From her cage, she noticed that there was a tank of gasoline by the
door. Why was beyond her, but she noted that it could possibly be
convenient. She had tried undoing the lock, but she needed something thin
and long to snap it open. She could use a credit or playing card, if she
had one. Instead she picked at it with the broken pendant, vainly
attempting to break free and hoping that they wouldn't come for her.
Outside, the jet touched ground. Team K was off before the ramp was even completely lowered.
The base was a small, squat cement building. Yuriko and a blond woman were standing out in front. Almost immediately, a chill ran through the X- Men's bones, and they realized that their powers were rendered inactive. Reflexively, Remy reached for his cards, satisfied to feel they were still burning hot. Apparently it didn't affect already used powers, seeing Paige was still steel.
Yuriko strode forward. Team K fidgeted nervously; should they strike? This wasn't supposed to happen.
"Welcome to this mediocre little home. I am Yuriko and this young lady here is Pulsar. She has rendered your gifts inactive. She could also kill you, but I wouldn't want her to do that." Yet, Yuriko thought. "Maybe we can arrange a deal."
Her tone was false. The X-Men weren't fooled. Pulsar opened the door and beckoned them in. The filed silently single file, totally against all instinct and training, obeying the rules of the enemy. Yuriko followed Shadowcat, last in line. Shadowcat kept looking behind her back at the Asian woman. She was nervous at the idea of having her back turned.
The room was cement, and Pulsar led them to the next room, the room containing SheCat. Team K relaxed a little, seeing she was not in any immediate danger, then were back on alert, ready for any deal Yuriko could conjure. Yuriko began to speak, starting with the legacy of time and humanity. She sounded a lot like Magneto.
SheCat saw them and her heart sank. Hoping against hope that Remy would notice her slight head gestures and intense stare, she was already forming a plan B.
Gambit did notice, discreetly pulling a card from his pocket and nudging Kurt to move to the side. Kurt did, as suspiciously as possible, and both Yuriko and Pulsar's attention shifted to him. Meanwhile, Gambit threw the card lightly to SheCat, who caught it and began working the lock.
"And so I've come to a decision. You could let her die like the cowards you are, or you could die with honor in her place. Either way, I win and you lose. It's all about bait. I baited her to use as bait for you, and you fell for it. I might as well be fishing." Yuriko didn't notice SheCat had escaped. Nor did she notice that she had retrieved her sword. She was basking in the incredible glory of winning, her first real triumph over the famed X-Men. It was a pleasurable moment up until the sabre passed through her chest.
Yuriko dropped, and chaos broke out. Kurt lunged for Pulsar, but she sent out a pulse of energy that was so intensely painful that he fell in mid-jump. Shadowcat yelped, Julie screamed and toppled over, Paige stumbled and placed her hand against the wall while her vision swam. Remy hit his knees, attempted to use the bo-staff to rise, and hit his knees again. SheCat's sword fell from her nerveless hand and she hit the ground and twitched spasmodically. Strobe's eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed.
Kurt was about a foot from her. He felt paralyzed by the intense pain in his body; it was everywhere. He couldn't move himself. Then Yuriko began to rise. Impossible, she had been run through. And yet she rose, weakly, but rising.
It was that moment that was Kurt's motivation. Once Yuriko was strong it was all over. So his tail whipped out and snagged Pulsar's ankle, yanking her down and cracking her head fatally against the cement floor. The relief that followed could be described only as ecstasy, until Strobe cleared her head. Pulsar eliminated, her power had returned, and she sent a steady stream of electricity into Yuriko, laying her flat again.
"Run! Get to the jet now!" The others scrambled for the exit. Strobe checked to see Yuriko was down, then started running herself.
"It's locked!" Julie looked genuinely despaired. Kurt rammed into the door shoulder first, realized it was stuck tight, grabbed Julie and bamfed her out, then himself back in to get the next passenger.
Shadowcat grabbed Remy and Rogue and walked them through the wall, then returned for Strobe. Kurt bamfed Paige out and returned. He didn't see Yuriko launch herself from the floor.
SheCat ran to Kurt to escape, but suddenly pitched forward as Yuriko's weight slammed into her. Five claws drove through her back. One for her aorta, one for her left chamber, three between the ribs. Both crashed into the ground, and Yuriko clambered up and slung Kurt against the wall and broke the lock. Stars winged in his eyesight, and he tried to stand, but heard someone cry out.
"Get down!"
SheCat realized where the claws had gone. She knew she was dead the instant she hit the floor. She was face-up, unable to move, when she felt the playing card in her hand, still charged. One last cry to Kurt, one wrist flick to the gas tank, it would be over. If only she could move.
She threw the card.
Outside, the jet touched ground. Team K was off before the ramp was even completely lowered.
The base was a small, squat cement building. Yuriko and a blond woman were standing out in front. Almost immediately, a chill ran through the X- Men's bones, and they realized that their powers were rendered inactive. Reflexively, Remy reached for his cards, satisfied to feel they were still burning hot. Apparently it didn't affect already used powers, seeing Paige was still steel.
Yuriko strode forward. Team K fidgeted nervously; should they strike? This wasn't supposed to happen.
"Welcome to this mediocre little home. I am Yuriko and this young lady here is Pulsar. She has rendered your gifts inactive. She could also kill you, but I wouldn't want her to do that." Yet, Yuriko thought. "Maybe we can arrange a deal."
Her tone was false. The X-Men weren't fooled. Pulsar opened the door and beckoned them in. The filed silently single file, totally against all instinct and training, obeying the rules of the enemy. Yuriko followed Shadowcat, last in line. Shadowcat kept looking behind her back at the Asian woman. She was nervous at the idea of having her back turned.
The room was cement, and Pulsar led them to the next room, the room containing SheCat. Team K relaxed a little, seeing she was not in any immediate danger, then were back on alert, ready for any deal Yuriko could conjure. Yuriko began to speak, starting with the legacy of time and humanity. She sounded a lot like Magneto.
SheCat saw them and her heart sank. Hoping against hope that Remy would notice her slight head gestures and intense stare, she was already forming a plan B.
Gambit did notice, discreetly pulling a card from his pocket and nudging Kurt to move to the side. Kurt did, as suspiciously as possible, and both Yuriko and Pulsar's attention shifted to him. Meanwhile, Gambit threw the card lightly to SheCat, who caught it and began working the lock.
"And so I've come to a decision. You could let her die like the cowards you are, or you could die with honor in her place. Either way, I win and you lose. It's all about bait. I baited her to use as bait for you, and you fell for it. I might as well be fishing." Yuriko didn't notice SheCat had escaped. Nor did she notice that she had retrieved her sword. She was basking in the incredible glory of winning, her first real triumph over the famed X-Men. It was a pleasurable moment up until the sabre passed through her chest.
Yuriko dropped, and chaos broke out. Kurt lunged for Pulsar, but she sent out a pulse of energy that was so intensely painful that he fell in mid-jump. Shadowcat yelped, Julie screamed and toppled over, Paige stumbled and placed her hand against the wall while her vision swam. Remy hit his knees, attempted to use the bo-staff to rise, and hit his knees again. SheCat's sword fell from her nerveless hand and she hit the ground and twitched spasmodically. Strobe's eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed.
Kurt was about a foot from her. He felt paralyzed by the intense pain in his body; it was everywhere. He couldn't move himself. Then Yuriko began to rise. Impossible, she had been run through. And yet she rose, weakly, but rising.
It was that moment that was Kurt's motivation. Once Yuriko was strong it was all over. So his tail whipped out and snagged Pulsar's ankle, yanking her down and cracking her head fatally against the cement floor. The relief that followed could be described only as ecstasy, until Strobe cleared her head. Pulsar eliminated, her power had returned, and she sent a steady stream of electricity into Yuriko, laying her flat again.
"Run! Get to the jet now!" The others scrambled for the exit. Strobe checked to see Yuriko was down, then started running herself.
"It's locked!" Julie looked genuinely despaired. Kurt rammed into the door shoulder first, realized it was stuck tight, grabbed Julie and bamfed her out, then himself back in to get the next passenger.
Shadowcat grabbed Remy and Rogue and walked them through the wall, then returned for Strobe. Kurt bamfed Paige out and returned. He didn't see Yuriko launch herself from the floor.
SheCat ran to Kurt to escape, but suddenly pitched forward as Yuriko's weight slammed into her. Five claws drove through her back. One for her aorta, one for her left chamber, three between the ribs. Both crashed into the ground, and Yuriko clambered up and slung Kurt against the wall and broke the lock. Stars winged in his eyesight, and he tried to stand, but heard someone cry out.
"Get down!"
SheCat realized where the claws had gone. She knew she was dead the instant she hit the floor. She was face-up, unable to move, when she felt the playing card in her hand, still charged. One last cry to Kurt, one wrist flick to the gas tank, it would be over. If only she could move.
She threw the card.