Disclaimer: Don't own X-M: E. I own Scarlett and Helen, tho.
Author's Note: Thank you to all who read and reviewed this! If you read
it, please review. ... Please? And tell your friends! *big smiley!* Chapter 6: The Battle
Scarlett ducked into the girl's bathroom, looking over her shoulder.
She shut the door to a stall and pulled on her costume. It was a light
blue body suit with silver trim and a sort of blue triangle that fell over
her forehead and framed her face and then some more fabric that connected
it around her ears and under her neck and connected that with the rest
of the costume. It didn't cover the top of her head so her blonde hair
fell over her shoulders. It was connected with light blue gloves and the
fingers cut off of it. There was a paler blue line-like thing that covered
her front and went down the front and inside of her legs and ended at the
ankles, which were covered by silver and black combat boots.
She stepped out of the stall and looked out the window.
The battle was leaning more toward the enemy's side.
She ran out of the bathroom and ran down the now darkened hallway. The
sun was beginning to set and light was limited. As she ran, she adjusted
her gloves so that she would be to test a new idea of hers for her powers.
"Oh, God, I am never gonna survive this, am I?" she whimpered, terrified
of the ensuing battle that was happening just outside of her school. "I'll
be lucky if I don't get expelled!" she panted as she skidded around a corner.
She knew that if Ms. Darkholme - Mystique now.>> she mentally corrected
herself - caught her fighting on school grounds without her consent or
if someone else - a teacher or parent - were to see her using her powers
and fighting against other students that she and her father would have
to move from their home in Bayville to another town more inconspicuos.
And there were very few towns like that.
She was almost to the side entrance of the school and knew that she
shouldn't go out there, that using her powers would only result in pain
and suffering. If not for her victims, then for her if she were caugh.
She spotted a door at the end of the hallway. She ran toward it and stopped,
still reconsidering whether or not she should go out there. Finally, she
reached out her hand and grabbed the door knob.
***
Helen dodged an attack from the Blob and sent him knocking down a tree.
He only turned around and continued after her. "Oh, Jea-ean?" Helen called.
"When are the others coming?"
"They should be here soon. Until then, stay focused!"
"I'm doin' my best here! I wasn't really expecting an attack!" She psionically
followed Toads movements and finally became his shadow and, with a kick,
sent him flying into the Blob.
"Good work, Sadey."
"With pleasure," she smiled, bowing. She was knocked off her feet by
a tremor. The tree that the Blob had broken came crashing down towards
her. She quickly formed into a shadow and sped out of the way. She reformed
just in time to see it crash to the ground, it's branches brushing up against
the building.
***
A large crash just outside the door made Scarlett jump back, her hand
shaking. It's not that big o' deal, Scar. They've obviously been
in fights and survived, what is it about you that makes it so you
won't either? Nothing! You'll be okay!>> she told herself, forcing herself
to believe it.
She opened the door, finding tree branches in her way. She squeezed
past them and found a place in the shadows where she could watch.
She watched as two emerald green eyes opened in Avalanche's shadow.
She remembered how Shadow had told her that that was the only part of her
body that couldn't "shadow-morph", as Scarlett called it. To keep up with
their movements, Shadow had also told her that she tapped into a minor
psionic power to see ahead in time accurately, but only for one second.
"What'sa matter? Afraid of your own shadow?" she mocked.
Scarlett smiled, recalling how Shadow had told her that she always wanted
to use that line. She remembered how she had never thought of any catch-phrases,
only excuses, for her powers. She hadn't even picked a name yet. She had
never before imagined herself in that position before. She looked down
at herself, at the blue and silver outfit she had on.
It wasn't entirely true, she had imagined herself fighting for
justice at one point in her life, a few years back, when she was in 2nd
grade and watching power rangers as she sat in the middle of the living
room floor. She imagined herself as one of them and fighting against big,
bad supervillians. But then she had found out that justice didn't cover
people like her. She learned that she was on her own from the moment she
was born, with her pale blue hair and tiny pointed fangs.
Shadow reformed her leg and knocked Avalanche's legs out from under
him.
Scarlett knew there was still a chance to change sides. She had a reason
to fight for both, though not very strong ones: Mystique had invited her
over to the Brotherhood and she belonged to that one, however, Helen -
or Shadow, now - belonged to the rivalling team, the X-Men. Neither seemed
good options, she would be a traitor either way. She only had to choose
the lesser of the two evils. Oh, forget it. I know which team I'm
fighting for. It's the only team I have any sort of allegiance with.>>
As the enemy began to close in, Scarlett remained hidden in the shadows
of the oncoming evening. She shut her eyes, furrowed her brow, and concentrated,
just as she had done back in 7th grade. She prayed she still remembered
it. Finally, she felt strangely calm, strangely serene. She knew she was
doing it right. She lost all feeling in her legs, and then her torso. Soon,
she felt completely numb and a little sleepy, but more awake than she had
ever felt in her life; as if she were in a dream. She opened her eyes and
her sight was blurred at the edges. She looked down at her body and watched
as it water to the shape of her body. She was completely liquified and
somewhat transparent.
The enemy hadn't seen her yet, but the others had and their eyes were
wide in shock.
Scarlett gathered moisture from the air around her and used it to make
her arms larger and stronger. Within a moment's time, she had a large wave.
The large wave grew and grew until it was bigger than any of them combined.
It rushed over their heads and knocking them to the ground just after they
turned around, surprise marking their face. It knocked them to the ground
and put them into a state of shock.
As the water shrunk back and was either absorbed into the ground or
evaporated once more into the air, Scarlett was revealed, standing in her
true form behind the fallen Brotherhood of Evil Mutants.
She smiled weakly and raised her hand halfway in a sort of wave. "Hi,"
she said softly and weakly.