Welcome to XG: Decimation!

[Mercury]

[Continued from thread with Forge, to link later, after some off-panel relaxing.]

Cessily was surprisingly restless. It was unusual, as she'd found herself rather content to just sit and do one thing for hours on end for the past year. So she wasn't sure what was causing her to lose that. Maybe just a taste of freedom, not being confined to a 12x12 foot room twenty-four hours a day, had been enough to make her mind and body rebel at the idea of hiding away for more than an hour or two at a time (for more than sleep, of course).

She'd gone back upstairs read for a bit after dancing. Meeting Mr. Forge had been... interesting, to say the least. She'd quite liked the older man, even if he'd seemed a little bit odd. Kind, though. Very kind. Which, she was starting to believe, might be a common trait among the people who lived there.

Except for Jubilee. Cess was most definitely not a fan of the pushy, opinionated, tactless girl.

Her book had only been able to keep her attention for a short time, though, much to her annoyance. So, Cessily had changed clothes - and for the first time since arriving at the mansion, she'd opted to forgo her standard uniform of yoga pants, hoodie, and running shoes. Instead, she pulled out a pair of jeans, a tank top, and a long-sleeved t-shirt, and a pair of pseudo-sneakers. It had been a long time since she'd actually put on clothes with any consideration to style, as opposed to comfort and their ability to conceal as much of her skin as possible. Her clothes were still conservative, still covered her up, but... well, it was a first step.

Cessily now left her room and headed down the corridor that would lead out of the girls' wing. Somehow she suspected that Kevin hadn't gone on the mall trip, either, even if Megan had changed her mind. She was going to go down to the welding shop to see if her friend might be there - and if he might be in the mood for some company.

[Sabretooth]

[In from Cat and Mouse]

The black-haired bitch hadn’t told him anything, fucking frail. Just because he’d roughed her up a little she’d gone and broken on him. If there was one thing he hated, it was when his playthings broke. Fucking frail.

That left him without a fucking clue as to where Red was, and that wasn’t making him happy. This needed to be a straight in and out, fucking in and out, and here it was getting all jacked up because of one stupid fucking frail. Maybe he’d have had better luck trying to grab the littlest X-Man from her mall trip or trying to find wherever the Elf had gone. Too damn late for that now though. He’d committed to getting Red, and he’d made plans for fucks sake.

He couldn’t track her scent, not properly, not where it crossed over and mingled with so many others. Sure, he could pick her out, but there wasn’t any indicator as to which trail was the freshest. That meant a fucking methodical search, top to bottom of the house that Xavier built, and a waste of fucking time.

Fuck.

He stalked up the stairs, not hearing or seeing anybody else, glad that Mystique had done her fucking job for once. As he went he scented the air to see if he could pick anything up, like that elusive fucking redhead. There were plenty of familiar smells, and some very unfamiliar ones that he couldn’t help but grin at. New students. Perfect. Maybe not all of them had gone with the Runt’s pet and he could get his claws into them like he had with her. Maybe they even knew where Red was.

He followed those particular scents upwards to the top floor. It’d been his destination anyway and he chuckled at his good fortune. Most of the scents were starting to fade off slightly in that ‘just gone out’ kinda way but there was at least one that was still strong. That meant he got to have some fun.

Hearing movement, he silently slipped into one of the empty rooms, closing the door just enough that it looked like nothing was wrong. Patience would net him a big reward. Fear. It was so damn sweet. It didn’t take long for the student to come down the corridor and he waited until she’d just passed him to jump out and growl.

“Boo!”

[OOC: Enough? Edits and extra content can be had on request.]

[Mercury]

Cessily may have been getting more comfortable walking around the mansion, but she was still a little nervous of running into people - and having them react badly to her appearance. Because it was bound to happen. Just because it hadn't yet, didn't mean it wouldn't.

But knowing most of the mansion's inhabitants were out, her guard was down more than usual. So she was caught completely unaware when Megan's door suddenly flew open behind her. And it was most definitely not the fairy girl who jumped out at her.

“Boo!”

A small scream of surprise escaped Cessily as she spun around. Standing there was a man she'd never seen before. He was big, blond, and... well, scary looking. But she'd learned that things - and people - weren't always what they seemed around Xavier's. He could simply be one of the inhabitants she hadn't met yet... though why he'd been in Megan's room, she had no idea.

Still, there was something menacing about the man, something that made her want to run. Fast.

Instead, she just stood there, looking up at him with wide eyes, completely unsure what she should do.

[If that's not enoguh, let me know!]

[Sabretooth]

She screamed. The pretty little metal girl screamed and he couldn’t help but laugh. Such a sweet sound, especially when paired with the almost burnt metal fear smell she was giving off. He took an obvious deep breath, scenting her, and smiled, all fangs.

Fucking kid didn’t even have the sense of self-preservation to run. Instead she just stood there, mouth flapping a little like she was trying to scream again. Her eyes were practically saucers, staring at him dumbstruck, and he stared right back. She was pretty, even if she was just a kid, all shiny and redheaded.

He wondered what she’d look like melted down and bottled.

“What, ain’tcha gonna run?” He growled at her, and then took a menacing step forwards, flexing his claws in and out. “Somethin’ tells me you ain’t been given the low down on some of the threats yer in line for with yer new friends.” Trust the fucking X-geeks to not let their newest foot soldiers know what was coming. Couldn’t have them wetting themselves and deserting before they got to the brainwashing after all.

“I’m Victor fuckin’ Creed,” he roared, “an’ I’m gonna have so much fun makin’ you scream again.”

[Mercury]

“What, ain’tcha gonna run?”

Right, okay, so apparently her instinct was right. This man... he was scary. He took a couple of steps towards her, and Cessily took very quick steps backwards to keep what she thought was a safe distance between them. But then she spotted the claws, and her legs started to liquefy with fear.

No!

She forced her body to stay solid, and started moving backwards more quickly. This... this was bad. This was worse than bad, and she couldn't afford to fall apart, literally or figuratively.

“Somethin’ tells me you ain’t been given the low down on some of the threats yer in line for with yer new friends.”

Cessily's eyes darted back and forth, looking for a way out. There were rooms lining both sides of the hallway, but she had no clue if any of them were unlocked or not. In theory, she thought she should be able to slip under the crack between door and floor, but she didn't know. And now was not the time for experimentation.

“I’m Victor fuckin’ Creed,” he roared, “an’ I’m gonna have so much fun makin’ you scream again.”

And he made good on that promise far sooner than she was sure he'd planned. Terrified, Cessily screamed, turned, and ran down the hall. She had no clue where she was going, but she had to get away.

[Sabretooth]

She finally started moving, shuffling backwards like her legs were made of jelly and he grinned again. Poor little student really didn’t have a chance, not against him. It was clear she was looking for a way out as he spoke, and he hadn’t even gotten to the scary part. That came next.

“I’m Victor fuckin’ Creed,” he roared, “an’ I’m gonna have so much fun makin’ you scream again.”

She screamed again, and he tipped his head back and howled with laughter, even as she ran. It was just too fucking funny. Poor little wannabe X-baby, scared of the big mean kitty cat. She’d never survive in the real world. People like him’d make sure of that. Maybe when she was a little older he could… Yeah, when she was older. Fucking kid.

He figured he’d given her a good head start by the time he’d finished laughing, and set out after her. Blind panic wasn’t good when you wanted to get away, and it didn’t take him long to make it down the corridor after her. Stupid bitch should’ve had some teaching by now, at least from the Runt. Oh, but he’d been too distracted by his upcoming birthday surprise to worry about anybody else. Shame.

One powerful jump was all it took, and he had her pressed up against the wall, weight forcing her to hit it hard.

“Now why’d ya try an’ do that, huh girlie? Don’tcha know it ain’t nice ta turn yer back on someone like me. I’m likely ta get more than a little offended, and you don’t want that, now do ya?” He leant in and took a deep breath, cementing her scent in his mind. He didn’t have a name to go with it yet, but he would. That was if she didn’t piss herself in terror and pass out on him.

Go at least a little gentle with this one, ya don’t want ta break her like ya did the black-haired bitch. That’d spoil all yer fun.

Pulling back, he spun her around, and then used his arms to cage her in, looming above her. Sure, she could get away if she thought about it, but she should be terrified pretty much out of her mind by now. No way was she gonna have the fucking brain power to figure out that all she had to do was duck.

“So, girlie, got a name fer me ta write on yer corpse?”

[Mercury]

It was probably her imagination, but Cessily was sure she could feel (what was his name? Creed?) that she could feel Creed gaining on her, and another scream bubbled up within her. But she just kept running, hoping that she could reach the stairs before -

Any thought of escape was summarily erased when she felt his immense weight crashing into her, slamming her against the wall, forcing a cross between a scream and a cry from her. She was expecting pain, but instead the impact seemed to flow through her and away.

It did, however, knock the wind out of her. Crushed against the wall from cheek to knees, Cessily couldn't help it as tears streamed down her cheeks. She was terrified.

“Now why’d ya try an’ do that, huh girlie? Don’tcha know it ain’t nice ta turn yer back on someone like me. I’m likely ta get more than a little offended, and you don’t want that, now do ya?”

She couldn't remember ever being so scared in her life, and thought her heart was going to burst through her chest as he leaned in and... sniffed her? That single act of his made her feel violated in a bizarre but intense way, and she couldn't help but shudder slightly.

And then a thought occurred to her... Where was everybody? Why hadn't anyone heard her scream and come to help her? They couldn't all still be out, could they? Oh god. She was going to die up there, alone, and nobody would know how it had happened.

The weight pressing her against the wall eased slightly, and she thought about trying to run again, but he was too quick for her. Creed spun her around so that she was face to chest with him. The tears were still coming, and she couldn't look up at him, couldn't bring herself to look at his face.

“So, girlie, got a name fer me ta write on yer corpse?”

She wasn't going to answer him. She wasn't going to give him her name. She probably couldn't have even if she'd wanted to, though. The lump in her throat was so big she was sure that it was cutting off her voice.

All she could think was he was going to kill her. He'd just said as much.
She had to get away. She had to try to run.

Realizing suddenly that the only thing holding her in place was his words and his arms on either side of her head, Cessily made a desperate, last-ditch attempt to get away - she suddenly ducked under his arm and tried to run.

[Sabretooth]

Her heart was pounding and the fear was so fucking sweet. Maybe not quite up to Runt junior, but then he got a special kick from messing with her. Still, it was testament to just how good he was at the whole ‘terrify the shit out of little girls’ thing. She wasn’t even moving. Just frozen in place, shivering lightly, and he could smell the faint salty tang of tears.

When he spun her she didn’t look at him, didn’t speak, didn’t do a damn thing. He wondered vaguely if he’d gotten a mute one, or a stupid one. That wouldn’t be any fun. He’d have to work especially hard to get anything out of her if that was the case. Even the mute ones could be forced to communicate. Just took the right sort of ‘persuasion’, that was all.

“So, girlie, got a name fer me ta write on yer corpse?”

He was tempted to force her to look at him. And maybe to lick the tears off of her face. That would come later though. She was still fucking silent and he felt the anger start to boil. Didn’t the frail realize she was dicing with death by not answering him? Fucking stupid little X-wannabe didn’t have a shred of self-preservation instinct, that was becoming more and more clear.

Maybe she wasn’t even worth his time, and time was a-wasting.

Then she finally moved, and he practically howled with gleeful laugher as she ducked under his arm. Maybe she was worth it after all. He let her go for a second, giving her the last little bit of hope that she might have for a while, and then went after her. This time it took him no more than a couple of steps to catch up, and he shoved her back into the wall, this time keeping one hand on her chest.

“Now, now, girlie. Anybody might get the feelin’ ya don’t like me. An’ ya really don’t want me thinkin’ that.” With his free hand he went to slap her. It’d be a light blow, just a gentle little love-tap to remind her that he wasn’t to be messed with. Instead, she threw her arms up and something happened to them. It blocked his blow and he growled in impatience, shaking his hand as it healed.

“Yer startin’ ta piss me off, girlie an’ ya really ain’t gonna like what happens when I’m in a bad fuckin’ mood.” Little bitch. Fucking little bitch. X-freak cannon fodder wannabe. Well then, he’d show her what it was to be a good little soldier, and what the consequences were. Growing he unsheathed his claws again, and sunk them into the paneling by the side of her head, carving a long, deep line into the wood.

“Gimme yer fuckin’ name an’ I might just reconsider carvin’ yer face off an’ hangin’ it as a trophy off my belt.”

[Mercury]

With every step she took, Cessily could taste freedom. Maybe she'd make it. Maybe... But then he was on her again, a cry of fear escaping her as he once again slammed her against the wall.

Creed's massive hand pressed against her chest, holding her in place against the wall. The pressure alone was intimidating, enough to hold her still. She was still trembling, still crying, so scared she could barely think straight.

“Now, now, girlie. Anybody might get the feelin’ ya don’t like me. An’ ya really don’t want me thinkin’ that.”

One of his huge, tree-trunk sized arms pulled back, and then it was coming towards her. Clenching her eyes shut, Cess threw up her arms to do her best to block the blow she knew was coming. When it landed on her arms it... clanged dully, with a complete lack of pain. She opened her eyes in surprise. Beneath her sleeves, her arms had morphed into to solid bars. She could see the change in shape and circumference. She could feel it. And she knew she hadn't done it on purpose.

Before she could ponder that any further, though, Creed was back to snarling at her. “Yer startin’ ta piss me off, girlie an’ ya really ain’t gonna like what happens when I’m in a bad fuckin’ mood.”

Cessily's arms fell back to her sides, and she felt them shift back to normal. Trying to shrink back against the wall as he growled at her, she made the mistake of looking up and meeting his eyes.

They were piercing. Crazed. Predatory. Wild.

Oh God. He was going to kill her.

His claws flashed again, and she flinched, a small whimper sneaking out as he sunk said claws into the wall beside her head. The tears wouldn't stop. She could hear the ways his claws ripped through the wood... could only imagine what sound they'd make ripping through her.

“Gimme yer fuckin’ name an’ I might just reconsider carvin’ yer face off an’ hangin’ it as a trophy off my belt.”

Silver eyes closed again and her body shuddered with a sob she was trying her damndest to swallow. "Cessily," she whispered, barely audibly. She choked on a another sob. "My... my name's Cessily." She was having an increasingly difficult time keeping her body solid in her terror. "Please... please don't..."

Please don't what was the question. Hurt her. Kill her? Torture her? Shred her like she was nothing? Any of those would do. But she couldn't finish the request.

[Sabretooth]

The kid met his eyes and he grinned wickedly. He could guess what she saw. All the insanity and the wild hunger and the bloodlust that he lived with every day. No wonder she was practically pissing herself there and then. If he wasn’t him, he’d be scared of himself too.

She closed her eyes as he threatened to take her face as a trophy, and he wondered if he’d scared her too much. That happened sometimes. They ended up retreating into their own minds, and then he was all out of fun. It took time to bring someone back from that. Time and an exquisitely slow hand, something he rarely had the patience for. Too much like fucking hard work. He preferred to kill them when they slipped away like that.

"Cessily, My... my name's Cessily."

It was barely whispered, barely choked out around sobs, but it was enough for him to hear. Cessily. He mentally attached the name to the set of scents he was getting. Now that he had her, he’d never let her go. Just like the Runt. Just like the Runt’s pets, or the Cajun, or Red. He never forgot a scent. He was Victor fucking Creed, and fuck the Runt. He was the best at what he did.

“Cessily,” he practically purred, rage abating briefly. “Good girly.” It was said with a pat on the head with his free hand, an almost gentle gesture compared to the violence he’d shown her before.

"Please... please don't..."

He cocked his head and looked at her. So fucking scared, so fucking frail. He really could break her with one hand. Not that he would. Just a fucking kid, no matter how different she looked, and he wouldn’t break his own damn rule. Anybody else’s were fair game, but he had a fucking code and he’d stick to it.

“Don’tcha worry girlie, I ain’t gonna kill ya. ‘specially if ya give me what I want.” He leered at her slightly, although anyone with the slightest bit of experience would be able to tell he was faking it. Fucking jailbait just didn’t interest him, not one bit. He liked his frails old enough to know better. Still, he was betting that she didn’t know better.

Leaning in close, he looked down at her. “Tell me where Jean Grey is, an’ I’ll let ya go. If ya don’t…” he leant in even closer, pressing her back into the wall, and licked the tears off of her cheek, adding her taste to his mental dossier. Salty and metallic. Not entirely pleasant, but unique, that was for sure.

“If ya don’t, I’ll make what I’ve threatened so far seem like a fuckin’ summer picnic compared ta what I’ll do to ya.”

[Mercury]

“Cessily,” he practically purred, and the tone made Cessily shudder. It was almost more terrifying that his anger. “Good girly.”

"Please... please don't..."

“Don’tcha worry girlie, I ain’t gonna kill ya. ‘specially if ya give me what I want.” She forced her eyes open again, and immediately wished she hadn't. The look on his face had taken on a completely different kind of terrifying edge.

Crushing her against the wall, he leaned in closer, and her heart rate increased even more - which she wouldn't have even thought was possible. “Tell me where Jean Grey is, an’ I’ll let ya go. If ya don’t…”

Cessily thought she was going to be sick as Creed licked her face. His hot, horrible breath seemed to burn as his tongue stroked her cheek. She whimpered in a combination of revulsion and terror, another sob torn from her.

“If ya don’t, I’ll make what I’ve threatened so far seem like a fuckin’ summer picnic compared ta what I’ll do to ya.”

"I... I... I..." she tried to speak, but she was so afraid the words wouldn't come. She closed her eyes again, and took as deep a breath as she could, between Creed's hand crushig her chest, and her almost paralyzing fear. "I don't know. I swear, I don't know."

And somehow, she figured it was the worst possible answer she could give. Even though it was the only one she had, and it was the truth.

[Sabretooth]

She whimpered and sobbed and it was far too satisfying. He was in danger of losing control of the bloodlust that was bubbling up inside of him, and ripping her to pieces. The blood would be sweet, and the screams and the thick, cloying stench of fear on his tongue… He could paint the walls with her blood, leave a little present for them all, scar them so hard they never went to sleep without a fucking weapon just in case he crept up on them during the night. It would be so sweet. So fucking sweet.

She’s just a fucking kid. Simmer down. Simmer the fuck down.

"I don't know. I swear, I don't know."

He’d asked her a question. What was it? He’d been so lost in the thoughts of blood and pain and those delicious little noises that he could hardly remember. Oh yeah… Red. He was after Red, and he needed to know where she was.

Fuck but he needed to kill something soon.

Focus on the Runt. You’ll have him gunnin’ fer ya soon enough, an’ there’ll be more than enough fun an’ games there ta sate the bloodlust an’ hard on fer violence yer sportin’.

He looked at her, eyes closed, whimpering and crying and scared out of her fucking mind and took a deep breath. Even though the fear stench was almost overwhelming there weren’t any of the markers that said she was lying to him. Kid probably couldn’t even think straight enough to lie to him. Not with the fucking state she was in.

Fuck.

He needed to find Red soon if he was going to have any chance of getting away with her before the Runt came back.

He growled and then looked at her again, the red wavering at the edge of his vision. It’d be so easy just to…

Fuck.

If he didn’t let her go he was gonna kill her. That much was becoming achingly clear. Control was slipping, and the way she was acting wasn’t helping. Fucking kid needed to learn to control herself around someone like him. She was gonna get hurt otherwise.

With another growl he hauled her off of her feet, bunching his hand into her top and just lifting. “Ya ain’t no use ta me then, girlie. Nice knowin’ ya.” He brought his other hand up, claws extended, and brought it down towards her as if he was going to cut her throat there and then.

With a feral grin he stopped just before he connected with her head and ruffled her hair. Then he dropped her and walked away, ignoring her. She wasn’t a threat. He’d smelt more of Red on the floors below them. Maybe he’d find her there.

[Creed out to Casual Chaos]

[Mercury]

Her captor growled, and Cessily clenched her eyes even tighter, not wanting to know what might be coming. But then his grip on her shirt tightened with another growl, and she felt herself being lifted. Cessily's eyes snapped open, wide with fear again and she screamed as he held her up against the wall, her shoes dangling several feet off the floor.

“Ya ain’t no use ta me then, girlie. Nice knowin’ ya.”

She saw his clawed hand raise high, and Cess closed her eyes again, tight. She knew what was coming, and she didn't want to see it. She didn't even scream, just... waited, silent, tears pouring down her cheeks.

She wondered if her parents would even care that she died... would they acknowledge her then? Would they reclaim their daughter? What would they tell people? That their little girl was ravaged by a horrible disease, the same disease that had kept her home-bound for so long, and that was what had taken her from them?

Would they cry? Or would they turn their back on her in death as they had in life?

The death blow never came, though. Instead, a massive paw of a hand landed on her head, surprisingly gentle, and... ruffled her hair? Silver eyes opened in confusion, and she squeaked as she was suddenly falling into a heap on the floor. Her head hit the wall hard on the way down, but again, the blow seemed to dissipate and flow out of her rather than register pain.

Creed... he was... leaving? Just walking away.

What... what had just happened?

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Cessily scrambled to her feet and ran, sobbing and terrified, legs barely even able to support her, down the hall to her room. She didn't even look back over her shoulder to see if Creed was coming after her. She just had to get to her room. It was her only sanctuary there.

Throwing open the door, Cess ran inside and slammed the door, engaging the lock. Not that the lock would keep him out if he wanted to get in, but it made her feel moderately better, anyway. Eyes on the door, she backed away from it until she reached the end of her bed. Then she pressed her back against the wall and sank down on the other side of the footboard and curled up in a little shaking, crying ball. And not once did she take her eyes off the door.

She'd be ready if he came back.