Illyana wasn’t sure what she expected Katya’s reaction to be when she told her she couldn’t stay long, but she couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. She had no right to but she did anyway. She didn’t know what she expected Katya’s reaction to be but she knew what she hoped for and it wasn’t this.
Limbo was her responsibility, Belasco was her responsibility and she knew she couldn’t stay long, that she had to go back to deal with whatever plans her father was working on. She didn’t want to, she wanted to forget Limbo ever existed and that she was so closely connected to it. What she wanted had never mattered when it came to Limbo.
“Three years” she whispered, letting Katya’s word wash over her as they stood in the graveyard, in front of her own grave. Illyana didn’t say anything else for a few minutes. Then when Katya’s words had truly registered she sat down on the damp grass, holding her head in her hands as she tried to process everything.
She wanted to scream, she wanted to cry, she wanted to break something. Above all else she wanted Katya to ask her to stay, to not go to Limbo. By the Elder Gods she wanted Katya to ask her to stay here. What she wanted didn’t matter. She had responsibilities that overshadowed everything else she wanted in life and that was how it would always be.
Illyana could never be just Illyana, she had to be the queen of Limbo, the sorceress supreme of Limbo, the only thing standing in the way of the Elder Gods being released. She was the queen of Limbo, she was Magik, she was the Darkchylde, she was so many things but she would never be just Illyana no matter how much she wanted it.
“Three years” she repeated, this time louder, angrier than before. “Three years and he can still just-” she wanted to scream again, she wanted to break something, she wanted to throw something... instead she just shook her head and crossed her arms over her knees. “I thought after I drove him from Limbo all those years ago I would be free of him, turns out not even death can truly free me from him” she was tired, she was just so tired and she wanted nothing to do with any of this. What she wanted didn’t matter, it never had.
She watched Illyana closely. All the subtle changes in her posture and the features of her face shifting as the weight of the words settled in. She watched as Illyana fell to the ground, clearly not taking the news well. It was unfair, how determined Limbo was in taking time away from the blonde girl before her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, unsure if she was apologizing for the world or for herself. She was unsure if Illyana even heard her. Kitty lowered herself next to her.
She listened. Kitty may have changed in the past three years -- drastic changes, even -- but she knew Illyana. That would never change. She knew when to sit back and listen. She stared at the tombstone in front of them, knowing that if she turned to look at Illyana now, she might do something stupid like cry with her. And that wasn't what Illyana needed.
After a moment, once she was sure Illyana had gotten it out and once her own thoughts settled down, Kitty declared, "He's a pathetic, scared, stupid man. He brought back the one person who's usurped him once before. Whatever he thinks he's doing, whatever he thinks he's planning, it won't be enough. It'll never be enough." She nudged the other mutant with her elbow, giving her a small smile. "You're not alone."
A wave of deja vu hit her. They've done this dance before, three years ago. She swallowed it down, her resolve strengthening. This time would be different. It had to be.
Kitty reached over, tucking a few stray strands of hair behind Illyana's ear. "Even if you don't want our help, we'll always be here. I'll always be here."
