i believe in life

Laura Kinney. Wolverine. I'm not X-23. I'm not your experiment. I'm not your fucking property! No one o w n s me! I'm NOT a thing. I'm Laura Kinney! I'm the daughter of Sarah. I'm the daughter of Logan. I'm Wolverine!

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sugardonttouchme:

“And we sure as hell ain’t throwing them a welcome party,” she said, nodding determinedly. I’ve had worse – that was basically the mantra of every Mutant, the words too true to deny. They did what they had to do, in order to survive, and right now, that meant this. (She ignored how much that sounded like Magneto, how much of the Brotherhood was still in her, along with Laura’s whisper, cut off by Anna Marie’s powers.)

It was always a rush, taking on someone else’s powers. Laura’s mind was calmer than most, even in pain, so the thoughts that came into Anna Marie’s mind were simple, focused on the goal at hand. They were both breathing heavily, and her entire body buzzed with the sensation. She furrowed her brows, then held up her hands. Claws shot out of her knuckles, with a piercing pain and twang! “Let’s slice up some beasties, shall we?” she said, flashing Laura a small smirk. She had so much energy coursing through her, and some of that fierce determination that made Laura such an incredible hero. She didn’t hesitate now, she took off sprinting for the demons. 

The claws Rogue had gotten from Laura’s offerings were made of bone; the ones she had familiarized herself with years ago; before the operation that filled her knuckles and feet with adamantium. “They can break; make sure to go for more fleshy areas of the demons;” she warned Rogue. It wasn’t clear whether her friend had also gotten Laura’s healing factor and she had no desire to risk Rogue’s safety if she hadn’t. Breaking a claw was as painful as breaking a bone; and while Rogue could get rid of her powers and most likely alleviate that pain; Laura wasn’t sure Rogue could do so safely during a fight. “I’ll be right beside you;” she promised. Without hesitation; Laura charged towards the demons; the metal reflecting off of her claws. She had fought several; memorized their weak spots; and she plunged her claws into one of the demons’ necks before being surrounded. Laura was careful to dodge the brunt of their blows; knowing that while she could heal from just about any injury; damage would slow her down. “How are you doing?” She called out to Rogue.

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@mistresscfmagnetism​

The second Laura had heard about President Doom’s party, she had been wary of what his true motives were. The president was aloof, rarely conversing with his citizens, and hosting a party was quite literally the opposite of the person he had proven to be thus far. Nevertheless, Laura had been in attendance, and she had seen Lorna in the crowd as well. There were few people she trusted deeply enough to discuss the matter with, let alone propose a course of action. However, Laura hadn’t decided on something impulsively, What she intended would help heroes around New York City, she merely needed a partnership. “Thank you for meeting me,” she said to Lorna. They were in an apartment Laura had purchased when she first arrived in New York, but rarely used. The majority of her funds were blood money, wired to her account by the Facility (they had never believed Laura would access it in the future). It was much more discreet than Xavier’s, as she had intended. “I bought us scones,” she added, gesturing to the shabby table in front of them.

Knowing that Lorna was not a patient person, Laura had no intention of wasting time. “I want to break into the National Archives,” she informed Lorna. “It holds all the information we would need to realize whether Doom’s presidency is genuine, including birth records, education records…” she trailed off. “However, I assume the President realizes this and if he is hiding something as we expect, it will be guarded. It’s the only logical way to protect himself from people thinking similarly.” For Laura, it was a different kind of mission. Typically, she preferred action, a direct approach, but assassinating the president (or breaking into his home) would only reflect poorly on the X-Men and mutants as a whole. “I would like your help,” she added. “You’re a good fighter, you’re smart and I trust you.” For the most part, anyway.

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speedyshcpherd:

When Tommy grew attached to people, it was usually due to similarities between their personalities and his. Laura didn’t seem to have many of those. She was surly, seemed a lot more serious than he was, didn’t seem inclined towards fun above all the way he always had been. Luckily, none of that really mattered when it came to sparring. You didn’t have to like someone to fight them; often times, it was easier when you didn’t. “Probably not,” he agreed, far more nonchalant than one might expect considering he was essentially talking about his own death. “I barely even went to school. It really wasn’t my thing.” Before he’d been in juvie, he’d skipped more or less every class. The detention centers had never prioritized education the way they claimed to, and most of the schooling he’d received there was pretty much a joke. “Hey, might as well get it out there!” He grunted as her claws went into him again. This time, instead of pulling himself free, he grabbed her arm and began accelerating the molecules, intending to blow it off. If her healing factor was as great as she said it was, blowing her arm off her body wouldn’t be a huge deal, right? She’d be fine! Nobody could realistically be upset with him for it when she’d just stabbed him twice!

Tommy didn’t seem to like Laura much either, and she highly doubted that would ever change. Their priorities were vastly different as were their personalities (thankfully). That being said, he was a challenge to fight solely because of his speed and certainly not because of his technique. “I assume it’s because it didn’t interest you?” She asked, raising her eyebrows. Tommy didn’t seem like the kind of person to listen closely in lectures, and she assumed he wasn’t in her position, forced to learn by someone as brutal as Kimura. “I was forced to enjoy learning,” she said easily. Admittedly, the majority of what Laura learned was languages and strategy, but it had counted when she attended high school very briefly. Tommy grunted as her claws went into him once again, but he responded quickly, and when he quite literally blew her arm off, Laura laughed, not at all concerned. However, she didn’t take kindly to it either. Rather than attempt to blindside him, she reached to slice across his neck, careful not to cut too deeply. His healing factor was significant, but she had no desire to kill another hero. As Laura went through with the move, she also dug her foot into his chest, stabbing twice.

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emmagrace--frost:

| @sniktcd It was late. So late, in fact, that Emma felt comfortable enough to be in the kitchen of Xavier’s in an annoyingly lavish white silk robe poking around for something, the calories of which would not count because it was after midnight… right? Right.

But she had opened most of the cabinets more than once, only to glance at its contents and heave an irritated little sigh at the books and cans, before closing the cabinets and starting the process all over again. It’s not like there was an abundance to choose from but her hunger was borne of restlessness, not an actual craving.

When she heard footsteps, light as they were, she froze, only a moment, before the sound in her mind resonated with the feeling of someone familiar. Laura. Emma didn’t turn toward the door of the entrance immediately, instead, she went into a little stash place and tugged out a container of chocolate spread, grabbing two spoons and holding one out, nodding toward it.

“Don’t stand there and look at me like that, you’re an accomplice now, you’ve seen me,” Emma let a little smirk tug at the corner of her lips. There wasn’t much to smile about these days if you asked Emma. But being morose would get them nowhere fast. For the students, current, and past, she could push her dour demeanor to the side — for the most part. The crease between her impeccably well-manicured eyebrows didn’t soothe completely. She would blame it on the stress, but it definitely had to do with the company. Laura wasn’t a kid anymore, Emma didn’t have to try and hide the edges. Emma applauded herself for being put together and composed but Emma was sure Laura would see through it, there was no sense in too much of a show.

“Status report?” Emma asks as she licks the back of her spoon, looking up at Laura for a moment, before dipping her spoon back into the rich chocolatey goodness. Emma wasn’t asking because she expected Laura to be anything other than okay — it was more to hear her say it, to soothe Emma’s nerves which were fraying at the edges with concern for the kids around here. “Eat.”

Rest alluded Laura regularly, especially lately. The Facility’s men had been spotted in New York City, they were surely armed with the trigger scent, and as long as they existed, Laura was capable of being their weapon whether she willed it or not. Once she devised a proper strategy, it was useless attacking them impulsively with what they possessed, Laura would defeat their men. She would find every single vial of the trigger scent she possibly could and through sheer willpower and necessity, Laura would make herself immune. It was crucial for her family’s safety and for the worlds.

After tossing and turning for roughly an hour, Laura inevitably gave up and after hearing sounds of someone in the kitchen, decided to join them. After a moment, she noticed Emma’s scent, and out of everyone that she possibly run into so late at night, snacking, Laura was pleased it was someone she genuinely enjoyed. As important as Xavier’s was to Laura, its students included, she was far from close to all of its inhabitants. Some feared her, Laura understood, while others simply could not relate -- truthfully, she was grateful for that. The last thing Laura wanted was for the children to understand what she had endured and rose above.

Once she entered the kitchen, clad in an oversized t-shirt, Laura studied Emma in the doorway for a moment. Emma’s version of detection was much different from Laura’s, but she had no doubt that the White Queen was aware of her presence. “I was hoping to join you,” she replied. After all, with a metabolism as fast as Laura’s, food was almost always tantalizing. “I think one of the young mutants made brownies today, I smelled them,” she informed Emma. Stepping forward, Laura paused and then smelled the brownies in a drawer below. When she spotted a note that read ‘help yourself,’ she turned to Emma victoriously.

After taking a bite of the brownie, Laura wasn’t at all surprised by Emma’s question. They were living in a chaotic world, filled with complications, isolated from what they knew. Worry was completely normal, she had adjusted to the stress of fear for her friends. “The brownie is amazing,” she replied, taking a moment to dip her spoon into the ice cream. “Thank you, you’re welcome to try that, too.” Laura paused to consider what her status report was exactly before saying, “I hope we can return to Earth soon. With the list now public, I imagine things will get much more tense here and in order to survive, we all need to work together. How are you?”

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blxckcanarycry:

The best way that Dinah can think to describe Laura would be constantly shifting, constantly revealing new sides to herself and coming into better focus–but never completely. Dinah could reasonably put some of the pieces together herself–but she’s resolute in the fact that she wants the story from Laura when and if she ever choses to tell it, it would do a thousand disservices to her friend’s life if Dinah were to assume that she knew anything about it from scant facts. Besides, she’s never understood why people should be required to break themselves down in order to be known–she knows Laura as well as she knows anyone in her life, probably better than a lot of them, without knowing really anything at all–and if that’s what knowing Laura is, then she’ll take it every single time. “Clandestine? Do those dumb sunglasses actually block his eyesight? I’ve seen you fight, that’s a thing that should be witnessed.” She notes the hesitancy in her friend’s voice when she speaks about her team, and Dinah can’t help but wonder why–Dinah would never begrudge anyone what they needed to do to survive. 

“I enjoy training so much as I enjoy helping people stay safe, do what they need to do to survive.” She shrugs her shoulders, she’s never considered herself particularly warm or easygoing, which she’s sure leaves something to be desired in a teacher–but she had done it for Roy, so that no one else would be ripped from him, and that’s why she continues to do it. “I don’t know if I’m any good at it–I’m probably not, really. But I already learned all these things, from some less than savory people in some cases, so I might as well teach it in a safer way.” She thinks it’s probably the same philosophy they preach here, particularly since the world is so hard on mutants. 

“I ask because the image of having to explain that to a kid is hilarious, first of all.” She laughs, a full bodied action that ends in a wolfish grin. “The broad strokes of someone’s life are one thing like me telling you I don’t get along with my mom or something, but I think the little details are more interesting. Like now I know that you’re more about sneaking past people, than misdirecting them or something like that.” 

Truthfully, it was difficult to explain why Laura allegedly belonged on the X-Force, and similarly, it was difficult for to explain why she had no desire to be on the team any longer. The story was sad, unnecessarily tragic, and while she wasn’t opposed to Dinah knowing her truth, she wasn’t prepared for it yet. She appreciated Dinah’s presence in her life war too much and once she confessed to what had happened in the Facility, what horrors Laura had committed, she was unsure whether Dinah would feel the same about her. It was a feeling she had struggled with often. “We all wear matching sunglasses and…” she trailed off, searching her brain for a ridiculous costume. “And tracksuits,” she decided. Laura smiled as Dinah finished, “Thank you. I like to be in the open as well, I intend to leave the X-Force soon. Maybe I can become a Bird of Prey,” she said.

“As long as you’re passionate about it, which it sounds like you are, I think you’ll be good at it.” Perhaps Laura was biased, but she couldn’t imagine Dinah being bad at anything she chose to do. Besides, she had witnessed Dinah fighting, it was something to marvel at, and those skills would be useful passed on to the right people. Luckily, she was confident that Dinah chose who to teach, too. “I think it’s a great cause,” she said honestly. “And I think being trained by you would be fun. I know some mutants that are interested in learning martial arts as well, may I pass them along?” Laura was capable of teaching them herself, but forming a more solid relationship between the X-Men and other superhero teams was important. It would also show the kids different opportunities.

“I’m sure it’s happened to some people,” Laura mused. “I thought you may be asking for a very different reason.” She had never been ashamed of her presumptions or her sexuality — in this case, they were one and the same. “Okay, I’ll tell you something about myself,” she agreed with a nod. “I was raised by some very bad people and they taught me much of what I know now. Technically, I was an assassin.” Laura hadn’t intended to tell Dinah yet, but she didn’t regret it.

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blxckcanarycry:

Dinah can practically hear Oliver’s voice in her head as she steps out of her cab in front of the Empire State Building, replaying a fight they had gotten into repeatedly near the end of their relationship–

“This isn’t me, Oliver,” She had said at the end of the night, slipping borrowed diamonds carefully from their place around her neck. “And I’m not some prized show dog you can trot out when you need to–” 

“It’s not me showing you off to anyone, and you know that.” He had seemed hurt more than anything else, for some reason she wanted him to be angry. “I just want your support, can’t you just–pretend for a few hours?” 

“No–not anymore.”

It nearly stops her from going in, she looks up the length of the building and exhales–if this goes the way she thinks it’s going to go, the people inside are going to need every bullet in the gun so to speak, and she’s never going to be able to forgive herself if she could have helped but didn’t. At least she had convinced Laura to come with her, even though it wasn’t the kind of event either of them were fond of, so at least she had some back up, something of a good time promised in that fact alone. Plus, Dinah is far from blind, and as she lays eyes on her date for the evening she’s convinced she won that particular lottery.

“Thank you, I’m sure someone inside is going to die when they see a designer gown with an old ass leather jacket over it, but might as well be comfortable.” She laughs and shrugs her shoulders, pulls her friend into a hug. “You don’t clean up so bad yourself, pretty lady.” The memory of fighting with Oliver is already dissipating, ready to be pushed aside in favor of whatever this night holds for them. “If it turns out to be grilled up demon, or if this is at all boring, I promise you we’ll make for that diner over there and do it up pancake style.” 

She smiles warmly, resists the urge to giggle at the borderline absurdity of attending a party hosted by President Doom. “Thank you for coming Laura, really, this would have monumentally sucked if you weren’t here.” 

During Laura’s days with the Facility, she had been forced to attend fancy events exactly like these. She understood how to blend in, how to appear as though she were enjoying herself, but Laura was no longer that woman. She refused to appear as though she belonged where she did not, and she no longer utilized skills the Facility had taught her needlessly. The party that Doom was hosting was important to attend due to the fact that no one truly trusted their president, and if things went as horribly as Laura was expecting, they needed people like herself and Dinah in attendance. If that did not happen, Laura had to admit that time with Dinah was never wasted, and while it was not their usual ‘scene’ so to speak, she was confident they could make it work. They were resourceful.

“I think it looks nice,” Laura said, smiling faintly as she looked over Dinah, not bothering for subtly. They were on a date after all. The hug surprised her slightly, but Laura relaxed into the embrace and wrapped her arms around Dinah easily. “I’m glad you think so,” she replied. Her tone turned teasing as Laura added, “It would be tragic if you regretted our night together this early.” Laura highly doubted that Dinah would regret their time together, their friendship was mutual and so was their attraction. “I’ll let you know if I smell anything strange in the food,” Laura said sincerely. “And I doubt any time I spend with you can ever be boring. I do enjoy pancakes though.” Laura enjoyed any and all food, as Dinah had come to realize.

Lacing her arm through Dinah’s, Laura began leading her inside, still wary of what the party would truly entail. Their president was nothing if not mysterious and complex. “Thank you for inviting me,” she replied. “I like spending time with you and we’re both obligated to come to this particular party. If it goes well, maybe we can attend a better event without obligation.” It was a strange way to ask someone on a future date, Laura realized, but she hoped Dinah would understand the subtext.

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scvietwinter:

Things would be a lot easier if Bucky could convince himself that Hydra and all its rats went down with the ship when SHIELD fell into the Potomac, if he was confident in the fact that no one who had been complicit in his torture and reprogramming was still alive, out there, potentially planning on getting him back under their control, or would take the opportunity if it presented himself. As it was, he had never been an optimist. He had never exactly been a realist, either. He had always veered towards the side of cynicism or pessimism, because at least then if he was proven wrong he could be pleased about it, rather than disappointed. Bucky was rarely proven wrong in regards to these things, though. He knew Hydra wouldn’t be severed quite as easily as that. Their leader had been taken out during the war, their factories crippled by the Howlies, and still they had flourished for another century to wreak havoc on the world around them. He wasn’t conceited enough to think he could singlehandedly bring them to their knees, but if he could put a dent in there with Laura’s help, it would definitely help him sleep better at night.

“Beats me if I know the specifics,” Bucky admitted. “When I was brought to the labs during the war, they were looking for a variant of the super soldier serum. Then they brought in kids. Some mutants, never as many as there were humans. I trained a couple of them, but I don’t know what happened after that.” Any time he had tried to figure it out, it hadn’t ended well for him. He hoped it didn’t make him a terrible person to eventually stop trying, to focus more on breaking free himself. “Suppose whatever’s ahead of me is easy compared to what’s behind, right?” Bucky asked. There was so much confidence seeping out of Laura now. He wondered how hard she’d had to work to get to that point - he assumed she’d worked herself to the bone. It was worth it, though. “I think they’re like cockroaches. Couldn’t kill the bastards in a nuclear blast even if you wanted to.” Bucky nodded, moving towards it. There was a series of passcode devices, but rather than mess around with decryption, he attempted to break open the elevator doors. “One thing I’ll give them,” he said, “is that this arm comes in pretty damn handy. Guess we’re going down the ropes.” He gestured with his head towards the elevator cords, before jumping over himself. “Don’t suppose you brought a flashlight? Or can you see in the dark?” Bucky wouldn’t put it past her, honestly. Her talents continually surprised him.

Aiding people with their vendettas was always a complicated matter. For years, Laura had been used that way, an assassin, killing every person assuming people could pay the Facility’s high price. With Bucky, she was not doing anything that was against her morals. Quite the contrary, she wanted every HYDRA cell wiped from the face of the Earth, and being trusted to help him was an honour. It was not her cause, it was not Laura hunting down members of the Facility or its leaders, but HYDRA and the Facility were admittedly similar. Projecting would be effortless, though she had no desire to feel that angry. Her emotions were best in check, and in this instance, she wanted Bucky to feel secure in their partnership. If he wanted to literally burn it to the ground, she would support that, and if he were overcome with emotion, Laura needed to be steadfast. This was his vendetta and in response, Laura would be malleable however Bucky needed. After all, it was essentially what she was born to do without the horrific connotations.

“I doubt anyone knows the specifics of what HYDRA has done in the past,” she replied. They were a secret organization, a corrupt one, and people working with them would never want their secrets aired openly. “I assume nothing good,” Laura replied. “We can search for more information regarding what happened to the children. They may have moved onto become their own force, yes?” That would mean they were alive most likely, though Laura wasn’t sure that was an ideal situation. With HYDRA, it sounded like being ‘disposed’ of was much more preferable. “Not necessarily,” she replied honestly. Bucky’s question had been one that implied vulnerability, an inquiry into how Laura had overcome the brainwashing the Facility had subjected her to. She had no desire to lie to a friend. “You’re fighting everything they made you, that’s liberating, but it won’t be easy. You will be uncomfortable, you will doubt yourself, but the freedom is what you deserve.” Satisfied with her answer, Laura’s attention returned to the compound, paying close attention to her enhanced senses. She still sensed nothing, though Laura wasn’t confident that was a good sign. “Every horrific group of people seems to be that way,” she said bitterly. It was partially why Laura fought so hard to combat them, she was ruthless, a survivor, and capable of handling whatever people like HYDRA and the Facility threw at her. “At least they’re innovative,” she agreed. Following behind Bucky, Laura hopped onto the ropes easily and worked her way down. “I have enhanced eyesight, but it doesn’t translate to the dark. There is water at the bottom, if you follow me, we can go by that.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t confirmed to be where they needed to go, but it was close.

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friendlyneighborhoodspidernerd:

Peter could smell the pretzel as the wind blew towards him, and he realized he hadn’t eaten himself in a while. She didn’t seem surprised to see him at all, and she didn’t seem like she wanted to attack either, so that was a plus! Peter hopped up onto the ledge beside her, and straddled it, swinging his backpack in front of him. “Good idea,” he told her, digging through and pulling out a churro he’d stowed away for a moment just like this. He pushed the mask up halfway (an old habit, totally unnecessary now), and took a bite. “Snack breaks are great!” 

He tilted his head curiously. “Like, not at all?” he asked curiously. “And I thought I was intense. My Aunt May used to tell me to take more breaks, like when I was studying and stuff. She said it’d help me think of new ways to approach the problem, and usually she was right.” He took another bite of churro and gestured towards her with his free hand. “I saw you up here, thought I’d come say hi. How come you aren’t at the mansion?” 

Spider-Man was obviously not a hero that Laura ran into often. He was an Avenger, a vigilante, but the vigilante work Laura did personally was largely solo. It was rare that she needed help, her training was intense, her skill immeasurable, and she could heal from most injuries quickly — bullet wounds and brain injuries included. “Thank you,” she replied, taking another bite of her pretzel. “I always seem to be hungry, but that may just be my immune system,” Laura mused. “Do you have that issue?”

The idea that people took breaks during missions confused Laura, but she didn’t let that show on her face. Perhaps it was due to her upbringing in the Facility, but the thought of pausing was entirely foreign to her. “People could get hurt,” she replied. “And if it’s important, I don’t usually think about anything else.” Completion was of the utmost importance to her, an aspect of the brainwashing Laura was subjected to. “I like being away from the mansion,” she said with a snicker. “Independence, freedom, and if the X-Men need me, I always leave my phone on. Were you working on something specific, Spider-Man?”

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sugardonttouchme:

Anna Marie stopped, brows furrowed. “Guess you got a point, sugar,” she said, turning towards Laura. “I mean, technically, we dropped outta the sky right smack in the middle of their home. But I still don’t like ‘em,” she admitted, taking a breath to center herself before the fight. A tip she picked up from Jean. “All right. This might hurt,” she warned seriously. She wasn’t sure what she would get from Laura – the process could be a little unpredictable, but it was plumb brave all the same for her to offer. “I’m sorry,” she said, and then she reached out and took the other girl’s hand, holding it tight. She could feel the energy pulsing into her. It was intoxicating, overwhelming for a moment. Snippets of memory and feelings – determination and fury mostly – came along with it. Rogue forced herself to focus, to think, to count. One second, two seconds, three… when she got to seven, she pulled her hand back, gasping for breath. “You all right?” she asked instantly. 

“I don’t think we have to like them,” Laura agreed. The demons were creatures she sympathized with, she couldn’t imagine their confusion, and it was obvious that the demons were sentient. Still, they unfortunately threatened her home, and Laura had no intention of letting that slight go unanswered. The kids had to be protected, as did her family. “I’ve had worse,” Laura said confidently. Nothing would ever compare to the torture she had faced at the hands of Kimura and in these circumstances, aiding Rogue was their best bet at winning without excessive bloodshed. “Don’t be sorry,” Laura replied quietly, her words slurred as Rogue grasped her hand. The pain was brief, nothing compared to what Laura had faced in the past, as she had expected. When she pulled away, Laura gasped for breath and nodded. “I’m fine,” she replied. She could feel her body healing itself, though the damage was minimal. “What power did you get?” Laura asked, knowing Rogue’s powerset was unpredictable.

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blxckcanarycry:

“I have my team, the Birds of Prey–it’s all female heroes.” She shrugs her shoulders like it isn’t much in comparison to an entire school that houses hundreds, but she’s proud of what she and Babs have worked so hard to establish. “I haven’t even told Batgirl–but–I think it could be something bigger one day. Like, a network of female heroes, supporting each other, helping newcomers get off the ground–things like that. Teaching women who aren’t superheroes how to defend themselves.” It’s one of those things that she thinks about in between the bigger picture stuff, when her mind starts to wonder while she’s changing someone’s oil or hitting the punching bag in endless cycles. It’s difficult to imagine in any kind of practical terms while they’re so far from the Earth and there are literal demons on the streets–but if she’s gonna die before they get back, she’s glad someone knows what she really cared about. “Is your team–different, than the regular X-Men? You just, don’t usually refer to yourself in terms of all of this.

“I don’t know about born to,” She chuckles and shrugs her shoulders again. “It was a choice that I made, and one that I’ve never regretted–apart from that moment. I didn’t see much point if I couldn’t keep one of the only people I cared about safe.” She wonders if Laura had a choice in taking on the Wolverine mantle, or if the nature of her genetics had determined that that would be who she was. She wonders if the rest of the children in this school are like that–with no choice but to hide who they are or take it out on the streets in the name of doing good. “But he would kick my ass if he knew I had stopped because of him, so I didn’t. I’ve trained a lot of younger heroes since then, sort of in his honor.” 

“I spent a long time training and preparing to be the Black Canary–and to a certain extent I was avoiding the confrontation I knew would come.” She smiles warmly, winks. “It was only about a week, and I didn’t know until afterwards. It never would have worked out, the dalliance with me was as wild as she got, and as you know I’m not all that prim and proper.” She grins wolfishly, raises an eyebrow. “Do you have to bring people past all the kids to get them up here?” 

“All female heroes? That sounds like a team that I can support,” Laura replied, obviously interested in hearing more. “How did you form?” As Dinah continued, explaining her hopes, Laura nodded in agreement. Female empowerment was important, and unfortunately, male heroes still outshone their female counterparts. “I think that would be amazing,” she said honestly. “I would be honoured to support that and the Birds of Prey if ever need another hero’s aid.” Dinah was more than capable of forming such a network, and by the sound of it, she would be an excellent instructor. It would be incredible to witness her develop the Birds of Prey further, and Laura had been entirely honest when she offered her help. Anything they needed she would gladly supply. “I’m a member of the X-Men and X-Force. My… skills were ones that Cyclops thought would be useful for the X-Force,” she explained. “It’s a very clandestine team.” It was not one Laura was proud to be a member of, but she had had little choice, and Scott was correct in her assessment. Laura was more than qualified.

“It’s even more incredible that it was your choice,” she said honestly. “Few people would do the same thing in your position, especially knowing the risks so intimately. You’re an incredible hero, Dinah, and I’m honoured to be your friend.” Laura had no intention of keeping her respect hidden. She had learned to value honesty and Dinah had more than earned her praise, the friendship was important to her, and one of few that she had established herself. “Do you enjoy training young heroes?” She asked curiously. Laura had never been interested in taking a teaching position, though there were some mutants that had backgrounds similar to hers that made her wonder.

“I spent a lot of my childhood training as well,” Laura replied. It was a half-truth, she had spent her entire childhood training to become X-23, an assassin, but she wasn’t prepared to admit that to Dinah yet — if she ever would be. “It’s difficult to spend your life fighting,” she added. As the topic changed, Laura laughed quietly. “She doesn’t sound like someone that could have handled you long term,” Laura agreed, vaguely amused by the prospect. A duchess was absolutely no match for Dinah, someone fun and exciting and challenging. “No, and I happen to be excellent at stealth,” she replied, raising her eyebrows. “Why do you ask?”

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wreakhcvok:

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It’s–difficult, being the younger brother of Cyclops, the hand picked successor to the great Charles Xavier, leader among mutants everywhere. He wouldn’t trade it for the world of course, and he’d never tell Scott to his face, but he can tell that people are surprised when Alex isn’t as confident in his ability as Scott is, and he can tell that people are curious as to why he hasn’t fully settled into life at the mansion yet. He spent so long trying to live up the ghost of Todd Blandings, and this place was supposed to be a respite from that, a place for him to finally figure out who Alexander Summers is. But some days–some days it feels like there’s a completely new image he’s supposed live up to, a new person he’s supposed to try and be. 

He spends a lot of time training in the danger room–it’s a place that he can be alone, where no one else can see if he accidentally takes out a whole city block in one blast. He’s getting better, he can summon the energy whenever he wants it instead of when he’s in stressful near death situations, and Hank designed him a plate to wear that should help him better control the strength of the blasts–he can see a future where he’s Havok, a hero in his own right. Today though he’s frustrated, it feels like everything is at a boiling point just below the surface of his skin–and that means he’s obliterating everything in the program, somehow proving in the irritated heat of his mind that he’ll never be as good as Scott, how he was better off doing his best to fade into someone else’s life and pretending the itch in his chest was something he could ignore. 

The city is in smoldering ruins when he half growls and half shouts to “End program!” rendering the danger room metal panels yet again. He exhales and scrubs his hands over his eyes, slumps onto the floor and leans his head against the wall. He’s breathing heavily, when footsteps betray the fact that someone either just entered mid-whatever this is, or witnessed that whole display. He cracks an eye open, and is grateful to see Laura and not someone else. “So–how much of that did you see exactly?” 

If there was anyone who could understand the struggle to fit in at Xavier’s Mansion, it was Laura. Alex Summers was a newer member of their team, and new to the mansion, and it was clear that forging his own path was difficult. Scott’s shadow was a large one to contend with, though Laura had never attempted to hide her distaste for Cyclops. Still, her own dislike did not change Alex’s circumstances, and out of sympathy, Laura decided that she would seek out the younger Summers brother. She had wisdom where fitting in was concerned and perhaps someone to listen to him vent his frustrations would help calm him. Surely the tension could not be healthy to hang on to, and it would hinder the progress he was making with controlling his mutation. From her understanding, numerous people claimed that emotions tied intimately in with their powers, though Laura’s were a little easier to control.

After being pointed towards the Danger Room by a young student who claimed to see Alex head downstairs, Laura sat at the viewing area and observed Alex’s fight. It was clumsy, clear that he was unfocused, and privately, Laura made corrections. She had trained in combat for several years and she understood people’s weaknesses and where they could improve. The Facility had ensured that X-23 would be unstoppable and as a result, she was more than capable of training students, though she chose not to. Truthfully, she did not trust herself to treat everyone kindly, and her patience was limited. As Alex’s battle suddenly took a turn for the worse, she heard his shout of, ‘End program!’ and without hesitation, Laura moved to enter the room.

Once inside, Alex was slumped on the floor, breathing heavily and she tilted her head, examining him. “I saw all of it,” Laura replied honestly, knowing there was no reason to hide the fact that she had been watching. “I thought I could possibly help you with adjusting to life here, but now I think I could help you train.” That didn’t mean Laura would, however, but her thought process had changed slightly. “What exactly were you struggling with?”

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@blxckcanarycry

Doom’s party wasn’t an event that Laura was interested in attending, largely because she didn’t trust President Doom. If he was hosting a celebration of New York City’s victories, Laura assumed that something absolutely horrific would happen. Perhaps that was pessimistic, but President Doom had not earned any of her faith, and neither had the American government. It took a certain kind of person to head such a corrupt organization and she had no doubt that President Doom had done so with cruelty and deceit. Her worries aside, however, Laura did intend to protect her friends. Many of them would be attending the party, she knew, and Dinah had personally asked Laura to be her date. It her loyalty to Dinah and the friends she had made in New York that forced Laura to dress nicely and meet Dinah outside the Empire State Building, only looking slightly irritated.

When she approached her friend, Laura looked over Dinah and nodded in appreciation. “You look nice,” she told her honestly. It was what people she had gone on dates with in the past had said, and while Laura rarely returned the sentiment, Dinah had earned the praise. “Are you excited to attend the party? I’m looking forward to the food, I hope it’ll be decent.” It was obvious that this wasn’t her usual social gathering — it was far less bloody — but for Dinah, she would try.

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cyclxpswasright:

As he got older, Scott found that teams made things needlessly complicate, sometimes. He wasn’t cut out to be a solo operation, not that he’d tried since he was seventeen. Being an X-Man, and being a leader, was the only way he knew how to do things. The world was complicated, though. Sometimes various teams were required. The way he saw it, any mutant who they had found and successfully recruited was a teammate, no matter what team they ultimately signed on with. The only exception was the Brotherhood, which was still not as cut and dry as some would like to think. Scott didn’t agree with them, would never be the type to defect to their side, but he trusted people who came from that background and he had never ending hope in one’s ability to change.

Laura, more than many of the mutants he knew, had reason to be angry or violent. And in the past she had been both. Scott wasn’t trying to push her to be something she wasn’t, even if he had urged her to join the X-Force and that may have seemed precarious. He didn’t rely on Laura or any of her teammates, for that matter, to murder. But they were…not completely opposed to the idea, which he couldn’t say for most of his friends. He went to some effort to make sure she knew that she was still invited on X-Men missions, beyond the fact of her still technically being a member. Scott nodded at her before turning his attention to the young mutant and poising a finger beside his visor. He didn’t need to move any closer to fire a blast at the tire of a car behind her that had already been destroyed beyond repair. Laura had taken off and now the younger mutant’s attention was on Scott. She seemed taken aback by the appearance of Cyclops, but she didn’t attack right away. He approached in an effort to talk to her, hoping he could keep her from using her powers until Laura subdued her completely. “Impressive abilities you have there. It’d be a shame if you destroyed the whole city before stepping foot in Xavier’s, don’t you think?” Without a word, she moved the earth beneath his feet and he nearly fell. “All right, we don’t have to talk,” he said, mostly to himself, before pressing on his visor again and aiming at the ground before her feet so she was the one to fall over.

The X-Men were a home to many people, but Laura had never found the team and Xavier’s that simple. After she had first left the Facility and confronted Logan, she had agreed to come back to Xavier’s, but her time there was short, and after being ogled at and treated like an unpredictable animal, Laura had left. (Understandably, she had not been accepted as a member of the X-Men until much later.) Alone, Laura had become something of a vigilante, primarily because fighting was all she knew intimately. The Facility had taught her languages and facts, but never how to behave on a continuous basis. She learned a lot in that time, and when she returned to Xavier’s Mansion, she found it much easier to get along with the students and teachers. From that point on, she was a member of the X-Men, having proving herself trustworthy and for the most part, stable. Truthfully, now that time had passed and Scott knew Laura decently, she could understand why he believed the X-Force was fitting for her. They weren’t explicitly ordered to kill, but the option was available to them — Laura did not slaughter unless she saw no redemption for her target — and they were less… orderly than the X-Men.

Unfortunately, that made for a very complicated relationship with Cyclops himself, not unlike her father. However, Laura was more than capable of shoving down her personal feelings in order to complete a mission, and this instance was no difference. She didn’t have to admire all of Scott’s decisions and she didn’t have to completely agree with him. What they did have to do was help the young mutant, and Laura’s training would make that much easier. Once Scott had agreed to their plan, Laura left immediately, careful to remain stealthy. The mutant was dangerous and if they realized that the X-Men intended to subdue them, at least until they could speak, the situation would quickly escalate, jeopardizing several people and all of their lives. As Scott spoke to the mutant, distracting them as Laura had suggested, she slid behind the young woman. She could hear that her heart was racing, smell that there was a cold sweat on her body, and carefully, Laura wrapped her one arm around his body, holding him in place so she could handcuff him. “We only want to speak to you,” she informed her. “I can continue adding precautionary measures or you can promise us you won’t use your abilities anymore until we come to a conclusion. Make your choice,” Laura said.

After a moment of contemplation, during which the young mutant looked between Laura and Scott, obviously recognizing them both, she nodded once. “I won’t hurt you two,” she said quietly.

Laura beckoned Scott forward with one hand and placed the other on the mutants shoulder, not completely trusting her promise. “I am Wolverine and that’s Cyclops,” she said once Scott arrived. “We’re here to help you if you’ll allow us, right, Scott?”

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canucklchead:

Logan had made a lot of mistakes throughout his life. There were some he couldn’t remember, some that sat on the very edges of his memory like hazy, half-forgotten dreams, and some he remembered in clear detail. He’d failed a lot of people, let down more than he could count, but Laura… He always felt as if he’d failed her most of all. So much of the shit she’d been through had been his fault directly. Zander Rice had hated Laura for Logan’s sins, and there was nothing he could really do to change that. He wasn’t directly responsible for the torture she’d gone through, wasn’t entirely to blame for it, but he couldn’t pretend to be totally separate from it, either. He took responsibility for that, took responsibility for her. 

It was why he hated the idea of her knowingly exposing herself to the trigger scent the facility had cruelly created to control her. If things went wrong, if Laura wound up in an animalistic state for the rest of her life, if she hurt someone, that was on Logan, too. He couldn’t deal with that, and Laura shouldn’t have to, either. But she was here, she was standing in front of him and insisting, and Logan knew her well enough to know that this was something that was happening with or without him. It was safer, he knew, if he helped her.

Still, he couldn’t shake his reservations entirely. He was stubborn enough to try to convince her to change her mind, even if he knew it was a lost cause. “You think,” he repeated, crossing his arms over his chest and clenching his jaw. “For all you know, you could be completely wrong.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. It was hard to say no when she brought up a point like that, hard to tell her he wasn’t going to help her free herself from her former captives. “If I help,” he said, “we need to do this my way. Away from the city, away from civilians, away from everyone. Just you, me, and the wasteland. That’s it.”

Logan’s opinion had always meant a great deal to Laura, but in this instance, his protests were worthless. He knew her well enough to understand that regardless of what he said or did, Laura would expose herself to the trigger scent, she would continue until her immunity began to form. The Facility had controlled her for years, they had used her as a weapon, forced her to kill mercilessly and Laura, thanks to Sarah’s efforts, ones she would always value despite their questionable success, remembered each and every one of X-23’s victims. Unfortunately, Laura would never have the opportunity to make amends for the lives she took and destroyed as a result, but she could ensure that the Facility no longer weaponized her. If they were present in New York, it was logical to assume that the Facility had several more outposts, filled with the trigger scent, and Laura could not fight against them effectively with it usable.

Logan did not have to like Laura’s decision, but he was a smart man and he surely understood why Laura was insisting upon building an immunity to the trigger scent. It was a risk, Laura knew that Logan was correct in that assessment, but the risk was well worth it if Laura managed to save even one life from her animalistic slaughter. Ultimately, that made whether Logan liked it or not irrelevant, she just hoped that he would support her.

Stubbornly, Logan continued attempting to force Laura to change her mind, though her father knew her well enough to realize it was futile. “I would rather be wrong than used to kill more innocent people for the Facility and their benefit,” she said simply. Her words were distant, making it clear that Laura was forcibly distancing herself from the Facility and her actions. Currently, to have this discussion without anger and fear, it was necessary. Once her point was made, Logan shifted his view, and Laura was silently grateful for it. She would argue with him continually about the trigger scent and building an immunity and if Logan continued refusing, Laura would do it alone, but the danger was intense. At least he could handle her if the worst happened. “I expected nothing less,” Laura replied. “We’ll have to find some place away from demons if possible in the wasteland, too.” She paused before asking, “We should retrieve the samples from the Facility tonight. I know where they’re located, but if one was used against me…” she trailed off, knowing there were countless more risks involved in retrieval that Logan could quickly figure out.

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canucklchead:

Logan wasn’t a good man. He knew it even if Laura didn’t, even if she’d smack him for saying it. He wasn’t a good man, hadn’t been made soft or understanding through the suffering he’d endured. He was more animal than human some days, and he was capable of terrible, unforgivable things that he had no issue doing. Laura, though… She was the best thing ever to come from him. He hadn’t raised her – most days he wished desperately that he could have just to save her from what the Facility had done, though he knew he wasn’t the sort of father she deserved – but she was a part of him all the same. She was the best part of him. She proved it every time she took out men like this simply because the world was safer with them gone, and she proved it by insisting on seeing the best in him even when there wasn’t much there to see. “I don’t need compliments, kid. You’re bad at them, anyways.” His voice didn’t betray much, but Laura doubtlessly knew him well enough to understand the teasing to the statement. “You know I go through, like, ten phones in a week. Haven’t found one yet that’s bulletproof.” Logan was capable of healing from just about any wound someone might inflict on him, but his cell phones rarely proved as fortunate. He could probably get someone like Stark or Richards to make him one that could, but truthfully, he tended to steer clear of men like that. The only genius he didn’t mind was Hank. The rest of them had egos bigger than their intellect, and it got annoying quick. 

Laura sounded so begrudging at the admission that Logan was right that he couldn’t help but let out a quick chuckle. “Don’t sound so pained,” he huffed, shaking his head. He walked over to join her at the tank, eyeing the fish again. “Let’s hope so. Better yet, let’s hope their allies are just a bit slow on the uptake.” That way they’d get a fight without losing their chance to take a breather, get to take out more terrible people and still transport their fish safely back home. It was the ideal scenario. “It’s a good name,” he agreed with a nod. “Used to know Ford, back in the day.” He watched as Laura secured the fish into their bags, nodding as she named hers. “That’s a good idea,” he told her. “I like it. We get anymore fish, we’ll keep with the theme.”

The family Laura had created for herself, primarily in Logan, though she was fond of several X-Men and people she had met outside Xavier’s walls, was undeniably unique. Logan was her father, but technically speaking, Laura had been cloned from his DNA. Her mother was a woman that helped to create her, and while Sarah had shown kindness, Laura’s mother hadn’t been paternal. The few risks she took had had relatively little affect on Laura, they had given her hope, taught her that there was more to the world than what the Facility wanted her to believe, but they hadn’t formed a strict moral code as she believed Sarah had hoped. Laura had eventually refused orders and truthfully, she unsure if that was because it was a child, younger than she was, or because the trigger scent hadn’t covered the entire home. Ultimately, Laura knew that it was irrelevant. The Facility would always affect her, and its brainwashing would most likely be something she fought against for years to come, but she had created something more for herself. She had Logan, she had family, and Logan would always support her journey to become more. “Some people enjoy my compliments,” Laura disagreed. Logan was just teasing and because of that, she spared him from details about how much Daisy had enjoyed her compliments. “I go through twelve, I’ve started buying the cheap flip phones. Please don’t tell the students.” Many of them were still afraid of Laura, but doubtlessly, a few would have the courage to bother her about it. Her patience had increased throughout the years, but it was far from flawless.

Logan was obviously amused that Laura did not like admitting he was right. In her defence, it happened rarely. Ignoring her father, she joined him by the tank, admiring their new pets with a faint smile. “I don’t imagine many of them are very quick thinkers,” she replied. “Even if they got news about an attack, they would most likely just bring guns and nothing more substantial.” Obviously, guns had little affect on Logan and Laura. She wasn’t fond of the idea that they be forced to risk their fish in the process, but thinking ahead, Laura left the excess water in the tanks and tucked them away safely. If any was lost during transport and they were nearby, they could easily save the fish. “Thank you,” she replied with a nod. “What was Ford like?” She was never particularly interested in pop culture, but it seemed like something Logan was proud of. “Our next fish can be named Captain Kirk and Gulliver. I’m not sure I know anymore famous adventures.” As she spoke, wheels screeched from roughly a block away and Laura sighed. “Not very smart, I rest my case.” If they had any intelligence they would have attempted stealth.

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sugardonttouchme:

“Like they ain’t aggressive enough as is,” Anna Marie huffed. She saw the scowl on  her friend’s face and followed her gaze, and sure enough, there was at least a half-dozen cronies hanging out with Butch today. She curled her hands into fists, but glanced back at the question. “Are you sure?” she asked, brows furrowing into concern. “I ain’t all that great at controlling it yet, but I’ve been practicing,” she said, pulling at the fingers of one glove. “It won’t feel great,” she added, holding up her hand and waiting for confirmation. But Laura was a spitfire, she sprung back from just about everything. And she had a point – they’d need all they could to fight off these guys. 

“They’re defending their territory,” Laura replied, though she wasn’t positive that was the demons’ motive. She didn’t understand the creatures, it was impossible, considering they originated from completely different planets. Laura’s eyes never left Butch and the demons that surrounded him as Rogue asked her question. “I’m sure,” Laura replied with a nod. Even if Rogue accidentally took it too far, Laura would heal over night, returning to her full strength. “You need to practice more and I’m the perfect candidate. I’m happy to help,” she said honestly. Her powers would also aid Rogue immensely and in turn, that helped protect the school. Lifting her hand for Rogue, she nodded once and said, “Whenever you’re ready.” Rogue’s hesitation was further proof that she would handle the powers responsibly. 

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halfinagrave:

@sniktcd

There was a lot of weird shit happening around the Institute, understandably though, given the nature of it. It was for this reason that whenever he ended up there, Wade completely wasted roughly two-three hours on doing nothing but gawk at various things, ask stupid questions, and eventually break a thing or two, only ending up back on track when shunned by some angry teacher. This was no different. Frustratingly exiting the baseball court, he was arguing about how there was nothing wrong about using his own head as a ball. In hindsight, maybe it was better he’d been spotted. Waiting for the damn thing to regenerate would’ve wasted even more hours.

Waving goodbye to some of the kids who would, from now on, probably eager await the day when they would get to witness such wonder, Wade turned heel, sharply remembering, after a few good hours of dumb shit, what he was here for. So, he headed for the more isolated part of the building, where he knew he’d usually find some dwelling X-Force teammates. Teammates! What a wonderful word. Now he felt kinda bad that he hadn’t brought some cookies and milk for everyone. 

Walking inside, he almost started shouting a bunch of names, only stopping when realizing the place could’ve been empty. “Huh,” he breathed out, wandering around until he finally found someone. Without much care for personal space (or what breaking it might result in for his health and safety), he poked his head right over Laura’s shoulder, tilting it lightly as he offered a greeting much louder than anticipated, “Hey, She-Wolv! What’s cookin’? Can we kill some bad guys now, por favor? After ten hours, fifty one minutes, and roughly thirty-seven seconds of tutorials on how to do Patrick Swayze’s picking up move in Dirty Dancing, I’m starting to think I might not be able to do it, after all. And I need to take out the wounding of my ego and the loss of that precious soul on someone.”

As a member of both the X-Men and X-Force, Laura spent the majority of her time on missions. It was no surprise to anyone, her upbringing guaranteed that violence was what Laura excelled in. However, she had created ways that ensured her penchant for violence was beneficial to the world, defending the ideals that she had worked tirelessly to learn. As a child, Laura only had the slightest idea about morality, and now that she had surrounded herself with kindhearted, heroic people, Laura had her own set of morals. They were unique from the X-Men’s and unique from the X-Force’s. She only killed those Laura was positive were irredeemable, although at times, the X-Force demanded some of their targets were deceased. In this instances, Laura broke her moral code, although with Wade and Logan, she knew that they would finish the job for her.

Currently without a mission and without any gang members or similar scum to track, Laura was reading a philosophy book on the couch in the Mansion. It was a rare sight, but she did find the subject interesting (and a little dry). Sighing, Laura glanced out the window, and when she caught Wade’s smell suddenly approaching, she returned to the book, idly wondering whether Deadpool would be bothering her today. Wade was her teammate, he was a friend, but he was always trying on her patience.

As Laura suspected, Wade was coming to visit her, and she was unsurprised when he stuck his head over her shoulder. For a moment, she debated retracting her claws, but instead, Laura pulled away and closed her book. “Laura is fine,” she informed him. “Do you have any bad guys in mind that you want to kill? I haven’t gotten a mission today, although there’s always the demons in the wasteland.” Obviously, Laura was just as restless as Wade. Idleness had never suited her. “Surely you can dance, Wade,” she disagreed. “You’re a trained killer and some of that dexterity has to translate. What is the move?”