Broken Wings: Aftermath

Lucius laid down on a high tech table as various robotic arms first stripped him of his armor, and then got to work applying some of the most advanced medical procedures currently available. His vision was a bit of a blur, the rush of the previous encounter getting to him. He swatted away thoughts of if what he was about to do was right. Why go back now? There was no way. Eventually, he was for the most part healed up, including his teeth being placed back where they were supposed to be. Soreness set in though, and he was a little wobbly when he got off the table.

It's done, i won....... The Talons will be seen as weak, vulnerable.... Even if the story doesn't hold up, i got what i wanted....... But was it worth it?

The thoughts rang through his head. Why was he doing this? Phoenix was dead, from what he was told. Sure there was the possibility he would return, but for the most part he was gone. So why go through with this thing with Tyuki? Well, perhaps to make her forget. Force her to go on with her life. She didn't need the memory of him creeping up inside her and forcing her down yet again. How much of her losing him could she take? She just ended up ruining her life further. Lucius was doing Tyuki a favor.

He put an all black suit on, slightly limping as he walked into the contained room that held Tyuki. All that was in it was a table and chair, as well as a bottle of Bourbon and a few glasses, and of course something in case she freaked out. Tyuki was placed on the ground and had yet to wake, and would be quite weak from her poisoning and then sedation, which also did the job of mostly clearing her system of the allergen she had been effected by. If she wanted to fight, she probably wouldn't be able to. Especially in the Sanctuary.

Lucius grunted as he sat at the table and poured himself a drink. He was hurting, you could see that. Dark circles under his eyes were further contrasted by pale white skin. He seemed almost sick. The reason for that wasn't just his injuries though, it was the familiarity of this situation. He had done something horrible, but it was necessary. People like Phoenix were dangerous, they couldn't be tolerated. He just hoped Tyuki could understand why he did what he did, and what he was about to do. Once he heard Tyuki wake up, he would speak. He was confident she would hear him just fine.

"Did anyone ever tell you the story of the Rhine bridge? Well, you see, in 55 BCE our favorite Roman general, Julius Caesar, had an issue. This issue was a large river, known as the Rhine. He couldn't get his horses and siege weapons across, and his infantry only had a slightly better chance of making it to the other side. It stopped his campaign dead in its tracks. But Caesar was a determined and ambitious man, he had to get across if he were to crush the Gauls and take power in Rome." Lucius said, his voice filling the room and echoing off the walls. He took a sip of his drink and continued.

"So, with the celebrating drunkard Gauls counting on him turning and leaving, he ordered his men to cut down the forest, and to build a bridge. Some thought he was insane, others figured it wouldn't be strong enough. But by the end of just ten days, they had a three hundred foot bridge, deliberately built better then any Gaulish construction to show the unprepared barbarian forces Roman superiority. Their laughter and mocking of the Romans from across the river quickly turned to worry, and then outright fear. He showed them there was nothing that would stop him. He was greater then them, and he would achieve his goals no matter what mockery was sent his way. This quickly got around, and the masses knew there was no chance of victory for the Gauls. They were weak, the Romans were strong." Lucius mused. He was getting at something, that much was clear. But what wasn't apparent just yet.

"You see, i stood in front of a man threatening to burn my world to the ground. All i worked for, gone. With the power and support he had, he could have very well done what he said. But i changed the rules. I used something he didn't expect, i used you. You were my bridge, and i crossed the river into victory because of you. Now, this time the world sees Rise as strong, and the Talons, as well as 'superheros' as a whole as weak. Their era is over." Lucius said, sipping his drink. He wasn't being arrogant or trying to get a rise out of Tyuki, he was simply stating the facts.

"But you know what Caesar did after he crossed? He dismantled the bridge. He got rid of it so no one could use it ever again. You've been stepped on all your life...... You have been eclipsed. I want to show you a life where you can be your own person. I want to free you, as i have done for so many. I see now that you don't deserve to be used by anyone, not me, not Phoenix." Lucius said, pouring the woman a drink and outstretching his hand to give it to her. It was almost like taking it would be agreement from the way he did so. Hopefully she didn't freak out, all Lucius wanted to do was talk to her.

Apparently Tyuki missed what he was trying to say, but then again that could have been the pain and spite talking. She was clearly delirious and hurt, her powers not seeming to activate yet. Lucius had figured they would, but apparently she needed a hand. However, she just seemed to think he was trying to kill her. He sighed, taking out his sword once she called him a coward and then slowly approached her in a half fencing stance. He looked like he would indeed kill her, an irritated sneer on his face. But in reality he was just mad she wasn't listening.

He would sweep the blade to her neck very quickly, as if he were going to cut her throat, but he didn't. It only gently touched her chin. That's when something strange happened. Energy would surge through the blade, and would move into Tyuki, wiping away the chemicals and allergen in her and kick starting the healing process, even closing up wounds and the like. In moments, the swords energy along with her own healing factor would likely have her back to normal.

"You. Aren't. Listening." Lucius said, sheathing his sword and turning back to the table to sit down. He took a drink from his glass, and then set it back on the table. He looked at her with an odd stare. It was not commanding or arrogant, not rage filled or evil, it was apologetic, compassionate.

"I'm not your enemy, i never was. You were convenient, a tool. But, i considered something. What you said on the field i can understand, all of us can. The strength you showed, the will, it made me second guess what i was going to do to you. It...... It reminded me of someone. And that's why i want to help you. You don't have to be a tool anymore, Tyuki." Lucius said. He did look like shit really, distraught almost. Why would he look like that after a victory? The reason wasn't really apparent, but you could tell something was upsetting him. It loomed over his head like a cloud, casting a horrible chill over the room.

"I don't want to use you, i don't want to let others do that either. Phoenix, he was guiding you in a direction you didn't want. His love was forced on you, because he wanted you as some trophy. Well what do you want, Ms. Gold?" Lucius said. He gathered most of this from what she had said, and what he knew of the pair's relationship. He saw it wasn't a mutual thing, Phoenix used his power and his strong personality to force her back to a time that had passed long ago. He was holding her back, clipping her wings. Well, now it was time she took flight on her own.

Lucius found himself being healed by the woman in front of him, who seemed to finally be accepting the fact she wasn't in danger. His pale skin flushed with color, and the circles under his eyes subsided. He had a lot more energy now, but all the healing in the world couldn't fix what was going on in his head. He learned that long ago. He sipped his bitter Bourbon, and listened to what Tyuki said she wanted. Along with that, she mentioned Isabella.

A news paper flashed through his head. He remembered that one. Isabella and him were standing atop a stage, unveiling their groundbreaking teleportation technology in the middle of a crisis in New York. People rallied around the couple. What a lot didn't realize was that Isabella was as brilliant as she was beautiful. She wasn't just Lucius' love, she was his partner in innovation. He smiled at the memory of when he kissed the short haired woman and the camera flashes snapped rapidly for what would be on the front page. The smile quickly faded when Tyuki said she was sorry though, as if he were reminded of her demise.

"Well....... Thank you. But it doesn't bring her back." Lucius said, looking away from Tyuki for a moment to stare at the wall, as if he were contemplating something. He then turned back to the woman, grey eyes scanning her every mannerism.

"Don't you see, we want the same thing. Since i was a boy all i have desired is innovation and progress. I want to save this world from itself. To make an impact. To improve myself and others.... Granted, our means are different. But I'm not the villain everyone thinks i am." Lucius said as he sat at the table. He meant every word, truly. Yes her method of saving the world usually ended up making things worse, but they had the same goal. He wanted her to realize that the only beef he had with the Talons was the fact they would stand in his way on a path to a more secure and more accepting society.

"I want you to sit down........ I'm.... I'm going to tell you something." Lucius said, finishing off his drink and setting it aside. He was preparing for something, looking for the right words.

It seems when someone makes up their mind as to who you are and what you're about, you can't get that out of there no matter what you do. This is why he didn't care about, and sometimes embraced the titles of Devil and Monster and Villain. If people weren't going to change their minds then you might as well give them what they were expecting. But this girl, this girl he didn't want to be that way towards. He was too tired. But she would never understand by the looks of it. Lucius' eyes shot to her, and he softly smiled at the comment about not being the only one. As if this were news to him.

"Oh, thank you for telling me. I've been laboring under the delusion that nobody except those i care about parish." He said sarcastically. No, he wasn't going to play this game. He wasn't going to watch every step he took in front of this girl just to prove he wasn't as horrible as people said. He was more dignified then that.

"Did you ever consider i have a hard time showing it because of this world beating me down? You don't know me, and you cannot even fathom what i have seen, done, and been through. The guilt and grief would send you over the edge of insanity, yet here i sit." Lucius said, his usual subtle and amused smile creeping up on his lips. He was annoyed with this woman.

"You brought up the tragedy of my fiance, i didn't ask for your half baked pity. Yet you say 'you're not the only one', as if i were on my knees begging for sympathy before you said anything. If you're going to play games, please do it well." Lucius said, then turned his head back to the chair and outstretched his hand, insisting.

"Sit. Neither of us is better then the other, so lose the pride." He said, pouring another drink for himself.

Perhaps he took it wrong, or perhaps not. From the way she said it it seemed that's what she meant, and Lucius wasn't known for being a poor judge of attitude. She could have just been making some excuse. Regardless though, she was rude, so he was rude right back. Debating the semantics of one statement wasn't going to get them anywhere. Tyuki then asked why he had 'a gloomy cloud' over his head. Honestly he could go on and on about why, but he didn't feel he needed to. This was about her after all.

"I'm not upset about my ghosts or demons...... I'm upset because i believe i just repeated history. I didn't want it this way but, well that's how it turned out." Lucius said, avoiding the kicker until after he took a drink of his liquor and rubbed his face. There was no kind or easy way to put this, at all.

"Phoe-.......... Andrew, Andrew is dead....." He said, locking eyes with the woman. He knew she would freak out, cry, lash out, but he stood his ground. With no armor and no powers he was prepared to take what the woman dished out, but of course he was hoping she wouldn't. He figured she would be less inclined to beat the tar out of him if he didn't have his gear, and that's why he didn't bring it, but you never knew what heartbreak would do. Despite this though, you could tell he was truly sorry. Truly feeling awful for what had happened.

"I'm sorry. I'm, prepared to do all i can to fix this...... I don't want you going down the path of grief again, not like i did.... Please, i want you to consider taking my help."  Lucius said, guilt in his eyes. He realized he had pretty much done what was done to him. But this relationship, it was false wasn't it? Tyuki was better without her knight in shining armor. She would see that.

As he guessed, she freaked out. There was little he could do to stop it, he couldn't talk to her like this. He knew she needed silence, he had been through this plenty of times himself to know that much. The energy tendrils actually scared Lucius for a second, like they were about to pierce right through him. He hated being vulnerable. But instead, they hacked through the table and lashed out at the walls. What he really had to worry about was the punch heading his way, which he knew would knock his head off. He figured he was dead right there, and it was his stupid choice that caused it, but no. The fist stopped about an inch from his face, and he stared at it, sighing in relief.

Eventually, her out of control power faded, and she, well, dropped into his lap like a little girl. He was surprised at first, hesitant, she did almost kill him, but after a few seconds, he patted the back of her head and rubbed her back, like a father would to a upset child. It was uncomfortable sure, but she needed some amount of consolation. He understood that more then anyone.

"Yes....... Yes you should." He said as he, um, hugged her crying form. He wondered what she meant. Should hate him? Did she not?

"But you don't? Why? Even i hate me..... I'll be the first to tell you I'm a devil, a monster...." Lucius said, eyes becoming a bit bloodshot as he saw what he had put this girl through. It was the same thing that created him. Did the world need more grief stricken monsters? No, but he was great at creating them it seemed.

"But this monster, he understands.... And he would have, given the chance, wiped it all clean. Forgot about all the evil done to him, for his own sake and that of his victims. I never got that chance, but you have it. I want to help you, dear." Lucius said, trying to lift Tyuki's head so he could look at her in the eyes. His eyes were watery now, but he wasn't crying, not like her. He meant ever word. This wasn't some scheme to get back at Phoenix, he was already dead, this was to truly help the girl he had hurt in the process of doing what he had to.

This..... This was odd. Even Lucius had no idea what was happening. From what he knew of Tyuki she didn't have light manipulation, but here it was, tearing up his containment room and nearly killing him every few seconds. The energy fluctuated in intensity with her panic, and now she was panicking again. Lucius could understand why she was messed up, but she was literally going to impale him if this went on.

He fished through his pocket, and found a bottle of pills. These were the same ones he had given to Lucas when he had trouble controlling his powers. They in a sense numbed the part of the brain responsible for using metahuman powers, and also relaxed the body to prevent any body based powers from freaking out. He outstretched his hand, snapping back a few times to avoid the tendrils.

"Here...... I promise they aren't anything that will hurt you. It will calm you down........ You aren't a monster Tyuki, you're a wonderful creation of nature, you're just upset." Lucius said, a tad frantically as he tried to simultaneously evade the energy and hand her the pills. He hoped she accepted them, he promised, and he always kept his promises. But it wasn't like she knew that. Besides, there was no one more qualified in the metagene then the man in front of her, at least on this side of the world.

"You're a good person, not a monster. Better then i am. If that is really what you want, to help people, and help yourself, just....... Just let me do something i couldn't do for myself so long ago." Lucius said, backing away and keeping his eyes locked on the girl. She was hurting, sobbing still. She needed help.

Lucius was seriously considering moving to plan B at this point. The woman was in hysterics, and the looming tendrils that lashed out at him were proof of that. They burnt his suit, his shoes, and everything else, all but him and the one that was creating them that is. He kept his hand outstretched the whole time though, determined, even if it did get him impaled. He was fearless, and he stood his ground. It was easy to do when you were invincible, but like this he could be killed with a thought, yet he remained his imposing and unrelenting self. All that stuff people called pride wasn't, it was will, will and determination, at least in Lucius' mind.

"Here. Take them." He said through slightly gritted teeth as smoke came off his clothing. The tendrils were so close, but he wasn't backing down. Eventually she did take them, and they did their work. Lucius sighed in relief, looking to the girl who had just looked, indeed, like a monster. But she wasn't, she was just a hurt child. A victim of his devices.

".....Because they feel obligated to. They want to make it so no one else feels their pain.... That's what drives you, and it's what drives me. We don't want people to hurt anymore." Lucius said, keeping his distance but also putting his hands up, doing a sort of calming motion. He took a few steps forward, trying to place his hands on her shoulders as he looked at her and spoke.

"I can figure out what's going on with you, and in the process, i can make you not hurt anymore. After that, you never have to see my face again." Lucius would say, pale grey eyes looking down at the girl with a pity. As if he were watching a child or animal in pain. Once she pulled away, he would respect it and take a step back. He just hoped, now that she was mostly calm, she would accept his offer.