Chapter 9

"You're insane."

"You're not listening to me."

Adelina groaned, rolling her eyes as she crossed her arms. Her tail swung freely, showing her agitation as her wings drew tightly around her. "I'm not a fighter. I was only taught to fight just in case. And I'm not even that good!"

Nami glanced up from her work, a small mountain of fabric and a massive number of threads and needles. As much as Adelina loved sewing, mainly because it was the only thing that she could do to make herself useful, she couldn't bring herself to do what Nami wanted to.

"We have to find Phoenix. And we're not going to be able to do that without actively getting out there and searching." She made a face. "Maybe not doing a cross-country trip, but we can most certainly be proactive."

"What about resources? Tracking, getting somewhere quickly?"

"We forge an alliance with the X-Men. Hopefully, we can gain access to any tools that they have."

Adelina didn't like how her stomach tightened uncomfortably. "Nami…. I don't know if…. if I can do this. Galivanting all throughout the city at night…."

The young queen's mouth turned into a tight line as she stood and quickly embraced the winged girl.

"I'm so scared right now…." Adelina whispered.

"I know you are." Nami whispered back, pulling away a bit to look the girl in the eye. "But if we stop Phoenix in this timeline, then we'll save the future."

There were tears that prickled her eyes, thinking about a timeline where Nightcrawler was still there. Still alive and laughing and joyful and happy. She could almost see a timeline where Phoenix was defeated in the past, and earth was allowed to be green, to grow. The teens that are alive now, like so many in her class, would be able to live life fully, graduate, get married, have kids…

"You're right, Nami…you're right." Adelina said. She withdrew into herself, moving to the window. Her arms crossed across her chest, her wings dropping and her tail continuing to swing back and forth lowly, a sure sign of her emotional state.

"What's wrong, Ade?"

Her shoulders tense, biting her lower lip as tears ran down her face. "I…. I'm not sure if I'm strong enough. Nightcrawler…. uh, that its, Mr. Wagner, he said that maybe in a few years, I would be able to spar with you and not have you wipe the floor with me."

"Oh, Ade….."

"He didn't do it to be mean! It's just…well, I'm not ready to fight a skilled opponent by myself."

"Adelina, you're going to do fine out there." Nami said, comfortingly. The queen placed a comforting hand on Adelina's shoulder, the gesturing calming her anxiety down a little bit. "Besides, I'll be right by you, watching your flank. Like always."

There was a moment of deliberation, of hesitation before finally Adelina sighed as she relented, turning around to meet her friend's eyes. "Okay…..what have you in mind for the outfits?"

Nami smiled as she directed Adelina to the pieces of paper that she had been using to design their outfits. Adelina wasn't shocked by the simple beauty of the drawings, since Nami had always been so fascinated by Atlantean art that she had taken up and taught herself how to draw. She was the best artist, but of course, she was the only one in their timeline that wanted to take up the hobby.

The drawings were simple poses of her and Nami, both of them wearing a different outfit. Adelina's eyes scanned the pages, and since she already knew what she was going to be asked, looked at the ones that looked most desirable to her. Almost immediately, her eyes focused on the fourth one that was drawn out for her. A simple tunic that hugged the skin, a belt that held up a skirt that was split, leggings and a type of stockings that could be adjusted for her clawed feet.

"This one!" she said, a hint of excitement showing through her voice.

Nami smiled as she stared at the one. "Ah, excellent."

Adelina watched as Nami circled that one, writing some measurements next to the drawing.

"What color do you want to make it?"

"Brown. So that I can blend in better. But! Uh, make the stockings grey, and the feet covering black."

"Going for a camouflage, huh?" Nami asked as she scribbled down some references in the margins of the paper. "You know that's not gonna do much in the city, right?"

"Neither is yours." Adelina chuckled as she snatched the paper from her friend. "Light and dark blue combo? You're gonna stick out like a sore thumb!"

"Please! I'm going to show my heritage with pride through this." Nami snatched the paper back, showing the markings on the flap that fell from the belt. "See these? They're gonna protect me and you in battle."

Adelina smiled. "So, when can I expect this new outfit?"

"Well…between homework and school, I think I can find time to work for about two hours. And if I work for two weeks, then…..mmmmm, maybe in two and half weeks?" Nami stood and started to write something. "Measurements are still the same right?"

"Uuuuuuhhhh yes!"

"Alrighty then." Nami scribbled something on the paper one more time before straightening. There was a light in the queen's eyes that Adelina could see, a combination of excitement and anger. Adelina had more nervousness stirring around inside of her than any other emotion. Her friend probably noticed that and quickly embraced her.

"We're going to get through this, Adelina." She said. "It's going to be you and me against the world. We're going to find Phoenix and we're going to take her down. For Nightcrawler, the people of Atlantis and for everyone she's hurt."

Tears flowed from Adelina's eyes, as rage and anger flowed around inside of her. She wasn't a violent person by any means of the word, but she wanted to be there when Phoenix arrived.

If only so she could be the one to take her down.