Protector (Cassandra Cain/Laura Kinney)
Title: Protector
Fandom: DC/Marvel Crossover
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: Cassandra Cain(Batgirl)/Laura Kinney(X-23)
Words: 810
Summary: Cass finds a kindred spirit in the worst of situations.
Author's Notes: Written for scottyquick for the request of "Cass/Laura, aggressive" in my Mood Challenge.
It wasn't the first time Cass had found herself in over her head, but this had to be one of the worst. What was supposed to be a simple infiltration of a group that was kidnapping mutants had gone very wrong when she encountered their psychotic girl assassin. She had been beaten far more easily than she would ever admit, and she was pretty sure she had fractured something on the girl's impossibly hard skeleton. Now she was lying on the ground, with their psychotic leader pointing a gun at her head.
"You're not even one of them. You're human." Donald Pierce sneered as he pressed the gun to Cass' temple as the clawed girl looked on blankly. "Why would you try to protect their kind? You're a race traitor."
Cass didn't let a single trace of fear creep into her eyes. "Because they're innocent. And you...you're evil. I won't stop fighting your kind. As long as I'm alive."
"So...about five more seconds then." Pierce turned to X-23 with a sick grin on his face. "Mutant. Kill him."
X-23 walked over to Cass and lifted her up by the neck. With her back to Pierce, she quickly whispered in Cass' ear.
"Faking it. He thinks he brainwashed me. He didn't. Make it look like I killed you."
Before Cass could react, X-23 popped her claws and thrust her fist towards Cass' stomach. A second before they impacted, she withdrew them again, hitting Cass with the tips and leaving only superficial puncture wounds. Cass collapsed on the ground, making sure to keep perfectly still. Whatever the mystery girl's next move was, she wanted to see it.
"Good job, creature. Now come along. I have some of your fellow mutants I want you to interrogate."
Pierce motioned for X-23 to follow him. She trailed behind him obediently until they passed by an exposed gas pipe.
"I'm not your pet."
Pierce spun around just in time to see X-23 slice through the pipe, engulfing them both in a massive explosion. Cass stared in shock as X-23 calmly walked through the flames, her horrible burns healing in a matter of seconds and her beautiful features repairing themselves. She was so young, even younger than she was.
"This place is going to blow. We should run."
"Can't run. You hurt me." Cass rubbed her ankle.
"Yeah, metal skeleton. Sorry about that." X-23 helped Cass up, carrying her on her back. She seemed to have no problem carrying the weight of another person, despite looking to be about 95 pounds soaking wet.
"We've got to free the other prisoners. Not much time left."
Suddenly, dozens of Pierce's guards flooded into the room, pointing guns. Before they could fire, X-23 leapt into the air, claws bared. Cass stared in awe at the crescendo of violence that followed. As she clung to her back, she wondered if this was what it was like to see herself in action. The difference, of course, was that the people she attacked were left alive. She was torn between being impressed with X-23's style, and horrified at the casual way she dealt out carnage. There was no way a girl her age should be killing with so little emotion. It all hit a little too close to home. That this kind of powerful aggression was being directed in her defense was more than a little relieving, but still disturbing.
They quickly got to the prisoners' quarters and freed them, X-23 leading the way as they escaped only seconds before the facility went up in a giant fireball. As the freed mutants dispersed, X-23 set Cass down on the grass and collapsed on her back.
"It's never easy, is it? Killing, I mean?"
X-23 looked Cass over quizzically. "They deserved to die."
"Well, yeah. But for you."
"...No. First I was told to kill for my makers. Now I'm told to kill for the X-men. I wish I could stop, but...I don't know how to do anything else."
"What if I told you...that people thought the same thing about me? But I know someone who can prove them wrong about...both of us. She'll give you a new life. You can stop."
"Really?" X-23 had a look of suspicion on her face. "Every time I try...they find me."
"Trust me. She's good. We can go now...never look back. Before anyone comes."
X-23 nodded. "My...my name's Laura. I'd like to keep it."
Cass smiled. "I'm Cass." She extended a hand to Laura, who tentatively took it.
"Sorry about your leg. I'm tougher than I look."
"S'ok. I'll heal. Not as quick as you...but still."
Cass slung her arm around Laura, who rested her head against her as they walked. Just as Laura had saved her from Pierce's base, she was glad she could return the favor.
Fandom: DC/Marvel Crossover
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: Cassandra Cain(Batgirl)/Laura Kinney(X-23)
Words: 810
Summary: Cass finds a kindred spirit in the worst of situations.
Author's Notes: Written for scottyquick for the request of "Cass/Laura, aggressive" in my Mood Challenge.
It wasn't the first time Cass had found herself in over her head, but this had to be one of the worst. What was supposed to be a simple infiltration of a group that was kidnapping mutants had gone very wrong when she encountered their psychotic girl assassin. She had been beaten far more easily than she would ever admit, and she was pretty sure she had fractured something on the girl's impossibly hard skeleton. Now she was lying on the ground, with their psychotic leader pointing a gun at her head.
"You're not even one of them. You're human." Donald Pierce sneered as he pressed the gun to Cass' temple as the clawed girl looked on blankly. "Why would you try to protect their kind? You're a race traitor."
Cass didn't let a single trace of fear creep into her eyes. "Because they're innocent. And you...you're evil. I won't stop fighting your kind. As long as I'm alive."
"So...about five more seconds then." Pierce turned to X-23 with a sick grin on his face. "Mutant. Kill him."
X-23 walked over to Cass and lifted her up by the neck. With her back to Pierce, she quickly whispered in Cass' ear.
"Faking it. He thinks he brainwashed me. He didn't. Make it look like I killed you."
Before Cass could react, X-23 popped her claws and thrust her fist towards Cass' stomach. A second before they impacted, she withdrew them again, hitting Cass with the tips and leaving only superficial puncture wounds. Cass collapsed on the ground, making sure to keep perfectly still. Whatever the mystery girl's next move was, she wanted to see it.
"Good job, creature. Now come along. I have some of your fellow mutants I want you to interrogate."
Pierce motioned for X-23 to follow him. She trailed behind him obediently until they passed by an exposed gas pipe.
"I'm not your pet."
Pierce spun around just in time to see X-23 slice through the pipe, engulfing them both in a massive explosion. Cass stared in shock as X-23 calmly walked through the flames, her horrible burns healing in a matter of seconds and her beautiful features repairing themselves. She was so young, even younger than she was.
"This place is going to blow. We should run."
"Can't run. You hurt me." Cass rubbed her ankle.
"Yeah, metal skeleton. Sorry about that." X-23 helped Cass up, carrying her on her back. She seemed to have no problem carrying the weight of another person, despite looking to be about 95 pounds soaking wet.
"We've got to free the other prisoners. Not much time left."
Suddenly, dozens of Pierce's guards flooded into the room, pointing guns. Before they could fire, X-23 leapt into the air, claws bared. Cass stared in awe at the crescendo of violence that followed. As she clung to her back, she wondered if this was what it was like to see herself in action. The difference, of course, was that the people she attacked were left alive. She was torn between being impressed with X-23's style, and horrified at the casual way she dealt out carnage. There was no way a girl her age should be killing with so little emotion. It all hit a little too close to home. That this kind of powerful aggression was being directed in her defense was more than a little relieving, but still disturbing.
They quickly got to the prisoners' quarters and freed them, X-23 leading the way as they escaped only seconds before the facility went up in a giant fireball. As the freed mutants dispersed, X-23 set Cass down on the grass and collapsed on her back.
"It's never easy, is it? Killing, I mean?"
X-23 looked Cass over quizzically. "They deserved to die."
"Well, yeah. But for you."
"...No. First I was told to kill for my makers. Now I'm told to kill for the X-men. I wish I could stop, but...I don't know how to do anything else."
"What if I told you...that people thought the same thing about me? But I know someone who can prove them wrong about...both of us. She'll give you a new life. You can stop."
"Really?" X-23 had a look of suspicion on her face. "Every time I try...they find me."
"Trust me. She's good. We can go now...never look back. Before anyone comes."
X-23 nodded. "My...my name's Laura. I'd like to keep it."
Cass smiled. "I'm Cass." She extended a hand to Laura, who tentatively took it.
"Sorry about your leg. I'm tougher than I look."
"S'ok. I'll heal. Not as quick as you...but still."
Cass slung her arm around Laura, who rested her head against her as they walked. Just as Laura had saved her from Pierce's base, she was glad she could return the favor.