Disclaimer: Furor Paxx and VulgateOfEarth do not own the X-Men or any affiliates. All are the property of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc and its various affiliates and partners. Phoenix Malcolm, Haiden Malcolm and all irregular characters are the sole property of Furor Paxx and are being used with permission.
~~ Toad ~~
He stopped walking suddenly. Everyone paused, not seeing anything in the dark tunnel, but sensing that something was wrong.
"What is it?" Logan asked, already uncomfortable surrounded by so much dirt and rock.
"Three things actually. About forty feet ago, we went out of range. I was trying to work my way around that, but I found out that the Xavier computer is gone. Then I found out that Tro, Freddie and the girls were busted." No one even said anything at that. They were all so tired and beaten that they could hardly keep going. "then my batteries died, and I can just barely make out a pretty steep rock face in front of us."
Logan shook his head. No one was in any condition to climb, not even Kurt was alert enough to teleport to the top.
"You're the boss, Toad. What do we do?" Lance whispered.
Todd looked around at the mutants and made his decision. "We'll rest here." Many of them just sat down and fell asleep. Todd looked back at Evan Daniels and Scott Summers and tried to think of some way to help them. they hadn't regained consciousness yet, and if Logan hadn't told him otherwise, Todd would have thought them dead. They had lost so much blood that it was a miracle that they were alive were alive at all.
Logan stalked around, making sure everyone was settled and then made his way back to Toad.
"Ya' think we should turn back?"
"Nah. They'll kill us all, yo. We'll stay here 'til we can move on and then keep going."
"And what if nothing's there?"
"Then we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. We might just have to end this fast."
"Mercy killings." Logan whispered with obvious distaste, but he could only agree. It was better than any death the government would give them, and faster than dieing of starvation.
"Only if we have to. I was thinking more along the lines getting the strongest of our group together and attacking the people following us."
"Are they still following?"
"If you go check, I'll look ahead for a way out of here."
"You need sleep."
"It's no biggie. We can stay here for a day or two."
Logan growled, but Todd had functioned well enough as leader of the mutants and his ideas were better than Logan's. "Fine. Get some sleep first."
Todd shrugged and sat down next to Lance. Despite himself, he was asleep almost immediately and Logan was the only one left awake. He sighed and reflected once again on the circumstances that had landed them in the tunnel. Phoenix.
Where was she now? Was she satisfied that she had effectively ruined everyone's lives? Logan was torn. He thought Evan, Kurt and Pietro were helping her. Now Evan was wounded badly, near death's door and Kurt was struggling to keep up with the rest of the mutants, not that they were going anyplace fast. Pietro was… probably caught by now. It wasn't fair, Logan thought, uncomfortable with the desperation that was growing within his chest. These kids never did anything to deserve this, not even the Brotherhood, especially not the Brotherhood. They got all the tough breaks, even if they were pains… Logan paced and again caught a whiff of the infection that both Evan and Scott had developed. Gangrene. Definitely not good. Logan remembered seeing men lose limbs to the waste, though when he thought about it, he couldn't remember where or even when he had seen that. It didn't matter. What mattered was that two very good kids were going to die because of one selfish girl.
It wasn't fair.
~~ Freddie ~~
He was slowing down now, never in all his life had he run as fast, far or long as he was tonight, but he couldn't find anyone. Maybe that was a good thing, maybe they were all safe, maybe they were all dead. Freddie quickly banished the thought from his head. With all the muscle power and experience the mutants ha behind them, it was impossible for then to have died so soon. They would last til daybreak, Freddie declared to himself.
There was a weak coughing sound in the woods, and ever the good Samaritan, Freddie stopped to see what it was.
A soldier.
She was dragging herself weakly towards the road with her arms only and leaving a trail of blood that led deep into the trees. Well, thought Fred Dukes, we ARE the dominant species. We have to look out for the little people. And she is a female, momma didn't raise no hoodlum. So Fred turned and walked to the wounded woman, gently lifting her, despite her halfhearted attempts to keep him away.
So much for saving the others.
Fred walked carefully, trying not to jar the poor woman further and in less than five minutes, was within sight of the military base.
For some reason the woman kept shaking her head and mumbling something.
"Don't talk lady, you'll make it worse." Several soldiers ran out to meet them, whether to take the soldier or to take Fred, he never found out.
The woman finally got out the one word she had been trying to say for the past five minutes.
"Trap."
Then she exploded.
The detonation killed the nearest soldiers, but did little other than blast Freddie's clothes to smithereens. All that was left were a few conveniently placed scraps.
"What?"
"Oh dear. Well, 'Go down in fame or up in flames' was always a part of the Air Force mantra." A cold voice said behind him. Dozens of militants had run up and were trying to figure out what was going on. "I guess gravity doesn't work for lofty pilots. Don't turn around, or your friend gets it. Ask me what he gets."
"Well, it depends on which 'friend' it is. If its Remy…"
There was a growl and Freddie assumed he hit the nail right on the head.
"Oh, pity. What about the girl? I think they like each other." The mysterious voice continued, as if they were trading gossip. "I caught them making out by the school, so I hope they like each other. It doesn't matter. They'll die together. Or not, if I don't have enough fun killing you. Then I'll just have to torture them to death. Who do you think would cry more if the other died?"
"You think you can kill me? I am the Blob." With that, he turned around.
Phoenix was there with a knife to Remy's neck. It was curved and wicked. And stained red with blood. Rogue stood a bit in front and to the side of them, face frozen in a mask that Freddie simply couldn't describe.
"Invulnerable epidermis is your mutant ability. Not immortality." She declared and threw Remy to the side. As she dived for Freddie, Rogue scooped the Cajun up and half dragged him into the cover of the forest. The soldiers had picked a target now, and half of them began shooting at the traitorous mutant, but stopped when she got too close to the Blob. He smiled slightly and set his feet, prepared to catch Phoenix in mid-flight. For a second, Phoenix smiled too. These people were so predictable.
Frddie caught her and held her still. "Why are you doing this? We never hurt you."
Phoenix spit a mouthful of something full in his face. "What made you think you had to do something?"
Freddie was mad, but all of a sudden his vision shifted. Instead of Phoenix caught tight in his arms, he saw a little girl, about Kitty's size with blonde hair and deep brown eyes.
"Tell me what you see." She whispered, voice hoarse with anticipation.
Freddie couldn't answer, he was distracted by something in the distance.
Skatepark, his mind told him. Pietro. Help. The titan dropped Phoenix and lurched unsteadily towards the park. Behind him, Evelyn slipped into the parauniverse and followed, confident that the potion had placed Freddie under her control, however indirect that control was. Remy, Rogue and the soldiers who still stood looked at one another, and without a word, followed Freddie too.
He didn't notice. All he saw was the angel. It shifted restlessly. I have waited an eternity here, it said and its beautiful wings spread slightly and then fell against its back. My kin and I have fought this evil for eons, but they were so stubborn. They could not adapt and so they could not live. I am all that is left.
In the parallel universe, Evelyn saw and heard the angel. She had found him, her ultimate test had finally shown his face. She didn't need the foolish mutant anymore. In her spectral form, she brought out a hand and grasped tightly onto Freddie's heart. She smiled and gave a tug.
Here was what you are looking for, there is nothing else, nothing better. Your duty is to protect it at all costs, destroy those who interfere with your duty. Destroy those who interfere with our duty. We give you power, you give us safety. Hone your talents, do not let our gift go to waste. Stay in practice. These are your duties.
There was something new this time.
The Sleeper is an enemy. Let not his wings unfold, for he shall crush us all.
These are your duties.
Do not fail us.
Go.
She went.
On Earth, Freddie stumbled and fell. He did not rise and a worried Remy rushed forward to help him up. After a moment of tugging, he checked Freddie's pulse.
The sun rose, lighting the sky a blood red that perfectly matched the mourning Remy's eyes.
~~ Toad ~~
He stopped walking suddenly. Everyone paused, not seeing anything in the dark tunnel, but sensing that something was wrong.
"What is it?" Logan asked, already uncomfortable surrounded by so much dirt and rock.
"Three things actually. About forty feet ago, we went out of range. I was trying to work my way around that, but I found out that the Xavier computer is gone. Then I found out that Tro, Freddie and the girls were busted." No one even said anything at that. They were all so tired and beaten that they could hardly keep going. "then my batteries died, and I can just barely make out a pretty steep rock face in front of us."
Logan shook his head. No one was in any condition to climb, not even Kurt was alert enough to teleport to the top.
"You're the boss, Toad. What do we do?" Lance whispered.
Todd looked around at the mutants and made his decision. "We'll rest here." Many of them just sat down and fell asleep. Todd looked back at Evan Daniels and Scott Summers and tried to think of some way to help them. they hadn't regained consciousness yet, and if Logan hadn't told him otherwise, Todd would have thought them dead. They had lost so much blood that it was a miracle that they were alive were alive at all.
Logan stalked around, making sure everyone was settled and then made his way back to Toad.
"Ya' think we should turn back?"
"Nah. They'll kill us all, yo. We'll stay here 'til we can move on and then keep going."
"And what if nothing's there?"
"Then we're stuck between a rock and a hard place. We might just have to end this fast."
"Mercy killings." Logan whispered with obvious distaste, but he could only agree. It was better than any death the government would give them, and faster than dieing of starvation.
"Only if we have to. I was thinking more along the lines getting the strongest of our group together and attacking the people following us."
"Are they still following?"
"If you go check, I'll look ahead for a way out of here."
"You need sleep."
"It's no biggie. We can stay here for a day or two."
Logan growled, but Todd had functioned well enough as leader of the mutants and his ideas were better than Logan's. "Fine. Get some sleep first."
Todd shrugged and sat down next to Lance. Despite himself, he was asleep almost immediately and Logan was the only one left awake. He sighed and reflected once again on the circumstances that had landed them in the tunnel. Phoenix.
Where was she now? Was she satisfied that she had effectively ruined everyone's lives? Logan was torn. He thought Evan, Kurt and Pietro were helping her. Now Evan was wounded badly, near death's door and Kurt was struggling to keep up with the rest of the mutants, not that they were going anyplace fast. Pietro was… probably caught by now. It wasn't fair, Logan thought, uncomfortable with the desperation that was growing within his chest. These kids never did anything to deserve this, not even the Brotherhood, especially not the Brotherhood. They got all the tough breaks, even if they were pains… Logan paced and again caught a whiff of the infection that both Evan and Scott had developed. Gangrene. Definitely not good. Logan remembered seeing men lose limbs to the waste, though when he thought about it, he couldn't remember where or even when he had seen that. It didn't matter. What mattered was that two very good kids were going to die because of one selfish girl.
It wasn't fair.
~~ Freddie ~~
He was slowing down now, never in all his life had he run as fast, far or long as he was tonight, but he couldn't find anyone. Maybe that was a good thing, maybe they were all safe, maybe they were all dead. Freddie quickly banished the thought from his head. With all the muscle power and experience the mutants ha behind them, it was impossible for then to have died so soon. They would last til daybreak, Freddie declared to himself.
There was a weak coughing sound in the woods, and ever the good Samaritan, Freddie stopped to see what it was.
A soldier.
She was dragging herself weakly towards the road with her arms only and leaving a trail of blood that led deep into the trees. Well, thought Fred Dukes, we ARE the dominant species. We have to look out for the little people. And she is a female, momma didn't raise no hoodlum. So Fred turned and walked to the wounded woman, gently lifting her, despite her halfhearted attempts to keep him away.
So much for saving the others.
Fred walked carefully, trying not to jar the poor woman further and in less than five minutes, was within sight of the military base.
For some reason the woman kept shaking her head and mumbling something.
"Don't talk lady, you'll make it worse." Several soldiers ran out to meet them, whether to take the soldier or to take Fred, he never found out.
The woman finally got out the one word she had been trying to say for the past five minutes.
"Trap."
Then she exploded.
The detonation killed the nearest soldiers, but did little other than blast Freddie's clothes to smithereens. All that was left were a few conveniently placed scraps.
"What?"
"Oh dear. Well, 'Go down in fame or up in flames' was always a part of the Air Force mantra." A cold voice said behind him. Dozens of militants had run up and were trying to figure out what was going on. "I guess gravity doesn't work for lofty pilots. Don't turn around, or your friend gets it. Ask me what he gets."
"Well, it depends on which 'friend' it is. If its Remy…"
There was a growl and Freddie assumed he hit the nail right on the head.
"Oh, pity. What about the girl? I think they like each other." The mysterious voice continued, as if they were trading gossip. "I caught them making out by the school, so I hope they like each other. It doesn't matter. They'll die together. Or not, if I don't have enough fun killing you. Then I'll just have to torture them to death. Who do you think would cry more if the other died?"
"You think you can kill me? I am the Blob." With that, he turned around.
Phoenix was there with a knife to Remy's neck. It was curved and wicked. And stained red with blood. Rogue stood a bit in front and to the side of them, face frozen in a mask that Freddie simply couldn't describe.
"Invulnerable epidermis is your mutant ability. Not immortality." She declared and threw Remy to the side. As she dived for Freddie, Rogue scooped the Cajun up and half dragged him into the cover of the forest. The soldiers had picked a target now, and half of them began shooting at the traitorous mutant, but stopped when she got too close to the Blob. He smiled slightly and set his feet, prepared to catch Phoenix in mid-flight. For a second, Phoenix smiled too. These people were so predictable.
Frddie caught her and held her still. "Why are you doing this? We never hurt you."
Phoenix spit a mouthful of something full in his face. "What made you think you had to do something?"
Freddie was mad, but all of a sudden his vision shifted. Instead of Phoenix caught tight in his arms, he saw a little girl, about Kitty's size with blonde hair and deep brown eyes.
"Tell me what you see." She whispered, voice hoarse with anticipation.
Freddie couldn't answer, he was distracted by something in the distance.
Skatepark, his mind told him. Pietro. Help. The titan dropped Phoenix and lurched unsteadily towards the park. Behind him, Evelyn slipped into the parauniverse and followed, confident that the potion had placed Freddie under her control, however indirect that control was. Remy, Rogue and the soldiers who still stood looked at one another, and without a word, followed Freddie too.
He didn't notice. All he saw was the angel. It shifted restlessly. I have waited an eternity here, it said and its beautiful wings spread slightly and then fell against its back. My kin and I have fought this evil for eons, but they were so stubborn. They could not adapt and so they could not live. I am all that is left.
In the parallel universe, Evelyn saw and heard the angel. She had found him, her ultimate test had finally shown his face. She didn't need the foolish mutant anymore. In her spectral form, she brought out a hand and grasped tightly onto Freddie's heart. She smiled and gave a tug.
Here was what you are looking for, there is nothing else, nothing better. Your duty is to protect it at all costs, destroy those who interfere with your duty. Destroy those who interfere with our duty. We give you power, you give us safety. Hone your talents, do not let our gift go to waste. Stay in practice. These are your duties.
There was something new this time.
The Sleeper is an enemy. Let not his wings unfold, for he shall crush us all.
These are your duties.
Do not fail us.
Go.
She went.
On Earth, Freddie stumbled and fell. He did not rise and a worried Remy rushed forward to help him up. After a moment of tugging, he checked Freddie's pulse.
The sun rose, lighting the sky a blood red that perfectly matched the mourning Remy's eyes.