Disclaimer: I do not own the X-Men, I am not making any profit off of this, blah, blah, blah… So please don't sue me!
Chapter 2
The Journey
It had been almost four months. Clarice was alone.
For months she had been travelling through underground cities, scavenging from one place to another, making plans, gathering supplies, and preparing for the long trip ahead of her.
She gathered up any kind of information she could about the Brotherhood, and asked to find out more about it any time she was given a chance. If only she knew where it was located, or whom she could ask or contact to find it. Alas, if she would not find it, it would find her…
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At Magneto's Lair
"Who is the girl?", Creed inquired
"Clarice Ferguson, age 16, a very strong teleporter, she—"
"How strong?", Mystique was interrupted.
"She has the ability to teleport massive objects as far as the moon and back safely… She does not yet know how strong her powers are, nor does she fully know how to control them, but she does know about us. She has been looking for us, Creed…"
"Then let her find us."
There was a silence.
"She is a child, Creed, she wouldn't know… Besides, Charles wants her. He is looking for her. He is very well aware of her capabilities, and will find a way to lure her safely into the X-mansion, or will have one of the X-Men do it. Magneto will need her for the project once he returns. It is your duty to retrieve her before Charles gets his hands on her."
Creed replied with a low growl, which was his sign of affirmation.
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At the X-Mansion
Hank and Cyclops waited patiently outside of the closed entrance to the Cerebro. Finally, after several minutes, the doors slid open and out came Professor Charles Xavier, a satisfied look on his face.
"Well, professor, any luck?", Cyclops inquired softly.
"Yes indeed," the Professor smiled, "I have located her", he announced.
A sigh of relief from the two X-Men followed.
"Scott, I want you and Jean to go collect her at the Newbay Train Station at 5:15 tomorrow morning. Make sure you be there at 5 or even earlier. Hank, you go prepare the MedLab for her arrival. I will arrange the rest."
"Yes, Professor", the obedient team leader replied.
"Will do, Charles", Hank's reply followed.
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Back at the Underground Slum
Clarice had almost given up hope at finding this place that was supposed to be her safe haven. She had very little money and supplies left, and even less patience, strength, and hope of ever finding the damned place; since she had used up all three of them a long time ago. The only thing that kept her going was her solid endurance—the damned thing just wouldn't let her stop.
/It's hopeless,/ Clarice thought as she tucked her beat-up old backpack under her ear as a pillow and snuggled deeper into her moth-eaten wool blanket—her only tow possessions besides the clothes she was wearing and the remaining contents of the bag.
As the young mutant lay there on top of a pile of old newspapers, close to the cold wet pavement which smelled of stale gasoline and sewage—a smell she no longer minded, or, in fact, took little notice of at all—she couldn't help but think about her wonderful warm home back in Riverdale. She snuggled closer to her makeshift pillow as she remembered the cozyness of her soft blanket, the warmth of the sunlight as it hit her face in the morning, the soft velvety pink carpet… that slowly turned a shade of scarlet and then a brilliant bright crimson as the blood leaked slowly from the human flesh and soaked into the carpet. Clarice frowned questionably in her sleep, then drifted off again. She remembered the warm thick wet surface of the carpet, and the squish-squash sound it made as she walked barefooted on it, the dark thick life fluid rising through the crevices of her toes with every new step.
She vaguely remembered stuffing some random objects into her bag quickly, putting on her coat and leaving her warm and cozy home forever…
Clarice cried in her sleep and mentally made a promise to herself never to use her powers again.
Her nightmare was followed by another dream. Somehow, the dream was a continuation of her nightmare, but it was very different.
She was standing outside of her home with her backpack on one shoulder and her blood-stained boots on her feet, the rain beating against her bare forehead.
Suddenly, the rain stopped, the sun peeked through the clouds and a tall human figure appeared in front of her. She could not make out his face, but he seemed kind and he spoke in a mild voice to her.
"Do not be afraid, child," he said, "Just follow the voices, they will guide you to your destiny." With that, the figure disappeared, but his voice remained.
"Clarice, follow me," it said
"Over here!"
"Come this way"
Clarice followed the voices as they lead her along a path. The path first lead into dark woods, then it went underground, and finally she ended up on a light meadow which marked the end of her journey. She was tired and could go no longer, she collapsed onto her knees, a bit disappointed with the fruit of her efforts. She was about ready to give up and lie down in defeat, when the voices commanded her to look up. She did so and was surprised at what she saw. Far off in the distance there was a place which seemed strangely familiar to her, it was, in fact, the local train station…
With that, the voices disappeared and Clarice awoke, "Newbay Train Station" echoed through her mind.