Author's Notes: Hey, thanks for the reviews, glad you enjoy my first X-Men fanfic. Just so you know + indicates a scene which is happening at the same time.
Chapter 3!
Sidney was crying heavily as Xavier approached her. He was shocked but determined to know the truth.
"It's ok Sidney. I'm sure it was not your fault but I must know what happened exactly. Let me probe your mind to see and then judge."
He helped her up and she sat in a nearby seat. Xavier approached her and held both her hands. He closed his eyes and suddenly, the scene in the mall appeared to him. Xavier didn't even have to look through Sidney's memories as it was all fresh in her mind.
Bang! The anti-mutant protestors including Peter Jackson fire at Sophie as she queues outside of the cinema. Blood spills out around her as she falls to the ground. Sidney, just next to her, falls on her knees and picks up her cousin in her arms. She is screaming and seeing her unconscious cousin, she yells out her name and for an ambulance.
Suddenly, her powers go out of control and a green energy shield surrounds her body, her eyes turn all green, as some magical green force possesses her. Her green ends glow a brighter green. Beyond fury and pain, out of control, she runs out of the mall, tracking down the anti-mutant protestors and meets Peter Jackson in the same alleyway where his "remains" were found.
Without difficulty, she stretches her arm out and from her hand blasts of fire come out. They burn the man's overcoat. He screams as the fire spreads out over his body as though it was an entity itself, circling around the man's body.
He is burning to his death.
Turning back to normal as the green energy dissipates around her, Sidney is completely freaked out by what she has done, runs away before the police officers find the man on fire.
Xavier could feel the man's torturous pain as the fire burned through his skin and reached his guts but also Sidney's panicked fear as she ran off. He couldn't hold such mixed emotions within him and screamed out for help. Cyclops ran into the war room and pulled Xavier's hands away from the girls'. The telepathic link was broken and Xavier woke up again in the war room.
"Cyclops, I'm fine. Leave us please, I'll be ok."
Reluctantly, Cyclops left, eyeing Sidney still sobbing having seen herself killing a human being.
Xavier looked up at the girl and sensed her fear. "It's ok Sidney, you have lost control over your powers and I will help you deal with them. But you have killed a human being today and that you must never forget."
Sidney nodded her head like a six-year old child. Her look was so innocent and pure it was almost pathetic considering what she had done but Xavier knew better than to judge people by their actions, especially mutants.
"I am offering you a second chance at life Sidney. After having dealt with your powers you can either leave and face the consequences of your act or stay with the X-Men and help us fight for justice between mutants and humans. What happened today withSophie can be avoided and you can help us fight these acts of hatred. Your powers have been unleashed in a powerful manner today, too powerful for you to cope with as you have seen. Therefore I must lock some part of your powers away - away from your reach until you can fully control them all. Do you understand?"
"I see what you mean - It's the green - force or energy that's dangerous isn't it? That's what took over me in the mall. Is that what you will prevent from taking over again?"
"Yes it is." He penetrated her mind as he took her hands again and telepathically built a box or more likely a sealed cage into which he attracted some green shadow hidden within the deepest part of Sidney's mind. Xavier was battling this green force to lock it inside the box but the battle was taking up all his energy.
"I don't trust dat girl!" Gambit had followed the others to the rec room and now believed it was time to tell them what he really thought. "She sure ain'tgot de French attitude, chere - an' she's definitely hidin' sumthin' from us, non?"
"The Cajun's right." Wolverine still had his mind on her and the way she got out of the hospital. "She don't smell good and she ain't saying the whole truth."
"She's only 19 for Gawd's sake! And she's Sophie's cousin! Can't any o'ya, give her a chance?" Rogue stormed out of the rec room. Why won't anyone believe meh? They all like an' trustedSophie when she first came - why can't they be nice an' friendly with newcomers once in a while?
Wolverine looked back at her and then at Storm, who was giving him a LOOK.
"What?" Wolverine asked putting on an innocent face. "What did I say?"
"Rogue was in the same situation Logan when she first came to the X-Men, remember? No one trusted her either and it was very hard for her."
"Whatever you say 'Ro!" He turned back to his beer and football match on TV.
"It's over."
The Professor opened his eyes again and looked at Sidney, fear could be read on her face.
"Please - do not tell anyone about - what happened. I wasn't myself, it wasn't me back there!"
"Sssh, I know Sidney, calm down. The others will not understand, at least not yet. Therefore, I will not tell anyone. But I think it is best that you tell Rogue. I know this may sound impossible for you, but she can help you Sidney. She has been through many events like yours and you truly need someone to be your friend and stay by you right now."
"I - I can't Professor, thank you ever so much for your help and kindness, but I can't - at least not yet. I'm too scared that she won't understand - she's the only friend left here and I don't want to lose it."
"So what are you going to do now?"
Sidney looked up at the Professor.Sophie always believed in the Professor's dream. Mutants living peacefully among humans - What would he say if he knew the whole truth? But how many times did Sophie tell me about his good deeds and his kindness and I never believed her - now I understand though.
She had made her decision. "I'll stay here with the X-Men, that is if you still want me with you - but that is my decision - besides it's what Sophie wanted, she wanted me to join the Institute."
"Then from now on, we are your family and home Sidney."
"Thank you Professor!" Joy spread over Sidney's face as she got up on her unsteady legs and hugged him. Surprised but glad, he hugged her back. Sidney pulled away finally and gave him a quick smile.
"By the way, my name isn't Sidney. But I guess you figured that out."
"Indeed, the mind never lies to those who penetrate it." Xavier had a cheeky grin on his face and turned away to the door.
"Come, let me introduce yourself properly to the X-Men." Walking by his side, they walked out of the war room and into her new home.
The war room, three days later.
Sidney with Rogue and Jean's guide met the other team member and students all living in the mansion. She also learned some more on Xavier and his dream and how the X-Men operated.
At that time, half of Xavier's crew including Psylocke, Archangel, Nightcrawler and even Jubilee were in Japan fighting the continuous assaults on mutants of the Red Dragon, a branch of the Asian Mafia. Xavier had finally decided to ask Sidney to join the team as her powers could be of great use. The entire X-Men team was hence reunited so as to discuss Sidney's case.
Indeed Xavier had finally decided to tell them about her powers but also his wish to see her be an X-Man.
"And as leader of the team," Cyclops continued, looking down to the others. "I am totally against the idea. We have just met this girl and I certainly don't trust her - well not yet." He continued quickly seeing Jean's dark face across the war room.
"Of course I understand your point of view" answered Xavier. "She will have to train hard before mastering her powers but with the other half of the X- Men on mission in Japan, we cannot permit ourselves to let this chance go by."
"Ah trust her wit all mah soul. That gal was an angel when Ah knew her, unlike some people." Rogue turned to face Wolverine, who swore under his breath.
Iceman finally spoke up. "I don't know her well. But if Rogue trusts her, then so do I! Count on me to be supportive." As Rogue's close friend Bobby was glad that he could help her right now.
"Surprise, surprise!" Wolverine whispered loud enough so that everyone could hear. Couldn't have expected more from Rogue's doggie!
Xavier made his decision. "So that's settled. Rogue will be in charge of Sidney to start out."
"Will she have a codename?" Storm asked. As co-leader, the goddess had not yet spoken but her question implied that she accepted the new member.
Xavier turned to her and smiled, he knew Storm would be by his side. "Yes, like nearly all of you Ororo."
"Oh yeah - " Wolverine finally spoke loud and clear. "And what will that be? Greeny?"
He laughed at his own joke and so did Cyclops and Gambit until Rogue told the Cajun to shut it and Jean gave her husband another dark look. She would stick up for Sidney no matter what. She was Sophie's cousin after all.
"No actually, it's Natura!"
Sidney had just entered the war room from behind Wolverine. There all staring at me!
Indeed everyone had turned their eyes around to see her in her new combat outfit. She was dressed in an X-uniform made of the same strong material as the others, all black with green outlines and a big green X over the chest. Attached from her shoulders to wrists were two small capes.
Gambit leaned over to his neighbour Bobby as he saw Sidney and smiled. "She certainly got de French charm!"
Bobby grinned back, he too was aware that the new team member belonged to the "fairer sex", as Beast would say. The blue furry man showed Sidney to a seat while Wolverine muttered back to himself. "I'm not buying this."
"Ah Sidney!" Xavier had been waiting for her to arrive. "We have just decided that you may be part of the team under certain conditions."
Sidney was about to thank him when Cyclops interrupted her. "To tell you the truth I'm not thrilled."
Jean was surprised by his words. "Scott!"
"I'm sorry Jean but listen to me. We don't even know if she can fight in a real battle or even take care of herself! And what does Natura mean anyway? You didn't explain what her powers were to us, professor."
"I'm sorry I forgot about that but you will see later on." Xavier's response was less than satisfying for Cyclops but he let go for now, eager to find out more, later.
Sidney finally got a chance to speak. "The Professor has asked me to take a series of tests before joining the team. The first one took place this morning in Dr MacCoy's lab."
She turned around to Beast, hoping for a successful result. "And she is perfectly healthy may I point out. Her mental state is fine and with daily training her physical capabilities could attain even my level - Oh and please, call me Hank."
He smiled back at her, glad to have a new member on board. Cyclops realised at that point why his scientist friend hadn't helped him earlier to oppose Sidney's integration.
"Thank you - Hank. Professor Xavier also wants me to pass a series of test in the danger room under your dual command." She looked firstly at Cyclops then at Storm.
"Fine." Cyclops answered, realising he had no chance of winning. "You'll have to fight not only against robots but also against other team members to prove your value."
"X-Men be ready in 10 minutes in the danger room." Storm ordered, understanding Cyclops' plan.
All members left the war room in a hurry. Rogue, however, sprung up to hug her new team mate before leaving with her. Gambit had also remained behind to talk to Xavier.
"Dat's not possible, she can't be French, she speaks too good, 'pas un accent'!"
Xavier only smiled at him and left.
Ok, well that's chap 3. So any ideas, suggestions, tell me all! I just hope I'm sticking to the character's personnalities and the way they speak which is hard considering all the different accents. Well as usual feel free to review and you'll definitely get some answers.
To my first reviewer : x0MzJeNNa0x : Hey that's a lot for your support, means a lot to me. I'm actally waiting to get more chapters up before publicly announce my fanfic in X-Men fan sites. Well hope you enjoy the rest and I'll be checking out some of your own fics. Thanx again !
French words - « pas un accent » : not a single accent.
Next chapter: Sid fights robots and team members in danger room showing the X-Men that she's got skills.