Northern Lights

[Deadly_Tiger]

"As a girl I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books.Someone who fought for what was right and protect people who couldn't protect themselves."

Lexi Darksilver

Halo

As expected, Mathis gave her some variation of 'I'm fine', though she knew better. Alright really couldn't describe anyone in Mathis's position and should have probably been followed with 'all things considered'. Then he jumped into answering a bunch of questions she hadn't asked. "I suppose that explains the stitches." She commented mostly because she didn't know what to say about his arm. He hadn't asked for her opinion so whatever thoughts she had on him trying to preserve it didn't matter. That she was sorry for screwing up the fight with Concussion? It wasn't like that would bring it back or lessen the pain. "I can find out." She said in response to his question. She had no idea what the answer was considering she just woke up and really had no idea what the situation was at this base, or even when they would let Mathis leave. "Do you have any other questions for me before I go?"

✬Feb 4 2013✬

show spoilerhide spoiler

nine1122

 

[Nine1122]

Mathis Mathews

If nothing had changed- if Lexi and Mr. Black had not done what they did to him in that motel- Mathis might have told Lexi he had no other questions and let her go on her way. But there was something tugging at his mind. A thought that had sprung up while he was laying on a bed- either in the hospital now or in the ambulance earlier. "How many more times do you think I'll be erased before they just let me die?" Mathis sounded uncharacteristically sad about his question. His voice carried a weight it hadn't for a long time. A weight that Lexi would only recognize because she had been close to Mathis in his few instances of doubt. He was sad but he was also scared. Scared that he didn't know what he was anymore.

Date: February 4, 2013 | Alias: Frost | Quirk: Right Arm from the Elbow Down is Made of Ice

show spoilerhide spoiler

Deadly_Tiger

 

[Deadly_Tiger]

"As a girl I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books.Someone who fought for what was right and protect people who couldn't protect themselves."

Lexi Darksilver

Halo

Mathis's question felt like a punch to the stomach. All of her guilt and doubt threatened to spill forth in a torrent of word vomit. Doubt about what the right course of action was. Guilt over her inability to do what the old Mathis, her Mathis, would have wanted. This wasn't about her though, and she could think of nothing more selfish to make it so, so Lexi shoved all of those feelings down to some recess to be dealt with later and tried to come up with something that might be a comfort to Mathis. Something that he would find helpful. "Mathis...I can't give you the answer you want. There aren't any guarantees in this life, but there are a few things I do know. I know Snow's experiment ultimately failed. You eventually came back to Providence, so I think it is unlikely anyone from the Dominion will attempt to alter you again. More importantly, it means you'll eventually find your way back to who you once were if a telepath does alter you again, or if Black and his friend did make you different than you are. They can't erase you. Not really. Not for long. You are still your own man Mathis Mathews."

✬Feb 4 2013✬

show spoilerhide spoiler

nine1122

 

[Nine1122]

Mathis Mathews

"No I'm not." Mathis said almost immediately after Lexi finished trying to comfort him. She was right and she was wrong. Snow's experiment hadn't failed. She'd made him a monster who believed he was fighting for them. He fought for the Dominion, he killed for the Dominion. He came back for what he thought was love because it vexed him. Then he'd fought for Providence, he killed for Providence too and it didn't feel any more right than it did in the Dominion but at least Lexi was with Providence. Now that his mind had been scrambled again by them he wasn't sure that Providence had his best interests in mind. Mathis remembered the first time he had fought the Dominion. He'd met Lexi and then the facility they were in was attacked. In those moments when Mathis was alone, running through the halls to try and trap the Dominion in the basement, those were the moments Mathis felt like his own man. He wasn't fighting for anyone other than himself, for his own survival and the survival of the people he cared about. "I fought and killed for Providence. I fought and killed for the Dominion. I am the tool of the conquerors and I am passed back and forth from one hand to the next. I don't want to be their tool anymore." Mathis didn't know entirely what he was saying but the seeds of a thought had planted themselves in his mind. Mathis would find a way to be his own man again.

Date: February 4, 2013 | Alias: Frost | Quirk: Right Arm from the Elbow Down is Made of Ice

show spoilerhide spoiler

Deadly_Tiger

 

[Deadly_Tiger]

"As a girl I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books.Someone who fought for what was right and protect people who couldn't protect themselves."

Lexi Darksilver

Halo

Lexi gave a small exhausted sigh. Not because she disagreed with him, but because she did. "I'm afraid Providence is no better than the Dominion when it comes to manipulating people to get what they want. The ends justify the means I suppose is the philosophy on both sides, but I can't help but feel like a piece on a Providence chessboard half the time." Or Mr. Black's chessboard at present, which wasn't always the same thing. Not in the way Providence wanted anyway, but that seemed like a conversation for later. A tangent, while important, could wait at least a little until he had some time to deal with his arm and his latest run-in with a telepath. "I can't imagine what it must be like for you. I don't.... plan on staying with Providence you know. Once the war is over. I just can't stand on the sidelines and let the Dominion make slaves out of humans."

✬Feb 4 2013✬

show spoilerhide spoiler

nine1122

 

[Nine1122]

Mathis Mathews

"I could have... and I would have." Mathis spoke almost in a whisper. He lowered his eyes and his face became much like the element he controlled. Cold. "I think I used to tell myself- I can't be sure because it may not even be my memory- but I think I used to tell myself that Providence was the right way to end the war. Then I said the same thing about the Dominion. I'm just not so sure either side will actually end this war anymore." Mathis paused and shook his head slightly as if you rattle the thoughts out of his head. It was too much to think about.

Date: February 4, 2013 | Alias: Frost | Quirk: Right Arm from the Elbow Down is Made of Ice

show spoilerhide spoiler

Deadly_Tiger

 

[Deadly_Tiger]

"As a girl I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books.Someone who fought for what was right and protect people who couldn't protect themselves."

Lexi Darksilver

Halo

She wanted to ask what Mathis meant when he said he didn't think either side would win the war. It seemed inevitable that one side or the other would win eventually. She prayed it would be Providence, but knew there was a possibility of them losing. If they did lose she likely wouldn't live to see what followed. However, given the way Mathis shook his head she thought it was perhaps time to let him rest, though she couldn't help but feel like she hadn't done much to ease his fears. "You don't have to make any decisions right away, and whatever you decide I'll help you as best I can. Even if it means helping you get back to the Dominion." She hoped it didn't come to that. Maybe even more than she didn't want the Dominion to win, as selfish as that was. He already had enough people trying to manipulate him, she wouldn't be one of them. "I'll be right with your answer of when they can get us back to DC." She finished, turning to leave if he didn't stop her.

✬Feb 4 2013✬

show spoilerhide spoiler

nine1122

 

[Nine1122]

Mathis Mathews
Mathis wouldn't stop her because he had too much running through his head. If things had been a little more simple he might have stopped her to thank her or give some other gesture of gratitude but he did not. He had much to think about. Much to decided. He wasn't sure where all of the choices he was making would end but he knew he couldn't keep doing the same thing over and over again. He just needed time to reflect on his own.

Date: February 4, 2013 | Alias: Frost | Quirk: Right Arm from the Elbow Down is Made of Ice

show spoilerhide spoiler

Deadly_Tiger

 

[Deadly_Tiger]

"As a girl I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books.Someone who fought for what was right and protect people who couldn't protect themselves."

Lexi Darksilver

Halo

Lexi returned several minutes later, an envelope in hand, after a somewhat unpleasant conversation with a doctor who took exception to her being out of bed. "They can get us a transport back to DC tomorrow. I have a favour to ask." She knew that was asking a lot. If anyone had a reason not to trust anyone, even for the smallest ask, it was Mathis. She could only hope he would be willing. "Would you be willing to hang onto this envelope and not open it until I tell you?" She wasn't entirely sure if and how much the contents would help him if he was willing, only that she was sure it wouldn't if he decided to look early.

✬Feb 4 2013✬

show spoilerhide spoiler

nine1122

 

[Nine1122]

Mathis Mathews
By the time Lexi had returned, Mathis was almost completely dressed in a different suit. He had black pants and a white button up shirt but he was struggling to button it with his new arm. The shirt's right sleeve was rolled up past Mathis's elbow but it still covered the exact area where Mathis's arm turned from flesh to ice. His bone could be made out beneath the ice of the arm. As Lexi walked in Mathis was struggling with his last button. As she spoke he managed to button it. Mathis took the envelope in his hand and nodded to Lexi without another word. "Where did you get it?" He asked while he looked at the envelope.

Date: February 4, 2013 | Alias: Frost | Quirk: Right Arm from the Elbow Down is Made of Ice

show spoilerhide spoiler

Deadly_Tiger

 

[Deadly_Tiger]

"As a girl I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books.Someone who fought for what was right and protect people who couldn't protect themselves."

Lexi Darksilver

Halo

She was honestly pretty relieved to see Mathis standing and dressed when she returned, though part of her wondered where he got the suit from. She suspected Black was involved somehow. Even the unsettling sight of naked bone gleaming white beneath ice didn't detract too much from that feeling. Instead, seeing it, or rather the fact that he had unwrapped it, made her more confident in what she had given him. "I wrote it." She explained simply, while he looked it over. It would be light. Nothing more than a piece of paper sealed inside. "What do you plan to do until we can leave?"

✬Feb 4 2013✬

show spoilerhide spoiler

nine1122

 

[Nine1122]

Mathis Mathews

Mathis raised his ice hand as an answer to Lexi's question and then began wrapping it in the ace bandage that was sitting on his bed. He had a little difficulty getting it to stay put at first but it became easier to wrap as he reached his hand. "I need to practice basic movements with my hand. Things like writing, dressing and undressing, and opening doors. If I have time... maybe I'll try to figure out how I'm going to work out now." He wrapped as he talked. Mathis was trying to focus on the little things he could improve so that he didn't have to think about the many things that had spiraled beyond his control. So far it had been working but then again not all that much time had passed since he had his arm blown off and failed to kill a founder.

Date: February 4, 2013 | Alias: Frost | Quirk: Right Arm from the Elbow Down is Made of Ice

show spoilerhide spoiler

Deadly_Tiger

 

[Deadly_Tiger]

"As a girl I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books.Someone who fought for what was right and protect people who couldn't protect themselves."

Lexi Darksilver

Halo

Her eyes fell to the hand he held up once again. It was difficult to look at and difficult not to. Bone gleaming white beneath a thick layer of ice. It made it painfully clear that killing Mathis had never been an option. Not when she found seeing him merely injured so upsetting. It had to be incredibly painful. Black surrounded the limb, yet just as when his palms had been burnt she felt she was more concerned about it than he was. Indomitable as always. Lexi attempted to not let any of what she was feeling show on her face though. Mathis had more than enough to worry about. She didn't need to add to the list. Or at least that was what she told herself to justify masking her emotions from him.

She listened as he explained about learning to use his ice arm. "Are you no longer planning on having it healed when we get back?" It was either that or he didn't think they could heal it, but Concussion managed to have his arm grown back. She didn't think he would spend time working on it if he planned to have his original arm back this time tomorrow. The idea that he was looking for a distraction didn't occur to her until after she had spoken.

✬Feb 4 2013✬

show spoilerhide spoiler

nine1122

 

[Nine1122]

Mathis Mathews

"I don't plan on staying at the base long enough for them to heal it completely. Do you remember the photo Mr. Black gave me? I want to look into it before more time passes." As Mathis spoke he did a good job of sounding like he had a game plan. A good job of sounding like he wasn't lost, in a lot a pain, and unsure of what he was really going to do next. He knew that they were both missing time and that was somewhere to start. Something to do. "I'll give the healers an hour but regrowing an arm would take longer. This isn't the first time I've lost this hand. Though this is the first time it wasn't a clean cut." Mathis had- when he was working for the Dominion- engaged in a fight with a man with claws. He tried to stab the man and the man cut off his hand. The Dominion team finished the job and Mathias spent about three hours watching his hand slowly regrown by Dominion healers.

Date: February 4, 2013 | Alias: Frost | Quirk: Right Arm from the Elbow Down is Made of Ice

show spoilerhide spoiler

Deadly_Tiger

 

[Deadly_Tiger]

"As a girl I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books.Someone who fought for what was right and protect people who couldn't protect themselves."

Lexi Darksilver

Halo

Lexi nodded simply after he brought up the subject of the photo. She'd been avoiding thinking about it, truth be told, however, the reason for such avoidance wasn't the one most would expect. Damn you, Black, what are you playing at. Why not simply tell them? They had no choice but to play his game. "I didn't know you had lost your hand before." She admitted with surprise. Perhaps she shouldn't be surprised. They had been separated for a long time. Still, losing a hand seemed relatively major and something that should be in a file somewhere, even in a world where you could grow it back. Yet Mathis delivered the information as if it were an inconsequential footnote. Then she took a breath knowing she couldn't avoid the photo any longer. Perhaps the distraction would do them both some good. "I suppose the best place to start would be the archives. See what the official record says we were supposed to be doing on that date. Things may not be so simple when we return though. We did runoff to Dominion territory without telling anyone. I expect we'll receive an unpleasant welcoming. We'll also need to consider that Black had ample opportunity to tell me about it, but choose not to." She could feel a headache forming. It was too soon to be using her powers again. Yet she was determined not to leave until she was sure Mathis was okay - relatively speaking.

✬Feb 4 2013✬

show spoilerhide spoiler

nine1122