Beautiful Ruins

Chapter 49

I stare at the building; the fact it's here means I haven't bombed it yet. I turn behind me, half expecting to see Magneto behind me, but all I see are random civilians. What the fuck is going on? I glance all around, trying to figure out how I'm back here and more importantly why I'm here.

I stare up at the grey building, maybe I've died, and my hell is having to relive this moment repeatedly. Magneto said he wasn't going to kill me, but things change. There's no point wondering, the important thing is stopping my younger self from succeeding in this mission, I need to get the suitcase, fly away and dump it somewhere isolated, somewhere far away from any humans.

A man bumps into me, and I stumble. "Sorry" he mumbles, not bothering to look at me. So, people can see and touch me, that means I'm going to have to fight my younger self, she's not going to give up the suitcase easily.

A familiar blue car pulls up and I tense, my mind flashing back to this day. Eight-year-old me had no idea she was placing down a bomb; she didn't realise how young she would lose her innocence. If I'd gotten away from Peter when I realised he wasn't planning to complete our mission, I may never have found out. What would I be doing now? Mystique might have ended up turning me into the ruthless, heartless killer she always wanted me to be.

I see a knife and rush over, grabbing it quickly. So many people are walking around, how do I get them out of here? If I run around screaming that a bomb is going to go off, they might run straight into the building which will result in more deaths than what originally happened. People might also assume I'm insane and call the police.

I walk straight into the building, being bold is the best way to get people to listen. I walk over to the desk, a man looking at a computer glances up at me. "This place needs to be evacuated; a bomb is coming." His eyes widen as he processes what I just said, and he reaches for the phone. I can hear him calling for security and telling them to shut the building down, Scarlett used to say everyone will believe you if you're confident, she was right.

I walk out the front, younger me is still sitting in the car, waiting to be told to go. I should have thought it was odd that this mission was timed so specifically, but I just assumed they were worried the 'information' inside the suitcase could fall into enemy hands.

I'm going to have to fight her, it's the only way to get the suitcase. Younger me gets out of the blue car, suitcase in hand. I focus on her, trying to get a large gust of wind to knock the suitcase out of her hands. Nothing happens. What the fuck? I try to create fire, glancing down at my fingertips, nothing happens. Of course, Magneto has taken my powers away, this is his way of torturing me. I'm not in hell, I'm right where Magneto wants me.

I glance down at my knife, I think Magneto has forgotten how much training I've had over the years. Aside from my powers, I can fight and use weapons. I thought I could beat younger me in a fight, but it's going to be hard if she still has her powers and I don't.

I walk over to her; I might have to go this one without a solid plan. She glances at me, frowning as she notices the strong resemblance. I have no idea what to do, should I just try to attack her and hope for the best? She's only eight but I was still vicious and highly trained at this age, I started training the second I started walking.

I shove younger me; she stumbles backwards, and I grab the suitcase. I immediately start sprinting away, this whole thing is hard now I can't use my powers to fly away, how am I supposed to get this away fast enough? A strong gust of wind sends me flying backwards and I hit the ground with a thud. I groan, a sharp pain jolting through my back. I get to my feet just as younger me throws a fireball at me, I quickly duck. She sends another one and I jump over it, I glance down at the knife in my hand, should I use it?

Vines start coming towards me and I jump up, I can't avoid them forever. I focus on my younger self, throwing the knife, it hits her thigh, and she cries out, immediately falling to the ground. I pick up the suitcase, hesitating as I glance back at my younger self, what will happen to me now that I failed a mission? If this is just a simulation or trick it won't matter, but what if I'm somehow in another universe or something? I shake my head, that's impossible.

"They don't love you" I say to my younger self. "She never did." With that I sprint off, I don't know how long I have until this explodes, I need to find a place to put it, where is somewhere nobody will be? I glance down at a gutter, can I put it down there? Surely there isn't people in the sewers. Before I can go anything, a strong gust of wind sends me flying backwards and I hit the ground with a thud. A sharp pain travels down my body and I can feel an aching in my back, I think I'm going to wake up with a massive bruise.

My mouth goes dry as I look up and see Magneto in front of me. Is this past or current Magneto? My younger self walks up and grabs the suitcase. I frown, I heal faster than most, but it is not this fast, how'd that happen? She begins to walk away and doesn't even bother to glance at Magneto. I try to get up, but Magneto shoves me back down.

"Innocent people don't need to die" I say, this is completely unnecessary, the x-men have already won! They're basically in control of the whole country! He doesn't need to kill innocent people to show how powerful the x-men are, people already know. Magneto doesn't say anything, he just turns and walks away.

I'm about to get up when the world starts spinning. I collapse back down and look around, everything is spinning so fast it's making me feel sick, I close my eyes. I only open my eyes when the spinning has stopped, and my eyes widen as I realise where I am.