Beyond Evolution

One of the problems with chaos was that it was well, chaotic. Even when you had control of it, or thought you did, there were inevitable deviations from the path. If nothing else, chaos was fair in that respect. So far it had all gone according to plan, pitting family against family and friend against friend. But as wonderfully as things were progressing, it was inevitable that a few unexpected factors would be thrown into the mix. Rouge had already been taken out of the battle due to one of those deviations. The possibility of her having taken in enough of Nate’s essence that he could wage an internal battle and win was not something that had been considered or foreseen, but was ultimately not a big deal. There were still so many others to play with.

And then, almost simultaneously, two people on opposite fronts of the battle came to their senses. In the middle of the destruction and mayhem gripping New York, Kate Prosser found herself once again in control of her own actions. Still occupied with her assault at the front entrance of Xavier’s School for the Gifted, the same thing happened to Rin Snow. Small deviations in the grand scheme of things, but ones that still held the potential to turn everything on its head.

Much, much farter away, across continents and bodies of water, Vanessa Vangrove let out an almost growling noise of frustration. It was only thanks to a hair’s breadth of control that she kept herself from throwing around some of the nice equipment Essex had set up in what used to be Moira McTaggert’s lab on Muir island. After a moment she turned her attention back to the good doctor, as well their companion, a woman of a distinctly blue variety that was also not a stranger to some of those at Xavier’s. Mystique had been in residence here for some time now, posing as Moira and ensuring things were running smoothly for their endeavors. McTaggert herself and that other mutant, the spazzy one with the little brat, had gotten away not long after she arrived. They were still hiding on the island somewhere, and while Mystique had been unable to locate them, she’d also made sure all communications coming in and out of the island went through her so that there had been no chance of arousing anyone’s suspicions. For a split second it was all Vanessa could do to keep from twitching. Keeping with her own chaotic nature, a moment later she was almost eerily calm. “We may have a problem. But it’s not over yet.” They still had an ace up their sleeves, and boy it was going to be spectacular.

[Open to Kate, Rin, and then anyone around them]

All things that belonged at Xavier's came back there eventually, in the end. It had been a long time since Logan had last been back to the mansion, but his unique DNA was still coded into the school's security system, and he set off no alarms as he walked through the twisted and ruined remains of the front gates. Looks like someone else had let themselves in first. Or more than one someone, judging by the distant roar of fire and plasma, the shouts ringing from inside the hallways, and the general chaos spilling out the front and side entrances to the building. This was a full-on attack. Where were the X-Teams? Who was holding down the fort? It was like a slaughterhouse without them. Mutants or not, some people just weren't equipped to fight back, and they might as well be wearing targets strapped to their chests. What a joke. They'd be blasted down in their tracks.

Lucky for all the poor helpless students, the real firepower was finally here.

As he strode up into the foyer, he didn't go entirely unnoticed. Three men ran by him, one of them badly burned and the other two looking panicked and disheveled, but recognition dawned in the eyes of Luka Harding, bringing him to a sudden skidding halt even as Boyd and Silas kept going. He knew who Wolverine was. Anyone who had been at the school for long enough did, let's face it. Given the strange events of the morning so far, he kept his distance at first, but Logan turned to look directly at him when Luka tried out his name, the film teacher exhaled hard with relief. "Thank god you're here," he exclaimed as he stepped forward. "Did Scott send you? We've been looking for the teams but I don't even think they're around, and we're under attack."

Extending his claws with that trademark snkt, Logan raised one bushy eyebrow at the other teacher, his expression clearly indicating that this conversation was wasting his time. No shit they were under attack. Standing around talking about it wasn't going to get anyone saved any time soon. Luka got the hint. "Right, Danger Room," he muttered under his breath as he turned around to lead the way. They didn't run into any students or other staff along the way -- most people were fighting, injured, or already down in the safety of the DR -- and reached the subbasements in record time. At the sealed doors to the safe room, Luka hesitated; he didn't know the entry code, not being one of the teachers with access to the training area, and so he stepped aside and turned to Logan for instruction. What next?

Three adamantium claws to the chest, apparently.

Logan kicked the teacher back against the wall to free his hand, leaving him slumped and bleeding, ignoring his vague attempts to darken the air around them with shadows before passing out. Unsheathing the claws on his other hand as well, the animal known as Wolverine studied the door in front of him with a now expressionless, empty gaze, then stepped forward at last and slammed his fists deep into the metal. It was only a matter of time before he cut his way inside.

[Open to those in the Danger Room]