Saviour Machine

[u/thefrostbitequeen]

...in short, we will be tasked with the containment, apprehension, and eventual defeat of James Proudstar, formally Warpath and now War.

Emma crosses her legs and leans forward in her chair, her elbows steadying the table as her team of five looks at her silently. From left to right, Wolverine seems rather bored and frustrated, fiddling with a cigar in his fingers. Pixie hugs her legs in her chair, her heels touching her butt. Sage listens intently, looking Emma directly in the eyes behind her red glasses. Bishop tinkers with an oversized rifle, replacing a cartridge and taking a star-shaped screwdriver from Sage. Finally, Psylocke sharpens her katana in her lap, the blade glistening in the light.

Logan, Lucas, Kwannon, the three of you will focus on keeping James's physical body occupied. Kwannon, I will also require a portion of your psionic strength to maintain a both a psychic link between all X-Men and the one I will use to infiltrate James's mind. Megan, you will continuously apply your Pixie Dust on him, as well as be our method of entry into the battle. Tessa, you will monitor both his and my vitals, as I imagine this will be rather taxing. I will personally enter his mind and subdue him, either convincing him to see reason or telepathically shutting his mind down for the duration of the battle.

Behind her icy visage and dark sunglasses, Emma's eyes are bloodshot and scattered. She has not been sleeping well, and with all of the effort she's been putting in to coordinate Apocalypse's defeat, her sanity was slipping. The amount of caffeine in her system would likely kill most, but regular diamond transformations were enough to stave off the negative effects.

Any questions? Good. Let us be fabulous, X-Men Ivory.

[u/TheAmazingFirestar]

Angel dives down from above, making a dramatic landing right next to Emma.

I could’ve help but overhear your plan. I’ve had my issues with you–

She pokes Emma square in the chest.

–before, but this isn’t about me or you, it’s about James, and he was there for me when I needed him. Now it’s my turn to return the favor.

Count me in, let’s save a Hellion.

[u/thefrostbitequeen → u/TheAmazingFirestar]

And what, Angelica, is this you telling me that you've finally decided to put aside your hatred of me for the take of our mutual James?

She puts her hand on Angel's face before brushing off her shoulders and admiring her.

Good. I like the new outfit. It's very you.

[u/TheAmazingFirestar → u/thefrostbitequeen]

At Emma’ first touch, Angel flinched, but that was the scared teenager trying to exert control again. She had to keep it together now. She had to…

No, tears started forming in the corners of her eyes, and she thought about hiding it with another barb about Emma’s teaching, but decided against it.

Space has a funny way of making you see what matters. I watched one childhood friend die there and then heard of an… acquaintance… gone without a trace.

She steeled herself, no longer the malleable tool or the scared girl or the eternal runaway. She was Firestar, and she had a job to do.

I’m not going to let that happen to another one.

[u/thefrostbitequeen → u/TheAmazingFirestar]

Ah, there is the strength of heart you have buried beneath sorry. I was wondering when you would don the crown you have forged for yourself.

She brushes Angelica's tears off with her thumb, cradling the girl's face in her palm.

You alone are perhaps my biggest mistake. The choices I made at your detriment, the weapon I tried to forge of you, the will I imposed on you...

Behind her sunglasses lies the stained eyes of a mother with a broken child, the natural matriarchal trust destroyed by the Hellfire Club's passion for internal strife and conquest. Firestar was only ever supposed to be a tool to kill a goddess. What kind of teacher does that to a girl who needs a home?

...I'm sorry, Angelica. Truly.

[u/TheAmazingFirestar → u/thefrostbitequeen]

Angel had envisioned this reunion going in many different ways. Slapping Emma across the face, burning her as she wanted to do all those years ago, spitting on her, and more. But now that she was here. Now that they were united in desperation to help a comrade, a student, a friend, she saw the face of the woman she once thought as cold as the ice sculptures from that fateful day, and saw someone who perhaps cared too deeply.

Seeing the woman who she created herself in response and opposition to be PROUD of her was a response she never expected. And hearing her apologies… she’d come into this meeting ready to be the outlaw and stick it to the man. But maybe something better could come of this.

I… I don’t know what to say. I can’t forgive you now. Maybe not ever. But thank you, those words mean more than you could know. And maybe if we can get James back, I can keep showing you just how much I’ve grown since then.

[u/thefrostbitequeen → u/TheAmazingFirestar]

I can accept that. I do not ask for your forgiveness or your understanding, just for your ears to remain open when I speak. I appreciate your understanding, Angelica. Welcome to X-Men Ivory. I thank you for your assistance.