Memories
Potentials
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She woke up and froze. She was lying on a soft bed, with warm arms around her. Since when had Logan held her close? And then she opened her eyes and saw Kurt, his eyes half-closed and an odd smile on his face.
"…Kurt…? I'm…not dead…?"
He smiled sleepily.
"You gave it a good shot. Steve found Jamie. Etana's been looking after him."
She tried to get up but his arm was pinning her down.
"You need rest. Magnus barely managed to get the shards out."
"Kurt…"
"Yes?"
"Are we really free of them?"
"You are free of him Tora." No need to mention who the 'he' was.
"Kurt…"
"Yes?"
"Did you get the papers?"
"You won't be needing them. Jen put together a pretty good defence and got an annulment. Logan's still on the run but you're not married anymore. You never were."
She stared at him, eyes widening as she realised what he was saying. And then he kissed her, as he had never dared to before.
xXx
"Mattie, Mattie, Mattie. Does it have to be like this?"
Daredevil stiffened. He knew she would do this. He knew the Tigress was a canny manipulator and knew which buttons to press. When she had first arrived on the scene, everyone thought she was a vigilante, her ruthless efficiency when dealing with the Kingpin and other crime-lords suggesting that she was determined to rid the world of crime. But instead of dropping, the crime rate soared. She challenged Magneto, and won, after using a small device she claimed 'was gifted to me by you'. She defeated Dr Doom. The Hand, AIM and HYDRA all fell at her feet. And then she stood as the leader of a criminal network that spanned the globe. She ruthlessly exterminated any criminals who didn't agree to work for her. The first to confront her was Spider-Man and that fight had been terrible. The Tigress had held a pretty red-head over a bridge and smiled cruelly.
"Oh dear. My dear Spider-Man, we appear to be repeating ourselves. How would you like MJ to go the same way as Gwen, Peter? Oh, I know who you are. I know everything about you. I know how you killed Gwen Stacy, snapping her neck when you tried to save her. Shall I drop your new girlfriend, Peter? Shall I? Or will you agree that this is all a petty misunderstanding. We could work so well together."
Spider-Man had begged. Pleaded. But refused to give up. When Tigress released her hostage, he had tried to leap to grab her but she held him back.
"Web her Spider-Man. Web her like you did Gwen Stacy and know you killed another woman."
Spider-Man had been unmasked, humiliated then killed. People took her seriously then. She fought the Avengers and killed one of their number -the archer- on their first fight. The X-Men barely escaped with their lives. She picked them off one by one. The Punisher's body was found in New Orleans, stuffed and posed in a cruel imitation of life. Iron Fist was kept as a 'pet' in a cage. Luke went in to rescue him. Their mutilated bodies were placed on the streets as a warning. And now she had come for him.
"Mattie. You wonder who I am? I know you want to know. So how about we sit down and talk sweetly and you can find out what they did to me."
He pulled again at the ropes.
"Here, I'll take that pretty little mask off. Now Mattie, shall we talk? What do you want to ask me?"
"Who are you?"
"Well that's the thing. I didn't really know. But I suppose I am Marie Circen, but I've not been that since I was a child."
"Why are you doing this?"
She leant in so her hot breath warmed his cheek.
"The same reason as you are. Revenge. The United States Government authorised a set of scientists to steal a child, torture her, turn her into a living weapon, shape her and mould her until she was the perfect killing machine. Oh, she was so wonderful. She dealt with all those messy little situations and never questioned their orders. They didn't even have to pay her. They had a weapon, assassin, spy and toy all rolled into one little package. Unfortunately, the things keeping her docile were shorted out by a rather interesting little power. The ability to see between realities. She behaved perfectly until released. Then she killed every single one of the men who had treated her as an object not a person all those years and now I want vengeance. I want every last connard who authorised my torture, imprisonment and multiple rapes to suffer. Just like I did."
"Why attack the Avengers? The X-Men?!"
"Where were they when I was pleading desperately inside my head, as they forced me to humiliate myself, debase myself to them?! They swear to help humankind but I don't see them speaking out against atrocities committed by their precious country. I don't see any of them held against their will from when they were two-years-old and tortured and trained and conditioned! I don't see any of them being tortured for crying! I have never seen any of them made to kneel in a cell while lewd comments are thrown at them as man after man abuses them! They stand up for the body that tortured me. They stood by. By standing aside they condoned it."
He gulped and then she leant forward.
"You have never attacked me. I never expected you to know what happened to me. You have never condoned what happened to me. I mean you no harm."
The ropes holding his arms fell and he tensed, preparing to attack.
"I should warn you, if you attempt to attack me, the speakers in the walls will send out interlocking sound waves. You will be blinded. More than you already are of course."
"How do you know all this? You know all our weaknesses."
"I know them because you tell me. You all tell me, so trusting and sweet, never once thinking that you condemn yourselves. I have an offer to you. My use of the crime networks is only until I have justice. Then I plan to dissolve them all. Crime sickens me. In case you hadn't noticed, the trafficking and drugs-running had all ceased under my command. I want you to help me. Help me find justice."
"It's not justice you want. It's revenge!"
"Is not justice motivated by vengeance? Matt, I mean you no harm but if you refuse you will have set yourself up as my enemy. And my enemies die. I know who you care about. Foggy Nelson. I have a permanent watch on him. All I have to do is say the word and he dies. All those you care about. But why listen to me? Elektra, please talk to our dear friend."
"Elektra…"
She stepped in and he knew it was her.
"Hello Matt."
"Elektra… Why are you doing this?"
"Matt, we are all so petty. We talk and we plan and we let stuff like Tigress's torture go unpunished. We call ourselves heroes and defend guilty people! Matt, trust me. She's lived through more than anyone I've ever met. You always go on about justice. Please Matt. Help her get justice."
He could tell she wasn't lying.
"What about Spider-Man? Heroes for Hire?"
"Spider-Man set himself up against her. So did Heroes for Hire."
Matt gulped.
"I can't join you."
He heard Elektra sigh.
"I'm sorry Matt."
And a sai touched his chest.
xXx
She landed with Kurt and Hope then swore.
"Kurt, stop being so stupid. Have a rest. You'll kill yourself."
He coughed and she caught him as he fell.
"Stop it. Fine, we are staying here until you get your breath back, you stupid fuzzy elf!"
"Are you babying me, Tora?"
She grinned at him.
"Come on, Elf. You're normally the one stopping me doing something stupid. I'm just returning the favour."
"Yes, I am aren't I?"
And then the ground exploded. Bastion stared at them. Tora immediately stepped between the robot, Hope and Kurt.
"Kurt, get out. Get out now."
"Tora…"
"GO!"
Kurt blinked at her then grabbed Hope's arm and teleported away. Bastion prepared to leave but Tora threw her hand up and placed them in a huge bubble of water.
"Just you and me, sweetie. Oh, and I've been looking forward to this ever since you tortured Jubilee. Come on. We all know I'm as big a threat as the Messiah. I'm the Dragon! Come on Bastion. Don't stand me up now."
The hand moved so fast she almost wasn't ready for it. *Almost being the operative word. The claws slide right through the arm and into the head. But the metal meshed together and Tora groaned.
"Not fair. Robots aren't supposed to heal."
The fight was confined in the enclosed bubble and Tora soon had to change the thickness of the membrane to allow her to breath. Dying of asphyxiation when trying to save the Mutant Messiah probably wouldn't read for a very good epitaph. She slashed Bastion's head and chest and arms and he just kept healing. She snarled and knew that this battle would go down in history no matter who won.
The bubble shot out of the alley and people screamed and then they stopped when they realised that the bubble was preventing them from being hurt. People started cheering. Mostly for her but she heard one person shout something about killing the mutie scum.
It couldn't last. Holding the bubble took too much power and concentration. She wasn't fighting at her full capacity and Bastion knew it.
"You and your genetic filth shall all die."
She ducked the swipe and stabbed him again.
"Oh yeah? You can't stop evolution."
And then she was too slow –a child screamed and she automatically glanced over her shoulder- and then she howled. She looked down at her chest, at Bastion's fist stuck into her chest, having broken adamantium bones. She looked up, shocked and confused.
"You can't…"
The bubble faded out and she stared at him. She never thought she'd die like this. Maybe being killed by Dark Phoenix. Or a crazy Asgardian. Or maybe a Celestial. Not Bastion. Not the robot she had taken to pieces when they first met. She looked up again and saw a child staring at her. A child wearing a t-shirt with her plastered on it, in a suitably dramatic pose. Her mouth moved but no words came out. And then Bastion had her heart right in front of her. She winced but hoped it would heal. No luck. He plunged his hand back into her, this time under her rib cage and she felt him grasp her spine. She looked up again.
"True death only effected by spinal cord removal."
And the metal was ripped from her and all she could do was teeter slightly back and forth, mouthing names over and over again, wishing they'd come for her. Jamie… Eva… Curtis… Logan… Ro… Kurt…
And then she fell backwards and she saw Bastion turn away and she knew he'd only do that if she wasn't going to survive. She mouthed once more. Logan… And then one of the bystanders was leaning over her.
"Ma'am? Ma'am? Are you still here?"
She opened her mouth. Closed it. And finally spoke.
"Kids… My kids… My babies… I… I…"
The guy swore.
"You have kids?"
"Th- Th- Three…"
"Three kids? What are they like?"
She knew what he was doing. Trying to get her to fix on something to keep her alive until the medics or Elixir or someone turned up. But no one would come. Not until it was too late. Her fingers scrabbled on the tarmac again and she felt her nails rip.
"Jamie… eldest… smart… so smart… four and…chess…player…"
"Jamie. Think of Jamie, Ma'am. Who else?"
"Eva…baby girl…like her dad… Going…to be…tough…like nails… Tomboy…"
"Jamie and Eva… Who else? Who's your third kid?"
"Curt… Eva's twin…taken…now teenager…favourite…not supposed…to have…favourites…but he's…so…sweet…makes me…laugh…so funny…so strong…so special…"
"Jamie, Eva and Curt? Anyone else?"
"Laura…step-daughter…so sad…too like me…lonely…so lonely… I…I promised…take her shopping…sometime…"
"Who else?"
"Logan… My Carcajou… Saved me… saves me… over and over…keeps me anchored…keeps me human…"
"Logan, Laura, Curt, Jamie and Eva. Keep thinking of them. Keep thinking of them."
"Not…finished…"
"Who else?"
"Stevie…godson…Cap's…kid…his mother…killed…promised…look after…"
"Think of him. Think of Stevie and all your family."
"Kurt…"
"Curt? Your son?"
"No… Kurt… my…hero… always there… lets me…cry on…him when…all gets too much… Made him go…kept him safe… Kurt…tell him…sorry… tell them all sorry…"
"Ma'am? Dragon, stay awake! Stay awake!"
"Name…not…Dragon…"
"What is it?"
"Tora… call me Tora… really Marie…but don't use… Never learnt… Tora…am Tora…"
"Stay with us Tora. The medics are here."
She shook her head slowly.
"He left…dying…only leave…if dying… tell…X-Men…he…breaks…adamantium… tell family…so sorry… Sorry…had to…leave… Tell them…all of them…"
"Logan and Jamie and Eva and Curt and Laura and Stevie and Kurt?"
"Tell them… tell them I…I…I love…love them…all… couldn't…have better…family…love my family…"
And then she heard a soft 'bamf' and Kurt had her in his arms and all she could see was his huge eyes.
"Tora! Tora! Don't do this to me! Don't die on me! Please, don't die! We all need you! I need you! And if you die in my arms right now, I will never forgive you! What are we going to do without your acid tongue? Come on Tora, we all need to have someone to make fun of our flaws. Come on. Stay awake. Josh is coming. Please Tora…"
He was crying. She didn't want him to cry.
"Take…home…want to…die home…"
"You aren't going to die. I'm not going to let you die. Come on Tora, don't do this to me."
"Home…"
And then they were on the beach at Utopia and she heard screams. People calling her name but all she could do was stare at the huge golden eyes and try and speak.
"Kurt…sorry…love you…tell Logan…kids…love them…please…"
And then she felt an oddly peaceful sensation and a being made of black and silver fire suddenly appeared over Kurt's shoulder.
Phoenix snuffled a bit. A handkerchief materialised in front of her and she rolled her eyes.
"Show off."