Chapter 43
Until the evening fights of the main series, which were already worth paying attention to, Logan and I played chess. Xavier was sulking. Erik and Raven locked themselves in their room and no one disturbed them. Hank watched our game, occasionally commenting on it.
Suo was meditating.
That fleeting skirmish with the mages had a somewhat unpleasant consequence—my suit was ruined. From the sharp and sweeping movements, it had split at the seams in many places, and besides, it was heavily splattered with blood. I wouldn't have cared, but my wife was categorically against my further remaining in such a state. So she said: "Don't disgrace me, Vic!". I had to yield.
Through that same "red", Suo got me a change of clothes.
No, of course, I could have jumped home myself and changed, but I didn't want to flash my abilities in front of strangers unnecessarily. So I had to make do with what there was. And they brought me a Shaolin yifu. A classic one. Gray. And even with a rosary included.
I looked at this set for a whole minute, digesting it and indulging in memories. Then I took the brought rags, called Logan with me, and locked myself in the room. Came out of there fifteen minutes later, changed and with a gleaming bald head.
Suo was struck dumb. Especially considering the circumstances of our first meeting in the mountains of Tibet. Logan neighed, smoking his cigar. The rest didn't really understand anything.
Suo even managed to apologize before I dragged her into the furthest empty room, where she cast silencing charms and used her bauble to slow down time—she wasn't the only one feeling nostalgic.
By normal external time, we returned to the others in about twenty minutes. By subjective time... I don't even know, but we definitely spent about five hours on each other.
* * *
On the way to the arena, another meeting took place. And again, these were not my acquaintances, but my wife's.
A tall, slender, beautiful young woman with long, straight black hair falling freely over her shoulders in a highly extravagant and revealing black leather outfit approached us. She was accompanied by two silent hulks of normal bodyguard appearance in European black suits.
"Hello, Suo!" this person smiled not in the most pleasant way, approaching to the same three paces as the mage before. Moreover, she greeted us in English, which was a little strange. "We haven't seen each other in a long time! I already don't regret the time spent on this stupid Battle!" Suo warningly grabbed my hand and didn't let go, apparently so that I wouldn't "do anything stupid". And what about me? I'm nothing. Yifu and rosary, bald head, the blissful smile of an idiot who loves the whole world—the canonical look of a Zen Buddhist monk. Especially since after the recent killing, the beast had quieted down a bit, and after good sex, I myself was so placid that internally I practically matched my external appearance.
But my wife's grip didn't become any less tight from this, and she herself didn't become less tense.
"Hello, Selene," she answered the dark-haired woman's greeting. "Didn't expect to meet you here."
"Well, I decided not to ignore the 'lizards'' invitation this time. Besides, they say they have a really curious specimen here—he's won twenty times already. It will be curious to take a look at him," the black-haired woman said dreamily.
Selene... Selene... Selene! Is this not that very Selene who is older even than Apocalypse?!! The Black Queen of the Hellfire Club?!! What a chance meeting!
Now I fully understand such an explicit warning from my wife, who literally clung to my hand with a death grip.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but this 'specimen' is not participating today," Suo replied.
"What a shame!" Selene got upset. "But how do you know this? Maybe he's just running late? Will arrive later, make up for lost time by joining the second or even third round. I think the organizers definitely won't mind that."
"He is already here. And officially stated to the organizers that he is exclusively here as a spectator," Suo answered with some displeasure. I, meanwhile, tried to give myself an even slightly more spiritual look of a "not of this world" blissful one.
"Is that so..." at this moment the black-haired woman's gaze caught on the tattoo on the sorceress's wrist. "Suo! You got married?! When? Congratulations! How did that happen? Who is the lucky man?"
I silently raised my right hand and slightly pushed back the sleeve, exposing the wrist. Selene's eyes widened. Her attention completely shifted to me, her gaze became literally scanning.
"Will you introduce us?" she asked Suo.
"Victor Creed... Lehnsherr. Abbot of the Shaolin monastery in Tibet... Former. Known here as Sabretooth," Suo introduced me. "Selene—the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club. One of the most powerful women on the planet. Perhaps even the most powerful. One of the very first mutants in the world. Also wields magic. For centuries entire nations worshipped her as a goddess."
"Well, about the centuries—that was rude," the black-haired woman "pouted." "I don't talk about your millennia, do I!"
"He knows about my millennia," Suo answered calmly.
"And the other companions? Am I correct in understanding that these are your husband's friends, not yours?"
"Erik Lehnsherr," I took over the introductions. "My brother. Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Mutant. One of the strongest on the planet. Of those currently living. His wife—Raven. Charles Xavier—Professor of Biology. Mutant. The strongest telepath on the planet. Hank McCoy—Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Mutant. James Howlett—mutant."
"You throw around the words 'the strongest on the planet' so confidently," Selene smirked. I just shrugged in response and again turned my eyes to the sky, smiling foolishly and happily, as befits a Buddhist monk.
Actually, except for the little sins once a month with Suo, over time I became a good monk: stopped sleeping at services, learned all the prayers, mantras, and sacred texts, learned to give way to every bug I met, carefully sweeping it away with a whisk so as not to crush it, even learned to completely clear my mind and fill my heart with Light... unfortunately not for long. But I did learn, didn't I!
"Such an answer makes one think," Selene smiled slyly. "And remember where I had already heard the surname Creed."
"And where is that?" Suo became interested.
"During the Second World War, there was a certain Major Creed guarding the Soviets' superweapon. Victor Ivanovich Creed, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, super soldier... Listed as missing in action."
"War... war is in the past... Love, peace, joy, Zen!" I pressed my palms together, and then separated them and raised them to the sky along with my gaze, smiling spiritually and sincerely.
"Is that why you blew Rick's head off and tore his hangers-on to pieces?" Selene asked the question with a sly and sarcastic smile.
"No one is perfect," I sighed heavily. "They insulted Suo... Perhaps in a new reincarnation it will be better for them..."
"You have a funny husband, Suo," Selene said. "He has an interesting sense of humor. Pity we won't get to see his performance."
Suo silently nodded to Selene. She repeated her gesture and quietly said, "En Sabah Nur is here. Be careful."
Suo nodded once more. Then our companies parted ways, and I fell into deep thought: En Sabah Nur. Apocalypse, Zen! That's all we needed!
But none of these thoughts of mine reflected on my face—I had certainly learned to control my face qualitatively during my monkhood.
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