I just want to apologize for that last author's note. My ex-friend has a sadistic sense of humour and when she read through the chapter she added it and maligned the character of my poor little misunderstood muse. She seemed ta think it was funny and would make a great parting gift before she went back to England but it's just plain wrong.
He isn't homicidal but he might tickle ya inta writing a review. Next time I let anyone read one of the chapters I'll read it again before I post it. I've gone back and changed it so you'll know what I'm talking about only if you've read the chapter before the re-post.
Again I'm really, really sorry for it. Please forgive me.
Deadly Nightshade
Chapter 8 - Starting Out
The next morning Nightshade was awake in time to see Logan's muscular, but sadly covered, butt leaving the tent.
Sitting up she pushed her tousled hair back from her face and groaned. Crawling out of the sleeping bag she yanked on a pair of black cargo pants, a black tank top and her sunnies before following Logan out into the cool pre-dawn morning.
Standing up straight she allowed herself the luxury of a full body stretch before moving to the centre of the circle.
Kneeling down next to Logan she held a cupped hand, palm up over the dead fire pit. With a whispered word a ball began to form in the centre of her palm, glowing red. Flicking her wrist she turned her hand over and let the glowing ball drop to the dry wood. Almost instantaneously, the wood burst into flame.
"Fascinating. I truly wish you would allow me to run some scans on your more unique talents Nightshade."
"As tempting as your offer sounds Hank, I'm going to have to pass on it."
Standing up she turned towards Hank and Ororo.
"Could you two wake the others while I go check on Rogue?"
Nodding their agreement the two mutants made their way to opposite sides of the camp while Nightshade made her way to the tent Rogue and Gambit were sharing.
Knocking on the tent flap she poked her head inside to find Gambit laying on his back looking towards the tent flap and Rogue curled onto her side, asleep.
"How is she?"
"She's fine."
"No more episodes like last night?"
"Non."
Nodding her head Nightshade thought for a moment before continuing.
"Keep an eye on her and tell one of us if something else strange happens. And if we meet up with anyone while we're here keep her as far away from them as possible while still being with the group. Ok?"
Nightshade waited long enough to see his answering nod before she ducked her head back out of the tent and headed over to where Logan was busily cooking breakfast with Hank's help.
Hearing her approach Logan picked up a tin camping mug and passed it to her once she had sat down. Nodding her thanks, she took a sip of the warmed drink before turning to fix Hank with her shaded gaze.
"Have you had anymore ideas about what happened last night, Hank?"
"Sadly I haven't, Nightshade. It is quite perplexing but I'm begining to think that she wasn't being controlled, only used."
"Used how?"
"To spy on us and see how much we had fulfilled of the prophecy. The connection was probably created and maintained by the tree which would explain why she reacted so strongly when the tree was destroyed. They must have put in a defence mechanism in which the affected mutant would protect the tree from being destroyed."
"That still doesn' explain wh-"
Seeing the approach of the rest of the students, Nightshade slapped a hand over Logan's mouth, muffling what he had been going to say.
As the students sat down they shot the two adults and Nightshade a funny look before they collected their breakfast and dug in.
All that could be heard in the clearing was the sound of quite conversation and people eating until Kitty spoke up from one side of the campfire.
Looking across the fire at Rogue she asked, "Are you, like, feeling better today, Rogue?"
Rogue, who had, to everyone's surprise, being leaning against Gambit, looked up and smiled slightly.
"Ah'm fahne Kit. Just a little tahred is all."
In hopes of stopping anymore questions, Nightshade broke off her quiet discussion with Ororo and looked around at the group.
"As soon as everyone has finished eating I want you to pack up your tents and other gear. Jean and Pietro, Hank'll take you two to fill in the holes you dug yesterday."
"Why do I have to do that disgusting job! Surely one of the Brotherhood or Acolytes would be better suited to the job."
"That attitude is exactly why you're going to do and if you keep complaining you'll get the job permanently."
With that threat ringing in her ears, Jean slumped down and continued talking to Scott, shooting glares at Nightshade. Nightshade being Nightshade, ignored the killer looks and continued her conversation with Ororo.
Once they had finished breakfast Nightshade looked for her next victim. Spotting Scott and Lance glaring daggers at each other she allowed a wicked smirk to cross her lips.
Picking up the tub in which they would be cleaning the dishes in she marched over to the two and plunked the tub in front of Scott.
Looking up at her from behind his ruby glasses Scott waited for her to speak in the hopes that she might let him off if he was nice.
"Scott, you're going to do the dishes this morning."
When Lance snickered she turned to him, her smirk turned to a sickeningly sweet smile.
"Did I forget to mention that you would be helping him, Lance?"
At her words Lance began to choke while Scott smirked.
Nightshade was walking away from the two when she paused and said without turning, "Oh, and if the dishes aren't done properly or you don't act civilly towards each other, you'll keep getting the chore until you get it right."
After delivering her threat she walked away to help Logan with their tent.
An hour later the campsite had been packed up and cleaned of any rubbish.
"Alright, kids. We're gonna head towards the river and follow it north 'til we reach the base of Devil's Perch. We'll camp there for a few nights and then make our way to the summit of Devil's Perch."
With those words said Logan began walking down the path that would lead them to the river.
An hour later they were there and all the students were ready for a break. As soon as they saw the clear waters they begged to go for a swim. While Logan grumbled about the delay, Ororo told them it would be alright.
Cheering everyone stripped down to their bathers and jumped into the cool water, all except Rogue who sat further back from the water.
Seeing this Nightshade went over and flopped down next to her.
"Aren't you going in too, Rogue?"
Looking at the other mutant as if she had suddenly sprouted a second head Rogue replied, "Ah can't 'cause of mah mutant powers."
"There are ways around that Rogue. All you have to do is stay a short way from the others but you can still enjoy the water."
Reaching into her bag Nightshade pulled out a brand new, forest green one piece suit in Rogue's size.
"Go put this on and enjoy the water."
Looking unsure Rogue reached for the suit. As she took it she said, "Ah'll go in if ya will too."
Nightshade, already having planned for this, nodded in agreement before sending Rogue off to go change.
Standing up Nightshade stripped of her shoes, socks, singlet top and cargos leaving her standing in a black one piece suit that seemed modest from the front until she turned around and you could see the low cut back.
Hearing wolf whistles from the water she turned to see Rogue standing nearby wearing a suit that was identical to Nightshade's except for the colour.
Hurrying into the water the girl dived gracefully into the deeper middle. Nightshade took off her sunglasses before following Rogue's example. Once in the water, she swam over to the opposite side of the river and sat in the shade of the bordering trees.
Watching the younger X-Men she saw that they along with the Acolytes and Brotherhood had begun a friendly water fight. All except Jean, Scott and Gambit.
The former two were sitting by themselves looking down their noses at the others and Gambit had swam over to talk to Rogue.
Smiling at their interaction Nightshade was pulled away from her thoughts when she heard more wolf whistles and Tabitha's "oh baby!"
Looking towards the shore she saw Logan stripping down to his board shorts before he dove into the water and swam over to her.
Raising an eyebrow she waited for him to speak.
"Ya haven't had enough ta drink today Nightshade. The amount ya had at breakfast won't be enough ta hold ya over 'til tomorrow."
Taking the bottle he held in his hand Nightshade took a long drink of the dark fluid inside before handing it back.
She was surprised when he reached out to brush a gentle finger across the corner of her mouth. Looking at him quizzically she realized that some of the blood must have gotten onto her face. Capturing his wrist she sucked the finger into her mouth and cleaned off the blood.
Hearing his low growl she looked up. Releasing his finger but not his wrist, she looked up through her lashes and smiled for a second before diving back into the water and swimming towards the shore. Reaching it she walked out and dried off quickly before pulling her clothes back on.
Turning back to the river she called out, "Time to get out of the water guys. We've still got a good two-and-a-half hours walking with stops included."
Groaning they made their way to dry land and dried off before slipping back into their clothes again.
Once everyone was ready the group started off again.
They had only gone a short distance though when they found their path blocked.
In the centre of the path stood four people. Two of them male and the other two female.
The man standing on the farthest left was tall and gaunt, so much so that it seemed as though a slight breeze would blow him over. His skin was sickly pale and his hair long and black. The woman standing next to him was also tall and just as willowy. Her skin looked as though it was covered with scales and it seemed to shimmer like a snake's does. It was impossible to tell her hair colour as her head was completely shaved. The woman next to her was perhaps the smallest of the group. Her hair was a vibrant electric and her skin was also tinged with blue. Next to her was a man almost as tall as the first two but like the smaller woman his hair was electric blue and his skin also had a faint bluish colour to it.
"Stop right there Nightshade."
As one the group of X-Men came to a halt behind Logan and Nightshade.
"Well, well. If it isn't my old friend the Reaper. I thought somebody had finally managed to do away with you permanently."
"You can never kill death Nightshade. I guess that's why it was so hard for him to kill you wasn't it?"
"Whether it's easy or not Reaper you shouldn't be here."
"And why not Nightshade? We were curious to see the angel and the demon the prophecy speaks of."
"And you aren't interested in the shadow or the beast? I'm hurt Serpent, really hurt by that."
Nightshade's face assumed a mock hurt look as she placed a hand over her heart.
"Why would we care about them we all know who they are what we want to know is who the other two are."
"Oh, but I was planning for it to be a surprise for you guys. Are you telling me you want to ruin my little surprise? You four just keep hurting my feelings."
Just then the two blue skinned people of the group spoke up in unison.
"Stop fooling around Nightshade and reveal them to us!"
"I think not Dyad. And before you think about hurting us just remember the prophecy. You can't touch us until the final awakening if you do then your master will be destroyed whether we're alive or not."
Hissing at the other woman the one called Serpent flicked out a forked tongue before speaking again.
"We will not harm you Nightshade if you will give in of your own free will. We already have control of one of your group it is merely a matter of time until we defeat you all."
"If you expect us to be shocked Serpent you're so wrong. We destroyed the tree and your control over the girl or are you all so stupid that you didn't realise?"
"Don't take that tone of voice with us Nightshade. Remember what happened the last time you dared defy me."
At Reaper's softly spoken words Nightshade lost all colour in her face and for a moment seemed to be lost in some long ago memory.
In a move so sudden that no one could have anticipated it, Nightshade had dropped everything she was carrying and flew at Reaper screaming, "you bastard."
Before she could make contact however, Logan had grabbed her around the waist and kept a hold of her.
"Let me go Logan! I'll kill the son of a bitch for what he did!"
"What I did? You brought that upon yourself Nightshade. I warned you what would happen if you defied me Nightshade. Because of you, your lover had to pay the ultimate price and you would forever remember him while he forgot everything about his life with you and became the ultimate weapon."
Hearing Reaper's words spoken in a mocking tone Nightshade flew into even more of a rage, if that was even possible, and began struggling against Logan's tight grip.
Luckily for them all Logan was bigger and Nightshade was unable to get enough leverage to push away from him, meaning that Logan was able to hold her easily.
"Aw, poor ickle Nightshade's boyfriend won't let her come out and play."
Grinning Reaper sunk his final most damaging barb.
"Did he tell you about the what they did to him at the labs, Nightshade? Oh wait, I forgot, he doesn't remember anything about the labs or his life before the soldiers took him, including you."
Still held in Logan's brawny arms Nightshade gave an enraged screech and doubled her efforts to get at the pale man.
Just then a loud boom was heard throughout the forest.
Looking towards the noise the four interlopers smirked before turning back to the X-Men.
"The Master calls for us. He awakens. We will enjoy defeating you Nightshade and ruling this planet and all its inhabitants."
With those foreboding words spoken the four left the clearing, Reaper shimmering and disappearing, Serpent morphing into a snake and slithering away whilst Dyad held hands and flew off.
Once the group had left Logan released Nightshade who looked at the rest of the group a little sheepishly.
"I guess we have some explaining to do, huh?"
Seeing the teenagers present nod their heads the four adult's faces bore looks of trepidation.
Luckily, Ororo stepped in saying, "Perhaps we should leave explanations until we reach the campsite, for now we still have at lest two hours of hiking ahead."
Groaning the teenagers feel into step behind Nightshade and Logan.
As they walked Logan kept shooting glances towards Nightshade. Nightshade, fully aware of the looks turned to him and said, "What is it Logan? Have I suddenly grown another head?"
"Who was he talkin' about Nightshade? Who was this lover of your's that was taken to some labs."
Sighing the smaller mutant focussed on the path ahead of her as she replied to Logan's questions.
"He was my everything, my best friend, my family and the love of my life. He found me back when I was orphaned at the age of eleven. We were together for nearly a century when fifteen years ago he was taken to a lab where they experimented on him. Then ten years ago I found him again only to learn that he remembered nothing of me and our life together."
Logan began to get a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach that had nothing to do with the beans that he had eaten for breakfast that morning.
"But who was he, Nightshade?"
Sighing Nightshade focussed on the path ahead of her intently as though her life depended upon staying on course.
"He was a wonderful man Logan. His mutation meant that he healed abnormally fast, and he has heightened senses. All of these made him the perfect choice for the Weapon X program."
With that said, Nightshade hurried forward along the track yelling at the others to hurry up.
A/N: Leaving this one here, so tell me what you think of this revised chapter. I personally think it's better than the original but hey I'm biased so what can ya do?
Absolutely nothin' so there (blows a raspberry at the reader).
Anyway, please review and such tell me what ya think, yada yada yada.
Buh-Bye