Memories

Forebode

Disclaimer: What do you think?

If you want to use Tora, or any of my other characters, PM me.

Curt grinned as Cat came into his room.

"CAT!"

"My name is Jeanne."

"You can talk!"

"Not before. Now I can. Now I'm pretty much a separate being, although strictly speaking I am a part of your mother and she is a part of me."

"Is she spying on me?"

"No. At the moment she's sleeping. She drew on too much power making me 'perfect'. In fact…" The cat closed her golden eyes. "She's curled up on the bed, dreaming about a Library that is a Labyrinth."

"What?"

"It's a Dragon thing."

"What is the Dragon?"

Jeanne curled up on his lap.

"Stroke me behind the ears and I'll tell you. Bear in mind, it's a long story."

"We have time."

"Right. Now, don't interrupt."

"OK."

"Once upon a time, when the universe began, there were two sisters…"

"Jeanne was a part of her yet separate. Why?"

"Well, you can talk to a cat. You can't talk to a sword."

"Well you can, but you look an idiot."

"And Jeanne could talk back."

"What happened to her?"

"She was set free."

Jeanne had soon been petted by every student in the school. She seemed to enjoy it and ended up being widely accepted. Probably the fact she used a toilet rather than a litter box was what persuaded Scott to allow her to stay. Tora was still sleeping, still allowing her body to adjust. She wouldn't wake for another twelve hours. Splitting the soul was a tiring process. Jeanne sent back the thoughts on the thread. She liked being Jeanne but she was still Tora. Tora and Jeanne. Maybe she could be Tigress now. Dragon and Tigress. The unstoppable team. A part of each other, two bodies, one mind. Jeanne padded away from the children and stuck her head into Tora and Logan's room. Tora was lying on the bed, arms around Logan who was holding her to his chest, stroking her head. Jeanne smiled then went to the next door and sat watching the children. Jamie opened his eyes.

"Maman…"

Then he fell asleep, his mouth moving slightly. Jeanne blinked her golden eyes then smiled. This was where she belonged, looking after cubs, caring for hatchlings. She would sacrifice her new life to save the younglings in the building.

In the darkness, Jeanne smiled. She had a purpose.

"A cat with human thoughts. Did she have any idea what she had created?"

"No. But then, she was human then."

She cried out, cried in the dark. She felt Jeanne inquire but blocked the link, determined not to allow anyone else into her mind, especially right now. Phoenix too was blocked and Dragon deliberately turned away. It was the one selfish aspect of herself. The one thing she could not, would not share. The door in her mind was barred. No one got in or out. There was just her, alone, as she hadn't been for years, ever since Doom tore down her barriers, allowed her to flit from reality to reality and gave her the gift to lower the barriers around her mind. And gave Dragon the entrance point.

But now she was alone again and free to think and feel as she pleased. And the emotions were running wild. Wave after wave of emotion. She closed her eyes. For years, emotions had been suppressed. Then she had the freedom to feel. Then she'd turned into the Destroyer. Dark Dragon had been sustained by her emotions. So the emotions had been tucked away, hidden under the shields that had been put in place by a blood-soaked girl crying over the body of her friend. And now the emotions were free again. Free and out. And expelled in cries into the darkness.

Emotion. A thing foreign to cosmic entities, beings who could not feel joy, anger, hate or love unless it was a part of their purpose. That was why it was so risky to take an avatar. The emotions were so overpowering, so wild, it could drive you mad. A risk few were willing to take. But if you did… Living was addictive. Very addictive. Which could result in terrible catastrophes.

She walked quietly down the corridors. Something was wrong. She could sense it in the very air. Something terrible was going to happen. She knew. She just…knew. And it would be soon. Very soon. She shook her head. She needed to help with other stuff. She shifted the papers. The school was her main focus now. Some women, such as Sue Richards, could juggle heroing and child-care. But add teaching duties to that and you couldn't, just couldn't do all three to the best of your abilities. She was off active duty, but on mission control and filing. And it was dull, so boring and empty. She was meant to fight, to save lives, not send reports to Nick Fury. She tapped in the code to the sub-levels and hurried down, trying to talk to Logan in the comm-link at the same time.

"Look, all I know is the schematics say there's a tunnel there."

"Whoops."

"No, that wasn't for you Logan. I just dropped some stuff."

"Right. You've found it? No, don't go right! I was just confirming. Straight ahead. Now turn left. Left. Straight on. Right."

She dodged past Moonstar, flashing her a smile and continued to hurry to the War Room.

"Now up. See the lift shaft? Good. You want to climb three floors. He's in the eighth room on the right. Until you've found him, maintain radio silence."

She heard him chuckle as he turned his comm off. Ducking under a big tray being manoeuvred by Eloise, she smiled softly.

"Salut Eloise."

"Salut Tora."

It wasn't much but it was confirmation. Eloise was fine. Tora was fine. But Tora didn't feel fine. Something terrible was going to happen. Something was going to happen to her people. But what? And which people?

They winced. Death didn't but the other two did.

"Look, you did sort it all out in the end."

"We lost so many…"

"Oh stop it!"

She sat quietly, listening to the discussions.

"Wanda trusts me Scott. Wouldn't it be better to send one person who Wanda trusts and calm her down like that? I can heal her mind. I know I can. Sending in the X-Men would be tempting fate."

"Tora, Wanda is dangerous."

"If you go, I-"

"Tora?"

"If you go, something terrible will happen."

"How do you know?"

"That's the thing! I don't know. It's just…a gut feeling."

"Tora, we can't trust a gut feeling."

"Fine then! It's a warning! Dragon is screaming and screaming in my head, getting louder and louder each time you make a decision that is going to lead to you attacking Wanda!"

"Tora, you aren't on active duty. You can go now."

She glared at him then stood up and marched to the door. She turned and pointed a finger at him.

"Whatever happens next in on your shoulders Summers. For good or bad. You are responsible. I warned you. I warned you all. I am not responsible for what happens next. And I will not be damage control."

She snarled and marched out, leaving the room in silence. Logan opened his mouth but Scott silenced him with a raised hand.

"We vote. Those in favour of going to Genosha to meet with the Avengers, raise their hands."

Gradually, one by one, the X-Men raised their hands. And Dragon screamed louder and louder.

In the water, Logan finally raised his hand slowly. The masked woman turned her face away in disgust.

"Fools…"

White light. Burning, breaking… Tora reached for Jamie and Eva, called for Curt… But they weren't there. She watched as the mansion broke away around her, as the sky blanked over. THE FOOLS! And then she was no more.

No words could or would be spoken. Each person was brooding in their own way. Each being thinking of the losses sustained.