Breakout

Restart

Ken was the first to respond, catching Mark before his head hit the ground. Minx walked over to them, followed by Pewdiepie and Cryoatic.

"Now what?" she asked, kneeling down to examine Mark's now-shredded outfit. The bullets had decimated it though the skin underneath was almost flawless, if tinted darker in some parts. Yamimash looked at her oddly.

"We leave. Ken can carry Mark, right?" The taller SCP nodded, hefting Mark into a fireman's lift. Pewdiepie rested a hand on Ken's shoulder.

"Wait. Are you sure we should bring him with us? We're in no shape to defend ourselves if he wakes up in a bad mood."

Yami interjected before Minx could even open her mouth. "He's our friend. We owe him this much, at least."

Pewds glanced at Cry, who stared back at him. The pyrokinetic sighed and released Ken.

"You're right. Just be careful."

The hanger door opened to forest, and Minx was glad she had put her shoes on earlier. They didn't have to wait before leaving, which was a good thing as the forest surrounding the facility seemed to go on forever. The building vanished not long after they went into the trees; whether clever building design or an SCP's effects, Minx didn't know.

Her eyes drifted to Mark's body, top half limp against Ken's back. The discolored splotches from the bullets were fading, leaving clean, healthy skin behind. Minx pondered for a moment whether it was a healing factor, near-invulnerability, or maybe even both that was slowly fixing her friend.

At least she hoped he was her friend.

Thinking over his powers, it was easy to see why he hadn't told them everything. In fact, if Pewdiepie was right, Mark might've not even known he was an SCP. Minx sighed, wings twitching.

This was why she had told herself to avoid people. She was far too trusting. There was a chance that when Mark woke up he would kill them all and eat them before running off into the woods. But there was also the chance that he wouldn't.

She huffed and turned her gaze to the trees around them. Not that she could tell where they were with them. They were tall and dark, but not forbidding. If anything, they felt protective.

"Where are we going?"

Everyone paused. Pewds glanced at Cry, who shrugged helplessly.

"There's no technology I can tap into here. I'm lost as you."

"The forest'll end eventually."

Yami nodded, saying, "Mark's right. The forest-"

All heads swiveled to Mark, who slid out of Ken's grasp and immediately stumbled back into a tree. He was grinning apologeticly, though still looked out of it as most of his weight was being supported by the massive plant.

"Just walk in one direction and you'll have to find something other than trees."

"Are you okay?" Minx asked, watching him sway slightly.

"As okay as I can be after an episode like that."

"Episode?" Pewds asked in a tone that suggested "episode" was an understatement.

Mark shrugged, grimacing. He had bags under his eyes, Minx noted, and he looked very pale. Accessing that other form apparently took a lot out of him.

"It's like a fit, really. I don't remember much outside of colors, sensations, flashes of things I don't understand."

The others glanced at their telepath, who frowned slightly before nodding, relaxing at the truth of Mark's statement.

"Could you -not -do that please? I can feel you rooting around through my head and it feels kinda weird."

Pewdiepie looked surprised, eyes flicking over Markiplier's face.

"You can feel me scanning your mind?"

"Yep."

Yamimash broke in. "What's so strange about that?"

"I mask my thoughts. He shouldn't be able to sense me, especially not with a surface scan like that, unless..."

Ken spoke up this time. "Unless what?"

Pewds stared at Mark, who met his gaze with an awkward smile.

"Unless he has a sensitivity toward psychic powers. From your "episode", I'm guessing it's just defensive. You have pretty strong blocks, and your powers are practically in a mental blast chamber."

Minx looked between the two men. Mark had cocked his head to the side, looking as curious as the others. With a faint jolt, she realized he probably didn't know anything about his powers other than they caused destruction and wiped him out after he regained control.

"Could you break it?"

All turned to stare at her.

"What?"

Minx swallowed and continued, "Could you break into the chamber? Free his powers?"

Pewds shifted uncomfortably as Mark's eyes lit up and focused on him hopefully.

"Yes, I could, but it'd wind up being just like the hanger. His mind's just not ready for them yet, no offense," the telepath added, glancing at Mark. The other shrugged nonchalantly, a perfect "it's true" motion.

"What about breaking it slowly? Readjust him to having his abilities?"

Minx looked to Cry, who had spoken. Faint blue tinged his mask as he thought, though it faded and pulsed at odd intervals. Pewds frowned, eyes flicking between Cry and Mark.

"That could work...probably. It would be pretty slow going, though."

"If it stops these rampages I'm all for it."

Yamimash nodded. "It's settled then. Pewdiepie will train Mark...once we find a place to stay."

Cry looked at Minx, who raised an eyebrow at him.

"Minx could fly up and find something. It will be better than wandering aimlessly. And it'll give Mark a chance to recover."

Still in his ripped D-class uniform and leaning against a tree, he did look rather pitiful.

"Sure."

*****************************

It had taken until the sun was setting for Minx to find a windfall: an empty cabin. It was covered in foliage and all but invisible, but after a bit of exploration was revealed to have a cellar filled with canned goods.

There were four bedrooms, and the group split accordingly. Minx, the only woman, got a room to herself. Yamimash and Markiplier decided to share a room, and Ken roped Pewdiepie into rooming with him. The telepath tried to convince Cryoatic to room with him, but the technopath vetoed it saying he was a restless sleeper and didn't want to drive anyone crazy.

"How long should we stay here?" Mark asked over a dinner of canned peaches.

"As long as it takes to keep you from killing everyone around you."

Yami's response was playful but blunt and truthful. Minx glanced around at her friends.

"I wouldn't mind staying with you guys for a while."

Looks were exchanged around the circle.

"Me neither," Pewds said with a grin.

"Same," added Cry.

"No problems here," Ken announced through a mouthful of peaches.

"I think I'll live," was Yami's playful response.

Mark smiled, stabbing a peach with an old fork.

"I'm not one to disagree."

Minx nodded, smiling too. This could work.

They could work.