Chapter Two – Rapunzel, Tweedledum and Tweedledee
A/N – Anyone remember The Uncanny X-Men Giant-Sized Annual # 11?
-xox-
". . . Logan , then . . . as the saying goes . . . this is as good a day as any to die. And the best of friends to do so with."
Ororo's words.
Memories were returning unbidden. Fragments. For so long Logan had not known what was real or not and then he got his memories back and found it was oftentimes better not to remember, better not to know the evil done, the hearts broken, the mistakes made, the people he'd loved yet killed.
He'd tried so hard to forget.
Mariko chan.
The anniversary of their wedding that never was. He'd tried to drown the memory in alcohol.
Even now he never thought of her if he could help it. All the bright possibilities of what could have been had been destroyed in a way no normal person could deal with. He had given the final death blow and though she'd asked for the mercy killing how did anyone live with that? Mariko had been so good, so gentle, so deserving of life. He'd always believed he would be a better person with her, that she would change him, through her goodness. He wanted to be the man she believed him to be. He carried her within his heart, cherished always that she had loved him but he couldn't let himself remember. It was too painful and futile. The past couldn't be changed.
All he'd wanted was to forget and though drinking hadn't helped Ororo had. He didn't know if it had been real or not but somehow, now, he remembered it as clearly as if it had happened yesterday.
Attacked, by a creature calling himself Horde, spirited away to the Citadel of Light and Shadow then forced to do his bidding Ororo came up with a plan to save them all and because Logan had faith in her, trusted her he'd accepted it and prepared to face the worse beside her. Dream or not he vividly recalled how she kissed him, her gloved fingertips light on his face, how he clasped that hand, holding her wrist feeling her pulse beating erratically under his touch. And he'd held on for that brief moment when nothing else had mattered, not their team mates, not death, not heartache – all forgotten but Ororo and him.
They'd never mentioned it again and slowly, like a dream, the memory had faded and was forgotten. Until now.
It had felt, tasted, smelled real. In the end could that be all that mattered? He remembered that he would have kept Ororo with him. They were a good team. He felt they were the strongest members though they didn't have Rogue's and Captain Britain 's brute strength. She had fought hard to free herself from the fantasy held out to her by the Citadel offering them their deepest longings fulfilled like candy to an eager child. He and Ororo alone had survived temptation.
But he'd pushed her back. To save her. And in that split second her distress at what he'd done turned into bliss and Ororo was lost in a world of all that she had dreamt of. Though what it was he could not guess not even decades later. Ororo, his closest friend, a woman he admired above all others, was safe but at what cost to her? He knew she would be furious with him but if she was where she longed to be her anger would soon be forgotten.
Ororo said it was as good day to die and the best of friends to do so with but when he died that day he was alone, his heart torn literally from his chest. He found death was not terrifying but one drop of his blood, one drop full of his healing powers touched the Crystal of Ultimate Vision and he was suddenly alive, whole again and all powerful – like a god with indescribable power demanding to be used. Logan thought of all the good he could do the power within him almost too tempting to deny but ultimately he couldn't bring himself to play God. Because he denied the power calling to him he was found worthy and the X-Men were returned to their beds as if nothing had happened.
When the others woke they collectively stumbled out into the hallway instinctively drawn to Logan 's room. There they found him kneeling with sword in hand as if standing guard over their spirits. Was it then not a dream? Ororo knew the answer was before them in that still figure, head bowed, determination clear upon his face. As the other's straggled back to bed she alone remained. Watching him she felt warm and safe. This was a man she would always admire and always love as a friend and team mate and perhaps one day as something more.
-xox-
Over the next few days Logan determinedly pushed all thoughts of the past aside. His friendship with Ororo was all he allowed himself to remember. If she was still alive he would protect her from Victor just as he had from Horde. So when Victor purchased a ticket for Cairo , Egypt Logan commandeered a plane from the X-Men's vast collection and beat him there only when he got to the airport Victor didn't get off the plane. Come to find out he wasn't on the plane. Victor had outwitted him.
"You didn't think I'd make it easy for ya did ya little buddy?" Victor said when Logan caught up with him in Kenya . "Knew you was followin' me, yer getting' sloppy in yer old age 'swhy I gave ya enough time ta figure out what I was doin'. You took the bait hook line an' sinker sucker."
Logan glowered silently.
"Knew you an' them babes always had somethin' goin' an' figured you'd head out to protect yer pretty little girlfriend. Man, if I'd played nice like you all them years I'da screwed every one of them broads. You gotta admit that was one rich payload from Jubilee on down to that Moria. Ah, look at you feelin' all sorry for yer dead baby girl."
Logan didn't punch Victor this time because Victor hit him first. Logan hit the ground hard. He saw fireworks briefly, remembered Jubilee who'd died in her sleep at the age of eighty-two leaving behind twin boys, Nolan and Logan, and a granddaughter named Lee whom he, as godfather, had called LeeLee ever since he'd held her in his arms the day she was born.
"That's payback for last week, little buddy," Victor said as he stood over Logan . "Now let's go." He extended his hand to Logan .
Logan looked at the large hand, the dirty sharpened claws and saw them sinking into Ororo.
"Come on little buddy, what've ya got ta lose, huh?"
Logan took the proffered hand and Victor hauled him up effortlessly.
The old saying was to keep your enemies close so Logan rubbed his sore chin and followed Victor. Since he'd arrived ahead of Logan Victor already had a rented jeep. The jeep broke down in the wilderness fifty miles out and they were forced to walk. They walked through the night. They even had a little fun when a pair of starved lioness decided the men would make easy prey. Logan regretted the kill but he had to admit the lion meat was good.
Somewhat bloody and disheveled they continued. When the sky was washed with color they came upon the village Logan had visited with Ororo in the past. When she was younger she'd lived in a cave not very far from there and the villagers told them she was there now. Logan could hardly believe this; still his throat was full, his stomach churning. His hands shook. Victor chuckled.
"Fancy digs, huh?" Victor snorted once they reached the cave and then he shouted, "Hey, any one in there?"
"Who goes there? Who dares to disturb a goddess?" a voice called from within. Logan thought it sounded very much like the Ororo he'd known though he hadn't expected her to sound so playful and young.
"Ya got visitors sugar puss!"
"Who dares to speak like that to she who is all powerful?"
"We just came to say hey, Storm," Logan said. He started to enter the cave but stopped when he heard thunder groaning in the sky.
"Do not take another step or I will bring hale and lightning down upon you sons of dogs!"
"Darlin' don't you think yer over doin' this goddess thing a little?"
"Enter at your own risk then my ancient friend."
The set up had Ororo written all over it, hiding out in a cave playing goddess but the scent Logan caught wasn't quite right. It was Ororo's but it had changed as if the fabric of who she was had altered drastically. Her voice was off too, it sounded like the Ororo he remembered not an elderly woman and even if she was angry with him he didn't think she'd call him a son of a dog.
"After you," Logan said.
"You chicken, runt?"
"Yeah, Creed. Bluck, bluck you play the big man."
"Ha, ha! I always knew you was yellow."
Victor stepped into the dark cave. Logan waited. It was less than thirty seconds before Victor came running back. He was engulfed in flames. Logan laughed. Fire wasn't Ororo's M.O. nevertheless it was funny seeing her take on Victor like that.
"You heal remember?" Logan said as he watched Victor rolling around on the ground shrieking and swearing as he tried to smother the flames.
"You two never change. Laurel and Hardy I presume?"
Logan turned at the sound of Ororo's voice, his mouth opening wide in disbelief. She didn't look a day older than the first day Logan had laid eyes on her. She looked just as beautiful, wearing only her original headpiece in her long white hair which covered her bare breasts. She sauntered towards him, her eyes on him alone and for a brief second he thought she was going to strike him but instead she took his face in both her hands then kissed him. Logan 's arms went around her waist and he pulled her closer wanting the kiss to last forever.
"When you two finish I got business ta discuss with you, Storm," Victor said as he got up.
"What?" Ororo said, breaking the kiss and patting Logan on the top of his head.
"The Fountain of Youth, that's the rumor doll that you've got it up here in this cave. Ya don't gotta deny it we can see you do."
"That's amusing," Ororo said to Victor and to Logan she smiled and said, "Hi, Logan miss me?"
"Haven't thought of you in years, darlin' an' I'm sorry I wasted my time coming here," Logan said and he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
"You always were smarter than Victor," she replied gaily.
"You know what I'm gonna do to you, Storm?" Victor growled.
"Well, for one thing I'm not Storm, Victor. Logan picked up on that fairly quickly," she said, "and you can't do anything to me that you haven't already done. It's old and droll after awhile. Got any new ways to play?"
"Raven?"
"You still think with your prick I see. Show a little skin and you can't think straight. If you could control that you wouldn't be as stupid as you are. Ever consider that?"
"What the hell – Mystique?"
"It is I the fair but trapped Rapunzel, with a great tan by the way, come to let down my long beautiful hair so you my sweet savior can rescue me from my gilded prison," Mystique said with a sly smile.
"So what happened to you two? You look like you were trying to tear each other's throats out," Mystique said, nodding at their bloody, torn clothes.
"Cat fight," Victor said. "We ate 'em."
"Cats? Oh!" Raven shook her head then laughed as realization sunk in.
"What're you doin' here pretending to be Storm?" Logan demanded.
"I am a goddess and worshipped and treated like a goddess deserves. I am Storm. "
"Storm never cared about any of that."
"What do you know about Storm, Wolverine? You never knew her, you never will. I am Storm; I'm whomever I choose to be."
"You've got to be kidding me."
"No joke little man. You should see the digs inside! I live in luxury, I'm revered, worshipped – I've got a pretty good thing going on here, kind of a sweet vacation. Ororo asked me to watch the place for her while she went on a walkabout."
"You're sayin' Ororo's alive then ay?"
"Alive an' kickin' an' I'm helping her out for a while."
"You're pretending to be her ta help her out? That don't make sense," Victor said.
"She's been a decent friend to me the last decade or so, so why not?"
"You want us to believe Ororo's alive an' you an' her are such good pals she left you to watch over the people here when you don't even have any powers over the weather to help them?" Logan said.
"Quit messin' with us an' tell us where she is," Victor said.
"She's – read my lips handsome – on . . . a . . . walkabout."
" Australia ," Logan murmured.
"You're quite the perceptive little man, Logan."
"Does she have the Fountain of Youth?" Victor asked.
"She has to!" Raven exclaimed. "I thought she'd be dead by now, instead I found her hanging out with these people trying to learn their ways while living in a cave like a monk – make that nun but do nun's hang out in caves? You know what I mean."
"You're serious?"
"Completely. She's still alive, must be ninety years old I'm guessing but she's a mutant too so maybe like us she isn't going to die. I don't know really, never asked her, didn't really think about it."
"You mean you don't know if it's the Fountain of Youth or if it's just 'cause she's a mutant that she's still alive?"
"Creed thou name art dullard."
"Huh?"
"Look, Vic I could care less why she's still so young. What's it to me? I'm not old; I'm not going to get old, not gonna die either from the looks of it so why should I care?"
"Money," Victor said. "Never known you not ta care about money. You know if she's got some secret people'll pay a fortune fer it."
"Hmm. She never said anything but she must know something otherwise how else could she stay so young?" Mystique wondered aloud.
"Why would she tell you if she did? You might think you're bosom buds but Storm ain't stupid, she knows tigers don't change their stripes."
"So you're saying Storm knows what the Fountain of Youth is – what people would lie, cheat and kill for?" Raven said, ignoring Logan .
"And pay a fortune ten times over fer," Victor added.
"All this time and I never once thought about it."
"Mystique, when did she leave?" Logan asked.
"Leave? Um, I was having so much fun I lost track of time. It's been a while, a few months I guess."
"You mean to tell me you been hangin' out in a cave in the middle of no where for months?" Victor and Logan looked at each other. "That don't make no sense does it runt?"
"Gotta agree with the village idiot here," Logan replied.
"Well, boys step into my parlor and you'll see why I haven't left my little abode."
"What did you use on me anyway when I went in there before, a fire thrower?" Victor asked, following her into the cave.
"Yep, nifty huh?"
"Ain't that a bitch. You always was crazy."
"You heal," Mystique said.
"Hell yeah but that don't stop it from hurtin'!"
"You still whine like a little girl too," Mystique said.
"You still screw like one?"
"Screw you."
"Maybe if you're lucky I will."
"I knew you missed me," Mystique replied.
Long before they reached the main room of the cave Logan noticed an odor that he would never have expected to find in a place Ororo called home. His sense of smell had dulled over the years but the musky scent was overpowering. It made him doubt Mystique all the more. When they entered the well lit cavern he could only shake his head. The walls were covered with rich tapestries, the floors covered with lush Persian carpets and comfortable divans were scattered all around but what held his attention were the naked men and women cavorting in all sorts of lascivious ways on those very accommodating couches.
"Mystique, I've heard of some messed up things before but you really expect me to believe this is how Storm lives?"
"I told you, you don't know your Wind-Rider at all, Wolverine besides Ororo's not here, I can do what I please. Boys, welcome to my harem!"
Victor whistled.
"I'm outta here," Logan said.
"What? Can't get it up in your old age, runt?" Victor laughed.
"Never been into orgies," Logan replied.
"Suit yourself; I'll catch up to you later."
"Don't press yourself."
"Where're you going, Logan ?" Mystique wanted to know.
"To find Ororo."
"You think she really has some secret?"
"I don't care if she does."
"What, you just want to see an old friend again is that it? Well, I know the feeling. When I heard Storm was living out here defenseless and vulnerable I'll be honest I came to kill her but the next thing I knew we got to talking an' reminiscing about Rogue – I'll never forgive Remy for her death . . ."
"Remy died tryin' to save her from Sinister."
"He should've fought harder, if he'd loved her he would have."
"You know as well as me that ain't how it works," Logan said.
Mystique remembered Destiny's death, something she wasn't able to prevent no matter how much she'd loved her and which Irene had calmly accepted but Remy and Rogue were different. Remy had stayed with Rogue through thick and thin and Rogue had loved him desperately. She had never learned to control her powers but finally she'd accepted Remy's proposal because after all the years together she came to see he loved her even if he couldn't touch her. They'd left the X-Men and planned a big wedding. She wanted everyone to be there but she wasn't able to locate Mystique. Remy had insisted they look for her. If Rogue hadn't listened to him she would be an old woman today with children, Mystique a grandmother, but she had. She'd wanted Raven there because she loved her foster mother and needed her for the most important day of her life.
Despite their ups and downs Logan was sure it was the way Rogue and Remy wanted to go out – together – but it was hard for Mystique to accept. She felt she was the cause of Rogue's death and in a way she was. Raven had been undercover, trying to infiltrate a new Brotherhood of evil mutants they suspected Sinister was behind. Scott had insisted she was the one for the job and she'd been slick enough and just callous enough to meet the requirements of the new group. Killing wasn't something that bothered Raven and one or two dead humans was nothing as long as she completed her mission which might possibly save hundreds of lives for Raven had changed over the years and wanted to make a difference. That was before the Brotherhood discovered Remy and Rogue in the vicinity mistaking them as spies. Raven watched them die. There'd been nothing she could do. She'd fought but out numbered she'd been beaten herself. She'd never been the same after that.
They tortured her for information but she gave them nothing. Logan and Ororo found her days later still shackled and barely alive. When Scott told Ororo Mystique hadn't checked in it was too much of a coincidence that Rogue hadn't checked in either. Ororo told Logan she had a bad feeling. He told her it was because she didn't like Mystique but in the end, trusting her instincts as always they'd set out to find them with a small team.
When Logan led her to the dead bodies of her closest friends the new Brotherhood didn't stand a chance. But she didn't kill them. They had a new member on the team who had a similar power to Illyana's who teleported via Limbo and so the girl had left them to their fate in Limbo which had become a type of prison with Belasco long vanquished. Raven had never forgiven herself or Scott. She'd left the X-Men and they hadn't heard from her since. That was decades ago.
"When I found Storm I wanted to kill her, I hated her. And you, Logan. You should've come sooner. Rogue wanted to be one of you X-Men, thought you'd help her even I bought into it after a while. You were a bunch of goody two shoes, pathetic. I would've killed every one of you if that would've made her come back to me when she first left but she would've hated me. I wanted to kill Scott for letting her come after me but he didn't' know, she didn't tell anyone. She died because she loved me, wanted me. She was the best of all my kids and the toughest."
"Yup, fought like a wildcat gotta give her that," Victor said.
"Whipped your sorry ass plenty of times," Mystique laughed, wiping away tears.
"You gonna cry some more or are ya gonna tell us where Storm's at?" Victor growled.
"I'm going to finish my story."
Victor rolled his eyes, glanced over at a couple on a nearby couch and hoped she'd keep it short.
"She had a big heart. And Ororo loved her just like I did I just didn't see that till we got to talking. It's funny our perceptions – life, how things really are an' how they turn out. We ended up being friends, go figure."
"Why didn't you kill her?" Victor asked.
"She's more powerful for one and, well it was fun to talk about the old days. These kids nowadays can't talk and fight at the same time, their lungs give out, you can barely understand them they get to panting so much from being out of breath. They don't make 'em like they used to. Time was you could kick some serious butt and chat them up all at the same time but not any more."
"That's funny you sayin' that cause I was just thinkin' the same thing the other day when I was kickin' this punk's ass for lookin' at me funny," Victor said. "If they ain't fat an' slow they're out of shape an' stupid – too easy, no challenge at all. There ain't much fun in killin' pansies."
"Mystique, are you sure it was Storm?" Logan asked.
"I swear I am talking to Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum! Yes, Logan I'm sure. Why the hell wouldn't I be sure Storm was Storm? She's the only one who remembers Rogue and Irene, except for you two, and no one else would know what she knew about them unless they'd picked her brain and what use would that be to them when everyone thinks I'm as dead as she is? Hey wait a minute, Logan don't go, stay a while, we'll have some fun, reminisce a little, screw a lot."
"I got nothin' ta reminisce about with you."
"You're just going to leave then?"
"You didn't understand me the first time?" Logan retorted.
"Who cares about him? You wanna talk an' screw 'sall right with me 'slong as you don't keep whinin' about Rogue." And Victor slung Mystique over his shoulder and carried her to a couch where he shoved the copulating couple off and threw her down in their place.
"I sure missed your feisty ass doll," was the last thing Logan heard. He didn't stay to hear anything else.
-xox-
Logan walked most of the day until he finally got back to the abandoned jeep. He sat down on the fender and wiped his sweaty brow with his forearm. The sleeve was ripped from the tussle with the lioness but it served the purpose. He wished for a long cool drink of water and hoped someone would show up soon. He didn't think he'd be so lucky. After a half hour of lounging around waiting for help he started walking again. This time his luck held though. After an hour a jeep pulled up alongside him. The obliging tourists and their guide gave him a lift back to the closest city where he soon had a rental and took off for the airport. If his luck held he'd find Ororo long before Victor did. That is if Ororo was still alive.
Despite what Mystique said he wasn't too inclined to believe her. There was something wrong about the whole set up. Mystique had smelled of Ororo when he should have been able to pick up Mystique's scent right away. Mystique was up to something. If Ororo was alive she would be in her early nineties and who went traipsing around the world at that age? Besides, Mystique was twice as old and could even have some form of dementia. She hadn't once shape changed back into her usual blue skinned self. Was that because she wasn't holding up well and didn't want anyone to see what she really looked like? He imagined Victor on top of a very old woman, so old she'd probably lost all her teeth and hair. He laughed. Mystique was right, Victor always did think with the wrong head.