7559/Siblings with Issues

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Siblings with Issues
Date of Scene: 26 August 2021
Location: Clarice Ferguson's Quarters
Synopsis: Clarice discovers she had one more sibling than she'd realized. And all of them have their own issues...
Cast of Characters: Clarice Ferguson, Raven Darkholme




Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    This is very much not a conversation Clarice wishes to have - but Lydia and Mystique remained firm and unwavering in opposition to her hesitation. And while it is very much her decision they had one very good point she couldn't deny...
    She'd be furious if something like this was kept from //her//.
    She spends a few moments litterally pacing the hallway outside her room and getting a few odd looks by passers by - people who quickly scamper away after a particularly angry scowl from the brightly-hued teleporter, before Clarice finally opens the door to step into the quarters she and Cynthia share, a tight smile forced onto her features. "Cynthia? Are you busy?"
    God, how is she even going to explain this?

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia was sitting at the piano, not playing at the moment, but she had a pad of blank music paper on the bench beside her that she is writing notes on. As Clarice comes in, she goes back to the piano to play another section, then leans to wrote the notes down. The song is clearly the one that Rahne sung the other night, and she is writing it out in music.

"Not really," she says before setting the pencil on the bench and turning around to face the room.

The expression on Clarice's face says it all and prompts a "What's wrong?" as she stands up to hurry over and hug her sister.

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "It's complicated," Clarice answers, letting out a sigh as she hugs her sister back. After a few moments she pulls back enough that she can see her sister's face. "If there's- if ever we find out something that might be, in some way, a threat - would you rather know about it? Or would you rather I simply took care of things?" she asks a bit uncertainly, and awkwardly.
    She's honestly not sure how else to //ask// a question like that. But maybe Cynthia would honestly rather not know, so she can concentrate on her studies?

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia pulls Clarice over to the couch as she says, "I'd want to know about it. I mean, how can I protect myself if I don't know there's something there? You can't always be there Clare, you work and I'm going to be going to a real school soon."

She plunks down on the couch, but only pats the spot beside her, just in case Clarice wants to stay standing. "Why would you think I'd want to leave it all on your shoulders? I can take care of myself, I have been, remember?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I don't know," Clarice admits as she sits beside her sister. "I- we still hardly know each other. I'm still just trying to figure out how all this works, and I just- I want to make sure you have a chance to have as normal a life as you can. And the chance to pick your own future." That's not such a bad thing, is it?
    She lets out another huff of air before explaining, "Lydia can do magic. I mean - you saw the Golem she made. She just learned a spell that lets her explore people's ancestry through their blood. I had her try it on my blood which- I mean, obviously would give the exact same results as yours would."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia picks Clarice hand back up once she sits down, just holding onto it with a smile on her face.

"There is no chance I'll have a normal childhood Clare, none what-so-ever, so you can stop thinking that part. I'm on an asteroid in space, normal went right out the window. What I do have is opportunities, and that's thanks to you. No one is going to tell me what I have to do with my life, I'll decide for myself. I'll listen to advice, I'll take suggestions, but I decide, okay? So whatever this danger is, it doesn't change my future."

Now she listens intently. She has figured out that Lydia was magical, the golem being clay, Lydia being Jewish... it made sense. "Okay, so you saw our ancestry and something in there has you freaked out?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "As normal as you can, I said," Clarice says with amusement, giving Cynthia's hand a squeeze. "More normal than mine." That, at least, she can almost guarantee. Her like was a //mess//.
    "Well. I could see their faces - all our ancestors. There were two that really caught my eye. There was a man a few generations back - Frederick Slade. He had our eyes, and my hair. It was pretty striking.
    "But more importantly, way... //way// back in our family tree was this man with grey skin, and these strange lines on his face - very different from mine. Hulkin, and //huge//. He was- he //is// named En Sabah Nur, 'The Morning Light,' but apparently he's also known as Apocalypse, and there's records and stories that some people attribute to him going back throughout recorded history."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
There is a slight giggle as Clarice says more normal than her own, and Cynthia concedes to that with a nod.

"Apocalypse," she repeats with a slightly raised brow. "What a stupid name. Why is that a big deal, other than the stupid name? Ancient mutant? Okay, so they go back further than humans thought they did. Am I missing something here?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Well. He's probably still alive, for one," Clarice remarks simply. "He seems to go quiet - sometimes for centuries at a time, and then re-emerge in some new war or attempt to claim power for himself. He was apparently a Pharoah for centuries - things like that," she explains. "And he has a cult of followers called Clan Akkaba who are obsessed with his bloodline, and the power of his descendents. They could be a threat to us, if they ever learned we exist."
    She shakes her head slightly as she adds, "It could be something. It could be nothing - but Mystique and Lydia want us to mask our blood, somehow, and just be very careful about who has access to it. Which means only using the Asteroid Med Bay unless we can't help it - things like that." She gives Cynthia's hand a squeeze as she adds, "Mystique is looking into things, to see if she can learn more about the Clan - their current whereabouts and activities. But we don't have much to go by right now."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Sitting back, Cynthia has to consider all that information and realizes it was a lot, probably more than she could understand.

"Okay, so he's a forever living, ancient mutant, and this clan is obsessed with people who are part of his bloodline, and some how we are." She says, more to make sure she has the information right than anything else. "Why do they want descendants What could be possibly offer some old, worn out Mutant?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I don't know," Clarice answers. "Honestly, I feel like we've got more questions than answers. We just know he's sort of... crazy obsessed with 'survival of the fittest' - and making mutant kind as powerful as possible, with himself at the top. He's- well, he's a real mutant supremecy type," she admits wryly. "I imagine we'd just be cogs in his world-domination-machine if they got their hands on us. But honestly, we've been completely unaware of the issue until now, and it hasn't been a problem, so... With any luck the whole thing's a non-issue."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia hmms and shrugs, "Okay, so it /may/ be an issue, it /may not/ be... but we have to stay informed of what could happen."

She doesn't seem freaked out at all, in fact she's pretty calm, but most likely because she doesn't know who this Apocalypse is.

"Mystique and Lydia want to conceal who we are," she then says, remembering that part as well. "Which I'll bet isn't a standard spell in a book, so is going to take time, which means no starting school yet, right?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "We can look at schools - pick out the one you like," Clarice suggests, "while Lydia tries to figure out the magic. She's planning on enchanting a piece of jewelry we can wear. We'll see how long it's going to take her to finish the spell, and we'll decide if we need to delay enrolling you in a proper school or not. I mean- I want to be cautious. But on the other hand, we didn't know about any of this before now, and it's been //fine// our whole lives, so..."
    She gives a shrug of her shoulders. "We'll play things by ear."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia nods, then starts smiling rather broadly. "There is a mutant and human school in New York, called Happy Harbor. I did some reading online about it. I'd like to check it out. I can't do human only, but this might be a good bridge between the two."

She turns the bracelet around on her wrist a few times. "I want to learn how to fight as well," she finally says. "Maybe not insane training, but enough to defend myself without having to resort to drastic measures, like shoving someone in the pocket."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Rahne wants to start learning a little self defense as well," Clarice remarks with a smile, giving her sister a nudge with her sister. "Maybe the both of you can start training with me. I think it's a good idea to know how to keep yourself safe," she agrees.
    "And we can check out Happy Harbor," she agrees. "There's a school called Amador Valley in San Francisco that apparently has a lot of mutants, as well," she suggests. "And there's Xavier's, and I'm sure others as well. We can arrange for tours of as many of them as you like, and see what sort of advanced classes they each offer."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The grin goes broader on Cynthia's face, "I get to see Rahne exercising?" Yes, she loves teasing her sister about that already.

"I don't like the idea of going to a school that I can't type into the computer and find out something about," she admits. "I'll look up these other two and see what I find. I wouldn't mind training with Rahne, if she's okay with that."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice groans quietly. "Oh, God, you're going to start on //that// again?" she complains with a sigh. "You really shouldn't be looking at- ...at my girlfriend's ass." Her girlfriend. That still feels strange to say.
    She takes a deep breath, letting it out before she continues. "Well. You won't find out much about Xavier's online except that it's a private academy and boarding school," Clarice admits. "They keep their focus private. And I can't imagine that Rahne would have a problem with you practicing together. It'd be good for you both to have another beginner to spar with."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia's expression changes to surprise, then she nods, "See, then that school is right out. How do you truly become equal by continuing to segregate? How do you keep humans from freaking out by staying private and unknown? Transparency is important, or we might as well all go back to Genosha and not bother."

Now she wiggles her brows, "I'm allowed to look anywhere I want Clare, the rule is 'you can look, but you can't touch'. So I'm sorry, but I'll be looking, and it's about time you call her girlfriend... don't know what we are," she snorts softly with a giggle. "I'm happy for you though. I promise I'm only teasing."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "God, this sister thing cuts both way. You're stuck with me, but I'm stuck with you, too," Clarice 'complains' - but there's a smile on her lips as she says it. She leans in against Cynthia, wrapping an arm around her as she repeats, "I have a girlfriend..." She pauses for a beat before adding, "And a sister."
    Her arm tightens around Cynthia as she adds with a choked voice, "It somehow- It doesn't feel right that I should be this happy."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia slides her arm around her sister as well, "Of course you deserve to be happy Clare, I mean... seriously. Look at your life, the things you were made to do... of /course/ you get to be happy now. It's over, you won, be happy. Do what makes you happy, be with people that make you happy, it doesn't matter what it is... you earned it, stop questioning and accept."

She nudges her sister lightly, then leans against her. "You were right though, we don't know each other that well. How do we fix that?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Does she, though? Does she? And would Cynthia still feel that way if she knew all the awful things she's done? Clarice continues to hold tightly to her sister before answering with a quiet, "Maybe." No, she doesn't sound convinced.
    Clearing her throat she adds, "I'm not sure there's a short cut to that - is there? We just- we have to spend time together. Do things together. I mean - I know you're smart, and stubborn, and talented at music. And I know you're kind, and caring, given all you do for Pete. But... What else do I really know about you yet?"
    She gives her sister a squeeze. "I should take you and Pete snorkeling on my island. I think you'd love all the fish there. It's- just floating, letting go, it's one of the few things that can help when I get too- When I get worked up."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Clarice gets poked again. "Hey, I don't know much about you either, you lock yourself up and only show what you want me to see," Cynthia states. "So no, there's no short cuts, but there is acknowledging we need to work on it, okay?"

"Now, as for snorkeling and fishing, I'm all for it. Pete however, well..." she pauses to find the right words. "He'll want to go, so long as it's just us."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    At that accusation, Clarice stares down at the floor, still and silent for a few moments. Finally she offers, "If there are things you want to know - you can ask, Cynthia. But you might not like all the answers," she offers in response.
    "And it can be just us - that's fine. I don't like to take too many people to my island, anyways. It's //my// place. It's private. But you're welcome there - so he's welcome as well."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia shakes her head slowly as she says bluntly, "No. I'm not going to ask. If you don't want to tell me, then clearly it's something important with you that you don't want to talk about. I'm not going to /make/ you talk about it." She gives her sister a smile, "You think I don't know things, about the pens, about what they were for and what you did, and you don't like talking about it, so I don't ask.... but here is what I know."

She turns more toward Clarice, "Mutants part of the mutate program were created for one purpose, to server the Magistrate and the government, most often to murder and kill anyone who opposed them. You killed for them, you lied for them, and when Magento saved you and the others, the Mutate was undone, but you were still a part of that world in your mind. You say Mister Creed helped you there, and yes people have told me about Creed, but I don't care. He helped you, he helped balance what they made you with who you are, into my sister... so no, there's nothing you could share that would chance a single damn thing Clare. You're my sister, I love you, and I am so happy to have you in my life that I want to be able to give you something, do something, anything I can for you."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice simply stares at Cynthia - her breath becoming unsteady, and her eyes welling with tears. "You already know?" she asks in a small voice.
    She leans into Cynthia, wrapping her arms around the younger girl as the tears start to fall from her eyes. "I've killed so many people," she admits quietly. "I- I helped them stay in power. I didn't have a choice, but I still did it. I killed them. Good people. Our people, our allies..."
    And there's no undoing it. There's no fixing it. How do you ever make up for something like that?
    "I can do awful, monsterous things, Cynthia... It's all I know. It's all I was taught."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia hugs Clarice tightly to her, closing her eyes and laying her head against her sisters.

"You mentioned the pens," she says quietly. "I knew about them from Pete, the rest... the rest I already knew because of it. It changes nothing Clare, not a thing." She nuzzles her sister's head with her own.

"They made you what they wanted they wanted you to be Clare," she continues. "Yes, you did the things they wanted, but it wasn't you. It's a part of your past, a part of you, but it wasn't you. You have to forgive yourself for something that wasn't your fault, and until you do, you will never see the light at the end of the tunnel... the light that is the truth, your happiness, and that you DESERVE forgiveness. I love you Clare, you're my sister, and no matter what, you have my support."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "It was me, though," Clarice insists quietly, as she continues to cling to Cynthia in return. "It was me. It might not be my fault, but it was me. //I// did those things." Tears continue to streak down her cheeks as she adds, "I still do those things. I just get to pick my targets now..." Could Cynthia really accept something like that? //Support// it? Surely not.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia leans back slightly and uses the sleeve of her shirt to wipe away Clarice's tears.

"Then they trained you well, and you've turned around the negative into a positive, Clare. Stop looking at the negative. It's the past, it doesn't matter any more. What matters is /now/, alright? Then was then, you can't go back, but you can handle now and tomorrow."

Using the other sleeve she wipes Clarice's eyes again. "You can't keep living in two different times Clare. You can't live then and now, so let go of then. It happened, it sucks in so many ways that I could rant for at least a day about it, but it was then, it's passed. Be /you/ in the /now/... alright? If that means you kill people, then you kill people. Sometimes people deserve to die, I could list a few from our history that deserved it."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "It sucks in a lot of ways," Clarice agrees quietly, as she tries to get the tears to stop, offering her sister a small, tight smile as she watches her features. "I know this isn't who I would have been, if-" If she hadn't ended up in the hands of the Mutate Program.
    "I know I'm a little ridiculous," she admits, as she captures Cynthia's hands and clings to them tightly. "I- I get so upset when people call Mister Creed a monster, as if that's all there is to him, but I- it's hard to let go of the notion that I- That I'm a monster myself. Some parts of me. I keep expecting people to treat me... the way they treat him. We're more the same than people know."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia offers a smile, "I don't know Mister Creed, I just hear what people say about him, but you already know I don't listen to rumors. I get that some people think he's a monster, but I'll bet most of those people don't have the whole story, they only have what they've bothered to find out."

She gives her sister's hands a light squeeze, "And you aren't ridiculous, you're worried. You care, you want to do better and care what people think about you. So yes, there's going to be some people who think you're a monster, but you know what?" She looks left, then looks right and whispers, "Fuck em. They want to judge without the whole story, let em rot in their lack of information, they aren't important enough for you to worry about."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "He can be a monster," Clarice murmurs quietly. "But he's more than that. He's... I think of him as a father. I mean, he's the closest thing I've had to one since-" Well. Cynthia knows since when. "I do want you to meet him. It's just- he's gruff. He doesn't warm up to people easily, and he does anger easily. So... But I mean, don't let him intimidate you too much. He wouldn't ever harm you." Because he wouldn't dare harm Clarice like that.
    She takes a deep breath in, and lets it out slowly, and shakily. "Part of me //is// monsterous though, Cynthia. It's just... that that's not the only part of me."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia shrugs slightly, one more wipe of her sister's face with a dry part of the sleeve. "We're all a little monstrous Clare, so maybe you're a little more then a little, so what? Do you think that makes you any less my sister? Any less lovable? Any less deserving of being happy? No... and if you do, you and I are going to a therapist together."

She turns and again hugs her sister, "Stop beating yourself up already."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice leans into the hug again - though she remains silent this time. How do you even explain it? How hard it is to accept that she deserves happiness, when she knows how much misery she's caused? Even if she knows it wasn't her fault - that she'd never had a choice, or any control? That discovering Cynthia and her feelings for Rahne at the same time just felt- so hard to trust? And believe?
    She holds tightly to Cynthia in silence, loathe to let go. As if she could simply vanish. As if it could all be some sort of dream.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia is content to hold her sister, and be held. She may not fully understand the pain her sister is in, but she knows the pain is very real. "I know it ain't easy Clare," she whispers, nuzzling her head against her sister's. "I know it'll take time, but you gotta take the first step. I'll be here to help any way I can, even if that means not talking about it again, if that's what you want... but I'll always be your personal cheerleader."

She bonks her head lightly against Clarice's, "Want me to get a uniform?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    She has a family. She has a sister. A sister who doesn't mind if she's a murderer? A sister who thinks she deserves to be happy.
    "I deserve to be happy," she murmurs. It's barely audible, and there's no life or force behind the words - but it's a start. At least she's said the words. "It's okay if I'm happy."
    She takes a deep breath in, letting it out slowly before she adds, with a little more life in her voice, "You do make me happy, you know. I- more than I can... And I would do anything for you. Anything."
    There's a brief pause before she adds, "No uniform, though."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia giggles with a bright smile, "Oh come on! I'd look /great/ in a cheerleading outfit! I did gymnastics, why not cheerleading?" She hugs Clarice tight again, then sits back.

"Clarice Ferguson deserves to be happy, and I'm glad I make you happy, you make me happy. I need you to tell me something I can do for you though, anything."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice releases her hold on Cynthia with some reluctance - but she does, sitting up and wiping at her eyes with the heel of her hands. "I don't know how you do it. Being there for Pete - and now for me... It must be exhausting," Clarice says with a wry smile. She starts toying idly with the bracelet on her left wrist - rubbing her fingers over the smooth, domed stones, and tugging at the bracelet so it rotates around her wrist. "I- you already do a lot for me. The albums, and the videos, and Mucky... And just being here. And your music. I don't know what else..."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Again Cynthia shrugs her shoulders slightly, as she says, "It's not exhausting. It's not even tiring. It just is. It's what you do for family, it's what mom taught me. Family always comes first."

She stands up and stretches for a minute, then sits back down a little more comfortably. Pants bunching in all the wrong places, happens when they are a size too large.

"Okay, but if you think if anything I can do, please tell me. I would go in and make your bed for you, but I don't go in your room without your permission."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Pete's family then?" Clarice asks simply, and seriously. "He's... what? A brother?" After the serious conversation of a few moments earlier, she's slow to relax, and to allow any cheer back into her form - but a hint of a smile ghosts across her features at that suggestion.
    As for making her bed, she shakes her head slightly. "Oh, I only ever bother to make my bed when I've washed the sheets. You should see Mister Creed's bed. The sheets are always bunched up in a sort of... nest, almost."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia nods repeatedly, "Yes, Pete's a brother. You don't get a say in the matter, sorry. We have plans for the future, when we both 18. An apartment together, going to college together, him finding a boy friend with huge muscles and a massive..." she just smiles there rather than say it.

Then she thinks about Creed's bed and shudders, "Please let me go make his bed."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Alright. He's a brother," Clarice agrees. She doesn't need a say in it. She's been building her own family, why not Cynthia as well? "We'll let him decide, though, if I'm a sister too, though. And by the same token... Mister Creed is my father. He's been there for me, but that doesn't mean he has to be anything in particular to you.
    "And no, you're not going to go make his bed," she says firmly. "I don't think he'd even know what to make of that."
    She's silent for a moment before adding, "Mystique thinks of me as a daughter, as well."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia smiles and hmms. "I'll call him Uncle Creed, how's that? Oh, and Pete already thinks of you as a sister, so no need to ask."

She grins, "See, family it's always about blood, sometimes it's about who you pick as family, and those are better. I... can't call Mister Creed a dad though."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "He does?" Clarice asks in some surprise. "...oh," she remarks quietly.
    She has a brother? ... huh.
    "Should I get him a photo album too?" she teases, giving Cynthia a nudge with her shoulder.
    As Cynthia's other remark, she clears her thought before remarking, "Uncle Creed? ...I gotta see the look on his face when you say //that//. You could still //call// him 'Mister Creed' and //mean// 'Uncle Creed' you know." She gives a second nudge before adding, "Like I said, I wouldn't expect you to accept him as your father. You don't even known him yet. You guys don't have that connection. I- I mean, even with me, thinks can be so tetchy. I once- I commented that I owed him so much, and he became convinced that I only tolerated him out of a feeling of indebtedness, and- Ugh, it was a mess."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia turns more toward Clarice as she says, "He's important to you, so he's important to me. If you think calling him Uncle Creed will be a problem, I won't do it... but he's still family."

She looks at her hands a moment then back to Clarice, "Pete doesn't really do albums, he does stuff on the computer with albums, so maybe we get him a nice digital camera?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I'm just not sure how he'd react to it, honestly," Clarice admits. "You can try it. I just- I wouldn't try it in front of others, the first time. You know?" The //why// for that caution is a bit hard to explain, though. "I mean... He likes to keep up that gruff personna. To let people stay afraid of him. You know? I mean, there's part of him that loves him with a greet him with a smile, and a hug, but he- well. He always tries to brush it off anyways. It's- It's just who he is." He's odd, but he's //hers,// and she wouldn't change him.
    "We can get him a camera. I mean, I almost never spend my money. I'm not- I haven't been big on free time and hobbies. It's always been easier simply to //work// - to concentrate on being productive."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia shrugs very slightly, "So he's gruff on the outside, I can deal with that. He can dislike it all he wants, he's stuck with me all the same. I wonder how he'll feel about that."

Standing up, she walks over to the piano get her bottle of water then goes back to sitting on the couch. "You don't have to buy him anything really, he just likes being around you. You don't have to buy affection, besides, it's on his christmas list."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I do too," Clarice admits. ...but she suspects he'll like it more than he wants to admit.
    At Cynthia's words about the gifts, though, she blinks in surprise, her brow furrowing slightly. "I know that," she answers. "I don't- I'm not trying to buy your affection, or his, I just- I want to be able to give you guys back the things you should have had anyways. I know that things have been difficult, so- So if there's some //things// that will bring some happiness, or give back some sort of normalcy then... Why shouldn't you have them? Or Pete? Or the other children?
    "You think I've been trying to buy your love?" she asks uncertainly.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
She shakes her head really quickly, "Oh no! I didn't mean me... you can buy me anything you want. I know it's not about affection." Cynthia reaches over and takes Clarice's hand. "I meant with Pete, and I think I said it wrong. I more meant you don't have to buy him things to make him like you, cause he already likes you."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice nods her head, relief flashing across her features for a moment. "Okay. Sorry, just- one of those moments. Like when I told Mister Creed how much I owed him, you know?" She squeezes Cynthia's hand as she adds, "I'm glad he likes me. I don't feel like I really know him yet - but he's important to you, so I simply assume he's very likeable," she admits. "He seems nice enough, anyways. And I want him to be happy."
    She's silent a moment, her expression thoughtful, before she asks, "I'd assumed his parents died in the attack - but they died over six years ago? Has he- who looked after him all that time? Was in foster homes, or with family? Or has he been in orphanages all those years?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia knew this would come up at some point, and she had already got permission from Pete to talk about it. Really it was easier for her to explain it all, then for him to talk about it.

"Well," she begins, opening the water and taking a drink. "His parents opposed the government in Genosha, were part of the underground rebellion, seven years ago. He was only ten at the time, but both of his parents were mutants, and he hadn't actually developed any mutation by then, but they wanted the country to be freed from the government and the Magistrates."

She offers the bottle to Clarice in case she wants a drink, but continues talking, "His father was his idle, his hero, his protector, and his mother..." she smiles sadly. "... he had the usual little boy crush on her. When the Magistrates found them, they..." and now she has to pause, breath, because she has /seen/ this moment in Pete's life. She has lived it with him over and over again in his nightmares. "They drug his parents out into the streets while holding him back, they let him scream and cry and beg while they tortured his parents in front of all the mutants they could, as a warning to everyone that you do not rebel against the government. Then they hung his parents like that Christ guy in the bible, and made Pete sit there and watch until they died."

She hangs her head, looking down at her hands. "Then they just left him there, with no one. He lived on the streets, begged for food, and once Magento freed Genosha, he was tossed from place to place to place like unwanted luggage, and not once did anyone try to really help him, they just saw him as a problem human child. After all, what good was a human?" There was venom in her voice at this.

"When he was sixteen, during the attack on Genosha, his power manifested and literally knocked out about an eight block radius of people. Because of the attack and everything that happened, he got shoved into the orphanage and no one's been able to actually train him, I don't know why, but Kelly has been helping, and when I got there six months ago, I just... felt drawn to him."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "...God," Clarice murmurs quietly. "I- at least what I did to people was fast." She takes a sip of that water now, pulling Cynthia in close against her, and leaning her head against her. "Poor kid. Shit. I could find the people who-"
    Well. She wouldn't make it fast. She'd have to ask Mister Creed for advice.
    "Are... is there a counselor working with the Orphanage? A psychiatrist? Anything?" Sure. Says the woman who's never sought mental health services for herself. "I- what can I do to help him? I mean, that's I'm not already trying? You know - besides... spending time with them, and encouraging him, and- you know. Just caring?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia closes her eyes for now, taking another slow, deep breath. Once she has herself in check, separating herself from Pete's memories, she opens her eyes again.

"The people who did it were just as controlled as you were," she says quietly. "He knows that, but it doesn't erase the images in his head. Kelly /is/ a psychiatrist, but he won't talk about it. Most often, he can't talk about it. Even hearing mention of it, like you did on accident, it sends him into a panic."

She takes another drink of the water, then rests the bottle on her leg so Clarice can reach it if she wants another drink. "He's a lot better now then he was a year ago, it's just a slow, step by step process. All any of us can do is care, remind him he's not alone, that it won't happen again."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Then that's what we do," Clarice agrees, her arm draping around Cynthia's shoulders. She gives her sister a squeeze before she remarks. "Neither of you are alone. Not anymore. You never will be, no matter what."
    She really needs to talk to Lorna again - to see if she's made a decision.
    After a moment's silence she adds, "I was in a coma for a month. I wonder if we were in the same hospital?" she asks quietly. If only she'd known back then... But there's no changing the past, only the furture. "You've fully recovered from your injuries, though? No lasting affects?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia shifts a little on the couch.

"The vitiligo is because of..." she doesn't finish that though, instead she changes gears. "I'm healed, or they wouldn't have let me out." Again she shifts, "You want to go get something to eat? I mean yes, I know I need to talk about this, but... it's not easy, you know? I don't remember six months of my life. I remember the attack, and what happened... how mom and dad died, and how I got hurt, but then it was like six months later, maybe a little less."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice looks aside at her sister - the concern written plainly on her features. She leans in, resting her head against Cynthia's for a moment, before giving her a brief kiss on her temple. "We got the rest of our lives. Yeah?" she replies quietly. "There's no rush to any of this." She gives her another squeeze with her arm as she adds, "And you've always got me - no matter what, whenever you need me. You and Pete both. Yeah?" She smirks slightly as she adds, "Unless I'm in the middle of actually saving some lives. Then you might have to wait a couple hours."
    Climbing to her feet, she offers her hand and remarks, "Let's see what they have in the cafeteria. They've been doing more curries lately, which is nice."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia chews at her bottom lip for a moment, then stands up slowly.

"Pete said there's a hole in my mind," she finally says bluntly. "I have no idea what it means, but that's the thing I don't understand. I'm missing six months and there's a hole in my mind. I think if he had training, he'd be able to figure it out."

Putting the cap back on the bottle of water, she sets it back by the piano then moves to follow. "You and Pete are the only two people who know about it."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Alright," Clarice remwarks, turning to face her sister. "Well... It's your mind, so I'm going to follow your lead here. I already planned on trying to get Pete connected to some teachers." Hell, if she wanted to - she could call in her marker on Emma and make her take him as a student. ...that might be overkill though. "If you want to keep this between the three of us... siblings, we can wait until Pete learns more. But... I know enough experienced telepaths that we could have one of them take a peek sooner and try to figure it out. If you want. Professor Xavier in particular I trust as a man of unquestionable character."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia walks back over to Clarice and takes her hand. "If you trust someone, then I trust them... I'm just honestly afraid to know the answers. I know I was injured pretty badly, I mean I was with mom and dad when they were killed, so I should be dead too, but I lived."

She sighs again, shaking her head a little, "God I hate thinking about that, I hate remembering it, but I made a promise to Pete, and he made me a promise, so I talk about it when it comes up. Um...." she leans a little closer and whispers, "I have a Sentinel finger in my pocket."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    Clarice hugs her sister abruptly, and fiercely. "Maybe they shielded you somehow. Maybe you were... were at the edge of the blast. Who knows? But you're here, and you should be here, and- and now that I have you-" Her voice chokes up, and she finds herself incapable of speaking for moments. The thought of //not// having Cynthia in her life, now that she's had the chance to know her? Is the most awful thing she can contemplate.
    "You're here. You're meant to be here. We need each other. ...and Pete."
    The next thing Cythia says - it doesn't even make sense for a moment. A Sentinel finger. A Sentinel finger? In her pocket? Why would she carry something like that around? How could it even fit in her- ...oh. Pocket.
    She pulls back enough to look at Cynthia, rubbing one hand quickly across her eyes. "Why would you have something like that?" she asks. There's nothing angry or accusatory - she just seems confused. "Magneto destroyed them all. Reused the metal for a reason."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia hugs Clarice tightly, she felt the same way. Having Clarice made everything wonderful in a way she had missed, and in ways she didn't even know were possible. "I'm not going anywhere Clare, don't worry."

When Clarice steps back, Cynthia smiles sheepishly, "I didn't mean to put it there... but when..." she gestures with her hand, making a flat spread finger press down and squish motion. "It touched me and... poof. I didn't even realize it was there until... like... three months ago. I can give it to Magneto, as a gift? You think he'd want it?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "I mean. I don't think he'd be delighted to receive a Sentinel finger," Clarice remarks in a dryly amused tone. "But I think he'd like to dispose of it, yes." She wraps one arm around her sister's shoulder as she adds, "I'll bring it up to Mystique - so we can arrange to have it disposed of. And with your permission - I'll tell Professor Xavier about the 'hole in your head,' so we can arrange for him to figure that out for you. Alright?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
The lip chewing happens again, not over the finger, there is nothing creepier than finding a large Sentinel finger in your pocket, but over telling someone else. Cynthia then nods, "Alright, you can tell this Professor Xavier... wait, is the school his?"

She slips her arm around Clarice, then walks toward the door because food is calling, "That would make sense I suppose, and I mean, the finger isn't active and it's state can't change, but I think talking to Mystique or Magneto might be a good idea."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "The Xavier school is his," Clarice confirms. "Lorna was one of his students, for a while," she adds. "I know you don't like their secrecy - I'm not wild about the policy either - but there's a reason he does that. He tries to take in children who have no where else to go. Who are trying to hide from people who mean them harm. That's not //all// the kids at the school, but it's enough of them that- well. He tries to keep things a little more private. To protect those kids."
    She gives her sister a gentle squeeze before adding, "In the meantime - we were going to get some food. Right?"

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia nods, "Yeah, food."

As they are walking, she keeps talking, because she is talented enough to do two things at once. "Okay, that's not so bad then, but there are hundreds of kids with no where else to go that need protecting. I mean, does this Professor Xavier care about Genosha at all, or it he separate from all that?"

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "He cares. But one person can only do so much. He takes care of his school - his students. His graduates. They try to help others when they can," Clarice remarks reassuringly. "I mean - some of the people from his school have gone with Lorna on some of the relief trips. I mean... it's a big world. If one person could fix all the problems facing mutants than- well. That's just not the world we live in, is it?" she says with regret. "I wish it was."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Pausing for a moment, Cynthia looks her sister in the eyes. "One person can't do it," she states firmly, strongly. "But many can. The more who get involved, the more who offer a hand, the more that assist... the quicker this world will change for the better. I'm not asking the man to be the only one, but maybe he could offer to lend a hand?"

She starts walking again, "I don't hold anything against him though, I don't know him, not right to judge someone you don't know."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "He helps as much as he can. Maybe he even does too much, and needs to focus his efforts?" Clarice replies, giving a shrug of her shoulders as she keeps pace with Cynthia. "He's an American, with an American school. So the plight of mutants in America is obviously his chief concern. But I promise you, he's not unsympathetic to the plight of Genoshans, and other mutants worldwide. He's trying to do his part - just like I try to do my part."

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia bumps her hips lightly against her sisters. "Do you even realize you defend everyone emphatically? I mean, without hesitation, you just throw it all in behind them, even when you aren't sure. I like that about you though."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Oh, please. Not everyone," Clarice answers with a snort. "Ask me about Scott Summers. He's kind'f an ass." But he tries. "And fuck LeBeau. And... hell. There must be others," she muses with a wrinkle of her brow. "I mean, other than complete assholes who deserve to meet the other side of my personality.
    "...I do defend people a lot, though. Don't I?" she admits in a wry tone.

Raven Darkholme has posed:
Cynthia giggles, and nudges her sister again with her hip.

"Yeah, you do. You're loyal to the people you care about, and those you don't, your vicious. I /really/ like that." She smiles brightly. "Want to know a little secret? I'm the same way."

Clarice Ferguson has posed:
    "Yeah. Well... anyone who messes with my people...? Fuck them," Clarice mutters under her breath. "I- I mean, I've had so few people in my life who-" She lets out a heavy sigh. "The people who actually care about me - they're everything to me. Everything, and I'd do anything for them." Pity the fool who actually tried to do any harm to Cynthia...