5. Mutant Underground
"Human-mutant tensions continue to rise as protests from both sides clash outside the White House. Police were quickly brought in when the peaceful protests hurriedly turned violent..."
"Jesus," mumbled Peter.
"There's no good news," Wanda sighed, slouching onto the couch.
"There is," said Carol. "We just don't get to see or hear it cause the bad news is taking up everyone's attention."
It was these rising tensions between mutants and humans - would they ever find peace? Would they ever be something other than enemies? - that spurred Daniela and Warren on to move forward with and fast track their plans concerning Katy's protector.
"You're not getting back into cage fighting are you?" Daniela asked as Warren led her down some stairs into the basement of a downtown building in what Kurt still called the 'sketchy part of town'.
"No, no, don't worry. My cage fighting days are over."
"Good."
"Yeah. But who we're about to meet is from those cage fighting days."
"Oh. Who are they?"
"She's an old friend. Helped me through some really dark times."
"Well I'd better thank her then."
Warren smiled and opened the door at the end of the dark hall, ushering Daniela inside an equally dark room. "Welcome to the Mutant Underground - New York's own Mutant Underground. Hello? Liz?"
"Angel?" cried a woman's voice. Moments later she emerged. Tall with long dark hair pulled back into a ponytail that swished as she walked, the end of which was dyed a deep purple, matching the coat she was wearing. Her tall heeled boots clicked on the stone floor as she walked.
"Hey Liz." Warren hugged her.
The woman smiled at him. "Great to see you, it's been ages."
"It has. This is Daniela, my girlfriend. Yela, I'd like you to meet Elizabeth Braddock, an old friend. She helped me when I was first out in the streets, saved my ass and helped keep me going."
"We all need a reminder to keep going sometimes," said Elizabeth.
"Well thank you," Daniela told her. "If it wasn't for you we may never have met."
"I'm glad things worked out for you. How can I help you? What brings you back to this shit hole?"
"Well, it's a pretty serious favour. We have a baby-"
"You're a father now? Congratulations!"
"Thanks. Katy, a daughter. However, she's not displaying any mutant powers - at least not yet - and Worthington's taken an interest in her..."
"Ah," Elizabeth nodded in understanding.
"He already took her once-"
"You're kidding."
"Nope, I'm afraid not. Right after she was born too, snatched her right from the hospital and sent us all into a raging panic."
"Oh I bet. Jesus, that's horrible. That must have been horrifying, I'm so sorry."
"Yeah. Of course, we want to avoid something like that again, and we were wondering if you might consider being her protector." Warren let this suggestion hover in the air for a moment. "You'd have room and board at the boarding school we live at - a school for mutants. And you'll finally be able to get out of this dump."
"It's a tempting offer."
"What sort of powers do you have?" Daniela asked, curious ever since Warren had told her about Elizabeth.
Warren and Elizabeth exchanged a glance. Elizabeth smirked.
Warren grinned. "Watch this."
Elizabeth held up a fist and before their eyes a long purple energy blade stretched the full length of her arm and beyond. Swirls of the same purple energy, almost like wings, framed her face at the same time.
Daniela's jaw dropped. "I love her already."
Elizabeth chuckled and let her power display fade.
"We wouldn't ask this of just anyone," Warren told her.
"I know, and I'm honoured you've come to me with this, I really am."
"Please help us keep our daughter safe," Daniela cried.
Elizabeth nodded. "When do I start?"
The training exercises were much more manageable now.
Kath even found herself less anxious leading up to the actual exercise itself.
Daniela's words kept tugging at her thoughts however, from the back of her mind:
Be confident but careful.
Be confident, but cautious.
Hank had set up the training robots that would act as 'enemies' for the students to practice using their powers against. Kath had always struggled with this exercise, but now, faced it with a newfound confidence that was hugely refreshing.
As her robot approached, she held out a hand in front of herself. Almost instantly, the robot halted, held back by her projected magnetic field.
She clenched her hand into a fist and almost instantly, the robot collapsed in on itself, defeated and destroyed.
Kath beamed - until she met the stares of her fellow students.
Some were staring at her in awe, startled, in shock - others, not quite fear, but on the verge of it.
"Wow, nicely done, Kath," said Hank, snapping everyone's attention away and breaking the tense silence. "You were very concentrated, very focused. Nice work."
But that was just it, she realized: she had been too focused, too immersed in the exercise.
Too confident.
Across the gym, she met her sister's eyes. Daniela didn't need to speak her wise words, for her eyes said it all:
Be confident but careful.
Confident, but cautious.
Kath had thought her power problems were gone, over and done with, but perhaps that had been naïve of her. This could be a problem all its own, a problem she hadn't foreseen.
I really wish we got to see more of Psylocke in the movies, she's so cool and badass! But there will be lots of her here!
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)