A Master's Legacy (1 of 3)
"Welcome ladies and gents. The show is just about to begin," Dark Beast laughed as he stood on a shoddy wooden platform above his newly found servants. The cogs of change were beginning to set themselves in motion. Even if he was down here in this dank, musty sewer he still felt some pride. Unlike the rest of his fellow creations he had survived. He would take up where his master left off. Now and forever he was the new Dark Beast.
"Not much of a show," Gyre complained as she lifted her foot up out of the sewer muck. The smell of this place was absolutely awful, but if Dark Beast could truly offer all he promised then she could deal with this rat infested tunnel with its leaking bricks. Hopefully this would not become a permanent base of operations.
"Give it time. Everything will fall together," Firestrike said as he looked down at his shimmering gray bio armor. It resembled his old armor exactly, but it was entirely organic. The same went for the rest of Heavy Mettle. Dark Beast had improved all of them by granting them new bio-armor and he even activated their X-Genes.
"Firestrike is right. Things are just starting to happen. You got to be patient," Dark Beast laughed his jet-black skin barely visible in the sewer. One thing could clearly be seen on Dark Beast and those were his bright green eyes. Staring into them was like gazing into a lava lamp. They were constantly shifting and changing.
"Patience can only run so long," Helix growled. Her and the Twisted Sisters had joined Dark Beast because they had been promised the chances to spread fear amongst the flatscans. The women had joined up with this new Dark Beast long before he found the humans of Heavy Mettle. Thinking of working with Heavy Mettle nearly made her sick. Even though they were Mutates now they had once been the humans she so despised.
"Don't worry Helix. Your time is coming soon," Dark Beast laughed maniacally. He would be like his predecessor. The Dark Beast of old would not be forgotten. A new legacy would be forged. One of terror and strife. A new reign would begin. The Dark Beast would be supreme above all others.
"So are you going home for Thanksgiving?" Proudstar asked Havok as he opened the fridge. He was looking for the orange juice he had bought, but once again it seemed the vultures had claimed another victim. James was almost tempted to go back and bring the loads of free food that the government gave his reservation here. It might actually keep the fridge full.
"Home? What ever do you mean?" Havok laughed. As far as Alex was concerned the Exiles base was his home. He had never been much of a family man. At least till Scotty anyway.
Don't think about him Alex! You know you can't ever see him again!
"Don't you have any family to go to. I know you got Cyclops," James said as he found the only drink left to go along with his bowl of Fruity Pebbles. It was a single can of Coke. That wasn't exactly what Proudstar was used to having for breakfast, but he knew how to make due.
Havok suddenly snapped out of his train of thought with a jerk. He had nearly ignored James entirely, but he quickly played off his contemplation, "Naw James. I ain't going anywhere. My Dad is in outer space. I got some grandparents in Alaska, but that's the last place I feel like going. My brother is leading a pretty nasty team nowadays. I don't feel like buggin him. Besides, Jean use to be my eye candy."
"I don't think Polaris would like that," James said his tone suddenly turning very serious.
Havok picked up on the change of voice in Proudstar, but ignored it, "You just had to bring up her name huh?"
"Isn't she your gal?" James asked as if the world teetered on Havok's answer. Lorna was a sweet woman and if Havok wasn't treating her right she needed to move on. Alex also would have to admit that he needed to move on as well. Couples staying together just for the sake of staying together only lead to self-destruction. Heck look at Bobby and Whitney!
"Just cuz the bed squeaks doesn't make her my gal," Havok replied his tone beginning to match Proudstar's.
"Man you know that's dirty as hell. She likes you. Using her just ain't right man," Jimmy scolded as he took a seat down at the kitchen table across from Alex. The table was still a little rickety from Proudstar accidentally loosened up the legs. Next time he went into Phoenix he would make sure to get a new one.
"She just keeps pushing herself on me man. Her and me just haven't been the same since I went to that other dimension. I liked my life there James. I really did. Coming back here and seeing Polaris only confused things. Then finally I began to realize that I wanted to be with Madylene instead of Lorna. That's when I knew me and her weren't going to work out."
"And yet you still sleep with her? I don't follow you man," James said giving Havok a look of confusion. The expression was comparable to that of a five year old trying to learn quantum physics.
"I'm not saying feelings aren't there, but I just don't love her," Havok sighed. Talking to Jimmy was like talking to a brick wall. Nothing sunk in.
"Have you told her that? Cuz if you haven't how the hell is she suppose to know!"
"I'm going to tell her. I just need time is all, but you're right. Lorna does deserve to know," Havok finally admitted.
"Now you're starting to make sense."
Blink held the red cordless phone in her hand as she sat on the bed. Holding the phone was like holding a huge guilt for Clarice. Honestly she didn't know whether she should dial those neon green buttons. Was it her place to tell? How would Betsy even feel about it? As if the poor woman didn't have it bad enough with the media hounding her day in and day out.
"She's gotta know. If not from me then someone else if bond to tell her," Clarice sighed as she dialed the number to Betsy's office at X-Corp. She hadn't talked to any of her former Omega teammates in quite some time, but she still kept their numbers around.
A couple of rings later a confident voice picked up the phone, "Hello this is Betsy Braddock of X-Corp. How may I help you, luv?"
"Hey Betts. It's Clarice," Blink said trying to her best to not sound nervous. The last thing she wanted to do was scare Psylocke.
"Clarice! How's life been treating you hun?" Psylocke asked overjoyed at hearing an old friend's voice. With everything that had happened lately talking to Blink was a breath of fresh air. And the air around X-Corp had been rather stale as of late.
"Pretty rough actually. Look Betts there is something I've got to tell you. It may come as a shock though," Blink said trying to steel herself for what she was about to tell Psylocke. Guilt overcame Clarice at the thought of Psylocke's reaction to what she had to tell her.
"Go ahead and spill it hun. My stomach isn't weak," Psylocke laughed. She figured that Clarice was probably just overreacting to nothing. It couldn't be that bad.
"Warlock is alive," Blink said only getting part of what she wanted to say out. Perhaps the better way to tackle the problem was giving it out in pieces.
"That's great news Clarice! It did come as a shock though, but that's great. Have you called Moira yet?" Psylocke asked with redeeming excitement brimming over in her voice. That saddened Clarice to no end.
"It's not that simple. Warlock goes by a new name now. He's fashioning himself to be the new Bastion. He blames us for abandoning him. Particularly you."
A strange silence ensued after Blink's revelation. Finally, Betsy spoke, "That's awful. On second thought don't call Moira. The poor woman would have a fit. Bloody hell! This all my fault. First Sabertooth and now Warlock. How many more lives will I screw up?"
"Don't go blaming yourself. You weren't in control back then. Though you might want to be on your guard. Warlock may come after you and X-Corp."
"I understand Clarice. Thanks for calling and you take care," Psylocke somberly said as she hung up the phone. She really had the urge for a drink.
"You believe in staying close to your family Shiro?" Lorna asked as she packed her suitcase up with all the essentials. Toothbrush, underwear, deodorant, Nair, and whatever else she would need.
Shiro was leaning up against Lorna's door. Every day, all day he looked like a living sun , but he could control his plasma state so he could at least walk around without randomly setting items ablaze. He understood where Lorna was coming from and he knew where she was going with this.
"If learning about your dead mother's family is what you want to do then by all means go for it. Don't feel bad about taking a vacation. We're all big boys and girls...most of us anyway," Sunfire assured. He had no intention of trying to stop Lorna from finding her family. People need to cherish their families because you never knew how long they would be around. Leyu was on Shiro's thoughts everyday. He missed her so much and words couldn't describe the anger he felt at Excalibur! Why didn't they save her? How could they just let her die?
"Okay Sunfire. You're right. I'm going to find my family! Wish me luck! I'm off to a foreign country," Polaris exclaimed as she zipped up her suitcase. She would have given him a hug, but Shiro wasn't one for emotional displays that didn't include anger.
"What country would that be?" Sunfire asked curious.
"Arkansas," Lorna smiled.
Putting a hand on his chin Sunfire almost laughed, but quickly caught himself. Something about Lorna always made him smile...at least on the inside. That's where it counted though.
Lemon scented candles filled the room with an aroma that pleased the senses of Colossus on his time of relaxation. Every leader needed to take a break and every leader needed time to reflect. What Kuragari had said to him still stung deep. Just how much truth was in the fiend's words?
"Do you know why in the beginning I made Fontanelle second in command over you?" Exodus asked as he bathed in the smell of the room.
"No I don't, but I never questioned it."
"You were far more qualified than her, but back then I was so much different. I wanted to teach you all a lesson in the strangest of ways. I wanted to teach you to expect the unexpected, but that was hardly the way to go about in retrospect," Exodus explained.
"Well, what's done is done," Colossus said not wanting to dwell on the subject.
Just then Blink burst through the door, "Exodus, some fancy shmacy helicopter has just landed outside of our base! The guy is personally asking for you. Want me to tell him to take a hike?"
Exodus rose from his chair, "No. I'll handle this. Though I can't see how he found out about us."
"Maybe the Exiles are starting to lose their actual exile," Blink replied.
"Perhaps," Exodus said as he teleported himself out of the base and to meet whoever came all this way to see him.
