As The World Turns Cold

The Marauder's Guild

The newest additions to the group stepped up to greet Mercy as her friends helped her to stand up on her feet.  She was uneasy at first, her knees buckling at the full force of her weight.

Mercy tested her strength and as soon as she was grounded again the boy from the battle caught her eye and stretched out his hand.

Recalling what happened with the previous man she had seen him touch, Mercy hesitated.  Her hand was poised at the ready to shake his, but she drew back at the recollection.

  "I promise I won't turn you to ashes.  I can control it when I want to.  Not everything I touch crumbles into dust, sweetheart."

Mercy crowed.  "Sorry, I'm a little rusty at social skills.  Pretty impressive power you've got."

He smirked.  "Hardly," the boy retorted.

Reaching out a hand again, he rejoiced once she accepted the gesture.  His pale, almond-shaped eyes gleamed with amusement.

"My name is Theo. It's short for Theodore.  I imagine we'll be great companions from now on, though, so I'll give you the honor of calling me Ted."

"Okay, Theo, stop hogging her time."  She stepped up and pushed Theo aside as she made herself known.

Her golden brown eyes lightened and she smiled wide.  "The name's Anarchy. The other girl who helped out earlier was my older sister.  She already hit the road.  I'm afraid you won't get the pleasure of meeting her today, another time maybe."

"I wondered where she fit into the equation.  Nice to know there's someone else supporting the cause. Welcome to the team."  Mercy chuckled, "with that name of yours, you'll fit right in."

She grinned.   "I'm sure I will."

Anarchy cleared her throat.  "Now that we're all safe from being damaged goods can we hit the road?  We've got to leave now if we plan on setting up residence in the next twenty-four hours."

"Leave? I woke up from death. Excuse me if I'm not up to par with everything, but where on earth are you planning to go at this time of night?"  Mercy questioned as the girl's logic made little sense to her.  Plans must have been made when she was barely hanging on by a thread to life. 

    "I know a guy up in New York with an unused building with our name on it.  We can set up camp there and call it home.  It's not a bad start," Anarchy suggested.

     "That's quite a long ways from home."

    She laughed.  "Speak for yourself.  I hail from Queens, mind you.  New York is home for freaks like us. Except if I remember correctly they're called superheroes there."

Rogue chuckled at the girl's enthusiasm.  He gripped Mercy's hand and looked at her with amusement.  "You wouldn't believe their stories, Mercy.  They have a lot to tell you."

Mercy tensed.  "Start with the basics, then.  You can skip the details on the torture and questioning your sanity moments.  Those are sore spots for me."

Anarchy shook her head vigorously.  "Oh no, you are mistaken! Our stories aren't ones of grief, Mercy.  Where we're from, there's a whole community of people with abilities like ours.  It's normal over there."

She paused.  "My sister, Theo, and I were vacationing in Pennsylvania when we were found.  Stroke of bad luck, but we're alright now."

Mercy's eyes lit with new understanding and hope.  "Did you say a whole community? In New York?"

"Yes, an entire populace of super-humans." Anarchy grinned. "There as hidden as the rest of us at times, but sometimes we manage to bump into one or two.  There's certainly a lot more freedom out there. You can make a life for yourself."