Chapter 25- Storing the Fallen
Citadel- 3rd floor- Great Hall, 3- April- 2008 (Evening)
Raven Darkhomle- (Mystique)
Raven sniffled twice while fighting back her tears. True to his word, Irene looked wonderful. Not only was her chest intact again, Nath’aniel had reattached her severed arm. He even managed to replace the lost vaporized meat. If not for having seen how she died, she doubted anyone else would know what killed the woman before her.
The mage even dressed her in her Destiny costume, as she had asked him to do. Raven stood up and walked over to the clear casket. Irene looked so peaceful inside of it. Her hands were collapsed together resting over her belly.
The crossbow bolts had been removed from her cape, as had her mangled auto-crossbow, but still, the older woman's face was concealed by her golden helmet. And any work the mage had done to make her presentable was concealed by Irene's repaired cape.
Raven was dressed as everyone else was, in pure white. Unlike everyone else, she was dressed in her Brotherhood combat attire. Most everyone else was in the standard-issued clothes that the Citadel seemed to hava plenty of.
When Erik’s shadow covered both her and Irene, she asked. “Why white?”
"It's not the color, but the tradition." The mutant leader started with and then added. "I asked him, back before Shanna's service. Apparently, it is Magi tradition, that everyone dresses in a similar manner, so the decedent stands out more."
“For the dead?” She muttered in confusion. As she looked over to him, she saw him nod.
Then four of the military robots appeared around them. Nath’aniel had asked what model of his machines she wanted to use to carry Irene downstairs. In the end Raven had settled on his Assassins, their hooded appearance felt right somehow.
Then Nath’aniel walked over to stand at Irene’s feet and said. “We’re ready when you are.” then the mage affixed the veil that he would wear for the service to his face, and waited for her to start.
Raven looked over her shoulder towards the kids. Kurt was crying quietly, but nodded when he saw her looking at him. Rogue looked angry and didn’t react to Raven looking at her. Arlette had bloodshot eyes but wasn't crying currently. A part of her wondered if the girl had used her powers on herself to keep her from crying like Kurt was.
Passed Erik was several others who were gathered and ready as well. Basilisk was in the back standing head and shoulders taller than everyone else. Exodus floated at a level near the tall woman’s height. Psylocke and Gypsy stood in the foreground, with Deadpool somewhere in the middle.
Again the mage had been true to his word and healed the man. So he stood in white robes with his face exposed. The man's hair had only started to come back, so brown stubble dotted his head, but otherwise, he looked relatively normal, almost handsome even.
Raven was honestly surprised that he had decided to attend. Copycat hadn’t and she had met Irene several times.
"We can begin," Raven muttered, not truly sure that she was ready.
If the mage responded, or if the robots just lifted the casket at her words, Raven wasn’t sure as she hadn’t been watching. Regardless the service was started, and they marched out of the room that they would later be feasting and drinking in.
First the mage, then the casket, then her and Kurt, then her girls, and then Erik, and then everyone else last. If people said or did something during the march, Raven didn’t notice. It took all of her effort just to keep up and put one foot in front of the other.
The stairs and halls and passages to the basement were likewise forgotten. A part of her wanted to say that somewhere along the march she spotted Ka-zar and Wolfsbane, but she wasn’t sure.
The basement she kind of remembers, the landing and the sight of motes of fire hanging in the air, either by Nath’ainel’s magic or Curha’s she wasn’t sure, but the sight was warming as they marched passed the dungeon towards the Cold Hall.
She didn’t think the room was properly named as it wasn’t very cold. But it was large with over a hundred altars in the hall. Not all of the altars had caskets on them, but those that did lit up with a blue light.
They marched six rows deep and over five slots, before the robots lowered Irene’s casket atop an open altar. Once their task was complete, the four machines vanished in a strange heat haze.
They waited a moment before the mage said a few words. “I did not know Irene, but from watching those that she raised I learned of her. I learned how she cared and fought for those born with the Mosul-gene. How she always worried about the extremes those without it would be willing to go. But in the end, she did what she had to, to protect those that she cared about.’
"I will not hazard a guess as to what afterlife she has been granted, but I will say this. This world is weakened without Irene in it. So not only are we saddened by her loss, I need to remind each of you, that we must work a little harder to accomplish that which we set out for, without her guidance in it.'
"But we might also be able to rest easy now, knowing that her long fight is finally over.”
Then Nath’aniel walked away, to let others say a few words. Raven barely heard them. Erik said a few things, about his and Irene’s time together in the first Brotherhood. Betsy said something too, about things she learned from her. One by one, those who marched down said something and then left.
In the end, it was only Raven, her kids, and oddly Deadpool left. Eventually Rogue convinced Kurt to leave. Then Arlette walked over and touched the casket before she said. "Rest, I will do what I can for them.” Then it was only the shape-shifter and the regenerator left.
"If you think I need your pity or company, I don't." Raven eventually told the man who had been staring at her for a long while now.
“That’s not why I am here.” Deadpool eventually admitted. The now healed man sighed, but in the end, continued. "You see, when I get hurt enough, sometimes I end up there. Even so, when you shot me in the head this last time, well, it was the first time I met her with someone else."
There was a long silence, but truly wanting to be alone, Raven eventually asked. “Who? What are you talking about, are you still seeing things?”
“Death.” Was the regenerator's immediate answer, and after a breath, he added. "The place changes, and doesn't make much sense in the grand scheme of things, but this last time while I waited to heal, I ran into your Irene, and we talked for a bit.'
"But more importantly, Death came, and she, well she sent your Irene off. However, before she left she asked me to pass something off to you…" the mercenary scratched his head before continuing. "That's why I can't leave. I promised that I would tell you what she told me while we were in that place.'
“She wanted you to know that she died happy, fulfilled even, but more than that, she was happy you came looking for her. Irene knew by the time you two met up, that you didn't have to. Although it wasn't perfect, she wouldn't have had it any other way in the end.'
“She also knew you wouldn’t let it go, that you would go after him.” Deadpool sighed before leaving with. “But she hoped you could try, that life was more than just revenge… Well, I said what I had to say, so I am going to go now… I am sorry for your loss.”
Then the mercenary left her. He went back the way that they had come to get here.
Yet, Raven didn't want to be around others right now, but she also didn't want to stare at Irene's remains. So she moved around for a bit. She noticed that all of the bodies were dressed in bright and eye-catching clothes. Except for the two that weren’t.
The first she recognized was the blonde woman, Shanna, who was the one they had buried on the day she got here. She was dressed in the same animal hides and pelts. The second actually shocked the shape-shifter at first, as it was a woman dressed in purple Kevlar armor.
The body inside the casket was exactly like the way she remembered Psylocke before coming here. The body was starting to show its age with a wrinkle here and there. And was less toned and trained. It reminded Raven of the stories Pyro had told her before he left for his home in Australia.
That he had seen the British woman in their battle against the mercenaries get shot and was dying, but then there was just another version of her suddenly there, this one was younger, stronger, and had new abilities. That she was better than ever.
Raven needed that, needed the strength that Psylocke had shown when she was training the kids. She called out to the Citadel, but even after some time she didn’t get an answer, so the shape-shifter made her way back inside.
At the landing though she did.
“Online.”
“Where is Nath’aniel? I need to speak with him.” Raven asked the wall in front of her.
“The young master is in the Great Hall. Shall I guide you?”
“No. I know where that is.” Raven replied before climbing the steps to get back inside.
Instead of using the rooms that teleport, she took the time to climb up the steps and walk along the halls, which would lead her to the gallery. She knew why he would be here. It was Irene’s feast going on in there after all. However, she didn’t know the words to use to get what she needed.
Raven stared daggers at the double doors in front of her, as she tried to bring up the willpower and a plan that would get her the power that the mage had given out. Twice by her accounting. The shape-shift raised her hands and reached for the handle.
“You really don’t want to do that.” Was said inside her head. Raven turned and stared at Psylocke.
“And how do you know what I want?” Raven asked her.
“Extreme emotions make the mind easier to read, and despite what those three kids are feeling in there, your thoughts are shouting them down out here.” The telepath told her.
She was right, and Raven knew it. As she stared at her own feet, she scolded herself. ‘Get a hold of yourself. You couldn’t lose it, not here. Not when he is still out there strutting around, free and clear.’
When she looked back up Psylocke wasn’t alone. Magneto was walking up behind her. He was holding a bottle of glowing golden liquid in one hand, and a pair of glasses in the other. The sight of it made her so angry.
So before he could say anything she barked at him. “When Magda was shot, and your kids were threatened, who was it that found the men responsible?”
“You did, you even tricked them into the open for me. But if you go in there and make a scene, we both know that you will also hate yourself for ruining Kurt's and the others' evening. So join me for a drink, and you and I can recall better times with her." The mutant leader still made his offer to her in the end.
Psylocke’s next words stunned her for a moment. “She wants to be made into a Servant.”
Erik laughed at that. “Really? Oh, would you hate it.”
“I would hate being stronger?” Raven snapped, not believing him.
"No, you would hate the tether. You would hate being tied to someone for the rest of your life." The mutant leader explained. Then he laughed a bit more before adding. "I remember all the times you, Destiny, and Sabertooth would go off and do some side thing, back during our time during the first Brotherhood.”
"It's not just that we can't just leave him, there is a short of leash that keeps us from going too far. And killing him is out of the question too, because these new bodies need the magical energy he supplies us with." Elizabeth explained in clearer detail to her.
Raven growled in frustration, because she knew that they were right. Even when Kurt was born, as much as she loved him, she would often go out for a time, leaving him with Irene. All throughout her life, she had to admit that she had a touch of wanderlust.
“He killed her… Right in front of me.” She muttered in frustration.
"I know what it is you're feeling. And we will bring him to justice." Erik said trying to console her.
"I didn't just lose a friend. I lost a daughter!" She shouted at him.
He closed his eyes and sighed. No one needed to point out that so had he. Then after a while of quiet someone unexpected added. "Maybe turning her now is for the best, she won't have to deal with the grief a second time."
Raven turned around and saw the big-titted blonde woman standing beside the still-closed double doors. She stood there in her ridiculous jaguar print bikini.
“Shanna…” Elizabeth started to say.
However, the mutant leader asked. "What does she mean by that?"
"I mean, that our bodies are new, but our minds aren't. Becoming a Servant means you have to relive all of your experiences again. Like it all happened, just now." The want to be amazon answered.
“So some of the things you think you have dealt with, can and will come back to haunt you, if you're not ready for it," Elizabeth added.
“Perhaps it is a good thing I didn’t press him to bind me as well. I am not sure if I can deal with my own losses again.” Erik muttered. As he did, he walked over and put an arm around Raven. “Come on, we can swap bad parenting experiences.”
Raven didn’t have the strength to resist him, when he led her away. All she could do was admit, again, that Saul was right. Her family was her weakness.
