loss / marvel au

chapter 17 / encounter 2 / sue's rage

The sun flickered back on, as Betsy got up, breathing heavily and holding her head.

The rain had stopped, but Sue still depressingly bowed her head, soaked.

"Get up Susan. We're not dying here." Betsy said, walking over to the blonde and extending her hand.

The girl looked up at her, under eyes red, while her blue pupils were still glossy.

"Rather would." she muttered.

"I believe I've located the rift." Betsy said, a little louder for everyone else to hear, as they all scrambled to their feet and got ready to move, "We have a team. All we need now is a leader." she looked faithfully at Sue, who's expressions sent mixed signals, but eventually rising to her feet, they started following her and Betsy to where she was getting her reading.

"If we're lucky we'll be out of here by nightfall. Expect a long trek and some swimming."

"Does that mean more sirens!" Peter jumped.

"I can assure you if we do cross them-"

"You won't have to worry about them." said Sue.

"What she said... we have lost too-"

"No. You wanna know where I was last night?" she clenched her fist.

"Now that I think of it, no." Kitty said, as she goggled.

"I killed them all. One, by one... by one."

"I didn't need to hear that."

"Nobody specifically did but it works in both our favors. Revenge for her and a safe journey for us." said Betsy.

The group went quiet for awhile. Hours maybe. Occasional conversation going back and forth between Peter and Kitty.

"You're so... cold." Sue quietly said, "So unpredictable... steadfast. Knowing and experienced. Dealing with death is like... it's like... it's like— it's like child's play for you."

Betsy stared at Sue for a couple moments, before sighing and shaking her head, "Well...I learned that the difference between living and dying is managing fear. Not being afraid, so afraid, of losing the things you love that you hold them too tight." she looked at the blonde, who was clinging onto each and every one of her words, figuring them out, trying to find a greater meaning though it was just right there, "I used to believe in universal contraction. Entropy and the end of all things. Well, I changed my mind. I'm letting go. Because now I believe in expansion. I believe we endure. Don't you see? Everything lives."

Sue reasoned with each sentence, breaking them down until she looked back at the straightforward purple-haired girl.

The one she called steadfast and merciless, cold.

But the one she also called experienced and unpredictable, kind even.

She shook her head and chuckled, afterward smiling at the thought.

It would take a Reed Richards to figure out Elizabeth Braddock.

*

"The rift seems to be very far out at sea."

"You're telling me it's in the middle of the ocean?" replied Steve, frustrated with the telepath.

"Now Rogers, don't get short with me. Before we figure out where it is we better find our form of transportation."

"We all have gifts. It shouldn't be that hard." said Wanda.

"Some of us have those types of gifts. Not all of us here can fly." Kitty reasoned.

"Of course, we can't fly but there are perhaps other ways to get across using them to our advantage." replied Betsy.

"Like?"

"Like him. He can easily whip us up a couple rafts if we collect the wood." she pointed at Peter, who hadn't really been paying intention.

"I don't think Peters listening." said Steve.

"You're right, he's not listening. Why listen to you guys argue when you have that to look at?" Kitty asked, as they stared a the circular void.

"That's our way out." said Sue, hurrying over to it as she jumped through without hesitation.

"Wait! Sue!" the telepath yelled, as another portal opened in front of them and she fell out, this time her appearance altered.