Gifts and Curses
By Todd Fan
Disclaimer: "Oh, can't complain, Mom. I'm camping out here with a convicted criminal. And, oh; I had my head chewed on by a monster!"
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Chapter 32 – War of the worlds
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In Limbo, Illyana smirked triumphantly over the body of Belasco.
"I'm free", she said, "I can go home!"
He laughed happily, her tail flicking….wait…her….
She turned to look behind her, a demonic tail poking out of her armor.
"No", she whispered, looking at her now clawed hands, "what's happening to me?"
"You've become what you most despise"
Illyana spun around to see the Adversary smirking at her.
"Isn't irony exquisite?", he said with a fanged grin.
"You…", Illyana backed up, "who let you out?"
"S'ym", said the Adversary, "the power hungry are so easy to deceive"
Illyana frowned, pointing the Soul Sword at him.
"Get back to your cage, demon", she said, trying to keep the fear out of her voice.
"Demon?", growled the Adversary, "I am not a demon, I am a GOD!"
"Either way, you're going back where you came from", said Illyana.
"Or what?", asked the Adversary, "you'll cut me with your sword?"
"It cuts through magical things", said Illyana, "that includes you"
"You have to catch me first", snarled the Adversary, vanishing and reappearing next to her, kicking her to the ground, unconscious.
He picked her up, slinging her over his shoulder, pushing the sword away.
"Come on, little Darkchilde", he said, "you can witness the undoing of the world. Another cycle completed"
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Unaware to the events unfolding in limbo, the mansions and it's students were having their own problems. Reactions to Magneto's addition to the staff ranged from confusion to anger. Most of the residents lent towards the latter, particularly those that used to work for the man.
"I can not believe you would let this happen, Charles!", protested Piotr, "he is a danger to the Institute!"
"I know this makes you uneasy", sighed Xavier, "I suppose you have a right to be mistrustful"
"Considering he blackmailed us into working for him by threatening to hurt our families", said Jason, "yeah, you think?" (1)
"Come now", said Magneto, trying to smooth things over, "what do you say we burry the hatchet?"
"I know where I'd like to burry a hatchet", muttered Jason, crossing his arms
"Only if I am to be going first", said Piotr, narrowing his eyes.
Charles sighed as the two former Acolytes stalked off.
"How you had your own people hate you so much is beyond me, Magnus", he said.
"Me too", said Magneto, "I gave them a dental plan"
He shook his head.
"I appreciate the effort, Charles, but I really don't think this is working"
"Give them time", said Xavier, "they'll come around. You'll see"
"Your never-ending optimism is sickening at times", said Magneto defeatedly.
Elsewhere in the mansion Lockheed peered his head around the corner of a door, glancing around suspiciously. Once sure no one was watching, he padded back in. Sitting down in front of a bunch of playing cards was Ebony, in his demon-cat form. Lockheed sat next to him, grabbing the cards and shuffling them, dealing them out.
"Okay, cat-boy", said the dragon, "you won't beat me this time. Really, you haven't got a prayer. I'm eating that chicken dinner Cannonball cooked you"
Ebony blinked mutely at him, looking at his car hand..err paw.
"Meow"
"Go fish", said the dragon.
"Ah-HAH!", said Shortpack, popping out from behind a vase, "I knew it! I knew you could talk!" (2)
"Oh gee, good for you. Remind me to give you a medal", said Lockheed, looking at Ebony, "got any fours?"
Ebony suddenly stood up, his fur standing on end, giving a snarl.
"….What's wrong with the cat?", asked Shortpack, backing up slightly.
Ebony hissed, darting out of the room.
"Oh come on!", shouted Lockheed after him, "lose like a non-human!"
He threw his little purple hands in the air, disgruntled as Ebony dashed off, then looked at Shortpack.
"Okay, fine, I talk, not like you can do anything about it"
"I could casually mention it to Kitty", smirked Shortpack
"She won't believe you", said Lockheed.
"Won't she?", asked Shortpack, a physic imprint of a few moments ago showing up, Lockheed telling Ebony to 'go fish', "mmm, that counts as evidence, doesn't it?. I tell you what, you don't try to eat me anymore, and I'll keep quiet"
"That's blackmail", said Lockheed, narrowing his eyes, "you're quite evil at times, you know"
"I'm an ex-spy", said Shortpack, "this is what we do. Deal?"
"Fine", grumbled Lockheed, grabbing Shortpack and putting him on his back, "now hang on, I'm gonna go find our cat"
"Wait I don't like heeeeiiiigghts!", yelped Shortpack as Lockheed took to the air, flying after Ebony.
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Miles away in Montana, Naze stepped outside his home, looking around the reservation that was his home with distrust.
"Dad?", Aenohe said, stepping out after him with a frown, "what is it?"
"Stay there", said Naze with a frown, "…..something is wrong"
There was a low, dangerous growl as a porthole opened before them, the Adversary stepping out, depositing the unconscious form o Illyana on the floor. He turned to give a fanged grin at Naze.
"Naze", he said, "long time no see, mmm?"
"Not long enough, Trickster", said Naze, narrowing his eyes.
"When was the last time we ran into one another?", asked the Adversary, then scowled, "oh yes, I remember, when you banished me to limbo. Come now, Naze, you're clever. You must have known I'd get out eventually"
"Yes, I did", said Naze, "I prepared"
"Of course", he smirked, "your 'Chosen One'. Where is he, Naze? Why do you shield the Maker from me? You know I will destroy him, just as I destroyed every other student of yours"
"This one's different", said Naze, "it's his blood right"
The Adversary smirked.
"I heard he was your grandson. It makes it all the more delicious for me to kill him in front of you, then"
"Hey, you leave my son alone!", snapped Aenohe, storming forward.
"Aenohe, get back inside, now", said Naze, then looked at the Adversary, "you will not harm him, because he will defeat you. It is his destiny to do so"
"Oh yes, of course", said the Adversary dryly, "it matters not if your daughter gets inside. When I redo the world, none shall be spared"
"Not if I can help it", said Naze, red energy beginning to glow in his hands.
"Save your strength, old man", snorted the Adversary, "you can't fight me anymore. You're past your prime"
"Lets test that", smirked Naze, firing a shot off at the creature
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Over in the mansion, the mutants that weren't in college were discussing their new instructor.
"A'h can't believe he let Magneto right in here", said Rogue, "he might as well paint a big sign on the wall sayin' 'Kill Us Now'".
"I do not know what he is being thinking", said Piotr, "he will not change"
"Not like you to be so set against someone, Piotr", commented Tabby from where she was sitting on the couch.
"He kidnapped my family", said Piotr, "can you blame me?"
"I'm sure he's got his reasons", said Forge, then paused, "I can't think of any feasible ones right now, but I'm sure he's got some"
"Mag-neat-o has a funny bucket on his head", commented Imara.
"Yes, yes he does", chuckled Kurt, then blinked as a bright light shone within the room, "uumm….did anyone order a really strange fast food service?"
From the light stepped Roma, Saturnyne and finally Amanda. The alter was dressed in a silvery amour, complete with white cloak and helmet. Kurt grinned, running over to give her a hug.
"Amanda!", he said happily, "it's so good to see you. I missed you so much"
"I missed you too, Kurt", she replied, hugging him back, "I wish it could be nicer circumstances"
Kurt frowned, backing up.
"…Vhat?"
Roma sighed, stepping forward.
"The worse-case scenario has happened", she said, "before Amanda could finish her training, the youngster in Limbo slew Belasco with the soul sword. Unfortunately, she was double crossed by a lowly demon, who released the Adversary"
"…..Please tell me your joking", blinked Forge.
"I wish I was, Maker", she said, "but I am not. You have to get him back. It is your duty…"
"No way", said Forge, "I already told you, I'm not getting involved. You do it yourself, if you're so powerful"
"You know that her powers aren't enough to fight the Adversary alone, you self-centered jerk!", snarled Saturnyne.
"Calm yourself", said Roma, then frowned, "Maker, he is fighting Naze as we speak. Your grandfather will not hold him forever"
"Scratch that", said Saturnyne as a porthole opened, "he didn't hold him at all"
The Adversary stepped through with a throaty growl.
"That was easy", he said, "I've had a harder time killing slugs"
"…What in the heck is goin' on here?", asked Logan, blinking at the creature in the room.
"This is the Adversary", said Roma, "…the chaos demon"
"This is the Adversary you're supposed to fight?", asked Storm, blinking at Forge.
"Hey, this is new to me, too!", said Forge, "I told you, I quit"
The Adversary sighed.
"And here Naze promised me the fight of my life", he said, "I must say, I'm sorely disappointed"
"Ya know some people are happy havin' normal arch nemesis", said Logan, then looked at Forge, "But not you, oh no, you have ta have a demon!"
He smirked, popping out his claws, diving at the demon.
"Ya want a fight, buddy, you got one!"
"Yawn", said the Adversary, flicking out his hand, knocking Logan to one side, "bored"
"Leave this place, now, monster", said Roma, hovering in the air.
"Oh, Roma", smirked the Adversary, "the yin to my yang. It is a pity I cannot completely destroy you, as I would cease to exist, and the same goes for you, vise versa"
"I can imprison you, though", growled Roma.
"You cannot fight me", smirked the Adversary, hitting her with a blast of energy, throwing her into a wall, "you never could"
"Roma!", said Saturnyne, leaning to protect her mistress.
The Adversary smirked, then looked at Imara.
"And the line continues. Oh well, I'll have to kill her too"
"You leave my daughter alone", said Forge, narrowing his eyes.
"Or you'll what?", taunted the Adversary, "face it, Maker, you can fight me no better than Roma"
He blinked as a lighting bolt hit him on the head.
"But I can", said Storm, electricity crackling around her, "leave. My. Family. ALONE!"
The Adversary was unfazed by her attack, playing with a ball of lightening of his own in his hands.
"I'll cause you unending suffering", he smirked, clenching his hand, causing Storm to double over, crying out in pain, "I can make your very powers turn against you. Degenerate your body, piece by piece" (3)
Before he could make good with his promise, he was smacked solidly with a blue beam of energy. The demon gave a yelp, clutching his sides.
"So much for a blood oath, huh, Maker?"
Forge narrowed his now glowing-blue eyes.
"What can I say? I get really pissed off when people try to kill the woman I love", he growled.
"Touching", sneered the Adversary, "but you can't defeat me. You're out of practice"
"Not with magic alone, no", admitted Forge, his bionic arm forming into a laser, "but y'see, I got another power to back me up"
"…..What?", blinked the Adversary, "you're going to hit me with your little gun? Ooooooh. I'm so scared. That's as pathetic as your mystical abilities"
"True", said Forge, then smirked, "but when I put them together…."
"Oh, bollocks", said the Adversary as the laser in Forge's arm glowed with the blue spirit energy.
The demon gave a screech of pain as the blast hit him, a porthole opening, beginning to drag him in.
"Oh, fine, you win the battle, but not the war", he snarled, sending out a blast of his own.
There was a crumble as the wall nearest Forge collapsed on top of him.
"FORGE!", cried Storm.
"I'll take this thing too", said the Adversary, grabbing Imara, dragging her with him, "so next time I come around, this wretched bloodline will have ceased to be a problem for me"
With a pop, he vanished into the porthole. Outside, the weather got decidedly worse.
"Ororo, calm down!", snapped Logan, "you're gonna cause a hurricane"
"YOU calm down!", snapped Storm, tears in here eyes, running over to the pile of rubble Forge was buried in, "he's got my daughter and Forge..I…."
Roma stepped forward, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"You work on getting the Maker out", she said, "I will take Amanda into Limbo to retrieve your daughter. The Adversary is weakened now, he will be far easier to beat"
"On it", said Amanda, concentrating, a porthole appearing before her.
"I'm coming vith you", said Kurt with a frown.
"No", said Amanda, "you stay and help get Forge out…..this is my job, Kurt, I can handle it"
She smiled, kissing his cheek.
"Thanks for the concern, but I'm a big girl, I can handle it"
"Now", said Roma, stepping through the porthole, Amanda following after her, it closing up with another pop.
There was a metallic hum as a pile of debris hovered away from the pile.
"Come on", said Magneto, narrowing his eyes, "we have our own concerns"
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(1) – I'm going by what has been shown in the show. Both Jason and Piotr are the only ones who were clearly shown to not be working for him of their own accord. As this hasn't been shown for Pyro, Gambit and Sabes, I'm assuming they joined of their own free will….which admittedly, they would do.
(2) – Lockheed can indeed talk. In fact, he only talked to one person in the comics, and that was Pete Wisdom. When Pete tried to tell everyone else this, they assumed he was a little crazy. Lockheed really does kick ass.
(3) – As happened in X-Men The End…though not by the Adversary….What a stupid plot that was.
Oh it's another cliffy isn't it? Am I insane enough to kill off one of my favorite characters? ….Don't answer that. Incidentally, as a shameless plug, I put a better picture of Sidney up on my DA site! Do review. Until next time…