Memories
Acceptance
Disclaimer: I don't own the X-Men or any of their characters. Tora and Weapon X-ii are my own though.
Tora sat fiddling with the ties on her new belt whilst blanking Scott's lecture on 'Safety, Teamwork and your disrespect for it'. She seemed confused. Hank had ruled out concussion, but there was something not quite right about her. Jean diagnosed extreme power surge, which apparently caused extreme confusion, especially when accessed for the first time. Something about the brain trying to realize it had almost unlimited power at it's hands and therefore set to work sorting out what needed in terms of barriers and limits. Tora's entire mind was focussing on sorting out the knowledge and power into categories of 'Use', 'Emergency Only' and 'Do Not Under Any Circumstances Use This Power'. At least that's what Jean went through. Tora's headings were probably closer to 'Bad Idea'. 'Really Bad Idea' and 'ARE YOU CRAZY! UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU EVEN BE LOOKING IN THIS DIRECTION!' She apperently had a major freak out when she realized she was flying, hence the impressive crash-landing. Logan moved over to her and caught her hands. She turned to look at him and smiled sadly.
"Sorry."
"For what darling?"
"For this. All this."
The now silver eye covers looked at him.
"I didn't mean for this to happen."
He sighed. She was feeling guilty. Why did she have to feel guilty?
"It's not your fault darlin'"
She smiled sadly.
"I let it in. I shouldn't have."
"You were saving our lives at the time."
"And I risked them today. What if I couldn't heal Jean? Not that I did heal her."
"It sure looked like you did."
"I simply let it take control."
"Let it take control?"
"It's like when you just let go of rational thought and let your instinct take over. Only it's not my instinct."
"If you two lovebirds want to listen up, we're landing."
Both turned their heads at the same moment.
"SHUT UP BOBBY!"
Death sighed happily.
"So I'm not the only one who finds him intolerable?"
"Most people find him irritating and immature."
"Good. I may have created a private Hell for him though."
"Really? Normally he was creating them for other people. OK, I'm being cruel to him but it's still true."
As soon as they touched down, Tora disappeared. Logan tried to follow her but Jean held him back.
"She needs time alone. Needs to work out boundaries with Dragon and whether to accept the power as hers or give it back. Look, it's like trying to work out a very complicated bathroom rota."
"Bathroom rota?"
"It's not easy to make a good comparison. Look, she just needs time alone."
Logan nodded. He could follow her scent trail anyway. And what bothered him more was a student running out moaning about Jamie screaming. Knowing his luck, he'd need changing. And it was a lot worse with a highly developed sense of smell. Then he started crying again and making nuzzling noises, which meant he wanted Tora. Logan decided that she had enough time to 'work out the bathroom rota' and went off after her.
He padded through the woods and found her, sitting cross-legged, claws out, water running in spirals around them.
"Am I doing the right thing? Should I stay as Tigress? Or accept Dragon? Send me the answer. Please Father, send me the answer."
Wolverine stepped forward and she turned.
"Hello Logan. Is he hungry?"
"Yeah."
She took Jamie off him and sighed.
"I think we should go in. No need to traumatise spying students. Not to mention I need to find out where the zip on this ridiculous get-up is."
Logan snorted.
"I like it."
"You would. Do you know how tight this is?"
"Darling, I can see it all."
She snarled.
"Be glad I'm holding Jamie. Otherwise you may have just lost some teeth. And if you can see it, so can everyone else."
"I've changed my mind. Go back to your old uniform."
She laughed.
"I'm not sure. I may keep this one. Only once I've altered it of course."
"I'll help."
"Help how?"
"Help take it off?"
"Logan, will you ever learn."
Death snorted.
"He asked for protection when he first turned up. Something about keeping in one piece for Tora."
"Did you have any trouble with other people?"
"Well Sabretooth took the opportunity to have fights where neither could kill the other."
"They did that anyway."
"Well more so."
"Look, you've flown once already."
"That wasn't me!"
"It sure looked like you Tora."
"I don't like flying."
"You seem fine on the Blackbird."
"That's because science dictates it can be held up."
"You are impossible. Look, you flew, you can do it again."
"I can't fly Jean!"
"Yes you can you idiot!"
"You're resorting to cheap insults in the vague hope I will be annoyed enough to start flying. It won't work Jean."
"That's it."
And Jean grabbed Tora's arms and telekinetically dragged them both up.
"I am going to drop you. And I'm not going to catch you. You may not be injured much but the people under you will be."
"Jean…"
"Bye!"
And Tora fell. Jean blanked out the torrent of French insults and hovered, watching as Tora gained velocity. A single sentence floated up to her ears.
"I HATE YOOOOUUUUUUU!"
Tora didn't show any signs of slowing. Then, just as Jean prepared to grab her telekinetically, something seemed to click and waves swirled around the falling woman. The descent slowed and she touched the ground with the slightest of bumps. Then, before Jean could get down to congratulate her, Tora had marched off into the mansion, shields up full strength to prevent Jean even sensing her. Scowling, Jean contacted the Professor.
I think I may have overstepped a mark Charles.
Jean, readings show it wasn't Tora flying. It seems she is incapable of non-powered flight. Instead, something caught her. Something with readings I've only seen when Dark Phoenix manifested.
WHAT!
I'm not saying it's bad Jean. I'm simply saying something powerful stopped Tora from having a serious injury.
This is bad Charles. I'm coming to see you. Now.
Death glanced at her companion.
"Were you responsible for that?"
"No. She was."
"I hate you taking in riddles."
"I knew someone who talked in riddles about the future all the time. It's a tribute to her that I do the same about the past."