xmutanthigh | [OPEN POST] NEW BRO'HOOD

[Ali's been up in the trees, in case the flickering lights above hasn't given that away already, chasing after Longshot. She's tried to keep him centered above where Julian and Lois have been bantering, Like the idiot he is, Ali thinks as she fires off another stream of photons, trying to direct Longshot into position. Her thought's distracted as she spots a flash of gold and something dart below her. Gotcha!

She doesn't think, a small blessing, just drops off the branch she's on plummeting to the earth with all manner of ruckus. It's worth it, though, because her waiting hands find themselves locking onto limbs as she catches Longshot by the shoulders, taking him down with her and landing in a tangle with him in the snow. She catches his cheek with a left hook, the skin there splitting open just beneath his flashing eye. Still crouching, Ali looks up at Julian, then glances behind her at her sister. She's now physically between the two of them with a struggling Longshot beneath her.]

Both of you are so full of hot air I'm surprised you're still on the ground. [Ali informs them, trying to use all of her weight to keep Longshot pinned. She glows violently when Julian begins to advance, Mortis smirking at him from behind the Dazzler.] Why don't you just back the fuck off my sister, Julian? I got this.

Are you fucking kidding me? Both of them? [Julian stops in his tracks, his eyes bursting with telekinetic energy, and lifts his hand. With Mortis doing her smirking routine and the strength quickly returning to him, he has no trouble using his telekinesis to send her flying back through the brush and foliage, quick and hard and without much aim - Julian's sure there's a tree somewhere, eventually, to stop her and quite painfully. However, he spares Ali's sister an annoyed, infuriated glance before he does so, as if their encounter and ensuing fight were merely an irritating distraction from a more worthy opponent.] You need help. [Julian uses his powers to help her pin Longshot down more effectively.] Look, you're welcome already.

[Mortis isn't very pleased with being flung aside, not when she's close enough to tackle her sister and finally put her lights out. Longshot may be pinned, but his eye is flashing, and Mortis takes advantage of the moment. She charges, knocking Ali off of Longshot, the two of them rolling to the side, Mortis' hands filled with pitch, gripping at the front of Ali's uniform. She gives a cursory glance to Julian, and sublime twist to her lips.]

Thanks!

[Her attention goes back to Ali, but for all the effort she's exerting to use her powers against her, Ali's heart is still beating, she's still breathing, light still gathered in her hands, holding off on the photon pulse she wants to use to defend herself because there's something, and both of them know.

"I don't think you can kill me..."

Mortis hisses, her black energy exploding out of her in a billowing cloud, the foliage above them seeming to melt as it touches them, and Mortis switches her grip, hands going around the soft flesh of Ali's throat, tightening with the strength of rage and hate.]

Watch me.

Ali! [Julian's anger and condescension and incredulity are gone in an instant, replaced with horror and worry. He moves forward, holds out a hand to help her, to fling Mortis away again - but Longshot's eye is flashing gold still, and the ice he moves over breaks - the ice from some leftover slide Bobby had used to enter the clearing a forever ago.

Julian slips, the jarring movement breaking his concentration and his head smashing hard into the ice. Yes, Julian Keller was just felled by ice. :( Stupid Longshot, stupid pussy Bobby and his stupid ice slides. Baby's taking quite a few embarrassing setbacks lately.

Still, it's enough for Longshot to break free, his spry, quick form kicking Julian's legs as he falls back - because of course it isn't enough he trips, Longshot must help his fall.

Instantly, Julian's eyes glow green, his hands encased with a telekinetic glow. He lifts himself off the ground, teeth gritted and patience worn.]

Edited 2011-02-25 05:44 (UTC)

[Longshot is hurting after falling from the tree, and the couple sharp hit's he'd taken from the Dazzler so he's moving a bit slower, he flips out his switchblade, debating whether to lunge at the telekinetic or take to the trees where he'll have a better chance staying hidden.

He shoves an elbow into Julian's solar plexus, sending Hellion flying backward, hitting a tree, shaking loose a huge quantity of snow that half-buries the kid.]

You X-men are so self-righteous. [Longshot snarls, toe catching Julian under the chin, knife slashing at Julian's uniform.] Sure, we've killed people, but so have you. [He grins, fist catching Julian across the face.] Our leader may have questionable methods, but so do yours. We're all working for Mutant Freedom. There's nothing different about us, except that you're a bunch of spoiled hypocrites pretending that you're better than us. [Longshot tosses his switch, catching it by the blade. He spits on the ground just in front of Julian.] You all deserve to die, and I'm happy to play me part.

[He pulls his arm back, whipping it easily, aiming directly at Julian's heart. His eyes doesn't flash, his confidence in his aim perhaps glossing over the fact that he's dealing with a telekinetic. He turns his back, his attention returning to the fight between Mortis and Dazzler.

Possibly, a fatal mistake.]

[A very fatal mistake.

Julian is bloodied by now, slashed and covered in snow, utterly down on his luck for very obvious reasons. He lifts his arms in a labored attempt to shove Longshot off, his hateful rhetoric searing into Julian's pounding head. He's not quite sure how he ended up here, about to die at the hands of some fucking extremist freak with an oh-so special eye and the only thing working for him being swaying fortune. A kind of power he's heavily relied on, Julian's thinking. Suddenly he's beyond grateful for Emma Frost and her constant reminder not to rely on his telekinesis so much.

Because as effective as Longshot's power is, it's not going to save him now.

It's instinctive, what he does next, as Longshot turns away.

He doesn't even have to raise a hand to stop the knife, the spinning object glowing in his telekinesis, halted midair. Julian raises his hand, his expression grim, the twisting of his lips just as grim, and flings Longshot, hard. Harder than Mortis, harder than any of the clones. With purpose. Away from Ali.

Longshot shatters against a thick-trunked tree and lets out an anguished cry, some of his hollow bones snapping; Julian raises from his place on the ground, his eyes full of dark intent as he walks forward to stand in front of Longshot, limping slightly. He thinks of his words: You all deserve to die. His friends. The people he loves.]

I know you don't deserve to die. That's the difference between you and me. Doesn't make us better, but it makes us human.

[Longshot curses, his entire body trembling from the pain and his rage. His eye glints just barely; he spits blood at the floor near Julian's feet and raises, lunges with a mad look in his eyes towards the telekinetic.

Julian eyes flash with the realization of what he has to do, his face hard and stoic. He lifts his arm then, the other mutant's own knife glinting in the light; Longshot struggles to take it as they both fell back and slam against a tree. They struggle, but Longshot is injured, and somehow, someway, Julian feels the blade pierce Longshot's chest and with a final push, buries it deep, crimson blood pooling and seeping down his chest, Longshot's eyes wide with disbelief as he lets out a choke.

Julian stumbles back, blood on his hands, lips parted.]

Edited 2011-02-25 07:23 (UTC)

You're only proving me right. I don't deserve to die, and yet?

[Longshot looks down at the knife protruding from him ironically. His lips are bloody, his teeth stained red, and he laughs. All these Bro'hood Bros seem to greet death with a laugh, sucking the collecting blood from his mouth and spitting once again at Julian. Maybe some of the blood ever catches his cheek.]

You betray your kind today, X-man. Will they teach you to live with that, when you go back to your school?

[He coughs again, still laughing, and collapses at Julian's feet, blood staining the snow, Julian's boots. He sags, sinks into the snow, collapsing onto his back, eyes glassys, his last shuddering breaths spent saying this:]

I would rather die a mutant that live life as a flatscan.

[Julian flinches at the splatter of blood staining his cheek, his lashes fluttering ever so slightly. There is nothing hard or guarded about his face in that moment - there is no one there but a dying man to witness the utter shock and devastation on his face.

Longshot's laughter echoes through the trees; it's a sound that will haunt Julian for the rest of his life, although he doesn't know that, not yet.

Julian stumbles back just a few steps as Longshot collapses at his feet, his last, hateful words ringing in Julian's mind, questions that plant a seed, even as he now denies them.

But Julian knows, feels it down deep to the very core of his being, that no one has taught him to live with this. He doesn't know how to deal with listening - remembering - that last shuddering breath or the life leaving Longshot's eyes.

There's nothing heroic, nothing honorable about what he just did. The thought doesn't even cross his mind, that he did this to save anyone but himself.

He's killed a man.

Julian stumbles back further, his jaw tightening in an effort not to start gasping for breath, his stricken eyes lifting to find Ali, to do anything besides this, to leave this place, to get this done.]

[Mortis is so intent on Dazzler that she seems to have focused all her attention on only one person. Not a great idea in battle. Dispatched by Bobby, Jono comes frunning in rom the side -- not even from behind or out of Mortis's line of sight -- and he lets loose a giant blast of energy energy from his chestplate. Somewhere, Jono's coat is lying in the snow, having been thrown off earlier so he can fully use his energy powers.

Mortis, about to strangle Ali, is blown backwards by Jono's attack, and Ali is thrown back too by the force of the blast. Jono figures Ali's relatively okay though, since Mortis had taken the brunt of the damage.]

Watch it!

[Now Mortis shoots a hateful look over to Jono.]

Yeah! You, creepy girl. Leave her alone.

CHAMBER!

[It takes Ali a moment to get to her feet, rolling through the snow. Her sister's attention is flicking between Ali and Jono, the newfound discovery that her powers are ineffective in killing the Dazzler heavily weighing on her decision of who to focus on. Mortis' eyes fix squarely on Chamber, her lips twisting into a smile.

"You're the flashy frontman. I think she'd like to watch you die..."

Mortis lunges and Ali's eyes flash with panic, her only thought going toward protecting Jono, but...she isn't sure anymore if her powers will work on Mortis. A wide, breaking arc of light cuts through the trees, knocking Chamber back just enough for Ali to put herself between him and her sister. She looks back at him, still panicked, panting.]

I don't think her powers work on me, Jon. Keep enough distance that she can't touch you, or she will kill you... [Ali's eyes shine, furious at the thought of anyone hurting her friends.] I'm not going to let her.

[Jono stiffens at that, reminded of the last time Mortis had taunted Ali.

He listens to Ali, though, and backs away, keeping his eyes trained on Mortis -- only because he's seen for himself that Mortis's powers are ineffectual on Ali. He uses telepathy to send Ali a message privately, keeping Mortis in the dark to his plan.]

Going to blind her myself. When I say go.

[Jono focuses his energy into the strength of a laser, and flashes it directly into Mortis's eyes.]

GO!

[Ali nods, seeing her opening as her sister is blinded, launching at her and pinning her to the ground. Mortis howls, hands reaching up again to grip at her chest, black energy ineffectual yet again. Ali does her best to just hold her sister in place, both of them comparable in weight and strength.]

I take care of you, you ditch me. [She grits her teeth as Lois rolls them over, but Ali keeps them rolling so she still winds up atop the younger girl.] I come here to look out for you and you try to kill my friends? [Mortis tries to buck Ali off her again, but her sister isn't having it, her arm reaching back, hand curling into a fist.]

Sorry, sis, but someone's gotta teach you to stop being such a brat!

[It comes down hard, fast, breaking the other girl's delicate nose. Mortis goes limp, unconscious. Ali, panting, slides off her to cradle her head in her lap, wiping away the blood streaming form her nose.]

I'm sorry...

[Jono continues to keep his distance, and just lets Ali pound on Lois. He thinks she needs this. Best to let her take out some of her frustrations now.]

Okay... Ali... you done now?

[Ali looks up at Jono, sweat and tears streaming down her face. She's done, sure, but not okay. She looks down at her sister, then back up at Jono.]

We can't just leave her here, if she comes to... [Ali bites her lip, not wanting to admit that she's not okay with leaving her sister alone, unconscious in the snowy wilderness, despite the fact that Lois tried to kill...everyone.] We can't leave her here, Jon. It's not safe for anyone.

[Jono kneels down and sits on the snow next to Ali, giving her a half-hug, wiping away her tears.]

It's okay. Tell me what you want to do.

I... [Ali sniffles, trying to pull herself together.] I don't know, Jon. I don't know if I can make this call. I can't... [She can't say it but she knows she can't put aside her feeling for her sister, enemy or not. She sniffles again, a few more tears escaping.] I just know we can't leave her here. Not without doing something.

[Jono nods. He understands.]

Maybe we can take her back to that other abandoned cabin we stayed at. There must be a way to keep her incapacitated for awhile. Maybe just tie her up. Or something til we figure out a better plan.

[This gives something for Julian to do, something for him to feel other than what he just did: help Ali. He kneels down, his expression hard, and hastily wipes the blood from his hands with snow, and then gets up to walk the distance down to his collapsed best friend and Jono by her side, Mortis' prone form laid out before them.

He catches most of what Jono says, leans down over Ali and pulls her to her feet, crushes her shaking form against his chest. Her warmth is a comfort, yet his voice is calmer than it should be.]

How far is the cabin? I'd get there and back faster than either of you.

No. [Ali's shaking her head, protesting not on account of Julian's words being false, only on reflex, not trusting her sister to anyone, with anyone.]

I mean, what if she wakes up? I... [She bites her lip, pawing at her face to dry her eyes. Looks at Jono for approval.] You should let me go with you, at least.

Yeah. I don't think we should separate at this point.

[Jono locks eyes with Julian.]

You're right, you'd be faster -- but I think we'd be safer staying together.

[Julian holds Jono's eyes at that, swallowing heavily, and finally nods, his fingers curling unseeingly into the tangled, soft mess of Ali's hair.]

I can take all of us. Let Iceman know.

[He holds a hand out, creates a telekinetic disk large enough. He steps on top of it; using his powers to lift Mortis carefully on it as well, and waits for Jono to join. They lift into the air, past the trees.]

[Jono gives a quick nod of acknowledgement, and includes Hellion and Dazzler in his telepathic message to Bobby as Julian flies them to the cabin, directed by Jono waving in a general direction.]

Iceman. We're together and safe. We're taking Mortis to be contained. Send any further instructions to me, I'll be able to pick up your projected thoughts and relay to Hellion and Dazzler.

[Then, Jono reverts to normal speech.]

This is the only way to travel, mate.

Is everyone else okay? [Ali's about to pull away from Julian, but he pulls her closer. She glances up at him, noticed the blood spattered across his face. Her fingers come up, gently, carefully wiping some of it away. Her eyes fill with concern when she realizes the blood is not his own and wonders just whose it is.

They arrive quickly at the cabin, it isn't too far, and once Mortis, still limp, is deposited on a beat-up cot Ali glances around.]

We need something to restrain her. Jono, do you remember if there was anything in here that'd work?

Not a whole lot. Kevin was right, they really did clean this place out. But I guess we can put her in the basement for now and lock up the door?

[Jono gives a big shrug at that. Is this wrong? Well, at least at this moment they need a way to keep Mortis accounted for, right?]

[Julian's not really thinking about what's right and wrong, rather what needs to be done. He pushes the feeling of Ali's fingers and concerned expression to the back of his mind - at the moment he had merely looked numbly down at her and reached to collect her tears with his fingerprints, the gesture mirroring hers. They had that second's luxury; now they don't.]

Whatever we have to do. I can move something heavy in front of it.

[Julian peers around; besides a beat-up, open refrigerator smelling of something rotten, there's not much else but a few pieces of furniture - but the fridge will do just fine.]

That.

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