Regina: Hey, all. How's it going? I'll pretend that I got some replies,
even though it is pretty much impossible for me to hear them, let alone
answer them. First term of what I suppose to be my senior year is over, and
now I'm on holidays. That means I have a lot more time on my hands to
write. Downside, I have to go back to school for the first week anyway, to
do this computer course. I'm learning how to use Flash and Fireworks for
web design, so I suppose it's not all bad. I'll be able to make my websites
a whole lot cooler, that's for sure. Not that anyone's gonna see them, as
nobody seems to go visit them. It's really sad when I go look at my site
stats and the majority of the visits is just me checking to see if my
site's still there - bit like Tyler from 'My Hero'. If you haven't seen
that show, I suggest you go find out! It's so funny, and it's one of the
few shows that have made me fall of my chair with laughter more than once.
Maybe I could get Thermoman to advertise my sites? Might be easier to get
one of the X-Men etc. to do that instead! Ah, one of the perks of being a
writer: you get to be omnipotent. Note to all of those people who don't own
a Dictionary, or can't be bothered going off to Dictionary.com (which has
this really cool translator bit, by the way. A group of us translated a
whole bunch of insults from English to Polish, so we could maybe use them
on Magneto if we wanted to. Not that we can pronounce them!), omnipotent
means 'all-powerful' (not to be confused with omniscient, which means 'all-
knowing'. I guess you could say Professor X is kinda omniscient, then).
Anyway, back to this little intro. thing I've got going on here. First, the disclaimer: I own nada. Not the bakery (although I really could go for one of those cakes in the windows, one where you can put a picture on it. Maybe a they can do a nice pic of a mutant. I know they have done Pokémon ones before!), but nothing. Send me $5 and I will send you absolutely nothing! Talk about a bargain! I also don't own X-Men: Evolution or anything to do with it (although I am the Owner/Moderator of a brand-spanking new Beast Yahoo! Group, 'Beauty of the Beast'. I don't own Yahoo! either.)
Secondly, I have a few thanks. First one goes to A Pyro's Rage. Thank you for all your reviews, and namely that quote about the burning souls. I know I've already thanked you for this, but it never hurts to advertise. That reminds me, I've got to finish reading that story of yours, the one about the boy with the blood transplant. So far it's looking good. Anyway, the burning souls quote is what inspired both this chapter, and a poem which seems to be written from Amara's point of you, also entitled 'Burning Souls'. If you want to read it, you can find it on my website, Randomland. I won't put the address up here (it's in my bio though), because whenever I do, the computer screws up, and I lose half the chapter I have tried to upload.
Second thanks goes to the kind people at SOOP (I think its full title is the 'Spasticated Order of People', but I'm not sure, and I don't want to ask) for changing their meeting day from a Wednesday to a Tuesday, so I could come along on time, as I will not have a Prefect meeting. Their website should be up and running, so I'll let you know about that soon.
Third thanks goes to Yahoo! and Geocities, for hosting both my Yahoo! Group, and my websites. I will recommend you when SOOP goes on-line.
Last thanks goes to you, the reader. You make me feel all loved and happy whenever I see that little thing in my e-mail that says 'Review Alert'! Warm fuzzies all around!
Trial by Fire
Chapter Nine: Burning Souls
"Stockholm Syndrome."
"Excuse me?"
"Stockholm Syndrome," repeated Hank. "It's the only explanation."
"What's Stockholm Syndrome?" asked Tabitha.
"Well," said Hank, trying to think of a way to explain it to the anxious teenagers, "it's a condition that some kidnapping victims -"
"KIDNAPPING?!" screeched everyone.
"- suffer from when they undergo an ordeal with their kidnappers, and they form a bond with them. I suspect that's what has happened to Amara," finished Hank.
"Maybe Magneto has one of his cronies using mind control," suggested Kitty, "and that's why Amara is like she is."
"She had been acting oddly for a while, before she left," added Tabitha.
"That's another possibility," said Hank.
"I didn't pick up on anything when we were with her, though," interrupted Jean.
"Nor did I," said Xavier. "But that does not mean we should dismiss that possibility," he added, noticing the worried looks on his students' faces. He knew what they were thinking, and why they were worried: they all thought that Amara had willingly gone over to the other side, because she was in love with Pyro.
Trying to calm the students down, and quell their fears, Xavier finished with, "At least we know where she is, and that, for the moment, she is safe."
*
"We've got to go, Amara."
Amara said nothing as she watched John pack the few belongings and clothes he had with him into a backpack.
"I said, we've got to go," said John, his voice strained. "They know where you are. We've got to go. Unless. . ." John's voice trailed off there.
"It's just. . ." Amara struggled for words to describe how she felt ". . . the way they all looked at me. Like I betrayed them."
John did not sugar-coat it. "You did betray them, love."
Amara's deep brown eyes widened. "How can you say that?!"
"I'm sorry, love, but it's the truth," John replied. "You did betray them, because you stayed here with me, and didn't go home with them." He tried to touch her shoulder in a comforting gesture, but she pushed him away.
"Don't touch me! This is all your fault! I wish I had never met you! None of this would have happened if it wasn't for you!"
Although John seemed to be deeply hurt by what Amara was saying, he pressed on. "Are you sure, Amara?" he asked. "Are you sure?"
"About what?"
"That none of this would never have happened if we hadn't met?" John's eyes held a fire that frightened even Amara.
"What do you mean?" asked Amara. It appeared as though her anger had been doused with water, and extinguished.
"This is going to sound really corny, but I promise you, I mean this, but," here John took a deep breath, before continuing, "I loved you before I even knew who you were, before I had even seen you. That's why I was so surprised when I saw you at the Institute."
So it had been surprise, thought Amara. I wasn't imagining it.
Then something else registered, something else John had said.
"Oh," whispered Amara. "Oh. Oh, oh, oh."
"Yes," whispered John in reply, before reaching over an enfolding Amara into his arms. "I love you," he whispered into her hair. "And I'll never let anyone take you away from me. I promise."
Hearing this whispered promise, Amara pulled away slightly, so that she could look into John's eyes. She began to speak, but whatever it was that she was going to say was smothered when John bowed his head, and kissed her again.
Unlike the first kiss, which was tentative, and almost fearful, this one burned with the inner fires of John and Amara.
As Amara and John lost themselves in each other, their souls burned brighter than ever before, and the beauty of those souls were such that there were no words to describe them.
*
"We've got to do something!" repeated Tabitha for what seemed to be the thousandth time. "We just can't stay here and let him. . ." here she trailed off, going into words that I will not repeat here.
"Tabitha!"
Tabitha seemed to crumple. "That's just what she would have said if she were here. Just like that, too."
"I know it's hard," said Jean, "but we have to trust Professor Xavier and the other adults. They know what they're doing."
"No, they don't," interrupted Roberto. "They don't have a clue what they're going to do."
"Roberto's right," agreed Ray. "We can't stay here and just wait."
"But we can't go out without the adults," countered Scott.
"Since when has that ever stopped us?" asked Rogue dryly.
"Then it's settled," said Kitty. "We're all going out to get Amara!"
"Yeah!" shouted Ray.
"Let's go get Amara!" added Kurt, jumping up from the couch.
"Let's go!" Jamie's voice joined the shouts.
Everyone stopped, turned to face the boy, and in one voice said, "You're not coming, Jamie!"
"Why not?" Jamie pouted.
"You're too little!"
"Aw, man! I never get to do any of the cool stuff!"
*
The night sky sparkled with thousands of stars as John and Amara silently slipped out of the motel room.
"What are we going to do about the key?" asked Amara, as John shut the door behind him.
"You're serious?! After all that's happened, you're worried about a key?"
Amara had to struggle to keep from giggling. "Sorry."
John flashed a grin at Amara. "It's all right." With that, he took Amara's hand, and led her off into the darkness. "Trust me," was all he said.
"I do," was Amara's only reply.
*
"Take a left here!" ordered Jean suddenly.
"But the motel's to the right!" replied Cyclops.
"Just go left!" ordered Jean.
Backseat driver, Cyclops mentally grumbled to himself as he indicated that he was going left.
"I heard that," said Jean.
"Jean!"
Giggles came from the backseat of the X-Van, despite the seriousness of the mission.
"Why did we go left?" asked Shadowcat.
"She's down this way," Jean replied tersely.
"Is he with her?" There was no need to say who he was.
"Yes," Jean nodded grimly. "Stop the car!"
The X-Van screeched to a halt as Cyclops slammed on the breaks. "Now what?"
"Everyone out!" ordered Jean.
Everyone looked at Cyclops. "Just do what she says," he said, in reply to the unspoken question. "Trust me, you'll be much better off it you do," he muttered.
"I heard that."
Anymore arguing that was about to go down was interrupted by Boom Boom's shout. "Look! There she is!"
Caught like a deer in the headlights was Amara, staring at them with wide brown eyes. John was with her.
Seeing the X-Men, he moved to put himself between them and Amara, wrapping a protective arm around her. "I promised I would not let anyone take you away from me," he muttered. "And I never break a promise."
With his free hand, John pulled his lighter from his pocket, and summoned a flame. Calling upon the strength of his power, he summoned a flame greater than even he could have imagined it. It swirled around him and Amara, forming a protective barrier.
Higher and higher the flames danced, until it became clear to both sides that John was not going to give up without a fight.
The air shimmered with heat, and the two people held in the centre of the flames stood there, their souls burning brighter together than they ever had apart.
Anyway, back to this little intro. thing I've got going on here. First, the disclaimer: I own nada. Not the bakery (although I really could go for one of those cakes in the windows, one where you can put a picture on it. Maybe a they can do a nice pic of a mutant. I know they have done Pokémon ones before!), but nothing. Send me $5 and I will send you absolutely nothing! Talk about a bargain! I also don't own X-Men: Evolution or anything to do with it (although I am the Owner/Moderator of a brand-spanking new Beast Yahoo! Group, 'Beauty of the Beast'. I don't own Yahoo! either.)
Secondly, I have a few thanks. First one goes to A Pyro's Rage. Thank you for all your reviews, and namely that quote about the burning souls. I know I've already thanked you for this, but it never hurts to advertise. That reminds me, I've got to finish reading that story of yours, the one about the boy with the blood transplant. So far it's looking good. Anyway, the burning souls quote is what inspired both this chapter, and a poem which seems to be written from Amara's point of you, also entitled 'Burning Souls'. If you want to read it, you can find it on my website, Randomland. I won't put the address up here (it's in my bio though), because whenever I do, the computer screws up, and I lose half the chapter I have tried to upload.
Second thanks goes to the kind people at SOOP (I think its full title is the 'Spasticated Order of People', but I'm not sure, and I don't want to ask) for changing their meeting day from a Wednesday to a Tuesday, so I could come along on time, as I will not have a Prefect meeting. Their website should be up and running, so I'll let you know about that soon.
Third thanks goes to Yahoo! and Geocities, for hosting both my Yahoo! Group, and my websites. I will recommend you when SOOP goes on-line.
Last thanks goes to you, the reader. You make me feel all loved and happy whenever I see that little thing in my e-mail that says 'Review Alert'! Warm fuzzies all around!
Trial by Fire
Chapter Nine: Burning Souls
"Stockholm Syndrome."
"Excuse me?"
"Stockholm Syndrome," repeated Hank. "It's the only explanation."
"What's Stockholm Syndrome?" asked Tabitha.
"Well," said Hank, trying to think of a way to explain it to the anxious teenagers, "it's a condition that some kidnapping victims -"
"KIDNAPPING?!" screeched everyone.
"- suffer from when they undergo an ordeal with their kidnappers, and they form a bond with them. I suspect that's what has happened to Amara," finished Hank.
"Maybe Magneto has one of his cronies using mind control," suggested Kitty, "and that's why Amara is like she is."
"She had been acting oddly for a while, before she left," added Tabitha.
"That's another possibility," said Hank.
"I didn't pick up on anything when we were with her, though," interrupted Jean.
"Nor did I," said Xavier. "But that does not mean we should dismiss that possibility," he added, noticing the worried looks on his students' faces. He knew what they were thinking, and why they were worried: they all thought that Amara had willingly gone over to the other side, because she was in love with Pyro.
Trying to calm the students down, and quell their fears, Xavier finished with, "At least we know where she is, and that, for the moment, she is safe."
*
"We've got to go, Amara."
Amara said nothing as she watched John pack the few belongings and clothes he had with him into a backpack.
"I said, we've got to go," said John, his voice strained. "They know where you are. We've got to go. Unless. . ." John's voice trailed off there.
"It's just. . ." Amara struggled for words to describe how she felt ". . . the way they all looked at me. Like I betrayed them."
John did not sugar-coat it. "You did betray them, love."
Amara's deep brown eyes widened. "How can you say that?!"
"I'm sorry, love, but it's the truth," John replied. "You did betray them, because you stayed here with me, and didn't go home with them." He tried to touch her shoulder in a comforting gesture, but she pushed him away.
"Don't touch me! This is all your fault! I wish I had never met you! None of this would have happened if it wasn't for you!"
Although John seemed to be deeply hurt by what Amara was saying, he pressed on. "Are you sure, Amara?" he asked. "Are you sure?"
"About what?"
"That none of this would never have happened if we hadn't met?" John's eyes held a fire that frightened even Amara.
"What do you mean?" asked Amara. It appeared as though her anger had been doused with water, and extinguished.
"This is going to sound really corny, but I promise you, I mean this, but," here John took a deep breath, before continuing, "I loved you before I even knew who you were, before I had even seen you. That's why I was so surprised when I saw you at the Institute."
So it had been surprise, thought Amara. I wasn't imagining it.
Then something else registered, something else John had said.
"Oh," whispered Amara. "Oh. Oh, oh, oh."
"Yes," whispered John in reply, before reaching over an enfolding Amara into his arms. "I love you," he whispered into her hair. "And I'll never let anyone take you away from me. I promise."
Hearing this whispered promise, Amara pulled away slightly, so that she could look into John's eyes. She began to speak, but whatever it was that she was going to say was smothered when John bowed his head, and kissed her again.
Unlike the first kiss, which was tentative, and almost fearful, this one burned with the inner fires of John and Amara.
As Amara and John lost themselves in each other, their souls burned brighter than ever before, and the beauty of those souls were such that there were no words to describe them.
*
"We've got to do something!" repeated Tabitha for what seemed to be the thousandth time. "We just can't stay here and let him. . ." here she trailed off, going into words that I will not repeat here.
"Tabitha!"
Tabitha seemed to crumple. "That's just what she would have said if she were here. Just like that, too."
"I know it's hard," said Jean, "but we have to trust Professor Xavier and the other adults. They know what they're doing."
"No, they don't," interrupted Roberto. "They don't have a clue what they're going to do."
"Roberto's right," agreed Ray. "We can't stay here and just wait."
"But we can't go out without the adults," countered Scott.
"Since when has that ever stopped us?" asked Rogue dryly.
"Then it's settled," said Kitty. "We're all going out to get Amara!"
"Yeah!" shouted Ray.
"Let's go get Amara!" added Kurt, jumping up from the couch.
"Let's go!" Jamie's voice joined the shouts.
Everyone stopped, turned to face the boy, and in one voice said, "You're not coming, Jamie!"
"Why not?" Jamie pouted.
"You're too little!"
"Aw, man! I never get to do any of the cool stuff!"
*
The night sky sparkled with thousands of stars as John and Amara silently slipped out of the motel room.
"What are we going to do about the key?" asked Amara, as John shut the door behind him.
"You're serious?! After all that's happened, you're worried about a key?"
Amara had to struggle to keep from giggling. "Sorry."
John flashed a grin at Amara. "It's all right." With that, he took Amara's hand, and led her off into the darkness. "Trust me," was all he said.
"I do," was Amara's only reply.
*
"Take a left here!" ordered Jean suddenly.
"But the motel's to the right!" replied Cyclops.
"Just go left!" ordered Jean.
Backseat driver, Cyclops mentally grumbled to himself as he indicated that he was going left.
"I heard that," said Jean.
"Jean!"
Giggles came from the backseat of the X-Van, despite the seriousness of the mission.
"Why did we go left?" asked Shadowcat.
"She's down this way," Jean replied tersely.
"Is he with her?" There was no need to say who he was.
"Yes," Jean nodded grimly. "Stop the car!"
The X-Van screeched to a halt as Cyclops slammed on the breaks. "Now what?"
"Everyone out!" ordered Jean.
Everyone looked at Cyclops. "Just do what she says," he said, in reply to the unspoken question. "Trust me, you'll be much better off it you do," he muttered.
"I heard that."
Anymore arguing that was about to go down was interrupted by Boom Boom's shout. "Look! There she is!"
Caught like a deer in the headlights was Amara, staring at them with wide brown eyes. John was with her.
Seeing the X-Men, he moved to put himself between them and Amara, wrapping a protective arm around her. "I promised I would not let anyone take you away from me," he muttered. "And I never break a promise."
With his free hand, John pulled his lighter from his pocket, and summoned a flame. Calling upon the strength of his power, he summoned a flame greater than even he could have imagined it. It swirled around him and Amara, forming a protective barrier.
Higher and higher the flames danced, until it became clear to both sides that John was not going to give up without a fight.
The air shimmered with heat, and the two people held in the centre of the flames stood there, their souls burning brighter together than they ever had apart.