2014.04.11 - Sharing Secrets Isn't Always Good

The Five-in-One were at the end of the of the hallway from the Headmistress's office. They were still dressed in their Academy of Tomorrow uniforms because classes were still in session. They just happened to not be in there's. The teacher thought they were though so no getting in trouble for them. Especially since their Psychic Gestalt meant that even Ms. Frost couldn't ever sense their mind.

"Hello, Leo." the girls said at once in their melodious tone in a British dialect that was a perfect match for Emma's, "We've been meaning to talk to you since our birthday party. We've been busy, so apologies on our behalf."

The creepy telepathic girls stated simply, "We believe that we have something to talk about with you."

Leo actually jumps up about three feet with a, "Ahhhh!" He stares at the Five-in-One, "Don't DO that!" Yes, the Five-in-One have a unique ability of creeping Leo out, and it drives him NUTS! He raises a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose and sighs slightly. "As long as you guys are duplicating, I suppose it will be fine. You five are enough of a handful already." Yes, he's totally embarassed that he just screamed, even if it wasn't (thankfully) like a girl.

"We know we creep you out. We creep most people out so it's nothing new to us. But we don't want you think of us an enemy," The girls continued to say in unison, "So if you can keep a secret, we will show you that we will not be reading your mind for the duration of this conversation."

The girls weren't showing any of their normal individualist norms. Even Leo's hyper-senses wouldn't be able to pick out which one was which at the moment."

"Ugh." Uber creepy. His mind is strangely blank, because he purposely locked what information he would be thinking away earlier the way Emma taught him. "Alright, let's go freak me out some more. I think you girls get a kick from it anyway, and I aim to please." Strange Leo is so agreeing. One would think he would resist more. But he appears willing enough to follow the creepy Cuckoos.

"Use your X-Ray vision, yes we know you have that. And look at our brains," The girls stated simply.

If Leo does so he sees that their brains... are made of diamond at the moment, "If you are aware of Ms. Frost's own limitations you will understand that our telepathy is currently disabled."

If Leo looked anywhere else he'd also notice that their hearts are also diamond at the moment, "And we don't like creeping you out for the record. From an objective stand point, taking pleasure in making people not like you is stupid. We just don't excel at social interaction. Our own flaw and the reason we try to socialize as much as we do."

Leo moves with inhuman speed, and knocks them all against the wall, and his Telekinesis reaches out to hold them there, squeezing. His eyes glow red, his teeth bared in a snarl. "I should kill each of you /now/," he states. He made sure they were all moved from the camera viewings. "And if you /ever/ even hint at being a threat to me and mine, I will. You think telepathy is all of that? It isn't. Respect, honor, loyalty, those are the things that matter. Not your stupid super powers which are a mere genetic creation and mean nothing to who you really are. So if you want people to like you, those are the attributes you show. Not play 'I steal your secrets, so let me show you yours'. Do I make myself clear?"

Yes, Leo is pissed, but he doesn't actually hurt the girls, and he doesn't bother with X-Ray vision. He honestly doesn't care. Their limits and abilities, they don't matter to Leo. They could be the weakest telepaths in the world or the strongest, but it's the fact they do not display those three important attributes that he doesn't like and why he distrusts them and dislikes them so. He doesn't even differentiate the one that likes him right now. They wanted him to see them as 'one', well, they got their wish and likely not in the way they wanted.

The Cuckoos don't react at all to being banged up against the wall. Their hearts are diamond, they feel no emotions right now. They were too afraid to talk to him about this so they did what they did.

"Leo, we are sorry you think of this way," they say in unison, "But we understand why you do. We have not put our best foot forward with you. Our fault. And the fault of our own lack of understanding of social interaction."

The girls seemed almost like automatons right now, not actual people, they were every bad name they were ever called, "If you wish to hit us please let us turn our skin into diamond first. We don't wish to harm our bodies. But we are willing to let you get our your rage."

They didn't seem to have heard Emma's telepathic page. Their brains were diamond, they heard no thoughts save their own.

Leo growls, "You aren't important right now," he states. "Emma is, and she's in danger right now." The girls can then feel his power release them and if they aren't careful to catch themselves, they will fall to the floor. "Whatever an X-Person is, one of them are threatening Emma right now. I have to be ready to 'address' it should it become an issue."

After a short drop that all the girls seemed ready for they simply state, "An X-Person is a member of the X-Men. They are a super-hero team that fights for mutant rights. And if Ms. Frost was in any danger she would have to be off campus."

The girls simply stated, "No one can find the Academy of Tomorrow if they mean harm to any of its staff or students. The only exception to this we created for our Birthday Party. We were making up for the fake haunting prank. We wanted to be seen as heroes."

Their faces didn't change at all, they did not feel fear, or even concern right now. There minds were working on pure logic and rational thought. They said, "It was a stupid and illogical action."

"We assume you have learned that were are clones of Ms. Frost. And that is the reason you wished to talk to her."

A snort, "It's a possibility, she would like a DNA test, but she left the choice up to yours. It still doesn't make you anything special. Emma has proven herself like a Phoenix from the ashes, you are not Emma." He seems to be listening to something, likely Emma. He projects his thoughts for Emma, < Be careful just in case. There are many ways someone can hurt you without being outright malicious. >

"And heroism is for those that prove their worth against opposition, not set things up just to look amazing. The latter is showmanship."

"Professor Noh-Varr already confirmed it for us." the Cuckoos said in unison, "And the arrival of Fantomex made it obvious. We are a weapon. Even we can't help think the words occasionally. Weapon Fourteen. Weapon X-I-V."

The Cuckoos all touched their chest in unison, "We fear what it means. We know that Leo Luthor is the son of Lex Luthor. Lex Luthor is an amazing man. Leo Luthor is also part of the BSA team the Infinite, much like Ms. Frost's lover Namor. Leo Luthor is also the boyfriend of Fern Fiddlehead, the woman who has always accepted us and introduced us to our 'sister' Mindee."

If Leo was looking with his X-Ray vision he'd notice that their hearts had gone back to flesh and blood, they were sharing real emotion as they said together, "We are afraid of ourselves Leo. We don't know what we mean. We don't know if we are to kill, to infiltrate, to help others. We do not actually know."

And then one spoke, this was obviously Celeste to Leo, the movement and speech hers alone, "We are afraid of ourselves. We are afraid of what we mean by existing."

A snort at that. "You aren't slaves, except when you bind yourself. I expect the following, loyalty to humanity, that means humans, mutants, meta-humans, and even alantians. I expect you to look after their best interests and protect them with the power bestowed to you. The rest, if it doesn't help you obtain those goals, tell them all to go to hell," Leo says seriously.

"Be a weapon for humanity, that's fine, but you also were breathed to life. So it's time to wake up and stop hoping someone gives you the answers, stop hoping someone will tell you it's alright, and actually work to become better human beings. It isn't an easy road, it's going to be painful, but the rewards would be without bounds," Leo states with confidence.

"Or, you can just take the easy road, watch, observe, and wait for those playing with you to stop playing, and arrive to seize their 'property', and return to being their play toys," Leo states. "You aren't going to get compassion from me. You are going to get demands and expectations that you try harder, achieve more, and excel. That you push beyond your limits, that you go to higher heights, and you spread your wings to see what you can achieve for humanity. Even if I had the answers, I wouldn't give them to you willingly, I'll demand the exact same things from you and expect you to deliver."

Leo may not respond the way the Cuckoos expect, or perhaps he does. But he works to rip down the what ifs and maybes, they can't be answered now anyway, and to redirect the Cuckoos thoughts and efforts.

The Five-in-One pause and process the information that Leo has just hit them with. After nearly half a second they respond together as one, "We have tried to help 157, we call him Yewie. We thought we were going to fix him. And here's the worst part. The part that hurts us the most."

All the girls look down and grab their sides and say together, "We are Weapon Fourteen. We cannot help. We are not meant to help. We are the Cuckoos... an even more telling name."

One of the girls looks up at Leo, this one is obviously Esme, "We are the Cuckoos, a bird that lays it's eggs in the nests of other birds."

All of the girls look sad, "What if all we are meant to do is doom the Academy, our home? What if that's all we are here for. A telepathic gestalt... a hive mind that isn't suppose to care."

A single girl speaks, this one is Sophie, "What if our only purpose is to betray all those we love and care for. I don't think we could take it."

Leo then raises a hand and pinches the bridge of his nose. "I don't /know/. Most people go through their lives not knowing all the truths of themselves or others. It's not really as world shattering as you think. It may feel that way now," he says with some tenseness, "But it really isn't. Most everyone is trying to use you. If you are that worried about it, you can try opening your minds to Emma to see if there is any preprogramming or hidden triggers. But the most important thing you can do is re-create yourselves into an image that you respect and love. I'm not my Father, but in some ways I emmulate him, and in other ways I immulate Emma because I love and respect her as well. I show compassion at moments I normally wouldn't because of the influences of Fern. People influence you not always through manipulation, but through example. This is how you develop and grow as a human being, learning from your mistakes and from others advice and examples."

Leo then lowers his hand, "It doesn't matter /why/ you were brought to the Academy, not in the end. What matters is /what/ you do next. Do you bring harm to the Academy, or do you make the world a better place? You have a choice, right now, today, and every second, every minute, every day, every week, every month, every year, and so on, to choose between selfishness and fear, and doing what is right. It is a struggle everyone has, not unique just to you." So the girls aren't as alone as they think.

"So stop worrying about what ifs, and start working toward becoming what you wish to be, and putting in preventive measures. Be practical about it and move forward, don't go emo and just freeze up and...well, be annoying and spy on others lives as if that makes up for personal experience."

The Five-in-One turn away from Leo and say, "You cannot understand our pain. You cannot understand what it is like to be a clone of someone you respect and love. And someone you fear."

Apparently they knew his power set, but not his origin, "You have a father," Sophie said.

"We have no parent," Phoebe adds.

Irma adds, "We have lost loves, and"

Celeste smiles at Leo and says, "Loves that we have to let go of,"

Esme then finishes with, "And the saddest part of it all is that we live as one."

All of them then speak together, "Five teenage girls, separate, but the same, when one of us experiences loss, we all do. When one of us experiences love, we all do. When one of us experiences control... we all do."

"We are the Five-in-One," Celeste says on her own, "We are never alone."

"But you lock people out. Have you thought of asking her?" Leo is serious. "Do you think Emma would truly deny you five?" And he reaches out and flicks Celeste on the forehead. "Open up to Emma already, stop being cowards. She loves you girls, a blind man can see that. And just because you share experiences, doesn't mean your perspectives have to be identical. Having some individually I suspect will help each of you grow. Get out of each others minds for periods of time, and later you guys can 'hook up' and share experiences. There are tons of things you can do to figure things out, and create your own family. Now, I'm not your problem solver," Leo states.

"I have a life, that I have to get back to. But think over what I said. And...," Leo is quiet for a moment, "I'm serious about what I said. Stay out of my head. And if you do betray Emma, you won't have to worry about feeling guilty. I'll handle it." He would kill the girls, so they wouldn't have time to feel bad about their actions. Yep, best the girls don't betray Emma.

All five of them wince at the idea of separating form the psychic gestalt they live in. They speak in unison, "It hurts us when we are separate. Even know we can feel the pain of loss because Hope isn't here, because Mindee isn't here."

All the girls tap their head as they say those words, "We'll never be in your head again. We promise that. And we keep our promises. We'll remember your words, forever."

"We were designed to be together, it hurts to be apart. But what you've said. That... that means something to us."

Sophie then speaks alone, "Let us tell Ms. Frost what we've told you. We're not just her clones, we have unique abilities and are natural blondes."

Then Esme speaks, "We need to tell her ourselves."

Celeste then speaks up and walks over and tries to kiss him on the cheek, "I'm going to always love you for the reason that you hate us, and still want to help us."

Phobebe then adds, "You are the truest of heroes we've encounter. More than the Manhunter, more than the Iron Man, more than the Flash."

The Five-in-One speak in a single voice again and add, "You go out and succeed in life... we'll do our best to make sure we can as well."

Alrighty! Celeste's words just confuse poor Leo. "Ummm...sure Celeste." He kinda gives up on understanding females. He's lucky to even semi-understand Emma! And that's only cause he lived a part of her life with her in her head. As for the hero comment, he likes it, but he doesn't let on too much how flattered his ego got. "I haven't achieved anything worth while yet. But it will come." And then Leo is gone, because...ya, girls confuse him and the Cuckoos give him migraines. He's going to go hide now with Bandit!

Celeste then said after he was gone, "You've achieved more than you can know. And you'll achieve such more. You are our Superman."

But after he's gone the girls leave to their dorm. Class room antics don't interest them anymore. It just feels like a waste of time. They know what they have to do and it isn't listening to teachers tell them how the French Revolution ended.