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Post by mero on Jan 8, 2011 4:14:29 GMT -5
With the Bounty Hunter's networks, it wasn't hard to find Merfonde's target. People might not realize it, but it was near impossible to hide from their watchful eyes, especially when they were looking for you...
Merfonde's search brought her to a condemned warehouse. So this is where he's been hiding... A smirk touched her lips. She couldn't confront him yet. Not until she made sure he couldn't run away. With the ease and grace of a cat, she went from entrance to entrance, making sure all were chained shut. If they weren't she used her own equipment to block the doors. She made absolutely no sound as she worked. When she finished, only one pair of door remained unlocked. She hadn't bothered with windows, since they were to high for any normal person to climb, and Ian wasn't a climber.
Standing outside the closed doors for a moment she thought. How was she supposed to go about this? She'd never actually taught another person how to fight, and Bobby had asked her to. Why she had agreed... Why she was even getting involved with the X-men to begin with! For free no less! She sighed. This was just great. Since when had she started taking charity work? She needed to break this forming habit as soon as possible.
She pulled out her cell phone, dialing the newest memorized number, she memorized all the numbers she needed, her contacts completely empty in case someone stole the device. It was the school's number. Bobby was sure to answer, and when he did, all she told him was one sentence.
"I found him."
She hung up with out another word. Bobby would be used to her bluntness by now, it wouldn't surprise him... Much.
She strode forward, forcing one of the double doors open and slipping in. Merfonde didn't bother looking to see if the sound had attracted Ian's attention, she just turned back to the door and hooked the extra chain she'd been carrying through the handles, clipping the lock down, binding the doors together.
Smirking again, she faced the inside of the warehouse, and called out in a sing song voice. "Ian Snyder, I wish to have an audience with your worship! Come, let us speak civilly! Unless you are to scared to face me?" She pause for a moment, her smirk darkening. Oh, she'd have fun with him. "If that's the case... Don't bother hiding. I'll find you." She made sure her last comment wasn't a yell like before, barely normal speech. Unless he was right nearby, he wouldn't hear it.
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Post by ian on Jan 11, 2011 8:54:26 GMT -5
Ian had a great time with his first day in Italy. Stella had taken him to so many places to see that he couldn't wait to start the day out again. Unfortunately, he had to return back to the building where he first started out. It was beginning to feel like the only place he could go, since he couldn't even remember the code for his bank card. He was sleeping soundly on the top floor when he heard his name. His eyes opened as he sat up, wondering who could be calling him.
"An audience? Worship?"
He was curious about who was calling him, especially addressing him like he was someone important. He got up and headed down the stairs to the main room, seeing a woman not too much older then he was, but definitely not Stella. He was about to say hello when he noticed that most of the doors around here were chained and locked shut.
"Hi. I'm sorry but, who are you? Are we suppose to know each other?"
It must've sound strange to someone who had just seen him months before to be asked like they'd never met, but Ian's amnesia was completed inside his mind, the only thing he remembered was his name now. If it wasn't for Stella helping him, he wouldn't remember that information either.
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Post by mero on Jan 11, 2011 13:54:01 GMT -5
It didn't take Ian long to show up with a confused look on his face, that was to be expected. His words didn't phase her at all. When they had met, it had only been once, and he'd been rather... insane at the moment, trying to kill her pinned victim. She doubted he'd even noticed her in those moments. And once they'd returned to the school, she'd left right after retrieving her things. Still... The way he said 'Are we suppose to know each other?'... It was as if he was checking to see if he did know her or not! What the Hell?
"It's called sarcasm." She finally said. He'd looked thoroughly confused by the words she'd yelled, and it seemed like he had been thinking he was someone of high rank! Whatever had happened to him... It wasn't good. "I'm hurt, you can't even recall my name?" Her voice was dripping with even more sarcasm then before, her eyes dancing with laughter. "My journey has been in vain." She rolled her eyes then, obviously enjoying her whole act.
Finally, she stepped towards him, the way she moved catlike and graceful. There was a chance of alarms going off in his head, telling him that this woman was dangerous, but she'd already locked all the escapes he could use. "You act as if you don't know if we have or haven't met before now. As if your unsure for yourself. Has something happened in these months I've been away?" Her smirk was back, her eyes still dancing, but there was a seriousness to her.
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Post by ian on Jan 11, 2011 21:29:41 GMT -5
He looked at her when she mentioned sarcasm. The way she was acting told him that she was being sarcastic about everything. When she said she was hurt he couldn't remember her name, he shrugged at that.
"Don't take it personally, ma'am, I didn't even remember my own name until I looked at my ID."
He figured that was enough to tell her at that moment. Something about her put up red flags all over his mind. The way she walked towards him made him back up slowly towards the wall. Maybe he'd be able to find a way out of the windows somewhere, maybe a catwalk he didn't know about. He was fast enough, so maybe he could out run her somewhere.
"I don't know what you're talking about, honestly. I don't remember anything or even what you want with me." his eyes widened as a thought popped into his head, "Wait. Are you the one that's been chasing me?"
He knew he had to get out of there somehow then. If she was the one who's been chasing him, the reason he fled to Italy, he had to get away from her as soon as possible. Maybe he could stall her enough to run.
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Post by mero on Jan 11, 2011 22:37:29 GMT -5
"Amnesia?" Both Merfonde's eyebrows rose. Well, that wasn't exactly a development she'd planned on. But... Perhaps it'd give her the chance she needed. He had no idea who she was. He just might believe whatever she told him. Still... It'd also mean she'd have to educate him on his former life...
He'd backed up a few steps when she stepped forward, making her smile a little. It was good to know his Amnesia hadn't messed with his fight or flight senses. Thankfully she'd already covered all the entrances, even the ones he probably didn't know about.
"What I want with you? You think I'm after something?" She'd decided to drop her sarcasm. She knew how she would get him on her side, to willingly come with her. And then... He was like a deer in headlights. So he knew someone was chasing him? It looked like he hadn't forgotten everything. "No. At least, not in the way your thinking." She smiled a little. "There are others, after you. Who wish to harm you, but I'm not one of them. I have been looking for you though."
"I'm sorry, I should introduce myself... Well, reintroduce myself. I'm Merfonde. Merfonde Duskrunner." She paused for a short moment. "It's been my job to protect you from those people for a long time. When you vanished..." She sighed. He wouldn't be able to tell she was lying, only those trained to detect lying would be able to. To him, it might explain why he sensed she was dangerous. That she could hold her own in a fight, and could obviously protect someone in certain cases. Though it wouldn't explain why she'd chained the doors shut.
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Post by ian on Jan 11, 2011 22:58:05 GMT -5
"Amnesia? What's that?" he looked to her curiously, though still cautious, listening to her story, "How do I know you're not one of them? Who is them anyway?"
He felt like he should know her, but something about her made him uneasy. When she mentioned that she was sent to protect him, he looked around again. He may not remember anything, but he knew a protector wouldn't lock up the place. Even if he wasn't trained in detecting lies, he knew when one was telling a lie from the surroundings
He then decided that it was time to start looking for a way out, but he had to make sure that she was believing that he thought she was telling the truth. He loosened up a bit, giving in to what she was saying, or at least putting on his own act. He continued to think of an escape plan, all the while doing his best to act like he wasn't doing anything but standing there.
"Who's after me?'
If she was going to be here to protect him, he knew that she would be able to tell him who she was protecting him from.
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Post by mero on Jan 11, 2011 23:15:39 GMT -5
"Amnesia is when you forget certain things, or everything. When you can't recall any details about yourself. It happens when you hit your head hard enough, or when something traumatic happens. It can be temporary, only lasting a few days or weeks, or permanent, when you never truly remember your life before." She paused for a few moments, chuckling. "Because, if I was one of them, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you. I would have killed you and been done with it when I found out you were here. I wouldn't have bothered explaining any of this to you." Another small pause. How was she supposed to explain who was after him? There were several people!
"A mutant, named Cain Milena. Before your memory loss you foiled a plan of his, and has since been after your head. Another mutant, named Sky Nightshade, the lover of Cain's. She blames you for the death of someone that had been close. I assure you though, you weren't responsible." With his current state, he just might have blamed himself. "There are some others, but none as high and mighty as those two." She could mention Rose, but that would completely ruin her purpose of being there. She was there to train him, so he could stand up to Rose! Not terrify of him to such a degree that he'd never go near her!
If he did have amnesia, he just might start wondering why mutants were after him. He might not even recall being a mutant himself.
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Post by ian on Jan 12, 2011 9:11:39 GMT -5
"Something traumatic?"
He thought about the conversation he and Stella had, deciding that the only reason he was here was because he ran away. Could the fact that a traumatic experience could've caused him to not only run away, but lose his memories entirely. He began to feel he could trust her, but not too much, she did have a valid point.
"So...if this Cain and Sky people are after me, why haven't they found me yet? Not that I want them to, but wouldn't they be sending people out after me?"
The fact that there were other mutants after him more then just unnerved him. Besides The first two, how many others were after him? Ten? Hundreds? Thousands? The thought that an entire race of mutants were after him didn't sit well wit him. In fact it caused him to go weak in the knees and almost drop to the floor. Instead he settled himself down and just sat there.
"They're probably after me because they know I'm a mutant to. I didn't even know until yesterday. I should've never ran those steps."
He began to shake a little, partly from fear and partly from cold. He was beginning to wish he could forget everything again and just live a life outside of everything Merfonde told him. What's the point of having a memory if the things you forgotten were probably things you never wanted to remember?
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Post by mero on Jan 12, 2011 12:04:39 GMT -5
Merfonde slowly nodded. "That's what happened to you, I'm afraid. If you want me to tell you... I can. But right now you aren't ready for it." She didn't mean to be sympathetic, it was the truth. He'd been unstable before he ran off. If he remembered everything before he was mentally prepared? He'd fall right back into insanity.
"Sky has been... Busy. She has to care for her infant daughter, which leaves her to exhausted to try and find you. Cain..." She smirked a little. "He did find you, before you ran away. He's been... disposed of for a time. I doubt he'd come near you if he knew I was the one protecting you." No way Cain had forgotten what had happened, his utter defeat at this human's hands. There was little doubt in her mind that he'd want revenge, but he wasn't an idiot. He would be very cautious of her, never wanting to face her again until he was absolutely sure he was ready. "Neither of them are the 'minion' type. They prefer to do their dirty work themselves."
Merfonde noticed his trembling immediately, but ignored it. His reaction was normal. If he hadn't shown any signs of fear, she'd probably be a little more worried then she is now, but not much. After all, Bounty Hunters were trained to keep a still face through anything. No matter how scared they were. "Partly. Like I said. Before, you used your power to foil one of Cain's plans. You tricked him into destroying his own factory almost a year ago." A short pause. "Ian Snyder, look at me." She approached him, resting cool fingers under his trembling chin and carefully forcing him to look up into her cat like hazel eyes.
"Before your memory loss, it was decided that you would be my apprentice. I was to teach you how to defend yourself even against the most powerful of mutants, like Cain and sky. Will you still honor your agreement?" That wasn't true either, but he wouldn't know that. If anything, it might reassure him of her presence.
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Post by ian on Jan 12, 2011 23:45:50 GMT -5
He looked up at her when she said that she knew what had happened but he wasn't ready. What was so terrible that he wasn't ready to hear about it? She seemed to know a lot about him, more then he did. He listened to her description of Cain and Sky, and when she smirked he it didn't take him long to put two and two together. Whoever this woman was, she beat Cain to the point he wanted nothing to do with her.
"I don't know, Merfonde, I don't know if I'm ready to train to face anyone."
When she spoke gently to him, telling him that they had made a promise for her to train him, he really didn't feel like a fighter. If anything he felt like he should stay on the run and keep out of sight where ever he went from now on. As he looked in her eyes, however, he knew that running wouldn't solve anything. He knew that someday he would have to face his fears, and if he could be trained by someone who took down Cain easily, imagine what she could do for him.
"Yeah...I'll train."
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Post by mero on Jan 13, 2011 0:13:22 GMT -5
"That's the point though. You might be quick on your feet." That was an understatement. Ian was a speed mutant, no one but other speed mutants could out run each other. "But there are those who know how to stop you, easily even. No matter how fast someone is, there will always be traps to stop, even kill them. What's worse is moving at those speeds, you wouldn't even spot the most obvious of traps." She paused for a moment. "Flight or fight, you must be able to adapt to any situation. Flight comes easily to you. If you are in danger, you can escape with ease most the time. But if you can't escape." She motioned to the chained doors. "What are you to do?"
"That is why I locked the entrances, so you wouldn't run before you even had a chance to see me." Merfonde was getting sick of this whole nice act. She wasn't a nice person naturally! She was supposed to be sarcastic and rude! Sure, people hated her personality, but that was her personality. She didn't like changing it just because people thought her offensive.
She'd heard Ian was proud, unusually proud. Right now though... That characteristic of his personality wasn't showing through. Not yet at least. Staring into his eyes she smirked a little. "Are you afraid of me, Ian?" If anything, his terror was showing through more then any other emotions.
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Post by ian on Jan 18, 2011 11:25:38 GMT -5
"I don't know. I don't know what I'd do."
Did he even know how to fight? Was his speed just the only part of what he could do? He didn't think so, not with him running from Cain and Sky and God knows who else. When she pointed towards the locked doors, he began to shake a little more. He was trapped like a rat, and she was right. He had no where to run, so how would he be able to get out. He couldn't run along walls could he? Of course not, he wasn't Spider-Man.
"It's just...hard that's all. I didn't know anything yesterday, and then I find out I'm a mutant and being hunted for things I can't remember." a small tear began to form in his eye, "I wish I didn't remember anything again. I hate remembering things now, I don't want to remember anymore."
Anybody who saw an almost twenty year old cowering against the wall like a child would find it embarrassing. Ian, however, didn't know what else to do. He had gone from not remembering anything to being a hunted mutant.
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Post by mero on Jan 18, 2011 13:15:28 GMT -5
"Exactly. You need to know what to do. Otherwise, you're as good as dead." She didn't even care that she was obviously terrifying the young man. But at the same time, she was doing it on purpose. Terror was an emotion everyone needed to understand. And Ian needed to learn his first lesson, never to let terror mess with his judgment. Never to let him succumb to his fear. Which was exactly what he was doing.
"So? You're going to let the world crush you?" Merfonde took a few steps away, throwing her arms out, as if to show the entire world. "You, memory less, are going to pity yourself, and beg for forgetfulness all because you are a mutant and have enemies?" She shook her head, almost in her own pity. "You really think you have it so hard? You live for one day, and decide you'd like another do over? Shall I knock you over the head to invite more forgetfulness, or will you man up?"
Mero lowered her arms, planting them on her hips. "You've only remembered one or two things, and you're already willing to quit. I would think an optimistic like you would realize that for every bad thing in life that has happened, there are always good things. Are you wanting to see if you forget enough you'll instantly have a life that you accept?" Now she was scowling.
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Post by ian on Jan 19, 2011 13:48:33 GMT -5
He listened as Merfonde pretty much lectured him. What was he suppose to do? He would've given anything to be able to feel the way she was feeling. What did she call him? Optemistic? The more he thought of the situation the more he decided that being optemistic wasn't very fun.
"What can I do then?"
He knew it was too late to decided to do anything else. Merfonde had him, Cain and Sky were after him, along with who knows how many others. The only thing he had left to do was fight, but he didn't know anything beyond throwing a punch. At least, that's all he could remember at the time. He slowly stopped shaking and looked up at her, then stood up and dusted himself off.
"So what can I do? A part of me once to just keep running, but you said it yourself that there's only so long I can. I don't even know how to fight or defend myself, or at least I don't remember anything about it."
He stood there looking at her, waiting to hear what she had to say. He just hoped they got started soon, because he was sure neither of them knew just how far Cain and Sky were, or even if they were in Italy at this very moment.
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Post by mero on Jan 24, 2011 19:56:19 GMT -5
"What can you do..?"
Merfonde almost sighed, rubbing her temples. This was getting really annoying. It was like she was talking to a child! Not someone nearing 19! "You can start acting your age for one. There are people younger then you carrying burdens far heavier." She paused for a moment. "You need to get out of your 'woe is me' pity party and get moving! Do you think the world will just pass you by while you mope about?"
Finally he was on his feet, his fear not as strong as it'd been before. Thank God he'd finally gotten over himself! "Were you not listening earlier? I'd think the next step was obvious. You have to learn to defend yourself, and I'm the one to teach you." Sure, she had the expressions and walk of a fighter, but most people would still doubt her abilities purely based on her gender. "Really, it's like everything I say is in one ear and out the other."
She rolled her eyes. Rubbing her temples. She'd heard he was stubborn, and a little dense, and wasn't the best listener... But seeing it in person was very different. No way was she going to go easy on him now! She was going to beat those annoying traits out of him... Or at least as much as she could.
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