Chapter Text
Kurt felt bad.
He felt bad about how his fur stood on end when the Vision glided by, or how his tail stilled unconsciously as the man entered the room. He felt bad about the prick of tension that shot through him when the man spoke, tone flat and unnatural. Despite his vibrant color, he ghosted through the mansion just as easily as Nightcrawler did.
Maybe it was his tendency to walk through walls instead of taking the time to wake up around a corner. Kitty had the same tendency, and Kurt often utilized his teleportation even if his destination was only a few feet from him, it was second nature. Maybe it was just how he held himself, how quiet he was. He didn’t seem uncomfortable necessarily, but his emotions were incredibly hard to read, and the other X-Men didn’t seem to be trying to change the awkward dynamic at all. The air was too heavy for Kurt liking.
The X-Mansion was supposed to be a place of refuge and acceptance. That’s what it had been for him.
Naturally, he was the perfect mutant to lighten the mood.
“Guten morgen, Vision…” He appeared on the wall adjacent, managing to catch Vision coming out of his room one morning, book in hand. He didn’t seem startled by the sudden burst of smoke in his face so early in the morning.
“Nightcrawler, good morning.” He closed the book with one hand, placing it under his arm. Kurt studied his shadowed face, unable to decipher the android’s usually stoic, serious expression. Was he put off? Disinterested? His tone was blank. Kurt shoved his feelings of apprehension away.
“I hope you are settling in well, zhe professor told me it may be an adjustment coming from the heart of zhe city.”
The android glanced down the hall. “Dr. McCoy has allowed me to join him in his laboratory, the experience has been enlightening. I am yet unfamiliar with the intricacies of mutant genetics—”
Kurt cut him off with a hand, “Let me guess, he offered you one of his books?” He smiled wryly.
“—research available on the X-Gene is surprisingly limited, I am thankful to have the opportunity to work with one of the world’s leading minds.”
Kurt hummed to himself, trying to come up with away to steer the conversation away from work.
“This early in zhe morning Hank and Forge haven’t exhausted all zhe coffee quite yet, care to join me in zhe foyer? Wolverine has neglected to show you zhe best parts of the mansion, and I happen to have zhe key to all zhe doors.” He held out a three-fingered hand.
Vision’s face took on a sliver of surprise. He had planned to explore the mansion himself. It it was important to know his surroundings, especially in an unfamiliar place with potentially dangerous habitants. He studied the dark blue mutant in front of him. His velvet fur, sharpened features and spaded tail made him unique even amongst mutant-kind. From Vision’s memory bank he knew that Nightcrawler was one of the more formidable members of the X-Men, wielding not only a versatile power set but also a wealth of experience and combat experience. Perhaps he was keeping tabs on the new visitor. He understood the logic behind the decision, mutants were a victimized sub-species already. Of course they’d be wary of any non-mutant newcomer. He decided didn’t have the capacity to take it personally.
Instead of voicing any of this, he simply nodded at the invitation, placing the book on a nearby table. Nightcrawler grinned and began walking ahead, beckoning Vision to follow. Vision let his feet hover just above the floor and started after the mutant, who was already far down the hall.
By the time they reached foyer and headed toward the kitchen, Vision had to lower his feet to the ground and begin to walk to properly keep pace with Kurt, not wanting to overtake him. He heard the jostling of cups before the kitchen door was even open.
“Aw jeez, someone got fur in the pot again!” Forge was standing by the far counter, several mugs in hand, attempting to clean out the coffee machine. “You!” He pointed accusingly at Nightcrawler, who was attempting, unsuccessfully, to slink past without being noticed.
“Ah! My friend! Good morning!” Kurt stood up straight, tail swishing, a devious smile on his face.
The young mechanic was not buying it. “Don’t you know how hard it is to clean this out? I got enough stuff to work on without unclogging the coffee maker.”
“Ich bin beleidigt, mein Freund, I would never be so inconsiderate! This is much too long to be mine, and it’s all zhe wrong color!”
“Yeah yeah, whatever…” he said, putting one of the mug’s handles in his mouth as he brushed out the filter.
Kurt bounced over and leapt onto the counter, grabbing two mugs from the cupboard above Forge. Suddenly he paused, then landed gracefully back on the ground as Forge struggled beside him.
“Actually, Herr Vision, are you able to drink? I hadn’t thought to ask.”
It was a fair question, and one Vision hadn’t contemplated before. Technically, he could. As a carbon-based synthezoid he had all the necessary components for digestion. Carol and Clint had even joked about him joining them for drinks, but he’d never actually tried it before.
Kurt seemed to sense his uncertainty.
“If this is your first time, perhaps we should start with something easy, ja? I have some good Schwarztee somewhere around here…” He started rifling through the pantry, handling the mugs with his tail as he rummaged around.
“You can eat?!” Forge mumbled excitedly through the porcelain handle.
“Yes. At least, I believe I can, I have never tried.”
“Fascinating! You’ll have to tell me about how that works, or, maybe you don’t know? I guess I don’t know exactly how my bodily system works either, huh…” he continued to ramble as he started up the expresso machine, seemingly forgetting the earlier squabble.
Before he could respond, a pleased aha! sounded from the pantry, and Nightcrawler emerged with a box of tea bags. His tail quickly placed both mugs on the counter, as he used his hands to start up a metal kettle. The water began to boil and he moved onto the expresso machine, snatching one of the cups Forge had already made. He didn’t seem to notice.
Soon the kettle began to boil and the tea was set to brew. Kurt handed the mug to Vision, who clasped it securely with both hands.
“I prefer my tea and coffee with two rocks and a dash of cream, you may prefer it black,” Kurt said as he went to grab his own mug, fetching a small tin from behind the kettle, placing it on a metal serving tray. He brought the assortment and perched comfortably at the table, legs drawn up to his chest. Vision joined him, mimicking the way the mutant hugged the hot cup in his hands.
Kurt placed the tin of rock sugar and cream beside the steeped tea.
“You add the zhe sugar first, before you pour zhe tea, if you prefer it sweet,” he explained, adding his own contents to his cup, two sugars, and a teaspoon of heavy cream.
After a moment, Vision selected one sugar from the tin. It made a gentle tink against the side of the mug.
He reached out for the teapot, pouring it into the mug. He noted soft cracking as the hot tea hit the sugar, melting slowly into the bottom of the mug.
Next he grabbed the pitcher of cream, pouring a slight bit into the golden brown. The thick liquid sank and rose up through the golden brown, creating plumes of cream-colored clouds. He looked up at Kurt, who was ladling his coffee gently. Not enough to stir the cream fully into the tea, just enough for the layers to mingle. Vision did the same.
Celebrating the new experience, Kurt raised his mug up in a toast, taking his first sip.
The taste was robust and earthy, and Vision’s taste receptors caught the undertones of fruit and herbs. But underneath the clinical analysis, he felt what he could only articulate as a comforting, even breadth of warmth. He felt it at the tips of his fingers on the mug and with the taste on his breath. He took another sip, following behind Kurt as he moved to the parlor next door.
“Ah, Gott sei Dank, thank god for modern amenities,” the blue mutant sighed as he drank the last of the brew. He placed the mug down and stretched wise, wiping the last of the sleep from his eyes. Vision also found himself staring at the bottom of his mug, a tiny speck of sugar left unmelted at the bottom. It was quite the interesting experience.
Afterward, the pair continued through the mansion. Vision was introduced to all the classrooms, to the library, and was shown around the laboratory rooms, despite having already been there before.
They passed by the Danger Room, Nightcrawler explaining the story of his first ever training session with Kitty, one that had unfortunately been headed by Wolverine.
“You have lived here for that long?” Vision asked.
“Yes. When the professor found me I was fleeing from an angry mob outside of a small village in Bavaria. In zhe circus where I was raised, I had never strode too far from zhe tents and carriages, but I had become restless. I was discovered and chased down by the townsfolk, who thought me some sort of demon. I couldn’t very well blame zhem, considering my appearance.” Kurt explained as they wandered through the Danger Room’s command center.
“But you were a performer, they did not recognize you?”
Kurt sighed. “Perhaps, but outside of zhe show I was merely another freak. Zhey may have not known what a mutant even was. Eventually zhey caught up to me, I was cornered and…beaten. Zhey were frightened of me, and zheir fear had turned to hate. I saw no way out, I could only wish desperately zhat I was somewhere else. Then, puff! My wish came true.”
“Your teleportation is not an ability you have had since birth?”
“Oh, nein. Thought my mutation was clear from my infancy, I had not discovered the ability until that moment. All I knew is zhat my life was in danger, and zhat I wanted out. Though it was the X-Gene zhat made me a target, it also saved my life zhat night. It was also at zhat moment I was discovered by zhe Professor.”
“He was in Germany?”
“Er, no, hmm. It is a bit complicated to explain. Xavier’s mutation allows him to sense mutants from afar when we use our powers, especially the first time when our emotions are at zheir highest.”
Vision was stunned. “There are no records of Charles Xavier’s telepathic ability being so potent.”
“Zheir wouldn’t be, and normally it is not. But using technology developed by mutant minds, he is able to amplify his natural ability.” Suddenly, he paused. “We are here.”
They had stopped at a large door adorned with a X. It was shut tight.
Before Vision could step forward, he was stopped by a gloved hand.
“Apologies mein Freund, but we do not allow guests in Cerebro.”
“Cerebro…?” Vision breathed, scanning the chamber thoughtfully.
Kurt hummed. “It is best we don’t allow you in, I’m afraid Logan would take my head off if he found out. It’s for the best, no one is allowed near the Professor in his current state.”
Vision nodded. “He is still in a coma. I was given fragmented details that make more sense with the addition of this new information. I assume this “Cerebro” is how he is able to communicate while comatose?”
“Essentially, yes. It is a bit more complicated, but it doesn’t matter. We still have zhe rest of zhe tour. I have a particular fondness for zhe seaside campus. If you’ll allow me?” He held out his hand.
Vision took a long look down the corridors of the vault. After a moment, he turned to accept the mutant’s offer.
They were gone in the next instant, leaving only a slight layer of navy smoke on the cold steel of the chamber.
“Alright, hit it!” Kitty called out, her body halfway through the wall of the Danger Room.
From up in the watch room, Scott pulled a lever hard. Slowly, one after the other, the lights in the Danger Room sparked to life. Large disks rose up form the floor, turrets spinning in each one. Walls and guns and all sorts of security systems sprung up along the walls, all stilling after a few seconds of movement. Ever so slightly, the room shimmed slightly, then settled into silence as the machines stopped.
“Haha! It works! I knew we needed to get into the ancillary wall!” Forge pumped his fist in the air, closing the hatch he had open. “Thanks for the help.”
A yellow-booted foot came through the wall beside Kitty, floating just above the ground. It was soon followed by the rest of the metal avenger, cape billowing as he greatened his body’s density to safely land on solid ground. All he did was nod, then he looked away.
“Finally got those holograph generators back online! I missed having my weekly trip to Fiji.” Forge remarked, wiping a hand on his brow.
“Is that what we just fixed for you? Your in-home vacation spot?” Kitty asked incredulously.
“Like you don’t use it like that either?” he laughed.
After the mechanic had finished up, Vision made his way over to him with trepidation.
“Forge, I wanted to apologize for yesterday’s training session. My inability to trust your intuition and knowledge led to failure,” the words felt strange.
“Oh, Vision! Don’t worry about it. Someone always ends up eating it in the Danger Room every day, it just happens to be me most of the time…” Forge sighed, leaning up against the back wall. “The room is supposed to be a challenge, you just have to get used to threats that are designed specifically to trip you up.”
Vision creased his brow. “Wolverine was right, I should have known better. We have a similar training room back at the Avengers Mansion, one with similar amenities and challenges. I was built to be a perfect in combat, but I am unable to perform even in a simple training exercise.”
“Weren’t you built to beat the Avengers? You evolved from that, you can evolve for this, too. No one is perfect, this team knows that better than most,” Cyclops mused, letting out a sigh.
Wolverine rolled his eyes as he came in through the room’s large door. “Ugh, let’s cut the kumbaya and move faster, huh? There’s been a report of a possible mutant-related disturbance downtown. If you all are done playing games and are ready to start bein’ the X-Men again, start walking.” He turned around with a huff.
“Man, and I thought Cyclops was all about ‘the mission’” Kitty teased as Logan faded from view around a corner. “Wolverine’s really leaning into the whole ‘leader’ position, huh?” Kitty elbowed Scott playfully as she followed behind Wolverine. He set his jaw and made a sound of disapproval.
The team began to walk out of the newly furnished training room. Vision stayed planted in place.
“Are you coming, Vision?” Storm turned around.
He seemed surprised at the offer. “I did not know I was invited to mutant-related excursions. My performance has been faulty, and my coordination with the team is underdeveloped.”
“You came here to improve the Avenger’s relationship with mutants, yes? You cannot do that without meeting them. Besides, every new student must go on their first mission.” Storm smiled. Her cloudy gray eyes flashed with amusement.
Vision found himself unable to counter her reasoning, he also did not feel at ease being in the mansion alone. He supposed being out in the field would grant valuable insight into the common mutant. He followed.
“Probability of success is now 71%.”
“Would you can it with the status updates, robot? Get yer’ ass over there!” Logan barked. His claws grazed the thickened fat of the Blob as he barreled through the spot Wolverine was just standing.
Vision did a quick heel-turn in midair, focusing his chalk-white eyes on the struggling mutants across the street. A mess of swirling mist and debris met his gaze. Storm was busy attempting to hit a slippery Toad as he effortlessly dodged through the weather witch’s gale force winds. The nimble man took an opportunity to leap onto the hovering woman’s back, covering her face with his webbed hands and misbalancing her from the sky. She hit the ground hard, the wind and rain obscuring them both.
Jean and Cyclops weren’t doing much better. The couple wasn’t having as much luck avoiding the flying debris as much as Toad. Avalanche had cornered them in a half-destroyed warehouse, both struggled to blast and repel any rubble that came near them.
The call had been a response to the Brotherhood of Mutants, a name common in the mutant threat registry. Vision recognized the blur of the speedster Quicksilver, and the pale blue skin of the mutant known as Domino, alpha and delta level mutants respectively.
Vision searched his internal memory to put a name to the face he saw next. A wiry man with thick gray hair across and lining his tired face. He wore a brown overcoat, and was lost in concentration on the rest of the team. The man raised his hands out from his chest, a wave of spiraling, molten hot air swirled out from his outstretched arms. He came up with nothing in the mutant registry, and therefore his abilities were yet to be known. Vision moved his gaze up to the strange man’s captivate audience.
Rogue was in a state of overstimulation from an inexplicable large crowd, though none of her teammates were near enough to her for her to instinctively move out of reach. She frantically pushed through swaths of imaginary people, attempting to cower at every touch of her imagined bare arms. Her eyes flicked around in panic at the empty scene around her.
Kitty was in a similar state of confusion, leaping and bobbing through unseen obstacles, and crying out as she balanced precariously on solid ground. Kurt was attempting to reach the struggling women, but could only make it a few feet before a look of confusion clouded his vision and he disappeared in a cloud of smog, only to reappear even further away, searching wildly in the smoke in vain.
Some sort of illusion or mental image, perhaps? A relatively well-documented telepathic ability, and one that could not affect the Vision’s synthetic mind. It was the reason the Vision had only heard the news about his relocation relayed to him. The man who requested his presence, Professor Charles Xavier, was unable to speak to him through this pseudo language barrier across time. If he was able to disrupt the man’s concentration, the psychic’s illusion would be broken and theoretically, the X-Men would be free of the manipulation.
The solar gem atop his forehead glowed bright red even in the afternoon sun, burning a line in front of the mutant mastermind and obscuring his vision of the others. He yelled and stumbled backward, whipping his head in the direction of the unfamiliar hero.
“And just what are you supposed to be?” The man strained out in a annoyed Italian accent, analyzing the inorganic form of the android.
“I am the Vision, the synthetic avenger. Your telepathic ability has no affect on me. Please, do not resist.” He drifted down to meet the man’s crouched gaze, reaching out to subdue him quickly.
“Never met a psionicist before, have you, machine?” His wide grin began to twist too far across his face, eyes flaring with an unnatural light. He was suddenly and completely submerged in a cloud of black vapor. The darkness sped along the ground and under Vision’s feet, catching him off guard and enveloping him in a completely obscured his view.
Lurching backward, he caught himself despite the lack of visual feedback. Looking around, the blackness stretched on for miles, all sights and sounds muted completely as the mutant focused his full attention on the new enemy. Straining for any sensory input, he barely avoided the resonating hilt of a hammer as it sailed straight past his head and back into the dark. He whirled around, facing one of the only beings who had matched him in physical prowess.
“Thor. What are you doing here? I was told I would be undertaking this mission alone,” he said, confused at the thunderer’s sudden appearance. The asgardian would not have left his regular duties for some petty conflict with one of the X-Men’s most common adversaries.
Thor didn’t move, but he reached out his hand to grasp Mjolnir as it swung back into his grip. The black sky warbled with distant thunder. Vision took a step back as lightning struck meters from the two, the light invading the dark inches from where he stood.
“Your time has come, demon. We will no longer allow your mechanical master to threaten us. Iron Man has discovered your betrayal. Now, you will pay for it!” He leapt with an enraged cry, going in for another strike, this time aimed at the android’s chest.
Vision barely had time to move before the hammer came down millimeters from his position. He left the ground, struggling to orient himself in the void amongst the weapon’s shockwave. The thunderer did not seem affected by the setting, reorienting and whirling around to knock Vision out of the sky with a solid crack. He was sent tumbling back down, cracking his head onto the hard, black floor. Opening his eyes, he saw the red-painted metal of Iron Man just above his gaze. He grunted as he pushed himself up from the ground.
“Iron man, Captain America, what has happened? Why are you—” he could only get through a sentence before the hammer came down again on the back of his head, cutting his plead short and breaking the ground.
“After all we’ve done for you, we took you in even after all you did to us. Good riddance, you never meant much in this team anyways,” the emotionless faceplate glowed blue with the power of the arc reactor, Vision’s eyes widened.
“I don’t—” his chest erupted in heat from the blast, scorching his uniform and blasting him backward. He landed harshly on his back, his chest smoking from the impact. He braced against the ground as his senses attempted to reset.
“I was wrong to believe a thing like you could change. I was right before, fighting for others is something you’ll never understand,” Captain America walked over slowly, shield in hand. His gaze was hard and filled with contempt.
“This must be Ultron’s doing. But…all other synthezoids were destroyed. They were burned to ash in--” Vision sputtered, but it sounded more like an attempt to convince himself, rather than the apparitions in front of him.
“Not this time, Vizh,” Hawkeye unlatched an arrow from his quiver, spinning it around to face the exposed skin of his arm. The razor sharp tip sliced through like butter, cutting a jagged gash into the archer’s shoulder.
“See? Flesh and blood. Jealous?” His gave an unsettling smirk. It made Vision’s stomach twist. The wound cried with dark blood, seeping through his uniform and turning the side of the man’s chest red with blood. Too much blood.
This was wrong, they would not have attacked him without reason. Vision was reminded of his first awakening in the Mansion, finding the world and his new allies unfamiliar and hostile. Had the Purple Man escaped and managed to influence them again?
No, his sensors indicated no trace of the man’s essence in the air. He pushed himself up to get a view of his team. Hawkeye was glaring down, bow raised despite the torrent of blood soaking his side. This was wrong, his eyes were the same gray blue they aways were, though tainted with a dark hatred the android had never seen in the archer before. Every twist of the archer’s bow sent another flood of red down his arm. It dripped onto the floor, pooling at his feet.
Vision rose again, taking a step forward.
“Hawkeye, stop—” he barely avoided another blow from the Captain’s shield, but his legs were swiftly kicked out from under him, sending him once again crashing to the ground. His ears were ringing. His gloves were soaked with crimson. He couldn’t see.
“You’re no man, but you’ll die like one,” he raised his shield, and Vision braced—
—but no blow came.
Vision cracked an eye open in time to see the forms of his betrayed team fizzle and merge into the black, the dark tendrils violently whirling and disappearing as the dark forms let out a shrill cry. All at once, the ground returned, bringing Vision forcefully back into battle. An angry Rogue stormed past his flank, sliding on the ground as she fought to keep upright. Looking to where she came from, Vision spotted the illusionist recovering from Rogue’s assault, holding his head in his hands and attempting to refocus. He had little time before another swift kick from Nightcrawler took him down, the blue mutant springing from behind to push him backwards into the street.
Still reeling from the sudden sensory onslaught, Vision looked down to assess his physical condition. The jagged scorch marks across his chest were gone, his gloves were no longer soaking in the blood of his closest friend. In fact, all of the Avengers that had laid before him had vanished.
Some sort of multi-sensory vision? It had all seemed so present, he could feel the weight of the hammer and the sting of electricity as it coursed over his circuits like lightning. The mutant’s power was different than that of the telepath Jean Gray or Professor Xavier, perhaps more of a perceptual phantasia than telepathic persuasion. But despite being able to affect a non-living being’s mind, it seemed he could only focus on a limited number of people.
As if to challenge the android’s hypothesis, the man sprung up suddenly to face an approaching Shadowcat, eyes flashing. She suddenly threw her arms up in front of her to brace against an unseen force, her feet slipping just below the ground as the illusion misled her senses. She fell completely into the floor within seconds, ineffectually attempting to swim through solid concrete while incorporeal.
The mastermind faced the whole of the group surrounding him, sweeping his eyes to every adversary. As soon as his gaze landed on Vision, the world was once against enveloped in darkness. The forms of the X-Men melted and writhed in the endless ink.
Back into the void.
That’s something you’ll never understand, machine!
Captain America’s voice echoed all around him, slicing through his positronic brain.
Just an illusion, merely a false impression by a desperate villain.
The voice flared louder, as if to drown out all rational thought. Vision clasped his hands around his head, but the noise did not ease.
It’s just a machine. Let it burn!
Walls of silver burst from the ground, threatening to crush the android. Ghastly, metal forms lined the walls with the faces of the Avengers. Their faces were wretched and frozen, lifeless and cold atop unfinished metal corpses. The uncanny but familiar sight sent waves of dread coursing through the Vision’s system, despite his logic processor’s awareness of the unnatural deception’s source.
Fire smoldered at his feet, and he couldn’t help but flinch away from the unbearable heat. The flame surrounded the area, snapping and crackling as the metal and fabric caught and burned.
Just an illusion. Just an illusion.
The affirmations did nothing to reduce the blaze. It licked at his cape, but he had nowhere to flee. The flame crawled slowly upward, sending pain screaming up his calf. In spite of himself, he stumbled back, attempting to snuff the flames racing up his leg.
Let it burn.
His arms instinctively went to his head, bracing against the fiery smoke. He could no longer see, but his head was filled with a voice so loud it shook his entire being. The voice of Janet van Dyne.
Let it burn!
The world let out a gasp as the sky fell, sending the dark horizon spinning, and Vision along with it. He landed hard on the ground, head pounding. The Brotherhood was retreating, whatever business they had was finished, and the street lay in ruin. All he could see was the end of a blue blur swiping up the remainder of the gang, disappearing from sight in an instant.
Vision rose from his huddled position amongst the destroyed tarmac, glaring around to survey the scene that had so abruptly ended.
It seemed the fight was already over.
“Yeah, you better run! Ugh!” Rogue called out from behind a downed stoplight, incensed but otherwise unharmed. “What the heck was that about?”
“They robbed a bank? When was the last time the Brotherhood robbed a bank?” Cyclops trailed behind a disgruntled looking Jean.
“Four years, 7 months and 17 days,” Vision answered, sweating off the disturbing experience with something concrete he could offer.
“Uh, right, thanks Vision.”
“We just got out asses handed to us by the Brotherhood, what are we, rookies? What kind of performance was that?!” Wolverine pushed a large piece of residual debris from Avalanche’s onslaught, scaring a few civilians crouched behind them and sending them skittering away from the enraged leader.
“I don’t know! Did you see that new guy? What a creep! He was super freaky, got inside our heads or something, but like, not like usual, y’know?” Kitty rose up from the earth, still dazed from the confusing input her and the team had been put through.
“Indeed, he was even able to affect my perception. That was unexpected,” Vision relayed, flexing his arm to check again if the injuries sustained were all in his head. Still yellow, and unburned.
He turned to Rogue. “My file indicates you were a member of the Brotherhood in the past, are you familiar with him?”
Rogue scoffed a bit, but she gave it a bit of thought before replying. “Nah, never seen ‘im before. Heck of a bite he’s got though, real mean.”
“It is strange that zhe Brotherhood is back stealing in town, and with some particular members absent, I may add,” Nightcrawler noted.
Logan nodded with a growl. “Magneto and Mystique. That can’t be a good sign. I wouldn’t trust ol’ Mags to let Genosha go after the attack, or Mystique to leave his sorry hide.”
Vision noted a slight change in expression on Nightcrawler as Wolverine spoke. He searched through the mutant registry for a Mystique, and quickly found results.
“Raven Darkholme, a.k.a Mystique, employs elaborate shape-changing abilities. I have little information on her file, I assume a mutant with her ability aligned with Magneto has been a problem in the past.”
Kurt chuckled humorlessly. “You could say zhat, mein Freund. Let’s say we have ah…troubled history.”
Logan sniffed and turned his head, like he could avoid the conversation if he focused somewhere else. “Yeah, well maybe she finally up and left the bastard, he ain’t got anything left after bein’ outcast by his own nation. Not like he didn’t deserve it, either.”
He let out a weary sigh.
“Let’s just pack up before the M.R.D. show up, I don’t have the patience to deal with bein’ blamed right now,” he started down the broken road after helping Storm out from the torrent of shredded, soaked rubble.
“Like he had any to begin with?” Kitty whispered, elbowing Rogue, who only reciprocated with a snort.
Vision gave another look at the battlefield. He secretly hoped it would be the last time he ever came in contact with the strange, mind-altering mutant. Perhaps he needed to update some of the registry files, they were incomplete at best and misleading at worst. He could not be caught off guard like that again.
Pulling his thoughts away from his mission, Vision found himself eager to be headed back to the mansion, missing the company of people instead of the empty house he would usually end up in when the rest of the Avengers returned to their real homes.
After the seemingly disastrous first mission, he was happy to get back to order and simplicity.
He even missed the chores he had had to pick up, never would he had thought he’d be happy to return to doing laundry or buffing the Blackbird with Forge. He’d have to tell Wasp about the strange feeling, though she would probably make fun of him for it.