Disclaimer: i am finally back! and yeah... this stuff isn't mine. deal with it.
warning; your feels may/may not be violated if you keep reading.
i am aware that this chapter may be emotional. juuust maybe. i can't tell :P
She tripped.
Very nearly actually; and it took all her concentration to prevent herself from face-planting into the asphalt street in an ungraceful mess.
So much for her grand entrance.
The stupid cape of her stupid costume had gotten trampled under her stupid heels and yanked her throat backwards as she marched towards the battlefield with her soul dagger brandished. Nothing could have shattered her confidence more than her pathetic stumble.
As she lay flat on the cool asphalt, she glanced wearily at the dead body beside her. A mutant, no less; shrivelled and blackened beyond recognition. His equally dark, fraying clothing is what marked him as one of her kind. One thing she'd learned in her recent endeavors was that the Brotherhood were far worse than the X-Men when it came to strategic planning. They failed ever so miserably even when training.
Picking herself off the floor and kicking the corpse beside her for good measure, Megan resumed marching towards the battle.
The darkness acted as a veil, keeping her hidden in its shadow until she chose to reveal herself. She used it to her advantage, slipping past the confines of the melee until she'd reached a favorable position. The pulsating moonlight spilled over her head and shoulders, leaving a silver sheen upon her hair and bare skin.
The souldagger cane alive in her palm, throbbing with energy from the moon. She took a deep breath to still her frantic pulse and recalled everything she'd learned from the Brotherhood.
Harness the magic of the moon...
The dagger glowed a dark purple and faded out until it was completely silver. It began recognizing the magical properties around her. Megan felt it connect with several beings and their powers... the ones who weren't mutants.
The dagger silently pulsed in her grip.
It was time.
She let the shadows fall from her form, making her presence known to those fighting around her.
Her striking pink hair acted as a marker; drawing the attention of those she knew the most.
She hadn't prepared herself for it enough, she realized as she felt the eyes on her flare with recognition. The look on their faces portrayed so much emotion... nothing she'd told herself would have prepared her to face it.
The looks of betrayal, pity, sympathy, anger, confusion, hope, wistfulness, despair, hatred, sadness...
Her heart fluttered for a moment and then broke into a hundred miniscule shards as she made eye contact with one she'd hoped to avoid for the rest of her life.
The anger and betrayal in his eyes went unnoticed.
It was the residues of love and concern that killed her.
But then it was gone; replaced by unreadable steel. His features clenched in firm determination and he moved lithely to stand protectively in front of Trance and a few other mutants from the school.
She could see their faces in the semi darkness and her souldagger leapt with excitement at their closeness. It could almost taste their power. She shook herself slightly. In a moment the trance would break and they'd all be over her. She had to pull this off right... she HAD to.
Magneto would never forgive her otherwise.
Grasping the souldagger tightly in her palm, she cast one more glance at Match. He glared back at her stoically, his eyes dancing with unnamed emotions.
And then she let the dark magic free.
With the dramatic sound release of a sonic boom, the dark magic swept across the battlefield, zooming through the mutants, searching, searching.
And then they rose.
The chosen ones.
The magical ones.
The only ones who stood in Pitch's way.
The levitated up over the heads of the crowd, held there by the power of the souldagger.
The mutants immediately struggled to retrieve their companions, but were quelled by the remaining Brotherhood. The others targeted her. They swarmed around the Pixie and attempted to wrangle the souldagger from her.
But she was already prepared.
The dagger released a second wave of magic, freezing every single mutant standing in their places. She cringed as she watched Match turn into a stupor, but she turned away reluctantly. Her mission was halfway complete.
Striding to the hovering mutants, Megan threw a glance at each of them. The hilarious assortment of Guardians levitated above her; the Santa, the kangaroo, the yellow man, the bird and the boy.
And Elsa.
Megan's heart literally froze upon seeing her friend and savior held captive by her own dark magic. The confidence with which she'd resurrected Danger with was now fast fading. She wasn't sure if she could end this.
And then she remembered. How they'd treated her. As a child... as their sibling. Never as one of their own. Even Trance was given more priority than she. They took her powers lightly. Fairy dust and butterfly wings... of course she had to sit out of the fight. They ignored her time in Limbo. The time she'd spent suffering and alone.
She let her thoughts ferment her anger and boil it to a temper.
She could feel the dark magic respond, by binding the magical beings tighter and tighter.
The time was right.
It was her turn to keep them out of the fight.
The soul dagger pulsed with dark energy and she released it with a roar. Darkness was unleashed; swirling around the magical beings until they were encompassed in a black cloud. They struggled there, squirming within the magic and then dropped to the floor in a graceless heap.
Megan dusted her hands.
Her work was done.
As she turned to make her leave, however, the spell in the other mutants broke.
Swearing under her breath, Megan whipped her souldagger before and began to defend herself the best she could.
First to come at her was Surge. The blue haired mutant shrieked in anger as she barreled towards the Pixie, already zapping electricity in her way. Megan dodged the electric bolts and swung her dagger in an arc, the blade aiming at Surge. The other ducked immediately and the blade thumped into the grass and dissolved, only to reappear in Megan's grasp. Surge knocked the Pixie off her feet with a massive bolt of electricity, but then was tackled to the ground by a dark hooded mutant. The Brotherhood engaged with her in a hasty battle; their new mission was to protect Magneto's prized possession. Megan glowered behind them, using them as a shield. Her dagger all but screamed in blood thirst; eager to taste death now that it had been used in battle. The obsession clouded Megan's mind. She felt the dagger's magic maneuver her around the field, attacking and slashing at unsuspecting mutants. She teleported to different parts of the battle and randomly hacked at her adversaries. Trance hit the floor with a cry- a large gash opening across her lower back. Another mutant crumbled to the floor- their head rolling away from their body. Megan's wings flapped rapidly as she flew across the field in wild arcs, swooping low only to slash at her victims.
Hellion watched her progress with a growing red haze clouding his vision. His heart hammered as he struggled to register the insane amount of anger coursing through him. He didn't know what she'd done to Elsa and he hoped for her sake that it wasn't bad. Otherwise he'd kill that bitch.
No wait... he was going to do that anyway.
He waited till Megan reappeared overhead, flying low enough for her to attack the mutants below. As soon as she swooped low he entrapped her in his telekinesis, freezing her in place and keeping her there. She struggled violently, but he managed to bring her down harshly against the ground. The Pixie thwacked onto the grass with a sickening crunch and was lifted back into the air. Hellion regarded her with dark eyes swirling with unbridled anger. But then he caught sight of a figure far behind Megan, someone still engaged in the war.
Match was gazing at Megan's forlorn figure with such heart wrenching despair that Hellion couldn't bring himself to end her life.
He let Megan fall to the ground and turned his back on her; adamant to let her live no matter what she'd done to Elsa.
He scrambled towards the pale blonde's form, and roused her. She rose to her feet with a slight limp, but seemed okay. She shot him a wry smile and buried her head in the crook of his neck.
'Is it wrong of me to wish I could go home now?' She whispered.
Hellion didn't answer.
He led her away from the Guardians, who were reassembling and trying to assess what damage had been done.
'What did she do to you?' Hellion asked in a rough voice frayed with emotion.
'Where is she?' Elsa countered.
Hellion gestured behind him and repeated his own question.
Elsa ignored him however, and peered over his shoulder in an attempt to spot their new enemy.
Her eyes widened and she gasped in alarm. Hellion registered her shock, but before he could do anything, she had shoved him out of the way and was facing
Megan head on. Elsa shot her arm out in defense, expecting a wall of ice to rise in order to counter Megan's bolt of dark magic- but nothing happened.
Her magic seemed to have... left.
Megan cackled softly.
'Stupid girl,' she cooed, stalking closer to the cryokinetic. 'My dagger can counter all spells and magic. It literally eliminated your magic. You are now as useful as a poor human. Who's laughing now, eh?'
Megan shot a blast of purple magic at Hellion, tossing him off the ground and into the air. Elsa couldn't even track where he landed for in that second, the pixie had flown over and tackled her to the grass. They landed with a thump and wrestled for a while until Megan gained control. The purple haired girl straddled
Elsa and held her in place, her eyes an obsidian black, betraying her dark intentions.
'I don't need saving,' she whispered hoarsely. 'Especially not from you.'
She raised her dagger high and drove it down into Elsa's heaving chest, but instead of screaming in agony, the cryokinetic just paused in confusion. Megan looked down to her palms and frowned at the souldagger that seemed to be still hovering over Elsa. The moonlight brightened suddenly, and in the confusion,
Elsa dismantled herself from Megan and ducked out of her reach. At the same time, another body leaped forward, in an attempt to restrain the maddened Pixie.
The moonlight flooded the field in an intense bright light and the souldagger seemed entrapped by it; hovering in the air above Megan's head. It glowed a bright white and then shivered... it cracked... and it exploded. Megan watched the dark magic burst in a wide, dangerous arc before her eyes, just as she was shoved away from it all.
She hit the ground on her shoulder and pain stung her muscles. Yet she was thankful. The magic hadn't hit her. That much of darkness would've rotted her soul and absorbed her aura. That much of darkness could have killed her. She'd survived.
She'd been saved.
By who? Who on this field would have saved HER?
Her heart faltered in its beating. Struggling to her knees she glanced behind her to see the smoking, blackened figure of somebody she'd used to know.
She could feel the scream of agony build up in her lungs. Tearing them apart. But she didn't let it out. She could feel the tears prickling her eyelids. Burning them from the inside out. But she didn't let them free.
She simply glared at the body in growing despair and sorrow and emptiness until she finally heard the chiming of the town clock tower striking midnight.
That was her cue to leave.
Gathering her tattered cloak in hand, the pixie immediately teleported away, before anyone could recover from the explosion and restrain her.
She didn't look over her shoulder... or spare Match's body a last glance.
He was in her past... both figuratively and literally.
It mattered to her no more.
He mattered to her no more.
She was a member of the Brotherhood now.
And the Brotherhood was no place for friends.
The Brotherhood was no place for love.
Elsa found Hellion slumped against a tree. He was bleeding badly and his nose was broken beyond belief, but he jumped to his feet as soon as he caught sight of her and before she knew it, he was searching her face for any signs of harm.
'You're bleeding,' he sighed.
'So is everyone else,' she replied with a shrug.
'What happened? Why couldn't you fight her? What did she say?'
Elsa looked away.
'Her magic can counter other magic,' she began slowly.
'And?' Hellion pressed.
'And she used that counter spell on me.'
'So what did it do?'
'It neutralized me,' Elsa snapped.
'What does that mean?' Hellion frowned.
'My powers are MIA.'
He stared at her with growing concern.
'You're joking...,' he breathed.
Elsa sighed heavily. Her heart sank further and she tried hard to blink away her tears.
Glancing back at the war that was coming to an end, she murmured; 'Yeah. I'm no longer a mutant.'
'Such a pity,' another voice added, echoing around them and reverberating around the almost abandoned field.
Only the X-Men and a few mutants of the Brotherhood remained... the other occupants were the dead.
The voice seemed to emanate from the shadows and the scratchy tone of voice told Elsa exactly who it was.
'Pitch,' she snarled.
Hellion backed into her immediately, taking on a protective stance and leading them away from the darkness and into the center of the battlefield. The others congregated there. Elsa quickly evaluated their best chance of defense. A meager amount of then were left; just Bobby, Hank, Trance, Surge, Hellion, three other young mutants and herself. So it would be up to Hellion and Surge... now since she and the Guardians were powerless.
Jack glared at the shadows while seething in anger; his staff still in his grasp despite his lack of magic. He stood valiantly before his team, in an attempt to defend the others who were writhing on the floor in pain.
They were beings made entirely of magic and thus suffered greatly from the loss of it.
The shadows spun around them rapidly, cackling all the while. Pitch's robust voice filled their ears menacingly as the darkness whirled around. Elsa tried to keep up with its rapid movement. Her eyes darted around as she attempted to track the shadow king.
The darkness stopped suddenly and rose into the air, lifting to reveal their nemesis.
He stood nine feet tall in the remaining shadows, almost melting into the blackness around him. His beady obsidian eyes glared through their souls and looked into their minds. His pale face contrasted against the dark material he wore as clothing. His cheekbones were so sharp it looked capable of cutting glass. His thin lips pulled into a taut smile.
'Well, well,' he murmured. 'It looks like as if I've been left the tail end of this pathetic war.'
The shadows hissed around him and figures began to emerge.
'I've over prepared I suppose,' he whined, reaching out to stroke a lump of shadow.
The darkness shifted to form a solid horse, as did others. Soon there were a herd of nightmares neighing at his feet, awaiting his command. Elsa gulped.
She had no powers left. Or even if she did, she couldn't tap it because of Megan's counter spell.
She was helpless.
The horses charged as Pitch screamed his command, and the X-Men launched themselves into action. Hellion hastily began telekinetically crushing the horses he could attack, and Surge attempted to zap them. Hank and Trance's astral form resorted to close combat.
North slashed at them with his sabers, displaying skilled swordsmanship even in weakness. His movements were sluggish and slow, but his sword was deadly and sliced effectively through the nightmares.
Pitch growled in annoyance as the number of mares decreased rapidly.
Stamping his foot insolently, he called for his fearlings.
The children of the dark detached themselves from the shadows and lurched at the small group.
They came up to Elsa's hip in height but fluttered around on misty black wings, swinging malicious daggers and such. Their long limbed dark forms resembled twisted branches or vines, and seemed uncannily like fairies... the darker kind.
Elsa ducked as they lashed out at them.
One touch was all it took, it seemed, and then you succumbed to your worst nightmare. Hank dropped to the floor in agony, and screamed his lungs out as he witnessed his fears.
Sandy struggled to conjure a trickle of dreamsand to ease his pain... but he too was suffering the effects of the counter spell.
Pitch laughed heartily.
'Not so helpful now, are you... Guardians?!' He spat, fisting his fingers and snarling in their direction.
'Finish them all!' He roared, gesturing wildly with his arms.
The fearlings dove towards them on wispy wings, ready to attack, when all of a sudden a cloud of cooler swooped through the air and countered their movements.
A flurry of tiny creatures kept the fearlings at bay, jabbing at them viciously and tearing at their wings.
'My babies,' Toothiana exclaimed, reaching for them from where she lay on the ground.
A small bird detached from the crowd and flew down to her.
'Oh Baby Tooth,' Tooth cooed, tearfully. 'You've saved us all.'
Hellion scoffed under his breath.
'Saved by birds,' he moaned.
Elsa nudged him while keeping a wary eye on Pitch.
'We need all the help we can get,' she hissed.
'Do I have to do all the work myself?!' Pitch raged.
He clawed at his cheeks and tore at his spiky raven hair.
'Fine!' He snapped to himself.
'Fine,' he repeated; this time more composed and calm.
He strode over to them with purpose in his dark eyes.
'I SHALL END YOU ALL!' he roared, raising his arms to the night sky and summoning all the darkness in the world.
The X-Men adopted a defensive stance; each knowing that nothing they could do would save them.
The Guardians huddled closer together; each one intent on protecting the other.
The birds fought at the fearlings; unaware of the dark magic stirring in the sky.
Pitch bellowed angrily as he called for the magic, clawing at the sky and summoning every drop of darkness he possibly could. He rose higher in height and grew stronger in physical appearance.
His eyes glowed brighter and his skin shone whiter.
He smiled in evil glee.
And then the darkness disappeared.
The mutants down below shielding their eyes from the sudden blinding light and crouched low to avoid the stinging heat.
Pitch shrieked as he descended from his powerful eleven foot height and crumbled to the floor; weakened.
The fearlings dissipated and the birds fled. The moonlight filled every inch of the town and glowed intensely for a few strained minutes before receding.
The light faded out until it disappeared entirely. The night returned- but the moon didn't.
Instead, down in the ground before them, stood a tall lean man, with long limbs draped in a regal cloak of pure white light embroidered with gold as bright as the sun. He had stern but warm features and his hair was as silver as a river in the night, reflecting the light of the moon. It flowed down to his shoulders and brushed at his neck. His eyes bore holes into each of them as he looked around. Those intense silver orbs had a light of their own.
The Guardians stood in reverence of the newcomer, but the X-Men crouched in bafflement, unsure of what to make of his appearance.
The man strode around before them before halting beside Pitch's huddled form. The dark lord unfurled from his fetus position and rose to his feet, glaring at the man in white petulantly.
The newcomer shifted the massage staff in his hand and stared down at Pitch, his eyes hardening to look like sleet.
'Pitch Black,' he said slowly.
His voice resonated everywhere even though his lips had barely moved. The sound of his words felt like home to Elsa's ears. They were warm and strong yet held undertones of steel.
'Yeees?' Pitch glowered, stepping away from the man.
'What have you to say?'
'Nothing really. I'm quite thrilled you're here. Haven't seen you in centuries!'
The man flinched and cast the Guardians a weary glance.
'In fact,' Pitch continued. 'I don't think they've ever even seen you.'
'I was... otherwise occupied,' he replied softly, looking apologetic.
But then his resolve returned and he spun around to face Pitch with a stony glare.
'You cannot possibly believe I would let you dominate this world with fear?' he stated.
Pitch hissed. 'And why not? You hadn't graced this planet ever in your lifetime- just observed from afar and placed these lackeys to protect it!'
'Well I'm here now,' the man protested. 'And I won't let you succeed.
Pitch chuckled grimly, rising to his full height and curling his fists.
'We'll see about that,' he whispered softly, before lurching forward, releasing all the darkness he'd harvested from the night.
The man in white retaliated by thrusting his staff forward and allowing a bright beam of light to escape from the orb sitting atop it.
Darkness and light clashed with an ear splitting sound, releasing energy that rocked the entire town. The mutants and Guardians hit the floor ungracefully and even a few trees were uprooted in the process.
The sound faded out, leaving a loud ringing behind in its place.
Cool air whooshed in to fill the vacuum left behind by the dissolved energy and whispered across the field, caressing the living as well as the dead. The atmosphere returned to normal and the intensity of the night calmed down.
The man clad in brilliant white stood alone before the mutants and Guardians, looking forlornly at the ground where a horrific splotch of darkness stained the grass.
'It is done,' he murmured.
He turned slowly to the X-Men and bowed his head in acknowledgement.
'You have all fought bravely and avenged this monster even though he was not your liability,' he said calmly. 'For this I shall reward you...it's the least I could do.'
'He's dead?' Bobby stuttered. 'Like really...dead?'
The man smiled grimly. 'Fear cannot be exterminated fully.'
'So he's still around?' Hellion groaned, averting his eyes from the man's bright clothing.
'Yes,' he acquiesced. 'But I have banished him to the ends if the universe... as far as he could possibly go. It is highly unlikely that he would return.'
'Gee thanks,' Hank muttered, and Elsa quietened him by nudging the Beast sharply in his side.
'And you dear child,' the man in white said, noticing the cryokinetic. 'I am aware of your great input into this war.'
Elsa snorted. 'That's great, old man, but-'
'That's not my name, dear.'
'Erm...'
'You may know me by many names, but mainly I go by The Man in the Moon,' the newcomer answered brightly.
'MANNY?!' North exclaimed in surprise, staring at his mentor in awe.
'That's your moon man?' Hank chuckled.
The man in white shot him an amused glance.
'That's rich coming from a furry blue man,' he replied with a friendly twinkle in his eyes.
Hank cringed deeply and ducked his face from view.
'Listen,' Hellion snapped. 'I don't care for who you are... I don't really give a shit. But you need to get my girlfriend's powers back or so help me- I would do anything... ANYTHING!'
Manny eyed him with interest while Elsa glanced at the telekinetic with a kabillion butterflies birthing in her tummy.
Oh gawsh...had he really said the g word?
Really?
Reaaally?
She thought she might die.
Manny tilted his head gently and watched Elsa. 'She has something dark blocking her abilities... it isn't entirely removed from her.'
'Can you help her?' Hellion asked through gritted teeth.
'Of course.' Manny laughed. 'It's simple.'
He made no move to do anything.
Hellion nearly growled with anger.
'It is done, dear child,' Manny said smilingly. 'When I got rid of Pitch I removed all darkness from this town... temporarily of course but it did indeed reverse the spell upon your friend and the Guardians.'
Hellion felt the anger whoosh out of him and suddenly, he felt very, very tired.
Elsa started. 'So I have my powers back?'
'Use them well,' Manny said, nodding. Elsa could barely suppress her glee. It was such a relief, hearing those words. And now, since the atrocities of the war hadn't fully settled in, she was able to feel pure unbridled joy.
'I must take my leave now,' Manny added, taking in his surroundings and noting the tinge of dawn rising in the sky.
'But what about us?' Jack exclaimed. 'We have so many questions... and we need help... and... you can't just leave!'
He sounded enraged.
Manny acknowledged this.
'Go home, Guardians,' he replied. 'I will find you there.'
And with that, he faded out of existence and almost instantly, the moon reappeared in the coral pink sky, hidden far away in the unexplored galaxies.
The Guardians shifted uncomfortably for a while, taking the remnants of the battle before glancing among themselves uncertainly.
'Go,' Hank assured them. 'We'll clean up here.'
'And how do we do that?' Hellion snapped, only to be hushed by Elsa.
'Let them go, Julian,' she hissed. 'You're master telekinetic anyways. I'm sure you'll figure out how to move a few dead bodies.'
'Not funny, Els,' he shot back.
She shuddered, realizing those "dead bodies" were her companions- but morbid humor was all she had to cope with it all and she knew Hellion understood.
'Man, this is a lot of cleaning up,' Hank groaned as he turned to face the remains of the war.
'All your fault we're stuck with this job,' Bobby pointed out.
'Well come along then,' Hank sighed, trudging up to the mass of dead bodies strewn across the Bennett lawn and the street opposite.
Elsa took in the carnage wearily and suppressed a sigh.
This was what her world was reduced to... and it was about time she got used to it.
Groaning to herself, she locked eyes with Hellion and offered him a wan smile. He took her hand gently and stroked her wrist absent-mindedly.
'We made it,' he muttered.
'In one piece,' she added.
'I suppose I'll have to properly ask you out now,' he mused in mock annoyance.
'EXCUSE ME WHAT,' Trance screeched, barreling out of nowhere and slamming right into Hellion with a force unexpected of her.
'Trance, leave them alone,' Surge called out, glaring at her friend pointedly until she complied.
'Just so you know you two are my OTP!' the mutant shrieked as she followed Surge, making heart signs with her fingers.
'What on earth?' Hellion muttered with a frightened look plastered on his face.
'Let the poor child have her fan girl moments,' Elsa chuckled awkwardly. 'After all, this is all the joy we get.'
Hellion turned serious then, and clasped her hand and drew her in for a hug.
'Then I suppose we make the most of it,' he whispered in a husky voice.
Elsa froze. 'You better not propose, you little shit.'
Hellion laughed loudly, the sound resonating across the field strewn with the dead, and the birds took to the skies.
Light spilled across the town and life began to roll on.
Media and townspeople swarmed the site as the X-Men struggled to clean up after themselves.
It was tiresome, the media were meddlesome, and facing the countless losses was most excruciating.
Among the deaths were Wolverine, Bling, Armor and Match.
But as much as their losses hurt them greatly, the future seemed brighter, and better.
As long as she had her friends, Elsa knew she would be alright.
No... She realized. As long as she had her family.
a/n: ohmygod.
*sniffs*
its over...
it really is :')
not the whole story tho... just the war :P i have a load of loose ends to tie up. like where Jamie's run off to... Kitty Pryde's return, Manny's explanation for being MIA and maybe even more of Megan and the Brotherhood ;) who knows? i could spice it up a little. just cause the war is over... doesn't mean the surprises are :P
anyways... review away! i can't WAIT for your responses. loved the reviews for the previous chapter. i can't believe most of you felt emotional. i didn't think my writing was thaat good :3
hugs for everyone yey :3
see you soon...
or maybe not. my return might take a while...
soz!
oh and check out my tumblr again! i have another surprise for the fans. link: www-tumblr-com/blog/usherrthaaa
(add dots where i put dashes)
it's the first thing on my blog 3