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Post by Banshee on Oct 22, 2023 6:15:15 GMT -6
The twins had followed Mark home and when he opened the door and began to speak Spanish to the new stranger within the room, they stood back and watched. Listening to them banter, neither brother understood a single word that was being said between them. They even glanced at one another, wondering if either one of them could pick up a fragment of what was being said. But unfortunately, another language was not within their mental encyclopedia.
When addressed, they did wave to the stranger. “Bonjour.” Nox said to her without thinking. Lux on the other hand, didn’t say anything.
Ikuki was appearing rather awkward and the twins actually sided over to her. When she asked if either one undestood what was being said, Nox shook his head. “No.”
Lux rubbed the back of his head and said; “Only Spanish I know how to say is; “Mis calcentines estàn en llamas...which means; my socks are on fire... I learned that from Joe’s aunt who is fluent in Spanish.”
Then when she finally broke out of her native tongue, the woman apologized for the outburst and explained what was going on. The brothers looked to one another and spoke in their tongue, with Nox starting; “Qu’est ce qu’elle veut dire?”
Lux shrugged and didn’t know why Nox decided to speak in French to him. “You know, you can ask her that. She’s not going to kill you.” He then watched as Nox refused to speak in English to her. Lux sighed and turned back to the woman. “Well, he’s got to do a lot of stupid to get rid of us. We’re the embodiment of doing stupid stuff.”
“Attendez. Quoi? Non.” Nox elbowed him. “Ne sois pas idiot.”
“C’est toi l’idiot. Elle le connaît probablement...” He elbowed his brother back and said; “Come on man, don’t make me the translator. You have the ability to speak to her...” He turned his attention back to Mark’s Mother and said; “Nox asked, what do you mean by that? Why does he push people away? Also, don’t mind him. He’s being weird at the moment and I don’t know why.” Lux was quickly met with a slap on the arm, which in turn, Lux slapped his brother back.
For some reason, her personality was a little on the terrifying side to Nox. And so, he hugged close to his brother, despite being slapped by him. He knew that Lux wasn’t scared of her and felt that he’d be a good barrier between him and the strange woman.
“Si elle est ici, pensez-vous que notre frère viendra ici aussi?” Nox asked.
“Okay, if you want others to know what you’re saying, please speak in the language they understand.” Lux hissed and swatted his brother again. “She’s not going to kill you. She’s not going to take you away. And most of all, I am not your translator. So to answer your question; I doubt Reese would show up here with her. Because Reese is afraid of trains. There. Now stop being a dingus and just...stop trying to create a barrier between you and them. Ikuki is here too, and you’re being rude.”
Nox frowned as his brother was lecturing him. It was abnormal for Lux to do such a thing because it was usually the other way around. Except, Lux rarely spoke in French and only did so whenever he wanted to say a smart remark without the other person knowing what he had said. However, he still refused to accept such a reason because the woman still scared him.
Lux rolled his eyes. “I’m going to sell you to the Sentinels if you don’t stop. Please.”
“Okay...” Nox finally broke from his language barrier protection.
“Besides, I don’t see what’s so scary about her. She seems like a nice lady.” Lux pointed to Mark’s Mom before turning back to her and said; “Sorry for being rude. But we are, Lux and Nox. We’re not from around here.”
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Post by Moe on Oct 22, 2023 8:41:24 GMT -6
"Que lindo!" the woman spoke to them pinching both the boys' cheeks. "You two are precious! Are you all new trainees?? Mark hasn't been keeping me updated about any new heroes, you know."
"Wait, you know about us? I mean, the group?" Ikuki asked.
"Of course! I used to be part of it! That's how I met his father. Derecho pendejo, ese." she mumbled under her breath. Ikuki tried not to snicker; she didn't know much Spanish, but she knew what that word meant and she agreed. "I am sorry for not introducing myself, properly. It is actually very nice to meet you, Lux and Nox. And you." she glanced over at Ikuki, looking intensely at her. "Just-a-friend-Ikuki."
Ikuki felt awkward and nervous, but all she could do was nervously laugh and reply, "Very nice to meet you too, Mrs. Mark's Mom."
"Hope. My name is Hope." she gave them all a soft smile. When Mark came from the basement, she turned her attention to him. "¿Qué estás haciendo? Why are you wearing long sleeves? It's the middle of summer!" she asked him.
"It's all I had downstairs." Mark lied.
"Mm-mm. Don't you lie to your mother. Let me see." she tried grabbing his arm but he jerked away.
"Mom, don't. I'm fine. I need to talk to you, about Dad." Mark tried diverting her attention, but it didn't work. She glared daggers at him, but he tried ignoring it. "Please don't do this, not in front of the kids."
"You should've thought about that before you did it." she scolded him, as she sat him down at the table and rolled his sleeve up. It was haphazardly bandaged and still bleeding, but not as bad as earlier. "Ikuki would you be a dear and fetch the first aid kit? He keeps one in the kitchen cabinet under the sink."
Ikuki nodded and did as she was told, catching a glimpse of the scene. "Mark, what-"
"Don't." Mark scowled. "I just broke a mirror. I'm fine." he couldn't even look her in the eyes.
Hope slapped him on his forehead; "Don't lie to her! Like a mirror can get through your suit, estúpido!" she took the bandage off his arm when Ikuki handed her the kit, and began to assess the wound. "You've got glass shards in it. Now hold still."
Ikuki wandered back over to Lux and Nox, and tried to divert their attention to something else so they wouldn't see him like that. "Hey, Lux? I noticed a tear in your scarf when I was doing laundry. I think I saw a small sewing kit in the basement, and Nox can maybe help me come up with some customization ideas for my suit, while we're down there?"
She glanced at Mark once more before taking the boys to the downstairs lab; Mark mouthed a quiet "thank you" at her. She was worried, but respected him enough not to press the issue.
He turned his attention back to his mom, who was cleaning up and dressing his arm. He waited until Ikuki and the boys were downstairs and out of range, before saying anything. He started to ask her about his dad, but she spoke first.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I should have been a better mother, when you needed me most. I should have been there for you, I should have known you were going through something. A mother is supposed to know these things." she set a hand on his cheek, which he didn't protest. "I never thought anything was wrong with you, or that you were broken. You just push people away, hijo. Ikuki seems like such a sweet girl, please don't do her like you did Rachel."
"I didn't push Rachel away, Mom. She was...not a good person." Mark moved away from his mother. He wanted to protest, but maybe he did drive people away. Maybe that's why he's been so desperate to make friends, because with Nathan going in and out, he was lonely. "Okay. Fine. I promise I won't push her away. You know she's just a friend and hero trainee, right?"
"Oh honey, there's more to it than that. I saw it in both your eyes." Hope smiled knowingly at Mark.
He wanted to snap something back, to protest, but he didn't feel like arguing. She was his mom and she was going to be right, no matter what. Besides, that wasn't why he wanted to talk to her. "Did you know about Dad? What he was?" he finally asked. "I think he's involved in...a lot of crazy stuff going on."
Hope's face turned into bitter anger as she went into a rage at just the thought of her ex husband. "He wasn't anything but a liar and blasphemer. He grew distant since the day Alex was born, like he was disappointed. When you were born with wings on your head, he acted like he was going to take you away from me. Said he was a god. I told him nobody is going to take my children from me, and nobody is going to mock my God. So, I kicked him out and told him to never set foot in my house again or he's going to regret it."
"So...you did know." Mark was angry, but also understood why she did what she did. She didn't believe in the creation gods, and that was understandable. He still wasn't sure if he believed they existed, either. "Mom, I...um. I think..." he tried to tell her what he's been told. She deserved to know what's been on his mind. But, he couldn't. For all the arguments and bickering that's been going on, she was still his mom. "I don't know what he is, but I inherited it. I'm exactly like him and I don't know how to handle it." he teared up, finally admitting it.
"Oh honey no, no no no, you're nothing like him. He used me and lied to me, he was not a good person. You’re kind and sweet and you like to help people because you make a difference. He was only in it for glory. He even got one of his teammates killed. You could never be like that." She smiled sweetly at him.
"But what if I am? I feel like I inherited all this crap he left for me, and if I don't fix it, then the consequences are going to be my fault. I never asked for this, I never wanted to save the world, I just want to help people. Did you know he built Apollo? The way the world is...it's his fault...and mine, by association. And don't tell me it isn't because whatever is going on, is my responsibility now and if I run from it, everyone will blame me." he grabbed at his arm, trying to push the thoughts away.
"Escuchas a tu madre." she placed both hands on his face and looked him straight in the eyes. "Whatever your father started, is not your responsibility to fix. Don't you ever, ever think any of this is your fault or your responsibility. Your father knows exactly what he left for you, and it's on him. There's always going to be villains. I heard about the robots and the monsters, and they're always going to be there. It's always going to be something. There's evil in this world and it isn't our job to fix it. All we can do is spread kindness and hope it sticks. If we're good to people, then those people will be good to people and those people will be good to other people. I believe that's what being a true hero means. Not beating up bad guys, not throwing yourself into the fire, but just being a good person. The power of spreading kindness goes a long way, and the fact that you've got three heroes-in-training living here with you, makes me think you believe that, too. I know you're making a difference in their lives. That's the hero you were always meant to be."
"Mom, I...I'm sorry..." he teared up. "I've been such a horrible person and you and Alex have been the only ones who've always been there for me..."
"Mm-mm. No, don't start that. We're family, we always stick by each other and ride through the storms together. We've both said a lot of things to each other that we wished we could take back. That's on me, too. But we're here now, and I want you to know that whatever it is you're going through, you'll always have your mother." she smiled at him.
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Post by Banshee on Oct 22, 2023 18:24:05 GMT -6
Lux broke away from Hope and Mark's conversation and listened to Ikuki point out that she had seen a tear in his scarf. He couldn't help but smile at her when she offered to fix it for him. In fact, it brightened his mood quite a bit, knowing the fact that there was someone within the area that knew how to fix it. He smiled to her and said; “Yeah! I uh...would really like it if you can fix it for me.”
Nox smiled at how happy his brother suddenly was. He knew that the scarf meant the world to him, and himself included. “Yeah, I'd also enjoy the idea of coming up with some neat designs for your armored suit. Mark and I were working on a small project too! It was coming out really neat. But I got tired.” He laughed, knowing that organics like himself, needed the sleep.
The boys then followed Ikuki down the stairs to leave Mark with his Mother. It was Lux who spoke up first, after they arrived in the basement. “So...” He pulled the scarf off of him and gently handed over the end that had the tear in it. “I'm...sure you're probably wondering why the two of us have scarves that we wear, pretty much all the time....It's...um...”
“They were the last gifts our parents gave us.” Nox interrupted him and explained. “Our birthday was a few days before Mom's big performance at the opera.”
“She was a really good opera singer too. Her voice was so soothing to listen to, it sometimes made me fall asleep and forget the terrible stuff that goes on in the world.” Said Lux. “Her dream was to make it big in the industry and get us a better education.”
“But during her performance, there...was a raid that happened. I call them Bandits of the city but they were Sentinels that pretty much protected everyone...as they claim... They broke into the opera house and pretty much unleashed upon everyone within it. Dad was part of the Northern District security and did what he could to stop them. But...He...never made it back after he shoved us into our brother...” Nox sighed and looked down at his own scarf.
“Mom was killed right in the middle of her performance.” Lux frowned. “We then ran away from our home and went into another District...to only find out that, it was much worse than ours.”
“Our home...apparently is a lot safer now but there's a lot going on. The main portion of the city wants to take over it and claim it as their own. But our Deity is fighting back. She's...not very good at her job, because she was thrown right into the position without much training.” Nox said to her. “It's been said that the previous one, was killed off by a God Killer. But we're not sure if that's a ruse or not.”
“So going back to the scarves...” Lux said to Ikuki as he sat down beside her at the table. He slid over the box of thread and needles to her. The boy was curious enough to watch her repair it so that he could learn and possibly do some on his own in the future. “We wear them all the time because they remind us of our parents. Our brother has one too, but he never wears it.”
“Lux thinks he doesn't care about our parents. But I know Reese did. He just is very particular about things and I believe that he doesn't wear it because he's afraid of ruining the only thing he has from our parents.”
Lux added; “Even though he's actually Dad's kid from a previous relationship, Reese really liked Mom.”
“She kind of did raise him as her own.” Nox pointed out. “I personally think he's still messed up from the whole ordeal. Which is probably why he's hard on us.”
“Eh, Reese was always kind of annoying.” Lux frowned. “Even when Mom and Dad were still alive. He'd boss us around and everything.”
“Reese isn't a bad guy. He just...has hangups that needs to be tweaked.” Nox frowned back at his brother. “But you test him all the time. Every. Single. Time.”
Lux rolled his eyes, as he knew Nox was the favorite brother. He then looked back to Ikuki. “I just want to thank you a lot for fixing it for me. I was getting worried that it was going to fray a lot and it was going to get much worse. Also...who taught you how to sew?”
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Post by Moe on Oct 22, 2023 19:34:42 GMT -6
Ikuki listened as the boys told her about their parents, and their scarves' sentimental value. It was so horrible that they'd been put through so much, at such a young age. She didn't want them to re-open old wounds, but felt happy that they were comfortable talking with her about it. "I am so sorry you've been through so much. I do believe in fate and that everything happens for a reason, but I do admit that I don't always understand her reasons. I know it hurts, and I know it can make you angry, but I know your parents would be proud of the young men you've become." she smiled at them both. "And I believe that spirits have a way of telling us that they're still watching over us. Maybe a sign in the world around us, or maybe in a dream. The people we loved, are always all around us. You just have to know where to look."
"I think your brother just doesn't understand how special you both are. He wants you to be like him, or maybe you're the only memory he has of your mother. The thing is, you can never be exactly like someone else. If you are, then you lose your sense of self. Neither of you can ever be what he thinks you should be, and that's something you all three need to accept. That doesn't mean you can't be something amazing on your own, though. You're both incredibly mature and smart in different ways. You each have your own, unique ways of handling situations. If I'm being honest, I think you two are the ones mentoring Mark." she snickered, but was also completely serious.
As she began to sew Lux's scarf, he asked her where she learned. "I was raised by wizards. We don't really have families the way you view them, we see each other as family regardless of heritage. Sewing and different methods of threading are one of the early lessons when teaching magic, because in a way, magic is also a thread that you must learn to weave. Unfortunately, I-ow.." she poked her thumb with the needle. "I never quite got the hang of either one." she grinned, nervously. "But I know the basics, so I hope that's okay."
"So, Nox," she said to him as she continued sewing the scarf. "What were you and Mark working on? Maybe we can finish it later, and surprise him. Unless you wanted it to be between you and him, I won't get between that. We can still work on my suit, too. Either way, I think he could use something to pick him up."
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Post by Banshee on Oct 22, 2023 19:59:47 GMT -6
Lux feel very quiet. His mind couldn't help but circle around the fact that she mentioned spirits trying to communicate through dreams or other various ways. He began to delve deeper into his memories, recalling stuff that he may have had strange occurrences with, but never could explain them. Things that just seemed so obscure and weird, that nothing could make sense of what happened.
The world around him sort of went mute as he stared into the fabric of his scarf within Ikuki's hands. Her movements were reminding him of the sea. Waves, swaying back and forth in a repeating pattern. His mind just was so fixated on the idea of dreams being a way for spirits to call out. It was all so strange to him. Perhaps...
Nox was listening to Ikuki with every ounce of attention he could manage. “You're right. Folks have mentioned that things being moved, or scents that remind them of someone, or hearing a phantom-voice calling their name when no one is around. I've never experienced anything like that though, so I doubt I have any connection to any spirit...” He shrugged and glanced to Lux who seemed to be staring at Ikuki's hands with a severe intensity. Nox thought Lux was simply trying to focus and learn how to sew, and so, he disregarded it.
“I like that you think like this, Ikuki.” Nox said to her. “It's...nice to hear that from someone. We definitely do not want to lose our sense of selves. We both like who we are. Right brother?” He looked to Lux who still seemed vacant for the moment. Nox then elbowed him.
“Yeah, sure.” Lux agreed without knowing what was being said. His mind was still wrapped around some ideas.
“You think we're mentoring him?” Blinked Nox. “Wow, I never would've thought I'd see the day where we'd be the ones that are helping. I...I kind of like that actually!” He chimed. “I'm glad we're helping him along. Because he's certainly helping us. And you are too, if you want my honesty!”
Then when Ikuki began telling her backstory, Nox was fixed on the idea of her learning from a wizarding place. “Woah, that's so cool! I bet some of the lessons were neat to watch. Like, maybe turning items into frogs. Or levitating! I bet some could master transformation too!” He clapped his hands with joy. “A part of me wishes I can somehow donate some of my powers to Lux when he's fighting out there. I don't like fighting, mostly because of my terrible eye-sight.” He pointed to his glasses.
“I can't see anything without them. The whole world is a blurry mess when I do. So I have to rely on Lux for doing all of the hard work. So I kinda feel bad that all I do is turn into a sword and nothing else.” He then glanced over to his brother who was seemingly quiet still. It was odd but he figured that he was still studying Ikuki's movements. Even though she pricked her finger just now. Lux still seemed to be lost somewhere.
“Uh...I wonder if that's even possible to do?” He asked out loud as he tapped his chin. “I wonder if I could send some sort of twin-power link or whatever to my brother. So even if he's not using me as a weapon, I can still contribute in some way.” He shrugged. “What do you think, Lux?”
Lux didn't respond.
Nox frowned at him and shrugged him off once more. “Mark and I were working on this little robot guy. He wanted to make something and knew that I was interested in robotics. Which, is hilarious when you think about it. Both Lux and I have bad run-ins with robots in our past. And yet? I'd like to build them. Kinda strange, but I honestly enjoy the idea of knowing how they work. Once I do that and master it, I might be able to defeat some of them easier. Or something.” He shrugged. “I'm not particularly good at magic either, as I only know how to turn into a sword for him.”
Lux still seemed missing the conversation.
“I don't know if Mark would want me to have you involved or not. I personally don't mind it at all. I enjoy your company because you've been super nice and informative!” He chimed happily to her. “And you're helping my brother out, who seems to be vacant right now...” Nox then waved in front of Lux's face. “Hello? You're not sleeping with your eyes open. Are you?”
“Isn't it called Astral Projection?” Lux randomly asked.
“Wait...what?”
“I've been having these weird dreams.” Lux said while watching Ikuki sew. “I get them at least three times a week...Though for some reason, this week...it's been every night.”
“What are you on about?”
“In my dreams, I'm always in places that I'm unfamiliar with. But they're normally areas with trees and a lot of greenery surrounding me. But I'm always hearing this woman's voice. Calling my name. I...can't recall on who she is because the voice doesn't sound normal to me. It's...kind of phantom-like with some sort of melodic ring to it. But every time I try to search for her, I always get confronted by the same guy. Over and over and over again. And I just can't ever find her.”
“Uh...” Nox blinked. “Who is the confrontation?”
“It's...that scary robot guy.” Lux frowned as he finally broke away his trance-like stare at Ikuki's work and looked up at her, directly. “It's the same robot that killed our parents a few years ago. He even chased us about the city a few times. I...I don't know why he appears in my dreams too...” Lux looked a bit upset over the idea. “He always chases me there, and he chases me in real life. I cannot get rid of him. But each time he corners me, he grows bigger and more frightening. I-I can't seem to ignore him either because he appears wherever I look.
But each dream, that same female voice calls to me. She really needs my help and for some reason, I can't ever reach her. Because of him...” Lux shook his head as he was getting a little emotional over it. He didn't realize it, but Jet was just a body for all of his fears.
“Do...you think someone is trying to reach me? Or mess with me? Because whenever I have those dreams, I don't sleep well at all.”
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Post by Moe on Oct 22, 2023 22:06:10 GMT -6
Ikuki listened at Nox spoke to her, trying her best to pay attention to him and sewing the scarf, but Lux was spacing out which was also concerning. She smiled at Nox when he mentioned learning magic. "Unfortunately where I come from, you have to be born into it to be accepted. You need to be accepted into the world of magic as an infant, or their teachings may not stick. I was the exception, and, well, we know how I turned out." she tried to laugh it off. "But I can teach you a little bit of what I know. First thing being transmutation magic isn't quite that simple. You need an equal exchange of energy. To turn something inanimate into something sentient, simply isn't possible. An illusion, however, can be. Transformation on oneself also works on a similar level. You can't create something from nothing, so they can't turn into anything larger or smaller than themselves. Shapeshifters are a different case entirely, but their magic is more genetic, and not learned."
Once Ikuki finished the scarf, she turned her attention to the little robot Nox and Mark had been working on. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind. I'm sure he knows a lot more than I do about robotics, but I can give it a shot if you'd like!" she smiled at him. "After all, science and magic aren't too different from each other."
Then Lux mentioned astral projection, which caught her and Nox off guard. "Astral projection can happen within dreams, yes. It sounds like someone is trying to reach out to you, but you're blocking them with fear. I...honestly don't know if I can help you. I thought I knew how to do it, but every time I try, I end up somewhere I don't want to be...if I can do it, at all. You have the gift, though. Whoever it is, they can reach out to you, and you can hear them. That means you're open to the spirit world, and I wish I could tell you how to get there without your fears weighing you down."
"Sometimes fear is what gets you there." Mark said, cracking the basement door open. "Mom left. I got the answers I needed. Sorry we dumped all that family drama on you. I told her I needed some time to think about things, but she said she'd check in tomorrow. She also felt really bad about leaving without apologizing to you, Ikuki. And Nox, if you want Ikuki to help with your robot, go for it." Mark said to Nox. "This is your project, I'm just a guide." he smiled at him.
"Mark, are you okay?" Ikuki asked him, and he knew what she was referring to and did not want to answer.
"I'm fine. Please, stop asking. I'll fill you in on things, later. If you want to help Nox with his robot, I'll take Lux somewhere quiet and do the astral-whatever thing."
"Oh my god you don't even know what you're doing. Why is fate so cruel?" Ikuki whined.
"I'll take that as a yes. Whatdya say, wanna give it a shot in the zen garden?" he asked Lux.
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Post by Banshee on Oct 23, 2023 17:14:36 GMT -6
Nox and Lux nearly jumped out of their skin when they heard Mark suddenly walk into the basement. They turned to face him as he walked down the stairs and spoke more-so directly to Nox about allowing Ikuki help him with the project. At first, Nox wasn’t so sure if it was a good idea, as Ikuki was more used to magic and not machine. But...he did think it may be interesting to see what she actually did know.
“Oh! Okay! I just wanted to make sure, that’s all!” Nox chimed to him before smiling to Ikuki. “Magic and technology are so fascinating. So I’d be curious to see what you did know about building machines and whatnot. Perhaps an outside perspective on the project will be great to have! Maybe you can find something that Mark and I skipped!”
Nox then glanced to Lux and said; “I know it’s usually Mark and me that hang out but I’d like to let you go ahead and do it instead. I’m sure the two of you could find something to relate on. And if he’s going to try doing astral projection with you, I’d be curious to know how you guys manage it and whether or not it’s successful!”
“O-Okay.” Lux nodded to his brother while trying to listen to Mark and Ikuki speak to one another. “I um...sure, we can go ahead and try it.”
“If there’s someone that keeps haunting your dreams, then it’s most likely someone trying to contact you. I’d give it a go.” Nox gave his brother a thumbs up. “And if there’s any failure, learn from it and try it again!”
“Okay, professor.” Lux rolled his eyes as he didn’t need the lecturing from his brother. He hopped off his chair and looked to Ikuki as he took the finished scarf from her hands. “Thank you so much for fixing this. You have no idea how important this scarf is to me. Thank you.” He then ran over to her and gave her a big hug.
“Good luck dealing with Einstein here.” He grinned before turning back towards Mark. “Let’s do this Mark. Show me where we go for this uh...”
“Zen Garden.” Nox said to him.
“Yeah, that place. I didn’t know you had one.” Lux blinked. “I’ve never actually been inside of one.”
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Post by Moe on Oct 23, 2023 18:05:27 GMT -6
"I mean, it isn't much. Just a little pond and a few rocks in the backyard. But it helps me relax." Mark shrugged, leading Lux into the back. "I'll be honest, I don't really know what I'm doing. I didn't even know I could do this, until recently. Heh. Kind of ironic that Ikuki's the one helping with tech, and I'm the one helping with magic." he tried to laugh it off, but it honestly kind of bothered him that he had this weird new ability and he couldn't even explain it.
"Okay, so every time I've been able to do this, I was always someplace with a lot of white noise." he sat down next to a small fountain that lead into the pond. It was a small space in a small-ish yard, but it was enough that it brought him some small amount of peace and it was a good place to go out and clear his mind when a project was getting too frustrating. "Sometimes it was the tv, or just me spacing out and hearing it in my head. Both of those times I nearly died, though, so let's maybe not take it that far." he joked.
"Try not to focus on actually doing it. Just listen to the sound of the fountain, and the leaves in the breeze. Don't focus on getting there, focus on the reason you were there in the first place. If it's fear, then it's fear. We're in this together, and I'm not going to let you go in there alone." he smiled at Lux. "I don't know how this kind of magic is supposed to work, so all I can tell you is how I felt when I was able to do it. It's kind of like trying to fall asleep. If you focus too hard on doing it, then you toss and turn and next thing you know, you're up all night. I think...if we can both find a common ground to focus on, then we can go in, together. That's my theory, anyway."
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Ikuki smiled as they left, but couldn't help but feel a little bitter at the fact that she was sent to train him in the world of magic, but he ended up being the one teaching everyone else. She wasn't upset at Mark, not by a longshot, simply frustrated that she failed at the one thing she was sent to do. She sighed as her smile faded when Mark and Lux left, showing how she really felt. But, this wasn't about her. Right now, she was going to work on a project, with Nox. And honestly? That seemed like fun.
"I'm sure it's easier than working on that robot shell." she assured Nox. "If we could manage to get that thing running, then we can surely build our own from scratch. It isn't too much different from weaving the thread in the scarf, it's just mechanical parts. "
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Post by Banshee on Oct 23, 2023 18:49:18 GMT -6
“Well, it’s peaceful out here. I...” He stopped as he could hear the sound of the wind, brushing through the trees which created a gentle rustle sound. A few birds were chirping nearby, singing to one another as birds typically do. Somewhere, a singular dog would bark a few times before it went quiet. But most of all, Lux realized that it was really peaceful. Even his nerves seemed to be relaxed at how tranquil this area was.
As simple as it was, Lux couldn’t blame Mark for going out there to get some peace. It really was a genuinely good area to go. He could even smell the fragrant air that Mother Nature always had, whenever he was in the woods with his brothers.
The place, reminded him of their original home.
He listened to Mark explain what he needed to do, while enjoying the calm and serene air. Lux nodded. “Alright... I’m...going to do my best to do exactly what you’re saying...” He then walked over to the area that Mark may often choose to park himself, and simply sat down in the plush grass. Lux then took off his boots and placed his scarf beside him.
“Well...I don’t know how this magic works either. And if you want me to be honest? I didn’t think I’d ever be able to do anything other than transformation.” He looked down at his glove-less hands. “I just....wonder if it’s something I can do.” Lux then smiled. “It’d be so cool though.”
He then shook himself free of thoughts as he attempted to do as Mark said. Calm himself. Let his mind rest. Do not think of anything and simply, listen to the world around him. Breathe slowly. Relax. Keep his eyes closed and just sit there, waiting for anything to happen.
There was one thought that slipped into his mind though. A common ground, huh? I wonder what that could possibly be?
After a good chunk of time slipped by, just before Lux was going to feel like he was going to fail at attempting this, the world went black. The darkness consumed everything. The noise. His feelings. He began to feel like his body was made out of air.
Then, he was in another area. The soft smell of flowers filled his nostrils which made him open his eyes. Which revealed an array of Azaleas, Red Clover, Blazing Stars, and Goldenrod flowers. All of them dancing in the nearly nonexistent wind. He was planted within a massive meadow which had flowers reaching beyond what his eyes could see.
Rising to his feet, Lux’s gaze was fixed on the sky, high above him. The blue was the purest of shades. The clouds were white and soft like pillows. Everything was so peaceful. Then, something fluttered just above his vision. And when he glanced upwards, a Blue Royal butterfly danced around him. Fluttering its wings in excitement. Luring him, he could feel it doing. And so, he followed after the butterfly. Not knowing where it was going to guide him.
“Papillon...” He said to himself in French as he continued to wander after the creature.
Lux then stopped, wondering if Mark was in the same area as him. He turned around, looking at the vast meadow behind him. “Mark?” He called out to him. “Where are you?”
- - - - - -
“You know, that would be so cool to do.” Nox admitted to her as he pulled out the little robot that he and Mark were once working on. “I’d love to be able to do that with you as well! And being that I’m learning off of this guy, I might be a bit faster next time too!” He smirked at her.
Then he remembered he had drawn a bunch of ideas down. Nox grabbed for the papers and spread them out to her, showing her the different designs that he thought up. “These were some of the ideas I had for what they could look like. Mark and I decided this one would be kind of cool to do.” He said as he pointed to the one they were working on.
“Maybe I can help you with your armor! Give it more of your kind of personality! You know?” He smiled to her. “It’d be so cool that...when Lux and I get older, we still know you guys and are around . Then maybe we can have our own armor too!”
“Though...” He thought for a moment. “Not sure how much I’d use one. I’d probably want to focus on medical stuff and being a team healer or a buff artists or something. I’d love the idea to be able to give someone a perk of power or defense by sending my own power to them. But I’m not entirely sure if I can do that.” He laughed. “Lux and I don’t really know much about our parents and Reese is awfully tightlipped about it.”
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Post by Moe on Oct 24, 2023 8:49:00 GMT -6
Mark wasn't so sure where he ended up. Everything was dark. He looked down and somehow, could see his hands just fine, although he couldn't pinpoint a light source. "Lux?" he called out, but got no answer. He started to feel a twinge of fear that he'd left Lux behind, and the fear kept getting heavier and heavier as that's what always happened. He always ended up losing people he cared about. He always pushed them away. He began to panic and frantically look for any signs of life. Every time he's entered the astral plane, there was always some kind of guide to explain what was going on. This time, nothing.
"What are you afraid of?" a booming voice rang out.
Mark looked around, trying to find a source within the darkness. He saw movement within the darkness, but no shape or pattern.
"What are you afraid of?" the voice repeated.
"I don't know!" Mark shouted back into the void. "Everything! I don't know what I am, and now I have to deal with all the drama my dad left for me! I'm...I'm afraid of failing...I'm afraid of..." he trailed off as he looked up, to see the image of a massive dragon. It was so big that its size simply couldn't be fathomed, but he could see it clearly. Suddenly, everything wasn't so dark. The more he paid attention to his surroundings, it became clear that it wasn't a dark void. There were twinkles of stars all around, and what looked like the planet earth. The massive dragon was curled around it, and looked to be staring Mark directly in his eyes. That's when he noticed.
It had the exact same eyes as him.
"Who are you?" he asked the dragon.
"Am I what you're afraid of?" the dragon asked him.
"I...no. I'm afraid of what I already am. I'm afraid that I'm becoming exactly like my dad. All I do is push people away. I'm scared that I'll end up alone. No friends, no family, nobody there for me. Hell, I'm even scared to tell Ikuki how I feel, because I know I'll just end up driving her away."
"You're not afraid to become a god?" the dragon asked.
"No." Mark finally admitted. "Being alone doesn't have anything to do with being a god. I'm not...normal. All I do is drive people away. Every friend I've ever had, every relationship I've tried, even my own family. And if I accept becoming a god...then I'll just be alone for all eternity."
"Is that why you're here? Because you're afraid of being alone?"
"No...this isn't why I'm here. This isn't about me." Mark snapped back to the reason he was there, in the first place. "I'm scared of being alone, but Lux is alone, too. I told him we were in this together, and we're not." When he looked back up to face the dragon again, it was gone. The void seemed empty, and he felt that even his own dream had left him alone. He looked down in defeat, only to see the earth below him. He was floating in the exact position the dragon had been in. The dragon was never a dragon. It was him. It had been him, the whole time. "Don't worry, Lux. I'm coming to find you..."
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Post by Banshee on Oct 24, 2023 9:15:31 GMT -6
Panicked, Lux began to run through the meadow. The flowers, brushed past him as he trudged through. Eventually leading him to a large stream. One of which had beautiful lilies dancing on top of its slightly rugged surface. Lux stopped, breathing for a moment as he couldn't help but enjoy the sight before him. It was so beautiful. And the scent of floral perfumes, filled his nostrils.
But something was sitting on a rock before him, surrounded by the water splashing upwards, trying to reach for it. In the center of the rock, was a small blue butterfly. Its wing, crimped from a possible escape or a fight. It was going to drown.
Without thinking, Lux traveled through the water and reached down to the butterfly. His hand, opened palm facing upwards. He hoped that the butterfly would be brave enough to climb on top. And due to surprise, the butterfly did exactly that. It slowly felt its way up onto his hand, sitting perfectly within the center. Lux then pulled himself upwards and examined it.
The butterfly had no other problems. All of its legs were accounted for. Its antenna were perked right up. The color of the wings filtered through a blue hue as the light bounced off of the fibers covering it. All was fine, except for the one damaged wing.
Lux carried it back over to solid ground and continued to examine it. “You poor thing...” He said as his heart felt bad for it. Lux knew that a damaged wing would cause the near death to the poor creature.
The butterfly flickered its wings while looking right up at him. It didn't seem fearful over his actions. It seemed calm and comfortable being beside him. There was a sense of familiarity with it though, but Lux was unable to place it. As it was a feeling that he had almost nearly forgotten, as it hadn't been around in a long time.
“I'm sorry... You're probably never going to fly again...” His face fell as he continued to watch the butterfly struggle to flap its wings. It stretched and pulled but to no avail, it wasn't able to fly. “I know how you feel. Everything is just so hard all the time... It's like you cannot do anything.” His shoulders sank. “It's like we were born...with flaws...”
But then, the butterfly managed to stretch the crimped wing out. He watched in awe as the butterfly carried itself upwards and out of his hand. It fluttered about. Fighting everything it had going against it. And yet, there it was. Flying. Doing what it was determined to do.
A part of him wondered if this was some sort of lesson. He watched as the butterfly fluttered upwards and disappeared through the canopy. Lux smiled at it. Happy that the creature was able to get back on its road.
”Lux...Please... A voice called to him. It was faint. She sounded like she had eagerly wanted to speak with him. ”Please don't...Don't...”
Wanting to see where the voice was coming from, he let his gaze fall onto the waters before him. But as his attention adjusted, the world had quickly changed. Flowers were dead. The sky suddenly turned grim. The trees surrounding him, deceased and burned. Even the water had turned murky, like dirt from a flood. He lifted his feet upwards, watching the blackened water drip off of his boots.
As he attempted to step back, he glanced back over to the rock. Sitting there, was some sort of figure that was struggling to take form. The dimming light tried to swallow the entity whole as it fought. All he could see was a glowing hand reaching out towards him. And her voice, calling. “Luxford. Please don't let it win... I need to-”
The woman's hand was quickly engulfed by black tendrils that shot out of the water. Wrapping itself around her like a tourniquet. It was pulling the semi-transparent hand back into it. The darkness tried to keep her from showing herself.
Frantic, Lux ran over to her and grabbed her hand. Surprised, he could feel her soft skin through his gloves. But the more he pulled, the quicker she fell. This was the closest to seeing who the voice belonged to, and something was preventing him from seeing her. Something fighting him. Something, a power far beyond his control.
There was an evil cackle that bubbled out from the dark tendrils. A form of another's hand reached out and grabbed his. His clutches were so tight, that it hurt Lux's hand. Crushing him beneath his grasp. It was attempting to pull him under. It wanted to consume him, like it did to the woman that Lux was trying to save.
He pulled out his hand from his glove and stepped back. Panicked and upset, there was nothing that he could've done to save her. The woman was lost in the abyss and there was nothing he could do. A failure. A weakling.
The figure formed into Jet, the robot that stalked him and his brother all this time. He was laughing coldly. Emotionless and cruel. His eyes glowed with the creepy grin that a robot was normally, incapable of performing. Jet's hulking body, grew and grew the more Lux watched. His fears, his doubts, all of his negative feelings towards himself, fed this monster.
“I-I can't...” He teared up as he looked at Jet before him. “Why did you take her?”
“Because.” His voice bubbled through the smokey tendrils that created him. “There's nothing you can do.”
Then another body formed. It was Reese.
“Reese! Help me!”
Reese only laughed, mockingly. “Why should I bother availing you? All you've ever done was fail me. Everything I've ever edified you, was for nothing. You don't heedfully aurally perceive. You're selfish. You're nothing without your brother and you ken it!”
“N-No...that's not true.”
“You're only a kid. Nothing more. Nothing less.” Jet's voice bubbled once again as he lurched forward. “All you ever do is fail and that's all you'll ever be.”
Lux teared up and turned away, running from these things. These, impersonations. These thoughts. He didn't know what else to do. Mark was nowhere to save him. Nox wasn't there to help him. No one was going to rescue the little failure. His heart hurt so badly over these thoughts. No one would be caring enough to save someone like him.
“I'm so sorry...” He cried out to the female voice that tried to reach him. “I'm so sorry... I'm just not strong enough...”
"Lux, no..." The woman's voice called out to him, sounding defeated by the creatures stalking after Lux. She tried to call for him again, but he was so swollen with dismay, that there wasn't any chance she could reach him.
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Post by Moe on Oct 24, 2023 10:24:31 GMT -6
Mark tried to focus on finding Lux, but he couldn't escape the void of space. Every time he tried to focus, he just heard millions of voices all around him. Millions of dreams, lost souls, and echoes. Lux was lost in a sea of ghosts and it seemed impossible to find one voice, among so many. His expression was angry, frustrated, and terrified that he'd lost someone else close to him. A wave of sadness washed through him, and he felt pain and fear that he'd never felt before.
"Lux?" he called out. The sadness wasn't his. He was feeling what Lux was feeling. He couldn't see what was happening, but he could feel it. Every moment of fear and sadness. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on those feelings, trying to pinpoint where in the astral plane Lux was. "Just hang on, kiddo. Try to listen for me. I know you're hurting, and scared and confused. I can feel it. Just know that it's okay. It's okay to be afraid of the unknown. Things happen that we can't control, and it scares us. That's part of being human. We can't always be the hero. We can't always save people. But no matter what, you're never alone. People may come and go in your life, but you'll always have people that care about you. I'm sorry that we got separated, but I'm here, Lux. I'm here with you...somewhere. Just try to focus on me, and we'll find each other. Just close your eyes, block out everything else, and listen for me."
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Post by Banshee on Oct 24, 2023 10:43:07 GMT -6
He wanted to cry.
His emotions were consuming him as he began to hear the voices around him. The laughter from Jet and his mocking voice, calling to him to just give up and surrender. Reese was spewing various hurtful words, many of which stung him so hard that it practically crippled the boy. Memories of his failures, reflecting within his mind, reminding him on how weak and pitiful he felt.
The woman's voice. Her cry for his attention was so weak now. Lux failed to grab for her. He couldn't even save a ghost in his own mind. He felt so powerless. So useless. He began to really hate himself over it all.
He cried as he curled himself into a ball onto the soaking ground. “Mom, I'm so sorry... Reese is right... I am a joke...”
There was a pause when things seemed to have stopped. He heard another voice. Someone was calling out to him. And at first, Lux didn't want to respond. His own emotions battled him senseless onto the ground, crippling his will to continue fighting. He wanted whoever it was, to stop trying to save him.
Then the voice rang familiar. It was Mark's. And he was trying to reach for him.
The darkness began to consume him. Wrapping its tendrils around him, pulling him deeper into despair. It wanted to swallow him and his faith in anything. His hopes were meant to be crushed under the weight that dragged him down.
Looking up, he could see Mark's hand break through the mist. Reaching out for him. The tendrils fought against him. Pushing him back. It did not want Mark to save Lux from his own internal turmoil. The darkness wanted this to be its victory.
Without thinking, Lux cried out to him. “MARK.” He then thrust his hand outwards, his fingers stretching, reaching for Mark's. Lux wanted help. He wanted to be saved. His hope was revived when Mark kept his promise that he'd be there for him.
His hand wrapped around his and Lux could feel himself being pulled upwards. The tendrils, being torn away as he was lifted. It clawed at him, swatted at him. The darkness, Reese and Jet, yelled angrily at him. They didn't want him to leave. They wanted him to drown in his own sorrows. They wanted to devour whatever was left within Lux, leaving him as an emotionless husk.
Lux was torn out from the ocean of darkness. Ripped out from their hands. He fell forward, crying hard. He didn't care what Mark looked like or if he said anything. Lux simply wrapped his arms tightly around him. Sobbing into his chest, shaken from the events unfolding.
“I tried. I tried so hard...” He cried into him. “I wanted to see who that woman was. I almost did. But...I failed!” Lux pulled himself away from Mark to throw his remaining glove onto the ground out of anger. “I can't do anything. I can't do anything at all.”
It was the moment where Lux, simply lost control over his emotions. “I had her within my reach. I touched her hand. I could feel her. She tried to call for me, she needed my help. And...And I just...Messed it up. Like I always do!” He threw his hands in the air out of frustration again.
But then, he let his hands fall to his sides. Defeated. “Reese is right. He's always been right.” The anger boiled up again as he began to speak sharply. Not at Mark, just out loud. “I've been nothing more than a joke and that's all I'll ever be.” He then ripped off his scarf, which was on him within the astral plane.
“AAAAGH!” He screamed as he threw the scarf onto the figurative ground. “How can I be so damn stupid?”
There was silence for a moment. His breathing was heavy and his heart pounded in his chest like a drum. He was so frustrated with himself. He hated being a kid and incapable of understanding or doing anything. “I just...wish Mom and Dad were here...” There was a wave of sadness that overrode his anger. Extinguishing it entirely as he caved into crying and fell to his knees. Lux then buried his face into his scarf, crying into it.
“I miss them so much...”
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Post by Moe on Oct 24, 2023 11:41:08 GMT -6
"Lux, I didn't...if I'd known, I wouldn't have brought you here." Mark attempted to set a hand on Lux's shoulder, but decided to give the kid space. "I can keep telling you that you're not a joke and that you have amazing potential...but it won't mean anything, if you don't believe it, yourself. I think these dreams are manifesting for a reason, trying to tell you something. Unfortunately, that's something you have to figure out, on your own. Unless Morpheus exists... remind me to ask someone about that, later."
For the most part, Mark let Lux work through his emotions. He could feel what Lux was feeling, and it hurt that he couldn't fix anything. "I know you miss them. I can't even imagine the pain you're going through. To feel the emotional energy is one thing...but that's only a fraction of what you're feeling. But you know what? It's okay. It's okay to hurt and be angry. Just don't ever think you aren't good enough. You're ten. Yeah, you've been through a lot, but you're still just a kid. Hell, I'm supposed to be some kind of god, and even I can't help everyone. It's insane to think that you can. I mean, you've got a good heart, Lux. You're amazing, and I know you're going to be a great hero someday, but you're expecting too much of yourself based on somebody else's perception of you. There's a lot of pressure being put on you and that isn't fair."
He stopped to think for a moment. There was only so many times he could tell Lux not to be so hard on himself, but until he believed it, it was just falling on deaf ears. "Y'know. We are still in the astral space. And if I was able to find you, I bet we could find Reese. You wanna mess with his dreams a little bit?" he asked Lux with a devious grin.
-------
Nox and Ikuki, meanwhile, were oblivious to what was going on in the dreamscape, happy to do their own thing. Ikuki wasn't an expert on robotics by any means, but she knew the basics and quickly got the hang of what went where. The design of the robot was spherical, with four legs that could tuck into itself and a single eye, like a little one-eyed, four-legged spider.
"Loving the vibe of this little guy." Ikuki commented on it. "It's sleek and simple, but it has so much personality. Plus, it's really cute." she smiled at Nox. "You're very creative, you know. I haven't even thought about what I want to do with my suit. I wasn't even expecting him to build one, so fast. Or...at all." she trailed off a bit, thinking about what kind of design would best fit her personality.
"Hm. I like blacks and greens, but that's his thing. Something opposite would be funny. Like, pastel goth. White and pink or rainbow, but with skulls and bones and stuff." she snickered. "Maybe I'll ask Mark about that, later. I don't even know if I'm supposed to keep the suit, of if it was just for contacting Apollo. He's always said Hyper X works alone...but you can't just be alone, forever." she said as she fidgeted with the metal flower he'd given her, a couple days ago.
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Post by Banshee on Oct 24, 2023 12:01:25 GMT -6
For a fraction of a moment, Lux stopped his tantrum and listened to Mark speak. His hand being on his shoulder, provided the comfort that he was searching for. Even if it was for that one small moment. There was someone standing beside him, not hating on him, not saying anything while he was rampant. Mark was being the ears that Lux needed, to express his emotional instabilities and pain.
He lowered his hands to his side and continued to think his words over. Mark had a point. Lux was in a lot of pain and it constantly chomped down at his side the entire time he woke up. The voice of the woman he wanted to save, the thoughts of how other people perceived him. It all boiled down to one monumental task. And that was, to simply love himself for who he was.
Mark was right. He was only ten. He had so much to live for. So much in his life was standing before him behind doors that remained closed until he eventually approached them. He did go through a lot. And it showed from his outburst of anger and sadness.
He began to realize that everything he hated, everything that stung, all of his sadness and regret. All of it was forming into the monsters that stalked him in his dreams every night. But how could he overcome them? There was so much work that he needed to do. So much to mature with. It was all too much for his ten year old brain to handle. And above all, how the hell was Nox being able to withstand it all? How was it that he was fine, but Lux wasn't?
But he shrugged that aside for now. He needed to regain his composure. Lux left his control unchecked for too long and he exploded from it. Mark was there, as promised. And all he could manage to say to him was a simple, but broken voiced; “Thank you.”
Lux gave him another hug, appreciating the talk. Whether or not any of it stuck, was another story to be told. But for right now, his calm voice helped put Lux on a lesser bitter level. He was at least, calming down. For now.
He then smirked when Mark brought up the idea of messing with Reese. “Oh? We can do that? Let's do it! I'm sure he's sleeping right now.”
- - - - - -
Nox was happily working away on the robot, smiling at their conversations at hand. He enjoyed Ikuki, in all honesty. She was kind and fun to talk to. The topics she brought up were always so interesting. And the fact that she appreciated his talent and design choices, definitely made him feel good.
“Yeah, you know...I love the way it looks too.” Nox said as he took a moment to appreciate the final touches to the design. “Thank you! I've had a lot of spare time when Reese focused his training on Lux. So I tinkered a lot with the dwarves that lived in the area we were at.”
He paused for a moment when she was questioning what colors she should choose. “Well, I do like the idea of...what's it called...” He tapped his chin as he struggled to find the correct wording. “Is it called Baby Metal? Where the person wears bright colors but yet, have skulls and listen to metal music?”
Nox then added; “I think he'd let you keep the suit, if you asked me. There's more to him than he leads on. I think he's definitely desiring the idea of being friends with you. And who knows? Maybe his Hyper X persona will allow you to be his trusty sidekick?” He grinned.
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