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xp_logs2012-06-03 07:11 pm
x-gambit.livejournal.com) wrote in xp_logs2012-06-03 07:11 pm
Genosha: Onwards To Victory: Revelations
Betsy finally comes to, with a shocking discovery.
Perhaps it was a sign of the job that they did or what they had seen, but gallows humour came easily to the members of X-Force. As the oblivion slowly pulled away from Betsy's mind, a voice in the back of her head quipped that like the song said, waking up is hard to do. The shiny, sterile clinic swam into view, quickly replaced by a bright light as immensely strong hands held her head still and her eye open, scanning it. The light pulled away, and the blandly pleasant smile of Nathaniel Essex replaced it.
"Ah, and you're back with us, Ms Braddock. As I promised you, Miss Morlocke. Ms Braddock's faint was as a result of the mental conditioning breaking apart and entirely temporary. A remarkable young woman Sarah has grown into, and yet, I get the feeling that she doesn't entirely trust me, Ms Braddock."
Her mind felt like a cat had scratched its' way out of it. Her body ached. It all ached like she'd slept for too long. Like she'd been asleep forever. Her mind provided flashes. Bright lights. Fire. Death. Destruction. And Jim. Her heart ached at that thought but the memories. Yes, that's what they were. The memories were too jumbled to parse out. And then the voice. She turned her head from the ground to Sarah, and then, finally to Nathaniel Essex. "Christ. Not again."
"I am afraid that He has very little to do with the situation here." Essex said, in a dryly amused tone. "No nausea, light headedness?"
"No, I suppose not." She blinked back the pain. "No. Just....my head hurts." Her eyes finally caught the restraints holding her and Sarah down. She strained against them. "What's...what's happening?"
Sarah rolled her eyes at Betsy's almost textbook reaction. "Well, apparently, Dr. Essex had you under some sort of mind control, had you strap me to a table, and then for shits and giggles, he let you go. Now we're both fucked."
"I imagine this must be quite confusing, especially since your memory will be jumbled for some time. To explain, briefly, I have secretly taken the appointment as Genosha's 'Genegineer' - a rather ridiculous title, but I can't have everything. Genosha has initiated a war against Xavier's and you were taken, your personality suppressed and a new one grafted over top, and set against your friends. As the X-Men have successfully brought the battle back to the Citadel, I believe that my prediction of their victory will be proved correct, and I am resigning my position and leaving with what I sought from Genosha in the first place."
"I can't help it if my brain feels like something was ripped out." She still felt weak but thumped her head on the table, barely turning her head toward Sarah. "Wait, Genosha? We're in Africa?"
She turned a cool gaze on Essex. "I hate Africa." Elisabeth knew they were fucked but somehow there was this sick sense of vindication. Everyone had believed Essex was on the side of good, not realizing he'd turned many years ago. Opportunistic bastard lost his sense of humanity oh so long ago. "I wish I hadn't had to leave air-conditioning just so I could tell the others, I told them so."
In that moment, her head throbbed. Something felt wrong. A feeling of emptiness pervaded everything, something was missing. Taken. Betsy tried to find a mental trace of the presence and the confusion on her face must've shown. "How is this possible? WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU CAN'T!"
"Can't? My dear Miss Braddock, you should know by now that I don't do things for idle reasons. For the wont of a better term, Kwannon has indeed been distilled from your mind. There will be certain side effects - I'd imagine you'll share many memories and skills, but, well-" Essex paused as a Japanese woman stepped into the room. She was tall for her heritage, with high cheekbones and a physical self-possession that showed her physical abilities. She smiled slightly as she neared, as this close, they could both see her eyes were the same deep purple as Betsy's.
"No," Betsy whispered. It was the sound of quiet restraint, of suffering in silence. Years of fighting every mental assault, agonizing while trying to keep the threat at bay. The Devil at the Gate. Betsy knew at that moment what madness felt like, to fight against the threat only to realize the danger was already out in the world and it was her fault.
The assassin, Kwannon, stood in front of her, smirking. She already knew what she represented to Betsy. Every failure, every lost battle, personal and professional. And with a dark grin, she told Betsy with she would finally make good on a promise she made all those years ago. Kwannon would burn it all down and let Betsy watch. The words resonated in Elisabeth's mind as confirmation. A fitting punishment, dont you agree?
Perhaps it was a sign of the job that they did or what they had seen, but gallows humour came easily to the members of X-Force. As the oblivion slowly pulled away from Betsy's mind, a voice in the back of her head quipped that like the song said, waking up is hard to do. The shiny, sterile clinic swam into view, quickly replaced by a bright light as immensely strong hands held her head still and her eye open, scanning it. The light pulled away, and the blandly pleasant smile of Nathaniel Essex replaced it.
"Ah, and you're back with us, Ms Braddock. As I promised you, Miss Morlocke. Ms Braddock's faint was as a result of the mental conditioning breaking apart and entirely temporary. A remarkable young woman Sarah has grown into, and yet, I get the feeling that she doesn't entirely trust me, Ms Braddock."
Her mind felt like a cat had scratched its' way out of it. Her body ached. It all ached like she'd slept for too long. Like she'd been asleep forever. Her mind provided flashes. Bright lights. Fire. Death. Destruction. And Jim. Her heart ached at that thought but the memories. Yes, that's what they were. The memories were too jumbled to parse out. And then the voice. She turned her head from the ground to Sarah, and then, finally to Nathaniel Essex. "Christ. Not again."
"I am afraid that He has very little to do with the situation here." Essex said, in a dryly amused tone. "No nausea, light headedness?"
"No, I suppose not." She blinked back the pain. "No. Just....my head hurts." Her eyes finally caught the restraints holding her and Sarah down. She strained against them. "What's...what's happening?"
Sarah rolled her eyes at Betsy's almost textbook reaction. "Well, apparently, Dr. Essex had you under some sort of mind control, had you strap me to a table, and then for shits and giggles, he let you go. Now we're both fucked."
"I imagine this must be quite confusing, especially since your memory will be jumbled for some time. To explain, briefly, I have secretly taken the appointment as Genosha's 'Genegineer' - a rather ridiculous title, but I can't have everything. Genosha has initiated a war against Xavier's and you were taken, your personality suppressed and a new one grafted over top, and set against your friends. As the X-Men have successfully brought the battle back to the Citadel, I believe that my prediction of their victory will be proved correct, and I am resigning my position and leaving with what I sought from Genosha in the first place."
"I can't help it if my brain feels like something was ripped out." She still felt weak but thumped her head on the table, barely turning her head toward Sarah. "Wait, Genosha? We're in Africa?"
She turned a cool gaze on Essex. "I hate Africa." Elisabeth knew they were fucked but somehow there was this sick sense of vindication. Everyone had believed Essex was on the side of good, not realizing he'd turned many years ago. Opportunistic bastard lost his sense of humanity oh so long ago. "I wish I hadn't had to leave air-conditioning just so I could tell the others, I told them so."
In that moment, her head throbbed. Something felt wrong. A feeling of emptiness pervaded everything, something was missing. Taken. Betsy tried to find a mental trace of the presence and the confusion on her face must've shown. "How is this possible? WHAT DID YOU DO? YOU CAN'T!"
"Can't? My dear Miss Braddock, you should know by now that I don't do things for idle reasons. For the wont of a better term, Kwannon has indeed been distilled from your mind. There will be certain side effects - I'd imagine you'll share many memories and skills, but, well-" Essex paused as a Japanese woman stepped into the room. She was tall for her heritage, with high cheekbones and a physical self-possession that showed her physical abilities. She smiled slightly as she neared, as this close, they could both see her eyes were the same deep purple as Betsy's.
"No," Betsy whispered. It was the sound of quiet restraint, of suffering in silence. Years of fighting every mental assault, agonizing while trying to keep the threat at bay. The Devil at the Gate. Betsy knew at that moment what madness felt like, to fight against the threat only to realize the danger was already out in the world and it was her fault.
The assassin, Kwannon, stood in front of her, smirking. She already knew what she represented to Betsy. Every failure, every lost battle, personal and professional. And with a dark grin, she told Betsy with she would finally make good on a promise she made all those years ago. Kwannon would burn it all down and let Betsy watch. The words resonated in Elisabeth's mind as confirmation. A fitting punishment, dont you agree?