Thank you to all of those who have reviewed, favorited, etc. :) Special thanks to those who reviewed, as they are the best! Hehe! Anyway, please R&R, and I hope that this next chapter of Spirit's Life gets you on the edge of your seats. And to my reviewers:
HextheDaydreamer: I hope so, too. Spirit isn't all that happy with me about it; she's been a bit quiet as of late, so I guess that's her way of going on strike.
Tiryn: I'm glad that I can make Phoenix extra scary. Wasn't really trying to make her scary, so the fact that I did kind of creeps me out; it really makes me question my sanity . . .
BrySt1: Your review really made my day, so thanks so much! Hope that you continue to enjoy this story. :)
Disclaimer: I only own Spirit and other OC characters
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I managed to settle down after a while; Logan had stayed with me until I had stopped shaking and crying. I still felt on edge, and every little noise scared me. I kept thinking that Phoenix was going to make good on her promise and come back for me. I prayed to the moon goddess that she never would.
Once I had managed to get myself back under my own control, the Professor informed the others that he'd managed to find Jean; apparently, she was heading back to the place where she had grown up. I wanted to go with them, to take down Phoenix before she hurt someone else, but everyone was quick to shoot me down.
"We don't know what being close to Jean will do to you, Spirit," the Professor told me kindly, if not firmly. "And considering how your brain and body acted when both of you were together, I do not think it wise to try it again."
"How act?" I asked, still leaning against the wall where Logan had left me; he'd gone to get things ready for their departure. I was frustrated with how my grammar had deteriorated, yet I was too tired to really give a care.
"Your brain went into overdrive, and your brainwaves pretty much went dead after awhile. Then, your body started having convulsions, like you were seizing, probably because-"
"Stop," I interrupted. "No like psycho bird chatter."
The Professor chuckled. "Alright then," he said. "In either case, you reacted badly to both being close and being separated from Jean."
"Not Jean," I murmured under my breath. "Phoenix."
The Professor's eyes hardened. "Jean is still in there," he said firmly. "We can still help her."
I didn't have the heart to tell him that Jean was gone, and all that was left was the Phoenix.
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Logan, Storm, and the Professor left a few minutes later, leaving me behind with the blue mutant I had attacked, who's name was Hank. Apparently, he was involved with medicine and in politics, whatever that meant.
I managed to convince Hank that I needed to walk around, and he reluctantly let me out of the destroyed medical facility. It was funny though, for as soon as he opened the door, I had shifted into my wolf form and started to bolt. He'd given a noise that sounded like a rabbit being strangled as I raced passed him; turns out the Professor had neglected to mention that I was a shapeshifter to the poor man.
I sped down the hallway as quickly as I could, nails clicking on the floor. I felt stronger than I had in ages, and my muscles rippled under my fur as I ran. At least I could thank Phoenix for restoring my original health to me; being in the lab prior to my time in limbo had completely destroyed my body, leaving me ragged and mangy. But now, my fur was sleek and thick, my muscles strong and full of power. I slid into the elevator, twisting around on my hind legs to slam my front paws into the button, growling in triumph when I managed to pull off the move.
As soon as the elevator opened, I darted out, nearly running into another mutant. I tucked my hind legs under me, sliding to a stop as I scrabbled for traction on the waxed floors. Despite my efforts, however, I slam into the young man's leg.
"Watch it, mutt!" he snapped in a strange sounding voice, like his words were off or something. It sounded funny. But it wasn't funny when he aimed a kick at my ribs. I snarled at him, baring white fangs as I dodged the kick, snapping at his foot as it brushed against my side. He cursed at me and almost kicked me again, but I shifted into a sabertooth tiger, yowling fiercely. The boy's eyes got wide and his foot lowered to the ground. "Sorry," he murmured before hurrying off.
I growled towards his retreating form before shifting back into my wolf form, making my way- much slower this time- through the mansion hallways that I had missed so much.
The blood and glass that had splattered the walls and floor the night of the attack had been cleaned, not that that was much of a surprise; I'd been gone for awhile now. Flashes of that night filled my vision, and I sat down to process it. There were flashes of blood and gore, of screams and shouts. I shook my head to dislodge that horrid night, standing back up and starting to walk again.
"Wolf!"
I froze, hackles rising as I snarled a warning, turning towards the voice. The little girl that I had taken care of so long ago froze as I did, grey eyes wide.
"Wolf?" Heather asked, her voice almost a whimper. Immediately, I whined, ears pinning back and tail tucking itself tightly between my legs.
"Sorry, Heather," I said, coming up to her and touching my nose to her hand. She smiled and plopped down on the ground in front of me.
"It's alright," she said, stroking my ears. I groaned happily and slid onto the ground so that I was laying down; I hadn't been touched since before I'd been taken to Alkali Lake with the children. She ran her fingers through my fur, and I dozed, feeling at peace. Heather giggled and I just enjoyed the moment being touched.
I wish I'd been able to feel that peace forever. Or at least long enough to get over the fact that I'd technically been dead for almost a year, held hostage by Jean's alter ego, and shoved back into my roll as experimental animal. I was ready to forget.
A haunted scream came from further down the hallway, followed by a mournful wailing.
Reality sucked.
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They said that Phoenix killed him. That she had disintegrated him into thousands of little pieces. Then, Jean had gone with Magento.
I was going to kill Phoenix.
The funeral was held a few days later. I sat off to the side in my wolf form, tail curled around my feet and fur gleaming with health; it felt like an insult to the man that had rescued me from so much. Storm spoke about the Professor's passion for teaching and how he loved his students more than anything; I tried not to pay too much attention to it. It just hurt too much.
A young girl took a white rose to rest against the Professor's tomb. There were so many tears, so much sorrow and sadness. As the funeral came to an end, and the students began to walk away, I raised my muzzle towards the skies. And I howled.
The students came to a standstill, their eyes on the grounds, yet their ears were cocked towards me. I sang out my sorrow and grief, letting the song travel to the Professor's spirit within the eternal hunting grounds.
Watch out for him, Goddess, I thought as I howled my song. Let us find him again one day.
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I know that this isn't the greatest chapter, but I was just trying to get something up for you guys so you wouldn't think that I was abandoning y'all. ;) Hopefully I'll be able to pump out these chapters a little faster now, but I won't make any false promises. So, please R&R! Thanks!
ML