AN: What!? Another chapter so soon!?
Well, there was less work today so I managed to write a small chap :P
I posted this today so the cliffhanger last chapter won't be long but now, there is another bigger cliffhanger XD
There will still be a chapter this weekend and I don't know if I can do another chapter on the weekday but here's hoping there's less work this week...
Btw, there was a comment on scribblehub about Mr. Sinister having manipulated Jean into liking Scott from the start...I didn't know that but I might do that or something similar. I'm still thinking. Thanks for the idea BOOKWORM (that's his username, I'm not calling him names or anything)
It's all for you guys so we can have the seggs scene soon XD
But yeah, Mr. Sinister was never in my plan so idk if I should suddenly insert him since I know very little about him. Anyway, I'm still thinking about it. Jean seggs scene won't happen in this chapter just yet. Or the next...maybe...who knows XD Not me :P
That's all. enjoy!
---------------------
Chapter 63: Jean’s Determination
After some time, Jean finally calmed down and left Benjamin’s arms. Her eyes were still a bit red from the crying.
Actually, she still hasn’t gotten over it just yet. After all, she just found out that she killed her own parents because of her powers going out of control…how can she ever get over that?
Still, she tried to stabilize her emotions as much as she could tell that something bad would happen if she were to spiral out of control.
Looking at Benjamin’s strained expression, she asked worriedly.
“I’m sorry…are you okay?”
Benjamin gave her a smile and nodded. His complexion turned better the next second. He had already healed.
“I’m fine. It would take a lot more than that to hurt me.”
“...Do you want me to try again?”
“Please don’t.”
Seeing Benjamin looking smug about it, Jean made a small joke to lessen her tension.
Benjamin played along and feigned a fearful look.
Jean chuckled at his exaggerated acting and the tension between them lessened.
After a while, Jean sighed.
“I…understand why the Professor would seal that memory away…but I’m kinda disappointed that you would think I’d kill him over something like that.”
Benjamin sighed and explained.
“Because your father is still alive.”
“...Huh?”
Suddenly, Jean felt confused.
Before this, she could still understand why Charles did what he did. And that was to protect her from the trauma of killing her own parents…
But from what Benjamin said…her father was still alive!
Then why did Charles lie to her about being orphaned!?
She still has a living family member!
Why…why did he lie!?
The moment she started to think this way, it was as if something was trying to pull her deeper into the darkness and her thoughts started to turn darker and darker…
Suddenly, she felt a warm hand hold her own.
Jean snapped out of it and looked down. Benjamin’s hand was covering her own hand.
Her dark thoughts seemed to stop and she also stopped thinking anything.
She looked up and saw Benjamin smile at her.
“Follow me.”
With a wave of his hand, a portal appeared behind them leading to what looked to be a residential area.
Jean hesitated for a moment but still let him pull her into the portal.
Once they passed through, Benjamin waved his hand again and a transparent film seemed to cover them.
“Just an invisibility magic to cover us.”
Benjamin explained.
He then turned to one of the houses and looked through the window.
Jean followed his line of sight and saw the house.
Through the window, she saw a familiar man but his hair already started to show some greys.
“Father…”
“Close your eyes.”
Hearing Benjamin’s voice, Jean turned to him for a moment then closed her eyes.
Benjamin did the same and led both their minds into the memories of Jean’s father.
The next moment, they appeared at a hospital.
Her father lay on the bed and was covered in bandages.
Looking at him injured all over like that, Jean held her mouth with her hand and sobbed a little.
It was her fault that this happened to him…
Suddenly, the door opened and revealed a bald man in a wheelchair.
It was none other than Charles Xavier.
Wheeling himself beside Jean’s father, he began his usual speech about gifted children and want to enroll them at his school.
But before he could explain more about it, the moment Jean’s father knew that he wanted to take Jean away, he immediately agreed to it.
“Take her! Please! I beg you! Take that monster away!”
“...”
Charles fell silent.
Not only him, but Jean who was watching this scene was similarly at a loss for words.
She stared at her own father but saw only a stranger.
In the scene, Charles tried to calm him down and explain that Jean wasn’t a monster, but a mutant.
However, Jean’s father was having none of it.
“I don’t care what she is…just…please…get her away from me…”
His eyes were filled with sadness at the loss of his wife.
So much so that he no longer saw Jean as his own daughter.
He only saw a monster.
Charles sighed and left him alone.
Seeing him leave, Jean stood there in silence for a moment but still followed Charles out.
They then saw Charles visit the young Jean with a warm smile.
“Jean, my name is Charles Xavier.”
The young Jean only looked at him expressionlessly and asked.
“Are you here to take me away?”
“I-...”
“I heard you two talk. You’re here to take the monster away.”
Hearing herself talk like that, the older Jean’s eyes were filled with tears as she grabbed onto Benjamin’s hand tighter.
Benjamin sighed and could only pat her back to console her.
Charles smiled and explained.
“You’re not a monster, Jean. You are simply special.”
“I don’t want to be special…Can’t you make me normal?”
“I’m afraid not…”
Suddenly, the whole room started to tremble slightly.
Charles frowned and turned to Jean who was starting to unravel in her emotions.
He gritted his teeth and placed his index and middle finger at the side of Jean’s head.
“I’m sorry for this Jean…”
Not long after, the young Jean fainted.
Charles had sealed up a portion of her powers and her memories.
They then returned back to reality.
The scene they watched just now was a combination of her father’s memories and her own.
Now that the young Jean had fainted, she naturally has no memories of what happened during that period of time and the scene ended.
Back in reality, Jean stood there in silence for a while.
Only after a few minutes did Jean tug at Benjamin’s hand and spoke to him.
“Let’s go back…please…”
She couldn’t stand to look at her own father anymore after what she just saw.”
Benjamin nodded and opened another portal back to that cave.
Back in the cave, Jean removed her hand and went to a corner to sit down and hug her knees.
Benjamin signed and looked at the cave floor.
It doesn’t look comfortable to sit at all.
Oh, speaking of which.
Benjamin looked through the miscellaneous stuff in the System Store and bought a large blue beanbag.
He then placed it beside Jean who looked at it speechlessly.
“You can sulk there instead. The floor’s pretty hard.”
“...Yeah, it’s really hard for me to sulk. My butt was starting to hurt.”
Jean rolled her eyes but still sat on the beanbag.
She suddenly felt super comfortable.
“This is…actually good. Where did you buy this?”
“From a cosmic entity that’s not of this universe.”
“...”
Jean rolled her eyes again.
Benjamin then started to decorate the place with other furnitures like tables, chairs, shelves…even a TV.
“...What are you doing?”
“I’m spicing up the place. You know, like a secret hideout. Don’t mind me. Tell me when you’re done sulking.”
“...”
Jean looked at him speechlessly.
Is this guy being serious? How can she even sulk properly with him doing something fun?
Forget it, I should continue to sulk…
Just then, she saw Benjamin place a billiard table at the side.
“Wait, don’t place it there. Look, that side is better.”
“Like this?”
“A little more to the left…there.”
“Oh, it does look nice. Should I place some arcades here too?”
“You have that too? In that case, this area is good. Try to place some here.”
Jean had completely forgotten she was sulking and went to join Benjamin to decorate the place…
It wasn’t till a few hours later did she recall.
“Hey! I was still sulking!”
“Haha, well, aren’t you feeling better already?”
“...Thanks.”
Jean smiled wryly.
She knew that this guy just tricked her into momentarily forgetting about those sad memories.
Benjamin chuckled.
“Well? What are your plans now? Any thoughts on world domination yet?”
“...You know, I’m still mad that you would think I’d do something so evil just because of that. Sure I did hate the Professor for lying to me but I thought you and the Professor would already know me better that I wouldn’t do something like that! Especially the Professor!”
No matter what, she had stayed in the X-Mansion for a long time now and even became one of the teachers. Isn’t it a bit too much that they wouldn’t trust her own judgment and that they think she will do something evil?
Benjamin smiled wryly.
“It’s that that I or Charles don’t trust your judgment. But as I told you before, that force inside you can easily corrupt your thoughts. That’s why you must constantly feed it with happy emotions instead.”
“...So that’s why you were trying to stop me from sulking…”
“Yes. Actually, if you had more time to sulk, you’d probably become an emo. You might even start to have long bangs and cover one of your eyes.”
“That’d be something.”
Jean chuckled as she imagined herself looking like that.
She took a deep breath and exhaled.
“Anyway…thank you, Ben. For going through this with me. If what you said was right and you weren’t there to constantly soften the blow and cheer me up…I don’t know what would happen…”
“No problem.”
“But still…I don’t know how I’ll ever get over the fact that I killed my own mother…”
Benjamin sighed and patted her head.
“You didn’t kill her. It was an accident. Your father knows this too but his love for your mother is simply too strong for him to think clearly and he wanted someone to blame. As for getting over it…you don’t need to. Let it be a reminder to you and don’t let it win over you again. Remember, this is your power. You control it. Not the other way around.”
Jean’s eyes glinted with determination.
“I understand. But it may be a bit difficult to do it by myself…will you help me, Ben?”
Benjamin nodded.
“Of course. That’s what this secret base is for, right?”
Benjamin chuckled.
Suddenly, Jean remembered something.
“Speaking of, I wanted to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
Jean pointed at a certain area of the cave.
“I wonder why there’s a need for a bed here?”
“...Umm…”
AN: What!? Another chapter so soon!?
Well, there was less work today so I managed to write a small chap :P
I posted this today so the cliffhanger last chapter won't be long but now, there is another bigger cliffhanger XD
There will still be a chapter this weekend and I don't know if I can do another chapter on the weekday but here's hoping there's less work this week...
Btw, there was a comment on scribblehub about Mr. Sinister having manipulated Jean into liking Scott from the start...I didn't know that but I might do that or something similar. I'm still thinking. Thanks for the idea BOOKWORM (that's his username, I'm not calling him names or anything)
It's all for you guys so we can have the seggs scene soon XD
But yeah, Mr. Sinister was never in my plan so idk if I should suddenly insert him since I know very little about him. Anyway, I'm still thinking about it. Jean seggs scene won't happen in this chapter just yet. Or the next...maybe...who knows XD Not me :P
That's all. enjoy!
---------------------
Chapter 63: Jean’s Determination
After some time, Jean finally calmed down and left Benjamin’s arms. Her eyes were still a bit red from the crying.
Actually, she still hasn’t gotten over it just yet. After all, she just found out that she killed her own parents because of her powers going out of control…how can she ever get over that?
Still, she tried to stabilize her emotions as much as she could tell that something bad would happen if she were to spiral out of control.
Looking at Benjamin’s strained expression, she asked worriedly.
“I’m sorry…are you okay?”
Benjamin gave her a smile and nodded. His complexion turned better the next second. He had already healed.
“I’m fine. It would take a lot more than that to hurt me.”
“...Do you want me to try again?”
“Please don’t.”
Seeing Benjamin looking smug about it, Jean made a small joke to lessen her tension.
Benjamin played along and feigned a fearful look.
Jean chuckled at his exaggerated acting and the tension between them lessened.
After a while, Jean sighed.
“I…understand why the Professor would seal that memory away…but I’m kinda disappointed that you would think I’d kill him over something like that.”
Benjamin sighed and explained.
“Because your father is still alive.”
“...Huh?”
Suddenly, Jean felt confused.
Before this, she could still understand why Charles did what he did. And that was to protect her from the trauma of killing her own parents…
But from what Benjamin said…her father was still alive!
Then why did Charles lie to her about being orphaned!?
She still has a living family member!
Why…why did he lie!?
The moment she started to think this way, it was as if something was trying to pull her deeper into the darkness and her thoughts started to turn darker and darker…
Suddenly, she felt a warm hand hold her own.
Jean snapped out of it and looked down. Benjamin’s hand was covering her own hand.
Her dark thoughts seemed to stop and she also stopped thinking anything.
She looked up and saw Benjamin smile at her.
“Follow me.”
With a wave of his hand, a portal appeared behind them leading to what looked to be a residential area.
Jean hesitated for a moment but still let him pull her into the portal.
Once they passed through, Benjamin waved his hand again and a transparent film seemed to cover them.
“Just an invisibility magic to cover us.”
Benjamin explained.
He then turned to one of the houses and looked through the window.
Jean followed his line of sight and saw the house.
Through the window, she saw a familiar man but his hair already started to show some greys.
“Father…”
“Close your eyes.”
Hearing Benjamin’s voice, Jean turned to him for a moment then closed her eyes.
Benjamin did the same and led both their minds into the memories of Jean’s father.
The next moment, they appeared at a hospital.
Her father lay on the bed and was covered in bandages.
Looking at him injured all over like that, Jean held her mouth with her hand and sobbed a little.
It was her fault that this happened to him…
Suddenly, the door opened and revealed a bald man in a wheelchair.
It was none other than Charles Xavier.
Wheeling himself beside Jean’s father, he began his usual speech about gifted children and want to enroll them at his school.
But before he could explain more about it, the moment Jean’s father knew that he wanted to take Jean away, he immediately agreed to it.
“Take her! Please! I beg you! Take that monster away!”
“...”
Charles fell silent.
Not only him, but Jean who was watching this scene was similarly at a loss for words.
She stared at her own father but saw only a stranger.
In the scene, Charles tried to calm him down and explain that Jean wasn’t a monster, but a mutant.
However, Jean’s father was having none of it.
“I don’t care what she is…just…please…get her away from me…”
His eyes were filled with sadness at the loss of his wife.
So much so that he no longer saw Jean as his own daughter.
He only saw a monster.
Charles sighed and left him alone.
Seeing him leave, Jean stood there in silence for a moment but still followed Charles out.
They then saw Charles visit the young Jean with a warm smile.
“Jean, my name is Charles Xavier.”
The young Jean only looked at him expressionlessly and asked.
“Are you here to take me away?”
“I-...”
“I heard you two talk. You’re here to take the monster away.”
Hearing herself talk like that, the older Jean’s eyes were filled with tears as she grabbed onto Benjamin’s hand tighter.
Benjamin sighed and could only pat her back to console her.
Charles smiled and explained.
“You’re not a monster, Jean. You are simply special.”
“I don’t want to be special…Can’t you make me normal?”
“I’m afraid not…”
Suddenly, the whole room started to tremble slightly.
Charles frowned and turned to Jean who was starting to unravel in her emotions.
He gritted his teeth and placed his index and middle finger at the side of Jean’s head.
“I’m sorry for this Jean…”
Not long after, the young Jean fainted.
Charles had sealed up a portion of her powers and her memories.
They then returned back to reality.
The scene they watched just now was a combination of her father’s memories and her own.
Now that the young Jean had fainted, she naturally has no memories of what happened during that period of time and the scene ended.
Back in reality, Jean stood there in silence for a while.
Only after a few minutes did Jean tug at Benjamin’s hand and spoke to him.
“Let’s go back…please…”
She couldn’t stand to look at her own father anymore after what she just saw.”
Benjamin nodded and opened another portal back to that cave.
Back in the cave, Jean removed her hand and went to a corner to sit down and hug her knees.
Benjamin signed and looked at the cave floor.
It doesn’t look comfortable to sit at all.
Oh, speaking of which.
Benjamin looked through the miscellaneous stuff in the System Store and bought a large blue beanbag.
He then placed it beside Jean who looked at it speechlessly.
“You can sulk there instead. The floor’s pretty hard.”
“...Yeah, it’s really hard for me to sulk. My butt was starting to hurt.”
Jean rolled her eyes but still sat on the beanbag.
She suddenly felt super comfortable.
“This is…actually good. Where did you buy this?”
“From a cosmic entity that’s not of this universe.”
“...”
Jean rolled her eyes again.
Benjamin then started to decorate the place with other furnitures like tables, chairs, shelves…even a TV.
“...What are you doing?”
“I’m spicing up the place. You know, like a secret hideout. Don’t mind me. Tell me when you’re done sulking.”
“...”
Jean looked at him speechlessly.
Is this guy being serious? How can she even sulk properly with him doing something fun?
Forget it, I should continue to sulk…
Just then, she saw Benjamin place a billiard table at the side.
“Wait, don’t place it there. Look, that side is better.”
“Like this?”
“A little more to the left…there.”
“Oh, it does look nice. Should I place some arcades here too?”
“You have that too? In that case, this area is good. Try to place some here.”
Jean had completely forgotten she was sulking and went to join Benjamin to decorate the place…
It wasn’t till a few hours later did she recall.
“Hey! I was still sulking!”
“Haha, well, aren’t you feeling better already?”
“...Thanks.”
Jean smiled wryly.
She knew that this guy just tricked her into momentarily forgetting about those sad memories.
Benjamin chuckled.
“Well? What are your plans now? Any thoughts on world domination yet?”
“...You know, I’m still mad that you would think I’d do something so evil just because of that. Sure I did hate the Professor for lying to me but I thought you and the Professor would already know me better that I wouldn’t do something like that! Especially the Professor!”
No matter what, she had stayed in the X-Mansion for a long time now and even became one of the teachers. Isn’t it a bit too much that they wouldn’t trust her own judgment and that they think she will do something evil?
Benjamin smiled wryly.
“It’s that that I or Charles don’t trust your judgment. But as I told you before, that force inside you can easily corrupt your thoughts. That’s why you must constantly feed it with happy emotions instead.”
“...So that’s why you were trying to stop me from sulking…”
“Yes. Actually, if you had more time to sulk, you’d probably become an emo. You might even start to have long bangs and cover one of your eyes.”
“That’d be something.”
Jean chuckled as she imagined herself looking like that.
She took a deep breath and exhaled.
“Anyway…thank you, Ben. For going through this with me. If what you said was right and you weren’t there to constantly soften the blow and cheer me up…I don’t know what would happen…”
“No problem.”
“But still…I don’t know how I’ll ever get over the fact that I killed my own mother…”
Benjamin sighed and patted her head.
“You didn’t kill her. It was an accident. Your father knows this too but his love for your mother is simply too strong for him to think clearly and he wanted someone to blame. As for getting over it…you don’t need to. Let it be a reminder to you and don’t let it win over you again. Remember, this is your power. You control it. Not the other way around.”
Jean’s eyes glinted with determination.
“I understand. But it may be a bit difficult to do it by myself…will you help me, Ben?”
Benjamin nodded.
“Of course. That’s what this secret base is for, right?”
Benjamin chuckled.
Suddenly, Jean remembered something.
“Speaking of, I wanted to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
Jean pointed at a certain area of the cave.
“I wonder why there’s a need for a bed here?”
“...Umm…”
