Itsbologna – Dude, hearing from you so immediately after my first post in 10 years had me choked up. I showed all my friends and family and tried to explain and they…did not get it. I definitely remember you and I hope you are out there killing it wherever you are. You got a friend down Georgia way, come over any time. 3
Everybody else, forgive the marvel thing. You gotta let me have a little fun. It's been so long since I've been able to get into this head space. Feels like home.
Seven more chapters to go.
Part 36: Worser and worser
We wordlessly followed En Sabah Nur through a strange succession of hallways, oddly architected. Many had uneven floors, walls met at odd angles, and blue pulsin' light shimmered throughout. It felt otherworldly, like a circus creep show melded into an alien movie set, a wakin' nightmare.
Following along, ah was increasingly confused by the mismatch, some rooms seeming incredibly high tech, screens and servers and computers, others seemed moah like something out of a history book, dark wood and lanterns and ancient tomes. Finally, we arrived at a room that felt downright prehistoric, stone walls reaching up to an impossible height, sunlight streaming down but unable to fully banish the dimness. Inside, ancient stone columns, some broken and jagged, were encased in lit glass cases.
"These tell the beginning of my story, and my vision for a just world." En Sabah Nur laid his massive hand against one of the cases, impossibly gentle. "All forgotten."
I cut my eyes to the team. Scott was focused single-mindedly on En Sabah Nur, jaw set, running probabilities, tactics. Most were looking around bewildered, like me. Hank was pulling at the end of his leash, trying to get a closer look at the columns.
Our host continued, "Humans were never meant to be a dominant species. They were merely seeds of civilization, the world order that should have been. Like heads of wheat, meant to fall and die in order to be fruitful. They are simple. Fearful. Lacking in vision and conviction. Lacking in virtue. It all went terribly wrong."
Mah mind was rebellin' against the level of intensity, and ah couldn't help but feel we were on some kind of cursed tour guide through the museum of hell.
"If humans were so useless, how did they manage to thwart your plans?" Scott challenged, dauntless as always.
En Sabah Nur turned back to him, "The story would make your blood run cold, young one. I will tell you in time, how I was hindered. It was never their power…it was my own reticence to live up to my own. I have no such reticence now."
Puttin' his back to us again, he continued windin' steps among the columns, caressin' each like somethin' precious, like an old friend. "Humans are not equipped to manage power. It is cruel to task them with it. Mutants have many abilities that humans lack, but is the reverse true? In what capacity do these humans excel beyond our brethren?"
He looked back at us, raisin' one eyebrow, waitin' foah an answer. Foah just a split second, Scott broke eye contact to glance at the floor. His guilty gesture was not lost. En Sabah Nur nodded, "Let me answer then…Cruelty. Fear. Hatred. Violence. These are the legacy of human dominion. A legacy of destruction."
"You work from a faulty assumption, my friend." Hank chimed in, unbelievably, with his usual good nature. Once he had our host's attention, he continued, "Humans and mutants are not separate entities. We are the exact same species, with a single dominant gene creating the array of variations we refer to as mutant powers. We have the same capacity for cruelty, and the same for kindness. I have neither read study nor observed in my lived experience any basis for superiority of either."
Ah felt some relief at Hank's answer…and some amount of shame that ah hadn't been able to give such an answer so quick. Ah shook my head, trying to get my critical thinkin' back online. Whatever spell he was weavin', we had seen the Sentinel attack. The fear and panic.
"Such a poetic mind." En Sabah Nur responded. It didn't sound like a compliment. "But I have five thousand years of memory against your decades of optimism."
"Stop toying with us. What's this choice?" Scott was recoverin' from the initial shock of…everythin'…apparently. He took as many steps forward as his bonds would allow, thrustin' his chest out in challenge.
En Sabah Nur smiled at him. "I am giving you the options, in my own way, in my own time. You modernists have a term don't you? 'Informed consent'?" His tone was measured, unrattled.
Ah tested mah luck, "If yoah looking for consent to eradicate humans, yoah wastin' everybody's time."
"Hardly. What good would that do? I have no intention of bringing harm of any kind to the poor humans. I intend to restore them to their rightful place. The place they are suited for, where they can finally thrive under the watchful care of their masters."
"What happened to the 'free will' bit?
"Pets do not benefit from free will. Dogs live much longer in captivity than in the wild. You, my children, will have your free will honored, as promised."
"Then quit dancin' around and tell us the dang choice."
Somethin' like irritation flitted briefly across his strange features, and it was satisfyin'.
He took a deep breath, levelin' his gaze at me in a way that dried up mah momentary glee. "You have all suffered, living in this broken world. Leaderless. Visionless. Hopeless. Some of you are…confused. It is my deepest desire that you come to know who you truly are, but not all wrongs can be made right. I would hope you choose the true solution, but for those that can't, I can give you the resolution that you seek."
"These words carry a dark meaning in our time." Storm admonished regally.
En Sabah Nur smiled at her almost….fondly. "Your bearing, young one…is as it should be. A goddess. And so you are."
His eyes fell back on me, and ah swear it was like they carried literal weight, made it hard to stand up straight. Ah tried all the harder.
"As I said, I have no cause to harm humans. They will be provided and cared for, appreciated as they were always meant to be: a servant class. And those of you who cannot – will not – accept who you really are…are free to join them."
Ah felt gazes land on me. Mystique's. Betsy's. Hank's. Scott stayed focused straight on En Sabah Nur and ah focused directly between his rigid shoulder blades as ah sorted through what was being said. Ah didn't think ah followed properly.
"What are you talkin' about?"
Mystique's cool voice slithered out and around me, devoid of emotion. "He's saying he can take your powers. He can make you a human."
"That's not possible," ah stammered out with less conviction than ah meant.
"For me, child, all things are possible. It has grieved me, how many have chosen this fate, but I have honored their requests. All have been…grateful," his voice sounded truly sad.
Ah felt mah mouth go dry and my thoughts jumbled up. But then, ah felt a big, strong hand grab mah bare one and hold tightly. Dazed, ah looked over to see Hank, with his gentle, familiar and unfamiliar brown eyes gazing at me kindly. His words came back as though he'd intended it. "I am no less myself than I was ten minutes ago…that is a journey you have to take for yourself…as you are now, I once was, as I am now, you shall someday be…"
Ah clung back so hard it woulda hurt if ah'd had mah powers. It centered me. Hank cut his eyes over to En Sabah Nur, but now devoid of kindness…dangerous. "Next, if you please."
En Sabah Nur clasped his hands in front of him, as though he were about to announce the location of the class field trip to a group of excited students. "Join me. Take up my cause. I will help you transform into what you always should have been, give you enhanced and nuanced control of your abilities, titles, lands! All I ask is fealty."
Scott laughed a hard laugh. "Those are the options? Join you or be neutralized?"
En Sabah Nur took slow, deliberate steps until he came to stand barely an arm's length in front of Scott, stretching up to his full height. The scant sunlight haloed his head like a crown and his darkened scowl gave him the very air of a god. Scott had to crane his neck to keep eye contact.
"There is a third fate to consider. As I said, I am not ashamed of my work, nor threatened by your presence. I am willing to prove myself, to be tested. If you wish it, I will allow you an opportunity to attempt my defeat." Glowerin', he reached out and placed one massive hand on the top of Scott's head, and ah could see the muscles in his back tense as En Sabah Nur began to press down. Ah and the other Xmen rushed toward him reflexively, but we were yanked helplessly back in place.
"Be warned," En Sabah Nur continued, and as he did Scott's knees bent and finally buckled, droppin' him to his knees, "that when you fail, you hold a slave's status. I will destroy you, keep you, use you, at my whim. This choice is that of life or death."
Scott managed to choke out, his body rigid with the effort to avoid bein' crushed, "You take our powers and expect us to defend ourselves?"
With one last shove, En Sabah Nur finally forced him facedown to the ground befoah releasin' him. "Unnecessary. I will give you full use of whatever power or weapons you choose. But first you must choose."
It was silent foah a moment.
Quicksilver stepped forward, resolute, every inch his father's son. "My loyalty has been given. It is not free for me to give. If these are the choices, I will fight."
Mystique hissed at him, "Don't be a fool."
He looked at her harshly, "And you? Have you forgotten so suddenly to whom you belong?"
Mystique spat back, "I can do nothing if I fail to live. I will live. I am willing to serve." She dropped to one knee.
That just left us X-men. We looked at each other searchingly. Scott pushed himself up and back to his feet. Without looking at us, he said only one word. "Echo."
Mah mouth dropped open in shock. Echo? Echo manuever? He was gonna divide the team?
Storm sounded equally dubious, "Cyclops, are you-?,"
"ECHO."
Storm squared off her shoulders, and it looked physically painful as she slowly dropped to one knee, jaw set, gaze defiant, "I will serve."
Ah was trying to keep control of mah breathin' as Psylocke followed suit behind us, droppin' to one knee to indicate her decision.
Scott jutted his chin out defiantly, a sneer spread across his face. "I think you knew my choice before you started talking."
Hank squeezed mah hand, and the words that came out of his mouth failed to match his gentle voice, "I will fight."
Ah felt wooden, but ah followed orders. "Ah will fight."
En Sabah Nur nodded once, accepting our answers. Looking now to our captors, he commanded, "Take the recruits to the Scryers. The rebels…to the arena."
They disconnected us from our pairs, and ah watched with increasin' terror as they marched Storm, Mystique, and Psylocke from the room. They held their heads high, steps sure, but Mystique cast one backwards glance at me, something between a glare and a desperate plea. We listened to their footsteps fade.
"You have one hour," En Sabah Nur stated without emotion. "I expect them in peak condition. Give them their best chance," he ordered his lackeys.
We went back through the windin' hallways without speakin'; we had no chance to avoid bein' overheard. Scott's posture was rigid, focused as it always was. Pietro held his head high and proud and walked with a relaxed gait. Hank was forced to release mah hand and his shoulders slumped as he followed behind. Ah was in a daze, tryin' to put everythin' together. We'd left this morning from a base in Antarctica, trying to find some clues about the missin' mutants. We crashed through time and space and came to this surreal place, with no powers. We'd been marched through an impossible jungle, carried by Sentinel to this unholy citadel, and in one hour we were gonna fight the most powerful mutant ah had ever laid eyes on – one possibly moah than five thousand years old, if we believed him.
Scott split the team. As ah considered it, it made moah since. We didn't know what we were dealin' with, Scott was trying to give us as many chances as possible. Storm was a strong leader and a powerful mutant, Betsy was a solid fighter with formidable psychic capabilities – if we failed, they might be able to pull somethin' off. But powerin' down in an all out brawl of this caliber? Ah woulda been scared if we'd all stayed together, now it was just the four of us. The feelin' ah'd had when we first saw the crater resurfaced. We were very probably gonna die.
"Don't forget to stop at the healers. He gets riled up about details. Hope you idiots can swim, would hate to cheat you of your last hour on planet Earth."
We approached an openin' that served as a door, but the room beyond was pitch black. They ushered us in ahead of them and prodded us forward into the abysmal dark. Mah steps slowed as ah waited foah my eyes to adjust, but then suddenly mah step found no landing. Ah screamed as ah plummeted into the inky black and heard the yells of mah friends echoin' around me. Suddenly, ah was submerged in somethin' warm, and there was no moah sound as ah sank down and down, chokin'. By instinct alone, ah kicked mah legs furiously, uncounted seconds thrashin'. Sometimes ah connected with other limbs. Ah kicked and kicked and started to see stars.
So they lied. There would be no great confrontation. Just cold murder. Drowned in the dark. Ah started losin' strength to keep fightin' as oxygen panic set in. No one would ever find us, bones in a well.
My legs slowed. Might as well stop.
I love you Rogue. I do.
Of course he would be here.
Ah'm real sorry shugah. About everything. Ah miss you.
What are you sorry about?
Ah…ah don't want to disappoint you.
Stop dat. Come back.
With an inward groan, ah tried once moah, kickin' mah legs with what little energy they had left. Ah didn't know what direction ah was goin'. Ah couldn't see.
Just as ah was gettin' ready to give up again, mah head broke the surface and ah gasped and choked and sputtered and sucked air in as violently as ah could. Ah heard the voices around me again, Scott's voice raspy from a similar experience.
"Team?!"
Fighting a heavin' choke, I managed to call out, "Ah'm here!"
Beast and Quicksilver had survived as well. As we tread water, ah felt the warmth of whatever we were swimmin' in seeping under mah clothes and into mah skin. Ah tried pullin' back but there was nowhere to pull back to.
"Climb the ladder when you're done being dumb," Ruckus called from somewhere above.
The absolute lack of reverence foah this near-death experience made me feel somethin' familiar – mad. Ah glared upwards. "Ah'm surprised there's any dumb left once yoah in a room!"
"That's the spirit, lady- trust me, you'll need it."
Slowly we caught our breath as we made our way towards the voice and found the ladder. We made our way back up to the ledge, drenched and full of adrenaline. Ruckus, Ramrod and Slab waited foah us at the top.
Slab tried to shove me back toward the door we had come through. Ah hauled back and punched him in the face. Hurt mah hand but felt good otherwise. Without mah powers, it didn't even make a dent.
"Save it, sweetie," he condescended as he shoved me through the door.
As we continued on our trek, ah noticed mah leg didn't hurt anymoah. One by one we realized that whatever they had dipped us into had healed us completely. Ah felt surprisingly normal…energized. Even the stress was lessened.
They took us to a holding area that felt like something out of the crusades, iron bars and an oak grate door, which thudded heavily behind us once we were inside.
"Any last requests for your final 45 minutes, losers?" Ramrod asked flippantly, insincerely.
"How many?" Scott's voice was laden with disdain.
"Shut up, four eyes."
"How many mutants have you led to their deaths? Mutants that were kidnapped and brought here against their will?"
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
"Come on, Ramrod. Leave it." Ruckus' voice sounded hollow, void of his usual glib banter. They made a hasty exit.
Scott turned to us, his shoulders square, posture militant, "The answer is ninety-one. Ninety-one mutants made the same choice we just did."
Ah waited, unsure of his train of thought or how to respond. To mah surprise, Scott smiled, "Let me say this again, clearly. Of four hundred mutants ripped from the streets and brought here, ninety-one chose to fight him. After seeing and hearing everything we just heard and saw." He paced, his smile widening, "We are trained. We are fighters. We are effective. They were just regular people. And they chose to fight. Team…these are people worth saving. They are people like us. Today, I'm proud to be a mutant!"
Hesitant to rain on his parade, Hank lightly responded, "Yes, Cyclops…but none have met with success. And some-,"
"Twenty-four."
The conversation stopped foah a minute. No one said it out loud. Twenty-four had perished.
Scott pressed his finger-tips to the bridge of his nose. "We have to find a way. Make sure they're remembered. Get the others out."
"Ah'm all ears, captain."
"I'm sorry to have split us up, but I had to cover contingencies…make a call."
Pietro raised an eyebrow, "That was planned?"
Ah reassured Scott, "Yoah good. It made sense once ah thought about it. But we gotta do our best to stick to plan 'A'."
Scott took a deep breath, shiftin' fully into tactical mode. "Exactly. We have to start defensively. We don't know what this guy can do. We don't know the terrain. Ranged attacks. Rogue, stay in the air. Pietro, keep moving."
Hank interjected, "Among my many talents, Cyclops, ranged attacks are not my most highly rated."
"It'll be a challenge, to be sure. I'll cover, you coordinate your attacks with Rogue. Strike and retreat. Rogue, be ready to help him with the retreat if needed."
"Ah got yoah back, Beast."
"And Beast, Quicksilver, if either of you see an opportunity to escape, do it. But not both."
"And go where?" Pietro asked cynically, "Even if I made it as far as the barrier I can't go through it. And there are patrols."
"I know it's a long shot but if you can buy yourself some time and stay hidden you might be able to find a flaw or a weakness."
"'Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is just to try one more time' – Thomas Edison." Ah couldn't help but smile at the Hank-ism.
"Rogue, I'm likely going to have to ask you to use your primary here."
"Ah don't know what a mutant like him will do inside mah head, Cyclops."
"I understand that. But this is a one-time opportunity. Stakes are high. We hit him with everything we've got but if it looks like we're matched, you've got to be thing that tips the scales."
"Undahstood." Ah nodded solemnly. Ah'd just deal with it when ah had to deal with it, no point gettin' all worked up now."
Scott started pacin' back and forth, hands clasped behind his back, runnin' invisible numbers.
"This next piece I need you to hear strictly from a tactical perspective." He looked at us seriously, "If you hear me say the word 'marvel', then I want all three of you to execute a double-cross scheme."
"WHAT?!"
Pietro jumped, "Wait, what does that mean exactly?"
Scott continued, "It means that you turn on me. Try to make it believable that I talked you into fighting against your will. Take me down in the hopes it'll redeem you and avoid the penalty."
"What happens to you?" Pietro pressed.
"Listen, I don't know what his criteria is for killing or keeping mutants. I am planning for every possible contingency, which means however unlikely I think it is, I have to consider how we would navigate defeat."
"We are NOT sacrificing you to save our own lousy skins!"
"No. You are sacrificing me to continue the mission. There are three-hundred seventy-six mutants here, not including the rest of our team. If we lose, we have to assume that would be a death sentence for all of us. We have to try something."
Hank cautioned, "Cyclops…you know full well the severity of what you are asking us. What would we say to Jean?"
He smiled and closed his eyes, and ah felt shoah it was her face he was seein'. He opened his eyes again. "You will tell her I went out the same man she always loved. The one she was always proud of. She knows everything I would say."
Hank cradled his head in his hands, dismayed, and ah just stared at him slack jawed, but mah vision went blurry. Pietro's pained expression said that dyin' might be better than this.
"Buck up. That's our last ditch effort, not our first stop." Scott started pacin' again.
Mah eyes found their way over to Hank, still incredulous. He looked up at me and took a deep breath. "Well, since we're here anyway. If this should be my last hurrah, please thank Xavier for me. He gave me means of research I never would have been able to access on my own, but more importantly he gave me peace and made me a better man and mutant."
Scott stopped, eyebrows knit together painfully. Hank is special to everybody.
"Ah'm not telling anybody any dang thing so both of you better just…ya better just…" Too much adrenaline, too much fear, too much everythin' - ah felt the stupid tears running down mah furious face. Which only made me madder, cause ah really wanted to pull mah weight here as an X-man, which only made the tears worse. Hank tried to approach me but now his sweet face was no help. Scott never knows what to do in these scenarios. Pietro stared at the ceiling, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. So ah went over and started punchin' the wall over and over. The stupid magic juice was apparently still in mah system because the scrapes sealed over as fast as ah could punch, but eventually the sting and energy expenditure helped me stop.
Ah took a deep breath and turned back around. Hank opened his mouth and closed it again. Scott cleared his throat, "We don't have much time-,"
"Ah know. Ah'm sorry. Ah'm good."
Scott nodded and tried to start back in on plannin', but Hank raised a hand to stop him.
"Rogue…what about you?"
Scott cocked his head to one side, and ah imagined his eyes were wide with disbelief as he glared at Hank as though to say "what in the sam hell's the matter with you?" but he didn't interrupt.
Ah tried to think. Scott and Hank had such succinct closing statements, lives and loves wrapped up in a neat little bow, passions fully explored.
"Ah don't know," ah started honestly, "There's too much ah haven't said and done. Things ah want to say to the Professor, the team, even Mystique…"
But as mah name went down the list of unfinished business, one name landed on my heart like a ton of bricks, desperation the mortar. Ah recalled his tortured face, waitin' foah me to say somethin' after seeing his darkest moments through Caliban's eyes. Ah remembered his eyes glowin' in the shadows as he rescued Marrow. Ah felt his hair in mah fingers in the library, as ah tried to find his smile. All the confusion ah hadn't been able to reconcile was still there, but the very possible reality of never seein' him again gave me a note of clarity, somethin' that needed to be said.
"Please tell Remy he's a good man! He's got to know that! Tell him ah knew it!"
Scott winced and foah moment ah regretted mah outburst, but then ah remembered where we were and what we were doing. Ah crossed over and made him meet mah eyes, "He's a good man. Tell him he's worthy of forgiveness and love and he had all of mine. And let him come home. Please."
Scott cleared his throat again and looked away. "Could we please focus on not dying, maybe?"
Hank gently put a hand on mah shoulder, "'Hell is yourself and the only redemption is when a person puts himself aside to feel deeply for another person.' – Tennessee Williams. Don't abandon hope: I feel certain we'll be seeing more of our Cajun friend. Fight well, as you always do, and tell him yourself."
Ah took a minute to close mah eyes, taking a few slow breaths. Scott was right, we needed to refocus.
My name is Remy LeBeau," his voice started shakin' as he continued, "De t'ieves guild is my real fam'ly. I like coffee, gumbo, live music, and irritating you to death. And I love-," He stopped because his voice cracked. If he said anythin' else, he would lose it.
Ok, swamp rat. Ah'll tell you mahself.
"Yoah right Scott. Let's focus. We've made it this far. But let me make one thing plainly clear – if you call 'marvel', ah will absolutely make you regret it."
Pietro chuckled nervously and tried to lighten the mood, "Just give Wanda all my stuff and tell my dad I wasn't a total waste of time, cool?" It was a whole mouthful delivered flippantly, and we didn't really know how to respond.
The time was up too soon, and they came back foah us, herding us back into the labyrinth of corridors.
After an indeterminate interval, we emerged somehow outside, squintin' against the brightness of the light. When En Sabah Nur said arena…he literally meant an arena. We were on the ground floor of an amphitheater, acres of sand underfoot and sun overhead. The flat expanse was open, offerin' no refuge.
The stands were sparsely populated, maybe several dozen people looking down. Ah let mah eyes dart over the faces as best ah could but ah didn't recognize anyone. Each wore collars like the ones the Nasty Boys sported, which stood to reason they were mutants with access to their powers. Were these the missing mutants? Where were the rest of them?
En Sabah Nur emerged from the other end of the arena…accompanied by none other than Sinister. Ah saw Scott and Hank react at the same time ah did, but we weren't in a position to do much of anythin' about it.
Sinister's horrible, slitherin', carefully enunciated voice came ringing out, "The rules are simple. Trial by combat, to the death. All forms of engagement are allowable. Leaving the arena will result in immediate forfeiture."
Well…that certainly dampened the likelihood of the escape plan. Plan B, but still a plan.
"You said we'd have access to our powers," Scott's voice was ever commandin'.
"And so you shall." He nodded to Sinister, who approached with four collars. He seemed to relish snapping those awful things around our necks, one by one, a smug smile on his hideous face. As soon as the collar was clasped, ah felt mah power surge back on under my skin, a current that gave me goosebumps befoah it settled back down. Watching Beast transform back into his right self was oddly encouragin'.
"I always thought these suited your team well," Sinister complimented. Ah scowled and moved to give him a little reminder of why exactly he's zero foah like…twelve when it comes to the X-men, but Scott set me with a stern glance and ah fell back in line. Now that we were here, healed up and powers on, ah was itching foah the fight to start. The waiting is always worse than the wallops. But ah was gonna follow the plan – can't let Sinister sidetrack me.
The ghoul slunk away and the low hum of the people in the stands dropped off, leavin' an eerie hush. En Sabah Nur stood at the far end of the arena, one foot forward, incredible weight leaned toward us, planted firmly like a hulkin' stone golem, ready to launch. His expression was unconcerned…maybe even bored. Ah could hear mah heartbeat in mah ears, muscles achin' to move, but we held, watchin' and waitin'.
"Begin."
Despite his immense form, En Sabah Nur launched himself so quickly he was a blur, like a freight train comin' straight foah us.
Quicksilver took off, becomin' a silver streak. En Sabah Nur was fast, but apparently Pietro was still faster. Ah took to the air, as planned, keeping eyes on Beast and Cyclops. Beast immediately launched himself away from the trajectory of our foe, while Scott met him head on with his optic blast.
The impact was enough to slow En Sabah Nur's approach, but he immediately pivoted direction to intercept Beast.
Quicksilver darted in, landing the first blow. He zipped away and back from a different angle just as quickly, landing another, stoppin' En Sabah Nur's momentum.
Ah took mah opportunity while he was slightly off kilter and tryin' to focus on Quicksilver to swoop in, deliverin' three blows in quick succession. Even with mah powers, it felt like ah was hittin' a wall. There was no flinch, no recoil at all. Ah didn't risk further action, we were stayin' ranged foah now while we figured out his capabilities and hopefully some kinda weakness. Ah disengaged, got hold of Beast and helped him get some distance.
"Observations?" Beast asked as ah transported him.
"This fella sucks," ah offered unhelpfully as I dropped him off and turned back to the fray. As ah turned, ah turned directly into the blow ah hadn't seen comin'. The force was stunnin', sent me flyin' backwards and cuttin' a trough through the sand befoah ah was stopped by the stone wall on the other side of the arena.
Mah powers had protected me from serious injury but dang if that didn't smart. Ah forced myself back up on mah feet and into the air as quick as ah could manage, and saw Beast handspring over En Sabah Nur and attempt a choke hold from behind while Quicksilver continued his lightnin' fast, supersonic jabs. They were landin', but just didn't seem to be makin' much of an impression. Maybe we would wear him down?
Moah bad news, Quicksilver's next blow failed to come as a surprise, and En Sabah Nur landed a crunchin' uppercut, lifting him off his feet as the air whooshed out of him and laid him out flat, gaspin' to regain it. En Sabah Nur then reached one arm behind him and grabbed a fistful of Beast's beautiful blue fur, intendin' to slam him into the ground. Thankfully, ah made it there and drove both mah fists into his chest, drivin' him backward so suddenly that he released Beast, who made quick work of puttin' some distance between them.
"Rogue, move!" Cyclops yelled and ah pulled hard left to see if ah could get to Quicksilver. Ah moved in the nick of time as an optic blast cut past me close enough that ah could feel the heat.
Ah pulled Quicksilver to his feet but then felt a white hot blast to mah back than sent me fallin' forward. Ah turned around to see that En Sabah Nur had erected some kind of molten lookin' shield that was scatterin' Cyclops' blast, makin' it ricochet in all directions.
Cyclops' face was twisted in frustration – he couldn't use his power without endangerin' everyone.
"Hit him harder, Cyclops!" Ah hollered as ah scooped up Quicksilver and made mah way over to gather up Beast.
"I can't control the shot!"
"Ah'll protect the boys, give him all ya got!"
"Rogue-,"
"DO IT! If he needs a shield there's a chance!"
Ah put the fellas against the far wall and braced mahself overtop, as though gatherin' them undah mah wings. Ah couldn' see but ah heard Cyclops turn loose behind me, heard the impact of his gaze collidin' with whatever that shield was. The first ricochet glanced the side of mah leg; felt like lava and ah ground mah teeth. A second and third hit befoah the noise died down. Ah looked over mah shoulder, hopin' to see that Cyclops had incinerated him, but instead ah just saw the look of shock on Cyclops' face, and En Sabah Nur still standin', expression blank, behind his wall. Once he realized that Cyclops had given it his best, he let it drop, and charged him.
Ah took off, rippin' off a glove in the process, racin' him to the destination. How could he possibly be so huge and so fast? My only thought was to get between his blow and Cyclops.
Cyclops might not be the strongest, but danged if he's not a scrapper. He managed to dodge, drop and roll away from the impact En Sabah Nur had intended, and ah made it there by the skin of mah teeth to catch his fist in my open palm. Ah watched the force of his blow roll down mah arm like a concussive wave, but befoah ah could feel anythin' at all mah touch began its familiar pull.
It felt strange…awful, as always…but weak. I had a firm hold of him, it should have been a torrent…but it felt like a trickle. Like ah was barely grazing him underwater. The images were dim, but there were so many. Ah felt his age, and how many ages he had seen. There was way too much in his mind, moah than any other mind ah'd ever touched.
Foolish. Naïve. Naughty children. That's how he saw us, as we fought with the best we could give. It was the last bit of coherency as mah mind filled with images of sandy plains and ancient citadels, juxtaposed with modern images of a bustlin' city, a television screen, anger, fury, rage, indignation. Pages and pages, some old, some new, flitted befoah mah eyes, their contents flowin' like a torrent, too much. And darkness, endless darkness as hours, days and years passed, mind awake and focused and churnin'.
Four figures loomed up, black and ominous, significant. Light behind them giving their blackness an otherworldly glow. Necessary. They held between them a round orb, cracked and swirling, polluted. As they reached out and touched it, it cracked and white light spilled forth. Redemption. Peace.
Ah felt coldness like death. Decision. Resolve. A mountain of dead flesh under a throne. Evil so thick, so impenetrable that one could reach out and touch it.
Ah could no longer see the arena around me, mah livin' senses were dead as the onslaught filled mah mind. Ah vaguely felt mah body make impact, and then blows fallin' down, but they made no purchase against mah newly perfect, unassailable body.
Mah sight finally returned and ah saw that massive fist rainin' down again and again. It was just an idle observation. There was some sense of urgency, like ah was caught in a dream and needed to wake up. Behind the blows, impossible, emotionless eyes stared down at me out of a massive form. Even mah power wasn't slowin' him down, stoppin' him.
"Intercept!" a commandin' voice called desperately. Somethin' familiar about it.
A white streak flitted in and out of mah view, and then a big blue figure appeared behind the mammoth delivering the assault.
It took incredible effort to latch onto a train of thought, but ah thrashed and kicked, much like ah had earlier. There was somethin' important. Ah caught the next blow and then shot up, gaspin'. Ah pulled mah feet up and kicked mah assailant away, sendin' him flyin'. If ah hadn't had somethin' of his powers in me, he would have killed me.
"Rogue!"
"I'm here, Cyclops." Mah voice was calm, steady, deep. Ah was unbothered by the violence. It was meaningless.
"Rogue?" His voice was uncertain now.
Ah was still wrestlin' in mah mind, tryin' to come back to mahself. Somethin' was wrong. The figure befoah us…it wouldn't matter if we beat him or not, and we couldn't possibly beat him. The loomin' figure had stopped where he landed after ah'd knocked him off. He was watchin' now, waitin', head cocked to one side. Curious.
Ah could feel so many abilities, choices foah how he could take us down. He wasn't even tryin'. He could unbind atoms.
"We cannot succeed," mah voice came out foreign.
Quicksilver stopped, eyes dartin' back and forth between me and Cyclops, uncertain. Beast approached me cautiously. There was too much information, flashin', swirlin', clashin', settlin'. Mah mind was tryin' to tame it, put it into words but ah couldn't give it order. Ah just knew that with what he was capable of, and who he was…and somethin' about what he was…we had nothin' to contend with.
Ah drew mah eyes over to Cyclops, and ah saw a mesh of the man ah knew, and what En Sabah Nur saw – a series of characteristics, ratings, potential. Energy variety. Elevated power class. Low control status. High intelligence. Physically unremarkable. No threat.
"Behold," Ah extended a hand toward En Sabah Nur, who watched quizzically and made no effort to resist. With a twist of mah wrist, ah used his own power against him, stretchin' the space between molecules to disintegrate him into dust. Ah felt no surprise when the swirlin' particles reformed, his form now smilin'.
Quicksilver's jaw dropped and Beast's eyes went wide. They looked back at Cyclops, whose expression, to his credit, was still militant, still searchin' through scenarios, tactics, possibilities.
At last he let out a low whistle, a cynical smile on his face, "My, my, aren't you a marvel?" He followed it with a futile and hopeless optic blast, an attempt to re-engage.
Ah couldn't respond, ah could only watch. Ah saw Beast draw in a ragged breath, but Quicksilver darted forward and landed a blow across Cyclops' face, knockin' his visor off and leaving him prostrate with eyes squeezed shut.
"Enough! We've had enough of your delusions! I told you we should have joined him but you wouldn't listen to me, would you?" Quicksilver lifted Cyclops' head up by his hair, striking him again across the jaw.
With eyes still shut, Cyclops rebuked him, "We can't give up! I told you before, he's a liar – why would he let us join him? You're running straight towards a slaughter!"
Beast's voice was hollow, "And you've led us where, exactly?"
"We haven't lost yet, redouble the attack-,"
"We're not committing suicide for you, Cyclops." Quicksilver threw him back down in the sand, turnin' his attention toward En Sabah Nur. Approachin' slowly, he held Cyclops' visor aloft, an offerin'.
"We followed the wrong leader. We recognize our error."
With shoulders tensed, Beast turned toward En Sabah Nur and dropped to one knee, slowly placin' his fist to his chest, though the way he moved made it look impossibly heavy.
"Quicksilver is right…," he cast a glance mah way, "We should have listened to Rogue. I yield."
"Don't do it Beast! We can still fight!" Cyclops' voice was full of conviction, but Beast only closed his eyes briefly and didn't respond.
Quicksilver continued his slow tread towards our foe, who only watched, a ponderous look on his face. Once Quicksilver reached him, he held his hand out to accept the visor. It was promptly delivered, then its bearer dropped to one knee also, fist to chest in submission.
En Sabah Nur studied him ominously, waitin' a cold minute in silence.
"Do you think that I can leave your insolence unanswered?" He crushed the visor down to fragments, lettin' the wind carry them away. "A choice was made."
Quicksilver rose and started backin' away, fear written plainly on his handsome face. En Sabah Nur pursued him with measured steps. "You chose to fight. You have failed, as I said you would. And once defeated, you would be slaves. To bend to my will."
One last brilliant burst of crimson lit the sand as Cyclops continued his doomed assault. He had been listenin' closely to the voices around him, still searchin' out any opportunity. It drew En Sabah Nur's attention away from Quicksilver, and the titan launched himself toward his last remainin' assailant.
As En Sabah Nur raised one hand aloft, Cyclops' body was lifted into the air, arms stretched taut as though bein' pulled, eyes shut tight. Ah noticed movement in my peripheral vision. When ah turned, ah saw the stragglers in the stands turning away, not wantin' to look. Somethin' very cold took root in mah core. Mah mind started thrashin' all the harder, tryin' to surface, tryin' to pull free of En Sabah Nur's lingerin' presence.
"My will is decided."
The sand whipped up, swirlin' and slingin' around Cyclops like the tails of a whip, leavin' razor thin slits where it met his skin. Cyclops jaw was clenched tight, muscles rigid as he resisted even now. Quicksilver's expression twisted in horror and he looked away. Beast's measured gaze stayed fixed on the scene, unwillin' to spare himself.
Ah took a barely conscious step towards the pair, locked on one another, but ah couldn't come up with an intention. Cyclops was holdin' out to the end, but his limbs gave a tremor as his body was stretched ever further, and a short, barkin' moan escaped his lips as he started to feel real pain.
One thing En Sabah Nur had in spades was arrogance.
"Let me," Ah offered.
En Sabah Nur didn't release his hold on Cyclops, but he inclined his head slightly in mah direction. Ah repeated my offer, "Ah can fix mah mistake. Let me."
Mah insides twisted…this couldn't be right. Ah couldn't possibly go through with this. But Cody, Carol…they weren't dead. It was only En Sabah Nur's reckless resolve that allowed me to even consider the idea.
Even with his eyes shut tightly, Cyclops' frowned in confusion, not followin'.
"You mean to outwit me, child?"
"No. Ah bring a fate worse than death. You alone have been able to resist, but this one – he cannot. I can disconnect his body from his mind." Ah set mah gaze meaningfully, knowingly on En Sabah Nur, "leaving him in an infinite darkness. Alive. Awake. Waitin'."
Ah replayed what ah had seen in En Sabah Nur's mind, bidin' his time in the shadows, growin' older, colder, less alive but no moah dead. Ah hoped he could see it in mah face.
The titan studied me considerin'. "Is your loyalty so thin, little mercenary?" he stretched the fingers of his hand wide and Cyclops groaned as his head drooped.
Mah mind fumbled, searchin' foah a believable retort. Mah blind terror was bringin' me back to mahself. The best lies contain a helpin' of truth. Ah felt the shocked stares of Beast and Quicksilver drillin' into me, tryin' to make sense of what ah was sayin'.
Ah forced mah face into a glare as ah cut mah eyes to Cyclops and spat, "He never trusted me!" Takin' a step toward him, ah pointed an accusin' finger, "Makin' me jump through hoops, puttin' me in danger – and ah took it! – but ah haven't forgotten." Ah turned mah eyes back to En Sabah Nur, who was watchin' me, listenin' politely…not sold.
"All this ah could live with…maybe even forgive," in an act of absolute masochism, ah allowed myself to think of Remy, let his face, his voice, his agonizin' absence show in mah pained expression, "But he sent mah love away. He thought he was better, better than him, better than me, and he sent him away!" a tiny part of me was actually thankful that Remy wasn't here to see me now, but ah could give it no thought.
En Sabah Nur burst into an insulting, raucous laugh, "You young ones and your susceptibility to affection. It serves some evolutionary purpose, but you assign an inordinate level of meaning." His condescendin' dismissal gave me a murderous rage. Ah wanted to peel his skin from his bones. Ah held mahself in rigid check, waitin' to see how mah gamble would play out.
Cyclops whimpered, growin' tired from holdin' himself in check against the forces pullin' him, and it drew both our attention back to him. The sands continued their merciless swirl, still cuttin' him up with every twist and snap, drippin' droplets of blood on the sand. En Sabah Nur considered, takin' his time, and ah felt sweat formin' on mah brow.
At last, he dropped his arm. The sands ceased and Cyclops dropped to the ground, breathin' heavily.
"Very well. Show me."
Ah clenched mah teeth and begged mah face to hold it's shape as ah approached. Ah walked slowly, runnin' every possibility ah could think of through mah mind. What ah was gonna do…ah didn't know how to undo it. Would he forgive me? Would he understand? Would he torment and haunt me like Carol?
What else could ah do? Ah couldn't watch him die but ah knew to the marrow of mah bones that if we resisted we'd all meet the same fate. Ah knew ah was bein' watched carefully, no opportunity to falter.
Cyclops lay bleedin', eyes closed and drenched in sweat. A fallen icon of everythin' we believed in.
Ah knelt down beside him, listenin' to the sound of his breath, breath that would continue after what ah was about to do. As long as he was breathin, there would be hope, no matter how small. Was it really this very same day ah watched him beholdin' the world with new eyes, weepin' at its beauty?
I hope you don't mind. Imagining the look on their faces when they find out I got the first kiss will go a long way in getting me through this.
Ah grabbed him by the front of his uniform and pulled him sittin' upright. "Ah told you ah'd make you regret it, shugah." He gave me no response.
Ah closed mah eyes and pressed mah lips to his fiercely. Ah felt mah power pull, felt his body stiffen as his mind, his strength, his powers, his memories rushed into me, powerful at first.
One second. Two seconds. Three. Four. Five.
Ah didn't let go. It was a feelin' so terrible ah haven't been able to put proper words to it, even now. Ah knew him. Ah respected him. Ah trusted him. He was familiar. And ah was hurtin' him in a way that no one else could.
Six. Seven. Eight.
The pull lessened, the stream grew weaker. Ah held on still, eyes closed, and ah felt tears that ah couldn't help spill down mah cheeks, minglin' with his blood in the sand.
Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen.
Resistance. He was tryin' to resist. He had no strength, nothin' to resist with. A fighter, even now.
Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen.
The pull softened, slowed to a trickle.
Seventeen. Eighteen.
And then stopped.
Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty-One.
Nothing.
Ah drew back and looked into sightless blue eyes, starin' at nothin', unable to meet me. It was only a second, and then a red glow spread across mah field of vision.
A familiar voice in mah ear whispered, "Close your eyes, Rogue."
Ah gasped at the sound and did what was asked without even thinkin', unconsciously releasin' Cyclops, and hearin' his limp body collapse to the sand without reaction. Ah placed mah hands on the ground, tryin' not to lose mah balance.
There was silence all around me. Ah couldn't hear footsteps, voices, breathin', nothin'. A breeze and shiftin' sand.
Finally, his deep, boomin' voice broke through, soundin' pleased, "This one interests me. Take her to the Scryers. I grant mercy. Take the other to the infirmary for observation."
The other. The other?! His name was Scott Summers. He was determined. Tenacious. Disciplined. Loyal. Kind. Fearless and brave. He liked mechanics and military documentaries and pushing himself to excel. He loved Jean. He had a stern face but a rewarding smile, when you could earn one. He was our leader. There is no "other". Ah couldn't stop mahself. In outrage ah opened mah mouth, but ah heard the voice again, whisperin' urgently, "Don't!"
Ah forced mah mouth shut. Ah felt hands on me, ah didn't know whose, liftin' me up, takin' me somewhere.
"What about Beast and Quicksilver?!" Ah called out desperately.
The voice was matter-of-fact, "They chose my will. I will keep them as slaves. Take them to quarters."
Ah heaved a sigh of relief. Not dead.
But then a terrible sense of dread descended on me. Not dead, but what now?
Ah had no choice but to be carried along, eyes closed, uncertain of where ah was goin', and now utterly alone. Ah vaguely recalled that Psylocke, Storm and Mystique had also been taken to the "Scryers", but ah almost hoped ah wouldn't be reunited with them. How could ah possibly explain?
Ah wasn't shoah exactly where ah was in this horrible complex, but ah started to feel ice cold, comin' on slowly at first and then growin' moah intense. Mah heartbeat slowed and mah body started to shake from it.
"Slow breaths. You're going into shock. Count down from a hundred."
Ah couldn't do much else, so ah did mah best to obey. Mah breath fought me, wanted to run ragged, to fight and surge, but ah did try. Ah felt unfamiliar hands rollin' up mah sleeves and pullin' mah shirt down. "DON'T TOUCH MAH SKIN," Ah warned.
"Ignore them. 48…47…" Ah joined the whisper back in countin'. Somethin' was bein' stuck to me. To mah head, mah chest, mah arms. It didn't hurt. Ah tried to make out what they were.
"Feels like sensors. Medical sensors. Nothing to worry about." His voice was overly relaxed and it made me suspicious. Now that he mentioned it, ah heard mechanical whirrin' and beepin' that sounded very much like a hospital room. Ah was laid out on some kinda table. It was not a comfortin' thought.
Ah tried to focus on mah other senses, make out what kind of situation ah was in.
"Do you have a name, sister?" The voice was gentle and earthy. Ah pictured it belongin' to an older lady. American accent, Canadian maybe.
"Who's askin'?
"You are addressing The Scryers. We are mutants, like you. We have been chosen by En Sabah Nur to evaluate and treat our brethren, like yourself."
"Ask how many there are," the voice whispered urgently, a tone of command, "How many of you are there?"
"There are sixteen so far, until we find more whose gifts lend themselves to the task."
Ah hesitated, but figured at this point mah name was hardly any protection at all. Maybe if ah played nice they'd go easy on a gal. I couldn't fight sixteen blind.
"Rogue. Mah name is Rogue."
"Rogue, welcome. You've had an usual entry into the program. We look forward to serving you."
"Servin' me what?"
"It is our task to evaluate you on a number of parameters and recommend any needed treatment."
"Ah don't want any treatment."
"We are beholden to the master. We have no choice but to follow his orders."
Ah started, nearly openin' mah eyes but remembered just in time, "Were y'all the mutants taken in the robot attack all those months back?!"
There was some murmurin', but no direct answer.
"We came here to save y'all! Help me find mah friends, we can help-,"
"Whatever your manner of coming here, you have found the same conditions we have. There is no one who can free us. And the cost to try…is steep."
"You don't undahstand, we got folks waitin' on our report to send in the cavalry, if you can get even one of us out of here!"
"We cannot."
A new strange voice, male, venomous, "Stop talking to her. I can't listen to all this again. Just get on with it."
"What do you mean again?" Ah pressed.
The gentle voice answered, "Many want to escape, on their first visit to us. And we began treatment for your friends earlier. It is hard, being reminded of hope we no longer have."
"Appeal to their humanity," whispered mah stowaway."You got kids out there? Waitin' foah you to come home?"
Ah hollered as somethin' hard hit me in the head and fell to the floor. Ah heard some kinda scuffle.
"Remove him!"
Ah tried again, "Let us help you! We want to get you home!"
"Please calm yourself. We are the ones helping you."
"Helping me how?"
"We must complete your evaluation to find out."
"What does that even mean? Eye exam? Blood draw?"
A murmur from the figures in the room ah couldn't see. "We will be classifying and testing your mutant abilities. Depending on your particular case, there may be some discomfort."
"Discomfort? Ah generally find that term to mean 'excruciatin' pain.'"
"Some of us will be evaluating your physical abilities, others will be evaluating your mental state. Our powers can feel invasive if you are not used to them."
Mah breath hitched and started racin'. "Wait. Wait please."
"We don't have much time and we are under orders. We must produce your analysis for the master."
Ah reached out with soundless words to mah new companion, "Scott, you gotta hide!"
"You have to calm down."
"Ah cannot do any moah calmin' down today! Ah didn't go to all this trouble to have them find you now! You gotta HIDE!" Ah mentally screamed at him.
"Where? Where can I hide?"
With mah body rebellin' against me, it was hard to answer his question. Ah tried to remember, to think of some means of protectin' him.
"Jean and I can talk telepathically. This feels similar. I don't always understand it but…try taking me someplace you don't want to go. Someplace you never go."
Someplace ah never go…right…simple enough…you know how when you're not supposed to think about polar bears, that's all you can think about?
"Come on Rogue, focus."
Ah thought of somethin', but ah didn't want to send him there.
"We don't have time to be picky." His voice was tactical, even here.
"Let us begin." Ah felt somethin' sharp stick mah arm. A needle. Somethin' warm and stingy. "You are clearly elevated, this is a mild sedative to help ease the process."
"Rogue, where do I go?"
Ah squeezed mah eyes even tighter, as though it could help me avoid seein' the memory ah had to conjure.
The screen door never did close tightly, always an inch or two ajar. The hydrangeas around the porch were unruly, needin' prunin'. The sun was settin' and the mosquitos and lightnin' bugs were out. In mah mind's eye, Scott and ah stood shoulder-to-shoulder just in front of the porch steps leadin' up to the clapboard rambler. The slow peacefulness of the outdoors was broken by the sounds of shoutin' comin' from inside.
"How could you do this to me?! After everythin' ah've done, workin' my fingahs to the bone takin' care of you by myself after yo' mama run off! Yoah a disgrace!"
"Ah'm sorry daddy! Ah didn't mean to, ah couldn't help it-,"
"As though bein' out kissin' some boy at your age wasn't disgrace enough. Boys yoah age only care about one thing – you plannin' to give it to 'em? What do you mean, you couldn't help it!? How many times have we talked about mutants?!"
Scott tensed beside me, his instinct to intervene almost impossible to ignore, even though he knew what he was seein' wasn't real. At least not now.
Ah couldn't bear to look at him. "Scott, ah'm so sorry. Ah'm so sorry. Gawd, I'm sorry!"
Scott shook mah shoulder, "Rogue, what you did was GENIUS. I mean, I was so impressed with how you pulled that off. I'm sort of mad I never thought of it."
Ah looked up at him like he was a crazy person, "Are you serious right now?! Do you undahstand ah don't know how to get you BACK?!"
Scott shook his head good naturedly, "That's a later problem. But Rogue, he was one hundred percent going to kill me. I had no alternative, no backup plan. I'm still here. So well executed. Just…wow…thank you!"
Mah face was just frozen in shock. This was moah praise that ah'd ever received from Scott, ever. And it was after ah'd practically killed him.
There were sounds of violence, somethin' breakin'. Ah knew it was a coffee mug. "DADDY PLEASE! Yoah hurtin' me!"
"GET OUT! Yoah not mah daughter anymoah!"
Scott's head jerked back in the direction of the house at the sound of the noise.
"Scott ah'm sorry but you have to hide in there. Ah don't have time and ah can't go in. They won't see you or hear you. Just go to the back, there's a bedroom on yoah left. If you go hide under the bed it might help."
His jaw clenched and then he looked back at me, blue eyes clear as water. "Silver lining, we're together. Which means we can collaborate. Plan. We'll figure this out."
"Sugah, ah gotta survive whatever's next first."
The haze of the sedative was startin' to take effect, the edges of the memory beginnin' to warp and blur.
Scott looked at me seriously as objects continued to bang around in the house. "You will survive. You're a survivor. And a fine X-man. Come get me."
"Ah cannot believe yoah not mad at me."
"I understand leadership, Rogue. It means you make a call and do what needs to be done. That's what you did. All I feel about it so far is respect and gratitude."
A gangly kid in torn up, muddy jeans and a too big teeshirt came running out, slamming the screen door behind her, bruised and tear-streaked face payin' us no mind as she ran past. A big man came racin' behind, stoppin' at the edge of the porch to shake his fist after her, "You ever come back here I'll kill ya!"
"Stay safe please Scott. Ah'll come back as soon as ah can."
Ah left the memory and forced mah thoughts as far away as ah could manage. Movies, tv shows, song lyrics, anywhere. It was gettin' hard to follow a train of thought, the sedative takin' full force. Ah heard snippets of conversation waftin' above, around me, in mah mind.
"She's very cluttered. Parasite classification but has never learned how to disengage from her hosts."
"Can we forcibly remove them? It's impossible to navigate."
"We can try. Pick one."
"Lesser or major?"
"Start with a major. It's likely to be painful. Better to find she won't survive the worst than torment her needlessly by working our way up."
A sigh.
Mah body was no longer mine to command, so ah mustered what strength ah could in mah own mind.
"Get outta mah head!"
"Apologies, miss. Orders."
They started rummagin' through mah absorbed personalities, and it felt like someone ripping the scabs off a road rash.
"Stop! It hurts!"
"It'll get worse before it gets better. It helps if you try not to resist."
"There's something here, way stronger, more deeply hidden than the others."
Mah breath caught. "NO!"
"She doesn't want to let them go. They're tangled up with her identity. I don't know what happens if I pull them out while she's clinging like this."
"We have no choice."
"GET OUT!"
"I've got one. Man, it's so strong it's almost like it's real. How did she build this container?"
"Must have had help."
"Help me out here, grab hold."
"Strap her down, she's seizing!"
"PULL!"
It felt like someone grabbed hold of mah spine and yanked it out of mah mouth. Ah lost awareness.
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