Chapter 11: Into Battle
Beast traced what he hoped would be Magneto's hideout. Finally, he sent out his thoughts to the professor, 'I've got it, Professor. Gather everyone in the meeting room.'
All the present X-Men, as well as Daphne, were gathered in the meeting room. A hologram was displayed of their intended destination. Beast said, "It appears that within these waterfalls is where we'll find the Brotherhood. But Magneto must know this too, so he'll probably be expecting us."
Scott said, "The plan is for some of us to go in and fight the Brotherhood, while someone else sneaks in and tries to free Daphne's parents and possibly her friends."
Daphne frowned at her now-revealed-to-be uncle and asked, "Why am I being treated like a total stranger? Shouldn't I be going with you?"
Scott said, "I'm sorry Daphne, we can't let you come with us."
Xavier said, "He's right, Daphne. That could be just the opportunity Magneto needs."
Daphne stood up and yelled, "I have to go! I'm the one they want! They've got MY family, and maybe MY friends. They've always been there for me, now it's my turn to be there for them."
All the X-Men in the room had no idea what to say. Daphne had never been seen as a spitfire, but no one could blame her in this case. After a long silence, Xavier said, "She's right. Hank, Jean, prepare the jet. Scott, get Daphne a uniform."
Cyclops nodded and led Daphne to a room close to the Cerebro room. He handed her an outfit and said, "I hope you don't have too much trouble wearing this. It's the best we can do on such short notice."
Daphne entered a nearby dressing room. She came out just as Cyclops approached her, decked in his own outfit and visor over his eyes. This was certainly a different feel for Daphne than the customary purple dresses and pumps she was used to wearing. It was similar to Jean's outfit: Tight black leather that hugged her body and thigh-high boots with heels she wasn't accustomed to walking in. She asked, "You actually go outside in these things?"
Cyclops and Daphne made their way to the hangar where the Blackbird was stored. Upon seeing it, Daphne breathed, "Wow. That's huge!"
"The SR-77 Blackbird," said a smiling Jubilee as she entered wearing a black leather outfit that was slightly different from Jean's or the one Daphne was wearing. "It's got three times the speed of the SR-75 and twice the firepower."
Nightcrawler then teleported in, wearing his red, white, and black costume. He said, "Enough with the chit-chat, let's go and kick some tail!"
Soon all of the X-Men going on this mission were suited up and ready to go. Bobby, decked in blue and white watched Daphne's hourglass figure as she nervously boarded and let out a low whistle, obviously liking what he saw. He then heard her say, "I hope you realize I heard that, Bobby."
"Daphne," a voice called. She stopped in her tracks to see Professor X wheeling towards the Blackbird. He asked, "Are you absolutely certain about this? You haven't had any training."
"Look, professor," said Daphne, "this is personal. All my life, I've been seen as the 'Damsel in Distress,' and 'Danger-Prone Daphne.' Even if my parents don't want me anymore, I want to prove to them and to myself that I'm not a klutz. I have to do this."
Xavier nodded in understanding. "Very well. Good luck. My thoughts are with you . . . in more ways than one."
Once everyone was settled in, Cyclops began firing up the engines. "Alright, people," he said, "Logan, Peter, and Kitty are already near the falls where we'll meet them. Once we get there, we'll need to be prepared for anything."
Professor X watched as the Blackbird slowly made its way out and airborne.
As the Blackbird made its way towards its destination, Daphne heard in her head, [Daphne, can you hear me.]
Daphne had done her best to stay as far away from Jean as possible. She didn't really want to "talk" to her aunt right now, but answered anyway. [Yes. What is it?]
Jean sent out, [Listen, you haven't had a chance to train in the Danger Room, so the best advice I can give you should you need to use your powers is that you should think about what you want to do before you do it. Does that help any?]
[It may help some,] Daphne responded. [Thanks.]
Making sure Daphne didn't pick up her thoughts, Jean thought to herself, 'At least we're making a little progress.'
Soon, the Blackbird rendezvoused with the Velocity where Wolverine, Colossus, and Shadowcat were waiting for them, suited up and ready to go. When everyone stepped out of the Blackbird, Daphne noticed their outfits. She thought to herself, 'Wolverine's outfit certainly fits his reputation. Colossus' is okay, considering his physique. But Kitty?' She saw Shadowcat's black, blue, and yellow garb* and thought, 'Black and blue's okay, but the yellow clashes with it.'
(*Think of Kitty's X-Men: Evolution outfit.)
Cyclops approached his three comrades and asked, "Any idea where they are?"
"Yeah," said Wolverine. "See that metal dome? That's where we wanna go."
"Then let's not waste any time," said Cyclops.
Jean started levitating herself, Cyclops and Daphne toward the dome. Rogue picked up Colossus and began flying upward as did Storm. Nightcrawler teleported himself, Shadowcat and Beast to the dome, while Iceman iced up. He smiled and said, "Elevator going up." He created an ice structure that elevated himself, Wolverine, and Jubilee to the dome.
Once all were present and accounted for, Cyclops proceeded to blast a hole in the dome metal wall. No sooner had the X-Men entered that they heard Magneto's voice say, "We've been expecting you."
Magneto and the entire Brotherhood stood before them, not backing down and ready to fight. Upon seeing Daphne with the X-Men, Magneto smiled and said, "You've even brought my prize."
"You are not taking me!" yelled Daphne angrily. "I will never be one of you!"
"I'm afraid you already are, child," said Magneto coldly. "And if you won't join us willingly, then we will force you to serve our purposes, once we've taken care of the X-Men. Brotherhood, for mutantkind!"
With that, it was on. Magneto started attracting metal from all around the dome, and hurled it at the X-Men. Cyclops, Storm, or Jubilee would blast it, or Iceman would freeze it. Jean would stop it in mid-air and hurl it back. Daphne did her best to follow Jean's example. Wolverine would slash it with his claws and Colossus changed to armored form to shield everyone as best he could while Shadowcat simply allowed it to phase harmlessly through her. Sabretooth immediately went for Wolverine, who charged head- on to meet his long-time mortal enemy. Juggernaut charged into the fray and Colossus met him head-on, locking up in a test of strength. The rest of the Brotherhood began picking their targets, the X-Men rushing in to meet the charge. This was going to be one heck of a slobber-knocker!
To Be Continued
Beast traced what he hoped would be Magneto's hideout. Finally, he sent out his thoughts to the professor, 'I've got it, Professor. Gather everyone in the meeting room.'
All the present X-Men, as well as Daphne, were gathered in the meeting room. A hologram was displayed of their intended destination. Beast said, "It appears that within these waterfalls is where we'll find the Brotherhood. But Magneto must know this too, so he'll probably be expecting us."
Scott said, "The plan is for some of us to go in and fight the Brotherhood, while someone else sneaks in and tries to free Daphne's parents and possibly her friends."
Daphne frowned at her now-revealed-to-be uncle and asked, "Why am I being treated like a total stranger? Shouldn't I be going with you?"
Scott said, "I'm sorry Daphne, we can't let you come with us."
Xavier said, "He's right, Daphne. That could be just the opportunity Magneto needs."
Daphne stood up and yelled, "I have to go! I'm the one they want! They've got MY family, and maybe MY friends. They've always been there for me, now it's my turn to be there for them."
All the X-Men in the room had no idea what to say. Daphne had never been seen as a spitfire, but no one could blame her in this case. After a long silence, Xavier said, "She's right. Hank, Jean, prepare the jet. Scott, get Daphne a uniform."
Cyclops nodded and led Daphne to a room close to the Cerebro room. He handed her an outfit and said, "I hope you don't have too much trouble wearing this. It's the best we can do on such short notice."
Daphne entered a nearby dressing room. She came out just as Cyclops approached her, decked in his own outfit and visor over his eyes. This was certainly a different feel for Daphne than the customary purple dresses and pumps she was used to wearing. It was similar to Jean's outfit: Tight black leather that hugged her body and thigh-high boots with heels she wasn't accustomed to walking in. She asked, "You actually go outside in these things?"
Cyclops and Daphne made their way to the hangar where the Blackbird was stored. Upon seeing it, Daphne breathed, "Wow. That's huge!"
"The SR-77 Blackbird," said a smiling Jubilee as she entered wearing a black leather outfit that was slightly different from Jean's or the one Daphne was wearing. "It's got three times the speed of the SR-75 and twice the firepower."
Nightcrawler then teleported in, wearing his red, white, and black costume. He said, "Enough with the chit-chat, let's go and kick some tail!"
Soon all of the X-Men going on this mission were suited up and ready to go. Bobby, decked in blue and white watched Daphne's hourglass figure as she nervously boarded and let out a low whistle, obviously liking what he saw. He then heard her say, "I hope you realize I heard that, Bobby."
"Daphne," a voice called. She stopped in her tracks to see Professor X wheeling towards the Blackbird. He asked, "Are you absolutely certain about this? You haven't had any training."
"Look, professor," said Daphne, "this is personal. All my life, I've been seen as the 'Damsel in Distress,' and 'Danger-Prone Daphne.' Even if my parents don't want me anymore, I want to prove to them and to myself that I'm not a klutz. I have to do this."
Xavier nodded in understanding. "Very well. Good luck. My thoughts are with you . . . in more ways than one."
Once everyone was settled in, Cyclops began firing up the engines. "Alright, people," he said, "Logan, Peter, and Kitty are already near the falls where we'll meet them. Once we get there, we'll need to be prepared for anything."
Professor X watched as the Blackbird slowly made its way out and airborne.
As the Blackbird made its way towards its destination, Daphne heard in her head, [Daphne, can you hear me.]
Daphne had done her best to stay as far away from Jean as possible. She didn't really want to "talk" to her aunt right now, but answered anyway. [Yes. What is it?]
Jean sent out, [Listen, you haven't had a chance to train in the Danger Room, so the best advice I can give you should you need to use your powers is that you should think about what you want to do before you do it. Does that help any?]
[It may help some,] Daphne responded. [Thanks.]
Making sure Daphne didn't pick up her thoughts, Jean thought to herself, 'At least we're making a little progress.'
Soon, the Blackbird rendezvoused with the Velocity where Wolverine, Colossus, and Shadowcat were waiting for them, suited up and ready to go. When everyone stepped out of the Blackbird, Daphne noticed their outfits. She thought to herself, 'Wolverine's outfit certainly fits his reputation. Colossus' is okay, considering his physique. But Kitty?' She saw Shadowcat's black, blue, and yellow garb* and thought, 'Black and blue's okay, but the yellow clashes with it.'
(*Think of Kitty's X-Men: Evolution outfit.)
Cyclops approached his three comrades and asked, "Any idea where they are?"
"Yeah," said Wolverine. "See that metal dome? That's where we wanna go."
"Then let's not waste any time," said Cyclops.
Jean started levitating herself, Cyclops and Daphne toward the dome. Rogue picked up Colossus and began flying upward as did Storm. Nightcrawler teleported himself, Shadowcat and Beast to the dome, while Iceman iced up. He smiled and said, "Elevator going up." He created an ice structure that elevated himself, Wolverine, and Jubilee to the dome.
Once all were present and accounted for, Cyclops proceeded to blast a hole in the dome metal wall. No sooner had the X-Men entered that they heard Magneto's voice say, "We've been expecting you."
Magneto and the entire Brotherhood stood before them, not backing down and ready to fight. Upon seeing Daphne with the X-Men, Magneto smiled and said, "You've even brought my prize."
"You are not taking me!" yelled Daphne angrily. "I will never be one of you!"
"I'm afraid you already are, child," said Magneto coldly. "And if you won't join us willingly, then we will force you to serve our purposes, once we've taken care of the X-Men. Brotherhood, for mutantkind!"
With that, it was on. Magneto started attracting metal from all around the dome, and hurled it at the X-Men. Cyclops, Storm, or Jubilee would blast it, or Iceman would freeze it. Jean would stop it in mid-air and hurl it back. Daphne did her best to follow Jean's example. Wolverine would slash it with his claws and Colossus changed to armored form to shield everyone as best he could while Shadowcat simply allowed it to phase harmlessly through her. Sabretooth immediately went for Wolverine, who charged head- on to meet his long-time mortal enemy. Juggernaut charged into the fray and Colossus met him head-on, locking up in a test of strength. The rest of the Brotherhood began picking their targets, the X-Men rushing in to meet the charge. This was going to be one heck of a slobber-knocker!
To Be Continued