Here is the second part to Arachnophobia, concluding the events of the story….well, at least for now. I think that this chapter will open up some interesting doors for the series of stories I have planned.
Arachnophobia
Jean felt like she was floating, her head all fuzzy with cotton like thoughts bouncing around in her head. It was actually very comfortable and relaxing, she almost wished that she could stay in the soft world forever. Jean had never felt happier in such a state of mind; well, except for when….
She squeezed her eyes. Wait, where was Scott? She needed him, need his touch and his kiss. She wanted to hear the sweet words he only spoke to her.
Where was he?
Her whole world then shook abruptly. "Hey, sleepy head, time to wake up." The voice was far away but it was getting closer. "Come on, partner. Open them little peepers, yo."
She frowned lightly and cracked her eyes open, the bright light above her shinning down through the cracks of her eyelashes. She slowly opened her eyes, so her eye could adjust to the light that the overhead lights were giving. Something was stuck to the side of her neck and she could feel it pulling at the small hairs on her neck, her arms too heavy to reach up to it.
She grunted as she tried to sit up but a gentle hand rested on her forearm and she was surprised when she saw the green skin pigment.
"Hey, hey, you gotta take it easy for a while, yo. You haven't got my pain tolerance yet." The voice said again, Jean looking over and surprised to see Todd standing by her. "Morning, red mistress."
"Hey, Todd." Her voice was weak but she could still speak at least. "How long you been here?"
"Oh, I just got here." Todd said, gesturing to the bandages on his face and other parts of his body. "I was bit beat up myself, ya know, yo."
His face was swollen on the left side and little bandages held together the long gash that the claws had managed to cut on him. He was dressed in hospital pants and bare-chested because of the small bandages that covered his torso and back, his left hand holding an ice pack to his ribs.
Todd was littered with bruises and little nicks, his knuckles pretty badly torn up from the punching and she suspected that his shins were excessively bruised. She watched as he carefully pulled a chair over and sat gently and slowly down, sighing as he relaxed into the chair.
"How did you guys cure the poison?" She managed to get out and Todd sighed.
"We dragged the spider-boy back here and Hank managed to suck a cure from him." Todd said as he picked at some of the bandage on his chest. "You were lucky; his venom has to be one of the deadliest poisons around, yo."
"He's still here?" Jean asked in a panic and Todd waved her down.
"Logan's got him in one of the interrogation rooms, yo." He assured her, Jean calming down a bit. "Anyway, I severely doubt that is going to be coming after you anytime soon."
Smiling, she couldn't help but doubt the words he spoke. She was still shaken from the near death experience that she had suffered at the hands of their attacker and the fact that he had poisoned her…
She shuddered at the thought that without Todd's quick thinking and tenacity she would have died extremely painfully, his powerful fighting skills what they needed against that monster. She gave him an extremely shy look and bit her lips, feeling ashamed about the Danger Room incident and what she had said about him.
"But Logan, he cut though those simulators like paper." Jean protested. "I just felt that he would….need a better challenge."
"He was out of control, we needed to do something." Jean defended herself.
"Thanks, Todd." She said suddenly, Todd looking at her in confusion. "For watching out for me and taking care of me, thank you."
"Eh, no worries, Jeanie. We're a team, what else was I goanna do, yo?" He asked with a chuckle as he went back to tending with his icepack.
She watched as he gently rubbed the frozen package over his stomach and on his lower back, her green eyes leaving his nearly equally green body. Jean had never felt so low in her life; she had deliberately used the Danger Room's probe to find his greatest weakness and he saved her using the same skills that she was afraid of.
Jean didn't understand why he was so willing to risk his life and limb for her. Could he have really adjusted to being an X-Men that quickly or was he just doing this as a farce? He had been the longest running member of the Brotherhood and he then just upped and decided to join the X-Men, but why?
The question was something that really challenged the basis of all her beliefs because he just seemed to be so much more than what he appeared as.
"Todd, I…" He looked up at her curiously and they both jumped when the door slid open.
"Greenie!" Todd suddenly look terrified when he saw the very annoyed face of Tabitha glaring at him. "Why is it you always get your ass kicked?"
"Excuse me? I whopped his ass, yo." Todd defended, the explosive mutant giving him a testy look.
"Oh really?" She then rested a finger on Todd's chest and he began to squirm under the contact. "I think this count's as an ass-whooping."
"It's a flesh wound?" Todd tried hopefully, withering under her look. "It's my strength of character that holds...me...I'm just gonna give up."
As she watched the two of them descent into a childish game, Jean noticed how the blonde's finger rested more gently on his chest and how he seemed to lean closer to her. They were close, these two, but how close she couldn't tell and she was glad that they were like this.
Todd gently lifted her hand from his chest as he continued to reassure his friend and she held his hand, not wanting to believe him for a moment. They took a moment to stare at each other before breaking up in laughter, which even reached Jean and made her smile.
"Anyway, you look like you're able to stand and get around, Greenie." Tabby said pulling his hand till Todd stood up while nodding. "Come and get some lunch with me, kay?"
"I might as well, yo. I'm starving." Todd said as he stood up, glancing at Jean. "Do you want something?"
"No, I'm fine. Thank you though." And then Jean was left to her own thoughts, her questions growing and deepening.
As they rode up in the elevator, Tabby could see that his tough persona was weakening slightly as he grimaced and pressed the ice pack to his ribs a little heavier. She bit her lip and brushed his hair aside, laughing lightly at him when he gave her a questioning look.
"You're hairs almost longer than mine, Greenie." Tabby teased, Todd shrugging and she rolled her eyes. "We're goanna have to get that fixed at some point."
"Yeah, be nice to have short hair again, yo." He mused, lifting the icepack to look at the black and purple bruises.
"You need to take better care of yourself." Todd was surprised by how serious she sounded and he nodded.
"I know but I had to do this to save Jean. I wouldn't be much of a teammate if I didn't watch out for my partner, yo." He replied as he brushed some of the water off gingerly.
Tabby smiled and as Todd looked up at her, she kissed his cheek. She laughed at the startled look on his face and patted a spot on his arm that didn't have bruises.
"You know, I wonder who's more of the good guy sometimes, you or Summers." Tabby teased, earning a laugh from Todd.
"Maybe I'm just good at faking it, yo." Todd suggested as they left the elevator.
"Being a hero or a villain?"
"You decide, Booms." Todd said with a wink.
Katana calmly strode down the hallway in her white robes and opened a large metal door and sat at a round table. There were five chairs around the table but only four were filled. She nodded to Creation, whose look of confliction worried her and then she turned to the last two members of the gather group.
"Arachnar lost, sir. He was bested by a teenager and the X-Men are now holding him." Katana report solemnly, her hood hanging low over her face.
"Really? This is interesting news. Do we know how it went?" A large figure asked, leaning forward in a chair.
"From my analysis of the area, the young man and Arachnar engaged in a physical fight. In my personal opinion, it would seem that this teenager possesses superhuman strength of considerable force and he is either a martial artist of considerable talent or he has had an enormous amount of experience in brawling." Katana reported, her posture and attitude almost robotic. "Seeing as Archanar was the fourth member of this group and one of the best at close quarter combat, I believe that this teenager could be of interest to us."
"What do we know is being done with him?" A feminine voice asked, a long black claw trailing on the table.
"I can only guess that he is being interrogated, probably by the infamous Wolverine or Xavier, and then he will be handed off to SHIELD." Katana said, her index finger toying with the dragon design on her swords guard. "That is their standard operating procedure from what I understand."
"Are we going to stick to our standard operating procedure?" Creation asked, his tone thick and harsh as he glared at the empty seat.
The silence was long and lengthy, one that was not expected. They had a strict protocol to follow, one that was clear as the difference between every single person in the room was.
"Yes…"
"Fine." Creation said as he stood, gazing at Katana with an immense amount of anger. "Then you see to it."
The Japanese swordswoman bowed her head solemnly. "As you wish, Creation." She said and paused by the door, to give him a pitying look. "I will make it swift."
"A human spider?" Tabby asked in disbelief. "Oh come on, Greenie, I know you're jerking my chain on this one."
"I'm serious, the guy's got like four extra limbs coming out of his back, yo!"
Tabby giggled as Todd went on to further describe the mutant he had been fighting at the mill. They were sitting at the small table off to the side in the kitchen, Todd gingerly eating a sandwich while Tabitha chewed on some apple. Everyone else was either elsewhere or at school at the moment, leaving them there to chat amongst themselves.
"Yeah, not to mention he had a dozen or so pupils in each frigging eye, so he could watch my every move…" Todd grumbled before trailing off as he put his sandwich down.
What that guy, Archnar, had said to him during the fight, it really worried him deep down. It could mean something more or it could be the end of what ever he was talking about, but those words had really ripped into him and it sent chills down his spine.
"X-Men?" The man said with a pause and Todd looked up in time to see a table thrown at him. "Weee, don'tttt givee a fuck abooout theemmm. We caammme for youuu."
Why had they come after him though? Was it because of him trashing that robot a few weeks ago or was it because of something else? Being a lackey of Magneto had exactly made him the most well liked person of all time, although he couldn't see why a mutant would avenge mutant haters.
What angle had he been trying to play? Todd shook his head; Xavier, he would talk to him and he would give him the best advice for the situation.
"Hey, wake up in there, greenie." Tabby teased with nudge, twirling a golden ball in her fingers. "Unless you want a different kind of wake up?"
"No thanks, I've had enough rough and tumble for one day, yo." Todd said as he leaned back. "I could go for a nice bath though."
"Hmm, you know, baths are great but when shared…." Todd tried to keep his eyes from popping out while he stared at her as Tabby spoke, trying to get his brain to work out some witty response.
"Um…sounds nice…." He managed out, his index finger digging its nail into his palm.
Man, he was lame…
Arachnar wheezed weakly as he sat handcuffed to the table, his body twitching as though he had been stepped on by a giant.
That kid, that Toad, had done a serious number to him; his ribs were fractured in several places, two of his legs were out of commission, his right knee had dislocated, his face was severely swollen on his right side, he had a major concussion, four fingers had been dislocated and the ligaments in his neck had been over strained from too many kicks to the head.
It was really only due to his superhuman strength and his amazing resilience that he had to even come out of the fight this well. It was laudable to call his condition well, but then again he was more than aware that he could have died and at least he was alive. So he could heal and get stronger, possibly even fight that punk again.
Arachnar leaned his head back with a sigh, his body tightening with pain as though it was trying to tell him that train of thought was….well, stupid.
Toad; that young man had been incredible, with such sharpened combat skills and a prowess in the arts that he doubt would ever wane, and he would grow with time as well. And what more, he was so young! Only eighteen or seventeen years old the broken fighter would have guessed and he was so talented in fighting already. Preston could only imagine how strong the kid would be in ten years, or even twenty.
His damage pupils sagged closed, his whole body sagging down as he thought about his own future. It was doubtful that he would see another day past this one, given the protocol that his team would follow. And honestly, thinking about it, he was glad they would honor the Code that they had all taken up.
The door opened and the burly Canadian legend known as Wolverine entered in, Arachnar straitening up as much as he could in his position of health. He had failed the mission and he had been captured, he knew the consequences.
And out of respect for his team, he would give the X-Men nothing.
Jean watched as the sliding glass doors opened and smiled weakly as Todd walked in, taking his place in the chair by her bed. He eased down into the seat but she could see that he wasn't carrying around an ice pack anymore.
She figured that he would be much better after being up for a few hours, the swelling going down as he kept moving and making his blood flow, and...she had to talk to him. Jean didn't want to talk to him about this but she knew that it was the right thing to do and that it was something she had to do. If she didn't talk to him, then this whole issue would just swallow her, drowning her in her regret.
"So, Hank said you wanted to talk to me, yo." Todd said as he shifted in his seat until he was slouching down and he propped one of his heel onto his other knee. "What wrong, Red Mistress?"
"I have something to tell you, but it's not something I'm proud of..." She said hesitantly, playing with the edge of her blanket while Todd raised a brow.
"What's with you, Jean?" Todd asked in confusion, elaborating after a shrug. "You never act this weird, yo. You always so direct with everything else."
The red headed psychic bit her lip and looked down at her sheet with a long sigh, the silence stretching out longer than it should have been. "I'm sorry, Todd." She said, her voice extremely soft.
"What?" Todd's voice, and his mind, was laced with confusion. "What the hell do you have to be-"
"I was the one who probed your mind with the danger room and I'm the one who made you fight your friend." Jean's blunt confession stopped Todd cold in the middle of his sentence. "I….I was being selfish and stupid and…."
Jean looked up at Todd and she felt that she had just taken a sledgehammer to his bruises, the young man's amber eyes wide as he stared at her in disbelief. His jaw was tightening slowly and she could see the tendons and veins in his neck, his knuckles unable to pop due to the swelling in his hand muscles. His eyes dropped down and he then stood up jerkily, walking out of the med lab.
"Todd, wait!" Jean tried to call, but her voice was horse and raspy.
But Todd still heard her. "No, fuck you, Jeanne. I'm not gonna sit here and listen to you as you try to apologize for bringing a friend of mine back from the dead to beat my ass cause you were being thick headed, yo. That kind of bullshit don't get forgiven so easily." Todd said harshly, Jean surprised and torn when she saw tears at the edges of his eyes. "You had no right to abuse my memories like that! You have no idea what….that pain…you just wouldn't know."
Todd tried to find the words to continue and Jean tried to find the words to apologize but neither one of them could, so Todd left room and Jean fell to tears. Left alone again, she had no one to blame but herself and the one person who could forgive her wasn't about to anytime soon.
Arachnar breathed heavily as he felt the wandering mind of Xavier in his head, able to feel the defenses that had been so carefully constructed in his mind come under attack. The spider mutant was no psychic but his people had access to various kinds of people, people who could work together to make intricate defenses that would be impossible even for Xavier to break.
They shook, they bent and they may have wavered ever so slightly, but they never broke. This was evident by the controlled look of frustration on the older man's face and because every attempt was like a throbbing headache.
But the arachnid fighter could take it.
Because he knew was coming.
The wheelchair confined man sighed and leaned away from Preston, the broken man sighing as the pain was alleviated. His breathing began to return to normal, though he still gulped air because of his other injuries, so he was able to catch the look between Xavier and the Wolverine.
"I'm afraid I'm unable to look further into his mind without shattering his consciousness." Xavier said regretfully, Wolverine grunting as though it were the least of his concerns. "We'll turn him over to SHIELD and request that they keep us informed on what they find."
Arachnar sighed deeply, his body relaxing at those words and he seemed to sag down in the chair. To those that didn't what he was thinking, it looked like a sign of defeat or resentment.
It was almost time…
Tabby was surprised to see Todd sitting by the pool, especially since he said he had to go down and see Jean Gray only a few minutes ago. But there the green teenager was, his pants rolled up so his legs could dangle in the water and his boy was hunched forward with his elbows on his knees.
And she had no idea why, but something didn't feel right with him.
So she walked over to her friend and stopped short so she could kick her flipflops off, sitting beside him shortly afterwards. She was glad that she was wearing shorts today because she was able to slide her legs right into the water without any concern of her clothes getting wet. She swung them in the water and enjoyed the cool water for a moment before she decided to look at Todd.
And she could see, from the red eyes and the remnants of tears lining his face that he wasn't alright. "Todd, what's wrong?"
"Nothing really….just that Jean being her normal bitch self." Todd said hoarsely, his eyes not meeting hers but looking at her reflection in the water.
Tabby frowned, confused by his words but didn't press the matter and just sat beside him. She noticed that his hand were resting over each other at the wrists and his wounded hands were clenched tightly into fists that must have been painful. The swelling around his knuckles were almost purple and the raw skin looked like it was ready to start bleeping again.
Licking her lips, she slowly reached across so he could see her moving and slipped her hand over his left hand. She could see the tension leave him a little bit as she scooted closer and placed his hand over her legs. She then cupped some water from the pool, pouring it over his hand to try and relax the muscles. He watched her carefully and intently, almost waiting for her to be cruel.
Much to her credit, Tabby maintained her focus on his hand and refused to flinch. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Toad was silent for some uncomfortable beats and just when Tabby was about to leave…. "I don't really know where to start, Tabs…."
"I don't mind, sweetie." She said patiently and gently, looking at him with a small smile. "Just wanna know what's gotten you so wound up…"
"….you know I grew on the streets, right?" Todd said softly, almost hesitantly. "I mean, I was in the orphanage and foster system, yo, but you know I ditched that, right?"
"Mm, you mentioned it back at the Hood house a few times…." Tabby said in recollection, thinking back to the few times that Todd actually talked about his past.
The green mutant was one of the most intensely guarded people about his past and he often shied away from discussions of his time before coming to Bayville. It was like he had closed that door and he never intended to open it again; it was bolted and nailed shut so he would never have to look back at the past, probably for a very good reason.
But here he was, peeking under the door and glancing back at what happened….
"Well, there was this kid, Darius. He took me under his wing, yo. Like the big brother I never had and showed me the ropes, teaching me how to survive when no one cared about us." He slowly explained, his red eyes leaking out a few more tears and he grinned at her goofily. "He's the reason I can fight, I can run….that I know how to live in the grime and survive, yo…"
Tabby said nothing, just nodded and her face made a small smile as her friend spoke. He sounded like he had been happy with other man, probably the first person to ever show him some degree of family affection.
"When he died…protecting me and these others….I, uh, I ended up running, yo. I ran so far and I ran into Mystique and Magneto, next thing I know, yo…." He stopped, shutting his eyes as he took several long breaths to calm himself down, Tabby's heart sinking as he had spoken and she gently rubbed her fingertips against his palm. "I thought I was getting past it and that things were getting better….until today…."
"What? What happened?" Tabby asked in concern, resting her closest hand on his back. "Was it because of Jean being attacked?"
The amphibious mutant then tensed throughout his body, undoing all the good work that she had done for him. "No, that wasn't what got me…so angry, yo…"
"Then what…"
"Jean…read my mind and…she…she used my memories of Darius against me…" Todd said thickly, the explosive mutant's breathing catching in her throat as she saw her friend's pain twisting on his face. "She…made me fight him, yo."
Tabby wished that now she had something to say as she saw the distress and pain in Todd's face. Not wanting to let him continue any further, the blonde scooted closer to her friend and slid her hand up to the back of his neck. As Todd looked at her, Tabby shushed him gently as she pulled him into a comforting hug and soon his body was trembling with sobs.
Moving the broken body of Aranchar was easier than expected, the two sturdy agents of SHEILD that had been sent to collect him effortlessly lifting him off the ground. The four men had been surprised to see such an infamous suspect in such an abused state and were even further shocked to find that a student had inflicted this level of damage to their prisoner. Preston's body was in too much visible agony to move on its own, evident when lift his hands so they could apply their handcuffs to him and his multiple attempts to stand up.
Even so, they took their precautions. The two large men held him under the arms and by the belt of his pants, while the other two agents followed behind him with their sidearms at the ready.
Arachnar himself didn't have the energy to struggle, let alone make an attempt at escaping. He was resigned to what was coming, seeing no reason to not let the agents drag him outside. Because as they approached the van, the young man was aware that he wasn't going to live much longer.
And he knew that Katana was already there, glancing over his shoulder as the agents paused and one followed his gaze curiously.
Standing on the edge of the balcony was the white robed figure that had killed Stephen Marrs, long black hair fluttering out from the darkness of the hood. And in one hand was the sword she had used to killed the mutant hater, the black scabbard a more purple color in the sunlight.
The SHIELD operative tensed and Arachnar released a sigh of relief. "Aaaat lasssst….."
"What the f–" That was all that the agent managed to say before the fire roared around the spider mutant.
Blazing heat and raw orange and white flame scorched the air around him, the agents of SHIELD blasted back from the force of the fires. Arachnar fell to his feet, his knees buckling until one gave out and he hissed as his crunched on the tarmac.
One of the agents landed near him, his face burned, most of his hair gone and heat was steaming off of his body as he lay there. Arachnar chuckled ruefully as he straightened up as best one could on a single knee and look at Katana.
She had managed to close the space in the time of her attack; the purple handle of her sword was all that he was able to make out and her robes fluttered in the wind like the sails on a boat. As he looked up at her face, he smiled at her regretful face as she gazed down at him with her glowing eyes; they were a vibrant red that faded into a strange royal purple, showing her affinity for fire.
Katana's eyes flickered for a moment and she suddenly spun around, dropping down to a crouch while thrusting her sword backwards. Arachnar grunted as the blade ripped through his abdomen and sagged forward despite his protests, Katana looking at him sympathetically.
"Forgive me, Preston…" She said softly, the spider mutant nodding heavily.
"I already havvve, Saaori…." He said, using her real name and this brought a smile to her face.
"I have to ask; who did this to you, my friend?" Her tone was questioning, concerned about who might have been able to beat one of their team.
"His name isss Todd….Todd Tolansssky…." Arachanar said with some difficulty. "Katana…he hasss sssuch promissse….sssuch a fine honed ssskill of combat…"
The robed woman looked at her dying companion in surprise; the spider mutant never spoke flatteringly of anyone he fought before. Preston was immensely proud of his fighting skills and judge those that he fought very critically, especially those that he had to fight to a draw.
"It'ss true, I think even you and Ssspartacuss would ssstruggle with him…" He said warningly, Katana unsettle by this declaration. The spider mutant then looked past his teammate and smiled weakly. "There….that's him over there…"
Katana's gaze snapped to where Preston was looking, spotting the two young mutant's standing there. Ignoring the blonde girl, Saori focused on the green skinned mutant.
He didn't loook like he was that much at first, a thin teenager in bandages and bruise that he sported from his fight with Preston. His long hair was a mop-like mess at best, his tattered and soaked jeans having seen better days and better owners, the injuries he carried visibly affected him and he looked too stunned at the sight before him to have the stones for a mortal fight.
The sword fight failed to see how this boy could be a….
But then she saw him. Not just looked at him and acknowledged his presence, but actually looked at him and took him in. She saw his lean figure was built for power as much as speed, he carried his injuries as though he was used to being injured when he entered into conflict, his gaze held hers in equal understanding that this situation was not concerning of him yet he still disagreed and his face held a defiance and a passion that she hadn't seen since….
"Go….you mussst be the oneee that tessstsss him…." Preston weakly hissed, Katana narrowing her gaze as she nodded.
Pulling her sword free, the robed woman spun and stood in one fluid motion with her sword sweeping around in an arc. She stopped once she was on her feet again, the head of Preston Gallagher, the mutant known as Arachnar, rolled to the floor as she sheathed her sword.
Todd yelled wordlessly, Katana crouching down and shooting towards him with her sword at her side at the ready. With her white robes swooping around her and the fires glowing, she looked like the Angel of Death descending upon the green man that brutalized her comrade and the blonde woman beside him.
She had to do what Preston asked her.
She had to test him to see if this strength that he had was what they had been hoping for.
Todd shot forward, the sword fighter disappointed that he would be so obvious in his approach to dealing with her and she nearly sighed when he crouched down to leap into the air. Katana brought he sword forward to draw, hoping her attack would teach him a lesson in combat.
But he didn't jump. Instead, he shot forward on the ground and rolled mid-leap, his heel sweeping down in what would have been a painful axe kick to her head. Katana brought her sword around, parrying his kick off to the side.
Her face flickered in a smile. At least this would be interesting.
She listened to the young man grunt as he landed on his forearm, watching him sweep his body around and then close the short distance between them. His punches were just as well coordinated as his kicks, batting away a jab aimed at her temple and an uppercut to her diaphragm with her scabbard. His foot suddenly snapped up to her face with speed she couldn't have predicted, rolling under his kick gracefully.
As she straightened up, Katana thrust the blunt end of her scabbard into the young man's stomach and the person known as Todd grunted painfully as the tip caught the edge of his ribs. He launched another kick at her side, Katana grabbing the other end of her scabbard and punched him in the mid-thigh with her hand that held the hilt. The blow didn't stop his leg entirely, Katana guessing that he had superhuman strength in his legs by the way she still moved on the spot but he was still affected by the punch.
Trying to take advantage of the position she was in, this Todd went for an elbow to her face that he ducked under and blinked when he kicked his leg between her arms. Her eyes widened when he hooked his leg around her arm, his arm moving to elbow her other hand that held his sword and she realized he was to disarm her. She also sensed the blonde girl behind her, catching a glimpse of a glowing golden sphere.
In a fluid motion, Katana unsheathed her sword in a sweeping overhead arc and swept her scabbard in low but fast circle. Her scabbed sweep pulled her arm free and also took out the young man's standing leg, while her overhead slice caught a golden sphere as it was launched at her and the edge of her sword flared a glowing orange color and a wave of fire encompassed the small orb.
Todd landed in a heap with a pained sound and the explosion that the orb released was pushed away from Katana because of the force of the fire she released, causing the blonde to dive for safety. Seeing that others were coming to their aide, the robed swordfighter realized she had to wrap things up soon.
She then stabbed her sword in the ground, a circle of flames entrapping the three mutants inside. Todd was on his feet as she removed her sword, the green mutant looking tentatively at the wall of fire while the blonde remained on the ground but edged away from the flames.
Katana then attacked.
Her sword shrilled through the air as he cut at Todd, the young man side stepping the attack with moderate skill. It was clear he was a talented unarmed fighter and by the dodge he just used, he had been shown the appropriate defenses to take when confronted with a sword.
But his hesitancy with dodge told her a very crucial piece of information; he'd never used these defenses in reality.
This was why she was able to do what she did next; when Katana cut across at his head and he instinctively ducked, she immediately snapped her wrist in a ninety degree angle and the razor edge sliced down into Todd as her eyes blazed. The sword ripped through his shoulder and over his chest, eliciting a snarl of pain from the young man.
But he surprised her again; as she cut down into him, he kicked at her at the time and his front kick only just grazed her stomach as he fell back on the floor. The robed woman stared at the young man, silently reveling in what she had just witnessed.
Preston was right but had been too praising of his defeater. This young man had promise but he was still raw, still unrefined and still in need of training. There was the potential for him to grow into something more, something that she had always hope for.
She glanced back at the young blonde, who was having trouble standing and breathing, and then back to the young man she had been fighting, seeing it was the same for him. It wasn't that surprising; this circle of flame was eating all of the oxygen in the air and now they were beginning to feel the suffocating side effects as the carbon dioxide filled the area.
Katana was unaffected only because of her mutation.
She suddenly cut in the air, her sword glowing an electric red color and a hole in the fabric in dimensions opened for her. The robed woman glanced back at the young man named Todd, narrowing her eyes as she studied him.
"Get stronger, young man." She all but ordered him, the green teenager blinking in confusion. "We'll be back and if you survive what comes next, you might see me again…."
And she then stepped through the tear, the fires pulled towards it and then seared the opening shut.
Todd was up before the light and colors began spilling onto the dark sky, no deep sleep to stir from this time. The birds weren't awake this time, the young man awake because he wasn't able to get into a deep sleep.
As he slowly sat up, he ran his fingers down the scabbing wound that the woman in the robes had given him. He knew that it wasn't luck that had saved him, it had been her decision to show him that she could have easily taken his arm off and that she didn't because she didn't want to.
Well, didn't want to at that point in time.
It had been several weeks since he fought Arachnar and then had his ass handed to him by the woman in robes, which tossed him right back into the med-bay. It had only really been a few days ago that he had been released from the medical ward and allowed to go back to his room, the amphibious mutant glad to get away from Jean.
The psychic had tried to speak with him a few times but he just rolled over and thought of the blankest thoughts that he could muster. Eventually she gave up and let him rest in peace, but she look mournful and pained every time that he saw her.
Well, fuck her. It served her right for poking around his head like that.
Climbing out of bed gingerly as he realized that he wasn't going to go back to sleep, he slowly walked to the bathroom and haphazardly grabbed a towel from the back of a chair. As he silently walked down the dark hallways of the X-Mansion, he sighed in discontentment.
He knew that his lack of sleep was because of two things. The first was the fact that he felt that the mistrust he had of the residents in the mansion before was now even worse, especially after what Jean pulled. He was even aware that the main team of X-Geeks felt that she was justified in her actions. He felt his jaw tighten in irritation but let his mind continue to his other and slightly more pressing worry.
The woman had told him that "we will be back". That scared Todd to his bones as it meant that there was more to this team than what he had initially seen. It was unnerving to him to say the least that the recent events could all be linked together. The android that attack him and Scott and then two vicious mutant fighters come for him, him specifically.
He gulped as he entered the bathroom, unsettled by what it all could mean.
He hoped that things wouldn't be that bad for him and those in the mansion, despite this dark feeling that told him that something worse was coming.
The End / Le Fin / L'Estremita / El Extremo / Das Ende
So that's the whole story, nothing more nothing less. Kind of a weird way to be leaving this story but I'm actually happy with it. I give enough happy endings that I wanted to leave this with a slightly more ambiguous setting.
Besides, I have some more stories that will pick up from where this one left off and those are going to be…well, interesting seems the be the best word for it. And for now, this is where this story will end.
Anyways, please review and tell me what you think about this fic.