Chapter 2: When Faced with Death, Only the Canary Sings
~xXx~
Erik was never the type to discount anything. Life as an outcast, as both the hunter and the hunted had taught him never to dismiss any scenario, no matter how absurd it seemed. Complacency made you blind, complacency is what got you killed. He had learned this lesson at a very young age and it was this mentality that had kept him sharp, had kept him alive.
So the most surprising thing about Raven's visit was how very much it had managed to surprise him. To be fair to the man, he had tried to kill her not too long ago, so it made sense that she would want little to do with him, no matter what past they had shared.
The night she came to visit was so very different than the night when Erik had decided to hold a surprise visit of his own. The scenery was quite different as well. Gone were the sprawling lawns, the graceful architecture and tasteful accents, instead this meeting would take place on the roof of an apartment long past it's prime. Even in the open air, the scent of mold wafted from the building, tainting the otherwise pristine night. Gone were the thick angry clouds, the thunderous rain, and instead the moon overlooked a cloudless night sky, its rays bathing everything in delicate light. Raven could not have picked a more perfect night to visit. The only question was… why?
Erik pondered the question thoughtfully, even before he had made it clear that he was aware of her presence. Mystique was famed for her stealth, but Raven… he had trained with her, had fought with her. She would never sneak up on him. He didn't acknowledge her at first, he simply remained seated on the roof, eyes fixed on the river as it flowed past the building on its way to the sea, not more than a mile away. The moonlight danced along the waters, creating a poor facsimile of the night sky opposing it.
The shingles creaked as Raven sat down beside him, her golden eyes incandescent, even in the darkness around them. Apparently she wasn't eager to start the conversation either. That was okay, for a moment, Erik could pretend that Paris had never happened, that they were still on the same side. Except he had no idea what side that might be anymore.
"You're a hard man to track." Her voice was soft, carefully casual. Was it out of fear? Or penance? Erik wasn't sure. He doubted that she would actually want to return to him, she'd made her position on the matter clear when she'd shot him in the neck. Still, what other reason did she have to be here?
"I'm here about Charles."
Ah. There it was. Not for the first time, Erik wondered if she hadn't picked up a few tricks from the telepath.
"What about him?" He asked, his eyes still locked on the river.
"You must know, you went to visit him two weeks ago." Her voice was calm, certain, and Erik knew better than to deny her statement.
"What should I know? That the fool sacrificed the powers he was blessed with, just so that he could walk again?" Even after two weeks, the bitterness and disbelief hadn't left Erik. Of all the things that Charles had done, the act of suppressing his powers felt more like a betrayal than anything else. He chose to join the side of the humans.
Raven was quiet, but Erik could feel her gaze on him. He finally turned back to face her, surprised by the confusion and disappointment he found in her eyes.
"…You think that's what it is?" She asked softly. "He threw away his powers to be able to walk?"
"Didn't he?"
Another pause.
"You really haven't noticed, have you?" Raven's voice seemed almost awed by the realization, though Erik didn't have the faintest idea why.
"What are you talking about?" He asked, cutting to the point. Even talking about his old friend was just as cryptic as his conversations with the man.
"He's been dreaming, Erik." She finally replied.
"Yes, I'm sure he has. Don't we all?" Erik couldn't help but be snide. Not that he would know much about dreams, not when he avoided sleep for the majority of his life. Raven sighed and shook her head, exasperation clear in her voice.
"You don't get it, Erik. Charles Xavier has been dreaming about the end of the world, and, more and more mutants are dreaming right along with him." Raven's hands twisted in her lap. "He's taking the serum to suppress those dreams, to spare the rest of us from seeing them, but… it's not enough. His powers are growing stronger, even without Cerebro, he's connected to hundreds of mutants and every night, more are sharing his vision."
The sound of cicadas filled the silence that had opened like a chasm between them. Around them, the world went on, oblivious to the two perched on the roof. The river flowed, its waters lapping against the banks surrounding it. The night air rustled through the branches, and every so often, the rattle of a truck could be heard in the distance. Below them came the muffled, recycled laughter that emanated from a resident's television. Everything seemed so normal, it felt so easy to dismiss Raven's warning.
But Erik wasn't the kind to dismiss anything.
"…Suppose you are right, Raven," he finally replied softly. "What would you have me do?"
Raven's answer was so prompt that Erik had no doubt she had been expecting this question from the moment she had sought him out.
"Isn't it obvious, Erik? I want you to help him."
~xXx~
Author's note: Shocker of all shockers, I'm back! I finally watched the last X-men movie and while there were a lot of parts I enjoyed, I felt like a lot of potential was wasted. Also, because there is just never enough of Erik, Charles, and Raven for me, I decided to forge on with my plot which focuses mainly on these three. I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know if there's anything you'd like to see in the future. I have a basic plot nailed down but I'm definitely open to suggestions!
Next Up: If Charles is going to play a Doomsday Prophet, he really should lose the loafers.
