Chapter Two: Momentum
"I don't wanna," young Scotty Summers spoke, gazing up at the one who, other than his mother, had been the centerpiece of his life. Even more so than his own father.
Elektra.
"Why not?" The woman charged with protecting the young boy replied. "He's your father. Seeing his son could do him some good."
"It's not Daddy.."
"Of course he is, Scotty. Why would you think otherwise?"
"I can feel Daddy... but at the same time, I dunno... I can't."
Elektra paused. For being so young, Scotty Summers was more powerful than many she'd encountered in her life. He'd predicted things like this before.. which made her wonder..
...Was he right?
_________________________
"They're not bad," Polaris smiled over at Havok and Bloodstorm. The three stood above the Danger Room, gazing down at the potential candidates for StrategiX -- the team Alex Summers had led for several years. Now, with the death of his wife -- and two other members -- it was time to start over.
Below, dozens of mutants raged beyond control. They were trying to show off their abilities, hoping to be one of the four members needed to become the next mutant to be discovered as part of the popular super-hero group.
A long tongue shot out across the room, slamming into three robots all at once. They were instantly covered with a gelatinous green slime -- which soon after turned rock hard. The tongue's owner, a young man with an amphibian-like appearance, flipped across the room -- coming down hard on the casing which held the robots. They exploded, the man using his agility to flip back without any harm being done to him.
Another of the more impressive mutants, a woman with purple hair, flipped through the air with ease. Alex had spoken to the woman before the 'contest' had begun, and although she appeared Asian ... she had spoken as if she were British. Something not entirely unheard of, but it made her stand out in his mind.
..She was beautiful. He watched her carefully, more so than the others.. watched her ram a knife, manifested by her psychic energies, through the skull of one of the more difficult robots. Then he watched it fall before her. He liked this one.. more than he would admit. After all, he was still grieving over his wife.
Bloodstorm seemed to be favoring another. A young woman with bones surrounding her entire frame. There weren't many places in her skin where a bone wasn't sticking out. She used her own bones as weapons, launching them at various robots all around her. The candidate had a fierceness about her, and Havok wondered if she seemed a bit too ... uncontrollable.
Then it happened again. The pain.. The unbearable pain!
Summers fell to the floor, clutching his head with a low groan. His three companions were at his side almost immediately.
Inside his mind, Havok was fighting his own battle. Whatever that sphere was, it had done something to him -- made him someone else. Someone who he was, physically, but not mentally. He'd prepped for so many things as an X-Man.. but never this.
Never this.
Memories fought each other. Memories of being one of the original five X-Men.. falling in love with Madelyne Pryor, another of the original five ... versus memories of being taken in by the X-Men.. being taken in by his brother, Scott Summers. Cyclops. He remembered a fight ... over a woman ... but not Madelyne Pryor. She'd come later, yes.. but not her. Polaris. Magneto's daughter, or just another X-Man?
It was all too much! He remembered his marriage to Madelyne Pryor, Marvel Woman.. and he remembered wanting someday to marry Lorna Dane, Polaris..
He remembered his son being born, just as he remembered never having one. Thousands of memories.. entire lifetimes up until this point.. all pouring in at once. Into one mind. Two lives. One shell. His own memories from his life tried to remain in control.. but the sphere.. whatever it was.. was too much for him.. too overwhelming... They were losing!
Elektra ran into the room, finding Summers in the fetal position. Magneto, Bloodstorm, and Polaris all looked up to meet her. Elektra spoke first, "What's happened?!"
"We don't know.. This isn't the first time it's happened.." Polaris replied. "Father, shut down the simulation in the Room.. It's not doing us much good at the moment."
Magneto didn't care much for taking orders, but he knew Polaris cared for Havok as if he were her own brother -- despite all that had happened. He knew that she was under more stress than she'd been under in a long, long time -- so he simply complied. The simulation in the room below shut down, and the candidates for StrategiX looked up, a confused gaze in their eyes.
Elektra nodded at Polaris, pulling Havok into her arms. "We'll need a jet."
"Why? What are you doing?"
"..I'm going to fix this."
_________________________
The Wolverines.
Some would call them men. Five of them, to be exact.
Those that would call them men?
Well, they obviously haven't faced them.
The leader, also known as Logan, walked to the center of the arena-like cave. A light flashed on him, erupting all around him so that all could see. (All five, that is. Okay, so he had a thing for dramatics..)
He finished picking his teeth with a bone -- one which resembled a finger. He quickly spat it out, his eyes wide as it landed in his hand, a diamond ring somehow still attached. How Logan had missed the Summers' woman's ring was beyond him, but it didn't matter. Quickly dismissing the occurrence, Logan threw the ring to the dirt.
The Wolverines had gone up against the best heroes alive. The Avengers, StrategiX, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four, and not to mention LeBeau's Squadron down in New Orleans. While those teams had lost some of their ranks in the fights, The Wolverines had not.
While one might expect a long speech from someone finding it necessary to stand in the center of a group with a light on him, the five beasts that make up The Wolverines did not.
And they got what they had expected, as Logan simply said:
"..It's almost time."
_________________________
The Blackbird soared through the air, ripping through the night winds without mercy. Without warning. At the helm of the raging machine was Elektra, Havok moaning softly in the back.
Elektra quickly set it on autopilot, standing and grabbing her sais. Within moments, she planted a kick on an unsuspecting shadow-walker. "I don't like surprises," she said coldly.
Aside from the usual noise of air leaving one's lungs, Elektra heard the man speak. "Take it easy on an old man.."
As the man stepped from the shadows, his metal leg and arm sparkled as it hit the light. "...Forge."
"I was deployed by--"
"---Bloodstorm," Elektra cut him off in a dark tone. "I can handle this, you pin cushion."
"You.. know..?"
"Everyone knows, Forge. Bloodstorm has been sucking on you for years, and we're not talking the President's favorite way, either."
Havok moaned in the background as Elektra returned to her seat. There was something about Forge that made her believe he was a noble man.. but there was something about Forge that degraded him as well. He had a sinister side to him, without a doubt. Years of being Bloodstorm's personal blood-bank could do that, Elektra guessed.
"Where are we going?" Forge asked, as if Elektra cared for his presence. "Ororo was scarce on details."
"That's probably because she wasn't given them in the first place," Elektra spoke coldly, wanting nothing more than to throw him to the grounds below the jet. The orb that she'd given Alex had done something to him. It was tearing him apart. Havok had asked her to give it to him after he came back from the battle with the Wolverines, whether he was dead or alive. Alex had told her it would bring him back.. make him remember.
The truth was, Alex Summers of this world had died, along with his wife, and all but one of his team.. but his body was recovered. The X-Men had done so. It was at that time, though, that the Alex Summers from our world had been transferred to this one. His mental state, that is. It was just the opposite. While the Havok of this world's mind was gone, his body remained. But while the Havok of our world's mind was present, his body was gone.
Our beloved Alex Summers took over the body of this world's Alex Summers. Save for some confusion, all would have been fine. Enter Elektra. Her Havok had transferred his memories -- his very being -- into an orb given to him by the man Elektra was on her way to see. So as this world's Alex Summers' memories began to be transferred back into his body.. the problem (other than Alex being in a world not his own..) was created. The body already had its memories.. just a different Alex Summers'.
..And then it happened. The Blackbird stopped midair, as if it were frozen in both time and space. The occupants inside were fine, remaining just the same as they had been. Elektra winced.
"..Here it comes."
_________________________
"I had not wished to choose StrategiX without Havok," Bloodstorm began, "but since our leader is having some.. troubles.. at the moment, I fear that I must."
Before Bloodstorm were the majority of the candidates. Some of them had left earlier, losing interest. Sadly, Bloodstorm found, the bone-girl had been among those that had left. She had a feeling, though, that she would see her again.
"Havok had shared some insight with me earlier," Munroe spoke once more. "He'd found the girl with the purple hair appealing. Worthy to be one of our ranks." With that, Polaris, who'd been seated behind her, began to review the list of mutants.
"Elizabeth Braddock," The purple-haired woman spoke, just as Polaris had found her name. "I've fought alongside the Fantastic Four before. My codename is..."
"..Brittanica," Polaris spoke. She was pleased that she'd actually beaten Braddock this time. It was a control issue. Bloodstorm nodded in correspondence with both Lorna and Braddock.
"Welcome to StrategiX," Bloodstorm said. She quickly scanned over the crowd once more, until her crimson eyes stopped on two familiar faces standing in the doorway.
Husband and wife. Professor Sean and Dr. Cecelia Cassidy, also known as Riot and Revamp in their years as X-Men. From behind her, Bloodstorm could hear Polaris. "Father called them in. He thought you would need more than rookies."
"I'm not a rookie," Brittanica thought fiercely, quickly developing a disliking for the X-Man known as Polaris.
"Aye," Sean began, stepping in behind Cecilia. "Aye figured we've been in retirement f'r long enough as it is. An' the state o'yuir team bein' wha' it is.."
"..We figured you could use a sonic scream and a Doctor," Cecelia chuckled. Dr. Cassidy and Bloodstorm exchanged a quick hug, as if it were old times. Bloodstorm could feel her old friend's fear, however, due to the hug's speed.. and the barely noticeable shield around her neck.
"..Where's Alex? It's been far too long," Sean spoke, gazing around the room. The remainder of the mutants that had 'tried out' for the team began to whisper. Some complaining about how that meant they wouldn't have a chance, while others were star-struck.
As both Cassidys received the news that Elektra had taken Alex elsewhere, one of the mutants walked from the crowd to shake Sean's hand. "Professor?"
"Aye do nae believe me eyes.. Ce, look who it is!" Sean said, turning to his wife. The doctor was obviously surprised.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, a smile on her face. "We haven't seen you since you graduated from Sean's school nearly a year ago.."
"The same as you," Samuel Guthrie spoke with a smile, "except for the actual tryin' out part."
"Well, let's see, then, eh?" Guthrie's former Professor spoke, turning to Bloodstorm. "He's a fine young man, Oro -- Bloodstorm. Aye think he'd be a fine addition to th'team.."
"Consider it done, my friend. I trust your word. StrategiX has been formed," Bloodstorm spoke, just as the rest of the mutants began to grow angry as they left. "Let it be known.."
Polaris nodded. "Havok, Bloodstorm, Riot, Revamp, Britannica, and..?"
She looked to Guthrie.
"...Momentum."
"I don't wanna," young Scotty Summers spoke, gazing up at the one who, other than his mother, had been the centerpiece of his life. Even more so than his own father.
Elektra.
"Why not?" The woman charged with protecting the young boy replied. "He's your father. Seeing his son could do him some good."
"It's not Daddy.."
"Of course he is, Scotty. Why would you think otherwise?"
"I can feel Daddy... but at the same time, I dunno... I can't."
Elektra paused. For being so young, Scotty Summers was more powerful than many she'd encountered in her life. He'd predicted things like this before.. which made her wonder..
...Was he right?
_________________________
"They're not bad," Polaris smiled over at Havok and Bloodstorm. The three stood above the Danger Room, gazing down at the potential candidates for StrategiX -- the team Alex Summers had led for several years. Now, with the death of his wife -- and two other members -- it was time to start over.
Below, dozens of mutants raged beyond control. They were trying to show off their abilities, hoping to be one of the four members needed to become the next mutant to be discovered as part of the popular super-hero group.
A long tongue shot out across the room, slamming into three robots all at once. They were instantly covered with a gelatinous green slime -- which soon after turned rock hard. The tongue's owner, a young man with an amphibian-like appearance, flipped across the room -- coming down hard on the casing which held the robots. They exploded, the man using his agility to flip back without any harm being done to him.
Another of the more impressive mutants, a woman with purple hair, flipped through the air with ease. Alex had spoken to the woman before the 'contest' had begun, and although she appeared Asian ... she had spoken as if she were British. Something not entirely unheard of, but it made her stand out in his mind.
..She was beautiful. He watched her carefully, more so than the others.. watched her ram a knife, manifested by her psychic energies, through the skull of one of the more difficult robots. Then he watched it fall before her. He liked this one.. more than he would admit. After all, he was still grieving over his wife.
Bloodstorm seemed to be favoring another. A young woman with bones surrounding her entire frame. There weren't many places in her skin where a bone wasn't sticking out. She used her own bones as weapons, launching them at various robots all around her. The candidate had a fierceness about her, and Havok wondered if she seemed a bit too ... uncontrollable.
Then it happened again. The pain.. The unbearable pain!
Summers fell to the floor, clutching his head with a low groan. His three companions were at his side almost immediately.
Inside his mind, Havok was fighting his own battle. Whatever that sphere was, it had done something to him -- made him someone else. Someone who he was, physically, but not mentally. He'd prepped for so many things as an X-Man.. but never this.
Never this.
Memories fought each other. Memories of being one of the original five X-Men.. falling in love with Madelyne Pryor, another of the original five ... versus memories of being taken in by the X-Men.. being taken in by his brother, Scott Summers. Cyclops. He remembered a fight ... over a woman ... but not Madelyne Pryor. She'd come later, yes.. but not her. Polaris. Magneto's daughter, or just another X-Man?
It was all too much! He remembered his marriage to Madelyne Pryor, Marvel Woman.. and he remembered wanting someday to marry Lorna Dane, Polaris..
He remembered his son being born, just as he remembered never having one. Thousands of memories.. entire lifetimes up until this point.. all pouring in at once. Into one mind. Two lives. One shell. His own memories from his life tried to remain in control.. but the sphere.. whatever it was.. was too much for him.. too overwhelming... They were losing!
Elektra ran into the room, finding Summers in the fetal position. Magneto, Bloodstorm, and Polaris all looked up to meet her. Elektra spoke first, "What's happened?!"
"We don't know.. This isn't the first time it's happened.." Polaris replied. "Father, shut down the simulation in the Room.. It's not doing us much good at the moment."
Magneto didn't care much for taking orders, but he knew Polaris cared for Havok as if he were her own brother -- despite all that had happened. He knew that she was under more stress than she'd been under in a long, long time -- so he simply complied. The simulation in the room below shut down, and the candidates for StrategiX looked up, a confused gaze in their eyes.
Elektra nodded at Polaris, pulling Havok into her arms. "We'll need a jet."
"Why? What are you doing?"
"..I'm going to fix this."
_________________________
The Wolverines.
Some would call them men. Five of them, to be exact.
Those that would call them men?
Well, they obviously haven't faced them.
The leader, also known as Logan, walked to the center of the arena-like cave. A light flashed on him, erupting all around him so that all could see. (All five, that is. Okay, so he had a thing for dramatics..)
He finished picking his teeth with a bone -- one which resembled a finger. He quickly spat it out, his eyes wide as it landed in his hand, a diamond ring somehow still attached. How Logan had missed the Summers' woman's ring was beyond him, but it didn't matter. Quickly dismissing the occurrence, Logan threw the ring to the dirt.
The Wolverines had gone up against the best heroes alive. The Avengers, StrategiX, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four, and not to mention LeBeau's Squadron down in New Orleans. While those teams had lost some of their ranks in the fights, The Wolverines had not.
While one might expect a long speech from someone finding it necessary to stand in the center of a group with a light on him, the five beasts that make up The Wolverines did not.
And they got what they had expected, as Logan simply said:
"..It's almost time."
_________________________
The Blackbird soared through the air, ripping through the night winds without mercy. Without warning. At the helm of the raging machine was Elektra, Havok moaning softly in the back.
Elektra quickly set it on autopilot, standing and grabbing her sais. Within moments, she planted a kick on an unsuspecting shadow-walker. "I don't like surprises," she said coldly.
Aside from the usual noise of air leaving one's lungs, Elektra heard the man speak. "Take it easy on an old man.."
As the man stepped from the shadows, his metal leg and arm sparkled as it hit the light. "...Forge."
"I was deployed by--"
"---Bloodstorm," Elektra cut him off in a dark tone. "I can handle this, you pin cushion."
"You.. know..?"
"Everyone knows, Forge. Bloodstorm has been sucking on you for years, and we're not talking the President's favorite way, either."
Havok moaned in the background as Elektra returned to her seat. There was something about Forge that made her believe he was a noble man.. but there was something about Forge that degraded him as well. He had a sinister side to him, without a doubt. Years of being Bloodstorm's personal blood-bank could do that, Elektra guessed.
"Where are we going?" Forge asked, as if Elektra cared for his presence. "Ororo was scarce on details."
"That's probably because she wasn't given them in the first place," Elektra spoke coldly, wanting nothing more than to throw him to the grounds below the jet. The orb that she'd given Alex had done something to him. It was tearing him apart. Havok had asked her to give it to him after he came back from the battle with the Wolverines, whether he was dead or alive. Alex had told her it would bring him back.. make him remember.
The truth was, Alex Summers of this world had died, along with his wife, and all but one of his team.. but his body was recovered. The X-Men had done so. It was at that time, though, that the Alex Summers from our world had been transferred to this one. His mental state, that is. It was just the opposite. While the Havok of this world's mind was gone, his body remained. But while the Havok of our world's mind was present, his body was gone.
Our beloved Alex Summers took over the body of this world's Alex Summers. Save for some confusion, all would have been fine. Enter Elektra. Her Havok had transferred his memories -- his very being -- into an orb given to him by the man Elektra was on her way to see. So as this world's Alex Summers' memories began to be transferred back into his body.. the problem (other than Alex being in a world not his own..) was created. The body already had its memories.. just a different Alex Summers'.
..And then it happened. The Blackbird stopped midair, as if it were frozen in both time and space. The occupants inside were fine, remaining just the same as they had been. Elektra winced.
"..Here it comes."
_________________________
"I had not wished to choose StrategiX without Havok," Bloodstorm began, "but since our leader is having some.. troubles.. at the moment, I fear that I must."
Before Bloodstorm were the majority of the candidates. Some of them had left earlier, losing interest. Sadly, Bloodstorm found, the bone-girl had been among those that had left. She had a feeling, though, that she would see her again.
"Havok had shared some insight with me earlier," Munroe spoke once more. "He'd found the girl with the purple hair appealing. Worthy to be one of our ranks." With that, Polaris, who'd been seated behind her, began to review the list of mutants.
"Elizabeth Braddock," The purple-haired woman spoke, just as Polaris had found her name. "I've fought alongside the Fantastic Four before. My codename is..."
"..Brittanica," Polaris spoke. She was pleased that she'd actually beaten Braddock this time. It was a control issue. Bloodstorm nodded in correspondence with both Lorna and Braddock.
"Welcome to StrategiX," Bloodstorm said. She quickly scanned over the crowd once more, until her crimson eyes stopped on two familiar faces standing in the doorway.
Husband and wife. Professor Sean and Dr. Cecelia Cassidy, also known as Riot and Revamp in their years as X-Men. From behind her, Bloodstorm could hear Polaris. "Father called them in. He thought you would need more than rookies."
"I'm not a rookie," Brittanica thought fiercely, quickly developing a disliking for the X-Man known as Polaris.
"Aye," Sean began, stepping in behind Cecilia. "Aye figured we've been in retirement f'r long enough as it is. An' the state o'yuir team bein' wha' it is.."
"..We figured you could use a sonic scream and a Doctor," Cecelia chuckled. Dr. Cassidy and Bloodstorm exchanged a quick hug, as if it were old times. Bloodstorm could feel her old friend's fear, however, due to the hug's speed.. and the barely noticeable shield around her neck.
"..Where's Alex? It's been far too long," Sean spoke, gazing around the room. The remainder of the mutants that had 'tried out' for the team began to whisper. Some complaining about how that meant they wouldn't have a chance, while others were star-struck.
As both Cassidys received the news that Elektra had taken Alex elsewhere, one of the mutants walked from the crowd to shake Sean's hand. "Professor?"
"Aye do nae believe me eyes.. Ce, look who it is!" Sean said, turning to his wife. The doctor was obviously surprised.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, a smile on her face. "We haven't seen you since you graduated from Sean's school nearly a year ago.."
"The same as you," Samuel Guthrie spoke with a smile, "except for the actual tryin' out part."
"Well, let's see, then, eh?" Guthrie's former Professor spoke, turning to Bloodstorm. "He's a fine young man, Oro -- Bloodstorm. Aye think he'd be a fine addition to th'team.."
"Consider it done, my friend. I trust your word. StrategiX has been formed," Bloodstorm spoke, just as the rest of the mutants began to grow angry as they left. "Let it be known.."
Polaris nodded. "Havok, Bloodstorm, Riot, Revamp, Britannica, and..?"
She looked to Guthrie.
"...Momentum."