Memories
Flying on the Moon
Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men or any of their characters. Tora and Weapon X-ii are my own though.
The first real idea any of them had was when the klaxon sounded. Kurt had been sent down to the hanger, only to report that Xixy's ship had left. Rogue had run in three minutes later to announce Tora was nowhere to be seen. This caused uproar, made worse by Lilandra relaying Tora's conversation with her to the X-Men. Logan went crazy and started yelling at Jean while Charles called Mr Fantastic and begged the use of one of his shuttles. The shuttle arrived in under ten minutes, by which point Logan had threatened to behead Jean three times and do nasty things to other people eight times. It was only when they were on the shuttle that they realized Xixy had disappeared.
"Some worshipper of the Dragon."
They sat in silence, waiting for Jean to explain herself. No explanation was forthcoming so they gave up. She was fiddling with one of the ties on her belt, head down. Then she looked up, her eyes burning.
"Tora's afraid."
"What?"
"I can feel her fear. It's like a part of me. Her emotions. Not her thoughts. Just emotions."
"You mean…?"
"I think we have gained an empathic link. Which means I'll know if…"
No one needed the sentence finished. The prospect was almost unthinkable. Going, but knowing they still might not be fast enough. The moment they touched down they charged out. And froze. Tora was surrounded by the entire Imperial Guard, her head bowed and her lips moving slightly.
"Take aim!"
They saw her blink and a trail slide down her face.
"Fire!"
"X-Men! Attack!"
The red beam of light hit Gladiator squarely in the chest as Phoenix burned brightly. Tora turned.
"YOU IDIOTS!"
Her claws chikted out and slid to her throat. Nightcrawler teleported down and caught her arm. She threw him off but the delay had allowed Logan to tackle her to the ground.
"DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME AGAIN!"
She snarled and tried to kick him off. Angel slammed into a flyer as Colossus chucked an opponent into the air. Cyclops managed to do an almost impressive growl as he ran past her.
"You are on triple training for a month Tora, if we get back alive."
She snarled, a much more impressive sound than Scott's rather feeble attempt.
"I had everything under control."
"You were going ta DIE Tora!
"And the world will live. End of."
He snarled and rammed his claws into the ground, pinning her arms down.
"I should be there, helping the others. But ya'd do something stupid and I'd be lost. Again."
He looked up and saw Beast leaping across rubble, Northstar outracing another speedster, Gambit charging what looked like a bottle of water, until he threw it and it exploded, suggesting he'd been brewing ethanol again. They were falling back. Colossus was crushed under some sort of size-changer. Cyclops was being forced into a corner. Nightcrawler was surrounded. Then a sound reminiscent of the X-Wings in Star Wars sounded.
A series of rock-like ships, each glowing a different colour zoomed overhead. Lasers fired and the Guard pulled back. Then the orange one that had been at the tip of the V formation landed and Xixy marched out, wearing black armour that seemed to be a solidified form of his goo. He marched forward, displaying impeccable strategy and tactics. He was obviously a solider and a good leader. Then Jean marched over to Tora and pulled her up after Logan got off her.
"YOU IDIOT!"
Tora didn't say anything.
"I didn't help you just to have you sacrifice yourself! The Shi'ar will kill your family as well Tora!"
"Shut up."
The anger of both women radiated and rebounded across their newly forged empathic link. Then Jean screamed as the laser, misfired by a Shi'ar Guardman, bore into her back. Tora ran towards her, not noticing the water spilling around her claws.
"JEAN!"
She checked her pulse and snarled.
"Wake up you idiot!"
Then she froze. In her mind, a voice was speaking.
I heal all. Let me heal her.
How?
Like this.
And suddenly the dam burst and the power swirled into her mind. She instinctively siphoned it into her claws, which glowed with the energy being run through them. Then the water burst from the tips, pushing the other X-Men back. The K'Meer warriors bowed their heads (gloopy front bits?). The water spun round her, enveloping Tora in the water and almost obscuring her from view. And a dragon roared to the sky. The leonine head threw back, the bat-like wings uncurled. And in the centre of this wild tsunami, Tora leant over Jean and carefully picked her up. She seemed oblivious to what was happening around her. Then the wings flapped three times and she hovered, not with the grace of Jean, but still impressive for someone with no gift in flying so far. Then she shot upwards, creating a cloud around her. The X-Men could only watch and hope. And then the Phoenix firebird burned brightly in the centre of the cloud and Jean descended. Cyclops grabbed her into an embrace as soon as she landed. The cloud above was thickening, become a dark rain cloud. It seemed to be forming a dragon shape as well. And then a figure almost floated downwards. Almost because it wasn't graceful enough to be called floating. She couldn't control her speed and crashed down hard. She straightened and looked at her gloves. No longer was she wearing orange and black. Instead she wore a deep aqua blue uniform with silver gloves and boots. She almost looked like Phoenix. Then she raised her head and the single piece of proof she had once been Tigress glinted in the light. A blue mask, framed with a silver headdress. Down the nose and round the eyes, then back down the jawbone to the sides of her mouth, pinning her hair back as it did so.
"Logan?"
No one dared speak. The first time Jean had changed had been frightening but also wonderful. This was just terrifying. Her gifts had changed so completely, so utterly, it was a wonder there was anything left of the old Tigress. She made as if to move towards them. Cyclops moved between Jean and Tora. Logan made as if to step forward but Gambit put a warning hand on his arm. Then Xixy walked up to her. And bowed.
"My Lady."
"Quit the 'My Lady' stuff Xixy. Just get us home."
At this piece of typical Tora mentality, the others laughed warily. The Imperial Guard had been pretty much subdued and Xixy waved a hand, ordering his men (globs?) to stop killing people.
"We go home!"
"Not yet, Lord Prince."
If goo could go pale, then Xixy did. His normally bright neon orange turned to washed out yellow.
"F-Father…"
"I thought you were tired of fighting?"
"I was saving the Dragon."
"Bring it to us. Bring our god home."
"I'd rather go to my home thank you very much."
Xixy frowned and waved the X-Men towards the FF ship that looked a little worse for wear.
"I shall follow when I have dealt with the tedious paperwork."
Death snorted.
"That sounds almost like the Tribunal."
"Oh yes. He told me I was 'too random' and I needed to submit reports more often. I submit a report every fortnight. At least, I used to. I haven't got anything to do. What am I supposed to say? I spent all my time daydreaming?"
"Bureaucrats."
"I hate bureaucracies. Do you know I once had eighteen forms to fill in to explain why I needed exemption from the SHRA? It would have been easier to join the underground Avengers."