HEAVY IS THE HEAD: Part One, SINISTER LEGACY Fallout

[astonishing_xmods]

WHO: The Students and Faculty of the Xavier Institute
WHAT: Charity work in District X, but things are getting bad again
WHERE: District X
WHEN: Thanksgiving Weekend
WARNING(S): Violence, language, etc

So this was Christmas, and War was Not Over. The soup lines, this time, were alongside official Vaccine Centers, cures to the Legacy Virus being handed out alongside plates of hot food for the needy. Once more, winter was bleak in the world of mutants living in forced squalor. Attitudes were not particularly bright. People were no longer dying in the streets from illness, but were conditions really any better? War with Genosha was imminent. The National Guard was already standing post around the community, enforcing curfews, treating the area now more than ever like an internment community. Xavier's students were allowed to move around freely, but only with special ID badges that marked them as such. It was the same all over the country.

This wasn't Mutant Registration... it somehow felt worse. And it didn't help that the Mutant Liberation Front was still very active in the area, and many of them entirely blamed the X-Men for Renko's apparent 'death'. There were antagonistic forces around them, and desperate faces looking at them for some kind of hope. And if they couldn't get it there...

There were whispers, a lot of them, about fleeing to Genosha. About joining the MLF and working alongside Genosha for 'true' mutant liberation. About kickstarting this war on local soil. And really...

... was there anything the X-Men could do to stop it? Should they stop it?

Comments

[thenewbrotherhood]

[Avalanche wasn't like the others, really. He wasn't a 'reformed' thug that had been shown mercy by Magneto. He was a soldier. An Acolyte. And his movements suggested he'd underwent a lot more training than the others, dodging expertly past the stars and using a heavy vibrating punch to deflect the incoming Flandre.]

[stardustreverie]

[If anything. someone not taking the stars seriously was a annoyance. But that's when she starts letting them explode, little bit of light escaping each as a warning to Flandre that she was about to do something potentially stupid.

it wasn't to be right away, not with how close they were. But for now, warning could get her idea across?]

[jolie_aile]

[The blow sent Flandre hurtling straight back down to the ground, something cracking unpleasantly in her shoulder. Cracks spiderwebbed out from the surface she'd landed on back-first, wings flickering momentarily.

She saw the light from the stars, but there wasn't terribly much she could do about it right this second. Breathing was more important.]

[thenewbrotherhood]

[It was like a grenade going off. A bunch of little tiny ones. He tried to fend off the shockwaves with vibrations of his own, but he was definitely rattled. Still, he had enough wherewithal to counter, and aiming his vibrations downward, he caused another localized quake, shattering more of the ground beneath Marisa and Flandre.]

[stardustreverie]

[That scowl deepens at what had happened to Flandre and was wiped away quickly when she ended up falling to the round from the quake.]

DAMNIT! Now!

[She's closing her eyes tightly as she lets the stars closest to him explode in a bright light. She's hoping to throw him off enough for a heavy hit could be dealt.]

[jolie_aile]

[Flandre wheezed air back into her lungs--and rolled away from the epicenter of the shaking earth, keeping low--and pinching her eyes shut when Marisa shouted.

She even covered her face with an arm, but the stars still burned purplish afterimages into her vision.

But it was safe to stand, for a second, so Flandre coiled like a spring and launched herself at the last place she saw Avalanche.]

[thenewbrotherhood]

[The starburst had definitely blinded him to the point where he never saw Flandre coming. He barely had time to throw up some vibrations in order to lessen her impact, and it still planted him firmly into the concrete below.]

[stardustreverie]

[Marisa gets up at this point, still fairly unhappy with this guy. It's cold on the ground alright? She tossed out a few stars, to serve as mini mines for the time being and moves to be a bit closer before she starts focusing on her hands, pulling out the hakkero. Time to pull out a bit of a heavier hit when she could pull enough warmth in.

She might not have enough to do a full version of a laser she was known to use..but it was worth a shot.]

[jolie_aile]

[The blow still shook half the breath out of her lungs and aggravated whatever was hurting her shoulder into an insensate numbness, but Flandre connected this time.

And this was a far more preferable range, in her opinion.

First she was going to smack off that stupid helmet, swiping at it with the claws of the arm that still felt like working.]

[thenewbrotherhood]

[The claws leave a mark in the helmet, but it doesn't budge otherwise, well secured to his head. From the feel of it, the helmet was vibranium... no wonder he could handle his own massive frequency blasts. Speaking of, knowing the Magus was prepping another shot, Avalanche let out a shout, trying to force Flandre off of him with a massive blast of sound.]

[stardustreverie]

[Right now, Marisa's kinda a sitting duck as she's working through the cold air and the fact her body and powers are starting to affect her negatively. More reason why she hasn't said that much lately.

But not going to stop here. Because this guy was still standing and fighting. Not going to stop...]

[jolie_aile]

[Her claws stopped dead before they could dislodge the helmet, and the blast is sound caught her full in the face. Both of Flandre's ears popped, sounds distorted, and it felt like a physical blow knocked her backwards.

Her claws scrabbled and flailed as she was bowled over, grasping at his shoulder or arm or anything she could reach, determined to drag something with her and buy Marisa more time.]

[thenewbrotherhood]

[Flandre would get another vibra-enhanced punch for her efforts, this time aimed at her jaw. It had been in a long time since he'd been in such a drastic close-quarters situation, and he tried to recall his own training. And he could tell she was trying to keep him pinned so the other one could blast him... time was of the essence. He started to increase the intensity of his vibrations, hoping to delay the Magus's work with an earthquake.]

[stardustreverie]

[Crap, Her concentration was faltering as Marisa struggled to stay upright. That glow in her hand flickers for a moment was she pulls away from it to get her footing and balance back. She's stumbling but at the moment, she's done. Can't even try to charge up more so she's going to fire it quickly. It's shaky and in the right direction..She can only hope her aim is true.]

[jolie_aile]

[Flandre shouted, an inarticulate pained sound that tried to be a roar. But her jaw had broken and two of her sharp teeth flew out of her mouth, making any actually fearsome noise difficult.

She reeled back, her wing snapping around to clothesline the side of Avalanche's head with the metal bar as she fell back.

But when she heard that distinctive sound behind her, Flandre didn't correct herself or check her fall. She hit the dirt instead and hoped she was sufficiently out of the way.]

[thenewbrotherhood]

[Seeing the Magus trip up and the vampire girl hit the ground, Avalanche was pretty sure he'd won. But then he also heard that sound.

Shit.

There wasn't much but to take the beam, the blast sending him rocketing and smashing into a nearby building. He wouldn't be getting up, but any investigation to see if he was still there would turn up nothing. Vanisher had collected him for the retreat.]

[stardustreverie]

[It takes a moment but she does head that way, because better to double check.]

Hey, Ya alright Reine?

[Keeping to code names for the moment because if the jerk was still there..But obviously there was no need. She's shivering hard and heads to Flandre, holding out a hand to help her up.]

I think this means we're safe for now..let's get outta here.

[jolie_aile]

[Flandre's first impulse was to scramble to her feet immediately after the sound faded; her distorted hearing was starting to recover, whatever was wrong with her shoulder was dissipating-

-but she was still streaming blood out of her mouth. Great.

And talking was hard, and her teeth didn't line up right, and--someone was offering a hand to her. Marisa, specifically.

Flandre reached back without hesitation, partially frowning and mostly grimacing at how cold Marisa's hand was (and how much frowning hurt).]

Cold.

[The sound was slurred and clipped, and she winced as she said it.]

[stardustreverie]

Ya don't have ta tell me twice on that one.

[Going to carefully pull Flandre up and then warp her arms around herself. She glances about, trying to spot her coat before shrugging. Can't see it even though she knows it might be best to grab it unless someone wanted to use her ID card for something stupid. For now, Marisa was cold, still annoyed and part of her was at a point of not caring much.]

They are probably tryin' ta round everyone up somewhere ta get us goin',....once all the jackasses are gone 'prolly..Although I really don't wanna hear what's comin' next.

[astonishing_xmods]

Hands in the air, now! [Of course that ID card would have come in handy right about then. Five soldiers, weapons raised and trained to both women, slowly approached.]

[jolie_aile]

[New sounds, more words. Flandre snapped her head around to face the guns, hauling herself to her feet--and lifting her hands up to her head, claws and wings noticeably unfurled. There was still blood welling up in her mouth; she spat it out somewhere to the side, but the taste of copper pennies and paperclips lingered.

Flandre still had her ID card pinned to her chest, albeit smudged by dirt; Marisa...dammit, Marisa.]

'n the coat. Dropped her...coat.

[Dammit, heal faster jaw. That hurt.]

[stardustreverie]

[ ...Great. This was just what was needed and it's taking a lot of control to keep herself from rolling her eyes and snapping out. Hands go in the air and she shivers still.

And hey, Marisa was not expecting to be fighting NOR taking that coat off. It was nice and warm in that damnit.]

Yeah..ID is in my coat..it's on the ground..black coat with a star pin on it.

[astonishing_xmods]

[The leader of the squad gestured to one of his subordinates, who carefully checked the abandoned garment before calling back the clear signal. Slowly, their guns lowered, but they still seemed to be ready to fire at a moment's notice.]

We need to clear the area. Come with us.

[jolie_aile]

[At being released, even partially, Flandre put her hands down to instead prod at her jaw, feeling for anything out of place or misaligned.

...it'd probably have to be reset later. Ugh.

She took the opportunity to shoot a worried glance at Marisa, though.]

[stardustreverie]

Can ya at least let me have it back? It is cold out here ya know.

[It's clipped and to the point. As soon as Marisa was able to, her arms wrap back around herself. It's clear she's uncomfortable and cold but is trying to keep it toghter.]