Raging Embers A Magneto story (Erik Lehnsherr)

Loss

It had been well over a day since Charles, Erik and Moira had departed on their mission and the group hadn't been the same since. A solemn air filled the social space that had been alive with excitement the night before. The elder party's words hung heavy with the younger group, a tension had hung around long after they had gone to catch Shaw. The group had separated, done their own thing, re-grouped, left again until it just felt natural being together; even if it was quiet.

Amelia sat on the floor by the broken window with her back to the burnt statue, watching as the others lack interaction.

"Hey look..."

Their attention was directed outside, with them looking just over Amelia's head at something outside. She too stretched to poke her up outside wonder what had caught everyone's attention.

"Give us a little show..."

Two men in suits had walked past and stopped away from the window. Their attention swapping from a respective member to mock their powers.

"Let's see you with the thew thew thew"

They directed to Angel, making gestures of wings and a flying motion. Hank was quick to act, getting to his feet and moving the curtain so it covered the window, giving them a sardonic wave goodbye as he closed their view to them; earned a moan of protest from the two men.

"I'd rather the way men look at me without my clothes than the way they look at me."

Angel murmured, visibly upset by the recent incident.

"Us...The way they look at us."

Raven offered, hoping that reminding her she wasn't alone would help her not feel quite so alone.

The room lapsed back into a quiet lull and Darwin has seemingly had enough.

"Alex, join me on here, yeah?"

He'd moved over to the pinball machine in the corner, the blonde following him over with heavy shoulders. Sean had also made his way over at the prospect of some excitement. Even with the metallic 'ding' of the machine and the slight rattle, it gave every so often; the quiet was still uncomfortable.

Some time had passed and the group had again settled, their nerves from earlier gone after no more disturbances came their way.

Until an undeniable rumble came from above. Then a thud. It had gone quiet again.

Another thud.

A faint cry.

A squelch.

Another thud.

The young mutant group didn't need their powers to know something wasn't right. Darwin tapped Alex lightly on the chest, encouraging him to investigate with him. Amelia's keen eyes followed the boy's movements, flashing quickly to check the girls in the room. They had inched to the edge of their seats, them too watching the boys make a move. Amelia, from her position on the floor, moved the curtain that had obstructed their view out, just in time to see a man fall to the floor.

With an anguished cry she backed away, another quick glance around the room had suggested that she had not been alone in what she had seen.

"We need to move!"

Someone called out. Amelia's senses felt like they were in overdrive and she couldn't distinguish voice from voice. But, followed the instruction and the movement as the group huddled together and quickly vacated the space. Adrenaline coursed through the woman's veins and her hands twitched to activate her powers, but in such close proximity to her fellow mutants, she didn't want to risk a blip in control.