Filtered* Video ((Warnings for mentions of character death))

[monsterdoc]

[ooc: * filtered to magneticxman, incogneto, quickfingers, aberranthubris, and vanto]



[Video flicks on as the calls goes out, and a haggard Bruce appears on the screen, looking tired and worn out, red-eyed and shadows under each. There is something like horror in his eyes, or madness. Or both. These last two weeks have sucked, okay? There is sign that he has hastily washed his face and hands.

He stares at the camera for a long moment, not knowing what to say, but finally, he speaks. Or tries to. He coughs, clears his throat, and tries again.]

I--- I'm sorry. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Bruce Banner. I--- Wanda and I, have been close. [Okay, that easy part is over.]

Wanda has been sick these last two weeks and the hospitals haven't been able to help. So, to keep her comfortable, I've been watching her.

I regret... [he clears his throat and wipes at his eyes.] ...the seizures were too much. Wanda... Wanda is gone. She passed on about twenty minutes ago now.

[He looks down at his hands, as if looking for something, anything, else to say. Instead, his eyes start producing those pesky tear things again. He looks up at the camera and nods.] I... I'm sorry.

Comments

video

[incogneto]

What?

I was just talking to her earlier--

--I'm coming to your address.

video

[monsterdoc]

Of course, sir. Ah, if you need it, it's [address].

[Oh boy, her father.]

Re: video

[incogneto]

Did you call anyone?

During her last seizure.

Video

[monsterdoc]

I called 9-1-1, but they were too late, and they have not had... any luck with these before.

Re: Video

[incogneto]

Even still.

Alright, I'll be there shortly.

[quickfingers]

[Peter tramples over a moment of who the fuck is this, it all clicking into recognition after a moment and Bruce's sweeping introduction. All it takes is that far into the video for Peter to feel gripped with an anxious panic, remembering the state of his sister and knowing something must be wrong if Bruce is addressing a group of people like this.

Of course, it's worse than he thinks - this isn't a heads up about hospitalization or fixable complications. This is a notice that his sister's dead and it takes the air out of his lungs like a punctured car tire. He doesn't reply at first because there's this whole cold I-wanna-vomit feeling to deal with mixed with a frantic desire to demand why he's only being told now. Why was twenty minutes ago not the time to say Oh, I think something's wrong?

He can't trust his voice on this so:]

What happened?

[monsterdoc]

[ Bruce scrubs at his face, and answers, typing out words carefully. ]

She kept having seizures, over and over. And finally... finally her body could not take it. She just... stopped.

[quickfingers]

[Peter's replies are a bit delayed each time, the same careful consideration for what he types with the additional time to react to the responses.]

She just stopped? Where did this happen?

[monsterdoc]

My house. [address]. The hospital was unable to help her, and no one else I contacted was having any luck stopping it.

[quickfingers]

So she... where is she now?

And why weren't we filled in 20 mins ago when this was going on?

[magneticxman]

Oh my god.

[monsterdoc]

Lorna. You're back. [That gets a small and strained half-smile, or a grotesque version of one, etched in lines of pain and loss. He raises a hand in a wave of welcome, then sighs.]

I'm afraid it's true, though. Her seizures... they were too strong.

[magneticxman]

[Lorna puts a hand over her mouth, looking heartbroken.]

Oh my god, that's terrible. I-I can't believe she's gone.

[monsterdoc]

[ His heart, what remains of it, goes out to her and he manages a nod. ] It was sudden. I don't think she felt any pain.

[magneticxman]

[Lorna starts to cry, and cuts the connection. Later on she'll message him again and offer her condolences, but right now it's too much.]

video;

[aberranthubris]

[ Charles knew that Wanda was having hard time with her powers and he tried to help as much as he could but apparently it wasn't enough. This must be her boyfriend. He's understandably distressed and Charles' heart goes out to him.

There's a look of quiet grief on his face. ]

I'm so sorry to hear these devastating news. How did it happen?

video;

[monsterdoc]

[Bruce nods to the man. He knows a version of Xavier in his world, and he had always been an ally. There is some gladness in his expression to see the man here.

Bruce doesn't manage a smile, but he does try to look grateful.]

Thank you, sir.

[A deep breath taken, then he starts in on it.]

Her powers were somehow being amplified and reduced at the same time. It caused her system to seize, over and over. Sometimes fairly often, sometimes only now and then. The seizures slowly started getting stronger, and lasting longer.

[Bruce closes his eyes, now, trying not to see those last moments.]

In the end, the last seizure was too much for her system. She completely shut down. Nothing I tried worked. Nothing I did made a difference.

She never woke up. [There is a bleakness in his voice as he speaks.]

[aberranthubris]

Charles, [ he corrects gently, if a little distractedly. ] Charles Xavier. I'd say I'm pleased to meet you but I'd have wished for better circumstances.

[ It's hard to even just listen to him recount the events. Charles tried to help the best he could with her powers, but his own are also acting up and in the end there was very little he could do for her.

Some kind of karmic justice, perhaps. He could have done with a little less of that definitely.

His mouth trembles for a moment, fighting back tears. She did not deserve any of this. ]

I suppose it's a small relief to know that she probably wasn't aware at the end.

[ He reaches for a box of tissues and with a rushed breath wipes his eyes. It does very little for him unfortunately. Give him a moment, it's a lot to swallow. ]

[monsterdoc]

Charles, yes, sorry. She mentioned you.

She was thankful for you and the others, for her family.

She was... [ Excuse him while he chokes up and wipes his own eyes. His voice becomes choked a little as he tries to speak.] ...she was glad to have all of you here

sorry for late reply, holiday rush finally died down.

[aberranthubris]

[ Charles struggles with the urge to tell Bruce right now and here that he kind of unintentionally caused all of this to happen. But he can't bring himself to do that. Because it wouldn't serve any other purpose than his own guilt ridden conscience, trying to reach some kind of absolution that he really doesn't deserve. No, they didn't know the porter would act like this but they did tamper with it.

If Wanda didn't tell him, then Charles will keep his mouth shut too and try to offer some kind of comfort instead. Anything... ]

She was beautiful and perfect and we all will miss her terribly. I can't even express how sorry I am that she had to go through this.

Bruce, is there anything I could do for you? Would you like to meet and talk, perhaps?

text;

[vanto]

[Eli doesn't trust his voice.]

Is

How

Why

Sorry, we've not met. I'm Eli.

Do you need something? I'm not much use for anything but Wanda, she was my friend and I liked her a lot.

text;

[monsterdoc]

Hello, Eli. She spoke of you fondly.

I don't really know right now. I'm still kind of...absorbing this.

I just didn't want to delay to tell the people who were important to her.

text;

[vanto]

I wasn't available until now, otherwise if she had said something I would've come help. Or something. Anything.

I appreciate you letting me know.

Re: text;

[monsterdoc]

It's not your fault. It was a rough time, for a lot of people.

She would have wanted... she would have wanted you to know she thought of you in these last days and was glad to know you.

[vanto]

I was too. She was kind, selfless.

[Eli is tongue-tied, he thinks it all terribly unfair.]