The discussion between the three women started with a rundown of their past, at least the part they were willing to share, and then it went into their experience in their different organizations and then finally their opinions on what should and could change.
"So Draul killed Magneto? And Sebastian Shaw? Why hasn't he killed Charles yet? What? I'm just saying. Considering he's killed the most notable people in our organization, I just figured it would be fair if he put the axe to Charles' neck." Mystique shrugged off the unimpressed stare that Ororo was giving her.
"What's your problem with Charles anyway?" Emma, off to the side, asked.
"He lied." Was the words that came out of Mystique's mouth the very next moment.
"What do you mean?" Ororo asked.
"When we first met, it was me, Charles and Eric. Just the three of us. We all had the same vision: we wanted to free the metahuman kind. Charles could read minds, Eric had seen humanity at its worst, and so had I. We've seen the brutalities that fell on our kind so we made an agreement with each other. Until our dying breath, we will continue working for our future." She trailed off, seemingly gazing at nowhere, reminiscing about the past. "That was what we did. We looked for like minded people who could help us, people who shared the same vision as us… we were a team. But then Charles betrayed us. We were hunted down, they wanted to kill us, captured some of our friends and killed others. We wanted to fight back but Charles didn't agree, he said there was another way than senseless violence. HOW COULD AVENGING OUR FRIENDS BE SENSELESS? He started making connections with the government while Eric wanted a more direct approach. I followed him, and so did a few others. We struck them as much as they did us, but I think that along the way, even Eric began changing."
She turned herself a drink and twirled the glass for a while before sipping it. "He became fixated too much on it that unknowingly what he wanted wasn't freedom but hegemony. He propagated a 'might was right' mentality within the Brotherhood that it became a place where people fought for status, it was stifling. I tried to talk him out of fighting Draul but he wouldn't listen, that was when I knew he was far too gone in his thinking. Now, I'm just lost. None of my friends seem to want change and those who do become warped so much in it that they come out as changed men. I guess this is supposed to be the part where I say I'm tired, right? But I can't do that, can I? I still haven't tried my own way… How can I when I don't even know what that is?" She sighed and emptied the glass only for her to pour herself another one.
"That's the reason why I wouldn't work with Charles. When it mattered, all he did was fold in his shell while waiting for the tide to pass. Charles doesn't care as much as you think he does. At least when it comes to what really matters."
The other two women remained silent as Mystique poured out the bitter part of heart that she had kept locked for decades
"I'm sure you don't agree because dear old Xavier saved you and a whole lot of others right?" A bitter chuckle left Mystique's mouth as she turned to the only white head in the room.
"While I would agree with you that Professor Charles did in fact save a lot of people, me included, I will also agree that his method of doing things is not what metahumans as a whole want. Charles can't be made into the face of our kind because if it does happen then I'm afraid nothing will change. The reason why we are here is because nothing has changed. The three of use gathered here are strong metas in our rights and also belong to powerful metahuman-led organizations. We were all diverse in our dealings, each with our own experience and point of view, each of our moral compass are towards the extreme polar ends, with the three of us working together, I believe we will achieve more than we ever did on our lonesome. We will make the most terrifying team."
…
At his house, Draul sneezed and looked around his lab, confused.
"Is someone talking shit about me? Must be Fury." He ignored the reaction he had and focused on his work.
…
"What do you say?" Ororo finished her piece.
"I'm interested, but you'll have to work to keep me invested." Emma Frost said with a smile. The two ladies turned to the last of them in the room.
"It's worth a try than me figuring it out on my own. Let's see where this takes us girls."
"That's three votes. Now let's get down to business, shall we? What do you think is the fist step we need to start with, Ororo?" Emma Frost directed at her.
"I don't think any big moves are what we need right now, not even sure if we can pull one big enough to make the waves we want. What we need right now are people and influence. We don't need to be many, what we need are few people who fit the criteria; either personal strength, political prowess, or their influence on general people." Ororo then proceeded to tell them what she thought about their present predicament and what she thought would remedy it.
"I get all that, but I want to know is this: Is Draul a part of this? Most people might not know because the someone else parades as its owner, but Draul is currently one of the most influential people of the planet with his chain of social media platforms, and not to mention how strong he is. He also has some pull with the government from what I was able to dig out after he wiped out the New York Hellfire Club branch. He is someone who fits all the listed criteria, so I really have to know." At Emma's words, Ororo's face birthed a strained smile.
"About that…"
"Is there something we are missing?" The White Queen was curious.
"It's just that…"
"It's just that he doesn't want to help, isn't it?" Mystique finished for her. "I saw it in his eyes. He couldn't care less, not that I blame him for it, considering what he had to go through for being a meta."
"It's not that… well it is true that he said he doesn't care about what happened to others, but he said he was also open to lend a hand if, and I quote, 'start helping ourselves'." She clarified.
"Huh, and here I thought he hated Charles gut too much to promise him anything." Mystique sounded a little disappointed.
"Well I wouldn't say the both of them are fond of the other, but I wouldn't also say they can stand the other's presence. Mostly Draul."
"Ororo, how sure are you that he would be willing to help if we needed it?" Emma was quite serious as she asked that question, making plans in her head.
"Quite. If he didn't want to help at all, then that was what he would have said, so I'm sure we can factor in his help. Though in what form remains to be seen." She knew that despite the semi-formal atmosphere, the weight of what they were saying was enough to shake the powers that be in today's world so they had to be precise in what they wanted to do.
"I see. I don't think Draul would be interested in speaking to either I or Raven here, so I will leave you to form a connection between us. I once tried to get in touch with him recently under the guise of buying stocks from his company and seeking possible collaboration but I couldn't even get his cell phone number." Emma sighed at her misfortune. "That aside, I have some contacts in the Club's branch in London and Hong Kong that I can reach out to for support. It doesn't help that most businessmen and women aren't the passionate kind."
"Are you?" Mystique asked which caused Emma to smile warmly.
"I am, when there are profits to be had. And this investment right here, will the first of its kind in centuries to come. I wouldn't be who I was if I don't bag this sweet deal, now would I?"
"I don't know if I should be worried about you thinking of something like this as another deal or I should be impressed at your ability to handle something like this as another deal." Mystique sounded impressed.
"Trust me, it's just another deal to me. And one I'm keen on cashing out my profits on." Emma beamed a smile.
"And what profits would that be?" Ororo asked the blonde.
"Being known as one of the most notable women on earth is just the tip. Having my name etched in history is a nicely added bonus. But it still can't compete with the allure of being the richest person in the world as well as being one of the most influential person on the planet. The profits just keeps rolling in."
The other two looked at her wondering if it was a right choice to include her but also glad that at least she was well motivated.
"So ladies, let's begin." As if her euphoric scene was a lie, Emma reverted back to her normal cold businesswoman persona which wasn't fooling the other occupants of the room.
…
[Draul St. Cross POV]
Today saw Draul in a monastery in Ireland looking for the broken remains of a staff he hoped was here.
His study of ancient runes had led him to find an Asgardian forged weapon which he hoped was still hidden in a monastery in this universe.
While he could use Asgardian runes, it was all mundane things like the 'Come' rune he inscribed on his axe. And call him crazy, but the letters on his body functioned a whole lot like runes.
The runes on the staff he was looking for was supposed to be more sophisticated than what he had learned. Hoping that he would be able to glean something from it, he had opened a portal to Ireland.
He used different spells to locate anything that functioned on personal or universal energies before he got a ping from his locator spell.
A simple invisible spell later to avoid any unnecessary trouble with the monks here, he walked into the monastery and looked for the source of the ping.
He found the staff, one third of the broken piece of a whole, took it and portaled away from the monastery. His destination was the middle of nowhere where he performed another locator spell but with the piece he had gotten as a foci. He remembered one piece being in Norway but the location of the last one was not one he remembered.
The locator spell kicked into motion with two different locations on the map he used as a medium.
Norway and Spain.
He didn't waste his time and immediately conjured another hole on space and walked through. With his invisibility spell in place, he flew towards where the map pointed in Norway.
He found the second piece inside an old tree and ripped it out, taking his care not to touch any of the piece. Even now he could feel the attraction between the two piece, yearning to be part of the whole again.
Two down, one to go.
The next was in Spain, inside a crypt, and like the other two parts, Draul retrieved it without so much as a soul knowing he was there.
With the three pieces in his possession, he went on from there to the middle of a desert and brought out the three piece to fuse them.
The three pieces floated up and in a circular motion, joined together and fell to the ground. The staff, a long metal work, with runes on its sides glowed for a bit before regaining its dark sheen.
Draul hesitated for a bit before picking the staff up again, making the red glow resurface with intensity. Despite the thoughts that filled his mind with rage and despair he continued holding unto it.
It continued on for moments that seemed stretched, an overwhelming sense of power and the want to destroy everything bloomed in his head.
"Fwah!" Labored breathing escaped his mouth but the glow on the staff receded. "That sure was something. Now, onto more case study." With that, he portaled back to his lab.
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