Darkness was about the apartment once more. Raven was in Erik's bed for a second night, but found her sleep difficult to come by as before. The day had been quiet to say the least; with Erik refusing to leave the house now he had company indoors. Raven didn't mind, but she didn't think she could stay cooped up for too much longer.
The knowledge that someone was tracking her made Raven uneasy, particularly because the follower was a mutant and now she was nothing but a human. She gripped the bed covers tightly with an undeniable stab of anger at this. To this day it was still painful to be aware of what she once was and what she had now become. Breathing out a steady sigh, Raven rolled onto her back, contemplating getting up and seeing if Erik was awake too. She had only just got to her feet and in the process of tying her dressing gown about her naked form when she heard a distinct rattle. She frowned, looking around the blackness of the bedroom before her eyes moved to the door automatically, "Erik?" she called.
The noise sounded again, causing Raven to pursue towards the bedroom window cautiously. She had hardly taken a step when the glass of the window smashed and a dark figured swept through with dignified ease. Raven gave a sharp gasp at the broken entry, staggering back to avoid the shards of glass, which flew in dangerously. Her arms had instinctively flown upward to shield her face, and now she slowly lowered them to view the intruder uncertainly.
The figure had landed calmly on the carpet of Erik's bedroom, straightening from his landed crouch to absently brush shards of glass from the shoulder of his leather trench coat. Largely clad in black attire, occasional glimpses of scarlet could be seen as the passing breeze from the broken window shifted the hem of his long coat and exposed the red lining. Beneath his coat, a black waistcoat was teamed with straight black trousers, both of which were edged by scarlet stitching. The man didn't move as he stood in front of her, watching her from behind opaque black glasses. Raven stood her ground defensively, watching the man in front of her with narrowed eyes.
"Good evening, Miss Darkholme," he greeted, tone silkily calm and beholding an English accent.
Raven did not reply, but merely lifted her head in an aloof manner. This action summoned a small smile on the male's ghostly pale face that almost seemed to glow in the darkness of the room.
"I must thank you," he continued, nodding his head her way in an almost respectful indication.
Betraying her silence, Raven let out a sharp, "For what?"
There was a moment's silence in which the man regarded Raven before he continued. "For leading me to Mr Lensherr, of course."
Instinctively, Raven defensively tensed up at his words. "I haven't led you to anyone." Disguised beneath her silk dressing gown sleeves, her hands clenched into tight fists, ready for the likely battle ahead.
"Allow me to introduce myself," he began, but Raven swiftly burst into action, spinning her torso and bringing her arms flying round to strike him in the neck to knock him down. But he reacted faster than her, and he grabbed by a wrist and threw her aside. Her back hit the bedroom wall harshly, knocking the wind from her stomach. She glared up at him, realising that his hand had left her wrist and instead was held out in front of her, palm spread and facing her torso.
She couldn't move in her position against the wall, and even as his hand fell back to his side, she remained immobile by some invisible force. Her dark eyes flashing with anger, she glared at him intently as he turned his back on her to begin walking towards the bedroom door. The back of his leather trench coat was revealed to her, her eyes tracing the peculiar red diamond shape that was situated on the high neck. Her lips grew thin as she continued to glare at the back of the man before she cried out for assistance. "ERIK!"
At her exclamation, he spun round swiftly; swiping his black glasses from his face to reveal blazing crimson eyes that appeared to be void of pupils. Raven felt her world suddenly darkening as her eyes latched upon his. Blackness poured in from all sides, circling the glowing scarlet orbs before they too were lost to the unconscious darkness.
The telekinetic hold on her body vanished, and without his aid, she slumped to the floor in a cataleptic heap, the silky blue texture of her dressing gown pooling about her crumpled knees.
The bedroom door was thrown open as a sleep-deprived, dishevelled looking Erik stumbled in, his eyes quickly becoming alert as he glanced over the situation. The intruder quickly looked towards Erik, his strange eyes meeting his. "I'm not here for trouble," he said softly.
But Erik was staring at Raven's unconscious form, and his fists automatically clenched, "It does not appear that way."
Noticing Erik defensive posture, the man smiled softly. "You cannot hurt me, Mr Lensherr. You are nothing but a frail old man to me." Though Erik knew his statement held some painful truth, he was determined to keep his head lifted and his posture ready. "However," continued the man as he pocketed his glasses, "I can change all that."
"What do you mean?" asked Erik stiffly, his eyes narrowing.
Absently adjusting the neck of his black trench coat, the stranger pursued. "You were cured, Mr Lensherr.. but I can change all that. I can make you powerful once more." He stared directly at Erik. "I can cure the cured."
"You can reverse it?"
"Indeed, and then some. I can reverse it, and in time make you stronger. However, there is a price to pay." Erik's fists were gently uncurling as he watched the stranger. The thought of being able to be at one with metal once more was breathing a fire inside him of adrenaline and need. "I expect you to work for me," the man completed with a nod of his head. "I need powerful mutants, Mr Lensherr. You are, after all, a class four."
Erik's eyes travelled over Raven's fallen form before they returned to the man. "And how can you do this?"
"I am a genetic scientist. I am well equipped and well funded in this area. However, I need your cooperation."
The very idea of this reversal process filled Erik with such a desire, that his concerns were quickly beginning to ebb away. Unlike before, where Erik was a proud mutant of tremendous power, Erik would never have worked for someone else. But times had changed, he was no longer a mutant, he no longer had great power and he was no longer proud.
"Very well," Erik replied quietly, then inclining his head towards Raven. "Both of us shall be cured of this state."
There was a moment's hesitation in the stranger's behaviour before he spread a charming smile and nodded his head, "Of course, Mr Lensherr. We travel immediately to my location." With a swish of his trench coat, he turned and strode by Raven, a click of his fingers waking her up with a start.
"Wait," said Erik, holding up a hand in halt as the man moved back towards the shattered window.
Pausing, the man turned, his blood-red eyes gleaming back across to Erik. "Yes?"
"Who are you?" asked Erik, who was now being watched a bewildered looking Raven.
The man merely smiled momentarily, continuing to advance towards the window as he answered. "Mister Sinister."
And so Mister Sinister has arrived! I changed him a little in certain aspects from the comics, and tried to make it so he would fit it more comfortably with the movie-verse and not be too radically 'out-there' (for example, pale skin, not white. His outfit, modernised, but with Victorian touches and still the trademark red and black. And of course, the red diamond, not on his forehead, but on his coat!) I really wanted to make him acceptable for the movie, so I hope you like this chapter! And also understand Erik's utmost desire to have his powers back, even at a price. Please leave a review!