*Rai-Lin*
Frankie didn't leave right away. Instead, he took care of M in the lab. Normally, I would be down there with him, but I was still sitting on the couch, wrapped in a blanket. Takio and Tao sat across from me, while Raizel sat beside me, his hand in mine.
Frankie emerged from the lab a short time later. When he did, Takio and Tao got up to greet him. I watched them without interest until they said they wanted to undergo experiments. I perked up. Why would they want to undergo experimentation after what they had gone through? Then, I heard it. They wanted to protect those they loved. I could respect that.
"We need Master's permission to do any experiments," Frankie was saying. "I can't disobey his orders."
"Frankenstein," Raizel called.
"Yes, Master?"
"I don't think you always waited for my permission." I snorted at Raizel's statement.
Frankie scratched the back of his head as he laughed nervously. "Come on, Master. Someone might get the wrong impression."
Standing up, I let the blanket fall from my shoulders. My mouth was a straight line. "I'll do the experiments if Frankenstein won't," Everyone looked at me. "I can understand wanting to be stronger to protect the ones you love. Besides, I know how to run experiments as well as my brother." My mind flashed back to a time when Frankie and I sat by the fireplace, reading old texts, to times when I talked Frankie into showing me how to work all his machines. Yes, I could run these experiments.
Takio and Tao looked at each other. "We couldn't ask you to do that, not with your history," Tao said.
I waved my hands agitatedly. "That's just it. It's my history, not my present. I can't let it define me," I softened my words. "I wouldn't offer to do this if I didn't think I could."
"Frankenstein, you will help your sister to carry out these experiments. I do not want her to do this alone." Raizel sipped on his tea. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. He was so overprotective sometimes. While I found his protectiveness endearing most the time, it could also get on my nerves.
I hooked my arm through my brother's. "Shall we begin?" We led the way down to the lab.
Once there, Frankenstein measured up Tao and Takio. "There's one thing you guys should know," Frankenstein said as Tao gulped. "I haven't done a proper experiment in a long time. It's been much longer than you can imagine. Very long...Haha, don't worry. It'll work out somehow, right."
I slapped Frankenstein's arm. "Don't scare them," I turned back to the machine I was messing with. "Takio, Tao, regardless of what you think, you aren't weak."
"What?" they chorused
Frankie broke in then, seeing that I was busy calibrating the machine. I listened as they talked, occasionally checking on M, who was on a table nearby. I knew how Takio and Tao must be feeling, the feeling of helplessness. I had felt it before 820 years ago, right before Raizel went to sleep. It had been a terrible feeling.
I finished calibrating the machine before I felt the energies that were Regis and Seira leave. I turned to Frankie. "Regis and Seira have left. I assume they are going to find Rael."
He nodded. "I will go after them."
"I suggest you inform Raizel. I will continue to monitor M." I didn't turn around as Frankie's footsteps faded away. M opened his eyes as soon as Frankie was gone and sat up on the table. "What are you doing?"
"You shouldn't have to monitor me when something like this is happening. You should be able to seek comfort when you need it," M said.
I tried to push him back down. "I don't need comfort."
"Don't you though?" Tao asked. "You clearly weren't okay earlier."
"I'm fine, guys." I had given up on trying to get M to lay down and had placed my hands on my hips.
"The pain in your eyes says otherwise," Takio took a step forward. "Let us help you."
I sighed, turning away to take M's electrodes off. "You can't help me. Not with this."
"I know," Tao said suddenly. "We can distract you. Maybe it won't be so hard to bear."
"Unless you want to fight me, I doubt you will be able to distract me much." I put the electrodes away.
I didn't miss the grins creeping across their faces. "Then, we'll fight you," M said.
"You all wouldn't stand a chance," I tapped my chin. "But I know something that could work."
"What?"
"I know M can resist mind control, but I doubt even he can withstand a mental attack from me or a high noble. Since we are running into more nobles, I don't want you all to susceptible to their mind control. Most nobles' attacks would be much stronger than Regis's." I was practically vibrating from excitement.
"What are you trying to say?" Tao looked nervous.
"I want to teach you all how to protect your minds. Let's begin," I launch a mental attack at M, who was able to hold out for a second before I entered his mind. I pulled back as soon as I broke his wall. He stood there, blinking, while I clapped my hands together. "That wasn't bad for a first try. You can tell you practiced. Most people wouldn't be able to mount any sort of defense against me."
Tao and Takio looked completely confused, so I decided to give them a rundown of how to block someone from your mind. Then, we practiced. The three did good, though they were tired by the time I felt Frankie's energy return. I glanced at the three of them. "Get some rest. I'm going to see what Frankie has to report." And then I headed upstairs.