Where it Began [Open]

[ian]

"How could I forget you being here after the pleasant history we had."

He walked past her to a nearby window, staring out of it, his human eye having a distant look in it. Jason looked at Ian, knowing the look full well. He would always have that look in his eye each time he remembered someone or something. In this case, he was remembering Rose.

"Of course, it's easy to forget when someone wants your memory cleaned." his tone darkened, "I'm sure you remember that. The day I ran when you wanted my memory erased, if you only knew how well you got your wish."

He turned and looked to her then, his human eye narrowing at her. He didn't care about her anymore, those old feelings gone. Merfonde did a good job teaching him to hide his feelings, but it was the final confrontation that caused him to lose them all together. One he knew Rose wouldn't know about, not yet anyway.

"I did forget, Rose. I forgot you, the mansion, who I was, everybody." he looked down at his hand, flexing the metal digits, "If it wasn't for Merfonde's training, I would've continued to forget. Sometimes...I still wish I did."

[Rose North]

"... Pleasant history?" Who was this person?! Who had they been to her? She just couldn't figure it out. When he moved past her, she took a few steps away, just to keep that same distance between her and the two men, her arms folded tightly against her chest. She was annoyed, that was pretty obvious.

Then... He went on. Now she knew. This had to be Ian... Or 40-year-old Ian. What the hell had happened to him?! Reigning in her emotions to stop her shock from expressing itself, she just glared back when he fixed her with that look. "If I might point out you were half mad at the time you ran off? Even worse, you wouldn't even listen to why I wanted you to forget me!" A scowl had formed on her lips, her folded arms tightening and whole body half freezing. Jason wouldn't know it, but Ian, if he remembered Rose well enough, just might notice the signs of her anger rising, to the point where any more prodding would make her lash out unintentionally.

The whole situation with Ian was still a very sore subject for her, even if she no longer 'loved' him the way she used to. Did this future Ian know that 'This Rose' had only left the school a month before? That she hadn't seen his younger self since he ran from the school? No one understood why she'd asked Parker to erase Ian's memories of her. And now... She felt it wasn't even necessary. If future Ian loathed her, the Ian she knew probably did to. She wouldn't have to worry about him getting involved in her battles.

Suddenly, she had a thought. If this was future Ian... Where was everyone else she knew from her time? What happened to Sky? Shadow? Bobby? Professor Xavier? Who was alive, and who wasn't? And where was she? If her guess was correct, she doubted she was still alive in this time...

[ian]

"I know why you did it. I was told everything when I went back to the school after regaining my memory. I was ready to face Cain then, ready to finally put an end to him." his dark expression continued to look at her as he spoke, "But when I found him, it wasn't him that I had to face. It wasn't him that reduced me to this."

He lifted up his shirt half way, exposing his midsection to her. Like his arm and leg, half of it was flesh and bone while the other half was a mixture of metan and electronics. If anyone were to guess, they'd say that half of Ian's entire body, both inside and out, was mechanical. He was indeed the first fully functional cyborg, and even as Rose's temper rose, he only smiled at her.

"If you want to use your powers, you may as well go outside. I've manage to create that chemical Merfonde use to negate mutant powers and use it to keep this safe house hidden from Corruption."

Though it took Ian years to do it, and a good portion of technology from Xavier, Apocalypse and even Magneto. He didn't want to tell her that many of their friends had risked their lives to help him get it done, and many more have lost theirs.

[Rose North]

"......" Rose was glaring at him again. How come no one understood that Cain was hers?! "That was stupid of you. Because I don't intent to let anyone kill Cain but myself!" It infuriated her that this future Ian had tried to kill Cain! He would die by her hands alone, no one else's.

Taking a few deep breaths, she tried to calm her raging temper. Being angry wouldn't help right now. She'd been brought here for a reason, and... Like future Ian said, her powers wouldn't wo- Wait... Did he just mention Merfonde?! How the hell did he know Merfonde?! "Do I even want to know how or why you know Merfonde..?" She paused for a few minutes. Hidden from Corruption? What the hell was 'Corruption'?

"Are you going to keep speaking in riddles or will you explain what the hell this 'Corruption' is? And what happened to you?" Future Ian said, that Cain wasn't the one who did this to him.. So who had? Sky? No... She couldn't do something like that. Shadow... Well, it was possible, but she didn't leave things half done. She would have destroyed all of him. So what? It couldn't be Cain and Shadow's child, who was only an infant. But who did that leave?

[ian]

"Yeah you made that clear when you ripped me apart!" he snapped at her, his own anger growing, "I was going to talk to you Rose, after we teamed up against Cain. Tell you that I was grateful for what you were willing to do to give me a life outside of that mess, but when I turned to talk to you, all I saw was a monster. The same one I saw many years ago when you rescued me, only you weren't rescuing me this time."

He could still remember that day as if it was yeseterday. Turning to see that shadowed monster that was once Rose, her demonic voice shouting "How dare you! He was mine!", then there was a searing pain, as if his entire body was being ripped to shreds, and then cold blackness. When Rose mentioned Merfonde, he only smirked.

"Merfonde came to me when I had amnesia. Bobby appearantly requested she trained me to be like the bounty hunters. She taught me everything she knew, and more, but I guess even that wasn't enough. After I humiliated Cain, I left him be for you. I wasn't a killer, that never changed even with training. After your little...temper tantrum, I woke up in Apocalypse's lab, though I don't know how I got there. He said my entire left side was destroyed, my eye gone, and I would've been dead if it wasn't for him. Funny thing about alien technology, it grows and adapts with you, but it doesn't make you whole. Not when you've been betrayed."

He stared at her, nothing but hate in his eyes. He wanted so bad to tell her the rest of the story. How he had to adapte to his new cyborg form, and how after years of searching he had found her again. How the next time they met, she wasn't as lucky as she was the first time. A part of him wanted to tell her, but he knew that her being here was causing enough trouble for time. When she asked about Corruption, his smirk returned.

"Corruption isn't a what, it's a who. We don't know where it came from, but all we know is things started getting bad after Cain died, so there had to be a connection between the two. Things started to get dark all over, shadows growing and attacking people. Then Cain's little girl managed to overthrow Shadow and made a deal with that Corruption thing. Next thing we knew the world was split. Corruption had the states and everything connected to it, and Cain's kid got the rest. You can guess who's side of the globe we're on."

[Rose North]

His yelling at Rose was not helping her mood. If anything it was making it worse. Far worse. "How dare you accuse me of something like that!" She was beyond furious, she was at the point where she would destroy everything in sight, but nothing was happening. What made her temper even worse? He was blaming her for things she had not done! Sure, maybe it was possible in his time that Rose wasn't exactly a Saint... But she would never harm an innocent! She would never harm Ian. "How can you even think I'd do something like that?!"

"Why the hell would you blame me for any of that?!" Perhaps this Ian had forgotten something very important. This Rose that Jason had brought wasn't evil. He should know, it was during this point in her life that she turned out the way she did in his time. And by pushing all her 'possible' sins on her younger self... He was the one that had influenced her to do the things she did.

The meddling of Jason and Future Ian... It was their fault she'd become that monster. They were the ones that forced her over the edge. Made her grow to hate Ian so much that she'd tried to kill him...

Even though her power didn't work in this building, it was almost like... she was giving off that same dark aura that made her so terrifying. What made people fear, and respect her. Even with out her power you just knew she was dangerous. "Don't you dare talk to me about betrayal." Her voice had gone darker. "You hypocrite. You are the reason I am even in this body! It's your fault my power killed me!"

She'd never told Ian what had really happened that night, so never in a thousand years would he have known it was her power that had turned against her that night. Everyone thought she'd killed herself, to spare those close to her. They didn't even know what had really happened that night... But how could he have known? Rose didn't trust Ian anymore. Now, all those vengeful emotions were boiling up. "If you hadn't been so weak willed none of this would have happened!"

Rose was done listening, so angry she felt like she might actually cry. She didn't even listen as he explained what the Corruption was. She turned on her heels and stormed out, a few angry tears escaping. She didn't stop until she reached the doorway, looking over her shoulder to give Ian the darkest look he had ever seen from her, tears staining her cheeks. "I hate you. I really, really hate you." She left, not knowing where she was going or why. She just ran. Away from this hated Future Ian, away from this stupid building, away from everything.

[ian]

Ian's eye narrowed sharply at her as she began yelling at him. Who did she think she was? She may have been a member of the nightmares and the first girl he ever loved, but she was nothing to him now. When she turned and ran from the place, Ian silently hoped she never came back. To him her killing Cain was the reason this all started.

"You shouldn't have told her those things, Ian, who knows what will happen once she returns." Jason said, looking in the direction Rose went.

"With any luck," Ian looked to Jason, "She won't be alive long enough to worry about it. Nobody can survive out there without a team, not even a Nightshade."

Jason looked at Ian in surprise, not really believing what the man was saying. Ian just looked at him, then turned to head into the lower levels of the base. He took a couple steps towards the door when he stopped. He raised his arm and spotted a glowing light on his wrist. Pressing the button, a screen appeared with another man's face. His brown hair was cut short and his ice blue eyes were almost as worn down as the rest of him. What Ian noticed was the explosions and yelling going on behind him. The screen was getting distorted.

"Blur...Blur do you read! Please respond!"

"Ice, what's going on?"

"It's corruption! She's infiltrated the base! We're trying to fight her off, but the shadows are everywhere! North America has been compromised!"

"What? What about the Southern states?"

"Gone sir! She's taken over everything! Nobody's left but the eastern division! We can't-"

The screen distorted, followed by a scream that Ian knew was Bobby's, and it was the last scream his old friend would ever make. He pressed the button that shut off the screen, then looked to Jason who only stared at him, but Ian could tell that the man was thinking the same thing. She had taken over the entire western part of the world, and it was only a short amount of time before she invades the east.

"Why did you bring her here, Jason, she'll die just like the others."

"You know why I brought her here." Jason answered.

"What do you mean I..." then his eye widened, "No. No way. You can't expect me to believe that she's the one that could stop this. She started it!"

"And she may have the power to stop it, if given time."

Ian stared at the door that lead outside, and deep down he knew that Jason was right. He didn't want to believe it, but Rose may very well be the only way to save the future. He sighed, rolled his eye and growled. He couldn't believe he was about to do this, but he was out the door and heading in the direction Rose took off.

[Rose North]

It hurt.

It really, really hurt. Rose thought she'd gotten over it all, the betrayal, Ian begging for her to stay with him... All those locked up emotions were bubbling upward, overwhelming her. She hated these feelings. Before, she'd forgiven Ian... A little. Enough that she had wanted to protect him, and make sure he was never hurt again. Now? All she felt towards him was pain. Intense pain. She'd been so stupid to listen to Jason...

What made it worse? Ian hated her for things she didn't even remember. Things she hadn't even done! What sort of sick bastard had he turned into? What right did he have to persecute her for crimes she hadn't committed?

She ran as long and as far as she could in the wasteland, not caring what happened... Or really noticing where she went. It all looked the same to her. She didn't know how long she ran. Minutes... Hours... She just kept running until her feet hurt to much to continue on. She crumpled up on the ground, tears freely streaming down her cheeks, her hands clutched tightly to her chest. "I'm not a bad person..."She didn't know who she was talking to, or who might hear it... But she had to reassure herself that she was bad. That she hadn't done any of those things. That she wouldn't do those things! All she wanted... Was to stop Cain before things got worse in her own time..

[cain]

"Yes, that's what they all say, isn't it?"

He stood on a ledge that use to be the top of a small home. Nobody knew how he had survived the attack on him from Rose and Ian, but there he was, standing there as if nothing had happened to him. If someone were to look closely, they'd see the difference. Nothing had changed on him, except for the massive amount of holes that were along his torso. Inside the holes looked like a swarm of mechanical bugs and made their nesting ground inside of him. Nobody but the people on the Nightmares Island would know that it was the work of the nanobites.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't my dear friend Rose Nightshade, or do you call yourself North now? I can't remember." he smiled that same cold smile, "Holes in my memory you see."

He lept high into the air, as if launched from a spring platform. He landed hard on his feet, bending to his knees only slightly, one hand on the ground and his head facing down, his hair over his face. He stood up slowly, his hair flowing back behind his face. He looked at her with empty and emotionless eyes. His fingers flexed as he looked at her.

"The last time we met, you killed me, but as Ian no doubt mentioned earlier, alien technology at it's finest. Though this wasn't the work of Apocalypse, no...this was my own making." his eyes narrowed at her, his smile fading, "and now, girl, it's time to return the favor."

His shot his hands out at her then, long, metallic tendrils shooting from the fingertips to wrap around her. The cords wrapped around her ankles, wrists, neck and waist and began to squeeze tightly, raising her up into the air and tightening further.

"You can't use your powers on me again girl, not when the nanobites in my body heal me each time. Nobody can beat me now, not you, not Ian..." his cold smile returned then, "Not even Shadow. I still remember that horrified look on her face as she died. It was more pleasant than than that fool Xavier."

[Rose North]

Rose knew that voice.... All to well. It would always be ingrained in her memories...

She looked up quickly, only slightly shocked. She hadn't lived in this world, she'd only that stupid Future Ian's word about what had and hadn't happened. For all she knew, he had made it all up. She didn't say anything to him though. She was beyond words with him. She'd decided that long ago. There was nothing left to say... Though her cheeks were tear stained, her expression turned furious.

Wait, so she really had killed him? Or... she had in their time? So then those.... Whatever they were.... Had brought him back? She was so confused... This wasn't her time! She didn't know what was going on! "..... I don't know what your talking about."

She'd expect some sort of attack, but not cords coming from his fingers! He'd never had an attack like that before! She hated this godforsaken time! Before she could retaliate at all the cords had already wrapped tightly around her, yanking her into the air. The tighter they got, the more they hurt. The one around her neck was the worse, cutting off all her breath. Scowling through the pain, she glared down at him. She wouldn't scream, or... try to scream since she couldn't exactly breath. He didn't deserve that...

Even though he said her power wouldn't work, it didn't stop her from trying. Dark Matter leaped into existence, catapulting itself toward him, trying to rip him to shreds....

These stupid emotions. Ian had upset her enough that it was affecting her power, making her weaker. It didn't help that she was suffocating either...

[ian]

Each time the dark matter hit him, he just stood there smiling at her, the cords tightening more around her as each hit struck. He chuckled and even started laughing at her efforts, knowing that even Shadow tried to do the same tricks with her power, as well as other mutants. Xavier even went as far as to launch him into space, but Cain made sure he came with.

"You fool, your dark powers won't to nothing against me." he laughed.

"How about fusion energy, bug breath."

Cain was caught off guard by the voice, but caught even more off guard by the large flash of yellow energy that blasted his entire torso away, leaving just his arms, legs and head. The cords released her, dropping her towards the ground. She didn't hit the ground though, but instead landed in two arms, though one was gone, replaced by a canon that bellowed smoke.

"That'll hold him for a while, but he'll be piecing himself back together thanks to those dam bugs."

Even as Ian spoke, the nanobites were making their way out of the limbs and neck of Cain, forming together and moving around each other as the main part of Cain's body was beginning to form back together. Ian had to curse softly under his breath. Dam, he's forming faster each time.

"We need to get you back to your time, Rose. If Jason's right, then you may be able to stop this from happening."

[Rose North]

On top of being emotionally compromised, Rose was growing very frustrated. Nothing was working! What had happened?! What was going on?! She didn't understand any of this! She didn't stop trying though, even as the cords grew tighter and tighter. Finally though, the attacks stopped, only half a second before the stupid future Ian showed up. This was great... She was going to die in a time she didn't belong in...

She'd blacked out from suffocation when Ian showed up, only coming back to when she was dropping to the ground. It wasn't earth she landed on though... Someone had caught her? Who the hell would have done that for her? Especially here, where apparently everyone hated her!

Only when she knew it was the stupid future Ian though.... Did she force herself away from him, her powers reacting and creating a wall between them and expanding, pushing her out of his arm. As she stumbled to her feet, she coughed a few times, struggling to reacquaint herself with oxygen. After readjusting, she glare at him. It would have been intimidating if it weren't for her tear stained cheeks... If anything it only made her look.... Well like her old self. Before all of this started. "Don't touch me." Her pause was short. "Why the hell should I even listen to you? You probably just want to kill me for something I didn't even do!"

She hated that he had kept blaming her for things she hadn't done. His Rose had done them. Not her. End of story.

[ian]

"You're welcome."

When she pushed herself out of his arm using her powers, he shook his head. When she started snapping at him he just rolled his eye. A part of him didn't want to be out here in the first place, since outside the base him and his group were open targets to both Cain's daughter and corruption.

"If I wanted to kill you I would've let Cain do it." he looked over at Cain's body, which was almost complete, "Can we talk about this inside? There's only so much of my canon that he'll take before that doesn't even affect him."

He didn't want to be standing around when Cain woke up. Having him a regular mutant was hard enough, but with alien technology running around inside him, he was almost unstoppable. What made things worse, was that he began to notice that things were starting to get dark. The skies were beginning to disappear, as well as the ground around them.

"Dam, she's here." he looked to Rose, "We have to get you back to your time, now. If Jason's right, you may very well be the only way to make sure this doesn't happen."

[Rose North]

Rose wasn't going to thank him. Not after what happened before. She didn't forgive very easily, even Ian after 20 years should know that!

But... He sort of had a point. If he'd wanted to kill her, he wouldn't have saved her... Or let her live while she was completely powerless. Not to mention, he was no friend of Cain's, even in this time. If he didn't want to be around when Cain 'pieced himself together', he had good reason to think so. But how? Ian told her that Cain had died! Even Cain had mentioned it! Technology didn't bring people back from the dead!

... Did it?

"That's what he was researching..? A way to gain immortality..?" So... She had found the very beginnings of this research? If that was true... Maybe back in her own time she could come up with a way to stop the weird little mechanical bugs! But.... Great. That would mean going to someone that understood the Alien Technology...

Finally though, she was scowling again, not forgetting her anger towards him that had been half stalled by the realization of what the alien technology could do. "We? You mean Jason has to get me back to my time. Not you." She didn't know the way back though... Well that was smart of her!

[ian]

"I'm not sure really. After he took David and the others things really started getting weird. Seems he was collecting mutants for experiments for some sort of way to control them. Where nanobites come in is beyond me."

He understood she was mad at him, he had no right snapping at this Rose since she didn't even know what she did. What was irritating him was the fact that things were starting to get really dark in the middle of the day and he was already starting to see the finishing touches on Cain.

"Look, we can talk about all this back at the base. If we don't get out of here right now, we'll either have the choice of being ripped apart by Cain or Alice and her little shadows. Now will you please come back with me? I'm not really liking our odds here."

Even as he spoke, the final pieces of Cain's form was being attached, his head and arms sealing up as if being digitally formed. Ian really wasn't liking it outside, a lot less than he had before. He looked around with fear showing in his eye as the shadows began to rise up around them.