-1Author's note
Hey it's me, yeah I know it's been awhile, I'll explain my absence in the end notes, but for now let's just get right into what you've been waiting for, and of course I don't own Marvel( insert your own funny joke about owning Marvel here, I'm fresh out.)
Chapter 10 Beauty and the Beast/ Making Connections
"Ah yeah, Road trip!" Bobby yelled enthusiastically as he leaped down the last two steps leading out of the Xavier institute, and ran towards the awaiting X-van.
"I call shotgun!" Jubilee answered with equal enthusiasm, sprinting past him and making it to the car door first.
"You snooze you lose Frosty." she said with a mocking smile as they waited for the less excited Storm and Jean to catch up.
We'll see about that. Bobby thought silently, as a mischievous idea crossed his teenage mind. Reaching into his jacket pocket with his right hand, Bobby began to slowly form snow, careful to make it as cold and wet as possible, without actually making a ball of ice.
"What's with that look on your face Drake?" Jubilee questioned suspiciously, "It's not like you to just give up that easily."
Getting nothing but the same fox like look from Bobby she unwisely turned towards the van as Storm approached the drivers side.
"I mean look, I know you're used to losing to me all the time but at least put in an eff-"
SPLAT!
As Jubilee was gloating over her "victory" Bobby hurled the snowball at her, showering the back of her onyx colored head with snowflakes, making it seem that she had just aged thirty years.
"YOU LITTLE CREEP!"
"Come on Lee, what happened to you snooze you lose?!" Bobby yelled mockingly as he dodged Jubilee's fireworks.
"Wait till' I get my hands on you Drake!! We'll see how well you can make snowballs when your head's shoved up your-"
"My, my they've certainly improved." Jean said as she carefully sidled past Jubilee and grabbed the passenger seat, who incidentally didn't notice because she was too busy hurling fireworks at Bobby.
Storm shot Jean a look that said ,don't encourage them, as the pair stepped into the van.
'Oh come on Storm lighten up." Jean pleaded, "You've got to admit that since they've been here those two have really gotten a handle on their powers."
For a moment Storm said nothing as she cranked up the van, but then she turned towards Jean.
"I'm just worried that they may be getting carried away a little. Giving your powers too much of a free reign can be a dangerous thing." she said shooting Jean a meaningful look.
Jean's gaze dropped to her lap, if she knew the conversation would have come to this she wouldn't have said anything at all.
When Jean looked up again it seemed as if Storm was staring past her and not at her, which confirmed her worst suspicions.
"Storm look, I know that you and the Professor think that my powers are dangerous. But I want you both to know that I would never let them control me, I'd never to anything to hurt any of you."
After she said this her eyes dropped back to her lap, but feeling a hand on her shoulder Jean looked up to see Storm staring at her in a motherly fashion.
"We know that Jean. Without a doubt you are the most caring, intelligent, and beautiful young woman I have ever had the good fortune to meet."
Storm allowed Jean a moment to bask in this praise before continuing with her point.
"But you also have the potential to be one of the most powerful mutants to ever exist. We are just a little worried about the stress that responsibility could have on you, that's all."
Feeling better Jean reached up and grasped Storm's hand in her own.
"I know Storm, and it really makes me happy that you and the Professor don't think that I'm some ticking time bomb ready to explode."
"And it makes me happy to think that we've raised a girl that's mature enough to realize her full potential, now is it just me or did it get suddenly quiet outside?"
"Yeah you're right."
The two then turned their heads outside to find Bobby and Jubilee both collapsed spread eagled on the ground out of exhaustion.
"Good grief." Storm said as she rolled her eyes and stepped out of the van, with Jean following suit.
Upon closer inspection of the two young mutants Jean and Storm both agreed that they had looked better.
Jubilee was covered in snow, half of which that had melted sticking to her clothes. And Bobby's clothes were singed and burnt, with small embers on the cuffs of his jeans.
"So this is the future of the X-men huh?" Jean asked peering down at the soaked Jubilation Lee.
"Unfortunately." Storm responded with a sigh as she gazed at the charred Bobby Drake.
"Come on let's get them in the van."
--------------------------
An hour and a few cups of coffee later the foursome were on their way.
"I hope you two have learned your lesson back there." Storm said sternly as she drove down Main Street glancing into the rear view mirror at the pathetic sight.
"I-I-It was B-B-Bobby's f-f-ault!" Jubilee chattered wrapping a blanket over her self even tighter.
"My fault!? Thanks to you my best shirt looks like something Satan would serve for dinner!" Bobby shot back as he caused a steady stream of cold air to flow from his hand over his burns.
Seeing the two argue Jean couldn't help but laugh, before she voiced something she was curious about.
"So where exactly are we headed, I noticed the highway is in the other direction." she said coyly.
Storm blushed slightly before stopping to park the van in front of a large apartment building.
"I need to stop and see Hank quickly." she said as fast as possible determined to avoid Jeans' gaze.
"Ohhhh, so this is a da-" Jean began before a menacing look and a pointed finger from Storm stopped her. At this point even Jubilee and Bobby had stopped arguing in order to hear about this mysterious love connection of Storm's.
Feeling all the eyes in the van on her Strom softened her gaze and spoke in a voice of forced calm.
"Hank, and I are old friends, and colleagues. What we have to talk about is strictly business. I repeat we are just friends."
Jean nodded her head in mock agreement for a moment.
"Riiiiiiiight Storm, friends don't look at each other like that."
"Have you-" Storm began in an accusatory tone, before it was Jeans' turn to interrupt.
"No! I haven't been reading your mind! And why does everyone think that I do!?" she said defensively ,shooting a look at Bobby who crumpled under her stare, "Besides when it's obvious like you and Hank, you don't have to be psychic to tell."
Sighing slightly Storm relented and unfastened her seatbelt.
"In any case we still have to talk." And then snapping back to her more authoritative voice, "While I'm gone I want you two to stay here with Jean and please-" she said with a pleading look at the two teens in the backseat, "-no powers."
"Yeah, yeah, we know," they both said in unison.
"Good, now Jean I'm leaving you in charge, I shouldn't be too long."
And with that edict she strolled inside the building as Jean telepathically sang It's Amore in her head. Once Jean had her fun she turned to her young friends, preparing to stress to them the importance of keeping a low profile in public when something or rather someone caught her eye.
A girl a few years younger than herself was stumbling into an alley. There were a few things strange about her, for one she seemed to be drunk, or in some state of stupefaction, and two her hair, which was brown with a shocking white streak, stuck to her pale skin due to the way she was sweating. Thinking that this girl was sick Jean was going to get out and check on her. But then she realized that she wasn't the only one that had noticed the girl. Five guys in about their early twenties had seen the girl, and like sharks attracted to blood in the water they looked around covertly before stalking into the alley she had fell in. Seeing the look in their eyes and knowing what they were planning Jean hesitated for a moment before quickly unfastening her seatbelt and getting out of the van to follow them.
"Hey! Where you goin'? Storm said to stay here!" Bobby yelled at her advancing backside.
"I'm just going to check something out! You two stay there, and no you-know-what!" she responded with a glance over her shoulders and a stern look worthy of Storm.
"What's she up to?" Bobby thought suspiciously, as Jean rounded the corner and disappeared into the passageway. Not waiting for an answer to come to his brain he opened the door and leapt out intent on following.
"Where are you going! Storm told us to stay here." Jubilee hissed at him.
"Correction Storm told us to stay with Jean, now we wouldn't be good students if we didn't listen to our teacher now would we?" Bobby asked with a devilish grin.
For a moment Jubilee didn't say anything. But then,
"Wait up, I'm coming too!" she said flashing a grin of her own.
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Tenth floor, Eleventh floor, Twelfth floor, Thirteenth floor, it figures he would stay on the top floor of a building. Storm thought as the elevator grinded to a halt, and the doors opened, and a stooped old lady stepped on as Storm stepped off. The woman eyed her for a moment before remembering something.
"Excuse me Miss, your name wouldn't happen to be Ms. Munroe would it?"
Stopping and turning back towards the old woman Storm responded in a surprised manner.
"Why, yes it would. How did you know that? I don't believe we have met before."
Now sure of herself the old woman stepped out of the elevator to face Storm.
"No we haven't but you fit the description, that that boy gave me."
Still confused Storm pressed her for more information.
"Boy? What boy?"
"Actually he's not a boy really he's a man. He stays on this floor. Doctor you know, name was something like Herman, or Harry or-"
"Hank?"
"Yeah, Hank that's it! He told me that if I were to see a very beautiful black woman, with a little bit of an accent and white hair that I should give her a message."
"And what is the message." Storm asked, her curiosity building, and her patience dwindling.
"Go away!"
"Excuse me?" Storm asked indignantly.
"That's the message go away. He said he didn't want to see anyone, especially you."
Trying to keep the pain she felt out of her voice Storm continued.
"How did he tell you this, I mean to say was he outside or-"
"No, no that's the peculiar thing he told me this threw his door as I was walking by, never opened the door a crack."
Understanding dawned on Storm, and she thanked the woman for the message and assured her that Hank really did want to see her.
"I don't know he sounded pretty clear this morning."
Fire in her eyes Storm said
"Trust me he doesn't have a choice right now."
After the woman left Storm marched over to Hank's door and rapped on it hard and loud.
"I know you're in there Hank ,we need to talk!"
Still with no answer she pounded the door harder.
"Hank open up this door! You don't want me, to open it!"
Once again with no answer Storm stepped back and looked up and down the hallway making sure it was clear. I hate hypocrisy. She thought for a moment.
And then with her eyes turning white and her luxurious hair whipping behind her ,she summoned a huge gust of gale force wind blowing the door clean off it's hinges.
When Storm walked into the room she saw that it was shrouded in darkness.
"What's going on here Hank?" she said as she fingered the wall groping for the light switch.
"Go away..." came a harsh voice from somewhere in the room.
Undeterred by his reluctance Storm continued to search blindly for the lights.
"Hank, there is obviously something wrong with you! You haven't answered any of my calls or emails, for the past week! Please let me help you! Let me see you!"
"You won't like what you see..." he said in a voice filled with sadness.
"Let me be the judge of that." she said firmly finally finding the light switch, and illuminating the darkness.
What she saw was Doctor Hank McCoy, a brilliant scientist, and renowned researcher in genetics, but now he more closely resembled his codename, Beast.
For a moment the two stood there gazing at each other, before she broke the silence and the tension with a smile.
"You know blue is my favorite color."
--------------------
It was a few minutes later and Hank had just reattached the door as Storm made tea for the two of them.
"So let me see if I understand the situation correctly Hank," Storm said as she set the tea tray down on Hanks coffee table, "Your holo-watch broke a week ago, and you haven't been out of the apartment since then?"
"You make it sound as if I could just go and pick out a new one at Tiffany's." Hank said as he sat down across from her.
"But I still don't understand, you could have fixed it if you really wanted to, you're a genius."
Getting up from the table and pacing around slightly he answered her.
"I'm tired of hiding Storm, I'm sick of donning a fake identity to simply go the grocery store or too buy a book. No man should have to live like that."
Pausing for a moment he ran his ape like hands through his indigo fur before continuing.
"But I was afraid of how yo-, how people would react to the real me. I mean look at me I'm not a man, I'm a monster." When he finished speaking he buried his face in his hands and didn't hear Storm walk behind him. Placing a hand on his shoulder she leaned forward and spoke softly in his ear.
"Hank the real you is not some monster, nor is it a fake holographic image.The real you is the most brilliant, sweet, and gentle man. The real you is poetic and kind, yet clever and urbane. The real you has become such an huge part of my life that I hadn't realized how important you really were until you were gone from it."
Beast turned to face her and for a few seconds they looked into each other's eyes as she moved closer to Beast, and then slowly her eyes began to close. Hank had a genius level intellect, but in matters of the heart he had very little experience. As a child he never really learned how to say what he felt, so he had grown accustomed to saying what he thought he should say.
"I can't do this Ororo. I'm sorry but I'm not what you want."
Instantly Storm came crashing back down to reality, and opened her eyes.
"How can you decide what it is that I want?" she said fiercely her eyes boring into his.
"We can't have a future, I'm sorry but you won't be happy." he said pain etched into every line of his face.
"What if I don't care about the future? What if I just care about right now?" she shot back not backing down, she then reached up to touch his face with her hands, "Hank don't you-"
"Listen to me." he said firmly removing her hands from his face and at the same time marveling at how soft they were, and wishing that he could never let go. "You can't be happy with someone like me."
Storm let her hands slide from his and stared at him for a second.
"Fine then."
She then turned on her heel and walked to the newly repaired door, with her hand on the knob she turned towards him and spoke again, this time blinking back tears, an unfamiliar vulnerability in her voice.
"I don't know how you know what I want, when you don't even know what you want." She then opened the door still looking at him, "You have two choices Hank, you can leave here with me and live life, taking a chance and being happy. Or you can stay isolated up here, torn up, and unsure of who or what you are, killing yourself slowly. The choice is yours it is either now or never."
For what felt like an eternity they stood there beauty and the beast, both on the edge of the proverbial cliff looking into each others eyes. But after awhile Beast dropped his gaze towards the floor.
"As I said before, Ororo I cannot do this ,not now." he said the pleading obvious in his voice.
If this was a great blow to Storm she didn't show it, but her eyes did flashed momentarily white.
"Then it will be never. Good'bye Hank."
And with that she walked through the door and was down the hall before Hank could say a word.
"Good'bye my beautiful Storm."
And as he looked outside he saw that it began to rain lightly.
------------------------------
Meanwhile
"How is it bro?"
"It's great, it's been such a long time I guess that I'd forgotten what it felt like to actually look at something."
The two Summers brothers were walking down Main Street together, and for the first time in a long time Scott Summers could see. Magneto's machine had in his words, "accelerated the evolution of their mutant genes." Scott didn't understand the technology but he knew one thing for the first time in his life he had full control over his powers, he could look at someone without putting them through a wall.
"See Scott I told you Magneto's looking out for us, he really has our best interests at heart."
It was a few hours after they had first stepped into the machine, and Magneto had sent them all down to earth ,with the exception of Wolverine, on a scouting mission. Immediately when they landed Mystique said she had somewhere to be and disappeared, Pietro wasted no time in speeding off as well, leaving the two Summers brothers in his dust. But Scott didn't mind to tell the truth he thought the young speedster was a bit of an ass.
"It's not that I don't trust Magneto," Scott said as they walked past a group of girls that giggled as they passed, "It's just that-hey! Are you even listening to me!"
Alex had turned around to follow their progress of the girls, when Scott grabbed him by the shoulders and spun him around.
"You haven't been listening to a word I've said!" he accused.
"Ah lighten up Scott, come on man we're young and you've got to admit chicks dig the hair." and as he said this he flipped some of his new chalk white hair out of his eyes.
Another side effect of the Cauldron was that it had turned both of their heads white, not unlike Pietro's hair.
Scott smiled for a second before playfully shoving his brother forward.
'I think you're overestimating your animal magnetism, little bro." he said jokingly.
"Oh yeah," Alex said giving his brother a punch in the arm, "Well tell me how many girls you've reeled in Romeo."
"I-uh- I mean"
"So I'm guessing that would be zero then huh?"
"Hey cut me some slack, it's hard to meet girls when you're afraid that you'll blast them to the moon if you look at them."
"Good point ,which is why today is the perfect time to start. Check it out."
A block or two up ahead of them a scarlet haired girl had just emerged from a van and ducked into an alley.
"Pretty hot huh bro?" Alex asked giving his brother a sideways look.
"Yeah, definitely. Hey check it out what's that all about?"
A few seconds after the girl had stepped out two kids about Alex's age stepped out also, and followed her in a way that suggested that they were doing something they weren't supposed to.
"What is she baby-sitting or something?" Alex asked voicing what Scott was thinking.
"Well if she is then we have something in common."
"Hah, hah, and did I mention hah. So are you gonna talk to her or what bro?"
Scott didn't usually make it a habit to just approach a girl randomly on the street, but ever since his sight had been restored he felt a strange boldness, a confidence. He didn't feel invincible, but he definitely felt untouchable, like a prize fighter or something. Letting this new daring take over his body he moved forward to where he last saw her.
"So I'm guessing that's a yes."
------------------------
"What did you just say?"
Jean stood her ground as the five men leered at her menacingly. The one nearest took a step closer.
"I don't think I heard you correctly girl."
Glancing at the girl briefly who was still sweating profusely, Jean took a step forward also.
"I said why don't you creeps do something with your lives, instead of preying on helpless girls."
The guy smiled and eyed her up and down, visualizing every curve of her body.
"You've got a lotta nerve, but that's okay I like em' feisty red." he then tried to place his hands on her hips, but at this point Jean had had enough, and the thought of being touched by this scumbag threw her over the edge. Before she knew it, she backed up and threw a right cross that floored him. For a moment no-one moved until the guy reached up to his face and drew back bloody fingers.
"You bitch! Get her!"
Uh oh, Jean thought, five of them and one of me.
Part of her was busy making sure that she didn't use her powers in this fight, while the other part that had spent years reading texts dealing with feminine pride and power, screamed for their destruction. Unfortunately for Jean this inner battle took a backseat to the outer one she was experiencing. Before she knew it one of the men lunged at her. Dodging nimbly to the side, she caused him to fall flat on his face, while she attempted to side step the advances of a second man, the third managed to sneak up on her. His muscular arms wrapped tightly around her chest she could barely breathe let alone move.
"That's good man hold her right there." The first guy said picking himself up off the ground and moving towards Jean cracking his knuckles.
"We'll see how smart that mouth of yours is when you don't have any teeth."
He cocked back his fist and prepared to deliver a blow that would break Jean's nose.
Jean closed her eyes and prepared to take the hit, knowing that if she used her powers she risked more than just a black eye.
"Say your prayers bi-"
WHAM!
Faster than anyone could see ,a small white object collided with the side of the guys head knocking him once again to the ground. Upon closer inspection Jean could tell that it was a baseball.
"Bobby!" she cried
Bobby Drake and Jubilee stood at the entrance to the alley wearing identical smirks, Bobby with his hand still in the pitching position.
"So what do'ya say Lee I think that was definitely a strike."
"Hmph you're dreamin again frosty, that was a foul at best."
And then without wasting anymore time she used his back as a sort of springboard leaping into the middle of the fight, and delivering a crushing kick to one of the stunned guys.
For once I'm glad that they didn't listen Jean thought with a smile, and then feeling the grip loosen on her chest she drew her arms back and sunk her elbows into the thugs stomach. With a satisfying ooff! sound he promptly let her go and fell to the ground.
In the meantime Bobby had rushed over to deal with the last remaining member of the gang, but before they could finish him and off and get back to the van before Storm noticed that they were gone ,a shot rang out that ceased all motion.
The first guy that had been knocked to the ground twice was tired of playing around. in his hand was a 9mm pistol pointed at the sky where he had just fired his first warning shot. And then turning the gun towards the collapsed girl he spoke in a deadly whisper.
"You kids have been fucking with the wrong guy. Now, nobody moves ,or I'll blow her head clean off."
Tension filled the cramped space as Jean, Bobby, and Jubilee had no choice but to back off and put their hands in the air.
Nobody use their powers got it? We can't take the chance, he might fire before we can hit him! Jean said in an urgent telepathic message. I'm going to try and contact Storm. Storm Storm where are-
But her thought was cut short, by the sound of the gun being cocked and aimed at her.
"Heh heh, you hit me, and that girl over there is the reason that my buddy has a concussion." he said glancing over at Jubilee. Jean felt sick inside because of her, her friends and that girl might die.
"So you don't like us messing with helpless girls huh? Well you two aren't that helpless. So what'dya say red howsabout you lose that shirt?"
Jean was stunned and felt paralyzed.
"Unless you want somethin' bad to happen to her." he said nodding his head towards Jubilee and as he did one of the men pulled out a knife and put it to her throat.
"Don't do it Jean, we can take these guys." she responded fiercely but the pressure of the blade on her neck silenced any further talk.
Jean knew that there was a good chance that she could use her powers before the guy could fire, but that wasn't what worried her. She knew that if she used her powers in public she'd risk undoing all the work the Professor had done to keep the anonymous, and she just couldn't do that. She hesitated for a second longer and then reached down to lift her shirt up.
"That's not the way you should treat a lady on the first date." came a voice from the entrance of the alleyway.
Standing there with their arms folded were Scott and Alex Summers.
"Great more brats, and who the hell are you two?"
While they were talking Jean saw the man's eyes shift over to the intruders, and with a sideways glance at Jubilee they made their move.
"I don't know who you think you are but like I said before you're f-"
But before he could finish his threat Jean grabbed his arm and twisted until a sickening crack was heard and he dropped the gun, a few feet away Jubilee did something similar, but she chose to top it off by ramming her guys face into the wall.
"Thanks for the distraction you two, it really helped."
"Uh you're welcome," Scott said somewhat lamely, somehow he had imagined himself swooping in and making the save at the last minute. Noticing the taken aback expression on his face Jean smiled slightly and thought to herself, male egos, before getting started on the creep with the gun.
"Now what were you saying about helpless girls?" she asked threateningly twisting his arm again, and listening to him squeal.
"Ow! Ow! I'm sorry I was wrong! Ow! Just let me go you crazy bitch!"
"Wrong answer!"
Smiling to themselves in a bemused sort of way Alex turned to Scott.
"Some hero's we were huh?"
"Yeah tell me about it."
-------------------------
It was a few minutes later and after subduing the would be rapists they let them go scurrying off. It was now that Scott decided to make a move while Alex was busy talking to Jubilee and Bobby, who was incidentally becoming annoyed by the way Alex kept flipping his hair, and even more so by the way that Jubilee seemed to enjoy.
Maybe I should grow my hair out. Bobby thought sadly fingering his cropped hair.
"Hey those were nice moves back there, I think you made that guy cry." Scott said struggling to think of something to say to Jean as she moved over to the fallen girl.
"Thanks, but I couldn't have done it if you hadn't distracted him-" she hesitated not knowing his name.
"Scott, my name's Scott, and that's my brother Alex over there."
"Well it's nice to meet you both, my name's Jean."
They looked at each other for a moment as the awkward silence was broken by a groan from the girl.
"What's wrong with her?" Scott asked.
"I don't know she looks sick, help me move some of this trash out of the way so we can give her some room."
"Hey Alex help me move some of this stuff."
After a few moments the teens had managed to clear out a small space.
"Hey she's waking up."
The girl's eyes fluttered open in surprise as she tried to back away from the gaggle of strangers.
"It's okay ,it's okay they're gone." Jean said in a pacifying tone.
"Who are you? Where am Ah?" she said in a heavy southern accent dripping with fear.
"It's okay," Jean said again, 'We're not going to hurt you, my name is Jean, and these are my friends."
The girl stared up at Jean through heavily lidded eyes and seemed unable to get up.
"Can you stand?" Jean asked in a concerned voice
Jean's question seemed to snap her back into reality.
"Ah'm fine really, just got a little dehydrated that's all, really Ah'm fine."
She then tried to stand but it seemed her legs wouldn't support her, so she ended up leaning on the wall for support. When hands reached out to help her she waved them away anxiously.
"Don't touch me! Ah mean, Ah'm alright Ah just need a little rest."
"You don't look alright." Scott said, "You look like you're about to pass out."
"Scott's right," Jean chimed in, "Please let us take you to the hospital you're not well."
The girl then lifted herself off the wall, and tried her best to steady her shaking legs, as she tried to push past them.
"Hey don't just walk away we're trying to help you!" Alex said angrily grabbing her wrist to stop her.
"ARRRGGNNNNN!!!"
Immediately when he touched her skin they both started screaming in apparent agony. and though they were in pain they seemed glued together both unable to move ,seeing this Jean stepped in and tried to push the girl away from Alex, inadvertently touching the girl herself.
"AGGHHHHH!!!!!" Jean screamed as thoughts and memories that weren't hers flooded into her brain.
FLASH! A blind woman sitting at a table dictating entries into a diary.
FLASH! A pale faced teen staring pensively at a single streak of white hair on her head.
FLASH! A cold examining table, and a man with three horizontal scars across his face staring down.
FLASH! A green haired girl struggling as hands throttled her neck.
And after every scene the name "Rogue" seemed to dance in front of Jeans eyes, and then it stopped. Someone had knocked Jean and Alex to the ground, it turned out to be Scott.
Bobby, Jubilee, and Scott stared as the strange girl backed away clutching her head in pain.
"Ugh! Ah told you not ta touch mah skin!" she screamed as objects in the alley began to shake.
"What have you done!?" Scott screamed all concern gone from his voice, "What have you done to my brother!?"
In a rage he then fired a powerful optic blast that strangely seemed to have no effect on the girl.
"What the-" he began
"Jean...wake up! Jean!" Jubilee cried her voice filled with concern as she and Bobby crouched next to the unconscious psychic.
"Damn it!" Bobby said through gritted teeth as he helped Scott in his assault by firing a blast of ice towards the girl. Instead of freezing her solid it simply bounced off a seemingly invisible barrier.
That's almost like Jean's force field! he thought.
"Stay away from me!" The girl screamed and then from her hands she fired an orange blast that hit Bobby square in the chest and sent him sprawling.
"ARRGGHHHH!!!!!!" The girl screamed and as she did the whole alley began to shake. Then suddenly everyone was thrown off their feet by a wave of psychic fury and knocked out.
"Oh mah Gawd, what's happenin ta me?" she cried to herself surveying the destruction, "Am Ah losin mah mind, there's big gaps in my mem'ry, and I don't even know where Ah was today! Ah've gotta get outta here, before someone shows up!"
And with that she ran off down the other side of the alley.
--------------------------------
Not far away, a blind woman of about the age of forty sat at her couch drinking tea listening for the sound of her companion. She heard the rustle of the curtains and knew that she must have come in through the window. A tawny colored cat sidled up beside the woman, rubbing up against her legs, in the way that only a cat can. The woman scratched the cat behind it's ears before speaking.
"You know Raven, you could always just come through the door, you know it's always open."
The cat reared on it's hind legs as it transformed into the blue shape shifter known as Mystique, who then preceded to brush her lips softly across the blind woman's.
"You know I think the window is more romantic Destiny, now we don't have much time-"
"I know exactly how much time we have for this conversation Raven, I have foreseen it." she said tolerantly.
Mystique smiled slightly then sat down beside her lover.
"What is it Destiny, it's not like you to call when you know Magneto-"
"It is Rogue." Destiny said interrupting her again.
"What about Rogue?" Mystique asked concern growing in her voice.
"She hasn't come home in the last two days, and in my visions our future with her grows dim." she answered gravely.
Mystique stood up abruptly.
"Not if I can help it!" she said angrily, before a hand from Destiny silenced her.
"Visions of Rogue are not all that trouble me Raven, the other seeds you have sown have come into my sight."
Mystique sat down again taken aback at the news but she remained silent.
"Graydon, a dark shadow that envelopes you both is moving closer, I fear that only one of you will emerge." she said.
Hesitantly, Mystique asked about the other.
"And what about...what about-"
"Kurt," Destiny answered for her, "Young Wagner moves ever closer searching for something...or someone." she finished.
For a moment Mystique didn't say anything.
"This dark shadow you speak of involving Graydon, what is it?"
"I know not what it is, but I do know that neither of you will emerged unscathed."
After these warnings Mystique and Destiny sat there in silence for a few minutes thinking. Outside the rustling of a bush seemed to snap Mystique and Destiny out of their reverie.
"Raven I must ask you, why do you continue to follow Magneto, when we both know that our future doesn't lie with him."
"He has something that I want Destiny, something that we could use to make our future come true, and for now I have to play along with his little game."
"Well-well-isn't-this-interesting." came a snide voice from the now open door.
"You!?" Mystique screamed.
She hadn't even heard the hyper fast teen sneak up on them.
"Yeah me. Now-don't-get-your-panties-in-a-bunch-"Raven",-oh-and-by-the-way-love-the-name-babe. I'm-an-invited-guest-here.
Mystique turned towards Destiny with a look of outrage on her face.
"You invited him here!? What were you thinking he's Magneto's son, he'll ruin everything!"
Destiny took a sip of her tea before answering.
"Calm yourself Raven, while our future may not lie with his father, it does lie with him."
Mystique then stared back and forth between the two trying to see whether this wasn't some feeble joke. Then she realized that in all the years she had known Destiny, she had rarely known her to joke. And seeing the stony expression on her face, Raven realized that if Destiny said Pietro was part of their future, Pietro was part of their future. So she turned towards him waiting for an answer.
"Futures-looking-bright-ain't-it-babe."
End of Chapter 10
It's been awhile hasn't it so I guess I've got a little explaining to do. So I'll just get right down do it, college costs money alot of money, so in order to pay for college certain things had to go ,things like the internet. Yeah sucks don't it. Well once I was cut off from the virtual world I kinda lost interest in writing this story, a mistake on my part. I figured if I couldn't update regularly there was no point in writing it. I figured that I had the right to just quit when I wanted to, and for that I apologize. I didn't realize that this story had taken such a life of it's own, and that it was my responsibility as a writer to continue, no matter the circumstances. So I've decided that some way somehow, I will finish this story and get it out to you all. If I have to look like a bum, constantly over at someone's house typing it and uploading it, then God damn it I will have to look like a bum. Now this does mean that I may not be able to answer PM's questions or emails promptly, but please don't let that deter you from writing them, I promise that I will try to answer all questions. Well now that that's taken care of, I'm gonna get back to what I'm good at and thats writing till next time see ya.
P.S. make sure you check out my other stories that I've just posted along with this one, most of them are one-shot but they're good.
P.S.S.
I don't usually do previews, but this time I can't resist. Next chapter my favorite character is gonna make his first but definitely not last appearance. Have fun guessing who it is, I'll give you a little hint though, he's the only X men i know of that has a connection with both Sabretooth, and Sinister, till next time, and oh yeah if you figure it out, don't go saying who it is when you leave a review, that's just rude.