What to do about Magik?
Author's note: In the latest issue of the Amazing X-Men, we find that the X-Men have fought and defeated Dark Beast; who is now locked up in the basement of Henry's bar, the bar that they are all hiding out at (FYI Henry is an old friend of Logan's). Illyana used her sword to defeat Dark Beast's shields by throwing her sword though a teleportation disk to emerge on the other side of his shield (much to his surprise). He is currently working on some project assigned by Scott.
So… for those who do not follow the comic, just who is Dark Beast? From Wikipedia, which you should read if you don't know about Dark Beast, Dark Beast is another dimension's Henry McCoy from the age of Apocalypse timeline. In that timeline McCoy was a mad scientist who implemented cruel experiments under the tyrant Apocalypse. He was one of a handful of characters to escape the Age of Apocalypse reality to the regular Marvel Universe, where he has continued his unethical experiments.
He worked with Mr. Sinister, both in the age of Apocalypse, and this dimension's Mr. Sinister as well. While Sinister is methodical and rational in his experiments, McCoy (as ruthless as his mentor) sadistically delights in causing pain to his lab subjects and in the cruelty of his experiments, which is why he was nicknamed the Beast. He also experimented on himself in order to further his mutation and gained his ape-like bestial appearance and his blue fur. Since Earth-616 already has a Beast, he was named Dark Beast (because Marvel is obsessed with calling everything evil Dark).
With the end of the Age of Apocalypse, the Dark Beast was able to escape to Earth-616. He was believed to have died due to Quicksilver's interference in his trajectory. However, the only damage was that he landed twenty years in the past in the empty Morlock tunnels without any memory whatsoever, turns out he is responsible for creating the Morlocks (and the reason for Mr. Sinister's later slaughter of the Morlocks). He later regained his memory.
Dark Beast has had many encounters with X-Men over the years, usually as a villain, sometimes masquerading as the real Beast, and sometimes as an ally (suffice it to say that his ethics are very questionable and nobody trusts him). At one point he was thought dead but was found to now be an android as Mr. Sinister had attached him to a robot body.
Oh, and again for those who are not reading the comics. Scott and Logan are alive again. They have Illyana, Dani, Rahne, Scott's brother Alex, and Xi'an with them. Xi'an and Dani are currently techno-organic (see the limit series Dead Souls for details as to why).
Anyway, I got to thinking about possible Illyana and Dark Beast interactions, which resulted in this story.
Part 38a: Dark musings
Darkness… Mused Henry, otherwise known as Dark Beast, as he worked in the basement of the bar. Is the lack of illumination. How in any way am I not illuminated? How is it that I am saddled with the name Dark Beast when my counterpart is the one who dwells in the darkness of ignorance. I am the one mentally free, regardless of my current circumstances.
Yes he was rather… expansive in his actions, but an artist should be bold in his creations.
Yes he tended to be cruel when cruelty was unnecessary, but it was so pleasant to demonstrate power over the meaningless dross that made up so much of existence. And why waste anesthesia on lab rat, anesthesia costs money that could be better spent on… oh… Netflix for one. And why bother, pain thresholds are so fun to explore in others. Life existed to serve those who would master it. That was its purpose. When you finally realized such then it was all so clear… Petty delusions of ethics just clouded the fact that we're all just meat. A fact that so few realized, especially the other Henry (as Dark Beast liked to refer to Beast). Ethics are just so much meaningless self delusions.
He sneaked a glance at Illyana, his current guard as Illyana had relieved Dani for a time.
"Self does not need to sleep or relax." Had stated Dani when Illyana had come down the stairs.
"Regardless, take a time out." Had been Illyana's reply.
Dani had departed leaving his least preferred guardian to watch over him. The others could be manipulated. Influenced. And leaving the techno-organics to watch over him was not as safe as Scott believed as was he not a master of technology?
Scott, Alex, Logan, even Rahne… all so emotional. Easily distracted by different things. Scott and Alex… so reminiscent of the ones he used to know, although this Alex was much less an asshole then his Alex had been; but still just as prone to… missteps. Logan and Rahne were not as well known, but still easily fooled if he just used his vastly superior intellect.
But her…
She made him uneasy, not that he showed it.
Never responding to any of his jokes or banter. No reactions to his comments on vivisection, culinary pursuits, his other hobbies, or even his approval of Fox news (why that always annoys a goodie too-shoe liberal, always would make Alex get all blustery).
Just that cold look of bland disregard.
She had been the one to take him down, with teleporting that blasted sword and these infernal powers of hers. He still wanted to play around with her guts but… well… those words has been hastily said. Best left unremarked upon for now, one can always dream.
Finally she had replied to one of his prompts. "I have no interest in bantering with you. Scott… Logan… Alex may wish to engage with you. I do not."
"And why is that?" Dark Beast gestured to himself as he gave a wide grin " I have such an outgoing personality. Why… I have even been called delightfully whimsical upon multiple occasions. Andy you have not had meatloaf until you've tasted mine, here's a hint, you need to add pork. But I must say, I enjoyed that little altercation. So satisfying to render Scott and Alex powerless to stop me."
Illyana pointed out that he had lost that little battle. "The one you lost."
"I was winning until you took me down. Rather underhandedly I might add, a sword though the midsection that completely disrupted all of my systems, technological and organic. Yet it left no wound or aftereffects."
A bland response, but a response. "Scott wished you alive."
"And if he had not?"
A slightly less bland response. "Then I suppose I would have found out if chopping you to bits would result in your demise."
Henry continued working at his lab bench. "Hmm… I suppose I was foolish to so lightly dismiss you. Magic is so annoying when it comes to those who focus on the physical rules of existence." A hint to see if she explained more. Of all the X-Men she was the biggest unknown.
A conversation gambit she did not take. "Tough for you."
Ah well, perhaps another avenue. "You claim a lack of interest in conversational interactions, yet here you are conversing with loveable o'll me."
Illyana shifted slightly. "I wondered just how close your behavior is to the two Henrys that I knew."
A grin of pride. "Am I not blue? Am I not called the Beast? Was I not able to pretend to be this world's Henry for so long? A charade that this world's Henry could not have maintained in my world. So… what does your scrutiny show?"
"You are a Henry. I see why Scott, Alex, and Logan find that aggravating."
"And why is that?"
"In your own way, you are what remains of a man they would call friend."
A threatening growl a reply. "Remains?"
"What has been done to you. What you have done to yourself. You are not the Henry they know. But you are a Henry they understand as they likely believe they see in you what their Henry could have been."
"I think not." Was his curt rely. "I am not so easily understood."
A ploy that resulted in an ehanced clarification from Illyana. "We are what we are Beast. And you are sooo much a Henry. Self observed, convinced of the correctness of your actions. And a definite lack of common sense. In that I can see how you were able to fool people into thinking you were Henry as you are a Beast as well."
"Not Dark Beast?"
"No… just Beast. The Henry of this world is called Beast due to his athletics. You are Beast due to your actions."
"O dearie me, I do think I've been insulted. Or would a stars and garters comment be more in character?"
Illyana made no reply. Just looked at him silently for an extended length of time. Beast attempted to restart the conversation. "Dialog is not monologue. I say something, you reply, then the reverse happens."
Still nothing. Just a return to the bland look. Dark Beast tried again. "Cat got your tongue? I could tell a funny story involved this very gregarious lab rat I had, just would not shut up until I removed his ability to speak."
Still nothing. He tried yet again. It would be nice if he could get her do demonstrate some of her magical powers. The more he knew about, the more he could plan.
"I do like our interaction. Much more interesting then the threats from Logan, the ineffectual threats and insults from Alex, or the coldness of Scott." H paused… but still nothing from her. "Nothing left to say? Quite the disappointment. Scott and Logan can go on for hours, although Alex does tend to end up just storming off in a funk after running out of things to say. Pretty please?"
A shake of her head in negation. "Naa... We're done. Just need to make a mental note to remind me that the next time you're killed, I need to make sure the body is incinerated. Sufficiently hot to make sure any metal bits are vaporized as well."
A disquieting statement, one delivered with no heat or even a change in her tone. Like she was reminding herself to put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher before going to bed.
And with that it was as return to the bland stare until she was relieved.
Sigh… The others were predictable and really not worth much thought. But Magik…?
Hmmm….. that was a potential problem.
Just what was he supposed to do about Magik?