Thorn • Scott Summers

twenty nine

"Have you come to your senses? Are you going to help me now?"

Florence's anger rised, and she outstretched her fingers subtly, feeling the pressure of where Medusa was standing.

"Join you? For what?" Florence said, stalling. Behind Medusa, she began to stretch the trees around them slowly, and the wind had begun to pick up significantly. Tree branches swung softly, leaves rustling.

"Help me eradicate the inferior kind from this world," Medusa said, her voice booming. "All of you, join me."

The wind was relatively loud at that point, and Florence realized it was Storm, creating the noise to cover up the sound of the trees.

"I'm afraid we'll have to decline," Florence said, and Medusa was slightly put off by her formality and nonchalance. Her confusion served as a split second distraction- Florence smirked, and then all hell broke loose.

Tree branches wrapped around Medusa as best as Florence could manage with her eyes closed. The snakes hissed and Medusa tried to fight the wood off, screaming in anger. Florence continued to wrap as much as she could, working her way through it by feeling where the branches were already wrapping around her. Medusa struggled, arms breaking branches and kicking. Florence worked on covering her face, so no contact could be made with Medusa's deadly eyes.

"Hey!" Beast called out, and then Florence felt it. Around them, getting closer, something was stepping heavily on the grass. Footsteps, almost dragging on the ground.

"She's covered," Florence heard Scott's voice in her ear, and she cautiously looked up. Medusa's head was wrapped around in vines, her eyes blocked. Behind her and the others, she saw stone statues approaching them. Their arms held out, cracking resonating as they walked.
One of them got close to Jean and grabbed onto her, its hand wrapping around her forearm tightly. She shouted out, and Beast swiftly broke off the arm of the figure. It continued to move, and Jean held her hand up to her temple. She stopped the one in front of her, the statue frozen again. Another one that was quickly approaching was also halted by Jean, but there were many more. Beside them, Peter and Ororo quickly came to and began to fight off the statues. Warren grabbed one by the arms, attempting to fly up with it, but it was far too heavy for his wings. He punched one in the face, and he quickly pulled his hand back in pain, holding the reddened skin. Beast was able to swiftly crack them with the impact of his punches and kicks, his heightened strength bringing advantage.

Scott turned the dial on his visor and a red beam shot out at the stone figures around them, breaking them apart on the impact. Florence began to grow vines from the ground, twisting her wrists in the air as she restrained the statues approaching her.

The group continued to fight; they were too busy battling to notice Medusa has come loose from the branches restraining her. She ignored the group, and they all called out to Florence as Medusa made her way over.

Florence turned around, eyes wide. A mistake. In the split second of eye contact made with Medusa, Florence shut her eyes, heart pounding.

She had seen Medusa's eyes. A glowing gray that entranced her the split second before she closed her eyes. Although she hadn't turned to stone, she felt significantly weak and sluggish. Scott tried to run to her, but Medusa stopped in front of him, looking in his direction. He shut his eyes immediately, not knowing what to do.
Medusa stood in front of Florence, her snakes hissing the loudest they had all day and her own breath heavy. Her and Florence's rage matched. Despite her present state of weakness after being exposed to the pair of deadly eyes, the green haired girl stood tall, her hands to her sides. She was growing a vine from one of her wristlets- the other had fallen off when Medusa had dragged her to the pond. It was long and skinny, full of thorns, falling to the ground. Then, Florence whipped it up, and it found its way to Medusa's neck.
But it was to no avail. Medusa grabbed the vine before it could wrap itself tightly and ripped it, then grabbed Florence herself by the neck once more. This time, her grip was harder, and Florence's voice was caught in her throat. The rest of the group was still fighting the statues, as a seemingly infinite amount of them kept coming. Scott was about to shoot his beams at Medusa, when he was grabbed from behind by one of the stone people.