My Calendar is Clear

February 13, 2016:

Gabriel and Wanda talk about their origins and the frustrations of society.

X-Red Headquarters

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions: Brinley Myers

Plot:

Mood Music: [*\#https://youtu.be/KmFINBh8208 Air Supply - I'm all out of love]


Fade In…

Wanda is dressed in a simple scarlet t-shirt and pyjama bottoms emblazoned with bunny rabbits. She wears a lot of second hand clothes. A drink of milk alongside her on the desk. The door to her room is open.

It has been a train wreck of a few days for Gabriel, enough of a train wreck that he's decided to wander around the X-Red facility a bit and find some people to just talk to. Which ironically brings him to Wanda's door which, being ajar, makes it slightly awkward when he finds himself standing there. Doors are supposed to be closed, so that he can knock on them, but instead he's just standing staring into the room like a creeper. So he ends up clearing his throat some and speaking. "Hi. Sorry. I was wandering and wandered here and didn't want to seem odd by staring at you but didn't know what to do to alert you I was here." Even now he realizes how ridiculous he sounds and he shakes his head at his own actions.

Wanda jumps a little at the sound of the voice - she thought she was alone - but when she turns she is smiling at least. "Gabriel, right?" she asks before gesturing him inside. "Come on in. Have a seat…" Wanda looks around her room and frowns. "I don't really have another seat. Umm…sit on the bed if you want. Would you like some milk?" She holds up her own glass in case he doesn't know what milk is.

"You could still knock on the door" Wanda offers to his dilemma, indicating the door is still there but just open. "Or you could say 'hello'. So where did you come from? I mean before here and now." She sighs softly. "I am so bad at conversation."

At the offer to have a seat, Gabriel nods his head towards Wanda and manages a smile. He walks over towards the indicated bed and sits himself down. He's wearing probably the only clothes he has. Jeans with a few small tears, a T-shirt, the standard garb of someone who is a wanderer. "It is ok. I am very bad at conversation too. And yes, my name is Gabriel. And yours is Wanda." He smiles a bit, "I asked around."

His eyes look at the milk and he seems to be rather interested. "I have wondered what that was. I see people drinking it but stick with water." THat is when the question settles in and he finally sighs back as well. "Well. I… I don't know. I was found in a crate about a month ago and have been passed around by people since then. So… that's where I'm from? A box? Are you from a box also?"

"Yes, sort of" Wanda nods about the box. "I arrived in a crate on a ship from another country, with my brother. But he was taken before I woke up and I did not have much of a memory of what came before. Not everything. Just the bad bits. But it came back. There is always something before the box" she smiles sweetly.

Wanda finds another glass and fills it with some milk before walking over to Gabriel and handing it to him. "It's milk. From a cow. At least I think it is a cow's milk. Sometimes it is from something called a soy…or an almond…or a goat." A shrug. "Things can be confusing."

"You asked around about me?" That has Wanda curious. "I hope they said nice things." A little laugh. "Or at least knew who I was."

Gabriel looks at the milk, sniffs at it, then takes a deep sip of the liquid before smiling at Wanda after sampling it. "Thank you." The drink is held gently in his hands. "Oh, I know there is something before the box but I don't wnat to know. Brinley wants me to know and to find out, but I don't know if it's a good choice." He blushes a bit at her laugh, when she notes that he asked around.

"Well, I just asked about the girl, with the eyes. I.. I was a bit rude when I saw you the first time. I was caught offguard."

"My eyes? What is wrong with my eyes?" Wanda asks, moving to look at her reflection and blinking at it. "You will want to know what was before the box before too long. It is not good living only half a life." She sits back down and picks up her own milk. "Did you like it? The milk I mean. We can put flavors into it if you like. Chocolate. Banana. Caramel. I like caramel."

Wanda sips on her milk before she adds with a sly smile, "You didn't tell me what they said. Whether it was good or not. Why don't you want to know about before the box?"
"They.. are noteable. I just noticed them. Your eyes that is." Gabe adds before sipping his milk a bit more before lowering it once again. "It is alright, it is different. I eat a lot of plain foods, bland mostly so this is quite well with that." Moving his legs a bit he shifts his weight, a little uncomfortable but managing to respond. "They said you were nice. I could see that much though." Again, a small smile before he seems a bit more comfortable with the topic.

"So they found me in the box. I have no memories before that. I've had some dreams and I think that I was treated very badly. And I am worried that if I know, it will make me angry and then I'll .. you know." He makes an explosion motion with his hands. "And I don't want to do that."

"People think I am nice?" That seems to surprise Wanda more than it should but it also makes her smile. "You like my eyes?" That makes her blush and have them look anywhere but towards Gabriel. The floor suddenly seems very interesting and she absently scratches at her head before running her fingers through her hair.

"You need to take possession of your past and your anger" Wanda offers, not that she is a prime example of dealing with emotions. "There is no point ignoring it or trying to hide it. The dreams will get worse and one day you will explode when you are asleep. Then you will have no control at all. I…umm…I'm sort of speaking from experience."

"You are haunted as well, by the past?" Gabriel asks, his voice going soft as he does. "I am sorry, I did not mean to trouble you or bring up memories." He bites his lip. "I cannot control myself. When Miss Brinley was meeting with everyone, and then we talked afterwards, I snuck away to help a friend but it was not a good choice. She wants me to go someplace to learn to control my power but I do not know if I can. I think I would rather be here and safe but I promised."

"And if people did not think you were nice, then they have never sat to talk to you. You do not know me but you are one of the few people who have spoken to me, so thank you."

"I'm happy to talk to anyone" Wanda shrugs, "Just doesn't happen much the other way. And we can talk because, you know, we've been through the same thing really." She nods solemnly. "Da, I am haunted by the past and sometimes the future. That is what my powers do for me…make it difficult both ways" she laughs.

"Brinley is a good person. She will only say those things becuase she thinks it will help. Does she mean the Xavier Institute?" Wanda thinks on that a moment. "My brother went there and I think he was happy. He has disappeared again though. But it has nothing to do with the school. I think it had to do with a woman. And you can control yourself. We all can if we learn how."

Gabriel nods, "Yes, she meant the Xavier institute. I met some of the people from there, they seemed… very certain of themselves. I do not know if I will fit in, but I told her I would at least listen to them so I will." There he pauses, looking at Wanda and tilting his head some. "Your brother went, you did not? Was there a reason for this?" He falls quiet before blinking.

"Your abilities allow you to see into the future? That must be difficult and .. very difficult. I would not want to see the future."

"We were separated. He went to the Institute and had no memory of me. I…I lived on the streets" Wanda explains. "Eventually, and it wasn't a quick process, I was accepted by X-Red and came to live here. Though sometimes I still go out on the street. I feel…safer…being a no one." She nods and offers a warm smile. "Yes, you should go and see them and listen to them."

Wanda considers his last question. "It's hard to explain. I can change reality so what am I really seeing? My powers…vary. It depends how much control I have. You can understand that. I think anyone can see the future if they want to. Where will I be in ten years? Still sitting in this room wondering how to get a date."

Gabe's eyes widen and he actually smiles, "Before I came here I was also living on the streets, under a bridge. I sometimes miss it because… yes that is exactly it. I was no one. I was just there. Here there is the chance I become someone, it is why I hide away from others." There is the bare hint of blush, of excitement from Gabe as he explains. "I am not alone in this."

Again he listens to the part of powers and then speaks. "So you alter reality to what you want it to be. That is amazing. But I do not think it would be why you are sitting here waiting for a date. Dates are not that difficult to find. There are many on the calendar."

Wanda laughs at the comment on dates. "Yes…yes there are. And every one of them will have me sitting alone. It is a different type of date. When people go out together to see if they like each other. At least that is what I think it is. Maybe you won't be alone afterwards…or something. I am not the person to explain relationships to anyone."

Wanda smiles sweetly at the talk of being on the street though. "No, you are not alone in thinking that. Many people think like that. Though I also think many people do not want to be on the street and would prefer to be elsewhere. But when you have people chasing you, it is much easier to hide there."

"Someone is chasing you? As in they wish to hurt you?" That has Gabe straightening up some, the milk in his hand forgotten as he nearly spills it but stops himself from doing so. "That is not acceptable. Who is it that is chasing you?" The man seems to be rather intent and serious about this matter, so much so that he forgets about the conversation regarding dates.

"The Transian government. The country I come from. To them I am a traitor and a criminal, it is why my brother and I fled to the United States" Wanda explains, "But they are not the only ones after me now. There are Purifiers. The Clockwork King. Demons. Hmm, I think I am seeing why no one wants to be with me. And if you were found in a box, I think there are people after you too."

Gabe shakes his head slowly, "I … part of me thinks I was put in a box because I am too dangerous, not because I am being kept from someone. But I do not know. After Mexico at least, I believe that is the case at least." The list of people hunting Wanda, each name has Gabriel narrowing his eyes slightly further then finally he nods. "You will be safe." The words are whispered, mostly to himself but loud enough that she can hear it. "And if no one wants to be with you, this is because the world is wrong, not you. That is their error and mistake."

"No, Gabriel, you can't say the whole world is wrong when you're the only one who is different" Wanda replies, a soft smile of thanks for his efforts to make her feel better. "I suppose you could have been put in a box because you were dangerous. You could have also put yourself in a box to hide. Or been put there by friends who wanted to get you away from danger. There are so many possibilities. We're still not sure who erased my brother's memory but who would want to do that? Why would they want to keep us apart?"

Gabriel shakes his head slowly, "I still think the rest of the world must be crazy if you are being left by yourself and only hunted." He lifts up his free hand displaying fingers counting off. "You are kind. You are smart, at least smarter than me. You are not afraid of me at least. And you even shared your milk. Therefore you are better than most other people." He nods in a sage like way, despite the potential for humor from his statements it seems to be a rather serious rationalization from the man.

"As for your brother, like you said there could be many reasons to do that too yes? Many possibilities? Keep you apart out of fear, out of safety? I do not have family that I know of, but if I did I would feel the same I think."

"I might be better than most other people but most other people aren't alone" Wanda almost whispers before she walks over to Gabriel and gives him a hug. "But thank you for saying those things. It was the milk that put me over the line, right?" she teases before letting him go and returning to her seat. "I am sort of getting used to being alone for eternity. I guess that makes me a good candidate for Sorcerer Supreme. I'm sorry, I'm whining like a schoolgirl. You don't care if you have someone though you would have the choice I think. I went out with a vampire once but she disappeared. A vampire grew sick of me."

Gabe's heart jumps a small beat when Wanda hugs him, a blush coming to his cheeks before he clears his throat a bit after. "If I understand the idea correct, I believe I had a sort of date. But it was an accident. A girl took me to a display of insects and I threatened to destroy it because I find the entire thing offensive to hold a creature in captivity just because it is lesser. So I do not think you will be alone in being alone for eternity."

"Oh…you went on a date?" Wanda considers that then laughs and shakes her head. Of course an amnesiac would get a date before her. "Is it captivity if the being has no concept of captivity?" she asks lightly. "We shouldn't impose our values on others, Gabriel. We should not assume everyone…or everything…values the same things as us. That is just as offensive to them as what we find about their existence. There is no absolute desire for freedom. Some life forms would not understand the concept and be repelled by it when they did."

Gabriel listens quietly for a bit before he nods, "Then perhaps a new visit should occur. I would like to look at the creatures again and see if what you say applies to them, because what you say certainly seems to make sense. You will come with me? To study the butteflies?"

"Butterflies? Umm…okay…I can go see butterflies with you" Wanda shrugs before her brow furrows. "Is this an accidental date or just a scientific follow-up? I'm teasing, I know it's the second one. Where are the butterflies being held captive?"

"Near the park, in a housing unit designed for them." Gabriel explains with a stoic look. He must be meaning the botanical gardens and the butterfly park. "And I would not place you into an accidental date. I am not smart enough to be that tricky." Or is he. "We can go in the afternoon? I do not think wandering the streets at night is something Miss Brinley wants me to do."

"She doesn't like it when I do either" Wanda admits, "But she doesn't stop me. Okay. In the afternoon. They will be awake then…the butterflies. I don't think it is a prison for them. Butterflies do not live very long…beautiful things rarely do. Do they know about freedom? I do not think so. They know about food and someone to mate with and to pollinate before they die. I cannot say they are happy because they do not know what happiness is either but they are not being stopped from what they need to do."

Gabriel's eyes close and he shudders. "I've heard that before. Your job is to breed, to work, and to die." The man swallows deeply and he stands up from where he is sitting. "I… I should go. I am sorry. I feel memories and it is not safe to be around should theyupset me and my powers."

"No, that is not my job. Because I have learned to think…of a kind. Butterflies have not. Do not impose your desires…your bad memories…on them and think they feel the same" Wanda says softly before nodding at his desire to leave. "Take care of yourself, Gabriel. I look forward to our trip to the park. And you don't have to worry about me. I can look after myself very well. Good night."

Gabriel blinks and nods towards Wanda, "Good night Wanda. Thank you for… Thank you." He smiles genuinely at the woman before slipping out the door and off to the other wing where Gabriel esque things await.

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