Of Mutants and Benders
By: Orionstorm04
Disclaimer: You know the drill when it comes to these things I don't own Avatar or X-Men blah blah blah. Also I would like to state that in the next couple of chapters is when we will finally get to the Avatar section of the lil crossover so please be patient. Like I said in a previous author's not I can't really consider this a crossover if I focus mainly on one universe and not the other. Read and Review.
Sunset
"Your Majesty?"
She was reliving those days again. Ororo was staring blankly into space; not even aware that her senior advisor Azizi was talking to her. It seemed to be happening more and more lately, she would start to lose focus on what she was doing at the moment and she would always relive that devastating week leading up to T'Challa death.
"Roro are you there darlin?" came the gruff voice of Logan; better known as the Wolverine.
That brought her out of her trance and when her eyes regained focus she was staring into the faces of her very concerned councilmen and former teammates.With a slight shake of her head Ororo regained her composure and offered a reassuring smile to her friends.
"Oh….. I'm sorry… I was just checking and reinforcing the storm. There is nothing to worry about." she offered.
The other didn't look too convinced while staring at her, but it was Ashanti who broke the silence between all of them.
"That is exactly why we have called this meeting you Highness. It has come to all of our attentions that you have had to constantly reinforce the storms surrounding Wakanda. When you first implemented these types of defense around the city you rarely had a problem maintaining them, now it seems that every day you have to correct the problem" Ashanti stated calmly and with a hint of concern. Too bad everyone couldn't maintain their cool.
"Hey now; fa da pas' five years Stormy here has been keepin dis storm going, and now dat she slips up once you people got a problem. Well Remy aint gon listen ta dis femme run of by da mouf; so he suggestion she keep it closed" Gambit stated.
While Gambit shot death glares at the woman he just couldn't keep from thinking.
"Who dis woman tink she is, bad moufing ma Stormy like dat? Hell if I wasn't such a gentleman I'd show da femme what for."
Ashanti was not about to be put upon by some lowly little American 'street rat'.
"I was not bad mouthing her as you so eloquently put it, I was simply stating the obvious. Though I could see how something so simple would elude you since you are 'huna akili'" she stated venomously.
It was no secret amongst the councilmen or the X-men that Ashanti and Remy LeBeau didn't like each other much but no one could drag out of them why. Remy jumped out of his seat as fast as lighting ready to verbally abuse the woman across from him.
"Look here lady; and I used dat term lightly. Remy may not be able ta speak da language; but he recognize an insult when he hear one." Gambit's nostrils were flaring he was so angry.
" Fa da past 5 years she be holding dis storm and dere aint been no problem so I don't see why you tink you can come up in here and act as if dere is."
Ashanti's friend Nia was well on her way to defending her friends against this uncivilized cretin when Ororo silenced them all.
"Enough!!" Ororo commanded "I will hear no more of this senseless argument" she was staring pointedly at Remy.
"But Stormy ya don't think imma let dis self-absorbed…" but Ororo cut him off.
"And Remy I have asked you a thousand times not to call me by that ridiculous name." Even in her annoyance Ororo couldn't keep the small smile from her face, after all these years he still insisted on referring toher as 'Stormy' to her constant annoyance. The smile didn't go unnoticed by Remy and just as he drug his gaze from the two women opposite him he flash Ororo a devilish grin. Just as Remy was to rebut her Ororo raised her hand in silence.
"Ashanti is correct as; of late I have had some trouble maintaining my focus over the storm…" Ashanti had a self-satisfied smile on her face and was gleaming over at Gambit before Ororo started to address her.
"…though I have been having trouble with my focus; there is no cause for alarm. I have simply been a little tired lately, nothing that a good night's rest won't remedy." Now it was Remy's turn to smile while he looked at Ashanti, but then Kawame interjected.
"But my Queen even if it is only rest you need should we not think of some form of alternative protection…just in case the storm defaults?" Kawame was Ororo second advisor next to Azizi, both men had been close friends with T'Challa while he was alive and she valued their opinion. This time it was Bobby Drake's (also known as Iceman) turn to ruffle some feathers
"Didn't she just say that all she would need is some rest. Jeez normally I'm the one with a short attention span." Next to him Kitty Pryde rolled her eyes and began to address the statement before Kawame could.
"That's not the point Drake. Kawame is right, if Storm is having trouble maintaining her storms due to fatigue we should try to come up with an alternate way to protect the city so that she can rest." It was Azizi who responded to Kitty's statement.
"Well it is good to see that some here is capable of carrying on an intelligent conversation, rather than letting their stupidity show." And for the first time since him asking Ororo if she was alright Wolverine spoke.
"Watch it bub…" he snarled "Dems fightin words."
Wolverine proved his point by extending his claws on his right hand and waving them in Azizi's direction. Ororo sighed and placed her hands on either side of her of her temples and began to message them. It was like listening to adolescent prepubescent children, they way they carried on instead of a group of intelligent adults. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to take the constant bickering before her head explode.
"That is enough Logan..." once again Ororo sighed felling suddenly tired
"It seems as though we shall get nowhere on the matter today. We are all tired and it is showing in our mood." Ororo took the time to look at each of them in turn, and finally resting on Remy.
"We shall adjourn for the day and pick up the proceedings in a day or so; once we have all had time to rest." The seven council members all rose from the table and bowed to their Queen
"As you wish your Majesty; we shall resume the meeting in two days." Azizi answered and they left the room leaving only the former X-men alone with Ororo.
Removing her headdress Ororo let out a very deep audible sigh. The Crown of Wakanda that Ororo wore was similar to the tiara that she wore when she originally joined the X-Men; of course this one was more lavishly designed. As opposed to the onyx colored tiara; her current Crown was decked out in the finest jewels that were set into Vibranium. As beautiful as the piece was it normally tended to give her a headache carrying around such weight on her head, besides she was amongst her friends; which meant she didn't feel the need to perpetuate the regal queen as she had to around the council.
"Man Storm I thought you were gonnafry Gambit butt good for that little display back there." Bobby said walking towards Ororo.
"Nah she wouldn't dare; she love Remy to much ta do dat." Stated the Cajun; he knew he was pushing his luck by arguing with the council,but he wouldn't be Gambit if he didn't.
Ororo tried to maintain the straight face she had, but staring at Remy the way he was; all pleased with himself she could feel the façade dropping. Showing a rare smile Ororo said with a chuckle.
"Really Gambit, love is such a strong word. It's more like tolerance than anything else." Gambit reached for his heart theatrically and put on the most sincere hurt expression that he could muster
"Aww Stormy ya wound me."
Which he then followed up with a hearty laugh that was followed by his teammates; even Logan cracked a smile. Ororo couldn't keep herself from laughing, it had been so long since she really felt this at ease and she knew it was because her friends were there. As the laughter died down and everyone regained their composer Kitty spoke.
"Seriously though Ororo I think the Kawame made a really good point by suggesting that we have a backup plan just in case something happens and you can't keep the storm." Kitty watched as Ororo walked over to the window overlooking the court yard to the palace, and she could have sworn she seen tears in Ororo's eyes.
"I know Kitten…" Ororo said while still looking out the window. Kitty walked over to her a placed her hand on her friends shoulder.
"Ororo is something wrong you seem a little off lately."
Finally turning from the window Ororo started at the woman she has know since she was a teenager, and tried to be as reassuring as possible.
"Yes Kitty I'm fine. I'm just a little tired that's all…" Kitty started and Ororo and for the first time notice how weak she looked.
"Really Kitten its nothing." Walking away from the window Ororo spoke to all of them "I think we should all get some rest…take the rest of the day off to relax and enjoy life." It was Bobby who spoke first.
"Hell yeah…now that's what I'm talking about; the rest of the day to do nothing and just lounge about." Kitty just started at Bobby as though he just said 2+2 is 4.
"Honestly Bobby how does that change what you do on a normal day?" she said while dragging the man out of the hall.
Remy just followed behind them with an amused smile on his face mumbling something about needing a smoke. Ororo turned back to the window and started to look out at the landscape of the city. It truly was beautiful at sunset, watching the sun slowly disappear beneath the horizon. The city hadn't changed much over the past twenty years that Ororo has lived there; which was somewhat funny considering that just beyond those ominous storm clouds lay an entire armada of Omega Sentinels waiting to destroy everything within the city walls.
"Penny for ya thoughts darlin" came Wolverine's voice, Ororo's hand instinctively went to her heart.
"Logan you startled me." She then creased her brow in confusion. "I thought you left with the others?"
Logan simply lit his cigar and started to walk towards Ororo to look out the window also. At first he made no attempt to answer her question, it seemed he was content to just smoke his cigar and look out at the city buzzing below them. Then he finally looked at her, and his eyes held one single emotion in them: and that was truth.
"I know there is more to you being tired than you're letting on 'Ro."
He continued to look her directly in the eyes searching for conformation, but Ororo was quick to turn away. She was wondering how long it would take him to notice the changes within her. She had known Logan for over twenty years and she also knew that his nose and his instincts rarely ever led him wrong; but still that didn't mean she couldn't pretend that he was off base.
"I have no idea what you mean Logan. My explanation is simply that; I am tired."
Ororo turned back to him with a defiant look in her eyes; daring him to say differently. But Wolverine wasn't one to back down from anything, let alone a woman he considers a close friend.
"Thats bullshit darlin and we both know it. My nose doesn't lie and I can smell the fear and fatigue on ya a mile away."
Ororo facial feature slowly started to soften she knew she couldn't like to him; not when he could tell if you were telling the truth by listening to your heart rate.
"I haven't really been able to tell what is wrong with me honestly." She stated with honesty in her voice.
Logan didn't say a word all he did was stand there and listen to his friend tell him about her current problems.
"I keep finding myself losing focus, I can't seem to concentrate on anything and it has been a chore for me to stay constantly aware of the storm around Wakanda." Ororo then began to pace around the room nervously. Logan had never seen her nervous about anything and that included her marriage.
" I find myself slipping with my powers and I also can feel the Ruby growing tired and I don't know what to do." By this time Ororo didn't even try to hide the worry and the tears from her face.
She was scared; scared that she wouldn't be able to protect her people. Scared that she wouldn't be able to protect her daughter; her only link left to T'Challa. Wolverine immediately rushed to her side to wrap her in his embrace while he gently stroked her hair.
"Shhh…it's okay to cry Roro; I'm here its okay." She buried her face in his chest and let out one sob after the other; desperately clinging to his shirt, as if she let go she would lose all grip with realty.
"What are we going to do Logan? How long do you think it will take the sentinel to notice that the storms are losing strength and that they are now capable of traveling through them?"
Wolverine leaned back from her a little to stare into her eye, he never thought he would live to see the day that Ororo Munroe would be so lost as to ask for help; but today was that day and he would be a true friend and stand by her and give his advice.
"I aint sure darlin, but I can promise ya this: Me, Gumbo, the Popsicle, and Pryde won't leave your side. No matter what happens we're always her for ya Storm." With tearful eyes Ororo looked up at one of her oldest friends and found herself truly lost for words; here was Logan telling her that through whatever happened that him and the others would always be there with her. All Ororo could manage was a tearful.
"Thank You".
To be continued...
Author's notes: Well I finished chapter three. I had to stay up all night to write this chapter, my muse wouldn't allow me to sleep before it was done. Now to recap on this delightful chapter: when Ashanti refers to Remy as a 'huna akili' that I Swahili for without a brain. Also when Wolverine is talking to Ororo he is nameing Gambit, Bobby and Kitty that is his nicknames for them. And I know I didn't give names to the other man and the other two women I just thought that it would be overdoing it if I had them all arguing with the X-Men. Next chapter I will finally introduce my character N'Dare who will ( in future chapters be a main character) and also Rachel. We will also see the upcoming final battle between mutants and the Omega Sentinels. Ohhhh the climax; I'm tingling all over. So until next time please be courteous and review; I do love writing but I also love a nice review from you the readers, it helps me stay motivated.