EVERYBODY NEEDS A HERO

Part VII: ‘Til The Cows Come Home

By Mike Bent

She wanted to cry.

“Whit is going on? ‘Tis nae makes any sense…” Moira was so disoriented at all that was going on she didn’t even hear the Moonlight Flit land somewhere behind her.

The bay doors of the jet lowered and Kurt limped his way out, his side still injured after being badly burned by plasma fire as he was helped by the equally battered Brian. Both men were shocked at what they saw.

Muir Isle was in ruins. Where the research center once stood was nothing but a heap of rubble, the manor nothing more than a cater, and the fields of heather … were over-run with cattle? But perhaps the most bizarre of all was Moira, who sat in the middle of this all in a Lil’ Bo Pee pink style dress. Complete with the sheperd’s staff.

Pete Wisdom didn’t seem to care as he stammered out of the Flit as though he were drunk, a goofy contented grin on his face. To him this seemed to make sense and was throughly amusing. But none were more surprised than Rahne Sinclair, Moira’s adopted daughter, who lept free from the belly of the plane completely startled. Immediately she went to Moira and asked, “Mum, what is happening here? Why are ye dressed like ’tis? ‘Tis a nice bonnet, tae be sure, but I donnae understand…”

Before Moira could reply, as she was preoccupied with sobbing into her hands, Brian felt the need to point out what he was witnessing as he looked at a gathering of cows in the distance. “I think that they are actually talking. Having… having tea?”

“Ja, Brian, I believe that they actually are,” agreed Kurt despite himself as he settled down atop a pile of the rubble, as he held his wounded side. “Just when things should be calm it would appear as though sheer madness is upon us.”

“I would have to agree, Kurt,” answered an equally bewildered Brian. “I’m glad that I’m standing on solid ground, as otherwise I might be tempted to throw myself from a plane again. That was because I couldn’t accept the notion of werewolves, but this… I am not sure if it can become any more odd, to put it politely, than this.”

But it could and did.

The smiling bundle of sunshine and rosy cheerfulness that was now Wisdom moved forward to Moira, who was being comforted by Rahne. Having stopped to pick a handful of heather before the cows could chew it for cud, Wisdom held out the ‘bouquet’ to Moira. “That’s a lovely dress Moira.”

Now Moira did cry.

And just outside the edge of reality, a mischevious little imp laughed. Heartily. Oh, this was fun.

Leaning on a pile of rubble next to Kurt, Brian surveyed the isle. He could only begin to wonder at Pete’s strange behavior, though he wasn’t sure the change as for the best. He had to feel for Moira, who had lost everything here and now was forced to go through all of this. In that dress, with Pete’s kindness. But he couldn’t help but notice while there was going on here, something important was missing. Something they had returned hoping to find.

“Wait, where’s Meggan?”

“I’m not sure if she should have just Moira there, Tangerine. Not when all of those really weird things were going on.”

Like the cows. Meggan still had a bit of that mooing in her head but the further she got away from Muir the clearer her mind became. “Especially as we left Moira there all alone, as Mister Smith had to leave to get to his family before Black Air could. I can understand why he left but I wish we could have done more for him after all he did for us. But right now Bridgit needs us, very much.” Steeling herself to this course of action Meggan knew it was for the best, as she could feel Bridgit’s pain and guilt, and knew that if they didn’t get to her soon… well, Meggan didn’t wantt o think of that. She needed to try and clear her head, to prepare and focus on how to help the hurt and scared little Scottish girl that needed her.

Which Tangerine helped with, clearing her thoughts that was. It was a comfort to be with this little girl who possessed so much power for such a young creature. Reminded Meggan of Rachel, only Tangerine was more… rooted. Not that Rachel wasn’t to some degree, but Tangerine was still innocent and curious, wondering about the world. Something that Meggan could identify with and share.

Who’s Rachel? Tangerine was curious but didn’t ask, as there were other more important things to be concerned about. “Bridgit, she needs us, needs our help. She said she knew you. She… she really needs us, Meggan.”

Meggan could feel the desperation in Tangerine, just as she could sense the muted thrill over the sensation of flight in the young girl. Yet as Meggan cradled Tangerine in her arms, flying from Muir Isle to the mainland, she knew that Tangerine wasn’t enjoying this new experience as much as she should. Just as Tangerine was, Meggan was focused on the pain, confusion and outrage that consumed Bridgit Shane right now, as it served as a beacon for the two of them to pinpoint with ease.

Not that Bridgit would be hard to find anyway. From their vantage point above, Meggan and Tangerine were granted a bird’s eye view of Bridgit’s outburst. A smoldering crater that was once Reverend Craig’s church was reduced to ashes, the ground around it singed a dark black circular pattern. The townsfolk had gathered to attempt to put out the blaze, keeping them occupied from searching for the girl that had caused it.

A trail of a roaming inferno made it’s way into the nearby woods, the line of burned earth lead to a clearing where in a ring of fire lay a lone weeping girl, untouched by the fire that danced wildly about her.

{Bridgit, we’re here now,} Tangerine offered as soon as Meggan set her down gently, just outside of Bridgit’s fire-ring. {I brought Meggan with me, remember her? You said you knew her.}

{GO AWAY!} Bridgit cried out now, with her body and mind. The last time Tangerine talked to her, Bridgit had been calm. But since then her guilt over killing the Reverend had only built, turning to self-hate and now she wished for nothing other that to be made to pay for her sins. Not to be saved. “I donnae want tae be saved! I donnae deserve it… now or ever, please… leave me be. I donnae ken whit I’ll do tae ye… I’m a murderer now, a sinner o’ th’ worst kind…”

Tangerine could little to hide her shock as Bridgit’s flames lept up suddenly, only increasing in intensity with each moment. But Meggan stepped forward, and while she could not control Bridgit’s fire, as it was psionic in form rather than natural, she had to try something. “Bridgit, listen to me, please. I know what it’s like to do something you can’t control, something that seems very wrong but really isn’t your fault.”

Keeping behind Meggan still, Tangerine attempted to help as well by adding, “Before you wanted some help, so we came… to help. Please, won’t you let us?”

Wishing to reinforce Tangerine’s question, Meggan continued, “Please, Bridgit, we know tha you didn’t mean to do it. It was all an accident…”

“It was nae an accident! I wanted tae kill him! I told ye tae leave me alone, I warned ye…” Bridgit was beyond distraught. Tangerine could feel the remorse consuming her mind. Meggan could feel the anguish consuming her spirit. But both were about to feel Bridgit’s fire consume them, as Bridgit lashed out, her flame lept at her would-be saviors.

At least the cows were gone. Yet, if anything, things had only become far worse.

Moira could only stand there in shock, still in her Lil’ Bo Pee dress, watching as her research center came to life. The metallic debris of the center, but not the manor, rose as it twisted and bound itself together until it was a giant golemesque version of… herself?

Brian was wishing now that he had never lost his powers, as they could truly be useful, especially right about now. As it was, he was relying on Kurt a great deal to help keep him out of the way. But Nightcrawler was injured, and Brian could feel the strain each time Kurt moved. But to save being smashed there was little he could do.

Rahne was also busy, having transformed to her half-wolf form, grabbing Moira and using her strength to pull her mother out of the way as the giant-animated-rubble-Moira attempted to stomp on them both. Apparently giant sized metallic Moiras were not friendly.

“Why? Who would do something like ’tis?”

“I wish I ken, mum, but right now look out!”

Again Rahne narrowly avoided another stomp of the giant-animated-rubble-Moira, and as she looked over she noticed that Kurt wasn’t fairing any better than she was. He had his two-fingered hands full as well, literally, saving Brian from stomps aimed at them as well by the Big Bad Moira.

And in the middle of all of this, between the legs of the giant-animated-rubble-Moira, Pete Wisdom dancing his own private ballet. With a huge smiling grin across his rosy and cheery face.

Douglock now emerged from the leg of the giant golem Moira, as he had decended into the rubble of the center to see if anything salavagable was left intact, before he became animated. Once freed, he collected himself together and moved to get to a safe distance away himself. Yet having been inside this construction he knew the energy pattern of the magic that controled it, which he could track to the source.

Forgetting the giant-animated-rubble-Moira, Douglock left his teammates to entertain it as he turned to face the nose-end of the Flit. The signature about his left eye flared as he spoke seemingly to the air, but he knew there was something, someone, there. “You can reveal yourself now, whoever you are. I am aware that you are there.” Still the battle raged on behind him, as well as Pete’s fancy dancing. “Whoever you are, why are you doing this?”

With an audibly loud POP sound a tiny light red-skinned creature appeared, childlike in appearance, and outlandishly bright and medevial in it’s style of dress. Holding it’s sides and laughing hysterically, the figure of an actual imp laughed. “I am ZzazZ, and I am doing this because I can.”

They should be burned to death right now.

But as Meggan looked up from her protective crouch over Tangerine, who was huddled to her, Meggan saw that the earth had saved them. Whispering a soft ‘thank you’ for the wall of soil that had barricaded them from Bridgit’s fire, Meggan silently told the earth that it was okay now.

As the mound of soil decended and returned to it’s proper place, Meggan and Tangerine stood to see the grief-stricten Bridgit in middle of the aftermath of her outburst. The flames of rage having been spent, all around her was charred as she laid curled up hugging her knees to her chest. Bridgit was weeping over and over, “…I’m sorry, so sorry, forgive me…”

How do you make this better? Fighting back Black Air for what they had done to her, maybe being a hero along side Meggan; both of those seemed possible to her despite the fact that she was only twelve years old. But this? This was over her head. And it was in her head, as Bridgit was thinking so loudly with her guilt.

Meggan could feel that this was only getting worse by the moment and had to do something to make it better. Before this only got to the point that she and Tangerine were also consumed but the pain as well.

Sharing a thought with Tangerine, who nodded in agreement to it, both moved to Bridgit to kneel to help her in unison. Extending her empathy as best she could, Meggan attempted to soothe Bridgit by sharing her own well-being. Extending her telepathy, Tangerine attempted to soothe Bridgit by sharing her own hopeful well-wishes for the future. Both had effect, as Bridgit did calm, enough to allow herslef to be sat up as Meggan wiped away the tears.

“There. That’s better now, isn’t it?” Tangerine was the first to break the silence, both physical and mental, that hung over them all for a long moment. She was too accustomed to having noise, even in her head. She needed it constantly, to know that it was there, that she was there. She didn’t ever want to go back to the silence she experienced when she was held by Black Air….

“Aye, ’tis… a bit. I’m sorry f’r being like ’tis. I donnae want tae be like I am right now, but after….”

But before Bridgit could lapse back into that Meggan helped the red-headed lass stand, smiling in hopes that it might help the situation further. “Now, no need to think of that again. We know you didn’t mean it.”

“But I burned him, like he said I’d do, wit’ muy powers. I… I killed him…”

Tangerine couldn’t help it, as she had to find out for herself, her curiousity too great. Shifting through the thoughts of the townsfolk that were fighting the dying embers of the blaze, she scanned the ashes. She searched for any trace of the man Bridgit thought she killed, for the fleeting thoughts or memories of the recently deceased. And she found… nothing.

{Meggan,} Tangerine send her findings to Meggan with nervous concern, as the blonde was helping Bridgit still, drying those tears. {I can’t find any trace of this Reverend Craig person, anywhere in there. I’m not sure…}

{I know,} Meggan replied to Tangerine, equally with concern, but she continued to smile to Bridgit. She had done her own ‘asking’ to determine if this was the case as well. “Let’s not worry about that, okay?” Meggan replied to both children, verbally this time. “He could have slipped out, gotten away somehow, been saved by one of the people there fighting the fire, or something… everything’s going to be fine, I promise, in time. Right now let’s get Bridgit to Moira, who can look her over.” Plus she was sensing that the others were on Muir, and they needed help. She could feel it now, as she focused her senses there. But more importantly, her Brian was there.

Despite the image Bridgit held in her mind of Craig burning because of her, before her very eyes, she nodded. Perhaps she was mistaken… envisioning things? She was so confused, but they helped, this two. Nodding once again, Bridgit allowed Meggan to lift her gently into the air.

Tangerine took a moment, needing to be touched on the shoulder by Meggan before she looked away from the remains of the church in the distance. She too allowed herself to be lifted, and soon they were all in flight, on their way back to Muir as fast as Meggan could carry them.

It would be good to be gone from this place, leave it far behind for all concerned.

Bridgit was being brought to safety, by being brought to this?

Setting Tangerine and Bridgit down, Meggan was quick to quick to take in all that she could see. Both with and without her eyes. The rubble that had been the research facility had moved and was now laying before the Flit, lines of magic still wrapped about the now dormant remains of the giant golem Moira. Kurt was perched on nose of the plane examining his fur, which was now a hot neon pink. Near to him was an equally perplexed Brian, who was attempting to rid himself of a suit of gold armor that he was now in.

But most bizarre of all was Rahne in her half-wolf form still, in a full-body sheep’s costume with her only her wolfish face exposed as she attempting to hold back Moira, in the pink Lil’ Bo Peep costume. Hold her back from ripping the little magical creature, a red imp, in half as she had the thing by the feet tugging. Hard.

On the other end was Pete Wisdom, as Douglock attempted to restrain the Brit, who had the imp by the throat choking it. Hard.

“I’m goin’ kill you, ya’ bloody troll!”

Gasping back to Pete, ZzazZ gacked, “Imp… CHOKE… Not a… ACK… Troll… GAG… completely different…”

“I donnae care whit ya’ are! Ye’ve been b’hind all this, haven’t ye?!!?” With that Moira gave an extra hard tug, making ZzazZ squeek out sharply. Something that Pete enjoyed as well, which smiled over. And added his own extra hard squeeze.

“I think I know that guy, er, thing. Whatever it is…” Tangerine whispered to Bridgit, as they both moved forward to see if they couldn’t help somehow.

While Meggan was glad to see Pete and Moira finally agree on something, even if it was something as violent as this, she was more concerned with something else. With a little leap, assisted by the winds, Meggan landed before Brian, her husband. “Always told you you were my knight in shining armor,” she smiled as she slipped her arms around Brian.

“Meggan! We’ve been looking for you, ever since they…” But before Brian could finish he was silenced with a sudden deep kiss.

Thinking it best to leave the happy couple to their own reunion, the pretty-pink Kurt lept to the aid of the racked and streteched imp. “Now, now, everyone. I’m sure that we can work all of this out, if you’d just let him go. We can make everything right again…”

“I am sure that it can be, Nightcrawler, which is why I have come.” Stepping from a portal of bright light that had appeared over the crater that was Moira’s manor, Roma, Guardian of the Otherworld, emerged and stepped towards Excalibur as the game of tug-of-war over ZzazZ continued. Gliding closer, she continued to speak as all eyes turned to her, “I am sorry for all that you have endured recently, Excalibur, at the hands of your attackers. To have ZzazZ cause his mischief to you on top of this was not needed. Or appreciated, even by myself. May I?” Once she was to the group she laid her hand on the imp, wondering if she could be allowed to handle him.

Released to Roma, ZzazZ swallowed, hard. “I’m not going to get off lightly for this one am I. Especially after what I did on #234, hrmm?”

Just smiling a little, Roma merely said, “Go home, ZzazZ. Once I make right here I will be along to have a talk with you.” As as the imp dashed off to do as commanded, Pete Wisdom made sure to give the troublemaker his proper due in evil glares, if he couldn’t beat his satisfaction out of damnable thing.

Once ZzazZ was away through the open portal, Roma adressed the assembly of heroes, “While I cannot undo the memories of what ZzazZ has done, I can at least undo those changes he had caused. Though, I see that Wisdom had managed to convince his own return to normality from ZzazZ. Allow me to grant the rest of you equal liberation.” With a wave of her hand all cosmetic and costume changes were removed, as well as traces of ZzazZ’s magic. Clothing and fur back to normal, Roma also made sure of one important detail, as the last of any possible teleported cows were returned home. For good.

Yet, as all were restored, still one person was aware that not all was not set right. Leaving the group, Moira forgot of Roma as she moved towards the crater that was once her home. It was still in pieces, destroyed. Was she being punished for some reason? Her family’s home, gone, after having been around for centuries, her work…

Feeling Moira’s pain intimately in her own mind, Tangerine looked to all gathered in turn, and witnessed that Rahne both noticed and shared Moira’s loss. Chewing on her bottom lip a moment, Tangerine moved forward to ask on behalf of the MacTaggerts, both blood and adopted, “Please, miss, but what about the buildings and things here? Can’t you put them back?”

Smiling to the child that was bold enough to ask her directly, Roma did felt regret privately, as she could not fullfill this selfless request. “I wish that I could, yet I cannot. That destruction was done by an agency I have no control over, one that I have not the position to undo…”

With a shared glance, Kurt knew as well as Meggan and Brian did that Roma did have the power. Yet her actions, and even inactions, were akin to those of her father, Merlyn, in that they were always for a greater purpose, for mysterious reasons that would be revealed later. Yet with Roma, these three knew that it for a noble end.

But someone else knew that there was likely a greater purpose behind this destructio, a dark reason. Which Pete Wisdom revealed as he simply muttered, “Black Air.”

Nodding her head once to confirm this transgretion, Roma brought another concern to the forefront. “The threat is over,” for now. “What shall you do now, Excalibur?”

Kurt knew that all eyes were falling on him, as his companions looked to him for that answer. He looked to them each in turn. From the couple of Meggan and Brian that held each other about the waist, to the nervous two new-comers that he had yet to know, to the surly Wisdom, to Douglock who was looking Roma with intent, to Rahne, and then lastly to the mournful and forlorn looking Moira. He wanted to give them an answer, each of them, but everything seemed to up the air, confusing. He wasn’t sure where to begin, for himself, but tried to formulate the words to cover the ground for everyone else.

But it was Rahne that stepped forward to answer this question, her focus very much on her own loss, and that of her mother’s. But her reply was meant to speak for all.

“I donnae ken if we can tell ye such a thing, Roma, as I am nae sure any of us can truly say whit will become of us. But we cannae end here or give in, nae tae Black Air f’r whit they’ve done tae us. I doubt they’re going tae roll over now. They’ll be back. Nae, th’ people need us, more than we need ourselves, if tha’ makes narry a wit o’ sense.”

Sighing, she looked up as she hugged her arms about herself, Rahne continued. “Whitever may come, we are going tae have tae face it together. As ourselves, as a team. Or nae. As people. We cannae turn our backs on our responsibility, now or ever. We shall do what we can, because we can. We have tae. We are Excalibur. All of us here, and whit may come will. Excalibur will continue.”

All were in silent agreement with Rahne’s words, even Tangerine and Bridgit to a degree. This comfort was felt by Meggan, which she in turn shared via her empathy with everyone. Following the lead of her friend, Tangerine once again used to her mind to spread such warm thoughts to all. Joined in spirit.

“It would seem that you are all indeed capable of handling what you are presented with. Together.” Roma herself smiled, pleased with such a display of friendship above all else. “Where shall you take yourselves now?”

Brian knew that this was his cue, as he had be mulling over the offer he was about to make since he had first witnessed the destruction of this Isle. Slipping free of Meggan’s embrace, he took his turn to step forward and offered what he could for the benefit of his companions. “I have a place we can stay. What’s mine is your’s, and Excalibur is always welcome to use my manor for as long as needed.”

“It would seem that all is arranged then,” replied Roma, knowing the true truth behind her own words. But she went on to make her own offer, “If there is anything more that I can do to assist, I will be there for you. Always in the future. Yet as for the present… shall I heal what I may, your injuries?”

“Danke schön, Roma. It is an offer, for one, that I am grateful for. I would like to be a whole man, or elf, as the case may be. On behalf of Excalibur, I would wish to thank you for this offer. I know that the saying among X-Men is ‘I got better’ but I do not mind a little help to make it less painful as soon as possible,” he winked. “Ausserdem, it would be nice to fully healed before going home.”

Working her magic, Kurt’s plasma burns were removed, making him whole once again. In turn she visited the other team members, heaing what physical pains she could. She even grinned slightly as she allowed the techno-organic construct Douglock to spend a long moment studying her.

Yet, Roma wished she could do more for the mental trauma of these gathered champions, even minor ones like Brian’s worry that Kurt’s mention of home meant away from here and back to the X-Men. But especially that of Bridgit’s, and even of Moira’s. The latter she could perhaps deal with in some small measure, so as she stopped to Rahne, she leaned in and whispered, “Do not fret for your mother so, little one. I will do what I can to make better for Moira MacTaggert as soon as I can. In other ways.”

This left only one; Brian Braddock. As Roma moved to stand before him she knew the answer he would give before he would speak it. But she allowed him the measure of defending his own pride.

As Roma stood before him Brian looked… apologetic. “I’m sorry Roma, but I cannot accept your offer. I’ve been thinking a lot in the past few moments, especially about what Rahne has said and what everyone is thinking, I’m sure. Lately I wanted nothing more than a normal life, to be away from all of this madness. To find my own life, with my new wife. To see if I could not make a go of it as Brian Braddock, scientist and husband. Not as a costumed figurehead… And I still want that.

“But now I know that people need me. My teammates, the people of Britain, perhaps even more, myself. That is a heavy burden, but it is one I have to try and bare, even if I’m not sure I’m capable or willing. Again. But if I am going to do this, I want to know that I can do it on my own. That means enduring my own battles and making due with what I have been given. I think that I am in very capable hands here,” he gestured to his friends, who had already saved him once. While he loathed to burden them, he had to learn to rely on himself.

With a gesture of her hand there was a blinding flash of light, and once it cleared where there was once nothing, something was returned. Offering Brian his black-style Captain Britain suit, Roma smiled faintly before her depature, “You are indeed a prideful man and you do your friends honor with your gesture. Especially as you make it for them, and not for yourself. If I not permited to heal you, then at least allow me to grant you a gesture of my own. Something that was taken from you, destroyed in the attack by Black Air. It was nothing more than was already your own, Brian Braddock of #616.”

“Like you believed your original costume to have done, so shall this one. I may be the one presenting it, but it is the one you had constructed, and were using recently. Returned and repaired. Drawing upon the powers of the British Isles, you shall be granted your original powers when in this suit, as long as you remain upon these soils.”

And then adressing the rest of the team, she continued, “Britain needs its champions still and I could not think of more fitting heroes than yourselves. Everybody needs a hero.” Taking his costume in hand with a measure of deep concern, Brian looked up from it to Roma, but she merely nodded to him silently. Turning, she departed to allow Excalibur to find their own way to Brian’s manor. As she disappeared into the portal of bright light that closed behind her, she offered a final parting well-wish.

“Be well, Excalibur. You shall be needed.”

NEXT ISSUE: What is the next challenge that lies in wait for Excalibur? Why, it’s attempting to live together! What fascinating secret lies ready to be discovered in Braddock Manor’s basement? Will Kurt remain or head back to the X-Men as Brian fears? What surprise is in store for Moira? So many questions!