If Yesterday Was Tomorrow [ X-Men ]

Chapter Two

Victor felt dizzy, which was strange.

He didn't remember feeling dizzy. Ever. He never felt overwhelmed, unbalanced or dizzy like he felt right now. It was part of his mutation: he couldn't possibly feel stunned.

But he did.

He took a deep breath and tried to shake away the awkward feeling. Dust infiltrated his mouth and lungs and he ended up coughing, which didn't help his nausea. Victor frowned and made a gush of fresh air appear in front of his face. Suddenly, he remembered where he was and what he was doing.

His blue eyes flickered open like pale opals. In front of him, he saw the men he had been fighting arguing a few dozens of meters away. They paid no attention to him, and frankly, he was glad. He felt too light-headed to fight the rest of the X-Men.

He slowly lifted an arm. It didn't hurt. Victor smile contently. He'd been able to stop the rocks and metal structure Erik had thrown at him with a quick gush of high-pressured wind. He didn't even appear to be injured. He just felt sick. It was probably a consequence of the telepathic attack Xavier had launched at him to knock him out.

He hadn't been expecting it. First, he'd been hit by one of the boys' laser beams or whatever the hell that was. Then, as he had managed to remain standing, Erik had decided to throw a part of the submarine's wall at him. As he had tried to push back Erik's attack with his own powers, something had submerged him. He had felt it like a wave pushing back his thoughts to the very far end of his mind, if that was even possible. His mind had gone blank and before he even realized it, he had blacked out.

Victor brushed off the dust of his vest and pants while trying to find out if he was bleeding anywhere. No, he was fine. Victor was glad that he had woken up before getting captured or living any unpleasant experiences. He raised his head and searched for his comrades with his eyes. A few dozen meters away, he could see Angel trying to stand back up. She seemed injured. She was holding her shoulder as she swaggered. Ten meters away from her, a dark red figure laid spread out on the beach.

Azazel.

Victor immediately jerked up. As soon as he was on his feet, nausea attacked his senses and he fell back on his knees, hand over his mouth. Gosh, he felt so terrible! If he didn't hate barfing as much as he did, he would've already thrown up. What the hell had Xavier done to him that made him lose all sense of balance?

He breathed through his nose a few times, trying to calm his sudden sickness. Victor closed his eyes for a moment. He tried to think, to feel what Xavier had changed in him. He tried, but there was nothing. Only his thoughts and silence.

Victor froze.

Emma had gone silent.

He concentrated. Usually, a part of her was always hanging in the back of his mind. It was like a very light buzzing: faint, but there. She had been captured for a few days now, but Victor had always felt her there anyways. She was too far, but she still held his memories together.

But she wasn't there.

Emma was not in his mind anymore.

He gasped. He had not realized he had been holding his breath. Oh my god, he thought. What had happened? Had she been killed? What was he going to do?

The brunette took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his beating heart. It would be alright. It always was. He would manage, as long as the Hellfire club was at his side.

But they weren't.

A horrifying scream resonated in the air. Victor immediately looked up, alarmed. Far away, Xavier had fallen down on the sand. Erik ran to him and crouched down at his side under the panicked glares of the other mutants. Victor noticed the helmet on Erik's head. It was Shaw's.