Memories

Midnight Chats

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men or any of their characters. Tora and Weapon X-ii are my own though.

Tora felt guilty on skipping her own pre-wedding party but once again, she was being crowded and spoken to far too loudly for her sensitive ears. She was beginning to regret even telling anybody. After her disappearing act on the shopping trip, her clothes had been bought for her and she now had to stay in the room with her washing else it would mysteriously disappear to the same place as the papers. And this morning, on entering her room after a training session she'd found all her usual clothes gone. Jean had magicked then away and put the clothes bought on the trip in her drawers. Fortunately she'd been expecting something like that and Etana had the clothes she'd need in her attic. She'd also taken the case with the clothes Tora actually wanted to wear to her house in Japan already and so Jean had been able to pack other clothes. That case would also be taken but not opened.

But she had put her foot down on going out for the night. So all the X-Men had been ejected from the mansion for Logan's bachelor party that she knew was touring every bar in New York and she'd been descended on. So when Etana suggested a combat workout to get the frustration out she'd agreed.

The two woman now stood at opposite ends of a bridge over a huge chasm. Etana pulled out a katana and threw it across the bridge so Tora could catch it. She weighed it in her hand and smiled. Her opponent drew her favourite sword and smiled at Tora.

"No powers?"

"Fine."

The two women both moved at exactly the same time, swords clashing in the centre of the bridge. Etana's grin became a grimace.

"You're good."

"Trained from childhood."

The two women danced around one another, each blow being parried by the other. One whose talent had been honed over the centuries to make her a superb combatant, the other whose talent had been implanted as a child. Both two of the best traditional katana fighters in the world. Almost perfectly matched. But not quite. Tora feinted then brought her sword round in a blow that stopped just where Etana's neck had been. Only to feel cold steel pressed on her own neck.

"You 'ported."

"Of course. Rule Number One."

"Which is?"

"Always, always cheat."

"Fine."

Tora dropped her sword and in one smooth movement cut through the ropes of the bridge and dug her claws into the wood. She heard Etana fall then the steady wing-beats. She kept forgetting that just because she could teleport, it didn't mean those night wings were useless. Apparently it took her centuries to realise she could 'port so she flew everywhere. Hands caught around her waist and she was flown to the top of the chasm.

"Good. You almost had me."

"End program."

The chasm, ruined bridge and echoing walls faded away.

"I have to say, you should definitely fight more often with a sword. Even if your skill was implanted, you still have the natural talent."

"Thanks Etana. You're better than anyone I ever fought."

The two women walked out of the Danger Room and past the main party.

"I can't think of it as mine. It's more Jean's engagement party."

"I have to say, I expected Scott to propose before that."

"I think Logan giving him four Canadian beers in advance shocked him into proposing."

"My adoptive son is more trouble than he's worth."

"That conversation we had at your flat…It got me thinking."

"About?"

"Our line of work. It's not the safest. So I've left instructions and directions to Weapon X. It's enough to blow everything out of the water. Proof. Photos. And video footage. Of my…my childhood. If shown, it will destroy everything they worked for. People will be prepared to turn a blind eye to adults. They get called volunteers. But a child?"

"Why not reveal it straight away?"

"Because with my scars I won't hide, I'm easily recognizable. And I don't want pity. Only Logan can guess what they did to me. It's better to let people make their own conclusions. It can't be any worse than what I had done to me."

"What did they do to you?"

Tora stopped on the steps out to the grounds. Etana could see the pain contorting her face.

"It hurt…"

"Tora…?"

"It hurt and they wouldn't stop. They beat me. They cut me. Blasted me with radiation. Gave me drugs. Burned me. Hurt me."

"What did they do to you?"

Tears were now running down her ruined face.

"One day a guard beat me. He beat me and wouldn't stop. Then he…he…"

"He?"

"I now know what he was going to do. At the time I didn't understand…"

"Tora?"

"He was going to hurt me. Then the Professor came. Screamed at him. Told him I shouldn't be touched like that. They were saving me see. Saving me for Weapon X."

She was shaking now, trapped in her memories, unable to escape from them.

"Tora, I'm sorry. Don't say-"

"And he told the guard to go and when he was running away the Professor shot him. I saw a man murdered. I was…I was five years old."

She was crying properly now, tears streaming out of her eyes. Wordlessly, Etana held her close as the five-year-old girl finally was able to cry out the pain she had suffered. Finally Tora pulled away and ran into the darkness. She needed time alone. Fear and a feeling that she was just playing out the life that had been planned for her were playing on all her doubts about the next day. A scent caused her to stop and look around in shock.

"Mystique?"

"Tigress."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm coming to warn you."

"Warn me about what Mystique?"

"Logan. He burns child, he burns those he cares for."

"I'm not afraid of fire."

"You should be child. You shall be."

"Shut up Mystique! Give me one reason not to call the others?"

"Because they're all passed out or too drunk to notice."

"Not all of us Raven!"

Mystique whipped round to see Etana perched on a branch.

"YOU!"

"Yes Raven."

"But…But."

"You never thought that I would survive your double-cross. Why else did your son survive?"

"You…you…"

The hate in both women's voices was obvious.

"Er…"

"I'll tell you later Tora."

"Tell her? Will you tell her everything? About how you warned me away from your grandfather? Or about how you stole my son?"

"You threw your infant son into the river."

"Or about how you told my husband resulting in his death?"

"I did not kill him Raven. You did that yourself."

"Or how you tried to kill me when I was with Azazel?"

"You know I wouldn't try and kill you. It was him I swore to kill. I swore it on my uncle's graves and on the memory of my mother. He killed his own daughter Raven! Why do you think you meant anything to him?"

Suddenly Mystique lashed out, hitting Etana with a branch.

"You act so superior. You're just a bitter old woman."

"Coming from you Raven, that doesn't mean much."

She was moving faster than the blue shapeshifter, striking with wings as well as fists.

"You left me to die. You told the people I was the demon that cursed you. You said I was a witch who pretended to be an angel to cure you of your childlessness. And you were going to kill your son because he destroyed the life you had built for yourself. I'm the best Raven, but even the best can't fight off a mob when holding a baby."

Suddenly she backed off.

"Run little shifter. Run before I lose control."

Mystique didn't need any more invitation. It was obvious who would have won that fight. Shapeshifting was no match for someone who could fly then drop you. And Etana had much more experience. She was crouching on the ground, struggling not to go charging after Mystique.

"What was that about?"

"Raven and I have a past together. She had an affair with Azazel and I attempted to stop it. She had a son and in labour revealed herself as a mutant. I rescued her son but she called me a demon that had enchanted her and I was forced to flee with the child. I gave him to a family but the mob caught up with me. Almost beat me to death. I was able to teleport but my wings were broken. Since then it has hurt for me to fly."

Tora remembered the pained look Etana had had when she'd been forced to fly over a mile. It was a miracle her wings had reset. She managed to get back up.

"And she toyed with Logan for years. That's the real reason I hate her. But she can't know about that."

"Etana, can I talk to you? In private?"

She reached out a hand and Tora grasped it to reappear in Etana's room. She looked round. No one really came up here. After all, the only entrance was a trapdoor which had now got a cabinet over the top of it. That and the open window. The room was very simple and looked as though it was only used for sleeping in. Meaning Etana spent the time alone doing whatever it was she did. For some reason there had been lots of confessions in New York recently. She denied all knowledge.

"Etana, I'm worried about…"

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Do you-?"

"I'm not exactly an expert on marriage."

"It's not the marriage. It's…after…"

She blushed.

"Tora, I'm not the person to ask about that."

"But you're three thousand…"

"Yes and I was raised in a time I could have been stoned to death for having a physical relationship."

"But…"

"And while it was common for us to marry young, no one would marry me. I was the angel-girl. Then I stopped aging and the thought of taking husband after husband depressed me."

"But now…"

"And I don't enter relationships for a single night because firstly, I'm not that sort of person, secondly, I've lasted over three thousand years so why start now and finally, I am about the most Orthodox Jew you will ever find."

"When you put it like that…"

Etana smiled slightly.

"In fact, you could probably find out more from the women downstairs."

"Please don't send me back. Charles almost started therapy sessions after the shopping trip."

Etana's slight smile grew even wider.

"I am really looking forward to having you as a 'daughter'-in-law."

"I'm not certain I can think of you as a mother-in-law."

"Naomi and Ruth got on well enough."

"I… Why do you keep doing that?"

"What?"

"Making allusions to Biblical times and name-dropping."

"Ruth was before my time."

"By how long?"

"Enough."

"But I'm still worried about tomorrow."

"Tora. Look at me. Don't. Worry. At. All."

"But…"

"Look, I don't know if this will make you feel better, but you won't be Logan's first."

"I know that. He told me shortly after we first started going out."

"So trust Logan if you don't trust me."

"I trust you Etana. I…I'm just scared, that's all."

"Aren't we all? Logan wanted to talk to me this morning about exactly this."

"You mean…?"

"He's just as scared as you are."

"But…"

Etana's silver eyes sparkled.

"Do you think he'd forgive you if you decided to back out now?"

"Good point."

"So do you want to get a coffee or something?"

"Are you a telepath Etana? I may need decaff because I'll be awake most of tonight anyway."

"Come on Tora. I have to say, my life improved when coffee became common."

"You're as bad as I am."

"No. I'm addicted to caffeine. You just like the stuff."

"I go shaky if I don't have any."

"It's all in your head."

"Everyone says that."

"You have a healing factor. Logan can give up beer and cigars any time he wants. He isn't addicted."

"He attacked Scott when he removed the beer."

"But that's because he's Scott."

"I don't remember her leaving the party."

"Jean, were you actually paying any attention to her?"

"Er…Not really…"

"See."