Disclaimer: Aki and EmeraldDragon own none of the traditional X-Men characters, their timelines, universes, or other affiliated property. We do however, own any OCs.
R&R please! :)
Chapter 3 written by, Aki
I sank gratefully into one of the small plush chairs gathered around the lounge room once the woman who called herself Shadow had left. For some reason she really set me on edge, and I didn't like the way her scrutinizing blue eyes had raked over me like I was some lamb fit for slaughter. She is rather unnerving…a cool voice chimed in my head—Emma. I sighed. Yes. But at least she is letting us stay here.
Emma's voice whispered through my mind, a dry laugh. For now.
Be nice, Emma. I sent, a hint of warning in my voice. My gaze flickered to the doorway as Emma entered the room. She lifted her shoulders in a half-shrug. "It's true," she said aloud. "Don't get too comfortable." She sank down opposite me on a short couch, folding her legs up gracefully beneath herself, a grace I sometimes envied her for.
"Let's just enjoy it while it lasts," I said in a weary tone, and Emma shrugged again, leaning back against the couch and dropping an arm over the side.
"If you say so," she replied, gazing up at me lazily. "I've been practically begging Scott to let us stay somewhere for more than thirty seconds, but you know how he gets."
I gave her a small smile. "He just wants what's best for us," I told her, in his defense.
"What's best for us is finding a home again," she said resignedly.
"I know, I know" I said with a faint sigh, the reality of her words ringing true. We had been on the move for months now, not stopping more than a day or so for rest and we were all spent. It couldn't be helped though, it was rare to find any kind of sanctuary now-a-days...what with all the humans hell-bent on wiping all of us from the face of the planet. My gaze shifted to her, and there was a weariness there I knew she understood. "But we haven't found anywhere safe enough yet."
"Well then, like you said," she gave me a wry smile, "let's enjoy it while it lasts." After that we fell into a companionable silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. Suddenly feeling restless, I quickly pushed myself to my feet. I hated being underground, and attributed it mostly to my powers…and the fact that it made me feel trapped, bringing back painful memories from when I had been locked away in that hell-whole. I wandered over to a long and well-worn wooden table that stretched the length of the back wall, and my gaze flitted over the array of objects gathered there. There was an interesting assortment of objects—various knives and blades, a few wilting potted plants, books. The more common-place items made the hideout seem more lived in, and it comforted me a bit.
After a few minutes the rest of our group trickled in, followed by Aimi, Mystique, Nightcrawler, and Gambit. "We have three spare rooms," Aimi said brusquely, folding her arms across her chest and staring us all down, as if daring us to challenge her. "There are eight of you. You do the math."
Emma stretched luxuriously where she sat, smirking faintly. "You boys can triple up. Mia and I will share the last room."
I grinned, giving Emma a look of approval. "Sounds good to me."
"Whatever," Logan said, "as long as I don't have to share with Cyclops over here." Scott didn't look amused, but Logan punched him roughly in the arm. "Relax, Scott," he said. "Just a joke."
"Don't touch me," Scott said, giving Logan an irritated look. I rolled my eyes at their childish behavior.
I could feel that girl, Shadow, watching me again, assessing in that silent and unnerving manner. I turned to meet her gaze, raising my eyebrows at her questioningly. "Yes?"
"Just wondering what your poison is," she said, dropping her arms to her sides. Despite her attempt at an air of indifference, there was a hint of curiosity in her cool blue eyes.
I sighed softly, "Alright," I said. "But I can show you better than I can tell you." I turned away to face one of the wilting potted plants resting against the wall. Closing my eyes, I placed my hand just above the plant, not quite touching it. After a few seconds a soft green glow began to pulse steadily from my palm, bathing the plant in a green pallor of light. The plant began to grown again, stretching toward the energy eagerly, strong and healthy again. I smiled slightly, pleased, and turned back to face Aimi. A look of mild esteem flickered briefly through her eyes before it was gone, and she was assessing me coolly again.
"So you make plants grow?" Nightcrawler drawled, collapsing in the chair next to Emma. He gave me a lazy smirk.
I looked at him, raising my eyebrows. "Among other things. I have a deep connection with nature. I can manipulate different elements and read different energy patterns in nature."
"What elements, exactly?" Aimi asked, her interest piqued, and I glanced back at her.
"Mostly plants and wind, earth too. I can access some fire and water, but it takes more energy and concentration," I replied. Aimi nodded her approval, and Nightcrawler leaned forward from his place in the chair, looking intrigued.
"You don't say," he said, grinning. "This could be interesting."
"So if I piss you off you could blow me away or set me on fire?" Mystique scoffed, her golden gaze unforgiving.
I shrugged. "Or suck all the oxygen out of your body, maybe drown you," I replied in a no-nonsense tone. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Scott smirk, while Mystique's own smirk faltered. Aimi looked amused, and she smiled slightly at me. Maybe I would like her after-all.
"What do they call you, Mia?" she asked. She leaned into Gambit slightly, and he dropped an arm around the shoulders. I saw Logan narrow his eyes out of the corner of mine, and I resisted the urge to roll mine. Instead I decided to ignore him and answer Aimi's question. "They call me Galestrom," I told her.
"Our Galestrom can pack a real punch when she wants to," Emma said nonchalantly, stretching lightly again, her gaze drifting across the room to fall on Mystique. She gave the blue shape-shifter a barely distinguishable smirk.
I turned back to the plant, reaching out and running a finger down its stem tenderly. I felt it pulse beneath me in response to my light touch of magic, strengthening a bit. I brushed my hands over the other plants there, revitalizing them as well, taking a silent pleasure in how they eagerly blossomed to life. The healthy plants made the hideout seem a little more cheery, and a little less formidable.
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced my skull, and I drew in a ragged breath. I gripped the edge of the table tightly as the pressure in my skull increased slightly. I felt something stir at the edge of my conscious, and Emma's gentle and tentative voice slipped in. Mia? She sent, concerned laced into her words. Are you alright?
F-fine. I sent back shakily.
The headaches?
Yeah…I need to get out of here. I told her. Don't tell the others, okay? I don't want anyone to worry.
She was silent for a moment, and I could tell she was deliberating on whether or not to argue with me over the matter. Scott will be worried. She finally sent.
I k-know… I sent back shakily, and I gritted my teeth against the pain. Another sharp jab of pain pierced my skull, and I gripped the edge of the table harder, trying hard not to cry out in pain. I suddenly felt something warm and sticky trickle from my nose, and I lifted a hand to my face gingerly. My heart lurched when I pulled it away to find blood there, and I felt someone's alarm—Emma's—in my mind. I threw up my mental walls, blocking Emma from my mind so she wouldn't know what was going on. Outside of my head I heard someone saying something behind me, but I didn't reply-I wasn't really listening.
"Mia?" it came again, this time a little more urgent. I quickly wiped the rest of the blood from my face, brushing it off on my already filthy jeans and turned to face Scott. "Yeah?" I asked, keeping my voice steady.
"I said are you alright?" he asked, and I picked up on the concern in his voice. Everyone was watching with mixed expressions of concern, wariness, or suspicion.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said dismissively.
"Really?" he asked incredulously.
"I just need some fresh air," I said quickly, purposely keeping my gaze from Emma. I kept my mental walls up too, barring her from my mind. I didn't want or need her concern or lectures right now.
"Mia, it's late. Maybe we should—" Storm began, taking a step toward me, but I held up a hand cutting her off.
"Look, I just need to get out for a few minutes, okay? I'll be right back." Before anyone could say anything else I started for the ladder that led up to the surface. Scott reached out and grabbed my hand as I passed, pulling me to a stop.
"Mia…" he said softly, and I could tell he was worried. I was acting slightly crazy, after-all.
"I'm fine, Scott," I said, giving him a weak smile that was anything but believable.
He didn't say anything for a moment, and I stepped closer to him, lifting a hand and touching it briefly to his face. "I promise," I whispered softly.
He studied me for at me more moments, and finally sighed faintly. "Alright," he said with a slight nod. "Just don't go too far."
I gave him another smile that almost reached my eyes, leaned in, and brushed my lips across his before I was quickly gone, up the ladder and out onto the surface.