The Family Creed: An X-Men Fanfiction.

[lakitubomber]

There's a man on the road. A big man. Muscles an' all with a wild mane of blonde hair. Mama looks at me and gently unbuckles me. Mama was a beautiful lady, long black hair an' pretty blue eyes. Fear, protectiveness, all that there on her face. I couldn't forget it even if I tried. She grabs her shotgun an' looks at me.

"Mama?" I whimper.

"It's okay, son. Just... just get outta here. I'll meet you back at the house."

"But Mama-"

"Now, Vicky." she says and I almost scramble out of my seat and onto the road. The man's head slightly turning towards me, he smirks, amber eyes burning into me. I should've stayed.

My father. He's my father. The only thought I had was 'Run! Run like hell, boy! Run back home! Run run run!'

I should've stayed and protected Mama. She'd be here now and... and I'd have my healin' factor and my claws, I'd be stronger than anything in the world. I ran through the woods, heart pumping in my ears as I hear my father's voice.

"Silver Fox, what's today?"

"Victor's birthday..." She sounded so defeated. Like she knew I'd be put through hell. My legs pick up speed, my tiny claws whacking branches out of the way. I didn't look back, I didn't want to look back.

I screwed my eyes shut, trying to shut out the screams, the buckshot, the laughter at her attempts to stop him. I made it back to the house but... but I hid. I hid under my bed, eyes shut and covering my mouth. Prayin' that Mama made it. Prayin' that this was just a bad dream and she'd wake me up and hold me an' tell me that the Bad Man was just one of 'er stories. I dunno how long I stayed under there but I couldn't move.

Heavy boots stomp on the wood, "Boy? Where are ya?" my father asks, "Come on out, I won't hurt'cha."

I don't want to. I want to stay. He killed my Mama. I heard it. I know what he did so... so why did I come out? He was gargantuan. A monster of nightmares. He smiles and reaches out, his wicked claws retracting a little, smearing my mother's blood into my hair with a fatherly pat.

"See? It wasn't so bad," his amber eyes burn cinders into me, "She's gone now, so let's play a game!"

"A game?" paralyzed, stuck with my father and he gently dusts me off, the only time he ever would show any concern for me without bodies. He chuckles.

"Sure. A game. Lessee..." he thinks a little, "Oh! I know! How about every year on yer birthday I come an' see you?" He's got that wide, toothy grin that's got blood in it too. I dunno if it was from the shots or he really took a bite outta her. He had his other hand behind his back, he was blocking the door, I couldn't get out even if I knew what was coming when I said...

"No!" I squeak, and that's when he hit me, ripping my clothes to shreds as he slashes me through a wall and slams me into it. Blood rains down and the pain is unbearable. He crushed my ribcage, my young healing factor already rushing to repair the damage. Wind blasted outta my lungs, blood dribblin' out, pulverized bone sendin' shards into my organs. The way I think back on it is like he hit me like a truck. Organs on fire, everything on fire.

"No?" he snarls, "Come on you little shit, humor your father!" he grins, "Just like I did for yer Mama's old friend, I'm gonna check up on you. Every year. Every birthday." he gently thrusts his hand out of my chest.

"F...Fuck... Y... Y..." I wheeze.

"Oho, there's that fire, boy!" he chuckles, licking my blood off his claws, "Blood of my blood, flesh of my flesh, I'll see ya next year, Vicky." As he leaves, tears run down my cheeks as my bones and flesh knit back together. I didn't have hatred then. I didn't have anger. It was sad. Finding my Mama's body all cut to hell and back and just... sobbing. I know it wasn't the only loss I'd ever feel, but it's a big one.

"I'm sorry, Mama! I'm sorry! I didn't... I didn't..." I bury my face into her chest not even caring about the blood, trying to find a heartbeat, trying to find some hope. But she was cold. And that was when I howled. Crying, screaming, claws whooshing through the air and small child anger making me look like a fool. I packed a small bag and just... hit the road. A lonely kid on a lonely mountain road, a bag on my back. I'd get used to it. I'd cry, I'd hide, I'd try to get outta there. Maybe to the States but I didn't know anyone then.

---

The small frontier town is where it begins again. The game. The trees outside of town I cut down with the loggers loaded up on the lumber trucks outta here, it's a quiet life for me. Not really anything special or loud. The valley's a quiet place, pretty. A lot of nature and a lot of space t'think. Just somethin' to come back to every day. One of the other loggers watch me as I sit at the bar. He's older than me, about his forties or fifties, still workin'.

"You're still a kid, Vic…" he sighs, almost shooing me off.

"Yeah? So? Laws don't count up here." I laugh a little, "Well, unless yer all the sudden tellin' me what t'do."

He laughs as I reach over and grab a soda instead, "I'm smarter than that, man." I pop it open and chug it down, the taste breaking down the thirst I got. Day in and day out I cut down some trees, go here to talk with the guys, and head home happy and sleepy for the next day to do it all again. The doors swing open, the sharp cold blistering down the warmth of the bar. I don't bother turnin' around. It's probably Rourke or Jones coming- That's when the scent hits me. I'm downwind which carries…

Metal.

Blood.

God no.

Before I could get up I feel his arm around my shoulders, "Heya, kiddo." he greets, amber eyes burning into my blue as I slowly look at him. He's not that much bigger than when I was five. Still got that long mane of hair though and he's wearing pretty much all black.

"H-hey…" I wanna get out. I wanna go. I can't go. He's here. He's here and I-

"How old are ya now?" he still has that smile on his face, "You know what day it is, right?"

I nod, "Six… Sixteen?" I mumble.

"Ah!" he exclaims, "An' here I thought I got my dates wrong. See you ain't the only guy I see yearly," he reaches over the bar and the Bartender tries to stop him but a warning glare wards him off.

"One year closer to the big one-eight." he huffs softly, "How long have we been at this?"

I was five when he started this game. I'm sixteen now, "About eleven years?"

"Smart kid!" he exclaims, "Ain't my boy smart?" He looks at the bartender with a grin and the poor guy, name's Corky, nods and backs off a bit. Sabretooth looks back at me with that smile growing.

"Here." he poured me a glass, "Makes things easier." The clear liquid glints as he smiles. He wants me to drink it. The bastard chose somethin' hard to keep down on purpose. Something that even my healing factor won't make any easier.

"I'm not-"

His claws grow, they're metal. Adamantium. They reek of blood and of course the metallic stench of the material. Passing the glass to me, I study it. He chuckles and pats me on the shoulder.

"What are ya, a connoisseur? Drink up." I take it and knock it back, flinching hard at the burning, almost wanting to cough it back up but I choke it down. He pats my shoulder again.

"There we go! Good boy." he growls with a grin, after he drops some bucks on the table, leading me outside and looking over his shoulder at me, almost mockingly placing his hands over his eyes.

"One… Two… threeeee…" he counts and I dash off, grabbing my chainsaw and taking off running. I gotta get my plan in motion. Just find that bag I packed, get this saw in his ribs, right between 'em, make him hurt.

Branches crack as he leaps outta nowhere and sparks fly, blade grinding and screeching, breaking off and flying for the other trees. Fuck! His metal claws dig into the back of my head and he breaks into a heavy run, dragging me through the snow and dirt, rocks pulverizing my face. Tossed, trunks beating against my back and chest, grinding through the air with it screamin' through my ears, tearing me apart and slamming me down like an angry God. Lying there, he looms above me.

"That's all? A chainsaw an' a bag? Whaddya gonna do with that?"

Burning.

It burns.

Claws tear, ripping into him with all I got. Teeth find their mark an' dig in. All I think of is my Mama's body torn up, my life runnin' away. Claws dig into his eyes, throat tears away in my jaws, blood turns the snow red. I can't break his bones, I can't outrun him, I can't win in a contest of strength, but he's letting me get some major damage on him. I kick off him and he goes skidding back. We both reek of blood and adrenaline.

We're just-

Slash, block, dodge. A deadly dance of predators. Apex and second best. Despite the pain, the slowin' down, the way the adamantium slices me up like that really thin ham… I've never felt more alive. That's when I catch it. A scent, a constant thunder sound of an engine. Sabretooth stops trying to shove me onto a thick branch and looks behind him with an expression of pure MALICE.

Blood.

Metal.

Booze.

Exhaust.

Riding in on a black and yellow painted motorcycle, speeding down like hell's comin' for him, it's someone Sabretooth used to scream about every time I got one over on him. He's short, he's got air, slamming into my father front wheel first and forcing him off me.

The bike falls, the rider too, clunking down as Sabretooth relocates his jaw, "Logan…" he snarls. The rider takes off his helmet, ditchin' it to the ground as the bike dies a few clicks away. Black hair in two animal-ear like points, thick black sideburns, blue eyes. Wearing a bomber jacket and blue jeans with a black belt with the buckle being an X.

"Victor…" he snarls, three claws flash out of his hands, three on each hand. He grins and stalks towards us, "You know what I'm here for so let's cut to the chase, bub." Sabretooth gets in front of me and I don't move. They're on a whole nother level and I'm just a small fry. The Wolverine looks at me with a smirk.

"You Junior?" he asks.

"Whaddya want with him, Logan?! He's my prey!" Sabretooth yowls before that fire burns back in me. Muscles swell and bulge a bit with more adrenaline than I could ever want, pouncing on behind him and-

Slam.

Slam.

Slam.

Slam.

"Raaagh! RAGH! RAAAAGHHHH!" Flashes of broken memories playback like the worst hits list imaginable. Blood rains and muscle snaps, flooding my senses, everything fades away and my claws rip out of my fingers as I go flyin'.

I land on all fours, growling and snarling. The rage still burns in me. Sabretooth shambles to his feet, The Wolverine tenses, I dig my new claws into the soil and the muscle tenses again, tearing towards them across the ground with the Wolverine dodging. Sabretooth grabs me and slams me hard onto my back. I don't give up, driving my claws into his head, Mama's dead body flashing through my mind, all these years and he still wants to make me suffer.

Bone screeches against Adamantium. Strength and power run to desperation. Nine or twelve millimeter claws stab through his chest and tossing him aside is Logan, standing over me with his claws bloody.

"Kid, don't make me have to do my backup plan." he warns, claws shining and expression grim.

"GAAGH!" Roaring, snarling, an angry god of wild rage. Charging at him as his claws rip through my side, blood and guts, bone shards, all of it falls to the snow. Everything slows, I look back at him and he sheathes his claws, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"I gotcha, kid."

"You… c-cut… me open…"

"Sometimes that's what's gotta happen." he sighs, My eyes slowly close and I lean on him.

---

The first thing I hear when I fall asleep is music. A soft kinda mournin' guitar. Chained to a wall and tryin' to bite my way out. The song still in the distance, a singing voice almost sounding like the flyin' of birds. Straining, pulling with all I got, muscles yanking and claws digging into my palms. Fangs snapping in the air, and I see the girl surrounded by flames, holdin' out her arms, her hands reaching for me. She's got the kindest expression on her face, one not really given to me. Not without a knife bein' slid between my ribs.

It fades when the room comes screaming towards me, bolting straight up and startling the crap out of whoever was in it with me. The person scrambles back, alarmed and I have my claws extended and panting hard. The person's got long red hair and the bluest eyes I've ever seen. In fact it's a girl. A girl in my room? What the fuck? Steadying myself and my claws retracting a little. I get my bearings. The scent's weird, like… it's too clean.

Too warm. Too safe. The girl starts back, "I won't hurt you." she says, "You're safe here." her tone's not condescending. I lean back against the pillows. The room around me is coming into focus. Its walls are bare but the window's got daylight streaming in, the scent of wood coming to me. Probably mahogany? The air's different here, I can feel it. Almost like it's a different country, the girl sits on the edge of the bed.

"You're in New York," she says, smiling as if she already knows what I'm about to say, "And yes, Mr. Logan did bring you here."

"Why the fuck am I in New York? Do you know who's after me?!" my hands shake, she doesn't know. Dad's gonna come back for me. He always does, and he'll rip everyone here to shreds.

'Oh, I don't think he'll do that.' a voice says, kindly. Sounds British. The door slides open with a click of a button. Rolling in is a bald man in a suit, tie's black. Dude looks serious, blue eyes knowin' more than I ever could.

"How'd you-"

'Jean, you can leave now.' his voice echoes through my head and she looks at me. The wheelchair rolls closer and there's claws out before he can even think.

"No closer, got it?" my voice growls. He stays back and I settle back down. He gives me a warm smile and Jean, the girl, goes out. The smiling guy rolls a little back and his voice echoes through my mind.

'So, your name is Victor Creed Jr. You have the same powers as your father, Senior.'

"How did you-"

'I have my ways, Victor. I assure you that you're perfectly safe.' he has that smile on his face but there's always a catch. Always something they needed outta me. Always. No matter what happened or who wanted what done.

'It's only if you're up for it, Victor. I won't try to force you.'

"Oh, so… I'm in New York?" I ask, almost looking down at my hands in shame, "Sorry 'bout lashin' out. It's been a long time since I've been taken from Canada, y'know?"

The man nods, 'Oh! Do forgive me, Victor. I'm Charles Xaiver, head Professor here at my school for gifted youngsters such as yourself.'

"Okay…? So what now? Am I gonna be opened up?" he looks at me in horror, I must've shown 'im something horrible but-

'No! Just a little mental examination, no surgery required!' he smiles but I know I made him uncomfortable. It's something with me that I can't ever fix. It's a feature, not a bug. Leaning back against the wall, I bury my face into my knees, foot stomping softly into the mattress with claws not really stabbing in.

'Well then, shall we?' he rolls closer and puts his hand on my shoulder. There's an odd pulling sensation, a gentle jolt and bump like we were in my Mama's truck. He closes his eyes and I do too, and the air rushes in.

Cold, sharp, snow driving down and trees bursting out of the hardwood flooring. The sun is so bright and warm, but the air and snow are ice cold. We rush through the air, speeding through it like some kinda mad machine. Until I'm back. The cabin is so lonely and so still. The busted open door, the lonely guitar of Jim Croce's Time in a Bottle softly plucks through the air. But it's distant. Almost on a broken busted out radio.

Charles stands, his wheelchair gone and his eyes on me, "Victor. I want you to show me your earliest memory." he steps onto the porch, looking in. Until he realizes… this IS the memory. Something breathes in the darkness.

"Hey, Professor? I don't think you wanna do that."

Bursting from the shadows comes a taller, more muscular version of me, fangs more pronounced with torn overalls and the remnants of a shirt clinging to my skin. This is why I don't let people into my headspace…

Fuck.

 

[lakitubomber]

The Beast charges right for Professor Xavier, and I almost wanna get in the way but he calmly raises his hand and stalls it in midair. His blue eyes chilling me and the Beast to the very core. He looks over his shoulder at me.

He made it look so easy.

"This is your inner self?"

"Well, we're on the day my Mama died. What yer holdin' is me right after Sabretooth started the game. My powers came in real early."

The Beast glares at Xavier and then at me, before everything rips away, darkening and smelling like death n' metal, the air stiff and heated by the bright lights. The Beast unfreezes and starts tearing through some vague fleshy mannequins.

Some with powers that rip into him, some that carried him on high and broke his bones in the fall, Xavier looks at them with an almost pained expression on his face. Like he's almost never seen this kinda thing before.

"You scared?" I ask, the Beast scrambling behind me, Xavier looks around again. Almost confused.

"What have you been through?" he asks.

"A lot. You've only seen a couple of things and that's all." I cross my arms, "What're you trying to do?"

"I just want to understand you." he says, "To help you."

"You won't when yer from a high castle. That power gives you so much, and you're the authority on all mutantkind?" I sweep my arms around, "Look, professor! Lookit alllll the brothers and sisters I killed!"

My claws cover in blood, my eyes staring him down, "I ain't gonna be fixed, but every day I wake up an' decide who I wanna be. Comin' in here expectin' t'change me because you looked at my sob story ain't my thing."

Xavier looks at me, blue eyes full of sadness, "But you were a child."

"So? My father's a monster an' my mom was murdered n' taken advantage of way before that. I know what I am. I know who I am. But that doesn't mean I have to be some wild an' crazy monster." The Beast turns back into that little boy I was before. Black and white striped shirt, tiny claws, tiny fangs, bright blue eyes that saw everything. A little boy clinging to my legs, so scared out of his mind. He looks up at me. That inner child. That little me.

I won't be my father.

"I'm not gonna be your soldier, Xavier. But if you wanna see it… here you go." The world around us starts accelerating, blood splatters everywhere, coating everything as the Boy lets go of my legs and tears through all of creation

Everything I am rushing by, Xavier trying to slow it down but I loom over him with that same sly smile my father does. That same cocksure grin that I know what he's up to and what he's doing.

I don't hate 'im. That's not who I am. Just the sanctimony of tryin' to help people understand that we're just natural people is harder 'cause he's one side of the damn war. When I come to, he sits in his wheelchair and looks at me with those blue eyes fulla sad reality. He knows that I went through Hell.

Leanin' against the doorframe is Logan. His own eyes staring at me and him, "Did it work, Chuck?"

Charles looks into my eyes and wheels back with a determination in his eyes, "Yes, Victor showed me much. He will come to his own conclusions on being an X-Man at his own pace."

"Gotcha…" Logan breathes, "So he's a student?"

"As of right now." Xavier smiles at me, "Are you alright with someone keeping an eye on you?"

My stomach growls an' that's my answer. Logan chuffs an' leads me down the hallways, they're super fancy and he's whistling a tune I ain't heard before. There's other students and they watch me, they're real jumpy.

"Do you eat cooked or raw?" Logan asks.

"Raw."

The meat tastes like heaven, shovin' it down my gullet in the mess hall with all the tables and benches, Logan sits across from me, peekin' over a beer as I snap bones and suck out the marrow.

Pig ain't bad at all, but deer's where it's at. Logan watches me demolish my meat, my eyes flick up towards his and a growl escapes my throat. He chuffs softly and shakes his head.

"Do you see him in me or somethin'?" I snarl, patting my face with a napkin. Logan nods and there's another growl. It's instinctive at this point really.

"Of course you do…" he chuckles a little but there's a sadness to it. Like he's never been okay with whatever happened.

"You knew my Mama, didn't you?" he gives me a nod and I don't want to push it. I don't want it all to be awkward or anythin' but Logan continues on through the awkwardness.

"She was my girlfriend for a time, kid." his voice is full of kind nostalgia. It's kinda refreshin', ya know? He continues.

"There's a kinda beauty to how short it was, but I didn't know she survived 'til I saw you." he smirks, "You grew up well, for Creed's blood." I don't even got the balls to be mad at him. Or even takin' a shot at him.

He knew I might because there's a quick SNIKT and out pops his claws. CRACK. I crack a bone open n' suck out the marrow. I ain't my pops and Logan sheathes 'em right back in. I dunno why he's pushy right now.

"What's yer game, old man?"

"Just testin' a little theory, bub."

Then there's a sudden BAMF of Brimstone n' Sulfur. Starin' right at me is a fuzzy blue kid with three fingers n' toes with a tail with a tiny point on it. He's also got dark hair and he's grinning almost wide-eyed. I almost double back an' leap to my feet but I keep that urge down.

"Mr. Logan! I didn't know we had a new student!" he exclaims, his accent's got a little bit of German in it. But that's not what I focus on. There's somethin' about 'im that's real familiar.

Can't be. I smile an' lift my hand to grab his.

"Victor."

"Kurt!" Kurt exclaims with a happy grin and a glimmer in his yellow eyes. Logan smirks.

"Kurt here is gonna help ya with a few things, he's new like you are." He says, with Kurt bouncing a little on his feet. Of course I appreciate the help. He's certainly peppy as we leave the mess hall. I can't help but smell all the different scents, Logan leads us towards a side room with clothes hanging on hangers. There's tons of different sizes, colors, even shapes. It's crazy. But that's how we always are, that's how they see us. Crazy. Well, when my Dad's a murderer that doesn't really help with the whole relationship between Mutants and Humans it don't make it any easier.

I look through the clothes, trying to find my size, just keepin' to myself really. My pants're screwed, and I grab as much as I can. Sliding on a plain white shirt and a bomber jacket with an X in the back of it. I get into a clothing booth for the pants an' underwear. I don't really bother with socks or shoes because I always end up tearin' them up. So I just left it at that. As Kurt an' I leave, there's another boy with red and black eyes and red hair with a cocky smirk on his face as he's staring down Mr. Logan.

"C'mawn Teach! I ain't gon' do much!" he drawls, with Logan not very impressed. I can smell somethin' odd on the boy. Like… beer? Spices? The fuck is this guy's deal?

"LeBeau, last time you went out you took a car for a joyride."

"So?! Th' car was a bad guy's car! Fucker deserved the Gambit's special Drivin' School!" he scoffs and looks up at me and Kurt. He grins.

"Well, I don' think we'da been introduced." he sweeps up to us and Kurt takes his hand and shakes it with a happy enthusiasm. His tail's goin' a mile a minute and I don't blame this guy for being weird about it.

"I'm Kurt!" he exclaims.

"Heya Kurt. Name's Remy." he smiles and looks at me with the same pearly white smile but there's still somethin' that doesn't meet his eyes. He's wearing a weird suit under a plain brown trench coat.

It's pink, blue, and black. Kinda wrapped around his head and I hold out my hand. It even looks kinda like armor, the blue parts, and the pink is around his chest area. Kinda like he's already a full on hero.

"Victor."

"Remy." Remy starts, before bursting into laughter, "Gawdamnn. Where'd you find this kid, Teach?!" I can't help but burst out laughin' too. It's so funny how tense we were until Kurt broke the silence.

Logan smirks, "Well, Remy, Kurt, Victor… you guys are gonna be the three newest students of mine." he explains, "Weekly we'll have class, and then training in the afternoons, but Victor won't."

"Why's that?" Kurt asks.

"I don't wanna be an X-Man, that's why." I answer, "Fightin' ain't my thing anymore." It's not a lie, but it's not the truth either. It just is. Kurt nods and Remy chuffs a little.

"You musta been one helluva fighter, Loupgarou." he grins, "An' yes, that means werewolf."

Rolling my eyes and moving on I come across some other guy with a gold visor with a red lens. He seems to be the guy in charge from how he's standing. He holds out his hand and I take it.

"Scott."

"Victor."

We both look each other dead in the eyes, he's the leader. I can tell. Xavier's top brass. It's the way he carries himself. The way he stands. Confidence oozes off him like the crashin' waves of an ocean.

He smells like a military top dog.

I don't like him at all. Just on the sight of him alone I can almost see him tryin' to be all sanctimonious if I ever become an X-Man. That out there is just a battle with rules and all but not the absolute hell I used to know.

He and I let go of each other's hands, "Nice to meet you." I state.

"Likewise."

He moves towards Logan and takes him aside, with Kurt and Remy taking me away from the clothing room. Remy laughs a little at my dour expression.

"Don't be bothered none by Full Metal Jacket dere, Loup." he chuckles, "He's real hard t'get along with."

"Somethin' tells me he's a legacy kid. Is he?"

"Hell if I know, Vic."

Kurt dashes ahead when he sees a massive boy with muscles on muscles, "Piotr! Piotr!"

The boy turns and catches Kurt with a happy laugh, "Ah! Kurt, my friend!" his accent's different. Russian, he grins and looks over at us.

"Remy, who's this with you?" he smiles down at me and he's even taller than I am. Blue eyes, black hair in a flat top, almost solid looking.

"Dis here's Victor Creed Junior, Piotr." Remy jabs a thumb at me and I give him a playful snarl. He chuckles and Piotr gently puts Kurt back down, but he bamfs right back onto the big guy's shoulders.

"Hello!" he reaches out a hand and I take it, before being yanked into his chest before his other arm closes around me, squeezing hard and almost back breaking if he was any stronger and I wasn't torn to shreds enough over the years to take it.

He pulls away with a happy laugh, "I am what you call a hugger."

"Well I ain't that, so…"

"Oh! Sorry. I did not mean to make you uncomfortable, Victor." he pronounced it Vicktor. He's a good guy, must be the muscle of the team. So that makes…

Scott, the Leader.

Jean, the Empathic Psychic gal who I think is absolutely lovely. She's probably from this state I bet. She's given me those vibes ever since we locked eyes.

Remy LeBeau, the roguish charmer who's probably got sticky fingers by the way he's been sleight of handing a pack of playin' cards. Cajun.

Kurt, the fuzzy blue kid with a big heart and can teleport. He's German and well… he's pretty fun. Although he IS the youngest.

And now Piotr. The solid Russian muscle who's a hugger. Next thing I know we're all sitting in a big common room with Piotr and Remy trying to figure out a card game and Kurt not helping by hiding the cards. The common room's got big windows, a TV, a huge Entertainment Center with shelving for all the DVDs and VHS tapes you could dream of. The entire school's styled like a cozy place to live and I bet it is for the civilian kids who come here as a precautionary deal.

Not like me where I feel like this is the only place I can live without my Dad breathin' down my neck for every birthday.

"Where'd m'ace go? Didja see it, P?"

"No, no. I did not!"

Kurt looks at me and quirks up a finger to his lips, shushing me. I nod and grin, popping open a soda can with a claw and sipping gently. I could get used to this. As we hang out, and Remy's still tryin' to find the cards, a pair of girls come in.

One's got brown hair with a section that's stark white, her dark brown eyes take in the scene of Remy trying to reach a card on a ceiling fan before sighing.

"Remy LeBeau, what in the hell are you doin'?" she looks at me and nods, she must've been told about me by Logan or Scott, or Charles.

"Kurt hid the cards I put in the deck, cher!" he barks back, she just sighs and leans over the back of the couch.

"Hey. Anna Marie." she greets.

"Victor Creed Jr." I nod and raise my can, her eyes narrow a bit at that but she doesn't press it further, the other girl's got a yellow coat on.

"So wait, you're really Sabretooth's son?!" she gasps, wild black hair billowing almost like she's shocked it with electricity.

"Jubilee! Don't say that!" Anna hisses.

"Nah nah, it's alright. I am. See the resemblance, Miss Jubilee?" I point at my face with a grin on my face, there's a moment where she leans close, studying me with her dark eyes. Then she makes it click and there it is.

The realization makes me scarce before Scott and Jean come in. The place I was in before is still open to me and I hide in the sheets like a scared child, trying to banish the thoughts that she doesn't like me. That she knows the horrors, that they all know. My hands are still covered in red, years and years of it. No matter how much I try to wash it all out. I screw my eyes shut, trying to banish it all through sleep.

It claims me quick.

---

In the darkness, there's a shadow, the scent's weird and I can't exactly catch what it is in the dark, but I sit up in my bed, still sniffing and trying to pinpoint it. Getting to my feet and seeing a vague human shape, my claws slide gently out with not a sound. A growl rumbles through my throat, shattering the silence like glass as my muscles tense and prepare to pounce. But then I feel her. Jean's standing there shivering an' shaking in front of me like a leaf.

I loom over her, sniff the air, and she flinches. Her hand fell to her side as her eyes screwed shut. Her breath hitching and freezing slowly in the air. I ease myself back down and snarl to myself.

"What's with everyone an' tryin' to pry bar my brain open?!"

"I'm sorry, I…" she starts, voice still trying to find itself. My hackles droop and she opens her eyes, looking up at me with those blue ocean eyes like she can see forever. I lay back against the pillows.

"Whaddya wanna know?" my voice is soft, "Go ahead n' ask." I give her a smile. Not a wide one, I ain't showin' my teeth. She sits down on the bed across from me, her hair brushin' the sheets. She has a notebook out.

"What? You gonna write it down?" I sigh and she doesn't nod, just scratchin' that pencil again and again gently like she's doodlin' somethin. I let her.

"So… where're you from?"

"The Yukon." I state.

"Birthday?"

"First o' January." I look at her hair. How long and pretty it looked. Like fire. Her eyes meet my body, scribblin' again.

"Why is your name Victor Creed Jr?"

She's drawing me. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. There's an almost calming presence to her, like she's steadily

"My name… well, my Mama didn't name me Victor Creed Jr." there's a pause, "My Dad named me that. My Mama wanted to name me somethin' stronger. Somethin' better." I listen to her soft hum and I'm thinkin' of my Mama again.

"She had… had the most beautiful dark hair. Sleek n' straight. I… I grow my hair out like her's 'cause I never wanna forget her." I sound so small. So broken. There ain't a strong inkling in my body anymore.

"How'd she-"

"Throat torn out. I thought it was quick. But… but I was a kid. You never forget that. She tried so damn hard to fight him." My nails go into my knees, rivulets of blood run down 'em.

"I… I remember the way he got her body to look. Starin' right at me. Her eyes… they were… were dull. Like… like he snatched the life right outta them." I look at her and she's nodding along.

"Did I deserve it?" my voice warbles, "That was the question my little mind asked, y'know? Maybe I was too bad. Maybe I forgot to tithe at church or something but…"

"I lost my best friend when I got my powers." she says, "Hit and run. Right in front of my house."

I look out the window at the stars n' moon, "Everybody's got a sad story, yeah?" That's when I feel her hand grip my own. Small, soft, well… smaller than mine. She squeezes it.

There's a warm, fuzzy feeling between us. Like a fire, a small campfire and cuddled up under the stars. She lets go but I still got it in my head.

"I tend to write and draw my classmates' stories. It's just for remembering them if anything bad happens. It uh… helps."

"Thanks for listenin' Jean."

"You remembered?"

"I never forget." I tap the side of my head with my unbloodied hand. That's the gospel truth of my mind really. I will never forget much. She smiles and gets to her feet, going to the door and leavin' me alone.

Not before stopping at the door, "Have a good night, Victor."

"You too, Jean." my cheeks feel warm, almost warm and bubbly feelings as I softly fall asleep… my life might just be getting better.

 

[Warmachine375]

"Everybody's got a sad story, yeah?"

Click to shrink...

Marvel heroes and villains in a nutshell when it comes to their origin story and how they came to be.

This story looks quite promising so far and I will be forward for more of it with great interest.

 

[lakitubomber]

Starin' down at the exam sheet, I dunno what's written there at all. Charles sits across from me almost waiting expectin' me to get it. I clear my throat. This morning was a benchmark exam, whatever the fuck that was. If I'm gonna learn, I'm gonna need to know what I can and can't do. Apparently I can't really read to save my life. Of course, I know SOME things, but I'm s'posed to read all this aloud an' I can't.

"Professor, I can't make heads 'er tails of anything." my cheeks heat up and I look away. He's a real nice guy and I don't want to make him hate me. But he just smiles and nods.

"That's quite alright, Victor. Considering your background, it's hard to believe you could get an education." he seems okay with all of it so I won't get thrown into a dungeon or anything like that.

His eyebrows furrow, "You've been thrown into-"

"Yeah, can I go now?" I let out a snarl, just reminding him to not go digging like he did before. Even if he wanted to help, it's for my own good that I don't think about it. Just move right on forward.

I'm tryin' to learn how to read now, writing better. Lookin' at a picture book just to try to figure out what it says. The library is huge, with high ceilings n' windows. Smells like coffee an' walnuts. Normal shelves, low shelves, floor t' ceiling. This place has it all. I close the book with a happy little huff. I jus' finished a little story about a corduroy wearin' bear an' his jelly sandwiches when I hear people whisperin' about me.

"That's him?"

"Yeah, look at how big he is!"

"Don't stare!"

Rolling my eyes I say, "I can hear ya, y'know!" They move by me with a speed I haven't really seen before when being around people. I mean yeah, I have fangs and claws, but I'm really not that scary, right?

Well, I am the son of one of the most terrifying mutants ever born so I can't blame them for being so scared. I find somewhere outside that's quiet. Closing my eyes, the old memories begin to play.

Let's go back a while. I was seven, only a year or two out of my mother's cabin and her death still fresh. Wandering the backroads of the Canadian wilderness with nothing but my instincts and the clothes on my back.

The horror was gonna hit me over the head soon but there was nothing much I knew for the first few months of being in that weird cell. All I could hear when the tranqs wore off was Hell Broke Luce. Tom Waits. Not bad but not what I'd listen to anymore. 'Cause the man it belonged to is a guy we only knew as 'Sarge.'

"We got a real treasure." The formless mass that was the guy who took me from the wilderness said, his voice really faded from my brain fast, but this day… I'd never forget it.

"Really? What can he do?" Sarge knelt, eyes behind a pair of smarmy lookin' Ray-Bans. His hair was shorn short and he smelled like watery cigarettes and whiskey if you mixed it up with motor oil.

Blood didn't make it smell better at all.

He wore a really weird lookin' suit. Like it was a fancy suit but patched up. Later on it was because my fellow gladiators tried escaping but he'd somehow get 'em in the end. That same suit was on his body when I tore him a new one. His teeth were pearly white, but there was a weird one hanging out from the top lip. It's like a fang, his sunglasses come off and his eyes are straight, an almost black color. He also had a beauty mark under his left eye.

His eyes got stabbed out by my claws first thing.

The Beast never liked him. He gave me a nice smile and reached through the bars with somethin' in his hand. It was a candy bar, something to make me like him. It was his hand I tore off first. But the thing is, back when I escaped from that horrible place, that damp n' dark cell, and that too-hot arena… I never enjoyed it. I should've. His life fading in my arms never felt right. The others saw me drop his body like a stone.

I upchucked on the floor, little hands trembling and scared, did I enjoy that? The only thing I could do was stand with my bloody hands and stare down at Sarge's body. That's when it flashes to that weird white void again. Standing in front of me is Jean, her red hair billowing down as she leans in to look at me.

"Victor?"

I blink myself out of the void, "Jean! Sorry, I was…"

"Reminiscing?"

"Yeah, that." I stand and smile, scratching the back of my head, "I know, really mature of me. How'd you know I was out here?"

She walks beside me, "Well, I have my ways. How're you settling in?" There's a moment where I realize there wasn't really anything to keep me here.

"Well, I'm doin' okay. It's… it's weird, y'know?" looking at her, I go quiet, "I shouldn't toss this on ya, Jean. It's not your problem…"

Jean sighs, "Look, if it's better to talk to me than it is Mr. Logan or the Professor like this. I'm fine with it."

"But what about Scott?" I blurt, "You an' him definitely have a thing goin' and my history with gals isn't too nice 'cause my- Well, you get it." Jean chuffs a little and then starts laughing. Heat dapples my cheeks and I can't help but let out a chuckle too.

She and I head back towards the classrooms, Kurt and Remy also joining in with Anna and Jubilee also grouping up with Scott and Logan being at the classroom already. It's your standard classroom with not a lot going on.

All I could feel with Scott is that glare of his. Like I'm not supposed to be near Jean. Or even here in general. Normally I'd puff up and snarl, make a big show of how I'm strong, but I can't bring myself to have that soul in me anymore. Maybe I don't belong here? These people are preparin' for a war I don't wanna be part of. They seem to be nice people at first glance, but deep down… I know they're gonna hurt me. When they go, or when they die horribly 'cause I didn't run that far from them.

"I'll see you later, Jean." I say, walking back towards Charles's office. See, instead of classes like I might get when I improve, I get therapy sessions to see what he has to work with. He looks up from his work with a kind smile and a warmth in his eyes.

"Ah, Victor. Come in." he greets, rolling to the front of the desk as I sit down across from him. He silence, the whirring of the fans, the sunlight shining through the high windows and the door to Cerebro being on a wall nearby.

Charles clears his throat, "Now with my understanding, you're a very instinctual person. Going with what your gut and instincts say."

"Sure. Yeah." I answer, "What's new?"

"Well, let's do some word associations."

"Okay?" I cross my hands, my fingers pushing a little off the claws, he takes out that journal he was writing in when we met.

"Father."

"Death, Anger, Asshole, Brutal."

He scribbles, "Mother."

"Sad. Lovely. Dead."

Another scribbling, "Arena."

"Tearing, Ripping, Rampaging…" I take a breath, "First…"

"First?"

"My first murders. I… I had to kill them. Sarge wouldn't let me spare 'em. I couldn't take it anymore when I fought that girl with green hair. She… she looked so scared and… and I.."

"Do it! Do it, you Mutie freak!"

The girl, younger than I am or the same age as I was, nails poke out of my body. Long green hair matted with sweat and blood, eyes terrified. I remember my claws bein' longer, fangs a nightmare, and my eyes wider than ever and bloodshot. I turned and pounced, even with the electricity dancing through my veins, burning me away. I couldn't let myself kill another. So my hands destroyed him, blood raining onto the arena floor and chain link walls.

I throw my head back, "GYAAAARRRRRHHHH!" coming back to reality I'm standing with arms out to my sides, down and leaning back with that same roar. Charles looks up at me and there's shock in his eyes.

"You remembered something."

"Of course I did. You're so shocked?" I can't help but snarl that. I don't want to remember that, and my roar was just trying to get some of that out. Trying to get that feeling of rage out of me. Charles and I stare at each other.

"I don' belong anywhere, Charles. An'... an' I'd like to head back to Canada. If… if that's okay." I admit, even if I barely gave it a chance. I want to consider my options. Either I face my father and die horribly, some group of mutant haters killing me, or some other third thing.

Charles looks disappointed, but his gaze softens. He smiles.

"As you wish, Victor. You may return if you wish anytime." That's when Logan steps in, almost shocked but I stand tall.

"Once I find what's out there for me. I'll come back." I give him a smile, "It's what I wanna do. An' if I can't find anythin' I'll be here."

I turn and leave the halls of Xaiver's school, the slight feelin' of sadness coursing through me, a constant hit of it. Familiar. That's what it is, a familiar feelin'. That glare of Scott's just made me think that I'd just tear apart the team's whole rhythm.

That or I'm just scared or I haven't set yet.

So I leave, there's no bag to pack and nothing to bring. Just the clothes on my back. Just get to the city and figure out how to get home. I don't even care about my father trackin' me down anymore.

Mostly 'cause I know I'd hurt them.

---

New York City is a beehive. Sound, drones and workers buzzing around the lights like frantic stuff made them all too important. The clouds hang above the buildings like the ceiling of a cave. The cars careen and roll by. The waves of noise and smell, sight and touch all crash into me. My mind registers too much at once. My claws grow sharper and longer, my instincts all go crazy. The streets are all loud and too much and too bright.

Screwing my eyes shut and gritting my teeth, there's a weird feeling in me. A buzzing, a quick breath puffs through my chest. My claws grind against the concrete wall I'm pressed against. What in the hell was I thinking? I don't know where I am, or what I want to be. I'm stuck. But then, something or someone breaks me out of that. There's screaming, crying. The scent of something metallic, the sound of a voice booms out from the distance.

"Mutant detected. Commencing apprehension." Even if I didn't know what the hell I was hearing, I wanted to help. Even if it weren't my problem, my body just… acts. Bounding off towards the scent and screams, the sound of the whirring monster.

I don't even have a plan, what the fuck am I gonna do once I get there? Just get moving, Creed! Get moving and help! On all fours, I leap into the air, vaulting over a building and towards a big metal man. He's too focused on whoever's down there to notice me comin' in. His mistake, really. He's a red and black armored man with somethin' that looks almost like that Stark Stuff but offbrand. Trask, I think that's what his name was?

My pounce lands me with grinding claws against the metal, lookin' down on a small group of other Mutants. They're just kids. Messy clothes, just barely used powers, all of it. Digging in my claws, I slash away at the thing's 'shoulder blades'. That's when it sends a huge pulse through its body, almost making me shocked off but I cling on as tight as my body'll let me as it stiffens. But then, there's a weird crunching sound, like metal scraping on metal. Or more like getting crunched.

Floating above me is a familiar face. Green eyes, light green hair, the same metallic scent. There's a heavy slam and I'm thrown headlong before I smash through a window. Glass shards tear at my jacket, the warm metal taste of my blood courses through my mouth.

The girl floats in front of me, throwing up some scrap in front of us, she looks at me with a calm smile. There's a four-clawed mark on her right shoulder, but she just focuses. A beam fires from the hand of the thing. It bends around the scrap, throwing stray energy towards other parts of the building, but I can't just let it do as it wants! She's telling me with her eyes to smoke the damn thing and I oblige, bounding forward with a wide smile on my face.

"Right!" I hit the air, claws raking up the robot's palm and leaping off the finger and digging in on his face, "Get the others outta here, Green girl!" Despite the pain, my healing factor is working harder than it ever had before, and my body is trying to stop me.'

That's when it booms, "Target on face, engage thrusters." the bot launches off the ground, the girl in green watches as I'm almost splattered against the surface of the thing because of how fast it's flying.

In those moments, everything fades, the city gets smaller and smaller, the bot flies faster and faster but I bust through its eye, tearing at the internals and biting at the face plating, going at it like a rabid animal. I don't even remember what I hit, all I remember of what happened after was the searing pain, not feeling one of my arms, and everything goin' dark. In the darkness, there's the Beast. Whimpering and whining, almost looking like he's guilty.

"Why're ya so torn up?" I ask, "Issit about Jean and the others?"

The Beast nods, "Don't worry big guy, we're better off without them."

He motions for earlier, "Yeah yeah, I know that was stupid a' me." He glares at me almost as if to say we didn't give them much of a chance TO help us, we just up and left.

There's voices and I can make out at least one of them.

"You're lucky I managed to catch him, Lorna…" a cold, harsh toned voice states, it's a girl's voice. She sounds older than me so I guess she is. There's another.

"Are you sure he's the same beast that hurt you in that arena, sister?" a boy's voice, still older than me. He's got a weird vibe about him. He smells like burnt rubber an' asphalt.

"Pietro, Wanda… I know you wanna protect me, but he… he protected me too." There's a soft warmth in that voice. My eyes open, slowly adjusting to the changes, my body's going through the healing.

There she is. That girl. She's got a smile on her lips, "Ah! You're awake!" she gingerly grabs my right hand, "Are you comfortable?"

"Rrgh…" I growl, "W…water…" she passes a cup with a straw towards my lips and I take it, gently sipping at it and letting the cold goodness wash it's way down my throat. In short, I'm in a kind of infirmary.

The girl, Lorna, she smiles down at me, "How ironic that we ran into each other again."

"Small world, Lorna." I state with a slight smirk, "My name's Victor."

She squeezes my hand and I look down at it. It looks just normal, the other one too. I guess sleep really was good for my healing. I notice my jacket and shirt hanging over a chair, not torn but mended, and my jeans too.

"Thanks for your help, Victor." she says, "That Sentinel was something else."

"Oh yeah, I heard about those up in Canada. Seems like an American thing." I look at her with a grin, "But we beat it's tin can ass, right?"

"Well, I held it back, you tore it through the brain, and my sister handled the rest." she lets go of my hand as there's a soft scoff. A boy with silver hair in a green tracksuit with a lightning bolt on the front crosses his arms.

"Shall I leave the two of you alone so you can get whatever… this is out of your systems?" he motions with his hands at me and I glare at him.

"Who's the silverhead?"

"That 'silverhead' is my big brother Pietro." Lorna snips back, "And he's the most stubborn man I know."

"Hey! I'm standing right here!"

Lorna sticks her tongue out at him and he scoffs and leaves, "Don't mind him, Victor. He's just overprotective."

"Gee, ain't I lucky?" I laugh, "Still, where am I?"

"I'll show you!" Lorna darts to her feet, I just now noticed she's wearing a strange green costume with a silver circlet and accents, the circlet goes around her face with a winglike structure. Her hand grips mine tighter and slowly helps me out of the bed. Looking in the mirror I see my body.

Marred with scars where the burns from my Sentinel fight are. More slashes from the glass, and pocks from the bullets, the slits from the stab wounds. I pull on my shirt and jeans, my jacket too.

"How long was I out, Lorna?"

"For a couple of days, really."

Lorna takes my hand again and leads me out of the room into a long hallway. There're other mutants, wandering the halls, talking with others that have lab coats and doctor's licenses. There's a lot more to this place. The building is big, more like a repurposed warehouse. Lorna leads me gently through it with a smile on her face. She's the same age as me, and well we'd fought before. I guess she believes in second chances.

The room is full of bunk beds, places to hang out, a TV to watch tuned to whatever people wanted. This was a shelter. A place meant to be safe. Lorna watches me with a glimmer of hope in her eyes. That same glimmer I saw the night I slaughtered Sarge. Freed the other mutants. That or I was just fed up about killing someone. But the room around us, it's full of life. Far more of a home than I thought it'd be.

Lorna's voice pipes up, "Welcome to Genosha. It's a start up my father runs. It's not much right now, but… one day he wants to make a country for mutants to all live together."

That gives me pause, "Really? Wow…" I look around and I see so many people working together and there's a man standing with a few others. One looks kinda like a Toad, and the other's absolutely massive in the weight class department, and the third crosses towards us.

He's wearing a plain black suit and has a mauve tie on. He looks serious and while being an old man there's still some strength in him. Lorna hustles over and hugs him tightly.

"Oho! These old bones aren't what they used to be, my dear Lorna!"

"Oh stop it, Dad! We have a guest!" she lets go and I step forward, "Father, this is Victor Creed Junior, the boy who saved me when I was taken up north all those years ago." his expression is taut but he gives me a small smile.

"Hm." he grunts, "Hungry, Mr. Creed?"

"Call me Victor. You know me?" I follow him towards the kitchens, he chuckles.

"Of course, I make it my business to know the major movers and shakers of the next generation of our kind. Lo and behold my precious little Lorna had encountered you and I just had to thank you for it."

Lorna's cheeks flush red and she looks away, he and her lead me towards a deeper part of the building that looks like a big kitchen and it smells like one.

He led me inside and to sit at a stool, "Come now, sit."

I amble onto the stool and there's a plate waiting for me. I sniff the food and there's no poison in it. It's weird that he's been kind. I take a bite an' it tastes like normal raw cut meat. He doesn't sit down but he does pour some wine out for himself.

"Do you drink?" he asks.

"No, I don't. You're from Europe. I'm sixteen." he doesn't lose that smile and I'm ready to bail in seconds. There's a closer way out so if this bastard doesn't have a hard counter to my mutant powers I can run like hell.

"Yes I am, very observant of you." the old man says, a knowing smile on his face, "Why fight so hard for something you don't want or believe in? What's in it for you?" His voice is tinged with a German accent.

"You really wanna know?" I growl, still watching him for any slip ups or revelations of his power so I can know what I'm up against.

"No, but I can assume that there's someone keeping you there. Someone who has your attention. Her name is... Jean?"

I rise, "Whaddya want with her?!" My claws pop out and I loom over him, "If yer gonna hurt my friend I swear t'god an' his furies that-" he stops and raises his hands, calming me down a good bit.

That, and Lorna flinched at me rising all the sudden, and I scaled back a bit. I look at her fear and gulp my own back. I know I might need to run again.

"Nothing, nothing my boy. Just... it's such a basic reason. A reason so pure and innocent. Thinking of love. Fighting tooth and nail for it." He smiles and pats my arm, "I can relate, Victor."

His blue eyes shine, "Abandoned by both parents, chased around for sport by one of them, and now you're here. No idea how to navigate or act, or even if you want to follow my friend's pipe dream." his smile, his scent.

He's got way more iron in him. The silver hair, the dark blue eyes, the commanding voice. I remember the stories I heard from the few mutants that DID help me get away from my Dad for a while. A liberator, the man who bent and crushed Auschwitz-Birkenau's gate when he was just a boy.

"You're..." I breathe excitement in my chest at meeting a living legend. It's almost like meeting a president or a prime minister.

"I am Erik Lensherr, Victor Creed Jr. I mean you no harm. I was just wondering if you'd like to humor an old man's musings." he stands and beckons me to follow. Seeing as I had finished off the meat real fast.

"If you're here to convince me to join whatever boy's club y'got with my Dad in it, I'll pass." I snarl.

"Oh no, I had terminated Sabretooth from my ranks long ago. Unfortunately I couldn't come to retrieve you in time," he sighs and shakes his head.

"Why'd you want me?" I growl, "I'm the same as my father an' Mr. Logan."

"Ah, but that is where I must rebuke that notion. Where Charles and the other older mutants see an animal, I see a lost child. Very much like myself. No parents, no home, forced into a world where all I see are people standing by and watching us suffer." he gestures to an old Captain America poster.

"I had heard stories of their super soldier, of their 'Star Spangled Man with a Plan' early on in the war. Little did I know the hope of him coming to save us was just a lie." he warmly wraps his arm around my shoulders.

"Just like those cold, desolate nights in the Canadian frontier wishing you could have a home, a family, but every time you tried you found the ugly truth." he guides me to the railing overlooking the bay and the Statue of Liberty.

"This world suffers because of its lies, because no one ever sees the truth, all they do is divide and take. Take lives, take families, childhoods, warm shelters. Kills what it doesn't understand." he looks out at the statue.

"So many deaths for a lie."

He turns to me, "But you, Victor. You can let them all see the light, the ugly truth of the world plain as day. If you would just allow me to guide you and not shackle you." he draws me close.

"All that anger, all that rage inside you can become something beautiful. You can leave the name of your father, you can rise above where you were, and I can give you what you always wanted."

I let go, my claws out, "Nobody knows what I want. I don't even know what I want. How can you just say that you know?!"

"That is true…" Mr. Lensherr sighs, "Just consider my offer." I turn and head back inside, but he pauses, his wise blue eyes looking at me.

"You're in pain, and yet you soldier on. I hope you find what you're looking for."

---

When I get outside, into the night air, breeze breathing softly through my long hair. My claws, still short. My fangs are still sharp. Everything is still so much and so loud. I close my eyes and strain back the tears. Eleven years. Eleven years of running, of hiding, of fighting. All I had was the Beast. He was there even when I was alone. I can't die, I can't let this all stop me. The lights glittering off the water blur, the buildings too.

Everything blurs and my knees give up. I don't know what I want. I don't know who I want to be. X-Man? Fighting for mutants? Hermit? I don't know. Could I be happy? Could I eke out a new life? My eyes turn to molten flame, hot salty tears flow down my cheeks. But then there's someone there. There's someone holding onto me. Gentle, her cheek against my hair.

"There we go… let it out." Lorna's soft voice sounds like hope, "It's okay, Victor…"

"I… I dunno what to… to do… I…" I sniffle, "I wanna be safe, I wanna live away from my Dad an' an' the fightin'... I hate it."

Lorna hums, the night gently winding down as she holds me. I close my eyes and listen for her heartbeat. She's not embarrassed but… but it still doesn't feel right. Nothing does. The minute I get out of the School and the Sentinel shows up, the people, Lorna… What if it's all a trick? What if she and Mr. Lensherr and her siblings are gonna hurt me? These are the questions I thought about as Lorna held me, gently listening to my shabby breaths heavy with grief.

I never got to grieve my mother, my lost childhood, none of it. So at least cryin' in the arms of a friend was nice. She pulls back, holding me by the shoulders with a smile on her face.

"Better?" she asks, "Because crying all over my shirt's…"

I step off, "Oh yeah, yeah… sorry. Never really… did that before. At least now. Back then I was-" she cuts me off with a quick peck on the forehead.

"You talk too much." she says, inches from my face, "I'll just give you some time to think this all over. You know where to find me, or I'll come find you."

"How will I know which is the right choice?"

She touches my cheek, "You'll just know, Victor."

In the end, I wander the city. Watching people living their lives free from everything I've been stuck with. The park bench I sit at is as good as anything to watch the time pass. But here's the crossroads. Either I head back to the School and get drafted into a near endless war with my classmates and maybe have to hurt my new friend in the doing. Or I go with my new friend and her family to take back a random island and HOPE it isn't blown up by humans.

I'm mullin' it over when there's a clunk of something next to me. Someone leans over with some bread and is spreading it for the birds as he as a six pack near him.

"Mr. Logan?!" I gasp, seeing the five foot three frame of my mentor sitting next to me. He glances over at me with a soft, almost jokey smirk.

"I've been where you are, bub." he states, popping a can open and sipping at it, "Lost, confused. You have to decide your future but y'don't know where to start. Choices are hard, and I could tell today that Jean was worried."

"She was?" I breathe.

"It's normal, Vic. She worries about everybody, but then she got joined by LeBeau. It was a whole thing Chuck had to calm everyone down about. Then we saw the Sentinel attack, and you goin' for that flight an' then-"

"Wait wait wait." I raise a hand in a 'hey wait' motion, "You saw that?"

"Yeah. We did."

Logan leans forward and grabs my shoulder, "Now's the time to ask yourself what you want. What's the benefits? What's the downsides? All of it's a twistin' turnin' thing that takes a bit to decide."

"You saw that and refused to help? Me an' my friend risked our lives for those people!" I snarl, "I got my arm blown off! They had to staple it back on!" My rage subsides.

"I ain't smart, all I got are my claws an' how to use 'em. That's it. I ain't a hero, I just survive, what the fuck am I gonna do?" he squeezes my shoulder.

"If I were you, I'd do what you do best." he says, "Both sides want'cha to choose, I'd say choose whichever one fits ya the most."

In the end, it's all there is. A choice. Either a hero or a revolutionary. A soldier or a freedom fighter. In the end… I gotta stand for something. So I stand up, shove my hands in my pockets, and look down at him.

I consider my options. The good is that the School is safe, well as far as I know. There's a lot more going on too. I can get more of that education stuff. I don't get stuck in some revolution or in constant battles, and I can take being monitored rather than just unleashed on some poor saps.

So I made my decision, and if Lorna wants to split hairs, I'd say bring it. Or maybe she'd switch sides and be another friend in the X-Men instead? I think that's just wishful thinking as the kiss fades from my mind.

"Can… Can I at least start with you guys?"

Logan smirks, "You're on."

We shook on it.

 

[lakitubomber]

Kurt, Remy, Scott, Piotr, and I all go towards a more homey lookin' place in the school, the Dorms. The girls go off to the left through a door and us guys are stuck outside, with Jean's thoughts going into the fuzzy static. I guess she can't really reach out while she's in her dorm. Scott clears his throat.

"Okay, Creed, the girl's dorms are off limits to us."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. We're on the right?" I thumb towards the door and Kurt opens it, there's even more doors but everyone seems to get real quiet again when I get to the one at the end of the hall. Scott continues.

"We all have our own dorm rooms, the bathrooms are our own. Mr. Logan comes to give announcements at the end of the day, inspections are done by me so try not to be too messy." he paces up and down the hallway, glaring at Kurt, then at me.

"Okay, Full Metal Jacket, we get it. You think you're in the military." I growl, with Kurt giggling and Piotr snorting, Remy almost gawping at me.

Scott snaps to attention, marching up to me, his six three frame up to my chest, "You wanna run that by me again, Creed?"

"You're only at war when Mr. Logan and the Professor tell you t'be. That gives ya no excuse to treat me like a goddamn soldier." I snarl, leaning down and smelling the fear on him,

"Yer scared I'll rip you up, right? That's why you're posturin' and preenin' like a damn peacock."

Scott glares back, "I am. You show up out of nowhere and have Mr. Logan eating right out of your hand, not only that but Jean too? What makes you so special, huh? What makes you the best thing since sliced bread?"

I don't cross my arms, don't growl, but somethin' about this makes me wanna dare him, "Look, Summers, you're basically fiending over what you've heard about my Dad. Not what I can do."

Scott scoffs and walks away as the bigger man. I sigh and turn towards my door. Openin' it with the key Remy passed me. There's a single twin sized bed, a desk, a chair and a lamp. The overhead light's nice but I just sit on the bed. Never had a solid home before. Always moving.

That was my life.

Always moving before I could get too attached. Diggin' out the only thing I had, always. A picture of my Mama. Long black hair and blue eyes, smiling for the picture an' all.

I jam it into the mirror, lookin' at myself an' down at the picture, "Mama… I miss ya." I find a small box an' open it. A round badge sits there, an X in the middle, Yellow n' Black. Wolverine's colors other than the blue.

Pinnin' it to my bomber jacket, there's a soft knock at my door. My claws spring outta my fingers an' I almost wanna tear my door outta it's hinges, Dad'd knock the same way. An' gut me that way. He couldn't have gotten through my friends already!

Calmin' my breath, I clear my throat, "Whoever's out there, right now's a bad time, buddy!" But there's no one there, not a single person. What the hell? Was I just hearing things? I go back to the bed and lay down, staring at the ceiling.

I don't want to go back to runnin', ever.

Lookin' in the mirror, I just see my father. Except my eyes, that's Mama. Messy blonde hair that reaches the center of my back, Sharp nail-claws. The height's his, the muscles are his. The fangs n' everything're his.

Except the eyes, like bright blue stars burnin' in the sky. A Moonchild. The lead in guitars an' all. King Crimson. Remy'd let me borrow his records.

"Now now, mon ami, here's the biggin'." he flips out some Johnny Cash, a man with wavy dark hair dressed all in black cradling a guitar like a baby. An' comin' outta the speakers is a voice that's bassy and rich. I could hear him singin', the deeper workings an' all.

"Which one's this?"

"Ring of Fire,"

"Ah. Why'd he fall in it?"

"That's love, Vic. Y'fall in love. Like me an' Anna Marie." he smiles, "Or you an' Miss Jean Grey?"

"What?! Naw! Naw, me an' Jean? Come on, not in a million years!" Smellin' lies never was good. But hey, she's happy with Scott an' I'm barely a person. Why am I on the defense? Why am I just…

My cheeks heat up and I look away from him, "She's… just a friend." Remy perks up and grins with his voice rising.

"Aww, y'do love her!"

"I barely know her, LeBeau." I look out the window, seeing her outside drawin' something, "It's for the best, you know it is."

"C'est la vie." Remy answers, "Such is life."

"She's the sun, I'm the moon." I huff, "An' don't compare it to Romeo an' Juliet. It's more about two people who're fucked up an' can't be together."

"Well, one guy and one perfect golden girl."

Mr. Cash sings about bein' sad in Folsom Prison. I close my eyes and listen. Imagining the man himself singing to convicts. Felons. Bad people who did bad things or good men who weren't bad at all. Remy's hand lands on my shoulder an' my arm moves, grabbing his wrist before he could land it.

"Bad move." I snarl.

"Look, it don't take a psychic gal t'tell me that you're hurt on the inside. Y'can't trust nobody. Well, you can trust me." I sniff, grunt at the truth and let go. He grins and gets out a pack of cards.

"Ya know how to play King's Corners?"

"Fuck no."

He and I spent the afternoon playing card games. That night, I lay wide awake, softly humming Folsom again, tryin' to read more 'a Moby Dick for class. That's when I smell brimstone an' Kurt stands there.

"Kurt, what're ya…?"

"Can I… stay with you?" he asks, yellow eyes downcast and tail whipping softly through the air, "I… I had a nightmare. A bad one." he shivers and I pat the empty space near me. He smiles and clambers into bed, his three fingers n' toes not botherin' me at all.

"So, what brings ya to my room instead'a Piotr's or Remy's?" I ask, "Is it 'cause I'm bigger n' one of 'em and twice as mean as the other?"

Kurt shakes his head, "No it's just… I wanted someone who'd tell me stories!"

"Stories? Ain't much but blood n' guts." I sigh, "Why not go to Mr. Logan?"

"He ran out. But you? You must've seen so much up there!" he exclaims, "Well, ran out of stories of Canada anyway!"

"Why Canada? Wouldn't you want anywhere else?"

"Well no." Kurt shrugs, "Just… have you seen Niagara Falls?!"

"No. I didn't stick in bigger cities near the border because that's where my Dad'd get me. Plus they're loud and smell like shit. If you're talking about the actual falls… no."

"What did you do?" he bounces a little.

"I survived. Did all I could and now I'm here with no idea how I got to it." I sit with a smile on my face, "It was hell, running from place to place followin' nothing but my gut. Earned money with odd jobs, that arena too."

"Was it good money?"

"No. It wasn't." I look down at my hands, "I actually hurt people. Killed 'em. They… well. It wasn't like surviving." I close my eyes and smile.

"But I won't hurt you guys. That's a promise." I say, with Kurt nodding and listening to some more to the times I can tell him about without the bad memories. Maybe about how some guys called me Little Rambo?

But he's already startin' to nod off, "You're not as bad… haaah… as you think you are." he yawns, and I stand up, hoistin' him into my arms an' carrying him out of my room.

"Victor…?" he mumbles.

"Yeah?"

"Why'd you come back?"

I open his door, bumping it out of my way with my hip, "Dunno. Just felt like it." I lay him down and tuck him in. It's not that he minded, he asked me for stories and I figured he wanted some help gettin' to bed. His tail wiggles below him as he shifts to his stomach. I wait at the door.

"Kurt, have a good night."

"I will, thank you!" he exclaims. I smile and shut the door behind me with a soft click. As I move out to the common room to think, there's Summers. He's watching the Giants game and leanin' against the back of the couch.

"Football, huh?" I ask, sitting down next to him, "Never really sat down an' watched a game."

"Hmph." he grunts, still watching.

"The fuck's your damage, Summers?" I ask, "Ever since I showed up it's like you got a stick the size of a sequoia jammed up your asshole."

He looks at me from behind his glasses, red quartz lenses block his rays. So he's okay. He looks back at the screen.

"You're scared, aren'tcha?" I guess, "Scared that I'll end up outshinin' you?"

"Yes." he says, "You just show up and everyone's eating out of your hands."

"If you think I'm here as a mole you're stupid as hell, the only reason why I'm here is 'cause I don't wanna run anymore. I don't have a big family like you or had a stable life like Jean. So if you're scared a' me stealin' her…"

His visor whines, "I'm not scared of you, I'm scared of what you CAN do. You're unknown even to the Professor."

"Maybe that's for the best. I'm not showin' what hurts." I look at the screen, "I'm not here to steal Jean from you, that's up to her. An' whatever bullshit you got with me ain't with me, it's with you." his heart rate picks up and I rise.

"Well, goodnight Scott." I turn towards our rooms, "Don't worry about a thing,"

When I get into mine, I take off my jacket and my shirt, my ears picking up on everyone. Jean's thoughts gently seep into my head. Vague feelings, some lasting memories, it's like a mental highway. Mine go on the other end. Sleepless nights of wondering if I'm gonna die, thoughts of surviving swirl through my mind like a tornado. I can't sleep. There's somethin' still in me nagging the hell out of my brain. So I get outta bed an' wander out into the common room.

I can't ever sleep right when I've had a good day. I can't trust it. I'll never trust it. The silver light of the moon shines into the wide windows, the wider room filters in the moonlight and I take up the phone Remy had passed me earlier with the music I liked. Before I could, somethin' makes my ears prick up. Lookin' around, I can't be smellin the blood n' adamantium stink of my Dad, could I? Then it floods everything, the cold lash of the air whipping into my face.

Then the hot pain tears through my belly, blood flooding through me. Claws lash out, tearing into whoever was there in the darkness, but then… I snap awake. Jean's holding out her hand an' I'm floating in the air.

"Wha?" I mumble.

"You were having a nightmare." she says, there's a soft scent of blood in the air, and I notice a scrape from somethin' an' that my door was wide open. Did I try to run? Or did I…? I start after her.

"Jean, hey. I'm sorry."

"I know you are. But let's solve this." she huffs and sits in the chair across from me, gently grabbing my hands, my claws slide back, my grip tightens. My breath comes out short, but then… there's peace.

We're in a clearing, the stars shinin' down from the night like messengers. The moon shinin' down like daytime an' the night being as cool as all it can be. Her hair billows red an' orange like fire.

"Where are we?" she asks.

"This… well, this is my brain." I look around, "There's n'where to go."

I look at her, "I'm hurt. An' I hurt. I'm the one sacrifcin' and givin' away everythin' I ever had!" tears sting my eyes, "This life keeps taking n' taking!"

"It's only a matter a' time before I lose all y'all!" I roar, "You saw it! You saw it, back with the people I tore through, the bodies I piled!" the flames throw wild shadows around like scatterin' birds.

"Every part a' me… I'm scared. I'm so fuckin' scared." staring at her, past her, at a shadow. Jean scooches closer.

"You're safe."

"That's what scares me, Jean." my knees curl to my chest, "I dunno what the fuck I was born for."

Closing my eyes, "I don't… want to hurt people."

Jean lays her hand on my shoulder, and tears sting my eyes, the memories howl and run around us, like wolves and bears, hawks and eagles. All of them swirl and the shadow comes closer.

"I don't know why I hurt people."

"It's okay, Victor." she says, "I'm here. Everyone's here, and everything's okay." Tree branches snap, the cold deepens around us.

Blood fills my nostrils, he's coming. But also in the air I smell something deeper down than the blood and guts stink. Ash. Flame. Jean rises, her hair billowing around her face like fire. My father's beastly form crashes into the clearing as Jean looks at him almost like she's seen it all.

My claws extend, "Jean, run!" I snarl but as my image of Sabretooth closes in there's a moment where I hear a cry of something beyond everything I know.

Jean's at the center of it all. All that's spoken is her voice soft and crackling with the intensity of the fire 'round her.

"Fall." Her eyes glow with the light of blazing eternity, and Sabretooth is blasted so far away that my eyes can't even keep up. It made a ripping sound like tearing paper from a book the size of a planet. The flame leaves as quickly as it got here.

She lands, her hair settling and woozy as all hell falling into my arms. What in the hell was that? Her eyes flutter open and she smiles up at me.

"Nice catch, Victor." she says like she didn't just toss the whole blamed doll of my father across my entire brain!

"What the actual FUCK was that, Jean?!" I yell, "Holy god, what the fuck…?"

She gently reaches up, hands still a little hot from the weird firebird thing, "That's my real power, Victor. At least what I can do with it right now."

"So it's gone?"

"No, more like stopped for now."

When we come to, there's a feelin' in me I've never felt. It ain't peace, but… warmth. From inside. Not out, like a fire. But Jean fits just right in my arms, closin' her eyes and passin' out. I loop m'arms loose around her.

I don't move, the soft breathin' of my friend singing through my ears. At that I let my eyes close, I let it all go and finally I fall asleep. Letting my guard down was never easy. But there's nothing keepin' me up anymore. In the dark of sleep, the warmth of Jean's still pooled in my arms, the soft scent of her wafting through my senses. It's warm and thick, but has that sharp tinge of cosmic ash. But it feels like it's so far away.

---

Waking up was harder than usual. A'course there's always that idea that I shoulda never done it. In the mornin' light, Jean and I end up unfolding ourselves from each other. Cheeks hot an' tryin' hard not to talk.

So we don't, just acting normal. Everyone doesn't know about the whole nightmare thing, or the fact that there's this burning bird thing that Jean's got. At least as far as I know. Jean looks at me, just for a moment, and there's a slight thought between us that it's just something we agreed on.

Never tell anyone about that, or this. Ever.

 

[lakitubomber]

Mr. Logan has us line up, guys and girls. Each of us by height. I'm next to Anna, and Anna's next to Piotr. Jubilee and Kurt were our shortest n' youngest. Up from there's Jean and Scott's in third… standin' right next to me and not happy about it. Remy's makin' eyes at Anna and she's looking at him like murder's on her mind.

Mr. Logan clears his throat, "Now I understand that we have fresh meat in the grinder, that means new team combinations, and all kindsa crap like that. I've also seen Cyke here tryin' to go on the Sabretooth Pain Train durin' the last field assignment."

Everyone falls silent and Scott glares at him but then it clicks, "Aw damn, man. Is that why you're a shithead to me?" I blurt and he turns his gaze to me.

"Yes." he states, "That's why. We were in the Yukon a few weeks ago, before you came."

Logan sighs and rubs his eyes with one hand, "And you lost someone. Her name is Ororo Munroe, Storm. Last the Professor clocked her she was in a zone similar to those connection dead zones in the ocean in the middle of California."

"Any other clues?" I ask, "Like a scent? A truck or some kinda transport?"

"Nah, it's like she just disappeared." he continues, "Your mission is to go in there and see if you can get her back."

"So… we're gonna just bumrush a fucking dead zone?" I ask.

"No, some of you are." he says, "Some of you will run support, and HOPEFULLY we'll get 'er back."

He smiles, "I've chosen the team already, discussed it with Chuck too." he strides up the line and points at Cyclops.

"You."

Then goes down to Remy, "Gambit."

"Ready an' willin' O Capitan." he salutes and hovers next to Scott as he crosses his arms and then he zeroes in on me.

"An' you, Vic. It ain't a fight, so it counts." he smiles, "Consider it an initiation. Runnin' support are Rogue, Phoenix, an' Nightcrawler. Meet at the Hangar at 0800 in the mornin'."

He dismisses us and Kurt's pretty much over the moon, "YES! My first real mission!" he's practically glowing as Rogue laughs and ruffles his hair.

"Aint'cha a peppy kiddo?" she coos a little, "Well, I figured we'da save Roro."

"Wait, so y'all abandoned her? With my DAD around?!" I growl, "What kinda shit is that?"

Scott sighs, "We didn't have much of a choice."

"Whaddya MEAN?!" I roar, "What, do I gotta watch my back now? Didja even TRY t'find her?"

Jean walks up to me, "Victor, here." she closes her eyes and touches my temples, transferrin' the memories to me, turns out Monroe got blindsided by somethin' that wasn't even him. But then later on he showed up an' tried to maul Scott before he got blasted.

"An ambush." I state.

"Yeah. It was real nasty, seemed like a kinda gateway or somethin'." Anna explains, "So sugah, does that answer ya question?"

"Eh." I shrug, "Still don't like that ya'll just forgot about her."

"Seems to be something with the mutant's power." Scott says. We get onto the Jet, a big blackbird that could easily get us there. All that's left to do is go get her.

---

The actuaI hotel is rather big, an old looking place that almost looks like it;s from the 70s with shag carpeting and wood paneling. Everything in it is older than we are, more towards the original five X-Men's ages. Smells like it too. The wood, the mildew, the ratty sheets and duvets, nothing out of the ordinary for a hotel of the time. The only thing that's off is this little whine I'm hearin' in the air. Scott perks up just as I hear it.

I dig my hand into Scott's costume, "Lookit me, Summers! The fuck you hearin'?!"

"A…" he starts, "Alex?" he pushes me back and his costume front rips a bit, "He's here, my brother! He's here!" I grip him on the shoulders and dig my feet into the floor.

"No, Scott! It ain't him!" I try to keep a good hold on him but then I hear somethin' from the other room. It's Remy. He musta wandered off too! Holy shit, I might already be the only one not in the thrall of this place.

"Tres bien! Oh mes amours! I love ya! Oho, I love ya!" swanky soundin' big band music blasts from where he is. He's surrounded on all sides by a massive party, confetti an' bead necklaces all over the place with drinks and other things raging around him. Most of the gals look like Anna though, so Remy's not alright. Anna Marie and I stick close by each other.

"I don' like this one bit…" she says.

"Yer tellin' me, this is real weird…" I perk up at the tone again, this time Anna's got it too. She pauses and I grab her arm.

"Don't, Rogue." I say, "There's somethin' real off with all this." Sniffing the air, there's the scent of Magnolia trees, heavy humid summers, scents that shouldn't be in a hotel at all. Sweet tea taste runs through our mouths and Rogue starts draggin' me.

"Rogue! Rogue, hey!" I urge before she forces me off with a heavy yank and I'm on the goes practically running towards the taste, the sounds, the smells… leaving me on the greasy shag carpetin' like a fool.

Gettin' up, I keep my senses keen. What would a girl who controls the weather smell like? Sound like? Smell the rain, the wind, maybe she's tired? Dirty? Probably 'cause she's been in this place for a couple o' weeks.

Focus, breathe deep. Listen closely. Rain, ozone, the growl of thunder. Trying to find her in this seventies nightmare dimension makes me wanna hurl. But eventually… I hear footsteps. Plodding, trudging, trying to keep on her feet. At least I think the footsteps belong to her. Following the sound, there's a cross section in the floorplan. In front of me is deeper, on the sides its two exits. Standing on the deeper end is someone I didn't expect.

The girl has long white hair, fluffy and her haggard blue eyes widened, running towards me with a hopeful expression on her face. That's our girl, Ororo Munroe. She doubles over and pants hard, her white uniform stained with dirt and maybe a little blood?

She looks up at me, "Are… are you with the X-Men?" she gasps, "Because if you are, I thank you…" her weight leans against me and I wrap my arms around her and pat her on the back. She closes her eyes and sighs in relief when I tell her…

"Yeah, I'm with 'em. We're here t'take you home, Ororo."

We stand there, and I realize she's almost asleep. But the hotel's halls seem to get longer the more I move through them, Ororo shifts on my back, she seems too light. As I keep going, she pipes up.

"The hotel is owned by a mutant… they drain your energy the longer you're in their thrall. Who came with you?"

"Cyke, Rogue, Gambit, n' me. I'm gonna call Jean." I press my hand to the side of my head, 'Jean! I got Ororo, I'm headed back out, the others- Jean?' she isn't answerin'. Storm tuts softly and leans close to my ear.

"Then get them too. No matter what you hear, don't follow it." she says, "That's how it gets you." she squeezes my shoulders, "If you need me to keep talking, go ahead."

"So where are ya from?" I ask.

"Kenya. Although I lived in Cairo for a while." I hear the smile in her voice, "I also was a bit of a pickpocket." There's a little teasing edge to it, but I get out of there just as quick as I got in. The mildew smell goes back to the cleaner scents outside.

"Please don't steal anything from me." I chuff and she chuckles warmly.

"Not if you don't deserve it." Jean and Kurt see us come back and she's looking relieved to be out of there, not that I blame her at all.

I put Ororo down, she looks up at me as Jean and Kurt rush over to her, "Remember, don't listen to anything you hear."

"I know. I'm goin' back in." I glare up at the hotel, "I'll get 'em out."

Jean grabs my shoulder gently, "Please Victor, be safe." she urges.

"You got it. And Nightcrawler?"

Kurt perks up, "Yes?"

"Get ready to port me if Jean gets anything messin' with her powers." That's when Ororo gets in on it.

"If he already has Gambit and Cyclops, Rogue too? I do not think Nightcrawler would be safe going in there, considering his fraught background."

I let out a laugh, "HA! Wait til he gets a load of me…" I look over my shoulder at them, "If I don't make it out with them, glass the place."

---

Back in the hotel, the mildew and light buzz has my head in a spin. Trying to remember the rooms I left the others are wider now, echoing with more noise. A voice filled noise that reminds me of the city. God, I hate it here. These are all dreams. Just dreams. The voices grow, they shift and change, but the loudest is a soft laugh, trying to get me up I think? Last night was…

No, I have to keep going! Get everyone out.

"Scott?!"

The voice calls.

"Remy?!"

It's closer now.

"Anna Marie?!"

The voices all quiet down, except for one. The smells are warm. Fabric softener, detergent, the smell of someone else too. Not a bad one. Just the scent of them. The feeling of their body against mine, holding onto me.

I'm in front of a door now.

"Victor, get up!" A voice says, it's almost like a mix of Lorna an' Jean? It couldn't hurt to peek in, right? I shake it out, no. No, I can't. Stay on track, Victor. Don't let it take you. But then I hear another voice…

Young, soft. Almost like a kid's voice.

"Daddy? Wake up! Come on, you promised to take me to the arcade today!"

I pause, my hand brushing against the doorknob. Hearing the voices on the other side. I don't want to do this. I don't. But there's something that pushes me into it, something that wants me to do it. To accept the fact that I gotta throw my will away. I throw the door aside and-

Sunlight streams in, falling across my face in soft waves. A warm, happy laugh sounds out as fingers dance along my neck and cheek.

"Oh Victor~!" a voice like the summer breeze floats down from on high. I open my eyes, and tickling my face slightly is Jean's long red and orange hair. Blue eyes sparkling as she lays beside me.

"Wha?" I groan, "Where's the fire?"

Jean laughs, and a small weight slams into my chest, a little boy with red hair and icy blue eyes with tiny claws of his own squats there. He's wearin' little overalls and he's looking at me with all the world in his eyes.

"Daddy, come on!" he exclaims.

"Inna minute, Johnny…" I groan, like I knew the name because I picked it out. Yeah, and Jean married me, which was really lucky. Johnny and Jean, and me. A little family of my own. Jean gets up and floats Johnny with her.

"Mama!" he whines, "I don't like when you do that!"

"I know, sweetie, but give your dad a minute. Okay?" she kisses him on the forehead, with a knowing smile she floats him back out but returns to the bed.

"I know it's hard…" she sighs, gently running her fingers through my hair, "Johnny's just excited because we're home." I swing myself outta the bed, goin' to the bathroom and staring at myself in the mirror.

I got a beard, an' I look older. Somehow I ended up lookin' all handsome and junk. Jean walks up behind me and throws her arms around my neck, pressing a kiss to my cheek. It feels so nice. She also looks older, long red hair tied back into a low ponytail. She's wearing some normal enough clothes. She's the one I ended up with? I think that's real lucky.

"Look at us…" she sighs, "I was thinking we could take Johnny to the park later."

"Oh ah, sure! Sure, that sounds great, Jeanie." my eyes don't trick me, my nose don't neither. This is real. All of it. I can't even believe it as she holds onto me. I close my eyes and Jean kisses me on the lips, savoring the moment but then we hear Johnny gag a little.

"Ewww! Mama, Daddy, you're gross!"

We separate, "Oh yeah? When you're older an' got a girl of your own you'll understand." I smile and scoop him into my arms. He laughs as I swirl us around, stumbling into the kitchen as Jean shakes her head and laughs at our antics.

"Agh! I love you so much, Johnny!" I kiss his cheeks.

"Daddy!" he laughs, trying to push me away, "St-stop!"

I plop him down on the chair and he's got a big grin on his face. Joy thrums through me and I head into the kitchen, firing up the burner. The smell of food, meat and sweet batter, all of it floods my senses. I want this. Food, a home, all I could ever want. And all I could ever need. We walk to the park after breakfast. Johnny runs ahead in his little overalls, and Jean watches him with that same calm smile on her face.

"Hey Jean?" I ask.

"What is it?" she looks at me. I don't want this to end. But I know. I know this all isn't real. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I can't do this. But they aren't real.

I can't.

I have to.

I can't!

I HAVE TO.

In moments, I'm charging at them, claws out, tears falling. I want this, but I can't have it. She's down in minutes, my claws carving through her heart and Johnny runs away, I rage after him, all fours as I hear him crying and stumbling. In one swift motion, he's open. Kneeling, I scream. Howling at what I did. Blood all over me, they're ripped open and I'm holdin' them. Gasping screams, all I could do. I loved them, I know I did. I know. The way they cried. The way they begged me to stop…

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm sorry, kiddo…" I cry into his hair, "God, god god god…" I rock him as he's cryin' and gurglin'.

"D… Dad?" he coughs.

"Johnny, buddy. It ain't yer fault. It ain't yer fault. It's mine, It's mine, baby…" I shut my eyes and… all that's left is a room. The owner stumbles back from me, and I stand up. In seconds I'm on him, tossin' him out of the window and into the grass outside.

Already, my claws are out as he scrambles back. Slashin' the air, the knights he made crumplin' like paper. Before I could cut into him, there's a rush and a smack into my cheek, feet leavin' the ground and standing over me is a multi-colored eyed Rogue!

"Rogue-" and then I'm in the air again. The wind knocked out of me and slammed through the terrible concrete and cement parking lot.

"Anna?!" Jean gasps, seeing me land and I try to get my bearings, but then here she comes slamming her fists into my body, my ribs becoming powder in moments but just before she could hit me hard enough to pop my head, she goes flying from Jean's power.

Kurt grabs hold of me and bamfs me out of harm's way, "Oh mein gott! Oh… oh no…" he warbles.

"Nightcrawler…" I groan, seeing someone loom over us, "OUTTA THE WAY!" I cover him with my body, even though I'm in a ton of pain and my ribs are healin' I gotta protect our own. Squeezing my eyes shut, I feel the air in my face and a smoking crater where we were before.

"Hold tight, mein fruend!" Kurt yells before porting again and even before that a gust of wind carries us through the air and back towards Ororo and Jean. Landin' neat and standing tall we all look at who's attackin' us. Remy, Anna Marie, but Scott's nowhere around. Until… there's a sound of his visor firing and he's already throwing blows at me, the chaos still ratchetin' up.

"Scott! Whatever he gave you, he's not gonna follow through!" he socks me in the face and a heavy impact and I'm on the ground, another shot or two and I'm bein' punished just for trying. He slides in on the force and decks me, but my fist gets him right in the gut.

Cyclops crumples and I kick him away just for a few cards to whiz by my head. They hit the ground just inches from where I was before. Every part of me is telling me to find the owner and stop this shit! Remy charges up his staff and sends it careening at me but I tackle him down with the stick bursting its energy into the ground. I launch off him and stand, he tries to get to his feet but I get hit off him again by Rogue.

"Seriously?! Quit jugglin' me!" I snap, whirling onto her back and steering her away from trying to toss me off a cliff.

"Any plans, team?!" I snap, "Rogue's givin' me a hard time!" There's nothing but tussling with a flyin' rodeo bull and I'm losin'!

Until a message comes through our badges, "Friends, before you came to rescue me, I figured out his powersource!" Ororo exclaims.

"Yeah?! What is it?!"

"The building itself! So hold them off until I hit it with some lightning!" she gets off the line as impacts whiz and misfire, Rogue grabs me by the throat, slamming me into the ground again, dragging me into it.

"I won't lose control!" she yells, slamming her fist into my face, "Not now, not ever again!"

"Anna…" I growl, trying to keep her close so she doesn't go right for Storm, "I know what it's like to be alone! Everyone I cared about died too! Or was going to!"

She growls and smashes her fist into my ribs again. I really fucking hate that.

"It wasn't your fault! Whatever happened to cause this was your powers, but it's a roulette wheel!" I yell, "It's all that life is! Just… just stop tryin' to kill me! What'd I do to ya?!"

"You hurt my mama!"

"I did?! How?! I never met her!"

She tosses me through one of the trees and beats down on me. I grind onto all fours and she closes in with only seconds to spare until it all blasts into bright day, the hotel's lights all flicker and die, it all goes to nothing as the owner screams.

"NOOOOOOO!" he scrambles away, "I gotta go! I gotta-" I loom above him and he stumbles back, falling on his backside.

"I gave you what you wanted! I gave you all what you wanted!" he yells. I leap into the air, bearin' down on him with my hands wide and my claws fully extended. God and his furies, I wanted to kill 'im!

Slamming into him, there's a heavy crash and a pop somewhere, and he screams out, but I get into his face, lookin' right into his multi-colored eyes like they're the gateway to hell itself.

"I don't get that." I growl, my claws digging into his shoulders with my voice ripping into a roar, "I don't get that, do y'hear me?!"

"You made me kill 'em! Y'made me kill my boy! Jean too! My… my family…" tears come to my eyes and I sock him one across the face, knockin' him out.

Dry your tears, Victor. You won. You won, Storm's ours again. I walk, dragging the owner behind me, everyone struck silent by what they heard. Jean's got tears in her eyes. Kurt's downright shaking. Scott's looking at me in sheer horror. Remy's not even smiling and Rogue…

She's posted up.

"What in the hell was that, Creed?!"

I glare at her, "I got everyone out, Miss 'dustin' my entire rib cage!' Maybe you should go right back in an' leave me alone!" I snarl, dropping the owner and marching to the Jet. Ororo sits next to me, reaching out silently.

Her hand lands on my shoulder, "Victor, what did you see?"

"I did what'cha said I shouldn'ta done. Now lemme be." I look at her with tears in my eyes, "I had what I wanted, an' I had t'kill it."

Ororo speaks, "If you need someone to talk to, I'm here."

"I don't. Lemme be, Munroe. We got you out." I snarl, Jean looking at me with tears in her eyes. She saw it too, didn't she? Johnny, Me, an' her. She moves over to me, the others all quiet after what we saw and what we did t' leave it.

I move further away, "Yer the last person I wanna talk to."

Jean sits down next to me, "And the last thing you need is to be alone."

I look out the window, the clouds rushing by. Who did I think I could be? Family man, loving husband, Dad… I thought I could leave my monsters behind me. But Jean's still right here, still sittin' by me like I didn't just kill a version of her.

Scott pipes up, "What you did was brave, Victor. Without you we'd all be in those rooms, food for that guy." he admits, "What made you last so long against that?"

I close my eyes, "T'tell y'all the truth… it was seein' Ororo in the spot she was in. I know that look like I know the back of my hand." I remember the starving others in the cages. The ones that needed it more than me.

"I know that look too well." I close my eyes and breathe deep, "That's why."

The rest of the ride back was silent, nobody spoke, even after all that happened. I shut myself off, made sure nobody could read my mind or even talk to me, diving into my music and trying my best to not cry. I'm still just like him. Even after all that. How long until I'm alone again? How long until they're all dead? How long until I'm having nightmares about them? I wanna be part of them but I can't.

Not the way I am now.

 

[lakitubomber]

Marvel heroes and villains in a nutshell when it comes to their origin story and how they came to be.

This story looks quite promising so far and I will be forward for more of it with great interest.

Click to shrink...

Thank you! I wrote a lot of it already so I'm gonna post more of it today, then work on the newest chapter soon. Just gotta figure out what I wanna do. Thank you for the kind words!

 

[lakitubomber]

"So what's with this, 'Danger Room'?" I ask, the other guys changing into their weird costumes I saw on them. Piotr pipes up.

"It is basically what Americans call gym class but it is far more dangerous than that. I heard that years ago it had become a sentient robot." he chuckles, "But it is fine now!" He's in a red and yellow leotard lookin' thing.

Kurt pops up in his red, black, and white number with his tail winding through the air, "Ooh! Ooh! I heard it was made by aliens! Isn't that neat?" he hops off the dividing wall and bounces on his toes.

"Well, whatever y'all heard, it's gonna be Vic's first time. So I don't think Logan'll be gentle." Remy sighs, "My turn won't be either. But I hope Anna'll forgive me." He slides on his coat and has a weird compression headgear with the neck connecting to his shirt. He's got his ears free too.

"Wait what? I thought he was gonna let that slide!" I snarl, "Fuckin' liar." I dig through the bag he'd tossed at me after breakfast. All I see is a heavy fur collar and it's more in gray than the weird orange tones. My gloves are fingerless.

I can't stop the growl, "Real funny…" I slide it on and it fits me perfectly. There's no headpiece but I tie my hair back with a vibranium tie. It makes my skin crawl wearin' this thing, hair length and all that couldn't stop me from thinking when I look in the mirror…

"I'm him." I give the mirror my best 'bring it!' smile but all it does is remind me of him, "Fuckin' A." I step out of the locker room and Scott meets us out in the hall. He's wearing that blue suit but with a skullcap, so he looks even dumber with a gold bandolier lookin' thing with the X in the middle.

"Well then, you look peachy." I snicker and he glowers at me like I offended him but I'm not the hardass, "What?"

"Just follow my lead out there, Creed." he states, "You have no idea what's in store."

"It'll be fake, I'll break it, and we'll all pass." I reason with a smile, "Of course that is if you follow my lead instead." I point at myself with my thumb, "Trust me, I saved y'all in that Hotel."

"I think we should follow Scott in this case, Loupgarou." Remy sighs, "Not t'be a downer but you ain't the best at leadin' if you fly offa the handle."

I bite back a hard snap. Mostly because they're right.

Mr. Logan walks up to us, "Well, you're not workin' in a big group this time. Everyone's gonna split up into groups."

"Really?" Scott asks, "How is it going to be useful?"

"Well, breaking into smaller squads will increase effectiveness." Remy shrugs, "Er somethin' like that."

"Right, if we're ever split up, we can all work together without being lost on what we got!" Jubilee exclaims happily.

"Right, so… Creed! You're with Cyclops and Jean!" Logan barks and Scott fixes me with a glare. We got a long way to go. About time this starts really hitting the gas. Jean flashes me a smile, and of course that weird warm feeling comes back in force.

---

The Danger Room is like some kind of big box, a weird barren place, smooth and shifting like liquid. There's a soft hum in the air and then… The area around us shifts and bends into the Canadian Wilderness. The sharp and chilling wind, the scent of the pines, the bright sun making the snow blindingly bright and making me squint. For some reason I felt like I was home. I knew it like the back of my hand and all. Cyclops and Jean stand beside me.

"So uh… what do you think we're up against?" Cyclops asks.

"I dunno, but I don't like it…" I snarl. Jean closes her eyes, trying to scope it out for anyone ahead but that's when a familiar scent of metal and blood enters my nose, bursting out of nowhere is my father?! How is he here?! Is this some kinda-

Weaving backward, I kick some snow into his eyes, Cyclops's beam slams into him from the side and Jean slams him into the snow. Dirt and water mix into slush and mud. Trying to overwhelm him even if he's a robot. My claws strain, my chest heaves, my eyes widen and my mouth opens in a loud and chest ripping scream. Jean flinches and I tear through the snow towards Sabretooth. Whoever was runnin' the simulator…

"RAAAGHH!" I roar, my claws ripping through him but he rips me aside, cracking filling my ears,

"Grrugh..." I skid and bound back, pouncing on his back.

"CYCLOPS! NOW!" I yell, tearing into his back as Cyclops aims with his impact blasting us into the air, kicking him off me and Jean slams a huge boulder into him. In a cloud of snow and dirt the first bot is...

The boulder slashes in five lined chunks before Sabretooth comes at me, "Alright, Bot-Tooth!" I yell, kicking him in the chest and pouncing on him. I aim right for the face and rip into him before Jean lifts me out of the way and Scott keeps him busy with bursts of energy.

"How'd you beat him?!" he yells.

"I didn't! I ran! Bone can't cut through Adamantium!" I look at Jean, "Any ideas, Jean?"

'Maybe, but I haven't done it before! It'd take some time!' she thinks, 'Just give me a moment to recharge, you two!'

"You hear that, Cyke?!" I yell back.

"Yeah! You just hit close, I'll hit far!" he snaps, bursting out more blasts as I wade in and slash at him, muscles and veins feel real and everything else does too. But whoever picked this as our round had to be playin' a sick joke.

He grabs a boulder and crashes it into me, bringing his claws down onto the back of my head and everything fades out, all that fills my mind is the burning, clogging sensation of rage, sticking in me and burning me out of body and mind. Instinct takes over and my body swells with adrenaline, my senses sharpen and my muscles kick into the respiration. I can't control this. I can't bring myself out of it. Jean and Cyclops try to hold him back but I vault over them.

"GRAAAAHHHHGGGG!" I roar, slamming him into the earth and slamming him over and over, "RAH! RAH! RAGH! RAAAAAHHGH!" slamming it over and over into the ground before I'm digging into the metal. Blood and the metallic scent of it fills my nose an' all I do is RAGE. The scream and grind of metal, the environment around us flickerin' and dying. Cyclops tries to blast me but Jean stops him.

"Don't scare him!'

"RRrgh!" I whirl and spring at her with the wind rushing through my ears, "RAAAAAAGH!" My muscles seize and I can't close the distance. I don't notice it but Jean's got her hold on me,

'Victor! Victor, stop! It's over! I got it! Don't fight anymore!'

"RAAAH! RAGH! AHHHGH!" I thrash and strain against her hold, her eyebrows knit in concentration. I growl and grit my teeth, images of the calm river Mama and I used to live near, images of the birds singing.

'It's alright, Victor...' Jean soothes, 'It's alright…'

"Jean, what are you doing?"

"I'm calming him down, he's going to sleep in a moment…" More images. Bein' tucked in, kissed goodnight, an' the light goin' off. Not my memory but her's adjusted to fit mine like a deep whatever that replaces faces. I sway, trying to stay awake. Trying not to fall asleep 'cause that's dangerous. That's not good. He's still out there. He's gonna kill my friends, Logan, everyone! I can't… I won't… a yawn sounds out and I fall to the smooth floor.

"Alright! Who's idea was it to make Sabretooth part of my class's regiment?!" Logan snaps me out of my sleep, "You all know he's got things against Sabretooth!"

"We know, Logan." a big blue hairy guy says, "Which is why I added it to the Danger Room's copy ability. To test the Junior's true power." Apparently there's other classes than Mr. Logan's and this is one of the teachers of the more showy mutants that look like weirder stuff.

"That ain't right, McCoy!" he snarls, "He just got-"

I sit up, "Mr. Logan, you don't have to defend me worth shit. He knows what he did." Getting to my feet again I hold out my hand.

"Doc, what kinda tests you runnin'?"

"To prove that you are what you say you are." Doctor McCoy says, "Forgive my caution, but considering your explosive temperament and your flighty disposition I would not be mistaken if you were related to one of the mutants in the Weapon X program."

He motions to walk with him and I follow, seeing his blue eyes flick to a tablet. It shouldn't be a mystery who my Dad is. He leads me into an examination room. His smile's serene. The examination room is big, a lab almost. On the grounds we got the infirmary and then here's where the magic happens. All the tech, training bots, all of it is made here. That and mutant research done by the man humming what I think is Beethoven?

"Victor, I do hope that we become good friends." he pats the table, "Do not worry, my boy, it's just some blood tests."

"What? Do ya think Sabretooth's NOT my Dad?" I snarl, "I mean look at me, it's just-"

"No, it's not that... it's how you survived this long with just normal bones and a Healing Factor. Even Logan wasn't as sturdy." he looks at me with a serious expression on his face, "If you are related to Sabretooth, this might just make you stronger than him."

He takes out a needle, "Are you afraid of needles?"

"Psh! No, why would I be?" I don't notice my claws grinding into the table.

"You were saying?" he raises an eyebrow and I cross my arms.

"Just do it y'prick." I say, "Also what were you humming?"

"Holst's Mars, the Bringer of War." he says, "Apt for what you, Logan, and Victor are."

---

After the examination, I get back to our dorms. Remy's standing there with a sly smile on his face. Everyone's sitting with each other on the couches, in the bean bag chairs, all of it. I stay standing.

"Heyo, Loup! We da figured out somethin' for ya'll's blues, mes ami!" he walks over and plunks his arm around my shoulders. Ororo sighs.

"Remy, if it's anything like the makeshift Mardi Gras you threw last year-"

"Now now, 'Roro. You ain't seen what da Gambit's been cookin' in his here brain case!" he exclaims, "For de past I 'unno, few months. We done faced some nasty customers."

He claps his hands, "So voila! I done cooked us up some R n' R for us! A movie an' a dinner, all for us!" Jubilee shoots out of her chair.

"No WAY!" she squeals, hugging him, "Ah Gambit, I could KISS YOU!"

"Wait wait wait." Scott cuts in, "Does the professor know? Does Mr. Logan know? Do ANY of the other teachers know?"

Piotr nods, "That would give me peace of mind."

Remy laughs, "Like hell any 'a dem sticks in the mud would let us out on our own!" he looks up at me, "Plus imagine Vic an' Kurt's newest memories bein' made tonight!"

"We goin' out or stayin' in?" I ask, it's more of a snarl than anything else.

"We goin' out, Vic!" he exclaims.

"Pass. I hate the city. That place is CRAWLING with Sentinels." but the look in his eyes says differently.

"You need to rest, Victor. That's what you need." Jean sighs, "That Danger Room session... it scared me." she gets up and walks over to me, grabbing my hand.

"It's just one night, Victor." she smiles, "Don't you want to?"

"D' I mean... Yeah, but I'd want it to be what I'd wanna do, but if you guys wanna go do it, that's fine." I sputter, looking at the others.

"Issit 'cause you want to go on a date with Jean?" Anna Marie pipes up, heat rushes to my cheeks.

"What?! No! It's not like-"

Scott sighs, "It is, Creed. Just admit it..."

Jean smiles, "Besides, it could be a date with a friend!" she exclaims. But then she gets my thoughts and blushes heavily.

"Oho, mignonne... Looks like DATS a date!" Remy exclaims, getting elbowed by Ororo.

"In any case, I will be responsible if anything goes wrong." She says, but Piotr speaks.

"Niet, Ororo. I will be. I am the oldest." he smiles, "And do not worry, we will be careful. There is theater not far from where we go."

He looks down at me and Jean, "Now please. No funny business. If need, I will send Anna to watch over you two."

"Hey! I ain't doing that!" Anna Marie exclaims, "They're more shy than a churchmouse in a cat's room!" I don't even have a clue how I'm going to do this. Jean pecks me on the cheek.

"Well, we'll go get ready then."

Once again, I'm going through the closet and all I got are normal shirts and jeans, belts n' bomber jackets. No real difference really. All not really fancy and more casual. After a real intense game of Rock Paper Scissors, Scott was the one picked to write the note. Of course, all of us goin' out is weird, so we just told the truth. Well, the truth an' somethin' Remy called 'Embellishments.' Somethin' about the food? Maybe snacks? After that, we all went out through a backway. Piling into Piotr's weird VW Minibus. Remy sighs.

"Look, Pete. I ain' gon' tell ya t'get a new car but-"

"Remy, it is effective for big group!" he exclaims, "Now, everyone stay together. If there is trouble, you have mobile phones, yes?" he looks at the more tech savvy guys and well, then there's me.

I ain't tech savvy at all. But we drive into the city and already I'm feeling the headache. Jean's not really wearin' anything fancy either. She's got her hair pulled back and she's talking to the other girls.

"Y'nervous dere, Vic?" Remy wonders, "Y'know y'never know when love gotcha."

"Right..." I look at Jean and she smiles. Everyone's going to some theater, but I wanted to get something to eat. Everyone else goes towards the theater. Jean grabs my hand and I had to make sure I passed for human.

Jean could, but fangs n' claws ain't too nice for people to see. So long agonizing hours of cutting my claws and filing down my fangs later and I'm already regrowing them. But Jean still holds my hand. It's real nice of her to do that. We sit down at a table, get drinks. Not anything alcoholic but Jean sits across from me with a happy smile.

'Are you sure you can eat cooked food?'

'Yeah, I can.'

"So there I am, covered head to toe in mud, draggin' in dinner an' my Mama looks at me like she's never seen somethin' so horrible but so cute and-" I cut myself off, taking a drink of my soda.

"I... I must be borin' ya to tears, Jeanie."

Jean laughs, "No! No, it's cute, Vic!" she smiles, "I had something similar. There was one time my friend and I were out in the rain, and the river was all full."

"What didja do?" I ask.

"Well, I thought we could build a raft or something to sail across." she says, "And we got everything together, and well, we didn't weight test it!" she laughs a little.

"So what? Didja fall in?"

"No! But my little Sabertooth tiger did! Ah, he needed like three drying cycles." she grins and reaches across, grabbing my hand. I almost wanna pull it back for what happened in the hotel but-

"You remembered something, Victor. That means progress." she smiles, tracing my palm with her fingers.

"Jean, I... about the hotel-"

"I felt everything, Victor." she states, "You really did love them."

I smile, "Jean, I..." she gets up slightly, leaning forward and her eyes are closing. She looks like a dream, talks like heaven, but I gulp back my fear. This is my first ever kiss. Like, mouth to mouth kiss. 'Alright, Victor. You're gonna cup her cheek an' pull her in, yer gonna give her a peck and that's it. Then, you're gonna look right into the eyes of your-' In moments, there's the smell of Adamantium. Amber eyes burning into us like fire. Long wild blonde hair brushed neat. Wearin' all black like always. Looming above us, with a vicious smile on his face.

'Daaaaaaad?!'

We practically jump away from each other, claws out on my end but he slides in like nobody's business. He grins down at us.

"Well, if it ain't my son..." he leans in, sitting next to Jean, "What'cha doing out here?"

"Just ah, having dinner."

"Right, right..." Dad gently hovers his hand around the back of Jean's neck. She stiffens, almost letting the fear take her. Sabretooth likes it. He laughs and tilts his head to study her.

'Victor?'

'Stay calm, Jean.'

Sabretooth grins, "Hey there, hon." his voice sounds soft, almost kind, "Let's play a game."

"What kind of game?" she asks.

"Answer my questions, an' if I like the answers you get to keep that pretty head on your shoulders." he presses his claws into her neck a little, "If I don't like 'em..."

"Shhhrrrrk!" he motions across his neck with his free hand, "Of course, it's only stayin' yer execution anyway."

"Why're you doing this?" I snarl. Rage barely being kept back by the fact that this establishment even allows mutants at all.

"Vicky Vicky Vicky..." he sighs, "I'm doin' what a Dad should do for his boy."

'What kind of excuse is that?' Jean snorts through our link, 'If he was half the father he claims to be, we wouldn't be here right now.'

'Jean, I like your enthusiasm.'

'Is that a new word for you?'

'Yeah!'

"Okay. Let's start!" he grins and takes a drink from my cup, "So, what's your name?"

"Jean." she answers like this happened before. Like this all was just another Tuesday in a long line of bad days.

"Jean, huh? That's a nice name." he looks at me, "What made ya so interested in my son?"

Jean looks at me, 'Should I lie?'

'What? Just tell him the truth. He's like Logan except a hundred times stronger.'

Jean lets out a breath, "I became interested because he was so gentle. Despite the standoffishness and the anger."

Sabretooth laughs a little, "Really? It wasn't my son's strength? Or his power? Tons o' ladies like power." he gives her that slow, heated smile. That one means he's thinking.

"But outta the options you got, why him?" he growls, "You had the boy scout, the imp, the fuckin' Cajun, an' the Russian."

'Victor... are you ready?'

'For what?'

Jean looks at him with a smile, "He likes to listen."

"Huh?" Sabretooth blinks, caught a little off guard but here we are trying not to die. He grins and starts to laugh.

"Don't tell me you're acting soft now, Vicky!" he leans forward and takes a drink from my cup again, "You're like... what? A month, a few weeks into this mamby pamby bullshit and already you got a girl?"

"Sabretooth-"

His claws press a little into Jean's neck, "Ah ah ah... say it right."

"Dad, sir." I growl.

"Now tell me, Jean. What's Vicky shown you?" he asks.

"Everything." she says, her tone flat as a board. Dad leans close.

"An' you know what's gonna happen every year on his birthday." he grins, "You either get used to it real fast or you'll end up dead."

Jean glares at him, "All I know about you is that you're a murderer. You've killed countless people in your long life and you're trying to do that for Victor too." Dad's eyes widen.

"Well! Ain't that a kick in the teeth!"

'Jean! What are you-'

'It's angry.'

In seconds he goes flying head over heels through the glass window like it's water. He goes slamming into the pavement. Rising with a shining orange aura, her lips set in a scowl. Sabretooth rises and wipes the blood from his face with his sleeve, "Well I'll be damned... I like her." he moves away back towards the alleyways. Jean lands a little woozy but okay.

Ororo swoops down, "Victor, Jean! Are you two alright?" she steadies her and I check myself for any bugs. He might've ended up planting some on us but I'm not sure. Jean looks at me.

"We're okay, Ororo." she answers, "Just... it's odd."

"What's odd?" I ask, "You threw him through the window like it wasn't even there!"

"I know, but..." she clasps my hand, "I... almost kissed you." I gently tuck some of her hair behind her ear and give her a kiss on the forehead.

"Thanks for helpin' me handle Sabretooth." I admit with a smile, "Let's get back to the others before they-" in moments, Jean picked me up and planted a kiss dead on my lips.

"Wha... wha..." I breathe as she ruffles my hair a little.

"Consider us even."

God, I don't know what the fuck happened but she just made my heart skip a ton of beats. Ororo fixes me with a pointed glare.

"If you break her heart, Victor..."

"I know, I know." I sigh, feeling Jean pull me along behind her. For once in my life...

I don't mind being led.

 

[lakitubomber]

Charles sits across from me, "So far, your progress is exemplary." he smiles and looks at me with a proud glimmer in his eyes. I almost wanna bark at him to quit it. It feels like I'm spinning my wheels. Remy, Kurt, Piotr, Jean, all of them don't need me. Saving Ororo? That was just a lie. I'm a beast, playin' at being human. Could I be good? I mean progress is baby steps like he's sayin'.

"I mean... I didn't wanna be an X-Man..." I run my fingers through my lengthening hair, "Just ah..." Being nervous never really seems to fit.

"It happened, right?" Charles asks.

"Yeah! Yeah, it... happened." I state, thinking of Jean's quick kiss like a constant itch. Why did she do that? I didn't deserve it. Charles takes a drink from his cup and I look at my soda.

"Victor, you should be *proud* of what you've done." he states, "All that doubt and turmoil, that's your father." Charles is right, and he's not usually wrong but...

"Every time somethin's good. Somethin' always goes wrong." I state, "I know I should be happy n' all that."

"But the shadow of your father looms dark and tall over you, yes." he nods, "But your classmates have embraced you as one of their own."

"They shouldn't do that."

"Why not?" the Professor cocks his head to the side, "You're making progress, learning that they won't hurt you-"

"That's why! Right there!" I snarl, "I feel safe, and the minute I feel safe, bad things happen." I close my eyes, still imagining that nice house, the white picket fence, nice things for a guy like me. A hot shower, a warm bed, a wife. Maybe a kid? Things a guy like me should never have but dammit I want it. I've always wanted that normal life. I know I can't have it 'cause I'm a mutant. Cause I'm what I am.

A beast, an animal, whatever the fuck edgy shit you can call me, I am. Charles looks at me with that soft expression, a fatherly one. A warm, kind smile that I wish I had. A few words, a hug maybe? A dad that actually cared about me instead of tryin' to kill me. Reminding me what I am, and what I was to him. A rival, another competitor. He'd tear through my friends, my family, to get to me.

"Charles, I'm just gonna go. Thanks for listenin'." I stand up and turn, "You're right."

---

I walk outta the office, going through the halls, hearing everyone moving around and all... but then a scent catches my nose. Cinnamon? Why that? It's got a chemical tang to it. I don't mind it but it sweeps up behind me, "Boo!" Jean exclaims.

"I knew you were there."

"Aww! Spoilsport..." she sighs, wrapping her arms gently around my shoulders, pressing a kiss to the back of my neck, "So, how'd it go?"

"Makin' progress, Jeanie." I say, twirling her around to face me. She's got orange around her eyes, it makes the blue pop a little more. She smiles up at me.

"Dreaming of Americana?" she raises an eyebrow.

"Oh come on! You know what I saw..." I lean down, "You, me. A nice house..." I grin and she blushes a little.

"Well... makes sense?" she shrugs and wraps one of my arms around her shoulders as we walk to class. Her hair's so soft and wavy, burning in the sunlight like fire. She's so pretty.

She tucks some of it behind her ear, "H-hey! I can hear that, you know!"

"But you are." I state, "Can't I tell ya how pretty you look?"

"Are we together?" she counters, "Ha! Got- wait..."

I grin, "We can be."

Jean considers, her eyes closing, the link feeling all warm and fuzzy. She stands on tiptoe, her scent losing that tang, becoming something else. She kisses me again, soft and sweet.

"Hit me with your best shot, Victor."

We get into class, her huddled into my side. She's shorter n' me, that's gonna be weird but in comes Remy.

"Issit jus' me, Loup? Or is dere love in de air?" he grins, "Is the Gambit right?" he leans over and Kurt pipes up.

"Yes! I saw them! They kissed!" he blurts, "It was-" I glare at him and he stops.

"Now Kurt, that's for me to keep to myself an' Jean." I chide gently, "I wouldn't do the same to you."

Ororo comes in next, and looks at Jean's beet-red face and then at me, "So you're an item now?" she raises an eyebrow with an amused smirk.

"We're trying it out." I answer with a similar smile. Just between the two of us I think I'm really excited. I mean being on the run and trying not to die constantly changes everything.

Jean blushes, and I send even more happy thoughts her way. I'm just so happy that I can do this kinda thing now. Just be as normal as I can be with all my trauma and shit like that. The only strange feeling left is the feeling of it all about to fall apart because it always does. No matter what it's gonna fall down. But Jean's here, an' everyone else. I'm at least glad its all turning out alright.

Mr. Logan comes in, "Alright! Everyone settle down." he glares at all of us and it's like he's in a bad mood. I dunno why he'd be. It's almost like he always is for some odd reason. But at this point if its because Jean threw Sabretooth through a window and pretty much almost had the weird Stark Sentinels descend on us like metal vultures that is a pretty solid reason.

"Unsanctioned field trips, really?" he snarls, "Whose idea was it?"

"Remy's." we all say in unison.

"What?! Naw! I didn't do dat! Vic was the-" I glare at him.

"It wasn't my idea at all. I didn't wanna go, but I went along." I state, "My dad showed his face, Jean threw him through a window, and well the Sentinels were probably not far." I lean against my arms.

"LeBeau, extra training drills this week, the next, an' the next after that." he growls, "And amp up the difficulty bit by bit each time."

"Aawwww..." he groans, "Really?"

"Yeah, bub." he smiles wryly, "What, you gonna cry about it?"

Anna Marie laughs, "Well ain't that a bear caught inna trap?" she winks at him and Remy blushes.

"Cher, come awn... I jus' wanted t'have a lil' fun." he mumbles, and Mr. Logan picks up on it.

"Fun? You wanna have fun, do ya?" he marches up the aisle and glares up at him, "Those Sentinels are tinker toys made by some corrupt rich playboy snortin' coke in Malibu. What we're preparin' you all for is life with these powers."

"Sometimes you gotta get your hands dirty, an' people WILL die." he looks at me with a softer gaze, "Sometimes people you love." he looks back up at Remy.

"Do you want Anna Marie to die 'cause you wanted to have fun? Or yer ex?" he snarls, and Remy darkens.

"Merde, old man! A'course I don't!" he snaps, "I don' want ev'rybody to think dey're soldiers, either!" Remy stomps back to his seat, and I look at him, "That goes for you too, Loup."

There's nothing much more after that. Logan teaches us about the Vietnam War, how he was there for some weird assignment but he never gave us the details. Jean read the chapter to me, sending it across our bond.

Lunchtime was a quiet thing. I got something cooked this time. I didn't wanna savage anythin' because Jean's with me now. She sits across from me, her presence normal enough. I think about what he said, about there being more.

"All we've done is fight my dad, save Roro, and go out on the town..." I list, "Normally that's good, right?"

Jean nods, "Yeah, it is. Why?"

I look around, leaning in, "Personally, I don't like that at all, sure we're safe now but..." I know one thing about my Dad, "He doesn't make three visits. There's a *reason* why he came around three times to fuck with us."

"What do you think it is?" Jean asks, "And shouldn't we tell everyone?"

"Nah, no unsanctioned field trips, an' I don't wanna scare 'em." I scoff, "It'd just be me. He likes me. An' you."

"We're *visiting* him?!" she hisses, "Are you crazy?!"

I shake my head, "Hell no! I want you to... do that Vision Quest-y shit you did to me."

Mr. Logan appears behind me, "Nah, Creed'll rip her apart." he sits down next to me with a smirk, "Nice thought though, Jeanie's tough." There's a moment where he leans in.

"We know who he's workin' with." he says, grinning, "Chuck keeps tabs on 'em. They ain't like Magneto. They're out an' proud." Mr. Logan pops a claw out and stabs into the top of his beer, "Just wait n' see."

---

After lunch, everybody splits off to do some power training. Miss Braddock takes Jean aside and Logan sticks with me, nodding to her as we pass. She's also a psychic like Jean is, but she can make constructs and stuff like that. At least I think? Doc McCoy falls in with us as Logan grabs two cases of something. He seems to be lookin' at the results from my blood.

"Logan, Victor. A moment of your time?" he asks, we stop and look at him. He smiles and adjusts his glasses. He seems real pleased with what he's got to report.

"This is truly unprecedented." he states, "Your cells, they have quite the strong healing factor." his eyes glimmer with that kinda joy those guys back in the arena got when they kept cuttin' me up.

"Eh. I know." Can't help a snarl, "They come back stronger each time, yeah?"

"Precisely! But that's not all, Victor." he grabs my hand, "Your claws are also subject to the potential you have to grow stronger!"

I look down at my hand. Does that mean that eventually I'll be less human? Well, the thing is I don't think it's like that. Just that my body'll get so strong I might not even need Adamantium or whatever the hell the strongest metal is now.

Logan and I head out together, the cases in our hands until he unzips his and pulls out a long bamboo stick. I unzip mine and he holds it in his hands, pointing it at me. I do the same.

"See, the point of this is to get that rage outta you, Bub. Gimme yer best shot." I ready it and we clash, he breaks it in seconds and rakes it up my back. I spin and swing wide like a baseball bat.

He ducks low, sweeping me and I land on my ass. He smirks and I counter with a closer strike, catching him on the cheek and keeping it close. I think I get it now. Our sticks clack hard together. Rage, pain, all of it becomes a storm around me. Replacing Logan with my father, with Sarge, with all the time I ran and hid who I was. Filing down my claws and my teeth just trying to fit in.

"Come on, Victor! Let it all out! Fight me! Gimme your rage!" Logan roars, his claws popping and mine too. We charge at each other, without him I wouldn't be here. Without him my father would've left my mom alone.

But it's all going to be gone in seconds. All of it does. Adamantium and bone rake through our bodies, my teeth dig into his neck, slamming into him like a sumo wrestler.

He pushes back, his claws almost stabbing to my ribs but I grip it and start to pull. Tearing through the stalemate, I run him back, driving him into the wall. He grins and swipes with his other hand but my mouth bites down on his wrist, ripping through the muscle and spitting it out.

"GAAAAGH!" my primal scream's met with a howl of his own, and we charge at each other. His claws stab right through my hand. There's not much to this. Just two dogs playing.

Bone, flesh, and muscle knit together, we're both gassed. I try to make a swipe but I whiff and slam down to the floor, breathing hard as Logan slides down, watching me with his rage vanishing.

"See? Don'tcha feel better?" he asks.

"We practically shredded each other..." I gasp, still feeling the burning pain in my chest, "Still. I... I guess." I close my eyes, feeling Jean's soft signature in my head, checking on me.

"When it comes to rage, there's a way of focusing it. You just swing without thought, without any purpose." he sighs, a solemn look on his face, "A weapon."

"I did it to survive, Logan." I snarl, "Didn't matter who I cut apart." my hands still have his blood on them, my body still does. He reaches out and ruffles my hair.

"Victor, you don't have to survive anymore." everyone keeps saying that. But the minute I let my guard down something bad'll happen to my loved ones and I'll be fucked over faster than light.

But Jean's burned her way into my heart, everyone here has in some way. It's not like they'll ever leave my mind. The idea of them gettin' hurt's got me scared. But I choke it back down, sitting up and taking up the stick.

"I don't wanna be a purposeless weapon anymore." my claws extend, sharp and new, "I'm gonna find the bastards that took me, they're still out there."

That's when Charles rolls in, "Then I have good news, we've found one." he smiles up at me, "Fancy a raid, Victor?"

"One man? Or do I get to lead?" I ask, seeing my costume ready and waiting, Charles chuckles.

"You're going with a team of course." he begins, "Logan has been pushing for a strike force for these kinds of operations."

Logan blinks, "What? We're... oh god we're doing that one?"

"What? Are they bad?" I ask.

"No, not exactly, just..." Logan scratches the back of his head, "Just..."

All of the sudden there's a boy in a black and red suit with white eyes in his mask standing in between all three of us. He's got a red and black arm and he smiles. There's something off about this kid. He's the same age as me but his arm seems to be trying to poke Logan.

"Dr. Charlie!" he exclaims, "Is it time?!" he's a spaz. That's great. Charles laughs heartily.

"William Wilson, there's someone I want you to meet." he holds out his hand towards me, "Victor Creed Jr, Loupgarou. He's been a gladiator like you."

Logan smacks the finger of the kid away as he rushes me, "No way! Which one?! Have we fought before?"

"No." I snap, "I was in the Vancouver arena, the Canadian League."

"Damn..." he sighs, "Dude, I'm sorry." he sounds genuinely sad he didn't get to try to kill me. He gets eager again.

"Do we get to fly the Blackbird?! Please tell me we get to Kablooey it right in the faces of those stupid bastards!" he exclaims, and Logan groans. I can almost feel the years aging both of us.

"No, it's not, boys." a familiar voice comes out of the shadows and that light green hair and eyes is a sight for sore eyes. Lorna steps out and smiles, Mr. Lensherr nearby. He stands in his mauve suit, cane resting in his hand.

"We've come together to end these arenas. This is the first and hopefully only need for the X-Force." Charles explains, "You've all been hurt by these places, and I regret to use force, but..."

"Now's not the time for hesitance, Charles." Mr. Lensherr cuts in, "They've taken runaways, sex workers, our brethren. Children as well."

"The Avengers and SHIELD will do nothing. We cannot spare Genoshans or widely known X-Men for this mission, it is up to you three." he looks almost sadly at us. Lorna tenses and William looks up at him with a smile.

"Got it! So we go in, shoot the baddies, free the trapped brethren and other guys, and call it quits!" he twirls his pistols and holsters them, "And then we can all go to this neat pizza place I know-"

"Deadpool, focus..." Mr. Lensherr gently corrects.

"Sorry, Mr. Magneto." his right hand flips him off, "Also sorry for that."

I pipe up, "That's a nice thought, but you guys are SURE this is the last one?"

"Yes. Our intel is sound. We do have an insider." Charles says, "Your mission is to infiltrate the arena in the area marked on this map, release the captives, and get any information on any contingencies." Deadpool grins and Lorna looks at him like he's weird. Logan leads us to the garage, and I hear Charles's heartbeat quicken. He rolls forward and stops at the entrance.

"Victor, remember. The past only has the power you give it." he sounds worried, more worried than usual, "Promise me you'll stay yourself."

"I'll try, Charles." I state, getting into a car and Lorna starts it. But then there's a scuffle at the entrance with someone I didn't expect. Deadpool snaps to attention.

"No way! Who's that pretty girl?!" he waves, "Hi, pretty girl!" Jean is in a full sprint, robe billowing around her pajamas and almost tripping if not for her dead run. There's something up.

"Jean?" I get out of the car as she runs up to me. Panting softly, hair sticking to her forehead and fear in her heart and eyes. She reeks of it. I grab hold of her. She's shaking, digging her hands into my costume front.

"Don't go." she buries her face into my chest, "Don't go." she lets her power overtake everything, the dark musty halls of the arena spread around us. She looks around and there's growling all around us.

The lights flicker to life and there's blood painting the walls. People shredded, our brethren screaming as they run away, and me. Claws long and curved. Hair loose and mane-like, and staring at us with bright amber eyes with pupils gone. My heart jumps to my throat, realizing that this hallway is the main one. And that the bodies below me are... no. No. Not them. Anyone but them. My friends. I kill my friends. Everyone.

Jean grabs my shoulders, "Victor? Victor, come back!" she urges, "Come back!" I come to and everyone's looking at me almost in fear. Deadpool's got his eyes closed.

"I'm still goin', Jeanie. I know you don't want me to, but..." she looks up at me with that fear again, after what we saw in my future there's that moment of hesitation.

"Victor, I know it's important." she says, "Just remember who you are, you're not your father and never will be." Jean touches my roughing up cheek. I guess I forgot to shave. But she stands on tiptoe, kissing me as hard as she could. Desperate, close, and so warm. Almost like fire. She's burned her way into my heart, kicked down the door, and set up in there.

"Come back to me, okay?"

I don't smile, there's a moment where I want to say I can't. That this is just a fluke, I won't come back the same. She lingers, and I want her to linger. She saw more in me, saw greatness. Kindness. She didn't run away when she saw what scared me.

I wish I could see what she saw. I turn and walk back towards the car.

"I love you!" she calls.

"I know." My voice is soft, but I know she feels it. She knows everything about me. Well, not the darkest parts, but...

One day, I want her to know all of me. Every part of me. Even the parts I don't like to revisit.

As we drive off, Deadpool looks back and sighs.

"Look, I get it." he says, "My Mom n' Dad are the same way. You love her to death, and she loves you, but..." he looks down at his right hand.

"Things... keep you apart." he looks back up at me, "But this is gonna be one more time, one more night and you go right back to that hottie and give her the biggest kiss ever."

Lorna looks at me, "You and Jean, huh?" she asks.

"Yeah, it's... recent." I mumble, "Talk about your whirlwinds, right?"

She nods, almost looking a little sad.

"Do y'wish that was you?" I ask, and her heartbeat quickens, she tries to keep the car straight, "I'm takin' that as a yes."

"What?! No..." she sputters, "Just... yeah. Yeah, I do." she admits.

"Why? The only thing you knew about me was that I was crazy." I scoff, but she looks at me out of the corner of her eye.

"You weren't a monster. And you weren't crazy. You were scared but you saved everyone. Even me." she states, "I... had a crush on you for the longest time." she looks dead ahead, "The one person who knew what it was like for me."

I sigh, "Lemme guess, Lensherr doesn't get it?"

"No, no, my Dad gets it. It's just... Wanda and Pietro don't. They think that I'm fragile and need babying." she huffs.

Deadpool pipes up, "Yeah, I get that too." he leans in, "Also can we have the whole 'unrequited love' convo after we're done airing out the place?" he leans back and we fall silent.

We went from just riding along to riding into the unknown.

---

The arena is below a big tower. Plain sight. Of course we don't just park outside it. Polaris puts on her circlet. Deadpool locks and loads. And here I am, changing out of my costume.

"Why're you-" she starts.

"I ain't doin' this as Loupgarou." I snarl, putting on the clothes of my father. The exact same, the ones that people know the world over. All black everything.

"I'm doin' this as Victor Creed Jr. Or the monster they think I am." I crack my neck and walk towards the building. Hands in my pockets, the other two taking my right and left. We keep walking, and I know a side entrance. It's part of the plan.

This insider... I hope they know what they're doing. The side entrance is down a set of stairs, mainly where they cart in the crappy food for the competitors.

"Alright you guys, remember we gotta be careful. There're people here that don't wanna be."

That's when the smell of Sulphur catches our attention and I can't believe my eyes. Standing there in the shadows, blue and scaled a bit, is an almost twin of Kurt! Well, except for the fluffy red hair and tactical gear on.

"Good evening, you three must be my comrades." he says, "Call me Darkholme."

"So wait, you're Nightcrawler's twin? What's with this author and his sibling and child OCs? Those're ba-" Polaris clonks Deadpool on the head, "Sorry, sorry."

I take point, "So you're our insider, Darkholme?"

"Well, one of two." he sheathes a trio of swords and crosses them over his back, "My auspicious mother is among them."

"Wait, so... you two snuck in?"

"Yes. And I'll provide our infiltration," he says, "She's opened the way to the cages, you and Wilson will provide the distraction while Polaris and I work out an escape route."

"You got it, so..."

"Go go, X-Force!" Deadpool cheers as in seconds we're inside, Darkholme and Polaris split off and me and DP end up charging down the way. Guns and claws out. We creep along, and he takes point.

His right arm twitches, "Damn, his left's here."

A couple of guards get slashed up, not too bad until Deadpool pops them. I don't have time to lecture 'im. Hit 'em hard and hit 'em fast. My claws rip through 'em like paper. Deadpool takes 'em out and I gotta focus on gettin' what I need. Jean's vision keeps messing with me but all I need to do is keep going. Keep cuttin' and slashin' don't even pay attention. Get to that room. Get to that fucker running the joint. He ain't runnin' or hiding. I speed up, my eyes wide, and I bash down the double doors. Claws extending further, fangs sharpening. I wanna make this quick, but the man sitting there is a tower of a guy. But the form is familiar.

"How have you been, my boy?" a familiar voice sounds out. The same voice deep down in the darkness of my mind. The same one that took me in an' remade me into a monster. The Ray-Bans, the watery cigarette and whiskey smell trails after him.

"I had a good home but I left. I had a good home but I left, right left. That big fuckin' bomb made me deaf, deaf." he grins, removing his sunglasses. What was left there were... pure white.

His suit jacket tears off and shining there was bright arms a' adamantium. In fact a good chunk of him is. He stands there, arms spread wide as my mind spirals like a damn football.

"S-Sarge?" my voice whines. My bravery shatters to pure fear. No, I tore him apart, how did he- How?! How?!

"No... you may call me Cyber." He cracks his neck and knuckles, "And it's time, boy, to put you back in your cage." he picks up his desk and throws it at me before I could react.

It slams hard into me, splintering.

I'm gonna hate this, aren't I?

 

[lakitubomber]

The rage stabs my heart so hard I can almost taste the blood in it. My fear dies in a flaming instant with my body moving before my mind could even catch up. He's the product of every waking nightmare I've ever had. His arms spark as my claws rake off them. Shaking off the desk being thrown at me, I weave in and out, cutting at him as far as I can, he keeps it close, knowing that momentum was key in my cutting. I kick him backward, twisting and going for a reaching slash, just for it to scrape off his arm.

"Fft!" his metal fist jabs out, nailing me in the stomach but I keep pushing. My claws digging so deep in his damn face that I rip out his cheek, blood flooding down and a meaty snap-tear rips through my arm. Rotator Cuff's torn and shoulder's popped outta socket.

"Nnnnggggruuuugh..." my arm hangs limp, I try to grab it but Cyber nails me in the side, his torn face grinning down at me as blood floods out and torn sinew wiggles in the motion of his breathing.

My ribs turn to crackling shards, and I fall backward, he crushes my leg in his hand, the pain driving me mad, my healing factor trying to repair the muscle and bone the best it can.

He slings me through the office windows, the arena lights burning into me and my back impacting the arena floor, covered in broken powdered glass and wheezing out bloody breath, all I can feel is pain. He dismantled me in seconds. I hear the crunch and the impact of his boots banging down on the arena's cold linoleum floor. He's heavy, the Adamantium he's coated his arms in isn't exactly lightweight.

As long as he's distracted. As long as Lorna and Raihan can get everyone out. I need to keep up this fight. Where's Deadpool? I swear if he ditched us-

Cyber looms over me, "I know who you are, Victor..." he kneels and listens to my rattling breath. My mind spinning with the pain and the fact that at least one fucking speck of my trauma is within reach to kill.

"What? No biting sanctimony? No, 'I will stop you?' Nothing?" he snarls.

"Hrrrhhhk..." I force out, trying to build up enough strength to swipe at him. But he tuts softly.

"What a crying shame..." He raises his fist but before he can pulp me, gunfire tides out of a pair of guns. Fully automatic and rattling out from among the panicked stands of people.

"BANGBANGBANG!" Deadpool screeches, "YOU AIN'T TAKIN' HIM!" he rages right for Cyber, and he's got a grin on his face. He knew him too. He knew all of us aside from Raihan and his mom.

"William! How've you been?"

"Fuck off an' gimme my Dad back!" he snaps, "I'm gonna rip you to shreds 'til you give him back!" his guns run outta ammo and he dodges a swipe, sliding towards me and one of his blades slides out towards my hand.

"Take it, Loup!" he snaps, "BECOME THE SAMURAI!"

I stare up at the lights. After all this time and all this progress... I'm still a beast. Still an animal. Even if I loved Jean and my friends. Even if I could put so much distance between me and my past. I could kill some of it. But I'd never forget who died. Never forget what they did and who they were. No matter how much I raged and tore my way through life there'd be no one to reach me and tell me I was heard and loved.

But something... no, someone appears over me. Her shadow falling over the lights and her eyes filled with worried tears. My mother's hair gently tickles my face. She touches my hurt, broken body.

It's warm. Not cold.

"My boy... my son..." she sobs, "What have you done to yourself?"

"I miss... I miss you, Mama..." I admit, closing my eyes and basking in her warmth a little longer, the battle falling away everything fades into nothing but then my mother pushes me up.

"Victor... you're not done yet." she stops crying, "You think I'd cry because my son's a monster? You're more than what your father sees you as." she supports me and I open my eyes.

She's still got her arms around me, pulling me up. my leg healing and arm not too far behind. I stand, woozy, still seeing her. Deep down I feel Jean's support, did she send my mother?

Or did she just give me what I wanted to hear? I don't see her now, but my hand reaches for the katana. Grabbing its hilt and taking it up. Sword in hand, I turn to face Cyber and Deadpool.

My body remembers how Logan held it, how he moved. One slash and it'd get Cyber off Deadpool.

Deadpool's got half his head missing, but he's still fighting, "Gurrrmurhlboo..." he snarls, "Gurrrrhhh." he vanishes and Cyber rages towards me, with my body being faster and circling him, raking my sword up his back.

Blood rains down on the floor, a snarling growl groans through Cyber's teeth, my rage boils under the skin,

He whirls, "You think your sword will deliver you, Victor?!"

I want him to shut up, so I cut through his front, his arms are the tougher material. Stabbing him clean through the chest, I see his face go from confident to a shocked expression.

"Huuuuh... uuugh..." he gasps.

"It ain't the sword, Silas." gripping the hilt I tear it right out of him. My chest pounds as I lope towards him. He didn't make me who I am. I made myself, somehow I found what I wanted and now I'm gonna fucking fight like hell to get it.

He rallies himself and yells, "YOU CONTEMPTABLE BRA-" I dash forward and pounce on him, grabbing his arms and pulling as hard as I could, hearing the snap and crackle of bone.

"You don't get the first thing about me." I snarl, "You don't control me."

He grins, "Boy... you're nothing..."

"Nah, you're fucking *wrong*." I snarl, tearing off his arms with my healing ones, not even caring about his screams. Casually tossing his arms aside, I crack my neck and raise my hands towards his face.

"I'm an X-Man... an' if anyone wants to fuck with 'em, I'm gonna kill them." I state, driving my fingers into his eyes and pressing further into his brain. Bastards like him deserve that death penalty.

I step away, seeing Deadpool holding a red and black clothed left arm instead of the right, he's grinning up at me.

"Y'know, red's your color Loupie." he says.

"How're things lookin' for Polaris an' Darkholme?" I snarl.

"Well... I'd say they're doing great. Because they are!" he exclaims, "Already Genosha's taking everyone in, and... well, we were down here."

I look around, "What about the guards?"

"Killed 'em."

"Damn." Looking back down at Silas, I spit on his corpsegrinning up at me almost like he was fucking proud, "Fuckin' ass." I clean the sword off with my sleeve and pass it back towards Deadpool. He holds up his right hand and gives me the sheath to it.

"You keep it. It's special." he states, "Carbonanium." I sheath it and hoist it onto my back.

"Anti-Healing factor metal, eh?" I ask.

He winks, "Something tells me you're gonna need it, buddy." A whole bunch of people leap out and ambush us. They're organized, wearing armbands with almost mock Native American Eagles marked with FOH on the wings, body, and last wing.

The guns cock, and I don't think I ever seen guns like these. The bullets rain into me and Deadpool. They rip us to shreds and there's a snap of fingers. Stepping into the hall, sharp amber eyes with almost shaggy red hair smoothed down with a reekin' pomade.

He's tall, wearing a pair of rectangular glasses. His laugh is mocking, almost like he's dominating the entire room after the death of Cyber, he kneels and pats my head.

"Nice to meet you, brother." his greeting continues, "I'm Graydon Creed, and thanks for clearing this stepping stone for me." My eyes stare up at him. He's wearing a red suit and black tie.

His voice is smooth, burning like fire. Growling like Dad's voice without any of the accent. Full of some kind of fake-humbleness. An 'aw shucksing' tone that would sooner stab you in the back.

He swaggers away, my body rises and I glare after him.

"Hey!" I snap, "What's your game?"

He turns with a smile, "You'll see." Vague fuckers really know how to piss me off in the worst ways.

Deadpool looks at everyone almost silently as the bullets tink onto the concrete. The battle flowing away from all of us and exhaustion taking over. Those bullets almost shredded us down to the bone.

---

Getting back to the mansion, I can't help but think about Graydon. The idea that I had a brother burns in my head and sits there like a weight. The car ride back is silent, Deadpool holding his dad's left arm, Polaris leaning over the wheel like she's seen some shit.

Raihan was nowhere to be found, neither was his mom. Whoever she was. But the thing is, there's something fishy about all of this. My dad shows up three times in a month, I get to the school, and now my big half brother shows up. Jean brushes into my mind, taking a look but not for long. I need my own space. The Beast doesn't let her go too far in. She backs out, and I get home, getting out with Deadpool and into the mansion.

Logan and Charles are waiting for us, looking at each other with concern more often than not. I keep walking, dulled and tired. I don't care about what they might say about me killin' Cyber. As far as they know I did them a favor. The showerhead runs water down my body, the blood clearing off and making the water a dingy brown. I close my eyes and reach back out to Jean.

She appears, answering quickly enough, "Are you okay?" she asks, "You had the Beast push me out earlier."

"Jean... I have a brother." I state, "A big brother, an' he's a dick."

She nods, "I figured as much. Never thought it'd be Reverend Creed."

"Of fucking course he'd be a preacher man..." I get out of the shower, drying off and getting dressed again. I fall back on my bed and there's a warmth in my head. Jean's kinda flustered.

"Oop! Sorry, Jeanie."

"No, no. It's just... you clean up really well." she's trying to keep it together but I smile and lean on my hand.

"Welp. Seems like I got you tongue-tied."

She goes silent and I almost wanna sneak over and kiss her goodnight. She giggles and breaks into a happy enough laugh. Is it 'cause I was too cheesy? Her hands go over her face and I hear the kicking of her feet.

Got 'er. As I drift off into sleep, I still feel her poking in. Guess she's lookin' for the good Reverend. But just as I'm going into REM, there's a huge blast of psychic energy from the professor.

'Forgive me for waking you all, but to me, my X-Men!' we all run out of bed, stumbling over each other, Remy going down with a...

"Sacre dammit!"

Piotr picks him up and Scott doesn't even sleep in pajamas, the guy wears his suit to bed, which isn't too comfy but we all run side by side. The girls are already there but here we are still putting on our costumes.

Charles sits, looking pleased as we muster, lined up together as Logan stands with his arms crossed with Hank at the console. Jean looks at me almost like she's worried about something but she shouldn't be.

"Any reason why you called us, Professor?" Scott asks, standing straight. He's always so serious and it bugs me sometimes.

"Why yes, it's of great importance." he dramatically pauses, "I got it."

The girls all gasp, Rogue scoffs and crosses her arms and Ororo doesn't look too happy. Piotr and Remy look at me and I look at the professor in confusion. Remy grins like he won the lottery and Kurt practically vibrates on the spot before jumping into a backflip. Scott and I both scowl, I don't like it 'cause then we'd have to be under even more eyes. Sure, I'm convinced that Charles is well intentioned but at the same time the road to Hell is paved with them.

"WUNDERBAR!" Kurt yells, "Can I be interviewed? Please please please?!" he bounces on his feet and practically almost jumps outta his skin about it. Charles grins and chuckles.

"We've called all of you here to determine that." he states, "It's tomorrow, so we'll need to have quite a few of you to be interviewed."

Logan steps up, "I'm thinkin' Victor should talk. He's a recent recruit, whaddya think, bub?"

"I think it's a bunch of bullshit." I blurt, "I mean think about it, here y'all are operatin' since the what? Sixties? Seventies? Why start now?"

"There's been a rise in mutant sympathizers since the introduction of social media influencers such as Dazzler and mutant vigilantes like Madame Medusa." Dr. McCoy says, "Of course we'll be interviewed, but also having some of you be interviewed would also help people see that you're just normal teenagers."

I cross my arms, "Fine, I'll do one."

Charles blinks, "Are you sure? Didn't you just-"

"I changed my mind, and 'sides..."

"I mean wouldn't it help?" I ask, "You need all the interviewees you can get." the others look happy enough that I just threw myself at it. In the end, Scott pipes up.

"I'll do one too." he smiles, "It'd make sense for the leader to speak on what we do."

"Field leader dere, Scott." Remy interjects, before Ororo and Jean pipe up.

"I'll do one." Ororo says, and Jean nods.

"Someone has to make sure Victor doesn't go off script." she looks at me with a sly smile, and I grin back.

"What? I'll behave!" I snap, "Don't you guys trust me?" They all look at each other, even Jean looks like she doubts me.

"I mean yeah, I don't trust myself but still! I'd probably be a killer success story, right?" I grin, "Son of insane mutant terrorist becomes an X-Man to spite his father?"

"Or bite us in the ass." Scott says, "You may be the model of rehabilitation now, but what about later?"

"Just have faith in me, Scott. I saved yer asses back in the Hotel, if I ever end up anywhere near my Dad's level of shitty the means t'kill me is on my waist."

---

Nervous. God, I've never been more nervous in my life. The idea that this'll be on local TV, maybe even national since this is about mutants. Might be even more than that. Well, here I am wearing my newer clothes with the same bomber jacket and plain t-shirt. I'm sitting in a comfortable chair right across from a newswoman from one of the major news networks here. Of course I dunno which one but I'm guessing one that likes mutants.

She's a pretty woman, long dark brown hair and dark eyes. She seemed to know Doc McCoy so I guess she was a friend from years ago. At this point she begins rolling.

"I'm here with one of the students here at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, Mr. Victor Creed Jr." she smiles at the camera as it swivels over to me, "Hopefully he'll be very forthcoming."

"I plan to, Miss." I nod and grin, my fangs grown and claws gently curving out of my fingertips.

"So, Mr. Creed. What brought you to the school?" Mrs. Tilby asks.

"Well, I was found up in the Canadian Wilderness, you know living off the land and trying not to get killed by my dad." I let out a laugh, "But then here comes Wolverine speeding in on his motorbike, claws out an' looking to rumble."

She leans forward, interested, "So you watched them fight?"

"No, I got a few licks in myself, you wanna see the scar?" I grin with her waving her hand not to, "Eh, suit yourself. But... I don't really regret coming here. I have friends and a girlfriend."

"Just who are you outside of this?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I'm a work in progress, I got all the time in the world and people willing to see me succeed." I smile, "People who believe in me, and I wanna become a person they can be proud of."

I look right into the camera, "Being an X-Man is just part of that. I'm learning who I am every single day. It's a long road but I'm happy to be on it." Despite all the trauma and doubt, despite everything ripping into me, and savaging my heart. I still soldier on.

Just keep going, keep marching.

Eventually, you'll find your way, Victor.

 

[Warmachine375]

Thank you! I wrote a lot of it already so I'm gonna post more of it today, then work on the newest chapter soon. Just gotta figure out what I wanna do. Thank you for the kind words!

Click to shrink...

You're welcome and keep up the good work. And I noticed the new updates. More binge reading time for me.