X-23
Heroes 
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on Mar 27, 2017 18:00:38 GMT -5
Laura sank back against the wall that had once been part of the ceiling of the plane and let her eyes close as she took long calming breaths that continued to only provoke the glass in her gut but were needed regardless. each second that passed being one closer to her healing factor being done, and a step closer to the end of pain. It was tolerable when thought about in these terms, she was simply outlasting her injuries. "I can do that." She agreed easily.
Clearly she was more hurt then she'd realised, Artie had heard the voices before she had in fact she only picked up on them when she heard his sharp breath and opened her eyes t see him frozen and paying close attention to something. As soon as she had started to try she heard them too and her claws slid out as soon as it registered. Not good. Without hesitation Laura grabbed the glass in her stomach and ripped it out as fast as possible.
Her gritted teeth was the only thing that prevented her yelling at how much the action had hurt, and as soon as she dropped it she had to press her hands to the wound to try and keep herself from bleeding out. But she needed to be able to get up, that was all that mattered, pain could wait.
Listening to these people talk told her they weren't with Weapon X (an assumption Laura made about every new person she had met in the last few weeks) but they may well be a threat. Laura watched Artie look around as if he was planning something. Good. Laura was still in no condition to fight and trying would make things worse enough she'd only endanger them both. But she trusted him to keep them both ali- she trusted him. how long had that been a thing in her mind? Laura had no idea and it startled her, but at the same time it made sense to her. Curious. She watched him fire into the mans leg and knew he'd be able to handle the situation but she'd be damned if she wasn't going to try and heal fast enough to aid him. She looked down at her stomach and glared at it like she was trying to intimidate it into doing its work quicker.
Really she didn't know why Artie had opened with such hostilities when having an injured child could so often inspire sympathy and a desire to help from even the toughest of men. A thing she had used often in her assassination missions. But she had not seen the man in question so maybe he seemed far more of a threat then he had sounded. Regardless she tensed up when it escalated.
To hell with waiting. Artie was in danger and this was unacceptable. a pained whimper escaped her as Laura pushed herself to her feet. twice she stumbled and had to start again, and even when she was "upright" she was mostly just leaning against the wall and pushing herself along, leaving a blood smear behind herself as she went.
in the opposite direction as the hatch Artie had left from....
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Post by Artie Cade on Mar 30, 2017 11:53:49 GMT -5
"Somebody else up there with ya?" one of the men grunted, keeping his gun aloft.
"Nahh, just lil ol me and my two friends here." Artie replied casually as he wiggled his pistols in his hands demonstratively, "And this scrap is good scrap. But, see, it's mine. So if you don't wanna end up like poor kid brother here, I'd say you should toddle on back home to momma."
The men grimaced at this, the one with the wounded foot had managed to stand, but was leaning on another of them for support.
"Or maybe we see what you've got up there?" he winced as he spoke, "You're outnumbered anyway, if it comes to that."
Artie permitted himself a grim smile.
Oh he hoped it would.
In his peripheral vision he saw Laura moving like a shadow back into the plane further. He had no idea what she was doing, but she was silent as the grave and he gave her no signs of noticing. Best to keep his eyes on these, uh...undesirables in front of him. Besides, they seemed keen for a fight. Which, to be fair, he was too. But his main objective was to either kill them or get them away from here. Priority 1: keep Laura safe. That was his mandate til they got back to New York to figure all this nonsense out. Unfortunately, the gentlemen in front of him didn't seem too interested in avoiding a conflict. One of them made a move up onto the hatch ramp and, well, he'd asked for what he got really.
Without even looking at him, Artie shot him twice in the chest.
"KRISTOPHER!" the first wounded man cried out as he fell over and crawled to the other, now dead.
"I did tell you boys," Artie said as he cocked the hammers of his pistols again, "I'm happy to riddle this nice, pristine snow with more dead men but that's up to you. One last time. Back off."
The two men left exchanged a look. The one with the rifle shot at Artie, who ducked out of the way behind more crates then returned two shots of fire.
Well this was all shaping up to be less ideal than he'd hoped...
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X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on Apr 1, 2017 15:03:58 GMT -5
By the time Laura had found a way onto the roof of the wreckage, including a portion of time she'd had to crawl when her legs had given out, there had been two significant changes. the first was that she was feeling a little better, not 100% but there was noticeable improvement and she was fairly certain whichever of her organs had been damaged had fixed itself.
Also Artie had reduced their number of enemies, which Laura appreciated because as a sneak attack in her current state went she was only going to be good for one try. so the less people able to take advantage of the outcome the better it would be for her and the easier it'd be for Artie to take the initiative.
Before heading off, Laura had picked up the shard of glass still dripping with her blood and had carried it with her. she held it carefully in her left hand as she crouched, watching and waiting for the right time. Soon enough it came when the wounded one, the guy that seemed to have the most fight in him of the three even with the injury, limped closer to the plane yelling and swearing as the anger overcame his sense of self preservation.
Laura grit her teeth and gripped the shard enough to dig into her palm, it was his fault he was about to die. He made himself an aggressor and opened himself up to death by not looking up. Laura was just bridging the gap between action and consequence.
She leapt down on him so silently and with such precision the man did not realise he was dead until two seconds after the shard of glass had entered his throat.
Spasming and going down as her tiny body crashed into him, Laura pulled the shard free in a spray of blood and brought it down twice more before it broke off against the bone of his spine. Without missing a beat she threw the remainder away and knocked his hand away as he weakly tried to hit her in his last moments. Flail, wave, she grabbed his wrist and held it in place until he stopped moving all together.
All this time she had braced herself for the final man to shoot her but it never came, so either Artie had kept him distracted or the fight was over. Laura looked around from her kill to take stock of things as she picked up the dead mans gun and started checking it over in preparation for any possible threat.
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Post by Artie Cade on Apr 1, 2017 15:50:39 GMT -5
The only one of the trio left clicked his rifle once more at Artie before he turned it toward Laura...clicking it again in the spur of the moment as he yelped back in surprise at her sudden appearance.
"What in the HELL!" he shouted as he shakily and swiftly tried to reload his rifle, "Ya damn....fuckin.....!"
But that was all he managed out before he took two clean shots to the exact same spot on his forehead, his brain being blown out of the back of his head as his body collapsed onto it as if it were a pillow.
Artie moved into the entryway of the back of the plane, moving steadily down the hatch.
"Well." he said as he twirled his pistols and holstered one, "As if I'd let him just take a sucker shot at ya. Christ."
He kicked the corpse nearest him and looked around to scan for any other figures on the horizon or in the trees....he saw no one. Artie moved toward Laura and crouched beside her, smirking his mouth under the gauze over his scarring.
"Slick move, kid," he chuckled as he patted her back gently, "Should be outta trouble by now for the-"
But now it was Artie's turn to be stopped mid sentence as a bullet went through his shoulder. He cried out and staggered backward onto one of the fresh corpses and gripped at the wound, the pistol in his hand falling to the ground.
"GAH...!" he growled, drawing one of his pistols and looking around, "Who the...!"
He tried to slow his breathing. The wound didn't hurt so much, but the surprise of it did. And he couldn't see...anyone. Who did that? Where were they? He moved in front of Laura and looked around, wincing at the bleeding hole in his shoulder.
"....fuh....okay...." he growled, "You all right...? All healed up? Might need those skills yet, if we....agh..."
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X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on Apr 9, 2017 16:26:24 GMT -5
As the girl stood she looked at his last shot and nodded. "Good shot. and that is appreciated." Laura replied as she moved over to him, and handed over her kills gun and what ammo he had in his pockets. "the more back ups we have the safer we will be." Yes she could have taken one of the firearms for herself but she had powers and the ability to fight in close quarters. Artie did not. So the more weapons he had the better even if it left her at a disadvantage.
Laura smiled at the compliment, and was surprised how nice it felt to actually have an adult giving her consistent positive reinforcement. It made her feel like she was useful. When Weapon X saw her do something they only ever pointed out her flaws, no matter how minute. they expected perfection at all times no matter what, and yet.... all Artie ever seemed to hope for was her staying alive. he was without a doubt one of the nicest people she'd ever ta-
"NO!" Laura let out a shout when Artie got shot, immediately going on the defensive, her claws popping and throwing her tiny form in between Artie and the direction of the shot, looking frantically back and forth trying to find where the attack had come from. it was a rifle, they were far enough away she couldn't make it out, but someone was out there, coming. "get behind cover! sniper!" Laura said quickly, already backing up to try and get them both back inside the plane. the fact she wasn't shot immediately was odd. most people would take out a superhuman as soon as they saw her claws.
if they were unwilling to shoot a child that mercy would kill them, Laura promised herself that. "Do not die. I forbid it." Laura ordered Artie in a tone that bared no room for arguing as she snatched the rifle she had only just given him and started scanning the tree line through the scope to try and find the enemy.
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Post by Artie Cade on Apr 11, 2017 0:28:49 GMT -5
Recovering from the shock of the wound, Artie staggered as Laura moved them back in through the plane hatch. He didn't argue. The kid was determined. And he couldn't imagine a better protector in his current...predicament. Once inside the plane he collapsed on what remained of the floor with a soft clang and pulled himself to the side to hide behind one of the crates that remained. It was no small feat, considering his other arm was useless from the wound in his shoulder. He quickly gripped at the remnants of what he had used when fashioning Laura's splint and stuffed it into the hole in his shoulder to apply pressure to it. He considered using the gauze that was his makeshift mask but...no, that stayed for now.
Artie reloaded his pistol with the only other magazine he had spare and looked out around Laura from behind his crate hiding place. He couldn't see anyone either....until....four five figures appeared on the horizon....he couldn't quite see much distinct about them but they were moving in a kind of formation. Police? Military? Who could tell, they were too far off.
"....can ya see em, kid?" Artie rasped, "I've got one magazine left for this one, other pistol is out in the snow....damn useless arm."
He growled as he looked at his shoulder, almost scolding it.
It then seemed best to...wait for Laura's lead. She could get a better readout on this situation than him.
"And hey," he said with a soft cough of a chuckle, "Can't dig a grave deep enough to keep me in."
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X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on May 1, 2017 13:37:44 GMT -5
Laura smelled them before she saw them. One particular smell was something she recognised and the small girl froze in place, her expression going from shock to a slow onset of fear.
The five men took their time, each of them calmly keeping formation and marching at a walking speed towards the vehicle. Each of them was a a tall, well built man. Professional soldiers from their body language to the guns they carried. but it was the one in the middle that had caused Laura to go still.
"TWENTY THREE!" the man yelled in a booming, carrying voice as he drew near. insanely, upsettingly, Laura actually snapped into an upright position out of sheer instinct. As soon as she had she scowled at herself and went back to crouching but the damage was done. as she'd rose he had met her eye. And she could no longer pretend it wasn't who she'd known it to be.
In her defence, it had been ingrained in Laura's mind her entire life that when she heard that voice yell those numbers, if she did not come to attention then correct protocol and discipline would be beaten into her. He was "Kenny" one of the men in charge of security at the facility, a cruel man to be sure.
of all the guards that had ever worked for weapon X there was in broad strokes three types. the ones who did their jobs how they were meant to, as in not showing any sign they saw Laura as anything but an experiment. There was the ones clearly stricken by their guilt, who might try and do or say some small gesture to appease their own conscience and very quickly find themselves transferred to a different base before they did anything stupid. And there was the ones who found excuses to be cruel to Laura. These were the ones that usually got promotions and Kenny was probably the worst.
she'd thought he was dead along with the rest. He was one of the ones she'd felt actual relief in particular that he'd never be able to beat her again. And here he was, alive and aware of exactly where she was.
Laura looked at Artie, and it was obvious in every way she was terrified.
"TWENTY THREE! YOU GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW! YOU'RE IN ENOUGH TROUBLE AS IS! YOU DO NOT WANT TO MAKE ME ANY MORE PISSED AT YOU!" Kenny bellowed once again, firing a warning shot at where he knew her to be.
Laura flinched. "The one in the middle. the leader. If you can kill any of them. make it him. please." she told Artie in a meek tone so unlike her.
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Post by Artie Cade on May 1, 2017 14:25:48 GMT -5
Artie was visibly angry.
When he got angry, properly angry, he tended to get a bit...extra hostile.
But he turned back to look at Laura when she spoke to him and his expression somehow did what nothing else and no one else since his lovely Locke had been able to do: it softened. For only a moment.
He then reached out a hand and held her face gently, sweeping her hair up over her ear on the left side.
"I promise." he said as he peeked back out then assessed the situation, "But I need you with me."
There were enough of them to potentially be a problem. He was an expert shot, but he had one magazine left. He noted that two of them had the same model of pistol. Perfect. If he could take them out, more munitions rounds. But the leader gave Laura this frightening look in her eye, and that's what made him mad. He couldn't let some prick like this take this kid back to wherever that was. Whoever these...people were, they had to pay.
Through the nose seemed too light a punishment, so Artie didn't dwell on a description in his mind. Instead he looked at Laura and put a hand on her shoulder, the wind outside whipping up a bit more so as to disguise his lowered voice from the men.
"Listen to me, kid," he said, "What's out there wants me down for the count and wants to drag you back to that place. You don't want that, and I sure as shit won't let it happen while I can hold a gun. I'm haunted by things from my past every damn night. But right now yours is right here in front of you, all but handing you his guts to pull out. There's not enough of em to overwhelm us. You're not just some little puppet, they can 't yank your strings and move you like they used to. You're free now. You're NOT some number. Not to me."
He paused for a moment and checked the rounds in his pistol before shoving the cartridge back in place and looking back at the girl.
"We're not done yet," he said confidently, "You and me. We'll take 'em together. No more hiding, no more running. We'll go at 'em from the sides, they know they can't shoot you so I'll draw their fire. They'll be gunning for me, but I'm the better shot I can guarantee it. If you take 'em out from your side while they're aimin' on me, I'll have gotten the closer ones. A quick sweep. We won't let each other be taken down out here in the snow, will we?"
He held up his hand for her to grasp.
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X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on May 9, 2017 14:08:11 GMT -5
Laura wasn't expecting to be able to calm down, she was on the edge of giving in to her own fear and it was only getting stronger within her. The girl was getting dangerously close to wanting to give up just because compliance was something she had been taught with extreme prejudice. but when Artie did something as simple as tuck her hair back for her, Laura was able to feel more in the moment, less scared. It was insane, he was hurt and out numbered, but she felt herself wanting to believe him. "alright." She said, slipping back into the moment more firmly.
No one had ever said all of the things Artie told her. Her Mother had told her she wasn't X-23. but the rest of it. The idea she could be safe, or free of them had been implied but Sarah Kinney hadn't lived long enough to make it happen. And no one had ever said they'd protect her. Laura stared at Artie with tears in her eyes and decided then and there that the two of them were going to make it. She did not care what was likely or in their way. She wanted this feeling to continue, this ability to trust someone to give a damn about her. Because now she knew what it felt like to be Laura, she couldn't ever be X-23 again. That part of her had to die.
"We can defeat them." Laura agreed, barely believing she meant it. a childs small hand reached up and took the adults firmly and shook it. "They are going to die here. they made the choice to come after me. us. This is what they deserve. I shall distract them as best I can. Do not miss." Laura wasn't sure why she did it, but for the briefest of moments she smiled at Artie before letting go of his hand and sheathing her claws. "I will pretend to surrender. at least one of them will get close enough to restrain me, I will kill those ones."
Without waiting for him to agree to the plan, Laura shouted over the barrel to where the men were standing. "I will submit if you allow Artie to live." It was a stupid thing to say. she would never actually believe they would show that mercy. the second she was in restraints Artie would be shot to tie up loose ends. but as a lie it was the obvious move to make.
Kenny gave a booming, mocking laugh. "Well shiiiiiit Twenty Three. You can't have gotten all sentimental on us would ya?" he turned his head, "that bastard even alive? pretty sure Phil got him pretty nicely with that rifle a his?" He paused waiting for an answer. "Ah whatever. why not be nice. we're sent here for you and you alone! so come out here nice an' slow."
Laura gave Artie a last confident nod before she stood up straight and walked forwards into the open air, not even trying to hide the death glare she was giving them all. Kenny only laughed once again and gestured to two of his men, both carrying large specially built metal handcuffs. Laura did not move a muscle until they were within half a meter of them.
Then she leapt.
her claws slid from her hands and feet as she was in mid air, and Laura became a small hurricane of martial arts and death. six bone spikes lashed out, slashing and digging into the skin of the two men. All the while Laura snarled with all the pent up rage seeing Weapon X again gave her. when she landed, all six of her claws were buried in one of the mens chests as she crouched over his body like an animal possessive of her kill. the second man sank to the floor behind her, mutilated arms trying in vain to apply enough pressure to his slit throat to save him. Laura didn't even register his death, because her eyes had locked into Kenny's. and there had been a moment. a heart beat. just a single sliver of time. but it was seen. and now it was hers forever. The sight of Kenny showing fear of her.
and damn did it feel good.
"you little-" Kenny let out a terrible stream of curses and threats. "you KNOW what happens when you piss me off. I didn't know you were so egger to bleed... Shoot to disable. blow her little limbs off. we all know she'll have new ones by the time we get back to our NEW facility." the order was to the rest of his men, but that last mention was a threat. a way of letting her know they already had somewhere special planned to keep her.
his men raised their guns. Laura only growled warningly once more, trusting Artie to act. And-
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Post by Artie Cade on May 9, 2017 17:27:43 GMT -5
Artie clasped the girl's small hand in his and nodded.
He didn't like this plan, it wasn't perfect. But it could work. No, it would work. It had to.
He wasn't about to let this prick take this kid back. He knew what that felt like.
Well, not exactly the same, but...to be unwilling like that.
He waited patiently. Counted the footsteps to determine the men's approximate distance. His eyes looked over to the snow to see his pistol. The notion that for this to work, he had to get it crept into his mind. But if he was judging the distance correctly...it should all work.
He listened to the men talk, almost rhythmic with the throbbing of his wounded shoulder. He knew it would hurt to move his arm attached to that hole but he'd have to do it, just for a moment. And then they'd both be safe. Finally.
The voices continued. The leader laughed. Artie sneered, his eyes glaring hard into the crate in front of him. The leader was there. Which meant he was flanked on either side still.
Then Artie heard the rustling of metal.
Cuffs? Possibly.
He didn't wait.
Once he heard a louder shuffle, he knew Laura was setting to work and he himself dove out from behind the crate, rolled into a crouch some few feet from his initial hiding spot, snatched up his pistol he had dropped and fired one clean shot through the furthest left's trigger hand, then his left knee. It caused the man to turn and shoot the man to his left in the gut.
Quicker and more precise than he'd ever aimed before, Artie shot once through the neck of the first man and then twice into the knees of the leader.
The leader cried out and slumped forward onto his knees before Laura.
Artie stood and ran over to the two other freshly dying men and kicked up a cartridge from the first's belt, sliding it into his pistol deftly before he put it to the back of the leader's head.
"Shoulda' just taken my contract termination."
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X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on May 15, 2017 7:17:41 GMT -5
Laura allowed herself a small smile at Artie's skill. she had to admit it, he was a better shot then her with multiple wounds across his body. And thank goodness for it, because she doubted Kenny would still be breathing if she'd taken the shots.
The small girl felt almost like this was a bizarre dream. it was so strange a change, an impossible reversal of power. carefully she reached out and grabbed the back of his hair tightly, pulling his head back forcefully to make him look at her. To his credit Kevin met her gaze with a cold stare and she knew she was never going to make him beg in the time before he bled out. Not that she wanted that from him.
"you deserve this." Laura said calmly, bringing the point of her claws to his throat.
Kenny only smirked, "from your perspective? yeah I can see how you might be getting to that conclusion. 'cause I disagree but still." he seemed to know he was dead already because he'd made no move to attack her. he wasn't stupid. he knew if somehow he hurt Laura she'd heal, Artie would shoot him, and he'd have achieved nothing other then dying sooner. if she wanted to talk he'd happily take the little bit extra time given.
Laura hadn't expected calm, it through her enough that she almost forgot what she had wanted to say. "my name is Laura Kinney. Recognise that fact and I will cause you no more pain. respect for respect." she felt she was being unnecerserily reasonable here. but she wanted, needed, this. To force someone from Weapon X to recognise her humanity.
Kenny laughed in her face. "ah Twenty Three, don't you for a second think I don't respect ya. Which is why I can't humour you." there was something, not concern, but pity in how he talked down to her. "You ain't a kid. You ain't a person. No matter what Sarah filled your head with, no matter what THAT guy thinks because all he sees is what you look like. You're just a thing we made because you're the best there is at what we do. Go back to the Facility. for your own sake, don't torture yourself trying to hold up some kind of façade of being a kid. it'll only hurt ya. I mean that, it ain't like i'm a get paid for bringing you back now is it? far too late for me Twenty Three, so don't you discard what i'm sayin' because of that."
somehow. amazingly. Kenny had time to sigh and give her a look of disappointment before she shoved her claws through his eyes and into his brain. She dropped his body and let it fall back into the snow to stain it red. the kid stood there, staring at him and trying to come up with a way to shout him down. to shut him up. because his words were in her head like a demon, repeating and whispering over and over things she'd been thinking all along.
That bastard had finally got to her. No matter how badly he'd ever hurt her in the past, she'd never broken down, or cried or let him see it. And he didn't get to see her cry now, because he was dead and she had killed him. But she hadn't beaten him, or proved him wrong. Laura slumped down to sit in the snow, put her head in her blood soaked hands and broke down in tears.
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Post by Artie Cade on May 17, 2017 20:34:52 GMT -5
As the man before him spoke so callously to Laura....his Laura....his Laura? The girl. It all made Artie's brain catch fire. He pressed the end of his pistol more firmly against the back of the man's head, Artie keeping his eyes focused on just the right spot to split his brain in two if Laura couldn't get through. To get what she needed.
And she didn't, in the end.
He won. Did he?
No, Artie couldn't allow that. He didn't even flinch when Laura put her claws through the man's eyes, stepping to the side casually as the body joined its fellows in the snow.
Artie's first instinct would normally have been to spit on the corpse. Blow more holes into it. Kick the face in so it couldn't be recognized. Any sort of violent outburst one could image. But the curious thing was, he didn't do any of that. In fact, the ideas didn't even have time to cross over his thoughts as he dropped the pistols in his hands and caught the small girl as she fell to her knees, falling onto his own in the process. He held her against his chest and let her cry, gently petting her long dark hair as she did.
"Shhhhh....it's all right, let it out..." he said softly as he tried to comfort her as best he could, "It's all right. You took the last thing he had left. You got him. It's all right. I'm here. You're safe."
This was hardly Artie's usual state of being. He wasn't typically very tender, he certainly wasn't very caring. Not since his Locke had passed on. But what a place he'd landed himself in...normally, he'd find this insufferable. Suck it up, kid. Life's hard. But no, that isn't what he felt, not now. Artie never got what he wanted most from his father or his mother, his own captors. And he watched them burn. It didn't heal the wound, but it kept it from festering. He understood this, all of it, what this girl was feeling right now. Or at least he believed he might.
He didn't say another word as he caressed the girl, listening to her tears disappear into the wind.
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X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on May 28, 2017 15:31:06 GMT -5
Laura didn't have any memory of being held before.
Her Sensei had been kind, but had always carried a teacher and student relationship with her. there had never been time or room for such affections. Her Mother had wanted to, Laura had seen it in her eyes, her body language, in small movements closing the distance that were cut off as she remembered herself. They had always been watched by Rice or one of his creatures. And then Laura had killed her....
So when Artie caught her, there was a part of her strength that left her. utterly unprepared as she was for anything as normal as basic comforting gestures, the wall she had been taught to hold up to keep herself able to act and follow orders at all times was shattered. Simply because someone finally told the child it was okay to let it happen.
Laura wept against Artie, her tiny hands clinging to his jacket for dear life. she had no idea how long she stayed there, letting every bit of pain inside her heart pour out against him but eventually there simply was no more tears inside her. she didn't think she felt any better. but she was capable of standing up and trying to be productive again.
her eyes stung from crying and the wind, but she looked at Artie: "thank you" she told him quietly before going over to Kenny's body. With the maximum disrespect and lack of care for his remains, she went through it until she came away without the set of keys she had been sure she would find. "they had transport of some kind. I will follow their scents. bring it here. you are hurt. stay here, loot the bodies and plane as best you can. We can get out of here." To reassure him she'd be safe, Laura took his gun and idly wondered if it would be better to look through the rest of the bodies first for the keys.
but she knew how to hotwire almost any vehicle so decided it would waste more time that way, and took off sprinting into the woods. Now she'd managed to let it all out, she needed to act. force herself not to dwell any longer or she'd go insane. For now she could force such feelings down until they became strong within her again.
Laura shook herself out of the thought it was inevitable and continued to run.
Bob had been given the easy job, sit in the jeep and wait for the team to return with the target. He hadn't thought it was really necessary to have guard duty in the middle of the woods, but Kenny had made sense in saying how bad it would be if X-23 got past them and made it to the Jeep first somehow.
so he sat in the seat, listening to faint gunfire that told him they'd be back soon, thank fuck, it was cold as balls out here and if-
Laura shot him in the back of the head without slowing down or him ever noticing her coming. she made it to the vehicle, opened the door to let him flop to the floor, and smiled at the sight of the keys still in the ignition. A brief liberating of any useful things Bob had on him later, she was driving back to Artie through the woods. the thing was loud enough it made sense why they hadn't driven up to the plane itself in it, she would have bolted the moment she'd heard the engine.
As she finally reached Artie and the wreck she waved to him and pulled up with the practiced ease of an adult who'd been driving for years. "hello."
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Post by Artie Cade on May 30, 2017 16:24:50 GMT -5
As Artie pet the girl's hair, letting her weep, it felt...good. To comfort someone else. He'd never really considered it. And no one had ever let him try. When Laura had stopped and released him from her embrace, which he had to admit for a girl her age was a strong one, he nodded as he accepted her orders.
After all, especially out here, they were equals he thought. Both bringing what they had to the table to try to get out of this mess. He found himself staring in surprise when she ran off toward the woods...she was fast too, for such little legs. Then again, this girl wouldn't stop surprising him, so he was surprised that he found himself so surprised.
He then turned his head toward the bodies, especially the last one. He walked over to it, kneeling down beside it with some difficulty, rifling through the pockets and pouches to find what he could. Some rations, some ammunition, knives, a small pistol in his boot...he took them all. And then proceeded to loot the rest, finding similar things on them. He kept it all in a neat pile, sorted into what was what so that he and Laura could decide what was best to take. He was especially grateful to find three packs of cigarettes and even three lighters, sitting down again next to their last victim as he waited for Laura to return, lighting one of his cigarettes. As his lungs exhaled the smoke into the air, he felt more relaxed, looking down at the body.
"So..." Artie growled at the lifeless form, "Thought you'd bring her back when I didn't, huh? Moron. And here you come in knowing more about her than I did and even I couldn't figure how to do it."
He tapped ash out into one of the man's empty eye sockets.
"And to think you wanted to hurt this kid..." he hissed, growing increasingly angry from the adrenaline rush, "You...wanted....to HURT...."
Flashes of his father taking advantage of Artie's younger, weak form appeared in his mind. The beatings he'd gotten from him. The mental torment. The fear.
Without even realizing it, Artie found himself kicking in the squishing pulp of a skull he'd left of Kenny's body, shouting in rage and foaming with hatred. When he realized what he'd done, he managed to slow his breathing somewhat, leaning down to the body again and putting the cigarette out in the bits of muscle tissue and blood.
"Should have just...taken my contract termination." he chuckled.
As Artie looked up from the mess he'd made, he saw Laura driving the vehicle as expertly as anyone could. Yet again, he should be less surprised. But was more surprised at his own surprise. With a nod and a slight bow, Artie acknowledged her greeting.
He stumbled a bit, moving to help load the items into the vehicle as best he could with only one good arm. The pain of the bullet in his shoulder was getting to him. He hoped there was a medical kit in the truck. And additional supplies.
Once it was all loaded in, Artie took a moment to catch his breath, leaning against the truck as he climbed into the passenger side.
"I hope you.....don't mind..." he said as his eyelids fluttered open and closed, "...driving.....I think I...."
He slumped over, passed out from the loss of blood and fatigue.
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X-23
Heroes
There are two types of people. you are weak, or you are me.
Posts: 120
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Post by X-23 on Jun 1, 2017 14:02:05 GMT -5
Laura felt herself smile slightly at the bow from Artie, she had been on edge for a long time now, and something so easy going and somewhat goofy was good for her. an anchor to reality that reminded her all the threats were dead. That lasted as long as it took for Artie to stumble, the smell of his blood was disturbingly strong and Laura loaded his finds as fast as she could, not caring for it to be neat or organised so they could get going faster.
And then he fell unconscious. Laura gasped in horror and immediately opened up his coat, hating how the blood was bad enough that it was making his clothes stick to the wound. It was bad. she'd known that from the fact he had collapsed, but seeing it made Laura scared he was going to die. "No. no no no." she whispered before desperately leaping into the back of the jeep to start rummaging around. every second that passed making her feel like she was failing, and could be the moment he became too far gone.
Throwing things aside she saw it. a small standard field kit, and she snatched it up along with two of the lighters, before vaulting herself over the seat back to where Artie was. She popped one claw and cut his shirt and coat open, throwing the stained material over her shoulder and into the wind without a second thought. Moving as frantically as was possible for someone so deliberate in every action, Laura tore the kit open and scooped out the teasers.
Laura was suddenly glad he was unconscious because this would hurt. Using her left arm to try and brace Artie's larger form so he would not shift or flinch from the pain, she dug them into the wound, shifting around trying to find the bullet. it was not an immediate thing, and Laura was having a hard time staying calm when she knew her friends life was in the balance, but eventually she managed to get a grip on it. she gritted her teeth and pulled firmly, inch by inch dragging it closer until she could see the head of dark metal starting to emerge. with one last yank it came free with a splash of blood. she'd made the wound worse but had had no choice but to get the slug out of him. that too was tossed aside and forgotten.
next, she took one of the larger knives and flicked on both lighters, holding the flat of the blade to the fire, and waiting impatiently for it to heat up. while she did that, Laura found a patch of Artie's shirt that was still clean and cut that free too, bunching it up and carefully forcing his mouth open to place the fabric inside. there was a good chance he would bite his tongue if she didn't.
Finally, she had the blade turned red and with a deep breath, she pressed it against his wound.
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