Getting to Know Those you Once Knew

[Anja Drake]

It was the second week and yet sleep was nearly impossible to come by. New places were always hard to sleep in; they never held a strong sense of welcome or ease that a home possessed. Lack of shut eye burned in the crevices of her blind eyes and a yawn of exhaustion escaped loudly to prove the point.
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The past two hours had been dully spent wandering outside; through what seemed to be miles and miles of high lined hedges and occasional fountains. While in reality, she had mindlessly walked a small maze of finely cut bushes just outside the commons kitchen. But roughly an hour before that she had crawled out of bed and through the darkness managed to find her way downstairs without disturbing anyone who slept. She knew because she had checked; everyone was in their rooms, except for four or five who were unaccounted for. Either, they were outside her ‘sight’ range or her senses were out of wack again.
<o></o>
Which ever was the cause, she had lost interest two hours ago. Now, however, the time was a lost cause, she wasn’t about to go to sleep. Pulling all nighters was now a common routine for Anja. Whether it was a new place or not, spending her time wandering around the campus was her solution. Through habit, halls and various wings were becoming familiar and the mansion didn’t seem as difficult as it was two weeks ago.
<o></o>
A heavy sigh penetrated the stiff silence of the night air as Anja stopped next to a trickling fountain. She dragged her fingers delicately through the cold water, even though she couldn’t see it, she could sense the soft reflection of moonlight on her skin. She smiled in the purest envy up at the dark sky and all her senses followed her blind gaze . . . what a majestic sight the moon must be. However, she would never know.

“. . . Così <st1><st1:city w:st="on">bello</st1:city></st1> . . .?”

[Dragon]

The Institute never really shut down for the night. Some of the students were downright nocturnal - moreso than normal students, that was. Marty Finklestein, for instance, who had managed to finagle most of his classes into the evening hours so he didn't have to wake up until late afternoon.

John Rhee wasn't often up at these hours. He'd been troubleshooting the Danger Room with Max - trying to work in some scenarios to prepare the X-Men for the unthinkable, an all-out war with the Brotherhood. Of all the mutants Ethan had recruited into his intrepid band, John was probably the only one who had seen what war between mutants could be like. He'd told Max he needed a break, and so he'd come out onto the grounds for some peace and quiet.

He was strolling, rather aimlessly, in the general direction of the fountain when he saw a girl outlined in the moonlight. He approached silently - he was still in a cautious frame of mind - but when he was close enough to recognize her, he realized she'd probably "seen" him already.

"Anja? Is everything all right?"

[Anja Drake]

Had she seen him? Yes and his person was soothing, although her mind was elsewhere with thought. When awake for as long as Anja had been, the mind tends to wander to places and subjects even the strongest of people hate to visit. The contents of her thoughts were those of an ancient historian; one who has seen many things and uncovered even more. Such thoughts, for someone with her ‘talents’ were very dangerous; one mere memory of the murders in her head could send the Angel raging.
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A rampage like that had happened several times, all of which she never remembered fully and all happening at times when she never thought they could. Why the Angel was enraged so easily and randomly was beyond her, but when it did lose its temper everyone knew or at least everyone that could see her. Even now, as she though she could feel that terrifying stir in her stomach. And she wondered if he had realized how, just now, he had ‘saved’ her.
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His familiar foot steps sent the stirring flushing out of her stomach and when his voice entered her ears; her clouded mind was immediately cleared. She knew who he was and she was completely thankful.
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“Yes and no.” Her voice waved, but only slightly; her eyes never left the starry sky. However, her senses flowed over him like cool water over a trickling waterfall. “I’ve been . . . thinking, that’s all.”
<o></o>
She smiled and gently dipped her small hand into the soft water of the fountain. Her ‘gaze’ began to fall away from the night sky as her chin directed her face to do so. There was small tension in the air, for she feared the return of the Angel’s sign.
<o></o>
Her face grew serious and her tone soon followed as she addressed him. “Mr. Rhee, why do you think people fear and hate those who are different than them?”

[Dragon]

Anja was a mystery - even moreso than most of the students at Cullen's. John hadn't spoken to her often, but when he had, he hardly felt he was talking to an eighteen-year-old. Perhaps it was a side-effect of her powers or just the burden of carrying such a dangerous soul within her.

"There are many reasons," he replied. "I think the most basic are pride and ignorance. People believe that they are the standard by which everyone else should be judged. So those who are different are abnormal, defective, dangerous. They fail to see that we are all different from one another, but that in one important respect we are also all the same. We are all human."

[Anja Drake]

A small nod came forth, as she silently agreed with him. What he said was true and also very proven. But, having seen people in early times behave the same way as these ‘modern’ citizens do was almost hypocritical. Through out history it has always been ‘everyone is equal . . . but some are more equal than others.’
<o></o>
Many nations claim that they participate in the freedom and equality of all individuals of their nation. Yet, history constantly repeats itself, showing that no matter how many people claim it; no one is completely equal. There is always a single party that stands out and, in so, is rejected from all others.
<o></o>
Memories of the<st1> Holy Roman Empire</st1> showed that during that time, Jews were pushed out and persecuted. Early Christians held them on a least that no one bothered to cut; no one ever bothered to stop them. During the Crusades, besides many Jewish communities, the Muslims of Arabia were attacked, massacred, and disowned. In the ancient <st1>Fertile Crescent</st1>, it was the Sumerians who were overrun and beaten by the Babylonians. Yet, no one has ever learned from such horrific history; no one has ever seemed to care. And now, although many of those others are still threatened, it is the mutants who are being hunted and hated.
<o></o>
Such observations proved that all people, no matter how many factions between humans and mutants there were, are all different but as Mr. Rhee had said; all people were the same as well; more so than one would ever think.
<o></o>
“And in such ignorance, all people are blinded.” She studied him now, from the light grey outlines of his features to the aura that flowed out and around his person. “You’re right, when you say that we are all the same, but, more than just being human.”
<o></o>
She grinned again, but more to herself that to him. What must he be thinking? “When people, including our kind, criticize others for their faults; we don’t realize that we often have the same faults. We are all the same, in a way, that shoes that we can never see the faults within ourselves.”
<o></o>
Her mind was clouded again in thought as a question seemed to dance cautiously on the tip of her tongue. She knew she must have sounded a bit odd, but, there were times such ideas had to be spoken.
<o></o>
Her tone lightened suddenly, while her mind was overcome by searing memory. “I guess, when you think about it, ignorance is not such a bad thing . . . is it?”

[Dragon]

He gave her a quizzical look. "I'm not sure I know what you mean."

[Anja Drake]

She shrugged casually and submerged her hand completely under the cool crystal water of the fountain.
<o></o>
“I think, what I’m trying to say is . . . that not all ignorance is bad.” To be truthful, even she was mildly confused on what she was speaking of. She was silent for a moment, the explanation to her know thinking was proving difficult to come by. She knew what her reasoning was but the words she needed were hard to form.
<o></o>
Mr. Rhee was watching her, she could feel him; his questioning tone also prove that. Underneath the water, Anja clenched and unclenched her fist, her face pointed to her reflection in the rippling water. If only she had the sight to see it.
<o></o>
It was surprising how abruptly she found her answer. She, herself, would be the example of her thinking.
<o></o>
“When people are ignorant to something, they often take an alternate perspective of viewing what ever it was they are ignorant to. “ She turned to Mr. Rhee and pulled her hand from the water. “Take me for instance; I know you know I am blind. I’m completely ignorant to everything that has to do with sight in this world; yet, I have taken the time to find new ways of seeing the world.”
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Droplets of soft clean water dripped silently from her hand as she raised it to eye level.
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“Whether the way I choose is good or bad can only be determined with time. Much like how people view mutants, if they take the time to view us differently than they normally do. Those people would be taking their ignorance and making it helpful and potentially good. While it’s the other people’s ignorance that hurts us. Or, at least, that’s how I perceive it.”

[Dragon]

John nodded. "The difference is that you take the time - that you decide that other people are worth that much. So, in a way, it comes down to conquering pride."

He leaned back and sat against the fountain wall, letting the soothing sound of the rippling water fill the air for a few moments. "Anja, I haven't had the chance yet to speak with you more in-depth about your abilities. I've read what you reported in your application, of course, but I think there's a lot I still don't know about you."

[Anja Drake]

Taking the hem of her onyx cowlneck sweater, she quietly wiped the remaining water off her hand while she thought of a casual way to approaching his statements. Her mother had sent her to Cullen’s school to find a way to understand why Anja was the way she was. Or in an ideal situation, to solve the mystery behind her powers and the transformation that lived inside her.
<o></o>
“Mr. Rhee, you would be surprised how little of my own power I understand.”
<o></o>
She had her share a difficultly with her powers, much like any mutant would. But occasionally, she definitely lived in a certain horror that most others have never even dreamed of. The way her powers worked almost made her seem to be possessed by the devil himself. However, past experiences proved that theory wrong; the Angel told her that.
<o></o>
“You saw only a mere projection of my powers at the orientation. I’ll gladly attempt to answer any questions you have for me.”

[Dragon]

"Perhaps we can learn to understand them together," he replied, smiling.

Though he also understood the gravity of Anja's predicament. What he had heard of the persona known as the Death Angel was terrifying and mystifying.

"I have always believed that there is far more to a person than his or her genetics. Mutation may be a quirk of the genetic structure, but it affects us spiritually as well as physically. And yet I have difficulty understanding how Angelo di Morte could be the result of your mutation. Related, perhaps, but..." He paused and realized he was speculating rather than asking. "What I mean to ask... do you perceive her as a facet of your own personality? Or is she another entity entirely?"

[Anja Drake]

Mr. Rhee was absolutely right when he said that the Angelo di morte couldn’t actual be what she was. She knew that the Angel of Death was not a part of her mutation. Even though, what she saw through her transformation’s eyes told her differently; she understood that she had genetic mutations. Being mutated was severely different that being processed by a separate individual being.
<o></o>
“Angelo di morte is just a name my mother gave . . . it.” Anja stated with a wary grin. “My mother is very superstitious.”
<o></o>
She followed a separate suit and leaned harshly against the fountains edge. “But, to answer your question, Mr. Rhee, I would have to say that I am absolutely sure this transformation is part of me. There really is no doubt.”
<o></o>
A paused followed as she thought of what to say. “It’s very complicated.”

[Dragon]

"I spoke only briefly with your mother when she first called to enroll you," he admitted. "She didn't speak much about your transformation."

He fell silent for a few moments, very carefully considering what he was going to do next.

"In the classroom, I didn't show the full extent of my ability, either. It is one thing to focus my energy within my body, to strengthen my bones and muscles and skin. But I can also focus the energy just beyond my body. Like this..."

He held out his arm, unsure of how clearly Anja would be able to sense it, and slowly closed his hand into a fist. And then he opened his fingers again with a jolt.

To the seeing eye, it seemed as if a flame had just erupted from his forearm - but it wasn't like Carlos's pyrokinesis. This flame was briliant red and shimmered slowly like rippling water, and it quickly condensed into an aura that hugged his hand like a glove. But the shape was different - the ethereal fingers were larger, longer, and each one ended in what looked like an eagle's talon.

"It is made of negative energy. Anger. Hate. When it is active, my power is terrible. With this I could have torn that wall apart with my bare hands. It is a dangerous power, and I call upon it only in my gravest need."

With some concentration, he relaxed his hand, and the spectral talons faded away.

"That... aura... can envelop me entirely if I allow it to. When it does, I become something else. The sum of all the anger and fear I have ever held in my heart. It acts almost as if it had a mind of its own, as if it were a separate consciousness from mine. But I know it is not.

"It has taken me years of discipline to learn how to tap into my abilities safely. I don't know how similar our situations are. But I am willing to do whatever I can to help you."

[Anja Drake]

It was nearly painful for Anja to watch as Mr. Rhee performed a personal demonstration of his powers for her. Though, she could not see it; there was no doubt that she could feel it. The aura appeared in her ‘vision’ as a dark gray haze that surrounded his hand; the shape it took was surprising. She listened nervously as he spoke of his power and what fueled it. It was mildly disturbing in her mind that their triggers were similar. Not the fact that their triggers were the same; but the emotional disturbance that was processed by both of them. Well, mostly uncontrolled in Anja while Mr. Rhee had had years of experience and practice to control what was within him.
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She envied him.
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She envied him greatly . . .
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"It has taken me years of discipline to learn how to tap into my abilities safely. I don't know how similar our situations are. But I am willing to do whatever I can to help you." Anja smiled at this; he was really going to help her . . . Finally . . .
<o></o>
The power that the elder mutant pocessed was amazing; even without seeing it, Anja knew what certain powers felt like. His was strong, and very strong at that. Learning from him was going to help her, she just knew it.
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But, as soon the hope spread through her senses, it was gone. He said it took years to handle his power; how long would it take her to understand and control hers? Her face tensed as she thought to the pain and suffering she had felt and very likely could continue to feel through many years to come. A question came to mind that boggled in her mind; Mr. Rhee seemed so in tuned to his powers that he didn’t even seem to have trouble with his mutation at all.
<o></o>
Quietly, Anja massaged her palms in a semi nervous state. “Have you ever, in the past that is, lost complete control over your powers?”

[Dragon]

John nodded gravely. "Yes. Frequently. You see, I grew up in a place where mutants had no rights of their own. I was taken from my family and forced into combat training. The only way I knew how to trigger my ability was through rage. My captors encouraged me to lose control every time I fought. The things I did back then still haunt me in my dreams."

[Anja Drake]

“That’s horrible!” Anja gasped, covering her mouth with her hand in shock.
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What that must have been like, Anja would never know. She couldn’t imagine what that must have felt, being betrayed and forced to fight for purposes you didn’t understand. Anja wasn’t sure how to respond after what Mr. Rhee said; such a thing was so…barbaric. And yet, she knew that things like that still were happening all over the world; especially to mutants.
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"I'm sorry." She said under her breath. Her senses studied him, his aura leaked with spikes of power. Now, she was almost afraid to ask him anything about his past. “How did you escape?”

[Dragon]

Amazingly, John smiled. "I came across some mutants who were using their abilities to help other mutants. It was something I had never seen before. They had come to visit an orphanage, which was really no more than a prison camp for mutant children. I helped them free those children, and in return they helped me escape to neutral territory. I spent several years in a temple in South Korea, lying low and also learning to find balance and inner peace. The only way I could gain control of my abilities was to confront the demons of my past and try to understand them."

John didn't often discuss his past with students. He prayed, desperately, that none of them would ever know the kind of oppression he'd endured as a young man. But even the mechanism was different, John thought that Anja's position was similar - living at the mercy of a power that forced her to become something terrifying, something that could endanger anyone around her. That was why he wanted her to know how the story ended.

"Every mutant faces a unique challenge. Every gift brings its own rewards and its own burden. Trying to face that alone can be terrifying. That's why it's so important that mutants help each other. I learned that from one of the mutants who helped rescue me - Mr. Daniels."

[Anja Drake]

It was good to hear about someone else's past for a change; Mr. Rhee's expierence was something else, it seemed like he had been through many life times all ready. She felt for him, not being in control was horrifying. He had even been alone and pushed into that state of uncontrol.

Her eyes were restful on the darkened sky line; the stars were now burning as little candles. The world seemed so dark, it was saddening, really, how nerely every mutant had a very dismal perpective of the world.

"Every mutant faces a unique challenge. Every gift brings its own rewards and its own burden. Trying to face that alone can be terrifying. That's why it's so important that mutants help each other. I learned that from one of the mutants who helped rescue me - Mr. Daniels."

Her eyes and senses were on his face in an instant. "Headmaster Daniels?!"

Inward, her heart lifted. Outward, she smiled. "Is that how you ended up teaching here too?"

[Dragon]

"That's right."

John was happy to have brought a smile to Anja's face. She seemed to be in desperate need of encouragement.

"He asked me to join him when we first met," he continued. "But I felt I wasn't ready yet. It was several years later that I heard about Dr. Cullen's death, and I called Mr. Daniels to see if I could help. The next thing I knew, I was on a plane for New York. Sometimes I regret not taking him up on his first offer - meeting Dr. Cullen for myself. From everything I've heard about him, he was a great man. But I've never regretted my decision to come here, to help young mutants understand themselves as others once helped me."

[Anja Drake]

"Wow."

Anja wasn't even aware of what she said; truthfully she was too busy making a mental motion picture of what Mr. Rhee had just told her. It put her a slightest bit at ease, the bubbling sensation in her stomach was decaying rather swiftly. Thank the heavens.

"It's ironic how things work out like that." Anja stated as she broadened her senses over and about the campus. Through a grey, black, and white haze of life auras she sensed only a few other possible students or teachers but none relatively too close by.

Life in the night was some much different than life during the day...the two were silent for a while. The silence was beautiful and Anja was hesitant to break it.

"Thank you for sharing that with me."

[Dragon]

"You're welcome. Most of the students don't know about my background. But I wanted you to know how much I believe in what we're doing here. And I wanted you to know that you don't have to be alone."

He paused and looked into her blind eyes. "You know, I'm actually encouraged by what happened in the gym the other day. You felt the transformation taking hold, and you resisted it. That tells me you already have some measure of control.

"Of course, if you're concerned about losing control in the future, I'd be happy to schedule some one-on-one sessions with you. All of the mutation counselors hold sessions like that - that's part of the training we give our students. In fact, I'd recommend it. You're going to need to face the Angel head-on sooner or later."

[Anja Drake]

"Would you really?!" Anja exclaimed, nearly tackling Mr. Rhee to the ground with a pouncing, clumsy hug. She needed every ounce of help she could get with her powers. This was great! This was perfect!

...She would have hugged the professor for a long time had she not felt the sensation in her stomach begin to flutter again. Any bit of over zealous emotion of any kind would/could send her into unwilling transformation. Anja realeased him immediately; she didn't want him to be her next accident.

"Woa-I...sorry." She spoke lamely and took a deep breath

[Dragon]

John certainly hadn't expected such an effusive outburst from a girl he'd taken to be so reserved - he was so surprised he burst out laughing. He threw one hand back to the fountain rim behind him to keep from being plunged into the water and returned Anja's embrace with the other.

"No, no, it's good to see you're excited," he said. "I'm afraid I don't have my calendar on-hand, but how about if you drop by my office tomorrow? We can schedule some sessions in the training rooms (http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?p=225785#post225785) and see where things go from there."

He paused, his levity tempered by a fraction.

"Of course, you're free to choose another one of the mutation counselors to help you out. But I think I'd recommend you choose either Mr. Daniels or me. Naturally, we'll be taking every precaution, but, if the worst should happen, either one of us would be capable of taking control of the situation, keeping you and ourselves safe. There's going to be some risk involved no matter how we approach it. But the rewards are so much greater."

[Anja Drake]

She nodded slowly and turned totally serious.

"With all due respect, Mr. Rhee. I like and admire the other counselors but I would much rather have you help me." She sounded shy, even though she didn't mean to. "I...trust you and you're the only adult outside my family that I am sure I can trust."

Anja closed her eyes and centralized her senses on Mr. Rhee, his aura was so different than anything she had ever seen. It was like there were layers to him, multiple tones for each layer. Strange.

She opened her eyes again and turned her face to the night sky. He knew the dangers of unexpierenced mutants and she hoped he was right when he said he could prevent something bad from happening to him or her.

"Mr. Rhee, I'm going to be honest. I'm terrified that I might hurt you. I've lost control so many times that I stopped counting and sometimes I don't remember what I do during my transformations." She shivered due to the night air and subconciously pulled her sweater tighter around her.

"I've killed before." Her voice cracked slightly. "And unfortunately, I remember everything; those people...their screams are branded in my head."

[Dragon]

John nodded. He'd wondered - her mother had very been tight-lipped about Anja's background. He knew there were several incidents she had been forced to conceal from the local polizia, but he hadn't been sure until now how serious they were.

Perhaps if she hadn't been so secretive, her daughter would have received the help she needed much sooner. Or perhaps Anja would be trapped in another sort of institution with nothing to stand between her and the Angel she feared. John didn't know, and so he had no grounds to condemn. Anja's mother had done what she thought was best for her daughter. That was more than could be said for many parents in her position.

"There are some things that never leave," John said in a low voice. "I wish I could tell you otherwise. But I think it is the part of us that is most human that reminds us of such things."

Gently, he laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not going into this blindly. I know she is dangerous, and I am prepared to face her. I promise you, Anja: the Angel will not harm anyone as long as I am with you."

[Anja Drake]

Anja's eyes found his, she could feel it; two of a kind the both of theirs were, only one had the advantage of actually seeing the other. She stared for a while at him; or at least, she kept an observant 'eye' on him. Her senses were on him, and him alone.

She heard the sincerity of his tone and she knew he wasn't lying to her. He was very powerful; she could sense that easily.

Anja held him in her senses for a while longer before sighing and letting her senses go and flow over the grounds of the institute again. She took the hand on her shoulder and patted it; she used her eyes to look away from him and back to the night sky. Still slightly wondering what it looked like.

"I would be very grateful if you would help me." She closed her eyes and stepped away from the fountain. She began to walk further into the maze of hedges; there was definately no way she was going to sleep. Her heart was racing and she needed to settle down...away from other people. "I'll stop by your office tomorrow and...Mr. Rhee, thank you for talking to me. I really needed it."

She smiled, very weakly, back over her shoulder at the professor and disappeared around a high row of hedges.