Chapter Sixteen: Wicked Lovely

--

When Lux first opened her eyes she noticed that she could see everything. All the colors and molecules of objects came rushing to her in a blur. It was extremely surreal and extremely painful. Closing her eyes she let out a groan.

"So you're awake, that's good." She heard Bruce say.

"How long have I been comatose?" Her voice came out hoarse from not being used in a while.

"You really want to know? It's been an entire week." Bruce answered.

"I bet Morgan killed herself from worry." Lux smirked.

She tried to sit up but her body felt heavier than usual. This time she heard Crane's voice.

"It seems you'll have to get used to your body's new defense. The armor will retract in a moment." She told Lux.

At that Lux shot up and leapt off the bed. She cast a glance down and took in her appearance before the ground beneath her began to disintegrate. Crane had a wry smile on her face as Lux reveled in her newfound power.

"I feel like I can dominate the world." The pyro commented.

"You probably could, don't try anytime soon though." Bruce guided her away from the bed.

Her body was covered in a metal that she knew was stronger than titanium. Heat pulsed through her and just by standing in one place she could burn a hole in the ground. Her mind was expanded as well. She could hear Crane's thoughts. The doctor thought she was beautiful, in a platonic motherly way. Bruce was ready to train her. As she took a step forward her eyes widened, causing both adults to let out light chuckles.

"I have a fucking tail." It wasn't a question as Lux whirled and metal tail sliced the bed she had laid on, clean in half.

"You'll have to learn to control your newfound abilities. Mr. Wayne will begin your training so check in with your family. You'll be here for awhile." Crane remarked.

"I'd rather have them not know. At least not right now. This is my secret and I'm going to enjoy it for awhile." Lux smiled slyly.

"Suit yourself, I'll be back in a few weeks to check on you and deem you ready to be unleashed onto society. Good luck Aeterna." Crane began walking towards the exit.

"If you like me so much, why create the second Aeterna?" The doctor stopped in her tracks.

"I did it for you Lux; I wanted to give you someone to identify with. It seems my plan backfired though, I'll see you soon." The door closed behind her.

Lux looked at Bruce and smiled sheepishly, "You wanna go grab some body armor or something because I don't think I can go easy on you."

"I'll manage." Then she lunged at him.

--

Richie sighed as he watched Morgan dress. It wasn't a new sight to him. They had slept together a lot of times since they began dating. It didn't matter right now though. Morgan was too out of it. She had barely spoken to anyone the last few weeks. He knew she was wracked with worry over Lux but he missed her. This was one of the few times they were together, when he was too tired from patrol to go home so he stayed with her. Even so, she still barely said a word to him. It was making him sick.

"I don't get it." He mused, "You say you won't worry anymore but you do so anyway. She can take care of herself."

She looked at him in disbelief before responding, "She's my sister. I can't help it and you know that."

"How do you even know she's your sister? You two don't even look the same. Have you looked at your skin lately?" He wasn't trying to sound racist, he was just being irrational.

"It doesn't matter if we don't look the same. You and Virgil don't look the same and you'd be just as worried as I am."

"Virgil's not the walking apocalypse. Maybe it's better now that she's gone." The words escaped his mouth before he could stop himself.

"Get. Out." Richie gasped as he flew out of the bedroom and into a wall. Groaning he watched as the door closed and the lock clicked.

"It's official, I'm an asshole." He muttered to himself.

Truth was, he was worried over Lux. She was like his sister too but lately she had been so cruel to them that he just didn't care anymore. Then she disappeared altogether without a word to anyone. Morgan was dying, he could see that. She needed her sister and the pyro was nowhere to be found. That made him hate Lux even more. When she did finally come home, he didn't even want to think about it.

When the bedroom door opened, Richie stood up and let Morgan hug him tightly.

"I'm sorry Morgan, I'm just so pissed that she's hurting you like this." He whispered.

"I know, and I didn't mean to hurt you. Forgive me?" She looked up at him.

He nodded as her lips met his. The sound of the doorbell forced them to pull apart. Virgil had arrived and together they were going to scour the city for Lux. As they left the house to head to the gas station a figure watched from overhead.

"You see them?" Bruce's voice was loud in her ear. It didn't bother her though.

"They're going to look for me today. It was Morgan's idea." Lux told him through the microphone clipped on her new suit.

It was like her old catsuit but this one was long-sleeved with a collar. A hole was cut in the back where her tail swayed from side to side. It was flexible fabric she could move in when she used her armor and it was also heat resistant, which was majorly important. A simple touch could incinerate anything and everything.

"Go Lux, it's time you really put your new powers to the test." Bruce encouraged, "Remember self-control though."

When he clicked out, Lux sighed and leapt from the building and faded from sight.

--

When Morgan stepped into the gas station she expected to spend all day and night looking for her sister. Seeing Lux leaning against a wall, smirking at her, made the mentalist do a double take.

"Hi there, did you miss me?" Lux grinned.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Morgan screeched, alerting the boys.

Lux felt a light push and figured Morgan was trying to send her flying into a wall out of anger. It made her frown and she stood up straight and gazed at her sister with uncaring eyes. When Virgil and Richie joined Morgan they glared at Lux and she raised an eyebrow.

"Looks like I've stumbled across some angry superheroes." The pyro remarked.

"You've been gone for a month! So I repeat my question, what is wrong with you?" Morgan hissed.

"I've been running some errands but I've got some new things to show you." The sly grin returned as Lux cocked her head to the side.

This time Morgan approached her, ready to attack her. Her sister really could not be trusted anymore. However, Lux was not in the mood and without even moving put up a tall wall of fire. It surrounded her and Morgan took several steps backward.

Like my new trick? It requires no effort at all.

"When did you learn telepathy?" Morgan demanded.

A day ago…

Morgan could hear Lux laugh from within the inferno.

"What happened to you?" She breathed. The wall dissipated revealing Lux who simply stared at her sister.

"I've changed, you didn't notice earlier?" Lux asked in a condescending tone. She was itching to fight, she wanted to find Atrum.

"I guess I did but I didn't want to...acknowledge it." Morgan lamented. She looked away as Lux walked past her and the boys, exiting the gas station and vanishing from sight. A few moments of silence passed before Morgan let out an agonized scream and fell to her knees. This was what she was trying to prevent, but she felt so powerless.

"Morgan..." Richie was at her side, comforting her while Virgil stood in a few feet away, silent as can be.

"What do I do now? She's...she's...I don't even know anymore. Dammit!" Richie was knocked back by an unseen force as Morgan began to sob. Oh how he hated Lux, he hated her so much.

--

"Hell yea," Lux smirked as she walked into the Batcave. The sleek, black, bike practically cried out to her. She grinned wickedly as she ran a hand along it.

"You like it then?"Bruce asked as he walked down the staircase into his secret base. Lux nodded and climbed onto the motorcycle. It was like it was made for her. It probably was, knowing Bruce.

"Does this mean I'm the new Robin?" Bruce smirked as he walked over to the computers. She watched him, waiting for a reply.

"No way in hell, but you can have the bike. I assume you'd probably steal it anyways." Lux laughed and her cackles echoed through the cave, stirring its creatures.

When it was quiet again, Lux sighed and climbed off the bike. She'd take it out for a spin later, when it was dark. She wanted to tell Bruce about her encounter with Morgan.

"She hates me now, I think. I guess I achieved one of my goals. Now leaving won't be as hard." Lux told him as she stood by his side, watching thousands of files fly across the massive computer screen.

"I don't think she could ever really hate you, no matter how mad you make her. Just remember, you have her best interests at heart. That should help you sleep at night." Lux snorted.

"I don't even sleep to begin with."

After a rather harsh sparring session which left Lux scratched up and Bruce limping, the pyro gave a farewell nod before walking over to her new toy. Bruce offered her a helmet and that wicked grin reappeared as she revved up the machine and zoomed out of the Batcave. As she road through the streets of Gotham, she thought about seeking out Atrum and properly challenging him to a death match. She skidded to a stop as she expanded her mind to find her counterpart. He was with Crane, no surprise there.

"Lux, what a surprise and it looks like you've obtained a new plaything." Atrum smiled as he walked out of Crane's place. Lux didn't utter a word which, shockingly, unnerved him. He wasn't supposed to be afraid of her.

"Why so serious?" It came out as a venomous whisper that would have made someone's skin shrivel and fall off. There was poison in the air but neither Aeterna was affected by it.

"You're a scumbag, did you know that?" She finally asked and Atrum couldn't help but to smile.

"So you can finally read my mind. Damn, I had hoped to kill you before then. I guess I'll just have to figure something else out." The bike revved making Atrum flinch. She meant business, eh? So did he.

"In that case, let's end it. You obviously want me dead and I feel the same about you. Just one question, why?" She hadn't gotten that far into his mind before he had shut her out.

"Why? Why? You're the bane of my existence, Lux. I was created for you, to serve you. I hate living like that. I hate you." He sounded like a whiny baby in her opinion. She didn't tell him that, though. She wasn't going to.

"Then break away, I did. Or you can just get your ass handed to you. Pick one." Atrum roared at her, and she had her answer, "Midnight, the day after tomorrow. Be ready."

Then she was gone, the tail lights were the only indication that she had been there at all. Atrum growled as he clenched his fists. If it was a death match she wanted, then she'd get one. He couldn't wait to hear her begging him for mercy. It would be so sweet.

"You don't know what you're getting into." Atrum whirled around to see Crane. She had watched the whole exchange.

"What the hell do you know?" Atrum growled. He didn't want anyone doubting him. He knew he could beat Lux Aeterna. He had to. Nothing could shake that resolve.

"I'm just warning you, although it doesn't matter. You'll be dead soon. I guess it was a waste, creating you." She turned to leave but Atrum appeared in front of her. With a roar he reached forward, grabbed her neck, crushing it, and killing her.

"I guess you were a waste too, eh?" Then he disappeared into the shadows. He had to prepare.

--

Aw, Crane died. Oh well, I was never a huge fan of her anyway. Well I'm sorry it's taken so long. I did say that school would keep me extremely busy. But now I'm back (for now). I'll update again in the next day or so. Lates

Psycho