Memories
Dragon Dance
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She was just staring at him, eyes dry, in a way, the worst thing she could be doing. Just giving him that look.
"You have a son who you knew was alive for over a year and you didn't tell me?"
"It was difficult…"
"Logan, I know how old you are. I know you were at an age most people would have died when I was born. You didn't have to hide it. All that would have mattered if he was conceived after we got married. Or actually started officially dating. When was that anyway? First kiss? First date? Declaration of love? Telling the others? Getting engaged? Wait, I'm getting distracted. Close the door. No, everyone out. OUT!"
She shook her head and Logan knew she was putting up the walls to prevent the other hers listening in. He smiled, knowing that what they were about to say would never leave from between them. Her eyes fixed on him.
"Tell me."
So he did.
Phoenix sat in silence as the long-winded story followed.
"She knew, didn't she?"
"Of course she did. She did speak to Etana."
She tripped up again and Kurt caught her.
"You really should try wearing a dress and heels more often Tora."
"Stupid clothes. Why can't I go as I normally do?"
"Because, after the fiasco last time when security wouldn't let you in without looking the part. You simply cannot go to a fundraiser dance in jeans and a shirt Tora."
"Can I go in uniform?"
"Er… I suppose…"
"Right, I'm getting changed."
"Tora, Emma did spend eight hours looking for a dress the exact shade of your eyes and probably subsidised it a lot."
"Then give it to her."
"You know Emma's thoughts on anything other than white clothing."
"White is a stupid colour. It shows up all the stains and it's hellish to get blood out of."
"Tora, it's a dance! How dangerous can it be?"
"You said that about the cocktails party last week."
"Look, I didn't know you were going to have to charge off halfway through to get Curt off the top of a skyscraper!"
"And the dress you persuaded me to wear was torn."
"You ripped it!"
"Have you tried climbing a building in a full-length dress?"
"No but…"
"Well then. Excuse me, I'm off to change."
Tora swept round, her golden dress that Emma had deliberately chosen to flaunt her slight frame and in Emma's words 'enhance the rest of you'. Tora had taken one look at it and instantly slit the side, allowing a leg room to kick if required, shortened the skirt enough to allow her to run if required and Emma had rolled her eyes and brought out another dress with all the alterations Tora had just made and groaned, muttering something about women who wouldn't know designer dresses if you sent them on a year-long intensive training course.
Kurt suddenly burst out laughing, knowing exactly what Emma would say when Tora stepped outside in her blue and silver Dragon uniform. It would involve lots of swear words and insults. He leant up against the wall, grinning broadly.
"Clothes and Tora. I never saw such hatred towards designer clothes as what she had."
"Well when your clothes had a habit of being destroyed, paying a ridiculous amount for clothes was just stupid."
"Yes, well if you jump in front of a laser, your clothes aren't going to last long."
"She was saving lives at the time."
"She leapt in front of a laser and gave all the male X-Men a rather nice view."
"No she didn't. Logan stood rather protectively in front of her until Storm could be persuaded to give up her cloak."
"I am the darkness incarnate. Fear me. Fear me. For I am Dragon."
The X-Men charged towards her and danced around the jets of water and glossy claws. She laughed and crushed Kurt in an ice-like clawed fist. Next to falter was Bobby, when the ice on his body started to boil, causing him to scream. Scott's optic blasts were refracted to hit Emma and mowed through Jean-Paul and Alison as well. Rogue managed to grab Dark Dragon's face but was sent backwards by a surge of power. Betsy's attempt to enter Tora's mind caused her to fall to the floor noiselessly, obviously dead. Warren landed beside her but instantly found himself pinned down, his wings being twisted. And Logan leapt forward and impaled her through the heart.
"Guys, that was terrible."
Tora powered down the Danger Room and glared at them from the control booth.
"Logan, you did okay, but that wasn't a fatal blow. You needed to use the healing halter and I know as well as you do that you 'forgot' to put it on."
"I don't see why we have to do this."
She glared at the speaker.
"Because at the moment, we're on the edge and if I go crazy, it's better to take me out as soon as possible rather than do what you were all doing and hold back. It wasn't going to take any prisoners."
"Tora, you're installing in the team the idea you can't be trusted."
"I can't. As long as the threat of Dark Dragon exists, I can't be trusted. I need you comfortable with the idea of me being able and willing to kill you. I will not be that, understand? Take it from me, as your teammate, as your friend, know this to be my wish. If I ever become Dark Dragon, I want you to kill me. It would be a mercy killing. And don't under any circumstances do what Bets tried to do and lock it away. You saw what happened."
Silence reigned after this pronouncement. Tora sighed and pinched her nose.
"Look, I know this sounds horrible of me, but you will need to kill me if I turn again. And one day, I will. I don't know when, or how. But in the end, it will be too strong for me and I'll let it out. And when that happens… You better start praying, even you Emma."
She turned and pressed a few switches.
"We're doing that again. And we'll keep on doing it until you can take me down without any fatalities."
"That strikes me as rather excessive."
"You never knew Tora properly Death. To die would be better than to kill. Well, before…"
"Can we not talk about this right now?"
"Sorry."
"Thanks."