She shielded her eyes from the explosion and the stone chips that were
thrown into the air. She could see Magneto, on the opposite building. He
wanted her to wait, to not attack until the battle was in full swing.
Voltana didn't intend on moving just yet, but not due to his command.
Her quarry wasn't there yet. She didn't really expect Xavier to turn up, but she expected better of Wolverine.
So she waited, the tendril of her hair that had come loose lifting periodically in the sea breeze. Magneto had chosen this location due to both its remoteness and lack of human presence. It was a somewhat abandoned construction site, on the edge of a hard cliff and harder ocean.
The teenage mutants were dueling with the acolytes below. She was drawn to them, viewing the battle with mixed emotions. Inexplicably, she felt almost as if she... *wanted* them to win. Voltana shook her head to clear that thought. They worked for Xavier, they were her enemy.
A large crash and growl came to her ears, and she looked to the source.
And smiled. Wolverine.
**********
The building was a mere two stories tall, but simply jumping down wasn't a good idea. But Voltana didn't want to take the time to climb down. She jumped, holding out her hands as she fell and using her power. The upward force of the electricity cushioned her enough to make a safe landing.
She ignored X-men and Acolytes alike, making a straight line for the dueling Wolverine and Sabretooth. The teens couldn't mask their shock or confusion at her appearance and attire, or their horror at the blood that dripped from her face.
Only one tried to stop her, one of the X-Men, laying a hand on her shoulder. Voltana didn't look at her, raising one hand, palm out, and launching a bolt of energy into the red-haired girl.
She didn't even break stride.
As Voltana approached, Wolverine roared and hurled Sabretooth over her head, sending him slamming into a wall. Panting heavily, he saw her. As his dark eyes gazed into her hate filled ones she could see the shock on his face.
No doubt he thought she was dead. Voltana smiled thinly. "You look like you've seen a ghost." The air was brought alive with snapping and crackling as she unleashed her power on Wolverine. It arced through his body, causing him to scream in pain. Suddenly she was struck with a strong sense of deja vu, and as she struggled to pull forth the memory, the energy flow from her hands petered out.
She almost had it, she could almost remember, but she was suddenly swept to the side by a very large hand. Voltana hit the ground hard and skidded...
Into open air. She reached out to grab something to slow her fall, and latched onto the cliff. She wasn't angry anymore. She was terrified. Below her, the ocean slammed up onto the rocks, like a great maw, hungering to swallow her up.
She held on tighter, hearing the sounds of battle from above her.
Then the realisation struck her. No one would come. Magneto was the only one who might have seen her go over, and she knew somehow that he wouldn't lift one finger to help.
The muscles in her arms were screaming with the effort of holding on. Her fingers, slick with nervous sweat, were slowly giving way. Then she heard the distinctive low-pitched throbbing of Magneto's power. She couldn't see anything from her position, but the sound soon faded.
They'd left. Voltana took a deep breath. There was a chance that she might not die if she let go. It was heavily outweighed by the chance that she would die, but she reasoned that it was a better chance than she had with the large group of mutants above her.
She closed her eyes and let go.
Just as a strong hand, attached to an equally strong arm reached down and grabbed her wrist. Voltana looked up at her rescuer and laughed coldly.
"Well? Come on, finish the job."
"Job? Emma, what the hell is going on?" Wolverine's muscles bulged as he tried to haul her up.
//Emma?// Her heart dropped as realisation flooded through her. She knew. That was her name. She was Emma Marko, and... And nothing else. She had a name, but no past, or even an age.
"Emma!" She snapped back to reality, to Wolverine's tight grip on her wrist. "Emma, gimmie your other hand, I can't hold you!"
She hesitated. The alternative below her wasn't promising. But though he'd given her a name, Emma didn't trust the man. After all, why would she ever need to attack a friend? And she had attacked him at some point, she knew it.
She decided and gave him her other hand. She could still fight her way out if necessary. With a grunt, he hauled her up over the edge of the cliff. Emma was on her feet in a flash, glancing at the huddle of mutants around her. Her hands began to glow menacingly as she looked for an exit.
Seeing it, she took off. Kitty tried to go after her, but was restrained by Logan.
"Leave her half-pint... I gotta talk to Charles."
Her quarry wasn't there yet. She didn't really expect Xavier to turn up, but she expected better of Wolverine.
So she waited, the tendril of her hair that had come loose lifting periodically in the sea breeze. Magneto had chosen this location due to both its remoteness and lack of human presence. It was a somewhat abandoned construction site, on the edge of a hard cliff and harder ocean.
The teenage mutants were dueling with the acolytes below. She was drawn to them, viewing the battle with mixed emotions. Inexplicably, she felt almost as if she... *wanted* them to win. Voltana shook her head to clear that thought. They worked for Xavier, they were her enemy.
A large crash and growl came to her ears, and she looked to the source.
And smiled. Wolverine.
**********
The building was a mere two stories tall, but simply jumping down wasn't a good idea. But Voltana didn't want to take the time to climb down. She jumped, holding out her hands as she fell and using her power. The upward force of the electricity cushioned her enough to make a safe landing.
She ignored X-men and Acolytes alike, making a straight line for the dueling Wolverine and Sabretooth. The teens couldn't mask their shock or confusion at her appearance and attire, or their horror at the blood that dripped from her face.
Only one tried to stop her, one of the X-Men, laying a hand on her shoulder. Voltana didn't look at her, raising one hand, palm out, and launching a bolt of energy into the red-haired girl.
She didn't even break stride.
As Voltana approached, Wolverine roared and hurled Sabretooth over her head, sending him slamming into a wall. Panting heavily, he saw her. As his dark eyes gazed into her hate filled ones she could see the shock on his face.
No doubt he thought she was dead. Voltana smiled thinly. "You look like you've seen a ghost." The air was brought alive with snapping and crackling as she unleashed her power on Wolverine. It arced through his body, causing him to scream in pain. Suddenly she was struck with a strong sense of deja vu, and as she struggled to pull forth the memory, the energy flow from her hands petered out.
She almost had it, she could almost remember, but she was suddenly swept to the side by a very large hand. Voltana hit the ground hard and skidded...
Into open air. She reached out to grab something to slow her fall, and latched onto the cliff. She wasn't angry anymore. She was terrified. Below her, the ocean slammed up onto the rocks, like a great maw, hungering to swallow her up.
She held on tighter, hearing the sounds of battle from above her.
Then the realisation struck her. No one would come. Magneto was the only one who might have seen her go over, and she knew somehow that he wouldn't lift one finger to help.
The muscles in her arms were screaming with the effort of holding on. Her fingers, slick with nervous sweat, were slowly giving way. Then she heard the distinctive low-pitched throbbing of Magneto's power. She couldn't see anything from her position, but the sound soon faded.
They'd left. Voltana took a deep breath. There was a chance that she might not die if she let go. It was heavily outweighed by the chance that she would die, but she reasoned that it was a better chance than she had with the large group of mutants above her.
She closed her eyes and let go.
Just as a strong hand, attached to an equally strong arm reached down and grabbed her wrist. Voltana looked up at her rescuer and laughed coldly.
"Well? Come on, finish the job."
"Job? Emma, what the hell is going on?" Wolverine's muscles bulged as he tried to haul her up.
//Emma?// Her heart dropped as realisation flooded through her. She knew. That was her name. She was Emma Marko, and... And nothing else. She had a name, but no past, or even an age.
"Emma!" She snapped back to reality, to Wolverine's tight grip on her wrist. "Emma, gimmie your other hand, I can't hold you!"
She hesitated. The alternative below her wasn't promising. But though he'd given her a name, Emma didn't trust the man. After all, why would she ever need to attack a friend? And she had attacked him at some point, she knew it.
She decided and gave him her other hand. She could still fight her way out if necessary. With a grunt, he hauled her up over the edge of the cliff. Emma was on her feet in a flash, glancing at the huddle of mutants around her. Her hands began to glow menacingly as she looked for an exit.
Seeing it, she took off. Kitty tried to go after her, but was restrained by Logan.
"Leave her half-pint... I gotta talk to Charles."
