Two
If they had been travelling in a car Asli would have stared out the window at the passing scenery pointedly ignoring her companion-but this was a giant metal sphere and there was no ignoring Magneto for the time being. At least he's taken his silly helmet off; the thing is a distracting eyesore at the best of times; Asli grumbled to herself.
This however was a time when Asli wished Magneto would stop talking to allow her time to brood, "I was surprised to learn from Charles that the doctor who created your redesign was your father…"
"Yeah, well unlike your family-mine never trumpeted their dysfunction for the world to see." Asli rolled her eyes-why couldn't people let it go that she had killed her father? As far as she was concerned Randall Carter died the same day as his wife. Everything after that was a nightmare-someone else's nightmare.
A ghost of a smile played around the edges of Magneto's eyes-the first time Asli had seen one reach that far; "Yes, and unlike my charming daughter you actually succeeded in killing your father."
Asli clenched her fists in frustration, "Does it make you wonder what else I'm capable of? I mean I killed the man who raised me, betraying you would be easy."
Magneto's eyes narrowed as he stared at the hacker weighing her words; finally he laughed out loud. Asli lifted an eyebrow, "Glad to know I amuse you."
"Dear girl," the mirth in Magneto's voice was more disturbing than the laughter, "Whatever you are-you are far too practical to try a palace revolt. You might not like working for me but you've burned too many bridges to leave my service. I don't think you want to go back to being on the run again do you?"
"That's the second time today that I've been referred to as 'practical'…I'm beginning to believe it's not a complement," She sucked her breath in past her teeth and decided she didn't care enough to lie to Magneto anymore, "There are days I really hate you. This is one of them."
"Hate me as much as you want Cypher," Magneto's eyes were cold once more-apparently the bonding moment was over, "Just fear and obey me and there won't be any problems."
Turning away Asli folded her arms across her chest winching slightly at the pulling in her shoulder. She was tired of fearing and obeying anyone; there was no way she would let Magneto control her or her friends any longer. Asli had been waiting for a sign that would tell her that it was time to break away. As far as she could see there was no time like the present.
***************************
A bead of sweat dropped into Kitty's left eye as she tried to scrub the blackened bits of cookie off of the cookie sheet. She really hadn't meant to forget about them it had just happened. "Hey Kitty?" the X-Woman lifted her head from the dishes at the sound of Illyana's voice.
"Yeah Squirt?" She flicked a few bubbles towards the little girl.
Illyana screwed up her face and flung the offending bits of soap back at the teen, "Why isn't Asli an X-Man anymore?"
Fighting her urge to choke Kitty wiped off her hands and levelled a serious gaze at Illyana, "How did you meet Cypher?"
"I was downstairs playing hide and seek with Jamie and she was in the Med Lab all alone so I talked with her." The Russian girl's features settled into a determined pout, "Why isn't she an X-Man?"
With a sigh Kitty decided that half honesty was the best policy, "Do you remember Pete and me telling you about the bad man Magneto?"
"He's the one that took me away from Mommy and Daddy," Illyana frowned, "He sent me to all kinds of Doctors to make sure I got better when I was sick, but he made Pitor do bad things for him."
The little girl looked so proud that she knew the answer to Kitty's 'grown-up' question it made the brunette's heart lurch, "That's right. He also made Asli work for him-that's why she was one of Pete's friends."
"But Pitor got away and became an X-Man why didn't Asli?"
Kitty opened her mouth without thinking, "Cypher didn't want to stay with Magneto but she did so that her other friends would be safe."
Illyana digested this timbit for a minute then nodded sagely, "I bet that's why she's so sad and Pitor's angry at her. He's probably worried the bad man will hurt her."
"Niet," Pitor's voice was full of half restrained anger about the topic his sister and girlfriend were discussing, "This is not something you need to know Illyana, and it's time for bed."
Illyana's smile didn't dim one watt-she was used to her older brother's moods, "Read me a story Kitty?"
"Ummm," Kitty looked into her boyfriend's obviously furious face and shook her head, "Why don't you get Kurt to so that Pete and I can finish the dishes?"
The dark head hung a little until she remembered all the voices the fuzzy blue mutant would use during story time-he was more fun than Kitty some nights. "Okay," she ran over and hugged Kitty before turning to her brother and bear hugging his massive legs, "Love you. Good night."
For the second time that day Pitor waited while his sister walked away so that he could have a 'conversation' with a troublesome female. "Why did you tell her that Cypher didn't want to go back to Magneto, Kitty? She doesn't need lies to make things seem happier than they are. She is a traitor there is nothing noble about that."
Kitty narrowed her eyes-she wasn't pulling rose coloured wool over the child's eyes, "Because it was the truth. If Cypher hadn't gone back to Magneto he would have hurt the other Acolytes until she did. She thought he would come after you or Illyana so she went back."
"What?" the look on Pitor's face clenched Kitty's heart-it wasn't the truth but it was close enough-Pitor looked absolutely shell shocked.
The Valley girl puzzled, why had she just told her boyfriend why he couldn't be with the girl he really loved? It didn't make sense. "She asked me not to tell you." Kitty moved closer and wrapped her arms around Pitor's large frame.
"Then why did you?" His voice was rife with emotion but he let Kitty continue to hold him.
Tears welled in Kitty's eyes; she had said too much to take it back now, "Because I couldn't stand watching you hate her when she was only protecting you and the others. Because she almost died in that basement thinking that she disgusted the man she cared about-that no one would miss her if she did die. It isn't fair Pitor; Asli's given up too much to be treated like that."
Slowly, Pitor disentangled Kitty's arms from his body and stepped back from the crying brunette. With all the gentleness in him he lifted Kitty's chin and lightly kissed her lips, turning away from her as soon as it was over. As hard as she tried Kitty couldn't stem the tears flowing freely from her eyes-she was crying for both of them and the injustice of things left unsaid. When he finally spoke Pitor's voice held the rasp of barely controlled tears, "I need to be alone."
As she watched him walk away Kitty could taste the salt of her own tears-it was a bitter taste.
***************************
"When do you expect Magneto to return?" Mystique's voice was cold as she eyed the way Remy was standing close to Rogue with obvious displeasure. The empty look on her face spoke volumes of how she felt about the older man wooing her daughter.
Rogue looked her adoptive mother in the eye without flinching unwilling to be intimidated anymore, "We don't know. He went to get Cypher from the X-Mansion."
"Cypher who?" a dark blue eyebrow lifted.
Rogue could feel Remy's smirk-he liked knowing something Mystique didn't. "Cypher is de other Acolyte fille…she had an accident."
"What kind of 'accident'?"
Rogue cleared her throat and thought about the short version of events wondering if it came down to her and Mystique would she be able to do what Asli had done, "The kind where her cyborg father killed a bunch of her friends, kidnapped her then tried to kill her only to have Cypher kill him."
"Never a dull moment with de Acolytes hein," Remy pulled out a deck of cards and began shuffling them absently.
"For which I'm grateful," Asli's voice broke in as she strode through the door at Magneto's heels; Rogue had to admit that even with three days worth of rest in Hank's tender care the hacker still looked like shit. It concerned her that Asli was burning the candle at both ends, "All that clean living with the X-Geeks is enough to kill a girl."
Remy was on his feet and embracing Asli before Rogue could even pull a sentence together, "Petite, next time you do somethin' like dat warn Gambit…if we lost you dere'd be no one to protect de ragin' Cajun from de Rogue."
A wide smile broke Asli's face as she strode forward laying her hand gently on Remy's forehead-Rogue felt a lurch of unwarranted jealousy that her friend could touch the Cajun when she couldn't; "Poor Remy," Asli grinned with a sing-sing voice, "You must have hit your head-I've never protected you from Rogue."
"Children," Magneto's voice called the young people away from their happy world where they didn't work for a psychopath-naturally they resented him for it, "As amusing as your banter is perhaps someone would like to tell me why we have a visitor."
Turing their eyes to Mystique Rogue had to
chuckle-Asli and Remy were feinting disinterest just a touch too hard-even for
their normally cool exteriors, "No welcoming me back with open arms Eric?"
"If I didn't expect you to stab me in the
back I just might Raven," Magneto's smile was just as
fake and cold-but at least they were playing nice; "Is there a specific reason
for your return or is this a social call?"
Mystique's face became utterly still causing a shiver to turn down Rogue's spine; it was after all Asli's second favourite expression, "Destiny saw that you had something big planned. I couldn't resist the challenge."
At the mention of the blind far-seer Rogue narrowed her eyes, reading between Mystique's careful words told the goth that it had been Irene's will that Mystique rejoin Magneto. Rogue knew very well how much Mystique loathed the master of magnetism; that had been one of the shape-shifter's few coherent thoughts the teen had absorbed. "Did Destiny inform you if it was a successful venture?" One of Magneto's pale eyebrows lifted in question.
"No," Mystique's voice was firm, "She didn't tell me if you would succeed or fail only that you'd try."
Before she could stop herself Rogue began to speak, "Try what?"
Conflict flitted across Magneto's face, vanity warring caution-in the end his desire to demonstrate his genius won out, "I had hoped to wait for the whole team before sharing my plans but it seems that is no longer an option." He cleared his throat and Rogue flicked her eyes to Asli to see if the hacker had any clue about what was coming next.
The three Acolytes stood in silence waiting for Magneto to continue their breath not quite baited, "In two days we are going to annihilate the members of the Friends of Humanity at their national rally in Washington DC. Preferably, before Graydon Creed announces his candidacy for President."
From the corner of her eye Rogue could see Mystique flinch and pale slightly underneath her natural blue hue; the name Graydon Creed meant something to her mother she would bet good money on it.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Yippie! I finally finished this chapter! I thought it would never end-it just didn't want to write itself. Happy New Years everyone…Party time! Consider this your present from me.
Ish- Still no clue about who gets to die…muhahahahaha. If you want to play the 'who is more evil?' game I'm in…BTW when do I get the next chappie in your epic? Hummmm????? I know there wasn't much Romyness but I figured the Kitty/Pitor/Asli angst was enough for one chapter. But like I keep telling you…there won't be a happy ending…or one that won't result in my stoning. I really haven't decided if Remy's actually going to get Rogue.
Pixie Flyer – I try not to model characters on myself-where's the fun in that? I do however model characters on my friends and people I meet. For instance there really is a guy who looks like Shade…and one of my roommates was the basis for Bender. The only thing Cypher and I have in common is short hair and attitude. Fortunately, my father is not a homicidal cyborg.
Here are the lyrics for the Chapter title…I don't own them…the folks at the record label and Marry Me Jane do…
Marry Me Jane - Misunderstood
I'm not courageous I'm
everything that they say
Fame is outrageous I'm really wasting away
I'm your man I'm your genie I'm your junkie
I'm your man I'm your maybe I'm your must be
Life's a little to intense
I'm a little too in pieces
If I could I would act like I should act
Little misunderstood
Rumors are dangerous
Don't believe what they say
I'm not contagious
In time it will fade
I'm your man I'm your monkey I'm your magic
I'm your man I'm your memory I'm your static
Life's a little too intense
I am less than perfect
The world is too immense
I'm a little too in pieces
If I could I would act like I should act
Little misunderstood
Little misunderstood
These four walls
Scream like sirens
Damn this neighborhood
I'm so good
Life's a little too intense
I'm a little too in pieces
If I could I would act like I should act
Little misunderstood
Little misunderstood