Five Lights

[N/A]

It wasn’t long before Apocalypse was shielding himself from her attack, and it took even LESS time for him to come at her with a massive fist-turn-piledriver. Even her quick reflexes failed her as the giant mass came for her. Then suddenly she was moving – not under her own power – and giant chunks of debris were hurling themselves at Apocalypse, driving him back. Her bearings finally caught up with her.

“Thanks,” she said and smiled. But the reprieve was short-lived, as Firebird unleashed a colossal and impressive attack, leaving her unconscious.

They regrouped around Mistral. Delilah looked down into Blaze’s peaceful face, speaking softly.

“Damnit, Blaze, you never did know when to stop.”

Gather round! Next stop...the surface! Remember Torrent...once I begin to carry us up...DROP EVERYTHING you can down and bury this demented monster in his own HELL!

She looked up into Mistral’s violet eyes and nodded.

“Ready.”

 

[Persephone]

Apocalypse seemed unstoppable. He fought through Helena's attack, fought through Delilah's, and fought through Nicolas'. It wasn't until Blaze unleashed a massive attack that even impressed Helena that it seemed that maybe they had gotten the upper hand. But it took a toll on the fire elemental. She was unconscious and that was Morgan's cue to get everyone out of there.

The structure was unstable and they needed to get out quickly. Morgan had the idea of using her wind to carry them to the surface while Nicolas made the structure collapse beneath them. Helena was down for that.

"Lets go!"

Deciding to morph into a beautiful white owl, she felt safer knowing that she had wings instead of relying on Morgan's wind power. Despite them working as a team, she couldn't take the chance that maybe Morgan would accidently blow her back into the collapsing structure. Either way, it was a backup plan for their escape plan.

 

[Rampage]

Originally Posted By: Mistral

Gather round! Next stop...the surface! Remember Torrent...once I begin to carry us up...DROP EVERYTHING you can down and bury this demented monster in his own HELL!

Torrent tore open a hole through to the night sky as Mistral began to lift them all out via her wind power.

Torrent was rising with the rest of them when he sensed movement at them...fast. WAY too fast for them ALL to escape.

MOVE!! I will hold him off.

Nicolas anchored himself while he unleashed his TK power in full...with no sense of direction and no restaraint. The shockwave pushed the team through the hole he had already prepared...Mistral would have to steady them as they exited. AS they lifted up and out into the air, they would see Torrent motion to one side and roar...

ROUND TWO you son-of-a-bitch!!!!

as he disappeared...followed by a resounding boom as the building utterly collapsed, starting with that floor and the rest falling down on top.

For the moment...Torrent was nowhere to be seen. The others had no way to detect his presence.

 

[N/A]

Winds buffeted them, but unlike a stormy day where it only seems that you will be lifted off the ground, this time they actually were. Mistral was carrying them up and up towards safety. Mirage had transformed herself into an owl - neat trick. But Delilah supposed she wouldn't have trusted Mirage either if the roles were reversed.

Torrent used his TK power on the structure below, then left them to go after Apocalypse one last time.

Mistral set them down, stunned, outside the danger zone. They could only watch the remains of the building settle, no sign of Torrent.

As they looked sadly at each other, not knowing what to do next, Delilah caught something. Her head darted to Morgan.

"Mistral, can you hear that? Breathing..."

 

[Spellbinder]

up above

<< hurricane gale force winds were now at work! Mistral was using her power to a level she hadnt previously tried before but to save herself, her sister, best friend and the rest of the team she'd do WHATEVER it took! Mirage noticeably transformed herself into a snow white owl, granting herself the ability of flight should Mistral's escape not be sufficient...and Mistral KNEW Mirage was giving herself a back up plan "just in case"...truthfully- she couldnt blame her. in MOST other circumstances, Morgan would allow her ethics to be broken and see Mirage "killed in action" due to an "accident" of some kind. But not this time. All of them had seen the horrors...and understand the need to stay together to survive. petty rivalry or hatred could wait for another day.>>

<< the winds howled like a siren or a train and flowed with such force that even Torrent would be hard pressed to stand against them for long. they were ALL airborne. She used her power to propell her and her burden UP while pushing airpressure BACK down against Apocolypse to hopefully HAMPER him from following but as they ascended at rapid pace, he was trying to come after them!>>

<< Mistral's eyes widen as she sees Polaris carrying Firebird while Torrent manages to BREAK FREE from her vortex of wind power and anchors himself to meet Apocolypse head on!>>

Oh my god! Torrent!?

<< she shouted above the din of her winds.>>

MOVE!! I will hold him off.

Nicolas anchored himself while he unleashed his TK power in full...with no sense of direction and no restaraint. The shockwave pushed the team through the hole he had already prepared...Mistral would have to steady them as they exited. AS they lifted up and out into the air, they would see Torrent motion to one side and roar...

ROUND TWO you son-of-a-bitch!!!!

as he disappeared...followed by a resounding boom as the building utterly collapsed, starting with that floor and the rest falling down on top.

<< Mistral focuses, gritting her teeth as she whisks her burden up to the surface, carrying them HIGH above and away in arch pattern as they HEAR, SEE and FEEL the Citadle come CRASHING down in a forced implosion.>>

We're CLEAR!

<< she hurridly descends and carefully decreases and disperses the winds, allowing the air to coushion the landing of Polaris and Firebird. they all land and Firebird begins to rouse to consciousness.>>

Torrent....oh my god...did he just...

<< Morgan shrieks as they all stand top side in the night sky.>>

Mistral set them down, stunned, outside the danger zone. They could only watch the remains of the building settle, no sign of Torrent.

As they looked sadly at each other, not knowing what to do next, Delilah caught something. Her head darted to Morgan.

"Mistral, can you hear that? Breathing..."

<< Mistral looks at Delilah...her eyes silently pleading with hope.>>

Breathing...who...TORRENT'S!?

<< her mind races for what she or any of them could do to possibly reach him from where they are now.>>

 

[Firebird]

above ground

Blaze was never one to whimp out but what the body wants, the body gets. She had utterly spent herself doing whatever necessary to thwart tall dark and UGLY's plans! She was barely conscious as Mistral screamed that she had succeeded in destroying Apocolypse's stock pile of the virus!

She missed the great escape to the surface but soon she was breathing fresh air and looking at open night sky as she heard Mistral and Polaris frantically discussing Torrent!

hhmmmm....

groaning a bit as she rolled over and slowly rising to her feet, the fire elemental stretches.

Whoa...Next time you want me to go that far, sis...I'm gonna have to charge you a service fee so I can pay my hospital bills.

So we did it?? we took down Poc and escaped?? But where...where's Ni...Torrent??

She looks around and sees Mistral, Polaris and Mirage.

rats. Mirage...and NOT Torrent? how fucked up was THAT?

She thinks as she continues to get her bearings. She couldnt help but still feel contempt for Mirage even though they'd all worked together. But now was not the time to dwell on it. Its hard to believe they actually are back above ground. It felt like they'd been down there fighting the war of 1812 or some other crazy long hard thing.

Mistral...Stryker's dead, we've messed up Apocolypse...but we can't leave without Torrent. We just can't!

and we won't. I just...I just don't know what to DO at the moment! How to get him back!

As they looked sadly at each other, not knowing what to do next, Delilah caught something. Her head darted to Morgan.

"Mistral, can you hear that? Breathing..."

They were all tired and it showed. But they had been largely victorious hadn't they? But what would it matter if her sister would be heartbroken over losing Nic? They'd all be messed up over this, but Morgan worst of all and all because of those stupid bigots...those purifiers!

 

[Rampage]

Nicolas looked the beast in the eyes as he charged...but he ad a PLAN. 3 meters before they met, as Apocalypse opened his arms to grab the mutant, he was hit with the full brunt of 50 tons of force multiplied by the full pressure of his TK used as a force shield in front of the mutant. Surprised, the monster roars and begins to adpat, but he was out of time, and out of options as Torrent faded away...

...attempting to disperse and teleport to the others...but this way, this type of movement was so RISKY. His atoms struggled to find a way out through the debris and it seemed so easy to give up...to give in.

His mind flooded with memoreis of his short life: his father, his friend and security guard Mike, his instructors, his friend in the group he was trying until now to get back to.

He looked at each of them...Firebird, the pretty firebrand, at once protective of her sister and accepting of him...Polaris, the smart ass, the one that was never impressed by him but was always open to talk or hang out....Mirage...the sexy temptress who would love nothing bette rthan to posees him and was too interesting to ignore...and finally Mistral...MORGAN, the one who seemed to care way more than she let on. The one who held his heart even as it tried to reconstitute...the one he HAD to get back to. His lungs came and went, air rushing in and out even as they faded away after a moment.

*SIGH*

"Mistral, can you hear that? Breathing..."

His consciousness struggled to finish the job he'd started, and he FINALLY managed to perform a true teleport of his molecules outside the Citadel. But he was not out of the woods yet as he tried to force his molecules to obey him...he'd never been so discorporate so long.

As they group looked...before them...they would see a shadow laid out on the ground that would grow and take shape and they would realize that Torrent was coming back bit by bit. Molecules reasserted themselves and in second he was back, gasping for air and attempting to reorient himself. Polaris could hear his hear beating out of his chest.

M-Morgan?

 

[Persephone]

Escaping the compound, Helena fluttered to the ground as the others landed via Morgan's wind power. Transforming back into her human form, she stood looking across the woods to where they had just been, and a dreaded thought came to her. Nicolas didn't make it out alive. Slowly exhaling, Helena's eyes shifted to the ground sadly. Like the other woman, she enjoyed Nicolas company. He was actually nice to her, despite her best efforts to screw with Morgan, Blaze, and Delilah. She couldn't believe that he was dead....that he didn't make it out alive.

Delilah: Mistral, can you hear that? Breathing....

Looking at Delilah, Helena looked quickly over at Morgan before turning around to see where this breathing was coming from. But soon, everyone saw a shadowy figure laying in front of them; the molecules coming together to reveal Nicolas. Helena's frown literally turned upside down.

Nicolas: "M-Morgan..."

Yep, he was back. Rolling her eyes, Helena folded her arms across her chest.

"You almost die and you ask for the airhead? You're such a little shit King."

Smirking at him playfully, Helena knew that he was going to be alright.

 

[Spellbinder]

outside the citadle

<< Mistral and Firebird stand on either side of Polaris, looking around frantically as they listen intently. Polaris hears what they can't quite make out yet. Morgan uses her power over air currents to carry even the tiniest sound vibrations to her and she too hears it.>>

Nicolas...

<< she says with urgency.>>

<< a shadowy form can be seen forming on the ground and soon, NICOLAS is in full view.>>

<< everyone responds with relief.>>

Oh thank god!

<< she says...as the breezy winds continue to flow in the open night air.>>

M-Morgan?

<< Morgan quickly makes her way over and kneels down beside Torrent, wrapping her arms around him, directly a fresh stream of calming, cool air to him as he took his first deep breaths.>>

Yes...

<< not bothering to correct him for calling her by her real name at this point.>>

I'm here...we all are. We...were not going to leave without you.

<< she hugs him..without realizing how tightly she's embracing him. Firebird stands behind Nicolas and places her hands on his shoulders. offering him a gentle soothing "heat touch", smiling down at him.>>

Glad your back, chocolatey goodness! Morg would've been inconsolable if we'd lost you.

<< Firebird and Polaris smirk and giggle as Mistral blushes with dismay.>>

but really...i'm GLAD you made it out.

<< Blaze said with sincerity. Even Polaris smiled with relief as she stood before them.>>

<< emotions were all over the place. a mix of victory, excitement, fear and even amongst the group- fondness and concern and now between morgan and nicolas..those tender, secret emotions they harbored for each other.>>

<< but then...in true fashion as only to be expected of HER...>>

Yep, he was back. Rolling her eyes, Helena folded her arms across her chest.

"You almost die and you ask for the airhead? You're such a little shit King."

Smirking at him playfully, Helena knew that he was going to be alright.

<< Morgan glares at Helena with such contempt.>>

YOU'RE such an irreverant little TRAMP!

Yeah. CAN IT, blow up doll! You can be green with envy while you're practicing your bulemia in your own time.

<< but some things...just would NEVER change. >>

 

[Persephone]

Morgan: YOU'RE such an irreverant little TRAMP!

Moving her hand in a talking motion while she wrinkled her nose in a mocking fashion, Morgan was so predictable, it was hilarious.

"Oh, did I mess up your little soap opera reunion moment? How rude of me."

Smiling to herself with satisfaction, her moment was short lived as Blaze chimed in, backing her sister up. Narrowing her eyes into a glare, Blaze was by far the most annoying of the three. She dare past judgment on her when she not only bangs men but woman as well? Columbia was just a giant notch on her bed post.

"You should really padlock your crab shack before you pass judgment on me sweetheart. And as for my weight?....unlike your butch ass, i'm perfectly proportionate, thank you!"

Lifting her finely sculpted eyebrow with a smirk, Helena had enough of these douche bags. She was ready to leave.

"Well i'm outta here. I would say it's been a pleasure....but it hasn't!"

 

[Rampage]

He'd hardly soaked in all their well wishes when they went at each other...AGAIN. Rolling his eyes, he raised his voice uncharacteristically at them all.

LADIES!

Sure he had their attention, he spoke.

What we did tonight was bigger than all of us, bigger than our rivalries within this group. Tonight we freed many of OUR people and we defeated, though likely not destroyed, one of the most powerful beings on the planet.

After a night like this...I am leaving Columbia. I will be using my inheritance to start an organization that will work to help our people moving forward. We put a lot of innocents on the street that will need shelter, training and protection from people like Stryker, because he is certainly not the last of his lot. I dare not impress upon any of you to join, but I ask one thing: If I need you, if mutants need you like this again, will you be there? Because this is not the end...not by a long shot. Think on what I have said as I take all of you home and know that this was the best night of my life...because I spent it with all of you.

Torrent prepared to teleport the group back to Columbia...

 

[N/A]

As Torrent fully re-materialized in front of them – and called for Morgan, she might add - Delilah smiled down at him.

“Well well, look who’s back with us.”

"You almost die and you ask for the airhead? You're such a little shit King."

“Helena, the only way you’re ever going to win a man over Morgan, is if he’s really truly DEAD.”

Torrent brought them back to the matter at hand when he spoke.

What we did tonight was bigger than all of us, bigger than our rivalries within this group…

She rolled her eyes. Delilah suspected that Nicolas enjoyed being the center of attention to quite a degree more than he let on, confirmed by him holding court to announce to them that he was leaving school. Delilah glanced at Morgan, searching her face – how attached was she to Nicolas? How would she take this news?

Nicolas continued.

…Think on what I have said as I take all of you home and know that this was the best night of my life...because I spent it with all of you.

Delilah refused the urge to mime sticking her finger down her throat. He really was too melodramatic to be believed. Maybe getting away from all the pretensious dickheads at Columbia would cure him of that. But she doubted it.

Instead, she just nodded to him, silently acknowledging that after that night, of course they would be there for other mutants, and each other.

 

[Seer]

Nobody's going anywhere

<<The "team" had seemingly stopped the super powerfull mad mutant apocolypse along with his virus and Stryker.>>

<< but these were not battled hardened soldiers. these were young people, just reaching the prime of their lives. the fact that they were mutants was not their sole defining marker. there were rivalries and schisms amongst them long before this situation drew them together and they were deep, so much so that soon after Nicolas' recovery, they began to manifest.>>

<< Nicolas, having always been of a different mindset [which sometimes worked for OR against the glamazons when they dealt with Helena], called for them not to get wrapped up in themselves and see a bigger picture. he also announced that he was leaving Columbia to begin a movement to further help mutants.>>

<< nobody could really respond- whether they appreciated his sentiments or not- and they ALL seemed to forget that they were in fact not in control of their destiny.>>

<< as they all stood amongst each other...the ground began to rumble....QUAKE. An earth quake in this part of the country? not likely under NATURAL circumstances.>>

<< trees fell...and the entire area around them quaked VIOLENTLY as the ruins of the citadle began to melt down in flames.>>

<< Mistral screams for everyone to flee the area and so She and Firebird take to the air; Mirage again transforms into her owl form while Torrent and Polaris sprint forward.>>

<< the team hurries, dodging falling trees and other objects but they do not get far as the area behind them ERUPTS with a blast of purple hued energy and a MONSTROUS form ...indeed easily the size of the Citadle itself and MORE rises up from the ground, growing to terrifying heights and looming over them all with gargantuan proportions. The haze of the energy and the smoke and flames disappate long enough to reveal the massive, ENRAGED APCOLOYPSE!>>

<< Mistral and Firedbird hover slightly above Torrent and Polaris as Mirage quickly returns to her human form. ALL of them are more than a little jarred by the force that has just rocked the land and transfixed by what they now see towering far over them.>>

Apocolypse: MUTANTS!

<< his voice was like thunder!>>

Apocolypse: MY VIRUS! MY BEAUTIFUL VIRUS! YOU HAVE DESTROYED MY MOST VALUED WORK! YOU WILL PAY!

<< without a moments hesitation, he extends his massive arm, palm facing down as energy thunders and crackles, forming a halo around it.>>

<< POWER. raw uncensored POWER. a MASSIVE energy blast! it errupts from his hand and rains down...blasting....hitting, ENVELOPING the five lights.>>

<< the last thing we see is a fleeting image of their forms...in the last position they were in>>

<< all visual sense of anything else is lost.>>

<< there is no time to process...to hear....to feel.>>

<< The Five Lights...all at once...are EXTINGUISHED by a darkness they never knew existed.>>

<< their bravery and courage saved lives and stopped the agenda of a mad man.>>

<< the brave and the young...are always the first....

to die.>>

<<dust blowing in the wind...>>