AN: Oh YEAH! TWO updates in ONE day!...Okay I'm done now.
Chapter 6
When Jean finally reached her destination, she discovered that it was a run-down ancient-looking castle. She inspected the large wooden door before pulling at it. It opened surprisingly easily, considering the number of vines taking root in it. She stepped inside cautiously, knowing that the events going on in Marie's mind had undoubtidly put her mental security on high alert.
Jean carefully walked down a darkened hallway. She came to two doors across the hallway from each other. One looked like an ordinary door. The other was a stone door with intricate carvings. Both couldn't be opened. The ordinary door was firmly locked, the stone door had no way of being opened.
Jean placed a hand on the knob of the plain door. The door shined with a strange light before it opened. She stepped inside and was met by a room. She explored the room and found that only half of it was illuminated. With the light, she could see various pictures and items. As she looked at the pictures, she could see that they were pictures of her and the other X-Men. The pictures of Scott, Ororo, and the professor were pretty blurry, but Jean could still make them out. The picture of Logan was more into focus, and Jean's picture was incredibly sharp.
"The pictures must get sharper the better Marie knows the person. She knows me and Logan the best, so our pictures are the clearest." She then noticed Bobby's picture. The frame had been smashed and the picture ripped up. Jean then noticed several artifacts. Each were from a different time period in history and were more primitive versions of today's technologies.
"Hmmm...maybe this has to do with her past. The way that it played a big role in making her the person she is today." She then noticed a small trunk. It was covered in chains and padlocks. "This trunk holds a secret. Something she doesn't want anyone to know. I'd better quit poking around in here, nothing in here can help Marie."
As Jean shut the door on her way out, she noticed that the other door had opened. She slowly entered the darkened room and came face to face with...
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"Professor, how long is Jean going to be in there? It's already been two hours." Ororo asked as she monitered Marie's phisical status.
"Jean is getting very close, but it still might take a while longer. Are Scott and Logan taking care of the students?"
"Yeah, good thing it's Saturday. Most of the students are out for the day. Hey Professor?"
"Yes, Ororo?"
"You never told us who that woman was. You know, the one who attacked Rogue? Was she a mutant?"
"Yes Ororo, she was. She had just shown up on Cerebro after you all had left. I was too focused on Eric that I didn't even think about it until now. I don't know what her real name is, but she calls herself "Mindbender". Apparently she can manipulate brainwaves in a person to her will. I believe that was what she did to Rogue, although I'm not quite sure why she would want to hurt her."
"But Professor, when she showed up we couldn't move. I felt like my legs had been bolted to the ground. Did she do that too?"
"Yes she did Ororo. You see, you move because your brain sends a message to your body that tells it to move. Apparently Mindbender kept your brain from sending the message to your body. This worries me Ororo. If she decides that we're a threat, we might not be able to defend ourselves against her. She wields so much telepathic power." The professor fell silent, leaving Ororo to muse over his worries and pray for Marie's safe return.
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Jean jumped out of the way of Scott's blast. With a wave of her hand, her telekinesis sent Scott flying into a wall. He was knocked out cold. Jean then continued her walk through the corridors of Marie's mind.
She opened a door and began to enter the room. She felt a slight gust of wind from above her and jumped back just in time to avoid being crushed by a huge boulder.
"Well, that was very "Indiana Jones". I didn't realize Marie had such strong mental defences." Jean said as she stood and dusted herself off. At the next door, she resolved to be a bit more careful. She pushed the door open and threw a rock inside to make sure that nothing would crush her. Satisfied, she stepped inside.
She looked around before stepping further inside. "Mar-augh!" Jean screamed as the floor crumbled beneath her. She grabbed the edge and held on for dear life. She struggled to pull herself up, but she could feel her grip slipping. As her grip failed her, she felt a hand grab her wrist firmly. She looked up to see Marie holding her arm and trying to pull her up.
"Hang on Jean, I've got you!" Marie grunted as she pulled Jean back onto solid ground. Jean ended up halfway on top of Marie, who had her arms around her. They both tried to catch their breaths as they remained in their awkward position. Jean looked into Marie's eyes and leaned in closer to her. Marie began to lean forward too, but Magneto interrupted their tender moment.
"I've found you! Now I'll make you pay!" Jean jumped to her feet and stood defiantly between Magneto and Marie. "You'll have to go through me if you want to get to her Magneto!"
"Well actually Jean, I was talking to you! But thanks for sticking your neck out." As Magneto advanced toward Jean, metal slab raised, Marie's anger grew. The slab was ripped out of his grip and slammed into the wall.
"ENOUGH!" Marie screamed as she formed a strong wirlwind around her. Magneto was blown away, but Jean felt herself being protected by some invisible force. Marie advanced on the cowering Magneto and blew the walls in her mind away. The other psyches saw Marie's power and found themselves immobilized by their terror.
"LET ME CLEAR ONE THING UP FOR YOU PEOPLE!" Marie screamed as the wirlwind lifted her into the air. Fire swirled with the wind, metal levitated, lightning crashed around her, and her eyes glowed firey red. "THIS IS MY MIND, YOU UNDERSTAND?! MINE!!!! I AM THE BOSS HERE! YOU DO AS I SAY! YOU GOT THAT?!"
The psyches looked at each other and dutifully nodded. "AND ONE MORE THING! NO MATTER WHAT, YOU NEVER LAY A FINGER ON JEAN! UNDERSTAND?!" Once again, the psyches nodded like children being scolded. Marie gave them all an evil glare, and they all rushed off to their mental rooms. The power surrounding Marie ebbed, and she returned to the ground.
Jean rushed to Marie and caught her as her legs gave out. "Marie! You saved my life! That was amazing!" Marie was sweaty and out of breath, but she still managed a weak smile.
"I couldn't...let them...hurt you." She panted as Jean cradled her. Jean then noticed that Marie's cheek was touching her exposed neck.
"Marie! We're touching!" Marie smirked knowingly.
"I know Jean. I have full control in my mind. It's the phisical me that I don't have control over." She explained, not making a move to sit up, much to Jean's approval. Jean could feel the stirring between her legs as she felt Marie's soft skin against hers. She pulled Marie away just enough to look into her eyes.
"So, no matter what, you can touch? Your powers won't activate unless you tell them to?" Marie nodded. Jean took a deep breath, and dove into the water.
As her lips met Marie's, the same electricity that she had felt in the med lab returned full force. Marie didn't respond at first, but just as Jean was starting to worry, she felt her kiss back. Marie's tongue tentatively touched Jean's lips and pulled away shyly. Jean opened her mouth and used her tongue to coax some movement in Marie's tongue. Soon their tongues were in a fierce battle for dominance as their hands groped greedily for any bit of skin they could reach.
They pulled away only when their lungs absolutely screamed for air. They panted and exchanged short kisses as they regained their breath. Marie looked at Jean shyly before she finally spoke.
"Was that as much of a turn-on for you as it was for me?" Jean grinned broadly at the normally shy girl's bluntness.
"Why yes Marie, I believe that it was." They locked eyes again and leaned in for another kiss. When they finally pull away from that kiss, Jean focused on trying to reach the professor. Marie, thoroughly exhausted by the day's activities, fell into a relaxed sleep in Jean's arms.
Professor! I've got her! She's safe!
That's excellent news Jean! She's with you know?
Yeah. She's asleep though. Is that okay?
It's perfectly fine. Keep a hold of her and I'll pull you both out.
Okay, hit us when you're ready.
Jean felt the same sensation as before overtake her. She kissed Marie's lips one more time before the blackness overcame her again.
When she opened her eyes, she was standing behind the professor again with her hand on his shoulder. She slumped into the chair Ororo pushed behind her. She saw Marie sleeping on the metal table and felt through the link that she was okay. She sighed in relief and looked at her mentor.
"How long was I inside?"
"Three hours." He answered calmly. "As you know, time moves much slower inside of the mind, so I know that it doesn't feel like you were out for that long." Jean yawned.
"Three hours, huh? So then it must be around ten thirty?" The professor nodded his head. Ororo spoke up.
"Jean, why don't you get some sleep? We can take care of Rogue until you regain your energy." Jean looked at Marie nervously. Ororo smiled warmly at her best friend. "Don't worry Jean, she'll be out for quite a while. You can afford to get a good night's sleep before she wakes up."
"Well...okay. But if she shows any sign of waking up let me know." The professor smiled at her.
"Don't worry Jean we'll let you know about any changes in her condition." As Jean started for the metal doors, he spoke up again. "Oh by the way Jean, I've found out something about Rogue that I think you need to know. And it's not that she's head over heels for you."
Jean blushed down to her neck at his smart-ass comment. "Okay, what is it then?"
AN:HA HA HA! CLIFFHANGER! (Notices the angry mob starting to form) Ummm...now lets not be too hasty. (Starts running from the mob who have somehow materialized pitchforks and torches.) REVIEW PLEASE!