The Rise of Cyclops

Testing Intentions

Scott and Charles headed toward the kitchen after their last session of the day. Charles was thinking deeply and Scott was nursing a bit of a tension headache, though when they got to their destination, K was sitting on the counter and looking overly thoughtful herself. "You two knocked off early," she noted.

Scott let out a sigh and nodded. "Yeah, we made some progress though," he assured her.

"Of course you did," she said. "It's you."

Scott smirked at that and shook his head at her as he headed to the fridge to pull together some leftovers. "Yeah, well, we're gonna do more tomorrow."

"Not up to it today then?" K asked, moving slightly to the side for Scott and handing him a plate from the cabinet behind her head.

Scott glanced over at Charles for a moment before he let out a soft sigh. "Well... I ... the professor doesn't want me pushing too fast."

K looked past him to Charles and raised an eyebrow. "Perish the thought."

Charles met her gaze and shook his head lightly. "You must know I am trying to protect his mind," he said gently. "The memories we're examining are traumatic - not to mention the telepathic blocks in place."

She leaned forward at that. "What telepathic blocks?"

Charles looked toward Scott, who looked perfectly open toward K, and then leaned forward a bit to match her. "I believe that's why Scott doesn't remember the truth of what happened in that home. From what I saw, it appears a powerful telepath was involved."

She frowned slightly at that. "More powerful than you?"

"That remains to be seen."

"I'm not sure if that's an ego answer or not," she said.

"It's a truthful one," Charles said. "After all, we're still examining Scott's memories. When I can properly see the scope of the problem - and see more of those memories - I will know just what kind of telepath I'm dealing with."

She frowned deeper at that and tipped her head slightly. "That ... doesn't track."

"How so?" Charles asked, both eyebrows raised.

"If a couple mid-level telepaths can tag team and break into my head on a hard day - I can't see why you couldn't see what you wanted to see." K was still frowning.

"Yes," Charles said calmly before he looked toward Scott. "But it would be painful, unpleasant, and my goal here is healing, not just sating my own curiosity. Or, for that matter, Scott's."

"Huh," she said, almost amused.

"I know that's not your experience, but I hope to show you that I am trying to help," Charles told her. "And I would not in good conscience force a fifteen-year-old into reliving years of repressed, possibly traumatic memories all at once."

"That, I believe," she said, nodding once lightly.

When the two adults were still clearly keeping their focus on each other, Scott cleared his throat lightly. "So... are you done talking about me?"

"Not yet, sweetheart," K said, turning to smile his way. "So who was this mystery telepath? Did you have someone running a racket on you? Only so many mind benders out there."

Scott smirked the slightest bit at her phrasing and shrugged lightly. "It was that same guy - the one Dad stabbed," he explained. "Dr. Pearson or Essex or whatever his real name actually was."

She shook her head lightly and shifted to pull her little notebook out of her back pocket and then made a few notes. "You know how that's spelled, Caramel Mocha?" She scrunched her nose up. "Nevermind. I'll figure it out."