[Mutant X] A Flock of Angels
- From: Andy Maluhia <CaptainAndy@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: mutantx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 02 Dec 2007 14:57:39 -0500
_A Flock of Angels
_by Warren Worthington, Feather, & Wings
From her perch at the top of the mansion Wings could see everything.
She could watch the grounds, the roads coming to and fro, and sky. She
spent the better part of her day up there, crouched on the tip of the
domed roof of the observation tower like a gargoyle, watching and
waiting for them to come or for these new people to turn on them. Her
genetic keeps saying she'd safe, that no one will come for them or harm
them, and Wings wished she could believe that but she just couldn't. If
she let her guard down someone would get hurt because none of them would
go back alive.
She enjoyed just spending time with her male genetic but Feather was not
selfish, even if she did like having him to herself so to speak. After
a while she tapped Warren's shoulder. "My sister--your other
genetic--is here, too," she said softly. "I think she might like to
meet you."
This had been easy. Yes it was odd to think of having a child with
Kitty, he'd watched her grow up for pete's sake, but meeting Wings was
going to be something totally different. He had loved Betsy once, and in
some ways still did, but they'd grown apart. He'd lost his wings, been
changed by evil, and she kept dying, how could they not change. Now they
shared a child. How many times back in the day had he daydreamed about a
child between them? "I'd like to meet her as well."
"You're sad," Feather observed as she stood up, flexing her wings just
slightly. "Bad idea?"
"No," He offered her a smile as he lifted into the air. "No, it's a good
idea. It's just, well, there's things, a past, between me and Wings
other genetic."
Taking off after him, Feather raelized she had nothing to base an answer
on. She wasn't even quite sure she understood adult relationships or
even Razor's with that boy Kevin. "I've heard that said by a lot of
people since we arrived," she said with a sigh. "Except in Stripe's case."
Warren laughed, "Yeah, Marie and Remy have been together nearly as long
as Ororo and Logan. Someone must have still had some family values on
that one."
"And they all make faces when they hear about Razor," she giggled as
they headed toward the mansion. "Razor is not amused."
She saw them coming from a distance. Feather she knew, but not the man
with her. Without even thinking purple talons of psionic energy forming
formed around her bare feet. With a practiced ease the eleven year old
took the sky ready to defend her sister at a moments notice.
"Uh oh..." Feather muttered. Instantly she knew what was wrong.
Threats. The younger ones protected as well as the older among them
did. "Sir," she said softly, "she doesn;t know you. You're a threat."
"Name's Warren, sweetheart, not Sir." Warren said as he slowed and
carefully took in the girl ahead of them. "Um, does the purple light
show work the same way Betsy's does?"
"Ummm...I don't know," Feather said carefully. "Wings, it's okay. He's
our shared male genetic."
Wings looked at the man and then at Feather. His eyes were the same
color as Feathers, his wings the same as her own. ~~Archangel?~~
Feather had no way to answer mentally. She sincerely hoped the man
would not be angry at the younger girl's use of her psi talent. "Yes
and ren't the wings beautiful?" she asked brightly. "We've been flying
by the cliffs."
Warren flew a little closer but made sure to keep some distance. If the
purple light about her hands and feet were like Betsy's katanas then she
was dangerous. "It's alright, Wings. I'm not here to harm anyone. I came
to meet you and your sister."
The girl, who looked more like her female genetic then this man, stared
at him. ~~Why?~~
"Because," He replied out loud. "I wanted to meet my daughters."
Wings titled her head then looked at her sister. ~~You went flying with
him alone?~~
Feather nodded. "My female genetic gave me permission," she explained
softly before holding out a hand. "It's okay. He's nice, Wings. He's
cares."
~~Blaze won't be happy.~~ The younger girl replied. Ever since they'd
come here they'd been coming apart. Blaze and Razor were at each other,
the babies were with other people, her other genetic kept talking to
X-23 about a place called Braddock Manor in England.
Feather sighed and sat on the lush grass, inviting both Warren and Wings
to join her. "Blaze is lost without having sole leadership and Razor is
content to talk now that he won't be punished for talking back," Feather
replied. She glanced at Warren, hoping he would understand still. "We
can all be happy, Wings, but things won't be the same. Now that we have
space and freedom, we are letting out more of our true selves."
Warren followed Feather to the ground, deciding to let her take the lead
on this.
~~We have to be careful, they'll come for us.~~ Wings replied, lowering
a little but still taking in the air in a defensive posture.
"No they won't," Feather stated with a steel that hadn't been there
before. "Red and Blaze killed them and these others will make sure none
rise to take their places."
"You're safe now," Warren added. It wasn't hard to figure out what was
going on, the kid was waiting for the other shoe to drop. "Your mother
and me and Feather's mother, and all the others will do everything in
our power to keep you safe."
Sharp purple eyes turned on the man as Wings came closer, her talons in
front of her just in case he attacked. ~~Weapon X thought he was the
last, X-23 thought she was the last, but here we are.~~
"Do you know what Red and Butterfly's shared genetic said: people suck
but not all of them," the older girl said simply. "Razor says there are
good people in the big city. He told me a complete stranger was nice to
him, played that game he likes so much with him."
~~Like Ms. Walters. She gave Scar her music device.~~ Wings nodded.
~~But we are a threat to them. They will come and they will get hurt.
Laura, Betsy, the Professor.~~ She turned to look at Warren as she
landed softly on the grass. ~~You, so you should go now.~~
Feather bit her lip. She didn't want any harm to come to this man. "Is
our being here a danger to you?" she asked, looking up into eyes as blue
as her own. "I didn't think so but she has a good point. I don't want
anyone hurt. There's been enough of that."
Warren looked at each of the girls and then turned to look at the
mansion. "I've lost count of the times this place as been leveled and
rebuilt. We've faced everything from mutant hate groups to alien
invasions, enemies have become friends and some friends have become
enemies, and through it all it's still a school, still a place for kids
to feel like they belong. Families have branched out of a team of
mutants who all believed in the same thing." Warren paused, blinked,
then laughed. "I'm getting as long winded as Hank or the Professor." He
turned back to the girls and shook his head, "You're no threat to anyone."
"We don't have to leave, Wings," Feather said patientlt. "I know Blaze
means well but he doesn't know everything about this new world.
Certainly we ought to be careful but I'm sure anyone ought to be."
"You're safe here, I promise." Warren added.
~~I will not be here for long.~~ The girl argued. ~~My female genetic
wants to take Conduit, the baby, and me to a different place.~~
Feather sighed. "I know," she said softly. "It doesn't mean that you
will not still be my sister. Except for that problem between Razor and
Blaze, we are still together."
"Betsy won't keep you away from the others, Wings." Warren said. "It's
just her home is in England, like mine is in the city. You'll be able to
come back here, this will be where you go to school after all."
"Transporters, Wings!" Feather said with childish enthusiasm. "I
haven't tried on yet but that's how Razor used to come here and how he
goes to visit Kevin."
The girl looked at them for a moment. She liked her female genetic, the
woman made her feel safe and so did X-23. She'd still be with Conduit
and the baby clone, and she'd kind of like to see other places. ~~Would
I have to wear shoes?~~
Feather shrugged and looked at Warren. "I don't see why you would
unless it was so cold that not doing it was a bad idea."
Warren knew that question should have seemed strange, but somehow
strange and these kids took on a whole new meaning. "Um, well I don't
think so as far as the transporter, but England gets wet and cold, your
feet would get muddy and cold."
~~I don't like shoes.~~ The girl replied as she looked down at her bare
feet. The talons were gone so she flexed her toes.
"Ummm...you know there's the footwear that I saw Miss Walters wearing
once if that happens. Sandals," Feather ventured.
Wings scrunched her nose. ~~Still shoes.~~
Warren couldn't help but laugh, "A child of Betsy's who doesn't like
shoes, guess that gene got skipped."
"I take she likes them then?" Feather asked. "Wings, I think if you
both talk to them about it, something can be worked out."
Wings nodded.
"Yeah, Bets is big on shopping." Warren said with a smile. "You look a
lot like your mother."
Wings titled her head to the side, ~~Is that a good thing?~~
He nodded, "Betsy's a beautiful woman."
"Wings is very pretty," Feather said proudly as she reached out a wing
tip to playfully tap the other girl's nose. "Now we don't have to be
afraid of that you know. We couldn't before. We didn't want the guards
to get bad ideas."
Warren looked over at Feather and frowned, "Be afraid of what Feather?"
He hated to ask, but something said he had too. "Did they.. did anyone..."
~Is his face meant to be that color?~~ Wings asked.
The dark haired girl wanted to laugh at Wings' question but she didn't
dare. Instead, she looked Warren squarely in the eye. "No, they didn't
but...I know they were thinking it. The looks were obvious," she said
told him but she was unable to suppress a shiver at the thought.
Warren sighed in relief. "You'll never have to know that fear here, I
promise."
"Can I...would it be alright if I hugged you?" Feather asked softly.
The tall blond man blinked then opened his arms and smiled. "Of course,
Feather."
Feather edged closer so she could wrap her arms around him. The embrace
was stronger than one might have expected from such a slender girl and
there was a tremble beneath it. "The boys would have killed anyone who
tried," she whispered, "and in turn have been killed."
"All of that's in the past now, Feather." Warren said softly as he
hugged the girl.
"Come on, Wings," she invited, holding out a wing. "You know I don't bite."
The girl looked at her sister and then at their shared genetic before
shaking her head and backing up a little.
Feather's face crumpled with a touch of hurt. When she could, she
always managed to somehow comfort the younger ones among them in some
way, if Bova wasn't around. "Why..."
Wings looked at Warren before looking again at her sister. ~~He is still
a stranger.~~
"I know but you can come to the other side," Feather said gently.
"It's alright," Warren said carefully. "There's no rush, we can all take
our time."
Still Feather sighed even as she tightened her embrace. "You know
you're still my sister don't you?"
The younger girl smiled and nodded. ~~You took care of me and the
others. It's why Bova calls you ????????? ????.~~
Warren blinked at the perfect Russian the girl had spoken. "What does it
mean?"
~~Little Mother.~~ Wing replied.
Feather's face warmed slightly, unaccustomed to the praise. "I did what
I could to make it better," she mumbled. "We all did."
Warren smiled and hugged the girl with one arm. "That you get from
Kitty, which she got from Ororo. It's a good thing Feather, a very good
thing."
"Not you, too?" Feather asked, knowing her sister had to be curious,
too. "The other adults all say that Razor gets his attitude from his
genetic who lives some place else but his talkativeness from the other."
"Well," He rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "I'm normally the
one who takes care of things that involve money, but I'm working on
being about more then that. My son and now you girls need more then
just a trust fund."
"I know and please don't get upset with Blaze if you meet him and he
says otherwise. I want to be happy with you and Kitty. I want Wings to
be happy." She made a sour face that seemed out of place on her her.
"I want Blaze to be happy, too."
"It will take time for him to adjust, if he's older, been the leader,
then he's seen more, faced more, and needs to find his place all over
again." Warren replied.
Feather nodded slowly. "Just know that we need you even if says we don't."
"I'm going to be there for the two of you too, Feather." Warren said
with a nod. "I promise."
--
`Onipa`a (Stand firm.)--Motto of Queen Lili`uokalani.
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