Memories
Was And Is A Hero
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She knew the others were shocked when she came to stand behind Scott and hefted the coffin up onto her shoulder, brushing Piotr as she did so but she looked ahead, knowing that Kurt would want her to be strong, to be proud, to be Tora and to let him go because he was somewhere better, because he was in Heaven, becoming her guardian angel in death as he had been in life.
She helped move the coffin onto the fire and thought over and over again 'That is not Kurt. That is the shell that Kurt inhabited. Kurt is already up there, laughing at us all, because we're all so sad while he's in Heaven.' It wasn't much but it helped her keep control, prevented her from leaving, leaving to the Library and finding his book and tearing out the final page, the one where his death would be. Bobby stood up, dressed in a suit and Tora watched as the others crowded round.
"Thanks everyone for coming. There's so much- -so much happening. Thank you. Kurt would want me to say thank you. He'd also want me to say that I'm a Methodist and this isn't properly Catholic but… well, we're doing the best we can. I wanted to read this. I'm going to skip around some. But I always liked the song when I was a kid: "He asked me; Son of Man, 'Can these bones come to life'; 'Lord God,' I answered, 'You alone know that'; Then He said to me; 'Prophesy over theses bones and say to them; Dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord! …Thus says the Lord God to these bones; See I will bring Spirit into you, that you may come to life.' I prophesised as he told me and the Spirit came into them; They came alive and stood upright, a vast army. Then He said to me; 'Son of Man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They have been saying 'our bones are dried up, our hope is lost and we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them; Thus says the Lord God; 'Oh my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people. I will put my spirit in you that you may live and I will settle you upon your land…" It's a nice thought anyway."
Tora hung her head, wondering why she still couldn't cry.
"He always made this insanity feel like an adventure."
"Of all my students… I taught him the least and learned from him the most."
"Well, he made me look like a matinee idol."
"You know, we have been believed dead before. Maybe… Maybe this will work out alright."
"There was never darkness in his presence. Nothing was ever so grim when he was near."
"I hope he found the peace he helped so many of us seek. It's the least he deserves…"
"His was the only chapel I ever set foot in."
"He was my brother. He was my friend. He was our light when we lost our way."
Tora gulped. She wanted to say something but wasn't sure. And then she knew.
"I… Kurt was my Makrrrst. I don't think anyone will understand that, so here goes –I knew only fear and hate and pain. And then I met Kurt. And I saw the beauty of humanity. I saw the joy, the life, the… adventure. Kurt was and is my hero. He is my soul. And without him, we are all nothing."
She noticed someone crying. She didn't mean to act like that. She simply meant to speak her heart.
"Logan…? Do you… Logan?"
"Yeah…"
She could smell the blood on his hands. She knew he was losing control. But tonight, he deserved that.
"Kurt was the only guy who ever looked me in the eyes like a man, and spoke to me like one, and treated me like one. No matter what I did or where I was or how I felt. He was my best friend and he never treated me like a damn animal. An' now he's—he's gone and—and for what? You better be worth this, I swear to God!"
Logan walked away and Tora rounded on Scott.
"Why are we still here? We have to find Bastion and destroy him. Now, before anyone else is hurt!"
"We wait Tora. We have to wait."
"I'm done waiting! We hang around, waiting for people to wipe us out! I won't stand for this any longer! If we weren't so passive, he would still be alive! We stop running today. Now we take the fight to them!"
Xixy stepped up and caught Tora's arm as she stared Scott in the eyes, face twisted in anger.
And then Tora collapsed and Xixy looked up guilty, needle still in his hand.
"I thought it would be easier this way. This is the first stage of the mental deterioration."
"Ouch?"
"Sorta."
She stood up and shook them off.
"You need me. I…I'm back in control."
"Really?"
"You need me. I'm one of the most powerful ones. We have Ro, we sort of have Magneto, we have Hope. And we have me. I have lost my soul. Let me make them pay. I have lost my Makrrrst. And now I will do what most K'Meer in Mrrlsta do. I am going to find the people who killed Kurt and then I am going to destroy them."
She closed her eyes and smiled.
"I think I know how to do it as well."
She had barely made it outside when suddenly a huge red light started spreading from the sky and she watched as the others panicked but she wasn't mad. She was calm and relaxed, a soulless, emotionless being. The seas rose up and held back the dome and she allowed herself to be calm. And now she knew how Jean had felt, in perfect balance, human and Dragon in equilibrium, with a lodestone of power and then she felt the offer reach her mind.
I can heal your soul, I can give him back to you but it will hurt.
I would give the world to have him back.
It shall not cost the world. Just you.
Now?
No. We must do our duty over our heart. When your Messiah is safe, then we will bring him back.
"SCOTT!"
He turned and froze as he saw her, waves swirling around her outstretched hands.
"Get them out. Get the children out. I cannot hold this forever."
Scott nodded and started barking orders. She concentrated on holding the dome back, allowing a small stream of children to get out, Northstar ferrying them back and forth, mutant and human alike and then she couldn't hold it any longer and collapsed, falling to her knees as the dome closed up. She looked up blearily.
"Kids get out?"
"Almost all of them. Northstar evacuated most of the schools. Jamie and Eva are safe. Are you up for this?"
"Of course Scott. Xixy will tell you what happens right now."
"She will hunt down those who killed Valswaltavber and she will make them pay. She will hunt them down with single-minded focus, because that is what she does."
"There's something on the Bridge!"
Tora whipped her head around and shuddered.
"They are coming."
"Who are?"
"They are coming."
"Tora, I'm bringing you with me in the air."
She nodded and allowed him to wrap his arms around her.
"Scott… If all goes wrong… I want your permission for something."
"What?"
"If we are all going to die, I am going to release Dark Dragon."
"WHAT!"
"It's not as stupid as it sounds. I have a vague form of control. In that case, I'll point it towards Bastion and our enemies. And when I have torn them apart, then you kill me."
"Tora… I can't…"
"You can't authorise it? Scott, we've gone way past that. Right now we're just surviving and I think one casualty is better than everyone dying."
He glanced away.
"What am I supposed to tell the others?"
"Don't. This is our last stand. If there is no hope, then I will let it loose and you organise the others."
He nodded.
"Fine. You have permission to go Dark Dragon, on your own discretion. But it's last minute only."
"I know Scott. I'm not going to be so stupid as to let it loose when I could destroy them all myself."
They touched down and Tora stared at the pulsating metal.
"We're all dead."
"Tora?"
"I know which reality that comes from. It's Nimrods. We're about to face Nimrods that have managed to kill almost everyone. ARRGGGHHH!"
"Tora!"
"Message—From other side—Need to—She will—Try to—Destroy Master Mold."
And then Bobby was caught by the Nimrod and Tora reacted instinctively, going full-Dragon, her eyes burning and the Dragon engulfing the bridge, picking up water from the Bay and growing larger and larger. And the Nimrods faltered as she tried to hold them back but even then, she couldn't really concentrate on more than three at a time and they started to get past. But the X-Men had got over their original shock and they weren't afraid because standing there, apparently unfussed, hands raised above her head, commanding huge waves, was Tora. But then only a few knew about the Mrrlsta, the fact she was in the stage where anything would go, to take down her soul's murderers.
And finally the last one was destroyed and Tora looked around and gasped. Warren was holding Rogue, Hellion was collapsed, and Bobby appeared to have full-thickness burns. She hurried to the person who looked worst and pressed her hands to Bobby's chest, allowing cool water to gently heal the injuries. She stared at him as his eyes opened.
"Come on Ice-Cube. Can't have you die on us. We need you to give the truly beautiful and inspiring funeral services."
He smiled weakly and tried to wave her away.
"Huuh…heal…worst burns…fine now…help others…"
"Bobby, I can heal all of you. Relax."
He lay back and let her finish healing him then tried to pull himself up but she rested a hand on his chest.
"Stay down. I've not actually fixed you properly. I've merely set a whole bundle of reconstructive cosmic bursts into you. Your body is still using them to heal."
"And when will I know I'm fully healed?"
"You'll start to glow."
"Oh."
She hurried over to Hellion next and stared at his hands.
"I don't think I can regrow them but…"
Again, she let the water lap over him but allowed little splurts to help Surge and Psylocke. She sighed when the stumps cleaned and skin grew over the burnt stumps but the burns on his chest were fixed. She hurried over to Rogue next and got Warren to flip her over.
"Damn! It left the bases in. I'll just have to do the best I can."
She let the waters soak into Rogue's shoulders and then collapsed backwards.
"I feel like I've just been worked over by a cheesed off Celestial."
"How appropriate. I do so hate being beaten by those stuck-up Celestials."
"Yes, thank you Phoenix."