Memories
Facets
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Tora only managed a few steps down the corridor before she let the tears come fully as she slid down the wall. The warnings were screaming. Something horrific was going to happen. Something that would shatter the world. Something that would make her want to watch the whole world burn. And something that would push her into doing it. The flashes were there –whether from the future or an alternate reality, she wasn't sure. She stood there in the ruins, framed against a blood-red sky stained with smoke, fire burning around her as the long dark coat swirled in the winds. A beautiful destroyer.
She shook her head to dispel the visions. She couldn't allow this to happen. Couldn't let her mind lose its grip. She was Tora. She was Dragon. She was an X-Man and a hero. She saved lives, didn't take them. She was not what they wanted her to be. And then she heard soft steps and someone reached out and touched her. Young Jean.
"Are… Are you okay?"
She nodded softly.
"Just…bit emotional. Not good."
She slowly got up and looked at the girl.
"If you knew that people were coming to kill you and that if you let them, they would simply leave and not hurt anyone else, would you fight them?"
Jean paused.
"Are… are you okay?"
Tora laughed bitterly.
"There's a group of reality-jumpers determined to exterminate every version of myself in the entire multiverse, but oh well, I'm an X-Man. We've seen weirder."
Jean shook her head.
"I haven't…"
"Admittedly, that's somewhere in the top ten."
There was an awkward pause but Tora shook her head.
"I am not scarring you with number one. Or number two for that matter. Number three was when a load of Worm-Men from the Savage Land decided that I was a perfect avatar for their god, which involved them trying to throw me in a volcano."
She shrugged.
"I still have those weird, surreal dreams about that."
She shook her head.
"Better get back. Logan will kill me if he thinks I'm dodging out of these incredibly boring discussions about whether we ask the Avengers for help or not."
She turned and was about to walk away when Jean spoke quietly.
"If I thought people were going to kill me –and kill every other me there is in existence… If I thought they were going to do that… What if they don't just stop at you? What if they attack your family as well? If there were people out there and I have what you've got –a family who loves you- I wouldn't let them kill me. I'd tear them apart."
Tora stopped and rested her hand on the wall.
"And there's the difference with us, Jean. You've still got the fight it you. It was torn out of me a long time ago."
"Long time! Long time! For pity's sake, it was barely two years!"
"Considering her age at the time, two years was rather a long time."
"Good point."
Wanda was staring at the photos in silence. She felt Steve sit next to her. He sighed and leant back and she knew without looking that he'd have that stressed look on his face.
"I can't believe this. Tora… If she's dead…"
"I don't believe them."
"What?"
"Did you see the look their Tony gave me? It was full of distrust."
"Maybe they just haven't got over the whole… You know… The stuff with the…"
"Ultrons and Kree that resulted in you splitting up? You can say that to my face, you know. No. It's the photos. We all know how good Tony is at doctoring photos…"
"He's checked them. They're genuine."
"Maybe. But there's something that doesn't add up."
"What?"
"Why would she change her uniform between being caught and fighting them all?"
"People change their costumes all the time. Anyway, I don't see what you're…"
"Look. Here you can see the neck of her costume under her civilian clothes? It's a black neck. The triangle thing with the small dragon like she wore near the beginning of being Dragon. And here-" she shuffled through the photos- "She's dressed with the all blue uniform with the large dragon. Steve, something doesn't add up… If they have reality jumping powers, what's to say they haven't got these from lots of different realities?"
"You caused us a lot of trouble back home as well."
They turned to see the other Cap, who had a gun pointing at her.
"House arrest. Been a while since we last saw you. You always caused trouble. But we've taken down three-hundred and twelve Dragons. You aren't going to stop use taking down the three-hundred and thirteenth."
Wanda snarled and looked ready to lunge but the other Cap had cocked the gun.
"The cure worked a treat. Nice little present from the Breakworlders."
The dart fired but Steve brought up the shield and it shattered.
"Too bad. I was going to do this the nice way."
And now he was holding another weapon…
"Oh, stupid, stupid people! You should never trust anyone, even if they appear the same as you!"
"Dear?"
"Yes?"
"Most people don't appreciate that."
"Good point."
Tony was busy discussing things with the other him when the comm crackled. Steve sounded…exhausted.
"Look…Tony? We… Wanda and I… Look, we have to sit this one out…"
"Steve, you can't!"
"Look…Wanda doesn't… She already feels terrible about some of the stuff that's happened and she's not sure she's prepared to face Tora-"
"I thought we agreed not to call her Tora?"
"And… Look, after the whole Utopia fiasco, I can't afford to go in and attack an X-Man. I'm trying to build bridges here."
Tony sighed.
"Okay, okay. But you've going to be the one handling X-Men-Avengers interactions from now on. I don't think Logan's going to be too happy with any of us."
The call cut off. The other Iron Man looked up.
"It was difficult. It will be difficult. She'll…say stuff, try and make you think she'd the woman we all know. She'll play sweetness and light and then she'll stab you in the back. You get used to it but…It hurts. She'll play your weaknesses and your strengths and she will do everything she can to destroy you."
Tony closed his eyes.
"She slapped me once. Called me an arrogant twit who didn't mean too badly but still slapped me senseless. She really always knew how to be difficult. So… she's really dead then?"
"We…we didn't know… We thought it was just another trick…"
"Your team explains to Logan you accidentally murdered his wife. I'm sure he'll be ever so understanding."
"Your sarcasm is so very amusing."
Tony flipped his visor down.
"Ready and waiting. Let's head out."
And just after they left, the X-Men alert light flashed on.
"Great. They miss the call that could have changed the fate of the world."
"Phoenix, you're oversimplifying again."
"No I'm not. Fate of the universe rests on every choice everyone ever makes. Quoting you here."
A.N. Four down, one to go. Exams are over on Friday but don't expect normal service to resume. I'm basically busy from now until mid-July.