Chapter 4: Plans, Meetings, and Doubts
Magneto was sitting alone, staring out the window of the Brotherhood's current hideout. All were signs that he was deep in his thoughts. Even as she entered the room, Mystique knew this. She also knew that when he was like this, he didn't like to be disturbed. So she waited patiently. Finally, he acknowledged her. "What is it, Mystique?"
Mystique took a deep breath before asking her question. "If you don't mind my asking, Erik, why is this girl so important to you?"
Using his power, Magneto magnetically spun his metal chair until he was facing her. After staring at her for several seconds, he responded, "This girl has the power and ability that could surpass Charles Xavier, therefore allowing me to create my own version of Cerebro. Her power has only begun to manifest itself, but with time, she may become much stronger than Charles. With her power, she could wipe out humanity just as easily as Charles could have destroyed mutantkind.* And, finally, Homo Superior's survival will be guaranteed. Now, leave me. I wish to plan on my own." Mystique nodded and left the room.
(*This is a reference to the X-Men Graphic Novel "God Loves, Man Kills" as well as the X2 movie.)
That morning, Daphne was eating breakfast with some of the X-Men. It was plain to see that she wasn't comfortable, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Jean or the professor. Jean mentally asked Xavier, [Is something wrong, Professor?]
Xavier responded, [I am sensing the fear that Miss Blake is feeling right now. She seems to be having trouble comprehending the fact that she's a mutant.]
[That's not surprising,] Jean "said" telepathically. [This is a change that is never easy to believe or accept.] Xavier seemed inclined to agree.
As Daphne slowly ate, she got a good look at who she was eating with. They all seemed like normal people, even though she knew better. The only one that really bothered her was Logan, with his hairstyle and build. He was eating quietly, but just looking at him gave her chills. She was surprised (though at the same time she knew she shouldn't be) that the others weren't intimidated by him, especially the young Chinese-American woman sitting across from her. She looked to be about Daphne's age, even though the truth was that she was 25. She looked at Daphne and asked, "Hey, are you okay?"
Daphne just shrugged and continued to eat. The girl said, "Hey, I know how you feel. When I first discovered my powers, I freaked out."
"But, hey, it's not all bad." Daphne turned to the brunette girl sitting next to her. She was a bit older than the Chinese girl. "Having special powers can be pretty cool sometimes."
All of a sudden, there was a "bamf!" Daphne yelped as she saw a blue- furred, yellow-eyed . . . creature appear from the burst of smoke that was left behind. He looked like a demon and had three fingers on each hand and three toes on each foot. He also had a tail with an arrow-head-like tip. The professor said, "Kurt, what did I tell you this morning?"
"Sorry, Professor. It must have slipped my mind," the furry man said in a German accent. He then turned to Daphne and said, "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." He then closed his eyes and quickly performed the Catholic sign of forgiveness before sitting at the foot of the table and helping himself. Daphne raised an eyebrow when she noticed that he was . . . praying? Now she wasn't sure what was weirder: being a mutant or that the demon-like man appeared to be a Christian.
Jean then decided to speak up. "Daphne, I know this change came as a surprise to you, but Kitty's right. Being a mutant isn't always a bad thing."
"Jean's right," said Scott. "You see Daphne, we are not monsters at all. Not all of us. And once you get to know us, you'll realize that being a mutant is not as bad as the media tries to make it out to be."
"There are those of us who use our gifts for the right reasons," continued Jean. "Then there are those who seek to take advantage of their amazing powers and use them for evil purposes. Those are the monsters."
"Well said, Jean," said Xavier. "Now, I believe introductions are in order. As you know, I am Professor Xavier. Or Professor X as some of the younger students here like to call me. I am headmaster of this Institute as well as founder and CEO of X-Corporation. It is a worldwide expansion that allows mutants to develop and control their powers, much like the Institute itself."
"Of course, you've already met me," said Jean. "Like the professor, I am both telepathic and telekinetic, meaning I can move things with my mind."
"What kind of things," asked Daphne, now at least a little interested.
Jean smiled and turned in her chair. She extended her hand toward the refrigerator and it opened. A bottle of orange juice came out and into her hand. She turned back to Daphne, still smiling, and replied, "All kinds of things. I also possess the Phoenix Force which enables flight and allows me to survive the vacuum of space. I'll tell you more about it some other time. When the Professor's not around, I'm also headmistress of the Institute."
Scott, who was sitting next to Daphne and across from Jean said, "I'm her husband, Scott Summers, also called Cyclops. I can shoot devastating beams from my eyes. The reason I wear these glasses, or, in battle, a visor, is because otherwise, I can't control them. I live and sometimes teach here at the Institute."
The Chinese-American woman across from Daphne was next. She smiled and said, "I'm Jubilation Lee, Jubilee for short. My power is that I can shoot explosive plasmoids from my fingertips. 'Fireworks,' I like to call them. I LOVE shopping and rollerblading. I'm also an aspiring fashion designer."
Logan came next. "My name's Logan, more commonly known as Wolverine." SNIKT! Daphne gasped as three metal blades protruded from his right hand. "I got these claws on each hand. They're made of adamantium, the strongest metal known. They can cut through steel like a hot knife through butter." He sheathed his claws before continuing. "The adamantium has also been surgically grafted to my entire skeleton."
Daphne's eyes widened as she asked, "How could you have survived a procedure like that?"
"Easy," said Logan. "I got this healin' factor that lets me take a lot of punishment. Almost as much as I dish out. It also slows my agin' process and makes me immune to drugs and poisons. Except for bein' married to Jubes here, I'm pretty much a loner. In my spare time, I like to work on motorcycles and cars, mostly motorcycles. I also like to head down to the bars for a brew now and then."
When Logan said, "married to Jubes" Daphne thought to herself, 'What else is weird?' Xavier and Jean had picked that up and stifled their laughs, though Daphne didn't notice.
Next was the brunette girl sitting next to her. "I'm Kitty Pryde, or Shadowcat. I can walk right through any solid objects, kinda like a ghost. I can also kinda 'lend' if you will, this power to other people or objects. I help out Dr. Grey and Hank McCoy in the labs a lot. I'm your typical science geek."
Peter, sitting next to Kitty, spoke up next. "I am Kitty's brother Piotr Rasputin, or Peter, as I'm often called, from Russia. I am also known as Colossus. I can transform my body into solid steel. It grants me super- strength and makes me all but indestructible. I have been known to withstand even Wolverine's claws. Also, in my armored form, I do not need to eat or breathe. My favorite hobby is painting. I am not that great, but I love doing it."
"I'm Rogue," spoke up the woman next to Peter, "Colossus' girlfriend. My power is more a curse than a gift: you touch my skin, and it's lights out. At least that's how it is for humans. In the case of mutants, I also take their powers. Normally, that's only temporarily, but for some reason I once permanently absorbed . . . someone else's powers of flight, super- strength, and limited invulnerability. Whenever I touch someone, I also get their memories, which tend to linger." Pointing to her brain, she said, "It's so crowded up here, I can't even remember my own name. I tend to just live and hang out here."
A black, white-haired woman sitting next to Logan was next. "I am Ororo Munroe, also called Storm. As the name states, I can hurl lightening from my hands, create tornadoes, hurricanes, all kinds of storms. I can also fly by literally 'riding' the winds. I teach here and I often help the professor with X-Corporation matters."
The brown-haired boy next to Ororo smiled and said, "I'm Bobby Drake. They call me Iceman. That should tell you all you need to know about me. Not only can I shoot ice from my hands, I can also coat myself in ice. I like to travel using what I call 'ice boards.' When I'm in my ice form, I can also rearrange my molecules. In other words, I can make myself as bulky as 'Ah-nuld." Daphne couldn't help but giggle at his impersonation of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bobby continued, "Or I can make myself as thin as a sheet of paper. That can be useful for getting through tight spots. I tend to be the jokester of the group."
Finally, it came down to the furry man. He smiled and said, "I am Kurt Wagner. The others like to call me Nightcrawler. As you can see, I am a teleporter. As a former circus star, I am also able to cling to walls and ceilings. I am an ordained minister. Plus, I'll occasionally join Logan for a brew at the bars."
After breakfast, Xavier left to take care of some matters in the city. Storm was accompanying him. The rest of the X-Men were taking care of other business and Daphne would meet them later. Right now, she was in the bedroom that Xavier had assigned her. Sitting on the bed, she was lost in her thoughts. 'This has to be a nightmare. The folks here seem like nice people, but what did those two kidnappers want with me? What about my parents? Will they still love me if I really am a mutant? What about my friends? Will they reject me?' As these and other thoughts continued to roll around in her head, she buried her face in her pillow and began to cry.
Jean had been walking through the mansion. She picked up the stressful thoughts and immediately knew that it was coming from Daphne. Being careful that Daphne didn't pick up her own thoughts, Jean thought to herself, 'She's taking it hard. I can't say I blame her. My little secret is bound to get out sooner or later. I wonder what the others will think of it. I wonder what the professor will think. I wonder what she'll think.' She sighed and continued, 'This is a complicated issue. I'll talk to Scott about it this afternoon after the professor gets home. Maybe he can help me sort this out.' She then began walking away.
To Be Continued
Magneto was sitting alone, staring out the window of the Brotherhood's current hideout. All were signs that he was deep in his thoughts. Even as she entered the room, Mystique knew this. She also knew that when he was like this, he didn't like to be disturbed. So she waited patiently. Finally, he acknowledged her. "What is it, Mystique?"
Mystique took a deep breath before asking her question. "If you don't mind my asking, Erik, why is this girl so important to you?"
Using his power, Magneto magnetically spun his metal chair until he was facing her. After staring at her for several seconds, he responded, "This girl has the power and ability that could surpass Charles Xavier, therefore allowing me to create my own version of Cerebro. Her power has only begun to manifest itself, but with time, she may become much stronger than Charles. With her power, she could wipe out humanity just as easily as Charles could have destroyed mutantkind.* And, finally, Homo Superior's survival will be guaranteed. Now, leave me. I wish to plan on my own." Mystique nodded and left the room.
(*This is a reference to the X-Men Graphic Novel "God Loves, Man Kills" as well as the X2 movie.)
That morning, Daphne was eating breakfast with some of the X-Men. It was plain to see that she wasn't comfortable, a fact that did not go unnoticed by Jean or the professor. Jean mentally asked Xavier, [Is something wrong, Professor?]
Xavier responded, [I am sensing the fear that Miss Blake is feeling right now. She seems to be having trouble comprehending the fact that she's a mutant.]
[That's not surprising,] Jean "said" telepathically. [This is a change that is never easy to believe or accept.] Xavier seemed inclined to agree.
As Daphne slowly ate, she got a good look at who she was eating with. They all seemed like normal people, even though she knew better. The only one that really bothered her was Logan, with his hairstyle and build. He was eating quietly, but just looking at him gave her chills. She was surprised (though at the same time she knew she shouldn't be) that the others weren't intimidated by him, especially the young Chinese-American woman sitting across from her. She looked to be about Daphne's age, even though the truth was that she was 25. She looked at Daphne and asked, "Hey, are you okay?"
Daphne just shrugged and continued to eat. The girl said, "Hey, I know how you feel. When I first discovered my powers, I freaked out."
"But, hey, it's not all bad." Daphne turned to the brunette girl sitting next to her. She was a bit older than the Chinese girl. "Having special powers can be pretty cool sometimes."
All of a sudden, there was a "bamf!" Daphne yelped as she saw a blue- furred, yellow-eyed . . . creature appear from the burst of smoke that was left behind. He looked like a demon and had three fingers on each hand and three toes on each foot. He also had a tail with an arrow-head-like tip. The professor said, "Kurt, what did I tell you this morning?"
"Sorry, Professor. It must have slipped my mind," the furry man said in a German accent. He then turned to Daphne and said, "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." He then closed his eyes and quickly performed the Catholic sign of forgiveness before sitting at the foot of the table and helping himself. Daphne raised an eyebrow when she noticed that he was . . . praying? Now she wasn't sure what was weirder: being a mutant or that the demon-like man appeared to be a Christian.
Jean then decided to speak up. "Daphne, I know this change came as a surprise to you, but Kitty's right. Being a mutant isn't always a bad thing."
"Jean's right," said Scott. "You see Daphne, we are not monsters at all. Not all of us. And once you get to know us, you'll realize that being a mutant is not as bad as the media tries to make it out to be."
"There are those of us who use our gifts for the right reasons," continued Jean. "Then there are those who seek to take advantage of their amazing powers and use them for evil purposes. Those are the monsters."
"Well said, Jean," said Xavier. "Now, I believe introductions are in order. As you know, I am Professor Xavier. Or Professor X as some of the younger students here like to call me. I am headmaster of this Institute as well as founder and CEO of X-Corporation. It is a worldwide expansion that allows mutants to develop and control their powers, much like the Institute itself."
"Of course, you've already met me," said Jean. "Like the professor, I am both telepathic and telekinetic, meaning I can move things with my mind."
"What kind of things," asked Daphne, now at least a little interested.
Jean smiled and turned in her chair. She extended her hand toward the refrigerator and it opened. A bottle of orange juice came out and into her hand. She turned back to Daphne, still smiling, and replied, "All kinds of things. I also possess the Phoenix Force which enables flight and allows me to survive the vacuum of space. I'll tell you more about it some other time. When the Professor's not around, I'm also headmistress of the Institute."
Scott, who was sitting next to Daphne and across from Jean said, "I'm her husband, Scott Summers, also called Cyclops. I can shoot devastating beams from my eyes. The reason I wear these glasses, or, in battle, a visor, is because otherwise, I can't control them. I live and sometimes teach here at the Institute."
The Chinese-American woman across from Daphne was next. She smiled and said, "I'm Jubilation Lee, Jubilee for short. My power is that I can shoot explosive plasmoids from my fingertips. 'Fireworks,' I like to call them. I LOVE shopping and rollerblading. I'm also an aspiring fashion designer."
Logan came next. "My name's Logan, more commonly known as Wolverine." SNIKT! Daphne gasped as three metal blades protruded from his right hand. "I got these claws on each hand. They're made of adamantium, the strongest metal known. They can cut through steel like a hot knife through butter." He sheathed his claws before continuing. "The adamantium has also been surgically grafted to my entire skeleton."
Daphne's eyes widened as she asked, "How could you have survived a procedure like that?"
"Easy," said Logan. "I got this healin' factor that lets me take a lot of punishment. Almost as much as I dish out. It also slows my agin' process and makes me immune to drugs and poisons. Except for bein' married to Jubes here, I'm pretty much a loner. In my spare time, I like to work on motorcycles and cars, mostly motorcycles. I also like to head down to the bars for a brew now and then."
When Logan said, "married to Jubes" Daphne thought to herself, 'What else is weird?' Xavier and Jean had picked that up and stifled their laughs, though Daphne didn't notice.
Next was the brunette girl sitting next to her. "I'm Kitty Pryde, or Shadowcat. I can walk right through any solid objects, kinda like a ghost. I can also kinda 'lend' if you will, this power to other people or objects. I help out Dr. Grey and Hank McCoy in the labs a lot. I'm your typical science geek."
Peter, sitting next to Kitty, spoke up next. "I am Kitty's brother Piotr Rasputin, or Peter, as I'm often called, from Russia. I am also known as Colossus. I can transform my body into solid steel. It grants me super- strength and makes me all but indestructible. I have been known to withstand even Wolverine's claws. Also, in my armored form, I do not need to eat or breathe. My favorite hobby is painting. I am not that great, but I love doing it."
"I'm Rogue," spoke up the woman next to Peter, "Colossus' girlfriend. My power is more a curse than a gift: you touch my skin, and it's lights out. At least that's how it is for humans. In the case of mutants, I also take their powers. Normally, that's only temporarily, but for some reason I once permanently absorbed . . . someone else's powers of flight, super- strength, and limited invulnerability. Whenever I touch someone, I also get their memories, which tend to linger." Pointing to her brain, she said, "It's so crowded up here, I can't even remember my own name. I tend to just live and hang out here."
A black, white-haired woman sitting next to Logan was next. "I am Ororo Munroe, also called Storm. As the name states, I can hurl lightening from my hands, create tornadoes, hurricanes, all kinds of storms. I can also fly by literally 'riding' the winds. I teach here and I often help the professor with X-Corporation matters."
The brown-haired boy next to Ororo smiled and said, "I'm Bobby Drake. They call me Iceman. That should tell you all you need to know about me. Not only can I shoot ice from my hands, I can also coat myself in ice. I like to travel using what I call 'ice boards.' When I'm in my ice form, I can also rearrange my molecules. In other words, I can make myself as bulky as 'Ah-nuld." Daphne couldn't help but giggle at his impersonation of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bobby continued, "Or I can make myself as thin as a sheet of paper. That can be useful for getting through tight spots. I tend to be the jokester of the group."
Finally, it came down to the furry man. He smiled and said, "I am Kurt Wagner. The others like to call me Nightcrawler. As you can see, I am a teleporter. As a former circus star, I am also able to cling to walls and ceilings. I am an ordained minister. Plus, I'll occasionally join Logan for a brew at the bars."
After breakfast, Xavier left to take care of some matters in the city. Storm was accompanying him. The rest of the X-Men were taking care of other business and Daphne would meet them later. Right now, she was in the bedroom that Xavier had assigned her. Sitting on the bed, she was lost in her thoughts. 'This has to be a nightmare. The folks here seem like nice people, but what did those two kidnappers want with me? What about my parents? Will they still love me if I really am a mutant? What about my friends? Will they reject me?' As these and other thoughts continued to roll around in her head, she buried her face in her pillow and began to cry.
Jean had been walking through the mansion. She picked up the stressful thoughts and immediately knew that it was coming from Daphne. Being careful that Daphne didn't pick up her own thoughts, Jean thought to herself, 'She's taking it hard. I can't say I blame her. My little secret is bound to get out sooner or later. I wonder what the others will think of it. I wonder what the professor will think. I wonder what she'll think.' She sighed and continued, 'This is a complicated issue. I'll talk to Scott about it this afternoon after the professor gets home. Maybe he can help me sort this out.' She then began walking away.
To Be Continued