An Excess of Inner Torment

Flood quickly threw off the covers and jumped out of the bed. She was finally free to do whatever she wanted, go wherever she liked. Once stripped of her bandages, she found her skin undamaged. Cuts couldn't do any damage, not to her; she could close them up easily. She tossed the bandages onto the floor and hurried from the room. She boldly marched up to her room not even caring if people saw her or not. Fortunately, she didn't run into anyone on her way up. Entering her room, she quickly changed into black pants and a black tank top. Examining herself in the mirror, she was pleased with her dangerous look. "Look out world," she said with a wicked smile, "the Flood is on the loose." Suddenly, without warning, several images flashed through her mind. Voices spoke words she was sure she had heard before. An overwhelming feeling of unhappiness swept over her. She felt a sense of wrong for what she had done, and emotionally pained.

"What's happening to me?" These new emotions were unfamiliar to her. Suddenly she realized what was happening to her. She was feeling all of the pain, agony, and torment that she had always witnessed Serena bear but never suffered it herself. She couldn't take it. It was tearing at her insides. She wasn't even sure who she was anymore. Serena's memories were flooding her mind with all of the emotion and experience attached with it. All she could do was take it in…

She slowly left her room and climbed the stairs to the roof of the mansion. Standing at the top of the mansion she gazed at the dark cloudy sky. Raindrops began pouring down from the heavens and slid down her face mixing with her tears. Her tortured mind filled with thoughts of despair, "Why am I even here? Was I put here just to suffer? Do I even have a purpose? There's nothing left for me. But then, I'm not sure if there ever was. Fate brought us together only to tear us apart and cause us pain. No, to cause me pain. I've lost everything. You, my sanity, my friends, and now my mother. I hate this. I hate all of it. It's not fair."

The medallion on her neck glowed as she poured out her regret and betrayal.

More thoughts whipped through her consciousness, "Why did all of this happen? How did all of this happen? The days are so blurred now. There's no sense to keep track of life when you're not even alive. My body may still live, but my soul is gone. Everything is gone, and I am left with nothing but the pain and suffering. I tried to kill the pain but only brought more. This pain feels so real. But it seems no matter what I let out it only brings more. My wounds are so deep... There's nothing I can do to stop the bleeding. Anything is better than this. I don't even know what still keeps me here when all this time I've been so all alone inside. But wait, why am I feeling all of this? These feelings they aren't mine. This sadness, this hurt, none of it is mine. It's all Serena's. Or is it? I don't know."

She dropped her head and stared at the wet ground. "I guess I'm just nothing. I'm just everybody's fool. Her fists were clenched so hard that her nails cut into her palms and blood dripped onto the wet rooftop, sliding down the tiled roofing. Then a powerful wave of emotion swept over her carrying with it all of the horrible memories she'd ever had. Every negative thought and emotion had attached itself to her. Her muscles were so tense she was shaking, her teeth were clenched together tightly, and her head was pulsing. She closed her eyes tightly, then she threw back and screamed at the sky in a loud piercing voice. "I WANT TO DIE!" The light in her amulet flashed a brilliant blue light as a burst of energy was release. The energy enveloped Flood's body, swirling about her as the amulet continued to pulsate with a blinding light. She was lifted into the air. The light and energy spread throughout her body and a power she had never felt before surged through her veins. Glowing, she transformed into her liquid self, the amulet now pulsing regularly as rings of energy burst out of her body, radiating into the atmosphere like ripples in a pond. Drifting slowly back onto the cold tile of the roof, the pulsing faded away. Her body took on its solid form again and her eyes fluttered open to reveal pupil less, glowing green orbs for eyes.

Meanwhile Rogue had alerted the rest of the X-Men after she had found the infirmary empty of Serena, just a cast off pile of bandages near the bed. She managed to quickly locate Todd and Kurt who had teleported out into the backyard where the two of them rolled around hitting, biting, and cursing each other, totally oblivious to the rain that had started to fall. Rogue was trying to convince them to ceasing their ridiculous fight.

"Would you two just stop?" She yelled at them.

"Never!" They both shouted defiantly. They both were ready to fight to the death.

"We haven't got time for this," Rogue shouted. "Serena's gone missing!" The two of them stopped abruptly.

"Again?" Kurt asked in disbelief. It seemed the girl was always disappearing.

Rogue turned. "Yes, we have to- What in the world?" Rogue cried out pointing up.

Kurt and Todd both looked up at the sky. Against the grey clouds a bright blue light was pulsating from a form that hung suspended in the air over the roof of the mansion.

"What's going on up there?" Rogue asked in shocked amazement.

"I don't know, but we're going to find out." Kurt said. He grabbed Todd's hand and teleported them to the top. The two materialized just as the unconscious Serena touched the roof. As they watched, what appeared to be a liquid body slowly solidified. Her eyes were closed and as they came to stand over her, they fluttered open to reveal the solid green glowing orbs within.

"Serena?" Kurt asked. She slowly turned to face them with glowing eyes. Her features blank.

Todd was starting to freak out. "W-what is that?"

"Serena? Is that you?"

Slowly standing, her gaze came to rest on the two of them. When she spoke, it was the hard voice used many times before that echoed slightly. "Not anymore." The voice of the being sent a chill through Kurt's entire body. "Now it's time for everyone to feel what I felt." Her eyes narrowed. "Starting with that skinny speed demon." Kurt's eyes widened in horror. She shot into the sky and disappeared.

Kurt whispered in a quivering voice. "Oh no."

Todd was both confused and worried sick. "What happened to Serena? Why is she like this? What's going on?"

Kurt was still staring into the sky where Flood had disappeared. "That wasn't Serena." He turned to Todd. "But we've got to hurry! She's going to kill Quicksilver!"

"What?" Todd yelped in surprise. "Why?"

"Because he's the one who hit you," Kurt explained, "caused you to lose your memory, and kept the truth from you."

"Then we better hurry!" Todd said urgently.

"Right." Kurt nodded. He grabbed Todd's hand and the two of them disappeared.

Pietro was sitting in his room reading an old magazine partially listening to the rain landing against his window. There was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" Nobody answered back. There was another knock. "Not now Lance." Another knock. "Oh, for the love of…" He threw his magazine aside and walked to the door. He yanked it open saying, "What do you-- Gaaah!" A flood of water poured into his bedroom. "Hel-- gurgle blub" he tried to shout as water surrounded him. The water became a floating sphere floating a couple inches off the ground with Pietro in the middle of it. He watched as a side of the sphere swelled and the shape of a leg slowly formed out of the side. It was quickly followed by arms, a body, and a head. The figure of water detached itself from the orb and turned to look at a shock Pietro. "Serena?" Pietro tried to say but all that came out was a shocked gurgle. Flood how ever seemed to get the message.

"No. Serena is gone." She said.

"Who are you?" Pierto wanted to ask, but only bubbles emerged.

Sensing his question, the form replied, "I'm Serena's other half, the one you've met before. Remember? And now it's time for you to pay."

Pietro's eyes widened in horror. He needed to escape, but he was held fast inside the sphere of water. He had to do something fast, or he would drown. But why? He thought. He was staring to feel light headed.

"You incompetent moron!" She reached both her hands into the water sphere grabbing the front of his shirt and pulled his head and shoulders out of the water. Gasping for air, Pietro shrank under her glare wanting so much to be back in the water bubble rather than having to look into those blazing eyes. "After all you put me, her, us thorough you're asking me why?"

"What are you going to do with Lance and the others?" He asked shakily.

"They'll get there's soon," she growled. "But right now you should worry about what I'm going to do to you."

Pietro shook his head. "No, don't take this out on them, it wasn't their fault."

Flood started laughing, a cold, unfeeling laugh that sent shivers down Pietro's spine. "Do you think I care?"

"Suddenly the door burst open and Lance, Fred, and Tabitha appeared in the door. "Pietro, what in the world… is THAT?" Lance had meant to say 'what in the world is going on in here' but the sight of Flood averted his sentence in a heartbeat.

Flood glanced over at them. "Ah, good, you're all here. That means I can exact my revenge on all of you at once." She turned back to Pietro. "You can all die together with your teammate."

Suddenly in a puff of smoke Kurt and Todd appeared. "Don't do it Serena!" Todd yelled out. "Don't kill him!"

Flood looked at him. "I am not Serena, and what do you care if he dies, after all he's done to you?"

"I don't care what he's done to me!" He looked over at Pietro. "He's still my teammate… my brother." Pietro's eyes widened with emotion. He had never been given the name 'brother' by anyone for a long time. This even had a slight effect on Flood.

"Your brother you say?" She gave a small chuckle. "How very touching."

Taking a tentative step forward, Kurt spoke in a soft, calm voice to the form, "Serena, or whoever you are, you don't need to kill Pietro. He is not the source of your pain." Flood gave him a calculating look before she relinquished her power on the floating water and it splashed to the ground, dropping Pietro to the floor.

"You're right Nightcrawler. I shouldn't take my revenge on him." Kurt gave a relieved smile. Flood smiled too, only hers was a wicked and twisted smile. "I should exact my revenge on those four girls who brought me out into this cursed world in the first place."

Kurt's smiled faded in an instant. "What? No!" But before he could stop her the water on the floor swirled around her and in one splashing sound, she was gone.

Again, I'm sorry it took so long. But I promise it'll be worth the wait!