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Madripoor
Arena

“STOP THIS!!” Wolverine exploded.
Viper smiled. He was really in a huff, she thought, mildly amused.
“VIPER!” Wolverine charged towards her, snarling despite his cuffs and collar. Three bodyguards stepped in front of him, weapons drawn. “Do not fuck with me on this! I will kill ya!”
Viper’s smile faltered a little. “If you kill me, then she dies. The ruler of Madripoor will be avenged, have no doubts. Thanks to you I am a very powerful woman, Patch.” She used his alias emphatically. “You should be proud of your wife.”
Wolverine bared his teeth. Power. It was always about some idiot’s desire for power. He glared at her. “It was never a real marriage, Viper.”
“It could have been,” Viper challenged.
“No. It couldna.”
“We were together once,” she said angrily.
Wolverine cringed at the memory.
***
He had been having a particularly vivid dream about ‘Ro when it had happened. In his dream Storm was arching beneath him, her lips parted, whispering his name. “Logan, mmmm, Logan.” He could feel her legs close around his hips, his thrusts becoming aggressive. “Oh, yes,” she had cried. “Yes!” Wolverine surged forward, holding her to him.
“Ahhh, Logan. Ohhhhh.” She was straddling him now. When had he rolled? His mind went blank again as she moved up and down on his shaft.
“Fuck, ‘Ro,” he groaned, close to coming.
“Viper, Lover. It’s Viper.”
Wolverine’s eyes had shot open and he had thrown her from him. He had hated her then, for tainting his memory of ‘Ro. He hated her still. He had honored his code of Giri, now his debt was paid, time for Viper to go.
***

In the balcony room Wolverine lunged at Viper despite the armed guards. She backed up, pulling her gun, pointing it at Gambit’s skull. “How many of your friends do you want to see die today?”
Gambit sneered up at her, “Galette.”
Wolverine took a placating step back. “Stop the fight, Viper. I’ll do whatever you want.”
Viper raised her eyebrow. “Whatever I want?”
“Yes.”
“What I want is for that smug bitch to be knocked down a peg or two! Now sit down and watch.” She cocked the hammer on her weapon for emphasis.
Down below in the arena Storm watched as Sabertooth approached, her fists clenching at her sides.
“Hello, baby doll.”
“Before you ask, the answer is no, Creed. I did not miss you.” Ororo said dryly.
He gave a harsh bark of laughter. “Feisty today, aintchya.”
“No more so than usual.”
Sabertooth licked his lips. “I wanna taste ya again, doll. You were soooo good.”
Before Storm had chance to respond, and she doubted she would have anyway, the announcer came over the speakers and their was surprise in his voice as he stated for the crowd, “This will be a no weapon match up. No holds barred.”
On the balcony Wolverine bellowed in rage, and fear for Ororo.
Storm’s head snapped up. “Logan?”
Sabertooth caught her arm, flinging her across the arena. “Pay attention, doll.”
Storm flipped, legs spread, one hand down, dragging herself to a stop. She peered at Sabertooth through her hair. He roared at her, mouth open wide, saliva spraying from his lips. She smiled. “My, Creed, you do put on a good show.” With that she charged him, leaping at the last second, her legs catching him around the neck. Using her momentum Ororo flung herself towards the ground, flipping Sabertooth as she did.
The crowd went absolutely nuts, screaming and cheering.
“Grow a set, didjya?” Sabertooth snarled rising to his feet.
“Jealous, Creed? Afraid mine are bigger than yours?”
Sabertooth gawked. Who the hell was this? Not the same woman he battled before, for sure. He pounced, large hands outstretched to grab her shoulders. She dropped to the ground rolling beneath him and coming up on her feet behind him. She planted one booted foot on his ass and shoved, sending him toppling forward.
“Hold still!” he shouted from the ground.
Storm looked at him incredulously. She didn’t respond, instead circling him, looking for an opening. He rolled to get up and she closed in, slamming her heel onto his ribs. He bellowed.
“Mmm, feels good, don’t it baby,” she taunted.
Sabertooth reached out, flaying her leg with his claws. Ororo’s breath hissed between her teeth but she didn’t cry out.
“C’mon, baby, cry fer me,” he growled. “Like ya do in my dreams.”
“Keep dreaming,” she snapped, hitting him hard in the face with two quick jabs, then dancing back to avoid his retaliation.
Sabertooth grinned, blood dripping into his mouth from his busted nose. The bleeding didn’t last long and Storm frowned. Sabertooth’s grin broadened. He stroked his hand across his neck. “No collar,” he snarled. His foot lashed out, connecting with her shoulder, knocking her back.
Creed leapt high, landing directly in front of Storm, laughing maliciously. “You on the other hand are powerless.”
“Why is it everyone assumes the only power I have is mutant based,” Storm said, her eyes filling with inky black oil, her voice lowering several octaves. She focused, concentrating on building energy in her hand, delivering it into Sabertooth’s midsection as she struck, sending him soaring against the far wall of the arena, dislodging a number of stones onto Sabertooth’s still form. The crowd roared so loud the stadium trembled.
Ororo dropped to her knees, the spell taking a lot out of her. She was surprised she had actually done it. Much like the Phoenix lying dormant in Jean, Ororo had felt her powers as the Sat-ne a’nekh lying dormant within her since she opened and sealed the portal to Hell. It was as though they had only manifested to prevent the Daemonites from victory and returned to slumber once that was accomplished. She doubted she’d be able to pull off another spell. She closed her eyes. If she was lucky she would never have to draw on those powers ever again. She rose to her feet, the crowd chanting her name.
“What in the hell was that?” Viper demanded from the balcony.
“That was the Daughter of Light at her finest,” Wolverine said, pride evident in his voice.
Rogue laughed. “That’s right, yah didn’t know, did yah Viper? Our Storm is an ancient power, something yah can never be, possessing things yah can never have.” She looked pointedly at Wolverine.
Viper opened her mouth but was cut off by a throaty yell.
“VIPER!” Ororo stood in the center of the arena, glaring daggers at the balcony. “GET OUT HERE YOU COWARD!”
Viper strolled onto the terrace. “Well, done, Storm. Who knew you were such a trooper.” She applauded mockingly.
“I want you, Viper,” Storm said in a snarl that rivaled Wolverine’s.
“I’m afraid I am not entered in the tournament,” Viper drawled.
“Not for the tournament, Viper. For Patch.”
Wolverine jerked, had he heard that right?
Viper sneered. “No. My husband is not a trophy to be won.”
“Then I’ll take your true heart’s desire.” Storm said, raising her voice so that it carried over the now silent stadium. “I am calling you out, Viper. In Bloodsport tradition, a duel to the end. I challenge you for the rule of Madripoor.”
The crowd waited anxiously, no one moving.
Viper tensed. “I refuse.”
Instant booing and yelling broke out among the watchers. Viper held up her hand. “Only tournament champion can challenge rule of Madripoor, Storm. And since the tournament is days from being finished, I must regretfully decline the challenge. Now, back to your cell,” she ordered.
The gates opened and three prison guards entered the arena.
Wolverine bared his teeth, slamming his cuffed hands into the bodyguard to his right, and kicking the one on his left, both going down hard. Gambit leaned back, flipping over the back of his chair, spin kicking another of Viper’s hired hands.
Wolverine raised his arms to strike again when Viper fired her gun into the air. She smiled maliciously. “For every harm you do me or my men, I will have returned on Storm ten-fold.”
Wolverine flinched. Viper would never have believed it if she hadn’t seen it, but the man was scared. “Sit back,” she commanded.
Wolverine didn’t comply. Viper pressed the comm link on her vest. “Dale.”
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Shoot Storm.”
“NO!!” Wolverine stepped back, sinking into his chair. Gambit and Rogue had their arms pulled behind their backs at painful angles by several of Viper’s thugs.
“Good boy. Now be very still.” Viper leaned close, touching the collar around his neck. “No healing factor now, little big man. Lucky me. I can’t rule if you divorce me, but…” She pulled a long blade from its sheath on her thigh. “I can rule as a widower.” She plunged the blade into Wolverine’s throat.
Gambit and Rogue strained against the men holding them.
Wolverine growled in pain.
Viper kissed Wolverine full on the lips her tongue slipping past and delving into his blood filled mouth. “Poison lipstick, remember, Wolverine? I doubt your death will be quick or painless. Too bad.” His body began to convulse. “Ohhh, I bet that hurts, doesn it? It’s a particularly lethal poison, and I doubt even with your healing factor you’d be able to counteract all of it.”
“Viper…” Wolverine’s muscles trembled as the toxin spread through his system.
“Fuck you! Fuck You, you cow!!” Rogue screamed. “Logan!! Logan!!”
Viper flicked her off, walking towards the door. “Have fun with them, boys,“ she said to her men. “Kill Storm.” Viper added into her comm link. Static. “Dale? Do you copy? Kill her!” Gun shots could be heard from outside.
Wolverine bellowed in rage, uncaring of the pain lancing through his body, wanting to attack.
Without warning, the bulky unconscious body of Sabertooth tumbled from the air, smashing through the wall, landing with a thud at Viper’s feet.
Startled Viper looked up and found herself staring into the glowing eyes of a very angry Goddess. Ororo was twirling her collar around her index finger. “They have not made a lock that I can not pick,” she said. In truth it had been Dale who had released her, but she didn’t want Viper to take her wrath out on the young man or his family.
“Storm!” Viper recovered quickly, lashing out, uncoiling a whip, sending it whistling through the air, catching Storm across the cheek, drawing a scarlet line down her face.
Storm tilted her head, touching the smear. She licked her fingertips. Thunder boomed overhead, eliciting terrified screams from the people in the stadium seats. Streaks of lightening flashed and crackled across the sky, a cauldron of boiling clouds forming over the arena.
Gambit grinned his devil-may-care grin. His Stormy was very, very pissed.
“Tell me, Viper,” Storm was saying, “Do you fly?”
Less than a second later Viper was lifted from where she stood and thrown off the balcony across the arena.
Ororo landed beside Wolverine. “Easy, Logan.” She said as he tried to rise. “I am here, love.”
She stood, glaring white fire at the men holding Gambit and Rogue. “Drop your weapons and take your hands off them. If you do so I may let you live to go home to your families.” Immediately Gambit and Rogue were released, the men scrambling from the room. Within moments they too were free of collars and cuffs.
“’Ro?” Wolverine blinked several times. The poison was effecting his mind, he thought.
“Easy,” she soothed. She punched in the digital code Dale had given her, the collar around Wolverine’s neck falling away.
“Took you long enough to get here,” Storm chided, lifting Wolverine’s head into her lap. He had begun healing, but was now unconscious, body still racked with tremors.
Ororo laid Wolverine’s head gently to the ground. “Take care of him, Remy. I have some unfinished business.” She reached down, picking up one of the guns left behind buy the retreating thugs. She then jumped from the balcony, landing in the arena, the seats now empty as the crowd had run from the terrifying storm swirling overhead, the air crackling all around them.
Storm stalked towards the woman attempting to rise from the ground. “Tell me, Viper, is that vest you’re wearing made out of Kevlar?” Ororo asked, voice deadly soft, checking the clip and slamming it back into the gun. She leveled the barrel at Viper.
“Oh, Please. We both know you aren’t going to shoot me, Storm. You swore an oath not to take life. You can’t kill me.”
Ororo pulled the trigger.
Viper rocked back against the wall, blood seeping through her fingers as she clutched the wound in her shoulder. “No, I will not kill you.“ Storm confirmed. She aimed again, and fired, this time the bullet hitting Viper in the thigh. “But you would be amazed at what you can live through.” She fired again, then twice more, mindless in her fury. This woman had taken Wolverine and used him for her own selfish ends, then tried to kill him after he had honored his code of giri and helped her. No one, absolutely no one hurt Logan! She pictured him lying on the floor, his neck a gaping wound, body convulsing as the poison seeped through his system. BITCH!! Another shot.
“’Ro! ‘Ro!” Logan reached her side, nearly fully healed, as she leveled the gun once more at Viper’s panting and bloodied body. She didn’t seem to hear him. He touched her arm gently and she turned startled, tear filled eyes to him. “No, darlin’. This ain’t you,” he said gently, lowering her arm, taking the gun from her stiff fingers. “This ain’t you, baby.” Ororo blinked at him, tears slipping down her face. “Logan.”
“Right here, ‘Ro. Right here.” He pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.
Ororo looked at Viper over his shoulder, who was nearly unconscious now, both amazed and shocked by what she had done. “She will need medical attention,” Ororo said softly.
Wolverine stepped back, looking at Viper. “On one condition. Viper,” he knelt beside her. “About that divorce?”
“D-d-done.” Her voice was faint, but audible.
Logan turned back to Ororo. “Ready to go home?”
She stepped into his arms, “I am already there.”





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