Chapter Seven: Losses
Nightcrawler gulped. "Ahh... Ah... I..."
"Kurt? What is she talking about?" Kitty carefully sat up and looked at Nightcrawler.
"Ahh...."
"Kurt, answer me!" Mystique said.
Nightcrawler's eyes narrowed. "My answer... You're asking for my answer? Vell, I'll tell you my answer- No. And yes."
"What?"
"Yes, I vould be sad. But not because I lost a mother. Because I vouldn't have, see. I vould have lost, by defenition, an enemy. Zat's ze no part. Ze yes part is because nobody deserves to die, not even you. Not even my enemies. Especially if..." Nightcrawler looked from Mystique to Miracle and Everlast, "... if I vas ze one who killed you," he finished in a small voice.
Mystique was silent for a while. Then she placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Kurt..." Mystique closed her eyes. "Do you want me killed?"
Nightcrawler shook his head no. "Oh... no! No, I don't," he then said, realizing that she couldn't see him.
"He doesn't want me killed..." Mystique said. Her eyes flared open. "So get OUT!"
The building shook, and the ceiling began to break apart. Mystique fell to the floor in an unconcious heap.
"Mother!" Nightcrawler cried out, just as a big piece of rock fell on him.
"Kurt!" Kitty yelled. She coughed, spitting up more blood.
"This place is turning into a disaster area," Mir said. "Get out of here- I'll take care of the rest!" By then the robots had come back to life- this time with a new power. Violet purple balls of energy flew throughout the room, destroying everything in their paths.
"But Mir-" Everlast started.
"Go! I'll catch up later!"
"Miracle!" Everlast said in a warning tone.
"Look, I don't want your death to be on my concience, got it!" Everlast looked into her sister's eyes and nodded sadly.
"Come on, Everlast!" Cyclops shouted, Jean in his arms. Wolverine was carrying Nightcrawler, and Storm held Kitty gingerly.
With one last look at her sister, Everlast ran to the others across the room.
"Any of you ever seen a miracle?" Miracle yelled as she faced the robots. She powered up her witchcraft powers and held out her arms.
"Stop! Stop for me!" Katze followed Everlast, pouncing from one rock to another. She landed on Mystique's rock and tipped it over.
"Eeeek!" Katze screamed, knocking into Mir. They fell over with a crash.
"Mir!" Everlast screamed, when she turned back once more. "Miracle!"
"Woah, hold it. She's coming, Ev. She'll get here," Spyke said, holding her back with one arm. Rogue helped him.
"No! No, she's down! I saw her! Her and Katze! They're down! We have to go save them!" Everlast struggled in their hold, but it was no use. "Let me go!"
A pile of rocks crashed down in front of them, blocking their way back. And blocking Mir and Katze's way forward.
"Miracle!" Everlast yelled shrillfully.
Spyke and Rogue finally managed to drag Everlast to the waiting Blackbird.
"Wait! We can't leave them!" Everlast cried out as the door shut.
"We're trying, we're trying! Hold your horses, bub," Wolverine shouted as he dumped Nightcrawler in a chair and jumped into the pilot's seat.
"Calm down, Everlast." Rogue said. "If anyone could make it-"
The Blackbird got knocked to the side by more rocks.
"We can't just sit here!" Everlast exclaimed. "Save them! Save my sister!"
"Hey, can't you summon them?" Rogue asked. "Like your mom did with Min and Katherine... or, tried to?"
"Are you CrAzY?"
"... Guess so."
"Everlast," Storm said. "It... was a lost cause. There's no way..."
Everlast turned to Storm with a frightening look. "Find a way," she said with a calm, yet evil eerieness that seemed unnatural.
"Everlast... I, like, totally believe they'll make it. They'd better, or... ah... aHH... aCHOO!" Kitty sneezed, almost phazing through the control panel.
"Watch it, Half Pint!" Wolverine grabbed her arm and pulled her away. "You do NOT want to short-circut this thing!"
The plane lifted in the air shakily, with rocks coming down on all sides. Suddenly, they all heard an explosion, and the Blackbird rocked and swayed in midair. The lights flickered, then remained on.
"Miracle!" Everlast screamed with all her power, then collasped from exhaustion.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
It was one day before Halloween, and no one was in the haunting spirit. The sky was black with clouds, putting everyone in a miserable and touchy mood. They all had waited and waited for any sign at all, for hope or more, but none came. Mara stared at the temporary monument before her in the snow-filled grassy area in the middle of the driveway, dumbfounded. Something bothered her... something was missing. All this... the temporary memorial would be replaced by a permament one, when the Prof called the right people and such. But for now, this would have to do. Covered by an overhang, the memorial had tons of flowers and personal items surrounding several pictures of Mir and Katherine, even though she had died in her human form.
*What a weird word to associate with them... Died...* Mara thought. Never before had any of the X-Men team... died! Mara couldn't believe it. Her mother was beyond grief. They all were pretty much in a state of shock. No one wanted to talk about it.
"Mir..." Mara whispered. "It's almost Halloween. The day for us to celebrate our... gifts. Remember, Mom said we could have any wish come true. My wish... is for you and Erine to be alive and well again, to be here with us. To have a second chance. Please..." Suddenly she looked up as a thought came to her.
"I know something that will make this complete," she whispered. She turned around and ran into the Institute.
Rogue, who had been standing behind a nearby tree, watched her go. The sky cracked with lightning, and thunder rolled. Cold, heavy rain began to drizzle, then pour down in heavy sheets.
"Shut up, Storm..." Rogue muttered, and made her way to the memorial to stand under the overhang.
Rogue stared at the temporary monument with a blank expression on her face.
"I've... nevah talked to a... monument before... If you don't count that statue in Central Square back when I was five." Rogue blushed, the rain falling down in a rush behind her.
"I feel responsible for takin' care of Amarantha since... you left... Miracle. I nevah really understood, I've nevah had a younga sibling of mah own. I nevah noticed how much she needed it." Rogue paused. "She's so innocent of the ways of the world. But you were always there, Mir, protectin' her. Makin' sure she was all right. You two had somethin' special, I see that now. But now you're not there, Mir. Now she ain't got no one to protect her... That is, if I don't step in. That weight of responsibility has been passed to me. But I could nevah take your place, Mir. Nevah. You know me, I'd probably bring her down instead, or screw up... screw HER up, somehow. So, if you could please..."
Rogue mentally slapped herself. What was she thinking? She shook her head and continued.
"Mir, you had a lot to deal with, teachin' Mara and all. As I said before... I feel responsible for takin' care of her since you left. That burden has-"
Rogue was cut off by a crash. She whirled around to face Mara, ashen and soaking wet. Broken flowers, shards of glass, and a gold object fell from Mara's hands.
"Amarantha!"
"A... a burden? I thought- I was... a friend." With that statement, shock evident on her face, in her words... With that said, Mara turned and ran, tears merging with the cold, wet rain.
"Mara! Wait!" Rogue started after her, almost stepping on the flowers and glass.
*Wait, Rogue,* the Professor thought to her, halting her in her tracks.
"What? Hey-"
*Rogue, let Mara go. She'll eventually come around. It's best if she could spend some time to herself. Do not go after her, please, Rogue. For now, let her have some time alone. She's been through alot lately... All of us have.*
"Are ya sure?"
*Trust me, Rogue. Do no pursue her.*
"Okay, Professor..." When Rogue was sure the Professor had left, she turned to the monument in despair.
"Adults," she complained, her thick Southern accent clear in her voice. Nearby, on the ground, a glisten caught her eye. She picked it up and held it in the palm of her hand.
It was the heart locket Mir had given Mara last Christmas. The one that had all their pictures in it, and the words inscribed inside, "Home is where the heart is."
"I'm dead!" Rogue moaned. She then turned to look at the monument and cry.
Nightcrawler gulped. "Ahh... Ah... I..."
"Kurt? What is she talking about?" Kitty carefully sat up and looked at Nightcrawler.
"Ahh...."
"Kurt, answer me!" Mystique said.
Nightcrawler's eyes narrowed. "My answer... You're asking for my answer? Vell, I'll tell you my answer- No. And yes."
"What?"
"Yes, I vould be sad. But not because I lost a mother. Because I vouldn't have, see. I vould have lost, by defenition, an enemy. Zat's ze no part. Ze yes part is because nobody deserves to die, not even you. Not even my enemies. Especially if..." Nightcrawler looked from Mystique to Miracle and Everlast, "... if I vas ze one who killed you," he finished in a small voice.
Mystique was silent for a while. Then she placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Kurt..." Mystique closed her eyes. "Do you want me killed?"
Nightcrawler shook his head no. "Oh... no! No, I don't," he then said, realizing that she couldn't see him.
"He doesn't want me killed..." Mystique said. Her eyes flared open. "So get OUT!"
The building shook, and the ceiling began to break apart. Mystique fell to the floor in an unconcious heap.
"Mother!" Nightcrawler cried out, just as a big piece of rock fell on him.
"Kurt!" Kitty yelled. She coughed, spitting up more blood.
"This place is turning into a disaster area," Mir said. "Get out of here- I'll take care of the rest!" By then the robots had come back to life- this time with a new power. Violet purple balls of energy flew throughout the room, destroying everything in their paths.
"But Mir-" Everlast started.
"Go! I'll catch up later!"
"Miracle!" Everlast said in a warning tone.
"Look, I don't want your death to be on my concience, got it!" Everlast looked into her sister's eyes and nodded sadly.
"Come on, Everlast!" Cyclops shouted, Jean in his arms. Wolverine was carrying Nightcrawler, and Storm held Kitty gingerly.
With one last look at her sister, Everlast ran to the others across the room.
"Any of you ever seen a miracle?" Miracle yelled as she faced the robots. She powered up her witchcraft powers and held out her arms.
"Stop! Stop for me!" Katze followed Everlast, pouncing from one rock to another. She landed on Mystique's rock and tipped it over.
"Eeeek!" Katze screamed, knocking into Mir. They fell over with a crash.
"Mir!" Everlast screamed, when she turned back once more. "Miracle!"
"Woah, hold it. She's coming, Ev. She'll get here," Spyke said, holding her back with one arm. Rogue helped him.
"No! No, she's down! I saw her! Her and Katze! They're down! We have to go save them!" Everlast struggled in their hold, but it was no use. "Let me go!"
A pile of rocks crashed down in front of them, blocking their way back. And blocking Mir and Katze's way forward.
"Miracle!" Everlast yelled shrillfully.
Spyke and Rogue finally managed to drag Everlast to the waiting Blackbird.
"Wait! We can't leave them!" Everlast cried out as the door shut.
"We're trying, we're trying! Hold your horses, bub," Wolverine shouted as he dumped Nightcrawler in a chair and jumped into the pilot's seat.
"Calm down, Everlast." Rogue said. "If anyone could make it-"
The Blackbird got knocked to the side by more rocks.
"We can't just sit here!" Everlast exclaimed. "Save them! Save my sister!"
"Hey, can't you summon them?" Rogue asked. "Like your mom did with Min and Katherine... or, tried to?"
"Are you CrAzY?"
"... Guess so."
"Everlast," Storm said. "It... was a lost cause. There's no way..."
Everlast turned to Storm with a frightening look. "Find a way," she said with a calm, yet evil eerieness that seemed unnatural.
"Everlast... I, like, totally believe they'll make it. They'd better, or... ah... aHH... aCHOO!" Kitty sneezed, almost phazing through the control panel.
"Watch it, Half Pint!" Wolverine grabbed her arm and pulled her away. "You do NOT want to short-circut this thing!"
The plane lifted in the air shakily, with rocks coming down on all sides. Suddenly, they all heard an explosion, and the Blackbird rocked and swayed in midair. The lights flickered, then remained on.
"Miracle!" Everlast screamed with all her power, then collasped from exhaustion.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
It was one day before Halloween, and no one was in the haunting spirit. The sky was black with clouds, putting everyone in a miserable and touchy mood. They all had waited and waited for any sign at all, for hope or more, but none came. Mara stared at the temporary monument before her in the snow-filled grassy area in the middle of the driveway, dumbfounded. Something bothered her... something was missing. All this... the temporary memorial would be replaced by a permament one, when the Prof called the right people and such. But for now, this would have to do. Covered by an overhang, the memorial had tons of flowers and personal items surrounding several pictures of Mir and Katherine, even though she had died in her human form.
*What a weird word to associate with them... Died...* Mara thought. Never before had any of the X-Men team... died! Mara couldn't believe it. Her mother was beyond grief. They all were pretty much in a state of shock. No one wanted to talk about it.
"Mir..." Mara whispered. "It's almost Halloween. The day for us to celebrate our... gifts. Remember, Mom said we could have any wish come true. My wish... is for you and Erine to be alive and well again, to be here with us. To have a second chance. Please..." Suddenly she looked up as a thought came to her.
"I know something that will make this complete," she whispered. She turned around and ran into the Institute.
Rogue, who had been standing behind a nearby tree, watched her go. The sky cracked with lightning, and thunder rolled. Cold, heavy rain began to drizzle, then pour down in heavy sheets.
"Shut up, Storm..." Rogue muttered, and made her way to the memorial to stand under the overhang.
Rogue stared at the temporary monument with a blank expression on her face.
"I've... nevah talked to a... monument before... If you don't count that statue in Central Square back when I was five." Rogue blushed, the rain falling down in a rush behind her.
"I feel responsible for takin' care of Amarantha since... you left... Miracle. I nevah really understood, I've nevah had a younga sibling of mah own. I nevah noticed how much she needed it." Rogue paused. "She's so innocent of the ways of the world. But you were always there, Mir, protectin' her. Makin' sure she was all right. You two had somethin' special, I see that now. But now you're not there, Mir. Now she ain't got no one to protect her... That is, if I don't step in. That weight of responsibility has been passed to me. But I could nevah take your place, Mir. Nevah. You know me, I'd probably bring her down instead, or screw up... screw HER up, somehow. So, if you could please..."
Rogue mentally slapped herself. What was she thinking? She shook her head and continued.
"Mir, you had a lot to deal with, teachin' Mara and all. As I said before... I feel responsible for takin' care of her since you left. That burden has-"
Rogue was cut off by a crash. She whirled around to face Mara, ashen and soaking wet. Broken flowers, shards of glass, and a gold object fell from Mara's hands.
"Amarantha!"
"A... a burden? I thought- I was... a friend." With that statement, shock evident on her face, in her words... With that said, Mara turned and ran, tears merging with the cold, wet rain.
"Mara! Wait!" Rogue started after her, almost stepping on the flowers and glass.
*Wait, Rogue,* the Professor thought to her, halting her in her tracks.
"What? Hey-"
*Rogue, let Mara go. She'll eventually come around. It's best if she could spend some time to herself. Do not go after her, please, Rogue. For now, let her have some time alone. She's been through alot lately... All of us have.*
"Are ya sure?"
*Trust me, Rogue. Do no pursue her.*
"Okay, Professor..." When Rogue was sure the Professor had left, she turned to the monument in despair.
"Adults," she complained, her thick Southern accent clear in her voice. Nearby, on the ground, a glisten caught her eye. She picked it up and held it in the palm of her hand.
It was the heart locket Mir had given Mara last Christmas. The one that had all their pictures in it, and the words inscribed inside, "Home is where the heart is."
"I'm dead!" Rogue moaned. She then turned to look at the monument and cry.