In
Storm's Mind...
The
Professor looked around the spacious room. On every wall there were five big
windows, from ceiling to floor; outside was a beautiful meadow, with
wildflowers, and a magnificent sky.
Jean
looked at the Professor in astonishment. "Have you ever seen such an infinitely
detailed mind? Most people don't have the mental capacity to even have the
detail of this room."
She
walked over to one of the windows, and gasped. "Professor, come
here!"
The
Professor walked over to the window. Jean pointed to a big castle in the
distance, with a slow spreading mass of black clouds leisurely making its way
over.
"Well,
Jean, I think we have found the Shadow King."
A
couple of hours later, a tired Jean and Xavier walked slowly over to the castle.
For some reason, Jean's telekinesis wasn't working, and so they had to rough
it.
"If
you wanted to get to the castle, all you had to do was
ask."
Both
started at the voice from the sky. Ororo was floating above them, smiling
softly.
"Ororo!"
Jean screamed as the weather goddess embraced her.
"Jean,
it's wonderful to see you. But we have a lot of work to do. He's set up
residence in that castle...where, incidentally, I keep my innermost
secrets."
"Well,
let's get going. Storm, do you think you can fly us over?" The Professor asked,
squinting up at the mental sun.
"Surely,
Professor. Take my hand, and let's get going."
Landing
in front of a big wrought iron door, Jean and Xavier looked to Storm. She walked
past them and opened the door. It creaked slowly, from infrequent use, as she
ushered them in.
"Here
we are. Shadow King is in the uppermost tower, of course." Storm smiled as she
leaned against the wall.
"Aren't
you coming with us?" Xavier asked as he looked up the spiraling stairs off to
one side of the room.
"Of
course, but he will sense me before he will sense you. Because I'm with you, he
won't be able to tell you're here until we're upon him. I don't know how long
that will be, because he's getting closer and closer to having full control over
my powers, and I won't be able to help you then."
"We
could still use all the help we can get. Thanks, Ororo." Jean said as she walked
over to an ornate table with a mirror on it.
It
was a slightly tarnished mirror, with a crystal handle. But when Jean picked it
up, she was flashed into a memory of Ororo's.
"Well,
Ororo, you're pretty quick for someone who wasn't born into the
tribe."
"Thanks,
Tekemah. It's hard at times, but it makes it easier to know I have family
now."
"Perhaps
you should adopt a more localized hairstyle? It would help you fit in with my
friends."
"Really?
I would like that more than anything."
"Well,
I'll need my friends to help me. You have a ton of
hair."
Jean
could see the tumbling mass of white hair flowing down Storm's back and over her
shoulders. She could also feel the malicious intent of Tekemah and hear the
tittering giggle of the small group of mean-spirited kids a hut away, waiting
for the word from their spiteful leader.
Ororo,
trusting, decided to let Tekemah and her friends try.
"Okay, Tekemah, but
please be careful. I have a tender head."
"Of
course, Ororo. I wouldn't hurt you." A group of girls jumped out of the
hut next to them, and held Storm down. Tekemah, walking calmly over to her,
pulled a pair of big scissors out of her pack, and lowered them to her
hair.
"NO!
NO, TEKEMAH! WHY?!?!"
Tekemah
stopped, and looked at her coldly. "Knock her out." That was the last she saw
before blackness overcame her.
When
Ororo woke up, she had blood running into her eye, and she slowly sat up. Not
recognizing where she was, she stood up, and wiped the blood out of her eyes.
Noticing her head was unusually light; she reached her hand up, and ran into
bristles. Her hair! Looking at the ground, she noticed lengths of white,
silver-kissed hair, lying limply on the ground.
Jean
dropped the mirror on the table, shaken. "Ororo? What was that? Why didn't you
tell me?" Ororo smiled sadly, and patted Jean on the
shoulder.
"Jean,
I don't always know why I keep my secrets. But I didn't want to go into details
about that time in my life. I can't always talk about my past, and I'm not proud
of what I did to her."
"Why,
Ororo? What did you do to her?" Xavier asked, stepping around Ororo and Jean to
get to the mirror. "Professor! Don't!" He made contact with the mirror an
instant later.
Ororo
started to cry. A light rain started to fall, and as her tears came harder, so
did the rain.
"AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
she cried, face turned to the sky, thunder echoing her distress. Lightning
lanced across the sky. When she lowered her head, her eyes were pure white,
crackling with energy.
She
rose into the air, searching her surroundings. They had dragged her to a small
secluded spot about a mile from the village. She'd show them... She floated into
the village, her forceful winds wreaking havoc with various animals and
objects.
"TEKEMAH!
WHERE ARE YOU?!? DON'T THINK YOU WON'T PAY FOR WHAT YOU AND YOUR EVIL FRIENDS
DID TO ME! "
Tekemah
came walking smugly out of a hut, along with her friends. "Ororo, we haven't
done anything to you that you didn't deserve. You come waltzing in here, earning
the respect of the elders just because you can make the crops grow. I am sick of
it! I was the favorite before you came, so you had to go. You're ugly now, what
would they want with you?" She smiled stiffly, keeping her cold gaze on Ororo's
the whole time. "What? Do you think I'm scared of you? You aren't brave enough
to try anything."
Ororo
descended in front of Tekemah, and looked at her coldly. "You know what,
Tekemah? You are a selfish, bitter, hateful person. Everyday when I wake up, I
am glad I am not you. I didn't do anything to you, and yet you felt you had to
exact revenge upon me. I pity you! But you will no longer toy with me - I am
leaving, Tekemah. Keep your precious tribe. I thought I had found family, but I
will move on." In one swift move, Ororo grabbed Tekemah's arm and hauled her
into the air, the girl screaming in fear.
"What
are you going to do to me, Sorcerer?" Tekemah screamed. "I am going to give you
a taste of your own medicine." Storm answered coldly."You value your hair as
much as I did mine, you watch the men looking at your hair, so I will do to you
what you did to me. An eye for an eye, Tekemah...You'll wish you'd never crossed
me." Ororo hovered high in the air and let go of Tekemah. Tekemah screamed,
starting to feel the pull of gravity.
"Stop
screaming,Tekemah. You're not falling." Ororo said flatly as the girl opened her
eyes to notice she was floating. "But...but I can't
fly."
"Of
course not. I am floating you on the same winds that allow me to
float."
"So,
this is what you wanted to do to me? This isn't scary. I knew you didn't have it
in you. You're too...too...you." said Tekemah defiantly. "Tekemah, I was just
debating whether or not to stoop to your level, but I have more in store for
you." Ororo manipulated the winds to lift them even higher. Tekemah started to
scream, feeling nausea rise in her stomach.
"I
think this is sufficient." said Storm.
"What
are you going to do to me?" asked Tekemah.
"I've
already told you. You're going to lose your hair."
"Yeah,
but you've forgotten scissors. You're not as smart as they
say."
"Tekemah,
I don't need scissors. I have lightning." Smiling coldly, she added, "You're
going to have to hold still."
Tekemah's
eyes opened wide, then squeezed shut, dreading the white-hot feeling she knew
was coming.
Ororo
called the lightning to her, forming it into a bright shaft of electric power.
Wielding it like a sword, she brandished it for a moment, and, using the winds
to lift Tekemah's hair from behind her, cut off the dark length in one clean
swipe. Tekemah whimpered as the lance came close to her skin, slightly scorching
her neck and scalp.
"There,
I've gotten what I've come for." Ororo concentrated the hair into one place, and
with a big bolt of lightning, fried it into nonexistence. Looking at the sobbing
girl, she floated over to her.
"I
am done with you. This is the last time you'll see me." She relinquished the
hold she had on the winds that were holding Tekemah up, causing the screaming
girl to plummet to the earth. When Ororo thought she had fallen enough, she flew
to the girl and stopped her descent. "I'm not going to kill you. But you will
remember me." Ororo flew her to her village, and then flew away, crying
softly.
Xavier
slowly put the mirror down as the memory ended. "Ororo, child, I had no idea.
Why didn't you tell me? It's obvious you still have strong feelings about it."
"Professor, that was the past. I don't always come to you when I am upset. We
need to move on." Ororo pushed past the two bewildered mental giants, and
continued into a room. Jean shrugged, and followed suit.
"Well,"
said Ororo, "this is the way we can go to get to the Shadow King. If we just
walk up the stairs, he will detect us, as he has already claimed that part of my
mind. But if we take the secret passages and off rooms, we can get to him
without him knowing until it's too late."
____________________________________________________
A
While Later...
Ororo,
Jean, and Xavier were moving through a shaft, slowly plunging forward. Jean was
first, followed by Charles, with Ororo bringing up the rear. "Make sure you keep
looking for the red room. It can lead us to the second level." Ororo said as she
helped the Professor over a slight incline. Jean looked back and said, "Now, how
will we get into this-" Jean's question was cut short, as a trap door opened up
underneath her body. A dull thud sounded from below, followed by a short moan.
Ororo and Xavier leaned over the trap door, and tried not to
laugh.
"Sure...you
guys laugh. You didn't fall on your butt. Humph." Jean said as she tried to
stand up. She grabbed onto a wall, and her hand touched a picture
frame.
"Ororo,
what do you think I should do?"
"You
like him, don't you, Jean?"
"Of
course, Ororo. I like him a lot. I just don't know if he likes me
too."
"Of
course he does, Jean. Everyone likes you."
Jean
felt Ororo's envy. Every new male student always gravitated towards Jean,
ignoring her.
"Hey,
Ororo. How are you?"
"Hello,
Scott. I'm doing just fine. Today was a busy day, but it was beautiful weather."
She smiled at him.
"Yes,
but not as beautiful as you are." She started at that
comment.
"Scott?"
"Ororo,
I've been noticing you. I just wanted to know if you wanted to go out
sometime."
"Um...Scott..."
"Yeah,
I understand. Why would you want to go out with someone like me? It's the
glasses right?" He chuckled slightly.
"No,
Scott. You look quite handsome with your glasses. It's just that..." She
faltered.
"Just
what, Ororo? You can tell me."
"Someone
else here likes you a lot, and I just can't do that to
her."
"Really?
Can you tell me who?"
"No,
I can't, but you'll find out sooner or later." She smiled, and patted his hand.
Scott
smiled down at her, and then looked up as something caught his eye. Ororo turned
around, and her heart sank. It was Jean. Scott turned back to her, with a
question in his eyes. Ororo smiled slowly, and nodded her head. He smiled hugely
and walked over to Jean.
The
memory ended when Xavier pulled Jean away from the wall. "What's wrong?" He
asked, holding her shoulders. "Ororo, I had no idea!" Jean said,
upset.
Ororo
smiled sadly and said, "I know, Jean. That's why I haven't held it against you.
Just try not to touch anything else, all right?" Ororo was looking everywhere
else but in Jean's eyes. Hurt and pride was radiating from her, but after a
moment, she shrugged it off.
"Well,
we need to get going. We don't have much time." Xavier said as he gently rubbed
Jean's shoulder, and walked to the open doorway. He ran into a solid wall... but
there wasn't a door. "Ororo, what's going on?" he asked, as he stepped back into
her by mistake. "This is a very private room." said Ororo. "You can't get in
without having physical contact with me. I'm going to go first, then you hold on
to me, Professor, and Jean, you hold on to him."
After
getting through the door, they were in a purple room with a couch, a plush
velvet chair, and a fireplace with a unicorn figurine on the mantle. Looking
around the room, there was no exit. Xavier looked at Jean, then at Ororo. "What
do we do? How are we going to get out of here?" he asked Ororo, walking around
the room. "Unfortunately, I don't know. Help me look for an exit." she said, as
she ran her hands along the wall, looking for a trap door. Jean and Xavier
started to do the same. Xavier had started on the west wall, running his hands
along the fireplace, when a big tremor ran through the room. Xavier lurched, and
his hand landed on the unicorn figurine, pushing him into a
vision.
"Ororo,
what do you think we should do?"
"Give
them a vacation, Professor. The team is strained, morale is low, and everyone is
experiencing cabin fever. Let them have a week or so off. It would let the house
see a little peace."
"That's
a wonderful idea. Where do you plan on going?"
"I'm
going to stay here. Thanksgiving is coming up, and I am just going to stay home
and perhaps have a dinner for myself. Everyone is going to have some family to
go to for the holiday."
"That
sounds nice. I'm going to go to Muir Island to visit Moira. She invited me last
year, and regretfully I couldn't go. I promised to make it this
year."
"That
sounds wonderful as well. Sounds like I'll be alone for Thanksgiving
again."
"You
don't mind, do you? I know how you like to be alone."
"Of
course not, Professor. You go and enjoy yourself." She patted his shoulder, and
walked out of the room, leaving him to his work. Inside she was trying not to
cry. She didn't want to be alone, but yet again she was. Life was so
unfair.
Xavier felt her disappointment and anger, then felt it all get washed away with
cold indifference. I have always made it on my own. It's going to be
fine.
Jean
pulled Xavier's hand away from the figurine. His eyes cleared, and they focused
on the concerned face of Ororo. "Ororo... I didn't know. I had a lot on my mind,
and I wasn't even thinking. I am so sorry. Will you forgive
me?"
Ororo
steadied the unicorn figurine, and smiled sadly. "Professor, there is no reason
for me to forgive you. It happens at times. I've moved on, and so should you."
She smiled, and gave him a hug.
"Thank
you, child. I will try to do better."
"Charles,
you already have."
Jean
continued to look for an exit. She ran her hands along the east wall, and her
hand brushed across a crack. She frowned. "What's this, Ororo?" Before Ororo
could answer, Jean was thrust into another of her
memories.
"Hello,
Stormy."
"I
told you, Remy, don't call me that horrid name." She smiled softly as he walked
up and put his arm around her. They sat in silence, looking over the Xavier
Estate from atop the roof.
"So,
do you like it here, Remy?"
"It's
different,
non? But I can get to like it, I t'ink."
"I'm
glad. I want for you to be happy. And, I want for you to stop calling me
Stormy!" she laughed.
"Sure
t'ing, Stormy." He smiled, and leaned in close.
"What
are you doing, Remy?" She asked slowly, smiling
hugely.
"Somet'ing
I should have done earlier,
chere."
"Ororo,
Gambit? We got a mission to do!"
The
sudden intrusion startled the two mutants, and they quickly moved back to a more
platonic stance.
"Who
is that, chere?"
Remy looked at her quizzically.
"That
is Rogue. She must have come back from her mission. Now it's my turn. I am going
to have to get briefed. You'll be going on your first mission
soon."
"Will
I be able to go with you, chere...?"
Gambit's question trailed off as Rogue crested the roof, rising to float in
front of them.
"Ororo,
the Professor is ready to brief you. Ya'll are going to Genosha again. Something
is making more sentinels."
"Hello,
chere.
You must be Rogue." Remy stood up and kissed Rogue's gloved
hand.
"Yes,
Ah am. Who are you?" Rogue asked, smiling brilliantly.
"Gambit,
chere.
But you can call me Remy."
Storm
smiled sadly, as she jumped off the side of the roof and floated gently to the
ground. She knew that it would be good for Rogue to have someone interested in
her, but she had thought she could get Remy for herself. "It will be all right.
I'll find someone eventually. I can't be made to be alone forever." Storm smiled
at that thought, and went in to see the Professor.
The
vision ended, and Jean pulled her hand away from the crack.
"Ororo...how
do you do it?"
"Do
what, Jean?" Ororo said, sounding tired.
"Keep
going. You have experienced so much disappointment, but you aren't bitter. I
don't know if I could do it."
"It's
life, Jean, and I choose to see the beauty and joy in it. It just happens that I
have to experience most of that through other people. But my time will come."
She smiled softly, then suddenly grimaced in pain.
"Ororo!"
The Professor was over at her side in a matter of seconds. "What's
wrong?"
"He's
getting more powerful. I can't help you any more. You're going to have to go on
without me. Here." She handed Xavier a silver medallion. "This will get you
through to every room. We're getting close. But I can't help you any more."
Right in front of his horrified eyes, Ororo phased away.
He
stood up. "It seems we're alone now. We've got to hurry. It appears to be
getting more painful for her." He looked at the medallion he was
given.
"Jean,
take a look at this. I think it's a clue. It has the fireplace on the back, and
a vase on front."
"Perhaps
if we hold it over the fireplace, it will open a door or
something."
"A
wonderful idea, Jean." Xavier held the medallion in front of the fireplace, and
it slowly swung open. There was a brightly lit shaft behind it, sloping upward.
"Well, let's go, Professor."