Envisionings (2nd Edition) Part 16 💉🩸

X-Mansion - Danger Medical Bay

Hank (O/S): "The Danger Room's properties have allowed for each of those affected to be set up in their own treatment environments, tailored to their particular mutation. As well as to their tastes, lest we forget the soul in treatment of the body."

As he says this, we see into a few of these "environments" - the other rooms Logan had passed before.

We see Willow in hers, looking like what you could imagine her room in her apartment may look. As balls of lightning exude from her body, they float harmlessly up towards the ceiling, where they're absorbed.

A thermostat in the room of the one with combustion powers indicates a cooled environment. We see her currently in a casual position on the bed reading a magazine, and just behind her on the wall, a cabinet marked "Ice Water" holding IV-bags, should she require a more internal intervention; the IV pole presently hidden behind a standing lamp by the bed.

Shockwave Mutant's room appears more "uptown" than one might expect from him. Perhaps he's taking the opportunity virtual customization allows to see how the other side lives. Presently he's seeing if he still has his powers, eying some kind of monitoring device on the wall displaying "2.5". As he concentrates, we see objects in the room begin to shake -nearly fall, as the monitor dials up to 4.6, then things begin to stabilize even as he appears to still be sending out his power. He eases and the digital display reflects the change; down to 3.2.

Our view changes from being inside the room to seeing a representation of it on a monitor -no "big brother is watching you" here- where we can just assume the occupant relaxed completely as the reading on the screen reflects "2.5" once more.

We can also see each screen is digitally labeled with the name and powerset of who's being observed - "Shockwave Mutant's" name appearing as "Alv"; Combustion Mutant's as "Jen".

Another of the split-screens, labeled "Ilé - Gravity" shows the representation of a different room with a similar monitoring device, presently showing -2 as Hank continues: "As you can see, it also affords us real-time review of all conditions at a glance via the built-in monitoring software, just like during a Danger Session."

X-Mansion - Danger Room Control Bay

Jean's eyes move across the screens, landing on one overlaid with a dual display of vitals;

She knows these don't tell the full story.

"What are their symptoms?" She turns to Hank.

"Besides the affects of his mild whiplash, Scott is contending with head and, to a lesser extent, eye pain. Though also a crippling dizziness which seems to stem from his optic nerves actually perceiving the rapid motion of his blasts. Alex," Hank sighs, taking on a solemner tone as his attention shifts to one of the vitals readings, ". . .unfortunately our technology does not allow for the turning-back of time. His last blast took its toll. . . Since part of their mutations involve absorbing ambient light, the hope is that keeping them in a room as devoid of it as possible will lessen the burden on their bodies, perhaps even tail off their powers. . .If you're to literally see them, you'll require a pair of specialty lenses." He hands her such a pair. "Not night vision in the traditional sense, but digitally programmed with the parametres of the room and capable of conveying an image based on motion detection. Those should fit over your corrective lenses."

Jean hesitates, divided between personal feelings and professional duty: "I should probably join you in the lab."

"We actually do have a window of time while the bloodwork is sequencing." He glances towards a digital clock displayed in a corner of one of the screens. "Though might I suggest taking this opportunity to grab a power nap, instead? Stave off the jet leg; there will be a lot of work ahead of us."

Jean nods, and we follow a final glance at the screens. . .where we zoom-in on the "Dark Room" -- first it's exterior, the feed keeping tabs on the completeness of the protective darkness surrounding the door, where just outside of it we can see a rack for the "night vision" -presently empty- before we come to be inside the room with Xavier.

The scene apparent to us through his specialty-spectacled point-of-view, we presently see Xavier with his hand resting on Alex's forehead. "The psychic coma should allow Alex's body to concentrate on healing. . ." there's a palpable level of hope in the face of unlikelihood, the latter determinedly looked away from as Xavier concludes: "The reduction to his metabolism also hopefully slowing the mechanism of his powers."

He turns from the younger Summers' bed on one wall, towards Scott's on the one opposite,

speaking as though continuing a conversation: "I imagine there's no changing your mind?"

We see Scott out of his X-Men uniform, with his visor replaced by a piece of eyewear somewhere between glasses and a sleep mask; presumably ruby quartz, of course.

"The pain's an indicator of progression, it might be all Jean and Hank have to go on for a timeline. . .Plus we still need to figure out the commonality."

Xavier considers this; his friend's pain at least figuratively his own. "You can permit me to take the edge off, of least."

With no further disagreement, Xavier spreads his hand across Scott's brow, and we soon hear a soothed breath escape his lips.

Dissolve transition from the as-seen-through-night-vision ruby quartz to a suncatcher in front of a window upstairs; Holo's dorm.

We can see via a clock on a side table that we're further in the day from when Jean and the Professor arrived back.

Whether her dormmates just aren't in the room at present, or they're among those away for the Summer, Holo is alone. Her head downturned towards a sketchbook in her lap, though she doesn't appear focused on the partially finished drawing; a coloured pencil beneath an idle hand.

The young mutant is just thinking by the looks of it. An uncertainty in her expression shifting as she turns her head to stare at the space beyond the foot of her bed where she sits.

A projected imagining starting to take form. . .

. . .meanwhile, in another room, Jean Grey is startled awake by-- "Jean!!"

She starts.

Getting up and going down the hall, she pauses at the door to Scott's room -what used to be hers and Scott's- remembering, or thinking.

Suddenly she hears him again: "Jean!!"

Not a dream -and not in her head. But how can he be up here?

She follows the voice -which now includes her own?!- to one of the student dorms.

Realizing which, Jean knows what she'll find when she opens it--

--yet isn't quite prepared for the screaming imagining of Scott reaching his hands up to his ruby quartz glasses, removing them in a desperate effort to release what's causing him severe pain -- his optic blasts cutting short as his eyes blow out, leaving behind empty, somewhat bloody sockets as his body goes limp.

Imagined Jean - holding him: "Scott!!"

Real Jean: "Holo!"

Even at this intrusion it takes a minute for Holo's imagining to cease --now showing Scott shakily reaching his hand up ahead of the imagining of Jean catching it, holding it, trying to comfort him and herself-- and for Holo to turn to the real Jean with a vaguely traumatized look.

We next see the real Jean sitting on Holo's bed facing her, hands on Holo's arms in a comforting, stabilizing touch, while Jean speaks in a tone of gentle, yet clear guidance: "Our mutant minds can be dangerous. Part of your learning to control your powers is interrupting your thoughts when they can be harmful. To others or to yourself."

Holo seems to take that especially to heart with the "to others" bit. What if her roommates had been here? She looks up into Jean's eyes; what had she just caused for her? "Is that what I'd lose if I get what Professor Summers has?"

Jean considers her answer. With Holo, it was a toss-up whether things were best left to the imagination or not. "Maybe. It could be like what I experienced when I first got back*, unable to navigate in a space that was at once unreal and true. . .But Holo," Jean looks at her with renewed seriousness, "it doesn't take getting what Scott has to have your relationship with your powers go wrong. That's what I'm saying."

*Envisionings (2nd Edition) Part 1

Holo looks down with comprehension. Except...She looks back up to ask: "Before you could modulate your powers really well, didn't you hear snippets of thoughts you just had to know the rest of?"

"Sure I felt that way. But the reality was I didn't have to know."

Holo glances down again from Jean's level gaze, thinking further. ". . but now that I've thought of it, I feel like it's going to stay on my mind."

Jean empathizes: "Why don't you think of when everyone's better, instead? Steer your imagination that way."

Holo considers, and in a moment looks off into the center of the room, where before her, Jean's and our eyes, a scene forms - a celebration, with Professor Xavier raising a glass. There's no audio to this imagining, but a toast to health is implied. At the close, we sweep by many loosely defined figures, though Alex can be made out among them, and comes to focus on imagined-Jean Grey and imagined-Scott, sitting close next to each other, sharing a kiss.

The real Jean has a mixed reaction to this, comprised partly of mild amusement. "Holo."

Holo, a little smile on her face, looks away from the visual to the real Jean: "Sorry. I know you and Professor Summers used to be together, and-" she looks back at her imagining, which either didn't fade or has refreshed -close-up on the couple, "-I can just see it!"

"Well, being able to see other realities is what this school is built on." Jean rises to leave, adding the final guidance: "Just don't get too carried away."

A guidance Jean herself must heed, as the visceral "reality" of Holo's imagining lingers in her mind - and focuses her actions. . .cautious though the may be, at first. . .

X-Mansion - Lab

Donning the standard safety gear, Jean sits down to do her part with the bloodwork; her mood not quite collected. "Increase of power, loss of control. . .and we're certain this isn't transmissible?"

Hank answers from his work station at the wall opposite hers. "Admittedly more sure than certain."

Jean expresses an unseen look like 'that's splitting hairs' - or like she finds these specifics somewhat irritating, given what could be the consequences.

Hank adds: "In any case neither Ororo nor I have experienced any symptoms, and I was working closely with Alex -and at least an item of Scott's- the day before you and Charles left, when the first signs of their affliction can, in hindsight, be marked." He gives a second thought to this, "though I suppose my particular mutation could belie traceable symptoms."

Going by the look on Jean's face now -still unseen by Hank- his assurances are doing little to actually assure.

Though his assumptions will prove to be correct, as we are about to learn alongside our heroes in a following meeting. . .

X-Mansion - Staff Room

News Broadcast: " ... now speculating if the damages weren't caused by more degenerate mutants, and if this behaviour isn't engendering more, as it certainly seems to be catching in the mutant community."

The TV gets turned off.

Ororo (irony): "It would seem they are finding more cases than we are."

Xavier (somewhat likewise): "Yes. Fear does have a way of awakening such talent." He swivels from facing the TV to facing those gathered at the table. "Now where are we on the facts?"

Jean: "Nothing is 'catching', for one thing. Hank," -she glances to him- "and I are in agreement that the pathology resembles contamination more than infection, with a progression suggestive of separate instances of shared points of exposure; Scott and Alex representing the first, though with Alex's contamination appearing more concentrated, as if he experienced longer or heavier exposure to the contaminate."

Hank: "With zero evidence that contaminated individuals can act as exposure points for others. Unless we're speaking about Rogue, who appears to have subsumed the contaminate each time she seized the affected individuals' powers. True to form, this has not resulted in its erasure from their bodies, however unusually it has correlated to a build up in hers, making it quite fortunate she doesn't hold powers indefinitely."

Jean: "Rogue will likely be fine so long as she doesn't use her powers, and anyone who doesn't require a treatment environment can come and go from the extended medical

bay, though they agree it's more prudent they stay."

Ororo: "So what is this contaminate?"

Jean: "That's been trickier to answer."

Hank: "Our new acquaintances have proven cumbersome to hold a dialogue with on the matter. Stress and disorientation, I'm sure," he adds generously. "Though it means our targeted line of questioning has lead to answers which miss the mark."

Xavier: "Oftentimes what fails to be articulated is clear inside one's mind." He exchanges a knowing look with Jean. "Perhaps I can facilitate."

Hank: "There is one whom I'm certain will not give his consent to that."

Xavier: "I was thinking it will be more efficient to go in at a junction. I can't imagine she will object, given the circumstances."

X-Mansion - Standard Medical Bay

Rogue is laying on one of the exam tables while Xavier attaches electrodes to her skin with gloved hands.

Xavier: "I understand some part of those you touch linger in your mind. I believe these may be memories, shelved away in a corner even private to your own consciousness. I will leave it so, while hopefully coming away with something we can use."

"Good luck. Maght be kahnda' messy in there."

Xavier gives a small chuckle before beginning.

Meanwhile, Danger Medical Bay

Ororo is making the rounds, checking that the occupants have what they need, and paying special attention to their youngest: "Remember, Willow, you do not need to be afraid of your power," the older mutant speaks with warm authority, holding the back of the girl's hand, "you are not here because you are sick, you are here to get well." She smiles.

A few, varying sizes of ball lightning release from the young girl, who observes with concern as one rises incredibly close to Ororo.

"Not a problem," Ororo reassures, actually reaching out to touch it, demonstrating how harmless this power is to her. "For me or anyone else here." She opens the door to Willow's room, further demonstrating how the lightning travels harmlessly up like bubbles attracted to the simulated sky, rather than out towards anyone who it may pose a danger to.

"I will be back, though how about trying to get to know a few more people besides me in the meantime?" Ororo smiles encouragingly. Off Willow's half-way decisive nod, she exits.

The young girl comes to stand on the threshold, one hand on the frame, watching Ororo leave as much as cautiously observing what's happening beyond her own area. Before the weather master gets too far, Willow experiments: stretching her arm out to try releasing a ball of lightning into the common air just like Ororo had. More than one winds up getting released again, but all follow the same, harmless path. While reassured, Willow remains cautious -or undecided; holding onto the doorframe while she thoughtfully rocks in and out.

Colbur: "Hey Willow- you gettin' tired of lightning balls?"

He turns a smile towards Bobby, who adds: "How 'bout some snow?"

He proceeds to make a soft ball of hail -wrists icing up with affected kickback- and tosses it to Colbur, who throws it in a low arc towards a game-looking Willow.

On her catching it, we hear Graysen's voice from across the room: "Hey! I wanna' join- toss it here!"

Willow doesn't look sure she can throw it that far, but tries anyway.

Graysen, also anticipating the throw coming up short, had started to move closer-- and the ball whiffs by him. "Whoops!"

It hits close to one of the other doors with a crunch.

Ororo: "Careful kids. You do not want to disturb the others."

Colbur: "Move in closer!" he waves his hand in a directing motion to the others, "we'll hot-potato --er, cold potato it."

Ororo eyes them approvingly before she heads -with "night vision" glasses in hand- into the Dark Room.

The sound of what's happening beyond is effectively dulled by the close of the door, though the change in ambience alerts the presently sight deprived Scott Summers of someone having come in. With a just audible breath of discomfort, Scott stiffly turns his head somewhat in that direction.

Ororo: "I came to see if you are in need of anything? I can grab a fresh compress for you."

We see through her POV a small cabinet -presumably a refrigeration unit- near the head of Scott's bed; within his reach should he need -or prefer- to manage the swaps himself.

"No. . I just took one off to release some power. But check on Alex, please. The machine*. ." Scott draws another such breath, ". . Hank has him hooked up to is supposed to convey his power away. . so it isn't inducing further strain on his body."

*For clarity, Alex's suit passively absorbs excess power that he can't otherwise manage within his body. This machine actively conveys his power at any level, so his body doesn't need to contend with any at all --or so is the idea! ~Tra

Ororo moves closer to the younger Summers brother, whose suit has either been effectively covered or the machine is doing a thorough job, as we see zero glow of contained power within the suit's rings.

Turning her night-visioned gaze towards a monitor, Ororo relays: "It appears to be working as intended. His vitals remain stable. . .yet he does not show signs of improving, so far."

She turns her eyes towards Alex's head, on which we see now rests a head apparatus reminiscent of a half-atom ring. By the readings on another monitor beside it, we can take it to be specifically monitoring the state of his psychically shut-down mind; possibly a conduit to Xavier's should he need to make adjustments remotely.

Scott sighs at the update.

"How is everyone else?"

Ororo: "Mostly well thanks to the environments. It has taken some fine tuning of the sensors in each to make sure they are keeping pace with everyone's deterioration, but thankfully they are working."

"Any unrest?"

"Those whose environments can not translate well to mixed company are having a time of it, one in particular displaying a general distrust -I am sure you can guess who. Though I believe 'display' is the word, as he has not yet taken his chances in trying to leave."

The sudden sound of something hitting the wall causes Scott to start -a fresh grunt of pain following. "What was that?"

Ororo: "Bobby and Colbur started a game of catch for the benefit of our younger charges, and probably from their own boredom. I did tell them to be careful."

Back out in the Danger Med Bay - Common Area.

We see a palm-sized rock skidding after ricocheting off the Dark Room's wall-

-Graysen: "I got it!" Removing one of the specialty gloves that had been on his hands, he reaches out -disintegrating the rock.

Another is prevented from hitting any other walls thanks to some strategically erected "ice bumpers".

Colbur: "Sorry, guys. Didn't mean to make those."

Graysen: "And I didn't mean to panic when they all came at me."

Replacing his glove, he rubs at his other palm before shaking it as one may when shaking off the pain of having hit something hard.

Colbur: "I shouldn't have been playing," he looks untrustingly at his own hand.

Bobby shrugs: "We just need a different game. How about shuffleboard?" He nods towards where his bumpers stopped Colbur's other rock, "between the two of us we can have the zones and disks covered."

He looks over at Combust-Jen and Ilé, who had been watching the "cold-potato" game -and it's dissolution- from the safety of their own environments: "You guys could play too, shooting from there."

Ilé, on a patch of simulated yard as futuristic-looking as what we can see of their room, responds in a huff: "If that kid can have anti-disintegration gloves, can't 'Big Blue' make me an anti-gravity something so I can get a little more freedom? I feel like one of those animals with an invisible barrier restriction."

Colbur shrugs, joking: "'least we're collar-free. Isn't so bad."

Ilé: "Easy for you to say! You can go anywhere- even right out of here!"

Colbur's light disposition fizzles out. "Easier for you! There isn't a convenient remedy for my mutation!"

Ilé: "Big deal! At least you're not at risk for falling into the stratosphere with rocks for brains!"

"Hey!" He steps closer-

--KRRSHHHHHHHH!

-A blast of ice comes between them.

Bobby: "You guys wanna' chill out on your own, or are you gonna' need a hand?" One of his are directed at each of them. Bobby takes the break in retorts to explain to Ilé; fixing a stare on them: "Graysen was here the day before everything, when Beast had more time. Now he's tied up trying to fix what's going on with all of us."

Back in the Dark Room.

Scott: ". .Have there been any new cases?"

Ororo: "You would think so by what the news is saying. The truth is harder to say. A friend of Holo's Kurt brought from the Youth Center and several of our students-" Scott comes more to attention "-have expressed such fears. Though that may be all they are as well. Jean and Hank are having to balance checking for new cases with trying to understand and treat the ones confirmed."

Not much besides endurance shows on Scott's face, yet the shift of his body speaks to unsettlement- near restlessness. Though even if he were well, he couldn't do anything to facilitate the work needing to be done in the lab. Save for figuring out--

"By the way, I wanted to apologize."

Taken out of his reflections by Ororo's voice, Scott shifts his head stiffly back in her direction.

"I came down on you for what you were not seeing. If I had taken the time to see what you were, perhaps fresh eyes on the matter could have headed off much of this pain. I am sorry."

Scott draws a breath, both X-Men silent for a moment in the unknown of what difference different actions may've made. . ."Any determination yet of a cause?"

"No. Although Charles is trying something as we speak."