Disclaimer: The X-Men belong to Marvel, Ilehana Xavier to Corrinth, Blaze
and all other OCs to me.
A/N: All reviews greatly appreciated.
07
"You wanna take Magneto on by yourself, Cherie?" Gambit was outraged; this turn of events did not suit him at all. If Magneto saw him in this ridiculous uniform, with two X-Men, he'd be dead before he could blink! "Tu est folle!"
"You don't think I can do it?" Blaze asked sweetly. "I take it you're not offering to help me? You're too much of a coward for that Remy le Beau."
"Why haven't you reported this to the X-Men?" Ilehana was equally irritated.
"Because its my fight." Blaze answered, fire roaring manically behind her eyes, showing to all in the room how close she was to being out of control.
"Not anymore." Vixen told her. "I'm calling for back up. I don't know how you think you can take on two mutant gangs and Magneto, and maybe I don't want to know. But from now on, this is an X-Man mission."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The two mutants entered the chosen alley at opposite ends, each coming from the portion of the city their gang called their own. The border was guarded by a helmeted, shadowy figure that hovered a hand span from the ground. Magneto had been waiting for them.
"So, emissaries, the time is come. The war between the Trepids and the Rasks will end; the victors serve all of mutant-kind as my newest allies." The Master of Magnetism paused for effect, looking down on the two mutants with contempt on his face. This had been too easy to arrange, and soon the whole world would know the terror, the might of mutants. Then they would not dare oppose him. "The trial will begin tonight. May the strongest opponent win."
With a whisper of undeniable power Magneto propelled himself onto the roof of the nearest building, using his magnetic power on the iron girders that were the complex's framework. There his metallic orb waited, gaping open like a wound. For a moment, the two mutants below watched his departure, before their eyes drifted to glare at each other.
"Until tonight then, Crush." Electra spat like sparks when lightning strikes.
"Until tonight." Crush returned the comment with a snarl, muscles in his jaw clenched tight. It took a second, but both turned and walked away, not looking back but listening hard for any sound of foul play. For once, no attack came from either side.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Suit up team." Wolverine was in a foul mood. He'd been in a foul mood since Ilehana left without telling him. Okay, she'd probably had a point, he wouldn't have let her go off after Blaze with only Magneto's lackey for company, and he obviously didn't fit in with her plans. And it had taken all of Professor Xavier's persuading to keep Logan at the mansion so far. But now Vixen had called in to request back up, his mind was racing with all the things he'd have to say to her for treating him like one of the kids. And none of them were things he'd say around the kids himself. "Seems Magneto's been on his travels, so we get a trip to good ole' Canada."
"Prep the X-Jet, Scott." Xavier tried to calm the situation. The team were catching Wolverine's turbulent mood, and that wasn't a good thing. "Logan, can I have a word?"
A few moments later as Kitty, Rogue and Kurt listened in from round the corner, you could have been forgiven for thinking the mansion was collapsing in on itself as Logan roared "WHAT?"
"I said you are not going, Logan. Listen to me, your emotions are running too high at the moment. You and my daughter need to sort out your issues of trust, that much is certain, but this mission is neither the place nor the time for it."
"All right Charles." Wolverine admitted defeat like a scolded cat, sulkily. "But you'd best warn her I've got a few things to say when she gets back here."
"Don't worry Logan." Xavier smiled, sensing what was really bothering the Wolverine; he wouldn't be there to help her if things turned ugly. "I'll make sure Ilehana comes home safe."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"I'm outta here." Gambit moved to the door even as Ilehana was signing off talking to the mansion. Blaze glanced at him worriedly, so he gave what explanation he felt he owed. "I did what I said I would, I'se found you for Claws. This t'ing not part of the deal, I'm no X-Man to be fightin' Magneto."
"But you'll go tell him we're on his trail?" Ilehana asked sharply, but Gambit shook his head.
"I'se supposed to be in Bayville, an' dressed normal. It not worth me goin' findin' him." Ilehana nodded, but her eyes were narrow. She'd hoped he'd have more guts than this to stand up to Magneto by now. Gambit shut the door behind him with a thud. Ilehana turned to Blaze.
"Can I count on you, or are you leaving too?"
"I'm going to play this by ear." Blaze muttered, staring hard at her fingernails for no apparent reason other than it meant she didn't have to meet Vixen's eyes. "Lets see if it really would be as easy as you said for the X-Men to accept me back."
Vixen's stomach rolled. Blaze knew she'd made that bit of her speech up, she was certain of it. So now Blaze's entire future with the X-Men would rest on the first reactions of a bunch of emotional and adrenaline-pumped teenagers. Either way, this argument would soon be very much over.
A/N: All reviews greatly appreciated.
07
"You wanna take Magneto on by yourself, Cherie?" Gambit was outraged; this turn of events did not suit him at all. If Magneto saw him in this ridiculous uniform, with two X-Men, he'd be dead before he could blink! "Tu est folle!"
"You don't think I can do it?" Blaze asked sweetly. "I take it you're not offering to help me? You're too much of a coward for that Remy le Beau."
"Why haven't you reported this to the X-Men?" Ilehana was equally irritated.
"Because its my fight." Blaze answered, fire roaring manically behind her eyes, showing to all in the room how close she was to being out of control.
"Not anymore." Vixen told her. "I'm calling for back up. I don't know how you think you can take on two mutant gangs and Magneto, and maybe I don't want to know. But from now on, this is an X-Man mission."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The two mutants entered the chosen alley at opposite ends, each coming from the portion of the city their gang called their own. The border was guarded by a helmeted, shadowy figure that hovered a hand span from the ground. Magneto had been waiting for them.
"So, emissaries, the time is come. The war between the Trepids and the Rasks will end; the victors serve all of mutant-kind as my newest allies." The Master of Magnetism paused for effect, looking down on the two mutants with contempt on his face. This had been too easy to arrange, and soon the whole world would know the terror, the might of mutants. Then they would not dare oppose him. "The trial will begin tonight. May the strongest opponent win."
With a whisper of undeniable power Magneto propelled himself onto the roof of the nearest building, using his magnetic power on the iron girders that were the complex's framework. There his metallic orb waited, gaping open like a wound. For a moment, the two mutants below watched his departure, before their eyes drifted to glare at each other.
"Until tonight then, Crush." Electra spat like sparks when lightning strikes.
"Until tonight." Crush returned the comment with a snarl, muscles in his jaw clenched tight. It took a second, but both turned and walked away, not looking back but listening hard for any sound of foul play. For once, no attack came from either side.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Suit up team." Wolverine was in a foul mood. He'd been in a foul mood since Ilehana left without telling him. Okay, she'd probably had a point, he wouldn't have let her go off after Blaze with only Magneto's lackey for company, and he obviously didn't fit in with her plans. And it had taken all of Professor Xavier's persuading to keep Logan at the mansion so far. But now Vixen had called in to request back up, his mind was racing with all the things he'd have to say to her for treating him like one of the kids. And none of them were things he'd say around the kids himself. "Seems Magneto's been on his travels, so we get a trip to good ole' Canada."
"Prep the X-Jet, Scott." Xavier tried to calm the situation. The team were catching Wolverine's turbulent mood, and that wasn't a good thing. "Logan, can I have a word?"
A few moments later as Kitty, Rogue and Kurt listened in from round the corner, you could have been forgiven for thinking the mansion was collapsing in on itself as Logan roared "WHAT?"
"I said you are not going, Logan. Listen to me, your emotions are running too high at the moment. You and my daughter need to sort out your issues of trust, that much is certain, but this mission is neither the place nor the time for it."
"All right Charles." Wolverine admitted defeat like a scolded cat, sulkily. "But you'd best warn her I've got a few things to say when she gets back here."
"Don't worry Logan." Xavier smiled, sensing what was really bothering the Wolverine; he wouldn't be there to help her if things turned ugly. "I'll make sure Ilehana comes home safe."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"I'm outta here." Gambit moved to the door even as Ilehana was signing off talking to the mansion. Blaze glanced at him worriedly, so he gave what explanation he felt he owed. "I did what I said I would, I'se found you for Claws. This t'ing not part of the deal, I'm no X-Man to be fightin' Magneto."
"But you'll go tell him we're on his trail?" Ilehana asked sharply, but Gambit shook his head.
"I'se supposed to be in Bayville, an' dressed normal. It not worth me goin' findin' him." Ilehana nodded, but her eyes were narrow. She'd hoped he'd have more guts than this to stand up to Magneto by now. Gambit shut the door behind him with a thud. Ilehana turned to Blaze.
"Can I count on you, or are you leaving too?"
"I'm going to play this by ear." Blaze muttered, staring hard at her fingernails for no apparent reason other than it meant she didn't have to meet Vixen's eyes. "Lets see if it really would be as easy as you said for the X-Men to accept me back."
Vixen's stomach rolled. Blaze knew she'd made that bit of her speech up, she was certain of it. So now Blaze's entire future with the X-Men would rest on the first reactions of a bunch of emotional and adrenaline-pumped teenagers. Either way, this argument would soon be very much over.