Toys for Torment (Nightshades, Crystal, open)

[cain]

Cain's form, after a long time of being away, could be seen rising up from the water once more. As always, the moment he stepped onto the island his form once again melted away to reveal his true form. In his hands he laid down two mutants onto the cold stone of the island. On his right was the young girl Crystal, who he had captured from the mansion, and Ian whom he had captured outside in New York.

"Oh Sky, Shadow, I bring guests for the holidays."

He smirked as he stood there, waiting for his favorite Nightshades to come out from the island. He knew Shadow would be more then pleased to have Crystal back, and though the device that held her blackouts and headaches back was destroyed, he could indeed make another one. Though Shadow might wish to see Ian, the boy blamed for Rose's death, he knew Sky would love to get her hands on him.

"Now you two, do play nice while you are here, you are guests in my home after all."

He chuckled as he looked down at his two victims. Neither one having the consciousness enough to know where they were or what was about to happen to them.

[Teagan Owens]

"Can't you just go about your business without summoning us, for once?" Ever since Sky and Cain had... well fallen for each other, Shadow had been treating both coldly, even more so now with the recent events. Why the relationship irked her so much... Well it wasn't that hard to guess. 'Love' wasn't something Shadow understood, and so by default she hated the emotion, banishing it from herself.

Shadow's cold gaze was focused on Cain from the entrance of the cave, her arms crossed and fingers tapping against her arms. Over all... She just didn't look at all happy. Again, it was easy to see why, he always made such a spectacle of returning to the island, forcing Shadow, or Sky to come up to greet him. Every. Single. TIME. Her eyebrows raised when she spotted the two limp bodies, recognizing both. Crystal, the know-it-all child they'd lost to Apocalypse when someone had decided to attack Apocalypse before retrieving the girl. And Ian, the closest friend to the late Rose, and the thorn in Sky's side ever since.

"Guests? Well, why don't you take them down below where they can have a proper welcome." Down below, as in the deepest depths of the island... Where the prisoners were kept. Whether it be just to keep an eye on them... Or torture.

[cain]

"Well I was going to introduce them to you personally, but you know how much I love to surprise."

He chuckled as he saw the look on her face. He always enjoyed getting a rise out of Sky and Shadow. It made things more interesting, especially with the new baby in the mix. was still moving from the wound in Ian's side, while the wound on Crystal's head was also bleeding. He picked up the two and placed them under each arm, bringing them past Shadow and on their way down into the bottom.

He continued past a few more of the nightmares before finally reaching the lower prisons. He placed Ian in one cell, then moved to the next and placed Crystal in there. He then called one of the mutants who was the medic of the island to tend to the two, making sure that they were healthy enough for "entertainment".

He smiled looking at the two, knowing that both of them would be in for an interesting time here. He then turned and started back up to let Shadow know that the "guests" were being prepared for their new stay at the island, whether they wanted to be here or not.

[crystal]

Crystal had fallen unconscious right after Cain had taken her from the school, from the blow to her head, and the strain of forcing information into his head and trying to cause an overload. She'd only transferred information a few times before, after all, and nothing to that degree, it was no wonder she'd completely drained herself. Thankfully though the blow to her head wasn't all that bad, it would have been far worse if she'd hit her head first instead of her back. Still.... That didn't mean she was fine and dandy.

Cain had left the 'dungeon' before Crystal woke up, on his way back to Shadow, probably. She lay on her back in the cell, staring up at the stone ceiling for only a few moments before rolling onto her stomach, holding back a grunt. She knew where she was, there wasn't even a reason to 'look it up' either. Cain only had one place to take her, the Nightmares. Since his factories had been destroyed... It was the only place he could go. Sitting up, she let her gaze wander. No one was around, most the cells were empty... Except for the one right next to her, where Ian lay unconscious.

She slowly blinked, before crawling to that side of her own cell, reaching through the bars to try and touch him, shaking him awake, anything to make him wake up. "Ian..? Ian Snyder? Wake up..!" She kept her voice barely a whisper, in case...

[ian]

Wake up...

He could hear someone calling to him. It wasn't Rose or Lily, and the tone was soft so it couldn't be Sky or Shadow, and it was female so obviously not Cain. Ian wanted to stay there, where ever he was, just laying there and letting whatever darkness that had a hold of him just take hold, but the pain in his side caused him to stir.

"What...where..."

He grunted as another shot of pain went through him. He sat up, holding the hole in his side that was still bleeding. He sat up and moved towards whatever wall he could grab. When he finally reached the back wall, the cave side giving him an extra lift, he moved himself to sit and study his wound. The hole was small, and had missed his vital organ, but the was still coming. He looked around, trying to find something to cover it with, then decided to take off his shirt and use that.

"Gotta find a way to get out of here."

He didn't even know where he was or how he got there, or that there was someone in the cell next to him. He tied the shirt tight around his waist, gritting his teeth and growling through the pain that suddenly shot through himself.

[crystal]

Crystal pulled her arm back to her own cell when he started to stir, curling up at the spot to just watch, waiting. He didn't notice her, and for good reason, finding out who had made him wake up was probably the last on his to do list. The first thing being finding out where he was. Unlike her, he'd never been to the Island before, he didn't know anything about the Nightmare's hide out.

Waiting, she just let him do what he wanted, getting himself into a sitting position to take care of his wound. She might have spoken up... But it didn't seem like the right time. Only when he finished his bandaging did she bother to speak up. "There isn't a way out..." And Crystal would know. She knew everything about the layout of this place, not from personal experience, but from her vast knowledge. "You should lay down... You know... In case." She kept her voice at that same whisper level, once again just in case someone came down to check on them. For the moment though, no one was down there.

Crystal curled up a little tighter, her arms wrapped around her knees as she gazed into his cell through the bars. "This place was built with only one entrance, at the very top level." She pointed up. "And we're down at the bottom." Over all? It'd be a pretty stupid idea to try and escape.

[ian]

"Huh?"

He heard that voice again, the one telling him to wake up. He looked around, his skin a lighter color then it use to be, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He breathed heavily as he looked around, his eyes showing signs of glazing over, but he focused on the in the cell next to him. She looked familiar, like he'd seen her around somewhere. He moved closer to the bars, resting against them, the cold of the metal feeling good against his skin.

"So...what's your name?"

He shook his head, trying to keep himself steady. When she said there wasn't a way out, he gritted his teeth, gripping the bar to try and help himself up. When he tried to stand, however, he let out a short cry of pain which shot straight through his side, causing him to drop back to where he was. Whatever Cain did to him, it did more damage then he thought it did.

"Dam..." he continued his heavy breathing before looking to the , "Don't worry...we'll get out somehow...I'm working on a plan."

He smiled a little as he said this, but honestly he wasn't working on anything. The last thing he remembered was trying to convince Lily who she really was. He looked up at the ceiling, trying to figure out how he could've gotten caught off guard. It was a trap he thought to himself, [/i]Jane, Pitsha, Lily, it was all just a trap to get me here, and I was stupid enough to fall for it.[/i]

[crystal]

The fact that he didn't remember her name actually surprised Crystal, her eyes widening just a little. How could he not remember her name? She wasn't exactly someone you forgot after all... When he remembered though... Maybe he'd realize just why she was there. "You don't remember my name..?" She scowled just a little. "You have a bad memory.... But everyone has a bad memory compared to me..." She looked away from him, staring down at her knees. "Crystal. I helped save Apocalypse... When he was brought to the X-men, remember?"

Apocalypse.... Would he have noticed her absence by now? Would he have realized just what had happened? She'd sent information to Xavier before she was taken, to have him locate Apocalypse and tell him for her, but he was in critical condition. The chance of getting the message to Apocalypse anytime soon were slim. Her arms tightened even more around her knees. Unlike Ian, the Nightmares wouldn't kill her. They would use her to the breaking point, use her to do terrible things to The X-men, the world.... and Apocalypse...

"I can't see any possible way of escaping..." She paused for a moment. "There aren't many defenses... But to escape you'd have to get past Cain, Shadow, Sky.... Crimson..." Ian didn't know who Crimson was... But Crystal did. The woman was as big of a menace as the other three. "The odds aren't in your favor. But you have more of a chance of escaping then I do." After all, Cain had only grabbed Ian out of coincidence. They'd been after Crystal since the moment Cain first found her.

[ian]

"Oh right, Crystal. You're the who knew how to open up his armor. Thanks for the help."

He laughed a little, staring ahead at the door, though he didn't know why. Maybe it was because of how they had met, what had happened between now and then. Was it all worth it now? He looked back to her seeing her tighten her arms around her. He gave a sympathetic smile, reaching over and placing a gentle hand on her arm.

"Hey...we're both getting out of here, alright? Trust me."

He squeeze her arm reassuringly, though deep down he had his own doubts. She was right, they would have to get through some people in order to reach the outside, and even then he didn't know where they were or how they would get out. He hoped that his speed didn't die out on him like it did. He leaned back and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he did before opening them again. He then looked over to Crystal, trying to keep the conversation going between them.

"So...who's Crimson? She sounds just as bad as the others."

[crystal]

Crystal slowly nodded. "Like I said then... I know more then just that..." All she was to these people was an information source, one that they definitely wouldn't be willing to give up. It made her worry, because since then, she'd learned ways to avoid answering, to find loopholes to avoid questions... What might they resort to when just simply asking didn't work? It almost made her shudder, hiding her face in her arms. "I let him down..." All she wanted was to be useful to one person. Apocalypse, and now, she was going to be one of the leads to destruction. "I failed..."

Crystal completely ignored his attempts to comfort her. It seemed with the device gone her emotions were showing through stronger then before. Only when he mentioned Crimson did she sigh, raising her head a little, her bangs hiding her eyes from sight. "Not many people remember her. She's been in a... sort of coma for a while. She may not be a Nightshade, but she's like Cain, naturally strong. She controls blood. Outside the body to make things, inside to kill or torture someone...." Crimson was just as unpleasant as the others.

She fell silent for a few moments, staring at the floor with a blank stare. "So you found her? The new Rose..?" She'd been unconscious at the time, so she hadn't been able to watch it first hand, but she could look back. "She'll go to the X-men. You woke her up. It's only a matter of time before things start getting out of control and she's forced to find help..."

[ian]

"Don't say things like that. You can't say you failed unless you're sure it's hopeless, and there's always hope."

He smiled at her, trying to do his best to keep at least one of them calm and hopeful. When she started to describe Crimson to him, it was as if his own ran cold. He sighed and rested his head back against the stone wall.

"Great, nothing like extra challenges."

He looked to her when she mentioned him finding the new Rose. He didn't even know she was there, but it must've been while he was passed out. He remembered standing there arguing with Lily, then being stabbed by Cain. Found the new Rose, he thought to himself, what a joke. He started to laugh, it was soft at first, the a full out laughter that echoed through the prison.

"Being stupid, that's all it was. I fell for it, the whole thing. Pitsha, Jane, Lily...Cain would've never found me if I didn't listen to them and went looking for her. It was a trap all along, just something to get me caught and brought here. She wasn't Rose, she was just a fake, she was bait and I fell for the whole thing."

[crystal]

Crystal just shook her head, feeling thoroughly depressed. "I don't see any chance of escape. And I know everything. If I can't see one, what are the chances of their being one?" She kept her gaze low again. "Not to mention... It wasn't Apocalypse who found me... This whole time, I've only been a loan to him... Only there until Cain and Shadow came back for me..." She'd always thought of herself in that way. She wasn't so much a person to people, but more like a tool. Something that belonged to people. Cain had merely come back to retrieve what was rightfully his.

She slowly lifted her gaze when he mentioned the whole thing being a trap. How could he think that? He'd seen the signs... Sure, they weren't strong, but they were there. She waited for him to finished, then waited even more, her gaze dropping again. "I dreamed I was a butterfly, flitting around in the sky; then I awoke. Now I wonder: Am I a man who dreamt of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a man?" She wasn't sure if he'd recognize the quote, but she quoted it nonetheless, as it fit the situation perfectly. "Rose really believes she's always been Lily... Her real self was completely overpowered by Lily's last moments alive..." She paused for a moment. "She's lost in a maze, trying to find a way back to herself, but there's never been anything to help pull her back before you appeared..." A short pause as she looked up again. "She's mad at you, you know. When she yelled at you for not letting her go... She's mad cause you took to long to find her."

Crystal met his gaze, finally a strange determination in her eyes. "She's real. I know that for a fact." And you didn't go doubting Crystal on anything. "I'd show you If I could, to prove it. But my head still hurts from that wall..."

[ian]

"Crystal, you know a lot, but there's one thing you haven't learned yet. You always gotta have hope, no matter how pointless it seems."

He smiled at her again, once again giving her arm a gentle squeeze before moving it back to his own lap. He often tried to tell himself that same thing, even now as he looked around the cell. He took a deep breath, then gave her an odd look as she said some strange quote. When she started talking about Lily again, he couldn't help but smile and laugh, but the laugh started to come out as a cough. His side hurt him more now, and he couldn't understand why. What he didn't know was that the wound had become infected due to being stabbed, changed and moved around through the earth. It was slowly getting worse.

"Maybe it would've been better if I did let her go. I wouldn't be in this mess if I didn't just stay at the school and get on with my life."

He remembered in his training in the mansion that he always had to survey the area if he was captured, just in case there really was a way out. The ground was hard and smooth, with the usual dirt that a cave would have. The walls were jagged and small stalagmites hung from the ceiling. The bars were rusted due to the atmosphere of the dungeons, but only slightly. Some of the other cells had different bones and skeletons in them, most likely from other "visitors" to the island.

"Well...at least we won't be alone."

[crystal]

Crystal just stared at him for a few moments, as if trying to figure out some sort of logical answer to why she shouldn't be hopeful. After a small amount of time though, she gave up, frowning a little and looking away. Why it bugged her that she couldn't use her infinite knowledge to respond to such a simple comment... Well, she relied on her knowledge. When she didn't know the answer, it was flat out infuriating.

".... If it helps... The school and Apocalypse should be noticing our absences soon..." She didn't feel like she needed to be the one being comforted. She was fine with whatever situation you put her in, if only because she knew they wouldn't kill her. Torture, maybe if she refused to cooperate, but not kill. Ian on the other hand... He'd been grabbed for the sole purpose of torturing him, and in the end killing him. He was just a temporary toy to them...

The school... It made her remember what had happened in Xavier's office when she was grabbed. Her arms tightened even more. The only reason he was here was because Cain had been after her.... And spotted him when that was over... "I'm sorry... It's my fault you're here..." She fell silent for several moments, staring at the ground again. "He only grabbed you... Because he'd already caught me." Another pause. "I'm sorry... You were actually safer outside the school. Cain was there, when I was delivering a message to Xavier..." And now the Professor was in critical condition. She couldn't tell though. It only proved that everything really had been her fault. Xavier's near death, Ian's capture. Everything.

Only when he mentioned the 'others' did she look up, her gaze following his to spot the skeletons. A moment passed, before she actually pointed at one and read out the person's name. Moving to the next, she did the exact same thing, naming the people who's remains they were seeing.

[ian]

"They'd have a hard time finding this place I think."

He didn't know if apocalypse had ever been here, and the only way he would know how to get here was because his "time mutant" friend told him where to go when Rose was kidnapped. He looked to her when she said his kidnapping was her fault. Even though his heart sank when he heard Cain was at the mansion, he couldn't help but worry if everyone was alright. Was the professor ok?

"Look, it wasn't your fault I was captured. I was the one that was stupid enough to have my back to him. If I had really noticed that scared look on Lily's face-" he stopped for a moment, his eyes widening, "Oh no. Lily. I hope Cain didn't get her to."

He couldn't believe how stupid he was for thinking it was a trap then. Lily's horrified face, her running away, that couldn't have been planned. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. He looked around as Crystal started naming off the different skeletons, even saying how they ended up here. Though he wasn't one for an education on the , it was a initeresting way to pass time.