Normally, walking for hours wouldn't be a problem with him; yet something felt off with him. The jubilant possessed boy went forward with a whistle, as he had to sit down on a rock.
"Somethin' wrong Creed," the small boy turned his head and gave him a toothy grin, "was those ladies too tough fer ya," he tried to swipe at the boy, but fell to the ground. The pain in his stomach started to erupt out of nowhere, "Ya all right Creed," Concern real in the kid's voice. Creed knew what was wrong with him. He felt the stirring in his stomach earlier. Now how to use that to his advantage?
He grunted in pain as he noticed the boy getting closer to him. He knew that the boy would smell the blood, but would Jubilee be able to utilize it. Looking at the possessed face, the answer would be yes. Clawing deeper inside, he overplayed the pain verbally. Above the smell of his own blood was fear.
After a few minutes of fishing he found it, he had to fish around some more to feel if there were any more. Finding nothing, he commenced his plan -- even though it caused him some discomfort.
Pulling his claw out slowly, letting the blood gurgle and spurt out. The twisted lip of the possessed boy gave almost made him bust out in laughter, but he only gave a liquid filled laughter. Spitting out some blood, he 'snarled' in pain as he lifted out the item inside a stomach -- a metal chain piece.
The look on the possessed boy's face and the unwarranted yelp was enough on that whole ordeal worthwhile. He pointed and laughed at the Jubilee-in-body Iggy, while coughing blood.
"Ya gettin' soft Jubilee, yer not the icicle that ya been playin' the last couple of weeks," he got her on another weak moment -- he thought he found his second calling. The boys' middle finger rewarded his effort.
"Look, at least ya did that trick with me instead of the Igster," the boy pointed out as it started to walk away.
"It would've been better -- huh," he noticed the piece of metal he tore out of his stomach starting to quiver. With great speed it levitated and started going to the direction -- crap.
Running towards the boy, he pushed it to the ground along with him. Within a second, the metal piece flew past them as it only took a second for it to be out of sight.
"Ain't need yer help," the boy tried to push the heavier Creed off. Creed let up as he brushed himself off.
"Aww, no brownie points fer me today," he fake pouted as he turned serious suddenly, "and that ain't help, its comfort -- I'm not goin' ta carry the boy again," he announced as he started to walk past it, he heard the familiar footsteps catch up.
Sure this whole possessed body thing started out to be cool, but he liked to separate the two. The boy having the personality of a former mall-rat that once was his enemy started to grate on his nerve. After a couple hours of silence, the sun started to set as they traveled a good amount today. Like the chain that buried and twisted within his stomach, something started to bother him.
"Was it yer plan to take over that boys' body or are ya goin' ta let him out of his shell?" he asked sarcastically as he stopped in a middle of a nicely brushed area.
"If ya didn't scare the crap out of 'im then maybe –,"
"Then what, you'd make him a bigger wuss than he already is," he brought up he valid point, and for the first time, he heard a growl come out of the boy – even though it was Jubilee.
"I'll let 'im free tonight, ya can't do that much damage when yer sleepin'," she gave away her game plan.
"Sure Jubilee, whatever ya say," another sarcastic remark compounded the situation, he felt frustration build up within the body.
"Good," Jubilee in the boy's body retorted as Creed's stomach started to growl, "Look, why don't we just set camp here and eat somethin' -- then go."
With his stomach now making decisions for him, he growled as he stalked off in the direction he smelled fresh prey. He sniffed the air again, it'd be a cold one tonight, "Get the wood, meet up back here got that," he barked orders.
"I don't know how to start a fire," he heard it pipe up. He growled as Jubilee-in-Iggy's body continued, "Ya know I relied on my paffs ta start one."
"Logan did teach ya crap didn't he."
"Hey –"It started to stamp its feet and pout – that didn't look right on the boy.
"Just get dry wood and be here in five minutes or the boy doesn't it, got it."
"Yah whatev."
With that thrilling conversation, they went to do their own tasks.
On Creed's behalf, getting food for himself was no problem at all, except he wasn't alone. Growling, he carried a couple of dead carcass of a couple of rodents -- they're easier to kill when the mother's gone.
Smirking, it only took him a few minutes to kill them. The girl better be ready with that wood -- or else. Hearing his stomach growl, he quickened his pace towards the place they all supposed to meet.
The cold autumn air had a certain smell in it when Creed walked started to go in the right direction. He looked up and saw black smoke rising. His smirk became bigger, so Jubilee found out how to make a fire after all.
Only taking a couple of minutes to get to the destination, he saw the boy cradling his knees near the fire. Obviously, Jubilee lied to him just so she didn't have to do some work -- he'd teach her.
"Oh hey Creed, rodents -- sounds good," her voice crept up behind him as she appeared in front of him. Things became clear to him now.
"Let me guess, the boy made that," he pointed to the fire that blazed the night sky, "what afraid of actual work."
"I told ya, I'm not into this Boy Scout stuff -- Iggy knew how ta do it," she joked but her face held another feeling, "he just did it without askin' -- he hasn't said a word since."
The boy was weak, what do you expect out of him? Creed stalked towards the warmth of the fire. He threw a rodent at the boy, "Dinner," he announced as he took a bite out of the raw flesh.
The boy didn't move, still the in the same position. He didn't smell any emotion from him. That'd change soon.
"What rat too good fer ya kid," he glared at the boy. He knew the boy didn't have any problems eating raw flesh -- still no scent of fear.
The boy got out of his trance by lifting up his head. Creed took notice as the boy picked up the rodent and started to eat it, "Thank you, Uncle 'Tooth," the boy took another bit with a glaze over his eyes.
Creed snarled and took another bite, "what's that look fer boy."
The boy automatically turned away, dropping his dinner, "Sorry Uncle 'Tooth." Creed once again snarled in displeasure. He didn't smell any emotion from the boy, yet he saw the glaze in his eyes -- ones without souls. He should be proud of his handiwork.
The smirk still on his face meant that he must've enjoyed the boy's suffering on some level, but this nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he never felt in a long time showed up.
"Boy --" he saw the boy's head turn. He felt the nagging part flare up when he looked into the eyes of the apathetic.
"Yes Uncle 'Tooth," the boy monotone voice struck a nerve within Creed.
"Get some sleep," he ordered the boy without a second thought. On one hand, seeing the boy turn cold is entertaining, but on the other hand...
"Ya better wake up before me or I'll leave behind," he turned to his side as he closed his eyes.
"Yes Uncle 'Tooth," the boy replied barely above a whisper. Creed just growled as the weight on his eyes started to get heavier. He let go and started to sleep.
----------------------------------------------------
He knew the darkness well. For a second he thought that Jubilee had taken over his mind again, but this was different. The freezing point of this place would chill any normal frail's bones – but for him – this was an everyday occurrence."Yes sir," a young innocent voice replied. Creed knew this voice -- it was his; yet, the time frame seemed fuzzy. The picture became focused when he saw his younger self go forward into the darkness.
"You've been showing some promise Victor," that voice, so familiar yet he couldn't place a name on it.
"Thank you sir," he heard his youthful voice reply as his youthful form smiled. He didn't know he could smile like that -- has it been that long, "What task would you like me to do today sir."
"Today, is your last lesson Victor -- today will be your first kill..." The voice trailed onward before the owners eyes met the younger Sabretooth.
"I know ya killed before, but I'm going to teach ya the right way of doing it," the body that came along with that voice became clearer. Creed recognized it and he didn't know how to react.
"I've done my research on ya, you've killed before -- out of rage and out of obligation, but this time it's different," Creed remembered at the time he didn't know what 'obligation' meant.
The area began to get clearer as well. He remembered the warmth in the sun and butterflies stirring around. He saw his youthful form smile when the older man tried telling him what's going on -- what stupid ignorance.
"Are ya paying attention, or do I have to repeat myself," the older man turned around and slapped the younger Creed across the face.
"Sorry sir," the younger Creed clutched his face feigning pain. Even in his youth, he survived some crippling injuries, like being slashed across the face and didn't wince; yet, why feel now?
"Now, why are we here," the older man asked and he knew if he answered wrong he'd get hit again.
"Our task for today, kill the daughter of the porno king, Duece Harlett," he answered wearily and as expected he got a punch to the gut, followed by the older man wagging his finger at him.
"You forgot the part about no witnesses," the older men whispered through clenched teeth, "we're almost there," following the paved roads they discussed nothing more. The older man was in front, while youthful Creed stayed in the back.
In his mind seeing all this Creed, grew angry. His youthful form took too much crap from this guy. Then came to view something he knew he saw before but couldn't put his hands on. The hotel stood tall and firm, like many other hotels he'd seen all over the world -- yet this one -- this one had a significant meaning to him. This didn't make sense, he never remembered this memory before, why start now.
The two of them entered the lobby and headed straight to the elevator. Once inside, the older man pressed a button and then gave the younger Creed a gun with a silencer on it.
"This is the real thing, remember what we have to do," the older man ordered. Was this what so significant? The first time he used a gun. He didn't like them that much, but...
The elevator chimed at thirty-eight, both of them got out. The walked casually by a bell hop as a second later he older man killed him by cracking his neck. He nodded to the younger Creed. The youthful form dragged the body to the ice vending machine and dispensed with the body. Then within seconds, he caught up with the older man.
They stopped at a door, "Two fifty six," the older man whispered, "we're here," he gently rapped on the door, "room service."
They heard giggles from inside the room. Watching this, Creed couldn't wait to see the killing spree that was about to ensue.
The door swung open, as a guy in only his boxers appeared "Finally," the older man shot the man in between the eyes.
"Dear what's going on," the heard a woman's voice ask as the two men barged into the room, closing the door quietly behind him and before the woman could scream, the older man shot her down.
This was kind of boring -- his youthful incarnation did nothing but just stand there and look stupid.
"Now we wait," the man got to a chair and sat down, "no use pacing around now," the older man cocked his gun and put it down. He got something within his trench coat, a cigar, and started smoking it.
The younger man was offered one, but refused. Why was his younger self so weak? From what he did remember, he killed from birth till now -- with no remorse or no regret. He hated this vision, but he couldn't wake up.
"Mommy, there's a strange man in the ice room," the door started to creek a little, walked in a girl holding a bucket. She saw the bleeding man on the floor. The horrified look on her face made the older man smile, while the younger one half grin.
"It's your turn," the older man puffed the cigar. Shoot, shoot -- Creed could only say in his mind when he saw the younger version of himself put up the gun to the shaking girl.
The younger form tried to steady his hand, but lowered it in a second.
"What are ya doing," the older man angrily said, but didn't get up to confront the naive youth.
"Her fear isn't like the ones I killed before sir, she's -- "
"Going all soft now are we, this wasn't what you begged me to make you do," If Creed had a face in this dream, he'd be furrowing right now. He never remembered begging anything from anyone, "to be what you want to be, you have to cast away all doubt and take the shot."
The younger Creed shook his head as he started to back away from the older man.
"So this is what I get for taking in such a weak boy --" shots were fired, the older man lay bleeding in the chair.
"I want to be stronger, so no one can hurt me anymore" the voice echoed in his mind as the younger Creed then turned to the littler girl, the tears in her eyes had no effect on the young feral.
"I want to be stronger, so no one can hurt me anymore" once again the voices echoed in his mind the younger feral pointed the gun at the girl...
"I want to be...
----------------------------------------------------
"...Stronger Auntie Lee," his ears heard a familiar voice call out. Creed, too shocked to move, listened. He didn't know that he once had doubts, had feelings.In the dream, he found the reason for him killing. Sure, he could hide it under the feral exterior -- that was partially why he killed -- but his younger voice echoed in his mind. His unconscious creed he didn't want to admit. The mantra kept going like a broken record player.
He wanted to be stronger, so no one can hurt him anymore.
"Why Igster, I think yer perfect the way ya are," the lady specter replied. Didn't she see the faults in the boy? First off, he slowed him down from getting to finding any cure to this disease she plagued him with. Second, the boy showed no promise of being a fighter. The list could go on in Creed's mind.
"No I'm not," the boy replied, voicing the sentiment that Creed couldn't say himself, "I couldn't protect mommy and Uncle 'Tooth treats me --"
"First off, ya stayed in there and tried yer best with yer mom," she tried to comfort him, "second...second," her inability to find anything nice to say made him smirk a little.
"Auntie Lee...Auntie Lee is something wrong," the boy asked her. He only smirked, did that mean his cover was blown?
"Well, err...uh --"
"So your eager to get rid of me as well," the boy questioned. Sadness suddenly came to his senses, could this boy be anymore pathetic.
"No, No Igster its just that, uh, ya don't seem ta be enjoyin' yer stay," she stuttered out. This was her true response he could sense it.
The boy started to laugh a little then suddenly turned into muffled cries, "Hey Igster are ya alright?" she worriedly asked, but the boy continued to cry. Annoyed, Creed was bout to get up and slap some sense into him when the boy abruptly stopped.
"My mommy used ta tell me stories -- about one day how'd we would go off and start a new life without father," Iggy began while trying to hold back tears, "She'd tell me of all the things I'd see other than the dark place downstairs."
Why was this story so familiar to Creed?
"Sugar bombs don't taste good Auntie Lee, I just had to tell you that," the boy told her. Even without him seeing it, Jubilee probably started to smile like an idiot.
"It's an acquired taste," she calmly spoke as the silence hung in the cold night air for a second too long.
"She told me I'd meet other boys to play with. She told me I'd see more television. She told me I'd --" the boy became silent as Creed heard the tears fall to the ground.
Empty promises his own mother used to tell him. That's why it seemed so familiar. He had so much in common with the two individuals talking. This was either fate's twisted game or a big coincidence.
"And you thought you'd get that with me didn't ya," Jubilee piped in between the boys sobs. Her compassion for the situation awkwardly made him feel at ease.
The silence once again filled the night sky. Iggy probably answered silently as the sobs started to subside, till finally the small feral stuttered before speaking up, "I saw somethin' Auntie Lee, in your mind," the boy started out shaky. He knew the boy had a point coming, but didn't know how to use it. So the boy was trying to learn how to manipulate people? Creed waited in anticipation for something he could use against Jubilee.
"Oh what's that," her voice half curious, half afraid. What was she afraid of? He played possum, so the conversation would be private -- yeah right.
"Angelo Torres, Angel Torres, Maria Torres, Lee Ann Torres -- Auntie Lee what does those names mean?" the boy asked as though this wasn't any news to him.
"What does that have to do with you wantin' ta come along?" she asked quickly. Why did she want to change the subject now? Everything started to get interesting. Maybe that's the point of it all. Those names meant something significant to her and he'd exploit it to the full potential. Angel...Angelo Torres...Creed vaguely remembered the purple punk -- he didn't know from where though.
"Well..." so the boy had a point, but brought it up at the worst possible moment. Creed knew the boy didn't have anything to back up this claim. What a wasted opportunity.
"I know where ya gettin' at Igster," she clicked as Creed wondered what was going on, "Do I look like her ta ya?" the simple questioned boggled Creed's mind.
On some level, Jubilee looked like his mother from what he could remember. How could a Chinese-American girl look like someone who died more than one hundred years ago? Simple...
"It's your eyes Auntie Lee, you have her eyes," the boy took the thoughts right out of his mind. He didn't look at the pictures in Iggy's house -- why should he? Knowing this information now, he would of checked it out.
"My mom's were these colors too," she solemnly responded as she huffed, "also the same with Creed," so she did know about his mother. She knew about his father, so why not his mother? Creed just wanted to know how much of his past did Jubilee know. Of course he couldn't ask outright, that'd go against the bad guy's handbook.
"Uncle 'Tooth's mother," he heard the boy say like it was the most impossible thing in the world.
"Hard ta imagine, ain't it -- but you'd be surprise at how much all of us have in common," Jubilee informed as she gave a sigh. "Ya know I wonder 'bout what brought us all together -- I mean why can't I get ta the big shoppin' mall in the sky."
Creed wondered the same thing also, like a couple of weeks ago. First he was the only one to see her -- and that wasn't normal for him. Then the boy is able to see her -- and that's not normal as well.
"To be with that Torres guy Auntie Lee," the boy piped up. Jubilee did a good job getting off subject that he almost forgot about that point. Silence hung in the air like the darkness in the sky. She gave a huge sigh before she continued.
"Angelo...I miss him, he and I were close -- hey don't look at me that way Igster not that way," she mockingly scolded the boy as he heard the boy giggle a little -- the first time he heard it, "He wanted a relationship and I said no -- he died when I was younger..." she trailed off like something bothered her.
"Sorry Igster, I forgot about yer own feelings there," she apologized. Creed didn't understand this at all. This was probably another tactic to get off topic.
"What for Auntie Lee?" The boy honestly asked.
"In the past couple of days, yer father is murdered, ya can't see ya mother anymore, ya saw three people die and in the whole while Creed treats ya like dirt and then --"
"Auntie Lee," the boy interrupted her. Jubilee was right, the boy saw a lot of what Creed would've done on a daily basis. If Creed could smile, he would -- but he was busy trying to listen in, "you and Uncle 'Tooth are the strongest people I know and if this is what you deal with...I want to deal with it too."
The boy found a newfound drive from somewhere deep. Maybe the boy could be his rival someday. Suddenly, the image of a younger him appeared in his mind. He remembered the dream and his weak moment of being unable to kill a girl. If it wasn't for that older man pushing him to kill – he wouldn't be the strong man he is today. Creed thought about it. He got this far with help of people willing to teach him. How could he have another rival if he didn't teach him the way?
"Auntie Lee, I'm scared a lot but...but..."
"Ya want ta be stronger and ya want to see the world right," the specter responded as if she saw the same thing he knew the boy had -- potential, "look, sorry I didn't believe in ya -- but I...when yer scared I'll be there, I won't force ya or talk about ya leavin' if ya want."
"Thank you Auntie Lee," the boy replied with a smile. Even though Creed didn't see it, he knew the boy would do that. Something started to gurgle in his stomach. Creed tried his best to hide it, but it came out -- he yawned.
This startled the boy as he heard him stir.
"So I see yer awake, it's pretty early in the morning Creed -- ya still want to go," Jubilee's flurry of talking was a trap waiting to be sprung. If he answered coherently, that prove he was paying attention. He opted to do something else.
"What?" he groggily replied as he yawned again and stood up. He unzipped his pants and started to dowse the ash.
"Aww Creed that's -- Iggy not you too," the next thing he heard was a stream dowsing the flame.
"It's tradition," Creed huffed the fire became dowsed.