Chapter 56

Darkstar VS. Sabretooth

Disclaimer: A part of this is born from a comment in the review section I saw in L1's fics about a potential fight between Darkstar and Sabretooth that someone wanted to see and since its never happened to my knowledge, I ended up wanting to write a scene like that myself. Now… Let's get it on!

Burbank's Simonson Strip Mall

Now, while the teams had been doing whatever they or the adults could think of as bonding exercises for the third day in a row, Craig had ended up missing out on that thanks to the fact that a few hours before Noon, he'd gotten a call from Sara Grey to meet up. Surprising him in the process thanks to the fact she hadn't been speaking to him and essentially giving him the cold shoulder ever since the attack at the former Grey home back in Stamford. Getting that call and agreeing to her request had made Craig hopeful but extremely cautious since anything could happen and for all he knew, Sara would tell him she just couldn't accept everything in the end. A notion that bothered him more than he cared to even admit to himself. And once making it to the Simonson Strip Mall that was home to an every weekend Flea Market on his Motorcycle, he'd find a nervous Sara at one of the food trucks out on the lot. "Your parents here?" He asked as he came up to her.

"Nah, I told them I'd be fine until we got done talking and then I'd call 'em to come get me." Sara told him as she nervously brushed back a strand of Red hair.

"Oh." Made sense he supposed.

"Hungry?"

Craig shrugged. "I could eat." Replied the young man, choosing to let her steer things for the time being since this was her show essentially.

Once they got their food from the truck that Craig offered to pay for but was declined by the girl, the two sat at a nearby table in silence. A silence that in Craig's view, was somewhat uncomfortable and Lord knows he hated that kind of feeling. "Want to go check out what this place has?" Came her question once they were done eating.

She's stalling and about as uncomfortable as I am. This could be a very bad thing.

But rather than call her out on that, Craig agreed, allowing for the two to go and look at the Flea Market had to offer in silence. After nearly ten minutes of that, the young man found himself getting impatient. "Alright, Sara, you wanted to talk, so let's talk."

He winced at how that sounded and Sara let out a sigh. "Right, yeah, s-sorry, I don't mean to stall so much." She replied.

"I let my own impatience get the best of me so you aren't alone." Offered Craig by way of an apology since he wasn't one for those.

Something that earned him a knowing smile from the girl before it vanished. "I… First I want to apologize. For, you know, basically giving you the cold shoulder after what happened in Stamford."

"You don't need to apologize, Sara. I get why you needed the time away from me since I did basically betray yours and the rest of the family's trust."

A frustrated groan came from Sara. "Ugh, you suck with the whole understanding thing!" Moaned the girl and making him chuckle.

"Can't help it if its true." Replied the young man with a small shrug.

Giving him a look before moving on, Sara spoke. "You were in a bad situation and that, that guy took advantage of it to get you to help him out with us. Which you ended up not doing since you realized you liked us way more than what you did him."

"I'd just as soon like Kitty Pryde's cooking then like that pasty faced asshole." Groused Craig and then found himself shuddering at the thought of Kitty's cooking.

Something that made Sara giggle over, not even stopping when she was glared at by her crush. "You wouldn't be finding that as funny if you had tried her cooking."

"Which I will never ever do. I've heard way too many stories about that girl's cooking. And by the way? Don't think I didn't notice you didn't deny my claim of liking us."

"You should try saying that five times over really fast." He told her somewhat uncomfortably.

Especially as he was feeling some warmth in his face! "Anyway! After a lot of thinking and some talks with my mom and dad, I realized all that is things I can forgive you for, Craig. Just… Never do something like that again as I don't think I could handle you lying to me again." Sara told him imploringly and wishing he wasn't wearing his damn shades!

"I… I can't make that promise to you, Sara, but I can try my best where you're concerned." Replied Craig.

Knowing that Life was unlikely to allow that for that sort of thing and Sara sighed, somewhat unhappy about his response but realized it was the best she was going to get. So she could work with it. "Can, can we hug?" She asked him.

As she knew that just doing it wasn't a good idea thanks to the fact her crush liked his personal space not being invaded. She could tell he was hesitant but when he agreed, Sara couldn't help but light up in happiness and a part of Craig liked the reaction as they hugged. The two then stared at one another while staying in the hug and their lips slowly started to get closer to the other's when they were interrupted much to their annoyance by a mocking voice. "Aww, and I didn't think to bring a camera."

Intending to give the jerk who interrupted them a piece of his mind, Craig immediately stopped and paled as he caught sight of Victor 'Sabretooth' Creed in a brown trenchcoat, boots, blue jeans, and a red t-shirt. "Heh, hello there, Nephew."

Quickly, the pale and very tense Craig put Sara behind him in a protective manner much to her confusion and alarm. "Craig!? What, what's going on!?"

"A Family Reunion, little Frail!" Answered Creed with a nasty grin before Craig could.

"If you can call it that." Replied the young man tensely and hating that he hadn't brought his Nightstick with him!

"How'd you find me here?"

"The wonders of stalking, boy!"

"Somethin' tells me ol' Bucket Head wouldn't approve. Or Hell, maybe he would."

Victor laughed. "He doesn't even know I'm doin' this, Nephew! He thinks I'm just out handlin' some old business is all!" Not that he had exactly specified of course but it wasn't the man's business really.

"And what, I'm somehow part of that 'old business'?" Craig asked knowingly thanks to Clara coming to him and the others about the letter the man in front of him had sent.

A shrug came from the older Mutant. "Somethin' like that. Ya see, I actually kinda like you, Nephew, as ya remind me of myself at that age. And 'cause of that, I want to take ya under my wing since I'd love the opportunity to put out another vicious Creed into the world."

The nasty toothy grin on the man's face was enough to make Craig start to feel even more tense than what he felt before. And perhaps a touch of fear but he ruthlessly squashed it down as now was NOT the time to feel that. "Craig… I'm really scared!" Whispered Sara.

Not liking this one bit whatsoever! Her words made the terrifying man in front of them laugh as Craig stood his ground. "As 'fun' as that offer sounds... I'm gonna have to say no, 'Uncle'. Your kinda crazy isn't for me."

"Shoulda known my sister woulda infected you with her weak minded way a thinkin'. But that's somethin' I'd be happy to fix." Sneered the savage Mutant nastily.

"You can try but you'll fail, as I don't dance to anybody's tune."

A cold, cruel laugh came from Sabretooth as he took off his trenchcoat and licked his lips. "This is gonna be fun, punk."

"Sara, get the Hell outta here and call the base. NOW!"

Jumping in fright, Sara tried to argue that but her crush wouldn't budge. Even giving him her his shades before telling her once again to get the Hell out of dodge and would've given her his Joe Comm to do it but Sabretooth lunged at the two of them. Preventing him from being able to do so and for her to take off with a terrified scream. The two males began to trade blows with one another as others in the area began to take off as well while some foolishly stuck around to record what was going on. "Hah! I've got over a century of experience, boy! You're not gonna win this!"

"I might with my Hypnosis!" Retorted Darkstar despite not liking to use that ability all that much.

But to his shock, it wouldn't work, making Sabretooth laugh. "Nice try but my head's protected from that kinda crap!"

"Is it protected from this!?" Asked Darkstar as he fired his eye's laser beam at the older man.

Sabretooth stumbled a little from the surprise attack but it wasn't enough to do any serious damage much to Darkstar's dismay. "Wasn't expectin' that but it ain't gonna do a damn thing! So either get smart and come with me or get your ass beaten!"

"Again, gonna hafta pass! All members of the Starr family have a thing about bein' abused by garbage like you!" Retorted the younger of the two before grabbing a Baseball Bat and flung it at the other man.

Only for him to knock it out of the air with a swipe of his hand. "Nice try, Nephew, but no Cigar."

Letting out a growl, Sabretooth charged at him and quickly grabbing hold of another Baseball Bat, Darkstar swung it at him as hard as he could and managed to get him in the mid-section. "Grr, that actually hurt!" Snarled Creed before grabbing ahold of Darkstar by the neck and throwing him over one of the tables.

Sending him crashing into another and getting the wind knocked out of him! Deciding to take his time by going around the table in front of him in order to make the hurting he was about to do to his Nephew extra special, he watched as Darkstar forced himself up and turned to face him. "Gonna… Take more than that... To put me down." Grunted Darkstar.

A laugh escaped Creed after hearing that. "I knew there's a reason I like ya, Nephew! That kinda attitude is perfect for a good upstandin' member of the Creed family ta have!"

Sneering, Darkstar told him how he felt about that in no uncertain terms. Not giving a damn if the asshole in front of him was offended by that and to no one's surprise, Sabretooth wasn't. As it took a lot to offend the Feral Mutant thanks to how long he'd been around. The two began to trade blows once again but it was all too easy to see that Sabretooth had the upper hand in the fight and in a last ditch effort to try and get the upper hand for himself, Darkstar grabbed a hold of one of the Swords that were available for sale and tried to impale the other man with it. He succeeded in cutting his dear ol' Uncle's side and then found himself being suddenly spun around and yelling rather painfully as his arm was broken and a certain Sword found a home in his knee. Allowing for Victor to put him in a rather tight chokehold and even digging a deep cut down Craig's chest with one of his claws. "Heh, a little more experience and ya might stand a chance against me, Nephew. But I'm gonna tell ya what, you get to deliver a message for me."

"**#$… You!" Choked out Darkstar as he struggled in vein to get free.

"Tell my Sister that I'm comin' for her real soon." And before Craig knew it, he was slammed into one of the tables and breaking it with his weight.

Knocking him out as items fell on top of him. "Heh, that was actually a decent work out."

"FREEZE!"

Sabretooth turned and saw several Police Officers, each with their Guns aimed at him and he scoffed derisively. "Nah, I'll pass!"

With a sadistic chuckle, he took off in the other direction as the Police began to fire at him but it did nothing to slow him down. Several of the Cops began to chase after Sabretooth while another went to check on Craig and couldn't help but wince at what he saw and used his radio to call for an Ambulance with a hurried urgency. "Craig!" Screamed out Sara as she rushed to the downed boy.

"Miss! You need to keep back!" Ordered the Cop but she refused to listen as she tried to get to her friend.

Screaming and crying as she did so as several Misfits and Joes appeared around them courtesy of the Mass Device. "Mother Mary of God!" Called out a horrified and tearful Clara as sirens were heard in the distance.

"Dragonfly! Start working on him while Manifold gets a portal ready!" Ordered Wavedancer and Dragonfly quickly did as told after snapping out of her shocked horror despite some objections from the Police that were ignored.

Knowing that every second mattered until they got him back to base as Clara and the others vowed to make Sabretooth pay for what he'd done that day.

Author's Notes: As tough as Craig is, he's definitely no match for Sabretooth in the end unfortunately and hopefully I did a good job with the fight. I don't think there is an actual Simonson Strip Mall but it works regardless. Took inspiration from the X-Men writer Louise Simonson for the name as well.