Memories
Antidote
Disclaimer: What do you think?
If you want to use Tora, or any of my other characters, PM me.
Tora knew instantly something was wrong. It wasn't a proper knowledge, just a feeling that told her to find Curt. And find him quickly. She dropped the papers and ran down the corridor, shouting his name. Hank was suddenly beside her, asking what was wrong. She shook her head, unable to squeeze the words out of the fist of dread in her throat. She ran down the corridor, shouting Curt's name over and over again, squeezing out the syllables. She skidded round the corner and froze. The lab door was wide open and Curt was standing by the table, sticky orange threads running up his arm and growing, spreading, reaching out over his face. She burst into the room as the final strands covered his face, as the mask fixed to his head.
"CURT!"
He turned his head, showing white eyes holes in a black cowl.
"I'm not alone."
"Curt… Please… No… Not now…"
He was staring at his hands, now covered in black with orange streaks leading to the points where black claws left his skin.
"I'm not alone."
She tried to tear at the webbing, wanting desperately to remove it. Curt grabbed her arm.
"No Maman! I'm no longer alone!"
He was looking at himself in amazement.
"He's in my head. I'm a part of him. And he's a part of me. I'm no longer alone."
"Curt, please, just take it off!"
The webbing slid back, revealing his real face and the look of bafflement in his eyes.
"But I'm like you again."
"Curt, I don't care that-"
"Then you shouldn't care that I'm with Poison."
Her mouth dropped open.
"Curt, you've heard of Venom and Carnage. That's what you're wearing."
"You said he's from Toxin who's 'a pretty decent guy'."
"That's because the Toxin symbiote is insane. Curt, you don't have to do this."
"But I do. I want to be like you and Dad."
"The Toxin symbiote has genetic amnesia! Curt, I know that the Decimation hurt you, but you can't do something like that to try and take the place of what you were born with!"
Hank touched her arm.
"Tora? Curt may have a point. You're allowing your own prejudices to cloud your judgement. Many depowered mutants would do anything to get their gifts back. Curt has found a way that helps him. And as this 'Poison' is genetically identical to Toxin, a compromise would work."
Tora snarled.
"I know what Logan will say!"
Curt instantly cowered. Hank pulled Tora out of the lab.
"We have always stood by you, even after the dubious events of Dark Dragon. Let Curt make his choice and give him the benefit of the doubt."
"Is this going to be one of your experiments Hank? If it is, I will hurt you in a way you could never imagine!"
He grabbed her hands and glared at her.
"I think you're being selfish Tora. Your son has found a way to be what he wants to be. Let him try at least."
She let her head drop. Hank pulled her in for a hug.
"People hate us Tora. Maybe you should be a little more tolerant of the symbiote until we know what it wants."
She closed her eyes.
"I know this will be difficult for you Tora. But Curt did this to impress you. He feels because he isn't a mutant anymore, because you and Logan are two of the more famous X-Men, he thinks that he needs to be a mutant or something like that to impress you."
"Why should he think that?"
"Ask Logan."
Tora raised her head, eyes angry.
"Don't you dare blame Logan for this Henry McCoy! It's you who brought the symbiote into this house."
Curt peeked out of the door. He no longer seemed covered in the webbing, instead wearing an orange t-shirt and black jeans, but Tora could smell the symbiote on him.
"Maman. Please trust me. I'm… It sounds stupid but I'm not alone anymore. I'm…whole."
She closed her eyes, took a deep breathe and then touched his face.
"It's your choice. I wouldn't ever force you to do something you wouldn't want to, except tidy your room which is a terrible mess right now."
"Er…Tora, there is the minor fact that the symbiote will need a supply of phenethylamine, which is found in the brain."
"He is not eating brains."
"Chocolate is also a good source."
"Oh."
Curt bounced up and down.
"Will you make those triple chocolate, chocolate chip cookies?"
Hank blinked.
"The ones that our little blue friend is so fond of?"
"Yeah! The ones with dark, white and milk chocolate chips and cocoa power mixed in with the cookie dough!"
Tora smacked her forehead.
"I should never have even contemplated making those stupid cookies. Now all I hear is, 'Tora, you know those cookies…' and 'Tora, one of the students is having a party and we thought your cookies would be perfect…' It drives me INSANE!"
Hank blinked.
"They were rather divine."
She slapped him and stormed off, muttering under her breath about idiots who only kept her around for her cookie-making skills. Curt tilted his head.
Maman's cookies are great…
(I just feel she doesn't like being treated as a cookie-dispenser.)
What's 'chocolate'?
The most important thing in the world.
Phoenix laughed.
"He really needed to sort his priorities out."
Her companion laughed.
"To a boy of his fractured psyche, chocolate was the most important thing.
The hand brought the match to the cigar and raised it. Before it was halfway to the mouth, another hand reached out, nimbly removed the cigar and stubbed it out, placing it back on the table. The first hand wearily picked up the cigar, relit it and began to raise it to the owner's lips. Again, the other hand took the cigar and stubbed it out, more violently this time. This continued for a number of times, each time the lighting getting more swift, the stubbing out more violent, until finally the cigar broke under the strain. Logan sighed and stared at Tora.
"Why won't you let me smoke?"
"Because I hate it. Anyway, you won't talk to me."
"About what?"
"About Curt. This whole Poison business. And your memories."
"Look, I…I don't want to talk about those."
"I told you everything about my past, even the things I was ashamed of. You can have the common decency to return the favour."
He slumped down onto the table.
"Look, not here."
"Well, talk about Curt then."
He snarled.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING! LETTING HIM JOIN WITH THAT…THAT…THING!"
"In case you hadn't noticed Logan, our son just wants you to approve of him!"
"He's becoming a monster Tora!"
"Then what am I?"
The words were icy and cold as she stood up.
"Curt has never killed, never lied, never done any of the things I am so ashamed of. If he is a monster, then what are we?"
She let her lips part up in a soundless snarl, showing sharp canines.
"I'm more of a monster than he is. Do you know what he asked me for after joining with Poison? Chocolate! That's all he wanted!"
"Don't give that thing a name!"
She snarled, a full-throated growl this time. They heard Ororo hammering on the door, demanding to know what was going on, Jeanne screaming outside, begging to be let in, Kurt asking if he should teleport in, Curt stuffing his face with cookies. Logan snarled in response and they heard even more people come running. Tora raised her voice.
"Look! Just…go! We need to sort this out on our own!"
Scott seemed annoyed.
"Look, get out of there, Tora!"
She snarled.
"You should know better than to interrupt a marital spat Scott! Let it run its course! That's where you and Jean went wrong!"
There was a sharp intake of breath then Scott's voice, low and angry.
"That was below the belt Tora. Fine! Let him kill you in there for all we care!"
"JUST GO!"
There was the noise of people marching off then she returned her glare to Logan.
"You were saying?"
They'd never argued like this, never ended up standing at opposite ends of their room screaming at each other so loud everyone else could hear them. All arguments were conducted in quiet voices, away from everyone else. But this was different. This time, they weren't backing down, were squaring up, were letting their animals gain control.
"Why did you let our kid do that?"
"So I'm the one responsible? How about you Logan? You never gave him any of the affection you shower on Jamie and Eva. Even Laura gets more attention! All he wants is for you to notice him! One word of praise from you is like a sea of compliments from everyone else! He loves you Logan! Why can't you love him back?"
He was suddenly right in front of her, aggressive and wild-looking, eyes burning coldly.
"Everyone I love dies! Everyone! Silver-Fox, Itsu, Rose, YOU! I'm not going to let him be another sacrifice!"
"So you're willing to stay with Jamie, Eva, Laura, Kitty and Jubilee!"
"Jamie, Eva and Laura can heal! Kitty's darn near untouchable! And Jubilee… she's… She used to be dangerous!"
"Is it because he isn't a mutant anymore? Is that it? I never thought you'd be so shallow!"
Logan's hand flew to her throat, fingers reaching around her neck. Her eyes flashed silver.
"Do it."
And the hand fell away as Logan gasped for breath.
"What was I…? Oh hell… Tora…I…I…"
Her eyes softened and she caught his shaking hand. Her mouth leant forward to his ear.
"I knew you wouldn't."
"Really? Tora, I could have hurt you…"
"You've never hurt me physically before."
"Physically? Tora… when?"
"When I thought you loved Jean."
"How?"
"It was like a part of me was burning up from the inside and I just wanted to tear her to shreds. Rather primitive I know but…"
He frowned.
"You got…possessive?"
"Says the man who has been known to start fights with people who look at me for over three seconds."
"I only did that once."
"Most people would say that once was one time too many."
"Are we still arguing?"
"I don't think so."
"Good. Can we make up now?"
She rolled her eyes.
"Single track mind you."
He shrugged and grinned.
"Well…"
Downstairs, Hank sat with Curt, monitoring his cookie intake and watching as every now and again, the symbiote ate the cookie rather than Curt. The shouting upstairs had stopped. Curt blinked at Hank.
"Have they stopped fighting?"
"Well, they'll either be killing each other or making up and," he sniffed the air, "Yes, they're making up."
"How do you know?"
"Has your father given you the Talk yet?"
"What talk?"
"Obviously not. Ask him about it at some point."
"What talk?"
"Tell me when you ask him. I want to see the look on his face."
"What talk?"
"The Talk. Never mind."
"What talk?"
"Look, just finish the cookies."
"OK!"
The boy returned his attention to the plate of cookies and stuffed them all into his mouth at once.
"Wawan wakes williant wookies!"
"Don't talk with your mouth full."
The response was automatic, the result of being the oldest of the five original X-Men, the big brother, the one who watched out for all the others. Curt swallowed and blinked.
"Why?"
"It's rude."
"Why?"
"Because it makes it impossible for people to understand."
"Why?"
"Because!"
"Oh…"
Curt opened his mouth again and Hank resigned himself to having a hour or so of difficult questions.
"A teenager with a child's ability to ask questions."
"The most dangerous word of all is 'why?' It causes so many problems."
"Tell me about it."
"Why do people hate mutants?"
"Why did you run away from me?"
"Why did you cheat on me with Emma?"
"Okay, okay, let's stop the questions."