Disclaimer: This is a fanfiction site. Do you really think I own this?
A.N. This story came about from my main story Memories. In Memories, you catch a glimpse of alternate realities and how life has played out for the main character there. Here, I'm going to write about twenty different realities and how firsts in Logan and Tora's (or Marie and James' or Torao and Logan's or Marc and Jane's or…well, you get the message) relationships. Each piece could be 50 words or a thousand. Some situations may change, especially in more primitive realities. Also, there probably won't be any real timeline to this, as each relationship goes at a different pace. So first up, twenty first…
Meetings
Earth-618 –Memories
The doors fell in on themselves and Logan staggered as the stench hit him. The walls were covered in gore. A massacre had obviously taken place there. And at the opposite end of the long room was a cage. There was a figure there, but whoever it was appeared to have collapsed. There was a chain holding his head up. As they got closer Nightcrawler gasped out loud, shattering the silence.
"Is that a…a child?"
The figure looked up. Fierce golden eyes glared out of a grubby and bloodstained face. Rough, filthy hair framed a face that was obviously that of a young woman. But the eyes that burned and accused were like Logan's only deeper. Someone who had suffered and screamed and in the end given up. Storm moved closer, reaching for the cage door only to withdraw her hand as the woman within snarled and snapped, revealing sharp canines.
"Ororo, for all we know, this woman might be responsible for this…massacre. I don't think you should…"
"Scott, this is a child. She is scared. Let her be."
As the others bickered about the girl, Logan crouched down, so his eyes were level with the girl's. They sat there for a while, just looking at each other. Wolverine spoke first.
"I reckon you'll understand me. It hurts doesn't it? I guess you're like me 'cos they put you in an adamantium cage…"
Gradually the others noticed what he was doing and turned to listen. The words soon dropped into the background. It was simply the tone that mattered. The way you talked to a spooked animal. The girl never broke eye contact with Wolverine, just stared at him, gaze never wavering from his face. Finally she spoke.
"Please…get me out… I can't stay here any longer…He will return soon. Please."
Logan sensed rather than saw the others' shudders. Who was the "he" she referred to with great fear? Storm began the slow job of picking the lock as the others took turns to keep watch. The girl…so hard to think of her as a woman…moving restlessly. She seemed unable to remain still, so unlike the corpse-like figure they had seen when they first entered. She was odd. There was something about the unblinking eyes that unnerved him. It wasn't the feline pupils, or the unnatural golden colour. No he was fine with that. It was the look of years in her eyes. The same look that he saw in the mirror every morning, only the outer layer had none of the steel. But look further and you saw the metal, unbreakable.
The door swung open and with a swift tug, Colossus broke through the chains. She collapsed. Piotr passed her out and Kurt gently held her up. Storm offered her an arm but the girl pushed it away, managing to stand. She swayed slightly but then steadied herself. She began to walk away, towards the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm not going to hurt you. Everything I touch dies. That or it hurts me. He'll be back soon. I have to run. Have to get away. Have to escape. Have to be free. Never been free before. Wonder what it is like to be free."
He was there first.
"Kid, you're a walking corpse. We'll get you out of here. Don't worry, we'll look after you."
The girl withdrew, fear in her eyes as a figure rose up out of the darkness and thrust a clawed hand through his chest. The girl screamed, her hands bunching into fists as Logan dropped into darkness.
Earth 1610 –Ultimate
She stepped off the jeep, shielding her eyes from the sunlight. An American private stood to attention.
"Ma'am."
She nodded curtly. Very few people knew the real reason she was here. As an SOE operative, she had to be careful. Hiding in a camp, in plain sight, searching for the mole who was the reason she was here. She shivered, despite the heat. War did this to people. She didn't know where her sister was, hadn't known since the annexation of France. She walked through the camp, avoiding the looks she was getting. She could do without a group of soldiers who hadn't had any female company for about a year chasing after her. Stepping into the tent, she saluted the commander.
"You the Special Services chap? Girl. Whatever."
"Oui."
"Name?"
She smiled, remembering the name she had been given just before leaving.
"La Tigresse."
"Real name."
"My real name is La Tigresse. Understand?"
"No. I am the commanding officer of this camp and I want to know who I'm talking to!"
"And I am the agent posted here to investigate the mole and no one is above suspicion. Not even you."
Suddenly a short man stepped in.
"Sir! Oh… Sorry Ma'am."
She turned and nodded at the Canadian Army Colonel, raising an eyebrow quizzically.
"Colonel James Howlett."
"Pleasure to meet you. Section Leader Turner."
"Doesn't sound like a French name. You with the Wrens?"
"Yes."
He gave her another slight smile then turned his attention to his commander.
Earth-523 –Witchkin
She cowered in the cage, eyes darting from person to person as the bidding increased, faster, more wild, reaching numbers higher than the previous lots. A hand reached in and she automatically swiped out a hand, knowing her long nails were a good enough defence just now. If she really needed to, she could tear them all to shreds. She snarled again, knowing that it was putting the less certain bidders off. Now there were only two left, a man covered in scars and another one surrounded by women, all in cages. Then a low, growling voice shouted out a price at least triple the bid right now. Silence. Then…
"SOLD!"
She tried to turn, to see the person who had bought her and then met with ice-blue eyes and a face-full of Wildling scent. A Wildling in a human settlement? Therefore, Packless.
"Calm. I'm a friend."
Low, quiet, spoken in the Wildling tongue to avoid others hearing.
"Pack-Traitor…"
He sighed and waved a hand, calling two others to come and lift the cage before carrying her to a man leaning by a fire. He gave a gap-toothed leer and smirked.
"A Darkwing purchase?"
"Yes."
She was tugged out of the cage, a knee went into her back and her loose white robe was torn down over her left shoulder. In her peripheral vision she saw the metal being pulled out of the fire and then it burned. The blacksmith nodded in satisfaction.
"That won't heal up for a while. Just come down to get it redone when it heals."
She tried to struggle but his hands suddenly pressed down on her neck.
"I am taking you somewhere safe. Trust me."
"Packless cur!"
"Feisty little thing, aint she? What do you lot do with all the Witchkin filth up at Aingeal?"
"Work them."
She tried again to move but his fingers tightened and she knew if she wasn't Wildling, then he would have caused bruising.
"I'll take her over to the cart."
And she was suddenly in a dark and filthy cart, with a cover and which stank of other Witchkin.
Earth-671 –Powerless
She lay in the alley, blood pouring from the knife wounds on her face, from her scalp where her hair had been pulled, from her arms where his fingernails had dug in and running down her legs. She hurt. It hurt so much. And she wished for a second that those stupid heroes from those stupid comics were real, all those hours she had spent reading comics as a child, reading about Spider-Man and Iron Man and who knew what else, wished they were actual facts, not just works of fiction. Cold. She was so cold.
"Who's there?"
A man at the end of the alley.
"Hello?"
She didn't answer, half terrified this person would be the same, half shocked out of her wits.
"Are you alright? What the-"
He was there and she was barely able to move, trying to cover herself.
"Who did this to you? Calm down. Look, I'm ringing the police."
The calm part of her brain, the part that always worked, no matter what, started supplying her with information. Canadian judging by accent. Slight hint of military in his bearing. Then a soft brush of leather, covering her up.
"What's your name? Look, I'm not going to hurt you."
"Ma- Ma- Mar-"
"Mary? Maria?"
"Ma- Marie…"
"I'm James. Now the police are coming. Everything's going to be fine."
Earth-987 –X-Change
He barely raised his head when the voices sounded. Far too often they arrived, offering hope, a chance of escape. And it always turned out to be Madam Creed's idea of a joke, a piece of mental trickery that sent him deeper and deeper into despair. Then the door fell in and the part of him that Evan had sparked made a little dry comment.
She's getting better.
Then a tall, black man with white hair reached out to open the door and a woman in blue with a red visor shook her head.
"Jorah, for all we know, this man might be responsible for this…massacre. I don't think you should…"
"Summer, this is a child. He is scared. Let him be."
A short woman in gold and tan leant down and looked into his eyes.
"I reckon you'll understand me. It hurts doesn't it? I guess you're like me 'cos they put you in an adamantium cage…"
He relaxed as the soft, low voice calmed him. Then tensed as she thought of Victoria Creed.
"Please…get me out… I can't stay here any longer…She will return soon. Please."
The woman nodded.
"Summer, he's not the one who did this. Jorah, can you pick the lock?"
The white-haired man nodded and then a blue, delicate face with pointed ears was in front of him.
"Who are you? I'm Kristina. They call me Nightcrawler. Summer over there, or Cyclops is our fearless leader. Jorah, Logan and Petra are over there. So, what's your name?"
Throat dry, he opened his mouth.
"I…I don't have one…"
Earth-9821 –Starcrossed
He turned and someone barrelled into him.
"WEAPON X! I owe you a lot!"
He barely twisted round and saw distorting orange and black clothes and suddenly his face was slashed up.
"You monster! They turned me into this because of you!"
A woman, small, slight, spindly metal claws jutting from her hands, was staring at him. Magneto turned round.
"Tigress, I assume you wish to gain your vengeance on your predecessor and I will not interfere."
Logan gawped at her.
"How old are you?"
She laughed, cold and bitter.
"Twenty-two. I have been a weapon since I was two years old. You are as responsible as the men who strapped me down and turned me into this."
Then she slammed into him again and spun a kick.
"You're a monster Weapon X. A mass-murderer and a monster. And they tried to turn me into you."
"Er…you are allied to the terrorist Master of Magnetism."
She didn't answer, just punched him then kicked out. Snarling, he charged into her and they fell down from the roof, smashing into the ground. She leapt up and hit into him and he watched as her bleeding cuts started healing.
"Fight damn you!"
He shook his head, looking at a woman filled with hate, anger and pain. From where she had landed in the gravel, he could see a huge X-shaped scar criss-crossing across her back.
"I did this to you. I think that's the one thing I deserve to die for."
Earth-321 –Weapon Plus
He turned towards her and she crouched low, ready to fight. She knew they liked doing this, the trainers, knew they liked to pit their charges against each other to see how well they fought. Wolverine was famed through the facility. She heard her trainer calling her name, trying to get her to fight. His lips parted up in a snarl and then he sniffed the air. She dropped down to all-fours, knowing for the quick run-up and kick-off the tree, beastlike was the way to go. He growled and she knew he was preparing to fight as well.
She leapt, hands meeting the trunk then kicking off when she brought her feet up. Wolverine snarled as he brought up his fists. What followed was plain animal brawling, biting, scratching with fingernails and one rather impressive point which involved her ramming her hands into his mouth and tugging, dislocating the jaw.
"STOP!"
She looked up, waiting for him to get off her, from the position where he was pinning her down. Ice-blue eyes stared into hers.
"Wolverine!"
His mouth moved down to her ear and suddenly a word was breathed out, in a voice that hadn't been used in years.
"Friend…?"
She choked on the response. She hadn't spoken since they hurt her with the adamantium.
"Friend…"
He released the pressure on her wrists and inhaled. She responded in kind and filled her nose with his scent, memorising it as one of a friend.
"Wolverine, get off!"
She rolled slightly, pushing him off and continued the introduction, gently inhaling his scent. They moved slowly, edging around one another, neither quite certain what to make of the other.
"Do you think…?"
"The boss's been wanting a pair. Those two are the best. Together…"
They ignored the guards as they learnt everything about the other through posture, scent and eye contact.
Earth-735 –Saviour
She typed a few more lines onto the phone, hoping the notes she had taken would be enough to please JJ. He was a good employer, if a little overenthusiastic in his hatred of Spider-Man. At any rate, his handling of mutant coverage was, in her eyes, pretty well-handled. She flicked through her notes again.
Dr McTggrt; why should we fear other ppl? FF and Avngrs accepted, why not X-M?
She scrolled down to the bit where Professor Xavier had given his speech on peaceful cohabitation.
The USA cndms dscrmntn agnst hmsxls, clrd, wmn & rlgous ppl, so why r mtnts any dffrnt? 1 extra chrmsne isn't reason to hate. Mst mtnts jst tryng to live nrml life. Who r we to dny thm?
She opened and texted a message to Betty, knowing JJ hated texts.
Cnfrnce a success. Expct article by 2morow mrng. MC
She let the rocking of the train sooth her. Her phone beeped again and she glanced down. A message from Betty.
Parker get the photos?
Yeah. Wnt off on his own. Said he'll be back before 2 l8. M
The man sprawled out on the seat opposite snorted loudly and a bottle slipped from his hand.
Drunk on trn wth me. Want to get cffee l8r?M
She froze as something cold and metal pressed to her forehead. Barely glancing up, she saw a man, gun in hand.
"Hand over your cash."
She shrugged.
"If there's any money in my bag, you can have it. I doubt it though. Mutant correspondent at the Bugle doesn't pay well."
"And the phone."
"Not a chance in hell."
The muzzle of the gun suddenly jabbed forward.
"What did you just say to me?"
"I said, not a chance in hell. I understood that and English isn't my first language. I've just spent three hours at a boring conference in the hope of hearing Professor Xavier talk and all my notes are on this phone. I am not giving it up."
The man opposite groaned and the second would-be mugger slipped out another gun while the first rammed the gun further into her hair.
"I said, give me the phone!"
"And I said, no. Seeing as you don't seem to understand English, I will try in other languages. Non, nicht, nie, niet."
She wondered for a second why they hadn't realised something was wrong yet. They were threatening her and she was totally calm. If they threatened the man, no matter how drunk and noisy he was, she would probably have to resort to the claws. The gun was jabbed into the paper that was covering his face.
"Got any money?"
"Go 'way… jus' sleepy…"
"I said, you got any money!"
Suddenly, two things happened. Marie leapt up, span round and elbowed her aggressor in the face as the drunk man who now didn't look anywhere near as drunk now moved fast and his attacker was curled up on the floor, cradling his stump of a wrist. Marie stared at the smooth metal claws.
"Wolverine!"
"Yeah. So what?"
Suddenly someone caught her around the neck and pulled her back onto the gun.
"Take one more step and I'll shoot! I swear!"
"I'll count to ten, bub and then…"
Marie spun round and pinned the man to the wall of the train, twisting the now extended claws to hold his clothes into the metal. She pulled her hand away and let the bone claws register in his mind before sheathing them. Wolverine just stared at her.
"You were at that conference."
"Yes. I'm a reporter. It's my job."
He pointed at the knuckles that were slightly tinged with blood.
"They natural?"
"Yours?"
"Don't know."
"Well yes they're natural."
He frowned then held out a hand.
"What?"
"Phone. I reckon Chuck would love to meet you."
Earth-3799 –Teaching the Gifted
"Mr Circen, you do appreciate that all the students at this school are geniuses. Your credentials are impressive and Etana was more than happy to hire you. The Languages Department is one of our smallest as Ms Howlett teaches German, Russian, Japanese and Etana Toledano speaks fluent Hebrew, Yiddish, Hindu, Mandarin, Swahili, Arabic, Polish and Latin, although I'm not entirely certain we have Latin on the syllabus."
He nodded.
"I understand."
"Your CV is impressive. French, Spanish, Italian, Greek and Portuguese."
"Languages come easily to me."
"The Xavier School for the Gifted has some thirty teachers and one-hundred and fifty pupils. We aim to give the students the best education possible. As one of the teachers, you will be expected to live in the rooms we will provide. There are a number of rules that your Departmental Head will happily explain. And I believe that Ms Howlett has just arrived."
"Charles, has the new teacher… Ah."
Marc could feel the newcomer's eyes trailing across all of him. She was in her mid-thirties, had messy black hair and pale blue eyes. Then she grinned.
"Jane Howlett. I'm one of your colleagues. One of two actually. Etana's my boss. She's great but a little…eccentric? Would that be the word?"
Professor Xavier started laughing, his whole body shaking in the wheelchair.
"Yes, I believe that would be the word for our redoubtable Dr Toledano."
Marc glanced up.
"Pardon?"
"Fifty-six years old and still acting like a woman in her twenties. You'll get used to her but to begin with, she's a little…full-on?"
"I blame Captain Rogers."
"What?"
"She was involved with a childhood friend when she was sixteen and it was serious. He signed up for Vietnam in '72, aged seventeen and wrote home every week. One day on leave, in '74 he asked her to marry him, she said yes, he went back to 'Nam and the month after that- wham. Missing in Action, presumed dead. She spends forty-five years throwing herself into work and then suddenly news comes in last year. A group of mercenaries found an American in the middle of the jungle, who had a load of love letters from an Etana Toledano. He came home and she was still waiting for him. She disappears off every weekend."
"Oh…err…that's…nice?"
Jane laughed and stuck out a hand.
"Just don't get her started on Steve Rogers. We'll be hanging about all day!"
Earth-21267 –Agents of SHIELD
"Nick…"
"Logan, I know you hate working in a team, but she is the best."
"I haven't got time to take some rookie round with me, always keeping an eye out for them!"
"Logan, she is just as good as you at half the age… She's the Weapon X girl…"
Logan rounded on Fury.
"I thought she was being sent home! Not kept here! That makes us as bad as them!"
"She requested to stay!"
"That's cos she doesn't know any better!"
"Well then, you can try to persuade her otherwise."
"But…"
"No buts Logan. Ah, Tora, come in."
The young woman in the pristine SHIELD uniform stepped in, her hair pulled up in a tight bun. She stood neatly to attention.
"Logan, Tora. Tora, this is Logan. He's your new partner."
She gave him a shy smile.
"Hello Sir."
"Don't call me sir, 'kay? We're partners, I'm not your boss. That's Nick's job."
She smiled again.
"Thank you. I adm-"
"Don't say it!"
"What?"
"Don't you dare admire me because of what I was!"
She nodded.
Earth-6176 –Opposites
She changed her step automatically, entering the bathroom as a blond, glamorous socialite, leaving as a mousy-haired secretary carrying a clipboard. Her face shape had changed completely, courtesy of pads and she added an extra half-foot onto her height with a carefully hidden heel. Glancing down again, she looked at the small photo of her mark. Turning her head again, she saw him and inhaled, getting his scent. Stepping into the lift, she pulled the wig off, revealing her short red and black hair. Stepping out, she timed it perfectly, slamming right into him and causing both their papers to fly everywhere. Blushing, she started scooping up her papers and timed it perfectly, reaching out for a sheet the same time he did. Their eyes met and she smiled shyly, hoping the mark wasn't suspicious. Well, he was a spy, so he would be suspicious but if she appeared casual enough, he wouldn't suspect her job was actually to fake falling in love with him then to kill him. As such she was totally unprepared for the sheepish smile she got in return.
"Er…I'm Logan. Do you… Do you work here?"
"It's my first day."
"Do you…want me to show you around?"
"Thank you. I'm Tora."
Standing up, they shook hands, both totally unaware that their target was intending to kill them.
Earth-19 –Being Normal
Logan turned and stared.
"Who's the chick following 'Ro around?"
Remy and Kurt both turned from their positions by the lockers. Remy stared as well and Kurt grinned, his blue face splitting into a wild grin.
"New girl. French. Marie Circen. She's in our year, in class 9B1. Her sister's coming next year apparently. I was at the office."
Remy whistled appreciatively.
"Remy's so glad he's in A1. That girl? Won't know what hit her."
Kurt sighed.
"Real smooth Gambit. But I don't think Rogue will like that and she can turn you into a braindead, drooling idiot."
Logan smirked.
"So not a real difference at all?"
Remy laughed.
"Yeah, Anna's great. Hey Lo, since you split up with 'Ro, you're free. And you're in B1. Come on, admit it, she's hot."
Ororo sailed up beside them.
"Logan, you're in B1 aren't you? Can you show Marie around for a week? I would, but I'm in A2 so I won't share any classes except the training."
"You're training in the DR already? That's impressive."
Marie smiled, her golden eyes flashing.
"I go to a school in London that has facilities for mutant enfants but the Xavier Institute is the…meilleur… sorry, my English is no good…"
Remy grinned.
"Je parle français."
Smiling broadly, Marie launched into a rapid burst of French then Remy responded before turning.
"She was at the Excalibur Academy and they sent her here as her gifts and her control of them were better than the facilities there allowed for."
Logan gave her his best 'charm' smile and noticed 'Ro rolling her eyes.
"Oh, Marie, watch out for Logan. He's got a bit of a bad boy reputation."
Marie's eyes flicked up over him.
"Really?"
And Logan really hoped the flash he saw in her eyes was interest.
Earth-40 –DragonBound.
He fell into an easy lope, all four legs pounding away at the hard ground. He was nearing Cat territory but he was the Wolf-Prince and needn't fear overgrown kittens. No werecat could harm him, unless he met the DragonBound. And that was highly unlikely. According to their spies, the old DragonBound had died only a few years ago. Logan's father had muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'two hundred years too late'. The new dragon, a pale blue Serpentine had chosen a female who was only just out of her kit years, who came from one of the outlying tribes.
Snorting, Logan grinned. The Cats relied too heavily on their pact with the Dragons. All the great beasts did was drop off an egg each time the old Dragon and their Bound died then left again. At least the Phoenix was unique. When the old Phoenix Wolf died, the bird burst into flames and a chick was born from the ashes. All the Packs would search for a female cub born the same time as the old Wolf died and bring her to the Phoenix. Bonding was usually swift and instantaneous and the Wolf's Pack would soon become the First amongst them all. The present Phoenix Wolf, Jean, was about the same age as him.
Suddenly he stopped and Shifted to his biped form. A Cat girl leapt out of the tree, her clan markings; natural variations in the pigment of the skin, proclaiming her to be Tiger. Her golden eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing here, Wolf-Boy?"
He bristled at her offhand tone.
"I'm one of the Howlett Pack, Kitling. We are the foremost Wolf Pack."
"Yes, until your precious Phoenix Wolf dies and then power shifts to whoever has some poor female who was born when the last one died."
"You parade your kits in front of a rock, hoping that some scaly reptile will hatch for them."
She snarled and he suddenly questioned the wisdom of calling a dragon a 'scaly reptile'.
"Draturo is nothing of the sort!"
He got a sinking feeling. Only the DragonBound could call the Dragon by name. And the new DragonBound was a Tiger female.
"Prepare to suffer, Dog-Boy."
She Shifted and suddenly a large blue dragon, with scales that shimmered like water bugled a call and twisted in the sky, landing lightly in a way that belied his bulk, his elongated body stretching out. He tilted his head and his silver eyes fixed on the lithe tiger. She made a little whining noise and sharp white teeth bared. A little unsatisfied grunt and then she Shifted back.
"You were lucky Draturo was here, Wolf-Prince."
Damn, she knew who he was.
"Stay away from my land, Dog-Boy. Or we will go to war."
Earth-1813 –First Impressions
"Mr Howlett, may I present my daughters, Marie and Eloise. Sit up girls."
The raven-haired girl did so instantly but the red-haired woman glanced up at her mother before sighing and doing as she was told.
"I apologise for Marie. Her father spoils her so and she is most wilful."
Her golden eyes ran over him coolly and he had the impression that she was very much the ice-maiden.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr Howlett. Mother, Miss Grey is calling me I believe."
She stood up and walked away, bobbing slightly to a passing man. James watched her go, smiling slightly. If her mother's reaction was anything to go by, Miss Circen knew all about the copper fortune from the colonies and the fact he was the ward and heir apparent of Lady d'Ombre, who was reportedly one of the richest women in the country. And unlike every other woman at the dance, she couldn't care less. A young man skittered past him and spoke to Eloise Circen. She giggled and rose, going to dance with him.
Casually, James sauntered over to Kurt, the young German he had met in London and formed an instant friendship with.
"Enjoying yourself?"
The young man's face lit up. He didn't know it, but when Lady d'Ombre had discovered her ward's new friend, she had been delighted that a relative had finally come to the country.
"Ja. The dance is wunderbar."
"See the woman in blue, talking to the one is green?"
"Both red-heads?"
"Yes. What have you found out about her?"
Earth-891 –Divided
She sat on the stool, considering whether to get another drink, when hot breath gasped down her neck.
"Hey gorgeous."
"Go away."
"That isn't very nice. You don't even know me."
She did her best to ignore him but that got harder with every passing second. Then he grabbed her arm.
"Give us a kiss darling1"
"Get. Off. Me!"
"Not until you give me a kiss!"
"No bub, yer going ta do as the lady says."
"And who er you?"
"The guy who'll make you."
"Yeah right."
Then the short, hairy man launched into the man who had been bothering her. She backed off, unsure of how to proceed, thankful for the stranger's care but also being a bit grumpy with herself for needing him to interfere. The newcomer delivered a blow to her harasser's mouth and he dropped. Her helper turned towards her and she took in the blue eyes and broad mutton-chops.
"You didn't have to do that…"
He shrugged.
"Yer don't treat a broad like that. At all."
"A fellow countryperson down here?"
"Yer Canadian?"
"Quebecois. You?"
"Albertan. I'm Logan."
"Marie."
He grinned.
"Want to have a drink?"
She smiled broadly.
"If you pay…"
Earth-10005 –Movieverse
The door creaked open and suddenly a pair of brown eyes stared into hers.
"#*$- Who did this to you?"
She blinked, half opened her mouth, then retched, throwing up half-digested flesh torn from her arm.
"Stryker…"
"Who are you?"
"I…I don't know… I think… I think I'm Tora…"
"I'm Logan. You want me to get you out?"
She nodded and suddenly shiny metal claws shot out and cut through the chains.
"Weapon X…"
"What?"
"You're…You're Weapon X…"
His eyes widened and then her vision blacked out. Just before she fully surrendered, she felt warm arms pick her up.
Earth-881 –Ξ and X
He found her crouching in the sewers, her claws coated in blood, a look of shock on her face.
"Hello."
She started, stumbling backwards.
"I'm Logan. Don't be scared…"
"I ran. They're going to punish me."
"Who are you?"
"X- X- Xi…"
"Calm down Xi. If you come with me, I can help you."
"I… I… I killed him…"
"I know."
"I…I didn't want to! They made me!"
"Who did?"
"The Professors."
"Look, I'm going to take you somewhere you'll be safe…"
She skittered backwards.
"That means custody, doesn't it?"
"To be honest, you did just kill a Presidential candidate."
"They made me!"
"I know. No one's going to hurt you."
She shuffled forward, as if amazed.
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Earth-8076 –Wolverine & Shadow + Marie
The man grabbed her arm and tugged her along.
"Come along! Hurry!"
She let him drag her along, leaping with him over the buildings and allowing him to push her under a block as he stabbed one of their pursuers. They leapt off the building and then arms caught the man's chest and a woman's voice started scolding.
"Logan, I've told you a thousand times, you can't just go around picking up pretty red-heads on missions. What about that time in Venice? I was picking up the pieces for a week!"
Wolverine and Shadow. Counterparts of the famed Invaders, only apparently a lot more covert. They slid along behind enemy lines, taking out concentration camps. No one knew quite what they were or how they were related to each other. The scolding of the woman suggested a mother-son relationship rather than the much more popular couple theory abounding.
"Like I said Logan, I can't go around picking up after your flings. Remember that lovely Russian girl. You know, the one who turned out to be a spy?"
"Yes Etana, I know."
"If it could help, I can fight. I'm not defenceless."
"Brilliant, a girl with a little martial arts training who thinks she's capable of standing with us."
"Don't think. Know."
Slender bone claws slid out. The steady beat of wings faltered and they fell slightly. Logan –was that his name? –gawped at her.
"Red-headed girl with claws of bone, shall turn the two to three. Bring peace unto the Angel Dark and love for the Wolfling Cub."
Marie was pretty sure she saw the Shadow roll her eyes.
"I do know the riddle Logan. I was told it before you were born."
"But…"
"Right. Miss- er…"
"Marie. Marie Circen."
"Right Miss Circen. This may hurt."
And the Shadow teleported, momentarily crushing Marie's ribs.
Earth-2182 –Professor W's X-Men
Her eyes flickered open and she groaned. A cool hand was placed on her head.
"Calm down. Logan brought you here a week ago. I'm amazed you survived. I am Charles Xavier. And this is my school."
She glanced around at the gleaming white room.
"What?"
"Hank, will you come in?"
A blue monster stepped in but somehow she didn't seem afraid.
"Are you Professors?"
"I'm a doctor. Charles here is a professor."
She shuffled away.
"We're not going to hurt you. Logan, will you come in?"
A short dark-haired man stepped in and something about his scent calmed her.
"Hey. You alright?"
She suddenly became aware that she was clean and the aged blood had been chipped off. She looked at hands that had been carefully cleaned, nails trimmed and scrubbed. Blinking, she shook her arm, shaking off the sleeve and revealing the arm, criss-crossing scars carefully bound up.
"Why did you do that?"
"What?"
"Cut yourself?"
She shook the sleeves back over her arms, hoping they wouldn't ask anymore.
"Child, as long as you wish, you can stay here."
She glanced up, eyes dark.
"Really?"
"Really. Logan, would you…"
He gestured and the man grabbed his chair and wheeled him round… the Professor was a paraplegic, something that confused her. Professors weren't kind. Not unless they were going to start hurting her.
Earth-6751 –Age of X
She snarled, the blood on her teeth and hands sending the less extreme rioters back. She snarled again, knowing she looked terrifying, with her loose white robe and trousers splattered with blood and streaks of gore on her face. She wondered whether they were feeling fear. She hadn't felt fear for many years. Not since they tore into her brain and destroyed the areas that emotions originated from. She supposed she should feel violated, angry, maybe ashamed but they were just words. Emotions were the response of a body in control of the mind. The mind should be in total control of the body. And they had wanted total control of her mind.
Then suddenly a black angel swept down and the people screamed even more.
"Hello little sister. I am the Shadow."
The blade spun round in a circular motion, sending people running backwards.
"Follow Logan, he'll get you to the Fortress. I'll buy you time."
A man stepped beside her.
"Etana, you're always too soft on them."
"I have a reputation as a deadly and fearful warrior darling. Killing mostly harmless sapiens wouldn't help my reputation at all. Off you go."
He grinned at the Shadow.
"Of course, mother."
Laughing, the woman in red pulled out a bow that she shook to unfold then strung it, nocked an arrow and pointed it at a person's face.
"Anyone move, and I shoot! Right dear, scuttle off."
The man smiled at her and grabbed her hand.
"You the one responsible for the deaths up at the White House?"
She nodded.
"Good job. Half those stuck-up generals couldn't care less about us. Want to wipe us out. I assume you were the one they wanted to do it with?"
She nodded.
"Must feel awful, knowing you were trained to kill your own kind."
"I don't feel."
"What?"
"They stopped me feeling. I cannot feel emotions."
He faltered and turned. And let out a long expletive of curse words.
"I don't believe it! I don't %$&#*£ believe it! We'll find a way of fixing that!"
She smiled and a flicker of something odd rang inside her.
"They wanted an emotionless killing machine. Well, they have one. And I'm going to kill them all."