ic The Field Where I Watched You Die

[Avenger Assembled]

"Seventy years now they have been dead and gone. The smallest boys and girls they...we, rescued are grandfathers and grandmothers twice over by now." Frost stepped away from the pair, staring up at the Allies of Freedom monument. "I was so...so vile, then. A lying coward who thought of nothing but himself, even with the blood of Hel in me. It was they who taught me heroism. And honor, and compassion...and then they were gone, and there was only Frost." He folded his hands behind his back, composing himself, and when he turned back to the others he was every inch the old monster. Except for the eyes. "My apologies, young man. Things were left unsaid between Henry Griffin and myself that cannot be said now." He pulled up his hood. "But fact remains. That is no resemblance. That is face of Henry Griffin, or close enough as makes no difference."  

[Avorez]

“It makes a difference to me, Frost.†Titan sighed and sat back down at the basin of the Red Fox’s statue, pinching the bridge of his nose as he rested, his mind contemplating the general possibilities…was he really himself, that is to say unique? Or was he really just some experiment that the government felt was within its best interest to cultivate and manipulate to their own ends? “Well, Frost…†Titan began, looking up at the stars, “I’m sorry if I have offended you, truly, I am…And I’m sorry for your loss, but I have not been sent here to make you feel worse about yourself. I haven’t been sent here as some mocking gesture of faux kindness on the part of my government or AEGIS…I’m here to protect the very thing that has commemorated the sacrifice that your friends committed themselves to all those painful years ago.â€

 

Titan looked about the darkened park, the light of the moon washing across the old airfield where the majority of the Allies gave their lives, “So stands the wickedness of man under the light of this moon.†Titan muttered, looking over to Fleur, “Thank you for fixing my pains, Miss. It means a lot to not be in a state of pain while on the job.â€

[Electra]

"You're very welcome," Fleur told him, her face warming into a smile now that the conflict was past. "I'm glad to be able to help. But unfortunately I don't think I've healed the root cause of your headaches, just the current symptoms. Unless you deal with whatever is causing your symptoms, they're very likely to keep recurring. If you like, I can put you in touch with a League doctor who can examine you for any underlying physiological causes. Or a psychologist, if it's a more psychosomatic illness. Sometimes stress and mental trauma can have very real physical symptoms." 

[Avorez]

Titan mulled over her words, “The League huh…†Titan gripped onto the basin of the statue, “The problem is though, I don’t just get these headaches and visionary ‘episodes’ when I’m stressed or under pressure. It’s really only under certain circumstances and at the most random of times.†Titan leaned back in his seat and began to ponder a little bit, “I think the last time I had them this bad, I was reading a dossier related to the extant Griffin family in the UK. Well, that and the dossiers related to the Katanarchists and the Crimson Katana.†Titan clasped his hands together, squeezing them together quietly as he gulped, clearly greatly disturbed, “I see lots of death, and misery…occasionally, happy stuff…but I don’t ever remember it being an experience I’ve had, y’know? I’m afraid that maybe normal psychology can’t help me.â€

[Avenger Assembled]

Frost paced, his fevered brain turning to the terrible problem represented by Titan and his fractured memories. Henry Griffin's face flashed before his eyes, again and again, and he thought of promises broken and words left unsaid seventy years gone. They were gone now. Even their children had begun to age - and in a handful of decades they would be gone too. "So only when reading about children and grandchildren of Henry Griffin and his beloved wife. And of monsters that slew him and his brother while he slept." He looked at the monument and suddenly boomed, "But it makes no sense!" He slapped his hand against his thigh. "Why would they send you to this place? There have been no threats made against Allies of Freedom legacy - I watch for such things. And AEGIS has...assets in Europe who could have done the guarding for less trouble." He looked at Titan and asked, "Your superiors. Did you tell them about your episodes? A good soldier, reporting a weakness that might endanger his mission?" 

[Avorez]

Titan mulled over Frost’s words as they continued the discussion, “Well, I did. In fact, I’ve consulted on-site medical professionals multiple times, and they always say that they’ll file a report, but if they have I’ve never seen any action taken as a result.†Titan grumbled, looking around the place, “What do you think, Frost? There is the possibility that you’re right. I could be…†Henry sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, “A clone.†Titan rose from his spot on the basin of the statue, his metallic body thudding against the stone as he stretched, “It’d be hard to prove that, though. Especially given the fact that I’m stuck here, unless a dire situation arises, until sunrise.†Titan shrugged and sighed, “Don’t know if you could classify this as ‘dire’, though. ‘Help! I may be a clone! Gotta go find myself like I’m Rocky.’â€

[Electra]

Fleur's face was soft with sympathy as she regarded the tall hero. "It's not something that can be solved all in one night," she advised him, "but there are people who can help you. The League psychologists deal with far more than what crops up in normal practice, think of the people and the situations they have to cope with! It couldn't hurt to at least talk to someone, tell them about your headaches and what causes them, how they make you feel. Worst case scenario, they can't do anything and you're no worse off than now, right?" 

 

She looked back to Frost. "Henry Griffin has living first or second generation descendants, doesn't he? Do you know where any of them are? Even if we don't have any genetic material of the man himself, a DNA test on Titan and the descendants could confirm whether they're all in the same family. It would be a place to start." 

[Avenger Assembled]

"I do!" declared Frost. "I have known them since childhood." He thought for a moment, then turned to Fleur. "Can you teleport to street address and GPS coordinates in London if I can provide them? Was last at Griffins for birthday of little Griffin boy of fourth generation in February." Come to think of it, that did explain the unannounced vacation Frost had taken right around Valentine's Day. "Griffins should be in family mansion in London for today. They have always preferred to take this day..." His eyes flicked back to the monument. "...as a family. But all will be there, and we can speak to them immediately." Frost didn't seem to mind what was evidently a very late hour in Europe; but of course Fleur had never seen the Russian ice controller sleep, or even show much in the way of fatigue. "Can bring this fellow as well and have tested by Ministry of Powers. Need not even return to America."