As your eyes beecome adjusted to the light you see a museum security officer kicking you in the side. Hey, drunk get your sorry butt out of here. This is no place to go to sleep. He scowls down at you.
You appear to be sprawled out on the bathroom floor and Robert is nowhere in sight.
Your head feels like its made of dwarf star alloy. Your speech is a little slurred as well.
Robert.
It's time for you to get moving that's what time it is. More scowls from the hefty man in the security uniform.
Now why would I want to be telling anyone 'bout the young man that just ran out of here sopping wet? His eyes narrow, Say, you weren't planning on nuthin to that young lad?
His scowl seems to deepen even further. Maybe I should be calling the authorities...
This guy is just doing his job but he is useless i got to find Robert and find out what happened.
Walks out of the bathroom looking at his watch to see what time it is and determine how much he was out. Stepping out of the bathroom he scans the room for Robert.
You notice a snack counter nearby where they are selling popcorn and candies of various natures. There are large posters up everywhere detailing monster flicks and romantic comedies. it appears you are in a theatre.
I would like to talk somewhere else but i have to run. I am not working in the University today, but i am taking my classes on a tour of the Museum. If you would like to talk, why don't you come with me to the museum, we can talk along the way. If it is private, there are some coffee shops on the way.
The ride to the Sphinxonium is relatively uneventful. You do notice an intersection downtown that's been cordoned off by S.H.R.U..
She gets distracted by her phone chirping. She holds up a finger and begins chatting with her "gff" in overly excited tones.
The guard has followed you out of the bathroom and is eyeing you as you are chatting up the snack girl.
Okay, but lets be quick. also you do know there are many entrances to the university, and most of the buildings have ways to connect to each other. I'll help you out, but you need to get strength,or wear a Trekkie shirt and people will think your cos-playing as a Vulcan. A possible hit to your popularity, but this is an University, not the cliche-centric High Schools. Also the nerds would enjoy having a girl in their group. but i digress, here we'll go in a side door.
Looking over his shoulder seeing the guard looking at him, he looks at the stairs. If i go up there he is gonna come after me most likely, oh well i have to find Robert.
Starts up the stairs in a hurry, going as fast as one can go up stairs watching over his shoulder for the guard.
Robert..Robert where are you its ok I know your probably worried about this but I can help, but I cant help if you keep running. Emit calls out as he ascends the stairs hoping that Robert will here him and stop running.
...oh god, I'm terrible at small talk... how do normal people do this?
Yea, Marco seems like a nice guy. And Rox Falls is a-maze-ing. Have you heard? Their new album comes out next Monday but they say they'll be playing their new song, Earthquake, at the concert. I have two pirated copies already. What kind of music are you into?
As you make your way through the crowd of people. No more Muties! Mutants are cancer! Remove the cancer! Cure our world!
That is terrible, i hope that they were charged, that kind of actions is never justified. here i'll take you inside the back employees entrance, follow me.
I take her to an entrance that requires a key to get in and take her inside.
**The very fabric of reality unravels leaving nothing but a starless void**
-bert, stop! Better prepared for Robert's use of his power, you remain conscious this time through although you're still a little wobbly.
Robert steps away from you.
I must save them. Where was it? West and Fifth? I don't have ti-
Robert disappears in a flash of white light.
Porting to a nearby rooftop, you are instantly at West and Fifth. It's in the grittier side of town and the sun has just gone down. You do not see any sign of Robert but there is a couple walking down the sidewalk talking merrily with a young child between them.
The mother is talking to the child.
Did you like watching Lazer Rangers 3D, Bobby? Did you enjoy your birthday gift?
Teleports down behind the couple silently to not be noticed and far enough to not arouse suspicion.
I got to stop Robert, but where is he...
Honey? Maybe we should walk a bit...faster
What is it Steven?
Just keep walking.
You spot a telltale flash of light from the alleyway across the way. You see Robert, eyes aglow, surrounded by several leather-clad bikers. There is a smoking set of leather boots nearby. It appears Robert has begun to master the offensive use of your abilities...
I...DON'T...CARE!
Seeing Robert distracted, one of the bikers attempts to grapple Robert from behind. Robert grabs the man and electricity sparks between the two. The man collapses noticably thinner and with blood trickling out of his nose.
You don't know what it's like! You've never lost somebody you loved!You've never lost EVERYTHING!
At this point, the bikers begin to back away, several are attempting to start their hogs in a getaway attempt.
Just as you lead her through the crowd of protestors and up to the back door, you hear a cry of Help! Judging from the sounds of anti-mutant propaganda, the protestors seem to have found a victim.
Professor, we should do something! She appears to be genuinely worried.
*15 minutes of awkward silence later*
I've been meaning to ask you, did the Sphinxonium ever forgive you for breaking that million year old vase or what? Should I be concerned that they're going to arrest you or something?
As she asks you this question, the marble columnades of Maximum City's museum comes into view.
*Your vision doubles then triples as you begin to see the alleyway as it was/is/should be.*
*In one, there are only bikers and they are daring a new member to rob a rich-looking couple that had just past the alleyway.*
*In another, Robert is rampaging, throwing motorcycles at fleeing members of the gang while you block their exit with a ported billboard. *
*In the third, what's left of the gang escapes down the alleyway and into the night and a sobbing Robert takes his fury out on the wall/you.*
*Just as the visions of the then/here/now begin to overload your senses they coalesce...*
Robert is beating his knuckles bloody against the side of the wall and there are tears running in rivulets down his face. The remaining bikers take their hogs (doubling up in the case of some) and burn rubber. After a few moments Robert calms and looks at you, fire in his eyes.
It doesn't matter now, I k-k-killed the man that would have killed them. I sent him away...far away. He averts his eyes from you. I assume personal history cannot be overwritten by this...ability of yours?
So if you don't mind me asking how is it that your power works, am i going to get my abilities back or are the gone for ever? If that's the case your going to have to get us back.
If my powers don't return how will i save the future...my family mom,dad, hell even my no good brother ill never see them again.
You hear the screech of tires and a woman's screams coming from the street.
Robert's eyes go wide. NO! Mom! I'm com-
Robert disappears in a flash of light.
With a roar of defiance, Robert lays both hands on the battered hog causing it to disappear and then reappear...in an explosion of a million smaller pieces. A smaller boy, ice cream spilled and forgotten on his Lazer Rangers shirt, stands staring at...himself.
In a shaky voice, his mother begins to speak...
R-R-R-Robert...where?
Mom! Mom, I'm here. Robert. It's me, mom.
Her eyes focus unsteadily on her son...or rather what he's become.
Tell...I-I-I...l-love...him...his birthday...was...toda-
Her eyes close...for the last time.
Robert screams, the screams that only one who has lost that which is forever dear to him can scream.
The sound of squad cars can be heard in the distance.
Robert flinches as you touch him but he continues to grasp his mother.
Once on the rooftop, Robert gently lays his mother down and kisses her forehead.
I-I-I don't know w-w-what to do now...You were right. I c-c-couldn't stop it. He looks at you dejectedly, grief deeply set into his face.
T-T-The last time I...touched someone, I knocked them unconscious. I felt stronger, even healed a cut from some splinter. But the effects on me wore off quickly. The effects on my first foster mother...she took a full day to recover. She was elderly though, I have no idea how that effects recovery.
crap, i had almost forgotten that this was the museum where i knocked over that urn.
You know, i still blame you for that whole thing, you lucky bastard. I don't know what you saw in me that made you set up that whole series of events to get you free, but i'm sure you'll fill me in at some point.
Baker looks sheepishly out the window at the approaching museum.
uh...they tried to take me to court over it, but the judge ruled that there was something about
"a series of events too unlucky for one man to have been intentionally responsible for..."
and I agree! there was no way i could have planned for that puddle of water in the middle of the floor, or the large guy standing right by the case who happened to flail with a wild sneeze at just the right moment, or how even despite all the shock sensors in the case that the urn still managed to fall over, aaaaand how such a sturdy looking vase managed to shatter into a fine dust when it hit the ground instead of just breaking into a bunch of pieces. I don't think the museum has forgiven me yet, but it's all been left alone at least. I think the fact that i've been a key player in getting their systems hooked up and kept running in such good shape for so long played a part in it too...
Baker smirks.
besides, everyone has something they've done that they're embarrassed about. don't tell me you've never done something you thought was mortifying, but now looking back is really kind of silly?
Ithran smirks inside your head.
Heh, guess he really as unsuspecting as I'd thought.
Anyways, we're here. Try not to embarass me ok? She grabs the hefty instruction manuals for the HoloCore FX 3000 and her Portable Diagnostic Scanner from the back seat. Hope you don't mind carrying the spare parts kit? She barely waits for your reply and says, Didn't think so. Time's a-wastin, let's go.
Why don't you wait by the building i will go intervene
I walk over to where i heard the scream and try to push my way into the center of the mob, trying to find the hurt person.
What are you people doing. By law you have every right to protest in any public forum, so long as that demonstration is peaceful. Judging by the screams for help, this is no longer peaceful and i will have to call both the campus police and the city police to break up this protest and remove your right to protest on University Property. You have the right to express your opinions and views but you don't have the right to express physical harm or detainment of citizens. Please release the person you are detaining, mutant or not, and we will all go about our day.
The crowd hardly hears you over the cries of, Down with Muties! End the contamination! Cure the Disease! You are yelling by the end of your speech just to be heard.
One protestor, a man wearing a black plastic face mask steps in front of you. Hey, pops this ain't yo battle why don't you just step off. We'll take care of this punk. Now that you see this man, you notice several more people in the crowd with black masks identical to his.
Emit Grabs Roberts Shoulder to be teleported with Robert and looks to him with confidence. I Know you can do it, your a very bright young man and with all you've been through and what you've accomplished in spite of that well i know your parents would be... no are proud of you as they look down on you.
**The very fabric of reality unravels leaving nothing but a starless void**
-thing.
**Robert screams as a million specks of light shatter through your connected consciousness and ricochet inside your heads.**
I-I-I think I'm losing the ability!
**Infinite worlds crash into every pore of your being threatening your very sanity**
**The infinite void implodes around you compacting your every molecule into a single point.**