magnetic ◊ criminal minds

lxx.

lxx. hit
( season seven, episode twenty-three )

PYRO had occupied himself with following Lyra around. It was nothing out of the ordinary. He had a tendency to do that whenever she was home. This time, he was ranting to her (and, by proximity, Exodus who was intending to discuss things with Lyra) about his latest outing to the school to visit his boyfriend and friends. Lyra suspected Charles knew, he had to, and just said nothing about it. She was certain he was the type to secretly hope John would return to the school, change his mind about being part of the Brotherhood. Lyra knew very well that would not happen. He liked the chaos far too much. She did not blame him.

"They introduced me to this new kid Jubilee, she's my age, super cool. She does this firework thing with her powers just for fun. Anyway, a bunch of us played basketball. I won, of course," Pyro ranted.

"Naturally," Lyra signed in agreement, nodding along as he spoke. Exodus, to his credit, stayed silent and nodded along as well, though his repetitive glances toward Lyra told her he wanted to speak to her alone. She was not blind - only partially so now, so she could see it clearly. She pat her pockets. "I think I forgot my motorcycle keys at home," she signed.

"I'll get them!" Pyro immediately offered, running back in that direction before she could say any more. He was a good kid, in Lyra's opinion. Pyromaniac or not.

Lyra looked at Exodus, raising an eyebrow.

"He does know your motorcycle is there too?" Exodus said, seeing the flaw in her ploy.

"Do you want to tell me something or not?" Lyra countered.

Exodus stopped walking, giving her a steady look. "Humanity is trying to eradicate us," he stated.

"And that's new because...?" Lyra prompted. That sounded like typical humanity. They feared something, thus that fear turned into hatred. This was the case with mutants. They feared evolution, thus wanted mutants cured. But it would never work. It was genetics, passed down from the father. It just was not possible to wipe them out forever, but it was quite possible to commit a genocide against the current generation.

Exodus placed a hand on her shoulder, telepathically sharing images of what he had seen. A bill requiring the documentation of mutants. There were flashes in the images of power-suppressant collars.

"Oh," Lyra signed, faltering. Now she understood. Her government, the same one she had gone back to working for, wanted a bill passed. It was the same routine as before, trying to cause fear of mutants instead of acceptance. Why should mutants have to register themselves if humans did not? It was an injustice she did not like.

Exodus nodded. "Mystique is attempting to solve the issue. Peacefully, if you must know."

Lyra shrugged. She was not in a position where she cared if it was peaceful or not anymore. Humans just needed to listen. Equality and coexistence was better for everyone. She did not understand why humans could not see that. It was because they did not see that that mutants like her father did not believe in coexistence either. A never-ending cycle she wished would come to an end.

"Got them!" Pyro exclaimed, running back over. He almost barreled into Lyra, but stopped himself just in time, handing over the keys.

Lyra ruffled his hair. "Thanks, kid."