Author's Note and Disclaimer: "The Birthday Wish" is the beginning of an
extended story known simply as 'The Venus Factor'. Events within this part
of the tale take place in a niche that I have carved out between 'X-Men
Unlimited' #34 and 'Uncanny X-Men' #402, about 3.5 years after the
disbanding of the Generation X team. Cut me a little slack and just run
with the time line. As always, these characters are not mine, nor is any
profit made off of using their likenesses. If anyone from Marvel ever
reads this, this true believer would love to write for you. And stop
dismissing Jubilee; she's a great character. Until that day, MMM!
***
Logan almost died at the sound of her voice. He thought he was a goner for sure when he realized she was calling his name. He had been caught. He flushed bright red, trying to ready any excuse at all that might seem plausible. It took a moment for him to hear his brain telling him that it wasn't anger in her voice; it was joy.
Everything was moving in slow motion, including his reactions.
He inhaled deeply, smelling her emotion. No hate, no anger, no fear. Just excitement, happiness, and love. He sighed to himself, relaxing, anticipating.
"You... You're here!" he heard her cry.
"Did you think that I would miss today for the world?" He heard himself saying those words, the voice sounding distant in his ears. "Happy birthday, Jubes."
He gathered himself to pounce down to where she stood below the fire escape. His Jubilation, his Jubilee... He looked to the ground, and a sickening wave of nausea hit his gut.
She wasn't talking to him.
Logan recovered quickly, time speeding back up to its normal flow. He leaped from the building, landing with cat-like precision only a few yards in front of where his mirror image was still holding Jubilee. His lips curled back in a howl of rage and his claws popped to readiness.
SNICKT.
***
Jubilee started at the sudden animal cry of fury behind her. She turned, still safely protected in her Wolvster's arms. Nothing could hurt her now.
Her eyes popped open wide, and then she fainted dead away.
***
The arms that held Jubilee shifted quickly, flipping her around. One arm snaked around her throat, holding up her dead weight in a vicious chokehold. The other flew up in readiness.
"Well, that was much easier than we expected," a voice laughed fervently. This time it was not his own voice, but rather another that he recognized. His skin bristled. Mystique.
Before his eyes, her body morphed. She stood before him, blue skin fading into the shadows of the dying afternoon.
He leapt for her, teeth clenched. "You bitch!" he snarled.
"Ah-ah-ah! Play nice, 'Wolvie'," she chided, smiling thinly and stepping away with Jubilee, her chokehold tightening. "You would kill me, but you also know that I would have more than enough time to snap her pretty little neck. And we wouldn't want that, now would we? Why don't you be a good little cub and take a nice big step back."
He knew that she was right. Shaking with barely contained fury, he complied, taking a large step away from them.
"Now," Mystique continued, a coy smile crossing her features, "since I have your attention, why don't you listen to me?"
***
Logan almost died at the sound of her voice. He thought he was a goner for sure when he realized she was calling his name. He had been caught. He flushed bright red, trying to ready any excuse at all that might seem plausible. It took a moment for him to hear his brain telling him that it wasn't anger in her voice; it was joy.
Everything was moving in slow motion, including his reactions.
He inhaled deeply, smelling her emotion. No hate, no anger, no fear. Just excitement, happiness, and love. He sighed to himself, relaxing, anticipating.
"You... You're here!" he heard her cry.
"Did you think that I would miss today for the world?" He heard himself saying those words, the voice sounding distant in his ears. "Happy birthday, Jubes."
He gathered himself to pounce down to where she stood below the fire escape. His Jubilation, his Jubilee... He looked to the ground, and a sickening wave of nausea hit his gut.
She wasn't talking to him.
Logan recovered quickly, time speeding back up to its normal flow. He leaped from the building, landing with cat-like precision only a few yards in front of where his mirror image was still holding Jubilee. His lips curled back in a howl of rage and his claws popped to readiness.
SNICKT.
***
Jubilee started at the sudden animal cry of fury behind her. She turned, still safely protected in her Wolvster's arms. Nothing could hurt her now.
Her eyes popped open wide, and then she fainted dead away.
***
The arms that held Jubilee shifted quickly, flipping her around. One arm snaked around her throat, holding up her dead weight in a vicious chokehold. The other flew up in readiness.
"Well, that was much easier than we expected," a voice laughed fervently. This time it was not his own voice, but rather another that he recognized. His skin bristled. Mystique.
Before his eyes, her body morphed. She stood before him, blue skin fading into the shadows of the dying afternoon.
He leapt for her, teeth clenched. "You bitch!" he snarled.
"Ah-ah-ah! Play nice, 'Wolvie'," she chided, smiling thinly and stepping away with Jubilee, her chokehold tightening. "You would kill me, but you also know that I would have more than enough time to snap her pretty little neck. And we wouldn't want that, now would we? Why don't you be a good little cub and take a nice big step back."
He knew that she was right. Shaking with barely contained fury, he complied, taking a large step away from them.
"Now," Mystique continued, a coy smile crossing her features, "since I have your attention, why don't you listen to me?"