Sorry for the long wait; it has been absolute chaos with school and preparing for college, and all that jazz. Anyway, here's the long awaited new chapter of Spirit's Life. Thanks for all those who favorited, reviewed, etc. You guys rock! :)
This chapter is an alternate version of what happened after my last chapter; I didn't really care how that one turned out. I feel this one tugs on heartstrings a little bit more. ;) Tell me which one you think is better in a review or PM, I honestly don't care which. Feedback would be nice though. Thanks!
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It took me awhile to get myself back under control, even longer for my mind to stop pounding and the cuts on my body to slowly seal shut. Logan held me the entire time, running a soothing hand down my back. My sobs finally peppered off and I just shook in his arms, eyes tightly closed. There was a faint whirling sound, and I knew that the Professor was coming closer.
"Spirit?" he asked gently. "Are you alright?"
That awful raging heat started to heat up at my core again, and I took hold of it with a snarl, shoving it into the coldest place of my heart. Logan stiffened at the snarl that I'd given before he relaxed when I opened my eyes. I heard someone gulp, but I didn't give it much heed. I looked at the Professor, still clinging to Logan for all I was worth.
"I see," the Professor said, tentatively reaching a hand out. I shied away from it, and the Professor's face fell slightly before he placed his hand back on the armrest of his wheelchair. "I'm sorry, Spirit. Truly, I am. I wish I'd known-"
"You know nothing," I said flatly. There wasn't any malice in my tone; there didn't have to be. "Please. Just leave be."
"If that's what you want," he said, backing his wheelchair up. I closed my eyes again, resting my head against Logan's chest.
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I must have fallen asleep because the next time I opened my eyes, I was in a bedroom. I shot upright with a panicked gasp, trying to pry myself from the sheets. Once I finally managed to untangle my legs, I flipped out of the bed, landing on my bed with a thud. I stayed there for a few moments, catching my breath and letting the breeze from the open window cool the hot sweat on my skin. Rising on shaky legs, I started towards the mirror. I was still in my black uniform that I'd "died" in. My hair was still annoyingly long, and I made a quiet resolution to myself to cut it as soon as I was able. The diamond necklace that the Professor had given me was still around my neck. I fingered the smooth jewel as I raised my eyes to meet them in the mirror. Something else caught my attention first, and I took the note that was taped on the edge of the mirror. I read it quietly, chewing on my lower lip. The penmanship was smooth and flowing; it had to be the Professor's. It read: Spirit, I'm sorry to leave you like this, but we have a lock on Jean. Logan, Storm, and I are going to go and try to bring her back home. Again, I'm sorry, and I hope that we can talk once we return. Professor Xavier. I nodded slightly to myself, but I couldn't help but to worry. I didn't trust Phoenix, and I didn't know how they were going to help Jean, but I'd support them all the way. As long as I was kept as far away from Phoenix as possible. I shook my head to clear my thoughts before looking up to meet my eyes in the mirror. And jumped back out of fright.
My eyes were no longer just an icy blue. A ring of black was stamped in the middle of them, giving me an almost demon-like appearance. A hand went to my mouth in shock, and I quickly turned away from the mirror. I took a few shaky breaths before moving towards the bathroom, steeling myself. I wasn't going to let some black ring destroy me; Phoenix was already doing a pretty good job of doing that by herself.
Once in the bathroom, I rummaged around the drawers until I found a pair of scissors. I looked at myself in the mirror once more before giving a brittle smile. If Phoenix was going to try to change me, so be it. I'd change myself first before I'd let anyone else do it for me.
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A few hours later, I stepped out from the bathroom a new woman/shapeshifter/wolf. I'd taken a shower, and I had taken care of my obnoxiously long hair. Now, it went to just above my shoulders, now wavier than ever since it had been shortened. I felt better, too. I didn't feel as dirty and put down as I had been. I had put on my black suit- thankfully there was a spare in one of the drawers- and the diamond necklace back around my neck before heading out of my room to take care of my growling stomach. I kept to my human form, thankful that there weren't many students in the hallways; I guess most of the students had left or been taken out of the mansion when it had been attacked last year by those men. I sighed quietly to myself at the memories, turning into the kitchen. Thankfully, like the hallways, the kitchen was empty. It didn't take me long to make myself a bowl of cereal and stand by the window seat. As I ate, I watched the sunlight and the students that sat outside to study and socialize. I saw a few faces that I recognized, including Rogue and Bobby. I smiled slightly when I saw them, but I didn't want to intrude. They had to know that I was alive, at least, but I was different now. I had this rage inside of me that I had no idea how to handle. I'd already hurt the blue man down in the labs, and I had come close to hurting the Professor. I flinched inwardly when I remembered how awfully I'd treated him when he'd tried to comfort me and apologize for keeping me in a psychic hold. When I saw him again, I planned on having a nice, long talk with him. Who knew, perhaps I'd even be able to help them find a way to bring Jean back and suppress Phoenix again. I absently rubbed my chest where the rage simmered in the cold place where I'd shoved it earlier. That rage scared me.
I sighed to myself, setting my bowl down in the sink and heading outside. I didn't go where the others were, I wasn't ready for that yet. Instead, I managed to find my way to a balcony, and I stood out on it with my hands resting on the railing. The heat felt amazing against my skin, and I hummed in delight, eyes closed as I felt the sun for the first time in a year. I stayed there for a long time, enjoying the moment. Things seemed to be looking up.
The sound of a jet engine caught my attention, and I opened my eyes to see the X-Jet coming in for landing. It swooped low over my head to land in the hanger under the basketball course. I stayed where I was outside, needing just a few more moments of peace and quiet. Unfortunately, nothing ever stayed that way at the mansion, and my moment was shattered when a wailing cry came from on the other side of the mansion where the jet had landed.
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Phoenix had killed him.
She'd taken over Jean and had killed the man that had become a father to me, disintegrating him into tiny little pieces.
Magneto had taken Jean afterwards; apparently, the Brotherhood had been there to try and get Jean on their side. Nasty thoughts of Phoenix killing all of them hardened my heart, and I tried desperately to rid myself of them, despite how satisfying it felt to do so.
The Professor was gone.
I had to keep repeating those words to myself to make them real. I'd just gotten back from the dead, so why couldn't the Professor? He was a lot stronger than I was, and more worthy of life. I was the one who had crippled Jean that night at Alkali Lake, the one who had helped destroy the X-Men as I stayed with Jean when we'd been crushed under the waves. I was the one who had nearly killed the Professor when some part of Phoenix took over my emotions. I was the one who deserved to die. Not the man who took in those who didn't have a home, who didn't have anyone. Not the man who loved me even when I'd nearly destroyed everything he loved. Not the Professor.
The day of his funeral, I sat up on the edge of the balcony in the form of a red-tailed hawk. I didn't want to face my friends, see the hurt in their eyes. I only watched as Storm spoke about the Professor and as Rogue got up from her seat to place a white rose on his tombstone. Footsteps sounded from behind me, and I knew from the faint smell of cigar smoke that it was Logan. I didn't turn my head to look at him, only opened my wings and jumped down from the banister.
"Sprite!" Logan called after me, but I ignored him. I swooped down low to the ground, over the heads of the students mourning the loss of the Professor. I flared out my wings as I neared his tombstone, releasing my talons from around my prize, leaving it next to Rogue's rose. Once that was done, I gave one powerful stroke of my wings and headed towards the forest, giving a piercing, sorrowful cry. The diamond necklace that I'd left behind shimmered like the tears I had yet to shed.
As I tried to outfly my grief and rage, I made a vow.
I would kill Phoenix.
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Sorry that it's not my longest chapter, but at least it's something. ;) Reviews are greatly appreciated and they give me motivation *cough cough* hint hint. Have a great day, you guys!
ML out