Light A Way

53

"I can deal with this. You two go after Erik and Raven." Charles said while looking at them with a frown only to snap his attention back to Logan. He just seemed to have taken to glaring at the other two mutants in the room.

"Are you sure?" Elsie really didn't sound too certain. Logan was easily stronger than Charles by a long shot, as well as being taller than him by a fair bit. If anything got out of control, she was rather sure it'd go in Logan's favour.

"Just go stop Erik!" He called over his shoulder while sparing a glance their way.

They exchanged another look yet slowly backed away. "Can I admit," Elsie said while cracking her knuckles and rotating her hands. "I've always kinda wanted to punch Erik."

"You and me both."

"Want to take turns?" Elsie smirked when they reached the window.

Hank looked from the fractured glass to her. "Someone's got to get Raven."

"Fine," she pouted and winced when there was screaming from below. "There's a party happening out there by sounds of it, and we're missing out."

"Ladies first." Hank gestured to the window.

Elsie scoffed, "Age before beauty, mate." Hank shot her a look. "Did I ever tell you that you have the most brilliant eye tone I've ever seen? I really am quite jealous." Elsie got a growl sent her way, with a nervous laugh she backed up a step or two before jogging and running and then vaulting out of the broken window. She gritted her teeth when some of the remaining glass shards in the frame caught her sleeve, but a little cut wasn't exactly going to stop her. "Whomp!" Elsie exclaimed while slowing her descent with enough heat emitting from her hands. She landed behind Erik and rather childishly hit him over the back of the head. She grinned and got a glare sent her way before she pointed upwards. His attention went from her to the blue furred form which suddenly barrelled into him. Sticking out her tongue she shuffled away from the two and ran over to where Raven was struggling to stand. "Woah, woah, chill I've got you." Elsie smiled while holding onto her arm. Raven looked frantically around with wide eyes. Frowning with confusion Elsie looked around too. "Ah supernova chicken nuggets..."

Raven just slowly tore her eyes away from the people watching them, some pointing, some staring in awe and shock, and even a few with cameras, to Elsie. "Really?" She sounded deadpanned over Elsie's random attempt at cursing, or whatever that even was just then. Even as Elsie helped reassess her weight, Raven just stared at her dumbly. 

"Look right, you can pick holes in my improvised cursing later, yeah?"

"That wasn't even cursing, Elsie." Raven stated while managing to shift her weight and stand with her injured leg barely touching the ground.

"He still got you, huh?" Elsie asked while running a hand through her hair with her spare hand.

"He was going to point blank shoot me in front of everyone." Raven said, her yellow eyes widening as those around them continued to flee, or scream; those with cameras seemed to still stand and document everything.

"You sound somewhat surprised." Elsie said while glancing over her shoulder. Somehow the fight between Hank and Erik had moved from the road and pavement, to a fountain. Looking back to her friend she wasn't surprised to find herself being glared at by yellow eyes. Elsie shrugged, "What? You know what he's like. Now as much as I love standing around talking about Erik, which is very little, we need to move. Can you walk?" Elsie removed her arm from around Raven and took to holding out her hand for support if she needed it. "Can I just say, this wasn't the reunion I was hoping for?"

Raven couldn't help but smile as she started to move away from her side. She sort of dragged her injured leg behind her, but for the most part she got a limping walking rhythm going. "We could never do things in halves. You know this." Raven stated while sending her a smile.

Elsie briefly smiled too only to get bought back to the seriousness of the moment. Stopping she looked around, she could hear the relenting groan of metal. Snapping her gaze to the fountain she frowned, Hank seemed to be drowning Erik. With a pout Elsie couldn't help but think, what a shame, again for the second time today. Shaking her head she threw her arms forward and grasped onto the metal barrier which was hurtling their way. Frowning she reassessed her earlier thought, she didn't want Erik to die, but honestly if she got involved in their fight she'd end up hurt. And as Hank earlier stated, someone had to deal with Raven.

"Elsie!" The red head beside her exclaimed when she got nudged back by the force of which the barrier was dragging along the ground.

"For pity's sake!" Elsie exclaimed exasperated, her exasperation turned into a rather pained scream when she rather quickly discovered: melted metal burns and sticks. Shouting and shaking her hands she stomped a foot in pain, ceasing using her powers she looked to the mess that was her hands.

"Elsie..." Raven turned her hands over in her own. Looking around she frowned. "We need to get out of here, now. We need to get you to a hospital."

"And you!"

"No..."

"You've been shot in the damn leg, Raven! You need aid as much as me!" Elsie said with tears practically being held back by sheer will power.

Raven glanced over her shoulder at the fight which seemed to be taking a turn for the worse. "Someone's got to help him." Elsie turned too, through blurred eyes she saw numerous amounts of metallic objects grasping forwards to aid Erik in fighting Hank. Considering they were in a city populated by so many people, he could use any amount of metal to help him in his cause to beat Hank. If it was closer, Erik probably would've used the Eiffel Tower if he could, regardless of its historic and tourist value.

Holding her hands up, Elsie looked at Raven. Her fingers seemed to be coated with shrapnel burns. Charred skin covered her fingers, and where there was skin was the shine of melted barrier. "I can't do anything..." She said sounding powerless. "If I help...you'll be gone, and I don't want you to be gone, Raven..." Elsie admitted sadly while shaking her head, now full aware of the tears which had escaped her eyes. She was in pain, agony even, and this wasn't how today was meant to have gone!

Raven smiled and placed her hands on her shoulders. "I will be okay. Us pigmentally gifted people don't go down without a fight, you said it yourself, remember?" Elsie looked at her and slowly nodded. "And right now, one of us is going down, you need to help Hank, Elsie."

"But you can't go!" She exclaimed in pain, "If you go...if you go what can we do? We came looking for you! Charles...he would never forgive or forget this if you just went..." Elsie trailed off with a quiet sob. "And neither would I!" Her hands where burning for another reason which didn't stem from her powers. The pain was starting to really kick in and she felt sort of light headed and dizzy.

Raven stood up as straight as she could and pointed to the fountain. "Don't let Erik kill Hank, Elsie. If you continue to prattle on and that happens, I will never forgive or forget."

"That was a low blow..." Elsie whimpered and took a step back.

"I know, and I am deeply sorry, honestly I am." Raven stepped back too and smiled at her.

Elsie smiled awkwardly and turned on her heels. She knew she was right. In the long run, Raven would be fine. She would find aid, she would heal, and then they would find each other again. Halting she looked over her shoulder, everyone looked the same. "I'll see you later then, huh?!" She shouted, she knew Raven was still out there. Clenching her fists, she winced at the sound of metal crackling against her skin. Picking up her feet she commenced running towards the fountain. Extending her arm forwards, she had to clamp down on her tongue to stop herself shouting out in pain. The trail of fire which erupted from her splayed hand easily melted the barrier which Erik was going to attack Hank with. It wasn't enough that he had pinned the blue furred male to the fountain via the pole ornaments dotted about in it, no, he was going to further inflict pain on him.

"Really?" Erik looked at her, then behind her. He grew visibly frustrated then. Moving slowly, he stood on the lip of the fountain and jumped down. Though sopping wet he still managed to look rather intimidating. And really, this was the first time where Elsie actually found herself afraid of Erik.
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(Edited: 24/June/2019)

(Reedited: 14/Dec/2021)