ellectrical | (no subject)

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Elle is curled up into one side of the couch, head leaned against the arm, sparks snapping around her neck. Farrah, who has chosen to settle on her stomach, is watching the sparks crackle, head moving back and forth very slightly as the electricity flares and flashes on her skin.

Fortunately, she hasn't resorted to batting her paw at them.

That probably wouldn't be pleasant for anyone.

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X takes a careful breath.

"More people have found the Facility's research. It is problematic."

So, in a way, it's same old, same old.

Just like always.

"What do they do with it?"

"Sometimes they attempt cloning. Or behavioral conditioning."

Like with X's trigger scent, which she is definitely not talking about.

"They always want to make more weapons. Even if they do not want those weapons to be people."

Elle's silent for a moment, mostly because the question forming in her mind is one that sounds weird no matter how she shapes it.

"Do they want to - fight someone?"

"I think they want to be paid," X offers, after a moment.

"To fight everyone."

A lot of supervillains are like that, too.

It is problematic.

After a beat -

"They could learn to fight."

"They do not want to get hurt," X says, a little flat.

"Or killed."

It is stupid.

"... you killed some of them."

Shouldn't this be a cautionary tale?

"They think better weapons will protect them."

Maybe eventually they will learn.

(All signs point to no.)

The sparks crackle to her shoulder, and she glances down at them.

"I don't - think about it like that."

"About what they do? Or what people like them do."

She tilts her head, studying Elle carefully.

X also takes this time to scratch between Steve's ears.

It -- is nice.

"About weapons."

Beat.

"I don't think they protect me."

X blinks, eyes gone wide.

"You protect you."

Obviously.

"And I do not want you to die."

That is probably not what Elle meant. But --

Elle doesn't look at X.

"Sometimes you need weapons," she answers, slowly.

"But I don't think having them protects you."

X hesitates.

Then --

"I think not needing them is better."

Even if X herself is a weapon.

She glances over.

"I don't know."

Apparently, she's never not needed them.

X shrugs, one-shouldered and quick, and looks away.

"For other people."

Edited 2012-12-13 04:15 (UTC)

Eventually, Elle reaches to scratch Farrah's ears.

"What are you going to do? About them."

"Find them. And what they know."

X does not bother shrugging.

"And destroy both."

"If you - want help..."

Well, X knows the rest.

X does, indeed.

Which is why she nods, just once.

"I will tell you when I have found them. And where."

Maybe Elle will enjoy a visit to scenic Madripoor?

"All right."

After a pause, she also nods toward her sparking shoulder.

"I'm - working on this."

X pauses for a moment, head tilting as she studies Elle.

"You have found people to help you? Or you are practicing. Yourself."

"Someone's going to - make something. To help me with it."

"From Milliways?"

X pauses.

"Or on someone else's world."