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ERIKA couldn't hear anything. Her ears were ringing. She couldn't see anything - everything was black. She coughed, feeling worse that she had in awhile. She didn't know what happened, she just knows that she was looking down the stairs one minute and the next she was on the floor, blood pooling around her white and gold hijab.
Occasional coughing fits fell upon Erika as she felt a pair of hands shaking her. She finally exited her daze to shake her head and look at the person shaking her - it was a bloodied Charles Xavier. Erika sobered up once she saw Charles, and the fact that the building was on fire.
"Erika!" He yelled over a few yells and the sirens nearing. She stumbled to her feet, fully understanding the situation she was in. The gala was bombed. "The building is collapsing! In the pillars, there is metal. And I know you will not just let hundreds of people die knowing you could've saved them."
"Please Erika." He spoke, pleading Erika as she closed her eyes. She could feel the metal from a mile away. This entire building was metal, but it was breaking, and she was the only one who can save these people.
She inhaled as she latched herself into Charles' shoulders so she wouldn't fall. She walked to the staircase, closing her eyes. A building of this size collapsing and her trying to hold it up would require more than all of her attention. She need the rage, the pain she felt when her powers were usually used. She knew Charles would say something about serenity but rage - agony - that's what unleashed her ultimate power.
"Charles, you know I-I can't do it without the-"
Charles was immediately going to protest but the sound of the building breaking even more made him shake his head whilst he debated internally. He closed his eyes before sighing and putting two fingers on the side of his forehead.
And so the nightmare began.
[...]
Erika knew this place all too well. Every detail was imprinted in her head, and the utter, utter, agony wasn't something you could just forge. It was there, and it sure as hell was gonna stay there.
It was the day both her parents were killed in front of her. Erika knew why Charles picked this certain memory. It was the worst of them all. It what started Erika on her spiral downwards. It made her into a monster.
"Come here." Shaw spoke, his eyes trained on the girl as he motioned for her to come towards him. Erika looked up reluctantly before moving a step or two towards the desk in front of him. Shaw didn't mind the stubborn gesture as his eyes bore into Erika's blue ones.
Erika knew what this little get together was really about. Erika could see the twinkle in Shaw's eyes as he grabbed something from his drawer. Erika swallowed, her eyes closing before Shaw's voice spoke softly, "now, this will be simple. You will move this coin."
