Memories

Nerves

Disclaimer: What do you think?

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

She stood beside Scott as they watched the fires burn.

"Are you alright Scott?"

"No Tora. I'm not. I have eighteen simultaneous plans running so if one collapses I'll have back-ups."

"Don't worry Scott. Right now, I'm working on Plan 30th December. Of a leap year."

"Okay. Can you write them all down for me?"

"Sure."

A small notepad and pen appeared in Tora's hand from under the silver belt. There was a slight scratching of a pen for a long while. Then she handed over a sheet.

"January 1st to February 29th."

"Excuse me, but why does one of these plans state 'have willing volunteer blow up Graymalkin'?"

"Wait 'til you see December 31st. That plan pretty much has me end the entire universe. I had to plan for every eventuality."

"TORA!"

"Look, each one is based on the idea that the one before it failed. Are you going to confront Osborn?"

"Yes."

"Well I'm coming with you."

"Why?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"You're a good leader Scott. But you want to keep that appearance. I can be the stick."

"You mean the good cop, bad cop routine? The one you and Logan have perfected? Aren't you usually the good cop?"

"You'd be surprised."

He looked at her again then nodded.

"I'll get you fixed up with a jet-pack. We need to get to Alcatraz fast."

"You have a plan, don't you? And Emma's a part of it."

Scott turned and grinned at her.

"Does anything get past you?"

"No."

He smiled as he turned away. Tora was beside him. And as long as Dragon stood by the X-Men, they were unlikely to fall.

The women didn't speak, just gazed all the more intently into the pool for three different reasons. One for seeing how things had truly gone after her death, another out of curiosity and a third out of bittersweet remembrance.

She stood beside Scott, terrifying in her silence. Her eyes were fixed on Osborn. And then Scott moved away and Tora stepped forward.

"I can hear them you know."

"Hear what?"

"The screams. Quit torturing my kind or you. Will. Have. Never. Been. Born."

"Pardon?"

A claw shot out and pointed at his face for a second before hovering down to his stomach.

"You know what I mean. And if I hear any more screams, I will cut you. I will cut you from stomach to hip. And I will do it slowly. I know how the human body is assembled. And I will take you apart at the seams. Compris?"

The sudden, harsh word spat out in French seemed to spark Osborn back to reality and snap his eyes away from the claw that was hovering threatingly over his groin.

"Are you threatening me?"

She leant forward, eyes glowing silver.

"Yes. Want to make something out of it?"

There was something dangerous there and Osborn was suddenly reminded that even SHIELD didn't have much on Dragon. The records were all out of date by three, four years. Maybe there was a reason for that.

"Get out of my sight before I have you arrested!"

It was an empty threat and they both knew it. Tora smirked, knowing she had won and span around, tugging the ignition cord on the pack.

"One more scream Osborn. One more scream."

"Oh, she'd been taking threat lessons from Logan."

"No, she'd been taking threat lessons from Etana."

"Yes, I did detect a certain Etanaish feel to some of those comments."

"Jean, you do so love to be sarcastic, don't you?"

She struggled half-heartedly, knowing from experience that she couldn't get out of this predicament without either breaking a bone or stabbing herself fatally. She wasn't in a hurry to do the latter and the former was impossible. She smiled as Osborn stormed in.

"Are you going to torture me now? I do so love torture."

"No. I've heard about the Madripoor incident. You managed to get two men to commit suicide, drove thirteen insane and we don't know how."

"Oh, I can tell you. It goes like this. I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes. I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes. I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes…"

She was terribly out of tune, a screeching cacophony. Osborn's hands clapped to his ears as she continued singing.

"STOP IT!"

"...this is how it goes. Can't hear you. I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes. I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes."

"DAMMIT! WOLVERINE, GET THE HELL IN HERE!"

Daken sauntered in, froze and clapped his hands over his ears.

"What the &£#!"

"I know. She won't shut up."

"I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes. I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Shut her up!"

"HOW!"

"In any way you feel fit."

Daken turned and smiled.

"I know what I'm going to do."

Tora smiled sweetly in her 'oh buster, you have no idea' mode.

"I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes. I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes. Bring it on. I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes. I know a song that will get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves, I know a song that will get on your nerves, and this is how it goes."

The claw ran up her stomach. She faltered but then continued singing. Blood splurted but she rolled her eyes and in between verses, flung an insult.

"Can we get onto the torture yet?"

It continued, slender slices of flesh being removed, then regrowing. All to the tuneless singing of Tora's. She knew he had earplugs in but she kept on singing just to prove a point. She stopped though when his hands strayed uncomfortable close to her thigh. She grunted, then snapped her leg up, smacking him in the face.

"No thank you. Hands off."

Daken's eyes lit up as he realised he had hit the right button.

"Really?"

"Yes. Really. Because your father is right behind you."

Daken twisted round in time to meet the fist.

"You took your time."

"Are you alright? Did that $%#&£ do anything to you?"

"That '$%#&£' is your son. And no, he didn't. Well, nothing that hasn't already healed. Can you let me down?"

She fell down and massaged her wrists.

"Well, I managed a new record. Eight hundred and thirty-nine verses."

He rolled his eyes.

"Warren once thought you were screaming for mercy. It took a while to persuade him you were just singing."

"I take it Emma has switched sides."

"Of course. You've been out for a while. We got everyone out of Alcatraz, and brought up Asteroid M, now called Utopia."

"Oh goodie. Now, have you got a teleporter or am I going to have to hit people?"

"Someone call for me? Elf Taxis, how may we be of assistance?"

She laughed and grabbed his arm, then paused.

"One mo, then let's get the hell out of here."

She stared down at the unconscious man on the floor.

"Vous connard."

She kicked him in the ribs, watching in satisfaction as he curled up into a ball.

"Right, let's go."

Phoenix giggled.

"Now, there was a reason not to upset her."

A.N. Well, I've already written up to, wait for it... Chapter 139! And Second Coming is almost finished. And one of my OCs will die.