X-Men: Fate
Logan's Run
"What I can do is called Aura Manipulation," Reth said in response to Reva. "I can usually control it, but I have a hard time with control when I touch other people, communicate with them, or connect with them."
Adrian gave Reth a look.
"Aura? Manipulation," Reva questioned.
"Everything is made of energy," Reth explained. "Everything emits energy. I can see it, read it, and affect it. The term for it makes the ability sound so simple, but it's complex and a little unpredictable. I know and have learned some things about it, and as I said I can control it most of the time, but I admit it still manages to catch me off guard and surprise me every once in a while."
"You can feel what others are feeling," Adrian said slowly.
"Yes," Reth said. "Sometimes I can."
"Don't take this the wrong way," Reva said, "but if that's all you can do you're not going to last as a member of the X-Men."
"That's not all I can do," Reth said after a short laugh. "My ability is parts of a whole. It isn't just one feat that my ability encompasses. You'll see if I ever find myself in a chaotic situation."
"Why do I get the feeling you're just like your ability," Reva said.
"What do you mean?" Reth asked, sort of already having an idea what she meant. He was made up of different sides.
"You're a clever one," Reva answered. "You've got your secrets. You've probably got some darkness in you too. You've got stuff in you that you don't want anybody to know. Because then, they wouldn't always view you as a boy scout."
Reth looked away from her and quietly laughed to himself.
"People view me that way because of the work I do, the things I do, and the things I say, not because I want them to view me that way." Reth looked back to her, trying to express the seriousness of his words.
"He's legit," Adrian said, adding to their conversation. "People might have secrets, they might have something to hide, but that doesn't mean they're not being real, which I know is what you're trying to get at. If you spent more time reading and less time boxing, you'd know that." Why did he feel the need to defend Reth? His eyes met Reth's for a moment before he focused on Reva who was now glaring at him.
"This was a private conversation," Reva told Adrian. "You've made it clear that you don't want to be anything that resembles a team player, and you might think I'm stupid but it's obvious now why you've spent so much time locked away in your room ever since you've gotten here. You've got a secret, and it's my mission now to find out what it is!"
"Reva," Reth said softly, and the way he said it drew her attention from Adrian. To Reth, the capacity for people to clash so easily always seemed to surprise him a little. He never could quite understand how people could be and become so hostile toward each other. "I would advise against that."
Reth had always seen himself as something of an investigative journalist or perhaps a detective, so of course he already knew Adrian's secret. He couldn't rely on his ability for everything, even though sometimes it allowed him to hear people's thoughts. Adrian had been a Purifier, but on top of that he had helped the X-Men defeat Bastion, a deadly adversary that almost destroyed everyone and everything.
"And why is that?" Reva questioned. "You know, I don't get you two. I'm an open book. How can we possibly become a great X-Men team if we're keeping secrets from each other already?"
"I'm not saying anybody has a secret," Reth said, "but sometimes if people do have a secret it isn't just to protect themselves it's to protect others. As mutants, I think we know better than anyone how one secret can change everything, even people you thought loved you and thought you could trust."
"You know," Reva said, giving him a slightly annoyed look, "you make it hard to stay ramped up."
"I've been told I'm good at diffusing situations," Reth said with a minor smile.
"I'm not trying to come off as crazy," Reva said. "I plan to be a part of the X-Men team, and I won't let anything or anyone stop me from accomplishing that goal."
"That's something we've got in common then," Adrian said, drawing Reva and Reth's attentions. He made eye contact with Reva and held her gaze. "You and I don't have to like each other, you and I don't have to like the same things, but we can hate the same things. We do. We hate the humans and mutants who threaten peace, so we can unite to put an end to them."
"Ok Adrian," Reva said, "now, you're singing my song."
Reth wasn't sure he liked the idea of them putting an end to people, but they seemed to finally be in agreement about something so for now he'd hope neither one meant that literally. He was the first to notice the doors of the room slide open and Professor Howlett enter. Professor Howlett walked toward them with a stern look on his face. Reth focused on his aura and saw that it was a deep red, shifting between that color, which usually was associated with being grounded or having a strong will, and orange, which usually was associated with vigor, vitality, and courage. Something was about to happen.
"Logan," Reva said, smiling wide. "You finally showed up. You going to tell us what we have to do to make the team now?"
"That's what I'm here for," Logan said, stopping a few steps away from Adrian.
"I don't think we're going to want to know," Reth said. "We're going to have to fight you Professor Howlett, aren't we?"
""You're on the right track," Logan said, "but it will be more than a fight. You want on this team you're going to have to earn it, but first you get an out. The conditions of going forward and becoming one of the X-Men is as follows: either I manage to sink my claws into all three of you first, taking you out as a group, or the three of you manage to knock me unconscious."
"Our lives are on the line," Reth said.
"This should be easy," Adrian said. "I've already fought him once, and I came out on top."
"I have to agree," Reva said. "I faced him in the boxing ring, and I'm pretty sure given a few more minutes I would've beaten him. Let's do it!" She ran toward Logan.
"Wait," Reth said.
"You don't have to decide as a group," Logan said, "but you all have to decide before we get started."
"You fought Logan?" Reva asked Adrian.
"Reva," Reth said, and she looked at him. "Later."
"Adrian and Reva have the most experience with their abilities," Emma told the others while watching from above with them. She included Logan in the conversation via his mind.
"Reva has had hers the longest," Logan responded via his thoughts, "but Adrian has had more field experience."
"Reth is the most levelheaded of the three," Danielle said. "He's a thinker. He's not as cocky as Adrian or as impulsive as Reva."
"Depending on how this goes," Forge said, "I was thinking Adrian might be a good leader. It might be good for him as far as his own personal growth."
"If it were not for the importance of their first mission," Emma said, "I would agree with you. We need someone who will not need to grow into the role."
"They are not us," Ororo said. "They must face themselves and each other before it is necessary for our interference or guidance."
"You already know how this will all play out," Forge said. "How? Emma?"
"I am as in the dark as the rest of you," Emma said.
"You do not need a mutant ability to read young people," Ororo said. She laughed. "The first day I saw them all together told me everything I needed to know."
"Wait?" Reva questioned Reth. "We could die, but nobody would really let him run us through. That would be too dangerous."
"No," Adrian said. "They would. We would face worst outside this room. They know something we don't."
"I can heal us," Reth said, drawing their attention. "It's not something I can do continually though. That would mean if we decided to do this the amount of times or chances we'd have against him would be limited."
"I already told you I'm in," Reva said. "We'll just have to take Logan down fast."
"It'll take work," Adrian said, "but even if I'm the last one standing I'm going to beat him." He noticed that Reth seemed uneasy. At least, he thought he noticed that. Reva drew his attention.
"Hey," Reva shouted. "It's not all about you. If he knocks you out, I'm sure you'll be out of here? Am I right?" She turned to Logan.
"She's right," Logan said.
"Teamwork makes a dream work," Reth said. "That's why the X-Men are a team. We'll have to work together."
"Falls on you Reth," Logan said. "Are you in?"
Reth's eyes met Logan's. He wondered if Logan knew what worry nagged at him at the back of his mind. He nodded.
The moment Reth nodded Logan leapt at Adrian with his claws ready to tear through him.
"Move," Reva shouted.
Adrian disappeared in a puff of dark smoke but in actuality moved at an accelerated rate for a short burst. He stood beside Reva.
Logan leapt at Reva the moment he hit the spot Adrian had previously occupied. Before he reached her, Reth raised his hand, concentrating on Logan's aura and holding him in place.
"I mean no disrespect Professor Howlett," Reth said, "but I'm not sure your ability is properly matched against ours."
"I agree," Reva said as she focused solar energy into her right fist. She launched a straight jab at Logan.
Logan smirked.
Reva's fist it a metal cube that exploded into pieces right as Reth was side swiped by a large robotic arm from the wall, causing him to release Logan. The floor spun in different directions separating Reva and Adrian. Thunder rolled overhead, and then rain fell. Metal cubes bombarded Adrian, who sliced through them, and Reth, who crashed them into each other.
Meanwhile, Reva fought against Logan, holding her own as she held off the metal cubes trying to harm and distract her and a determined Logan. She went for an uppercut, but Logan grabbed a cube and used it to block her attack. However, it did send him flying to the other side of the room. A robot tackled Reva. Reth, hovering toward her, tossed the robot off of her and at the nearby wall. Adrian cut through cubes and robots with his constructs, disappearing and reappearing every few instances while making his way toward Logan. Reth tried to slow the heavy rainfall and keep the cubes and robots away while he checked on Reva.
"We need to get this done," Reva told Reth. "Your power isn't the only one with limits. Without the sun, I have to rely on my reserves. They won't last forever against all this."
Reva fought through the robots and cubes that continued to assault them while Reth hovered nearby to help support her and stop Logan. He used the rain to slow him down, throwing it in waves, and the cubes and robots to try and knock him conscious, sending them one after another.
Adrian cut through metal cubes coming in from his left and then the ones coming in from his right. Two robots tried to attack him, but he sliced through them before they had the chance. More cubes and two more robots tried to overwhelm him, but with a swift combo that caused him to disappear for a moment, taking out everything around him.
Logan leapt on top of one of the cubes and traversed them. He let the waves of water hit him as he jumped from cube to cube, but he clawed through every cube and robot Reth sent his way. He dropped down in front of Adrian right as Adrian reappeared, slashed him across his chest, and then thrust his claws into Adrian's stomach.
"F!ck!" Adrian shouted. This drew Reth and Reva's attention.
Logan kicked Adrian off his claws. Adrian hit the wall and slid down it, cursing under his breath. Logan turned and went for the others. Adrian slashed him across his back and stabbed him through his right leg. This slowed Logan down but did not stop him.
"You distract Professor Howlett," Reth said, watching Adrian with concern as he bled while holding his stomach. "I'll get to Adrian and heal him."
"I'm on it," Reva said. "Time to clear the field." She brought her hands together, drawing her energy into them, and then unleashed droves of solar energy-shaped sparrows. The sparrows overtook the room, exploding on anything and everything on contact and clearing the board.
Logan ran through the smoke and accosted Reva. She took him on, along with cubes and robots. She held her own. Reth threw Logan at the wall to give Reva some breathing room as he attended to Adrian.
Reth concentrated on Adrian's aura and expanded it. He used it to restore Adrian, allowing him to recover from the injuries he incurred.
"She's actually impressive," Adrian said, watching Reva as he stood to his feet. He turned to Reth, who prevented robots and cubes from bombarding them, and said: "Don't tell her I said that. Can you send me over to her?"
"I won't," Reth said with a brief smile before he sent Adrian through the air toward Logan and Reva.
Reva got clawed across her chest, which caused her to yell out and fall to the floor. Logan swiped for Adrian, but Adrian disappeared from his line of sight and reappeared beneath him, stabbing Logan through his stomach and chest. Logan grabbed Adrian, clawed him across the face, and then threw him back right before Reva punched him explosively, blowing off a part of his shoulder while she sent him back across the room.
Reth rejoined the group but not before throwing everything he could at Logan while Logan healed from injuries. He focused on Adrian and Reva's aura, allowing them to recover from Logan's attacks.
"This would be a lot easier," Adrian said, "if we could get rid of this rain."
"This isn't supposed to be easy," Reva said. "This is our proving ground."
"I feel like I should be doing more," Reth said.
"You're keeping us in the game," Reva said. "That's plenty."
"We need to go for him now," Adrian said. "We might not get another chance this good." He made for Logan.
Reva unleashed sparrows to clear the way for Adrian and to attack Logan.
"I'll be out soon," Reva said to Reth. "How many more times can you heal us?"
"Based on the damage Professor Howlett's doing," Reth said, "I want to say two."
"We need a plan," Reva said, more to herself than Reth.
"I'm starting to wonder if he can be knocked unconscious," Reth said. "You blew off part of his shoulder, and the man is still going."
"He can," Reva said. "We just got to overpower him. Go on the offensive."
As Reva and Reth fought back against the cubes and robots trying to overtake them, Reth took a deep breath, occupied by his thoughts on the idea of a plan. They shared a brief silence while they watched Adrian slash through cubes, robots, and even Logan.
"I can give us a better offense," Reth said, "but then our defense will be shot. We'd have no more chances if one of us got hurt."
"I say do it," Reva said.
"We need to talk to Adrian," Reth said.
"We're in agreement," Reva said. "We've got two out of three. Do what you got to do. We'll have your back."
"I'll need you to separate them from each other," Reth said.
"Got it," Reva said.
Reth hovered toward Logan and Adrian who were in an all-out war against each other while Adrian was also in an all-out war against the room itself. Reth admired Adrian's staying power and apparent experience in the field.
Reva sent a single sparrow between Logan and Adrian and caused it to explode. When the dust cleared, Reth stood across from Logan, which surprised Logan.
"I didn't figure you for a close range fighter," Logan said.
"I'm not," Reth said. "Usually, I'm not."
"You're up to something," Logan said. "You serving as a distraction?"
"No," Reth said, "and I don't find it necessary to lie."
Adrian appeared in front of Logan, but before he could strike him and before Logan could strike Adrian Reth tossed Adrian. Adrian hit the ground and looked back on Reth in confusion as Reth ran toward Logan. Logan, who didn't understand Reth's action, reflexively thrust his claws in Reth's stomach. Reth grit his teeth and closed his eyes.
"Reth!" Adrian shouted. He tried to get to Reth, but he couldn't because he had to prevent himself from getting overwhelmed by everything else. Reva tried to make her way to them as well, but the opposition became tougher and the rain fell harder.
"That wasn't smart," Logan said, letting Reth's body hit the floor. Then, Logan got knocked across the room into the wall. He was knocked across the room by a single punch delivered by Reth, a second Reth.
"Hey, pretty boy," the second Reth, the conscious Reth, grabbed Adrian's attention. For a moment, Adrian thought he saw whitish, bluish flames encompassing Reth's fist. "Don't take it personal that I tossed you." He walked toward Adrian, smashing through cubes and robots with his fists as he walked and talked. His hands blazed with every hit, but nothing burned or caught on fire. When Reth reached Adrian, he looked him straight in his eyes, before he struck down everything around them with great speed and returned to meet Adrian's eyes: "Do me a favor sweetheart, protect my body. If you do, after I get this done, I'll do you a favor." He winked.
Adrian turned way from Reth toward Reth's body, trying not to blush. He saw that Reth's body no longer had the life-threatening injury. Logan pulled himself from the wall. He stood and watched Reth and Adrian talk but took particular notice of Reth's body laying nearby them.
"Did we know he could do this?" Logan asked Emma and the others via his thoughts and Emma's ability.
"I knew what I told you," Emma said.
"Evan told me about it," Ororo said. "It's a defense mechanism that manifested because of a trauma Reth experienced. Reth shared that trauma with Evan, but Evan did not betray his confidence. Perhaps, one day, Reth will inform us of what caused this manifestation of his Aura Manipulation."
"We're about to see how this holds up against me," Logan told them.
"Don't have too much fun," Danielle said.
Reth rushed at Logan, who rushed at them. Adrian and Reva joined Reth's body and watched as Reth went to work.
"Should we help?" Adrian asked.
"I don't think he needs our help," Reva said. "Besides, I hate to admit it, but I'm going to need your help. Without sunlight, I'll be tapped out soon."
"Don't worry," Adrian said. "If that happens, you should know I'll have your back."
Reth didn't hover any longer, and he didn't throw things as he had before. He jumped at Logan, but Logan avoided him, clawing at him. Reth dropped to the ground, spun under Logan, and brought him to the ground. Reth flipped up onto his feet. Logan climbed onto his feet. He swiped his claws with an onslaught of vicious attacks. Reth shoulder checked him from the inside and punched him back, leaving frost on Logan's face. Logan came back and thrust one set of claws forward. Reth slammed his arm through the claws and then grabbed hold of Logan's neck, crushing and freezing it.
Adrian and Reva watched in awe when Reth took the attack, but they were more in shock when the injury appeared on Reth's body with the blood beginning to flow from the arm.
"I won't let you stop us from becoming X-Men," Reth told Logan. "This is something I want. I have to say though I expected more from you." He laughed as Logan began to have trouble breathing.
"Then you're going to have to stop playing with me," Logan coughed out. He retracted his claws and then thrust them into Reth's stomach.
"Then I will," Reth said.
Logan saw that Reth was brushing off these fatal attacks, but he looked over Reth to see what Adrian and Reva saw: blood coming from the stomach of Reth's body.
Reth used his aura, covering his hands, to freeze Logan's eyes shut. Afterward, he pulled Logan's claws from his chest, and then picked him up by his neck. Next, he threw him toward Reva and Adrian.
"Reva," Reth shouted, "as a team!"
Reva sent a sparrow at Logan and blew him up into the air.
"Adrian," Reva said, "bring it home!"
Adrian disappeared and reappeared above Logan to drive a construct through his back.
By the time they hit the floor, Reth stood there waiting beside them and his body. He kneeled beside a barely conscious Logan, whose body was healing. He placed his hand on Logan's back, using his aura, around his hand, to freeze Logan still.
"All in a day's work my friends," Reth said. He smiled at Reva, and he winked at Adrian.
"Will your body be okay?" Adrian asked, trying not to sound concerned while he avoided looking at Reth.
"Yeah," Reth said, "soon as I'm finished. Thanks for worrying about me though."
Logan let out a sound that wasn't human before he stabbed his claws into Reth's body, causing the second Reth to suddenly dissipate. He spun around and took out Adrian's legs so he'd hit the floor before he leapt at Reva and stabbed her in her chest. Then, finally, he jumped at Adrian and stabbed him through his chest.
"A barely conscious Logan is apparently still a very dangerous Logan," Reva managed to say.
A moment later, Emma cleared the Danger Room. Logan, with Emma, Ororo, Forge and Danielle, stood across from Reva, Adrian, and Reth in the room above it. Logan and the three X-Men candidates were all dry and absent any injury.
"Wait," Reva said, "what happened?"
"You lost," Logan said. "You aren't X-Men." He glared at the young trio before he turned and left them all.