*Notes*: I've always been fascinated with the interactions between Marrow
and Wolverine. Partly because of what they have in common but mainly
because they're a lot more disimilar if you look past the exterior. It
should be noted that I have no idea what Wolverine has been up to since
Marrow disappeared from the X-Men in 2000. For the past couple years I've
only been reading "spin-off" books like Weapon X, X-Statix, Mystique, and
anything else that catches my eye.
"Same old Marrow," he sneered as she stepped out of the forest and into the clearing. His clearing. His sanctuary.
The ridiculousness of his statement would have been apparent to anyone watching since Marrow barely resembled the teenager deformed by bone growths she had been last time they'd seen each other. One look revealed a face with a perfectly smooth complexion and the black leather she was wearing showed more than enough skin to prove that her mutation was now under control.
"No, not the same at all, old man. I'm the new and improved Marrow. Did you go blind sometime in the past four years?"
Old habits died hard and the two were standing a few feet apart, both taking defensive stances after the first words exchanged.
"You might look different but we both know you haven't improved on anything by taking up with Weapon X," he responded.
Sarcastic delight filled her voice as she said, "I'm so honored that the heroic Wolverine has deigned to follow my career. In fact, I should thank you, sir. The reason I was recruited into Weapon X in the first place was because of certain similar traits the Director seemed to think you and I share. I stopped myself from disabusing him of that notion when he offered me what the X-Men never could, normalcy."
"You call life as an evil government assassin 'normal?" he snorted. "You need to get your head checked, little girl."
Her scent carried her sudden surge of anger and he was surprised when she inhaled deeply and took on a more relaxed pose before speaking again.
"You know, I didn't come here to argue with you. I just wanted to give you some advise."
Wolverine snorted again before saying, "You think I need your words of wisdom? Those experiemts they did to control your growths must have really messed up your brain."
"There's nothing wrong with my mind. Better than ever, in fact." She paused before continuing. "I don't know what's going on with that X-Man who just joined Weapon X, and the truth is that I'd rather not know. I don't want to be a casualty in whatever game you're playing."
"There ain't no game," he replied. "Chamber couldn't get control of himself and was offered what he thought was a better deal when he was at his lowest. In the end, sometimes ya can't stop a kid if they're headed for self-destruction. You'd know all about that, wouldn't ya, Sarah?"
Her anger rose again and words were forced through a clenched jaw. "You will not call me by that name again! You are not my family. You are not my friend. I came here only to warn you that no good will come of your little friend entering Weapon X. Maybe the X-Men really have abandoned him because you feel he is out of control. If that's the case, quit the self-righteous crap, get your heads out of your asses, and save him."
He opened his mouth to speak but was quickly cut off.
"And maybe this is some ingenious scheme you guys have cooked up to infiltrate headquarters. If that's the case then you are all intensely stupid. I don't know all the secrets of the program but I do know that this ain't old man Wolverine's Weapon X anymore. Bad stuff is happening there. Stuff that goes beyond experimenting on mutants and turning them into killing machines. That's why you've got to get the kid out of there one way or another. The X-Men will be facing it all soon enough but you don't need to sacrifice your teammate to get it done. I have no doubt that you don't want to trust me on this but I'm telling you straight."
"Why?" he asked, staring at her.
She didn't want to answer and thought about running. Too bad she was facing the only person she'd ever thought capable of beating her in a fight.
His relentless gaze finally got to her and she shrugged and looked away. "I might kinda owe you. All of you. You guys managed to put up with me for a few years. That's more than most people can handle." Raising her eyes to his she continued, "Okay, so maybe I do owe you more than the rest of 'em. Remember that time I stabbed you through the neck?"
Marrow managed to surprise Wolverine when she finished talking with a genuine smile on her face and mischief dancing in her eyes.
As she turned and walked away, he wanted to call out to her. To stop her and ask why this was so important to her. Maybe even to ask her to come back to the house with him.
In the end, he said nothing.
"Same old Marrow," he sneered as she stepped out of the forest and into the clearing. His clearing. His sanctuary.
The ridiculousness of his statement would have been apparent to anyone watching since Marrow barely resembled the teenager deformed by bone growths she had been last time they'd seen each other. One look revealed a face with a perfectly smooth complexion and the black leather she was wearing showed more than enough skin to prove that her mutation was now under control.
"No, not the same at all, old man. I'm the new and improved Marrow. Did you go blind sometime in the past four years?"
Old habits died hard and the two were standing a few feet apart, both taking defensive stances after the first words exchanged.
"You might look different but we both know you haven't improved on anything by taking up with Weapon X," he responded.
Sarcastic delight filled her voice as she said, "I'm so honored that the heroic Wolverine has deigned to follow my career. In fact, I should thank you, sir. The reason I was recruited into Weapon X in the first place was because of certain similar traits the Director seemed to think you and I share. I stopped myself from disabusing him of that notion when he offered me what the X-Men never could, normalcy."
"You call life as an evil government assassin 'normal?" he snorted. "You need to get your head checked, little girl."
Her scent carried her sudden surge of anger and he was surprised when she inhaled deeply and took on a more relaxed pose before speaking again.
"You know, I didn't come here to argue with you. I just wanted to give you some advise."
Wolverine snorted again before saying, "You think I need your words of wisdom? Those experiemts they did to control your growths must have really messed up your brain."
"There's nothing wrong with my mind. Better than ever, in fact." She paused before continuing. "I don't know what's going on with that X-Man who just joined Weapon X, and the truth is that I'd rather not know. I don't want to be a casualty in whatever game you're playing."
"There ain't no game," he replied. "Chamber couldn't get control of himself and was offered what he thought was a better deal when he was at his lowest. In the end, sometimes ya can't stop a kid if they're headed for self-destruction. You'd know all about that, wouldn't ya, Sarah?"
Her anger rose again and words were forced through a clenched jaw. "You will not call me by that name again! You are not my family. You are not my friend. I came here only to warn you that no good will come of your little friend entering Weapon X. Maybe the X-Men really have abandoned him because you feel he is out of control. If that's the case, quit the self-righteous crap, get your heads out of your asses, and save him."
He opened his mouth to speak but was quickly cut off.
"And maybe this is some ingenious scheme you guys have cooked up to infiltrate headquarters. If that's the case then you are all intensely stupid. I don't know all the secrets of the program but I do know that this ain't old man Wolverine's Weapon X anymore. Bad stuff is happening there. Stuff that goes beyond experimenting on mutants and turning them into killing machines. That's why you've got to get the kid out of there one way or another. The X-Men will be facing it all soon enough but you don't need to sacrifice your teammate to get it done. I have no doubt that you don't want to trust me on this but I'm telling you straight."
"Why?" he asked, staring at her.
She didn't want to answer and thought about running. Too bad she was facing the only person she'd ever thought capable of beating her in a fight.
His relentless gaze finally got to her and she shrugged and looked away. "I might kinda owe you. All of you. You guys managed to put up with me for a few years. That's more than most people can handle." Raising her eyes to his she continued, "Okay, so maybe I do owe you more than the rest of 'em. Remember that time I stabbed you through the neck?"
Marrow managed to surprise Wolverine when she finished talking with a genuine smile on her face and mischief dancing in her eyes.
As she turned and walked away, he wanted to call out to her. To stop her and ask why this was so important to her. Maybe even to ask her to come back to the house with him.
In the end, he said nothing.