Author's Note: Hello Everyone! I'm sorry for the late update but I've been really busy. Thanks to all of those reviewing!
Ban- That confrontation is coming soon I can assure you and it isn't going to be exactly 'pleasant' if that gives you any hints. -winks- Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you liked how I incorporated Wanda to relate to Rouge.
Courtney Summers- Thanks! Here's the next chapter ;)
Laceylou76- Yes Rogue and Remy's cell service must suck. ;P lol There is more of Wanda and Pyro to come, as well as Rogue and Remy, hope you enjoy this next chapter!
Chapter 20: Chiding the Broken
Elle kicked the cell with all of her might only to be sent tumbling back as the force field acted up. Smacking the wall she cursed under her breath, this was just karma having a good old time wasn't it? Pushing herself up onto her hands she slid onto the cold hard concrete bench that served as her bed. She'd been in this cursed 'dungeon' of sorts for what seemed like days, though without any sunlight or clocks it was hard to keep track.
A low rumbling came down the hallway and Elle shook her head the thought not again running through her mind. In a matter of moments a group of men appeared by her cell, cyanide grins on all of their faces, bad thoughts obviously running through their heads. Sinister had given them a job, a fairly easy one at that, of beating Elle until she was ready to cooperate, yet so far she hadn't budged an inch. Crouching on the floor Elle watched the men closely as they entered her cell.
"Well now Bella, you going to cooperate," The man's smile lit up, he had been the same one who had originally came after them, "or are we going to have to do it the hard way?" Elle smiled before launching her foot out and tripping the man. He landed with a soft thawp, barely bruised physically, but a fatal gash ripped in his pride.
"Why you little.." As he stood about to smack the girl, someone cleared their throat, stopping him. Turning on his heal he took in the sight of Forrest, one of the shape-shifting lackys. "What do you want mutant?" He spat at the boy who's grin only grew wider.
"Well how do Ay say this but ole boss man sent me," He pointed at himself, "Ta tell you lunneys" he pointed at the men who responded in growling, "ta leave the girl be, he says if you hurt 'er anymore it isn't gonna be pretty on your part."The man, who had finally been dubbed the name 'Bastian', growled before rising to his full height.
"You mutant scum are nothing," He barked his old eyes shimmering, "once project Gemini is complete all of you ludicrous beings will be wiped from this planet by the hands of humans." At this Forrest grinned before shifting into Sinister his voice mirroring his masters down to a tee.
"Make one foul move Bastian and it shall be the end of you, if you comply though the war you dream of will follow suit." Forrest slowly faded into his old self, causing the group of men to shudder slightly. Elle had learned in her time there that they feared Sinister hence forth the Children of Dawn's*cooperation with the scientist. In a quick yell of orders the men were lined up and moving from her cell, but not before one good blow was laid way too her face. She jerked towards the side and hissed, hiding the pain in her eyes from the man.
Bastian bowed before following after his men, smugness playing in his eyes. Once their foot steps droned away the young teen stepped forward and propped himself up against the wall.
"Your gonna get killed like that," He murmured, the shadows of his frame dancing against the floor, "If you'd just cooperate you'd be in a lot less pain."
"At least I still have my pride and won't back down." She retorted her eyes filled to brim with anger. The boy smiled before sitting down next to her and watching her with piercing blue eyes.
"You've got a lot of never gal," his fingers reach out and swiped the blood from her cut cheek, "but he'll break you."
"And how can be certain of that?" Elle's arms crossed over her chest as she watched the boy carefully.
"Because he can and will do things you'll wish never happened ta you." He said simply, though upon careful inspection you heard the slight tinge of pain in his voice. "I'm trying ta help you."
"And why would you want to do that?" She spat at him, her knees drawn closely towards her chest trying to create space between them.
"Cause I owe you the favor." He reach into his pocket and pulled out what looked like gel capsules. "Your mum saved my sister now Ay'm gonna save you." Elle's eyes widened at the mention of her mother, but she refused to let her shield down.
"Take these, they'll nullify the poison Sinister's going to inject into you to wipe your concious," Elle couldn't find any logical reason of trusting him but for some reason she did, "but your gonna have ta act the part until the rescue brigade gets here." He stood about to walk from the cell when Elle's low voice echoed out towards him.
"How are they going to find me?" Elle knew the answer before it even came.
"Don't know, gal," His footsteps were echoing down the corridor, "hope they figure it out for your sake."
Of course, Elle thought sourly, nothing ever plays out like in the movies. Moaning she slammed her head against the wall hoping to knock some sense into herself by not taking the capsules. Nope, she thought, still seems more logical than the others ideas. Popping them in her mouth she swallowed and leaned back against the wall. Damn it Rouge, I bet you've got it easier than I do.
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The cold chains were snapped around her wrist and a bandanna pulled about her eyes before they lead her away from her cell. She walked for a time following the constant tug of the chains lead, round the corner, up the stairs, down the stairs, to the left. She bit her lip, not being able to see where she was being taken was making her stomach knot. Suddenly the nasty smell of Brimstone met her nose and she had to force herself not to remove the few contents of her stomach.
The pull stopped and the slight snipping noise was heard as codes were punched in. 'Access Granted' the computer chimed. The slick sound of metal sliding met her ears and the pull on the chain returned. She only followed a few steps though before a rough had shoved her back and she landed on a hard chair. The bandanna was pulled suddenly from her face, causing her eyes to snap shut from the bright light streaming towards them.
"Welcome Bella," Was the half hearted reply that made Elle's heart freeze, "what do you think of my fortress?" Elle looked around her and resisted the use the word, 'cliche' knowing it wouldn't obtain a happy response, she in turn settled for asking her own question.
"What do you want with me?" At this Sinister grinned his hand trailing lightly over the metal lab table.
"Your quite the curious one aren't you?" He asked before picking up what appeared to be a green amulet, "How unfortunate it is though that I can not tell you in full detail, due to the little fact that a certain treacherous servant went behind my back." In Sinister's hand appeared a blue capsule much similar to the ones she had taken earlier.
"Sadly I must now wait a time before inhancing your body," Elle felt a cold shiver run up her spine, "but I will assure you, you are the cause for change Isabella, and you will be the first stone laid." Elle growled and tugged against her bonds only receiving a low powered shock in return.
"Now, now Bella, I wouldn't do that if I were you," behind him appeared two of his mutant servants, a body supported in between them, "Cause if you fight it won't hurt you but instead," the mask was pulled back and Elle yelled in rage, "Skye Masterian."
Elle felt tears pull at her eyes at the tattered appearance of her best friend. His face was bloodied and cut, his left eye swollen. His clothes were singed in places and his left ankle seemed slightly disfigured.
"Now Elle I must know do I have your cooperation or no?" A sudden growl came from the still figure as he raised his head, his hazel eyes filled with livid rage.
"Don't even think it Elle." Was his curt reply before Ruckus's hand came down and hit the boy in the face, causing his body to slump once more. Elle's body began thrashing against her bonds causing hazardous amounts of electricity to be shot through her body, Suddenly though the pain numbed and she watched in grave horror as the device around Skye's neck powered and shot a crackling volt of electricity through him.
"Fine." Elle whispered, tears trailing down her cheeks, "Let him go and I'll do whatever you say. Just please don't hurt him." Sinister's grin grew as he raised his hand ceasing the current running through the boys body.
"Deal." Was the reply Sinister gave as he turned towards the men motioning for him to take Skye away.
"Wait!" Elle yelped, Sinister stopped and watched her through red eyes, "please just allow one moment between us, please." Sinister's head nodded swiftly once as the mutants throw Skye down before the girl and left. Sinister walked away a few steps before leaving through the door and slamming it behind him. The cuffs soon came off of Skye's wrist revealing the raw and torn skin underneath.
"Oh Skye," Elle whispered kneeling next to him allowing her fingers to travel over his face. His hand suddenly shot up and caught her own gently before his eyes suddenly raised towards her.
"What's wrong with you?" He attempted at yelling but only succeeded in a hoarse whisper, "If I died it doesn't matter but if you-"
"If I what?" Was her strong reply, "Skye it doesn't matter if I cooperate or not, I can't change what their going to do to me, but if you get loose there's hope for both of us." His eyebrows raised at her before he pulled her into a tight embrace, not wanting to let go.
"Elle, I've screwed up enough, I'm not going to let it happen again. I. Won't. Leave." Elle's finger's reach up and caught a lock of his dark hair, twisting it on her finger she locked their gazes.
"You've got to get out of here, find Rouge and the others-" She was cut off though when Skye's voice chimed back.
"Others?" A small grin came onto Elle's face, even though it was pained.
"My family." Skye's eyebrows lifted upward a look of incredulous disbelief written on his features.
"But I thought-"
"So did I, I was wrong," Her finger's traveled down the side of his face, she willed her healing powers to work and fix his scarred skin but to no avail, the power negators were just to powerful. "I have my memories back, my parents, my family, they all loved me. They never abandoned me, It was all a scheme to get me away from them." His eyes were filled with unknown emotions as he watched her.
"Look its a long story, but now I need you to promise, no swear to me you will get out of here and find them." Skye shook his head in defiance but got a firm shake in return.
"I can hold up in here, you won't make it another day." She gestured toward his open wounds, "Go, I've got a plan but I need you to get out of here first." Skye paused for a moment before opening his mouth.
"I swear I will but you can't give in, got it?" Elle smiled truly for the first time in a year.
"Got it." He suddenly became silent. Knowing what he had to finish with he started to respond when Elle's finger's came up over his lips.
"Lie down, play unconscious." Sensing her urgency he complied, but still opted to tell her he left Gabriela for her. "After this is all done I hope I can come to befriend Gabriela, I can't seem to give you up."
"But Elle-" Suddenly her hand smacked down over her lips, as her sobs became loud and heart wrenching. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her but knew he could not.
"Ah I see you have said your farewells?" Sinister's thick voice leaked.
"Yes," Was Elle's sorrow soaked reply as she stood, straitening her shoulders she looked at him head on. "What next?" His grin could practically be heard dancing in his voice.
"Good girl your learning," Sinister's hands snapped together and Skye felt his body being drug up suddenly and being pulled away. "Take him towards the cliff and leave him." A low chuckle was exchanged between the two mutants making Skye want to jump up and tackle them.
As Skye was drug from the room, Elle slowly suppressed her fake sobs and looked at Sinister, ready to face head on whatever he had in store for her.
Mon Dieu, she thought frantically, please help him get out of here in one piece, for both our sakes.
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Elle felt herself being thrown again into her cell, but instead of colliding with the floor she collided with another body. Groaning she pulled the bandanna from her face and took in the dark face of Forrest.
"Got caught?" Was Elle's sullen reply.
"Shut it girl," He barked his hand coming up over his face, his blue and black hair sticking in all directions. His goth clothes were torn in places revealing a thin lean body underneath.
"So do you want to tell me the truth now or later?" Elle's voice was strong, yet gentle making the boy moan in reply.
"Don't see no point in telling, seeing as I'l be dead within the week." Elle wanted to smack the self loathing boy, but resisted the urge by reaching out and touching his fingers.
"I wouldn't be so sure," his eyes looked up and a bit of light glimmered in them as she withdrew half of the capsules he'd given her from her pockets.
"Your clever," He commented watching as she stowed them safety back in her tattered jeans, "So what's this grand ole plan of yours?" Elle cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Hey us prisoners gotta stick together you know?" Forrest reach out his hand and Elle grabbed his shaking it hard.
"Name's Forrest," He flipped his black hair back from his face, "got a sister Serene who'll be joinin us in a moment."
"Elle, or Isabella," She replied calmly her finger's releasing themselves from his strong grip, "A sister?"
"Twin ta be exact, wasn't too keen on lettin me sit and rot in a prison cell by myself." His sad grin grew, as he pushed a stray lock of hair from Elle's face, "You've got one yourself don't you?" Elle curtly nodded her head.
"Ole Sinister isn't too good about keepin secrets," he said his eyes focused off in the distance, "That's the only reason we got any hope of making it out of 'ere."
"Tell me," he looked at the girl confused, "Tell me everything you know about the Gemini project." His face darkened but he nodded in agreement none the less. The sound of scrapping metal sounded making both close their mouths quickly.
"We'll finish this when Serene gets 'ere she know more than Ay do." The door to their cell suddenly opened and a girl with blonde and bubble gum pink hair was shoved inside.
"Hey! careful with the merchandise love," Elle felt her heart sink, she had prep and idiot written across her forehead, "I mean like Oh my gawd could you be any meaner?" The man looked at her in disgust and disappeared around a corner.
"How'd it go?" Forrest ventured, the girl turned and the incompetent idiot look dissipated from her face and was replaced by one of intelligence.
"Better than could have been expected," She walked over towards the two and shoved her brother aside taking a seat right next to Elle.
"Name's Serene, but you can call me Chaos, fit's me better." Elle laughed and gave her greetings in return.
"Isabella eh? Real pretty name, fits you." Stretching the girls hand reach out and smacked her brother across the face, getting a small laugh from Elle in return. "So what do you want to know?"
"Why are you two here? You both seem to want out pretty bad." Serene sighed and laid her head in her hand and cocked her head slightly towards the side.
"We were born to one of Sinister's ole lackeys, and he forced us ta stay, he said he'd kill our father if we ever said anything." She tapped her fingers against each of her opposing palms,"so we got stuck 'ere, and now we don't even know where out father is."
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have allowed for you to help me." was Elle's reply, which in return she received two unforgettable laughs.
"Oh don't be gal, dad would be proud of us," Forrest said. "He never liked ole Sinister anywho."
"Yep, he'd be doin the happy dance right about now," Serene wipped a tear from laughing away from her eyes, "Now tell me what do you need ta know? And what do we need ta do?"
Elle smiled deviously, she wasn't as helpless as she looked. "What can you tell me about the Gemini project?"
Serene's eyes glossed over slightly as if though her mind had entered a dormant stage. "There's a lot Ay can tell you, but there's only a bit that will be of any use ta you." Elle nodded her head signaling for the girl to continue on.
"Well see project Gemini was started oh say bout twenty two years ago, before the Apocalypse fiasco even occurred." Serene ran a finger over her thin pink lips her mind caught up in memories, "Sinister got some research on some new born mutants and found some type of advanced gene in their systems dormant. He spent a good six years working on a way to enhance it, once he thought he had completed the serum he tested it. They were advanced beyond their imaginations in power, but both subjects died a week later, the gene hadn't been progressed far enough ta hold up ta such violent chemical changes."
After this her voice slowly faded as was picked up by Forrest, his deep voice rumbling in his chest, "After that ole Sinister went lookin for more subjects but couldn't find any, so he went searching through some scientist lab and found blood work on two new born mutants that had that replica gene," Forrest stopped suddenly but Serene didn't miss a beat and picked up where he had left off.
"But their gene was also much stronger, due to their mix in bloodline. See their father had the potential ta be a walkin nuclear power plant with his bio kinetic ability ta charge items, and their mum could literally drain the life from someone with a touch of her hand. So with such strong genes combining there was bound ta be a new mutation occur, and when it did Sinister was on it in the flash of an eye."
"Those children were me and my sister," Elle barely whispered, things piecing themselves together in front of her. Serene nodded sharply before gesturing to see if Elle wanted her to continue. Elle nodded her head slowly not sure how much more of the information she could take. So Sinister had gotten into Beast's medical records that's how he found us....
"He planned ta kidnap the children...errr I mean you guys, but not before messing with one of you guys minds, your sister's I'm guessing," Elle looked up suddenly very interested and enraged at the acts of the scientist against her sister.
"He implanted the spirit of a long dead mutant into the hostess body of a woman here at the lab, Turn-Table, and connected her physical with your sister. The woman she can control the ability of shadow and it has been eating away at her for most of her life, its slowly killing her. Once her body goes the possessor will need a new host which is where you sister comes in," Forrest grunted as he let his head fall forward in exhaustion, "She has the potential to become an Omega level mutant with her combination of powers-"
"So wait your telling me that all those times my sister lost control of her powers it wasn't her fault?" Elle asked almost speechless, Serene shook her head declining the claim.
"Not quite it's more complicated than that, true the entity bond might of had some cause and effect, but Bella you have to understand your sister's powers are limitless, that is until her life force is used up." Elle's eyes widened, her whole body starting to shake. "You have to understand your sister's energy isn't just limitless she has to have time to allow for her body to recover and with this entity that has been eating away at her for twelve years now; and though she might not now signs of aging they will become prominent soon unless the seal on the bond is broken."
"So all the times she was sick for no reason, for all the sudden outburst?" Elle's voice was dead as Serene nodded her head and offered out a comforting hand. Elle opted to take it but settled for twirling her hair around her finger, a bad habit she had when she was nervous.
"But why, why would he do that?" Her hair was quickly becoming knotted and Serene had to force her hand down before she tore her hair away.
"Because your sister has the ability to block telepathy and mind control, how do you think she kept you hidden for so long? But, with a separate entity inside he has full control, plus it would broaden his horizons on extending her power. Elle the thing is this entity makes our local haunting, Malice look like a cake walk, this woman was one of the original first born mutants, she lived for centuries."
Serene felt herself shudder, "But She was killed as a witch in the Salem witch trials and with a couple hundred years of brooding she's ready to tear humanity and mutants alike that stand in her path apart, and shes willing to use any host she can get her hands on." By this time Elle was shaking with emotions, rage and frustration all rolled into one. "So with her inside your sister's already broken mind their won't be a fight." Elle sat silent for a moment before venturing another question.
"S-so we can't let this entity enter my sister or-" Serene gripped Elle's hand as Forrest finished for her.
"The world has a one way ticket ta hell, and if your sister gets possessed she will have ta be killed." At this Elle tightened her fist and swung at the boy, barely missing him by inches as he rolled out of the way.
"You low life piece of trash this is my sister!" Tears of annoyance and confusion were streaming down her cheeks but began to slow as Serene pulled her back down towards the ground and ran a finger under her eyes wiping the tears.
"So we won't it happen." Serene stated calmly, her bubble gum pink hair contrasting so bad with her level headed personality.
"W-what about me? What does he have planned for me?" At this Forrest's voice came it, no real emotion could be heard as he spoke.
"You came with the ability to heal others as well as yourself that alone can be a dangerous weapon itself if mutated right, and the transporting is just an added bonus." Forrest rubbed the base of his neck his eyes refusing to make contact with Elle's. "If sinister can single out that gene that you carry that heals, he can create an army that no one can harm or stop, and with you and your sister at his sides he would be indestructible."
Elle fell backwards against the wall and rubbed her temples understanding the severity of the situation. Serene stretched her legs out, trying to relieve them of their cramping.
"How do I stop it?" Forrest and Serene looked at one another then towards Elle.
"You fight."
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Skye felt a sudden change in motion when the two mutant up and chunked him over the low lying cliff. Opening his eyes he felt panic rise in his chest, beneath him was nothing but a pool of deep dead water.
Holding his breath he tried to straiten his position but with little effect. His body hit with a hard splash and everything went black, but before everything faded he felt something tight wrap around his body and begin to pull.
"Ha bet that girlys gonna have a fit when she finds out." Ruckus stated running a hand through his oily hair.
"Nah boss will have her so drugged she won't know the difference between white and black." Blockbuster piped in return.
Their dark laughs echoed out into the night, signaling the first signs of change.
Author's Note: I know short chapter, but I'm in a hurry to get this one out so please forgive its crappy quality the next one should be up tomorrow, my schedules lightening up.
Children of Dawn- (Personal Creation) A cut branch of the F.O.H. that wants an all out war between Humans and Mutants to prove whos the better species, led by a descendant of the F.O.H. (More information on this group with come in future chapters, please review!) Also I need suggestions on secondary couples seeing the main ones consist of Romy, Jonda, and Roeir (Rouge/Keir)