10 Chapter 10: Memory

A few minutes pass by.

Rogue simply sat in front of Hugo, unaware that he is already lost in his own mind.

Attempting to clear all the distractions inside his head yielded different results.

Instead of the intention to gain an Immunity to cold, ice or lower temperatures, he managed to create something entirely different.

Right below the current immunity he has, a new line formed.

[Zero] The current amount of points of Immunity he held.

[Telepathic Immunity - Seven of Ten]

An ability to be immune to forceful telepathy and psychic invasion.

[Distractive Immunity - One of Ten]

The ability to be completely free of mental disruptions, distractions and even disorders, at least in higher levels.

A pseudo-concept immunity.

The idea of it hasn't even crossed Hugo's mind. It's function became very basic due to the unintended creation of it.

After this immunity manifested, Hugo instantaneously entered a state of hyper focus. His intention to create an immunity to ice the direction of it.

Something that would have required him hours of practice perhaps days of long exposure to colder temperatures, displayed in only a few minutes. Taking a portion of the most abundant number to create it.

[Zero]

(A/N: As he gets more Immunities, the word immunity will not be shown.)

[Telepathic - Five of Ten]

[Distractive - One of Ten]

[Cold - Two of Ten]

Subtracting, nay changing it directly to suit his current needs.

Opening his shut eyes, a wonder showed itself to him. Rather than the warmest block of ice, his hand currently held the coldest.

Bobby himself does not have perfect control of his mutant ability, following the request of Hugo, he made absurd differences on the blocks.

The lightest shade sat at twenty degrees below zero. Next, negative forty degrees in the middle and the last at over one hundred degrees Celsius under room temperature, which Hugo currently held in his hand without visible damage. At usual times this would cause his body several effects including hypothermia, frostbite and even permanent lost of limb amongst many more.

Level Two of any immunity counted approximately at Epsilon level of mutant abilities. This would not usually be enough to withstand the temperature of the coldest block. However the immunity is purely focused only on a single hand of Hugo. The sight filled him with satisfaction and accomplishment.

He smiles at Anna, who's also looking at his feat. Even though she never personally felt the ability, she could imagine and even saw others who suffered under it.

Feeling Hugo's elation, Anna returns a small smile. Making him even more optimistic for how the day could better.

A nice atmosphere envelops them.

Then... pain.

"AHHHHHHH" Screamed Hugo. An unexpected situation occurring due to coincidental events.

Anna stared in confusion before realizing that something is wrong. Hugo was just smiling then without any warning he cries out in pain.

Red liquid started dripping from Hugo's nostrils. His state of hyper focus making the pain more distinct, rejecting the idea of falling unconscious because of it.

'Blood!' Thought Anna, her brain going into overdrive. Not knowing how to help him. Feeling alarmed, nervous and panicky all at once. Fortunately, she doesn't succumb to it.

Then seeing that he still holds the ice block, an idea comes to her mind.

Getting up off her feet and reaching over, she hurriedly moves his hand away from the block.

Her eyes grew wide.

A span of skin visible on her hand and forearm touching Hugo. Normally this would not be an issue for a normal person. However she is anything but.

Possessing the mutant ability to absorb another person's ability and psyche.

This includes everything regardless of it's origin. Mutants and other sentient beings with innate and inborn abilities. Humans that have been enhanced and mutated to form abilities whether accidental or experimental.

Anna's only condition is that her bare skin must touch the target, the exact case she sees now.

...

One year ago, her ability manifested. She held the hand of her boyfriend and her lips touched his.

The moment caused a burst of emotion, which mutant abilities are usually if not all the time tied to.

She watched the boy as he groaned in pain. Formed purple veins all over his face and arms.

Starting from his hand that she still held, he turned into pure energy drifting directly into her.

Everything that he was as a human and as a person, absorbed into her.

Including his strength no matter how little, personality mixing-altering her own.

Memories of his life... of his suffering... of his death... while she held his hand.

...

Terrified, she jumped away from Hugo as fast as she could.

Unable to take her eyes away from Hugo, no matter how horrible her thoughts were.

She watched him continue to groan and scream.

For a moment, all of her past experience coming back to her and the memories of her past lover.

Then... even more.

Memories of Hugo. Patches of his life.

It continued even further than what's possible for his age.

Even though she only saw bits and pieces, a clear picture of an adult Hugo looking extremely well imprinted on her mind.

But it wasn't just this that caused her pure shock and confusion.

She also saw herself. Or a woman that looked exactly like her, wearing the X-Men attire.

They laughed and fought together, she saw.. no.. felt the connection they had. But they never grew anything more.

The last scene she saw was Hugo, beaten and battered.

In the center of a battlefield filled with corpses. Bleeding and weeping in agony as he held the body of a woman.

Her face and body scorched to the extreme, the clothes she wore melted into her skin.

As if a mythical and cosmic flame vented their anger into her and everyone else.

The only indication of her identity is a small tuft of hair.

Hair in auburn and streaks of white.

Exactly like hers.

"Wha- What is that... memory?" She sought.

Her heart raced in cold sweat, her chest heaved at heavy breaths.

The man in question continuing to cry out in pain.