Disclaimer: Here we have it! The second to last part of Incendiarism! Sorry for the wait, this part didn't want to be written. Thank you so much to everyone so far who has left a review. You guys are so great! *sniff*
Anyway, I don't own X-Men, the characters, actors or places. They all belong to other, lucky people. All I own is Spark.
Please read, then leave a review!
~~~
Incendiarism.
~~~
Part 7:- The Voice or the Echo?
*15 Minutes before Rogue entered the room...*
Ash grinned, a wild, reckless grin. He looked at Magneto, the smile growing more reckless. He was going to enjoy playing this game. Inside, John looked up from the mind sulk he was in and asked what game. Inner-Andrew hushed at him to be quiet and gave a small insane laugh, his mind's eye fixed on his plans for Magneto. Inner-John deiced he didn't really want to know, as long as Andrew kept to the plan and returned to his mind sulk.
"Can I have a cigaret?" Andrew asked. Magneto frowned.
"You don't smoke."
"No, no, that wuss Pyro doesn't smoke. I do." Magneto hesitated and Andrew rolled his/John's eyes. "Didn't you read my files? I need more fire than a cigaret to be able to control it. But my fire is a lot more dangerous that anything the wimp can use." Magneto reached into his pocket and held out an unlit cigaret. Andrew leaned forward, hungry. Inside, John mentally leaned forward, his eyes bright. His mental fingers itched.
At the last moment Magneto snatched his hand back. He must have seen something in Andrew's eyes that warned him of the danger he was facing. Or maybe he was just playing with Andrew? John didn't know. What he did know though was that Andrew was going to make Magneto pay for that little act.
John suddenly felt a tiny bit sorry for Magneto.
"What are you doing?" snapped Andrew. "You want my help, I want a fag, I haven't smoked in an age." Magneto toyed with the unlit cigaret for a little longer, unaware that he was holding what was essentially a bomb.
"Why should I give this too you?" he asked. Andrew shrugged his/John's shoulders. Magneto tossed the cigarette over to him. Eagerly Andrew grabbed it, sniffing it, just letting the fumes enter his/John's body. Sighing, Magneto lit a single match and Andrew lit his cigaret. He lent back and began to smoke it, smiling a little to himself as if he was in on a joke the other mutant knew nothing about - which, in effect, he was.
"What are you smiling about boy?"
"You know, it's true that the flame in this cigaret is too small for me to use." Andrew said, flicking some ash onto the floor. Magneto looked a trifle confused as Andrew smiled again, a smile that Magneto knew only too well.
"I on the other hand." John said, now fully in control of his own body again. "I can use this flame." he smiled again and breathed gently out. Instantly the flame increased and jumped out of the cigarette, the heat forcing Magneto to step back from John. John blinked and in that blink everything changed, as Andrew shifted back into control. He willed the flames to increase, laughing as they did so. This power was so intoxicating. Magneto raised his arms, calling some metal to him.
"I guess I shall just have to teach you a lesson." Magneto said, his face betraying nothing of how he really felt. Andrew raised an eyebrow.
"You really think that you can stop us?" Andrew asked. He clenched one of his/John's fists and a wall of flame shot up, the sheer heat of it melting the metal that Magneto had called. Andrew pressed his advantage, sending the wall of fire backwards, forcing Magneto to move away. Andrew cocked his/John's head to the side as if he was listing to an invisible voice.
"Good idea Johnny-boy." he said, an evil grin on his/John's face. Andrew raised the clenched fist until it was level with his/John's face. For a few seconds he simply looked at it, then flicked the wrist backwards, towards Magneto. Fire rushed towards him, enveloping him, covering him. Magneto screamed.
Then there was quiet.
The flames died down as Andrew stood there, his/John's eyes closed. There was an un-natural smile on the lips. Inner-Andrew had kicked Inner-John hard, in the head, then followed it with a sharp punch in the gut. Inner-John flopped backwards and began to sink into a a soft yellow like substance.
Andrew opened his eyes. They were his now, not his and John's but his and only his. He stretched out his new arms, letting the flames dance around the room.
"It's show time." he said. There was a loud gasp behind him and there stood the girl of his dreams - Rogue. And for once, there was no annoying voice telling him that Rogue was not his. Rogue would be his.
"Rogue, how good to see you again." he said with a smirk. Spark pushed past Rogue and advanced towards Andrew. The latter simply stood there, a smile on his face. He shook his head.
"It won't work this time Yasmin." he said, the smile becoming twisted. He tapped a finger on the side of his forehead. "John isn't in here anymore."
"You're lying!" spat Rogue. Andrew shrugged his shoulders and idly examined his nails.
"Believe what you want. He isn't home." Andrew answered. Rogue shook her head in denial and took a few steps forward to get closer to Andrew.
"John! John, come on fight him!" she yelled. Andrew's smile vanished, to be replaced by a frown.
"I said he isn't here anymore!"
~~~
Deep in his brain, Inner-John stirred faintly. He was still sinking through the layers of yellow. Each layer represented a layer of his conciseness and the deeper he sunk the harder it was to stay awake. He opened his eyes slowly, a echo penetrating the layers.
//John! John, come on fight him!\\ He frowned slightly, his mind moving sluggishly in an effort to recognize the voice. Then his eyes drifted shut and his mind went quiet again.
~~~
Fire's sprung up all around Rogue, trapping her with Andrew. On the other side of the fire, Spark was forced to shield her face from the immense heat. The rest of the X-Men came pouring into the room, Kurt in the lead.
"Oh, no." he whispered before grabbing the frantic Spark. "Do not even think about it. You don't know how wide that fire is, you'll be burnt alive." Spark sobbed, knowing he was right. She couldn't do a thing to help.
Her head hurt.
Wolverine's claws came out when he realized Rogue was trapped on the other side of the fire.
"I'll tare that little punk limb from limb." he growled. Storm put out a hand to stop him.
"Logan, think about this. If and I mean if, you get through that fire you'll be so badly burned that Pyro will be able to move himself and Rogue before you recover... I just wish I knew why he was doing this." Storm finished. Cyclops stood there, his hand on his visor, hoping for a clear shot. Spark had bent forward, crying, Kurt's arms the only thing stopping her from falling on her face.
On the other side of the wall, Rogue heard all this as if it was coming from a great distance. She kept her eyes glued on Andrew.
"What did you do?" she said, tears in her eyes. Andrew shrugged, clearly proud with himself.
"I won." he said simply. "He lost." Andrew moved forward, his hungry gaze boring into Rogue's scared eyes.
"I win so I get the prize." He ran his fingers gently down the side of Rogue's face. With out meaning too Rogue let out a small moan as his fingers danced down her cheek. Andrew grinned. "I always get what I want." he whispered.
Rogue locked eyes on him, then captured his lips with hers. The kiss was deep. After roughly fifteen seconds Rogue broke away, gasping heavily a triumphant smile on her face. She lifted a hand and the fire's around them began to die.
"Come on John! He's weak, fight him!" she yelled as Andrew snarled realizing he had been tricked.
~~~
Deep in his brain, Inner-John stirred faintly. The layer's of yellow around him were faint, almost transparent. He moved restlessly, suddenly aware that he was trapped.
//Come on John! He's weak, fight him!\\ It was the same voice, stronger this time. It was a voice he knew... a voice he loved... it was...
"Rogue?" he muttered, forcing his eyes open and for the first time seeing where he was. He shut his eyes then snapped them back open.
"No." he said, then began to force his way back upwards, through the layers to where Rogue was. This wasn't over, not by a long shot.
~~~
"What do I have to do to prove it to you people!" roared Andrew, fire jumping erratically all round the room. Rogue closed her eyes and concentrated, making the fires die down.
"It's over Ash." she said coldly. Ash growled and hit Rogue, hard, in the face. She went flying and crashed into Wolverine.
"Bitch!" Ash screamed, wiping a trickle of blood that had come from his mouth away with his hand. He paused and stared at the tiny drops of blood, utter confusion on his face. Wolverine snarled and his claws came out.
"No!" Rogue yelled. "That's still John's body even though he's not in control." Ash rolled his eyes.
"John's gone. Get that through yo-" he stopped suddenly, his eyes going wide. He gasped slightly, a shaking hand being raised to his face. He shook slightly, then dropped to his knees with a scream, his hand clutched to the top of his head.
"No!" he yelled. "You'll not supposed to be here! You'll supposed to be gone!"
"John..." Spark whispered, hope in her eyes. Ash jumped backwards as if he had been shot at.
"Why are you still here? You paid for your ticket, you should go and see the movie, can't come in here, not allowed, birds singing, I kissed her!" He froze, his fingers a little away from his face.
"That's right, I kissed her. Kissy Kissy. No, shouldn't be here, why are you all here, go away." he said, his eyes tightly shut.
The X-Men stared in horror.
"Wh- What is he doing?" Scott asked. Spark was watching Ash with sad eyes.
"He's insane. The shock of John fighting back pushed him over even further. If John doesn't win this soon it could drive John himself insane."
So let's help him!" Rogue said. Spark shook her head in defeat.
"There's nothing any of us can do. It has to end now, and it has to end this way."
"Someone hasn't got a ticket." Ash said in a sing song voice. "Why won't somebody answer the phone? Answer the phone! It's ringing, make it stop, why won't it stop..." He pressed his hand's together in the shape of praying hands and jerked his head to the side in a spasm.
"Lost my pencil, now teacher will be mad. Sorry! Shouldn't touch, mustn't touch, what's the word?" he directed the last sentence at Rogue. She blinked and took a step back. Ash swung out his arm, a flame nestled in his hand.
"Mom and dad say don't play with matches, story of the firefly, flames lick you but you don't get wet." he rambled, the flame jumping from his hand and increasing. The fire spread around the room, getting hotter and hotter by the minute.
"John!" Screamed Rogue. "John, please come back." The rest of the X-Men joined in.
"John! Come on, fight that punk, you can do it!"
"Shut up, shut up!" yelled Ash, his hands pressed against his ears. "The music has stopped so you've got to be still."
~~~
Inner-Andrew stared at Inner-John in disbelief.
"But how?" he asked. Inner-John shrugged his shoulders.
"What can I say? I happen to like being in control of my own body." he said then jumped on Inner-Andrew. The two rolled along the floor, each trying to beat the other. Outside Ash began to sprout random sentences as the two fought.
Inner-Andrew fastened his fingers around Inner-John's neck, an evil grin on his face. Reaching up, Inner-John did the same. Dimly, as if from a distance, Inner-John was aware of a scream. It came as a shock to him to realize the scream was being torn from his own throat. Life and Death flickered between his eyes.
Suddenly, without warning everything stopped - the screaming from his mouth, the feel of the hot flames, the sensation of Andrew's mental fingers on his neck, his own grasp on Andrew, the yells from his friends - as if someone had flipped a switch inside his head.
Then, mercifully, everything went black.
TBC...
There you have it, just the one part left! That's right, just one part left. Please, please leave a review! The more review's I get, the more happy I will be (As I don't think this part was any good.) and the faster I write the last chapter!
Toodles!
~Sethoz
Anyway, I don't own X-Men, the characters, actors or places. They all belong to other, lucky people. All I own is Spark.
Please read, then leave a review!
~~~
Incendiarism.
~~~
Part 7:- The Voice or the Echo?
*15 Minutes before Rogue entered the room...*
Ash grinned, a wild, reckless grin. He looked at Magneto, the smile growing more reckless. He was going to enjoy playing this game. Inside, John looked up from the mind sulk he was in and asked what game. Inner-Andrew hushed at him to be quiet and gave a small insane laugh, his mind's eye fixed on his plans for Magneto. Inner-John deiced he didn't really want to know, as long as Andrew kept to the plan and returned to his mind sulk.
"Can I have a cigaret?" Andrew asked. Magneto frowned.
"You don't smoke."
"No, no, that wuss Pyro doesn't smoke. I do." Magneto hesitated and Andrew rolled his/John's eyes. "Didn't you read my files? I need more fire than a cigaret to be able to control it. But my fire is a lot more dangerous that anything the wimp can use." Magneto reached into his pocket and held out an unlit cigaret. Andrew leaned forward, hungry. Inside, John mentally leaned forward, his eyes bright. His mental fingers itched.
At the last moment Magneto snatched his hand back. He must have seen something in Andrew's eyes that warned him of the danger he was facing. Or maybe he was just playing with Andrew? John didn't know. What he did know though was that Andrew was going to make Magneto pay for that little act.
John suddenly felt a tiny bit sorry for Magneto.
"What are you doing?" snapped Andrew. "You want my help, I want a fag, I haven't smoked in an age." Magneto toyed with the unlit cigaret for a little longer, unaware that he was holding what was essentially a bomb.
"Why should I give this too you?" he asked. Andrew shrugged his/John's shoulders. Magneto tossed the cigarette over to him. Eagerly Andrew grabbed it, sniffing it, just letting the fumes enter his/John's body. Sighing, Magneto lit a single match and Andrew lit his cigaret. He lent back and began to smoke it, smiling a little to himself as if he was in on a joke the other mutant knew nothing about - which, in effect, he was.
"What are you smiling about boy?"
"You know, it's true that the flame in this cigaret is too small for me to use." Andrew said, flicking some ash onto the floor. Magneto looked a trifle confused as Andrew smiled again, a smile that Magneto knew only too well.
"I on the other hand." John said, now fully in control of his own body again. "I can use this flame." he smiled again and breathed gently out. Instantly the flame increased and jumped out of the cigarette, the heat forcing Magneto to step back from John. John blinked and in that blink everything changed, as Andrew shifted back into control. He willed the flames to increase, laughing as they did so. This power was so intoxicating. Magneto raised his arms, calling some metal to him.
"I guess I shall just have to teach you a lesson." Magneto said, his face betraying nothing of how he really felt. Andrew raised an eyebrow.
"You really think that you can stop us?" Andrew asked. He clenched one of his/John's fists and a wall of flame shot up, the sheer heat of it melting the metal that Magneto had called. Andrew pressed his advantage, sending the wall of fire backwards, forcing Magneto to move away. Andrew cocked his/John's head to the side as if he was listing to an invisible voice.
"Good idea Johnny-boy." he said, an evil grin on his/John's face. Andrew raised the clenched fist until it was level with his/John's face. For a few seconds he simply looked at it, then flicked the wrist backwards, towards Magneto. Fire rushed towards him, enveloping him, covering him. Magneto screamed.
Then there was quiet.
The flames died down as Andrew stood there, his/John's eyes closed. There was an un-natural smile on the lips. Inner-Andrew had kicked Inner-John hard, in the head, then followed it with a sharp punch in the gut. Inner-John flopped backwards and began to sink into a a soft yellow like substance.
Andrew opened his eyes. They were his now, not his and John's but his and only his. He stretched out his new arms, letting the flames dance around the room.
"It's show time." he said. There was a loud gasp behind him and there stood the girl of his dreams - Rogue. And for once, there was no annoying voice telling him that Rogue was not his. Rogue would be his.
"Rogue, how good to see you again." he said with a smirk. Spark pushed past Rogue and advanced towards Andrew. The latter simply stood there, a smile on his face. He shook his head.
"It won't work this time Yasmin." he said, the smile becoming twisted. He tapped a finger on the side of his forehead. "John isn't in here anymore."
"You're lying!" spat Rogue. Andrew shrugged his shoulders and idly examined his nails.
"Believe what you want. He isn't home." Andrew answered. Rogue shook her head in denial and took a few steps forward to get closer to Andrew.
"John! John, come on fight him!" she yelled. Andrew's smile vanished, to be replaced by a frown.
"I said he isn't here anymore!"
~~~
Deep in his brain, Inner-John stirred faintly. He was still sinking through the layers of yellow. Each layer represented a layer of his conciseness and the deeper he sunk the harder it was to stay awake. He opened his eyes slowly, a echo penetrating the layers.
//John! John, come on fight him!\\ He frowned slightly, his mind moving sluggishly in an effort to recognize the voice. Then his eyes drifted shut and his mind went quiet again.
~~~
Fire's sprung up all around Rogue, trapping her with Andrew. On the other side of the fire, Spark was forced to shield her face from the immense heat. The rest of the X-Men came pouring into the room, Kurt in the lead.
"Oh, no." he whispered before grabbing the frantic Spark. "Do not even think about it. You don't know how wide that fire is, you'll be burnt alive." Spark sobbed, knowing he was right. She couldn't do a thing to help.
Her head hurt.
Wolverine's claws came out when he realized Rogue was trapped on the other side of the fire.
"I'll tare that little punk limb from limb." he growled. Storm put out a hand to stop him.
"Logan, think about this. If and I mean if, you get through that fire you'll be so badly burned that Pyro will be able to move himself and Rogue before you recover... I just wish I knew why he was doing this." Storm finished. Cyclops stood there, his hand on his visor, hoping for a clear shot. Spark had bent forward, crying, Kurt's arms the only thing stopping her from falling on her face.
On the other side of the wall, Rogue heard all this as if it was coming from a great distance. She kept her eyes glued on Andrew.
"What did you do?" she said, tears in her eyes. Andrew shrugged, clearly proud with himself.
"I won." he said simply. "He lost." Andrew moved forward, his hungry gaze boring into Rogue's scared eyes.
"I win so I get the prize." He ran his fingers gently down the side of Rogue's face. With out meaning too Rogue let out a small moan as his fingers danced down her cheek. Andrew grinned. "I always get what I want." he whispered.
Rogue locked eyes on him, then captured his lips with hers. The kiss was deep. After roughly fifteen seconds Rogue broke away, gasping heavily a triumphant smile on her face. She lifted a hand and the fire's around them began to die.
"Come on John! He's weak, fight him!" she yelled as Andrew snarled realizing he had been tricked.
~~~
Deep in his brain, Inner-John stirred faintly. The layer's of yellow around him were faint, almost transparent. He moved restlessly, suddenly aware that he was trapped.
//Come on John! He's weak, fight him!\\ It was the same voice, stronger this time. It was a voice he knew... a voice he loved... it was...
"Rogue?" he muttered, forcing his eyes open and for the first time seeing where he was. He shut his eyes then snapped them back open.
"No." he said, then began to force his way back upwards, through the layers to where Rogue was. This wasn't over, not by a long shot.
~~~
"What do I have to do to prove it to you people!" roared Andrew, fire jumping erratically all round the room. Rogue closed her eyes and concentrated, making the fires die down.
"It's over Ash." she said coldly. Ash growled and hit Rogue, hard, in the face. She went flying and crashed into Wolverine.
"Bitch!" Ash screamed, wiping a trickle of blood that had come from his mouth away with his hand. He paused and stared at the tiny drops of blood, utter confusion on his face. Wolverine snarled and his claws came out.
"No!" Rogue yelled. "That's still John's body even though he's not in control." Ash rolled his eyes.
"John's gone. Get that through yo-" he stopped suddenly, his eyes going wide. He gasped slightly, a shaking hand being raised to his face. He shook slightly, then dropped to his knees with a scream, his hand clutched to the top of his head.
"No!" he yelled. "You'll not supposed to be here! You'll supposed to be gone!"
"John..." Spark whispered, hope in her eyes. Ash jumped backwards as if he had been shot at.
"Why are you still here? You paid for your ticket, you should go and see the movie, can't come in here, not allowed, birds singing, I kissed her!" He froze, his fingers a little away from his face.
"That's right, I kissed her. Kissy Kissy. No, shouldn't be here, why are you all here, go away." he said, his eyes tightly shut.
The X-Men stared in horror.
"Wh- What is he doing?" Scott asked. Spark was watching Ash with sad eyes.
"He's insane. The shock of John fighting back pushed him over even further. If John doesn't win this soon it could drive John himself insane."
So let's help him!" Rogue said. Spark shook her head in defeat.
"There's nothing any of us can do. It has to end now, and it has to end this way."
"Someone hasn't got a ticket." Ash said in a sing song voice. "Why won't somebody answer the phone? Answer the phone! It's ringing, make it stop, why won't it stop..." He pressed his hand's together in the shape of praying hands and jerked his head to the side in a spasm.
"Lost my pencil, now teacher will be mad. Sorry! Shouldn't touch, mustn't touch, what's the word?" he directed the last sentence at Rogue. She blinked and took a step back. Ash swung out his arm, a flame nestled in his hand.
"Mom and dad say don't play with matches, story of the firefly, flames lick you but you don't get wet." he rambled, the flame jumping from his hand and increasing. The fire spread around the room, getting hotter and hotter by the minute.
"John!" Screamed Rogue. "John, please come back." The rest of the X-Men joined in.
"John! Come on, fight that punk, you can do it!"
"Shut up, shut up!" yelled Ash, his hands pressed against his ears. "The music has stopped so you've got to be still."
~~~
Inner-Andrew stared at Inner-John in disbelief.
"But how?" he asked. Inner-John shrugged his shoulders.
"What can I say? I happen to like being in control of my own body." he said then jumped on Inner-Andrew. The two rolled along the floor, each trying to beat the other. Outside Ash began to sprout random sentences as the two fought.
Inner-Andrew fastened his fingers around Inner-John's neck, an evil grin on his face. Reaching up, Inner-John did the same. Dimly, as if from a distance, Inner-John was aware of a scream. It came as a shock to him to realize the scream was being torn from his own throat. Life and Death flickered between his eyes.
Suddenly, without warning everything stopped - the screaming from his mouth, the feel of the hot flames, the sensation of Andrew's mental fingers on his neck, his own grasp on Andrew, the yells from his friends - as if someone had flipped a switch inside his head.
Then, mercifully, everything went black.
TBC...
There you have it, just the one part left! That's right, just one part left. Please, please leave a review! The more review's I get, the more happy I will be (As I don't think this part was any good.) and the faster I write the last chapter!
Toodles!
~Sethoz