Disclaimer: Let me put it this way, I'm a seventeen year old girl living in west oz, does
that sound even remotely like Stan Lee? No, of course not so bugger off and don't bother
suing me 'cause all I really own of this is the plot and the character Nightshade.
Deadly Nightshade
Prologue - Meeting the X-Men
Pulling off her helmet the petite girl ran a hand through her short hair. Turning the
bike off she climbed off and looked towards the building before her. The bar looked
slightly run down and had obviously seen better days but that didn't bother her, after all a
bar was a bar when you wanted to get drunk. Walking in she paused and allowed the
familiar feeling of being there wash over her before heading towards the bar. She had
never been in this particular bar but spread out across the world were numerous, all
identical to this one. Sitting on one of the cracked vinyl barstools she ordered a bottle
of Guinness.
The interior of the bar was heavy with smoke and lust. Looking around the girl, who
looked barely old enough to drink, took in her surroundings. On the small dance floor
couples pressed as close to each other as they could get without it becoming illegal, all
under the guise of dancing. The jukebox nearby belted out the tune to a fast-paced song.
Those not dancing were sitting at tables or the bar and becoming steadily more drunk as
time went on.
With a sigh of disgust she turned back to her untouched bottle of beer. It amazed her
that no matter where she went the gods seemed to delight in torturing her with the one
thing she could never have. Even when she was trying to drown her sorrows in alcohol
they insisted on mocking her with things that only served to remind her of him.
Surveying the interior of the bar the tall youth spotted the sad looking girl and figured
that he should go over and cheer her up a little. Reaching where she sat he casually leaned
against the bar, crossing his long jean clad legs.
"Hey there. Mind if I join you?"
Shooting a look at the youth she swept her gaze down his body in one quick
movement. Any normal woman might have taken him up on his subtle offer but she
wasn't normal and he wasn't the man she wanted. Sure he was good looking with a
handsome face and muscular build but it wasn't the face she wanted to see smiling at her.
His face too smooth and babyish, while his body was too lean.
Sighing she turned back to the bar long enough to through some money onto the
shiny surface before grabbing her jacket and leaving. Not happy about the fact that she had just
sat there and ignored him without even a simple acknowledgment to his casual "hey
there," the youth signalled to his buddy and they left the bar intending to follow the girl.
As she walked down the street the girl stuffed her hands inside the pockets of her
leather jacket in an attempt to keep warm, not because the night was cold but because of
the emptiness inside her. It was as she was passing a dim alleyway that a voice called out
to her.
"Hey there pretty girl. How about we go somewhere and see if I can't wipe that
frown of your face or maybe turn it upside down?"
Rolling her eyes at his use of clichés the petit teenager turned to face the two leering
youths behind her. It always amazed her the way people seemed to think that she was easy
pickings just because she looked weak and defenceless.
"Come on gorgeous why don't you come over and play?"
It was obvious to her that the taller one was the leader. Smirking she began to walk
closer. As she did so she made sure to appear relaxed so as not arose any suspicion. When
she was about a foot away he reached out and grabbed her around the waist. Slowly he
pulled her closer until she was flush up against his body.
"Now, now big guy. You might wanna take it easy there, after all we are in a public
place."
Still smiling she took a hold of his hand and dragged him towards the nearby alley,
leaving his friend to follow them. She led them to a dark part of the alley where they were
shielded to a certain extent from the street.
Idiots. Don't you know you should never follow anyone into a dark alley. Even
someone that looks like me.
With that last thought she turned and in a movement to quick for either of the boys to
see she pulled a thin stiletto knife from her boot and brought it up to rest at the first guy's
throat. Seeing the dagger the shorter of the two turned and ran from the alley, she let him
go though, she had the one she wanted.
"Now, let me teach you some of Nightshade's Rules of Engagement. Rule one: next
time you approach a girl make sure she isn't in the same mood as me 'cause she's likely
to cut your balls off and force-feed them to you. Rule two: when you approach a girl
anywhere you don't proposition her, instead you say something nice. You say 'Hello, my
name is. . .' and then you ask her how she is. Rule three: if you do approach a girl the way
you approached me then a) you better make damn sure that you don't follow her into a
dark alley b) that she isn't carrying various types of freshly sharpened daggers and c) if
she is, that you don't give her a chance to use any of them."
Stopping there for a moment she pondered the impact of her statement before
continuing, making sure to press the dagger into his neck just hard enough to cause a thin
rivulet of blood to trickle down it. Amazingly, he emitted a squeak, that sounded
remarkably like a mouse, as he continued to look down at her from his greater height.
Now it should be pointed out that although bigger than the girl he stood no chance thanks
to the intensive training she had received as she grew up. Added to that was her mood and
he was lucky to still be alive, of course he didn't know this.
Opening her mouth to continue speaking the girl was cut off by a bright preppy
voice.
"Hey, like, what are you doing!"
"Damn!"
Keeping a hold of her prisoner the girl turned towards the opening of the alley where
she saw a group of teenagers approaching.
"Stay out of it kid. This isn't any of your business."
"Ah think it is our business. Ya look lahke yer about ta slahce that gahys head off."
"Rogue! Kitty! You have to get this psycho away from me!"
The two girls in the lead, obviously Rogue and Kitty, leaned forward slightly to get a
better look at the boy pinned to the wall by the irate girl.
'Duncan? Like, what happened?"
"She attacked me!"
Snorting she turned back to the boy and spoke.
"Of course I attacked you, I'm a 'psycho' as you so charmingly put it. Besides you
should know better than to piss of a girl who was in my mood."
"Hey! That isn't true. I was minding my own business!"
Shaking her head in disgust she perused the group before her. They were a mixed bag
of nuts if she ever saw one. There was the perky one who had spoken first. She was
dressed in what could only be called a valley girl style. Next to her was the one who had
spoken with the southern accent, in contrast to the first one she was dressed like a goth.
Behind them was a tall boy wearing, of all things, red sunglasses. Shades had his arm
around a tall, statuesque red-head.
Statuesque is right. She's to 'perfect' to be real. She's more like a statue. She
thought as she took in the taller girl. The other boy with them was smaller with dark blue-
black hair and brown eyes. Of all of them he looked the most normal.
"Listen kids. Why don't you all just turn around and leave while I-"
Using her momentary distraction Duncan broke away and ran in the same direction
his friend had taken minutes before.
Looking back at the group of teens she gestured in the direction he had taken saying
in a disgusted voice, "Now look what you've done. Not only wasn't I finished teaching
him his lesson but you let my snack get away as well."
Stomping her foot she shot them a parting growl of frustration before leaving the alleyway.
"That was, like, weird."
"Vhat did she mean vhen she said ve let her 'snack' get avay?"
"Who knows Kurt. Come on gahys we should be gettin' back ta tha institute."
"Rogue's right guys. We have a five am DR session with Logan in the morning."
Grumbling at Scott's reminder the group left the alleyway and headed back to the
Xavier Institute for the Gifted.
A/N: Please review and tell me what you think of this. It's my first attempt at writing fan
fiction so flame me if you will but be gentle about it. So push the little button and tell me
whether you like it or not.
p.s. I will only acknowledge constructive criticism so if you're goin' to flame the story
then at least give me ideas of how I can fix it.