Valentia's Lullaby
| Valentia's Lullaby | |
|---|---|
| |
| Dates run: | January 17-22, 2009 |
| Run By: | Andrea & Rossi |
| Read the logs: | Valentia's Lullaby |
In Spain for business, Manuel makes a discovery that changes his life.
Contents
Cast
Amanda Sefton, Manuel de la Rocha, Jean Grey, Remy LeBeau, Emma Frost
Timing
Plot Summary
Emma approaches Manuel with the suggestion that he needs to go to Spain to reestablish Hellfire Club connections and brings Remy into it, suggesting that Manuel be the messenger for them both. Emma gives him some names that she would like to know some further information about and maybe Remy does something similiar, to test Manuel's real intentions. Manuel calls in Amanda to come with him because he knows he exhausts easily and with recent events, he trusts her not to look down on him. She agrees, citing the need to do some X-Force work as an excuse to go so he doesn't have to lose face.
They arrive in Spain and Manuel makes his rounds to powerful names in Spain's financial matters and HFC members. Amanda accompanies him, helping where she can, but really she's there to gather info and ease Remy of his own issues regarding the Hellfire Club and the White Court.
When they are leaving another HFC member's house, Manuel feels an empathetic pull he hasn't ever felt and it's close to his old estate. He demands that the driver go to the house and are told to wait at the door by the house staff. Manuel tries to ignore what he's feeling but it's powerful and almost like a lauguage, mimicking his own empathic frustrations. They leave the hallway and up the stairs to find a little girl under a bed. She's four years old and immediately finds a connection to Manuel, able to communicate with him without using words. The sudden rush of her empathy shocks Manuel, but she pushes her way into him, clinging to him. The couple watching over the house find them with the girl and to their relief, she's not crying. They recognise Manuel and confess that they were paid to take the child - whose name they say is Valentia - in, but refuse to say anything more about her parentage, save that the money is running out. Aware that the child is an empath and cannot stay where she is and not be damaged, Manuel determines she should be removed - it is Amanda who suggests taking her back to Xavier's in order to find the assistance she needs, mentioning the likeness between the little girl and Manuel himself. Reluctantly, Manuel agrees and the couple let them take her, relieved to be free of their strange little burden.
Without paperwork, it's impossible to take the girl back straight away - Amanda arranges for false papers through her X-Force connections and they remain at the hotel until they're ready. It's within the hotel that Manuel tries to communicate with her other ways, but all he gets is a frustrated little girl. In a tantrum to be understood, she rips out a hole in his empathic loop, breaking the loop and all the pent up angry emotions pour out of him, freeing Manuel of a loop he was not able to recognize until then. With the loop broken, Manuel can actually control shielding for the first time since the accident. The change in Manuel is immediate and he seems happier, if anything, more corroperative and sound of mind.
When they get back, Amanda recalls the resemblance between Manuel and Valentia and Manuel asks Jean to solve this ridiculous notion that they might be related with a blood test. He's under the impression that he should be offloading this little girl to children's aid but it's found that she is his flesh and blood - his sister, to be precise. Not to mention, she is unable to communicate effectively with anyone either with speech or telepathy and at almost four, she still can't speak. Manuel takes responsibility for his sister, assuming the role of a father figure because this little girl gave him back his humanity.
Related Links
External Links
Trivia and Meta
Trivia
Since the accident in Bleeding , Manuel's empathy has been on an empathetic loop. Upon recieving so much animosity all the time, he retains those bad emotions and they are on repeat within him and because no one else is an empath, no one else can see it and it would be exactly what stops him from being as powerful as he once was. So instead of feeling good, he consistently feels badly. The reason it didn't show so much at first was because it was something that had to build up and now he's so used to it, he doesn't notice it. He only thinks he's still recieving all the bad emotions from everyone but really, all he can focus on is this loop regardless of what the input actually is. He can still function but all these negative emotions are making him numb, which is why he seems so driven to work on his powers and gain some sort of control. This plot was to break him of that loop and be the first step towards Manuel regaining his control of his powers.
Charles installed a psychic circuit breaker in Valentia similar to the one in Rachel in order to assist her with her powers, resulting in her being greatly reduced in receiving and projecting emotions beyond her Psychic link with Manuel.
Meta
This plot was originally thought up by Frito and put into play to keep Manuel's character in check and from tipping over into the dark side.
