Post by Pyro on Jul 23, 2006 8:45:00 GMT -5
The helicopter rose steadily above the disaster area that was Alkali Lake. John Allerdyce held on for dear life, overcoming his personal dislike of flying by staring at a fixed point on the ground.
I've made my choice.
The fixed point took the shape of the Blackbird, or the X-Jet, whatever they wanted to call it. Personally he'd always preferred Blackbird. X-Jet sounded way too pretentious.
He'd not planned it this way. He'd got out of the plane, totally intending to go and find the X-Men, do whatever he could to help, even if it was just use his powers to hold enemies back whilst they escaped. He'd not planned to stumble across Magneto, not again. He'd figured that once Dorky Helmet Man and the Blue Girl were off the plane, his chance was gone for good.
I've made my choice.
He'd watched. He'd agonised for ages. Then he'd taken the risk. He'd stood where he knew they would see him. What they'd do, he didn't know. He'd stood there, his hands in the pocket of the thin jacket, so totally unsuitable for the weather, staring at the helicopter with a look of naked longing on his face.
You are a god among insects, Magneto had said. He'd known where to reach the boy. He'd seen in John Allerdyce something similar to himself. He'd seen that pride, that uncertainty, that feeling of not belonging.
John had stood there, his teeth set against the biting wind, his eyes fixed on the helicopter, wishing that he was a telepath like the Professor, or like Doctor Grey. Wishing that he could reach out with his mind and ask Magneto the question that was burning to be asked.
Will you take me with you?
Even when the rotor blades on the 'copter slowed, John didn't move, not at first. Then, realising that they were now waiting for him, a slow grin had spread across his face. He'd all but bounded the distance between the hill and the helicopter, climbing on board.
Not a word was spoken.
Magneto had nodded to Mystique and she, sparing their new passenger little more than a glance which John took to be contemptuous, had, with great skill and expertise, flown them out of there.
I've made my choice.
John wondered if Bobby would realise he was missing. He wondered if Bobby and Rogue would even get out of that situation alive. He knew a moment's guilt, but it passed, swiftly. He'd realised, on the porch of Bobby Drake's parents, that he was too different to his peers, now. A gap had opened between them once again that had, at one time, been stitched together with the thread of friendship. Now it had been rent asunder, and was unlikely to be restored.
The pang of guilt turned to anger. It was that pathetic Rogue's fault. He'd been handling the situation in Boston just fine, just fine until she'd grabbed his ankle, drawn nearly all of his lifeforce out, almost rendering him unconscious. Had it not been for the arrival of the Blackbird, he'd probably have still been lying there now.
He stared out of the door of the 'copter, his mind whirling with the realisation of what he'd done. All his things, few though they were, were back at the Institute - if the Institute was even still there. When he, Bobby, Rogue and Logan had left, it'd been heavily under attack. Who knew what'd happened to it.
I hope Kitty got out OK.
Oh, God.
Kitty.
The guilt that had turned to anger switched back to guilt and he moved away from the door to flop down in a seat. He put on his belt and closed his eyes.
Kitty.
He'd never be able to explain this to her, not in a million years. It was too late for them, anyway. He'd never be good enough for her, he'd known that from the start. It was best to keep thinking of it that way: it took the bitter sting out.
"I've made my choice," he said, softly, under his breath, but loud enough so that Magneto, sitting up front, smiled broadly.
"I've made my choice."
I've made my choice.
The fixed point took the shape of the Blackbird, or the X-Jet, whatever they wanted to call it. Personally he'd always preferred Blackbird. X-Jet sounded way too pretentious.
He'd not planned it this way. He'd got out of the plane, totally intending to go and find the X-Men, do whatever he could to help, even if it was just use his powers to hold enemies back whilst they escaped. He'd not planned to stumble across Magneto, not again. He'd figured that once Dorky Helmet Man and the Blue Girl were off the plane, his chance was gone for good.
I've made my choice.
He'd watched. He'd agonised for ages. Then he'd taken the risk. He'd stood where he knew they would see him. What they'd do, he didn't know. He'd stood there, his hands in the pocket of the thin jacket, so totally unsuitable for the weather, staring at the helicopter with a look of naked longing on his face.
You are a god among insects, Magneto had said. He'd known where to reach the boy. He'd seen in John Allerdyce something similar to himself. He'd seen that pride, that uncertainty, that feeling of not belonging.
John had stood there, his teeth set against the biting wind, his eyes fixed on the helicopter, wishing that he was a telepath like the Professor, or like Doctor Grey. Wishing that he could reach out with his mind and ask Magneto the question that was burning to be asked.
Will you take me with you?
Even when the rotor blades on the 'copter slowed, John didn't move, not at first. Then, realising that they were now waiting for him, a slow grin had spread across his face. He'd all but bounded the distance between the hill and the helicopter, climbing on board.
Not a word was spoken.
Magneto had nodded to Mystique and she, sparing their new passenger little more than a glance which John took to be contemptuous, had, with great skill and expertise, flown them out of there.
I've made my choice.
John wondered if Bobby would realise he was missing. He wondered if Bobby and Rogue would even get out of that situation alive. He knew a moment's guilt, but it passed, swiftly. He'd realised, on the porch of Bobby Drake's parents, that he was too different to his peers, now. A gap had opened between them once again that had, at one time, been stitched together with the thread of friendship. Now it had been rent asunder, and was unlikely to be restored.
The pang of guilt turned to anger. It was that pathetic Rogue's fault. He'd been handling the situation in Boston just fine, just fine until she'd grabbed his ankle, drawn nearly all of his lifeforce out, almost rendering him unconscious. Had it not been for the arrival of the Blackbird, he'd probably have still been lying there now.
He stared out of the door of the 'copter, his mind whirling with the realisation of what he'd done. All his things, few though they were, were back at the Institute - if the Institute was even still there. When he, Bobby, Rogue and Logan had left, it'd been heavily under attack. Who knew what'd happened to it.
I hope Kitty got out OK.
Oh, God.
Kitty.
The guilt that had turned to anger switched back to guilt and he moved away from the door to flop down in a seat. He put on his belt and closed his eyes.
Kitty.
He'd never be able to explain this to her, not in a million years. It was too late for them, anyway. He'd never be good enough for her, he'd known that from the start. It was best to keep thinking of it that way: it took the bitter sting out.
"I've made my choice," he said, softly, under his breath, but loud enough so that Magneto, sitting up front, smiled broadly.
"I've made my choice."
