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Post by ian on Jan 25, 2011 11:46:25 GMT -5
"So when do we start? I don't even know if I have fighting ability. I don't even remember fighting at all."
Which was a pretty good truth since he didn't remember anything. Though he knew that whatever the world held for him now would be full of dangers he'd need to be on the defense about. He stood there waiting for her to say what they would do next. He knew she was aggrivated with him, but if she was suppose to be his protector she wouldn't be worried about him defending himself.
"So who are you really. You can't be my protector if you're wanting me to defend myself. How do I know we've even-"
He stopped as he stared at her face, the look in her eyes triggering something in his mind. Again he began to rub the sides of his head as her face showed in his mind, but this one was different. She looked like she had just won a victory, with a smiling as if who ever she beat couldn't believe it himself. His eyes were shut tight as his head began to throb. He was beginning to hate remembering things. First it was at the beach with Stella and now here. What was going on?
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Post by mero on Jan 25, 2011 14:10:40 GMT -5
"....." Merfonde sighed, still rubbing her temples like she had a headache growing. "We start now. But before you can even learn to fight, there are many other things you have to learn first. The lesson began a long time ago." He wouldn't understand what she meant by the lesson already starting. Dropping her hands, she smirked. "Weren't you trembling before? The first lesson everyone must learn is how to master your emotions. Emotions can handicap you, in certain situations. You must learn to lock away your emotions when emotion will only cause you more problems. Like, say, if you were forced to fight someone who was formerly a close friend. Emotions will stop you, and probably get you killed."
She was only half hinting at the possibility of him having to fight Rose. He didn't remember her right now though... So there was no harm in using her as an example.
Suddenly, Merfonde grinned. So he'd somehow figured it out? Well, stupid hadn't been one of the traits she'd heard about him, and even amnesia couldn't erase smarts. "If you knew, you should have said so before." She paused, shrugging. "I knew you wouldn't let me near you any other way. Originally, I'd locked all the entrances, so you couldn't escape if you had remembered m-" He'd almost doubled over then, hands to his head, eyes closed.
"... We've met. Only once before, and only for a minute. I didn't expect you to remember me." She reached into her bag, pulling out a moist cloth, and wiping it across her left cheek and across her forehead. She'd had her tattoo hidden under a layer of make-up. Now, it would be the most eye catching thing on her face. "I wasn't lying about my identity or motive. I am still Merfonde Duskrunner, and I am still here to teach you."
"Someone very close to you asked me to find you, and teach you my ways..." She paused yet again. "You best know, I am no mutant. I have no powers to speak of. I am, purely and simply, human. But I am one of the only humans in existence with the skills to defeat a mutant of any level." Another short pause. "I am the one who defeated Cain, the first defeat he's ever known."
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Post by ian on Jan 25, 2011 14:57:51 GMT -5
"That sounds harder then it seems, I guess. Locking away someone's emotions, that's what makes them human...or mutant in my case. Doesn't it?"
Locking away emotions wasn't something he could think about, but he understood her reasoning when she gave her little example. If he had to face someone he cared about, then he would need to do what is right, even if it meant doing what he could to stop this person. After the throbbing in his head subsided, he saw her wipe off the makeup that covered her tatoo. It was her, the girl in his mind.
"So you can teach me how to do what you did. To face people like Cain and win?"
Even when she said she wasn't a mutant, he knew he believed her. Something about that smile she had made him believe her. Cain must've been the one she was smiling at, but if only he could remember who Cain was. Those thoughts were brushed away when she spoke of being part humans who could beat powerful mutants.
"Wait, so there's humans who can beat mutants? How's that possible? They don't even have powers." his eyes widened and his mouth shut instantly after he said it, "Um...no offense."
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Post by mero on Jan 25, 2011 15:20:01 GMT -5
"It is harder then it sounds, for you especially. Normally, you are supposed to learn this when you are at your most influential, under the age of five." It was no secret that young children learned much faster then adults. That's why the Order didn't take children over a certain age. It was harder to train them.
This time, Merfonde shrugged softly. "I doubt you'll ever be as strong as me, but that is only because A, I'm older then you. B, my whole life has been dedicated to my training. But that doesn't mean you'll be some weakling either." She was actually being modest when she spoke. She knew Ian would never reach her level of skill, but she'd teach him as much as she could so he could survive. He might not be able to stand up to Cain, but he'd be able to fight other mutants.
"....." She'd heard it all before. No one every believed a human could stop mutants. Not other humans, not mutants. At least, they didn't believe it until they witnessed it first hand. Just recently she'd had to demonstrate her skills to Apocalypse and Bobby Drake. "We beat mutants by sheer skill. We devote our entire lives from birth to the day we die to training. Sometimes, we are forced to use certain... techniques to weaken a mutant, in cases of mutants you wouldn't be able to get close to otherwise." Like Cain. She'd negated his power completely to beat him. Usually though, Bounty Hunters didn't resort to the technology. They preferred to prove that skill alone was enough.
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Post by ian on Jan 25, 2011 23:27:07 GMT -5
"Yeah, I guess it would be easier if I was younger, but I'll do my best not to disappoint."
He listened to her as she explained about her skills and how he wouldn't be able to reach her level for different reasons. It didn't mean he wouldn't try though, Ian was the kind of guy who would do his best to be the best at what he could do. If that meant training to the point where others felt he was good at, then he would, even if it meant training to the point of exaustion. To know that there are abilities that he could learn that would be able to weaken other mutants, mutants that would no doubt destroy him in an instant, was something that interested him more.
"Would I be able to learn these techniques while training? I'm sure if I met people like this Cain and Sky I would have to use them right?"
He wondered about everything she could be able to teach him, hoping to learn as much as he could if he was going to fight people he didn't even remember, but were no doubt out to kill him.
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Post by mero on Jan 27, 2011 3:32:56 GMT -5
Merfonde couldn't help it. She started laughing, shaking her head as if she couldn't believe he'd just asked that. "When I say techniques, I mean technology." Really, there wasn't a 'real' technique you could teach people to negate a person's power... Unless....
Her grinning gave way to a very deep in thought expression. She started pacing, tuning everything out as she thought, and thought, and thought. Finally she spoke, but her pacing didn't stop and her downcast gaze didn't lift. "There is a theory that I've heard about. It hasn't been proven yet, but maybe with your cooperation we can prove it right or wrong....." It wouldn't make much sense to him yet, not with her whole thinking aloud. "But how to know if it really does work... You need more then one subject...." Yet another pause. "No, no, those X-men would volunteer.. Or some of them if we explain it..."
Her pacing suddenly stopped, her gaze returning to Ian, half smirking. "You know, you may be able to help me finally prove that there are ways to 'block' a mutants power by means other then our usual neutralizing gas." Sure, she'd only 'partially' explained it, but he'd at least have a somewhat idea what she'd been muttering to herself. Whatever it was she was planning though... Well that was a complete mystery.
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Post by ian on Jan 27, 2011 10:33:04 GMT -5
He smiled a bit, feeling a little foolish for coming up with such a question. His smile turned to curiosity as she began her thoughtful expression and began pacing. She was muttering words softly, but with the way the building was he could hear them as if she was whispering into his ear. He heard her talk about methods and some sort of X-Men. When she looked to him smiling, he had a feeling he'd just been volunteered for an expiriment.
"How can we do that?"
The word X-Men stuck in his mind, and within moments his head was throbbing again. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes once more, a pulsing in his head that felt like they were being hit with jackhammers. He saw more images, a large gated building, then a picture of an office and a man sitting behind it. The man was thin and bald, but the look on his face was kind and gentle, looking straight at him. His eyes made Ian feel like he could trust this man with his darkest secrets and the man would keep them to his dieing breath. This is the third time he had had some sort of headache in two days, followed by images.
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Post by mero on Jan 27, 2011 14:20:02 GMT -5
Merfonde just fixed him with a 'you really expect me to tell you?' sort of look, both eyebrows raised, hands on her hips. "I don't think I'll tell you. Not yet anyways. You teenagers have a nasty habit of trying things you shouldn't." If she told him how, it just might provoke him to try it, before she'd even proven it! And with his current... Well lack of skill, he was supposed to learn the basics before venturing off and trying unproven techniques!
Her somewhat scowl vanished when his headache seemed to return. Finally, she sighed, fingers on her forehead. They wouldn't get anywhere if this happened every few minutes! But how would they stop the headaches? "What do you remember this time?" She sounded a little annoyed, but she was a little curious.
Depending on his answer, she might have a theory. Either certain words could be triggering his memories to return, or they were just coming back at the most random at times and seeming like they were linked to words. If it was triggered to words, then perhaps it would be a good idea to tell him as much about his past as she knew? If only to get all the headaches out of the way.
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Post by ian on Jan 27, 2011 14:55:42 GMT -5
"Yeah I think you're right."
He had to admit she had a point. Even from his experience with teens he knew that teenagers had a nasty habit of trying things before they were fully prepared. Once again the headache subsided, and he couldn't help feeling guilty about having these when he's suppose to be learning about defense and other things. When she asked him what he remembered, he thought for a moment.
"I remembered a building, and some really kind looking bald guy. It happened when I started thinking about that word. What did you say it was? X-Men?"
He knew just saying one part wasn't good enough, and something deep down told him she may be able to help. If she was curious about what he remembered, maybe she could help him gain some of his memory back.
"Yesterday, I was with this girl, Stella. She talked about her parents dieing, and it made me picture this couple. At least...I think it was. They looked nice, the woman had black hair, and the man looked like me, but older, and earlier, when you smiled, that's when I remembered what you looked like with the tatoo."
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Post by mero on Jan 27, 2011 16:43:10 GMT -5
It seemed Ian was completely forgetting he was a teenager, which only made Merfonde want to hit him over the head. Hard. Resisting the urges though, she just sighed, shaking her head.
So it was the Mansion he saw? It had to be, considering he mentioned Xavier... And it could only be Xavier. "No. You didn't remember the 'X-men'. You don't exactly call a building a name meant for people, do you?" She smirked. "If I'm guessing right, you saw the Mansion, a private school called 'Xavier's School for Gift-" She stopped herself, and sighed. "Wait, I forgot. With all that construction they did after you left, they renamed the place. It's Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, now." Ian had missed all the construction, so he wouldn't recognize it's new name. "And you probably saw Xavier, or Professor Charles Xavier. He's the headmaster, and a mutant like you...." Yet another pause. "Well, not like you. He's much more powerful."
Merfonde just shrugged. "I didn't look into your past before you went to the school. They could have been your parents, or they couldn't have been. It makes no difference to me." She half ignored the rest of what he said, already deep in thought once again. So some words were triggering his memory. But not always in the way you'd expect. X-men had triggered the school and Xavier, but those were only partials of what the X-men were... Finally, she sighed, shaking her head.
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Post by ian on Jan 31, 2011 2:37:54 GMT -5
He listened to her explain about the mansion and Xavier. He wasn't sure why, but he knew that something about those names made him feel comfortable. Like the school was home to him, and the Xavier man had helped him through his life. What were these things having to do wit him? Why couldn't he remember anything else? Even as she spoke about the two being his parents, the thought made him sad. Did he have a fight with them? Did the run away from them?
"I don't get what these things have to do with me though. Every time these images come I get this bad headache. I'm not liking remembering things at all."
He sighed, feeling a little down about everything, but he knew he had to straighten up in order to get the training under way. When Merfonde shook her head, he felt like he had said or done something that made him get her a little more than irritated. He had to admit, just seeing images were getting him a little irritated as well. Why couldn't he just hurry up and remember everything.
"So is this where the training will be? Or is there some place we need to go?"
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Post by mero on Feb 2, 2011 12:43:48 GMT -5
A 'You are a total and complete idiot' look was glued onto Merfonde's expression. Really, did he have to be like this? Finally she sighed, rubbing her temples again, as if to stop a growing headache. If she didn't have to keep him alive and in one piece she would have hit him a dozen times by now.
"Oh right. You're lost memories have absolutely nothing to do with you!" She scowled. "Are you being serious? You're going to let some little headache get the best of you?" When she paused this time, she rolled her eyes. "You know, they told me a lot about you, but a crybaby wasn't one of them. If a stupid headache can beat you you'll never survive training."
"This place is as secure as any other would be. I can't actually take you where others like me are trained, so it'll have to do. You best be prepared, because there's no backing out now. It's not going to be easy." The way she spoke made it sound like this was an understatement. Not going to be easy? The way she worded it seem like she was going to try and break him... And probably succeed!
"Training starts now."
((Let's just line it for now  I really don't want to come up with lessons...))
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Post by ian on Feb 2, 2011 16:06:47 GMT -5
(line it?)
"I'm not a crybaby. It's not like I actually wanted this to happen, you know. Who are "they" you keep talking about anyway?"
He was beginning to get irritated with her. It's not like she had to go through these things, and even if she did she was a lot tougher than he was. If this is what he would end up like at the end of all this training, he wasn't sure he was wanting to train at all. He knew he couldn't back out though, he'd already said he was willing to train. He gave her a "you got to be kidding me" look when she said the building was secure. He looked around at it's crumbling ceiling, dusty floor, and cracks in the walls. If this place was her version of secure, he didn't want to see what an unsafe environment looked like.
"This place? Secure?" he spoke, obvious doubt in his voice, "If you say so. Alright then, let's get started with this training thing."
He really didn't know what he was getting into, or if he'd ever been in a situation like this at all. He just wanted to get it over with so she could leave him alone.
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Post by mero on Feb 7, 2011 0:11:31 GMT -5
____________________________________________________________________________
Merfonde had drilled him for three days. Maybe not straight, but every moment he wasn't completely dead with exhaustion she forced him to his feet to continue. Merfonde on the other hand didn't even break a sweat! Her strength seemed absolutely endless. He never even saw her sleep! Maybe prop up against a wall with her head bowed, but whenever he would look in her direction she'd just look up him in that same instance and glare at him until he looked away. It was a little freaky, to say the least. How she seemed capable of going on and on, and when she was resting she wouldn't let him near, or watch her.
She only taught him a handful of things. Only a pair of punches, a pair of kicks, and a few knife tricks. But she drilled him endless in them. She made him practice the punches and kicks until he couldn't even lift his arms or legs. She made him practice the knife forms until he could strike with the precision needed. Basically? Sure, he wasn't anywhere near her own skill level, but if he ever did get in trouble those few skills he did know were enough to keep him safe... As long as he stayed clear of anyone who had studied martial arts.
It was night, Merfonde leaning against the wall, her head half bowed and arms crossed across her chest. Her eyes were half open, creating the illusion of being awake, just deep in thought. Even the slightest of movement nearby though would bring her to...
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Post by ian on Feb 7, 2011 0:20:58 GMT -5
To say Ian was surprised he lasted as long as he did was an understatement. He had never gone through basic training in the military, but he was sure that he would've preferred that rather then what he was going through now. At least that's how it was during day one and part of day two. Even as the training went on, he did his best to keep up. At the end of day three, his arms were still sore and the cuts on his body from the different knives he dealt with were healing up into a few scabs.
Right now, as Merfonde rested against the wall, Ian rested against the other. He wasn't standing though, merely sitting with his legs crossed and his hands on his knees. His senses kept him awake enough to stir at the slightest sound. During those days he began to remember more things. He remembered the mansion, the X-Men, even a family he had met before going to the mansion. He wondered if he still had the bracelet that the little girl gave him. He didn't smile at the memory, knowing that emotions were a weakness that left him open for any attack. He knew these memories were connected somehow, something deep down telling him, but it was like a picture covered in years of dust. He knew it could be restored, he just wasn't sure how.
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I really don't want to come up with lessons...))