Chapter 62: Jean
AN: Regarding Jean''s origin here, I''m mixing a bit of things so it might be different from what you all think. But mainly it''s based on the Dark Phoenix movie since that''s what I''m more familiar with.
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<strong>Chapter 62: Jean</strong>
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh right, before we start, did Charles tell you yet?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Tell me what?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...I guess not.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">That damn Charles. I’m pretty sure I told him to tell her before anything bad happened.
<span style="font-weight:400">Looking at Jean’s confused expression, Benjamin steeled himself and spoke.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well…I suppose I should tell you then.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What is it? You’re freaking me out now…”
<span style="font-weight:400">This was actually a bit risky.
<span style="font-weight:400">Telling her the truth can either set her free or…well,pletely backfire and she turns into Dark Phoenix…but it should be fine…probably…
<span style="font-weight:400">I just need to soften the blow first.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin gave her a soft smile and spoke in a soft tone.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jean, you are old enough already…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean swallowed a mouthful of saliva in her tense.
<span style="font-weight:400">All this suspense is killing her!
<span style="font-weight:400">She wanted to hurry Benjamin but was also afraid of what this thing may be so she could only wait.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin continued slowly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You see…when a man and woman want to have a baby…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean was speechless.
<span style="font-weight:400">Looking at her expression, Benjamin couldn’t hold it anymore andughed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hahaha! Look at your face!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You-!!!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean red.
<span style="font-weight:400">She finally knew he was just teasing her to get back at her!
<span style="font-weight:400">After a couple of yful punches, Benjamin stoppedughing and continued for real this time.
<span style="font-weight:400">Good, that should lessen the blow a bit…maybe…or I just made her angrier…
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright, I’ll continue seriously this time.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You better! Now out with it!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“First of all, although I know this is hard, but try not to uhh…hate Charles too much. I mean, you can hate him but…you know, just don’t kill him and go on a rampage and all that.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean was speechless again.
<span style="font-weight:400">Why would I kill the Professor and even go on a rampage?
<span style="font-weight:400">“I mean it. Can you promise?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin insisted.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright, alright. I promise. Now tell me already!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not done. Also, after I tell you the truth…you must especially not hate yourself even more…do you understand?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin spoke in an even more serious tone which made Jean surprised again.
<span style="font-weight:400">Still, she nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I promise…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright…then, whatever happens next, you must remember that promise you made just now. If you go back on it, I’ll curse you to forever hit your toe at a table corner!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean’s face paled.
<span style="font-weight:400">That curse is too harsh!
<span style="font-weight:400">After seeing Jean nod repeatedly, Benjamin sighed and started to exin.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This matter is rted to your uncontroble power. You see, there exists a…force inside of you that is considered to be one of the oldest cosmic entities in this universe.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“A force?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Like…may the force be with you? That thing?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Uhh…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin was a bit surprised at the sudden Star Wars reference.
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean shrugged.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Scott and Kurt once dragged me and the others to marathon Star Wars. They even made fun of me that time since my powers seemed simr to the Jedis.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Okay, enough about that Yoda, let’s return to the topic.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, you did not just call me Yoda.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean was shocked.
<span style="font-weight:400">There were plenty of Jedis but he had to call her the small green old wrinkly one instead!
<span style="font-weight:400">“Do you mean, ‘Just call me Yoda, you did not’.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin continued in a Yoda impression.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Haha, stop it!”
<span style="font-weight:400">The impression sounded so weird that Jean justughed at him.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin smiled and continued.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Anyway, the force inside you, as I said, is one of the oldest entities in the universe.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is it Yoda? Is Yoda inside me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, you’re pregnant with a baby Yoda.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, you must be the father then since you look like him.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin was a bit speechless.
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean seems to be joking a lot today…it seems she’s feeling a bit nervous about where this conversation is heading.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin let out a wry smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Look, you don’t have to know about this if you don’t want to.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean’s smile turned down a bit as she looked down.
<span style="font-weight:400">“That obvious huh?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, I knew something was up when you didn’t seem to want to leave Yoda alone.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean chuckled.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I know, I just…I feel like something bad’s going to happen if I continue to listen…You even said that I might even go on a rampage earlier.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, that’s just the worst-case scenario. But even if that happens, I can pull you back out of that rampage.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean looked up and saw that confident smile on Benjamin’s face.
<span style="font-weight:400">Instantly, she felt a huge burden lift from her shoulders. As if she really believes that whatever happens after…Benjamin can help her.
<span style="font-weight:400">She doesn’t know where this feeling ising from, but she can feel that she can depend on him when she needs it.
<span style="font-weight:400">This feeling…even Scott never gave her this much assurance when she was around him…
<span style="font-weight:400">The instant she thought of that, she was shocked and quickly shook that thought away.
<span style="font-weight:400">She then gave Benjamin a re.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You really are quite the yboy huh?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Uhh…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin was stumped.
<span style="font-weight:400">Wasn’t he just acting cool just now? Why did it suddenly turn into him being a yboy!?
<span style="font-weight:400">Seeing his expression, Jeanughed and calmed down.
<span style="font-weight:400">After a while, she took a deep breath and looked Benjamin right in the eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Okay…I’m good now. You can continue.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin looked at her for a while then nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Because of that powerful force inside you, your powers tend to spill out and go out of control. Think of it like, you are a bottle of water. And that force is the water inside the bottle. Basically, you as the bottle, are too small of a container for the massive amount of water inside, causing it to spill out.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What Charles did was…well, it was more of a stopgap really. He simply sealed that power temporarily so it won’t spill out and at the same time, train you to control your mental abilities in order to grow you as a container…so that one day, hopefully, it will be big enough to contain that force when the seal is undone.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean frowned.
<span style="font-weight:400">She can somewhat understand that but…
<span style="font-weight:400">“But why would I hate the Professor for it?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well…for one thing, sealing that power meant also sealing a portion of your memories.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“My memories…the Professor said he found me in an orphanage because my parents abandoned me…was this a lie?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean suddenly had a bad feeling.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes and no. It’s true that you were found in an orphanage. As for your parents…hmm, let’s leave that forter. I promise to tell you all that but I need you to keep listening first. Can you do that?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Okay.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin sighed in relief.
<span style="font-weight:400">As expected, it’s a bit hard to suddenly say that she killed her parents identally…there’s just no easy way to say it so he can only dy it.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Well, another reason why you might hate Charles is also because…what he did simply stopped your own potential. He also did a half-assed job at it which is why you’re able to hear everyone’s minds without being able to control it properly. You can even say that he made your life miserable.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean was silent while Benjamin just shrugged.
<span style="font-weight:400">“But at that time, I’m sure he didn’t have much choice. If he hadn’t done that…things would be worse.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean didn’t say anything again and simply nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin looked at her for a moment then continued.
<span style="font-weight:400">“This force inside of you…can be a force for good…but at the same time, it is easily corruptible by negative emotions. Just the slightest hate can snowball into a rage that will wipe out an entire city. Because Charles sealed that power, even just a bit, you are able to live a somewhat normal life…do you understand?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...I understand.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean took a deep breath as she tried to stabilize her mind and nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin thought for a moment and held out his hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Lend me your hands.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean looked at his hand and ce her palms on top of his.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin grabbed her soft hands and looked her in the eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Do you wish to see the memories that Charles had sealed in the past?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Yes. I want to.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’ll warn you now…it won’t be a pretty memory…”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean hesitated for a moment but still nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Do it.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright. Close your eyes and rx. It might hurt the first time but I promise I’ll be gentle.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Pft-!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Hearing Benjamin say that, Jean let out a chuckle unconsciously and kicked his leg.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Ben! Did you have to make it sound so ambiguous!?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Haha, sorry. You seemed too tense.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjaminughed while Jean just rolled her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">Still, it did calm her down somewhat.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Okay. Close your eyes and rx your mind.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are you about to cum?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jean, focus.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What? You started it…”
<span style="font-weight:400">After a bit more joking, they finally continued for real and Benjamin was let inside Jean’s mind.
<span style="font-weight:400">He then guided her own mind to that sealed memory.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin and Jean found themselves in the backseat of a car.
<span style="font-weight:400">Between them was a little girl with red hair. It was Jean when she was a child.
<span style="font-weight:400">In front, a woman with long red hair was driving while a blonde man sat in the other seat in front.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Is this…my memories?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The older Jean asked as she looked at the scene in surprise.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes. This is you…and those are your parents.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I don’t remember this…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Like I said. This memory was sealed.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Why?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...You’ll see soon enough.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean didn’t ask anymore and continued to watch.
<span style="font-weight:400">Not long after, the young Jean asked her mother.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Can we change stations?”
<span style="font-weight:400">She referred to the music being yed on the radio in the car.
<span style="font-weight:400">Her mother simply smiled and answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“When the song’s over honey.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“You said that two songs ago.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Both parents chuckled and the father turned to her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You know this is a ssic, right?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The mother then said.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Okay, how about I make you a promise? When you’re old enough to drive, you can listen to whatever music you want, deal?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The young Jean was upset and didn’t answer.
<span style="font-weight:400">She simply stared at the radio and suddenly, the dial spun on its own, changing the station!
<span style="font-weight:400">The older Jean looked at the scene in surprise.
<span style="font-weight:400">Turns out, she already developed this ability when she was this young!
<span style="font-weight:400">Confused at the station changing, the mother turned to her husband but he was also confused.
<span style="font-weight:400">“John?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wasn’t me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Since it wasn’t them, then it could only be Jean.
<span style="font-weight:400">Looking at Jean from her rearview mirror, her mother asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jean was that…did you?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I didn’t do anything.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Still upset and being a kid, the young Jean denied it.
<span style="font-weight:400">The mother frowned and turned the dial back to the previous station but not long after, the dial turned on its own again.
<span style="font-weight:400">The older Jean turned to look at her younger self.
<span style="font-weight:400">Was she…this naughty when she was a kid?
<span style="font-weight:400">She was a bit speechless.
<span style="font-weight:400">The mother turned to Jean again.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jean, what are you…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I-I don’t know. It’s not me!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Now it seems that she was doing it unconsciously and didn’t know that it was her doing it.
<span style="font-weight:400">In her confused state, her powers began to lose control and the volume dial started to turn up a lot louder.
<span style="font-weight:400">Still confused and her mind not used to using her powers, plus the now loud volume she was hearing, she closed her eyes slowly as she mutters.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Quiet…”
<span style="font-weight:400">The two parents looked confused and turned to her but the noise seemed to keep getting louder and louder in her ears.
<span style="font-weight:400">She ced both hands on her ears and shouted.
<span style="font-weight:400">“QUIET!”
<span style="font-weight:400">An outburst of mental power was unleashed from her and caused her mother who was driving to faint.
<span style="font-weight:400">The wheels began to turn sideways, just in time to meet another car that was passing them by.
<span style="font-weight:400">The older Jean was horrified.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No!”
<span style="font-weight:400">s, this was her memory and there was nothing she could do to interfere.
<span style="font-weight:400">The car quickly flipped over and several shards flowed toward Jean but an invisible barrier seemed to have appeared and no harm reached her at all.
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean and Benjamin were also simrly unharmed and could only watch the events unfold.
<span style="font-weight:400">When the car finallynded on the ground, the young Jean finally opened her eyes and saw her mother’s lifeless eyes staring at her through the broken rearview mirror.
<span style="font-weight:400">Jean snapped back to reality and quickly separated from holding Benjamin’s hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">Her face was pale and her back was soaked in sweat.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I…I ki-...I just kil-...”
<span style="font-weight:400">Just as she was about to spiral out of control, she found herself inside a warm embrace.
<span style="font-weight:400">She gripped Benjamin’s clothes and broke into tears.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin didn’t simply hug her to calm her down, but also to contain the mental outburst that was about to erupt.
<span style="font-weight:400">While doing so, he patted her back and spoke softly.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Let it out…don’t worry, you won’t hurt anyone here…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Aaaaahhhhhh!!!”
<span style="font-weight:400">As if being set free, Jean released her full power together with a loud cry.
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin gritted his teeth and contained the release of her power with his own body.
<span style="font-weight:400">His body was tough enough to deal with the shockwave while his mind was well protected enough with his own mental abilities plus the System’s help so he didn’t faint from the mental energy she released.
<span style="font-weight:400">Outside the cave, no one knew that they have survived a cmity and were simply going about their own lives.