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Explicit

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X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom

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Erik Lehnsherr/Charles Xavier

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Language:

English

Series:

Part 1 of Moveable Type Next Work →

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Published:: 2012-04-01
Updated:: 2012-04-01
Words:: 7,228
Chapters:: 3/?
Kudos:: 6
Bookmarks:: 1
Hits:: 911

Summary:

This is case number 41 detailing the fire and the events that followed in December 1881. It begins with anger and ends with murder.
What happens when the abilities aren't powers but curses? What happens to those who overextend their use? And what is the conspiracy behind it all?

Notes:

This story starts in the present day and then jumps back to 1881. It's kind of all over the place time wise so there are timestamps everywhere for your reading convenience. We're playing with storytelling style. Enjoy! 8D
Each part of the series explores a different Charles' and Eriks at different points in time. They are all members of the same family but of different generations and are relatives of one another, but only one version exists at a time. Think of each one being named for a previos one, like how families keep certain names in the mix for generations. Yea. On with the show!

Notes:

If you want to skip the plot in this chapter and go straight to the angsty pron-time funsies, skip to chapter 2.
Chapter 2-3 are told from the standard third-person POV and are about Erik and Charles directly.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

>>USER: kigan

>>PASSCODE: *********************

<<USER LOGIN: 16.12.2013 02:27:59 GMT

>>Coffee or tea?: oolong no milk

<<DECRYPT RSA & AES

>>Key: [HIDDEN REMOVEABLE DRIVE]

<<…

<<PASSCODE: BOMBE

<<DECRYPT ENIGMA

<<…

{Begin}

I posted all the records I’ve been able to dig up so far concerning the Xavier-Lensherr case from 16-20 December 1881 to you so be watching for them at the place and the time where Saxe had the thing once.

Through some extremely delicate manoeuvring [involving but not limited to bribes, threats and the usual favours >D], I was able to obtain the pages from Lehnier’s personal journal for those dates. Looks like Lehnier was drowned, poor sod. I’m guessing it was Questad if not Shaw himself. We need more info on this Miss Emma. As far as I’ve been able to find there are 9 Emma’s, Lehnier was acquainted with and none of those may even be the right one. I’ve restored them as much as possible [insert impressed your impressed face here NOW] and but you can sift through them all you like and come up with an electronic version. [I’ve done far more than my bloody bit Dx]

I have yet to locate the first 10 pages of it, but doubt it’ll contain anything relevant. [Nonsense like that rarely does but still. FTW] I’m sure Lehnier had a notebook where he took down all quotes, notes, etc, and that is the key. Considering how these mundane artefacts were kept, I doubt it was destroyed. It’s simply a matter of tracking it down. The hard part would be to obtain the original. Hopefully it’s unaltered otherwise we’ll really be in the shit.

The letter from Xavier to Lensherr isn’t too useful and neither are the photos, but I sent them along as well with a typed version of the letter. [We were able to read the what was written on the burnt off parts of it before those deteriorated completely]. These Victorians have such fucking ridiculous handwriting. The letter given the mentions in it, places it sometime in September or October 1880.

The individual photos of the three date from early 1879. The one by Raven Xavier was taken around August 1880, too bad it’s missing. I think it was of Lehnsherr and Xavier themselves. Maybe it was dirty-dirty? Who knows? But be on the lookout for it in case.

If it weren’t for the absurd amount of sentimentality during that time period, I’d swear they were buggering each other.

The faster we get to it, the faster this’ll get sorted. I’ll be busy over the next few days to weeks with a small side project on the Cuban Missile Crisis. Found a reference about some man called Schmidt that may link him to our 1880s Shaw fellow.

Sent attachments of the stuff anyway. I deserve a pat on the back. [pats] Why thank you, me! You're welcome, self!

Keep calm and bugger on!

-Voff out

{END}

>>view ATTACHMENT

>> DISPLAY?: Y

<<…

>>PASSCODE: ******************

<<FILE – STUFF.txt

{Begin}

[LETTER TRANSCRIPT]

[ENVELOPE]

Erik

[LETTER]

My Dearest Erik,

Yes, my depravity knows no bounds, and you are no better, my friend. You should know better than to challenge a Xavier to a drinking contest, especially with my own 18-year-old Scotch-Whisky. The dusty ones are always the ones one must look out for.

I thank you for the copy of Darwin’s Origin of the Species. But I must say, you must refrain from sending me every copy of the original print you come across. As much as I adore the work, I would not want to deprive the rest of the world of such a valuable thing. Let others have access to it as well.

Your last letter in support of eugenics programmes and funding worries me. I understand the argument behind it, but it is a slippery slope -just as with as social Darwinism-. We shall debate about it over chess next the time you are here. -I sent you an onyx chess set I found in a delightful shoppe in Paris for when you are in town. I had Bates place it in the usual room. Now I will not have to sully my fingers with that rusty iron set you insist on using.- The entire family will spend Christmas at Stackley Hall this year as Papa has finally consented to my project of converting Mund Abbey into an academy. I had hoped to call the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, but Mama found it preposterous and harped on about until Papa relented. It shall be christened the Xavier Academy for the Gifted. Tis not nearly as groovy as the former, but at least I can start on formally organising the project, though it means ceding much of that estate to rambunctious younglings.

-Raven just went by and named me an ‘Old Fart.’ I would hardly think so at four and twenty. I must stop narrating my letters as I compose them.-

I had Bates look in on Eisheart House and find the picture of the place and the time with the people and the thing. Raven says to be careful with it, as it is her masterpiece and you are ham-handed. -Her words not mine, though I second the statement.-

Mama, Papa and Raven send their love. Don’t spend too long on the Continent. They always like to hoard those with magnetic personalities.

All my love,

Charles

Post Script

Now you must listen very carefully, my friend. No matter what you say, you are the delusional one not me. Congratulations. You can bend spoons with you mind…when none but you bear witness. And I do know what everyone is thinking around me all the time, especially you, it is not all in my head as you and Raven said.

[END LETTER TRANSCRIPT 8D]

Letter:

Photographs: the short one, the toothy one, The Pretty One

Lehnier's journal pages:

{End}

>>DELETE: Y

>>PASSCODE: -------------------

>>Coffee or tea?: tea cold and boiling

<<…

>>END SESSION?: Y

<<USER SIGNOFF: 16.12.2013 03:41:38 GMT

*****

>>USER: Voff

>>PASSCODE: **************************

<<USER LOGIN: 21.12.2013 11:27:59 GMT

>>Coffee or tea?: plant water

<<DECRYPT RSA & AES

>>Key: [HIDDEN REMOVEABLE DRIVE]

<<…

<<PASSCODE: BOMBE

<<DECRYPT ENIGMA

<<…

{Begin}

How is it I end up with all your dirty work?

Put your actual return address not the ‘that place over there’ type thing. Your ridiculous eccentricities are not amusing.

See attached for Lehnier’s journal in READABLE, (relatively - It was highly damaged) electronic form.

-Kigan

{END}

>>view ATTACHMENT

>> DISPLAY?: Y

<<…

>>PASSCODE: **************

<<NOTIFICATION

{Begin}

Voff, I am supposed to be on HOLIDAY. Kindly piss off. I included the articles for easy future reference to link up with Lehnier’s journal and notes. –Kigan

{End}

<<FILE – LEHNIER-JOURNAL.txt

[P. 11]

Thursday 16.12.1881

22:07

There was fire in Chester Square today. Somehow none were hurt. Very few were willing t speak to me – but it was so early and such a fiasco. Walked the entire [illegible] just about Scotland Yard have all but said the occupants knew the fire was - (or an attack) How else would they have known to escape?

Ms Dawson is the only useful witness – banging noises. Police seem uninterested in this fact save for DI LeStrade.

[P. 12]

DI LeStrade has said to keep this part silent until further notice but I will have to tell Richard sooner rather than later -> Why are Scotland Yard so silent despite officially stating the fire was intentional?

=Bloody pen blotted again! Can’t stand the bloody things! Hands always stained with ink. The life of a journalist. Richard says one day the ink won’t come off if I continue at this rate. For this reason – I can’t use the back of pages!=

[P. 13]

=I am convinced to try the back of the page though=

I am taken a back by how little space the story received in The Times. With all the people missing and all so high up. But Richard [Richard Carlisle – co-owner and senior editor of The Times] said Mr Shaw pressured The Times to report more on the thing with biggest shock value like the fire in Vienna Ring Theatre, which killed about 850 on 9 December. That this whole story is probably some gas line explosion – no different than usual and the young

[P. 13.5]

probably did themselves since no servants were there on that night. Yet the Duchess of W [Westchester] and Lady E.L. [Edie Lehnsherr] were in residence at the time. Richard should stop thinking so much like a business man and more like a newspaper owner and journalist. Bloody- another confounded blot and ink explosion! I’m switching to the pen with a rolling point John [John Loud] was so kind to send me, though he says it is far from perfect and I must keep it

[P. 14]

secret but compared to the fountain of ink that leaked, this is marvellous. Though the ink dries out far to quickly. Must visit John in Weyword next summer (Massachusetts is far too chilly this time of year)

I keep telling Richard we must accept Mr Shaw’s concerns as an investor in The Times but strive for independence. I do believe the sensationalism of this piece would have convinced Richard to give it more space and not to bury it near the end of the paper. It has potential to sell! So the pressure from Mr Shaw must be very high.

I shall

[P. 15]

have to ask Miss Emma of that later.

Oh-no. Richard has just given me another lede. Mr Shaw or should I say Sir Shaw will be knighted by Queen Victoria tomorrow. (I say she’s been off her rocker a bit for 20 years) Must I do this piece?

[p. 16]

Saturday, 17.12.1881

12:37

I was able to speak at more length with Ms Dawson, she has informed me of servants’ passages that underneath some of the townhouses that went up in the late 40s. I shall have to look into when these were built. P.O. Evans said none of the occupants left through the front and the back was locked and latched from the inside. It looks to hard to scale, and I do believe it would have been difficult for the ladies at least! And the explosion occurred near the back on the first floor. The only way out would have been through a servant’s stair and passage through the basement.

[P. 17]

13:21

Richard says I’m won’t have to cover Sir Shaw if I can bring him something by afternoon tea.

15:32

D.I. L [LeStrade] says he will give me five minutes inside the houses on Chester Square! Of course he said at my own risk, and it is unofficial. I shall have to meet him there at 23:05 tonight. No more boring Mr-Sir-Shaw piece for me! Finally a scoop. I’ll show Richard I do have the makings!

[p.18]

23:19 Chester Square Xavier Residences – condemned

Ground Floor: marks where explosion was- copper melted – not melting point?

Floor 3 – holes in wall (bulletholes?)– CONNECTING DOOR – to next townhouse – [written in margins - (Lehnsherr townhouse)] through bedroom connected to bedroom? Sitting room? Living quarters? Strange furnishings. settee, day beds, ottomans, table, many pillows, onyx chess set strewn about, broken glass – scotch bottles (why keep it here?) – some in cupboards – BULLET HOLES IN WALLS IN CONNECTING ROOM – COUNTED AT LEAST 17 POSSIBLE MORE – SEVERAL BULLETS RICOCHETED OFF METAL SHEET (now in centre of room) BULLETS HIT FAR WALL? – overturned furniture – but the household was said to be abed – must have been surprised but expecting attack?

[P. 18.5 - 1]

How else would they get out so early?

SERVANTS PASSAGE FROM ROOM IN LEHNSHERR RESIDENCE – leads to ?

Documents and parchment burned – nothing important looking

23:41

D.I. L [LeStrade] cut my time short! Granted P.C. Cooper did give us warning and had he not been on watch, P.O. Fakenbaccon, who was on patrol and Mr Questad would have seen us. I spotted Mr Questad later at the park gate. I don’t believe he saw us but why would Mr-Sir-Shaw’s associates be here?

D.I. L [LeStrade] revealed that the investigations were being ‘hindered’ by someone higher up – he said to

[P. 18.5 - 2]

talk to D.I. Davidson – something was off with the inspections of the fire? There is something by someone higher up trying to hide all of this. Wouldn’t be surprised if it were Mr-Sir-Shaw himself. Why would he want E. Xavier and Lord Vasler dead though? [Earl Charles Francis Xavier, Brian Xavier, 7^th Duke of Westchester’s heir apparent; and Lord Vasler: Erik Lehnsherr – 2^nd Baron Vasler]

They must have been the targets or was it the others? Why the ladies? The other lads were youger sons – won’t inherit – Dear Lord, please let me come across the scandal of the century – let me live to write it.

Late must get home and sleep now. The misses will not be amused.

[P. 19]

Sunday, 18.12.1881

02:16

Why do I never listen to myself? Somehow I ended up calling upon Andy (as F.I. Davidson insisted I call him. If we meet at odd hours of the day to share secrets then we must be friends he said and not let formality make us more exhausted) Andy told me that accelerants, in his professional opinion, were definitely used and spread up the stairs. The fire followed a very specific path to the blue sleeping quarters on the third floor and into the room where the onyx chess set was. Of course it spread to the rest of the house. Andy said it looked like the job

[P. 20]

had been done too quickly and the arsonist(s) didn't have enough time to finish or cover their tracks before the ‘explosion,’ if that was even what it was and not just a cover. The piping on the house had just been redone by The Gas Light and Coke Company just the year before using the latest technology. Andy said he knew the man who oversaw the installation - said the house was wired for some of that new fangled electricity as well but by some small private company that he’d never heard of – just appeared within the last year – HELLFIRE WORKS.

[P. 21]

Andy said his peers disagreed – F.I. John ‘Pyro’ Allerdyce said that it was a gas explosion caused by faulty pipes and build up of gas and an open flame. Andy said F.I. Allerdyce had seniority – my eyes are blurring – staying the night at Andy’s. His wife had me put in the spare bedroom. Gwen (Andy’s wife) even had sandwiches brought up. Must sleep. Handwriting atrocious at this hour. Andy said all this on record find F.I. Allerdyce in morni—

[p. 22]

16:44

All the little lords and ladies are missing. Duchess of W and Lady E.L. found and well. No comment. Bloody nobility. Bloody gentry. Enough of this keep it all in the family.

Gave Richard my accounts – said he had to look it over with the other editors and Mr-Sir-Shaw. Why is Sir Shaw involved? Just need proof of his involvement.

19:29

Spoke to Mrs Baker – only member of the Xavier household – or any for the bloody [illegible writing] to speak. Mostly useless information. Mrs Baker not there at time.

[P. 23]

19:57

Spoke to Andy – will have to hold information until the 20^th if I want to keep getting information from him. Spoke to Richard – he won’t run the story until further notice anyway. Ethics be damned. I should take this to the Manchester Guardian. Mr Scott wouldn’t stand for this. Why does Richard let Mr-Sir Shaw have such an input on the content for The Times? Businessmen be damned if the don’t sell. I can’t believe this is know to Mr Walters the actual (or at least the figurehead) owner. Then again he wouldn't care. Why hasn’t the Guardian reported on this matter? Sir Shaw’s doing? How many does he have in his gilded little pockets?

[P. 24]

Still nothing on any of those at the houses. Say 3 and all the families ‘keep calm and carry on.’ Has Duke of W not realised his own son and heir is disappeared? What about the Lehnsherrs – the head of the company? A Baron? Or even Lady R? [Lady Raven Xavier] or Lady A.S., the heiress? [Lady Angel Salvadore] damn servant loyalty – got nothing out of any of them. The upper class stiff upper lip! What are these people up to? Someone here is up to no good. But who?

[p. 25]

19:41

Richard came in and said to write a statement. Scotland Yard and London Fire Brigade have retracted their statements! Can’t people see this is a cover-up? Well they can, but why won’t they say anything? They could stop the scandal – whatever it may be! What happened to the direction of it all?

Fought with Richard. I refused to write the statement/ The hour is growing late and Moira [Moira Lehnier, Francis Lehnier’s Wife] is angry. I missed dinner with her, Mama and Papa once more. I will try harder not to next time. Must remember to sleep.

[p. 26]

19.12.1881