A/N: Okay, I know, I'm terrible! I left that cliffie for so long!
Anyway, here's the next segment, with characters I still don't own. Hope
you enjoy and I almost promise to update soon (I'm working on another new
story and I'm hoping to finish this soon!)
Logan returned to the Xavier Estate with more questions than he could begin to contemplate. When he arrived there, he found the X-men in the infirmary, looking over the Professor.
"Where have you been?" Scott's response to Logan's presence was immediate. Logan didn't answer him, or even acknowledge that he had spoken.
"What's up?" Logan spoke directly to Jean.
"He seems to be stabilizing, he's not out of danger yet, but he's certainly much better than he has been. Where have you been?"
"Out. So what do we do now?"
"We think we know where Magneto is going with Rogue, we're going to get her back and stop him. Did you find Mirage?" Logan was startled by the question almost as much as by her other statements. When he looked at Jean though, he thought he could see something in the way she asked the question. remorse.
"I found her, then I lost her again. What I did find were a few more questions, which I didn't need, so I came back here. Let's go get Rogue, we can worry about the rest later."
The whole team moved to the briefing room, in order to have the situation and game plan fully explained. They then all proceeded to the jet, to go and rescue their young friend and student. ************************************************************************ (A/N: I figure most of this scene went like it did in the movie. Cause I liked it that way! I'm going to start where everyone's pinned to the wall, k? Deal? Deal.)
"Well, glad you could all join us today." Magneto descended from the air to greet the imprisoned X-Men, glory and triumph showing through his features. "But there is someone missing, yes? Someone else, who deserves to be present at this momentous event?" As Magneto spoke, he moved aside so that Sabertooth could enter bringing someone along with him. The limp figure tried to move away and was rewarded by being slammed into the wall, with Sabertooth's vengeful claws around her throat. Mirage cried out as her head hit the back wall and blood began to well under the strong grip on her neck. She was so weak, she felt sickness overtaking her, but she stared at the occupants of the room with defiance still present in her dark eyes.
"Tsk, tsk, lovely. You should know better by now than to annoy Sabertooth. I don't think he's ever quite forgiven you for stealing from him." Magneto walked over to address Mirage in a superior tone.
"Well, he needed to be taken down a bit, don't you think. He underestimated me. So did you." Mirage's weak, defiant voice rang through the small metal room as she lifted her eyes through the painful grip to meet Magneto's eyes. Sabertooth didn't like being ignored; the grip tightened and her breathing became more ragged.
"Defiant until the last, aren't we, my love? You shouldn't have betrayed me. you were like my daughter. I would have given you all of this. Now, I don't believe you'll even live to see it." Sabertooth's grip tightened further as he enjoyed the thought of carrying out Magneto's threat. Mirage gasped again, too tired and weak to be stoic and not willing to take power from anyone directly, she didn't want anyone else in her head now. Sabertooth's claws continued to dig into the pale flesh at her throat and she could feel the blood begin to slowly leak out of the punctures even as the pressure turned her already ragged breathing into shallow gasps for air. Logan's struggling against his restraints had increased as he watched the treatment of Mirage. He may not have totally remembered her, but he felt the need to protect her anyway. Eventually he roared as he released his claws. He fell, free, to the ground unconscious.
Magneto and Sabertooth both looked at the fallen man. "Deal with him. I need to speak to our lovely Unknown again. Eh, X?" Sabertooth's harsh grip was replaced by Magneto's cold one. Magneto didn't grip her neck as Sabertooth had done, he seemed firm but almost careful, but Mirage couldn't help but feel that the new hold seemed to be even stronger, even harsher around her throat, when mixed with that old name. What they had called her, X, the perpetual Unknown; the forgotten.
Jean! The voice was harsh in Jean's mind, but there was no doubting where it came from. Jean felt the other woman's weakness and strengthened the bond as well as she could using her own powers. What? What can we do? Jean knew there was a plan; this was what Mirage did. There was no way that she was going to stay against that wall while something needed to be done.
I'm going to reverse Magneto's powers. I know I can do it if I touch his skin. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold it though. I need you to hold on to Logan. Everything will fly towards Magneto, if I use it right. The voice in Jean's head spoke in a harsh ramble, as if not having enough strength to soften the mind to mind conversation and also afraid that if she spoke any slower she knew she wouldn't be able to finish what she started.
You're too weak. You won't survive the power drain.
Just hold him. When I count to one.
Mirage had been staring passively at Magneto, as he spoke of his dream of what the brotherhood could be. Of what she could have become if not for her betrayal. She looked weakly at him as he questioned her.
"Why did you betray us, little one? You could have been so great and you are reduced to this, instead." He looked genuinely sad as he regarded his former favorite. A girl so totally powerful, yet completely vulnerable, never able to be strong when she was totally alone.
"You know the rules, don't you remember, boss?" Mirage filled her voice with distain in her addressal of him. She wasn't his puppet, she would not be under his thrawl any longer.
Three.
"You were so bitter, so angry. I gave you the opportunity for vengence, you wanted it, but you couldn't hold to that. Your morals got in the way. even if you couldn't remember them." He was disgusted by her weakness, her inability to complete what she had vowed to do, if it meant the injury of those who were truly innocent.
"You don't remember my morals. They consisted of one rule. Your game stopped working with that. You stopped working for me." She raised her hand slightly, as if in a calming, gentle, caring nature.
Two.
"What rule did I break for you? What made it so you couldn't stay where you truly belonged?"
"Always. Look out. For. Number. ONE!" Her last word was spoken clearly in her mind as well as by her voice and Jean caught the cue. Mirage pressed her hand against the bare skin on Magneto's face for as long as she could and the metal shards that had been trapping the others came flying towards Magneto and her. She could see Logan begin to move out of the corner or her eye before Jean caught hold of him. The shards hit her head and shoulder and broke her hold on Magneto, who was weakened, but still managed to get himself up to the higher level and away from his former apprentice. Mirage fell, as if she was one of the metal shards released from the magnetic power as Magneto rose out of the room. Scott still couldn't open his eyes, and the X-men were trying to consider what they should do. Then Logan woke up (A/N fight between Wolverine and Sabertooth goes from here for a bit, because it was COOL! So, this is what's happening inside).
Jean? Mirage was still kneeling in the place where she had fallen. She knew she didn't have much energy left. She knew what that could mean, she knew her barriers could fall, she knew her powers could become wild and begin lashing out at others, but she couldn't say it. She wasn't strong enough for that. What is it? What do you need me to do? Jean began moving towards the weak body of the other woman. Don't come near me. And don't even think of touching me after I fall. I need to help Rogue. This is the only way I can; this is the only way I know how. Tell Logan, if I can't, to save her. Please save her. Jean could feel Mirage's powers break the contact with her and switch directions. Suddenly, she knew what was happening. Mirage was channeling the last of her energy into Rogue. She was preventing Rogue from having to use her own energy in the task that she was being forced to do.
A/N: Like I said, hopefully I'll update soon. I've got the rest of this scene finished, but I don't want to update to quick and have it be forever again til I finish! Cheers and hope you keep reading *looks out of computer screen* if there are any of you out there!
Logan returned to the Xavier Estate with more questions than he could begin to contemplate. When he arrived there, he found the X-men in the infirmary, looking over the Professor.
"Where have you been?" Scott's response to Logan's presence was immediate. Logan didn't answer him, or even acknowledge that he had spoken.
"What's up?" Logan spoke directly to Jean.
"He seems to be stabilizing, he's not out of danger yet, but he's certainly much better than he has been. Where have you been?"
"Out. So what do we do now?"
"We think we know where Magneto is going with Rogue, we're going to get her back and stop him. Did you find Mirage?" Logan was startled by the question almost as much as by her other statements. When he looked at Jean though, he thought he could see something in the way she asked the question. remorse.
"I found her, then I lost her again. What I did find were a few more questions, which I didn't need, so I came back here. Let's go get Rogue, we can worry about the rest later."
The whole team moved to the briefing room, in order to have the situation and game plan fully explained. They then all proceeded to the jet, to go and rescue their young friend and student. ************************************************************************ (A/N: I figure most of this scene went like it did in the movie. Cause I liked it that way! I'm going to start where everyone's pinned to the wall, k? Deal? Deal.)
"Well, glad you could all join us today." Magneto descended from the air to greet the imprisoned X-Men, glory and triumph showing through his features. "But there is someone missing, yes? Someone else, who deserves to be present at this momentous event?" As Magneto spoke, he moved aside so that Sabertooth could enter bringing someone along with him. The limp figure tried to move away and was rewarded by being slammed into the wall, with Sabertooth's vengeful claws around her throat. Mirage cried out as her head hit the back wall and blood began to well under the strong grip on her neck. She was so weak, she felt sickness overtaking her, but she stared at the occupants of the room with defiance still present in her dark eyes.
"Tsk, tsk, lovely. You should know better by now than to annoy Sabertooth. I don't think he's ever quite forgiven you for stealing from him." Magneto walked over to address Mirage in a superior tone.
"Well, he needed to be taken down a bit, don't you think. He underestimated me. So did you." Mirage's weak, defiant voice rang through the small metal room as she lifted her eyes through the painful grip to meet Magneto's eyes. Sabertooth didn't like being ignored; the grip tightened and her breathing became more ragged.
"Defiant until the last, aren't we, my love? You shouldn't have betrayed me. you were like my daughter. I would have given you all of this. Now, I don't believe you'll even live to see it." Sabertooth's grip tightened further as he enjoyed the thought of carrying out Magneto's threat. Mirage gasped again, too tired and weak to be stoic and not willing to take power from anyone directly, she didn't want anyone else in her head now. Sabertooth's claws continued to dig into the pale flesh at her throat and she could feel the blood begin to slowly leak out of the punctures even as the pressure turned her already ragged breathing into shallow gasps for air. Logan's struggling against his restraints had increased as he watched the treatment of Mirage. He may not have totally remembered her, but he felt the need to protect her anyway. Eventually he roared as he released his claws. He fell, free, to the ground unconscious.
Magneto and Sabertooth both looked at the fallen man. "Deal with him. I need to speak to our lovely Unknown again. Eh, X?" Sabertooth's harsh grip was replaced by Magneto's cold one. Magneto didn't grip her neck as Sabertooth had done, he seemed firm but almost careful, but Mirage couldn't help but feel that the new hold seemed to be even stronger, even harsher around her throat, when mixed with that old name. What they had called her, X, the perpetual Unknown; the forgotten.
Jean! The voice was harsh in Jean's mind, but there was no doubting where it came from. Jean felt the other woman's weakness and strengthened the bond as well as she could using her own powers. What? What can we do? Jean knew there was a plan; this was what Mirage did. There was no way that she was going to stay against that wall while something needed to be done.
I'm going to reverse Magneto's powers. I know I can do it if I touch his skin. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold it though. I need you to hold on to Logan. Everything will fly towards Magneto, if I use it right. The voice in Jean's head spoke in a harsh ramble, as if not having enough strength to soften the mind to mind conversation and also afraid that if she spoke any slower she knew she wouldn't be able to finish what she started.
You're too weak. You won't survive the power drain.
Just hold him. When I count to one.
Mirage had been staring passively at Magneto, as he spoke of his dream of what the brotherhood could be. Of what she could have become if not for her betrayal. She looked weakly at him as he questioned her.
"Why did you betray us, little one? You could have been so great and you are reduced to this, instead." He looked genuinely sad as he regarded his former favorite. A girl so totally powerful, yet completely vulnerable, never able to be strong when she was totally alone.
"You know the rules, don't you remember, boss?" Mirage filled her voice with distain in her addressal of him. She wasn't his puppet, she would not be under his thrawl any longer.
Three.
"You were so bitter, so angry. I gave you the opportunity for vengence, you wanted it, but you couldn't hold to that. Your morals got in the way. even if you couldn't remember them." He was disgusted by her weakness, her inability to complete what she had vowed to do, if it meant the injury of those who were truly innocent.
"You don't remember my morals. They consisted of one rule. Your game stopped working with that. You stopped working for me." She raised her hand slightly, as if in a calming, gentle, caring nature.
Two.
"What rule did I break for you? What made it so you couldn't stay where you truly belonged?"
"Always. Look out. For. Number. ONE!" Her last word was spoken clearly in her mind as well as by her voice and Jean caught the cue. Mirage pressed her hand against the bare skin on Magneto's face for as long as she could and the metal shards that had been trapping the others came flying towards Magneto and her. She could see Logan begin to move out of the corner or her eye before Jean caught hold of him. The shards hit her head and shoulder and broke her hold on Magneto, who was weakened, but still managed to get himself up to the higher level and away from his former apprentice. Mirage fell, as if she was one of the metal shards released from the magnetic power as Magneto rose out of the room. Scott still couldn't open his eyes, and the X-men were trying to consider what they should do. Then Logan woke up (A/N fight between Wolverine and Sabertooth goes from here for a bit, because it was COOL! So, this is what's happening inside).
Jean? Mirage was still kneeling in the place where she had fallen. She knew she didn't have much energy left. She knew what that could mean, she knew her barriers could fall, she knew her powers could become wild and begin lashing out at others, but she couldn't say it. She wasn't strong enough for that. What is it? What do you need me to do? Jean began moving towards the weak body of the other woman. Don't come near me. And don't even think of touching me after I fall. I need to help Rogue. This is the only way I can; this is the only way I know how. Tell Logan, if I can't, to save her. Please save her. Jean could feel Mirage's powers break the contact with her and switch directions. Suddenly, she knew what was happening. Mirage was channeling the last of her energy into Rogue. She was preventing Rogue from having to use her own energy in the task that she was being forced to do.
A/N: Like I said, hopefully I'll update soon. I've got the rest of this scene finished, but I don't want to update to quick and have it be forever again til I finish! Cheers and hope you keep reading *looks out of computer screen* if there are any of you out there!