Ned § Video 01 § Day 57

[nedofpies]

[ The video feed switches on upon Ned's determined face. It's his first video communication; he hasn't been using the network much, but this is an important community matter. ]

Does anyone know who is responsible for these? [ Ned waves a copy of that mysterious flyer which has popped up around town so suddenly. He turns the camera back to his own face, talking directly to his fellow captives. ]

Whoever it is, it seems to me like they are trying to sow the seeds of doubt and turn us on one another. Make us so suspicious of one another so we can't work together. Which makes me think it might have come from the people who are keeping us here. And it makes me think that we're starting to worry them. [ There is an edge of anger to his voice, beneath the surface, if you listen closely enough. ]

But I think they're underestimating us. Gossip? Really? [ He half-laughs and shakes his head in amused disbelief. ] We're all grown-ups here. We aren't going to be- to be manipulated by some anonymous bullies. [ The spite in the way he delivers that last word makes it sound as if he's had some experience with bullies. ] We just need to trust one another, and not let this nonsense come between us. Part of that is... coming clean.

So. Me first. [ Ned swallows, takes a moment to collect his courage. It's a big thing to confess, even if plenty of people already know about it. For all his big talk, honesty is against Ned's very nature. But this isn't exactly a normal place, and at this point, owning up is just a part of damage control. ]

...It's true. I brought someone back to life. [ He exhales, half in relief. It's done, now. No going back. ] It's not like that was a secret. It happened in broad daylight and there were like, a dozen witnesses, so this- [ He brandishes the paper again ] is not exactly an exposé, is it? As for being 'mint-in-the-box', well, I don't even know what that means, so I can't say if I am one way or another.

Comments

[mentis]

I'm not listening.

[ A gentle smile. He understands, of course he does. Ned has every right to be concerned. He thinks of the CIA, of his mother and how strange she found him, of Erik telling him to stay out of his mind. ] I've found certain ways to control it in recent years. I can block most things out. Of course, if you start shouting with your thoughts I might not have any choice.

[ Hands curling around his mug. ] You needn't be afraid, Ned. There is nothing at all wrong with you.

[nedofpies]

[ Ned's relief is palpable. He lets out a long breath, taking a longer sip of his tea, grateful that Charles is so in control of his ability. It would be one thing if he couldn't help it, like River, but it's still easier if Ned knows he has some places where he can hide. ]

That's an awfully big thing to say, considering you hardly know me.

[ He would like to believe Charles, he really would. Maybe if he were younger, if he'd met him earlier on, he would have been able to accept it. But Ned's been alone with his self-loathing for a long time, and a reassuring word or two aren't going to wipe it all away. He doesn't really feel like talking about his self-esteem at the moment; not when he still has so many questions about mutants. ]

So if different mutants have different powers, have you ever met anyone with mine?

[mentis]

No. So far everyone I've met has been different. One person was a telepath too, but she had a secondary mutation as well as her ability to read minds.

[ He lets Ned's self deprecating comment slide for the moment. ]

[nedofpies]

Some people have more than one? [ Ned supposes that his might count as two - giving life, giving death - but the two are so bound up in one another that they always seemed singular to him. ]

When I was a kid, I used to imagine I'd find other people like me. [ He takes a sip of his tea before he finishes the thought ] It's a little surreal for it to really be happening. Good surreal, though. Definitely good.

[mentis]

[ He thinks of his relief at finding Erik, someone else who he could try and understand. Smiling in response. ]

Where I'm from, we're trying to find the others. We've been working towards bringing mutants together, helping them, guiding them.