The Uncanny Sirens

Chapter 26: The Return of Emplate- Part 2

By

The Uncanny R-Man

Disclaimer- All familiar characters belong to Marvel. Nightingale belongs to Agent-G.

The Blackbird-

The Sirens and the former members of Generation-X were sitting onboard the Blackbird as they searched for their missing teammates. It seemed that the marrow-consuming villain known as Emplate has reappeared. The fiend had kidnapped Penance and Monet St Croix, hence the two teams' impromptu team up.

Sean Cassidy was sitting in the pilot's seat while Emma Frost used a portable Cerebra unit to find the missing mutants.

'Not that I wanna poo-poo your plan or anything, Frosty...' Jubilee piped up from her seat. 'But wouldn't Emplate have some kinda scrambler hidin' Penny and M from your telepathy?'

Emma didn't even bother to turn around to answer the Asian mutant.

'Jubilee, have you learnt nothing from our previous encounters with Emplate?'

'Only that he needs a really bad manicure.' Jubilee retorted.

Emma pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a long sigh. She had forgotten how difficult Jubilee could be some times.

'Have faith in Miss Frost, Jubilee.' The Cuckoos stood up for their mentor. 'She's one of the most powerful telepaths on the planet.'

'And definitely the most attractive.' Phoebe chipped in apart from her sisters. 'Not that I'm in to that kind of thing...'

'We like Gambit.' the other two Cuckoos explained. 'He has sexy eyes.'

'And he's also spoken for, girls.' Sean reminded the trio of telepaths. 'Or have ye forgot about that?'

'We remember...' The Cuckoos sulked. 'We won't lust after him any more.'

'Can't this thing go any faster?' Sharon grumbled. 'Or have you forgotten than our friends are in danger?'

'You seem to be speaking from previous experience, chica.' Angelo smirked. 'Like stealing the Blackbird.'

'So says the boy from the Barrio.' Sharon retorted.

'I resent that comment!' Angelo sniffed. 'Just because I come from Los Angeles, it doesn't automatically mean that I've stolen cars before.'

'But you have though, haven't you?' Jubilee snickered.

Angelo just crossed his arms over his chest and turned away from his girlfriend.

'No comment.'

Elsewhere-

Penny let out a groan as she regained consciousness.

'Ooooh, what happened to me...?'

Penny's eyes slowly started to focus. The sight before her made the red-skinned girl jump in fright. It was Emplate! Penny tried to run away, but found that she was chained to a wall in some kind of dungeon somewhere.

'Have a nice nap?' Emplate chuckled, his laughter chilling Penny to the bone. 'Oh, and I wouldn't rely on your razor-sharp skin to free you. Those are magical chains. escape is quite futile.'

Emplate then leaned in close. The red-haired girl whimpered in fear, trying to move away.

'To be honest, I'm glad that you're awake.' Emplate whispered. 'The conversation here leaves a lot to be desired.'

Several course French swearwords came from beside Penny. It seemed that Monet was awake... and she wasn't very happy.

'Why, Monet...' Emplate chuckle as he turned to face his sister. 'I always thought that you were such a lady. I guess that language like that proves me wrong.'

'Free me and I shall show you just how unladylike I can be, Emplate!' Monet growled as she tried to break her restraints. 'Or are you afraid of the beating I will give you for this?'

Emplate laughed out loud at his sister's threat.

'My dear Monet, do you really believe that you could possibly convince me to free you? I have no intention of letting my meal run free. So you can forget about being free range.'

Penny was about to say something in response, but a telltale tingle in the back of her head told the red-skinned girl that somebody was trying to communicate with her telepathically.

'Ms Frost, is that you?' Penny thought.

'Yes, Penance...' Emma responded. 'I am coming to rescue you alongside your teammates. I am mind-linking you to them.'

'Don't I get a hello?' Monet butted in telepathically. 'I am also being held captive, you know.'

'Hey! What about us?' Jubilee intruded. 'Don't Penny's old friends count for anything?'

'Jubilee!' Penny smiled inwardly. 'Are... are the others with you?'

'How ya feeling, luv?' Jono chipped in.

'I could be better.' Penny responded. 'Emplate's got me chained to a wall next to Monet. He hasn't done anything to us... yet. Well, nothing but talk us half to death.'

'Stay in there, Penny.' Gale told her friend. 'We're coming for you. Monet too, I guess.'

'Well, that's just charming.' Monet snorted. 'It's nice to hear that I am wanted.'

'Cerebra has centred in on your location.' Emma told them. 'We should be there momentarily. Try to keep Emplate distracted until we arrive.'

'How are we supposed to do that?' Penny asked. 'I'm chained to a wall in a dirty dungeon. I'm more concerned about getting bitten by a rat!'

'Remember what Mr Wilson told ye in yuir drama class, lass...' Sean suggested. 'Improvise!'

And with that, Emma cut off communication. Penny then looked over at Emplate. Their captor seemed unaware that his two hostages had been conversing telepathically with their would be rescuers. He had carried on with his rant unawares. She decided to do what Sean suggested: Improvise. The razor-sharp-skinned girl then got an idea...

'Emplate, why do you hate us so much?' Penny interrupted the villain. 'Is it because, deep down, you still love us?' A confused Monet raised an eyebrow at Penny for a second, until it came to her.

'Yes...' Monet chipped in, seeing where Penny was going. 'No matter how hard you try to hide it, there must be some small part of you that still cares for us. I am your sister after all. Penny may not be related to us by blood, but I still regard her a part of our family.'

'Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!' Emplate yelled, clamping his hands over his ears. 'I don't want to hear another word!'

'You know you love us.' Penny continued. 'Come on, let us go and we can be a family again.'

'Do as she says, Marius.' Monet carried on. 'Don't you want to have a family any more?'

Emplate bellowed in rage. He had had enough of this! The villain reached out a hand as he prepared to consume Penny's marrow.

'EEEEEEEEE!!'

Emplate clutched his ears as Banshee's sonic scream blasted a hole through the roof.

'Sorry we're late, guys.' Jubilee grinned as she jumped into the dungeon with the rest of the heroes. 'We couldn't find a decent parking space.'

'Ahhh!' Emplate screamed in rage. 'Damn you, X-Men! You shall pay for invading my home!'

'This is your home?' Laura sniffed in disgust. 'You actually live in this place? I've seen a lot of nasty things in my time, but this is something else!'

'This makes the pig sty back home look like the Ritz.' Paige agreed.

'There is no hope of rescuing your friends!' Emplate told the assembled heroes. 'You will have to go through me first!'

'Excusez-moi...' (1)

Emplate blinked in surprise as somebody tapped him on the shoulder, only to be dealt a nasty punch to the face that knocked him out straight away. It was Monet! Banshee's sonic scream hadn't just made a great big hole in the ceiling, it had freed Monet and Penny from the chains that held them.

'Bonne journée, mon frère.' (2) Monet sneered as she dusted herself off.

'Wait...' Jubilee blinked. 'How is that even possible? I thought Emplate could, like mimic our powers, or something?'

'I probably just took him by surprise. Didn't give him time to mimic my powers.' Monet theorized with a shrug.

'Either that, or maybe all that time that he spent in that pocket dimension of his must have weakened him.' Val suggested. 'Not that it's really important. We did what we came here to do, we rescued our friends.'

'I wish that I had a chance to beat him up.' Penny sniffed as she looked down at Emplate's unconscious form.

'There's nothing stopping you from doing it now.' Sharon pointed out. 'Who says that it's wrong to give a guy an extra kick in the kidneys?'

So Penny did that very thing, she gave Emplate a kick in the kidneys just for luck.

Jubilee put an arm around her friend's shoulder.

'Pen, that was hardcore!' The Asian mutant grinned. 'Just one thing though... tell me the next time you're feeling a little PO'ed, 'kay? Cuz then it'll give me plenty of time to get a head start.'

TBC...

Next: Girls' Night In

Yes, it's that time again. Time for a sleepover!

Author's Notes-

(1)- 'Excuse me...'

(2)- 'Have a nice day, my brother.'