Written in the Stars April 13th, 1912. 1:15am by Adréa
Disclaimer: The song is from Aida, so credit to Disney. The Scarlet Pimpernel... I don't know who it belongs to now, but it was written by the Baroness Orczy. Well, everyone else seems to own the X-Men. Marvel, Fox, Warner Brothers, Universal, etc. etc. Why can't I? Look! They'll work for twinkies and beer! It's true! They did this fic for twinkies and beer. Although I had to throw in a few steaks and peeps somewhere...
Author's Notes: I tried to make it not exactly like Cameron's movie! But some things kinda snuck in there and stuck. Be prepared for suckiness! (that even a word?) Big shout out and thanks to my best friend JenN who unknowingly gave be ideas and knowingly gave me every ounce of support she could.
Author's Notes2: I don't even own Amy and Jenn for they are based on people I know. I'm currently working on another fic involving them that would go much farther into their personalities, so sorry if you don't understand things or what not because they aren't well developed in this one. Now, on with the show!
There wasn't a single cloud up in the sky, causing the stars to shine brightly down upon the large vessel, and the man waiting at the stern of the ship. A small flame appeared close to the man's face as he lit a pipe and slowly dragged the poison into his system.
Footsteps sounding behind him cause the man to turn around. Robert Darkholme's smiling face greeted him as he held up a cigarette, wanting it to be lit by the still open flame of the lighter. He moved it over to the tip of the wrapped plant and lit it up.
"We must accelerate our plans, if your friend's mental ramblings always come true," the man who had been waiting said as he turned to look out at the water. "Such a pity... So much metal put into a ship like this, it would pain me to see it at the bottom of the ocean."
When he looked back at his friend, he was met with the form of a very blue and very scaly woman with hair the color of dark fire. If any crewmember should look out at the bow of the ship, they would be unable to see her, her skin blended so perfectly with the darkness of night, and her hair wasn't bright enough. "Irene's always right. In a way, it might prove better. No doubt his Will has already been remade with Marie in mind. They would just think he went down with the ship, having already given Marie all the information to access his accounts and safes."
"If she is right about the girl."
"I already told you she is always right. She predicted Marie's mutation, and it will happen. Just not exactly as we expected. Marie will do anything her parents ask her to, even marry that fool. Even go to that fool in a couple nights. The night of the sinking. He will be unable to resist. So long as you can keep your friend and his minions from ruining everything." Her yellow eyes grew brighter with contempt for the man called Xavier.
"Leave him to me. And my men will deal with his. Our only real problem may be his new minion. I saw him staring at the girl during dinner -- and she stared back. You have to keep her curiosity at bay, Raven."
"Don't worry, I will. Curiosity is to be expected in a girl her age. However, she will not defy me or her 'mother'."
The pain in her voice when she called Irene Marie's mother was evident, even to Erik. Even if Marie was not truly her child, she believed it. It was ironic, in fact, that Raven was using a child who acted like her daughter to get at her real son. But Graydon was going to expose mutants to the world in America, list off the ones he knew of, if only by nickname. Of course, they were on that list. So it was decided that Graydon and the list had to be destroyed.
Erik rested a hand on Raven's shoulder. "It is for the best, Raven. This must be done. You know he would kill you himself if he knew."
Her yellow eyes cast downwards to the deck. "I know..."
He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You should best be on your way. Chances are this will be a rough night for your family."
With a nod, Raven's body shifted before his eyes into that of Robert Darkholme. Who bore a striking resemblance to that of Senator Kelly simply because that was the template Raven had used to create Marie's father. Disguised as the famous man, Raven began the walk back to her quarters where there was no doubt that Marie at least was still up.
As soon as she had gone, two forms appeared from deep within the shadows. "Victor... Mortimer..." Erik addressed them without even turning around to see them. He didn't need to, Victor's heavy breathing alerted him to that presence, and he could trust Mortimer unlike any other person in the world to always do as told. "I need for you to pay a visit to Xavier's new comrade later today. Give him a 'friendly' greeting, hm?"
A growl was his only response from Victor, and a happy growl at that. Victor was happy so long as it involved bloodshed and causing other people pain. Erik could just imagine the curt nod he got from Mortimer, silent as always. Silent and deadly, that was the way Mortimer worked. Two extremely different personalities, but together they worked great. So long as they weren't trying to kill each other, which had happened once or twice in the past.
Charles may want to welcome an era where humans know of and accept mutants as normal beings, yearning to no longer have to hide in the dark or behind an invisible mask of normality. But Erik knew better. He knew humans would never accept them. After all, they feared what they didn't understand. And mutants were something they wouldn't be able to begin to comprehend. They would be hunted like animals and treated even worse. That was the future Erik could see upon them being exposed to the horrid elements of human hatred.
"If you prick us, do we not bleed? As we bleed, is our blood not red? If you beat us down, do we not fight back?" the words tumbled from his mouth as a hushed murmur. His eyes gazed up at the stars, watching them blur together into one massive light as his eyes clouded over. "Does time not eventually catch up with us as we die?"
Another one of his coughing fits violated his entire body, shaking it to the point that he thought he might collapse. He didn't need a doctor to tell him he was dying, it was clear to him. It took a great deal control to keep it from everyone else, which probably made things far worse for when he was alone and didn't need to hide it under a calm smile and an intent gaze. Erik feared he would not make it off this ship. Maybe it was for the best. Charles was there anyway. He could spend his time plotting the fate of Graydon Creed and reconciling with his age-old friend at the same time.
There was no doubt in his mind that Charles already knew of Erik's terminal condition, whatever it was. The look he had one his face when Erik had lost control and had a coughing fit while Irene was having a breakdown proved it.
He shouldn't dwell too much on it, it wasn't healthy for his mind. Besides, he wasn't even remotely sure of when he would die; he could live years for all he knew. But those years would be in painful misery, trying to help his brothers.
Sticking the pipe back in his mouth and taking in another breath, he headed back to his cabin. It was getting just too damn cold out.
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