It was like a poem going through her head at all the chaos and calamity that she was in. The rubble, the flames, the blood, the terrible, terrible stench of people giving up and dying, it filled her mind with terror and fear. Something that she didn't think would happen this soon. How can the Brotherhood think this way? To just kill the humans- as if they were all the same?

Smoke swirls up in the morning light, not a sound to be heard.  A city filled with desperation, and it looks like, no one's cured.  The voice all moan like the swirling chaos here.  Everything's a mess, just like we feared .  Don't let them in, don't let them die.  Try to save lives and try to survive.  Tend to this - no don't let go-  just don't let go! Please, survive, please survive. Heavens know that we need you alive.  Please, survive, please survive. Pick it up then go and fight.

Amanda never really cared for sides, but she didn't hate humans entirely, after all - she knew what everyone thought, and how they really feel. It wasn't hard for her to imagine what kind of life they have led - both humans and mutants. For her, she knew their deepest desires, fears, happiness, secrets. She could hear some from the Brotherhood resent killing just for the point of it, she could hear the people - re-thinking their decisions of their original plans of having peace with mutants. She even heard some of her own children enjoying the tearing of ones soul from another's voice because of the power it gave him.

Everything was wrong, everything was clouded -death was scattered around, injuries were everywhere. The fight in her still stayed, even though she tried her best to keep her mind away from all the pain and horror- she knew she had to go on somehow, she knew she had to fight - it was the only thing she could do. She needed to save those who can be saved, to free the ones who's bodies were almost crushed.

Not only humans oh no, but also for other mutants. To see her kids go and fight and get wounded, to try and heal them and tell them everything was going to be fine. She had even saved some from the other side, after of course having to shapeshift as another person first just to get them out and safe. That was the point of the human and mutant gala - for peace... and that meant as much as possible to limit casualties, whichever side they may be in or could be in. It was taxing though, mind and body, and abilities that came with it. It burnt her mind and body to shapeshift fast and read faster. 

To use her mind as a soothing voice to talk to others, to shapeshift as a rabbit or a dog to get a child out of the way from a burning building to safety - to turn into a human and back again as a lion or a horse, just to be able to bring the people to safety who were heavier. It took a toll on her body, turning, shapeshifting, reading minds - listening to their hearts.

When all her senses could see the contrary - the hopes and dreams destroyed by the flames of slaughter. Even though as she continued to work, trying to find voices in the nook and crannies to save, to turn into a mouse - to get into small places and shift back - to be a strong- animal to get giant structures out of the way - and probably- despite it all, the most hurtful thing was the shade in people's eyes who were now also afraid of her - because of what she could do. Those people who were traumatized for things not all mutants wanted to happen.

The casualty she saw that day did not just mean one- or two or three deaths. It didnt' mean just deaths, but it meant all the sadness and negativity that went around. The pain, the sickness, the view of other people from afar safe in their homes - or those who were included in the attack. Everyone had lost something, even Amanda knew she had lost something as well. But she had to keep fighting.

After escaping the Brotherhood yesterday night from their small infiltration of plans, Amanda had been awake the whole time, drinking, drinking a little bit of alcohol here and there to keep herself up. Funny how it worked, once she drank a bit of coffee though, she would fall asleep like a baby - instantly. /Connor.... aren't these plans a bit odd./ Amanda said - usually she and Connor never needed a lot of words - since they could read each other's mind easily enough and openly enough to be able to work together. After all, they had known each other for quite a long time - with her staying in the Institute for more than half of her life , 25 years to be exact. 

As she continued to scan with Connor - a loud sound - not made by voice but by head echoed throughout the walls. There and then, Amanda had made a dash towards it, leaving Connor to work out the details- after all, as a team - the least they could do was balance things out and be able to do everything properly. Heading towards the room - a boy who was 14 years old, kept thrashing around and around, his power was something quite unique in terms of mental abilities- although limited. He had been brought to the Institute by an elderly aunt who seemed to love him too much, but had to let go because of some reason. In that moment, he had created a bond a with her, feeling what she felt, seeing what she saw- even if it was quite far away, no matter how far away from each other. 

Try as she might to find out information, the boy kept stock still, only his eyes - open and scared made her urge to use her power and look inside. A woman- opening the window to a new day- watching the people across the street - normal looking people - walking around- dressed in some kind of... band outfit? Watering the plants on the window-sill - hearing a voice - looking at the dirty blonde haired man who was a part of the group - he was talking to someone - she watched - and for some reason - the man had walked into the middle of the road - without dirty blonde haired man watching - then and there- the victim walked - and in five seconds, died as he made sure he jumped in front of a speeding bus.

The clothes- the terror- that was the reason - the area was not so familiar to Amanda, but she knew that there was happening, right now and she needed to get there - to Washington, the specific place? She didn't know but she wasn't going to stay and find out. With a quick mind thought - she shielded the boys mind to give him a restful sleep as she shouted through her own as she reached Connor, even if they were a floor away from each other. /Connor! The attack is in Washington, the Brotherhood has already come!/ she alerted his mind before moving door to door of the Institute to get the proper mutants on hand for the fight - a fight and most of all, a rescue mission.

'To think this was actually some kind of meeting for the human and mutant relation---" her thoughts were cut off as she called every mutant needed and fixed herself as quick as she could. "They are going to ruin the even..." she said with eyes widened. Quickly transforming into a hawk- Amanda left the building to get to the grounds and transform again. Everyone was there- even Connor. 

The plan was to make sure everyone they could save - be safe, blood shed might be the only way, but they were still operating under the Institute boundaries- do not kill. With a knowing look at Connor who was going to stay in the Institute with the others and the younger ones. Amanda barked her orders at all who can teleport, transport and use their speed to go as fast as they can, in any way possible and head towards Washington, at the precise place where the gala would be held. 

At six years old, it had gotten a little bit harder as she started school - there were too many voices at such a near distance. Too many words and too many stories that made no sense bit at her brain and nitpicked her skull - some words were too unknown to her, some made her cringe at the sadness, the happiness, the piercing sounds of anger and pain. It became like that everyday, even if she did try her hardest to do something, anything - think, write, shut up, - she couldn't escape the thoughts that were resounding in her head, thoughts that weren't hers, but in some way- she felt as well.

The boy who was bullied for every day of the school days? The girl whose parents were going to be divorced? The teacher who had just raped his girlfriend out of spite because of being gay - the kid at the back of the class who just wanted his parents to notice him - the bully who had no family of his own, the guard who was demoralizing his family. She heard it as raw as if it was she herself - and one day, just one day - at first grade- she couldn't take it anymore and she shouted - /Stop, please stop, don't - please don't hurt yourself, - I'll be your friend, no I can listen to you - don't do that- don't say that! Stop, please, stop, stop stop STOP!/. Even as she felt her heart being ripped apart at the intensity of her shout, she only heard one sound. 

"Amanda?" the professor called as he looked at her from the board, a curious expression on his face - and as Amanda looked up, all eyes were on her. All of them different emotions, did she just blurt out loud what she said? Impossible, it didn't seem like that - but everyone said something out of the contrary... everyone heard it. Little did they know, and lucky for Amanda, that everyone heard the same thing - it made her still human in the other's eyes, and her teacher let her out for the afternoon at the Clinic to rest.

It wasn't until it was almost dismissal was she allowed to leave - hungry all of a sudden Amanda went towards the cafeteria and started thinking again, not knowing she was somehow projecting her thoughts but only to one person. "You know-" a voice sounded that made her look up - it was the cook /you just have to teach yourself./ Amanda's blue eyes widened - she could hear it, but she could swear the woman' lips didn't move. /Ah girl, you have a special gift over there. I know, I could do it too, at least only slightly./ "Longer than a few minutes and I get dizzy like I had a shot of Monte Larazo Tequila!" The cooked laughed and then shook her hand in front of her face, obviously looking embarrassed. "Are you going home little miss? Here' have your favorite muffin and join an old lady for a few minutes." 

Too shocked at the fact that there was someone who moved into her mind and was talking in front of her, Amanda could only put her hand out to receive the muffin and get sit down with the cook who seemed to understand her somewhat. As she walked with the cook, she stared intently - not even knowing that she was already going inside the cooks head /Now, now little girl, give an old lady a little time./ she heard again in her head. More curious that shocked at what happened, Amanda sat down, nervous about it all.

"You've got a gift my dear." the woman said as she sat as well. "You've got a gift to read the minds of people, and talk to them. Do you know how powerful this is? Not that I want to scare you child, but I want you to understand that this gift is gold and you shouldn't let that control you." Amanda the child scrunched up her face at the words that were being said to her, powerful? Scaring her? Control? "Listen child, you can hear my thoughts and you can speak to people - I'm pretty sure a good while ago, you were the one who shouted Stop in your classroom am I right?" she asked with an eyebrow raised in which Amanda nodded her head sheepishly.

"You can see into the minds of people, and hear their thoughts, hear their hearts. You are able to find out easily how to make other's feel happy, sad, angry... you can make it them feel better or worse in a second that they felt it, because you can see it." the cook said - wanting the girl to understand as she tried to encourage Amanda. "I know it's a lot to take in, but if ever you want to, and as young as you are - we can always hold a few training sessions, just here in the cafeteria to be safe. Alright?" the cook stood up with a smile and patted Amanda on the head as she left to continue working.