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xp_logs2004-07-21 11:56 pm
x-avier.livejournal.com) wrote in xp_logs2004-07-21 11:56 pm
Wednesday evening: Charles and Nathan
After a productive session on Nathan's telepathy, Charles makes him an offer he doesn't want to refuse, and in no way gets a dry amusement out of completely and utterly blindsiding the poor unsuspecting ex-mercenary. Domino, and the international conspiracy of psychotherapists, make cameo appearances as topics for discussion, but not (perhaps thankfully) at the same time.
Nathan opened his eyes, feeling calmer than he had in days. "Well," he said thoughtfully. "That was interesting." Charles had just led him through a particularly complex meditative technique that had involved a rather unusual change to his shielding, but it hadn't been nearly as difficult as he'd expected from the explanation. "I think I can manage to do that again on my own. Every night before I try to sleep, you said?"
Charles smiled. "It should be a great help ridding you of awkward nighttime visitations, no matter who's doing the visiting. You should be proud of yourself--you grasped the principle very quickly."
"Highly motivated," Nathan said with a wry smile. "I shouldn't have let this business with the dreams go on as long as it did." He couldn't help a sigh. "It was just dredging up a lot that I usually prefer to ignore."
Charles nodded. "You may find in the end, however, that such things are better out in the light rather than left in the darkness to fester."
"So I've been told," Nathan said, his expression turning bleak briefly as he thought about the dreams. "Charles, out of curiosity - the telepathic memory is supposed to be particularly good, right? But I have huge gaps, up until the time my powers emerged, and then nearly perfect recall afterwards."
Charles nodded. "Memory, and other functions of the mind, tend to be enhanced by psionic ability. Your telepathy helps your mind organize itself--and, naturally enough, before it manifested, your mind was . . . for lack of a better term, messier. Many telepaths find that their early recall improves as they gain control over their powers, but . . . " His lips twisted faintly. "I'm not entirely surprised, after all you've been put through, that your memory is proving unusually stubborn in this regard."
Nathan made a thoughtful noise. "It's just something I've always wondered about," he said quietly, then shook it off. "Anyhow. I think I've got the pattern of that exercise solidly in my short-term memory, at least." He grinned. "I'll try not to let it slip through the cracks. Thank you, Charles."
"My pleasure. Tea? And how is Domino settling in?"
"Tea would be nice, thank you." Nathan grimaced a little. "And Dom's... I think it's good she's here, actually. She needs a little time away from her usual setting, I think. Do you mind if she stays for a few days?"
"Not at all; she's quite welcome, provided she behaves herself--and from the sound of things, she's unlikely to be in shape for much else." Charles poured two cups of tea from the ever-present pot, and passed one to Nathan. "I don't suppose she'll see this as a sign to look into a different line of work?"
"We can hope," Nathan murmured, taking the cup with a nod of thanks. "Pete's been talking to her about working for him, actually. I know that's not precisely a different line of work, but she might not get herself into situations like this if she's... more focused on jobs that have a point to them."
"Mm. Let's hope she takes him up on the offer; we may often disagree on methods, but I trust Pete's judgment." Charles smiled slightly. "And speaking of jobs with a point to them, may I ask a question?"
Nathan blinked. That was a very odd little smile, to go along with a very odd question. "Um, sure."
"Would you like to join the X-Men?" Charles chuckled at the expression on Nathan's face. "Not as an active member, just yet; I think we'd both agree you still have progress to make. But I think you would do well as a reserve member."
Nathan blinked again. Then he realized that his mouth was hanging open and closed it quickly. It was still a good ten seconds or so before he could come up with a coherent answer, and the twinkle in Charles' eyes was really very galling. "Well, that was unexpected." He pondered it for a moment. "Reserve member - what does that mean?"
"You would train with the team, and have access to the restricted areas in the lower levels, but you wouldn't be called on for missions unless absolutely necessary. You could of course change your mind at any time; your place here is not contingent on this offer. Or, in time, if you continue the excellent progress you've been making, you could move up to active status, if you so choose."
Nathan leaned back in his chair, sipping at his tea to buy himself a moment. #What do you think?# he asked the Askani curiously, knowing Charles would hear him, but too interested in what their opinion on this would be to mind. All he got in response was this subvocal vibration of what felt almost like excitement, and he shook his head, smiling wryly. #Oh, yeah, you're all a lot of help...#
He looked up at Charles for a long moment, thoughtfully. "I asked you once to put me to work," he said finally. "And as much as I'm enjoying the teaching - I've got another idea for a course for the fall, by the way - I really didn't figure that was all there would be to it." Another sip of his tea, another moment to think. "Yes," he said more quietly. To be able to put his powers to use in the name of something worthwhile... it was the next step, wasn't it? Or maybe a half-step, for now. But it was still moving forward. "Yes, I think I'd like to do that."
Charles raised his teacup. "Excellent. I'll inform Scott, who will no doubt have a training schedule for you in the next few days." He smiled. "It isn't that I'm not satisfied with what you've done so far--quite the contrary, in fact, you're well on your way to becoming a fine teacher indeed. I thought, however, that you might appreciate the opportunity to do more."
And he did, Nathan realized as the idea sunk in a little further. In fact, it appealed more and more to him as he thought about it. He wasn't sure precisely why - the feelings it provoked were oddly complex and he couldn't quite sort them out. Something to talk about with Jack on Saturday, maybe... A laugh slipped out before Nathan could help himself, and he grinned as Charles raised an eyebrow at him. "Sorry... just caught myself looking forward to my appointment with my therapist... I think that's a first."
Charles chuckled. "All part of my nefarious plan, I assure you. We therapists are an international conspiracy, you know. Now, what's this about another class?"
Nathan opened his eyes, feeling calmer than he had in days. "Well," he said thoughtfully. "That was interesting." Charles had just led him through a particularly complex meditative technique that had involved a rather unusual change to his shielding, but it hadn't been nearly as difficult as he'd expected from the explanation. "I think I can manage to do that again on my own. Every night before I try to sleep, you said?"
Charles smiled. "It should be a great help ridding you of awkward nighttime visitations, no matter who's doing the visiting. You should be proud of yourself--you grasped the principle very quickly."
"Highly motivated," Nathan said with a wry smile. "I shouldn't have let this business with the dreams go on as long as it did." He couldn't help a sigh. "It was just dredging up a lot that I usually prefer to ignore."
Charles nodded. "You may find in the end, however, that such things are better out in the light rather than left in the darkness to fester."
"So I've been told," Nathan said, his expression turning bleak briefly as he thought about the dreams. "Charles, out of curiosity - the telepathic memory is supposed to be particularly good, right? But I have huge gaps, up until the time my powers emerged, and then nearly perfect recall afterwards."
Charles nodded. "Memory, and other functions of the mind, tend to be enhanced by psionic ability. Your telepathy helps your mind organize itself--and, naturally enough, before it manifested, your mind was . . . for lack of a better term, messier. Many telepaths find that their early recall improves as they gain control over their powers, but . . . " His lips twisted faintly. "I'm not entirely surprised, after all you've been put through, that your memory is proving unusually stubborn in this regard."
Nathan made a thoughtful noise. "It's just something I've always wondered about," he said quietly, then shook it off. "Anyhow. I think I've got the pattern of that exercise solidly in my short-term memory, at least." He grinned. "I'll try not to let it slip through the cracks. Thank you, Charles."
"My pleasure. Tea? And how is Domino settling in?"
"Tea would be nice, thank you." Nathan grimaced a little. "And Dom's... I think it's good she's here, actually. She needs a little time away from her usual setting, I think. Do you mind if she stays for a few days?"
"Not at all; she's quite welcome, provided she behaves herself--and from the sound of things, she's unlikely to be in shape for much else." Charles poured two cups of tea from the ever-present pot, and passed one to Nathan. "I don't suppose she'll see this as a sign to look into a different line of work?"
"We can hope," Nathan murmured, taking the cup with a nod of thanks. "Pete's been talking to her about working for him, actually. I know that's not precisely a different line of work, but she might not get herself into situations like this if she's... more focused on jobs that have a point to them."
"Mm. Let's hope she takes him up on the offer; we may often disagree on methods, but I trust Pete's judgment." Charles smiled slightly. "And speaking of jobs with a point to them, may I ask a question?"
Nathan blinked. That was a very odd little smile, to go along with a very odd question. "Um, sure."
"Would you like to join the X-Men?" Charles chuckled at the expression on Nathan's face. "Not as an active member, just yet; I think we'd both agree you still have progress to make. But I think you would do well as a reserve member."
Nathan blinked again. Then he realized that his mouth was hanging open and closed it quickly. It was still a good ten seconds or so before he could come up with a coherent answer, and the twinkle in Charles' eyes was really very galling. "Well, that was unexpected." He pondered it for a moment. "Reserve member - what does that mean?"
"You would train with the team, and have access to the restricted areas in the lower levels, but you wouldn't be called on for missions unless absolutely necessary. You could of course change your mind at any time; your place here is not contingent on this offer. Or, in time, if you continue the excellent progress you've been making, you could move up to active status, if you so choose."
Nathan leaned back in his chair, sipping at his tea to buy himself a moment. #What do you think?# he asked the Askani curiously, knowing Charles would hear him, but too interested in what their opinion on this would be to mind. All he got in response was this subvocal vibration of what felt almost like excitement, and he shook his head, smiling wryly. #Oh, yeah, you're all a lot of help...#
He looked up at Charles for a long moment, thoughtfully. "I asked you once to put me to work," he said finally. "And as much as I'm enjoying the teaching - I've got another idea for a course for the fall, by the way - I really didn't figure that was all there would be to it." Another sip of his tea, another moment to think. "Yes," he said more quietly. To be able to put his powers to use in the name of something worthwhile... it was the next step, wasn't it? Or maybe a half-step, for now. But it was still moving forward. "Yes, I think I'd like to do that."
Charles raised his teacup. "Excellent. I'll inform Scott, who will no doubt have a training schedule for you in the next few days." He smiled. "It isn't that I'm not satisfied with what you've done so far--quite the contrary, in fact, you're well on your way to becoming a fine teacher indeed. I thought, however, that you might appreciate the opportunity to do more."
And he did, Nathan realized as the idea sunk in a little further. In fact, it appealed more and more to him as he thought about it. He wasn't sure precisely why - the feelings it provoked were oddly complex and he couldn't quite sort them out. Something to talk about with Jack on Saturday, maybe... A laugh slipped out before Nathan could help himself, and he grinned as Charles raised an eyebrow at him. "Sorry... just caught myself looking forward to my appointment with my therapist... I think that's a first."
Charles chuckled. "All part of my nefarious plan, I assure you. We therapists are an international conspiracy, you know. Now, what's this about another class?"
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Heh!