Abby shot up from the ground and went towards her father who was as per usual looking agitated.
"What's the problem?" she asked, looking up at him. As tall as she was, her father still towered over her.

"I need to speak with 'Crawler" he stated bluntly, pointing at Kurt who was still sitting on the grass more than a little bemused.

"For what?" Abigail looked angry and her tone was defensive. "What is it this time?" she folded her arms, "Hasn't he passed enough of your tests?"

Victor Creed looked down at his daughter. She was feisty and aggressive, he was proud of her. But her relationship with Kurt bothered him. He was five years older, he didn't want his only child to be taken advantage of. He began to smile as his real intentions became clear. "No, there's a transmission coming through for him. Apparently very important, I was sent to let him know. No need to get paranoid Abby"

Kurt stood up and walked towards them, "Did they say who?" he asked concerned at the seeming urgency.

"No idea 'Crawler. I'm just the messenger. Lensherr said to get to the communications room pronto" Sabretooth replied abruptly.

"Will do" Nightcrawler replied, this mysterious communication bothering him.

"Kurt" Abby spoke up, giving him a warm loving smile. "Thank you for today, it was fun....as always"

He wanted to kiss her goodbye, but with her father lurking he thought better of it. "It was my pleasure. I shall see you soon" he smiled and with a BAMF of brimstone he teleported to inside the mansion.

Abby turned to her father, "Do you really have to do that to him?"

"No" Victor replied, then smiled slyly. "But I enjoy making him squirm"

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"Whatever," Kira remarked to herself as she watch Pyro leave the room. She got up from her chair and waited for him to be far enough way so that he would not begin to think the preposterous idea that she would be following him.

Picking the two lighters out of her pocket, Kira immediately placed one back into her pocket and spun the other one in circles in the air as she walked outside of the mansion to see if anyone was around to chill with.

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Abigails face changed and had a hint of sadness about it, "Why can't you accept him dad?" she looked up at him with sorrowful eyes.

"Abigail" he sighed and put his arms on her shoulders, "We've been through this a million times. The age thing worries me"

"Dad, I'm 19. I'm not a child anymore" she protested, much like she always did when this conversation took place.

"Abby, we're not discussing this anymore" Victor put his hands up.

Abigails temper began to boil. Her patience with her father's stubborness had finally worn thin. "I'm old enough to fight, to be an X-Man. But not old enough to fall in love. Not old enough to make my own choices"

Sabretooth began to speak, defend his position. But he was cut off by the young mutant Blink.

"Mister Creed sir" she said in her quiet voice, "I was asked to come get you...sorry" she bowed her head with the apology.

"Abby, I gotta go kid. We'll talk when I get back, k?" he said, guilt in his eyes.

"Fine. Go." she said curtly, turning away from them a single tear trickling down her cheek.

In a flash of pink, her father and her adopted sister were gone. Abby sat on the grass and lay her head on her knees.

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(Where is Abby?)

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((What's left of the gardens at the back of the Mansion))

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Charlie watched the mansion through the Earth silently. "We should go back..." he murmured.


Silence withheld. But only for a moment as his siblings watched him curiously.

"Well..." Elendili started, "We haven't talked to other mutants in a while..." "That's true..." Minna agreed. Erchrion nodded in agreement.

Frowning, Minna held her hands to her lips and gave a bugle call, hoping that the mutants down by the mansion would interpret her call as a good omen.

"Something wrong?" Kira asked Abby, whose face was planted on her knees. Kira had walked around the proximity of the house, and she was now relieved to find someone who would be able to verbalize part of a conversation.

Not waiting for an answer, Kira walked up to about 5 feet in front of Abby and plopped down on the ground, anxiously awaiting Abby's answer.

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Charles jumped from the rooftop, flying over an alleyway and landing on the roof. He enjoyed this, the freedom of moving through the air, unhindered by anything in life. A freedom that his vampire of a half brother would never enjoy. Sometimes he resented him, being raised in a family without being different. At least, he didn't think that John was different. Then he showed his little vampire powers, the whole blood magic. He wouldn't be surprised if John could resurrect the dead. He sniffed the air softly, smelling the cannabis that his half brother insisted on smoking. But there was another scent. Something that was going towards John. Growling softly, he quickly sped to that direction.

John could still feel the rapid heartbeat of Charles but felt something approach as well. Bewildered, he increased his speed but not fast enough to dodge the mass of something that collided with him, sending him flying off his bike. He rolled several times and laid there helpless, vulnerable to his attacker that he could feel approaching for the kill. A loud snarl ripped through the air and all things fell apart.

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I was cured all right.

Something wrong? came the familiar voice of Kira. Abby slowly lifted her head and hurriedly washed away any remainders of tears.
"I'm just frustrated" Abby sighed, avoiding looking at her. "My dad" she trailed off trying to find the right words to say. "He just drives me crazy with his over protectiveness" she lay back on the grass and looked up at the sky. It looked and felt dirty and sullied to her. Not like it used to be, before En Sabah Nur made his rise to power.

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A split second after he teleported away from the gardens, he arrived inside the mansion. He made bamf after successive bamf till he arrived in the Communications room. There to greet him was Pietro Maximoff, son of Magneto.
"Father had to go tend to the child. He asked me to be here when you arrived"

"Danke Quicksilver" Kurt replied politely. "Victor would not tell me who the transmission was from. Do you have any idea?"

"No" Quicksilver replied, "Father didn't tell me who it was. I'll leave you be. I'll be outside if you need anything" he finished and stepped outside.

Kurt turned to the large console on the far wall and pressed the recieving button. His face darkened as he saw a very familiar face.

"Hello son" the womans voice soothed, "Long time no see"

"Not nearly long enough mother" Kurt snapped back. "What is it you want?" he asked with a sneer.

"I need your help son. I need you to help me find Irene" she said, her voice unusually sincere and tinged with desperation. "I'd not ask...but you're the only one I can trust."

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"We can always plan a siege and attack, if you want," Kira suggested, "I am sure he isn't immune to fire."

Kira gave a quick smile over to Abby, and then realized what he just suggested. Shaking her thought out of her head with a literal shake of her head, Kira apologized, "Darn that boy. Sorry."

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"He'd heal from it" she laughed at the suggestion, "but it'd still hurt"
She sat upright again, crossing her legs. "Since Clarice arrived, I've been pushed out bit by bit. I'm his family, his blood and I'm nothing but an afterthought now" Abby vented then shook her head "Just ignore me. I'm just tired and moody" she tried to smile. As much as it felt like whining, it was true. Her father only ever paid attention to her to get on her case about Nightcrawler. He was spending more and more time with Blink, wether it was missions or just looking out for her.

"So" she said, breaking out of her daze. "How's things with you?"

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"It's cool. I am used to moody," Kira assured Abby and thought about Abby's question for a moment. "How are things going with me?" She repeated Abby's question before answered, "Currently, they are just dandy, but, give it a few hours before situations erupt again." Kira looked at Abby with a grin from ear to ear and flipped one of Pyro's lighters up in the air, to see if Abby had caught her drift.

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Charles snarled and growled, his feral nature taking over him. He slashed at the attacker, noting the nature of him. The talons and the claws...Owl. That's charming, he thought savagely. But that would mean... A missile soared towards him, almost hitting him had Charles dodged it at the last minute. The missile hit the building behind him, causing it to collapse. Another figure swooped at him, grabbing hold of him and dropping him from a height. He felt the bones in his leg crack and then mend.

John couldn't do anything with the flying figure as it passed except pump his heart faster, forcing it to beat harder. The blood fueled his body and he was able to get up, watching as Charles' bones mend from the fall.

"I'll get Red," he claimed. "You go after Owl."

Charles growled as he pounced on the traitorous human while John began to pinch an artery in Red.

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I was cured all right.

When no call bounced back, Minna sighed and silently drifted down into the garden, hoping to disturb Kira, Abby or the other mutants. Erchirion and Charlie followed her instantly.

Elendili seemed hesitant, but followed them down, careful to stay within reach of her sister's ability to hide them using the air. Once hidden in the remains of the Garden, she hissed to Minna, "Is this a good Idea? They'll see us." The Air Manipulator frowned at her sister, "Keep Quiet. I'm trying to hear their conversation."

Abby laughed and shook her head as she spied the lighters that belonged to Pyro. "What are you doing to that boy now?" Abby began to relax again, it was nice to just sit back and not worry about missions or Apocalypse's forces or her stressful relationship with her father. Her mind wandered to Kurt briefly. She wondered where he was and who needed to talk to him so urgently.

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Kurt stared in disbelief at his mothers words.
"After all this time, you come crawling to me for help. You're usually so self-sufficient." he sniped at her, his distaste for her obvious. "Not to mention the rumours of charging people money to cross to Europe and the safety of the Human High Council."

"Kurt" she interupted her son, "This is not the time for petty greivances. Irene is in danger, we need to get her to Avalon before she's found and taken to Apocalypse's palace. You know as well as I do, what will happen to her if he does get his hands on her" her voice was now grim and determined.

"Petty?" he replied in disbelief, but he knew she was right about keeping Destiny safe from Apocalypse. "Alright, I'll help you. Give me all the details."

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"I am just returning the favor," Kira joked. "Today," she began to spill gossip, "he decided to set a timer for the amount of time he would help me. He should be happy that I just don't smash his watch to pieces right in front of him." Kira remained silent for a moment with a smile peeking across her face from the many fantasies of Pyro's broken watch appearing in her head. "How about you? Isn't this your time with Night or something? I know I haven't been too into others' relationships, but I will say that I know a handful."

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