The Scars We Bear. (Pyro, Closed.)

[Maria Callasantos]

MATURE: For Violent and Graphic Content

There was a deep, animalistic scream. A sharp grunt of pain. A flash of silver. And a splash of blood. Maria smiled a cold smile, her face decorated with a crimson spray. Two down. One to go.

On the floor behind her lay two figures, both horribly mangled with claw and slash marks. The kukri that Maria held in her hands dripped with blood. The figures were familiar. Brotherhood members. Toad and Mystique. Dead. Gutted, their intestines hanging out from their sides, blood pooling on the ground, in a crimson puddle. One more fish to go. Sabretooth. And he wouldn’t go down easily.

This was one of her favorite danger room sessions. The reason was basically because this one was one of the most challenging. Usually it took her an entire hour to take out both Toad and Mystique. But today it had taken her only half of that. The past two months have vastly improved her combat training. The fact that she was wearing a brand new uniform only helped matters.

Mutants like Feral always have one problem. Mobility. Maria had a body that could dance and flow like water. Everything about her body was enhanced. But one thing tended to hamper her performance, and that was her clothing. The uniforms that the X-men used were not an exception. That was why Maria had used her contacts in order to design a new one. Maria’s new uniform was a stunner. It is primarily a set of black leather pants and a tank-top, exposing her arms and bare midriff. The top has a stylized orange flame design covering most of the front, and similar orange cuts adorn the sides of her hips. She also wears black boots and armbands, and a brown ‘X’ belt around her waist. Made from an odd mixture of leather, spandex, and unstable molecules (a small gift from Ben Grim, one of the many superhero friends she had made over the past two months), the uniform hugged Maria’s sultry form like a long lost lover.

The kukris were the final touch. Maria had always felt a certain affinity with bladed weapons, knives especially. The kukris were a gift from the director of SHIELD and former boss, Nick Fury. He had taught her himself how to use them, Maria quickly learning the advantage the angled blades have over sais and knives. They were as beautiful as they were deadly, with a decorated hilt, blade and scabbard. Feral treasured them over all else.

Hissing and snarling at one another, the two combatants circled one another, their amber eyes never leaving one another, the two joined together, mirroring each other perfectly. Maria’s heart thundered in her ribcage, sweat slowly trickling down her spine, her blood-wet hands clutching her weapons with an animal desperation, her eyes watchful, anxious, ready for any sudden moves of Creed’s part. Maria had met Creed. Years ago. In another life. A life Maria had abandoned. They had worked a job together. The job had led to more… physical post-job activities… these activates involving a bedroom in a cheap motel. Maria didn’t regret it either. She regretted the job. Not the night that followed. The sex that had followed the hit had been too good to regret. But that had been over five years ago. In another life, another time, another place. This was now.

Movement! Maria yelped barely getting her blades up in time to defend herself from a rush of claws, Maria backpedaling, the blow coming fast and hard, this blow followed by another, Maria darting her head back just in time to avoid a throat swipe… and opening herself up to a knee thrust into her abdomen…

BOOM!

Maria grunted from the impact, the breath driven from her lungs, Maria wincing in pain, feeling that same knee leave bruises that had already started to heal, Maria’s amber eyes darting just in time to see a fist come rocketing in, the fist aimed for her jaw…

BANG!

Maria fell back, hissing in pain, lights flashing from her eyes, almost loosing hold on the kukri, her vision swimming. A sound. Creed laughing. Bastard. With a wince Maria looked up to see him standing just above her, Maria blinking when she saw that his foot was raised high above her chest, Creed about to deliver a kick to her chest, Maria’s eyes narrowing, her leg darting outwards like a scorpion tail…

BAM!

With a horrible crunch sound, Maria drove a harsh kick to Creed’s groin, Maria hearing the tall man gasp in pain. All he distraction she needed. With a hiss of rage, Maria spun on the floor, and knocked Victor clean off his feet with a foot sweep, Maria leaping to her feet, taking advantage of this distraction, mouth snarling, spittle flying from her fangs, and leapt high…

SLASH!

A splash blood. Maria growled with pleasure. Lying on top of Creed’s massive chest, Maria had successfully tackled Creed… and upon impact she had driven the kukri blades into Creed’s flesh… most specifically… his throat… and just before Sabretooth could have thrown her off… Maria heaved upwards… and effectively ripped Creed’s throat out. A fresh spray of blood bathed Maria’s face and chest. And with a manic grin of glee Maria watched Creed as he died, his throat making sick gurgling sounds, desperate for air, the wounds to deep, too profound for him to heal in time.

“Session complete.” The droll robotic voice echoed from above. And like magic, the scene surrounding Maria vanished into thin air, Maria getting to her feet, looking down at herself, Maria watching with pleasure as the blood vanished along with the rest of the bodies, Maria looking down, watching Victor’s glazed amber eyes vanish and let out a sigh. It had taken her about four months, and over a hundred Danger Room sessions, but she had succeeded in killing Sabretooth.

Now if she could only manage it in real life.

OCC: Feel free to have Pyro watch her bout and walk on in.

[John Allerdyce]

It was frustrating, even more so than the monitor on his leg. Watching her, in fact all of them, wasting their talents. John had been allowed into the underbasement by Wanda Maximoff's passcode, she had required his help once getting equipment from the basement and had needed him to enter the code since she could not figure out the computerized security system. With her code memorized he could go anywhere, including the Danger Room's control room where he was now looking down on Maria Callasantos' training session. He debated cranking up the difficulty of the session and removing the safety blocks thus killing her and making it look like her fellow X-Man the Scarlet Witch had done it, but he decided against it. It would get traced back to him somehow, either that Frost telepath or through the fact that Maximoff wasn't bright enough to use a light switch let alone reprogram the Danger Room. As much as he hated his life he did not want the chair.

He fiddled with the lighter in his pocket, a gift of sorts from Rogue during a confrontation in the kitchen. Though he had yet to use it just having it made him feel powerful again. Made him feel like the god he was. John Allerdyce left the control room and entered the Danger Room, clapping his hands in a slow clap like in the movies as he entered.

"Brav-fucking-hoo," he said through his sneer as he continued clapping, "You're the new champ of fighting fake enemies. Of killing them. Delightful, I'm sure the old man would be proud."

He grinned. The truth was she would be perfect in the Brotherhood, probably happier too. Magneto's daughter did not have the brains or the guts for it, she lacked the killer edge and was probably better off being a teacher. This one though, she would have been perfect. Too bad both of them were trapped here in this damn school. The fact that she chose to be there made him hate her more, and he hated pretty much everyone here. He hated Maximoff but she never rose to his bait, instead she would just smile and laugh like the dumb bint she was. Callasantos though would react. Slidding his hand into his pocket he palmed the lighter.

Maybe he could have some fun. Push her enough that she reacted, and he could strike back. Get some action.

[Maria Callasantos]

As Maria stood in the empty danger room, she closed her amber eyes and waited for her heart beat to steadily slow back down to its normal pace, her hands reaching down to slip the kukris into their sheathes on her belt buckle, Maria’s mind wondering…

Ever since she regained her memories Maria had began to slowly piecing her past back together. Some things were still foggy, but Maria remembered her past for the most part. And one of the people she remembered had been her old trainer, Tatsuo. Dear old Tatsuo. A Japanese mutant born with an ability to phase through solid objects much like Kitty’s, except more limited, it had been Tatsuo that had helped her break out of jail… an act that in the end had cost him his life. He had been more of a father to Maria then her own father had been, and Maria missed him dearly. Memories of his death haunted her dreams still.

The hiss of the door way and the sound of loud footsteps drew Maria’s attention away from her memories, and she opened her amber eyes, her nose drinking in the scent of the onlooker, Maria feeling her lips curl, exposing her fangs, a deep growl echoing from her throat. Egh. Pyro. Crap. What was HE doing here?!

“Brav-fucking-hoo,” he said behind her, Maria turning to face the former Brotherhooder, a sneer on his face, his hands clapping with sarcastic tandem. “You’re the new champ of fighting fake enemies. Of killing them. Delightful, I’m sure the old man would be proud.”

Maria stared at this young pup for a second. He was teasing her her on purprose, wanting to get a reaction out of her. Well, best give him what he wants. Then she reacted. Moving in a blink of an eye, Maria’s hands darted downwards and yanked her kukri’s from their sheathes, and sent them flying from her hands, moving too fast for normal eyes to follow…

THUNK! THUNK!

Maria smiled. Embedded in the wall on either side of Pyro’s head were the kukris. She had thrown them, barely missing his face. They had brushed so close he had been sure to feel the breeze. But Maria had missed. On purpose. As annoying as Pyro may be, Maria had no intention on hurting the kid. She just wanted to scare him a little, maybe play with him a little, like a cat would with a toy mouse. No harm in that, right?

“Champ of killing real people actually. Girl like me doesn’t get on the FBI’s top ten most wanted list for just having a pretty face.” Maria said with a twisted smile, Maria eyes narrowing as she smiled a wicked grin, knowing she had given him a jolt. She could taste his pulse on her tongue and could hear the beat of his heart. He was scared. No one could witness twin blades flying at your face and not get shaken. To his credit he had handled it well. He didn’t scream. Didn’t yelp. He knew what he was dealing with. He knew that she dart forward whenever she wanted and gut him there and then. They both knew she was fast enough.

But she didn’t.

With an amused snort Maria walked over to Pyro, her face set in a amused smile, Maria walking up to him , her gaze predatory, Maria not stopping until she reached Pyro, chests nearly touching, and looked up at him. He was a good looking kid. Great body, handsome face. What his problem was that he knew it. John was an insufferable upstart that seemed to be cursed with a god complex. And Maria took great joy in reminding him of what faults he had. It was nice to belittle him like she did. So why stop now? With a quick flick of her wrists Maria reached up and up to grasp the handles of her kukri handles, Maria running the flat of the blades against his cheek, letting the young upstart get a good feel of the cold steel. “And for the ‘old man,’ well, I’ve never met ‘im. Never knew him personally. Unlike somebody I know.” Maria said, looking up into Pyro’s gaze, pointedly.

Returning the kukri’s to their scabbards, Maria turned away and began to make her way across the room, heading of the computer panel that controlled the Danger Room, intent on having another session, her hips swaying, uniform hugging her body like a second skin, her walk that of a predator, every step perfectly balanced, the energy and power aching to be unleashed. A lion walking across the Serengeti. Coming to a book bag that contained a towel and a bottled of icy cold Gatorade, Maria reached down for the plastic bottle and unscrewed the cap, Maria drinking down half thirstily in several massive gulps. Aaah. Much better.

Sighing in contentment, Maria turned to give John a bored look, raising an eyebrow, surprised to see he was still there. Most would have run crying to Storm by now. He stayed. Both brave and stupid of him. Still, can't ignore him forever. “So. You come in here looking for a fight Zippo-Boy?” Maria asked, her tone annoyed and dismissive. “Or was there something else you wanted?” Maria asked, flashing John a knowing smile. The sooner he left the better. She still had some energy to burn off before heading down to the med lab.

OCC: Sorry about the crappiness. I'm still not feeling to good.

[John Allerdyce]

A triumphant smile spread across John's face. He remained still, wanting it to be all her fault if they crossed the line from arguing to physcial violence. He felt the zippo in his jeans' pocket but he did not reach for it, he did not want to give her the satisfaction of a reason to hurt him, or a reason to take it away. She was frightening, the flurry of movement that had carried her across the room towards him had frightened him even though he had been trying to trigger it. Now though he was back to being calm. Back to watching her with disinterest while smirking.

“Or was there something else you wanted?”

He let his eyes travel down her body and then back up, slowing at her chest, before he spoke. There was a few things he wanted from her, and one he hoped to be able to communicate to her without using words. "Let's face it, neither of belong here. You're a killer, you said it yourself. I just find it sad that you feel you need to pretend to be part of Xavier's pansy patrol."

He laughed at his own alliteration. The sound was forced and his eyes remained serious, "We both know that this place clouds your mind, makes you think everything is a-okay. It's why Summers and Maximoff fit in here, they like the fairy tales. We live in the real world, we know that mutants are hunted and that holding hands isn't going to solve anything."

If he could convince her, then he had a way out of this place. She had the ability to free him, just as almost any of the staff did. The question was would she?