Chapter 9 - Recovery

Attention:  Generation X and their villians,as well as any other mutant mentioned in this story, is property of MarvelComics.  The character Richard Cale is named after family relations. Any other reference to anything copywrighted is a chance happening.
====================================================
Truth Be Told
Recovery
            Everetthad kept an eye on Rich since everyone left.  He understood to a pointwhat Rich was going through, but still didn't understand why Rich had cheeredup.  He had to admit that after being controlled by Emplate, thathe didn't want company.  It was a terrible struggle for him to keepcontrol, and still he couldn't keep control.  Emplate had manipulatedhim like a puppet.  Those few times he broke free, he tried to stopEmplate by sacrificing his own life.  When Monet helped him breakfree, he was totally depressed, much like how Rich was.  It was thatJubilee that helped him cope with it.
            Thetime had passed when everyone left.  He kept a careful eye on Rich,knowing that if Rich did something rash, Penny might blame him.  Everyonehad been told about what Rich did to Black Tom while upset and having Penny'sabilities.  After a while, he heard music playing in Rich's room. Rich's taste in music was varied from New Age to Oldies.  It was hardto tell what mood he was in when he put on music, because the music rarelyreflected his mood.  Everett was trying to figure out if the musicreflected Rich's mood, when he heard a voice behind him ask, "How is Rich?" He spun around and saw Penny standing there with Monet, Scott and Jean.
            Hetold her the truth.  "I don't know if it a good sign or a bad sign. He put on some music, and I have never heard it before."  He watchedas Penny walked to the door and listened to the music.  He felt relievedwhen she smiled.
            "It'sa soundtrack.  I think it is from a movie he showed me once. It is probably a good sign."  She then faced him and said, "Monetthinks she has figured out what is wrong with Rich."
            Nowthat was a good sign, because maybe they could snap him out of it. "So what is the problem, Monet?"
            "Richfeels like he was betrayed by Bastion.  Bastion was Rich's uncle whoRich thought was dead."  Everett remembered hearing that when Rich'sfather had stopped by to drop off his stuff.  He was about to askabout why only those for were there when he noticed something.  Themusic was gone.
            Helooked in the door, and didn't see Rich.  He used his aura to getin synch with Rich.  He was still in the room, but he could figureout where.  Penny rushed in the room, shouting his name.  Hehad stayed focused on Rich's ability, when all of a sudden, he heard Pennyshouting something he couldn't understand.  It was in his mind. He yelled to Penny, "You must be near him, because my aura has somehowpicked up your psionic call."  He then saw Monet levitate just a bita point Rich out.

            Richheard everyone outside the door.  He didn't want company.  Hedidn't even feel alone with everyone constantly keeping an eye on him. He just wanted to escape, his entire problem, all of his life.  Heput the music on to see if he could do that, but when he heard everybodyat the door, he put his earphones on and sat on the floor, out of sightof the door.  He listened to the song that was play.
            "Don'ttell me truth hurts,"  the song sang as Rich thought, I know it hurts. He never had a problem with what was true before, but that was all lies. As he listened, he thought to himself that he would love to be someplacewhere nothing ever hurt again, as the song said it.  His thoughtswere interrupted by Yvette yelling his name, vocally psionically. It was then he realized that she was close enough that he latched ontoher abilities.
            Ina few seconds, he saw Monet hovering in the room and looking straight him. The music in his earphone was soft enough for him to hear her say to Yvette,"He's over her, Penny."  The last thing he wanted was company. After all that happened, he still wanted to end it all.  No one lefthim alone, no one gave him peace, and no one could understand what he wasdealing with.
            Yvette,the one girl who ever had feelings for him, looked at him and said, "Rich,there are people here who can help you."  She motioned to a red-hairedwoman and a man with red sunglasses.
            Hedidn't care.  They couldn't understand what he was dealing with. {I don't want any company.  The only help I need is in leaving thelife.}  He didn't want to say that to Yvette, but nothing was goingright.  He didn't even know what was true anymore.  He turnedand reached for his CD Player.
            Yvettelooked at him with concern in her eyes.  "Rich, we know what is botheringyou."  How could they know what was bothering him.  No one couldunderstand what was plaguing him.  His hand was almost to the volumecontrol of the CD Player when he felt someone holding his hand in a restraininggrip.
            Richturned to face Monet.  Apparently, she was part of this group thatthought they figured out what was bothering him.  He knew that shecould understand how Yvette and he spoke psionic, so he vocally said, "Letgo."
            Monetresponded to what he said totally differently that what he expected. "The only way your going to do anything to prevent us from helping you,is to kill us."  He didn't want to do that.  He already takenone life, and he didn't want to take any more.  He looked in Yvette'sdirection and she nodded in agreement.  He didn't want to take herlife.  She meant to much to him.  She comforted him when he wentkilled Black Tom Cassidy.
            Hestarted to cry, something he didn't do often.  "You can't possiblyunderstand what I'm going through."
            Thered-haired woman walked over to him and said, "I think we can.  Letme introduce myself and my husband."  He noticed that the man in thered sunglasses walked over to her side.  "This is Scott Summers, andI am his wife Jean.  We are members of the X-Men, and former studentsof Charles Xavier."  He realized something at that moment.  Thesetwo had suffer the same pain he was dealing with now.  They had beenbetrayed, but it wasn't the same, or was it?
            Richlooked up at them and said, "What was Professor Xavier like before Onslaught?"
            ScottSummers said, "He was always working on peace between humans and mutants. He always believed it was possible."
            Jeancontinued by saying, "And he still does.  He hoped that by servingtime for what Onslaught did, he can rebuild that dream."  It wasn'ttotally the same, at least Xavier still cared for his students.
            "But,that's not my problem.  The one that I trusted was family and wentagainst everything he said."
            Itwas Monet who then said, "Like I used to trust my brother."  He lookedover at Monet, a bit shocked.  He knew that those two never got along,at least right now.  "Rich, when I was younger, I trusted my brotherto help me, protect me, and he did, until his abilities manifested. I tried to help in finding a cure, but it all changed that day." He knew what she was talking about when she said that day, the day he firstattacked her.  It still wasn't the same, thou.
            Yvettethen said, "Rich, when I lost my family and I was without a home, Emplatetook me, saying he would take care of me."  Between the four of them,Rich realized that they did understand what he was going through.
            Richfinally started to get out of his depression, "If Bastion killed himselfto try and protect me, it was probably useless.  There is probablyanother of those Sentinels coming to attack the school."
            Jeanlooked at him and said, "Do know what Bastion did when he killed himself?" He shook his head, because when it happened, he had his eyes closed. "Bastion sent a signal that destroyed every Sentinel and all existenceof Zero Tolerance."  He looked up at her in shock.  "A groupof Sentinels were about to attack our plane, when the robots self destructed. A government official, who is good friends of the X-Men, told us of whathad happened."
            Richrealized what she was saying.  Bastion didn't just kill himself. Bastion destroyed all of Zero Tolerance to protect him.  It was Bastion'slast attempt to renew the faith Rich had place in him.  Rich now understoodthat his uncle, the former leader of Zero Tolerance, still cared for him. "I still wished that he hadn't killed himself, but you can't change thepast."  He looked at all of them and said, "Thank you.  I guessI was just hit too hard in the emotion department."
            Yvettejust hugged him and said, "At least you are feeling better."  It wasn'tgoing to take long, but he would return to his 'normal' life.  Hejust wondered if Bastion's last attempt to make peace would have lastingaffects.
**************************************************************

            "January31"
            "DearDiary,"
            "Ithas been two weeks since Rich had started to recover from all the eventsof his first month here.  He and Penny have returned to there normallives, as well as everyone else had.  I know that Rich told me thatMarius is still fighting to stop the madness and hunger that controls him,and that there is still hope to rescue him.  As for Bastion, Richstill hopes that all that Bastion did was not for nothing.  If Bastionhad any reason for what he did, Rich said that anything left would appearsoon.  Rich doesn't sound pessimistic, but I hope he doesn't regretwhat he..."
            Therewas a knocking at Monet's door.  She replied, "Yes."
            Thevoice from outside the door was that of Rich.  "Monet, I think somethingis up."
            Sheran and opened the door, "What is, Rich?"  He handed her a piece ofpaper and she read it.  She was amazed at what was on it.
            "Ishould have known.  Regardless of what he said, Bastion consideredmutants as equals.  He said he protected that girl.  His lastwish is that Ms. Frost makes her a member of the school."
            "Ihope this works out."  He nodded and left to tell everyone else. He had probably already told Penny, but she knew that she still had doubtof his belief.  Monet returned to her diary.
            "said. I hope more that we all benefit by it."
            "Monet."
 

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment