(no subject)

It's a day much like any other in Greymalkin Industries. The businesspeople are working above-ground, the X-men are out on a mission, their trainees (X's former teammates) are mostly on the underground levels training, doing homework, helping with the remaining construction. Some of them are outside, too, taking advantage of the warmer weather.

X, meanwhile, is just finishing a shower after a training session with Pixie and Dust. They asked for help, and she is better equipped for it than Logan--not least because she does not get angry. Even when Pixie makes her hallucinate sparkly pink teddy bears. It is important.

She towel-dries her hair before heading into the corridor, hesitating as she passes Rahne, a quick stutter-step that makes the other woman turn her face away. It is hard to be weak, to be used. X remembers, even if she does not understand why it hurts Rahne. These things happen. And the people who did it to her will be dead soon.

A scent and the sound of footsteps catches her attention, and she half-turns as Warren approaches. From the elevators.

"X, Rahne," he says, expression serious and a little cold. He does not like these missions, even when they are necessary. "Did Logan get in touch with--"

Even X does not see it coming. It has been weeks. Emma and the Cuckoos have both gone over Rahne's psyche with a fine-tooth comb. They should not have missed anything. Especially anything like this.

Rahne shifts so fast, face gone furred and wild even as her outstretched hands sprout claws. She's only a few feet from Warren and X; there is no time (and no space) to get out of the way. Even if engagement is also problematic in these closed quarters. Especially for Warren.

Warren makes things even more difficult by using his unfurling wings to knock X away and behind him, bracing himself for Rahne's full assault. She does not hesitate, grappling with him until she can get a grip with claws and teeth, trying to pin him while she goes to work on his wings.

Warren screams, hampered in his efforts to free himself by the awkward angle of his body as well as by his desire not to hurt Rahne. He has known her a long time.

X has no such compunction.

She barrels into both of them, loosening the grip of Rahne's teeth if not her claws, and using her momentum to push Rahne away from Warren. Rahne--Wolfsbane-- retaliates by using those same teeth to dig into X's shoulder, ripping out a chunk of flesh. Warren takes this time to roll away, getting to his feet.

"Rahne, what's--"

X does not bother telling him to shut up. She just launches herself at Rahne again, claws out, body kept carefully between Wolfsbane and Warren. Figuring out what is going on can wait. Warren has already lost too much blood from his shredded wing. X can smell it.

This needs to end quickly.

Which is why she stabs Rahne in the side, quick, clean, and aimed upward toward a lung. She takes damage of her own -- throat torn by Wolfsbane's teeth, midsection shredded by claws -- but she'll heal. She always does.

She and Rahne crumple to the floor together, though X maintains the presence of mind to kick the other woman in the head. Hard. Hopefully it will put her out.

Warren will handle the rest. X knows.

And the rest of the team is coming.

Hopefully she will be able to sit up by the time they get here.

(no subject)

It is quiet in the infirmary.

Rahne is still breathing and the prognosis is good. She is stable, and Elixir will be able to heal her when he is done with Warren.

Warren--




He is not okay. Usually Elixir's powers do not hurt the person he is healing. But this time Warren had to be restrained. Otherwise he would have hurt someone. Badly.

It does not make sense.

And it is why X is in the infirmary to begin with. Just in case. She does not want Josh to get hurt when he is trying to help. And she does not trust that Rahne will not try to hurt Warren again. Or that Warren will be able to protect himself if she does. He is still in shock.

Elixir sags back into his seat, reaching up one hand to wipe away the sweat on his forehead.

"Okay. I never want to do that again. Hear me? No more wings getting ripped off. None."

Jay got his wings cut off. Then he died. X remembers that, too.

She slips forward a step or two, and she doesn't flinch when Josh looks up. Or when Warren freezes, looking her over before turning his head away.

He does turn back, though. After a few minutes.

"You're okay, X? Laura."

"I heal," she says. It seems the simplest thing to say. "You are okay now, too."

He looks like he might say something else -- X does not know what it is -- but Hank interrupts.

Beast and Warren have known each other a long time. It will be good for them to talk.

X, meanwhile, looks down at Elixir.

"You are ready? To go."

He only hesitates a second (or two) before reaching out to grab her hand.

"Sure. Help me up? Man, I'm tired. Are you sure you're okay?"

Maybe Josh is tired of seeing people die, too. X understands that. A little.

Something else X understands: the tone of Miss Frost's mental summons does not mean anything good.

X obeys anyway. But she goes to find Cyclops first.

X has never been very good at games.