Sazzy260
New Member
(Memory One)
Squirt broke the connection slowly, pulling himself and Garnet out of the subconscious digging. His normally tan skin was pale and he looked ready to hurl, and cry at the same time - which was unnatural for the normally indifferent teenager. "Who... Who was that figure? He... It.. It was so... Weird looking?" that seemed like the only question that Squirt could ask after all that he had just seen happen in Clay's life, even if it were just a few glimpses into the older man's history. Squirt definitely did not want to ever do that again; Clay's mind was a seemingly scary, and in his opinion - gross - place, especially after seeing how smitten Clay was with Garnet from the moment that the red man had laid eyes on Garnet.
Clay laughed as Jess kissed him - they were currently in the middle of training and Jess was really just trying to rile Clay up. It was an impossible situation but they had to focus on the tasks at hand, not fool around "Jess, we have to focus... If we don't do this now, we'll never be ready in the future. A war is brewing, I can just feel it... So please, can we focus at least for a couple of hours?" Clay spoke to his lover, but he did return the kiss with passion.
Jess giggled and nodded his head before he backed away from Clay, readying himself in a fighting stance. Clay did the same on the opposite side of the room and then closed his eyes as he started slowly syphoning his lover's power to use as his own. It seemed like in a matter of seconds Clay's arm went from normal looking to a thick layer of ice surrounding the appendage - it was a solid mass, a solid weight and the echo of pain that was screamed from Clay's mouth was unbearably loud. He collapsed to his knees, killing the connection immediately with his lover. The ice thawed the second that it happened, but when Clay finally managed to open his eyes, he saw Jess laying in a heap on the floor, shivering and holding onto his own arm.
Despite the pain, Clay quickly made his way over to Jess, scooping his lover into his lap and holding onto him, just as tightly as the other man was holding onto his arm "Jess... Jess, what happened?" The panic was clear in Clay's voice, and his worried eyes were boring into Jess' lifeless eyes "Jess please... Talk to me, tell me what is wrong..." Milky tears started tracking their way down Clay's cheeks as he moved his head closer to Jess's head, kissing his lover repeatedly on the temple and muttering words of love.
Jess blinked lethargically up at Clay, a shaky hand reaching up to capture his lover's face "It's going to be okay, Clay... It will... Just keep moving forward, always. No matter what life throws at you, just move forward and don't ever look back." Jess's voice was weak but strong as he spoke, his fingers were trembling against Clay's cheek and his eyes could hardly stay open - something had gone terribly wrong with their connection... Something that was now killing Jess and causing more pain in Clay's heart than in his arm "I love you, Clay... Always have, always will - you were my first, and you will now be my last......... Don't.... don't forget me." Those were Jess's last words before his eyes slipped shut and he fell limp in Clay's arms.
Clay stared at his lover, lifeless and limp in his lap; he couldn't stop the tears if he tried. He didn't think anyone had the power he needed to stop the aching in his chest... His lover, only eighteen years old - just like himself - dead in his arms in the training room at the TMUL Headquarters "Jess, please... Please, I can't... I can't do this without you - I don't want to do this without you... Please..." the words were uttered so quietly, so painfully. They were supposed to be in this together forever. Beat the odds. Now? Now Clay had nothing - his parents were gone, his friends he had grown up with were gone... and now... Now Jess was gone, and he had no one to turn too. No one to help him through this unbearable pain that he felt echoing in his body and multiplying; it was like a power all its own, manifesting deep in his heart, turning it to stone.
(Memory Two)Clay was happy that his parents decided to go out on a camping trip - It was his favorite activity with them. Sleeping under the stares. Fishing with his dad. Eating S'mores over a roaring fire. Telling Ghost Stories with his mom. All of it was the best thing he ever experienced and he never wanted to let those precious moments go. He was only seven at the time, and he was red-skinned with those same tribal markings in black; he didn't look like the other kids that lived in his neighbor hood, but hey didn't seem to mind - they thought he was the "cool kid" for being so different and unique. Sure there were a few people who tried to bully Clay, but he never let those kids bother him. There was no point.
Clay happily helped his father set up the three-man tent they would be sleeping in at the camp ground, oblivious to the stares that him and his family were getting. Another man, one in his late thirties came upon their camp site and smiled sinisterly in Clay's direction "What is that thing? You need to take him to a facility somewhere and get him locked up! He is an abomination to our kind!" The man spouted the words with such hatred. Such venom.
Clay's father stood up, hiding Clay behind his leg and holding onto his head lightly, rubbing a thumb over his son's smooth scalp "He is our son, and we will not be taking him anywhere! He is perfectly normal to us, so if you have a problem - You need to just back off and leave our family alone. We are trying to have a relaxing, peaceful vacation!" Clay's father shot back angrily, glaring daggers at the man before him.
Clay tried to hide further behind his father's broad body, but something in him was urging him away - this was a dangerous situation. He looked to his mother and could see her horrified expression, but she was urging him, mentally, to get away from here - to hide in the trees. To save himself. He could do nothing more here than become yet another victim to a Purifier who sought destruction against those who were not normal nor normal looking. Such a strong will, Clay had at his young age, but his mother's warnings were far more than he could bear. He listened to her and ran toward the woods, where he knew he would be safe. He levitated himself into the trees and hid himself good before turning back around to watch his parents.
Clay could no longer hear the conversation taking place between his father, mother, and the unknown man who had insulted Clay. But the were arguing and yelling, fingers pointing and flying. Before Clay knew it, the man raised a gun from his waistband, aiming first at his father and firing. The gunshot echoed loudly in the silent camp ground, and milky tears immediately sprung up in Clay's eyes as he watched his father's lifeless form drop to the ground. He screamed though, when the man turned on his mother - who was now running away - and shot her in the back. Clay wanted to run to her, but her words "You must live, Clayton. This world will become a better place with you in it - I promise you this son. But you must live, and you must run - Do not stop, do not look back. Your father and I love you so very much; always keep us in your heart, as you will always be in ours." that she had said to him when the man first appeared echoed repeatedly in Clay's head; he disobeyed a few orders from his mother, but the rest of the words he would take to heart and keep them close - he needed them to keep going, even though his heart was heavy with grief. He would never get to see his parents again, and he now had no idea what to do or where to go; he was just seven years old, what was he to do?
(Memory Three)Clay sat upon the highest oak tree in the field - He had the perfect view of the nearby town and the pasture as well. He loved sitting up here, watching and waiting for things to happen. He would count the cars, so far he had seen twenty; all different makes and models, years and colors. He smiled to himself as he watched the cows grazing the land, they were always so plentiful and a vibrant contrast to the green grass that spread for miles.
A strange portal opened before Clay's eyes and immediately he was curious - not often did things like this happen and this was obviously someone looking for help, a way out of a dangerous situation. It was a miracle to see this happening so openly, but perhaps it was a child that had just come into their powers - someone who needed his help. Clay was good at helping people, it was what he was made for in essence.
Clay cascaded across the sky and easily landed before the portal, just as a young man was fumbling through it. Clay couldn't help but stare at the young man in awe. Surely he knew that this was dangerous; using his powers in broad daylight? It was unacceptable, it was dangerous -- It was... He kept staring, watching the young man as he tried coming back to himself after teleporting from one location to the next.
Despite the young mans inherit stupidity to use his power like this - he saw that the man also needed help. It was not in Clay's nature to turn any Mutant away, he was always there to protect them and help them in anyway that he could. And, it also didn't hurt that this young man was very gorgeous and just what Clay would typically look for in a man - if he wasn't avoiding love completely. Either way, he would still have to help this young man out of what was clearly an inevitable situation.
Throughout each flash of memory that was delivered to Squirt and Garnet, there was one face that seemed to be visible in every flash back. It wasn't a face that one would forget either. It was mechanical looking, with a white head, a gold crown framing its grey face and green and red eyes. The figure appeared more angel like; and if you didn't know who it was, you'd continue to think that it was possibly a guardian angel that somehow broke Squirt's barrier and was able to become visible. That wasn't the case though.Squirt broke the connection slowly, pulling himself and Garnet out of the subconscious digging. His normally tan skin was pale and he looked ready to hurl, and cry at the same time - which was unnatural for the normally indifferent teenager. "Who... Who was that figure? He... It.. It was so... Weird looking?" that seemed like the only question that Squirt could ask after all that he had just seen happen in Clay's life, even if it were just a few glimpses into the older man's history. Squirt definitely did not want to ever do that again; Clay's mind was a seemingly scary, and in his opinion - gross - place, especially after seeing how smitten Clay was with Garnet from the moment that the red man had laid eyes on Garnet.
