The X-Corp Chronicles:
Prologue: Die… Another Day…Another Ally
Notes: Spoilers for X3! Go no further if you do not wish to know the secret ending after the credits!
Warning: Pairing is Bobby/John but it's not the whole center of the story, just a good facet of it. Perhaps some Warren and Piotr thrown in somewhere, but that's for another day and another chapter perhaps…
Warning: Artistic license – Normally, the comatose guy in the hospital bed was played by Patrick Stewart as well… in this, he is a comatose mutant in his late 20s with no surviving family, and is extremely wealthy, his assets were being taken care of by an executor of his estate…Professor Xavier…
It's been nearly 2 months since the Alcatraz incident, and the mansion has pretty much returned to normal… well as normal can be considering Jean, Scott and the Professor were dead. Dr. McCoy had left the United Nations in order to become a teacher at the school and the staff… as well as the students, were about to get a very jarring surprise…
A strikingly beautiful woman with trimmed golden hair and a white dress suit rang the doorbell to the mansion. Behind her was a tall man clad in a brown trenchcoat, crimson eyes and a rueful smirk upon his face. Along side him was a young raven-haired man of about 27 years in a motorized wheelchair. His eyes are regal and calculating, with an imperious air about him. They wait patiently until one Bobby Drake answered the door. "Uh, hi. Can I help you?" he asked curtly.
"Why yes, dear, you can…" replied the woman with a sensual purr in her brogue. This brought a slight blush to Bobby's normally collected demeanor. "We'd like to speak to your headmistress, a Ms. Ororo Munroe. I believe you also call her 'Storm'." Bobby eyed the trio carefully and decided it was for Storm to deal with and not exactly his place to pick a fight with these strangers, no matter how much he distrusted them. "I'll show you to the offices," he answered. "Ms. Munroe should be done teaching her last class." "Excellent," chimed the blonde, a whimsical half-smirk/half-leer gracing her face.
In the office, Storm had just put down her folders and was about to go over the next day's lesson plans when there was a rap at her door. "Come in," she called. Bobby peered his head in before entering all the way. "Professor Munroe, there's some people who want to see you." Storm nodded and wondered why Bobby is being so meek. "Show them in, Bobby." Bobby nodded and opened the door all the way. Storm gave him a high-chinned nod signaling that he could go now. Bobby almost scurried off, partially because he was supposed to meet Warren out by the basketball court, partially because the three guests made him uncomfortable… like they were here to turn everything upside down.
Storm walked over to greet her unexpected guests, proffered her hand and shook with everyone. "I'm Professor Munroe. Is there something I can help you with?" The young wheelchair-bound man finally spoke, with a gentle and warm, yet authoritative voice. "Yes, my name is Cecil Valdez. I knew your late Professor Xavier. I was overwhelmingly grieved with his passing, but I can see that his legacy and his work still live on in his most trusted pupils… his X-Men." Storm stood agape with the man's perceptiveness, but moreover, she felt a twinge of familiarity, like she'd known this man for years. "I'll explain why we are here, Ms. Munroe," continued Cecil. "Before Charles died, he had made arrangements…amongst which was with us to aid the school financially and to merge it with the new X-Corp formed by a Mr. Warren Worthington II and my associate here, Ms. Emma Frost. I understand his son is one of your students now." Storm immediately felt a pang of protectiveness for her student, but the feeling was soon quelled. "Our silent, yet charming bodyguard here is Remy LeBeau. He likes to be addressed simply as 'Gambit'. You see, Ms. Munroe, we are all mutants here, and all are working toward the same goal: Peaceful co-existence of humans and mutants. However, we have come to help train the X-Men to battle against those who would forcefully oppose that dream."
Storm sat down and declared. "I'd like to see some proof." With feline grace, Emma produced a manila envelope from her open-top briefcase and handed it to Storm. As Storm looked over all the contracts and briefings, she decided they were genuine, but decided to ask the question lingering in her mind. "Why didn't the Professor tell any of us about any of this before?" "Because he didn't want to bog you down with all the paperwork and formalities. Everything was prearranged before his death. These plans were to take place whether or not he was alive. That was the great thing about Charles, you know… always ever prepared…always staying a few steps ahead of the game. I suppose it was logical, what with the line of work you all do. Sadly, he had to think ahead… to his own death, as sudden as it was, so he made these arrangements in order to take care of you all. I am truly sorry you didn't know about this sooner, but I'm sure the Professor didn't want you to worry about itand to justgo on teaching the new generation."
Storm was mulling this over. Her emotions were extremely conflicted. On the one hand, she was in charge, and these papers would make Emma the co-headmistress and Cecil an advisor…a superintendent as it were. Mr. LeBeau, Gambit, would be training with the X-Men, effectively joining the team. On the other hand, it would mean there would be more teachers, more resources and more opportunities for the students. And it was nice to know that they had allies, and that they didn't have to go this alone. She wasn't sure how to feel about it all. "Let me think about all of this. It really is a lot to take in, in such a short time." "Certainly, Ms. Munroe" replied Cecil. "We won't proceed any further until you've had a chance to assess the situation further. But let me assure you that we are on your side." "Thank you," she nodded with appreciation.
"As a show of good faith, we will disclose our own powers so you know exactly what we are capable of. First, Emma here is a powerful telepath with an affinity for machines. She has been working with machines and systems much like your Cerebro. This of course makes her a powerful asset, as she will be the only one here able to operate Cerebro now. Gambit here can charge any object with intense kinetic energy. This energy will cause the object to ultimately hit its resonance frequency and explode with a magnitude of his choosing, as he is in full control of how much energy he invests in the object. His favored weapons are his cards, which he charges and throws with deadly precision…" he glanced up at Gambit who was fully smiling at this point at being complimented "…as well as a dash of flair. Not surprisingly, he's rather a show-off at times, but absolutely trustworthy nonetheless." Storm considered each, nodded, and turned to Cecil. "And you? What can you do?" "Oh, well… a little of this… a little of that… I'm a telepath, but also telekinetic. My abilities are honed to the point where I can manipulate almost any energy with my mind. Your lightning? Deflected. Jubilee's pyrotechnic bursts? Fizzled. I use these powers first and foremost for defensive purposes naturally." Allowing Storm to digest all that's transpired, Cecil decided to exeunt. "Thank you for your time, Ms. Munroe. You can reach us through X-Corp. There should be links from the school's computers. If you can't find them, I suggest you ask Warren." And with that, he wheeled away with Gambit and Emma flanking close behind, but not before Gambit winked at Storm as he turned. Her eyes shifted in deep thought.
"Wait," called Storm as she looked up from her reverie. "Please feel free to stay and look around the grounds," this elicited slight confusion in the trio. "After all, we are going to be working together. I would prefer it if you were familiar with our students and our staff first." Storm had her earnest and sincere smile, to which Cecil Valdez received with much appreciation.
We have work to do, Cecil…after all… he is coming…
Well, the foundation is laid. 10 points to anyone who can see all the little references and tributes proliferated throughout. Chapter 1 will be ready momentarily.
Soon to come:"A love that can never be… and a love that was and can be again…"
But first: "Will you please confine your bickering inside your head? Half the school could probably hear you."